Chapter Thirty-Five:
Gabby smiled as she stretched into awareness. She could feel Zane's arm wrapped protectively around her stomach and his toned back pressed against her back. A glimmer caught her attention and she examined the engagement ring in giddy contentment.
"Your girlish excitement is keeping me from my beauty sleep, love of mine," Zane croaked in his sleep roughened voice. He rose up on one elbow and gazed down at her. "I never did ask...do you like it?"
Gabby sat up against her pillows, smiling. "Yes, quite a deal, actually. You know I always thought that the guy I'd marry would have me choose the ring and then I'd act as though I never knew it was coming...but I like that you totally surprised me and picked it yourself." She hummed at the kiss he gave her, smiling at the peck he gave their daughter. Sighing she looked over at the clock. "Shite! I promised Dad I'd help him decorate sans boyfriend today!" She scrambled to get dressed and presentable, pausing at the laughter of her fiance.
"You are cute when you're worried," he smiled.
She smirked and backed into the floo without another word. Zane fell back onto the bed. "Merry Christmas, indeed," he breathed.
Harry smiled as Hermione poked in his kitchen bearing cookies. "Here I went a little crazy this morning with the baking," she said sheepishly. He kissed her and returned to his paper. "Harry? The twins were just enthusiastically telling me about your time in Tibet..." She arched a brow, crossing her arms.
Harry's eyes widened. "Is that so?" he questioned casually.
"I wasn't aware that Tibet was found in the dungeons of Hogwarts with monks that look an awful lot like Severus Snape," she drawled.
He exhaled. "Look it sounds more legitimate that way instead of I had a nervous break down so Professor Snape took me and taught me some borderline dark magic to help me control myself."
Hermione shook her head in amusement. "You are ridiculous sometimes Harry Potter...but I haven't seen them this excited about something in ages so I'll give you time to tell the truth."
Both adults paused as Gabby entered through the Floo. She froze staring at the pair in embarrassment. "Isn't that what you were wearing last night, young lady?" Harry said icily, but his eyes twinkling in amusement.
"Y-Yes, but Zane said you knew about the hotel a-and...I'm engaged see," she offered her hand up in treaty of sorts.
Hermione snorted. "Good Merlin Harry cut it out you knew he was going to ask her and you paid for the room, stop trying to give her a heart palpatation."
Harry chuckled scooping up his eldest in a tight hug. "So how did it go?"
"Well..." she blushed as she sat down with him in the breakfast nook. "The actual proposal was a disaster. I thought he was breaking up with me and he lost his cool for a moment and then it was really sweet. Have you seen it?"
Harry shook his head, watching Hermione go. He turned his attention to his daughter's outstretched hand and his green eyes widened. "Good Merlin what a rock," he breathed. "How many carats?" he smirked.
"I don't really care," she said, swallowing.
"But?"
"But it's three and there are fifty smaller stones down the sides and it's platinum and apparently the wedding band that goes with it is just one carat diamonds all the way around," she boasted animatedly.
Harry laughed warmly. "Well then, is your hand tired yet from holding that thing up?" he teased.
"What's this about?" Dell asked sleepily. Dad had let them sleep in today seeing as Gabby was out.
"Come take a look," Harry smiled nodding toward Gabby.
Dell strolled up and her hazel eyes immediately focused on the glimmer in the nook. A smile spread across her face as she bounded over to hug Gabby. "You're engaged!"
"How was it?" Chris asked as she leapt into the room and scooted in on Gabby's other side.
Harry stood up to put breakfast...or lunch, rather, on the table. He took a moment to watch his girls huddled together giggling and squealing excitedly over the ring and the proposal. He had a flashback to a time when Gin had taken them to their first manicures. Shaking his head, he continued his task.
As they ate, Harry sighed in resignation. Shutting his eyes, he pressed on. "I can't believe I'm saying this..." the girls looked at him in confusion. "Gabby you have to go tell your mother today. You can't go into the party this weekend and totally blindside her. We'll decorate tomorrow. Call up Zane and go over there for tea. If you need to, bring Chris and Eli for support..."
Gabby gazed at her father in amazement, wishing she had his heart. Even after everything Mum had put him through...sometimes...most of the time maliciously, he still couldn't purposefully hurt her. She nodded and stood to go call her mother. Chris followed to floo over to the Davis house to ask the boys for their help.
Chris walked in on their meal too, pausing momentarily at the realization she was still in her jammies. The family stared in confusion at the redhead.
Clearing her throat, she spoke. "Gabby and Zane need to go break the news to Mum and the Malfoys. Eli, Gabby was hoping that we would go for support."
