A/N: I am so blessed to still be getting wonderful reviews on all my fanfics. The other day I decided to re-read Dragon Tears to see if I could find some answers to a specific reviewer's questions about some inconsistencies. I definitely found some and corrected them in my document. However, I was actually sad when I finished DT and closed my laptop. I laid awake that night and wondered what happened in the years between Marissa's birth and the day she left for Hogwarts? What was it like to tell Draco you are pregnant only months after you had a baby? When did they move into their house? Did Ginny work while the babies were young? What was it like to be pregnant with triplets? I eventually feel asleep and woke up in the morning thinking that it may be time to write and post….
Dragon Tears: The Missing Years
This won't be a long fanfic (I say that now, but those of you who have read my A/N and stories before know that it may change lol) but most likely just a taste of how it wasn't all fun for Draco and Ginny to be married so young, and have two babies so close together.
THANK YOU ALL for your reviews! I will still work on "Accio Life" and things should be moving faster on that once school is out for me in mid-December.
**IF YOU HAVEN'T READ "DRAGON TEARS" THEN YOU MAY WANT TO DO THAT, BEFORE YOU READ THIS. THANKS!**
And now…
DT: The Missing Years
-------
Chapter 1
Ginny Weasley Malfoy found out she was pregnant with her second child the day her daughter turned six months old. She knew the signs a bit earlier having gone through this before: the unusual tiredness, aching chest and the slight queasy feeling if she didn't eat or if she ate too much.
She wasn't sure how she was going to tell Draco. It was June and with only one week was left until the end of the
semester he was stressed and in a bad mood most of the time. The only time she saw him relax was while he rocked
Marissa to sleep at night feeding her a bottle. Marissa was sleeping through the night for a good eight hours so Ginny
knew her tiredness wasn't related to waking up every two hours for feedings. Part of it could've been work
since she just finished her Healer Training in May and had already delivered three babies in the St. Mungo's Malfoy
Wing under Hermione's guidance.
As she sat on the living room sofa giving Marissa her mid afternoon bottle she felt nervous about telling Draco. This would be the first pregnancy he would be around in its entirety and in eight months there would be two babies to watch after. One who would be walking and curious about everything and one who would need constant attention. Both would need nappy changes; both would still require regular feedings and certainly a lot more of their time.
Draco had just turned 20 and Ginny was pretty sure that early June was the last time he had laughed about anything. His first years were stressing him out having an unusually rowdy, sassy bunch and simultaneously he was trying to prepare his 7th years for graduation. While Draco was a perfectionist many of his students weren't and it was taking every ounce of energy he had to not yell at them. Ginny didn't envy his students.
Marissa tried smiling as she finished her bottle, making a funny face as she did so, and as Ginny smiled back the door to their flat opened and Draco walked in looking tried and angry as usual.
"Hi," Ginny hedged as he hung up his cloak and placed his bag in his office. He walked over and gave her a quick kiss on her head then the same to Marissa.
"How're you?" he asked as he headed into the kitchen for something to drink.
"Fine. Class any better?"
"No." He took a long pull on a bottle of milk and watched her through the doorway that led to the kitchen. "Work was okay?"
"It was. Quiet for once," Ginny smiled briefly and grabbed Marissa's bottle before she flung it on the floor. Ginny handed Marissa a teething biscuit and held her as she gnawed away, her bright eyes watching her father's every move in the kitchen.
"I need to go finalize the exam," Draco murmured and seconds later he was holed up in his office like he had been the past two weeks.
Ginny placed Marissa in her highchair, secured her and went about making dinner. Her thoughts were constantly on what was the best way to tell him about baby number two. Should she wait until after school was over? Then he'd be mad once he did the math and found out she waited almost two weeks to tell him. She knew this news would stress him out now so she felt like she couldn't win.
The evening went by quietly. Draco ate dinner in his office and only came out to put Marissa to bed like he always did. Ginny sat down at the kitchen table and began to answer some mail from her former roommates while at Hogwarts but found she wasn't able to concentrate. She could hear Draco talking to himself as he graded the last of the assigned work, grumbling about how could someone have missed that question and wasn't it obvious to keep it warm for ten minutes, not twenty?
Standing up she put together a snack for Draco and carefully placed it on his desk, away from the stack of papers. He looked up and thanked her but she stood there for a moment, putting together the words in her head.
'Should it be, 'Draco, I'm pregnant?' or 'Remember that time we took a shower together and things got out of hand? Well, guess what?' or 'You're going to be a father again!'
"What?" he asked as she moved her eyes away from the stack of papers on his desk to his face. Ginny's finger traced a design on the corner of the desk and she saw his eyes flicker to her nervous movement.
"What's wrong?" he clarified, knowing that her fidgeting was something she only did when nervous.
