sedsmileasdraospunagigglingmollyontheimpromptuefloor.somethingpulledathisleg,andhelookeddowntoseelissalimbingontohisp.

“heythere,ba-”heuthimselfoff.itfeltlikeinstinttoallher‘baby’,buthedidn’tknowifthatwaswhatfutureharrywoulddo.he’dtriedtoavoidthelittlegirlduringtheparty,beauseshewassoyoungandhedidn’twanttoientlydoanythingtoupsether.hegnedaroundforhermione,butshewasoupiedbyangelinaontheothersideofthegarden.heturnedbaktolissahesitantly.“areyouhavingfun?”

thelittlegirlparkedherselfonhispandstudiedhimwithseriousgreyeyes.theywereaarbonopyofdrao’s.“younotdaddy,”shesaidslowly,quietly.

harrydidn’tknowwhattosay.hedidn’twanttosayanythingthatwouldupsether.buthedidn’tliketolieeither,sohesettledon,“no,sorry.”

“whoyou?”sheasked.

“er,youanjustallmeharry.”

“ilissa,”shesaid,pattingherselfonherhest.

harrysmiled.“yes,iknow.it’saveryprettyname.”

lissasmiled.“ittwonames.”sheheldupthreefingers,thenfrowneddownatthem.sheliftedherotherhandtoforedownoneofthefingers.“lilynar-narssa.”

“lilynarissa?”

lissanodded.heouldn’trememberseeinganypituresofmrs.malfoyinthehouse,andhewonderedifsomethinghadhappened,orifshekeptherdistaneafterhersonhadmarriedahalfblood.

“wheredaddygo?”lissaasked,andharrylookeduptoseethathehugegreyeyeswerefilledwithtears.

“i-idon’tknow,baby,”hesaid,lettingtheendearmentfalloutashetriedtoomforther.“buthe’llbebaksoon.”hedidn’tsaywhen;hedidn’twanttomakeapromisehemightnotbeabletokeep.

“daddyomebak?”