Thanks for the reviews everyone! Keep them coming!!! It really helps us to get motivated and to want to post for you guys! I hope that everyone had a lovely Chanukah, and Christmas is coming up right around the corner! Already over a foot of snow has been dumped on Marina!! And there's more coming tonight folks! So bundle up, get yourself a cup of hot cocoa, and enjoy!

Marina & James

Draco sat at the kitchen table in the apartment looking at a small stack of parchment. They had been arriving two or a three a day since the wedding. He had, at first, thought they were letters from Ginny's family and friends. Surely Molly would have told everyone, she was planning a party for them after all, and they would want to send their congratulations. The problem was, these weren't those kinds of letters. No, these were the worst kind he could imagine them getting...letters from Rabastan. He was trying to strike fear in their hearts, threatening them, making promises of bodily harm and in Ginny's case, a few unpleasant promises of a different nature. Draco was determined not to let the man win by acting frightened and hiding away from the world.

He crumpled up the latest letter and tossed it on the table, running his hands through his hair. "That's the fifteenth one this week." He let out a heavy sigh and leaned back in his chair, "Mindy, tea please." The little elf popped in with a steaming cup in her hands and set it before Draco. He thanked her and started to sip the hot liquid. If they stayed sequestered inside this apartment, Rabastan would know that he had made them afraid. He was Draco bloody Malfoy, he wasn't afraid of anything. Draco stood up and pushed away from the table, then turned toward his and Ginny's bedroom. They needed to do something. He stopped in the doorway and leaned against it, looking at Ginny. "We have to do something love. I just finished reading the fifteenth one, and frankly, it made me a little sick."

Ginny looked up from the book spread out in front of her. The last exam was tomorrow and then she'd be blissfully uninhibited for an entire week. She and Draco had already talked about taking a family vacation...although, with letters pouring in from Rabastan, threatening their lives, it put a damper on any family plans they had made. After all, Mindy may have banished him from this apartment but she couldn't ban him from a place where she wasn't bound to service. The most she could do was fight to the death if any attack came...and neither Draco nor Ginny wanted that, as they had come to see her as a part of their little family. Yuri was snoozing on the bed, his little face buried in Draco's pillow, snuggled against her copy of 'Mediwitch Miracles in the Minoan Mountains by Marla Murphy'.

Standing up off the bed, she carefully set her book aside to follow him out the door. There was no reason to worry Yuri; after all, he'd been blissfully happy the weeks since the wedding. To tell him now how dangerous things were would crush him; and Ginny wouldn't allow that. Sitting down at the table, she silently took a cup of the tea Mindy had prepared; she had been so worried lately that she'd nearly made herself sick! The stress of her finals coming up, Rabastan and fighting with her mother about their wedding party details...it was all taking its toll on her. Finally, she looked up, "I know, love. Something has to be done...but what can we do? If the Aurors can't find him, what can we do? The best we can hope to do is stay hidden and wait it out."

Draco shook his head emphatically. Waiting was a bad idea. "We can't do that love. The longer we wait, the more time he has to plan for when we do make an appearance in public. If we stay inside, hidden away from him, he'll think we're scared...terrified of him, and his plans will get bolder and bolder." Draco reached out, and placed his hands on her hips. "We're Malfoys...we aren't afraid. We need to do something; I'm going crazy sitting here with nothing to do but Floo to Gringotts to oversee our investments. And Yuri is getting suspicious. He hasn't said anything yet, but I know he's curious as to why he can't go outside to play." He had promised her he'd live here with her until she graduated, so he wouldn't say what he really wanted to. If they were at Malfoy manor, one of the other properties, then they'd be safer. Protective wards were on all of them, they covered the grounds so Yuri could go out and play.

Ginny suddenly got a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach. What was he going to do? "Draco, this isn't anyone who's threatening just us; this is Yuri's godfather!" Rabastan Lestrange was almost as well known as his sister in law Bellatrix, and that was saying something...she wasn't the Dark Lord's favorite for nothing. "What are you suggesting we do? Go outside and make ourselves walking targets? It's bad enough that I have to floo to class every morning even though it's a two minute walk but I do it because I know it's not safe." Taking another sip of tea, she sat back, "I just want us to be safe."

Draco scrubbed his face with his hands and let out a frustrated grunt. "I'm not saying we make ourselves targets but can we really live like this until they catch Rabastan? That could be years, maybe our whole lives. He's clever and he won't stop. Hell, he escaped from Ministry confinement before they could send him to Azkaban." Draco picked up his slightly cooled tea cup and took a sip. "What kind of life would we have hiding away in our homes, praying that he'll one day be caught? You know as well as I do that witches and wizards live longer than muggles. Albus Dumbledore was a hundred-fifty when he was killed...and he didn't look to be stopping anytime soon. Can we really stay hidden for then next hundred to hundred and twenty years? What happens when Yuri gets his Hogwarts letter?"

What Draco was saying made sense, she hated to admit it. "No, you're right, we can't go on hiding forever...I suppose I'm just being optimistic. I want him to be caught soon." But what if it took more than a few months? What if it took more than three years? In three years Yuri would be going to Hogwarts or Salem Academy, somewhere he could receive an education. What then? Did they move up to Hogsmeade and keep him closeted in there? Sighing, she shook her head, "So what can we do Draco?"

Draco stood up and started pacing back and forth along the carpet line that separated the living area from the kitchen. He pinched the nose of his brow and then turned to face Ginny. "We go outside. We show him we aren't afraid. We're in the middle of Wizarding London; there are many other wizards and witches out there. They know us, friends of the great Harry Potter, the Man-Who-Won. If Rabastan tries anything, they'll help. You know as well as I that wizards and witches don't lie down and let people hurt them like muggles do. They'll fight and out in the open. We have the advantage...we know the area around here. Rabastan doesn't." Draco reached into his pocket and pulled out a Galleon. "I still have my summoner, if something happens, we can always call Harry and the others."

"Draco, you're telling me that witches and wizards out on the street will be able to help us if Rabastan takes Yuri and goes? They couldn't prevent that and neither can we," She said coolly. "All I'm saying is that if we're going to take a stand, we have to be smart about it. What if we took that family vacation we talked about? I finish my exams tomorrow and then I'm off for a few weeks before I have to go back to class." She stood up, wrapping her arms around him, "We could talk to Harry and the Aurors and see where they'd think a good vacation spot is. Maybe we could go visit Pansy and Goyle or your cousin Tonks...let's just be safe about it, I'm afraid of what might happen."

