InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Put the candle back!"

_prettyparvati (_prettyparvati) wrote in veritaserum_rp,
@ 2012-05-17 21:25:00

Who: Parvati, Draco, Spencer, Dina
Where: Malfoy Manor
When: Evening May 20th
What: Spencer and Dina have an annoucement they've been puzzling over, it may not be the best time, nor the best audience. Parvati and Draco decide to take a big step ...

"Oh my goodness!" Parvati gasped in excitement as the two couples walked into Malfoy Manor. In an instant she had pulled off her heels, flinging them across the foyer as Ceecee the house-elf ran to gather them. "It feels so good to be out of those shoes!" She stretched the soles of her feet out against the marble flooring, revelling in the cool soothe. "Ugh, I danced too much! They hurt like crazy!"

The two couples had had a lovely evening out consisting of dinner and a short time at a club before deciding to head back to the Malfoy's for a nightcap. "Mmh, alright," She snuggled into Draco's side as he pulled off his blazer. "What does everyone want to drink? Dina, are you still just having water?" For some reason, Dina had started up a new fad diet concept that involved no alcohol the whole night, it had been a real downer for Parvati.

Spencer's eyes slid to his fiancee's as he helped her out of her coat. He'd been drinking a bit too much tonight. How could he not? He needed the relief after all, scary grown up things seemed to be heading their way.

"Maybe you two can spend the night here! Ooh, and we can have brunch tommorrow!" Parvati cheered, clapping her hands. "What do you think, Draco?"

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bredina
2012-05-24 04:54 am UTC (link)

Parvati wasn't the only one who feared certain things about her significant other. Draco had always worried that Parvati only cared about the end game. His successes, his awards, the big projects that managed to draw in a big profit. But for the day to day grind? The stress of going in day in and day out? That was the part where he truly needed her. And that was the part he feared she didn't care about.

"I wouldn't ever forget about you," he sighed, exasperated. Exasperated because it seemed so ridiculous to him. "When have I ever only cared about work?" Rubbing his forehead, he took a deep breath in.

"I understand where you're coming from, Parvati. But I don't want a baby to give you purpose. That's--" he couldn't help but laugh bitterly,"that's definitely not why I would want to have a baby with you. I don't want it to be a substitute for something. A baby should be brought into the world because room has been made for it, it shouldn't exist to fill a void. Please," he implored. "I just need you to be patient. Right now I need you to be there for me. I can't take on work by myself. I need to know that you care about the little intricacies of what I do. Because your opinion matters."

In the living room, Dina flushed an embarrassed pink. It was really the first time she had admitted to being hurt by Spencer. And yes, he had been much, much harder on her.

"I guess it was just tough to swallow since there were feelings, somewhere deep down inside... and no matter how much I hurt you, you would always have Meg to fall back on." She managed to meet his eyes and tried to smile easily. Instead she looked a little awkward. "And then you'd make fun of the guys I dated, and... and... I don't know. Somehow you always made me feel so foolish. And then, at other times... you'd do something really sweet. It was confusing."

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_prettyparvati
2012-05-24 05:07 am UTC (link)

Draco always misunderstood his little tornado of a wife. She loved him so dearly that even the very fact that he put on a tie before going to work both interested her and made her proud.

"Draco!" She too was exasperated, "You really cannot see things from my perspective? When you work really long hours and come home grumpy and tired, I know that you're stressed and that you care about me, but sometimes it's hard for me to swallow. You always get me when I'm fresh and longing for you, but I never get you that way."

"A baby is to give me purpose!" She argued, getting upset again, "All I've ever wanted is to be a wife and mother - there's nothing wrong with that! Maybe you don't understand, but as a witch there is a void I have without one." Her expression was intense and angry. "It's just I notice that void a lot more when you're not around or very bust."

Parvati's nose had truly turned pink by this point and she rubbed at her eyes. "I do care, Draco - didn't I just say that? Why do you think I listen to you dictate memos every night? Or help you plan outfits to wear to board meetings? I want to be there for you, it's all I ever want! What can I do? Tell me, please." She was earnest and serious, a little horrified that perhaps Draco hadn't thought her a very good wife all this time. That perhaps she had failed him in someway.

"Meg?" Spencer scoffed, almost having completely forgotten his petite ex. "So, what about Meg? I didn't exactly run crying to her after we argued. How could she have been a fall back?"

"Those guys," His voice took a dark turn, "Those guys didn't deserve you, that's why I made fun of them. I wanted you to see that you deserved better. That I knew you deserved better. Perhaps I didn't go about it the right way-" He contemplated, thinking back to how he used to endless mock her about her boyfriend of the week.

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_dm
2012-05-24 06:57 pm UTC (link)

Dina flushed an even deeper color. "Well I didn't know that you didn't go to her after. But the point was that...'

