Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters you may recognize from the wonderful world of Harry Potter, they all belong to the revered JK Rowling; I just like to play with them a little.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
SECRET WIZARDS BUSINESS
As Draco and Ginny wandered into the front room Angel sprang up from where she had been sitting and ran toward Draco. She grabbed his hand and dragged him toward the worn three-seater couch. Ginny followed with Drake and sat at the opposite end to Draco and Angel.
Angel was so excited she was bouncing in place. "What are we going to do, Daddy?"
"Can we go flying? Can we please?" Drake began jumping up and down.
"We'll see about that later, Drake. For now, I'd like to just sit and talk to all of you for a while, before we do anything," Draco replied seriously.
"Is this going to be one of those talks?" Drake asked rolling his eyes.
Draco's look of confusion was all it took for Ginny to jump in and answer for him.
"Do we need to have one of those talks?" she asked raising her eyebrows at the young wizard.
"No! I didn't do nothing," he stated folding his arms over his chest defensively.
Draco smirked, suddenly realizing just what one of `those' talks were all about. He had certainly received his fair share of `those' talks from his father, as a youngster.
"Drake, I just want to learn things about you, that's all," Draco tried to reassure him. "And if there's anything you want to know about me, just ask."
"Oh, okay," Drake replied. "But I still rather go flying," he added in a mumble.
Draco smiled at his son, there were times when he'd rather go flying too, however this was not one them. Looking down the couch toward Ginny he felt a warm, tingly feeling begin in his belly and spreading throughout his body. A feeling he remembered from Hogwarts, whenever he would pass her in the corridors or see her from across the Great Hall.
"Well, I have a question," Ginny started. "Why aren't you at work today?"
"I've taken an indefinite leave of absence," Draco replied smiling. "I want to spend as much time with Drake and Angel as possible. If that's all right with you, of course."
Ginny smiled warmly and nodded her assent.
"Where do you work?" Angel asked inquisitively.
"I work for my family's company."
"What's it called?" Drake enquired turning in his seat to look at Draco.
"Malfoy Holdings," Draco answered, a certain note of pride in his voice.
"What do you do?" Drake continued.
"I'm second in charge. So, I guess I read lots of parchments, sign lots of things, go to loads of boring meetings and make sure everyone else does their job."
"Why are you second in charge? Who's first in charge?" Angel asked curiously.
"My father is `first in charge'. He still owns the company at the moment, but one day it will be mine."
"He's mean," Drake mumbled.
"Drake," Ginny warned.
"Well he is," Drake affirmed a little louder.
Draco smiled at him; he'd certainly have to change Drake's impression of his grandfather before the two came face to face. Draco could not see his father abiding a young boy who constantly told him he was mean.
"Do you have a mummy too?" Angel asked innocently.
"Yes, I do."
"What's her name?" Angel asked intrigued.
"Narcissa Black Malfoy."
"That's pretty. Is she pretty?" Angel responded smiling broadly.
"Yes, my mother is very beautiful," Draco answered a soft smile gracing his features.
"What about your daddy? What's his name?" Angel continued her `interrogation'.
"Lucius Malfoy."
"What does he look like?" Angel enquired eagerly.
Draco frowned across at Ginny and she got the silent message immediately.
"She didn't see him," Ginny informed him in a whisper above the twin's heads.
"Oh- Well, he looks like me, except he's older," Draco replied shrugging his shoulders.
"And he's mean," Drake announced in a low growl.
"Drake, this is the last time," Ginny warned again as Draco mentally winced.
"I have a question now," Draco said smiling down at his children. "How old are you and when is your birthday?"
"That's two questions daddy," Angel informed him giggling.
"Okay, so I have two questions," Draco conceded to the giggly little girl.
"We're four but we'll be five in a few weeks," Drake said rolling his eyes at his sisters silliness.
"Your birthday is in a few weeks?" Draco's mind began to churn, God, what was a few weeks to a four year old? It could mean tomorrow!
"Their birthday is March twenty-fifth and yes they will turn five," Ginny confirmed for him.
Good a few weeks grace. Draco breathed a sigh of relief. I'll have to figure out what to get them.
As if reading his mind Ginny interrupted his thoughts. "The best way is to ask them what they want."
"Oh, umm- So, what would you like for your birthday?" He had no idea that she could still read him so easily.
"I want a `Lightning Bolt 5000,'" Drake told him without any hesitation.
"Really?" Draco said raising his eyebrows at the young wizard. "Well, we'll have to see what we can do about that." Draco hadn't looked at Ginny throughout this little exchange; he could well imagine what she would think of her son ordering the fastest, most expensive racing broom in the wizarding world.
"Drake, we spoke about this. Remember?" Ginny reminded him gently but firmly.
"But, Mum, I have to have a broom."
