Author: sunnycouger (sunnycouger@lineone.net)
Category: Draco & Ginny. But with some Ron/Hermione, Fred/Angelina and George/Katie as well as some all round Weasley family moments.
Rating: PG.
Summary: It had to happen, he couldn't escape it and it was time to face the music. He had to try and get through a dinner with his girlfriends family, but what happens when you are a Malfoy and that family is the Weasleys? A moderately funny fic with plenty to keep all you shippers happy. D&G happiness!
Disclaimer: The characters of Harry Potter don't belong to me, I'm just taking them out to play and I promise to get them home to JK Rowling in time for the next book But, just in case you were in any doubt as to who they belong to have a look at this: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Authors Note: The fourth of the prequels to Somewhere In Between. As always you can read that first and find out how the whole thing ends or you can take it as a stand alone and imagine your own ending. This follows on to Of Purple Mice & Floating Paperweights, In The End and It Started With A Kiss but you don't need to know that to get this.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Ginny Weasley rattled the door in front of her loudly for the fifth time. This was a good idea, taking Draco to meet her family to try and clear the air. A public place, they couldn't kill each other in a public place. "Draco Malfoy if you do not open this door this minute I swear I will bring them up here!"
She turned around, hands on hips as the door opened to reveal an agitated and grumpy looking Draco Malfoy. "Hello to you too. Just clarify something here, why are we even doing this? We know what is going to happen."
She sighed as she pushed past him and walked in and sat on the bed. "We have been through this. Trust me, they want to give you a chance."
He rolled his eyes as he closed the door and looked at her. "I am certain of that. They want to give me a chance to kill myself before they do it for me..."
She shook her head and felt a slight smile play at her lips as she looked at him appraisingly as he picked up a shirt. Her boy looked good...very good. She moistened her lips as she felt a breath escape involuntarily, he looked great in fact.
He turned around to notice this and raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me. I do not believe that this is playing fair..."
She smiled as he walked over to her as she knelt up on the bed and placed her hands on his bare chest as she tried to look at him innocently. "I have no idea what you are talking about, Malfoy..."
He leant in close to her and smirked dangerously. "I am talking about levelling the playing field...why should I be the only one at a disadvantage?"
"Because you look better only wearing trousers than I do?"
"That...Weasley, is a matter of opinion..."
She laughed as he slid his hand beneath her robes and began sliding them off her shoulders. She leant her head back and closed her eyes as he began placing small kisses along her collar bone. "Draco...this...isn't....very pro...ductive. We are supposed to be there soon..."
"Hmmm?"
She fell back on the bed as he began to trace his hands up and down her bare arms as he continued kissing her neck gently. "Draco...we are...mmm," she giggled gently as she tried to compose herself, "we are going to be late..."
He looked up at her with a smirk. "What is the point of having a floo network if we can't use it? Besides...it's fashionable to be late..."
She groaned as she reluctantly pushed him off her with a smile. "No. No. They will just be weird if we're late..."
Draco sighed as he looked at her. "Spoil sport."
She stood and began straightening her robes as he pulled a shirt on. "You will thank me for it when my father and brothers don't kill you..."
He turned and looked at her with a mock innocent expression. "Why, would they have thought that I corrupted their daughter?"
Ginny groaned as she went to the mirror and fixed her hair again, trying to get rid of her flushed cheeks. "My family would kill you if they even considered that. I think they believe the furthest I will go with you is holding hands, in a public place in the middle of the day."
"How nice," he let out a low laugh as he continued, "that they are still as deluded as ever."
"Draco, be nice tonight," she said sternly as she turned around to see him fastening his robes. She took a deep breath as she looked at him exasperatedly. "Why are you wearing your black robes? And a black shirt?"
He shook his head with a small smile. "They believe I am an evil wizard so I thought I would dress the part. Besides, I look good in black," he turned to her with a seductive smile, "don't you agree?"
She sighed as she walked to the fireplace. There was no way they would ever get there if she answered that the way she wanted to. "I refuse to answer that on the grounds that the pair of us will never get out of here if we don't go now."
He groaned as he picked up his cloak and walked to her. "No chance that we could avoid this? Okay, your icy glare tells me no. So, if I offer to pay will it offend your family? Or, if it doesn't offend them, will your brothers all order the most expensive meal in the restaurant forgetting that I will be paying for it for a year on my Hogwarts wages?"
Ginny looked and considered for a second as she took his hand. That was a good question that she really should have considered when she had invited her family. Her father would be offended, but her mother would expect him to pay. Her brothers would enjoy it more if he didn't pay so they could remind him of his attitude in school, but, if he did pay...they would buy out the whole menu.
"Hmm...good question, I think you should offer to pay; if you don't the guys will enjoy rubbing your face in it because of the insufferable prick you were to them in school."
He looked at her insolently. "Some would say insufferable others would say knowledgeable and confident in their own superiority."
She rolled her eyes as she grabbed for the floo powder and threw it into the fire as she stepped into it and called out Xavier's Restaurant. This was going to be a *long* night if that was the attitude he was taking.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Ginny stepped out of the fire in the hallway of the restaurant and waited on Draco appearing behind her. As he did so she took a deep breath. There was no escaping it now. She walked to the door and looked in at their table where Ron, Hermione, George, Katie, Bill and Charlie were all sitting already. Draco looked in beside her and groaned in despair.
