A/N: I am going to pull a JK here. I liked Devon's middle name as Gray better than anything else I may have said. I glanced back through my chapters and couldn't find where I may have said if it was "Lucious" or "Draco". I know JK changed Hermione's middle name from the first book to the last book, so shall I. Enjoy! Not sure if anything else will get posted before Christmas. I hope everyone has a great holiday and thanks SO much for reading and reviewing!
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Devon's Arrival
"I can't do this Draco," Ginny moaned holding her stomach with one arm and wrapping her other one around the toilet bowl.
"I don't think our son is giving you a choice," Draco answered wisely, letting Ginny's hair flow back to her shoulders as she began to stand up. Sighing heavily she brushed her teeth and splashed water on her face, willing her stomach to calm down. Gripping the sink she bowed her head, taking deep breaths and laid her head against Draco's arm as he wrapped them around her.
"Better?" he murmured in her ear rubbing his hand lightly over her slightly swollen stomach.
"Yeah, a bit. It seems to be not as violent now in the mornings; maybe it's wearing off."
"I hope so. I hate seeing you like this," Draco kissed her neck and turned around as Marissa came crawling into the bathroom. Using Draco's leg she pulled herself up and clung to him, eyeing the open toilet with a child's fascination.
"No you don't," Draco said firmly, shutting the lid then picking up Marissa. She squirmed to get down so she could follow Ginny back into the bedroom and Draco obliged, setting her down in the hallway and following them into their bedroom. Ginny managed to finish getting dressed while dodging Marissa who insisted on sitting on her feet every moment she could.
"Do you feel up to doing anything today?" Draco sat on the floor with his daughter giving Ginny time to finish putting on her shoes.
"I need to go find some clothes that fit but other than that, no. Do you need anything for school next week?"
"No. I got all of that last week." Marissa jumped on Draco's stomach and he groaned. "Wow, what does she weigh now?"
"A lot. Still not as heavy as James though. He's a brute!" Ginny smiled as she watched Draco wrestle carefully with a very active eight month old. Now that the summer was here, though it was almost over, he had relaxed and let go of his school stresses. All of his 7th year students passed their exams and all but two students passed their OWL exams. He was happy with that and it carried over into his home life. He took Marissa to the park every morning as Ginny got sick and then tried to make it into work. Some days were so bad that she had to call in sick and had eventually cut her hours back to part time; only working two days a week and Sunday which was enough for her.
"He is. Speaking of a Weasley, leading me into Quidditch, I'm thinking of buying Marissa a broom since she can almost walk."
"Really? Already?"
"Why not? I was almost one when I got my first broom and when we move into the new house we'll have that huge backyard for her to use."
"Why not get the new baby one while you're at it?" Ginny teased nudging him with her foot.
"Funny. He can get his at Christmas next year."
"You probably already have one on order!"
"Not yet. I'm not as bad as Ron was when James was born." Draco stood up, pulling Marissa up with him as she babbled between the three words she knew: dada, up, baba (bottle). "I'm going to get her a snack." Draco held Marissa like Superman and flew her out of the room leaving her giggling all the way.
Ginny pulled her hair back and took her time applying makeup trying to give her pale face some color. Finally, she was starting to feel better and the excitement about their new home was settling in. The builders said it would be done in a month, which meant mid September, only a month away. They had gone over yesterday morning to pick out the colors for the walls of the bedrooms. They had five bedrooms, two of which would be used for children but as Ginny wondered aloud whether they would have two guest rooms or just one, Draco had mentioned that eventually it could be another child's room. Up until that point, Ginny hadn't thought past her current pregnancy and wondered if she really wanted any more children. Hermione had told her a few weeks ago that she and Harry would like to have more, but not for a few more years. Harry was back to teaching and Hermione was full time as a Healer while her parents watched Brian, now 15 months old, on the days Harry taught.
The first few hours of the afternoon were spent shopping for Ginny at Samantha's clothing store in London. Marissa managed to walk away with a few cute outfits and by early evening, Ginny was feeling normal again and hoped that her morning sickness had officially ended that morning.
