A Not So Simple Kind of Life

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

HELL HATH NO FURY

Boredom was simply a state of mind and, in essence, she knew this, but it did nothing to chase away the long, lonely hours she was being forced to endure away from her children. Of course, their education was of paramount importance and she'd not dream of interfering to the point of disturbing their lessons, but she missed them dreadfully, and it seemed no activity could replace their presence. To make matters worse, she had started crying over the smallest of things, or rather she'd started crying more over the smallest things and sometimes over nothing at all.

The tutor, Clare Sheehan, had arrived on the Monday, as arranged. She'd spent the next few days settling in and meeting with the children occasionally in an effort to get to know them better. Then, as tradition stated, Clare started their formal education on the first day of September.

That first day Ginny had rather enjoyed the freedom that came with having the twins otherwise occupied. On the second day the charm began to wear off and she'd wandered aimlessly around the manor, not really achieving anything, but not able to remain entirely idle either. She rejoiced the weekend and with it the return of fulltime care of her babies.

The first full week of her freedom had been an experience, to say the least. She'd taken tea with her mother-in-law more times than she cared to remember, attended two garden tea parties and had begged off a third -- she thought she might go insane if she had to make polite conversation with those snobby women one more time that week. To keep occupied she'd also had lunch away from the manor several times with whoever was available on the day. No matter how she tried to fill in the hours, Ginny couldn't shake the deep feeling of loneliness that engulfed her when the twins were in the classroom.

To make matters even more difficult, Drake had grown bored with his lessons and was starting to make a fuss about having to attend every day. Ginny found it increasingly difficult to make him go each day, especially when she'd like nothing better than to have his company. It hadn't become out of place for her to start the day with a solid cry just after the twins went off to their classroom, followed by a harsh self-admonishment for being foolish.

She put aside her book with a frustrated huff and checked the clock for maybe the umpteenth time in the last half an hour. There were still another two hours before she was due at her Midwitch's office for a check up. What she needed was distraction, something to hold her attention for more than thirty seconds and something that might chase away thoughts of how she had failed over the last few weeks.

Rather than sit in her parlor sighing herself into unconsciousness, Ginny decided to take a walk. She stood and wandered slowly towards the gardens. Perhaps an hour or so of appreciating nature would see her mind returned to its right state.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ginny sat impatiently waiting for her Midwitch to arrive. Even though she was bored to death at home, she wasn't really in the mood to sit around all day waiting for a check up that would tell her nothing she didn't already know -- everything was fine. It was times like this that she'd wished she'd taken Narcissa's advice and had elected to receive home visits from her Midwitch, but then the appointments at least provided opportunities for her to escape the manor with a real purpose. Still, at almost twenty-eight weeks pregnant it was most annoying to have to sit around in an uncomfortable chair, waiting for an undetermined amount of time, for the woman in question to show up.

The Midwitch in question had, apparently, been summoned to St. Mungo's and, according to her receptionist, should be on her way back to the office soon. Whether or not she had something better to do was beside the point, Ginny simply didn't want to be sitting around doing nothing. She sighed heavily and reached for the pile of magazines sitting on the table beside her. Most of the publications were battered and ancient, but it was better than sitting there twiddling her thumbs.

She thumbed through a back issue of the Quibbler, not really paying attention to what was in the trashy magazine, until her eyes registered a photograph of her husband within the pages. With determined purpose, she flicked back through to find the page in question. A full-page photograph of a sneering Draco preceded the article, and there were photographs of her and the twins on the opposite page.

The Heir's Heir? I Think Not!

By Rita Skeeter

The sudden appearance of not one, but two children claiming to be of the wealthy Malfoy lineage has wizarding world gossips talking up a storm. Their mother, Ginevra Weasley, has paraded five-year-old twins, Drake and Angelique, before the affluent family and appears to have succeeded in assuring her future income, for the time being, by claiming they are the offspring of the sole Malfoy heir, Draco Malfoy. However, as we endeavor to uncover the truth we have come upon many facts that simply do not support the story the Malfoy family seemingly believe.

We wonder, as many do, if these children are legitimately of this family or if this is a ploy by their mother to guarantee her future is comfortable. One only has to look at Miss Weasley's background to ascertain whether or not she has anything to gain from falsely claiming the paternity of her illegitimate children.

Born to a profoundly poor wizarding family, the pureblood witch must find nurturing two growing children a challenge in the current economic climate. Most especially when we take into consideration her lack of practical employment skills -- the woman has never held a paid position within the wizarding world.

The date of conception seems to be a somewhat contentious issue also and could well prove, once and for all, that the paternity claim is, indeed false. There is overwhelming evidence that at the time of the alleged conception Mr. Draco Malfoy was residing in Paris and did not step foot on English soil for a period of two years. So we ask how could he possibly have fathered twins when he was not in the same country as the mother? Put simply, he couldn't have, and it's unlikely, given Miss Weasley's economic background, she's ever left the shores of Britain.

Which, of course, leads us to how Miss Weasley fooled the astute Malfoy family into believing her tale long enough to gain access to the heir. Our sources inform us there have been suggestions that a combination of Polyjuice Potion and Aging Potion have been used to make little Drake appear more like a Malfoy, in fact a mirror image of his alleged father. With the visual evidence, it is believed, there has been no request for a paternity charm to be performed.

Not satisfied with allowing Mr. Malfoy to believe he has fathered two children without his knowledge, it is now rumored that Miss Weasley seduced the heir and is, once again, claiming to be pregnant. Of course, it begs the question: If she is truly with child, is the baby his or had she already conceived before she made contact with him? Perhaps the real father wants nothing to do with her or his unborn child? Is Miss Weasley is simply trying to provide for her ever-expanding family? This intrepid reported suggests she take a refresher course on useful charms of the contraceptive variety.

Some would suggest that given their remotely different backgrounds there is understandable doubt over whether or not they've even shared intimate relations. Draco Malfoy, a self confessed playboy, has admitted in many interviews that he has trouble keeping track of the women he associates with, most of whom are glamorous models or beautiful famous faces -- a description that does not fit the homely Ginevra Weasley. While it is not unlikely that under the influence of alcohol or magic he may have shared her bed on one occasion, it does warrant questioning.

Is it any wonder people are skeptical about the validity of Miss Weasley's claim to the Malfoy fortune when all the evidence is presented? We will continue to pursue the truth in this evolving story and report to you, our readers, the facts as they come to light.

Blood began thundering past her ears. She couldn't quite believe her eyes. This was the article Draco had tried so hard to hide from her. The more she read the angrier she got. How could he not tell her what they'd implied in this piece of trash? Without conscious thought of what she was about to do, Ginny stood with the magazine in hand and stormed out of the office.

"Mrs. Malfoy? Mrs. Malfoy!"

The receptionist's shocked tone faded as Ginny entered the street and the door slammed shut.

Ginny started down the street, her pace furious and her destination predetermined without consideration. Other pedestrians where pushed aside when they got in her way. She didn't pause when she reached the front doors of Malfoy Holdings. The greetings from employees who recognized her as she stormed across the foyer were determinedly ignored. If she hadn't been so furious, she'd have found they all stepped out of the way to allow her clear passage to lifts hilarious. She tapped her foot impatiently as the lift rode slowly down from the top of the building to the ground floor. When the doors finally slid open in front of her she entered and stabbed her finger at the uppermost button. No one dared to join her.

Her journey from the lift to Draco's office was much the same as her experience in the foyer. Employees greeted her, she ignored them and they stepped aside when they saw her expression. The gossiping began immediately and somehow preceded her to her husband's office. When she entered his secretary was already on her feet ready to greet her.

"Mrs. Malfoy, how lovely to see you," the secretary said with a show of over exuberance.

Ginny ignored the polite, yet nervous greeting from the other woman and strode across to the double doors of Draco's office. She threw them open only to find an empty office. "Where is he?"

"I believe Mr. Malfoy is in a meeting at the moment."

"Where?"

"He really can't be--"

"WHERE?"

"Boardroom," the woman admitted quietly. She knew there'd be no way of actually stopping the young wife from entering the room, so she stood back and allowed her clear passage.

Without even glancing at the secretary, Ginny crossed the corridor and threw the double doors to the boardroom open. She stood in the doorway glaring around the room until her eyes landed on her husband. Everyone's attention had been garnered when the doors had bounced off the walls as they opened and no one missed the deadly glint in her eyes.

"Draco!"

Draco was on his feet and moving towards her even before she snapped his name. "Ginny, love... Is everything all right?"

She shook the magazine at him and his eyes grew wide. This wasn't good. She was never meant to find out about that disgusting article. He swallowed hard and reminded himself to remain calm. "Where did you get that?"

"Midwitch's office," Ginny snapped. "It seems they don't replace their reading material as often as they should."

"Let's go to my office," Draco said evenly.

"Why? I'm the only one who never read it!"

"Gin, love you need to calm down."

"Calm down? CALM DOWN! I DON'T BLOODY WELL WANT TO CALM DOWN!"

"All right," Draco said quietly. "I know you're upset, but we won't achieve anything by standing here. Let's go to my office and discuss this in private."

"No." Ginny's venomous response through her teeth conveyed far more than just her answer. She was beyond irate, and she was out for blood.

Draco bravely placed his hand on his wife's elbow to guide her out of the room, but she pulled away with a snarl.

"Ginevra," Lucius said in a low tone. He, along with the entire room, had been watching the couple, and it didn't seem like Draco was going to be successful in taking the discussion to a more private setting. "We do not discuss private matters in a room full of employees."

She turned her burning glare on her father-in-law and shook the publication in his face. "This is hardly private."

"Regardless, we have a reputation to maintain. We do not, under any circumstances, air our displeasure in public."

"To hell with reputation," Ginny spat viciously.

"Father, I think it might be an idea to dismiss the meeting... We can reschedule tomorrow," Draco suggested unevenly.

"Yes, I suppose it would." Lucius wandered back to the head of the table muttering some not so complimentary things under his breath about stubborn witches. "This meeting is adjourned. We will reconvene at a later date. You will be advised, in due course, of the arrangements."

The wizards filed out of the room quickly. Even though Ginny was still standing in the middle of the doorway, not one of them dared to look at her. They stepped around her politely, allowing as much room as humanly possible between themselves and her.

As the last man left the room Lucius, once again, approached his son. "Would you like me to stay?"

"No thank you, Father." Draco didn't come across as confident as he would have liked. Truth be told, he was in over his head with this situation. "You could check on the progress our legal people have made on this matter for me."

"I'll do that and get back to you. You realize you will have apologies to make at the next meeting."

"Yes, I'm aware of that."

"Good. I'll bring you the information when it comes to hand."

"Thank you."

As the door closed behind Lucius, Draco surveyed his wife. Ginny was so livid she appeared ready to explode. Her face was almost purple and she was breathing erratically. There was one thing in particular bothered him about her appearance: her eyes; they were dark and dangerous, and directed at him. In short, she was murderous, and he was the only person in the firing line.

