A Christmas Childhood
a/n: named after the poem by Patrick Kavanagh...Nothing to do with the poem, just named after it because everyone decides to let out their inner child.....enjoy!
P.S Big thanks to Harriet (ShockTreatment) of the DG forum for beta-ing this story!
The 6 must haves in my story: 1)A black thong landing on Lucius Malfoy's head (be creative!)... 2)Arthur falling asleep at the table 3)Draco forced to wear a santa hat 4)Draco must say: "Ginny, when I'm sober I hate your family. So, for this day to go smoothly I suggest you give me back that bottle." 5)All the Weasley and Malfoy's under one roof 6)Ginny must say: "Oh, it's only a bit of sauce!"
The man had been sitting on the edge of their bed, watching his beautiful lover dozing for a full ten minutes, before she picked up on the scent that was-"Pancakes!" Ginny announced as if making a new scientific discovery. Raising an eyebrow in typical Malfoy fashion, Draco said slowly, "Yes Gin, pancakes," he nodded mockingly, as held her breakfast-in-bed on an ornate sterling silver tray.
"Oh shut it," she punched him playfully in the arm, taking the tray from him and placing it aside. She added, "Now hurry your arse under here and wish your sexy girlfriend a merry Christmas-you're letting in a draft."
Draco gave a big cheesy grin -Ginny didn't have to ask twice as he hopped in beside her under the silk covers.
Grumbling as he struggled with his tie in the mirror, Draco said, "Remind me again why are we going to your parents?"
"Because," Ginny replied walking up to him, "It's way more fun at mine, plus we've been dating for three years, it's about time for both of our families to get over it." Flashing him a cheeky smile, she stood on the tips of her toes and whispered seductively, "Besides, it would make me very happy" as she tugged on the zipper of his pants. Pulling away just as Draco was beginning to enjoy himself, she ruffled up his neatly combed hair and headed back into the bathroom to finish applying her makeup. "And don't make that face," she called from the bathroom, "You look sexier with your hair messed up." Shaking away his frown he turned back to the mirror. Sighing, he decided to do away with the tie altogether.
As they sat impatiently in the drawing room of the manor home to his parents, Draco turned to Ginny. "You don't still have that intimidation issue with this house do you?"
Ginny glared at him, and brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear she answered, "Intimidated? Me? Ha! More like you're intimidated by my parent's house."
"Well who wouldn't? I'm surrounded by red-heads, you lot are temperamental at best." He smirked, teasing his lover was just too much fun.
"Temperamental? Us? Coming from the bloke who has a period when there's a crease in his pants!"
"I do not have a period!"
"Do too!"
"Ginny," he chuckled. "Ginny, Ginny, Ginny, explain to me how I can have a period when I'm male?"
"Glad to see you understand that much." Draco froze and Ginny stifled her giggles as she watched the platinum blonde before her go pink. Turning around ever so slowly, he faced his mother.
"Mrs Malfoy," Ginny stood up politely.
"Miss Weasley," Narcissa Malfoy replied in kind. "Would you care for a refreshment?" she asked directing their attention to the levitating silver platter containing an assortment of beverages.
"No, thank you."
The moment's silence was disrupted by the slight crackling of the nearby fire in the black marble fireplace, but the atmosphere was tense nonetheless. When Lucius Malfoy entered the room it was the signal to get going.
Ginny knew that today was going to be rather awkward, especially as Narcissa would be in such close proximity to her estranged sister, and what had gone down between Bellatrix and her own mother. Let alone the history between her father and Draco's. But she was not about to back down now. Up until recently she and Draco had worked to keep the relationship going a secret and today was there official coming out party, or at least that was how Ginny saw it.
"But mum, it's Malfoy!" Ron whined. "The lot of them!"
"Honestly Ronald! you're just going to have to get over it!"
"But-"
"Yeah Ronny-kins get over it," George teased.
"Grandma!" a little voice shrieked and ran into the open arms of Molly Weasley.