Draco sat down heavily in his chair and sighed again. "I'm afraid too, Ginny...but we can't let Rabastan know that. If he knows we're afraid, he'll only get worse than he already is. And yes, I think they will help. There is a price on his head. One thousand Galleons to the witch or wizard who helps capture Rabastan Lestrange. That's a lot of money Ginny. They'll help when they realize who it is. Most of them are all money hungry anyway. They'd sell their own mothers to the Dark Lord if the price was right. They are only human after all, corruptible and greedy. There's a price on Rabastan's head…they'll go after it." He was blowing smoke, but he was trying to convince not just Ginny, but himself as well. "We should contact Harry though. If anyone knows how to handle dark witches and wizards it's Harry. Maybe he'll let us borrow one of the Potter properties for our vacation."

Nodding, she sighed, "So it's settled then...we're going to take a vacation." It sounded nice; after all, she'd been working extremely hard in her classes and then came home to study before spending time with her husband and her son. In the end, she had almost no time to herself and found that it was very difficult. But for one year she could manage. By the end of the summer she'd already be halfway to becoming a mediwitch...and that was reason enough to keep on looking forward. Kissing him softly, she took a seat on the arm of the chair, "I love you, Draco, and I know we'll get through this."

Draco held onto to Ginny's waist as she kissed him. He rested his head against her arm as she sat on the arm of his chair, and then leaned back, pulling her into his lap. "We'll get through this, love. We're Malfoys, there's nothing we can't handle. This is just a pebble in the road for us." He put on a brave smile and kissed her again. "I love you Ginny. I will die before I let anything happen to you or to Yuri." He rubbed a hand over her back. "Where do you think Harry is; maybe at the Black house? We should Floo him soon."

Ginny smiled into the tender kiss he gave her, "We'll make it through, I know...I just wish it didn't have to be so hard. It's the not knowing what will happen that's driving me crazy." When he mentioned Harry she smiled, "Actually he's at the Burrow being pampered by my mum until they restore the Potter house." Walking to the floo, she threw a pinch in, "The Burrow!" The sounds of raised voices immediately came through the floo as Fred poked his head through, "Well if it isn't little Madame Malfoy," He said bitterly, "We're in the middle of something Gin-" An arm wrenched Fred's head from the fire and Molly's face appeared, "Oh Ginny I'm so glad you flooed this afternoon! Harry was just telling us that they've been working hard to find that nasty Rabastan Lestrange!'

Draco popped over next to Ginny so he could speak, and listen too. He wanted to punch Fred Weasley in the face for speaking to his wife like that. But he resisted, after all, Ginny had grown up with those brothers her whole life. She knew how to handle them herself. "Hello Molly. Ginny...maybe we should go over there. I think Yuri would like to see his uncles." Draco gave her a smirk; they wouldn't try anything with the little one there. Turning back to Molly he smiled. "We actually needed to talk to Harry. We have a request to ask of him, and it might be best in person."

"Yuri is taking a nap, Draco. I don't want to wake him up right..." She turned to see Yuri happily bounding from the bedroom. "Hullo Grandmum," He said, not waiting for either of them, merely walking right into the floo and joining the Weasleys at the Burrow. Laughing, she just shrugged, "I guess it's settled then!" Within moments they were all standing in the living room, Fred and George squabbling with Charlie about Quidditch, Bill was wrapped around Fleur, whispering in her ear as she blushed. The only person out of the ordinary there happened to be Vincent Crabbe who had apparently dropped by to see Ron that afternoon. Harry was in the thick of it discussing something muggle that Arthur had brought home from work. "Well, it looks as if there's a full house today," She chuckled, leaning against Draco slightly.

Draco smiled and rested an arm over her shoulders. "I still don't know how your mum can enjoy so many people in her house all at once. Having to be the hostess for so many people is overwhelming if you ask me." Yuri quickly bounded over to Molly and jumped, thankfully the witch was still spry enough to catch him and smother him in hugs and kisses. As soon as she set him down Yuri was off again greeting his many uncles, and especially Harry. Molly came over to the pair and smiled warmly at them, "Tea dears? How about some fresh pie? It's apple and it is still warm!" Draco looked over to see Ron and Crabbe eating the pie. With those two going at it they'd be lucky to get even one piece.

"None for me thanks," She said, which earned her a frown from her mother. "Ginny you're far too thin, eat something!" Grabbed a plate and thrust one into her hands and then to Draco's. So much for asking, Ginny thought with a smile. "Thanks mum, it looks delicious." She could feel her mother's eyes on her, watching her like a hawk. And so, like a good daughter, she took a large bite before making her way over to Harry. Giving him a soft smile, she watched him take a large bite of pie, "You too, eh? My mum must be trying to fatten you up something serious." The slice of pie on his place was surely big enough to count as half the pie. Her mum must've made two; for Ron and Crabbe's pieces also looked their like they fit to make a single pie. "Draco and I were wondering if we could ask you about places where we could go on a family trip?"

Draco joined Ginny by Harry and watched the hero for a second. He looked to make sure Yuri was not within earshot, and seeing him play with Fred and George, Draco nodded. "Rabastan has been sending us letters. Threatening us, and well we want to get away for a little while. Ginny's exams are almost over, and then she has a week off. We wanted to go on a little vacation and I was wondering where you think we could go." His eyes locked with Harry's for a moment. "Have you taken over your family inheritance yet? You should have some family properties, most likely spread around the world. We wanted to know if we could maybe borrow one for our vacation."

Harry listened to them for a moment and then reached to the side of his chair and pulled over a bag. He dug around for a moment, even going so far to stick his whole head inside. Obviously it was a bag with a magically expanded interior. Finally he came out holding a formal looking packet and opened it up to reveal many pieces of parchment. "I actually did that, just this morning. Got an owl yesterday reminding me, so I went to receive my full inheritance and then came right over here before Molly decided to drag me here by my ears," He eyed the Weasley woman for a moment before returning to the papers. "I have ten properties in England, Ireland, and Scotland. And another ten spread around the world in different locations." He pulled out a sheet detailing every Potter family property along with their locations and brief description of the homes. "Look that over. If nothing suits you, Sirius left me everything from the Black family, so I can dig out that from as well."

"We didn't ask you so you could brag about it," She teased. "It's wonderful that you've finally accomplished that and you can take your pick of where to live." Of course, he had no choice but to stay in Britain, Molly wouldn't allow him to be too far away. "Maybe we ought to go out of the country? Perhaps France or Wales, maybe Ireland, I hear it's nice there this time of year." It was exciting to be planning this, even though the fear lurked in the back of her mind. "Or even Romania, we could spend some time with Charlie."

