"This is completely unacceptable!"
"I'm afraid it will have to be, Father. Harry and I do not think it's time for a ball. It's just a bit too soon."
Lucius whirled to face his son again. The silver head of his cane was rhythmically slapping into the palm of his hand as he glared at Draco. You, Draco? Now, that I find quite hard to believe. No, I know it is that little orphan boy you married that has decided that it is too soon! You, Draco, enjoy social activities. In fact, you were quite excited by all our parties growing up." Lucius stalked closer to where Draco was standing behind his desk. "Am I to assume that my granddaughter will also be raised to be anti-social? Perhaps she will be residing in a cupboard to teach her humility!"
"Father that is going too far!" Draco said forcefully. "Harry and the baby are too fragile--"
"That is the second time you have referred to the boy's fragility. I am going to have to seriously consider my impression of the so-call Boy-Who-Lived. Perhaps I shall have our healer commit him to St. Mungo's for an extended stay to recuperate. Perhaps then we will be allowed to see the infant!"
"You will do no such thing!" Draco struggled to control his anger. Lucius was riled and, as the head of the Malfoy family, wielded far too much power. In fact, Draco was fairly sure he could actually commit Harry against his will. Draco would never underestimate the angry power and machinations of a former elite Death Eater. "Father, Harry and I feel it would be more appropriate to only have a small intimate gathering to introduce the baby," he said more calmly.
"She is the next Malfoy heir," Lucius said in a low voice. "She will not be brought out in shadows and silence. She deserves much more than that. If your little husband is having a problem with his anti-social behaviour than perhaps he had better stay home and we will be happy to have you and the baby only."
"I will not leave Harry home!" Draco growled. "Nor will Harry allow the baby anywhere without him. This all could have been avoided, Father, if you had simply asked us instead of planning this entire thing and then ordering us to attend."
"Ah, I see," Lucius said with a sneer, the cane now brought down to rest menacingly at his side. "Has the boy now decided that I am not allowed to be a proud grandfather? I am now to make an appointment to see my family?"
"Father, you are being--" Draco stopped just before calling his father "ridiculous", which would have been an extremely dangerous thing to do. "Harry is not trying to keep you away from Maia. Neither am I. We are merely stating that it is just too soon. Our instincts are running just a bit high at the moment. One too quick gesture near the baby and we would need to pull Harry off the guests. That would not be a very sterling impression to give the world, now would it?"
"If you simply did what you are supposed to do, Draco, you would not have this problem," Lucius said in a tone that clearly showed how simple his son was being. "The boy needs to be controlled. Do it!"
"The boy is my husband and I will treat him as I will!" Draco snapped. "Harry and I have worked very hard to have a marriage based on mutual respect and trust. I do not need to resort to animal abilities to have a happy home life! We will raise our daughter as we see fit and if we believe it is too soon for her to be in a massive crush, then that is the end of it!"
Silence reigned in the small study. Draco's chest heaved with emotion and no little amount of trepidation after his outburst. But he did not back down. Silver eyes glared into grey. Finally, Lucius's eyelids dropped half way and an arrogant eyebrow was raised.
"Good show, Draco." The older man turned and picked up his hat and gloves from the armchair and stepped to the door. He turned to look back at his son with intent. "We will express your regrets at the ball. But," Lucius's voice lowered threateningly, "I will not allow that boy to continue to corrupt you. You may be Maia's father, but I am still yours. Remember that, Draco." And he was gone.
