Each member of the foursome was excited for the arrival of the little Malfoy baby, and it all but showed as I was starting to show as the weeks progressed. We tossed the 'nasty excuse for tea' as Draco called it, after a month at the Manor with no signs of queasiness on my part.
"The baby knows where his or her home is," was Draco's constant reasoning for my non-sickness while at the Manor. Anyplace else it was a crap shoot if I would be sick or not.
Work went well, with Harry hovering over me as much as possible. There were days where I threatened to go to the Minister if he didn't remove himself from my office. I tried using Ginny as an out, only to have both of them plant themselves in my office on those days. People would look at me with a confused look, wondering why the boy-who-lived seemed to be living in my office. I just took it in stride. The last child Harry was godparent to, ended up being an orphan and is now living with them full time. I doubt that he wants that same outcome for this child.
"'Mione, you know you will have to change your style of formal dresses soon," Ginny pesters me one warm September afternoon on my lunch break outside my office for a change. "Those form fitting numbers that a certain suitor likes are going to start getting a little tighter very soon."
"We could always put her in something along the lines of an A line," Pansy chimed in. "And for Draco's Christmas party, there'll be no hiding it so we can go back to a form fitting, albeit stretchy, number."
"Why do I even allow either of you to join me? And together, you probably have my wardrobe already chosen for the next few months," I lament.
"You need a whole new wardrobe in less than a few months, more like a matter of weeks. We need to start looking now," Ginny chimed, all too happily. She is always one to find any excuse to shop.
"Do you know the theme of Draco's Christmas Party this year? That way we can get a jump start on that dress at least," Pansy quipped, making me think that she is asking more for herself than me. "You need to look perfect since you will be the hostess, officially or unofficially."
"Dickens Christmas, color scheme is not surprisingly - silver and green," I bemoan. It may be early September, but Draco is in full Christmas mode. "He says if anyone complains, that they need to take it up with me because he got the idea from my birthday present."
"I love it!" exclaimed Ginny. "It is so you both. I am just grateful that it won't be some ridiculous 'ugly sweater' party or something."
"Draco? In an ugly sweater?" Pansy was laughing at the idea. "That would be a sight to see. Oh maybe that should be the theme for Blaise's party. You know you and Potter will be invited, red. Now that you are in our little group. I hope you don't mind us Slytherins too much."
I groan because I realize I also will be attending these other Slytherin Christmas parties. But Ginny, she starts giggling. And giggling more. Until she is laughing so hard I don't know how she's breathing. "Ginny? Do I need to call Harry?"
She shakes her head, "No," she gasps. "I am just picturing Blaise, Draco, and you Pansy at the Weasley Christmas party. Since we're hosting this year."
The look on Pansy's face was priceless. She turned an unhealthy shade of green, probably thinking of all the red and gold that would be engulfing her around the Gryffindor themed Weasley holiday party.
Oh crap, it was supposed to be Ron and me hosting this year, but that fell on it's arse. "Thanks Gin for picking it up. I totally forgot."
"Don't mention it. Ron was very happy to get out of it this year. He said it was your thing, not his and since his girlfriend is 'predisposed' at the time," complete with air quotes, "he thought it best that we 'swap' years." Honestly I doubt that Ron will host next year either. Or ever. Parties, even family parties, were never his thing. Attending and eating, that was his thing and practically all he did during them.
"Ginevra, I think I speak for both of us when I say, please tell us more about this girlfriend of your brother's." I debate on hiding someplace that has good cover because Pansy called Ginny by her proper name, or hanging out to hear the story. The latter won out and I wonder if Pansy has some sort of a special dispensation to call Ginny, Ginevra.
What Ginny told us about Ronald's girlfriend was quite shocking though. She is originally from the United States, Georgia to be specific. She traces her heritage to a Creek Indian medicine woman, who she believes was the original witch in the family. Ginny claims that most the family laughs at her accent and strange words like 'ya'll' and whatever 'sweet tea' is. She has long dark hair and a dark ruddy complexion. Her eyes are piercing violet, which was what caught Ronald's attention to begin with. She left the States when she found out she was pregnant after a terrible break up with her long time boyfriend who wasn't interested in settling down nor having a family. She had packed her things in the middle of the night and came to England because of the large and close knit wizarding community. She had worked in Muggle relations within their version of the Ministry, so her skills landed her a job in the Ministry with ease. She was bright, witty, and as much as the Weasleys wanted to hate her, it was difficult.
I cannot deny the similarities between our stories.
Ronald had met her in a coffee shop one day and they stumbled upon each other the next day at the Ministry. They hit it off and Ronald was determined that he would change for her and the baby who he planned on adopting and raising. That was after he tried to get me back supposedly. Come to find out, it was under his brothers' duress. He didn't want to take me back, but they all wanted him to at least try.
Pansy looked between Ginny and I, "Anyone see anything similar? Just a wee bit? Damn so Ronald does to Hermione what the ex boyfriend did his girlfriend. Yet Ronald gets pissy when Draco does what he is doing? The guy is mental. It's a good thing that you're rid of him Hermione."