He really didn't know what to say to fix the situation. Even though his reasons for keeping her in the dark about that particular article were genuine, he didn't think it was going to be enough to calm her down at this stage. Viable explanations were coming to mind, but he kept dismissing them as weak and not enough to placate Ginny.

"How could you not tell me about this?"

"I didn't want you upset over disgusting lies," Draco replied softly. "I told you our legal people are--"

"I don't care what the legal people are doing! Did you really think I would never find out?"

"I had hoped you'd never see the article. It's vile, and you don't deserve to be treated like that." Draco looked hopefully at her. He wanted to reach out, take her in his arms and make all the hurt go away, but in the mood she was in he knew he'd be pushed away. She didn't want comfort just yet, at least not while she was still craving blood. "I know it was foolish to keep it from you, but it was all I could think to do at the time. You weren't exactly in a great way when it came out... You were on bed rest and under instruction not to upset yourself. I didn't know what else to do."

"So you pretended it didn't exist?"

"No, I just never told you about it-- At least not until you found out about it. The very moment I saw the article I had our legal team on the case. That's not to say I didn't want to do something myself, but Father reminded me, rather forcefully I might add, that I'd be no good to you or the children if I was in Azkaban."

"You should have told me! The whole thing is about me for Merlin's sake."

"Perhaps, but you weren't well at the time, and I didn't want to upset you."

"When haven't I been well?"

"You do remember fainting early in your pregnancy, don't you?"

Ginny rolled her eyes with exasperation. "I fainted because I got myself too wound up at your father and for no other reason. The last thing I needed was a week in bed."

"Think about what you just said, Ginny." Draco paused and waited for a response. None came. "You fainted because you got too upset. What makes you think I'd show you that stupid article and risk having you faint on me again?"

"I--I had a right to know."

"I disagree."

"It was about me!"

"And you weren't fit to deal with it, so I took care of it the best way I could. Besides, your own family agreed with me."

"I don't care what my family agreed with. I didn't agree."

Draco exhaled loudly. They were getting nowhere. She wanted him to admit he was wrong, but he knew he wasn't. "Ginny, I did what was best at the time. You weren't in any condition to handle something like that, and I wasn't about risk your health or the well being of our baby. I made a decision as the head of the family and, as my wife, you should accept that without question."

The moment the words left his mouth Draco knew he'd made a critical error. This could cost him his comfortable life or at least his bed in the short term. Ginny's eyes had gone from wide to narrow in an instant and her gaze was nothing short of lethal.

"We weren't married at the time," she hissed.

"We were engaged and, as such, you were my wife in practice." Unable to help himself, Draco responded angrily.

All the air seemed to have left Ginny's body in an instant. She stood there staring at her husband disbelievingly. Her brain couldn't quite comprehend what she'd just heard him say. Wife in practice... It echoed through her thoughts. Just what did that mean? Had she lost her identity somewhere along the way? Until now she hadn't thought so, but doubts were now creeping into her mind.

"Ginny, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get angry at you."

She stood there staring incredulously at Draco and shaking her head.

"I did what did, because I love you and for no other reason. I wanted to protect you."

Protect? Narcissa appears weak, because she's protected so much. Ginny's thoughts were toppling over one another in an effort to make sense of the situation. "I am not your mother."

"I didn't say you were."

"I don't need protection."

"I never said you did-- Well, I did, but only for your health at the time." Draco took a step closer, determined to close the distance between them. "Ginny, you're the strongest woman I know. You don't need protecting from anything, but that doesn't change the fact that I want to protect you from unpleasantness. I love you."

"There's a difference between protecting me and not telling me something altogether," Ginny pointed out harshly. "People must have been laughing behind my back for so long."

"No, love, everyone thought the article was disgusting."

"That doesn't mean some people didn't believe it!"

"Only fools would believe that tripe or anything printed in that particular magazine." Each time he spoke Draco inched closer to her until he was close enough to feel her breath on his cheek. Still he didn't reach for her, even though his arms ached to hold her.

"There are plenty of fools out there who believe everything they print and they'd all think--"

"Does it really matter what they think? We know the truth, and that's all that matters," Draco said gently.

"I--I don't know. I just--" Ginny's train of thought abandoned her as she tried to put her feelings into words. She could feel her initial anger evolving into something else, something she didn't want it to, but was powerless to stop.

Draco watched her face carefully. He knew what was coming next. These days it was only a matter of time. She'd get angry, and then her chin would quiver.

"I think I might--" Ginny started, but her words dissolved as tears fell from her beneath her lashes.

"Hey, come on, love," Draco crooned as his arms drew her closer. "Don't let those fools upset you."

Ginny's frame shook as she wept loudly into his chest. Draco knew, now from experience, that she'd stop in her own time and nothing could make her stop sooner. He'd asked Bill and Charlie about this phenomenon, and they'd assured him it went with the territory of living with a pregnant witch. Their advice was to hold her close, make the right soothing sounds and never ridicule her emotions, because that was suicidal. When she exhausted herself he'd have to escort her home, because he doubted she'd have enough energy left to Apparate safely, and he didn't like her using the Floo Network this late in her pregnancy.

The door opened and Lucius half stepped into the room before stopping abruptly. "Draco, the legal... My apologies. I'll speak to you later."

Draco almost laughed aloud at the expression on his father's face when he saw Ginny crying. Lucius always found something more pressing to do whenever his daughter-in-law dissolved into tears. It seemed to disturb him significantly to be in the same room as her when she wasn't her normal feisty self.

Thus far she'd shown no sign of slowing her emotional purge. Her breathing was becoming very ragged and Draco could feel his chest becoming quite wet. He resisted the urge to sigh impatiently, having almost lost a vital body part the last time he dared when she was in this frame of mind. With the utmost care, Draco slowly moved them closer to the table, so he could lean back on it while Ginny clung to him. He doubted she even realized they'd moved position.

It was becoming increasingly difficult to estimate how long they'd been standing there. Ginny wasn't crying as raucously as she'd been only minutes before, so he hoped she was beginning to pull herself together. Draco continued to rub her back and make all the appropriate sounds to calm her further, rather than risk asking her if she was feeling better and be accused of being insensitive.

With almost painful slowness, Ginny's tears began to fall less frequently, though her breathing was still ragged enough to be of concern. When her hands came up to wipe her face, Draco hoped she was finished purging for the time being.

"Bloody hormones," she mumbled.

"They get you every time," Draco concurred softly as he handed her his handkerchief. "Come and sit down. I'll get you some tea, then we'll see about getting you home."

"I should go. I walked out of the Midwitch's office without seeing her."

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure she wouldn't be terribly impressed to see you in this state."

"I still have to go."

"Nonsense. Why don't we go to my office?" Draco was eager to have her sit down and collect herself before she got upset again. "We can have a cup of tea, and I'll take care of rescheduling that appointment for you."

"But--"

"No buts, love." Draco's arm slipped around her shoulder. "Come on. Even if you don't need a cup of tea, I do."

Draco led her to his office across the hall, holding her close all the way. He stopped briefly to address his secretary. "We'll have a tea tray immediately."

"Right away, sir."

Once inside his private office, Draco guided his wife to the leather sofa and sat her down. He crossed the floor quickly to his private bathroom and retrieved a damp cloth. When he sat beside Ginny, Draco very gently wiped her face with the cloth. While she wasn't incapable of such a task, he knew she relaxed under his touch and that was the whole point to the exercise.

A slight knock at the door interrupted Draco's ministrations. "Enter."

"Your tea, sir."

"I have a Floo call for you to make as well." Draco put the cloth in Ginny's hand and walked over to his desk. He wrote the contact details for Ginny's Midwitch on a piece of parchment and passed it to his secretary. "After you've rescheduled the appointment for Mrs. Malfoy, ensure my schedule is clear; I'll be attending the appointment with her."

"Of course, sir." A soft smile graced the older secretary's face. She'd known her boss a long time, since he was boy, and this behavior was most endearing to witness.

"Until further notice I'm not to be disturbed."

"Yes, sir." She wanted to suggest he simply take the rest of the day off to spend with his wife, but didn't dare voice her idea.

"There's nothing further."

The secretary left the room briskly and Draco returned to the sofa. He poured two cups of tea and passed one to Ginny. For a few minutes, the only sound that filled the room was the delicate chink of fine china.

"Do you feel better now?" Draco ventured.

"Yes, a bit."

"Good. When you've finished your tea, I'll see you home."

"I can get myself there."

"I know, but I want to take you home." Draco considered his options for a moment. After an upset of this magnitude, Ginny went one of two ways. She either wanted to be left totally alone or she needed to be close to him. "Actually, I might just call it a day and stay home with you."

"Really?"

"Yes, really." Draco smiled. Given her reaction, she wanted him close by today. "I'm sure they can do without me for less than a day and there's nothing urgent going on, besides if something comes up they know where to reach me."

"Thank you."

"I should be thanking you. An afternoon at home relaxing with my beautiful wife is far more appealing than a dreary day at the office."

Ginny smiled softly.

"While you finish your tea, I'll leave some instructions with my secretary."

"All right."

Draco kissed her cheek before he rose and walked to the door. He looked back at Ginny before closing the door behind himself. She was leaning back into the sofa with her eyes closed. There was no question of her level of exhaustion.

"Mr. Malfoy, I've rescheduled Mrs. Malfoy's appointment for tomorrow afternoon, and I've cleared your schedule from midday tomorrow." His secretary passed Draco a piece of parchment with the details of the appointment. "Your schedule is also clear for the rest of today."

"That's what I was thinking. I'm going to take my wife home and stay with her. If anything should come up you know how to contact me."

"Of course, sir."

"I'll just inform my father of our plans and we'll be on our way. Mrs. Malfoy is resting in my office at the moment; see that no one disturbs her."

"Yes, sir."

Draco walked down to Lucius' office quickly. He bypassed his father's secretary and went directly to his father's private office.

"Father?"

"Draco, has Ginevra calmed herself?"

"Yes, I think so. I'm going to take her home and stay with her for the rest of the day."

"Is she incapable of finding her own way home?"

"She's exhausted. I don't feel she has the energy to Apparate safely, and I want to be on hand in case she upsets herself again. I've a feeling this isn't over yet."

"I see."

"If something should come up let me know. I'm hoping Ginny might sleep the rest of the afternoon away."

"I will. The legal department reported that all is heading towards a hefty settlement for the article. However, they seem to be stuck on the retraction statement you insisted on having published."

"I won't back down. They will print the retraction or face the consequences."

"Very well, I'll inform them to proceed. Perhaps a deadline should be set?"

"Yes, sooner rather than later would be better. Now that Ginny's seen the article, I want the whole business over with."

"I'll inform them to force the issue."

"Thank you."

"We need to reschedule that meeting Ginevra interrupted."

"Tomorrow morning?"

"Possibly," Lucius mused aloud. "I'll let you know tonight."

"Fine, just don't reschedule for tomorrow afternoon."

"Why?"

"I'm going with Ginny to the Midwitch's office."

"Is that necessary?"

