A Gift For Titti: We Are All of Us Stars, (Draco/James Sirius)
Author: glittering_git
Recipient: Titti
Title: We Are All of Us Stars
Pairing: Draco Malfoy/James Sirius Potter
Rating: G
Word Count/Art Medium:1,009
Summary: Narcissa was surprised when Draco wanted to invite his new paramour to their annual holiday celebrations. She’s even more surprised when she finds out who it is.
Author's Notes: To Titti: I hope that you are having a wonderful holiday season! I hope that this short fic brings you as much joy as it gave me to write it :) I loved your ideas of holiday traditions and coming out to family members, so I do hope that you like it! To matsinko: Thank you so much for your encouragement and wonderful beta work-for taking this fic and making it pretty :) To the mods: Thank you thank you for putting on this fest! It was truly lovely to participate!
The title of this work comes from the Marilyn Monroe quote “We are all of us stars, and we deserve to twinkle.”
Narcissa Malfoy was not one to be outdone, even when her only guests would be her son and his new beau. She looked over her handiwork and couldn’t help the small smile that turned up the corner of her lips-this had to be one of her most stunning creations. This year, she had decided to build the Malfoy gardens, the gold foil on the leaves of the tall trees sparkling in the soft candlelight. Each flower was delicately covered in coloured icing. The small stream that ran through the southeastern side had taken some of the most intricate charmwork to get right, but it looked perfect.
This was the first Christmas Eve that Draco had invited someone since Astoria. He’d been so secretive about the matter that she was surprised when he’d told her that his new paramour would be joining them. She’d noticed that Draco seemed happier in the summer, and that’s when her questions had started. Despite her healthy interest in her son’s life, she had gained no information from him except for a name. And once he’d told her that, it all fell into place.
Of course, Draco and the Potter boy would want to keep things quiet, at least until they got their feet under them. It was sure to cause an uproar in the wizarding community, especially with Mr Potter having just recently divorced his wife. Not to mention the way that many could not ignore Draco’s past, despite his years working for the Ministry of Magic as one of their top Curse-Breakers.
She heard the Floo whoosh and then a slightly nervous voice calling out, “Mother, we’re here.”
“Welcome, my dear,” she said gently, walking to where the Floo had deposited Draco in front of the fireplace and pressing a light kiss to his cheek. “I am so glad that you invited Mr Potter to join us for the festivities.” She turned to greet the next guest. “Mr Pott-” she began, her sentence trailing off as she realised that this was not the Mr Potter she had been expecting to meet.
“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs Malfoy,” Mr Potter, or well, James Sirius Potter to be more precise, said with a charming smile.
“The pleasure is mine, Mr … Potter,” she said hesitantly.
“Oh please, call me James. Whenever anyone says Mr Potter, I assume they’re talking to my father.”
“Well James, then I must insist that you call me Narcissa.” She could feel Draco’s gaze on her at that. “Welcome to Malfoy Manor. I hope that your journey here was pleasant.”
“Oh yes, it was fine. I was already at Draco’s for …” he trailed off, blushing, and glanced toward Draco, worrying his lower lip between his teeth as he stopped himself from finishing that particular sentence. Narcissa shook her head with a small smile. Although this was not the Potter she had been expecting, it was still the boy who had been making her son happy.
“I am glad to hear it.”
“Mother, you really have outdone yourself this year,” Draco said, most likely eager for a subject change. That was okay with Narcissa-she would be speaking with her son in private soon.
“Well, thank you,” she demurred. “I must admit that I had a bit of trouble with the river, but I think that it turned out nicely.”
“It’s beautiful, Narcissa,” James commented. “Draco told me all about this Malfoy tradition, but I must say, it’s something else to see it in person.”
“Thank you. Did Draco tell you about the part we charm last?”
“He did. He said that the most beautiful part of the display was the night sky full of shining stars. He told me that as we are born of stars, so shall we return to them,” James answered quickly as if he had memorised the answer to a test question.
“And what do you think this means to us?”
“Mother, please,” Draco protested. “Don’t you think this is a bit much for a first meeting?”
“Not at all, darling,” Narcissa responded, steel in her voice. It was imperative to her that anyone important in her son’s life understood that where they had come from made them who they were.
“It’s fine, Draco,” James said, placing a placating hand on Draco’s arm. “I think it means that even though our lives are insignificant in the grand scheme of things, we still must do our best to live lives that honour those closest to us. Because one day, we’ll all be united as stars in the night sky, right?”
Draco’s expression had softened from one of frustration to one of awe. Narcissa was also impressed. “Such wisdom for one so young.”
“I’m not that young,” James objected. Narcissa could tell that she had accidentally touched a nerve as he continued, “I’ll be 22 soon, and I’ve been an Auror for almost two years.”
“I did not mean to offend,” Narcissa hastened to add. “I only meant that you are wise beyond your years.”
“Well, thank you, then,” James responded, an embarrassed flush covering his cheeks.
“Since his last year at Hogwarts, we’ve been alternating who does the charm. It’s Draco’s turn this year.” She motioned with her wand. “Draco, if you will please.”
Draco raised his wand and softly whispered the spell. Trails of light flowed from the end of his wand to create the familiar night sky. It was breathtaking, and Narcissa could feel her eyes starting to water. She hastily wiped at them.
“What do you think now?” she asked James.
“Wow, it’s truly incredible,” he murmured, the light of the stars reflecting in his eyes.
“It truly is,” she agreed, reaching over to hold Draco’s hand. She smiled when she felt Draco gently squeeze back. Every year, this tradition reminded her of how much things had changed since she was doing this with her own mother. But it also reminded her of all that she had to live for, all those loved ones that she would continue to protect.
