a/n: sorry about the last chapter, it really wasn't my best effort, and i apologize sooo much. longer chapter to make up for it?
"Are you sure it's okay to take her home? She doesn't need any more tests or anything? What about observation?" Ginny was worriedly asking any question that came to mind as she helped Remi get back into her clothes.
"Miss, please don't worry. She appeared to have hit her head going into the water, but it was only a slight bump. She probably lost consciousness because of how scared she was. She'll be fine. If anything happens, please don't hesitate to owl me." The Healer was an older man with a head of white hair and a long beard. He smiled at Remi.
"Be good, little girl. No more dock-dwelling." She looked up at him with tired eyes and mouthed 'Okay' before being picked up by Ginny and immediately dozing off.
"Sir? Are you done with the documents?" The Healer walked over to where Draco was sitting with a clipboard on his knee and a quill in his hand. He shook himself, and scribbled his signature elegantly.
"There you are. We're free to leave?" The Healer nodded.
"Go right ahead. And I don't want to see any of you in here again, understand?" Ginny and Draco nodded, slightly embarrassed for being scolded like schoolchildren. They walked to the Apparation point together, and Draco held both Ginny and Remi as they squeezed through the invisible tube and landed on the front steps of Malfoy Manor. Draco unlocked the door, and opened it for Ginny. She walked into the great receiving room, and looked around.
"Where should I put her to sleep?" Draco cocked his head, thinking.
"If you go into my study, and go up the spiral staircase, you will come to my bedroom. The best place to put her would probably be one of the bedrooms in that hall."
"Does it matter which one?"
"There's actually only one. So yes, it truly does matter." Ginny smacked him with her free hand and left him with a small smile on his face.
"I'll be in my study," he shouted after her. He didn't get a response, and walked the path Ginny had just taken. Blaise was already there, with a glass in one hand and a book in the other.
"She's a fox, I'll give you that," Blaise said, nodding toward the staircase. Draco sank into an armchair and nodded.
"Always was. Still is. Almost better, I'll say."
"Good for you. But I need some things to be a bit more clearer. Could you help me?" Draco sighed, grabbed the offered drink and took a rather large swig.
"You know how my parents always wanted me to marry a Pureblood..."
"You know, I'm amazed Daphne let go that quick. You always were the best catch, and I can't understand how she would let that go." Toward the middle of Draco's story, Ginny had come back from tucking the child in and grabbed a rather large glass of Firewhiskey, sipping it every few minutes. Blaise was reclining after expressing his thoughts aloud, twirling his Quidditch ring around his finger.
"We never really liked each other, though loads of people thought we did. But I don't know...it's going to be weird having another woman's child with me all the time." Ginny snorted.
"Tell me about it." Draco smiled uneasily, and Ginny moved closer to him, tucking her legs underneath her body.
"So where did you come up with her name?" Ginny blushed after Blaise's question.
"He told you?" The dark man nodded. "Well...it's really embarrassing."
"Please, go on," Blaise encouraged. She sighed dramatically.
"I was over Hermione's flat, and she, being Muggle-born and all, has a telly. And this American film company called 'Disney' had this film on. It was called Ratatouille. It was about this...rat, named...Remy." Ginny ducked her head as Blaise laughed loudly and Draco stared at her.
"Are you serious? You named our child after a rat?"
"He was so optimistic though! He never gave up!" She explained. The dark wizard kept laughing, doubled over and clutching his drink.
"And where did you get Nikole? Was that his girlfriend?" Draco asked sarcastically. Ginny hit him.
"Hermione picked it out." Draco raised an eyebrow, then shrugged.
"As long as it wasn't an animal." Blaise started laughing again, and Ginny muttered into her glass, emptying it of its contents.
"Remi Nikole. She is officially the death of me," Blaise stated, gasping for breath. Ginny smiled, and giggled a bit.
"I guess it is a bit ridiculous."
