Chapter 19
A Peaceful Afternoon
A/N: My muse, Maggie, is simple girl. All she likes are plot bunnies and reviews. So be kind to Maggie and feed her review cookies please.
Big thanks to my beta Lbandoly for her hard work. She has spent countless hours editing and providing plot help for my stories. She makes my writing possible.
No copyright infringement intended. All characters are the property of JKR, Scholastic, and any number of other companies with more money than I've ever dreamed of seeing. I didn't make any money off of this, so please don't sue.
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Ginny sat with her legs curled under her on the blanket that the house elf had brought with the lunch basket munching on a cold mini cheese quiche. "It's truly beautiful out here Drake."
"That's why I brought you all the way out here."
"Hmm. Here I thought it was your way of trying to distract me from worrying about dinner."
"That was just a side benefit."
"Sure love, I believe you."
Draco pulled his hands up and covered his heart as if he had been stabbed there in dramatic fashion. "Honestly Ginny, I'm wounded."
Ginny laughed at the antics of her husband before turning on serious. "Do you think the kids are okay?"
"I'm sure they are. Isn't it typically you reminding me that my mother will keep them safe?"
"Yes. I guess I'm just out of sorts with everything."
"I have no doubt you are. Worried about any one brother in particular? Say Ron perhaps?"
"No not really. I honestly don't think he will do anything stupid with mum and dad around but still I can't help but be a bit worried how all of them will take this."
"I'm sure."
"I think mum may have invited Harry and Hermione."
"That doesn't entirely surprise me. It does seem as if they are both still treated as part of your family for the way your parents have spoken of them. They were both there a great deal of your childhood. It would seem like the type thing your mum would want to invite them to."
"I don't think I would have invited them."
"You always did hate them constantly hanging around didn't you?"
"No it wasn't that. Hermione can be so judgmental sometimes. I don't doubt she is going to have something nasty to say. Harry well he'll back Ron and Hermione's opinions no matter what he thinks of them purely because they've been friends for so damn long."
"You actually care what either of them thinks of you at this point Gin?"
"I don't know. Maybe, maybe not."
Draco pulled his wife into his arms. "I think you're worrying for no reason. Everyone is going to be so overjoyed realizing that you aren't dead that they aren't going to have a single poor thought about you anywhere in their heads. Me on the other hand they might want to take out to the nearest tree and lynch, but not you love."
"I wish I could feel so sure of that."
"Then try to put it out of your mind completely. We have hours till dinner. Speaking of which, did either of our mother's mention how they wanted everyone dressed."
"This is your mother Drake. You know damn well she's going to require we dress `properly' for dinner."
Draco scrunched his nose up. All these years and he still thought it was a stupid practice to dress to the nines just to eat a bloody meal. He hated it as a child, he hated it more as a teen, and now he found he possibly hated it even more. "Well in that case we still have a good four hours till we need to be back to the manor. We could walk over more of the grounds. We could sit here and talk. We could see if mother still keeps horses and ride. We could lay here and take a nap if we wanted. It's all up to you my love."
"I'm rather fond of what we are doing if you don't mind."
"Not at all." Draco waved his wand sending all the food stuff back into the basket to clear the blanket so they could stretch their legs out. "Are you excited to see Sere go off to school?"
"Yes. I think I'm even getting used to the idea of her going to Hogwarts."
"Do I need to remind you again that she'll be safe?"
"No. I know she will. McGonagall will see to that for certain."
"That she will."
"I do wonder what house she'll get sorted into."
"My personal vote is for Slytherin, but as smart as she is Ravenclaw might fit her better."
"No Ravenclaw. She might be smart, but she's not a stuck-up twat."
"I suppose you would want her in Gryffindor?"
"Actually no, I think she's better suited for Slytherin. She's far too much like you to ever truly fit in the tower happily."
Draco smiled. "Took me long enough to make you see that."
"You? You did no such thing. It was your daughter that did the convincing."
"Well I guess we'll just have to wait and see like all the other parents."
"Yes we will."
"What house do you think Isaac would have been in?"
"Gryffindor. He's too brave for his own good sometimes."
Draco huffed. "I can't begin to imagine where he got that trait from."