Her normal feeling only lasted until after dinner when they ran into Pansy outside the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron. For a moment, they stared at each other: Draco holding a sleeping Marissa against his shoulder and Ginny holding two bags. You couldn't tell she was pregnant and Ginny wasn't about to offer that piece of news to Pansy.
"I thought you moved?" Draco asked in way of greeting and Pansy started, seemingly surprised that he spoke to her at all.
"Next week. I guess that's not fast enough for you? I'm getting some things taken care of before I head down there." She shifted her weight from one foot to another, looking uncomfortable to be standing there with her ex-boyfriend.
"How old is she now?" Pansy asked suddenly looking at the back of Marissa's blond head still lying on Draco's shoulder.
"Almost nine months," Ginny answered quickly, wanting to just move up the sidewalk and get home.
"And number two due next February," Draco added with a proud note in his voice.
'Why did he have to tell her that?' Ginny thought to herself, squelching the urge to roll her eyes and yank Draco away from there.
Pansy mumbled her congratulations, told Draco to have a good year teaching and quickly left, crossing the street as she did so.
"Why did you have to tell her that?" Ginny verbalized out loud. The note of anger didn't go unnoticed by her husband.
"I'm happy about it. Why shouldn't I?" Draco switched Marissa to the other shoulder and together they disapparated back to their flat.
"It's not her business. After the way she acted while I was in school, she doesn't really need to know our personal information. That's why." Ginny took a sleepy Marissa from Draco and began to get her into her nightclothes.
"Maybe, then, you should tell me who I can and can't tell," Draco answered after she came out of their daughter's bedroom.
"Well, if you had asked me before I would've said her. I guess it won't matter in another month or so when I show--no matter what clothes I wear." Ginny watched Draco open the mail and owl had deposited on his desk and saw the look of surprise cross his face.
"What?"
"I have a letter saying our house will be ready to move in two days from now. That was fast."
"Sure was. I know they said they were the fastest, most reliable magical builders but…that was quick," Ginny looked around her flat feeling sad for a moment that they would be leaving the first place they ever lived together.
"Think of how much room we'll have. And, we can get stuff for the baby's room," Draco sat down next to her putting his arm around her shoulders.
"I know. I'm just sad to leave here. We have a lot of good memories, a few bad ones also, but mostly good." Ginny smiled as his lips met hers, feeling her heart jump in response to his touch. She had felt horrible for so long, he hadn't done much else than kiss her good morning and good night over the past three months.
"Well, maybe we should add one more good memory," Draco teased letting his hand trail down her arm then on to her leg. He felt her shiver and interpreted that as a good sign and let his hand continue to trace her thigh. Grasping his shoulders, Ginny pulled him down towards her as she leaned back against the sofa sighing as he gently settled against her, not letting all of his weight rest on her stomach.
"Here?"
"I won't make it to the bedroom," Ginny gasped pushing down his shorts and feeling him do the same to hers. Exploding was a mild word for what she thought was going to happen to her; she never realized how much she missed this side of their relationship until this moment. He moved and was suddenly grasping her hips, pulling her to him in a frantic rhythm they both set.
With a hoarse cry, Ginny pushed into him, feeling every muscle contract around him again and again. Her hands tangled in his hair as he pressed his lips to hers trying to silence their moans not wanting Marissa to ruin their intimate moment.
"Oh…Draco…I can't believe we're leaving here," Ginny whispered as he pulled away, their movements stilled. To her surprise, she felt tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Are you really that sad or is this hormones?" Draco wiped them away with his thumbs, a mild look of concern etched across his face.
"I think mainly hormones," she smiled and reached up to wipe off the tears. "Still, I can't believe we'll have a house and two children this time next year." She briefly wondered how she was going to handle two young children and work until she saw Draco smile.
"Don't worry. We've encountered and triumphed over worse things. This will be easy compared to last year," he bent down and kissed her, his hips moving slightly against hers. And, like it had a year before, the feeling of wanting him again rose up inside her and she let that pure-blood feeling take her where it had that day in May, back in his bedroom at his mother's house.
"I love you," she whispered before she lost all train of thought. He whispered it back to her-loving her in more ways than she could count.
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"That baby book you gave Draco, Hermione? I'm not sure if it's a blessing or a curse," Ginny smiled at her friend as they ate lunch at her kitchen table.