"Fred!" she replied smothering the five year old in an abundance of kisses. "Now tell me, where is my little Roxanne?"
"Nan!" Roxanne came around the other side of her father. "Nan, I'm not little anymore, I'm ten freakin' years old!"
"Rox, stop being a stiff and give your ol' nan a hug," George prodded. As the smell of Christmas dinner reached the girl, Roxanne broke into a broad grin and rushed to her grandmother. She had the appetite of her uncle Ron and the slim line figure of her mother. "Angelina!" Molly greeted.
"Molly." The genuine embrace was broken apart by Ron's impatience.
"Oi, 'aven't you got your chick to pick up?" George said, and cracked a wicked grin once his youngest brother flushed his usual shade of deep red.
"Yeah, um, Lavender, will, um be waiting..." Ron muttered and apparated on the spot.
"Wonder how long they'll last this time.." Roxanne retorted.
"Rox!"
"I'm just saying, all they ever seem to do is get together then split, together, then split..."
"Yes dear we get the message," Molly said exasperated, for she too agreed with her granddaughter, and wished her son would settle down. "Any idea when Charlie and Hermione will be here?"
"Knowing Hermes, she'll have him here any sec,"
"George, must you always call her that?" Angelina asked.
"'Cos, Ange..Just 'cos.."
"Is dad being dad again?" Roxanne asked, folding her arms.
"Something like that," Angelina chuckled.
"Nana!" another young voice squealed,, signalling that Charlie and Hermione had arrived at last.
"Charly!" Molly cried out.
"Where's grandpa?"
"Outside dear,"
"Come on Fred!" she said, dragging her young cousin out the door.
"Oh and Rox dear, Teddy is outside with Vicky, uncle Bill, aunty Fleur and Aunt Andromeda."
"Cool," Roxanne nodded and ran out the door.
"Hullo," Harry announced as he came in the kitchen door accompanied by his wife Cho, who was carrying baby James.
"Harry man, you've come to rescue me!" Charlie joked.
"Ha, yeah, suppose I have,"
"Did you hear? The whole of the Malfoy's are coming!" George exclaimed.
"George just a minute ago you had no issue with it!" Molly chastised whilst taking baby James as Cho hung her coat.
"Yeah but that was before I realised it was more than the slimeball,"
"Which one?" Harry asked, causing them all to laugh.
"Oh George you'll get over it-I did." Hermione said.
"Yeah but still...What Gin sees in him," George shuddered.
"Could be worse, at least it wasn't Snape, I'm sure even the Malfoy's had better hygiene," Charlie joked.
With The Burrow in sight, the Malfoy's made their way unsure, led by an excited Ginny.
"Wait," she stopped in her tracks and hopped in front of Draco. Lucius and Narcissa exchanged bemused looks, and all three Malfoy's raised the infamous eyebrow.
"Yes Gin?" Draco asked, an entertained smile playing on his lips.
"Since it's Christmas..." she begun.
"Oh no. You're not doing that,"
"Oh yes I am." she retorted, "Now stand still, or I'll make you," she threatened, as she took out a Santa hat and placed it firmly on the reluctant blonde's head. "Hmmmm..."
"Hmmm, what? Haven't you done enough to me?" Draco smirked.
"Not quite," taking out her wand se tapped the hat so that it became equipped with flashing lights.
"Merlin, help me," Draco looked up to the skies in dramatic fashion. Ginny couldn't help but laugh as she continued to lead them up to the house.
"Wait," Draco grabbed her arm, "Why is it my parents are Santa hat free?" The young couple turned around to face Draco's parents. And like teenagers, Ginny whispered in his ear, still watching Lucius and Narcissa, "I bet you 20 galleons that'll change by the end of the night."
"Alright," Draco said, now facing her, "You're on," he added, flicking her red nose with a gloved finger.