Draco was looking at the paper as Harry dug out another form. "I wasn't bragging, Gin. I was just letting you know what you have a choice of where to go. Besides you should be used to it." He pointed at Draco, "King Malfoy over there has about as many properties as I have from one family line." He chuckled a bit as Draco playfully punched his arm. "The Potters don't have a property in Romania. But the Blacks do. From what I saw, it was a pretty nice mansion. Yuri would love it, lots of room to fly." He'd had to go with the Goblin assigned to his accounts to each and every property in order to be keyed into the wards at each one as the owner. It had taken a couple hours, but it was worth it to know he could escape his fame in Britain for a while if he needed to.

Smiling, Ginny leaned against Draco, "Well, the money doesn't hurt, but I didn't marry Draco for his properties." Kissing him chastely, she relished in the feeling of his arm coming around her. Whenever she was with him she felt so safe, so loved. "Do you want to go to Romania?" She asked, looking up at Draco, "Or would you rather go someplace like France...maybe even Egypt, we took a family vacation there once and I loved it."

Draco looked at Ginny and then at Harry, "Romania. Charlie is there, and if Rabastan follows us, we'll have him for help. You did say he was a dragon tamer, didn't you? I don't think even Rabastan has the stomach to stand up to dragons." He smiled at her and kissed her softly while Harry took back his papers. "Alright, well when you get your week off and want to go, just floo me. I have to go with you to key you to the wards. But I'll leave as soon as that's done. If I'm gone too long, your mum might think I'd run off with someone. She'd probably hunt me down and drag me back, yelling the whole time about the impropriety of it all." He started laughing as he saw that Molly had heard him, and was fixing him with her patented fists on her hips and scowl.

Trying to stifle a laugh at Harry's look of embarrassment, Ginny gave him a wink, "Next week is my week off. I'll owl you about it after my last exam tomorrow. Hopefully we can leave this weekend." With that, she moved away from the scene to give Molly a chance to properly chastise Harry. She found it quite odd that Yuri had now found his way into Vincent Crabbe's lap and was telling him a story about his training broom. Ginny looked over at Draco, "Well it seems as if Yuri has worked his way into yet another person's heart."

Draco chuckled and watched his son with Crabbe. He hadn't visited with Crabbe in what felt like years. Okay, so it was only months but who was keeping track anyway? Draco walked over and sat beside Crabbe, joining their conversation about Quidditch and brooms. Ron was still adamantly praising the ever-losing Chudley Canons to the boy, while Crabbe was trying to tell him about a game Draco had played in against Harry. The one in second year where charmed bludgers had broken Harry's arm. Draco finally interrupted the stories and spoke to Yuri about their vacation. "Next week, we're going to go on a family vacation. Harry's going to let us stay at his place in Romania, and we'll visit your Uncle Charlie." Yuri became even more excited. He had another uncle. "If you're good, and don't give your mum and I any trouble, maybe we'll see if Charlie can show you a real dragon."

Yuri's eyes went wide, "A real one, oh wow!" He jumped off Crabbe's lap, giving them both hugs. "Can I bring my broom? Can we ride there?" He asked excitedly. Ginny just smiled, "I think that can be arranged. There's a lot of open space out there, it might be okay to go for a ride." Taking Draco's hand, she smiled...but there was hesitation in her eyes. She was still very afraid of what was to come; anything could happen, and she just didn't like those odds.

Draco chuckled and patted Yuri on the head. "We should be going soon. We have lots of planning to do." He squeezed Ginny's hand in a reassuring manner and then brought it to his lips to kiss. "And you, young man," His eyes caught Yuri again, "Have to clean your room before tomorrow. It looks like a couple wild curses went off inside there. No clean room, no seeing dragons." Yuri's face took on a hilarious look that they could only assume was supposed to be determination. He would clean his room so that he could see a real dragon. And he'd even dust the furniture too.

Ginny agreed, she was exhausted having studied all day and despite her mother's prodding to stay for dinner, she merely wanted to go home, order in from the Hog's Head and cuddle with her husband. And that's exactly what she did after she herded her family through the floo. Yuri, much to her shock, ran right to his room to clean up; she knew he wanted the same thing he always ordered: fish and chips. Ginny was feeling like eating a good piece of steak and some potatoes, and she left Draco to get whatever he wanted and pick up the order. Lying down on the couch she yawned; Merlin, she was exhausted. And, she found, she couldn't wait for her vacation to begin.

Draco sat on the couch in the vast family room of Black Manor in Romania. He, Ginny and Yuri had been here for an entire day already and he was thoroughly enjoying himself. The Manor sat atop a lush hillside that had a wonderful view of the valley below where a muggle village sat. He figured they were somewhere close to where the famed Transylvania was, which was only fitting because this had once been owned by the Blacks. They had spent yesterday getting keyed into the wards by Harry, and then unpacking their things for their week long stay. Today was getting to know the place, settling in. So far Draco loved it; the back gardens even had their own Quidditch Pitch that he and Yuri were going to try out tomorrow afternoon. He slowly stood from the couch and exited the room, looking for Ginny. This place was so huge; it was easy to get lost in the two stories and over thirty rooms, "Ginny...where are you, love?"

"In here, Draco!" She called from her comfy armchair in the library. It was slightly cloudy today, it looked as if it might rain; actually, Charlie had told her that the impending rainstorm was something of a miracle for precipitation was so rare in the summertime. It would do well to cool everything down a fair bit too; it was sweltering in the house as the cooling charms had long since expired. Oh sure, Draco had set Mindy and four other house elves from another one of the Malfoy properties to help get them back on line, but that didn't save her from dripping in her own sweat. This morning, Charlie had come by to take Yuri for the afternoon. He said it was his 'wedding present' to them, and he'd even winked at Draco! Either Charlie had been taking nips off a bottle of firewhiskey during the morning or perhaps his newest romantic conquest was actually having a good effect on him! Either way, she had the entire afternoon blissfully alone with her husband. Setting her book aside, she smiled. "Are you enjoying yourself?"

Draco smiled at her from the doorway after he'd located her. "Yeah, this place is actually bigger than Malfoy Manor. I'd heard the Blacks were among the five richest families...but I had no idea they were this wealthy, that Harry was this wealthy." He sauntered...yes, sauntered over to Ginny and flopped down on the arm of the chair Ginny was lounging in. "You sure you aren't turning into Hermione? I mean, I come looking for you so we can enjoy our free time together, and I find you here," He motioned around the vast space, "Cloistered in a dusty library." He smirked at her playfully and then kissed her lips gently. "I hope for Harry's sake that Hermione never finds out all his houses have these huge libraries she might demand they get married just for the sake of burying her nose in them for the rest of her life!" He shuddered at the thought.

