Chapter 19
Ginny sat on Draco's bed for what seemed to be twenty minutes since she'd woken up. Draco was washing up. She was in no means ready to go back home. She had slept peacefully and just wanted to spend the rest of the day with Annette, Victoria, and Draco in his flat. She heard knocking at the front door. She quietly crept towards the front door and peered through the small hole. A woman with dark hair stood there waiting for someone to open the door hoping to stay out of the rain.
Since no one answered she walked off drenched in rain water. Ginny walked back to Draco's room. He had walked out of the bathroom and was sitting on his bed only in his towel. She stood by the doorway smiling at him.
"Hey," he said.
"Hi," she said crossing her arms.
His Seeker body was still intact. Ginny couldn't help but notice how well built his body was.
"Come here," he said patting the mattress so she'd sit next to him.
She slowly walked over and sat next to him and smiled.
"Hungry?" he asked looking at her and moving her hair away from her face.
She nodded.
"The bathroom's right through there if you want to wash up. I'll check on Annette and Victoria."
Ginny got up and walked to the bathroom. She washed up. Draco came back white in the face.
"What's wrong?" she asked getting worried.
"Victoria. She's burning up," he said.
Ginny pushed her way through him and into the other bedroom. Annette was sitting on the bed staring at her sister. She was pouting.
"What's wong with her?" she said pointing at her sister.
"Tory is very sick, sweetie," she said holding Annette.
"Is she going to die?" Annette asked on the verge of tears.
"No. Tory isn't going to die. Remember? Tory doesn't listen when mommy tells her to put her jumper on when it's cold," Ginny said rocking Annette in her arms. She wasn't heavy.
"Don't worry Annette. Victoria isn't going to die. She just needs rest and some soup," Draco said walking into the room.
"I'm sorry Draco. Now you're going to hate me for bringing my sick child," Ginny said looking up at him.
"Don't worry about it. I might just get some hands on experience on taking care of a sick child," he said smiling at Ginny.
They walked into the kitchen. Draco prepared some soup. Ginny made sure Annette ate well since she refused to eat unless her sister ate. Draco poured some soup onto a small bowl, grabbed a spoon and walked into the bedroom with Ginny in tow along with Annette.
"Tory. Sweetie. Wake up. It's mummy," Ginny said shaking Victoria ever so lightly.
Victoria mumbled something about pink pigmy puffs.
"Tory. Wake up sweetheart. You need to eat a little something," Ginny said softly.
Victoria stirred and opened her eyes. She coughed. She sat up and looked at everyone around her. She looked at Draco and then at Ginny.
"Where are we?" she asked looking around.
"We're at Mr. Draco's house," Ginny said looking at Draco.
"Daddy's house?" she asked.
Ginny nodded.
"I don't feel good," Victoria said between coughs.
"Here, have some soup," Draco said kneeling on the floor and holding the bowl.
"No," she pouted.
"You have to eat my love. You need soup to make you feel better. If you don't eat, Annette's going to cry," Ginny said.
Victoria looked over at her sister and then at Draco. She took the spoon that was in Ginny's hand and began eating her soup. Draco and Ginny sat on the bed watching their daughter eat. Annette patted Victoria's head and hugged her when she finished her soup.
"Tory no die," she whimpered.
Ginny shed a tear. Draco looked at her and held her. He held his Ginny. His Red.
"I'll make her a potion," Draco said walking out of the bedroom and into the kitchen.
"I'll help," she said.
"I haven't heard from Ginny since Ron's birthday party," Mrs. Weasley said.
"Really? Hmm.. I haven't either," Hermione said giving Samantha a small spoonful of sweet potato puree.
Samantha spit out the sweet potato. Hermione got annoyed.
"Hermione, have you and Ron gotten on good terms yet?" Mrs. Weasley asked. Mr. Weasley looked up from his Muggle magazine and listening intently at his wife and daughter in law.
"Well, he still refuses to admit what he did but I'm guessing we're all-right for now. He's still arguing at the fact that he didn't have his wand for quite a while. He's been acting rather strange though. Keeps talking about Ginny," she said wiping sweet potato from Samantha's face.