The two boys looked to the matriarch for permission. Hermione nodded warmly. They stood to go get dressed. Chris turned to leave, but Eli stopped her.
"Hey," he smiled kissing her chastely. "Look, I have your Dad for the secret Santa thing...and I was wondering if you could get something out of your vault for me..."
Ginny was sitting in the Winter Parlor, making Christmas cards with the children and Narcissa, while the two Malfoy men sat by the fire reading. All of them, jumped at the sight of Gabby's head in the floo.
"Gabrielle," Lucius smiled. "How are you?"
"Wonderful," she smiled. "Grandfather, could Chris and I and our boyfriends come over for tea? We haven't seen you all in a while and I have some news to share."
"Yes!" Ginny exclaimed.
Draco and Lucius both arched a brow at her in amusement. "Yes, that would be splendid. See you in an hour and a half, dear."
"What do you suppose the news is?" Narcissa inquired.
"Maybe it's the gender of her child," Draco suggested.
"I'm excited to meet Zane I haven't exactly met him yet," Ginny said happily.
"Any man who can love passed another man's child is worth meeting," Lucius commented, before instructing the house elf to ready the tea service. The Malfoys readied for the event.
Meanwhile Gabby fixed her fiance's hair for the fifth time and straightened his collar. Zane chuckled stealing a kiss from her worried face. "Baby, calm down, it's not good for our little princess. And it isn't good for you either. No matter if this goes good or bad, the baby's coming, I'm not going anywhere, and we are getting married. Worst case scenario she needs time to digest it all."
"You're right," she sighed. "It's just you asked Dad's permission but she hasn't even met you yet and she'll immediately be offended and blame Dad for turning me against her and..."
Zane silenced her with a hungry kiss that left her breathless. "Gabby?"
"Hmm?" she hummed in bliss.
"Let me take care of you," he whispered. "I will handle it if you let me. I stood up to the most powerful man in wizarddom to ask your hand and I'll stand up to the woman who shook his timbers and left him broken to defend our decision. But you have to believe I will."
"Okay...but remember she's a month behind me in her pregnancy too."
"Noted. Eli! You guys ready?" The other couple joined them and Zane took his fiance's hand as they entered the floo.
The quartet found them selves in a warm room with the tea ready and the adult Malfoys waiting. "Oh Gabby! Look at you! You are definitely showing!" Ginny exclaimed, hugging her tightly.
The girl was careful to keep her ringed finger stowed in the pockets of her poncho dress. Chris hugged her mother, smiling as Lucius squeezed her tightly. Zane was introduced formally to the Malfoys and the group sat down to tea.
"So what is the news?" Ginny asked happily, cuddled into her husband's side.
Gabby squeezed Zane's hand tightly. "Two things...we're having a girl," she smiled.
"That is exciting!" Gin gushed.
"And you are taking the father role, Zane? That's quite impressive for a young man your age," Lucius said smoothly. He wasn't certain about this one. How stable was he? Would he be able to support his princess? It was obvious their souls were compatible and bonding more everyday to the point their magic melded together...much like Lily and James Potter had.
"My mother raised me right I suppose," he replied charmingly. "I love her...both of them, sir. Couldn't imagine backing out now," he stated giving her a quick loving glance.
Narcissa smiled. The two young couples were the genuine article in her opinion. She was a bit of an expert on spotting it having not truly fallen in love with Lucius until the second war was finally over. She used to watch couples, knowing which ones were forced and which ones fell into it happily. "So what is you family lineage?" As romantic as she was, old habits took time to die.
Zane blinked a few times. "We're pureblood...one of the first wizarding families to move to America. All the Peters men have been only children and Senators in the Magical Congress of the United States...that is until my grandmother broke the trend and had twins. My Uncle Maximus is a Senator on his way to the Presidency, his son is set to follow in his footsteps. My dad decided to detach himself from that and became an International Businessman. We are the as blue-blood as Americans can get."
Draco had observed a nervous action that Gabby kept doing...hiding her left hand. He had a really bad feeling that this tea was about to get unpleasant...if it was what he thought it was. "So, you are inheriting the company I presume. Your parents passed away recently, correct?"
"Yes sir. In June I'll be taking over WizTech and Eli will be joining me next summer after he graduates."
Lucius grinned. So he was exceedingly wealthy. Excellent.
"You said there were two things you needed to tell us?" Ginny asked casually.
Gabby swallowed. "I'm glad you all seem to find Zane so pleasant and respectable...because we'll be getting married in the Fall," she said steadily, gazing into her mother's shocked eyes.
