Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any characters related to it. J.K. Rowling does.
______________________________________________
"Mummy! Daddy! Wake up!"
Draco groaned as his four-year-old daughter jumped onto the bed, jarring him out of his sleep. He heard his groan echoed by Ginny who was struggling to entangle herself from the bedsheets. He opened his eyes to meet a pair of large gray ones framed by long, dark lashes. Her nose was barely an inch from his as she looked into his eyes, hers full of excitement.
"Wake up! You and mummy promised me we'd go on a picnic today!"
"Why would we promise something like that?" Draco asked sleepily.
She looked hurt. Her lower lip trembled as the excitement vanished from her eyes to be replaced by doubt. "You didn't forget it was my birthday, did you daddy?" her voice quivered.
"Draco!" Ginny scolded, sitting up. "Don't tease her."
Draco gathered his daughter in his arms and kissed her on the cheek. "I'm just joking. Of course I didn't forget your birthday. Did you say that you were turning twenty?"
She giggled. "I'm turning five, daddy."
"Go have nanny start your bath," Ginny said. "I'll be in there in a minute."
Draco watched his red-headed daughter run out of the room. She has her mother's looks, he thought. Ginny sighed and fell back on the pillow. Draco examined his wife of six years. Is it just me or is she getting more beautiful everyday? She turned her head as his eyes roamed over her face. She smiled.
"Is there something on my face?"
He leaned over her and kissed her, feeling the blood rush to his head and to other places. She never ceased to excite him. "Not that I'm aware of, but would you like me to take a closer look?"
She laughed and wiggled sensuously under him. "You know we can't make love right now. Lorraine would come barging in here, wondering why I haven't come in her room."
Draco reached over to the bedside table to get his wand. He pointed at the open door and muttered a spell. The door shut with a thud and locked. He put the wand back on the table and grinned down at her. "Better?" He took her shirt off, exposing her naked body. He sat back to admire her.
"Hey, it's not fair that I don't have any clothes on and you do," she complained. She reached over to take his clothes off. "All right, let's make this quick," she said in a business-like voice.
"So are we aiming for half an hour or an hour?"
"Shut up and come here before I change my mind," she said.
"Like you would," he growled as he obeyed her.
~*~*
"Ooh! Let's stop right here!" Lorraine squealed when they rode by the pond.
"Be careful," Ginny cautioned as she watched her get off the pony that Draco had bought especially for her. "Don't fall into the pond!" she called when Lorraine ran to the pond.
Ginny sighed. Draco got off his own horse and went to help her off her horse. "I wish you hadn't bought her that pony," Ginny said.
Draco held her and kissed her. "My daughter will not grow up in ignorance and not know how to ride a horse."
Ginny sighed again and shook her head. She grabbed the picnic basket from the light blue horse that she rode on. She let Draco tend to the horses and went to pick a spot under a large tree. It was a beautiful day. It was the perfect weather, a little on the warm side, but nonetheless it was still beautiful. Lorraine had wanted to ride around her "daddy's yard" and have a picnic there. Draco came to help her spread the blanket and unpack Lorraine's favorite foods ranging from peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to potato chips.
"Really Draco," Ginny admonished. "Just because someone doesn't know how to ride a horse does not mean they're ignorant. I mean I didn't know how to ride a horse. And I'm certainly not ignorant no matter what you think," she said when he opened his mouth to comment.
He grinned at her. "I hope she did not get your brains, or the Malfoy name will be mocked at. Imagine my ancestors' shame if that should happen."
"Why you- " Ginny said in mock anger, knowing full well that he was playing with her.
He put his finger to her lips to silence her. "Hold your tongue, woman." He leaned over to kiss her.
"Ew! Could you guys stop kissing in front of me for one day? Especially on my birthday," Lorraine said, her face showing her apparent disgust as she looked at her parents.
Ginny pulled away from Draco and looked at her daughter who was making a face at her. Ginny laughed and patted the ground beside her. "Come and sit down and eat. Your aunts, uncles, and cousins will be over soon for your birthday party and you don't want to keep them waiting, do you?"
