"Aidan?" came the soft knock, "Honey, open up."
Never one to disobey his mother, Aidan pointed his wand at the door muttering Alohamora. He sighed as the door opened, turning away from his mother and burying his head in his pillow. Aidan knew very well what his mother would try to make him do. Apologize. Why should he? It was his father's fault. "I'm not apologizing to that bloody ferret!"
"Aidan, that's no way to talk about your father." Ginny said lightly stroking her son's hair.
"That's no way to treat his own son, Mum! I won the design competition in Paris, but you think dad would be happy?" Aidan sat up to face his mother, his face turning a shade of Weasley red in anger, "No! If it was Quidditch he'd have flooed everyone by now."
"You don't know that."
"Sorry Mum, but I do so know!" Aidan pouted as he stalked over to the muggle sewing machine that Grandpa Weasley had given him. Whenever he was feeling emotional, be it happy, sad or just angry, creative juices started to flow. Maybe he would make a cloak for Jonathan. Jonathan would appreciate it. Already a smile was crossing his face. Wait until father found out what wizarding family Jonathan came from. There would be much fun to be had then.
"Your father loves you Aidan, even if it is difficult at times for him to show it." Ginny said to her son who was already busy at work cutting fabric.
Aidan put his scissors down, staring outside the windows that gave a stunning view of Lake Michigan. From thirty floors above he watched the muggle roller bladders, bicyclists, and skateboarders zoom past along the path below, wishing he could escape with them. Above the clouds, somewhere hidden by magic, a Quidditch game was taking place.
Stupid Quidditch. Just one of the many reasons father hates me.
"I know you just came back, but your father and I are planning to buy your sister her school books and pick up some things for the party. Would you like to come with us?"
"As much as I like shopping Mum, I'll have to say no."
"Why not?" Ginny asked.
There were a million reasons why. He was bound to run into his classmates from Great Lakes All-Wizard Preparatory Academy. The last time he had seen his friends, was during Quidditch tryouts, face down in mud and completely embarrassed. No one had laughed as he suspected they might. Though he would have preferred receiving that to looks of pity. "The poor Headmasters son. Professor Malfoy will surely disown him."
None of the sort happened but it felt as if it had. Father didn't talk to him for weeks afterwards. It wasn't as if he used an unforgiveable curse. Had he Avada Kedavra'd anyone? No. He just happened to not inherit his father and mother's Quidditch skills, and from what he heard from his uncles, his father was just as bad as he was.
"I'm waiting for someone mum. I invited a friend to the party."
Ginny raised her eyebrows in surprise happy that her son was finally bringing over a special someone. "Who is she?"
Aidan said simply, " A Gryffindor. Spending the night if that's alright mum." His mum was open minded about many things including Muggle rights. How would she feel when she found out he wasn't following in his notorious playboy father's footsteps? Already he was on bad terms with his father, he couldn't bear it to be on the outs with his mother. Progressive she was, but about this particular subject he was uncertain.
"I'll prepare the guest bedroom." Ginny seemed delighted pausing for a moment to reflect on what her son said, "Hogwarts, hmm? Do I know this particular girls' family?"
Digging himself in a hole, that's what he was doing. Why couldn't he just have told his mum that he was a friend coming to spend the night? But no, Jonathan had to talk him into coming out at his 16th party with everyone in attendance. Was he scared? Most definitely. "My a…… friend's father teaches at Hogwarts." Was all he would say, anything else would be revealing too much.
>>*<<
Draco felt like a teenager caught in the act. Not like he had ever been caught, he was much to clever for that. Or at least he had been. It seemed all his senses had taken leave the moment he woke up married to a redheaded vixen. He knew it was too perfect to be true. One didn't shag a Weasley female and not expect her to be fruitful and multiply immediately.
Narcissa raised one elegantly coiffed brow at her son, "That's a fine mess you have on your hands dear. A fine mess!"