"That's okay. She's absolutely perfect," Draco said, turning to kiss Ginny on her head. He inhaled her wonderful scent and pulled her closer, feeling her smile against him.
A few hours and drinks later, everyone was completely comfortable with each other. A bit more than was necessary, actually. Ginny was now fully on Draco's lap, and Blaise had moved his armchair closer, as well as the second bottle of Firewhiskey.
"Do you remember my graduation night?" Ginny asked Draco, giggling. He smirked, and nodded, clutching her hip with one hand.
"Mhmm, you looked so good in that blue bra. The lace just made everything better." She played with his fingers, and turned around to kiss him.
"Oi, you two. You're making me lonely." Ginny turned around, and Blaise patted his lap. She made to get up, but with a growl Draco pulled her down and started snogging her relentlessly. Blaise sighed in the background.
"Bloody hell. Just because you have a kid doesn't mean you need to procreate every three seconds." Draco smirked against Ginny's lips at his best mate's complaints. Then he got an idea, an idea that seemed so brilliant, because it was infused with Firewhiskey.
"Blaise, you don't have to be lonely. Do you like brunettes?" Blaise pursed his lips in thought, then nodded excitedly.
"Especially ones with really big knockers." Ginny snorted. "Like yours," he added with an appreciative eye. She smacked his shoulder.
"Gin?" Draco asked against her neck.
"Hm?"
"Where does Granger usually go on a Saturday night?" Ginny thought for a moment.
"Nowhere. Sometimes she'll drink for a bit...Oh. Oooh."
"Give her a Floo call, love." Draco swatted her bum as she got off him, and stumbled slightly to the fireplace.
"Blaise, what are the names of those lovely teenie-bopper fans that you have?" Draco asked loudly, distracting his friend from the conversation in the fireplace.
"Hermione, come on over. I'm at Draco's," Ginny said happily. Hermione had had a few whiskeys herself, and didn't think too much of it; after all, Ginny had to tell Hermione when she ran into Draco again.
"I'll be right there," Hermione said cheerily, pulling her head out of the fire. Ginny got up and sat back on Draco's lap.
"What was that, pretty lady?"
"Nothing, you handsome hunk of meat," Ginny said breezily, inflating Blaise's drunken ego a bit more. He purred at her, while Draco wrapped his arms possessively around her. Neither of the men looked at the green flames shooting out of the fireplace, but Ginny got up once again to greet her friend.
"I want you to meet someone," Ginny said excitedly.
"Who?" Hermione asked, looking around and missing the dark man in the dark room. Ginny pulled her over.
"Blaise, this is Hermione. Hermione, Blaise." Zabini scanned Hermione up and down.
"Very nice to meet you, Hermione." She blushed, and shook the offered hand and took the offered glass. Blaise moved off the armchair and onto the other couch. "Sit with me, pretty lady?" Hermione nodded and sat down very close to him.
"That was wonderful, love," Draco breathed on Ginny's neck. She giggled, and pressed her lips against his, tasting the strong Firewhiskey on his mouth. He opened his mouth slightly, and she immediately took advantage of the opportunity. Her tongue slipped into his mouth tentatively, for the last time they had been this close they had conceived the little miracle resting upstairs. Fortunately, it was just like old times. They battled each other for dominance, and Draco won, pulling her closer against him and knotting his hands in her hair. They broke apart moments later, panting. Draco rested his forehead against hers.
"I love you, Gin-bug," he whispered. She smiled slowly.
"Je t'aime aussi," she breathed in his ear. Draco groaned.
"I love when you speak French. It's so sexy," he purred, looking deep into her eyes. She smirked.
"Aimes-tu lorsque je parle Français?" Draco closed his eyes and groaned again.
"Yes," he breathed against her neck, making Ginny shiver. His hands roamed her body, feeling the new curves she had gained and loving them more and more by the second. Ginny moved away to get another drink, and took in the sight of Hermione Granger straddling Blaise Zabini.