"Why?" Hermione gave Brian a piece of her chicken which he mushed between his hands.
"He has a list of names a mile long from Aloysius to Xavier. I hate most of them!" Ginny refilled their tea and sent the pitcher back to her cooling cabinet. "I mean, some are truly horrible Hermione! I told him to just wait and see what he looks like when he's born. Maybe that'll help."
"Well, he won't have to wait long by the looks of things."
"No. He won't. I was ready last week to have him. My back is killing me, I can't sleep, I'm hungry but can't eat much and Marissa wants to sit on my lap all the time and there's not much there for her to sit on."
"Welcome to full term pregnancy, Ginny!" Hermione laughed wiping of Brian's hands then setting him on the floor. He spotted Marissa playing with blocks in the living room and ran as fast as a two year old could to be with her.
"Thanks. Also, do you remember if I sent a thank you to your parents for Marissa's birthday present? I can't remember anything these days," Ginny leaned back in her chair and rubbed her ribs, pushing down slightly to move the baby's feet which were tucked up under them.
"You did. And, you already asked me that. Well, I have to run back to work and get Brian back to our flat so Harry can watch him. Call me if you need anything." Hermione helped Ginny out of the chair, who paused to gain her balance then follow her friend out to the living room.
"Let's go Brian. Time for you and daddy to play!"
"NO!" Brian stood up with hands on hips looking just like a little Hermione that Ginny struggled to keep her laughter to herself.
"Yes. Let's go!" Hermione bent down and picked up an irate Brian and with a quick wave to her friend and Marissa, she floo'd the two of them back home.
"Well, Marissa. I think it's time for our nap." Ginny yawned and rubbed her back.
"NO!" Marissa yelled, just like Brian and this time Ginny did laugh.
"Oh yes it is. You can sleep in my bed," Ginny grinned as Marissa smiled, knowing it was a treat to sleep with mummy. Carefully, Ginny supervised Marissa's crawl up the stairs and watched her toddle to her room. After a quick nappy change and book, the two of them settled down in what was still Draco's enormously comfortable bed and like mother, like daughter, they promptly feel asleep.
Ginny was awakened sometime later by rain pelting the windows and Marissa whimpering at the prospect of loud noises. Murmuring comforting words, she tucked Marissa against her best she could, hoping this unusual February thunderstorm would dissipate quickly. The baby moved inside her, pushing down causing Ginny to flinch, biting her lip to keep from crying out. His jabs were more and more painful with each passing day. Since tomorrow was her due date, she hoped she wouldn't have to endure the movements much longer.
As she laid there, listening to the thunder rumble, feeling Marissa's chest rise and fall, she felt a strange tightening in her back that slowly circled around to her front, squeezing consistently, annoyingly, but not that painful. Her heart beat a little faster thinking that maybe, finally, this could be it. She made a mental note of the time, remembering everything about childbirth that she had read and been taught. Minutes passed and nothing happened except more thunder and Marissa jerking in her sleep. Twenty minutes passed and Ginny felt the pressure again, beginning just as it had before; lasting for a minute then subsiding.
Knowing that her nap wasn't going to continue, she disengaged herself from Marissa, made sure she was surrounded by pillows and began quietly moving about her bedroom. She found her overnight bag and double checked the contents. She threw in her toothbrush and some of Draco's items, all the while talking in her head about when she should contact Draco and her mother. Molly was on alert to watch Marissa as Draco's mother was due back from Africa tomorrow-February 25th the day after the baby was due. Pausing in her movements as another contraction came, Ginny rubbed her stomach as she sat down in the chair, breathing quietly and knowing that they were only going to get much worse.
'Not time to worry yet,' she told herself and pushed herself back up and levitated everything down to the foyer. Draco was due home in two hours. Being that it was Friday he was done at 3pm rather than 4 and Ginny was fairly sure that for the next two hours she would be able to handle things on her own.
And for one of the few times in her life, she was wrong. By the time Marissa woke up from her nap and saw her mother sitting in the chair only an hour had passed since Ginny first felt the labor begin. Now the contractions were every five minutes and extremely painful.
"Mummy?" Marissa walked over and patted Ginny's knee. Placing a hand over her daughter's, Ginny breathed through her nose as the pain subsided and knew she only had five minutes, until the next contraction, to compose a note, get it on their owl, contact her mother and get herself to the hospital.
