~*~Chapter Four ~*~

Tea Parties and Magic

Draco awoke the next morning to Rose scrambling out of bed with a string of curse words; she got tangled in the sheets however and fell gracelessly out of bed and onto the floor. Draco rolled over so he could lean over the side of the bed to look down at her. She was losing the battle with the sheets. "Rose" he said calmly smiling; she didn't pay attention. "Rose" he said a little louder. She paused enough to look up at him "Yes?" she asked innocently. "What are you doing?" he asked propping himself up on his elbows to see her better. "I'm going to be late for school" She huffed still vainly trying to unwrap the sheets from around her legs. Draco looked at the clock; he still had several hours before he had to be to work. "Want me to give you a lift? It's a dangerous town out there for someone who can't even get out of bed and I hear colleges can be pretty sketchy" He teased. "Only if you're going to pick me up after school at 4 and save me from the walk home" Rose countered sticking her tongue out childishly at Draco. Draco blinked. In front of him was a muggle woman, wrapped partially in sheets with disheveled curly hair and sparking eyes sticking out her tongue at him and acting like a three year old. He was more hung up on the fact that a woman had just stuck her tongue out at him. He did something then his ancestors would have rolled over in their graves if they had seen him do, he stuck his tongue out back at her. She in turn slugged him with a pillow sending him reeling back. It was war.

One furious scuffle later Rose was really late and was attempting to get dressed; Draco, on the other hand, was doing his best to not let her get dressed. He was distracting her with everything from questions to nibbling on her neck and leading her back to the bed to make out. Rose finally was able to get loose from his roaming hands and lips to slip into a pair of jeans and a tank-top. Laughing as he chased her down the hall she grabbed her backpack and slipped into her flip-flops. Defeated, Draco flopped gracefully onto her couch. "Real men don't pout" Rose sang at him fixing her hair into a ponytail in the mirror next to the door. Draco stuck out his bottom lip and pouted and Rose laughed. Walking over to the kitchen she rummaged around grabbing a few things. "I'll be home around four if you'd like to see me I have off tonight. Feel free to stay as long as you like; my home is your home. Lock up before you leave though." She said handing him a plate with a cinnamon roll and a cup of coffee. "I'll see what I can do" he promised with a smile. Rose leaned down and kissed him before straightening up and leaving. Draco watched from the window as she pulled out of her parking spot in her green jetta and sped away.

Munching on his breakfast Draco wandered to the kitchen and spied her date book lying open on the marble breakfast nook next to the bananas. Absently he flipped through it wondering what Rose did with her spare time. Wednesdays and Thursdays she had off and every Wednesday she volunteered at the local muggle hospital. She had an exercise class on Tuesday mornings and she worked the rest of the days and every other week she volunteered at what Draco supposed was a shelter for animals judging by its name;"Fluffy's Second Home for Animals." Sunday morning she had breakfast with her mother and in the evening she went to her fathers for dinner. Occasionally an entry such as "knitting club" or "babysitting" would pop up but mainly it was all very uniform. He envied her set schedule slightly, her life seemed to be in order and she was very much in control of everything.

After finishing up breakfast and putting his mug in the sink Draco wandered around Rose's apartment fully taking in the apartment for the first time.

Her theme was black and white mainly; her chairs were of the finest doeskin leather and all the floors were hardwood ebony. Her kitchen had black marble counter tops and white cupboards. Even her dishes were black and white Draco noticed. Her flat had six rooms, four if you considered the living room and kitchen connected. She had her bedroom and the bathroom as well as a small study she had turned into an art studio with a beautiful view over the city from a large bay window. The last room was larger than her art room and Draco was surprised when he opened the door. There was a fireplace in one corner but the rest of the walls (and part of the floor) were covered in books. Large ebony bookcases towered to the ceiling and Draco had a hard time imagining how many books there actually were. Hermione Granger would have been in heaven. He found each book case was organized neatly by alphabetical order in sections. He wondered at the time she spent collecting, taking care of and even restoring the books.

