thattimeofthemonth | Open RP Post

Draco couldn't help but give a curious glance at Teddy. He noted that the baby had picked up Tonks ability to change and thought it was rather neat.

He gave a skeptical glance at the various contents of the Chinese takeout. It was nothing he had eaten before. It did smell good. His family never done anything like that before. If they didn't cook they went to one of the restaurants to eat. But lately it was just them cooking never going out anymore.

"I hope he wasn't too much of a handful," Remus said over to Tonks, cradling Teddy carefully in one arm and doing his best to help set the table with help from his wand in his free hand.

But to Draco, he ended up quickly gesturing to a seat and giving a quick flick of his wrist, sending the chair scooting out. "Feel free to have at whatever looks good, but avoid the chicken covered in orange sauce. Tonks gets stabby with a fork if you go after her General Tso chicken."

"He was a little fussy after you had left, but he quieted down. The walk to get dinner seemed to cheer him up a bit. Will you be staying home for a few days or do you still have more business to deal with?" Tonks answered as she reached over for her favorite dish...just in case.

Which she didn't have to worry about, since Draco made a note not to go near it. He was still hesitant on what to try. Finally he just decided to grab the nearest dish and give it a try. He was too hungry at this point to really care what it was. He didn't understand the point of the sticks and just used his fork instead. After two forkfuls he found himself inhaling the dinner.

"I'm going to need to handle a few things, but nothing that's going to take me away for more than a few hours," Remus told Tonks with a hint of a smile on his lips as he glanced pointedly towards Draco. It involved their young guest. "Took care of those dementors, but... I don't like the idea of them getting in groups of more than two. I've never heard of more than that until tonight unless it was-- you know where." Careful of the mention of the prison given their guest.

Still, able to use the pointy sticks with some skill, it amused him more to watch Draco eating with gusto. "Good, isn't it? That's a dish called Moo Goo Gai Pan. Chicken and vegetables in that garlicy white sauce."

Tonks gave a thoughtful nod. It was rather unusual for them to be found in large groups...but the area they were located in was rather uncivilized and the Malfoy's summer home was the only thing there. It probably did attract them. "It is rather unusual and something worth investigating."

She wanted to say more, but felt it would be inappropriate to discuss in front of their guest. She just wondered if some of the Dark Lord's followers were trying to round them to cause trouble. Not all of them were caught. The smart ones hid and didn't reveal themselves.

Draco made an attempt to say the name of the dish, but ended up butchering it and gave up. "Why do you use those sticks to eat?" he asked as he watched Remus use them.

Remus gave a meaningful look to Tonks, suggesting while he couldn't read her mind, he had a pretty good idea of what was going through it anyway. He had thought much the same, and had even had concerns that perhaps the Malfoys had been the center of that gathering. It would, unfortunately, make all too much sense. Something they could speak about when they were in bed later.

Remus gave a quiet chuckle at Draco's attempt, pointing towards him with the chopsticks in hand. "Chopsticks. Muggles and Wizards in the Far East use them instead of forks. I learned to use them as a child, though." He looked a bit amused, but also a little sad. "My mother used to wonder if in a hurry, Asian Wizards would get their wands and chopsticks confused."

Tonks gave a small smile back as she proceeded to watch Remus interact with Draco. It was a shame that Remus couldn't continue to be a teacher. He was really good at explaining things and having the patience to repeat or find other approaches to get through to his students.

She noted that Draco was trying hard to accept what was before him despite his upbringing. What she was seeing at the table was not like the stories she had been told. She tried to take what she saw before her with a grain of salt.

After dinner and lessons on Chinese culture were done, Tonks quickly put away everything. She then went to give Teddy his bath since he managed to get covered in food. It seemed that most of the time it never made it to his mouth.

Draco used the time to unpack and retire for the night. The day itself had been long and difficult for him.

Remus decided to let Draco get used to his room, his surroundings, while he went to get himself ready for bed. Ridiculously oversized pajamas (they were one of the few things that felt comfortable instead of just being nude) with little stars on them had been Tonks' gift at Christmas - she thought they were hysterical and he thought they were comfortable - but otherwise, he had only relief in him that they had managed to get this far. He knew it wouldn't be easy, but he hoped.

So all he could do was wait for Tonks to put Teddy down and ask her what she thought, so far.

Those pajamas always earned a chuckle from Tonks. They were meant to be a gag gift, but now she knew what to look for later. To be fair she had bought a pair of oversize pajamas for herself with little hearts on them. They could at least look ridiculous together. She even had bright pink fuzzy slippers too.

Now that Teddy was settled down and sleeping, she curled up next to Remus. "So you'll have to catch me up on what's been going on. I feel as if I hardly see you now that you're running around chasing dementors and I have Teddy to watch over."

