Confusion
By Lauren G. (aka RowlingIdol)
Author's Note: After scanning through books 5 and 6, especially 5, this might seem ODD. But its better than the original plan which I will briefly indulge in at the end of this chapter. Hope this doesn't ruin stuff and make you guys hate my writing.
Chapter 26: Kid & A Candy Shop
"Get up." Ginny said to Draco, throwing a pillow at his face. The thump of the pillow stirred her husband who threw the pillow onto the floor.
"You're still sore about the Quidditch thing?" Draco mumbled, getting out of bed.
"A bit. Right now I'm just too stressed about running the store today." Ginny said.
"Can't I stay home?" Draco practically whined.
"No. You promised you'd come and help."
"No I didn't. You told me I had to come."
"You owe me." Was all Ginny said as she called over her shoulder on her way to take a shower.
ooooo
Ginny jumbled with the keys to open Weasley Wizard Wheezes. Draco stood yawning behind her as she unlocked all the locks. Ginny tapped her wand against the nearest lamp and all of the lights in the store turned on. It was quite different than the last time that they were in the store. A pack of Pygmy puffs purred and buzzed at the sight of her as they walked by their cage in the window.
"Ew they smell." Draco said, wrinkling his nose. Ginny turned and glared at him.
"What? They do…." Draco said. Ginny then got the maroon robes from the back.
"This brings back memories." Ginny said, handing a robe to Draco who immediately put it back on the hook in a silent refusal to wear it.
"From what, 2 months ago?" Draco said snootily.
"Yes." Ginny said ignoring his tone.
"I just don't like thinking about it." He said, voice going soft. Ginny reached over and squeezed his hand.
"It's just for today. Don't worry." She shrugged into the maroon robe and began to rustled around under the counter.
"Sweet! Booze!" Was all Draco said grabbing the hidden Firewhisky. Ginny snatched it from him.
"This is going upstairs." She said, taking the bottles towards the stairs. Her footsteps clunked as she walked up the stairs. She came back down, Draco pouting, elbows leaning on the counter.
"For goodness sakes, you're like a kid in a candy store." She told him.
"Um, hello?" Draco said, gesturing around the store.
"Oh you know what I mean." Ginny said. Draco just smirked.
ooooo
"Draco could you put some more chocolate frogs out please?" Ginny called into the back room. The store was lively with a gaggle of guests. Two of the pygmy puffs had found new homes already and several parents were with their kids were browsing the candy and the jokes. Draco emerged grumbling with a box of the frogs. The lid was open and suddenly a frog jumped out and onto his face. Ginny stifled her giggle as he walked past to put them on the shelf.
It was a bit awkward having Draco in the store. People moved out of his way and eyed him cautiously as he set the box on the ground and started stacking the candy. The frog had made its way into his hair and now it was quite a sight to see him trying to yank it out. She smiled to herself as she watched over the store. People walking into the store who knew Fred and George greeted her warmly, asked how she was. Thankfully people left Draco alone. That was until a certain blonde witch passed by the store and practically threw herself at the window to see who was inside. The door was then opened with a very unwanted `ting' of the bell above the door.
"Well I'll be! Bozo, get the camera!" Rita Skeeter said bustling into the store. She touched up her obviously dyed hair and turned to Ginny who was scowling behind the counter.
"Poor poor poor Mrs. Malfoy. Did the Ministry job not work out?" Rita said sarcastically.
"I'm just watching the store for my brothers." Ginny replied, glaring.
"I'm sure you are." Rita said. "And who's your new stock boy?" Rita said looking in Draco's direction. He had just knocked over a stack of acid pops and he was hurriedly trying to fix them.
"He's just helping out for the day. Tomorrow he goes back to Quidditch."
"Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm." Was all Rita said. Bozo hurried into the store with a camera in hand.
"I dropped the lens!" He said to Rita.
"You imbecile!" Rita said, stomping her foot and snatching the camera from Bozo. "Now I'll have to find a new front page." Rita looked around the store before leaving in a huff. Ginny let out a sigh of relief.
ooooo
Sometime after lunch, Hermione and Ron came into the store to see how things were going.
