Destination Unknown

Chapter 3

December 17^th, 2006

Draco paced anxiously outside the room. His two sons were sitting quietly, not daring to utter a word, for this was the first time they had seen their father so worried. Their mother was inside. Aunt Ginny was inside as well.

"Do you think Mum is all right?" Harry asked his brother.

"I hope so," said Cory.

"Uncle Ron says we are going to have a brother or a sister," whispered Harry.

Cory nodded. "I'd like a sister," he said.

"Me, too," said Harry, "I'll teach her to fly. You can teach her to read."

"What will we do if we have a brother?"

"I won't talk to him."

"Neither will I."

"Why is Dad so worried, Cory?"

"I don't know...look, Aunt Ginny is coming out! Let's go!"

The two four year olds and their father ran to Ginny.

"How's she, Gin?" Draco asked anxiously.

"Which 'she'?" Ginny said and held out a tiny baby-girl. She had white-blond hair like Draco and looked up at him with chocolate brown eyes like her mother.

"She's beautiful!" gasped Draco, "How's Hermione?"

"She's perfectly fine. You may see her now."

As Draco went in, Ginny knelt on the ground and showed the boys their little sister. Harry and Cory squealed in delight.

"Pretty!" exclaimed Harry.

"Lovely," said Cory, "Does she have a name yet?"

"Not yet, Cory," said Ginny, smiling at the two boys, "have you two thought of a nice name for your baby sister?"

"Give us a minute, Aunt Ginny," said Harry and the two of them went to a corner and started talking. When they came back a minute later, they had huge grins on their faces.

"We'll name her Athena Celestia Malfoy," they proclaimed. Ginny laughed and led them in. Hermione and Draco looked up when they entered.

"We've named her, Mum," said Harry, rushing to her.

"What have you named her, dear?"

"Athena Celestia Malfoy," said Cory worriedly, "is it ok?"

Draco laughed. "Well done, my sons," he said, "that's a very nice name for her, isn't it, Herm?"

"Sure," she said, smiling at her children. Harry and Cory beamed at her.

"We'll call her Ace for short," said Cory.

"Good heavens, you two thought of a nick name as well?" asked Draco, amused.

Both the boys nodded solemnly.

"When we do something, we do it tho - tho -" started Harry.

"Thoroughly, sweetie," said Hermione.

"Yes, that," Harry began, but was prevented by the reporters who had rushed in. The two boys cuddled close to their mother on either side of her. Ginny placed Athena in Draco's arms as he stood behind his family.

"What's her name, Mrs. Malfoy?" asked one of the reporters.

"Who are the Godparents this time, Mr. Malfoy?" asked another. The stream of questions continued until Harry and Cory got so frightened that they whimpered.

"Enough!" said Draco. The room went quiet except for Athena's cries.

"You all are scaring my children. Can't you even ask questions properly?" he said angrily. He rocked his daughter gently and she fell asleep promptly.

"Her name is Athena Celestia Malfoy. Her Godparents are Luna Weasley and Neville Longbottom. Heron and Crinon named her. I think those are the only questions worth answering. Now please leave us, I need to rest," said Hermione. Ginny herded them out.

Harry and Cory looked up with tear filled eyes.

"I didn't like them," said Cory.

"Me neither," said Harry, "they made Ace cry."

"We don't like them either, dears," said Hermione.

Draco placed Athena on Hermione's lap and motioned to the children to follow him.

"Come on, children. I need some help to decorate your sister's room."

The boys followed their father eagerly, all tears forgotten.