Ginny just rolled her eyes at his comment about Harry's wealth. Despite how different he was around her, he was still a Malfoy at heart. He was always comparing monetary values as if somehow that mattered in the scheme of things. But today, she'd let it go. She was extremely happy that they had the day alone; even Draco was in a delightfully pleasant mood as he remarked on her reading. Chuckling, she just shrugged, "I've just been feeling rather poorly the past couple weeks since Rabastan came into our lives. I've been looking around for a book on relaxation charms. Hermione did say she had a potion, more like a mix of oils that are used to relax and, ahem, arouse. I was hoping they had it in here..." She nudged him gently, giving him her most seductive smile. He couldn't resist her for long...and then, why should he?

Draco watched Ginny's smile and listened to her words. She was baiting him… good; he liked playing these games with her. But today, he'd give in right off the bat. "I don't think you need a potion to become aroused. And I'm certain I can...relax you." He quickly jumped to his feet, scooped her into his arms and dashed out of the library toward the master suite on the second floor. He pushed the door open with his foot and walked toward the oversized king bed and tossed her on top of the cushy mattress. "Now, about that whole...aroused thing." His hands reached up and pulled his robes off just moments before he climbed onto the bed after her.

Laughing, she gripped onto him tightly as he picked her up and pulled her into his arms, dashing to the bed they'd been sleeping in. Last night after spending the day together, they'd all been so exhausted. Sex had not been an option, for he was asleep before his head hit the pillow, ten minutes after Ginny had begun softly snoring. But now, in the comfort of the bed, completely alone, it was something she wanted badly. Kissing him deeply, she wrapped her legs around his hips as he pushed her back onto the bed, already stripped of his robes. It was more of a challenge to get hers off, especially with him kissing her like that. She ended up arousing him further as she writhed and struggled with the cloth before finally divesting herself of the robe. Moaning against him, she arched into his kiss and closed her eyes. Merlin she loved this man.

Draco groaned at the movements that Ginny was making to get rid of her robes. She didn't even realize that she was making him lose control. Once she finally had her robes off, Draco covered her mouth with his. His hands began to roam over her body, covering her breasts and then running down to the juncture of her thighs. He loved the feel of her. But today, he wanted to try something they'd rarely done together. Draco rolled over, pulling Ginny on top of his body. As he looked up at her, he smiled and then sat up a little to take her right nipple in his mouth.

Gasping, she didn't expect him to be quite so...bawdy, today! As she kissed him and moved beneath him, she could feel his length growing hard against the juncture of her thighs. She moaned, wanting him to take her all at once and yet another part wanted it to last for hours and hours. Somehow, she knew it probably wouldn't last hours as both were highly aroused, but Draco was going to give her a run for her money it seemed. Never before had they done it with her on top, although she had read an article in a special sex edition of the Witch Weekly that had detailed how to do it. When he began suckling her nipples, his hands roaming over her body, she felt weak. Merlin she wanted him inside of her, he was driving her mad with his exploration of her. In turn, she desperately sought release against the pressure building in the core of her; perhaps it was too brazen but she rubbed the scalding warmth of her over his bulging manhood. "Draco," She murmured, her eyes glazed with passion, "please..."

He loved it when she begged. He never took her nipple out of his mouth, but his hands dropped to her waist. Draco lifted Ginny up just slightly, and then worked his hips around to position his head at her entrance. A little more maneuvering, which resulted in rubbing her over him a couple more times, got him situated, and Draco smirked. He slowly lowered her on to his length until he was buried to the hilt. He groaned against her breast and then bucked his hips up once. He wanted her to feel what it was like to be in control of the situation. He loved being there himself, but it was nice to share the experience every now and then. And today, it was her turn.

Crying out, she held onto him for dear life as he slowly entered her, the entire length of him becoming deeply entrenched in her. He had never been this far inside of her, she knew that for a fact; and somehow it made it even sweeter that she was the one able to control this today. It was nearly impossible for him to move without both of them tumbling over so it was up to her to rock against him...and that she did. Slowly, at first, she tightened her thighs around him, allowing for slight movement. As her body relaxed more, relishing of the feeling of him all the way inside of her, she thrust harder and faster, her body slick with its own juices as well as the sweat between them. It wouldn't be long now; she was already tightening, primed and waiting for him to pour into her.

Draco was so close. But she was holding out a bit. He wanted to drive into her, but she was in control. He couldn't do it. He thrust his hips up a couple times, but it didn't make a difference. They went at her pace. As she tightened around him, Draco switched to her other breast. He reached a hand between their bodies and took the nub of nerves that was her sweet spot, and started to rub it with his thumb. His teeth clamped gently over her nipple, and he pulled back slightly. He wanted her over the edge with him; that was all that mattered to Draco in that moment.

Spiraling out of control, the stimulation of her breasts as well as the longing look in his eyes sent her hurtling over the edge. She came with fury, breaking apart and continuing on seemingly without end. Even after he tensed, his veins pulsing into her as he spurted the warmth of his seed into her she still shook with the wonderment of her orgasm. Collapsing against his chest, she breathed heavily, still one with him, "I love you," She whispered.

Draco Collapsed back on the mattress, his breathing deep and ragged. Merlin's beard that was the best sex he'd ever had. There was something about him not being able to do a thing without her letting him that made him all...hot and bothered. He smiled at her, and pulled her close to his chest. He kissed her lips and smiled at her lovingly. "I love you too Gin." He ran a hand through her hair and kissed her again. "That was...that was fantastic. We've got to do that again sometime."

Holding him tightly, it took several minutes for her to come down off the high of him. She loved him, all of him...and the sex was unbelievable. How had she gotten so lucky? There must've been something good she had done to deserve this. Still not disentangling herself, she nodded, "You can count on that, love." And she meant it, "You were bloody fantastic..."

Draco chuckled and wiped some sweat off his brow. It was insanely hot, and their actions had not served to cool them down in. He was just about to say something about it, when a sudden wave of cool air washed over his body. Draco sighed and smiled at Ginny. "Looks like Mindy finally got the cooling charms working. About bloody time too. I was starting to feel like we'd melt." His lips captured hers once more, "Although if I have to melt to get you like that again...then it's a worthy price."

Insatiable man! She let out a sigh of relief as coolness spread around them. "Thank Merlin; I thought I was going to die last night. When I woke up I was drenched in sweat and it doesn't help that it's a hundred bloody degrees around here!" Kissing him again, she couldn't believe that he was ready for a second go round. Still inside of her, she could feel the stirrings of passion again. However, a rumble of thunder in the distance caught her attention and she sighed, "We ought to get dressed. Charlie is bringing Yuri home for supper and I think he may bring his new lady love to dine with us." She'd heard much about this infamous woman from Fred and George; however Ginny didn't know her name and she had never met the woman. It was a treat to actually be allowed a rare glimpse into her most secretive brother's life. Despite the sincere wish that they could stay like this for days, she slowly rolled off to the side and looked over at him, "You don't mind, do you?"