"I didn't know that your brothers were bringing their girlfriends. Now I have to sit through a meal with not only Weasley but Granger as well...please tell me this is a nightmare..."
She couldn't help but smile as she pulled him back from the door and turned him to face her. "One night, just...try. They are really nice if you could just stop hating him. And, it may have escaped your attention...you are having dinner with more than one Weasley."
He sighed as he looked at her in despair. "Ginny, if tonight doesn't go well...please remember that I at least tried."
She smiled as she kissed him quickly. "Just don't mention money, red hair, purity of the race, deatheaters, muggles, um...politics, Voldemort, work..."
"Am I allowed to talk about the weather or will that start an argument as well? How about the fact that their sister and daughter drives me slowly mad? Can I talk about that?" he asked with an amused smile.
She groaned and kissed him again. "It'll be fine...just don't mention the fact that we do anything other than hold hands in public, well lit places..."
"Yes...I am certain they will believe that..."
"Just," she reached up and touched his face, "try. That's all I want. I really want you to like them. I want them to like you or things will be really difficult in the future..."
He looked down and nodded his head with a sigh. "I never said I wouldn't try. We'll work something out, just don't expect miracles okay?"
She nodded her head and gave him a smile as he looked around to make sure no one was watching before bending down and kissing her softly. Instantly her mind focused out of the imminent disaster as she wrapped her arms around his neck. They would work something out no matter what happened. Besides, she had probably built it up to be something worse than it would be. It couldn't possibly go that badly.
"Hello, Ginny. We aren't disturbing you or anything? I'm sure we can go floo back to the burrow and have a cup of tea before we come back."
Her eyes widened and she pulled away from Draco quickly and looked to see her mother, father and Percy standing there beside the fire all looking at her and Draco with less than impressed expressions. She went over to them quickly and hugged them. "Mum, dad...how's it going?"
Molly smiled at her daughter while Arthur eyed Draco suspiciously as he greeted him. "Good evening..."
Draco gave a polite smile as he stuck his hand out. "Mr Weasley. Mrs Weasley and," he looked at Percy and Ginny closed her eyes as she could see him biting his tongue as he looked at her brother. Why would Percy come to a dinner date with a briefcase? "Percy."
Molly took his hand quickly and immediately nudged a reluctant Arthur forward who quickly and too firmly shook Draco's hand who to his credit didn't flinch. As soon as Arthur let go and turned around Draco looked at Ginny and pointed to his hand with a disbelieving expression as he folded his arms across his chest defensively.
Ginny stood and looked at Molly pleadingly as the awkward silence continued. Her mum was always good in this kind of situation, well admittedly it never usually involved a Malfoy but, well, she wouldn't make it more awkward. Hopefully anyway...
"Why don't we all go in? I think Fred and Angelina will be here soon...so we may as well sit while we're waiting on them," Molly said cheerfully as she pushed a glaring Arthur forward into the table area leaving Draco, Ginny and Percy standing outside.
Draco looked at Ginny unimpressed and muttered, "wedding, christenings or my funeral, I mean it...I could shove hot pokers in my eyes and it would be less painful. You owe me, Weasley..."
Ginny patted his arm reassuringly. "It...will go well, trust me."
"Perhaps it would have gone better if you had both refrained from kissing in a public place. No wonder father is upset, to see his daughter...with a Malfoy. He does have his reputation to think of you know."
Ginny turned slowly around to look at Percy who was looking at her and Draco disapprovingly and felt her temper rise. He was going to stand there and look down his nose at her? "And so do you, so tell me Percy...oh great and wise one. Are we allowed to be seen together in public or should we just go out after dark?" She walked over to him and stuck a finger in his chest. "What I do with *my* boyfriend is up to me, where I do it is up to me. You have no say in it."
"It's not just your own life you are ruining. Do you not think people at the ministry talk? Do you not think they know that a Weasley is dating a deatheater? Do you not think they judge on that?"
Ginny's mouth dropped open. "Ex-deatheater! He saved a lot of lives or did you forget that?"
"Ginny," Draco began as he took her arm and tried to guide her away from Percy.
"No, I want to hear this! Do you disapprove of me, Percy?"
Percy looked at Ginny and shifted uncomfortably. "I don't disapprove of you, Ginny; I disapprove of the company you keep..."
Draco looked at him and glared, but tried to keep a smile on his face as he let go of Ginny's arm and walked to stand in front of her. "And I disapprove of you seeing your sister after nearly 6 months of avoiding her and bringing your work with you. Are you truly that important? Are we studying the length of rolls of twine now? Or are we onto ladle depth? Or are we just carrying your social life around inside that bag?"
Percy looked at Draco pompously but gave a tight smile. "So, Malfoy...been able to get any further than Hogsmeade without wizards taking pot-shots at you yet? I honestly don't know how you can claim to care for my sister, what, will she make a good human shield?"
Draco looked at him aggressively and took a threatening step forward as he clenched his fist. Ginny immediately reached her arm out and took his arm and pulled him back from Percy who was looking at him superiorly. "Percy, just leave it! Draco, come on...he's just trying to get a reaction."
Draco reluctantly followed her in without taking his eyes off Percy. As they got to table Ginny smiled pleasantly hoping to avoid any awkward silences. "Hi guys. Hi Hermione. Hi Katie..."
The others at the table all smiled at her pleasantly as they greeted her before the smiles disappeared as they looked at Draco.
