Mismatch

See Part I for Summary and Disclaimers:

Boxing Day at Malfoy Manor ~

Draco dragged himself out from under the heavy comforter on his bed with his bladder screaming for relief. He staggered towards the bathroom and tiredly ran his hands through his hair feeling out of sorts.

His parents were gone by now off to the south of France to join friends of theirs for the rest of the Christmas break leaving Draco behind. Draco grimaced. All the worry that the Weasel had gone through prior to his arrival at the Manor over nothing...his parents had barely acknowledged that he\'d come home for Christmas.

There had been the obligatory gift giving, the \'family\' dinner, and oft-experienced inquisition by his father on how Draco was progressing at Hogwarts. His father seemed almost bored as he grilled Draco on his advances both in academic and social standing arenas. Having received apparently acceptable answers to his queries on Draco\'s advancement, Lucius had promptly dropped the subject and proceeded to discuss the travel plans with Narcissa.

Draco had been alternately relieved and angry by his parent\'s nonchalance and evident disinterest. It was as if they could never conceive of Draco\'s obece, ce, his future, his choices being anything other than what they desired for him---everything locked up tight as a drum for the Malfoy heir.

\'Well, they were in for quite a shock\' he thought grimly. He wonderedentlently what would have happened if he\'d actually told them about his future plans that included Ron Weasley and their baby. He snorted---Lucius probably would have had a stroke on the spot and Narcissa would have had a nervous attack.

As soon as he finished urinating he washed his hands and then looked at himself in the mirror.

\"Blimey!\" said the mirror. \"You\'re a right mess this morning,\" it said cheekily.

\"Shut your gob,\" Draco slurred tiredly. That\'s all he needed...being told his looks weren\'t up to par. Draco prided himself on being well groomed no matter what the circumstances.

Draco peered at himself, wondering at the changes he saw already. His eyes had bags under them from his lack of sleep, he\'d dropped weight due to the start of morning sickness, while conversely his hair had a sheen and softness to it that he\'d never had before experienced without the addition of the \"Wizards Personal Enrichment\" line of hair products.

Draco stared at his reflection feeling a strange sense of displacement. Technically the visit had been a roaring success...he\'d managed to elicit several thousand pounds from his mother to cover the costs of his imaginary start-up \'business\'. Also, he managed to use his parent\'s early departure from Malfoy Manor to his advantage, Draco had broken the anti-theft wards on his mother\'s jewelry box and had lifted several of his mother\'s nicer pieces of jewelry---and considering how disorganized Narcissa usually was, he doubted that she\'d even notice the loss.

The four pieces he had packed away in hirry rry all, would probably net around 8,000 galleons on the black market. Not an inconsiderable nest egg. He knew of several places in Knockturn Alley where he\'d be able pawn the pieces---no questions asked. His personal account in Gringotts was starting to look healthier.

He\'d take care of his \'business\' transactions today, and then overnight at the Leaky Cauldron before reing ing to Hogwarts tomorrow.

He looked around the spacious bathroom and sighed. All this was soon to be gone from him. There was no chance that his father and mother would accept his new alliance with Ron Weasley, nor were they likely to approve of their son\'s decision about the pregnancy.

Draco was filled with a myriad of emotions...and most strangely feeling lost for the first time in his life. His parents and their lifestyle would soon be in his rear viirroirror, and he\'d have to look forward to a future with the Weasel. They\'d share responsibility for their baby who\'d depend upon them for everything...love, srt art as well as all things practical. It was frightening and for the very first time Draco was willing to acknowledge his fear. He shivered and then turned away from the mirror.

The Burrow ~

Ron stared off into space as he ate his toast, ignoring the cheerful chaos around him, and wondered how Draco was faring. He\'d been glad to see his family, but had felt unable to totally enjoy his stay at the burrow in his devil-may-care manner. Throwing off the constraints of Hogwarts and its demands had never seemed less important. Impending fatherhood was beginning to weigh heavily upon his spirits.

He\'d made a real effort this term to pull up all of his marks...he\'d need better and more consistent marks on his charms and DADA if he hoped to be ated ted into the Auror program. Hermione and Harry were both deeply into their studies now, and Ron too now felt the pull of that need, and the importance of making a good impression to ensure his future prospects.

