The Dragon Prince and His Flame Princess by tigereyes320
A/N 1 I have to thank my beta Jenny. I have to thank echo for letting me borrow her pairing of Katie Bell with Percy from “Absolutely Spiffing” (a great read, by the way). I like constructive feedback. tigereyes320@hotmail.com
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Part 6
Draco crept his way downstairs and went into the kitchen. There he saw the trays of lollipops and other sweets. He went over to the tray of lollipops, whipped out his wand, and said, “Opto sweet.” This would make them all want to keep eating the sweets. He then took a handful of the various flavors of lollipops and put them in separate piles. He pulled out his wand again and was about to say something when he heard a throat being cleared behind him.
Draco quickly schooled his face into one of innocence and turned around. He spied Ginny and Hermione there, leaning against the wall and tapping their feet.
“You weren’t going to do this without me, were you?” Ginny asked him with a raised eyebrow.
“Wouldn’t dream of it, Flame. Why are you here, Granger?”
“I heard Ginny get up. If you’re getting even with the twins, I want in. I owe them one myself.”
“You promised I could help you, Draco. Now what is the plan?”
“I’m going to charm these lollipops so that while they are sucking on them, they’ll spout poetry instead of talking.
I’ve already charmed all the lollipops with the first charm, so that you have to finish the one you start. Now all I have to do to them is use the second charm with the particular poet names.”
Hermione whipped out her wand. “What’s the charm?”
“Narro Poetus and then add the poet’s name. For example, Narro Poetus William Shakespeare,” Draco said as a lavender light shot from his wand and settled over the sweets in front of him.
Hermione went near another set. “Narro Poetus Elizabeth Barrett Browning.” She turned to another set. “Ginny, charm those by you with Edmund Spenser and Robert Browning. Narro Poetus Christina Rossetti. Draco, do that last set by you with John Keats. Narro Poetus Emily Dickinson.”
Ginny and Draco followed her directions, and the kitchen soon filled with lavender light as they charmed the other lollipops. They then mixed the poet charmed ones with the others. So no one, not even them, would know which one they would get.
“Let’s get back upstairs and ready for today. I have a feeling it’s going to be very entertaining,” said Hermione.
Ginny and Draco followed Hermione as she left the kitchen; they didn’t spy the person who had come downstairs before them and overheard the entire conversation.
He took out his wand and, with a waving motion, said, “Comperio Praevius ” The yellow light from the wand immediately highlighted the lollipops with the poet charms. He grabbed a few of the non-charmed ones and crept upstairs unnoticed by the others. An idea formed in his head. This is going to be fun.
A few hours later, after breakfast and the arrival of Angelina and Alicia, the fun was really starting. Mrs. Weasley had set out lemonade, sandwiches and sweets so everyone could help themselves.
Everyone was playing Quidditch. Katie and Percy had come over as well, and Katie was up in the air playing with the rest. They had divided the teams, so Team Harry had Harry as Seeker, Ron Keeper, Fred and Angelina Beaters, Hermione and Ginny Chasers. Team Draco had Draco as Seeker, Bill Keeper, George and Alicia Beaters, Katie and Charlie Chasers. Percy had decided to become the commentator, Mrs. Weasley the referee. The game had been going on for over an hour and was tied ninety-ninety.
They had just finished a break and got back on their brooms. Fred hit a Bludger toward Draco, who skillfully dodged it. He opened his mouth to shout something at Draco:
“The gray sea and the long black land;
And the yellow half-moon large and low;
And the startled little waves that leap
In fiery ringlets from their sleep,
As I gain the cove with pushing prow,
And quench its speed i' the slushy sand.
“Then a mile of warm sea-scented beach;
Three fields to cross till a farm appears;
A tap at the pane, the quick sharp scratch
And blue spurt of a lighted match,
And a voice less loud, thro’ its joys and fears,
Than the two hearts beating each to each ”
Angelina, at the sound of Fred reciting poetry, started laughing so hard she fell off her broom. She was about to ask Fred where he got the poem, when instead she said:
“If I should die,
And you should live,
And time should gurgle on,
And morn should beam,
And noon should burn,
As it has usual done;
If birds should build as early,
And bees as bustling go, —
One might depart at option
From enterprise below
'Tis sweet to know that stocks will stand
When we with daisies lie,
That commerce will continue,
And trades as briskly fly.
It makes the parting tranquil
And keeps the soul serene,
That gentlemen so sprightly
Conduct the pleasing scene “
Everyone’s eyes grew wide, and Mrs. Weasley, of all people, just sat down because she was laughing so hard. “Finally, someone got the two of you good ”
Charlie and Bill started laughing so hard they had to hold each other up to keep from falling down on the ground.
George opened his mouth to protest such treatment, especially from his own mother, and said:
“One day I wrote her name upon the strand,
But came the waves and washed it away:
Agayne I wrote it with a second hand,
But came the tyde, and made my paynes his pray.
Vayne men, sayd she, that doest in vaine assay,
A mortall thing so to immortalize,
For I my selve shall lyke to this decay,
And eek my name bee wyped out lykewize.
Not so, (quod I) let baser things devize
To dy in dust, but you shall live by fame:
My verse your vertues rare shall eternize,
And in the hevens wryte your glorious name.
Where whenas death shall al the world subdew,
Our love shall live, and later life renew.”
Alicia, shrieking with laughter, tried to say something to George,
“Not from the stars do I my judgment pluck,
And yet methinks I have astronomy,
But not to tell of good or evil luck,
Of plagues, of dearths, or seasons' quality.
Nor can I fortune to brief minutes tell,
Pointing to each his thunder, rain, and wind,
Or say with princes if it shall go well
By oft predict that I in heaven find.
But from thine eyes my knowledge I derive,
And, constant stars, in them I read such art
As truth and beauty shall together thrive,
If from thyself to store thou wouldst convert.
Or else of thee this I prognosticate:
Thy end is truth's and beauty's doom and date.”
Draco, Ginny, Hermione, Percy and Katie were laughing so hard they were holding on to their stomachs. Charlie and Bill were already on the ground, still laughing.
“Draco, I have to hand it to you; this is hilarious,” gushed Hermione.
Harry looked at Hermione, tentatively opened his mouth, and was relieved when only words came out. “Malfoy What did you do to them?”
Draco stopped laughing. “It wasn’t just me, Potter. Ginny and Granger helped. In fact, it was Granger who gave us the different Muggle poets’ names. We enchanted some of the lollipops so that, if you ate them, you started reciting poetry instead of talking.”
“Ron, you didn’t eat the lollipops, did you?” Harry asked, worried what his friend would start reciting.
Ron opened his mouth and said to Hermione,
“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, — I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life — and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.”
Then he continued, looking Hermione in the eyes the whole time.
“Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate.
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer's lease hath all too short a date.
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimm'd;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd;
But thy eternal summer shall not fade
Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest,
Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade
When in eternal lines to time thou growest.
So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.”
Hermione’s eyes opened wide, very impressed. “Ron, unless you ate two lollipops, that isn’t possible.”
“It is too. If you didn’t eat the charmed ones. What? You think I don’t how to memorize a few Muggle poems? Me? The bloke whose girlfriend has memorized Hogwarts, A History. I was saving it for a surprise. I didn’t want anyone thinking your boyfriend only memorized Quidditch stats,” Ron explained to Hermione’s open-mouthed amazement.
Hermione put her arms around him and hugged him close. She then drew his head down for a long kiss. “Thank you, Ron. It was beautiful.” Hermione paused with her hand on his cheek, “But don’t become something you aren’t. I don’t need poetry from you, at least not every day. Just knowing you have the potential for surprising me is what makes it worth it. Doing something so sweet makes me even more sure how I feel for you. We’re good for each other; I make you think, and you never fail to make me smile.”
“Even when I make up my Divination homework?” Ron teased her as his arms went around her waist, pulling her closer.
Hermione just rolled her eyes at that statement as she saw Bill, Charlie, Harry, Katie and Percy start sucking on all the lollipops to find the charmed ones. They soon joined the twins in their recitations. It would be several hours before they stopped.
The rest of the summer passed pretty much without incident. Draco let his father know about a few more “raids.” Charlie and Bill went back to their jobs with the promise to meet them in Diagon Alley for one more meal before everyone went off to school.
All too soon, it was time to go shopping in Diagon Alley for school supplies. Ron, Harry, Hermione, Ginny, and Draco were sitting in front of Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlor. Ron and Hermione, as well as Draco and Ginny, were each sharing a sundae. Harry was able to eat his all on his own. All of their purchases were at their feet.