"What about you, Angel? What would you like for your birthday?" Draco quickly directed attention to his daughter still deliberately not looking at Ginny.
"I want a dragon but Uncle Harry said he'd go dragon hunting with Uncle Charlie. I think I want a unicorn next. Yes, a pretty white unicorn." Angel put a great deal of thought into her answer, after all there was no point in asking for two dragons when there were so many other magical creatures she loved.
"A unicorn?" Draco choked.
"Not just any unicorn, Daddy. It has to be a pretty white unicorn."
Merlin, I don't know who got the raw deal here, me or Potter, Draco thought smirking. At least I'm not likely to get barbequed.
"Well, we'll have to see what we can do about that," Draco replied cautiously. He just couldn't deny her outright, so he'd have to come up with a plan. Drake's broom would be no problem, if he could get around Ginny.
"Daddy, can I ask something?" Angel said quietly from her position beside Draco.
"Sure, sweetie. What do you want to know?" Draco replied smiling, glad that she was interested in learning about him.
"Where have you been?" Angel asked quietly.
"What do you mean?" Draco frowned.
"Why haven't you visited before? Didn't you want us?"
"Oh- umm- Well I-" Draco stammered, only to be cut off by Ginny.
"It's my fault Daddy hasn't been here before, not his. I didn't tell him about you, but as soon as he found out he came straight here," Ginny said quickly. She knew this would come up at some point and she couldn't let Draco take the blame for something he'd had no control over.
"Why?" Drake asked his mother with a frown across his little face.
"I don't really know, honey. You know I was very young when you and Angel were born and I guess I made some bad decisions. One of them was not to tell your dad."
"Oh," Drake responded as he carefully considered her answer.
It was difficult for the little boy to comprehend why his beloved mother would not tell his father about them. Surely she would want him around - the way she's always spoken about him nicely and she would have to love him if they made babies together - wouldn't she? Drake had acquired his own definition of how babies were made over the past year or so. At any given time, in the Weasley clan, there was at least one expectant witch among his many aunts. So he knew that to make a baby, he had to live with a witch after having a wedding, share a bedroom and he had to love her - disgusting in his opinion, but his uncles kept assuring him that his attitude toward witches would change one day. He didn't think so, personally.
"Where did you and daddy live together?" Drake enquired.
"We never lived together, honey. What gave you the idea that we had?" Ginny answered slowly.
"But to make babies you have to have a wedding and live together," Drake responded frowning - he hadn't got it wrong, he was sure.
"Oh- umm- Whatever gave you that idea, honey?" Ginny was now more than a little uncomfortable with the direction the conversation had taken.
"Well, to make a baby you have to live with a witch after going to a wedding and then you have share a bedroom," Drake responded wrinkling his nose in disgust, "and you have to love her."
Oh sweet Merlin, Ginny thought. How on earth am I going to explain this? She looked to Draco for help, but he was sitting there with his infamous smirk on his face, as if daring her to get out of this situation without compromising herself any further.
"You know, I think this is Daddy's department," Ginny said smiling sweetly across Drake's head to Draco.
"What?" Draco coughed as his face contorted in disbelief. She had just handballed it to him. What was he going to tell the little boy? What happened between Ginny and he wasn't exactly morally correct.
"Yes, absolutely! This is `Secret Wizards Business'," Ginny said nodding, her smile still in place.
"Oh- okay, Mummy." Drake was eager to close the subject with his mother, since she was a witch and discussing `Secret Wizards Business' with her would be wrong. He turned to Draco and said in a low voice, "We can talk about this later, Daddy. When Mummy and Angel aren't around."
"All right, Drake, we'll do that," Draco responded hesitantly and shooting a helpless look to Ginny, who smiled sweetly at him. She should have been a Slytherin, he thought. Sly, cunning, little vixen-
It really was his department, explaining such things to his son. Ginny was more than happy to deal with Angel, when the time came, but Drake was always going to be guided by his uncles and godfather - and now his father.
"Good!" Ginny exclaimed. "Anymore questions?"
"Daddy, can we visit your mummy and daddy?" Angel requested innocently.
Upon hearing this, Ginny's breath hitched in her throat and her eyes grew wide as she stared at Draco, waiting for his response.
"Perhaps one day, if it's all right with your mum," Draco answered cautiously. He hadn't missed Ginny's reaction. He would have to talk to her about his father, after all he had promised his mother she would get to be a part of the twin's lives.
"Mummy, is it okay? Can we go and visit Daddy's mummy and daddy?" Angel turned to her mother excitedly.
Angel had missed Ginny's reaction to her question totally. Drake, who was more observant, didn't miss his mother's reaction. He didn't like the way she seemed not to be breathing at the moment, plus her eyes looked like they were going to pop out of her head.
"Mummy?" Angel insisted.
"Umm- Look sweetheart, we'll see, okay? I'm not promising anything, all right?" Ginny answered slowly trying to keep her voice even.