Ron smiled to himself as he recalled Professor Snape\'s shock at having to give him an above average grade on his potions final. He had indeed kept his word to avail himself of Draco\'s tutoring skills.

Ginny chattered away to him on his left side and Ron just nodded occasionally giving her the impression that he was following her conversation about the new makeup kit that her parents had given for for Christmas. Ron had received a much-needed new set of robes as well as a good, sturdy pair of walking boots.

Ron had told his parents about his summer job filling in for Hagrid and they\'d been thrilled for him. Ron, of course, hadn\'t told them the most important part, that he was to become a father shortly after the school term ended. But his loyalty and support had to go to Draco at this point, if Draco thought it was best to maintain silence on the issue; then it was Ron\'s job to give his support to that decision.

Ron looked over at his mother, humming happily away over sto stove as she made some more food for the ever ravenous Fred and George, who had just tumbled down the stairs. Percy followed more sedately behind them.

Fred and George immediately started to tease Ginny about her choice of lips and and rouge this morning while Percy quietly took his seat next to Ron.

\"I\'ve brought this back with me from the Ministry, Ron. I thought you might like to see it,\" he saindlindly.

Ron peeked over at the book Percy was offering. It was a book on preparation for the Auror examinations. Suggested revision areas, ideas for resumes, all attuned to the needs of a soon-to-be graduate.

\"Thank you Percy,\" said Ron gratefully. He blushed a bit when he realized that he\'d tormented his quiet older brother on more than one occasion for being too stuffy and serious. Now, when he needed that experience, Percy had been more than willing to oblige him. Ron felt like a heel.

\"Oi, what\'s that little brother? More book learning? Percy must be corrupting you something awful,\" teased Fred.

George turned his head and smirked.

\"Ronniekins has become a dull, dull boy this year,\" George snorted with laughter.

Ron frowned.

\"Thank you Percy, that was very kind of you,\" he said firmly ignoring the twins.

Percyshedshed with pleasure.

\"My pleasure Ronald. It\'s nice to see someone try to get ahead in the family,\" said Percy scowling at the twins.

Ron winced. Percy meant well but why did he have to sound so...pretentious?

The twins razzed him for a few minutes more about his apparently newly acquired study habits, but when they saw they wouldn\'t get a rise out of Ron, they dropped their teasing. Like Percy, sometimes the twins just didn\'t know when to leave well enough alone.

As the noise level increased, Ron began to twist and mangle the last piece of toast in his hands. Smiling ruefully, he could well understand why Draco had been so horrified at the idea of staying at the Burrow. It certainly wasn\'t for everyone, and definitely not for someone like Draco used to having his privacy.

\'No,\' he thought as he watched his family. \'As much as he loved them, they weren\'t the ideal situation for Ron, Draco and their upcoming baby. Draco deserve lea least a home of his own, no matter how modest.

Ron also felt a growing need to get closer to the mother of his child. It wasn\'t just the baby---Ron was quite attracted to Draco something he\'d finally ruefully admitted to himself. Draco could be the most annoying git on the face of the earth, but he was also incredibly handsome, sexy, and intelligent and had a sharp sense of humor.

Ron stared out of the window anny nny continued to babble on about her latest crush, and her desperate need for some new robes. How could a girl impress a boy without the proper attire?

Ron\'s ears pricked up. His sister deserved more than a set of used robes from the wizarding consignment shop in Diagon Alley. She was a pretty girl and deserved nice things.

As Ron listened to Ginny\'s woes, a sweat broke out on his forehead. He was seeing a vision of his own daughter\'s future and it left him cold. Like Ginny, she\'d be judged not on her character, but the quality of clothes she wore, whether she went to the best school in other words all things material. It wasn\'t fair or right but it was life in wizarding society.

The issue of money had never seemed so important before...Percy was right in hiobbiobbish way. You must make something of yourself if you wanted to move forward in the world. Ron felt ill at the idea of Draco and his little girl making do with second hand robes, hand me down toys and cramped living quarters.

He sighed. Well, at least they were covered until they left Hogwarts. Draco had told Ron that they would both need to work to provide for their family and, as much as Ron\'s pride hurt to admit it---Draco was right. A growing family would never make do on just a junior Aurors salary.

