Baby Draco

Chapter 6: Lullaby and Moonlight Serenade

Fred, George and Ron scrambled into the room at the sound of her scream, eyes wide and hair tousled, worry in every line as they looked about the place wildly. Ginny was standing in the darkness, one hand clutching at her mouth. The three of them heaved a collective sigh of relief at the sight of her safe and sound.

"Blimey, Gin. It's the second time in two days that I've been woken up by a scream!" Ron complained irritably, stifling a yawn at the same time.

"The baby," she croaked. The twins stiffened and looked at each other.

"What's wrong with Dragon?" they asked together, noticing that their sister looked distraught.

"I... I woke up because he was restless and thrashing about and... and then I saw him stick the wand into his mouth!"

"Is that why you screamed?" Ron sounded incredulous, staring at his sister as if she had grown another head. "Gin, babies stick things into their mouths all the time. It's perfectly normal."

"I thought he had choked himself..." her voice faltered and she trailed off, stroking Draco's cheek absently. To her startled surprise, he felt unusually warm against her hand, and a small gasp escaped her mouth.

"Is the baby all right?" George asked nervously, even as Fred hovered.

"He's having a fever," she replied in a slightly panicky tone. Her three brothers looked at her blankly.

"Gin, it's normal. Baby gets it all the time," said Fred soothingly.

"How d'you know it's normal? What if it's because of your potion?" she retorted. George shook his head.

"We checked for the side effects after we got home. Nothing's applicable to him, and fever isn't mentioned anywhere," he explained. Ginny looked a bit relieved but still miffed. Fred turned on the light and they approached the cot.

Draco was lying down flat on his back, staring at the three Weasley boys, his grey eyes wide. His pale face was unusually pink. Ron noticed the wand clutched in his small hand. The tip was coated with saliva.

"Bleedin' hell! Do you think he accidentally charmed himself sick?" Ron asked wonderingly. Draco snorted at his stupid suggestion; Ginny, for once, did not scold him for cursing.

'Congratulations, Weasel! You never fail to disgust me.'

George looked at Draco for a few moments, then gave a sharp nod of his head. "Right. I think I know. Dragon, open your mouth!" he said. Draco quickly opened his mouth, eager to know what was wrong with him. "Ah, no wonder. Ruddy gum you have there."

"What's wrong, George?" Ginny asked worriedly.

"I think he's teething. D'you have any idea of what to do now?"

Ginny scrambled for the parenting book and flipped it to the teething section. After a few moments of finding the right paragraph, she began to read. "It says there's no remedy for teething. All we can do is play with the baby, distract him with music, or cuddle him." She paled when she read the next part. "It also says that... half a moment, I'll read it directly... 'If your baby is teething and has a temperature above a hundred degrees for longer than forty eight hours, has diarrhea, becomes lethargic or if you have any other concern, contact your child's physician.'"

She looked up from the book, her brown eyes shining with concern. Fred shrugged. "Well, we'll wait for two more days. Hopefully, his parents will locate him by then. Stop worrying, Gin!"

Ginny chewed on her lower lip and looked at the baby concernedly. She felt silly for overreacting about his fever, but she could not help it. Blame it on her lack of experience with babies and her growing attachment towards the baby, but the thought of Dragon falling sick gave butterflies in her stomach. Is this how Mother feels everyday when we're away from home? she wondered.

While Ginny was worrying herself to pieces, the prospect of dying on the Weasleys hadn't register much in Draco's mind. He was thinking more along the lines of what they were planning to do to distract him. Playing with the twins could be fun--but then he was quickly reminded of his strawberry blonde hair, so it really was not a good idea after all. He doubted that the Weasleys had a refined taste in music, and the idea of any male Weasley cuddling him was too appalling to even cross his mind. But he did not have a strong objection to cuddling that Muggle-loving girl... In fact, he was rather looking forward it. He had to admit that she was rather comfortable - and smelled really nice.

