Chapter 20: Christmas Tears, Pt.4
Back at Malfoy Manor, Ginny and Draco were sitting on the couch with their other four children: LeAnn, Nicole, Caitlyn and Adrian, watching an old Christmas movie, called The Muppet Christmas Carol. Draco didn't much believe in Muggle accessories, much less Muggles themselves. But Ginny had convinced him down on that subject. Now, he loved the Muggle invention.
Ginny went to the kitchen to get something. Adrian followed his mother. He was very protective of her, Draco noticed. The whole time they had been home, or rather Ginny had been home, Adrian had followed her every step, if he hadn't followed her where she went, he watched her. It was a little natural considering he thought he had lost his mother before Christmas season came up. So Draco didn't blame him. He would be doing the same if his mother had allowed it.
"Adrian?" Ginny asked, trying to get his attention.
Ginny was due anytime now. And at this moment, she had dropped something in the kitchen and couldn't reach down to get it.
"Yes Mum?" Adrian replied.
"Could you reach that spoon on the floor for me? I apparently, dropped it and you know, I can't reach it because of the baby and all," Ginny said.
"Sure Mum," Adrian said. "What are you making?"
Adrian was not about to stand by and let his mother do cooking in a kitchen with all the heat when she was due any moment. It wasn't good for her to be in a heat atmosphere.
"Oh I was just reaching for a spoon so I could eat that applesauce over there on that counter. Silly me, I dropped the spoon on the way back to the applesauce," Ginny said.
Whew! Adrian thought. I don't have to cook.
"Well, here," Adrian said, reaching into the drawer of silverware and handing a spoon to her. "Just take a clean spoon instead."
"Thank-you Adrian," Ginny said, taking the clean spoon and also opening the applesauce. "So tell me, did you get Lillian anything for Christmas?"
Adrian's face went blank.
"Uh-oh, I forgot," Adrian said.
"You forgot?" Ginny asked. "Oh, if she's anything like her mother, she's never going to let you live that down. Just don't let her know you forgot. But I think I can help you out. We'll go shopping today."
"Mum, are you sure?" Adrian asked.
"Yes, don't worry about me. I'll be fine," Ginny said. "Now, go get your cloak and mine and meet me in the living room."
"Yes ma'am," Adrian said.
About five minutes later, Adrian met his mother in the living room with his cloak already on and then helped put her's on for her.
"Thank-you sweetie," Ginny said. "Now, are you ready?"
"Yes Mum," Adrian said.
"Good," Ginny said. "Let's go. Just touch this port key with me and we'll be there."
Adrian reached out and touched it. Instantly, they were on the street near Diagon Alley.
"What type of gift do you want to get Lillian?" Ginny asked.
Adrian looked at her with a puzzled look on his face.
"Ok," Ginny said. "Books? Jewelry? You know those sorts of things?"
"Uh, jewelry," Adrian said. "No books, I think she'd kill me if I got her a book considering her mother is a bookworm practically."
Ginny laughed.
"How could I forget that?" Ginny asked, the baby then kicked her. "Ouch."
"What is it Mum?" Adrian asked, nervously.
"Oh it's nothing dear," Ginny said. "You're sister just kicked me is all."
"Ok Mum," Adrian said. "Well, I guess let's head down to Kathryn's Jewelry Store."
"Ooh, nice touch," Ginny said. "That's one of my favorites."
They entered the shop.
"Hi, how may I help you today?" the lady at the counter asked as Ginny and Adrian entered.
"Hi," Adrian said. "I'm looking for something for my girlfriend. Last minutes Christmas shopping I'm afraid."
"Oh I see," the lady said. "You forgot didn't you?"
"How'd you know?" Adrian asked.
"The look on your face described it perfectly," the lady said. "Don't worry, I have something over hear that I'm sure would be perfect for her. What's her hair color and eye color?"
"Brown hair with blue eyes," Adrian said. "What do you have?"
The lady pulled out a beautiful little sapphire set. Set meaning a pendant necklace, ring, and earrings. The sapphire was a radiant and beautiful blue.
"They're beautiful," Ginny gasped. "Lillian will love those Adrian."
"Mum let's get these for her," Adrian said. "Please?"
