Bathwater

The Complete Story of the Ferret

"That's it, Teddy!" The Boy-Who-lived looked down at the floor where a colored-hair child sat excitedly,  looking at the three adult wizards in the room with entertained eyes. "That's my lad. Ginny would be very proud of you for that."

Teddy beamed. "Can you continue the story now, Daddy?"

Sneering, the bespectacled man acted like he could not see Malfoy glaring furiously and turning bright red on the face. "Of course, Ted. Now, where was I?"

"Bouncing ferret!" Teddy shouted, clapping his hands with enthusiasm as he scooted closer to his Godfather from his place on the carpet.

    Bang.

"Oi!" The door to the room opened once more and in came one of the ferret's fellow Slytherins. "What's this? You thickheads taking a rest without having the courtesy to inform the bloke working in the back with much effort that it was time for tea? This is discrimination! Is this revenge for everything I have said to you lot years back?"

 "Don't get your knickers in a twist, Blaise." Draco crossed his arms, impatience etching across his sharp features. "Potter and the Weasel were about to get up from their lazy asses."

Ron and Harry snorted together.

Malfoy kept his eyes narrowed at them, but a wash of satisfaction crawled down his spine when a thought occurred to him that he had forgotten about whilst he let the Daft Duo get the best of him. "Just because Hermione's name is on the deeds to this house, it doesn't mean I don't own it as well. I'm legally granted the right to curse anyone who enters my home." His famous smug, handsome leer took over his face while the two-thirds of the Golden Trio stared back in confusion. "That is the right of a wizard when he buys property," Draco added in a whisper.

"You're no fun, mate," Harry grunted as he rose from his comfortable seat.  "We were told this was a small brunch to welcome you into this lovely new home—not to help you unpack without the right to rest."

"Oi, if anyone gets the right to rest it's going to be me!" Blaise added with a deep frown. "I have been up since before the sun arose doing things to my wife that take loads more energy than it takes you two get out of bed on a daily basis!"

 With a mouth open, little chunks of un-chewed candy showing, Ron shook his head. "Actually, Zabini, Pansy likes it when—"

 "Not in front of my cousin, you bloody troll," Draco snapped, pointing a finger at the child who was still smiling widely at all of them.

Ron grinned largely at the blond as he registered the fact that he referred to Teddy as family. (He had about a year to get used to it now, but Ron fancied drinking several shots of Firewhiskey with the blokes and then laughing hysterically at Malfoy's attempts to baby-talk Teddy.) "But just know, Malfoy, that I want some sort of food after I'm done unloading boxes like a foolish Muggle."

"As if the dozen sweets you ate aren't enough, I'll take pity on you, Weasley. After all, I'm sure  with Pansy as your wife you're stuck eating whatever disgusting thing you can conjure up." Draco leered as the redhead wizard frowned, lowering the small bundle in his arms to the blue-haired boy.

This time pretending he didn't hear Malfoy, Ron said, "Here you go, kid," as he made sure Teddy handled what he gave him with great care. "Take care of Vicky. You know how mad Bill got when you left her unattended last time he let us borrow her. He almost had my head because of you."

"Why are you even taking care of Victoire, Ron?" the bespectacled man asked as his godson frowned at the blonde one year-old veela in his hold. "Last time that you and Pansy took care of her she didn't stop crying for ages. Fleur says she's certain that the girl saw something that'll make her loath you once she grows up and never look you in the eye."