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 FIVE
WORK BEFORE PLAY
Ginny irritably tapped her quill against the thick sheaf of parchments sitting in front of her. They'd been interviewing potential tutors the entire morning, and she was growing weary of the process. In fact, she was beginning to wonder if asking Professor Snape for his suggestions was a wise choice. None of the applicants so far would be getting within a mile of her children while she had any say in the matter.
She glanced over at Draco. He was absorbed in the next candidate's resume. In the time between each interview, he made a point of reviewing the upcoming applicant's resume before they entered the room. It was like a ritual for him by this point.
More than once, between interviews, Ginny had declared she would home-school the twins herself, and save the pain of seeing yet another creepy old wizard. It was something that would please her mother at least; and perhaps save her a lot of grief over the coming years, given Molly's reaction to the idea of hiring a tutor. The day before they'd gone to the Burrow for lunch, as they did every month, and sometime during the day Molly had overheard Draco telling Charlie that they were interviewing prospective tutors. The Weasley matriarch had voiced her disapproval, without hesitation, to a very shocked Draco, and then she cornered Ginny in the kitchen, to tell her exactly what she thought of hiring someone to teach the children instead of schooling them herself. No amount of reasoning with the older witch could change her mind, and in the end, Ginny gave up trying to for the sake of her own sanity.
Just to make matters worse it was extremely hot, and although extra cooling charms had been cast in the boardroom of Malfoy Holdings, Ginny was still feeling somewhat uncomfortable. She sighed heavily as she looked over the appointment list. There were another three applicants to see before lunch.
"Smile, love, it's nearly over, and then I'll take you for a nice lunch before we head home," Draco said encouragingly.
"It wouldn't be so bad if we could come up with at least one person we were both comfortable with."
"I know, but it's still early. We'll find someone, I promise."
Ginny's eyes flicked up to the door as it opened to admit yet another hopeful. The pleasant smile on her face belied her first impressions of the wizard standing at the head of the table. Why don't you just sod off now, and save us the torture, she thought. You haven't got a hope in hell of getting the job. "Please take a seat."
"Thank you, Mrs. Malfoy." The old gray wizard inclined his head fractionally, and took a seat opposite the Malfoys.
"Your application was quite impressive, Mr. Aldjoy," Draco started.
"Thank you, Mr. Malfoy. I have been fortunate to have had many long tenures with respected families throughout my career."
"Yes I noticed-" Draco proceeded to ask the man a series of standard questions they'd worked out beforehand.
Even though a Quick-Quotes Quill was furiously scribbling his every word, Ginny made her own notes, and observations of the wizard. He was around sixty years of age, and had very definite views about how children should behave. She carefully wrote 'no' on the side of the parchment, so Draco could see it, in the hope the meeting could be shortened considerably.
Much to Ginny's disappointment, Draco continued to plow through the questions. The answers the wizard was giving were less than satisfactory, in Ginny's opinion, and as such, he wouldn't even be considered. All the qualifications in the world didn't make a person good with children, and that was more important to her than anything else.
"Thank you for attending the interview." Draco stood, and offered his hand to the wizard. "We'll be compiling a short list of potentials this week, and we'll advise you of your success in due course."
"Thank you for seeing me, Mr. Malfoy." The wizard shook Draco's offered hand, and then turned to Ginny, inclining his head politely. "Mrs. Malfoy."
Ginny forced a half smile onto her face and nodded curtly. She waited until the door had closed behind the man before venting. "What a git!"
"He wasn't that bad. He just had very definite views about behavior," Draco responded with an amused smirk.
"Could you imagine him with Drake? It would be a constant battle of wills."
"All right." Draco held his hands up in surrender. "All right we won't even consider him. Happy?"
"Yes."
"Let's move on then," Draco suggested, happy he placated his wife for the time being. "This next one is the young witch you wanted to meet."
"Just because she's young doesn't mean she won't be capable, and she's more likely to be good with the kids. Those stuffy old men you insisted on interviewing are hopeless with children."
"We're hiring someone to educate them, not be their friend," Draco reminded her.
"I know, but employing someone who's going to scare them witless isn't going to help them learn."
"Let's just get through the rest of the interviews, and then we'll discuss our thoughts." They'd been through this many times over the last week, and it didn't appear as though they'd ever agree on what personal credentials a tutor should have.
"Fine," Ginny uttered, as a knock on the door reverberated around the room.
"Ready?"
Ginny nodded and smiled.
Draco shuffled a few papers, and set the Quick Quotes Quill on a clean sheet of parchment. "Enter."
A witch in her late twenties slipped into the boardroom. She was a homely looking woman, with horn-rimmed spectacles and dull brown hair. Her smile was hesitant and obviously nervous.
"Come in, Miss Sheehan," Draco intoned deeply. "Take a seat."
"Thank you so much for seeing me, Mr. Malfoy," the woman gushed.
"This is my wife, Mrs. Malfoy." Draco gestured patiently in Ginny's direction.
"Mrs. Malfoy, it's a pleasure to meet you."
Ginny smiled at the woman, who was only just containing her nervous excitement. "Likewise."
"I noticed you weren't educated at Hogwarts," Draco began immediately.
"No. My father didn't like the idea of me attending school with wizards, so he sent me to Beauxbatons."
Draco chuckled dryly. "I can understand his concerns," he muttered half to himself.
"Yes, yes you have a daughter, and of course, a son as well."
"They're twins," Ginny clarified.
Miss Sheehan opened her mouth to respond, but snapped it closed when Draco cleared his throat pointedly.
"Your qualifications seem to be in order, however, you are lacking in practical experience," Draco continued in a businesslike manner.
"I'm currently working for the Maddock family, but my student will begin his formal education at Hogwarts this September, so I'm obviously looking for another position."
"And the Maddocks support your absence from duties to do so?"
"Yes, of course they do. They'd like me to find a position before I leave their employ."
Draco nodded thoughtfully and made a mental note to contact Mr. Maddock sometime this week. "We have some standard questions we'd like to ask, so if you don't mind we'll get on with it."
"Of course."
Ginny listened carefully to the witch's responses. Although she seemed to be a little hesitant in her answers at times, Ginny liked her. Before Draco had interrupted them she got the impression that Miss Sheehan was not only genuinely interested in the twins, but that she actually liked children. It was a far cry from the cold professional impression she got from the other applicants.
"Thank you for coming," Draco said, as the answer to his final question rolled off her tongue. "We'll advise you in due course of your success."
Miss Sheehan looked at the blond wizard across the table nervously. "If you don't mind, Mr. Malfoy, I have some questions I'd like to ask."
Draco's expression flickered momentarily, before settling back into his usual business manner. "Go ahead."
"How old are your children?"
"They're five-years-old," Ginny answered. "Their birthday was in March."
"Five is such a wonderful age. They're always so eager to learn at that age."
"They are keen," Ginny agreed.
"Have they had any education yet?"
"They can both write their own names, read some basic words, and recite the alphabet."
"Wonderful! It's so lovely to come across children who are able to accomplish such tasks at an early age."
"They're both very bright."
Draco cleared his throat meaningfully. This was deteriorating into a women's nattering session, and he wasn't about to sit through such nonsense. "Well, if that was all, Miss Sheehan, we do have other applicants to see."
"Of course, thank you for seeing me. I look forward to hearing from you."
"In due course," Draco muttered to the stack of parchments in front of him.
Ginny smiled warmly. "It was lovely to meet you."
"And you, Mrs. Malfoy." Miss Sheehan left the boardroom, quietly closing the door behind her.
"I liked her," Ginny said quietly.
"I could tell," Draco muttered absently.
"What's wrong?"
"There's no name on this next application."
"How odd."
Draco frowned and shook his head. "Let's just hope whoever it is has enough sense to introduce themselves professionally."
"What about the appointment sheet?"
"It just says 'Professor'."
"Aren't there any clues in the application? Maybe a letter of reference or something?"
"Maybe, but there's quite a few of them." Draco rifled through the sheets of parchment half-heartedly. "I'll just wait. There are ways to discover someone's name."
