just lunch

Khaat had stopped in to drop off some necessary papers at Sparks and came in just before lunchtime. She chose an out of the way corner and decided to stay for something before her father harped on her again for missing a meal. She was sipping on a cup of her usual french roast and glancing over the menu, knowing Rob had made excellent choices in designing it.

The business was hopping. Going well. Khaat was pleasantly surprised that an idea of hers had worked. She was not surprised that business had drastically improved under Rob's leadership. He was just really good at it. And any time she could get him to cook for her, even if it was just by coming into Sparks, it made her feel more relaxed and closer to him. It did more than feed her body. It fed her soul and her heart. Even if they didn't get to see each other at all.

She was starting to be governed by food cravings now more than by following nutritional plans and edicts. She wanted ice cream. The heck with food. She wanted ice cream. Pistachio. And they didn't carry freaking pistachio. She sat and stared at the menu, frustrated, hoping something would jump out and inspire her as being equally as appealing.

Perhaps it was work that had taken her away from her friends and ultimately what was left of her social life but Narcissa found that she had missed crucial points in her friend’s life. She had missed Khaat’s wedding which had been announced in a snippet of the Daily Prophet. Narcissa had to hear the news from Khaat’s snarky mother-in-law who she hoped she hadn’t had the ‘pleasure’ of meeting just yet. Narcissa was becoming restless and the manor just wasn’t a place she wanted to be anymore because the Death Eaters irritated her even more than they had in the past. She wanted to strangle most of them.

So, Narcissa decided to take a look at the new bistro. It wasn’t exactly five wands but it was one of those family restaurants which were overlooked but supplied food that could rival the best restaurants. Narcissa opened the door of the Bistro – Sparks - and stepped inside. She hung her coat up on one of the hooks and looked around to see Khaat sitting at one of the tables. She smiled and slid into the seat opposite the young woman. “Long time no see, little Miss Lupin. See anything that grabs you?”

"No," Khaat sighed, disappointed, "And that's sad when its one's own place. Hello, Narcissa. How are you? It seems like it has been ages." She handed her the menu she had been looking at. "The food is all very good, but Its just not what I want. What i really want is some really good pistachio ice cream. And that just is not something we have."

She was glad to see Narcissa again. Khaat felt drastically different, physically and emotionally since she had seen her last. Khaat was a lot thinner, even though she was now pregnant. But she didn't need to get into that with Narcissa. But inside she was a lot stronger than she had been probably ever in her life. She had had no choice. She had had to deal with it before it ate her alive. Sometimes the peaceful places where she had previously confused her grief for Remus with love now just felt quiet. Not necessarily empty. Just quiet. Resting.

Abbey, however, was not resting today. She was very restless, and it had Khaat off of her diet a bit. She had not gotten accustomed to the kicking yet. And if how she was now was any indication of how she was going to be once she was born, Khaat was simply going to hand Abbey to him while she kicked and screamed from her first moment out of the womb, look up at Rob and say, "Good Luck. The next eighteen years are yours. I did the hard part."

"So, catch me up. What's new with you?" Khaat asked Narcissa.

“Nothing new I am afraid.” Narcissa sighed. She missed James if she was honest. It had been a while since their dinner and she wanted to see him again. However, she didn’t want to seem desperate but she couldn’t help but miss the man. He had a certain charm that captured a person. Khaat didn’t seem to like him too much from what Narcissa could remember but she liked being in his company. He made her feel accepted and love almost. Although that was absurd she could hope and dream – although most dreams were pointless they were still fun to think up. “I have not seen James since our dinner and slight tour of Muggle London but nothing completely extraordinary has happened except for that awful Sandra taking over the Death Eaters. It is another reason why I want them out of my house.” Narcissa scowled slightly and browsed the menu, wondering what there was on offer. “What’s going on except for your rather obvious pregnancy and that nice little double wedding you had with those awful Dark Heats or whatever they’re called?” Narcissa asked, not looking up from the menu.

"Ah, well, I have no idea how this marriage is going to work out. That's about the only other news I know. Rob and I are having some...differences. but then, I know you know what that's like. I had hoped we would at leastt get the honeymoon out of the way before that happened. I can understand how you feel about Wilson. He does seem treat you well, and I am glad for that. You deserve it. I miss Rob too. And I hate the emptiness.

"Oh, I do know something else," she said, not wanting to talk about Rob anymore, "I did manage to get my father out of retirement. He has taken over as, basically, my Chief of Staff at St. Mungos. Its nice having him there every day.

"And--I know I sound crazy, but I saw Remus. He reappeared tto me. Makes me sound really whacked, doesn't it? I thought I just dreamed it, but he gave me his signet ring. My father made sure that ring was on Remus's hand when we buried him. And when I woke up, it was in my hand. Sounds like I really made the trip, doesn't it?"

“Your marriage will work out.” Narcissa said distractedly. “They always do in one way or another. Myself and Lucius, I am afraid, appear to be the exception.” Narcissa put the menu down after selecting a soup and looked at Khaat in interested. She was thin for a pregnant woman. It was the type of pregnancy one would expect from a Malfoy woman. You’d never put on weight and definitely wouldn’t show until the last month. She didn’t fail to notice how rather large Astoria Greengrass had gotten while with child but she knew not to mention it – especially where her view was not warranted.

“Robert Lupin, Healer Extraordinaire.” Narcissa drawled; sarcasm laced with every syllable. “Well,” she sobered slightly, acting less like a Malfoy and more like herself. “I am glad he is back to help people. The healing profession had been lacking since his retirement.” She remembered Robert Lupin quite well but he wasn’t someone she got on with during her Hogwarts years. They worked well in dire situations but otherwise bickered like children. “The dead never stay dead. They always have .... something to do.”

Khaat also ordered the soup. Soup seemed to settle more in her stomach lately than much else. And she always had an excuse for french roast. Always. "I am sorry about you and Lucius, but you deserve far better. You always have.I'd actually rather see you with Wilson. " Then Khaat smiled a bit, trying to suppress a slight giggle. "Now, why am I not surprised that you and my father don't get on so very well? You two are a bit different. I doubt very much if he's changed much since you knew him. Except that he is perhaps more forceful and much more of a fighter than he used to be. Those things have changed since you knew him out of pure necessity. But then again, a lot of things have changed in the wizarding world since then. "

“To be weak is to be Muggle.” Narcissa said harshly. “If you cannot even look after your own family then you shouldn’t even be given the title of witch or wizard. No matte r how useless Lucius was he still looked after his family and that is one thing I have admired him for. The Wizarding World has weakened and to be blunt, the Death Eaters are rubbish and the Order isn’t much better. You have to rely on yourself not other people. I think that is something that Robert misses. I have learnt it the hard way.”

"My father has been on his own for a very long time, Narcissa," Khaat said. Did she forget he was in retirement, and was happy at it. That it had been Khaat's fault alone that he had come back? Khaat was realizing perhaps she made a mistake in coming back here at all. She had dragged her father out from a comfortable happy life to just make sure she stayed safe and to make sure his grandchild got into this world in one piece since Rob had abandoned her. Well, if she had stayed in her self imposed exile, none of that would have happened in the first place, and Rob would probably have chosen to be a labrador permanently over w/ Charlie Weasley chasing dragons. "Let's not talk about my father," Khaat said. "Seems to be a sore subject for both of us."

"Indeed." Narcissa laughed and sat back in her chair, deciding to take on a more relaxed sitting position. "So, have you started to plan out how you will bring up your child? It is very important you know." She knew that she had made mistakes when raising Draco but that wasn't entirely her fault.