"I'm glad no one looks like a chicken." Hermione said, observing the store. Fred and George were known for handing out free samples of new products that had some strange affects. Ginny just giggled.
"So I'm starting work on Wednesday." Hermione told Ginny.
"That's great! What will you be doing?"
"Well I'm going to be an intern in the Wizarding Education Research and Development department. Hopefully I could be one of the teachers at Hogwarts, or even the people who give the O.W.L.S. and N.E.W.T.S."
"That's really neat." Ginny said. Hermione happily nodded. Ron had started to drift away but Hermione grabbed his hand and dragged him back.
"Aw come on!!!! Just let me say something!" Ron pleaded to Hermione.
"No! You are NOT going to say ANYTHING to him!" Hermione told Ron.
"What's going on?" Ginny asked the two of them.
"Ronald wants to say something to Draco about how the Falmouth Falcons are horrible players." Hermione said rolling her eyes.
"They are." Ron defended.
"Are not." Hermione and Ginny said at the same time.
"You're just sore that you missed the deadline to try out for the Cannons."
"Am not." Ron said, crossing his arms. Hermione rolled her eyes again and smiled at Ginny.
"Can I at least buy some Bertie Botts?" Ron asked. Hermione let go of his hand and he walked off.
"If I hear any hexes being thrown you're sleeping on the couch!" Hermione called after him.
"Have you heard from Harry?" Ginny asked. Hermione shook her head.
"Not a lot. Last I heard he was back at Grimmwauld. Lupin and Tonks have stopped by a couple of times. Say he's doing better."
"That's good." Ginny said. "So how are the sleepovers?" Ginny asked. Hermione blushed.
"He's a great guy. He's your brother, you should know that."
"He's hot headed." Was Ginny's reply.
"I have my ways of keeping him in line." Hermione said looking over her shoulder at him. "He can be immature at times, but he knows how to treat a lady. I can thank your mother for that."
"True." Ginny said, rearranging the items on the counter.
"He at least cleans his dishes at my flat. Cleaner than you'd think. Not sure what your mom thinks of him always spending the night."
"I wouldn't know. I haven't heard from her lately." Ginny said, shrugging.
"We ought to get together again sometime. It would be fun." Hermione suggested.
"I just hope Harry can get better." Ginny said changing the subject. Hermione just nodded.
ooooo
"Ahem." Ron said, passing by Draco. Draco looked up from his box of candy.
"Hi." Ron said.
"Hi." Draco said. There was silence.
"Um….. Did you need help finding something?" Draco asked.
"No… No… It's my brothers store. I know where things are." Ron said.
"Oh…… Right." Draco said. More silence.
"Soooooo…. I hear you're Seeker for the Falmouth Falcons now." Ron said.
"Yup." Draco said, looking around for where the Droobles gum went.
"Have you heard anything about the Cannons?" Ron asked.
"If you're going to tell me that your team is better than mine-"
"No no no!" Ron said to Draco. "I was…. Um…. I was wondering…."
"You're not asking for an autograph are you?" Draco said.
"No." Ron said, ears going red. "I was wondering if you could get me into the Cannon tryouts on Tuesday."
"What makes you think I could get you into the Cannon try outs?" Draco said, raising an eyebrow.
"You're part of the National Quidditch League! Just talk to the coach. Say you know someone who wants to try out but missed the deadline. His name is Terry Reiner."
"I know who the Cannon coach is." Draco said. There was silence.
"I'll see what I can do." Draco said. Ron grinned.
"Just because you're my wife's brother." Draco added.
"Oh barf, don't use that word." Ron said.
"What word, wife?" Draco said.
"Ew, yes. It just sounds weird when you say it." Ron said.
"Oh. And there's nothing wrong with Mr. Hermione Granger?"
"I'm not Mr. Hermione Granger!" Ron said.
"Whatever. You're so whipped."
"Am not!" Ron said, a little too loud. Hermione looked over at the two from the counter.
"RONALD I TOLD YOU TO LEAVE HIM ALONE!!!!" Hermione yelled across the store.
"Wha-pish!" Draco said, making a whipping noise and flicking his wrist at Ron.
