Chapter 2
Babysitting
A/N: Followers rock! I know, I know, double update… but I couldn't wait.
This chapter is all in Draco's perspective and I really hope I got it right. Review me with what you think…
Draco hated everything about shopping. He hated the crowds, the queues and the aching feet. He also took exception to overly attentive shopping assistants, the perky seasonal music playing in every store and all the special deals tempting him to spend even more. He hated shopping for himself even worse than for his mother. His mother at least got past groping when she fit the clothes, when it was his turn it was all the shop assistants trying to sneak in with him. He didn't prefer to be pushed against walls, thank you very much…
"Draco, darling, don't you think we ought to buy you a new suit for the wedding?" Narcissa asked loftily, glancing at him from the corner of her eye.
"I wasn't aware that I would be attending." Draco replied smoothly, turning to assess how busy Quality Quidditch Supplies was – far too busy.
"Of course, you're my plus one." She said as if to a toddler. "We need to keep up appearances, Draco… you know that."
"I'd rather gouge my eyes out with a Bicorn horn." Draco sneered. "Just because we have to keep up appearances doesn't mean I'm happy to babysit that Lupin child or attend a wedding that's bound to bore me to death."
"'That Lupin child' is your cousin…" Narcissa said softly. "He's part of the only family we have left and I will not lose my sister again. Now that your father-"
"Could we not discuss this now?" Draco asked, training his eyes on his mother's 5'6 figure. "Didn't you say you wanted to go into Twilfitt's for a new dress there?"
Narcissa let out a heavy sigh and moved past her son, pushing open the door to her favourite wizarding clothing store. It was a tidy place, run by an elderly witch and her daughter – who helped sell and design some of their wares. Narcissa hardly ever bought anywhere else.
"Mrs. Malfoy!" Geraldine smiled, "How can we help you?"
"I'm looking for a new dress." Narcissa said, "Something blue, perhaps?"
"The occasion?" Geraldine asked, glancing almost wistfully at Draco's turned back.
"A wedding." His mother replied, smirking slightly at the attention her son got from the women around him.
"The Potter-Weasley wedding?" Geraldine asked with a surprised lilt to her tone.
"Yes." Narcissa nodded with a tight smile.
"How funny! Ms. Weasley and Ms. Granger are in the back, picking out bridesmaid dresses." Draco turned around sharply at her words and his eyebrows rose to his hairline. "I'll just go get your dresses."
Narcissa nodded and turned to face Draco, "Coincidence? Why don't you go finalise the arrangements for tomorrow?"
He sighed and retreated towards the private dressing rooms, trying to listen for Granger's bossy voice or Ginny's.
"Draco!" he heard a small voice squeal before he felt the impact against his leg. "Hi."
He looked down at the little boy and – reluctantly – smiled at him. Teddy beamed and his hair and eye colour changed to make him look like a rather frightening version of himself.
"Hi." Draco replied, picking him up and resting him on his hip. "Where's Aunt Ginny?"
"There!" Teddy giggled, pointing to a couch that Draco hadn't seen there before. Ginevra Weasley stared at him with a blank expression as he approached her.
"Good afternoon, Weasley." He said, shifting Teddy slightly. "I hear you're engaged."
Ginny narrowed her eyes, "How'd you find out?"
"Your mother told my mother… We were invited to the wedding." Draco smirked, "Two weeks? Couldn't wait?"
"No." Ginny said sharply. "We couldn't."
"Pity…" Draco said. "I'd have appreciated at least three months to mentally prepare myself for the torture."
"If you're so against it, why are you coming then?" Ginny asked.
"My mother is more important than my opinions of you." He shrugged. "It it makes her happy, I'll go."
"Draco!" Teddy said, tugging at the older man's jacket. "Aunt 'Mione is putting on pretty dresses! Ginny thinks her curls keep getting in the way…"
Draco chuckled as he imagined Granger's bush of hair looking remotely beautiful with a dress. He heard the door open and glanced up as the woman in question.
She stepped into the room and stopped dead in her tracks as she saw him. For a half second, the both stood there, staring at each other. She was assessing him and he simply watched her because, ironically, he found her beautiful in the crimson dress she wore. That half second was enough to study her properly.
High, somewhat defined cheekbones, small button-like nose and a slightly pointed chin - giving her a slightly stubborn look - with light chocolate brown eyes, the centres flecked with gold the color of fine whiskey and long lashes under neat, slightly arching eyebrows across a smooth forehead. An avalanche of dark chocolate hair tumbled to her shoulders in a tousled mess, framing her freckled features. She looked faintly Veela. His brows knit together at the thought.
"Malfoy." Hermione breathed, or rather tried and failed. It sounded like she had a toad stuck in her throat. His eyes went to her left arm, parallel arm, as he looked for the scar he knew would be there; he found nothing.
"Granger." He said. Teddy whined as he was put down but immediately crawled to his drawings and Draco turned to Ginny.
"I'll be around at noon to pick him up, Weasley, see you." He didn't give her time to respond verbally before marching from the room before he said something that might get him in trouble. Like how he thought the dress Hermione had on was far too short for her figure or that he didn't think her hair was that wild at all.
He stopped mid-step and frowned. The last one was a compliment. No. he shook his head, he couldn't think like that.
"Mr. Malfoy? Is everything all right?" Geraldine asked, a concerned expression taking over her face.
"Fine." He said. "Please tell my mother that I'll be across the street at Flourish and Blotts."
Geraldine nodded perplexedly and watched as he rushed from the room like he'd seen a dementor.
Draco took another heavy swig of his firewhiskey as his company sat and watched amusedly. Blaise Zabini ordered him another and watched him down that too.
"So… Granger, huh?"
"Shove off, Zabini." Draco snapped.
"It was only a question, Malfoy." The dark haired man replied with a laugh. "Quite interesting, isn't it… you made fun of me the other night when I hit on that Muggle-born witch from Nova. It's only fair that I rag on you now."
"I said shove off." Draco hissed, sending Blaise a well-aimed glare. "It was a moment of-"
"Weakness?" Blaise scoffed. "Since when to Might Malfoy's get weak?"
"Would you please go away?" Draco groaned.
"Hey, you invited me here!" Blaise said, "If I'd known you' be so touchy, I wouldn't have come."
"Can we just talk about something else then?" Draco asked. "How's Pansy doing in Greece?"
"Good." Blaise shrugged, sipping his whiskey. "She's started her own small business there."
Draco raised his eyebrows and stared at Blaise. "What kind?"
"The naughty kind." Blaise said disgustedly. "That girl is too happy about her sexuality and how to get men with it."
Draco nodded and ordered another firewhiskey, "It works though."
Blaise scoffed again and glanced around the tavern. "Not much going on here tonight..."
"No." Draco shook his head. "Let's finish up and head over to Nova for a real party."
Blaise whooped and downed his drink quickly, grinning at the prospect of seeing his Muggle-born witch again.