Draco treked silently next to Ginny she was quiet and determined with each stride. She actually seemed to be leading him to his ild home and not the other way rond. It hadn't completely sunken into Draco that he would be returning to the house that had been his home during childhood. A home he hadn't seen let alone stepped in for almost five years.
They rounded a the last corner and Ginny stopped. They had reached an intersection, the road branched out in three dirctions from where they sood, "It's the one on the left," Draco said quietly.
Ginny nodedd but didn't move, "What are we going to do when we get there?"
Draco blinked and looked down at her, "What happened to the you killing him plan?"
"Still, there but what if the girls aren't with him. What if they're hidden? We can't find them if he's dead."
Draco wrapped his arm around Ginny's shoulders and held her close to his body, "Don't worry about that. They'll be there and we'll get them."
"How do you know?"
"Because that's my father specialty, flant what you want the most inches from your face while denying it to you."
Ginny nodded and they continued walking. The road led right up the drive to the front of the house, as they reached the gate Ginny stopped again, "What are we going to do knock?"
"No, it'll be open."
"Huh?"
"Wards, they're all over the place. He knows we're here already."
Ginny took a deep breath, "Let's not keep him waiting then," she said simply.
They reached the large double doors at the entrance of the large Manor house and Draco gave the lock a small tap with his wand. The Doors creaked open enough for them to slip past before closing back behind them. Ginny didn't ned to ask where to go next.
To their right, a door was slightly a jar allowing the foyer to be semi lit from the fire they could hear roaring within. Without any hesitation Draco pushed open the door and entered the living room. It was as he remembered, it's midnight blue couches and armchairs, the large fireplace everything.
Lucius Malfoy sat in a most devious manor with his back to the door, elbows resting on the arms of the chair, fingers steepled in front of his face. In the firelight Draco could see the faint lines of a smile on Lucius' face, hie eyes transfixed on the two small blonde children playing on the carpet in fornt of him. They were playing with two identical snow white puppies.
"You're late," Lucius drawled without turning around.
"Traffic." Draco answered his voice dripping with sarcasm and discontent.
The girls looked up at the sound of voices and smiled at Draco waving him over to their play mat. As he began forward Draco noticed that he was alone. He tried to put Ginny out of his mind for the task at hand. The shadows made by the fire swayed oddly and gathered, Draco realised that the room had more occupants than originally thought. Spectre gathered herself in masses on the arm of Lucius' chair and smirked, "Little one," she said by way of greeting.
"Alone?" Lucius observed as Draco stepped round the chair. Draco shrugged but didn't answer allowing Lucius to draw his own conclusions, "How Valiant. Is your concubine awaiting your return with her bastard children?" He said in low voice so that only the adults could hear. Draco felt his fist tighten around his wand but his answer was silenced by Ginny's voice, "No, I'm right here." She was standing where Draco had left her, by the door.
The girls looked up at the sound of their mothers voice and smiled brightly, "Mummy!" Elizabeth squealed, "Come and look at the puppies Grandfather Lucius got us,"
"Why don't you bring them over here to mummy?" Ginny said in the most loving voice Draco had heard her use in a long time, but the girls shook their heads.
"we can't, we're playing a game. Grandfather Lucius says we're playing a game. Try to keep them on the carpet."
Ginny frowned in the darkness of her position and Lucius' smiled brightened, "Children are so simple." he said quietly.
"What do you want Lucius?" Draco said through gritted teeth.
"To see my son and my grandchildren one last time before the inevitable. Isn't that all any proud grandparent wants?"
Ginny made her way from the door and closer to the scene, Draco or Lucius. She ignored them both walking over to where the girls were by the fire and sinking to her knees. She began playing with them and their dogs and whispering how much she had missed them into their soft hair as she kissed them.
"So sweet," Lucius commented blandly returning his focus to his own son.
"So all this, because you are a dying old man?" Draco said with a scoff "Could you have thought up a better lie?"