Draco grunted and slammed his head into the pillow a few times. "No...It's alright. Besides, I'd hate to be thinking we could get away with another tumble only to have them walk in here looking for us. Yuri hasn't exactly learned to knock yet." He rolled off the bed to the opposite side and reached for his robes. "I'm going to take a shower real quick, love. Don't want them coming home and finding us smelling like sex." He grinned and then headed for the large bathroom that he swore had a tub big enough for three people. Of course some of the Blacks had been rumored to be in interesting sexual practices, it wouldn't surprise him. He quickly took a cold shower, mostly to calm him down, and then dressed in his robes. When he exited the bathroom, he called Mindy. After giving her instructions to make sure there was food for five people, just incase, he dismissed the little elf and headed down to the study. He wanted to write Harry a letter and thank him again for the use of the manor.

As Draco got up to shower, Ginny couldn't keep the smile off her face. Mindy was going to be preparing a wonderful dinner of pork chops with mint jelly, green beans, baked potatoes and Yuri's favorite, chocolate cake for dessert. She lamented her son's taste in desserts; could he not be fonder of fruit? She'd already gained weight since he came into her life, which wasn't too upsetting since her mum was practically scolding her for allowing herself to become so thin while at school. Good news for Molly, Yuri would have her fattened up in no time at all.

While Draco was still getting ready, Yuri came bounding through the door, his robes covered in mud and his face bright with excitement. "Mommy we saw so many dragons!" He squealed, "Green ones and red ones and blue ones and there was even a silver one! Oh I was brilliant, mum!" Ginny didn't wait a moment though, "That sounds wonderful, love, I'm glad you liked it...now, off to the bath with you!" Mindy popped in, leading Yuri to get cleaned up while Ginny hugged her older brother tightly. "Thanks for watching him."

Charlie chuckled and watched the boy run off with Mindy to get cleaned up. "He loved it. And it was a pleasure. You're lucky to have him." There was a twinkle in Charlie's eye, not unlike the one Dumbledore had been famous for. "He's into dragons, I'll say that! Might make a right tamer one day, he was especially interested in the Hungarian Horntail that we had...same one Harry went against in the tournament. And as you can imagine, it's only gotten bigger since then." He chuckled and watched as Draco came out of the study. "Draco, lovely, now that you're here let me introduce my girlfriend. I believe you both know her already." Charlie stepped aside to let the girl behind him come forward. "Cho Chang."

Cho was pink cheeked and smiling as she walked over the threshold, her hands immediately entwining with Charlie's as she peeked up at the newlyweds from under heavy lidded eyes. "I'm very glad to see you again, both of you." She blushed again, "I must say, you two were always the gossip of the outer guards. It must've killed Lavender to keep quiet when she saw the two of you coming." She added with a chuckle.

Ginny's eyes widened. Cho Chang was her brother's new girlfriend? Wait a second, "How did you two meet one another?" She blurted, looking between them. Cho was Ron and Harry's age, ten whole years younger than Charlie! Then again, Fleur was only a couple years older than the lot of them and she was already Bill's wife. "I'm sorry, that was rude of me. I'm just so...shocked." She didn't want them to leave though; she was not upset in any way just. Merlin, she didn't even know what to say. Moving to close the door behind Cho, she just swallowed, "Would anyone care for a drink in the parlor? Mindy," She called, "Could you bring the tea service and some of the wines into the sitting room?" And on second thought, she added, "And the firewhiskey too!"

Draco smiled and reached out a hand to shake Charlie's. "Thanks again for watching Yuri for us." When Cho stepped forward Draco smiled, and in a very un-Malfoy way. "Good to see you Cho." He frowned at Ginny's rather blunt remarks. "How did you end up here in Romania? Decide to become a dragon handler like Charlie here?" He chuckled a bit and motioned toward the sitting room. "Come in please. Mindy is making dinner, and I insist you both stay and eat with us. It's only fair after all...you watched the walking sugar rush, we feed you for it."

Cho took a seat next to Charlie, so close that they were nearly on top of one another. "Actually, that's something of the truth. After I graduated last year I started taking some classes at university but nothing interested me more than dragons. I specialize in dragon births and I was asked to come here to help out with the research going on." It seemed she was eternally blushing, for when her boyfriend nudged her she flushed even darker, "And the two of us hit it off."

Ginny, not over her initial shock, was smiling, "I'm glad that you're doing what you love then." With a smile, she accepted a cup of tea from Mindy. The last thing she wanted was to imbibe when she was already feeling weak-stomached, "Yes, I insist as well. We're having your favorite, Charlie," She said, smiling at her brother. "Yuri was a good boy, wasn't he?"

Charlie chuckled. "Yes, he was a very good boy, overly excited if I must say so but a good boy none the less." He got a semi-far off look in his eyes, "Strangest thing. The dragons behaved when he went by. I think they could tell he was a child, saw him as one of their young so they didn't want to hurt him. It was rather fascinating; I honestly wouldn't mind experimenting a little to figure out if my theory is true." At the mention of his favorite meal, Charlie perked right up. "Oh, well then we'll have to stay. I haven't had them since mum cooked for me when I came down for Bill's wedding. Does your house elf make them as good as mum?"

Draco chuckled. "As much as I'd like to let you go about experimenting, it will not be on my son. If anything happened to him, you do realize Ginny wouldn't rest until you were half way to the afterlife right?" Draco smiled at Ginny and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. When Charlie asked about the food Draco chuckled. "Well, I've never had Molly's pork chops before...but I must say that Mindy's are top notch. I've never had finer." he turned to Ginny then. "This is more a question for you love. Are they as good as your mum's?"

Ginny was intrigued by what Charlie was saying as well. Did Yuri have the touch like Charlie did? It was a very, very rare gift to have the touch, especially with dragons. Charlie was the first in many centuries, was it possible that Yuri had it to? Perhaps she'd have to let Yuri spend more time with Charlie; they already seemed like kindred spirits. Especially as Yuri came bounding down and immediately placed himself in Charlie's lap. Smiling, she laughed, "Oh I don't know, Charlie...mum makes the best pork chops in the world. But I do have to say Mindy's give her a run for her money! You'll just have to see for yourself." She loved all the food Mindy made, the house elf (despite Ginny's first misgivings about house elves) was just like a part of her family. "And Draco is right, if anything happened to Yuri by your hands I'd hex you to the afterlife and back again!"