Ginny rubbed her forehead quickly as she felt her head begin to pound and they had only been there a few minutes while Draco allowed an amused smirk to flash across his face at the reception he got before he greeted them all pleasantly as he pulled Ginny's chair out for her and sat down beside her.
Ginny looked around as her brothers all looked at Draco aggressively and Hermione and Katie were busy comparing robe colours in an attempt to not get involved. She sighed, why her? Why of all the guys on the planet did she have to fall for one that her parents, family and everyone connected with them hated? She looked over at Hermione and smiled. "So, Hermione...how's it going working with the aurors? You and Harry still enjoying it?"
"Great. Well, you know it would be better if we could arrest everyone who deserves it," she looked directly at Draco with a glare before turning back to Ginny with a smile, "but Harry and I are still having fun."
Ginny sighed. "Yeah, well...he better have a good excuse for missing tonight. I haven't seen him in months and he blows me off..."
"Wish I'd thought of it..." muttered Draco from beside her, inaudible to everyone else.
"Lucky bastard..." Ron muttered to George and Hermione as he looked at Ginny who sighed and turned to her mum.
"So, where's Fred?"
Molly looked at Ginny and smiled. "Angelina is having a bit of trouble apparating due to her...well, condition and they can't floo here because someone," she looked over at George sternly, "suggested she would get stuck in the fireplace."
"Well have you seen her? There are fully grown hippogriffs smaller..." George said as Ron, Bill and Charlie all began to snicker while Katie and Hermione rolled their eyes in disbelief.
Molly ignored the laughter and continued talking to Ginny. "So Fred has had to find an alternative means of transport...so, how have you been Ginny?"
"Great...work has been great," Ginny said as she nodded her head and indicated with her head for her mother to talk to Draco.
Molly sighed but seeing her daughter's desperate face repented. "What about you...Draco? How have you been? How is working at the school?"
Draco spun his head around to see Molly looking at him. "Fine, work has been good. I am almost enjoying it now..."
"That's good...you are doing something worthwhile now...it must be rather rewarding teaching?"
Ron almost choked as he looked at his mother disbelievingly. "If he can refrain from recruiting any killers while he's there. I certainly wouldn't let my children be taught with him..."
Draco looked at Ron, his grey eyes cold as he gave a small smirk. "I don't think that will ever be an issue...you have to have children before you can ban them from tutorials. And I doubt that will ever be an issue with you..."
Ginny kicked him hard under the table before he could finish the thought and gave a desperate look to Charlie. "So, Charlie...how are the dragons doing?"
"Big...fire breathing, scaly...pretty much like always..."
"Dumbledore is letting Hagrid teach dragons to the children next term. He is like a child who got his first broom the way he is actually giddy with excitement," Draco said as he looked at Charlie, while rubbing his shin, obviously trying to start a conversation. "Needless to say it is only a very small dragon they are borrowing."
"Really?" Charlie looked at him looking rather off put, "Where are they getting it? Dumbledore never got in contact with me about getting a small dragon. I could have given them a nice tame one..." he tapped his fingers against the table aggressively as he began to mutter, "sure, I'm good enough for getting big ones but they get someone else to get them ones to teach. Guess I'm not a good enough tamer for school projects? Well, they can go take a long jump in the river if they think they are getting any more dragons from us..."
Bill looked at Charlie and nudged him. "Char, you okay?"
"Where are they getting the new dragon, Malfoy? Who's the trainer?"
Draco shifted on his seat as he shook his head, clearly not expecting that kind of reaction. "I don't know...I wasn't really paying attention."
"You weren't paying attention? Oh that's great." Charlie nodded his head as he stood up. "Excuse me a moment."
"Where are you going?" Arthur asked as he looked at his son. "We are about to eat."
Charlie nodded his head. "This will only take a minute, I want to ask Dumbledore what's wrong with my dragons...I bet Mazarni got to him first, prat wouldn't know a good dragon if it singed his eyebrows..."
Ginny stood up. "Charlie, come on...please. Not tonight, for all you know Dumbledore might want to use yours," she reached out and touched his arm with a smile, "come on, do it tomorrow."
Charlie looked at her and rolled his eyes and sat down again. "Fine," he looked at Draco as he sat down, "you better not be winding me up, Malfoy."
"I'm not." Draco said slowly, clearly attempting to curb whatever reply would have come naturally.
Ginny nodded her head and looked around as Katie brushed George's hair away from his eyes much to his embarrassment.
"Katie! Please...not in front of mum, she'll start about us all getting haircuts again..."
Charlie snickered as he looked at George with a wink. "Why do you think I never grew my hair?"
"Because it was a fire hazard?" George asked with a grin.
"Plus he looked like mum," Bill added with a laugh as Charlie turned to him, "I have the pictures to prove it."
George began to laugh. "So that's why you went for the cropped hair? I always knew you were a woman underneath the macho exterior..."
Ron cleared his throat loudly and indicated towards Draco with his head which stopped the friendly banter as his brothers suddenly became sterner.
"Yes, but enough of that," George said as he nodded at Ron who sat forward in his own chair in what looked like a perfectly synchronised interrogation attempt, "so, Draco...have you heard from your parents?"
Ginny felt Draco shift uneasily in his seat as he looked over at George who was trying his best to look innocent. She sighed as she reached under the table and took his hand.
"I don't see how that's any of your bu..."
Draco was cut off as a loud voice cut across the restaurant.
"All I'm saying is that you over reacted!"