"Besides wanting to go with her, I can at least keep an eye on her reading material while I'm there."

"Very well."

Draco knew his father was now irritated at him, and he didn't see the point of hanging around to see if he'd vent his displeasure. "I'll see you at home this evening."

"Yes. Inform your mother I should be on time."

"I will."

Without further delay, Draco returned to his own office. Ginny had drifted off to sleep in the few minutes he'd been gone. He quietly retrieved his cloak and readied himself to leave.

"We're leaving now," Draco instructed his secretary.

"All right, sir. Have a nice afternoon and we'll see you tomorrow."

Draco gently lifted Ginny into his arms. She'd gained a little weight, but not so much that he struggled to hold her.

"Draco, I must have--"

"Shh, love. Hold on, I'm taking you home."

Too sleepy to do much else, Ginny tightened her arms around her husband's neck as instructed and waited to arrive at the manor.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Draco drew a chair up to the bed and sat watching his wife sleep. He could curse himself for allowing this to happen. Ginny didn't deserve this level of upset. His thoughts centered around what he could have done to avoid this scene, but no viable answers were coming to mind. He simply did what he had to do at the time and nothing he said or did now would undo that.

Sometime later the bedchamber door opened, and Millie slipped into the room. The aging servant hovered just over the threshold looking uncomfortable.

"Master be forgiving Millie for intruding." She bowed low, scraping her nose on the floor.

"What is it, Millie?" Draco asked wearily.

Millie stepped further into the room. "Little Master Drake and Miss Angel be finished lessons for the day."

"Of course. Thank you," Draco muttered uncertainly.

"Millie will sit with Mistress," the house elf offered.

Draco looked down at his hand in wonder. Millie was stroking it with her gnarled hand affectionately.

"Master not be worrying. Mistress is strong witch."

Draco nodded solemnly and stood up. "If she wakes--"

"Millie will alert Master right away," the servant promised.

He didn't quite make it out the door before looking back. The scene that greeted his worried gaze made him feel a little better. Ginny would be fine under the watchful eyes of Millie. Fond memories of his childhood flooded back to him as he observed the servant hovering near his wife's sleeping form. Of all the servants that were attached to the Malfoy family, Millie was the only one who consistently showed she actually cared for the family. With a little more confidence, Draco made his way downstairs to his children.

"Daddy!" Angel squealed as she hurtled across the playroom and launched herself at her father.

"Hello, Princess, how were your lessons today?"

"They were good. We did reading and writing and..."

Angel's excited rhetoric faced into the background as Draco's eyes met his son's. Drake was standing stiffly and staring at his father with almost frosty eyes.

"Do you think so, Daddy?" Angel asked.

His daughter's persistent tone cut into his thoughts. Draco's eyes only just started to move back to her when Drake's gaze sharpened into a particularly accusing glare.

"Where's Mummy?" Drake demanded.

Draco faltered for just a second as thoughts of where the blame lay for his wife's current condition sprang into his head again. "She's a bit tired this afternoon, so she's having a nap," he answered calmly.

"I want Mummy," Drake declared defiantly.

"When she wakes up, she'll join us," Draco assured him.

"I--" Drake started.

"Come over here, mate," Draco beckoned as he knelt down on the floor, so that he didn't tower over his children. "Come on," he encouraged when Drake had only taken two steps in his direction.

The little wizard wandered over reluctantly and stopped just in front of his father.

"Listen," Draco began softly. "Your uncles told me that it's quite normal for Mummy to be feeling tired and need a nap some days, so you're not to worry if she does."

"Why are you home then?" Drake asked astutely.

"Well, Mummy called into see me at the office, and she said was feeling a little worn out, so I decided that I'd come home with her and spend the afternoon with you two," Draco explained in what he hoped was a believable manner. "The office is rather boring at the moment, and I'd much rather spend the rest of the day with you."

"Oh," Drake murmured.

Draco could tell his son was fighting with his instinct that clearly told him there was something wrong with his mother. All he could do was wait and hope that Drake would trust his words, because to push the matter would have alerted the bright little wizard to a problem.

"Can we have a tea party, Daddy?" Angel asked excitedly.

"If you'd like," Draco responded.

"We haven't had afternoon tea yet, Angel," Drake interrupted with all the sternness the five-year-old could muster.

"I don't see why we couldn't combine both activities," Draco commented casually.

"We always have afternoon tea with Mummy," Drake stressed.

"Don't you want to have afternoon tea with me?" Draco asked, allowing just a hint of hurt to enter his tone.

Drake averted his eyes, suddenly finding the rug to his left of his feet fascinating, and began to fidget uncomfortably. "Want Mummy," he mumbled to the floor.

Draco found himself drawing blood from his tongue in the hope that he could successfully stave off the urge to yell at his son. "Angel, can you order afternoon tea?"

"Yes, Daddy."

"Just don't summon Millie, she's--err--doing something for me," Draco instructed quickly.

Angel frowned a little, but nodded her understanding.

When Angel was distracted with the arrangements for afternoon tea, Draco turned his attention back to his son. "Drake, are you going to join us for afternoon tea?"

The little wizard tilted his chin arrogantly. "Is Mummy--"

"Your mother is having a nap," Draco ground out, reaching the end of his patience. "Now, you're either going to join us or you can miss out."

"Hungry," Drake mumbled, not meeting his father's harsh gaze.

"I'll take that as a yes, shall I?" Draco smirked confidently.

Drake, wisely, didn't respond. Instead, he glowered at the rug as if it had done him a great personal injustice.

Draco looked up as a virtual army of servants entered the room and began to set up for afternoon tea under the guidance of his daughter. Angel was instructing them where to place everything just as Narcissa would if she were expecting important company. Rather than intrude, he stood back and allowed her free reign with the house elves. Not once did they question their young mistress' decisions or deviate from the orders she was proficiently issuing.

When she was finally satisfied with how her little table looked, Angel approached her father. "Afternoon tea is served," she announced in a superficial voice.

"Thank you, Angel," Draco intoned formally. "Shall we?" he asked, offering his arm to the little witch.

Angel giggled lightly and stretched up to place her hand on her father's elbow.

"Drake, are you joining us?" Draco inquired. He could hear some form of mumbled response from his son as he walked Angel to her little table. "I might take my afternoon tea on the couch, Princess."

"You can't, Daddy! That would be rude." Angel's expression had morphed into one of utter disgust, an expression that would have rivaled her grandmother's. "You must sit at the table."

"I don't think your chairs will hold my weight," Draco ventured cautiously.

"Silly Daddy!" Angel admonished. "Grandfather sits with me all the time."

"Your grandfather sits in these tiny chairs?"

Angel nodded earnestly. "Uh huh."

Draco contemplated his position for a moment, and then gingerly sat on one of the delicate miniature chairs. His mother had chosen the table and chairs for Angel when they were on their honeymoon. The set was antique and almost fragile in appearance, though that wasn't the entire reason he didn't want to sit down; his concern was completely for his own well being and that of his derriere. To his surprise the chair didn't collapse into a pile of kindling or even give any indication that it might.

"Are you comfortable, Daddy?" Angel asked.

"Umm--yes, of course," Draco fibbed. In truth, he felt if he spent too long sitting on the little chair he wouldn't be able to get up again. "Drake, take a seat."

"I want--"

"Drake, sit down, so we can have afternoon tea," Draco instructed firmly. If he had to sit at the table then his son was most definitely going to join them.

As Drake took the chair opposite, Angel his expression soured even more. The little boy had witnessed his twin host a tea party on more occasions than he cared to recall and he knew he wasn't joining to enjoy this.

"Tea?" Angel offered politely.

"Yes, please," Draco responded with enthusiasm. "Would you like me to pour?"

"No," Angel replied dismissively as she reached for her teapot.

Draco watched on cautiously. The last thing he wanted was for her to scald herself or anyone else with the steaming liquid. He frowned as the tea began to enter the first cup; it was bright orange. "Angel, sweetheart, I don't think that tea is quite right."

The little girl rolled her eyes and sighed heavily. "I'm not allowed to have real tea, Daddy," she explained patiently.

"Oh, of course."

"It's pumpkin juice."

"Yes, I can see that now," Draco uttered, feeling just a little foolish. "It looks very tempting."

Drake snorted rudely.

Draco turned slowly to look at his son, who was staring unabashedly back at him with an overly amused expression. He thought about reprimanding Drake for being rude, but then thought the better of it; after all, he was at least smiling and that was better than being angry or sullen. In an effort to keep Drake's mood light and give himself an avenue of response, Draco poked his tongue at him.

"Daddy! You can't poke your tongue at the table," Angel admonished.

"I'm sorry," Draco muttered insincerely. He tried to sober himself and had almost succeeded when Drake poked his tongue out.

"Drake!" Angel shrieked as her eyes welled up with tears. "You're spoiling my tea party!"

"We were just having some fun," Draco interjected quickly. "We'll behave ourselves now, won't we, Drake?"

The little boy looked up at his father from under his eyelashes with a cheeky smirk on his face.

"Won't we, Drake?" Draco repeated, sending him a meaningful look.

"Yes, Daddy," Drake agreed, albeit insincerely.

Placated, Angel continued pouring pumpkin juice into small teacups. When she was satisfied that everyone had their fair share, she started chatting about nonsensical things, like the weather, the way Narcissa often did when she was entertaining.

Draco answered her polite questions and prompted Drake to do likewise when questions were directed at him. It wasn't difficult to imagine himself at one of his mother's garden tea parties, where all conversation was kept on a decorous level, except when his mother was trying to set him up with some friend's second-cousin's neighbor's homely-looking pureblood niece, but that had been when he was single. He wondered briefly just how many times his daughter had witnessed his mother in her hostess role, because Angel seemed to have the routine down pat.

A half an hour later they were still sitting there as Angel dictated everything the two wizards did, so they didn't ruin her tea party. She refilled their 'teacups', offered them fruit flans when she thought it was appropriate and kept the conversation flowing as best she could. Drake was becoming very restless and didn't appreciate his sister dictating when he could have something to eat or how he should eat whatever she allowed him to have. The little boy was also chapping at the bit to do something else, something to wear off the energy that was making him fidgety.

Draco's legs had begun to tingle a little from the position they'd been forced into, and he was exceedingly aware that one wrong move from him could send the entire table flying through the air. He'd lost count of how many tiny cups of 'pumpkin juice tea' he'd drunk, but the quantity was starting to take its toll on his personal comfort. In dire need of a good stretch, but afraid he might relay his discomfit to the children through his expression, Draco deliberately looked towards the door before moving his legs.

Mild surprise colored his face when he saw Ginny leaning on the doorframe with a soft smile on her face. The twins hadn't noticed her yet, so they had a few private moments of silent conversation. Draco could see his wife was amused, but deeply touched by the scene she had stumbled across, and he hoped he was conveying just the right amount of desperation, so she would be prompted to rescue him before he lost the use of his legs altogether.

"Mummy!" Drake left his seat so quickly that the chair went tumbling backwards and landed on its side several feet away from the table.

