Draco Malfoy Promises To Be A Good Boy This Year

Part Two

Diagon Alley

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Three days before the Hogwarts Express was scheduled to leave, I was leaning at the kitchen table in The Burrow, my chin resting on my folded arms. It was early in the morning and I couldn't sleep. The night before, Mrs. Weasley had told us all to get a good night sleep because we were going to go to Diagon Alley to pick out school things. I was still under the impression that I wasn't going. Besides, Mother had had my trunk shipped to me, so I didn't need anything anyway. I tried to tell Mrs. Weasley this, but she said I needed books. And I suppose I did. That is, I would if I were going.

Once everyone was asleep, I had sneaked into Ginny's room and crawled into bed with her. She stirred and turned over, blinking at me. "Can't you sleep, Draco?"

"No…" I snuggled up next to her and rubbed her poor feet. "Does that feel good? Do they hurt?"

"Not too much. And I love that." She hugged onto me. "Why can't you sleep?" We were such an 'old married couple'.

"Because we're supposed to go get our school things tomorrow, but I'm not going to Hogwarts. I'm staying here with you and Nattie." That's what Ginny and I called Nathaniel.

She sat up. "But Draco…I want to go to Hogwarts!"

"But you can't. Your feet are too messed up."

She cupped my face in her hands. "I think I can do it."

I turned onto my back and looked up at her. "What do you mean? Do you think your parents will let you go? You're not walking well yet."

"But I want to go so much! Look!" She slipped out of bed and walked slowly, but steadily across the room. "It will take me awhile to get to class, but I don't want to be held back a year. I'll start to feel so daft if I don't practice my magic. I'll make myself walk!" She headed back towards me and toppled into my outstretched arms with a laugh. "Besides, I want to be with you."

"I still don't want to go for more reasons than one. But you get some sleep now. It'll be a big day tomorrow, especially if you're walking all around Diagon Alley." I tucked her in well and kissed her forehead. "Goodnight, little sprite." I headed back up to the boy's room, feeling dread.

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I now lifted my head from my arms and looked out the window at the rising sun. I had just remembered that today was my birthday. I was now fifteen, the same age as Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Usually my mother and father threw me a spectacular birthday party and invited all my friends, but I didn't foresee any of this today. Not that I cared much. If it were up to my father I would have been dead a month ago.

There was a movement in the doorway and I looked over. Ginny was standing there with a bright red bow wrapped around her chest, over her nightgown. She was trying not to giggle. "Happy Birthday!" she cried and flung herself at me.

"Ahh!" I hugged her and planted a kiss on her lips. "Silly girl! What are you doing?" I let her share my chair and admired the bow. "That's strategically placed…"

She collapsed into a fit of giggles and flushed. She was so goofy.

"How did you know it was my birthday?" I was pleased. Very pleased.

"A birthday package from your mum arrived yesterday. So we decided to celebrate too, later today."

"How sweet…" Maybe this wouldn't be such a bad day after all.

The morning progressed quickly from there. Soon I was surrounded by a noisy brood of very tired, but enthusiastic Weasleys. Mrs. Weasley promptly tackled Ginny and pulled the bow off her chest, muttering something about morals, while the twins threw bread at each other and made a big fuss about Ron using the last of the jelly. It was a typical morning.

Mrs. Weasley knew I didn't want to go to Diagon Alley, so she was especially sweet to me. "Don't worry, Dear…you'll be excited once you get back to Hogwarts. And Ginny looks like she's moving around well. I'll see what her father says, and if he sees fit, she will go with you. You'll have a lovely year."

"I suppose so…" My sprits were rising, so I cheerfully ate my cereal and fended off a blueberry attack from Ron. Harry snorted into his milk and Ginny was in hysterical laughter again. We were so delightfully immature.

We traveled to Diagon Alley by Flu Powder, probably my least favorite mode of travel. I preferred Portkeys or brooms, personally. I always managed to bump my elbows on the sides of the fireplaces when I traveled this way. Mrs. Weasley told me to keep my arms tightly around myself and I would be fine. And I was. Mrs. Weasley is really very wise.

