The necklace
To say that the Malfoy family and the Dagworth-Granger family do not run in the same circle was an understatement.
Hector never thought of being acquainted with the Malfoy Family nor does his father want him to. Mainly because most of the Dagworth-Granger family were living in France and they never really like associating themselves with the Pureblood fanatism of the British Pureblood Society.
"There are much more things to learn. Not just in the Magical world but also in the Muggle world" His father always says.
Hector grew up knowing both the Magical and Muggle world. If only his father could see him now. His father would have raised his eyebrows at him.
His wife and Aurora Malfoy seem to be getting along fine with their topics of how to raise their children. He and Abraxas' most topics of discussion were Potions and Alchemy. It just so happened that the Malfoy family were also proficient in Potions and some of their ancestors were renowned Potioneers.
Their discussion was broken by Hermione's giggles as she walked inside the room. She walked directly to her mother who noticed her first.
The look of shock of the two matriarchs made Hector abandon his talk with Abraxas and the two men walked towards them.
"Oh my! that's my mother-in-law's necklace" Hector heard Aurora Malfoy gasp.
When they were near enough to the ladies, Hector and Abraxas saw what they were talking about. There, lies at the neck of young Hermione a beautiful tear-shaped diamond necklace.
Abraxas knew exactly whose necklace it was. It was his mother's necklace, given to Draco just last year on her death bed.
"Isn't it pretty?" their silence was broken by young Hermione who was admiring her new necklace.
"Darling, how do you get that.." Loretta carefully asked.
Hermione looked at her mother innocently
"Draco gave it to me," she said smilingly, "he said that I should have dis cause I'm his betrothed"
The last line made the four adults stop. Loretta and Aurora felt like fainting, Hector was frozen at the thought of her daughter being betrothed and Abraxas was speechless.
"Isn't it pretty maman?" Hermione was still smiling "Draco said he would marry me, what's that mean?" Hermione rambled excitedly at her new necklace.
Shockingly it was Aurora who immediately called his son in question.
"Draco, I know you're there... " Aurora called knowingly and in a few seconds, Draco walked into the room carefully.
Abraxas seems to come out of his stupor
"young man, what is the meaning of this?" he asked his youngest son.
"I gave Hermione grandmother's necklace," Draco said nonchalantly.
"I know it's your grandmother's necklace, what is she talking about being betrothed to you? " Abraxas asked sternly.
"Grandmother said that I should give her necklace to my future wife... " Draco replied in a matter of factly way
"What... What future wife, you're too young to have a wife!" Abraxas almost stutter.
"I know that's why I asked her to be my betrothed" Draco replied imperiously.
Abraxas Malfoy was shocked. He'd never seen his youngest son like this. Never seen him this impulsive nor this argumentative. For a moment Abaraxas thought he was arguing with a teenage boy.
Suddenly Loretta started laughing, she started laughing hard at the absurdity of it all. When her laughter died down, she looked at the little boy who asked for the hand of her little girl.
"Look at you..already staking a claim for my daughter, did you know Hermione's father did not ask me for another year to go out with him?" she said adoringly
"Darling that's hardly a comparison," Hector said to his wife "We were at the right age at that time"
"Yes... " Loretta admitted "but you have to applaud the young Malfoy for knowing what he wants and getting what he wants"
"Loretta... This is Hermione we're talking about.." Hector reminded
"Mr. and Mrs. Dagworth-Granger, I would like to be formally betrothed to your daughter" Draco suddenly inserted.
The four adults whipped their heads to look at the young boy.
Hector looked at the boy incredulously while Loretta just smiled.
"Oh Draco, you and Hermione are far too young to talk about marriage... " Loretta said to the two young children in the room.
"But mama. What about my necklace?" Hermione frowned not liking the idea of being parted from her necklace
"Hermione you need to give it back... "
"but Draco gave it to me! " Hermione protested as she looked at her mother.
"yes, I gave it to her!" Draco insisted.
"Oh Draco this is a family heirloom, you cannot just give it back on a whim," Loretta said
"But.. " Draco tries to protest but he was beaten to it by his father.
"No that's fine, my son gave it to your daughter," Abraxas said.
"But this was your mother's necklace," Loretta said shocked at the Malfoy patriarch.
"and now it was handed to my youngest son who decided to give it to your daughter," Abraxas said
"Even though he initially intended it to be a betrothal gift for your daughter, how about consider it as a gift for our family's friendship through our children" Abraxas added with finality
He looked at the young girl who if his son wants to be his future daughter in law and smiled "You can have the necklace, Hermione"
Hermione jump at Abraxas Malfoy and hugged him in joy "Yey! Thank you Mr. Mafoy!"
Abraxas smiled genuinely at the little girl. He realized how different it would be if they have their daughter.
Hector and Loretta couldn't stomach the idea of breaking Hermione's happiness so they just remained silent as they let their daughter gush at the necklace even if there are uncertain attachments to the necklace.
Later that night, when the Dagworth-Grangers were gone and both his sons are asleep, Abraxas was left alone in his study to contemplate their day. He smiled recollecting what his son Draco had almost done.
His youngest son, his introverted youngest son almost got himself betrothed to the only daughter of the well-known Dagworth-Granger family.
Abraxas could only admit it to himself but he was planning to do it in the long run. Not with Draco of course but with his heir Lucius but since he saw in his son's eyes how interested he was in the young girl perhaps letting Draco get close to the young Hermione isn't such a bad idea.