"Well you don't have to. We both know he got that one from me." Her eyes twinkled with pure mischief. "What about Kat? Any thoughts on where she'll be sorted?"
"Honestly?"
"Of course."
"As badly as it pains me to say it probably Hufflepuff. As smart as she is, it doesn't begin to top how loyal that child is."
Ginny nodded. "Probably. She's plenty brave and has enough cunning to outwit anyone but it doesn't touch how loyal she can be."
A funny thought crossed Draco's mind causing him to laugh.
"You aren't laughing at my assessment of your child are you?"
"Heavens no. It was spot on. No I was thinking we should have had four children. We might have been able to land one in each house."
"Wouldn't that have been the scandal of the century?"
"Who knows it might happen to some poor unsuspecting parent at some point."
"It may have already."
"I doubt it. That certainly would have been one of the truly odd facts to make it into Hogwarts a History."
"How is it I know the only two people to have ever read that book?"
"Beats me sweets, I only read it because mother made me. Unlike Granger I didn't do it for the fun of it."
"I can't imagine anyone other than her that would."
Ginny shifted to lay her head on her husband's thigh and looked up through the branches of the trees overhead. The light streamed through cutting through to the limbs and leaves in a way that would make an artist smile in wonder. "Did you used to come out here often?"
"Only when I wanted peace and freedom; I always felt happiest when I was out here. It was like the rest of the world dropped away just leaving me."
"How did you find it?"
"Just wandering about one summer; I was maybe nine or ten. I spent a lot of time that summer wandering the property. I was finally allowed out alone for more than a few minuets without mum sending an elf to track me down. I ran across it and fell in love. I would come out here and sit for hours. More than once I would fall asleep and not wake till dinner. I got punished more than once for not being back in time for dinner that summer."
"There is a place near the Burrow like this that I used to visit for the same reasons. It has a brook that runs through it though."
"Sounds delightful."
"It is. Maybe when we visit mum and dad we can slip out there and let the kids stay with them to get to know them better."
"I would love to."
The two slipped into a peaceful silence. After some time Draco realized Ginny's breathing had evened off. She had dropped off to sleep lying with her head still in his lap the warm sun casting a beautiful glow over her face. He smoothed her hair down with his hand. "I love you Ginny Girl." They still had a few hours till they needed to be back. A good nap wouldn't hurt either of them. He laid his head back down on the blanket and closed his eyes letting sleep take him away.
Several hours passed, the sun dropped further towards the horizon. Uric popped into the clearing. "Master Draco. Master yous need to wake up nows. Mistress asks me to find you to dress for dinner."
Draco cracked open his eyes to find the house elf standing next to him rather beside himself trying to get the wizard to wake. "Master, yous are awake nows. Dinner is in just overs two hours. Mistress asks that you dress properly for dinner master."
"Tell her we will be along shortly. If you could please tell the children to clean up and dress nicely for dinner please. Please take the picnic basket when you go. We'll fetch the blanket back with us when we return."
"Yes Master Draco. Ise will be glads to."
"Very good. Now leave us please."
The elf nodded, grabbed the basket, and winked away without another word.
Draco sat up and rubbed his palm down his wife's bare arm. "Wake up Gin. It's time to head back." He shook her gently. "Come on Gin Gin time to wake up."
Her response was a slight mumble. Something he knew after so many years was her near verbal request to be left alone. "Come on luv. Up you go. Dinner is in just over two hours. We need to head back and freshen up."
"I don't want to. It's so nice here."
"Don't fret, I'll bring you back another day. Now get a move on woman. We have to make sure Kat doesn't decide to wear something that you think is too old for her."
"Oh don't you start too."
"I'm not I'm just trying to get you motivated."
Ginny sat up. "Fine, fine I'm up. Can we hide in our rooms and avoid dinner?"
"No."
"Bugger I was hoping you would say yes."
"Not a chance love. It's time to face the music. We've avoided it far too long as it is."
"I know. I'm just…"
"Scared, I know. But I swear I'll be right by your side the entire time. Everything will be fine love. I swear it."
"Don't make promises you can't keep."
"Have I ever broken one yet?"