"Mother, I'll apologize" Draco lied, wrapping himself in the security of a cloak, the spoiled spawn he had created with a Weasley had thrown at him. Draco sniffed feeling every bit jealous. Imagine that. His own mother loved someone else more than him.
"You better apologize. A party here is out of the question! Why, you don't even have a proper ballroom Draco! I told both you and that proud wife of yours that Malfoy Manor was available! I suppose you are going to charm a closet to hold Aidan and Nadia's party?"
"No mother, we're charming the pantry." Ginny interrupted, regarding her mother-in-law coolly.
Draco didn't miss the look of displeasure on his mother's face. Narcissa shook her head eyeing the surroundings, "My darlings deserve to celebrate the passing of their 16th birthday properly."
Ginny's lips set in a determined line, "We will celebrate at home, just like I did back at the Burrow."
"At the Burrow? I will not have Aidan and Nadia treated like the paupers they are so obviously not!" Narcissa huffed, her voice raising with each word.
"What are you trying to insinuate Mother?" Ginny snapped. "Actually don't answer that. Every time you grace us with your oh so welcoming company, you insist on telling me what to do with my children!"
The angry genes Aidan received definitely came from the Weasley side of the family .Now was his cue to leave before he was forced to choose sides. He slowly raised himself from his chair only to have a screaming banshee race into the living room landing squarely on his lap. "Da-da!" gurgled a baby Ron, that was dumped unceremoniously on him by his now squealing daughter.
"Gran!" Emily yelped jumping up and down excitedly.
Never had Draco seen such a smile light up his mother's face as she bent to hug Emily. Not even for her own son ,after returning each year from Hogwarts, in which she claimed in each letter to miss him horribly. "I have a gift for you sweetheart." She said opening up her luggage to produce a palm sized doll. With a few flicks of the wand the doll became lifesize, complete with a wand and a cloak.
Draco's eyes widened at the sight. Sweet Merlin. It was Granger. A Hermione Granger doll. His daughter would be playing with a mudblood.
"Another Super Auror doll! Thanks so much Gran!" Emily's toothless grin beamed back at Narcissa, "I have Moody, Uncle Ron, Dumbledore, and now I have Hermione!"
Draco found his voice, lending itself to the already brewing tension, "Mother no! Take it back!" he held onto baby Ron tighter. There was no telling what insane gift his last remaining innocent child would receive. It better not be a damn Potter doll!
To his surprise Draco found Ginny agreeing with him. "We told you before mother, Draco and I don't approve of these Super Auror dolls. One doll costs more than tuition at Hogwarts. I will not have my children spoiled. The answer is no. Take it back."
Draco didn't protest when Ginny picked up baby Ron and sat in his lap instead. He wrapped his arms around Ginny and their son. They were united against mudblood dolls and….she felt quite nice on his lap. Yes- quite nice.
"Mummy, no!" Emily's tearstained face was already being wiped delicately by Narcissa.
Narcissa kissed each of Emily's cheeks before turning a haughty gaze at Ginny. "See what that wife of yours has done! Made my precious sad. Draco darling, tell Emily that she may keep her new toy."
A rock and a hard place. Agree with his mother and face Ginny's wrath. Never would he get to finish what they started. Taking Ginny's side was making much more sense. Besides, what pureblooded witch in their right mind bought a bushy haired mudblood doll? The only way to explain it was old age. His mother was becoming senile.
"Well Draco dear? " Narcissa tapped her fingers impatiently waiting for an answer.
Fortunately, Draco was saved from answering as the familiar sounds of apparating echoed throughout the apartment.
*pop*
No, no , no. Draco hid behind Ginny. The foul woman had found him. Yes, he wanted to go home, but on his own terms. There were a few things he had to do. One of them was sitting on his lap.
"Hello all." The blond woman surveyed the room, "Why all the glum faces. There's a party tomorrow!"
Suddenly the warmth that had been Ginny was gone. He grasped at her and baby Ron only to have her disappear in a hug, into the arms of none other than Pansy Parkinson.