Guys! Sorry for the long wait! Preparing myself for college is so stressful :( I can't even think clearly -.-
So, I know I've been saying these for the past few chapters, but.. Calculating my ideas, I think this is the third or fourth or even fifth of the last chapter of this story :( Ugh. I will miss you guys so much! I love each and single one of you! You have no idea how this story saved me from my personal issues :( thankyou so much for sticking up with me through thick and thin :(
I feel like I don't show you guys Clementine quite enough, so, this chapter is dedicated to our little bundle of joy :).
Chapter 56- Domesticity
Right after a week, the couple renovated the room across Draco's as a nursery for their little child. With Narcissa's prodding nature, she surprised the young blondes as she showed them off with elegant silver- for Slytherin, and blue-for Ravenclaw furnitures that she had secretly bought right after she had heard about her grand daughter's gender. With Draco's delight, Luna showed her appreciation by shedding happy tears. Moved by the warmth and acceptance Draco's mother has given to her daughter.
Despite Narcissa's overwhelming tactic, she let her son and his girlfriend paint or even redesign the whole room, if they would like to, that is.
Luna took the job seriously as she painted her own version of the view outside Hogwarts right on the wall facing Clementine's crib. The shore underneath the mountain where the castle sits is enchanted as it's waves draw back and forth, and also, the sun, as it rises and sets according to time. Then, to the other three, Draco and Luna painted them light blue,with green swirling vines and pink versions of crawling lilies of the valley blooming smoothly.
The ceiling is oddly, left white, but in night time, they turn a soft hue of light blue with soft white fogs moving like a bunch of gentle clouds.
Overall, the room is an explosion of Malfoy elegance and Lovegood artistry, and the two thankfully, somehow, worked.
Also, on two days prior, Shacklebolt, along with his aurors, appeared in the manor's living room, proclaiming the Malfoy's as suspects of their dirty works.
In June, with the golden boy Harry Potter and his goody two shoed gang-the nickname now tastes friendly against Draco's past hatred, their family was proven not guilty, as it was then known that they were just forced to do all those sickening crimes because their lives were on the line. With Draco's unbelievable rise from the dementors' kisses, knowing a fully formed death eater is impossible to summon a patronus, the jury laid low with his involvement, believing in every statement Potter and Luna have given them. However, in the eyes of law, punishment is a must. Especially with the huge role his father partook in the dark lord's biddings.
And so the three members of the aristocratic family were given house arrests, locking them in the manor with different schedules of release. Narcissa, who never participates in all the dirty deeds, she was only given three months to stay locked in. As for Draco, he has five- with having the settlement and power to take his OWLS exams in his own chamber, while his father has a year.
It was the month of September, three months right after the trial, Luna tearfully and hesitantly accepted to finish the rest of her 6th year- all thanks to Draco's endless convincing tactics. Draco insisted that she should atleast finish the delayed remaining two months and follow her dreams of being a Magizoologist, stubbornly refusing when she offered to stay with him and Clementine instead.
For his stubborn inner dialogue, he strongly doubt this martyr liked decision-knowing how restless his nights are as he never fully recovered with the trauma of his past, and Luna is the only one with the touch and presence that could calm him. His pillows, bed sheets and room were already filled with reminders of his bedmate and lover, her scent strong and intoxicating on the sheets. Without her, he would truly feel alone. Blank.
Suddenly, he regretted ever changing the room infront of his as Clementine's nursery. Especially when his little girl got comfortable with the new environment.
"Never you mind about Clementine, Luna. Mother already settled a 'preposition' with Professor McGonagall. Fibby will assist on bringing Clementine along in breakfast, lunch and dinner, adding an hour per break for the sake of both of you" He said the morning of sunday, a day before her departure. The family of three laid stomach first upon Draco's large bed, with the pair of parents next to each other and the baby an inch ahead from them, training the three month old infant's muscles.
Luna gave Draco a side glance, her lips quirked to a sheepish smile. She knows, deep down, that Draco needs her more than he cares to admit. To be honest, she wouldn't mind, not at all. She grew attached to sleeping next to him now. It would be really hard getting back to her old routine, without a chest to lay her forehead to, a strong arm wrapped around her-providing warmth and safety, sometimes she wouldn't bother having a blanket at all, a leg for hers to wrap around, the scent of 'home' and safety, the husky good morning's, a pair of lips absent mindedly planting chaste kisses unto her own ones to wake her up, the silvery blond hair tousled and sticking up to different angles, the waking up at midnight- crying along and kissing him because he would ever so often mumble nightmares and sadness, the I love you's and kisses to her forehead when she has ones in return, everything.
"I will miss you too, you know. More than I could ever think I could. You've spoiled me enough" avoiding his eyes, she wrapped both of her hands to Clementine's, inching closer to her face, nudging the tip of her nose to Clementine's little one. "Dadadada" Clementine mumbled back, her laughters faint and gentle from her throat. Her icy blue eyes staring back at her mother, happiness and glee written in them.