"Is this the last one?"
"Yes, love. I know you're hot and tired, but we have to get through this, or we'll never get someone acceptable for the start of semester."
"I know." Ginny sighed heavily. She wanted to go home more than anything now. As far as she was concerned their search was over, but she knew it would take some time to convince Draco. He had a foolish preconceived notion that a tutor could only be an old wizard with no interpersonal skills.
A firm knock at the door startled Ginny from her musings. She looked expectantly at Draco while he straightened the papers in front of him. It was something he'd done before granting entry to each interviewee, a bit like a ritual.
"Enter."
The door opened slowly, and an elderly wizard stepped into the boardroom. Ginny had just started grumbling to herself when she noticed Draco stiffen. Whoever this man was, her husband was not happy to see him.
"Draco, it's a pleasure to see you again."
"Professor Sutherland," Draco responded tightly. "What are you doing here?"
Ginny searched her memory. The Sutherland name was familiar, but she couldn't place where she'd heard it before.
"I was under the impression you were looking for a competent tutor."
"Who gave you that impression?"
"I received an owl from your father."
"Is that so?" Draco had regained his cold businesslike manner instantly upon hearing that his father was behind this wizard's appearance. "Did it not occur to you that if I had wanted to meet with you I would have requested your presence?"
Professor Sutherland sat opposite Draco without being invited. "Your father mentioned you might not be overly pleased to see me."
"Yet you came anyway?"
"Lucius believes I would be the best choice to educate his grandchildren."
Draco leveled a glare, cold enough to freeze hell over, at the elderly wizard. "If you think, even for a moment, that I would consent to you being anywhere near my children then you're delusional."
Ginny suddenly realized who this man was: Draco's old tutor. He described the man as barbaric and cruel when they'd last discussed him.
"I see you haven't yet forgiven me for teaching you some of the hardest lessons you've ever had to learn."
"The only thing you taught me was distrust," Draco snarled. "Now if you'll kindly take your leave... You've wasted quite enough of our time."
"I'm truly sorry you feel that way, Draco. I would have thought you would want the best for your children."
"I do, and that's exactly why you do not rate consideration." Draco rose from his chair, and strode over to the door, holding it open and looked expectantly at his former tutor. "Don't make me summon security, Sutherland."
"Very well." Professor Sutherland rose gracefully, and inclined his head in Ginny's direction. "Mrs. Malfoy."
Ginny only allowed the faintest of smiles to cross her features in response to the old wizard. She watched as he strolled casually towards the door, thankful that he'd decided to leave quietly, but when Professor Sutherland stopped right in front of Draco, her breath caught in her throat.
The old man looked his former student up and down. "You disappoint me, Draco."
Draco laughed coldly. "Good, because the last thing I ever wanted to do was please you."
Professor Sutherland shook his head in disgust, and took his leave.
Unable to resist, Draco slammed the door behind the Professor. Ginny watched her husband carefully. He was furious, and she was at a loss for words. If Draco had expanded on his feelings about the man, or how he had suffered at his hands, perhaps she would have had some idea of what to say to soothe the situation. As it stood, she sat there desperately searching her mind for the right words to calm him.
"Let's go to lunch," Draco said brusquely.
"Fine." Ginny began gathering the parchments on the long table, and placing them in the file Draco's secretary had handed them this morning.
Draco made his way around the table. Ginny's response was curt at best, and it hadn't taken him long to work out why. As she stood up, he pulled her into his arms.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you."
"Let's just go to lunch," Ginny suggested lightly.
"Gin, I really didn't mean to take my anger out on you." Draco searched her eyes, looking for just a hint of forgiveness.
"I know," she whispered.
When Draco noticed her eyes softening he leaned in and kissed her tenderly.
The boardroom door opened, disturbing the couple, but Draco didn't release his wife immediately. A pointedly cleared throat announced the arrival of someone who quite obviously wasn't going to leave graciously. There was only one person in the entire building arrogant enough to be still standing there. Draco's eyes flicked up to the door to confirm his suspicions, and his posture became rigid.
Lucius stepped into the room, unmindful that he was disturbing a private moment between husband and wife. "Did I see Professor Sutherland leaving?"
"Ginevra, could you give us a moment?" Draco said calmly.
Ginny looked at her husband. While he was calm, there was something very disturbing lingering just under the surface of his expression, and the use of her full given name set alarm bells off in her head. She smiled brilliantly at him, as if nothing was worrying her. "I have to use the lavatory, so I'll wait for you in your office."
Draco escorted her to the door. He placed a kiss on her forehead, and promised not to be long, before closing the door.
"Professor Sutherland didn't appear to be very happy," Lucius commented offhandedly the moment the door clicked shut.
Draco turned to face his father. "I'm not surprised."
"Did something go wrong in the interview?"
"Professor Sutherland was not invited to attend an interview by either myself or Ginny."
"And?"
"I told him to leave."
The slightest hint of surprise passed across Lucius' features. "I see."
"I don't think you do, Father."
"What makes you say that?"
"I thought I had made myself perfectly clear the other week, but apparently I was mistaken."
"How so?"
Draco resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He knew his father was playing games with him, and if he didn't make himself abundantly clear, Lucius would claim to have not understood the next time he meddled in his affairs. "I'm going to tell you this just once more. Professor Sutherland is not an appropriate choice as a tutor for any child, let alone my children. I will be making the final decision on who is appointed to the position, and unless I specifically ask for your opinion, I would be grateful if you kept it to yourself. I don't appreciate having my time wasted."
Lucius features hardened. "There was a time, not so long ago, that you valued my opinion."
Draco expelled a frustrated lung full of air. "I do value your opinion, but I do not appreciate you going behind my back like that. You're fully aware of my feelings regarding Professor Sutherland, so your underhanded plan was never going to work."
"I resent the implication that I did anything underhanded."
"I implied nothing. I stated it for a fact," Draco snarled. "Now I'm going to take my wife to lunch, where we'll be discussing the real applicants."
Without hesitation, Draco strode purposefully from the boardroom. He thought if he had to listen to any more of his father's reasons for inviting that man here he might just explode in a very undignified manner. When he reached his outer office he secretary informed him that Ginny was waiting in his office. Before entering, Draco took a few cleansing breaths. The last he wanted to do was take his foul mood out on Ginny again.
"Are you ready to go to lunch, love?" Draco hoped the smile on his face didn't appear false.
"Yes. Is everything all right?"
"Fine."
Ginny smiled unconvincingly. "Okay."
Draco draped her cloak over her shoulders. "Let's just go."
"All right."
Draco picked up the file with all the interview notes in it, and tucked it under his arm. He didn't really feel like discussing the applicants now, but he was well aware that a short list had to be decided upon sooner rather than later. "Do you want to Apparate or walk?"
"Walk. I feel like I need to stretch my legs."
"Walk it is then." Draco took his wife's hand and led her from the office. He stopped briefly to tell his secretary that he was unavailable for the remainder of the day, no matter what happened. The older woman reminded him of his schedule for the following day and handed him a file, which he accepted reluctantly.
Just as they reached the corridor, Lucius was coming out of the boardroom. The looks that passed between the two wizards could only be described as disdainful, and perhaps a little dangerous. Both were accustomed to getting their own way without a battle, and neither was adept at seeing another's point of view.
"You're leaving for the day?"
"Yes, we're going to lunch, and then home to take the children swimming."
"I see."
"We'll see you at home this evening," Ginny said brightly, again pretending nothing was wrong.
"Yes, I suppose I'll make it home eventually." Lucius paused for obvious effect. "With Draco gone for the rest of the day someone has to do the work."
"Really? I thought you were taking your work home with you, Draco?"
"I am," Draco replied, trying gallantly to hide the amusement in his tone. If only he could have captured his father's expression on film, perhaps in a Muggle photograph so Lucius' photographic self couldn't amend his surprised look. He had to give Ginny credit at times like this, she knew exactly when to speak up and put his father back in his place.
"Tell your mother I'll be home for dinner," Lucius intoned gruffly before turning on his heel and returning to his own office.