"Aah, we've to do this properly, shake on it!" she insisted. Draco shrugged, shaking his lover's hand, laughing softly, he loved how she was so much like a child at times, and how she brought the child out in him. It was so refreshing, and eased the tough times..
"Another Christmas, eh Molls?" Arthur hugged his wife.
"Yes," she replied sadly, looking at Fred's portrait behind her husband.
"Teddy!" Victoire whined, "Give it back!"
"Chase me for it!" he teased as he dangled a Christmas present in front of her.
"Mum!" she called out.
Roxanne however just shook her head and went for Teddy herself. Teddy yelped in surprise and ran for it. "Come on Vicky!" Roxanne yelled.
Ron, who had witnessed the whole thing, turned to Lavender who was cuddling up on the couch beside him. "Kids, eh?"
"Yeah, kids," she looked up at him with big bright eyes, batting her eyelashes. Sweet Merlin, not again! Ron gulped uncomfortably, tugging at his collar, he got up to go into the kitchen under the pretence of quenching his thirst.
Shutting the door behind him he exhaled deeply. "She's doing it again,"
"Here," Harry replied sympathetically, handing him a brandy.
"Doing what?" Hermione asked as she came in the backdoor.
"The whole big-eyed-I-want-babies-thing," Harry explained, as he watched Ron down his drink in one and help himself to another.
"Aah. Why don't you just tell her you don't want kids?" Ron looked up at her as if she was mad. "Or not.." Hermione added.
"See it's not the kids that's the problem.."
"It's her?" Harry asked.
"Well yeah...I mean she's nuts..We're nuts." he said flatly, Harry and Hermione burst out laughing. "Well she is!" The additional statement didn't help matters, as Hermione started hiccupping.
"Everything alright in here?" Arthur Weasley asked as he entered the kitchen, virtually undetected.
"Yeah dad, were just fine,"
"Well I think that's about to change," Arthur said, getting two bottles of liquor from the cupboard.
"Why?"
"We've guests," he hinted out the kitchen window. All three of them looked out. Ron gulped, yet again and Harry's eyes bulged and looked at Hermione from the corner of his eye. Hermione remained surprisingly unaffected. "I forgot they were coming," Harry muttered with a clenched fist.
"Easy now Harry, you promised you'd play nice." Arthur chortled. Looks like Ron wasn't the only one planning on getting hammered.
Taking a bottle of Arthur's hands and plastering a grim smile on his face Harry said, "Lets give them a warm welcome, shall we?" as they walked into the sitting room.
"Uh oh," Bill muttered, half amused.
"This will be entertaining," Charlie grinned.
"Mum, dad," Ginny greeted them delightfully.
"Ginny!" Arthur hugged her tightly. Over his shoulder she raised her eyebrows at George who merely shrugged.
"Dear, did you have a good journey?" Molly asked.
"I did." She turned back to the Malfoy's, then back to her family. It only occurred to her then that she was standing alone in the middle. Malfoy's on one side, her family and friends on the other. This was going to be one long night. It didn't help matters as Lucius surveyed the house with disgust and Narcissa watched the younger children warily, as if they were diseased.
"Well, Draco, Lucius, Narcissa, my family, guys, the Malfoys." she said nervously. "Ok, you guys don't need a introduction... but anyway.."
Seeing, Ginny's effort and discomfort, Bill took pity on his only sister, "Merry Christmas," he said, sticking his hand out to Draco. Draco stared at the hand utterly bewildered until Ginny cleared her throat suggestively. Looking up at the scarred man, Draco swallowed back his pride. "Thank you." he answered stiffly shaking his hand. "Merry Christmas," Ginny breathed a sigh of relief along with everyone else. George popped open the champagne, and got them to proceed to dinning room extension, Ginny meanwhile went into the kitchen along with Bill to help their mother with the dinner.
"Thanks for that,"
"No problemo lil sis, couldn't leave you like that, could I?"
"You're damn right you couldn't!" she replied, punching him playfully in the arm. "But seriously though, what am I going to do?"
