Chapter 6
The next morning gave way to rain and low clouds but as Ginny woke up encircled in Draco's arms she realized it was the best morning she had in two weeks. He was spooned up against her, his chest rising and falling against her back. Relishing in the closeness she let her mind wander back to the previous night, making a mental note to thank Hermione and her cousin for throwing the party. Stretching and blinking sleep out of her eyes, she realized that it felt later than normal. Were the kids still sleeping? They had a late night so she wouldn't be surprised if they were.
Her eyes fell upon a note slid under the bedroom door. Reaching slowly towards her wand on the nightstand, she accio'd the note to her and carefully broke the seal. From Hermione; it said that she and Harry managed to corral Marissa and Devon before they woke up their sleeping parents and they were eating breakfast with their cousin and Brian.
Feeling her stomach grumble with hunger, she carefully she slid out of Draco's embrace, freezing in her tracks when he muttered something and turned over, sheets sliding down to his hips.
It was then that she realized for the first time in two weeks she was seeing him, in the light, without his shirt and he had built up quite a bit of muscle. Her eyes followed the contour of his back, arms and shoulders while adding up all the projects he had done around the house to help diffuse his anger. He built the play-set for the kids, built a bookcase for Marissa's room and helped the elderly Muggle neighbors up the street patch a wooden fence. All that heavy lifting and new found love of woodwork had given way to a body that Ginny was hardly familiar with.
'No,' she told herself firmly, feeling a bit sore from last night. 'Do not wake him. Go eat.'
She made herself presentable and quickly slipped out of the room, the image of her husband on the edge of her thoughts. A small smile played on her face as she entered the kitchen which was bustling; eggs, coffee, sausage, bacon and toast were either being eaten or doled out by the adults.
"Mummy!" Devon smiled waving a piece of bacon at her. A second later he turned and continued listening to Brian talk about what their new house was going to look like when it was done.
"Ginny, good morning," Hermione smiled and Ginny couldn't help but smile back. "Everything okay?"
"Wonderful, thank you," Ginny nodded, pouring herself a cup of coffee and sitting down in the chair Marissa just vacated. Samantha had bought a TV, against Ginny's protests, and on vacation the children were allowed one hour a day. Marissa chose to watch cartoons in the morning so she scampered into the living room barely aware her mother was now seated.
"Stay up late?" Samantha asked winking at her then jumping as Ron kicked her under the table.
"Don't need to hear that!" he mumbled with his mouthful of egg.
"We're all adults Ron. She knows that you," Samantha glanced at Brian who was still at the table, "that we've done it. At least twice, since we have two children!" Samantha retorted rolling her eyes. Ron shook his head and concentrated on his plate.
"Can I go watch the telly with Marissa?" four year old Brian asked Harry, who gave him permission. Brian ran into the living room followed by Devon and soon it was just the adults sans Draco.
"I guess you wore him out," Harry joked, noticing that Ginny came down alone.
"I don't think he slept well the past two weeks." Ginny stretched as she eyed the food on the counter. Waving off Hermione's help she made her way to the counter to fill her plate.
Harry laughed at something Ron read him from the paper and the soft chatter of her two good friends seemed like music to her ears. Ginny felt renewed, happier than she had in a long time. Drifting off to sleep last night she came to the very mature realization that she and Draco still had issues to work out; some of them you couldn't prepare for until they happened.
Feeling a hand come to rest on the small of her back she turned, surprised to see Draco standing there in his pajama bottoms and t-shirt. A blush crept its way to her neck as she glanced down at his well defined arm. She saw his mouth turn up a bit at the corner noticing her slightly pink face.
"Good morning. Would you like a plate?" Ginny smiled and gestured to the array of food on their counter. His arm pulled her closer, turning her towards him.
"Would love one," he answered. Hesitating for a moment he dipped his head and kissed her softly on the mouth. After the blood stopped pounding in her ears, Ginny noticed how quiet it was when he pulled away. They stared at each other for a moment and then he slid his hand off her back took an empty plate from the stack and began putting a bit of everything on his plate.