Angel stood up just as quickly, but rather than running to greet Ginny, her little hands went straight to her hips and she directed a stormy glare at her twin, who had just launched himself at their mother. "Drake, you didn't ask if you could leave the table!"

Draco, who had also began to rise from his chair, promptly dropped his backside back down onto the little wooden seat before his daughter could notice that he, too, was about to join his mutinous son. He couldn't help the amused smirk that stretched across his face as Angel kept ranting and Drake kept ignoring her, preferring to bury his head in Ginny's stomach.

"Drake, you have to come back and ask!" Angel stomped her foot. "Daddy, he's ruining our tea party."

"Calm down, sweetheart," Draco crooned. "Why don't you go and say hello to Mummy? I'm sure she'd love a cup of tea."

Angel looked at her father skeptically, then carefully pushed her chair back and walked over to her mother.

With Angel having left the table of her own accord, Draco stood up, safe in the knowledge that the pint-sized autocrat wouldn't reprimand him now. His legs protested profusely, but with the children keeping Ginny occupied no one noticed his discomfort; a small mercy he was grateful for. The last thing he needed to hear were jokes about him getting old when he felt like he was standing on his grandfather's legs. As his blood started to flow more freely in his lower limbs his muscles started to feel less cramped and more comfortable, and though a good stretch would have felt wonderful, it would have most likely alerted his family to his problem.

Absorbed in regaining the full use of his legs again, Draco failed to notice Ginny moving towards him. She'd somehow managed to disentangle herself from the twins for the time being and he was startled to find her standing beside him.

"You looked like you were having fun," Ginny said with a hint of a teasing smile.

"I think you're stretching the truth," Draco murmured.

"I saw what I saw," Ginny replied smugly.

Draco gave her a derisive look and smoothly changed the subject. "How are you feeling? Did you have a nice sleep?"

"I'm feeling much better."

"Good. You had me worried," Draco admitted.

"About earlier--"

Draco placed a single finger over her lips. "Shh. We'll talk about it when there's something new to talk about. At the moment, there's nothing you don't know."

"But--"

"No buts, my love, and that's an order," Draco responded. Though his tone was lighthearted, his instruction was quite serious and he was sure Ginny realized that. "I promise we'll talk when there's something to talk about."

"All right."

"Millie was supposed to tell me when you--"

"When I woke up?" Ginny smiled knowingly. "The first thing I did was tell her not to bother."

"Undermining the master of the house again," Draco mumbled with a shake of his head.

"No, you didn't," Ginny taunted, a cheeky grin making her eyes twinkle with mischief. "Millie followed my instructions to the letter."

"I see," Draco drawled playfully. "So you think you're the boss now?"

"Sweetheart, I don't think... I know."

Her fingers were roaming up and down his chest, distracting him from what she was saying. One thing he did realize was that although they were joking around there was a serious undertone to the playful banter. Ginny had taken over as mistress of the house, and her word was now law with the servants. It was something that pleased him greatly, because he knew he no longer had to worry about how she was coping with her duties as his wife. "Do you want to know what I know?"

She smiled up at him as he gathered her in his arms and pulled her into his chest. "What might that be?"

"I love you," Draco responded in a throaty voice.

"I love you too," Ginny whispered breathily.

The fact that the twins were still in the same room registered when Draco's lips were only a few millimeters away from Ginny's, and then only because at that precise moment Drake expressed his usual protest with a loud groan. Too close to deny himself now, Draco claimed his wife's mouth with fervor, successfully ignoring the loud, ongoing objection from the other side of the room.

If he didn't think it would have caused a riot, Draco would have scooped Ginny into his arms and carried her back upstairs. Her mouth felt like heaven, so warm and inviting. Just the thought of it trailing over his skin sent blood surging through his body, creating delightfully warm, tingly sensations in his extremities.

A sharp tap on his hip alerted Draco to the presence of another. He didn't have to look to see who it was, but still his eyes cracked open and turned in the direction of the persistent intruder. Drake was looking up at him with an impatient expression. Very carefully Draco slipped his mouth away from Ginny's. "Yes?"

"Mummy's tea is getting cold," Drake stated smugly.

"I don't think Mummy cares," Draco whispered in return with a smirk, delighting in the fact that while he was talking to his son Ginny had kept herself busy placing kisses along his jaw line and was now traveling down his neck.

"She doesn't like cold tea," Drake pointed out.

"We can order a fresh pot," Draco countered, trying his best to stifle a moan of appreciation as Ginny's teeth sank gently into his earlobe.

Drake opened his mouth to launch another protest, but snapped it shut when his father lost his battle with the appreciative moan that wanted so desperately to be heard.

"You have woken up in a friendly mood," Draco murmured into Ginny's ear. "Should I see if Mother minds watching the children?"

The question seemed to disturb Ginny's flow, because she lifted her head away from his neck. A slightly guilty blush rose from her chest and colored her cheeks. "No, I think we should spend some time with them."

"That will only work if you behave yourself," Draco responded with a cheeky smirk, while one of his hands traveled down to squeeze her backside. "Otherwise you might scar your son for life."

"Keep doing that and there's not a chance that I'll be able to resist," Ginny muttered throatily.

Draco's eyes widened measurably as her hand floated close to his groin. "Yes, well... I think you should have your tea now," he uttered, removing her hands from their potentially nefarious positions.

As her hands drifted from his body and she moved to place an appropriate distance between them, Draco cursed the fact that he had to a responsible adult. He could envision bending her over the small couch near the bookshelf and having his wicked way with her until she could only scream unintelligibly, but it was something that would have to wait until the twins were otherwise occupied. A derisive smirk crawled across his face as he watched his son claim Ginny the moment she moved far enough away from him. Given the smug look his son sent him, Draco knew he wouldn't be allowed quite that close to her again for some hours. That thought was confirmed only seconds later when Drake perched himself on the couch right next to Ginny. The little boy was holding fast to his mother's hand while he nattered her ear off.

Draco moved over to the armchair that was close to the couch. It wasn't until he'd made himself comfortable that he noticed the look of warning on his son's face. A flick of his eyes in Ginny's direction confirmed she was completely oblivious to the competition being waged for her attention as she negated Angel's persistent requests that she sit at the small table. Unable to help himself, Draco smirked and lifted his chin haughtily, silently challenging Drake to keep her undivided attention.

Drake curled his lip slightly in response and turned his attention to his mother. "Mummy, can you help me with my words?"

"Of course, darling," Ginny responded in a pleased tone. "Why don't you go and get them?"

With no further encouragement, Drake slipped off the couch and ran from the room, but not before giving his father a smug look of satisfaction.

Draco cleared his throat purposefully and succeeded in gaining the attention of both witches. "Angel, why don't you get Mummy some afternoon tea from the table? I'm sure she'd like something with her tea."

Delighted to be able to do something in her imaginary role as hostess Angel skipped over to the small table and began selecting delicious morsels to tempt her mother's palate.

"You do know what Drake is doing, don't you?" Draco whispered urgently, as he slid into the now vacant seat beside his wife.

"What?" Ginny asked amusedly.

"He's trying to monopolize your attention."

"Draco, we always spend this time together doing little things," Ginny explained.

"Doing schoolwork?"

"I must admit, it's usually Angel who brings up--"

"So I'm right."

"About?"

"Him dominating your time purposely."

"He needs help with his words," Ginny defended her son.

"He's trying to steer your attention away from me."

"Nonsense. It's good that he wants to work on something he's having trouble with."

"Watch him if you don't believe me," Draco challenged. "He's so smug right now, because he thinks he's got your undivided attention."

Ginny raised just one eyebrow and a small smile played around her lips. "And you're warning me because?"

"Well... It's impolite to ignore the other occupants of the room."

"Like you?"

"After your little performance you'd think I'd warrant some attention."

"I see."

"No, you don't see," Draco countered. He most certainly didn't like the way she was smiling at him: patiently, like he was a spoiled child who was determined to get his way. "Your son is deliberately trying to push me out of your--"

"I've got it, Mummy!"

Draco pulled a face as Drake charged back into the room, bellowing at the top of his lungs. The little wizard narrowed his eyes ever so briefly when he saw that his father had claimed his seat before squeezing himself between the two adults. Draco wouldn't have thought it possible, but his son successfully wriggled his way in between them, forcing Draco to move over a bit to give him enough room to sit comfortably.

It was with resigned horror that Draco watched his son manipulate Ginny's attention and even more disturbing was the ease with which the miniature wizard did it. Ginny knew what he was doing, he'd told her himself, but she allowed him to claim her undivided attention without so much as a questioning look. Frustrated with the outcome of their little discussion and her refusal to call Drake on his behavior, Draco sat in the corner of the couch, where he'd been shoved, and sulked.

As head of the house, he shouldn't have to compete with anyone for his wife's attention. In fact, they should all be paying him attention. He was the master of the house, after all. Uncharitable thoughts ran riot through Draco's mind while Ginny and Drake worked through his new words with a little input from Angel. They were thoughts that he shouldn't be entertaining, but knowing that didn't make them disappear. While he watched them carefully he wondered what it would be like when the new baby arrived. Would there be even less time for him? Ginny was devoted to the twins. There was never a time when she put herself, or him for that matter, ahead of their needs, and he had no reason to believe it would be any different when the baby arrived. It was something they probably needed to talk about, but how did he go about broaching the subject? Even in his own mind his thoughts sounded needy and a little piteous.

Draco shook his head to clear his mind. His feelings were running away from him, and the more he thought about it the more pathetic he felt. Rather than dwell on his new fear, Draco paid more attention to exactly what Drake and Ginny were working on, offering his opinion and encouragement when he found an opening to do so. Angel eventually climbed up on his lap, encouraged by his active involvement, so she could work earnestly on the new words they'd been given to learn by sight. After a while, Drake even appeared to forget about the war he was waging for Ginny's attention, smiling at his father when he started to genuinely contribute.

Somehow the afternoon had glided by without any of them really noticing and when Ginny sent the twins to wash their hands for dinner no one was more surprised than Draco. If it weren't for the earlier fear he'd identified he'd have proclaimed the afternoon a grand success, but that dread was still nagging at the back of his mind, casting a shadow over his perception. The thought of bringing the subject up with Ginny still wasn't appealing, so he kept it to himself, allowing the idea to start silently festering.

Throughout dinner the twins kept up their chatter. Draco soon discovered that his son's little performance this afternoon with his schoolwork was just that, a performance. Drake openly claimed to despise the restrictions the classroom placed on him and, even more so, Miss Sheehan, which came as a surprise, because the little boy had liked her when he first met her. Ginny had mentioned she'd been having some difficulty with Drake, but he had no idea that the little boy felt so vehemently opposed to schooling. He was just thinking about what to do to change his son's mind about the task when he caught Ginny looking at him expectantly. There was something in her eyes that told him to speak up now and convince Drake that this was for his own good.

Draco took a deep breath and quickly decided upon a no nonsense approach. If Drake was anything like he was, and he was almost a replica, he would make the most of any sign of weakness or loophole he could identify. "Drake, you have to attend classes, so that you're ready for Hogwarts when the time comes."