"Well, you could double up their drinks,"
"Spike their drinks?! Are you nuts?" Ginny exclaimed, "That's something that, well that-"
"Fred would do, I know."
"But-"
"And you know what?"
"What?"
"He wouldn't be standing around, he'd have done it by now."
Ginny grinned devilishly at her eldest brother, and both agreed to drag George into it. Helping herself to a glass of wine, she along with her mother and brother brought the dinner into the dining room..
Halfway through dinner, the "doubling up" as George liked to call it, was starting to take effect, as he placed a charm on almost everyone's glasses. Ginny thought she was seeing things when she swore she could've seen Narcissa almost smile at something Fleur was going on about. Although she is Veela.... "Another round?" George suggested, to which they all agreed. At some point, Bill had conveyed the plan to Harry and Ron who were seated between the two main culprits. "I bet Cho is regretting her drinking vow." Ron laughed.
"Drinking vow?" Ginny asked.
"Well Hermione isn't drinking as you know, being pregnant and all, same goes for Fleur. So Cho, being, Cho decided she couldn't leave her with Fleur sober for the night, so decided to provide some less irritating company." Harry sniggered, downing his beer. Ginny watched as he finished his drink at an alarming rate. Then turned to look at Draco. By the looks of things it seemed as if both men had silently agreed that the only way the night was not to turn chaotic was if both stayed away from each other and got absolutely drunk. Ginny could see the way Draco was glaring at the close proximately Harry was to her. She was going to have to change that. Once dinner had ended, the novelty games commenced and Ginny took Draco up the stairs away from everyone.
"This was my old room," she said happily, feeling his arms snake around her waist. "And where we'll be staying tonight.. Hopefully."
"Cute," he breathed in her ear, nibbling on her earlobe. Clearly, he had misinterpreted Ginny's reason for bringing him up there.
Draco cast his eyes to the mistletoe above their heads in the doorway, and clumsily pulled her towards him. "Mistletoe?" she asked.
"So what I'm a traditionalist?"
"Good job your not one of those no sex before marriage ones.."
"Why you sayin' you wouldn't marry me?"
Ginny noticed the slur in his voice, and wondered how much he had to drink, "I'm just saying you wouldn't have lasted this long without it," she teased.
Draco pinned her up against the door, "You daring me to a vow of celibacy? 'Cos you know you wouldn't last either."
"What makes you so sure?"
He carelessly bent down and whispered in her ear, "I've the scars on my back to prove it."
Dang. Draco had her there and she knew it. He could probably take her there and then, in fact there really was nothing stopping-
"I don't believe this!" an angry voice carried up the stairs. Ginny gently pushed Draco off her, however noticing the bottle he had charmed to fit in his trouser pocket. Ginny raised an eyebrow, was about to object when- "Hey Gin! You gotta see this!" George called up to her.
Shaking her head blissfully, she met her brother down stairs, with Draco stumbling down after her...
"You called?"
"Come see this," he whispered, "I swear, I'm so proud of him!" George brought Ginny over to where their father was passed out, over the dining table...He's proud of this? Ginny thought as she stared at him. George rolled his eyes, and pointed to his back.
Typical. Draco burst out laughing as he looked over her shoulder, so did George. Ginny felt like laughing herself as she looked at the image of a penis that had been squirted on the back of her father's jumper, in what looked like brown sauce.
"Zis is ruined! Ze jumper I got for 'im eez ruined!" Fleur began to wail.
Ginny rolled her eyes and folded her arms in typical Weasley fashion. "Oh it's only a bit of sauce!"
"Only a bit of zauze? Mon cherie! Zis is very special made by ze veela! Zis is runined!"
Ginny looked around for Bill, if there was anyone who sorted out Fleur's hormonal rampages, it was him. After locking eyes on him, she nodded in Fleur's direction. Bill got the hint and made his way over to calm his wife. George went over to pick up the person responsible, Teddy, and danced around the sitting room with him.
