Ginny glanced at the coming-of-age watch she had gotten for her most recent birthday. In ten minutes, according to the sparkling watch, her Auntie Muriel would be arriving. Hopefully she wouldn't bring her Bernese mountain dog again... Barbara was more like a small bear than a dog.

"Ginny!" Molly Weasley called up the stairs. "Are you wearing that orange sweater Muriel gave you last Christmas?"

"Yes, Mum. But why do I have to wear it if it's summer?" Ginny hated the thing- the orange clashed dreadfully with her red hair, and the image of a puppy on the front didn't help. Tassels hung limply from the shoulders and lace outlined the collar. There was a -crack- and an obnoxiously loud voice started squawking at Mrs. Weasley.

"Oh, Molly, dear, how nice to see you again. Ooh, my back... Be a dear, get me an icepack. My wand is somewhere in one of these ruddy bags. Ronald! Get down her and help your ol' auntie with her bags!"

Ron trudged down the stairs, Ginny close behind. A loud "Woof!" told her Barbara was indeed here.

"Hi, Auntie Muriel," they greeted in a monotone unison.

Muriel set down her bags. "Come, now, is that any way to greet your poor auntie?" She squeezed them together and pulled them close with her short, plump arms. She planted a large, wet kiss on each of their cheeks, leaving a bright pink stain on them. She looked them up and down. "Ronald, if you keep growing like this you'll never find a good wife. Oh Ginny, you're so grown up, but no man likes a girl with that many freckles. It would do best for you to stay inside and avoid direct sunlight. And why are you wearing that hideous sweater? You look like a moldy pumpkin cake."

Ginny held in a scream. Her mother gave them each a pleading look from behind Muriel, so Ginny subtly put her wand back in her pocket to not tempt herself to hex a certain "ol' auntie".

After an uncomfortable silence, Auntie Muriel handed Ron her bags. "There's a good boy," she said as she spun him in the direction of the stairs and gave him a pushed. Ron grunted.

"Wait, what room are you sleeping in?" he asked.

Molly spoke up. "Ginny's."

"What?!" Ginny shrieked. Her mother gave her a helpless shrug. She was always helpless when it came to Muriel. Ron snickered quietly as he climbed the rickety stairs.

"That's quite an ugly noise you just made. You should try to remain quiet when a man finally comes to court you."

Court me?! Ginny cried in her head. What is this, the fourteenth century?

"Aunt Muriel, why don't I take Barbara for a walk?" Ginny asked sweetly as she took of her ridiculous sweater. Her aunt had never grasped the concept of sarcasm.

"Her name is Barbara Periwinkle, honey. And yes, she kept farting right before we left, please do walk her. It'd be best if you took a bag for her doggy doo, too. Are you sure you want to take that silly sweater off? You'll just end up with more freckles, dearie."

Ginny hid her grimace and took Barbara's leash and a plastic shopping bag. She was out the door in mere seconds, enjoying the sunshine on her face. She liked her freckles.

As soon as the door of The Burrow had closed behind her, Barbara began pulling Ginny down the path. Ginny had to run to keep up, which only encouraged Ms. Periwinkle to speed up more. They zoomed down a path in the nearby woods that Ginny had explored with her brothers when they were young. Or, she was young, anyways. She saw the distinct outline of a person up ahead and tugged Barbara's leash to slow her down. Barbara dashed on and soon enough she, the dog, and the stranger collided.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Ginny said sincerely. This person now lay on his back, arms tangled over his face. "Need a hand?"

"Hell yes, I need a hand! Look at me, I'm on the ground and covered in dirt! I hate this stupid place, don't see why we had to vacation here, stupid beast of a creature," the familiar voice trailed off into bitter mutters. But Ginny recognized the face, once his arms went to dusting off dirt.

"Malfoy?" she said tentatively.

"Weasley?" he sat up and looked at her, dumb struck. "Another reason to leave. What a shame, you have to live here." He stood up, still brushing off dirt, barely two feet away from her.

Ginny clenched her fist tighter around the leash. "What a shame, you have to live," she muttered, mostly to herself.

Malfoy's eyebrows went up in lazy surprise. He smirked a little as he added, "I heard that."

"You were meant to." Draco's mouth fell the tiniest bit.

And with that, Ginny turned to walk away, Barbara pulling her home. It looked to be a loooooooong summer.