Mala Fide: In Bad Faith

Mala Fide: In Bad Faith - Chapter 2

"Now?" she asked anxiously.

"Shhhh . . . Be patient, love."

And she was actually patient and quiet. The cool air crackled with silent energy and excitement.

Aside from their breathing, the only sounds to be heard were the muffled ones made by their boots as they sifted through the fallen leaves and fading grass. The first snow of the season had come the night before, lightly dusting the last signs of autumn with white as the old season relinquished to the new. Melting snow had robbed the leaves of that crisp, dry sound they made when she crushed them with her feet. Rhiannon had always loved hearing that, but now, she was far too excited to even notice its absence.

Her patience failed again, and this time, she practically whined, "Now?"

"Almost."

Her eyes were shut tight and her petite hands cupped over them. He guided her, holding onto her upper arm gently as they meandered through the garden of bare trees and empty vines. He lifted a warning finger and reminded her, "No peeking, Rhiannon." Not only were her eyes closed, but her pale red brows were knitted so tightly together that not a smidgen of light could have possibly slipped through. Yet he asked her teasingly, "Are you sure you can't see, just a little?"

"No, Grandpa, I swear. Not a thing," the little girl promised earnestly. Then she pleaded, "Are we almost there?"

Suddenly, he stopped. He stepped behind her silently, placing a hand on each of her slender forearms. Before he uncovered her eyes, she heard a mild cough and sniff a few feet away. Then there was something like a snort. She fidgeted as he made her wait a few seconds more. He eventually leaned down and released his light grip; her strawberry blonde hair stirred slightly when he whispered, "All right, then. Now."

She removed her tiny hands from in front of her silvery-gray eyes. They drew as wide as saucers at the wonderful sight they beheld: the most gorgeous pony she had ever seen. Her chin dropped down as her mouth formed a perfect "O" then curved into a delighted smile.

For once, she was utterly speechless. Her grandfather said just three little words, but they meant the world to her.

"Happy birthday, poppet."

She turned and leapt into Lucius's arms, squealing enthusiastically, "Oh, thank you, Grandpa! She's brilliant!" She ran up and touched her present. The pony's shoulders didn't reach much higher than her own, and its mane, recently brushed by the house-elves, was smooth and silky. Rhiannon petted its rich gray coat, which was already thickening for winter; she relished its amazingly soft feel. "What's her name?"

Lucius smiled. "That's entirely up to you. Do you really like her?"

"Oh, I love her! Honestly, she's the most wonderful thing I've ever seen!" his granddaughter raved.

Her mother and grandmother moved forward, closing the gap they promised they would keep until she had seen the animal. She ran to them and grabbed each one by the hand, dragging them over to see her new pony, as if they couldn't have noticed it yet.

She prompted excitedly, "Isn't she smashing, Mummy? Thank you, Grandma! Thank you, Grandpa!"

Ginny laughed to herself. Rhiannon's grandmother said, "You're welcome, darling. We're so pleased that you like her." The girl turned her attention to the pony once more and stroked its mane lovingly. Taking a brush from a waiting elf, one who tended to the plants and animals on the estate, she brushed the beast's magnificent coat.

Turning to Ginny, Cissy marveled, "It is the color of her eyes, isn't it?"

"Indeed," she replied. "It's quite beautiful. And it looks as though Lucius has found an ardent young admirer."

"Please, Grandpa, can I ride her this morning?" the youngster implored.

"Surely, the pony's not ready to ride, Lucius--" Ginny began.

"Yes, she is, Ginevera. And yes, young lady, you certainly may." His own horse was being brought out, already saddled and geared up for a leisurely ride. The precocious five-year-old admired her pony a bit longer while a house-elf magically saddled it. The little servant stepped aside and gave her a boost. She swung her leg over as if she had done this a thousand times before, settling right in and following her grandfather's experienced lead.