"His mother's son most certainly!" Andromeda proudly announced, as she watched them dance about. Molly laughed and agreed with her and was certain she saw Narcissa's eyes glisten and the corners of her mouth lift.
"Oi you, come with me now," she ordered to Draco, who let her drag him away contently.
Shutting the door of the scullery behind them she grabbed the whiskey of him.
Draco gave her a crooked grin and said, "Ginny, when I'm sober I hate your family. So, for this day to go smoothly I suggest you give me back that bottle."
It wasn't the truth of the statement that shook, more like the way he was so honest about it. Perhaps drunk Draco wasn't so bad after all....Who was she kidding? He was still irrestible either way. But as always she was never going to actually tell him that. "Well?" he asked, walking towards her, smelling of his signature aftershave and whiskey. Looking up at him, she knew she was being seduced, biting on her lip ever so slightly as Draco bent down to kiss her...
"Uncle D!" Charlotte ran into them.
"Uncle D?" Draco mouthed to Ginny with a horrified expression on his face.
"Yes Charly?" Ginny asked.
"Uncle D, uncle D!" she repeated, tugging on his jumper.
"Er, yes?" Draco answered reluctantly, he had a feeling he was not going to like what the little girl was going ask next.
"Mama and Papa were talking, uncle Harry told me to ask you what they mean."
"What were they, er, saying?"
"What's oral?" Charlotte asked. Ginny suddenly burst into a fit of hysterics, whilst patting Draco on the back, who started choking on thin air.
"BOO!" Fred ran in.
Charlotte shrieked, "FREDDY! NO FAIR!" and ran out the door after him.
"What's oral?" Draco asked himself, as he landed himself on the floor, "Now you definitely cannot deny me that drink."
"Guess not," Ginny snorted, and crashed down beside him....
"Somehow Christmas doesn't feel right without exposing someone to ridicule," George aloud, staring at the fire.
"Well take your pick," Charlie said, as he sat down beside him. Both George and Charlie looked around them, Narcissa and Lucius were enjoying Fleur's rapid French, Cho was keeping Hermione sane, Bill was entertaining the kids, well, all but one, Molly was talking with Andromeda on the couch, Draco and Ginny were nowhere around, Ron and Harry likewise. "Look," Charlie hinted to Percy taking Audrey up the stairs. "C'mon," he said.
They sneaked their way up to the last set of stairs before the top landing, where the victim stood.
"Hey dad, whatcha doin'?" Roxanne asked, appearing behind them.
"Sssssh!" George hushed her, seating Roxanne beside him.
"Watch and learn little lady." Charlie hinted to Percy and Audrey.
"Ooo, can I?" she asked.
"Depends." George looked at her. "What have you got?"
Roxanne, eager to prove herself, emptied her pockets to reveal a slingshot and a bag of marbles. George nodded in approval. "Alright, but you've got to wait for the opportune moment." he instructed.
"Opportune moment," Roxanne repeated. "Got it." and turned back to watch her uncle and his wife.
"I couldn't give this to you in front of the kids, but I'm thinking we could use this later," he said. Audrey giggled as Percy opened the box to reveal a silk black thong laced with diamonds.
As George and Charlie mimicked vomiting, Roxanne saw this as her chance and fired the marble. It hit her uncle hard in the buttocks, and best of all it saw to him yelping like a woman, sending the black thong flying. George, watched it fall as if in slow motion, and out of the corner of his eye he saw the unmistakeable white blond head of Lucius Malfoy strutting about on the ground floor. "George, quick!" Charlie whispered. With quick thinking and an even quicker hand, George sent Audrey's black thong down the stairs, promptly landing on none other than the strutting Slytherin's head...........
At first he didn't notice, but how could he not? The sniggers started softly, but the moment Draco saw his father, well that gave the game away.
"What are you-" Lucius began. "God lord! What the hell is on my head."
