A Not So Simple Kind of Life

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 ONE

THE BLACK SILK SCARF

A Portkey landed Draco and Ginny on the front lawn of Malfoy Manor, not far from the front doors. The benefits of being extremely wealthy was becoming ever more apparent to Ginny as they were able to arrange a direct Portkey home rather than go through the Ministry of Magic like other international travelers. Of course, it also helped that her future sister-in-law worked in the Portkey Office and Apparation Test Center at the Ministry. Pansy had arranged their transport before they'd left and made sure they'd suffer no delays with either the British or French Ministries.

Draco's arms snaked around his wife's waist. "We're home."

"Yes we are." Ginny leaned into his strong frame. "I can't wait to see the kids."

"Let's go then!"

They ran up the front stairs, hand in hand, and as they approached the large doors opened to allow them entry.

"Wait!" Draco stopped dead just on the threshold of the house. "We have to do this properly."

"Draco, you don't—" Ginny's protest ended in a squeal as he scooped her into his arms.

"Yes, we do have to do this properly," Draco assured her as he carried her over the threshold.

Once in the foyer of the grand house, he didn't relinquish his hold on his wife. Instead he claimed her mouth in a deep, sensuous kiss. They were lost in the sensation of each other again, as they had been for the past two weeks.

"Mummy! Daddy! Mummy! Daddy!" The shrill squeals of the twins hurtling down the staircase penetrated their world.

Draco gently placed Ginny on her feet and they both opened their arms to capture their children. Drake ran straight to his mother and clung to her tightly, burying his head in her shoulder. Still squealing in a high pitch tone, Angel leapt into her father's arms.

"Angel, enough, sweetheart. I can't hear myself think," Draco pleaded good-naturedly.

"What did you bring me? What did you bring me?" Angel squealed, ignoring her father's pleas to adjust her pitch.

Their luggage had arrived earlier in the day and Angel had been quite put out when Narcissa suggested they wait for their parents before rummaging through for gifts.

"You'll have to wait and see," Ginny told her.

"But I want to know!"

"Angel, you'll wait until we've said hello properly," Draco said as they swapped children.

Narcissa was hovering on the landing watching the children greet their parents. The fortnight had been wonderful fun, but exhausting and she was very much looking forward to handing back the twins to their parents. She'd had some respite with a weekend trip to their godparents and a few days the week before with the Weasleys, however, she'd been going non-stop for almost a week now. It was so easy to forget how much energy two small children had.

"Mother!"

"Darlings." Narcissa drifted down the stairs. "You both look so rested."

"We've done nothing but relax the entire time," Draco admitted as he embraced her warmly.

"Ginevra, you're looking so well." Narcissa kissed the air around Ginny's cheeks. Her daughter-in-law was positively glowing.

"Thank you. Two weeks of being pampered was exactly what I needed."

"Shall we have some tea and you can tell me all about your honeymoon."

"Mother, where is Father?"

"Oh, he said something about the office at breakfast," Narcissa said over her shoulder as she walked off in the direction of the parlor.

The twins ran ahead, passing their grandmother and racing towards the summer parlor. Draco and Ginny followed, wrapped in one another. Draco knew this ritual of tea and gossip was inevitable, and he wouldn't deny his mother, but what he really wanted to do was race his wife upstairs and shag her senseless. Sweet memories of the past two weeks would have to suffice until he could get her alone again.

Tea was served the moment the family took their seats. Narcissa took a delicate sip from her cup then looked to the newlyweds expectantly.

"Tell me everything! What you did, where you ate... shopped... oh and your birthday, darling, did you have a good day?"

"Yes thank you, Mother. My birthday was exemplary."

"You enjoyed the extra little getaway location?"

"Very much."

"It's such a lovely little cove." Narcissa sighed happily. "Your father took me there last year—a surprise sabbatical he called it."

"Yeah—umm—Ginny mentioned you'd been there."

"It's so secluded."

Draco's eyes widened. He didn't like the dreamy tone his mother's voice had adopted and he had no desire to sit there while she reminisced over her time at the cove, most especially knowing how he and Ginny had occupied their time there.

"We did a ton of shopping as well," Ginny blurted. She hadn't missed Draco's discomfort and truly didn't want to explore Narcissa's memory of the location anymore than she'd been forced to when planning the getaway.

Narcissa snapped out of her reverie immediately. "Oh, do tell! What did you buy? From what stores? Draco did show you the best of the best in Saint Tropez—"

"Of course I did, Mother. Can't have a Malfoy wife shopping in a store not worthy of her patronage." Draco chuckled with amusement. If shopping were a wizarding sport, his mother would be the World Cup champion.

Ginny wasn't sure exactly what was going on, a shop was a shop in her opinion, and she didn't want to get into a discussion about whether a store was good enough or not. "The stores were wonderful. We bought so many clothes and so much for the twins."

Squeals of delight erupted from the two little ones upon hearing they definitely had gifts awaiting them.

Angel bounced in her chair. "What did you get us, Mummy?"

"Lots of things! We'll have a look after we've finished our tea." Truth be told, Ginny would have rather taken the children upstairs now than answer Narcissa's questions. There wasn't all that much to tell, unless she wanted to hear how often they'd shagged each day or where and she knew her mother in-law would rather live without that information. So as not to appear rude, Ginny went on to tell Narcissa about her purchases in detail. It turned out to be a safe subject as her mother-in-law approved of all the stores they'd visited and added her own memories of past purchases to the conversation.

"I think we'd best head up and get unpacked," Ginny suggested after quite some time. She knew it'd take a while to sort out the children's gifts and allow them the time to appreciate the presents properly.

"Yes, of course, and you'll be wanting a rest before dinner."

Ginny frowned at Narcissa quizzically. "Umm—no, I'm not tired."

"But you must look after yourself, dear, after all you are with child."

Ginny smiled warmly at Narcissa. "Actually, I've never felt better than I have this past week or so. I haven't been getting tired or in need of an afternoon sleep."

"You mustn't feel you have to keep going just because you're home now. I'm more than happy to watch the children if you're in need of some rest."

Ginny opened her mouth to reply and closed it again when Draco cleared his throat subtly. There was no point in trying to convince Narcissa she wasn't ailing from this pregnancy. "Thank you, I'll keep it in mind."

"Why don't we give these presents out in our sitting room?" Draco said as he stood. While the children squealed their delight, he helped Ginny to her feet. "Mother, we'll see you at dinner."

"Of course, darling, dinner will be served at the usual time."

Draco hung back as the twins each took one of Ginny's hands and all but dragged their mother from the parlor. He waited until they were out of sight before turning back to his mother. "Is the surprise for Ginny ready?"

"Yes, darling, they finished all of it yesterday. You're going to love what they've done!"

"Just as long as Ginny likes it; I won't care what it looks like."

"She will. I was with her when she voiced her initial ideas and I think we've managed to capture what she wanted."

"Excellent." Draco placed a light kiss on Narcissa's cheek. "Thank you, Mother."

"You're welcome, darling. You'd better get along before she notices you're not there."

Draco strode quickly from the room, hoping to catch up with his family before they reached the staircase and Ginny noticed he wasn't behind them. He couldn't be more pleased with the news his mother had just given him and he hoped Ginny would be as pleased to see what he'd arranged.

They were waiting at the foot of the stairs for him, all looking somewhat curious as to why it had taken him so long to get out of the parlor when there were presents to be opened.

"Sorry, love. You know how Mother is, she just had to have a private hug."

Ginny smiled warmly. "She could have done that in front of me."

"I know, but you know her, she wouldn't have thought it proper." Draco threaded his fingers through hers. "Are we going to open these gifts?"

The excited squeals of the twins almost drowned out Ginny's affirmative response.

With the children running ahead, the family made their way to Draco and Ginny's private sitting room. Ginny sat on the small couch with a child on either side of her while Draco entered their bedchamber. The trunk they'd purchased just for all the gifts they'd bought was just about bursting at the seams. Even shrinking charms had done little to assist in reducing their extra luggage. He returned with a large trunk, hoping it was the right one, and placed it in the middle of the floor.

"This is it, isn't it, Gin?"

"Yes, just that one."

"Good, I don't think I can lift another one that heavy."

Ginny eyed him somewhat dangerously. They'd already had the discussion about who was responsible for the amount of luggage they were bringing back — Draco had lost.

With a flick of his wand, Draco set the locks on the trunk to release. As he lifted the lid of the trunk the eyes of the twins lit up at all the brightly wrapped packages. "Ginny, did you put tags on any of these?"

"The ones wrapped in dragon paper are Drake's and the unicorn paper is Angel's."

"Of course," Draco mumbled selecting one of each type of wrapping.

Squeals of delight echoed through the small sitting room for the next half an hour as the twins opened gift after gift. Before long the trunk was empty and the room was strewn with torn gift wrapping, ribbon and discarded boxes. Toys, clothes and other trinkets were scattered everywhere. The children were re-examining all their new belongings, trying to decide what to play with first.

Draco had sat through the gift giving trying to think of a feasible excuse to escape for a few minutes. He wanted to check on the surprise he'd arranged for Ginny before he showed her. Though there was a certain element of danger in opening his mouth to voice the only viable idea he could come up with, he went ahead anyway. "Love, I might just pop down to the study and check my owls while the kids play... Give you a little bit on your own with them."

"Do you have to?"

"I really should," he expressed as regretfully as he could muster. "I won't be long. I just need to see what's waiting for me Monday morning."

Ginny looked disappointed, but she nodded her understanding. Her expression burned into his conscience as he left the sitting room. It was only a little white lie and he was almost convinced she'd be pleased when she saw what he'd arranged.

"Mummy, can you play with me?" Drake looked expectantly at her with the new Quidditch figurines clutched tightly in his small hands. They'd purchased the entire French team for him and he couldn't wait to play them against his English team.

"Yes, sweetheart. Why don't you get your Quidditch stadium?"

"Okay, but I'm England!" Drake raced from the sitting room before Ginny could reply.

"Mummy, aren't we going to have a tea party?" Angel had her newest baby doll cradled in her arms and her new silver tea service sitting nearby.

"Of course! While you're setting up your tea party I can play with Drake, then we can both join you for a lovely cup of tea."

"Drake doesn't like tea parties. He's always rude to my guests."

"We'll just have to teach him some manners then," Ginny said with mock sincerity. "Can you set it up on your own?"

"I have to get the rest of my guests!" The little girl announced as she ran out of the room.

Ginny looked over to the veritable menagerie of stuffed animals Draco had insisted on buying her in France. If Angel brought in anymore of her "guests" they'd be overrun with inanimate creatures.

No sooner than had Angel left the room, Drake returned with Millie bringing up the rear. The servant was almost dwarfed by the large toy she had hovering just in front of her.

"Put it there," Drake demanded rudely, pointing at a position on the floor in front of the hearth.

"Drake! How dare you speak to Millie like that! Apologize now!"

"She's a servant," Drake stated apathetically.

"I don't care who she is, you do not speak to anyone in that manner. Apologize now or you won't be playing with your Quidditch game for a week."

"Sorry," the little wizard mumbled.

"Properly, Drake."

"But Grandfather said—"

"I don't care what your grandfather said, I'm your mother and I won't tolerate you speaking to anyone that way. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Mummy," Drake responded somewhat edgily.

"Apologize to Millie."

"Sorry for being rude, Millie."

The aged servant was clearly uncomfortable with her young master's request for forgiveness. It wasn't customary to hear such words from those she willingly served, no matter how they treated her. She bowed deeply in front of Drake then flicked her large eyes to his mother. "If that is all, Mistress, Miss Angel is summoning Millie."

"Yes, thank you, Millie." Ginny almost laughed aloud at the very obvious relief in the servant's eyes. "Drake, are you going to set the game up?"

"Uh huh." The little wizard nodded eagerly and set about positioning the figurines for the start of the game.

By the time Angel marched back into the room with Millie carrying several dolls and stuffed animals, the Quidditch game was well under way. The little witch offered her 'guests' seats then fussily went about setting up her tea set. When she was happy with everything, Angel looked to her mother expectantly.

"Mummy, are you coming to my tea party?"

"Just as soon as I catch the Snitch, sweetheart."

Angel tapped her foot impatiently, before turning her attention to her 'guests'. She made small talk in the same manner as she'd heard her grandmother do with her friends, and replying to the voiceless questions posed by her 'company' with a small tinkling laugh.

A triumphant shriek from Drake signaled the end of the game. Ginny had to admit he was very good. His strategies were fairly simple, but were well thought out and executed perfectly.

"Well done, darling."

Drake bounced up and down on the spot. "I won! I won!"

"Are you going to come to my tea party now?" Angel enquired hastily.

"Yes, of course, darling. Come on, Drake, it's time to put on our best manners."

The little boy's expression went from jubilant to miserable in an instant. "Can't we play another game?"

"No, honey, I promised Angel we'd join her after the game. Maybe Daddy will give you a game when he gets back."

"When is he coming back?"

"I don't know, sweetheart. I'm sure he won't be much longer." At least she hoped he wouldn't be much longer. She didn't appreciate Draco running out like he did at the first available moment.

"Can I go find him?"

"I'd rather you stayed here, Drake. Daddy will be back soon."

"Okay," Drake agreed miserably. "But I don't want to play tea parties."

"You don't have to play," Angel stated spitefully.

"Good, I won't!"

"Fine."

"Enough!" Ginny shook her head at her children. They were so different in personality sometimes that little spats like this were par for the course, but she still didn't like to hear their verbal sparring.

"Yes, Mummy," they answered together.

"Drake, why don't you play with something else until Daddy gets back and I'll have a tea party with Angel."

"Okay," the little boy said agreeably. Anything was better than being forced to play tea parties.

"Mummy, you have to come and sit here," Angel instructed.

"I'm coming." Ginny lifted herself off the floor and relaxed in the chair Angel had saved her.

"Tea?" Angel asked in a deliberately haughty voice.

Ginny had to bite the side of her mouth to keep from laughing. Angel was giving a flawless impression of Narcissa. "Thank you, tea would be lovely."

Angel poured the 'tea' into the delicate china cup. "Sugar?"

"No, thank you."

The little witch passed the teacup to her mother with precision. "Would you care for a pastry? I have them delivered from a French pat-pattis—place in Paris."

"They look so tempting. How can I possibly resist?" Ginny stated as she reached for one of the offered toy pastries.

Angel was the perfect hostess. She made small talk with all her 'guests' and ensured no cup ran dry. Ginny marveled at the change in her daughter's play habits. Her whole demeanor seemed to have matured, at least with when engaging in this particular activity.

"Daddy!" Drake jumped to his feet and ran to the door, where his father scooped him into his arms.

"Having fun, mate?"

"Will you play Quidditch with me?"

"I thought we might show Mummy a surprise I arranged for her."

"Surprise?" Drake looked confused just for a moment, then he whispered into Draco's ear.

Ginny watched the two wizards interact. She saw Draco nod then they both looked around at her with matching smirks. Surprise or not, they were up to something. Though how they'd managed to plan anything was beyond her. Since arriving home, Drake had only left her side for a few minutes to retrieve his Quidditch Stadium.

"What's going on?" Ginny asked carefully.

"We have a surprise for you," Draco admitted as he put Drake on his feet.

"Oh? Care to tell me?"

"I could, but I'd rather show you."

"All right. Where is it?"

Draco pulled a long black silk scarf from his pocket. "You'll have to put this on first."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want your surprise revealed until you're standing with it."

"So it's something I can touch?"

"Maybe," Draco responded evasively.

"How am I going to get to where ever it is if I can't see?"

"I'll guide you." Draco held the scarf up. "Now come over here so I can tie this on and take you to where I've stashed your surprise."

Ginny stood and moved across the sitting room to the only clear space in front of the door. "You can't bring the surprise to me?"

"I don't want to." Draco sounded like a petulant child as he turned her around gently.

The scarf came over her eyes, turning the world black. She could feel Draco knotting the fabric at the back of her head and when his hands fell away from her she felt quite vulnerable. Ginny pushed the feeling to the back of her mind immediately. It was silly to feel afraid just because her eyesight had been temporarily impaired.

"Can you see anything?"

"Not a thing."

Draco waved his hands around in front of Ginny's face. "Are you sure you can't see anything?"

"Positive!"

"Drake, take Mummy's hand. You can help me lead her to where we're going."

A small giggle from her side alerted Ginny to her son's presence before his small hand found hers. Next Draco's hand ran down her spine and settled in the small of her back. His other hand took her arm just above the elbow.

"Ready?"

"Yes!"

From somewhere behind her she could hear Angel giggling. Ginny's mind ran through the possibilities of what Draco's surprise might be as they guided her to the unknown destination, but she couldn't come up with anything that would demand this much fuss or excitement. She tried to map in her head where they were leading her, but after many turns and a flight of stairs she had to admit she was lost.

"Stop here," Draco whispered in her ear. "You two go stand over there, so you can see Mummy's face when we show her what we've done."

She felt Drake release her hand and heard both her children giggle with excitement as they moved away from her. Draco didn't lose contact with her as he moved to stand behind her. She could feel his large hands resting on her shoulders and his breath tickling her neck.

"I hope you like this."

"Are you going to let me see whatever it is now?"

"Of course." His hands moved to the scarf and began to undo the knot he'd secured it with. Just before he allowed the fine silk to fall from her eyes, he whispered, "Welcome home, love."

Ginny blinked a few times, allowing her eyes to adjust to the brightness of the room. She looked around trying to place where in the house they were, when it suddenly dawned on her — they were standing in the southern wing and this was the parlor Draco had wanted for the family, except it looked completely different now. The room had been tastefully decorated, giving it a light breezy feeling. The antique furniture had been replaced with more comfortable pieces better suited to a family with small children and all the heirlooms that had previously covered every available surface had vanished.

"Well?" Draco asked hesitantly.

"When? How?"

"I made the arrangements to have it done while we were away. You can change anything you don't like, but I thought it'd be nice to move into our own wing straight away."

"It's wonderful!"

"You like it?"

Her arms wrapped around his waist and she kissed him. "Yes, I wouldn't change a thing."

Draco relaxed a little. He'd been concerned about her reaction and whether he'd done the right thing or not, after all, he had told her it was her job to decorate their home. "There's more."

"More?"

"While the decorators were here I had them do all the rooms we'd need right away and a few extras."

"We were only gone two weeks."

Draco smirked. "It's amazing what they'll agree to if there's a bonus of several thousand Galleons on offer."

"You didn't use that hideous decorator, did you?"

"No. After the way she treated you, she's never getting another Knut out of this family and I believe Mother has spread the word to her friends as well, so she'll find it difficult to come across the work she was accustomed to from now on. I found someone else through some contacts I have and by looks of everything, they've followed my directives to the letter."

Ginny moved further into the room, examining the appointments and other, more personal, touches Draco had ordered. Family photographs adorned the walls and some of the shelves; small knick-knacks were placed here and there to brighten the room up; the patio held a table and chairs, along with some long lounges to relax on, it was the perfect setting for breakfast on fine days. She would never have thought the large room could feel so comfortable and inviting, but it had been so well done that she couldn't imagine considering any other room for the family now.

"Come on, I want to show you the rest of the wing," Draco said eagerly. "Just remember you can still change anything you want and there's still a lot of personal additions to be made."

"All right I'll remember, but if the rest of the rooms have been done as well as this one, I wouldn't dream of changing anything."

The playroom was just down the corridor from the family parlor. It was light and bright with storage cupboards lining two walls, and plenty of room to play. Comfortable chairs were around the fireplace with bookcases nearby. A Wizards' Chess table stood off to the side with a player's chair on either side of the board. The remainder of the room was understandably quite bare, as the children still had their toys in their rooms for the time being.

They wandered through the ground floor of the wing, taking their time to examine every room. Those the decorators hadn't touched had been cleaned thoroughly, de-cluttered of excessive furniture and the like, ready for use; very little remained to be done in any of the formal areas of the wing. The rooms were tastefully decorated centuries ago and although the furniture was dated, it was beautiful just the same.

The family dining room felt more like a formal room to Ginny, but she was at a loss as to what she could do to warm the area. The wood paneled room held a mahogany table large enough to comfortably seat fourteen. Twelve chairs had their seats upholstered with deep gold velvet and at either end of the table, fully upholstered larger chairs with armrests stood. The enormous sideboard was ornately carved and stocked with the finest bone china. Ginny knew it would never be as cozy as the Burrow's kitchen, but with no ideas coming to mind she decided she could live with that and besides it was the people who filled the room that brought warmth to the atmosphere, not the decor.

They wandered into Draco's study next. The room had been cleaned thoroughly, but the décor remained the same as it had been for many decades. Dark, heavy drapes admitted no light from the windows and when Draco flicked his wand towards the wall sconces, they flashed to life, casting an eerie glow over the room. It was definitely a man's room, with no hint that women even existed, let alone stepped foot in this room.

When the family had thoroughly explored the ground floor, Draco suggested they head upstairs. Pleased with Ginny's reaction thus far, he hoped the family living quarters met to her approval as well. Draco guided his family down the corridor and stopped at the end. He'd deliberately gone past the master suite at the head of the corridor, instead, going to the twins' rooms right at the end. Draco had thought about the location of their rooms long and hard. It stood to reason that Ginny would want their younger children closer to the master suite, in case there was a problem during the night, so logic dictated that the twins should have the rooms the greatest distance from the master suite. Wishful thinking may have played a part in his planning, because he was hoping to fill the rooms between the master suite and the twins' rooms with more of his children, if Ginny was willing of course.

"Whose rooms are we going to show first?"

"Mine!" Drake announced loudly before Angel could react.

With a grand flourish, Draco opened the double doors leading to his son's suite. It was decorated in an identical Quidditch theme to that of his rooms in the northern wing. The little wizard proudly informed his parents that he showed the decorators his other suite and told them to make this one the same.

Across the corridor, Angel's rooms were as beautiful as her rooms in the other wing. The little girl had attempted to convince the decorators and her grandmother that an entirely purple suite would be perfect, much to everyone's horror. It had come down to Lucius to talk his granddaughter into accepting that her suite would be decorated in an identical manner to that of her rooms in the northern wing. With the addition of some superfluous purple throw cushions on the furniture, the decorator had done an excellent job of keeping the room tasteful and at the same time pleasing the little witch who would live there.

Upon entering the master suite, Ginny was torn between looking around and hugging her husband with delight. The sitting room was decorated in a similar fashion to the first suite she stayed in at the manor, with burgundy hues and gold trim. It was a combination that made her feel warm and comfortable. The room was larger than Draco's old sitting room and held a full sized couch with two chairs around the fireplace. A mahogany coffee table sat in front of the couch and two smaller occasional tables sat beside the single chairs. Flowers softened the room further, along with some photographs of the children.

The bedroom followed a similar color scheme with soft burgundy walls, deep burgundy drapes and mahogany furniture. The bed draperies were translucent lengths of fabric in several shades from light to dark and, on the enormous bed, pillows in the same influence against a gold silk duvet, set it off perfectly. Two chairs around the hearth with a small coffee table gave the couple somewhere extra private to sit. A vanity table on the other side of the room already held golden hairbrushes and combs with Ginny's initials engraved upon them. French doors on either side of the bed led to a private balcony where a small table and two chairs were situated. There were four more doors leading off the main bedroom and Ginny was eager to explore each one. Two led to dressing rooms: one for Draco and one for herself. There were subtle differences in dressing rooms, but overall they were of the same design. Small things like the vanity in Ginny's dressing room was larger and the length of her hanging space had been extended, whereas much of Draco's hanging space was half the depth. The other doors led to private bathrooms or rather semi-private bathrooms. In each side there was an extra large shower, basin with large cupboards and a toilet, then the two rooms met in the middle with a bathtub large enough to be easily described as a swimming pool. The whole room was done in black marble with gold fixtures.

"The side closest to the bed is yours and I'll take the other, so I don't disturb you when I'm getting ready for work," Draco explained. "I thought about having two separate bathrooms, but I didn't know if you'd approve of that and there was the problem of who would get the bath."

"It's amazing, I love it all."

"Good, but remember you're free to change anything you want."

"I don't want to change a thing," Ginny responded honestly.

"Well the offer's there. Now I have another room to show you, if you're finished in here."

"Yes, lead on!"

"Wait here, I'll just make sure the kids are going to stay in their rooms until we're finished," Draco said. The rooms he had left to show his wife were for her only at this point and he wanted to show them off without having the twins' input.

Drake and Angel had decided to stay in their new rooms while their parents walked through their new living quarters. They'd both seen the rooms as they'd been decorated so there was nothing new to see as far as they were concerned.

"Are they all right?" Ginny asked as Draco walked back to her.

"Yes, they're fine. Both are planning where everything is going to go in their new rooms."

Ginny laughed. "God help the servants who get stuck moving them."

"Yes, well, I think that might happen when the children are otherwise occupied."

"It might be a good idea."

"Are you ready to see the next room?"

"Yes, where is it?"

"Right here."

They were standing at the next doorway along the corridor from the master suite. Draco opened the doors without explanation and stood back to allow Ginny entrance to the room. Unlike the other rooms he'd shown her, this one had not been fully decorated. The sitting room was bare apart from the fireplace and save for two pieces of furniture the bedroom was empty. An antique cradle and matching cot had been set up in opposing corners on the far side of the room. Both were exquisitely crafted and obviously family heirlooms given the Malfoy family crest worked into the wood of each piece.

"They were mine," Draco said softly from the doorway. "And before that my father's."

Ginny moved towards the cradle silently. Words just didn't seem enough to do the furniture justice. She remembered the two cradles the twins had used, though lovingly handcrafted by her father and brothers, they were a far cry from the perfect workmanship she saw before her now.

"If you'd rather new things for the baby that's not a problem," Draco continued quietly.

"No." Ginny tore her teary eyes from the cradle, turning to face her husband. "They're so beautiful."

Draco moved forward and took her in his arms. He held her tenderly for several minutes. "I didn't want to do too much in here, but I did have the bathroom and dressing room completed."

"Bathroom?" Ginny looked up at her husband, surprise more than evident in her eyes. "The baby has a bathroom?"

"Not just any bathroom, my love. A baby bathroom! Come I'll show you." Draco led her into the adjoining bathroom by the hand.

Ginny stared around in amazement. The bathroom had been designed specifically for caring for babies and toddlers. Along one wall there was a marble baby bath built into a wide bench. The space next to the bath was a change table and there were cupboards underneath for storage. On the other end of the bench was a small bathtub perfect for a toddler. Everything was at the perfect height for Ginny, she wouldn't be stretching too far or breaking her back when trying to bathe the baby. Another door led to a full-sized toilet pedestal for use by whoever was caring for the baby at the time.

"It's so perfect."

"You like it?"

"Yes!"

"Good, I had them use mother to gauge the height of everything and everyone put in ideas of what would be good to have in here."

"It's all wonderful." A tear slid silently down her cheek. "I never dreamed—"

"Hey, don't cry. I just want you to be happy." Draco kissed away the scant tears on her cheeks. "I want to give you everything," he whispered huskily.

"I am happy, so happy."

"I'm glad." He dipped his head and captured her mouth briefly. "Anything you want for the baby, you get it. The decorators are waiting for your instructions to complete the nursery. I just had them do the bathroom and dressing room."

"You did the dressing room as well?"

"Err—yeah. You can change anything you don't like or think won't work."

"I'm sure it's perfect," Ginny assured him. "Show me."

The dressing room was next to the bathroom. No space in the area had been wasted. Drawers and cupboards were numerous with hanging space above much of them. Another change table was built into the top of cupboards.

"Well?"

"It's amazing. If I didn't know better, I'd say you've done this before."

"The only thing I can take credit for is paying the bill. The decorators suggested all of this and Mother put forward a few ideas, I just agreed."

"Well, I'm glad you did."

"I have one last room to show you."

"Another?"

Draco nodded and took her hand, leading her from the baby's rooms. He didn't stop until he reached the parlor Ginny had put aside for herself. "The wing and even the nursery are for all of us. I wanted to do something just for you."

As the doors opened, Ginny gasped. She couldn't believe her eyes. Her parlor had been redecorated almost exactly how she had pictured the room. Lucius' great-grandmother's desk sat in front of a wall of bookshelves with a chair that matched perfectly and two visitors' chairs on the other side. Across the room, a chaise lounge and two armchairs were situated around the fireplace. The light floral fabrics matched the chairs at her desk and the small occasional tables scattered around the room blended perfectly with the antique desk. The walls had been papered in a soft plum satin with a delicate pattern of flowers embossed into the fabric. Window seats had been built into the two recesses that held the long panes of glass. Ginny wandered over to the closest window, the view was breathtaking.

"Do you like it?" Draco asked hesitantly.

"Yes, it's just how I pictured."

"Really?" This was the room that had caused him much anguish. He hadn't convinced himself he was doing the right thing by allowing the decorators to touch it without consulting his wife.

"Yes, really." Ginny walked back to her husband. "Thank you, it's perfect."

"I'm glad you like it."

"I love it."

"Father will be pleased his search through the manor for all the furniture wasn't a waste."

"I don't follow."

"Mother told me you loved the desk and father mentioned his great-grandfather had purchased the entire collection to go with the desk, so the search was on to find everything that had been scattered throughout the manor over the years."

"I must remember to thank him then."

"He's just happy to see the furniture put back into service. He was very fond of his great-grandmother or so I'm told." Draco placed a light kiss on her nose. "Now you just have to finish all the other rooms."

"You know I've been giving the other rooms some thought."

"Oh yes?"

"Yes and I've decided to leave those we won't be using on a regular basis as they are."

"But—"

"Let me finish," she said kissing his chest. "There's really nothing wrong with the rooms, especially now they've been cleaned properly, so they can stay as they are. We might change them later, but I've got enough to worry about without spending so much time on rooms we never use. I'll finish the nursery of course, but I'd much rather spend my time on other projects."

"As long as you're comfortable with that," Draco said uncertainly.

"I am." Ginny smiled confidently. "Any room we'll be using or decide to use will be redecorated, but the others can wait until I have the time or inclination."

"Okay, you're the mistress of the manor, so I'm not about to argue with you."

"I am, aren't I? Mistress of the manor?"

"Yes you are and you're going to do a brilliant job."

"So what happens with your parents now?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, the servants and— I don't really know."

"The house elves serve the family as a whole, but now they answer to me first rather than my father."

"Oh."

"And you're responsible for running the house — meal planning, cleaning schedules and the like. Mother is more than willing to assist you, so make sure you enlist her help. She's often told me it's not as easy as it looks."

Ginny nodded thoughtfully. "I guess it's a good thing I love this room so much. It looks like I'm going to be spending a lot of time in here."

"It's not that bad. I'll have Mother take you through everything next week."

"It's okay I'll—"

"She won't mind," Draco said quickly, cutting her off. He could only imagine what his father would think if the house stopped running as efficiently as it had for the past twenty-six years or so.

"I was going to say, I would ask her myself."

"Oh, all right. I'm just trying to help."

"I know and I appreciate it, but I have to stand on my own two feet at some stage."

Draco drew her against his chest. "Do you know what I think?"

"Tell me."

"I think you're going to make the best Mistress of Malfoy Manor ever."

Ginny examined his face for any hint of mirth, there was none. Draco was perfectly sincere. "You'd better not let your mother hear you say that."

"It wouldn't be terribly good for my health."

"No, it wouldn't."

"There are no portraits in here to tattle on me and you're not going to tell her."

"Not today."

"Good, I'd hate to die on my first night home." Draco kissed her deeply. He briefly wished they were still in Saint Tropez, lying in the sun with the real world banished to another dimension.

A loud crack interrupted his thoughts and he reluctantly withdrew from his pursuit of his wife's favor. Millie, the house elf, cowered before them.

"What?" Draco snapped.

"Millie is begging Master's forgiveness to be disturbing Master and Mistress. Old Mistress did say dinner is to be served at half past the hour."

"You will instruct the cook to hold dinner until we arrive in the dining room."

"As you wish, Master."

"And make sure the children are dressed for dinner."

"Young Master Drake and Miss Angelique is getting dressed now."

"Good. Dismissed."

Millie bowed low enough to scrape her nose on the floor before Disapparating.

"I guess we should dress for dinner," Ginny murmured.

"Yes, if we're too long Mother is likely to get upset."

"We can't have that."

"It wouldn't be pretty," Draco advised as he escorted Ginny from the wing. "I'll have the servants move our things while we eat dinner."

"Wouldn't it be better to wait until tomorrow?"

"Did you want to supervise the move?"

"No, I'm sure they're capable of doing it without me getting in the way. I just thought it's an awful lot to move in a short time."

"Nonsense, they'll have it done in no time and besides I want to stay in our wing tonight."

They walked the remainder of the way back to the northern wing in comfortable silence. After quick showers they dressed for dinner and were on their way to the dining room. Draco had summoned Millie and instructed the servant to arrange the transfer of their belongings to the southern wing while they were at dinner.

"You realize we won't be dressing for dinner every night when we're eating in our own dining room," Ginny said as they negotiated the staircase.

"I thought you might bring that up at some stage."

"It's not practical, at least not with the kids."

"Love, it's fine. If you don't want to dress for dinner every night I'm not going to argue."

"Good."

"Of course we'll have to whenever we eat with my parents."

"Not if we're in our dining room."

A pained expression crossed Draco's features. "Gin, it's mostly for Mother's sake that we go to the trouble. She was brought up that way and it's so ingrained in her to do what's considered proper that she gets quite agitated when it doesn't happen."

"If we go to their dining room, we'll dress, but it they come to ours we won't, unless it's a special occasion," Ginny said firmly.

"Fine, we'll try it that way."

"There's no trying, Draco. That's how we're doing it."

"All right," Draco agreed quietly. He certainly wasn't going to incite an argument over something so trivial. All he could do was hope his mother didn't make a fuss when she discovered their lax mealtime attire. It wasn't that Narcissa wasn't open to relaxing her principles from time to time, but he knew she'd be upset to see him ignoring the protocols he'd been raised with altogether.

The dining room was abuzz with small voices when Draco and Ginny arrived. Drake and Angel were animatedly describing the gifts their parents had bought them in France to their attentive grandparents.

"Father, we didn't realize you were home." Draco released his hold on Ginny to greet his father.

Lucius stood as soon as he saw his son and daughter-in-law. "You were with the children. I thought it better to allow them some time with you both. Welcome home."

"Thank you."

Lucius nodded his acknowledgement before casting his mercurial gaze over his daughter in-law. "Ginevra, you're looking well rested."

"Thank you, Lucius. I'm very well rested."

"Shall we eat?" Narcissa threaded her arm through her son's. "I've had cook prepare your favorites as a welcome home and a belated celebration of your birthday."

"Thank you, Mother, that was very thoughtful."

"Oh nonsense, we missed celebrating your birthday and we must make amends."

Draco assisted his mother to take her seat and Lucius ensured Ginny was comfortable before striding to his own chair. As soon as Draco's backside touched his chair, house elves appeared ready to serve the evening meal.

Dinner passed with polite conversation. Talk was mostly focused on the newly redecorated wing and what Ginny's thoughts on the work done so far were. Lucius made general enquiries about their time on the French coast, but steered well clear of the special getaway he'd assisted his daughter-in-law in arranging for Draco's birthday. He didn't need to be told what the most preferable activity in the secluded spot was, even if Ginny hadn't fully realized when the arrangements were made.

After dessert had been served, the family retired to the parlor for a short time. Conversation had turned to the activities the children had been involved in over the last two weeks. Even though Draco and Ginny had been fully informed while they were away about what the twins were up to, there were some small excursions they hadn't known about, such as picnics, shopping and the like.

Lucius waited until there was a lull in the conversation to change the subject. He had just survived a fortnight of keeping the children entertained and did not particularly enjoy reliving the time, especially when much of the discussion was centered on insignificant matters that were of no consequence to anyone. "Draco, you are aware the children are required to commence their formal education no later than this September."

"September? I guess we need to give that some thought," Draco responded. He knew they had to begin this year, but as yet hadn't broached the subject with Ginny.

"It's all right, Lucius. Even if Draco hasn't thought about it, I have," Ginny said.

"Oh? And your plans?" Lucius regarded his daughter-in-law seriously. He wondered if she had any idea of what was expected in the way of education prior to commencing Hogwarts.

"I was home schooled and I'm going to do the same for the twins," Ginny informed him.

"Excellent," Lucius exclaimed. "I am pleased to hear I didn't have the schoolroom redecorated for nothing."

Ginny frowned. "Schoolroom?"

"We have a small schoolroom," Draco explained. "I was home schooled until I went to Hogwarts as well, so there's a room that resembles a classroom at the rear of the library."

Lucius cleared his throat to garner his son's attention. "I believe Professor Sutherland is still teaching."

Draco's eyes widened for a moment before turning very cold. "No. I won't allow him near my children."

"He is a fully qualified teacher and he did you no harm," Lucius countered.

"I disagree, Father," Draco responded solemnly. "I will find someone more suitable myself."

"Who is Professor Sutherland?" Ginny looked between the two men. She was quite confused over the change in Draco's attitude.

"My old tutor. He was a monster," Draco growled.

"He was stern," Lucius contradicted.

"You have your opinion, Father, however, you never spent any time with the man."

"Why are we discussing your old tutor?" Ginny interrupted again.

"The twins need a tutor to begin their education and if we are to secure the services of someone competent we need to appoint that person sooner rather than later," Lucius informed her somewhat impatiently.

Ginny shook her head. "The twins don't need a tutor."

Lucius' patience was wearing thin very quickly. "And how are they to begin their education without a teacher?"

"I'll teach them."

"You are not qualified to teach, Ginevra," Lucius pointed out.

"I was home schooled, in the traditional sense. My mother taught us from the age of four or five until we went to Hogwarts and I plan to do the same for my children."

"Perhaps you'd like to explain how you endeavor to achieve that while caring for a newborn?" Lucius' tone had deteriorated to one of contempt.

"My mother achieved that with relative ease and with many below schooling age. I don't see it as being a problem."

"I see, and what of your other duties?"

"Father—"

Ginny cut Draco off quickly. She wasn't about to allow Lucius to make her feel inadequate. It was her decision how the children were schooled not his. "What other duties?"

"To begin with we can look at the running of the household. You are now the Mistress of the Manor and you do have an obligation to see the house is run in the fashion to which it has for centuries. Then there are the social obligations of your now elevated social status."

"Social obligations?" Ginny repeated.

"Yes, did Draco not inform you? You will be required to attend luncheons, tea parties, dinners and such for charity groups. Your activities reflect upon the company, either by earning us more contracts or damaging our reputation."

"Father!" Draco raised his voice to put a stop to this discussion for the time being. "Ginny and I are yet to discuss arrangements for the twins' education. As for the social obligations expected of the Malfoy women, given Ginny's current condition she'll not be taking too much on until well after the baby is born."

"I see," Lucius sneered. He could have predicted this attitude from his son. The man was far too protective of his bride. "And what of the company?"

"If the company can't survive without Ginny drinking tea with some supercilious old hags then it can be damned," Draco snarled as he stood up. "Drake, Angel, say goodnight. Gin, we'll retire to our own parlor after tucking the children into bed."

The twins bid goodnight as instructed and stood by the door waiting to go upstairs. Neither of them dared to disobey or linger in the room when both senior wizards of the family were angry.

Ginny spoke to Narcissa for a few moments, but Draco couldn't hear what was said between the women. His mother was most likely imploring Ginny not to think badly of Lucius for his opinions. Draco watched his wife bid Lucius a curt good evening before leaving the room with the twins. He waited until he was certain Ginny would be well out of earshot before confronting his father again.

"I will not tolerate you speaking to my wife like that again."

"I was merely attempting to get her to see reason. She seems to be under the impression that she can do everything at once."

"It is my place to talk her around and get her to see reason, not yours."

"My apologies," Lucius drawled insincerely.

Draco glowered at his father. He knew it was useless to press the issue any further. His father wasn't sorry for his tone or anything he said to Ginny. He saw his diatribe as looking after the entire family, by ensuring the company would be well represented at functions. What Lucius didn't realize was that by trying to bully Ginny into doing as he wished, he'd most likely encouraged her to do the opposite just to spite him.

"Good night, Mother." Draco placed a kiss on Narcissa's cheek.

"Good night, darling."

Without another glance at his father, Draco strode from the room to join his family in their new home. He was thankful he'd had the servants move them this evening rather than tomorrow. The knowledge that it was unlikely that Ginny and Lucius would come face to face until he'd had the opportunity to talk to his wife was comforting. Draco knew Ginny hadn't even been worked up or angry, she appeared to be still trying to work out what was going on when Draco put a stop to the discussion. However, once she'd had time to think it over he knew her anger would develop. The notion that Lucius deserved all she would serve him nudged his conscience, but Draco still thought the best course of action was to put a stop to any further argument on the matter as soon as possible.

Draco found Ginny tucking the children into bed. He could hear them both complaining profusely as he neared their chambers, but as soon as he appeared in each room they quieted down, rolling over obediently to go sleep. When they were certain neither of the children would wander from their beds, Draco and Ginny ventured down to the family parlor.

Draco summoned a servant immediately. He ordered a pot of tea for Ginny and a large firewhisky for himself. They relaxed on one of the couches together with a heatless fire burning in the hearth, giving the room a cozy feel.

"What did Mother say to you before?"

"She just told me they had a charity luncheon to go to tomorrow so it was unlikely they'd see us before tomorrow evening."

"Was that all?"

"Yes, that was it."

Draco nodded thoughtfully. "I had words with Father after you left."

"I thought you might."

"He means well enough, but his method leaves much to be desired."

"So you agree with him? I shouldn't teach the twins?"

"It's not a matter of agreeing with him. What's important to me is that you don't overextend yourself. With the baby and the house to run you're going to be busy enough, add teaching the twins and you'll be exhausted."

"My mother did it and she was fine."

"Your mother didn't have a house this size to run and she couldn't afford a tutor," Draco pointed out gently. "Just this afternoon you said you'd be spending a lot of time in your study organizing the household."

"I know, I just always thought I'd be the one to teach the twins."

Draco smiled gently. He was getting through to her without having the discussion deteriorate into a heated debate. "Things aren't always as we envision, Gin. Sometimes we have to change our plans, whether we want to or not, because it's the right thing to do at the time."

Ginny sighed heavily. She knew he was right. She wouldn't have the time to educate the twins properly and would probably exhaust herself trying to do so. "So this tutor thing, how do we go about getting one?"

"We put the word out that we're looking for one and we see whose names pop up, then we create a short list of those to be offered interviews. From there we select someone who's not only qualified, but that we're comfortable with."

"What about the children? Don't they get a say in who they're comfortable with?"

"Good idea. We can eliminate anyone we're not comfortable with, then have the remainder meet with the twins to see how they react to them."

"Okay, when do we start?"

"I'll Floo Uncle Sev on Monday and see if he knows of anyone looking for a position. Word gets around fairly quickly and then the applications will start coming in."

"That's it? You make one Floo call?"

"Yes, pretty much. You see, Uncle Sev will contact anyone he considers good enough to teach my children and tell them to apply for the position. This way we only get good applicants or that's the theory at least."

"I can't believe I'm agreeing to this. Your father is going to be impossibly smug."

"No he won't and if he is, I'll deal with him. We're doing what's right for the children and for you; it's got nothing to do with his opinion."

"All right," Ginny answered skeptically.

"Enough of this talk. I'll sort it all out on Monday," Draco said emphatically. "Do you really like all the redecorating?"

"Yes, I love it and it's a relief to have it done. Thank you."

"You are most welcome." Draco kissed the top of her head. "You know we have a new bed to christen."

"We do," Ginny agreed. "And a new bathtub to try."

Draco jumped to his feet and pulled Ginny up to his chest. "What are we waiting for?"

They raced through the house, laughing and giggling loudly. Despite Draco's legs being somewhat longer than Ginny's, she was leading as they began their ascent of the staircase, so Draco pulled her back and kissed her deeply before taking off in the direction of their chambers, leaving her with weak knees on the stairs. It didn't take her long to recover and continue her pursuit. By the time they reached their chambers, they were laughing so hard they were breathless.

Rather than summon a servant to draw the bath, Ginny did it herself while Draco checked on the children. Like the Prefect's bath at Hogwarts, the enormous tub in their bathroom filled at an exceptional speed. As soon as she deemed the water deep enough, Ginny stripped off and entered the water. It was heavenly.

While she missed the privacy their honeymoon had afforded them, she was happy to be home. As her mind drifted over the events of the day the heated discussion with Lucius came back to haunt her. He had said she now had an elevated social position. Whether or not this was true, or even recognized if it were, was of no consequence to her. She was aware her life wasn't going to be the same as it was prior to her marriage. There were now expectations of her and it was blatantly obvious her father in-law would be the harshest judge of her conduct.

Her mind slowly became hazier and her thoughts grew more distorted as the heat of the bath relaxed her. Just before conscious thought abandoned her completely, she decided it didn't matter what others thought. She and Draco were happy and that was all that counted. In her eyes, her life was perfect. She was living a fairy tale, a dream from her childhood, the one that ended in happily ever after.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

AUTHORS NOTES

Huge thanks to Rainpuddle13 for her sensational beta skills, plot discussions and her brilliant idea for the fic title.

-->

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 TWO

BIRTHDAY BOY

Ginny went through Angel's closets trying to find something appropriate for her to wear to lunch at the Burrow. Angel had thought a dress worth more than her entire wardrobe had been worth twelve months ago was appropriate for running around with her cousins and getting dirty. Despite the little girl's pleas, Ginny had immediately negated any idea of her wearing anything other than what she chose for her.

Her hand ran over outfit after expensive outfit, dismissing each in order. She suddenly stopped and pulled a dress from the wardrobe. Ginny blinked at it a couple of times before striding purposely from her daughter's rooms.

"Draco, what is this?"

"A dress."

"And what is it doing in Angel's room?"

"Looking at the size, I'd say because it's hers."

"Why?"

Draco eyed his wife cautiously. This had to be a trick question. It couldn't be anything else. He knew instinctively no matter how he answered her query he'd be in the wrong. "Err... because it won't fit you."

"Draco!"

"Ginny, what's the problem?"

"This dress."

"What about it?"

"This is the dress your daughter destroyed the bridal shop for when I wouldn't buy it for her."

"It is?" Draco responded cautiously.

"Draco!"

"Ginny, I've never seen it before."

"Then where did it come from?"

"Maybe..." Draco was loath to finish his thought, but there was only one person who had seen the dress who would have bought it despite Angel's poor behavior that day.

"Maybe what?"

Sorry he'd not stopped himself before giving the impression that he had an idea, Draco cringed. It was too late not to finish his thought. "Mother."

"I told her no!"

"Ginny, she likes to see the kids happy—"

"They don't get to be happy when they behave like that, they get punished."

"Gin, calm down, love. Mother probably thought she was doing the right thing."

"By whom?"

This conversation was going nowhere good and at a rate that made Draco's head spin. He had to put a stop to it now and calm his wife down before she came into contact with his mother or he knew blood would fly. "Look, we'll just take it off of her and I'll have a word to Mother about her purchase later."

"Draco, she deliberately went behind my back."

"I know and I'll deal with her."

Ginny rolled her eyes. She had a fair idea what Draco's idea of dealing with his mother entailed — nothing that would actually change Narcissa's habits. "I'll talk to her."

"Gin, I—"

"I said I would deal with her."

Draco let out a frustrated groan. This could lead nowhere good. His mother was as headstrong, if not more so, than Ginny. If Narcissa thought she was doing the right thing, nothing or no one would be able to convince her otherwise. He debated following Ginny downstairs and being present while she confronted his mother, but thought the better of it — someone had to be around to clean up the mess that would almost surely be made by the two witches. He continued getting dressed and tried not to think about what might be happening on the floor below.

"Daddy?"

Draco looked to the doorway of his dressing room. "Yes, Princess?"

"Mummy was getting me something to wear."

"Oh—umm—I'll help you." He knew Ginny might not be back for a while and even when she did return it would probably be safer to keep her out of her daughter's closets. "Let's see if we can find something Mummy will approve of."

Upon entering his daughter's dressing room, Draco could understand why Ginny might be upset, though the thought that only one dress had set her off was a little disturbing. The closets were almost overflowing with robes and dresses, most of which were yet to be worn. He knew Ginny hadn't purchased much of what now resided in his daughter's room and he had no doubt he'd be hearing from his father sooner or later over the missing Galleons in the vaults.

"We're looking for something that's not too good, yet still looks pretty... Right?"

"Uh huh."

"Okay."

Draco sighed as he reached out and began to move aside dress after dress. All seemed to have been made from the finest of fabrics and he was certain his wife wouldn't deem them appropriate for running around at her parents' property. He finally settled on a pretty pink dress with a large bow on the back. It was made of linen, but it was the only thing he could find that resembled casual wear or at least close to it.

"This one will have to do." Draco passed the dress to Angel, who promptly screwed her little nose up. "Just put it on, Angel."

"Yes, Daddy," the little witch agreed sulkily. She much preferred the dress she already on, it was lilac silk with a lace overlay and Grandfather had told her she looked positively beautiful when she wore it.

"Do you need any help?"

"Millie can help me."

"All right then, when you're ready come to my chambers."

"Okay."

On the way back to his own rooms, Draco checked on Drake's progress. The little boy was almost ready to leave, with only his boots missing from his feet. Draco knew there'd be no problem with whatever his son had chosen to wear, unless being too scruffy was a problem. After leaving Drake with instructions to join him in the master chambers once he was ready, Draco continued to his own rooms.

When he entered their private sitting room, he could hear Ginny moving around the bedchamber and by the sounds of all the slamming down of items she was still irritated. He closed his eyes a moment and took a deep breath. The first thing he had to do was calm her down, and then he'd go looking for his mother's body, if his wife hadn't seen fit to dispose of it before coming back to their chambers.

With reluctance Draco entered the bedchamber. "Gin?"

"She's not here!"

"Who?"

"Narcissa!"

"Oh." Draco silently thanked whoever was watching over them. "Never mind, you can speak to her tonight."

"I wanted to get it settled now."

Even though he could have been risking his life, Draco gathered her in his arms. "Love, she's not here, so is it really worth holding onto all this anger?"

"I just—"

"I know. You wanted to get it sorted and you will, but it's going to have to wait. You can't speak to her if she's not here." He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Now, how about giving me a smile?"

"Draco, you're not going to—"

"I'm not doing anything. I just want to see you happy and there's no reason you can't be happy while you're waiting to see Mother."

Ginny rolled her eyes. The way this family could sweep problems under the carpet was astonishing.

"Come on, love. Your family is expecting to see you at least cheerful."

"All right." Ginny smiled briefly.

"Properly," Draco ordered.

She forced a grin again.

"You know, if you don't give me one of your award winning smiles this minute I might just have to snog one out of you."

"Oh?"

"Or better still, there's that little spot that never fails." Draco's mouth trailed down the side of her face to her neck. "It's around about here," he muttered as his mouth descended on the point between her neck and shoulder.

"Okay, you win," Ginny moaned. "I'm smiling."

Draco lifted his head to see if she was telling the truth. A sultry smirk graced her features and her eyes were just beginning to glaze over. "Just how I like to see you."

"Is that so?" Her arms wrapped around his neck.

"Mmm." Draco's head dipped to claim her lips ardently.

"I'm ready to go—ewww."

Draco rested his head on Ginny's forehead. "Drake's ready."

"So he said."

"I'll go check on Angel," Draco offered.

"I was going to find her something suitable to wear."

"All sorted, she was getting changed when I left her."

Ginny quirked an eyebrow at her husband, she had seen his idea of casual wear.

"I think you'll approve." Draco grinned at her. "Mind you, I couldn't find any of the clothes she'd usually wear to your parents' place."

"They're not in her closet?" Ginny hadn't made it all the way through Angel's clothes, and so hadn't noticed anything was missing.

"Nope, I couldn't find them. They could be still in her old room."

"I'll check tomorrow."

"It wouldn't be the end of the world if those clothes didn't show up," Draco ventured bravely. He would've loved to have left the twins' clothes at the Burrow when they moved into the manor and bought them both entirely new wardrobes. After all, neither of them needed to wear shabby hand-me-downs anymore. "Her closets are full to bursting."

"I know they're full, but she needs some older clothes to play in without fear of ruining them."

"All I'm saying is if they are gone it's nothing to get upset about and if she needs play clothes we can buy some."

Ginny looked at her husband curiously. "Do you know something about the missing clothes?"

"No, love. I was the one who told you, remember?"

"Mmm."

"I just don't want you to upset yourself over some missing secondhand clothes." He placed a small kiss on her nose. "I'll go see if she's ready and then we'll leave."

"All right," Ginny muttered dubiously as Draco hurried from the room.

She wasn't convinced he knew nothing of the missing clothes, but without an admission from him it was unlikely she'd find proof of his guilt. He was right that it wasn't worth getting upset over, but she'd like to know what had happened to them if they were truly gone. Perhaps they had been left in Angel's old suite. Still she didn't have time to go searching now, so it would have to wait until tomorrow.

"Mummy, are we going soon?" Drake was eager to get to the Burrow and play with his cousins, plus there had been talk of a game of Quidditch planned for today.

"Yes, honey, just as soon as Angel is ready."

The little wizard sighed affectedly. "She always takes forever."

"Do not!" Angel protested as she walked in ahead of her father.

"Do too!" Drake countered.

"Enough," Draco snapped. "Are you ready, love?"

Ginny picked up her cloak and handbag. "Yes, let's go before we're late for lunch."

"Right, everyone down to the parlor in the north wing."

"What's wrong with our Floo?"

"It's not connected to the network yet. I'll take care of it first thing tomorrow morning."

"All right."

"Let's go, shall we. I do not want to learn first hand what your mother does to those who dare to be late for lunch."

Ginny laughed as the family walked downstairs. She knew her husband would likely expire where he stood if he ever witnessed Molly Weasley in full flight. Even to those who knew her best, the matriarch was a very frightening sight when she took issue with someone.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

As soon as Draco stepped out of the hearth in the front room of the Burrow and put Drake on his feet, the little boy took off in the direction of the kitchen without waiting for the customary cleaning charm to be performed to eradicate any soot from his clothes. Before Draco could call him back Ginny stepped out with Angel in her arms.

"Where's Drake?" Ginny asked absently as she drew her wand and allowed it to hover over Angel, cleaning the little girl from tip to toe before she ran off to find her cousins.

"Ran off as soon as we got here and he's got soot all over him."

"Catch up with him after we've said hello to everyone."

"All right, but you know he's going to be even more filthy by then."

"A little bit of dirt never killed anyone." Ginny laughed as her arms wove around his waist.

Draco sighed affectedly. She knew he hated to be dirty and to see his son running about filthy without a care just about drove him nutters. "All right, a little dirt never killed anyone... yet."

"Come on, we'd better go and say hello before Mum comes looking for us."

They knew the short stroll from the hearth to the kitchen would be the last of their peace and quiet until they returned to the manor. Despite wanting it to last for as long as possible, they found themselves standing in the kitchen doorway within seconds. As soon as they stepped over the threshold, Molly flew across the room to the couple.

"Ginny! Draco! Oh it's lovely to see both of you looking so rested."

"Hello, Mum."

"Molly."

"Happy birthday for last week, Draco." Molly placed a wet kiss on his cheek and hugged him tight before stepping back. "Did you have a good time? You must tell us everything."

"We don't want to know everything," Ron grumbled as he stalked into the kitchen.

Draco smirked at his brother-in-law and wrapped his arm possessively around his wife's waist, a move that earned him a seething look of disgust from the redheaded Auror.

"It was fantastic, Mum. We just relaxed most of the time."

"Wonderful! And you're feeling well?"

"Yes, I've been feeling great."

"No morning sickness?"

"Nope."

"With luck that's all behind you now," Molly clucked, patting Ginny's arm.

"I hope so," Draco mumbled.

"You'd best go and say hello to everyone. They're all dying to hear about your honeymoon." Molly bustled back to the hearth and continued with the meal preparations.

Within seconds of entering the yard, the family swallowed Ginny into its depths. Everyone was asking her about the honeymoon and complimenting her on how well she looked. Busy watching his wife interact with her family, Draco failed to notice her two oldest brothers wander over to flank him.

"She looks good," Charlie said quietly.

"Yeah, she needed the break," Draco agreed.

"So the honeymoon was good?" Bill queried.

Before he could stop it a wicked grin crept across Draco's face.

"If it was that good, you can keep the details to yourself," Charlie said quickly.

"We definitely don't want the particulars," Bill assured him seriously.

"If you guys are sure... I don't mind sharing," Draco teased.

Bill stood back and regarded his brother-in-law with mock surprise. "What's this?"

"He's come back all cocky." A dangerous smile had crept across Charlie's face.

"We might just have to remind him of what happens when our baby sister appears unreasonably happy." Bill nodded to himself as if to confirm his words in his own mind.

Draco laughed at the antics of the two wizards. "And risk making her miserable?"

"You see the thing is we'd be happy," Charlie informed him.

"Not for long and you both know it," Draco pointed out.

"I hate to admit it—" Bill dropped his hand onto his brother's shoulder. "But he has a point."

"Bloody hell, we never get to have any fun," Charlie groused with mock disappointment. "Jokes aside, it's great to see her looking so happy."

"I don't know if I can take all the credit. The holiday did her a world of good and her morning sickness seems to have resolved itself," Draco admitted.

Bill slapped Draco's back. "Doesn't matter how it happened, mate. She's looking great."

"Come on, boys. Lunch is on the table," Molly announced.

"Coming, Mum." Bill slapped Draco on the shoulder. "So are you ready for this, birthday boy?"

"My birthday was last week."

"And you were away, so you get to celebrate again," Charlie said with amusement.

"I thought this was just a normal Sunday lunch," Draco said hesitantly.

Charlie sniggered. "That was the day after your stag party. Today is just for you."

"Well aren't I the lucky one?" Draco didn't do a good job of hiding the sarcasm in his tone.

"It's not that bad, mate." Bill chuckled heartily. "You get waited on at lunch and you get to blow the candles out on your cake."

"Then there's presents to open," Charlie added.

Draco's eyes opened wide in horror. What could these people possibly have bought him?

Molly bustled over to the men and attached herself to Draco's arm. "Draco, dear, come and sit down."

Before he could frame a polite reply, Draco found himself being walked to the table. He glanced around for any sign of his wife and possibly a chance of rescue. Ginny was at the other end of the table fussing over the children and not aware of what her mother was subjecting him to or if she was, she was deliberately ignoring his plight.

"Sit down right here, dear," Molly clucked. "I've already served your lunch."

Draco dropped into the chair and stared in scarcely concealed horror at the plate before him. It was overflowing with food. Molly still thought he ate like her sons. If he made it through all of what was on the plate he knew he wouldn't be able to move for a week. "Thank you, Molly," he uttered without conviction.

"Eat up, dear. There's plenty more when you finish that." Molly patted his shoulder before hurrying down to encourage the children to eat heartily.

A few minutes later, Ginny sat in the chair next to Draco and began to serve a plate for herself. Her mother had chastised her thoroughly for fussing over the children and not taking care of herself.

Lunch passed in its usual noisy fashion with many loud conversations going on around the table as the family ate. The children ate quickly under grandma's watchful gaze and then ran off to continue playing.

"Draco, are you up for a game of Quidditch?"

One of the twins was leaning across the table waiting for his reply. Draco still couldn't tell them apart. "Umm—sure, why not."

"Excellent!"

Charlie leaned over the table. "What are you up to, Fred?"

"Just seeing if Draco was up to a spot of flying."

"He's not on your team, so leave him alone," Bill said seriously.

"Why can't he be on our team?" George demanded.

"With Draco on our team we can at least have even numbers again. He can take Ginny's old position," Charlie informed them. "But if you want to discuss a trade we're willing to offer Percy for anyone else."

"No thanks," the twins answered in unison.

Draco observed the men debating his place on a team. The identical expressions of horror on the twins' faces stirred his curiosity and he leaned closer to Harry. "What's wrong with Percy?"

"Flying isn't exactly his forte," Harry whispered.

"What position do you play, Draco?" Charlie asked.

"Seeker."

Charlie's eyes narrowed a little. "Are you any good as a Chaser or Beater?"

"I've never really played either position."

"There's no time like the present." Charlie grinned.

"All right," Draco agreed hesitantly. He wasn't overly enamored with the idea of playing a different position, but he wouldn't argue with the point this time. "Whom am I playing with?"

"I'm the Seeker, Bill and you will be our Chasers and Beaters, and Percy can play keeper with back up from you and Bill."

Draco nodded thoughtfully. This was certainly going to be an interesting experience. "And our opposition?"

"Harry is Seeker, Ron is keeper and the twins are the Chasers and Beaters," Charlie informed him quickly. "I'd better get myself changed. Anya will hex me if I get dirty, we're going out to dinner later."

Draco smiled at his brother-in-law knowingly. It seemed all of the men had vanished inside to change into their Quidditch gear.

Ginny placed a bag on the table in front of Draco. "Your Quidditch gear."

"You knew?"

"I had a feeling the boys would want to get into the air today."

"My broom?"

"It's still in the broom shed."

"Of course."

"So you're taking my old position?"

"Sounds like it, but I've never played either position before."

"You'll be fine." Ginny lowered her voice before continuing, "Just keep a close eye on the goals as well, Percy can barely fly."

"What about the others?" Draco wasn't accustomed to losing and he wasn't about to get used to the idea either.

"They can play. Charlie was on the house team at Hogwarts."

"Really? How does he go against Potter?"

"He wins about half the time."

"Good." Draco smirked. "Well, I should go change."

"Need a hand?"

"As tempting as your offer is, your brothers would probably come looking for me when they noticed I wasn't in the air."

After placing a soft kiss on his wife's mouth, Draco entered the house. He passed Bill and Charlie in the doorway; both were already dressed in their Quidditch gear. The two wizards went directly to the broom shed, where they'd placed their respective rides as soon as they'd arrived that morning. With their boys getting older, it was perilous to leave broomsticks unattended for any length of time.

Draco made his way up to Ginny's old room quickly and changed into his Quidditch britches, jumper and boots. He left the room with his guards in hand. As odd as the four-against-four game sounded to him, he was looking forward to getting in the air and he had no doubt that most up there with him would be competitive.

He walked back through the kitchen, receiving a few more-than-appreciative glances from some of his sister-in-laws. Draco didn't miss the looks and all but ran through the back door with amused giggles following him into the yard. Ginny was busy clearing the table, so he headed for the broom shed first. He'd talk to her before he took to the air, and hopefully not in the presence of any other witches with roaming eyes.

"Draco, we got your broom," Bill told him as he approached.

"Everything all right, mate?" Charlie asked.

Draco threw a quick look over his shoulder to see if any eyes or worse, women, had followed him. "Yeah, everything is fine."

Charlie looked at him dubiously. "If you say so, but I've got to say I don't believe you. You look like you've seen a Dementor."

"I'm fine," Draco responded tightly. God only knew what the other men would do to him if they knew the way their wives were looking at him, not to mention how his own wife would react.

"Enough of this. He said he was fine." Bill passed Draco his broom. "We have to work out a plan of attack or they'll kill us up there."

Their heads came together as the three men began to talk tactics seriously. In five minutes Draco learned the weaknesses of the four opposing wizards. If only he'd been in possession of such titillating facts while at Hogwarts, the outcome of many games could have been vastly different.

"There's just something about men in Quidditch britches that makes my stomach flutter," Fleur whispered in Ginny's ear.

Ginny smiled knowingly as she glanced over at the men. There was something about the way Quidditch britches sat snuggly on their derrieres and defined their thighs that did something for her as well. She leaned against the table and appreciated the view until it was interrupted. Percy had walked over to the group of men and had stopped just behind Draco. There was nothing in the way his pants hung loosely from his backside that was in the least bit appealing.

The two women returned to clearing the table. They wanted to get the chores done as quickly as possible so they could watch the game.

"Ginny, dear, we'll have Draco's cake for afternoon tea," Molly said as she came out to collect more dirty dishes.

"That's fine, Mum. The boys are more interested in getting in the air at the moment and you know they'll be ravenous after the game."

"There's nothing like a bit of flying to give their appetites a healthy nudge," Molly agreed happily.

Ginny balanced a high stack of dirty dishes in her hands and walked into the house. Though there was a lot of cleaning still to be done with all the women pitching in everything would be back to normal in no time. She placed the stack on the sideboard for Anya, who was up to her elbows in suds.

"Is there much more?" Fleur asked.

"Just the serving dishes," Ginny answered.

"We should get you to bring a house elf with you," Angelina said half seriously.

"Don't let Draco hear you say that!" Ginny glanced out the kitchen window to make sure her husband was still near the broom shed and not within earshot. "All he'd need is a feasible excuse to not leave the house without an entourage of servants."

"You should let him bring as many as he wanted. It would save my hands." Anya held up her soapy, pruning hands.

While it was possible to charm the dishes to wash, with so many to do it was quicker to clean them manually, especially when there were so many hands around to help.

"You know we should make Ginny wash up," Fleur suggested cheekily. "Otherwise she might forget how."

"Once a month sounds fair," Anya agreed, drying her hands on a towel. "Sorry, Gin, I am going to have to get you to take over. My fingers are actually starting to hurt."

"All right, but someone will have to give Mum a hand with what's left on the table."

"Consider it done," Pansy responded on her way out the back door. She didn't mind helping with the post-lunch clean up as long as she didn't have to wash. There was no way she was gong to willingly damage her hands. "Molly, is this all that's left?"

"Yes, dear. What happened to Ginny?"

"Anya's hands are getting all wrinkly so Ginny's washing."

Molly tutted loudly to herself. Women these days didn't know the meaning of hard work. Not that she had any genuine complaints about her sons' wives, the girls always helped to clear the mess following a family meal.

Pansy picked up the stack of serving platters and returned to the kitchen. She didn't want to know what Molly was muttering about, because her opinion would have most probably been very different to that of the older witch.

"This is everything," Pansy announced as she unloaded the dishes on the table.

"Thank goodness," Ginny exclaimed. "One of these days we're going to sit out there with our feet up, belching and scratching our bits while the boys wash up."

Amused laughter filled the room.

"You do know we'd have to re-wash everything after they'd finished, because nothing would be clean enough," Katie said through her giggles.

"Not to mention how many Reparo charms we'd have to cast," Angelina scoffed.

"Our wands would be worn out," Fleur added.

Ginny continued to wash while Hermione, Katie, Anya and Angelina dried, and Fleur, Penelope and Pansy put away. The women worked well together and in no time the kitchen was put back to rights. Molly flitted between the kitchen and the front room where the youngest members of the clan had been deposited while their mothers cleaned up and their fathers prepared for the Quidditch game.

When the Weasley matriarch declared all had been done, the girls made their way down to the field. Their husbands had wandered down sometime before them and were already in the air getting a feel for their brooms. The women settled on blankets at the edge of the field with the older children playing nearby. Molly had remained in the house with the babies and smaller children who were napping in various locations around the ramshackle house.

"So was Narcissa glad to see you?" Pansy asked curiously. She'd ran into the older witch in Diagon Alley one afternoon and noticed that the blonde didn't appear to be her usual poised self.

"She was yesterday, but the next time she sees me could very well change her mind."

Hermione leaned forward, concern clearly evident in her eyes. "Why? What happened?"

"Do you remember that dress Angel threw a tantrum over in the bridal shop?"

"Yes," Hermione replied cautiously, averting her gaze from her friend.

"I found it in Angel's closet this morning."

"Really?" Pansy exclaimed loudly. She hoped Ginny wouldn't look directly at Hermione until the woman had made some attempt to adjust her expression.

Ginny frowned at her friend's over exuberance. "Yeah," she muttered distractedly.

Hermione was looking anywhere but at her friend. The secret of the purchase had been nagging at her conscience for a long time. Now that Ginny had discovered the dress, she was caught between wanting to confess her prior knowledge and hoping her friend didn't find out that she was present when Narcissa bought the dress.

"So what are you going to do about the dress?" Pansy asked when Ginny's gazed began to wander in Hermione's direction.

"I'm going to tell Narcissa to return it," Ginny responded resolutely.

Pansy snorted with laughter. "Good luck!"

"If she doesn't, then I will."

"So when are you planning to go to Muggle London?"

"I might go— Hermione, are you all right?"

"Umm—I—err—You see—"

Pansy shook her head ever so slightly at the brown haired woman. "Hermione."

Ginny threw a hard look at Pansy that clearly conveyed an unveiled warning. "Hermione, what do you know about the dress?"

"You know—"

Pansy moved to block Hermione's view of Ginny. "Hermione, we don't need to get involved," she hissed.

"But we were there," Hermione replied none too quietly in a distressed tone.

"What?" Ginny's eyes were just about bulging they were open so wide. "You were there when Narcissa bought the dress?"

Pansy closed her eyes and exhaled slowly. This was not going to be pleasant. She turned to face a furious Ginny. "Yes, we were there. Narcissa bought the dress after you left the shop and had it delivered to the manor."

"And it never occurred to either of you to say anything?"

"I think she felt guilty for all the damage Angel caused," Hermione offered meekly.

"Guilty? Bollocks! Narcissa Malfoy wouldn't recognize the feeling."

"Ginny, it's between you and Narcissa," Pansy said calmly. "We didn't feel it was appropriate to interfere."

"Pray tell, what is appropriate about buying a dress for a little girl when she throws a tantrum?"

Pansy's gaze dropped into her lap and Hermione concentrated her eyes on the men in the air. Neither witch could justify Narcissa's purchase or their silence for that matter.

"Yeah, that's what I thought," Ginny muttered sardonically after a prolonged silence.

"We're really sorry, Ginny," Hermione said softly. "We should have told you."

Pansy stared in horror at Hermione. The woman just couldn't keep her mouth shut. They had nothing to apologize for, they hadn't gone against Ginny's wishes, and they hadn't even lied for Narcissa, because Ginny had never posed the question. Now she felt obliged to say something. "It was wrong of us not to say something, but Narcissa requested our confidence."

"So, despite knowing my feelings on the matter, you agreed to keep her secret?"

Pansy cringed. Ginny's tone was dangerously accusatory and she knew it was with good reason.

"It was a difficult situation," Hermione reminded her friend. "All I wanted to do was get out of the shop."

"If it was such a difficult situation, how is it Narcissa had time to do a spot of shopping?" Ginny asked venomously.

"That's not fair," Pansy responded evenly. "We didn't buy the dress. We simply minded our own business. If you want to have a go at someone then Narcissa is your target. Not Hermione and not me."

Ginny watched as her friend and soon to be sister-in-law strode off towards the house. Shame filled her. Pansy was right; she had no business being angry with either of them. Narcissa was the one at fault.

Anya slid over to sit close to her youngest sister-in-law. "She's right you know."

"I know," Ginny admitted softly. "Hermione, I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have—"

"It's okay. I knew you'd be furious when you found out," Hermione admitted. "I did think Narcissa might save the dress for a special occasion or something and not just give it to her."

Ginny sighed heavily. "That's not how she thinks. You should see Angel's closets; they're full of new clothes that weren't there two weeks ago."

"She doesn't strike me as the type to mind what she's spending," Anya observed.

"No, but Draco did tell me Lucius does pull her into line if he feels she's spent too much."

Hermione laughed. "I'd love to see that."

"Yeah, I still haven't figured out who'd win that battle," Ginny admitted.

"Do you have the same arrangement with Draco?" Anya enquired.

Ginny nodded. "Pretty much, but I can't bring myself to just buy things for the sake of it."

"Well at least he'll never have a reason to tell you off," Hermione pointed out.

"Unless it's for not spending enough." Ginny laughed. "When we went shopping in Saint Tropez, he was always on at me to just buy something if I wanted it, but I couldn't get anything without weighing whether or not I actually needed it."

"Old habits die hard," Anya said quietly.

"He ended up doing most of the buying. In the end, if I looked mildly interested at something, he bought it before I could protest. So now I have all these things I don't really need."

"You should enjoy it. You've struggled forever and now is your time to just enjoy what money can buy without thinking twice about whether or not you can afford it," Anya assured her.

"I know and Draco tells me that all the time." Ginny sighed thoughtfully. It just wasn't in her makeup to spend frivolously. "I should go see Pansy. I need to apologize."

"For what?"

The voice from behind her made Ginny jump. "Oh, Pansy, I'm sorry for having a go at you. You were right, Narcissa is whom I'm angry with and I shouldn't have taken it out on you. Will you come back and sit with us?"

Pansy frowned in confusion. "I was coming back to sit down."

"I thought you went back to the house, because you were upset with me," Ginny admitted softly.

Pansy laughed lightly. "No, silly, you know I can't go longer than five minutes without visiting the lavatory."

"Oh, of course." Ginny didn't know whether to feel relieved or embarrassed. She should have remembered it took a lot more than just a few words to offend the black haired witch.

The women settled back to watch to remains of the game being played above their heads. Before long the Snitch appeared. Ginny caught sight of it seconds before either of the Seekers. She yearned to be up there handling the Quaffle, flying like her life depended upon the win. Of course there was no way the family would let her near a broom stick, let alone to play in a game and Draco would more than likely throw one of his infamous Malfoy tantrums at the mere suggestion. She was pulled from her thoughts by the shrieks of encouragement the women were sending to the men.

Harry and Charlie were streaking through the air at break neck speed, bumping each other in an attempt to unseat the other and gain the lead.

Hermione gasped loudly as Charlie sideswiped her husband hard enough to throw him several meters off course. While Harry was still recovering, Charlie's gloved hand closed around the Snitch and he let out a triumphant roar.

While the men were collecting the balls and returning to the ground, the women charmed their blankets to fold and waited for their partners to join them.

As soon as Charlie's feet touched the ground, Matthew was jumping all over him. The excited little boy was squealing with delight over his father's win. When Bill and Draco hit the ground they both congratulated Charlie on securing victory with a slap on the back before walking in the direction of their wives.

Percy came down and limped over to Penelope. He'd done little more than get a few blisters on his backside during the game. This was one of the few times he looked forward to his nephews growing up. Once the boys were old enough to mix it with the men, perhaps his brothers would stop insisting he play the ridiculous game.

Draco strutted over to Ginny with a big grin on his face. She was smiling softly at him and could tell, without asking, that he'd enjoyed the game. "Feel good?"

"Oh yeah, there's nothing quite like a good win." Draco draped an arm around her shoulder and leaned in close before adding in a whisper, "Especially when Potter is on the losing team."

"Draco!" Ginny slapped his chest playfully. "You're so wicked."

"And you love it," he growled softly.

Ginny's arm snaked around his waist, her hand settling on his backside. "It's a good thing I'm distracted at the moment."

"How so?"

"Do you think you can parade around here dressed like that and have me able to concentrate on anything other than how edible your arse looks?"

"Well I—" Draco paused and looked curiously at his wife. "What is it that turns usually respectable women into drooling, touchy, feely creatures the moment a pair of Quidditch britches appears?"

"I'm not sure, there's just something about them," Ginny admitted in a silky voice as her hand stroked his tight arse. "They drive me crazy."

"You and all the other women," Draco mumbled.

"What's that?"

"Nothing," Draco responded a little too quickly.

Ginny moved away a little so she could make eye contact. "What happened?"

"Nothing."

"Draco?"

"There were some looks when I first came downstairs," he admitted reluctantly. The notion that he could be opening a nasty can of worms if he said much more occurred to him as the words left his mouth.

"From who?"

Draco weighed up whether or not he should respond honestly. This whole situation could get ugly, very ugly.

"Draco?"

"Sister-in-laws," he uttered almost inaudibly.

Ginny arched an eyebrow at him and a cheeky smirk curled her lips. She suspected they'd done something due to his odd expression when he'd exited the house. "Well you are a sexy beast," she purred.

Loud laughter erupted from behind them and startled the couple. They spun around to find Harry and Ron just about doubled over. Draco sneered at them and they laughed even harder. Fred and George were standing just a short distance away, chuckling between themselves — something Draco had figured out was dangerous to anyone in the immediate vicinity.

"Oh, Fred, you're such a sexy beast," George said in a high-pitched voice.

"Don't be silly, you're far sexier than me," Fred insisted as he squeezed his twin's backside in an exaggerated parody of their sister's actions.

Harry and Ron were in hysterics, barely able to stand without assistance.

Ginny rolled her eyes at her brothers and took Draco's hand, leading him in the direction of the house. "I can't believe them!"

The expression on his wife's face stilled his lips. Draco knew just one wrong word would see him directly in the firing line of her temper. It was much better to let her fume about her relatives and not respond, even if the situation was tempting.

Upon entering the yard, the couple noticed the children were scattered throughout and Ginny calmed her ranting down to a dull roar. It seemed, with the promise of the birthday cake soon to be served none of the pint-sized witches or wizards were game enough to stray far from the kitchen, lest they miss out. Draco dropped his tall frame into a garden chair and pulled Ginny into his lap. He desperately wanted to have a quick shower and clean up, but Percy had beaten everyone to the bathroom with the help of Penelope.

"Ginny, dear, is everyone coming back to the house?" Molly asked as she placed a stack of sandwich plates on the table.

"Yes, Mum. The boys were just collecting the balls." She knew there was no point in mentioning the antics of her brothers. Her mother wouldn't see anything wrong with what they'd done and it would just serve to exasperate her further.

"Wonderful! When they get back we'll have Draco's cake."

"I'll give you a hand," Ginny offered.

"Everything is ready, dear. You stay with Draco and relax for a bit."

"If you're sure."

"Yes, yes, I've got everything ready," Molly assured her as she bustled back to the kitchen.

Soon enough bodies began to fill the yard again. The Quidditch equipment was dutifully put away in the broom shed and the men immediately began proclaiming their hunger. Their wait for afternoon tea was short lived as Molly appeared with Draco's birthday cake only moments later. With her grandchildren surrounding her, the journey to the table was slow.

"Gather around the table everyone," Molly called as she placed the cake in front of Draco. "Ginny told me you like chocolate cake, dear."

"Err— yes." Draco stared at the enormous slab cake. Any hint to the flavor was lost under a thick layer of bright green icing, so Draco had no choice but to take her word for it. Large uneven grayish script spelled out "Happy Birthday Draco" across the cake and the outer edges held twenty-five candles that were yet to be lit.

The family gathered around the end of the table where Draco and Ginny were sitting. Amused sniggers bounced around the group; all the men understood how embarrassing this ritual was, but none had ever plucked up the courage to complain to their mother. When Molly lit the candles, a discordant chorus of "Happy Birthday" was struck up somewhere in the crowd.

Draco could do nothing more than sit in his chair hoping his utter mortification wasn't glaringly obvious and wait for this latest Weasley family torture to be over. Ginny had slid off his knee at some point to stand just behind him. As the last strains of the traditional tune assaulted his ears, Draco leaned forward and began to blow out the candles. Three breaths later the last flame was extinguished and the family cheered. Draco sat back in his chair and tried not to make eye contact with anyone — it was one thing to do this as a child, but quite another when one turned twenty-five.

"Draco, dear, you must make a wish," Molly said as she passed him a long knife.

It seemed the torture was not yet over. He accepted the utensil and quickly plunged it into the cake, not bothering about whether he touched the bottom or not. Draco forced a smile for his mother-in-law's sake as more cheers filled the yard.

Before the noise had fully abated, Molly moved the cake over and began to cut large chunks off for everyone. The first piece went straight to Draco, much to his horror and the disgust of the children waiting impatiently by Molly's side.

"All of you can go and sit down or you won't be getting any of Uncle Draco's cake," Molly instructed firmly.

The children quickly parked their bottoms in the chairs closest to their grandma and unfortunately for Draco, he found himself surrounded by miniature Weasleys. The children watched every move Molly made with wide hungry eyes, but it wasn't until after the adults had been served that they got their cake.

"Uncle Draco?"

Draco blinked at the little redheaded witch for a moment. He was still getting accustomed to being called Uncle. While he had realized he would inherit various in-laws through his marriage, he forgotten that he'd also become an instant uncle many times over. "Yes— err."

"Britany," Angel whispered.

"Yes, Britany," he responded confidently.

"How old are you?"

Courtney began to giggle loudly. "He's old!"

Draco stared at the pint-sized witch. He wasn't old — far from it in fact. He was only twenty-five.

"Well, Uncle Draco?" Britany persisted seriously.

"I—err— Didn't your parents ever teach you that it's rude to talk about the age of others?"

"It's only rude to ask ladies," Angel pointed out. "Grandmother told me."

"She would see the difference," Draco mumbled. "Britany, why don't you finish your cake?"

"But aren't you going to answer me?"

"I really don't think it's an appropriate time to be discussing my age."

The little girl sighed heavily and returned to eating her cake.

Angel leaned over to Britany and whispered loud enough for all to hear, "Daddy's twenty-five."

Britany gasped. "That's old."

Angel nodded her acquiescence.

"I am not," Draco responded indignantly.

"Leave it, mate. You'll never convince them," Bill said as he rested a hand on Draco's shoulder. "They think I'm ancient."

"Ancient?"

"Yeah, so think yourself lucky you were just labeled old." Bill chuckled. "Interested in toasting your birthday with something a little more appealing than tea?"

"What did you have in mind?"

Bill leaned close to Draco's ear so Molly wouldn't overhear. "Drop or two of Odgen's."

"Now that does sound appealing."

"Thought it might. Come on, we'll put some distance between us and mum."

Draco frowned at his brother-in-law quizzically.

"Don't worry, she'll say something, she always does, but she doesn't really begrudge us a drink."

"You're sure?" Draco didn't relish finding himself on the wrong side of his mother-in-law again.

"Absolutely, come on."

At the other end of the table the men of the family had set themselves up nicely. The teacups the women had put in front of them were pushed aside to make way for tumblers of Firewhisky and the large bottle sitting in the middle of the men.

"Have fun with the kids?" Charlie asked.

"Oh yeah," Draco answered sarcastically.

George sniggered openly. "It's almost tradition that the birthday boy sits with the kids for cake."

"More like the kids sit with the cake and Mum never moves it far enough so they'll go away," Fred pointed out.

"So what were you dubbed?" Harry enquired with an amused smirk.

"Dubbed?" Draco gave the raven-haired wizard a perplexed look as he sat down.

"Old or ancient?"

"Old," Draco muttered into his tumbler.

"You got off lightly then," Ron suggested. "My last birthday they told me I was too old to get married and have kids now."

The men laughed loudly at the previous antics of the children. Over the last year they'd all fallen victim to being labeled old or similar.

"What are you lot doing?" Molly shrieked. "Draco has presents to open!"

"We're just toasting his birthday, Mum," Bill responded bravely.

"It's only polite," Fred pointed out.

Molly shook her head as she walked away. "Any excuse to bend your elbows."

The boys sat swapping slightly guilty glances with one another in silence until George poked his tongue at Harry. Laughter once again filled the yard and not even a hard look from Molly settled the din.

Conversation eventually turned to the Quidditch season, as it always did when the men got together. Spirited debate grew ever louder as Draco disputed every positive claim concerning the Chudley Cannons. His refusal to consider the team capable of occupying anything other than the bottom rung on the ladder incensed Ron to the point where the redhead was almost incapable of coherent speech. Draco was having a wonderful time watching his brother-in-laws try to defend their beloved team and he was practically disappointed when Molly interrupted them.

"Before you boys have any more to drink, Draco has gifts to open," Molly told them in a tone that brokered no argument.

"Doesn't mean we can't enjoy a few during the unwrapping."

Whether the alcohol fueled his courage or he'd taken temporary leave of his senses, no one quite knew, but when Charlie dared to respond they all cringed.

Molly singled her second son out with a particularly dangerous look. Upon feeling his mother's eyes boring into him, Charlie had the good sense to lower his glass to the table and look sheepish.

Molly gave him a disgusted snort before softening her expression and looking at Draco. "The girls will bring your presents down here, dear."

"Thank you, Molly," Draco responded quickly with hardly a glance at the witch. He wasn't game enough to meet her eyes lest she vent her anger at him.

Ginny and Fleur brought Draco's gifts down to the end of the table and placed them beside him. He looked at the brightly wrapped packages dubiously. The thought of what these people could have bought still worried him.

"Draco, what did Ginny get you for your birthday?" Charlie asked. He knew his sister had spent a fair amount of time stressing over the perfect gift for her new husband.

"I—err—You really don't want to know," Draco stammered.

"It can't have been that bad," Ron said.

"I didn't say it was bad."

"Tell us then," Harry pressed.

Draco considered his options for a moment. He knew if he tried to tell them they wouldn't let him get far before complaining profusely. Before he opened his mouth, Draco had a quick look around for his wife. There was no doubt in his mind that she wouldn't want her brothers to suspect her capable of giving such a gift. Ginny had wandered back to the other end of the table to help the children. "All right, I'll tell you if you really want to know."

"We want to know," many voices confirmed.

"Okay." Draco leaned closer to the table, and in doing so, the other men followed. "I woke up on my birthday to an empty bed. Ginny had gone somewhere and left a note saying she'd be back soon, so I decided to get up. The moment my feet hit the floor 'Happy Birthday' started playing throughout the suite and this rose comes to sit right in my face. I grabbed the rose to get it out of my face — it's a Portkey."

The men were enraptured with the recount of his birthday thus far.

"Where did it take you?" Bill asked.

"I land on a beach. At first there's no one around... something I was thankful for."

"Why?" Ron enquired.

"Think about it... I'm on my honeymoon, I've just gotten out of bed." The confused look on Ron's face prompted Draco to continue. "Let's just say I wasn't exactly dressed to be in public."

Ron's face screwed up in revulsion as comprehension dawned on him.

"Anyway this place is perfect. The water is clear blue, the sand is flawlessly white, there's a small hut and cliffs or ocean surround it entirely. I hear laughing behind me... I turn around to see my beautiful wife standing there in the tiniest black bikini and wrap."

"Yeah?" The twins were so enthralled by the tale they couldn't see what was about to come.

"So Ginny offers me—err, breakfast."

"Breakfast?" Ron repeated, clearly a bit confused.

Draco smirked wickedly. He couldn't believe how easy this was; surely they could see what he was about to say. "Yeah, you know... the best way to start the day."

Ron grinned broadly and nodded. "Bacon, eggs, sausages, maybe a bit of tomato."

Draco stared at the man who seemed to be just about to drown in his own bodily fluids. He couldn't understand what Pansy saw in the wizard, the man didn't appear to have an active brain cell in his head. "Umm— No."

"Don't tell me you prefer kippers and French toast," Ron said disgustedly.

Draco couldn't help but frown deeply at his brother in-law. The other men seemed to have caught on to the subtle hints, but still Ron was oblivious.

"You're going to have to spell it out for him," George advised.

Fred snorted with laughter. "Go on. I can't wait to see his face."

Draco looked to the other men and each nodded in turn. While he wasn't certain that such an open admission was good for his health, he did have to admit the expression on Ron's face was going to be priceless. "How do I put this? Your sister offered herself as breakfast."

"What? How can Ginny be break—" Ron stopped speaking abruptly. His eyes opened wide and his face went from red to purple instantaneously. "I—you—how—oh—" he spluttered.

The men fell about laughing raucously at Ron's expense, much to the wizard's utter disgust. Quizzical looks from the women and children were ignored as they fought to regain their composure.

"Thank Merlin you finally caught on, little brother," Bill choked out.

"We'd have had to kill him if he said much more," Charlie added.

"Deserves to die anyway," Ron muttered discordantly.

Fred slapped his youngest brother on the back. "Don't fret, mate, we'll get him... it's only a matter of time."

"What's only a matter of time?" Ginny demanded to know as she approached. She knew Fred was responding to something Ron had mumbled and gut instinct told her it concerned her husband.

"Nothing," Fred responded with as much innocence as he could muster.

"And why don't I believe you?"

"Because you never believe me," Fred countered.

Ginny rolled her eyes at him. She was getting nowhere fast with him and wasn't likely to discover the truth anytime soon. "I wonder why?" she mused aloud.

"Draco was just telling us about his birthday," Bill informed her.

"Oh—oh." Ginny flushed bright crimson even though her mind was screaming at her that her brothers couldn't possibly know, because Draco was still breathing.

"Private beach... very nice," Charlie commented. "So how long did the two of you spend there?"

"Umm—err—the day," Ginny stammered.

Bill nodded thoughtfully and grinned at his sister. "Draco said something about a black bikini."

"I—err—I bought it in Saint Tropez."

"Really?" Charlie said with ill-disguised amusement.

Ginny lifted her chin. She knew exactly what they were up to and she wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of humiliating her. "Yes, really. It was terribly overpriced for what it was and of course it never stayed on for long, but it was such a turn on to watch Draco's eyes glaze over just before he started tugging at the ties — I just couldn't help myself."

The boys looked awkwardly at each other and then to a very smug Draco. Not one of them could look at their sister. It wasn't that they didn't believe she was capable of deliberately conducting herself in a nefarious manner; just that if they thought on it for too long they'd lose their minds and blood would most definitely be spilled.

Ginny watched her brothers' reactions for a while. Pleased with their obvious discomfort, she turned her attention to Draco. "Mum said to go ahead and open your presents, love."

"Yeah, of course. I almost forgot about them," Draco admitted. He reached for the parcel on the top of the pile. "Are you staying here, Gin?"

"Yes, I'm staying." She sat in the chair next to him.

Draco smiled at his wife as he removed the card attached to the gift. It was from Percy and Penelope. Confident that nothing would harm him, Draco tore the paper off to reveal a leather bound book. As he turned it over in his hands several Ministry pamphlets fell to the ground. Ginny bent down to retrieve the brochures from under the table while Draco examined the book. It was titled "Cataclysmic Cauldrons ". Draco forced a smile in Percy's direction.

"There's some very useful information about the right cauldron to use for specific potions in that volume," Percy pompously informed everyone within earshot.

Draco nodded at him curtly, not quite able to force himself to say thank you. As if he required advice on cauldrons or potions. His eyes almost left his head when Ginny passed the Ministry brochures back to him. While he couldn't have predicted what they may have contained, he certainly didn't expect what they were about — at least not for a gift. The uppermost brochure was titled "Restricted Potion Ingredients - Are They Worth the Trouble?".

"Just smile," Ginny urged almost silently.

Draco shook his head in a barely conceivable move. There was no way he was going to even acknowledge such a 'gift'.

"There's been quite a few additions to the banned ingredients register of late," Percy announced. "The least I can do is make sure all family members comply."

Unable to ignore the man any longer, Draco turned his icy gaze on Percy. "I am aware of the recent changes to the Potions Register. My godfather keeps me fully informed. You remember him, don't you? He's a Potions Master and a Hogwarts Professor, no less."

"Draco, why don't you open this one next?" Ginny shoved another gift in his hands hoping it would deter him from saying anything more. "Here, Draco, open it."

He took the gift and removed the card with more force than was entirely necessary. This one was from Bill and Fleur. As he began to tear the paper away, he hoped it wouldn't be anything similar to Percy's effort. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth when the paper fell away to reveal a box containing a bottle of two-hundred-year aged Odgen's Old Firewhisky.

"Thank you," Draco expressed genuinely.

"You're welcome," Bill responded.

"We'll have to get together one night and open this," Draco suggested, holding the bottle up.

Bill grinned broadly. "I was hoping you might say that."

"We'll have dinner or something, then relax and enjoy this drop of heaven."

"You're on, just let me know when."

"I'll do that," Draco confirmed. "Which one is next, Gin?"

Ginny passed him another brightly wrapped gift. "This one."

With his confidence now high, Draco opened the card eagerly. "It's from your parents."

"Open it! I've no idea what anyone got you," Ginny urged.

Draco tore the paper off to uncover a photograph in a large wooden frame. His eyes bulged as he took in the subjects waving at him—the entire Weasley clan. Unable to think of a single thing to say without the use of a few choice expletives, he wisely kept his mouth closed.

"That's for your desk at the office, dear," Molly said over his shoulder. "It's important to keep your family close."

Draco schooled his features quickly and ran several responses though his head before turning to face his mother in-law. "Thank you, I have the perfect place for it."

Molly smiled happily at him. His response had pleased her and for that he was grateful. He did have the perfect place for the frame—the bottom drawer of his desk was reserved for items he wasn't courageous enough to permanently dispose of for one reason or another. There wasn't that much difference between on and in; was there? After all she did say it was for his desk.

Ginny held another gift out for him. "Open this one next. It's from Ron and Pansy."

"Thanks," he uttered, accepting the heavy parcel. He could only hope Pansy had done the shopping, because he shuddered to think what might be waiting for him if Ron had bothered.

Relief flooded through him when he saw the box under the paper: a desk set. He lifted the lid off carefully to reveal gleaming brass. It was tastefully done in a Quidditch theme with a paper weight in an oversized Snitch, quills shaped to look like broomsticks in a stand, ink wells that resembled hollowed out miniature Bludgers and his initials were engraved on each piece.

"Thank you, Pansy... Ron."

"You're welcome," Pansy smiled warmly at him from the comfort of her fiancé's lap.

"Yeah, enjoy," Ron muttered.

"It's going to look great on my desk," Draco continued as he examined the paperweight closely.

"At work?" Pansy asked.

"No, no at home. I've taken my grandfather's old study as a home office. I haven't had a chance to personalize any of the accessories in the room yet, so this is a brilliant start."

"I'm glad you like it so much," Pansy said feeling rather pleased with herself. "Because you know how difficult you are to buy for."

"Me?" Draco feigned innocence.

"Yes, you! You're bloody impossible."

"You must have me mixed up with someone else."

Pansy rolled her eyes at her old friend good-naturedly. "Open another present before I'm forced to tell you what I really think."

"Pushy bloody witch," Draco griped. "Who's next?"

"This one," Ginny announced as she passed the gift over.

Draco opened the card from Charlie and Anya, then the present. He was surprised to find a copy of "Delve into Antediluvian Potions". It was a volume he'd wanted for some time, but had been unable to locate in London. "How did you know?"

"We were a bit stuck for ideas so Anya asked Severus what he thought and he told her you'd been trying to find that book," Charlie admitted.

"Thank you," Draco said sincerely as he flick through the first few pages.

"You're welcome," Charlie assured him. "Anya, it was the right one."

"Good, I was a bit worried I'd ordered the wrong book," Anya said as she wandered down.

"You can't read it now, Draco," Ginny chided when she noticed her husband had become somewhat absorbed in the book. "You've got two more presents to open."

"Okay." Draco placed the tome on the table. He'd love to spend the rest of the afternoon with his nose buried in the book, analyzing the earliest of potions, but that would be considered rude.

Ginny passed him a brightly wrapped box. "Here, this is from the twins, Angelina and Katie."

"You're going to love this," George assured him.

"It's the ultimate gift! No wizard should be without this little box of pleasure," Fred announced.

Given all the warnings Ginny had voiced about accepting anything from her twin brothers, Draco unwrapped the box with a great deal of reservation. He was waiting for something to jump out at him or attack or something just as silly, but nothing happened. A wooden box sat on the table, looking innocent enough, but still Draco hesitated before lifting the lid. Six small bottles were nestled on a velvet cushion within the box.

"What do you think?" George asked eagerly.

Draco frowned and looked up at the twins. Their expressions were a mixture of excitement and humor. "What is it?"

"Mate, you're now the proud owner of a 'Weasley's Surefire Rumpie Pumpie Kit'," Fred declared.

"You're getting on now and we didn't want to think you might be missing out." George winked.

Draco gaped at the pair with open horror. What on earth made them think he, of all people, needed help in that department?

"Take that first little bottle of gold, the 'Split Second Stiffy'. One swig of that and you're rock hard, raring to go in seconds without worrying about all that silly foreplay stuff. It lasts anything from fifteen to forty-five minutes, depending on how good she is."

"The one next to it is 'Overtime On the Job'. Just a couple of drops will keep you going all night long with no down time."

"'Sleepy Schlong' is a particularly useful one. We've all had those times when she feels too good and we're reminded of our earliest experiences. This bottle dulls the sensation a bit and you can last heaps longer."

"Of course, there are blokes who suffer the opposite problem, so we developed the 'Todger Tonic'. Mate, this makes a breath of air feel like a randy tart's mouth."

"We're particularly proud of the next bottle. You know it's impossible to use Engorgio on a human — well we've developed a potion that will just target a selected area of the body. So for those blokes who weren't blessed with ample wands or who experience shrinkage with age, there's a self- improvement option."

"The last bottle is a 'Revitalization Tonic'. After spending all night going at it you're going to need a helping hand to get through the work day."

"There's also a book underneath, written by us, outlining our success in the bedroom and giving some handy hints so you can reach the same level we have."

Draco had listened to the two men prattling on with ever increasing horror, disgust and shock. He was speechless. There were no words to express what he was feeling. His wife, however, appeared to be overly amused with the gift.

Ginny reached forward and plucked the 'Overtime On the Job' from its velvety surrounds. "We'll have to try this one."

The twins swapped concerned glances. "There's just one other thing, because you're married to our sister and we have that no shagging her policy we'll be checking your supplies from time to time just to make sure none is missing."

Ginny snorted with laughter in a most unladylike fashion. "It's okay, darling, it's not like you need any of that rubbish, especially the 'Whopping Willy'— Good Merlin! What would I do with you if you took that?"

Draco was caught between utter mortification and amusement as he took in the expressions of those sitting closest. While her brothers were trying to come to terms with what she'd said and form appropriate responses, Ginny shoved the last gift into his hands.

"Here open that while their brains are still calling their ears liars."

Draco accepted the parcel, grateful for the distraction. By the feel of it Harry and Hermione had bought him a book, not something that greatly surprised him. When the paper fell away, he was astounded not to see some academic tome that would gather dust on his shelves for the next hundred years, but a book titled 'Raising Magical Children Without Evoking Merlin's Wrath'.

"It was Hermione's idea, but we both thought you might like a bit of unbiased advice," Harry said.

"Thanks," Draco mumbled as he began to scan the chapter titles.

"It takes you from birth to adulthood," Harry continued.

"It's great, thank you."

Ginny leaned over. She'd known it was a book, but the subject was a mystery. "What's it about?"

Draco held the tome up for his wife with a large grin. "It's an instruction manual for the twins."

She laughed lightly at him. "And what are you going to do when they do something that's not in the book."

Draco opened the book to a random page and pretended to read for a moment. "Ah, it says right here... in the event that your offspring commits an offence we have not provided a detailed scenario for, the matter should be referred to their mother post haste for her determination."

Ginny rolled her eyes at him and shook her head. She had a feeling there would be more than a few referrals to her in the coming years or at least until Draco found his confidence. "I'll put your presents inside."

"Just leave them there, love. They're not in anyone's way."

The family relaxed around the table for the remainder of the afternoon, while the children made the most of the opportunity to play with their cousins. When the sun began to dip low on the horizon the families began to say their goodbyes and disperse to their own homes.

Draco had just finished shaking hands with most of the men when Courtney appeared in front of him.

"Uncle Draco?"

"Yes." Draco bent down closer to the little girl. A move he questioned the moment he saw both her hands behind her back.

"I've got a present for you," Courtney whispered.

"Oh—umm—thank you."

As the little witch moved her hands around to the front, Draco fought the urge to cringe or run away. He could only imagine what she had in store for him.

Courtney held out a white daisy in her hand.

He stared at the innocent bloom momentarily before taking it. A smile had only just begun to curl the corners of his mouth when the little girl flung her arms around his neck.

"I still love you, Uncle Draco, even if you are old." Courtney placed a sloppy kiss on his cheek and returned to squeezing him to death.