"I over reacted? I'm the one your brother said wouldn't let the flying carpet take off the ground! Stupid Weasley men, Molly should have drowned you all at birth..."
"Well, I think that's a little harsh. What would you have done without me?"
"I would be a world famous chaser with my own action figure, making 500 000 galleons a year in sponsorship and married to Oliver..."
"Bloody Oliver, I didn't stop you from dating him."
"No, but you made him look so dull and unattractive...I would probably have had to kill myself if I went out with him."
Fred let out a laugh as he followed her. "It's not fair to hate me because I'm beautiful...and interesting."
"No, I hate you because your brother is evil and you laughed and agreed."
Ginny smiled as her sister in law walked over quickly. She took a deep breath as she looked at the once tall and thin Angelina Johnson to see a young woman who was fully in bloom and ready to give birth at any opportunity. Before Ginny could even get an opportunity to greet her, Molly had got up and hugged her.
"What did those sons of mine do now?"
Angelina gave a loud sniff. "His children are being evil and won't stop trying to beat their way out of the womb and his brother said I'm fat..."
George gave a suspicious cough that sounded unbelievably like 'hormones' as Fred glared at him and hit him around the head as he walked past him.
"I think you look beautiful Angel...ignore him, he's an idiot. We all know who got the brains from the embryo..."
George grinned. "Yeah, and just think Angelina...you are giving birth to three Weasleys at once...just imagine us times 3...Mum will give you pointers."
Angelina turned around slowly and glared at Fred who was smiling at her innocently as he spoke. "We could get three little you as well? It might not be all bad."
Angelina sighed and sat down next to her husband and muttered lightly. "'I want a full quidditch team, that way the Gryffindors will be undefeated' you said...I swear I'm going to bloody castrate you if you so much as mention having more..."
"Angelina!" Fred said in a whiny voice, "I thought we talked about how scary it is to even joke about that?"
"Who's joking?"
Draco tried not to snicker as he looked down at his hands while Ginny looked at Fred and smiled. "Hey Fred..."
"Hey Gin, oh look who we have here as well, a Malfoy..." Fred said as he looked at Draco, "greetings. So, how goes the dark arts?"
"Fred!" Molly hissed as she looked at him, "Behave. Draco isn't involved in that..."
"Anymore," her husband added, "he used to be but apparently he's reformed. That's right isn't it Malfoy?"
"Apparently," Draco said without missing a beat, "but I can get away with whatever they can't prove which, as the rest of the world seems to think I'm no longer a deatheater, is quite a lot..."
"Draco," Ginny said in shock as she looked at her father in disbelief, "Dad, come on."
Arthur forced a smile as he ignored his daughter. "The rest of the world doesn't know what you are like."
"With all due respect, neither do you." Draco said pointedly as he looked at Arthur seriously.
"Oh please, you still can't stand people of mixed blood," Ron said indignantly, "don't deny it."
"Well, to be fair," Draco turned and looked at him, "I can't stand some pure bloods either..."
Ron stood up and looked at him aggressively. "Really? Well bring it on Malfoy..."
"Ron, sit down," Bill said firmly as he looked at his younger brother, "you are making a scene."
"He started it!" Ron said indignantly as Hermione pulled him down into his seat. "He insulted Hermione!"
Draco looked at him with widened eyes and shook his head. "I never opened my mouth about her!"
"You called her a mudblood." Ron said simply as Draco looked around the table.
"I am sure I would remember that," Draco said as he looked at her, "I am almost certain she was the one who insulted me by insinuating that I should have been arrested by the aurors."
"Well," Hermione looked at him aggressively, "it's true. We should have arrested you when you showed up at Ginny's graduation."
Draco let out a laugh and shook his head. "And that's when I called you mudblood last? Fine, yes two years ago I called you a mudblood, happy? I apologise for my actions back then. I believe I also pointed a wand at you Mr. Weasley, for that I also apologise. Admittedly, you did draw your wand first while I was trying to save lives and in considerable pain but I suppose no one wants any excuses."
"Draco, you don't have to..." Ginny began slowly as she looked around the table desperately at her family who was looking at Draco with considerable venom.
"You two," he looked at Fred and George, "I cursed your beater sticks when you were going for a quidditch practice when I was in 5th year so that the bludger would go faster every time it touched one of them," he turned to Angelina, "I told Blaise Zambini to knock you off your broom in the quidditch final in 5th year. Not that it done a lot of good because of the snow..."
He took a deep breath as he turned to Katie who was waiting expectantly, "I don't think I did anything to you...I'm pretty sure I didn't, but if I did I apologise for that too."
Ginny looked at him as he finished and closed her eyes. Why couldn't they give him a break?
"What about me?" Ron said as he looked at Draco unimpressed.
"Ron!" Ginny hissed as she felt Draco clasp his robes into bunches in an attempt to stop from letting rip at Ron.
He took a deep breath before he began speaking slowly and deliberately. "I apologise, Weasley that I insulted you in school because of your family. I am not sorry I insulted you for being a whining inadequate twit, but you may have grown out of that and knocked that chip off your shoulder. So for the insults about your hair, freckles, friends and family I apologise. Everything else? I don't."
The table was silent until Bill let out a badly disguised laugh as he buried his head in his hands in an attempt to cover it up, much to Ron's disgust.
"Bill!"
Bill looked up and took a deep breath as he looked around the table and apologised. "Sorry...I...choked on something..."