"I went to the healer's today."
"Are you sick? Or was it just a cold?" Draco turned back to his paperwork seeing that this conversation didn't seem important.
"My cold is gone. But, I found out that -," Ginny began and paused just long enough for Draco to sigh and place his Quill down.
"I can't really listen to stories about someone at the hospital right now; I have to get through all of these tonight and have to be at school early tomorrow for a tutoring session."
"I know. It's not gossip," Ginny replied testily thinking for once this month he could think about something other than his class.
"What then? What the hell is it?" he snapped and those were the correct words to make Ginny turn on her heel and sail out of the office.
"Shit. Ginny, come on!" Draco pushed his chair back intent on following her but she spun around and held up her hand to stop him.
"No. I just wanted to tell you something and you automatically assume I'm in there to have idle chit chat with you. I know you are busy and I know you are stressed and the only thing you can concentrate fully on now is school. Do you think I'm stupid enough to come in and tell you about every little detail of my quiet day?"
"No…fuck, Ginny…just tell me whatever it was," he shoved his hands in his pockets as they glared at each other across the room. She shook her head. She wasn't going to reveal the fact she was pregnant while he was like this. Three curse words in fifteen seconds made it clear that right now, he was just under too much stress to try and enjoy the fact he may get the son she had promised she would give him during their honeymoon.
"Forget it, Draco." Ginny spun around so he wouldn't see how upset she really was. And, for the first time since December, she didn't join him in bed that night. She curled up on the small sofa in Marissa's room and dozed fitfully, wondering if Draco would ever come to the door and apologize.
He didn't.
----
Draco was gone by the time Marissa was up, changed and dressed for the day. It was only seven thirty but Ginny saw that their bed had been made (or was it still made?) his cloak was gone and the papers were off his desk. As she entered the living room, she noticed there was a blanket and squished up pillow on the sofa.
She got a certain sense of satisfaction that he had a rotten night on the couch, like she had. But also knew that this first argument of theirs was going to gnaw at him and her until they could work out the balance of work and family.
Now thinking of work, Ginny began preparing Marissa's food for Narcissa's shift and took a quick shower while Marissa played happily in her crib. Ten minutes before her shift was to begin at 8:30, Narcissa floo'd in and was greeted by smiles from Marissa who held out her arms to her grandmother.
"Feeling better?" Narcissa asked after Ginny's cold she had all last week.
"Pretty much," Ginny responded patting down her pockets on her cloak making sure she had money for lunch and her notes from the day before. "Marissa had a great night. Ate her biscuit and watered down juice this morning. Her food is in the usual spot. I'd like to try her on Cheerios today since she has her two teeth."
"Okay. That'll be messy," Narcissa tickled Marissa's foot as she held her but her icy blue eyes were fixed on Ginny. "You look tired."
"Just a bit. Still adjusting to work I guess," Ginny murmured as she bent to give Marissa a kiss.
"How's Draco?"
"The same. Stressed." Ginny walked to the fireplace and bid her mother in law farewell before she could figure out what was wrong. Draco was fairly astute, but Narcissa was too. And combining that with her female intuition, she could usually guess what was wrong before Ginny wanted her to.
Her morning was busy with delivering twins that were six weeks early and it was close to two before she could stop to eat something. Snacking on a bag of pretzels and orange juice from the dining hall, she walked back towards the wing and spotted a familiar blond head standing at the healer's station waiting for her. Ginny had half a second to decide whether to turn and walk down a dead end hallway and duck into a patient's room, or to continue towards him. She also wondered what he was doing at the hospital since he should be teaching. Before she could take the cowardly way out he looked up and their eyes met. She stood still, gripping the bottle hard wondering why she was nervous that her husband was walking towards her.
"What're you doing here?" she asked almost accusingly. She hadn't meant to sound like that but she was already bone tired and didn't have any energy to act like nothing was wrong.
"I had to bring in a student who suffered a head injury at Quidditch practice. He'll be okay but it was a bit beyond Madame Pomfrey's comfort zone to treat." He fell silent and they stared at each other for a moment. Ginny struggled with what to say next; she knew if she was at home she would launch into him for talking to her like he did, but they were in a hallway and Hermione was sitting only a few steps away at the Station.
"Why are you on this floor then?"
That seemed a safe question.
"I thought I'd drop by and see how you were," he responded carefully and when she didn't respond he sighed and moved closer, reaching for her hand. Ginny quickly crossed her arms and interrupted what he was about to say.
"Look, not here okay? I have another patient that is going to give birth soon. I'll probably be home after you are," Ginny made a move to go around him and he stopped her placing his hand on her arm. She knew what he was going to say even though he wasn't given a chance. Hermione called her name, telling her that their patient was ready to push. Ginny gave Draco a small smile and hurriedly finished her juice.
