Chapter 11
Planning Ahead
Four hours later, a very sated group sat around a corner table at Pecorelli. The girls were sitting at a nearby table playing a round of checkers that appeared to be a rather one-sided game in favor of Sere while the rest of the group sat talking to one another quietly. "Well Severus, how did you like it?"
"I presume you are talking about the quality of the food."
Ginny gave him a disbelieving look. "You don't ever change do you? Of course I meant the food."
"No ma'am I do not change. The food was acceptable. I prefer English flair myself, but it was a nice change from my normal."
Draco was rather amazed to hear his uncle state anything was pleasing to him. But, truth be told, he had heard a lot out of his godfather's mouth over the course of the previous days that he had never expected to hear. "Speaking of normal, do you still plan to return home tonight?"
"I must, yes. I was in the midst of brewing when Minerva called me over. She was rather insistent that my presence was needed right that moment and would be required for a couple days. I placed a stasis charm on my work but it's only set to last for another twelve hours or so give or take."
Draco nodded. "You know you are welcome here anytime. For that matter maybe you can make Mum come along?"
Severus gave a rye grin. "I can most certainly try. I'm sure she can be persuaded given the right incentive."
Isaac's face had a look that rather resembled having bitten into a lemon. "Oh please tell me he isn't suggesting what I think he is?"
Ginny rolled her eyes at her son. "Oh come off it. Mr. I'm so cute all the girls come to swim meets to see me in a Speedo. You do realize your grandmum had to have sex at some point otherwise your father wouldn't exist."
Isaac shook his head in dismay. "We are not having this conversation. No, there is no way my parents are talking about sex."
Ginny laughed, leaning into her husband. "He's your son."
"Our son."
"Of course our son. But right this moment he's yours. My children aren't so prudish, that is totally your doing."
"I'll have you know I have never been a prude over sex."
"Sure."
"Severus, tell her. I was no prude."
Severus huffed. "No you were not. In fact you and Mr. Zabini seemed to be sole cause of most of my extra brewing your fifth and sixth years. If I ever have to brew another contraceptive potion for some hormonal teenage girl I think I might rather slit my own wrists." Severus gave Ginny a saccharine smile. "I do hope this doesn't come as a surprise to you."
"Hardly," she laughed. "He wasn't known as one of the Slytherin Sex Gods by just the Slytherin girls you know. There was even a Gryff or two that swore they had tangled with one or the other of them. I never doubted their stories with Zabini; it was Drake's I never believed. Well till we became close that is."
Draco sat in shocked awe. They were not having this conversation. "Isaac, I agree with you. We are not having this conversation. Yes, the topic of sex definitely needs to die right here."
Ginny laughed and waggled her eyebrows at her husband. "Oh I do believe my blond Slytherin just told on himself. Don't back peddle so far there Hun, you might end up digging yourself a nice deep hole before you realize it."
Ginny spied her daughters yawning from time to time. "Draco we should probably get home. The girls are tired and I am a little myself."
"Your wish is my command." Draco rose from his seat, as did the others.
"Girls come on, pack up the game and give it back to Mrs. Pecorelli so we can go."
The group moved outdoors and into the alleyway next to the small restaurant before apparating back to Shadowy Secrets. Severus immediately went to the room he had been staying in and gathered his overnight bag before returning to find the girls heading for bed and Isaac sitting in is father's library with a number of magical texts spread open around him. "You do amazingly well to be splitting your attentions between both magical and muggle studies. It doesn't take a genius to see how proud that makes your parents Isaac."
Isaac lifted his gaze up from the tome in his lap. "Thanks."
Draco entered the room. "Draco, walk me out?"
"Gladly."
The two walked out to the back entryway. Standing in the backyard they seemed to not know what to say to one another. "Draco, he's so very much like you. He's the spitting image of you at that age."
"I know."
"But he is nothing like you were. I'm glad you've been able to do that for him. To give him a life that wasn't built on hate."
"I swore when Gin told me she was pregnant that our child wouldn't grow up that way. I'll admit it took some effort sometimes to not react as my father might have. But we got through it. No scratch that. I got through it. Ginny has always known how to love. It's as second nature as breathing is to her."
"You've done well. You have three highly intelligent children. A wife that adores you in ways most men dream off. You're living the Italian dream surrounded by grape vines and sunshine. You have made something of yourself and the Malfoy name. Something to be truly proud of. Something I'm proud of Draco."
Draco kicked a rock with the toe of his boot. "Thank you. I meant what I said, you are always welcome here. If you can drag Mum along willingly, all the better."
"Well now that I know where you are, I might fancy a holiday from time to time. I should expect to see you at some point during your return trip to Britain."
"Certainly. I suspect Mother will want to throw some sort of overblown welcome home gala or another. Heaven only knows what Gin's parents are going to want or require showing the public, ministry and all. I know I promised her we would only be there a few days, but I suspect that will likely be a lie once the word gets out."
"You are more than welcome to seek refuge at Spinner's End at any time. It remains unplottable. No one would find you there if you felt the need for some time away from the media circus your return is bound to cause. I have no doubt Miss Skeeter will have a hay day when she finds out."
"I'll be sure to keep that in mind. I do believe Ginny may have information on Skeeter that would keep her quiet. I know that if she doesn't Granger does or so I understand."
Severus' eyebrow rose at the implication that Mrs. Potter would have information that she could, would, or possibly had blackmailed someone with. "Nice to see your Slytherin skills are still intact."