"Just talk to him okay?" Ron asked Draco one more time.
"Whatever." Draco said turning back to his box. Ron hurried away back to the counter.
ooooo
After the store was closed, Ginny and Draco ate dinner upstairs. Ginny had made spaghetti on the small stove.
"I found this candy in the back. They weren't labeled or priced." Draco said, nodding a box on the floor with random candy bags in them.
"I think this is Fred and Georges snack stash." Ginny said, peering down at the box. They'll make candies for themselves, not label it and keep it in the back to munch on. We could have some later." Ginny said.
"Today wasn't so bad." Draco said, reaching under the table and pulling out a bottle of Firewhisky.
"What is it with you men and that damn drink?" Ginny said.
"It's good." Was all Draco said, pulling the cap off. Ginny just rolled her eyes. Draco grabbed her empty glass and poured some into it.
"I've never had it before." Ginny said, wrinkling her nose at the amber liquid.
"Never?"
"Well I had hard Butterbeer once."
"That's a baby drink. Firewhisky is a mans drink."
"But I'm a lady." Ginny protested.
"Just drink it." Draco said, sliding the glass towards her before taking his plate to the sink.
ooooo
An hour later or so, Draco and Ginny were sitting on the couch, a bowl of the random candies in front of them.
"Who knew Bertie Botts were this good." Draco said. "I didn't think I'd like Horseradish." Ginny giggled.
"You're drunk." Draco told Ginny. She giggled again and nodded.
"Only a little." Ginny said, leaning back against the couch. Draco grabbed a handful of the candies and held his hand out to Ginny. She picked one and ate it.
"I like the suckers." Draco said, unwrapping a small red sucker and popping it into his mouth.
"These ones are good." She said, picking out a hard green candy. She crunched the candy thoughtfully and took another sip of Firewhisky.
"I'll take you to the candy shop…." Ginny started to sing, making up a little song.
"I'll let you lick the lollipop." Ginny giggled, looking at Draco.
"You're silly." Draco said, taking the sucker out of his mouth and leaving it on the wrapper on the coffee table. The next thing she knew, Draco was on top of her kissing her passionately. She wrapped her arms around his neck, running her hands down his shoulders. He breathed hotly on her neck as he drew away, putting his hands under her shirt.
"Not here." Ginny whispered. Draco grunted as he pulled her off the couch and proceeded to pull her into the bedroom instead.
ooooo
The next morning, Ginny woke with a small headache.
"Am I hungover?" Ginny asked Draco. Draco was still asleep, snoring slightly. She got up and found her clothes and started to clean up the kitchen. She put the bowl of random candies on the shelf above the sink along with the other Firewhisky bottles. Fred and George were to be back later tonight, but the store was going to be closed today anyways.
After Draco woke up, they went back to the Manor. As soon as they stepped into the house, something felt off.
"Where are the house elves." Draco asked. Ginny shrugged. She walked into the parlor and looked around. There was a suitcase on the floor.
"Your mom is back." Ginny called to Draco. All of the sudden there was a loud scream and a dark haired little boy ran into the room.
"I WANT MY MOMMY!!!!!!!!" He was screaming.
"Holy shit!" Draco said jumping out of the way of the kid.
"Leopold calm down!" Narcissa screamed, practically flying down the stairs and running after the child.
"NO!!!!!!!!! I WANT MY MOMMY!!!!!!" The kid ran through the kitchen, back into the parlor and back into the entrance way where he collided with Ginny.
"For goodness sakes." Narcissa said, coming into the room, holding the edge of her skirt up from the ground.
"I don't want you, I want my mommy!" The little boy sobbed into Ginny's knees.
"Leo, please. Come to Auntie Cissa." Narcissa said, crouching down and holding out her arms.
"NO!" The boy screamed.
"Mother." Draco interrupted. "What is going on here?"
ooooo
Author's Note- The original idea for Leopold came through my Sims 2 game where Narcissa and Snape `woohoo-ed 'and he was produced that way. Thought that might be a little too weird for two old people to be having kids so I switched things around. More on him later. Hope you liked this chapter. Please R & R!
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