"Yes," Ginny said and then turned towards the sales lady. "We'll take the set."
"If you like, we have a set like this except its diamonds," the lady said.
"No thanks," Ginny said. "We'll take this."
"Ok," the sales lady said.
She then rang everything up, gave the total, Ginny gave her the money and then put the jewelry in a box and into a bag. She handed the bag to Adrian. Ginny started to go when Adrian began to speak.
"Mum?" Adrian said.
"Yes?" Ginny said.
"You go ahead, I'll meet you outside. I'm going to look for something for Grandmother Malfoy. I'll only be a minute or two," Adrian said.
Really, he had already gotten his Grandmother Malfoy something; he was using that as an excuse to get the other set of diamonds for his own mother.
"Ok dear," Ginny said. "Meet you out there in a few minutes."
"Thanks Mum," Adrian said, as he watched his mother go out the door of the shop.
"I take it you don't want your mother to know something, ay?" the sales lady asked.
"You read me like an open book," Adrian said with a laugh.
"That I do," the sales lady said. "Ok, would you like to see the set of diamonds?"
"Yes please," Adrian said.
The sales lady brought it out and showed it to Adrian.
"That's beautiful," Adrian said.
"Yes it is," She replied.
"I'll take it," Adrian said.
"Ok," the sales lady said. "Just let me get this wrapped up for you and ring it up also."
Only about ten minutes later, Adrian was walking out of the shop with his mother's gift hidden inside Lillian's, also with a smile on his face. He met his mother on the bench near the shop. She was holding onto her stomach. This worried Adrian.
"Mum?" Adrian said, nervously. "Let's get you home to Father."
"Ok," Ginny said. "I think your sister wants to be here for Christmas."
Ginny got out the port key, then both Adrian and Ginny touched it and instantly they were back in the Manor, except they were in the study. Draco wasn't too far by. In fact, he was standing by the fireplace with a cup of tea in his hands. He never really much liked coffee. Adrian went over to his father and then whispered in his ear.
"Father, Mum needs help. She said she thought my sister wanted to be here for Christmas too. I don't know if it's time but Mum is worrying me Father," Adrian whispered in Draco's ear.
Ginny had already taken off her cloak and sat down on the couch nearest the window. She was looking out the window at the time being, so she didn't see Adrian whispering into his father's ear.
"Thank-you son," Draco said. "Don't worry about your mother. She's strong and always will be. She'll be fine. Thank-you for keeping an eye on her for me when I couldn't."
Draco knew something was up. He could tell just by the distant but yet close look in Ginny's eyes when she looked at him only moments before.
"You're welcome Dad," Adrian said. "I must go do a little wrapping before tomorrow comes."
"That you must for forgetting your own girlfriend at a time like this," Draco snickered. "Go on, off with you!"
Adrian smiled as he went. He closed the door behind him and continued on.
Draco looked at Ginny. She was beautiful where she was at that moment. The light shining down on her slightly messy hair, but yet it was always radiant whenever he watched her. He went closer to her.
Draco bent down towards her forehead and kissed it and then whispered, "I love you sweetheart."
Ginny turned her head towards him and kissed him gently on the lips.
"I love you too," Ginny said, dragging him next to her on the couch.
Draco put his arm around her and then held her hand with his other hand. Ginny leaned her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes. She knew she was safe. She always did in his arms, and only his. She loved the way his blue eyes shined with such radiance when he looked at her. It was beautiful.
Soon, he began to feel Ginny squeeze his hand. She was asleep but yet she was squeezing his hand. He put his other hand on her stomach and could feel their daughter kick slightly. She groaned a little bit as the baby had kicked her.
"Mmm," Ginny grumbled. "Ouch, that was fierce."
Again, the baby kicked, only harder.
"I think she's trying to tell us something love," Draco said. "Are you ok?"
"Yes I know," Ginny said. "She'll be here before morning I suspect."
"Ginny! Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Draco asked. "I could have had you already at the hospital and in a bed by now."
"Because I don't want to have this baby in a hospital bed," Ginny said. "Besides that, I think my water just broke."
She was right, it did.
"Ok," Draco said, trying not to panic. "What are we going to do then? We can't very well hide your screams from the rest of the Manor."