Ron and Harry were talking about the Quidditch tryouts Gryffindor would have to hold. They were the only two members of the team coming back this year. Draco had joined in their conversation, and the three of them worked together to come up with some simple skill tests that would help give them an idea of who would be good in the positions of Chaser and Beater.
Hermione and Ginny meanwhile had been talking about clothes and the classes they would be taking the next year.
Hermione had also told Ginny about some of her favorite books by Muggle authors. Ginny had shared with Hermione her idea for starting a Hogwarts newsletter and had been asking Hermione for any pointers or ideas.
“Harry What are you doing?” Ron exclaimed.
“I’m making a list of who I think should try out for the Quidditch team. These are people who have some real potential to make it.”
“But—But Ginny is on that list ” Ron sputtered.
“That’s because she’s very good at what she does,” explained Harry patiently. “Ginny would make an excellent Chaser.”
“Malfoy Help me out here. You really want Ginny flying around playing Quidditch?”
“Ron That is so sexist. Ginny can play if she wants ” Hermione interjected forcefully.
Draco looked at Harry and Ron in amazement. “I’m sorry; are we talking about YOUR sister, Ron? You think there is a force on this planet that can keep your sister from what she wants? Your sister can do anything she sets her mind on,” said Draco with quiet pride.
Ginny leaned over and kissed Draco’s cheek. “Very good answer, honey,“ she whispered in his ear. Aloud, she said, “Tell me the truth, Dragon. What do you think about it, me playing Quidditch?”
“Flame, you’re a prefect; you want to start a school newsletter or newspaper; that would be in addition to your homework. I just don’t want you stretched too thin. I hate to say it, but if you make the team as a Chaser, Gryffindor would be hard to beat. I say that not as your boyfriend, but as someone who would be playing against you,” Draco said affectionately.
“Malfoy ” Ron howled.
“What, Weasley? She’s YOUR sister. Out of your five older brothers, how many don’t play Quidditch? Why should your sister not be able to play just because she’s a girl? Weasley Are you listening to me?” Draco voice trailed off as he followed Ron’s line of vision.
Draco goggled when he got a good look at what Ron was staring at. Ginny, Hermione and Harry turned to see what was so fascinating. Their collective jaws dropped when they got a good look at the two couples snogging not too far away.
Harry gasped. “Is that Wood?”
Ron nodded slowly. “Yep, and that’s Penelope Clearwater with him.”
Draco’s stare was held in reluctant fascination, or horrified amusement, elsewhere. “If you think that’s weird, look at Flint snogging Parkinson.”
Hermione did a double take and dropped the sundae she was sharing with Ron into her lap.
“’Mione ” Ron exclaimed.
“Ron, I’m sorry,” said Hermione as she quickly grabbed some napkins.
“C’mon, Hermione, let’s go get you cleaned up,” Ginny said as she rose and went with Hermione to the loo.
“Malfoy, is it just me, or do Flint and Parkinson look different?” Harry asked.
The three handsome young men stared a bit impolitely at the still snogging couple. They jumped as a voice startled them out of their reverie.
“Hello, Harry, Ron, Malfoy,” a voice behind them said.
“Hi, Oliver, Penelope,“ said Ron, as if they hadn’t just been spying on them a few minutes ago. “I’m surprised to see you two here.”
“Well, I got some time off from the Montrose Magpies. Penelope and I had some shopping to do. We finally got to pick up her engagement ring.”
Penelope held out her hand and showed the boys the large canary diamond with rubies and sapphires around it, set in Black Hills’ gold. “What do you think?” she asked.
Draco, Harry, and Ron all exchanged glances with each other after they looked at the gaudy ring. They were dumbfounded as to what to say.
“Ooohhh, what a pretty ring, Penelope. May we see it?” Ginny asked as she Hermione returned.
Draco, Ron and Harry watched as the girls oohed and aahed over the ring and extended their congratulations to Oliver. After the boys gave their best wishes as well, the couple walked away, content in their own bliss.
“Who knew Oliver – or Penelope, for that matter – had such horrible taste in jewelry?” Hermione said as she gathered up her purchases.
Ron looked at Harry and Draco, perplexed, before saying, “’Mione, you and Ginny just spent a good fifteen minutes telling Penelope how great it was.”
Hermione rolled her eyes and exchanged a look with Ginny, who shook her head, smiling.
“Ron, of course we admired it. No woman wants to hear her ring is ugly. I know when I get engaged I want something pretty but simple. Something people will admire but not be able to see from a kilometer away,” Hermione explained as she looked to Ginny for agreement.
Draco leaned over and whispered to Ron, “Did you take notes on that description, Weasley?”
Ron gave him a dirty look, and his ears turned red as he grabbed some of Hermione’s things to carry for her.
“Drakey ” a voice shrieked.
Ron, Harry, and Hermione smiled as they saw Draco visibly flinch when he heard the squeal. Draco grabbed Ginny’s hand for support. There would be no getting out of this conversation. “We’ll meet you all in a little bit.”
Draco turned and faced the two people walking toward him. “Hello, Pansy, Flint.”
“Draco. Weasley, isn’t it?” Flint asked, coldly formal.
“Marcus, I don’t believe you’ve had the pleasure of meeting my girlfriend, Virginia Weasley. She’s also known as Ginny. Ginny, I’d like you to meet Marcus Flint, and of course you’ve seen Pansy around school.”
Ginny nodded to the two people and nearly had a heart attack when they did the same. The four of them made some polite conversation, until Draco could find an excuse for them to leave.
“Draco, is it just me, or is it really weird to see those two together?”
“It isn’t just you, Flame. I think I’ll keep my eye on Pansy this year. I can’t put my finger on it, but it seems odd.”
Hermione came up beside Draco, with Ron behind her, and said, “Flint actually got his teeth fixed; I can tell. And if I’m not mistaken, Parkinson got a nose job.”
“A what ?” Draco, Ron, and Ginny asked, very confused.
“A nose job. The actual name for it is rhinoplasty. A Muggle doctor, called a cosmetic or plastic surgeon – I’ll explain it to you later, Ron – fixes your nose to a more pleasing size or shape. Since her nose no longer looks like a pug’s, I’d say she has received one.”
The five of them began laughing. They made their way to the Leaky Cauldron, so they could Floo back to the Burrow.
“Draco ” a voice called out to him.
Draco froze as he heard his father. He turned and schooled his face to show no expression.
“Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger, and Miss Weasley, would you all be so kind as to give me a moment alone with my son?” Lucius Malfoy asked with an arched brow, a small smile, and an overly polite tone.
After the four nodded mutely, Lucius, with his hand on Draco’s shoulder, led him to a secluded corner of Diagon Alley. “I wanted you to know that the Dark Lord has decided to lay low and work on gathering supporters and strength this year.”
Draco realized he had to be proactive in any questioning. “Because of this development, should I be dissociating myself from the Weasleys, sir?” His face showed not so much as a flicker of fear as he thought, I will not give up Ginny, no matter what.
Lucius looked serious for a moment. “No, it would appear very suspicious if you broke up with no activity and then tried to get back together later. Stay the course we’ve already agreed on.”
“Yes, Father,” said Draco as his heart leapt. Ginny and I are safe
“Well, that’s all I wanted to speak to you about. Your mother wants to see you off September first, so we’ll both be at King’s Cross. I’ll let you get back to your duties. Remember who is to be played and who is to be the player,” Lucius said snidely.
“Don’t worry, Father; I know exactly what role I’m playing in this game. Please tell Mother I’ll owl her this evening and see you both on September first. Goodbye, Father.”
Lucius nodded curtly, turned on his heel and walked away.
Draco watched his father with hooded eyes. After his father was out of sight, he allowed himself to breathe a sigh of relief. A year’s reprieve had been given to him and Ginny. Not to mention the whole wizarding world. He would need to tell Mr. Weasley as soon as he came home. Draco let his grey eyes wander until they met a pair of worried, brown ones. He gave Ginny a small, reassuring grin; she visibly relaxed and started walking toward him.
“Dragon, tell me everything is okay.”
Draco drew Ginny close and hugged her tightly. He felt her warm breath against the crook of his neck. He couldn’t have given an explanation to Voldemort about how at peace Ginny always made him feel. She always made him feel incredible, like he could do anything. It was humbling to know she wasn’t with him because he was a Malfoy, or had lots of money, nor was it because, as Ginny said once said, he was “one hot Quidditch player.” She cared about him, Merlin only knew why. Draco pulled away from her slightly and cupped her face in his hands. He lowered his lips to hers in the briefest of kisses.