As she felt her insides starting to cramp up and squeeze together her life outside her body was unraveling. Her mother wasn't responding to the owl or floo; Hermione was in a "do not disturb" board meeting and she knew Draco was giving an exam so she didn't want to bother him until she was settled at the hospital. So, she did the only thing she could think of…she floo'd Fred and George at their shop. Being on her hands and knees in front of the fireplace took some of the pressure off her back but she still had to pause in the middle of her explanation to George while she breathed through her contraction.
"I'll be right there. Just let me close up shop and send my assistant to the Ministry. Maybe mum is there!" George quickly disappeared and three minutes later came stumbling out of the fireplace, almost landing on Marissa who was happily gnawing on a book in her playpen. She squealed when she saw him but he made for Ginny instead, who was sitting on the sofa, her arms wrapped around her stomach.
"Can you apparate there safely?" George crouched down in front of her and looked scared and nervous at the same time.
"Yeah. In a minute," Ginny breathed slowly. Finally, after what seemed like eternity she stood up and picked up her overnight bag. "Thanks. I'll have Hermione get in touch with you. Did you find mum?"
"She was at Hogwarts, of all places, talking to McGonagall. She probably already told Draco, Harry and Ron, who was there writing an article about the undefeated Slytherin team."
"Okay, thanks." Ginny quickly kissed his cheek, closed her eyes and envisioned the healer's front desk in the Malfoy wing of the hospital.
As soon as one of the healer's saw her and recognized who she was and what was going on, things began to happen very fast. She was led into a room near the desk and helped into a gown. Two healers strapped monitors over her stomach, the other asked question after question taking a detailed history. A third came in and told Ginny that Draco would be there in five minutes as he was finding someone to cover the last half of the exam he was giving. Hermione appeared her eyes bright with excitement and with a clipboard and wand in her hand. She began ordering her team around, getting a baby warmer set up, getting medicine ready in case Ginny would need a repeat Cesarean Section and all Ginny could do was to breathe through the primal squeezing her body was doing, then rest until the next one came. At some point she felt a hand on her forehead and a familiar voice in her ear.
"Draco. Make them give me something…it hurts," Ginny whimpered, curling up as another contraction hit her hard and fierce. She thought she heard him ask someone, and then get angry about the answer that was given. By the time she was coherent again, she felt her legs being pushed up into stirrups.
"We can't. You are ready to push," Hermione informed her as Ginny's water broke on command. She cried out in pain as another wave hit her, digging her nails into Draco's palm.
"Merlin! I can't--," Ginny panted feeling her body changing gears and pushing down and around something that wanted out.
"No choice," Draco murmured and slid an arm around her shoulders as Hermione instructed. Briefly, Ginny looked around the room in the thirty second reprieve she had and noticed about eight people standing around. Maybe they were here because they expected a problem? Or, maybe to see the first male Malfoy of his generation being born. Another contraction began to build and Ginny heard Hermione telling her to curl up and push.
"It's the devil in there; damn this hurts!" Ginny's last word seemed to echo off the walls as she pushed, not being able to stop if she wanted too. She could see the power flicker as she came down off her first real push, then go out for good. A crack of thunder resonated around the hospital before the magical lighting relit itself.
"Sounds like the devil out there," a healer said and Ginny shot her a look, then began to feel herself being pulled under as another vice gripped her insides and pushed.
"Good, Ginny…I can see…oh Merlin…I can see his head!" Draco leaned forward a bit, sounding enthralled with the whole process.
"Yeah? Well I can feel it!" Ginny snarled back at him, curling over her stomach again as Hermione told her to push.
The next few minutes she didn't remember, but later Draco told her how awesome she had been. It took only three more pushes to bring their son into the world. A red, wrinkled, bald, screaming baby who flailed his arms and legs around until he was swaddled on Ginny's stomach. She breathed in huge gulps of air, feeling a gigantic weight literally leave her body. A healer placed him in her arms and she finally opened her eyes to see her son for the first time.
All the pain and suffering had been worth it. She stared at his tiny nose and screaming mouth and watched Draco stroke the tiny hand that was curled under their son's chin.