"About Ginny? Things like how?" Mrs. Weasley asked counting the stitches on her knitting.
"I don't know.. Things like how she betrayed Harry and him," she said getting up and throwing away the dirty napkin.
"But, Harry and Ron haven't mentioned anything of the sort," she said. She stopped knitting and snatched the magazine away from her husband. "Arthur, aren't you suppose to be doing work?"
Mr. Weasley got up muttering to himself and sneaked into his shed.
"Well, whether or not they have mentioned it, Ron seems pretty upset. It must be something major," she said walking into the kitchen to wash the small bowl she had used.
"That's strange. I'll ask Ron when he stops by later," she said. "By the way, doesn't Harry seem different to you?"
Hermione nodded. She had been wanting to tell someone for quite a while now.
"You know something," Mrs. Weasley said chuckling.
"He's in love," Hermione said feeling better now.
"In love? With who?" she asked sitting up straighter to listen what Hermione was going to tell her.
"Well, he's always talking about her. It's driving me mad. If I'm not mistaken.. Maybe I am. But her name rings a bell. I think her name is.. Natasha.. Natasha Kidlov? No.. Oh! Now I remember. Natasha Kovadloff," she said.
Mrs. Weasley shrieked, "WHAT!"
"Did I say something bad?" Hermione asked.
"Natasha Kovadloff. She was in the Daily Prophet three years ago. She was one of the ones supporting the Dark Side during the war. She fled to the States or so it said in the Prophet. I still remember. Beautiful girl," she said.
"This is bad. Really bad. Harry said it himself. He had a feeling that she was a Death Eater. But I'm guessing she doesn't have the Mark otherwise he would've left her," Hermione said.
"Harry isn't foolish. If she had the Mark, he would've turned her in," Mrs. Weasley said.
"Not unless he's in love," Hermione assured her.
Ron walked into the living room followed by Harry.
"'Ullo mum," he said kissing his mother on top of her head. "Mione," he said kissing her on the lips.
"Mrs. Weasley," Harry said taking off his cloak and kissing her cheek. "Hermione," he nodded.
"What brings you two here today? Don't you have other things to do?" Mrs. Weasley said teasingly.
"Mum," Ron said walking to the refrigerator and taking out a glass bottle of milk. He poured some in a cup and walked back into the living room sitting down on a chair.
"I was just saying," she said. "Are you going to stay for dinner?"
"I'm guessing. It's up to Hermione," he said gulping down his milk.
"We'll stay if that's okay with you," she said looking over at Mrs. Weasley.
"Harry, is there a certain someone in your life? There's a lovely girl I'd like you to meet," Mrs. Weasley said winking at Hermione.
"I'm guessing Hermione or Ron told you. Yes, there's a certain someone in my life. She's a wonderful woman. And beautiful," he said sitting down next to Ron.
"What's her name? How does she look like? What does she do?" Mrs. Weasley asked highly amused.
"Her name is Natasha. She had long dark hair and has amazing eyes. She's very elegant. Very mysterious woman. She works for some people. She travels from place to place. So I'm guessing she's just visiting England for now," he frowned.
"Oh," Mrs. Weasley said looking at Hermione.
Erin still hadn't given up on trying to get information out of Ginny. She walked up to Ginny's flat and knocked. She knocked several more times but no one answered. She looked around for any Muggles watching. But no one was.
Pop!
Erin walked around the living room looking around for Ginny or her daughters. She walked into the kitchen. Back into the living room and into the bedrooms. Everything had been neatly made as if no one had lived there. She walked into Ginny's bedroom and began looking through her things. Drawers. Files. Boxes. Photo Albums.
"What's this?" she said highly amused at a photo she had just found. She lifted it up to her face. It was a sixteen year old Ginny with flaming red hair being lifted and spun around by a very happy seventeen year old Draco. When Draco put her back down on the ground they both smiled and waved at whomever it was that had taken the photo.
