Okay, I have been getting reviews that people are confused. Here's a little recap (hopefully it will help you understand). Voldemort isn't a real being, he's a specter. This is NOT a ghost. He's a soul without a body… Avada Kedavra can't kill him, he's almost immortal but he's not able to live like a normal being (i.e. - he could never have gotten Ginny pregnant). Specters have enough force, however, to burn a Dark Mark into someone's arm or to touch them or to pick up stable objects. If touched, it feels as if a real person were touching you. That should probably clear up most of the haziness. If you remember in my first chapter he was just holding her down and giving her the potion… there was no rape. I intentionally left it hazy… and let everyone jump to their own conclusions. Thanks for the reviews and I hope this helps!
The sun shone brightly through the tall windows of the dining hall. Three days had passed since Draco and Ginny's declaration of love and everything seemed perfect. For the first day they had barricaded themselves in the bedroom, only leaving to call for a house elf to bring food in. However, after much persuasion on Narcissa's part, Ginny had agreed to go shopping for new robes.
Truly, Ginny hadn't needed much convincing. Her clothes didn't even pull over her belly now; the bits of string laced through the buttonholes were down to the last thread and even Draco's shirts were too small. Luckily for them, it was a perfect May morning and Lucius had procured a portkey from the ministry.
Narcissa smoothed the folds of her grey robes as they portkeyed into Diagon Alley. "So, I thought we would go to Gladrags first… they have a very wide selection of Maternity items."
"Isn't that very expensive though, Cissa?" She asked tentatively as she was ushered into an enormous showroom that was crawling with the crème de la crème of wizarding society.
"It's nothing but the best for you, my dear, you're a Malfoy!" She exclaimed and smiled at the short saleswoman who bustled up to them. "Good morning dear, we need to get some things for my daughter in law here."
The little thing looked up over her large glasses. "Sure thing Madame, we just got in our new summer line! It's not to be missed." Without hesitation she walked to a section in the back.
Ginny was immediately in the midst of the prettiest shades of grey, green, red and all assortments of pastel robes. Immediately she went about looking about. A particular cerulean blue robe stuck out to her; it was made of light silk and reached mid-knee. "All of these things are beautiful!" She exclaimed as she looked at the price tag. Suddenly, the robe was repulsive. "2000 Galleons?" she breathed, stepping back in horror. "Narcissa this robe is 2000 galleons!"
"Really?" She asked, moving to inspect the tag. "They must be having a sale!"
"A sale?" Ginny repeated incredulously. "Narcissa my entire HOUSE doesn't cost 2000 galleons!" She exclaimed, shaking her head. "I can't pay that much for one pair of robes."
Narcissa laughed, "Of course not, Ginny, neither can I. Lucius is paying for this entire outing. I suggest you take full advantage of that." She gave Ginny a little wink and went about picking out other robes.
A devilish little smirk spread on her face. "Oh, in that case…" She went about picking out a variety of robes in assorted colors. After nearly an hour and half of picking things out, trying on others and paying, they left. Ginny made out with 3 different shades of blue robes, a green one (just for Draco), a pastel mauve that didn't clash with her hair, a summer cloak that could be used even after the pregnancy and an entire bagful of maternity underclothes. She was even able to wear the new blue robes out of the store.
Narcissa packed the rest up and had it sent back to Malfoy Manor by floo. "You're going to be the best dressed mother at Hogwarts."
Ginny bit her lip nervously. "I'm going to be the only mother at Hogwarts."
"Listen here, dear, you're not alone in this. You know about my wedding to Lucius; I was pregnant during my 7th year and you must believe me when I tell you that I did not have the support you did. My parents threatened to disown me if I didn't marry Lucius most haste." Narcissa replied sadly.
"But Lucius is the father isn't he?" Ginny asked, unsure for a moment.
"Have you seen my son?" she teased lightly. "He and Lucius could pass for brothers if not for the age difference… he looks so much like his father. But there was a question of course Ginny. For a long time my affections were bestowed on another." A wistful look flickered across her stern features. "However, Severus's priorities lied elsewhere."
"Severus Snape?" Her mouth dropped in shock. "That's just so… weird. I can't see him being nice enough to have a girlfriend, let alone one as pretty as you."