"I wasn't really trying to be honest, just enjoying this impromptu family reunion." Draco wasn't about to take much more of this but he didn't want to risk using dark magic in front of the girls.
Ginny sat on the floor watching her girls but listening intently to the conversation behind her. She noticed a small silver glint on each of the girl wrists, "Whats this then?" she said in a playful whisper touching Saraneth wrist lightly.
"Grandfather says it's so the house doesn't eat us and that we must never ever take them off," Ginny nodded. She had realised something was wrong when the girls had seen Draco and not moved an inch. She played with the bracelet a little longer hoping Draco would notice the small charm, "Well, I don't have one the house hasn't eaten me?" she tried.
"It only eats children." They explained.
Draco clenched his wand in his hand his eyes flickered over to Ginny and the girls as Ginny lingered on Sara's wrist. The bastard, he thought angrily. He kept his wand at the ready and watched Ginny out of the corner of his eye. Lucius had bound the girls to the house and his ways just as he had to Draco at their age. The training Bracelets were way they were behaving so differently to how they usually were.
"So what do we do now?" Lucius mused lightly, and very sarcastically.
"Well, we could take the girls home and and you could wait another five years before you ever seen them again, but next time just send an owl and we'll try and fit you in."
Lucius gave a dry hollow laugh as Draco's eyes flitted back to ginny who was getting the girls to put their wrists together so that she could see the braclets together.
"You could and I could but don't think that's going to work. Why should a Weasley get to be in charge of all the reamining Malfoy blood out there and me none?"
"That's and easy one, because you are insane and she's their mother."
"But what about you?"
At this Ginny gave a cry of glee, wand in hand she triumphantly removed the two braclets and before the girls could protest she threw them into the fireplace. Both bracelets gave off purples trails of smoke and the imploded. Ginny grabbed her daughters hands had stood, "Lucius, I don't care what you want with you son but if you come near my children again I will take great pleasure in removing each of your limbs and feeding them to you." She said stepping around Draco's chair and starting for the door.
"You see Draco, how easily she casts you aside? And this piece of muggle loving trash is what kept you in a country you swore never to return to as long as i was alive to breath it's air."
"Yes," Draco answered simply "Because father I somehow managed to learn something you never taught me, a good parent puts their child before themselves and all others . . . even if that other is halfblood megalomanic you promised your firstborn to in some sick twisted scheme to save your own soul."
Ginny was at the door by now ushering the girls out. Draco stood wand at his father's throat, Lucius didn't even attempt to protect himself from the attack. there wouldn't havee been a point, Draco was younger and stronger and he was simply an old man, with a beautiful young ghoul forcibly bound to him for life.
"You have nothing I want, and I will be nothing like you. I promise you that." The waited to hear the door click before performing the spell. He didn't want to do anything harsh in front of the girls. He watched Lucius' eyes roll back in his head and his body go limp in the chair. Spectre slithered to a stand by Draco's side, "Technically I belong to you now," she said quietly as Draco lowered his wand his hand shaking slightly.
"Spectre, I'm going to realse you from service to my family on one condition, if you come near my family or friends ever again. I'll have you found and exorcised painfully."
With a small nod she disappeared. Draco stood in the hollow silence of his former living room, in a house that was now his. He took a steadying breath and made his way into the hall, a house elf was attempting to offer Ginny some kind of help with the girls who had fallen asleep in her lap as she waited for Draco on the stairs, "Blinky, leave they're fine." Draco said simply placing a small kiss on Ginny's forehead.
The Houseelf bowed deeply and disappeared, "I have no idea how we're going to get to the disapparation point wih the two sleeping beauties. It's a long walk and they aren't light."
Draco mused for a minute, "We could always spend the night here?" he offered and Ginny scoffed.
"Not likely,"
"Oh come on it'll be fun I can send word to Gabrielle and Blaise and everyone. Take down the wards and we can have a little celebration. Your parents, our friends . . . I'll invite the prophet if you like?"
