AN: Howdy! I'm really new to writing fan fiction, so please be honest and tell me what I need to improve. Don't spare my feelings – if you think I really need to fix something, please just tell me straight up. Thanks!
"Mummy! Mummy!" called out a young boy. He ran to his mother, because this could not be held off until later. He needed an answer now.
"Yeah, Al?" she asked absentmindedly as she checked her shopping list.
"Mum, can I pretty, pretty, pretty, please have this ferret? I swear, I'll clean its cage and play with it and —"
"I'm sorry, Al, but I don't think that Princess will get along well with a ferret."
Al hung his head in dramatic sadness that is to be expected when a six-year-old can't get a pet. "But Mum," he said, "he'll be extra nice and never go looking for trouble."
"I'm not worried about what the ferret will look for, sweetheart. You know how much Princess likes hew things."
Ginny looked sympathetically down at her son. She never approved of Princess, Fang's mysterious son, being around her children. Harry was right about the dog; Princess was great with the children. The amount of slobber he produced was what made her go mad.
Al walked back to the ferret aisle, giving the animal a forlorn glance before turning back to his mum's cart.
"Your mum didn't let you get a pet either?" asked a boy giving an owl the same expression.
"Yeah. We already have a dog at home, but the ferret wouldn't have hurt anyone."
"Same thing here, except we have a snake. I hate the ugly thing – he bit me last week. I almost died. Wanna see the scar?"
Even though Al was squeamish with bites and scars, (which was ironic, considering his father would always be covered with bites and scars) he didn't want to seem like a wimp in front of the new kid. The scar from the snake was more of a scab, but Al acted like he was so disgusted with the goriness of the wound that he was about to be sick. The reaction made the boy feel superior, which Al didn't mind since he was used to superior people (a.k.a. his brother). The boys talked about how annoying snakes were, and then moved on to Quidditch, which led them to talking for a very long while. So long, Ginny had come to search for Al.
"Al, it's time to leave," she said. At the same time, the other boy's mother had come, too.
"Come on, sweetie, it's almost dinner time." She said.
"Mum, can Al come over?" the boy asked.
"While Al seems very nice, dear, his parents don't know us."
"Mum, get to know her!" Al said in a raised voice. Ginny gave him a look, and he feebly added "please?"
Ginny kept herself from laughing and asked the other boy, "What's your name?"
"I'm Scorpius Malfoy, ma'am."
Her stomach fell to her ankles. Now that she knew the name, Ginny saw the clone-like resemblance between the father and son. Just like with Harry and his sons. Scorpius had said his name with such great enthusiasm; Ginny felt pity for his naiveté concerning his surname.
She had a blank face for too long. Al nudged her knee, and she instantly regained her composure. "I'm Ginny Potter," she said. Ginny saw Scorpius's mother wear the same expression she had.
"Aren't you two so great at picking friends!" Mrs. Malfoy said in a peppy, though slightly hysteric, voice. Ginny laughed nervously along with her, thanking whoever above that it was the wives instead of the husbands meeting.
"Mummy, what's funny?" Lily asked from her seat in the cart. The boys looked equally confused as she did.
"You'll understand someday," Mrs. Malfoy told her.
"So, Mrs. Malfoy —" Ginny said, before being interrupted.
"Please, call me Astoria."
"Astoria, what, um, what should we do about this?" Ginny gestured around with her hands, hoping to get her point across.
"They're friends, and also children. They don't know why it's such a big deal, so why should we care? I say that we set up a play date." Astoria leaned in closer and whispered, "husbands be damned."
Ginny smiled, nodded in agreement, and made arrangements with Astoria. They were to meet at Amergin Playground for Wizarding Children the coming Saturday, at noon.