Unsure as to what the appropriate response would be in such a situation, Draco squeaked out a thank you and waited for Bill to claim his daughter. The thought that Bill would be plucking his daughter from Draco's unconscious form did cross his mind as the little girl's grip tightened even more around his neck.

"Come on, Courtney. Say goodbye to Uncle Draco," Bill said.

"Bye, Uncle Draco," Courtney said obediently.

"See you next time, little one," Draco responded.

Bill waited until his daughter had joined his wife before turning back to Draco. "I think you've got a fan there."

"Yeah, I'm buggered if I know why."

"Kids give unconditionally, mate. You'll learn. Think about giving that book Harry and Hermione gave you a serious look."

"I intend to."

Bill nodded. "I guess we'll see you in a few weeks."

"If not before. You have to help me open that bottle of Odgen's," Draco reminded him.

"Of course, just let me know when and where. I'll make sure I'm there."

"I will," Draco promised as he shook Bill's hand.

Draco leaned back against the table and watched as Bill picked up Courtney on his way into the house to Floo home. Apart from a few forgettable moments, he'd enjoyed the day immensely. Most of the gifts he'd received weren't nearly as horrid as he'd imagined and some were quite exceptional. He looked at the daisy still in his hand. It was such a simple gesture from a small child, yet it warmed his heart in a way he'd never knew was possible. Although he'd never admit it openly, he was learning something new every day about his wife, children, being a family or being a member of a large family. Life was certainly going to be an interesting journey from here on.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Thanks to Rainpuddle13 for her amazing beta skills and plot discussions.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to review!

-->

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 THREE

NEGOTIATIONS

Draco sat at the boardroom table pretending to listen to the company news of the last two weeks. Lucius had insisted on having this extraordinary meeting of department heads so the employees could become accustomed to reporting to him rather than his father. It was boring to say the least. His mind kept drifting to the stack of correspondence on his desk yet to be attended to and the contracts he had to check before leaving for the day.

One of the enormous doors cracked open a fraction and Draco's secretary peered through the small gap. The woman's eyes flicked nervously between Draco and Lucius.

"What is it?" Lucius snapped.

"Sorry for the intrusion, Mr. Malfoy, but there's a house elf in young Mr. Malfoy's office." The woman cast a pleading glance in Draco's direction. "It appears to be quite agitated."

"I'll see what this is about," Draco said quietly. He knew his secretary wouldn't have dared to earn the wrath of Lucius if it wasn't important.

"If you must," Lucius snarled in a low voice.

Draco exited the boardroom quickly. He could see Millie cowering beside his secretary's desk. In the short distance between the boardroom doors and his outer office, many reasons for the servant's presence in the office spun through his mind. He hoped none of his thoughts turned out to be true.

"Millie, why are you here?"

"Master, Millie is most upset. Mistress and Old Mistress is not happy with each other."

Draco's blood ran cold. He turned to his secretary. "If my father asks, tell him I've had to return home."

"Yes, sir." By the time the woman uttered the last word she was speaking to an empty room, her boss had Disapparated.

Draco arrived in the foyer of the manor with Millie right beside him.

"Where are they?"

"They was in the solarium when Millie went for Master."

Draco hurried in the direction of the solarium. His mother must have been watering the plants in the room, a chore she rather enjoyed most mornings, when whatever had gone wrong went wrong. As he neared the doorway he could hear Ginny's angry voice with growing clarity. The domed ceiling of the room gave it wonderful acoustic qualities, so all but the quietest conversations were broadcast into the corridor.

"I don't care, Narcissa. She's my daughter and I said she couldn't have that dress."

"It's only one little dress," Narcissa countered haughtily.

"One little dress she destroyed a store for! How the bloody hell am I supposed to teach her to behave, if you buy her whatever she wants despite what I say?"

"You're over-reacting."

"I'm not! I'll tell you one last time—When I say no I mean no!"

"Honestly I fail—"

"Mother!" Draco said strongly, cutting his mother off effectively.

Narcissa rushed towards her son. "Draco, darling, Ginevra said—"

"Mother, I'm fully aware of why Ginny is upset," Draco told her gently, but firmly.

Narcissa stepped back, putting some distance between herself and Draco, upon seeing his expression. "You agree with her."

"Yes," Draco almost whispered. It pained him greatly to see the look of betrayal on his mother's porcelain features.

Ginny had opened her mouth to tell her mother-in-law that it didn't matter what Draco agreed with, this was her decision, her rules. She snapped it shut when she heard Draco's response.

Narcissa lifted her chin high. "Where is your father?"

"He's still at the office. He doesn't know what's going on."

"How did you find out?"

"Millie — she was worried about the tone of your discussion."

Narcissa's blue eyes narrowed venomously. "She did not have permission to leave the house!"

"Thank goodness she did."

"She needs to be punished."

"That is my decision, Mother," Draco reminded her firmly. He had no doubt his father would have punished the servant if it were still his decision.

Narcissa seemed to be at a loss for a moment or two, so Draco took advantage of the break to cast his gaze to his wife.

The fire that had been in her eyes when he first entered the room had all but extinguished. Her posture was still stiff, so her temper remained dangerous, but she was silent.

"Ginevra, explain to Mother what your expectations are concerning such purchases — reasonably." Draco turned to Narcissa. "Mother, you will listen without interrupting and you will respect our decision without question."

Ginny waited until Draco looked at her again and nodded. "When I say the children can't have something I mean it. I do not appreciate finding the dress or toy or whatever weeks later in their rooms. You know I'm opposed to them receiving everything they want just for the sake of it and I would appreciate being consulted before anything is bought."

The silence in the room was deafening for a moment.

"Mother?"

Narcissa sniffed affectedly. "Very well."

"Good, we'll leave you to your day then." Draco moved to kiss his mother's cheek, but Narcissa stepped away from him. "Ginny, I'll walk you back to our wing."

Ginny had no choice but to leave the room with her husband; Draco had a firm grip on her arm and his other hand was applying pressure to the small of her back. They walked in silence. Ginny was almost ashamed of her conduct. She'd gone to Narcissa this morning with full intentions of discussing the situation and her expectations amicably. However, the conversation had deteriorated quickly and she had found herself shrieking at her mother-in-law. Just as the couple reached the foyer, Lucius Apparated close to the front doors looking somewhat goaded.

"Ginny, go upstairs. I'll meet you in our chambers soon."

"But I—"

"Now, Ginevra."

She sighed loudly and ascended the stairs. There really was no point in arguing with him, at least not when he used that tone. Besides it was unlikely they'd say or do anything if she didn't go upstairs.

"Care to explain what's going on?" Lucius asked when Ginny was well out of sight.

Draco filled his father in on as much as he knew of the morning drama. As he spoke his father's expression darkened to a dangerous level.

"Your mother?"

"I left her in the solarium. She's all right."

"I hardly see how. Your mother is not accustomed to dealing with—"

"Mother is more than capable of fighting her own battles, Father, and you know it. When I arrived she hadn't conceded an inch."

"That's not really the point."

Draco sighed heavily. His father was right. Ginny shouldn't have spoken to his mother like that, no matter how right she thought she was at the time. "I know."

"Where were the children when all this was happening?"

"No idea. They weren't in the room."

"At least they didn't bare witness to the... the foolishness."

"Father, Ginny has a valid point. From what I heard, Angel all but destroyed the bridal shop, because Ginny wouldn't buy that dress for her. In Ginny's opinion, Angel doesn't deserve the dress."

"And your opinion?"

"I agree with Ginny."

"I see."

"I'm going to head up and try to calm Ginny down. Maybe then I can convince her to apologise."

"Apologise?"

"I may agree with her view on the issue, but her method of getting her point across left a lot to be desired."

"Ah." For the first time Lucius really examined his son's expression. Draco was torn. He'd spent twenty-five years defending his mother and now his wife had taken up residence in an opposing camp, the man obviously didn't know which way to turn.

"Perhaps you could get mother to see reason," Draco continued hopefully.

"I doubt it, but I will try."

"Thank you."

Lucius watched his son climb the staircase. Draco's shoulders were slumped and his movement slow. It was as if he didn't want to confront his wife. Lucius didn't blame him; it was not going to be a pleasant morning. Lucius set off for the solarium at a measured pace. He was in no hurry to confront his own wife either.

He found Narcissa in the far corner of the glass room. She was staring out across the property, seemingly lost in thought.

"Cissa?"

"Oh, Lucius, it was only one little dress," Narcissa whispered as she flew to his welcoming arms, her blue eyes welling with tears.

"I know, dearest." Lucius stroked her back soothingly. "I know."

"If Ginevra could have seen how Angelique's face lit up when I gave it to her, she would understand."

"I doubt that greatly," Lucius muttered under his breath.

"And Draco — he agreed with her."

"Our son is torn, Cissa. On one hand there is you, who he has protected his entire life, and on the other there is his wife. A woman he vowed to protect just two weeks ago. It is a difficult situation for him."

"I hadn't realized," Narcissa whispered against her husband's chest.

"Do not worry yourself over something so trivial."

"But it is distressing Draco."

"It is something every man must work through himself. Do you remember the first time you had a disagreement with my mother?"

Narcissa refused to meet her husband's eyes. The first time she had dared to disagree with Lucius' mother over something she now considered trivial the spat had almost escalated into all out war.

"Perhaps you could show Ginevra the understanding my mother found so difficult to afford you," Lucius suggested gently. "Be the better woman."

She nodded slightly against his chest. Her own mother-in-law had treated her dreadfully for sometime over a simple change in the cleaning schedule. It had made the first few months of her marriage incredibly difficult. The memory of how horrid that time was for her gave Narcissa the strength to firmly decide she wouldn't allow this to come between Ginevra and herself. "I will apologise."

"Draco will be pleased."

"Not only for his sake," Narcissa responded firmly. "I remember what it was like— New mistress of the manor and at odds with the one person who can truly be of assistance. I'll go and make my apologies now."

"Draco is talking to Ginevra at the moment. Perhaps you should wait just a little while before intruding." Lucius wasn't certain his son would not be feeling his wife's wrath, especially after dismissing her in the foyer.

"Of course, they need their privacy," Narcissa agreed.

"Perhaps a cup of tea while we're waiting?"

"Of course, darling. Would you care for some pastries as well?"

"That would be lovely."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

As Draco approached the master suite, his sense of dread increased. He knew resolution of the situation rested on his shoulders and it could get very messy if he made the slightest error.

Ginny was waiting for him on the balcony. Her back was stiff and her grasp on the railing was tight enough to turn her knuckles white. Not good signs for Draco.

"Where are the children?"

"Playroom," Ginny responded flatly without turning around.

"Good." If the twins were in their playroom, it meant they'd not overheard anything. "Do you want to tell me what happened?"

"I went to talk to your mother about the dress she bought for Angel."

"That part I guessed."

"She refused to see what she did was wrong. She kept telling me it was only a dress and I was overreacting."

"Gin, you have to remember mother doesn't see things the way you do."

"That's irrelevant! I made a decision concerning our daughter and she deliberately disregarded it."

"All right, I know and I don't disagree with you."

"But?"

"But the way you spoke to her wasn't very constructive, was it?"

"It didn't start out like that. I just got so frustrated when she wouldn't admit she was wrong this time."

Draco nodded thoughtfully. "There's a method for getting mother to see things the way you want her to without causing an argument. Father is far better at it than I could hope to be, mostly because I get frustrated like you and end up losing my temper."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean for this to get so messy."

"It's not me you need to apologise to."

"You can't be serious!"

He took a deep breath. This is where negotiations became dangerous. The next words that fell from his mouth could endanger his comfortable life if he didn't gain her understanding of his position immediately. "Not only am I serious — I insist. She's my mother. I heard the way you were shrieking at her and I know if I spoke to your mother in the same way, I'd be expected to apologise after I'd recovered from whatever punishment your brothers put me through."

"My mother would never do something like this."

"It's not about what she did. It's about how you dealt with the situation."

Ginny folded her arms stubbornly and glared at the space to the right of her husband's shoulder.

"Gin, I agree with you about the dress. Angel doesn't deserve what she wants when she behaves poorly." He moved forward and ran his hands down her arms in what he hoped would be a calming manner. "But I don't agree with how you dealt with the situation. Mother deserves the same respect from you as you expect me to pay your mother."

"I know and I'm sorry."

"It's nothing that can't be fixed with some well placed words."

"All right, I'll apologise," Ginny muttered begrudgingly. She knew she hadn't been wrong in what she said, even if the delivery could have done with a little work.

"Thank you."

"I may as well do it now." Ginny moved to step out of Draco's hands, but he wouldn't allow her to pull away.

"I love you," he uttered.

"I love you, too."

"If you calmly explain to mother why Angel shouldn't have received the dress without actually laying blame she might just see your point of view."

Ginny looked at her husband as if he'd taken leave of his senses. How on earth could she explain why this is so wrong without mentioning that Narcissa was at fault?

"It's not that hard," Draco continued. "Just focus on Angel, her behavior that day, and your reasons as to why she shouldn't receive any gifts as a result. The specific dress or the fact that mother bought doesn't have to be mentioned."

Uncharitable thoughts began roaming through Ginny's mind; it was no wonder her mother-in-law had trouble with the real world. Draco and Lucius shielded her from it completely. Even though there was no doubt in Ginny's mind that Narcissa could take whatever she dished out and return twice as much—she'd been doing fine until Draco showed up—she found herself nodding her acquiescence.

Draco kissed her forehead gently. "It'll work out. Mother will respect your decision and we won't have anymore problems."

Ginny found herself having to bite the inside of her mouth to keep from laughing. If Draco thought they were going to sail through cohabitation with his parents and not have any further problems he was delusional. She was under no illusion that there wouldn't be problems from time to time — it was how they dealt with them that was most important.

"Shall we see if Mother is still in the solarium?"

"We may as well," Ginny agreed. She knew Draco wouldn't return to work until he was sure all was peaceful at home.

Draco threaded his arm around her waist and led her back to the solarium. He whispered words of encouragement all the way, to which Ginny barely acknowledged. She knew he'd take her silence as a sign of nerves, but it wasn't the case. She simply didn't know how to respond without telling him to shut up. When they'd almost reached the doorway of the glass room, Draco stopped.

"Wait here a moment. I'll just make sure it's safe to enter."

"All right," Ginny murmured as her husband continued into the room alone.

Within seconds Draco was back at the doorway, beckoning her to come forward. Ginny took a deep breath, held her head a little higher and walked into the room.

Lucius and Narcissa were having morning tea at the intimate table in the far corner. Apart from a guarded expression in Narcissa's eyes, it was as if nothing had happened. The older witch smiled pleasantly enough and offered Ginny Lucius' now vacant chair.

"Thank you," Ginny mumbled as she took the offered chair.

Draco conjured two chairs and the men joined the women at the table. Without bothering to ask, Narcissa poured tea for the younger couple. Apart from the occasional chink of china all was silent. The atmosphere was becoming tenser by the second. Ginny couldn't think of anything to say, apart from blurting her apology to break the silence. Just as she placed her cup back on its saucer, Draco cleared his throat loudly. It startled her enough to cause her to lose her grip on the cup.

"Sorry," Ginny said quickly as she reached forward to right the teacup and mop up the mess.

"Quite all right," Narcissa responded tightly. "Leave the mess, the servants will take care of the menial duties."

Ginny drew away from the table, her hands falling into her lap. She watched as a servant appeared and charmed away the spilt tea. Once the table was clean again, Narcissa refreshed Ginny's tea.

More for something to do, Ginny reached forward to pick the cup up again. She stopped before her fingers closed around the delicate handle and sat back in her chair, her hands falling back into her lap.

"Is everything all right, Ginevra?" Narcissa enquired curiously.

"Yes—no. I—err—I owe you an apology. The way I spoke to you earlier was rude and I'm sorry."

Narcissa smiled condescendingly and reached to pat Ginny's hand. "Your apology is accepted, dear."

"Ginny, there was more you wanted to say, wasn't there?" Draco prompted.

"Umm—yes. I—" Ginny stopped abruptly as her train of thought completely vanished on her. She knew what she needed to say, but finding the right words was more difficult than it should have been. An uncomfortable silence once again filled the room.

"What Ginny was trying to say is this is about Angel," Draco started after sometime. He could see his wife struggling to find the right words to open and couldn't leave her to flounder any longer. "Mother, you must agree Angel's behavior was deplorable that day and Ginny has always punished such behavior, so she will learn from her errors, hopefully never to make the same mistake again. What concerns Ginny most is that now you've proven yourself to be a soft target, Angel is likely to conduct herself in an unladylike fashion to secure everything she wants from you. In short, Angel is not above taking advantage of your generous nature."

"I see," Narcissa said lightly. "What you must realize is Angel, and Drake for that matter, have no reason to act in a less than desirable manner for me just to obtain some material possession. I'm more than happy to buy them whatever their hearts desire."

"We're well aware of that, but in doing so it makes it most difficult for the person who does say no to them."

"Why would anyone deny the children?"

"Not everyone has Galleons to waste," Ginny mumbled.

"Ginny has a point. Not everyone is as lucky as we are."

"Very well, I will endeavor to curb my shopping."

"Thank you," Ginny smiled uncomfortably across the small table.

"Now that we have an understanding, perhaps we can close the subject for good," Lucius suggested.

"There's one more thing," Ginny began uncertainly. "The dress — I'd like it returned to the store."

"Quite impossible! You see Angel wore it to a garden party while you were away." The lie rolled off of Narcissa's tongue without so much as a hiccup. There was no way she would concede defeat entirely.

"Oh."

"Galor won't take it back," Narcissa reaffirmed. "Just this time why don't we let Angel keep the dress? It would be such a terrible waste if she couldn't and she does love it."

"Well I—"

"If only you could have see her face when I gave it to her, Ginevra. She lit up so brightly. I must admit seeing her so happy is very addicting."

"I like to see the children happy as well, but I don't compromise my values to satisfy my need to see them like that. It may be all right in the short term, but they don't learn to appreciate what they have, so in the end it's quite damaging." Ginny's words hung in the air for several minutes. She knew Narcissa just wanted to see the children happy and wouldn't deliberately damage their morals. "If you could just take the time to check with either Draco or myself before purchasing them anything."

"That sounds reasonable, Cissa," Lucius voiced evenly.

"Yes, of course." Narcissa smiled sweetly. "And what of the dress, Ginevra?"

"She's already worn it, so I guess she can keep it this time," Ginny agreed grudgingly. She had a feeling they'd be having this conversation time and again over the years.

"Thank you." Narcissa was positively buoyant. In her mind she had won this battle without question.

Pleased with the outcome, Lucius looked pointedly at his son. "Draco, I feel it's time we made our way back to the office."

"Yes, we should."

"Ginevra and I have a lot to accomplish today," Narcissa announced much to Ginny's surprise.

"What do you have planned, Mother?" Draco asked curiously.

"I need to take Ginevra through the household procedures."

"That would be wonderful. Thank you, Narcissa," Ginny responded guardedly.

"The servants have been instructed to continue as normal until you issue new instructions and the meals have been planned for the next fortnight, but you'll need to get a firm grasp on what is expected sooner rather than later."

"We should be getting back to the office," Lucius said as he stood.

Both men bid their respective wives goodbye with Draco paying a little more attention to Ginny's lips than Lucius did to Narcissa's. It took an impatient growl from Lucius to get his son to relinquish his new wife and allow them to get on their way.

As soon as Lucius and Draco were out of sight, Ginny turned her attention to her mother-in-law. "I should check on the children."

"Millie can check on them," Narcissa suggested strongly. "You really must allow the servants to do more for you. Now shall we move to my parlor, so I can take you through the household routines?"

"All right then," Ginny agreed reluctantly. The children would be wondering where she'd gotten to if she didn't put in an appearance soon.

On the walk to Narcissa's parlor, Ginny summoned Millie. She asked her to check on the twins and serve them some morning tea in the playroom.

Once the women reached Narcissa's private sanctuary, the blonde's attitude changed to one of utmost seriousness. She pulled several heavy ledgers from a concealed bookcase and placed them on her desk.

"You'll have to set up your own system for recording the activities in the house, but you're more than welcome to use mine as a guide."

"I didn't realize it was this involved," Ginny uttered. "I mean I know the house doesn't run itself, but this is a lot more than I expected."

"Organization is the key. Without it, you will be lost." Narcissa stroked the top ledger almost lovingly. "This is my meal planning book."

"Ginny took the heavy leather bound volume and opened the cover. Again she was surprised. The level of detail was quite unnerving. Before her was a diary page with six separate sections: breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, and supper. Each section was filled in to the last detail. Every person expected to be at the manor for the meal was listed, along with exactly what was to be served, right down to the wine for dinner.

"Of course the servants are capable of changing the menu or preparing more food for unexpected guests at a moments notice. They're very competent for imbecilic creatures."

Ginny nodded as she flicked through the pages. She noticed that even the meals Narcissa wasn't at home for were detailed for where she was dining. "Where can I get these books? They're perfect for the job, so there's no point in using anything else."

"I have a supply of unused books. You're most welcome to them. We have these printed specially, so you'll have to order more when you've used what I have left."

"Oh." It didn't surprise Ginny in the least. Narcissa would never use anything so plebian as an off the shelf book when she could have something made exactly to her specifications.

"I placed a large order just last year, so you won't have to worry about reordering for some time. I had thought I would be mistress of the manor for some years to come."

Ginny suddenly felt incredibly uncomfortable. She wasn't sure what her mother-in-law was trying to get at, but it sounded as though she hadn't been ready to relinquish the title. "I—err—"

"Oh dear," Narcissa exclaimed when she saw the expression on Ginny's face. "Don't misunderstand. I wasn't implying that I'm not happy Draco married. If fact, it's quite the opposite. I do enjoy having the children here and you know I never had a daughter."

Ginny blushed slightly. "Thank you."

Narcissa's blue eyes softened and she looked across the desk at her daughter-in-law in the same way she looked at her grandchildren. "Despite our occasional differences, I know we're going to become even closer."

"So do I." Ginny smiled warmly.

"Anyway back to the books. I ordered so many, because I truly believed he wouldn't get married for years and then he'd only take a wife out of duty to the family line. At the time he was changing women more often than his underwear. Of course all that changed the moment he found you."

"Well I'm glad you ordered so many."

"I'll have a servant deliver one to your parlor later. They're stored elsewhere in the house."

"I don't mind collecting it. Where are they stored?"

"Goodness, I have no idea. I just tell the house elves to put them away until I'm ready to use them."

"I might ask one of the servants then."

"Why on earth would you want to visit some storage area?"

"It's not the storage area or what's in it. I just want to familiarize myself with the house. We moved in six weeks ago and I'd still get lost if I took a different route to the front door."

Narcissa smiled understandingly. "Don't try to rush it, you'll just confuse yourself and that's more frustrating. I took my time and explored a little further every day. Now I know the entire house almost as well as I know my own reflection."

"I'd like to take my time, but I felt so useless when Drake disappeared. I need to find my way around as quickly as possible."

"You do realize knowing your way around won't banish that horrid helpless feeling if one of the children do lose their way in the house."

"I know, but at least I'd be able to look for them without getting lost myself."

"The servants can search for you and the ancestral portraits all have other frames throughout the house. There's nothing they don't see or hear. As mistress, you can now ask them questions. Mind you, they're not terribly polite and they don't always give direct answers, but in cases where a Malfoy child could be in danger they will cooperate."

"I'll remember that."

"Best we get back to business or the men will be home before we're finished."

"Yes."

"I always plan meals a month in advance. The house elves in the kitchen then advise what shopping is required and you'll need to authorize the purchases. If there are any changes, you're best to advise the kitchen at the earliest possible convenience, most especially if there are extras for a meal. You'll see that I also write our social engagements in there as well, just so I know not to plan a meal at that time or why I haven't planned a meal for that time."

"Will you do your own meal planning?"

"Goodness no. It is your duty to feed the occupants of the house."

"Oh."

Narcissa reached into one of her drawers. "I've made a list of our likes and dislikes to help you plan."

"Thank you," Ginny mumbled. The list was more akin to a book. How she was ever going to remember all of that was beyond her.

"I included Draco's preferences as well. With everything going on, I'm sure you haven't taken the time to notice what he does and doesn't eat."

"Umm—no, no I haven't." Ginny's mind was reeling.

"No matter. It's all in there. Now I will advise you of any social engagements Lucius and I have that will affect your planning. Of course, if we're entertaining at home I will advise you of the details and what I want served."

A small smile of relief crossed Ginny's face. At least she wouldn't be responsible for planning Narcissa's dinner parties.

"It's not that difficult once you get started."

"I'm sure it's not."

"Shall we move onto the cleaning?"

"Yes, let's do that."

Narcissa pushed another ledger across the desk towards Ginny. "This is my cleaning schedule."

Ginny placed the menu back on the desk and opened the cleaning schedule. Again diary-like pages were within the book.

"The family areas are cleaned every day, along with the kitchen, foyer and the parlors at the front of the house. All areas we don't use on a regular basis and can't be seen by any guests are cleaned at least once a year. If we're entertaining the rooms we will be using are cleaned the day of the event." Narcissa listed everything so quickly Ginny could hardly keep up. "It took me some time to develop the schedule I use and I find it works wonderfully, but you are free to change it to suit yourself."

Ginny nodded absently as she flicked through some of the entries in the book.

"If you are so inclined to make changes, may I suggest keeping them small for the time being; many changes at once will confuse the servants and lead to less than effective work from them."

"I'm sure the schedule is fine the way it is for now. I'll get my head around the menus first then tackle the cleaning, when I have more time."

"That's perfectly reasonable. I'll arrange for the details to be transferred into a book for you."

"Thank you."

"There are also many functions we are expected to attend each year and some we host. This last book is a social diary. Everything in here is cross-referenced in the menu planner and, depending on the event, the cleaning schedule."

"What type of functions do we host?"

"Most are dinner parties, but we do hold at least one ball a year—usually a Christmas Ball. Plus there are the special functions that come up periodically, such as your wedding."

Ginny's eyes widened and panic began to flood her mind. She wasn't ready to deal with a ball. "How long does it usually take to plan a ball?"

"I generally start no less than six months beforehand."

"Are we hosting a Christmas Ball this year?"

"Of course, we have so much to be thankful for this year."

Ginny couldn't contain the loud gasp that escaped her. She'd never planned a ball before and it was already June.

"Planning for the Christmas Ball begins next month."

"Next month?" She felt as though she should have started last Christmas.

"Yes, if we don't start then we'll never be ready in time." Narcissa could see panic beginning to cloud her daughter-in-law's eyes. "I'll be guiding you all the way, so you can learn from my experience. There's quite a bit involved with an event that size, but I've done it so many times now it hardly seems difficult at all."

Ginny visibly relaxed. "Thank you."

"You will become accustomed to planning these events," Narcissa assured her.

Narcissa considered her young successor for a few minutes. Her mind drifted back to the early days of her marriage. Even though she'd been raised in a privileged home the transition from daughter of a wealthy wizard to wife of a wealthy wizard had been difficult. Lucius' mother had not helped her to adjust and as a result, she'd made many mistakes. She decided she wouldn't subject Ginny to the same torture she had suffered. "I know how difficult it is to adjust, so until you feel confident enough to take on everything alone, I'll assist you where ever you need."

"Thank you."

"Think nothing of it. I'd rather help you than have everything fall in a heap."

"I don't even want to think about that happening."

"The repercussions wouldn't be pleasant."

The women talked for a while longer about the house and what was expected of the Mistress of the Manor. Ginny was still in a little shock. She had no idea running a house could be so involved. Before Ginny left Narcissa's study, the older woman reiterated her pledge to assist wherever she needed help and to have the servants deliver the books she would require for running the house. Narcissa also mentioned that she might take the children for a walk sometime after lunch, so Ginny could rest. The young wife didn't bother to mention that it was unlikely she'd rest, not with so much to be getting on with as far as the house was concerned.

Ginny's mind was still spinning when she entered the playroom. The twins were playing rowdily under Millie's watchful eyes.

Drake stopped what he was doing the moment he spied his mother. "Mummy! Mummy! Can we go outside? Millie won't let us!"

"Yes, sweetheart, we'll go outside for a while."

"Yay!" The little boy was bouncing with excitement.

"We'll go out through the parlor, so I can watch you from the patio."

With Drake running ahead of his mother and sister, they made their way into the sunny outdoors. Millie was placing a pot of tea on the table even before Ginny sat down.

"Drake, stay where I can see you," Ginny called as her son ran past the table and onto the lawn. "You to, Angel, don't wander away."

"Yes, Mummy," Angel replied, following her brother at a more sedate pace.

"Mistress would like tea now?" Millie asked.

"I can pour it myself, Millie."

"Millie will watch young Master and little Miss," the old servant uttered.

"Yes, thank you." Ginny smiled at the house elf. There was no way she'd be able to keep up with the twins once they started running around properly.

Ginny summoned the book she'd begun reading while they were away from her nightstand. She tried to lose herself in the steamy romance, but her mind insisted on wandering to the books Narcissa was having delivered to her parlor and what she had to do with them.

The sound of Drake playing garnered her attention briefly. The little boy was pretending he was on a broomstick and playing Quidditch. He was whooping through the air trying to emulate the sound of fast flight. When he "flew" too close to his sister she let loose a squeal and told him off in no uncertain terms. He had apparently upset her baby doll and she was now trying to calm the 'infant'. Ginny smiled softly when Angel, satisfied that her 'baby' was now calm, snorted with disgust at Drake and stalked off to the other side of the area they were playing in.

Millie had taken to Apparating between the children. It was the only way she could keep up with Drake. Her fussing that he should be careful not to injure himself was ignored entirely.

Ginny allowed her eyes to fall back to her book. She banished thoughts of the house and forced herself to concentrate on the words in front of her. Meals were planned for the next two weeks and the house elves would continue cleaning to Narcissa's schedule until she issued new instructions. There was no point in worrying herself sick about it yet — she could try to convince herself anyway.

After a while, Ginny successfully found herself immersed in her trashy novel. She was almost disappointed when a servant appeared next to her, announcing lunch. Not wanting to leave the sunshine, Ginny silently debated whether she could have lunch on the patio. She decided to watch the house elf for its reaction and if it wasn't favorable she would change her mind. "We'll have lunch out here."

"Yes, Mistress." The servant vanished with a pop and no hint that her request was difficult.

"Drake, Angel, time to wash your hands for lunch."

The running around in the fresh air must have encouraged Drake's appetite to new levels, because the little boy didn't put up his usual argument about washing his hands and he was back at the table in minutes, eager to eat. Ginny constantly found herself getting in the way of the servants as they tried to serve them. She had to remind herself a few times to sit back down and not do their job for them. The twins had become quite accustomed to being waited on and sat back a little impatiently while the creatures served their meal.

The moment the children had finished eating they were back to playing. Angel had decided to run around with Drake, leaving her doll at the table. Ginny picked up her book again and immersed herself in the fictional world. It was so relaxing just sitting in the sunshine with the distant sounds of her children playing happily. With Millie flitting around the yard trying to keep up with the twins, Ginny could relax and not worry about them venturing too far.

Screams pierced the tranquility. Ginny's book fell to the ground as she jumped to her feet and ran in the direction of the wailing. Just behind a large tree, Angel lay sprawled on the grass, her little head craned upwards to facilitate her voice.

"Angel, sweetheart what happened?"

"I—I—" The little strawberry blonde hiccupped.

"Calm down. Take a deep breath and tell Mummy where it hurts."

"My—my knee."

"Okay, sit up and we'll have a look."

Angel whimpered pitifully as she turned herself over and sat up. There was a small graze on her left knee, but apart from that there didn't appear to be any other physical damage.

Ginny relaxed when she saw the minor abrasion, but her nerves were set on fire again as her daughter noticed the state of the pretty dress she was wearing. An earsplitting scream filled the air.

Millie hovered nearby, not wanting to intrude upon her mistress, but needing to be on hand in case she was wanted. Drake stood near the tree, his expression was fearful.

"Angel, you have to calm down."

"My—my—dress, my pretty dress." The little girl picked up the skirt of her dress and let it fall back to her lap. Dirt and grass stains covered the delicate fabric.

"It's nothing that can't be cleaned."

Millie ventured a bit closer. "Millie can clean for little Miss."

"Thank you, Millie." Ginny smiled at the old servant. She appeared to be genuinely distraught by Angel's plight. "See, Angel, your dress can be cleaned. Why don't we get you changed so Millie can clean your dress and we'll have a look at that knee as well?"

The little girl sniffed loudly and nodded. She allowed her mother to help her to stand. Drake quietly slipped up beside his sister and took her hand.

With Millie following behind, they slowly made their way upstairs to Angel's chambers. Ginny took Angel straight through to her private bathroom and lifted her onto the bench. The graze on her knee wasn't deep or even large, but it was dirty.

"All right, sweetheart, I have to clean your knee, so you're going to have to hold still for me."

Angel nodded gravely. Her big gray eyes were still brimming with fat tears.

Drake moved over and took her hand again. "It's okay, Angel, it won't hurt."

At the sight of her mother's wand Angel whimpered loudly.

Ginny didn't waste any time casting the cleansing charm for wounds. She knew if she hesitated nothing short of a body binding charm would keep Angel still enough to cast the charm.

Fat tears rolled down Angel's face and she whimpered loudly as the area heated up just a bit with her mother's magic. All the while, Drake held her hand and kept reassuring her that everything would be fine.

"There, all clean," Ginny announced. She wet a cloth at the sink and placed it over Angel's knee to soothe the area. "We'll just leave that on for a few minutes, then we'll get you changed."

Millie hovered anxiously in the doorway. This mistress was very different from her old mistress. If ever Draco had hurt himself as a young boy, Millie had tended his wounds. She was at a loss as to what she should do next. Her mistress was taking care of everything, but she might be needed so she was loath to move away.

"Does it feel better now?"

Angel nodded gently.

"Good. Let's get you changed." Ginny removed the cloth and lifted her daughter down.

On the way to her dressing room, Angel limped slightly, even though there was no need. A grazed knee didn't render the limb maimed, it just stung a bit, but Ginny didn't say anything to her. Drake guided his sister to a small vanity stool, so she could sit down while their mother chose a clean dress for her.

Ginny rifled through her daughter's closets quickly. As she did, she remembered she had to check Angel's old room for the play clothes Draco had noticed missing. With very little in the way of 'normal' day wear in the closet Ginny settled on a dress that was likely worth more than what she was wearing herself.

"Are you all right to dress yourself?"

"I think so," Angel responded miserably.

"Millie can help little Miss," the house elf offered in an almost excited tone.

"Thank you, Millie," Ginny answered. "I just have to check on something in Angel's old suite while I remember. If I'm not back by the time Angel is dressed, can you take the twins to the playroom?"

"As Mistress wishes."

"No going outside, Drake."

"Yes, Mummy." The little boy sighed heavily. He didn't understand why they couldn't play outside whenever they wanted. It hadn't been a problem at the Burrow, in fact, if anything they'd been encouraged to play in the yard.

"Don't look so miserable."

"Why can't we go outside again?"

"Because I'm not there to watch you."

"But you don't have to watch us."

"Yes I do."

"Never did at Grandma and Granddad's," Drake mumbled miserably.

"Drake, the yard at the Burrow is much smaller and it's fenced."

"We used to go into the field," Drake pointed out.

"I know, but there's nothing dangerous in that field. I used to play there."

"Nothing dangerous outside."

"The lake is too close and you don't know how to swim."

"But—"

"No buts, Drake, stay inside until I get down there." Ginny watched her son's face fall again. She knew he preferred to play outside, but with the lake so close, she didn't want to think about what could happen. "I'll talk to Daddy and see if we can't enclose an area somehow, so you can play outside whenever you want."

"Okay."

Safe in the knowledge that the children would remain indoors, Ginny made her way to the northern wing. She was wandered casually down the corridor where the twins' old rooms were located completely lost in thought and not really paying attention to her surroundings.

"Ginevra, were you looking for me?"

"Oh, Narcissa, I didn't see you there."

"Is everything all right?"

"Yes, everything is fine. I was just going to check Angel's old room. Some of her clothes are missing and I wondered if they'd been forgotten in the move."

"Oh dear, what outfits are missing?"

"Just some play clothes."

"How extraordinary."

"It is a bit odd, but they're probably still hanging in her old closet."

"More than likely," Narcissa agreed quickly. "I was just heading down to collect the children for a walk."

"They should just about be in the playroom with Millie. Drake will be very happy to see you. He's chapping at the bit to go outside again."

"I shouldn't keep him waiting then."

Ginny waited until Narcissa was out of sight before continuing on her way. Angel's old chambers were just as they had been, minus the personal touches. The dressing room had been completely cleaned out, not even a stray hair ribbon remained.

She wandered back to the southern wing slowly. The mystery of the missing clothes still nagged at her. With the children out of the house for now, Ginny decided to use this time to go through Narcissa's list and maybe begin planning a few meals. She entered her study and immediately felt at ease. It was possibly the only room in the house where she truly felt comfortable. Not that she was uncomfortable in their wing of the massive house, but she knew this room was hers exclusively and it made it all the more cozy.

As Narcissa had promised, the books had been delivered. They were sitting in the middle of her desk with the 'list' on the very top. There was also another box on the desk — a gift by the look. When she sat down Millie appeared in front of the desk.

"Mistress would like tea?"

"Yes, thank you," Ginny answered distractedly as she tore the card from the gift.

It was from Draco. She untied the ribbon and lifted the lid. The box was full of fancy quills, a rainbow of different colored inks and there was also a gold paperweight in the shape of a rose.

"Your tea, Mistress."

Ginny had failed to notice Millie re-enter the room and place a tea tray on a small sideboard beside her desk. "Thank you."

"Would Mistress be wanting anything else?"

"No—Yes. There are some clothes missing from Angel's closets. Do you know what happened to them?"

"Old Mistress did tell Millie to dispose of some things from Miss Angel's rooms."

"What things?"

The house elf became quite agitated. "There was some dresses, pants and shirts."

"What condition were the clothes in?"

"They was old, Mistress, very old."

Ginny paused for a moment to remind herself that it wasn't Millie's fault, she was just following orders. "Thank you."

The aged servant spared no time in Disapparating. Her Mistress was angry again and she had no desire to find herself in the line of fire.

When Millie left, Ginny turned her attention back to the gift Draco had left for her. She set the quills up in the stand she found at bottom of the box and stowed the bottles of ink in her top drawer. She was fastidiously arranged her new accessories when she distinctly heard her name being called. There was no one in the doorway when her eyes roamed in that direction.

"Ginny!"

Her eyes flicked across the room. The voice was most definitely coming from within.

"Gin, in the fireplace."

"Oh, Draco, I didn't realize you'd had the Floo opened."

"I've only just had it done, so I thought I'd test it and let you know at the same time."

"Thank you. At least I can Floo mum now without having to walk to the other side of the house."

"You're welcome. How has your day been?"

"Let's see, after you left your mother explained how she runs the house, I took the children outside for a while, we had lunch on the patio, then the twins played until Angel fell over—"

"Is she all right?"

"Yes, she just grazed her knee, bruised her pride and just about had a conniption when she saw how dirty her dress had become."

"Where is she now?"

"Your mother has taken both of them for a walk."

"And what are you supposed to be doing?"

"That depends on who you talk to."

"Oh?"

"Your mother seem to think I need to nap, but I really need to get my head around everything that has to be done to keep the house running."

"Mother means well."

"I know. At least I can go through all of this in peace." Ginny sighed. "I found out what happened to Angel's missing clothes."

"Do I want to know?"

"Your mother told Millie to throw them out."

"Do I need to come home?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Millie's not going to turn up in my office again, is she?"

"No, Draco. It's fine. I'm not even going to mention it to your mother."

Draco's disembodied head looked at his wife incredulously. After the scene this morning, he was certain Ginny wouldn't let this go without comment.

"The clothes were old; it's not worth the drama."

"All right," Draco responded cautiously.

"You said yourself yesterday; it's not worth getting upset over some second-hand clothes."

"So I did."

"Anyway I'll have to go shopping sometime this week so Angel has something other than formal clothes to wear."

"Maybe we could have lunch that day?"

"That would be nice."

"Did you find the surprise I left on your desk?"

"Oh yes! Thank you, I love it."

"Well you needed some quills," Draco replied nonchalantly.

"You spoil me."

"I like spoiling you." The way Draco's eyes darkened at that point indicated spoiling his wife wasn't all he liked to do. He quickly pushed aside the wicked thoughts and focused on more mundane things before the temptation to come home overrode his commonsense. "What do you have planned for the rest of the afternoon?"

"I was going to go through the household books... maybe plan a few meals."

"Do you have one for cleaning?"

"Yes, your mother keeps three books: meals, cleaning, and social events. Plus everything is cross referenced."

"Mother is organized if nothing else."

"I'll say."

"I want you to schedule a full house clean."

"The entire house?"

"Yes, the day Drake went missing I noticed how filthy some sections of the house are and I want it all clean."

"Every room gets cleaned at least once a year that's what Narcissa told me anyway."

Draco screwed his nose up in disapproval. "Once a year isn't often enough. See what you can do to rectify the situation."

"All right," Ginny agreed reluctantly. "But I wasn't going to mess with the cleaning schedule yet."

"Gin, it needs to be done. I don't know if Mother even realizes how bad the third floor gets. Once a year simply isn't enough," Draco responded resolutely.

"Okay, I'll have a look at the schedule."

"Thank you. What about meals?"

"They're planned for the next two weeks, so I want to get another month done if I can."

"Feel like hosting a few dinner parties?"

"Why?"

"I did promise your brother he could help me open that bottle of Odgen's and I'd like to get together with my friends, plus we should get the bridal party and their partners together to say thank you."

"Okay, so it that two or three dinner parties?"

"I'll leave it up to you, but I want Bill and his family on their own. If I open that bottle with too many blokes around we won't get to appreciate it properly."

"Okay, I'll Floo Fleur and see when they're available."

"Sounds good. I have to go, love. Father's been waiting to speak with me for a few minutes."

"All right, have a good afternoon and I'll see you tonight."

"You, too!"

"Don't be late."

"I won't."

"Love you."

"I love you, too, beautiful."

Draco's head vanished from the hearth immediately and Ginny was alone again. She picked up the social diary Narcissa had sent her and opened it to the current week. Narcissa had transferred all of the coming events into the diary for Ginny and she noticed that her in-laws would not be home this coming Saturday evening. It was a perfect opportunity to have Bill and Fleur over for dinner.

After a quick Floo call to Fleur to check if Saturday was convenient, Ginny checked the menu ledger for Saturday evening's meal plans. With a few additions, she had her Saturday evening dinner party planned in full. While it wouldn't be a formal affair, she did feel somewhat accomplished at having arranged everything with relative ease.

The afternoon flew past. Millie popped in with some afternoon tea for Ginny and informed her the children were partaking afternoon tea with Narcissa in the gardens. By the time the children came thundering into her parlor, Ginny had not only arranged dinner for Saturday evening, she'd drawn up a guest list for another dinner party, identified a number of possible dates and begun planning the menu. When Draco arrived home she'd check everything with him before making any final decisions. To add to her accomplished mood, she had also planned an additional week of meals for the family.

Rather than have the children playing in her parlor, Ginny took them down to their playroom. With luck Draco would be home soon and they'd be able to have an early family dinner then spend some time together tonight. She'd missed him today.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Draco Apparated into the foyer of his home. The servant who usually served his father greeted him.

"Why are you not at your usual post?" Draco asked as he dropped his cloak onto the creature.

"Millie is being very busy with the children, Master. Ippy has been told by Old Mistress to keep watch at the door."

"Very well. Where is my wife?"

"Mistress was in the playroom with the children."

"See that my brief case gets to my study." Draco strode off without waiting for the servant to respond. He wanted to say hello to his family and relax a little before dinner. It had been a long day.

Draco stood in the doorway of the playroom for a few moments, completely unnoticed by the occupants. The scene warmed him. Ginny was sitting between the twins reading from a large storybook. As he observed them silently he saw his son's gaze drift from the book, cross the room and land on him. The excited spark that lit up Drake's eyes the moment he saw his father just about pushed Draco's heart to bursting point.

"Daddy!" Drake bounded off the couch and ran to his father's waiting arms.

"Hello, mate. Did you have a good day?"

"Yep."

"Good." Draco put his son on his feet and scooped Angel into his arms. "How about you, Princess? Did you have a good day?"

"I fell over and hurt my knee." Angel lifted her leg higher to show off the almost non-existent wound.

Draco placed a quick kiss over the graze. "Does it feel better now?"

"Uh huh."

"Great." He gently lowered Angel back to the floor, so he could greet his wife. "Why don't you two go and wash your hands for dinner while I say hello to Mummy?"

"My hands are clean." Drake held his hands up for inspection. "See."

"You still have to wash them before we eat," Ginny countered gently.

"Don't see why, they're clean," Drake mumbled as he left the room with Angel.

Draco slipped his arms around Ginny and pulled her into his chest. He captured her lips in a deep kiss.

"Hello, love."

"Hello, did you have a good day?"

"Busy." Draco placed a fleeting kiss on her forehead. "I'm glad to be home."

"Are you hungry?"

"A bit. When's dinner?"

"At six o'clock."

"You've kept Mother's routine?"

"It works well for the twins, but we can eat earlier if you want."

"Six is fine. It gives me time to have a drink and unwind."

"What would you like?"

"Firewhisky would be good, but I'll take it in the parlor."

Ginny threaded her arm through Draco's and they walked to the parlor together. Draco moved straight to the concealed cabinet on the other side of the room and poured himself a generous amount of Firewhisky in a crystal tumbler. "Would you like anything, love?"

"No thanks."

Draco sat in 'his' large armchair and put his feet up on the plush ottoman in front of him. He patted the arm of the chair. "Come and join me, love."

"I should check on the twins."

"They'll be fine. Millie can see to them."

"But they might get lost."

"Going from here to their bathrooms?"

"They—"

"They'll be fine. Gin, they need to be able to wander around without us. You didn't escort them everywhere when you were living with your parents, did you?"

"Of course I didn't, but the Burrow would fit into the foyer with room to spare."

"They won't get lost. Remember they've lived here two weeks longer than you. They probably know their way around better than I do by now. Come and sit with me."

"All right." Ginny sighed and leaned back against the chair.

"Good girl."

"You look exhausted."

"I feel it," Draco admitted. "I knew it would be busy, but I wasn't prepared for hellish and I missed you."

"I missed you, too."

"The weekend can't come quick enough."

"Is it that bad?"

Draco nodded. "I don't want to talk about it now. Let's just relax for a few minutes."

"All right."

They sat in companionable silence, Draco sipping his Firewhisky while Ginny ran her hand through his hair. Within minutes the stress of the day slipped away and Draco relaxed. The thought that his day wasn't over yet kept trying to invade his mind, but he pushed it aside every time. He didn't want to think about the work he had been forced to bring home from the office yet.

"Mummy, can we have dinner now? I'm starving." Drake entered the parlor rubbing his tummy for effect.

"Yes, sweetheart."

The little boy turned around with a whoop of joy. "Angel, we can eat... go to the dining room."

"I suppose we should amble down to the dining room before your son fades away from lack of sustenance," Draco commented when Drake took off in the direction of the dining room.

"What makes you say he's my son?"

"A Malfoy would never announce his hunger so bluntly."

"Really?"

"Yes, we're far more refined."

"Well I suggest you prepare your sensibilities to be assaulted, because your son always announces his hunger that bluntly."

"Your son," Draco mumbled.

"Sorry, darling, you can't disown him."

They were in the doorway of the dining room and sitting at the head of the table, in his father's chair, was Drake. He looked every bit a Malfoy sitting in the large chair with an air of impatience about him.

"Just what do you think you're doing, Drake?" Draco looked at his son with amusement.

"Waiting for dinner, but the house elves won't give me any."

Draco held Ginny's chair out for her. "Why don't you try waiting in your own chair?"

"I decided I'm going to sit here."

"Really?" Draco asked as he lifted his son off the chair. "Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this is my chair."

"Why?"

"I'm the head of the house, so I sit at the head of the table."

"When can I sit there?"

"Not until you get yourself a wife."

Drake's face screwed up in revulsion.

"Looks like you're sitting on the side of the table forever then," Draco commented casually as he made himself comfortable in his chair.

"Not getting married to no witch," Drake muttered disgustedly.

"I hope he holds onto that idea when he gets older," Ginny said wistfully.

Draco chuckled. He had no doubt Drake would out grow his aversion to witches in time, but he hoped his son would hold onto the 'not getting married' idea for a little longer.

The servants served dinner quickly and left the family alone. While they ate, the twins told Draco about their day. Just as dessert was served the animated chatter gave way to delighted squeals when Angel spied her grandparents. With no regard for table manners, Angel left the table and flew across the room to her grandfather.

"Grandfather, did you miss me?"

"I most certainly did."

Narcissa continued into the dining room, leaving Lucius and Angel near the doorway. She stopped abruptly about half way down the table. "The servants can hold dinner if you require time to dress, Ginevra."

"We've decided not to dress for dinner from now on," Ginny responded lightly.

The briefest flicker of shock filtered through Narcissa's blue eyes before she pinned her son with a piercing glare. "Draco?"

A sense of self-preservation caused Draco to hide his smirk behind his napkin before standing up to greet his mother. He had predicted her disgusted reaction the day before and her glare didn't surprise him in the least. "Mother?"

"Have you abandoned all your manners?"

"Of course not, Mother. We simply won't be dressing for dinner when we eat in our own dining room, because it's too time consuming to organize the twins and it's truly not necessary when it's just us."

"I suppose you'll be coming to breakfast in your nightwear as well," Narcissa snapped acerbically.

Draco grinned cheekily at his wife. "Only when we have it in bed."

"Narcissa, it's just doesn't make sense to change the twins for dinner when they have their bath straight after dinner and dress for bed," Ginny explained. "Special occasions are a different matter entirely, but when it's just family there's no need."

"When Draco was a boy, I would have him bathed before dinner," Narcissa informed her haughtily.

"It's an option, but I would be more inclined to have the children dress in their pajamas after their bath rather than clothes."

"Basic etiquette dictates—"

"Mother, it doesn't matter," Draco said in a low voice.

"But it does," Narcissa countered.

Lucius heard the distress in his wife's tone and wandered closer. "What is going on?"

"Oh, Lucius, don't you see how they're dressed," Narcissa whispered harshly. "No respect for common manners. Drake has had those clothes on all day!"

"Calm yourself, dearest. I'm certain there's a logical explanation."

Draco cleared his throat subtly to garner his father's attention. "We've decided not to dress for dinner when it's just family."

"I see. I presume you have a good reason for allowing this to occur?"

Ginny rolled her eyes ungraciously. In her opinion it didn't matter what the family wore to dinner. The only thing she worried about with the children was whether their hands were clean. "It's better for the children if we don't bother."

"How is it better? They need to learn basic etiquette," Narcissa said sharply.

"They also need to be able to relax and not worry if they spill something," Ginny countered quickly.

"Mother, this isn't open for discussion." Draco wasn't about to stand by idly and allow the situation to escalate, which he knew would happen if the women were allowed to continue. "Whenever we join you and father in your dining room for a meal, we will abide your wishes, but in our own dining room we will make our own rules."

"I was merely—"

"Would you care to join us for dessert?" Draco changed the subject, smoothly cutting his mother off.

"No thank you, we've eaten."

"A cup of tea then?" Draco held a chair out for Narcissa and when she had made herself comfortable, he resumed his position at the head of the table.

Lucius sat in the empty chair next to his wife. "I might just have one more slice of cherry pie."

"Lucius," Narcissa said with clear warning.

"One more slice will not harm me."

"Not usually, but considering you've already had two slices, I rather think a third would be harmful."

"They were small servings," Lucius countered as he reached for the pie on the table. "Ginevra, would you pass the cream please?"

"Here you are." Ginny flicked her wand at the large jug of cream and it floated down the table to side in front of Lucius.

"Thank you."

While her husband was busy voicing his thanks, Narcissa seized the jug and poured a small amount on his serve of pie then placed the jug out of his reach.

"Perhaps a little more, dearest?"

"You have more than enough," Narcissa replied in a tone that brokered no argument.

Lucius wasn't particularly happy, but he didn't argue the point. It simply wasn't worth the trouble it would cause him later. "I had thought you might have been detained at the office, Draco."

"I brought the files home. I'll see if I can't make some more progress tonight."

"Very well. If you require any assistance just let me know."

"I will."

The family finished their dessert with Draco, Lucius and the children filling the silence with conversation. Ginny and Narcissa barely acknowledged the conversation going on around them, let alone took part. Both were seething.

A short time after everyone had finished eating Ginny announced it was time for the twins' bath, much to her son's disgust. Lucius and Narcissa bid their grandchildren goodnight and excused themselves for the evening.

"I've got some work to finish, love, so I'll be in my study."

"You're not going to help?"

"Millie will help you." Draco kissed her cheek and strode off in the direction of his study. He missed the deadly glare that bore into his back until he was out of sight.

With no other choice, Ginny ushered the twins upstairs and into Angel's bathtub. She was furious at Draco and intended on letting him know all about it after the children were in bed. Why he had to bring work home on his first day back was beyond her. She had been looking forward to spending the evening with him, but it didn't seem as though that was going to be possible now.

Millie, as always, was close by in case Ginny needed her. The elderly servant had grown somewhat perceptive over her years of service. She was well aware of her mistress' dangerous demeanor and for that reason she stayed a reasonable distance from the irate witch.

When Ginny left the bathroom to get the twins' pajamas, Millie moved closer to the tub and gently encouraged the children to wash themselves. She could hear her mistress slamming drawers in Angel's dressing room and quickly cast a silencing charm so the children wouldn't have to hear their mother's displeasure.

Millie moved away from the tub the moment Ginny reappeared in the doorway. Ginny got the twins out of the bath, dried them and dressed them for bed. Millie once again looked on, ready to assist if needed, but keeping a safe distance from Ginny.

After reading two stories to the children, a fairy story for Angel and a dragon story for Drake, Ginny tucked them into bed. Despite their requests, she didn't allow them to visit their father to say goodnight. Her promises to have Draco come up and see them were met with more protests, but she didn't back down. If Draco couldn't leave his study for five minutes then he would miss out on kissing them goodnight.

Before going down to Draco's study, Ginny made certain Millie would stay close to the twins' rooms in case they needed anything in her absence. The old servant seemed almost grateful to be given the polite order.

She paused just outside the door to her husbands study to gather her thoughts. There were several matters she needed to discuss with Draco and if she lost her temper she knew she wouldn't receive reasonable answers to her questions. Without knocking, Ginny let herself into Draco's inner sanctum.

Draco looked up sharply at the disturbance. He wasn't overly happy to be troubled when he had so much work to do, but rather than give voice to his irritation at the intrusion or her failure to at least knock, Draco wisely kept his thoughts private. Given her expression, she had been quite obviously upset by something. With a mental sigh, he placed his quill on the desk and hoped it wouldn't take too long to put a smile on her face again, while she sat down on one of the visitors chairs opposite his desk.

"The twins are in bed."

"Good."

"They were asking after you."

"I'll check on them when I'm finished here."

Ginny bit back the nasty retort threatening to topple out of her mouth. "They'd like to see you before they fall asleep."

"Gin, I have to work. I'll check on them later." He knew the sight of her nostrils flaring wasn't terribly good for his health, but the fact that her hands were still in her lap and not reaching for her wand was comforting.

Again Ginny stopped herself from spitting something spiteful at him. "I invited Bill and Fleur for dinner this Saturday."

"Great. I think there's a game on the Wizarding Wireless, so we can relax and listen to that."

"Who?" Ginny frowned with confusion and briefly wondered if they were having the same discussion.

"Bill and I."

Ginny rolled her eyes. She didn't need to be told what would happen — Bill and Draco would drink and listen to the game, while she and Fleur were stuck not only keeping the kids entertained, but quiet as well.

"Check what time the game starts and we'll eat around that."

"You can check what time the game starts and we'll eat when I say, not around a game of Quidditch. I am not your secretary." Ginny allowed her words to sink in for a moment before continuing. "Now the other dinner party... Here's the guest list I drew up, a suggested menu and our available dates. Add or change anything you want and choose a date."

Draco took the parchments from her and glanced over them very briefly. "They're fine."

"Really? You can tell that without reading them?"

"Gin, I don't have time for this."

"Well you're going to make time. I've never planned a dinner party before and as it was your idea you can at least give me your opinion."

"Okay, point taken. I'll take a look at them and get back to you tomorrow."

"Fine."

Draco put the parchments aside and picked up his quill ready to resume work. A not so subtle growl from the other side of the desk had him putting the quill back in its stand. "You're not finished yet, are you?"

"Not nearly."

"What else?"

"The twins need a safe area to play outside."

"There's nothing dangerous outside."

"The lake," Ginny suggested disdainfully.

"Tell them not to go near it."

Ginny glared at him scathingly. "Do you really think that will stop either one of them?"

"Well, it should."

"In theory, however, reality is an entirely different monster. The gardens are too big to just let them roam about without supervision as well."

"Millie can—" Draco stopped when her expression darkened further. "What would you like me to do to rectify the situation?"

"We need a barrier around a reasonable portion of the yard - either a fence or a ward."

"For aesthetics a ward would be better."

"Fine with me."

"I'll take care of it Saturday morning, if not before."

"Fine."

"Anything else?"

"Are you going to be bringing work home every night?"

"Not if I can help it, but sometimes it's unavoidable."

"Oh."

"Believe me, love, I'd much rather be relaxing with you than stuck in here trying not to pull my hair out, because some imbecile made a mistake."

"I know," Ginny whispered, suddenly feeling ashamed of herself. This needy feeling that had developed in her lately was quite disturbing and not at all in character for the strong willed witch.

"I promise it won't happen every night."

Ginny nodded somewhat miserably.

"Come around here." Draco moved his chair back from the desk and patted his lap.

As Ginny got close enough, Draco reached out and gently pulled her into his lap. He wrapped his arms around her and buried his head in her hair. She smelled so good and felt even better. He beat down the desire to carry her up to their chambers and distract himself from the work he had to do in the most pleasant way possible.

They sat in silence enjoying the closeness and warmth of the other until a brief knock at the door broke the spell that enveloped them.

"I thought you'd be working," Lucius drawled as he entered the room.

"I am," Draco responded with barely concealed irritation.

Lucius raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Really?"

"I'll leave you to it," Ginny whispered.

"I'll be up as soon as I get this finished," Draco promised. He pulled her closer and kissed her deeply. "Goodnight, love."

"Goodnight." Ginny paused as she rounded her husband's desk. "Goodnight, Lucius."

Lucius inclined his head politely. "Ginevra."

Draco watched his wife walk to the door and let herself out. They'd come very close to having an almighty row this evening. How they didn't was a mystery to him, but he was thankful.

"Trouble?" Lucius enquired as he made himself comfortable in a visitors' chair.

"No," Draco muttered distractedly, pulling his gaze back to the files on his desk.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Millie was waiting for Ginny in the corridor near the master chambers. The house elf informed her mistress that both children were sleeping soundly and had given her no trouble. Ginny quickly dismissed the servant after assuring her she was not in need of anything at the moment and continued to her chambers.

She glanced around the room, her room, and sighed heavily. It was too early to go to bed alone, Draco was busy, and she didn't feel like seeking out Narcissa's company after the erratic day they'd had. The family parlor wasn't inviting when she was in this mood either, the room was large and would only enhance her feeling of loneliness.

A deep feeling of isolation threatened to engulf her, but before her welling eyes could spill a tear she pushed the feeling aside. She would not allow herself to fill with self-pity. Draco had to work, so she would have to entertain herself this evening.

Not really thinking any further ahead than what she was about to undertake, Ginny moved with purpose to the bathroom. She'd take a long relaxing bath to start with and then perhaps she'd curl up with a good book while waiting for Draco.

After an hour long soak in the tub, Ginny curled up on the sofa with her book. Even though it was still relatively early and she truly didn't expect Draco so soon, Ginny still looked expectantly at the door every time she heard a noise. Just once Millie popped in with a cup of tea and a piece of shortbread for her. When Ginny began to grow uncomfortable on the sofa she moved herself into the enormous bed.

In the early hours of the morning, Draco quietly let himself into the master suite. He was exhausted. As he expected, Ginny was sound asleep. Her book lay open beside her. Draco cautiously removed the book from her lax grasp and kissed her forehead. He'd disappointed her this evening and as he prepared for bed, he vowed he'd spend tomorrow evening with her no matter what demands the office put upon him.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

AUTHORS NOTES

Huge thanks to Rainpuddle13 for her sensational beta skills and plot discussions. Thank you to everyone who reviewed!

-->

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 FOUR

LESSONS IN INFANCY

It wasn't enough that Draco had arranged a Portkey for them, Ginny insisted one of them had to be in the foyer to greet Bill and his family. Draco tried to tell her it was entirely appropriate with a house the size of the manor to have a servant answer the door and escort the guests to the parlor, but she wouldn't hear of it. So there he was, lurking in the foyer, waiting for Bill and his brood.

Just when he thought his sanity might begin to fray, due to boredom, there was a knock at the front door. Draco schooled his features into a pleasant expression as he crossed the foyer. Before he reached the doors a servant popped into the space right in front of the doors and opened them as usual.

"Bill, Fleur, good to see you. Come in." His voice startled the house elf, but Draco continued anyway. He stood back and beckoned the family to enter the house. "Hello, kids."

Beau and Courtney were too busy staring at their surrounds to reply. Eloise gave him a shy smile and a giggle.

Fleur moved two-month-old Henri to her other hip and leaned in to kiss Draco's cheek. "Draco, thank you for inviting us."

Bill held his hand out and as Draco shook it he leaned forward. "You've got a Wizard's Wireless, haven't you?"

"Bill!" Fleur sent her husband a warning look. "We talked about this. It won't kill you to miss one match."

Rather than get caught in the middle of a domestic disagreement Draco changed the subject. "Why don't we move through to the parlor? Ginny and the twins are waiting."

Draco led the way to the southern wing. Ginny had decided to use the family parlor rather than one of the formal entertaining areas tonight and with the children in attendance Draco had to agree. As they approached the parlor a blond head poked out and peered down the hallway.

"Mummy, they're here! They're here!"

"All right, calm down, Drake," Ginny said amusedly. The twins had been anxious for the arrival of their first guests in their new home all day. Ginny had lost count how many times they'd asked her how much longer they had to wait. "Remember you have to say hello properly before you run off and play."

Drake rolled his eyes at his mother. Didn't she realize that waiting around for Aunt Fleur to kiss him was not only disgusting it ate into their valuable playtime? "Yes, Mummy."

The moment Bill saw his sister he opened his arms ready to embrace her. "Gin, how are you?"

"I'm good, and you?"

"Good." Bill lowered his voice before continuing, "Still amazed all this is yours."

Ginny smiled at him. She still had to pinch herself occasionally just to make sure this wasn't some fairytale dream.

"Are you going to let anyone else say hello?" Fleur asked as she passed Henri to his father.

"Sorry," Bill mumbled as Henri's little hand slipped into his open mouth.

While the women greeted each other Draco quietly garnered Bill's attention and pointed the Wizard's Wireless out to him. Bill's big grin and mouthed 'excellent' well and truly conveyed his approval.

With their parents otherwise occupied, Drake and Beau began to inch towards the open patio doors. Both little boys were bursting with energy and they knew if they could just get outside everyone might just forget about saying hello properly. They'd just reached the threshold, thinking they'd escaped the indignity of being slobbered over by their respective Aunts when Bill's voice interrupted their progress.

"Neither of you have said hello properly."

Drake and Beau groaned in unison. They knew they'd have to wait until very last to be spoken to now, especially since Ginny already had baby Henri in her arms.

"Come on, back over here and say hello or you won't be going outside," Draco added.

With softly grumbled protests, the little wizards wandered to where their father's were waiting for them.

Drake offered his small hand to his Uncle. "Hello, Uncle Bill."

"Hello, Drake."

Beau tugged on Draco's arm. "Hello, Uncle Draco."

"Beau." Draco picked the little boy's hand up and made a big deal of shaking it firmly.

"Go and say hello to Aunt Ginny, Beau," Bill instructed.

The little boy almost opened his mouth to ask, do I have to, but snapped it shut when he saw his father's uncompromising expression. He dragged his feet to the other side of the room. His Aunt was cooing over his baby brother, so she wasn't going to be in any hurry to pay attention to him.

"Drake, you too. Go and say hello to your Aunt Fleur."

Drake gazed wistfully outside. Even if he could say hello quickly he'd have to wait for Beau and by the looks of it his mummy was busy.

"After you've done the right thing then you can go out and play," Draco assured him.

Drake wandered over to his Aunt. He endured her kissing him twice without wiping either cheek with the back of his hand and he resisted the urge to roll his eyes when she started telling everyone how handsome he was becoming. As soon as she paused for a breath, Drake quickly moved back to stand beside Beau, who was still waiting to get Ginny's attention.

The boys waited silently for some minutes. They were both aware their playtime was being wasted, but neither was brave enough to attempt another escape. Big family gatherings were far better in their opinion — no one ever noticed if you skipped out on saying hello to go and play.

When his mother showed no sign of acknowledging their presence Drake dared to interrupt her silly 'conversation' with Henri. "Mummy, can you please say hello to Beau, so we can go play?"

"Sorry, boys, I thought you were waiting to see Henri," Ginny responded lightly.

Drake screwed his face up in disgust. "He doesn't do anything."

"Not yet."

"Are you looking forward to meeting your baby brother or sister, Drake," Fleur asked.

"Nope. Mummy, can you say hello now?"

"All right." Ginny passed Henri back to his mother and began making a fuss of Beau.

The little boy foolishly wiped his Aunt's kiss from his cheek the moment she drew back far enough for his hand to slip between them. This, of course, meant his torture was prolonged, and by the time Ginny released him nothing short of a full face scrub would have removed all the kisses she'd bestowed upon his face.

As fast as their small legs could carry them, the two boys ran outside. Beau wisely waited until he was well out of his Aunt's sight before he wiped his face dry.

"You two stay where we can see you," Bill called from the doorway.

"They can't wander far," Draco informed him. "We've set a ward around a generous portion of the area in front of the patio to keep them safe."

"Good. I'd hate to think what those two would get up to if they had roaming rights."

"Yeah," Draco chuckled. He hadn't thought of the havoc the Weasley cousins could inflict if given no boundaries. "Ginny insisted we enclose some of the yard, because of the size and the lake."

"It pays to give them somewhere specific to play."

"At least they can come outside now without Ginny."

"She wouldn't let them?"

"No, and it drove Drake mad all week." Draco pulled out two chairs from the outdoor table and offered one to Bill. The moment the men sat down a servant appeared with two bottles of Mead.

"She never worries about it at Mum and Dad's."

"I pointed that out. Apparently there's nothing dangerous in the field behind your parent's house because she played there as a child."

Bill shook his head. "Best not to argue with women's logic."

"I'm learning that."

"Only now?" Bill snorted with laughter.

"I never had to deal with them past breakfast," Draco replied defensively.

"Okay I'll give you that. You and Gin did happen faster than usual."

Draco rubbed the back of his neck pensively. "Yeah we did."

"Regrets?"

"No, none at all. Ginny's the best thing that ever happened to me."

"Good to hear." Bill considered his brother-in-law for a moment. "So is everything going all right?"

"Yeah, of course," Draco responded a little too quickly.

"If you say so."

"Just a few teething problems—minor things."

Bill nodded thoughtfully. There was always a myriad of small things that made life a little interesting in a new marriage. He remembered when he and Fleur had first returned from their honeymoon, they hadn't spoken to each other for a week over some silly difference of opinion that he couldn't even recall now.

"We sorted it all out anyway."

"Good."

The men relaxed in their chairs, sipped their Mead and watched their boys running around the yard; soon after the women joined them at the table. Ginny had reclaimed Henri and was cradling him in her arms.

"Where are the girls?" Draco asked curiously.

"Angel took them to the playroom," Ginny answered.

"Are they all right on their own?" Bill asked.

"Yes, they're fine and Millie is with them."

"Millie?"

"House elf."

"She's very experienced with children," Draco offered.

"It must be wonderful to have servants at your beck and call," Fleur said wistfully. She'd grown up in a privileged home and had an army of servants at her disposal until she moved to London. Bill earned enough to provide his family with a comfortable lifestyle, but servants were not part of that life.

"I'm still getting used to them. Most of the time I just go ahead and do everything, because it's easier."

"They're there to help, love," Draco said gently. Ginny had created quite a stir with the servants during the week when she made their bed before going down to breakfast one morning.

"Yes I know." She was still smarting from the talking to Draco had given her after she upset the house elves.

"You should be making the most of it, Ginny," Bill pointed out.

"That's exactly what I keep telling her," Draco said.

"Are you two quite finished?"

"Umm— Yeah I'm finished. How about you, Draco?"

"For now." He smirked cheekily across the table.

Ginny rolled her eyes at him and gave her undivided attention to the squirming baby in her arms. "I think you might be getting hungry, little man."

As if in response Henri buried his little face in Ginny's chest, trying mightily to latch on to her.

"He's a healthy eater," Fleur commented as she reached for her son.

Draco stared in barely disguised horror as his sister-in-law began to feed the baby. It was one thing to witness this at the Burrow where there were a lot of people to distract him, but this was his home and there was only the four of them. He couldn't exactly wander away, like he usually did, without being obvious.

"Draco, is everything all right?" Fleur had felt his eyes on her from the moment she put Henri to the breast.

"Err—umm—" Draco couldn't get his mouth to function properly when his brain was screaming at him about exposed breasts. "I—err—Fine."

"My feeding Henri isn't making you uncomfortable, is it?"

"Of course it isn't," Ginny answered for him. "How could something so beautiful make anyone uncomfortable?"

Draco bit his tongue. He didn't trust himself to respond, especially after Ginny's comment.

Bill's hand landed heavily on Draco's shoulder. "You'd better get used to it, mate. If your new one is anything like Drake was Ginny will be feeding around the clock."

Unable to stop himself in time, Draco's eyes popped wide open. He'd definitely have to have a word with Ginny about appropriate times and settings to feed the baby. There was no way he was going to tolerate her sitting with an audience while she exposed herself.

Fleur leaned over to Ginny. "I can go inside if Draco's really uncomfortable."

"Don't be silly. He can't see anything with the blanket covering you. It's just the thought of what's going on. He's not used to being around babies."

"He'd better get used to it." Fleur laughed softly.

"He will; he just needs a little time."

"So what are you hoping for?" Bill asked.

Draco frowned in confusion. "Excuse me?"

"Boy or a girl?"

"Oh—" Draco cringed as Henri made a particularly loud slurping noise. "I'd like a little girl."

"There's nothing quite like having a little princess to protect. Another Daddy's little girl."

"If we're lucky enough she'd be my first. Angel is most definitely her grandfather's little princess."

"We noticed she had Lucius twisted around her little finger pretty tightly when you were away."

Ginny snorted with laughter. "Tight? I doubt he dares to breath without her permission."

"He doesn't exactly offer Drake the same... for want of a better word, devotion," Bill said carefully. He'd debated whether he should mention his observations or not. The whole thing could blow up in his face very easily.

"What do you mean?"

"I saw them shopping in Diagon Alley one day. Angel just had to look sideways at something and it was on the counter being paid for, yet Drake had to almost beg to get your father to part with a few sickles. If your mother hadn't been there I doubt Lucius would have bought Drake anything. It just seemed a little unfair."

Draco nodded thoughtfully. "I'll have a word to him. Make certain there wasn't an underlying reason. Father can be harsh at times. A lot is expected of Drake — he'll be the head of the family one day, take over the company. It's important he learns to be strong and unaffected."

"He's only five."

"Bill, it's not like he misses out. He has more than most kids, more than your kids. My father has very definite views on how children should be brought up."

"Do enlighten me."

"Girls are to be spoiled and pampered, they should never want for anything."

"He makes that obvious."

"There's method to his madness." Draco smirked. "A female who has everything she could ever want will never feel the need to wander or leave."

Bill grinned. "Okay, but he does know eventually it won't work."

"I'm sure he lives in fear of the day."

"And boys?"

"Boys are to be made into men. Strong uncompromising leaders."

"So denying Drake what he wants while he watches his sister being showered with gifts is a way to achieve this?"

"I didn't say it was how I viewed the situation. My father is set in his beliefs, but that doesn't mean Drake misses out. My mother would have more than made up for everything Angel received."

"Your mother?"

"Yes, you see there's a balance. Father spoils Angel and Mother spoils Drake. Neither misses out."

"What about you?"

"I treat them the same on a material level. On an emotional level Angel probably gets more, but that's only because Drake isn't that way inclined."

"All right."

"Are we going to be discussing how my children are being raised every time one of you thinks something isn't fair?"

"Only if it's something major. Look you were away and I didn't know if you were aware of what was going on." Bill paused for a moment to consider his next words carefully. "The thing is we've all looked out for Ginny and the twins for so long it's a little hard to just let go."

"So you're all going to be butting in whenever you see fit?"

"We don't see it as butting in. There's nothing wrong with family looking out for one another."

"No there's not, but there is such a thing as overstepping boundaries."

"None of us want to do that, and you're free to tell us to get nicked if you feel that way."

"Why do I feel that telling any of you lot that would be a waste of my time?"

"Because it would and I'd watch the 'you lot' bit from now on."

"Why is that?"

"You're included in the family and so one of 'you lot'."

"Thanks for reminding me."

"You're welcome." Bill grinned broadly. "There are advantages to being part of a large family who look out for each other."

"I suppose you're going to enlighten me."

"It means you don't have to do it all on your own. Like that situation with Drake when you got engaged — you had the support of the whole family. Sometimes it's good to have the additional input. Of course, there are times when you wish everyone would just sod off and let you get on with it."

"All right I admit your help with Drake was good in that instance. I don't think—I know I wouldn't have had him sorted out so quickly on my own."

"We're all willing to lend a hand whenever you need it and most likely at times you don't want it as well."

Draco had been so caught up in the conversation with his brother-in-law that he was most surprised to see Fleur had Henri sitting up. The infant was gurgling to himself while his mother patted his back rather rigorously, in Draco's opinion. After an extremely loud belch for a baby, Fleur and Ginny praised the little one profusely.

A few moments later another rather wet sounding burp came from the infant.

"Fleur, he err—" Draco had to pause and swallow the bile rising from his own stomach. "You might want—"

"Love, you'd better wipe him clean before Draco loses his lunch," Bill said with amusement.

"Didn't you want that bit, sweetheart?" Fleur crooned as she wiped Henri clean.

"Obviously not," Draco muttered sarcastically.

An almighty rush of high-pitched squeals assaulted everyone's ears as the girls ran out of the house. Bill managed to grab a hold of Courtney as she passed him. He was busy chastising her for running in the house when more urgent screams invaded their peace.

Draco had never seen three people move so quickly. Bill, Fleur and Ginny had all flown over to Eloise. The toddler was sprawled in an ungainly position on the lawn. She'd tripped going down the two steps from the patio and had flipped in the air before landing on her back. It had all happened so fast Draco couldn't quite figure out how he managed to be holding Henri now.

The noise Eloise was making bordered on painful and Draco screwed his face up in protest. Henri was no happier at being dumped on his inexperienced uncle's lap and began to make his displeasure known.

"Fleur, the baby—"

"For goodness sakes, Draco, just talk to him," Ginny snapped impatiently.

Draco looked at the miniature wizard on his knee. What did one say to a baby? "Hello, Henri."

It seemed that was not the right thing to say to a baby, because Henri's efforts to get his mother's attention doubled.

"Just pop him on your shoulder and jiggle him a little; that should calm him down," Bill called over the din.

Draco started to carefully move Henri to rest on his shoulder.

"Watch his head, Draco," Ginny yelled.

"I am!"

The look he received from his wife told him he most definitely hadn't been careful enough. Rather than dispute the fact, Draco readjusted his hold on the infant and successfully deposited him on his shoulder. Not that it made any difference to the crying baby.

"You need to stand up, Daddy," Drake advised from beside him.

"Stand up?" Draco looked at his five-year-old son skeptically.

"Yep, that's what Uncle Ron does with Pippa and Scarlet, and they always stop crying."

With no more advice coming from the other adults, Draco stood up and began moving around slowly. Henri stopped crying almost immediately. Draco smirked. Victory was his. However, Draco's triumphant feeling was short lived. His face morphed into a disgusted expression when he felt a very warm trail snaking down his back.

"Ewww yuck," Drake expressed loudly. The little boy's face held an identical expression to that of his father's.

"Don't just stand there, Drake," Draco said irritably.

"Draco, don't jiggle him so much, he'll be sick," Ginny called.

Draco glared at the group on the lawn. "Thanks for telling me," he growled. "Drake, pass me that cloth over there."

The little boy wandered over with painful slowness. "This one?"

"Yes." Draco frowned, then screwed up his face in utter repugnance. It seemed Henri wasn't quite finished purging his small body; only this time it wasn't his top end with the problem. Some very sloppy sounds were coming from the tiny wizard's bottom. "Bloody hell!"

Drake stood ready to pass his father the cloth. "Daddy, why is Henri's face red?"

"He's concentrating really hard," Draco snapped.

Beau sniggered behind his hand. "No he's not. He's doing a poo."

"Thanks, Beau," Draco muttered. He wished he could move his hand away from the baby's rear end, but if he did he didn't feel his hold on the infant would be secure enough. This was nothing short of torture.

He looked towards the lawn where Eloise was still screaming like a banshee. There was little hope of any help from the others until they'd sorted the toddler out. Draco began to notice his hand was growing warm. He could only hope that nothing was leaking from the baby's diaper. He honestly didn't think his stomach would hold if it were.

At long last the group on the lawn began to move. Eloise was still howling, but they were making progress in the right direction—Draco's.

"We'll just clean Eloise up, love," Ginny said as she got close enough.

"You don't need to go in."

"I have to show them the way to the bathroom."

"I can do that."

"It's fine, you've got Henri."

"You could—"

"Be back soon."

They were gone before he could protest further. He gazed around hopelessly. Angel and Courtney were playing in the yard. Drake and Beau, though hovering nearby, were engaged in some little boy conversation. How had this happened? He was alone with five children and there was no one close by to help him if need be.

For some reason unbeknownst to Draco, Henri began to wail heartily. He tried walking around and bouncing him lightly to no avail. The baby wouldn't stop.

"Boys, can you go and get one of the women? I don't know what's wrong with Henri."

"Okay, Daddy."

"Good boys. Try the closest bathroom or summon Millie, she should know where they are."

The minutes seemed to drag on forever. Henri continued to howl no matter how much Draco walked or bounced or talked to him. If only he could work out what the baby wanted then he might have a chance of restoring the peace.

Just when it seemed they were never going to return Drake and Beau came into sight. Much to Draco's horror they were alone.

"Mummy said Henri's bag is in the parlor and you should change his nappy, because that's probably what's wrong with him," Drake informed him matter-of-factly.

"What? I can't change— I don't know how!" Draco didn't know whether to be flabbergasted or horrified. He knew what was most likely lurking in his nephew's nappy and he was not about to willingly make a confirmed sighting. "Millie!"

The elderly house elf Apparated beside her master and looked expectantly at him.

"Mummy also said you're not allowed to get Millie to change Henri."

"Why?"

Drake shrugged in response. He was only delivering the message and mummy didn't say why.

"Go and tell Mummy I need her now!"

"She's helping Aunt Fleur."

"I don't care. I need her now."

Drake sighed affectedly. The downstairs bathroom was noisier than out here. Eloise could scream louder than Angel and that was too loud for him to want to return to where she was. He wandered back inside slowly.

"Drake, hurry," Draco urged. Henri's wailing was becoming more raucous by the minute. The sound was disturbing Draco greatly.

Within minutes Ginny came stalking through the parlor. "What is the problem, Draco? We have our hands just a little full with Eloise at the moment."

"Henri won't stop bawling."

"Change his nappy. From what the boys told Fleur, he's more than likely filled it."

"Ginny, I don't change nappies."

She rolled her eyes impatiently. "Well it's about time you started and Fleur doesn't want a house elf she doesn't know touching him."

Draco watched his wife turn on her heel to leave him alone with the discontent infant again. "Ginny, I can't change him— I—I don't know how."

Ginny stopped in the doorway and turned to face Draco. "What?"

"I've never changed a baby. I've never even held a baby until today."

"Oh, for Merlin's sake." This shouldn't have surprised her. "Give him here."

Draco passed Henri over as fast as he dared. "I'll just—"

"No you don't. You're not sneaking off."

"But I—"

"You're going to watch and learn."

"I don't—"

"Come on, you can get me Henri's bag. It's over on the chair."

Even though his mind was protesting loudly Draco's feet obeyed his wife's words. "There's two here, Ginny."

"Henri's is the blue one with the dragons on the design."

"Of course," Draco muttered. The other bag was bright pink with pictures of fairies, completely inappropriate for a wizard. "Here."

"There should be a blanket or something in there, lay it on the floor for me."

"You're not going to change him here!"

"The nearest change table is in the nursery and he's too worked up to make him wait any longer."

"A few more minutes won't matter, surely."

"Would you like to be sitting around in a shitty nappy for longer than you had to?"

The expression on Draco's face conveyed his utter disgust at the notion.

"Spread the blanket out," Ginny instructed firmly.

Against his better judgment Draco located the fluffy blue blanket covered in pictures of broomsticks and laid it on the floor.

Ginny spared no time laying her nephew on the blanket and beginning to strip him off. "Draco, get me a fresh nappy from the bag."

Draco fished around the bag again. "Here."

"I have my hand's full. Do you think you can fold it?"

"Sure." Draco folded the square cloth in half and then in half again. "Done!"

"Just put it down next to him." A cloth nappy landed next to Henri's kicking legs. "What is this?"

"A folded nappy."

"That's not how you fold a nappy! How the bloody hell can that go on a baby?"

"I told you I know nothing."

Ginny began to mutter tetchily under her breath. Draco wasn't overly enamored with some of the words that drifted up to his ears. With his wife now becoming angry, he decided it might be time to make a hasty exit.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Umm—the boys haven't come back from the bathroom."

"Drake is showing Beau his bedroom."

"I'll just see how they're getting along."

"Oh, no you don't. You're staying right here and you're going to learn how to do this." Ginny paused to glower at her husband's expression. "Even if it kills you."

"It probably will," Draco mumbled.

"Get down here on the floor. You can talk to Henri while I clean him up."

Draco considered his options for a moment. He could refuse and walk out of the room, thus endangering his place in their marital bed until she calmed down, or he could accommodate her request. One look at her face to gauge the impact escaping would have on his well being made Draco's mind up immediately. He dropped his tall frame to the floor with an irritated huff for effect.

Ginny smiled cruelly at him. "Watch what I do."

If I have to, Draco thought to himself, but didn't dare voice. Instead he forced a smile for Ginny's benefit.

As Ginny was removing Henri's dirty nappy she babbled away to the infant, having a one sided nonsensical conversation. Draco sighed affectedly. This was ridiculous. It wasn't difficult to change a nappy; he simply had no desire to try his hand at the task. Even so, his eyes didn't leave his wife's hands, taking in all she was doing, so she'd have nothing to complain about later.

"Oh god." Draco's hand flew up to cover his nose and mouth as he fought to keep the contents of his stomach where they were.

Ginny rolled her eyes at his antics. "For Merlin's sake, Draco, it doesn't smell."

"It would have to!" The muffled response from the sickly looking wizard would have been funny if it weren't so pathetic. "What does his mother feed him?"

"Breast milk and that doesn't smell." Ginny shook her head at him and withdrew her wand. A quickly whispered charm banished all signs of the mess. "Talk to Henri while I fold his nappy the right way."

Draco looked at his wife incredulously. What did it matter if he spoke to the child or not? It wasn't like he'd respond.

"Draco!" Ginny's tone brokered no argument.

Not silly enough to disregard her warning Draco leaned over, close to Henri's head and began to hold a one-sided conversation. Much to his amazement, and secret delight, Henri happily cooed back at him.

"I think he likes you," Ginny commented.

"What's not to like?"

"Your impossibly over inflated ego," she pointed out good naturedly. "Seeing as the two of you are getting along so well now, I might just check on how Bill and Fleur are going with Eloise."

"What about his nappy?"

"He enjoys a kick without his pants on. Just keep talking to him." Ginny started out of the room slowly, waiting for Draco to launch a protest, but it didn't come.

"I guess we can let Aunt Ginny do that, can't we, little one?"

Ginny paused just outside the door to listen to more of the animated chat Draco was having with their nephew. Several times she had to muffle her giggles, especially when Draco began talking of Quidditch teams in a singsong tone. So captivated with the conversation she was eavesdropping upon, she failed to hear Bill and Fleur approach with a now calm Eloise.

"Gin, what are—"

"Shh, come here."

"What?" Bill whispered.

"Draco is talking to Henri. It's so sweet."

The group listened in on the conversation for a few minutes.

"What's sweet about him telling my son the Canons are useless?" Bill growled softly before striding into the parlor. "Don't listen to him, son. The Canons will regain their former success."

"That's what we call delusional," Draco said to Henri. The baby gurgled happily at the attention. "See he agrees with me." Draco's smirk transformed into a frown then, as he realized what had happened, a look of utter repugnance.

Bill laughed heartily. "That's what he really thinks of you calling his old man delusional."

Draco looked down at his freshly wet leg and the small puddle beside it with revulsion. "He—he—"

"Draco, it's only baby wee," Ginny said as she tried not to laugh.

"I have to go change," Draco muttered. "I smell."

"You don't smell."

"He vomited all over me before!"

"A little bit of spat up breast milk is not all over you."

"Smells," Draco mumbled.

"It won't kill you," Ginny called after him as he left the parlor.

Fleur redressed her baby son and the group returned to the patio. Conversation flowed easily between the three adults. Bill made some no-so-discreet enquiries about the teething problems Draco had hinted at earlier. Ginny assured her brother that all had been settled and there was nothing to be concerned about or to tell the rest of the family. By the time Draco returned to the patio, hors d'oeuvres had been served. As he took his seat a servant appeared beside him with a fresh bottle of Mead.

"You were a while," Ginny commented casually.

"Took a shower," Draco admitted. He could still smell baby sick and hoped it wasn't emanating from his body.

Bill sniggered into his bottle. The confession from his brother-in-law didn't come as a surprise or a shock. He didn't need to be told the man was fastidious; it was more than obvious. It made him wonder how much time Draco would be spending in the shower when his own baby arrived.

"Thank you for looking after Henri while we were with Eloise, Draco," Fleur said genuinely.

"It was... interesting." Draco smiled across the table. "Is Eloise all right?"

"She'll live," Bill answered casually.

The toddler in question was snuggling on her father's lap. There was a sizeable egg on her forehead that was already turning a nasty shade of violet.

"That's one hell of a bump."

"All part of being two, isn't it, Eloise?"

The little girl sniffed and buried her face in her father's chest.

"It looks nasty," Draco stressed.

"It's nothing that won't heal in time," Bill assured him. "You should have seen the scrapes and bruises Drake earned himself at the same age."

Between Bill, Fleur and Ginny they told Draco about some of the situations his son had found himself in around the age of two. As one story lead to another Draco was almost relieved he'd missed that era in his son's life. Some of the incidents they were describing were horrifying and he was about to say so when Millie appeared beside his chair.

"Yes?"

"Master did ask Millie to inform Master when Quidditch game is about to begin."

"Excellent," Bill expressed quietly.

"Ladies, we'll leave you to your tea," Draco said as he stood.

"We're having dinner in half an hour," Ginny warned.

"Yes, love."

Bill attempted to place his daughter on her feet. "Eloise, why don't you go play with the girls?"

The little girl shook her head.

"Come on, baby, Daddy wants to listen to the Quidditch with Uncle Draco."

Eloise shook her head again and tightened her grip around her father.

"Take her in with you, Bill," Ginny advised. "There's no point upsetting her again."

"Doesn't look like I have much choice," Bill muttered.

"Just watch your language," Fleur warned. She knew how loud her husband could get when the game wasn't going to his liking.

"Yes, dear."

"I mean it, Bill. No cussing."

"No cussing I promise."

The men disappeared into the parlor just as Drake and Beau wandered back outside.

"Mummy, you should see Drake's room. He's got his own bathroom and everything," Beau exclaimed excitedly.

"Isn't he lucky?"

"Wish I could have a room like that."

"I was going to show you through our wing," Ginny said.

"I'd love a tour."

"We'll leave Henri with the boys and I'll show you around before dinner."

"That would be wonderful," Fleur responded enthusiastically.

"Millie!" Ginny waited for the servant to appear. "Can you keep an eye on the children?"

"Yes, Mistress."

When the women reached the doorway, Ginny stopped Fleur. Bill's arms were still occupied with Eloise, so Draco was the only option to take Henri. She knew he wouldn't be pleased and may even protest, so the transfer would have to be handled with delicate brutality.

"Give Henri to me. I've probably got a better chance of leaving him with Draco without him protesting."

"I could just take him with us," Fleur offered. "If Draco's not willing there's no point in forcing him."

"Don't be silly. It won't kill him to hold Henri for a little while and Bill's right there if he has a problem."

"If you're sure it won't cause a problem."

"Positive." Ginny grinned at her sister-in-law confidently. She was almost convinced Draco wouldn't cause a scene in front of their guests even if he was displeased.

With determination Ginny walked across the room. "I'm giving Fleur the grand tour before dinner."

"Okay, love," Draco answered absently. He was far too preoccupied with the game on the Wizard's Wireless to notice his wife was holding their nephew.

"You be a good boy for Uncle Draco, Henri," Ginny said as she placed the baby in her husband's unsuspecting arms. Just as she thought, his arms automatically moved to accommodate the infant before he truly registered what was going on.

"Err—Gin?"

"We'll be back soon," she called over her shoulder on her way out the door with Fleur.

Draco looked at the bundle in his arms like it was a stink bomb. How was he supposed to listen to the game with a baby in his arms? It was totally inappropriate.

"He doesn't bite, yet," Bill chuckled. "No teeth."

Draco sent him a withering glare. Just because he was accustomed to listening to the Quidditch with kids everywhere didn't mean everyone was. Still it wasn't like he had any other choice right now, so he settled back in his chair and tried to concentrate on the game.

"Wadcock - Davies... intercepted by Cadwallader. He's flying solo up the northern side of the stadium — if the Canons could attract more players like this fellow they'd have half a chance of winning a game sometime in the next century. The Puddlemere Beaters are having a time of catching him... This boy is destined for the National team if he keeps flying this way. Wood is ready at the hoops... Cadwallader will have a hard time getting anything past this seasoned keeper. What's this? Gudgeon is Blatching! He's just flown straight into Wood! Most unusual play from a Seeker! Wood appears to be in trouble... He wasn't expecting the Cannons Seeker to start playing the part of a Beater... Yes, he's definitely in trouble... I don't like the way he's slumped over his broom, folks..."

Draco abruptly sat forward in his chair and yelled in the direction of the Wizard's Wireless. "Come on umpire that's common brutality! Call it!"

Henri's little arms and legs sprung out for his body as shock registered. He began to whimper.

"Bloody hell!" Draco threw Bill a helpless look.

"Just pat his backside and talk to him softly," Bill advised offhandedly.

"Shh, I'm sorry, little mate. I didn't mean to give you a fright," Draco crooned. "Where is your Aunt Ginny? She's going to be in so much trouble when she gets back."

Much to Draco's surprise Henri settled down right away. The infant was rapt with the sound of Draco's voice.

"Keep going," Bill urged quietly.

While he was trying to listen to the game, Draco continued to talk softly to Henri, explaining just what he was going to do to the baby's aunt when she returned, and his hand absently patted the baby's bottom.

"You're going to do what to me?" Ginny said softly from behind Draco's chair.

"It's about time," Draco groused. "Henri got upset when I yelled at the umpire."

"Did he hear you?"

"Of course he did, he's in my arms."

"The umpire?"

"Very funny, Ginevra." Draco curled his lip at her. Women just didn't understand the role of the Quidditch supporter. "Now if you wouldn't mind unburdening me, we men can get back to listening to the game properly."

"You haven't looked at Henri lately, have you?"

"What?" Draco hadn't so much as glanced at his nephew for a good ten minutes. While his mouth kept uttering painful torture plans for his wife in a soft melodious tone his eyes had been fixated on the Wizard's Wireless.

"Don't look at me. Have a look at what you've done."

Tendrils of fear snaked down his spine and against his better judgment Draco glanced at the infant in his arms. "He's asleep."

"Yes, all thanks to you," Fleur said happily. "Now I might get to eat a meal in peace."

"I'll set the portable crib up," Bill offered placing a not very happy toddler on her feet.

Eloise's arms went straight up, trying to entangle with her father's body. "Daddy."

Bill expertly negotiated his way past the clingy toddler. "In a moment, pumpkin. Daddy has to set up Henri's bed."

Not happy at being abandoned, Eloise began to whimper. With no soothing cuddles coming willingly from anyone the little girl attached herself to the closest human body part she saw—Draco's legs.

Unable to remove the upset toddler without risking waking the baby Draco sat perfectly still and allowed her to cling to him. He could hear the other adults setting up the crib in the far corner. As the minutes passed Eloise's whimpering calmed to an occasional sniffle. Henri slept on, oblivious to the commotion in the corner or his older sister's miserable demeanor.

Draco found himself entranced with the slumbering infant. Every so often the little one's lips would smack together and he'd suckle the fresh air as if at his mother's breast. In between, small lopsided smiles would tug at the baby's mouth. The notion that there was nothing more innocent or beautiful in the universe became apparent to him and he was suddenly looking forward to the birth of his new child with renewed fervor.

"Draco," Bill called across the room. No response from the blond wizard could be heard. Bill crossed the room to where Draco was sitting. "Draco?"

"Yeah," Draco responded vaguely.

"Do you want to bring Henri over and put him down? It's easier if he's not passed from person to person."

"Sure, but I seem to have a new attachment."

Bill peered over the chair. "Eloise, come here sweetheart."

The toddler tightened her grip on Draco's leg.

"I don't think she's too keen to let go," Draco whispered.

"Sorry," Bill muttered as he walked around to Eloise. "Come on, pumpkin, Uncle Draco needs to get up."

"No," Eloise wailed.

"Eloise, I'm not kidding. Let go of Uncle Draco's leg now."

The toddler clung even tighter to Draco's leg, refusing to let go of her own volition. Bill growled discontentedly under his breath. He had two options left open to him at this stage. One would involve removing his daughter physically and risk having her scream the house down. The second was bribery.

Bill knelt down beside his youngest daughter. "Baby, if you let go of Uncle Draco and allow him to put Henri to bed then he can give you a proper cuddle."

Eloise's head lifted and she looked at Draco expectantly.

"Umm—err—" Draco's eyes flicked to Bill when the older wizard cleared his throat. Bill nodded meaningfully, almost begging Draco to play along. "Yes... just let me put Henri to bed and you can come sit on my knee. It's far more comfortable than my leg."

The pressure on his leg gradually decreased. He couldn't believe he'd just agreed to allow her to sit on his lap while he was trying to listen to the game.

"You're right to stand up, Draco," Bill prompted.

Very slowly Draco inched forward on his chair and stood up carefully. Henri seemed to be none the wiser for the change of position. Ginny was waiting by the crib to help him settle the infant.

When he reached the side of the crib Ginny instructed him to carefully lower Henri to the mattress. Draco managed to transfer the baby to the crib without waking him. He stood back while Ginny tucked the blankets around the baby's small body.

Henri squirmed a little and frowned deeply. Ginny quickly rubbed his back soothingly and he settled immediately.

"He's smiling," Draco whispered.

"No he's not, love."

"Yes he is, look!"

"He has wind, that's why it looks like he's smiling."

Draco gave his wife an unconvinced look.

"It's true, Draco."

"He's smiling," Draco said resolutely.

"Come on, dinner should have been served fifteen minutes ago." Ginny shook her head at her husband. There was no point in arguing with him when he sounded so convinced. He'd done well with the baby, but he obviously had a lot to learn.

They rejoined their guests on the other side of the room. Bill had a strong hold on Eloise's hand, but as Draco approached she wriggled free and ran to him. Her small arms went into the air instantly and she waited to be picked up.

"I should have warned you," Bill said. "Eloise never forgets a promise."

"Just my luck," Draco mumbled as his picked his niece up and sat her on his hip.

"Millie," Ginny called. "Can you have the children wash their hands for dinner please?"

"As Mistress wishes."

"Eloise, you need to wash your hands too. Go with the others," Fleur instructed.

"No!" The little girl flung her small arms around Draco's neck in a vice grip.

"Draco, love, why don't you take Eloise to the bathroom?" Ginny suggested lightly. "It'll save the drama."

With an innocent child in his arms, Draco couldn't tell Ginny exactly what he thought of her idea, but he did meet her hopeful gaze with a not very happy look.

"Go on, it'll save tears before dinnertime," Ginny urged.

Uncharitable thoughts flowed through his head as he left the parlor. He had no idea what was going on with the game and that irritated him to no end, adding a clingy child not of his own loins just made the situation worse.

Ginny listened to her husband grumble his way out of the room. She knew he wasn't happy, but it was hardly her fault the kids found him so intriguing.

"Shall we go through to the dining room?"

"Let's go, I'm starving," Bill announced.

Fleur looked positively aghast. "Bill!"

"Only stating the facts, sweetheart."

Ginny showed Bill and Fleur to the family dining room. The servants had been quite disturbed when she refused to use the formal dining room for this evening's meal. One even had the nerve to inform her that guests never ate in the family areas. She took perverse delight in informing the creature that she was Mistress of the Manor now and if she chose to have dinner served in her bathtub then the servants would comply without question or suffer her wrath. The servant in question scurried away, apologizing as it went.

When Ginny took her seat at the table a house elf appeared beside her chair.

"Mistress is ready to serve?"

"Not quite. I'll summon you when we are ready."

"Yes, Mistress." The creature vanished.

Within minutes, Drake wandered into the dining room.

"Drake, did you wash your hands?"

"Yes, Mummy."

"Show me."

Drake rolled his eyes impatiently. His mummy always had to check. Why couldn't she just believe him? He held his hands out for inspection.

Ginny frowned at her son. "Drake, how many times do I have to tell you to use soap and water? Just showing your hands to the faucet doesn't make them clean. Go back and wash them properly."

As he walked from the room the little wizard mumbled to himself about the injustices of being sent back when he was starving.

"He's so much like Draco," Fleur commented.

"Too much at times," Ginny agreed. "It's scary."

Over the next five minutes the other children began drifting into the dining room along with Draco. He sat a protesting Eloise in a chair and went directly to the head of the table.

"You sent Drake back to the bathroom?" Draco said to Ginny.

"He didn't actually wash his hands," she replied.

"He didn't?"

"Draco, you were in there. Why didn't you make him do it properly the first time?"

"I had my own problems."

"Oh?"

"It doesn't matter now, but I was sufficiently involved in my own dilemma to not notice how Drake washed his hands."

At that moment the subject of conversation wandered casually into the room. He was acutely aware all eyes were on him.

"Drake, come here," Draco beckoned. "Show me your hands."

"I washed them this time." He turned his hands over for his father.

"Take your seat."

Within moments of Ginny giving the order to serve the table was laden with food. Two servants stationed themselves near the children so their parents could enjoy the meal without disruption. Polite conversation gave way to the clatter of cutlery on china.