Finally he left the library and went to his own home to change and go to work. Once there he didn't mind working very much and everything was going according to his everyday routine until Ginny showed up in a foul mood. He looked up surprised as she entered his office with a loud click of heels. She stood in a cream box neck dress and dark blue heels. Dark blue gloves covered her long hands and she carried a cream wide brimmed hat with a navy blue bow. "Well" She demanded obviously impatient and unhappy. He got up to move around the desk and kiss her cheek 'hello.' "Well what darling?" He asked cautiously. She rolled her eyes and huffed "Tea with your mother of course, it is Tuesday after all isn't it? Not like you'd let me forget a meeting with your oh so lovely mother." Draco mentally banged his head against a wall. Tea with his mother. Of course. He had totally forgotten in the rush of paperwork and his distracted mind. Normally he would have several glasses of fire whiskey to loosen him up before entering his mother's house with his fiery fiancée, it made dealing with their bickering and their snide comments much more bearable but it seemed he would have to forgo that pleasure today. "Yes darling of course, I was just finishing this paper and then I was going to floo you" he said smoothly taking her arm and leading her to the fireplace. From the stiff way she held his arm he could tell she was still upset. "I'm sorry I've been so absorbed at work lately" he said to her seriously as they reached the fireplace, stopping her to look into her pale face. She looked up into the light grey eyes of Draco and sighed, there was no way to stay angry at him, she knew he meant what he said and she knew he loved her. He was marrying her right? She smiled up at him and kisses his lips; a chaste, soft, happy kiss. "All is forgiven darling; now let's go see your mum and get this over with" She said smiling he nodded and flooed them to his mother's country cottage.

Perhaps cottage was used lightly in this case. Some of the outbuildings looked like cottages but in reality it was a sprawling mansion a little smaller than the actual Malfoy Manor. Ginny hated that his mother insisted on calling it a cottage. They exited the study where they had arrived and went out the open French doors to meet Mrs. Malfoy on the sun deck.

Narcissus Malfoy stood looking absently at a climbing rose blush, gently touching one of the pink petals. Her brow was creased as if she was thinking hard but when she turned to her only son and her future daughter in-law her face was smooth and smiling. "Draco! Sweetheart!" She greeted holding her arms out to him for a hug. "Hello mother" he said, his voice slightly muffled by her shoulder as he was dragged into a hug. She held him back at arm's length and examined him. He was tall and his pointed nose, chiseled jaw and fine silvery hair reminded her so very much of her Lucius. After looking him over and determining he was healthy and well she turned and politely, if not stiffly, offered her hand to Ginny. "Geneva" She greeted coolly. "Mrs. Malfoy" Ginny back tersely her eyes flaming as she took the older woman's hand.

They all sat down at the small round table on the deck and a house elf began pouring the tea while another began to place plates of cookies and pies on the table. Narcissus Malfoy was beautiful by anyone's standard, her long flowing blonde hair and slim figure added to her regal height and the manner in which she carried herself led her to be a very imposing woman. Next to her any other woman would pale in comparison in educate and grace and Ginny was very aware of the fact that next to Narcissus she looked seemed like an overgrown weed.

Polite conversation followed, mainly between Draco and his mother as Narcissus liked to pretend that Ginny didn't exist unless Draco forced her to acknowledge her. While his mother was polite and outwardly very charming Draco knew his mother despised his engagement to her. At first he had believed it was because of Ginny's family and their situation in life, however; when he brought that opinion to Narcissus during one of their talks she had snorted into her tea. A tea-snorting Narcissus was unheard of and Draco had been rather worried but Narcissus had calmly placed her teacup down and wiped her mouth on the napkin. Looking at him seriously she explained that it was not Ginny's heritage (as she was after all a pureblood) or her family (as Narcissus was willing to let bygones be bygones) but Ginny's manner that offended Narcissus. Narcissus did not like Ginny's personality (which she compared to that of a mentally challenged Doxy) or her ability to be civil (as she had a way of slipping in snide comments whenever she could even in front of the Malfoy Matriarch) She disliked Ginny's lack of respect the most however and did not tolerate it very well.

