I know it's been awhile since I've updated and I'm sorry for that. I don't have a laptop anymore so my only time to work on this is when I'm in school and because I'm always supposed to be doing other things this took me awhile. Here it is, enjoy!

Chapter 3: Hiding In Plain Sight

Ginny woke up, feeling rested and not quite as sore as she had imagined she would. She also felt safe, which was an entirely new experience for her that was until she rolled over and found her daughter gone.

"Emily?" Ginny called out.

Before she could even get out of bed she heard a pop.

"Hello Ms. Ginny. My name is Snuffles, and I will be your and Ms. Emily's personal house elf as long as you are in Malfoy Manor. Ms. Emily woke up early so I took her down to the kitchen where Master Draco was making breakfast for you both. She is still there."

The women smiled at the elf. "Thank you Snuffles."

"If Ms. Ginny wishes, Snuffles will take you there as well."

Ginny got out of bed, and grabbed her bathrobe and put on some slippers before following the small creature out. They made a few turns down a few hallways and Snuffles guided Ginny through a door when she heard her daughter's laughter.

"Okay Emily, on three your going to flip it okay? You ready?"

"Yes!" the little girl squealed.

Ginny rounded the corner to see Emily and Draco at the stove, making pancakes. Draco had his hand over the small girl's and was assisting her in flipping over the cakes when they were ready. The small girl looked up.

"Mommy watch! We're making breakfast for you, watch me flip the pancake."

"I'm watching my love," Ginny assured her.

"Okay Emily, ready? One…two…three…flip." Draco said as they both flipped over the most perfect pancake Ginny had ever seen.

She smiled and clapped at how delighted her child was at simple things like this, Muggle things too.

"I'm very impressed little Miss Emily," Draco said, handing her a plate piled high with pancakes. "Now can you please carry this to the dining room while your mom and I get the eggs, bacon and juice."

No the words were hardly out of the Malfoy's mouth before the little girl took off running.

"Emily, don't run," Ginny reminded her as Draco just laughed.

"There is no doubt in the world that she is your child."

"I know," Ginny smiled. "And I am thankful for that fact everyday but how about you mister? Cooking the Muggle way, I never thought I would see the day Draco."

"Yea well you know me, I like a challenge, and cooking the Muggle way is just that. Plus sometimes magic actually makes more of a mess when it comes to food. The clean up however, I always do with magic."

And with that word the young man waved his wand and the whole kitchen was clean.

"Thank you for occupying my freakishly early rising daughter. Sometimes I don't know where she gets the urge to wake up so early."

Draco shrugged. "It's okay, I've been on call at St. Mongo's since 5am, and I need to go in at 10am so I figured I might as well wake up early and make my guests some food."

"Well that was very thoughtful of you." Ginny said kissing him on the cheek.

"Well if that is the reward I get every time I am thoughtful I will have to be from now on."

Ginny blushed before "Mommy, Draco, the pancakes are getting cold!"

"We better go, wouldn't want to waste all of your hard work." Ginny smirked.

The odd trio sat and ate breakfast with pleasant small talk, Ginny feeling more at home then she had in years. Toward the end of the meal Draco told the two girls how the day was going to go.

"Okay, I will be working at St. Mungo's today from 10am till 8pm. You both are welcome to do whatever you want as long as you stay within the grounds. The only people who can apparate inside the Manor are people who have been welcomed in by me personally so as long as you stay within the wards no one can find you."

"Should we eat without you?" Ginny asked, trying to be considerate of their host

"You can do whatever you would like Gin." He said. "But I would love to eat with you both if you can wait."

They exchanged a few more words before Draco left for work. Ginny found it odd and comforting at the same time that soon after he left, she already missed the young Malfoy.

So far Draco's shift at the hospital had been uneventful, until lunch. He was quietly eating his lunch when a voice came over the magical PA system St. Mungo's had.

"Assistance needed, assistance needed at the healer's station, disgruntled family member, code yellow.

Draco left his food and ran up a floor to see if he could do anything to help. To his shock he saw Harry Potter tearing through the halls, screaming Ginny's name. Draco stepped in front of him.

"Potter, what is going on?"

Harry looked up and into the face of the man who he really didn't like but at that moment was happy to see.

"Malfoy," he said stopping. "Is my wife here?"

Draco played dumb. "Who did you marry again Potter?"

"Ginny, Ginny Weasley. She had a really bad fall last night after the two of us had an argument and she left. I thought she might have come here to get patched up.

Draco tried hard not to roll his eyes at the lies falling out of the would be hero's mouth, but Draco decided to play nice and to further protect Ginny.

"Let me check Potter." He turned to the Healer's station and picked up a folder. "Have you checked with her parents?"

Harry hardly could keep control of himself as Draco pretended to skim the list of new admissions.

"Yea, her parents said she came home for a few minutes and then she left without telling them where she was going."

Draco shut the folder. "Well Potter I'm sorry, but she isn't here. Her name, either married or maiden is not in the folder. I wish I could help more but I have patients to attend to."

Draco turned and began to walk away, but Harry grabbed him. "Malfoy you don't understand, I have to know where she is!"

Draco gave him a glare and motioned to the orderlies who came over and yanked the man off of him.

"Malfoy don't do this! I have to find her." Harry yelled as he was hauled out of Draco's sight.

Draco smiled to himself; Potter had no idea that fit into his plans very nicely. He finished his shift in very good spirits and a few minutes before he was going to leave he made another call to Blaise.