"No."
"Then don't start underestimating me now."
Ginny smiled and nodded. "Where is the basket?"
"Uric took it when he came to fetch us for dinner."
"Oh. That works too. Remind me again why we never got an elf to help at home."
"I quote, `Draco we are not having an elf. I am woman enough to take care of my own children and my own home. If mum could do it with seven children I can do it for one.' I never bothered bringing it up again after that."
She laughed. "I remember that. That was the week before you left to come back for the final battle. It had nothing to do with my ability to keep the house or take care of our son did it?"
"What me suggesting we get an elf? No it didn't. I was worried you would need help while I was away. I didn't know if I was going to be gone a couple days or months. I knew you were supposed to be trying to stay off your feet, but you were having none of it. I thought an elf might help make life easier on you."
"Well in case I've never said it. Thank you for the sentiment."
"You're very welcome ma'am."
The walk back was filled with random talk of everything from the color beginning to change on the tree leaves to the possibility of teaching Katharine and Serenity to fly while they had so much open space with no fear of being seen by muggles. Before they knew it they had reached the manor.
"It's a beautiful home you know."
"It wasn't always. Mother has done a great deal of work to it since I was here last."
"How so?"
Draco looked around. "There are flowers for starters."
"There weren't flowers when you were young?"
"Only a small rose garden near the horse stables. I see she has rectified that situation."
"More like gone full on botanical gardens. All the flowers do lovely justice to the house though. They make the grey stone seem to have some life to them."
"I do believe you are correct."
"So what else is different?"
"Well you saw her private sitting room. That room used to be so dark even having the curtains pulled back at high noon did nothing to give that room any sense of airiness. In fact a great deal of the manor had the very same problem."
"Well she did say she redecorated, which I recall you predicting just after you sent the letter to tell her we were coming home."
"That I did and look, I was right."
"I never doubted you wouldn't be."
"So anything else?"
"No not really. But I'm ninety nine percent certain that the `garment', and I use that term loosely, Uric is wearing is made of the old dining room curtains."
"Clever use of old fabric, Very Sound of Music."
"I had forgotten about that. Definitely Sound of Music. I wonder if mother has seen it. Maybe that's what inspired her."
Ginny laughed. "Your mum at a muggle show? I would pay good money to see that personally."
"And they call me the cruel one."
"I'm not cruel. I'm being honest. The day your mum steps foot in a muggle playhouse I'll pay you good money just to be able to watch from the side to see her reaction."
Draco shook his head at his wife. "Come witch. We need to get ready for dinner and check on the kids before your family gets here."
"Must you keep reminding me of that?"
"Someone must."
Ginny growled at him lightly. "Okay. I don't suppose you know what room your mother put us in?"
"No, but I'm certain Uric knows." Draco snapped his fingers and moments later the elf popped into the room.
"Yous summed me Master."
"I did. Do you know what room my mother has set aside to be ours?"
"Rights this way Master."
Draco and Ginny followed the little elf as he moved through the room into the main foyer, directing them up the first and second floor staircase and down the corridor to the left. "This is yous wing Master."
"Thank you Uric. Our son and daughters are in the opposing hall correct?"
"Yes Master."
"Have they begun to get ready?"
"Young Master Isaac is readys sir and has returned to these library to wait for yous and the Mistresses. The young Misses are dressing with Mistress just now Master."
"Thank you Uric. You may go."
"Yes Master." The elf popped away soundlessly leaving the couple standing in the hall.
"Well let's try this door shall we?" Draco's first guess had been correct the door led to a small parlor type sitting room that led to the bedroom that would be their's for this and future visits to Malfoy Manor. "Well my love does it suit you?"
The warm inviting fabrics that were used for the bed linens and upholstery on the furniture were in warm beiges, cool creams, and deep reds. "It's beautiful. You're mother does have fine tastes in decorating."
"I'm sure she would love to hear that."
"We should get a quick shower and get dressed. Heaven knows when my family will get here. Certainly sooner than they were requested that's for sure."
"Probably knowing your mother. She probably insisted the entire family meet for breakfast this morning to make sure they were all there on time."
"Knowing mum she probably did."
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