"You know," Hermione stated, taking a long swig and noting how Blaise followed the sight of the liquid moving down her through with hunger, "I love your dreds. They make you look so...dangerous," she purred, moving closer to him. He smirked slowly, and touched her ringlets softly.
"I happen to love curly brunettes," he stated, pushing against her. Hermione bit her lip lightly, and looked down at him with hooded eyes. She leaned in close to his ear.
"My flat is empty, and I have quite the collection of mood candles..." Blaise stood up, carrying Hermione upside and stepped into the fireplace.
"See you in a couple days, mate!" He calls to Draco before he Flooed to Hermione's place. Draco grinned and shook his head, then finished his drink. He walked over to the drink cabinet, and smacked Ginny's bum quickly before pinning her against the wall.
"It's been too long, love," he whispered into her ear, his breath tickling her and making her shudder. She turned around and pressed her hips against Draco.
"Nah," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck and dusting the hairs there lightly with her fingers. He shivered, and picked her up.
"Bloody tease," he accused, carrying her up the staircase and nudging open his door, kicking it closed as they walked through. She giggled when he threw her down on the bed, and dodged his mouth.
"Hold still, you witch," he muttered. She laughed and finally succumbed, kissing him like she hadn't in two years.
Her laughter and kisses soon turned to groans and gasps, and later moans and screams.
"Je t'aime," she whispered against his bare chest. He smiled.
"Je t'aime aussi," he responded, stroking her fiery hair and wrapping his arms around her, holding her tight as she fell asleep.
"Look how big this bathtub is, Remi," Draco woke up to Ginny cooing to the toddler as she bathed her in the giant claw-foot tub in his master bathroom.
"I'll show you how big it is," Ginny turned around and glared at him, flinging bubbles and making him cringe.
"No!" He cried in mock horror, "I'm going to melt!" Remi laughed loudly, and Ginny finally gave in and joined her in laughter.
"Your daddy is a git," she murmured to Remi as she wrapped the little girl up in a big, white, fluffy towel. Remi giggled, then pointed to Draco.
"Git," she stated, laughing uproariously. Draco glared at Ginny.
"You turned my daughter against me," he said, fake hurt in his voice as he staggered backwards dramatically. She rolled her eyes.
"You'll get over it," she responded, carrying the toddler into the bedroom and pretending to drop her onto the bed. Remi giggled and hugged Ginny tightly, allowing the white towel to fall from her shoulder and display the three scratches the grindylow had left. Ginny frowned, and tried for the millionth time to remove them. The Healer had warned them that the scratches would probably remain, and eventually turn into scars. Ginny had almost hexed him.
"What shall we wear today, sweet pea?" Remi's expression turned serious, and she tapped her chin with her finger. Ginny bit her lip from laughing out loud.
"Gween dwess," Remi proclaimed. Ginny smiled, then frowned as she remembered where they were. It took no time at all to get used to Malfoy Manor.
"Draco?" Ginny called, drying the toddler's hair with a flick of her wand.
"Hmm?" He responded from behind the bathroom door. He came out with a robe on, but not tied. Ginny looked him up and down and smirked.
"Can you watch Remi for five minutes while I run home and grab some of her clothes and mine?" Draco tilted his head, then shook it. "Why not?"
"You turned my daughter against me," he reminded her, repeating his words from moments earlier. She stuck out her tongue, then stepped into the fireplace with a whoosh of green flames. Draco sighed.
"It's just you and me, little girl." Remi grinned.
Ginny hummed to herself as she piled clothes in a few suitcases, then shrunk them down. She was about to step into the fireplace when she remembered Remi's stuffed rat, Edgar.
"Bollocks," she muttered, pulling herself out of the flames forcefully and striding to Remi's bedroom. She grabbed Edgar, and one of Remi's quilts that Gammy had made, and turned to leave when a piece of paper caught her eye. She picked up the piece of parchment; the blood drained from her face as she read the note, and she ran to the fireplace, clutching the note tightly while she spun.
