If I survive tonight, I wouldn't change a thing -- June 1998

I smiled.  "We can start living our own lives for once," I agreed.  "Our flat is actually in Diagon Alley... it was a pain to get, but it'll be so worth it being somewhere like that."  We may as well attempt to look at the brighter side of things.

I nodded as a huge smile came across my face, "Diagon Alley, that'll be amazing!" I couldn't wait, "Not only will we be away from here but we're right in the middle of a ton of shops. That should make it slightly easier for me to find a job." I smiled at him, knowing he may say something about me getting a job but I didn't care. "I can start looking right away."

I was pleased to see her reaction.  "You don't need to pressure yourself," I assured her.  "We do have three bedrooms... the one room was going to be a toy room because -- silly me -- I thought that they may get spoiled rotten by grandparents and aunties alike.  So you'll at least have your own room there... so hopefully it won't be too overly crowded when the twins are born," I said, just naturally thinking that Juniper would still be with us at that time.  I wanted to make sure she could support herself before she moved out of my flat.

"Well I can tell you that Auntie June will be spoiling them as much as she possibly can." I smiled over at him as I processed what he had said next. "You mean I don't have I leave once the twins are born?"  I had assumed that once the twins were born they would want me to leave so they could be a real family. I would help as much as I could by babysitting if they needed and such but I didn't think I should be there, intruding their lives and being a burden to them. "I don't want to over stay my welcome." I looked down and started bitting my nails again.

I rolled my eyes at her and wanted to smack her for biting her nails, but clearly nothing I was going to do to prevent her from doing it would work.  "You'll be fine," I assured her.  "Of course not... so long as you can sleep with newborns screaming at night.  Just soundproof your walls or something.  That'd work."  I would never make her leave until she was ready.  And there was no way I was going to tell her she only had six months or so to find out what she was going to do with herself.  That was not fair.

I looked up at him, "I can help with the babies at night if you need me to. I not going to come into a house that will some day have two babies and not help with them." Especially since Draco said I could stay even after they were born. I'd makes sure I did at least my share of housework, making sure I earned my keep. I nodded, "I'll do everything I can to help you both out, especially after the babies are born. I can help set up the nursery as well, if you need help since Pansy shouldn't be doing anything like that now." I was almost getting excited about it all, looking at all the cute little baby things. I couldn't wait to get out of here.

I could not help but grin.  "I'm glad to hear you say that... I might have had an ulterior motive for telling you to stay with us," I teased, winking at her.  "That's really not true, but still.  I'm glad that I'll have some help besides just Pansy attempting to boss me around or something."  Like that would ever happen.

I rolled my eyes and stuck out my tongue out at him. "I'll help in whatever way I can, including if you need back-up with Pansy or if she needs back-up with you." I laughed and winked back at him. I knew he wouldn't need any help with that but if he ever did, I would be there for him like he had always been there for me.

I chuckled and shook my hed.  "What makes you think she'll need backup with me?" I questioned, feigning offense.  "I am such a pleasure to be around."  Of course, beign sleep deprived as I would eventually get, I might not be so pleasant.

"Years of experience my friend." I said, attempting and failing to keep a serious face. I laughed, and rolled my eyes. "It will be a pleasure to be at your house." I hoped he knew I was being sincere, it would be a great feeling to get out of our parents house and away from here.

I shook my head at her.  "Oh, trust me," I assured her, "I know I can be a pain."  I sighed and looked out the window again, realizing what was going to be happening.  I turned my sights back to my sister.  "I just hope that we can do this... you know, escaping... me and Pansy being parents... we're barely seventeen."  I could not believe it.

I gave a small laugh, "We both have our moments, but we still love each other." I sighed and turned to him. He had a lot on his plate now but I knew we could do it. "We've been though hell and back Draco, two babies shouldn't be a problem." I tired to lighten the conversation but turned serious, thinking he really needed to hear this. "Draco, I know we can do this. We can do anything together and now we'll have Pansy too. We can escape and live our own lives for once and you will raise two beautiful children a lot better then we were raised. Despite everything, we did turn out pretty great, if I do say so myself." I smiled over at my brother, hoping he believed me.

I was not too sure if I believed that we turned out pretty great, but she was right.  Compared to what we had been through, raising two babies would be a piece of cake.  I smiled at her.  "Thanks," I said.  Talking about moving and the babies almost made me forget about the looming decision that was going to be forced upon us.  Almost.  I could only imagine what else Father would have in store... I would do anything just to make sure no harm came to the babies, Pansy, or Juniper.  "I wonder how long Father will drag this out or if he'll get things moving.  I don't know if I like the idea of waiting for him to spring on us what we have to do."

"We could always go to him, take the offensive approach for once in our lives." I said with a shrug. I knew that wasn't an option though, we weren't willing going to talk with him about this. We were going to have to wait for him to come to us. I sighed, "At least we know it will most likely be within this week. He probably let me stay just so he could be sure I would take the Mark before I left. It's just Fathers way of showing me he can still control me even if he has disowned me."

I nodded slowly.  "That does sound like him," I said, unfortunately knowing how Father's mind worked.  I did almost like the idea of taking the offensive option, though.  "Maybe instead of knowing what he has in store for us, we could take the oblivious route.  I mean, I already know what he wants me to do with Pansy before the twins are born... so we could both go to him about that -- you just being there for apparent moral support.  And then we could see if he brings it up?"  I mean, we may as well get it over with.