"Maybe you should take a drink?" Hermione said helpfully as she poured him a glass of water while Ron looked at her in disbelief.
"Hermione, he didn't have anything to choke on!" He shook his head and rolled his eyes as he muttered quietly. "Some brother, would be better off in Egypt..."
"I resent that!" Bill said indignantly as he took a drink from the water. "It's not my fault that you all can't get through a meal with your sister and her boyfriend without letting it kick off. Even," he turned to Draco and looked at him, "with all due respect, if that boyfriend is from the worst puddle of slime in the wizarding world."
Draco looked at Ginny and sighed before turning back towards everyone else who was now having a heated discussion. Ginny looked at him sadly and put her hand on top of his on the table top. He smiled instinctively at this and caressed the back of her hand gently with his thumb while the others continued to bicker about him like he wasn't there.
She smiled and looked at him and gently mouthed 'I love you' to him as he kept his eyes on hers and allowed a smile to cross his lips as he looked at her proudly.
"So, should we order?" Molly said quietly in Ginny's ear as she looked at her daughter with a small smile. "It might break up the argument?"
Ginny nodded her head and whispered to her mother quietly. "Draco wants to pay, but he doesn't want to offend Dad..."
Molly nodded her head and smiled as she reached over and touched Draco's arm hesitantly causing him to turn around. "I wouldn't worry about this Draco, if this is a lasting arrangement you will soon learn how to filter out the background noise," she looked at the two of them appraisingly before letting out a sigh, "I suppose you could do a lot worse, Ginny..."
Draco let a laugh escape as he looked down much to the shock of the others who stopped their heated discussion to look at what he was laughing at. He ignored them and smiled. "Thanks."
"I know I could," Ginny said quietly as she smiled at her mother happily, "thank you."
Molly shrugged her shoulders and turned around to look at everyone else. "Okay, I think we should order. Draco is treating us," she turned sharply to her husband and gave him a stern look as he was about to open his mouth, "so if we could maybe try and have a nice dinner? Good."
Draco looked around the table and couldn't help but smirk at Ron who was glaring at him.
"I'm not hungry," Ron said simply as he folded his arms across his chest, "neither is Hermione, right?"
Hermione looked at him and then to Ginny who was looking at her brother sadly. She sighed and turned to Ron and whispered in his ear before turning to Ginny. "Ron was mistaken, Ginny. We're ready to eat when you are."
Arthur summoned the waiter and they gave their orders and Ginny relaxed as all of them took to ordering regular food and began talking normally, admittedly they were ignoring Draco and concentrating their efforts on teasing Percy but, she reasoned, as long as they weren't talking to him they weren't insulting him.
"So, how do you think it's going?"
She turned around to see him leaning close to her as he whispered in her ear. "As I am actually still breathing I judge it as a huge success...although saying that, I shudder to think about what will happen when three of them have steak knives in their hands..."
She smiled and leaned her head down to his ear, "I think that you're doing great and that you will charm the pants off them later."
He grinned at her as he leaned closer. She shivered as she felt his warm breath against her ear as his hand dropped and found it's way to hers and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "I'll tell you a secret, there's only one person at this table I want to charm the pants off...but I think we should maybe wait until later, don't you?"
She blushed bright red as he pulled away from her with an amused smirk as he took a drink of water.
She fought unsuccessfully to keep the grin off her face as she looked down at her napkin and began folding it into shapes hoping no one else could see her face which must surely have been the same shade as her hair.
"Ginny? Are you okay? You look kind of flushed," Charlie said with concern as he looked at his sister, "I haven't seen you look that red since Harry kissed your cheek at your sixteenth."
Angelina looked at Ginny with an amused expression as she turned to Katie and gave a knowing wink as Hermione and Katie both struggled to keep from laughing. Ginny sank down in her chair as she looked at her brother innocently. "I'm...fine. It's just a bit hot in here, don't you think?"
Katie sniggered as she looked at Ginny before turning back to the other girls and muttering something along the lines of 'it must be where you are sitting.'
Draco looked at his girlfriend as he suggested helpfully. "Yes, we aren't in the best seats. Maybe you should get some air?"
Ginny fought to keep the smile off her face as she looked at him and nodded her head. 5 minutes alone with him would make the rest of the evening bearable, "Yes, maybe that's a good idea..."
He stood up and pulled her seat out for her as her brothers all looked at each other desperately before nudging their respective partners.
"You know, I could do with some air as well, Ginny," Hermione said as Ron practically lifted her out the chair she was sitting in, "I'll join you."
"Me too," Katie said as George gently pushed her towards Ginny and Hermione. "I don't want to have to sit in here all night. It's such a nice night...you coming Angelina?"
Angelina glared at her husband who was looking at her apologetically as she manoeuvred her large bump out of the chair with great effort before flashing Ginny a large grin. "Definitely, I don't like to be stuck in doors too long, besides they calm down more when there's fresh air...Molly?"
Ginny's eyes widened as she shook her head at her mother desperately as Draco looked at her in shock. Molly looked at her sadly as she stood up and smiled at her daughter. "I could really do with some fresh air..."
Ginny looked around the table as all her brothers looked at her with an innocent smile. She turned to look at Draco who was clearly not expecting this particular predicament as he took a deep breath as Percy looked at him with a strange smile.
"You would rather step outside with the women, Malfoy?"
Ginny smiled as she went to pull her chair back out again. "You know, I don't feel so hot anymore, so...let's just eat!"