"Do you think I upset him?" Ginny asked with mock innocence.
"Mmm... I pretty sure you did." Draco smirked down at her. "He detests being called on things like that."
Ginny laughed. "Good, because he shouldn't fib."
"Let's get you out of here before you offend him irrevocably."
"Now that sounds like fun."
"No, now come on," Draco said, guiding Ginny down the corridor. They laughed quietly to themselves all the way to the elevator.
They walked hand in hand through Diagon Alley to the restaurant Draco had chosen for lunch. It was an intimate establishment he rather liked.
The maitre 'd seated the couple, and took their order before disappearing.
Draco placed the interview file on the table and looked expectantly at Ginny. "Who did you like?"
"Clare Sheehan," Ginny answered without hesitation.
"She's hardly got a world of experience."
"Just because she's not some moldy old wizard doesn't mean she's incapable of teaching the children."
"I didn't say that," Draco responded. "It's just that experience counts, and in some situations it's invaluable."
"She was the only one who actually showed an interest in the twins. None of your old men even asked about them."
"Which shows their professionalism. This interview was for them to show off their credentials."
"First impressions count," Ginny stated resolutely. "I want someone who wants to teach the kids, who really shows they care, and I think Clare is that person."
Draco sighed heavily. They both had very different views on what counted most in a tutor. "We need someone who is going to prepare them for Hogwarts, to push them to achieve to the best of their ability, not someone who is going to be their best friend."
"Who said she's not a hard task master in the classroom. There's nothing wrong with caring about your students."
"All right, I'll contact the-" Draco flicked through the file to the notes taken during Miss Sheehan's interview. "-Maddocks. It's easier to get their real opinion of the woman face to face."
"So she's through to the second round?"
"If the Maddocks are happy with her," Draco stressed. "Now who else did you consider worthy?"
Ginny frowned deeply in thought. All the applicants had good resumes, but none of the others seemed amicable enough for her liking. "I suppose the second one wasn't as bad as the rest."
"That would have been Mr. Merrythought. I wonder if he's related to Professor Merrythought."
"Who?"
"He used to teach at Hogwarts... well before our time. I think he taught Defense Against the Dark Arts."
"Oh," Ginny uttered. Whether or not the man was related to some old Professor she had never heard of was beside the point. "Are we going to offer him a second interview?"
"Yes, I think we should." Draco looked down the original appointment sheet. "How about if we go through the applicants in order? It'll be easier than just randomly selecting who we liked."
"Fine," Ginny responded vaguely. She'd be hard pressed to not refuse everyone else on the list the position.
"We saw Professor Newmarch first."
"No, definitely not."
"Fine. We've already agreed Mr. Merrythought has a second interview, so Mr. O'Callaghan was next."
"He gave me the heebie-jeebies."
"He comes highly recommended."
"That's doesn't matter if I feel like I have to scrub my skin every time I'm in the same room as the man."
"Okay, he's out. What about Amherst?"
"I didn't like him."
"Why?"
"I don't know exactly... something just didn't feel right about him."
Draco resisted the urge to roll his eyes and groan with frustration. He was beginning to wish he'd taken his father's advice, and made the decision on his own. "Ginny, he's well qualified, and that's what counts. There's absolutely no reason to eliminate him."
"You liked him?"
"I didn't find any reason not to like him, and I feel it would be foolish not to offer him a second interview."
"So my opinion doesn't count?"
This time Draco did roll his eyes and groan. "Of course your opinion counts. If it didn't we wouldn't be having this conversation."
Ginny sniffed affectedly. She wasn't convinced, but held her tongue while their order arrived.
"My opinion counts as well." Draco tried to catch her eyes, but failed when she deliberately averted her gaze. "We're allowed to have different opinions on things, aren't we?"
"Yes."
"There's no problem then. I would like to meet with Amherst again, and I'm putting him through to the next round of interviews."
"Fine," Ginny snapped.
Draco ignored Ginny's tone and moved forward. "What about Professor Haines?"
"Too old."
"I agree." Draco smiled across the table at her. "Mr. MacKenzie?"
Ginny expelled a large breath. She didn't like this wizard either, but it wasn't anything she could put her finger on specifically, just a gut feeling. "I don't know. There was something odd about him, don't you think?"
Draco arched an eyebrow in amusement. "Odd?"
"Yes. He didn't seem all that confident, and he did have to ask you several times to repeat questions."
"All right, he's out. I got the feeling he's a wee bit deaf, and that would be dangerous if the kids ever caught on. Mr. Conway was next."
"He was all right, I guess."
"We'll put him through to the second round then."
"Fine."
"Now we've already decided that Mr. Aldjoy is out, unless you've changed your mind."
"Nope."
"Miss Sheehan will be offered a second interview, pending a meeting with Mr. Maddock, and we're not even discussing the last applicant."
"How many second interviews do we have?"
"Four, including Miss Sheehan."
"When are we going to do them?"
"I can take a day off next week," Draco offered.
"It might be a bit much for the twins."
"What do you suggest, love?"
"Perhaps we could break it down into two afternoons?"
"You're just trying to get me home early two days in a row."
"It could be alternate days if you want."
"I'll see what I can arrange," Draco replied. "When I've decided what days I can finish early, I'll have my secretary send the owls."
"All right."
They finished their meals in relative silence. Ginny didn't know whether to be pleased with the outcome or not. While she'd almost secured another interview for Clare Sheehan, she was going to have to meet with the other three men again, and that was a little irritating. If she had her way, an owl would be on its way to Miss Sheehan right now, offering her the position.
"Are you ready?"
Draco's voice interrupted Ginny's thoughts.
"Umm- yes, let's go. The kids are probably driving your mother insane by now."
"Mother is more than likely having the time of her life," Draco replied as he assisted Ginny to her feet.
"Oh yes, I'm sure she'd be impressed with the constant requests to go swimming."
"We couldn't blame the kids for asking. I can't wait to get to the lake myself," Draco admitted.
"It will be nice to just relax for the rest of the afternoon."
"I'll pay the bill, and we'll get out of here then."
Within minutes they were making their way to the closest Apparation point. The thought of spending the afternoon by the cool water of their private lake put extra speed into their pace.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Draco's attention momentarily strayed from the twins. Ginny was standing a short distance away untying a sheer black wrap from around her waist. She looked delectable in her black bikini. The wrap pooled at her feet and Draco subconsciously licked his lips. There was something different about her, something very alluring. The notion of sending the twins back to the house, so he could make love to his wife by the lake, passed briefly through his mind. It disappeared with a no-so-subtle tug on his hand from Drake.
"Daddy, can we go in now?"
"Just wait for Mummy," Draco muttered absently, his eyes not leaving the sight of his wife.
Ginny walked towards her family, and as she got closer, she noticed Draco's eyes had darkened, and he was gazing at her in an almost predatory way. There was no doubt in her mind what was on his.
Draco disentangled himself from the twins, and took a few steps forward to meet his wife. His hands grasped her hips lightly, and he pulled her flush against his chest. "You look beautiful," he said throatily.
"Thank you," Ginny responded coyly.
"Is that the swimsuit you bought in France?"
"Yes."
"There's something different about it."
"Is there?"
"Mmm... I don't know what, but-"
"Are you two going to snog? 'Cause if you are, can me and Angel go swimming?"
The thoughts that ran through Draco's head at that moment were not entirely healthy for his heir. It was only the fact that spilling his son's blood would ruin the mood that stayed his temper.
"I think someone's getting a little impatient," Ginny said with quiet amusement.
"I'll give him bloody impatient," Draco muttered, mostly to himself.
"Leave it, Draco. It's hot... he just wants to cool off."
Draco muttered something unintelligible.
Ginny chose not to ask him to repeat what he'd said. "It sounds like you need to cool off too."
Draco allowed his wife to slip from his grasp and walk towards the water. The twins were quick to join her, each taking one of her hands. He cursed under his breath and began to move in the direction of his family. While he loved his children more than life itself, there were times when he wished he could dismiss them so he could have his wicked way with their mother.