"It's boring, and Miss Sheehan is an old hag," Drake announced grumpily.

"You didn't make it seem boring this afternoon. In fact, you looked like you were rather enjoying doing the extra work." Draco smirked. He knew Miss Sheehan didn't set homework, because he had strictly forbidden it at this stage.

Drake glowered at his father. "If I get it wrong she does it again and again. It's boring!"

"Sometimes we have to do the boring things so we can do the exciting things later on. How will you get along at Hogwarts if you can't read properly?" Draco posed cleverly.

"I can read," Drake shot back defensively.

"Not well enough to read a Potions book," Draco pointed out, concentrating on the one subject Drake knew something about.

"Don't need reading. I know how to make Potions."

"Drake, you can make one potion from memory," Draco reminded him. "You can't possibly remember every single potion Uncle Sev will require you to prepare for grading. You need to be able to read."

"I can... I'll practice before I go to Hogwarts," Drake declared.

"You'll practice what before you attend Hogwarts?" Lucius posed as he entered the dining room with Narcissa on his arm.

"Potions," Drake answered simply.

"Perhaps you might be able to assist us in convincing Drake that there is some merit in learning to read properly, Father," Draco said smoothly. "It seems he has an aversion for his classes."

"I see," Lucius drawled, holding out a chair for his wife. "I remember having a very similar battle with another little blond-haired wizard some years ago now."

Drake's interest was obviously piqued immediately with this revelation. "Who?"

"Your father," Lucius answered with a smirk directed at Draco.

A little gasp escaped Drake, and he turned his wide gray eyes on the head of the table.

"I hope you don't mind, Ginevra, but we thought we might join you for dessert," Narcissa interrupted politely.

"Not at all," Ginny replied warmly, turning to instruct the servants to set two extra places, but found the instruction already being carried out.

"Lucius informed me that you were quite upset today," Narcissa enquired discreetly.

"I'm fine now." Ginny smiled warmly.

"Well, if there's anything I can do," Narcissa offered.

"Thank you, Mother," Draco interrupted. The last thing he wanted to do was revisit that subject today. He looked pointedly at his father, silently pleading for him to change the subject. "Father, you were about to say something?"

"Yes, your father, much like you, disliked the classes he was forced to endure in his years prior to Hogwarts," Lucius continued with his eyes on Drake. "Not that his abhorrence for the classes gained him any freedom from them, because it's vital that one learns all he can before commencing formal schooling."

Drake frowned at his grandfather, not quite understanding what he'd said.

"What your grandfather is saying is that it doesn't matter if you don't like going to class, you have to," Draco clarified.

"But why?" Drake inquired. "I know how to read, and I make good potions."

"It simply isn't enough," Lucius countered. "You don't yet read well enough to brew anything from a book."

"I can remember really good," Drake argued.

"Professor Snape does not suffer fools in his classroom, and those who don't read well enough are automatically classified as fools," Lucius informed him.

"Don't like Miss Sheehan," Drake grumbled, changing tact in the hope it might add weight to his argument.

"Miss Sheehan, while not my choice for a tutor, appears to be a lovely young woman," Lucius contradicted. "I can't imagine what there is to not like about her."

Drake mumbled something under his breath.

Lucius raised an eyebrow and sent his grandson a disapproving look. "What was that, young man?"

"She yells," Drake murmured just loud enough to be heard.

"Nonsense," Lucius snapped.

"She does." Drake's eyes roamed around the table pleading with anyone to believe him.

"Do you honestly think we would leave you in the care of a virtual stranger all day and not have someone connected to the family watching over you?" Lucius posed.

Drake's face screwed up in confusion. "What?"

"The servants are watching you every day," Lucius said brusquely. "So I would be very careful about what untruths you allow past your lips."

Draco noticed Ginny sit up a bit straighter at this news. He hadn't told her that the house elves were reporting back to the men of the family every day and were under strict instructions to summon them if something untoward was going on at home, most especially with the twins.

"She does yell," Drake tried again.

Lucius leaned over the table, unmindful of the generous slice of apple pie that had just been placed in front of him, and pinned his grandson with a look that could have shriveled the little wizard's fibbing tongue to resemble an Abyssinian Shrivelfig. "Do not lie to me," he snarled.

Drake's eyes dropped to his plate and he fell silent. He wasn't foolish enough to try his grandfather's patience when he growled like that.

"Lucius, if Drake says--" Ginny started.

"If you'll excuse me for interrupting, Ginevra." Lucius paused for a moment to allow her refuse him. "From all reports, the only thing Miss Sheehan could possibly be accused of is being far too nice."

"I selected her because she was nice," Ginny said defensively.

"Perhaps, but she is being paid to do a job, and I don't feel she is conducting herself in a professional manner."

Ginny's eyes opened wide at the statement. "How so?"

"Tutors are employed to prepare children for their formal education and, from all reports, Miss Sheehan is more concerned with being a friend to the children."

"Have you seen this for yourself?" Ginny inquired calmly.

"It has been reported to me on a daily basis," Lucius answered curtly.

"So you're taking the word of your spies over that of your grandson?" Ginny persisted, making the label sound like a profanity.

"My spies, as you so eloquently describe them, have nothing to gain by lying to me," Lucius responded.

"Perhaps not, but they are your spies, so they might just be telling you what you want to hear," Ginny posed thoughtfully. "Perhaps there's something to be gained by giving you that."

"I doubt that the--"

"This conversation is going nowhere fast," Draco interrupted harshly, sending his father a warning glance at the same time. "Despite what anyone thinks of Miss Sheehan, the twins will continue their education without complaints."

Drake's eyes, which had been watching the exchange between his mother and grandfather, snapped to his father's face and then dropped, disappointedly, to his lap. There would be no reprieve from the boredom.

"I couldn't agree more," Lucius concurred.

Ginny smiled tightly at her father-in-law. She knew he was only agreeing with Draco on principal, because he'd made his disapproval of her choice known before the tutor had even arrived.

"Eat up, children," Narcissa instructed lightly.

Silence reigned and the sound of cutlery on fine china filled the room. The palpable tension surrounding the family slowly dissipated as they concentrated on the generous portions of apple pie in front of them. Draco kept a close eye on the expressions of his wife and father, expecting either of them to give up the pretense of polite dinnertime behavior at any second and explode.

It wasn't until Ginny was ushering the twins out of the dining room and up to their bathrooms that Draco relaxed a little. Left with his parents for the time being he didn't have to worry about an outburst from either of the volatile parties, though he'd most likely have to deal with his father's disapproval of his wife's opinionated behavior.

"You might consider doing--"

"Something about her opinion?" Draco inserted venomously.

"I was going to suggest you talk to her and make her see that Miss Sheehan isn't fulfilling her duties as a tutor," Lucius responded evenly.

"Father, as long as Ginny is happy with the woman's performance, she will remain. She is well qualified for the position, despite the fact that she has a different approach to what you consider appropriate," Draco retorted.

"I am merely concerned with the effect she will inevitably have upon the twins. Drake is already--"

"The only problem Drake has with her is that he's not allowed to play whenever he wants. A problem that would exist no matter who we appointed," Draco pointed out firmly.

"It is not about Drake feeling that way, but more about how the appointed tutor deals with the situation," Lucius reminded him.

"I will not tolerate some tyrant--"

"I am not suggesting a tyrant," Lucius cut in smoothly. "I was merely stating that a firmer hand might be required, so Drake benefits from his early education."

"He will benefit," Draco replied in a tone that brokered no argument.

"You take offense to my--"

"Interfering?" Draco offered with a sneer.

"Experienced opinion," Lucius clarified.

"Ah, but you become argumentative when anyone disagrees with your 'experienced opinion'," Draco mentioned cleverly.

"There is nothing wrong with healthy debate."

"Except when it's not welcome," Draco stated coldly.

"Enough," Narcissa uttered in barely more than a whisper as Lucius opened his mouth to respond. "Both of you are behaving in a deplorable manner."

"We are merely discussing an issue, dearest," Lucius offered.

"Polite arguing is still arguing," Narcissa pointed out firmly. "It is time you both agreed to disagree on certain issues."

Lucius' hand came up to rest on his wife's. "Dearest, we are not about--"

"I wish to return to our wing," Narcissa snapped as she stole her hand away.

Draco drew his lips together in a tight line to keep from laughing. His father was in trouble and was going to have a hell of a night if he didn't make amends. Not that he wasn't in trouble himself, but his mother was going to take her fury back to their part of the manor, so he would be relieved of any responsibility until she'd had time to vent and calm down a little.

"Of course, my love," Lucius muttered as he stood up.

"You can wipe that smug look off your face, Draco," Narcissa growled. "Neither of you have won, and I am bored with hearing your absurd arguments."

"Sorry, Mother," Draco mumbled. Even the sting of chastisement couldn't remove the elation of knowing his father would be dealing with his mother this evening, while he was tucked up in bed with his own loving wife.

"Wish the children sweet dreams for me," Narcissa instructed as she waited for Draco to bid her good evening.

"I will," Draco promised. He placed a chaste kiss on her cheek and embraced her briefly. "Good night, Mother."

"Draco," Lucius intoned civilly.

"Father," Draco responded amusedly. "Do have a pleasant evening."

Lucius' lip curled, as if he was going to snarl, but he emitted no noise.

Draco chuckled to himself as he left the dining room after his parents. His father would pay him back for that remark, but at the moment he didn't much care. He debated whether he should go up and help Ginny with the twins, but decided to wait in their family parlor. A few minutes to collect his thoughts was much needed at this point.

He poured himself a Firewhisky from the sidebar and sunk into the corner of the couch. The events of the day flowed through his mind like a horror story. What started out to be any other day had quickly developed into a disaster. Draco knew it truly wasn't anything that he said or did that saved the situation, but more his wife's inability to control her emotions and her need to be comforted at that time that saved the situation from becoming a complete nightmare.

Then there was Drake. He was the last person who needed to be told how perceptive the little boy was; after all, he was a clone of himself, and he used to get the same way whenever his mother was inexplicably missing. Draco could only hope that there wouldn't be a repeat, because holding his temper in situations like that was a real challenge, though only because his credibility was brought into question.

"I want a story, Daddy!" Angel demanded as she ran into the parlor, clad in her pajamas.

"Go and get--" Draco began as his thoughts were brought abruptly back to the present.

"Angel, what did I say?" Ginny questioned sternly.

"But--"

Ginny's gaze hardened in her daughter's direction, obviously conveying something she had told her earlier.

A pout formed on the little witch's mouth and her eyes filled with tears.

"Don't start that," Ginny commanded. "You're going to bed without an argument."

Angel sniffed loudly. "Goodnight, Daddy."

"Goodnight, Princess," Draco whispered before he kissed her forehead.

"Goodnight, Daddy," Drake said as he wandered over.

"Goodnight, mate." Draco embraced his son and kissed his forehead.