She would never admit that, the point was he had a serious girlfriend to validate himself with while she had only recreationally dated. It was a foolish, unproductive way of thinking. Which is why she would never tell him.

"...that anyways, yes, you shouldn't have gone about it that way. It's all old news anyways," she dismissed, "I just wonder what things would have been like if we hadn't met when we were so young... so impulsive and temperamental." This time she did relax a little. "But then again, I think growing up together so to speak was important. Do you think we would have ended up the same people if we hadn't been friends?"

--

"I know you care, in your way," Draco replied. "I care in my way too. Maybe that's why all of these fights keep happening. I understand why you joke about me and my work but... what I need from you is to not reflexively fall back on demanding more from me. I know maybe you're afraid that, if you don't demand, I won't give. But I will. I always will. I always think of you. But more often than not, I need you to..." he searched for the words in his head. "To encourage me to pick work first. To worry about work first. Because when I choose to worry about you first, I want it to feel like it was my choice to, not because I was nagged into it. I will never forget about you, Parvati. I could never neglect you. I need you to trust in me."

"And if you need a project, why don't you open that Potions shop you had wanted a while back? I think we have the money for it now."

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_prettyparvati
2012-05-24 07:22 pm UTC (link)

"Draco," Parvati shifted off his lap and onto the floor beside him, feeling very far away from this manor, from her husband. She knew for sure that a baby wouldn't be coming anytime soon and frowned, trying to puzzle through what had happened. "I understand what you're saying, but you're essentially asking me not to ask anything of you, lest it be construed as nagging. And although you think you could never neglect me, I have to tell you, that it feels like that to me sometimes."

Practiced and perfect, she suddenly gave him a brilliant smile, "But, I hear what you're saying and I will be more encouraging." She would try, because she loved him dearly and understood his feelings now, though perhaps her own needs would go unfulfilled because she was a witch, and she was used to the inequality in love. And, afterall, she was used to waiting. "I promise to be less demanding."

"You're drunk." She returned flatly, "We've always had the money for it - you said it was too much like working before."

-

"No, what was the point about Meg?" Spencer pushed, curious. He was unsure to why his fiancee's face seemed to sad and odd all at once. "Why did it matter that she was my girlfriend at the time?"

"I think meeting then helped us a lot, it let us date without any games." Though they had plenty of games in the 10 plus years leading up to that point. "Without my stabilizing influence you'd have probably run rampant through England - a wild child if I ever did see one." He teased. "I'd have to tame you and it would have taken forever" He squeezed her side.

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bredina
2012-05-25 02:29 am UTC (link)

Draco groaned.

"I cannot believe you just pulled the Pureblood wife smile. Merlin, why'd you have to smash that bourbon," he muttered to himself, very much wanting a drink. "I'm not asking you to say nothing, I'm asking you to balance it out with support. As in, try to make the demands equal to the support," he tried explaining, wanting to wipe that stupid fake smile off of her face. "Why do you even bother faking that? You know I see right through it. It's rather insulting," he sulked, wondering if his wife would ever cease to be a mystery.

"Just because we have money floating around doesn't mean it's a good time to invest some of it," he rolled his eyes. "I'm never too drunk to know where I stand financially. But I honestly think it would be a good idea. What do you think?"

-

If Dina had to tell Spencer the truth, she certainly wasn't going to be sullen about it. Closing her eyes briefly, she took a deep breath and then exhaled.

"Well," she began loudly, her almond eyes drifting away. "You had a serious girlfriend. You had Meg." She managed to train her gaze back towards him, and was resolved in her admission. "I didn't have a serious boyfriend. So when I made fun of you, I felt that it inflicted less pain, because no matter how terribly I painted you, you had proof that someone loved you despite what I said. I didn't have that same proof," she concluded. "I know it's a stupid way to think but... but..." she tried to conclude with something wise, but ended up trailing off awkwardly. Pursing her lips, she tensed her body, waiting for his response.

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_prettyparvati
2012-05-25 02:49 am UTC (link)

Parvati's smile tilted a little as Draco saw right through it, before falling into a pout. "Well," She was beginning to defend herself before thinking better of it, "I am a pureblood wife, it's how I smile. I know you see through it, but most men don't, it's how we were raised, I can't help it." Parvati often wondered how, as kids, all the boys and girls were well versed with the routines of their pureblood society, yet as they grew up, the men inevitable turned into their fathers and forgot. Draco was different. They were different.

Her lips plumped into a pout and she wriggled her way back into his arms. Sitting face to face on his lap, as he stretched his legs out she touched noses. "Okay, I will. And in return, I'm asking you to remember, even when you're knee deep in work, to at least give me a little cuddle once in awhile, okay? Without me asking? And...that we can talk about a baby again in a few months, a honest talk, a reassessment, without you avoiding it?"