Ah, he was already distracted. Draco instinctively smirked and a loud gasp was heard.

"I'll be a troll's uncle! Gin..." Ron pointed incredulously at Draco, "he... he... smirked!"

Ginny looked annoyed by her brother's reaction. "Ron, of course baby can smile!"

Ron shook his head disbelievingly.

"It's not just a normal smile, Gin. He smirked the Malfoy smirk!" Ron exclaimed. Draco's smirk faltered as he realised his slip-up. Fortunately, the other boys did not seem to notice. Ginny's pressed her lips into a straight line, barely restraining her flaring temper.

"Ron, you're imagining things! He's perfectly normal and I don't see any Malfoy features in him, okay?" Ginny snapped impatiently. She tickled Draco and he giggled in response. "See, even he has a dimple!"

Ron bit back his response as he saw the faint dimple on the baby's chubby cheek. It made Dragon looked so adorable... and he very much doubted that Draco Malfoy had anything as endearing in him as a dimple. His expression softened.

'Ugh, don't tell me--Weasel really has a soft spot for babies, and Grindelwald is a tooth fairy! I don't want him to go all mushy on me now!'

But Draco was not so lucky this time. Ron had already picked him up from the cot. He lay in Weasel's arms, all rigid and horrified.

"She's right. I'm sorry I ever suspected that you are a Malfoy," Ron mumbled. "I'll try not to think of you as something so... so... appalling."

'Great. Speak for yourself! You're definitely not forgiven, Weasel.'

And, as if the redhead had not been making fool of himself enough, he added, "So if you don't mind, I'll make you my little brother. How's that? I've always wanted one."

'Not. In. A. Million. Years. I'd prefer my house-elf as a brother, Weasel. At least a house-elf is useful.'

"Ronniekins, I'm touched!" Fred announced, slapping his palm over his chest in a dramatic gesture. George pretended he had been wiping away tears of compassion. Distracted, Ron snapped out of his sentimental mode and looked at Draco with an annoyed expression on his face. What the hell had gotten into his head just now? He quickly put the baby back in to the cot and turned to find Ginny looking very pleased.

"That's sweet Ron," she smiled before shooting dagger looks at the twins, both of whom were howling and whooping with laughter. "And I want you two to get me a damp, chilled washcloth for the baby."

They quickly shut their mouths at the tone of her voice, realising how furious Ginny was with them. Silently, they turned to go out the door.

"Wait!" she called suddenly. Fred and George paused, backs still turned, waiting to hear their little sister soften up (as they were sure she would). Her next few words, though, didn't sound soft at all. "I want Ron to go with one of you downstairs. I don't trust you two after all these incidents," she said and added with a dangerous edge in her voice, "and all of you are going to accompany me in taking care of him tonight."

Draco did not know why he wanted to smile when he heard the Weasley girl barking orders to her older brothers. Somehow, it reminded him of his mother when Narcissa was giving out instruction to the house-elves. Draco scowled at the thought. It sounded very wrong to hear a Malfoy and a Weasley in any sort of comparison other than that of total opposites.

'Spectacular! Mother would kill me if she ever knew a WEASLEY reminded me of her.'

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

For Draco, the forty eight hours passed by as fast as a Flubberworm in finishing a marathon. The Weasley girl must have been as paranoid as Madam Pomfrey about Quidditch, because she fussed over him until he nearly believed that he was actually dying from some deadly disease rather than having a simple fever. The girl tried everything, from singing some songs for him in a voice awfully similar to Celestina Warbeck's (Draco was fed up listening to his mother's favourite singing sorceress) to cuddling him. (He did not mind that.)