"Upstairs," Ginny ordered.

"Love, do you want me to tuck them in?" Draco offered as Ginny turned to follow the twins.

"Oh yes, I can just see that happening without a story or quick game of Quidditch," Ginny returned smartly. "I won't be long."

"Nothing wrong with a story before bed," Draco mumbled to himself. In his opinion, it was far better than knowing his daughter was most likely going to cry herself to sleep.

It was obvious to anyone that they were tired, but he preferred to send them to bed happy, and if it meant reading a couple of pages of a book, then that was what he'd do. Ginny, on the other hand, was a bit stronger when it came to sending them to bed. Nights like tonight were becoming more common, as their lessons took a toll on their energy levels.

"What are you thinking about?" Ginny asked as she re-entered the parlor.

"Nothing," Draco replied as innocently as he could. Somehow he didn't think pointing out that he thought it was incredibly cruel to send the twins off to bed without a story was going to help him have a better evening than his father.

He motioned for her to join him on the couch, and then gently guided her to lean back against his chest. A contented sigh escaped him as he pressed his lips to her head.

"Did the twins go to bed okay?"

"They're already asleep."

Draco nodded as his hands roamed over the bulge of her midsection. Ginny did know them so much better than he did. His thoughts turned to the little person his wife was guarding within. Despite his earlier worries about whether she'd have enough time left for him, he couldn't stop the flutter of excitement that made his stomach feel like it was full of Snitches.

Ginny's hand drifted up to rest on top of one of his and gently guided it to the side of her stomach. It wasn't unusual for her to subtly change the position of his hands on her body when she was feeling uncomfortable, so Draco didn't think anything of the silent demand.

All of a sudden there was an odd movement against his hand.

"Was that--" Draco started in a whisper, but fell silent when another movement beneath his hand caused him to stop.

"Yes," Ginny replied softly. "Poppet is wide awake."

A silly grin spread across Draco's face. Ginny had been trying to get him to feel their baby kicking for weeks, but every time he put his hand near her the baby stopped moving. If she hadn't kept assuring him that it was perfectly normal, he would have been close to developing a complex.

"We have a Beater," Draco murmured in awe, as his hands followed the baby's sharp kicks and nudges.

"We do," Ginny agreed, happy that Draco had finally been able to share this with her.

After fifteen minutes of awe-inspiring movement and chatter the movement began to slow down. Draco sighed, feeling a little disappointed that the experience was coming to an end.

Ginny heard her husband exhale and knew he was dissatisfied, so she reached over and gave her belly a poke. Her reward or punishment for utilizing such a tactic was a sharp kick to Draco's lingering hand.

"Wow! Did you feel that?" Draco exclaimed excitedly.

Ginny laughed lightly. "Yes, I did feel that."

"It's--I just..." Draco trailed off, unable to find words powerful enough to convey his feelings.

"I know," Ginny whispered.

"Did the twins--"

"Yes, they used to keep me awake at night." A melancholy smile touched Ginny's lips. "They were so active that once they got started they'd move for hours."

"I wish I could have shared that with you."

"I'm sorry," Ginny choked out as her eyes filled with tears.

"Ginny?" Draco tried to look at her face to confirm what he suspected, but found it unnecessary when he heard her sniff miserably. "Hey, don't cry. What's done is done, and all that matters is that we're together now."

"I should have--I took that--"

"Shh, it doesn't matter now," Draco crooned. "I just want to enjoy this baby and watching you grow as it does."

He allowed her to weep for a few minutes, knowing it was useless to try to get her to stop. At least while she was busy feeling guilty he had time to kick his own arse thoroughly for upsetting her. Sometimes things just slipped out, and then he had to deal with them. Draco was thankful that her tears didn't escalate beyond almost silent sobbing. He held her gently and whispered nonsensical things in her ear until she stopped.

"I think it's time I tucked you and Poppet into bed," Draco muttered when she appeared to have calmed down.

Ginny shook her head a little.

"A nice cup of tea while we cuddle in bed sounds perfect right about now," Draco continued, ignoring her refusal.

"I don't want to go to bed," Ginny said with a little irritation in her tone.

"All right," Draco said slowly, giving himself time to think of something else. "How about a nice relaxing bath?"

Ginny half shrugged, not committing either way.

"I'll scrub your back," Draco offered, his voice deliberately turning husky. "I'll even do your front."

"I wouldn't want to put you out or anything."

Draco grinned as his wife's cheeky response signaled a lighter mood. "It's no trouble, really."

"I'll bet," Ginny replied with mock sarcasm.

"Let's go and get you in that bath, and afterwards we can talk about the first thing that pops up," Draco murmured in her ear.

"I knew you had other ideas."

"When have I not?" Draco quirked his eyebrows audaciously, even though she couldn't see his face.

Ginny shook her head as she sat forward. She wasn't about to complain about his mind being in the bedroom after the day they'd had, because she felt the need for some extra loving tonight.

By the time she was ensconced in their massive bath, Ginny was feeling relatively drowsy. Draco had been attentive to the point that he undressed her. For the moment, he'd left her alone just to soak in the peace and relax, but she was under no illusion that he'd be away for long. She allowed her eyes to slip closed for the time being and just enjoyed the peace. The warm water felt wonderful against her skin and it was relaxing her body in a way that only a bath was capable.

A frown creased her forehead as she heard Draco come back into the room and start rummaging through cupboards. "What are you looking for?" Ginny asked without bothering to open her eyes.

"I thought Pansy gave you a nice sponge thing for your birthday," Draco answered, while he searched the cupboard.

"She did," Ginny muttered. "It's hanging in my shower."

She heard him mumble something and walk in the direction of her shower stall. The next thing she knew her heart was racing as she jerked forward when something touched her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, love," Draco blurted. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"It's okay. I must have drifted off or something."

While Ginny concentrated on breathing slowly and evenly, Draco started to run the sponge over her back. His touch was heavenly and went a long way to assisting her to relax again.

Once she'd regained her former composure, her body melted under his touch, but at the same time it was set alive with tingles radiating from her core. She was caught between feeling ultimately relaxed and incredibly aroused. There was only one thing she could do, given the circumstances: let her body take the course it naturally wanted to follow.

By the time the sponge ran over her shoulders to dip low on her chest, Ginny's nipples were hardened pebbles. The spontaneous moan that forced its way from her throat sent a clear message to anyone within earshot as to how she was feeling.

Draco smirked. There was no hiding how she was feeling these days. He had a choice to make: indulge her wanton demeanor or tease her for a while?

The latter was far more appealing, in his opinion. With no sign that he'd even heard her, he continued his innocent ministrations.

As his hand roamed lower he deliberately stayed away from her breasts, going above them, between them and under them, but never over them. At one point he thought he heard her growl lowly in frustration, but he couldn't acknowledge her if he wanted to keep going with his preferred option.

When he reached the bulge of her tummy, Draco spent a lot of time just circling the area, enjoying the response he was receiving from the baby for the attention he was paying.

"Does that feel nice, Poppet?" Draco whispered after receiving a rather forceful pressure against his hand. "We've got to make sure you're all clean before tucking you into bed."

Ginny cracked an eye open, so she could watch Draco. Her licentious feelings faded the moment she saw him. His head was close to her belly and his eyes held a spark that she'd never seen before. He was rambling on to the baby, holding a one sided conversation that was composed of utter nonsense. At that moment she couldn't have loved her husband more.

"Do you know what we've got to do?" Draco posed quietly to his unborn child. "We've got to look after Mummy, so she can look after you."

A soft smile crept its way across Ginny's mouth as she continued to watch her husband bond with their unborn child. For the most part, she couldn't tell anyone what his little conversation involved, because the words didn't really matter to her at the time. It was merely the fact that he was paying the infant some attention that had her heart bursting with emotions. Even when he'd moved the sponge down her legs, Draco kept up his little discussion with the baby, explaining what he was doing and why; and constantly asking if it felt good to have Mummy relaxed.

He'd completely avoided the peak of her thighs on the trip down her legs, so when he brushed the sponge between her legs on the way back up she was pleasantly surprised. A rush of blood to the area reminded her that she'd been feeling rather heated before he'd began his little rhetoric with their baby. However, his movements were anything but arousing. It was almost as if he were truly intent on ensuring she was clean.

"Do you want to get out now or would you like to soak for a little longer?"

Ginny opened her eyes and stared at her husband, feeling a little confused. Never before had they ended such a bath without making love or heading for the bed with the mutual understanding that they were going to make love. She hoped he wasn't going to go noble on her now, because just the thought was enough to make her want to scream. "Umm-- I might stay here for a bit," she uttered, feeling the need for a little privacy to sort her thoughts out.

"All right." Draco smiled as he got to his feet. "I might have quick shower."

Ginny smiled tightly and nodded. It wasn't exactly the privacy she was hoping for, but to refuse him access to the bathroom now would alert him to a problem, and she didn't think she wanted to share this with him at the moment.

When he moved away, Ginny allowed her eyes to slip closed again. She could hear him shedding his clothes, and then turning the water on in his stall. After a minute or so an odd sound started to assault her ears. So as not to alert him, Ginny sat forward very carefully and observed her husband for a while.

The sound turned out to be Draco humming to himself, which in of itself was strange. As his hands massaged his scalp, Ginny couldn't quite get over how happy he looked. Every fiber in his being appeared to be grinning and his aura seemed to glow with joy.

She rested back in the bath as he rinsed his hair. A sense of peace and security washing over her as what she'd seen sank in. If ever she'd had a moments doubt about her marriage or the baby it was most definitely gone now.

A short time later Draco left the bathroom, finally giving her the privacy she needed. Her thoughts had taken a different turn and rather than concentrating on his silent refusal to touch her erotically, she found herself pondering how much stronger their relationship felt. There was little doubt in her mind that she'd seen him with all his guards down and she knew it wasn't often that Draco allowed that to happen, even when it was just the two of them, so she had received some very privileged information. All of a sudden, she had a compulsion to be with him. Within minutes she'd abandoned the warm bath water, dried herself carelessly and left the bathroom in search of her husband.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Draco had left the bathroom still a little wet, but he had a feeling that his wife needed a few moments alone. There was a bit of a chill in the air outside, but inside their suite was comfortable, so he dressed only in a pair of pajama bottoms. He knew he might have need for the shirt later, but for now he left it in his dressing room.

With Ginny still in the bath, he settled himself before the hearth and summoned a book from his nightstand. Quiet nights like this would have been considered boring a year ago, but now he rather enjoyed the peace. He became engrossed in his book quickly and was only torn from its pages when the bathroom door opened.

When he turned to find his wife standing half way across the room, looking like she'd failed to dry herself properly, he wondered exactly what was going on, but something in her eyes halted his obvious question. "Do you feel better, love?"

"Yes," she answered simply.

"Would you like a cup of tea?" Draco inquired, keeping up the line of normal conversation in lieu of demanding what was wrong.

"Maybe later."

"It's getting a bit late to be saving something for later."

"Then I won't have one."