"Lucius, it's a thong," Narcissa said as she watched Ginny (now a victim of a fercious giggling fit) walk up to remove the item of clothing off his head.
George, Charlie and Roxanne came down the stairs, seemingly unaware of what just happened. "Aunty Gin, why you giving Mr. Malfoy your underwear?" she asked innocently. Ginny narrowed her eyes as George snorted.
"Oh no!" Fleur announced.
"Aunty Fleur peed herself!" Freddy laughed.
"She what?"
"Holy cow!"
"Her water's broke!"
Everyone began rushing around like headless chickens. Freddy, Teddy, Charlotte, Victoire and Roxanne got great amusement as they watched the adults panic. Then suddenly everyone froze on the spot. No one could move. Molly Weasley got up from her seat with an intimidating air about her, that not even Lucius would mess with. "CALM DOWN!" she ordered. "Fleur's water's have broken, we need to proceed with caution so as not to get her alarmed! Now Ginny go get towels. Narcissa, bowl of warm water. Everyone else clear the room, except Bill!"
"Molly," Andromeda began.
"The charm is still in effect, isn't it?"
"Yes,"
Once Molly lifted the charm everyone followed her orders, with a red faced Percy leading everyone into dining room.
"That includes you, you know," Ginny told him as she got the towels out of the cupboard.
"But I've never witnessed a birth before," Draco joked, and surprised that Ginny knew it was he that was standing behind her.
" I guess you're going to have to wait then."
"Until what, you're having my children?" Draco grinned. His voice was light, carefree, but he could picture Ginny having his children.
"What makes you think I'd ever give this body up for something that just cries, poops, eats, and poops more?"
"We'll see,"
"We will indeed," she said, walking into the living room, to attend her sister in law.
Draco shook his head, beaming, as he woke Arthur up and helped him into the dining room. "What?" he asked everyone as they stared at him.
"Oh nothing..." George smirked whistling a cheerful tune..
Andromeda patted Fleur's head with the warm wet flannel, Bill was holding her hand, Molly was at the end, looking between her legs for any sign of the baby. Once she was dilated enough, Molly instructed her to push. Ginny was well and truly out of her element. She hadn't a clue what to do, standing there helplessly with a pile of tea towels in her arms. Narcissa stood up, and actually smiled. Taking the tea towels from Ginny she placed them beside Molly. "You're doing great Fleur, just keep pushing."
"GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" Fleur screamed, never had Fleur ever mad such a noise. "He must be a boy, zis is too much pain for a-"
"I can see the head!" Molly announced.
"C'mon baby, the hard parts over, one final push," Bill comforted.
The dining room was silent. Everyone's ears straining for the-"She did it!" Molly announced as the cries of a newborn filled the house. Everyone cheered, hugged and toasted to Fleur.
"What's the crying aunty Cho?" Victoire asked.
"That is your new-"
"A boy!" Bill burst through the door, "It's a boy!"
Everyone led out a mighty cheer. Arthur, in his drunken state, hugged Draco, and even shook Lucius' hand. George too, embraced Draco as they all made their way into the living room....
Many hours later.
Ginny lay in her small bed, curled up to Draco. "Your mum was great. I just froze, I didn't know what to do.."
"Yeah, my mum always wanted loads of kids... but she couldn't have any. She used to say it was a miracle I was born."
"Ah, so that explains why she was watching the younger ones."
"It's hard for her sometimes, I know what you guys must think. But it's my dad who's the meaner one," he laughed in Ginny's hair.
"Yeah..." Ginny sighed happily.
"What did they name the child?"
"Louis."
"Louis. I like that name. Here's to Louis!"
"Draco!" Ginny him him playfully as he brought out yet another beverage.
"Yes?"
"How much have you had to drink?"
"Oh." he chuckled. "That. Well gorgeous, enough for two people to have a damn good time,"
Ginny squealed as he climbed on top of her, covering her in kisses, giving her one final present for their truly crazy, family Christmas.