Ginny carefully made her way down the bank to the water, and allowed her body to slowly sink into the refreshing water. Once she was entirely wet, she held her hands out for Drake. The little blond boy pushed himself off the bank and glided towards his mother.
"Come on, Daddy!" Angel stamped her foot impatiently.
"All right I'm coming, Princess," Draco replied. He walked along the pier and dove into the water, surfacing near Ginny and Drake. "Come on, Angel, see if you can swim out to me."
The strawberry blonde toed the water to check the temperature. "Can't you come a get me, Daddy?"
"Angel, the whole point of us coming to the lake today is to teach you to swim. I want to see how far you can get on your own, so I know where to start," Draco said patiently.
"But the water's cold!"
"It only feels really cold, because you're so hot. Now come on." Draco watched his daughter hover near the water's edge for a few more minutes. His patience was beginning to wear thin. He glanced over to where Ginny was trying to get Drake to float on his back and sighed heavily. "How about you walk along the pier, and I'll get you from there?"
"Okay!" Angel skipped up the bank and along the wooden jetty.
"Just jump off, and I'll catch you," Draco promised.
"But what if you miss?"
"I won't, Angel."
After a few more minutes of indecision a shrill squeal filled the air, and Angel jumped from the pier. She entered the water with a splash, and was quickly scooped up by her father.
"You didn't catch me," Angel spluttered indignantly as soon as she cleared her face of excess water.
"Yes I did."
"You didn't! My hair is wet!"
Draco resisted the urge to laugh. "Angel, we're swimming and the whole point of swimming is to get wet."
"I know that," Angel stated impertinently. "If you'd caught me, like you promised, my hair wouldn't be wet now."
The notion that he should have sent the children back to the house, and ravished his wife on the shore passed through his head again. It was becoming clear that Angel was more like Narcissa than anyone had ever thought. The fact that she was spending so much time with her grandmother now was just bringing out the princess in her even more.
"What's the problem?" Ginny asked as she drew closer.
"Her hair is wet," Draco muttered.
"Daddy didn't catch me and he promised."
Ginny just looked at her daughter incredulously for a moment. She was speechless. Never before had Angel worried about getting her hair wet when swimming. It only took a fraction of a second for her brain to come up with a reasonable explanation as to where this new fussiness was coming from - Narcissa. When her daughter's chin began to quiver, Ginny had to bite her tongue to keep herself from laughing aloud. "Angel, get over it."
The little girl looked at her mother as if she'd grown another head or had suddenly sprouted snakes in place of her flaming red hair. This was not the response she expected to receive. Her mother was supposed to be outraged that Daddy had not caught her like he promised, and as a result her hair was now wet.
Undeterred by the look her daughter was giving her, Ginny continued, "Now are you going to learn to swim or are you going back to the house to sulk?"
"Swim," Angel replied haughtily.
"That's what I thought."
Draco waited until his wife had moved away with their son before turning his attention solely back to Angel. "We'll teach you to float first."
"I can't float."
"That's why I'm going to teach you. Now lie back slowly."
"What if I don't float?"
"Angel, I'm not going to let you go until you can do it on your own," Draco responded with barely concealed anger. His patience was beginning to fray very quickly. The thought that one of them might not make it out of this lesson alive crossed his mind, but even more frighteningly he had an inkling it would be he who perished.
"Promise?"
"I promise, Angelique. Now please just trust me."
With great reluctance Angel began to recline in Draco's arms. She whimpered all the way, but finally managed to make all the way onto her back.
"Relax, Angel, I've got you, and I'm not letting go," Draco whispered. He knew getting angry with her wouldn't help, so he forced himself to keep his voice soft.
She relaxed a little, but not enough to successfully float on her own.
"Just lie back and enjoy it, sweetheart. You're not going to go under, because I've got you." Draco chanced a glance over at Ginny. Drake was happily floating on his back a short distance away from his mother. "Drake is doing it, and he's already floating on his own without Mummy's help."
Draco persevered for some time. He could hear Ginny praising Drake's efforts a short distance away, and felt he should be doing the same for Angel, but she'd not yet done anything that warranted praise. In fact all she had done was whimper continually and refuse to relax. It was all he could do to keep encouraging her, and hope she'd eventually get to the point where he could remove his hands. Patience was not his greatest virtue, apparently.
"Daddy! Daddy, watch me!" Drake demanded.
"Hold on a minute, mate," Draco replied, not taking his eyes off of Angel. "Ginny, how about we swap so Drake can show me what he's accomplished?"
She knew he'd been having a hard time with Angel, and it had occurred to her to ask him if he wanted to swap children earlier, but she didn't want to offend him by implying that she could do a better job of teaching Angel. "If you want to," Ginny responded lightly.
Draco lifted Angel out of the water and propped her on his hip. They made their way over to where Ginny and Drake were waiting to make the exchange. "You might be able to get her to cooperate a little better," Draco said softly.
"I'll try," Ginny replied with a small smile as she took Angel from his arms.
Drake had let go of his mother, and had moved through the water to cling to his father's arm. While his style was crude, he did make the few feet between his parents without sinking, and beamed up at Draco proudly.
"Let's see what you can do, mate," Draco said.
The little boy immediately pushed away from his father and positioned himself to float on his back. When he was done showing off, Drake again 'swam' back to Draco using a crude, but effective, stroke. "I'm good, aren't I, Daddy?"
"Yes, mate, you're very good. Now let's see if we can't correct that stroke, so it looks like you're swimming instead of drowning."
With a now attentive student, Draco patiently went through the motion of teaching his son his favorite stroke: freestyle. Drake absorbed every word his father uttered without argument, and before long he was swimming a few meters at a time with no trouble whatsoever.
Pleased with Drake's progress, Draco glanced over to where Ginny and Angel were. His daughter looked less than pleased as she broke the surface of the water, spluttering and glaring nastily at her mother. Ginny, on the other hand, appeared to be most amused with her daughter. She'd adopted a more brutal method to teach Angel to swim - sink or swim - much to the little girl's disgust.
"Gin, do you want to swap back?"
"It's getting late, and I think Angel's had enough for today," Ginny responded quickly.
"Do you want to head back to the house?"
"Yes, I think it would be a good idea. By the time we all have showers, it'll almost be time for dinner."
"All right, love. Come on, Drake, you heard Mummy."
"Do we have to get out?"
"Yes, we do. Now do you think you can swim to the shore?"
The little blond wizard nodded enthusiastically. "Yep!"
"Off you go then."
Draco followed his son to the shore, keeping a close watch for any sign of fatigue or panic from the little boy, but it was all for naught. Drake reached the bank of the lake without any problems. After lifting Angel from the water, Draco assisted Ginny to the grassy bank and finally lifted himself out. The warm sun began drying his wet skin instantly, making the need for a towel superfluous.
With their towels billowing like capes, the twins ran back to the house, giggling all the way. Just watching them was enough to make Draco feel very tired. He'd discovered that swimming with children clinging to your person was far more tiring than swimming alone. He threw the towel Ginny offered him over his shoulder and snaked his arm around her waist, before heading back to the house at a more leisurely pace.
By the time Draco and Ginny made it to their family parlor doors, the children were nowhere in sight. Draco summoned Millie, but received no response from the aging house elf, much to his displeasure.
"She's probably with the twins," Ginny said with an air of indifference.
"It doesn't matter, she should answer me immediately."
"Draco, she may not be able to leave the twins at the moment, so why don't we just go and find them ourselves."
"Fine," Draco agreed begrudgingly. Even though the servant was more than likely with the children, and unable to leave them, it still irked him that she'd not responded to his summons. "I just wanted to know if she knew where they were anyway."
"We can discover that for ourselves," Ginny responded lightly, trying not to laugh at the expression on his face. When all was said and done, her husband was still a spoiled little boy, who wanted exactly what he desired, when he wanted, with no arguments or delays. She tugged him forward in an effort to keep him moving in the right direction-the direction in which her bathroom was.