"That's how we'll break it. Thank you Pansy!" Ginny exclaims. "I've been worried about how we would explain everything to my family if the baby well looks Weasley-ish. That is what we will do. Draco is just doing what Ron is doing for his girlfriend. And it's the truth. Much better than the affair that the two of them are supposed to have had."
"But honestly, red, do you see Draco not having an affair with Hermione at some point?" Pansy points out. "The way he would look at her at every party, searched her out, make sure she was taken care of. He cares about her and has for years. It would just take some little slip up by your brother and he would be claiming her for his own."
The next day they managed to do it. They drug me shopping with them. Pansy Parkinson, Ginny Weasley, and I went shopping together. For maternity clothes. The Prophet was having a field day asking every sort of question possible.
What made it worse, Draco insisted on buying everything. From nightgowns to work slacks to even a few evening gowns - and Pansy won that debate with the A line dresses - everything was on his dime.
He had left us to do the shopping, and unbeknownst to me he went back and bought out Flourish and Blotts children's section. Then he went to the nearby quidditch store and was talking, excitedly, to the store clerks on the proper 'beginners broom' and what age should he be encouraging the baby to take up flying (come to find out it is about 3 months after the child can walk comfortably without falling). His final two stops included George's shop and the ice cream store, the latter under the predisposition of preparing for future cravings.
"Ms Granger, who is the father of the child?" and "How far along are you?" were the two most requested questions of the day. I wanted to lock myself away and honestly I wished to do my shopping online from a computer, like a majority of Muggles do now.
Draco returns, arms full of books, toys, and ice cream, "Are you ladies about done? I think my Gringotts vault may feel somewhat lighter after today."
"You offered Draco," Pansy retorted as she looked over something that obviously confused her, but I understood it as a postpartum girdle. "Why?"
"So she gets her figure back quick and so she and Draco can start all over again and again and again," Ginny teased.
I found a corner with a comfortable looking chair and decided to occupy it. It was quiet and away from the reporters and I could just close my eyes...
It was later in the evening when I opened my eyes again. I was laying in a bed that I didn't recognize as my own, but I knew I was in the Manor.
"Draco?" I call out confused. "Draco!"
When there was no answer, I decided to venture downstairs. Once I opened the door, I realized what - or more specifically whose - room I was in. It was Draco's. I saw him putzing around the nursery changing the color scheme to fit his mood, placing some of the volumes of books that he purchased on new shelves, and throwing newly acquired stuffed animals into a pen in the corner of the room.
"I think we should go with a light green and pale yellow theme," I state from the doorway. "It's gender neutral and represents both our houses."
"I didn't know you were awake," his smile is brilliant - perfect pearls for teeth and his eyes dance happily. "I think we overdid you today. Sorry love."
"No, no. I just need to know my limits and between Ginny and Pansy and the Prophet's constant reporters after me... it got too much."
"Once you fell asleep they all went after me, if that makes you feel any better. According to 'sources' we are getting married in this winter, just before the baby comes. There is 'speculation' that it will be conjoined with the annual Malfoy Christmas party." He got a great use of air quotes in that one thought.
"Who on Earth came up with that?"
"If she were still here, my theory would be to say my mother. But I honestly wouldn't put it past Pansy, Daphne, not Astoria though, or any of the other bratty pureblood women as a plausible theory. Though mother coming back from the great beyond wouldn't honestly surprise me either."
In shock I shake my head. Not just about his mother doing something like this, because I don't doubt she would but rather, "Pansy? She knows better."
"Yeah, but I don't think that she wouldn't like to see her little godchild's parents happily married before his or her birth." He wrapped his arms around my waist holding me to his taunt body. "And I wouldn't be against it. I know, it's too soon, but still." He made a pouty, scrunched up little face.
"Draco, we both are getting out of relationships"
"We both were pretty much arrainged! You cannot call what I was in a marriage! Or yours darling."
"But us, we're just"
"Really Granger? We've been two stepping around a relationship for years. You know it. I know it. All the late nights, working on projects together. All the events where we both ended up date-less and spent the night talking and dancing with each other. You really think the Prophet doesn't fully believe we had an affair? It was plastered across the pages of their paper for years. Years Hermione! Answer me this: How long did you really have to think about my offer to move in here?"
"What does that matter?"
"How long? You had much of the night, but I don't think your mind was on the offer."
"It wasn't."
"It felt right for you. It felt right for me. Hell it felt like the best birthday present anyone could have given me when you said yes. Marriage is a big step, one that both of us have faltered on before. Now, Hermione Granger, marry me."
Author's Notes:
Merry Christmas. Sorry for the cruddy updates, but it isn't my highest priority. I am getting more into this story though. Honestly, I never thought I would get this far into it. I was expecting a 5 chapter thing... not the 38 page monster it has become.
Now questions:
Boy or girl?
Will she/should she say yes? And if so Christmas wedding?
How do you feel about Ron now? He isn't all bad, he's trying to do the right thing (for the wrong person).
Now as a small Christmas gift, could I get some love here? I would love some more followers, some votes on this, shares, comments. Just something that says it isn't a load of crap.
Happy New Year or as we say Happy Birthday to my oldest child. The boy that is in my profile. He will be 19 on New Year's Day.