"All right," Draco answered slowly. There was definitely something amiss, but he couldn't put his finger on it. "Do you want to get dressed?"

She shook her head.

As her towel hit the floor his mouth went dry. A few things were going through his head, but none were staying long enough for him to acknowledge what the thought was. While he was trying to get his brain to engage again she walked over to him, took his book from his hands and straddled his legs. He didn't actually know if his brain had started functioning again or whether instinct had taken over, but he didn't really care, because he knew exactly what his wife wanted without doubt...

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It took him a little while to get to his feet, but once there it was only a minute or so before they were both snuggled up in their huge bed. He spooned against her back with one of his hands spread protectively over his unborn child. Ginny's breathing evened out after only a few minutes of warm cuddling and before long she'd succumbed to the call of slumber.

Draco remained awake for a while, contemplating the day that had passed them. It had most definitely been the day from hell at some points, but at least it had finished on a good note. He was just starting to drift off when a gentle movement under his hand brought a smile to his face, but it didn't stay long as guilt attacked him. He'd forgotten all about his unborn child as he fucked his wife thoroughly. What did the baby feel? His thoughts were going down dangerous paths and Draco fought to shut them off, lest he be shamed into a life of celibacy. Another movement under his hand brought the smile back to his face. The baby was moving and, therefore, it was fine. Besides, if he hurt the baby, then he'd have to hurt Ginny and she certainly wasn't complaining -- well, at least she stopped when he let her have her way.

The erratic movements under his hand eventually began to fade to the point where they were barely noticeable anymore. It was then that Draco relaxed fully and thoughts that were only half developed were left as they were as sleep claimed him.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ginny entered Malfoy Holdings and strolled casually over to the lifts. There were several people waiting to go to the upper levels of the building, so she hung back, standing just behind them. When the doors to the lift slid open everyone moved forward, turning around as they entered the lift to look into the foyer. With a warm smile directed at the employees, she entered the lift, but within seconds found herself the only occupant of the small moving room. Some had excused themselves with barely intelligible excuses of having forgotten something and others had simply escaped as fast as they possible could, without breaking into a run. A frown creased her brow as she watched the people retreat. Thoughts of how odd it seemed that everyone had suddenly disembarked crossed her mind, but she didn't linger over them. Instead, Ginny reached out and pushed the button for the topmost floor, where the executive offices were located.

The lift made several stops on its way to the top floor, but no one actually joined Ginny in the lift. Some made mumbled excuses, and others just turned and walked away from the open doors the moment they spied her. When she reached the top floor Ginny stepped out and began the journey down the long corridor. The further she walked the slower her pace became. There was definitely something wrong, if the employees' reactions were anything to go by. Not one to be rude, Ginny had smiled and greeted each person she'd come across, but for the most part they'd run away from her with expressions of terror on their faces. By the time she'd reached Draco's outer office she was beginning to get a complex. Were they running from her? Was Draco in a bad mood, or perhaps Lucius?

"Mrs. Malfoy," the secretary greeted her nervously. "Mr. Malfoy is expecting you."

"Yes, he should be," Ginny answered vaguely. The expression and demeanor of the other woman was anything but her usual friendly manner.

"You can go straight in," the woman stated hurriedly.

"Thank you," Ginny uttered as she walked over to the double doors guarding her husband's private office.

"Ginny love." Draco greeted her with a bright smile as he stood up and moved around his enormous desk. "Is everything all right?" he asked upon examining her expression.

Ginny closed the door behind her and allowed Draco to kiss her cheek. "You tell me."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Draco inquired cautiously.

"Everyone seems to be running away from me in horror," Ginny stated. "I didn't grow a second head, did I?"

"Oh--I'm sure-- they're just busy," Draco stammered. "Father's been on the warpath a bit today," he added quickly.

"Draco?" Ginny took a step away from him, so she could see his eyes properly. "What is going on? The truth!"

If the employees had looked uncomfortable when she was in their vicinity, they had nothing on their boss right now. Draco looked as if he wanted to be anywhere but right here talking to her. His tongue flicked out to lick his lips--a sure sign that he was feeling anxious.

"Draco?" Ginny prompted in an uncompromising tone.

"Come and sit down," Draco coaxed.

"I don't want to sit down, Draco. I want to know what's going on."

He expelled a large breath. This wasn't going to be easy, but there was only one way to do it with her ire rising: straightforward. "You rather terrified most of the staff yesterday when you stormed in," he admitted quietly. "They've been twitchy all day."

"You've got to joking?"

"I'm not joking."

Ginny looked around the office, and then at her husband's serious expression. She felt her lips starting to twitch, and she tried to sober herself, but it was impossible. The idea that she terrified so many people by walking through the office in search of her husband was ludicrous. A bubble of laughter escaped, despite her best efforts not to laugh, and then she couldn't stop.

Draco guided his wife over to the couch and assisted her to sit down before she fell over. At the moment she was almost doubled over with hilarity, though how she found the situation amusing was quite beyond him. This morning had been hell on earth at the office with the staff more concerned with gossiping and avoiding him than actually doing what they were paid to do. He could have hexed his secretary clear into next week for letting others know that Ginny was coming in today.

"Is something amusing?" Lucius inquired as he strode into the office unannounced.

Ginny took a few deep breaths and fought to bring herself under control. She could feel her bladder complaining, but there was no way she was going to attempt to walk across the office while still laughing that hard. "Bathroom," she mumbled as she struggled to stand up.

Draco immediately assisted his wife to her feet. He'd learned that if she needed use the lavatory, she needed to use it right away, not in five minutes or when she finally managed to get out of the chair she was sitting in.

As the bathroom door closed behind her, Draco looked at his father. "Ginny seems to think that the staff being afraid of her is somewhat funny."

"I watched her walk down the corridor." Lucius smirked coldly. "The staff were scattering like mice in the face of a hungry cat."

"Someone should have alerted me," Draco growled. He had no idea it had been that bad. No wonder Ginny had picked up on the tension in the building.

"Whatever for? Ginevra was certainly in no danger, though I think there may be a few bruises floating around the office now." Lucius chuckled at his son's confused expression. "People don't always look where they're walking when they're trying to run away."

Draco rolled his eyes. Of course, his father would find something like this hilarious.

"Ah, Ginevra, you must share your secret," Lucius said as Ginny emerged from Draco's private bathroom.

Ginny frowned in confusion. "Secret?"

"Yes, the secret to how you make people scatter at the mere sight of you," Lucius expounded.

"Oh." Ginny colored furiously. "Yesterday--I--I didn't mean--"

Lucius chuckled at his daughter-in-law's stammered explanation. "If only I held that power."

Ginny recovered quickly, as soon as she saw that her father-in-law was as amused by the situation as she was. "I don't know that you'll ever hold that power, Lucius. After all, you'll never be livid and pregnant at the same time."

"Such a shame," Lucius concluded dispiritedly.

"If you two sadists have finished enjoying the torture of our staff, perhaps we can go to lunch?" Draco suggested. "Father, would you care to join us?"

"Thank you for the offer, but I have a business luncheon to attend," Lucius responded politely. "That's why I came to see you. I would like you to look this proposal over before I leave."

Draco's eyes flicked to his wife to gauge her reaction to the suggestion that they may be held up.

"Go on," Ginny said. "I'm not in the mood for a restaurant meal anyway."

Before accepting the file his father held, Draco smiled and winked at his wife.

Lucius and Draco walked back to the desk, where Draco sat down and opened the file.

Ginny watched her husband's expression become serious as his eyes roamed over the proposal. She could hear them discussing the file, but they may as well how been conversing in a foreign language for all she understood. Rather than worry about what they were saying, Ginny sat back and just observed them working together.

Lucius was standing beside his son, leaning over him to point something out on the parchments in front of Draco. They wore identical expressions and Ginny could sense there was a great deal of respect between the two men. She wished she could capture this moment forever, so she could show them when they were arguing about something.

All of a sudden her eyes welled up and her heart felt like it was going to burst with raw emotion.

"I'll see you this evening," Lucius intoned as he moved to the door with his file. "Ginevra, have a lovely--"

As Ginny glanced up at her father-in-law a fat tear rolled down her cheek.

"Draco," Lucius hissed, inclining his head in the direction of the crying witch on the couch before exiting the office as quickly as his legs could carry him.

"Hey, Ginny, what's this about?" Draco asked quickly as he moved across his office to her side.

She quickly wiped the moisture from her cheeks, but it was soon replaced as her tears continued to flow silently. "It's nothing," she tried to assure him.

"Nothing doesn't make you cry," Draco countered gently. "Tell me what's wrong."

"I was just watching you work with your father," Ginny confessed unevenly.

Draco bit back the urge to laugh. "We do that every day. It's not that scary, is it?"

"No... It's... it's beautiful," Ginny choked out.

He couldn't help but laugh at his wife's statement. "Love, I hardly think the image of Father and I working could be described that way. Dead boring perhaps, or even terrifying at times, but never beautiful."

"It was," Ginny protested. "I wish you could stand back and watch yourselves."

"Yes-- well-- Why don't you go and wash your face, and we'll go to lunch?" Draco suggested cautiously.

As Ginny left him to go to the bathroom, he sunk back into the soft folds of the couch and congratulated himself for stemming that flow of tears quickly. He'd learned that it was safer not to argue over her perception of things at the moment, because to do so often meant that angry or sad tears would join the happy tears, and then he'd really be in trouble.

Over the course of the last few weeks he'd met what he thought was the full range of womanly tears. To curb his initial panic he'd done the only thing he could think of at the time: invited Bill to lunch. When his brother-in-law recovered from his amusement, he assured Draco that Ginny's wild mood swings and tears were all perfectly normal, and all he had to do was devise some ways of dealing with her, without making the situation worse. He'd warned him about evolving tears in a grave tone; this type started as one emotion and changed with the smallest wrong move from him. Bill impressed upon him that he wanted to avoid this type whenever possible, because once they started there was no telling when they would stop or how long he would earn himself on the couch. This was mostly caused by the fact that you didn't quite know what you were dealing with at any given time, so saying or doing the wrong thing was easier than falling off a broomstick, and if you managed to work out what sort of waterworks you were coping with it would change with the fall of the next tear.

As the bathroom door opened Draco plastered a cheery smile on his face. He'd also discovered that his demeanor had a profound effect on Ginny. "Ready for lunch, love?"

"I am feeling a bit hungry now."

"Good." Draco rose and readied himself to leave quickly.

On the way out, Draco spoke briefly with his secretary and then he escorted Ginny from the building. It was blatantly obvious that his wife's presence disturbed the employees greatly. Despite the fact that it led to a counter-productive atmosphere, he did find it funny. They couldn't get out of her line of vision quick enough. Not that he showed his amusement inside the building, but as they stepped onto the street he couldn't contain his laughter any longer.

"It's not funny," Ginny protested.

"Yes, it is," Draco countered. "It's hilarious, and don't you pretend that the sight of all the little plebeians scattering before you doesn't thrill your evil side."

"Well..." Ginny's mouth began to twitch.