It took a moment for Ginny to realize what had just happened; Draco had kissed her in front of her friends. The last time he had done that was at their wedding. She knew her friends had noticed it because, even though Harry and Ron were now talking about Quidditch, her girlfriends' eyes met hers and for some reason Ginny couldn't help the giggle that came out of her mouth as she slid into her seat.
"Well," Samantha whispered as Draco pulled open their fridge searching for something. "That was impressive."
"Surprising," Ginny murmured. "Maybe his way of saying everything is okay, 'now back off, everyone'." Samantha laughed quietly.
"You looked dazed," Hermione laughed and Ginny nodded. She felt dazed and happy all at once, but she wouldn't trade those feelings for the world.
She ate her breakfast quietly, feeling her husband's presence next to her. What she really wanted to do was talk to Hermione and Samantha and tell them that their party had worked. Draco's leg against hers kept her quiet until Marissa came walking through the kitchen.
Marissa stopped as she caught site of her father sitting at the table. Ginny could see the hesitation in her eyes, trying to assess what kind of mood he was in. It wasn't fair that it had gotten to that point for a three year old to be scared of him and Ginny could sense Draco was quickly working out the solution in his mind.
"Do you want something, love?" Ginny asked Marissa (who walked the long way around the table to her mother, to avoid her father).
"Another piece of bacon?" she whispered leaning on Ginny's lap. Ginny had finished all of hers and was fairly sure Draco had taken the last few pieces.
"Here, Marissa. Three is enough for me," Draco held his piece out over Ginny's plate and as Ginny pulled Marissa up into her lap, she saw her daughter's hand slowly reach out and take it.
"Thank you," she whispered, as if afraid that saying anything louder would set him off. He took it in stride and glanced over his shoulder.
"What is it doing outside, Marissa?" he asked calmly. Marissa glanced out the window.
"Raining." Her voice was still soft. She slowly munched on the bacon strip, quite intrigued to see where this was going.
"I don't think we'll need to stay inside all day, especially since we have a canopy that goes over the whole patio. I'm thinking that after we eat and get dressed we should go out there." Draco speared some egg and chewed away as Marissa processed what he said. Ginny had no idea where he was going with his line of thinking, but stayed quiet aware that four other people were thinking the same thing and following her lead.
"And do what?" Marissa finally asked, letting Ginny wipe the grease off her fingers.
"I think it would be a good time to practice on your broom."
Ginny's heart leapt up into her throat and she had to concentrate on not clapping with excitement. Marissa however
was still confused.
"Daddy! I know how to ride my broom. Quite well, in fact."
Ron snorted in amusement, listening to his niece sounding like a Malfoy.
"That's what I've been hearing. Although, it's been awhile since I've seen you on it, so maybe you can show me just how well you can ride."
Ginny pressed her face into Marissa's hair, trying not to laugh in relief knowing where the line of conversation was going.
"That won't take long. Then what will we do?" Marissa asked matter-of-factly, her voice growing stronger as she realized her father was actually having a conversation with her instead of getting angry.
"Well, depending on how well you do and listen to directions, there may be an intermediate broom for you to try." Draco's eyes slid to Ginny's but she couldn't meet them, keeping them closed as she struggled to keep her composure.
"Mummy, stop," Marissa reached up and pushed Ginny's cheek away gently away from where it was resting on her head. "Really? You have one of them? For me?" her attention was now fully on her father. Without waiting for an answer she jumped down running into the living room to share her bit of news.
"Uh-oh," Ron muttered knowing what was going to come next.
"On that note, I'm going to go get a shower!" Draco hurriedly downed his juice and snuck out of the kitchen before a chorus of voices and stampeding feet came running into the kitchen asking their respective parent for an intermediate broom, demanding it wasn't fair.