"Gin, I don't know how you manage her. She's so stub--. Gin? What's wrong?" A look at Ginny's pale face made Draco's playful tone fall.
"I--" The note in Ginny's hand fell to the floor in black ashes.
"What was that?" Ginny plastered on a smile.
"Dirt. Stupid flower fell and I was cleaning it up. Some must have stayed on my hand." Draco looked at her suspiciously, but shrugged.
"Whatever you say. Didn't I hear a little girl say she wanted to wear her gween dwess?" Ginny smile slightly at Draco's childish voice.
"I believe you did. And I didn't get nauseous for absolutely nothing." Ginny pulled the four tiny suitcases out of her pocket and enlarged them to their normal sizes. Draco snorted.
"Good thing you didn't bring just a little." Ginny swatted him and dug through the smallest suitcase for the green dress. She pulled it out with a flourish.
"Look what else I brought you," Ginny said quietly, watching Remi's eyes grow wide as she pulled Edgar from behind her back.
"Edga!" Remi gasped. Draco scoffed.
"What in the name of Merlin is that?"
"Da, it's my favwite toy," Remi informed him, holding Edgar tight to her chest. Draco looked to Ginny. She smiled.
"Fred and George gave it to her for her birthday. She hasn't stayed anywhere without him. Except for here," she added.
"Then I guess that means she gets to stay here." Ginny's smile faded.
"Draco, can we talk seriously for a second?" Draco nodded and pulled her over to the love seat. "When can we...is it okay if...should we..."
"You can move in anytime you want," Draco said, interrupting Ginny's babbles. She sighed in relief, and sagged against him.
"Good. How does tomorrow sound to you?" He smiled hugely.
"It sounds perfect," Draco murmured into her hair, hugging her tight.
"How do you think Hermione and Blaise are doing?" She asked cheekily after a moment. Draco snorted.
"I expect that they are doing just fine. No need to check on them or anything..." Ginny bounded off the couch and to the fireplace.
"Oi! Hermione, you lovely bint!"
"Shut up, Ginny!" Ginny came back to Draco.
"She's doing just fine." Draco shook his head, and Ginny doubled over with laughter.
"Didn't see too much of him, I take it?" She shook her head while laughing. Draco couldn't help himself; he just had to laugh. And he did, loud and long, blissfully happy in that moment.
The weeks passed, and Ginny and Remi stayed with Draco, all day, every day. They all ate meals together, they all spent time together in the evening. Ginny and Draco tried to take things slow, but every evening usually ended in them being tangled in the blankets.... and each other.
"Draco?" Ginny asked on one of those evenings, drawing circles on his chest while he lay with his arms behind his head.
"Hmm?" She was silent for a moment.
"Have you talked to... Daphne, recently?" He sighed.
"No, but my lawyer says we might be divorced by next week, but for sure by the time the baby comes." She was quiet again. "Gin, what are you thinking?"
"Well," she started, drawing more abstract shapes on his pale, strong chest, "have you thought of any names for the baby?" This time Draco was quiet. Then he laughed.
"Yeah, I actually have."
"Well?"
"Well, what?" She swatted him lightly.
"What are they?" Draco drew her close.
"Please don't be mad at me or weirded out for thinking of names for my soon-to-be ex-wife and I's baby," he mumbled. She sighed.
"You're an idiot."
"Excuse me?"
"I can't be mad at you. I guess it's just... kinda getting even. I thought of a name for our baby without you, and now you can think of a name for our baby without me." The only sound was Draco and Ginny's even breathing.
"So you really accept it as ours?"
"Just because it's another woman's egg doesn't mean it's not my child. Birth parents don't determine a baby's true parents." Draco smiled and hugged Ginny closer, kissing her temple and her nose.
"I was thinking Harlow for a girl..."