Ginny laughed at this but gave a small nod, she really was too tired to leave, "Start inviting, but the Prophet can wait till I've had some sleep." Draco smiled and moved back into the living room to contact their friends. He made sure to call Blaise first having no idea what to do with Lucius' body alone.
The house became a lively home as their friends arrived in their night things, bringht smiles on their faces, anxious to see the girls for themselves. Molly Weasley bustled out of the fireplace, curling charms in her hair, large carpet bag under her arm and sent her daughter, currently curled up on a couch with her own daughters, straight to bed. The group laughed as Ginny, in a very resigned manner, made a deal with Molly that she could take the girls to a room if she let Ginny stay.
The group somehow al managed to sit comfortably in a room that had not fifteen minutes ago held a, now recently buried, dead Lucius Malfoy.
Ginny and Draco sat amidst comfortable talk about Quidditch and what they were all going to do about the Prophet. Draco's arm wrapped protectively around her shoulders as she buried her head in his shoulder. They remained lost in their own little world until Gabrielle brought them into the comversation with a simple question, "So when's the wedding?"
There was an amused silence as the group turned their atention to the young couple, "What wedding?" Draco asked simply.
"Well, she's already had you children Dray. Aren't you going to make an honest woman out of her?" Blaise said with a amused grin
"What would be the point? You said it yourself she already had the children. I have the milk and the calves, why buy the farm?"
Ginny's jaw dropped and she hit Draco on the shoudler, laughing as she pushed him away, "I'm kidding," he said pulling her back into his arm, "So when is the wedding Miss. Weasley?"
Ginny held up her left hand as though admiring a ring that wasn't there, "Well, first you haven't asked me if i even want to marry you and secondly isn't my hand awfully empty?"
The group laughed as Draco batted her hand down, before taking it in his own and gently kissing it, "I'll buy you one for every finger," he whispered in to her knuckles. Ginny smiled and stroked his hair with her other hand, "One is plenty."
"One for each day of the year then."
"One."
"For each day of the week"
"One"
"for-"
"A lifetime." she finished placing her finger on his lips. "One."
"One" Draco echoed.
"Luna, Stop arguing with me! Ginny and Daco missed my wedding completely! It's only fair I get to be maid of honor!" Gabrielle yelled as they walked into a bistro to meet Ginny. Ginny sat up on hearing her friends and smiled brightly.
"It's just, that Ginny has two best friends, why you?"
"Because i haveto make it up to her pumpkin seeds, I'm going to be at your wedding. I wasn't even in the country for Gabrielle." Ginny said calmly, as the waiter delivered her salad.
Her friends sat and she pulled out a scroll of paper, "This is the guest list."
"That is scrap of paper, my guestlist was five scrolls,"
"I don't want this to be a big deal,"
"It made the front page of the Prophet!"
"Slow news day," Ginny said simply, shrugging.
"Gin-"
"Small. That's my final word on it."
Gabrielle slumped and pouted in her seat, "Fine, I'll keep it small."
"Good, and we're changing the date."
"What? Why?" Gabrielle said sitting up.
"The old date was published in yesterday's Evening Prophet, so we moved it."
"To when?"
Ginny looked at her watch, "Three hours . . . You two better go get ready"
"You want us to get ready and to the hall in Three hours?"
"No, I want you to get ready and get to Hogwarts in," she checked her watch, "Two hours and Fifty eight minutes."
The girls stared at her in a stunned silence, Ginny looked up from her salad and blinked, "Go." she said simply.
The girls didn't need to be told again as they apparated from the bistro in an instant. Ginny left a galleon for her food and apparated straight the Hogsmeade. She smiled in the cold sun as she made her way across the small town toward her old school.
She made her way straight up to the Gryffindor common room where Hermione sat fully dressed and teaching the girls exploding snap. Her stomach had begun to show under her gown and she smiled brightly as Ginny entered.