Before she got a chance to sit down Angelina and Katie had each took her by an arm and began guiding her towards the door. "Whoa girl..."
"I think you should get some air, Ginny," Katie said as she threw a look over at George who smiled proudly and blew her a kiss as she continued, "the boys will take care of Draco, won't you boys?"
Ginny turned her head around and saw the guys all looking at Draco in almost giddy anticipation as Bill looked and turned to Ginny reassuringly. "Of course we will. Have a seat Draco..."
Draco sighed as he looked at Ginny, suppressed a laugh and sat down expectantly as Katie and Angelina dragged Ginny away from the table to outside.
As they got out Ginny looked at the women and shook her head. This was not good. "This isn't funny!"
Angelina looked at her sweetly. "But you said you needed air? Of course I think you expected to have different company..."
Ginny walked towards the door only to be stopped by her mother. "Ginny, they have to do this, it will be fine."
"You all had this planned?" she said quietly as her mother guided her over to a bench where the other girls were already seated. "I cannot believe this. He hasn't done anything wrong and you all have been riding him all night! It's not fair."
Molly hugged her shoulders as she let out a sigh. "Humour us, it might work out for the best."
"Yeah, they were planning on ambushing him when he went to the bathroom," Katie said with a smirk, "thankfully we managed to talk them out of that or else they might have really scared him."
Ginny placed her head in her hands and sighed as she rubbed her temples. "Why me?"
Hermione put a comforting hand on her back as she sighed. "A better question might be why him? Come on Ginny, you knew what he was like. You knew how everyone felt, why of all the guys did you go for Draco Malfoy?"
"Other than the obvious," Katie said with a smile as she looked at Angelina with a grin as she continued, "hey, I can appreciate a good thing as much as the next girl."
"He's...he's not the same as he was at school. He's been through so much," Ginny began quietly, "I can talk to him about anything and he won't lie to me. He makes me think. He's always made me want more for myself, he's made me feel more than I thought was humanly possible..." she shook her head as she looked up at them all, "why did you pick Ron? Or you pick Fred? Or George?"
Angelina sighed as she leaned back. "He makes me happy. He makes me laugh everyday and no matter how lousy I'm feeling he can give me one look that makes the world fall away. Even if he is responsible for the hell spawn I'm now carrying..."
Katie smiled and nodded her head before turning to Ginny. "I lost the toss for the graduation party. Me and Alicia tossed to see who would go with Lee and who would go with George and I lost, went with George, had the time of my life even if he did insist on the six of us going around the school and charming all the school bells so they shouted expletives to Snape every hour on the hour." She let out a low laugh as she looked at Ginny, clearly caught up in the memory, "he then showed up at my door on my 18th birthday, in a muggle street, wearing muggle clothes and with muggle chocolates after spending an hour in the pouring rain waiting on the shop to open so he could get the kind I had apparently mentioned I liked years before. After that I was kinda hooked on all things George..."
"What about you Hermione? Why Ron?"
Hermione looked at her and let out a low laugh as she answered slowly. "Because he finally noticed I was a girl and finally asked me first. It took him long enough mind you, but when he was finally able to come out with a mumbled invitation to the next ball the day it was announced I knew he had worked it out. I knew that it felt right. But that doesn't answer the question, Ginny. You knew what your family thought of him. Why?"
"I don't want a lecture," Ginny said, her anger already starting to rise.
"No lecture," Molly said quickly as she sat down next to her daughter, "it's just hard for us. You have to understand what it looks like to us? We just want to know what you see in him."
Ginny looked at her mother and sighed. How could she explain when there were no words for how he made her feel? "He makes me feel safe, and excited, and nervous, and beautiful, and desirable and smart all at the same time. He's not afraid to get angry and he doesn't hide anything from me. If you could only see him when he's talking about his plans for the future, our plans for the future." She smiled as she looked up at the star covered sky, how often had they just lay under them and talked? Too many to put a number on even though she could remember each one.
She bit her lip as she sighed. Their future. They had a future and no one would take it from them because they judged him on who he used to be.
"But, he can't give you a real life Ginny," Hermione began quietly, "he can barely go out in the wizarding world. And he doesn't exactly blend into the background...he is rather...distinctive. What are you both going to do with your lives? Live, work and die at Hogwarts? I'm surprised that you have even managed to build a relationship with him. Where does he take you?"
"They have port keys for a reason, and he can go into muggle towns fine." Ginny said as she stood up. "We built a relationship just fine."
"How long have you both been together, Ginny?" Katie asked gently trying to take the heat out of the conversation.
"Nearly 14 months."
Molly groaned. "And we only found out about it 6 months ago. There goes your father's theory that it was a fling."
"I knew how you would react. Your howler proved how you would react."
Angelina looked at Ginny and stuck her hand out supportively. "I know you care about him Ginny. It's painfully obvious, and I'm pretty sure he cares for you. Not that I thought he was capable of it but hey, maybe he isn't as shallow as he always seemed. Anyway, can you see yourself with him? Really? He did a brave thing, but he also did a stupid thing before that and that will follow him around forever. And if you are with him, it will follow you around as well..."
"I don't care..."
"You should. So should he." Hermione said simply. "No one wants you to be hurt and that is what will happen. Especially with him. He is a Malfoy. Remember what he was like before."