Recipient: Titti
Title: We Are All of Us Stars
Pairing: Draco Malfoy/James Sirius Potter
Rating: G
Word Count/Art Medium:1,009
Summary: Narcissa was surprised when Draco wanted to invite his new paramour to their annual holiday celebrations. She’s even more surprised when she finds out who it is.
Author's Notes: To Titti: I hope that you are having a wonderful holiday season! I hope that this short fic brings you as much joy as it gave me to write it :) I loved your ideas of holiday traditions and coming out to family members, so I do hope that you like it! To matsinko: Thank you so much for your encouragement and wonderful beta work-for taking this fic and making it pretty :) To the mods: Thank you thank you for putting on this fest! It was truly lovely to participate!
The title of this work comes from the Marilyn Monroe quote “We are all of us stars, and we deserve to twinkle.”
Narcissa Malfoy was not one to be outdone, even when her only guests would be her son and his new beau. She looked over her handiwork and couldn’t help the small smile that turned up the corner of her lips-this had to be one of her most stunning creations. This year, she had decided to build the Malfoy gardens, the gold foil on the leaves of the tall trees sparkling in the soft candlelight. Each flower was delicately covered in coloured icing. The small stream that ran through the southeastern side had taken some of the most intricate charmwork to get right, but it looked perfect.
This was the first Christmas Eve that Draco had invited someone since Astoria. He’d been so secretive about the matter that she was surprised when he’d told her that his new paramour would be joining them. She’d noticed that Draco seemed happier in the summer, and that’s when her questions had started. Despite her healthy interest in her son’s life, she had gained no information from him except for a name. And once he’d told her that, it all fell into place.
Of course, Draco and the Potter boy would want to keep things quiet, at least until they got their feet under them. It was sure to cause an uproar in the wizarding community, especially with Mr Potter having just recently divorced his wife. Not to mention the way that many could not ignore Draco’s past, despite his years working for the Ministry of Magic as one of their top Curse-Breakers.
She heard the Floo whoosh and then a slightly nervous voice calling out, “Mother, we’re here.”
“Welcome, my dear,” she said gently, walking to where the Floo had deposited Draco in front of the fireplace and pressing a light kiss to his cheek. “I am so glad that you invited Mr Potter to join us for the festivities.” She turned to greet the next guest. “Mr Pott-” she began, her sentence trailing off as she realised that this was not the Mr Potter she had been expecting to meet.
“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs Malfoy,” Mr Potter, or well, James Sirius Potter to be more precise, said with a charming smile.
“The pleasure is mine, Mr … Potter,” she said hesitantly.
“Oh please, call me James. Whenever anyone says Mr Potter, I assume they’re talking to my father.”
“Well James, then I must insist that you call me Narcissa.” She could feel Draco’s gaze on her at that. “Welcome to Malfoy Manor. I hope that your journey here was pleasant.”
“Oh yes, it was fine. I was already at Draco’s for …” he trailed off, blushing, and glanced toward Draco, worrying his lower lip between his teeth as he stopped himself from finishing that particular sentence. Narcissa shook her head with a small smile. Although this was not the Potter she had been expecting, it was still the boy who had been making her son happy.
“I am glad to hear it.”
“Mother, you really have outdone yourself this year,” Draco said, most likely eager for a subject change. That was okay with Narcissa-she would be speaking with her son in private soon.
“Well, thank you,” she demurred. “I must admit that I had a bit of trouble with the river, but I think that it turned out nicely.”
“It’s beautiful, Narcissa,” James commented. “Draco told me all about this Malfoy tradition, but I must say, it’s something else to see it in person.”
“Thank you. Did Draco tell you about the part we charm last?”
“He did. He said that the most beautiful part of the display was the night sky full of shining stars. He told me that as we are born of stars, so shall we return to them,” James answered quickly as if he had memorised the answer to a test question.
“And what do you think this means to us?”
“Mother, please,” Draco protested. “Don’t you think this is a bit much for a first meeting?”
“Not at all, darling,” Narcissa responded, steel in her voice. It was imperative to her that anyone important in her son’s life understood that where they had come from made them who they were.
“It’s fine, Draco,” James said, placing a placating hand on Draco’s arm. “I think it means that even though our lives are insignificant in the grand scheme of things, we still must do our best to live lives that honour those closest to us. Because one day, we’ll all be united as stars in the night sky, right?”
Draco’s expression had softened from one of frustration to one of awe. Narcissa was also impressed. “Such wisdom for one so young.”
“I’m not that young,” James objected. Narcissa could tell that she had accidentally touched a nerve as he continued, “I’ll be 22 soon, and I’ve been an Auror for almost two years.”
“I did not mean to offend,” Narcissa hastened to add. “I only meant that you are wise beyond your years.”
“Well, thank you, then,” James responded, an embarrassed flush covering his cheeks.
“Since his last year at Hogwarts, we’ve been alternating who does the charm. It’s Draco’s turn this year.” She motioned with her wand. “Draco, if you will please.”
Draco raised his wand and softly whispered the spell. Trails of light flowed from the end of his wand to create the familiar night sky. It was breathtaking, and Narcissa could feel her eyes starting to water. She hastily wiped at them.
“What do you think now?” she asked James.
“Wow, it’s truly incredible,” he murmured, the light of the stars reflecting in his eyes.
“It truly is,” she agreed, reaching over to hold Draco’s hand. She smiled when she felt Draco gently squeeze back. Every year, this tradition reminded her of how much things had changed since she was doing this with her own mother. But it also reminded her of all that she had to live for, all those loved ones that she would continue to protect.