Narcissa laughed. "Severus is not at all the man he pretends to be with his students, Ginny. If you look past that cold, stony exterior, he's just a big teddy bear. And I know, that's strange for people to understand, but it's the truth. He'd give his life to protect any student… well maybe not Harry Potter but that's for an entirely different reason."
Ginny smiled. "Well, I'll work on being nicer to him then." Still, she didn't really believe it; she really stuck to her guns when it came to the motto: you've got to see it to believe it. She had adopted it immediately after being dragged up from the Chamber of Secrets; if you couldn't see its true existence, then it wasn't real. Then again, she had seen Voldemort with her own two eyes… and yet he wasn't there at all, really. "Where are we going next?"
"Gringotts, I have a surprise for you." She pulled the door open to the bank with ease, "And don't worry, we don't have to go on that awful cart ride. I've had this all prepared."
Ginny was immensely grateful; sure, she didn't have morning sickness anymore, but that didn't mean she wanted to be jerked around on a roller coaster ride. A decrepit goblin waived them past the crowds into a back room. Ginny gasped as she saw what was there in front of her; it was a small cradle that had been charmed to hold two babies. "Oh Narcissa, it's beautiful!"
"That is the Black Family cradle. I've decided since I can no longer have children, nor can Bellatrix or Andromeda, that you should have it. I understand it legally belongs to Sirius but I know he would want you to have it." Narcissa explained. "I'm glad you like it."
Wiping the tears rolling down her cheeks, Ginny gently knelt beside it. "I love it! Thank you so much… this means a lot to me."
Narcissa beamed. Most people stereotyped her as a frosty bitch that would tear Ginny up rather than making her feel welcome; they also would think that she'd shell out thousands of galleons for a brand new, top of the line cradle. Smirking, Narcissa knew that she would have done that if she thought that Ginny would appreciate it. "I just wanted to make sure that you want it… I will understand if you want something new for your babies."
"Oh no, Cissa, I want this cradle. It's so well made and it has a lot of family history. I bet even you were cradled in this!" She stood up, hugging Narcissa lightly. Her belly was getting in the way, making it very hard to embrace.
"I was…" she answered. It was nice to finally have someone in her life who wasn't such a…man. Draco would never hug her in public; hell, he hated hugging her in private. Both he and Lucius were very private people who didn't much like being touched. "Now, I think a trip to Le Chocolatier is in order before we go to the Crimson Lights for lunch."
Ginny sighed. "You really are spoiling me today! Crimson Lights is very uppity, my parents have been trying to get in there for 6 years. My dad wanted to surprise my mum on their anniversary but, alas, they ended up at the Three Broomsticks again."
"Well when all of this is over, we'll have to take you and your family out to dinner there." She offered with a smile. "And I promise, when all of this is over, you can see your family. It's just dangerous now…you know what I mean." She looked around behind her and down the lane. "We have to be careful what we speak of… we never know who is listening in."
"I must be the most careful…" Ginny answered; gently she pointed to her arm where the Dark Mark marred her perfect flesh. "I've been dying for some licorice whips dipped in peanut butter."
Narcissa laughed. "Well they've got everything here. I remember when I was pregnant with Draco I couldn't get enough of the sour sardines. I know it's disgusting, but it still got me through 9 months."
Ginny laughed as she filled a jar with enough licorice to last her a month. "Cissa, I'm pregnant… I know what its like to want to eat bat wings. I had to make Draco promise to stop me if I tried."
"You're not alone; I was very tempted to try the soap in the bathroom because it smelled so good to me. Luckily I was smart enough not to; it's toxic if ingested." She answered with a chuckle; she picked out a small amount of pure chocolate for herself.
It was truly a pleasant afternoon for Ginny. After they left Le Chocolatier, they headed over to Crimson Lights. The whole atmosphere was exquisite. There were no screaming babies, no drunken men and even the talking was a light spattering here and there. The only thing Ginny didn't like was how people seemed to look down at her as she and Narcissa were seated.
"Oh I recommend that pasta primavera Ginny, it's excellent here. But really, choose anything you want; price is no object." Narcissa recommended as she read over the menu. It was a thick packet of food items etched into glass and held together by two very elegant pieces of crimson blood wood.
