If I were brave enough to ask you to stay -- Late Summer 2016

I looked up when Pansy walked in and I could not help but chuckle a little bit.  "Oh, we've got this covered, that I can assure you," I told her as I went back to work on the preparations for dinner.

I knew that would get them working again.  I chuckled and shook my head.  "Was I really that horrible of a cook?" I asked them both, though I expected I knew the anwer.

I laughed and looked at my mum.  "I mean this in the nicest way possible," I assured her, "but yes, yes you are that bad."  It had been a long time since the three of us got along like this.  Normally there was some tension.  Perhaps what had happened between Dad and Addison was all their marriage needed or maybe it was the separation.  I was not sure... but it was nice to get things back to this way.  It had been too long.

I looked over at Pansy when she said that and tried to hide a smile when Dorian answered his mum.  "Er... I think I'm going to just keep my comments to myself," I said, knowing that it answered her question still.  But at least she could not remember any negative words to use against me later.

I could not believe the two of them.  I sighed and shook my head.  "One of these days, I will amaze you with how well I can cook," I pointed out to them.  Of course, they probably would refuse to eat the masterpiece.

Ian and I looked at each other and I turned around quickly to keep from laughing at Pansy.  Sometimes she was rather entertaining and did not even realize it.  "Well, until that day happens... I've got this," I informed her.

I shook my head, rolling my eyes in the process.  "Yeah, we'll see about that," I countered.  It was so nice to have the family back together again, though.  I would take this playful bickering any day.

I rolled my eyes so Pansy would not be able to see me, though.  I looked over at my son and smiled at him.  "Could you pass me that bowl, please?" I requested, wanting to put the cut up vegetables into a bowl so I could toss it with some ranch dressing while the chicken cooked in the oven.

I handed Dad the bowl and sighed.  "We're not going to burst her bubble, are we?" I asked quietly, quite sure that Mum would not be able to wow us with her cooking skills.

I chuckled and shook my head.  "No, we won't burst her bubble," I assured my son as we continued making supper.  It did not take long, but we finished it and I put it out on the table.  I poured each of them a glass of mead, myself a water, and looked at the two of them; my family was together at last.  It was my fault that it had been torn apart in the first place, but I would not fall off the wagon again.  "This will be the start of something new... and better,"I said to the two of them.

I raised my glass and smiled.  When we all were seated and starting to eat, I realized how normal we seemed.  I looked at Mum and Dad and realized that something had been off for awhile before now.  "I might head over to Vinny's... he said that he had something to show me...?  I can only imagine what it is, though," I said after a moment or two of silence.

I chuckled and shook my head slgihtly.  "Alright, well, you know you can always go over and see Vinny.  Just make sure you're nice to Crabbe and Millicent, okay?" I warned him.

I smiled, glad that they were okay with me leaving shortly after a family dinner -- something we had not had for awhile.  But I had a feeling they wanted alone time anyways.  I was not seven anymore, I knew these things.  "Always am, Dad," I assured him.

"He's always a good kid, Draco," I said, smiling at my son.  How did he get this big?  I could not believe that so much time has passed...

I watched our son leave and turned my attention to Pansy while I cleared up the table.  "You'll be moving back home, right?" I asked her, not wanting to be alone.