Cho smiled softly, "I think it's wonderful how much you love your son." She reached over and gave Charlie a soft hug. Something in her eyes made Ginny marvel at her. Cho really loved her brother, truly. Harry had been a bit obsessed with Cho in school and she'd always been nice to him, never really saying no. But she never looked at Harry the way she was looking at Charlie now. There was definitely love blooming here.

Charlie chuckled and rubbed Yuri's head. "You have nothing to worry about, sis. I'll take good care of him for you. Besides...what safer place can he be than where dragons are? If anyone tried to attack us or anything, the Horntail alone would tear them to pieces." That Horntail had taken a liking to Yuri. Charlie had felt bad about Harry facing it in the Tournament, he was the youngest competitor, and he went up against the most violent of dragons. Of course, Harry's saving grace had been his uncanny flying ability which had helped him to escape the dragon.

Draco chuckled a bit as well. He was just about to comment on the dragons when Mindy arrived to announce the food was ready. Draco nodded to her, and with a snap of her fingers it all appeared on the table. Every dish they had asked for had been prepared to the best of her abilities. The pork chops were done just right, with the meat starting to fall off the bones. The baked potatoes were split down the middle with steam rising from the insides, and the chocolate cake was glistening with fresh fudge topping that had yet to harden fully on it. Draco's mouth was watering. "Yuri, get off Uncle Charlie's lap so he can eat. Come over here by me, let's get you started."

Bounding around the table, Yuri took his customary seat between Draco and Ginny, "Guess what mummy?" He gushed, "Auntie Cho said that tomorrow there's going to be a baby dragon born. Can we go? Please, please, please," He pleaded, watching as Ginny served up his plate and cut the meat into smaller pieces for him before putting food on her own plate. "Well," She said, smiling, "I suppose that's up to your Uncle Charlie and daddy, I have no problem with it."

Cho smiled, "Oh it'll be wonderful to see, this little dragon has been waiting to be born for some time now." She explained, "Our Romanian Razortooth has been waiting a long time for her child as well." Taking a bite of the pork chop, she smiled. "This is delicious, thank you for inviting us to dinner."

Charlie smiled past a mouth full of pork. He took his time to chew it all and then washed it down with a tall glass of pumpkin juice before speaking. "I think it'd be alright. I would love to take him back to work to test out my theory and seeing a baby dragon born would be wonderful experience for Yuri, should he have the touch." He smiled at the boy and continued to eat ravenously.

Draco smiled and nodded. "I guess it'll be fine if your uncle Charlie doesn't mind watching you again. But," He fixed Yuri with a serious look, "You have to finish everything your mum put on your plate, and be a good boy. You misbehave tonight and there will be no dragons in your schedule tomorrow." He smiled again at Yuri and then took a bite of pork chop. Draco turned back to face Cho. "So what's it like being the midwife to a dragon?" His imagination was running wild with a dragon on its back, even though he knew they laid eggs, and lots of fire instead of screaming...unless it hurt someone, then they'd scream if they lived.

Cho gave him a dreamy smile, "It's wonderful, actually. You may think it's very easy to sit there and watch an egg but in truth, you have to befriend the mother first and the father if he is present. If you manage to do that, all of your moves are watched critically by the parents and any wrong moves can get you roasted." Laughing, she shrugged, "I enjoy the challenge and seeing those tiny baby dragons is worth it."

Ginny smiled, "It's wonderful you've found a job you love." Becoming a mediwitch was a dream she was very interested in pursuing, it wouldn't be long now before she had that kind of passion. Taking a few small bites of her pork chop, she found that she wasn't really hungry anymore. Damn if her summertime flu wasn't ruining all her fun! A loud crack of thunder in the distance jolted her and she gasped, gripping Draco's arms as a torrential downpour began slamming the earth. The rains had come, finally.

Draco chuckled and wrapped an arm around Ginny's shoulders. He was starting to worry about her; maybe she was sick. She'd been feeling a bit under the weather lately, and then the whole startled thing. He'd never known her to be afraid of a little thunder and rain. Shrugging it off he turned to face Charlie. "So if she works in births...how do you two ever get to work together?"

Charlie nodded and smiled over at Cho. "Yes actually, quite a lot. You see, the tamers, such as myself get to know all the dragons. We aren't really on friendly terms, as most of them are super independent types that resent being in captivity. But, we do know them all. So when a pair is expecting, we step in with the birthers for the first couple days, introduce them to the pair, get them familiarized with each dragon that's involved. And then during the days when we expect them to hatch, we're there to provide medical support and make sure the parents don't get violent in their anxiety. Sometimes they can forget there are smaller creatures with them and a wild tail can end someone's career...if not their life, real quick."

Ginny suspected as much, though she didn't much feel like speculating at the moment. Presently she felt as if she had swallowed a bone and it had become lodged in her throat. It felt like she would vomit as well, there was certainly something wrong. Just as soon as they got back, Ginny would go to St. Mungo's for a physical. In her youth she rarely went to the doctor and was rarely sick, but now working with all sorts of different patients and illnesses, who knew what the problem could be? Merlin, she just hoped it wasn't the Dragon Pox. "Well are you sure it's safe for Yuri to be there then?"

Cho nodded, "He won't be anywhere near the actual dragons and these particular pair of mates are old pros at it. In fact, I believe this is child number fourteen for our Hungarian Horntail, isn't that right, Charlie?" She was relatively new to the compound but she had heard that the Hungarian Horntail in particular was a competitive mate (and a favorite among the ladies). "He isn't liable to get too upset over it this time around."

Charlie nodded to Cho's question. "Yeah, it is fourteen for the old guy. That's the one that Harry went against in the tournament. And that's also the reason why he was so violent with him. No trainer to introduce him to the little two legged thing, means it's not a breeder going for his mate's egg and he's going to make sure you stay the heck away." Charlie chuckled a bit and then returned to his meal.

Draco nodded and smiled at Ginny. "Well, as long as Yuri isn't in with the dragons then I see no problem with it. Just make sure he doesn't get excited and run in there on his own. He's a bit…well you probably saw it today. He sometimes runs off to have fun without thinking too much about the consequences." Draco chuckled at the glare Yuri was giving him. But it was true. Like the numerous times that Yuri had a bad dream and just walked into his and Ginny's room without knocking. He couldn't really fault him for that, but it did cause Draco to be sure to watch out for Yuri a bit more when he ran off during other times.

