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The Safe House
Chapter Seventeen
The first few weeks with a baby were a rather shocking experience to the new parents. They had never experienced more exhaustion in their lives. Ginny often bemoaned not having her mother or even Draco's mother around to help out. Thuban was a very good baby, but he had clearly inherited a terrible combination of his mother's temper and his father's demanding attitude. When he was hungry or he needed to be changed, he knew what he wanted and immediately let both of his parents know it. Yet, once he was happily situated, he was very sweet and not very fussy at all. Ginny had brilliantly come up with the plan to banish all the dirty nappies' contents to the compost bin outside. Draco didn't really care as long as he could change him quickly. As much as she loved being a mother, more often than not, Ginny really felt like a feeding machine. Draco did his best to keep both mummy and baby happy, but he too was struggling with feeling like a house-elf.
"Draco, bring me a glass of water," Ginny called into the office from the sofa in the sitting room. She was lovingly gazing down at Thuban as he was nursing.
"Draco!" she called again before turning back to the baby. "Where's your daddy, Snitch?"
"Draco!"
"What?" Draco screamed from the top of the stairs. "Is Thuban okay?"
"Yes, of course he is. Come down here."
"Are you injured?"
"No. Come down here!"
"Then leave me alone, Ginevra. And get your own bloody glass of water. I haven't slept for more than an hour in weeks. I'm going back to bed." Draco stomped back into the bedroom and slammed the door. He winced at the loud banging of the door and paused just inside the bedroom, expecting Ginny to yell again. When he heard no sound, he flung himself face first onto the bed and immediately started to doze.
Ginny was so angry that she was ready to hex her husband into the next week. Since he had the wand and she was somewhat occupied by the baby, she started plotting her revenge. She was in the middle of a ridiculous scheme to charm the dirty nappies to reappear each time he changed them when she suddenly started crying. She was just so tired. She sat on the sofa for several minutes fighting her tears before a choked sob escaped her lips. Once the dam broke, she didn't even bother trying to contain her loud cries. Soon enough, Thuban pulled away from her and started crying as well. Ginny tried to calm him down, but she couldn't bring herself to stop whimpering and the baby only bawled louder.
Draco rolled over, vaguely aware that his son was crying, and patted the space to his right. "Ginevra, get the baby."
He buried his head under the pillows and tried to ignore the realization that she was not with him and that the crying was getting louder. Slowly, he sat up as he remembered his brilliant response to Ginny's latest request. He rubbed his head, causing his hair to stand up, and yawned loudly as he stretched his arms over his head. Suddenly, the bedroom door burst open, and the wailing baby was thrust into his arms.
"Here. Take your son. I've decided that since it's so hard on you to be the father, you can be the mother and I will be the father."
He started rocking the baby and shushing him as he stared at his hysterical wife.
"Oh yeah, he's still hungry. You should probably finish feeding him. I will be getting a glass of water so if you need one, just let me know." She shot him deranged version of the Smirk of Triumph and fled the room.
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The new parents were very grateful to at least be able to sleep peacefully for a while on the night of their first anniversary as Thuban had begun to sleep for fours hours at a time. They had decided to have lunch together outside where their wedding circle had been. It was still fair weather, but they had bundled up the baby to keep him warm. As they sat in the grass, Thuban slept soundly in his father's arms.
Ginny reached over and stroked the baby's forehead and then Draco's cheek. "Happy Anniversary, darling. I can't believe how much has changed since last year, yet we are still here, and in some ways, everything is the same."
"I think having a baby is enough change for one year. I love you, Ginevra. I'm glad we're still here, and I don't care if that is selfish. I would not trade the last year of my life for the world. I can't imagine my life without you or Thuban."
"I know. I feel the same way. It's so peaceful here. But I miss my family, and I know you miss yours, too. I want them to know our son, Draco. I want him to know them."
"Even my father?"
"Yes, I can forgive your father if he deserves it. Honestly, I already have forgiven him. I have too much to be grateful for, and I don't want to waste any of my life holding on to hate. Besides, I wouldn't have you if it weren't for your father." She smiled sweetly and leaned over to Draco, giving him a lingering kiss.
"Mrs. Malfoy, I believe you are teasing me. Are we going to be able to celebrate tonight the way I would like to?"
"If I get to go to sleep early, I think I might have enough energy after his feeding to give you a little more attention."
"Is this what we have come to, love? Trading sleep for sex?" He laughed and then quickly checked to make sure Thuban had not been disturbed.
"Right now, Draco, I would trade almost anything for a full night's sleep. And who said anything about sex?"
"I thought you said a month. It's technically been one month and one day. Are you still having problems?"
She had a hard time not laughing as she watched his face go from pouting like a child to worrying about her. "I said at least a month. And no, I'm not having any problems. I am a little nervous though."
"Good. Not about you being nervous, of course, but I promise you that I will make you forget all your fears." He wriggled his eyebrows at her.