---
Twenty minutes later Ginny found herself on the sofa talking to Hermione and Samantha while Harry and Ron worked on cleaning the kitchen and the kids ran around the house trying to find the broom which was actually hidden out in the shed.
"He apologized?"
"He did. So did I. I guess I never thought of what arguments we'd have until we had one. And I tell you, I don't want to go through that again." Ginny ran her hands through her hair, stretching her legs out on the sofa. She still wasn't dressed and was contemplating going up and getting a shower when she heard Draco's voice calling her.
"I'm down here!" Ginny's back was to the stairs but she heard him come out of their room Samantha and Hermione's faces suddenly stopped in mid-sentence and were both just staring at a spot above and behind Ginny. Turning around on the sofa she saw Draco standing at the top of the stairs in only a pair of dark blue shorts, arms casually crossed on the railing. Now she could understand why her friends were staring. Draco was rarely one to walk around without a shirt. No one had ever seen what was under one, unless they were swimming at The Burrow which wasn't very often.
"Damn," Samantha whispered in awe and Ginny blinked, wondering if her husband knew that he had made three women speechless just by the fact he was showing off a very well defined chest and a pair of muscular arms. Added to that--wet hair that was a few shades darker than his normal dry hair made his eyes even bluer.
Clearing her throat and trying to steady her breathing Ginny heard him ask if she knew something pertaining to a shirt.
"Go," Hermione hissed. "For goodness sake, go and show him where the sodding shirt is and take all the time you need to do it!"
"Umm, I think I know where it is, Draco. Let me see." Ginny jumped off the sofa not needing anymore prodding. Quickly she ran up the stairs faster than her normal clip and led him into their bedroom, not caring how sore she may be at that moment.
---
"I'm pretty sure, Draco. I'm a week late."
"You were never on time, unless that has changed and you never said anything," Draco responded, holding up two white shirts and trying to figure out which one was less wrinkled.
"They were both just washed and de-wrinkled. Pick one! And, no, I'm still not regular. But, I feel the same as I did with Marissa and Devon. Tired, hungry, and then nauseous." Ginny finished buttoning up her shirt then turned to her husband, holding out his cloak for him to shrug into.
"Don't jump to conclusions yet. Go see a healer and let them tell you." Draco shoved the shirt he wasn't wearing back into the closet then quickly turned to his wife. Kissing her on the forehead he held her for a moment.
"I have to go meet everyone at Hogwarts. Let me know when I get home what they say, okay?"
"Yeah, sure." Ginny sighed a bit upset that he didn't offer to go with her to the Healer's. This could be the very moment they find out baby number three was on the way.
"Or," Draco said easily understanding her tone, "I can try and make it back for lunch which will be around one or so."
"Okay, thanks," Ginny stood on her toes and kissed him, her hand moving until it rested on a small blond head that came crashing into her legs. "Have fun at your meeting."
Draco nodded, patted Devon on the head and was gone before Devon was even fully aware that his father had been in the room.
"Ready for breakfast?" Ginny asked, her stomach turning slightly at the thought.
"Yogurt!" Devon yawned, stretching out his arms so Ginny would pick him up. She took him downstairs and began setting out Marissa's breakfast as well.
School was beginning to start up again slowly. Two more weeks until the semester started and the pre-term meetings had begun yesterday. They were hammering out the class schedule for the upcoming year, making up Quidditch schedules and making sure everything was in order for the new first years.
As the morning fell into lunchtime, Ginny managed to squeeze herself in for an appointment to coincide with Draco's return from lunch. Asking his mother to watch the children (no excuse was needed as Narcissa enjoyed being with them at anytime) she apparated to St. Mungo's waiting room, seeing Draco lounging easily in a chair waiting for her arrival.
Gracefully, he unfolded himself from the chair and a few wizard and witches heads turned, as if realizing for the first time that he was in the room. Quietly, they walked down towards the area Hermione worked in and were surprised to see someone else in her place.