Once we were there, Harry and Ron went off to meet Hermione at Gringotts. Ginny and I would catch them up later, with Nathaniel. Whenever we went out, Ginny insisted on keeping him with her. Mrs. Weasley had enchanted a little flowered backpack that was meant to carry babies so that Ginny or I could wear him on our back. Since it was magical, it didn't feel as if he weighed anything. This way Ginny and I felt as if we had some sort of part in his upbringing. I guess you could say we were babysitting.

We moved slowly down the winding street, Nathaniel gurgling on Ginny's back and me holding onto her arm to brace her if her sore feet gave out. We made quite a handsome three-some and witches and wizards smiled at us from all around. So this is what being good was like? Not bad. I was getting more attention with this beautiful young girl and my boy than I ever got when I was walking around looking haughty and full of myself.

There were some whispers, of course. "Isn't that Lucius Malfoy's son? What's he doing with that girl?"

"And that baby. He looks like he's forming a little family…that's not his child is it?"

"I should hope not! That's a Weasley…I would know the hair anywhere. Dirty blood, that."

I felt like a local celebrity. And just when I want to fit in! Damn. I squeezed Ginny's hand, keeping my mind on spending the day in peace with her. "Where are we going first?"

"Ollivanders. I need my wand fixed. It was singed in the blaze." We turned in her wand there to have it all fixed up with the promise it would be done on the last day of August and delivered to the Burrow. Then we bought a couple of new robes for each of us. Ginny was very excited because she was finally able to get new robes instead of second hand ones. The Weasleys had had enough extra money to get the kids some new things. I tried on my matching robes and then we stood in front of the mirror, gazing at ourselves. Nathaniel clung to the hem of Ginny's robe and gurgled. We were such beautiful people; it would make everyone jealous.

We then made our way to Flourish and Blotts to meet the others and get our books. By this time I had resigned myself to the fact that I was going to be attending school this year. I could see Harry and the others through the front window of the store. I lifted my hand and waved to them, a grin on my face. I felt so giddy.

Suddenly, Ginny cried out and a rough hand spun me around, wrenching me away from Ginny. I was staring into my father's eyes. "What do you think you're doing, waving to those vermin?" He hissed at me. He looked as if he wanted to strike me, but a cry from Ginny stopped him. He turned to look at her. "What are you staring at there, girl?" Then his eyes fell upon Nathaniel. Ginny was carrying him at the time, and she hugged him closer to her and teetered unsteadily on her feet now that my hand was gone from her arm. Father hissed through his teeth. "Is that…is that…?"

I glared at him coldly. "That, Father, is my son. His name is Nathaniel Weasley-Malfoy."

Father grimaced. "You would attach your name onto that of the likes of that?" He pointed sharply at Ginny, who glared.

I smacked his hand aside. "Don't you ever point at her again! Don't you point at her, speak to her, or even look at her ever again! I am not under your control anymore and she means more to me than you ever did or ever will!" I snapped. "Come on Ginny, let's go meet the others." I took Nathaniel from her and grasped her hand. "Good-day, Father."

I left him seething. Take that! Draco Malfoy is under the control of no one!

Harry approached me when we entered the bookshop. I handed Nathaniel over to Mrs. Weasley and Harry lifted Ginny onto his back as she was getting tired of standing. "What did he say to you?" he asked. "Ron and I were ready to blast him." Apparently, they had watched the whole exchange.

"Nothing that bears repeating." I looked out the window and smirked. "He's never going to win me back. He's lost me forever."

Harry hoisted Ginny a bit, and she lay her head on his shoulder. "Let's get our books and head home. She's tired and you look stressed."

I was stressed. What if Father refused to leave me alone? And I didn't like the way he had looked at Nathaniel. It made me feel sick. Why was everyone so obsessed with our baby? I suddenly realized that I was glad to be going to school. It would get me away from him.

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