He could appreciate Tonks' wild nature and if they looked ridiculous together, he would take it. Not that he would be caught dead wearing these outside of his home since he was always trying to draw as little attention to himself as possible, but with her? It just never mattered as much and it brought a smile to her lips, so even better.

With an arm around her, playing with the edge of hair that matched her favorite slippers, he sighed a little in agreement. "It's been busy," he murmured. "Since they know I've got experience in it, Kingsley trusts me to manage it. Knows I'm safer than most out there, but that doesn't mean it's the fun position."

"I understand that much, but I also don't think you should do it alone...cause what would have happened if Draco couldn't do the Patronus or had helped you later? I'll feel more comfortable about it if you had a partner with you. Naturally I would go with you, but I also don't want my parents always taking care of Teddy for us and it wouldn't be fair for Teddy either.

What is your thought on the Malfoys in general...I know you feel the need to help them, but it's really hard to put aside what they've done in the past. It seems only logical that they would lie and try to play the helpless act."

Tonks responded. She still wasn't keen on the whole idea, but she was trying to trust her husband's reasons.

"...you know, given time and training, Draco might do well for a partner," Remus said thoughtfully. "Really though, the only safe bet for a long term partner is an Animagus and as rare as they are..." But his arm tightened around her; it was obvious who he was thinking of. If Sirius hadn't been killed...

"As for the Malfoys, it's hard to explain without you having seen it. Lying, oh yes, I could see that with no difficulty. But I came on them with no idea they'd be there. No time for them to arrange anything. I saw Lucius... There is mental damage there. I know that they would never suffer their pride so much as they did in front of me if they hadn't changed. Narcissa made a meal, no House Elves, and they aren't looking as perfect as they had."

But still, Remus couldn't help his next words. "It's not them I'm doing this for; its for Draco. He deserves a chance, but I'll only give him one. Tomorrow, I'm going to take him to see Kingsley."

Tonks, kissed Remus's forehead and held him close knowing that he was upset about Sirius. She realized it was a grief that was never going to leave him, but he was learning to cope with it. She had her doubts on trusting Draco just yet. She was worried he would turn on them the minute he was given a chance. He was a Malfoy and it was hard to let go of that fact.

She couldn't help but raise an eyebrow as she listened to Remus explain his time with the Malfoys. This to her seemed like a tall tale, but since it came from Remus she knew it was the genuine truth. It really seemed the Malfoys have falling into rough times especially if they were being humble toward someone they treated poorly in the past.

"I only hope your effort is worth it. I understand that you see yourself in him... I just don't want him to turn around and betray you. Just...be careful and that's if Kingsly allows it." She replied.

"...I plan to be, and I hope I'm right. It's a risk, but... I'm going to make sure I do everything to prove he's telling the truth. Not just to me, but to everyone." He shook his head a little, tucking himself against the woman he loved, eyes closing. "Maybe I need to be right. Maybe if I can be right about him, I can be right about other things. Even as it is, Kingley's having a hell of a time repealing the laws Umbridge put into place..."

It still hurt, but he had dealt with that all of his life.

"Let's hope you're right..." Tonks softly replied. "For your sake and his."

Morning quickly came, much to Draco's dismay as he woke up to Teddy's cries. They also reminded him where he was, that he was no longer back home. He felt as he barely got any sleep as nightmares plagued them. He blamed the fact that he wasn't used to being in this house and all the noises that came with it.

Someone eventually came and got Teddy, he wasn't too sure who. He wasn't quite sure if he should get up...or try for more sleep. Judging by all the commotion going on downstairs...it sounded like it was best to just give up sleeping. Groggily, he dug through his trunk and grabbed his robes and slid them on over his gray pjs. He then headed downstairs, unsure of what to expect or what he was supposed to do.

Remus was attempting to juggle both his infant son as well as gesturing with his wand to try and warm up a bottle of formula. When he spotted Draco, he gave a flash of a tired smile before he gestured with his chin. "Good timing! Here, come help for a minute." And without much other warning, he came over and put Teddy into Draco's arms. "Here, mind his head, make sure it's propped up."

And with that, he'd go back to trying to get Teddy's breakfast ready.

....Draco couldn't help but look startled and unsure of himself as he suddenly had the baby in his arms. He never even had a chance to protest. Surprisingly enough the baby didn't even cry as he held him, but only appeared to be interested. That helped ease his nerves a little bit especially when he realized he wasn't going to drop the baby and that he wasn't as fragile as he thought.

He gave a small smile when Teddy tried to wrap his hand around his fingers. He couldn't help but marvel at how innocent and accepting a baby could be. It felt nice to not be judged for once in his life and to simply be accepted.

