A Bouncing Baby Boy

A Bouncing Baby Boy Chap 2

Ginny Weasley was sitting in the Headmaster's office. Draco Malfoy was sitting in her lap, bouncing up and down with joy at being able to see his reflection in Dumbledore's well-polished mahogany table. Happily he waved, preened and drooled at his image, ignoring Ginny's agonized pleadings to "be a good boy and just shut up!"

Albus Dumbledore studied the unlikely couple in front of him; Madam Pomfrey's note lay on the table. After conducting some tests on Baby Draco, Madam Pomfrey had gathered that Draco was two or so years old.

He is remarkably gifted with a powerful vocabulary, wrote Madam Pomfrey, her words round and fat and easy to read, his favorite appears to be 'Din-din' and 'yucky'. He is spoiled, and there is certainly nothing wrong with his lungs. In fact, I pity the person who will be forced to take him away from Miss Weasley for he certainly seems extraordinarily attached to her. Draco is an engaging little boy (when given his way) but emotionally immature for his age. He is terribly spoiled and fussy about his clothes. Here Dumbledore stopped reading and glanced at Draco, he had moved his attention from his reflection and was now staring around at the portraits of the former Headmasters and Headmistresses. A few of them waved at him and made funny faces. Draco was currently playing peek-a-boo with a formidable matron holding an iron tipped cane.

Dumbledore took note of the fact Draco was wearing flattering black robes that fitted him exactly and brought out the silver of his eyes and hair. He must have made Poppy Pomfrey mad enough to conjure them, to Albus's knowledge, the only baby clothes Poppy had were all frilly bright pink or blue. "Wouldn't have suited his coloring at all," murmured Albus, returning to the note. All in all I hope the spell wears off soon Albus, or I don't know how we will cope!

With a twinkle in his eye, Albus Dumbledore folded up the note and tucked it into his drawer. "Ahem," he coughed. Just then, his office door flew open and Severus Snape stormed in.

"You needed to speak with me Headmas- Good lord!" exclaimed Severus as he caught sight of Draco.

"Unkel Sevvie!" screamed Draco ecstatically.

"Uncle Sevvie?" asked Ginny interestedly. So that was who Uncle Sevvie was ... a wide grin spread itself over her face. Uncle Sevvie-hoohoohaha-Uncle Sevvie! Oh dear, that was priceless. Snape looked at her. Just one look, and Ginny's giggles stopped trying to get out. There was something about Snape's extremely-poisonous-one-of-a-kind-death ray glare that just brewed fear and bottled laughter.

To Draco though, there was nothing amiss about his beloved Unkel Sevvie who protected him from almost everything. He hollered at the top of his capable lungs to be given to Unkel Sevvie. "Unkel Sevvie! Unkel Sevvie! Din-din! Unkel Sevvie!" he screamed, jiggling up and down. "Unkel Sevvie! Unkel Sevvie!"

Ginny wasted no time, she handed Draco over to Snape who received the little boy carefully. To Ginny's astonishment, all Snape needed to do was lay a long finger onto the bridge of Draco's screwed up nose and it straightened neatly as he stopped screaming immediately. Ginny could only shake her head enviously as Draco cuddled up against Snape. Dumbledore looked amused as Draco wiped his face on Snape's robes, leaving wet marks on it.

"This appears to be Draco Malfoy, Headmaster," said Snape stiffly.

Dumbledore nodded sagely. "Yes, that is indeed he."

Silence.

"May I ask why he is a baby again?" asked Snape, just as stiffly as before.

"Ah," said Dumbledore, stroking his beard. "That is something we must ask Miss Weasley."

All heads turned towards her. Ginny gulped. "I have no idea how I managed to do that sir."

Snape snorted, cradling Draco protectively in his arms. Draco watched her with big eyes, as if suspecting that he had gotten her into trouble and regretted it. For a brief instant Ginny contemplated taking Draco from Snape, but then decided she was into enough hot water without risking Snape's scathing sarcasm. Dumbledore smiled at Ginny. It made her feel better as he added kindly, "It might not have been you Miss Weasley, perhaps at that moment someone cast the required spell and it hit Mister Malfoy by accident, but-" Ginny's heart fell "-but that is highly unlikely."

"Yes Headmaster," whispered Ginny. If Lucius Malfoy ever got wind of this she was dead meat. Dumbledore seemed able to read what was in her mind.

"Perhaps it would be prudent to refrain from telling Lucius about this yet," he said, "after all, the spell might wear off in the middle of his making a hullabaloo and where would that leave us? What do you think Severus?"