"Bloody buggering hell!"

Fleur looked at her oldest son with open horror. "Beau!"

"I spilled my pumpkin juice," Beau explained.

"You do not use that language ever."

"Why?"

"It's impolite and most unbecoming."

"Uncle Draco uses it."

All eyes traveled to Draco.

"Eloise splashed water down me," Draco said defensively.

Ginny quirked an eyebrow at her guilty husband and waited for him to continue.

"What was I meant to do? Tell her she's a good girl?"

Bill sniggered quietly to himself. He was very glad Draco had taken his youngest daughter to wash her hands. It would have been him getting in trouble now if he'd accompanied her.

"No, but something that didn't involve cursing would have been more appropriate," Ginny said patiently.

Draco muttered something under his breath, not meant for anyone else's ears, and resumed eating his meal. He wasn't happy with being chastised in front of the children.

Eloise was having a lot of fun with Millie who was hovering nearby. The little witch had discovered if she dropped her cutlery the house elf would pick it up immediately, clean it and pass it back to her — only to be dropped again the moment Millie stepped back. Even though Millie was becoming irritated with the child she wouldn't dare to chastise her. The other children were thought the little girl's antics were most amusing.

"Come on, you lot. Eat up," Ginny said sternly. "Eloise, Millie has better things to do than pick you knife and fork up all the time."

The little girl looked at her Aunt defiantly and dropped both pieces of cutlery to the floor, then giggled.

"Enough, Eloise," Fleur growled. "Millie won't be picking them up again."

The aging house elf looked to Ginny for confirmation.

"Millie, if she drops them again just leave them where they are until we're finished our meal," Ginny instructed wearily.

"As Mistress wishes," Millie muttered.

After another stern glance from Ginny, the children continued eating their meal with only the occasional giggle from the older boys. Ginny made a conscious note to herself to ensure the next dinner party they held was an adult only affair. She didn't think she'd have the patience to have god knows how many children at the table considering the rather long guest list sitting on her desk.

The moment both men had finished their main meal Draco pushed himself back from the table.

"Bill and I will take dessert in the parlor," he said authoritatively.

"Draco," Ginny responded in a low warning tone.

"Come on, love, we're missing the match."

"I told you we wouldn't be eating around a Quidditch match."

"You know, I never thought I'd see the day," Bill muttered and shook his head sorrowfully. "She's turning into Mum."

Ginny spun her deadly gaze on her oldest brother. "What?"

"Sorry, Ginny, but it's true. I can't pretend it's not," Bill said sadly.

"Pray tell, how am I turning into Mum?"

"Listen to yourself — You must eat your dinner before you listen to the match." Bill's impression of Molly Weasley's commanding tone had the children in fits of laughter. "The rest of the family is going to be devastated."

Draco sat at the head of the table in mute horror. Even though he'd only been married a few weeks, he knew you never compared your wife to her own mother unless you planned on not shagging for the rest of your life. His brother-in-law was destroying his life, marriage and everything he'd come to value. Even if Ginny now agreed to serve dessert in the parlor, how was he going to go without appearing to agree with Bill?

Ginny gaped at her brother for just a fraction of a second before narrowing her eyes and pinning him with a look that would have had Voldemort piddling his pants.

"You know there's only one way to prove you're not," Bill continued with clear disregard for his life. "Let Draco and I have dessert in the parlor, so we can listen to the match."

"I am nothing like Mum," Ginny growled.

"So we can go and listen to the game then? Come on, Draco. She's likely to change her mind if we hesitate." Bill was on his feet and had walked to the doorway before Draco had dared to move.

Draco chanced the briefest of glances at his wife. She was well past furious, so despite what trouble it might find him in later, it was definitely safer to escape now before she exploded.

Bill was laughing as he dropped into a chair near the Wizard's Wireless. "Did you see her face?"

"Do you know what you've done?"

Bill sat up straight, looking extremely proud of himself. "Absolutely! I got us some time to enjoy the match without the women or children."

"You've had me kicked out of my bed!" Draco stared at the other man incredulously. "I'll be sleeping on the sofa forever!"

"Don't worry, mate, she'll calm down in a few days."

"A few days! We're bloody newlyweds! I shouldn't be relegated to the sofa yet."

"She's pregnant, so you'll be back in there in no time, if only for one reason."

Draco muttered unhappily to himself. It wasn't like he needed any help getting into trouble with Ginny; he did just fine on his own thank you very much.

"Why don't we drown your sorrows in some very old Firewhisky?"

"May as well," Draco sighed despondently. "I'm going to need something to keep me warm tonight."

Draco poured two very generous tumblers of the fiery liquid and passed one to his amused brother-in-law. He dropped his tall frame into his chair and tried to concentrate on the match. The Canons were well behind and only a miracle would see victory go their way — something along the line of the entire Puddlemere team walking off the pitch and allowing the Canons to score another ten goals before bothering with the Snitch would just about see the victory go their way.

"This match is lost." Bill sighed heavily as the announcer bellowed the score over the wireless.

"It was always going to be," Draco sniped.

Whether the result was inevitable or not made no difference to the men. They still sat in their comfortable chairs, drinking Firewhisky, and listening to the Wizard's Wireless.

By the time Ginny and Fleur joined the men in the family parlor, Draco had topped off Bill's glass several times. The aged liquor was sliding down very easily and both men were enjoying the treat immensely.

"Where are the kids?" Bill asked absently.

"All of them have gone to the playroom," Ginny answered, rolling her eyes at her sister-in-law. Neither of the men had registered what she'd said and she knew they wouldn't before she replied. She doubted they'd even noticed dessert wasn't sent in for them, much to the distress of the servants. "We'll sit over here, Fleur."

Ginny led Fleur to the other side of the room where two wing back chairs sat with a small occasional table between them. It was the perfect set up for nights like this when the men were engrossed in Quidditch and the women wanted to be in the same room, but not involved in the match. They sat quietly discussing the family and other topics over steaming cups of tea, pausing only every so often when shouts of either disgust or elation came from the other side of the room.

The hour grew late and the children were becoming increasingly irritable. Ginny knew if they didn't get to sleep soon they faced an all out war between the boys and an all in catfight between the girls. She glanced across to her husband and brother. They were undoubtedly drunk and getting louder with each additional mouthful of Firewhisky.

"Fleur, why don't you stay the night?"

"We couldn't."

"Of course you could. We've got the room and Bill is just about legless."

Fleur looked at her husband. Bill was leaning precariously towards Draco to whisper something in his ear and almost fell into the other wizards lap. "All right, we'll stay."

"Good." Ginny smiled warmly at her sister-in-law. "Let's get the kids to bed and then we can relax."

"All right." Fleur smiled gently. Portkey or not, it was a relief to not have to worry about how she was going to get four children and a drunk husband home on her own.

Ginny led Fleur upstairs with the five children in tow. Once in their corridor, she sent her own children to their rooms before assigning beds for her nieces and nephew. Little Henri would sleep beside Fleur in the room Ginny had told her she and Bill could use. With Millie posted at the end of the corridor as a sentinel the women made their way downstairs. They hoped all the children would be too tired to contemplate getting out of bed.

When the women reentered the parlor both the men were standing over Henri's portable crib. The infant was letting all of England know he was awake, but the wizards wisely chose not to pick him up after the amount of alcohol they'd both had.

"What's wrong with him?" Draco slurred in his wife's ear.

"He's hungry."

"Again?"

"Yes, Draco. Babies need to eat about every four hours or so when they're Henri's age."

"When does she sleep?"

"Who?"

"Fleur!"

Ginny almost snorted with laughter. Her husband's incredulous look was most amusing. "At night, in between feeds."

"She'd be exhausted." Draco regarded his sister-in-law with renewed respect.

"It's amazing what you can get used to," Ginny muttered quietly.

As soon as Fleur sat herself down and started to feed her son, Draco made a hasty retreat to the other side of the room. No matter how much admiration he had for the witch he was still uncomfortable watching her feed her son. It wasn't that he could claim to have seen anything indecent, far from it in fact, but the sounds that came from under the baby blanket just about drove him insane. He knew what was happening and that was quite enough to make him squirm.

Ginny ignored her husband's dash across the room and sat in the chair opposite Fleur. "Would you like another cup of tea?"

"Thank you that would be wonderful."

"And a glass of water?"

"If I don't you know your mother will be after me for neglecting myself." Fleur laughed lightly.

Within moments a fresh pot of tea and a large glass of iced water had arrived on the small table between the witches. Ginny dismissed the servant and poured the tea herself. The women picked up their conversation again, this time focusing on Ginny's pregnancy and plans for the new baby. She had yet to select a Midwitch, so Fleur gave her the name of the one she'd used for all four of her children along with others she knew by repute.

"I didn't like the Midwitch Ayna had at all. She was a nasty cow," Fleur stressed.

"Really? I never met her," Ginny responded with surprise. "Still she can't have been that bad if Anya liked her."

"I don't know that she did, but being in Hogsmeade I don't think she had much choice."

"How horrid for her. She never said anything."

"It would have only worried Charlie if she had. You know he would have insisted she change Midwitches, no matter how inconvenient it was at the time."

"I suppose," Ginny said thoughtfully. "All I know is I'm going to have to be careful. I can't see Narcissa keeping her mouth shut if she doesn't like my choice."

"You're lucky you don't have to worry about money. You can have whomever you want."

"I have a secret to tell you." Ginny leaned forward conspiratorially. "It's not all it's cracked up to be."

"How so?"

"If I don't chose the most expensive of everything I'm seen as being tied to my upbringing—afraid to spend."

"Nonsense! Just because something is a little cheaper it doesn't mean it's necessarily inferior."

"Tell my mother-in-law that."

"She does seem the type to take price over anything else."

"Believe me, she is."

A rather loud and final smacking sound came from the infant under the blanket. "Are all done for now, little man?"

"Give him here. I want a cuddle." Ginny held her arms out ready. "Hello, little man."

Fleur yawned widely as she fixed her top up and folded the blanket. "Excuse me. I think I'll have to head up to bed once I get Henri settled again."

"It has been a full day. I think I'll be joining you." Ginny patted her nephew's back firmly waiting for the loud belch for which the youngest member of the family had already become famous. "Good boy!"

While Fleur changed Henri's diaper, Ginny gave instructions to a servant to transport the infant's crib to the suite Fleur and Bill would be using for the evening. At this time of night there would be no allowing the little wizard to kick without his pants on, much to his displeasure.

"I might wander up and get Henri settled then go to bed myself," Fleur said quietly.

"I'll come up with you," Ginny offered. "I'm suddenly exhausted."

"Will the boys be all right down here?"

"I'll have a servant escort Bill to your room when he's ready."

"Thank you. I could just see him getting lost."

"Are you ready?"

"Yes, I think I'd best get this one settled before he decides it's playtime."

The women bid goodnight to the men and issued several warnings about further consumption of certain beverages before leaving the room. Of course the only response they received was a very slurred insincere 'yes, dear' from each of the men.

"Another?" Draco held the almost empty bottle of Firewhisky towards Bill.

"Don't mind if I do," Bill mumbled as he leaned forward, offering his tumbler.

Between drinks, thoughts of retiring for the evening were raised, but not acted upon by either wizard. Both were quite comfortable in their chairs, adding to their inebriated states while holding an almost inarticulate conversation.

A servant waited patiently by the door to escort Bill to his room when he was ready and to make certain his master reached his chambers unharmed. It was a wait that would see the clock strike the hour more than once.

Only when the bottle was empty, and they'd consumed a number of brandies in the name of having a nightcap, did the men deem it was time to join their wives in bed. Their journey from the parlor to their beds was one that would have provoked much humor to the curious bystander. Both men appeared to be victims of the Jelly-Leg Jinx, over balancing often and using each other for support. Their drunken laughter echoed through the corridors of the manor, followed by loud reminders from both of them to hush lest they wake someone.

At the double doors leading to Draco's suite he bid his brother-in-law a very loud good evening and left the other wizard to the servant tugging forcefully on Bill's sleeve. Draco let himself into the bedchamber. He tried mightily to be quiet and failed dismally. As he staggered past the bed, he caught his toe on the foot of the bedpost and went sprawling over the bed.

"Hello, love." Draco's foolish grin did nothing to endear him to his now angry wife.

"Can't you be quiet?"

"I tried."

"Not hard enough!"

"Don't be like that, love." Draco pouted pathetically at the witch in bed while his hands began to roam. "Why don't we stay up a bit longer?"

Ginny removed her husband's hands without delay. "No."

"You love me, don't you?"

"I love you more when you don't smell like the dregs tray at The Leaky Cauldron." Ginny grimaced as Draco expelled a large breath in her direction. "Just get ready for bed and go to sleep."

"Come on, love, I just want a little loving," Draco crooned drunkenly as his hands tried to roam again. "Let me show you how much I love you."

"Draco, go to sleep! You're not capable of even thinking about such things tonight."

"I feel—"

Ginny watched as Draco lowered his head to the bed. She prayed to the deities, hoping he wasn't about to be sick. What happened next was almost as bad. Her decorous husband let loose a belch that would have outdone any of her brothers on a bad day and it stank the entire room out.

"Draco!" Ginny tried not to gag as the smell of stale alcohol invaded her nostrils. She shoved his shoulder. "Draco, get ready for bed and for Merlin's sake brush your teeth before you come back."

When she received no response, Ginny was torn between feeling relieved and revolted. While she wouldn't have to deal with his roaming hands, he was going to smell a whole lot worse in the morning and she'd have to deal with that if her stomach would hold. She lay back down, fluffing her pillow angrily before dropping her head onto it and rolling on her side.

Just as her eyes drifted closed, Draco began to snore loudly. Ginny huffed irritably and rolled onto her other side. If he was anything like any of her brothers there was no point in trying to stop him in the condition he was in, he wouldn't even register her complaint.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The early morning peace of the manor was something Lucius and Narcissa cherished dearly. After breakfast they decided to take a leisurely walk by the lake. It was the perfect way to start a relaxing Sunday. The pleasant sounds of nature flowed around them until they were suddenly disturbed when they drew level with the southern wing of the grand house.

"What on earth is going on in there?" Narcissa expressed with concern.

"Wait here, dearest, I'll investigate." Lucius strode across the lawn towards his son's family parlor.

The closer he got to the building the more deafening the noise level became. It sounded as though a swarm of banshees had been let loose in the lower floors of the wing. Lucius entered the house through the parlor his son and daughter-in-law had named the family parlor. As best he could tell the din was coming from the playroom, but it sounded as though there was a mob of children in there instead of just his two grandchildren. He made his way purposefully towards the origin of the sound.

Lucius surveyed the chaotic scene with veiled abhorrence. There were three too many children in the house and they had Weasley red hair. "What is going on in here?"

All the children stopped dead in their tracks and stared at the formidable wizard in the doorway.

"Grandfather!" Angel squealed and threw herself at Lucius' legs. "We had a sleep over!"

"Did you?" Lucius drawled. "Are you aware we can hear you clearly at the lake?"

"Really?" The little strawberry blonde witch looked clearly impressed.

"Really," Lucius snarled. "Where are your parents?"

"Still in bed, Grandfather," Drake answered quietly.

"And the parents of—" Lucius waved his cane in the direction of Bill's children.

"Uncle Bill and Aunt Fleur are in bed too," Angel informed him.

"I see." Lucius turned his head to the corridor. "Millie!"

The servant appeared at Lucius' feet instantly. "Old Master did summon Millie?"

"Inform my son his presence is required in the playroom without delay."

"As you wish, Old Master." With a pop Millie was gone.

"All of you can sit yourselves on the couch... quietly," Lucius ordered sternly.

The children obeyed silently, except Angel who hovered close to her grandfather, attaching herself to his hand the moment it came into range. The three Weasley children sat close together, while Drake slumped sulkily in the corner of the couch. He wasn't pleased at having their game disturbed by his grandfather and he knew the prospect of them all getting into trouble was very likely indeed.

Time ticked by slowly and just when it seemed Draco would never appear, he wandered into the room looking very much worse for wear. He was still dressed in the clothes he had been wearing the evening before and the odor that was emanating from his body was less than desirable.

"Ah, you do decide to grace us with your presence," Lucius drawled sarcastically. His son's obvious condition didn't go unnoticed. "Was it a big night?"

"Sort of." Draco cringed as though the mere act of opening his mouth caused great pain. "What is the problem, Father?"

"Apart from the children running around like common street urchins making enough noise to raise the dead... nothing."

Draco closed his eyes and took a deep breath. This was going to be a bad day; he could feel it in his bones or was it his stomach? "I'll take care of it, Father."

"See that you do," Lucius ground out impatiently. He sneered and turned on his heel, eager to rejoin his wife.

Draco grimaced at the sound of his father's hard shoes on the marble corridor. The click-clack sound seemed to be going right through him. "Right, you lot, how about some breakfast?"

Squeals of delight filled the room and Draco's head painfully.

"Enough," Draco pleaded unintentionally. "Just keep the noise level to a dull roar if you can."

Angel looked up at her father with concern. "Aren't you feeling well, Daddy?"

"Not particularly."

"Why?"

"Because I'm not," Draco snapped. "Everyone to the dining room."

The children filed out of the room. Beau and Drake were whispering as they walked.

"I bet your dad is hung over," Beau said.

"Probably," Drake agreed. "He looks like Uncle Ron when he drinks too much."

"Yeah, all green and grumpy."

Drake sniggered into his hand.

Draco growled and immediately regretted making the effort. His head felt like it was about to roll off his shoulders and he more than half wished it would, so he wouldn't have to put up with the throbbing pain between his temples. As he meandered down the corridor behind the children Draco pondered the unfairness of being out of bed and in charge of five noisy children when he had the hang over from hell. When the children had seated themselves around the table, Draco summoned a house elf and demanded breakfast be served immediately. His theory being the sooner the children busied their mouths with food the sooner his head could find some relief.

What Draco hadn't factored in was the ear-splitting squeals of delight that sent fresh bolts of pain through his entire being as the servants placed two platters of pancakes on the table. Unable to find the strength to quiet down the children, he stepped out of the room and sagged against the corridor wall. Bile rose in his throat and he grimaced with revulsion. The last thing he needed now was to be sick.

"Millie!" The usually strong summons came out as little more than a groan.

"Master did summon Millie?"

"Watch the children."

The aged servant didn't miss the agony in her master's voice. "Millie can get something for Master?"

Draco shook his head, a move he immediately regretted and staggered down the corridor with his hand over his mouth. If he didn't do something soon he was going to be incredibly ill. When the staircase came into sight, he almost breathed a sigh of relief. A few more hours sleep should see him right and he fully intended getting what he needed.

"Draco?"

"Father," Draco grunted.

"Where are the children?"

"Breakfast."

"Are they alone?"

"Millie is with them."

"I see."

"Was there something you wanted?"

"I was merely concerned about the children. They were running wild before I intervened."

"They're fine now."

"For how long?"

Draco closed his eyes momentarily and pinched the bridge of his nose. He was accustomed to his father playing games with words to get what he wanted, but Draco wasn't in the mood for games this morning. "What are you getting at?"

"I have no doubt that once the children have finished their meal they will resume their vociferous activities if there is no supervision."

"They have supervision."

"Do you think they'll listen to a servant?"

"Yes."

"I have my doubts. If it were just Drake and Angel they'd be fine, but with the others—"

"Father, what is it you want?" Draco ground out irritably.

"I would be far more comfortable if someone was with them."

"You're quite welcome to supervise their play if you feel that way."

"Ah, but they're not my children."

Draco expelled a large breath. His patience was teetering on the very edge of extinction. "That may be so, but you are the only one concerned about them, so supervise them yourself or leave them with Millie. Either way I'm going back to bed."

Lucius watched his son mount the staircase a little unsteadily. He seemed to be almost dragging himself up step by step. With Draco not complying with his wishes, Lucius was left with a decision to make: to supervise the children himself or simply leave them to the servant. It didn't bode well with him to know there were Weasleys running around his home unsupervised by someone with authority. He grunted irritably and made his way to the dining room where the children were talking and laughing loudly as they ate.

"Settle down," Lucius growled in a low tone. "Eat your breakfast in silence."

The room fell silent except for the sound of cutlery against china. The three Weasley children didn't look up from their plates. Drake glowered at his grandfather, again annoyed with the old wizard spoiling his fun. Only Angel seemed entirely unaffected by Lucius' presence, she smiled amiably at everyone as she ate her pancakes.

"Millie, what time does my daughter-in-law usually rise in the morning?"

"Mistress should be awake now, Old Master. Millie can fetch Mistress—"

"No," Lucius snapped. He didn't want to be seen to be sending for Ginevra, but with the knowledge that she should have risen by now he was heartened to assume she would be downstairs to check on the children soon.

While Lucius' attention was fixed on the servant, Courtney left her seat and ran towards the door.

"Where are you going, young lady?"

The little witch stopped with a pained expression on her face and looked at the older wizard. To just about anyone else her plight would have been obvious, but Lucius was oblivious.

"I asked you where you were going," Lucius reiterated gruffly.

"I need—" Courtney stopped with a whimper and crossed her legs.

"Well?" Lucius sneered.

"Darling, I thought you were coming back?" Narcissa said as she glided into the room.

"I was, but our son has returned to his bedchamber and left the children unsupervised."

Narcissa glanced at the small witch standing before her husband. "Oh dear, if you need to use the facilities, dear, do hurry."

Courtney looked at the blonde witch with wide eyes. She had no idea what the woman had just said, but she did hear the word 'hurry'. Undecided as to whether she should move or not Courtney's pained expression doubled.

"Do you need to use the lavatory?" Narcissa asked slowly.

Courtney nodded.

"Do you know where it is?"

Again Courtney nodded.

"You may leave to use the lavatory and return as soon as you're finished."

The little girl didn't bother to respond as she ran through the door.

"Now the rest of you eat up." Narcissa pulled a chair out beside her grandson and sat down. She summoned a servant and ordered a pot of tea for two. "Lucius, come and sit with us."

The wizard growled under his breath and took a seat at the table as requested. This was not what he'd had planned for today.

Narcissa fussed over each of the children, making certain they kept eating and used their best table manners. Drake and Angel knew exactly what was expected of them and fell easily into the routine their grandmother insisted upon. The two Weasley children ate up obediently, but from time to time glanced at the formidable witch giving out light toned orders.

When Courtney returned to the dining room she clambered up into her chair and began to eat again with her hands.

"Oh, darling, you must use your cutlery," Narcissa stressed. "It's most unbecoming a lady to eat like a commoner."

Courtney blinked at the blonde witch and slowly picked up her implements.

"Drake, sweetheart why don't you do the introductions? I have no idea who you have invited to breakfast," Narcissa crooned. She knew they were related in some way to her daughter-in-law, but couldn't quite remember how.

The little boy swallowed his mouthful, wiped his face with his napkin and smiled at his grandmother. "This is Beau, Courtney and Eloise."

"And they belong to?"

"Uncle Bill and Aunt Fleur," Drake answered politely.

"Yes of course. Your uncle works for Gringotts, doesn't he?"

"Yep."

Narcissa looked at her small grandson with wide expectant eyes.

"I mean... Yes, Grandmother, Uncle Bill works for Gringotts. He's a curse-breaker."

Beau immediately began sniggering at his cousin. He'd never before heard Drake use such formal tones and it sounded hilarious to his ears.

"Is there something amusing, young man?" Lucius snarled.

The little boy snorted in an effort to quell his open humor and shook his head profusely.

"Might I suggest you finish your meal then?" Lucius narrowed his eyes at the amused little boy. There was something he didn't like about the child. It wasn't obvious, but it was most definitely there.

Beau settled himself down as quickly as he could. He didn't like his cousins' grandfather. The man frightened him a little.

"When you've all finished your breakfast we might take a walk by the lake," Narcissa suggested lightly.

Lucius masked his shock before it even appeared on his face. "Dearest, do you think it's wise to remove the children from the house? Ginevra is apparently awake before now usually."

"She will be tired from entertaining last night, let her sleep. It's the least we can do."

"I was merely suggesting she may be worried if she discovers the children missing," Lucius persisted.

"Nonsense! I'm sure she'll appreciate the time to rest properly."

Lucius fumed inwardly. He knew Narcissa's expression and tone well enough to know that arguing the point would not see victory go his way. At times she was more stubborn than he and that was saying something. Of course, he could refuse to go along, but to leave his wife with three children she didn't know, and with their background, could be potentially disastrous. If anything happened he'd never forgive himself.

When the children finished eating, Narcissa sent them upstairs with instructions to dress quickly and quietly. She added that if they were to disturb their parents then their planned trip to the lake wouldn't be possible. Millie went with the children to assist where needed, most particularly with Eloise.

As soon as the children were out of earshot, Lucius couldn't help but voice his concerns. "Narcissa, do you truly think this is wise? The other children are hardly civilized."

"Darling, if I thought they were quite that bad I wouldn't have suggested it. All they need is some refined guidance. Perhaps while they're here we can impress just a little upon them?"

"I doubt we have enough time to imprint anything upon them," Lucius muttered.

"You never know what impressions children will keep with them. It's worth the effort if only to know we've made a small difference."

"If you say so, dear."

"They do have contact with our grandchildren, dear. You wouldn't want them to inflict their poor manners upon Drake or Angel."

"Of course not."

"We have to do our best then to impress the correct standards upon them for the short time they are here."

Lucius muttered to himself as his wife ordered a servant to fetch their cloaks. It didn't really matter to him if the next generation of Weasleys were completely without social skills or not. If any of his grandchildren were to pick up on their behavior they were easily corrected. Which, of course, made this exercise of Narcissa's totally unnecessary.

Before long Millie escorted the children back to the dining room. They were quietly excited, only because the aging house elf constantly reminded them to keep their volume down lest their walk to the lake was cancelled. With firm instructions to notify the parents of the children where they were once they emerged from their chambers, Millie returned upstairs to wait until it was appropriate to deliver the message.

Once outside, the children gave into their delight and their volume rose instantly. No amount of subtle frowning on Lucius' part could quell the din. He could only be thankful that as the children ran ahead their dreadful noise invaded his head less and less.

"Isn't this lovely?" Narcissa chimed as she threaded her hand through the crook of Lucius' elbow.

The blond wizard merely grunted. An honest response to his wife's query would have been offensive to her delicate ears.

"It's wonderful to see the children so full of life — running around enjoying themselves," Narcissa continued, ignoring her husband's demeanor.

"Grandfather, Grandfather, can we show Courtney my horse?" Angel bellowed from a distance.

"It is most unladylike to shout, Angelique," Lucius responded firmly, without raising his voice.

"Can we, Grandfather?" Angel asked when Lucius drew closer, ignoring his attempted reprimand.

"We shall see," Lucius replied absently. His attention was on the boys, who had run ahead to the lake and were now very close to the waters edge. "Drake, be careful."

"Yes, Grandfather."

Lucius' lip curled at the tone of his grandson's voice. He could hear the boy rolling his eyes to the heavens. Later in the day, he'd have a word to his grandson regarding paying the appropriate respect even when his back is turned. He watched the small boys run to a near by tree and pick up some long sticks. When they returned to the lake's edge they began slapping harmlessly at the water as they ambled towards the pier. About to tell Drake to remain on the shore, Lucius caught himself firmly. Drake was well aware of what was expected of him near the lake, so there was no legitimate reason why he should deny them access to the structure.

"Do you go swimming here?" Beau asked as he peered over the edge of the small jetty into the water.

"Haven't yet, but Daddy says he's going to take us swimming," Drake answered nonchalantly.

"Wonder how deep the water is," Beau mused aloud.

"Don't know," Drake muttered.

"Do you think it's deeper than my stick?"

Drake shrugged. He hadn't given the lake a whole lot of thought.

Beau hung his stick over the edge and plunged it into the water. The little red headed wizard leaned over precariously holding onto the stick and pushing it further into the water. "I still haven't reached the bottom!"

Drake leaned over to see how far his cousin had the stick in the water. As he placed a hand on the small of Beau's back to balance himself, the other little boy pitched forward, pin wheeling his arms in a futile effort to save himself or grab onto his blond cousin. Not moments after Beau hit the water, Drake followed. His attempts to grab a hold of Beau, before he hit the water, had thrown Drake so far off balance it was really only a matter of time before he too plunged into the lake.

Lucius watched the entire scene unfold before him. He was too far away to save either boy from falling in, but he was moving towards them instantly with a speed that his body hadn't felt in years. As he moved, his cloak was unceremoniously dropped to the ground along with his cane. There was no time to consider removing his shoes or any other item of clothing before he dove into the dark waters of the lake.

Somewhere in the distance, Lucius could hear Narcissa shrieking orders to save the boys. He ignored her for the time being. She was hysterical and would need to be calmed down, but for now he had to find his grandson and the boy's cousin. A splashing behind him alerted Lucius to the position of one of the boys. He spun around quickly and was rewarded with two small hands pummeling his face. The little redheaded boy the hands were attached to was grasping desperately at anything to remain on the surface of the water. Lucius gathered him in quickly.

"I have you now. Let go of my hair," Lucius growled sternly. "Boy, stop fighting me."

Beau went limp in the older wizard's arms. His hand releasing its death grip on Lucius' long hair, but remaining tangled in the platinum blond locks.

Lucius scanned the surface of the water for any sign of his grandson. With a sudden rush, Drake broke the surface to Lucius' right side. Without hesitation Lucius' arm shot out and grabbed Drake by the forearm. The little boy's gray eyes were wide with panic and his face paler than snow.

"It's all right, Drake," Lucius said gently. The relief he felt was all consuming.

With the two little wizards clinging to him, Lucius began to make his way to the shore. The journey was slow and arduous. When he was only feet from safety, Draco Apparated nearby and ran to meet his father. The two men worked in silence as Lucius handed over the boys to his son, then accepted assistance to clamber ashore himself.

Millie had already wrapped the little boys in large towels and was attempting to dry her old Master off where he stood. Narcissa was fussing over the Drake and Beau, ensuring both were not harmed and hugging both of them to her tightly, despite the fact they were dripping wet.

The three little witches stood back staring in awe at the scene unfolding before them. Angel dare not move after her grandmother had growled at them to stay put in a voice she'd never used before, at least not around Angel.

"How did you know?" Lucius asked Draco quietly.

"Millie... apparently Mother sent for her."

Lucius nodded his acknowledgement gently.

"What happened?" Draco enquired, concern lacing his tone thickly. Adrenalin had all but banished any signs of his hang over for the time being, something he was eternally grateful for.

Lucius glanced past his son to the three adults coming across the lawn swiftly. "They fell in."

Draco's brow furrowed. "How?"

"Beau was leaning over and Drake placed a hand on his back... the next thing I knew they were both in the water."

"Drake pushed Beau?"

"No, I don't think so. It was more a case of overbalancing from my view."

"All right." Draco sighed heavily. Even though he was thinking a lot clearer than he had been an hour or so ago, this was not something he wanted to deal with this morning. Bill's reaction worried him greatly. If it was unfavorable it could place unnecessary pressure on his relationship with Ginny.

Draco turned to watch his wife gather their son in her arms. Fleur had done much the same with Beau, while Bill made a beeline for Lucius.

The redheaded wizard extended his hand in a show of gratitude. "Thank you, Mr. Malfoy."

"I could hardly stand by idly and watch the boys drown."

"Your efforts are certainly appreciated," Bill reiterated.

"May I suggest swimming instruction for all the children?" Lucius proposed impersonally.

"I think we'll be starting that straight away," Bill admitted.

"Us too. This lake has given me too many scares," Draco voiced gravely.

Bill looked at his brother-in-law quizzically. "You've had more than one incident?"

"Ginny fell in the first weekend she stayed here and now this. The twins will be starting swimming lessons this week, even if I have to teach them myself."

"But Ginny can swim," Bill muttered in confusion.

"The water was still freezing," Draco disclosed. "I think she panicked when the cold hit her."

"Lucius," Narcissa interrupted. "I'm taking the girls back to the house. You need to get yourself dry before you catch your death."

"Yes, of course, dearest." Lucius inclined his head to the men. "I will see you back at the house."

Bill and Draco made their way over to their sons. Their respective mothers were just about smothering both little boys. The women made utterances of warm baths and dry clothes as they rubbed their boys dry.

"Ginny, why don't we head back and get the boys into that warm bath you keep promising them." Draco smiled at his wife. He wanted to point out that the day was warm enough for swimming, so a warm bath was unnecessary, but he'd learned to keep his mouth shut when Ginny was fussing over one of the children like that.

Draco, following Bill's lead, gathered his towel-swaddled son in his arms and walked in the direction of the house. As the group entered the building, Ginny summoned Millie and instructed the anxious servant to draw a warm bath for the boys in Drake's bathroom.

By the time they reached Drake's suite, the bathtub was full and waiting for the two little boys. Narcissa flitted into the room just as the Ginny and Fleur began stripping their respective sons of their wet clothing.

"Is there anything I can do, Ginevra?"

"No thank you, Narcissa. I think we're right here. Where are the girls?"

"They're being supervised in the playroom. I was about to send Millie down to them if you're finished with her here."

"Yes, that's fine. Fleur and I will take care of the boys."

The house elf didn't wait for the order to be given. After giving her old Mistress a knowing nod, she Disapparated with a low pop, leaving the women to their work.

"I'm so sorry," Narcissa said stiffly. She felt guilty about the incident, but apologizing was not a virtue she had perfected. "I thought a walk by the lake would be fun for the children and you would be able to sleep in a little,"

"It's fine, Mrs. Malfoy," Fleur said with a smile. "The boys are safe and there's no harm done."

"Don't worry yourself, Mother," Draco intoned gently. "Accidents happen and Father was on hand to rescue them."

"But if one of them—"

Draco's arms slipped around his distressed mother and he whispered, "Don't think about it."

"Draco's right, Narcissa. It doesn't bear thinking about," Ginny said firmly as she ushered her naked son into the bathroom.

"If you're sure there's nothing I can do, darling, I'll go and check on your father," Narcissa expressed quietly.

"I'm positive Ginny and Fleur have everything under control, Mother, and we know where you are if we need you," Draco assured her, placing a kiss on her forehead before she left.

Ginny's head poked out of the bathroom. "Narcissa, I wonder if you could arrange for some hot chocolate for the boys, after you've checked on Lucius."

Narcissa smiled fondly at the younger witch. "Of course, where would you like it served?"

"The family parlor would be fine."

"It'll be there for when the boys come downstairs."

"Thank you." Ginny grinned to herself as Narcissa left the room and she returned to the bathroom. She'd taken a punt on how Narcissa was feeling and it seems she was right. Narcissa simply needed to feel like she was doing something to help.

Draco stood in the doorway of the bathroom looking curiously at his wife. "What was that about?"

"Just giving your mother something to do so she feels like she's helping." Ginny beamed at him from the edge of the tub. "My mum is the same. They need to feel wanted. Now you can watch your son while I get some clothes for these two drowned rats, or you can check on Henri while Fleur watches the boys."

Draco looked at her incredulously. "What about Bill? What's he going to do?"

"Bill is going to go downstairs and check on the girls," Ginny said sending her brother a meaningful look. "You do remember the way, don't you?"

"Yeah I think I can find the playroom," Bill murmured. After the comment he made last night at dinner about Ginny turning into Molly he'd come to the conclusion that he wasn't really all that far off the mark. The witch just couldn't help but issue orders and organize everyone in sight.

"Good. So, Draco, what's it going to be? Two splashy boys or one sleepy boy?"

"What's Henri doing?" Draco asked cautiously.

"He was asleep and a house elf was watching him in case he woke up while we were outside," Fleur offered.

"So he's asleep?"

"Possibly." Ginny smirked. She could see the indecision in her husband's eyes. "The servant was told not to interrupt us unless Henri was distressed. If he's awake, you'll have to change his bottom and bring him in here to Fleur."

"I'll take the splashy boys," Draco stated strongly. There was no way he was getting near that child without his nappy on again, at least not by choice.

"Fine, we'll be back soon." Ginny left the bathroom ahead of her brother and his wife. As she crossed to Drake's dressing room she was already mentally going through his wardrobe deciding what she'd get out for the boys.

Draco waited until Bill and Fleur left before moving closer to the tub. He could only see the heads of his son and nephew above the bubbles. "How are you two feeling now?"

"Okay," Drake admitted.

"Yep, okay," Beau concurred.

"Good, so what happened out there?"

Drake shrugged. "We fell in."

"Yeah, that bit I sort of guessed for myself," Draco said.

"Uncle Draco, how deep is your lake?" Beau asked.

"Pretty deep," Draco responded.

"Oh."

"Why?"

"'Cause we were trying to see how deep the lake was," Beau admitted faintly.

"I see." Draco rubbed the back of his neck to relieve some of the tension. Now that the adrenalin rush had worn off his hangover was coming back to haunt him. "You know you could have just asked, instead of falling in to check it."

"Didn't mean to fall in, it just happened," Drake said innocently.

Draco regarded his son and nephew for a moment. Both were trying to look as regretful as they could, but were failing somewhat miserably. He remembered thinking it was a great fun falling in the lake when he was child. Still the adult in him reared up and he felt it poignant to warn them one final time. "You two were really lucky today. One of you could have drowned."

"Yes, Daddy." Drake had the good sense to hold his sheepish expression for a second or two longer before allowing a cheeky grin to light up his face.

A fraction of a second before it happened, Draco realized what his son's grin meant. Although he tried to move, his still Firewhisky affected brain was unable to issued the instruction in time and the two little wizards made short work of saturating him to the bone. They splashed him mercilessly until the entire bathroom was flooded with water and bubbles. Draco was left with no choice but to defend himself, so he leaned over the tub and started sending water in the direction of the boys, much to their delight.

"WHAT IS GOING ON IN HERE?"

All three wizards froze in position. Drake's arms were poised to dump a large quantity of water on his father, and Beau was protecting himself from the onslaught on bubbles Draco was pushing over him.

"I don't believe this," Ginny muttered half to herself as she glanced around the bathroom. Puddles were forming all over the tiles and the floor looked precarious at best. While she itched to wrap her wand around the three naughty backsides, Ginny didn't dare step into the room for fear of slipping. "How hard is it to watch the boys while they're in the bath, Draco?"

"It wasn't—"

"I don't want to hear it. You were in charge!" Ginny's eyes narrowed on their target. "You are the adult."

"But they—"

Beau leaned over and whispered in Drake's ear, "My dad's right, your mum is starting to sound like Grandma."

The notion was too much for Drake and he immediately burst into a fit of giggles. Beau couldn't contain himself then and joined his cousin a moment later. Draco glared at both boys; they were going to get him into even more trouble if they didn't shut up.

"I wouldn't laugh if I were you two." Ginny sent a stern look at both little boys. "You're both in trouble too."

Within seconds the boys sobered themselves. Neither needed to be reminded how volatile the Weasley temper was.

"Draco, get the boys out of the bath and clean the bathroom. I can't risk walking in there, so it'd had better be completely dry by the time I need to," Ginny instructed firmly. "And don't even think about calling a servant to do it for you."

"But, love, I'm not good at those cleaning charms."

"Then I suggest you get the boys out of the bathroom first, just in case something goes wrong," Ginny responded sweetly as she vanished from the doorway.

Drake and Beau looked at Draco with wide eyes. Their contrite expressions were tainted with amusement.

"See what you've done now? I'm in trouble again," Draco seethed.

"But it was fun," Drake ventured, trying mightily not to giggle again.

A wicked smirk crept across Draco's features. "Yeah it was fun, but now I have to get you two out and try to remember the difference between drying charms and flooding charms."

The two little boys looked blankly at one another. They didn't have the foggiest idea what the difference between the two charms was and probably wouldn't ever show an interest is such domestic magic.

"Ginny, where can I find dry towels?" Draco called. The towels on the rack were sodden.

"In the cupboard under the sink."

"Right," Draco muttered to himself. He cautiously made his way across the slippery tiles to the sink and found the towels. Fear of landing on his backside kept Draco ever alert to where he was stepping. A few near misses later he finally made it back to the side of the tub. "Now carefully step out. Make sure you don't slip."

"Draco, spread a towel on the floor, so they won't slip over," Ginny called from the bedchamber.

Draco scowled at the empty doorway. With only two towels over his shoulder, he was going to have to make a trip to the cupboard again. She really could have mentioned this beforehand. Half way across the bathroom, Draco felt his foot slip from underneath him. Try as he might he was unable to regain his balance and with an unmanly yelp he landed hard on the floor.

"Draco! Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Draco grunted. Despite hearing the concern in his wife's voice he refused to look to the doorway where she was now standing. "Just fine."

Ginny flicked her wand around the room, drying the floor instantly, and rushed to his side. "Are you sure?"

"Positive," Draco ground out. At this point in time he wished the ground would open up and swallow him, at least that way he could be alone with his humiliation and bruised arse.

"Can you get up?"

With great effort, Draco began to get to his feet. His backside was screaming in pain, but he grit his teeth and tried to smile. "See, I'm fine."

"Why don't you get changed? I'll get the boys out and we'll meet you downstairs," Ginny offered sweetly.

"Yeah, I suppose I should," Draco muttered as he tried to exit the bathroom without limping. As soon as he got out of Ginny's sight he was going to Apparate to his chambers and then downstairs to his favorite chair, this walking caper was just about killing him.

Ginny waited until Draco had left the bathroom before turning to the two amused little boys in the bath. "Don't even think about laughing," she warned seriously.

Beau and Drake held their amusement until they looked at each other, and then burst into loud giggles.

"Come on, out of the bath quickly," Ginny said as she spread a towel on the floor. It was pointless to tell them to settle down now that they'd started. She passed both the boys fresh towels as they exited the bath and sent them into the bedchamber to dress in the clothes she'd left on the bed.

Before leaving the bathroom, Ginny sent several more cleaning charms around the room, just to ensure she'd not missed any puddles. The boys were getting dressed, as little boys did, with lots of giggles and messing around. Rather than hurry them along, Ginny instructed them to come down to the family parlor when they were dressed and they could have some hot chocolate.

Confident the boys wouldn't be far behind her, Ginny left them to dress and wandered downstairs. On her way she stopped by her own chambers to see if Draco was okay, but he wasn't in there. Not overly concerned with his absence Ginny continued on her way.

Everyone but the Drake and Beau was gathered on the patio outside the family parlor. The girls were hovering close by eyeing the selection of pastries Narcissa had ordered to be served.

"Where are the boys?" Bill asked looking behind his sister for any sign of the two troublemakers.

"They're coming. They were just getting dressed when I left them," Ginny responded as she reached for the pot of tea. She hadn't realized until she saw the pot that she was in desperate need of a cup of tea, having not had one this morning.

"Maybe we should send Millie up to check on them," Draco suggested quietly.

"They'll be here soon." Ginny suppressed a smile as she noted a plush cushion under her husband's derriere. "I told them there was hot chocolate waiting for them."

"I'm surprised Beau's taking the time to get dressed," Fleur commented lightly. Her son loved hot chocolate and would do just about anything for a taste of the sweet beverage.

"Are they all right?" Lucius asked tightly.

"Yes, they're both fine. None the worse for the drama they put us through," Ginny responded.

"That is a relief." Narcissa reached across the table and placed her hand on her daughter-in-law's. "I'm so terribly sorry they fell in. It just happened so quickly."

"Narcissa, don't let it worry you. I'm sure both of them think it was a wonderful adventure." Ginny smiled gently at the older witch. She'd never seen Narcissa quite like this before and it surprised her that the woman would show this amount of emotion in front of guests. "They'll be telling everyone about it for the next month."

"Who would they tell?" The alarm in the blonde witch's voice was unmistakable.

Bill chuckled heartily. "Everyone they see. Believe me the entire family will hear the story a hundred times over and it'll grow into the biggest tale ever told with little encouragement."

"Oh dear." Narcissa's hand flew to her chest. "What will people think?"

"They'll think you were magnificent for keeping them out of the water for as long as you did," Ginny said firmly. "Narcissa, it doesn't matter how vigilantly they're watched; they always find their way into mischief. Now please stop blaming yourself."

"I second that motion," Lucius drawled. He knew if his wife were allowed to continue to blame herself she would be a mess before midday and he would have to pick up the pieces of her fragile emotions.

Further discussion of Narcissa's misplaced guilt was impeded by the arrival of Drake and Beau.

"Drake, darling." Narcissa flew from her chair and gathered her grandson in her arms. "Do tell me you're all right now."

"Fine, Grandmother," Drake muttered, trying to free himself from her hold.

"You gave me such a fright— I thought we'd lost you." Narcissa's voice cracked as she uttered the last words.

Quick to read his wife's demeanor, Lucius was on his feet and beside Narcissa within seconds. It seemed he was going to have to deal with her tears after all. "Come along, Cissa, it's time we sought some privacy."

With tears already making her blue eyes shimmer Narcissa allowed Lucius to gently lift her to her feet and guide her inside.

Drake, grateful for the reprieve, headed straight for the table and the pastries. He was starving after his impromptu swim. "Mummy, may we have one?"

"Yes, sweetheart."

The words had hardly left Ginny's mouth when five little hands converged on the platter of sweet treats.

"Take it easy, kids," Bill warned sternly.

"Just one each," Fleur added.

After Ginny had placed a warm mug of hot chocolate in front of each of the children she noticed that both Bill and Fleur were fussing over Henri. It allowed her the perfect opportunity to have a quiet word with Draco.

She leaned over and whispered, "Are you all right?"

"Yes."

Ginny tugged a little on the cushion Draco was sitting on. "Really?"

Draco forced himself to hold his stoical expression, even though the slightest movement was pure torture. What he wanted was for everyone to leave, so he could crawl back into bed and convince himself the entire morning was a nightmare. "Really," he grunted. "Just leave it alone."

"Fine," Ginny responded flippantly. "I was just concerned about you."

"There's no need." Draco forced a smile in her direction, but to Ginny's trained eye it looked more than a little sickly.

With Draco being stubborn about admitting his obvious injury, Ginny turned her attention to her baby nephew, extracting the infant from his father's arms with ease. If he didn't want to talk about it then that was fine, she'd play with Henri.

Fleur leaned in close to her sister-in-law. "Is everything all right?"

"Yes, everything is fine." Ginny smiled pleasantly and turned attention to her squirmy nephew.

Bill and Draco began discussing the match they'd listened to the night before and how it would affect the teams' standing on the ladder. While Quidditch was an almost safe subject for Draco to discuss with her brothers, Ginny did wish they'd change the topic once in a while. She loved the sport, but certainly didn't see the need to sleep, eat and breathe Quidditch.

When the children had finished their morning tea, Fleur announced it was time for the family to be getting home. Ginny attempted to convince her to stay for lunch, but the French witch was firm in her decision. Once their few belongings had been gathered the two families strolled to the front lawn of the grand manor.

"Thank you so much for everything," Fleur gushed as she kissed both of Ginny's cheeks.

"You're more than welcome. Next time we'll make a weekend of it," Ginny replied sincerely. She cuddled her young nephew one more time before handing the infant to his mother.

"Ginny, it's been great," Bill said, hugging his sister tightly, before turning to his brother-in-law. "Draco, we'll have to do it again."

"Absolutely," Draco responded without exuberance. His head was killing him slowly, his backside was torturing him to death and he just wanted these people to leave, so he could crawl into a dark corner and die peacefully.

Bill looked around for his other three children. "Come on, kids, say goodbye quickly."

With five children running around bidding everyone goodbye the noise level rose to past painful for Draco. By the time the Weasley family was standing with their fingers poised on the Portkey, he'd been pulled down and slobbered on more times than was necessary.

"Safe trip," Ginny wished them as the Portkey activated.

As soon as the family disappeared from the front lawn of the manor, Draco turned back to the house. He knew his family was following him at close quarters and he would likely get questioned over the direction he was going to take once inside, but he didn't care. The need to get some more sleep and rest his injured body overrode any fear of upsetting his wife.

Ginny paused in the foyer to watch her husband climbing the staircase. She knew he wasn't well, but it was self-inflicted and therefore not worthy of her sympathy. There was that fall in the bathroom as well, though he claimed to be fine from that incident, she didn't believe him. Still if he was unwilling to admit he was hurt then he didn't want or need her compassion. "Just where do you think you're going?"

"Bed," Draco muttered.

"Draco, it's almost lunchtime!"

"And I'm hung over! I'm going back to bed before I die."

"I doubt you'd die if you stayed up."

"I might. It's not worth taking the chance."

Ginny shook her head at her husband as he continued up the staircase. He looked to be really struggling to pull himself up each step. There was no point in forcing the issue, because he'd just be a miserable prat if he didn't get some more sleep. She'd allow him a few more hours and then wake him. Perhaps in a most pleasant way, if the twins were sufficiently occupied.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Lunch had passed without Draco showing his face downstairs. Ginny and the children had eaten on the patio, before the twins ran off to play. As she rested on a sun lounge with her book Ginny began to grow sleepy. It had been a late night and the excitement of the morning had worn her out more than she cared to admit.

"Millie!"

"Mistress did summon Millie?"

"Do you know where Lucius and Narcissa are at the moment?"

"Old Master is working in his study and Old Mistress is with Old Master."

"Can you keep an eye on the children?"

"Millie is happy to be watching the children."

"Thank you," Ginny muttered as she made her way inside.

When she reached the door to Lucius' study Ginny knocked tentatively and waited patiently for a response.

"Enter." Lucius deep voice was unmistakable.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you," Ginny mumbled, suddenly feeling a little self-conscious.

"Not at all, Ginevra, do come in." Lucius beckoned her forward.

"I'm feeling a bit tired and I was wondering if one of you would keep an eye on the twins for a while."

"Of course we don't mind, do we, Lucius?" Narcissa responded happily.

"Not at all. Where are they currently?"

"They're playing outside. Millie is watching them, but I'd feel better if there was an adult close by just in case," Ginny explained.

Narcissa packed up her embroidery straight away. "I think I'll take advantage of the sun and sit out there with them. Will you be joining us, dear?"

"In a few moments," Lucius conceded. "I just have a few small things to finish here."

"Thank you," Ginny said as Narcissa drew closer to her.

"Don't mention it, dear. You go and get some rest. I assume Draco has not yet surfaced?"

"No, we haven't seen him since Bill and Fleur left. He's feeling a bit sorry for himself."

"Not to worry, you have a lovely nap and perhaps we can all have dinner together this evening?"

"Yes, that would be nice." Ginny smiled tiredly at the woman. "If there's any problems, just wake me up."

"I'm certain we'll be fine and we won't be going anywhere near the lake," Narcissa assured her.

"All right then," Ginny replied. She didn't want to get into another round of assuring Narcissa that she did nothing wrong by taking the children for a walk this morning. It was just easier to agree with her at this juncture, so she could get upstairs and into bed sooner. "I'll see you later then."

"Why don't we keep the children with us until dinnertime?" Lucius suggested. "We can meet you for dinner in our dining room at six o'clock, if you like."

"Okay then, we'll do that." Ginny smiled and quickly made her way out of the study. Whether it was being in the dimly lit room or her exhaustion was more complete than she'd given it credit, she had begun to feel far more worn out than she did outside.

When she reached her chambers, Ginny silently undressed, dropping her clothes on the floor at her feet and slipped into bed carefully. Draco was sleeping on his stomach, snoring softly. As her body molded to fit his, Ginny noted that she didn't feel any cloth between them. Her fingers trailed softly down his back and over his buttocks. A wicked twinkle lit up her cinnamon eyes and her mouth twisted into a naughty grin. He was completely naked. For as tired as she was, she knew she'd sleep a lot sounder if her energy was completely depleted and that almost constant itch she now had was scratched thoroughly.

So as not to disturb him too suddenly, Ginny lifted the covers off his body gently. She started placing licentious kisses in the middle of his back while her hand wandered down to the tops of his legs to fondle the sensitive flesh between. As she worked her way lower she could feel goose flesh start to prickle his smooth skin and when he groaned lightly, Ginny's grin widened. The longer she worshipped his body, and the more she thought of what of his touch would feel like on her body, the hotter she felt.

Draco groaned and rolled over onto his side. Her hands felt like heaven on his body, and he didn't really want to lose the sensation, but manly developments had forced him to take action. With his eyes still closed, he reached for her, caressing her body as he drew her flush against his body. He smirked when the tip of his cock found the already damp thatch of hair between her legs. She'd obviously planned this little encounter. Draco's head dipped, placing lazy kisses over her face until he found her mouth. Before he had the chance to deepen the union, her hot tongue darted out and ran along his bottom lip, sending shivers down his spine.

Ginny melted against her husband's muscled chest as his tongue danced inside her mouth. She carefully lifted her top leg a little, so his hard dick could slip between her legs. She didn't realize quite how worked up she was until his hardness rubbed against the little bud of nerves between her legs. The thought that she might simply explode if he wriggled like that again occurred to Ginny, but she didn't much care. A moan escaped her as his mouth trailed down her neck and settled in a particularly sensitive spot.

Intent on making his wife moan wantonly, Draco failed to feel her hands wandering dangerously close to his sore arse. It wasn't until Ginny tried to pull him closer to her that he let out a telltale yelp.

"What's wrong? Are you hurt?" Ginny asked as she drew away.

Draco cringed in pain. "It's nothing."

"Draco, you don't squeal like that for nothing. What's wrong?"

He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. "My arse hurts," Draco admitted reluctantly.

"Let me have a look."

"No it's fine."

"Draco, I'm taking a look. You could have done some real damage when you fell in the bathroom."

Draco muttered something under his breath while Ginny sat up on her knees. At her insistence, he rolled as far onto his stomach as he was willing to with an aching erection. Her hands didn't feel quite so good on his body when she was poking and prodding particularly tender spots.

Ginny almost gasped when she saw the state of her husband's usually delectable backside. There was an angry purple bruise still forming near his tailbone and another on his left cheek. "Oh gods, no wonder you're sore."

"What is it?" Draco tried to turn and look himself, but fell miserably short of actually sighting any damage to his body.

"You've got some nasty bruises and they're still coming out."

"Is that it?"

"Yes. I felt around and there doesn't seem to be anything else wrong. You're going to need to ice them."

"Not now," Draco spluttered. He had a raging hard-on and was desperate to get things back on track.

"Well, it's the only way you're going to feel better. You need to bring the bruising out." Ginny made to move off the bed, but stopped when Draco's hand wrapped around her wrist.

"I know something else that might make me feel better," Draco said with a wicked smirk. He was desperate to return to more entertaining activities and leave the subject of his humiliating fall alone.

"Oh?"

"You could kiss it better."

Ginny dipped her head and placed a light kiss on one cheek. "Like this?"

"Mmm... Maybe it needs a bit more of that treatment," Draco responded softly.

As her mouth covered his wounds with soft kisses Draco very slowly began to rotate his body, so she had no choice but to allow her mouth to travel around his hip. He wasn't exactly lying on his back, but he was very close and it took all his strength not to just collapse onto the mattress fully when her hot mouth closed around his dick. Coherent thought abandoned him as her tongue swirled around the sensitive skin. All he could do was surrender to the incredible bolts of pleasure pummeling his nerve endings.

Ginny slowly traveled up Draco's body, pausing only to bring his nipples to painful peaks and enjoy his gasps of desire as her teeth scraped over the sensitive flesh. His hands roamed over her curves making her tingle all over. As she reached his mouth, she could feel herself being tipped back against the pillow and the weight of Draco's body carefully sliding on top of hers. Her legs drifted open of their own volition to accommodate him comfortably.

Without further ado Draco slid into her gently, relishing the warmth of her insides as they enveloped him. Her breathy sigh as he filled her brushed across his ear sending a shiver down to his toes. Not in any particular hurry now that he was within reach of his release, Draco set a languorous rhythm and simply enjoyed the unadulterated pleasure of being one with the woman he loved. Lascivious kisses and murmured declarations of love passed between the pair as they moved together.

Ginny's breath began to grow shorter as their momentum gradually increased. She could feel the knot in her core begin to tighten to an impossible level. Her release was frustratingly just out of reach.

So well in tune with his wife's body, Draco deepened his strokes and picked the pace up just a fraction. Ginny's eyes had glazed over sometime in the last few minutes — a sure sign she was close to completion. As her first muscle spasms began to grip him, Draco heightened the pace to an almost blinding speed. Her distorted words of encouragement and approval were just about lost in her gasps for air.

Even with all consuming pleasure teeming through her entire body, Ginny felt Draco stiffen momentarily. He thrust deep and hard, and his throaty groan of satisfaction in her ear sent delicious quivers to her core.

Draco covered her face with languid kisses as their pace slowed. Not wanting to collapse on top of her, Draco gently slipped off to the side and gathered her close to his body. Unable to form a coherent thought, let alone actually speak articulately, he continued to pepper her with small kisses as he waited for his senses to return to normal.

Ginny rested, enveloped in her husband's arms, thoroughly content. His loving kisses continuing until his breath evened out and slumber claimed him once more. Sometime just before her eyes drifted closed, she decided there were definitely some benefits to living in the same house as her in-laws, even if they didn't always see eye to eye on certain subjects.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

AUTHORS NOTES

Huge thanks to Rainpuddle13 for her sensational beta skills and plot discussions.

-->

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.

-->

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 SIX

BUSINESS BEFORE PLEASURE

Ginny awoke alone in their massive bed. She was feeling just a little disenchanted as she swung her feet over the side of the bed. Draco had not kept his promise from the night before, and had obviously already risen for the day. Despite suspecting he would have already left for the office, Ginny summoned Millie.

"Where is Draco?"

"Master did leave for work very early, Mistress."

Ginny sighed heavily with disappointment. "Are the children awake?"

"Yes, Mistress. Master Drake and Miss Angelique has eaten their breakfast and is playing in the playroom."

"Thank you."

"Will Mistress be liking her breakfast now?"

"No, I'll shower first."

"As Mistress wishes."

Ginny closed the bathroom door just as the elderly servant Disapparated from her bedchamber. She sighed heavily as she turned the water on and undressed. A thousand reasons why Draco had broken his promise roamed through her head. The more she tried to reason out why, the more frustrated she became. After his reaction last night about the baby, she'd have thought he'd have been eager to join her in bed, but it seemed, she was wrong.

It was then that the most upsetting of reasons for his absence burrowed into her conscious thoughts: now that she was beginning to show, he wasn't attracted to her. She slapped herself mentally and reminded herself of their shower the evening before. Even though they'd been disturbed by Drake and didn't actually get anywhere, he couldn't have possibly been faking his feelings, could he? Then she remembered how eager he was to take care of Drake. He had insisted that he deal with their son, and in doing so he escaped her.

Ginny shook her head to clear her thoughts. This was getting her nowhere. There had to be a reasonable explanation why he'd not kept his promise and she would simply ask him when he came home tonight. Angry with herself, she finished up in the bathroom quickly and stomped through to her dressing room, promising herself she wouldn't give his inattention another thought until she spoke to him.

After dressing for the day, Ginny purposefully walked to the playroom to collect the children. Breakfast on the patio while she watched the children play was exactly what she needed to take her mind off of things, especially her absent husband.

She paused in the doorway of the playroom. Drake was playing with his Quidditch stadium and Angel was fully involved in a tea party for her dolls.

"Who wants to go outside for a while?"

"Mummy!" Drake flew across the room as fast as his little feet could carry him and wrapped his arms around Ginny's legs. "You're up!"

"Yes, sweetheart."

"Millie said we shouldn't wake you."

"Did she now? Well I'll have a word with her later about that." Ginny gathered Angel to her side. "Did you both have enough breakfast?"

Angel nodded emphatically. "We had pancakes."

"I hope you didn't eat them all! Pancakes sound perfect for breakfast this morning."

Both children looked at their mother with decidedly guilty expressions.

"The house elves can make more," Drake offered.

"Yes, they can, sweetheart," Ginny replied, swallowing the laughter threatening to burst forth. "So are you coming outside? I thought I'd have breakfast on the patio while you two are playing."

Angel took off in the direction of the family parlor and the great outdoors with loud delighted squeals. Drake held firmly to Ginny's hand and walked with her. Once at the table, the little boy held his mother's chair for her, just like he'd seen his father do, and when she was comfortably seated, he summoned Millie.

"Millie!"

"Little Master Drake did want Millie?"

"My mummy wants pancakes for breakfast now."

The elderly servant glanced at Ginny, who nodded almost imperceptibly to confirm the order, before she Disapparated.

Ginny didn't have the heart to reprimand Drake for how he was speaking to Millie. After all he was doing an almost faultless impression of his father, and he was trying to look after her. She'd have a quiet word later, when he wasn't so intent on making sure she was catered for.

Drake hovered close to Ginny until Millie arrived back with her breakfast. The little boy seemed to be almost torn between going to play and clinging to his mother. Ginny wondered if he could sense her tension. She didn't think she was acting any differently around the twins, but Drake had always been perceptive to how she was feeling.

"Would you like some more pancakes, Drake?"

"No thank you, Mummy," Drake answered with perfect manners.

"Do you want to go play?"

Drake looked wistfully towards the lawn where his sister was racing around having fun. "It's all right, I'll stay with you."

"You can play, sweetheart. I'm just going to eat breakfast."

"You don't want me to sit with you?"

"If you really want to, but I know how much you like to play and I'd hate for you to miss out."

Drake thought for a moment. "All right, but if you need me I'll be right over there."

"Okay." Ginny smiled to herself. Her son's concern for her made her heart swell.

While Ginny leisurely ate her breakfast, Drake looked up often to see if she was all right and she'd wave happily at him, hoping it would placate his worried little mind. She pondered what they might do after she'd finished eating and decided very quickly on a walk by the lake to start with. It was a beautiful day, so she was going to try to enjoy it as much as she could.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ginny wandered through the rose garden slowly, her thoughts drifting to Narcissa's mood the evening before. She'd left the children in Millie's care for the time being. They'd had a lovely walk, or run in the twins' case, by the lake after breakfast and had ended up having an impromptu picnic lunch under one of the large trees by the shore. The children were just about worn out after running around in the fresh air for several hours, so she'd prescribed some quiet play for them for a few hours.

It wasn't long before Ginny spied her mother-in-law sitting in the gazebo having afternoon tea. Narcissa seemed to be lost in thought, so she approached quietly and hoped she wouldn't startle her.

"Narcissa?"

"Ginevra, how lovely to see you."

Ginny sat down opposite her mother-in-law at the tiny table. "Are you feeling better?"

Narcissa's brow creased delicately. "I don't understand. I haven't been unwell."

"You were upset last night, and Draco thought that maybe someone had upset you."

Narcissa's eyes widened just perceivably before she looked away deliberately, casting her gaze into the gardens.

"I don't want to pry or anything," Ginny continued. "I just wanted to make sure you were all right."

"I'm fine," Narcissa responded in a clipped tone.

"Okay, but if you want to talk about it... I'm here," Ginny offered pleasantly.

Narcissa slowly turned back to face her daughter-in-law. She expected to see indifference in the younger woman's eyes, but was surprised when she saw genuine concern. It had been decades since Narcissa had had another woman to talk to openly about anything that might be on her mind. "Everything is fine," she insisted.

"If you say so." Ginny smiled warmly across the table as she poured herself a cup of tea. "I just find it helps when I talk about whatever is bothering me."

"Whom do you usually talk to?"

"My mum, Hermione or Pansy... sometimes all three."

Narcissa's eyes drifted back to look out over the gardens again. "I used to talk to my sister," she whispered.

Ginny silently watched the older woman. She had the feeling that Narcissa wanted to open up to her, but at the same time she didn't want to push her too much lest she clammed up altogether.

"It was a long time ago." Narcissa sighed heavily. "Before she went away."

Unsure as to which of her sisters Narcissa was speaking about, Ginny pondered whether or not she should ask. The specific mention of either could upset Narcissa even further or perhaps make the situation worse.

"She used to help me plot the most heinous of retributions." Narcissa laughed coldly at the memory. "Of course, I rarely followed through on the plans, but I suspect Bella always convinced the person who had dared to upset me not to do it again."

"It must have been nice to have an older sister to protect you like that," Ginny commented wistfully.

Narcissa turned to look at Ginny again. "You are very lucky, you have six older brothers."

"Brothers don't always understand the need for subtly or that I don't need protecting all the time."

"Bella wasn't terribly subtle either, but her methods were effective."

"I can imagine," Ginny uttered before she could stop herself. She cringed mentally when Narcissa's eyes opened just a little wider and hoped that she hadn't alienated the other woman with such a careless comment.

"You've come across Bella before?"

"Yes, before the end of the war."

Narcissa nodded thoughtfully. "She was a merciless warrior."

Ginny bit her tongue to keep her from saying anything derogatory about Bellatrix Lestrange. A lot of things were coming to mind, and not one of them could be considered nice or even constructive in this situation.

"I'm not a fool, Ginevra; I know you don't see her as being anything but brutal, and perhaps even a little insane." Narcissa paused for a moment to take in the surprised look on her daughter-in-law's face. "I know her differently. She's my sister, and I have not only seen her softer side, I've experienced her love. Did you know that she's fiercely protective of her family?"

"No," Ginny muttered.

"Of course not, because you don't see her as caring about anything or anyone."

"My opinion of her doesn't reflect upon you," Ginny said quickly.

"If it did, I doubt very much you would be sitting here now."

"No, I guess not."

Narcissa smiled knowingly. She'd been through this many times. Her sister's past actions haunted her on a daily basis. "Enough about Bellatrix."

"All right." Ginny weighed up her next move carefully before asking, "What about yesterday? Who upset you?"

"It was nothing."

"It must have been something... you were very upset."

"Just a stray comment from a narrow-minded foolish woman who isn't worth my time."

"What did she say?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"I don't really, it's just you might feel better if you spoke about it." Ginny hid the impatience in her tone beautifully. Narcissa was not an easy woman to get to open up. "If you really don't want to talk about it that's fine, I just thought it would help."

Narcissa's gazed wander back out over the gardens.

Ginny moved her chair back from the table and made to leave. "I might—"

"It was Mrs. Nott," Narcissa said abruptly, cutting Ginny off.

"What did she say?" Ginny enquired as she sat back down.

"She'd Owled me, inviting me to a luncheon at the last minute yesterday. Of course I couldn't go, because I had the children."

"Was she upset you couldn't go?"

"More than likely not, but she did make some rather nasty comments when I Flooed her to advise her that I couldn't attend."

"Oh?"

Narcissa sniffed affectedly. "She compared me to a house elf."

Ginny's eyes widened in surprise. She had expected some snide subtle remark to have been made by the other woman, but this was far from subtle and it was down right vicious. "I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault." Narcissa sniffed again and pressed her hand to her mouth.

'Oh god, she's going to cry,' Ginny's mind screamed. It hadn't occurred to her that Narcissa might spill a tear over this. She silently withdrew her wand and summoned a handkerchief.

"Thank you," Narcissa murmured, accepting the silk handkerchief and dabbing at her eyes.

Ginny waited patiently while Narcissa brought herself under control. She certainly didn't want to say anything that might upset her further or make her cry even more, so she stayed silent for the time being.

"I'm not usually so emotional," Narcissa explained unevenly. "Most especially when it involves foolish comments from vindictive women."

"You have every right to be upset," Ginny assured her. Even though she was new to the whole aristocratic lifestyle, she was certain there could be no worse an insult than to be compared to a servant.

"I should know better than to allow someone like her to affect me so deeply."

"Why would she say something so cruel?"

"She was indirectly implying that a nanny should be caring for the twins."

"Do you agree?"

"There are times when the services of a competent nanny are useful, but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy spending time with the children; quite the contrary in fact. I adore being with them."

"Did none of these women raise their own children?"

Narcissa looked pensive for a moment. "No, I don't think so. Everyone had nannies."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Ginny muttered.

"It's our world, Ginevra. We have a lot of social obligations, but at the same time, we have to cater for our children's well being, so a live-in nanny is what most choose to provide the children with some stability."

"I disagree. Stability in their lives should come from their family, most especially their parents."

"I don't dispute that, but it is important that the stability continue when family are not around. This is where a nanny becomes necessary. Whenever you're not available, for whatever reason, it will always be the same person caring for the children."

"I'm sorry Mrs. Nott was horrid to you over my decision not to have a nanny, but I won't be changing my mind. I don't want the children raised by a stranger."

"I didn't believe it would change your mind. You're very strong willed, Ginevra, and that is a good thing."

Ginny smiled across the small table. She didn't know if the compliment was genuine or not, but it didn't really matter anyway. She wasn't going to change her mind about whom the care of her children would be entrusted to when she was unable to be with them. "What are you going to do about Mrs. Nott?"

"I have a few options available."

The smile on Narcissa's face could only be described as coldly sadistic. Ginny hoped she never looked at her that way, because whatever Mrs. Nott had coming to her she was sure it wasn't going to be pleasant.

"The most important thing is timing," Narcissa continued.

"You have a plan then?"

"A loose strategy."

A large black owl flew down and landed on the table between the women, distracting them from their conversation. When it offered its leg to Ginny, she deftly untied the message it carried.

"Is it from Draco?" Narcissa asked.

"Umm... Yes," Ginny replied, absently wondering how Narcissa knew.

"I thought so. They have a flock of those owls at the office. They're all the same color, and they're all massively ugly beasts."

"Oh," Ginny murmured as she scanned the message from her husband.

Gin,

I've secured Tuesday and Thursday afternoons away from the office next week, so we'll conduct the second interviews on those days at home. My secretary has sent owls notifying the applicants when they are expected at the house, and I've arranged a lunch meeting with Mr. Maddock tomorrow to discuss Miss Sheehan's suitability. See you tonight.

Draco

"Is everything all right?"

Ginny's eyes ran over her husband's perfect script again and tried not to show her disappointment. "Yes, Draco's made time to see the tutors next week over two afternoons."

"You don't seem pleased."

"It's fine."

"If it's not convenient then you should tell him straight away, so it can be changed."

"It's not a problem. It was my idea to spread the interviews over two afternoons," Ginny said.

"Then something else is wrong," Narcissa stated perceptively.

"No." Ginny tried to smile brilliantly, but even she could feel the falseness in the effort. She sighed heavily and cast her eyes down. "Yes."

"Tell me. Perhaps I can help you fix the problem."

"It's silly really."

"If you're not happy then it's certainly a problem. Now what is this about?"

"I'll sort it out."

"What was it you were telling me about talking about what was bothering me?"

Ginny looked at the smug witch sitting across from her. Her own tactics were being turned around to attack her. "Draco promised he wouldn't work too late last night and... Well I don't remember him coming to bed, then when I woke up this morning, he was already gone for the day, and this note is so impersonal."

"That is a real problem," Narcissa exclaimed. "You're feeling neglected."

"I wouldn't say that. It's just that he always has to be working, even when he takes the afternoon off, he's back at it later that night. We don't seem to be able to string together twenty-four hours in each other's company."

Narcissa nodded understandingly. "Lucius mentioned that they are very busy at the moment, but that is no excuse for neglecting his family."

"Will it stop soon?"

"Draco is like Lucius. Unless you remind him of where home is he'll forget."

"I don't want to turn into some nagging wife who doesn't know how to entertain herself when her husband is working."

"You don't have to, but he must be reminded of what he is missing out on. There are not only your feelings to consider, the children must be missing his presence as well."

"They are," Ginny admitted.

"Well, something must be done to alert him to your feelings."

Ginny didn't like the dangerous twinkle in Narcissa's eyes. She didn't want to think about what Narcissa might say to him, if she got the opportunity. "I'll think of something."

"Sometimes a more corporeal approach is required to gain their attention," Narcissa advised slyly.

Even though Ginny nodded and smiled at Narcissa, she didn't want to think about what the older witch could be implying with such a comment.

"Just let me know when you want me to watch the children."

"I will," Ginny muttered without conviction.

"More tea?" Narcissa offered cheerfully.

"Yes, please," Ginny answered vaguely. She was trying mightily to push the embarrassing images Narcissa's comments had evoked from her mind.

Ginny excused herself after drinking her tea, citing the children as reason to leave. It wasn't often she felt uncomfortable around her mother-in-law now, but the implication of the conversation hadn't sat well with her. Given that Narcissa liked to pretend that her son didn't engage in such activities, it was quite bizarre that the woman be suggesting what Ginny thought she was proposing. Then again, perhaps she was reading far too much into Narcissa's words; her frustration could be twisting things around to mean what she wanted them to mean or rather what she needed them to mean.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It was becoming increasingly difficult for Ginny to differentiate between the days. They all seemed to be blurring together into one long, lonely existence despite her best efforts to keep busy.

Draco had worked extremely late on Tuesday evening and had again left the house early on Wednesday. Even though Ginny didn't actually see him, she knew he had been home for a few hours at least, because his side of their bed was rumpled.

On Wednesday afternoon she had taken afternoon tea with Narcissa again, but this time she brought the children with her to keep the conversation on a safe level. It was a pleasant afternoon, though Drake might disagree after his grandmother spent much of her time correcting his table manners. Angel was the picture of a perfectly brought up little princess. She mimicked everything Narcissa did and more, receiving praise for her conduct from the society witch. Rather than eat alone again, Ginny asked Narcissa to join them for dinner. She knew Lucius had been working late, though not as late as Draco, so there was no point in the women eating separately.

Thursday she spent a great deal of time with the household books. Narcissa had taken Angel shopping, so she allowed Drake to bring some of his toys up to her private parlor while she worked. Late in the afternoon an owl arrived from Draco, stating that he'd be late again. Ginny sighed heavily and tried not to feel despondent as she returned to her household books. This evening would be the third consecutive night Draco hadn't made it home for dinner.

Ginny told herself sternly that there was no point in dwelling on her disappointment. She couldn't let Draco's absence affect the children or the way she dealt with them. For now, she would carry on as if nothing was amiss, even though she felt as though her heart was breaking.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Draco let himself into the master bedchamber as quietly as he could. He didn't want to disturb Ginny if he could help it. With his shoes in one hand, he tiptoed across the room in the direction of his dressing room.

"You're late."

Draco dropped his shoes and spun to face the direction the sound had come from, illuminating his wand as he did. "Lumos. Ginny, you're still awake!"

"So are you."

"Bad day at the office I'm afraid."

"Day, night, there doesn't seem to be any difference at the moment."

Draco bit back the angry retort boiling on his tongue. He didn't have the energy to get into an argument with her right now, and he knew without doubt that she'd bite hard if he provoked her. "Love, I don't have a choice at the moment. You know I'd rather be home with you and the twins."

"How long is it since you've seen them?"

"Let's not go there, okay? It's killing me being away from you all the time."

"Fine," Ginny responded in a clipped tone.

"I'll just have a quick shower," Draco muttered, entering his dressing room. He decided it was probably better for his health if he ignored her tone.

Draco undressed quickly and threw his robe over his shoulder. When he crossed the bedchamber again, Ginny was sitting up in bed, reading a book. He groaned mentally. It meant that she would want to talk when he got to bed, and he really didn't have the energy to stay awake tonight. Draco could only hope a shower would wake him up a bit, so he could at least pay attention when she was speaking.

After a quick shower, so as not to be awake longer than necessary, Draco prepared for bed. With a few droplets of water still glistening on his chest, he left the bathroom and headed directly for the comfort of his pillow. The hot shower had done little for his exhaustion, except perhaps make him feel warm and ready to curl up in a ball. He slipped between the covers as Ginny marked her page and placed her book on the nightstand beside her. Draco braced himself for whatever it was she had to tell him.

"You do remember we're having dinner at Harry and Hermione's on Saturday, don't you?"

"Yes, dear, I've blocked the evening off in my diary, so I can't work," Draco responded, swallowing a yawn. He was warm and starting to relax into the mattress. His pillow felt divinely soft as it cradled his overworked head. Now he just had to get through what his wife wanted and he could go to sleep.

"Good, the twins are looking forward to it and it would be a shame to cancel."

"We won't have to cancel."

"I've missed you," Ginny whispered.

"I've—" Draco's eyes shot open as he felt Ginny's hand wander down to his satin boxers. He cleared his throat and tried again. "I've missed you too, love."

"How much have you missed me?"

"More than you know," he mumbled as he pulled her gently onto his chest. He hoped it would unseat her hand, but disappointingly it gave her easier access to his groin.

Ginny sighed happily as her fingers traced the outline of his flaccid manhood. "This is nice. Just you and me cuddling together."

"Mmm..." Draco was struggling to keep his eyes open. Even her purposeful ministrations around his boxers weren't helping to push away the desire to sleep.

"Draco?"

"Mmm?"

"You aren't going to sleep on me, are you?"

"No, love," Draco uttered sleepily.

"Good," Ginny replied nefariously.

He could feel her massaging through the satin. The sensation was quite pleasant, but it wasn't doing anything to arouse him. Sleep was claiming him faster than he could fight and before long he drifted off.

"Draco?"

Her husband's deep, even breathing filled the bedchamber. Ginny lifted her head from his chest and looked at his face. Sure enough his eyes were closed and he was most definitely asleep. The urge to shove him was tempting, so very tempting, but she did refrain. However, a loud huff of frustration did escape as she moved over to her side of the bed. After fluffing her pillows up vigorously, Ginny picked up her book again and tried to read. Was it really too much to ask for some attention from her husband?

Sometime in the wee hours of the morning Ginny finally fell asleep with her book still resting on her lap. She hadn't so much as turned a page since she'd picked it up. Her mind had been consumed with why Draco seemed to be ignoring her. He'd been so attentive before she moved into the manor, but she'd noticed his consideration waning ever since. Unbidden thoughts of the worst kind plagued her dreams as her subconscious took over trying to puzzle out her husband's behavior.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It was with no surprise that Ginny awoke on Friday morning alone and feeling somewhat stiff from the position she'd fell asleep sometime in the early hours of the morning. She was disgruntled, and more than a little frustrated. It wasn't that she didn't understand how hard Draco was working at the moment, and that the long hours were taking their toll on him, but if she didn't get some meaningful attention soon she was going to explode.

The day progressed slowly for her, and too often she found herself daydreaming about spending time alone with her missing husband. There had to be some way to keep him awake, so she could have her wicked way with him or at least long enough for her to take the edge off of her frustration.

As the hours ticked away, a plan began to formulate in her head. The moment he got home, she'd drag him up to their chambers and then they could sit down to a pleasant meal or he could sleep if he needed to. It was perfect. Narcissa wouldn't mind keeping an eye on the twins for a few hours, and if she wasn't available there was always Millie, who was proving to be very competent in childcare.

With a workable strategy now in her mind, and the children off shopping with Narcissa, Ginny decided to spend the afternoon getting ready for her husband's return from the office. A long soak in a bubble bath with a good book was first on her list. She had just relaxed in the water when a Malfoy Holdings' Owl perched itself on the edge of the tub. Excitement bubbled inside of her as she reached for the note attached to the bird's leg. She hoped it was Draco telling her he'd be home early.

Gin,

Have a business dinner tonight. Don't wait up; it'll probably be a late one.

Draco

Her heart sunk as she screwed up the parchment in her hand. She felt like screaming at the injustice of being left alone so often. It wasn't fair. Most newlyweds couldn't get enough of each other, and here she was feeling abandoned. They were still considered newlyweds, weren't they?

Self-doubt began to creep into her veins again, and all the resolve she'd found only that morning evaporated. Perhaps she had some sort of fairy tale view of how married life should be? What if this was what it was really like - alone all the time with only the children and servants for company, day in day out?

A single tear escaped from under her lids.

Ginny sat upright suddenly, causing water to slosh out of the tub and onto the marble floor. This wallowing in self-pity wasn't doing her any good, and she wasn't about to let herself slide down into its dark depths. Draco was working to provide for them. She ignored the small voice at the back of her mind that was screaming about the fact that he didn't have to work to provide for them. He loved her deeply, of that she was positive, and he was not having an affair.

An affair? Now that was a new thought. Maybe he was having an affair? Perhaps the other woman was his secretary. Ginny shook her head vigorously to clear the horrid image that had appeared there. His secretary was old enough to be his mother and looked old enough to be his grandmother. Draco didn't go for that type of woman anyhow. If he was going to have an affair it would be with a woman similar to those he used to date before they were married: impossibly beautiful and incredibly shallow. Did he miss those women? Had he returned to that life of debauchery?

She scolded herself harshly. There was absolutely no evidence that her husband was doing anything more than working some extraordinary hours at the moment. His level of exhaustion last night was proof of that at least. Unless he'd worn himself out in other way, her mind whispered. With an angry growl at herself, Ginny snatched up her book from the side of the bath. Determined to distract herself, she ripped open the trashy romance novel that had caused her very proper mother-in-law to raise her eyebrows questioningly when she spied the cover. I will not think about it again, she thought resolutely.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Draco Apparated into foyer of his home. It had been a long night full of far more Firewhisky than he should have had to consume to get a handshake from the man he'd been trying to persuade into doing business with him. Still at least he'd made it home without Splinching himself. Now all he had to do was negotiate the staircase, something that would be far easier if it would stop moving, and fall into bed.

After making several grabs at the handrail, Draco finally found purchase and began to pull himself up the stairs. He was quite impressed with himself when he reached the first floor landing, having only miss-stepped a few times, and been brought to his knees twice. Once over praising himself, Draco deliberately turned in the direction he had to walk, pointed his course out to himself with an upraised arm and staggered off down the corridor.

The journey down the long corridor was punctuated with several collisions with the walls and a few objects d'art, which he somehow caught before they could hit the floor. When he reached his bedchamber doors, Draco reached forward and turned the knob; unfortunately, he was leaning on the door at the time and went sprawling into the room with an undignified yelp. All his strength seemed to have vanished, so he stayed where he was for the time being. Through his blurry vision, he sensed there was something different about the sitting room, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it at this juncture. Perhaps if remembered in the morning, he'd ask Ginny if she'd changed anything.

"Draco?"

"Father!"

"What are you doing in there?"

"I fell over." Draco laughed loudly at his own folly.

"And just where were you headed when you fell over?"

"Bed!"

"Is that a fact?" Lucius regarded his obviously drunk son for a moment or two before pointing out what he felt was apparent. "You do realize this is no longer your bedchamber, don't you?"

The befuddled look on Draco's face conveyed his confusion without any words needing to be slurred.

"Draco, you're in the northern wing — my wing. You live in the southern wing."

"Bloody buggering hell," Draco cursed half-heartedly. "Now I've got to walk all the way back."

"I think I'll escort you... just to make certain you make it without waking our ancestors," Lucius stated sardonically.

"No need! I can do it!" Draco rolled onto his front and attempted to raise himself off the ground, only to slump to the floor after a few seconds of supporting his weight on his hands.

"Perhaps when you're sober enough," Lucius muttered under his breath.

"Lucius, is everything all right?"

"Yes, Narcissa, it's just Draco."

"What is he doing here?"

"I rather think he lost his way."

"Lost his way?"

"He's quite inebriated, dearest. Just go back to bed. I'll make sure he gets to his own wing."

"Oh dear," Narcissa exclaimed as she peered over her husbands shoulder. "This is not going to help matters."

Draco looked up at Narcissa with a goofy grin on his face. "Hello, Mother!"

"Oh, Draco, how could you?"

"What?"

"Look at your condition!"

"I've just had a couple of drinks."

"A couple too many!" Narcissa pinned him with a disgusted look. "You ought to be ashamed of yourself."

"Narcissa, I think you'd be better to save your tirade until the morning, when he'll remember what you've said," Lucius interrupted. He simply wanted to deliver his son to his own wing and climb back into his own comfortable bed before the sun rose. "Go back to bed and I'll be there soon."

"Very well," Narcissa snapped, turning on her heel and stalking angrily away from the men.

Lucius waited until his wife had disappeared from sight, before turning his attention back to his intoxicated son. "Come along, Draco."

Despite Draco's loud declarations that he could get up under his own steam, Lucius helped him to his feet. It was a struggle, and at one stage both men almost tumbled to the floor, but they made it in the end. Even though they were quite a distance from slumbering family members Lucius continually reminded Draco to keep his voice down. Draco had taken it upon himself to recount the entire evening to his father while they made way to the southern wing.

"Here you are," Lucius announced quietly when they reached Draco's suite doors. "I suggest you take your shoes off before entering the bedchamber."

"I'll do that," Draco proclaimed, sliding down the wall and trying to yank his shoes from his feet without bothering to untie the laces.

Lucius rolled his eyes at his son and hoped Ginevra was a sound sleeper or at least in a forgiving mood. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Nighty night, Father."

"Just go to bed, Draco," Lucius muttered intolerantly as he turned away. The urge to berate him for coming home in that condition was burning the tip of his tongue, but he refrained. There was no point expending the energy when Ginevra would more than likely give him a tongue-lashing he won't so readily forget.

With the help of the doorframe, Draco hauled himself to his feet again and opened the door to the sitting room. After closing it behind him, he tiptoed across the room and let himself into the bedchamber. His effort to sneak in silently was thwarted when he staggered while he was trying to close the door and it slammed shut. "Fuck," he cursed in a half whisper.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Even though she'd subtly checked with Lucius about Draco's business dinner, Ginny had tossed and turned all night, unable to get comfortable and fall asleep. It was getting more and more difficult to do when he was absent from the house, especially when her mind wandered off in directions it was better avoiding. She reassured herself that although it was late — very late — Draco was doing what he had to do to secure this wizard's business, and she tried not to think about what that might involve.

A disturbance in the corridor alerted her to the presence of someone. She sat up in the darkness and waited, listening carefully. It wasn't long before she recognized Lucius' voice, and she presumed the other had to be Draco—a very drunk Draco by the sounds.

She kept her silence as he opened the door, slammed it shut, cursed and then told himself to hush. He was beyond drunk; he was practically legless. As he rounded the bed, Ginny opened her mouth to say something, but snapped it shut again when she felt him kick the solid wooden leg.

"Fuck!" Draco reached down to nurse his injured toes, only to overbalance and fall onto the bed. "Bloody hell."

"Nice to know you remember where you live," Ginny said coldly.

"Gin, you're awake!"

"Yes. I'm surprised anyone can sleep through the racket you're making."

"Sorry, love. I had to have a few with this bloke."

"Really?"

"Yeah, but it worked! I got the business."

"Good for you," Ginny muttered derisively.

Draco grinned lopsidedly at his wife, in what he thought was a charming manner, and crawled up the bed towards her. "Are you angry with me?"

"Oh for goodness sakes, Draco," Ginny said, waving her hand in front of her face to rid herself of the putrid odor of stale alcohol that he was breathing over her.

"What?" Draco slurred innocently.

"Go away," Ginny ground out. "You smell awful."

"But, love—"

"Draco!"

The warning in her voice would have been clear to anyone in the general vicinity, but Draco was oblivious to the danger he was in and kept advancing on his wife.

With her stomach now beginning to roll from the vile stench of her husband's breath, Ginny placed her hands on his chest and pushed him sideways. She fully expected him to roll onto his back away from her, but Draco did not possess the power to stop himself, and he rolled off the bed, landing hard on the floor.

"Oh God! Draco, are you all right?" Ginny leaned over the side of the bed and peered worriedly at her husband.

"Yeah... yeah. How did I get down here?"

Ginny rolled her eyes and groaned loudly. He was far worse than even she had suspected. "Can you get up?"

"Yep, on my way!"

Ginny watched her husband struggle to lift his body off the floor. If she weren't so angry with him at the moment, she would have found his efforts highly amusing.

Before any of that simmering amusement could surface, Ginny huffed angrily at him and sat back. "I'm going to sleep. Don't wake me when you eventually get up here."

"Gin?"

"What, Draco?"

"I think I need some help."

"I can't lift you, so you'll have to work it out for yourself." Ginny sank back onto her pillows with a smug smile tugging at her lips. She listened as Draco tried for a few more minutes before he seemingly gave up and slumped onto the floor with a muffled curse.

A few minutes later a large hand appeared on the bed and began feeling around purposefully. Ginny watched his efforts with barely concealed amusement. She could almost see the excitement in his movements when he obviously thought he'd found what he was looking for.

Draco's hand closed around a large portion of their comforter and he tried to pull it off the bed. As soon as the blanket began to move Ginny gave it a hard tug back towards her and slapped his hand.

"The floor's hard... want my pillow," Draco slurred.

"Well you're not stealing my comforter," Ginny snapped.

From her position, she could hear Draco muttering to himself about bloody women and soft comfy beds, as his hand continued its blind search. In danger of laughing aloud, she turned her face into her pillow. There were a few more attempts at usurping the comforter before Draco's hand finally fell on his own pillow. The triumphant grunt that rose from the floor had Ginny in a fit of silent giggles.

Not long after, following several loud grunts and groans in his attempt to get comfortable, Draco started snoring. Ginny sighed with irritation and tried to block out the god-awful noise. A task that seemed impossible, given the way the windowpanes appeared to be rattling each time her husband drew breath. Again she was left tossing and turning in the early hours of the morning, trying to get comfortable and relax enough to fall asleep.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Daddy! Daddy!"

Draco groaned weakly and rolled over, pulling his pillow over his head. The high pitch squeals of his daughter were creating havoc in his thumping brain and making him feel a little more than nauseous.

"Daddy, why are you down there?"

Not having the energy to engage in a conversation, Draco pretended he was sleeping. He prayed to the deities that she'd just wander away and allow him to pull himself together in his own time.

"Daddy!"

The bolt of pain that shot through his body as his daughter shoved his shoulder was all consuming. Draco had to bite his lip to keep from screaming out. It seemed that every fiber of his being had been tortured mercilessly sometime between him falling asleep and this rude awakening.

"Daddy!"

Before she could touch him again, Draco pulled the pillow off of his head. "Enough, Angel."

"There you are! Are you getting up now?" Angel exclaimed loudly, not paying attention to the fact that her father had just growled at her.

"Where's Mummy?"

"Downstairs."

"Why don't you go down and see her?"

"She told me to come up and see you."

Draco groaned out loud. Given that she'd already begun to torture him, he had a feeling he wasn't going to be terribly welcome in his wife's company today. Not that he could remember exactly what had happened the night before, or rather early this morning, but waking up on the floor was not a good sign.

"Are you getting up now, Daddy?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming." Draco lifted himself a small way off the floor and immediately regretted the making the effort as his stomach lurched in protest. He tried to take a deep breath, but a distasteful belch that seemed to have come all the way from his toes forced the fresh oxygen he so desperately craved out. Acid filled the back of his throat. It burned painfully and he paled noticeably.

Angel bent over and stared her ill father in the eye. "Daddy, are you all right? You look funny."

"Fine," Draco grunted, trying not to open his mouth too far lest he lose the contents of his stomach, whatever they might have been.

Angel frowned and tilted her head slightly, as if to improve the view of her father's face. The little strawberry blonde witch shook her head thoughtfully. "You look really sick."

"I'm fine, sweetheart. Just a little tired." Draco tried to smile, but it turned into a painful grimace as he forced himself to sit up. He had to get Angel to leave now, before he lost his battle with his rebellious stomach. "Angel, why don't you go and see what Mummy's doing?"

"She's drinking tea with Grandmother."

"Angel, sweetheart, I need a few minutes to myself." Draco prayed to whoever might be listening that his precocious little girl would head for the door. Each time he opened his mouth, he was one step closer to purging his system and he definitely didn't want to do that in front of her. Plus there was the issue of making it to the bathroom on time.

"Why?"

"I need—" Draco swallowed the bile that rose in his throat. "—to use the bathroom."

"That's okay." Angel sat herself on the edge of the bed. "I can wait."

"Angel, just—" Draco clamped his mouth shut as his stomach lurched violently. Whether his daughter was here or not, he was going to have to make a dash for the lavatory and pray that he made it there on time.

"Daddy, are you sick?"

Draco was already scrambling towards the bathroom on his hands and knees. If he had the presence of mind to get to his feet properly, he could have expedited his journey, but he wasn't thinking clearly. When he reached the doorway to Ginny's side of the bathroom, he felt like cheering and probably would have if he dared open his mouth. He hauled himself to his feet using the doorframe and leaned against it breathing hard. There were only a few more meters to cover and he'd be safe.

"Daddy?"

Draco jumped at the demanding little voice right behind him. He had no idea his daughter had followed him across the room. "Angel, just—"

"Daddy?"

He clamped his hand across his mouth and lurched for the toilet, but it was too far away. Angel's exclamation of disgust followed by the sound of her feet beating a hasty retreat mingled with the sound of his stomach contents splattering on the black marble floor. The notion that he'd have to make amends later vaguely drifted through his mind as he retched onto the floor. He was stuck where he was a few feet inside the bathroom, momentarily paralyzed with the force his body was purging itself with. At some stage he slithered back to the floor, and simply waited for his body to finish eradicating the stale alcohol from the evening before.

Draco had no idea just how long he'd been slumped on the floor when he heard voices coming closer. He groaned aloud when his mother's concerned voice could be heard above all else. She did not need to see him in this condition, and if he were capable, he'd have done something to change his circumstances, but as it were he was completely unable to even think of what to do let alone act upon an idea.

"Draco! Oh my goodness! What is wrong with you?"

With foolish abandon, Draco glanced up at the doorway. His mother was staring at him with concern in her blue eyes, but her face was a mask of disgust. Ginny, on the other hand, was peering over Narcissa's shoulder at the mess her side of the bathroom was with complete and utter repugnance. He knew he deserved the look she was giving him and a lot more, of which he was certain she would delight in serving him, but he hoped that she would at least wait until he could defend himself.

"Are you ill?" Narcissa pressed on in a concerned tone. "I'll summon a servant to have this mess cleaned up immediately."

"He's not ill, Narcissa," Ginny responded coolly. "He's hung-over."

"Of course, he did come home very inebriated last night."

"I know."

"Oh dear, did he wake you?"

"I'm surprised he didn't wake the children with all the noise he was making."

"Draco! You should be thoroughly ashamed of yourself!"

If he'd had the energy, Draco would have rolled his eyes, so it was probably a good thing that it would have taken far more effort than he could consider making at this stage, since it would have caused him more trouble than he could handle right now. His mother had a habit of stating the obvious, though perhaps not always accurately. He felt sorry for himself, not ashamed.

Rather than continue receiving malevolent looks from the doorway, Draco cast his gaze elsewhere. Both women continued to discuss how terrible he was between themselves as if he weren't sitting on the floor, in a disgusting puddle of god knows what, right in front of them. Without warning, he heard their footsteps begin to retreat. A glance at the doorway confirmed that he was alone again. It was then that it dawned upon him that his mother hadn't summoned a servant. He was alone with no assistance and no one was on the way to help either.

Draco drew a careful breath in and willed himself not to vomit. He had a feeling Millie would be busy with the twins and wouldn't come if he summoned her, so he quickly summoned his father's personal house elf. The stench of the bathroom was starting to get to him and needless to say it was doing nothing to help his volatile stomach.

"Master did summon Ippy?"

"Clean up," Draco muttered.

"As Master wishes."

Within seconds the bathroom was clean again, and Draco dismissed the servant rudely. He did not need more witnesses to his dilemma than necessary and could only imagine the gossip that would be flying between the house elves once Ippy reported the condition their Master was in this morning.

Though all evidence of his unsettled stomach had been eliminated, Draco could still smell a pungent odor. He had to do something about it before his body decided to rebel again. A shower was the first thing he needed, but just the thought of standing up sent fear through his body. He was certain he wouldn't be able to support his own weight. Still on the floor, Draco stripped off as best he could and crawled into his wife's shower stall.

When the water hit his face it was almost a cause for celebration, or would have been had he possessed the strength. As it was, Draco sat on the tiles, slumped against the wall and let the water flow over him. In time, he stood himself up slowly and allowed the heat to ease his aching muscles. Before he left the privacy of the stall, he swore abstinence to the tiles. There was no way he was going to put himself in this position again, if he could help it. The short journey between the bathroom and his dressing room seemed to take forever, and when he finally arrived he had to sit down to gather himself. The towel, he'd slung around his hips slid to the floor as he dropped onto the stool. He glanced at it disinterestedly and decided it could stay where it was for the time being. His entire body was shaking so severely that he couldn't have picked it up if he wanted to. He'd just sit a while; wait for his body to calm down, and then he'd dress for the day and go down to face his wife.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Oh, for Merlin's sake, Draco!"

Startled, Draco jumped at the sudden noise. He looked around in a panic. It didn't take him long to ascertain that he was in his dressing room, stark naked, and Ginny was standing over him looking none too happy. He closed his eyes for a moment to collect his thoughts. He must have nodded off when he sat down; it was the only explanation. Upon cracking his eyelids open again, he saw that his wife hadn't moved and she still looked furious. This was not going to be a very comfortable day.

"I came up here to check on you, because I was worried when you didn't come down for so long," Ginny hissed in a low voice.

Draco swallowed hard and straightened himself up on the stool. He knew without being told that no matter what excuse he might have, it wouldn't appease her.

"Are you coming downstairs?" Ginny looked at him pointedly. "Your children would like to see you at some point."

"Yes, I'll just get dressed and I'll come down."

"Good." Ginny turned to leave, giving him one last scathing glance.

"Gin, could you order me some breakfast? I think I should try to eat something."

"Fine," Ginny answered over her shoulder.

Draco cradled his head in his hands and wondered briefly if he had clandestine suicidal tendencies. It was the only way he could possibly explain his foolishness. He glanced up at his wardrobe and tried to will his clothes to leap out and onto his body, saving him the effort of rising from his position. Needless to say, after five minutes, all his effort produced was an increase in the throbbing inside his head.

Unable to delay the inevitable any longer, Draco rose unsteadily and got dressed for the day. His stomach was still cramping uncomfortably when he started his journey downstairs and he hoped that some breakfast might help rather than hinder his recovery. Even before he reached the family parlor, he could hear his family and seriously considered casting a temporary deafening charm on himself, but thought the better of it. He was in enough trouble with Ginny without appearing to be ignoring her.

"Daddy!"

Draco tried mightily not to cringe as the sound of his beloved children's voices pierced his brain excruciatingly.

A small smile played around Ginny's lips as she watched her husband. "Your breakfast is here, Draco."

"Are you feeling better, Daddy?" Angel asked.

"Angel said you were sick everywhere," Drake said incredulously.

"I feel a bit better, kids. Why don't you go and play?" Draco responded tightly as he sat down.

Ginny placed a plate with a domed silver cover in front of him. "I hope the warming charm has held."

"It'll be fine," Draco muttered as he lifted the cover. His eyes almost left their sockets and his stomach rolled violently when he saw the food Ginny had ordered him. "What is this?"

"Breakfast."

"Ginny, I can't—"

"It's the best thing for you, considering your condition."

"But—"

"Eat, you'll feel better."

Draco could have sworn the smile on his wife's face had a hint of the devil in it. He poked at the greasy bacon, sausages and eggs with his fork. If he got through any of this, it would be a miracle. However, he was going to try just to spite Ginny and he was determined to hold it all down.

A few mouthfuls into the large plate of grease Ginny had served him, Draco thought the better of continuing to punish himself and laid his cutlery on the plate. It really wasn't worth making himself sick again just to prove a point to her.

"Eat up, Draco."

"I've had enough."

"You need to put food in so you'll feel better."

"Not that sort of food."

"Don't be silly. It's a good old-fashioned breakfast."

Draco pushed the plate away expressively. "I'll have something else later."

Ginny shook her head at him. At least he'd had a couple of mouthfuls, but not nearly enough to replace the energy he'd expended this morning.

"Draco?"

"Father," Draco responded with a sigh. If his father were here, then his mother wouldn't be far away.

"You said last night that you'd secured the contract."