Ginny smiled as she asked, “What was that for?” She brought her hands up to cover his; the smile faded from her eyes as her face puckered in worry. “Are you saying goodbye? Did your father say something to you about us?”
Draco looked at her intently as he whispered, “Even if he had – and he didn’t – I’m not going anywhere. WE aren’t going anywhere. I’ll tell you what he said back at the Burrow. It isn’t safe to discuss it here.”
“Dragon, I want you to swear to me we aren’t breaking up.”
“I swear to you, Flame,” vowed Draco as he brought up her hand to kiss her fingers. “Let’s get back to your family.”
Molly was already there, directing all the boys into moving the tables so there would be room for the extended family. Draco, out of the corner of his eye, saw Mrs. Weasley discreetly counting her money. In that instant, he made a decision. He headed in her direction.
“Mrs. Weasley, could I speak with you for a moment in private?”
“Of course, Draco dear. What do you need?”
“Well, I was wondering if you would allow me to treat the family to dinner tonight. Before you say no, hear me out. My mother always told me that when you stay over at someone’s house, it’s a mark of good manners to give the hostess a gift. Please let this be my gift to you and Mr. Weasley. Every time I try to give you money for anything, you won’t let me do it. You have been incredibly kind to me when you had no reason to be. Please, I really want to do this for you and your family. You’ll hurt my feelings if you say no.”
Molly Weasley warred with herself for a moment and nodded her head in agreement. “My daughter doesn’t stand a chance against you, does she?”
Draco smiled. “Ginny has far more power over me than I do her. I’ll talk to Tom to make sure you don’t even have to see the bill. Thank you for letting me do this.” Draco made his way over to Tom, the owner of the Leaky Cauldron, to make arrangements.
Molly felt her eyes fill with tears as she looked at her children. My babies. They aren’t babies anymore, with Percy getting married, Bill actually dating one girl, Fred and George settling down with their business and, unless I’m very much mistaken, with Angelina and Alicia respectively. Charlie, well, he just hasn’t found her yet; neither has Harry. My boy Ron, he found his girl when he was eleven; it just took him awhile to figure it out. And my little girl, Ginny, I guess I hoped it would be Harry, but no one but Draco has ever put the stars in her eyes that way. They grew up on me when I wasn’t looking.
Ginny walked over to her mother. “Mum, are you okay? Why are you crying?”
Molly Weasley brushed the tears away from her eyes and looked at her only daughter, her last baby. The miracle the medi-wizards said would never happen again after she had Ron. She brushed a few stray hairs away from Ginny’s face. Molly smiled at her and hugged her close. “I’m fine, sweetheart. Just a little sad that all of my babies went and grew up on me. Time went by so quickly.”
“Mum, we aren’t grown up yet, well, at least not Ron and me.”
“Actually, you two have grown up the fastest. You two have found the people you’re going to grow old with.”
“Mum Draco and I aren’t that serious yet. The way you talk, you act as if it is Draco and I getting married in February, instead of Percy and Katie.”
“You two most certainly are that serious,” disagreed Molly. Draco looks at you the way your father still looks at me. Ron and Hermione are the same way. Since we have a moment alone, there is something I want to address with you. You never want to have this conversation with your children. How far exactly have you and Draco gone, physically, I mean?”
“Mum ” Ginny whispered frantically as her face burned scarlet.
“What? Do you think I don’t know my own children? Ginny, I have seven of you. I didn’t find a single one of you under a blueberry bush. I just want to know if you need my help with the birth control potion. I'd prefer my grandchildren to arrive after you are all out of school and married. I will tell you this: sex, making love, shagging, whatever you want to call it, is better if you’re in a committed relationship. No relationship is more committing than marriage. You are also better equipped to handle any consequences that may occur from said actions when you are married. I don’t want any of you to feel this is a step you have to take either because of the person you’re with or because you’re under pressure from your friends. Sex isn’t something you should take lightly. It is your body, and it is the only one you are given in this life; don’t treat it badly. Do I hope that you’ll all wait until marriage? Absolutely. Do I think that’s actually going to happen? Absolutely not. Your father and I spoke separately with each of your brothers. Your dad isn’t comfortable talking about this to you, so it falls to me. He would rather I have a different conversation than the one he had with your brothers, but I’m giving you the same advice I gave them. I won’t tell you the advice your father gave them. They got the recipe for the potion, and so will you.”
“Mum, Draco and I haven’t even discussed that part of our relationship yet.”
“You don’t want to wait until you start discussing it. Those discussions can get a bit out of hand. I should know. I’ll write the recipes for both potions out for you tonight. If you have any difficulty with it, Hermione can help you. I’m not going to tell you what to do; you need to make this decision on your own. However, I gave one more piece of advice to each of your brothers and to Harry: if you need to ask yourself if you are ready to take this step in your relationship, then you aren’t ready. Think carefully about everything I’ve said. I’ll give you the information when we get home. Ginny, I want you to know you can come to me. I’m your mother; I will love you no matter what. I may scream and yell if you tell me something I don’t want to hear, but I am always on your side. Okay?”
“Yeah, Mum. I love you too. I promise to think very carefully about what you’ve said.”
“Go to Draco; he’s looking concerned. You might want to tell him one of these days. I think the two of you are very good for each other. Go enjoy your dinner.”
The rest of the evening passed quickly. When they got back to the Burrow, those who were going to Hogwarts the next day packed all their new supplies away in preparation. Mrs. Weasley did some last minute cleaning of clothes to prepare herself as well. Draco then told Mr. Weasley what his father had said about the upcoming year.
Exhausted by the long day they had and the one yet to come, the five teenagers quickly fell asleep. The next year at least would be as easy as it could be.
However things are not always as easy as they seem.
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Interlude 5
Draco stopped telling the story as he looked at Marissa and Christy sleeping peacefully in Marissa’s bed. The other children were there as well, sprawled all over the floor. He brushed his lips over their sleep-flushed cheeks and walked out of the room.
Draco closed the door behind him, then, remembering, opened the door a crack. As he turned around, he saw Ron and Hermione lying on a blue couch with their hands entwined.
They both rose as they saw him approach. Hermione quickly transfigured the couch back into the blue marble pedestal that had been in the hallway.
Draco smiled. “How long have you two been out here?”
Ron and Hermione exchanged a glance, and Ron confessed, “Since Diagon Alley.”
Hermione sighed as Ron put his arm around her shoulders. “It seems like a lifetime ago that we were actually that young. The thing is we really aren’t that old. I think having to fight Voldemort and his followers made us grow up a lot faster than we should have. Now we all have kids at Hogwarts. Thankfully our sixth year was pretty uneventful. Seventh year was another story; between N.E.W.T.s and your and Ginny’s engagement announcement at the end of the year, it was quite fascinating. Of course, you’re forgetting I was there when you visited the Burrow right before the start of seventh year. That was quite a conversation you had with the Weasleys.”
“That’s right; I remember that visit. Mum nearly had a heart attack. She was positive you got Ginny pregnant,” Ron said as he shook his head in amazement. “I have to ask you; why did you go when you did? I mean, Ginny wasn’t there. It was just my parents and all of us boys.”
“Because I wanted you all to know how serious I was about Ginny, even when she wasn’t around.”
“Listen, Malfoy, ‘Mione and I are going to head home and enjoy being childless for a night. We’ll probably see you tomorrow. If we don’t, we’ll definitely see you on Saturday at King’s Cross when we pick up the kids. No, no, we know our way around here; we’ll show ourselves out.”
Draco nodded goodbye to them as they walked down the stairs hand in hand. Once they vanished into his study, he walked down the hall and went into the nursery, where Nathaniel was. As he looked into Nate’s crib, Draco saw that the boy was sleeping on his stomach with his diapered bottom sticking up in the air. A pale green blanket covered him as he slept, unaware of his father’s eyes on him. Draco leaned over the crib and gently rubbed Nate’s back. He loved just being able to watch his children like this. When they were quiet, innocent and utterly dependent on him and Ginny for everything. Not for the first time did he feel a pang of regret for missing this time with Ally and Nick. He bent down and kissed Nate’s red-haired head. Sometimes he looked at his children and wondered what he had ever done to deserve them. They were all such an incredible mix of Weasley and Malfoy genes.
Quietly, Draco left the room and walked across the hall into his and Ginny’s bedroom. He saw immediately that his wife wasn’t in bed. She was fast asleep in the window seat with several of their picture albums spread out in front of her. Ginny had wrapped herself in one of the three afghans Molly had knitted as part of her wedding gift to them. This one was pure white with three different shades of both green and red. The other two were a mix of their former house colors.