He said, "Come on - let's see what your pony's got, hmm? Wait a minute; what have we here?" He reached inside his cloak and pulled out a small basket, one that was obviously charmed so that the inside was much larger than the outside appeared. He announced, "Looks like we've got a picnic. When you get hungry, I'll just say the 'magic words', and we'll eat cake till we're sick of it."

Rhiannon turned around and waved madly. "Bye, Mummy, bye, Grandma! We'll be back later!"

Lucius clicked his tongue and lightly kicked his horse's flanks, commanding the animal to start moving. Rhiannon followed his example. She was so excited that she chattered on until they were out of earshot. "I know, Grandpa! Let's call her Lady Godiva. Mummy told me she was a lady who rode on her horse with no clothes on at all, wrapped up only in her long hair. She just rode right through town. Everyone stared and stared, but she didn't mind. She was very brave. I hope it was summer time; if it was near my birthday, she would have been cold. Do you know that story, Grandpa? I like it, 'cause her long hair reminds me of Mummy's . . ." Her sing-song voice faded away as the pair strolled out of the gardens.

As the riders left, the two women looked on wistfully. Ginny was glad that Rhiannon was so taken with her long-absent grandfather. Maybe the two of them could have a somewhat normal relationship.

Pressing her hands to her lower back, she shifted her weight. Then she turned to her mother-in-law and sighed, "Well, that's over with. Let's take our walk now, shall we?"

"Are you sure you're up for it? I mean, the mediwizard said--"

"That walking is good for everyone, especially pregnant women. And it's even good for you, Mother."

They started by pacing around the gardens. Narcissa slipped her slender hand in the crook of Ginny's arm, locking it there as if using her for support. For a while, they walked along in silent companionship.

But Ginny was not exactly in the mood for quiet reflection this morning. With the impending birth of her baby, silence usually gave her too much time to think about her dead husband. She frequently talked to herself - anything to break the unbearable, unending silence.

"Yes," she began casually, "Rhiannon seems quite pleased with her gift. But I do wish he hadn't insisted on getting her a pony. Animals can be so unpredictable, and she's still quite young." Narcissa rolled her eyes, but Ginny went on. "Besides, what five-year-old has a pony?"

"Well, my son, for one." For a moment, Ginny was slightly stunned, but then she thought to herself, Why should that surprise me? Narcissa patted her hand gently and said, "There now, you're just being silly. The man who sold her promised she was quite gentle. Besides, see how happy it makes her? And how pleased Lucius was at her reaction?" She reassured her, "I'm sure he'll be very careful. She'll be fine."

Ginny decided that perhaps her mother-in-law was right. Surely, the child's grandfather would look out for her well-being. Feeling the baby within her stretch and kick one of its limbs, she stopped short. "Oooh, I believe this little guy may take after his father. He'll be ready to play Quidditch at Hogwarts in no time."

Narcissa said confidently, "No doubt, he will. But please don't tell Lucius; he'll want to give him a racing broomstick at his arrival party."

A soft laugh escaped Ginny's lips. A half-second later, she clasped onto the bony hand which encircled her arm. Tears flooding her eyes, she bit down on her lip and whispered, "Cissy . . . my water just broke. It's time."

"Finally!" Her mother-in-law admonished the unborn child, "What took you so long?" Magically enhancing her voice with the Sonorus spell, she faced the manor and commanded authoritatively, "Toddy! Come quickly!"

The obedient elf appeared within seconds, bowing and asking, "Yes, Missus? How can Toddy help?"

She pointed her wand to her throat again and said, "Quietus." She calmly explained the situation to the spry little elf, who beamed with excitement. Next, she instructed him to prepare Ginny's bag for Saint Mungo's and then to send someone to retrieve her husband and granddaughter, who were out riding. Turning to Ginny, who looked rather pale, she cooed, "There now, dear. You've done this before; you'll be fine."