"So how are things looking my friend?" Draco asked grabbing a few last things.

"Well she doesn't seem to have anyone except her daughter. My sources say that her friendship with Granger didn't last when she didn't believe that Potter was hurting her. Her brother's aren't around or in George's case just can't see it."

"What about her parents?" Draco asked.

"Her relationship with them has taken a serious hit. They see Potter like a son so they are turning their cheek so they don't have to acknowledge his faults."

Draco grit his teeth. "They would ignore their own daughter's pain, put their grandchild in danger just so Potter can keep playing the hero?"

"It's called denial Draco. If you want my advice, Ginny needs a friend, a real true friend. If you want to eventually be with her it can't be you, or you will fall into that friend zone and will never be able to escape."

Draco thought on his friend's words for a moment and finally got an idea. "Thanks Blaise. I'll owl you when the next step of our plan is ready."

"Oh to be inside that head," Blaise laughed before he disappeared again.

Draco just smiled to himself, he had a very important person to visit before he went home.

Draco stepped out of the fireplace worrying about what his mother would say coming over announced.

"Draco darling," his mother said gliding into the room as if the second his feet hit the floor she knew he was there. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming to visit? I thought I raised you better than that, you have caught me unprepared."

Draco smiled at her gentle chiding. "Forgive me mother, I would have sent and owl but the thought just came to me before I left work. I need to speak to Uri."

"What has she done now?" Narsissa asked, worried.

Draco laughed.

"Nothing," he put a hand on his mother's shoulder. "I just need her help again. Where is she?"

"The study, but Draco can't I help you? You know that I would do anything I can to help you."

"I know mother," he said kissing her on the cheek. "But in this matter I think my sister is the only one who can help."

The eldest Malfoy finally let it be and Draco left her to go talk to his older sister.

Draco spotted her as soon as he entered the study. Uriel Malfoy had never been a Slytherin but she would have done well there. She had the attitude of one, but she had the kindest heart…until you made her mad and then the Slytherin came out even more. Her blonde hair was half pinned up and still fell in her face. She was sprawled in a chair reading, her leg over one of the chair's arms. She was dressed in skinny jeans, black boots and a green peasant top. Around her neck hung a chain complete with a snake pendant that spelled out her name, and twined around her middle finger was a snake sporting emerald eyes and diamond scales. Draco smirked but approved.

"For someone who didn't even go to Hogwarts, you put my house pride to shame."

The young women's head snapped up.

"Draco," she smiled putting her book down and running to give her brother a hug.

"How are you?" he asked as they both sat down.

"I've been fine, going a little stir crazy. I swear I love our mother but she is trying so hard to make up for lost time she is ten times as smothering as usual."

Draco laughed; he didn't envy his sister that. "Well then maybe I have come at the perfect time because I need your help."

"Oh no, what have you done now?" she smirked.

"You remember the girl…"

"Ginny?" Uriel looked optimistic, cutting her brother off.

"Clearly I have talked about her too much, but yes. Well Potter has been abusing her and she finally couldn't take it anymore. She came to me; her and her daughter Emily, are staying with me now. Blaise and I are going to try and get her to divorce Potter, and not only that but press charges against him."

"Really?" the women raised her eyebrows. "That is a risky move even for you Draco."

"Blaise has always liked a challenge and I want Potter totally out of the picture so I will help him all I can."

"And what part do I play in this wonderful little drama?"

Draco took a breath. "Ginny needs a friend, she really doesn't have any and…"

"Because you want to be more than friends later, you can't be her friend right now, at least not totally."

Draco looked at his sister for a moment or two. "Sometimes it scares me how well you can read my mind."

"It's a gift." She assured him. "I would be happy to help you brother dear but what about mother? Our annual shopping trip around the world is supposed to start tomorrow and she won't go without me, but I think if I go I will slit my wrists."

"No need for suicide sister, we'll just tell her that we are in need of bonding time. It has been a long time since you and I have has a chance to catch up and I think it would do you good to have a few weeks away from mother. She can shop and go to spas on her own, she doesn't need you for that."

"Well," Uriel sounded a little hopeful. "We can try."

Just as the two siblings finished their conversation a house elf popped in. "Mistress has tea ready for you."

The Malfoy's sat down for tea, the two children waiting for just the right time to face their mother. After a few moments of pleasant small talk Uriel made her move.

"Mother, I was wondering if maybe you could go on our shopping spree without me?"

Narcissa was shocked. "But you always love going shopping with me."

"I know mother, but we see each other every day. I miss Draco, I haven't seen him in months and we haven't been owling lately because we are both so busy."

Draco stepped in. "I don't mean to steal your shopping partner mother, but I could really use Uri's help. You know how much she means to me, and I know that you just want to be her mother after years of not being with her, but I need time with my sister just as much as you do."

The room was silent for a moment or two before Narcissa knew she was beat. "Alright. I can't fight you both, and I know that you two want to live your lives on your own. Go stay with Draco for awhile and I'll go have some time to myself, but you do however have to have dinner with me tonight Uriel. We'll have a nice dinner and you can see me off tomorrow."

Uriel smiled, knowing she had won.

"That's perfect mama." She patted her mother's hand while sending her brother a quick wink.

Narcissa Malfoy would never say no to her children. Draco smiled over the rim of his teacup, everything was coming up roses, and his sister was the ace up his sleeve.