"Can we at least talk about it sometime, Gin?" Draco wasn't sure if the brightest thing to do at the moment was to push the issue, but he felt, with the children present, she would at least have to curb her reaction.
"Maybe," Ginny replied in a stilted tone.
Well that's a start, at least, Draco thought. Of course, she could still refuse to talk about it later.
At that moment Molly entered the room, having finished her housework in the other parts of the house. "Why don't the four of you take a walk? It's a lovely day out, still cold but the sun is shining."
"That sounds good! How about it?" Ginny said getting to her feet. She was thankful for any distraction from the subject of his parents.
Of course, Ginny standing brought Draco to his feet, immediately, as if it were almost an automated response.
"Yeah, we can walk and talk. Why not?" Draco replied smiling at Molly.
"Good then. I'll sort the children out with their cloaks," Molly said. "Come along Drake, Angel we'll go up and get you ready."
Once the children had left the room Draco turned immediately to Ginny. "Gin, about my parents-" Draco couldn't help the slight pleading tone that entered his voice. "They really would like to meet Drake and Angel."
"Draco, I don't know what to tell you. The idea just scares the hell out of me."
"What scares you?" Draco asked even though he was sure of what the answer would be.
"The idea of your father anywhere near my babies."
"What? Gin, my father would never harm them. They're his grandchildren and he really wants to meet them," Draco told her as he moved to stand directly in front of her and place his hands gently on her shoulders.
"His illegitimate grandchildren. Draco, he tried to kill me when I was in first year. Remember the Chamber of Secrets thing?"
"Gin, firstly grandchildren are grandchildren and, secondly, the Chamber thing was all about the Dark Lord - he's gone now and father isn't associated with anyone still pushing his cause. He wouldn't hurt you or the children. I promise." Draco had really started to plead; he knew he didn't have much time before the children returned.
"I just don't know. I really don't trust him."
"I would be there and you trust me, don't you?" Draco asked looking deep into her eyes.
"Well, yes. But you're different." Ginny couldn't explain why she trusted Draco, she just did. Perhaps it had something to do with the way she felt about him.
"How am I different?"
"You're not him," Ginny whispered not breaking his gaze.
"He's not a bad person. Actually, he's quite caring where his family is concerned and, I dare say, you would be counted as family," Draco told her quietly. "My mother is already heartbroken at the thought of not being able to see her grandchildren and she hasn't officially been denied - yet."
"Oh, Draco. Please, tell me she's not?" Ginny was distressed at the thought of causing Narcissa Malfoy pain through the denial of her grandchildren. She knew, first hand, how Molly felt when she was denied access to her granddaughter. Percy had eventually married Penelope Clearwater and she had given birth to a daughter about four years ago. Although Percy was still estranged from his parents, Molly had tried to visit Penelope and her baby girl, only to be turned away by her own son. Molly spent entire evenings crying over this little baby she thought she would never know. All of the Weasley brothers had tried to convince Percy that he was being selfish and that he should allow his mother to visit, but to no avail for quite some time. While everything was sorted out not long after the baby had turned one, Ginny remembered clearly the pain her mother went through. She didn't think she could bear to responsible for causing that type of pain to anyone, even Narcissa Malfoy.
"Wish I could, Gin, but I've already had her pleading with me to see them and I promised I would do everything I could to convince you," Draco told her with a note of sadness in his voice. "Father even suggested that, if you felt uncomfortable coming to the Manor, they could visit here."
Ginny's eyes widened and her eyebrows shot up at this suggestion - Lucius Malfoy at the Burrow her father would never abide it.
"Umm- maybe we could visit them," she said hesitantly.
"Really? Do you mean it?" Draco asked her excitedly.
"Sure, you'll be with us. Right?" Ginny said shakily.
"Absolutely! I promise, I won't leave your side."
"Okay. We'll visit then, but if I want to get out of there in a hurry-" Draco interrupted Ginny as he completed her thoughts.
"If anything happens that you're not comfortable with and you want to leave, you just let me know and I'll have you and the kids home before you know it."
"Thank you."
"Your welcome. When do you think we could go?" Draco asked tentatively.
"Umm- well- I-"
"How about now? I could floo mother and let her know we're coming," Draco suggested hopefully.
"Umm-" Ginny started with a frown across her usually smooth features.
"Gin, once it's over you won't be dwelling on it and, you'll see, my father really isn't the ogre you believe him to be." Draco knew she was thinking about backing out and he wasn't about to let her. In fact, he thought, it would be better if they went today, just to get it over and done with.
"Okay. Why don't you floo your mother and see if it's convenient?" Ginny prayed Narcissa would be out or busy or anything, just not available.
"Have I told you how wonderful you are?" Draco said with a wide grin across his face.
She smiled nervously at him. "Not recently."
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