Draco quickly changed into the pajama bottoms he wore to bed, before coming back to Ginny. As he did, he glanced at the photographs she had been looking at. He picked up one and saw himself and Ginny, dressed in their finest robes, beaming back at him. The New Year’s Eve Ball from his seventh year. He and Hermione as Head Boy and Girl had decided they needed a ball and had come up with one for New Year’s. Draco knew he would remember the Ball and everything that happened afterwards for the rest of his life. That was the night he had asked Ginny to marry him, and she had said yes. Of course, it was also the first night they had made love. Draco and Ginny agreed while they were still in school to act responsibly; it was not the time for a baby. Draco also insisted they wait two years; he wanted to give Ginny a year away from Hogwarts before they got married.
Draco put the picture down and unwrapped Ginny from the blanket. He easily lifted her into his arms as he put one arm beneath her knees and the other across her back. Then he placed Ginny on her side of their bed under the covers. Draco went around to his side of the bed and drew her close to him. As usual, Ginny instinctively cuddled closer to him. Draco held his world as close and as tight as he could. “You know, Ginny-bean, you’re so much stronger than I am. If you had been the one to disappear, I would have lost my mind.” He kissed the top of her head. “You were right; we are living the happily ever after I was hoping for when I proposed to you. I wonder if you still remember how I asked you to marry me.”
“I remember you didn’t ask me to marry you; you told me to,” Ginny piped up, quite content to be snuggled next to her husband. She didn’t have the heart to tell him she’d been awake since he picked her up.
“What do you mean, I didn’t ask?” Draco asked, scowling.
“You didn’t ask me. You said, and I quote, ‘Marry me, Ginny Weasley. Make a life and a home with me, have children with me and watch them grow up. I want you to spend the next seventy or so years growing old with me,’ unquote. I think it was the sweetest proposal I’d ever heard. That and the fact that I, little Ginny Weasley, had the great Draco Malfoy sweating bullets. Did you ever doubt I would say yes? We had been going out for over a year and a half,” Ginny said, grinning up at him.
“Maybe I was afraid you’d come to your senses. You didn’t seem to like the ring I got you,” Draco said as he brought her hand to his lips to kiss it. He looked at the three and a half carat, marquis cut diamond he put on her finger almost fourteen years previously.
“I loved my ring; I was just afraid I’d need a bodyguard to wear it. I guess I still haven’t come to my senses. Let’s see, we’ll be married ten years this June, so by my calculations, you still owe me another sixty plus years,” Ginny teased as she leaned up and kissed him lightly on the lips. “Do you remember how I answered you?”
“Yes,” said Draco with a grin. “You said, and I quote, ‘I would love to marry you. Make a life with you. Create beautiful children with you. And there is nothing I’d rather do for the next seventy or so years than grow old with you,’ unquote. Have you ever regretted saying yes?”
“Nope. Not even when I thought I’d never see you again except for what our children would inherit from you. I had lots of stories to tell them about their father, good and bad. I also had the charms to help me tell them our story. When Ron handed me that necklace, that was what convinced me you were gone. You never took it off, not since the day I gave it to you. Just like I never took off mine.
Remember, we gave them to each other for our first anniversary. I gave you the fiery red flame pendant, and you gave me the silver dragon one. Of course, for our second anniversary, I still had my ring.” Ginny said matter-of-factly as she brought her hand up to admire the ring.
“Well, you did let me buy you that bracelet. And you gave me that dark green cloak with the warming charm on it that your mother helped you make. What did I give you for our third?” Draco asked as he thought back to Ginny’s seventh year at Hogwarts. Most of that year and the following two were an endless fog he’d never tried to penetrate.
“You mean besides the twins?” Ginny asked with a knowing smirk. “You got permission from Dumbledore and my parents to take me into Hogsmeade for the whole weekend. I have to say the funniest thing was the look on your father’s face when you proposed to me in front of the whole school. When he saw you get down on your knees and ask me to marry you, I think he figured out that we had been pulling the wool over his eyes, so to speak. I want to talk about something more important.”
“What do you want to talk about?” Draco asked worriedly.
“How about what we are going to name this baby?” Ginny said.
“We don’t even know if it’s a girl or a boy. Plus, it won’t be here for months yet. We’ll also have to move Nate from the nursery, so you can redecorate for this one,” Draco said as he slid a hand down to her belly where their child lay safe inside her and, with a gentle circular motion, caressed it.
“You really want another girl?” Ginny asked questioningly. “I would have thought you’d wish for another son. Keep the Malfoy line going.”
“Virginia Molly Marie Weasley Malfoy, we have four incredible boys. Why not a girl? Then we would have four and four. Of course you realize if this baby is like the rest of our kids, it will be a girl that has all of my coloring,” Draco said with a wicked gleam in his eyes.
“How do you figure that?” Ginny said, giving him a not so gentle jab with her elbow.
Draco kept himself from reacting. “Well, look at it logically. Ally looks exactly like you; Nick looks like me. Shannon and Jason have your red hair and my grey eyes. Marissa and David have both got my silvery blonde hair and your brown eyes. Nate has your red hair and brown eyes; hence this little girl, if she follows tradition, will have my grey eyes and blonde hair.”
“So what do you think we should name the baby if it turns out to be a girl?” Ginny asked as she took Draco’s hand from her belly and interlaced it with her own.
“Which of your brothers haven’t we named our kids after?” Draco asked wryly.
“Oi ”
“Ginny-bean, it’s true. We have: Allison Hermione Virginia, named after you and Hermione; Nicholas Draco Arthur, named after your father and myself; Shannon Charlotte Marie, named after Charlie; Jason Percival Lucas, named after Percy and my father; Molly Narcissa Louise, named after both our mothers; David William George, after Bill and George. Then there’s Nathaniel Frederick Harold, named for Fred and Harry. Ron is the only one we haven’t named one after in one sense or another.”
“I don’t know; Rona doesn’t seem like a good girl’s name,” Ginny said as she scrunched her nose in disgust.
Draco made a face in agreement. “Veronica would work; call her Roni for short. How about Kate for one of her middle names? I like the name Kate, and we’d be naming her for Katie as well.”
“While I adore Katie, I don’t like just plain Kate as a name; how about Caitlyn? It’s a little fancier than Kate. And then for the third name, how about Brianne?”
“Veronica Caitlyn Brianne Malfoy. I like it.”
“Are we going to pick out a boy’s name out, just in case you’re wrong?” Ginny asked with a roll of her eyes.
“I guess we should. Will it be Ronald for a first or middle name?”
“It will have to be middle. Harry already has a son named Ron. I really like the name Brennan.”
“I like it as well. It will sound so good together. So we have Brennan Ronald something Malfoy. Ginny, don’t get mad, but I want to use the name Severus as the third.”
“Draco Do we have to?” Ginny groaned.
“Come on, Ginny. You know he’s always meant a lot to me. You chose him as one of Nick’s godfathers.”
“I know I did. Fine. If that is really what you want to name our son, we’ll do it. For a boy, it will be Brennan Ronald Severus Malfoy. Can I just say I really hope it’s a girl?”
“Me too. I want another little princess to spoil. Come on now, Ginny-bean; you need your sleep. You know you always get more tired when you carry our children. By the way, have I said thank you yet for giving me such an incredibly beautiful family?”
“You thank me everyday, Draco, just by the way you love us. Come on, Dragon; hold me close, and we’ll dream of this weekend when we pick up our eldest children. I think your parents will want to be there. They have a very special relationship with Nick and Ally.”
“Yeah, they do. I’m glad my parents are close to our kids. I love you, Flame. I don’t want to know what my life would have been like without you in it.”
“I love you too, Dragon. Sometimes I think you don’t give yourself nearly enough credit.”
“I hate to think what would have happened, to all of us, if I hadn’t come to dinner that night,” Draco mused quietly.
“Thankfully we don’t have to. Let’s go to sleep, Draco; we still have dinner with your parents to get through tomorrow. I need to be well rested for that.”
“Goodnight, my sweetheart,” Draco said as he kissed Ginny briefly on the lips and held her close as his eyes drifted closed.
“Goodnight, my love.” Ginny’s reply was the last thing he heard before going to sleep.
Disclaimer: The poems in this chapter are Robert Browning’s “Meeting at Night,” Emily Dickinson’s “If I should die,” Edmund Spenser’s “One Day I Wrote Her Name,” William Shakespeare’s “Sonnet XIV,” Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s “Sonnet XLIII” from Sonnets from the Portuguese, and William Shakespeare’s “Sonnet XVIII,” respectively.