"Nervous?" she asked sitting back in her chair.
"No,"
"Good, you shouldn't be." Ginny smiled walking over to the window where her dress was hanging up. "Time to get ready. I guess."
Hermione nodded and stood up giving Ginny her seat as she pulled out her wand, "Up or down?"
"Down,"
"Straigthening charm?"
"No, leave it curly."
"You hate having your hair curly,"
"But Draco likes it."
Hermione smiled and nodded touching her wand tip to Ginny's head, shining and smoothing her mess of turns in to elaborate curls and waves.
Draco stood in the Great Hall and watched Blaise, Harry and Ron pace around nervously, Molly and Arthur, Blaise's Stepmom and father, and Gabrielle's parents sat in the newly installed pews. Draco was the only one invovled who seemed to not be nervous at all.
Dumbledore swept in, in his usual gracious manner followed closely by Professor Snape. He gave Draco a nod before taking a seat in the back, Draco nodded back and watched Dumbledore as he swept up to the head table. He gave Draco a warm smile and brief touch of the shoulder in greeting before taking up his position at the head on the hall. Arthur checked hi watch and excused himself to go and meet Ginny.
Blaise, Harry and Ron took their positions lining up behind Draco and waited. The hall was silent as the doors opened and Sara and Elizbeth entered holding hands with Caleb who was being held up by his silver walker. Each girl held a small pillow with a ring in each and a charm had been placed on the back of the dresses that left a trail of petal in their wake. They took seats in opposite pews, Elizabeth with Molly and Saraneth next to Celestina. Caleb was seated in Blaise's Stepmothers lap.
Draco smiled as the girls began to make faces at each other from across the aisle. The next to enter were Gabrielle and Luna standing side by side smiling and walking down the aisle. They stood across from Draco and he very gladly looked back at the door. Arthur beamed as he walked his daughter down the aisle.
Ginny was beautiful as she smiled brightly, a halo of baby's breath was twisted in to her curls and her simple white gown with its voluminous skirt looked stunning. Draco stepped up to met them and the trio turned to Dumbledore, "Who allows this young woman to be given over?"
Arthur cleared his throat, tear shining from his eyes, "I do," he said quietly. He unwound Ginny's hand from his own and placed a kiss on her forehead, "My little girl," he whispered placing her hand on Draco's outstretched one, "Take care of her."
"She can take care of herself," Draco said simply with a smile.
He led Ginny up in front of the alter and they stood facing Dumbledore, "I have had the priviledge of being invovled in the raising for these two from a very young age and due to time, persistence and the on going nagging of a close friend. Here they stand finally ready to be united." There was a low chuckle before Dumbledore continued, "I'm not going to further delay their union with long speechs and ceremonies," he turned and picked up a long length of silk white ribbon. Draco and Ginny clasped hands, fingers laced and raised them to Dumbledore. He tied the ribbon around their wrists and cris crossed them up their hands to their fingers. He tied it with a simple knot and raised his wand and tapped it. The ribbon glowed before turning blue and then red. It tightened slightly before sinking into Draco and Ginny's hands and disappearing. Draco and Ginny smiled and faced each other as they too glowed slightly, Ginny could help but laugh, "Your hair's gone grey," she said smiling. Draco laughed.
"Feel free to kiss your wife at anytime Mr. Malfoy." Dumbledore said softly.
"I have a life time to do that," Draco whispered before letting his lips capture Ginny's.
"Everyone Pay attention to me!" Gabrielle said standing on her seat so that she was higher than everyone else, "To all the people that doubted, threatened and down right laughed at me. When i said that these two no only shold be together but definately would be together i would like to say, HA! I win." The party laughed and appluaded Gabrielle's speech. She stepped down and tottered over to the stage that had been erected in the tent outside.
"For the doubters . . . and the lovely couple. I know, you'll be happy together."
