Disclaimer: Draco and Ginny belong to JKR and her various publishing companies. I just borrow them for a little while.
Fifteen Years - Epilogue
Late October
Ginny was relieved to finally be home. The luncheon for the Witches Auxiliary for the Preservation of Magical Antiquities at the Tate ran much longer than she had anticipated. Mrs. Moneypenny had felt the need to argue every single point during the meeting. That old battle-ax had been a thorn in her side since she was elected president of the auxiliary eight years ago. And on top of that she was going to have see that old witch next week at the fundraiser for St. George's School too.
All of that had been well and good before Rauri was born, but now her priorities had been reassigned. She wanted to spend as much time at home as possible relishing being a new Mummy once again. Her little princess wasn't going to stay a baby forever.
Addison helped Ginny remove her heavy black wool cloak. She hurriedly removed her hat and released her hair from its confines and was in the process of loosening her deep grey dress robes when it dawned on her the house was quiet. Too quiet - even with the boys back at school. "Where are Draco and Rauri?"
"I believe Master Draco is in the study and the little Miss is napping," he replied stiffly.
She nodded before going in search of her husband and daughter. To be honest, she was a bit worried about Rauri. She'd had every intention of only being gone two hours at most, but the meeting stretched on for nearly three and a half hours.
"Draco?" she called, pushing the study door open and expecting to see him sitting behind his desk buried in paperwork. Only, he wasn't where he was supposed to be. She was beginning to get a bit worried - this was the first time she'd left her daughter for a significant amount of time.
A loud snore caught her attention just before her rising panic had taken a hold of her. The offending sound came from the depths of the plush sofa in front of the fireplace and caused her smile. "Malfoys don't snore, my…" she chuckled as she crossed the room.
Draco was stretched out on the sofa with his stocking feet propped up on the arm at the far end when she found him. He was wearing an old faded pair of jeans and a soft deep green jumper. She couldn't help thinking he would have looked good enough to eat if it hadn't been for the baby sleeping comfortably on his chest with Calliope beside her.
Ginny's heart just melted at the sight of their daughter. Rauri had her knees drawn up under her, a fist in her mouth and her little eyes shut tightly. It wasn't until her husband emitted another loud snore causing the baby to jump that she noticed what the little girl was wearing. Before she'd left the house that morning she'd dressed her in a little pale yellow one piece with little bunnies all over it, but now she had on an impossibly fluffy pink dress that Draco had picked out. She even had little pink ribbons and rosettes attached to a few of her longer curls.
"Draco, wake up!" she said softly as she gently shook his shoulder. "Your snoring is going to wake Rauri."
"Malfoys don't snore," he spluttered, coming fully awake so he could glare at her properly.
"If you say so," she chuckled, kneeling down next to the sofa so she could give him a kiss.
"You're late."
"I know," she sighed. "Mrs. Moneypenny-"
"That old bat isn't dead yet?"
"No! I should be so lucky."
Draco sat up, carefully shifting the baby so she was cradled in his arms, so Ginny could sit next to him. "What did she do this time?"
"It was more like what she didn't do! I think it the worst of it was when she loudly informed me that it looked like I hadn't lost one bit of baby weight."
"She's daft. You look fantastic, better now than when we first started going out." He leaned over to nuzzle her neck.
"I think someone is trying to get me in bed," she giggled.
"Is it working?"
"Maybe."
He kissed his way along her jaw. "Then maybe I need to work harder."
"Why is Rauri dressed like a pink pixie faerie?" Ginny asked, ignoring her husband's not so subtle attempt at seduction. There were more pressing matters at the moment.
"I took her to the office to show her off. And?"
She grinned. "Nothing."
"What? Or you wouldn't be smiling like that."
"Who put the ribbons in her hair?"
"I did. Why?"
Her grin grew wider. "You missed a few spots."
"She was squirming!" he defended himself. "I did the best that I could!"
"I believe you. And how did she make do with the bottle?" Ginny asked while gently plucking the ribbons from the baby's hair.
They'd been trying to get her to accept a bottle for a fortnight now, but so far she was having none of it. She definitely had a Malfoy stubborn streak in her and she could already pout just like her father when he didn't get his way. Rauri was going to be handful when she got older - Ginny could just feel it in her bones.
"She was none too happy about it let me tell you," Draco informed her.
"Did she have anything at all?"
"About half a bottle before she'd had enough of that then she was right cranky until she fell asleep."
"Oh my little pixie faerie!" Ginny cried, reaching for her daughter who was just starting to wake up. "Mummy's so sorry, but she's going to make it all better."
And she did make it better as soon as she changed into something more comfortable - jeans and one of her husband's old oxford shirts - and settled down in the rocking chair to nurse the baby. At this rate she didn't think the child would ever accept a bottle.
Rauri was a much happier baby once her tummy was full.
"Do you know how silly your father is?" Ginny asked the gurgling little girl. "When your brother Gareth was a wee thing, he got Da confused with duck. So he called your father duck for weeks and he was just beside himself. Tried everything he could to put a stop to it. Then one fateful day we went over to Grandmum's for Uncle Charlie's birthday and your twin uncles…"
"And you'll not say another word if you want to continue to sleep in my bed," Draco warned as he entered the nursery.
"Hi sweetheart," she said with just a tinge of guilt in her voice. "Look who's a happy girl!"
"I see," he said, making a silly face at Rauri so she'd giggle.
"I think this baby girl loves her Da very much."
Draco's expression turned serious. "Ginny, can we talk?"
"Of course," she said, dread had begun to pool in the pit of her stomach. She had no idea where this was coming from.
She followed him over to the window seat and settled back against his chest when he opened his arms to her. Rauri spent her time trying to pull herself up over her shoulder so she could see her father.
"You know I love you right?" he asked once they'd gotten settled.
"Yes."
"I've been doing a lot of thinking lately." He lightly nipped the soft skin of her neck as his hand caressed her hip.
"You have," she said cautiously.
"Yes, I've been thinking about how wonderful it has been having a baby in the house again. I didn't realize how much I'd missed it."
Ginny relaxed against him as the earlier moment of dread completely dissipated. "I'm just glad you're getting your hands dirty this time so to speak."
"Yes, well, I don't have to worry about being hosed down by a nappy-less Rauri."
"That was your own fault, really," she giggled.
"Gin Gin," he whispered close to her ear, causing her shiver slightly. "I think I wouldn't mind having another baby in the house."
"Really?" She hoped she didn't sound too surprised. "I thought you didn't like having to share."
"Things are different now."
"Because you have a daughter - she's not competition." He didn't respond to her statement, opting to kiss her shoulder instead. "Are you sure about this?"
"I've never been more sure in my life," he whispered, his arms snaking around her waist so he could hold her close. "I'd love to have another little princess to spoil rotten. Rauri is so different from when the boys were babies."
"I can't guarantee you the results you want," she reminded him.
"I know. Please?"
She sighed. "I wouldn't say no to another baby."
"Really?" he said excitedly. She could feel the giddiness coursing though his body.
"I suppose it wouldn't hurt to see what happens after Rauri gets to be a bit older."
"We could start right now!"
"You are impossible Draco Malfoy," she said exasperatedly. "Impossible! You best be glad that I love you as much as I do."
"I am, Gin, I am. More than you'll ever know."
fin
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Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read this story.