"Your father sent a letter the other day" Mrs. Malfoy was saying pleasantly. "What did father have to say?" Draco asked his voice calm but his eyes showed his concern as he met his mother's eyes. "He's doing well, he's not complaining about his situation but I can tell it's draining him. He sends his best wishes to you and wanted me to tell you he will be sending a letter to you within the week or so." Draco nodded, "how is his health?" he asked. Narcissus sighed "He insists he's well but from the condition of where he's staying I really don't know." Ginny put her glass forcefully down on the table; she couldn't stand this talk. "He's in Askaban not some vacation in Africa" she snapped. Mrs. Malfoy stiffened and her eyes went from her normal grey-blue to pieces of steel. Slowly she turned her head to face Ginny, "Thank you Ms. Weasley I am well aware of where my husband is." Her voice was deadly calm which should have been enough warning for Ginny but her tongue often worked faster than her mind. "Well I think you need to remember why he is there, Narcissus." She said coldly taking another cake from a tray.

Draco's mouth nearly fell open at Ginny's outburst; no one dared to speak to his mother that way. Narcissus was a patient woman and had excellent control of her temper, but bring up her husband or disrespect her family and by the end of it you'd have rather gone and played with Hagrid's blast-ended Skrewts naked. Narcissus sat still for a moment as Ginny munched on her cake then she slowly rose from the table and motioned for the house elves to clear away the tea things. Ginny looked up at Draco a smug expression on her face which faltered when she saw his shocked expression, briefly she considered that she may have crossed a line but instead she raised an eyebrow at him daring him to correct her. Narcissus regally walked away from the table without so much as a goodbye and walked towards her garden. Draco sent a scowl Ginny's way which said clearly "we'll talk later" and hurried after his mother catching up to her after she had entered the covered walkway.

Ginny watched Narcissus leave the table and Draco hurry after his mother, as always. She sighed and put down the leftovers of her cake. Perhaps she had gone too far with the jabs about Luscious but really what had they expected? The Malfoy's and the rest of the death eaters were responsible for the death of Dumbledor, the death of so many others and the torture of her friends. Did they expect her to openly welcome conversations about the man who had once slipped her You-Know-Who's diary? Who was responsible for creating the problems Harry had which had driven them apart? Though Draco rarely talked about his father she knew he must have been terrible to live with and she hated that Draco defended him so easily. She sat back in her chair angrily, no matter what Draco said she would not back down on this. She was right and she knew it and nothing he said would change her mind.

"She is no longer welcome in my home Draco" Narcissus said coldly as she stopped to admire a hanging rose well hidden by hedges from her son's terrible fiancée. "Mother… she didn't mean what she said" Draco said softly but his words sounded empty and without conviction to even his own ears. They both knew Ginny meant every word she said and had no intention of taking anything back. "Draco" Narcissus sighed as she turned to him "I have tolerated that woman because I truly hoped she would make you happy. Yet any person who cares so little for the family of the person she intends to marry does not really love her intended. Before your father and I were married I had to put up with his family, and him with mine, we didn't always see eye to eye. He hated my sisters and my aunt and sisters hated him back. For my part, I hated his father and his grandfather and mother were not fond of me. We, however, tolerated each other and were pleasant and kind to one other. We understood family doesn't always get along but family is the most important thing we have in life. Your future bride is rude and arrogant, how can you accept her when she holds such contempt for our ways and our family?" Narcissus was pleading with him and Draco could understand her point. Malfoy's are a very loyal family to one another; the age old saying 'blood is thicker than water' is pretty much the Malfoy's unspoken family motto and Draco ws no exception to abiding by this. "I'm sorry mother" he said hanging his head, deeply ashamed of Ginny's disrespect to the family and to his mother. Narcissus tilted his chin up her eyes softening "She will never truly be a Malfoy if you marry her Draco. She does not care for the family or traditions you must see that. If not you must at least see her contempt for me and your father." Draco took his mother's words in and realized there was no way to deny his mother's honesty. "I miss your father very very much, as I'm sure you do as well. Ginny will never understand what our family is or why we have made the choices we have made. Please take my words into consideration" she said softly. Draco could only hug her and promise he would take some time to think about it, but he knew her words rang true.