No, what irritated him most was the fact that he had to bear the presence of the Weasley boys day and night. Weasel was being so brotherly nice that it sickened him. Potter's minion attempted to talk baby-talk, played peek-a-boo with him, and even sang the Hogwarts' school song in lullaby style that left Draco insomniac instead of falling asleep. Even worse were the twins. Any time Ginny stepped out of the room or turned her back, something would happen. He had been turned into several species of animal during those two days, some of them were his personal 'favourites': Hippogriff, ferret and weasel. He supposed he ought to feel flattered because the famous Hogwarts pranksters had made him their muse, but he spent too much time sleeping and seeing the mirages of fever to feel anything.

"If his fever still hasn't broken after this, I really don't know what to do," Ginny said anxiously, looking at the baby in her arms. It was seven o'clock in the evening and they were sitting in the living room talking. Ron had brought down his Divination homework after receiving a letter from Hermione. The bushy haired girl must have sent him something more effective than their Mum's Howler, as the boy was suddenly reminded of his obligation as a student.

Fred put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You know, maybe we should ask Mum."

"Mum will kill us," George commented. Ron looked up at this and chewed the end of his quill thoughtfully.

"That's a good idea! Saturn is in the twelfth house - Mother accidentally threw a knife...er...nearly died from all the blood loss," he muttered as he wrote on his parchment. Draco scoffed. He hadn't known Weasel took that pathetic subject. But then again, since the fact only served to emphasise his already hopeless image of Ronald Weasley, he decided not to bother wasting his brain cells thinking of a clever insult.

"What are you doing, Ron?" Ginny asked.

"Trelawney wanted us to analyse the influence of the celestial bodies on what happen to us during the holiday. Now, if only we had more bad luck..."

'How about... was utterly humiliated by greatest nemesis and ended up in St. Mungo's Mental Institution for good? You never know how much information I can use against you after I leave this place, Weasel.'

"Mum should know something to cure him," said Fred again.

"But how are we going to ask her? She'll suspect something if it comes from any of us," Ginny sighed.

"For once, I wish Percy were here," George added. His word seemed to light up an idea in Ron's head. He quickly scrawled on his parchment, mumbling about Leo, cauldrons, curses and being thrown into the next neighbourhood. Fred's head snapped up.

"That's it!" he exclaimed.

"What? You don't mean to ask Mum or Percy, do you?" she asked. Impulsively, her hold on Draco tightened, as if she feared he would be taken away from her.

"That is exactly what I want to do, Gin. Go hide the baby in your room and quickly come back here. Mum'll be suspicious if you're not around."

"I can't leave him alone! What if something happens?" she refused. Fred's eyes darted to the sofa facing the window.

"Just put him behind that sofa then. I don't think Mum can see him there from the fireplace."

Ginny went and placed Draco down behind the other sofa, telling him to keep quiet while they talked to their Mum. Draco found that he could still see the fireplace from the small hole on the patched up sofa (further evidence of just how Knutless the Weasleys were).

"What are we going to say, Fred?" Ginny asked as soon as she came back.

"I've something in mind. It's not the best idea but I guess we'll see how it goes," he said. In a few minutes they had managed to contact their mother in France. Her head popped up in the middle of the fireplace.

"Well, I'm glad to see you haven't blown off the house yet," she commented rather sarcastically while glaring at the twins. After that, she turned her attention to Ginny. "My baby girl! Did these three help you with the chores?"

Ginny nodded, smiling. "Yes, Mum. They've been very helpful."

She nodded approvingly, but then eyed twins suspiciously once more. "So, what's with this sudden call then?"

Fred shifted feet uneasily, a sign that he was rather nervous. "Mum, d'you know of any potion to relieve pain caused by teething?"

The woman blinked as she took in the information. She became quiet, digesting the information in her complicated mind. Suddenly, her eyes widened in horrified understanding.

"FRED WEASLEY! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ANGELINA?" she bellowed.

"You mean what have I done with her?" he corrected, an impish grin plastered on his face. "it takes two to tango, you know." Draco smirked at this response. It actually sounded rather witty... for a Weasley, that is. Mrs Weasley could barely manage to say a word.

"Merlin..."

"No, Mum. I was just kidding." It took her a while to calm down from her state of hyperventilation. However, she still looked unconvinced.

