Who: Draco and Pansy Malfoy What: Naming their new baby girl When: Saturday Where: Malfoy Manor Rating: PG (shocking, right??) Status: Complete
In the large, comfortable room she now shared with Draco in Malfoy Manor, Pansy sat up in the bed, looking down at the tiny girl in her arms in awe. Sure, she'd known it was coming. She was ready, overall. But no amount of talking to other people and reading books could possibly prepare her for the amazement she felt holding her own child. A child she'd made with the man she loved more than anything else in the world. Except, perhaps, for her newborn daughter.
She knew Draco was downstairs, probably sending a few more owls on top of the two billion or so he'd already sent. She knew he was proud, though, and that made her feel just that more confident that they'd make it. It didn't hurt that Narcissa, a woman she loved as much as her own mother, was helping and being so supportive. Things felt pretty perfect right then. Daphne was out of the country but she knew her best friend would come by just as soon as she could, and Teddy would be there to meet his little niece shortly. In fact, Pansy wouldn't be too surprised to find out that's where Draco had been. Yanking his cousin back through the floo by the back of his robes, demanding he come see Draco's newest accomplishment. She giggled at the mental image and bent her head to press a tiny kiss against the little girl's dark and soft hair. "You need a name," she told the baby, who merely yawned in response. "But we'll wait for Daddy to help us with that. Or maybe Gran has a good idea. It has to be perfect, though, just like you."
"Perfect?" Draco entered the room, looking tired, but happier than he had in ages. It had been a rough going, watching his wife scream in pain, but being present for the birth had been important to him. Lucius hadn't been there for Draco's so it went along with his plan to be as different from his father as he could be. However, surprisingly, Lucius had smiled and held his new granddaughter like he actually wanted her. Draco knew his father still believed he messed up, but, well, Draco was forcing himself not to think on that too terribly much. Pansy and his lovely daughter were not mistakes; they were the best things to happen to him. "Why, you telling her all about me?" He smiled in an uncharacteristically warm manner as he bent to sweep a kiss across his wife's cheek. "Hullo, my sweetheart. It's Daddy. Remember me?" He ran a hesitant finger down her arm. She looked so breakable, he had barely held her. "Everyone is coming soon. I demanded they meet the best baby in the world."
"You're biased," Pansy scolded him, but the look on her face was far from scolding. Rather, it was completely adoring. So much had gone wrong in their lives. The Dark Lord had torn families apart and the new administration had made them all miserable. For so long, Pansy had thought sure nothing would ever be right again. But this tiny little girl was going to change all of that, she just knew it. It might have been a lot of pressure to put on an infant, but she knew she could handle it. Anyone who came from both the Parkinson and the Malfoy lines was going to be the strongest and the smartest. Slytherin's finest. Even if she would have a Hufflepuff for an uncle.
Pansy watched as the love of her life spoke so tenderly to his daughter. "I don't think she could forget her daddy," she reminded him, her smile widening. "She loves you already. See how she perks up just hearing you?" Sure, the words were said mostly for show, because she knew as well as anyone who loved him that sometimes Draco's ego could use a little stroking. But it was true, the baby's head had turned the minute she'd heard Draco return. "She recognizes your voice from all those nights talking to my tummy."
Draco perched ever so gingerly next to his wife and child. He managed to wrap an arm around Pansy while never taking his finger off the baby. It all seemed so fragile, like if he didn't hold on with his entire might, they'd vanish into thin air. It was a silly notion, but Draco couldn't help it. It was his job to protect them and he wasn't going to screw it up like he had so many other things during his short life. They were too important to hurt and, selfishly, Draco never wanted to lose his new little family. He needed them. He wanted them. "One thing I won't miss," Draco teased, "Speaking to a lump." He smiled mischievously at Pansy as the baby seemed to coo in agreement.
"And I won't miss having that lump!" Pansy agreed with a giggle. Granted, the big stomach and the stretch marks and those awful food cravings had led to the baby girl in her arms, and she wasn't complaining. But those women who were absolutely in love with being pregnant were insane as far as she was concerned. "You're not disappointed she's a girl, are you?" she asked suddenly, looking up at her husband in worry. So many of the more prominent pureblood families wanted to start with a boy, or even have all boys. Someday their baby daughter would grow up and marry and not directly carry on the Malfoy line. Granted, her father-in-law still seemed delighted with his granddaughter, but still.