She looked through more albums. More boxes. Nothing. She opened one of Ginny's drawers. She thought she had missed it. And yet, she had. There was yet another picture of Draco. He was sitting on the Hogwarts grounds by the lake smiling up at Ginny who was blowing him a kiss.
"Naughty, naughty Ms. Ginevra Weasley," Erin laughed. "You should be more careful where you store your things."
But something caught her eye. There, on Ginny's bed was a dark velvet cloak with silver trimmings on it. Inside embroidered in green read: Draco L. Malfoy.
"I thought she wasn't associating herself with him?" Erin asked herself. She left the cloak on the bed and Apparated out.
Erin walked down the hallway to her office in the Aurors floor. She walked so fast she didn't notice Ron and Hermione walking in front of her. The three fell on the ground, pictures and all. Hermione and Ron looked at the pictures on the floor.
"Where'd you get this?" Ron demanded to know.
"It isn't any of your business," Erin said snatching the pictures from the ground.
"You shouldn't be meddling in things that shouldn't concern you," Hermione said furiously. She wasn't just furious at Erin but at Ginny too.
"It should concern me and everyone at the Ministry. Draco Malfoy fathering Weasley's daughters. Associating herself with a Death Eater," Erin snapped causing people to look up from their cubicles and stand by the doors.
"What!" Ron was perplexed.
"How do you know he's a Death Eater? Is it for certain that he is? That he tampers with the Dark Arts?" Hermione asked turning a nasty shade of red.
"Oh, so you're protecting the Death Eater now? It has come to my attention that no one but Potter and your husband know about Malfoy and the little Weasley," she said. There was something odd about Erin though. Lately that is.
Hermione ran out of the hallway and into her office.
"Hermione," Ron yelled after her. He directed his attention back to Erin, "I hope you know what you're doing."
"I'll be right back. Don't worry about me," she said Apparating on the spot as she appeared back outside her office door.
"You should keep an eye on her Weasley," Erin sneered.
Draco waited in the kitchen in his flat. Ginny sat on a chair rubbing her temples.
"Red, you don't mind if I slip out for a moment, do you? I have to pick up some things in Diagon Alley that I forgot yesterday," he said grabbing a dark green rather expensive coat.
"Sure. I don't mind," she said draining the last of her tea.
"Make yourself at home. I mean it," he said grabbing his keys. Holding onto the doorknob he decided to go back to the kitchen and said, "The fireplace is closed so don't worry about people Flooing in and out of here. And I placed a charm around my flat so no one will Apparate in or out as well. Ok, I'll be back in about an hour or two."
Ginny tried to smile. She waved him out.
Draco got to Knockturn Alley in no time. He walked into an abandoned flat and opened the door leading to the room his father was frequently lying on the floor in.
He looked inside but no one was there.
"What in the bloody hell does he think he's doing?" Draco muttered to himself. He waited a couple more minutes but his father never showed up.
After thirty minutes of just waiting in the dingy old dusty room Draco opened the door and walked out. He stopped for a moment, scribbled a 'We need to talk' note on a piece of parchment he found on the floor and left.
He arrived back at his flat in no time. Outside was Natasha, waiting to be ushered into his home. She looked at him skeptically and said,
"Hello, Mr. Malfoy."
"The ever lovely Ms. Natasha Kovadloff. Or what are you now, Natasha Potter?" he asked crossing his arms and leaning against the wall.
"No. Not at all. It's a shame Draco that you haven't invited me into your home. Are you hiding someone? People are talking. Saying you and the Weasley girl were seen together," she said with amusement in her voice.
"What's it to you, Natasha?" he said pulling his hair up into a tiny ponytail.
"I'm just curious as to know what my best friend is doing?" she said rocking on the balls of her feet.
"I'm not doing anything. Now, what is it that you want?" he said getting a bit annoyed.
"Oh.. Well, I came to tell you that your father is going to get into a lot of trouble if he keeps killing people for information," she whispered.
Draco pushed a strand of white blond behind his ear leaving another hanging down his face touching the tip of his nose. His usually pale skin flushed in fury for his father's actions.
"He's doing what?" he said in a hoarse voice.
