A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed! Sorry it has taken me a while to update, (Real life, grrr) anyway, this is unbeated, so hope there are not too many mistakes….And since this is based on my own life and my own sweet dog, I hope you don't hate Baby too much! ;)
Draco anxiously waited for Ginny's return from Paris, and they agreed to meet for dinner at Malfoy Manor the night she returned. Draco apparated to Ginny's flat to escort her back to the Manor, and she found the idea of his escort charming. When Ginny opened the door, she practically jumped into Draco's arms, and they snogged in the hall for a few minutes while Baby barked her head off, but they had missed each other and were able to ignore her.
When they pulled apart and Ginny went to grab her things, Draco tried to greet Baby, but she barked at him the entire time, and he couldn't help making a face, and sticking his tongue out at her when Ginny's back was turned. Baby seemed to understand that she had been insulted, and began barking with even more gusto.
"Baby, whatever is the matter?" Ginny picked her up and held her close, looking her over, and saying, "I don't know what's wrong with her. I was going to leave her alone for a few hours, but maybe I shouldn't…What if she's sick?"
Draco wanted to kick his own ass. All he wanted was to have dinner with his sort of girlfriend; at least she would be if that little overgrown rat didn't have it out for him. It was like that dog was put on earth just to make his life difficult, well he was determined to win the war, even if he had to give up the occasional battle to 'Baby' he hated the name!
"Gin, I'm sure she's fine, why don't we stop by The Burrow and ask your parents to keep an eye on her if you're worried though? You're mum did say she never minded if you wanted to bring her by." Draco rocked on his heels in his expensive, handmade shoes waiting to see who would win, him or Baby.
Ginny hugged a shivering Baby close to her, and agreed that they should stop by The Burrow and see if her parents could watch her. They Flooed separately, as Baby went crazy when Draco stood too close to Ginny, and when Draco arrived Baby was playing fetch with Arthur while Ginny and Molly chatted. He was greeted warmly by Molly, and brushed the ash off himself as he went to shake Mr. Weasley's hand. Baby began barking again when she spotted Draco, but everyone tried hushing her as Molly told them she was happy to watch her.
Draco and Ginny apparated to Malfoy Manor, and Draco mentally gave himself a check in the 'Draco' column. Baby was going to be much more of a challenge than he thought. But he was a Malfoy after all, and there had to be a way around this…He would find it.
It was a beautiful evening, and Draco had arranged for dinner to be served on the terrace. Ginny gasped as Draco led her through the double doors, and she took in the scene before her. There was a square table in the center of a marble floor, candlelight, and every available space was overflowing with red and white roses. The night sky was full of stars, and the moon seemed to hanging directly above their table. Ginny thought it was all very romantic and told Draco so.
Draco leaned down to kiss her bare shoulder and asked her if he'd already told her how beautiful she looked. "Yes, three times. But a girl always loves compliments." Ginny's stomach was full of butterflies, and she was pleased she had worn the spaghetti-strap dress now. At first she had thought it would be a bit risqué, but now she was glad, it was getting quite warm with the looks Draco was giving her across the table.
Their starring contest was interrupted by Draco's maid, Mrs. Linton, a squib who came highly recommended by his secretary, Miss Heywood. Draco tried not to be annoyed as he thanked her, and they began to eat dinner.
It was comfortable, Draco was asking about her trip, and Ginny was telling him about the fashion houses she had gone to, when he changed the subject and asked her how long she had had Baby. Ginny was happy to talk about her, but Draco was really trying to find just how attached she really was to that dog, and how old she was, maybe she was on her last legs…
It turned out that Baby was only a year old, and that Ginny had gotten her for a birthday present from her editor. Ginny said that she had had a hard time adjusting to life with her at first, but now she didn't think she could live without her. Draco felt sick at hearing this news. He didn't know what he was going to do; he wanted to keep seeing Ginny, there was no question of that. But how to get around the dog…A three pound dog for Merlin's sake!
"Draco, are you alright? You seem distracted?"
"No, No, I'm fine. So, please go on…"
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Three weeks later, Draco felt completely foolish standing in the little Muggle shop, packed as it was on a late Friday afternoon, trying to choose dog treats from a dog bakery. Draco didn't believe such a place existed until he confided his problem in Pansy and she told him that there was a shop around the corner from her husband's office.
So, here he was, and he was the only male in a sea of…Well, quite attractive females. And all their dogs. The dogs were all friendly to Draco, making his situation with Baby all the more frustrating. Draco briefly thought that if things didn't work with Ginny, and he ever decided to date a Muggle, this was the place to pick one up. There were dozens of attractive woman, in all sizes, shapes and requirements.
The leggy blonde with the bulldog was particularly friendly, and when Draco reached the front of the line and shyly asked what treats were best for a Chihuahua, the women around him sighed and swarmed closer. Draco raised an eyebrow at this new power of attraction and said, "Please make sure that the treats are fresh, and of a good quality…I don't want anything that's not the best for my Baby."