A/N 1 I have to thank my beta Jenny. I have to thank echo for letting me borrow her pairing of Katie Bell with Percy from “Absolutely Spiffing” (a great read, by the way). I like constructive feedback. tigereyes320@hotmail.com
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Part 6
Draco crept his way downstairs and went into the kitchen. There he saw the trays of lollipops and other sweets. He went over to the tray of lollipops, whipped out his wand, and said, “Opto sweet.” This would make them all want to keep eating the sweets. He then took a handful of the various flavors of lollipops and put them in separate piles. He pulled out his wand again and was about to say something when he heard a throat being cleared behind him.
Draco quickly schooled his face into one of innocence and turned around. He spied Ginny and Hermione there, leaning against the wall and tapping their feet.
“You weren’t going to do this without me, were you?” Ginny asked him with a raised eyebrow.
“Wouldn’t dream of it, Flame. Why are you here, Granger?”
“I heard Ginny get up. If you’re getting even with the twins, I want in. I owe them one myself.”
“You promised I could help you, Draco. Now what is the plan?”
“I’m going to charm these lollipops so that while they are sucking on them, they’ll spout poetry instead of talking.
I’ve already charmed all the lollipops with the first charm, so that you have to finish the one you start. Now all I have to do to them is use the second charm with the particular poet names.”
Hermione whipped out her wand. “What’s the charm?”
“Narro Poetus and then add the poet’s name. For example, Narro Poetus William Shakespeare,” Draco said as a lavender light shot from his wand and settled over the sweets in front of him.
Hermione went near another set. “Narro Poetus Elizabeth Barrett Browning.” She turned to another set. “Ginny, charm those by you with Edmund Spenser and Robert Browning. Narro Poetus Christina Rossetti. Draco, do that last set by you with John Keats. Narro Poetus Emily Dickinson.”
Ginny and Draco followed her directions, and the kitchen soon filled with lavender light as they charmed the other lollipops. They then mixed the poet charmed ones with the others. So no one, not even them, would know which one they would get.
“Let’s get back upstairs and ready for today. I have a feeling it’s going to be very entertaining,” said Hermione.
Ginny and Draco followed Hermione as she left the kitchen; they didn’t spy the person who had come downstairs before them and overheard the entire conversation.
He took out his wand and, with a waving motion, said, “Comperio Praevius ” The yellow light from the wand immediately highlighted the lollipops with the poet charms. He grabbed a few of the non-charmed ones and crept upstairs unnoticed by the others. An idea formed in his head. This is going to be fun.
A few hours later, after breakfast and the arrival of Angelina and Alicia, the fun was really starting. Mrs. Weasley had set out lemonade, sandwiches and sweets so everyone could help themselves.
Everyone was playing Quidditch. Katie and Percy had come over as well, and Katie was up in the air playing with the rest. They had divided the teams, so Team Harry had Harry as Seeker, Ron Keeper, Fred and Angelina Beaters, Hermione and Ginny Chasers. Team Draco had Draco as Seeker, Bill Keeper, George and Alicia Beaters, Katie and Charlie Chasers. Percy had decided to become the commentator, Mrs. Weasley the referee. The game had been going on for over an hour and was tied ninety-ninety.
They had just finished a break and got back on their brooms. Fred hit a Bludger toward Draco, who skillfully dodged it. He opened his mouth to shout something at Draco:
“The gray sea and the long black land;
And the yellow half-moon large and low;
And the startled little waves that leap
In fiery ringlets from their sleep,
As I gain the cove with pushing prow,
And quench its speed i' the slushy sand.
“Then a mile of warm sea-scented beach;
Three fields to cross till a farm appears;
A tap at the pane, the quick sharp scratch
And blue spurt of a lighted match,
And a voice less loud, thro’ its joys and fears,
Than the two hearts beating each to each ”
Angelina, at the sound of Fred reciting poetry, started laughing so hard she fell off her broom. She was about to ask Fred where he got the poem, when instead she said:
“If I should die,
And you should live,
And time should gurgle on,
And morn should beam,
And noon should burn,
As it has usual done;
If birds should build as early,
And bees as bustling go, —
One might depart at option
From enterprise below
'Tis sweet to know that stocks will stand
When we with daisies lie,
That commerce will continue,
And trades as briskly fly.
It makes the parting tranquil
And keeps the soul serene,
That gentlemen so sprightly
Conduct the pleasing scene “
Everyone’s eyes grew wide, and Mrs. Weasley, of all people, just sat down because she was laughing so hard. “Finally, someone got the two of you good ”
Charlie and Bill started laughing so hard they had to hold each other up to keep from falling down on the ground.
George opened his mouth to protest such treatment, especially from his own mother, and said:
“One day I wrote her name upon the strand,
But came the waves and washed it away:
Agayne I wrote it with a second hand,
But came the tyde, and made my paynes his pray.
Vayne men, sayd she, that doest in vaine assay,
A mortall thing so to immortalize,
For I my selve shall lyke to this decay,
And eek my name bee wyped out lykewize.
Not so, (quod I) let baser things devize
To dy in dust, but you shall live by fame:
My verse your vertues rare shall eternize,
And in the hevens wryte your glorious name.
Where whenas death shall al the world subdew,
Our love shall live, and later life renew.”
Alicia, shrieking with laughter, tried to say something to George,
“Not from the stars do I my judgment pluck,
And yet methinks I have astronomy,
But not to tell of good or evil luck,
Of plagues, of dearths, or seasons' quality.
Nor can I fortune to brief minutes tell,
Pointing to each his thunder, rain, and wind,
Or say with princes if it shall go well
By oft predict that I in heaven find.
But from thine eyes my knowledge I derive,
And, constant stars, in them I read such art
As truth and beauty shall together thrive,
If from thyself to store thou wouldst convert.
Or else of thee this I prognosticate:
Thy end is truth's and beauty's doom and date.”
Draco, Ginny, Hermione, Percy and Katie were laughing so hard they were holding on to their stomachs. Charlie and Bill were already on the ground, still laughing.
“Draco, I have to hand it to you; this is hilarious,” gushed Hermione.
Harry looked at Hermione, tentatively opened his mouth, and was relieved when only words came out. “Malfoy What did you do to them?”
Draco stopped laughing. “It wasn’t just me, Potter. Ginny and Granger helped. In fact, it was Granger who gave us the different Muggle poets’ names. We enchanted some of the lollipops so that, if you ate them, you started reciting poetry instead of talking.”
“Ron, you didn’t eat the lollipops, did you?” Harry asked, worried what his friend would start reciting.
Ron opened his mouth and said to Hermione,
“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, — I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life — and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.”
Then he continued, looking Hermione in the eyes the whole time.
“Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate.
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer's lease hath all too short a date.
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimm'd;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd;
But thy eternal summer shall not fade
Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest,
Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade
When in eternal lines to time thou growest.
So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.”
Hermione’s eyes opened wide, very impressed. “Ron, unless you ate two lollipops, that isn’t possible.”
“It is too. If you didn’t eat the charmed ones. What? You think I don’t how to memorize a few Muggle poems? Me? The bloke whose girlfriend has memorized Hogwarts, A History. I was saving it for a surprise. I didn’t want anyone thinking your boyfriend only memorized Quidditch stats,” Ron explained to Hermione’s open-mouthed amazement.
Hermione put her arms around him and hugged him close. She then drew his head down for a long kiss. “Thank you, Ron. It was beautiful.” Hermione paused with her hand on his cheek, “But don’t become something you aren’t. I don’t need poetry from you, at least not every day. Just knowing you have the potential for surprising me is what makes it worth it. Doing something so sweet makes me even more sure how I feel for you. We’re good for each other; I make you think, and you never fail to make me smile.”
“Even when I make up my Divination homework?” Ron teased her as his arms went around her waist, pulling her closer.
Hermione just rolled her eyes at that statement as she saw Bill, Charlie, Harry, Katie and Percy start sucking on all the lollipops to find the charmed ones. They soon joined the twins in their recitations. It would be several hours before they stopped.
The rest of the summer passed pretty much without incident. Draco let his father know about a few more “raids.” Charlie and Bill went back to their jobs with the promise to meet them in Diagon Alley for one more meal before everyone went off to school.
All too soon, it was time to go shopping in Diagon Alley for school supplies. Ron, Harry, Hermione, Ginny, and Draco were sitting in front of Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlor. Ron and Hermione, as well as Draco and Ginny, were each sharing a sundae. Harry was able to eat his all on his own. All of their purchases were at their feet.