In her head she answered his unsaid comment…I love you, too.
---
"February twentieth, Ginny," Hermione made a note in her friends chart. "All your tests came back and things are wonderful. With the new imaging and formulas they can do, they put the chances of it being a boy at eighty percent. What does Draco think?"
Ginny swung her legs back and forth as she sat on the hospital bed and shrugged, avoiding her friend's gaze.
"You haven't told him?" Hermione was incredulous and asked why.
Ginny was quiet for a moment then everything came pouring out. How stressed he was, how he would go into his office every night and work until midnight only coming out to put Marissa to bed.
"And I haven't fallen asleep with him since…well, his birthday three weeks ago! He's so stressed; how can I give him this piece of news, yet how can I hide it for another week and a half?"
"Harry is the same way, although I don't have to tell him I'm pregnant. I just give him the space he needs and have learned to understand that the last month of classes isn't a very fun time. When we were students we never really realized how stressed the teachers were, trying to cram that last minute knowledge into our heads. Don't you think he'd be happy?"
Ginny hopped down and shoved her feet into her shoes.
"I honestly don't know. We have barely had time to live together as a couple until Marissa came; then only three months as man and wife before I have to tell him that before our first year anniversary another baby will be here? It may put him over the edge. Plus, we don't even have room for another baby!"
"Don't worry about room yet. You know they don't care where they sleep being that small. But, I think Draco would be madder--."
"Yeah, if I didn't tell him until July. Hell, if I get morning sickness like last time he'll be freaked out since he didn't see that last time."
"Then don't deny him this, Ginny. Tell him and maybe it'll put some things in perspective, like he can't control how much his students study or the scores they will get. He can only teach them to the best of his ability and trust that they studied and listened to him enough to pass their exams."
"Can you tell him that for me?" Ginny gave her a small smile and Hermione laughed but shook her head.
"He'll realize it soon enough. He wasn't here for the end of the year last year but Harry was and learned that the hard way. He is still stressed though. After Marissa is in bed, talk to him. And, if he's working tell him you only need ten minutes of his time and when he is at a good stopping point you'd like to talk."
"I'll try," Ginny hedged following Hermione out to the Healer's station to finish her shift.
It was past six when Ginny finished up with the new mother and close to six thirty when she floo'd into her and Draco's flat. She found Draco eating dinner while Marissa sat in her chair, squealing as Ginny walked into the room.
"Hey baby," Ginny cooed, picking up a messy Marissa and wiping off her messy hands.
"Dinner is still warm," Draco nodded towards the counter.
"Thanks. I'm going to give her a bath then I'll eat."
Ginny busied herself with bathing Marissa and trying to think of the best way to talk to Draco. They had encountered harder moments than this, but she had never seen him this stressed and trying to minimize the importance of another baby wouldn't work at all in the end.
"She's ready for bed," Ginny called softly across the living room handing Marissa over to Draco as he left the office. Managing to eat a bit of chicken that her mother had made and read a few articles in "The Quibbler" she was surprised to see Draco back in his office. She was hoping to catch him on the way back from Marissa's bedtime but she must've been deeply involved in her reading. Now, she needed to heed Hermione's advice.
Quickly she changed into her bedclothes, feeling tiredness seep through every bone. She just wanted to sink into bed but being that it was only eight at night she knew Draco would wonder. Also, it would just be an excuse to not talk to Draco. They were married and this was their baby, their life!
She walked up to Draco's office and he glanced up from his Potion's book, this time wisely keeping his mouth closed.
"When you get to a good stopping point I'd like to talk to you. Just ten minutes or so."
"I just need to finish writing out this chapter," he said carefully his eyes shifting over her face.
"Okay," Ginny stifled a yawn and padded back to the bedroom, peeking in on Marissa, then with only the intention of reading in her and Draco's bed, Ginny laid down, opened her book and three minutes later was asleep.
A hand brushed across her face in a familiar gesture and she sleepily opened her eyes seeing Draco sitting next to her.
"I'm sorry. I guess I feel asleep," Ginny pushed herself up glancing at the bedside clock. Only twenty minutes had passed. He didn't apologize about waking her up and instead launched into an apology about yesterday.
"I shouldn't have talked to you like that and I should've made time to talk to you regardless of what you were going to say. I'm sorry," he said quietly grasping her hand tightly in his. "I don't want to fight with you. Not because I couldn't sleep last night but because it's not the kind of person I want to be. It's too much like my father and I love you too much to put you through that."
"I know," Ginny whispered squeezing his hand. "But what I had to tell you was important and not something that I could just yell across the living room and expect you to not stress about it."
