A Long Overdue Visit
Draco strolled up with the bear tucked under his arm. It had black fur. He was long overdue for seeing Dora and Jude, so he figured he best bring a gift. He just couldn't come before. Not like he was. No child needed to see that. Hell, he didn't want Dora seeing it. Though she might have heard. It was not as if he was being discreet about his nervous breakdown.
That was over now, however. His eyes were sharp, and his clothing was pressed. All black and reminiscent of his last years at Hogwarts. Only more adult. He'd even trimmed his hair and bit and slicked it down.
Draco knocked lightly and waited.
Tonks had felt the wards shift, and smiled as she recognized the visitor as her cousin. She'd been worried when he hadn't been by to see her and the baby.
It wasn't everyday a new Black was born.
She opened the door just as Jude let out a shriek, letting her, and Draco, know that he was awake and wanted attention.
"Wotcher, Draco," she said as a greeting, wincing slightly as the noise went to a higher pitch. "Won't you come in to the screaming house?"
"Like screaming is going to put me off," Draco said smirking. "I'm half Malfoy."
He followed her in.
"Sorry about this lateness. This is for Jude." He held out the bear. "I wasn't fit for company or to be company before. I'm better now."
He moved close to the baby to get a better look at him. He'd never been this close to a child so young. Not since he, himself, was that age.
Tonks cooed at her son, picking him up after checking his nappy to make sure it was dry. She held him close to her chest, making shushing noises until the cries stopped. It took a few minutes, but he eventually calmed down, face turning back to it's normal rosy color.
"Thank you, Draco. I'll make sure to keep it from the pups. They seem to think that all toys are their toys," Tonks said as Jude gurgled, keeping an eye out for too large puppies wandering down from their naps upstairs.
"Did you want to hold him? He's still a bit mallable, but not screaming."
Draco eyed her. "All right."
He would absolutely not tell her, or anyone else, that'd he'd read a book before coming over so that he'd know how to hold the baby properly. He took the boy gently, supporting his little head. Draco tested the weight.
"He's like a beater's club."
"He's not going to break," Tonks laughed, noting how carefully Draco held her son. It made her smile to see Draco holding a baby. "He's pretty dam- er, darn solid. Eats like a hippogryff, that one. Be mindful if he starts rooting; he's got a strong grip."
"Well of course he's always hungry. He's part ogre after all," Draco joked. "You should send a snap of him to Narcissa. It's always nice when she gets indigestion."
Draco bobbed slowly and moved a bit.
They were in the kitchen, where Tonks had set the bassinet while she was working. She figured she could offer her cousin something other than the baby.
"I did, when we sent out the birth announcements. Haven't seen Aunt Bella yet, but if I see Narcissa, I'll use some of those not quite legal hexes on her." It took her a moment to figure out that Draco had called his mother by name.
"Yes, well no one is touching a hair on the sprout's head." Then he baby-talked. "Cousin Draco will break his killing people rule. Yes he will."
He bobbed a bit more. Dora was looking at him oddly.
"What?"
"Nothing. Just though you were talking to Py for a moment there," Tonks replied, sitting on one of the kitchen stools. "You get tired of him, just hand him over. I have to practically pry him away from Bishop, even for food."
Draco snorted and took a seat. "We're fine. We're getting to know one another. So the treetrunk likes him then. That's good. No need for hexes. Besides spawning, what have you been up to? If you say knitting, I shall be forced to place the child down then hex you."
"I won't say it then, but will merely ask you to not notice the woolly soaker," Tonks grinned. "I'm doing a bit of paper work for the office, and Verity pops by now and then to talk cases. Mostly, I'm rocking and feeding and sleeping and changing nappies and starving all the time. What about you? You're not spawning, too, are you?"
Draco snorted again. "Not yet. I plan to do things in their proper order. I have a lot to do still. Secret pureblood societies to annoy and all. I'm surprised no one told you about the fire. Diggory went and tattled on me to Arthur. I got a sort of lecture. I'm not entirely certain."
Tonks matched Draco's snort. "The wizarding world isn't all that forward. I'm surprised I wasn't asked when my confinement would begin. I haven't heard much of anything, due to my 'condition.' What fire?"
Draco sighed. "Bugger. You mean I could have gotten away with not mentioning it? I felt certain someone, somewhere would have told on me. Narcissa joined the Liberi."
Jude start fussing.