Ron and Harry were talking about the Quidditch tryouts Gryffindor would have to hold. They were the only two members of the team coming back this year. Draco had joined in their conversation, and the three of them worked together to come up with some simple skill tests that would help give them an idea of who would be good in the positions of Chaser and Beater.
Hermione and Ginny meanwhile had been talking about clothes and the classes they would be taking the next year.
Hermione had also told Ginny about some of her favorite books by Muggle authors. Ginny had shared with Hermione her idea for starting a Hogwarts newsletter and had been asking Hermione for any pointers or ideas.
“Harry What are you doing?” Ron exclaimed.
“I’m making a list of who I think should try out for the Quidditch team. These are people who have some real potential to make it.”
“But—But Ginny is on that list ” Ron sputtered.
“That’s because she’s very good at what she does,” explained Harry patiently. “Ginny would make an excellent Chaser.”
“Malfoy Help me out here. You really want Ginny flying around playing Quidditch?”
“Ron That is so sexist. Ginny can play if she wants ” Hermione interjected forcefully.
Draco looked at Harry and Ron in amazement. “I’m sorry; are we talking about YOUR sister, Ron? You think there is a force on this planet that can keep your sister from what she wants? Your sister can do anything she sets her mind on,” said Draco with quiet pride.
Ginny leaned over and kissed Draco’s cheek. “Very good answer, honey,“ she whispered in his ear. Aloud, she said, “Tell me the truth, Dragon. What do you think about it, me playing Quidditch?”
“Flame, you’re a prefect; you want to start a school newsletter or newspaper; that would be in addition to your homework. I just don’t want you stretched too thin. I hate to say it, but if you make the team as a Chaser, Gryffindor would be hard to beat. I say that not as your boyfriend, but as someone who would be playing against you,” Draco said affectionately.
“Malfoy ” Ron howled.
“What, Weasley? She’s YOUR sister. Out of your five older brothers, how many don’t play Quidditch? Why should your sister not be able to play just because she’s a girl? Weasley Are you listening to me?” Draco voice trailed off as he followed Ron’s line of vision.
Draco goggled when he got a good look at what Ron was staring at. Ginny, Hermione and Harry turned to see what was so fascinating. Their collective jaws dropped when they got a good look at the two couples snogging not too far away.
Harry gasped. “Is that Wood?”
Ron nodded slowly. “Yep, and that’s Penelope Clearwater with him.”
Draco’s stare was held in reluctant fascination, or horrified amusement, elsewhere. “If you think that’s weird, look at Flint snogging Parkinson.”
Hermione did a double take and dropped the sundae she was sharing with Ron into her lap.
“’Mione ” Ron exclaimed.
“Ron, I’m sorry,” said Hermione as she quickly grabbed some napkins.
“C’mon, Hermione, let’s go get you cleaned up,” Ginny said as she rose and went with Hermione to the loo.
“Malfoy, is it just me, or do Flint and Parkinson look different?” Harry asked.
The three handsome young men stared a bit impolitely at the still snogging couple. They jumped as a voice startled them out of their reverie.
“Hello, Harry, Ron, Malfoy,” a voice behind them said.
“Hi, Oliver, Penelope,“ said Ron, as if they hadn’t just been spying on them a few minutes ago. “I’m surprised to see you two here.”
“Well, I got some time off from the Montrose Magpies. Penelope and I had some shopping to do. We finally got to pick up her engagement ring.”
Penelope held out her hand and showed the boys the large canary diamond with rubies and sapphires around it, set in Black Hills’ gold. “What do you think?” she asked.
Draco, Harry, and Ron all exchanged glances with each other after they looked at the gaudy ring. They were dumbfounded as to what to say.
“Ooohhh, what a pretty ring, Penelope. May we see it?” Ginny asked as she Hermione returned.
Draco, Ron and Harry watched as the girls oohed and aahed over the ring and extended their congratulations to Oliver. After the boys gave their best wishes as well, the couple walked away, content in their own bliss.
“Who knew Oliver – or Penelope, for that matter – had such horrible taste in jewelry?” Hermione said as she gathered up her purchases.
Ron looked at Harry and Draco, perplexed, before saying, “’Mione, you and Ginny just spent a good fifteen minutes telling Penelope how great it was.”
Hermione rolled her eyes and exchanged a look with Ginny, who shook her head, smiling.
“Ron, of course we admired it. No woman wants to hear her ring is ugly. I know when I get engaged I want something pretty but simple. Something people will admire but not be able to see from a kilometer away,” Hermione explained as she looked to Ginny for agreement.
Draco leaned over and whispered to Ron, “Did you take notes on that description, Weasley?”
Ron gave him a dirty look, and his ears turned red as he grabbed some of Hermione’s things to carry for her.
“Drakey ” a voice shrieked.
Ron, Harry, and Hermione smiled as they saw Draco visibly flinch when he heard the squeal. Draco grabbed Ginny’s hand for support. There would be no getting out of this conversation. “We’ll meet you all in a little bit.”
Draco turned and faced the two people walking toward him. “Hello, Pansy, Flint.”
“Draco. Weasley, isn’t it?” Flint asked, coldly formal.
“Marcus, I don’t believe you’ve had the pleasure of meeting my girlfriend, Virginia Weasley. She’s also known as Ginny. Ginny, I’d like you to meet Marcus Flint, and of course you’ve seen Pansy around school.”
Ginny nodded to the two people and nearly had a heart attack when they did the same. The four of them made some polite conversation, until Draco could find an excuse for them to leave.
“Draco, is it just me, or is it really weird to see those two together?”
“It isn’t just you, Flame. I think I’ll keep my eye on Pansy this year. I can’t put my finger on it, but it seems odd.”
Hermione came up beside Draco, with Ron behind her, and said, “Flint actually got his teeth fixed; I can tell. And if I’m not mistaken, Parkinson got a nose job.”
“A what ?” Draco, Ron, and Ginny asked, very confused.
“A nose job. The actual name for it is rhinoplasty. A Muggle doctor, called a cosmetic or plastic surgeon – I’ll explain it to you later, Ron – fixes your nose to a more pleasing size or shape. Since her nose no longer looks like a pug’s, I’d say she has received one.”
The five of them began laughing. They made their way to the Leaky Cauldron, so they could Floo back to the Burrow.
“Draco ” a voice called out to him.
Draco froze as he heard his father. He turned and schooled his face to show no expression.
“Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger, and Miss Weasley, would you all be so kind as to give me a moment alone with my son?” Lucius Malfoy asked with an arched brow, a small smile, and an overly polite tone.
After the four nodded mutely, Lucius, with his hand on Draco’s shoulder, led him to a secluded corner of Diagon Alley. “I wanted you to know that the Dark Lord has decided to lay low and work on gathering supporters and strength this year.”
Draco realized he had to be proactive in any questioning. “Because of this development, should I be dissociating myself from the Weasleys, sir?” His face showed not so much as a flicker of fear as he thought, I will not give up Ginny, no matter what.
Lucius looked serious for a moment. “No, it would appear very suspicious if you broke up with no activity and then tried to get back together later. Stay the course we’ve already agreed on.”
“Yes, Father,” said Draco as his heart leapt. Ginny and I are safe
“Well, that’s all I wanted to speak to you about. Your mother wants to see you off September first, so we’ll both be at King’s Cross. I’ll let you get back to your duties. Remember who is to be played and who is to be the player,” Lucius said snidely.
“Don’t worry, Father; I know exactly what role I’m playing in this game. Please tell Mother I’ll owl her this evening and see you both on September first. Goodbye, Father.”
Lucius nodded curtly, turned on his heel and walked away.
Draco watched his father with hooded eyes. After his father was out of sight, he allowed himself to breathe a sigh of relief. A year’s reprieve had been given to him and Ginny. Not to mention the whole wizarding world. He would need to tell Mr. Weasley as soon as he came home. Draco let his grey eyes wander until they met a pair of worried, brown ones. He gave Ginny a small, reassuring grin; she visibly relaxed and started walking toward him.
“Dragon, tell me everything is okay.”
Draco drew Ginny close and hugged her tightly. He felt her warm breath against the crook of his neck. He couldn’t have given an explanation to Voldemort about how at peace Ginny always made him feel. She always made him feel incredible, like he could do anything. It was humbling to know she wasn’t with him because he was a Malfoy, or had lots of money, nor was it because, as Ginny said once said, he was “one hot Quidditch player.” She cared about him, Merlin only knew why. Draco pulled away from her slightly and cupped her face in his hands. He lowered his lips to hers in the briefest of kisses.