"I did. He played hard to get to start with, but I wore him down."

"Where is the paperwork?"

"I sent it back to the office immediately."

"You're sure?"

"Yes, I did that before the evening grew a little hazy."

"Hazy?" Ginny looked at her husband skeptically.

Draco wasn't foolish enough to refute her indirect suggestion that hazy was an understatement, and he had the good sense to look sheepish.

"Well, don't you think you ought to finalize the contract?" Lucius suggested.

The pleading look he sent his father was ignored with an amused smirk. Lucius had to know just how much trouble he was in with the women in the family, and yet he seemed to be trying to make the situation worse. Draco knew he would have to make a trip to the office today, and he didn't have to be told Ginny wouldn't be happy about it, but there was nothing he could do unless his father was willing to finalize the contract. "I was thinking you might want to put the finishing touches on the paperwork."

"Not likely. I have plans with your mother today."

"It wouldn't take long," Draco insisted.

"If it won't take long then you should get it done, so you can spend the rest of the day with Ginevra and the children."

Ginny had listened intently to the conversation. Her ire growing as she realized Draco would be running off to the office again. "You're going to the office?"

"It seems I have no choice."

"You could do whatever it is on Monday."

"I can't. The contracts need to be finalized and signed today, Ginny," Draco said with a slightly pleading tone. He knew she was angry and had every right to be, but he didn't have the strength to deal with her temper right now.

"Why?"

If he'd had the energy, he would have smirked as he witnessed his father beating a hasty retreat. "It's the way we do business. We've always done it this way. The contracts need to be signed within twenty-four hours of reaching agreement."

"I don't believe this. It's Saturday for Merlin's sake! Is it too much to ask that you spend an hour with your family?"

"Ginny, I will be back in an hour or so and we can spend the rest of the day together. It really won't take long. All I have to do is amend the contracts to the terms we agreed upon and owl them over to the other side. Once they're signed and delivered back to the office I can come home. They'd be waiting for the contracts, so I really don't have a choice in the matter."

"Fine," Ginny snapped.

"Look, why don't you come with me? Keep me company while I'm waiting for them to return the paperwork?"

"What about the twins?"

"Millie—" Draco stopped when he saw the expression on her face. It was one thing for the house elf to watch the children when one of them was in the house, but quite another when there was no one else home.

"Just go, and don't take too long," Ginny told him irritably.

"I'll be back before you know it, I promise," Draco whispered as he placed a kiss on her forehead.

Draco stopped to kiss the twins and admonish them to behave for their mother before leaving the patio. He would have much rather spent the day relaxing with Ginny, but this had to be done. Just to add insult to injury, what little he'd eaten wasn't sitting comfortably in his stomach. When he reached the foyer Draco ordered Millie to bring his traveling cloak immediately.

"Draco, where are you going?" Narcissa asked as she descended the staircase.

"I have to go to the office, Mother."

"Whatever for?"

"There's some paperwork to finish from last night's meeting."

"Your wife and children miss you."

"I'm aware of that, Mother. I miss them as well, but I need to get this finished. It won't take long, and then I intend on spending the remainder of the day in their company."

"Very well." Narcissa narrowed her eyes a little. "Your behavior last night and this morning—"

"I apologise for my condition both last night and this morning. I did overindulge, and I am regretting it terribly. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get to the office so I can get home as quickly as possible." Draco threw his cloak around his shoulders and Disapparated, feeling quite relieved that he hadn't let his mother get her little telling off out of her system.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The offices of Malfoy Holdings were eerily quiet on the weekends, but Draco didn't mind. He made his way quickly to his office and set about making the changes to the documents; thankful for the notes he'd taken as they'd held their discussions the evening before. Once he was happy with the contracts, he summoned one of their best owls and attached the documents. Now there was little to do but wait for their return. There was work he could do, but he didn't want to get involved in something and have to leave it half done to go home, so it was better that he didn't start anything.

He wandered over to the couch, mostly to remove the temptation of working he felt at his desk, and sat down on the soft leather. Within minutes he was reclined comfortably, flicking through the weekend edition of the Daily Prophet. Draco tried to concentrate on the print in front of his eyes, but it was growing more difficult as the minutes passed—everything was getting fuzzy. The thought that he should probably get up and move around entered his head, and he was still pondering that thought when his eyes slipped closed.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ginny tapped her foot impatiently and checked the clock for the umpteenth time. If Draco didn't hurry they were going to be late for dinner at Harry and Hermione's. She was already irate, because once again he'd broken a promise. His "one hour" of work had turned into the full day, and he hadn't answered any of the Floo calls she made. If he didn't arrive in the next half an hour she'd have to go alone or cancel.

"Mummy, are we going to Uncle Harry's now?"

"Soon, honey. We're just waiting for Daddy." Ginny tried to smile pleasantly at the twins. They were eager to spend some time with their godparents as well as their father. It just wasn't fair that Draco kept doing this to them.

"He was meant to be home ages ago," Drake grumbled.

"I'm sure he wanted to be, darling, but something must have come up."

"He's always at work," Drake muttered unhappily.

"Well, he's very busy at the moment," Ginny replied, trying not to let her own disgruntled feelings show in her tone.

"Can't we go without him?"

"We will if he's not here soon." Ginny forced another smile. "Why don't we move to the foyer, so we're all ready to go when he gets here?"

The twins slowly wandered to the foyer of the grand house with Ginny trailing behind. She desperately hoped Draco would arrive by the time they got there, so they could leave. It was hard enough keeping the children occupied at the best of times, let alone when they were bored silly. Millie greeted them with their cloaks the minute they stepped into the entrance.

"Mistress will be leaving now?"

"No, we'll wait a little longer for Draco, but the children can put their cloaks on so they're ready."

After helping the twins with their traveling cloaks, Ginny sat them down on the staircase to wait. She was too agitated to remain still, so she took to pacing the marble floor. The click of her heels echoed rhythmically through the chamber; the sound added to her frustration, as with every step she was reminded of why she was waiting. She would allow him another ten minutes then she would leave with or without him.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Draco's eyes fluttered open. It took him a few moments to get his bearings, but once the appointments of his office came into focus he remembered he'd come here to take care of the final contracts. He lifted himself off the couch slowly, rubbing his face as he stood up. The last thing he remembered was thinking that he should get up and move around before he fell asleep. Still half asleep, he wandered into his private bathroom and splashed water on his face. As soon as the contracts arrived he'd head off home, but until then he'd keep moving. He didn't want to nod off again, even for a few minutes.

When he felt refreshed, he walked back into his office. Just a few meters from his desk he noticed his owl perched on the corner with some documents attached to its leg. Draco frowned. Had the bird been here when he went to the bathroom? He quickly untied the documents and sent the bird back to the owlery. It was the signed contract, so he was free to go home.

He picked his cloak up from where he'd draped it over a chair and threw it around his shoulders. As he turned to leave his heart leapt into his throat. The clock on his desk caught his attention. It couldn't possibly be that time. He'd only nodded off for a few minutes, surely. With his heart thundering, Draco plucked his timepiece from his breast pocket and cursed loudly when it confirmed the time. It was almost six o'clock in the evening. He had promised he'd be home hours ago. Ginny was going to be furious with him and he couldn't blame her.

As much as he would have liked to delay his imminent death, he thought the better of it and Disapparated right away. There was some hope that she'd listen to reason. After all she knew how tired he was, and it wasn't as if he'd meant to fall asleep.

Draco Apparated into the foyer of his home, almost landing on his pacing wife.

"Gin, I'm so sorry, love. I—"

"I don't want to hear it, Draco," Ginny snarled. "We're ready to go to dinner, are you?"

"I umm—" Draco looked down at his sleep rumpled clothes and then at his wife's angry face. While going to dinner like this didn't sit comfortably with him, he didn't think suggesting a change of clothes would be the smartest thing he could do at the moment. "Yeah, it's only Potter's... I'll go as I am."

Ginny looked his attire up and down disapprovingly. "Fine," she snapped.

"Let's go then," Draco suggested. "Drake, come here mate, you can travel with me."

Drake looked to his mother for confirmation before moving from the step. When he was safely in his father's arms and his mother was preoccupied with Angel, the little boy smirked at his father. "You're in trouble."

"I know," Draco whispered harshly. He really didn't need to be reminded by a five-year-old.

"Lots and lots of trouble." Drake emphasized his words with a grave nod.

"Yes, thank you, son," Draco hissed. He was about to ask Ginny if she was ready when he heard her distinctive pop as she Disapparated with Angel. "Hold on, Drake."

"Yes, Daddy," Drake uttered, tightening his hold around his father's neck.

Ginny and Angel were waiting on the front porch of the Potters' modest home when Draco Apparated onto the lawn. If her expression was anything to go by, this evening wasn't going to be pleasant. He could only hope that their hosts didn't pick up on any obvious problems. The last thing he needed was her family thinking there was a problem between them.

Draco placed Drake on his feet and walked to the front door. He thought about trying to smooth things over before they announced their arrival, but one look at her expression changed his mind quickly. The thought of having an almighty row on Potter's front porch was not appealing. If he survived the night, they would talk when they returned to the manor.

"Draco, Ginny, come in," Harry gushed happily.

"Harry, thank you for the invitation," Draco intoned politely as he shook the other man's hand.

"Good to see you, Harry," Ginny said, giving Harry a brief hug.

Ever alert Harry noted there was something amiss right away. Even the twins were subdued. "Drake, Angel, are you two going to say hello?"

The twins threw themselves into their godfather's open arms the moment their parents were out of sight. When they had been thoroughly hugged, Harry ushered them into the house.

Harry could hear Hermione chatting away to their guests in the kitchen. He was surprised to hear Ginny responding in monosyllables.

Hermione abandoned the odd conversation in favor of greeting the twins the moment they came into sight.

"Draco, would you like a mead?" Harry offered.

"No, thank you."

"Butterbeer?"

Draco shot his wife a cursory glance. If she disapproved, she was hiding it well. The question was would his life be in danger if he had a drink? "Do you have Pumpkin Juice?"

"Err—yeah." Harry frowned slightly. There was definitely something going on, and given the tension in the air, it wasn't pleasant. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," Draco responded quickly.

"Could have fooled me," Harry muttered. "You're both acting like someone's died."

"Not yet," Ginny quipped derisively.

Harry looked to Draco for an explanation, but his only reward was to witness the blond pale significantly. Not foolish enough to press the issue, Harry quickly changed the subject. "Why don't I get us some drinks and we can take them outside?"

"You boys go ahead and I'll bring the drinks out," Hermione insisted.

Harry threw his wife a grateful look and herded Draco out the back door.

"What happened?" Harry asked casually when they were seated at the outdoor table.

"What makes you think anything has happened?"

The urge to roll his eyes childishly at the blond wizard sitting opposite him was strong. Either Draco thought they were stupid or he was in denial. Harry pinned Draco with a knowing look that seemed to make the man uncharacteristically fidgety. "Let's examine the evidence. You could cut the air with a knife when you and Ginny are in the same room. She's glaring at you so viciously I'm surprised you haven't turned to stone. The twins are not only unusually quiet; they're watching the two of you like hawks, as if they're expecting something to happen. And let's not forget that not so subtle promise of death."

"It's none of your business," Draco snarled irritably.

"No, it's not, but Ginny is like a sister to me, and she's unhappy so I make it my business."

Draco cursed under his breath and fixed the Auror across the table with a cold glare.

"Look, Malfoy, I know you aren't used to sharing, but wouldn't you rather be talking to me than six red-headed older brothers?" Harry knew it was a dirty way to get Draco to talk, but he had a feeling the man was floundering with whatever this problem was.

Draco considered his position for a few moments and decided to give the nosy bastard a brief outline of why Ginny was upset just to shut him up. "I've been working late a bit, and last night I overindulged at a business dinner. Needless to say, she wasn't pleased and I had to go to the office today to finish the paperwork from last night's business meeting."

"I'm a bit confused. Apart from having a few drinks last night, you don't seem to have done much else but work."

"Yeah, well, I did screw up today."

"How?"

"She wasn't happy when I left and I promised I'd be home in an hour."

"You were obviously longer."

"A lot longer. I fell asleep at the office."

"How late were you then?"

"I was gone for almost eight hours."

"You're lucky you're still breathing."

"I'm beginning to think she's just keeping me alive merely for her own amusement."

"That's entirely possible," Harry agreed. "She does have a spiteful streak in her."

"Anyway, now you know."

"The question is what are you going to do to make her smile again?"

Draco expelled a large breath and ran his hands through his hair. "I don't know. I tried to explain, but she cut me off."

"It's probably better to let her cool down a bit."

"I don't think she's going to listen to me no matter how calm she is."

"Well then, you have to do something to get her attention. What do you have planned for tomorrow?"

"Nothing at the moment."

"Maybe you should spend the day together—just the two of you."

"Then she'll tell me I'm not spending any time with the twins, and I'll be in trouble for that."

"I think it's time for you to face facts." Harry smirked across the table. "You can't win. No matter what you do you're a dead man."

"Thank you, Potter."

Harry's emerald eyes danced with merriment behind his spectacles. "You're very welcome."

Draco's lip curled in a half-hearted snarl. It wasn't bad enough that he'd just confided in Potter, now the man was laughing at him. What irked him most was the fact that Potter was right. He was dead no matter what he did or how he handled the situation.

"All you have to do is find a balance. Make sure you spend time as a family and with Ginny alone."

"I know what I have to do," Draco snapped. "I just have to find a way to make it happen."

Harry held his hands up as if in surrender. "I was only trying to help."

"You call that help?"

"You didn't even want to tell me what the problem was."

"You didn't ask!"

"Yes, I did," Harry responded calmly.

"You were just being nosy," Draco sniped.

Harry cursed under his breath. There were times when he really just felt like hexing Draco into the next century. "What will it take for you to believe that people actually care?"

"Why would you?"

"I can think of three very good reasons: Ginny, Drake and Angel."

"Well—I—"

"Look, we care about them and in turn it means we care about—" Harry paused and pulled a face. "—you."

Draco stared at the man across the table. He was seriously considering placing a Floo call to St. Mungo's — one of their patients was sure to be missing.

"Don't think it doesn't kill me to admit that, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't—"

"I won't," Draco agreed quickly. There was no way he was going to tell anyone about Potter's admission, no way in hell.

"Good," Harry uttered. "Look, what you have to do is come up with a strategy for balancing everything. Ginny isn't an unreasonable woman, but she is pregnant at the moment, and she's probably not feeling all that comfortable at the house yet."

"When did you become an expert?"

"I'm not, but I figure two heads are better than one when it comes to figuring out the more complicated sex."

"I don't believe this," Draco mumbled as he shook his head.

"If you want to ask someone more experienced I'm sure Bill or Charlie wouldn't mind lending an ear. Of course, if you're after expert help then your father-in-law would be the man you'd want to speak with."

"No, I don't want them to know."

"I didn't think so. The problem is, if you don't sort it out soon they'll all know, because the fact that you two have a problem is pretty obvious."

"You don't think I realize this?"

"I never implied you didn't. I merely stated the fact."

"You're enjoying this, aren't you, Potter?"

"Believe it or not, I'm not enjoying it at all. I know I should be, everything tells me I should be, but I'm not. You're both miserable, and that's bothering me for some bizarre reason."

Draco stared across the table with an incredulous expression on his face. "You're losing your mind."

"Don't remind me," Harry muttered. "So what are you going to do?"

Draco took a long drink of pumpkin juice and more than half wished it was something stronger. "I'm going to spend tomorrow with them."

"Good."

The men smoothly changed their topic of conversation as the women stepped outside. It wasn't until Ginny sat next to Harry that Draco realized the women must have had a similar conversation. A conversation that had obviously upset his wife given she was now a little pale and her eyes were red, as if she'd been crying. He desperately wanted to reach out to her, but given her mood before they left the manor he decided not to risk rejection or worse — an embarrassing scene.

Throughout the evening, the Potters kept the conversation flowing with an inordinate amount of small talk. Harry was eventually able to get the twins to liven up and that helped the night along tremendously until the children began to tire. The tension between Draco and Ginny didn't lessen even a little. They hardly spoke directly to each other at all, despite Draco's best efforts to portray a normal facade.

Ginny's stubborn attitude was bothering Draco greatly. He had been brought up to present a certain persona in public, despite what his personal feelings were at the time. If he didn't think he'd be signing his own death warrant he'd be tempted to explain to his wife that no matter what their personal problems might be they were expected to present an appropriate public face when necessary. Of course, commonsense prevailed, and his thoughts went unvoiced. Perhaps when she wasn't so angry with him, and he was bored with sleeping in his own bed, he'd have a quiet word about his expectations when they were away from home.

Near the end of the evening, Hermione cornered Draco in the bathroom. He knew it was a mistake to leave the company of his wife to visit the lavatory after the looks the brown-haired witch had be sending him when no one else appeared to be watching.

"Draco," Hermione started sternly.

Draco sighed heavily and turned towards the door, still drying his hands on a guest towel. "Yes, Hermione."

"Ginny isn't very happy at the moment."

"Really? I hadn't noticed," Draco quipped dryly.

"This is serious. She was in tears earlier."

"I know. I'm not blind."

"What are you going to do about it?"

"I'm going to make tomorrow all about her and the twins."

"One day isn't going to fix this."

"It won't just be one day. I've been working on a certain contract, and today I received the signed paperwork, so I won't be working quite so late now," Draco explained evenly. He was at a loss as to why he was finding it necessary to justify himself to this woman.

"So she can expect you home for dinner from now on?"

"Yes," Draco growled, his patience wearing thin. "Do you all think I like working ungodly hours? It drives me just as insane being away from her and the kids."

"If that's the case then you need to make the effort to get home and spend some quality time with them."

"Potter might be able to leave work whenever he wants, but I can't. I have my own business and its success depends on me being there, doing the hard work."

"I thought your father was the owner."

"He's starting to hand over to me, which means I have to follow certain deals through from start to finish without any assistance from him. I have to do whatever is necessary to secure the business we're chasing, and if that means working twenty-four hours a day for a few weeks then so be it."

"Did you explain this to Ginny?"

"She knows we've been busy."

"Draco, she knows you've not made it home for dinner. She doesn't know what you've been doing, not really."

"What are you on about, woman?"

"It's silly, but you have to remember that she's hormonal at the moment. Foolish thoughts pop into her head and begin to breed."

"What sort of thoughts?"

"Things like you're not attracted to her anymore."

"Rubbish."

"Or you're having an affair."

Draco's mind stopped working momentarily. How could Ginny even think something like that? "What?"

"I told you they were silly thoughts, but they're what she's been dealing with all week."

"Does she really think—"

"No, I'm sure she doesn't." Hermione shook her head strongly. "The point is she doesn't understand why you're working such hours. It's not like you need the Galleons."

"Has it ever occurred to you, or anyone else, that we're financially secure because we do work hard? If we don't continue then there won't be anything left for the future—for our children or grandchildren."

"I'm sure that's an understatement," Hermione responded sharply. "Ginny needs your attention now, not in a year or two when you have time—now."

"Thank you for your opinion, Hermione, but I'm certain I can handle my wife and my marriage without your input," Draco snarled. His patience was hanging on by just a thread, and to avoid a scene or telling the witch in front of him what he really thought of her, he needed to put an end to the situation.

Hermione snorted with laughter. "If you think you're going to handle Ginny your marriage is already in big trouble."

"Do not twist my words," Draco said in a low voice. "You know exactly what I meant."

"Do I?"

Draco gave Hermione a contemptuous look and slipped past her. His patience was spent and his temper was rising, so it was better to remove himself from the situation as quickly as possible. If he could make it back to the sitting room before she collared him again, he'd be safe.

As Draco entered the sitting room, he noticed that Angel was almost asleep on her godfather's lap and Drake, who was sitting on the floor before the unlit hearth, looked as though he was struggling to keep his eyes open. It was the perfect excuse to bring the night to a close and escape the unwanted advice coming from Hermione.

"I think we should call it a night before the children fall asleep, Ginny," Draco said gently.

"Fine," Ginny responded impassively, getting to her feet.

Harry stood up with Angel in his arms. "When you're ready to go I'll pass her straight to you, Draco."

"Thanks," Draco replied with a tight smile.

After Draco had assisted Ginny into her traveling cloak, much to her displeasure, he thanked Harry and Hermione for their hospitality, and took Angel from her godfather. He watched as Ginny hugged her friends and thanked them for the evening. Words were passed between the three that Draco couldn't hear, but he could imagine what was being said. Not that he was that bothered, because he was determined to put everything to rights tomorrow. It would have been nice to start tonight, but given Ginny's mood it was probably safer to make a fresh start tomorrow.

When Harry had convinced a very sleepy Drake to get to his feet, so he could go home, the family moved to the front porch. Final goodbyes and light kisses for the twins were exchanged before the family Disapparated.

As soon as they got home, Draco offered to tuck the twins into bed, so Ginny could relax. She bid both the children goodnight without responding to him and headed for their chambers. Draco took charge of the children, and in no time they were in their pajamas, drifting off to sleep in their own beds. Though it didn't take him all that long to sort the twins out, Ginny appeared to be already asleep when he entered their bedchamber. He prepared for bed quietly and slipped between the covers. The urge to reach out to his wife was great, but he knew she would reject any physical contact until he'd made amends. Sleep was a long time coming for the blond wizard, but he made good use of the time by making some loose plans for the following day. He was going to do everything in his power to win the affection of his wife back, starting first thing tomorrow morning.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The moment Draco walked into the office on Monday morning, he instructed his secretary to send an obscenely large bouquet of roses to his wife. He couldn't believe he'd fallen asleep the night before. To make matters worse, he'd had to leave before she woke up this morning and he knew she wasn't going to be pleased when she discovered his absence. Guilt didn't sit very well with him, especially when he was feeling exhausted, and he was desperate to erase the horrid feeling.

To be honest, he was surprised he'd made it as far as he had through yesterday without collapsing from exhaustion. He also wasn't shocked that one night's sleep hadn't erased the fatigue he was plagued with. It was going to take him a while to get himself back to normal. Longer than it would have taken him before he was married, because he knew he had to dedicate some time to his family, which is what he tried to do the day before.

Despite not having caught up on his lost sleep from the week before, he started his Sunday morning with a very early horse ride through the forest surrounding the estate with the twins before breakfast. After a family breakfast, Draco had taken the twins flying while Ginny relaxed with a good book, and then they'd taken a leisurely walk through the grounds until they came upon the place where he'd earlier arranged the servants to deliver a picnic lunch with all the trimmings. Once their midday feast had digested enough, the family went swimming in the lake, spending what remained of the daylight hours playing on the shores or in the water.

When the sun had finally began to dip low in the sky, they returned to the house. Drake and Angel had been so tired they'd very nearly fallen asleep over their dinner, and had subsequently been bathed and tucked into bed extra early. At the time Draco was a little disappointed because he'd wanted to spend a nice evening with his family doing normal family things — Wizards Chess or the like. His disappointment had quickly been pushed aside when he realized he'd be able to have a romantic dinner with his beautiful wife. After taking their meal on the balcony of their suite, Draco showered quickly, stating he had one more surprise for Ginny that he needed to arrange while she took a leisurely bath.

Draco ordered the servants to bring up a bottle of faux champagne and some strawberries with dipping chocolate for their enjoyment. When he could fiddle with the presentation of the 'champagne' and fruit no more, Draco sunk onto the bed for what he thought was just a few minutes while he waited for his wife to finish bathing. The day had been perfect. Ginny had forgiven him sometime during their walk through the gardens. Her hand had imperceptibly tightened its grip on his, and he just knew he was forgiven. Still he hadn't abandoned his plans then. This day was entirely about making her happy, and besides he was having a fantastic time, despite being so tired he was struggling to keep his eyes open at times. All he had to do now was wait for her to finish her bath, so he would spoil her just a little more, before making love to her for as long as he could, and falling asleep with her body draped across his comfortingly.

The next thing he knew it was morning.

He heaved a heavy, irritated sigh and snatched a file from his in tray. The desire to just stay at home today was strong, but he had to do the right thing and come into the office. All he could do was hope that he would be able to get away at a decent hour, so he could make up for the one thing he'd wanted to do, but didn't get to yesterday, and that in the mean time the flowers would soothe any hurt she was feeling.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ginny strode down the corridor towards Draco's office like she owned the place. The employees who recognized her greeted her politely, but she ignored them for the most part. Upon reaching her husband's office, Ginny cleared her throat meaningfully as she walked into his reception area.

Draco's secretary's head snapped up. "Mrs. Malfoy, we weren't expecting you today."

"Is my husband in his office?"

"Yes he is, Mrs. Malfoy."

"Does he have any appointments this afternoon?"

"Just one, with Mr. Malfoy Senior."

"What time?"

"It's due to start in half an hour."

Ginny thought for a moment. She had hoped Draco wouldn't have anything scheduled for the afternoon, because it would have made it easier. "Reschedule it for much later in the afternoon."

"I can't do that, Mrs. Malfoy."

"Yes you can, and if Lucius asks, tell him I demanded the change," Ginny responded haughtily, giving the woman her best impression of Narcissa.

"I—err—"

Ginny cut her off before she could once again tell her that her request wasn't possible. "We're not to be disturbed under any circumstances. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Mrs. Malfoy."

"Good."

Ginny turned away from the baffled secretary and let herself into her husband's office. The poor woman was probably going to have nightmares for the next month due to her, but Ginny didn't care.

Draco's eyes drifted upwards in the direction of the door. He'd left specific instructions with his secretary about being disturbed before the meeting with his father. His expression went from coldly annoyed to surprise the instant he saw his wife slipping into the room.

"Ginny, what are you doing here?"

"I came to see you."

"Did you get the flowers?"

"Mmm..."

Draco observed his wife carefully. There was something different about her. "Did you like them?"

"They were all right, but not exactly what I wanted from you."

Draco placed his quill on his desk and smirked. There was something going on that he wasn't aware of, but was sure she would tell him about in time. "Not what you wanted? It would help if you'd tell me what you wanted."

"Are you saying you have no idea?"

"You're not exactly making yourself clear, love."

Ginny perched herself on the corner of Draco's large desk and sent him a smoldering look. "Why did you send me flowers, Draco?"

"I—err—well, I promised you— something last night, and I inadvertently fell asleep. I just wanted to let you know I was thinking about you this morning."

"That was very sweet of you, but—"

Draco frowned at his wife. He knew the flowers he'd sent her had cost him a small fortune. "But what?"

"Well, they don't exactly make me feel loved."

"Wh—I—" Draco's mind was struggling to comprehend exactly what his wife was implying. The fact that he was sitting in his office at work, with his secretary just outside the door, wasn't helping matters. He watched his wife unfold and then refold her legs. She had lovely legs, they were so pretty to look at, and they felt amazing when they were wrapped around him. He slapped himself mentally, before his ever-raging male libido could take over his mind as well as his being and deliberately moved his eyes up her body. A mistake of grand proportions, in his opinion, for when he reached her chest it seemed to be moving up and down far more than was necessary for normal respiration. With his eyes fixated on Ginny's heaving breasts, Draco's mind began to wander in a direction not appropriate for their location.

Ginny leaned over, affording her distracted husband a mind-befuddling peek down her blouse. She placed a single finger under his chin and lifted his head until their gazes locked. "Do you see something you like?"

Draco's mouth went dry. His wife was seducing him at work. The next thing that entered his mind was a harsh reminder that he had a meeting in less than half an hour with his father. Somehow, he didn't think Lucius would be terribly forgiving if he skived off for reasons that weren't exactly life or death related.

"Ginny." Draco forced himself to take her hands in his and focus on what he had to say. "I have a meeting with my father very soon."

"I rescheduled your meeting."

"You what?"

"It was only with Lucius."

Draco rested his forehead on their joined hands and sighed. "It wasn't just with Father. The meeting was with the owner of the company, Ginny. My boss."

"It's not like he's going to fire you for rescheduling one meeting."

"Well that depends on what I'm rescheduling for."

"Draco, he's not going to sack you no matter what you do."

"No, I won't lose my job, but he will air his displeasure."

"Whose displeasure would you rather feel?"

Though her tone was distinctly sultry, Draco felt certain there was a genuine threat, or worse a promise, in her last statement. He raised an inquiring eyebrow at her. There was only one right answer in this situation and he knew it, however morally corrupt it might be.

"I've been very patient while you've been busy with work, but my thumbs are getting sore."

Draco frowned deeply. His brothers-in-law had warned him that pregnant women didn't always make sense, and he knew it was probably a mistake to ask the question, but he couldn't help himself. "Why are your thumbs sore?"

"After a week of twiddling them while you're downstairs in your study working or here at the office until Merlin only knows what hour they're sore."

Draco tried hard to hide the smirk threatening to tug at his lips. Now was not the time to show his amusement. He knew he'd neglected his wife's needs over the past week or so, but it couldn't be helped. It wasn't as if he hadn't tried to make up for it either, but yesterday had been so exhausting he doubted if falling asleep was the correct term for what he'd done last night — it was more like passing out. He lifted her hands to his mouth and gently kissed each of her thumbs.

"Better?"

"No."

"What would make you feel better?" Draco realized his monumental error in tactics the moment he saw his wife's nefarious expression. He should have just kept his mouth shut; it was far safer in situations like this.

Ginny extracted her hands from Draco's and slid off the desk. She pushed gently on his shoulders, so that he sat back in his large chair, and then straddled his legs. "I need something so that I stop twiddling my thumbs."

"This really isn't appropriate behavior for the office," Draco protested half-heartedly. "My secretary could walk in."

"She won't," Ginny assured him.

"You can't be certain."

"Yes, I can." Ginny smirked.

Draco's eyes widened. He shuddered to think what his secretary thought was going on in here. Then again, given his wife's persistent attitude, she'd probably be guessing the truth. Draco decided then that all he could do was hope that none of this made it to the office gossips, because it didn't seem as though Ginny was going to give him a choice. She was going to have her wicked way with him, whether he liked it or not. Given enough time Draco would freely admit that he decidedly liked the idea, but at the moment, he was feeling a little torn.

Ginny leaned forward and brushed her lips over Draco's softly. She withdrew slowly and caught his eyes with hers.

"Should we Apparate home?" Draco whispered huskily.

"No, I feel like being naughty," Ginny purred.

Draco didn't know whether to thank the deities or to curse them. How many men had their wives show up at work like this? More to the point, who was he to knock back the offer?

A wicked smirk crept across his features. If this was what she wanted, then he was certainly not going to disappoint her, but there was only one way to do it in the office during business hours: fast and hard. His hands ran up her sides and tangled them in her rich hair before claiming her mouth passionately. It seemed all Ginny had been waiting for was his acquiescence to step up proceedings. He could feel her nimble fingers tugging somewhat impatiently at the buttons on his shirt. Somewhere in the back of his mind he begged whoever might be listening that none of the buttons saw fit to pop off, because he was certain he didn't have another clean shirt in the office and those domestic charms had always baffled him. The thought was banished when he drifted down the milky column of her neck. It tasted so sweet that the idea that he could happily spend the rest of his existence nibbling on her creamy skin wasn't beyond comprehension.

The more he licked and sucked at her pulse point, the faster her blood pumped. Ginny could feel her previously damp knickers growing sodden with desire. She ground her hips against his growing erection intently, trying to find just a little relief. It wasn't enough, and the burning need for attention was overriding everything else in her mind. She wanted—needed to feel his hands on her. It was to the point where she would have described the feeling of want as a physical pain. Without finesse, she reached up and grabbed one of his hands, directing it between her legs.

Her knickers were just about dripping wet; knickers that had been rubbing against his trousers. Draco prayed she'd not left an embarrassing wet spot on the front of his pants. The position she'd put his hand in was becoming increasingly uncomfortable, to the point where pain was beginning to spark whenever she ground against him. Despite her growl of disappointment, Draco slid his hand around her leg and under her backside. When his other hand was positioned on the opposite cheek of her derriere he lifted her off his lap and deposited her on his desk, standing as he guided her onto the hard wood surface. She settled back on the desk with an almost feral grin on her face, her legs wrapping around his hips preventing him from drawing away. He may have succeeded in placing his naughty wife in the prone position, but Draco was not fool enough to believe that gave him control of this little escapade — Ginny was firmly in charge and wasn't going to relinquish her control any time soon.

Ginny licked her lips lasciviously and peered at her husband through her eyelashes while he attended to the buttons on her shirt. He looked good enough to devour. The muscles of his chest were teasing her, rising and falling just a little more than usual, as if they were begging to be licked. She allowed her gaze to wander to his pants. They were tented deliciously. Her legs tightened around his waist and she lifted herself to a sitting position. She had to release him and that was all there was to it. Her hands went directly to his belt and started unbuckling the now annoying thing.

Satisfied with the view he was getting of his wife's breasts, Draco moved onto removing her knickers while she struggled with his belt buckle. He knew once his erection was released, he would want to be satisfied immediately and he didn't want any barriers in the way. With care, he pushed her skirt up high on her hips and slipped his fingers into the sides of her knickers. With a little encouragement Ginny lifted each side of her bottom, making the process a little easier. When he'd pulled them as far as he could, he gently removed her legs from his hips and continued sliding the flimsy fabric all the way down until they were off. Draco grinned nefariously at her while twirling her white knickers on one finger. Then, with a feral growl, Draco sent the knickers flying over Ginny's head and he attacked her neck again, drifting lower to her satin covered breasts from time to time.

Ginny's hands immediately resumed their mission of releasing his cock from its restraints. His fingers were doing deliciously wicked things between her legs, making it difficult to concentrate on her task. She bit her lip to distract her mind from the sensations Draco was evoking and keep her thoughts on trying to get his pants off.

"God you're so wet, love," Draco growled throatily into her ear.

"Take me now," Ginny whispered, unable to find the strength to vocalize any louder.

Within seconds, Draco had pushed aside her hands and released his pants, allowing them to simply drop to his knees. He positioned himself at her entrance, but paused to listen to her whimper her desire. Only when he thought her patience was truly beginning to fray did he enter her with a single thrust. She was so wet and warm he almost came right then and there. Determined to at least satisfy his wife, Draco consciously paused for a moment to collect his thoughts and tamp down his desire to simply allow his release to take him over.

The feel of him filling her was glorious. She knew she'd missed the feeling, but she had no idea how much until now. His strokes were anything but gentle; however, she found she didn't care. All that mattered was that she walked out here thoroughly fucked, so that she might be able to concentrate on something other than how frustrated she was feeling. It didn't take long before her climax began to build in earnest. While she'd have liked this feeling to go on forever, she needed completion and she was going to get it.

Need overrode finesse when Draco began to move. His desire to relieve the pressure within his body was growing with each and every stroke. Before long, he could feel the familiar tightening in his groin that signaled imminent release. He knew from the way Ginny was writhing beneath him that she wasn't far away from bliss either. The notion that he should allow her to come first passed briefly through his mind and was dismissed with his next thrust. There was no way he could control himself to that degree after such a period of abstinence. A week may not have been long to some, but to him it felt like a lifetime. Without fanfare, he untangled Ginny's legs from around his hips and lifted them over his shoulders, never once losing his rhythm.

When he hit her sweetest spot, she thought she'd explode right then, but he withdrew too quickly. About to protest the injustice of being teased so terribly, Ginny was silenced when Draco again hit that point that was guaranteed to make the stars and moon come together in one almighty rush.

"Again... faster..." Ginny managed to gasp out.

More than happy to oblige, Draco complied without argument or question. With every thrust, the volume of his grunts rose. He was trying to contain himself just a little, so he could be certain Ginny would join him in euphoria, but it was fast becoming impossible.

"Oh. My. God. Keep—keep—going. Don't stop... don't stop... I—oh god, yes!" As she gasped out her approval her muscles began to twitch and tighten around him. Her hand slammed onto the desk, sending papers and other items flying in all directions.

Draco groaned throatily. This was the best feeling in the world—his wife desperately trying to milk him of everything he had and then some. It had only taken a couple of her spasms to send him to the point of no return. He emptied himself in her with a series of carnal grunts, denoting in some primal way his satisfaction. The rhythmic rocking of his hips continued until he felt Ginny start to relax around his member. When he finally stilled, he didn't withdraw, preferring to remain sheathed in her warmth for just a while longer.

As Ginny lay there trying to catch her breath, she became conscious of all that she was laying on. There was something that felt rather like a quill digging painfully into her backside, and her head was resting on something lumpy, she hoped it wasn't an inkwell. She struggled to sit up and make herself more comfortable. Draco had that distinctly sated look on his face, which told her categorically he was ready for a nap. Despite his initial protests, she'd hear nothing but positive things from this little escapade.

Draco gathered his wife in his arms and placed a lingering kiss on her head. "That was—"

"Just enough to take the edge off," Ginny finished for him smugly. She gently pushed him away from her, slid from the desk and pulled her skirt down. There was no way she was going to fawn over him now; that would come tonight, when he made the effort to come home at a decent hour, and not before. "Don't work late tonight."

Draco was struck speechless as Ginny sauntered to his office door, buttoning her blouse as she went. Where were his little words of love? She'd not even uttered a simple 'I love you'. All he got was a view of her backside swaying delightfully on its way to the door. Just before she opened the door, she shook her hair out, so it didn't look so mussed and gave him a decidedly saucy smile. It was around then that his senses returned to him. Though it wasn't anything that his wife did, her presence was still befuddling his mind. It was the very real sound of his father's angry voice railing at his secretary when the door opened. He hurriedly pulled his trousers up, fastening them quickly at his waist and was still straightening his shirt when Lucius burst into his office.

"What is the meaning of rescheduling our meeting?"

"That wasn't me, Father. Ginevra took it upon herself to rearrange my schedule. She needed—err— an hour or so of my time," Draco responded evenly. "I apologize for any inconvenience the deferment may have caused you."

Lucius strolled further into the office. He was neither blind nor stupid. Over the years, he'd lost count of how many times he'd interrupted his son while he had some tart from the secretarial pool bent over his desk, but that was before Ginevra had taken up residence in his heart. Lucius had noticed the expression on his daughter-in-law's face as she left the office, and the smug smile she'd given him as they passed each other was extraordinary to say the least. The woman looked as though she was the cat, who not only caught the canary, but was lucky enough to have it served with the cream as well. With that in mind, he scanned the office as he entered; searching for evidence of what he suspected had been happening while he had been barred from entering the room. A smirk tugged at his mouth when he spied exactly what he was looking for hanging carelessly off of the arm of one of the visitors' chairs. "What did Ginevra need you for that was so urgent?"

"Just some personal business," Draco answered vaguely as he realized he'd inadvertently buttoned his shirt wrong.

Lucius stared pointedly at the virginal white lace knickers that obviously once resided under his daughter-in-law's skirt. "Indeed."

"Father!" Draco strode around his desk and snatched the flimsy lace garment from its position, stuffing it into his pocket. "I'll thank you not to—"

"Not to what?" Lucius questioned audaciously.

"Father." The warning in Draco's tone was unmistakable. The last thing he wanted to do was get into a discussion about his sex life with his father at work.

Lucius waved off the unspoken threat. "I suggest you re-button your shirt before the staff catches a glimpse of you, and you might zip your fly up as well. It might pay to advertise when you are single, but you are a married man now."

Draco could feel heat creeping up his neck and into his face. To have his father make such comments was simply humiliating. Still there was no point arguing with Lucius. It was obvious that he'd guessed what business Ginny had at the office. He also knew he had to make himself presentable before anyone saw him in this state of undress.

"Now that you're dressed appropriately, we can have that conference."

Without meeting his father's gaze, Draco strode around his desk and sat down. The last thing he felt like doing now was concentrating on business, but it seemed he had little choice. He rested his arms on his desk and immediately withdrew upon feeling something wet seep through the fabric on his arm. So as not to create a scene, which he had no doubt his father would find amusing, Draco casually placed a clean piece of parchment over the offending area of the desk — he'd have to clean that up when he had some privacy. While he was waiting for Lucius to get comfortable, he promised himself he'd be heading home just as soon as he could for a little more of what his wife had silently promised him on her way out.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Thanks to Rainpuddle13 for her amazing beta skills and plot discussions.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to review!

-->

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 SEVEN

YOU CAN PICK YOUR FRIENDS

Lucius sat down with a vicious snarl snaking its way up his throat, threatening to burst forth at the dinner table of all places. His son's self-satisfied smirk and buoyant mood was irking him more than his actions had this afternoon. Not to mention that the boy was clinging to his mother's skirts and keeping his wife by his side to hold off the diatribe he so desperately wanted to serve him. He swallowed the snarl for the sake of propriety and to keep in his own wife's good graces. Sooner or later, he would catch Draco alone, and then he would vent his displeasure in a most hostile manner. Of course, until then he would dwell on the cause of his displeasure.

After their delayed meeting this afternoon, Lucius had returned to his own office for a short time, and then had gone to seek Draco's opinion on something trivial only to discover that he had decamped for the day, according to his secretary. Given that Lucius had stewed for a few hours on that morsel, he was further vexed upon arriving home where he was told by the servants that their 'master' was not to be disturbed for any reason whatsoever. Prior to storming up the staircase, Lucius sent the servants scattering into the bowels of the house under the threat of clothes. Determined to speak to his son, he disregarded the message relayed by the house elves and barged into his son's private suite. Half way across their private sitting room, Lucius realized that whatever activity Draco and Ginevra were engaged in, it did not sound like a spectator sport. He retreated hastily, grumbling to himself about how irresponsible his son was acting.

He watched as Draco lifted his wine glass, tilting it ever so slightly in his direction before taking a mouthful. Lucius returned the smug smirk with an icy glare. Draco obviously knew he wanted a word, and how it was bothering him to keep away from the topic while at the table.

Unable to keep his silence any longer, Lucius adopted a nonchalant tone and enquired, "Draco, what do you have planned for after dinner?"

"I promised Drake a game of Wizard Chess and Angel a story before bedtime."

"Perhaps, once the children are in bed, you could spare five minutes?"

Draco's eyes danced with amusement. "Sorry, Father, I promised my wife something as well."

"You've just spent the afternoon—"

"And I intend to spend the evening giving an encore performance," Draco finished for him. "Whatever it is, it can wait until tomorrow."

Lucius snarled and stabbed at his meat viciously. If he pushed the issue Narcissa was sure to voice her disapproval, and he didn't wish to endanger his own enjoyment of the evening by angering his own wife. "I suppose you're still leaving early tomorrow?"

"Yes, and Thursday as well. We've scheduled two interviews each afternoon for the prospective tutors."

Lucius growled something unintelligible.

"Oh, Lucius, calm down. It's important that the right person be selected to tutor our grandchildren," Narcissa chided.

Lucius sent a subtle look of disbelief in his wife's direction. This was not about the selection of a suitable tutor; it was about Draco's lack of discipline at the office. He knew better than to attempt to clarify his thoughts at the dinner table, so he remained silent. Later, when they had some privacy, he would explain his position and perhaps she would then understand.

For the remainder of the meal, Lucius did not participate in the light conversation going on around him, unless he was asked a direct question. He preferred to sulk at the end of the table, not that anyone else was bothered. As soon as everyone had finished dessert, Draco herded his family back to their own wing for a night of simple pleasures in each other's company. Before he left, he did extend an invitation to his parents to join them, but Narcissa declined politely, telling him he needed to spend this time with the children and Ginevra.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

There was an extra bounce in Draco's step as he left his daughter's suite and made his way to his own suite. He'd managed to keep all the promises he'd made in relation to games with the children, and he got to tuck them into bed. Now, he was contemplating joining his wife in the bath for a little before bedtime fun.

"Draco?"

"Father, what are you doing lurking in the shadows?"

"I was waiting for you."

"If this has anything to do with the office it can wait until tomorrow morning."

"I'm afraid it can't wait."

Draco's demeanor immediately soured.

"Your conduct today was highly unprofessional," Lucius continued.

"Quite frankly, I don't care. After last week, my wife deserves some of my time, and I'm not about to deny her."

"I'm referring to your questionable behavior in the office, and then your unplanned absence this afternoon."

"What I do in my office—"

"Is the latest gossip circulating the secretarial pool," Lucius hissed.

"So?" Draco shrugged nonchalantly. "Everyone knows I love my wife."

"No, they know you bent her over your desk."

Draco snarled audibly. "What I do with my wife is my business."

"I don't dispute that, but when you do it at the office, it fast becomes a topic of discussion among the plebeians."

"You would know," Draco retorted.

Lucius arched an eyebrow at his son. He hadn't heard Draco take that tone with him since he was a teenager with too many hormones running riot through his body. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"It seems Mother helped Ginny in her quest to get my attention in a meaningful manner. She even looked after the twins while Ginny visited the office."

Lucius' nostrils flared with indignation. He certainly hadn't been having sex in his office — well at least not in the last five years or so.

"I wonder where Mother got such an idea from?"

"You would be best to leave that alone," Lucius growled.

"As would you," Draco intoned calmly. "Now, if that was all, I'm going to join my insatiable wife in the bathtub."

Lucius mouth twitched as if he wanted to respond, but he voiced nothing.

Draco smirked at the expression on his father's face and continued down the corridor to his suite. He'd have been lying if he said he wasn't shocked when Ginny had told him it was Narcissa's idea to seduce him at the office, but he was very glad she had thought to inform him. Little morsels of information like that were useful when he was dealing with his father after such a tryst.

Upon closing his suite doors behind him, Draco started removing his clothing. By the time he reached the bathroom doors, there was a trail of shed garments marking out his path. He let himself into the bathroom quietly, so as not to startle Ginny. She was so relaxed she didn't so much as flutter an eyelash when he entered the room.

Draco allowed his eyes to roam over the scene before him. One of her legs was raised on the side of the bath; his eyes followed her creamy flesh all the way into the thick bubbles hiding her nudity. He didn't think he'd ever seen anything more erotic in his life. Just the knowledge that she was completely bare under those bubbles was enough to get his libido pumping.

Her eyes flickered open when his foot entered the water. "Are the twins asleep?"

"Sound asleep," Draco confirmed. "Sit up a bit, so I can get in behind you."

After a few minutes of maneuvering, Ginny settled back into his chest with a contented sigh. Draco placed a long kiss on her exposed neck, and his hands floated down to her abdomen, resting protectively over his unborn child. This was far better than being at the office until all hours. He'd missed his wife's company so much last week that he swore to himself he wouldn't let it happen again—at least not to the extent it had.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ginny checked, for possibly the tenth time, that the interview file was on Draco's desk and hoped for the millionth time that he'd arrive home, so she could relax. If the interviewee due in less than fifteen minutes was Ginny's choice, Clare Sheehan, then she wouldn't have been bothered, but it was Mr. Amherst, the applicant Draco had insisted on seeing again.

The twins were in their playroom under the surveillance of Millie. Ginny had spoken to them this morning about what was going to happen this afternoon and what was expected of them. She had Ippy on standby to collect the children when the time was right — it was far better than having them sit through the entire interview.

The door to the study burst open suddenly, startling Ginny from her thoughts.

"Ginny, love, I'm so sorry," Draco blurted on his way across the room. "I've just Disapparated mid-conversation with Father."

"You what?"

Draco placed a chaste kiss on her cheek. "You know he wasn't happy with me taking the time out from the office."

"Yes," Ginny replied tentatively.

"Well, he tried his utmost to keep me there, so when he wouldn't shut up gracefully, I simply left in the most absolute way I could." Draco grinned amusedly at his wife. "I should think he's going to be livid."

"He won't disturb the interviews, will he?"

"No, he wouldn't want to damage his reputation by allowing a stranger to witness his venting."

Ginny breathed a sigh of relief. "Good."

"Of course, he'll seek me out eventually," Draco said seriously. "When he does, I want you to remove yourself and the children, if you're anywhere in the vicinity."

"Why?"

"Love, he's going to be more than just a little angry. I don't want you witnessing such behavior." When Ginny's expression still showed she didn't quite understand he continued, "It could get ugly, and I don't think he'll stop to consider who might hear him if it's just family in the house."

"All right, I'll run away when he shows up."

"Good girl," Draco cooed, placing a firm kiss on her mouth. "How long do we have?"

"About five minutes."

"Enough time to snog you senseless," Draco replied cheekily, descending on her mouth with certain intent.

Ginny welcomed her husband's advances warmly. It had been so long since they'd simply flirted with each other and she'd missed it greatly.

"Master, Mr. Amherst is arrived," Ippy announced.

Draco drew away from his wife reluctantly. "Shame we can't reschedule these interviews," he muttered.

"You are in a naughty mood," she chided in good humor, straightening his necktie before he could pull away altogether. "Show Mr. Amherst in, Ippy."

"As Mistress wishes." Ippy bowed low to the floor before vanishing from sight.

Draco strode around his desk, dragging one of the visitors' chairs with him and positioning it at the corner of the vast table, closest to his chair, for Ginny to use while the interviews were in progress. "Come and sit down, Ginny. Is this the file for the first interview?"

"Yes, the rest are in your second drawer."

"Thank you, love." Draco sat down in his leather chair and opened the file, so he could quickly peruse the notes taken at Mr. Amherst's first interview.

Ginny sat in the chair Draco had arranged for her. She was watching her husband closely. It amazed her how quickly he could go from being playful to being the consummate businessman in control of everything. There was something very desirable about him when he was in this mode. A yearning to abandon her own chair and perch herself on his lap was gnawing at her, but she behaved, knowing full well that they had to get through these interviews.

A firm knock at the door echoed through the study, pulling both Draco and Ginny from their respective musings.

"Are you ready?" Draco asked quietly.

"Yes, let's get this started," Ginny replied wistfully. There were now much better things she would rather be doing — like upsetting her husband's perfect appearance and in-control demeanor — but she was compelled to do the responsible thing.

With a last smile at his wife, Draco directed his gaze to the door. "Enter."

Ginny tried to smile pleasantly as the door opened, but it felt stained and false, so she opted for a neutral expression. It was no secret that she didn't particularly care for this wizard and really didn't want to meet with him again.

Draco stood as the wizard came into view. "Mr. Amherst, a pleasure to see you again."

"Mr. Malfoy, Mrs. Malfoy, thank you for the opportunity to meet your children."

Draco shook hands with the man. "Please sit down."

Ginny smiled briefly and nodded at the older wizard. He still wasn't going to be teaching her children if she had any say in the matter. She tried to look interested as Draco launched into the questions he'd devised for the second round of interviews, but her mind kept wandering to more entertaining subjects.

"Ginny?" Draco expressed a little impatiently.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Ginny colored a little. Her thoughts had taken her well away from the discussion, and judging by Draco's tone he'd tried more than once to get her attention.

"Would you like to send for the children?" Draco reiterated.

"Yes, of course," Ginny responded. "Ippy, inform Millie we're ready for the twins to join us."

"As Mistress wishes," Ippy responded before Disapparating.

Ginny turned and sent a slightly guilty smile in Draco's direction. He returned it with a subtle stern look.

"I'm certain the children won't be long," Draco informed Mr. Amherst.

"As I said before, I'm looking forward to meeting them."

The man's tight smile didn't impress Ginny. He still gave her the impression that he really wasn't interested in the children at all. She listened as Draco made small talk with the man, feeling no need to try to join the stilted conversation.

A small knock at the door brought an end to the conversation. Ginny immediately got to her feet and went to greet her children. She'd decided that she wanted to be close to the twins just in case they weren't comfortable at any stage.

"Thank you, Millie," Ginny said upon opening the door. "Come in, you two."

The twins stopped just inside the door. Angel was looking at the strange wizard with open curiosity. Drake, on the other hand, kept his expression guarded.

"Drake, Angel, come forward," Draco instructed.

They shuffled forward slowly, neither in any hurry to meet the man who might become their tutor.

"I promise I won't let him bite you," Ginny whispered from behind them.

Angel giggled and, taking confidence in her mother's light tone, approached her father's desk.

Draco smiled at his daughter; she was always willing to meet new people. "Drake, would you care to join us?"

The little wizard muttered something under his breath that sounded vaguely familiar to a saying his Uncle Ronald was infamous for saying when he didn't want to do something.

Draco made a mental note to have a word to his brother-in-law about watching his mouth when the children were around. "Come on, Drake, step up here next to your sister, so I can introduce you both."

Drake stepped up close to Angel and looked at his father.

"This is Drake and Angelique," Draco said to the other wizard. "Children, this is Mr. Amherst."

"Hello, Mr. Amherst," Angel said cheerfully with a bright smile.

"Hello, Miss Malfoy, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Hello," Drake muttered.

"Master Malfoy, I'm certain you're capable of speaking much clearer than that," Mr. Amherst responded.

Drake looked to his father for assurance, and only spoke again when he received an almost imperceptible nod. "Hello, Mr. Amherst," he said, exaggerating each syllable as if he were speaking to someone who was hard of hearing.

"That's much better," Mr. Amherst praised. "Your father tells me you're quite bright."

Drake tilted his chin slightly. "I can write my name and I can make potions really good."

"Is that a fact?"

"Yep, Uncle Sev even gave me an Outstanding."

The old wizard raised his eyebrows in disbelief and opened his mouth to respond.

"Perhaps, I should explain," Draco offered quickly, silencing the other man. "Professor Severus Snape of Hogwarts is my godfather. The last time we visited him, he allowed Drake to sit in on one of his first year classes, and he appraised Drake's potion at the end of the lesson along with his students' efforts."

"I know Severus," Mr. Amherst began. "I can't see him handing out such a high mark just to put a smile on a child's face."

"He doesn't. Drake genuinely earned the mark he was awarded," Draco said with pride. "He has a natural aptitude for potions."

"Very good," Mr. Amherst mused aloud. "This shows a great potential for problem solving."

"I also fly really, really good," Drake added.

"Fly? It's hardly important to academics," Mr. Amherst responded haughtily.

Drake looked at the man as if he'd taken leave of his senses. In his humble opinion, flying was more important than anything else, especially academics—whatever they were.

"Yes, it's more important to concentrate on your studies at this age, young man."

Much to Draco's horror his son's face contorted into a disgusted expression, and he knew Drake wasn't far away from telling the older wizard just what he thought of his ideology. A change of subject was well and truly due. "Angel is just as bright as Drake."

Amherst fixed his eyes on the little strawberry blonde. "What are you capable of, young lady?"

"I can write my name, and I know the alphabet, and Grandfather says I'm beautiful," Angel answered confidently.

"Beauty does not make up for brains," Mr. Amherst commented seriously. "Your looks will not find you a good job when your education is finished."

"Grandfather says I don't have to worry about that, because he'll look after me until I marry a handsome, rich, pureblood wizard with a castle."

Mr. Amherst appeared to be speechless for a moment or two while he stared in barely concealed horror at the little witch, and then he turned his attention to Draco. "I rather feel that the values your daughter is expressing aren't entirely conducive to a good attitude towards a successful education."

Draco opened his mouth to respond, but Ginny cut him off swiftly.

"They're five-years-old. They don't have values yet, they have dreams and wishes."

"I disagree, Mrs. Malfoy. Children raised with realistic values have more sagacious views on their abilities and goals."

Although Ginny didn't want her children to grow up expecting to live on the family fortune or simply to marry more money, she didn't appreciate this wizard's assessment of their views on life after talking to them for less than five minutes. "Well, my children are normal five-year-olds with dreams about their futures. They may not be realistic at this stage, but they're not supposed to be. Any child who is already planning a career at this age must have very sorry excuse for a childhood," she responded strongly.

"Yes, well I think we'll leave it there," Draco interjected carefully. He didn't want to think about what his wife might do to the man if he was foolish enough to contradict her again. "Thank you so much for coming, Mr. Amherst. We'll be making our final decision in due time and you'll be advised of your success."

"Thank you, Mr. Malfoy." Mr. Amherst stood and shook hands with Draco. Then he turned and inclined his head with respect. "Mrs. Malfoy."

"Ippy, show Mr. Amherst out," Draco ordered, before Ginny could respond.

The house elf shuffled out of the shadows. "As Master wishes."

With a final nod of his head, the wizard followed the servant from the study.

"I don't like him," Angel blurted as the door closed.

Ginny pinned Draco with a meaningful look. She knew there was something she didn't like about the man the first time she met him and the last few minutes had confirmed her feelings. There was little doubt in her mind that every student who had the misfortune to come across this educator would turn out like her brother, Percy. It was a frightening prospect.

"Don't say it," Draco warned quietly. He was loath to admit that the man was now out of contention due to his argumentative attitude towards Ginny. It was one thing to employ someone with strong values, but quite another to have him argue them with his employers. The thought of what Ginny might do to the man if Draco wasn't there to referee was bloodcurdling.

"There's no need," Ginny replied smugly. "I can tell by your expression that you now see what I couldn't put my finger on before."

Draco pulled his timepiece from his pocket and checked it intently. He was determined not to get into a discussion with Ginny about Amherst and her being right, at least not in front of the twins. "A cup of tea would be nice. We have about an hour before the next applicant is due."

Ginny smirked. "Nice change of subject."

"What? I'm thirsty."

"Millie, please arrange a tea tray and some pumpkin juice for the children," Ginny instructed.

"Yes, Mistress."

The family moved over to the comfortable chairs around the hearth, where Draco enjoyed the innocent conversation conducted by the twins. It was such a change from the mundane routine of the business world, and a whole lot more entertaining. He was surprised when Millie Apparated into the room and announced that the next applicant was due in five minutes. The hour had passed so quickly, but he consoled himself with the knowledge that he could spend the remainder of the afternoon with them, just as soon as this interview was over.

After admonishing the twins to behave and reassuring them that he would send for them soon, Draco allowed Millie to take them back to the playroom. Ginny had retrieved the file containing Mr. Conway's interview notes and application from his desk drawer. She was just passing the file to him when Ippy announced the wizard's arrival.

"Give us five minutes then show him in," Draco instructed as he moved to his desk.

Ginny watched her husband go through his transformation from relaxed and playful to the serious businessman. Again the desire to mess with his control was making her fingers itch, and again she pushed the urge to the back of her mind as she took her seat beside him. There would be time enough for that after this was over.

Draco closed the file as a knock sounded through the room. He straightened his already straight necktie and took a deep breath.

"Enter."

"Mr. Conway to see you, Master," Ippy announced.

Draco rose from his chair and intoned genuinely, "Mr. Conway, thank you for coming."

"Thank you, Mr. Malfoy." The man grasped Draco's outstretched hand firmly. "Mrs. Malfoy, a pleasure to meet with you again."

"Thank you." Ginny smiled. "Please sit down."

"We have a few more questions for you and if you have any of your own, now would be the time to voice them."

"Excellent! Shall we make a start then?"

Draco smiled indulgently at the older wizard. This man was a true teacher—he was in control and determined to command the situation. Rather than being insulted by this attitude, Draco was impressed. Without further delay, he launched into the questions he had for the man and took careful note of his responses. He was happy to see that Ginny was paying attention this time and he hoped she might have some active input with this candidate.

After a good fifteen minutes of continuous conversation and discovery, Draco felt he knew enough about the man to introduce him to the children. If this man interacted well with them, then he had no problem appointing him to the position. Not that he'd let on while Conway was still in the room. It would be a matter for discussion with Ginny afterwards, but he could tell she liked the man as well.

"If you have no further questions, we'll introduce the children," Draco said when he'd exhausted his list of queries and thought the other man had asked all his questions.

"Yes, I'm very much looking forward to meeting them," Mr. Conway agreed heartily.

"Ippy, inform Millie that we're waiting for the children," Draco commanded.

The servant muttered its acknowledgement before Disapparating.

"Your idea of inviting applicants to meet the children in their own surrounds is a grand initiative," Mr. Conway commented.

"Thank you," Ginny responded. "We thought it would be best if the children were in a comfortable setting."

"Yes, their feelings are so volatile at their age. It's very important that they're at ease when meeting new people," Conway added. "I can see that you care for your children a great deal."

Ginny bristled. "Of course, I do."

"Please don't take my comment the wrong way. What I meant was, it's refreshing to see. All too often, in older, wealthy families, children are simply seen as an obligation to the family line and are not truly cherished as they should be."

"Oh... Well, thank you."

Draco observed the conversation with interest. He was on guard, ready to interject the moment things looked as though they were going wrong. If this wizard could continue to get along with Ginny then the decision had all but been made, as far as he was concerned.

"If I am to believe a grain of what certain tabloids have printed, you're very new to this parenting caper, Mr. Malfoy," Conway said cautiously.

"Less than a grain is to be believed. The fact that I have only known my children since February is, indeed, correct," Draco confirmed.

Conway nodded thoughtfully. "It must have been quite a shock to the system to be a father of two so suddenly."

"It took some adjusting," Draco conceded.

"Not to worry, every parent I've ever come across is learning something new every day."

"They don't exactly come with instruction manuals," Draco added tightly.

"It would make life very boring if they did."

A small knock at the door interrupted the conversation.

"That will be the children," Draco announced as Ginny rose and walked to the door.

Draco watched with mixed feelings as Mr. Conway rose from his chair and went to greet the twins.

"Drake Malfoy, I presume?" Conway said extending his hand to the little boy.

"Yes," Drake uttered.

"I'm Mr. Conway."

"Err—hello," Drake replied uncertainly.

"No need to be nervous, young man. I promise I've left my teacher's hat in my trunk at home."

"I'm not nervous," Drake answered as superciliously as he could.

"There's the confidence I knew was lurking behind those eyes," Mr. Conway exclaimed, before turning his gaze to Angel. "And you must be Angelique."

"Yes, I am."

"I'm very pleased to meet you, Miss Malfoy," Mr. Conway said happily as he offered his hand to the little strawberry blonde.

Angel accepted the man's hand with a smile. "I'm pleased to meet you as well, Mr. Conway."

"You have beautiful manners."

"Thank you, Mr. Conway."

The wizard smiled indulgently at the confident little witch. "Why don't we go over here and have a chat? I'd like to get to know both of you a little better, and I'm sure you'd like to know a bit more about me."

Drake looked to his parents for confirmation that this arrangement was all right with them. It wasn't what they'd done before, so he was a little perturbed when the wizard made the suggestion.

"That sounds like a lovely idea," Ginny said quietly.

Draco and Ginny watched as their children wandered over to the comfortable chairs near the unlit hearth. Mr. Conway appeared to wait until they'd both been seated before taking a chair close to them. He started by asking them what they were interested in and seemed to listen closely to their answers, encouraging them consistently to keep talking to him. The moment he won Drake over was all too obvious — he showed an avid interest in Quidditch and flying. Angel was won over easily with compliments that flowed from the wizard's tongue without a hint of perjury. At no time did the older wizard belittle anything the children told him, nor did he scoff when they exclaimed how good they were at certain things. He appeared to connect with the twins — knowing just how to respond to their various comments and observations.

After a half an hour of constant chatter, Draco approached the little gathering on the other side of the room. He was thankful that the other man took the hint without him having to do or say anything.

"Well, children, as much as I would like to stay here all afternoon and chat with you, I'm certain your parents have other plans, so it is time I took my leave," Mr. Conway announced. "It was a true pleasure to meet you both and I sincerely hope we see each other again."

Drake got to his feet and offered his hand to the wizard. "Goodbye, Mr. Conway."

"Goodbye, Master Malfoy. You keep up your flying. Remember practice makes perfect!" Mr. Conway looked to Angel, who had remained seated. "Miss Malfoy, your conversation has been most interesting."

"Thank you, Mr. Conway, it has been a pleasure," Angel said in a perfect imitation of Narcissa.

Mr. Conway smiled indulgently at the little witch and turned to Draco. "Mr. Malfoy, your children are a enchanting. Thank you very much for this opportunity."

"Thank you for attending," Draco intoned, shaking the man's hand. "We'll be making our decision in due time and will advise you of your success."

"I look forward to hearing from you." Mr. Conway dipped his head in Ginny's direction. "Mrs. Malfoy, you should be very proud."

"Thank you, I am proud of them. It was lovely to meet you again," Ginny responded warmly.

"Ippy, if you could show Mr. Conway out and return to your normal duties," Draco instructed.

"Yes, Master. Mister will come with Ippy," the house elf demanded.

Mr. Conway followed the pushy house elf from the study and left the family alone.

"Well?" Draco looked questioningly at his family.

"He was all right," Drake commented casually.

"I liked him," Angel added.

"Ginny?" Draco waited patiently for his wife's analysis of the applicant.

"He was very nice."

They had decided earlier that they wouldn't be discussing their opinions in front of the children, so Draco didn't push her any further. When the twins were otherwise occupied he would talk to her about appointing Mr. Conway. The man appeared to be perfect for the position.

"So what do you have planned for the rest of the day?" Ginny asked cautiously, fully expecting Draco to run back to the office or usher them out of his study so he can work.

"I thought Drake and I might take the brooms out for a bit," Draco answered with a grin.

"Really, Daddy?"

"Yes, mate. If it's all right with Mummy you can go and get changed into your flying gear."

"Go on," Ginny said when Drake looked pleadingly at her.

"Angel, do you want to come?" Draco asked.

The little girl shook her head. "I'm having a tea party with Grandmother."

"All right then," Draco replied. "Does Mother know she's got a visitor coming," he continued softly to Ginny.

"Yes, Narcissa said something this morning before she went out to lunch. Angel wanted to go with her, so she promised she'd could take afternoon tea with her if we had no other plans."

"Well, I have to get changed, so I'll deliver Angel to Mother on my way upstairs, if you like," Draco suggested.

"That's fine," Ginny answered.

"What are you going to do?"

"I've got a few things to take care of, so I'll be in my parlor."

"Okay. I'll let you know when we get back."

"Tell your mother if she tires of Angel she can send her to me," Ginny said.

"I will." Draco gave Ginny a lingering kiss, a kiss that held an obvious promise for later in the evening. "Come on, Angel, let's get you to your grandmother before she starts afternoon tea without you."

"Grandmother would never start before her guests arrive," Angel declared self-importantly.

"Have fun," Ginny called as they left the study. She gathered a few papers and headed off for her private parlor.

They still hadn't had a dinner to thank their attendants from their wedding, and even though she had demanded Draco's help to begin with, she had been slowly planning the evening on her own. When she realized that Draco was far too busy with work to be bothered with planning something that she was essentially responsible for she decided to make the evening her own and if it wasn't what was expected then that was just going to be too bad. It was her dinner party and as long as people had a good time then she would be happy. This afternoon provided the perfect opportunity to get a few more of the arrangements sorted out.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Draco stretched out on the floor in front of Drake's Quidditch stadium, preparing himself to concede defeat. He had only one hope of victory in this game: to catch the Snitch first. Drake had been practicing and it showed greatly. The little boy was developing into quite the tactician and was going to be a dangerous force on the Quidditch pitch when he got older.

They'd had a wonderful afternoon flying while the witches were otherwise occupied. The dining room had been full of laughter as they ate, and then Draco insisted on bathing the twins before they settled down to play some games. He was thoroughly enjoying the simple pleasures in life — his children's laughter, spending time with his family, and not worrying about the office.

"Well... well... it's all right for some, isn't it?"

The urge to curse out loud was only quashed by the fact that his children were present. Draco was so relaxed that he'd forgotten Lucius would have business to discuss with him this evening. "Father?"

"It might interest you to know—"

"Stop right there," Draco said harshly. "Ginny?"

"On my way," Ginny responded with a deep sigh. "Drake, Angel, we'll give Daddy and Grandfather a little privacy."

"But we're just about—"

"No buts, Drake," Ginny said swiftly.

"We'll finish the game just as soon as I've had a word with your grandfather," Draco promised, waving his wand over the game to pause the action. He watched Ginny herd the children out of the parlor and waited until their footsteps had faded before turning back to his father. "Now I know what I did today was discourteous, but you were deliberately attempting to keep me at the office when you knew I had a scheduled appointment at home."

"For you information, I have only just arrived home. I was unable to leave due to the issue I was trying to discuss with you when you so crudely left."

"When I left there was no problem. If one developed afterwards then it was one of your own making. I will not shoulder the blame for something that has nothing to do with me."

"I did not create a problem. If you had been listening attentively you would have—"

"You don't get it, do you? No matter what happened or was happening, I wasn't in a position to stay in the office and sort it out. The education of my children is far more important."

"You could have returned to the office after the interviews."

"I chose not to."

"And as a result I had to work late."

"You call this late? What about the hours I had to work last week? You're hardly sneaking into your bedchamber in the dead of night to grab a couple of hours sleep before returning to the office, are you?"

"I used to do those hours. Now—"

"Now you think you have me to do those hours, but I've got news for you. I won't be neglecting my family for the office. Last week, my behavior towards my wife was inexcusable and it won't be happening again. Did you know that she thought I was having an affair? So, I don't care who I have to walk out on at the office to make it home at the hour she's expecting me."

"An affair? That preposterous!"

"Tell that to her when I'm working late every night." What Hermione had told him about Ginny's mindset the week before had disturbed him more than he cared to admit. Just the thought of her thinking he'd be unfaithful made his blood run cold.

"It is necessary to put in the extra hours at times, and you are well aware of that fact."

"I am, but it is exceedingly unfair to expect one person to do all the late night work."

"You've never had a problem with it before."

"I've never been married before," Draco growled, his patience all but lost. "I'm going to make this very clear: Nothing, and I repeat nothing, is going to come before my family. I don't care if the company is burning down. If my family need me, then I will be with them."

"If this is supposed to make me feel confident about handing the reigns of the company over to you—"

"It isn't, and it has nothing to do with me being in control of the company. If you don't want to hand the company over then don't do it. Work for the rest of your life. I'm quite happy in my current position."

"You know that is not an option," Lucius hissed.

Draco smirked. "Mother would be upset, wouldn't she?"

"I have made promises that you are well aware of."

"Of course, and she'd have been most upset at the thought of anything coming before her grandchildren's education." Draco paused to gauge his father's reaction. "If I had told her."

"You wouldn't."

"I will if you keep going down the path you seem to be intent on."

Lucius glared at his son with murderous anger.

"That way you'll be so worried about her you'll leave me alone." Draco smirked smugly. He had his father in a corner now, and while he knew it was a dangerous thing to do, he was enjoying every minute of it. It seemed he had a new weapon to use in situations like this: tattling on his father to his mother was nothing new, but with the addition of grandchildren his tales carried a lot more weight, which translated into a new level of pain for his father.

"It would be wise of you to reconsider your intentions."

"I didn't say I intended to tell her. I just said if you kept giving me grief I would tell her, so whether she finds out or not is entirely up to you."

"You are playing a dangerous game, son."

"I play by the rules I was taught," Draco replied evenly. "I will not back down on this, Father. So you're either going to let it go or we're at an impasse, where I'll do everything in my power to divert your attention away from me."

"Very well, but be warned; I will not tolerate the company suffering."

"It won't suffer. I simply won't be forced into working inhumane hours."

"What is to happen when it is necessary for those hours to be applied to secure a contract?"

"Once I'm fully in charge, I'm going to change a few things. The first item on my agenda is a reasonable research and preparation time between applying for a contract and closing the deal. I'm not saying the odd late night is out of the question, but I worked every night last week, plus I had to go to the office on Saturday, and that isn't fair to Ginny or the children."

"I see," Lucius drawled.

"Now if that was all, I have a game of Quidditch to lose."

Lucius' brow furrowed. "Lose?"

"I'm playing with Drake."

"It won't help him to learn the finer points of the game if you don't play to your full ability."

"I am playing properly. He's become very good."

"Well, I'll leave you to it then."

"Just one last thing, Father."

"Yes?"

"You were about to begin airing your displeasure in front of my wife and children — I won't tolerate that level of disrespect for their sensibilities."

Lucius took a step towards Draco, his temper flaring dangerously. "Your wife has no sensibilities."

"It's time you returned to your own wing," Draco snarled viciously.

Lucius curled his lip threateningly at his son and took his leave. He knew his daughter-in-law was capable of being a lady, just not in the classical sense. She was probably a lot tougher than most wizards, if he was to be completely honest, and it truly wasn't a fact that bothered him greatly. If anything her demeanor gave him less to worry about. Still it bothered his son to be reminded of such things and that was a valuable instrument in attaining the last word in a dispute.

Draco swung around, growling audibly and allowing his foot to sail into the nearest chair with force. He knew he'd played dirty, but his father had sunk to a new low. To suggest that his diatribe wouldn't have offended Ginny was disrespectful. Draco ran his hands though his hair in frustration and cursed the throbbing pain now coming from several of his toes. He needed to calm himself down before allowing his family to return to the parlor.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ginny watched the door of the playroom constantly, waiting for any indication that the men had finished their 'discussion'. The occasional inarticulate sound floated up from the parlor, but she couldn't tell what was happening. She heard Lucius approaching before he even passed as he stormed from the southern wing. Whatever had happened in there, he obviously wasn't pleased with the outcome.

"Is Grandfather angry?" Drake asked quietly.

"I don't know, sweetheart," Ginny answered, even though it was obvious the man was not at all happy. "Why don't you two stay here for a few minutes while I talk to Daddy?"

Drake looked as though he was about to protest then changed his mind. "Okay, Mummy."

"I won't be long," Ginny assured him. "Angel, you stay here until I send for you."

"Yes, Mummy," the little girl replied, barely lifting her eyes from her dolls.

Ginny left the playroom quietly and walked to the doorway of their family parlor. She observed Draco before letting her presence be known. He was leaning on the side bar with a large tumbler of Firewhisky before him. As she watched, he downed the fiery liquid in one gulp and slammed the tumbler back onto the side bar with a growl. Their discussion had obviously not ended well.

"Draco?"

"Love, I didn't hear you come in." Draco noticed Ginny's eyes were flitting between him and the open bottle of Firewhisky in front of him. "For medicinal purposes... I needed something to dull the pain in my foot."

"Your foot? Did your father step on your toes?"

"No, no, but I rather stepped on his, metaphorically speaking. When he left I foolishly kicked a chair, and now I'm paying for my momentary lapse in sanity."

"So you stepped on his toes and then kicked the chair?"

"That about sums it up," Draco concurred. "Not that I think it's over. Father is less than happy with my refusal to see the error of my ways, so he'll try again."

"Tonight?"

"No, I shouldn't think so. He'll probably wait until tomorrow. I hope that I made myself clear that company business should be taken care of in company hours, not at home and not in front of you."

"Draco, you know that doesn't bother me."

"I know, but it bothers me. Father is a ferocious businessman, and when he gets started he really doesn't mind who is present, so that's why it's better to keep that sort of discussion at the office," Draco said seriously. "If he's polite enough to mind when my mother is in the room, then he can damn well pay you the same respect."

"Whatever you think is best," Ginny agreed quickly. The last thing she wanted to do tonight was get into an argument about what Lucius could and couldn't say in front of her. It just wasn't worth the stress. If Draco didn't want her to witness these things then she wouldn't question his decision.

"Where are Drake and Angel?" Draco asked.

"They're in their playroom. I told them to stay put when I saw your father storm past the door without so much as saying goodnight to them."

"Well, best we get them back in here, so Drake can whip my backside at Quidditch."

"I'll go tell them," Ginny offered.

"Nonsense, you'll stay here," Draco said firmly. "Millie!"

"Master did summon Millie?"

"Tell the twins to come in here. I believe they're in the playroom."

"At once, Master."

"That is how you do it," Draco claimed.

"You're lazy. It wouldn't have taken me two minutes to fetch them."

"Ah, but that would have been two minutes less for me to enjoy your company." Draco claimed her mouth firmly, expressing the desires that had been building in him since early in the afternoon. No matter what his father said or thought, Draco was going to let nothing ruin his evening with his family.

"Ewww," Drake moaned as he walked into the parlor. "Get a room!"

Draco stepped back from Ginny and looked at his five-year-old son incredulously. "What did you say?"

"Get a room," Drake repeated casually.

"Where did he hear that?" Draco asked Ginny.

"I don't know," Ginny admitted. "Drake, where did you hear that saying?"

"Uncle George told Uncle Ron and Aunt Pansy to get a room when they were snogging in Grandma's kitchen."

"I'm having a word with your brothers about their mouths," Draco growled softly.

"He's probably been saving that one up, just waiting to use it on us," Ginny whispered.

"I'm still having a word with them. It's unseemly to hear things like that coming from the mouth of a child."

"Not to mention embarrassing," Ginny teased.

Draco gave her a half-hearted filthy look before joining his cheeky son in front of the Quidditch stadium. "Don't say anything like that again, Drake."

"Why?"

"It's rude."

"So is—" Drake quickly swallowed the rest of his claim when he saw the look his father was giving him. "Uncle George said—"

"I don't care what you uncles say, you are not to emulate them in any way, shape or form. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Daddy."

"Good. Now are we going to finish this game?"

Drake threw his mind into comprehensively trouncing his father's team and the triumphant roar of victory was his just thirty minutes later.

Draco wasn't at all surprised by his defeat. He'd never seen his son concentrate so hard, except for when he was brewing potions, as what he did when playing his Quidditch game. The little wizard's strategies were well thought out and executed with precision. He could see, if he were ever going to win a game, he would have to put a lot more thought into how he was going to accomplish the task.

Rather than send the twins to bed, which was rather tempting given that Drake was bragging at the top of his lungs about how he attained his win, Draco ordered some hot chocolate for them and settled down with a storybook of Angel's choice. On a large sofa with one child either side of him, Draco opened the book and began to read. He couldn't make up tales like his own father had for him when he was a child, but he could indulge their desire to hear stories by reading.

The combination of a warm comforting drink and the lulling tones of their father's voice was soon making their eyelids droop. Try, as they might, neither could force themselves to stay awake while they were sitting still. Angel dropped off to sleep without much of a fight; she was way too comfortable to consider moving or otherwise doing anything to keep herself alert. Drake wriggled for a little while, but was stilled by his father's large hand resting on his head. It was the beginning of the end for the little boy, and his eyelids drifted closed, against his will, not long after.

"Draco," Ginny whispered. "They've gone to sleep."

Draco sighed softly. "So much for my captive audience."

Ginny smiled softly at him. "You lost Angel ages ago, but Drake fought hard."

"I guess I'll have to carry them upstairs," Draco responded in a whisper.

"I can—"

"No, you can't. They're too heavy for you to be carrying all that way."

"I'll take Drake first then come back for Angel. She's sound asleep, so she shouldn't wake up with all the movement."

"No, she shouldn't," Ginny murmured.

She watched as Draco gently disentangled himself from the twins' arms and legs, and got to his feet. He picked their son up as if the boy weighed no more than a feather and strode from the room. Ginny moved to sit next to Angel, just in case the little girl disturbed. Apart from the disturbance when Lucius arrived home, it had been a perfect evening. She'd not seen Draco so relaxed in a while and it made her feel much better knowing he was still capable of relaxing. Just as she was beginning to wonder if he'd forgotten about Angel, Draco wandered back into the parlor looking a little ruffled.

"What happened?"

"Drake woke up and didn't want to go back to sleep."

"Is he asleep now?"

"I hope so. I'll check him after I've put Angel to bed."

"Shall I go up and see him?"

"No, I think that's what he wants, and I've already told him you wouldn't be coming up."

"All right, but if he gets too obnoxious—"

Draco grinned. "I'll call you before I kill him."

"You do that, because I'd hate to miss out on all the fun," Ginny responded amusedly. She knew just how abominable Drake could get when he was overtired and even the most experienced in dealing with him had trouble at times like that.

"I would never deny you." Draco winked as he scooped up Angel from the sofa. The little girl was sound asleep and in no danger of waking up, no matter what her father did to her. "I'll be back soon, love."

"Would you like a cup of tea? I was going to get the servants to bring a fresh pot."

"Yeah, that would be lovely," Draco responded on his way from the room. A nightcap would have been better, but as Ginny couldn't drink he'd refrain this evening.

After ordering the fresh tea and dismissing the servant who responded, Ginny made herself comfortable on the sofa and waited for Draco to return. She was surprised when only minutes later he walked into the parlor.

"Is everything all right?"

"It's all fine."

"Drake?"

"Sound asleep again."

"Good. Did Angel wake up?"

"Nope, didn't even flutter her eyelashes."

"Excellent," Ginny replied as she poured the tea.

"What did you get up to while I was flying this afternoon?"

"Just some household things... menu planning and the things," Ginny answered easily. It wasn't exactly a lie, she was planning a menu; it just wasn't a normal, everyday menu she'd been working out.

"If that's getting too much for you I'm sure Mother wouldn't mind giving you a hand."

"It's fine. I just thought I'd get a bit done while the twins were otherwise occupied."

"Do they disturb you while you're taking care of the household duties?"

"I try to make sure they've got something to do while I'm working, so they don't," Ginny replied.

"You're sure it's not too much for you?"

"Positive."

"I worry about you. It's a big job looking after the house."

"Draco, I'm more likely to expire from boredom than overwork."

"In that case, you need to get more involved in other work then."

"Like what?"

"Mother would be able to help you there, but there's the charity work she does."

"If you call sitting around, sipping tea, with insidious women for hours charity work."

"Those garden tea parties aren't exactly the social events of the year, but they do raise a lot of money for the needy."

"Draco, I'd end up offending someone for sure."

"You'll have to get used to dealing with those women in time."

"I know. Your mother went through what would be expected of me eventually."

"You've only been given a reprieve because you're expecting."

"So if I stay pregnant I don't have to do any of that bothersome stuff?"

Draco raised an eyebrow at her quizzically.

"How many children did you say you wanted?" Ginny pressed.

"We are not having an entire Quidditch team just so you can avoid going to tea with a group of snooty women."

"You know we've never really talked about it seriously."

"About what, love?" Draco enquired innocently.

"How many kids we're going to have."

"Oh—err— Well, with this one we'll have three."

"Yes, I can count, darling."

"Don't you think that three is more than enough?" Draco felt Ginny stiffen a little next to him. "Of course, if you want more, I'm more than willing to put in the practice," he added hurriedly.

"It's just that there'll be almost six years difference between the baby and the twins."

"Yes."

"I would like to give the baby a companion... someone to play with."

"We could get a puppy or a kitten."

"Draco!" Ginny swatted him with her hand. "This is serious. It's something we should have discussed ages ago."

"Love, I'm perfectly happy with three, but—" Draco paused to phrase his words carefully. Truth be told, he wasn't that interested in having any more children. "If you want more then you can have more. I just don't want you overstretching yourself."

"What on earth do you mean?"

"Well, you're in a position where you can devote a fair amount of time to the twins, at the moment, but when the baby arrives that time is going to be lessened."

"And your point is?"

"The more children you have the less time you can devote to all of them."

"Nonsense! Draco, my mother had seven children, plus our friends that she unofficially adopted and not one of us ever wanted for her attention."

"I think you have to look at why your parents had so many children."

"What do you mean?"

"You have six older brothers and then they stopped when they finally had you. I think it's fairly obvious that they were chasing a girl."

"That isn't what happened, but even if it was, it's got nothing to do with us."

"We've already got one of each, plus we'll have another of one of them when the baby arrives."

"Don't you want any more children?"

Draco cringed mentally. Her tone was beginning to sound accusatory and that alone told him he was entering dangerous territory. "I'm happy to have more children. I just don't want to go overboard."

"What would you deem overboard?"

She'd already indicated that she'd like at least one more after the baby, so Draco very quickly jumped on that piece of knowledge. "Any more than four?"

"Four is fair."

"I'm glad we worked that out," Draco said, hiding the relief he felt flooding through him.

"Of course, I reserve the right to change my mind."

"Change your mind?"

Ginny nodded against his chest.

"Like not have another after this one?"

"Or have more after number four."

"One more?"

"It would have to be two more. Odd numbers are pain."

"What does odd numbers have to do with anything?"

"Draco, I'm the seventh child."

"You're talking in riddles, Ginny."

"Trust me, odd numbers aren't good."

While the inquisitive side of his brain was urging him to pursue the reason as to why odd numbers weren't good, the sensible side of his brain told him firmly to shut up, smile and nod at the appropriate times. With a promise to revisit the subject when she wasn't pregnant and acting so odd, Draco smiled at his wife. "All right, love, I trust you."

"Why are you using that tone with me?"

"What tone?" Draco asked innocently. As far as he was concerned he'd answered cautiously, but with no tone as such.

"That condescending tone."

"I didn't use any tone with you, condescending or not. I trust you and if you don't like odd numbers that's fine with me."

"Well... you should say it like you mean it then."

"I do mean it." Draco blinked a couple of times at the woman resting her head on his chest. He was trying to work out how they'd got to this point and just how much grief this was going to cause him.

"It doesn't sound like it."

"Ginny, love, you're hearing things."

"So now I'm nutters?"

"No, I didn't say that." Draco paused to take a calming breath. "Why don't we head up to our suite? A soak in the bathtub would be nice."

"I don't know if I want a bath."

"A shower then?" Draco suggested hopefully. He'd settle for anything other than continuing the conversation they were having, which he was certain was going to end up causing him insurmountable grief.

"Maybe," Ginny answered evasively.

"We could get ready for bed and just relax for a while," Draco continued, hoping he was now on track to get her moving upstairs and the subject changed for good.

"If that's what you want to do."

"Is there something you want to do?" The words were out before Draco even realized he'd opened his mouth. If she said she wanted to continue talking about having more children, he'd be sorely tempted to Avada Kedavra himself right there and then — it would be less painful than anything she'd end up inflicting on him after he'd tripped over his tongue a few more times.

"Not particularly."

He didn't mean to, but an audible sigh of relief escaped him. Rather than sit there and wait to be murdered, Draco moved quickly in the hope that she hadn't registered what she heard or that a moving target would be too much trouble to track down. "Come on then, let's get upstairs."

"Are you tired?"

"A little," Draco fibbed. It was far better than admitting the truth.

After gently helping Ginny to her feet, they walked upstairs together. Before entering her own suite, Ginny insisted on checking on the twins and making certain they were tucked in properly. Draco refrained from pointing out to her that they were tucked in properly, because he'd made sure they were. Not that it would have made any difference — she still would have checked them before retiring for the evening.

Once in their bedchamber, Draco directed his wife straight to the bathroom. "So what's it going to be? A bath or a shower?"

"I think I'll just have a shower."

"All right then," Draco replied with a sly grin. His hands immediately busied themselves with ridding her of her clothing.

"I can undress myself, Draco."

"I know, but I enjoy undressing you." He kissed the tip of her nose affectionately. "Can't I have a little pleasure?"

Ginny rolled her eyes, but smiled at him. "Okay, you can undress me, but that's all."

"I promise I'll behave," Draco responded as sincerely as he could. For now, he added silently.

Minutes later, Ginny was in the shower and Draco walked out of the bathroom, only to walk back into the room via his own door. He stripped off quickly and entered his own shower stall. Across the room, his stunned wife stared at him and he returned the look with a cheeky grin. Even though both stalls have existed since they moved into the southern wing, they'd not used them together. Draco decided he rather liked the view from his side of the bathroom, when his wife was in her shower. He watched as Ginny finished her shower and stepped from her stall, wrapping a towel around her body. She didn't pause to dry herself before striding from the steamy bathroom. Draco smirked nefariously. He had some work to do to soothe her before he could have some of the fun he'd planned earlier, but he was sure he would be able to convince her to be a little friendlier.

Not silly enough to rush out of the bathroom and possibly into a world of trouble given his wife's precarious mood, Draco finished washing himself slowly. He hoped that giving her a bit of time to calm down would help her mood settle into something companionable.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ginny's eyes flicked up as Draco emerged from the bathroom. He was whistling happily as he crossed the bedchamber with just a towel slung around his hips. Her eyes followed him across the room. She wanted to be irritated with the sound he was making, but the sight of him strolling across the room with just a towel hiding his bits was distracting, very distracting given she knew what lurked beneath the towel. Her tongue flicked out unconsciously and ran along her lips; she wanted so much to lick up the droplets of water glistening on his bare chest. Perhaps she could forgive him temporarily. After all, there was plenty of time to discuss the number of children they would have.

She waited patiently for him to reemerge from his dressing room. The whole time she could hear the annoying tune he was whistling. After a while she was beginning to wonder if he was still whistling, or if the noise was just playing in her head now. When he walked back into the bedchamber, he was clad in just a pair of black silk boxers. It was a sight that made her stomach flutter with anticipation, and the decision to forgive him temporarily was made in an instant.

Her eyes followed Draco around to his side of their bed, where he fastidiously turned the covers down. She couldn't resist following him around and snaking her arms around him, so her palms were caressing his chest.

"Are you ready to go to bed?" she purred.

"Not quite." Draco carefully removed her hands from his chest and stepped out of her reach. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate the feel of her hands on his body, quite the contrary actually, but he wanted to be certain of her mood before exposing his most delicate parts. "I was just getting the bed ready, but if you want to go to bed, don't let me stop you."

She reached out and trailed a single finger down his chest. "I'm not sleepy."

"Would you like to read for a while? Or we could play a game of Wizard Chess, if you'd like?"

"Umm—" Ginny bit her lip and looked at her husband coquettishly. "No, I don't think so."

Draco swallowed the chuckle wanting to burst forth. If he'd let that out, he had no doubt she'd have reverted into the cranky Hippogriff he'd been dealing with for part of the evening. "No? Well, what are we going to do to tire you out?"

"I have an idea," Ginny purred, stepping forward and tugging playfully at the waistband of his boxers.

He couldn't stop the smirk that tugged at his mouth. It seemed she was going play nicely for the time being. All he had to do was be careful not to upset her in any way, shape or form, because the thought of her turning into a hellcat when he was vulnerable wasn't terribly inviting. "Oh, you do, do you?"

"Yes," Ginny murmured as her lips made tantalizing contact with his chest. "Isn't this likely to be more entertaining than Wizard Chess?"

"I'm sure it will be." Draco shuddered as her hand ran over the satin of his boxers, gently caressing his member. "I think we should move this into the bed, don't you?"

"Not just yet," Ginny responded, sliding down his body to her knees.

Draco's eyes grew as big as saucers when she started slipping his boxers down his legs. Only when the fabric was around his ankles did she begin her ascent. The feel her hot breath dancing around his groin as her head drew level sent shivers up his spine. A small groan escaped from the back of his throat when he saw her pink tongue flick out to tease the head of his cock.

"Gin, you don't have to—" A loud moan of pleasure finished his sentence as her mouth closed around his hardening length. There was nothing quite like the feel of a woman on her knees tending your every need with her soft, hot little tongue.

His hands drifted down to tangle in her hair. In massaging her scalp, he was able to effectively hold her in place and continue to enjoy the incredible bolts of pleasure shooting through his body. When her hand slipped between his legs to palm his balls, he thought that maybe Christmas might have come early. He could have stayed there all night enjoying the mind-numbing pleasure his wife was intent on giving him.

When she moved to get to her feet and cease her focused ministrations, Draco tried not to show his disappointment. After all her mouth hadn't left his body, she was simply traveling north. As she drew to her full height, Draco's hands encompassed her face and drew her into a passionate kiss. The subtle hint of himself on her breath was intoxicating.

With oxygen becoming somewhat short, Ginny gently tilted her chin, so Draco could trail his mouth down her neck. She was already panting lightly and her need was far greater than it should have been at this stage, considering he'd not actually touched her yet. The feel of his hands tugging at her silk nightgown was sending tingles of anticipation through her body. A small gasp escaped her when the fine fabric of her nightgown grazed over her already hardened nipples on its way to the ground. All she wanted was to feel his hands on her, to melt into his touch and never move away from him.

Draco's hands caressed her curves reverently, starting just under her arms and running down her sides to her derriere. He could feel the effect he was having on her as gooseflesh rose in the wake of his touch. His mouth began a slow journey south, savoring every inch of her creamy flesh. It wasn't long before Draco found himself on his knees taking inventory of the light dusting of freckles on his wife's upper thighs.

Ginny's knees were growing weaker every time his tongue flicked out and made contact. She knew in just a few minutes standing would become an issue, but she couldn't bring herself to mention it and interrupt the unadulterated pleasure she was feeling.

His hands ran over the tops of her thighs, gently encouraging her to open her legs a little more. He could feel her clutching at his head, burying her fingers into his hair and holding on tightly. If he wasn't mistaken there was a slight tremor in her body. Draco smirked between her thighs. Even though he had reduced her to a trembling mess more times than he could remember, it still privately thrilled him to know he had this effect on the mother of his children. When she began to list a little, Draco carefully made his way back up her body. One of his hands remained between her legs, busying itself eliciting those throaty moans from her that sent tingles right to his toes.

"I think we'd best get you onto the bed, before you fall over," Draco whispered huskily.

"Mmm..." Ginny knew she had to get off her feet, but if she moved now his hand would be disturbed and the bolts of pleasure she was experiencing would cease.

"Come on."

"Don't stop," Ginny breathed more than articulated.

Draco smirked and withdrew his hand slowly; enjoying her mewls of protest as he did. "If you're a good girl, and lay on the bed, I'll do that and more."

When Ginny didn't begin to move of her own volition, Draco gently guided her to the mattress. Her hands played over his body in an effort to distract him, and as hard as it was, he successfully ignored her efforts. Given that he was determined to get her onto the bed, if not in, Ginny finally seemed to give up and set about situating herself towards the center of the mattress. When she had finished wriggling over the covers, Draco surveyed the scene before him hungrily. She was sprawled so wantonly that he was sure he felt his body temperature jump five degrees while he was standing there. Her hands were playing over her skin, apparently unable to remain still, and the look in her not-so-innocent cinnamon eyes beseeched him to join her.

The way her body ached to be touched was almost painful. From under hooded eyes she watched him crawl onto the bed and up her body without so much as making contact once. Her skin was prickling in anticipation and her breathing had become more than a little erratic. Every time she reached for him he moved just out of reach, further frustrating her and making her want him more.

Draco hovered above her, not quite making contact, but feeling her energy just the same. He knew she wanted him to touch her, her eyes told him that clearly, but this situation was turning him on more than he ever thought it could. Draco slowly lowered his head and brushed his lips over hers. She rose to meet him and sought to deepen the kiss, but he pulled away. Her frustrated growl made him smirk cockily. He lowered his head again, this time placing a light kiss in the hollow of her throat, before raising his head to observe the affect he was having on his wife. The exaggerated rise and fall of her chest mesmerized him for a few moments and she very nearly succeeded in snaking an arm around his neck, intent on pulling him closer.

Draco removed her hand gently and placed it beside her, on the mattress. "Behave yourself, missy."

"I want—"

"Shh... Patience, my love."

"No!" Ginny pouted.

"What if I do this?" Draco lowered his head to the valley between her breasts and left a trail of light kisses. "Will that stop you pouting?"

"Again?"

He obliged her request and resumed his position between her breasts. Her light moans of delight encouraged him to continue his journey down her body. When he reached the slight mound that showed evidence of her pregnancy, Draco covered the area in soft reverent kisses. He was the first to admit that he'd never paid any attention to pregnant women before; they fell well under his line of sight as a bachelor. Now he found the subtle changes in his wife's body, as she grew with his child, very erotic. The smallest change in her turned him on like never before. It hadn't escaped his attention that her breasts were fuller and more sensitive than they rightly should be, along with other areas, but it was something he could, and did, use to his advantage.

The urge to guide his head lower had Ginny's hands clutching at the blankets. She could feel his hair grazing over her ginger curls while he kissed her stomach, like he was teasing her. As he crept lower she began to tremble in anticipation of his touch where she needed it most. Her need had built to a level of depravity she'd not before experienced.

"Please," Ginny pleaded breathily.

Draco allowed his fingers to delve into her softness. "There?"

"Oh, yes!"

He smirked at her and plunged two fingers into her. "You like that?"

"Mmm..." Ginny's hips bucked, eager to meet his hand.

"You are in a wicked mood," Draco commented, pleased with her reaction.

Ginny moaned loudly, her ability to form articulate sentences slipping away from her as her mind was consumed with the rush of pleasure she was experiencing. The only thing she knew for certain is that she wanted more; his fingers weren't quite fulfilling her need. She wanted to reach for him, but her arms simply wouldn't cooperate. They felt like long tubes of jelly, not capable of raising themselves, let alone pulling her husband over the top of her.

Draco began to drift back up his wife's body; stopping only to pay some much needed attention to her breasts. He was so intent on keeping her writhing beneath him that he didn't notice her hand drift towards his groin. As her fingers closed around his shaft, he sucked in a sharp breath and sunk into the warmth of her touch.

Had her breathing not been so irregular already, she'd have breathed a sigh of relief. It felt so good to have something solid in her hand, and it took her mind away from what she was experiencing. Now that she had a little control back, Ginny set to work on attaining what she really wanted at the moment. With care, she slowly began to coax her husband onto his back. Once Draco was where she wanted him, Ginny allowed her hands and mouth to roam freely, enjoying his responses immensely.

If anyone had asked him how he ended up on his back with his wife hovering over him, doing the most wicked things to his body, he wouldn't have been able to give them an explanation. All he knew was that one minute he was in command and the next he was flat on his back running potions ingredients and their uses through head to maintain control. Her hands seemed to be everywhere at once — dancing over his balls then rolling his nipples between her fingers. It was impossible to define where she was at any given time, so he stopped trying to and simply sank back onto the bed to enjoy the ride.

The moans, groans and gasps he was letting out spurred her on. She wanted to reduce him to a quivering mess for a change, and then have her wicked way with him before he could adequately recover. When his breathing morphed into panting and she noticed him attempting to lift his arm without success, Ginny deemed he'd had enough. She kept her hands busy and lifted her head to examine his face.

Draco's features were contorted into a mask of concentration. The urge to fracture that mask had her lowering her head to his groin again. She stopped mere inches away from his most sensitive parts and started to blow gently over them.

Draco emitted a primeval grunt. "Evil—bint—enough," he ground out.

She laughed, happy with the effect her breath had had upon him. His satiny skin was now afflicted with goose flesh and he appeared unable to move. She gasped when his hand closed around her arm and hauled her away from his hips.

Draco gathered her to him, capturing her mouth in a crushing kiss. He could feel Ginny moving over him, but he didn't care to think about what she might be planning next, just as long as she left his dick alone, so he could calm down a little.

Ginny straddled his hips somewhat clumsily and tried to line herself up. She could feel his steely length prodding her, but couldn't quite get her position perfect. After a little more wriggling, Ginny maneuvered herself into the perfect position.

Draco hissed into her mouth as she slid onto him. She felt so hot and wet and wonderful. The gentle rock of her hips was teasing him ruthlessly. He was far too worked up to even contemplate holding back for too long.

"Not going to last," Draco forced out between heavy breaths.

Ginny leaned down to nibble on his ear, and muttered, "Then you'd best fuck me hard."

With her permission now secured, Draco grasped her hips and immediately set a blistering pace.

"Sit up straight," Draco grunted.

He slowed a bit while Ginny sat up. When she was in the best possible position, he resumed the furious pace that accentuated every sensation for both of them. He watched her hands leisurely drift up her body. When she reached her breasts they stopped, massaging the creamy mounds to give herself a little extra pleasure. The view only served to further Draco's excitement. He loved to watch her indulging herself.

"Can't—hold—on," Draco managed to groan.

"Oh God, just a bit longer," Ginny blurted, doubling her own efforts.

"Gin, I—I—can't."

"Plea—" Ginny's words were cut short as he drove into her harder and deeper than before. "Oh—my—"

Draco shuddered violently and moaned loudly as he spilled himself into her. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he registered Ginny's breathless protests. He fought against the urge to sink bonelessly into the bed and continued to drive into her at a blinding pace while he still had something to offer.

Ginny was teetering right on the very edge of euphoria. She felt so close to release, but didn't seem to be able to push herself over the precipice. Just the thought that she could be left a frustrated mess nearly drove her to madness. While she had enjoyed teasing Draco mercilessly, she found herself regretting pushing him that far.