"I know, mate. I felt the same way." He bobbed a bit. "She told them what I can do, and offered me up without even consulting me. Needless to say I was not pleased, told her to stuff it, burnt her garden and took off. Then I proceeded to spend about two months pissed as all get and burning everything living in my own garden. Until Mei showed up and knocked some sense into me. That and I almost pushed Gin away. I have not been at my best, but it is disheartening to know that your mother does not love you as you loved her."
That bitch. "Oh, Draco. I'm sorry. I'll send her a flaming bag of Jude shite. I cannot believe that woman. And she wonders why I favor Bella even though she killed my parents. " Tonks moved from her perch and hugged Draco, hard.
"Easy. Watch the little one, mum. No need for poo. She'll rue the damned day soon enough."
He smiled at Dora. It was not a nice smile. Whenever he was planning as he was now, it was usually not a good thing. The difference now was that there would be benefits as well as repercussions.
She nodded. "Let me know if there's anything I can, or can't do. We mostly sane ones have to stick together. Besides, you have to teach Jude the proper fire making techniques."
"Already did that with one of Blaise's wards. He's in for a shock. That one is going to rival both of us put together by the time she gets to be a seventh year. I want my daughters to be just like her. Except I'd like them to bite. That will keep the boys at bay. If any of them look like Ginny, I'll be hexing a lot of little pukes."
Draco got quiet for a moment before he shifted the conversation.
"Arthur pointed out similarities in my behavior and Aunt Bella's. I frightened me. I can't be her. I won't be."
"You aren't. Arthur has similarities, too. The family loyalty, devotion. We're Blacks. But we have the choice to not be Bella. I won't let you." Tonks said, quietly. "While I appreciate the beating heart, it's still creepy."
"There's another part. She has that tendency to play. I've watched it. Like pulling the wings off of flies before squashing them. I have the wing-pulling down. If I were angry enough, I could make someone beg to be killed. If I find Warrington, Pucey or Montague, that is what is going to happen. I am going to make the three of them wish they were dead before it's all said and done. It's gone on too long. Pucey damaged Thomas' little bit, Warrington is stalking Hannah, and I still owe Montague big for near killing me."
"That's just expected," Tonks replied, meaning it. Verdelet was lucky all she'd had was a fork.
"Considering I'm the Auror on Montague's case, I'll pretend I didn't hear it."
"I'm not going to kill him," Draco protested. "Just make him wish he were dead."
He looked down. Jude was asleep.
"Aww. All the torture talk tired him right on out. He is a Black."
{SUMMARY: Draco visits Tonks and baby Jude, and they wear him out with torture talk.}
That was over now, however. His eyes were sharp, and his clothing was pressed. All black and reminiscent of his last years at Hogwarts. Only more adult. He'd even trimmed his hair and bit and slicked it down.
Draco knocked lightly and waited.
Tonks had felt the wards shift, and smiled as she recognized the visitor as her cousin. She'd been worried when he hadn't been by to see her and the baby.
It wasn't everyday a new Black was born.
She opened the door just as Jude let out a shriek, letting her, and Draco, know that he was awake and wanted attention.
"Wotcher, Draco," she said as a greeting, wincing slightly as the noise went to a higher pitch. "Won't you come in to the screaming house?"
"Like screaming is going to put me off," Draco said smirking. "I'm half Malfoy."
He followed her in.
"Sorry about this lateness. This is for Jude." He held out the bear. "I wasn't fit for company or to be company before. I'm better now."
He moved close to the baby to get a better look at him. He'd never been this close to a child so young. Not since he, himself, was that age.
Tonks cooed at her son, picking him up after checking his nappy to make sure it was dry. She held him close to her chest, making shushing noises until the cries stopped. It took a few minutes, but he eventually calmed down, face turning back to it's normal rosy color.
"Thank you, Draco. I'll make sure to keep it from the pups. They seem to think that all toys are their toys," Tonks said as Jude gurgled, keeping an eye out for too large puppies wandering down from their naps upstairs.
"Did you want to hold him? He's still a bit mallable, but not screaming."
Draco eyed her. "All right."
He would absolutely not tell her, or anyone else, that'd he'd read a book before coming over so that he'd know how to hold the baby properly. He took the boy gently, supporting his little head. Draco tested the weight.
"He's like a beater's club."
"He's not going to break," Tonks laughed, noting how carefully Draco held her son. It made her smile to see Draco holding a baby. "He's pretty dam- er, darn solid. Eats like a hippogryff, that one. Be mindful if he starts rooting; he's got a strong grip."
"Well of course he's always hungry. He's part ogre after all," Draco joked. "You should send a snap of him to Narcissa. It's always nice when she gets indigestion."