Ginny had insisted that they keep the baby in their room until he could sleep through the night. Draco was watching her nurse his son, already wondering about how he could have sex in the same room as his sleeping child. His face was scrunched up in thought when Ginny laid Thuban back into the transported cot.
She climbed into the bed and snuggled up to Draco. "Okay, love, make me forget." She giggled a little, surprised at how nervous she really was.
"Er, I don't think I can do it."
"Where's that confidence from earlier? I need you to be the strong one, Draco. I really am nervous."
"I am, too. Seriously, Ginevra, I don't know if I can do this with him right there."
"Draco Abraxas Malfoy, are you actually considering giving up sex until Thuban is across the hall?"
"Are you mad, woman? No, I am trying to figure out how far you would be willing to go away from him?"
"Oh, there's my husband. Too bad we don't have any Extendable Ears."
"What? I have some!"
"Shh! Are you kidding? You have some Extendable Ears, really?"
"Yes, from my days as a double-agent Death Eater spy." He puffed his chest out before grabbing her to him and kissing her deeply.
After a few minutes, Ginny pushed him away, her eyes glazed over from the passionate kiss. "Go get them. We can go across the hall." She jumped up from the bed, and he quickly ran to the closet and found the Ears.
Draco couldn't get the Ears set up quickly enough and almost tripped on the cord as he hurried back from their bedroom to the baby's room. Ginny had taken the blankets from their bed and made a pallet on the floor. She looked up at him and smiled shyly, her cheeks filling with colour.
Sitting on the floor next to her, he gently caressed her cheek before pulling her into a slow kiss. "Ginevra, I love you. There's nothing to worry about; we will take our time. You're beautiful, and I've missed you."
He continued to kiss her until she relaxed into his arms. Then he gently laid her down and began softly stroking her sides, carefully avoiding her tender breasts. Ginny, at first, kept straining to hear the baby, but when she felt Draco's hand slip between her legs, she was surprised at how much she wanted to be with him again. She could feel him pressing against her thigh, and it made her want him even more. She kissed his neck and moaned into his shoulder, encouraging him to continue. Once he had slipped inside of her, it was like time had briefly stopped. They both sighed in relief at being rejoined, and although it was slower and gentler than their normal rhythms, they enjoyed every minute of their lovemaking.
Afterwards, Ginny immediately began to worry about Thuban, and instead of enjoying lying in her husband's arms, she quickly crept back into their room to peer into the cot. Thuban was sound asleep, and looking at his sweet little face and feeling the overwhelming emotions from being with Draco, Ginny stood over the cot and wept silently. Draco was startled by Ginny's abrupt departure, but he thought maybe she had heard the baby. He gathered the blankets and Extendable Ears, crossed the hall back to their room, and deposited the blankets on the bed and the Ears on the desk. He joined Ginny at the cot, wrapping his arms around her from behind. He felt her subtle shaking and turned her to face him.
He whispered, "You're not hurt, are you?" She shook her head no. "What's wrong, love? He's still sleeping, and I didn't hear him cry once."
"I know. I just love you both so much, and I can't help it." She sniffed softly and started to lift her hand to dry her eyes when he stopped her. He stroked the tears away from her cheeks with his thumbs and cupped her face as he kissed each of her closed eyes.
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The next few weeks did not bring as many nights in the baby's room as Draco would have liked, and the new parents were still struggling with getting enough sleep. Just as he was starting to think that maybe one child was enough, Thuban began smiling and starting to coo and gurgle when he heard his daddy's voice, and Draco began imagining a house full of children. He laughed at how easily this little addition to his life could control him, a former Death Eater, with just one small grin. Draco spent much time with his son and was enjoying fatherhood more and more as the baby became more alert and engaging. When he was tired though, Thuban often only wanted to be in Ginny's arms. He was still sleeping for only a few hours at a time on most nights, but it was becoming more and more difficult to get him to fall back asleep after his nightly feeding. Draco would pace their bedroom with Thuban while Ginny returned to bed. He was beginning to think that his son was intentionally keeping him from his wife. It was on one such night that Draco received another calling.
Draco had the baby cradled in his arms and was telling him a story in a quiet, soothing voice. Thuban's eyes were starting to drift closed, and his body was becoming limp. Draco was just about to attempt to place him in his cot when the burning sensation engulfed his left arm. He quickly clutched the baby to his chest with his right arm, scaring him and causing him to wail loudly. Ginny had sat up at the sound of Thuban's cries.
"Ginevra! Please take him! It's the Mark." Draco grimaced as another wave of pain hit him. She jumped out of the bed and took Thuban.
"Sh …Sh …Daddy didn't mean to scare you, Snitch. Draco, can you get the potions? I will get the wand." She crossed the room, rocking Thuban in her arms, and retrieved the wand from the desk. She performed several healing spells and helped him with the Calming Draught. "It's been weeks since the last one. You look like you are in more pain, are you okay?"
"Um…..erm…it's a little more intense than normal. Rrrrrr ….Ah!" Draco winced and then looked apologetically at Ginny and Thuban, who had begun to cry again. "Daddy's fine, Thuban. Err ….it's like he's really pissed off."