"I think you're right Headmaster," replied Snape. Ginny cast him a grateful glance, which he dismissed with a curt nod of his head. Draco copied him, jerking his head so sharply Ginny was scared it'd fall off. "But what do we do with Draco now?"

"Someone will have to take care of him until the spell wears off of course," said Dumbledore cheerfully. Ginny gulped, she knew who the lucky person was ...

"I am too busy to take care of him," said Snape, cementing her guess. "I have teaching and ... work to do. Miss Weasley?"

What could she do? Ginny nodded and smiled weakly. "I'd be glad to take care of Draco until the spell wears off."

"Good, then it's all settled," said Dumbledore happily, he rose and clapped his hands, signaling the end of the interview. Ginny rose from her chair and Snape dumped Draco into her arms. Draco didn't scream, he gurgled happily at her. Ginny smiled at him, the first real smile she'd smiled all day. Maybe this won't be so bad after all.

Draco flushed all her hopes down the drain with one sudden, bad, very bad smell. Damn, if she'd let Snape hold on to him for just a minute longer Draco would have pooped in his arms. Snape gagged and Dumbledore delicately waved a hand before his nose. "Lemon drop?" he offered brightly like that would stem Ginny's embarrassment and clear away the smell.

Even though Ginny had missed lunch to have this totally unprofitable meeting, the smell Draco had made was enough to kill the legendary Weasley appetite, as was the thought of having to actually do something about it. "No thanks, Professor Dumbledore."

As she walked out of the Headmaster's office, fighting the impulse to drop Draco and run for a good hand washing, she distinctly heard Snape say, "Can we open the windows Headmaster?"

***

Ginny leaned back into the red leather chair before the fire. The warm weight of Draco in her lap and the silent, humid atmosphere of the Gryffindor Common Room made her deliciously sleepy. It seemed to have the same effect on Draco as he snuggled up to her, his eyes closing. "Din-din," he murmured. Ginny smiled and stroked his head. When he wasn't screaming, whining, soiling his diapers or doing something disgusting he really was the cutest baby. Too bad Lucius Malfoy had to spoil it all...

CRASH

Ginny jolted back to consciousness with a bang. Now she recalled why it was so quiet. Everyone else had been attending the Quidditch Match between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. The whole house trooped in with the various members of the Quidditch Team on their shoulders. Draco and Ginny jolted back to reality, and Draco screwed up his face, prepared to let out one of his ear splitting yowls. "Oi!" yelled Ginny, surpassing Draco himself and discouraging him so that he shut up. "SHUT UP! YOU'LL WAKE THE BABY!"

Instantly the sound was muted. Draco had been around long enough for them to know him, worship him and fear him. "Honestly, Ginny," whispered Hermione as she dropped into the chair before her. "He's not really your kid, you know. It's been a week already. He's adorable, but you've got to let him get used to the fact that he isn't the only baby in the world."

Draco's eyes snapped open at this blasphemous speech. He glared at Hermione. "'Udbood," he said, it was clear what he meant.

Ginny shook her head in remonstrance. "Don't ever let me hear you say that again, Draco," she scolded, hitting him lightly on the wrist.

He shook his head, lower lip sticking out. "Din-din," he said, his eyes wide and starry. "Din-din nice, Udbood no."

Ginny had to laugh at the look on Hermione's face. "Draco ..." she laughed. "Say sorry to Hermione now or I'll let Parvati and Lavender have you again."

A look of horror appeared on his little face. The last time Ginny had let Lavender and Parvati take care of Draco he had been bathed, perfumed, brushed, squealed over, kissed and finally as the piece de résistance - his nails had been manicured to a very 'manly shade of pink.' "Solly, udbood," he said sulkily. Ginny smiled at him but as she looked away from him he stuck his tongue out at Hermione.

"Humph," said Hermione. She didn't intend to stay here and be insulted by that spoiled brat of a Malfoy. Hermione flounced off to speak to Harry and Ron about Ginny's infatuation with baby Malfoy.

Moments later, Ron and Harry appeared beside Ginny. Draco stared at them balefully. He didn't like them. The one with the ugly red slashy thing on his head always treated him like he was dumb and the one with the ugly red spots on his face acted like he'd want to throw him out of the window first chance he got. Draco never helped their relationship by calling them "Potty" and "Weak-e". Ginny told him time and time again to call them "Harry" and "Ron" but it was hard when he looked at her with such a sweet look of confusion on his face, eyes large and limpid with miscomprehension.

"Hi Ginny, Malfoy," said Harry easily. He smiled at Ginny and grimaced at Draco. The baby's baleful stare deepened.