"Then what is it?" she snapped.

"You see, Mum..." George trailed off.

"One of our neighbours asked us to help babysit."

"Unfortunately, the baby's having fever because of teething."

"It's been two days."

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. The twins realised their mistakes and snapped their mouths shut.

"Do you think I don't know that our nearest neighbours are Muggles and that they live miles away? DON'T TRY TO FOOL YOUR MOTHER!" she barked angrily. All four children winced and fell silence, unable to give an answer. "I'll Apparate back now. I don't believe you all..."

"NO!" the four of them exclaimed in unison. Ginny paled. Her mother looked very determined to find out what was wrong.

"Actually, Mum, it's..actually it's wisdom teeth!" she blurted, saying the first thing that crossed her mind. At this, the fierce expression on Mrs. Weasley's face relaxed. Draco, meanwhile, could not believe his own ears. Since when did Gryffindors become such quick thinkers? It was simply disgraceful--even blue-blooded Slytherins like Pansy and Blaise couldn't think nearly as quickly (or as deviously)...

"You don't need to come back, really!" Ron croaked nervously, thereby restoring Draco's faith in the continued stupidity of Gryffindors.

"It's against the law," George added.

"Whose wisdom tooth is growing? Oh, poor dear! I'll check you as soon as I'm back from holiday," she said worriedly. The four of them stiffened and Draco absently sucked on a hand in horror. If Mrs Weasley ever found out about him, it would only take her a little magic to know that the baby was actually her son's arch-enemy. Parents like her would be very well-acquainted with Locating Spell...

"It's..." Ron started, scrambling for words to continue. Ginny stole a glance at the twins.

"Hermione!" George exclaimed, sounding all too ecstatic to find an answer. Their mother furrowed her brows thoughtfully.

"I thought her parents are denstitch."

Ginny shook her head. She nudged Fred who was standing beside her, cueing him to think of an explanation.

"It's dentist, Mum," she quipped, buying more time for Fred to think up his 'explanation.' The words were barely out of her mouth, however, when Fred nudged her aside so he could talk to their mother.

"Mum, you know that our Ron here," Fred pointed at his brother, "is a very good friend of Hermione's?" Ron's eyes widened.

"He's shy," George whispered conspiratorially for a dramatic effect. "He was too embarrassed to tell you, Mum." Apparently, this worked really well, as their mother broke into a beaming smile, looking at Ron with a pleased expression. Ron looked down to his feet, trying to hide his red face miserably. His pink ears gave away everything.

"You know Muggles can't cure pain and sickness as fast as us."

"And Ron just couldn't bear to hear about her sufferings any longer."

"We really need your help, Mum!"

"We don't want to see our Ronniekinns moping and brooding everyday."

"Tell us how to make the potion!" Mrs Weasley was smiling from ear to ear.

'Pining for a Mudblood?' Draco almost felt sorry for the humiliation that the boy had to bear in front of his mother... Almost being the key word in that sentence, of course. He was instantly reminded that this was Weasel he was thinking about, and most probably Potter's minion really was pining for the pathetic, bushy-haired girl.

"Ron dear, you don't need to be shy about this!" his mother told him, still beaming. "I really like Hermione, she's such a sweet girl. Oh, you must be very worried about her condition."

His blushed deepened. Draco smirked. He really loved watching the discomfited Weasley. And to think that he had caused the whole incident! He really should congratulate himself for a job well done.

'Things to add to list of insults: pines for Granger; stutters in front of girls except Granger - that is if we consider Granger as a girl; delusional mother who loves Mudblood like Granger...nah, cross the last one! Can't put Mother in danger of defamation...'

"Have you written down all the ingredients that I've told you?" Mrs. Weasley asked. George nodded.

"Thanks, Mum! We really musn't talk any longer. You know how expensive international call is," Fred said hurriedly, signalling for the connection to be cut before she could ask more awkward questions.