"You most certainly are not," Ginny said firmly. "You barely know him!"
"No," Gabby said calmly. "You barely know him. I've been dating him for two months. He goes to all of my healer appointments, Lemaze classes, endures my mood swings, goes out at all hours of the night to alleviate my cravings, tells me I'm beautiful every opportunity he can, rubs my feet, wouldn't have sex with me until recently, and makes a damn good cherry pie!" she finished in a louder voice. "I know I've dated alot of scumbags and you have every reason to question my judgement, but Zane is the polar opposite of everyone I've ever been with...and I know I've got it right this time."
"But WE don't know him," Ginny hissed.
Glaring, she said the next thing intending to hurt the woman. "Dad does. Zane asked him for permission to date me and then got his blessing to ask me." Tears welled in her eyes suddenly. "Damn hormones, excuse me," she grumbled leaving the room.
"I bet Harry sent you all here to gloat," Ginny growled to herself.
"If I recall," Chris began carefully. "Traditionally, the mother's opinion doesn't really matter in the marital blessing unless of course the father is not present to do so." Before Ginny could retort, her middle daughter continued over her. "But more importantly, the family was definitely not involved in you and Draco's relationship. In fact, it wasn't until after your first child together that Draco even settled things with Grandad. You shouldn't be surprised since children to grow to imitate their parents." She stood to go find her sister. Lucius watched wide-eyed at his granddaughter's audacity.
Zane gazed at the woman who definitely lived up to the tales. "It wasn't Harry who insisted we come today. It was me, I disrupted their decorating day to make sure you weren't blindsided by the news at the party on Saturday. I apologize for not considering asking you as well Mrs. Malfoy," he said slowly and evenly. "But you need to understand a few things..." he stood. "We love each other, we ARE getting married whenever she's ready, and the baby is coming in March. A woman in your position should be all a twitter with the details and showering her with affection and the wisdom of someone who has done this before. So, the question we want answered isn't whether you approve or not; it's whether you want to be involved or not. And you can bet that after this I won't ever insist that she see you when she so vehenimently protests." He strode out in an attempt to find her in the monstrous manor.
Ginny was shocked into silence. Eli was at a loss as to how he could escape as he fidgeted with his sweater sleeve. Sighing, he decided to say what he thought to. WIth any luck he could storm out as well. "Look, I know it's sudden, but if it helps way back in August I mentioned her and from that moment he has been protective, caring, and head over heels for your daughter. For Merlin sake he woke up at two the other night to make her pie! I'm no parent, but shouldn't you just...be happy that she's happy. And if it comes crashing down, you pick up the pieces and get her back into the game again. Because as a third party bystander... I can see that if you're not careful Mrs. Malfoy...you will lose them one by one to a man who makes sacrificial, unconditional love look easy. So what do you do? Make sure she starts these two chapters of life on solid ground or make it so rocky that she makes her own path to avoid uneven ground?"
Ginny stood and left before Eli could, tears streaming down her face.
Eli nervously looked around, biting his lips. "So...some snow storm last night, huh?"
Narcissa was still basking in the amazement of the young man's words and the news and the explosion. She blinked and stood. "Well duty calls. We'll smooth this out before the day is out."
Eli groaned as he sank back into his chair. "Good grief. How does Harry handle all these women?"
Lucius chuckled. "Artfully. Draco perhaps you should locate Mr. Peters and have a heart to heart, so that you can reassure your wife of his character later?"
Draco exhaled in exhaustion. "One day...there will be no drama. I promise myself."
Elijah laughed tiredly as the man left. "So Mr. Davis do you play chess?"
The teen ager looked at the Malfoy patriarch. "Yes sir."
"Shall we then? And what do you think we should have for dinner? This could take all night..."
Draco found Zane hyperventilating against the wall of the Study. Clearly in worried panic. "Zane...perhaps we could have a word?"
The blond nodded calmly. They strolled side by side through that wing of the house. "She's worried about how badly she's screwed them up with the way we got together and...well she thought if she ignored the problems left in the wake of the divorce they'd just fade out of existence...but instead they've just grown. For as beautiful, intelligent, and loving she can be. She's equally proud, jealous, and insecure."
"Why do you defend her? You obviously see that she's wrong," Zane asked.
"The same reason you saw fit to defend Gabrielle to a woman you don't know. And she knows she's wrong. She carries guilt over what she did to Harry Potter and their girls, she...she's always been jealous that they call for him in their time of need. They did it as children too. She ruined a good friendship by marrying him and desecrated it by cheating with me...it's a lame excuse but we're a product of a war that we had to fight at too young an age. And it takes a lifetime to recooperate, just look at the Blacks and Severus Snape...my parents."