The same pair behind blinked at Luna, his smirk visible and wide. "These bloody laws and that bloody ministry, locking us up in this hell pit. They're quite an arse aren't they Clementine?" he presented her with her favorite stuffed toy. It has a body of a rabbit, a puppy's head and tail, and wings of a butterfly. Luna sewed it, made bizarrely special for her child, said it is a friendly version of a nargle with a powerful nargle repellent casted unto it's soft cloth. Without questioning it, Draco and Clementine accepted wholeheartedly.
The little bud grabbed it eagerly, stuffing the stuffed toy in her toothing mouth; distracted and quite failing with trying to devour it whole.
"I will prepare and help you turn out to be strong, love. Our last name is bond to bring misfortune and bad fate. I do not want you to suffer with all the idiotic scums people will surely throw upon you" Clementine babbled back, her eyebrows tuning down once she sensed the negative vibe her father's aura has been getting.
"But we'll be alright, won't we Draco?" Luna craned her neck to him, tilting her heart shaped face to look at his chiseled one.
"That's foolish Luna. Will you gladly replace 'love is good' with 'bad faith'? Will you allow them to taint you, make fun of you, and spat ridiculous words at you? Will that risk be worth it? Really?" If he isn't too busy staring right to her calming, trusting, reassuring eyes, he could've realized how thought provoking his question is.
Luna feels as if her heart had skipped a beat. She knows that he just accidentally asked that without the intention of making her think of another meaning, but still, it is an implication that he must've thought about it. And so nerve and excitement occupied her as she contemplates whether this, this moment she is in, must be it.
Yes, of for Merlin's sake. This is Draco Malfoy. Of course she will, always.
"Of course, Draco. Gladly, without a doubt" her mouth spread into a huge smile, her eyes sparkling along with it.
"You're unbelievable, woman" he took her hand and linked his fingers to the spaces of hers', ever so often, rubbing the skin of her knuckles. He went silent. He doesn't know why, above everything they both went through, he still feels afraid, afraid of finally letting the happiness overtake his worry. After all this time, because of his last name, the world never failed to give him something to stress and panic about. He always feel as if sooner or later, the Malfoy upbringing will caught him off guard and strangle him, dragging Luna and Clementine along to his bad luck.
"Let it go. We'll be okay, I assure you" Luna brought his hand up to her lips, easing his tensed state as she plants small kisses upon his knuckles.
"Let it all go"
The next day; which is marked as when Luna would flee to go back to Hogwarts, the family of three are sitting in the Malfoy's waiting area, waiting for Harry Potter and possibly, Merlin knows, the others as well.
Despite Clementine's wiggly movements beneath his knees, Draco sat still with feet cold and shaking, the after effect still raw underneath his skin.
It is the first time they've come down to the ground floor of the manor ever since the war, there were plenty of dark memories etched upon the tiles and nobody in the family of five ever dared to revisit the ghostly areas.
Unto every side of the manor with it's dark past, this hall is the one he hates the most. Looking around it, try as he might, he couldn't shake Luna's horror-streaked face and Bellatrix's wide shocked eyes out from his head. Upon this tiles, his daughter almost lost her life, and the chills and fury still have the same powerful aftermath.
"Draco, look at me" As if his eardrums reopened themselves, out from his thoughts came Luna's soft,worrying voice and Clementine's endless babbles.
He obeyed, his eyes connecting with her light ones-which still, unbeknownst to her, they alone push the fog that were clouding inside his mind. The sun ray that enters the glass pane directs upon her pale and ethereal face, shimmering and glowing beneath the thick silence of the haunted manor.
"Oh wonderful, for a while there, I thought you must've swallowed a fogswert again"
He scooted closer, bringing Clementine with him as he ventured through the three steps adventure upon the huge cushion. Luna opened her hands eagerly for her turn to coo her little bundle.
"You really are insane aren't you, Luna? Well, blaming my adoration and affection for you, I have mysteriously stomached your Quibbler, and your odd creatures. So, enlighten me then, babe" Luna took Clementine eagerly from him, her cheeks tinted with a soft shade of pink from this rare-but had happened before- occasion that he had called her with a pet name. It's not like she's complaining, it's far from that. Draco just never fails to surprise her. Especially when this sweet tugging he's been making her heart beat never once stopped, it's been like this after all this time, and she intends for it to stay like that.
"You've been thinking about all these things again, you must've swallowed a big one-" She inched in closer, her legs beneath the cushion, and a babbling baby between them. She can't help but to stare into his piercing icy blue eyes, they excite her. Those honest hues never fail to make her smile for no reason. Draco Malfoy indeed reminds her of winter, the thick cold and silver demeanor it coats to the world made it fearsome and arrogant. "-you see, there is a cure for that. I haven't tried it anywhere before, but please do close your eyes"
He rolled his eyes and sneered ever so slightly. But against his negative move, he obeyed her anyway.