"Oh, wait! Ron, don't forget to Degnome the garden," she said, her voice fading as the connection was cut. The four of them sighed in relief as the face of their mother disappeared from the fire.

"Brilliant, Fred! Distract Mum about Angelina and she forgot that Percy's not here," said George, patting the shoulder of his twin proudly. Draco could not believe his ears. The Weasley twins were brighter than he gave them credit for.

But their youngest brother was fuming. "Why'd you have to say Hermione? Why not Angelina or..."

"Now, now," George said placatingly, "Mum likes Hermione. She'll be too thrilled to suspect anything."

"It's for the best, Ron," Fred added with a wicked smile.

"For the best?!" Ron sputtered indignantly. "Don't you realise how Mum will react to this?" The twins looked at each other in perfect understanding and shook their head ruefully.

"Just tell her to expect a sweater this Christmas."

"And maybe even a scarf if you're lucky."

"And what would she make of it?" Ron asked seethingly. George grinned.

"Well, it would save you the trouble of asking her to be your girlfriend."

"Who knows, Mum may even propose to her for you," Fred said. At a loss for words, Ron stomped out the living room angrily.

Draco laughed quietly to himself. That was probably the most hilarious thing he had ever heard in his life. But Ginny suddenly perched herself beside him so he shut his mouth up before she noticed that he was laughing at her brother. Fortunately, the redhead girl was not paying attention to him at the moment, as she was telling her brothers to prepare his salve.

"Let's go back to our room," she said smilingly, picking him up from the sofa.

'Our room?' Draco smirked, unconsciously putting his hand in his mouth to get rid of the itching feeling in his gum. 'I like the sound of that.'

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

Meanwhile at Malfoy Manor.

"So next year the annual meeting will be held in Radnorshire? That's wonderful! Maybe you can accompany me to Llandrindod Wells, Lucius. I heard the Mediwizards are very experienced in curing rheumatism and gout," said Narcissa. Lucius Malfoy massaged his temple, trying to ignore his wife's rambling.

"M..Master, where should Cobby put things?" his house-elf asked, bowing so deeply that his body was bent in a perfect right angle. Lucius glared, feeling insulted that the house-elf had dared to ask him about trivial household matters. Narcissa waved her hand dismissively.

"Cobby, the silver box is for Draco and the rest are mine. Just arranged them accordingly," she instructed. The house-elf Disapparated in a crack of whip.

"You're too soft, Narcissa. They should be punished for their mistakes," he told her disapprovingly. She ignored his comment, seated herself elegantly on the dark green sofa, and began to pour tea into one of the two porcelain cups.

"Would you like a cup of tea?" she asked her husband. He shook his head.

"You should be harsher. House-elves need to be discipline or else they won't do their jobs properly."

"This is a fine Ceylon tea. The Gunatilakes bought it in Sri Lanka," she offered, handing him the porcelain cup. He put up his hand, refusing the offer for the second time. "How about some wine then?"

"No, Narcissa. You know I can't drink too much wine... and why are you still associating yourself with those people?" he snapped irritably. Narcissa placed the cup on the table gently.

"I don't really want to talk about this right now. It's already late," she sighed.

"Aren't you going to Draco's room first?" he asked, the Gunatilakes and his annoyance with the house-elf forgotten.

"My beauty sleep can't wait any longer," she announced. She was halfway up the spiralling staircase when she suddenly turned and looked at her husband. "Well, aren't you coming?"

Lucius looked surprised by her question, and his countenance faltered. "No. I have... some important matters to attend right now. I'll be in my study."

"Good night. Don't stay up too late. You look awful with dark circles."

His eyes followed the movement of her willowy figure until it disappeared behind the wooden door of her bedchamber. The door clicked in place, and then, the silence was replaced by the soft notes of Celestina Warbeck's Moonlight Serenade.

Then, shaking his head in frustration, Lucius proceeded to his study.

==================TBC===================