Author's Notes: This is for Friday Frenzy on Pottershare. Yet another one shot fic . Read and review please?
"Don't worry honey, you'll do fine!" Ginny Weasley reassured her boyfriend for the umpteenth time. She splashed a few dabs of her favorite perfume on her neck, the scent very citrusy. Sweeping eyeliner across her eyelids, she slowly fluttered her brown eyes open and looked in the mirror.
Behind her she could see Draco Malfoy fidgeting nervously with his emerald cufflinks, his eyes frowning as he struggled to put them on. His look of boyish exasperation tugged at Ginny's heart. He can be such a little baby sometimes!
She wandered over to him, her green evening dress sashaying behind her, the silky material falling softly on her curves. She took the cufflinks from his hands and told him to sit down on the bed while she put them on him.
"Ginny, I don't think now is really the best time to tell them about us. I mean it's only been so long since the Dar… I mean Voldemort has been defeated." All of four years! "And I happen to have a feeling that your family hasn't quite forgotten the Malfoy-Riddle partnership quite as yet," muttered Draco, a dark expression clouding his usually pale blue eyes.
He wasn't proud of it now, in retrospect. Once upon a time Draco Malfoy would have proudly boasted how high up Voldemort's inner circle his family had always been. But time and many of its trials and tribulations had taught him better. He now saw the error in his ways.
True he had ended up helping bring the Dark Lord down, but still he knew that his little part on the good side would not nearly be enough to wipe out the many vile and repulsive acts his family had committed in Voldemort's name.
"Draco stop acting so cranky and pessimistic! I am telling you, my family will be fine with you!" Ginny smiled. "Malfoy, if I could forgive you and see the good in you, and much less fall in love with you, I can assure you my family will be able to accept you" She stood up and planted a kiss on his silvery blonde head.
Draco finally cracked a smile. "That and you quite obviously always fancied me Gin. I mean who can resist my charms right?" He saw her roll her eyes, but saw the faint pink blush creeping up her cheeks.
"So let's go over this then," said Ginny, putting on her earrings. "We started dating when?"
"Four months ago"
"Our first date was?
"A ride on a magic flying carpet. Followed by a night of champagne, chocolate covered strawberries and intense and passionate lovema-"
"You mean a kiss goodnight!"
"You say potato, I say potatoe Ginny," smirked Draco.
"So did Ginny say who she wants us to meet Molly?" Arthur Weasley sat in his study, going through some papers from work.
"I don't know dear, she was being rather dodgy about it." Molly had spent the entire afternoon whipping up a scrumptious meal which consisted of steak and kidney pie, a small casserole made from chicken and broccoli, meat and potato stew, steamed vegetables, grilled salmon and for desert a decadent chocolate trifle. Mrs. Weasley didn't want to overdo it, but she didn't know what else to cook. So she went with what she did best.
"So who else is coming to supper?"
"Well Bill and Fleur can't make it. They have to go to Gabrielle's debutant ball. Apparently it's a very big fuss in France still. Charlie, Fred and George are coming. Percy is away on some ministry related business in Tokyo. And Ron said he would try to drop by. He didn't say why he couldn't maybe make it. He just started sputtering and hesitating when I asked him."
Mr. Weasley got up and joined his wife in the kitchen, chuckling. "Doesn't he get that we know about him and Hermione? It's been a couple of years and they still hide it from everyone?"
Mrs. Weasley grinned, "Well I'm happy that they are together. They can announce it when they want to. I always liked Hermione!"
Mr. Weasley smirked, "Except for the time you were livid with her because you thought she was toying around with Harry and Viktor."
"I don't have a clue what you're talking about Arthur!" said Mrs. Weasley indignantly. Still every year she tried to buy extra gifts for a very red faced Hermione, as though all the gifts in the world couldn't make up for that one Christmas.
"Hullo mum!" George and Fred said in unison, lifting their mother off her feet in one swift motion.
"Boys put me down this instant!"
The twins put her down, and she stood on her tiptoe and pecked them on their cheeks.
"Something smells really good here! Hullo dad" Charlie went over and shook his father's hand, who gave him a pat on his back.
"Charlie is that a new scar?" Before Charlie could hide it from his mother's view, she moved over to him as quick as a flash. She examined his arm, her voice all teary as she said "Did you have a medwizard look at this?"
"Mother I'm perfectly fine! It's a small scratch really."
They took off their coats and hung them in the hallway. "So did Ginny say why she wanted us all here?" Charlie made himself over to the kitchen table and sat down on a chair, munching on a carrot stick.
"Oh, yes…as a matter of fact she did," Mrs. Weasley stole a look at the twins. She knew that they were rather overprotective of Ginny. "Ginny has been seeing someone for a few months now, and she thinks we should meet him."
Fred and George both raised their eyebrows. "Oh? Ginny's seeing someone?" George grinned wide, "So Mum, can we tease her about him? Bring out the old albums and show her baby pictures?" Fred too seemed gleeful at being presented this chance to possibly torture his baby sister.
"Boys you will do no such thing! You both should learn to respect her age now. She's not a little girl anymore," chided Mrs. Weasley, red in the face.
