Happy Birthday
Abby was browsing the shelves of the toy shop with Draco and Astoria, laughing with them at the gadgets and cuddly toys that seemed to capture every child’s attention. They were looking for a present for Blaise’s son Mathieu’s birthday, while chatting happily about trends in the world of toys.
By the time the party arrived, they had naturally gathered in an adult corner, chatting animatedly while Abby kept a steady eye on the children, especially Luna. Although the grandparents were also looking after them, she couldn’t help watching her daughter out of the corner of her eye. The lively conversations going on around her escaped her slightly as she remained divided between their group and the space where the children were playing.
At one point, she caught her name and looked up, a little confused.
—Unh?’ She’d heard something about going to the bar on Saturday to unwind, but hadn’t really followed the beginning.
—How long has it been since you’ve been out?’ asked Blaise, an amused smile playing at the corner of his lips.
Abby frowned, thinking. Lorenzo didn’t give her time to answer:
—That means too long. You’re coming, then.’
She hesitated, glancing in Luna’s direction:
—I’ve got Luna, and finding a safe watch is complicated,’ she replied immediately.
It was true, not least because of the magic that could sometimes arise, even involuntarily. Magic could give her panic attacks.
Lorenzo had this annoying smile on his face:
—Draco’s here. He can keep Scorpius, and he can keep Luna too. He’s not doing magic in front of them. She’ll be safe with him.
Draco nodded, supporting Lorenzo’s words.
—Luna’s in good hands, Abby. You’ve got nothing to worry about.
Abby was about to refuse, but Draco’s confident tone, combined with Lorenzo’s encouraging smile, seemed to settle the matter. Astoria added enthusiastically:
—It’ll be nice to get out, an adult evening. A real break.
Abby glanced at Draco, hoping he would withdraw his proposal. But when she met his gaze, he smiled and remained silent. An imperceptible exchange seemed to pass between Draco and Astoria, as if they were both agreeing behind her back. Abby understood that nothing would make them change their decision. Feeling slightly betrayed, she glared at them both, but they seemed to take a malicious pleasure in seeing her resign herself. With an exasperated sigh, she finally crossed her arms and muttered:
—That’s because you leave me no choice.
The evening wore on, and despite her initial hesitation, Abby felt more and more at ease. She had finally joined the children, drawn by their laughter and joy. Luna, her face lit up with excitement, was pulling her by the hand to show her the games she had just discovered with Scorpius and some of the other children.
Without even realising it, Abby was caught up in their energy. She laughed with them, playing hide-and-seek behind the furniture, nimbly sneaking up on Luna and Scorpius, who burst out laughing every time she found them. She caught herself feeling a simple happiness, a return to innocence, where her worries seemed to fade away and be replaced by a sincere, gentle joy. She even let Luna climb on her back to pretend to “capture” her, which set off a frantic race across the room.
As she caught her breath, Narcissa, who had been discreetly observing the scene, approached and handed her a glass of juice.
—Children’s fun! I don’t know who’s having more fun. Narcissa smiled.
—She laughed. Thank you, yes, a bit me, rather.
Narcissa looked at Scorpius:
—These are precious moments, especially when you know how fast they grow.’ She seemed to hesitate, then added: “I still remember Draco at that age… just adorable. Scorpius looks so much like him.
Abby laughed, imagining Draco as a child. There was a brief silence before Narcissa began again, more serious this time:
—Luna’s going to be fine. She’s surrounded and loved.
—Yes, I know, but you can’t be sure. It’s normal for me to worry.
—I never said it wasn’t. That doesn’t mean you can’t take time for yourself.
—You’re all passing the word today. I’ve already been forced to go out on Friday.
—By whom exactly?
—The group has ganged up on me.
— This is a good thing.
Narcissa laughed before letting her go back to playing with the children.
Back at the house, Abby carried Luna to her bedroom, feeling her little head rest gently against her shoulder. The evening had been full of laughter and games, but she knew that Luna still needed those special moments before she fell asleep. She switched on a soft nightlight in the bedroom, bathing the room in a subdued, soothing light.
After helping Luna into her pyjamas, Abby sat down beside her on the bed and took out one of their favourite books. She began to read in a soft voice, flipping through the illustrated pages, and Luna listened with sparkling eyes, even though her eyelids were gradually getting heavier.
When she reached the end of the story, Abby placed the book on the bedside table and leaned over to place a tender kiss on her daughter’s forehead.
—Good night, my sweet. Sweet dreams.
Luna turned to her, her eyes shining a little. She murmured, almost shyly:
—I missed Daddy today…
Abby’s heart squeezed slightly and she stroked Luna’s hair tenderly.
—I know, sweetheart. He would have loved to be with us today.
Luna nodded, her little face filled with a gentle but sincere sadness.
—Do you think he was thinking of me?
Abby smiled fondly, tucking a finger under her daughter’s chin to look into her eyes.
—Of course he thought of you. You’re always in his heart, no matter where he is or what he’s doing. You know, he loves to see you smile and play, and he’s so proud of you.
Luna smiled back reassuringly and curled up against her pillow, her fingers playing with the blanket. Abby placed another kiss on her cheek, then another on her forehead, to make sure she felt loved and safe.
As she rose to leave the room, Luna murmured in a sleepy voice:
—Good night, Mum. I love you, Mum.
—I love you too, sweetheart. Sleep well,” Abby replied softly.
She looked at her for a moment, her heart soothed by this moment of tenderness.