With the rain thundering on the roof, Yuri was huddling very close to Ginny. It wasn't that he was particularly frightened; he just liked knowing that she would protect him if anything happened. Ginny, on the other hand, felt like she wanted to bolt from the table and spill her guts. Taking a long swig of her tea, she closed her eyes briefly. A small hiss from under the table startled her again. Mindy reached up and handed her a tiny white mint before scooting off. Shrugging, Ginny nonchalantly popped it in her mouth; within seconds she was feeling much better. Somehow the mint flavor staved off her nausea or perhaps that little burst of sugar got her going again. But nonetheless she smiled, "Well good then, it'll be something to look forward to."

"Oh I cannot wait! And I promised Yuri we could see all the new hatchlings tomorrow as well. The entire building was shut down because of this rain that might be coming...a little rain might not do too much to an adult but if the fire in an infant dragon's nose goes out, the little thing is twice as likely to die before maturation." It was a sad fact but also one that kept the species alive. "They're adorable!"

Charlie nodded. "You should come too. I'm sure you guys would love it. Besides, then you can get a look at the Horntail and tease Harry about how much larger it is than before, and how eager it is for a rematch." He chuckled lightly while sipping his drink. "It wasn't too happy when Harry out flew it. Horntails are notorious for their competitive nature and that one even more so since he's the bull male. He's never been out flown or outsmarted before, and when Harry did that to him..." Charlie slipped into thought, ticking off something on his fingers. Finally he looked back up at the rest, "Oh it took...about a month to get him to calm down. He was not a happy dragon."

Draco smiled and rubbed circles on Ginny's back while his arm was around her shoulders. He had felt her tense a little earlier, before Mindy gave her that mint. He hated seeing her like that. He didn't know what was wrong, and he felt helpless. He didn't know what to do. "Well, I wouldn't mind going. But it's up to Gin. I won't leave her by herself in this place. It might belong to Harry now, but it was a Black residence, and there's no telling what traps might be hiding in some of the rooms."

Ginny wasn't sure she'd want to introduce Harry and the Horntail again anytime soon. "Don't be telling mum that or Harry will never be allowed to step foot in Romania again!" The Weasleys were apparently planning a family trip down to see Charlie sometime in the fall, since ALL of the Weasley children had graduated. But if Molly ever caught wind of danger, she'd force him to come to her instead. "I think it would be nice if we went. That way I can make sure you don't do too much experimenting on my son."

Cho smiled softly, "You're very good with him." She looked between her and Draco, "Both of you. I was wary at first, as you are so young and I've heard rumors." She blushed deeper, "I want to tell you that I'm glad it was you taking care of him." It wasn't her place—she knew that it wasn't—but she wanted to compliment them, to make them understand how wonderful they were for doing that. "Maybe next summer Yuri could spend a few weeks down here and you two could have some alone time!"

Charlie nodded his agreement to what Cho had suggested. He liked the idea. "Yeah, we'd love to take him for a couple weeks. He's a good kid, and you two are doing a fabulous job with him." Charlie leaned forward a bit, as if divulging some big secret that no one else should know. "I know it's not my place, but I got to be honest. When mum flooed us to say you two had gotten married and that you had adopted...I was skeptical to say the least. I thought you two were too young, that you were moving too fast." Charlie smiled then and patted Draco on the shoulder. "But I was wrong, I don't often admit that. You two are great together and I'm glad it was you that my little sister ended up with. The only other suitable choice would have been Harry...but they just weren't meant to be. But you two...you got that special something. You know?"

Ginny fake scoffed, "Mum wanted me married to Harry since I was a first year! But he's just like a brother to all of us...that's like...marrying YOU Charlie," She chuckled and gave him a playful slap across the table. "And I couldn't stand that, all your incessant talk of dragons and Quidditch, and that awful snoring!" She teased and winked over at Cho who seemed, for once, not embarrassed. "We love Yuri and we love each other and that's all that matters."

Cho laughed timidly, "Your brother is a very wonderful man. I like to discuss dragons with him and the snoring...well, he's no worse than the horntail." She put her arm around his shoulders and gave him a soft kiss. "Maybe someday we'll be as happy as you two are."

Draco nodded and chuckled. "Well, I hope that you two can be as happy as we are. Just be sure not to let that Dragon mania get a hold of you too much. If you adopt we want it to be two legged and human. Can you imagine what Molly would do if you came home with a dragon calling her grandmum?" Charlie and Draco burst into a small fit of laughter at the image of Molly trying to feed a dragon that kept shooting flames and melting her best spoons.

Charlie wiped his eyes as he started to recover from the laughter. "I'll keep that in mind mate. Although the look on mum's face might just be worth it," He leaned over to give Cho a soft kiss and then smiled at the others. "Well, it's getting late. We should head back. We'll swing by about seven in the morning to pick you all up? Sound good?" He was looking forward to showing the dragons to his little sister now. She hadn't been too pleased in her third year when she watched Harry go against the Horntail, and it would be nice to show her a different side to the dragons. Besides, then he'd get to test his theory. Maybe Yuri did have the touch and, if that was so, he could maybe sneak in a little early training to get the boy started on a career path toward becoming a dragon tamer.

Mindy already had the cake wrapped up for them to go, somehow anticipating the lateness of the hour (perhaps judging by Yuri's open-mouthed yawns and drooping eyes). Cho and Charlie were let out with hugs and kisses, and promises to be ready by seven o'clock. Although if Yuri had his way they'd be up at the crack of dawn, ready for whatever came their way. Ginny, on the other hand, had been exhausted. She just wanted to get upstairs and go to sleep. "Alright love, up to bed with you. Dad and I will be in shortly to tuck you in." Hopefully, he'd already be snoozing by the time she got up there. Leaning over, she kissed Draco chastely, "Thanks, love, this was fun."

Draco returned the kiss and ran a hand over Ginny's face. "You okay love? You seemed a bit...out of sorts today. Are you getting sick?" His free hand snaked around her waist pulled her close to his body. "I think you've been working yourself too hard at that academy." He smiled lovingly at her and gave her another chaste kiss. "I won't be upset if you don't feel up to going tomorrow. We can skip it, let Charlie and Cho take Yuri off our hands and I can wait on you hand and foot." He gave her a teasing grin and let his hand fall from her waist to her bum. "Anything you want love."

Ginny smiled softly, "I'm fine, Draco. I've been feeling off balance ever since this whole thing with Rabastan started. The stress has just been awful." Kissing him chastely, she laughed, "When this is over I'll have to go to the spa and unwind. I swear I've been so tense I could kill someone!" That's all it was, stress; it had been bad enough knowing Yuri and they were in danger, add finals on top of that and it was no wonder she was ill! "I'd like to go see the dragon birth tomorrow. I think I just need to keep my blood sugar up, maybe I'll ask Mindy for some more of those mints."