Oh, Draco was well aware of the pressure to carry on his name, but, honestly, what did the Malfoy name mean anyway? Draco wouldn't tell Pansy, but he felt guilty for bringing any child into the mistakes he made. The beautiful, perfect little girl in her mother's arms would forever have to live under the scrutiny of being Draco Malfoy's daughter. Perhaps it was better she was a girl then. She might marry and allow people to forget who she was. Draco's eyes suddenly took on a fierce glint as he thought those bitter thoughts. His daughter deserved more. He'd make sure she got more. "Of course not, darling." He ran a soothing hand through her dark locks. "There's plenty of time for little boys." He winked suggestively. "We'll have fun trying, won't we?"
Though Pansy smiled playfully, she'd known Draco her entire life. She knew the emotions locked behind those steel colored eyes and she reached up, lightly touching his cheek. "It's going to be okay, you know that, right?" she reassured. "It's going to be a whole new world for this little one. You'll see. They're making changes every day." In some ways, it broke her heart, but in others, it just plain annoyed her. At work, no one cared who her family was. They'd been thrilled with her marriage, they'd all fallen head over heels for the idea of a new baby to welcome into the family. Muggles were strange in a lot of the things they did, but they didn't hate her simply for her father and brother's loyalties like so many in her own world. "I'm telling you, we're holding the next Headmistress of Hogwarts here. Or the future Minister of Magic. Won't Uncle Ernie be so proud of you, taking over for him," she cooed, though she winked at her husband in the process.
Draco knew what she was trying to do and loved her all the more for it. Still, he didn't think it would be that easy. Nevertheless, he was going to do all he could to help pave the way for his little one. Or ones if they were really lucky. "First, Uncle Ernie has to stop selling property like he cares." Draco smiled wistfully as he traced a thumb across his darling daughter's chin. "I'm telling you, she is smiling! I don't care what those healers say."
Tilting her head to rest against Draco's arm, Pansy smiled. "And I'm telling you, she's going to need a changing in about five minutes. 'Bout time you learned to change a nappie, don't you think?"
Draco wrinkled his nose. "The elves are perfectly happy to assist, love." He readjusted his weight and flexed his arms to keep his body from falling asleep. "What do you think she hears?"
Pansy rolled her eyes at his reluctance. "It's not that bad, you know," she informed him, patting the baby's bum as she bounced her a little. "What do you mean? She heard everything! Unless..." Her face clouded over considerably. "Unless something's wrong. But I'm sure it isn't," she added quickly. Because frankly, they'd been through more than enough, thanks. She was determined nothing was wrong with their little girl.
"What?" Draco realized his mistake. Oh, he already violated his mother's advice about not upsetting the mummy! "No, no, dear, I meant...do you think she really knows who we are?"
But she wasn't upset with him as much as her own instant worry. Would it ever fade or would her child be eighteen and she still jumped at the first thought that something might be wrong? Like her coming home expecting her childhood sweetheart's baby? But she wouldn't be thinking of that, not if she could help it. "I think she does," Pansy admitted quietly. "She might not know enough to put two and two together and decide who is who, but I think she knows we're important people to her. Just keep talking to her, she'll be attached in no time."
As terrified as he was of that idea, he also relished it. His daughter would depend on him, need him like no one else ever had. "Then I suppose we should get her used to a name soon." He gripped one tiny foot, chuckling as she kicked and, he swore, smiled.
"You know, that's what we were just talking about," she said in a matter-of-fact tone. As if it had been a two-sided conversation and not just her babbling away to the baby. "We can't just go around calling her 'her' or 'the baby'. She needs something special."
"Special," Draco repeated. "But not..." He cleared his throat pointedly. "Too special." He had spent too many years lamenting his name to ever curse his children.
Despite herself, Pansy had to cover her mouth to hide a giggle. Leaning up, she pressed a gentle kiss against her husband's lips. "I promise we won't name her...Chrysanthemum or something. Though it does keep with the flower theme and Chryssie isn't a terrible nickname, after all." A mischievous look flashed in her brown eyes, but she attempted to look sweet and innocent.
"Only if you want her to hate us in 10 years." Draco looked around the room, like the answer was written somewhere and he'd find it if he simply looked hard enough. "Kerrie? I think I read about a heroine named Kerrie once."
Pansy's eyebrows lifted. "Seriously? Kerrie?" Her nose wrinkled as if she was genuinely insulted. "Are you kidding? That's so...bland." Special she wanted, special she had to have. After all, this was her daughter. "We could name her after a family member."
Draco thought that over. "No. Last name is enough." He didn't realize how terse his words sounded.
Almost instinctively, she took her free hand and reached out, resting it over his arm. Gently, she gave it a squeeze. "It doesn't have to be that way for her."