A real smile threatened her lips, "Really? You wouldn't mind? And I'd have full control? Not just something you puppeteer from the shadows?"

Then, in a tiny voice, "I'm sorry I smashed your bourbon." Tears suddenly sprung again to her eyes and she buried her face in his neck, suddenly very sad over her earlier actions. Parvati and her ever changing heart was indeed a mystery it would take Draco his whole life to figure out.

Meanwhile, inside, Spencer's face was nothing short of exasperated. "You realise that was in fact all your own mind's concoction, right? And besides, we were kids - I can't really speak for the seriousness of the love she and I had."

He tapped a finger beneath her chin to lift her face to his. "Also, you didn't know it, but no matter how terribly I painted you, beneath it all, I loved you. Silly witch." Spencer gave her that knee-shaking smile. "But I warn you, I will be even more unforgiving if you ever take up smoking again."

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bredina
2012-05-25 03:41 am UTC (link)

"You better help it," Draco replied, but the warmth was slowly returning to his eyes. His eyebrow twitched slightly, and he self consciously lifted a hand to calm it. It usually happened every time he felt a rush of love for his wife after an intense argument. Draco was used to holding onto anger forever. Feeling it dissipate so quickly was still so unnatural to him.

"Okay," he agreed. "We'll both try our best. And I promise on November 1st we will talk about a baby seriously." November 1st was a date where things would be calmer. In all sincerity, Draco was looking to have a baby with Parvati. Maybe even two. It just genuinely wasn't the right time.

"Well, you know how I am shadow king of the universe so..." he joked, before straightening up seriously. "It would be your own. Money would be allocated into an account strictly for the shop. But that means no bail outs either. The starting amount is all you get. It would be a real project. My side investments only get what my accountant and I agree on, I never get to pool in extra if I get in trouble. You'll have to follow the same rules, okay?" He knew Parvati could be fiscally minded, but if she owned a shop, he feared she would get carried away with the interior decorator and merchandise.

-

"You were together a long time," Dina replied, although not to argue against him. "Well, if that was the case, you really exemplified how there is a thin line between love and hate," she said wryly. "Yes, yes," she sighed. "No spring jackets in the winter either, no matter how darling I look... No dog ear-ing books, no drinks without coasters," she continued the list with a mischievous smile. "No licking my fingers if I'm sharing popcorn with friends."

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_prettyparvati
2012-05-26 04:01 am UTC (link)

Parvati giggled at Draco’s eyebrow twitch and all the anger and resentment drained out of her system. She pushed forward and cuddled him tight, filled with love. Suddenly, she wanted nothing more than to go upstairs with him and show him exactly how much she loved him. Heck, they could stay right here and she’d show him if it wasn’t for their guests in the next room.

“November.” She repeated dreamily, now completely focused on him. With some sort of plan in place, Parvati could relax.
“Yes, sir.” Draco’s wife rolled his eyes at his firm discussion, but a sheepish smile pulled at her lips. She had, in fact, already started planning what the boutique store would look like: Royal blue walls, floating candles everywhere, gold cauldrons. “That sounds fine. I have so many ideas already in terms of advertising and customer base. Father will help of course and perhaps you can speak to Professor Snape? George might have good location ideas as well, he and Fred were thinking about a second store a few months ago.”

She blushed, then. “Do you forgive me for the bourbon?” Parvati pressed, needing a verbal resolution, “I was so embarrassing. How can we face Dina and Spencer?” She buried herself more into her husband, hands clinging to him. “I was just so tipsy and cross. And I love you so much it makes me crazy sometimes.”

“Hey,” Spencer scowled, “It takes two to tango, Bread.” He’d forgotten his old nickname for her, now that he had said it a few times he decided he rather liked it. “You know, it had occurred to me once, in fourth year, to ask you out. We were in Charms and you went insane simply because I corrected your wand technique during some spell and became so sullen.” Spencer laughed at the memory, “But then later you came and apologized and brought me cookies. Cookies from the Great Hall, no less! It was nothing special, but it was cute. But then I thought about how if we split up it’d make the following years so awkward so I didn’t.”

As Dina crowed on sarcastically about Spencer’s rulings, it worked against her. “No drinks without coasters? Huh. That is actually a good idea. Especially on the apothecary table we just bought. I think that can stick.”
“I still can’t believe you thought dog-earing books was normal – are you an animal? Merlin.”

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bredina
2012-05-26 09:59 pm UTC (link)

Of course a flare of jealousy came when Parvati mentioned George. But Draco, held his tongue.

"Okay," he replied evenly, "You can ask George about location ideas. This is your store." Wildly, he had the desire to open up a competing store and to select his own locations. He would then turn to Parvati and say, See? If only you had asked for MY recommendations. But they had fought enough tonight.