Ron comforted himself with the notion that at least her family lines would be impeccable---both sides of the family were old pureblood and, sometimes, in wizarding society that helped to overcome a less than stellar bank book.

\'Merlin\' thought Ron with some humor \'I\'m starting to sound like Malfoy\'. Ron snorted and threw the now mangled toast back on his plate. He\'d lost all of his appetite.

Ron stood up and felt a little dizzy. Family. This was the first time he\'d thought of that annoying git as his family. Merlin he must be crack-brained. Draco Malfoy and himself? As a couple? It boggled the mind.

\"Ron? Ron? Are you alright dear?\" said Molly Weasley called out worriedly from the stove. She\'d been watching her son carefully throughout the holidays. He\'d been abnormally quiet and withdrawn. Serious. She\'d given him several opportunities to open up to her but he\'d been shut tighter than a clam. Whatever was bothering Ron, he apparently had no plans to share with his mother---at least not yet.

Ron smiled at her, his distraction finally vanishing.

\"Of course mum, I was just thinking about returning to Hogwarts a day early. I\'ve got some work to do on that project for my DADArse,rse, would that be a problem?\"

\"No dear, of course not, we were going to Diagon Alley today for supplies, so you could floo from there. But don\'t you want to stay for Ginny\'s party?\" said his mother in a teasing voice.

Ron shuddered. Ginny had asked for, and received permission from her parents for a sleepover with six of her girlfriends for this evening.

\"Mum, I\'d rather face Professor Snape in a double potions class,\" he said with a grin.

Ginny shrieked her disapproval.

\"Ron, you\'re such a stick in the mud recently,\" she pouted. \"You might meet someone new you know,\" Ginny said prodding Ron a bit.

\"No thanks, I\'m spoken for,\" Ron said automatically without thinking.

\"Ronniekins,\" Fred shouted. \"Who\'s the lucky girl,\" echoed George.

Ginny grabbed Ron\'s upper arm.

\"You didn\'t tell me you were seeing anyone! Give it up Ron, I\'ll find out sooner or later,\" threatened Ginny, now on the scent of some juicy gossip.

Ron\'s heartbeat accelerated into the stratosphere.

\'Oh my God! I didn\'t just say that did I?\' Ron\'s inner voice wailed.

Ron held up his hands to stop the onslaught.

\"Kidding. Just kidding. Hey, if I were seeing a girl you\'d know about it right? Hogwarts just isn\'t that big,\" said Ron jokingly.

Fred and George leaned in looking at Ginny for confirmation. If anyone knew about the latest gossip Ginny would.

Ginny\'s shoulders slumped.

, th, there hasn\'t been anything since you broke up with Hannah,\" said Ginny slowly. It was maddening she thought as she looked at her brother. He was definitely nervous she could sense that but why would he be nervous if he didn\'t have someone? Someone, perhaps, he didn\'t want them to know about.

Fred and George soon lost interest, but Ginny wrapped her fingers around her shoulder length hair as she studied Ron and began to twist it...a bad habit she\'d picked up as a child.

\'Idiot!\' thought Ron. \'Now Ginny\'s going to be watching me\'.

Ron mentally kicked himself and ground his teeth. He wasn\'t a natural secret keeper and never had been, but this was something he couldn\'t afford to bollocks up. He\'d have to talk Draco, and see if there was some kind of charm they could do, in order to protect their privacy.

Ron jumped up from the table and went over to his mother. He kissed her on the cheek.

\"I guess I better get myself packed then, eh? Thanks mum,\" said Ron gently.

Molly Weasley brushed her son\'s sunset red hair off of his forehead gently.

\"You make sure you use that packing charm for your new robes,\" Molly said in a gently chiding voice.

Ron grinned at her.

\"I will Mum, you\'ll see I\'ve turned over a new leaf,\" Ron said seriously.

Fred and George burst into laughter and even Ginny grinned.

But Molly didn\'t laugh. Her son was serious, she could see that in his eyes. Something or someone was influencing him.

Molly patted his cheek.

\"Off you go then,\" she said returning her attentions to the porridge on the stove. Ron would come to her eventually, he always did.

Ron let out a breath of relief and ran back up the stairs to his room. This had seemed like the longest Christmas break he could ever remember. But, finally, he was returning to Hogwarts---and Draco.

tbc