She sat down at the piano and started playing.
So be it, I'm your Crowbar
That's what I am So far
Untilyou get out of this mess
And I will Pretend
That I don't know of your sins
Until You are ready to confess
But all the time, all the time
I'll Know, I'll Know
And you can use my skin
To bury secrets in
And I will settle you down
And at my own suggestion,
I will ask no questions
While I do my thing in the back ground
Bu all the time, all the time
I'll know, I'll know
Baby- I can't help you out, while she's still around
So for the time being, I'm being patient
And amidst this bitterness
If you'll just consider this- even if it don't make sense
All the time-give it time
And when the crowd becomes your burden
And you've early closed your curtains,
I'll wait by the backstage door
While you try to find the lines to speak your mind
And pry it open, hoping for an encore
And if it gets to late, for me to wait
For you to find you love me, and tell me so
It's ok, Don't need to say it.
The party clapped and yelled and laughed. Gabrielle stepped back up to the standing mic, "And before I go have one surprise annoucement-"
"You're Pregnant!" Ginny yelled from her seat before covering her face with her hands and laughing.
"No, Weasley that's not my news . . . or at least i don't think it is," she wondered outloud.
"That's Mrs. Malfoy now!" Luna yelled.
"Oh sorry, Mrs. Malfoy." Gabrielle said with a fake deep bow. "Anyway, my surprise . . . well it isn't actually my surprise, i'm just announcing it. The groom has song for his lovely new wife."
Ginny turned to Draco and he shrugged before raising from his seat and making his way over to Gabrielle of the stage. She handed him a guitar which he held at a distance. It was a black lacquer finish with red tribal designs he looked down at Ginny who shrugged, "So maybe I didn't destroy everything." she said simply.
Draco shook his head and propped himself up on the stool Gabrielle had conjured for him before she turned back to the mic, "Ladies and Gentlemen, in a one night only return to the stage i give you, Draco Malfoy."
D'you want to go to the seaside?
I'm not trying to say that everybody wants to go,
I fell in love at the seaside,
I handled my charm with time and slight of hand
And i'm just trying to love you
any kind of way
But I find it hard to love you
When you're far away, away
D'you want to go to the seaside?
I'm not trying to say that everybody wants to go,
Oh i found love on the seaside
On the seaside
On the seaside.
There was another set a off applause, and Ginny stood up and clapped the loudest. Draco made his way back to his table and his new wife, recieving a long kiss as he sat down. When they broke apart Sara and Liz had made their way over from their grandparents table. They were both rubbing their eyes and stifling yawns,"Does someone want a nap?" Ginny asked picking up Elizabeth as Draco seated Saraneth on his lap.
The girls shook their heads, "No, we want to stay for the party."
"Ok, well why don't you come and put mummy and daddy to bed because we are really tired aren't we daddy?"
She said turning to Draco who nodded and faked a yawn. The girls gave small nods of consent as their eyes fluttered shut. The newlyweds excused themselves and made their way up the lawn and back into Hogwarts castle, "Gryffindor or Slytherin?" Ginny mused with a smile.
"Gryffindor," He said without pausing and beginning up the stairs, "Even though if I remember correctly. The astronomy tower is quiet comfortable."
Ginny laughed lightly and hit him playfully on the arm. They walked the girls up the stairs to the boys dorm and lay they down in one of the four poster beds, as the girls weren't fully asleep yet. Ginny and Draco took up positions lying next to them until their breathing had evened out completely.
Draco reached over the sleeping bodies of his two daughter and stroked his wifes arm. She gave him a smile stifling a yawn with her other hand,"Does someone want a nap?" he asked mockingly and Ginny chuckled. "It seems so." she muttered closing her eyes. Draco continued to stroke her hair and arm until she too was asleep.
Draco found himself smiling as he loosened out his tie and sunk down next to his family. He found himself smiling as he too drifted off to sleep.
END.
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