"I figured you knew since you're still paying him visits in Knockturn Alley. I saw him a couple days ago. He's going to get caught. He still smells like Peppermint and Chocolate. This new victim.. Something Campier. An Auror. I bumped into "her" today and smelled like Peppermint and Chocolate. And a bit like Old Firewhiskey. I wonder what he's up to," she said now talking to herself. She looked around and shot a curious look at Draco.
"What?" he asked.
"What's that car doing in your driveway?" she asked, an evil grin spreading across her face. "Who does it belong to? She's here isn't she?"
She seized Draco's keys right out of his hands and opened the door. Draco was pulling her, keeping her away from seeing Ginny.
"Draco. I want to see!" she squealed kicking and throwing herhands in the air.
Ginny walked into the living room and saw the commotion in front of her. Natasha stopped moving and a smirk spread across her face. Draco let go and in walked Natasha.
"Hi. I'm Natasha Kovadloff. Draco's friend. I'm guessing you're... Ginevra Weasley, am I right?" she said extending her hand.
Ginny shook it saying slowly, "Yes, I am."
"What brings you here?" she said looking over at Draco.
"Just.. Visiting. Needed someone to talk to."
To make matters worse Annette walked into the living room wearing her new Chuddley Cannons shirt. She looked at Ginny, then at Draco and lastly she looked over at Natasha. She curiously walked over to her and looked up.
"Hi," Annette said smiling and extending her little hand at Natasha.
"How cute," Natasha giggled crouching down and shaking her hand, "And who are you?"
"My name is Annette Sophia Weasley Malfoy," she smiled. "I'm four," she stuck out for little fingers.
"Malfoy? And you're four?" Natasha raised her eyebrow and looked over at Draco who looked like he was ready to kill himself. "He's your dad?"
"Yes, and this is my mommy," she said hugging Ginny's legs. Ginny looked like she was ready to just throw herself off of a very large and tall building.
"That's nice–"
"And my sister is over there," Annette said pointing over at the hallway where the bedrooms were.
"Sister. Can I meet her?" Natasha said, looking at Draco and smiling.
"That won't be necessary," Draco cut in taking Natasha's arm.
"No, Draco. Really I don't mind. I want to see what you've been up to these past four years," she said, Annette taking her by the hand into the other bedroom.
"Draco!" Ginny whispered.
"What?" he whispered back, extremely pist.
"What the hell!" she whispered back.
"I didn't know your child was going to utter impulsively who she was to a complete stranger!" he said walking over to sit on a couch.
"She's your daughter too, Draco Malfoy. And it's not my fault she's very open," she said sitting next to him and crossing her arms.
Natasha came back followed by Annette.
"Cute girls, Draco," she said looking at Draco and then at Ginny. "You figured they have red hair too."
"Thankfully they weren't cursed with that," Ginny said through gritted teeth.
"Hmm. Well Draco. I must be off. It was nice seeing. Nice meeting you.. Weasley," she said. "By the way, is that your car outside?"
"Yes, why?" Ginny asked looking up at her.
"Very nice. Didn't think you had class," she said. And it was true. Draco couldn't believe how expensive a car Ginny had. With her salary, he didn't think she could afford it but apparently she was getting paid more than he thought. "If I'm not mistaken, 2005 BMW 525i?"
"No, you're not mistaken," she said.
"Well, good day to you two," she said.
She waved goodbye to Annette and walked out.
"Annette!" Ginny rounded on her daughter. "You're not suppose to go around telling people who you are and who your daddy is!"
Annette's eyes began to water. Her big grey eyes looked down at the floor, a tear rolling down her already pink cheeks.
"Are you ashamed of me?" Draco asked turning his attention back to Ginny.
"No. No I'm not ashamed. Why do you say that?" she snapped.
"Well for one you just said you didn't want her telling people who her dad is," he said.
"Well, I didn't think you'd like it, that's why!" she said. "Annette, stop crying. Please?"
Annette ran off into the bedroom where Victoria was. All you could hear was Annette's wailing.
"Now look what you did," Draco said getting up. For the first time since he met his daughters, he consoled Annette like the father he'd always wanted to be.