"Use the paste, Draco, it will help." She continued soothing the baby as she watched her husband use the Burn-Healing Paste.
Finally, he sat back on the bed, sweat beads on his forehead, his left arm cradled to his chest. "It's done. Come here, let me hold him. He needs to know I am fine." She carefully climbed in bed next to Draco, whilst he scooted further up against the headboard, and handed the whimpering baby to him. "Thuban, shh. It's okay. Shh…shhh Hm Hmm Hmmm." Draco began humming a sweet little melody that he had often sang into Ginny's pregnant belly, and slowly Thuban began to calm down and fall back asleep.
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Several weeks later, Draco poured himself a glass of wine as he sat at the dining table watching his wife and child. Ginny had Thuban propped up on the table in a seat she had transfigured and was playing a little game of peek-a-boo with him.
Thuban would giggle each time that she moved her hands from her face and sang, "There he is! There's my Snitch!" She looked over at Draco, eyed his glass, and smirked, "If you think that we are going to have a repeat performance of last year's Halloween celebration, you are sorely mistaken."
"I don't know to what you are referring. And honestly, Ginevra, I would think that you would want to wait a little longer before we have another child." He sipped his drink again and gave her an innocent smile.
"I meant the drinking. Unless you think that three months old is the right time for your son to start, I cannot have anything." She tickled Thuban, and he giggled again and kicked his legs.
"How long exactly will you be feeding him?"
"I don't know. I guess until he's done. Fleur nursed Dominique for a year, so probably that long at least. I mean if we're still here, it would be foolish to stop as it is a good way to keep him nourished, and I don't mind it so much anymore. So, let's say a year, and then I will decide."
Draco gave her an incredulous look and pulled Thuban to face him. "Mummy does not want Daddy to have any fun ever again, Thuban. Can you please talk to her and tell her that I miss having those bits to myself?" Thuban grinned and started blowing bubbles. "Now, you are just rubbing it in, mate. That's what Daddy wants to do." Draco leaned forward and blew a raspberry onto Thuban's tummy, and the baby laughed so loud his body shook. Draco laughed out loud, too, and smiled broadly at Ginny.
"Draco, do it again. I've never seen him laugh like that." She joined in the laughter with the two men in her life as Draco continued to make Thuban shake with his adorable giggles.
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After removing his snow-covered coat and hat, Ron sat down across from Harry at the back of a Muggle pub. Harry looked exhausted and Ron looked indifferent. The tall redhead drank from the large glass of Muggle alcohol and then leaned forward, quietly casting a Muffliato spell around the two wizards.
"That's the second one we've found that says he's gone, Harry." Ron gave him a challenging look.
Harry sighed in defeat. "I know, but I just can't believe that we're starting all over again. Did he give any names?"
"He said Nott and Malfoy Sr. were still with him. He thinks that his Dark Lord is making a great plan to return again," Ron chuckled. "They're all mad as far as I can tell. I think they've been living amongst the wolves for so long, they have gone wild."
"Nott and Malfoy. That's the same as I heard, except I also had Lestrange."
Ron took another long drink before responding, "Makes sense. I would think that he'd want some protection around him."
"Right. Well, we just have to keep looking for the one who knows where they are. There can't be that many left out there; we have either captured or killed most of them. The vampires will flee if they haven't already. They're not really loyal to anyone."
"Vampires, yeah they are definitely leaving. One of them was with this last group, and she completely bailed on them before we got through. The ones left are the lowest level, Harry. They aren't going to know anything about Horcruxes or Voldemort. Even I know he's not that stupid. We need to focus on restructuring and cleaning out the Ministry."
"He could go into hiding indefinitely, Ron. And what are we supposed to do? Arrest the Death Eaters that are still out there and then just go back to normal, as if none of the last eleven years has happened? What about Ginny, Ron? Do we just leave her with him for the rest of her life, having his babies until he kills her or somehow reincarnates himself?"
"Hermione has told you that there is no way he can succeed, Harry. And Ginny is dead as far as I am concerned. Yes, Harry, we must continue to find them and then move on. I am not going to give up any more of my life chasing a ghost."
"How can you say that? If we don't find him, then we will always be living in fear. We will never be able to move on. We have to find a way." Harry hung his head down and squeezed his temples.
"We still don't even know that we destroyed all of the Horcruxes. If we find him, and we haven't, we will be starting over anyway."
"We have found every single one on that list – "
"The list that Malfoy gave you? The trap, you mean."
Harry looked into the dead eyes of his oldest friend. "The only Horcrux left is Nagini. I know it. I know that's why he is gone. The rumours were true; he could not keep making them. He has moved on to his next plan, and I don't care what it is to you; the clock says that Ginny is alive, and I will die trying to find her."
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A/N: This is mostly beta'd by SometimeSelkie. I added a little, but I wanted to post right away since it's been a while. All mistakes are mine, as always.
Review, please. You know how much it means because almost every single author asks for them. Me included. Thanks so much for reading.