His eyelashes met his cheeks, the snowflakes fell gently to the pale ground.
She leaned in.
But when you truly looked at the thick snow, cleared your eyes from the first judgement and embraced it with bright and understanding enthusiasm, it's actually wonderful. Breathtakingly, wholesomely beautiful.
Behind his closed eyes, he felt Clementine's weight against his chest and a radiating heat close to his face. His lips formed a small smirk, the dip and rise of Luna's soft lips were too familiar even if it had a distance between his.
Then, he closed that distance with a light push.
Luna Lovegood reminds him of the calm winter on a December night. Soft, caressing, and inviting. Everything about her just radiates with child-like innocence and elderly wisdom. He was once so scared of polluting her, rub his darkness unto her pristine life and make her like him.
She did accepted all of it, let his mistakes crawl upon her skin and tamed them with willingness and acceptance. They broke and weeped with her grace, and she let them dance with her as if she didn't mind.
No, not at all. She embraced and nurtured them to peace. Patient and angel-liked.
She calms him.
Always.
She placed her hand to the nape of his neck, a sigh erupted and shivered from her gentle lips.
How could she let him take her, accept him, love him, without tainting her innocence?
Luna Lovegood just never fails to surprise him.
"Isn't it a little too early to traumatize your kid, Mister and Missus?" Blaise's prodding voice broke the two apart. Much to Draco's annoyance and Luna's tinted cheeks, there were two wizards and three witches standing on the Malfoy grand fireplace, and those were; a smirking Blaise and Pansy, an impressed Ginny, an uneasy Hermione, and a blushing Harry.
"Why are these two with you?" Draco stood up with his arms folded on his chest, mocking an arrogant pose, but with a playful smirk appeared unto his face. His question was directed towards Harry, as Blaise and Pansy were the implied surprise guests.
"Oh, come on Mr. Malfoy, we just want to see our favorite godchild, don't we Blaise?" Pansy strut first and was then followed by Blaise. Through the observation from Harry, Hermione and Ginny, they now knew that the two Slytherins happen to be familiar with the manor to even care about pleasantries. Reluctantly, they followed suit, sitting themselves to the huge sofa infront from where Luna is located.
Before any of the four could ever have the chance to take Clementine from Luna, the ever so sneaky Blaise won them over, much to Pansy's pouting face. He shrugged her off with a chuckle, wrapping the child inside his arms, and Clementine looked at him with a toothless grin. Immediately a rare smile shone upon his face.
"I swear, Clementine would be a Slytherin, I just know it. Uncle-slash-best-godfather -Blaise Zabini just knows it" Blaise bounced Clementine upon his arms, her chubby arms raised unto the air as she squeals in delight.
"Oh, we haven't thought that you would like to be one" Draco pouted, faking a worrisome expression, teasing the Italian.
Blaise stilled, his face comical with disbelief. In that state, Pansy took the infant from him. Getting Blaise out of the picture, Pansy, Ginny, Hermione, and Luna huddled together to the couch, giggling and ogling to the blabbering child.
"I am wounded. I didn't thought domestic life made you forget about your awesome best friend" Blaise watches as Draco eyes fluttered nervously towards Luna, whom was pretty preoccupied with telling tales of her adorable baby. He knew that even before Clementine was involved, the lovebirds wouldn't just let the other slip easily from them. They would get a hard time getting rid of each other. It is just, they compliment each other so well. They are the balance that the other needs.
So him and Pansy knew those two could easily manage a lifelong happy marriage. Most importantly, each other.
"Could you bloody shut up with these marriage jokes Blaise?" Draco warned quite nervously. Afraid that it might draw attention from the curly blonde girl sitting at the sofa.
"Do you not want to marry her?"
He smirked when he saw the irritation in Draco's eyes.
"Ofcourse I bloody want to ma-"
Draco is a bit known for raising his voice when he gets angry or feels like things are out of his control. So due to this personality, he had five pairs of eyes look at him suspiciously.
"-make you as Clementine's godfather" He inwardly sighed in relief, sending his best friend some daggers with his squinted eyes.
"-Is that alright for you babe?"
"babe?" Luna bit her lip and ignored Ginny's risen brow
"Of-ofcourse! Certainly. Can we have Ginny as her godmother as well?" Her adorable puppy eyes made him groan deep from his throat. He knows that Luna Lovegood can make him do anything. Well, he did went through an almost-permanently-dead just for her. One look from her trusting eyes, he could lose his focus.