Draco nodded. "It's alright, love. It could just be stress." He looked at her concerned for a moment, "You sure though? I just want to make sure. If anything happened to you...I don't know what I'd do." He slowly started to lead her up the stairs toward Yuri's room. "Hey, when you graduate, what's the plan then?" He was already trying to come up with a solid plan of action, in case Rabastan was still on the loose then. His hope was that they could move out of the flat, and into Malfoy manor. She could easily get a job at St. Mungo's or another lesser known hospital, and floo into work everyday from there.

Holding him tighter she smiled, "I love you, Draco. And I promise, it's nothing more than a little flu bug. It's probably from being around all the people in my class and we have been working with some patients. I'll be fine, I promise." Physically there was nothing wrong with her; sure she had some aches, which was normal with all the work she'd been doing, some nausea, she'd been tired...but it wasn't as if she were about to drop dead. She'd be around long enough to plan for the future, which meant putting her mediwitch skills to use. "Perhaps I'll work at St. Mungo's but I've been thinking that I might go work at Hogwarts too...Madame Pomfrey told me with the volume of students coming in and her getting older, they would need the extra help. It's sort of an open invitation I suppose."

Draco nodded. "Well, that sounds wonderful. You'd be an inspiration to the kids at Hogwarts. The first student to graduate an entire year early. I'm sure there would be some who want to do it as well." He winked at her and then resumed speaking, "And if you go to St. Mungo's...well what field would you pursue there, full mediwitch, work with babies? Maybe working in the emergency ward or the calamities office?" The calamities office was where people got sent when something really bad happened to them. In fact, if Draco remembered, that's where Bill got sent after his run in with Fenrir Greyback. It took someone with a strong stomach to work that area. But if anyone could, it was his Ginny.

"I think I'd like to work with children. I've always loved children and even if I were to pass up the Hogwarts offer, I would like to work with kids somehow." Maybe not babies, she thought, but maybe the very sickest of kids. To be able to touch a child's life, to heal him or her, to make their families happy would be so fulfilling to her. "Either that or I'll work in the emergency ward." Smiling over at him, she rested her head on his shoulder, "And what are you planning to do?"

Draco just smiled. "That's sounds like a good plan. I'm sure you'll find something you'll love to do." He kissed her cheek and ran a hand through her hair gently. "I was thinking of staying unemployed. The investments I made with the help of the goblins have been very profitable. I figured I'd just do like every other male in my family has done and play the investment game. Maybe, since I'm head of the Malfoy family and hold a Winzengamot seat, I can get on the Hogwarts' Board of Governors. Do something to help the school out." He went silent for a moment, and then looked at her seriously. "Ginny, what about where we're going to live? Don't get me wrong, the flat is nice and all, actually kind of grew on me. But, I was wondering if you would want to move into Malfoy Manor."

Of course, Draco's entire family had been unemployed since...well, since as long as she knew. They'd been rich from raiding in the dark ages, and then to good investments, the feudal system had only helped their cause. "I was thinking that maybe you might want to teach...after all, if you were at Hogwarts too, it'd be a good place to bring Yuri up." Maybe he'd hate the idea; he was still pushing for them to move to Malfoy Manor. "After school is finished, we'll think about it some more, Draco." She wasn't saying no, she just didn't know yet. "If I took a job at the Cornwall Children's Hospital instead of St. Mungo's that would be a long travel everyday, we might want to settle closer. Or maybe stay closer to my family in Ottery St. Catchpole...but let's cross that bridge when we come to it."

Draco nodded. Yeah it was a bit soon to be pushing the subject of where they'd be living when she finished school. And teaching? Where did that come from? "What would I teach? I mean, the idea isn't entirely bad, it might be fun but you know you have to have experience in a field to teach that subject at Hogwarts. I wouldn't be surprised if Harry was offered the Defense job for next year, or even the year after that. He's probably got more experience fighting the dark arts than half the Aurors at the Ministry. Snape's back to our side, and cleared of the charges against him because of Harry's statement, so he'll probably go back to Potions. I would have nothing to teach really. Besides, if I was on the Board of Governors, I could be at the school whenever I wanted."

"A little owl told me Snape won't be returning to Hogwarts. It just hasn't been the same for him since Dumbledore's death," She said, frowning slightly. She was well aware of his part in that even if she understood why he had to do it...but at the same time, she felt bad for him. Dumbledore was like a father to him, it wouldn't be the same without him there. "You were so strong in potions. Perhaps Snape would take you on as an apprentice this year and you could take over gradually...or, whatever you like, love. I don't want to push you either way." All she wanted to do was show him there were options out there. She opened her mouth to tell him that Divination would also be open next year but she found herself yawning. "Come on, love, let's tuck our son in and go to sleep."

Draco nodded and followed Ginny to Yuri's room. His thoughts, however, were on their conversation. Teach Potions? Apprentice under Snape to gain the needed experience? It was plausible. And he could still play the investment game from Hogwarts by receiving notices from his financial advisor at Gringotts, and sending his answers to their queries back to them. Maybe it was a good idea. He would have to think on it. He knew Harry had been helping Arthur out in the Muggle Artifacts Office since he was cleared to get a job, but with one eye injured beyond repair, and not damaged enough to be replaced like Moody's, he didn't have a lot of options. So he probably would return to Hogwarts as the Defense instructor within a couple years. Draco would have to talk to Snape when they got back. The prospect of being the Potions teacher was sounding more and more enticing.

Yuri was sprawled out on the bed, sound asleep as Ginny tiptoed in. Giving a soft chuckle, she pulled back the covers, giving him a soft kiss before pulling the blankets up around her neck before stepping back to let Draco do the same. "He looks so sweet cuddled up like that," She said, leaning against the doorframe, wrapping her arms around her husband's waist. "How did we get to be so lucky?"

Draco bent over Yuri, making sure, as always, that Ginny had tucked him in properly. She always did, but it was his job to double check. He kissed the boy's forehead and leaned against Ginny. "I don't know love. You were always lucky; you deserve to have a wonderful family. Me on the other hand, I'm the one who's lucky enough to have you and Yuri in my life. With everything I'd done before...I'm not sure I deserve this gift." He smiled somberly at her and then kissed her lips. "Let's turn in."

Draco and Ginny walked side by side, arms wrapped around each other, to their room. Closing the door behind them, Draco slipped out of his robes and into his pajama bottoms while Ginny slipped into her night gown. They climbed into bed, content to hold each other. A few kisses and some words of love were exchanged as their eyes started to drift closed while sleep over took them. Their dreams that night were filled with happy moments of themselves and their future.