Ginny turned to her brother's fiancée and shook her head angrily. "How dare any of you hold that over his head? He is so different now. None of you appreciate what he gave up to be here: how he doesn't have anyone, even his mother won't see him. Every time he tries to contact her she never replies and it kills him. You shouldn't judge him on what happened at school. We're all different..."
"Do you love him?" Molly's quiet voice spoke gently as she looked at her daughter with a sad smile.
Ginny looked at her mother and felt her eyes well with tears.
"Yes, I do..." she smiled and looked down as she continued, "When I'm with him it all feels right. Everything just melts away. He doesn't have to say a word and I know exactly what's going on in his head. Exactly."
She turned and looked at the other women. "None of you know him, you don't know what he's like. If you just gave him a chance..."
Molly sighed and got up as she walked to her daughter and wrapped her arms around her. "No doubt we'll get an opportunity..."
"If Ron doesn't kill him before hand..." Hermione muttered from the bench before adding, "it's not we don't want you to be happy. It's just we remember what he was like at school. Trying to kill Harry aside, he was really horrible to Ron and very insulting to your whole family. You could do better."
"Better than what? I am happy Hermione, really blissfully happy. Why is that not good enough for you?"
Hermione looked at her sadly. "Because he will never be good enough for you."
"That's a matter of opinion."
"Okay, can we maybe all calm down a bit? We have a heavily pregnant woman there," Katie pointed to Angelina who waved dutifully as she continued, "and heavy stress is not good. Ginny, we're worried but I, personally, think you are big enough and smart enough to make your own decisions. Hermione, maybe we shouldn't start judging on who's good enough for who. Ginny's right when she says we don't know the new improved Malfoy. For all we know he might be a saint. God knows if he was going to go back to being a deatheater he would have done it before he became prime target number 2 behind Harry in You Know Who's hit list."
Hermione looked at Ginny and her expression softened as she looked at her. "I just don't want you to get hurt. Ron, Harry and I...the three of us love you a lot. No matter what happens, you are a sister to all of us ," she walked over and stood in front of Ginny, her brown eyes shimmering as she touched Ginny's shoulder, "you are the sister that I never had. And I know you love him, but no, I don't think he's good enough. But, I am willing to try for you. Saying that, if he breaks your heart or you get hurt because of him, Ron and I will hunt him down and make him pay."
Ginny let a laugh escape at this as she hugged Hermione tightly. "Thank you."
"Don't thank me, for all we know this could be a moot point and he may already be dead..."
Ginny pulled back and looked around nervously. As bad as she had got it, what kind of treatment must Draco have received at the hands of the seven Weasley men? "Maybe we should go in?"
Hermione let a laugh escape as she shook her head and pulled her to sit down. "Uh uh, no way. We promised we would keep you away until we were told other wise or Draco runs out screaming."
"Screaming?" Ginny asked worriedly.
"You don't know what they had planned..." Angelina said with a smirk before quickly continuing as she saw Ginny's horror stricken face, "that's why we insisted they do it in a public place. It removed the temptation of killing him."
Ginny dropped her head in her hands. It had sounded like such a good idea when she had thought about it.
"So, Ginny, 14 months? I'm assuming that he knows how to treat a lady? Expensive portkeys around the world? Jewellery? Red roses all the time?"
Ginny looked up at a curious looking Angelina and shook her head with a smile. "No, he can't afford any of that. He only has his wages from the school..."
Molly looked aghast. "How on earth is he going to be able to afford dinner for 13? Oh my word!" Molly put a hand to her mouth, "you aren't supposed to have dinner with 13 around a table! Oh no, this is so unlucky..."
Hermione shook her head and gave a laugh. "Molly, that is just superstition, trust me."
Molly shook her head as she looked at Hermione unimpressed. "Science can only explain so much Hermione. You have to believe in other things."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Fine. When should we start planning the funeral? Seriously, who ever heard such nonsense?"
"It's only nonsense if you don't take it seriously," Molly said angrily. "Especially in these times. Oh why did none of you think about this when you were booking the table?"
Ginny looked at her mother and shook her head. "I booked for 15, how was I supposed to know that Harry wouldn't be here? Or that Percy would bring his briefcase instead of Penny?"
"Molly, you are being irrational," Hermione began with an exasperated sounding voice, "come on, this is all superstition. The whole if you spill salt you should throw it over your left shoulder, don't step on a spider or it will rain,"
"Smash a mirror and get 7 years bad luck..." Katie added helpfully.
"Oh that worked, I did that when I was 12 and a day later I broke both my legs. Later in the year my dog died and it finished up after the 7 years getting knocked unconscious with a bludger..." Angelina said as she rubbed her forehead in memory of the injury.
"Yeah, but you were just a clumsy sod so that doesn't really count..."
"Well, there is that..." Angelina nodded her head in agreement.
Hermione cleared her throat loudly and impatiently as she folded her arms and looked directly at Molly. "My point is if you followed every superstition then you would be a complete fruitcake."
Molly looked at Hermione and gave her a smile as she patted her on the back before turning away. "If that's what you choose to believe dear. You're wrong, but...well, Ron will agree with you."
Hermione huffed indignantly as she looked at Ginny who was standing trying desperately to stifle her laughter. She knew better than to argue with her mother when she was in this kind of mood.
"Fine. Some one is going to die, but just remember Trelawney made the exact same crazy assumption back in our third year and we're all alive and kicking."
"Do we have to talk about this, it's depressing and a little off putting for the pregnant one here..." Angelina said glumly as she rubbed her bump protectively.