"I didn't think I was stressed about anything at home until last night when we didn't sleep together. I realized then how much I have locked myself away." Draco traced her knuckles with his finger while his eyes followed his simple movements. "Sometimes, I'm still discovering things about myself. I believe I have to learn things the hard way."
"Yeah," Ginny agreed softly watching his fingers play with her hand; a touch she hadn't felt in weeks.
"So. What do you need to talk to me about? Is it work related?"
"It will be," Ginny shifted and gently pulled her hand from his, clasping them in her lap.
"Are you changing departments?" he looked at her, his eyes locking with hers.
"No." Ginny took a deep breath and slowly let it out, quelling the slight rolling of her stomach.
"What then?" he asked, patience not one of his best virtues.
"I'm pregnant, Draco and due February twentieth," Ginny blurted out managing to keep her eyes on his face. For a second he showed no emotion as if the words hadn't reached his ears yet. Then he bowed his head and covered his face with his hands. Ginny's heart plummeted thinking he was angry and she began apologizing, watching him push his hands through his hair slowly.
"Stop. Don't apologize for Merlin's sake. I'm not mad at you!" His hands grasped her knees under the sheet and squeezed. "I'm angry at myself; that I totally cut you off yesterday when you obviously were trying to tell me and I feel guilty because you seemed scared to tell me."
"Well, you're stressed Draco and in my mind it was a not a win-win situation," Ginny began, placing her hands over his. "You now have one more thing to stress about until exams are over. If I didn't tell you until next week, you'd know that I kept it a secret and be mad I did. I always envisioned the next time I got pregnant I would surprise you by making you dinner, finding a sitter for Marissa and making it a happy event and right now it doesn't feel that way."
Draco's fingers tipped Ginny's chin up until their eyes met. "I am happy and admittedly surprised. I never
thought we'd be so fertile." She smiled a bit and he seemed to relax just a touch. "I'm excited to go
through this with you…properly this time. Just tell me what I need to do, what you need and it'll be done."
His hand slid down to her shoulder, curved around her breast and settled on her stomach. Ginny froze, not quite sure
what he was looking for but remained silent…wondering.
"So, February? About a month along then?" he asked, his hand splayed over her stomach with just a t-shirt between them.
"Yes, I'm due on the twentieth. It's not twins and I was told what the sex is to an 80 percent certainty if you want to know."
He nodded now concentrating on her stomach. Gently she laid her hand over his and decided to continue the tradition.
"Meet your son."
His hand tightened under hers and she heard him take a shaky breath.
"Really?" it came out as a whisper and Ginny just realized that she may have found the one event that could make Draco cry.
"I believe so. My instinct says it's a boy but we can find out for sure in another ten weeks or so." Draco nodded his answer then gathered her into his arms, hugging her tightly. Pressing herself against him, Ginny buried her face in his neck feeling him fight to control his emotions and after a few minutes he pulled back and kissed her slowly then rested his forehead against hers.
"How do you feel?"
"Exhausted. My chest is sore and I'm only a little queasy. Just like last time."
"Well, if you need time off from work you know you can take it," Draco said carefully, hinting that they weren't hurting for money.
"My body will let me know what is too much. I'm fine right now, if you can deal with me acting like a slug most of the time."
"You aren't a slug. You're making our baby in there and that's not an easy feat. Just tell me what you need," Draco kissed her again and then let Ginny lay back against the pillow.
"Stay with me for a bit?" she asked feeling the tiredness creep up on her again.
"Certainly," he stretched out next to her and tucked her against him. He held her for a good half hour after she fell into her deep sleep, replaying her words in his mind.
'Your son.'
He never thought of children beyond Marissa but now there was going to be one and the thought that he was going to have two children, one of each, was almost more than he could comprehend. It seemed as if the precious gifts weren't stopping. Ginny, seeing his mother happy, Marissa and now a son.
Gently, he untangled himself from Ginny and walked quietly out to the office. He did the bare minimum needed for tomorrow's review then sat down with the newest jewelry catalog they received ever since he had bought her the diamond necklace for their wedding.
He'd know it when he saw it and about halfway through the catalog he did.
When Ginny woke the next morning, she found the small box on the kitchen table at her spot. She looked at Draco who was feeing Marissa some baby cereal and he indicated it was for her.
Nestled inside was a pair of pearl earrings with a slight pink hue. As she moved the box around to take them out she saw how the color transitioned from iridescent pink to a lovely watery blue. Her eyes filled with tears as she recognized the effort he went to to find the one gift that would mean the world to her and represent their family at the same time.
"Thank you," Ginny choked out wrapping her arms around Draco and looking at the box that was still in her
hand.
"No, Ginny. Thank you," he answered thickly and they stood there, holding each other tightly until Marissa tossed her bowl on the floor, effectively breaking the close moment between her parents.