"She went home sick. I think that was the first time I have ever seen her take off," Healer Jones said as he introduced himself to the Malfoys. "Right this way for your exam."
"Where are the kids?" Draco murmured to Ginny as he guided her down the hall.
"Your mother's," Ginny whispered back, turning into the room Healer Jones pointed to.
"Okay, Mrs. Malfoy. Looking at your chart and knowing your profession, you know what we need to do. So, just lay still and let me get a reading with my wand." Healer Jones took it out and less than a second after aiming it toward her stomach, it glowed. "Pregnant, now let's see how far."
Ginny's eyes locked with Draco's. He was watching her with an air of ambivalence that only she knew as an act. His eyes flicked to her stomach, back to her face and a ghost of a smile touched the corner of his mouth.
"Well, Mrs. Malfoy. Going back the date of your last menstrual period, you are seven weeks and a day. About three weeks and a day into the pregnancy. But, you remember what this past July was, around the time of conception?"
Ginny looked at Healer Jones blankly, trying to understand what he was asking,.
"It was hot?" Draco asked and Ginny laughed at his rare ability to make a joke.
"Well, yes, but also it was a full moon, at the end of July and it is an even year. Also, since it was unseasonably hot, that is all the more reason to do a Muggle sonogram to see if you are pregnant with triplets." Healer Jones as Draco slapped his forehead.
"Shit! I forgot all about that. We learned that in seventh year Astronomy!" Draco groaned softly, burying his face in his hands for a moment; kicking himself for not remembering that odd piece of information. Ginny never took that class as a seventh year so she didn't learn it.
"I don't know if I even remember learning that in my Healer's courses," Ginny said faintly watching Healer Jones pull out a machine from a closet in the room.
"Yes, well. We don't come across it very often, but I have delivered, in my thirty years of being a Healer, two sets of triplets all conceived within days of each other, different even numbered years, so I do have some experience," he rambled on, setting up the machine which Ginny was vaguely familiar with. He pulled her shirt up slightly and Draco scooted closer, intrigued by this different type of examination.
The first thing they saw was a black and gray mass. Scratching and bumping sounds came out of the speaker on the side of the ultrasound machine and finally the Healer found the appropriate spot.
A slight thumping sound of Ginny's own heartbeat filled the room as her eyes traveled around the screen. But the healer was faster than her--making movements with one hand and typing things in with another.
"Well?" Draco asked impatiently.
The Healer moved the ultrasound wand to a low spot on Ginny's abdomen and let the image come into focus. His long finger pointed to the black and white screen.
"One here, another next to it and one a bit lower on the left side of the uterine wall. Now anything can happen in the next three months, but for now, I have to congratulate you on triplets. And they don't look to be identical, if that is any help to you."
Ginny felt the blood roar in her ears and found her hand being squeezed, hard by Draco's. Something the doctor was
saying brought her back to the present as she blinked away the spots before her eyes.
"I'd like to see you in another three weeks. We should be able to see the fetuses more clearly at that point. Until then, I know you know what to do to take care of yourself, Mrs. Malfoy."
"Indeed," Ginny whispered her eyes moving around Draco's face as he stared at the monitor. This was one of those rare times she couldn't read what he was thinking and it unnerved her a bit.
Twenty minutes later, Ginny was still struggling to comprehend she was carrying three babies. Draco kissed her in the waiting room and disapparated back to his meetings. He seemed as distracted as she did. Ginny knew she couldn't meet Devon and Marissa's demands until she got control of herself so she made the decision to check up on Hermione. She had never known her to be sick and it gave her something else to think about for the moment.
And it was there that Ginny found Hermione staring into a cup of tea with a dazed look upon her face similar to
Draco's. Little puzzle pieces began to click together in Ginny's head about the week they spent in Spain. And
it was then that Ginny found out that Hermione's triplets were due only days apart from her own.
Together they had a good cry, then a good laugh over what was to come their way.