Molly immediately looked at Angelina apologetically and shook her head as she went to hug her. "Oh, ignore us Angelina, Hermione's right...just silliness..."
"Yes, it is..." Hermione nodded her head superiorly causing Ginny to smile. Just like Hermione, she had to be right. Of course there was no doubt her mother would put her back in her place later when Angelina wasn't there.
"Shouldn't they be done now?" Ginny said as she looked at her watch. "Dinner will be there soon. You don't think something is wrong?"
Katie let out a yawn as she looked at the door. "What? They've proved Molly's superstition right and Draco is lying in there dead or that the 8 of them may actually be bonding and decided to leave us to freeze?"
Ginny looked at her and smiled. "I don't know what is scarier...although I think probably the one of them bonding would win just because I would feel like I was in another world."
"It's freezing!" Katie said as she stood up and began jogging on the spot. "They have one more minute then I'm going in."
"No need." Hermione said as she rubbed her hands and pulled her robe sleeves down and nodded towards the door. "We have movement."
Ginny looked up and saw Draco standing there lazily as he looked at them all. "I was asked to go fetch you all..."
"About time, come on Hermione..." Katie grabbed Hermione's arm and rushed in quickly trying to minimise Hermione's glaring in Draco's direction, no doubt eager to find out what had happened from the boys. Draco took a step away from the door to allow Angelina and Molly to step through and looked quite impressed when both of them thanked him.
As all the women disappeared in Ginny walked over to Draco and began examining him. At least there wasn't any traces of blood, there didn't appear to be any bruising either...
"Excuse me, but what are you doing?"
"I'm checking for damage," she looked up at him and smiled, "but you look fine. How did it go?"
He groaned as he ran his hand through his hair. "Well, I like Bill, he is fair and said he would kill me quickly as opposed to the adventurous methods the others came up with..."
Ginny flinched as she looked at him sympathetically. "Oh no..."
"No, don't worry, he actually has more of a sense of humour than the others have as well," he smirked as he continued, "probably a good job."
"What did they say?"
"Well," he guided her over to the bench and sat down on the table, "I had to promise I'd split up with you..."
"What?" Ginny looked at him in shock. They had said what? How dare they? "They didn't!"
"No, they didn't," Draco let out a low laugh, "I knew you would believe that."
She smacked him on the arm and jumped up on the table beside him. "Not funny, Malfoy. Okay, fill me in on what they said."
"Well, they don't like me. I would go as far as to say that Weasley, your father and Percy all hate me with a passion. The twins I think probably only hate me slightly. Charlie seems to only dislike me intensely and Bill seems to have no opinion on me either way although he has serious issues with my family."
Ginny sighed and put her head on his shoulder. "Sorry...I bet it was fun?"
He leaned his head on hers and sighed. "It could've been worse...of course, I'm not to so much as look at you in public now. I'm apparently dangerous..."
He reached over and took her hand and looked at it with a sigh. "Suppose I can see what they mean with that."
"Don't." She said simply as she reached around and looked at him squarely in the eyes. She smiled, he had beautiful eyes. So pale they were almost silver, they could look so warm and also so cold. "Don't even think that. We are both adults and I am quite capable of looking out for myself. I do not need anyone to protect me."
He nodded his head as he rolled his eyes. "Bloody feminists. Didn't you know it's good for a man's ego to protect a woman?"
She let out a laugh. "It isn't like you are lacking in ego, Draco. Anyway, what did you say to them?"
"I said that what they were saying had very little affect on me but that I appreciated the reasoning behind it. I talked, they accused me of being smug, they threatened, I laughed, they reiterated their threats, I was quiet...pretty much what I expected. Anyway, what did you get?"
"I got it pretty easy. I actually got worse off Hermione than I got off mum."
"Well, that's not really surprising. What did your mother say?"
Ginny thought and shook her head. "To be honest, not a lot. She was more animated about the argument with Hermione..."
He stood up and pulled her to her feet as he began walking to the door. "What were they arguing about?"
Ginny let out a laugh. "You won't believe it. About the old wives tale about 13 people at a table..."
Draco smiled and turned to her. "I forget that one. I assume something bad happens?"
Ginny grinned and nodded her head. "Of course, like all good tales. Mum's pretty sure someone is going to die within a year..."
Draco let out a smile as he bent down close to her. "I knew Potter went missing for a reason. But, I suppose I may as well test out your brothers sincerity about what would happen if I laid a finger on you in public..." He bent down and kissed her before pulling back. "Hmm, and look, I didn't die. I suppose the superstition and the threats were empty..."
She giggled as she took his hand and reached up and brushed the hair out of his eyes. "Give them time...my family can be quite patient."
"We are talking about Weasleys here aren't we? You aren't exactly renowned for your level headedness and biding your time."
"Only when we lose our temper."
He nodded his head. "Don't I know that."
"I should hope so," she said with a smile. She looked to the door and sighed. "I suppose we should go in..."
"I suppose."
She kissed him quickly before giving him a grin. "I do appreciate this you know?"
"I know," he said with a smug smile, "of course, I do expect you to make it up to me."
She groaned and pulled him in. "Why am I not surprised? Come on, we still have to actually eat."
He laughed as he followed her in. "They've probably poisoned my food...I should never have left them alone with it."
"Be a little more paranoid why don't you? Come on," she said with a smile, "it'll all be over soon."
He walked in behind her and closed the door with a groan. "Thank the stars."
~fini~