Disclaimer: I don't own anything. All Harry Potter characters belong to J.K. Rowling. Title: Little Children
Rating: PG
Summary: Draco Malfoy, the boy who never rew up is getting a wake-up call. A nine year old girl to call his own. How will he manage with another mouth to feed, and a Ginny as a nanny? Draco has a lot to learn about little children...
A/N: Thanks to my reiewers once again, I appreciate all of your views and criticisms. Thanks. I want to dedicate this chapter to all the people who actually read author notes. I applaud you.
Little Children
Chapter Four
Draco sat at the table reading the Dailey Phrophet, while Nina cleaned. Draco had no problem with not having to do it himself, of course. But it was a little disconcerting, seeing an eight year old girl mumble under her breath about dirt and dust bunnies. Draco looked up at her from the sports section. She was was standing on top of the dirty broken recliner she had moved and was cleaning two years worth of cobwebs out of the corner.Draco sighed and went back to the paper.
"Don't you ever clean around here?" Nina questioned impatiently.
"No." Draco resonded simply, not even bothering to look up from the paper.
"Why not?" Nina asked, hands on her hips.
"Because I don't see the point." Draco explained, glaring at the young girl. "Everything's just going to get dirty again. Why bother?"
"Did you know that most dust is made up of dead human skin?"
"Nope. Do you know how easy it would be to bury a body as small as yours?"
"I was just saying..."
"So was I."
Draco turned over to see the Help Wanted ads on the back page. He groaned at the thought of work. He had taken the day off to figure out whether or not he could quit his job. With Nina's commission, maybe he could afford to be a stay at home...brother. Right out of Hogwarts he had found a job he never thought he'd ever consider. He worked in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts, under Arthur Weasley.
Of course, Mr. Weasley had never treated him badly, just because he was Lucius's son. He was a fair man and he had been fair to Draco. But still, the pay was crap and Draco could barely afford this flat and enough food for himself, let alone an eight year old girl. Draco smiled to himself. But then again, that's where the money came in, right?
A thought struck Draco's mind and suddenly he had a new problem. What could he do wth her during the day. He knew very well that he couldn't quit his job. and he couldn't take her to work with him everyday. What would he do to her?
Well, Hogwarts wasn't the answer. She was still too young for that. He could put her in a muggle school for now...but that wouldn't work either. It was onlu June, schools wouldn't be back until August, at least. Looking over the want ads, convincing himself that he'd figure out something later, a heading caught his attention.
'Nanny Needed'
Nanny needed Mon.-Fri. Pays 400
galleons a week. Two children. Two
boys, six and eight. Call 555-7869
for more information.
That was the answer! Draco smiled in triumph. He could easily pay four hundred pounds a week. A nanny. He wouldn't have to deal with Nina, and if he was lucky, not even see her that often.
"What are you so happy about?" Nina questioned, walking into the kitchen to find some antibacterial spray.
"Nothing. Nothing." Draco lied, quickly searching for the numer to call to place an ad. The sooner he found someone the better. Anyone would come rushing for the job. He'd just make Nina sound like a cute, sweet, loving young girl instead of the controlling, vindictive forty year old in a nine year old's body that she really was.
Finding the number for the paper, Draco felt a rush of relief as he saw the name of the person to call to place the ads. Blaise Zaini. 555-4656. Grabbing his cordless phone off of the counter, draco dialed in the number, making sure that Nina was out of hearing range. Sure enough, she headed off in the bathroom to start cleaning there next.
"Hello, Blaise Zabini," a bored voice rang out on the other end.
"Blaise, old buddy, old pal," Draco declared, you gotta help me out."
"Who is this?" Blaise questioned.
"Your best friend in the world, Draco." he announced with as much excitement as he could muster. "Aren't you glad to be hearing from me after all these years?"
"Yeah, I sure am." Blaise answered. "You owe forty pounds from that Chudley Cannons vs. Wimbourne Wasps game four years ago."
"Uh, right. I sent the money in the mail. All of it, really. didn't you get it?"
"No."
"Oh, well, next time I see you..."
"What do you want, Malfoy?"
"I want to put in an ad for a nanny."
"Good for you. Got a forty galleons pounds."
"Are you kidding?"
"Nope. Got the money."
"Well, no."
"Well, then, it was nice talking to you. See you at the ten year reunion."
"Wait," Draco said quickly, "Don't hang up. I don't have the money right now, but I could get it to you."
"Now or never."
"Thanks alot, Blaise, you're a real pal."
"Don't you know it. Goodbye now."
Draco slammed the phone down on the receiver. What could he do now? Blaise was being a pain in the neck and he couldn't very well take the little brat into work with him, could he? Not sure what to do, Draco sighed and started towards his bedroom.
"What are you doing!" Draco shouted upon entering his room. Nina was sitting on the floor with his underwear before her, sorting it and cleaning.
"Cleaning up your room a bit." she said nonchalantly. Practically growling, Draco muttered a number of impolite things under his breath as he picked up the young girl, carried her with ease into the living room and let her drop onto the couch. She stared up at him with a frown. "What was that for?"
"Stay out of my room!" Draco ordered, walking back towards his room. "And stay out of my underwear!" He slammed the door, leaving Nina alone in the living room, pouting.
"Wonder why he's got his panties in a twist."
"I heard that!"
Ginny stepped into the small office of Blaise Zabini. It was cramped with a desk and two chairs, barely enough room stand. "Are you Ginny Weasley?" Blaise asked, turning around in his cheap plastic swivel chair to face her. She nodded and he motioned for her to sit down in the chair opposite of him.
"Go ahead, sit. Your brother told me you needed some help finding a job."
Ginny nodded.
Blaise looked her up and down. "What kind of job are you interested in?"
Ginny shrugged from her seat. "I don't know. I'd be willing to try anything I suppose. As long as it pays well."
"Right," Blaise answered. "Why don't I tell you wat ads I have, and you tell me yes or no, if you're interested or not." Ginny nodded as Blaise pulled out a long list from a drawer inside of his desk.
"Alright." he started. "Gringott's teller."
"I'm not good with money."
Blaise crossed off the top line of the list.
"Dragon rustler."
"Fiery death? No thanks."
Twenty minutes later, they had gone throug the entire list and Ginny had yet to find a single job to fit her.
"Let's face it, Ginny," Blaise said, sighing. "You don't have a lot of qualifications, and I don't have a lot of openings that don't require qualifications."
"Are you sure you don't have anything else. I'm good with children. I can cook. I can clean. Anything like that?"
Blaise sook his head. "Really, I don't have anything...but-"
"But what?" Ginny questioned.
Blaise shook his head, remembering Draco's call earlier that morning. He hadn't actually taken out an ad, but hey, this chick was desperate, and there was nothing else that she could even think about doing.
"How do feel about being a nanny?" Blaise asked her, folding his hans.
Ginny shrugged. "I don't know, I've never tried before. But I have lots of experiance with nieces and nephews."
"Well..." Blaise considered it. "I do have this one offer. Young guy needs a nanny. I can set up an appointment if you like."
"Yes!" Ginny practically screamed. "Thank you so much!" Shaking Blaise's hand, she grabbed her purse and left the office, shutting the door behind her. Sighing, Blaise looked up Draco's number on his caller and slowly dialed.
"Hello?" Draco questioned wearily on the other end.
"Man, do you owe me big time..."