As they entered the corridor leading to their private suites, Millie was seen hurrying from Drake's suite into Angel's.
"You go ahead and get a shower," Draco offered. "I'll just check on the twins."
"All right, but on one condition."
"What might that be?" Draco asked cheekily.
"No telling Millie off or punishing her for not answering you."
Draco gazed at his wife with disbelief. It wasn't quite what he'd been expecting. Perhaps a sultry 'don't be long', or maybe a coy 'join me as soon as you can', anything but the words that put a reproving tone into her voice. "I won't," he muttered.
"Good." Ginny smiled and brazenly ran her hand over his swimming shorts. "Now don't be too long."
Draco swallowed hard and smirked down at her, plucking her hand from his shorts before he could react to her touch. He placed light kiss on her forehead and whispered, "I promise."
A thousand small things ran through his head as he strode down the corridor to the twins' rooms. He'd have to instruct them to prepare for dinner, and go downstairs when they were ready. Of course, Drake's attire would need to be agreed upon before he left the little boy to his own devices, because they were eating with their grandparents this evening, and Narcissa still held firm to her rule of dressing for dinner.
Over the top of his thoughts of the children, came entirely wicked ideas of what he was going to do to his wife when he had her alone. She'd been driving him insane all afternoon, and now he was more than ready to have his wicked way with her. As he entered Angel's bedchamber, Draco pushed aside the naughty thoughts, and focused on what he had to do, so he could return to his wife as soon as possible.
"Millie!"
"Master, Millie is sorry for-"
"Never mind that," Draco snapped. "I presume the children are bathing at the moment. When they are ready, see that they dress appropriately for dinner with my parents and send them down to my mother's parlor."
"As Master wishes." The servant bowed low to the floor as Draco turned on his heel and left the room.
He wasted no time returning to his own bedchamber, closing the door firmly behind him as he entered. Ginny was already in the shower and with time growing short, Draco decided to combine two activities into one. As he crossed the room, he dropped the two articles of clothing he was wearing on the floor. At the bathroom door, he paused for a moment. He could hear Ginny quietly humming to herself over the spray of the water. A smirk crept upon his face as he surreptitiously pushed the door open, and snuck into the steamy room, closing the door silently behind himself.
He stepped into the shower, and snaked his arms around his wife possessively. His hands glided over her wet skin, caressing the underside of her breasts before slipping down to sit on her stomach. Upon feeling a change in her body, his hands felt around Ginny's stomach. It was flat only weeks before, and now it felt as though there was a slight bump. Draco pulled away from her, and turned her around to face him, dropping to his knees he examined her stomach closely.
Ginny smiled vaguely at the astonished expression on Draco's face. "I'm starting to show," she whispered.
"That's my child."
"Yes it is."
"I didn't realize you were getting-" Draco paused, searching his mind for the right word.
"Fat?"
"Not fat," Draco responded strongly, shaking his head.
"We'll see if you still feel that way in a few months."
"I will. You could never be fat."
Ginny laughed lightly. "Oh yes, I can and I will."
Draco stood up and pulled her against his chest. "Not to me, not when you're carrying my child."
Ginny's response was lost, as his lips possessed hers passionately. She'd worried about how Draco would react when she began to show. She knew he was looking forward to the birth of their baby, but there was still quite a way to go, and quite a bit of weight for her to gain. The notion that he might change his mind about her once she was heavily pregnant weighed on her mind occasionally.
"You're beautiful," Draco whispered huskily as he released her mouth. Even though the bump of his child was almost non-existent, he knew he'd never think any woman was more beautiful than his pregnant wife. There was something empowering about the knowledge that he was responsible for the changes in her appearance.
The desire to possess her entirely was almost overwhelming, but even though he felt like slamming her against the tiles and taking her instantly, Draco resisted. His hands caressed her body reverently; after all she was the mother of his unborn child.
Ginny melted into his touch. His tongue was leaving a trail of fire down her neck. Her core had just begun to blaze intensely from his ministrations.
"Mummy!"
"Oh, god," Ginny groaned, pulling away from the comfort of Draco's hold.
"Mummy, where are you?"
"Shit," Draco cursed.
"I'll be there in a moment, Drake," Ginny called.
"Gin," Draco pleaded. He knew if they abandoned their 'play' now they wouldn't get back to it for hours, and the thought of remaining this frustrated for that long horrified him.
"I have to, Draco." Ginny extracted herself from his hands, and stepped out of the shower stall. "Otherwise he'll come in here."
The look on Draco's face was pitiful, but there was little Ginny could do about it now. She could hear Drake moving about on the other side of the door. Ginny reached for a fluffy towel, but froze in motion when the door handled rattled. In her rush to sufficiently cover her nakedness, Ginny dropped the towel.
"There you are-"
Ginny tossed a quick glance over her shoulder as she scooped up the towel and threw it haphazardly around her body. It was too late though; the expression on her son's face told her that all too clearly. "Drake, sweetheart, why don't you wait in our sitting room and I'll be right there?"
Drake wasn't listening. His attention was focused on his father.
Draco had all but frozen in the shower when the door burst open, and the physical effect his wife had upon him was evident for all to see.
"Draco," Ginny hissed.
Upon hearing the low hiss from his wife, Draco finally moved to cover himself, albeit far too late to shield his son from the very pointed knowledge of what a woman can do to a man. His son's unexpected entry into the room had not had the usual effect upon his body that a disturbance would usually have had, proving his level of frustration beyond doubt.
"Drake, go and wait in the sitting room like your mother told you," Draco finally managed to utter irritably.
"But you-"
"Now!"
The little wizard turned and left the room without argument, but not without sending a nasty scowl in Draco's direction.
"I'd better go and see him," Ginny whispered.
"No, I'll go. I don't like the look on his face," Draco insisted.
"Draco, he won't give-"
"He could and I won't have it, so just let me deal with him." Draco exited the shower and dried himself quickly. When he left the bathroom, he hoped Drake had gone to the sitting room. He needed a little time to bring himself under control, preferably before pulling his trousers on.
Drake was nowhere to be seen in the bedchamber or dressing room, and Draco was thankful. At the very least he wanted to have some trousers on before talking to his son about knocking before entering a room, and other things Drake was likely to bring up just to torment him.
With the prospect of having another one of those talks with his son, Draco took his time dressing for dinner. When he could delay leaving the dressing room no longer, he went looking for Drake. The search didn't last long as the little boy was waiting in the sitting room. Draco took stock of Drake's expression before making his presence known. The little boy still looked somewhat goaded.
"Drake," Draco started as he lowered his frame into a chair opposite his son. "You need to remember to knock before you enter any room, especially if there are adults in the room."
"You were-"
"We're married."
"Not-"
"It's not naughty."
"But-"
"No buts, mate, we're allowed to and that's all there is to it."
"My mummy," Drake muttered discontentedly, sliding off the couch and heading for the door.
"My wife."
Draco watched his son leave the room with a smirk on his face. Drake would get over his mood, and more than likely help himself to feel better by mortifying his parents at the appropriate time with an entirely inappropriate comment. The knowledge that he'd be utterly mortified at some point in the not too distant future was oddly comforting to Draco. It meant he was beginning to read his son in a way that only a father can.
Ginny stood in the doorway of the sitting room. "Did you have a chat to Drake?"
"Yeah, I think we have a new understanding."
"Good." Ginny wandered into her dressing room with Draco following her back as far as the bedchamber. "Do we really have to eat with your parents tonight?"
"You accepted the invitation," Draco reminded her.
"Damn! I suppose I wouldn't get away with not dressing, would I?"
"I think you might distract Father from his meal if you didn't."
Ginny poked her head out of the dressing room and pulled a face at an amused Draco. "Very funny."
"Just hurry up. Mother will be impossible if we're late."
"Don't rush me," Ginny grumbled good-naturedly.
Draco dropped himself into one of the chairs by the hearth to wait for his wife.
Minutes later Ginny appeared in the doorway partially dressed. "Can you zip me up?"
"Of course, love." Draco rose and moved to do her bidding. "You look, beautiful."