The sighs and "Oh! Aren't you sweet!" comments urged him on, and before long he was telling his audience that his girlfriend had broken up with him and said she couldn't handle the "sweet puppy" but that he loved her, (The dog, that is) and had to give his girlfriend the boot.
He now had woman literally hanging on his arm, and before he left the shop had been given nine different phone numbers and several invitations to the dog parks. Draco tossed them before he apparated to Ginny's, laughing a little at this new information.
His good mood vanished instantly when Baby spotted him, and began her barking though. Draco attempted to try and win her over, he wanted Ginny after all, and he knew that she wasn't about to give up her dog. He greeted Ginny with a kiss and asked if he could give Baby one of the treats he had brought.
"Draco! You are so thoughtful. Of course! But, do be careful, she is a little, well, aggressive when it comes to you."
Draco thought that was an understatement, but kneeled down and opened the box. Baby came closer, still barking, and he held out a 'Pupcake' treat. Baby seemed oblivious to the treat. She continued to bark, and after a minute, Draco gave up. Ginny took the box and tried giving Baby the pupcake. She wouldn't take it, but when Ginny tried giving her a 'Pawline' cookie, she took it and ran to her futon to eat it.
"You see! She hates me! She wouldn't eat the treat I touched! Are you sure she's a do-"
Ginny laughed as she held the box in one hand and pulled Draco close for a kiss with the other. "She doesn't hate you. She's just protective of me, that's all." Ginny saw that Draco still had a grumpy face and asked what she could do to make him feel better.
"Draco raised an eyebrow at her. "Do you really want to know?"
"How about dinner?" Ginny led him over to the table and forced him down onto a chair. Draco was a bit disappointed, but he was happy to be around Ginny, and the dog was quiet, unless he looked at her, in which case she looked up from her cookie and growled. Draco threw his arms up in mock surrender and imagined all the spells that would be put to good use on Baby.
Ginny was in the kitchen putting food on the plates, she would never know. If he say, put a sleeping charm or a silencing charm, or both…and reversed them before he went home. Ginny wouldn't know, and he would have a nice, quiet, Baby-free evening. Draco was contemplating this idea when Ginny brought dinner to the table.
Baby forgot all about her cookie and ran to stand on her hind legs next to Ginny, crying and begging for food. Ginny looked down at her an baby talked her, telling her "No, sweet girl, you have your own food, no"
Baby kept crying, whining, and in general driving Draco mad. He had paused with his fork half way to his mouth as Ginny gave Baby small bits of chicken from her plate, but said "No more Baby, get down."
Ginny looked up at Draco, and smiled sheepishly. "I know you are never supposed to feed dogs from the table, but…"
Draco, at a loss, just smiled and complimented here on her cooking skills. He had to get rid of the dog. And it wasn't just for himself anymore, oh no…It was for Ginny too.
After a frustrating dinner of Baby begging the entire time, Draco and Ginny sat down to listen to Ginny's 'radio' and talk. Ginny explained that it was similar to the WWN, and Draco didn't question it. He sat down with Ginny leaning back against him, and he was feeling quite content.
Baby was asleep on Ginny's bed, a few charms and she was out of the way for the rest of the night. Draco reminded himself that he had to reverse the spells before he went home…
Draco didn't think much of the Muggle music, but Ginny seemed to know almost every song, and either sang or hummed along. Draco was very content to hold her, and wondered what she was thinking about. "Ginny?"
"Yes, Draco?"
"What are you thinking about?" He almost held his breath. Would she say what he was thinking about? About their future? About snogging him senseless? His stomach churned as he waited for her to respond.
"I'm wondering why Baby is so quiet…It's odd." Ginny pulled Draco's arm tighter around her waist as she snuggled closer.
Damn that dog! Draco couldn't hide his disappointment. She obviously wasn't normal. Wouldn't most witches who were snuggled up with their boyfriends being thinking about everything but their dog? The thought of Baby being raised by Molly and Arthur if he decided to propose to Ginny, down the road, had occurred to him, but now he wondered.
Draco decided to test the waters; no one ever achieved anything by sitting on their bum. "Wouldn't you like to have a real baby?" he asked, rubbing her flat stomach.
Ginny rolled her eyes at him and said, "You just want to get started now."
Draco looked down at her, and sighed. "True. But I do want to be a father…eventually"
Ginny turned to look him in the eye, "Draco Malfoy, what are you trying to say?"
Draco decided that maybe it was too soon to say anything. He and Ginny had only just started dating after all, and you never knew what could happen. He assured Ginny that it was nothing, that it was the Muggle beer talking, and they continued to chat until Ginny fell asleep against Draco's chest. Draco liked the feel of her so close, and that she trusted him so much, and he knew then that he was in for the long haul. He gently woke her up after a while and urged her to go to bed.
Ginny walked him to the door and it wasn't until Draco got a kiss goodnight and arrived home that he remembered that he forgot to do something.