Sirius hummed softly, rocking the baby in his arms.
Regina Dorea Malfoy was adorable. She was creams and peaches in complexion, startling silver eyes, and a thin thatch of blonde hair. She had weighed in at seven pounds eight ounces, with surprisingly active arms and legs for a new-born, and an impressive pair of lungs.
She was currently slurping down the bottle of milk Sirius was feeding her as though she hadn't been fed since her birth some fourteen hours before.
They had all hurried back to the Estate from Hogwarts only to wait for hours for the arrival. Narcissa had insisted on staying at the Estate for the birth and a hastily arranged nursery had been organised by the elves.
Lucius had finally shown up two hours after the birth. He'd stank of firewhiskey. He'd taken a brief look at his new daughter before falling into bed in one of the guest rooms, clothes on, and sleeping like the dead.
Narcissa had sniffed in disgust and promptly turned her attention to her daughter.
Sirius hummed again as Regina frowned around her bottle. He smiled down at her. "You are a precious bundle, Reggie."
"Oh," Draco's voice sounded from the doorway, "I didn't realise…"
Sirius glanced out of the window. It was very early in the morning but he wasn't surprised that the brand new big brother hadn't been able to sleep and had intended sneaking a peek.
"She woke up hungry a while ago." Sirius murmured. He'd set an alarm on the nursery to notify him and not Narcissa. The new mother needed rest and Sirius felt it was his godfatherly duty. He'd done the same for James and Lily with Harry. He motioned for Draco to come further in, pointing at the nearby window seat to the rocking chair Sirius was occupying.
Draco soundlessly entered on bare feet. He'd had the presence of mind to shrug on a dressing gown over his pyjamas but he looked cold.
Sirius sent out a mental nudge and the room warmed.
Draco looked startled.
"One of the advantages of being the Head of House." Sirius said quietly. He scanned Draco's face and inwardly debated starting the conversation he figured he needed to have with his young cousin. "So," he began deciding just to go for it, "what's going on with you and your father?"
Draco's head snapped up and for a brief second he stared in shock at Sirius before his usual mask settled on his pointed features. "Sometimes you act like a Gryffindor." He sniffed.
"That's because I am a Gryffindor," Sirius pointed out wryly, "even if I was raised Slytherin."
Draco's brow developed a small crease as he considered that. "You act so Slytherin most of the time."
"I've had to," Sirius said, "to protect Harry."
Draco slowly nodded. He shifted position, sitting cross-legged on the love seat. "When we did the spell…Hogwarts…Hogwarts judged us. She spoke to us mentally, reviewed our memories and…" he flushed red, "and she found me lacking."
Sirius stayed quiet but silently urged Draco to continue.
"She showed me a world where you hadn't become Lord Black and were killed." Draco continued. "Harry…he still defeated the Dark Lord but my life…" he sighed and fidgeted with the hem of his gown. "The Dark Lord lived in our manor. He…he terrorised and tortured everyone. I…I was scared of him, scared for my life, scared for my mother's life and my father's." He looked up and met Sirius's cautious and sympathetic gaze. "I was glad when Harry won; glad to be free of that evil."
"And your father?" Sirius prompted gently.
"In that world Lucius Malfoy was a coward who kissed Riddle's robe and worshipped at his feet until my mother saved us all and told the Dark Lord Harry was dead when he wasn't." Draco said briskly. "My father here…he would have done the same if he hadn't been forced to bow to the House of Black's primacy." His eyes blazed with anger. "He wouldn't have done as Nott did. He wouldn't have sacrificed his life so we would have lived." He gestured furiously. "He blames you for his wound because you forced him into wearing the beacon. If he'd had a choice…he wouldn't have chosen to stand against that…that monster. He would have given us all to him!"
Sirius adjusted his hold on Reggie, noting she was almost at the end of the bottle, as he considered what to say. "Your father is self-serving, Draco. He always was and I dare say once he's gotten over his pity party and begins to realise he can brag about his disability as a war wound he received in heroically providing us with a beacon, he will be again. It's who he is."
"Well, I don't want to be like him." Draco blurted out. "Not anymore. I want to be worthy of the trust Hogwarts said she had in me when she realised how disgusted I was at the other me and my determination never to be like that."
"You don't have to be like your father or anyone else." Sirius assured him. "You'll always have a place in the House of Black, Draco. You should become the person you want to be and if Hogwarts showed you the way, well, I'm pleased."