Lorraine shook her head and did as Ginny said. She eagerly chattered on about the frogs and fish she had found in the pond. After they were done eating, they all rode back to the Manor to get ready for Lorraine's birthday party. Two hours later Ginny's family arrived. The elves had decorated the house with colorful streamers, bubbles, stars, confetti, and balloons that continuously floated around all of the rooms on the main floor. Lorraine and the children and some of the adults went outside to play some games. Ginny still couldn't believe how much her nieces and nephews had grown. Fred's and George's twin boys were starting their second year at Hogwarts in less than a month. Simon was to start next year and Arianna the year after that. All the other kids were under ten years of age.
"You're looking wonderful today, Ginny," her mum said. Her mum and her were in the ballroom setting the huge table for cake and ice cream.
"Did I look otherwise any other day?"
Her mum smiled. "You know what I mean, darling. You look more happy everyday, and I'm so happy for you. I always worried about you, because you were my only daughter."
"Oh mum," Ginny said. "You can't imagine how happy I am. Everything's just so perfect. I know nothing's perfect, but it feels like this comes close to it," she turned to her mum. "Was that how it was with you and dad? Were you this happy with our family?"
Her mum's eyes had a faraway look in them. "Yes I was. Nothing can compare to having a family with the one you love." She blinked and shook her head. "Look at me reminiscing like some young girl."
Ginny examined her mum. Her hair now had more prominent streaks of gray in it. There were more lines and wrinkles on her face, but they weren't from worry. "There's no law that says that you have to stop reminsicing at a certain age," Ginny said.
Her mum gave her another smile. "Well, I'll carry these drinks into the sitting room," she said picking up a tray and leaving the room.
Ginny continued folding the napkins with ribbons and filling the cups with different varieties of candy. She looked out the window and saw Lorraine running from Esmond and William who each had unnaturally real stuffed spiders in their hands. She felt a feeling of peace inside her as she continued to gaze at the many activities going on outside. She never forgot what happened to her with Damius and Anton, but now it didn't seem as horrible as it had been in those first days after Draco had rescued her from being buried alive. In August of that same summer Ginny had been overjoyed to find out that she was pregnant. The look on Draco's face was one of wonder and happiness. Ginny could already see the plans that he was making for their unborn child.
Ginny closed her eyes, remembering that day. She started when arms enclosed her waist from behind and pulled her against a muscular, broad chest. "Hello love," a warm voice murmured in her ear, kissing her on the cheek.
Ginny covered his hands with her own. "How is your mother?"
"She wrote me and told me that she's doing fine," Draco replied. Narcissa had gone to stay with her father when she realized that Draco was going to keep Ginny as his wife no matter what his mother said.
"That's good. I don't mean no offense, but I'm glad she's away. I wouldn't like Lorraine growing up around her," Ginny said quietly.
Draco sighed. "I am too. I love her, but she's someone I don't want Lorraine looking up to."
Ginny turned around in his arms to face him. "And who do you want her to look up to?"
He tucked her hair behind her ears. "I want her to be herself. But if she looks up to someone, I would want it to be you," he bent his head and kissed her. "Curse it! We can't make love because your family is here."
Ginny raised her eyebrows. "You would want to make love in the ballroom?"
He smirked at her. "Why not? We have every other place in the house and outside." Ginny blushed and he laughed. "I love it when you blush."
Ginny made a face at him. "I still can't believe you can make me blush after all this time."
He held her face between his hands, looking intently into her eyes. "I still can't believe you can turn me on."
She smiled slyly at him. "Well believe it, Malfoy."
"Oh, are we resorting to our old ways now, Weasley?"
"We do everyday. Because everyday I fall in love with you all over again," she said.
He quirked an eyebrow. "Rather lovey-dovey today, aren't you?"
"Draco," she complained.
"I understand," he said. "You're feeling rather emotional because of Lorraine's birthday."
Ginny turned to look back out the window at her family. "Yes."
Draco looked too and hugged her closer, burying his face in her hair. "Or is it because you just want to bed with me right now?"
"Draco!" Ginny exclaimed. "I don't think I'll ever get used to you and your bluntness."
"You have until the rest of our lives, darling," Draco whispered. "And much longer than that."
____________________________________________
There's the last chapter! Stay tuned for my Author's Note!