"Please ... oh ... just a ... little more," Ginny pleaded excitedly. "Oh ... Oh God."

The world exploded in a rush of sensations so powerful that Ginny forgot to breathe for a few minutes. Her relief as her orgasm washed over her was so immense that she collapsed onto Draco's chest as it echoed through her body.

Draco stroked his wife's back lovingly while she struggled to calm her breathing down. He had a feeling she wasn't about to move right at this moment, so he grit his teeth and tried to ignore the sticky warm fluids running slowly over his balls.

Ginny lifted her head just far enough to find Draco's lips. He tasted salty and sweet at the same time. "That was amazing," she whispered.

Draco smirked conceitedly. "Thank you."

"If I had the energy to reach for my wand—"

"You'd Rennervate yourself and go another round," Draco finished for her audaciously.

Ginny groaned as she rolled off him. She'd deal with his cheekiness later, like after she'd slept for no less than eight hours.

Draco cringed. "You know it's polite to lift yourself off first."

"No energy," Ginny mumbled into her pillow.

"Under the covers with you. We can't have you getting a chill." He had a feeling it wouldn't be too long before she nodded off. At least he hoped not, because he desperately wanted to go and give his balls a quick wash. The rush of fluid over his balls, when she moved, was enough to make his skin crawl.

Once they were under the covers, Ginny snuggled into his chest and draped one of her legs over him. Without thinking of what he needed to do, Draco allowed his arm to encircle her and draw her in even closer. She was soft and warm, and he couldn't think of a better way to close the day than holding his wife while she went to sleep.

As he suspected, it didn't take long for his wife's breathing to even out and for her to fall into a deep sleep. Draco tried to extract himself without alerting Ginny, but he found himself thoroughly trapped. He debated with himself for several minutes over whether it was worth disturbing her just so he could splash a little water around his parts and decided not to bother. He was exhausted and thoroughly sated, so a case of sticky balls, though off putting, wasn't likely to cause him any loss of sleep. He focused his thoughts on more pleasant things and allowed his eyes to slip closed.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Draco woke up slowly with a body draped across his chest. With a contented smile, he reached down to hold her closer. A deep frown puckered his forehead. Unless Ginny had shrunk sometime during the night, something wasn't quite right. His eyes opened and he glanced down at the person draped across him. It definitely wasn't Ginny. It was Angel. When she'd climbed into bed with them was a complete mystery to him, but she was there now and he was not exactly dressed for company, other than his wife's, in bed.

With a level of care that he'd never exercised before, Draco tried to extract himself from the bed. The last thing he wanted was to wake her up when he was sans clothes. He had just begun to seriously move away when a little head rose from his chest.

"Daddy, where are you going?"

"Shh, princess, I have to go to work," Draco whispered. "Close your eyes and go back to sleep."

"I don't want you to go to work."

"I have to, but I'll be home early," Draco promised, praying to the deities that she'd close her eyes so he could get out of bed. "Close your eyes and cuddle Mummy."

The sleepy little witch allowed her eyes to slip closed and Draco breathed a sigh of relief. He carefully extracted himself from the covers and stood up, looking around for something to hide his state of undress.

"Daddy, why don't you have any pajamas on?"

Draco grasped at the first thing that came to hand: Ginny's nightgown. "Go back to sleep," he hissed.

"But why did you sleep in the rude?"

"Angel, I don't have time for this."

"I was just asking." Angel blinked at him innocently.

"Why aren't you in your own bed?"

Her expression darkened immediately. "I had a bad dream."

Draco sighed and ran his free hand through his hair. "All right, just go back to sleep before you wake Mummy up."

"Does Mummy have pajamas on?"

"If you wake Mummy up, she'll send you back to your own room," Draco threatened. "Go to sleep."

Angel's eyes filled with tears straight away. "I can't go back... it's scary."

"Bloody hell," Draco cursed under his breath. "Don't cry, Angel. I didn't say you had to, but if you wake Mummy up she won't be happy with you."

"I—I can't—it's scary an—and—"

"Angel, don't cry," Draco pleaded. He knelt by the bed and tried to comfort her as best he could. At least in that position his nakedness was hidden from her view. If he thought she'd not wake Ginny up, he'd leave her to get some clothes on, but he had the feeling that her volume would rise the moment he mentioned leaving her sight.

The little girl sobbed into her father's bare shoulder for several minutes while he made the appropriate soothing sounds and intermittently pleaded with her to stop crying.

"I have an idea," Draco started in a whisper. "Why don't you come down and have breakfast with me? Would you like that?"

Angel nodded against his shoulder.

"Okay, you go put your bathrobe and slippers on, and I'll meet you in my sitting room in five minutes."

"Millie can get them."

"All right, but go to my sitting room, or Millie might wake Mummy up and we don't want to do that."

Angel sniffed affectedly. "Okay, Daddy."

Draco breathed a sigh of relief as his little girl scrambled out of bed and headed for the sitting room.

"Are you going to put some clothes on? 'Cause Grandmother would be cross if you went to breakfast in the rude."

"Yes, Angel, I'm going to get dressed."

As soon as she was through the door, Draco rose from his position and all but ran to his dressing room. After dressing quickly, he crossed to the bathroom. On the way, he could hear Angel ordering Millie to return to her suite and bring the bathrobe that matched her pajamas. The fact that the servant had apparently brought the wrong robe gave him a little breathing space. Though he completed his morning routine in record time and forewent a desperately wanted shower, Draco stepped out of the bathroom looking immaculate.

He tiptoed around to Ginny's side of the bed and placed a light kiss on her forehead, as he did every morning before he left. When her mouth twitched, he paused.

"Are you awake?"

"You handled Angel well," Ginny responded amusedly.

"You were awake for that?"

"How could I sleep with you two nattering away in my ear?"

"Thanks for helping me."

"And get accused of sleeping in the rude? Not likely."

"I should send her back in here just to punish you for letting me deal with that."

"Do you really want to do that? She could tell Drake, and then what do you think will happen?"

Draco looked at his wife with disbelief. She may have been a Gryffindor, but she didn't mind playing dirty. "I'm going to have some breakfast and then I'm going to work."

"Have a nice day," Ginny whispered. "I'll see you around dinnertime?"

"Yes, I should be home around then. I'll let you know if I'm going to be later."

"All right."

"Daddy, are you coming?" Angel asked from the doorway.

"Yes, princess. I'm on my way," Draco responded. He looked back at his bed and noticed his wife already appeared to be asleep again. Yes, there were times when he seriously thought the Sorting Hat got it wrong with her — she should have been a Slytherin.

Draco and Angel began their walk to the dining room. Angel was completely happy now that she had her preferred robe. Draco was silently cursing his sly wife. If her moods weren't so volatile at the moment, he'd have considered planning some sort of retribution, but as it was he wasn't foolish enough or courageous enough to tempt the fates.

"Grandfather!" Angel shrieked when she spied Lucius sitting at the head of the table.

Draco sighed heavily. Habit had brought him to this dining room. He and Lucius often had breakfast together, to save eating alone and it also gave them the opportunity to discuss certain things without the worry that the office staff would overhear. After last night, the last thing he wanted to do was start the day with another disagreement.

"Angelique, what are you doing up so early?" Lucius asked, exchanging nods with his son as a form of acknowledging each other.

"I had a bad dream and I went to sleep with Daddy, and Daddy woke me up when he was getting out of bed."

Lucius looked at his son quizzically. "Draco, surely you could have slipped out of bed without waking anyone."

"I usually do, but when a certain somebody is sleeping on my chest it's a little difficult."

"I see," Lucius drawled. "Are you feeling better now, Angelique?"

Angel nodded and smiled brightly. "Did you know that Daddy doesn't have any pajamas?"

Lucius frowned, a little confused by his granddaughter's comment. "I'm certain you father owns pajamas."

"He doesn't wear them." Angel shook her head sadly. "He doesn't wear anything."

"Angel, you don't have to share—" Draco started.

"He sleeps in the rude," Angel whispered across the table, ignoring her father.

Lucius couldn't hide the amused smirk creeping on his face. He looked at his son questioningly, enjoying his level of discomfort.

Draco didn't bother to comment. He could see his father didn't require a full explanation.

"Shall we eat breakfast?" Lucius said casually.

"I want—"

"Bacon?" Draco suggested quickly. "You need to eat quickly, because your grandfather and I need to go to work."

"Why?" Angel blinked at her father innocently. "I'm not going to work."

"Angel, I don't want to leave you at the table alone, so you have to eat up."

"You aren't going to wait for Ginevra to rise, are you?"

"No, Father," Draco responded with exaggerated patience. "Once we've eaten, Millie can keep Angel company until Ginny wakes."

"Good," Lucius responded. "How long are you going to be at the office today?"

"The whole day, but I intend on being home in time to have dinner with my family."

"I see," Lucius drawled.

"You obviously don't agree."

"Quite the contrary," Lucius responded. "I think it's wonderful that you are able to spend time with your young family."

Though the conversation seemed perfectly civilized Draco could hear the 'but' lurking behind his father's words. The last thing he wanted was for this tête-à-tête to dissolve into a nasty dispute in front of Angel. "I think it's far better that we continue this conversation at the office."

"Very well." Lucius masked his mild shock appropriately before turning his mercurial gaze on his granddaughter. "Did you like any of the tutors you met yesterday, Angelique?"

"One man was nice," Angel answered vaguely.

"Just one?"

Angel nodded. "The other man was horrible."

"Both candidates were well qualified, but one did present better than the other," Draco added.

"You should be aware that some people don't interview well. The best candidate shouldn't be disregarded simply over a case of nerves."

"The gentleman concerned wasn't nervous. He simple didn't present himself as a human with an understanding of what five-year-olds were about."

"Old educators are often a little harsh," Lucius commented. "Just look at Severus."

Draco snorted. Even as a younger professor, Severus Snape hadn't presented as possessing a compassionate bone in his body. "Ginny isn't comfortable with someone who is less than human."

"What if that person is the best candidate?"

"On the face of his interview, he definitely isn't the right person for the job."

"Rather dangerous ways to choose the person you're entrusting to educate your children."

"I think not," Draco responded evenly.

"Well, it is your decision."

"Yes, it is," Draco confirmed strongly. He hoped it would be the end of the conversation. After last night, his father was obviously in a picky mood and he didn't appreciate the subtle needling he was practicing.

Thankful that Lucius had turned his attention solely to Angel, Draco ate the rest of his breakfast in peace. He would have enough of a hard time dealing with his father at work and didn't really want to get into their issues at home where little ears could overhear. It amazed him at how easily his daughter extracted promises from her grandfather. She certainly had a tight hold on his heart — tighter than even he'd had at that age.

When they'd finished eating, Draco escorted Angel back to the southern wing and left her in Millie's competent hands. The thought of spending the entire day at the office with his father's discontent mood wasn't appealing, but he had no choice. With last hug from his daughter for strength, Draco left for the office.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

On Thursday afternoon, Draco Apparated into the foyer of the Manor, relieved to be away from the office for a while. He'd managed to get away an hour earlier than expected, so he hoped to go over the interview notes quite well before the first applicant arrived and relax a little. Yesterday had been hellish at the office and it really shouldn't have been. It was all due to his father's mood and his incontestable desire to take it all out on Draco. Still, he was home now and he didn't have to think about work until tomorrow morning — just applicants for the position of tutor.

"Daddy!"

Draco looked up to see his son thundering down the staircase towards him. Unable to resist Draco strode to meet him with his arms outstretched, ready to catch Drake when he leapt into the air. The little boy didn't disappoint him. When he reached the fourth step from the bottom, Drake launched himself into the air and directly into his father's arms.

"You're home early! Mummy said you weren't coming yet."

"I snuck out," Draco whispered in fun.

Drake gasped and stared at his father with wide eyes. "Grandfather won't be cross with you again, will he?"

Draco shrugged casually. "I don't care if he is cross with me."

The little boy giggled.

"Where is Mummy?"

"She's upstairs helping Angel get dressed to meet more tutors," Drake responded with a bored tone.

"You're not too impressed with this whole business are you?"

Drake shook his head despondently. "Mummy said I just have to be polite and get through it, so we could choose a tutor."

"That is true," Draco affirmed. "It is boring business, but we want to give you two a say in who gets the position seeing as you'll be spending so much time with them."

"Yeah, but why can't Mummy teach us? Like Aunt Fleur teaches Beau."

Draco sighed. It wasn't bad enough that he'd had to convince Ginny that this was the right thing to do for everyone, but now he was stuck explaining the decision to his son. He placed Drake on his feet and sat down on the staircase. "Listen, mate, Mummy has different things she'll need to be doing. They're things that your Aunt Fleur doesn't need to do."

"What does Mummy have to do?"

"Well, do you know what your grandmother does all day?"

"She goes out and drinks a lot of tea with her friends."

"Yes, she does, but that's not all just socializing. Some of those tea parties are very important meetings that the women use to raise money for people less fortunate than us."

"Why doesn't Aunt Fleur have to do that stuff then?"

"Well... you see we're obligated to do what we can, because we're better off than most."

"Uncle Bill and Aunt Fleur are off pretty well," Drake commented.

"They are, but they don't have the same level of wealth that we do."

Drake frowned deeply. "I don't understand."

"Okay, let's see if I can put this in a way you can understand." Draco thought for a moment. "What sort of broomstick does Beau have?"

"Sometimes Uncle Bill lets him ride one of his old ones when Aunt Fleur isn't looking."

"Right, and what sort of broomstick do you have?"

"A Lightning Bolt 5000," Drake answered with pride.

"Do you know why that is?"

"Because Aunt Fleur won't let Beau have his own broomstick."

"No, it's because I can afford to give you the best."

"Oh."

"That's why Mummy will eventually have to help your grandmother with the charity work she does and she won't have time to teach you. You see the charity work our women do is a bit like a job."

"I get it now!" Drake exclaimed brightly. "Grandmother's job is to drink loads of tea with other old ladies, and Mummy is going to have to do that when she gets old too."

"Well—it's—err—"

"I would be extremely careful how you answer that."

Draco's head snapped up. The first thought to cross his mind was just how much had she overheard, and the second was how painful she would make his death. Of course, the second depended on the answer to the first. "Mother, I was just trying to explain to Drake why Ginny doesn't have time to teach him."

"I see," Narcissa answered reticently.

"Mummy has to drink tea with you and all the other old ladies." Drake nodded solemnly to confirm his words.

Draco watched as his mother's eyes widened ever so slightly before narrowing on him. "Old?"

"Not my words, Mother," Draco answered quickly. "Drake drew his own conclusions."

"I can see you didn't think to adjust his inference," Narcissa countered haughtily.

"You interrupted before I could correct his perception."

"Oh? And how would you have done that?"

Draco rose gracefully from the step and walked slowly towards his mother. "I would have explained, quite strongly, that the other women are old and cranky, but you could never be described that way, considering your youthful appearance and everlasting beauty."

Narcissa arched one of her perfect eyebrows and regarded her son with an appraising gaze. She had taught him well, and even though he tripped over his tongue occasionally, he always made amends with charm and sincerity. Her hand drifted up to stroke his cheek. "I will consider forgiving you for not making that clear in the first place."

"Mother, what will it take to win back your favor?"

A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. He was playing right into her hand, like he always did. "You could make amends with your father."

Draco stiffened. "It is Father who is in the wrong this time. He can make the effort for a change."

"Darling, he is set in his ways. Go to him and apologize."

"Apologize for what? I've done nothing wrong."

"He doesn't see it that way."

"I am aware of that."

"If you make the effort he will let the issue go, but until you do—"

"I'm sorry, Mother, but I will not be apologizing."

"Is it not worth it for the sake of peace?"

"Father needs to accept when he is in the wrong, and if I apologize he will conclude that he was right all along."

"Then if not for the sake of harmony, do it for me."

"I can't." Draco's stomach lurched uncomfortably when his mother looked crestfallen. "I'm sorry, Mother, I really am, but I won't do it this time."

Narcissa nodded calmly and moved away. Before beginning her ascent of the staircase, she kissed Drake lightly on the cheek.

Draco remained where he was, feeling dreadful for disappointing his mother. He could make amends with his father, but he was right and he wanted his father to acknowledge that fact. Why Lucius couldn't concede that Ginny and the children should come first was beyond Draco. Given time, Draco knew things would simply return to normal without anyone giving in or admitting fault. It wasn't the perfect scenario, but it was the best he'd get from his father.

"Draco, is everything all right?"

"Ginny, love, yes everything is fine."

"Then why did your mother try to hide the tears on her cheeks?"

"She's crying?"

"Yes."

"Bloody buggering hell," Draco cursed aloud and continued muttering a few more expletives under his breath. "I have to go see her... make this right."

"Slow down. What happened?"

"She asked me to make amends with Father and I refused."

"Oh."

"Look I won't be long. I'll just see if she's all right."

"You've got about a half an hour," Ginny reminded him.

"Yeah, it's all right. I'll do what I can and I'll meet you in my study before the first applicant arrives."

"Okay, but please don't be late," Ginny pleaded.

"I promise." Draco kissed her cheek. "Who is our first interview?"

"Mr. Merrythought."

"All right, I'll get this done and be right down."

Ginny watched her husband bound up the stairs. She could tell his mother's upset was causing him grief. All she could do was hope he was able to placate Narcissa and get down to his study in time.

"Come on, Drake, I'll walk you to the playroom."

"Okay, Mummy." Drake took his mother's outstretched hand. "Is Grandmother all right?"

"Yes, darling, she's just a bit upset with Daddy and Grandfather at the moment."

Drake walked silently for a while. "Maybe I should go and have tea with her."

"Why, sweetheart?"

"She's always happy when she's drinking tea."

Ginny smiled at her son's simplistic view of fixing the problem. The truth was that Narcissa would be cheered if he made the effort. "Perhaps you can visit your grandmother after we're finished."

"Why can't I go now?"

"We have to get through these interviews first."

"They're boring."

"Maybe so, but your grandmother would agree with how important they are."

"She'd still rather I was drinking tea with her," Drake mumbled.

Ginny didn't bother to respond. She knew her son well enough to know that he was simply putting up a token protest that would amount to nothing if she let him vent his feelings without comment.

"What are you going to do while you wait?" Ginny asked nonchalantly as they approached the playroom.

"Play," Drake answered evasively.

"I see."

When they entered the playroom, Drake went directly to the bookcase and retrieved his coloring book of magical creatures, along with his box of crayons, and then seated himself at the small table where he and Angel often did quieter activities. Ginny watched him carefully. He obviously wasn't in the mood to chat, so she left him to his own thoughts. She was starting to notice how much he cared for his grandmother more and more. It was just little things, of course, but they were certainly present — like now, when Narcissa was upset and he wanted to have tea with her to cheer her up.

Ginny sat on the sofa and waited patiently for Millie to arrive with Angel. Mere minutes had passed when she heard her daughter coming down the corridor, fussing about something very loudly.

"Mummy, Millie said I have to wear this!" Angel tugged at the pretty blue dress with princess collar she was wearing as she entered the room.

"That is what I set out for you to wear," Ginny replied calmly.

"But I wanted to wear my purple dress with the—"

"Angel, you have to learn how to dress appropriately for the occasion." Ginny paused for a moment, realizing just how much she sounded like her mother-in-law. "Where do you think Grandmother would wear a dress that beautiful?"

Angel sniffed affectedly and lifted her chin haughtily. "To tea."

"No, she'd wear it to dinner when she had guests."

The little girl's expression faltered a little. "I want to wear it today! I am meeting guests."

"Yes, but it's not evening and we're not having dinner with them."

"I don't care."

"Angel, you'll wear what you have on and not give Millie any more grief over it," Ginny instructed sternly, her good humor beginning to run low. "Perhaps you'll have an opportunity to wear the other dress soon."

Angel flopped down onto an overstuffed chair with her arms folded across her chest and a sulky expression on her face.

"You can brood all you like, it won't change things. Both of you behave for Millie and we'll send for you when it's time." Ginny turned to the aging servant standing near the door. "Millie, make sure Drake doesn't leave the room. He wants to visit with his grandmother, so he may try to leave once I'm gone."

"Yes, Mistress."

Ginny made her way quickly to Draco's study, hoping all the way that he'd already be there. When she arrived she was most disappointed to see the room empty. There was still time for him to make it, so she wasn't panicking just yet. Instead she rounded his desk and retrieved the file from his drawer, setting it in the middle of his desk. With nothing left to do but wait, Ginny settled herself in Draco's massive leather chair. She'd always thought his chair was ostentatious, but upon getting herself comfortable she could understand why he liked the chair. It seemed to cradle every inch of her body, like no other chair she'd ever sat on. More for something to do than anything else, Ginny opened the file in front of her and began to read the notes from the expected wizard's first interview. The ticking clock on the mantle reminded her constantly that time was slipping away.

A deep pop disturbed her from her thoughts and she raised her head expecting to Draco in the room. Disappointment, tinged with a small flutter of panic, filled her when she saw Ippy bowing close to the floor.

"Mr. Merrythought has arrived."

"Right—umm—" Ginny pushed aside her panic and forced herself to think logically. "Show Mr. Merrythought to one of the greeting parlors and tell him we won't be long, then find Draco and tell him that the gentleman has arrived."

"As Mistress wishes," Ippy responded.

"Just hurry." Ginny expelled a lungful of air when the servant disappeared. She did understand why Draco felt he had to go to his mother when she was so upset, but at the moment she was kicking herself for even mentioning that the other woman was upset.

The list of questions they were asking in this second interview were in the front of the file, and she could conduct the interview on her own, but she knew Draco wanted to be here to form his own opinion. All she could do was hope that he hurried up. Seconds began to feel like minutes and the urge to shut the clock on the mantle up was beginning to make her wand hand twitch.

"Ginny, I'm sorry, love," Draco blurted as he Apparated into the room. "Ippy said the candidate has arrived."

"Yes, I had Ippy show him to one of the greeting parlors until you arrived." Ginny regarded her husband quietly for a moment. He looked harassed more than anything at the moment. "Is everything all right with your mother?"

"Probably not, but there's little I can do about it now." Draco looked around the room, seemingly searching for something. "Ippy!"

"Master did summon Ippy?"

"Give us five minutes then show Mr. Merrythought in."

"Yes, Master."

When the servant Disapparated, Draco moved around to his chair, bringing a visitors chair with him. For a moment or two Ginny thought he may allow her to remain where she was, but he waited with barely concealed impatience for her to move into the visitors chair next to his comfortable chair. Without another word he sat down and started scanning the file in front of him, refreshing his memory of this particular candidate.

The five minutes he'd requested from Ippy was gone before he was ready. When a knock sounded at the door, Draco had no choice but to admit entry to the wizard.

Ginny's first impression of the man was that he was somewhat peeved and doing a terrible job of hiding his expression. When Draco spoke she knew he'd noticed, but his tone showed he wasn't concerned with the other man's feelings.

"Mr. Merrythought, my apologies for keeping you waiting," Draco intoned impassively. "Please take a seat."

"Thank you, Mr. Malfoy."

"There is something I've been wanting to ask you, if you don't mind."

"Go ahead."

"Your name rang a bell with me and I was wondering if you were related to Professor Merrythought who taught at Hogwarts some years ago."

"Yes, Professor Merrythought is my uncle," the wizard admitted. "He is, of course, retired now."

"Of course." Draco smiled across the desk. "We're going to start with a few more questions, and then the children will join us."

"Very well."

As Draco launched into his questions Ginny watched the other man intently. He hadn't so much as nodded in her direction and that was not helping her opinion of him at all. It didn't matter if he was the most qualified person in the world if he was rude enough to ignore her presence entirely. Even when she moved to open the door for the twins Merrythought didn't give her a second glance.

Ginny's attention didn't wane the entire time her children were in the room. Given their earlier moods were a little unstable she didn't want anything untoward to happen. The wizard seemed to be paying a lot more attention to Drake than what he was to Angel. It was something that didn't go unnoticed by the little witch either. By the time Draco called an end to the interview Ginny was fit to burst with indignation.

The door had hardly closed behind the wizard when Ginny turned her attention to her husband. "What a chauv—"

Draco held his hands up as if in surrender. "You don't need to say it, love. I did notice."

"There's no way—"

"We'll discuss it later," Draco said evenly. There was no way that wizard was going to be appointed the position or even seriously considered, but he wasn't going to expound on his thoughts in front of the children. It didn't matter to Draco that he'd kept the man waiting; it was not an excuse for his attitude towards Ginny and Angel.

"Would you like some tea?"

"I might duck up and check on Mother," Draco responded quietly.

Ginny moaned silently. She wasn't surprised that he wanted to check on Narcissa again, but given the delay last time she didn't feel comfortable with him leaving right now. "We only have about twenty minutes. There's not really enough time to check on her, Draco."

"I can make—" Draco stopped when he saw his wife's expression. It wasn't exactly foreboding, but it had the potential to get there quickly. "I'll check on her after this next interview."

"Thank you."

"A cup of tea would be nice," Draco continued in an effort to get his wife to adopt a friendlier expression.

"Millie, bring a tea tray and some pumpkin juice for the twins."

"Yes, Mistress."

The family had only just settled around the empty hearth when Millie appeared with the tea tray. They drank their tea and pumpkin juice in relative silence, each seemingly lost in their own thoughts. As soon as the twins finished their drinks Ginny sent them back to the playroom with Millie. She knew time was growing short and didn't want to rush them when the time came to return to the playroom.

The moment he had bid goodbye to the children Draco went back to his desk, taking his teacup with him. He retrieved the second file from the drawer and began to peruse the contents straight away. There were more notes in this file than any of the others, given he had met with the applicants current employer to gauge the man's genuine feelings about the woman.

Ginny had the tea tray removed and moved to her chair beside Draco. She'd only just perched herself on the seat when Ippy appeared near the doorway.

"Miss Sheenan is requesting an audience with Master."

"Show the applicant in," Draco responded absently, not bothering to raise his eyes from the file.

"I'm looking forward to meeting with Clare again," Ginny commented eagerly.

"Mmm," Draco grunted.

"I really enjoyed her energy last time we met," Ginny continued, despite her husband's less than human response.

"Mmm."

"Why don't you just nod and smile in all the right places?"

"Mmm."

"Draco, are you even listening to me?"

"Uh huh."

"I want to paint the outside of the manor flamingo pink. What do you think?"

"Sounds great, love," Draco muttered.

Ginny growled lowly and slapped his arm.

Draco looked at her, clearly affronted. "What?"

"Do you realize you just agreed to let me paint the exterior of the manor bright pink?"

"I did not!"

"Yes you did. You told me that it sounded great."

"Ginny, I'm trying to read."

"I was trying to talk to you about Clare."

"I'm sorry, love, I'm accustomed to having a few minutes before a meeting to prepare on my own," Draco explained. "My staff knows better than to disturb me."

"I'm not your staff," Ginny ground out.

"I didn't mean you were or even had to follow the same form, love. I'm just not accustomed to having meaningful discussions minutes before a meeting and as such I was focused on the file in front of me," Draco clarified in what he hoped would be interpreted as a sincere tone.

"Okay," Ginny responded dully. "Have you finished?"

Draco cringed. "Not quite."

"Fine, read your notes."

"Gin, don't be like that." Draco reached across had grabbed her hand. "It's important that we're as prepared as we can be when meeting with someone."

A strong knock at the door interrupted their conversation.

"Are you ready?" Draco asked, wishing he knew for certain that he'd successfully made amends.

"Yes, are you?"

"I'll manage." He winked cheekily at her and gave her hand a squeeze, before removing his. "Enter."

"Miss Sheehan to see Master and Mistress," Ippy announced.

"Miss Sheehan, come in please," Draco intoned politely.

"Thank you, Mr. Malfoy. It's such a pleasure to see you again," Miss Sheehan gushed as she crossed the room. "Mrs. Malfoy, you have a wonderful home! It's so big."

"Thank you." Ginny smiled warmly at the woman. "Please take a seat."

"We have a few questions to get through before the children join us," Draco explained.

"Yes, of course. I'm an open book, Mr. Malfoy."

Draco hid the amused smirk wanting to show itself. He couldn't discredit her enthusiasm. "I met with you current employer last week."

"Yes, Mr. Maddock told me he had lunch with you."

"He spoke very highly of you."

Clare Sheehan blushed lightly at the compliment.

"I think we'll get started," Draco said.

He started moving his way down the list of questions, noting the woman's answers and attitude. She appeared to be a little hesitant in some of her answers, but overall she was bubbly and eager to please. Even though he felt that the decision had already been made, Draco was enjoying this woman's liveliness. She would certainly get along with the children, but he wondered if she had the strength to conduct a disciplined classroom.

"If you're ready we'll send for the children," Draco offered.

"Oh yes, I'm looking forward to meeting them very much."

After sending for the twins Draco allowed the two women to natter for a short while. He took it as an opportunity to observe the woman on a different level. Just one thing bothered him in the time they were interacting: she seemed to treat Ginny like some long lost friend rather than a potential employer.

As soon as Ginny rose to answer the knock on the door announcing the twins' arrival, Miss Sheehan was on her feet as well. She hovered very close to Ginny's shoulder as the children entered and her face lit up brightly when they came into sight.

"Hello there! You must be Drake and Angel," Miss Sheehan said cheerfully. "I'm Clare Sheehan."

"Hello," Angel replied with a smile.

"Hello, Miss—Mrs.—umm—"

"I'm a Miss Sheehan, Drake."

"Oh, hello, Miss Sheehan."

Clare smiled brilliantly. "Would you like to have a chat?"

Angel nodded excitedly.

"Lovely! Why don't we sit down somewhere comfortable and we can get to know each other?"

"We can sit over there," Drake offered, pointing to his father's comfortable chairs near the fire.

"Wonderful! Why don't you lead the way?"

Drake drew himself to full height and led the witches across to the chairs. He waited, like a true gentleman, until both witches were seated then took a seat himself.

Ginny returned to Draco to observe Clare's interaction with the children. She was very encouraging to both of them and before long there was laughter filling the room. Drake and Angel appeared to get along with her extremely well. Both children were completely relaxed and very open with the woman. When Draco decided it was time to bring the interview to an end Ginny noticed that the twins seemed a little crestfallen.

"Thank you so much for allowing me to meet your wonderful children," Clare said sincerely. "They are both so beautiful and so well mannered. You're very lucky."

"Thank you, Miss Sheehan," Ginny responded, accepting the compliments gracefully.

"Thank you for attending. We will be making our decision shortly and will advise you of our decision in due course," Draco advised. "Ippy, you can show Miss Sheehan out."

"Yes, Master," the house elf responded as it started ushering the woman towards the door.

"She was nice!" Drake exclaimed.

"Yes, she was, darling," Ginny agreed, pleased that her little boy had given his opinion so forcefully.

"I might go and check on Mother," Draco whispered to Ginny.

"All right."

"I won't be long. I want to discuss the applicants while everything is still fresh in our minds."

"I'll be here," Ginny responded, not believing he'd be back any time soon.

Draco kissed her cheek and left the room quickly.

"Where's Daddy going?" Drake asked quizzically.

"Just to check on your grandmother," Ginny replied casually.

"Can I go and drink tea with Grandmother?" Drake asked.

"Not just yet, darling. Let Daddy make sure she's all right first, then later you can go and have some tea with her."

"Okay," Drake mumbled, not pleased at his mother's response, but knowing it was pointless to argue.

Angel frowned deeply. "What's wrong with Grandmother?"

"She was crying," Drake informed his sister.

"Why?"

"'Cause Daddy wouldn't do something for her."

The little strawberry blonde gasped loudly. "What a naughty boy!"

Ginny had to smother a snort of laughter. If Angel remembered to chastise her father for his 'disobedience' it was going to be quite amusing; she just hoped she was there to see the expression on his face. "Why don't we have some afternoon tea while we're waiting for Daddy to return?"

Drake looked at his mother with disbelief. "I'm having afternoon tea with Grandmother!"

"Oh— You can have afternoon tea with us as well, honey," Ginny offered quickly. She didn't want to mention that Narcissa may not want afternoon tea or could have quite conceivably already had afternoon tea.

"Can we have Grandmother's little pastry things?" Drake asked, suddenly agreeable.

"I'll see if we've got any." Ginny summoned a servant and ordered afternoon tea be served in the study, making certain she asked about the French pastries Narcissa favored.

Ginny ushered the children over to the armchairs around the hearth. She hoped Draco wouldn't be long, but she knew he'd take as long as he needed to so that his own mind was at ease. Men were decidedly strange creatures when it came to their mothers. Her brothers were really no different. Granted they didn't fuss as much as Draco, but if they thought they'd upset Molly they would try to put things right in their own clumsy way.

Angel nattered about Miss Sheehan all the way through afternoon tea. Ginny answered her questions vaguely, but the little witch didn't seem to notice she wasn't getting the full attention of her mother. Drake was withdrawn, as he often was when something wasn't quite right with his family and he wasn't happy.

About an hour later Draco returned to his family. Given his dark expression, Ginny immediately rose from her chair and met him at his desk, knowing it would be better if the children didn't hear any more than necessary about the problems with their grandparents. At this point she wished he would just do whatever was necessary to put an end to the nonsense, but she did understand why he was so reluctant to apologize to his father when he'd done nothing more than put his family first.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Drake watched his parents talk in hushed tones. His dad didn't look terribly happy, so the little boy decided that Grandmother must have still been crying. Without alerting anyone, he silently wandered over to the door and slipped out of the room.

When he reached the staircase Drake summoned Millie and enquired as to the whereabouts of his grandmother. With that information in hand, the little wizard continued on his way.

Drake slipped into his grandmother's personal parlor silently. He knew he wasn't really allowed in this room, but he was desperate to make her feel better.

Narcissa was sitting on the window seat, gazing out into the gardens.

"Grandmother," Drake whispered.

"Darling, what are you doing here?" Narcissa asked as she turned.

"I came to drink tea with you."

Narcissa's forehead creased a little in confusion. "That's lovely."

"You always smile when you drink tea, so that's why I came," Drake explained in a small voice.

"Oh, darling, how very sweet of you." Narcissa's blue eyes welled with tears. "Come here, sweetheart."

Drake wandered over to the window seat. His eyes were trying to take in everything in the room at once.

Narcissa gathered the little boy in her arms and held him tight. Tears were gliding unchecked down her face while she muttered into his blond hair about Drake being the sweetest little boy ever.

Upon hearing a distinctly wet sniff from the top of his head Drake drew away just a little. "You weren't supposed to cry," he whispered nervously.

"I'm all right, darling. I'm only crying because you've made me so happy."

Drake frowned deeply. "You don't cry when you're happy."

"Well sometimes you do if you're very, very happy."

"That's silly," Drake mumbled.

"Yes, darling, it is silly." Narcissa laughed delicately. "Now, shall we order some tea?"

Drake nodded emphatically. "And some treats. They make me smile, so they'll make you smile."

"Of course, we'll order treats."

After placing their order with a servant, Narcissa and Drake moved over to the wingback chairs surrounding the fireplace. Drake's manners had never been so perfect; he was putting into practice everything Narcissa had ever taught him about propriety.

"Mother!" Draco burst through the door glaring harshly at his son. "I am sorry for the intrusion. Drake, you should have waited until—"

"The only intrusion in this room was caused by you, Draco," Narcissa cut him off haughtily. "Now if you don't mind, I am having tea with my grandson."

Draco surveyed the scene cautiously before retreating from the room with a mumbled apology.

"Now, would you care for a pastry," Narcissa offered her grandson.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ginny looked up as Draco entered his study. Again he didn't look happy. "What happened? Where's Drake?"

"Your son is having tea with my mother," Draco responded tetchily.

"My son?" Ginny arched her eyebrows at him questioningly. "It sounds more like something his father would do."

Draco muttered something unintelligible.

"Are we going to discuss the applicants?"

"We have Angelique," Draco pointed out.

"I'm sure Angel would be happy to go to the playroom," Ginny countered.

"No, it's all right, we'll talk later," Draco huffed.

"Fine," Ginny answered in a clipped tone.

He ignored his wife's tone and turned to his daughter. "Angel, would you like to go riding?"

"Oh yes!"

"Go change your clothes and we'll take the horses out."

The squeal the little girl let loose as she ran from the room was almost deafening in its pitch.

Ginny waited until Angel was out of earshot before turning to Draco. "When are we going to discuss the applicants?"

"After dinner. I just need to—"

"What happened?"

"I was thoroughly dismissed." Draco released a long breath.

"Draco, what did you expect? You go there, refusing to do what she's asked, and Drake's there trying to cheer her up the only way he knows how."

"What is this drinking tea with her?"

Ginny sighed quietly. "He has concluded that your mother is always happy when she's drinking tea with people, so he decided to cheer her up by drinking tea with her."

Draco scoffed.

"Whether drinking tea cheers her or not, the thought and his explanation will put a smile on her face."

"Whatever," Draco muttered.

"Oh, and I'd brace yourself for another telling off too."

"Why?"

"Angel isn't very happy with you, so she's likely to tell you at some point."

Draco smirked confidently. "She'll forget about it once we're riding."

"Don't be so sure," Ginny warned. "You haven't seen her take with one hand only to slap you with the other yet."

"Gin, you worry too much. My daughter loves me."

"Yes, she does, but that doesn't mean she won't air her displeasure if she's upset at something you've done."

"Never," Draco responded arrogantly.

"Fine, go. Just don't say I didn't warn you."

Draco kissed his wife on the cheek. "I'll see you at dinner."

"You're staying out that long?"

"The horses need a good workout, and I need to clear my head."

"All right," Ginny agreed quietly. It was better to let him go and sort through his feelings than force him to stay or even come back before he was ready. As he left, she noticed that his shoulders were slumped, and his head was low. All she could do was hope that he came back in a better frame of mind.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Draco and Angel returned from their ride absolutely famished and just in time for dinner. They were full of chatter about where they'd been and what they'd seen. Angel did take the time, in between mouthfuls and other talk, to inform the table that she had thoroughly admonished her father for being a naughty boy to Grandmother. The little girl sounded so much like Molly Weasley that Ginny couldn't help but feel sorry for her husband, who was cringing at the head of the table.

Drake hardly picked at his meal, having spent the rest of the afternoon with Narcissa eating French pastries and making her laugh. The little boy cast the odd resentful glance towards the head of the table, but didn't say anything that would get him into trouble.

Ginny had spent more time on planning her dinner party. She felt it was really starting to come together now and she found herself looking forward to putting the finishing touches on the plans, so the invitations could be sent.

After everyone had finished eating the twins were sent for baths under the watchful eyes of Millie. When they were ready Ginny told them they could play for a little while in the playroom, while she and Draco returned to the study to discuss the appointment of a tutor.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"We agreed to discuss each applicant and make our decision on their professional ability along with the children's reaction to them," Draco stated firmly. He knew Ginny didn't have any experience making such decisions and was likely to allow her heart to decide who was best for the children.

"I know, Draco. We've been over this how many times now?"

"I just want you to understand how I will come to my conclusions. I try not to allow my personal feelings invade my professional opinion."

"You explained this to me before," Ginny said patiently. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the man sitting on the opposite side of the desk. They needed to get through this without any animosity.

"I know, but I'm not making my decision on whether or not I like a person. I'll be looking at their credentials and their attitude."

"Yes, darling."

Draco looked at his wife with an amused expression on his face. The notion that he'd just wasted his breath ran through his mind. He knew, no matter what, Ginny would make her decision with her heart not her head. "Okay, we'll go through them one at a time starting with Amherst."

"No, absolutely not."

"I have to agree. He reminded me far too much of your brother, Percy."

Ginny laughed. "It's frightening to think there's another one just like him out there."

"Shall we move on?"

Ginny nodded, sobering immediately.

"What about Merrythought?"

The amused expression melted from Ginny's face immediately. "I found him rude, not only to me, but to Angel as well."

"Fine, he's out. I'd hate to think how I'd find the man if I left him alone in the house with you anyway."

"I don't think I like what you're implying."

"I'm implying nothing, my love, simply stating a fact."

"A fact?"

"Perhaps I can rephrase it." Draco appeared to think deeply for a moment or two. "Let's just say, the idea of disposing of a body after a hard day at the office isn't appealing."

"I would never."

"Now you're telling fibs." Draco smirked at her indignant expression. "Shall we move on to the next?"

"Yes, before I feel the need to make a liar out of myself and teach you a thing or two."

Draco chuckled. "Conway?"

"I liked him a lot."

"Why can I feel a 'but' in there?"

"He was great. I really can't think of any reason to not appoint him, but I think Clare is the person I want teaching the children."

Draco framed his words very carefully. He knew who he wanted for the position, and now it was just a matter of convincing Ginny to change her mind. "Conway was perfect. He showed terrific balance between being approachable and an authority figure. It's something that I don't feel Miss Sheehan displayed."

"The kids loved her. Did you see their expressions when she left? They didn't want her to go, because they were having fun."

"Ginny, there's a difference between a playmate and a tutor."

"Yes, but if their tutor is someone they really like then they're more likely to want to please that person."

"And what happens when discipline is required?" Draco paused for a moment to consider his thoughts. "I have no problem with Miss Sheehan; I just have some reservations about whether she'd be able to discipline the twins effectively when needed. Whereas Mr. Conway appears to be the full package — he's friendly, the twins like him, and he's strong enough to be a disciplinarian if required."

"I'm certain she's a lot stronger than she looks. The Maddocks were happy with her. Did Mr. Maddock indicate he'd ever had a problem with discipline?"

"No, he didn't, but she did have only one student with the Maddocks."

"Draco, I really think that at their age the twins need someone who's a bit softer... a woman who can hold them if they fall over and skin their knees, someone they can go to when they're frightened. Maybe when they're older we can opt for someone a little harsher, but for now I would feel a lot more comfortable if they had someone who was loving."

"There was nothing to indicate that Mr. Conway isn't capable of all that."

"Nothing, except for the fact that he's a man and men don't generally comfort distressed children in the same manner as women."

Draco sighed heavily and ran his hands through his hair. The fact was both candidates were brilliant and Ginny's arguments for Miss Sheehan were fair. Of course, they had to make a decision somehow. He still felt that Mr. Conway was the better choice of the two in the long term.

"Why don't we ask the twins who they preferred?" Ginny suggested.

"Let them make the decision?"

"No, but it would be interesting to know who they preferred and they might be able to supply us with good reasons why they preferred one over the other."

"All right, we'll ask them," Draco agreed.

"Why don't we go to them, rather than get them to come here? Then we can put them to bed while we're there, because it's getting a bit late."

"Okay, let's go," Draco agreed getting to his feet. He was tired and really just wanted to come to a decision, so he could relax for the rest of the night. "What did you do this afternoon?" he asked as they strolled out of the study.

"I did a little more work on the household books and then I curled up with a book for a while."

"More work?"

"I'm trying to get well ahead," Ginny responded casually. "That way I'll only have to make a few changes to accommodate social events."

"Good idea."

"Yes, I thought so."

They paused in the doorway of the playroom to observe the twins for a few minutes. Angel was playing quietly with her dolls, and Drake was working furiously at their small table with his crayons.

Draco stepped into the room, bringing Ginny with him. "It's nearly bedtime."

Drake's head snapped up immediately. "I have to finish this."

"What is it that you're doing?" Draco asked.

"A picture for Grandmother," Drake admitted distractedly as he continued to color.

"Drake, can you put it aside until tomorrow?" Ginny asked gently. "We'd really like to speak to both of you before you go to bed."

"I wanted to give it to Grandmother tonight."

"I think your grandmother has already retired for the evening, Drake," Draco informed him.

"Oh—well, I guess I could give it to her tomorrow."

"You can finish it after breakfast and then, if she's not busy, you can go and visit her."

"Okay," the little wizard concurred tiredly, putting aside his bright blue crayon.

"Come and sit down over here both of you," Draco said, directing the children towards the sofas. "We have something to ask you."

"What, Daddy?" Drake asked curiously, making his way to the sofa.

Draco waited until everyone was seated before asking his question. "We want to know who you liked the best out of the people you've met over the last two days."

"I liked the lady best," Angel said firmly.

"Me too," Drake agreed.

"You didn't like any of the gentlemen?" Draco prodded.

"Umm—the one who liked Quidditch was nice," Drake offered, while Angel nodded her agreement. "But I liked the lady better."

"Is there any reason you liked her better?" Ginny asked. She hoped there was a reason the twins could voice to convince Draco that Clare was the right person for the job.

"She was funny," Drake said.

"Is that all?" Draco enquired.

Angel's brow furrowed in thought and she shrugged. "She was nice."

"Why?" Drake asked.

"We just wanted to know what you thought," Ginny explained simply.

"Is she going to be our tutor?" Angel enquired.

"We haven't made our final decision yet," Draco informed them seriously.

Drake looked pensive for a moment. "What if we don't like who you choose?"

"We'll be selecting the best person for the job, whether you like that person or not is beside the point," Draco said firmly. "A tutor is someone who will prepare you for Hogwarts, not a friend or playmate."

The little wizard muttered something under his breath.

Draco thought it better to ignore whatever problem Drake was having at the moment, considering he'd expressed a liking for the two most likely candidates. "All right, upstairs and into bed with both of you."

"Can we have a story first, Daddy?" Angel gave her father the most pleading of looks.

"Mummy and I still have a great deal to discuss," Draco started. He made the fatal mistake of looking at his daughter while he was trying to refuse her. "Perhaps just a short one."

"I think that story can happen when they're upstairs, don't you, Draco?" Ginny suggested more than asked.

"Yes, good idea. We'll get you tucked in first."

It took several minutes to get the twins upstairs and ready for bed. When they were both snuggled in Angel's bed Draco opened one of their favorite storybooks. The more he read the further away his problems with his parents drifted. He was always surprised at how relaxing this task was. The simplicity of reading to the twins made it so enjoyable.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

When Draco and Ginny returned to Draco's study they went through the notes from the interviews and the resumes of both candidates again, trying to find just one thing that would put one applicant ahead of the other. Apart from more experience on Mr. Conway's side there was nothing to separate the two.

"Well, who are we going to appoint?" Ginny asked.

Draco expelled a large breath of air. "I'd still feel more comfortable with Conway."

"The children and I prefer Clare."

"All right, Miss Sheehan it is then. I'll arrange the owls to advise everyone tomorrow."

"Thank you, sweetheart."

"When she falls to pieces or the kids are running feral don't blame me."

"I'm certain she'll do wonderfully. The twins are going to be so excited."

"You can tell them when she's accepted the position. There's no point telling them until we've confirmed her appointment."

"Okay, I'll keep my mouth closed."

"Good, because I'd hate for her to have changed her mind and the children to be disappointed."

"You have a point," Ginny admitted.

"Now, I think I'm ready for bed."

"You do look tired."

"That ride wore me out more than I thought," Draco confessed. "May I escort you upstairs, Mrs. Malfoy?"

"I'd like that very much, Mr. Malfoy," Ginny responded, trying her best not to giggle as Draco moved around the desk and assisted her to her feet. Now that the decision had been made she realized she was feeling a little weary herself, and the thought of falling asleep in her husband's arms was most welcoming.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Thank you to everyone who reviewed the previous chapter. Huge thanks to Rainpuddle13 for her wonderful beta skills!

-->

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 EIGHT

FOOT IN MOUTH

When Draco Apparated into the foyer of Malfoy Manor on Friday afternoon his eyes went straight to the staircase and then they lit up. Every afternoon for the last two weeks, Drake had met him upon his arrival home from the office, and today was no different.

"Daddy!" Drake squealed, launching himself off the stairs and into Draco's arms.

"Have you had a good day?" Draco asked, almost squeezing the very life out of his heir.

"Yep! Did you?"

"I suppose so," Draco replied evasively. "Do you know where Mummy is?"

"She's in the parlor, but you can't see her yet."

"And why would that be?"

"Grandmother wants to see you first," Drake informed him seriously.

"Does she now?"

Drake nodded gravely. "She said she would be in the— the— the room where she grows stuff."

"The solarium," Draco corrected with a smirked. "Well, she can wait, because right now I want to say hello to your mother and sister."

"But she said the moment you got home or she wouldn't see you at all."

"All right then, I'll go see her. Do you want to come with me?"

"Nope, she said you had to come alone."

"I see." Draco regarded his son's grave expression for a moment. "In that case, you can tell your mother I'm home and will be in very soon to say hello."

"I can do that."

"Good, off you go then." Draco watched his son strut self-importantly down the corridor in the direction of the family parlor.

He rubbed his neck wearily and wondered exactly what it was his mother wanted him for, though he did have his suspicions. As he headed in the direction of the solarium, he hoped she wasn't in a needy mood and he'd be able to extract himself gracefully before too long. It wasn't that he didn't want to see his mother, more that he'd enjoyed the time he'd been able to spend with Ginny and the twins before dinner immensely over the past couple of weeks.

Draco stopped just over the threshold of the solarium. His mother was sitting at the small table on the far side of the room. "Mother, you wanted to see me?"

"Draco, darling, do come in." Narcissa smiled warmly as her son placed a chaste kiss on her cheek. "I've missed you these past weeks."

Draco fidgeted guiltily while he waited to be invited to sit down. It was true he'd made no effort to seek either of his parents out at home for the past fortnight, but with the tension still running high with his father, Draco had thought it best if they avoided contact away from the office, where it was necessary. "I've been busy."

"You can save your excuses." Narcissa waved her hand haughtily. "Sit down; I want to talk to you."

Draco lowered himself into the chair opposite his mother's. "How have you been, Mother?"

"Aside from lonely—"

"Mother," Draco warned. He may have been feeling a little guilty, but he wasn't about to allow her to exploit the fact. "I may not have seen you for a couple of weeks, but Ginny has been keeping me apprised of your activities."

Narcissa sniffed affectedly. "Then you would know about the Charity Dinner for Ancient Artefacts tomorrow evening?"

"Yes, I'm aware of it."

"Ginevra informed me that you're not attending."

"No, we're not."

"We always attend."

"You and father are attending, surely that is enough."

"Quite possibly, but I am curious as to why you're not coming."

"Why?"

"I would have thought it was an excellent opportunity to introduce Ginevra to our social circle properly."

"Perhaps it would have been, but we have other plans."

"Ginevra didn't allude to having other plans. I'll make a point of ensuring she notes which functions are most important."

"She doesn't know we have alternate plans, and the decision not to attend was mine."

"I see," Narcissa responded with a hint of disbelief in her tone.

"You don't want to know what I have planned?"

"Tell me if you must."

Draco chuckled at his mother's faux indifferent tone. He knew she was dying to know what was going to keep him from the charity dinner. "Well, if you're not interested I won't bore you."

Narcissa's blue eyes narrowed on her son briefly. "I never said I wasn't interested."

"It's all right, Mother, you don't have to pretend to be interested." Draco smiled as he stood up, ready to leave. "If that was all, I need to say hello to my family."

"Of course."

"Have a pleasant time tomorrow evening." Draco inclined his head politely and took his leave quickly.

On his way back to the southern wing, Draco pondered the real reason for Narcissa requesting an audience with him. It had certainly never bothered her before if he refused to attend a function, though she did have a point about introducing Ginny to their social circle. The last event where everyone had been together had been their wedding and that hadn't been quite the right time to concentrate on ensuring his wife's acceptance into the crowd they socialized with at some of the most important events on the wizarding world's calendar.

Excited squeals assaulted his ears the moment he stepped into the parlor. Angel flew across the room and into his arms to be tossed high in the air, amplifying of her screams.

"How are my girls today?" Draco asked, once Angel had stopped screaming.

"Good!" Angel replied gleefully. "We had tea with Grandmother."

"Did you? Well, that would have been nice."

The little witch nodded enthusiastically. "We had pumpkin juice and pastries."

"Good for you." Draco smiled warmly as he put his daughter on her feet and winked at her. "I think I'd better say hello to Mummy before she gets jealous."

Angel giggled behind her hand as Draco took Ginny into his arms.

It was always the same: Drake would meet him in the foyer, Angel would attack him the moment he stepped into the parlor, and then Ginny would get her chance.

"Hello, love," Draco uttered as he encompassed his wife in his arms.

"Hello," Ginny responded with a smile. "Did you have a nice day?"

"It was all right." Draco kissed her lightly. "I missed you."

"You say that every day."

"I miss you every day." Draco lowered his face to rub his nose on hers. "How was your day?"

"It was okay. Your mother mentioned something about a charity dinner."

"Don't worry, we're not attending."

"Aren't we supposed to?"

"Yes, but I have other plans." It wasn't until Ginny stiffened in his arms that Draco realized he might have said something wrong, and he quickly rephrased his words. "What I meant was: I have made alternative plans for us."

"Oh?"

"It's a surprise, so don't ask. Tomorrow evening is the earliest you'll find out."

"How will I know what to wear?" Ginny asked cheekily.

"I'll instruct the servants to lay out your attire," Draco answered confidently.

"I see."

"Good," Draco drawled, pleased with her acceptance. "Now, I would like to relax a little before dinner."

"All right," Ginny answered slowly. She knew he had a secret, but he seemed a little too happy with himself at the minute. "What do you want to do?"

"I was thinking about a leisurely stroll by the lake."

"To relax?"

"Well, it will help both of us relax later when these two don't have any energy to argue about bedtime."

"I do believe you are learning."

Draco smirked. "I took notes last night."

Ginny laughed. The evening before it had taken just over an hour to convince the twins to settle into their beds. Draco had been close to losing his temper with both of them, given that they'd already stolen his sanity some thirty minutes earlier. "A walk it is then."

"Shall we?" Draco offered Ginny his hand.

As they walked into the grounds Draco lifted the wards protecting the children's play area, so they could walk to the lake.

"Drake, stay where we can see you," Draco called as his son ran ahead. "Angel, why don't you see if you can catch your brother?"

"Daddy, I'm not dressed to be running around." Angel prissily smoothed her dress down.

Draco winked at Ginny and released her hand. "You know, my fingers are just itching to tickle someone."

Angel's eyes widened in horror and shot straight to her father. She didn't like the way his fingers were wiggling in front of him, as if they were looking for someone to tickle. When her father took a large step towards her, the little witch ran off with a loud squeal.

Draco chased his daughter, never quite catching her, but reminding her often that his tickling fingers weren't yet satisfied. Not wanting to miss out on the fun, Drake soon made his presence known with a deafening shriek as he deliberately ran across his father's path.

Ginny stopped under a tree and watched her family running around, being silly and generally having fun. Moments like these could be so easily forgotten as the years went by, but they should be treasured and remembered forever. She hoped there would be many more times like this, and she vowed to remember each one of them. Ginny laughed aloud when Draco finally scooped up Drake under one arm and then Angel under the other. The twins' squeals were ear piercing, and entirely delightful to hear.

"Ginny!"

Draco's concerned tone broke through her thoughts. He was coming towards her with a deep frown on his handsome features.

"Ginny, what's wrong, love?"

"I'm fine." She smiled at his worry.

Draco reached for her, drawing her into his chest. "Why are you crying?"

"I'm not."

He held her at arms length and ran his thumb over her cheek, gathering the tears that had fallen from her eyes. "What's this then?"

Ginny giggled, a little embarrassed at her foolishness. "I don’t know. I didn't realize I was crying."

"What upset you?"

"Nothing, I'm not upset."

Draco frowned, not believing her for a minute.

"I was just watching you and the twins, and thinking how wonderful moments like these are."

"And now you're crying?" Draco asked hesitantly.

Ginny nodded, feeling a little guilty now for the worry she'd caused him. "My hormones are a little erratic."

"Father said something about this," Draco muttered not quite to himself.

She couldn't hold the snort of laughter that burst from her. "Your mother was apparently a walking faucet for the duration."

Draco's eyebrows shot up into his hairline. "You know about that?"

"Narcissa told me."

Draco sighed heavily. "So much for the big family secrets Father thinks he's imparting."

"There are no secrets like family secrets."

He nodded thoughtfully. "Are you all right then?"

"Yes, I'm fine." Ginny smiled to reassure him. "Apart from feeling a little silly now."

Draco placed a lingering kiss on her forehead and held her to him gently. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"Do you want to go back to the house?"

"No, of course not."

"All right, but you just let me know if you do."

Ginny bit back the urge to remind Draco that she wasn't terminally ill. "I will."

"Daddy, are we going to run?" Drake asked impatiently.

"I'm going to walk with Mummy for a bit, mate, but you can run."

The little boy's face dropped with disappointment.

"Run with them, Draco," Ginny encouraged.

"What about you?"

"I'm fine. Go and have some fun with them."

"All right, but we won't go out of sight."

She couldn't resist rolling her eyes a little. "I'll be fine."

Draco paused to place a quick kiss on her mouth and then took off in the direction of his son. Even Angel joined in without being coaxed. Again squeals of delight filled the air, and Ginny went back to thinking she was the luckiest woman alive.

After running around for an hour, the family returned to the house, considerably more mussed than what they were earlier. Ginny sent Draco and the children off to wash their hands while she checked on the availability of dinner. When they finally appeared in the dining room all three appeared to have taken a bath, without removing their clothes, instead of simply ensuring their hands were clean.

"Which bathroom did you use?"

"Ground floor, closest to the parlor," Draco answered, flashing a cheeky grin in his wife's direction.

Ginny shook her head. "Millie, can you make sure that bathroom doesn't resemble a swamp?"

"Yes, Mistress."

"The least you three could do is look a little remorseful," Ginny said, glancing around the table.

She had to give them credit for their efforts to change their expressions, but it didn't last long. The moment Drake giggled Draco and Angel dissolved into fits of laughter.

"All right, that's enough," Ginny ordered, shaking her head and wondering if she was turning into her mother. "Eat your dinner before it goes cold."

With everyone thoroughly chastised, or as close as Ginny could manage when they kept laughing, they began eating with only the occasional giggling fit interrupting the silence. Just as the family was finishing dessert Lucius walked into the room looking a little uncomfortable.

"Ginevra," Lucius intoned politely.

"Good evening, Lucius." Ginny smiled brightly, though the gesture held more humor than it should have.

"I was wondering if I might be permitted to tuck the children in tonight."

"Of course, they haven't had their baths yet, so it will be a while before they're ready for bed."

"Perhaps I could collect them in an hour?"

"That would be fine."

"Thank you." Lucius inclined his head politely and left the room quickly.

"For goodness sakes," Ginny growled, her good humor leaving with her father-in-law.

"What?" Draco questioned.

"When are you two going to get over this?"

"When he admits he was wrong."

"Draco, he wouldn't even look at you."

"It doesn't bother me."

"Well, it should!"

"Why? Life is peaceful."

"Draco, you're not setting a good example. What if you and Drake have a disagreement in the future?"

"I'm not my father. Unlike him, I will admit when I'm wrong." Draco placed his cutlery on the table and gave his full attention to his wife. "He's accustomed to getting his own way whether he's right or wrong. In the past I have given into him for the sake of harmony and to keep Mother happy. I can't do that this time, Ginny."

"When is it going to end then?"

"I don't know, love. He's not likely to give in, so I guess things will simply return to normal in time."

Ginny shook her head and sighed heavily. It wasn't how she was used to dealing with disputes. To ignore the problem didn't make it go away, but she didn't know quite how to get Draco to see this.

"Just leave it, love. Things will sort themselves out in time," Draco assured her.

"I can't see how."

"They will, trust me."

The twins had watched the exchange between their parents with avid interest. It was no secret that Daddy and Grandfather weren't talking at the moment, and that both of them went to great lengths to avoid each other at home. They finished their dessert in silence and waited patiently for their mother to suggest it was time for their baths.

Ginny pushed her dessert aside and placed her hands on the table. "Come on, you two, let's see about a bath."

"I was going to bath them," Draco said.

"You can join us when you've finished eating." Ginny stood up in readiness to leave the room. "If I don't get them started now your father will be back for them before they're ready."

Draco watched his wife leave with the children. He knew she wasn't exactly upset with him, but she wasn't exactly happy with him either. It bothered him that she couldn't or wouldn't see why he refused to give in to Lucius. The thought that he hadn't told her exactly what had been said between the two of them haunted him. He couldn't bring himself to reveal all the dirty details, because it would cause an all out war and he'd likely find himself in the position of referee. All of a sudden his apple pie didn't taste so nice anymore, and he pushed it away from his with a snarl.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ginny leaned against the parlor doorway with a small smile playing across her mouth. Draco had not come up to the bathroom to help her with the twins and by not coming upstairs he'd also missed out on saying goodnight to the children, because Lucius had turned up exactly one hour after he left the dining room to collect them. After assuring Ginny the children would be in bed at a reasonable hour, he led the twins downstairs and to the northern wing for a short while. She knew Draco wouldn't pursue them while they were in his father's company.

She sighed heavily and pushed herself off the doorframe. Draco was sound asleep in his chair, feet up on the occasional table and snoring loudly. As she drew closer Ginny noticed a tumbler of Firewhisky in his hand. It was tipped precariously towards the Oriental rug on the floor. She stepped forward quickly and seized the glass.

"Hey, that's mine," Draco complained groggily, while reaching clumsily for his drink that his wife was easily holding out of reach.

"I suppose you were enjoying it as well?"

"Yes," Draco responded grumpily.

"So, were you sipping it between snores, or just holding it until the rug got thirsty?"

"I do not—"

"Yes, you do and don't argue, because I heard you," Ginny said sternly. "Now, you're obviously tired, so don't you think it would be a better idea to go up and take a shower now, before you fall asleep again?"

"I was simply resting my eyes," Draco insisted.

"Oh, and the snoring was to scare attackers away while your eyes were closed!"

Draco opened his mouth to respond, but snapped it shut when he saw Ginny's amused expression. To retort would be to play right into her hand and he wouldn't do that. Instead he muttered his displeasure under his breath.

"Are you coming up?"

"I was having a drink."

Ginny rolled her eyes at him. "You were having a sleep."

"I'd like to finish my drink."

"You'll have to come and get it then," Ginny responded cheekily as she left the parlor in a hurry.

Draco looked at the retreating back of his wife in disbelief. Was he being sent to bed like a naughty boy? Granted, he was tired and he had drifted off for a moment, but that was no reason to take his drink and send him to bed. He considered simply pouring himself another drink, but thought the better of it as his hand touched the bottle. It might be more fun to chase the drink he already had, and if it didn't turn out to be enjoyable at least he'd be able to rest his aching body. He didn't think running around so much this afternoon would have affected him like this, but apparently it wasn't such a good idea to participate in such an activity after a long day at the office.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Draco waited patiently at the foot of the staircase for his wife to present herself. Even though they were going to be late for their reservation, he wasn't going to rush her. Tonight was about her and only her, so if she wanted to take ten hours to get ready then he'd not complain, or he'd try not to at least. He just hoped the restaurant kept their table, because they were renown for being over booked on Saturday evenings and weren't above canceling the reservations of latecomers.

So far, Draco had done everything to prepare for this evening, other than dress Ginny himself. The twins had been dutifully delivered to his in-laws' house for the night. That, in itself, took longer than he expected, because Molly wanted to know exactly where they were going and what his plans were. At one stage Draco felt a bit like a teenage boy taking the woman's daughter out for the first time, instead of a married man with two children and one on the way. He'd eventually escaped, stating that he didn't want to keep Ginny waiting. After that he'd prepared himself in his son's suite, so that Ginny had the run of their suite to herself. All he'd done was give her a time to be in the foyer.

While he waited, he again wondered why he had never thought to do this before now. They had been out to dinner, but he could count on one hand the number of times they'd been out alone. The twins usually accompanied them, which affected their choice of restaurant and turned the treat of going out into a family meal that she couldn't really enjoy, because she was constantly watching the children. Of course, he knew exactly why he was doing it now — he'd been given a bit of a rude shock when he'd eavesdropped on the discussion the Weasley women had been having at lunch last weekend. They'd all been reminiscing about how their respective husbands romanced them when they were courting. Ginny had very little to say when she was prodded to expand on how Draco had won her heart, and that was when he realized that he'd really only taken her on a 'date' once. He hoped that tonight would go a little way to repairing the cheerless tone he'd heard in her voice last weekend at the family luncheon, not to mention nullifying his own guilt over not romancing her in a memorable way.

A lightly cleared throat from above him intruded upon his thoughts, and he looked up. His breath caught in his throat as his wife began to descend the staircase. Her dress flowed softly from her body, hiding her burgeoning belly to the point where Draco could have sworn she looked as she did when they first got back together. He released a hiss of appreciation as she neared.

"I'll take that as a compliment, shall I?" Ginny commented lightly. She hadn't failed to notice that Draco's eyes had darkened to a deep slate color.

"You are breathtaking, my love," Draco said thickly.

"Thank you." Ginny afforded him a small sultry smile. "You look good enough to eat yourself."

Draco smirked confidently and smoothed his dress robes down. "Are you ready?"

"I am."

"I have something for you."

"Oh?"

Draco reached into his pocket and withdrew a flat, rectangular jewelers box. "For you."

"Why? You know you don't have to—" Ginny stopped when Draco's finger slid across her lips.

"Because I love you and I want to spoil you." Draco kissed her lightly. "Are you going to open it?"

"I love you too." Ginny removed the delicate ribbon surrounding the box and opened the little brass catches. She gasped softly as the sparkle of diamonds caught her eyes. "They're beautiful."

"Not as beautiful as you," Draco whispered, taking the box from her hands and setting about removing the necklace from its secure anchors. "Turn around."

Draco fastened the diamond-encrusted necklace at the base of his wife's neck. He'd taken a gamble on Ginny not bothering to put any jewelry on this evening and it had paid off. She turned to face him, her fingers playing over the diamonds resting against her creamy skin.

"They look amazing on you." He gently secured the earrings to her lobes and smiled at the effect. "Go and have a look," Draco urged.

Ginny smiled softly as she glided over to one of the ornamental oval mirrors in the vestibule. She gasped when she saw the image before her.

"They only enhance your beauty," Draco muttered, pausing to kiss the milky column of her neck.

"They're amazing."

"You're amazing," Draco countered. "I think we should get going before I change my mind and carry you upstairs."

"That's a tempting offer."

"We'll save that for later," Draco muttered into her neck, before summoning her traveling cloak and gently placing it over her shoulders. He had planned the perfect evening and was going to see those plans come to fruition no matter what temptations were waved in his face.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ginny waited politely for Draco to hold out her chair and then she sat down delicately. The restaurant he'd chosen was very fashionable. It certainly wasn't the type of establishment that welcomed children of any age, and as such they'd never dined here before, or at least Ginny hadn't. Draco, on the other hand, seemed to be well acquainted with their waiter. She perused the menu the moment it was placed in front of her.

"Shall I order for both of us?" Draco suggested.

"Yes, I'm having a hard time deciding what I want."

"I've been here before, so I've got a fair idea what's good."

Ginny smiled across the table. "I think I can trust you."

Draco summoned the waiter and placed their order without hesitation. When the waiter had retreated, he turned his attention back to his wife. "Are you having a nice time?"

"Yes, it's lovely."

"Good."

"The twins were all right when you left them with Mum?"

"They were fine."

"Maybe I should Floo her just to check on them?"

"Ginny, they're fine. It's not like your mum doesn't know what to do with children."

"I know. I just feel a bit odd leaving them for the whole night."

"You've never felt that way before," Draco pointed out.

"I have, I just never said anything before."

Draco reached across the table and took her hand in his. "Tonight is about you and me, and no one else. We're not going to think about the twins until tomorrow morning just before we leave for the Burrow, which will be after we've had a leisurely breakfast in bed or wherever else we may choose to eat."

"Okay, but you know what they can get like. I'd hate to think they were giving Mum a hard time or anything."

"Love, your mother can handle them, probably better than anyone else can, in fact." He squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Now I want you to forget you're a mother, just for tonight."

Ginny smiled agreeably at her husband. He didn't know that it was easier said than done.

"Tonight you are just Ginny Malfoy, out having a wonderful time with your incredibly handsome husband," Draco said frankly. "You have no responsibilities, apart from having a great time and sleeping late tomorrow morning."

"All right, I'll try to stop thinking about the twins."

"Good girl."

Throughout their meal Draco kept the small talk flowing. It was difficult at times, because he knew Ginny's thoughts were drifting to the twins and what they might be up to at any given moment, but he kept chatting away constantly. He hoped that what he had planned next would take her mind completely off the children.

After paying the bill, Draco led Ginny down the street of the upper class area to a small, but exclusive dance club. He could tell she was surprised, because it was something they'd never done before.

"Don't worry, there's no silly teenagers in this club; it's too pricey for their pockets," Draco whispered in her ear as he directed her to a private table.

"It's very... civilized."

"I wouldn't take you anywhere that wasn't," Draco commented. "Would you like a drink?"

"Yes, please."

After ordering their drinks they sat back and watched the other couples on the dance floor for a while. Draco's arm slipped around Ginny's shoulders and he encouraged her to lean back into his chest. They'd been sipping their drinks for about a half an hour when Ginny suddenly sat up.

"I like this song."

"Well, Mrs. Malfoy, may I have this dance?"

It was the last time they sat down all evening. Draco couldn't have been happier with how the night was turning out. Ginny was having a good time and she finally appeared to have stopped thinking about the children. Of course, he hadn't, but he consoled himself with the thought that they'd be sound asleep by now.

When they finally made their way back to the table, Draco noticed that even though Ginny was happy she was beginning to look very tired.

"Are you all right?"

"Just a little tired."

"I think it's time we headed home then."

"No, I'm fine."

"You don't want to wear yourself out totally."

Ginny couldn't hold back the sigh of relief that escaped her as she took her weight off her feet. "I really just need to sit for a bit."

"Come on, let's just get you home."

"But we're having fun."

"I know, but I would like to do this again sometime, and if you're left with the memory of being completely devastated afterwards you're not likely to be too keen."

"All right then, take me home," Ginny agreed. Draco was making a little too much sense for her to refuse.

After collecting their cloaks, they strolled back to the Apparation point at a leisurely pace. It had been a perfect evening, and Draco was hoping to put the perfect end to it.

When they arrived in the foyer of the manor, Ginny was still giggling at something Draco had said as they'd Apparated from Diagon Alley. He helped her out of her cloak, dropping onto the nearest house elf and scooped his wife up in his arms.

"Draco, put me down!"

"Nope." He grinned cheekily. "You've been on your feet way too long already."

All the way to their chambers Ginny clung to his neck for dear life, muttering the occasional, "I'm too heavy for you", only to be told firmly that she was as light as a feather. He placed her on their bed gently and stepped back to survey the woman he loved.

"What would you like to do?"

Ginny appeared to think for a moment. "A bath would be nice."

"Oh—okay," Draco uttered, trying to mask the disappointment he felt. "I'll have it drawn for you."

"For us," Ginny corrected.

He smirked wickedly, the disappointment he'd felt just moments before evaporating immediately. Rather than have their private space invaded by a servant, Draco ran the bath himself. Just the thought of having his naked wife in the bath again was getting his groin twitching already. He tried to distract his mind by focusing on scenting the water and ensuring the bubbles were perfect. When the water had reached an acceptable level Draco shut off the taps and returned to the bedchamber.

Ginny had changed into her bathrobe while Draco was in the bathroom. She looked so relaxed lying on the bed that Draco thought she might have fallen asleep.

"Your bath is ready, love," Draco ventured, half expecting no reply.

A sleepy smile tugged at Ginny's mouth, but otherwise there was no movement from the tired woman.

Draco sat on the bed next to her. "Do you still want a bath?"

"Mmm... Yes," she mumbled. "I shouldn't have laid down."

"Can you get up?"

"Don't know."

Draco tugged gently at the tie on her robe, encouraging it to loosen and then to fall free. A hungry smirk crossed his features when he discovered she'd removed her underwear as well. "Slip your arms out of the sleeves, Ginny."

She drew one of her arms towards her chest, while Draco hung onto the end of the sleeve and then repeated the procedure for the other side.

"Can you get up now, or am I going to have to carry you?"

Ginny's arms reached up for him. "Carry me."

"Hang on." Draco chuckled as his arms slid under her. He picked her up effortlessly and conveyed her to the bathroom.

It wasn't until he was lowering her gently into the warm bubbly water that Draco realized he should have taken his shirt off before attempting this maneuver. As it was, he was soaked to the elbows and that uncomfortable wet feeling was climbing up his shirtsleeves to his armpits. The moment she was settled Draco withdrew his arms and almost tore his shirt from his body, eager to get the creeping wet feeling away from his skin.

He regarded his sleepy wife hungrily. She had totally relaxed in the water, closing her eyes and resting back against the rear of the tub. Rather than joining her right away he picked up a large sponge, knelt by the tub, and began to caress her bare skin. After taking care of her arms, Draco ran the sponge across her shoulders and between her breasts. When he softly guided it over the undersides of her breasts she purred contentedly. As tempted as Draco was to keep the sponge around the area he moved on, taking particular care to trace her burgeoning midriff.

Ginny sunk into the water, battling the urge to simply slip off to sleep. When Draco started washing her, she thought it would be the end of her battle. The gentle motion of the sponge was soothing at first, and then her body began to awaken. Energy she didn't know she possessed began to fill her veins as he teased her body in the most innocent of ways. When he guided the sponge between her legs, but when he didn't quite touch her most tender parts she could have screamed in frustration. The feel of the soft sponge roaming down her legs was wonderful, but not exactly satisfying.

He could feel her body start to twitch, especially as he made his way back up her legs. There was no question that this was turning her on. The fact that she was tired had become irrelevant. A smirk tugged at his lips when he reached the peak of her legs and she released a small whimper as he lingered in the area. Not wanting her to get too accustomed to getting her own way, Draco began to move further up her body. His eyes widened when a low growl came from his seemingly calm wife. The next thing he knew he was half in the bathtub, wetter than he wanted to be with his pants still on, and Ginny was sitting up looking down at him. She had somehow pulled him off balance and into the water.

"That was not very nice," Draco commented thickly.

"But entirely necessary," Ginny countered with a feral grin.

"I don't—"

Draco's words were cut off as she descended on his mouth with unbridled passion. He could feel her hands running wildly over his chest and back, and then pulling at his dress pants, before grabbing the hardness within. If it wasn't happening to him right at that very moment, he would have thought it impossible to go from simply desiring his wife to having to have her in such a short time. At some point the sponge dropped from his hand in favor of exploring her body more readily with his bare hand.

"Take your trousers off," Ginny muttered into his cheek.

The hard soles of his shoes were doing him no favors as he tried to find purchase on the bottom of the marble tub. It was only when he was finally standing that Draco realized he should have removed his shoes beforehand, because just the idea of balancing on one foot in the slippery bathtub sent chills down his spine — he was sure to break his neck if he tried such a foolish thing. With care he stepped from the tub onto the marble floor. It was still slippery, but he felt a lot safer. After a few attempts, Draco was able to remove one shoe, and then the next followed quickly. His trousers were stuck to his skin, and he had to peel them off his legs to free himself, rather than just taking them down and stepping out.

Ginny watched her husband divest himself of his remaining clothes. It was like some sort of awkward striptease without the music. She suppressed the urge to giggle when he almost fell over. Of course, his facial expression was doing nothing to help her assuage her humor — it was caught between deep concentration and lust, leaving him with a comical look. Her tongue flicked over her lips when she spied his erection. The urge to reach out and touch him sent a rush of heat throughout her body. She wanted to feel him, and to hear his pleasure when she did. Without even realizing she'd done so, Ginny sunk her teeth into the side of her mouth and groaned wantonly.

As Draco prepared to step back into the tub, he glanced down at his wife. Her eyes had glazed over in a most arousing way. She was fixated on his groin, which from his point of view was most definitely a good thing. As he cautiously climbed into the bathtub, making room for his body behind her again, she groaned in a way that set his blood on fire. The simple feel of her against his body was all that he needed to convince himself to seek fulfillment as soon as possible. Ever mindful of the child she was carrying, Draco gently coaxed her forward, and onto her knees. His hands roaming her body the entire time, not only in an effort to arouse her further, but also as a precaution in case she slipped.

His hot breath roaming across her damp back was sending chills to her very extremities in the most pleasant of ways. The feel of his hands wandering across her most sensitive parts was beginning to feel insignificant, as the anticipation of waiting for him to join her as one was becoming all consuming. If she could have found her voice, Ginny would have been tempted to beg for his compliance, but as it was she was quite breathless already, thanks to his continued ministrations. Unable to see behind her without turning around, she could only guess at what he was doing. His hands began to drift down her sides to her hips, and they held her firmly. She could feel him pressing at her entrance, a feeling that had her wanting to move to welcome him, but she was rather stuck where she was with no power to shift. All she could do was wait until he deemed he'd teased her enough.

He held her firmly by the hips, his fingers digging into her pale flesh as she tried to move back towards him. With a slow, but deliberate thrust Draco entered her welcoming heat. His hiss of relief was drowned by the moan of satisfaction Ginny released. Aware of their perilous position Draco set a slow pace. Even so, water sloshed over the edge of the bathtub settling on the marble floor with a rhythmic splash every time he thrust forward. At Ginny's request, and his own need, he slowly increased their momentum. The water left the tub at an ever-increasing rate that was only matched by his wife's moans of encouragement.

Her orgasm came on suddenly. One moment she was begging him for more and the next her body started pulsing around him, trying to milk him of his seed, while she clung to the side of the tub for dear life. Draco held his breath and grit his teeth, and tried to ride out her climax without giving into the temptation to follow her so early. It wasn't until she threw her head back, chanting his name in a crude form of a mantra, that he lost control. The slight change of position was enough to distract him for the fraction of a second it took for control to go by the wayside and for Draco to pour himself into her with a guttural moan. While the spasms from her muscles were still sporadically grabbing him, Draco stilled deep inside of her, taking a moment to marvel at the woman he loved so profoundly.

As his normal senses began to return him, the first thing Draco noticed was the labored breathing of his wife. She sounded even more exhausted now and guilt began to seep into his conscience. He should have simply let her sleep, because it had been a huge night for her and there was always tomorrow for him to seek gratification. It was too late to repair the damage, but he could minimize the effect as much as possible. He withdrew from her and then gently pulled her back to lean on his chest. With the same gentleness he'd exercised earlier, he washed her again, but this time in preparation for bed.

Before letting Ginny out of the tub, Draco gave himself a quick wash and then braved the slippery marble floor of the bathroom first. He dried the floor and laid a thick towel at the side of the bathtub for her to stand on. If they weren't both fully sated, his drying her body might have been erotic, but as it was it was simply a quicker alternative to allowing her to dry herself when she was completely fatigued. When he was satisfied that there was no excess water left on her body, Draco scooped her into his arms and carried her to bed. With the children safely at the Burrow for the evening he saw no reason to fuss with nightwear, most especially when such garments would likely get in the way of his planned pre-breakfast snack.

By the time Draco climbed into bed beside Ginny, her breathing had already evened out into a slumberous pattern. He spooned her warm body and rested a hand protectively over his growing child, smiling a little as his eyes slipped closed. The evening had been perfect and that pleased him immensely.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Mummy! Daddy!" Angel squealed deafeningly as she ran across the yard.

"Angel," Draco replied happily as he gathered his little girl in his arms. "Were you a good girl?"

The little strawberry blonde nodded emphatically.

"Is everyone here?" Ginny asked absently, scanning the yard.

"Yep! Everyone!" Angel replied excitedly.

"Brilliant," Draco mumbled sarcastically. All he'd wanted to do was collect the twins and go home, but he'd been told in no uncertain terms that they would be staying for the birthday party this afternoon. It was one of the boys birthdays, but he was damned if he could remember which one.

"Draco, Ginny, I wondered when you two were going to show up," Molly expressed loudly as she came to say hello.

"Sorry, Mum, we slept late," Ginny answered. It wasn't really an untruth. They had slept late, but she wasn't about to explain to her mother what they'd been doing between waking up and finally getting out of bed for some sustenance around one o'clock.

"No problem at all, dear. Everyone's here! We're about to cut the cake, so why don't you come and sit down." Molly was already walking back to the kitchen door. "You'll have to tell me how your evening was a bit later."

"Okay, Mum. Do you need a hand?"

"No, everything is under control."

"Ginny, we don't have to stay too long," Draco hissed. With the cake being cut now it would provide a chance for them to escape early.

"We can't just leave straight away."

"Fine, but we're not staying all afternoon."

"All right, we'll stay an hour or so, okay?" Ginny whispered in reply, knowing full well once someone mentioned a game of Quidditch Draco wouldn't want to be going anywhere.

"Good." Draco walked off, placing the child's gift on the table, on his way to where the men were gathered. "Afternoon, all."

Ginny watched as her brothers greeted her husband. She pleased with what she saw. Her brothers, for the most part, had accepted Draco for who he was now, not who they thought he'd been years ago.

"Are you going to stand there all day with that goofy expression on your face or are you going to come and sit down?" Anya asked, suppressing a giggle as she finished.

"Leave Ginny alone, Anya, she is pregnant," Fleur admonished lightly. "Her mind wanders and forgets to return."

"I'm coming," Ginny insisted. "Hello, ladies. Fleur, where is Beau? I wanted to wish him happy birthday."

As Ginny took a seat at the table her sisters-in-law greeted her in a rather garbled chorus.

"He's running around with Matthew and Drake somewhere. Catch him when the cake comes out."

"Where were you last night?" Pansy asked pointedly.

"Oh, Draco took me to dinner, and then we went dancing," Ginny responded happily.

"Lucky you," Pansy said grumpily. "I got stuck at the Charity Dinner for Ancient Artefacts."

"It couldn't have been that bad."

"It was!" Pansy grinned maliciously. "Though there was one part that was most entertaining."

"Do tell," Ginny replied interestedly.

"Mrs. Nott had a few wardrobe malfunctions."

"Oh?"

Pansy giggled hysterically. "She went to the bathroom and came back with her skirt tucked into her knickers, and when she tried to tug it free it wouldn't come. She ended up pulling it that hard that she tore the fabric. Of course, she fixed it, but it wouldn't stay, so she spent much of the night falling apart then trying to inconspicuously repair the tear again. Then one of her heels broke and she was hobbling around. She got so harassed her hair came down. I swear, by the end of the night she looked like she'd been dragged through a bush backwards."

"Oh my god, you're kidding, aren't you?"

"No, it was so funny."

"Did you notice if Narcissa was anywhere close by when all this was happening?"

"They were sitting at the same table." Pansy frowned for a moment as if in deep thought. "In fact, I think it was Narcissa who kept pointing out things that were wrong."

"Oh dear." Ginny giggled. "Well, I guess they're even."

"Even? What do you mean?"

"Nothing, nothing, it's over and done with now."

"Ginny, tell me what's going on?"

"No, I can't."

"Yes, you can."

Ginny sat there tight-lipped, refusing to say a word.

"Come to think of it, Narcissa was acting a little odd. When she was pointing out Mrs. Nott's faults to her she wasn't exactly being discreet. It was very unlike her."

Ginny snorted with laughter, unable to hold it in any longer. "She wanted to humiliate her."

"Why?"

"All right, I'll tell you, but you can't tell a soul," Ginny warned. "Narcissa was looking after the twins for me one day while I went to visit Draco at work—"

"Why didn't you just take the twins with you?" Pansy cut in.

"I—err—I couldn't," Ginny stammered. There was no way she was about to explain why she didn't take the children with her. "Anyway, Mrs. Nott had Owled Narcissa after I left and invited her to lunch. Narcissa Flooed her to make her apologies, and when she explained why she couldn't attend Mrs. Nott likened her to a house elf."

Pansy gasped loudly. "You're ki—"

"She what?"

Ginny spun around in her chair to see her enraged husband standing right behind her. "Draco, it's—"

"Did you say that woman called Mother a house elf?"

"Not exactly." Ginny cringed. "She likened her to one."

"It's the same thing," Draco snarled.

"From what Pansy tells me, Narcissa did get her revenge last night."

Draco sniffed arrogantly. "That's child's play."

Ginny's eyes grew wide. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing you need to worry about."

Ginny watched as Draco strode away. He was clearly furious, and she felt helpless to do anything about it, not to mention she was kicking herself for opening her mouth.

"Oooh, someone isn't happy," Pansy commented.

"No." Ginny sighed heavily. "I shouldn't have said anything."

"He'll get over it," Pansy assured her. "After he's destroyed the Nott family."

"Don't even joke about things like that," Ginny warned seriously.

"Look there's nothing you can do about it now, so just sit back and let him do what he must."

"Ginny, you know what men are like. They'll rant and rave, but very little will come of it," Anya assured her.

Ginny shook her head. "Draco's not like that."

"I have to agree," Pansy concurred. "Most especially when he's seeking revenge."

"What do you think he'll do?" Katie asked excitedly.

"I don't know," Ginny mumbled.

Pansy snorted. "He'll destroy them."

"Pansy!"

"I'm only stating the facts." Pansy feigned an innocent look or as close as she could get to it. "You just want to hope he doesn't tell Lucius."

"Oh god, don't even think that way."

"Cake, everyone!" Molly announced as she placed an enormous birthday cake on the table.

The yard was suddenly full of noise and activity as everyone moved to find a suitable position around the birthday cake. Ginny threw a curious look at her husband, who now appeared as happy as everyone else at the party. She thanked the deities that he wasn't going to make a scene here.

Bill called for the attention of the family and then lit the six candles on his son's cake. A discordant chorus of 'Happy Birthday' filled the yard immediately.

With his first effort Beau only managed to extinguish half the candles, and then had difficulty getting the job completed as his twin uncles decided to entertain everyone with a bit of mortifying banter.

George gasped loudly. "Oh no, Beau, you didn't blow out all the candles!"

The six-year-old looked up at his uncle with wide eyes.

"Do you know what that means?" Fred asked seriously.

Beau shook his head.

"Ignore those two clowns," Bill whispered in his son's ear. "Blow the rest of your candles out."

Beau leaned forward and took a deep breath in readiness to blow the rest of flames out before they melted the icing on the cake.

George leaned over and got as close to his nephew as he could. "That means you've got—"

"Three girlfriends!" Fred announced at the top of his lungs.

The little wizard exhaled in a hurry, failing to extinguish any of the remaining candles, and began spluttering his protests loudly at the thought of having one girlfriend, let alone three. Drake and Matthew soon joined in the protest with their personal views on witches and what a young wizard was sure to catch if they got too close to one.

"Ignore those clowns, Beau, and blow the rest of the candles out before they melt the cake," Bill insisted loudly. He looked at his younger twin brothers irritably. "Will you two give it a rest?"

"Just warning the lad," George explained with false innocence.

"Can't have him wandering around thinking he's a free bloke," Fred claimed.

"Shut it," Bill snarled.

"Blow the rest of the candles out, darling," Fleur encouraged her son softly, sending her brothers-in-law murderous glares.

Fred and George wisely shut their mouths at that point. Neither of them were foolish enough to truly test their French sister-in-law's temper to the limit, at least not when she had back up in the form of the rest of the Weasley women.

Beau made one more firm statement that affirmed his bachelorhood and blew out the remaining candles.

Bill passed his son the large knife that had been dubbed the birthday knife when he was just a lad. "Remember don't touch the bottom or your wish won't come true."

Beau held the knife over the cake for a second, then nodded to himself seriously and plunged the knife in, stopping just short of the bottom.

"All right, let me through and we'll serve the cake," Molly ordered as she moved through the family.

The children who weren't sitting down scrambled for the chairs closest to their grandma. Beau received the first piece of cake and then his aunts began delivering slices to everyone else in attendance. Molly, herself, delivered pieces to her own twins.

"You two ought to be ashamed of yourselves! Upsetting a little boy like that on his birthday!"

"It was only a joke, Mum," Fred defended strongly.

"Besides it's the only time that one works," George pointed out.

"He'll get over it," Fred said confidently.

"Well, you want to hope so, or you won't get over what I'll serve you," Molly warned sternly before walking away.

"That was a bit tame for Mum," Charlie commented curiously.

"Yeah, it was," Bill agreed.

"It's because she loves us so much," Fred assured his brothers.

George nodded in acquiescence. "She just can't bring herself to be angry with us for long."

"She's never had a problem before," Percy responded pompously.

"Draco, you saw her yesterday, didn't you?" Bill enquired.

"Yes, when I dropped the twins off."

Charlie leaned forward on his chair, his expression serious. "How was she then?"

"She appeared perfectly normal to me." In truth, Draco had been far too interested in escaping to take much notice of his mother-in-law. "She just about nattered my ear off before I left."

"Of course, you don't know her as well as we do," Percy mentioned pointedly.

Draco focused his gray eyes on the brother-in-law he liked the least. "I merely answered the question Charlie asked."

"Well, I was only pointing out that you wouldn't recognize any significant changes, as you don't know her as well as we do," Percy reiterated crossly.

Draco rolled his eyes and bit back the sarcastic retort on the tip on his tongue. "Perhaps she's just tired?"

"Nah, Mum doesn't get tired," Ron said through a mouthful of cake.

"Everyone gets tired," Draco retorted impatiently.

"Not Mum," Ron countered firmly.

"What was that about your mother?" Arthur asked as he sat down with his sons.

"Mum doesn't seem to be herself," Bill said before anyone else could respond.

"She's fine," Arthur assured his boys. "A little sick of the silly antics of some, but otherwise perfectly normal."

"All right," Bill conceded, though he didn't sound convinced. Still, no one knew Molly Weasley like her husband. "I'd better go and do present opening before Beau bursts."

"Did you get it?" Charlie asked cryptically.

"Yeah, I managed to convince Fleur that we couldn't really put it off any longer."

"You know the position you've put me in now," Charlie groused good-naturedly.

"All I've done is clear the way for you, little brother. Anya can't say no now."

"I wish I believed that."

Bill chuckled as he walked towards his son. He'd had quite a time convincing Fleur to agree with him on what he considered to be the perfect gift for their son.

"Dad, can I start opening now?"

"Go for it, mate."

Beau looked over the pile of gifts carefully, obviously searching for one in particular.

"Just pick any one to start with, son," Bill encouraged, knowing full well the one gift his son was searching for was safely hidden in the broom shed. He'd placed it in there so Beau would show the proper appreciation for everything else he received and he'd bring it out when all the other gifts were unwrapped.

Before long Beau had unwrapped the pile of brightly wrapped gifts, and was making his way around the yard thanking his aunts and uncles properly.

While the women were smothering Beau in birthday kisses, Bill slipped into the broom shed and retrieved the final gift. He noticed that his son seemed a little disappointed and he couldn't really blame him, because Beau had only asked for one thing for his birthday. When Beau started to resist his Aunt Ginny's cuddles, Bill stepped forward to rescue his son; after all there was only so much a lad could take.

"Beau, you seem to have forgotten one of your presents," Bill called.

"I did?"

"Yep, I found it under the wrapping paper," Bill fibbed. He knew he'd get away with it, as it was entirely plausible. "Are you going to come and open it?"

Beau wormed his way out of Ginny's arms and ran across to his father. "Is it?"

"You'll have to open it and see," Bill told him with a smile.

The little wizard tore into the wrapping paper excitedly. "A broom! Thanks, Dad!"

"You're welcome." Bill leaned close to his over-excited son. "Just do me a favor and don't break your neck, or your mother will break mine."

Fleur approached her husband and oldest son, please to see them so happy. "Do you like your gifts, Beau?"

"Thanks for the broom, Mum."

Bill sent his son a meaningful look.

"Oh, and I promise you won't have to break Dad's neck, 'cause I'm not going to break mine."

Bill groaned and tried to hide his head in his hands as his wife's eyes landed on him with intent.

"And I like everything else too! But I love this the best," Beau exclaimed holding his broom up. "Matthew! Drake! Look at what I got!"

"I think they're getting ready to go flying," Bill said. "Why don't you get your new gear on while we sort out the rest of the brooms?"

"Okay, Dad." Beau gathered his new Quidditch clothes and guards and ran to the house.

Bill waited until his son was safely inside then he quickly crossed the yard to the men. "Everyone remembered their brooms, didn't they?"

A chorus of affirmative answers rang through the air.

Draco looked around, noting that even Percy said yes. "Umm— I forgot."

"No problem, there are plenty of spare brooms in the broom shed," Harry said, not bothering to hide his amusement.

Ron sniggered. "Yeah, you can borrow my old Cleansweep. It's about ten-years-old, but it's still in good flying condition."

"I wouldn't want to put anyone out, so I might just Apparate home and collect my own," Draco responded uncomfortably. He wouldn't be caught dead on a Cleansweep, if he could help it.

"It's no trouble, mate," Ron assured Draco amusedly with a slap on his shoulder. "You're family, after all, so what's mine is yours."

"No, really it won't take me more than a couple of minutes," Draco said getting to his feet.

"You wouldn’t want to keep the boys waiting," Harry pointed out as the younger Weasley wizards burst from the house in an excited rush of noise.

"Well—I—err—It's not only the broom. I'm not exactly dressed to go flying either, so I'll have to pick up my gear," Draco stammered.

"I can fix that!" Ron grinned maliciously. "I've got some old gear you can use."

"It's not nec—"

"You'd look really good in a Canons jumper." Ron nodded to affirm his own opinion. "I'll just go hunt it up for you."

Draco watched in horror as Ron headed for the house. There was no way he'd be putting a Canons jumper on. Hell would have to freeze over before he'd even contemplate it.

"What's wrong?" Ginny asked from just behind Draco.

"Love, I didn't see you," Draco answered, slightly startled.

"Is there something going on that I should know about?" Ginny enquired. She didn't like the decidedly gauche expression on her husband's face.

"I forgot my Quidditch gear, and your brother is insisting I borrow his old stuff."

"Oh?" Ginny tried to hide the smile threatening to break across her face. "That's nice of him."

"Nice? Ginny, he goes for the Canons!" Draco's eyes expressed his utter disgust at the thought. "I can't wear that rubbish—I won't!"

"Draco, it's only a jumper. What does it matter what color it is?"

"It's important! It's—it's pride, that's what it is."

"Well, it's a good thing I remembered your Quidditch gear then."

"And my broom? Please tell me you brought my broom! I've never flown a Cleansweep before, and I intend to keep it that way."

"Umm—" Ginny frowned for a moment as if in deep thought, then a fit of giggles burst from her. "Of course, I brought your broom. God forbid you have to sit your sexy backside on something less than the latest racing broom."

"You are an angel," Draco declared, kissing her soundly. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"Where's my gear?"

Ginny sighed. At least she had his attention for two seconds. "It's in my basket. Come on, you can come and get it."

A much happier Draco followed his amused wife across the yard to collect his flying gear.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The moment he was outside, Beau picked up his new broomstick and began admiring it closely. "Check this out, Matthew."

"It's all right," Matthew responded distractedly. He was staring at Drake's racing broom. "Not as good as Drake's."

"Yeah, well, I'll get a racing broom one day." His 'Cleansweep' didn't even compare to his younger cousin's ‘Lightning Bolt 5000’, but at least he had a broom of his own now. "It's better than nothing."

"No, you won't," Drake said, picking up his own broom.

Beau frowned. "Won't what?"

"Your daddy can't afford to buy you the best like my daddy can."

Ron, who had just exited the house in his Quidditch gear, looked at his nephews incredulously. "What did you say, Drake?"

"Daddy can afford to buy me the best," Drake answered nonchalantly.

"Where did you hear that?"

"Daddy told me." Drake watched his uncle turn a nasty shade of purple and stalk off, muttering angrily to himself. He was just turning his attention back to his cousin's new broomstick when the bellowing started.

Ron looked around the yard for his only brother-in-law. He was beyond fuming and Draco was casually sauntering across to the other men as if he hadn't done a thing wrong. "Draco, where do you get off telling Drake stuff like that?"

"Stuff like what?" Draco responded brusquely, reacting immediately to his brother-in-law's accusatory tone.

"Drake is over there telling Beau that the reason he has a better broom is because you can afford to buy him the best."

"That sounds vaguely familiar," Harry muttered, not bothering to hide his dissatisfaction.

"Familiar? What are you on about, Potter?"

"Do I really have to remind you, Malfoy?"

"I'm afraid you'll have to if I'm to follow what you're saying," Draco spat acerbically as he sat down.

"Second year of Hogwarts ... Your father had just bought the Slytherin Quidditch team Nimbus Two Thousand and One broomsticks."

"Yes?"

"You said something about your father being able to afford the best."

Draco shrugged indifferently. "It wasn't a lie."

"No, it wasn't, but you just had to rub all our noses in it."

"And now you're teaching your son to do the same thing," Ron added nastily.

"Hang on a minute. I have done no such thing."

"Why is Drake spouting off such rubbish then?"

"I was trying to explain to him why Ginny can't home school him, like Fleur does with Beau."

"The type of broomstick you can afford is part of that, is it?" Bill posed evenly, as he moved closer.

Draco took a deep breath to settle his rising temper. "I was attempting to explain to him why Ginny has to do charity work and why that will prevent her from schooling him. I had to put it into terms he could understand and comparing broomsticks was the first thing that came to mind."

"Why does she have to do charity work?" Percy asked importantly.

"That is what the women of the upper class do." Within seconds of the comment slipping carelessly from his mouth, Draco realized he'd said the wrong thing or rather what would be viewed as the wrong thing by this mob. "What I meant—"

"Don't bother trying to explain yourself, we know exactly what you meant," Ron snarled.

Of all the men to react verbally Draco couldn't have been more pleased that it was Ron who chose to open his big mouth. "I'd be very careful if I were you."

"Why is that?"

"What do you think Pansy is going to be spending her days doing once she's at home fulltime?"

"She'll be raising my children."

Draco raised an amused eyebrow at him. "Pansy is from a prominent, wealthy family and she'll be doing what her mother does, and what her grandmother did before her. Your children, if you get any more after this little mishap, will more than likely be cared for by a nanny."

"Over my dead body!"

"That can be arranged." Draco smirked. "I'm sure Mr. Parkinson would be delighted to oblige."

Ron snarled something unintelligible.

"Is he still giving you a hard time?" Draco queried cleverly. If he could change to subject then there was a chance he could escape further scrutiny.

"I don't think he'll ever stop," Ron grumbled. "He gets some sort of perverse pleasure out tormenting me."

Draco smirked. It had worked. The conversation had turned to Ron and his problematic relationship with his future father-in-law. Words of consolation and support flowed from the rest of the men's mouths, yet not one word of workable advice was offered. "Have you tried confronting him?"

Ron looked at his only brother-in-law as if the man had taken leave of his senses. "What?"

"Confront him, tell him to shut his mouth," Draco reiterated.

"Are you mad?"

"No, I'm quite sane, and very practiced at dealing with men who fancy themselves as bullies."

"He has a point," Harry murmured.

"No, he doesn't. Old Parkinson would kill me if I dared," Ron countered.

"He wouldn't be happy," Draco agreed. "But he might just leave you alone if you don't stand there and take it."

"He's Pansy's father," Ron whined.

"And you're going to have to put up with him for the rest of his life," Draco pointed out. "The question is, are you going to be able to cope with being treated as you are now, or are you going to do something about it before it's too late?"

"He'll kill me!"

"You're being ridiculous," Draco said impatiently. "He's just like my father. A bully. When you stand up to them they generally back down. Parkinson is probably just trying to find your backbone for you."

"So, if I stand up to him, he'll back down?"

"More than likely."

Ron nodded thoughtfully. The idea certainly had merit, and he had felt like telling the old coot to shut his mouth more times than he could count.

"Of course, there's also the chance that he'll go with his gut instinct and just kill you for such impertinence."