"Thank you." Ginny smoothed the front of her navy blue silk robes with her hands.
"Are you ready? Mother wanted to have pre-dinner drinks in the parlor."
Ginny had no idea why Narcissa would insist on having drinks before dinner, especially considering she couldn't drink and it was only the family, but she dare not question her mother-in-law's plans. "Yes, we'd better go down before your mother sends a servant to see where we are."
Draco chuckled lightly at the good-natured gibe towards his mother, and offered his arm formally to his wife. Ginny tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow, much in the same manner she'd seen Narcissa do with Lucius, and giggled softly.
They strolled downstairs slowly, talking softly between themselves about unimportant things. As they approached the parlor they could hear the animated voices of the twins floating out into the corridor.
"And Daddy didn't catch me and he promised, and my hair got all wet," Angel's pained voice expressed.
"I thought you had fun at the lake this afternoon, Angel?" Narcissa's melodic tone queried.
"Where is Draco?" Lucius grumbled. "Narcissa, what time did you tell them to meet us for dinner?"
"I'm sure they're not far away, dearest. After all the children have managed to arrive on time."
"They had a shower," Drake offered quietly.
"What?" Lucius exclaimed, clearly not understanding the significance of this morsel of information.
"They had a shower... together," Drake clarified.
Draco groaned inwardly. It seemed his son was going to endeavor to make himself feel better about his scolding sooner rather than later. Before Drake could spill any more of his parents' secrets Draco rushed into the parlor. He arrived just in time to see an amused smirk cross his father's face.
"Drake," Draco growled. "We don't share certain... things in front of ladies."
The little boy rolled his eyes at his father. "But I didn't tell anyone you were shagging, just having a shower."
An odd sound escaped Lucius at that moment. He had valiantly tried to swallow a snort of laughter, but it came out sounding strangled anyway. This display more than made up for the incident at the office.
Draco's eyes flicked to his parents. Lucius was obviously finding this all too amusing. Narcissa, on the other hand, looked mortified. Draco wasn't certain which reaction he preferred. He could hear Ginny behind him, but he was too afraid to turn around and look at her. If the ground would just open up and swallow him, he'd be a happy man.
"Draco?" Narcissa questioned sharply.
"We weren't sh-" Draco stopped himself as his mother's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Yes you were! Your-" Drake pointed to the area south of his father's belt. "-thing was-"
Draco clamped a hand across his son's mouth quickly, putting a stop to Drake actually expressing the words, but it was too late. Everyone knew what he'd been about to say; and there was no point in pretending otherwise.
Narcissa rose and crossed the room to stand in front of her son. "What do you mean by allowing a child to see you like- like that?"
"I didn't invite him in, Mother. He entered the bathroom without knocking first," Draco ground out. "Now if you'll excuse us, Drake and I have to discuss this matter again, before it gets any further out of hand."
Drake had no choice but to walk with his father from the parlor. Draco's hand held his shoulder firmly, and guided him to a small receiving room a short distance away. It was far enough away that the rest of the family wouldn't overhear them. When they stopped Draco knelt in front of his son, and held his shoulders.
"You fibbed," Drake said portentously.
"I didn't fib," Draco started calmly. "Your mother and I were not doing anything when you entered the bathroom. If you recall, your mother was not in the shower when you came in."
"You had been," Drake uttered defiantly.
"No, we hadn't, because you called out when you entered our suite, so we knew you were coming."
Drake thought about what his father was telling him. It was true. Mummy hadn't been in the shower when he walked into the bathroom.
"Not that any of that matters," Draco continued. "Because we're married, and what married people do is there own business, right?"
The little wizard nodded miserably.
"And it's not naughty, because we're married, right?"
Drake nodded again.
"Good. Now all we need is for you to stop sprouting off to everyone each time I get within a foot of your mother."
Drake stared sullenly at the wall. It wasn't the first time he'd been told not to say things about his parents.
"Look, I know this is all still fairly new to you, but I really thought you'd be over tattling to everyone by now. What you're doing is rude and entirely inappropriate."
"Sorry," Drake mumbled. "I didn't mean to tell."
"Well, you could have fooled me. When we go back in there you're going to apologise to your mother and then to everyone else. Is that clear?"
"Yes."
"And you're never going to say anything like that again, are you?"
"No."
"Good." Draco rose and held out his hand to his son. "Come on then."
Drake regarded his father's hand with open reluctance. He didn't like making apologies, and wasn't looking forward to returning to the parlor.
"Drake?"
The little wizard sighed loudly, before taking his father's hand grudgingly. There was no getting out of what he had to do.
Draco led the way back to the parlor, almost resorting to pulling Drake along at times. When they entered conversations came to a stop and all eyes rested on the little blond boy. Draco steered him in the direction of his mother first.
"I'm sorry, Mummy," Drake almost whispered.
"All right."
As soon as Ginny accepted his apology, Drake's eyes flicked up to meet with his father's. He was pleading silently to be given a reprieve to not be forced to apologise to everyone else, but it was all in vain.
"You're not yet finished," Draco reminded him quietly.
Drake turned to face his grandparents, and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry I told you about Daddy in the shower with Mummy."
Narcissa cleared her throat politely, and tried to suppress the smile threatening to tug at her lips. She couldn't help her reaction. Her grandson looked so forlorn standing in front of everyone, and he was entirely oblivious to the fact that he'd just made another social faux pas.
Under normal circumstances Lucius would have reprimanded the young boy for repeating what he had done wrong so carelessly, but the pained expression on Draco's face was amusing him more than it ought to have, and he couldn't bring himself to be serious. Rather than show his open hilarity, Lucius turned around, so Drake wouldn't see the smirk he couldn't contain.
When it became obvious his parents weren't capable of responding just at the moment, Draco stepped in to end his own pain, as well as his son's. "Thank you, Drake. Why don't you go and sit down for while, we'll be having dinner soon."
"Yes, Daddy."
Draco waited until his son had clambered up beside his grandmother before turning around. "I need a drink," he muttered, making his way to where an open bottle of Firewhisky sat on the side bar.
Lucius followed his son. "You handled that with-"
"Without an ounce of control," Draco finished. "I swear he's going to be the death of me one day."
"Ah, what goes around comes around, son."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"It's your penance for mortifying me time and again." Lucius chuckled at Draco's expression. "You've ended up with a son who is exactly like you."
Draco muttered something under his breath about the world being against him, and it being entirely unfair.
"Oh, but it is fair. Justice has been served in my eyes." Lucius laid a sympathetic hand on his son's shoulder. "You can take comfort in the fact that it's happened to you, just like it happened to me, so there's every chance Drake will end up with a child exactly like himself."
"At the moment, I don't feel lucky enough to even hope for such a thing." Draco took a rather large gulp of his drink. "I swear if he keeps going one of us isn't going to make it out alive."
"I don't believe he intentionally gave away your secret this time, it slipped when he was trying to clarify what he'd said."
"It doesn't matter, Father. He shouldn't have said anything."
"Granted, but he was trying to be helpful."
Draco grunted unintelligibly.
"What did happen?" Lucius enquired cautiously.
The thought that he should simply not answer did cross Draco's mind, but then commonsense prevailed, and he saw the opportunity to straighten out any misconceptions. "We were showering, but we heard Drake coming. Ginny got out, but before she could cover herself, Drake barged into the bathroom. He drew his own conclusions from there."
"He made mention of your... err, appearance."
Draco gave his father a withering glare. "I'm not made of stone."
"I never thought you were, but the shower?"
"Well, it didn't happen," Draco snapped, his frustration rising to the surface. He was almost tempted to tell his father that it wouldn't have been the first time, but he stopped himself. There was such a thing as too much information, no matter how frustrated he was.
"Shall we go through to the dining room?" Narcissa asked.
"Of course, dearest." Lucius moved immediately to escort his wife from the room.
Draco quickly downed the rest of his drink. He wished he could have another just to dull the pain of humiliation a little more, but the berating he'd earn from his mother wasn't worth the trouble. When he turned around Ginny was the only one still in the parlor with him.