Ginny smiled as she asked, “What was that for?” She brought her hands up to cover his; the smile faded from her eyes as her face puckered in worry. “Are you saying goodbye? Did your father say something to you about us?”
Draco looked at her intently as he whispered, “Even if he had – and he didn’t – I’m not going anywhere. WE aren’t going anywhere. I’ll tell you what he said back at the Burrow. It isn’t safe to discuss it here.”
“Dragon, I want you to swear to me we aren’t breaking up.”
“I swear to you, Flame,” vowed Draco as he brought up her hand to kiss her fingers. “Let’s get back to your family.”
Molly was already there, directing all the boys into moving the tables so there would be room for the extended family. Draco, out of the corner of his eye, saw Mrs. Weasley discreetly counting her money. In that instant, he made a decision. He headed in her direction.
“Mrs. Weasley, could I speak with you for a moment in private?”
“Of course, Draco dear. What do you need?”
“Well, I was wondering if you would allow me to treat the family to dinner tonight. Before you say no, hear me out. My mother always told me that when you stay over at someone’s house, it’s a mark of good manners to give the hostess a gift. Please let this be my gift to you and Mr. Weasley. Every time I try to give you money for anything, you won’t let me do it. You have been incredibly kind to me when you had no reason to be. Please, I really want to do this for you and your family. You’ll hurt my feelings if you say no.”
Molly Weasley warred with herself for a moment and nodded her head in agreement. “My daughter doesn’t stand a chance against you, does she?”
Draco smiled. “Ginny has far more power over me than I do her. I’ll talk to Tom to make sure you don’t even have to see the bill. Thank you for letting me do this.” Draco made his way over to Tom, the owner of the Leaky Cauldron, to make arrangements.
Molly felt her eyes fill with tears as she looked at her children. My babies. They aren’t babies anymore, with Percy getting married, Bill actually dating one girl, Fred and George settling down with their business and, unless I’m very much mistaken, with Angelina and Alicia respectively. Charlie, well, he just hasn’t found her yet; neither has Harry. My boy Ron, he found his girl when he was eleven; it just took him awhile to figure it out. And my little girl, Ginny, I guess I hoped it would be Harry, but no one but Draco has ever put the stars in her eyes that way. They grew up on me when I wasn’t looking.
Ginny walked over to her mother. “Mum, are you okay? Why are you crying?”
Molly Weasley brushed the tears away from her eyes and looked at her only daughter, her last baby. The miracle the medi-wizards said would never happen again after she had Ron. She brushed a few stray hairs away from Ginny’s face. Molly smiled at her and hugged her close. “I’m fine, sweetheart. Just a little sad that all of my babies went and grew up on me. Time went by so quickly.”
“Mum, we aren’t grown up yet, well, at least not Ron and me.”
“Actually, you two have grown up the fastest. You two have found the people you’re going to grow old with.”
“Mum Draco and I aren’t that serious yet. The way you talk, you act as if it is Draco and I getting married in February, instead of Percy and Katie.”
“You two most certainly are that serious,” disagreed Molly. Draco looks at you the way your father still looks at me. Ron and Hermione are the same way. Since we have a moment alone, there is something I want to address with you. You never want to have this conversation with your children. How far exactly have you and Draco gone, physically, I mean?”
“Mum ” Ginny whispered frantically as her face burned scarlet.
“What? Do you think I don’t know my own children? Ginny, I have seven of you. I didn’t find a single one of you under a blueberry bush. I just want to know if you need my help with the birth control potion. I'd prefer my grandchildren to arrive after you are all out of school and married. I will tell you this: sex, making love, shagging, whatever you want to call it, is better if you’re in a committed relationship. No relationship is more committing than marriage. You are also better equipped to handle any consequences that may occur from said actions when you are married. I don’t want any of you to feel this is a step you have to take either because of the person you’re with or because you’re under pressure from your friends. Sex isn’t something you should take lightly. It is your body, and it is the only one you are given in this life; don’t treat it badly. Do I hope that you’ll all wait until marriage? Absolutely. Do I think that’s actually going to happen? Absolutely not. Your father and I spoke separately with each of your brothers. Your dad isn’t comfortable talking about this to you, so it falls to me. He would rather I have a different conversation than the one he had with your brothers, but I’m giving you the same advice I gave them. I won’t tell you the advice your father gave them. They got the recipe for the potion, and so will you.”
“Mum, Draco and I haven’t even discussed that part of our relationship yet.”
“You don’t want to wait until you start discussing it. Those discussions can get a bit out of hand. I should know. I’ll write the recipes for both potions out for you tonight. If you have any difficulty with it, Hermione can help you. I’m not going to tell you what to do; you need to make this decision on your own. However, I gave one more piece of advice to each of your brothers and to Harry: if you need to ask yourself if you are ready to take this step in your relationship, then you aren’t ready. Think carefully about everything I’ve said. I’ll give you the information when we get home. Ginny, I want you to know you can come to me. I’m your mother; I will love you no matter what. I may scream and yell if you tell me something I don’t want to hear, but I am always on your side. Okay?”
“Yeah, Mum. I love you too. I promise to think very carefully about what you’ve said.”
“Go to Draco; he’s looking concerned. You might want to tell him one of these days. I think the two of you are very good for each other. Go enjoy your dinner.”
The rest of the evening passed quickly. When they got back to the Burrow, those who were going to Hogwarts the next day packed all their new supplies away in preparation. Mrs. Weasley did some last minute cleaning of clothes to prepare herself as well. Draco then told Mr. Weasley what his father had said about the upcoming year.
Exhausted by the long day they had and the one yet to come, the five teenagers quickly fell asleep. The next year at least would be as easy as it could be.
However things are not always as easy as they seem.
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Interlude 5
Draco stopped telling the story as he looked at Marissa and Christy sleeping peacefully in Marissa’s bed. The other children were there as well, sprawled all over the floor. He brushed his lips over their sleep-flushed cheeks and walked out of the room.
Draco closed the door behind him, then, remembering, opened the door a crack. As he turned around, he saw Ron and Hermione lying on a blue couch with their hands entwined.
They both rose as they saw him approach. Hermione quickly transfigured the couch back into the blue marble pedestal that had been in the hallway.
Draco smiled. “How long have you two been out here?”
Ron and Hermione exchanged a glance, and Ron confessed, “Since Diagon Alley.”
Hermione sighed as Ron put his arm around her shoulders. “It seems like a lifetime ago that we were actually that young. The thing is we really aren’t that old. I think having to fight Voldemort and his followers made us grow up a lot faster than we should have. Now we all have kids at Hogwarts. Thankfully our sixth year was pretty uneventful. Seventh year was another story; between N.E.W.T.s and your and Ginny’s engagement announcement at the end of the year, it was quite fascinating. Of course, you’re forgetting I was there when you visited the Burrow right before the start of seventh year. That was quite a conversation you had with the Weasleys.”
“That’s right; I remember that visit. Mum nearly had a heart attack. She was positive you got Ginny pregnant,” Ron said as he shook his head in amazement. “I have to ask you; why did you go when you did? I mean, Ginny wasn’t there. It was just my parents and all of us boys.”
“Because I wanted you all to know how serious I was about Ginny, even when she wasn’t around.”
“Listen, Malfoy, ‘Mione and I are going to head home and enjoy being childless for a night. We’ll probably see you tomorrow. If we don’t, we’ll definitely see you on Saturday at King’s Cross when we pick up the kids. No, no, we know our way around here; we’ll show ourselves out.”
Draco nodded goodbye to them as they walked down the stairs hand in hand. Once they vanished into his study, he walked down the hall and went into the nursery, where Nathaniel was. As he looked into Nate’s crib, Draco saw that the boy was sleeping on his stomach with his diapered bottom sticking up in the air. A pale green blanket covered him as he slept, unaware of his father’s eyes on him. Draco leaned over the crib and gently rubbed Nate’s back. He loved just being able to watch his children like this. When they were quiet, innocent and utterly dependent on him and Ginny for everything. Not for the first time did he feel a pang of regret for missing this time with Ally and Nick. He bent down and kissed Nate’s red-haired head. Sometimes he looked at his children and wondered what he had ever done to deserve them. They were all such an incredible mix of Weasley and Malfoy genes.
Quietly, Draco left the room and walked across the hall into his and Ginny’s bedroom. He saw immediately that his wife wasn’t in bed. She was fast asleep in the window seat with several of their picture albums spread out in front of her. Ginny had wrapped herself in one of the three afghans Molly had knitted as part of her wedding gift to them. This one was pure white with three different shades of both green and red. The other two were a mix of their former house colors.