"Great," Ron mumbled, his fantasy-bubble bursting.

"Are we playing Quidditch or not?" Bill asked impatiently. Whatever Ron's problems were with Pansy's father they weren't going to be solved today, and the boys were anxious to get into the air.

"Yep, let's go!" Charlie stood up and headed for the field beyond the stone wall surrounding the yard.

Draco didn't waste any time leaving the table and hopefully the scrutiny of the other men. He may have successfully diverted the conversation away from himself for the time being, but they'd need time to forget it happened at all. Busy congratulating himself on his successful escape, Draco didn't hear someone come up behind him.

Bill grinned coldly when he felt Draco jump as his hand landed strongly on the blond's shoulder. "If I hear Drake spouting rubbish like that again, you and I are going to have a serious problem. Understand?"

Draco nodded to acknowledge he'd heard the threat. He could understand why they were upset. The fact that he had unlimited wealth gave him a distinct advantage when it came to providing for his children, and they would never be able to compete with that, so of course it was going to make them feel inadequate.

"Good." Bill clapped his brother-in-law on the back twice and then strode away from him.

Draco looked out into the field, suddenly thinking that flying with this lot might not be a great idea. One of them could knock him off his broom, and the girls would believe it to be an accident. They'd have no reason to question it, because it did happen from time to time. Any alternative scenario he came up with, if he weren't dead, would be dismissed as sour grapes.

"Come on, Draco," Charlie boomed, giving the man a little shove in the right direction. "Everyone's waiting to pick teams."

"Yeah," Draco uttered distractedly.

"Right," Bill bellowed to get everyone's attention. "Charlie and Harry can't be on the same team, and we need to take the boys into account as well."

"The same should go for Draco as well," Charlie added.

"Why?" Draco asked, feeling just a little insulted to have been added to the children.

Charlie looked at Draco incredulously. "You're a strong flyer and a Seeker as well, so we need to make sure the teams are even."

Bill looked at the group of wizards in front on him. "I'll take Fred, Harry, Ron and Beau. You can take the rest, Charlie."

"Excellent! That means we've got an extra."

"No, you haven't," Ron disputed drolly. "You've got Percy."

"An extra body on the pitch is always good," Charlie countered. "Are we using Bludgers?"

"No," Bill answered firmly. "Not with the boys up there."

"We can handle it, Daddy," Beau insisted.

"I'm not saying you three can't, but if something should happen — like your mother's seeing you in the air at the same time as a Bludger — you might find yourselves short a father figure and several uncles."

The three little boys sniggered into their hands.

"Right, my team, gather around," Charlie instructed as Bill led his team a short distance away. "Drake and Matthew, get in here nice and close, so you can hear."

The men moved around so the young boys were closest to Charlie and waited patiently for their self-appointed captain to start talking.

"With no Beaters in play, George, I'll get you to be the Keeper."

"No problem."

"Draco, you were a Seeker at school, weren't you?"

"Yes."

"Do you still have your wits about you?"

"Of course."

"Good, you're playing Seeker."

Draco nodded, very pleased with the position.

"The rest of us are going to be Chasers." Charlie looked at Drake and Matthew. "Do you two know what you're supposed to do?"

"Yep! We put the Quaffle through the hoops," Matthew answered confidently.

"Excellent."

"Are you lot ready to lose a game of Quidditch?" Beau called cheekily.

Charlie turned around and regarded his nephew amusedly. He knew Bill had to have put the little boy up to saying something like that. "I'd watch yourself if I were you. We have no intention of losing to you lot."

"Well, you're going to," Beau retorted smartly.

"Oh, we are, are we?" Charlie challenged, approaching the little wizard and upending him over his shoulder in a hail of squeals. "You know your team isn't going to stand a chance against us, especially not once I tie you to the goal posts."

Beau's high-pitched protests filled the air.

"Charlie, what on earth are you doing?" Ginny asked as she entered the field.

"This cheeky little bugger thinks his team is going to win," Charlie stated.

"Oh, for goodness sakes, put him down before we all go deaf."

"I can't do that. I'm going to tie him to a goal post and see how well his team does then."

Ginny's hands drifted to her hips. "You can't do that on his birthday. Now put him down."

Charlie placed Beau back on the ground. "You're just lucky your Aunt Ginny saved you."

"Aren't they in the air yet?" Anya asked needlessly as she approached Ginny.

Beau took the opportunity to poke his tongue out fiercely at his uncle and sprint back to his father's side.

"No, they're too busy tormenting each other," Ginny responded.

"Well, you'd better get on with it, or you're going to have to call it off," Anya informed the men.

Shocked responses came from the men as they hurriedly prepared to get into the air.

"Before we start, there's one more rule," Bill yelled over the top of everyone. He waited until silence fell before continuing, "When the Snitch makes an appearance you three boys are to head for the ground. I don't want to see any of you in the air when Uncle Harry and Uncle Char—"

"Draco's our Seeker," Charlie interrupted.

Bill raised a curious eyebrow at his brother. "All right. When Uncle Harry and Uncle Draco are flying at breakneck speed, you three are to head for the ground. Clear?"

All three boys nodded and grumbled some form of discontented acquiescence.

"Ginny, can you release the balls?"

"I'll be right there," Ginny called, pausing to whisper something to Anya before making her way to the center of the ground. By the time she reached to battered box holding the balls, the wizards were all hovering about ten feet off the ground. "I don't need to remind you lot that if anything happens to one of the boys we'll be holding a mass execution, do I?"

"Mummy," Drake whined.

"They'll all be fine, Ginny," Draco assured her.

"It's just a friendly game of Quidditch," Bill added.

"We’ve seen your idea of a friendly game before," Ginny warned.

"Ginny, just release the balls," Ron urged.

"Fine, but consider yourselves warned," she said firmly. With a final glance at all the men Ginny released the Snitch, watching it soar into the air. When it had shown itself to Draco and Harry, and disappeared, she threw the Quaffle as high as she could into the air.

The opening minutes of the game were played hard and a few of the wizards were nearly unseated in the rush to gain first possession of the Quaffle. Draco kept a watchful eye on Drake, but he needn't have worried. The little boy was a fine flyer, and he had enough sense to stay out of the initial fray, unlike his two cousins, who both almost met the ground in an unpleasant way.

A panic-stricken Percy suddenly found himself in possession of the Quaffle. Aware of what his brothers would do to gain control of the ball Percy passed it off to the first voice he heard, despite not knowing to which team the player belonged.

With an excited whoop Drake took off in the direction of the goals, the Quaffle tucked tightly under his arm. He could hear his father yelling encouragement from above him and before long his Uncle Charlie was flying beside him, telling him to take it all the way to the hoops.

When Drake was only fifteen or twenty feet from scoring, a mad giggle filled his ears. A quick look over his shoulder confirmed what he suspected: Beau was catching him. Drake bided his time, checking every few seconds on his older cousin's progress, and waited for Beau to draw almost close enough to give him a solid bump. The moment the older boy began to move sideways towards Drake, the little blond wizard leaned close to his broom and sped off towards the goals, leaving his cousin hanging in the air with no one to bump.

Stunned by the unexpected fine display of broomsmanship from his nephew, Ron was caught off guard when Drake hurled the Quaffle through the left hand ring, scoring for his team. "That's the only one you're going to get, squirt," Ron bellowed, embarrassed a five-year-old had scored so easily against him.

Drake paid his cursing uncle no mind as he squealed jubilantly and accepted praise from his teammates. His Uncle Charlie slapped him on the back so hard he very nearly fell off his broom and would have if his father hadn't caught his arm.

"Well done, mate!" Draco beamed proudly at his heir.

"It was good, wasn't it, Daddy?"

"It was perfect!" Draco insisted. "I couldn't have done it better myself."

"When you lot are finished gloating, do you think we can get on with it?" Harry called. He desperately wanted to congratulate his godson on a brilliant move, but being on the opposing team he thought the better of it for now. After the game he'd let him know how proud he was of him.

"Right, everyone, get ready to do that again," Charlie yelled, as everyone took their positions. "Drake, don't be afraid to keep flying like that."

Drake lifted his chin arrogantly. "I'm not."

Charlie chuckled as he took his position. "Good."

The game continued at a furious pace until the Snitch made its appearance. Although the three young boys tried to pretend they had no idea that the golden ball was flying around, pursued by Harry and Draco, Bill and Charlie took no time in escorting them to the ground. Even Percy hovered a few feet off the ground, while his more adept brothers remained in the air.

Draco could feel the air wavering from the wings of the Snitch, it was so close to his hand. All he needed was another half an inch of distance and he'd secure a victory for the team. It was entirely possible, because Harry was on the other side of the home-built pitch. With care, he slid forward a little way on his broom, gradually closing the tiny distance between him and Snitch. He growled in frustration as the cheeky ball pulled ahead by a couple of inches. Again, he urged his broom to catch the ball and cautiously slipped forward a little further. Draco knew he had to make it a clean grab, because he was far too high off the ground to lunge at the Snitch and risk falling. Without warning, Harry bumped him off course. While he was trying to recover, Draco heard an exultant roar of victory from the opposing Seeker. Furious at the outcome Draco cursed all the way to the ground. The Snitch had been his — he had done the hard chasing and Potter had stolen it with an underhanded maneuver. It wasn't fair.

"Well played, everyone," Charlie reassured his team as they landed. He frowned when he witnessed his brother-in-law throw his broom aside and stalk over to the other team.

"Should we?" George asked, not missing Draco's actions.

"No, let him dig himself a nice hole," Charlie muttered. "Besides, Harry played dirty. He deserves to be told."

"Yeah, but Mum is going to—"

"And then he'll learn not to do it so openly," Charlie advised.

Draco pushed his way past Ron and headed straight for Harry. "Potter, that was filthy play."

"Was it?" Harry asked feigning innocence.

"You know coming in from the side is reprehensible."

Harry shrugged indifferently and grinned amusedly. "Oh, sorry."

"No, you're not," Draco snarled. The raven-haired wizard's attitude was augmenting his ire at a worrisome rate.

"I said I was," Harry rejoined, not bothering to hide his humor.

"You couldn't catch me fairly, so you had to cheat," Draco stated disgustedly. "What a fine example you're setting for the boys!"

"What is going on here?"

Draco spun around. He'd not realized his mother-in-law was standing directly behind him. He cringed as he noted that she didn't look terribly impressed. "Just discussing the game with Po—Harry."

"He's dirty, because he lost," Ron tattled.

"He cheated!" Draco fired back.

"Draco, we don't take these games seriously," Molly said calmly. "And we certainly don't accuse others of cheating. Harry would never do that."

"But—I—he—" Draco's voice failed him under her cool stare. He turned back to face Harry. "You have no integrity."

"Thank you," Harry called to the blond's retreating back.

"Well, that was a bit calm," George commented. "I was hoping for some excitement."

"I'll make a deal with you... You distract your mother and I'll give you some excitement," Draco snapped.

George looked at the infuriated wizard with merriment dancing in his eyes. "I was talking about Mum. She's definitely not herself today."

Draco looked at the man curiously. The jollity in George's eyes dissolved at once and a deep frown creased his brow. Draco didn't think he'd ever seen the man frown, but there was most definitely an expression of grave concern on his face now. Perhaps there was something not quite right with Molly?

"I think you should thank your lucky stars Mum didn't tell you off properly," Ginny said as her arm slid around her husband's waist.

"He cheated, Ginny. Potter cheated!"

"Well, technically it's not cheating," Ginny mentioned cautiously.

"It's not done! Not right!" Draco stepped away from her. "You know that!"

"Yes, but it's not against the rules."

"Ginny, you're supposed to be on my side!"

"I am," Ginny stressed. "Yes, it was a filthy tactic, but it's within the rules."

Draco snorted derisively and stalked away to retrieve his broom.

"Daddy?"

"Drake." Draco forced a smile for his son's sake.

"Did I fly good?"

"Yes, mate, you flew exceptionally." The smile Draco had forced onto his face changed into a genuine expression of pride. "I'm very proud of you."

Drake beamed up at his father.

Draco felt his temper begin to dissipate right away. A simple smile from his son was all it took to make his world right again. It didn't matter that Potter had used a deplorable tactic to win the game; Draco had something he didn't — a son who loved him unquestionably.

"I'm starving!" Drake announced suddenly. "Grandma, can I have some more cake?"

"May I," Draco corrected absently, "and you shouldn't yell across the yard like that."

With a muttered comment under his breath, Drake walked over to where Molly was being asked the very same question by some very hungry little wizards.

Draco shouldered his broom and wandered back to where Ginny was waiting. "Did you see the goal he got?"

"Yes, he flew well."

"Better than some of your brothers," Draco sneered.

"He's better than Percy, but that's hardly an achievement." Ginny smiled. "After all, anyone who's not afraid of the Quaffle is better than Percy."

Draco muttered something under his breath to the contrary. His son was going to whip his uncles' backsides in the air before long. With the talent he showed today there was no doubt in Draco's mind that he would make the house team and could even go on to a professional career, if he wanted.

"Come on, if you're hungry you'll have to hurry, or the kids will eat everything," Ginny encouraged.

"Rather go home," Draco mumbled.

"Well, I'm having a cup of tea before I go anywhere, so you may as well have something to eat."

"The house elves can make you a cup of tea at home," Draco offered.

"They can, but here I have good conversation to go with my tea," Ginny countered. "So, you're going to have to play nicely for a little while longer."

"I'll talk to you," Draco continued.

"I know, love, but I feel like some girl talk, and you're not so good at that."

He knew it was pointless to argue the point any further. Ginny wasn't ready to leave the Burrow and that meant they wouldn't be leaving just yet. The notion that he still had to 'play nicely' for an undetermined amount of time left a sour taste in his mouth. As far as he was concerned, Potter deserved no less than a pain-inducing hex hurled in his direction, and a lifetime ban from backyard Quidditch, so he never forgot what an appalling thing he did today. "Fine," he grumbled.

Ginny watched her husband stomp back to the Burrow. She knew he wasn't happy, but she was enjoying herself this afternoon and the party wasn't exactly over — they always had tea and cake after the Quidditch game. Besides, if he was to get over this anger he was better to stay and see that what happens on the pitch is left on the pitch.

"He'll settle down soon enough," Anya told her quietly.

"I hope so," Ginny mused aloud. "He's pretty angry."

"If he doesn't the afternoon is going to get exciting," Anya teased.

"That's exactly what I don't want to happen." Ginny sighed heavily. "I just have a feeling that they're just waiting for an excuse to have a go at him at the moment."

"The boys? Don't be silly," Anya scoffed, linking her arm with Ginny's and beginning to walk back to the house. "They love him."

Ginny rolled her eyes. Her brothers may love a lot of things, but her husband did not number among them. "Anya, I'm not silly, I know something was going on earlier."

"All right, maybe love is a bit of a strong word," Anya conceded. "They don't hate him anymore."

"That's a little more realistic."

"Ginny, they know what happens behind closed bedroom doors and that naturally bothers them, but apart from that they have no complaints. Draco looks after you and the twins. You want for nothing and never will. As for before, well they'll have to settle it between themselves. You can't keep butting in or they'll think he can't stand up for himself."

"I know, but it would just be nice if they could like him."

"Give them time," Anya assured her.

"Tea?" Angelina asked the two approaching women.

"We'd kill for one," Anya replied.

"Is there any birthday cake left?" Ginny enquired, looking around for any trace of chocolaty goodness.

"You might be lucky," Fleur answered. "Molly just took the last of it down to the men."

Ginny's eyes flew in the direction of the wizards gathered at the other end of the table. The plate was sitting in the middle of the table, and it was emptying at an alarming rate.

"Oh, bugger!" Ginny cursed when she finally reached the end of the table.

"What's wrong?" Bill asked casually.

"I wanted a piece of cake."

All eyes went to Draco, who was holding a generous slice of untouched chocolate cake. It had been the second to last piece that had left the plate. The very last had been snatched up by Ron and was now being stuffed unceremoniously into his mouth before someone could suggest he gave it up to his sister.

"She's your wife," Charlie whispered furtively into Draco's ear.

"There's another cake here!" Molly called as she placed an enormous plate on the table.

Draco's eyes lit up when his mother-in-law made her announcement. "There you go, love, you can have a fresh piece of cake."

Ginny looked at the cake Molly had put on the table and wrinkled her nose. "That's teacake. I feel like chocolate."

Draco looked at the delicious slice of cake. He loved chocolate cake, and he'd fast discovered that his mother-in-law had a talent for baking the treat. "The— err— teacake would be better for you, wouldn't it?"

"Better for me?" Ginny frowned. "How?"

George chuckled. "Yes, Draco."

"Tell us how," Fred encouraged.

"Well, the teacake isn't as heavy as the chocolate cake," Draco said uncertainly.

"This is going to be good," Ron mumbled through a mouthful of cake.

"Should we get the kids inside just in case she decides to flay him right away?" Harry asked, not bothering to hide his amusement.

"Nah, we can Obliviate them if necessary." Bill winked at the two best friends.

"Are you saying I'm fat?" Ginny asked sharply.

Draco looked around at the other men. There wasn't an ounce of support for him from any of them — even Percy's eyes were dancing with laughter. He took a deep breath and prepared himself to talk his way out of this mess, if it was at all possible. "Of course not, Ginny. You know I think you're beautiful."

"Beautiful, but fat," Ginny countered.

"NO!" Draco shook his head profusely. This was getting worse by the second and the not-so-subtle chuckling behind him wasn't helping matters. "You're pregnant, with my child, and that just makes you even more beautiful than you usually are. You are most definitely not fat."

"Then why can't I have the chocolate cake?" Ginny posed seriously.

"There's none left," Draco pointed out.

"You have a piece."

He looked at the piece of cake in his hand again. The smell of the rich frosting was making his mouth water and he could already taste the smooth chocolate on his tongue. "Well, I—" Draco glanced around at the other men. All of them were nodding at the cake and then to Ginny meaningfully. He didn't want to give up his cake. Not to anyone.

"You haven't even started eating it yet," Ginny pointed out with a pout.

"Yes, well—"

"You could have the teacake instead."

Draco groaned and cursed silently as he handed over the cake. It wasn't like he had a choice, especially not after she accused him of calling her fat. "Here, you have this, and I'll have the teacake."

"Thank you," Ginny responded curtly, before returning to the women.

"Do you think he's out of it yet?" Charlie asked.

"Nope, he'll have to do penance when he gets home," Bill responded.

"What makes you think I will have to atone for anything when I get home?" Draco enquired haughtily. He'd had just about enough this afternoon and their implication that Ginny hadn't forgiven him for something he didn't do rubbed him the wrong way.

Bill rolled his eyes. His young brother-in-law had much to learn. "Shall I?"

"Please do," Charlie insisted. "I can't wait to hear his opinion."

Draco shot a filthy look at the two oldest brothers. They were so very amused at his loss of chocolate cake.

"You see, Draco," Bill started as he slung an arm around Draco's shoulders, "she wasn't smiling, even when you gave her the cake, she didn't smile."

"She's tired," Draco said, not really believing it himself, because Bill had suddenly begun to make sense.

Bill shook his head ruefully. "No, mate, she's angry. She still thinks you think she's fat."

"But I don't, I never have."

"I believe you." Bill looked at his brothers. "You believe him, don't you, boys?"

All the men answered in the affirmative, showing support for the blond wizard with great gusto.

Draco looked at them all as if they'd taken leave of their senses. He was beginning to feel like they were playing with his head. Their sudden support of him was astonishing.

"See, we all believe you, but she doesn't," Bill crooned caringly. "We know this, because we're her brothers and we've seen her do this before."

"Do what?"

"She'll let her unsuspecting victim think they're safe, and then when you least expect it, she'll pounce, and you'll be sneezing bats or worse before you even realize she's hit you."

"I really think my wife is above that level of behavior," Draco spat indignantly.

"With you, she probably is, because she has far more powerful weapons in her armory now."

"Such as?"

"That couch in your study... Is it comfortable?"

"Ginny doesn't kick me out of our chambers for anything," Draco responded strongly.

"Yeah, but you haven't called her fat before."

"I didn't—"

"I know and the boys know, but she doesn't believe you."

"She didn't make an issue of it."

"Because you gave her the cake."

"This is ridiculous!" Draco spat. "Ginny is not going to make an issue of this, because she knows I didn't call her fat."

"If you say so," Bill drawled. "But if I were you I'd keep my guard up."

Draco snorted derisively.

"And perhaps stow a pillow in your study before she goes to bed this evening."

The blond wizard rolled his eyes expressively. "I'm going to get some teacake, before the women eat it all."

The Weasley men held their laughter in for a few minutes, but once Ron gave into the urge to laugh the rest followed closely behind. Draco snarled and continued walking along the table to get some cake. Bill had gone from making sense to sounding insane, and as such Draco dismissed everything the man had tried to impress upon him. He had nothing to fear from his wife, and if she were still truly upset when they returned to the manor he would soothe her far easier there than he could here.

By the time he returned to where the men were gathered, they had made some effort to bring their humor under control. Draco sat down silently and ate his teacake. It was good, but not as good as the chocolate birthday cake he'd had in his hand. He had decided that he would give Ginny a little while and then insist that they return home, whether she wanted to or not, and if she still protested he wasn't above pretending he was ill to get her to move. Until then he was going to do his best not to interact with the other men. He feared that if he did he might actually lose his mind.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Millie, where are you going with that pillow?" Ginny enquired curiously.

"Master did tell Millie to leave it in Master's study," the house elf answered obediently.

After sending the servant on her way, Ginny went back to her bedtime preparations. She was exceptionally tired after the party this afternoon and really wanted to go to bed.

When she'd completed her usual routine and Draco had still not made an appearance, Ginny went looking for her missing husband. It didn't take long to find him lounging in the family parlor listening to the Wizarding Wireless.

"Are you coming to bed?"

"Yes, love, I'll be up soon," Draco responded. "I'm just listening to the late news."

"Okay," Ginny muttered. "Well, I'm tired, so I'm going to go ahead."

"All right," Draco mumbled, concentrating on the wireless more than his wife.

As Ginny drifted towards the door slowly her thoughts turned to the pillow she'd asked Millie about. Could he be planning not to come to bed? After the afternoon they'd had she wouldn't be surprised if he was considering sleeping elsewhere. Her brothers had been particularly painful in a very devious way, and when she'd heard exactly what they'd done she'd been shocked that Draco hadn't exploded at the Burrow.

"Draco?"

"Mmm."

"Why did you tell Millie to take a pillow to your study?"

"Oh, you saw her?"

"Yes."

Draco sat forward in his chair and focused his attention of his wife. "It was something Bill said."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "And you listened to him?"

"Well, I wasn't sure," Draco admitted. "You had just accused me of calling you—well, you know."

She walked across to him and made herself comfortable on his knee. "I thought we cleared that up?" They'd had a long chat when they got home, and as far as she was concerned the air had been cleared between them.

"Just taking a few precautions."

"I wouldn't do that."

"I wasn't sure. Your moods have been a bit up and down lately."

"Even if I wasn't in a good mood I wouldn't kick you out of bed."

"Can I have that in writing?" Draco grinned cheekily. "It might be useful the next time your brothers try to plant ideas in my head."

Ginny playfully slapped his shoulder. "Come to bed."

"All right, I'm coming."

She lifted herself off his lap and waited for him to stand up. When his arm went around her, Ginny melted into his side. The body heat he was giving off was serving to make Ginny all the more drowsy. She was looking very forward to climbing into bed and falling asleep in the arms of her husband, who thought she was beautiful.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

AUTHOR'S NOTES

Thanks to Rainpuddle13 for her amazing beta skills and entertaining plot discussions.

The date portion of this chapter was written for Hpbutterbeer when I did the Time Stamp Meme on Live Journal.

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 NINE

DAYS LIKE THESE

Ginny sat down, glad to get the weight off her feet for a little while, at least, and started to read Witch Weekly while enjoying a cup of tea. It didn't seem fair that she felt so drained at eight-thirty in the morning, but then she hadn't slept well for days, and it was finally catching up with her, as it always would.

Her day had begun in the most hellish manner: Draco heading off extra early for a breakfast meeting and the twins being particularly finicky over breakfast. When she'd finally had enough of their behavior, Ginny had sent them away from the table in disgust. Millie was keeping a close watch on them while they played outside, but she knew they'd be back before long looking for something to satisfy their protesting stomachs. For now, she was going to enjoy the peace and quiet. It was days like these that she wished Draco wouldn't schedule such early meetings, so he could be here to at least see the children through breakfast. Still, she knew he did that so he could get home at a reasonable hour for dinner.

"Mistress, Ippy is sorry for disturbing Mistress." The elderly house elf bowed low enough to the ground to scrap his nose. "Mistress does has—"

Ron burst into the parlor, stepping over the servant and confronting his sister with panic in his blue eyes. "Ginny! Ginny, Mum's sick!"

"Ron, calm down," Ginny said slowly. "What's wrong?"

"Mum is sick!"

"I heard that. What's wrong with her?"

"She's pale and shaky, and she just doesn't look right. She's sick!"

"Was Dad home last night?"

"No, he was conducting raids."

"Ron, she probably didn't sleep all night."

"No, it's more than that. There's something wrong with her, Ginny."

"All right, you go to work, and I'll organize the twins, then I'll go and check on her."

"You don't want me to come back with you?"

"No, I'll be fine, and I'll let you know how she is after I've seen her." Ginny knew the last thing she needed was Ron looking over her shoulder when he was in such a state. Besides, Molly was probably just overtired and needed some sleep, which she wasn't likely to allow herself to do until Arthur had returned home. "Just go to work and try not to worry."

"Okay, but let me know—"

"The minute I know I'll contact you."

"Right, I'll be at the office then."

"Okay." Ginny smiled as her brother exited her parlor. She began counting the moment Ron was out of sight and got to fifteen before he reappeared.

"How do I get out of here?"

"Ippy!" Ginny ignored the bubble of laughter building inside of her. "Show my brother out."

"Yes, Mistress."

"Just follow Ippy, Ron, and I'll talk to you later."

"You know, you ought to have signs or something in the corridors."

"I'll talk to Draco about it," Ginny called after him.

She shook her head and sighed heavily. A trip to the Burrow wasn't exactly in the plan for the day, but it seemed like she had little choice. The first thing she had to do was find Narcissa, because if Molly was as tired as Ron was making out, she didn't want to be taking two energetic five-year-olds to the Burrow. As she walked to the northern wing, Ginny hoped Narcissa had no plans for the morning. She knew it wouldn't take long to ascertain that her mum was simply in need of a little rest, but she knew her mother wouldn't let her leave without having at least one cup of tea.

"Narcissa?"

"Ginevra, how lovely to see you, dear." Narcissa looked up from her morning tea. "You look a little tired."

"I'm not sleeping well at the moment."

"It's important for you to get your rest."

"Yes, but I can't get comfortable, so sleep is a little hard to find." Ginny smiled warmly at her concern. "I actually wanted to ask you to watch the twins for a short while."

"Are you going back to bed?"

"No, I have to go out."

"You can't leave the house looking like that, dear."

Ginny took a deep breath and reminded herself that Narcissa had very different values to her. "Ron called in; he's concerned that Mum's sick, so I promised I'd check on her right away. I don't want to take the twins just in case she is, though I'm sure she's just fine."

"Of course, dear, you must check on your mother. Where are the children?"

"They're either in the playroom or outside. Millie is with them."

"Don't worry about a thing."

"Thank you." Ginny smiled. "I shouldn't be long."

"Take as long as you need, dear," Narcissa insisted. "I'll just finish up here and go to the children. We might take a lovely stroll through the gardens."

Ginny left Narcissa's parlor, rubbing her face tiredly as she wandered back along the corridor. She wasn't exactly dressed to face the world, not that it mattered, because the Burrow wasn't exactly the world at large. The thought that she should take the time to run a brush through her hair crossed her mind — it was hanging in a messy bun down the nape of her neck — but thought the better of it, preferring to get to the Burrow quickly, so she could return home just as soon.

"Ippy, fetch my light traveling cloak and my handbag, please," Ginny uttered as she entered the foyer.

"As Mistress wishes."

I'll go to check on Mum, and then I'll come home and try to rest, Ginny promised herself while she waited for the servant to return.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Mum," Ginny called as she walked into her childhood home. "Mum?"

The kitchen was vacant, which in itself was unusual at this time of the day. Ginny wandered slowly through to the sitting room. Relief started to bloom inside of her when she spied her mother dozing in an armchair, but it was quickly replaced with a feeling of dread. Ron was right. Molly looked horridly ill.

Ginny approached her mother quietly, so as not to startle her, and kneeled down beside the chair. "Mum," she whispered, touching Molly's hand lightly.

"Oh, Ginny, dear." Molly blinked a few times and looked at her daughter's concerned face through sleepy eyes. "I didn't hear you come in."

"Ron said you weren't well."

"I'm fine... Just a little tired that's all. Your father worked all night, and you know I don't sleep well when he's not here."

"Mum, you've got no color in your face."

"Don't you start fussing. I had quite enough from Ronald this morning."

"He's worried about you."

"For no good reason," Molly insisted. "I could do with a cup of tea."

"I'll get it," Ginny offered quickly.

"Nonsense! I am capable of making tea," Molly maintained as she tried to stand up.

Ginny got to her feet, keeping a close eye on her mother. Molly took ages to stand up, and then she didn't seem all that stable. Ginny was about to insist that she sit back down when the older woman seemed to slip sideways. Pure reflex had Ginny reaching out, without regard for her own delicate condition, to stop her mother falling to the floor. Somehow, Ginny guided Molly back into the chair. It frightened Ginny to think that she'd only seen her mother two days ago and she'd only looked a little tired then. Whatever was wrong with her had taken hold quickly.

"Mum, I'm getting a Healer for you."

"I'm fine, Ginny, I just went a little dizzy for a moment. Nothing a cup of tea won't fix."

"You're not fine. Now you either let me Floo a Healer for you, or I'm going to tell the boys you're sick."

"Very well then." Molly sighed heavily. "Make an appointment for me this afternoon."

"You'll see one now, Mum."

"Ginny, you know it's impossible to get an appointment right away. I'll be lucky to get one today as it is. Besides, I need to shower before I go out."

"You're not going out."

"I can't afford a house call, Ginny."

"Don't worry about the cost, Mum, I'll pay for it."

"You might not be able to get—"

"Mum, I'll get someone to come. Do you still want a cup of tea?"

"Yes, please, dear."

"I'll make that for you, and then I'll see about a Healer."

Molly half-nodded as her eyes slipped closed. She was so very weary.

Ginny cast one last worried glance at her mother before leaving the sitting room. She'd never known Molly to be sick, not ever. Her mother had always been the strongest in the family — nursing everyone else when they got sick, healing wounds and generally being there whenever she was needed. Right now her pallor was what scared Ginny the most. Molly had always had rosy cheeks and a warm smile to greet everyone. Plus, she'd given in far too easily when Ginny insisted she saw a Healer as well. Her spark was definitely gone.

While she waited for the tea to brew, Ginny made a Floo call to Healer Wilson's office. The Healer's receptionist wasn't pleased by Ginny's demands that he come right away, but then she did something she didn't do often to get her own way — she used her married name to get the woman's attention. Once the other woman understood whom she was refusing, she couldn't do enough to help. It was enough to make Ginny's back bristle, but she doubted going off at the woman would achieve anything. Instead, she used her coldest, most superior voice to convey exactly what she expected to happen in the next five minutes.

Upon breaking the connection, Ginny poured her mother a cup of tea and returned to the sitting room. Molly appeared to be dozing again, so Ginny put the tea on the side table and didn't bother to wake her. Sleep could only be good for her, and if she could get a little before Healer Wilson arrived it would serve her well, she hoped at least. Ginny sunk into the chair next to Molly's and waited. The thought that she should Floo Narcissa and inform her that she was going to be a little longer than expected had crossed her mind when there was a resounding knock at the front door. She jumped up, a little startled, to answer the caller. It was so rare that anyone actually knocked at the Burrow, let alone on the front door, that Ginny had started towards the kitchen before turning back in the right direction.

"Healer Wilson, please come in," Ginny said politely.

"Mrs. Malfoy, a pleasure to see you again."

"May I take your cloak?"

"Thank you." The elderly Healer slipped gracefully out of his cloak and handed it to Ginny. "I understand your mother isn't quite well."

"No, she's right over here." Ginny indicated that he should follow her into the sitting room. "Thank you so much for coming on such short notice."

Wilson waved off the gratitude nonchalantly.

"Mum, Healer Wilson has arrived. You remember him from when I was a bit wobbly on my legs, don't you?"

"Oh, yes, of course." Molly smiled weakly. "Healer Wilson, thank you—"

"Mrs. Weasley, you certainly don't look well. I think we'll start with a preliminary examination and see if we can't get you back on your feet."

Molly nodded weakly.

Ginny watched her mother with ever-growing fear. It appeared she'd woken up from her little nap even weaker than before. She tried to tell herself it was because Molly was still half asleep, but deep-down Ginny knew it wasn't true.

"Mrs. Malfoy, I think your mother might like some privacy while we conduct our examination."

"Of course, I'll just be in the kitchen if you need anything," Ginny responded, a little shocked. "Don't let her fool you though, she nearly passed out before and she's very unsteady on her feet."

"I'm sure we'll get to the bottom of what is ailing your mother," he assured her, while shooing her out of the room and closing the door.

Ginny moved restlessly around the kitchen, tidying here and there in the already perfectly clean room. She sighed heavily as her eyes landed on the teapot. More for something to do, than actual desire, she poured herself a cup of tea and sat at the table. Her eyes wandered all over the room while she absently stirred her tea. She should have refused to leave the room when Healer Wilson suggested it. If she had, she'd know what was going on right now. Minutes were starting to feel like hours, and she was growing more anxious by the second.

The family clock held her attention for sometime. Ginny felt as though it was taunting her. Molly's hand was still pointing towards 'home', but the longer she stared at it the more certain she became that it was waiting for her to look away to move her mother's hand to 'mortal peril'. Of course, the hand didn't move when she averted attention for a few seconds to the door, which was opening slowly.

Ginny was on her feet, looking expectantly at the old wooden door as it swung open. The grave expression on the old wizard's face as he came into view sent a bolt of terror through her.

"Healer Wilson?"

"Mrs. Malfoy, please sit down, and we'll have a chat," Wilson said, reaching for a chair himself. "Is that pot of tea hot?"

"Umm—yes, I'll just get you a cup."

"Thank you."

Ginny silently retrieved a cup from the sideboard and filled it from the teapot. She placed it in front of the Healer with the sugar bowl and a jug of milk, and waited patiently while the wizard added his personal touches to his beverage.

"Your mother is quite ill," Healer Wilson started, placing his teaspoon on the saucer. "It was good that you summoned me directly."

"What's wrong with her? Mum has never been sick."

"From the looks of it she has a severe case of Dragon Influenza, and it's starting to turn exceptionally nasty."

"But she's not sneezing or coughing," Ginny countered as her mind tried to make sense of what she was hearing.

"No, but from what I gather she's not been feeling well for some weeks. I'd place a bag of Galleons on the fact that she's been sneezing and coughing for a couple of weeks, but no one has noticed or she's hidden it well. She's now at the stage where she can no longer hide the symptoms as the virus starts to attack her whole body."

"Oh God, how could we have missed it."

"It's not difficult, Mrs. Malfoy." Healer Wilson reached over and patted her hand. "You all have your own homes and your own busy lives."

"What can we do?"

"The first thing I'm going to do is admit her to St. Mungo's for some additional tests and strict bed rest. I have the feeling that if I allow her to remain home she won't rest nearly enough to get well again."

Ginny took a deep breath to calm her thoughts, which had begun racing. "All right, we'll need to make the arrangements then."

"Leave the hospital to me. I have an emergency Portkey in my bag, so don't worry about transportation, but you might like to contact your father and advise him of what is happening."

"Yes, of course."

"You might also like to have a word with your mother... She's adamant she's not going to hospital."

"I'll try." Ginny wondered just how she was supposed to convince Molly to go quietly if she was really opposed to the idea.

"It's important that she doesn't get too excited," Wilson reminded Ginny. "She becomes a little breathless when she does."

Ginny nodded and sighed heavily. "I'll have a word with her now, so you can get her there soon."

"Whether she agrees in the end or not, she will be going to hospital, I'd just rather she went of her own volition."

"Of course," Ginny murmured, before leaving the wizard in the kitchen.

She paused just inside the doorway of the sitting room to take a deep breath. Molly looked, if it was possible, even more dreadful than when she'd left her. Her eyes were closed and her cup of tea sat untouched on the small table beside her. There was a sickly gray hue about her face and made Ginny's stomach knot with worry.

Ginny touched Molly's arm gently. "Mum."

"Ginny, I don't want to go to the hospital."

"You don't have a choice," Ginny said gently. "Healer Wilson said you're very sick, and he needs to run some more tests. He wants you to go of your own will, because getting excited about it won't do you any good."

"I don't want to go," Molly repeated. Her usually commanding tone was lost, and it came out as a pitiful whine.

"Mum, he's willing to transport you against your will, and I will let him do it, but I'd prefer if you'd just agree." Ginny watched her mother's face for any sign of rebuke or even compliance. "It's for your own good. You need to get well again."

"Who's going to cook dinner for your father?"

"Don't worry about Dad; I'll make sure he's fed." Ginny smiled as shadows of her mother started to push through the ill woman in front of her.

"What about Ronald? He'll be expecting—"

"Whatever Ron is expecting, Pansy can take care of," Ginny insisted.

"Oh, Ginny, she can't cook."

"Then I'll cook for him," Ginny assured her. "Are you ready to go?"

"I don't have—"

"I'll put together a bag for you and bring it with me."

Molly sighed tiredly. She didn't have the energy to keep fighting or talking for that matter.

"I'll let Healer Wilson know you're ready to go." Ginny patted her mother's hand before returning to the kitchen. In a way, she was glad Molly was too weak to put up much of a fight, because she knew there was no way she could have convinced her to go if she had the strength to argue her case properly.

"I take it you were successful?" Healer Wilson asked.

"Yes, somewhat." Ginny sighed. "She'll go, but begrudgingly."

"That's good enough for me." The old wizard smiled gently at the younger woman. "You mustn't worry yourself either. We don't want you getting sick as well."

"I'm fine." Ginny offered the man a small smile.

Wilson nodded, not entirely convinced. "Well, then, we'll see about getting your mother to the hospital."

"Yes, while she's sort of agreeable would be better."

"Are you going to travel with her?"

"I was going to put together a bag for her and follow, if that's all right."

"It's fine, Mrs. Malfoy. I'll be with her for a few hours at least, and I'll assign one of my private nurses to her bed, so she gets the best of care."

"Thank you."

Ginny followed the Healer back to the sitting room. He fiddled in his bag for a little while and then produced what she presumed was the Portkey — a small wand and bone fused together in a cross.

"Are we ready to go, Mrs. Weasley?" Healer Wilson asked, though the question was rhetoric, because Molly didn't have a choice. "We'll get you settled in no time, and then we can concentrate on getting you back on your feet."

"Ginny?" Molly uttered uncertainly.

"I'll be there soon, Mum. I'm just going to pack a few things for you, and I'll follow you. Healer Wilson is going to be with you until I get there," Ginny assured her quietly.

"Your father—"

"I'll Floo him the moment you're on your way."

"I think we'll have a traveling cloak around her shoulders before we transport, just to ward off the chill," Healer Wilson suggested.

"I'll just grab it," Ginny offered, rushing to the kitchen to retrieve Molly's cloak from the hook by the back door. When she returned Healer Wilson was having a quiet word with her mother. She stood aside and waited until he'd finished.

"Ah, we'll get that on her, and we'll be away," Wilson said cheerily when he spied Ginny with Molly's cloak.

Ginny stepped forward to help Molly into her cloak. It was then that her mother's weakness really hit home. Molly could hardly lift her own arms up and she had great difficulty sitting forward. It was as if she'd now allowed herself to admit just how sick she was and had given into the illness.

"We'll see you soon, Mrs. Malfoy," Healer Wilson said as he picked up his bag and held the Portkey out to Molly.

"I'll be right behind you," Ginny promised.

Within seconds both Healer Wilson and Molly had vanished from the sitting room. Ginny's heart started to hammer in her chest, and she felt tears welling in her eyes. Furious with herself she swiped at her face to remove the threat of spillage and made her way upstairs. This was not the time to start behaving like a baby who wanted her mother. This was the time to step into her adult role and take control. First she'd pack a bag for her mother and then she'd Floo her father.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

St. Mungo's was a bustling hive of activity, and Ginny took quite sometime to find out which ward her mother had been admitted to, then even longer to get up to the second floor, as the staircase was crowded. She breathed a sigh of relief as she stepped into the ward. The crush of the stairs was starting to make her feel a little giddy.

Arthur was waiting a short way down the corridor. Ginny had never seen him looking more anxious. Gone was the mischievous twinkle in his eyes that was more a part of him than even his red hair. It did nothing to help her feeling of dread.

"Dad?"

"Ginny, love." Arthur embraced his daughter briefly and kissed her cheek.

"Have you seen her yet?"

"No, they're just getting her settled."

"It won't take long," Ginny said reassuringly. "Did Ron come with you?"

"He and Harry were called out before you told me."

Ginny nodded. "Don't worry, I'll let them know just as soon as I've seen Mum."

"And the rest of the family."

"Yes, I'll contact everyone," Ginny muttered absently.

A nurse exited a nearby room and smiled encouragingly at Arthur. "Mr. Weasley, you can see your wife now."

"Thank you," Arthur said almost silently.

The nurse looked Ginny up and down critically. "Who might you be?"

"I'm his daughter."

"I suppose you can go in for a short time. Mrs. Weasley needs her rest."

Ginny snorted. "I'd like to see her keep the boys out," she said to her father, not bothering to keep her voice low.

"There's more? Will more visitors be coming?"

"My brothers, their wives and probably a load of grandchildren," Ginny answered succinctly.

"How many people are we expecting?" the nurse asked hesitantly.

"Dad, why don't you go in and see Mum. She's probably dying to see you." Ginny waited until her father was out of earshot before turning back to the nurse. "I should think there would be no more than twenty or so."

"Oh no, this won't do. I'll be speaking to Healer Wilson about this," the nurse claimed haughtily.

"Speak to whomever you need to, it won't change the fact that you won't keep the family away from her, and to do so would be detrimental to her health," Ginny responded heatedly.

"Mrs. Malfoy, there you are. Your mother has been asking after you," Healer Wilson said as he entered the corridor. "Your father said you were having a few words with my nurse."

"This is your nurse?" Ginny pointed at the woman in the lime green robes beside her.

"Yes, this is Beatrix Abercrombie, one of my best nurses." Wilson beamed at the two women.

"That's debatable," Ginny muttered under her breath.

"Beatrix, this is Mrs. Malfoy," Wilson continued oblivious to the tension between the two women.

The nurse raised her eyebrows at Ginny in a derisive way.

"You know, I remember treating your father-in-law when he was just a lad," Wilson said to Ginny. "The scrapes young Lucius used to get into... I could tell you many a tale." The old man shook his head as memories started to invade his thoughts.

"Perhaps I'll take you up on that sometime," Ginny responded. "A little bit of sensitive information is always a handy thing when dealing with Lucius."

Beatrix cleared her throat meaningfully. "Mrs. Malfoy has just informed me that her family is quite sizable and that they will all be visiting."

"Of course, anything this family wants you make sure certain they get it."

The nurse sniffed back her objection and excused herself immediately. Ginny couldn't suppress the self-satisfied smirk that crept over her face. She knew it was simply her married name that was earning her this attention, but like before if it got her mother what she needed then she was prepared to shout it from a mountaintop, if necessary.

"I'll let you go and see your mother now." Healer Wilson patted her arm. "Beatrix will be in and out, so if there's anything you or your mother need just let her know."

"Thank you, Healer Wilson." Ginny smiled warmly. She watched the wizard shuffle away and then walked into her mother's hospital room. "Hello, Mum, how are you feeling now?"

"Ginny, I'm so glad you're here," Molly said quietly. "I don't like this thing they've put on me."

Molly was weakly tugging at the hospital issue gown she'd been forced to wear. She knew they weren't all that comfortable at the best of times, let alone when a person wasn't feeling well. "I've brought you a nightie from home, so when your nurse comes in we'll ask her if you can change."

"Mmm... Beatrix is lovely," Molly muttered tiredly.

"Yes," Ginny answered absently. She highly doubted 'lovely' was an apt description. "Why don't you get some rest while we're waiting, Mum?"

"The boys?"

"Once we've got you settled properly, I'll start contacting them." Ginny smiled for her mother's sake.

"I want my boys," Molly persisted.

"I know, but we'll make sure you're right first. You wouldn't want them coming in and having to wait to see you, because you're changing."

"Ask Beatrix now," Molly insisted.

"I'll see if I can find her," Ginny promised, cursing under her breath. She sighed mentally as she left the hospital room. Realization of just what corner of hell she'd stumbled into was just beginning to dawn upon her. There was a reason Molly never got sick — she was a dreadful patient.

She stood still just outside her mother's room, collecting her thoughts for a moment. Beatrix Abercrombie was just down the corridor at the nurses' station. Ginny could feel the woman's eyes burning through her. It was going to take a great amount of control to deal with her, but she would do it for her mother's sake, though if the woman continued to irk her, she might just be tempted to hex her just for her own satisfaction.

"Beatrix," Ginny called, approaching the older witch. "My mother was wondering if she could change into one of her own nightgowns. The hospital gown she has on is uncomfortable."

"I suppose." The woman sighed impatiently. "I'll be in soon to assist her."

"Thank you," Ginny answered curtly.

As Ginny walked back to Molly's room, she could hear the nurse complaining about her to the others around the small office. It wasn't like it mattered, because Ginny knew she couldn't or wouldn't refuse her anything. When she reached the door, she turned and looked expectantly at Beatrix, who was still gossiping with the other nurses. She smirked as the woman rolled her eyes and began walking towards her. If nothing else, Ginny was going to have a grand time tormenting this hag of a woman.

"Beatrix is on her way, Mum," Ginny announced softly as she approached Molly's bed. "I'll get your nightie out. Which one would you prefer: the blue or the white?"

"The white one, dear," Molly responded in a whisper.

Ginny pulled her mother's white nightie from the bag she brought with her and placed it on the end of her bed just as the door swung open to admit the nurse.

"Let's get you changed, Mrs. Weasley. These hospital gowns are terribly uncomfortable." The woman shook her head in mock disgust. "You'd think someone would have come up with something far nicer by now."

"I just want to be in my own—"

"Understandably so," Beatrix cut Molly off merrily. "Now, Mr. Weasley and Mrs. Malfoy, why don't you two wait outside while I get our patient comfortable?"

"I don't think so," Ginny growled. She couldn't believe the change in this woman's demeanor. It was like she had a split personality.

"I rather think Mrs. Weasley would be more comfortable if she had some privacy," Beatrix insisted. "No one likes to get undressed in front—"

"They've been married for thirty-seven years! I really think he's seen her naked before now," Ginny retorted venomously. Her own weariness was beginning to get the better of her temper.

"Ginny, love, it's all right. We can step out for a moment," Arthur mumbled quietly.

"No, Dad, it's not all right." Ginny folded her arms stubbornly across her chest and glared at the nurse, daring her to disagree. "Sit down, you're not going anywhere."

Beatrix glowered at Ginny, but went about getting Molly changed into her own nightwear without another word. Once Molly was settled again, Beatrix whispered a few quiet words to her and took her leave.

"That woman is—" Ginny left her opinion of the nurse unspoken. She feared if she got started on the name calling her hand might begin twitching for the comforting feel of her wand.

"She's lovely," Molly supplied. "So caring and gentle."

"I might go and Floo the boys now," Ginny said tightly. If she stayed here much longer listening to how her mother thought that woman was 'just lovely' she felt she might just lose her mind.

"Tell them not to fuss," Molly instructed.

"I will, Mum." Ginny leaned forward and kissed Molly's cheek. "Do you want me to get your anything, Dad?"

Arthur shook his head.

"I'll be back soon then. Mum, why don't you get some rest while I'm gone?" Ginny suggested.

Molly smiled softly at the suggestion and allowed her eyes to slip closed.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ginny stepped out of the elevator and walked slowly down the corridor. Employees who recognized her called out polite greetings, but all Ginny could manage was a weak smile in response to each. Her thoughts were in turmoil. She knew her brothers weren't going to take the news well and thinking of a gentle way to break it to them seemed beyond her capabilities at the moment. Her emotions threatened to escape and again she reined them in, refusing to let herself cry. She had to stay strong and do what she needed to do. Of course, it was easier to keep her emotions in check when she was at the hospital, where Molly kept her too busy to think about how she was actually feeling.

"Ginevra, what brings you here today?"

Ginny's eyes snapped up in the direction of the voice. She'd been so lost in her thoughts that she'd failed to notice her father-in-law watching her progress down the corridor. "Luc—"

Lucius' eyes bulged in horror as his daughter-in-law dissolved into tears before him. "Ginevra?"

Ginny collapsed against Lucius' chest and wept vociferously.

"Yes, well—" Lucius patted her back mechanically. He was well aware that people were staring at them with open curiosity, and his need to basically run away was making his legs twitch. "Ginevra, I'm going to walk you down to my office."

Ginny didn't acknowledge his words, but allowed herself to be led blindly to the privacy of the office. Now that she'd started crying it seemed she couldn't stop.

Once behind closed doors, Lucius artfully extracted himself from her grasp and sat her down in a comfortable chair. He passed her his handkerchief in the hope that she might attempt to pull herself together, but she simply continued weeping into the expensive cloth. The staff was going to have a field day with what just happened. No one had ever seen him exercise compassion before, and he was certain news of this hidden ability had already reached every department.

"Come now, Ginevra, surely nothing is worth all this fuss," Lucius muttered uncomfortably. "Perhaps you could calm yourself enough to talk, and we could work out a solution."

Her breath started to hitch, and Lucius relaxed a little as she seemed to be stemming the flow of tears, but then they suddenly increased again. He was stuck, it seemed, with a very upset woman and he had no idea why.

"All this upset isn't good for you or the baby, Ginevra. You must calm yourself down," Lucius insisted. When she showed no further signs of bringing herself under control, Lucius cautiously backed up to his office door and cracked it open just a little. He cleared his throat subtly to garner his secretary's attention. "Get Draco immediately."

"Yes, sir."

"Tell him she's very upset."

"Yes, sir."

Lucius nodded and closed the door. He could trust his own secretary to not gossip about his ineptness in this situation. Besides it wasn't anything she didn't already know. She'd been with him for many years, and with the company for even more. Only Narcissa knew him better.

With a heavy sigh, Lucius drew a chair to sit opposite Ginevra. He was on his own until Draco arrived and would do his best to calm her down for the sake of his own sanity, if nothing else. In an attempt to offer her some comfort, Lucius reached out and patted her hand awkwardly. It wasn't the first time Lucius had had to deal with Ginny's tears, but at least when Angel and Draco were in hospital he knew what the problem was and could offer assistance immediately. This feeling of uselessness wasn't sitting well with him, and he just wished she'd bring herself under control, so they could get to the bottom of the problem.

Possible scenarios began floating through his mind. All of a sudden he became aware that this level of distress could only signal a serious problem. His thoughts turned to the children and Narcissa, and he realized he desperately needed to know what was upsetting Ginevra.

"Ginevra, you must tell me what the problem is," Lucius demanded. "Is it the children?"

A slight shake of her head sent a flood of relief through him.

"Narcissa? Is she all right?"

He relaxed a little when she nodded. If Narcissa and the twins were all right, then whatever the problem was it didn't affect him directly. His thoughts turned to where his son might be at this moment. It seemed like an eon since he'd sent his secretary after him.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Draco leaned back in his chair and regarded the men sitting opposite him confidently. He knew they were close to signing. All he needed to do now was sit back and wait.

"This deal is only for a year," one businessman questioned.

"We will reconsider after six months of successful trade. I believe that clause is on page two, paragraph nineteen," Draco responded impassively.

"I'd be a lot happier if we could negotiate a two year deal now," the businessman stated.

"This particular timeframe is not only to protect Malfoy Holdings, but to also look after your interests," Draco pointed out. "After all—"

"Mr. Malfoy, I'm terribly sorry for the interruption."

Draco's eyes snapped up to the door. His father's secretary was standing near the half-open door, looking very ill at ease. "My apologies, gentlemen," he intoned sincerely as he stood up.

"I'm so sorry," the woman whispered as Draco walked towards her.

"What is it?" Draco hissed in a low dangerous tone.

"Your father asked me to fetch you. It's Mrs. Malfoy... She's dreadfully upset."

"Tell my father I am in a business meeting, and he will have to deal with mother on his own."

"Oh no, it's not your mother, Mr. Malfoy. It's your wife."

Draco's eyes opened wide with shock. "Ginny's upset?"

"Yes, sir. She showed up here a short time ago and just burst into tears the moment she saw your father."

Draco glanced over his shoulder at the two men sitting at his desk. This meeting was important, and he was so close to closing the deal. With a mental groan, he walked back to his desk. "Gentlemen, unfortunately, I've had an urgent family matter arise unexpectedly."

"You're leaving?"

"I would like to think we could reschedule this meeting at a time convenient to all of us. Please accept my deepest apologies." Draco inclined his head politely and backed out of the office.

"Would you like me to—" Draco's secretary started.

"Get in there, and do what you can to make them happy," Draco growled. "And make certain you reschedule this meeting!"

"Th—" Lucius' secretary began.

"Where is she?"

"Your father's office."

Draco snarled his frustration and stalked up to his father's office. He couldn't believe Lucius had even thought it was acceptable to disturb him while he was going through their final offer with a client. By the time he reached the door to his father's office, his temper was peaking. Draco flung the door open so hard that it bounced off the wall and almost hit him in the face as he stepped over the threshold.

All of a sudden his anger melted and was replaced by the frosty feeling of fear. Ginny was bawling her heart out, and Lucius simply looked forlorn. He stepped forward again, and then Ginny was flinging herself into his arms, crying even harder than she was when he first entered.

"Father?"

"I don't know. I haven't been able to get much out of her. Your mother and the twins are all right."

Draco nodded and concentrated on comforting his distraught wife. First he would calm her down, and then he would endeavor to discover what was going on. Once he knew that they'd be able to deal with the problem and, hopefully, avoid any further tears. For the time being he simply held her and let her cry. He'd learned it was usually best to let her get it out of her system before trying to get her to talk.

Aside from making all the perfunctory soothing sounds, he felt he should make when she was like this, Draco guided her over to the little used sofa in the corner of his father's office. He managed to sit her down, and then sit himself beside her without too much trouble. In the state she was in, he knew it was going to take a while to calm her down, so he could make sense of the situation. She clung to him sobbing into his chest for the longest time.

He listened carefully to her breathing and when she began to slow Draco started to talk very softly. "Ginny, tell me what's wrong, love."

"I—Mum—"

"Take a deep breath," Draco encouraged calmly.

She breathed in deeply, and then slowly released the air.

"Tell me, what's upset you?"

"Mum's sick."

"All right," Draco answered slowly. "Bill thought she wasn't looking well yesterday."

"She's in hospital."

"Hospital?" Draco was shocked. Molly certainly hadn't looked that sick the day before. "What's wrong with her?"

"Dragon Influenza." Ginny started sobbing again. "She looks so—"

"Shh, it's all right, love," Draco crooned. "This is nothing that can't be fixed. It will do her good to get some rest, and hospital is the best place for her."

"I—I have to tell the boys."

"Why don't we go down to my office and you can Floo them from there?"

"How am I going to tell them? They're not going to take it well."

He'd never seen her look so lost. This stranger, who was pleading with him to fix this problem, had replaced the strong woman he married. "I'll tell them, love."

"Draco, perhaps it would be better if you stayed here," Lucius suggested. "I'm sure Ginevra doesn't wish to be paraded through the office again when she's in such a state."

"Thank you, Father."

"I'll order some tea, and then give you some privacy."

Draco nodded slightly to acknowledge his father's offer. They might be at war with one another, but one of the women was hurting, and that was more important than their petty differences. He waited until Lucius had slipped out of the room before turning his attention back to his wife. "We'll stay here and make the Floo calls. You're going to have to give me all the details, because you know your brothers are going to want to know everything."

She nodded against his chest and sniffed loudly.

"Why don't you go wash your face, and then you can tell me everything before I make the Floo calls?" Draco suggested softly.

With Draco's assistance Ginny got to her feet and walked over to the private bathroom adjoining Lucius' office. Once she was safely inside, Draco released a loud sigh. This was not what he needed today.

"Is she all right?" Lucius asked, placing a tea tray on his desk.

Draco raised a curious eyebrow at his father. He didn't think he could ever remember a time when he'd seen Lucius do something so menial.

"I thought it better not to allow anyone else in for Ginevra's sake," Lucius offered.

"Thank you."

"And Ginevra?"

"She'll be all right. I think it's just a bit much for her to deal with at the moment." At least Draco hoped that was what it was, because he really didn't have any idea.

"I'll be in the boardroom should you require me."

Draco acknowledged the offered assistance with a curt nod and watched his father escape. A couple of uncharitable thoughts drifted through his mind as the door closed.

By the time Ginny emerged from the bathroom, Draco had a cup of tea ready for her. Even though she appeared calmer, she looked tired and pale. It worried him.

"Come and sit down, love," Draco suggested, guiding her back to the sofa. "You can tell me everything over a cup of tea, and then I'll contact your brothers."

Ginny settled herself on the sofa and murmured a vague 'thank you' when Draco passed her a cup of tea.

He gave her a few minutes to relax and enjoy the tea. There was a small sliver of hope that she wouldn't cry while giving him the details, but he wasn't fool enough to think he could bet on it.

"Now, start at the beginning and tell me everything, so I can answer any questions your brothers might have," Draco said gently.

Ginny took a deep breath and then launched into the events of the morning, starting with Ron's impromptu visit. She paused a few times to gather her emotions, and Draco didn't press her to continue until she felt ready.

"Mum's never been sick before," Ginny said, her distress clearly indicated in her tone. "She looks just awful... So weak and—"

"Shh, love, she'll be just fine. She's in the hospital and they'll take good care of her. I'll speak to Healer Wilson myself to ensure she receives the best of care," Draco crooned.

"I've just never seen her like that before," Ginny whispered. "Mum's always been so strong."

"And she will be again," Draco assured her. "I'll get you some fresh tea, and then I'd best get my head in the fire."

"I should tell them."

"Nonsense! I won't have you upsetting yourself like that again. It doesn't matter who tells them, just as long as they're told," Draco said firmly. "You stay right there."

Ginny opened her mouth to argue, but he patted her hand resolutely and went to pour her another cup of tea. She closed her eyes and leaned back into the soft leather. Draco was right. It didn't matter who told the boys, and besides she still didn't know how to tell them anyway. Her eyes fluttered opened when she heard the chink of china close by.

"You're going to put your feet up for a little while," Draco ordered, as he lifted her legs and pivoted her around on the seat. "Your tea is on the side table."

"Thank you," Ginny uttered sleepily. She really shouldn't have closed her eyes, because it had only served to remind her how very tired she felt.

Draco took one last glance at her before crossing the office to make the Floo calls. She looked so helpless and sounded even worse. He'd do anything, promise her anything, to erase that vulnerable tone in her voice.

After five Floo calls and dealing with various degrees of disbelief, outrage and anguish, Draco's head was virtually spinning. Ginny was right in believing her brothers weren't going to take the news well. They were all devastated and he'd quickly turned from messenger into counselor.

When he'd told Bill, the man had berated himself for several minutes for not following through when he'd noticed something was amiss with his mother. All Draco could do was remind him that Molly would have denied feeling unwell anyway, so the result would have been the same, even if he had pursued the matter.

Charlie was a little easier, even if he did panic momentarily about getting the entire family to London that day. In the end, he promised Draco he'd get there early in the afternoon, with or without Anya and the children. Draco thought, privately, that without would have been better.

Percy had seemed almost annoyed when he realized he'd be expected to go to the hospital. Draco assured him that Molly would have more than enough visitors if he was unable to get away from the Ministry, but he still begrudgingly agreed to attend St. Mungo's immediately.

The twins disturbed him greatly. It was so rare that they were serious about anything, so to see their identical somber expressions was quite disturbing. They'd hardly given him time to explain fully before telling him they'd meet him at the hospital.

Ron had almost started bawling the minute Draco mentioned the hospital. It had put Draco off balance for a couple of minutes, and then Ron disappeared, only to be replaced by Harry.

After giving Harry all the details, Draco sat back in his father's chair and rubbed his face wearily. One wouldn't think that making five Floo calls could be so draining, but the Weasley brothers had certainly taken all his energy. Safe in the knowledge that his brothers-in-law were all converging on St. Mungo's right at this minute, Draco turned his attention back to his wife.

Ginny appeared to be napping peacefully, so he stayed where he was for the time being. Her emotional state had worn her out, and if she could get even a few minutes sleep he was certain she'd be in a better frame of mind. He knew she'd want to return to the hospital soon, and there was no way he was allowing her to go alone, not in her state. Draco started to mentally go through everything that would require attention today, and when the list got too long for him to remember, he picked up his father's heavy quill. He leaned back in the chair, twirling the fancy quill around his fingers, to gather his thoughts before committing anything to paper. A moment later he cursed as the quill fell from his hand, bounced off his chest and landed with a thud on the desk.

"Draco?"

"I thought you were sleeping." Draco cursed himself for even thinking about picking up the damned quill.

"I drifted off," Ginny admitted. "Did you get a hold of everyone?"

"Yes, they're all heading to the hospital."

"What about Narcissa? Is she all right with the twins?"

"I'm sure she's fine."

"I told her I wouldn't be long."

"Don't worry about Mother. I'll have Father check on her," Draco replied as he crossed the office. "If need be, he or I can go home."

"I should get back to the hospital."

"I'll come with you," Draco said firmly. He knew it would have been useless to ask her to rest for a while before returning, so the least he could do is go with her to keep a close eye on her. "Just give me a couple of minutes."

"You don't have—"

"I'm coming."

"Thank you."

"I'll be right back."

Ginny acknowledged him with a small nod and allowed her eyes to slip closed again as Draco left the office.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The scene in the corridor at the hospital made Draco want to run in the opposite direction. It was full of redheads, who seemed intent on arguing every point with anyone, even each other. Ginny groaned unhappily beside him.

"Maybe we could sneak away," Draco whispered hopefully.

"And leave them to spill blood all over the floor?"

"Do they do this often?"

Ginny sighed heavily. "Only when they're afraid."

Draco raised an eyebrow in question. He really couldn't imagine any of his brothers-in-law as being afraid of anything. After all, they were all cursed with that foolish Gryffindor bravery.

"Ginny!"

All of a sudden Draco found himself pushed over to the wall as his wife's brothers converged on her. They appeared to be all seeking some sort of solace and reassurance. Try as he might, he couldn't find his way back to Ginny's side to protect her from the onslaught of questions and rib-breaking embraces. He could hear some of the questions and comments that were bombarding Ginny, but he didn't know if she was responding.

"I'd stay out of the way, if I were you," Harry commented quietly.

"They're going to hurt her," Draco hissed as he tried once more to slip between two burly redheads.

"No, they won't and you know it," Harry said, pulling the blond away. "They just need some sort of assurance that Molly's going to be all right."

"Perhaps they ought to speak to her Healer then."

"They will, in time, but for now they need to hear it from Ginny," Harry assured him.

Draco frowned at the bespectacled wizard beside him. His calm was upsetting him even more. "Why?"

"She's the only female Weasley, apart from Molly, and Molly has always solved things for them, so now they're looking to Ginny to do the same."

"Don't they realize how upset she is about all of this? She's been beside herself!" Draco snarled.

"And they'll comfort her if she gets upset, but my bet is that she won't," Harry countered. "She'll be too busy allying their fears to give her own feelings any thought."

All of a sudden Draco could see Ginny, and as much as he hated to admit it, she looked fine. She was hugging Ron and even had a comforting smile on her face. Her eyes were bright, and he could see that she was back in control of her emotions.

"See," Harry whispered.

Draco didn't respond. There was no way on earth he was going acknowledge to Potter that he'd been right. He folded his arms over his chest and leaned back against the wall with a sulky expression on his face. A few moments later silence fell over the corridor and Draco could finally hear what Ginny was saying.

"Mum is really tired, so you'll all have to be quiet when you go into see her. Her nurse is a cow and didn't even want me to go in earlier, so don't think she won't try to throw you out if she gets a reason."

"How about we make it a quick visit then, boys?" Bill asked.

Charlie nodded seriously. "Yeah, Mum needs to rest, so there's no point in us keeping her awake."

"We'll just check on her and let her get some rest," Bill confirmed.

Like sheep, all the men followed Ginny into Molly's hospital room. By the time Draco and Harry entered the room, they were filing past their mother, each kissing her cheek and embracing her gently. Apart from Molly's soft whisper you could have heard a pin drop. Draco had thought they'd been a mess when he initially told them about Molly being admitted to St. Mungo's, but he realized he was wrong; they were a mess now. All of the men looked pale and shaken. Fear was predominant in each set of eyes in the room.

When Draco finally looked to the hospital bed, Harry was just greeting Molly. He wasn't prepared for what he saw when the raven-haired Auror stepped back. Molly Weasley looked terrible. She had a sickly gray pallor and her eyes had no life in them.

"Draco." Molly smiled at him.

He didn't want to go and say hello. He didn't want to go anywhere near her. But she was holding out her hand weakly, waiting for him. With great trepidation, Draco crossed the floor, kissed the air beside his mother-in-law's cheek quickly and embraced her for the tiniest moment.

"I feel so much better now that all my boys are here," Molly uttered while still holding onto Draco's hand.

"We're not staying long, Mum," Charlie muttered.

"Ginny said you need your rest," Ron added.

"Nonsense. What I need are my boys," Molly insisted, giving Draco's hand a small squeeze.

"What is all of this?"

"Oh, Beatrix, these are my sons," Molly responded with a hint of a weary smile.

"I see," the nurse sniffed.

"This is Draco, Ginny's husband, and this is Bill, Charlie, Fred, George, Percy, Ron and Harry," Molly continued, oblivious to the woman's displeasure.

"How long do you intend on staying?"

"Not long," Bill answered. "We're just saying hello, and then letting Mum get some rest."

"Good. Your mother needs all the rest she can get, and it won't do her any good to have so many people around."

"Says the person who's known her for five minutes," Ginny murmured just loud enough for everyone in the room to hear.

Beatrix Abercrombie shot Ginny a deadly look. "Mrs. Malfoy, may I have a word in private?"

Ginny smirked coldly at the woman. "Of course." She smiled pleasantly at Molly. "Mum, I'll be right back."

In the corridor Ginny's expression became deadly to match that of the nurse.

"I would appreciate it if you'd keep your snide remarks to yourself," Beatrix snapped.

"And I would appreciate it if you'd stop presuming that you know what is best for my mother," Ginny responded acerbically.

"I am a health professional!"

"You are a nasty old woman, dressed in a hideous robe, and you know nothing about my mother or how highly she values her family." Ginny advanced on the woman. "If you keep making comments about how many visitors my mother has, I will make you sorry you didn't consider dragon keeping as a career."

"For your information, I don't care who you think you are or who you're married to. You don't scare me—"

"Then perhaps I do," Draco snarled as he strode towards the warring women.

The nurse lifted her chin haughtily. "Who are you?"

"Draco — Draco Malfoy." He sneered at the woman, whose eyes widened just a little. "I'm going to tell you this just once, so make certain you understand before I walk away: if you so much as look at my wife with that attitude again I will destroy you."

"I—you—"

"Don't stammer at me," Draco growled in a low threatening voice. "Now get out of my sight, before I decide to destroy you for my own enjoyment."

Beatrix Abercrombie didn't need to be told again, she scampered away as quickly as her legs could carry her and didn't look back.

Draco reached out and gathered his wife in his arms. "Are you all right, Ginny?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

"What was all that about?" Charlie asked from the doorway.

"She just got on my bad side earlier, and I'm not in the mood to play nicely," Ginny supplied flatly.

"Well, do you think if I leave you for five minutes you might be able to play nicely until I return?" Draco asked with an amused grin.

"I'll try my very best."

"I can keep an eye on her for you," Charlie offered. "Although, I'll have to insist that she hands her wand over."

"Not on your life," Ginny retorted.

Draco shook his head. "I'll leave you two to battle out the wand issue. I'm going to find Wilson and see about having that nurse replaced."

"Oh, apparently she's one of his private nurses."

"All the more reason for him to be aware of what she's like," Draco said grimly.

"Mum likes her," Ginny added weakly.

"And what's going to happen when she shows that side of herself to your mother? It's not worth risking, Ginny, because Molly would have her guts for potion ingredients even with her ill-health." Draco kissed her firmly on the forehead. "I'll be back soon."

Ginny watch her husband stride authoritatively down the corridor to the nurses station. He'd never really stood up for her like that before, and while she usually preferred to fight her own battles just knowing he was willing to step in was a comfort, especially when she didn't have the energy to be creative about the way she tortured those who crossed her.

"Are you sure you're all right?" Charlie asked.

"Yes, I'm fine," Ginny assured him. "I'm just a little tired," she continued when he gave her a skeptical look.

"Maybe you should go home and get some rest while we're here," Charlie suggested.

Ginny gave her brother a look that conveyed her opinion of his idea in no uncertain terms.

"It was just a suggestion." Charlie held his hands up in surrender. "Are you coming back in?"

"Yes."

Charlie held the door open for her. "We'll get you a chair then."

It took Charlie several minutes to convince Fred he should relinquish one of the few chairs in the room for his sister, but eventually Ginny was sitting by the side of Molly's bed on the hard chair. Once he'd made sure Fred wasn't going to reclaim his seat, Charlie sought Bill out and filled him in on the nurse situation in whispered tones.

"Is everything all right, dear," Molly asked wearily.

Ginny smiled brightly for her mother's sake. "Yes, Mum, of course it is."

"What did Beatrix need to talk to you about?"

"Nothing important," Ginny replied casually. She hoped Molly wouldn't get too upset when she discovered Draco was having the horrid woman replaced.

"Mum, Anya and I are going to stay at the Burrow until you're released," Charlie mentioned, winking slyly at his sister.

"Oh, I won't be there to cook for you," Molly fussed.

"Anya can cook, Mum." Charlie chuckled. "She manages when we're at home."

"Yes, I know, but—"

"No buts. We'll be fine, and she'll make sure Dad doesn't fade away as well," Charlie assured her.

"What about me?" Ron asked.

Charlie looked at his youngest brother with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "I suppose if you talk to her nicely she might throw you a couple of scraps."

"Don't worry, mate, you can always come to my place for dinner," Harry offered.

Ron's face contorted into an expression of disgust. "I think I'll stick with the scraps thanks."

"Hermione's getting better," Harry said defensively.

"Just let me know when she finally cooks something that doesn't taste like swamp mold," Ron responded.

"At least my wife knows where the kitchen is," Harry teased good-naturedly.

"Pansy will learn," Ron replied smartly.

"Is hell freezing over sometime soon?" Harry jibed.

"Before you two start trading more than smart comments, I think it's an idea if we left and let Mum get some sleep," Bill interrupted.

Murmurs of agreement came from all the men at once. While they were saying their goodbyes to Molly, Charlie slipped around behind Ginny.

"You're coming too," he whispered.

"No, Mum might need—"

"Don't argue with me. You're tired and you need to get some rest." Charlie regarded his sister sternly. "I'll bet you haven't had any lunch either."

"Fine, but I'm coming back later," Ginny grumbled, knowing her second oldest brother wasn't above making a scene if need be to get his own way.

"We'll see about that," Charlie said seriously. "Go and say goodbye to Mum."

Ginny glowered at him, but her effort lacked conviction. He was right: she was too tired to be here and she wasn't doing anyone any good at the moment, least of all herself. She waited until the boys had mostly left the room before moving forward to speak to her mother.

"Mum, I'm going for a little bit, so you can get some rest, but I'll be back later," Ginny promised quietly.

"That all depends on whether or not she has a nap, Mum," Charlie interrupted from behind Ginny. "She's dead tired and she hasn't had lunch yet."

"Ignore him, Mum. I will be back, no matter what he says," Ginny reiterated firmly.

"Don't back me into a corner, little one, or I'll be forced to play dirty," Charlie warned with just a hint of seriousness tainting his good-humor.

Ginny turned her head, so Charlie could see her incredulous expression.

"You don't believe me?" Charlie grinned broadly. "No matter. You will if I'm forced to do what I have to do."

She shook her head at him and turned back to Molly, giving the older witch an affectionate kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you later."

"All right, dear," Molly responded with a small smile.

Charlie followed her out of the hospital room, pausing only briefly to bid his mother goodbye and promise that he would make certain his sister rested before returning to the hospital.

"Just what are you trying to do? Worry Mum even more?" Ginny snapped the moment the door closed behind Charlie and they were in the relative safety of the corridor.

"Nope, but I'm not above doing that if necessary either," Charlie responded calmly. "You're tired by your own admission. You look dreadful and if you don't look after yourself—"

"If you don't mind, I think I can decide for myself whether I'm looking after myself or not."

"Or I can mention it to your husband," Charlie suggested in a low voice.

Ginny laughed. "Go ahead. It's not like you telling him is going to make any difference."

"We'll see," Charlie replied smugly.

"Ginny, that room is a bit posh," Ron said suddenly.

"Posh?" Ginny frowned at the sea of faces in front of her. "It's a hospital room. There's nothing posh about it."

"It's a private room, with a private nurse and apparently Mum's Healer is—"

"The same one I saw when I fainted," Ginny finished.

"What Ron is trying to say is: how much is all this going to cost?" Percy clarified sharply. "Mum and Dad can't afford—"

"Don't worry about the cost," Ginny snapped. "I'll take care of it."

"Ginny, that's not what they were saying," Bill said, sending stern warning looks at his younger brothers.

"Look, I did what I had to do so Mum would get the immediate care she needed, and I'll take care of the bills," Ginny continued.

"You will?" Draco blurted as he approached the group in the corridor. He immediately began to feel uncomfortable as everyone looked at him questioningly. "Of course, we will. Don't worry about a thing, we've got it covered."

"We can split the cost," Bill offered.

"No, it's fine," Draco said weakly. The care Molly Weasley was receiving was going to cost thousands of Galleons, and it truly hadn't occurred to him that his in-laws might not have the means to pay for their own health care.

"I'm sure between all of us we can take care of whatever all this is going to cost," Charlie reiterated Bill's offer.

Draco shook his head. "It's all right. Ginny arranged all of this, and we'll take care of it."

"Did you speak to Healer Wilson?" Ginny asked.

"Yes, and he can't replace the nurse."

"What?" Charlie expressed in disbelief.

"His other nurse is on holidays, so she's the best he's got, but he did offer to have a word to her about the way she spoke to you," Draco informed them.

"He'd want to make that a harsh word," Charlie muttered.

"What happened?" Fred enquired.

Between Draco, Charlie and Ginny they told the rest of the family what had taken place up until now.

"So, you got off on the wrong foot with her to start with and now everything she does is going to be scrutinized?" Bill asked, looking at Ginny.

"It wasn't a good start," Ginny admitted.

"You know, she's probably an excellent nurse."

"I can see why she'd have a problem with all of us being here at once," Percy pointed out. "She can hardly do her job with so many visitors hanging around."

"Yes, but she didn't even want me to go in there," Ginny explained. "She was all right with Dad going in, but dead against anyone else visiting at all."

"It might be good for Mum to have a break from everyone," Charlie suggested.

Ginny shook her head. "No, the first thing she asked for was her 'boys'. It would kill her if she couldn't see everyone."

"Well, we should set up a roster or something then," George suggested.

"There's a good idea," Fred exclaimed, slapping his twin on the back.

"Why don't we take this discussion to the Burrow?" Bill ordered, rather than suggested. "That way we're not blocking a whole corridor, and we can get some lunch."

"What about Dad? He might need something," Ginny said.

"I spoke to him before I left. He's fine, and he'll get something at the tearoom later," Bill told her. "Come on, I'm starving!"

Ginny had no option but to follow her brothers, as Bill and Charlie took up residence on either side of her and guided her out of the ward. She could hear the click of Draco's hard soles bringing up the rear. To keep them happy she would go to the Burrow for a short while, and then return to the hospital.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Within five minutes of arriving at their childhood home the Weasley boys, Harry and a rather shocked Draco had relegated Ginny to the sitting room, with orders to rest, and had taken over the kitchen. Lunch was the first order of work, and then discussions about how they were going to handle Molly being in hospital.

Ginny listened in horror as the noise level in her mother's kitchen rose to a deafening level and things crashed periodically. It sounded more like they were playing Quidditch in the kitchen than pulling together a simple lunch. She knew Molly would have a fit if she ever got wind that the boys had been in there doing something, and just the thought of the mess they were creating, and would leave for someone else to clean up, made her shudder.

Almost an hour after they arrived, Draco walked into the sitting room looking very much worse for wear. His robes were filthy and he had odd pieces of something in his blond hair.

"You didn't fall asleep," he remarked.

"How could I with all that noise going on? I was beginning to think the twins were conducting experiments in there," Ginny responded.

"Well, lunch is ready."

"It looks like you're wearing a fair bit of it."

Draco looked down at his robes and screwed his nose up in disgust. The preparation of their meal was something he'd never before experienced and something he feared experiencing again. Charlie, sensing Draco's inexperience in the kitchen, had promptly assigned Harry to watch him carefully — apparently, the last thing they needed was someone bleeding in their food or another trip to St. Mungo's with a burn victim. All was going well until Draco, uncharacteristically, knocked over a jug of thick white sauce, then all hell seemed to break loose, and the food preparation was forgotten about for five minutes. After much taunting and food throwing, Bill called for calm, and everyone went back to their tasks without another word, leaving a slightly shaken Draco standing in the middle of the room, covered in Merlin only knew what, with a look of horror on his face.

"Here, I'll fix it," Ginny offered, withdrawing her wand and casting a few carefully aimed Scourgify charms.

"Thank you."

"So is anything edible?"

"I don't think so," Draco admitted.

"Oh well, what doesn't kill us makes us stronger." Ginny giggled. "Come on, I'm sure it's not as bad as you think. The boys can cook when they have to."

"I suppose," Draco agreed flatly, following his wife into the kitchen.

The Weasley wizards and Harry were all sitting at the table waiting for Draco and Ginny to join them. Draco blinked as he looked around. The kitchen was clean; gone was the food that had been thrown around the room after his unfortunate accident.

"Don't look so surprised, mate," George said with a laugh.

"We're quite adept at cleaning charms," Fred advised.

"Had to be really," George mused aloud.

Fred nodded. "Mum might have heard explosions coming from our room—"

"But proving we were doing something was another matter entirely," George finished with a cheeky grin.

"Dig in everyone," Bill bellowed.

The noise as the men and Ginny filled their plates was almost enough to rattle the windows, but once everyone was happy with the contents of their plate conversations gave way to the sounds of cutlery on china.

"When is Anya arriving, Charlie?"

"This afternoon sometime," Charlie answered vaguely. "She had to get the kids packed and ready."

"There are a few things we need to sort out," Bill reminded everyone. "Do we want to wait until all the girls can get here, or are we going to go ahead and make some decisions?"

"I propose we make the decisions," Percy offered pompously. "The women will go along with whatever we say anyway."

Bill choked on a mouthful of bread, and Charlie sprayed the table with soup from his mouth. The other men looked at their foolish brother with open incredulity.

"I dare you to say that when Penelope's in earshot," Ron challenged.

"He'd have to ask her for his balls back first," Charlie spluttered amusedly.

"I'll have you know—" Percy began indignantly.

Fred sent his brother the most understanding look he could muster before cutting him off. "It's all right, Percy, we know—"

"She extracted your spine on your wedding day," George finished with a confirming nod.

Bill cleared his throat loudly to get everyone's attention. He'd been watching the banter between his younger brothers carefully, and he knew just how long to let them go before reining them back in before wands were drawn. "Let's get back to business before he has a tantrum."

"Yeah, better had," Charlie agreed.

"What if we sort through a few of the things, then we can check with the girls when we get the chance?" Bill suggested.

"Good thinking," Harry confirmed.

"Right, first we have to sort out some sort of schedule for hospital visits," Bill announced.

The discussion centered around the appropriate number of visitors at one time, when everyone could likely get there, and whether the grandchildren should be considered.

"Right, we'll ask the girls to visit when we can't and share the kids around, so none of them have to go to the hospital," Charlie concluded.

"Next is Harry's birthday," Bill said.

"I hardly think that's important," Ginny commented.

"Mum thinks it is. You must have been out of the room when she brought it up," Ron explained.

"Whether she's out of hospital or not, I don't want her doing anything," Harry said. "I'd rather not have anything, but when I suggested that she just about had a fit."

Ginny rolled her eyes. She knew as well as anyone that there was no getting out of a traditional Weasley birthday celebration. "All right, I'll get together with the girls, and we'll sort our who's doing what. Where are we going to have it?"

"Here would be best," Fred offered.

"You'll have to work out something for a cake as well, or Mum will be demanding they take her down to the hospital kitchen, so she can cook him one," George added.

"I can take care of the cake," Ginny admitted wearily.

"We can just order one from a bakery," Harry said quietly.

"No, Mum would have a conniption if she found out," Ginny reminded him. "It's all right, I've baked a cake before."

"So, we'll leave that in your capable hands, Ginny," Charlie announced. "Just don't go doing everything yourself."

"I won't. I'll get all the girls together tomorrow or something, and we'll work it out."

"What else is there?" Harry asked.

"We're going to have to keep an eye on Dad," Bill told everyone seriously. "Make sure he eats and sleeps, and everything."

"I'll do that, seeing as we're staying here," Charlie offered. "Anya will be happy to make sure he eats as well."

"If you two want some time together or she just gets busy, send Dad to my place for dinner," Ginny said.

"You're going to be doing enough running around," Draco whispered harshly.

Ginny turned and looked at her husband. "And it's not like I can actually remember the last time I cooked myself."

"Can anyone think of anything else?" Bill looked around the table.

"Nope," Ron announced after a sufficient pause.

"Good, I'm heading back to the hospital then," Ginny announced.

"No you're not!"

She glanced around the table unsure of who had thought it was a good idea to negate her idea. All she did know was that it was more than one of them.

"You're not going anywhere until you've rested for a bit," Charlie said sternly.

"I second that idea," Bill agreed.

"There is nothing—"

"You're resting, love, and that's all there is to it," Draco said gently.

"If you go back now you might scare someone," Ron pointed out.

"You do look like a troll princess, Ginny," Fred added.

"I don't believe you lot."

"You would if you looked in the mirror," George replied.

As her brothers burst into laughter, Ginny rose from her chair, none too gracefully, and stormed from the kitchen. She'd only just reached the hearth when she heard footsteps following her. A pair of familiar arms wrapped around her tense body.

"You're having a rest before you go back to the hospital," Draco whispered gently. "There's not going to be an argument about it, Ginny."

"Draco, I have to get home to our children as well."

"They're being well taken care of."

"I told your mother I wouldn't be long."

"It doesn't matter, because she didn't have any plans for today anyway."

"That is beside the point."

"Perhaps it is, but it doesn't change the fact that you're going to rest before you head back to the hospital, and while you're doing that I'll check on the twins," Draco said in a tone that should have brokered no argument.

Ginny spun around in her husband's arms and leveled a deadly glare at him. "I don't want to rest."

An ill-disguised snigger from the doorway of the kitchen garnered Draco's attention briefly. Charlie was leaning on the doorframe watching his every move and, apparently, finding his efforts most amusing. He flicked his gaze back to his stubborn wife. "Ginny, we're not going to argue about this. Now, you have a choice: you can either go upstairs and rest, or I'll take you home to rest. Either way, you are going to rest before returning to the hospital."

"What about what I—"

"You'll be no good to anyone if you get sick, not to mention the danger you'll be putting our baby in," Draco growled, his patience finally giving out. "Now, where are you going to rest?"

Ginny opened her mouth to retort, but snapped it shut again when she realized that Draco wasn't going to give in on this matter. Rather than answer him, and admit defeat, she tossed her head in the air and stormed up the staircase.

Draco waited until she was out of sight to release a loud sigh of relief and frustration. He leaned on the hearth, hoping that his brother-in-law would wander away and go about his own business without commenting on his ineptness.

"If I were you, I'd follow her up and make sure she's going to rest, because knowing my sister, she's probably shimmying down the drainpipe as we speak," Charlie advised shrewdly.

Draco turned slowly to meet the gaze of the highly amused redhead. His head was telling him to argue the point, but his heart told him firmly that Charlie was probably right, considering the mood Ginny was in at the moment. Without responding, Draco mounted the staircase, taking the stairs two at a time mostly to escape the chuckles that were now coming from below. He approached Ginny's childhood bedroom with trepidation, hoping that this was where she'd come, because he didn't feel like searching the upper levels on the house. A brief pause outside the closed door confirmed someone was inside the room.

"Ginny," Draco whispered as he opened the door.

She turned to face him with blazing eyes. "What?"

"I just wanted to make sure you were all right, love," Draco uttered softly. And not escaping through the window, he added to himself.

"No, I'm not all right," Ginny snapped. "I want to be with my mother."

"I know, but you're also very tired, and you need to rest for a bit, then you can go back to the hospital."

"I'm not a child," she hissed.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"

"Yes, you did." Her voice cracked as she tried her best to sound angry with him. The moment she heard the falter her eyes welled with tears.

Draco was across the room and had enveloped her in his arms in seconds. "Ginny, don't cry, love."

"I just—I feel so useless," she howled into his shoulder.

"Shh, it's all right. You're tired, and you're not much good to anyone when you're like this. Once you get a little sleep, you'll be far better equipped to deal with everything," he crooned. "Let's get you into bed."

He was surprised at how compliant she was now that she'd upset herself again. Not wanting to leave her alone until he was certain she was, at the very least, calm, Draco slid himself onto the bed as well and held her, murmuring quite words every so often. It wasn't long before her weeping began to slow and her breathing evened out. She was so exhausted that when she finally succumbed to sleep, she fell directly into a deep slumber.

With care, Draco untangled himself and left the room silently. He hoped she would sleep for at least a couple of hours, if not more. The other men were in the kitchen still discussing what their mother being in hospital meant to their everyday lives.

"Is she asleep?" Bill asked as Draco joined them.

"Yeah, sound asleep."

"Good, she needs it," Charlie commented.

"What's that?" Draco asked, peering at a piece of parchment in front of Bill.

"A schedule," Bill answered. "We figured we'd better get something solid down, so we won't double up at the hospital."

"That's my cue to leave," Percy announced. "Are you coming, Ronald?"

"Soon," Ron answered flatly.

"Very well," Percy answered. "I'll see you all at sometime during the week, I'm sure."

Most of the men muttered some form of response as Percy walked out of the house.

"I don't see why Harry and I get stuck with him," Ron grumbled.

"It's only for this afternoon," Bill answered impatiently.

"You know he won't hang around long," Charlie reminded him.

"Yeah, he'll probably make some excuse to go back to the office, and then you'll be rid of him," Fred added seriously.

"I'll be there a bit later," Bill promised. "And Ginny will be there when she wakes up."

"Maybe," Draco uttered.

"Excuse me?" Charlie asked.

Draco blanched. He hadn't meant to voice his thoughts. "She's exceptionally tired, and I don't want her to get sick."

"We all agree that she needs some sleep, but you can't keep her away from Mum," Bill said firmly.

"I don't intend to. I was merely saying she might not be back at the hospital today. She may, and I hope she does, sleep through," Draco stressed. "I certainly won't be waking her to go to the hospital."

"Yeah, of course not," Bill mumbled.

"Ron, we really ought to get going," Harry prompted.

The youngest Weasley brother sighed heavily as he stood up. "Yeah, I suppose we should."

"Make sure Dad has something to eat," Charlie reminded them. "Even if you have to take him to the tearoom yourself and watch him eat."

"We will," Harry promised.

"We can do that to get away from Percy," Ron suggested on their way out the door.

Charlie rolled his eyes at Bill as their youngest brother left with his best friend. It was no secret that most of them found Percy irritating, but Ron and the twins found him particularly tedious and didn't know quite how to deal with him effectively.

Bill grinned and shook his head in return before turning his attention to his only brother-in-law. "Right, Draco, when can you get to the hospital?"

"Me?"

"Yes, you." Bill looked at him pointedly.

"I—well, I have to work," Draco stammered.

"So do we all, except for Charlie, but that's only because it's summer break," Bill explained patiently.

"I'll have to check my diary."

"Well, go on then. You can Floo your secretary from here," Bill encouraged.

"Wouldn't she rather spend time with her own sons? I mean, I'm just her—"

"Son!" the men at the table finished in unison.

"You don't get it do you?" George asked.

Draco frowned. "Get what?"

"Even before your wedding she adopted you," Charlie explained.

"There's no getting out of it," Fred added.

"You're a Weasley as far as Mum is concerned," George continued.

"And if you don't visit her in hospital there will be hell to pay," Bill finished with an evil grin. "So can we put you down for lunchtime visits and a couple of evenings?"

"Yes, just do it and let me know; I'll clear my schedule accordingly," Draco conceded.

"Good." Bill grinned broadly and started to add Draco's name to the visitor's schedule. "You've got lunchtimes through to Friday, tomorrow night and Friday night, and you can go with Ginny on the weekend."

Five visits on his own? The thought of protesting did cross Draco's mind, but he swallowed the feeling and nodded. He didn't usually see his mother-in-law that frequently when she was well; what made anyone think he wanted to go near her when she was ill?

"There's to be no mention about the schedule either, or we'll all feel her wrath," Charlie reminded everyone.

"Not that silly," the twins mumbled.

Draco raised his eyebrows at the comment, but decided to keep his silence on the subject. "I promised Ginny I'd check on the twins."

"Floo powder is above the hearth in the brown pot," Charlie directed.

"Thanks," Draco muttered as he moved towards the fireplace.

After a quick discussion with his mother, Draco wasn't surprised to learn that Lucius had returned to the manor to spend some quality time with the children. She had assured him that all was fine and that they were to take as long as needed with Ginny's family. Next he contacted his secretary to make sure his appointments had been rescheduled appropriately and to ensure the men he'd been meeting with were sufficiently happy before they left Malfoy Holdings. His secretary informed him that Lucius had explained the situation to the men and they were, as far as she could tell, very understanding and happy to meet with him again to finish their discussions.

"Is everything all right?" Charlie asked as Draco sat down at the table again.

"Yes, the children are fine," Draco answered vaguely.

"You Flooed the office as well," Bill commented.

"I was in the middle of an important meeting with clients when Ginny arrived," Draco explained. "I just wanted to make sure the clients were happy before they left the office."

Bill nodded understandingly. "Yeah, it was lucky you got me when you did or I wouldn't have been able to come right away."

Draco frowned and looked at his oldest brother-in-law questioningly. He couldn't imagine any of his wife's brothers refusing to come, least of all Bill.

"I was about to start breaking a particularly nasty curse, and you can't leave halfway through doing that," Bill elaborated.

"No, I don't suppose you can," Draco responded.

"Now that you've mentioned it, we must be getting back to the shop," Fred announced.

"Experiments to conduct and stock to sell," George added.

"Remember to tell the girls to contact me about when they can visit Mum, so I can add them to the time table," Bill reminded them.

"Will do!"

"When are you returning to the hospital?" Draco asked Bill curiously.

"I'll wait for Anya to arrive, and I'll go back with Charlie," Bill answered smugly. "With Dad, Percy, Ron and Harry there now there is no need for me to overcrowd the room."

Draco smiled uncomfortably; a little sorry he'd broached the question. He should have known better than to think Bill wouldn't have scheduled himself for more hours at the hospital than entirely necessary.

When the twins finally left, the three men remaining indulged in some light conversation accompanied by a couple of Butterbeers. As the afternoon wore on Draco relaxed again, forgetting his earlier faux pas with Bill. They discussed the likely cost of Molly's care a couple of times, and each time Draco refused their offers of assistance. He realized it was the least he could do seeing as his wife had, most likely unwittingly, consented to the arrangements for her mother's care and no one else could even come close to affording the treatment Molly was receiving.

All was peaceful until Fleur's head appeared in the kitchen hearth.

"William!"

"Fleur," Bill answered with surprise.

"This is going to be good," Charlie whispered amusedly to Draco as his brother walked to the fireplace.

"Why did you not tell me Molly was in the hospital?" Fleur asked angrily.

"I've been organizing the rest of the family, and I was going to Floo you soon," Bill hurriedly explained.

"You didn't think I was important enough to know right away?"

"No, love, I simply got busy with the family. We're trying to sort out some of timetable for visiting Mum. Now we've just got to add you girls and sort out who's looking after the kids when others are at the hospital."

"I could have done something to help."

"I know and, in hindsight, I should have Flooed you right away. I'm sorry. I really am. It was insensitive."

"We will talk about this more later," Fleur snapped, disappearing from the flames before Bill could respond.

When Bill turned around Charlie and Draco burst into fits of laughter.

"Yeah, it's funny to you two, isn't it?"

"Hilarious," Charlie choked out.

Draco tried to respond, but found himself so out of breath that he was incapable.

Bill slumped miserably into his chair and took a long swig of his drink.

"Look at it this way, mate, you'll be so busy running between work and the hospital that by the time you come face to face with her she'll have calmed down," Charlie said consolingly.

"Fleur doesn't calm down. She stews on it and becomes more furious," Bill responded wearily.

"At least you know why you're in trouble," Draco pointed out with a snigger.

"I didn't really do—"

"WILLIAM!"

Bill cringed, cursed silently, composed himself, and then turned towards the hearth. "Yes, dear?"

"When Anya arrives you are to give the timetable thing to her. We will sort out our own visiting times and who will be caring for the children," Fleur instructed irately.

"Yes, dear," Bill responded.

Something in Bill's tone struck Draco as hilariously funny, and he began to choke on his drink. Unable to draw a full breath, he placed his bottle of Butterbeer on the table with a loud thump and stood up to walk to the sink. He'd only taken two steps when the incensed witch in the emerald flames exploded.

"You are drinking? Your mother is in the hospital and you three sit around drinking?"

"It's only Butterbeer," Bill said quickly.

"You should be at the hospital, not sitting there getting drunk!"

"Fleur, we can't get drunk off a couple of Butterbeers," Charlie blurted before his commonsense had a chance to kick in and silence him.

"You!" She looked directly at Charlie. "You, should be ashamed..."

As Fleur's anger built, her accent grew thicker, and even Bill had difficulty understanding her when she was this infuriated. However, despite not being able to understand a word she was bellowing at him, Charlie did have the good sense to look thoroughly ashamed. With a final parting curse directed at the three of them, the angry French witch disappeared.

Draco leaned back in his chair with a smirk on his face. There was nothing quite like hearing another man get his ear chewed off by his wife.

"I'd quit looking so smug if I were you," Bill advised solemnly.

"Why?" Draco drawled.

"She'll tell Ginny, and then you'll be in your own little world of grief," Bill told him with a sinister smile.

Draco sat forward, placing his head in his hands. Bill had a point. When Ginny found out they'd been sitting around the kitchen drinking — it wouldn't matter that it was only a couple of Butterbeers — he'd be sent straight to the seventh realm of hell, the one reserved for husbands who have displeased their wives and who are only being kept alive, because their wives found torturing their sorry backsides entertaining.

"Another?" Charlie offered, holding out fresh bottles to the other men.

"Don't mind if I do." Draco accepted a bottle of Butterbeer.

"It's too late to make amends, so we may as well deserve the punishment they're going to hand us," Bill concurred, as he too took a bottle.

He'd always thought married life was going to be mundane, but as the three men clinked their bottles together in a toast to their wives, Draco had to change his way of thinking: married life was most certainly not boring.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

AUTHOR'S NOTES

Thanks to Rainpuddle13 for her amazing beta skills and entertaining plot discussions.

-->

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 TEN

UNCLE DRACO

Draco placed his quill in its stand and leaned back in his chair, rubbing his face tiredly. It had been a hellish week and, if he was to be completely honest, the following week wasn't shaping up well either. It was infinitely unfair, in his opinion, that he was forced to come to the office on a Saturday just to catch up on what he'd missed during the week. He should have been spending this time with his wife and children. Not that Ginny was at home. She was at the hospital, as usual. In fact, she was at the hospital all the time, regardless of what the visiting schedule dictated. By Thursday Draco had seriously considered asking Healer Wilson to arrange a second bed in Molly's private room, so Ginny could just stay there twenty-four hours a day.

He had, of course, dutifully visited his mother-in-law as scheduled, often staying far longer than intended, and always taking her something small to brighten her day, which impressed his wife immeasurably. On Wednesday he'd taken a beautiful arrangement of flowers, which were only outdone by the enormous display Narcissa had sent the Weasley matriarch. Thursday Draco had ordered his secretary to track down some of the finest chocolate in the wizarding world, and Molly had boasted to everyone about how delightful it had tasted. Friday had been a basket of exotic fruit, and today he had a package of some popular reading material for her with a few delicacies to enjoy while she peruses the magazines.

A light knock at his door interrupted his thoughts. "Enter."

Draco's secretary slipped into the office. "Will there be anything else, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Have all my appointments been entered into my diary for next week?"

"Yes, sir, I'll get it for you."

Draco muttered his affirmative acknowledgement as she left the room. His thoughts wandered to what he had left to do for the day: a visit to the hospital and then pick the twins up from wherever they were at the moment. While he didn't really want to visit Molly again, there was the added bonus on knowing Ginny would be at the hospital.

"Here it is, sir."

He took the offered diary from his secretary and opened it to the forthcoming week. It was thankfully light on meetings so far. However, one entry made him curious. "Why is next Saturday blocked out?"

"Mrs. Malfoy instructed me to reserve the entire day and night."

"That's odd." Draco frowned and tried to remember if Ginny had said anything about an engagement the following weekend. "Not to worry. I'll ask her about it when I see her. You can leave. I'll see you Monday."

"Thank you, sir. Have a nice weekend."

Again, Draco grunted his acknowledgement of her comment as she left. He looked around his desk for a few minutes, and then decided that there was little else he could do here today. After collecting his cloak and the gift for his mother-in-law Draco went directly to St. Mungo's.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

When he reached the ward the first thing Draco noticed was Charlie leaning on the wall across from Molly's room.

"Is everything all right?" Draco asked the wizard as he approached.

Charlie's head snapped up, startled. "Yeah, I'm just taking a break for a few minutes. She had a bit of a bad night, so she's a bit irritable."

Draco raised an eyebrow skeptically. If there was one thing he'd learned over the past four days it was that Molly didn't get 'just a bit irritable', she became down right ornery. Thanks to his small offerings, he hadn't experienced her bad mood personally, but he had witnessed her take apart more than one person with her sharp tongue.

"Did you bring her something again?"

"Just some reading material and a few treats."

"You are aware that you're making all of us look bad, aren't you?"

Draco snorted. "If you lot aren't smart enough to come bearing gifts, then more fool you."

"The way she gushes over you—"

"Don't go there," Draco warned seriously. Molly's reaction to his gifts was embarrassing at times, not that it would stop him bringing her a little something each day to cheer her up — it gave them something to talk about if nothing else.

"You love it," Charlie teased.