"Ok mum, we were just joking any how. We know, we know she's all grown up now. Don't worry we won't do anything to embarrass her or her date," reassured Fred.
The doorbell rang.
"Well, shall we go see who the mystery man is?"
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley went to the door and opened it with big welcoming smiles.
Smiles that froze when they saw Ginny standing with her arms linked to Draco Malfoy.
"Mum! Dad!" Ginny rushed in and hugged them both, apparently not having noticed their frozen expressions. "I'd like you to meet the man I've been dating for the past few months. Although I daresay we all know each other," said Ginny, grinning.
"Arthur. Molly. How are you both?" asked Draco, nodding his head curtly. Arthur?Molly? This clearly doesn't sound right!
Mr. Weasley was the first to snap out of it. He extended his hand to Draco, shaking it a bit too heartily, so much so that Draco clearly noticed the extra effort. "Draco,…uh..what a pleasant surprise! We had no idea …" Mr. Weasley's voice trailed off.
"Surprise indeed!" Mrs. Weasley giggled her voice shrill. My little girl! My little girl is dating a Malfoy?
Draco handed her a wrapped bottle, "I brought some wine, I hope you like it"
"How thoughtful Draco… uh won't you come in?" Molly ushered him into the house.
"Boys, I'd like you to meet my boyfriend!" Ginny announced walking into the parlor.
"Welcome to the crazy Wea….. WHAT IS GOING ON?" George exclaimed.
"What's Malfoy doing here?" Fred demanded, his hand instinctively hovering around his pocket.
Charlie, who sat quietly for a moment, noticed Draco growing red in the face. He got up and went over to Draco offering him his hand. "Hello Draco. It's nice to see you after such a long time." Ginny felt a sudden rush of gratitude for her elder brother, and flashed him a smile. The same feelings were not mutual for the twins.
"Well Fred and George, Draco and I have been dating for a while now," said Ginny in a matter of fact voice. A stern expression fixed on Ginny's face as she saw their faces grow red.
"You're… you're dating Malfoy?" Fred's jaw dropped open.
"Why yes I am. I guess I never really realized what a great guy he is before I truly got to know him," said Ginny going over to Malfoy and placing a hand firmly on his shoulder. They all sat down. Molly got up suddenly saying "Well I think I'll go check how dinner is coming along. Ginny, dear, can you help me set the table?" The ladies left the men to themselves.
Draco hadn't said anything so far. "So, Fred and George, uh..how's the joke shop doing?"
"Fine, thank you for asking," said George glaring at him still.
Draco smiled as best he could, his throat dry. "Charlie, the dragons still giving you trouble? I was thinking I could stop by sometime and see them?"
"Sure. Just contact me through the Floo network," said Charlie. Charlie knew Draco had a good reason for his namesake. Much to everyone's surprise, when the war against Voldemort was raging, Draco had helped with the dragons, helping the Ministry's strategies. Draco had displayed exemplary dragon handling skills, more than once riding a dragon bareback into enemy lines.
Silence descended upon the room, except for Mr. Weasley and Charlie who were discussing some Muggle contraption. "But what exactly does an I-Pod do? I mean is it a case for people to store their magical eyes?"
"Actually Arthur, I happen to have one of those. It's sort of like a little box which can store your favorite music on it and you can listen to it any time. Would you like to see it?"
"You wouldn't mind would you?" Arthur's eyes shone with excited curiosity as Draco got his I-pod out of his pocket. Charlie too came over for a closer look as did George and Fred, although very reluctantly. Draco felt a little happy that somehow he had managed to break the ice.
Note to self: Send Hermione a bouquet! For once Granger made a good call for a Christmas gift.
Ginny was getting the wine glasses out, while Mrs. Weasley stirred the stew. Ginny came over and peered at the casserole. "Mum the top looks really oily. I think we should blot it down with a tissue."
"Ginny what are you doing? Why are you dating Draco?"
Ginny was taken aback. She knew she would have to face the question, but she was hoping to have Draco by her side, so that they could both answer it. She took a deep breath.
"Mum I know that our history goes way back with the Malfoy family. And it's not a good one. But Draco… he's different. Yes I know he can be arrogant at times, rude as well. But there is good in him that I saw. He can be genuinely loyal, loving and kind. Maybe since we all, always expected a Malfoy to be downright evil, we often let that misconception cloud our judgment. All I know is I love him, and as long as he loves me back there is nothing that will come between us. I hope you and everyone else comes to love and accept him."
Mrs. Weasley stood and quietly listened to her daughter make her proclamation. She saw in Ginny, for the first time, a glow. A defiant glow as though she was willing to take on heaven and hell for this boy.
Just then the kitchen door opened and Draco walked in. "Ginny your dad's calling you. He and your brothers would like to have a word with you."
Ginny went over to him, and said "Thanks luv." She hugged him and he hugged her back.
His eyes met Mrs. Weasley's and she suddenly knew that maybe there never could be anyone more perfect for Ginny than Draco. Ginny left the two alone and went into the parlor.
Draco went over to help Mrs. Weasley set the rest of the table. He seemed shy and awkward as he helped her quietly. Mrs. Weasley gave a small smile.
"So Draco, Ginny tells me you took her on a flying carpet ride?"