"Are you all right, love?"
"Yes, I'm fine." Ginny smiled warmly at him. While Drake could cause immense embarrassment at times, she was more accustomed to his antics than Draco, and as such she didn't get quite as ruffled as he did, at least most of the time.
"I hope I got through to him this time."
"Only time will tell."
"Are you sure you're all right?"
"I'm fine. Yes, it was embarrassing, but it's not like your parents think we don't do it or anything. They know and besides we are newlyweds - it's expected."
Draco smirked and drew her to his chest. "It is expected," he uttered thickly.
"We wouldn't want to disappoint anyone."
"That wouldn't be very nice of us."
"No, it wouldn't."
Draco lowered his head and muttered, "Definitely not."
Their lips met gently, the passion of an hour ago still evident, but restrained given their location and recent mortification.
"We should go to dinner," Ginny whispered as they parted.
"Mmm..." Draco's hands ran up her back in a way that distinctly let her know that food was the last thing on his mind.
Ginny stepped back. "Come on, before you start trying to change my mind."
"Would I do that?"
"I'm surprised you haven't already tried."
Draco stepped away from her and offered his arm in an exaggerated gesture. "My dear."
Ginny eyed him amusedly. "Can I trust you?"
"Of course you can." Draco winked playfully at her. "Mummy gets upset when I'm a naughty boy."
Ginny laughed heartily. Her husband's wide-eyed quasi-innocent expression was too much for her. "All right, I trust you."
As they entered the dining room, Ginny brought her amusement under control, but only temporarily. Narcissa was frowning at them. Ginny didn't know if it was because they'd taken so long to come to the table, or if they were making too much noise doing it. Either way she started giggling again.
Draco held his wife's chair, and waited patiently for her to stem her giggles before taking her seat. His overly amused expression wasn't helping her at all.
"How nice of you to join us... finally," Narcissa said, making no effort to disguise her annoyance.
"Our apologies, Mother," Draco intoned politely, taking his seat next to Ginny.
Narcissa neither accepted, nor dismissed her son's apology. She simply pinned him with a frosty look, before demanding dinner be served.
Even as his head turned to look at Ginny, he knew it was a mistake, but Draco couldn't quite help himself. He quirked his eyebrows cheekily at his wife, and she dissolved into fits of giggles again.
With the help of the icy blue glare from the opposite side of the table, Ginny quickly brought herself under control. Over the past months, she had learned that Narcissa demanded appropriate behavior most of the time, but most especially at the dinner table. It was one of the reasons Ginny preferred to eat in their own dining room. She preferred to eat in a relaxed setting, where she could laugh aloud if she felt the need, and she didn't have to worry about offending someone - namely her in-laws.
Within minutes, the servants had served the meal, and had retreated back to the kitchen. The family ate in relative silence until Drake began telling his grandparents of his prowess in the water. Between mouthfuls, the little boy explained exactly how he could now swim competently, despite only having had one lesson.
"I swam all the way to the shore, and I didn't get puffed at all," Drake told everyone seriously. "And I can float forever!"
"Perhaps after some more lessons you'll be able to swim away from your parents," Lucius commented.
"I can now," Drake refuted strongly. "I don't need Mummy or Daddy. I can swim."
"One lesson hardly makes you proficient enough to swim unsupervised," Lucius countered.
Drake leveled a spiteful glare at his grandfather.
As Lucius opened his mouth to speak again, Draco hurriedly swallowed his mouthful and cut him off. "Drake, you're not allowed near the lake without an adult present, no matter how well you swim, or think you can swim. The lake can be very dangerous, and no one is allowed to swim there alone."
The little blond wizard muttered something to his dinner plate that no one quite heard.
As Draco had stepped in, Lucius chose to ignore the look Drake had sent him. "Perhaps it might be an idea to set some rules about swimming, if you haven't already, so we don't have an unfortunate accident."
"I was thinking along the same lines myself," Draco admitted. "We were a bit rushed between coming back from the lake and presenting for dinner, so I didn't have a chance to have a chat to either of them."
"You wouldn't have been if you'd delayed certain activities until a more appropriate time," Narcissa commented acerbically.
Rather than rise to his mother's barb, Draco ignored her entirely. Something that was certain to earn him even more black marks against his name, but he didn't much care at this stage. With an amused smirk, he focused solely on his father. "I'll have a word to them after dinner."
"Good," Lucius replied. While he had Draco's undivided attention, he sent him a look that warned him about playing with fire, but all he got in return was a mischievous smirk. He could see this erupting into something considerably dangerous later on in the evening. Narcissa certainly wouldn't be pleased at being ignored like that, and he was sure to hear all about her displeasure.
For the remainder of the meal Narcissa busied herself with the children and giving orders to the servants. She blatantly ignored the efforts of the other adults to draw her into any conversation they were having. Accustomed to biding her time, Narcissa didn't mind waiting until a more suitable moment to vent her displeasure with her son, a moment when her grandchildren were certain not to overhear the berating he deserved. When Drake and Angel finished their dessert, she ushered them away from the table and into the parlor, without inviting anyone else.
Lucius watched his wife depart and turned his mercurial eyes to his son. "Fix this before you retire for the evening."
"Any suggestions on how I can do that?"
"Distraction is good. Give her something new to think about... surely you have some good news you can share with her."
"I'll think of something," Draco muttered, his mind already filtering through ideas and dismissing them immediately.
"Shall we join Narcissa in the parlor?" Ginny suggested, getting to her feet as she spoke - a move that brought both Lucius and Draco to their feet immediately.
"Yes, best not to give her too much opportunity to dwell on her anger," Lucius agreed.
They found Narcissa in the seated on a love seat in the parlor with the twins either side of her. She had already opened a storybook, and was reading to them in a soft tone, a tone that belied her true demeanor at that moment.
As his father passed him a tumbler of Firewhisky, Draco was still trying to come up with a suitable topic of conversation that might take his mother's mind off of her fury. His eyes drifted to Ginny. She was sipping a steaming cup of tea near the French doors. One of her hands was resting protectively over the slight bump in her belly. Draco smirked triumphantly. His mother adored talking about the baby. It was the perfect topic to distract her temper.
"Mother, did you notice that Ginny is beginning to show?" Draco asked almost imperturbably.
Narcissa's eyes slipped up to appraise her daughter-in-law, then wandered over to her son. "I noticed last week... her clothes were straining."
From the cool tone of Narcissa's voice, Draco knew he'd been unsuccessful. He sent an apologetic look to Ginny, who had an obvious look of disbelief on her face. She hadn't deserved that indirect slur. Draco wandered over to his mother, and leaned down so she wouldn't miss a word of what he was about to say. "That was uncalled for. You owe Ginny an apology."
The glare Narcissa cast at her son could have cut through solid stone. As she averted her gaze to her daughter-in-law her eyes softened marginally. "I do apologize, Ginevra, but you really ought to go shopping," Narcissa said haughtily.
One glance at Ginny told Lucius she had an equally nasty barb brewing in her mind. He hastily cleared his throat in an effort to cut off her response, and hopefully avoid a malevolent confrontation. If Narcissa had noticed any change in their daughter-in-law's appearance he knew he would have most certainly heard all about it through an excited oration, because if there was one thing his wife was looking forward to, it was the birth of her next grandchild. "Perhaps you and Ginevra could plan a shopping excursion," he suggested easily.
Draco immediately made his way to Ginny's side, to silence the objection she obviously had burning on her tongue. "Shh, Father knows what he's doing."
"If she thinks for a minute-" Ginny hissed in Draco's ear.
"She'll commit to nothing in this mood," Draco whispered in return, hoping it would be enough to stay any comments Ginny might make. "Father is just trying to get her to stop with the spiteful comments."
Ginny gave her husband a cynical look. If Narcissa thought it would irk her more to agree to a shopping trip, then Ginny was positive she'd have the expedition planned in moments, despite how she really felt.
"I'll have to check my calendar," Narcissa sniffed affectedly.