"Yes we can," Ginny said. "Once we get in our sitting room, we'll just make a spot for me to get comfortable in. Then you'll cast a silencing charm on our entire room, meaning the sitting room, the bedroom, the bathroom; everything. Let's go before the contractions start. We'll have a midwife or a house doctor come."
"Alright Ginny, if you insist," Draco said. "But you're not walking to our room. I'm carrying you and no buts about it."
"I wasn't going to argue," Ginny said. "Hurry, I think a contraction just started."
Draco hurriedly picked her up and carried her as fast as he could to their sitting room and set her down in the chair while he quickly got the bed ready for her. When it was ready, he was back and then carried her in there.
"I thought I said sitting room, not bedroom," Ginny said as she grasped his hand for support.
"Yes I know but I'm taking control here," Draco said.
In the next few hours, wrapped up in a blanket, snuggled and warm, was Jade Nicole Malfoy, Ginny and Draco's newest little daughter. She wriggled a little in Ginny's arms as Draco would give her a kiss on the forehead and then her cheek and then whisper in her ear that he loved her. She had the most beautiful red hair with a golden tint to it with blue eyes to match. Draco picked out the first name, Jade while Ginny had picked the second name, or rather her middle name, Nicole. Jade Nicole Malfoy was the newest Elemental to be born. Ginny and Draco weren't ever sure about how things would be with this child. Would her magical powers come earlier than normal witches or wizards? They didn't know; all they did know was that she was not like other witches and wizards. But she was precious to them because she was theirs.
Ginny was lying in bed while she held Jade. LeAnn and Nicole came in the room to see the newest member of the family that next morning when Draco went down stairs earlier to meet the other children at the tree. Adrian saw his father coming down the stairs so he met him halfway.
"Is Mum alright?" Adrian asked.
"You worry too much Adrian," Draco said. "She's fine. Go see your new sister will you?"
"I thought I heard a baby crying at about three in the morning," Adrian said with a smile on his face.
"That you did," Draco said, remembering that moment perfectly, also the moment where Ginny was just about ready to give up.
Adrian went up the stairs and into their room. He found his mother cooing at his new sister.
"Mum?" Adrian said.
"Come here Adrian," Ginny said. "Come meet your new sister, Jade Nicole."
"She's beautiful Mum," Adrian said. "Beautiful."
"I know," Ginny said. "Come closer Adrian. Hold her."
"Are you sure Mum?" Adrian said.
"Good grief son," Draco said, as he had LeAnn and Nicole by his side while with Caitlyn in his arms. "She's a baby. You won't scare her just by holding her."
Ginny laughed.
"Oh come on Adrian," Ginny said. "Don't be like your Uncle Fred, scared stiff when it came to newborns."
Adrian went closer. Ginny put Jade in his arms and then she instantly overwhelmed him. He knew Jade was going to be quite special to him. She already was. In fact, he didn't want to leave her when it came time to go back to Hogwarts after Christmas. Jade was born on Christmas Day. She was a gift and a miracle at that.
Caitlyn, LeAnn, and Nicole all got to see Jade, their new sister, which was before she started getting fussy about fifteen minutes later in Adrian's arms. Adrian gave Jade back to Ginny before Draco shooed the rest of them out.
"I love you sweetheart," Draco said, giving Ginny and Jade a kiss before he left the room to go downstairs to help the other three girls open their gifts. Adrian however, stayed close to Ginny.
"Mum, before you feed Jade, I'd like to give you your gift," Adrian said, holding out a little box wrapped in a bright red color.
Ginny accepted it and opened it.
"Thank-you Adrian," Ginny said. "It's beautiful."
"You're welcome Mum," Adrian said. "I love you Mum."
"I love you too sweetie," Ginny said. "Now get downstairs before your father comes back up here and drags you out of here."
"Yes Mum," Adrian said and then did as he was told.
Ginny then fed Jade while a single tear slid down her cheek. She loved this moment. She was a mother all over again. She was overwhelmed by it. The coming of a new age was upon her at this very moment she knew with Jade in her arms. Things would change she knew. This coming of a new age was for the best she thought.
"I love you sweetie," Ginny said to Jade. "I always will."
END OF STORY!