"I don't think it would be necessary since we all know she'll be Mrs. Zabini someday. But sure, whatever you please-" With that, he earned a rare blushing Weaslette and a sharp nudge from Blaise "-And, before Princess Pansy would throw a tantrum, she could be the other godmother. For the sake of Clementine's life"
The three appointed godparents rejoiced excitedly. They raced unto Luna and were trying to take the infant from Luna's arms. Much to Clementine's discomfort with having so many hands wanting to hold her.
Draco looked at Luna as her eyes changed into their worrisome state. Through the distance, their eyes met, and communicated. With invisible traces, he followed her gaze towards the two quiet guests infront. He knows immediately what Luna's worrying for. How could he forget how considerate Luna can be?.
"Children, you all have your time. Now, can Clementine meet the savior of the wizardling world and the brightest witch of her age?" Harry and Hermione blushed, not getting used to hear such words from Draco's mouth. Rolling his eyes, Luna stood up with Clementine in her arms, the infant reaching out her hands toward the two.
"I-" Luna laid Clementine gently to Harry's arms. Awkward and unsure, Harry's arms went frigid, angling his arms to a stiff angle. With that, Clementine looked up on him with an eyebrow raised, a very Malfoy thing to do, and a kind smile grazed to her lips, a Lovegood adaption.
"She's so pretty" Hermione smoothen her fingers to Clementine's light strands of blonde hair, curling her curls at the tips of her fingernails.
Gently, she smiled at the thought of Harry with children. It would fit him well. He is just so caring and thoughtful, it's hard to think that at such a young age, Harry has already lost his family. She already knew that it would hurt so much, but she didn't know that it actually felt worse. When she obliviate her parents' memories, even for just that short period of time, she grew depressed, falling apart from the loss. Merlin knows how tough times were with Harry.
But she knows she would be there for him. Always.
"I'm sorry Hermione, Harry. If only it is allowed to have as many godparents as we hoped to have" Luna said sheepishly, a sad frown upon her face.
Hermione touched Luna's hand, smiling at her to let her know that it was alright. Meanwhile, Harry did not respond, but then, there was a small smile that crept upon his face as his cheeks was being played to from the bundle of joy.
Draco watches as Hermione's eyes dart warmly to the boy wonder. Rolling his eyes dramatically, he swears they could've gone far up to his brain. The attraction between these two is too obvious, he wonders why they haven't caught up yet.
"Seeing men with babies could do wonders couldn't they Granger?" he teased
"The tension from you two is too thick, I could've drown from them" and Blaise snickered
Hermione rolled her eyes and sucked her lips into a thin line.
Harry just gulped and brought Clementine up to stand her up to his knees.
"Don't worry Harry, Hermione. You could be the next godparents, I assure you." It might've been a way to ease the two's feelings up. But Luna's words froze the occupants of the room up, all the guests looking at Draco with huge eyes and slightly opened mouths.
Draco's heart tugged, pulled, and jumped. Luna just says the boldest things. In an even more awkward state, he turned unto Luna, who's looking at him as if she had just realized how her statement got out.
"Is it just me or does it sound like an invitation?" Through the awkward silence of things, Blaise spoke. And Ginny glared at him pointedly, although with lower lip bitten from her teeth, trying hard not to burst out laughing.
"Blaise? shut up"
"Oh but we never liked breaking promises, don't we Luna?"
As soon as Luna left, he locked himself inside his room with an even more brooding nature. That night, he stayed wide awake, his eyelids never seem to let him sleep. He feels the overwhelming sensation of agitation, fearing that if he would let his mind dream, the traumatic experiences would come back again.
And without Luna next to him..
He laid his palm next to him absentmindedly, clutching unto an invisible figure that was once there, just a few hours ago.
"You'll be okay Luna"
"I hope so Cho. Thankyou"
As soon as Luna hit the mattress of her cot, the tiredness left her system, and suddenly her mind was fully awake. Weirdly enough, her once so comfortable sleeping pattern back in Hogwarts felt weird. Somehow, she feels quite uncomfortable with sleeping, worried that somehow, flashbacks would come visit her in her dreams. And how about him? how about Clementine?, Narcissa? Lucius?. How are they coping?
And Without Draco next to her..
She turned to her right, her eyes staring at the space and wishes that it could smell like mint and honey. Groaning, she pulled the pillow from her head and laid it to the missing section of her bed
Please leave a review? It can really help you know :)
PS: Guys, remember chapter 43, when I've made Luna say that Harry's going to be Clementine's godfather? I'm so sorry :( I know that's a no go, considering that Harry just wants that family feels so bad :(. It's just that, when I'm thinking about Clementine's character and personality, how I've always implied that she's indeed such a copy of Draco, I kind of feel like having Blaise around feels so right. So, going back to 43,. I changed it into uncle instead.
AnotherPS: the teasing scene from Blaise and Draco was inspired by one of my fav druna fics called Happenstance. It is one of my fav fics that made me love baby fics :)
:)