Draco felt very uncomfortable about dining at the Dokes’ flat. The first reason for his unease was the fact that the Dokes lived in the middle of a Muggle apartment block and being in the Muggle World always had that affect on him. The other reason was that this would be the second time that he and his wife would be the guest of Dokes and there was no way that they could ever repay their kindness by inviting them to his home. His parents would never allow ‘Islanders’ in their manor; to his parents the Dokes were somewhere between the Weasleys and Mudbloods. Draco had argued with them, but some people never listen, so they cannot learn, which means that they will never change.

After he had checked the bronze number plate on the door to make sure it was the correct apartment; Draco shifted the bottle of wine into his left hand and knocked on the door. After a few seconds, the door opened and a smiling Bethany Dokes greeted the two adults. The young girl was dressed in an orange calf length dress and in her hair was a red flower. Astoria bent slightly down to gaze into the girl’s eyes and told their little hostess how pretty and grown up she looked. A large grin filled Bethany’s small face.

As Bethany stepped back from the door to allow them to enter, Draco saw Isaac wearing a flowery apron, step out from a behind a wall to greet his guests. Isaac smiled a wide grin and slipped the apron onto a chair back. He walked over to the Malfoys and shook Draco’s hand as he said, “Welcome to our home. You are our first non-Muggle guests.“

Isaac took the bottle from Draco and began to read the label as he escorted the couple into the combination kitchen-dining room. Pausing by the table, Draco, with his wand, conjured a top hat shaped silver champagne bucket on a long legged tripod which was filled with the exactly perfect amount of ice. With a flourish, he took the bottle from his host and placed it in the container to chill.

Rebekka Dokes, wearing a white linen smock over a yellow dress, came forward, and air-kissed Astoria. Draco smiled and quickly offered to the Dokes, “It’s not too late to go to Hannah’s Bistro at the Leaky Cauldron. If you remember, I’m the one who actually invited your family out to eat.

Rebekka just shook her head, “Please, it’s such a rare pleasure to cook for friends. Bethany, child, come over and help me with the meal.” Astoria and Bethany joined the cook in the kitchen part of the room.

As the women left the room. Isaac led Draco into the living room. Draco had expected a room expanded by magic like the Ministry of Magic autos his family had so often used. However, the room was ‘normal’ size. The room was full of plants and art that served as vivid reminders of the tropical home the Dokes had left behind. Across the room prominently displayed, on a small wooden mantle, were three dark stone statues. The largest of the statues was the image of a pregnant woman and her jade eyes seemed to follow you wherever you were in the room. Around the statue’s neck were three silver necklaces with trinkets on them, and sitting against the woman were two smaller figurines: a Griffin and a delicate flower.

Isaac noticed Draco’s study of the statues. “The statues were a fare-thee-well gift from my father. He gave them to us as we were leaving,” he told Draco.

“I’ve never seen anything like them. Did your father sculpt them?” asked Draco.

Isaac laughed loudly and responded, “My father can barely carve butter let alone something like that.”

Just as Draco was about to ask a question about the fine necklaces, Bethany entered the room and announced that the meal was ready. The two men turned and made their way to the table.

“It might be crowded at our little table,” Isaac said apologetically.

“No. Draco, Scorpius and I eat on a table in the kitchen that’s about the same size,” answered Astoria.

“Hannah said you live in a giant Manor House. I always pictured you eating on a big table in a fancy room,” said a surprised Isaac.

Astoria looked over at Draco. He heard her answer from far off, “Draco’s parents eat in there, but we don’t.”

Drip, drip. The tears of the pleading woman rolled off her battered face onto her cropped hair and finally fell onto the dark oak table. She begged for Snape to help save her and another shower of tears fell onto the wood. Draco could not look up at her. He knew she was as good as dead, and he hated her for her useless emotional demonstration. The more she cried the longer the Dark Lord would make it drag out, savoring each second of her suffering. Shut up woman! Shut up and let him kill you! As he finished the thought, green light was reflected in a falling tear. Both the tear and the person who shed it fell lifeless onto the table.

Draco blinked and saw the other four diners staring across the table at him. He forced a smile and mentally scrambled for cover, “So Bethany, have you and Lily Potter set up a chance for you to be introduced to your future husbands?” Bethany blushed at his comment.

Draco smiled as he energetically told the others about the two girls planning everyone’s marriages. Draco felt his own melancholy lighten as he teased Bethany. Rebekka just smiled and shook her head at her younger child. Astoria contemplated Bethany, leaned down, looked into Bethany’s small face and said, “Do you know what I did when I was eleven at Hogwarts?”

“No,” replied the small girl in a soft voice. The girl seemed to be rising above her embarrassment.

Draco looked at his wife and the sly look in Astoria’s eye worried him.

“I told a third year girl named Pansy Parkinson to leave Draco alone, because he was mine,” Astoria proudly said.

“You never,” asserted Draco.

“I did! Of course, she didn’t listen, the troll. And look who won out in the end,” replied Draco’s wife.

“I know who won. I did,” said Draco grinning as he reached over to take his wife’s hand.

Bethany’s giggles did not break the romantic moment. Astoria did. “We didn’t come here to play patty fingers did we?”

For a second Draco just smiled at his wife. After he finally agreed, Draco pulled out of his vest pocket a folded piece of paper. The note was a draft on the store’s Gringott’s account for all of the back pay Rebekka was owed and handed it to her. The woman looked down at the check and handed it to her husband. Isaac’s brow dropped over his eyes as he looked over the paper.

“Draco, Astoria, the amount is too much,” said Rebekka. “You paid me for more hours than I worked. Remember, you paid us with food the first two weeks I worked for you,” she reminded them.

“You got paid what you are worth. In fact, we would like to make you a full time employee. You can bring Bethany into the shop if it helps,” Astoria spoke.

“A full time position! I appreciate the offer. It’s just that I’m trying to get lessons to become a fully licensed potion maker. However, it’s been impossible to find someone willing to teach me for what I can pay,” answered Rebekka Dokes.

Astoria smiled and asked, “Do you remember me talking about a Hogwarts Professor named Horace Slughorn? Tomorrow on our way to work, we’ll lay in large supplies of Crystallized Pineapple and Oak Matured Meade. And when we get to the shop, I’ll send him an owl.”

“You’re too kind,” said Mrs. Dokes

“Not really. If our store is going to remain profitable, we need you,” asserted Draco, “In this case, our self interest and kindness can both be the same.”

“So, Draco, what will you do with your profits?” asked Isaac.

Draco’s first thought was of a procedure at St. Mungo’s to restore his thinning hair. Astoria answered Isaac, “We are saving for a place of our own. Nothing like Malfoy Manor. A real home.”