Ron dropped down with a groan into a chair. He smeared mud all over it. "Hey Gin," he said. "Still holding onto the Brat?" He made a face at Draco.

Draco dropped the baleful look quickly and adopted a little half sad smile. Ginny, who saw only the smile but not the Look, turned to Ron reproachfully. "Ron!" she snapped. "Look at his sweet ickle smile. Can't you see he likes you? Stop acting like such a prat. Isn't that right, Draco?"

Draco nodded empathically. His smile widened onto a smirk, which he showed to Ron evilly before burying his head into Ginny's clothes. Ron looked at Draco in loathing. "Ginny," he implored. "Can't you see that little beast is depraved?"

"Ron!" said Ginny angrily.

Ron shot an angry look at Harry. "Er ..." mumbled Harry. "I think Ron's right ..."

"Oh you!" Ginny glared at both of them. "Biased, that's what you two are." She got up form her chair and started to stomp angrily out.

Ron and Harry looked at each other. "Well."

Harry nodded. Ron was right. "Well."

"Hermione's right," said Ron gloomily. "My little sister is besotted with that howling, two faced, foul spawn of hell."

Normally Harry would have protested Ron's use of adjectives, but in this case he thought they were perfectly justified.

***

Ginny stormed her way down the corridor, Draco hoisted indelicately over her shoulder. Even that spoiled child knew not to disturb Ginny when she was in this kind of mood. So, even though the way he was being joggled about made his delicate stomach turn, he kept absolutely quiet.

Two First Years dove out of her way hurriedly. Ginny Weasley looked like a force to be reckoned with. Her brown eyes were flashing dangerously, and her face was deathly pale, so her freckles stood out like fleas in snow. Just as she was turning the corner, still thinking murderous thoughts, she bumped into someone.

Ginny lifted her rebellious eyes. Professor Kathryn Lim, the new Muggle Studies Professor. "Miss Weasley," she said, inclining her head slightly. Seeing the look on Ginny's face she smiled slightly, very slightly. "Professor Snape sent me to seek you out," she lied smoothly. "He wants his turn with Draco. Why don't I take him away from you and give the child to his doting uncle?"

Ginny handed Draco over wordlessly. Draco screwed up his mouth, ready to yell. Ginny felt vaguely comforted that he would miss her. Professor Lim, in the meantime, didn't give Draco time to build up his howl. Quickly, she tapped his mouth with her wand. He stayed silent. Ginny almost laughed at the look of relief on her face. "Have a nice day, Miss Weasley," smiled Professor Lim. Draco's eyes bulged as this impertinent stranger dared take him away from 'Din-din'. He couldn't yell, his mouth felt all sticky. Draco tried to make his face turn blue, but it was no use. Ginny had turned her back on him, and the stranger was carrying him off to goodness knows where. And being a melodramatic baby, he decided it was off to his doom.

***

Ginny told herself that it was wrong to be so absurdly light hearted because there was no longer Draco's heavy weight to lug around. She told herself it was cruel to not miss his drooling on her green robes and his chewing on her neck, but she had to admit the truth. She was bloody glad that she didn't need to yank Draco along, or feed him, or clean him, or amuse him. She was free! For a while.

"Ginny!" Ginny recognized the voice and turned around joyfully to greet the owner of it.

"Colin!" She grinned and waved enthusiastically at the small boy. Even though Colin was older then her by a few months, she was taller, which was a real shame because Colin was very cute after his mousy brown hair had darkened to a nice light chocolate shade. He had his camera slung over his shoulder as usual.

"Got some photos of your baby!" he said excitedly, handing them over to her. "Where is he anyway?"

Ginny laughed as photo Draco pulled Ron's hair with malicious glee. "Babysitter." Snape would probably kill her if he knew what she called him. "He'll be there for a long, long while."

"My and aren't we happy about it?" commented Colin knowledgably. He knew how she felt; after all he had Dennis to contend with. "Tell you what, let's go find Neville and head of to Hogsmeade. They have a chocolate sale."

"Brill," said Ginny happily. "And we'll bring Luna as well."

"Old Loony Lovegood?" asked Colin skeptically.

Ginny scowled at him. "Weren't so long ago people called you Harry's stalker."

"Oh fine," conceded Colin. "Let's go find Neville and Loo- Luna Lovegood then."

Ginny thought she could hear the faint sound of a scream. I think, thought Ginny, that I'd better buy Draco something sweet to make it up to him. There was another weak howl. Ginny winced. Maybe a bottle of Butterbeer too.