Draco laughed. "Always. Once a snake, always a snake."
"Very true."
Severus extended his hand, which Draco took and shook. "I've missed you, Uncle. I'm glad this happened."
"Same to you Draco. Do send me an owl from time to time. It would be pleasant to hear how things are here."
"Of course."
With that Severus withdrew a battered pocket watch from his pants pocket, holding it flat in the palm of his hand. "Portus." With a swirl of magic he was gone.
Draco returned to the house and found his son curled up reading in the library, both girls fast asleep in their rooms, and his wife sitting in her nightdress at her vanity, brush in hand. "Severus gone?"
Draco took a seat on the settee and began removing his shoes and socks. "Yes. He says to owl and that his house is open should we want some peace during our visit home."
"That was nice of him."
"I'm sure nice is a phrase he would love being described as."
"I don't know. He didn't seem nearly as bitter and mean as he used to. Time has done him as much good as it has done us and your mother."
"Undoubtedly."
"We should let her know that we are sending Sere to Hogwarts."
"Agreed. She is going to be very pleased."
"Oh I can imagine."
"I suspect we'll need to buy proper wizarding clothes for a gala of some sort. There is no way she is going to allow us to come home even for a couple of days without showing off in high style."
"No probably not. But I refuse to wear dress robes."
"That will cause a stir."
"So what if it does. I've had my eye on the most amazing dress by Vera Wang for ages. Even with all of the wine tasting and other black tie events we end up attending during the course of the year, it seemed a bit too nice for any of them."
"The girls at least should be in dress robes."
"Draco."
"Fine they can pick within reason."
"Of course. What do you think Isaac is going to want to do?"
"Probably a tux knowing him. He's too old for me to argue with him."
Ginny giggled. "No he's not. He would wear whatever you wanted him to and you know it."
"Probably, but if the girls can pick what they wear, then so should he."
"Gin we need to warn your dad at least. If you want to surprise your mum that shouldn't be a problem. But Severus let me in on a bit of news we missed by not actually reading the Prophet."
Ginny laid her brush down and turned to face her husband. "What news?"
"Your father was made Minister of Magic at the first of the year. Potter is his undersecretary apparently."
Ginny's jaw dropped. "No way Mum actually let him do it? I don't know what's more crazy, that Mum let him or that he would want it?"
"Well I don't know the answer to either." Draco gave his wife an odd look. "I expected you to be more shocked."
She laughed outright. "Shocked? Heavens no. If a good portion of the Order had gotten their way, Fudge would have gone out on his ear the moment he covered up Lord Voldemort being back so fast he would have been knocked into the eighteen hundreds so they could have put Dad in his place. Mum flat hated the idea and Dad thought it a bit much. He didn't think he would be good at it."
"Oh. Well still. With that position, he should be warned. The full story Gin so he can prepare the story however he wants to spin it to the reporters."
"Spin it. You make it sound like our disappearance would make him look bad."
"It could if anyone ever thought he knew where we were or how we got away in the first place." Draco swapped his trousers for a worn in pair of black silk sleep pants.
"You're thinking like your father."
"In this instance I think I have to Gin. I don't want to see you hurt. If that means taking steps to warn those that we were close to before we return then that is just what we'll do."
"And here I was hoping for a quiet couple of days showing the kids around muggle and magical Britain before our eldest two take off for school. I don't guess that is going to happen."
"Probably not Gin. When the press gets a hold of this, it's going to be front page news. Hence why Severus let me know Spinner's End is open to us if we need it to get out from under the spotlight."
Ginny let go of a sigh. "You're right. I know that. I just hope Dad doesn't freak out and think someone is yanking his chain when he reads the letter. We should make sure it's charmed to open only for him and that there are things in it that only he and I would know."
"Both very good suggestions. We can include the apparation coordinates and request he comes to see for himself if he is unbelieving about the letter's origins."
"I don't think I'm ready for this Draco."
"We don't have to do it tomorrow or anything Gin. It can wait a few weeks. Not more than two or three though."
"No the sooner he knows the longer he has to calm Mum down before we get there. The last thing I need is her all catatonic from shock on top of everything else that may happen."
"Tomorrow it is then luv. Perhaps we could include a picture. Certainly he would believe a photograph."
"Ours don't move he might not believe it."
"Did he or did he not work in the muggle artifacts office. Certainly he knows muggle photos don't move."
"I don't know. He always thought rubber ducks had some other purpose other than being simple bath toys."
Draco laughed. "Okay we'll send it anyway. If he doesn't believe it, then he is more than welcome to come see for himself."
"Okay." Ginny crawled into bed and snuggled down under the covers. "Draco. Come to bed. We can figure out the details of how to contact whom in the morning."
"Not yet." He disappeared from the room returning moments later, vial in hand. "Take it Gin. We both know if you don't you're not going to be able to sleep for fear of another dream."
She didn't even attempt to argue with him. After seventeen years together. He knew her far too well for her to argue against taking the combination calming and sleeping draught. She took the proffered vial and drank it down without delay.
With a wave of Draco's wand the vial vanished and the light switch flipped off. Laying his wand aside he crawled into bed next to his wife. He wrapped a strong arm around her middle and pulled her close to him. "Night luv."
"Night Drake." Her dreamy reply and shallow breathing let him know the potion had done its job and his wife would get a good nights rest despite the day's earlier events.
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