Draco leaned down, slipping his arm around her waist, and whispered in her ear, "It's bloody hilarious."

A small giggle escaped the redhead, and she couldn't deny that it was just as funny the second time around.

After lunch in a small café, they went straight to the Midwitch's office. Draco was a little irritated when they were told the Midwitch was behind schedule and they'd have to wait a while, but Ginny accepted the information without even raising an eyebrow, as if it was quite normal.

Draco was the only male in the crowded waiting room. Everywhere he looked his eyes fell on an expectant witch. Some hardly had a bump and others looked as if they were well overdue, in his uneducated opinion. Each time one of them met his eyes with a smile he felt infinitely more uncomfortable and averted his gaze immediately. In the end, the only safe place he could look was at his hands in his lap.

"Is everything all right?" Ginny whispered, noticing her husband's discomfiture.

"They're all pregnant," Draco hissed.

Ginny muffled a giggle behind her hand. "Well, you are sitting in a Midwitch's office."

Draco sent a pained look in his wife's direction, but didn't bother to respond. She wouldn't understand, even if he were to explain why this situation made him uncomfortable -- not that he could really explain, because he didn't understand himself. He continued to watch his hands, only occasionally glancing up at the rest of the small room when there was movement. At one point Ginny reached forward and took a magazine from the table in front of them. Draco snatched the publication out of her hands without a word and tossed it back onto the table.

"If you want to read, bring a book from home," he whispered harshly. There was no way he was going to have a repeat of the day before, and he really had no idea how many offensive articles about him may have appeared in various magazines over the years, so it wasn't worth chancing her coming across another article in the dated publications.

Ginny looked surprised, but one glance at Draco's uncompromising expression silenced her protest. She sighed heavily and went back to twiddling her thumbs.

One by one the women were called in to see the Midwitch, but Draco noticed that even more were going through a second door and then returning to their seats.

"What's so interesting through there?" Draco's head nodded in the direction of the often-used door.

"Lavatory," Ginny whispered.

Draco nodded and smiled understandingly. It was another of those things that he'd never given any thought to, but had learned over the last few months: pregnant women went to the bathroom a lot.

He'd no sooner discovered the location of the bathroom than Ginny announced, discreetly, that she needed to use the room. Within seconds of her leaving her seat, Draco's decided he, too, could do with a visit to the 'little wizard's room'.

The corridor beyond the door had several other doors leading off, but only one was signposted as a bathroom.

"Ginny," Draco hissed just before his wife disappeared into what he thought was the ladies toilet. "Where's the men's room?"

"There isn't one." She almost laughed at his pained expression. "This one is for everyone's use."

"Men and women together?"

"It's not like we can see your strange bathroom rituals," Ginny said with amusement dancing in her eyes. "There are cubicles."

Draco stood staring at the vacant space his wife had been standing in for a few moments. There was no doubt that he needed to relieve himself for personal comfort and given that he had no idea how long they'd have to wait there really wasn't a choice in the matter. He glanced up and down the corridor furtively and then entered the lavatory.

Behind the door was a large room with six basins and six cubicles. Large mirrors covered the wall above the basins and it was while Draco was marveling at this that a heavily pregnant woman walked out of one of the stalls. He quickly turned and disappeared inside an empty stall. The seat was down, of course, so he rectified the situation and then unzipped his trousers. Another toilet flushed somewhere down the line and after a second or so of silence the conversation he never wanted to hear began.

"That feels so much better," a woman's voice relayed.

"You know it won't last long," another woman reminded.

"An hour of relief is better than nothing."

"Only an hour?"

"I don't dare hang on any longer."

"Why?"

"I was in the Apothecary last week, and I could feel the need to go, but I wanted to pay for everything first."

A woman groaned. "How did it happen?"

"I sneezed."

"Oh no, you poor thing."

Draco frowned inside the cubicle. What was so bad about sneezing in the Apothecary? The toilet right next to him flushed and he heard the door swing open.

"I had that happen in my last pregnancy," Ginny's voice added to the conversation. "I was in Flourish and Blotts, and the dust got up my nose. You should have seen the puddle."

Puddle? Draco's frown deepened.

"It's just so embarrassing."

"I hate trying to work out what to do afterwards."

"Do you make an attempt to mop up or alert someone?"

"Have you ever tried explaining it to some young shop assistant?"

"Or worse: an old man?" Ginny asked.

The three women laughed together.

Inside the stall Draco was still standing with his member poised to do the job he'd originally come in here for. He was completely baffled about what the women were on about and, although a little curious, he was almost positive that he didn't really want to know; something told him that, whatever it was, it came under the banner of Sacred Witch's Business, and he had no business, as a wizard, listening to them.

Now that he'd come to that conclusion he felt trapped. There was no way he wanted to alert them to his presence. He would have to remain silent until they all returned to the waiting room. It was a good, simple plan, except for the fact that his bladder had grown exceptionally uncomfortable and the cool air on his dick wasn't helping matters either. With the only other option exposing himself, Draco grit his teeth, held his breath and listened carefully. All he wanted was for them to leave, but it seemed as though they'd settled in for the afternoon. At least he now knew why women went to the bathroom in packs and why they took so long -- if they went alone they'd have no one to gossip with.

Draco tried not to listen to the actual conversation they were having; his poor ears and vulnerable male sensibilities had been assaulted quite enough for one day, not to mention he didn't need to be confused any further. The women nattered on for another five minutes, and then Draco heard the door open. He prayed to whomever was listening that another woman wasn't about to join the meeting. Instead of increased chatter, the lavatory fell silent. Fear of missing his chance to escape before he overheard anything else, Draco relieved himself quickly, hurried through washing his hands, and then left the bathroom before anyone else could arrive.

Before he entered the waiting room, Draco took a moment to compose himself. To burst into the crowded room, with what he was sure was a horrified expression on his face, would only cause people to question where he'd been. A deep breath and a few calming thoughts later, he strolled as casually into the room as he could. Some of the women looked up, most notably his own wife.

"Where have you been?" Ginny asked.

"Lavatory," Draco whispered.

"All that time? Are you feeling okay?" Concern colored her tone as she reached to feel his forehead.

Draco captured her hand before it made contact. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"We could ask--"

"Mrs. Malfoy, would you like to go through now?" the receptionist asked over the top of all the conversations.

"It's about time," Draco muttered under his breath as he rose from his chair.

Ginny grabbed his arm before he could take a full step. "Draco, not a word about waiting."

Draco opened his mouth to tell her that they shouldn't have to wait, but it snapped shut when he saw her expression. He wouldn't say anything to upset her now, but that didn't mean he couldn't complain later, from the privacy of his own office. With ideas of what he'd like to say to the Midwitch still roaming through his mind he followed Ginny into the Midwitch's office.

"Ginny, lovely to see you," the Midwitch greeted her warmly. "And you must be Draco."

"Yes, pleased to meet you," Draco intoned politely.

The so-called expert, who was going to help his wife deliver their child into this world, was not at all what he expected. She was very young, perhaps around their age or just a little older. Her smile was bright and confident, and her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. This Midwitch was hardly old enough to have any experience and it worried him.

"It's always wonderful to meet the father before the birth." The woman smiled at him. "It gives me an idea of what we'll be dealing with on the big day."

Draco's eyes widened a little. Dealing with? "I assure you, Healer--"

"Call me Ellen."

"Ellen, I assure you--"

"Have you done this before, Draco?" Ellen asked as she sat behind her desk.

"Err--no."

"Well, let's not make any grand statements that will come back to haunt us then," the Midwitch instructed with a soft smile. "I've seen the toughest men brought to their knees by the sight of their wife giving birth."

Ginny cleared her throat lightly, which garnered his attention. After receiving a meaningful look from her, Draco sat down and kept his mouth shut.

"Right, let's get on with this, shall we?" Ellen opened the file in front of her, and then looked at Ginny. "You ran out on us yesterday?"

"Sorry about that," Ginny started. "I--"

"My wife discovered a rather vile article in a publication she picked up in your waiting room," Draco cut in abruptly.

"My receptionist said you were clearly upset about something," Ellen muttered.

"That's an understatement," Draco told her. "I don't appreciate my wife being upset in that manner."

Ginny spun in her chair. "Draco!"

"It's all right, Ginny," Ellen assured her. "Draco, I have no idea what sort of reading material is in the waiting room. Patients leave magazines for us all the time, and my receptionist simply sees to it that there are enough in the waiting room for my patients to peruse while they wait. I am truly sorry that something offended Ginny and, of course, I'm concerned for her health, but I don't exactly control what's out there."

"I'm fine now," Ginny stated, cutting Draco off before he could respond again.

"You should have waited to see me," Ellen responded sternly.

"I wasn't in a good frame of mind," Ginny admitted.

"Well, let's see how you're doing today," Ellen said, closing the subject. "Just pop yourself up on the table."

Draco, though smarting from having his complaint dismissed so easily, watched with interest as the Midwitch examined Ginny. She measured her now ample belly and placed an odd shaped hearing-horn against her skin and listened for a while before proclaiming all was well.

"How are you feeling in yourself? Apart from yesterday afternoon, that is," Ellen inquired.

"Fine," Ginny answered simply.

Unable to help himself, but not wanting to butt in again and be dismissed, Draco didn't quite suppress the odd noise that crawled up his throat.

"You disagree, Draco?" Ellen posed.

Without even glancing at Ginny, Draco quickly ran through his concerns. "She weeps at nothing, she's often tired and she's constantly running to the bathroom."

Ellen smiled somewhat amusedly. "Is that all?"

"Yes, I think so," Draco answered.

"Then you have nothing to worry about," Ellen guaranteed him. "That's all perfectly normal."

"What about mood swings?" Draco questioned.

"Like?"

"One minute she's fine, then she's furious, then she's crying again, and then she's... well, she's very... friendly."

"Normal."

A pained expression crossed Draco's face.

"I'm sorry, Draco, you're going to have to suffer along with all the other expectant fathers out there. Nothing you've described is unusual, so don't worry yourself over it." Ellen turned to Ginny. "Have you had any cravings yet?"

Ginny shrugged. "Not yet."

"Wait until you're getting up in the middle of the night to get her ice cream and pickles," Ellen warned Draco with a chuckle.

"House elves," Draco muttered under his breath.

The Midwitch laughed lightly as she closed her file after scribbling some notes. "Right, I'll see you in four weeks and not a day later."

"I'll make an appointment on the way out," Ginny promised.

"If you have any problems in between don't hesitate to contact me, and that goes for you too, Draco," Ellen said.

"Thank you," Draco responded curtly, as he stood up.

The women bid each other goodbye before Ellen escorted them to the door. On the way out, as promised, Ginny made an appointment for the following month.

Draco inhaled the fresh air as they stepped onto the street. He'd had quite an education this afternoon and now had more questions floating around his head as a result. It wasn't that he wanted all of the questions answered, because there were just some things he didn't want to know or understand when it came to women. Perhaps he'd invite Bill to lunch again, just to clarify some things that he did want to know.

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