Draco quickly changed into the pajama bottoms he wore to bed, before coming back to Ginny. As he did, he glanced at the photographs she had been looking at. He picked up one and saw himself and Ginny, dressed in their finest robes, beaming back at him. The New Year’s Eve Ball from his seventh year. He and Hermione as Head Boy and Girl had decided they needed a ball and had come up with one for New Year’s. Draco knew he would remember the Ball and everything that happened afterwards for the rest of his life. That was the night he had asked Ginny to marry him, and she had said yes. Of course, it was also the first night they had made love. Draco and Ginny agreed while they were still in school to act responsibly; it was not the time for a baby. Draco also insisted they wait two years; he wanted to give Ginny a year away from Hogwarts before they got married.
Draco put the picture down and unwrapped Ginny from the blanket. He easily lifted her into his arms as he put one arm beneath her knees and the other across her back. Then he placed Ginny on her side of their bed under the covers. Draco went around to his side of the bed and drew her close to him. As usual, Ginny instinctively cuddled closer to him. Draco held his world as close and as tight as he could. “You know, Ginny-bean, you’re so much stronger than I am. If you had been the one to disappear, I would have lost my mind.” He kissed the top of her head. “You were right; we are living the happily ever after I was hoping for when I proposed to you. I wonder if you still remember how I asked you to marry me.”
“I remember you didn’t ask me to marry you; you told me to,” Ginny piped up, quite content to be snuggled next to her husband. She didn’t have the heart to tell him she’d been awake since he picked her up.
“What do you mean, I didn’t ask?” Draco asked, scowling.
“You didn’t ask me. You said, and I quote, ‘Marry me, Ginny Weasley. Make a life and a home with me, have children with me and watch them grow up. I want you to spend the next seventy or so years growing old with me,’ unquote. I think it was the sweetest proposal I’d ever heard. That and the fact that I, little Ginny Weasley, had the great Draco Malfoy sweating bullets. Did you ever doubt I would say yes? We had been going out for over a year and a half,” Ginny said, grinning up at him.
“Maybe I was afraid you’d come to your senses. You didn’t seem to like the ring I got you,” Draco said as he brought her hand to his lips to kiss it. He looked at the three and a half carat, marquis cut diamond he put on her finger almost fourteen years previously.
“I loved my ring; I was just afraid I’d need a bodyguard to wear it. I guess I still haven’t come to my senses. Let’s see, we’ll be married ten years this June, so by my calculations, you still owe me another sixty plus years,” Ginny teased as she leaned up and kissed him lightly on the lips. “Do you remember how I answered you?”
“Yes,” said Draco with a grin. “You said, and I quote, ‘I would love to marry you. Make a life with you. Create beautiful children with you. And there is nothing I’d rather do for the next seventy or so years than grow old with you,’ unquote. Have you ever regretted saying yes?”
“Nope. Not even when I thought I’d never see you again except for what our children would inherit from you. I had lots of stories to tell them about their father, good and bad. I also had the charms to help me tell them our story. When Ron handed me that necklace, that was what convinced me you were gone. You never took it off, not since the day I gave it to you. Just like I never took off mine.
Remember, we gave them to each other for our first anniversary. I gave you the fiery red flame pendant, and you gave me the silver dragon one. Of course, for our second anniversary, I still had my ring.” Ginny said matter-of-factly as she brought her hand up to admire the ring.
“Well, you did let me buy you that bracelet. And you gave me that dark green cloak with the warming charm on it that your mother helped you make. What did I give you for our third?” Draco asked as he thought back to Ginny’s seventh year at Hogwarts. Most of that year and the following two were an endless fog he’d never tried to penetrate.
“You mean besides the twins?” Ginny asked with a knowing smirk. “You got permission from Dumbledore and my parents to take me into Hogsmeade for the whole weekend. I have to say the funniest thing was the look on your father’s face when you proposed to me in front of the whole school. When he saw you get down on your knees and ask me to marry you, I think he figured out that we had been pulling the wool over his eyes, so to speak. I want to talk about something more important.”
“What do you want to talk about?” Draco asked worriedly.
“How about what we are going to name this baby?” Ginny said.
“We don’t even know if it’s a girl or a boy. Plus, it won’t be here for months yet. We’ll also have to move Nate from the nursery, so you can redecorate for this one,” Draco said as he slid a hand down to her belly where their child lay safe inside her and, with a gentle circular motion, caressed it.
“You really want another girl?” Ginny asked questioningly. “I would have thought you’d wish for another son. Keep the Malfoy line going.”
“Virginia Molly Marie Weasley Malfoy, we have four incredible boys. Why not a girl? Then we would have four and four. Of course you realize if this baby is like the rest of our kids, it will be a girl that has all of my coloring,” Draco said with a wicked gleam in his eyes.
“How do you figure that?” Ginny said, giving him a not so gentle jab with her elbow.
Draco kept himself from reacting. “Well, look at it logically. Ally looks exactly like you; Nick looks like me. Shannon and Jason have your red hair and my grey eyes. Marissa and David have both got my silvery blonde hair and your brown eyes. Nate has your red hair and brown eyes; hence this little girl, if she follows tradition, will have my grey eyes and blonde hair.”
“So what do you think we should name the baby if it turns out to be a girl?” Ginny asked as she took Draco’s hand from her belly and interlaced it with her own.
“Which of your brothers haven’t we named our kids after?” Draco asked wryly.
“Oi ”
“Ginny-bean, it’s true. We have: Allison Hermione Virginia, named after you and Hermione; Nicholas Draco Arthur, named after your father and myself; Shannon Charlotte Marie, named after Charlie; Jason Percival Lucas, named after Percy and my father; Molly Narcissa Louise, named after both our mothers; David William George, after Bill and George. Then there’s Nathaniel Frederick Harold, named for Fred and Harry. Ron is the only one we haven’t named one after in one sense or another.”
“I don’t know; Rona doesn’t seem like a good girl’s name,” Ginny said as she scrunched her nose in disgust.
Draco made a face in agreement. “Veronica would work; call her Roni for short. How about Kate for one of her middle names? I like the name Kate, and we’d be naming her for Katie as well.”
“While I adore Katie, I don’t like just plain Kate as a name; how about Caitlyn? It’s a little fancier than Kate. And then for the third name, how about Brianne?”
“Veronica Caitlyn Brianne Malfoy. I like it.”
“Are we going to pick out a boy’s name out, just in case you’re wrong?” Ginny asked with a roll of her eyes.
“I guess we should. Will it be Ronald for a first or middle name?”
“It will have to be middle. Harry already has a son named Ron. I really like the name Brennan.”
“I like it as well. It will sound so good together. So we have Brennan Ronald something Malfoy. Ginny, don’t get mad, but I want to use the name Severus as the third.”
“Draco Do we have to?” Ginny groaned.
“Come on, Ginny. You know he’s always meant a lot to me. You chose him as one of Nick’s godfathers.”
“I know I did. Fine. If that is really what you want to name our son, we’ll do it. For a boy, it will be Brennan Ronald Severus Malfoy. Can I just say I really hope it’s a girl?”
“Me too. I want another little princess to spoil. Come on now, Ginny-bean; you need your sleep. You know you always get more tired when you carry our children. By the way, have I said thank you yet for giving me such an incredibly beautiful family?”
“You thank me everyday, Draco, just by the way you love us. Come on, Dragon; hold me close, and we’ll dream of this weekend when we pick up our eldest children. I think your parents will want to be there. They have a very special relationship with Nick and Ally.”
“Yeah, they do. I’m glad my parents are close to our kids. I love you, Flame. I don’t want to know what my life would have been like without you in it.”
“I love you too, Dragon. Sometimes I think you don’t give yourself nearly enough credit.”
“I hate to think what would have happened, to all of us, if I hadn’t come to dinner that night,” Draco mused quietly.
“Thankfully we don’t have to. Let’s go to sleep, Draco; we still have dinner with your parents to get through tomorrow. I need to be well rested for that.”
“Goodnight, my sweetheart,” Draco said as he kissed Ginny briefly on the lips and held her close as his eyes drifted closed.
“Goodnight, my love.” Ginny’s reply was the last thing he heard before going to sleep.
Disclaimer: The poems in this chapter are Robert Browning’s “Meeting at Night,” Emily Dickinson’s “If I should die,” Edmund Spenser’s “One Day I Wrote Her Name,” William Shakespeare’s “Sonnet XIV,” Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s “Sonnet XLIII” from Sonnets from the Portuguese, and William Shakespeare’s “Sonnet XVIII,” respectively.
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