Narcissus refused to go back and wish farewell to Ginny so she and Draco said farewell in the garden and then Draco went back to the house. Ginny was waiting in the study next to the fireplace, when she saw Draco she smiled and stood up but Draco marched paste her grabbing her arm and dragged her into the fireplace ordering the address of her flat.

"What is your problem?" Ginny snapped yanking her arm out of Draco's rough grasp and stepping into her living room. "My problem? My problem?!" Draco asked seething. "Yes, what is your problem?" Ginny asked again tossing her hat gloves and purse on an overstuffed purple armchair and rounding on him. "My problem is you insulted my mother and my family to not only my mother but to me as well. Do you have any idea the strain my mother and I are under with my father locked away? Do you have any idea what she goes through every day?" Draco knew he was shouting but he didn't care, his cold fury was boiling and he didn't want to quell it this time. "Your family tried to kill me and all my friends might I remind you of that. Your father nearly killed me, your mother helped in the attack on Hogwarts and you let all the Deatheaters into our castle in the first place!" snapped Ginny poking Draco in the chest. Draco looked at her his eyes losing their fire and their passion to be replaced with a look of pure loathing. Ginny took a startled step backwards covering her mouth as she realized what she had said and. He stiffened and his eyes changed from light grey to dark slits of coal. "Draco- I'm so sorry I-" Ginny started but didn't get to finish because Draco apperated away.

Draco looked at the clock in the manor, it was four thirty, Rose should be back at her flat and in all honesty he really didn't want to be around anything or anyone who knew his family or his past. Ginny's words had hit a sensitive nerve with him and had broken and unspoken agreement never to talk about the war or the happenings involving his family. Without thinking he apperated to her flat and arrived just inside her living room. Before Draco had a moment to collect himself Rose rounded the corner and looked up from her armful of papers to meet his eyes. Several things happened all at once; Draco reached out to steady Rose, Rose screamed, papers went everywhere and Rose ended up falling back on her bum in surprise.

Rose sat on her floor in shock; she was sure she had locked the door behind her when she had come home earlier, so what was Draco doing inside her flat? "The door wasn't closed all the way, I knocked and it just kind of opened so I let myself in" Draco said easily noticing the confusion and suspicion in Rose's eyes as she looked up at him. He was praying she bought his lie; it was stupid and careless of him to apperate into a muggle home without even trying to cover it up. He could have apperated down the street, in front of her flat's door anywhere but her living room! She took the hand he offered her to help her up and got back on her feet. Brushing herself off she smiled at Draco trustingly "I'm an air brain, I totally forget things like that all the time" she said starting to pick up papers. "Sorry I startled you" Draco said quietly helping her pick up the scattered papers. "Oh it's okay, I'm just glad to see you again, how was your day?" Rose asked taking the papers from Draco and putting them on an end table. "It was fine" Draco lied again smoothly. Rose looked at him carefully then ordered "Couch now." She pushed Draco along and sat him down on the couch. "Wait here" she said to the confused Draco and marched off to the kitchen.

Several seconds later they both had steaming mugs of tea with lemon and honey. "Talk to me, what happened today to upset you so much?" She asked getting comfortable on the opposite side of the couch. Draco looked up surprised and considered her for a moment before looking back at his tea. She was a muggle, no one knew her. It would be safe to talk to her. "Would you like to hear about my family?" he asked quietly. She reached out and took his free hand with a small smile and Draco began to tell her.