Ginny decided after looking over the menu, that anything Narcissa suggested would be good. It was overwhelming here; at the Three Broomsticks you either got fish and chips, bangers and mash or the soup of the day; at THIS restaurant, there were over 500 different meal choices. "I think the pasta will be fine."
After ordering, Narcissa sat back lazily. "So tell me about you and my son. I want details…"
Ginny felt a blush creeping over her. "Well I love him. There's not too much I can say other than that. It was hard at first; he wanted to shut me out and I know he was mad at you and Lucius for pushing this marriage. But, as time went on, he starting accepting it… I started accepting it too. It was easy from there, we became friends." The story began to flow and things clicked into perspective. "And with the babies and everything, he promised me that he would take care of me. He made me feel safe, and I haven't felt that way in a long time." She suddenly became very interested in her fingernails; she didn't want to look into her eyes as she said her piece. "I haven't felt safe since my first year when Tom took me down to the chamber. So, it was really a welcome feeling."
Narcissa listened intently. "I hate to admit it aloud, but I'm truly a hopeless romantic. I think that's why Lucius swept me off my feet… he was always the most romantic man I knew. But as a girl I confused romance with gifts; it was only when I grew up that I began to understand true romance. Draco must have inherited that from me…I'm so glad."
"I'm glad too." Ginny said with a laugh. Her stomach began to rumble slightly and she was glad when the lanky waiter brought out a large plate for her. After taking a bite, she knew why it was so quiet in there; the food was so exquisite that one would have to be VERY used to it to even try to talk.
By the time they both finished, it was well into late afternoon. Narcissa guided Ginny back to the spot they had portkeyed in before. "Well I've had a lovely afternoon… now, you go on home and I need to pick up a few more packages."
"Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?" Ginny asked. She was having so much fun, it was hard to imagine living again after Voldemort had attacked her yet here she was having a fabulous time out.
Narcissa smiled thoughtfully, "No dear, you should go home and put your feet up. I don't want you getting a sore back now… besides, there are personal effects I need. It isn't something you'd be interested in." She turned and walked down past the shops, "I'll see you at home!" she called back.
Ginny felt the familiar tug at her navel and was instantly ported back home. Almost as if Narcissa's words had made it true, her back began to hurt something awful. "I think I'll take a nice long nap." She said to no one in particular. The bed was made up nicely and Draco was nowhere around. She crawled beneath the sheets and immediately fell asleep.
Draco sighed heavily as he paced the halls of Malfoy Manor. He had spent the better half of the morning trying to avoid his father. Even though the house was enormous, it seemed entirely too small with all 4 of them in there; he couldn't even imagine what life must have been like for Ginny growing up: 6 brothers and two parents in a house that was about the size of his room at Hogwarts. It could not have been pleasant…
Narcissa apparated back into Malfoy Manor with several large packages in hand. "Draco!" She called out to him as quietly as she could. "Come help me!"
"Where is Ginny?" He asked as he took the larger of the two packages from her.
"She's already home; I had to pick up a few things for the baby shower." She smiled broadly. Setting the package down on the dining room table, she straightened her robes.
Draco's eyes widened. "A baby shower," he repeated, "And who, pray tell, will be attending this little téte a téte?"
Smiling, Narcissa hurried him from the room. "Oh I invited a few ladies from our social circles, Mathilda Bulstrode with little Millie, Daisy Parkinson and her daughter Pansy, Gilda Goyle, Cynthia Crabbe, my niece Nymphodora Tonks and Magdalena Flint."
Draco scoffed. "First of all, I've never heard anyone classify Millicent Bulstrode as 'little'. Second of all, I don't want my wife exposed to your 'social circles' and lastly, Gilda Goyle died 4 years ago."
Narcissa frowned deeply. "It's important to have a baby shower Draco. Besides, none of those women should be held accountable for their children's and husbands' actions." Her voice took on a scolding tone that quickly ended the conversation.
"Fine… but I'll just make it clear that I don't like this. I won't spoil her fun; if you say its important then I believe you." He capitulated easily just because he knew it was something Ginny would enjoy. "When is this little thing?"