Yes, I have, she thought apprehensively, but that time, my own mother was there, holding my hand, and my husband was too, coaching me through it . . how will I manage this time, when I'm virtually alone? Ginny swallowed nervously, her mind a flurry of anticipation and anxiety. All the while, she vaguely overhead her mother-in-law recommending places where Lucius and Rhiannon might be found.

The expectant mother closed her eyes, focusing on one thing: This is a part of him, the last thing he could give me - and he'll live on, through me, through his son.

This one fact encouraged her. She reassured herself silently, It's okay. I can do this.

Toddy hadn't noticed Ginny's distress, or maybe he just had the good manners not to bring it up. "Oh, Toddy is so excited! We is having another birthday today!" he exclaimed giddily, his eyes shining as he looked up at the young missus. His mistress, already turning to walk Ginny up to the house, reminded him insistently that time was of the essence. Soon, he was all business and vanished to tend to his tasks.

The four Malfoys arrived at Saint Mungo's within an hour of Ginny's first sign of labor. After that, it was a long and tedious wait, especially for the older sister of the stubborn little boy who just wouldn't come out fast enough for her liking.

When the newest Malfoy finally arrived seven hours later, his mother was utterly exhausted, and his sister bored to tears. After the little one was cleaned and wrapped in a bundle, Ginny held him for several minutes. She wept tears of joy mingled with sadness for the son Draco would never know. The young Assistant Healer soon took the newborn to the nursery to perform all the routine tests and document the birth. Lucius went along with her, just to see that things were handled properly.

Early in the evening, Lucius picked up his granddaughter, who was dozing lightly on a chaise lounge in Ginny's private room, and the three of them returned home. The young mother rested alone for several hours, until she was awakened in the middle of the night by a hospital staff member to feed the tiny baby. This Healer was older, perhaps Narcissa's or maybe even Mrs. Weasley's age. Ginny, still slightly groggy from the delivery, wondered fleetingly whether she had known either of them at school.

Since Molly was young, she had had a talent for the Healing arts. Having seen the horrible things that were happening in their world, some of them to her own relatives, she felt it was her duty to share that talent with others. She began an apprenticeship training program, but after getting married and having three sons in quick succession, she was forced to set her career aspirations aside. Her calling was evidently to be a full-time mother, and her children were what she devoted her life to.

While Ginny nursed her little boy, the Healer magically checked their vital signs and annotated each one's chart. Taking note of her motions, she asked the woman sleepily, "I was just wondering something, ma'am. My mother wanted to become a Healer, and I thought you might remember her from school. Her name was Molly Prewett, now Weasley."

The lady looked a bit stunned at the question, and her mouth fell open in surprise. "Do I remember Molly Prewett? Oh, goodness, yes! Everyone knew Molly; she and Arthur are both such wonderful people."

She paused briefly and pressed the feather end of her quill against her chin, musing, "Come to think of it, I did hear that after all those boys, they finally had a daughter. And that would be you?" The Healer's demeanor, and the post-delivery pain potions she had taken, caused Ginny to smile weakly and laugh softly in spite of herself.

The woman lowered her tortoise-shell spectacles and squinted her eyes, studying her patient in the dim light the candles afforded. Then she smiled broadly, observing, "Of course, you are - now I see the family resemblance. My name is Olivette Bainbridge, but everyone has always called me Olive. And you are--" she paused to look at her chart more closely. "Ginevra M. Malfoy? Weasley before, of course. So how are your parents? Do you see them often? Are you expecting them to visit sometime tomorrow?" she quizzed eagerly.

Ginny looked back down at the wriggling little baby. "No, I doubt it," was all she said. Moving him to her other side, she continued nursing.

"That's too bad," Olive said disappointedly. "I had hoped . . . well, I rather hoped to see them. It would have been nice, and since you're here - I just thought they might, you know, pop in."

Pulling a thick strand of her ginger hair out of the baby's reach, Ginny mumbled hesitantly, "We've had sort of a . . falling out, actually. I don't think they know I'm here."

