Dear Mr and Mrs Malfoy

Christmas is fast approaching, and you are expected to spend this holiday with your family. Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy will expect your arrival on the 23rd of December.

Be advised that you will be assessed on how you manage yourselves and your family during your stay with the 'in laws'.

Also it is my duty to inform you that this will be your final assessment for this task as the Baby Project will be drawing to a close as of 23rd January

At this time you will return to Hogwarts and continue out the rest of your school year as students once again.

Thank you for your participation.

Professor Minerva McGonagall

Madison felt the letter drop from her hands, landing on the ground.

"That's it?" she managed to say. "Just like that... it'll be over? They'll be gone?"

Draco didn't say anything. He didn't think he could. He hadn't wanted to think about this moment. He wrapped his arms around her, letting her bury her face in his chest as he tried not to let his feelings take control.

"I don't want this to end" Madison murmured against him. Draco shook his head, holding her tighter.

"Me neither" he whispered. "Me neither"


Ginny sat at the kitchen counter downstairs, watching her three gorgeous baby boys in the magically enlarged playpen.

"This can't be happening..." she murmured, her eyes never straying from their faces. Harry said nothing, his hand holding hers tightly, as he sat in silence, studying his children, carving their images into his mind

"Did you get the letter?"asked Hermione as she came into the room, holding Lizzie as tightly as she could. Ginny nodded.

"We got the letter"

Draco and Madison soon appeared in the kitchen as well, and for a long while nobody spoke. Nobody needed too. Each knew what the other must be feeling as they watched their children together, dreading the day when they would be taken away from them.

Time seemed to move slowly, in the days bringing them closer to Christmas. Each family welcomed this fact, desperate to make their Christmas together as beautiful as they could, cherishing every new moment they had with their children, dreading the time when it would end.

Madison tried to keep herself calm, unable to stop her hands from shaking as she began piling things into the suitcase she had open on the bed.

Draco stood in the doorway, watching her pack, then remove, and then repack the same set of robes for the third time. He strode over to her, taking a hold of her gently, turning her around so she was facing him.

"Madison," he said softly, "it will be okay"

Madison sighed, leaning into his embrace, seeking comfort as his strong arms wrapped around her.

"I feel like an idiot..." she said finally, "but I'm scared. My mother is bad... but your parents..."

Draco said nothing for a moment, kissing the top of her head.

"It will be okay" he repeated, "I won't let them hurt you... or our children"

"Promise?"

"I promise"


After Draco felt that Madison was considerably more relaxed, he excused himself to head down to the kitchen, under the pretense of getting something to eat.

He paused at the doorway when he heard the voices of Harry and Ron, who had also had similar ideas, but deciding he needed to talk to someone he entered the kitchen.

"Hey" he murmured. Harry nodded at him, and Ron mumbled a low "hey" himself, as he stared grimly at his glass of Firewhisky.

"Thirsty?" Draco nodded, and Ron poured him a drink. "Don't tell Mione... She'll skin me alive"

They sat in silence for a moment. Finally Draco spoke.

"We have to go to my parents for christmas"

Harry and Ron's heads snapped up as one.
"You too?" Draco nodded glumly.

"I'd hoped Madison would never have to meet my father..." Draco murmured.

"I don't blame you" agreed Ron. "Your father isn't exactly a ray of sunshine"

Draco rubbed his forehead, trying in vain to forget that horrible nightmare he had once had about his father. But no matter how he tried, he kept seeing Madison... sprawled on the ground, smiling up at him weakly, as she lay dying in his arms. His heart ached at the thought.

"No..." Draco murmured, "and my wife, and our children are going to be spending the next week with him"

"I... don't know what to say mate..." said Harry seriously. Surprisingly, it was Ron who offered the word of comfort.

"If it gets too bad, you can always come to mum's"

Draco stared at him for a moment.

"Thanks mate"

"No problem"


Lucius Malfoy stood by the window, watching with calculating eyes as his son and that... Mudblood walked up the long drive toward the Manor. Lucius smirked in satisfaction. The Mudblood was nervous. She straightened her robes once again, before taking the hand of one of her offspring, a young boy, while holding another, smaller boy in her arms. As Lucius watched them steadily come closer, Draco suddenly stopped in his tracks, turning to face the Mudblood. Lucius's eyes narrowed and his jaw tightened as he surmised that Draco was clearly trying to comfort the girl. The two of them smiled, and the Mudblood was clearly a little more confident thanks to his son's words. Suddenly Draco leaned in and pressed a kiss against her cheek, adding a touch of colour to her fair complexion.

"What in the world is going on here?" Lucius murmured, as he watched his son and his 'family' continue their progression. They disappeared from view, and seconds later there was a knock on the door. Lucius moved away from the window, standing beside the fireplace as he waited for his son and his 'family' to be directed into the parlour. His eyes narrowed the slightest bit as the House Elf directed them in. He would be assessing what damage this Mudblood had done to his son.

"Master Draco, and... Mistress Madison?" The house elf seemed unsure about how to refer to the guest, only amusing Lucius. She would remember her place. He said nothing, watching with slight annoyance as his wife ran immediately to their son's side, pressing a kiss to his cheek. She always had smothered the boy with affection.

"Hello mother," Draco said happily, putting the little girl down in order to give his mother a proper hug. Over the top of his mother's hair, Draco glanced at his father.

"Hello, son," Lucius said a little too brightly, stepping forward.

Lucius pretended not to notice the suspicion in his son's eyes, as he returned the hug, Draco's face as calm and calculating as his own, a fact that pleased him greatly.

"Father, Mother, this is my wife Madison," Draco said, "and these are our children. Kaleb and Jesika, our twins and the youngest, Xane," Lucius resisted the urge to narrow his eyes at his son. The boy seemed... happy! His eyes gleamed with what Lucius could only assume was affection as he introduced each member of his little... 'family'. This was worse than he had thought. Lucius glanced at each child in turn, a pleased sneer on his lips as Jesika turned away from him, burying her face in Draco's robes.

"Thank you for inviting us" The Mudblood held her hand out, forcing him to shake it. Lucius resisted the urge to scowl, or to wipe his hand on his robes afterward, "Draco and I have been looking forward to it"

Lucius couldn't stop from narrowing his eyes at his son, who had been unable to hide his smirk at the actions of the Mudblood. He seemed pleased with her.

"The Elf will show you to your rooms"
Lucius watched their retreating backs, his mind whirling. His son was far too attached to the Mudblood and his half-blood offspring. But the damage did not seem irreversible. It was time that Lucius reminded his son of who he was, and what it meant to be a Malfoy.


"I don't trust him Draco" Madison said, sitting down on the edge of the bed. Draco ran a hand through his hair. Madison glanced up at him, smirking. "You got that from Harry you know"

"Got what?"

"The hand in the hair thing"

"I did not!"

Madison only laughed, but it quickly turned to a sigh. Draco nodded, understanding what she was feeling, sitting down next to her, and taking her hand in his, as she leant her head against his shoulder.

"He's going to hurt them Draco"

"No" Draco's jaw was tight, his grey eyes flashing. "He'll have to go through me first"


Lucius was staring out the window, hands behind his back as a smirk formed on his face. He knew what he had to do. He would have to rely on his contacts at the Ministry to ensure things didn't get too messy, and his son would be resistant at first, but that did not matter. It had to be done.