He quietly walked around, holding Teddy as he waited for Remus to finish up preparing the baby's breakfast. When he didn't think he was being watched he made faces getting the baby to laugh.

Remus pretended to be more focused on getting Teddy's breakfast than he really was, but it let him risk glances out of the corner of his eye towards Draco to see what the young man would do with a baby in his arms. A little smile touched his lips as he watched Draco take to it quite well and Teddy, it seemed, to Draco. So when he had a bottle ready and tested for its warmth, he came over and offered it over to Draco instead of taking Teddy back. "He seems pretty happy there, why don't you feed him? Just keep the nipple at his mouth and the bottle tilted up so there's no air bubbles getting drunk."

Draco gave a sheepish grin when Remus caught him off guard. He couldn't say no at this point since Remus did have a point... He decided it was best to sit down and try this out. He wasn't too sure how this would go and he still wasn't sure why so much trust was being placed on him with Teddy. Draco held the bottle as instructed and carefully kept an eye out as Teddy hungrily ate.

"I always wanted a brother," he commented. "I sometimes wonder what it would have been like if I had one."

From what the Malfoys had mentioned, it seemed like Draco was lucky to exist at all, never mind a sibling. Personally, there was a part of him that believed it was possibly part issue of the Pure Bloods becoming a bit too... zealous in their attempt to remain pure, possibly part due to the inherit issues that darker magic played on the body, but neither was a proven fact. Given that the Weasleys were a Pure Blood line and they were always quite prolific, perhaps the latter was a factor. Either way, not an opinion he would venture to anyone else, not even his wife.

"A part of me wished I had a sibling," Remus admitted, "but it never would have worked out. In a way, my friends were more like family than my own family." The Marauders had been his brothers, until everything had gone terribly wrong, again and again and again. A part of him squeezed tight at the thought of how he had lost his friends - murder and betrayal.

Draco gave a nod, but it was hard to read his expression. He really wasn't sure what to call Crabbe and Goyle. In a sense they had been friends when they were growing up, but toward the end they had lost faith in him when his father had failed and he had failed in his task. Then there was Pansy...and in the end that didn't work out. She didn't want to be seen around with a family who had failed. And really he couldn't blame anyone but himself.

He understood where Remus was coming from seeing the examples with Professor Snape and his father. A part of him wondered what it was that Remus and his friends had done to get Snape to hate them so much. It didn't seem to sound a lot like the stories he had overheard.

At this point Teddy had finished his bottle and he could hear Tonks was coming downstairs. "What do I do now?" he questioned as he placed the empty bottle onto the table. He might as well ask since he figured Remus was going to have him do what ever had to be done next anyway.

They had been awful to Severus, really. Sirius instigated it all, James matched him, Peter would do whatever Sirius said, and Remus hadn't entirely liked it but was just as guilty for going along with it. Snape, he realized as he grew older, had every right to hate them.

He didn't talk about it.

"I'll spare you the unpleasantness of the next bit." He grabbed a spit rag and threw it over his shoulder, taking his son and holding him to his shoulder, patting his back. "Need him to burp, but babies can spit up, I learned the hard way."

He did lean over to kiss Tonks when she came up to him, giving her a warm smile before she went to make herself tea. He glanced to Draco and said almost seriously, "be careful of Tonks before she's truly woken up."

"Right.." Draco replied and was thankful for the warning and the fact he didn't have to deal with the messy part. He was barely awake himself and wasn't too keen on wanting to clean up an unexpected mess.

He should eat as well, but he wasn't too hungry. His nerves were still shot from trying to adjust to his new surroundings and his lack of sleep didn't help.

"Do you think, it'll be alright if I can explore the area later on today?" he asked. Even if it seemed very muggle populated, it was better then being stuck in doors. Just to be out among people would be refreshing.

Remus quickly shared a look with his wife, hesitating heavily, before cautiously saying, "I think it might be best if you don't go out alone until you're used to things."

What did surprise the hell out of him was when Tonks suddenly tilted her head and smirked a little bit. "I'll take him out. He needs to get some proper clothing."

"...You're sure about this?" Remus cautiously asked.

"Oh, I'm sure. You can watch Teddy for a few hours, hmm?"

Draco found himself tensing up when Tonks had offered to take him out. He had an idea there would be a lecture and a warning of some sort during this little outing, especially with how quick she was to jump in.

He's also never really interact with her. And just the little bit he saw and the warnings Remus left of her...she wasn't someone to cross.

"What's wrong with my clothes?" he challenged. Draco couldn't help it. Appearance was one thing the Malfoys pride themselves in and had been strict on. Granted...now a days it hasn't been as strict. They might be old and worn out, but they still blended in with the wizarding community and muggles if necessary.

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