Draco snarled at his brother-in-law. Of all the Weasley wizards, it was Charlie who kept him on his toes the most. "Are you coming in?"

"Of course, I wouldn't miss Mum telling all and sundry how bloody wonderful you are for the umpteenth time this week."

Draco rolled his eyes derisively. It really isn't worth reacting, he told himself. When he opened the door of Molly's room the first person he looked for was his wife. She was leaning over her mother, seemingly trying to fluff the older woman's pillows. "Afternoon, ladies."

"Is it afternoon already?" Ginny squeaked in surprise.

He pulled his timepiece from his breast pocket and glanced at it. "No, not quite, love."

"Thank goodness. I don't know where the time is going these days," Ginny said, kissing his cheek hurriedly on her way to the other side of the bed.

"Hello, Molly. How are you feeling today?" Draco asked as approached Molly's bedside. He gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek and remained still while she hugged him.

"I want to go home," Molly responded petulantly.

"Mum, we've been through this," Ginny interjected impatiently.

"Perhaps this will take your mind off home," Draco said smoothly, placing the gift he brought with him on Molly's lap.

"Oh, you are so sweet," Molly crooned. "Isn't he sweet, Charlie?"

Charlie grinned mischievously. "Sickeningly so."

"Away with you," Molly scolded. "Draco always looks after me."

Draco grinned smugly at Charlie. He knew he was now in a position where he could commit cold-blooded murder, and his loving mother-in-law would proclaim his innocence while she buried the body in the field beyond the Burrow's yard, so he wouldn't get dirt under his nails.

"One wonders what you'll try next," Charlie commented exaggeratedly. "I suppose that depends on what the next chapter suggests."

"Excuse me?"

"You know... In that book you're reading," Charlie prompted. "How to Delude Your Mother-in-law Into Thinking You're a Good Bloke."

"Just because I have the common decency to think of Molly when I'm away from the hospital," Draco retorted haughtily.

"Ah, but I'm actually here a lot more than you," Charlie pointed out with an amused smirk.

"You are—"

"If you two are going to start comparing shoe sizes, could you at least take it out of the room," Ginny snapped.

"Don't blame me," Charlie defended himself. "It's your husband who has to—"

Ginny spun around pinning her older brother with a look that would have turned a mere mortal to stone. "You're just bored, and you think that stirring Draco up is a fun way to pass the time."

Draco sniggered quietly.

"And you." Ginny turned to face Draco, not adjusting her glare at all. "Do you really think it's constructive to react to his stupidity? You're just giving him exactly what he wants. A good laugh!"

"Sorry, love," Draco muttered, swallowing his urge to laugh even more. It wasn't easy when Charlie was standing behind her pulling silly faces.

"Charlie, do me a favor and act your age!" Ginny sniped, without turning around.

As she strode over to the other side of the room the two men came together.

"She's turning into Mum," Charlie whispered.

Draco's eyes shot to the bed and then to his wife. Mild panic began winding its way through his veins. Charlie was right. Ginny was exhibiting more and more of her mother's traits. He wondered if there was anything he could do to curb this behavior before it became a part of her personality forever. "She is not," Draco hissed, despite his own observations.

"Mark my words, before you know it those eyes in the back of her head will be permanent."

"Shut it," Draco growled.

Charlie slapped Draco playfully on the back. "Denial is such a lovely place this time of year, isn't it?"

Rather than encourage his brother-in-law to continue feeding his nightmares, Draco quickly went and sat down beside Molly's bed. The older witch had unpacked all that Draco bought her and was more than ready to start thanking him for each individual item. At least while he was having his ear bent by Molly, Charlie couldn't effectively torment him.

After thirty minutes of answering appropriately each time she complimented him or commented on a certain item, Draco decided he'd head off to spend some time with the twins. He bid Molly and Charlie goodbye, and waited for Ginny to walk him to the corridor.

"You look tired, love. Are you sure you don't want to come home with me?"

"I'm fine," Ginny insisted.

"You still have to bake that cake for Harry," Draco reminded her.

"I know. It won't take long."

"Where is everyone today?"

"The twins have taken Dad to lunch, because he's hardly left the hospital. Bill got called into work. Ron and Harry are both working. Percy and Penelope should be here soon. Anya is at the Burrow with the kids. Fleur, Angelina and Katie are shopping and cooking for tomorrow. Pansy and Hermione are both visiting their own parents, I think."

"Is that everyone?" Draco asked with a chuckle.

"Oh, I don't know." Ginny sighed tiredly.

"You need to come home and rest," he said gently. "Percy and Penelope will be here soon, so leave Charlie with your mother and come home with me."

"I can't—"

"Sure you can," Draco insisted. "Just think about it... You could have a long, luxurious bubble bath and a nice relaxing nap. I'll look after the twins, so you needn't worry about them or we could leave the twins with Millie and spend some quality time together."

Ginny dropped her forehead onto his chest. What he was suggesting sounded exactly what she wanted to do, but she couldn't. "Stop teasing me."

"I'm not. It's all yours, if you come home."

"I really can't. Charlie wouldn't know how to handle Mum."

Draco groaned to himself. She was speaking the truth. Charlie had been hiding in the corridor when he arrived, because Molly was being a bit difficult. He would be lost if she started, and he had to deal with her on his own. "All right, but think about coming home early. You need some sleep."

"I will. If someone else, other than Percy and Penelope, makes it in this afternoon I'll come home."

"Good, because I miss you."

"I miss you too."

Draco kissed her deeply and rested his forehead on hers. "Where might I find our children today?"

"At the Burrow."

"Right, I'll call in and pick them up, and then I'm going straight home."

"Okay, I'll see you later then."

"Yes, but not too late."

"I promise."

Draco kissed her one more time before leaving her in the corridor. He was already making plans for the remainder of the day, knowing full well Ginny wouldn't come home until she was kicked out of the hospital. Perhaps they'd take the brooms out for a while, and the horses hadn't been ridden all week, so they would have to be exercised.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Utter chaos was the only apt description of the scene that greeted Draco when he arrived at the Burrow. There were, quite literally, children everywhere—very noisy children. If he didn't have to collect the twins, he'd have Disapparated immediately. As it was, he had to swallow his abject horror and find Anya as fast as he could to let her know he was taking his children and then get out of there quickly. Draco made his way towards the house as inconspicuously as he could. The last thing he needed was to be mobbed by Merlin only knew how many children. Just as he was reaching to open the kitchen door it flung open, and a harassed looking Anya burst into the yard bellowing at the top of her lungs, with an unhappy baby tucked under one arm.

"Matthew, Beau and Drake, leave Britany alone! Give her back her doll right this minute!"

Draco unconsciously took a step back. A myriad of emotions flowed through him in the seconds between the witch appearing and her noticing him. First there was pity for Charlie, some shock, and then raw fear of the woman now looking at him.

"An—"

"Thank God you're here, Draco! Take Pippa. Henri is screaming up a storm inside, so I've got to see to him," Anya blurted as she shoved the tiny baby into Draco's arms and turned to enter the house again. "Oh, she needs her bottom changed, if you don't mind."

Draco blinked a couple of times at the now closed back door. He wasn't quite sure what had just happened, but he was suddenly in possession of a wriggling, screaming infant, and he had no idea what to do with it.

Anya reappeared at the door with a wailing baby over her shoulder. "Don't just stand there, Draco, she'll get a rash if you don't change her."

"I—err—"

"Her bag is the pink one hanging on the cloak hooks and make sure you use lots of powder, she likes her powder," Anya advised as she rushed away again.

"Pink bag," Draco repeated vaguely, entering the house and leaving the immediate racket from the yard behind. The infant in his arms had begun to scream like someone was pinching her, and Draco's head had begun to throb.

"For Merlin's sake, Draco, change her nappy and she'll quiet down," Anya snapped irritably.

"Isn't there anyone else who could—"

"No! It's just you and me, and I have my hands full."

"It's just—I've never—"

Anya rolled her eyes at the stammering blond standing just inside the kitchen. "Well, you're about to learn! Get her bag and come into the sitting room."

He didn't dare disobey the frazzled witch. God only knew what she'd do to him if he refused. Draco glanced at the cloak rack. It held four baby bags, and he could clearly see the one he required, but getting it was going to be a problem; after all he had a tiny baby in his arms.

For several minutes he stood in front of the rack trying to work out which arm he should use to pick up the bag. He tried to lift one arm away, but even before he lost contact with the little one's bottom fear flooded his system.

"Draco, are you coming," Anya called from the front room.

"I can't get the bag," Draco responded.

"What do you mean? It's right there on the rack."

"I know where it is! I can't pick it up."

"Why?"

"I have a baby in my arms," Draco stressed.

"So?"

He jumped, not expecting her to answer from right behind him.

"Move aside," Anya ordered. She moved in front of the cloak rack and adjusted her hold on Henri. "See how I'm cradling him fully with my arm? He's perfectly safe like that."

Draco watched on in mild horror as Anya casually reached out and took the bag from the rack.

"Are you coming?"

If it hadn't been for the fact that his hands were full, he'd have reached out to support the baby she was carrying so carelessly. Draco was convinced she was going to drop him. It was only his concern for Henri that made him follow the witch into the front room.

"Put Pippa on the baby blanket," Anya directed.

Draco knelt carefully and placed Pippa on the fluffy yellow baby blanket a few feet from the hearth.

"Now get everything you need from the bag." Anya laughed at Draco's worried glance towards the baby. "Don't worry, she's not going anywhere."

He dragged the bag towards him, not wanting to move away from the infant just in case. After retrieving a clean nappy and the small container of powder from the bag, Draco looked at Anya expectantly.

"Do you know the charm to clean her bottom?"

Draco's face screwed up in revulsion. "She hasn't—"

"I don't think so, but you never can tell with Pippa. She's a sneaky one."

"Great," Draco muttered inarticulately.

"Anyway, I can do the charm from here." Anya withdrew her wand from between the cushions on the chair. "Now you need to undress her," she instructed slowly.

Draco sighed heavily as he examined the little dress Pippa was wearing. It had the tiniest buttons he'd ever seen down the front, but he couldn't seem to figure out how to get them to release. It wasn't until Anya started laughing that Draco realized he must have been doing something wrong. "What?"

"They're just for decoration," Anya managed to get out. "The ones that open are on the back of the dress."

"How the bloody hell do I—"

"Turn her over," Anya said, her eyes dancing with merriment.

Draco groaned to himself as he went back to concentrating solely on the little one in front of him. Very carefully, Draco picked the baby up and turned her over. "Now, what do I do?"

"Put her on her stomach." Anya sniggered.

"Fine," Draco mumbled to himself. Her incessant giggling was beginning to get on his very last nerve. As he reached for the tiny buttons the witch on the chair let out a whoop of laughter. "What?"

It took several minutes for Anya to bring herself under control despite the fact that Draco was glaring at her and the two infants in the room were screaming. "She's wearing a dress, Draco."

"And?"

"You don't have to take it off to get to her nappy."

"You told me to undress her!"

"I meant take her wet nappy off."

Draco began to mutter to himself, not quite game enough, or foolish enough, to tell his sister-in-law what he thought of her sense of humor to her face. He carefully turned Pippa over again and set about taking off her sodden nappy. The moment the wet cloth fell away from her, the little girl stopped bawling and started gurgling happily.

"I'd be quick if I were you, or she'll piddle all over her pretty dress," Anya warned.

Horror stricken again, Draco wasted no time reaching for the fresh nappy. If he could have reached, he'd have kicked his own backside for not realizing the clean nappy hadn't yet been folded. "How do I?" He held the nappy up for Anya to see.

After five minutes of intensive instruction Draco had a perfectly, well almost perfectly, folded nappy in front of him. His pleased expression didn't last long, for when he turned to put the nappy on Pippa he discovered that she'd wet the blanket and her dress.

"Now you'll have to take her dress off," Anya said.

Someone hated him. That was all there was to it. He must have offended the Gods or someone important somewhere along the line to have this happening to him. "Look, I can't do this, Anya."

"You're doing fine."

"No, no I'm not. What if I take that one—" Draco pointed to baby Henri still screaming in Anya's arms. "—and you take care of this one."

"You'd prefer a screamer?"

"Quite frankly, yes."

"Be my guest! And if you can get him to shut up for two minutes I might even make you a cup of tea."

Draco scrambled to his feet and took the screaming little wizard from his sister-in-law. "This is Bill's one, isn't it?"

"Yes, that's Henri."

"Good, he likes me."

"When he's got a belly ache he doesn't tend to like anyone."

"Nonsense! Henri and I get along famously."

"If you say so," Anya mumbled as she turned her attention to Pippa.

"Hello, Henri," Draco started. "Come on, little mate, let's stop all this noise now."

"You might want to try to get his wind up," Anya advised, without taking her eyes off Pippa.

"Yeah," Draco answered absently. He'd seen the women do this and it didn't look all that hard.

After a few moments of awkward movement, Draco had successfully deposited his nephew on his shoulder, and while conducting a very one-sided conversation with the distressed infant he patted his back lightly.

"Just a little harder," Anya said as she sat on the couch next to Draco with a now fully dressed and quite happy Pippa.

"I don't want to hurt him."

"You won't, I promise, but doing it like that is useless. Henri likes to hold onto his wind, so you have to get a little forceful with him."

"Fine," Draco muttered under his breath. He began patting the baby's back vigorously and was surprised when Henri's wailing slowed.

"You've got a real talent for this," Anya commented.

"Hardly," Draco murmured.

"You're going to—" Anya stopped dead as screams from outside filled the room. "For goodness sakes, what are they doing now?"

Before Draco could even move, Anya had left the room. He wished he could get out of a chair with that much ease when he had a baby on his shoulder. As quickly as he could, without endangering Henri's well being, Draco rose and followed the noise to the yard.

Anya was giving the older children a good dressing down. It sounded terrifying to Draco, but when he looked at the little faces surrounding her it seemed she hardly had their attention, let alone their respect.

"That lot are going to drive me around the bend," Anya groaned as the children dispersed and resumed exactly what they'd been doing before she appeared.

"Well, I'm willing to take two of them off your hands," Draco offered. "That should upset the dynamics a bit."

Anya snorted. "It would be better if you took all of them."

Draco's opened his eyes wide in horror.

"You know, that's not a bad idea," Anya continued, her mood beginning to brighten. "You could take the older ones to your place, and I'll look after the babies here."

"I don't think that's a good—"

"Of course it is! Look, all you need to do is watch them when they're playing and make certain they don't spill blood everywhere if they decided to kill themselves."

"I—you—"

"Look, Draco, I know it's weak of me to not be able to handle this, and Molly would be horrified, but the kids are going feral this afternoon and I can't watch them constantly with eight babies under the age of two in the house as well," Anya explained desperately.

"Surely if I take Drake and Angel the dynamic will change," Draco responded weakly.

"Draco, please! I am begging you now. I can't handle this and I know that's failure on some level, but I just can't do it."

"I—" Draco groaned mentally. He could feel himself starting to weaken and he couldn't allow that to happen. He felt sorry for Anya, really he did, but he was inexperienced in the childcare department and he certainly wasn't up to looking after a whole horde of Weasleys. "I don't think I'm the right person to be entrusted with so many children."

"Sure you are! You're a brilliant dad. It's not like I'm asking you to take the babies, just the older ones, and they're all toilet trained," Anya said brightly. She conveniently left out the fact that Declan and Colin still had the occasional accident, because they were often too busy playing to be bothered going to the bathroom and that a few of the others weren't quite there yet.

Draco's eyes popped open in horror at the thought of being left with so many babies. "I couldn't take care of the babies," he blurted before he could stop himself.

"Of course not, just the older ones." Anya patted his arm and beamed brightly at him. "Kids! Come in here."

Draco frowned at the witch next to him, wondering just what she was doing now.

"I want everyone to get their bags and whatever else they brought with them today," Anya instructed.

"Why?" Drake asked, his expression matching his father's confused frown.

"Because everyone is going to your house," Anya announced happily.

"Everyone," Draco choked out. "Umm—NO! No, I don't think so."

"You'll be fine, Draco," Anya assured him.

"I can't handle this many," Draco growled. "No way."

"I will be left with the five babies you know."

"And I'll have—" He tried to do a head count, but it was impossible with so many little bodies moving about. "Too many!"

"Nonsense."

"Anya, I hardly know what I'm doing with my own kids, let alone God knows how many others that don't belong to me," Draco hissed. Pure desperation made him admit to this near failing.

The witch regarded the terror stricken wizard in front of her. There was no denying Draco's genuine panic, it was almost palpable, but she simply couldn't continue like this. After all, she was only one person. "I'm afraid one of them will get hurt, because I can't supervise their play and look after the babies at the same time."

"I understand that, but—"

"All right, here's what we'll do then: I'll keep all those aged two and under, and you take all the older ones. You'll only have to watch them while they play, so there's nothing that could possibly go wrong."

Draco sighed heavily. He wished he didn't understand or care about her plight, but the truth was he wouldn't be able to live with himself if anything happened to the any of the children. "All right, but if I need you—"

"Just Floo me and I'll tell you what to do."

"And not a word of—of this to anyone."

"Consider my lips sealed." Anya smiled warmly at him. "Right, listen up everyone. Drake, Angel, Beau, Courtney, Matthew, Colin, Declan, and Britany, get your things. You lot are going with Uncle Draco. The rest of you are staying with me."

"I thought I wasn't taking the little ones," Draco said.

"You're not. They're all three or over."

"Merlin help me," Draco groaned.

"You'll be fine." Anya patted his back as she walked away to help the children find their belongings.

"Umm—Anya, just how am I supposed to transport so many children at once?"

"Floo Network! They're all quite accustomed to traveling that way."

"I'm not," Draco grumbled.

By the time Draco wandered inside, the eight children he was taking with him were standing in front of the hearth, with their belongings, ready to leave. The ache in his head instantly increased tenfold. How he was going to get through the rest of the afternoon was beyond him. All he could do was hope that nothing went wrong.

"You'll need to go through first, and then get ready to catch them as they arrive," Anya suggested. "Some of them haven't quite mastered stopping or remaining on their feet."

"Fine."

"Is it just 'Malfoy Manor' that they need to chant?" she asked, placing Pippa on the floor next to a selection of brightly colored toys.

Draco passed Henri to Anya and stepped into the oversized hearth. "Yes."

"I'll give you a couple of minutes, and then I'll start sending them through. When I've sent the last through I'll Floo you just to make sure they all made it."

As the heatless green flames engulfed him, Draco wondered if it was wrong to hope that one or maybe six of them got lost along the way. By the time he tumbled out of the hearth in one of the front parlors at the manor, he'd decided that it was probably better that they all arrived safely, otherwise they'd be searching every grate between the manor and the Burrow looking for them, before their respective parents could discover their carelessness.

Moments later the hearth came alive and Drake stumbled into Draco's arms. Draco had barely enough time to instruct his son to stand well clear and not touch the furniture when Angel arrived. The first thing the little witch did was let out a howl of disgust.

"My dress! I'm dirty!"

"It's all right, princess," Draco responded quickly, kneeling before her and extracting his wand quickly. "Scourgify."

Before he had the chance to sheath his wand, a solid bump in his back sent him flying forward. Draco landed face first on the rug with a loud grunt. He had just lifted himself to his knees when another shove, in his backside this time, sent him sprawling on the floor again. Not wanting to risk permanent damage to his now aching nose, Draco scrambled forward as quickly as he could and then lifted himself off the ground. Beau and Matthew stood before him, covered in soot, looking very pleased with themselves. This afternoon was going to be hell on earth, of that he had no doubt.

Over the next few minutes Courtney, Colin, Declan and Britany arrived at the manor, and then Anya's head appeared in the hearth. After confirming that he had all the children, she wished him luck with an insidious grin and disappeared.

Draco regarded his charges gravely. He had to maintain control or this lot would walk all over him. "Everyone hold still while I clean you up." A few flourishes of his wand over each child later, Draco looked at his heir. "Drake, lead everyone to the playroom."

The children left the parlor in a group, chattering loudly amongst themselves. Draco ran his hands through his hair and questioned his sanity for perhaps the hundredth time in fifteen minutes. He was more than a little tempted to go straight to his study and start drowning his sorrows in a rather large bottle of Old Odgen's best. Fear of what would happen to him if any of the children came to grief while under his care got his feet moving towards the playroom. As he walked, none to eagerly, towards the playroom, it occurred to him that he had no idea how long this torture was going to last; Anya had given him no indication of when the parents of the extra children he had been lumbered with were due to pick them up.

"Ahem."

Draco was torn from his personal torturous thoughts as he head snapped up. "Father."

"I presume you know these two."

Much to Draco's horror two of his nephews scuttled out from behind his father and hid behind his legs. "Err—Yes."

Lucius raised a questioning eyebrow.

"They're Weasleys," Draco supplied.

"They're a bit young to be here to play with the twins," Lucius observed.

"They are a bit."

"Then why?"

"Anya had been left with all the children and she wasn't coping, so I've got some of them until their parents are finished whatever it is they're doing."

"How many?"

"I lost count," Draco admitted with a grimace.

"So they're turning you into some sort of nanny?"

"No, Father, I was simply asked to look after some of the children to allow Anya to take better care of the infants."

"And you agreed?"

"Begrudgingly," Draco mumbled. "She was beside herself, so I didn't really have a choice."

Lucius' nostrils flared. It was a sure sign that he didn't like what he was hearing. "Would you have missed these two had I not found them wandering through one of the formal parlors?"

"Most likely, not right away," Draco responded honestly. The first thing he had to do was a head count and hope that they were all there when he did it. "Now, I should check to see if the rest made it to the playroom without incident."

"I sincerely hope they did," Lucius ground out, none too happy with having his home invaded by Weasley children.

Draco nodded and smiled tightly at his father. "Come on, you two."

As he strode off down the corridor, the two little boys hurried after him, each attaching their little hands to one of his. He was startled at first, but then figured if he had hold of them they couldn't wander away.

It wasn't until he turned into the corridor that the playroom ran off that Draco realized it probably wasn't terribly wise to allow that many children to be in one room at the same time unsupervised. The noise emanating from the room made Draco's headache impossibly painful within seconds. When he stepped through the door, none of the children appeared to notice or care, for that matter, that there was now an adult present. The two little boys attached to his hands quickly disentangled themselves and ran to join the others in their rowdy play. There wasn't a child in the room who wasn't yelling, screaming or squealing. Draco knew he had to do something quickly or there'd be tears for sure, and he feared they'd be falling from his eyes, not theirs.

"QUIET!"

He may as well have bellowed at a stone wall for all the good it had done. The children were either oblivious to his presence or deliberately ignoring him. Ideas flowed freely through his head, but all were dismissed instantly as being useless. Draco had lost control the moment they arrived and he had no idea how to regain it again.

Conscious that he had to do something, Draco ventured into the fray. He managed to grab Beau's arm and hold him tight. Next he secured Drake's attention in the same manner. "Stand over there against the wall and don't move."

As he let go of the boys, something told him he was making a critical mistake in judgment, but for the life of him Draco couldn't identify what that might be. It was mere seconds before his question was answered. The little boys took only two steps in the direction they were told to take before a taunt from Matthew sent them back into the group with amazing speed. Draco didn't know which way to turn first. He tried to follow them, but was surrounded by the other children the moment he got close enough. Within seconds they had somehow made him sink to the floor and were jumping all over him. If he could have drawn a full breath, Draco would have pleaded for mercy, but as it was he was unable to get enough oxygen to fill his lungs to breathe, let alone speak. The noise in the room rose to an unparalleled level.

All of a sudden there was an earsplitting explosion and everyone froze.

"Drake, where is your father?"

"Under," Drake answered in a small voice.

Draco could feel the little bodies moving away from him and suddenly he could breathe again. After a few cleansing breaths, he realized Lucius was standing over him with a disgusted look on his face.

"What is going on in here? I could hear the noise clearly from my study."

"The children were just... playing," Draco answered weakly, trying to gain his feet. "They're a little overexcited to be here."

Lucius regarded his disheveled son with contempt. "You are supposed to maintain control."

"I was trying," Draco hissed.

"Not hard enough," Lucius snapped.

"Oh my, what is going on?"

Draco groaned quietly. The last thing he needed was his mother to witness how inept he was at caring for children. "Mother, we have guests for the afternoon."

"Everyone has come to play, Grandmother," Drake informed the shocked blonde witch enthusiastically.

"Play? Is that what you call it?" Lucius drawled derisively.

Drake nodded uncertainly at his grandfather and averted his gaze immediately.

A little sob in the lull drew everyone's attention to the corner of the room. Draco was already on his way to the upset child before he even thought about why he was going to him.

"What's wrong?" Draco asked, kneeling in front of the small boy.

"I—I bumped my—my elbow."

"Oh—" Whatever Draco was going to say was cut short by a loud howl from the child as his small head landed on Draco's shoulder. "It's all right, mate. We'll have a look at it and see if we can't fix you right up," he continued awkwardly.

A helpless glance at his mother was all it took to spur Narcissa into action.

"Bring him over here." Narcissa indicated to the small sofa near the fireplace.

Draco picked the little wizard up and followed his mother's instructions without question.

"What is his name?" Narcissa asked quietly.

He knew he'd been told at some point, but his mind was a complete blank at the moment. For the life of him he couldn't remember. Draco shrugged at his mother helplessly.

Narcissa shook her head at him and muttered disgustedly, before turning her attention to the upset little boy on the sofa. "Come now, darling," she soothed gently. "What's your name?"

"Colin," the little boy uttered.

"I'm Mrs. Malfoy." Narcissa smiled warmly at him. "What exactly did you do to your elbow?"

"I bumped it."

"Can I see?"

Colin sniffed loudly and nodded to show his assent.

With great care, Narcissa turned the little boy's arm over. There was a large red welt on his elbow and the child whimpered loudly when she tried to straighten the joint. "I think we'll get Millie to have a look at this."

"Who's Millie?" Colin asked curiously.

"She's a house elf and she has very powerful house elf magic," Narcissa informed him impressively.

"Oh."

"Millie!"

"Old Mistress did summon—" The aging house elf trailed off as she noticed just how many children were in the playroom.

"We seem to have had a minor accident here. Colin has bumped his elbow," Narcissa stated. "Colin, this is Millie and she's going to take care of your arm."

The little redheaded wizard looked at the old servant with wide eyes. He nodded hesitantly and almost withdrew his arm when Millie reached for him with her gnarled hands.

"It's all right, darling," Narcissa cooed. "Drake, perhaps you could afford your cousin some comfort?"

Drake frowned at his grandmother in confusion, but moved to her side just the same.

Draco leaned down and whispered in his son's ear quickly, "Just tell him it's all right and that Millie knows what she's doing."

The small blond wizard nodded once and smiled encouragingly at his younger cousin. "It's okay, Colin, Millie fixes me up all the time and it never hurts when she does it."

"Really?"

"Yep, whenever I fall off my broom Millie puts cold charms on my sore bits." Drake perched himself on the sofa next to Colin. "Are you going to use cold charms, Millie?"

"Little Master needs to not talk to Millie while Millie is seeing the problem," the servant muttered.

"Cold charms are really good. They tickle a bit, and then your whole arm goes really cold," Drake continued. "And it doesn't hurt anymore! It just feels really cold."

"Is there anything broken?" Narcissa whispered.

Millie shook her head, making her large ears flap from side to side. "Just a bump, Old Mistress. Millie will use the cold charm to make little boy feel better."

Colin's eyes almost popped out of his head when a soft white glow enveloped his arm. He twitched a couple of times, as if he wanted to pull away, but didn't quite have the courage.

"Little boy should feel better soon," Millie concluded.

"In just a few minutes your pain will have disappeared," Narcissa assured Colin. "Try moving your arm around slowly."

Colin followed the older witch's instructions, though he did so with no enthusiasm.

"Does it feel better?"

"A bit."

"Wonderful!" Narcissa exclaimed joyously. "Now, Millie, you will stay with Draco to assist him with caring for the extra children, so we don't have anymore little mishaps."

Millie's eyes flicked to Draco and then back to Narcissa. "As you wish, Old Mistress."

"Well, we'll leave you to it, Draco," Narcissa said as she rose gracefully.

"Thank you, Mother."

"Do try to maintain control," Lucius sniped.

Draco glowered at his father. It wasn't as if Lucius could have done a better job of looking after so many children. In fact, he probably would have run away at the first mention of being in charge of this many.

The moment his parents exited the playroom the noise level began to rise. He knew he had to do something to keep them all busy or there were going to be more bumped body parts than Millie could fix at once.

"Right, everyone take a seat," Draco ordered.

"Where?" Matthew inquired.

"Anywhere," Draco snapped.

Matthew and Beau shrugged at each other, and then each picked up a chair from the small table on the other side of the room. It wasn't until they were on their way out the door that Draco caught on to what they were up to.

"Where are you two going?"

"You said to take a chair anywhere," Beau informed his uncle with a wicked twinkle in his eye.

"We were just doing as you said," Matthew confirmed.

Draco took a deep breath and reminded himself that, despite how good it would make him feel, hexing the boys would most likely be frowned upon by their fathers. "Take the chairs back in and sit down near the sofa."

The little boys set off towards the sofa muttering amusedly between themselves about uncles who just didn't know what they wanted.

A small snarl escaped Draco's throat. He would have to watch those two closely or they were going to make his life hell. When it looked as though all the children were settled Draco made his way over to them.

"Right, what do you want to do this afternoon?"

"Go flying!" Drake answered quickly with murmurs of approval from Beau and Matthew.

"Mate, I can't watch all of you in the air, so we can't do that today."

"We could have a tea party," Angel suggested.

Disgusted grumbles came from the boys.

"Settle down, you lot," Draco said. "I won't make you sit around drinking 'tea' all afternoon, but if you keep going, I might be tempted to agree with Angel and make you dress for the occasion, just for extra punishment."

The threat, as hollow as it was, seemed to be enough to convince the boys that arguing wouldn't be good for their dignity. Each of them shut their mouths and looked expectantly at Draco.

"It looks like we're not going to come to any sort of agreement on an activity for everyone to enjoy, so what would you usually do at the Burrow?"

Drake shrugged. "Play outside."

"Play what?" Draco pressed.

"Aurors, Quidditch, Duels—" Drake looked to his two oldest cousins for more input.

"Loads of things," Beau confirmed.

"All outside?" Draco asked.

"Yep."

"If you boys are happy to do that then off you go outside, but remember the area is warded, so don't try to escape."

Within seconds Draco was left with three little girls all looking at him in anticipation.

"Are you happy to have a tea party?"

Angel nodded excitedly and began ordering Millie to fetch everything she required to host a tea party.

"Millie, you stay with the girls, and I'll watch the boys," Draco called over his daughter's insistent voice.

"As Master wishes."

Draco escaped the playroom quickly. He wouldn't have thought that just three little girls could make quite so much noise and in such a high pitch that his ears felt ready to burst. Outside, he found the boys running around making just as much noise, but in a tone far better suited to the human ear. They each had a stick in their hands and were brandishing them like wands. He took a seat on the patio and watched them playing. From what he could ascertain, Beau, Matthew and Drake were Aurors, and the other two were Dark Wizards.

All of a sudden the three older boys surrounded the two younger ones, snatching their 'wands' away from them.

"Give up or we'll hex you clear into next week," Beau demanded.

"Never!" one of the little boys shouted as he tried to make good his escape between Beau and Matthew.

"I'll get him," Drake bellowed, pointing his 'wand' at the small boy and following through with some fictitious hex that Draco couldn't quite make out from his position.

Much to everyone's surprise the little boy flew back several feet and landed on his backside.

Draco was on his feet and half way across the grass before he even realized he'd stood up. He paused in his travels, torn between checking on his nephew and congratulating his son on a fine display of natural magic. A howl of pain and indignation made his mind up instantly and he flew to Drake's side, mostly to hold him back. Declan, the recipient of the unintentional magic, had recovered enough from his shock to jump up and kick Drake in the shin as retribution. Drake was in the process of launching himself at the smaller boy just as Draco grabbed the back of his shirt.

"Drake!"

"He kicked me!"

"I know, I know, and I'll deal with him," Draco assured him. "How's your leg?"

"Sore."

"Go and see Millie. Tell her what happened."

"Why?"

"You need some treatment."

"No I don't. It's only a bump." Drake lifted his chin and looked directly at Colin. "I'm not a baby, like some people."

"Fine, don't go then, but don't complain later." Draco ran a hand through his hair. At any other time, Drake would have been a screaming mess on the ground insisting that his leg had been severed. "What's this one's name?"

"Declan," Drake snarled.

"Declan, go up to the patio and wait for me there," Draco instructed firmly. "We're going to have a little chat."

He waited until the boy was well clear of the group before turning back to Drake. "That was a brilliant display of magic, son."

Drake shrugged nonchalantly. "Happens all the time."

"When?"

"All the time," Drake answered evasively.

"All right, we'll have a chat later." Draco patted his son's back before standing up and striding to the patio. He got the distinct impression that Drake didn't want to talk about his talent in front of his cousins.

Declan was waiting for Draco with a decidedly unhappy expression on his face. The moment he stepped foot on the patio the little wizard's chin began to tremble.

Bloody brilliant, Draco thought irritably. "Don't start crying," he snapped, more harshly than he intended.

The floodgates opened and the little boy started howling.

Draco stood there staring at the boy with undisguised horror. He didn't know what to do now. There was no way he could reprimand the boy for kicking when he was bawling like he was, nor could he think of any way to calm him down without giving him the false impression that he was happy with his behavior. "Just go away and don't do it again," Draco muttered, waving his hand towards the yard.

As Declan wandered miserably back to the group of boys, Draco sank into a chair. He was certain he'd just made a mistake, but there was little he could do about it when he had no idea what the protocol was. All he could do now was keep a close eye on them and hope there'd be no more dramas.

It proved to be a futile effort, because as soon as Declan drew level with the boys an almighty brawl broke out. By the time Draco reached them, the three older boys had Declan and Colin pinned to the ground and were spouting threats they weren't old enough to carry out.

"Break it up!" Draco yelled, grabbing Drake and Beau by the back of their shirts and trying to shake them loose of their victims. "Matthew! Get off them NOW!"

Matthew complied begrudgingly. He stood just a little apart from the twin three-year-olds, snarling at them if they dared to look at him or whimper too loudly.

Draco placed the other two boys on their feet, away from the rest of the boys and gave Matthew a shove in the shoulder to move him away from the younger boys. "Right, you lot are not playing together anymore. You three, go and find something to do." Draco pointed to the other side of the warded yard. "You two, can go inside. There are plenty of toys in the playroom to keep you occupied and safe."

"They're not touching my Quidditch stadium!" Drake snarled.

"Don't touch the Quidditch stadium," Draco instructed. It wasn't worth the grief he'd get from Drake to allow the little ones to play with one of his most prized possessions.

With the boys all following his orders, Draco suddenly found himself standing alone. He'd wait a while to make sure the three older boys were playing nicely and then he'd check on the younger boys. How on earth Anya survived for as long as she did with the babies as well was quite beyond him. He wandered slowly back to the patio, feeling far wearier than he should have at this time of the day.

Drake, Beau and Matthew were playing together within minutes, and Draco hoped it would remain that way. The last thing he needed was for them to start ganging up on one another. If they did, he had no idea what he was going to do with them.

When he was certain they weren't going to cause each other immediate death, Draco wandered inside to check on the younger boys and the little girls.

The twin boys had all but emptied every toy in the room onto the floor, much to Millie's disgust, and were wading their way through the piles playing with toys that caught their eye for a moment or two before moving on. Angel had the other two little witches seated at her tea table and was conducting the tea party with all the pomp and ceremony that Narcissa would host a similar event.

"Pastry?" Angel offered a plate of small pastries to her guests politely. "They're made in France you know."

Draco bit the inside of his mouth to keep from laughing aloud at how like his mother his daughter sounded. Something told him that the two little Weasley witches couldn't care less where the pastries were made and, judging by the speed with which they presented themselves, the two little wizards in the room didn't care either. They'd, apparently, heard the offer of food and decided they deserved some pastries as well.

"You can't have any," Angel scolded them haughtily. "You're not at the tea party!"

Draco watched, not entirely certain if he was horrified or amused, as the little boys exchanged cheeky looks and promptly pulled up chairs to the table. One of them picked up the little china plate in front of one of the girls and held it out to Angel.

"NO!" Angel shrieked. "Go away!"

"No," the boys answered in unison.

"We want to have a tea party too," Declan continued.

Three little witch heads came together instantly and a short whispered conversation ensued. Draco shuddered to think what those three were coming up with.

Angel sniffed affectedly. "Very well, you can stay, but you must do everything properly."

The twins grinned at each other happily.

"The first thing you have to do is sit properly," Angel instructed. "You've got to keep your back straight."

Draco had to move away from the door before he gave into the urge to laugh. Whatever the boys thought they had gained was going to be short-lived by the time the girls got through with them. He consoled himself in the knowledge that neither boy would leave the table without first learning how to hold a teacup properly.

Outside the older boys appeared to be still playing together peaceably, and Draco allowed himself to relax for the first time since arriving home. If things kept going this way, he'd get through the rest of the afternoon without any problems or bloodshed.

By the time the sun began to set, there had only been a few minor incidents that required Draco's intervention. The worst of which was Colin pouring his cup of 'tea' over Angel's head after she called him a heathen for the way he was slurping the beverage. Her screams were still ringing in Draco's ears hours later.

When the complaints about rumbling stomachs reached critical point, Draco led the children into the dining room and told them to sit quietly while the house elves served their meal. He may as well have spoken to the bust of his great-great-grandfather in the corner for all the good it did. The taunts started right away and lasted throughout the meal, despite his best efforts to stem the flow.

Just as the children were finishing up their dessert, Percy stalked into the dining room, obviously not happy with someone.

"Percy," Draco intoned politely.

"It would have been polite to inform me that you were taking my daughter away from the Burrow," Percy snapped.

"Well, it would have been more considerate to not dump her on Anya in the first place," Draco growled. "She had all the children. Did you know that?"

"Mum always watches Britany on Saturdays."

"Your mother, if you hadn't noticed, is in hospital and subsequently is not available to baby sit." Draco advanced on his brother-in-law with determination.

"I did visit her today."

"As did I," Draco countered. "Tell me, how long did you stay this time? Five minutes?"

"I—you—"

"You know, the Ministry won't fall apart if you don't go there every single day."

"You have no idea what responsibilities I carry," Percy answered pompously. "Britany, come along. It is time we were going home."

Rather than follow through on the urge to snap his brother-in-law's neck with his bare hands, Draco turned to the little girl, who had scampered to her father's side. "Goodbye, Britany. I hope you had fun today."

"Thank you for having me, Uncle Draco," Britany responded politely as if it was a well-practiced line.

"We'll see you tomorrow," Draco promised with a wink. He might not feel exactly warm towards the child, but he knew his conduct was getting right up her father's upturned nose. "I'll get a servant to show you out, Percy."

Percy nodded his understanding.

"Millie, show our guests out, and then return immediately."

"As Master wishes." The elderly house elf tugged on Percy's hand to get him moving towards the door.

Draco didn't watch them leave, instead he turned back to the table and joined in the conversation his son was having with Beau and Matthew.

"You don't like Uncle Percy, do you, Uncle Draco?" Matthew asked seriously.

"I wouldn't say—"

"My dad says he's a git," Beau told everyone.

"My dad says he's a—" Matthew paused and looked around the table with big eyes.

"Are you allowed to say words like that?" Draco asked with a smirk. He could well imagine what Charlie's description of his younger brother might be.

Matthew shook his head and looked down at his plate.

"I think we can guess what your dad thinks of him," Draco assured him. "Why don't we—" Draco trailed off as he thought about what to do with the children next. He knew his kids usually had baths around this time and began preparing for bed, if they hadn't already.

"We could go and play again," Drake suggested hopefully.

"Yeah, go back to the playroom for now," Draco responded distractedly.

Within seconds Draco was the only one left in the dining room, save for the servants clearing away the mess created by the children. He knew he had to get the twins ready for bed, but he couldn't very well insist they bathed and not the rest of the children—it simply wouldn't be fair. Then again, bathing that many children scared the living daylights out of him. There was no way on magical earth that he could keep on eye on all of them at once, even with help from Millie.

"Master does want Millie to fill the baths?"

Draco blinked at the house elf standing in front of him and rubbed his hand tiredly over his face. "No, they'll have to bathe later... After their cousins go home."

"Mistress likes Miss Angel and Little Master Drake to bathe right after dinner," Millie insisted.

"Well, I can't bloody well watch all of them at the same time," Draco snapped.

"Master has help."

Draco snarled and stalked out of the dining room. Their evening routine had been so disturbed this week that he wondered if it was beyond restoration. Just as he reached the playroom door Draco stopped dead. A thought had occurred to him: Millie could watch the others while he sorted the twins out for bed.

"Millie!"

"Millie is right here, Master," the servant answered from directly behind Draco.

He ignored the fact that she'd obviously followed him. "You watch the other children and I'll take care of Drake and Angel."

"Yes, Master."

Pleased with himself now that he'd thought of a solution to his problem, Draco entered the playroom. The children were, once again, making enough noise to wake his ancestors. "Drake! Angel!"

At the sound of his voice everyone stopped.

"Upstairs for a bath," Draco instructed. His eyes almost left his head when all the children started towards the door. "No! No, just Drake and Angel."

"But I want to have a bath with Courtney," Angel whined.

"Courtney doesn't have her pajamas here," Draco countered, congratulating himself on thinking so quickly.

"Yes, I do, Uncle Draco." The little girl nodded emphatically at him. "They're in my bag."

"Oh, well... I suppose you two can have a bath together," Draco agreed reluctantly. One more wasn't going to make a difference anyway.

"What about Beau and Matthew? We want to have a bath together too," Drake said.

"Mate, I can't watch all of you if you're in three different places. What am I supposed to do with Colin and Declan?"

Drake shrugged, not really caring what happened with his two younger cousins.

"Little boys can have bath first and Millie can watch them after," Millie suggested quietly.

Draco frowned with irritation. "What?"

"Master can bath children, but only a few at a time. Take littlest boys first, then girls, then bigger boys," Millie elaborated. "Millie will watch children not in bath."

He could feel all the children's eyes on him while he considered what Millie had just suggested. To say no, now that she had voiced a solution, would more than likely invite a rebellion that he had little chance of surviving. "All right, we'll do that. Colin and Declan, get your bags and come upstairs with me, and the rest of you play quietly... I don't want complaints from the portraits on the third floor about the noise."

With a three-year-old attached to each hand, Draco left the playroom just as the noise level had reached its previous crescendo. It was a waste of breath telling them to keep it down at the moment. He could only hope that after their baths they would settle down for the night or their parents might think to pick them up.

It didn't take Draco long to run a bath in Drake's bathroom and assist the little boys out of their play clothes. While they were splashing about in the bubbles Draco examined the contents of their bags and discovered that they hadn't brought any sleepwear with them at all. He considered putting them back in their dirty clothes, but upon closer inspection Draco discovered that what they'd been wearing could quite possibly walk on its own. A quick search of Drake's dressing room delivered two pairs of pajamas to Draco's hands. Although the clothes would be too big there was little he could do about it at this hour.

After ensuring both little boys were clean, Draco helped them dry off and don their older cousin's pajamas. Once he'd left them in Millie's care, Draco escorted the two excited little girls upstairs.

Angel headed straight for her rooms, but Draco called her back. "Angel, you can use Drake's bathroom tonight."

"I don't want to!"

"The bath is already drawn," Draco explained patiently.

With a huff and a look that told him she was less than pleased, Angel stomped through her brother's suite and into his bathroom. Draco rolled his eyes to the heavens and begged the deities to go easy on him.

"Ewww! I'm not getting in there!"

"What's wrong?" Draco asked as he entered the bathroom to find both little witches staring at the large bathtub in disgust.

"The water is yucky," Angel responded petulantly.

Draco looked into the tub and had to agree. Who'd have thought a pair of little boys could make the water that horrid. "All right, we'll change the water."

"I want to use my bath."

"Fine, use your bath," Draco answered wearily. "I'll be there in a minute."

As the girls left the room, Draco waved his wand in the direction of the bathtub, emptying the dirty water. A very distinct ring around the marble where the water had been sitting was left behind. He debated summoning Millie for a moment, but decided to just give the bath a quick rinse with hot water instead. When Ginny got home, if he remembered, he'd tell her that this particular tub needed a good cleaning.

By the time he got into Angel's bathroom, both little girls had undressed and were waiting in bathrobes for the tub to be filled.

"Hurry up, Daddy," Angel implored him.

"The water only goes in so fast," Draco reminded her.

"Magic it!"

"Angel, just wait patiently." Draco reached for a large bottle of bubble bath on the counter.

"Not that one! We'll have the special one in the purple bottle," Angel instructed.

"Fine," Draco ground out, replacing the blue bottle and finding the purple bottle. He didn't know what the difference was, but obviously it was important to the girls. As he uncorked the bottle and poured the thick liquid into the bath it occurred to Draco that he'd come across this fragrance before. "Where did you get this, Angel?"

Angel tossed her head haughtily, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "Grandmother gave it to me."

Draco nodded. At least he knew where he'd smelled the bubble bath before. His mother had been using this particular solution for as long as he could remember. "Right, in you both go. Courtney, you did bring pajamas upstairs, didn't you?"

"Yep, they're in my bag," Courtney answered as she clambered into the deep tub.

"Good," Draco muttered as he left the bathroom.

The last thing he wanted to be doing was scouring his daughter's overfull dressing room for a simple pair of pajamas. True to her word, Draco found Courtney's pajamas in her bag. He decided that it was probably easier to allow Angel to get her own pajamas out, than it would be to choose them for her.

When he poked his head into the bathroom, Draco found the girls soaking in the bath with bubbles up to their necks. They looked every bit the princesses they thought they were. "Girls, I might go down and get the boys moving up here."

Angel's eyes widened and she sat up with a rush. "They're not getting in here!"

"They won't be, princess," Draco assured her quickly. "They can use Drake's bathroom."

"That's all right then," Angel sniffed as she settled back into the bubbles.

"I'll be back soon, but if you need any help before then just yell for Millie."

"Yes, Daddy." Angel waved a dismissive hand at her father as her eyes slipped closed.

As he wandered back downstairs the knowledge that Angel was going to give him hair to match his eyes became all too comprehensible. If she was dismissing him so professionally at the age of five, he shuddered to think what she'd be like at fifteen. The noise emanating from the playroom invaded his nightmarish thoughts, pushing them aside to be considered at a later date.

"Boys!" Draco stood just inside the doorway surveying the mess. Toys were strewn all over the floor again and how the boys were still running around without causing themselves injury was a mystery to him. "Drake, Beau and Matthew! Upstairs for a bath now."

Draco waited until the boys had left the room before turning to Millie. "The girls are still in the bath. I'll send them down when they get out. Try to get these two to sit down quietly. Maybe read them a story or something."

"As Master wishes."

"If you could get this mess cleaned up before Ginny gets home as well—"

"Of course, Master." Millie snapped her fingers and the toys began putting themselves away instantly.

"Colin and Declan, you're both to listen to Millie. If you don't, I'll have no choice but to put you both to bed."

The little boys nodded their understanding.

Again Draco made the all too familiar trek to the family quarters and his son's rooms. On the way back, Draco began thinking about when he might be relieved of baby-sitting duty and decided that after he finished bathing all of them he might just have to Floo the Burrow to see what was going on. The notion that Bill and Charlie could be over there sitting back, relaxing at his expense entered his head and refused to leave.

"Get ready for a bath, boys," Draco announced as he crossed the bedchamber on his way to the bathroom. "The bath won't take long to fill."

Although the filthy ring the younger boys had left was no longer visible, Draco gave the bathtub another rinse with hot water before beginning to fill it. He added a generous splash of bubble bath before heading back to the bedchamber to see how the boys were getting along.

Beau and Drake were undressing themselves while they chattered excitedly, but Matthew was still standing in the middle of the room, seemingly lost in his thoughts. The small boy, who hadn't seen Drake's bedroom before now, was looking at everything in awe.

"Come on, Matthew, get a move on," Draco encouraged.

Matthew blinked vacantly at his uncle and moved slowly to the side of the bed. "Is this really your room, Drake?"

Drake frowned at his cousin. "Yeah."

"Wow," Matthew responded breathily.

"Wait until you see the bath," Beau told him. He had had the grand tour last time he'd visited and the pleasure of having a bath in the enormous tub in Drake's private bathroom. "It's like a swimming pool!"

"How about a little less chatter and a little more getting ready?" Draco suggested with a grin. "You three are like a coven of old hags."

His suggestion was met with much amusement from the three little boys.

“I wouldn't laugh if I were you lot. You're starting to sound more and more like your mothers and aunts,” Draco warned.

The giggling from the boys increased tenfold at that idea. Draco had a chuckle himself as he wandered back to check the level of the water in the bathtub. He had thought the boys might be horrified at being compared to their female relatives, but it seemed they were too young to be offended by the notion.

“Come on, boys, the bath is ready for your filthy little bodies,” Draco called.

He was infinitely glad he'd not approached the door as he beckoned them, because only seconds after the words left his mouth three naked little wizards came charging through the door, heading for the tub in a great hurry.

“It's a little deep, but I'm going to trust you three to behave yourselves in there and not drown each other,” Draco instructed, not that the boys acknowledged his words. “Boys!”

“Yes, Daddy?”

“Be careful in there. It's a bit deeper than you'd normally have it, and I don't want to have to explain to anyone with red hair why one of you drowned,” Draco explained.

“Yes, Daddy,” Drake agreed sincerely, or as sincerely as he could while defending himself from being drowned by a large splash of water.

“Beau, that goes for you too,” Draco warned. “No splashing! I don't want to break my neck when I come back in here.” He eyed the three little boys in the water. There was definitely some mischief afoot, despite their overly innocent expressions. “I'm just going to check on the girls. I'll be back soon.”

The evil giggles that followed him out of the room didn't settle the nagging feeling Draco had in his gut that those three were up to no good. Still, it didn't change the fact that he'd left the girls for some time and he did need to check on them sooner rather than later. In the corridor he came to the conclusion that bathing the boys at the same time as the girls probably wasn't the best decision he could have made, but it was too late to do anything about it now.

Silence greeted him as he walked into Angel's suite. It was enough to quicken his pace towards the bathroom. When he arrived he found the girls lying back in the bath, enjoying their soak and the peace.

“Is everything all right, girls?”

“Yes, Daddy,” Angel muttered without opening her eyes.

“How about you wash yourselves, so you can get out soon?”

“Soon,” Angel promised.

“I'll be going between here and your brother's bathroom, okay?”

“Uh huh.”

“If I'm not here and you need me, just call out.”

“Okay.”

Draco's spine stiffened as he heard what sounded like a war cry coming from Drake's bathroom. “I'll be back,” he called over his shoulder as he took off in the direction of the ever-increasing noise.

Mild panic took over his thoughts, and he failed to register that it would be wise to not run into the bathroom. As a result, the moment one of his feet hit the marble floor it went skating away from him, dragging the rest of his body with it on pure momentum. Draco stopped with a dull thud when he collided with the vanity. Before he even turned around to view the mess his nostrils were flaring with fury.

“Didn't I tell you lot not to splash?” Draco growled, surveying the floor, which was entirely covered with water and bubbles, for good measure. “I trusted you with the deeper water and this is how you repay me?”

“Sorry,” one of the boys mumbled.

“Are you ready to get out?”

“We haven't washed ourselves yet,” Beau answered bravely.

“Right, well… you have five minutes to wash yourselves from top to toe and then you're getting out.” Draco turned on his heel and tried to walk across the slippery floor with some dignity. The moment he cleared the doorway, his hand went to his hip and gave it a much needed rub. There was going to be a nasty bruise there, if he wasn't mistaken.

Before getting the boys out he decided to make certain the girls were washing themselves. With luck he'd be able to get everyone out and into pajamas, and then back downstairs to hopefully do something that was quiet.

“Angel, Courtney, are you two washing yourselves yet?”

“Daddy, can't we just soak?”

“No, you can't. I've got to watch five boys, as well as you two, so I can't stay up here all night.”

“Send Millie up.”

“Millie is busy at the moment,” Draco reminded her. “Start washing yourselves now or you'll be getting out dirty.”

Angel mumbled to herself discontentedly as she sat up and reached for the large sponge on the side of the bath.

Satisfied that his orders were now being followed, Draco made his way back to the boys. Even though they were still making enough noise to lift the roof, he hoped they were at least cleaning themselves while they were doing it.

“Are you lot—“ An unmanly scream filled the bathroom as Draco slipped in a particularly deep puddle of bubbles and landed on his back.

Draco lay on the floor with his eyes closed trying to take stock of what he thought might be broken or damaged. He could hear someone groaning and wondered distantly if one of the boys was injured.

“Daddy,” Drake whispered uncertainly.

“Is he dead?” Beau asked.

“Don't know,” Matthew answered.

“Draco? What on earth are you doing down there?”

“Ginny?” Draco cracked open one eye and saw his wife standing in the doorway. “Don't come in… slippery.”

“Yeah, I can see that. What happened in here?”

“I bathed the boys.”

“Okay,” Ginny answered slowly. “And then you decided to wash your robes on the bathroom floor?”

“The little—they splashed water everywhere.”

“They tend to do that when there's more than one.”

“Someone should have warned me,” Draco complained.

“I'm pretty sure you did know that,” Ginny pointed out. “Can you get up?”

“Yeah, I'll try.” Draco groaned loudly as he rolled over onto his side. It felt like every bone in his body had shattered on impact. Rather than try to gain his footing on the slippery floor, he crawled to the doorway. “When did you get home?”

“Just in time to hear you scream,” Ginny replied with a grin.

“Yeah, well you'd scream too if you—“ Draco mumbled unintelligibly.

“I was just going to get changed and go down to the kitchen to bake Harry's cake.”

“Why don't you just order one?” Draco asked plaintively.

“We've been through this,” Ginny responded.

“Your mother would never know and it's not like Harry cares,” Draco pointed out for perhaps the hundredth time that week.

“Mum would find out and besides I promised her I would take care of it. The last thing she needs right now is to be disappointed by her family.”

“Fine, it was just a suggestion.” Draco ran a hand through his hair in frustration and realized that he'd have to clean up himself before going back downstairs. “You wouldn't have happened to have heard from your brothers over the course of the afternoon?”

“Bill called in to the hospital on his way home from work and I haven't seen Charlie since he left the hospital this afternoon.” Ginny smiled amusedly at her husband. “How is it that you ended up with all the kids this afternoon?”

“When I got to the Burrow Anya was just about fit to be tied. She really couldn't cope with all the kids and the babies, and somehow instead of leaving there with two I left with eight.”

“Eight?”

“Colin and Declan are downstairs with Millie, Angel and Courtney are in the bath, and there's three in there.” Draco pointed to the flooded bathroom. “Percy came by while we were eating to pick Britany up, and he's not happy that she was here instead of at the Burrow.”

“So they've had dinner and they're in the bath? I'm impressed!” Ginny patted his chest affectionately. “Don't worry about Percy. He'll get over it, not that any of us really care whether he does or not.”

“I'm sure he'll vent his displeasure tomorrow when he's got a larger audience.”

“The boys will tell him exactly what he can do with his displeasure and hopefully there won't be any kids around at the time, so they can be rude about it.”

“I wasn't exactly polite to him,” Draco admitted.

“You were probably a whole lot more polite than his brothers would have been,” Ginny assured him. “Well, I'll leave you to it. I need to get on with this cake.”

“Love, before you go, do you think you can dry the bathroom floor for me?”

Ginny grinned and whipped out her wand. It only took a couple of masterful flicks over the marble floor to improve the situation greatly. “Be careful.”

“I've been trying to be careful,” Draco retorted as she left the room.

As much as he didn't want to, Draco took a deep breath and entered the bathroom again. Three little boys stared up at him from the bath. He could see just a fine sliver of fear in their eyes and decided to use it to his advantage. “Right, step out onto this towel, dry yourselves off and get into your pajamas. When you're dressed, wait in the sitting room.”

Draco stood back and watched them step out of the tub. Once they were all safely standing on the bathroom floor, he went to issue the very same orders to the girls. There was a little ray of hope that the boys would be dressed by the time he got back to them. That tiny drop of fear in their eyes should get them moving without further need to berate them.

“Angel, Courtney, it's time to get out,” Draco said as he stepped into the bathroom.

“But we're not finished,” Angel complained.

“You are now,” Draco responded in an uncompromising tone. “I did warn you, and I wasn't joking.”

“Uncle Draco, can you help me out?” Courtney asked, standing up to follow his instructions without question.

“I'll just get a towel for the floor, so you don't fall,” Draco answered. He was thankful the girls hadn't made any mess on the floor as he moved across the room to the cupboard where he was certain the servants kept the spare towels.

When a large fluffy towel was in place by the foot of the tub, Draco lifted Courtney from the water and wrapped another towel around her. “Dry yourself quickly and go into the bedroom to get dressed.”

Courtney gazed up at him with soulful eyes. “Can you dry me?”

“Err—I'm sure you can manage,” Draco answered uncertainly. It was one thing to help his own daughter, but quite another to assist someone else's daughter. “You're a big girl now, right?”

“Sometimes I don't dry myself properly,” Courtney informed him expressively.

“Okay, umm—what if I get Aunt Ginny to help you?”

Courtney nodded, happy with the suggestion.

“Good. Angel, are you right to get out of the bath on your own?”

“Yes, Daddy, I do it every night.”

“Of course,” Draco muttered. “I'll be right back.”

Draco hurried down to his own suite, hoping that Ginny was still there, because he didn't feel confident leaving the children for as long as it would take him to walk to the kitchen and back. Just as he reached for the door handle it opened, startling him out of his thoughts with a jolt.

“Is everything all right, Draco?”

“Yeah, umm—Courtney asked me to dry her.”

“She's only four.”

“Yeah, but I thought you could—“

Ginny sighed wearily. “Where is she?”

“Angel's bathroom.”

“Okay, I'll get the girls organized. You take care of the boys.”

“Sorry, love, I just didn't—I know I wouldn't like it if—“

“It's fine, Draco,” Ginny replied as she entered Angel's room.

Draco stood in the corridor for a couple of minutes. If he'd thought the afternoon was mind boggling, it really had nothing on bath time. All was quiet from within Drake's rooms and that struck him as unusual, especially with three boys in there, or at least he hoped they were still in there.

He only made it as far as the sitting room. All three boys were sitting there, fully dressed, waiting for his return. Draco masked his surprise expertly.

“Everyone's dressed,” Draco stated. “I'm impressed.”

“Are you all right, Uncle Draco?” Matthew asked concernedly.

“I'll live,” Draco responded evasively.

“Are you sore?” Beau inquired.

“A bit,” Draco admitted. He couldn't very well lie about that, because no one could hit the floor with that much force and escape injury. “Well, I'd better go and get changed before we go downstairs. Can I trust you lot to keep sitting quietly while I do that?”

“Yes, Daddy.”

“Mummy is in Angel's room, so I'll know if you got up to anything,” Draco warned good-naturedly.

The boys laughed as he left the room, but it lacked the earlier mischievous tone it held. Draco hurried down to his rooms and changed quickly. While their demeanors promised no mischief, he didn't really trust them not to grow bored and start plotting some heinous torture for him.

On his way back to collect the boys, Ginny stepped into the corridor with two dressed little girls right behind her.

“Boys, we're all ready to go downstairs,” Draco called through the doorway.

They didn't have to be told twice, appearing within seconds in the corridor. For the next few minutes the hallway was full of noise as the boys greeted Ginny enthusiastically. Draco stood aside and allowed the boys to make a fuss of his wife, until she'd had enough. At that point Draco stepped in, explaining to the boys that Ginny had a birthday cake to make. It was a mistake of mammoth proportions. All the children instantly began begging to help her at the top of their voices. Somehow Ginny escaped, leaving Draco to deal with five disappointed children.

In an effort to distract them, Draco began to usher them downstairs. Before they made it to the playroom they had extracted promises from Draco for extra slices of cake the following day and several other special treats that he would have to deliver or suffer their wrath.

Millie had the two youngest boys sitting quietly looking at picture books. It seemed like a grand idea to Draco, so he sent Matthew and Courtney to the generously stocked bookshelves in search of a book each that Draco could read aloud to all of them.

With Millie's help, Draco finally got all the children settled in chairs or on the floor with pillows. It took some maneuvering, but finally everyone appeared to be happy with their position and comfort. Draco sat in the armchair he'd reserved for himself and opened the first book. He instructed Millie to remain close by, in case the children required anything.

Colin and Declan drifted off to sleep before the end of the second book. With the children not only remaining quiet, but beginning to drift off to sleep, Draco had Beau choose another book. He didn't mind reading to them, if he was honest with himself. It was actually quite relaxing.

“Will you look at this, Bill? Not only is he the best son-in-law to ever draw breath, he's now an expert babysitter.”

Draco's eyes snapped up in the direction of the disturbance. Charlie and Bill were leaning in the doorway, looking entirely too amused for Draco's good. Unable to retort the way he wanted to, because of the youthful ears around him, Draco simply glowered at the pair.

“Daddy,” Courtney uttered drowsily.

“Ready to go home?”

The little girl shook her head tiredly groggily. “Uncle Draco hasn't finished the story.”

“I think you've invaded Uncle Draco's sanity for long enough today.”

“How is your sanity about now?” Bill asked.

“What sanity?” Draco ground out.

The two men chuckled and after a few minutes, Draco joined them. Now that he'd admitted it openly, he really did feel as though his sanity had taken a holiday.

“Daddy, can Courtney sleep over?” Angel asked sweetly. “We'll be good, won't we, Courtney?”

“Well, I don't—“

Angel pouted and looked at her father from under her lashes. “Please, Daddy.”

Draco sighed. He couldn't see any reason why not. One extra wouldn't make any difference to them. “If it's all right with Uncle Bill.”

Both girls shot hopeful looks in Bill's direction. Draco could tell, even before Bill offered his opinion, what his response was going to be.

“Only if you're sure, Draco,” Bill answered.

Drake sat forward and looked at his father. “If Courtney's staying then Matthew and Beau get to stay as well!”

“I—umm—“ If everyone hadn't been looking at him so hopefully, including Bill and Charlie, he might have actually been able to spit out the `no' that had caught in his throat, but as it was Draco couldn't quite refuse. “Sure, why not?”

“They must have done something to him,” Charlie whispered loudly to Bill.

“Confunded perhaps?”

Charlie nodded thoughtfully as though musing the most important of thoughts “We'll figure it out tomorrow.”

“Yeah, may as well wait until then,” Bill agreed. “No point in wasting a good Confundus charm.”

“I guess we'll see you tomorrow, Draco,” Charlie said.

“We'll meet you at the Burrow in time for lunch,” Bill assured him.

"Hang on," Draco blurted, trying to get to his feet. "What about these two?"

The two Weasley men looked in the direction that Draco was waving his arm. Two sleeping three-year-olds met their gaze.

"What about them?" Bill asked cheekily.

"I'm not keeping them as well," Draco answered indignantly.

Charlie rolled his eyes comically. "Fine, we'll wake them up and take them home then."

"Good," Draco responded.

"You know, I hate waking them up once they're asleep. They get so grumpy," Charlie griped, glancing at Draco to check his reaction.

"If you're trying to make me feel guilty—"

"Not at all," Charlie answered. "Just stating the facts."

"Facts that aren't going to change my mind," Draco stated firmly.

Bill shook his head repentantly. "I'm going to have to get Beau to work on strengthening his Confundus charm."

"Yeah, then we'd be able to offload the whole lot onto any unsuspecting victim." Charlie's smug grin was coupled with a quick glance at his blond brother-in-law.

Draco was beginning to regret agreeing to allow the other three to stay over. If he had just said no then he wouldn't be getting subjected to this bizarre form of torture. He watched the two men pick the sleeping boys up in their arms.

"We'll see you all tomorrow then," Bill said. "You lot behave yourselves."

"Thanks, Draco," Charlie intoned genuinely. "Anya was about to lose her mind when you showed up this afternoon."

"Yeah, well—" Draco muttered. "See you tomorrow."

With final goodbyes and warnings to behave, the two men left the parlor with the little boys. Draco turned around and looked at his charges, wondering just how they'd managed to get him to agree so easily.

"Are you going to finish the story, Daddy?" Drake asked hesitantly.

"Come and sit down, Daddy," Angel offered warmly.

"No, I think it's time for bed," Draco said firmly.

The avalanche of protests started immediately, but Draco remained firm and steadfastly refused to meet the pleading gaze of any one child, especially his own daughter. With Millie's assistance he managed to get all five children tucked into bed and settled down within half an hour. He knew they'd most likely talk and giggle for a little while, but he found he didn't care just as long as they stayed in bed.

He left Millie in the corridor between the twins' rooms, just in case someone got out of bed or needed assistance. Safe in the knowledge that the children couldn't escape, Draco wandered down to the kitchen. His stomach had been rumbling for some time, and he decided that it was probably about time he ate dinner, as he had chosen not to indulge when the children ate. Before he even reached the doorway he could hear Ginny issuing orders to the servants, mostly to the tune of removing themselves from her space.

Rather than barge on in, Draco paused in the doorway. Ginny was up to her elbows in flour and there was an endearing smudge on her forehead. The servants were milling about her legs, waiting for any indication that she might need something from them. They were certainly uncomfortable with her active presence in the kitchen, but she took no notice of them or was deliberately ignoring their obvious distress.

“You look like you're having fun,” Draco commented, letting his presence be known.

“I just want to get it done, so I can relax.” Ginny didn't look up from her task. "Has everyone been picked up?"

"Well... You see—"

"What, Draco?"

"We have some house guests for the night," Draco admitted quietly.

"How many?"

"Three."

"Let me guess: Beau, Matthew and Courtney?"

"Yeah."

Ginny nodded wearily. "At least they're not any trouble."

“Have you had dinner?” Draco asked, changing the subject. He had no desire to inform his tired wife just how much trouble her nephews were.

“I got something at the hospital.”

“A cup of tea and a stale scone?”

“Something like that,” Ginny admitted with a wry smile.

“That's two for dinner,” Draco instructed the nearest servant.

“As Master wishes.”

All the servants abandoned their efforts to assist Ginny in favor of preparing a meal for their master. Draco strolled up to where Ginny was doing unimaginable things, in his mind, to flour and milk and whatever else she had in the enormous mixing bowl. His arms went around her from behind and he leaned against her back, placing a lingering kiss on her neck. “You're going to stop and have dinner with me,” he whispered into her ear.

“I can't stop until it's in the oven,” Ginny said distractedly.

“Fine, but then you're stopping and eating something decent.”

“Okay, but can you just—“

Draco didn't need to be told he was limiting her movement and probably annoying her, so he stepped back before she'd even finished asking.

“Master will be eating in the dining room?” a servant inquired.

“No,” Ginny answered immediately. “You can set two places at the other end of the table.”

Draco shot an appalled look at his wife, but wisely did not protest. He nodded at the servant, sending it on its way. It had been well over a decade since he'd last eaten in the kitchen; the last time being while he was still a student and he'd snuck down for a snack after not finishing his dinner.

“How was your day?” Ginny asked suddenly.

“Fine. I finished everything at the office. I would have liked to have spent the afternoon just with the twins, but it didn't work out that way.”

“Thank you for helping Anya out. I had no idea she'd have all the kids today.”

“She was pretty close to losing it when I got there,” Draco admitted.

“I just hope Mum gets out of hospital soon.” Ginny sighed tiredly.

“Has Wilson said anything about when he might release her?”

“No, not a word, but then she's not well enough to even consider being at home yet.”

“I think we should have a meeting with him early next week, just to check on her progress and what his prognosis for release might be.”

“That's a good idea,” Ginny agreed.

“I'll set it up on Monday.”

“Thank you.”

“Oh, why did you tell my secretary to block out all of next Saturday?”

“We're having a dinner party,” Ginny replied with a frown.

“Is there an occasion for this dinner party?”

“To thank our attendants from the wedding.”

“I thought I was helping you—“

“And just when were we going to have it then?”

“Well, all you had to do—“

“Is plan it and make certain your secretary blocked the day and night off.”

“The impression I got from you was that you didn't know how to—“

Ginny put down the large spoon she'd been stirring the cake mixture with and pinned her husband with a look that might have been deadly had she not been exhausted. “I decided I couldn't wait for you to step up and help me or we'd be hosting it sometime around our tenth anniversary, so I went ahead and made my own plans. I figured that it's our thank you to our friends, so I could make it what I wanted rather than conform to whatever it is you think is a dinner party.”

“Love, whatever you want is fine with me.” Draco held his hands up in surrender. “I just thought you wanted help.”

“I did to begin with.”

“I'm sorry, I should have helped you plan it when you first asked.”

“Yes, you should have.”

“You know, I think it's better that you did it yourself though.”

“Why?”

“Like you said, it's our thank you to our friends, so it should be personal and not just another version of my mother's dinner parties.” Draco smiled warmly at her, hoping that his words of encouragement would be enough to quell her irritation. “I've a feeling everyone is going to have a brilliant time next Saturday.”

“I hope so.”

“Is there anything I can do to help at this late stage?”

“Yes.” Ginny smiled wickedly. “Don't even think about working that day.”

“I won't, I promise.”

“Master's dinner is ready. Master should eat while food is hot,” a servant interrupted.

“Ginny, leave that for now and come eat.”

“I want to get it in the oven first.”

“How long?”

“A few minutes.”

“Cast warming charms over our meals,” Draco instructed the servants.

When Ginny was happy with the consistency of the mixture, she upended the bowl into a large rectangle pan. Draco watched the chocolate batter spill out of the bowl with great interest. It had been years since he'd watched a cake being made from scratch and he found the process quite fascinating. After she had placed the pan into the large oven at the end of the kitchen, they sat down at the preparation table to finally eat dinner. He hoped that he'd be able to convince her to come to bed after they'd eaten, not to do anything other than sleep, because he was exhausted himself, but the idea of holding her while he slipped into a slumber to rival the dead was most appealing.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Draco dropped into a chair at the table in the garden of the Burrow. He'd all but ignored the varied greetings from the family as he made his way from the sitting room to the yard. All he wanted was five minutes peace and quiet; just enough time to gather his thoughts without someone giving him an order or asking him a question or, god forbid, screaming in his ears. The morning had been horrific in ways he'd not ever contemplated existed. One would think that the addition of a few extra children and the absence of his wife wouldn't have made that much difference, but his experience told a different story.

Ginny had, according to the note she'd left him, eaten an early breakfast, put the finishing touches on Harry's birthday cake and left for the hospital to check on her mother. She also informed him that he was to meet her at the Burrow with the cake, gifts and the children. At the time Draco saw no problem with this, but in hindsight he should have known that he simply wasn't equipped to deal with everything on his own.

The inclusion of Beau, Matthew and Courtney into their Sunday morning routine had elevated the noise level five-hundred percent and had diminished Draco's patience to non-existent. His ears were still ringing from Courtney's delighted squeal at breakfast when she discovered the house elves would prepare whatever her heart desired, within reason, for the morning meal. It was a regrettable error in his generally excellent judgment to inform her of that. The antics of the boys — all three of them — even had Millie shaking her head in disgust and muttering under her breath about wicked little wizards.

It wasn't until after breakfast, when it was time to get dressed for Harry's birthday lunch at the Burrow, that Draco realized just how bad things could get. Draco was accustomed to Angel fussing and he knew very well the sort of attire Ginny preferred her to wear to the Burrow. He was prepared to do battle as he entered her suite, but to his utter horror Courtney had found her inner princess overnight and had decided that throwing a temper tantrum, in stereo with Angel, was likely to get her what she wanted. Both little girls had gone through Angel's entire wardrobe, stripping it of everything before each settled on a dress that would have been more at home in a ballroom than in the backyard of their grandparents home. He had immediately said no, and, looking back, that was probably where he went wrong — they started crying at that point.

Draco had wandered onto Angel's balcony, just to take a break from the god-awful sounds that were assaulting his ears in the bedchamber, when he spied the boys. From where he stood, it looked as though they'd raided the house elves stock of clothing, thrown it on and ran outside to find the first patch of mud to roll in.

While he was admonishing the boys and sending them to Millie for a bath, the girls had decided to get ready to leave — in the ball gowns, complete with a generous layer of Ginny's makeup and more than a heavy splash of expensive perfume. The only thing he could be grateful for were the security charms on Ginny's jewelry cases—at least the girls hadn't gotten into those.

In the end, he'd allowed his frustration to evolve into anger. The boys were threatened, in no uncertain terms, that any further misbehavior would result in three very unhappy little wizards. When he went to deliver the same message to the two little misses down the hall, Angel and Courtney burst into fresh tears. Draco immediately took refuge in his own rooms and sent Millie to ensure they were cooperating.

An hour later Draco was standing by the hearth in the parlor with five children, a cake large enough to feed the student body of Hogwarts, a large gift-wrapped box, two smaller gift-wrapped boxes and his Quidditch gear, including his broomstick, for the game they were sure to have this afternoon, wondering how on earth he was supposed to get everything to the Burrow in one piece.

He'd started by sending the children through the Floo Network, and then Millie had happened upon him staring at all that had to be taken with a deep frown. After a little encouragement the wise house elf had suggested he leave the cake to her and she'd made certain it was delivered in perfect condition. Then he passed the parcels through the Floo, following as soon as he was certain he'd not forgotten anything.

People had begun to spill into the yard with increasing regularity and he knew his peace was going to be short lived. Draco remained in his chair, pretending he wasn't really there in the hope that everyone would just leave him alone for a bit longer. It was fruitless, of course. He heard them before he saw them: his brothers-in-law — all of them together. A plot to run away as fast as he could began to form, but he hadn't quite sorted out the finer details when the chairs surrounding him started to become occupied.

“Did the kids give you a hard night, Draco?” Bill asked curiously.

“No.”

“Must have been the morning that got to you then,” Charlie commented smugly.

Draco looked around at the expectant, but amused faces surrounding him. Another plan began to form in his mind. It was better than the first one and should see him left in peace and quiet for the rest of the day if it worked. He leaned back in his chair, forcing a confident smirk onto his features. “Actually, it was the in between.”

Ron frowned. “The what?”

“Didn't the kids sleep well?” Bill asked, reiterating his initial question.

“I hope they did,” Draco answered vaguely. “I'd hate to think what they might have heard if they were awake.”

“Heard?” Percy posed.

Draco leaned forward and rested his arms on the table, as if he was going to tell them a grand secret. “You see… your sister… she gets a bit vocal at times.”

“Wasn't she impressed with the kids sleeping over?” Charlie inquired.

“She didn't care, as long as it didn't disturb our activities, and it didn't,” Draco responded with a cheeky smirk. “I just hope she didn't wake any of them.”

“Exactly what might they have heard?” Bill asked, even though his expression told Draco he didn't really want to hear the answer.

“Well, if the kids start asking questions… Just tell them that their Aunt Ginny wasn't dying or in pain, and God doesn't reside in our chambers.”

“I didn't need to know that,” Ron muttered.

“Are you trying to tell me that Pansy is leaving you alone now?” Draco asked, diverting the attention away from himself now that he'd planted a seed of disgust in their minds.

“No… Well—“ Ron's eyes went to the back door as his fiancée came into view.

“Sweet Merlin!” Draco blurted without thinking. He hadn't really taken any notice of Pansy's changing shape last time he saw her. It wasn't as if he didn't expect to see her body changing with pregnancy, but it looked as though she'd shoved a Quaffle under her dress. “How on earth do you manage?”

Ron flushed beet-red to the very tips of his ears and began to stammer something unintelligible.

“Forget I asked… I don't want to know,” Draco interrupted, suddenly realizing that his mouth was operating without permission from his brain.

“Are you sure, Draco? I can give you a stroke for stroke description if you'd like,” Pansy offered nefariously as she wandered towards the men.

“Err—no, thank you.” Draco cursed himself mentally for not only voicing such a question, but also for doing it loudly. The last thing he wanted was to know what his brother-in-law got up to behind closed doors or how he got up to it.

Pansy laughed at his mortified expression. “Oh, darling Draco, you're going to have to start getting a little more creative yourself soon enough.”

“The difference is I won't feel a need to share such information.”

“I was only offering to answer the question you asked,” Pansy responded innocently.

“It was a rhetorical question,” Draco replied with a hint of haughtiness. “You ought to know the difference by now.”

“Bollocks! Your mouth ran away from you again,” Pansy chided. “You ought to know that you can't fool me, I've known you way too long, Draco Malfoy.”

“I—umm—I need a drink,” Draco muttered, leaving the table quickly. Her laughter echoed in his ears all the way across the yard, reminding him that she did indeed know him too well.

"Draco, you snuck in quietly."

"Oh, Harry, umm—Happy birthday." Draco offered his hand to the other wizard.

"Thanks. Is everything all right?"

"Yes, of course."

"There you are! Go and sit down. I'll bring you your drink," Hermione ordered as she ushered Harry off in the direction of the rest of the men. "Hello, Draco. Is Ginny coming or is she staying with Molly?"

"I—err—" Draco's eyes were firmly focused on Hermione's belly. Bloody hell, how do they manage to shag, his brain inserted, rendering him effectively speechless.

"Draco?" Hermione touched his arm, a light frown creasing her brow.

Angelina crept over to stand beside Hermione. "Is he all right?"

"I don't know," Hermione whispered.

"Draco, why don't you come and sit down," Angelina suggested calmly, placing her arm around his shoulders comfortingly.

He looked slightly to his left, but there was just another pregnant belly there — one that was even bigger again. It's a conspiracy. They were sent over here to mess with my head, Draco thought, none too calmly. His mind fought to remember what to say in this situation. There was a phrase that was always related to pregnant women — one that was guaranteed not to offend. Sunny… flowers… NO! Draco tried to focus, but it was impossible. How do they do it? "I'm fine," he eventually ground out.

"Are you sure?" Angelina pressed concernedly.

Draco nodded, forcing himself to avert his gaze away from the two women. He felt as though he was beginning to lose his mind.

"If you say so," Angelina responded skeptically.

He breathed a sigh of relief as they walked away together. Now all he had to do was refocus his thoughts, preferably somewhere far away from the bedrooms of certain family members, and he'd be able to get through the day, he hoped. A drink was what he desperately needed at the moment, preferably something that would obliterate those nasty visions that had popped into his head. Draco picked up a bottle of Mead, draining its contents without breaking for air, and then picked another up to take back to the table.

Draco only got a few steps away from the table when he saw Ginny appear in the corner of the yard. Relief flooded through him when he saw that she was still the same size as she was the evening before — just showing a small bulge to prove his child existed within her body. He diverted his course when she made a beeline straight for him.

"Hello, love." Draco greeted her with a soft kiss. "How's your mother this morning?"

"She's less grumpy than she was yesterday," Ginny responded with a grin. "Did you get everything here?"

"Yes, the cake, the gifts and all the children."

"The cake made it here undamaged?"

"It did."

"How?"

"Millie," Draco mumbled into his bottle of Mead.

Ginny arched an eyebrow at him.

"Millie suggested that she take the cake so it made it here unscathed," he explained.

"Good." Ginny smiled knowingly. "I was worried you might try to take it on your own."

"You mean you would have used—"

"Of course! Draco, I don't have to tell you that house elf magic is stronger than ours."

"No, of course not."

"How did this morning go with the children?"

"Fine," he lied.

"Really?"

Draco nodded absently, fixing his gaze just above her left shoulder, just in case she'd begun to read him well enough to detect the little white lie.

"Wonderful. Now, where's Harry? I should wish him a happy birthday before we start lunch."

"He's sitting at the table."

Ginny threaded her arm through Draco's, insisting he walk with her to the table. It wasn't until Draco started overhearing odd comments from his brothers-in-law as his wife greeted them that he regretted his earlier attempt to gain some peace and quiet.

"You really ought to let a bloke get a good night's rest, Ginny," Fred scolded.

"Poor bloke was knackered this morning," George told her.

"If my kids start asking funny questions, I'll be sending them straight to you," Bill warned his sister.

"That goes double for me," Charlie added.

"The least you can do is tell him not to tell us," Ron uttered crossly.

"What on earth are you lot on about?" Ginny inquired, obviously confused.

"He told us—"

"They're just teasing you, love," Draco cut in quickly.

"I'm deadly serious," Bill said firmly.

"Why don't you head into the kitchen? I'm sure the women in there will appreciate an extra pair of hands," Draco suggested, trying to usher Ginny away from the table.

"I'm sure they can do without me for another few minutes," Ginny said, standing her ground.

"They'll want to know how your mother is today," Draco insisted, a note of urgency slipping into his tone.

"They can wait. What did you tell the boys?"

Her deliberate gaze was starting to burn him. He was trapped and there was no way out. All he could hope to do was minimize the damage at this stage. "I just told them what we did last night," he answered as casually as he could.

"What we did? It wasn't terribly exciting." Ginny frowned when her brothers started sniggering.

"They must have boring home lives," Draco whispered, in an attempt to put an end to any further explaining.

Ginny laughed. "Oh, boys, if you think baking a cake, eating dinner and then lying awake listening to Draco snore for half an hour before drifting off is exciting, then you're all in need of help."

"I think you forgot something," Charlie said with a wicked grin.

"Nope, I don't think so. I got home from the hospital, helped Draco finish bathing the girls, baked Harry's cake, ate dinner, showered, and went to bed," Ginny listed.

"So we don't have to worry about any— noise the kids might have heard?" Bill asked awkwardly.

"Noise? Merlin no! We were in the kitchen."

"The kitchen!" Ron looked disgusted. "Remind me not to eat any cake."

"Says he who thinks the broom shed has another purpose," Draco retorted without engaging his brain.

"Why do I get the feeling that I'm the only one talking about baking a cake here?" Ginny asked, looking to each of the men.

Draco stepped between his wife and her brothers, effectively blocking her view. "Love, it's just their depraved minds twisting what I said earlier. Just ignore them. Their foolishness isn't worth worrying about," he whispered. "Go into the kitchen. The girls were asking after you earlier, wondering when you were getting here."

Ginny looked around Draco at her brothers, all of who appeared to be almost bursting with restrained laughter. Draco was right; she didn't have the patience or the energy to deal with their silly interpretations. "All right, I'm going."

He waited until Ginny was safely inside before turning back to the table. "Are you lot trying to get me killed?"

"We weren't to start with—"

"But now that you mention it—"

Draco shot a withering glare at the twins. "Ask yourself what your spouses would do to you if they thought you'd been bragging about activities not generally discussed in polite company."

Much to Draco's aggravation a few confused looks bounced around the table after his outburst.

"Forget it," Draco snapped irritably, dropping himself into his chair. "Just bloody well forget it!"

"Come on, mate," Charlie crooned amiably. "We would have pulled her off before you stopped breathing."

Draco folded his arms across his chest and did his level best to ignore the men around him. He had no one to blame but himself, but that was beside the point. They should have had enough sense not to speak about such things in front of their sister, especially when it could cost lives — namely his.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Good morning, everyone," Ginny called as she walked through the kitchen door and hung her cloak on a hook.

Through the bustling activity half a dozen greetings reached her ears.

"Ginny, that cake is amazing," Hermione exclaimed, hugging her friend briefly.

"It was nothing," Ginny responded modestly. "Now, what can I do to help?"

"There's a chicken casserole in the oven that needs checking," Anya said as she walked past with her arms full of dishes.

"Consider it done!"

Ginny had just decided that the casserole could do with another ten minutes or so when a wail came from the sitting room. "I'll go."

"If that's Henri, can you take him out to Bill?" Fleur requested as Ginny rushed to the upset infant's side.

"Okay," Ginny acknowledged, scooping Henri into her arms and trying to calm him down. "You are making a big fuss, aren't you, little man?"

"Is he all right?" Fleur poked her head through the door.

"I think he might be hungry," Ginny responded over the noise her nephew was filling the room with.

"I'll get him a bottle," Fleur offered.

"While your mummy's doing that I think we might change your bottom, just to shut you up before you wake up anyone else," Ginny crooned in a singsong voice.

Within minutes Henri settled down, quite happy to kick his little legs around, sans nappy. Ginny watched him while she waited for Fleur to prepare his bottle, not wanting to upset the baby by dressing him right away.

"Here you go." Fleur handed the bottle to Ginny.

"You should sit down for a few minutes and feed him yourself," Ginny said.

"There is too much to be done. Bill can feed him."

"All right, I'll dress him and take him out."

"Thank you."

After dressing Henri, Ginny delivered her unimpressed nephew to his father's arms. Draco's demeanor didn't escape her attention.

"Is everything all right, Draco?" Ginny asked quietly.

"Yes, why wouldn't it be?"

"I was just curious."

"I'm fine."

"Okay, I'll just leave you alone then."

"Thank you."

Ginny frowned as she wandered back inside. "Does anyone know what the boys did to upset Draco?"

"I think it was more a case of what he did to upset them," Pansy answered.

"What did he do?"

"It backfired as far as I can tell."

"What backfired?"

"Well, they told you didn't they."

"Told me what, Pansy?"

"About how you got really loud last night."

"Doing what?"

Pansy rolled her eyes with exasperation. "You and Draco in bed... He warned the boys that if the kids had any questions—"

"In bed? The only noise that came from our bed last night was his snoring! He started before his head even hit the pillow."

The women in the kitchen started laughing.

"Oh, it's all starting to make sense now." Ginny nodded. "I thought there was something odd about their comments. He told me they'd just twisted his words with their filthy minds."

"He definitely told them," Pansy assured her.

Ginny sank into a chair at the table and put her head in her hands. "What am I going to do?"

"Let them believe what they want," Anya told her.

"Then punish your fantasizing husband mercilessly when you get home," Angelina suggested.

"No, she can punish him here," Pansy insisted. "After all, we deserve some entertainment."

"Oh no, humiliating won't be enough." Fleur shook her head. "He needs to pay for talking like that."

"Mmm... Something shiny ought to make you feel better, Ginny," Katie suggested. "A couple carets at the very least."

Ginny raised her head just a little. Her sisters-in-law were all looking at her with amusement dancing in their eyes. "I could really kill him."

"Go on then," Pansy encouraged. "I'll hold him down, if you want."

"You're really blood thirsty," Hermione commented, giving the black-haired witch a wary look.

Pansy shrugged casually. "It's the hormones."

Ginny laid her head on the table and started laughing. The whole situation was ludicrous.

"Lunch is ready to be served," Anya announced, pulling the last dish from the large oven. "Maybe if we put food in front of them they'll refrain from telling stories."

The kitchen came alive once again with movement. All of the women were accustomed to serving for the entire family and within minutes everything was on the table outside, ready to be devoured.

Ginny had deliberately headed straight for Draco with an enormous platter of chicken pieces, and as she leaned over him she whispered in his ear, "We're going to have a little chat later."

"Yes, dear," Draco grumbled. He didn't have to be told that she knew what he'd done; Pansy was grinning at him in a manner that made his blood run cold.

For the time being, Draco pushed aside the feeling of dread that had settled in his belly and distracted himself with the feast the girls had prepared. Even he had to admit they'd outdone themselves. It was as if Molly Weasley had overseen every morsel of food that had landed on the table for their consumption.

"Draco, can you help the twins please?" Ginny asked as she filled two plates with food.

"Aren't you serving them?"

"No, I'm making up plates for Mum and Dad."

He grabbed two more plates and began selecting what he thought they might eat without a fuss.

"Ginny, you should have made Dad come home for lunch," Bill said.

"I tried, but he wouldn't budge," Ginny admitted. "I'll take these to the hospital this afternoon and show him what he missed."

"Can't someone else take them?" Draco snapped irritably.

Ginny looked up, her eyes wide and her mouth open ready to respond in kind.

"I mean, you've spent just about every waking moment at the hospital this week, Ginny. I think it's time you devoted an hour or so to your own family," Draco rushed on.

"Mum is my family."

"What about your children?" Draco hissed across the table.

"Pansy and I can take the food in," Ron offered quickly. "We haven't seen Mum this weekend."

"Haven't you got dinner plans?" Ginny questioned.

"Yeah, but we can go before dinner," Ron assured her. "Harry, you don't mind if we drop by the hospital, do you?"

"Not at all," Harry responded with a smirk.

Ginny shook her head. "No, I want them to have it for dinner and you'll get there too late."

"We can leave early, Ginny." Harry winked at Ron. "Anyway, I've got to go and see Molly today or she'll string me up."

Draco watched the conversation curiously. He wasn't positive, but he thought that Ron might have just saved his neck for some unknown reason. Once he'd delivered a plate of food to each of his children, along with orders to eat everything, Draco resumed his seat. He looked across the table at his youngest brother-in-law, who was grinning at him knowingly.

When Ginny had moved to the far end of the table, Ron leaned over the table towards Draco and whispered, "Well, say thank you."

"What for?" Draco asked a little haughtily. The thoughts may have been present in his mind, but it didn't mean he had to admit to it.

"I just saved your skin."

"I am perfectly capable of fighting my own battles, Weasley," Draco drawled.

"That's a bit hard to do when she's removed your balls, Malfoy," Harry scoffed in hushed tones. "Which she was seconds away from doing, I might add."

"Even I know when not to push her," Ron scoffed.

Draco grumbled to himself. To be seen as needing help was undignified, even if it was the truth. "Fine! Thank you," he hissed.

Ron beamed across the table. "You're welcome."

"Anytime!" Harry slapped Draco on the back heartily and started eating his lunch. "Just think of us when you're enjoying your time with Ginny this afternoon."

"I find thoughts of either of you rather damaging to my performance," Draco quipped.

"Not another word!" Ron dropped his cutlery and clamped his hands firmly over his ears. "I don't want to know!"

Draco smirked. Some of the balance in his world had been restored. He had Ron fearsome of what he might hear again, and Harry was concentrating so hard on his food that he might never emerge again to bother him. All he had to do now was put things right with Ginny.

He hadn't meant to snap or sound so hard-hearted, it had just come out that way. It was probably because he had been feeling a bit abandoned this week, not that Draco would ever admit that aloud. There was no doubt in his mind that Ginny was worried for her mother, and he'd been as supportive as he could — going beyond the call of duty many times — more so than some of her brothers, but he did crave some of her undivided attention for a few hours at least.

A solid plan was what he needed to crawl his way back into his wife's good graces. They would certainly have to spend some time with the children, but perhaps he could convince Ginny to have an intimate dinner with him, and then spend the rest of the evening relaxing in each other's company or entertaining themselves with more energetic activities if she preferred. Still, he had a few hours to sort out the details and form a solid strategy for attack before they returned home. If he got the opportunity, he could even start softening her up before they left, but only if none of the other men were around to see him work his magic. After all, he couldn't have them knowing the secret to the Malfoy charm.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

AUTHOR'S NOTES

Thanks to Rainpuddle13 for her amazing beta skills and entertaining plot discussions.

-->

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 ELEVEN

SMASHING SUCCESS

Draco rolled over as the sun danced across his face and reached for his wife, drawing her flush against his body. In his opinion, every Saturday should start this way, most especially after the last two weeks they'd somehow survived. She groaned lightly as he disturbed her, but seemed to settle back to sleep after cuddling into him further. While he lay there taking in the unique scent of her hair, his mind wandered to the last fortnight of hell, and he reaffirmed his hope that life would now resume a more normal pace.

From Monday to Wednesday the days had mirrored the week beforehand, with Ginny constantly at the hospital and the children left in the care of whatever relative wasn't at the hospital or work. Then, to everyone's relief, Molly had been released on Thursday afternoon. However, this only served to create a whole new set of problems. Ginny, it seemed, had taken it into her head that no one else could care for Molly as well as she did, and it wouldn't have been a problem, except for the fact that Charlie and Anya had agreed to remain at the Burrow for as long as Molly needed assistance, so the rest of the family could resume their regular lives, apart from additional visits just to keep the Weasley matriarch entertained.

Draco had only been made aware of the problem on Friday afternoon when Charlie had Flooed him. It seemed that he'd tried to convince Ginny to go home, but she was steadfastly refusing, and Anya was starting to make noises about returning to Hogsmeade, because there was little point in remaining at Ottery Street Catchpole if she wasn't allowed to even serve her mother-in-law a simple cup of tea. After some discussion, it was decided that Charlie would Side-Along Apparate Ginny home, against her will if necessary, and Draco would meet them there, rather than have the whole situation explode where Molly could hear.

Needless to say, Ginny was furious when she realized she had been transported home. Charlie had, apparently, decided against asking her to come of her own volition. She'd railed for an hour or so about her brother stealing her wand, which he had slipped to Draco when she wasn't looking, and forcing her to return to the manor when she should be at the Burrow looking after her mother, not that Charlie had hung around to hear what she thought of him. Draco had done the only thing he could do in the circumstances: asked Charlie to bring the twins home a bit later, closed the door to the parlor, made himself comfortable and watched his wife as she stormed back and forth while venting her displeasure. When it appeared that she'd run out of things to yell about, he'd gently coaxed her upstairs and into a warm bubble bath. By the time she was ready to get out, Ginny had calmed down considerably. She was still swearing vengeance against Charlie, but Draco figured that was his problem and certainly nothing the Hogwarts Professor couldn't handle.

It had been Bill who escorted the twins home late in the afternoon. Charlie, evidently, had more sense than to show his face around his sister until she'd had long enough to calm down. Although, he didn't turn up himself, Charlie had given his oldest brother specific instructions to make sure that he sighted a living, breathing Draco before he left, just in case Ginny had turned her murderous thoughts into actions. After Bill left, they'd spent a quiet evening in each other's company, and while she wasn't entirely happy, she didn't mention the incident again.

He knew Ginny would spend much of today making certain everything was ready for this evening's dinner party, so he'd planned to make himself and the children scarce for most of the day, unless she objected, of course. However, in an effort to ensure she was well rested, he had left unquestionable instructions with the servants that they weren't to be disturbed until they emerged from their chambers. The last thing he wanted was for her to have a miserable evening due to being exhausted.

Draco heard the door to their bedchamber creak open slowly, and he turned cautiously to see who was courageous enough to intrude on their privacy. Drake's head peeked around the edge of the door.

"Daddy?"

"Go down to breakfast, mate," Draco whispered. "Mummy and I are having a sleep in."

"But you're not asleep."

"I would be if I wasn't talking to you." Draco glanced at Ginny, who appeared to be still sleeping soundly. "Go and have breakfast, then you can play for a while. Tell Angel the same thing."

"Okay, but can we take the brooms out today?"

"If it's all right with Mummy."

Drake let loose a delighted squeal.

"Shh!"

"Did I wake Mummy?"

Draco checked his sleeping wife quickly. "No, you're lucky."

The little boy's face dropped. "Oh."

"If you wake her up there's no way she's going to agree to us flying today," Draco said in a harsh whisper, catching on instantly to what his son had hoped for.

Drake's eyes popped open in alarm. "I'm going to eat breakfast."

"Smart choice," Draco muttered to himself as the door closed and he was once again left with the even breathing of his wife and his thoughts.

With no sign of Ginny waking any time soon, Draco allowed his eyes to drift closed again. He was enjoying simply holding her while she slept. Thoughts of what he'd like to do today and how tonight was going to go began to grow fuzzy in his brain as sleep slowly took hold.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

As the haze of sleep lifted slowly from his mind, Draco felt other feelings take up predominant positions in his brain, feelings that clouded all other thought processes. His first clear thought was about how hard he was and the second was along the lines of finding any excuse necessary to lay in bed with his generous wife more often. He let out a groan of appreciation as her tongue swirled around the head of his cock and his hand drifted down to tangle in her hair. This was definitely what Saturday mornings — if it was still morning, not that he actually cared at this point — were all about.

She remained diligently on task for a few more minutes before gliding up his body, pausing only to place lingering kisses on his torso as she ascended.

"You're awake," she purred.

"I am."

"I got hungry."

"You could have ordered breakfast."

"I decided to help myself."

"I'm not complaining."

"I didn't think you would," she muttered before claiming his mouth.

Draco wrapped his arms around her, and then rolled her onto her back while his tongue danced with hers. Much to his delight, she'd shed her nightwear before waking him up in the most enjoyable manner possible, in any man's opinion. His hands ran down her sides, caressing her skin softly, as his mouth trailed over the milky flesh of her neck. Little moans of appreciation reached his ears, telling him how pleased she was with his attention. He maneuvered one hand between her legs, letting his fingers roam about in her most sensitive of areas, eliciting breathless gasps from her as a reward for his diligence.

Ginny arched into him as he took one of her nipples into his mouth. She felt as though she was melting under his touch. Her need was becoming a physical pain, and no matter how she tried to move into her husband's touch it didn't seem to be enough. Natural urges began to take over her body, and her hips started to rock against his hand. Her fingers tangled in his hair and her nails grazed the back of his neck, holding him where she was aching for him most.

She mewled as his hand drifted away from the peak of her legs and he slid over a little further to cover her body completely with his. If he hadn't been so engrossed with the sensations her tongue was creating as it stroked his, he might have noticed her nails digging into the flesh on his shoulders. Draco had only one thought on his mind at that juncture and that was to seek completion. Reluctant to withdraw from her mouth he moved around carefully until he had his position right, and then slid into her slick heat with a satisfied hiss.

Ginny met his every thrust with enthusiasm. Her oversensitive body relished the feelings his most intimate touch evoked and the speed with which it was able to find euphoria. Every nerve ending in her body was sizzling within minutes and she was rocketing towards the point of no return at the speed of light.

If there was a sight more beautiful than his wife writhing beneath him, Draco didn't know what it might be or if he was even interested in discovering what it was. That glazed look in her eyes was just about enough to send him to the very edge of his control. Her panted words, instructing him to go deeper or harder or to linger longer traveled through his body igniting every sense and making his desire to please her second to nothing. After extracting a particularly delightful moan from her lips, he tilted his hips just a little to the right and sank into her purposefully — her reaction wasn't disappointing. Unable to resist, Draco repeated the motion, and again he received a most pleasing reaction from her.

Another throaty moan escaped her and his lips quirked again in a distracted smirk. She'd demand he stop moving like that, but it felt too good and she didn't have the strength to deprive herself of the pleasure. One thing was certain, if he continued she would be screaming his name in no time.

A small quiver of her muscles alerted him to her impending climax. He thought that he was aware of just how close she was even before she was. With the knowledge that he was so close to accomplishing his objective, Draco put everything he had into pushing her over the edge and into bliss. Her half-closed eyes suddenly popped wide open and he knew she was at the precipice, then her muscles clamped around him, rendering immobile for a fraction of a second.

One minute she was consumed by thoughts of how good he felt inside her and the next everything exploded in a rush of pleasure that was so powerful it was almost painful. Ginny clung to Draco and rode out the waves of her orgasm, barely conscious of him stiffening and groaning deeply as he emptied himself inside her. She could feel his lips traveling over her face and neck, and hear the whispered `I love you', but she was unable to respond. When he lifted himself off her and collapsed beside her, she suddenly felt lonely and reached across to touch his arm.

While he waited for his lungs to start functioning again, his eyes drifted over to his wife. She looked glorious laying against their black satin sheets, all flushed with her chest heaving for oxygen. If he hadn't just poured a week's worth of energy into her, he suspected his groin would be twitching for permission to get close to such an enchanting vision again. Draco allowed his eyes to roam downwards. He came to the small, almost indiscernible bulge in her midsection and a smile began to tug at his lips — his child was safely cocooned inside there. The warm, loving feelings that had begun to creep over him were suddenly pushed aside by the most horrendous of thoughts, given he was lying there, naked, with his panting wife. Again his brain demanded that he discovered the secret of sex with a heavily pregnant woman. Unbidden images of his sisters-in-law and their husbands in scenes that threatened to send him insane invaded his thoughts.