"Well, we're going to set that right - right now, young lady!" her attendant insisted in an upbeat tone. "Are your parents on the Floo Network?"

"No, no - please, don't trouble yourself," Ginny appealed politely.

Olive hesitated momentarily but then plunged her nose firmly in where it did not belong. "Did this 'falling out' have anything to do with the fact that you married a Malfoy? Or was it because of--"

Ginny's warning glance told her she was pressing too far. The woman backed off, saying in a rush, "Please give your family my congratulations on such a fine young grandson. He's just adorable." She picked the boy up gently and turned to leave when his mother called her back.

"Wait--" Ginny began. "I'm sorry. It's just that . . well, you see . . . it's been quite difficult, moving ahead. I just don't need any setbacks, that's all. My brothers have - well, they haven't exactly been supportive."

Olive set the baby down in his carrier. She walked over to Ginny and stroked her hand sympathetically. "I understand, I do. I myself very nearly married someone my family did not approve of." She looked down then sat in the chair next to the bed, momentarily wondering whether she should tell this to someone who was practically a stranger to her. But then she reasoned that the girl was, after all, Molly and Arthur's daughter, so she pressed on. "I wanted to marry him, but it would have killed them. So as it turned out, neither of us ever got married." She shrugged, saying, "It was probably for the best. But we never stopped loving each other.

"Years later, he died, doing what he loved: trying to make the world a better place. I withdrew completely; I threw myself into my work. You know, to help me forget - to push aside that pain. I could have been very angry with my family, but instead, I chose to forgive them." She added sincerely, "I'm sorry, I know I'm intruding . . but I do know some of what you are going through. What you've been through."

The younger woman sighed and closed her eyes. She was really quite knackered. As Miss Bainbridge rose to leave, Ginny remembered something she had intended to ask earlier. "Olive, can you tell me, is that older Healer still on staff here? When I was here after - you know, what happened last spring. She helped the Aurors conduct their questioning by unlocking the Confundus Charm I was under."

Olive looked perplexed. "An older woman? On the night shift? Who was it?" she asked.

Ginny tried to describe her. "You couldn't forget her; she was had these icy, piercing blue eyes and short, gray hair. She was so very kind . . and I just wanted to thank her. She was simply marvelous."

The Healer furrowed her brows in concentration. "This was last spring, you say? As in - 2005?" When Ginny nodded, the woman replied, "Well, that's odd."

"What is?"

After a moment's hesitation, she said, "Well, that sounds like Madam Mendlebright, but . . well, she hasn't been here for over two years. She retired ages ago - I heard she moved to the southern coast to live with her nephew. She helps him run his farm."

"That's all right," Ginny shrugged. "It must have been somebody else; maybe the Aurors brought her in with them." As she settled in to go to back to sleep, she murmured, "Thank you, Olive. Good night." The woman exited quietly with the child, letting the door fall shut with a soft thud.

Somewhere quite far from Saint Mungo's, a secret and highly illegal meeting was taking place. On bended knee, Lucius reported the birth of the new Malfoy heir. "This one," he announced confidently to his master in a low voice, "will serve without question. My Lord, I offer you my son; I give him freely, willingly. Please accept this gift, and know that I have always been loyal to you."

He continued humbly, "Master, I beg you to forgive my earlier errors in judgment. I promise to be more prudent in raising him; I will not allow what happened before to occur again." He looked up as much as he dared. "And I assure you, there will be more . . . many more."

"Narcissa - she is willing to bear more sons? I thought she had--" the Dark Lord sneered, "finished with all of that."

Lucius ground his teeth, saying, "No, my Lord, she is not willing. But she won't be a problem for very much longer, and everything will be quite legitimate."

He bowed even lower as he waited patiently for his master's response. Eventually, the Dark Mark on his left forearm glowed once more. He felt it burn; its sting revived him.

An almost inhuman voice hissed, "You have done well, Lucius. Welcome back."

~End of Chapter~