As for the bourbon, though, "Well..." he half joked. "I suppose I'll live without it. But I really don't know how to make it up to those two. I know they're old friends but... that's not us. Right?" He squeezed her hand thoughtfully. "I don't know how we're going to maintain our composure while convincing them we're not lunatics."

-

Dina rolled her eyes, but blushed at the cookie memory.

"Yeah right, as if that was in your head." But she didn't want to drag this "did you like me or didn't you?" scheme. If she thought back really hard, she could still remember the way he used to look at Meg. But that didn't matter now. "The important thing is you like me now. It's honestly a little oppressive," she couldn't help but add cheekily, breaking into a fit of giggles and trying to scramble away. "It's like you're obsessed or something," she added, raising her hands to shield herself from his surely violent response.

Just then, Draco and Parvati returned to the room, holding hands and looking rather burdened.

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_prettyparvati
2012-05-26 10:08 pm UTC (link)

Spencer watched Dina through narrowed eyes as she burst into giggles and cheekily scrambled off his lap. Unlike she expected, he didn't make a move for her, instead sat still, eyeing her carefully.

When she looked up from her hand shield he gave her a flat look with a dark tilt of his lips. "I'll show you oppressed-" He was about dart toward her when their friends re-entered.

Rolling his eyes, Spencer threatened out of the corner of his lips, "You, I'll deal with later."

Half hiding behind her husband, Parvati looked wildly flustered. "Hi you two....I'm so sorry for how I acted...how we both acted ... totally ridiculous. I really am very happy for you if you are pregnant!! It's going to be such fun!!"

"And I'm also sorry for what I said to Draco, I was being totally unfair." She gave her husband a starry look, "So, can you guys forgive us. I was so tipsy I just made that completely into us."

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bredina
2012-05-29 01:09 am UTC (link)

"You know that's not how we normally are," Draco said in addition to his wife's comment. "It's just a bit of a...topic, since it's something that's very, very important to us. It's really my fault for not understanding this issue sooner and talking about it before hand. But now we're good," he squeezed her hand.

Dina was almost glad to escape Spencer's playful wrath-- but there was a tiny part of her that wanted to see what he would have done.

"I understand..." Dina began, eying Spencer in case he decided to surprise attack her.

"You're going to be wonderful parents," Draco congratulated sincerely. "I know you're not sure but... if that is the case, you'll have a very lucky child."

"And you'll be great parents one day too," Dina replied. "Your child will be very special."

"Yes," Draco agreed, "Their only downfall will be an uncontrollable attraction to pink and sparkles."

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spencer_capper
2012-05-29 01:29 am UTC (link)

Parvati smiled up at her husband adoringly, shyly burying her face half in his shoulder as she watched her friends. "Very good, as long as you can forgive us."

Spencer eyed Dina innocently, stretching his arms out as he rested his palms on the back of his neck. "Nothing to forgive. Well, except maybe the waste of deliciously good bourbon." He joked. "But yes, you will be great parents. I think we'll all have a good time of it, now or a little later, whichever fate has in store."

Parvati made a face at her husband over his comment on pink, "Well, you're the one who was attracted to me, the very definition of pink, so I'm supposing they'll inherit that from you?"

With warm laughs, Spencer slid his arm around Dina's shoulders. "We should get going though." He nudged Draco, "I'm sure you have some making up to do, and this little lady and I have some unfinished business to attend to-" His grin was bright. "She's gotten rather saucy with this possible pregnancy thing, you see. It's really a problem and I have to deal with it asap." He knew being so brazen would cause Dina to flush and he grinned at her. Checkmate, love.

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bredina
2012-05-29 02:03 am UTC (link)

Well played, Spencer. Well played.

Dina could be as bratty as she liked, but as soon as Spencer mentioned "dealing" with her in any way, she became awkward and embarrassed.

"You're so weird," was the only thing she could think of saying. That was basically the only thing she ever did say when Spencer managed to disarm her. Trying to look busy with her hair or something like that, the potentially pregnant Asian refused to see any of her friends' reactions.

"I think I was attracted to you in SPITE of the pink," Draco replied easily. "And in spite of those gigantic insect sunglasses you liked to wear. Honestly, I was such an open minded guy," he shook his head gravely. "Quite progressive and all that."

Dina recovered from her embarrassment enough to snort in laughter.

"Well we should go home anyways," she touched her fiance's arm. "But I'm glad we got to share the news with you."

"We'll be sure to spoil the mini brat with tons of presents when it arrives," Draco assured them. "We'll get our bourbon slinging ways out of control by then," he shot a look at his little firecracker wife.

The four friends said their goodbyes, and all was well in their little corner of the wizarding world once again.

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