"Not until after your graduation… and I don't want you telling her either! This is a surprise." Narcissa called a house elf to place the gifts where neither Ginny nor Lucius would find them.
"I've got it mother." He said irritably. "I should check in on Ginny… we need to leave tonight if we want to make it back before classes start up again."
Narcissa nodded, "Draco, what are you and Ginny doing about next year. She'll have the babies and you'll be graduated… but she will not." The situation worried her greatly; she herself had been graduated when Draco was born and it had been a handful. Even with the finest nannies England and France had to offer, raising a baby was a challenge… and Ginny would have two.
Draco thought about it deeply for a moment. "I suppose she'll have to quit school… maybe if she took her NEWTS this year and worked hard, they'd allow her to graduate early. That would leave her options open."
"Yes, you should speak to Dumbledore immediately. Classes will become increasingly difficult for her as well. She'll have to forego apparition training and any strenuous work will have to be waived or extended." She explained everything with a motherly air.
He had never seen her like this… to Draco, Narcissa had always been 'mother'. But he never thought of her as going through 9 months of pregnancy and the trials and tribulations of rearing him. "I'll make sure to explain this as well. I'm assuming that Dumbledore is aware of this entire situation… the whole order is, correct?"
"Yes, they all know, and Albus has made it very clear that he didn't like the whole idea. Ginny was out last resort… but you'll be happy to know that they're planning the attack on his hideaway after graduation." She said proudly.
"Mother, shush! Do you not realize that we could be spied on?" He pointed vehemently to his arm where the Dark Mark was burned on.
Narcissa laughed heartily. "My dear son, I have no fear… your father has been administering a potion to you for a while now that blocks Voldemort from listening in on you all the time. Ginny, however, is not being administered the potion; you must be careful about what you say around her."
Draco sighed heavily. "I know mother, I know. I just wish this could have been different. Yes, I love her. I love her more than I've ever loved anyone in my life but I have to wonder… if we weren't forced together like this, would we be together?"
Narcissa pulled out a chair and sat; with a wave of her hand she motioned for him to do the same. "Draco, I have often wondered what my life would be like if I had not slept with Lucius and I had slept with Remus Lupin or James Potter or Severus Snape instead. I wondered if I would have such a perfect son as you and still be happy in my marriage." Looking down at her hands, she allowed emotions to flicker across her face: anger, fear, resentment, love and sorrow. "But then I snap out of it. What's the use of wondering? Things are how they are, and there's nothing I can do to change it."
"Mother that was very profound, thank you." Draco truly understood her; it didn't matter now, Ginny was his wife, she was pregnant with his children and they were happy. "Now, I must check in on my wife." He leaned down and gave Narcissa a quick peck on the cheek. "I'll see you at dinner."
Narcissa watched her some retreat up the stairs and sat back. "Alright Lucius, you can come out now."
With a soft swish, Lucius appeared from behind his invisibility cloak. "How did you know I was there Cissa?"
"I could hear you breathing Lucius… when you sleep in the same bed with a man for 18 years; you start to become very familiar with all of his little habits. That raspy little wheeze you get in the early spring makes you very easy to notice." She said matter-of-factly.
He smirked and stepped toward her. "So you wonder what it would be like to sleep other men?"
"Did I say that Lucius?" She queried. "I said that I wondered what my life would be life if I hadn't married you. I daresay I would have avoided a lot of pain… but I would have missed out on a lot of things too." Her cloudy grey eyes reflected all of the sadness and longing she felt at that moment.
"Cissa, I love you." Lucius said softly.
Blankly, she stared at him. "Lucius, you've never told me that before." Her heart sang with unbidden desire; her husband loved her…
In one step he was at her side and crashed his lips upon hers. It felt so good to hold her again. "Narcissa, I've said it hundreds of times before…you just have an awful habit of falling asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow."
Smiling, she took his hand. "Let's test that theory, shall we?"
The two of them scampered up the steps like two giddy Hufflepuffs, leaving the halls empty once more.
A/N: I hope you enjoyed that… shopping and some L/N lemons, lol. My brother is graduating from Gymnasium July 1st and with my new baby and my sister here, I won't be able to put up a chapter until at least Monday July 4th. Keep reviewing!