"He's red like the devil," Draco smiled, wiping the tears off his cheeks. "Maybe that should be his name..."
"I am NOT naming my son Devil," Ginny said hoarsely, shushing their son and kissing his cheeks, forgetting how soft they were. She closed her eyes and felt the tiny head nuzzle under her chin.
"Devlin then?" Draco tried and saw his wife shake his head. Then she looked up at Draco who carefully took their son from her, holding him for the first time. He quieted down, stretched then promptly fell asleep his little mouth relaxed.
"He's not the devil…he's just not happy to be out where it's cold and bright," Ginny cooed, running her hand over his small body.
"Did you say Devon?" Hermione asked walking over after cleaning up Ginny.
"No, he wanted Devlin. But…I kind of like Devon, now that you said it," Ginny hedged, glancing up at Draco. He was smiling and shifted their son from one arm to the other looking prouder than she ever had known him too.
"Devon," Draco mused aloud, still staring at the little boy in his arms. As if on cue, he stretched and squinted up at his father.
"Awww," Hermione sighed leaning down and running a finger along his cheek. "He is adorable."
"I think he likes Devon," Draco said finally looking back towards Ginny. Their eyes locked for a moment and she saw into the depths of Draco's soul; a rarity for him to let down any of his guard in front of anyone that wasn't her or his mother. She could see the immense pleasure he was feeling in having a son, someone that he could help mold into a positive Malfoy role model and right then and there Ginny had to agree with her husband. He loved the name and she wanted him to take part in birthing this child as much as she did.
"Devon it is," Ginny smiled and received her son as Draco held him out to her. His little eyes squinted up at her, an indefinable blue color which was nothing like what Marissa's were over a year ago. Devon stretched, yawned and promptly fell back asleep.
"I need to go weigh him and everything. I'll bring him right back to you," Hermione said, gently taking
her best friend's son and placing him in the warmed bassinette.
Draco and Ginny watched Hermione wheel him out and suddenly they were alone for the next few moments. Gingerly, Ginny shifted in the bed, feeling every muscle from her head to her toes scream in agony.
"You were incredible," Draco whispered, leaning down and kissing her head. His hand wrapped around hers and he squeezed, trying to keep his composure.
"Yes…I think I was," Ginny smiled, her eyes shutting on their own volition.
"No doubt. You gave me a son, just like you promised. How did you manage that?" Draco whispered pressing his lips next to her ear.
"Well, when a man really loves a woman…," Ginny began slowly, a smile playing at her lips.
"You know what I mean," Draco laughed low in her ear, then brushed her hair back from her forehead, seeing how exhausted she was.
"Never mind. Just rest. I'll have Hermione let everyone know our son was born at 3:30 this afternoon."
"Tell them his name," Ginny murmured leaning into Draco's hand which cupped her face gently.
"Devon…with an "O"."
"Right," Ginny smiled then suddenly opened her eyes as she thought of something. "What's his middle name?"
Draco's eyes widened and he began to laugh, letting the stress of the last hour relieve itself. "Damn, we forgot to get that far."
"Well think of something because I'm too exhausted to think."
"I don't really want to associate my father with any of our kids."
Ginny nodded and drifted off to sleep, stirring slightly when she heard the door open and Hermione whispering something to Draco.
"I'll hold him," he whispered and Ginny heard the rocking chair creak as he lowered himself into it. Everything was quiet and Ginny could see names swirling behind her eyelids as her subconscious tried to put together a middle name for her son. As she began to fall over the edge into a deeper sleep she saw four letters pop up behind her eyelids and suddenly she had it.
"Draco?" Ginny turned towards him and he looked up at her, cradling their sleeping son against his shoulder. "I've got the perfect middle name. It just came to me."
"What is that?"
"Gray."
"The color?"
"Actually, it's a combination of "Ginny" and "Draco"…I think," Ginny shook her head slightly, still a bit stunned at how the name came to her out of nowhere.
"Devon Gray Malfoy. I like it Gin; I think it sounds perfect. Now stop thinking and get some rest. We have people waiting and I'm not letting them in until you have napped."
"Okay," Ginny let her eyes flutter shut and gave herself up to the sweet darkness of sleep.