Draco nodded, a pleased flush rising up his neck. "I have a different future now. I want to…I want to be the best Head of Slytherin Hogwarts has ever seen. I want people to think of the House as more than just a place for dark wizards or where Hecame from."
"That's a good ambition." Sirius commented.
He gently disengaged the empty bottle from Reggie before she started sucking on air. He set it aside and shifted her to burp her gently against the towel which was already lying across his shoulder in readiness.
"Why are you rubbing her back?" asked Draco.
"Babies can take in a lot of air when they suck their bottles." Sirius explained. "This helps bring up any wind."
Draco made a pout of disgust.
"You may want to think about how you deal with your father civilly." Sirius suggested. "You can disagree with his politics, his beliefs and deride his character, but you are still his son and you will need to interact with him during family occasions."
"I know." Draco said defensively. "It's just…" he breathed in sharply and stared up at the ceiling.
"You're angry." Sirius said.
"Yes." Draco admitted with a grudging look at Sirius.
"You can be angry just…"
"Civil." Draco completed.
Sirius smiled at him.
Reggie burped loudly; a milky bubble of air erupting from her lungs and onto the waiting towel.
"There's my girl." Sirius said approvingly.
Draco looked at the milieu in horror. "That's just…gross."
Sirius's lips twitched. "You probably don't want to experience her nappy either then."
Draco sniffed haughtily. "I'm her big brother. I should get to do the fun stuff." He yawned suddenly.
"I think you should probably head back to bed." Sirius said.
Draco nodded. He slipped off the love seat and with a wistful glance at his sister headed out of the room.
Sirius got to his feet carefully, keeping good hold of the baby in his arms. He headed to the cot and placed Reggie down, drawing up the light cotton blanket to cover her restless legs. He hummed a lullaby he'd once heard Lily singing for Harry and smiled down at the gurgling baby.
"So how much of my conversation with Draco did you hear?" asked Sirius suddenly, surprising the woman who had come up behind him.
Narcissa raised an eyebrow when he turned to look at her. "All of it." She said crisply. "As you well know since you are unlikely to have missed the baby monitoring charm I left."
She smoothed a hair back behind her ear and ran a hand down her pristine and tightly belted blue silk dressing gown. She looked stunning for someone who had given birth hours before. She placed a hand on Sirius's arm.
"Thank you for talking with him, Sirius."
Sirius shrugged. "He has potential."
"More now than he ever did as simply Lucius Malfoy's heir." Narcissa's expression softened as she gazed down at her slumbering daughter. She straightened and looked at Sirius. "What do you intend to do with Lucius now you no longer need him?"
Sirius straightened to meet her gaze head on. "What do you want me to do with him?"
"I do not wish to return to my marriage." Narcissa declared bluntly. "My children and I deserve better."
"Then we'll work it out." Sirius said. "I'll talk to Lucius later once he's sobered up." He planned to offer Lucius exile or Judgement. He had a feeling he knew which the other wizard would take.
Narcissa's eyes fluttered closed; tension draining out of it so quickly Sirius realised she hadn't been certain of his response. He reached over and clasped her hand, squeezing just enough to comfort her. She opened her eyes and nodded at him; she was fine.
Sirius let go of her and stepped away from the crib. "I should leave her to sleep."
"You're very good with her." Narcissa said, a hint of bewildered amusement colouring her tone.
"I looked after Harry a lot when he was a baby." Sirius said dismissively. He gave into the temptation to touch Reggie's soft cheek again one last time.
"You should consider having some of your own." Narcissa said.
"No matchmaking." Sirius instructed briskly, noting the look in her eye. It was far to like the one Andy got on occasion. "You're not allowed to match-make."
Narcissa's lips curved into a slow smile. "Of course not, my Lord Black."
Sirius looked at her with suspicion. "Hnmpf." He said eloquently. He glanced one last time at the baby and started for the door.
"Cousin." Narcissa called out to him softly; her voice low to avoid waking her daughter.
Sirius turned immediately.
Narcissa fell into a deep curtsy. "Thank you, my Lord. For looking after my children so well."
Sirius smiled warmly. "You're more than welcome, Cissy."
And his next stop was going to be his own son's room.
His mind was a kaleidoscope of memories of his son as a baby, of James and Lily…and he just needed to see him with his own eyes again, reassure himself Harry was alive and well and breathing…