Draco bobbed slowly and moved a bit.
They were in the kitchen, where Tonks had set the bassinet while she was working. She figured she could offer her cousin something other than the baby.
"I did, when we sent out the birth announcements. Haven't seen Aunt Bella yet, but if I see Narcissa, I'll use some of those not quite legal hexes on her." It took her a moment to figure out that Draco had called his mother by name.
"Yes, well no one is touching a hair on the sprout's head." Then he baby-talked. "Cousin Draco will break his killing people rule. Yes he will."
He bobbed a bit more. Dora was looking at him oddly.
"What?"
"Nothing. Just though you were talking to Py for a moment there," Tonks replied, sitting on one of the kitchen stools. "You get tired of him, just hand him over. I have to practically pry him away from Bishop, even for food."
Draco snorted and took a seat. "We're fine. We're getting to know one another. So the treetrunk likes him then. That's good. No need for hexes. Besides spawning, what have you been up to? If you say knitting, I shall be forced to place the child down then hex you."
"I won't say it then, but will merely ask you to not notice the woolly soaker," Tonks grinned. "I'm doing a bit of paper work for the office, and Verity pops by now and then to talk cases. Mostly, I'm rocking and feeding and sleeping and changing nappies and starving all the time. What about you? You're not spawning, too, are you?"
Draco snorted again. "Not yet. I plan to do things in their proper order. I have a lot to do still. Secret pureblood societies to annoy and all. I'm surprised no one told you about the fire. Diggory went and tattled on me to Arthur. I got a sort of lecture. I'm not entirely certain."
Tonks matched Draco's snort. "The wizarding world isn't all that forward. I'm surprised I wasn't asked when my confinement would begin. I haven't heard much of anything, due to my 'condition.' What fire?"
Draco sighed. "Bugger. You mean I could have gotten away with not mentioning it? I felt certain someone, somewhere would have told on me. Narcissa joined the Liberi."
Jude start fussing.
"I know, mate. I felt the same way." He bobbed a bit. "She told them what I can do, and offered me up without even consulting me. Needless to say I was not pleased, told her to stuff it, burnt her garden and took off. Then I proceeded to spend about two months pissed as all get and burning everything living in my own garden. Until Mei showed up and knocked some sense into me. That and I almost pushed Gin away. I have not been at my best, but it is disheartening to know that your mother does not love you as you loved her."
That bitch. "Oh, Draco. I'm sorry. I'll send her a flaming bag of Jude shite. I cannot believe that woman. And she wonders why I favor Bella even though she killed my parents. " Tonks moved from her perch and hugged Draco, hard.
"Easy. Watch the little one, mum. No need for poo. She'll rue the damned day soon enough."
He smiled at Dora. It was not a nice smile. Whenever he was planning as he was now, it was usually not a good thing. The difference now was that there would be benefits as well as repercussions.
She nodded. "Let me know if there's anything I can, or can't do. We mostly sane ones have to stick together. Besides, you have to teach Jude the proper fire making techniques."
"Already did that with one of Blaise's wards. He's in for a shock. That one is going to rival both of us put together by the time she gets to be a seventh year. I want my daughters to be just like her. Except I'd like them to bite. That will keep the boys at bay. If any of them look like Ginny, I'll be hexing a lot of little pukes."
Draco got quiet for a moment before he shifted the conversation.
"Arthur pointed out similarities in my behavior and Aunt Bella's. I frightened me. I can't be her. I won't be."
"You aren't. Arthur has similarities, too. The family loyalty, devotion. We're Blacks. But we have the choice to not be Bella. I won't let you." Tonks said, quietly. "While I appreciate the beating heart, it's still creepy."
"There's another part. She has that tendency to play. I've watched it. Like pulling the wings off of flies before squashing them. I have the wing-pulling down. If I were angry enough, I could make someone beg to be killed. If I find Warrington, Pucey or Montague, that is what is going to happen. I am going to make the three of them wish they were dead before it's all said and done. It's gone on too long. Pucey damaged Thomas' little bit, Warrington is stalking Hannah, and I still owe Montague big for near killing me."
"That's just expected," Tonks replied, meaning it. Verdelet was lucky all she'd had was a fork.
"Considering I'm the Auror on Montague's case, I'll pretend I didn't hear it."
"I'm not going to kill him," Draco protested. "Just make him wish he were dead."
He looked down. Jude was asleep.
"Aww. All the torture talk tired him right on out. He is a Black."
{SUMMARY: Draco visits Tonks and baby Jude, and they wear him out with torture talk.}