Zane nodded. "Harry seems to be still healing too."
Draco smiled wistfully. "He's also always been far more resilient than the rest of us. You want to know the worst part of this affair...he forgave me for my stupid, petty hatred in school and welcomed me with open arms into the Light when no one else would. I was a groomsman in his wedding. He vouched for me in the postwar trials...and I repay his kindness and friendship by stealing his wife out from under his nose. And the sick part is I know he'll forgive me again and in time he'll befriend Gin too."
Zane was quiet, silenced by the confession. As they stopped in front of the door to the Winter Parlor, Draco placed a hand on his shoulder. "Do you love her?"
"Yes sir," Zane said softly.
"Are you going to make sure she's taken care of?"
"Of course. And the baby too."
"And are you certain you have strength to endure the dirty laundry of this scandlous family situation?" the Slytherin smirked.
Zane grinned nodding. "I have run screaming yet."
"That't enough for me. I know it's meaningless but you have my blessing as well."
"Thank you...how did we get back here?"
"It's a mystery. Let me tell you the first thing you need to know about handling women...let them fight it out on their own and then when you are alone later comfort them in every way possible. Let's join Father and Elijah in a game of poker."
Meanwhile Narcissa found her daughter-in-law under her cherry blossom tree in the Atrium again. She glided over to the bench and sat down beside her. "Why are you crying, my dear?"
"They are all right," she sniffled, distantly. "I'm being stupid."
"Well it seems I'm not needed here then, since you realize the truth," Narcissa smiled as she rose to go. When the woman didn't stop her, she walked in front of her and cupped Ginny's tear stained cheek. "From the mouths of babes...the time has come where they are no longer afraid of telling you exactly how they feel. I remember the first time Draco told Lucius he was wrong...it struck my husband in a way that made him loose his proverbial footing. But the reason they even attempt to argue is because they love you, Ginevra."
Ginny nodded, wiping her tears away. "The fact that he stood up to me is proof he'll protect her...that he loves her, right?"
"I believe so. And do you honestly think Harry Potter would have let the boy anywhere near his pregnant daughter if he didn't have complete confidence on that fact. He's worse than a mother bear with her cubs."
Ginny snorted. "True. I'm surprised the kid survived and Gabby is still allowed in public."
"I don't mean to meddle but, darling you must learn to parent in unison with the man because he isn't going away. You can't shutdown every time you don't agree with his decisions or the girls' for that matter. I would think you would take the lead of your own mother and myself in these matters. You can't think we liked you and Draco's behavior, but didn't turn away or sew a scarlet letter into you first child's blankets. I suggest you stomach your insecurities and be a mother. Start with throwing her a baby shower. Mothers do that sort of thing."
Ginny let herself be hugged. "You should have had a daughter."
Narcissa watched the younger woman leave before she went to return to the men. Ginny knew exactly where the girls would go. The Astronomy Room with its glass ceiling had always been where they hid. She stood in the doorway, catching Chris' gaze. The other redhead nodded and quietly left the room, Gabby laying on the floor, staring at the ceiling, one hand rubbing her belly lovingly. Ginny laid down next to her.
"I'm an idiot," she said softly.
Gabby rolled her head to the sighed to look at her. "Mum I need you to help me. The more you do shit like this the more I'm going to let Hermione replace you. All I wanted was to tell you before the party..." she started crying again. "Dammit! I can't stop crying. Mum, Zane's a brilliant man. I know you'll see. But when would you have? We've been in school..."
Ginny rolled onto her side and pulled the young woman into a hug. "No. I shouldn't tell you how you feel. I'm sure he's perfect. He'd have to be to win your father's respect. I...I haven't been on board with this since we found out you were pregnant. Could you ever forgive me?"
"Keep trying to, Mum, but you do stuff like this! You're supposed to disagree a moment and then insist on helping me...not...not push me away."
"I know...I'm sorry...so...can I throw you a baby shower next month before school starts? Here at the manor?"
Gabby smiled against Ginny's shoulder. "Yes please...I wanted you to. That's why every time Zane brings up the nursery I find something else to do."
Her mother chuckled. "So...can I see the ring? How did he propose?"
A few hours later they were interrupted by a house elf that informed them everyone was waiting for them at the dinner table. The two entered and laughed at the utter relief on all the men's faces when the obvious tension was dissipated.