Draco couldn't help it. He flinched. "Name," he insisted, rather than address what she said.
Heaving a sigh, Pansy released his arm and reached for her wand, summoning a nearby baby name book in her direction. She handed it over to him with a smug expression on her face. "All right, big shot. Flip through there, find us a baby name. Make it a damn good one, too." The newborn had fallen asleep in her arms and she eased herself out of bed to put her in her frilly white bassinet. "There's my pretty girl," she murmured, tucking the blanket around the quietly sleeping baby. "Don't worry, honey, Daddy will pick you the perfect name."
Draco looked down at what appeared (to him) the world's largest volume of names ever. "Pick from a book? How...cold." He couldn't help smiling as he watched Pansy with the baby. It was the most beautiful sight. "Maybe something from the night..." He smirked. "You know."
Pansy's eyes widened and she flushed pink. "Draco! You are not naming the baby Paris! Can you just see her asking how she got her name someday?" Rolling her eyes, she grinned. "And I think red wine might be a bit of a giveaway, thanks." Sitting at the edge of the bed, she leaned on his arm. "I don't know. Your mother's name means 'daffodil'...but that just seems cruel. Right up there with Chrysanthemum."
"Paris is a nice name!" Draco insisted. "Or London. We can be like those new age parents." He loved when she rested on him; it made him feel like a real man. "Daffy" he kidded. "If we do go with Daffodil that is..."
"No!" Pansy insisted. "Do you know the hell Daphne went through for that?" Shaking her head, she sighed. "Daffy is an awful name for a child. And we're far too classy to be new age. Leave that for...I dunno, Potter or Weasley or something." She moved her face to bury it in his shoulder, wishing she could just skip this part. "Naming a kid is a lot of pressure. One wrong pick and they're going to hate you for their entire life! Or until they're old enough to legally change it, anyway."
"I should legally change mine," Draco said, his lips twitching with a smile that didn't quite land, "Think Mother will cry too much?" He stood and went over to the baby. He looked down, as if staring at her would give him the answer.
For a moment, Pansy simply sat behind him, rolling her eyes. But finally, she got to her feet and slipped up behind him, sliding her arms around Draco's waist and resting her forehead against his back. "Don't you dare, Draco Malfoy. That's who I fell in love with and that's who I plan to keep." She pressed a kiss lightly to his shoulder. "Is she telling you anything? Like how Paris is so not a name for her? There's an American girl named Paris who...no. Not our baby."
Draco put his arms on those encircling his waist. He rolled his eyes at her comment about his name, but it secretly pleased him that she felt that way. "Who what?" He asked. "Though, really, the fact she is an American already changed my mind." He tickled the baby's tiny foot. "Right, sweetheart?" He asked in a voice that was certainly not Draco's. It was far too sweet and sing-song.
She couldn't help grinning as he lovingly teased the baby. "Shh, she's asleep you big goof," she scolded, but the smile hadn't left her face. "Trust me, though, even if she was a pureblood witch, you wouldn't want to name our baby the same as that woman." Shaking her head, she leaned around him to adjust the blanket around the baby. "Your mum has a Greek name. A mythological one, right? And both of your aunts? It should stay in the family. A whole new line of Black women." There was, of course, the issue of his older cousin, but she'd be raising a proper young pureblood, not the half-blood his cousin was. And Nymphadora was just a little foolish, really. The name and the woman.
"I like her better awake," Draco replied though that probably had to do with not dealing with a screaming infant yet. "Greek? Hmmm." He thought on it, going through a mental list. "It's too obvious to name her after a goddess," he muttered. "Pandora?" He suggested after awhile. "The first woman...a new chance." He conveniently left out the idea of seduction associate with the name. He liked that the woman alluded men even though they were attracted to her. "And even when evil was unleashed, she left hope behind." He turned to look at Pansy, a sudden spark illuminating his eyes.
A slow, pleased smile crossed her lips. This? Was one of the reasons she fell in love with him. Even when things felt horrible, he knew. He always knew how to make her smile. "You know how much I love you?" she asked, sliding her arms around his neck.
"Hopefully as much as I love you?" Draco asked before he kissed her softly on the lips. "Does that mean you like it?"
Sure, she liked it. She loved it, actually. But what she really loved was the way he'd come up with it. The stories they'd be able to tell her regarding her name when she became a young woman were going to be brilliant. "It's perfect. Beautiful, meaningful, and magical. Just like her." Because there was no way a Malfoy and a Parkinson would produce a squib. The very idea was unthinkable.