Chapter 793 - Aurora Malfoy

In Wiltshire, down, a wide snow-cleared driveway, there is a towering, curved hedge covered in snow that runs far off into the distance with the impressive wrought-iron gate is shut barring any guests. Despite the cold a pure-white magnificent peacock struts majestically along the top of the snow-covered hedge leaving tracks in the snow.

Past the great iron gates is a handsome manor at the end of a straight drive. Lights glint through diamond-paned windows as an enchanted fountain in the dark, frozen garden still flows with music like tinkling water. The manor is tastefully decorated with Christmas ornaments as inside the large main hall, it is brightly with candles, and great trees, sumptuously decorated as a magnificent carpet covers the stone floor. The eyes of the pale-faced portraits glance and each other with approval. It would be a great day for the Malfoy family if all went well.

Past the grand hall is a drawing-room where the roaring fire crackles underneath a handsome marble piece with a surmounted gilded mirror above. On the elegant royal purple walls hang elaborate family portraits and grand sceneries. The impressive ceiling is 30 feet high as two grand golden chandeliers hang with candles brightly lighting the room. As in the back of the drawing-room is an organ propped against the wall that plays a gentle lullaby softly on its own.

The anxious form of Lucius Malfoy can be seen pacing back in forth across the drawing-room, before stopping to glance up at the time on the clocking sitting on the mantelpiece that shows the late hour. His blue-gray eyes lack their usual cold collectiveness. His long, silky pale blond is a bit tousled from his constant tossing his hair over his shoulders or running a hand through it.

"Just what is taking so long?" Lucius privately to himself, before being pulled out of revere by a sleepy nearly three-year-old clinging to his foot. Glancing down, he sees a stocky toddler with red hair and freckles who sleepily grins up at him, Charlie Weasley.

"Up pweze," Charlie tiredly asked as he raised his small arms up in the universal signal of a child wanting to be picked up.

Unable to tell the red-headed toddler, no, Lucius sniffs loudly as if appalled at the very idea. "Fine then," he grumbled before bending down to gently pick up the toddler and cradling him to his ċhėst.

"Mm," Charlie drowsily hummed before tucking his head under Lucius's chin and falling instantly asleep.

Lucius triumphantly turns to look at the patiently sitting down is the thin, redhead figure of Arthur Weasley, who is sitting on the couch with his eldest son, "William" who was usually called Bill. The thin five-year-old has fiery red hair, blue eyes, and is a rather handsome lad. The solemn five-year-old had finally succumbed to the whims of the sandman and was sound asleep.

Arthur Weasley narrows his blue eyes at Lucius Malfoy and wrinkles his freckled nose. Shaking his head at the younger wizard antic's, who had clearly been fidgeting with nerves just a minute ago. He dramatically rolls his blue eyes in exasperation. Glancing over at the couch across from them, he sees Ted Tonks, Lucius's brother-in-law reading a book to his softly snoring daughter just a little over two and in a half-year's old, "Nymphadora", who everyone called Dora. The fair-haired wizard sensed Arthur's glance and pauses reading glancing up from the children's picture book titled, "A tale of Rumpelstiltskin and the lying Miller and his family!"

Ted Tonks closes his book with one hand and adjusts the form of his deeply slumbering daughter, Dora. His little metamorphmagus's hair had returned to its true fair color rather than its usual red-colored hair when around her cousins, the Weasley children. Apparently, Dora was under the impression that Charlie was her brother from another mother and vice-a-versa. It was difficult to keep the two apart as the two of them were the best of friends.

Lucius carefully sits down in an elegant armchair and smugly stares at Arthur Weasley, while he cradles Charlie to his ċhėst. Ted Tonks smiles fondly at his younger brother-in-law, Lucius Malfoy. Despite Lucius's actions to rile Arthur, Arthur ignored the younger wizard. It was ironic, but Ted was certain that the two men were rather fond of each other despite their regular mocking of each other. Especially considering the fact that both men would only become this lively in each other's company.

Ted's eyes flash and hold a teasing glint in the depths of his eyes. In his usual mellow voice, Ted lightheartedly says, "I am surprised just how well you are taking this Lucius. I was a complete nervous wreck when Dora was going to be born. Dromeda was so annoyed along with the midwife that they threatened to kick me out of the room at St. Mungo's."

Lucius does not even have the grace to be embarrassed as he proudly says, "Naturally, a Malfoy will always be composed in all situations, Edward."

Arthur already used to Lucius's arrogant antics specially to cover his emotional turmoil refrains from rolling his eyes again at Lucius's words. Rather he turns to gaze down at his youngest son, Charlie, who is carefully cradled in Lucius's arms. "I must admit, I have no idea, why Charlie has taken such a liking to you, Lucius. Then again, Charlie has always liked shiny, and especially dangerous things. Dragons are his absolute favorite."

"He has good taste," Lucius haughtily replied not raising to the bait, before a frown appeared on his face. "But it should not take this long, should it? Narcissa has been labor pains since early this morning and it is now rather late that the day will end at this rate!"

"The first birth is usually the hardest," Arthur confessed. "Not that the second birth of our son wasn't difficult mind you, but Charlie came much faster than Bill did, and the birthing in itself went much easier for Molly."

Ted and Lucius bow nod their heads at Arthur as he was only one out of them with two children and with Lucius bȧrėly about to become a father. It wasn't that Lucius was nervous nor frightened that would be positively ludicrous! However, if Lucius were to be honest, he was a bit apprehensive at the idea of becoming a father. His own mother had passed away during birth and he had been raised by house elf nannies from infancy until he grew old enough to be passed into the care of countless tutors. And though his father, Abraxas had been fond of Lucius very much so in his own way, Abraxas had never been a doting nor much less warm father.

Mind you, Lucius was equally fond of his father and still sorely missed him. But after seeing Arthur and his brother-in-law, Edward with their children, Lucius wanted to be a bit closer and warmer to his own children. He wasn't sure if he would be a very good father nor even be capable of such warmth. But he wanted his children to know that they are loved and cared for despite his cold appearance. It was perchance rather sentimentally foolish of him, but he truly wished for there to be some tinges of warmth to be found within his own family.