Draco smirked at Ginny in a manner that all but voiced, 'I told you so'.
"Just as well," Ginny mumbled.
"Come on, we'll just keep our distance for the time being, and let her entertain the children until bedtime," Draco said, guiding Ginny further away from his mother. "Father can handle her on his own, because I'm out of ideas."
"Why is she doing this?" Ginny asked. It wasn't as if there had been an argument or anything to inflame Narcissa's annoyance, so Ginny was a little perplexed as to why she was continuing with the attitude.
"Firstly, she wouldn't be happy about what Drake almost told everyone." Draco paused when he noticed the affronted expression on his wife's face. "Don't look at me like that. Mother has obviously made up her mind about what we were doing, and what our son saw, and she won't be deterred, so there's no point trying."
"No matter that we weren't doing anything."
"No, it doesn't matter. She's stubborn, and the best thing to do is let it lie. Secondly, I ignored her at dinner when she made that comment about why we were late. That didn't please her, because she's itching for an argument for some reason."
"I don't understand why."
"It probably has nothing to do with us personally, she's just in a mood," Draco offered. "Most likely one of her friends has upset her."
"I don't know why she bothers with those women." Ginny hadn't been impressed by any of the women Narcissa had introduced her to at the garden tea party she'd hosted before their wedding. "All of them are nasty pieces of work."
Draco laughed heartily. "My mother is the Queen of Nasty in that group."
"Oh I didn't mean-"
"You got it right the first time," Draco assured her. "They are a nasty bunch, as anyone who crosses them discovers. Mother will seek vengeance on the poor soul who upset her, and then she'll be happy again."
"What sort of vengeance?"
"The usual thing is to humiliate the other party somehow. I generally don't get involved, or even ask about what it is that goes on with that sort of thing."
"So until then we all suffer?"
"No, she'll be all right in the morning. I'd say whatever has happened unfolded sometime today."
"Why don't we just ask her about it?"
"It would be like opening a can of proverbial worms, Ginny. Once she started, she'd go through each of the women in her group, and tear them to shreds. We wouldn't be able to get away."
"Maybe if she talked about it, and realized that she had family support, she wouldn't feel so horrid."
"Ginny, don't do it. If Mother wanted to talk about it our ears would be full of her indignant shrieks by now, and besides the children aren't old enough to hear some of things she'd be likely to say about her so called friends."
"All right then, I won't ask tonight," Ginny conceded.
Draco breathed a silent sigh of relief. "Good."
"I'll ask her tomorrow."
"If you feel you should," Draco muttered. It didn't bother him one way or another if Ginny asked tomorrow while he was at the office. She would learn for herself that sometimes it was better to ignore the mood until his mother was feeling more sociable again.
"I do and you could show a little more concern," Ginny scolded.
"Gin, I've done this a fair few more times than you have. Believe me when I tell you she'll be over it soon enough."
"She still needs to know the family supports her, especially when she's been upset."
"All right, do what you have to do, just wait until I'm at the office please." Draco pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed heavily. "The twins look tired."
"Yes, all the swimming this afternoon would have worn them out," Ginny agreed. "We could probably put them to bed now without much of a fight."
"Let's do that. I've got a heap of work to get through tonight, and if I don't start soon, I'll never get done."
"You're going to work?"
"I have to, Ginny, so don't look at me like that. You know I brought work home with me today."
"I know," she admitted softly. "We still have to have a word with the twins about the swimming rules."
"Let's save that until we're upstairs," Draco suggested. "There's really only one rule I want to impress upon them anyway."
"Oh?"
"No swimming without an adult present."
"Sounds reasonable."
"There's no point in getting too far ahead of ourselves, and confusing them with more rules than they need."
Ginny smiled at her husband. "I couldn't agree more."
"Mother, it's time for the children to go to bed," Draco said gently.
"Very well," Narcissa responded in a clipped tone. She closed the storybook, and embraced the twins in turn, wishing them sweet dreams before encouraging them to bid goodnight to their grandfather.
When his mother was free of the children, Draco approached her cautiously. There was no way of knowing just how she'd react, but he couldn't very well leave the room without bidding her goodnight. "Goodnight, Mother."
"You're retiring for the evening?"
"Not really, but I have a great deal of work to get through, so I won't be returning to the parlor."
"I see. Ginevra, what are you doing?"
Ginny smiled in what she hoped was a warm manner. If Narcissa wanted her company this evening, she couldn't tell by the icy tone the older woman posed the question with. "Umm-I might get an early night. All the swimming this afternoon has tired me out."
"Very well, good evening."
"Good night, Narcissa," Ginny uttered quietly with her smile still intact.
Draco placed a chaste kiss on his mother's cheek. "Goodnight, Mother."
"Draco," Narcissa sniffed. "Don't work too late."
"I won't."
After bidding goodnight to Lucius, Draco and Ginny escorted their children upstairs, and assisted them into their pajamas. As the twins were tucked into bed, Draco made certain they both had a full understanding of what the swimming rule was, and sought assurances from both of them that they'd never break the rule. Angel readily agreed not to ever swim without an adult present, but Drake argued the point for a few minutes before conceding reluctantly.
Draco escorted Ginny to their chambers. He really wasn't in the mood to work this evening, but he had no choice. "I'll finish as quickly as I can."
"Are you sure you have to do it tonight? Wouldn't you rather-"
"Not another word, Mrs. Malfoy," Draco said with a naughty twinkle in his eye. "Don't tempt me to be wicked."
"Sounds like it wouldn't take much," Ginny responded cheekily.
"Which is why I'm going to leave you now, and go to my study." Draco kissed her forehead reverently. "Work first, play later."
Ginny sighed softly. "All right."
Draco strode away from his wife unwillingly. He knew she was watching him, waiting for him to turn around, but he knew if he did he wouldn't make it to his study tonight and he couldn't leave his work any longer.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Even after a couple of hours of solid work, Draco knew he still had several more in front of him if he wanted to make a competent showing at the meeting he had scheduled for the morning. His mind was just beginning to drift when a noise at the door garnered his attention. He smirked as he watched his wife slip into his inner sanctum.
The filmy negligee she wore over her very nearly transparent nightgown did little to hide the underlying nakedness of her body. Draco watched her cross the room and walk around his desk. He subconsciously wet his lips, and his groin gave an almost indiscernible twitch. She was playing dirty. He knew it, and she knew it, but he did nothing to stop her from pushing his chair back, and straddling his legs.
"Why don't you come to bed?"
Draco sighed heavily, resting his forehead on hers. There was nothing he wanted more than to go to bed right now, ravish his wife, and then drop into a sleep that would rival the dead. However, he still had work to do. "I can't."
Ginny pouted and gazed at him from under her lashes. "I know you want to." She rubbed herself against his now bulging pants.
"Gin," Draco moaned. "Play fair."
"No," she responded petulantly.
"I have to finish this for a meeting tomorrow," he stressed, placing his hands on her hips and stilling her movement. "Believe me, love, I wish I could come to bed now."
"Can't you finish it in the morning?"
"The meeting is first thing in the morning, so I need to finish up before I go to bed." Her disappointed expression burned into him.
"I could help you."
"You'd distract me." He ran his hands up her sides. If she didn't leave soon the temptation to lay her across his desk, and have his wicked way with her was going to be too much to deny. "Now go to bed. I'll be up soon."
"Promise?"
"You have my word." He placed a small kiss on her nose, vowing to himself he'd not work all night.
"All right, but you'd better not be too long," Ginny warned huskily.
Draco assisted her off his lap, barely suppressing a small sigh of relief, and watched her slink to the door. The look she gave him just before closing the door behind her just about nullified his resolution to do the right thing, and get his work finished before partaking in more entertaining activities. He shook his head to clear his thoughts, and tried to focus on the parchments in front of him, cursing the incompetent fool who had not completed the research on the company he was attempting to do business with. If he didn't get on with it he'd be lucky to make it to bed before dawn.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
AUTHOR'S NOTES
Huge thanks to Rainpuddle13 for her sensational beta skills and plot discussions.
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