"Are you all right?" Ginny asked, her senses returning to her slowly.

"Err—yeah, I'm fine, love." Draco shook his head to clear the nightmarish images from his brain.

"Then why do you look like you've just seen a dragon pooping on dinner plate?"

"No reason," Draco replied lightly in an attempt to close the subject.

Ginny propped herself up on one elbow and began to traced lines over his chest. "Draco, tell me the truth."

He closed his eyes and tried to think of a way out of explaining to her what he was thinking about. If he could have thought of something else to explain his expression he would have used it, but as it was his mind was completely blank — except for visions of pregnant women in lewd positions. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it."

"Draco, it can't be nothing. Just tell me."

"No, it's not important."

"Draco."

He groaned miserably, the warning in her tone was unmistakable. "It's just—I keep thinking—"

"What?"

"Well, everyone keeps saying—"

"Saying what?"

Draco turned to face her, making a conscious decision to relieve himself of his burden. "You know how you want to—well you're more... affectionate than before."

"Yes, it's perfectly natural."

"Yeah, well I was thinking—" Draco took a deep breath, steeling himself to voice his query. "When you get big, really big how will we—"

Ginny started to giggle. It wasn't difficult to see where he was going with this awkward line of discussion. "There are ways, I believe."

"You believe? You mean you don't know?"

"I wasn't exactly with anyone when I was pregnant with the twins," Ginny reminded him.

"Oh, so you don't know how?"

"I have a fair idea." Ginny grinned nefariously. "It's just a matter of finding positions that are comfortable for the both of us."

"Yeah," Draco muttered. While he'd never wanted to discuss this, he had hoped that Ginny was more knowledgeable on the subject, so he'd have a safe guide. Now he was left with little opportunity to learn anything of the mystery, unless, of course, he approached his brothers-in-law.

"Why are you worrying about stuff like this now? I'm not that fat yet!"

"It just occurred to me yesterday," Draco answered carelessly.

"Yesterday? We were at the Burrow yesterday." Ginny frowned. "Why on earth would such a thought occur to you there?"

"Hermione, Pansy and Angelina," Draco stated, as if it were obvious.

Ginny raised an eyebrow at him. "And why were you thinking such thoughts in relation to them?"

"I wasn't!" Draco replied defensively, missing the mischievous twinkle in his wife's eyes. "I was just wondering how they managed," he finished weakly.

"That's an odd thing to wonder about a woman who's not your wife."

"I didn't mean to! The thought just popped in there and wouldn't leave."

She couldn't hold her amusement any longer and burst out laughing. “I'm sure we'll sort it out when the time comes, or you could ask Bill or Charlie or even Percy for advice.”

“Never! There is no way I'm raising this subject with them. I'd never hear the end of it.”

“It was just a suggestion.” Ginny giggled at his mortified expression. She knew if there was any information to be gathered, it would be her who would be asking the questions of more knowledgeable family members.

“I think I'll have a shower,” Draco ground out suddenly, slipping to the side of the bed and swinging his feet out.

Her amusement followed him all the way to the bathroom. He couldn't quite fathom the ease at which his wife could get him to open up and spill the many deep thoughts stored in his mind. His usual controlled-self abandoned him whenever Ginny and he had a private moment. It was disturbing to a point, but then he thought he might have been even more disturbing if he wasn't capable of relaxing totally in her presence.

The hot water stung his skin, burning it red in patches, but he remained under the spray, still kicking himself for opening his mouth. Most disturbing was the fact that his wife didn't know any better than he did when it came to sex once she grew big. Yesterday's epiphany had been somewhat of a wake up call for him. While he understood, academically at least, that Ginny would grow large, it hadn't really struck home until he'd seen his sisters-in-law. How he'd missed their ever-increasing forms of late was quite beyond him, as he was usually a very observant man. Of course, he'd never paid attention to pregnant women in the past; he'd actually avoided them like the plague just in case one thought to pin their predicament on him and his Gringotts vault. There was only one solution to his current problem: he had to get a grip and deal with his questions. This only left one uncertainty: who could he trust to answer his queries truthfully?

“Are you trying to escape down the drain hole?”

“Ginny, I didn't hear you come in.”

“I thought I'd better check on you, because you've been in here for ages.”

“Sorry, love, I was enjoying the spray. There's nothing quite like a hot shower.”

“I might have to test your theory,” Ginny said as she dropped the bathrobe she was wearing off her shoulders, allowing it to slide to the marble floor. She stepped into the shower stall with Draco and immediately began adjusting the water temperature.

“If you're going to do that I'm out of here,” Draco whined good-naturedly. “Merlin, witch, you have it cold.”

“Not usually, but I just can't stand it too hot at the moment.”

Draco placed a kiss on her forehead just before stepping out of the stall. “Enjoy!”

“I will.” Ginny beamed at him before closing the door to the shower.

He dried himself quickly and left the bathroom. While he was getting dressed, Draco's stomach reminded him rather loudly that he was yet to take sustenance for the day. Once he was dressed, he summoned a servant and ordered a late breakfast to be sent up for both of them. Ginny emerged from the bathroom just as the servant was setting the small table on the balcony.

“I ordered breakfast, love,” Draco called after her as she went into her dressing room.

“So I see. I'll just be a couple of minutes.”

“All right.”

By the time Ginny joined him, Draco was already around halfway through the Saturday edition of the Daily Prophet. As she sat down, he folded the paper and put it aside.

“Everything looks lovely,” Ginny commented happily. “We should really do this more often.”

“We definitely should,” Draco agreed heartily. “Perhaps we can make it a rule or a tradition that we have breakfast alone at least one day a week.”

Ginny laughed. “And how long do you think we'd get away with it before the twins crashed our private breakfast?”

Draco glanced at the French doors leading into their bedchamber. “They're not here yet!”

“Give them time. I'm sure the smell of the fresh croissants is only just drifting into the playroom now.” Ginny reached for one of the French pastries and lavished it with butter.

They ate in silence for a while, just enjoying each other's company and the peace that came with having a meal without the children.

"What are your plans for the day?" Draco asked casually, as he reached for his fourth croissant. He was mindful of his comment to Drake earlier, and it seemed like a good idea to have some plans in place before fronting the two demanding five-year-olds.

"I need to check that everything is ready for tonight and pop over to check on Mum."

He'd been afraid of this, yet reluctant to admit it. Yesterday afternoon had obviously had no effect on her belief that she was actually needed at the Burrow. The easy thing to do would be to let her go over there, but he feared if he agreed he'd end up hosting their dinner party alone. Draco schooled his features into a stoical mask. "Why don't you Floo Anya and ask how Molly is today?"

"I need to—" Ginny stopped short as her husband's gaze sharpened.

"Charlie told me you're stepping on everyone's toes over there," Draco said gently.

"I am not."

"Then perhaps you can clarify why you wouldn't allow Anya to pour your mother a cup of tea."

"I—"

Draco smirked. "Yes?"

"She wasn't making it the way Mum likes," Ginny snapped defensively.

"Ginevra," Draco said in a low tone that implied he knew she was simply making excuses for her behavior, and poor ones at that.

"I just want to make sure she's all right."

"A Floo call to Anya will answer that," Draco pointed out.

“What if she needs something?”

Draco couldn't fight the urge to roll his eyes theatrically. “Anya will get her anything she requires.”

“But—“

“No buts,” Draco interrupted firmly. “Unless Anya needs you over there, you're to leave the woman to what she has to do today. We will make a short visit tomorrow for the sake of entertaining your mother.”

The silence between them became oppressive in seconds. His stand had, apparently, not been well received if the color rising in her face was any indication. When her eyes narrowed on him Draco cringed mentally. He needed to head off any reprisal quickly and indisputably before she killed him.

“Ginny,” Draco uttered, reaching for her hand, which was snatched away. “Love, you're driving everyone nutters, and you're exhausting yourself. I promised Charlie I'd keep you away today and, as you are well aware, I am a man of my word.”

“So, because you make some stupid promise to my brother I can't visit my mother?”

“Yes,” Draco affirmed confidently. This was better; she appeared to have gained an understanding of the situation.

Ginny planted her hands on the table and stood up, leaning over the intimate setting to ensure she had his undivided attention. “If you think for a minute that I'm concerned about you keeping your word to any of my brothers you can think again. I will be visiting my mother today, regardless of what your opinion is.”

Draco watched his wife stalk off. She had reached the doors of their private sitting room before his brain re-engaged and demanded he rectify this situation. “Ginny, wait.”

Although he'd bounded to his feet as the words left his mouth, she had exited the suite before he reached the sitting room. Draco cursed venomously. The last thing he wanted was to argue about this, but he had promised Charlie he would do his best to keep Ginny away for at least one day for the sake of everyone's sanity, as well as her own well-being. Two weeks of running around after Molly had taken its toll on Ginny and she needed to let someone else help before she got sick as well.

He took a deep breath and prepared to do battle, then opened the door. Ginny hadn't quite made it to the end of the corridor.

“Ginny.”

He saw her gait falter momentarily, but here was no other sign that she'd heard him call after her. She was going to make him chase her that much was obvious. As he began his pursuit, Draco found it made him feel a bit better to curse Charlie in every language he knew.

“Ginny, love, wait please,” Draco pleaded as she neared the staircase.

She stopped, finally, and turned to face him. Her expression was hard, but her eyes were glistening with unshed tears.

“Love, you're not being fair to yourself,” Draco started. “Everyone is worried about you. They're saying the more exhausted you get the more pedantic you're becoming about your mother.”

Ginny raised an eyebrow at him.

“I've noticed it as well,” he admitted. “We all think you need to take a step back for your own good.” Draco placed his hands on her shoulders gently. “It's just one day, and you can Floo Anya to see how she is.”

“What if—“

“If Anya needs you she'll say so, and then you can go. No one would have a problem with that.” Draco sighed heavily. The notion that life shouldn't be this hard crossed his mind. “Ginny, your mother is fine. Charlie and Anya are more than capable of looking after her for one day, and your father is there as well, not to mention Ron.”

Ginny closed her eyes and allowed her head to drop onto Draco's chest. “I'm just worried about her,” she whispered.

“I know, love,” Draco returned softly as his arms wound around her. “But you need to take care of yourself as well. Your whole family is concerned for your well-being.”

They stood in silence for while, Ginny sagged against Draco and he stroked her back soothingly. Victory was taunting him, but Draco wasn't foolish enough to claim it just yet. He kissed the top of her head tenderly.

“Are you all right?” Draco asked tentatively.

Ginny nodded against his chest. “Yes.”

“It's only one day, love, and that's only if Anya is coping.” Draco paused to allow her an opportunity to respond, but Ginny made no effort to acknowledge his comment. “Why don't you Floo Anya now, so we can plan the rest of the day?”

Again Ginny nodded, but she didn't move away from the comfort of his body.

“I'll come with you,” Draco offered, gently steering her back to their sitting room.

Once in the sitting room, Draco passed Ginny the crystal bowl filled with silvery Floo powder and encouraged her to move towards the hearth. She seemed reluctant to contact Anya, and it made Draco wonder if something had happened between the two women that Charlie had failed to mention. He was beginning to think he'd have to place the call himself when she finally knelt before the marble setting and took a handful of Floo powder. Now that she was making an effort he didn't want to intrude, so Draco made himself comfortable on the small sofa against the opposite wall and waited.

She talked for what seemed ages and when she emerged from the flames Ginny appeared to be a bit happier.

“Well?”

“Charlie said Mum is fine. She's being a bit difficult, but not so much that Anya can't handle her.”

“Good.”

“If she gets any worse, I told Charlie to let me know and I'll come right over.”

“Of course, love, you are one of the few who can tol—err—handle your mother when she's like that.” Draco cleared his throat. “Which leaves us with what we're going to do today.”

“I need to make sure everything is ready for tonight.”

“All right. Is there anything I can do to help?”

“No, I think everything is organized, so it's just a matter of checking it's all going to plan.”

“How about if I keep the twins occupied while you're doing that?”

“That would be good.”

“We might take the brooms up for a while,” Draco commented. “It would keep the twins out of your way for a bit at least.”

“That's fine,” Ginny replied a little distractedly.

“Are you really all right, love?”

“Yes, I'm just thinking about what I need to check.”

“Well, in that case, I'll get out of your hair. Shall we set a time to meet up later today?”

“Yes, I suppose.”

“How about afternoon tea in the gazebo at three?”

“Sounds lovely. I'll make the arrangements.”

“That doesn't mean you can't summon me if need be. Just send one of the servants to find me.”

“I will,” she murmured.

“All right, I can take a hint, I'll leave you to it.”

“I'm sorry, Draco, my mind is going about a million miles an hour at the moment.”

“Just remember you've got a big night ahead of you, so don't go wearing yourself out with the preparations.”

“I'll try not to.”

“Good girl.” Draco kissed her softly. “I'll see you later.”

“Okay.”

Draco left the suite, feeling a little uneasy. Their earlier disagreement was still sitting rather uncomfortably on his conscience. He knew it wasn't fair to keep her away from her mother. Even though Molly had been released from hospital, she still had a way to go until she was back to full health, and she still required some care. If anyone had tried the same with him, if his mother was in the same predicament, he knew he'd commit murder just to get to her. Still, the fact remained that Ginny had been running herself ragged and not letting anyone else be of use, which was especially irritating when there were so many people willing to help.

He found the twins in the playroom with Millie, and before too long they were striding out to the grounds with broomsticks in hand. Even Angel was excited about the prospect of spending a few hours in the air today. Then again, that could be because Draco had allowed her to use one of his old broomsticks, so she didn't have to double up with him all the time. When they got to their usual spot, Drake wasted no time mounting his broom and taking to the air with a triumphant yell.

“Angel, I want you to stay fairly low, unless I'm beside you, all right?”

“Yes, Daddy.”

“Good girl.” The thought of spending the hours at St. Mungo's today simply made his blood run cold. “Mount up and kick off gently.”

Angel rolled her eyes. “I do know how.”

“All right, let me see then.”

The little girl threw her leg over the broomstick and pushed herself off the ground, as if she'd been doing it all her life. Draco looked on proudly. He had no doubt, if Angel applied herself, she could be flying as well as her brother in no time. She had good balance, though that wasn't a huge surprise given she had excellent horsemanship skills, and for as much as she fussed, she didn't really know fear. After watching his children for a few minutes, Draco mounted his own broom and joined them in the air.

Drake wasted no time in showing off his skill with some daredevil dives that had Draco's heart leaping into his throat at times. A warning to be careful floated on Draco's tongue, but he resisted the urge to issue it, because he didn't want to squash his son's self-esteem or halt the progress that he'd made with flying.

“Angel, try this,” Drake bellowed just before falling into a steep dive.

“NO! Angel, don't even think about it,” Draco responded in a panicked voice. “Drake's had a lot more experience, and he certainly didn't start with such a steep dive.”

Angel sat on her broom chewing her bottom lip thoughtfully while she gazed at her brother heading for the ground at breakneck speed.

“Drake, don't encourage your sister to attempt things like that,” Draco scolded once his son began ascending again. He was beginning to think that horse riding would have been the better option today.

“She can do it,” Drake insisted.

“I've no doubt she could one day, but not today. Your mother has planned a dinner party for this evening and she won't be very happy if she's got to spend the night at the hospital instead of entertaining her friends.”

“A dinner party!” Angel squealed. “I'm going to wear my purple dress. No! My blue dress with the sparklies—“

“Angel,” Draco interrupted. “This is a dinner party for adults.”

“That's all right, I don't mind.”

Draco groaned mentally. This was going to be painful, of that he had no doubt. “Angel, you will be in the playroom with Millie and Drake, and then you'll be going to bed at your normal time.”

“But—“

“No,” Draco said slowly. “It's adults only tonight.”

“That's not fair!”

Draco was sure if his daughter had been on the ground her last statement would have been accompanied with a stomped foot and folded arms. As it was, he only had to deal with her pout. “Whether it's fair or not is beside the point, because we make the rules, not you.”

“I don't want to spend the night with Millie! It's boring!”

“Too bad,” Draco commented dismissively.

“I'm going to talk to Grandfather,” Angel informed him as she turned her broomstick around so her back was to her father.

He bit back the urge to tell her to talk to whomever she wanted, because he knew it would sound childish. Ginny had told him before that it was best to ignore her when she was like this, because she was only baiting him for a reaction. Draco looked over to his son, who had watched the discussion from a distance. “Drake, are we going to get some flying done?”

“Yeah!”

“Angel, are you flying or sulking?”

The little strawberry blonde muttered something that her father couldn't quite make out, but she slowly guided her broom over to him. He deduced that she'd chosen to fly.

“Why don't we head out over the lake?” Draco suggested, hoping a change of scenery would lighten his daughter's mood.

“Angel, I'll race you!” Drake challenged.

Rather than warn her about going too fast, Draco let them speed off. He didn't think she would go faster than she felt comfortable handling, and he would be close by to assist her if she found herself in trouble. Drake's whoop of delight let Draco know he'd reached the lake well ahead of his sister. Angel flew on steadily with Draco trailing her. The surface of the lake was lit up with sunlight, and Draco was happy to see that his daughter was taken with the beautiful panorama. Her exclamations of delight rang through the air constantly. Drake once again began diving, this time towards the watery surface, grazing it occasionally and sending a spray of water towards the sky.

After an hour or so over the lake, Draco's backside was beginning to go a little numb. Gone were the days when he could spend countless hours on a broom without worrying about the discomfort it caused his body, unless of course there was a Snitch to chase. He was actually a bit surprised that Angel hadn't started complaining already, but at the moment she looked to be completely taken with gliding through the air and watching her reflection in the lake.

“Come on, you two, it must be well after lunch by now,” Draco called loudly.

Although Drake voiced a few token words of protest, he obediently flew towards the house. Angel followed immediately without a word. Draco stayed close to his daughter, even though the exercise was somewhat redundant, as she didn't appear to be game enough to attempt anything outside her abilities.

By the time Draco and Angel landed near the patio, Millie was waiting for them.

“Master would like lunch now?” Millie inquired.

“Yes,” Draco answered. “We'll eat lunch and discuss what we're going to do next, but you need to change those pants first, Drake.”

The little boy looked down at his legs, which were dripping with water. “Millie can dry me.”

The elderly servant looked to Draco for permission and Draco nodded. It would save time and what, after all, was a bit of lake water?

“I have to go and see Grandfather,” Angel announced, dropping her broomstick on the servant and flouncing off through the house.

She heard her father make a funny sound, but chose to ignore him for the time being. If he really wanted her, he'd call her back, but right now she had a mission to complete: she had to speak to Grandfather about the dinner party.

It took her several minutes to walk to her grandparents' wing, but very little time to locate the man who, to date, had never failed to deliver anything she desired. A servant had informed her that he was taking tea with Grandmother in the summer parlor. While it wasn't ideal — she'd rather get Grandfather alone — she would forge ahead anyway. There was always the chance that Grandmother might be equally as horrified that her parents had left her out of their plans for the evening.

Angel paused outside the parlor. Tidbits of the conversation being conducted within floated into the corridor. She took a deep breath and schooled her features into a pained expression, before taking a few steps into the room.

“Angelique,” Lucius exclaimed delightedly when he spied his granddaughter. His happy expression collapsed into a frown when he saw her unhappy face and he was on his feet, crossing the room to be at her side in seconds. “What is wrong, my darling?”

“Mummy and Daddy are having a dinner party, and I'm not invited.”

“Well, I expect they've invited people you would find boring,” Lucius suggested.

“They didn't even ask if I might be bored.”

“Oh, darling, dinner parties are no place for children,” Narcissa offered in a kind voice. “They're terribly formal. Your father used to make a fuss at being left out of such events, but he had far more fun with his nanny.”

“But I wanted to dress up! Mummy won't let me dress up any other time.” Angel stomped her little foot for emphasis.

“If I might make a suggestion,” Lucius started. “We could host a small dinner party this evening, couldn't we, dearest?”

“Yes, of course,” Narcissa agreed.

“Splendid.” Lucius smiled at Angelique. “I shall see that your invitation is hand delivered this afternoon.”

Angel flung her arms around Lucius. “Thank you, Grandfather.”

“You're most welcome,” Lucius uttered.

“I have to go and start getting ready!” Angel quickly disentangled herself from Lucius' arms.

“You have hours yet,” Lucius protested. “Perhaps you could join us for a short while?”

“All right.” Angel beamed at her grandfather and allowed him to escort her to the couch where Narcissa was perched.

“Darling, have you had lunch?” Narcissa inquired.

“No. We went flying this morning, and we were just coming in for lunch, but I wanted to come and see you.”

“We'll have some lunch brought in for you.”

“Thank you, Grandmother.” Angel made herself comfortable on the sofa.

Narcissa ordered a servant to bring lunch for Angel, along with some pumpkin juice and another pot of tea.

“Do you know what your parents' plans for this afternoon are?” Lucius asked.

“Daddy said that Mummy is checking on things for tonight, and we're meeting her for afternoon tea in the gazebo.”

“What about between now and then?”

Angel shrugged. “We were going to have lunch and discuss what to do next.”

“I see.” Lucius was certain his son wouldn't move onto their next activity without confirming the whereabouts of his daughter, but he still sought a servant and discreetly instructed it to inform Draco where his daughter was at the moment.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Rather than wait for Angel to return, Draco herded Drake into the dining room the moment Millie had dried his pants. The little boy started voicing his belief that his stomach thought his throat had been cut the moment his sister had disappeared into the house, so Draco wasn't game enough to suggest they wait for Angel. It wasn't until he started eating that he discovered just how hungry he was himself, not that he should have been surprised, because flying had always been good for his appetite. They ate in virtual silence for a while, the food taking their full attention.

Draco finally put his cutlery across his plate when he deemed he'd had his fill, dabbed at his mouth fussily with his napkin and leaned back in his chair. “I thought we might take the horses out for a ride before we meet Mummy.”

“Okay,” Drake mumbled through a mouthful of food.

“When you're finished we'll find Angel and head out again, otherwise we'll run out of time.”

Drake shoved a large fork full of food into his mouth and nodded his understanding.

A servant popped Apparated next to Draco's chair. “Master, Miss Angel is with Old Master and Old Mistress in their summer parlor.”

“Thank you.” Draco sighed heavily. “Drake, while you finish eating I'll collect your sister.”

“Okay, Daddy.”

“If you finish before I get back don't go further than the patio, all right?”

“Okay,” Drake mumbled, shoving more food into his mouth.

Draco left his son, still shoveling food into his mouth, and walked directly to his parents' wing. There were days when he thought that Drake might just burst from the amount of food he took in, but Ginny assured him that he simply had a healthy appetite.

All was quiet in the corridor outside the parlor, not that it was unusual, because Angel would have been conducting herself as a proper lady in her grandparents' company, and Lucius had had quite enough time to remedy her sour mood with the promise of the world by now. He stepped into the parlor, immediately spying his daughter, who was sitting smugly between her grandparents. Thoughts of what she might have told them about her `tortured' existence floated through his mind.

“Ah, Draco, I was about to seek you out,” Lucius drawled as he stood up and moved towards his son.

“Whatever for?” Draco inquired, though he could well imagine the type of issue Lucius would want to discuss.

“Angelique was most upset that you won't allow her to attend the dinner party this evening.”

“We don't feel it's an appropriate setting for the children.”

“I can understand that,” Lucius conceded. “You used to get terribly bored whenever your mother insisted you attend such events.”

“Then our decision isn't a problem,” Draco retorted caustically.

“It wasn't your decision I was questioning,” Lucius assured him. “Rather I would like to make a suggestion.”

Draco braced himself. “Yes?”

“Angelique told us Millie will be assigned to stay with her and Drake this evening.”

“That's right.”

“Your mother and I are most willingly to spend the evening with the children.”

“We didn't want to intrude, and Millie is more than capable.”

“I am aware of the creature's ability, but I was more interested in perhaps stemming Angelique's disappointment.”

“Father, she wants to attend the dinner party and that is not going to happen, therefore anything you do won't stem her disappointment.”

“We were thinking of hosting our own dinner party,” Lucius posed. “Angelique and Drake would be our guests.”

“That will really impress Drake,” Draco scoffed.

“Darling, it would be an excellent learning experience for him,” Narcissa said.

“I don't dispute that, but he's not likely to be cooperative, especially if he's forced into dress robes.”

“Perhaps we could make an exception, as it will be just the four of us,” Narcissa suggested. “Clean, tidy attire would be acceptable.”

“I still want to wear a dinner party dress,” Angel interrupted.

“Of course, darling, you can wear whatever you like. We just don't want to force Drake into something he's not comfortable with when it's not important.”

“Why do I get the feeling you've already made certain promises to Angel?” Draco hissed at his father.

“I may have suggested—“

“And what if I say no?”

“To be perfectly frank, I can't think of a good reason for you to even think about refusing.”

Draco couldn't think of a good reason to not give his blessing to the plan, especially when Ginny was likely to agree with his father's plan wholeheartedly. It was the fact that the plans seem to have been made before they'd even thought to consult him that irked him the most. Still it wasn't as if he had much choice. “Very well, I'll let Ginny know there's been a change of plan.”

“Splendid.”

“Angel, Drake and I decided to take the horses out for some exercise,” Draco informed his daughter. “Are you coming?”

“Oh yes! We haven't been riding forever!”

“That sounds like a lovely way to spend the afternoon,” Lucius commented. “Are you in the mood to ride, dearest?”

“It does sound tempting,” Narcissa replied wistfully.

“That settles it then,” Lucius exclaimed. “We'll meet you at the stables, Draco.”

“Fine,” Draco ground out. “We're meeting Ginny for afternoon tea, so we won't be out all afternoon.”

“Lovely! You know how I abhor being in the saddle too long,” Narcissa said approvingly.

“Angel, you'd best come and change,” Draco suggested, knowing his daughter wouldn't mount her horse without the correct attire.

“Yes, Daddy.” The little girl gave each of her grandparents a small wave and followed her father from the parlor.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Twenty minutes later Draco was giving Narcissa a leg up onto her mount. Drake was eager to get underway and making constant suggestions of where they might go, which he was trying to field while making certain he didn't boost his mother over her horse. Lucius had taken care of Angel and was standing, holding her horse and his own, near the gate.

Draco mounted his horse and looked around to make certain everyone was ready to leave. “I think we might follow the trail that leads back to the lake.”

“That sounds lovely, dear,” Narcissa responded approvingly.

"Father, why don't you lead off?" Draco suggested.

Lucius handed Angel her reins, mounted his stallion and led the family out of the yard at a respectable walk. The trail back to the lake brushed the edge of the forest on the vast property. Late blooming flowers that littered the earthy floor were trampled under the horses' hooves and the bees that hovered close to the sweetest of them fled in fear of their tiny lives. The lake and surrounding grounds were tranquil as the horses picked their way slowly through the undergrowth. Apart from the occasional snorts from their mounts, Draco could hear Angel nattering her attentive grandfather's ear off, and his mother doing the same to Drake.

Draco hung at the rear of the riders, content with his own thoughts for the time being. He wondered what Ginny was up to at the moment. Millie had told him she had eaten an early lunch when he'd asked after her during his own meal, which didn't quite make sense to him as they'd had quite a late breakfast this morning. Still, he was new to this pregnancy caper, so he didn't know how often women in Ginny's condition ate. What he did know was that it changed constantly, as did what they wanted to eat.

Before he knew it they'd reached the lake's edge and his mount stopped for a well-earned drink, as it always did when they rode this way. It wasn't something he really had a choice in, because his horse was as stubborn as he was, and if it wanted a drink then it was damned well going to have one.

"What time were you to meet Ginevra, Draco?" Narcissa asked.

"Three o'clock, Mother," Draco answered, keeping his eyes on his horse for any signs of wanting to move on.

"We should start back very soon then, or you'll be late."

"Very well," Draco uttered.

"Perhaps we could go across the grounds for the return leg. Allow the horses to stretch their legs a little?" Lucius suggested.

"With the children and Mother?" Draco queried doubtfully.

"Having your mother with us makes it the perfect time, as she can ride with the children," Lucius countered.

"All right," Draco agreed, forcibly turning his mounts head in the direction of the stables. "Drake and Angel, you are to stay with Grandmother."

"Can't I ride with you, Daddy? I can keep up," Angel said confidently.

"No, we're going to gallop back, so we'll meet you at the stables."

"I can canter."

"I know you can, but you're not ready to gallop yet," Draco said firmly. "You're to walk with Grandmother, understood?"

"Yes."

"Ready, Draco?" Lucius enquired.

Rather than answer, Draco gave his horse a sharp kick in the flanks and started towards the stables in a rush of noise. It was only minutes before he heard his father's stallion gaining on him. The rush of wind in his face and the thunderous noise of hooves racing over the ground made his blood pump fast and thoughts of anything important seem totally insignificant. Eager to beat Lucius, Draco urged his mount on with whispered words of encouragement in his ear. As the stables came into view they were side-by-side, but just before they reached the stable yard Lucius' horse accelerated just a little more and he reached the yard a few feet in front of Draco.

"Better luck next time," Lucius said with the pleased tone of a winner as he reined his horse in and gave it a hearty pat on the neck.

"Good win," Draco muttered.

He knew he should feel exhausted after all he'd done today, but the race back had left him feeling exhilarated. Draco dismounted and guided his horse into the stable, handing the beast over to a servant before returning to the yard to await his children. Angel was the first to canter into the yard, followed by Narcissa and Drake a short distance behind.

"Angel, I thought I told you to walk," Draco said.

"Grandmother said I could canter up to the yard, because I could see you," Angel argued.

"Fine," Draco ground out.

"Darling, there's no harm done," Narcissa intoned melodically. "Angelique has fine skills. She'll be galloping alongside you before you know it."

"I wasn't taking anything away from her skills, Mother. I simply didn't want any unfortunate accidents to ruin this evening."

"And did you restrict Drake's flying in the same manner?"

Draco sighed heavily. He'd walked straight into a trap, and no matter how he answered he was going to come off looking like he was favoring Drake over Angel or that he thought his son's skills were far more advanced than his daughter's. "No, I did not."

Narcissa smiled knowingly at his expression. "Perhaps you should keep in mind that they are both capable of a great deal."

"I'll do that in the future," Draco uttered, not at all happy with himself.

"Thank you, dearest," Narcissa said as Lucius assisted her to dismount.

Draco walked over to Angel and lifted her out of the saddle, and was about to do the same for Drake when the little boy leapt from his mount, landing on his feet some distance away.

"Drake, you've been told before that we don't jump from the horses," Lucius reminded firmly.

"Sorry," Drake mumbled.

"Mate, you need to remember that you could hurt the horse if you keep doing that, particularly as you get bigger," Draco explained.

"Okay, I won't do it again."

"Good. Are you ready to go to afternoon tea?" Draco asked.

Drake nodded enthusiastically. "I'm starving!"

"Can't we please keep riding?" Angel pleaded.

"I think it's best if we all start preparing for this evening," Narcissa answered calmly. "You're going to need a substantial bath to rid yourself of that horrid horse smell."

"Oh, yes!" Angel agreed heartily.

"First we're having afternoon tea with Mummy," Draco stated before his daughter could head off to the house.

"But I have to get ready!"

"You'll have plenty of time after we meet Mummy for afternoon tea," Draco reiterated strongly.

Angel began to pout and her eyes started to well with tears.

"Don't start that either, because the only thing you'll get is wet cheeks," Draco warned.

"Draco," Lucius hissed.

Unable to help himself, Draco rolled his eyes, which sent Drake off into a fit of giggles.

"Lucius, let it be," Narcissa cautioned in a tone that brokered no argument. "The children are having afternoon tea with their mother, and that is final. They've seen little enough of her this week without you interfering."

"I simply don't see the point in forcing the child when she is likely to make everyone miserable with her present attitude," Lucius retorted.

"She's only playing it up, because you're here to fight for what she wants," Draco informed him sharply. "Angel, Drake, we're meeting Mummy in the gazebo, so why don't you two start heading that way?"

"Yes, Daddy," Angel responded despondently.

Drake took off as fast as his feet could carry him, eager to see what was for afternoon tea. Angel dawdled away as slowly as she dared, much to Draco's exasperation. He waited until she was out of earshot before turning back to his father.

"It would be nice if you'd keep your suggestions to yourself for a change," Draco growled.

"I was only trying to save you some grief," Lucius countered.

"If you hadn't opened your mouth she'd have gone to afternoon tea quite happily."

"She's going now and that's all that matters, darling," Narcissa crooned. "Now, why don't you go and join them. I'm sure Ginevra is looking forward to hearing all you've done with the children today."

Draco kissed his mother's cheek. "Thank you. I'll see you this evening."

"Of course, darling."

Without another word, Draco stalked off in the same direction the twins had taken. He knew he should feel a little gratitude towards his mother for stemming the argument that was about to erupt with his father, but there were times when he wished she'd just let them bellow at each other. Perhaps then they would be able to clear the air between them once and for all. As he entered the rose garden he could see Angel lingering beside some of the prettiest pink roses in the entire garden.

"Angel, Mummy is waiting," Draco reminded her.

"Can I pick some flowers for Mummy?"

Draco blinked at his daughter a couple of times. Her sweet voice was not what he expected to hear at this point, given her demeanor when she left the stables. "Yes, all right. Do you want me to help you?"

"No, I can get a servant."

"All right, but come straight to the gazebo when you're finished."

"Okay," Angel answered amiably. "HELP!"

Draco shook his head as a servant appeared at Angel's feet, and she started giving the creature orders. Rather than stand by redundantly while the servant followed its orders, Draco headed off to meet his wife for afternoon tea.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Mummy!" Drake charged through the garden and bounced into the gazebo.

"Hello, darling." Ginny gathered her son in her arms. "Have you had fun today?"

"Yep! Daddy took us flying, and then we had lunch, and then we went riding with Grandmother and Grandfather."

"You should be exhausted!"

"Nope." Drake shook his head. "Can we go swimming?"

"Maybe tomorrow," Ginny suggested.

"But why can't we go today?"

"Why can't we go where today?" Draco asked as he mounted the gazebo.

"Swimming," Ginny answered.

"Mate, I'm exhausted," Draco expressed, slumping into a chair for emphasis.

"I'm not," Drake countered.

"Where's Angel?" Ginny asked.

"She decided she wanted to pick some roses," Draco replied casually.

"On her own?"

"No, she's just standing back and pointing at the blooms she wants. A servant is doing the picking and removing the thorns."

"That's all right then."

"What have you been up to today?" Draco asked.

"I think everything is ready to go for tonight. I've chosen my gown and decided how I'm going to wear my hair," Ginny replied.

Draco leaned over to Drake and whispered rather loudly, "You know that's going to change another dozen times before our guests arrive."

Drake sniggered into his hand.

"No, it won't," Ginny contradicted. "Mostly because I don't have much that fits comfortably at the moment."

"You need to go shopping then," Draco stated. "I'm sure Mother would love to help you pick a new wardrobe."

"There's no point," Ginny said. "I don't wear those types of gowns enough to warrant buying new ones just to have them in my wardrobe."

"We will have several events to attend in the coming months, so it would be an idea to have a few," Draco suggested.

"If need be, I can get something when the occasion arises."

"All right, but I just didn't want you to be stressing out when we do have an event to attend."

"Draco, if I bought something next week it wouldn't fit me next month, so there's little point in stocking up on dresses that I won't get to wear."

"Fine, but the offer is there."

Ginny looked out into the garden. "Look, here comes Angel."

"Best I stop all this chatter about shopping then." Draco winked across the table.

"Mummy, I picked you some roses," Angel exclaimed as she neared the gazebo.

"They're beautiful, darling." Ginny accepted the small bunch of pink roses as Angel passed them over. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Angel sniffed affectedly. "Is that pumpkin juice?"

"Yes, sweetheart. Would you like a glass?"

"Yes, please." The little witch smiled sweetly at her mother.

"Can we eat now?" Drake asked hopefully.

"Eat up, mate," Draco answered.

"Tea?" Ginny asked Draco after she'd poured the twins a glass of pumpkin juice each.

"Please," Draco replied, reaching for the plate of pastries.

"Drake said your parents took them horse riding," Ginny commented as she poured the tea.

"They decided to join us," Draco clarified.

"Oh, I see."

"That reminds me, there's been a small change of plans for this evening."

Ginny's eyes opened wide and she stared at her husband questioningly. "What?"

"Nothing to do with us exactly," Draco said hurriedly. "My parents have decided to host a small dinner party this evening with the children as their guests."

"How did this come about?"

"Someone was a bit miffed about not being invited, and took her complaint to a soft touch, who, of course, caved under the threat of tears and offered to host a special dinner party."

A smile tugged at Ginny's lips and she shook her head. "He'd be mortified if he knew how easily someone can manipulate him."

"He'd never admit to it," Draco claimed.

"Probably not," Ginny agreed.

"Who are you talking about?" Angel inquired with a frown.

"No one you know," Draco answered abruptly. The last thing he needed was for his daughter to tell his father that he thought he was a pushover; the vehement denials would grow boring very quickly.

"Did you have fun today, darling?" Ginny asked, effectively changing the subject.

"Oh yes, we went flying, and I'm getting really good. Daddy said so! Then I had lunch with Grandmother and Grandfather, and then we all went riding."

Ginny looked at Draco. "You had lunch with your parents?"

"No, Angel had lunch with my parents. Drake and I ate together."

"Well, it sounds like you had a wonderful day with Daddy," Ginny exclaimed.

"Now I have to get ready for the dinner party tonight," Angel informed her mother.

"You have a little time yet," Ginny replied lightly.

"Grandmother said she was going to start getting ready now." Angel nodded emphatically.

"I'm sure your grandmother will take some time to have a cup of tea before she starts preparing for this evening," Ginny countered. "And you should have a decent amount of afternoon tea, because you'll be eating dinner at a later time than usual this evening."

"You wouldn't want you stomach to be growling when you arrive at your dinner party, would you?" Draco asked.

Angel's eyes almost popped out of her head. "That would be rude!"

"Yes, it would, so eat up now and it won't happen."

A smile passed between Draco and Ginny, over the heads of their children, as Angel reached for the plate of small sandwiches on the table. Between them they were beginning to work out a rhythm to get the twins to do what they wanted them to do. Sometimes Ginny's direct method worked, and at other times Draco's subtle manipulation was best put to use.

After the twins had devoured everything that was on offer, including an entire jug of pumpkin juice, Drake decided he was going to run around the rose beds and burn off a little more energy. It didn't take long for Angel to grow bored with sitting still and join him.

"They're going to be exhausted tonight," Ginny commented.

Draco chuckled. "I can just see Mother's face now when they fall asleep in their soup."

"At least they won't be a problem to get to bed."

"Do we keep them moving or let them rest?" Draco asked.

"Keep them moving. If they sleep now, they'll sleep through dinner and then be up until all hours."

"Okay. Do we have a plan of action then?"

"If we let them keep running around out here for a while, then send them up for baths that should take them through to when we get to hand them over to your parents."

"And if it doesn't work?"

Ginny grinned wickedly across the table. "Sugar!"

"I don't know if I have the energy for that," Draco warned. The thought of the twins hyped up on sugar after such a busy day was enough to give him nightmares.

"It won't come to that," Ginny promised. "After all, it's just after four o'clock now."

"Should we start thinking about heading inside? We have to get ourselves ready as well."

"Yes, I suppose we should."

Millie suddenly appeared next to Ginny holding two scrolls of parchment. "Mistress, Millie has these for Miss Angelique and Little Master Drake."

"I'll take them," Ginny instructed, wondering what on earth they could be. "We're about to head inside, so could you see that all this makes it back to the house?"

"As Mistress wishes."

Ginny turned the scrolls over in her hand as Millie began to clear the table. She frowned when she saw the now familiar Malfoy seal embossed into the wax. "What could these be?"

"I don't know," Draco replied absently as he tried to locate the twins. "Drake! Angel!"

Moments later giggling filled the air as the twins raced back to their parents.

"Is there any pumpkin juice left?" Drake asked as he tried to catch his breath.

"We'll get you some when we get inside," Draco offered.

"These came for you." Ginny held the scrolls out to the children.

Angel's eyes lit up with excitement. "What is it?"

"Why don't you open it and see," Ginny suggested.

With meticulous care Angel broke the wax seal and unfurled the parchment. "Daddy, can you read it to me?"

"Give it here." Draco scanned the parchment before he began to read. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth when he recognized his father's even script.

Angelique Malfoy

You are cordially invited

To attend a dinner party

This evening

At Malfoy Manor

In the northern wing formal dining room

"An invitation! I got an invitation!" Angel squealed as she jumped up and down on the spot.

Drake rolled his eyes and shook his scroll in her face. "So did I."

"Why don't we go inside and start getting ready for the dinner party then?" Draco suggested.

"Do we have to?" Drake whined.

"Yes, because your mother and I need to get ready for our guests as well," Draco answered firmly.

"And you desperately need a bath," Ginny added, wrinkling her nose at the decidedly horsey smell emanating from her son's clothing.

"But I could—"

"No arguments," Draco rejoined. "Now why don't you catch up with your sister?"

Drake muttered a few words under his breath as he stomped off to join Angel, who was already a good distance away.

"We're not going to have to try and get him to wear dress robes, are we?" Ginny inquired hesitantly.

"No, I told Mother he would be dressed appropriately, but dress robes were not going to be considered."

Ginny breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness."

"I didn't think you'd want to fight that battle tonight."

"The battle to get him into the bath is going to be quite enough for one night," Ginny said as they headed inside to prepare for the evening.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Ginny, I'll meet you downstairs, just in case we get some early arrivals,” Draco called as he crossed their bedchamber.

“All right. Are the twins with your parents?"

"Drake escorted Angel to their dinner party a short while ago," Draco replied. "I had Millie follow them at a distance to make sure they made it without incident."

"Okay. I won't be long.”

“Good,” he muttered to himself as he left their suite.

The parlor that Ginny had chosen to greet their guests in was close to their formal dining room. Draco thought she must have consulted with his mother, because everything looked perfectly set up for a night of entertaining. A fully stocked sidebar had been discreetly positioned in the corner and the house elves who would be serving this evening were already in position.

He had to admit that he was impressed with what he could see so far. Not that it mattered, because this was her dinner party and she would be the only one to gauge its success. The sound of a throat being clearly lightly from the doorway garnered his attention.

Draco turned and took in the vision that was his wife. “You look amazing, Ginny.”

She spun on the spot to give her husband a full view of her gown for the evening. A small grin tugged at her lips when she heard him hiss in appreciation. The dress she'd chosen for the night was a simple strapless gown in emerald green. A bow on her right hip gave the impression that the fabric of the bodice had been gathered to that point, giving the otherwise plain design a little definition. The skirt hung in a basic a-line and her slightly bulging tummy could only be just made out under the heavy silk.

“Enchanting,” Draco whispered as he gathered her in his arms. “You know we could tell the servants to send everyone home.”

“And waste this dress? Besides I'd never hear the end of it if we did that.”

“From whom?”

“Ron.”

“He's coming?”

“Of course he is. This dinner party is for our wedding attendants and their partners. Ron is engaged to Pansy.”

It wasn't anything he didn't know, but he hadn't really given much thought to the entire guest list. “Who else did you invite?”

“Harry and Hermione, Blaise and Katarina, and Greg and Natasha,” Ginny counted off.

“It should be a good night.”

“I hope so.”

“Are you nervous?”

“Just a little,” Ginny admitted. “This is the first time I've done any of this.”

“Well, if it helps… So far, I can see you've done a sterling job.”

“I have?”

“You have.” Draco carefully kissed her forehead, so as not to disturb her perfect makeup. “Did you speak to Mother?”

“She gave me some hints.”

“I'm glad you thought to go to her for advice. She really is an expert at this type of thing.”

“I think she was itching to take over the arrangements.”

“I wouldn't doubt it.” Draco smirked. “She'll have a dinner party very soon, just you watch.”

“Malfoy!”

Draco's head snapped up to the doorway. “Zabini, good to see you.”

“We're not interrupting anything are we?” Blaise smirked nefariously at his friend. “We could come back later if you need fifteen minutes or so.”

“If you're only offering fifteen minutes I'd best put my initial plans on the backburner for now,” Draco retorted as he pumped his friend's hand.

“Oh, Draco,” Ginny exclaimed, slapping his arm playfully. “Keep it clean.”

“Ginny, lovely to see you again,” Blaise said with a charming smile as he lifted her hand to place a kiss on it.

“I'm so happy you could make it tonight,” Ginny responded warmly. “Katarina, you're looking so well.”

The women exchanged kisses and embraces.

“Thank you. So are you. You're starting to show!” Katarina gently ran her hand over Ginny's belly.

“I see you are as well,” Ginny observed.

“I feel so uncomfortable at the moment. Merlin only knows what I'm going to be like in another couple of months.”

“You should try carrying twins.” Ginny laughed as she led the other woman across the room to the sofa.

“She's been dying to catch up with Ginny and Pansy,” Blaise whispered to Draco.

Draco shot a curious look at his old friend. “Oh?”

“Yeah, she wants someone to talk babies with.”

“Oh god, I get enough of that when Ginny gets together with her sisters-in-law,” Draco groaned. “Drink?”

“You know I can't say no.” Blaise winked.

“I didn't think you would.” Draco grinned. “Firewhisky?”

“Perfect.”

Before Draco could summon a servant one appeared at his feet balancing a tray of pre-poured drinks. He passed one to Blaise and had only enough time to pick his own drink up when Pansy, Ron, Harry and Hermione arrived. Draco watched as the four new arrivals greeted Ginny with kisses and hugs.

"What's this? Are you starting without us, Malfoy?" Harry said as he reached to shake Draco's hand.

Draco looked ruefully at the tumbler in his hand and replaced it on the tray. "I was trying to. Firewhisky?"

"Love one." Harry grinned broadly.

"Hello, Draco," Hermione expressed lightly.

"Hermione, you look lovely this evening," Draco responded in a show of excellent manners.

"Thank you. Where are the twins?"

"They're with my parents, but I have no doubt that they'll convince Father to let them visit us before bedtime," Draco explained.

"I hope they do," Harry said enthusiastically.

"Come on, you two, move along," Ron demanded good-naturedly. "I can't reach the drinks from here."

"Ronald," Pansy warned. "We talked about this, didn't we?"

"Yes, dear. This is a dinner party, not a party, and I should only have a drink or two to be sociable."

"Good to see you remembered. Now let's see if you can put it into practice."

"Leave him alone, Pansy," Draco insisted. "If he gets done, then we all get to have a good laugh."

"That's all very well and good, but I'm the one who gets to try and drag him home, and do you know how impossible that is?"

"I'll help you if need be," Draco assured her. "Have a drink, Weasley."

"Don't mind if I do." Ron accepted the tumbler with a cheeky grin

"Stop looking at him like that, Pansy," Draco ordered. "You'll turn the man to stone."

"Thanks, Malfoy." Ron slapped Draco on the shoulder. "Oh, yeah, Charlie said to thank you ever so much for keeping Ginny at home today."

Draco frowned. He thought he heard just a hint of sarcasm in his brother-in-law's tone. "She did stay home," he ventured cautiously.

Ron shook his head slowly to indicate that Draco was wrong.

"Bloody hell," Draco cursed. "I suppose Charlie's ready to flay me?"

"Nah, he said he'd just toss you straight to his dragons. They like to roast you up, so your skin goes all crispy, before eating you."

Draco glanced over to his wife, who was a picture of innocence as she greeted Greg and Natasha at the door. "She promised, and she didn't say a thing."

"Yeah, and you were out of the way for long enough, so she could duck across to the Burrow unnoticed."

"The woman should have been a Slytherin," Draco muttered mostly to himself.

"I'd agree, except for the fact that Mum would have had a coronary."

Draco shook his head and sighed heavily. "Is everything all right over there? She didn't upset Anya too much, did she?"

"Nah, Charlie stepped in and Bill was there at the time as well." Ron chuckled at the memory. "Besides, it's not like Anya and Ginny have any trouble expressing how they feel."

"There's no permanent damage, is there?"

"I don't think so, and if there is, they'll get over it," Ron assured him.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, the girls have all tangled wands at some point, but they get over it fairly quickly," Ron guaranteed.

"All right," Draco said with a heavy sigh. He knew he'd have to bring the subject up with Ginny at some point, but now wasn't an appropriate moment. "I'll have a chat with her tomorrow morning."

"You don't have to," Ron said. "The girls can work things out for themselves."

"Perhaps, but she told me she wasn't going over there, and she still hasn't told me she did, yet she's had the opportunity."

Ron held his hands up in surrender. "I'm staying out of that one."

"Malfoy." Greg Goyle barged into the private conversation and pumped his old friend's hand furiously.

"Goyle, good to see," Draco intoned happily.

"You remember Natasha?"

"Of course, I never forget a beautiful woman." Draco lifted the witch's hand and placed a chaste kiss on it. "Natasha, thank you for coming tonight."

Someone clearing their throat nearby garnered Draco's attention and when he flicked his eyes towards the sound he wished he hadn't. Ginny had a decidedly dangerous look in her eye. He dropped the other witch's hand instantly and gave his wife a sheepish grin.

"Natasha, Greg, would you like a drink?" Ginny asked, still keeping her eye on her husband.

"Love one," Greg answered.

"A wine would be lovely," Natasha responded.

"Draco, perhaps you could get Natasha's wine?" Ginny suggested.

"Of course. Greg, there's a tray of Firewhisky floating around, so help yourself," Draco said before making his way to the small bar Ginny had set up in the corner.

"If you insist," Greg answered cheekily.

"Natasha, why don't we go and sit down with the rest of the women?" Ginny threaded her arm through the other woman's and began guiding her towards the comfortable chairs.

Greg took a tumbler of Firewhisky from the tray a servant presented him and followed Draco to the bar. "Mate, it's a good thing her eyes aren't capable of magic or you'd have been blasted into a million tiny, little pieces."

"I was being polite and nothing more," Draco retorted defensively.

"Tell that to your wife."

"I will, if she brings the subject up."

"You know she will. Women always bring stuff like that up," Greg reminded him.

"It's nothing I can't handle," Draco said firmly. "Would you like to deliver your girlfriend's wine?"

Greg smirked. "All right, but only because I think your murder would ruin the evening."

Draco watched his friend head in the direction of the women for a few moments. He hoped that Ginny would let his offhanded comment about Natasha go, because he really was only being charming. Of course, she might understand once he explained, but there was a small niggle of doubt in his mind, given that her reaction was most likely based on jealousy.

"Uncle Harry!" Angel squealed above the adult conversations as she ran into the parlor.

"Hello, Princess," Harry exclaimed as he scooped her into his arms. "Don't you look pretty tonight!"

Angel preened as best she could in her godfather's arms. "We're having a dinner party with Grandmother and Grandfather, because Mummy and Daddy wouldn't let us come to this one."

"I see," Harry replied with a knowing smile.

"Ah, just in time for hors d'ouvres," Lucius expressed as he entered the room.

"Angelique, we never run into a room screaming, darling," Narcissa chided gently. "Mr. Potter, how lovely to see you again."

Harry placed Angel on her feet and turned his attention to his goddaughter's grandmother. "Good evening, Mrs. Malfoy."

"Draco darling, I hope you don't mind, but we decided to join you for hors d'ouvres."

"Of course not, Mother," Draco responded tightly, not daring to look in his wife's direction.

"The children wanted to come and say hello to your guests, so it's easier if we simply join you for the time being," Narcissa explained further, noticing her son's uncertainty. "Besides, it's an excellent opportunity for them to practice their social skills."

"It's fine," Draco assured her. "Harry was asking after the children earlier, so we were going to send for them at some point."

"Drake, it would be more gracious to greet everyone before accepting any food," Lucius reminded his young grandson.

"Yes, Grandfather," Drake muttered, replacing the delicious looking treat back on the tray.

Lucius groaned audibly. "Now that you've touched the food, you can't replace it. No one wants to eat something that your hands have been on."

The little wizard rolled his eyes subtly, so as not to earn his grandfather's wrath and took the morsel of food back. He looked at it in his hand for a moment, and then shoved it into his pocket.

"Drake—"

"Father, just leave it," Draco advised.

"He will not learn if we fail to correct his errors," Lucius insisted.

"At least he realized that he couldn't greet people with food in his hand," Draco pointed out smartly.

"Can I go and say hello now, so I can eat it before it gets squashed?" Drake asked impatiently.

"Yes, mate, go and make sure you greet everyone properly," Draco answered, before Lucius could open his mouth.

"You are too lenient with him," Lucius hissed as Drake wandered over to the men.

"And you are too harsh," Draco retorted in a low tone before turning on his heel and returning to the men. The last thing he wanted to tonight was to get into a verbal sparring match with his father.

Draco watched on with pride as his son greeted each of the men by shaking hands and engaging in a little small talk before moving on. Ron seemed particularly surprised at his nephew's behavior and took a few seconds to recover to answer Drake's question regarding his health. As Drake left Ron to move onto Greg, Draco crept up beside his brother-in-law.

"Mother has been tutoring him in etiquette," Draco whispered.

"Yeah, whatever that is," Ron mumbled uncertainly.

"Good manners," Draco clarified.

An obviously disgusted snort escaped Ron.

"Scoff all you like, but my son will know the difference between a soupspoon and a dessertspoon."

"There's a difference?"

"Yes, Weasley, there's a difference."

Ron shrugged. "Never noticed. A spoon is a spoon."

"You must give Mrs. Parkinson a coronary every time you eat with them."

"Don't do that too often," Ron mumbled.

Draco leaned in with a smirk on his face and whispered, "And now you know why."

He didn't need to glance back to know that Ron's face was a picture of indignation, as he walked over to where Angel was having her hand kissed by Blaise.

"Do I have to remind you that that's my daughter you're accosting, Zabini?"

"She's positively charming, Malfoy," Blaise responded enthusiastically as Angel extracted herself and moved on to Greg Goyle. "You should be very proud."

"I am, though I can't take all the credit for her manners." Draco dropped his voice to a whisper and continued, "Mother has been giving her direction and she's proved to be an excellent student."

Blaise raised an eyebrow at his friend in amusement. "I should dare you to say that in earshot of your delightfully dangerous wife."

"You wouldn't!"

"I might, if the evening grows boring," Blaise teased.

Draco eyed his friend warily. "I have killed for less."

"As long as you promise to torture me first I won't complain." Blaise winked playfully.

"You're a sick man." Draco shook his head in mock disgust.

"Not sick... Interesting," Blaise corrected cheekily.

"Daddy, I said hello to everyone now," Drake interrupted.

"Good boy."

"Can I eat something now?"

"Go ahead, but if I were you I'd leave whatever it was you put in your pocket in there, because your grandmother would have a fit if she saw you eating it," Draco advised quietly.

"Okay," Drake whispered in return.

Draco laughed as his son made a beeline for the nearest servant with a tray of food.

"You should have let him eat the one he saved," Blaise said amusedly. "It would have added a bit of excitement to the evening if your mother was to have one of her infamous fits."

"Thanks, but I think we can do without the high-pitched shrieking," Draco replied deprecatingly.

Blaise pouted comically. "I've missed her hysterics."

Draco cleared his throat in an effort to squash his temptation to laugh. "I might see how the women are getting along."

"Yes, run away... Don't worry about me, I'll entertain myself," Blaise called after him.

An amused smile tugged at Draco's lips as he crossed the room. He could always depend on Blaise for a good laugh.

"Darling, this is a simply divine little dinner party," Narcissa exclaimed as Draco approached.

"Ginny did all the work, Mother," Draco explained. "All I did was dress myself and show up on time."

Narcissa sighed. "Just like your father."

"What was that, dearest?" Lucius questioned as he arrived at his wife's side.

"I was just saying how like you Draco is," Narcissa reiterated purposefully.

Lucius made a non-committal sound in the back of his throat.

Undeterred, Narcissa ignored her husband's vague noise and continued, "Don't the girls look positively lovely, dear? They're all blossoming!"

"Quite," Lucius uttered blandly, looking anywhere but at the pregnant women his wife was referring to.

"Am I blossoming, Grandmother," Angel inquired earnestly.

"I should hope not," Lucius snapped.

Angel blinked confusedly at her grandfather.

"Oh, Lucius," Narcissa said with a hint of antipathy, before turning her attention to Angel. "No, darling, but you're the prettiest little girl here."

It was enough to placate the little witch, and a broad smile graced her features as she preened for all present. Compliments flowed, encouraging Angel to continue showing off.

A servant discreetly appeared at Narcissa's elbow and when it Disapparated she cleared her throat gently. "I'm afraid we must leave you to your evening. It seems dinner is about to be served."

The moment Angel heard they were leaving she made her way to her grandfather.

"Angelique, you are supposed to wait for me to collect you," Lucius instructed.

"If I wait Grandmother will get you first," Angel explained matter-of-factly.

As Narcissa rose gracefully, Drake scrambled off the sofa he'd been sharing with his godmother, getting to his feet just in time. He quickly crossed to Narcissa and offered her his arm in a chivalrous fashion.

"Bid everyone a good evening, Drake," Narcissa instructed. "It would be impolite to leave prior to doing that."

"Goodnight, everyone," Drake bellowed, so everyone in the room could hear.

A loud growl from Lucius followed the last strains of Drake's announcement, but it was joined amused sniggers from around the room and that effectively took the sting out of any diatribe he may have been planning to deliver.

"Angelique, perhaps you can show your brother how we should bid everyone a good evening," Lucius suggested.

The little girl quickly moved around the room speaking to small groups of guests, before moving onto the next group, and stopping to kiss her parents and godparents goodnight. Lucius stood by the door with an unmistakably proud expression on his features. When Angel returned to her grandfather, she turned to the guests, curtsied in the general direction of everyone, and then took Lucius' arm, ready for the stroll to the dining room.

"Shall we, dearest?" Lucius asked of Narcissa.

"Yes." Narcissa turned vaguely in the direction of Draco and Ginny's guests. "Have a lovely evening."

Various replies to Narcissa's sentiment echoed softly through the room for a few minutes. Given the number of people speaking at once it would have been a miracle if Narcissa had understood a single word that floated her way, but you wouldn't have known it by her reaction. Ever the perfect hostess, she appeared to receive each comment personally.

"Malfoy, you might have to watch your mother with Angel," Blaise suggested after the elder Malfoys had retreated with the children. "She's turning her into a replica of her."

"Nah, Angel was born that way," Ron corrected.

Harry nodded his agreement. "She's always been the little princess."

"Can you imagine what she's going to be like as a teenager?" Greg posed.

Blaise laughed heartily. "I can just see her now, holding court in the Slytherin Common Room, just like Pansy used to when we were there."

"She might be a Gryffindor," Harry reminded everyone.

"Potter, think about it carefully. Does she seem like the courageous, loyal type or would she be better described as cunning and self-serving?" Draco asked, confident that he knew his daughter well.

"When you put it that way—" Harry trailed off, seemingly not wanting to admit to which Hogwarts house his goddaughter would likely be sorted into.

"You never know, she might turn out just like Ginny," Ron said in an effort to console Harry.

Draco's eyes popped wide open in horror as his mind wandered down a road of thought he'd rather not associate with his daughter. "No," he choked out.

"What's wrong with her turning out like Ginny?" Ron questioned defensively.

"Nothing," Draco replied quickly. "Nothing at all."

"Until she discovers boys," Greg added in a fiendish undertone.

"Don't go there," Draco growled in a low tone.

Blaise patted his friend's blond locks fondly. "He doesn't like to imagine the day he's going to go gray."

"She's a good girl," Harry said firmly. "Angel would never give us a moment of worry! Right, Draco?"

"Yeah," Draco muttered uncertainly. The thought of his baby girl even considering accepting the affections of a boy sent chills through his body and made his stomach knot uncomfortably.

"You'll just have to hope she's nothing like her mother then," Greg interjected with a snort of laughter.

"And just how do you know what her mother was like?" Ron inquired with a hint of malice in his voice.

"I don't really, but when my dorm mate, who happens to be seeing her on the sly, wakes up every day with a grin on his face, after mysteriously spending hours out of the common room the night before—" Greg left the rest of his statement unvoiced, as Ron's face had gone from slightly pink to a shocking purple color.

"We could always tell when Draco got a bit the night before," Blaise continued, ignoring Ron's demeanor. "He was impossibly cheerful the next day. It was sickening really."

An incredulous expression overtook Ron's face and his mouth worked for a few moments without sound. "Cheerful? When was he bloody cheerful at school?"

"Those would be the days that I'd— ah— only pick on your red hair and freckles, and leave your family's lack of wealth alone," Draco supplied with a smirk.

Ron took a step towards his brother-in-law. "You—you did that a lot!"

Draco's smirk grew into a nefarious grin, and he quirked his eyebrows at the incensed man in front of him. "Yeah, I know."

All the men, apart from Ron, burst into raucous laughter. He continued to look riled for several minutes as the other wizards took pleasure in his indignation.

Blaise landed a heavy hand on the redhead's back and tried to stifle his humor. "Come on, Weasley, you can't tell us that you lot haven't worked out what was going on at school yet."

"Of course we did," Ron answered tetchily.

His attitude caused a renewed bout of hilarity to travel through the men surrounding him. Ron looked to Harry, expecting to find some support in his best mate, but Harry had been laughing so hard he had tears running down his cheeks and was clutching at his stomach. A small smile began to tug at his lips and eventually he joined the men in their amusement.

“If you lot would like to pull yourselves together, dinner is ready,” Ginny announced over the din.

After much clearing of throats and strangled snorts, the men brought themselves under control.

"Did you say dinner was ready?" Ron asked hopefully.

"Yes," Ginny confirmed with a nod.

“Excellent!” Ron exclaimed, rubbing his stomach theatrically.

“Well don't just stand there! Come and collect me,” Pansy demanded of her fiancé.

“On my way, love,” Ron assured her, draining his tumbler of Firewhisky and placing it on the occasional table behind him.

All the men followed suit quickly, collecting their respective partners, then following Draco and Ginny into the dining room. When everyone was seated, Ginny picked up a small bell and rang it softly. Two house elves appeared, one with a bottle of the finest red wine from the Malfoy cellars and the other with a bottle of non-alcoholic cider.

Draco leaned back in his chair and watched his guests while the servants attended to everyone's glasses. He'd attended many dinner parties — both in his own home and at other's residences — but no dinner party had ever made him feel so good. Everyone was getting along famously and conversations had hardly lagged since the first guests arrived. It appeared that all their friends were having a grand time.

He looked to the opposite end of the table to where his wife was laughing at something Blaise was saying. Katarina and Hermione were chatting constantly; Draco didn't think anyone could get a word in edgewise with those two. Pansy was telling Harry off for taking a generous mouthful of wine before Draco had even touched his. Natasha leapt in to defend Harry good-naturedly. Ron and Greg appeared to be needling each other about something, though Draco wasn't concerned because they both had overly amused grins on their faces.

Draco picked up his knife and tapped the side of his water glass to garner everyone's attention, and then raised his glass. “Firstly, Ginny and I would like to thank everyone for joining us this evening. As you may have noticed we have only invited our wedding attendants and their partners, and we have done this with a purpose: to thank you for all your assistance in the lead up to our wedding and, of course, on the day itself. So, without further ado, I would like to propose a toast.” Draco paused while everyone picked up their glasses. “To good friends.”

“Good friends,” everyone echoed.

“Now can we eat?” Ron asked.

“Yes,” Ginny answered, ringing her little bell again.

Ten servants, each carrying a bowl of soup, appeared instantly. Conversations only waned while everyone enjoyed the sumptuous feast Ginny had organized. Compliments about the food flew around the table as each course was served and new delights tempted their taste buds.

"You are the best sister in the whole world," Ron exclaimed as his dessert was placed in front of him. "We're coming to dinner more often."

"We're busy," Draco replied in a deadpan tone.

Ron frowned at the end of the table. "When?"

"When were you planning on coming to dinner again?" Draco asked with what seemed like genuine curiosity.

"Very funny, Malfoy." Ron chuckled.

"He thinks I'm kidding." Draco held his stoical expression for a moment longer before joining Ron in hilarity.

"When we move into our own place we'll have you all over for dinner," Pansy announced.

"Have you found somewhere?" Ginny inquired.

"Not yet." Pansy sighed lightly. "We have a few options, but Ron doesn't—"

"Pansy," Ron growled in warning.

The dark-haired witch rolled her eyes, caught Ginny's attention and mouthed, "I'll tell you later."

Ginny nodded her understanding and returned to her dessert. She knew Ron had been a little more than difficult the past few weeks when the subject of their future living arrangements came up.

Draco waited patiently until the last person had placed their cutlery in the finished position. The thought that the women should concentrate on eating the food in front of them rather than gossiping crossed his mind, as all four women finished their dessert well after the men. "Gentlemen, shall we retire to my—"

"We'll be retiring to the parlor," Ginny interrupted firmly, giving Draco a pointed look. She was well aware of the traditions of dinner parties, and she was determined the women wouldn't be left in the parlor waiting for the men to return from doing whatever it was they did in the sanctuary of a study.

"Love, it's perfectly normal for us to have a little—"

"Well, you're not getting it tonight. You can still have your drinks and whatnot, but us women will be privy to your conversation."

"I've always wondered what they talked about after dinner," Pansy exclaimed with a wicked grin.

"You can keep wondering, because you won't be hearing any of that talk in the parlor," Draco retorted dryly.

Pansy pouted. "Why not?"

"It's inappropriate," Blaise answered.

"What on earth could be so bad that we're not allowed to hear?" Hermione asked.

Ron shrugged. "Buggered if I know."

Draco looked down the table at his wife. He knew her expression well and knew it wasn't worth the trouble of arguing. They would be keeping company with the women all evening, whether they liked it or not. Of course, the parlor was large, so they could always congregate on one side and leave the women on the other. "If the ladies wish us to keep them company this evening, we're more than happy to oblige."

"Good," Ginny responded with a satisfied smile. "Shall we move into the parlor then?"

As Ginny stood up Draco, Greg and Blaise came to their feet automatically. Pansy cleared her throat and looked pointedly at Ron, who returned her look with one of confusion.

"Oh, for Merlin's sake, Ronald, stand up!" Pansy growled. She turned her sharp gaze to her fiancé's best friend, who had possibly picked the worst time to start sniggering. "Don't you start laughing, Harry, you need to get on your feet too!"

"Perhaps we ought to send them to etiquette lessons with my mother?" Draco suggested with a smirk. "I'm sure she'd be delighted to have a couple of new students."

Pansy rolled her eyes. "I'm positive Drake could teach them a thing or two."

"Lessons would be a waste on those two," Hermione interjected. "They've always been allergic to studying."

"We could stand here all night debating Ron and Harry's lack of education, but I'm dying for a cup of tea and a comfortable chair," Ginny announced. "Shall we?"

Without further delay everyone returned to the parlor. The men took up residence near the French doors again, which were open to allow the warm summer breeze to filter through the room. Draco ensured his guests all had drinks in their hands before turning his mind to the conversations taking place.

Ginny guided the women into the comfortable chairs near the hearth, where a large pot of tea stood ready to be served. She shooed the servant away and set about pouring the tea herself.

"Natasha, would you like a cup of tea or something else?"

"Tea is fine, thank you, Ginny," Natasha responded, glancing wistfully at the decanter of Firewhisky that Draco was expertly pouring from for the men.

"Are you sure? You're quite welcome to have some more wine or even some Firewhisky if you want," Ginny explained.

"Go on," Pansy encouraged.

"Just because we can't, doesn't mean you shouldn't," Katarina insisted.

"All right then, I'd love a Firewhisky," Natasha conceded.

"Firewhisky it is then." Ginny smiled warmly at the other woman. "Draco."

"Yes, love?"

"Natasha would like a Firewhisky."

Draco looked surprised for a fraction of a second before turning to pour another Firewhisky and make his way across to Natasha. "Here you go."

"Thank you." Natasha smiled gently.

"Where's Ron?" Ginny asked.

"He went straight to the bathroom," Pansy informed her.

"Oh, I didn't realize." Ginny laughed. "He usually announces that loudly."

Pansy cringed. "I think I've broken him of that particular habit."

Ginny looked incredulously at her future sister-in-law. "Really? I don't believe it!"

"Well, at least when we're out. At home it's a different thing. It's like he has to tell everyone, so no one else will head in that direction," Pansy admitted.

"One bathroom with a house full of people is a problem, believe me." Ginny giggled, remembering all the times she would find the bathroom occupied at her parents' home.

"Speaking of such, I must make a visit there myself," Hermione declared, pulling herself out of the chair.

The women settled into easy conversation about recent events in the wizarding world. Pansy, Natasha and Katarina were well informed on all the social gossip, and Ginny found herself morbidly fascinated with the rumors they were recounting. She knew of some of the people they were discussing through Narcissa and was sure her mother-in-law would be scandalized at several things the other women were telling her to the point where she would disassociate herself from them.

"Oh, for goodness sakes, can't we come up with something more interesting to talk about than who's shagging whom?" Hermione expressed disgustedly as she sat down.

"You might not think it, but it's important to keep up with this sort of thing in our social circles," Pansy explained.

"I can't see how?" Hermione challenged.

"If you're aware of what's going on with certain people then you're less likely to make a faux pas when interacting with the parties concerned," Pansy clarified patiently.

"Why would you be talking about who they're shagging anyway? Isn't that considered gauche?"

"Of course it is!" Pansy gave the brown-haired witch a surprised look. "If you know who they're shagging, then you can ask after the well-being of the right person, instead of their previous partner."

Hermione rolled her eyes comically. "Well, I'm just glad I don't have to bother with all that rubbish, because I really don't have any desire to know what's going on behind closed doors or in sleazy hotel rooms."

"Believe me, some of it is really disgusting," Pansy assured her. "Did you see Ron when you went to the bathroom?"

"No, I didn't," Hermione answered, looking over to the men to see if she could spot her friend. "Didn't he come back?"

Pansy anxiously scanned the room. "I haven't seen him since we left the dining room."

"Do you want me to send Draco to check on him?" Ginny asked with concern tainting her tone slightly.

"Please," Pansy responded.

"I'm sure he's just fine." Ginny patted her hand before rising out of her chair.

Pansy nodded and smiled unconvincingly.

“Draco, I'm getting a bit worried about Ron. He's been gone for ages,” Ginny whispered as she reached his side.

“He'll be right,” Draco muttered absently, trying to keep his attention on the conversation the men were having.

“Pansy's concerned as well.”

Draco groaned just audibly and turned to face his wife. “Ginny, a bloke has a right to use the lavatory in peace.”

“But he's been gone too long, and Hermione didn't see him when she went.”

“I'm not going after him.”

“Fine, I'll send a servant then.”

“If you're that worried, do it, but he's not going to be impressed if a servant suddenly pops up in the bathroom while he's busy.”

"Which is why I'd rather you discreetly checked on him," Ginny pointed out.

"Ginny, he'll be all right," Draco assured her.

She rolled her eyes at him and summoned a servant. After giving the creature instructions to locate Ron, Ginny sent one last scathing look in her husband's direction before returning to the other women.

"I've sent a servant to check on him, Pansy," Ginny assured the other woman.

"Thank you. It's not like him to take so long when we're out," Pansy explained. "If we were at home it would be a different matter; he wouldn't emerge until he'd finished the latest edition of whatever magazine he had taken with him."

Hermione laughed lightly. "All the boys are like that."

"I'm forever clearing out Blaise's 'reading material' from our bathroom," Katarina added. "Why is it that the only place men read is the toilet?"

"I couldn't think of anything worse." Ginny screwed her nose up, and then laughed with the other women.

"Could this be our lost man?" Natasha asked as a house elf walked into the room.

A harassed looking Ron followed a house elf into the parlor. He headed straight for Draco. "You need sign posts in the corridors!"

"What?"

"Sign posts! You know, so people don't get lost," Ron blathered. "I need a drink."

Draco bit the side of his mouth to stop himself from giving into the urge to laugh. "You got lost going to the bathroom?"

"Yeah, well there are that many bloody corridors," Ron muttered before empting the tumbler of Firewhisky a servant had just provided him with.

"The bathroom is just down the hall," Draco pointed out slowly. "You don't even need to turn a corner."

"I missed the door."

"And it didn't occur to you to turn around?"

Ron sent his brother-in-law a sour look before diverting his attention to Pansy, who had been hovering at his side.

"Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I just lost track of how many turns I'd taken," Ron admitted quietly.

“Don't stare.” Draco nudged Greg sharply, who was openly gaping at Pansy as she whispered something in Ron's ear, kissed his cheek, and then made her way back to the other women.

“I can't help it,” Greg returned in a whisper. “She's… big.”

“You really don't want to say that when she's in the same room,” Ron warned, catching onto the conversation the moment his fiancée left him.

“Sorry, Weasley,” Greg said hurriedly.

Ron chuckled. “No need to apologize, you just pointed out the obvious. It's just not something that's good for your life expectancy if she hears you.”

“I'll bet it isn't,” Greg mused aloud. “How do you—“

“What?” Ron inquired, when the question hung unfinished.

The large man went beet-red. “Never mind.”

“Come on, how do I what?”

“Where's your mind wandering, Greg?” Draco asked, amused at his friend's embarrassment.

“It's none of my business,” Greg insisted.

“You started to say something, now finish it,” Ron urged.

Greg groaned, but leaned conspiratorially towards the other men. “How do you fuck?”

Ron's eyes popped wide open. It was the last thing he'd expected to hear from the ex-Slytherin. “I—err—“

Draco masked his curiosity with amusement, but he was keen to hear the answer from another man's point of view. “Go on, Ronald, share with us.”

“No, she'd kill me,” Ron claimed.

“We won't tell,” Blaise promised. “And I'd be eternally grateful.”

Ron looked at the wizard with mortification clearly written on his face. “Grateful?”

“Yes, grateful. Katarina's hard enough to keep up with now, and I keep wondering what it's going to be like when she gets bigger. I don't want to make a fool of myself,” Blaise admitted. “I do have a reputation to protect.”

Harry cocked an eyebrow at the man. “With your wife?”

“Keep them happy and they won't want to wander,” Blaise stated firmly.

Ron and Harry passed incredulously looks between them. There was no doubt that Slytherins were an entirely different breed to the rest of the wizarding population.

“Are you going to tell us your secrets, or am I going to be forced to risk your life and ask Pansy myself?” Draco asked with a smirk.

“You wouldn't.”

“You know I would.”

“Fine,” Ron ground out. He took a deep breath, stole a glance at the women to make certain they weren't going to wander over and then looked back at the men. All, except Draco, had an eager expression on his face. “It's all about position. You have to adjust your body positions to make sure they're comfortable and you're putting no pressure on their bellies.”

“What sort of positions?” Blaise inquired eagerly.

“It's not that hard to imagine what positions wouldn't put any pressure on their fronts, is it?”

“Just curious,” Greg griped.

"I don't know why you are. You're not even having a baby," Ron said to Greg. He looked at the other men and rolled his eyes; they were obviously very interested in hearing what he had to say. “Her on top… Doggy style… Standing up… Her bent over something like a chair or a table… Her sitting on the edge of a table…”

“Where did you find all this out?” Draco demanded, forgetting he wasn't supposed to appear interested.

“Bill gave me a few ideas,” Ron mumbled. “Charlie added a few more.”

“They actually told you all that?” Draco blinked at him disbelievingly.

“Yeah. Pansy said something to Fleur about it not being comfortable and she told Bill, so he threw some advice my way.”

“Do you think they've got any other tricks up their sleeves?” Draco asked eagerly.

“How would I know? If you want information, ask them yourself.”

“Like I'd come away from that meeting with my body intact,” Draco scoffed. “You forget who I'm going to experiment with.”

“It's not like we don't know what you get up to; we just don't like to think about it. Besides, your pride isn't a body part,” Ron pointed out. “They'll answer any question you have, and they've both been through it enough times to know what they're talking about. There's just one thing though.”

“What's that?” Harry inquired.

“You've got to wait for them to stop laughing before you get any sense from them.”

“A small price to pay,” Draco muttered, mostly to himself.

“You might think so now, but if the twins get wind that you've had a special little chat with them you won't live it down.”

“They would have—“

“They did, or at least one of them did, but that doesn't matter. You know what those two are like.”

“What about Percy?”

Ron's eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Nah, Percy doesn't have sex, his kids are conjured from thin air, and Penelope is a virgin!”

The men erupted into loud laughter, which earned them a few raised eyebrows from the women's side of the room.

"Want to share?" Ginny asked over the din.

Draco took a few deep breaths, mostly out of dire need for air, but also to bring himself under control. "We were just discussing the mating habits of your brother."

Ginny looked at Ron with a horrified expression on her face, and Pansy followed it with a look that promised a painful end to his comfortable life.

"Not me!" Ron blurted defensively. "Percy!"

A frown creased Ginny's smooth forehead. "You were discussing Percy's mating habits?"

"Yeah," Harry confirmed.

"Percy doesn't have sex," Ginny told them matter-of-factly.

The men broke into raucous laughter again.

"It wasn't that funny," Pansy offered.

"I didn't think so either," Hermione agreed.

"Who's Percy?" Natasha inquired curiously.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Ginny responded. "Percy is one of my brothers, and he's a bit prim."

"A bit?" Ron choked out.

"That's an understatement," Harry confirmed, gaining some control of his amusement.

"I have to agree," Draco concurred, wiping tears from his eyes.

"All right," Ginny conceded. "All right, he's more straitlaced than... than... I can't even think of anyone as prudish as him."

"You'll hurt your head if you keep trying," Harry warned, amid gales of renewed laughter.

"Oh, enough! My belly is beginning to hurt," Pansy complained as she struggled to bring herself under control.

A few giggles lingered as the women did their best to stifle their urge to laugh aloud. Hermione was rubbing her belly as well, commiserating with Pansy over the ache that appeared whenever they became too excited. The dark-haired witch stood up and stretched her back for a few moments, trying to rid herself of the nagging ache.

"How pregnant is she, Weasley?" Greg asked quietly, inclining his head in Pansy's direction.

"About twenty-six weeks," Ron answered, looking over at the woman in question with a great deal of pride in his eyes.

"So that's?"

"We've got about fourteen weeks to go," Ron explained.

"That's not long," Blaise mused aloud.

"No, not long at all," Ron agreed. "But Harry's got even less."

"Only by a couple of weeks," Harry reminded him.

"Who's due first out of you and Draco?" Greg asked Blaise.

"I'm not sure. Katarina's just over twenty-one weeks," Blaise answered, looking to Draco for further information.

"Err, I think Ginny's a bit further," Draco muttered uncertainly.

Ron rolled his eyes at his brother-in-law. "You know she's going to kill you for not remembering."

"It's not that I don't know," Draco snapped. "I simply don't recall the exact number of weeks at the moment."

Harry sniggered. "Ginny, how far gone are you?"

"Twenty-two weeks tomorrow," Ginny responded.

"Thanks!" Harry grinned wickedly, then added, "Draco couldn't remember."

Ginny cocked an eyebrow at her old friend. "Tell me, Harry, do you remember exactly how many weeks Hermione is?"

"Twenty-eight weeks," Harry retorted confidently.

"Don't worry about it, Draco, the only reason Harry remembers is because we went for a check up this week," Hermione supplied from the other side of the room.

"I knew before then," Harry replied defensively.

"At least we've got more time than some," Draco commented. "Angelina looked ready to burst last weekend."

Hermione looked at the blond incredulously. "She's still got seven weeks to go."

Draco's eyes just about left his head. "Seven weeks? She'll explode before then!"

He didn't think the notion was so funny, but apparently the women didn't share his view, as they burst into uncontrollable laughter. Before long Ron and Harry joined them, much to Draco's horror. The idea that he'd said something foolish was evident without those two joining the women in his humiliation.

"Oh, Ginny, you really need to educate him," Hermione gasped out.

Pansy took a few deep breaths. "I don't know, I think his innocence is adorable."

"At least he's entertaining," Katarina added.

Adorable? Draco snarled under his breath and turned away from the overly amused women. Perhaps if he ignored them they'd quiet down and leave him alone.

"Don't feel bad, mate." Ron slapped him on the shoulder. "By the time you two have another couple you'll be an expert."

"Oh no," Draco answered immediately. "We're stopping after this one."

An expression of genuine surprise took up residence on Ron's face. "Really?"

"Yes. I think three is more than enough."

"What happened to the Quidditch team you were planning?" Blaise asked.

"When was I ever planning to sire a Quidditch team?"

"Before your wedding. Don't you remember the conversation we had about Ginny's breeding power?" Blaise paused to see if Draco was willing to acknowledge that he recalled the conversation. "You told me you didn't care how many kids you had, just as long as she was happy."

"That was before," Draco growled. "I changed my mind."

"Before? Before what?" Greg inquired with a deep frown.

"Before the kids moved in with him," Ron supplied wisely with a knowing grin.

"Look, I just don't think it's necessary to have any more children. Three, I'm sure you will all agree, is more than enough. I have an heir to carry on the family name already, so there's no point in having more." Draco glanced over to where his wife was sitting, chatting with the women. "I would like to have some time with my wife on a personal level without having to worry about children, and I'd like to do that before we're too old to enjoy it."

"Never thought I'd see the day when this place felt crowded," Greg murmured as he looked around the room. "Is privacy getting to be a bit of an issue?"

"Have any of you any idea what it's like to have a child walk in on you when you're half way through?" Draco blurted uncharacteristically.

"As a matter of fact... Yes!" Ron answered strongly. "And it's usually your son who does the disturbing."

"You're kidding?" Blaise exclaimed.

"Unfortunately, not," Draco expressed dourly.

"That kid has some sort of perverted sixth sense," Ron muttered discontentedly.

"Not to mention a big mouth," Harry added with a smirk.

"He tells?"

"Everyone he possibly can," Ron growled.

"Regardless of my son's habits, I don't want anymore children," Draco explained firmly in an effort to move the conversation back on topic. After all, talking about Drake's uncanny knack of walking in on people, namely him, led to embarrassing comments.

"Does Ginny agree?" Ron asked.

Draco gazed at his brother-in-law and tried to gauge what the man's thoughts were on the matter. It wasn't something that was terribly hard to do, particularly as whatever Ron was feeling at any given moment was clearly displayed on his face. He decided a version of the truth was probably his best option. "She's undecided."

"That's an interesting way of putting it," Harry commented perceptively.

"I need a little time to convince her that more children would just complicate our lives unnecessarily."

Ron snorted. "Somehow, I don't think she's going to see things your way."

"My money's on Ginny having as many as she wants," Harry stated, clearly amused by the idea.

"Best you start designing that Quidditch team uniform, mate," Blaise said with a smirk.

"Before you lot start picking colors and mascots, I feel it pertinent to remind you that it takes two to create a new life."

"As if you'd deny her," Greg scoffed.

Ron snickered. "I'd like to see him try."

"Did we ever find the body of the last person to tell her 'no'?" Harry asked cheekily.

Blaise slung an arm around Draco's shoulders. "Let's face it, mate, if she wants more, you'll have more."

"Are you insinuating that I've gone soft?" Draco eyed his old friend playfully.

"Not at all." Blaise chuckled to himself. "You've always been soft."

"Most especially where the ladies are concerned," Greg added, struggling to keep a straight face.

Draco looked affronted. "I resent any implication that I'm less than firm in my convictions."

"You can resent it all you like, but it doesn't change the fact," Blaise insisted.

Draco muttered discontentedly under his breath. He couldn't believe his friends had such a view of him. Didn't they know he was the man of house? That he wore the pants?

"Don't worry, mate, you can always tell everyone you changed your mind," Greg suggested.

"Malfoys don't change their minds," Draco ground out.

"We won't tell anyone, will we?" Harry choked out amid a snort of laughter.

"Nah, your secret is safe with us," Ron confirmed in a tone that told Draco the whole wizarding world would learn of his change of heart, if it happened.

Laughter, once again, flooded the room as three of the four men gave into their amusement.

"What's so funny?" Katarina asked from the women's side of the room.

"We were just discussing how many kids Draco wants," Ron answered humorously.

Ginny's gaze sharpened instantly, and she directed a look at her brother that very clearly told him not to go there. The men sobered quickly under her scrutiny as her eyes wandered to each of them. She finally stopped on her husband, her eyes narrowed to slits holding a promise that he had not heard the last on this particular subject.

Try as he might, Draco couldn't help but meet Ginny's gaze. Under the cutting glare of his wife, he began to feel a bit like a house elf punishing himself for some misdemeanor. It wasn't a feeling that sat well with him, but he couldn't drag his eyes away. The noise of some one purposely clearing their throat right next to his ear finally enabled him to avert his eyes.

"Here, you need a stiff drink," Blaise whispered, holding a tumbler right under Draco's nose.

All of a sudden the other men gathered around him, and he could no longer see Ginny, no matter how hard he tried.

"Don't," Ron instructed, after Draco purposely tried to look around him. "She'll turn you to stone."

"I gather you two have had discussions about the number of children you're going to have," Harry said cautiously.

"Yeah," Draco muttered uncertainly, not really sure why he was answering such a personal question.

"Sorry," Ron mumbled. "I didn't mean to get you into trouble."

Draco blinked at his brother-in-law in confusion. Did the man just apologize? Not only that, he actually looked forlorn. "Err— It's all right," he uttered haltingly.

"Maybe I should speak to her or something," Ron offered, though his tone told everyone who could hear him that he'd rather be hit with the Cruciatus Curse than face his sister at the moment.

The offer was tempting for about half a second, then Draco's good sense kicked in. "Thanks, but it's probably better if I handle it myself."

"If you're sure," Ron countered with a hint of relief in his tone.

"Positive," Draco assured him. The last thing Draco needed was for Ron to make matters worse, and he had the distinct feeling, if he had accepted the offer, all hell would have broken loose.

"She won't make an issue of this now, will she?" Blaise whispered.

"No, of course not." Even to his own ears he didn't sound all that confident. There was every chance that Ginny would appear right in front of him, at any given second, frothing at the mouth and demanding an explanation.

"I'm going to have to blindfold you if you keep trying to look at her," Ron warned as Draco's eyes flicked over to the women.

"I can't help it," Draco snarled.

"Well, best you bloody well do help it, because if you keep looking at her you're going to cop it for sure," Ron explained harshly.

"Who made you an expert?" Draco snapped.

Ron rolled his eyes in an exaggerated manner. "Apart from the fact that I lived with her for over twenty-three years, she's just like Mum. You never, ever make eye contact when they're in mood like that, because they will rip you apart before you even know what's happening."

"At least it'd be over then," Draco mumbled mostly to himself.

"Believe me, you don't want that to happen when there are witnesses," Ron advised seriously. "You'd never live it down."

"Not to mention that you'd never see your friends again," Harry added.

"And why would that be?" Blaise asked.

"Yeah, we wouldn't desert Draco," Greg supplied.

"Have you ever seen Ginny in full-flight?"

"No," the men answered in unison.

"Trust me, you'd both be too terrified to return," Ron answered.

"She can't be that bad," Blaise commented.

"She's worse," Draco admitted before he could stop himself.

"Worse than what?" Blaise pressed.

"Picture you worst nightmare." Draco paused to give the men a chance to visualize their personal horror. "Now triple it."

"Maybe we should call it a night," Greg suggested tentatively.

"No!" Draco looked around at his friends in dismay. "Stay. Have another drink!"

Ron's face morphed into one of great amusement. "You're not going to try and dull the pain before it hits you, are you?"

A clear answer in the affirmative was seen in Draco's face, and the men burst into laughter. It was one way of dealing with his impending doom, and none of the men saw reason to fault his logic. Over the next hour or so they all consumed far more alcohol than any had planned to at such a gathering. When Firewhisky grew boring, Draco produced a bottle of well-aged cognac, and the men stood around nursing snifters that Draco insisted on topping off frequently. Their conversations grew more bizarre with their level of intoxication, as did their volume. It wasn't until Draco and Harry started singing their old school song, with their arms wrapped around each other's shoulders, that the women saw fit to interfere.

"Harry," Hermione interrupted, cringing at the sound they were making. "I think it's time we said goodnight."

"No, you don't have to go yet!" Draco exclaimed as he staggered away from Harry. "Stay and have another drink."

"I'm not drinking, Draco," Hermione reminded him.

"Harry is," Draco replied earnestly.

"Yes, well... I think Harry's had more than his fair share this evening."

While Hermione was trying to convince Draco it was time for them to leave, the other women were surreptitiously gathering their own partners and moving them in the direction of the doorway.

"Where is everyone going?" Draco looked around in surprise.

"Sorry, mate, I've been given my marching orders," Ron replied dolefully.

"Draco, come and say goodnight to our guests," Ginny encouraged firmly.

"Women spoil all our fun," Draco mumbled under his breath as he staggered into the entrance hall.

Pansy rolled her eyes at her old friend, as she threw her traveling cloak around her shoulders, and then kissed his cheek lightly. "You behave yourself and no throwing a tantrum, because your friends couldn't stay and play."

"Would I do that?" Draco asked incredulously.

"Ask yourself why I would feel the need to mention it if you didn't," Pansy countered with a knowing smile. "Ginny, it was a lovely evening. Thank you for having us."

"You're welcome. Are you going to be able to get Ron home on your own?"

"I've done it a couple of times," Pansy assured her. "He's usually no problem once we get away from the other men."

"Good." Ginny smiled understandingly. "Draco, are you going to say good night to Ron?"

"I'm getting to it," Draco grumbled.

The two men shook hands and slapped each other on the shoulder heartily, while passing a few words between themselves that no one else could decipher.

"Ronald, thank your sister for having us," Pansy prompted when the two men parted.

"Thank you for having us," Ron repeated and gave Ginny a clumsy kiss.

"Goodnight, Ron," Ginny said, wiping the slobber from her cheek.

Pansy ushered her fiancé towards the front doors before he could start up a nonsensical conversation with whoever would listen to him just to delay the inevitable.

"Natasha, thank you so much for coming," Ginny said. "Are you going to be right to get home with Greg?"

"Thank you for inviting us." Natasha smiled warmly. "Don't worry about us, we've done this a couple of times before."

"I'd hate for you to Splinch yourself."

"It hasn't happened yet," the witch insisted.

"All right, but if anything happens, please don't hesitate to Floo me."

"I will."

The women embraced briefly, then waited for the men to finish dribbling whatever nonsense they were filling each other's ears with.

Draco stumbled over to Natasha and took both her hands in his. "Greg is a very lucky man," he slurred.

"Thank you," Natasha responded uncomfortably.

"I mean it, he's very, very lucky to have a good woman like you."

Ginny cleared throat purposely. "Draco, leave Natasha alone."

"I was just—"

"Yes, dear, we all know what you were just doing," Ginny responded sardonically. "You're making her feel uncomfortable, so leave her alone."

"I wouldn't do that! Am I making you uncomfortable, Natasha?" Draco asked with genuine alarm.

"Err—I—"

Ginny stepped forward and gently guided her husband away from Natasha.

"A bloke tries to pay someone a compliment and he gets in trouble for it," Draco muttered just loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Why don't you save your compliments for when you're sober," Ginny suggested with a hint of humor.

"I think we'll go now," Natasha whispered to Ginny.

"Be careful going home," Ginny replied. "Bye, Greg."

"Mrs. Malfoy, it was a pleasure to be in your company this evening," Greg said with a deep bow.

"Oh for goodness sakes." Natasha gave Greg's arm a sharp tug. "Come on, before you do something you'll regret, but won't remember."

"Never!" Greg raised his arm in farewell as Natasha all but dragged him out the door.

"If I don't leave right now I'm going to have to use the bathroom again," Hermione stated. "Harry, say goodbye quickly, because I'm not joking."

"Why don't you go before we leave?"

"Because it will take me as long to walk to the bathroom from here as what it will to get home, if you don't dilly dally." Hermione turned her attention to Ginny. "Thank you for a wonderful evening."

"You're welcome. Thank you for coming."

"We'll have you over for dinner really soon," Hermione promised.

"I'm looking forward to it," Ginny replied.

"See you later, Ginny," Harry mumbled.

"See you, Harry."

"Draco, thanks for a good night," Harry said as he shook the blond's hand.

"It was a good night," Draco confirmed.

"Thanks for having us, Draco," Hermione interrupted. "Harry, are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, I'm ready."

"Well, come on then," Hermione insisted.

Ginny turned to the only guests left. She was surprised to find Blaise standing so close to her. Although, she tried not to cringe as Blaise leaned even closer it was impossible not to, not that he seemed to notice in his drunken state anyway.

"It wasn't Draco's fault. We were all teasing him, so be nice," Blaise slurred.

Ginny patted his arm awkwardly, while wishing him away and wondering what on earth he was on about. "All right."

"He didn't even want to talk about it, honestly."

"I believe you."

"So you won't turn him out of his bed?"

"No, I won't."

"Good, because I'd hate to think we got him in trouble or anything."

"You haven't."

"Okay, because you know—" Blaise leaned closer still in a conspiratorial manner. "—I think, deep down, he really wants more kids."

Ginny smiled as she took a step backwards to place some distance between them. At least she knew what he was on about now. "It's all right. It's something Draco and I have to work out, but I think it would be better to leave it until he's sober, don't you?"

"Oh yeah, good idea! He's got a dreadful memory when he's drunk," Blaise advised austerely.

A quick bite of the side of her mouth quelled the urge to laugh at how earnest the dark-haired wizard was trying to be while he was almost fall-down drunk. "He does have a horrid memory," she agreed.

"Blaise, are you going to say goodnight, or are you going to keep chatting until poor Ginny passes out from the fumes you're breathing on her?" Katarina inquired.

"I'll have you know, we had some serious business to discuss," Blaise informed his wife.

"I think you finished, didn't you?" Katarina suggested.

Blaise picked up Ginny's hand, albeit a little roughly, and placed a sloppy kiss on it. "Thank you for an enchanting evening, Mrs. Malfoy."

It took all her strength not to snatch her hand away and wipe it furiously on her gown. "You're welcome, Blaise. We hope you can come again some time."

"We'd love to, wouldn't we, Kat?"

"Absolutely." Katarina smiled apologetically at Ginny. "Now, should we go and leave these good people in peace?"

"Can't yet! I haven't said goodbye to my mate," Blaise declared.

"Looks like we'll be here for another half an hour," Katarina whispered to Ginny as their husbands embraced each other heartily. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't worry about it," Ginny began to giggle as the two men declared their undying love for each other. "Draco's just as bad, if not worse."

"Should we break them up?"

"No, we'd never hear the end of it, and besides it's rather funny." Ginny laughed aloud. "Who'd have thought those two very proper gentlemen could express themselves so—so— sloppily!"

"Oh for Merlin's sake," Lucius growled as he descended the staircase. "How much have they had to drink?"

"More than their fair share," Ginny admitted.

"Did it not occur to you to at least encourage a little decorum?" Lucius snapped.

Ginny rolled her eyes melodramatically. "They're not hurting anyone. Well, except their own egos when we relay this lovely scene to them."

"That is hardly the point." Lucius stared disgustedly at his heir, who appeared to be preparing to plant a sloppy kiss on his mate's cheek. "Their behavior is undignified."

"Lucius, there's no one around to witness their behavior," Ginny reminded him in an even voice. "Draco will feel the humiliation of his behavior this evening, but it will be when I'm ready to make him suffer."

Surprise flicked across Lucius' cold gray eyes.

"You don't think I'd let him forget this, do you?" Ginny asked with a sly smirk.

"I don't think either of them deserves to forget this," Katarina added.

"Yes, well... Would you like some assistance getting him to your chambers?"

"Thank you, that would be good," Ginny answered.

"Perhaps if I intervened, Mrs. Zabini might be able to get her journey home under way?" Lucius suggested gently.

"If you think you can convince those two that they can spend a night apart," Ginny challenged.

"Hardly a challenge," Lucius drawled.

Ginny put her hand on Katarina's arm to stop the other woman from following Lucius over to the men. If he thought he could get the two intoxicated men to cooperate then he could do it alone. They watched closely, with poorly veiled humor, as the older wizard tried several different methods to garner his son's attention.

"Draco!" Lucius snarled loudly.

"Father!" Draco squinted as he tried to focus on the newcomer. "Blaise, look at who's here."

"Mr. Malfoy!" Blaise pumped Lucius' hand as though he hadn't seen him for years. "A drink! We need to have a drink."

"Thank you, Blaise, but I feel I must decline at this late hour," Lucius replied in an overly formal manner.

"You can't." Blaise shook his head and placed one of his hands on Lucius' chest. "I insist."

"Perhaps another time," Lucius countered, removing the wizard's hand from his front. "At the moment, I must confess, I'm rather concerned about your lovely wife."

"Katarina?"

"Yes." Lucius paused to ensure he had the man's full attention. "She's expecting, is she not?"

"Yeah." Blaise grinned and puffed his chest up. "I'm going to be a father."

"She's looking a little peaked at the moment," Lucius informed him seriously.

"She is?"

"Yes, and here you are ignoring her needs at such a delicate time, just to have some fun with a friend." Lucius smirked as a now concerned Blaise raced to Katarina's side with promises to escort her home immediately.

The women hardly had time to say their goodbyes before a fussing Blaise was rushing his wife across the foyer.

As the front doors closed behind the last of the guests Lucius turned to face his daughter-in-law. "That is how it is done easily, my dear."

"Well done," Ginny praised.

"Now, shall I escort this one upstairs?" Lucius inquired, tilting his head in Draco's direction.

"Thank you, that would be good."

Ginny stayed by the staircase and watched Lucius gather his protesting son. Draco was demanding that his father join him for a drink and trying to steer them in the direction of the parlor, but Lucius politely declined each time and directed him firmly to the staircase.

"You are a stubborn old bastard," Draco stated halfway up the stairs.

"Thank you," Lucius responded courteously.

"You are," Draco reiterated. "But I still love you."

Lucius' chuckle was stifled when Draco placed a sloppy kiss on his cheek. If he'd had a free hand, he'd have wiped the slobber from his face immediately, but as it was he had his hands full negotiating the stairs with his inebriated son leaning heavily on him. When they reached Draco's chambers, Lucius gently guided his son onto the sofa in his private sitting room.

"Thank you," Ginny whispered.

"You're welcome." Lucius sighed heavily as he looked at his son sprawled on the long seat. "He's going to be feeling a little more than regretful in the morning, I should think."

"I've no doubt," Ginny agreed.

"He should be asleep in—" Lucius stopped as Draco's first snore filled the room. "It's probably best to leave him here for the night. You need your sleep, and you won't get it with that noise right next to you."

"Probably not." Ginny sighed as another grating snore rattled her eardrums.

"Goodnight, Ginevra."

"Thank you, Lucius. Goodnight."

When Lucius had closed the door softly behind himself, Ginny summoned a blanket and threw it over her husband's body. Their first real dinner party seemed to have been a smashing success, in more ways than one. Everyone appeared to have had a grand time, despite the men drinking more than they should have, and that was all that really mattered. She placed a gentle kiss on Draco's forehead and retired to the bedchamber, leaving the door open just in case Draco woke up during the night and wanted to join her.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

AUTHOR'S NOTES

Thanks to Rainpuddle13 for her amazing beta skills and entertaining plot discussions.

-->