The Burrow

Ron woke up and stretched. The curtains on the one window of his room were drawn back slightly and a patch of sun was shining through. He yawned once, then turned over and lightly shook the shoulder of the sleeping girl next to him.

"C'mon Gin, get up."

The small red head stirred, but did not open her eyes.

Ron sighed. "Ginny, lets go…get up."

Ginny moved onto her side and muttered something that sounded a lot like "bugger off." Ron couldn't be sure though, so he ignored it and tapped Ginny on the shoulder again.

"Ginny, today's the day that Bill comes home for a week." He whispered in his sister's ear. She made a contemplative noise, but remained where she was.

Ron rolled his eyes and was about to climb over his sister when he got an idea. Stealthy, Ron pulled the covers off himself and knelt beside Ginny's back. Reaching his hands around to her front, he grabbed hold of her stomach and started tickling her mercilessly.

Ginny bolted upright with a cry. "No, Ron. Ahhhh no…stop…Ronཀ" She was giggling uncontrollably while trying to pry her brother's hands off her. Ron, however, held on tight and continued his assault. He moved his hands to her knees and Ginny squealed. In the process of trying to squirm away from her brother, Ginny lost her balance and landed with a loud thud on the wooden floor.

Ron gasped and jumped out of bed. "Ginཀ Oh, I'm so sorry. You alright?"

Ginny looked up at Ron and burst out laughing. "Ouch, me bumཀ I think I broke me bumཀ"

Ron joined her on the floor and the two laughed hard until the door burst open and in charged Molly Weasley. "Good heavens, what was that?"

"What was what, mum?" Ron asked, helping his sister to her feet.

"That loud thump. What did you do, Ronald?"

Ginny turned to her mother and wiped at her face. She had been laughing so hard tears were actually falling down her cheeks. "Oh that was me, mum. I, er, fell out of the bed."

Mrs. Weasley raised an eyebrow. "And what exactly were you doing in your brother's bed?" At this, Ginny looked away from her mother and cleared her throat. She bit her lip, not wanting to tell her mother the truth, for fear of upsetting the overprotective older woman.

"Ginny just couldn't sleep, mum. That's all." Ron piped up and went over to his dresser. "She came in here last night and I let her sleep with me. You know how that calms her down."

Mrs. Weasley turned a concerned look on her only daughter. "Ginny, dear, if you're having trouble sleeping, you should tell me. I can make you a nice sleeping potion."

Ginny looked slightly relieved, but shook her head. "It's okay, mum. I don't want to start taking those again. I'll be fine."

Mrs. Weasley looked less than convinced, but she knew better than to argue with her youngest child. "Alright, then. Come downstairs, breakfast is on the table."

She turned to go, but stopped when Ginny called out to her. "Mummy, when is Bill due to arrive?"

"He should be here before lunch." Mrs. Weasley smiled happily. "I'm so glad he's finally decided to take some time off work."

Ginny nodded and turned to retrieve her stuffed weasel from Ron's bed. She met her brother's gaze from across the room and mouthed silently "thank you." Ron nodded, but he looked just as concerned as his mother had. Ginny's face fell and she shook her head. Without another word, Ginny left the room and headed downstairs to the kitchen.

Any meal was always a bit of an affair at the Weasley residence, even with Bill, Percy, and Charlie out of the house. As Ginny descended the stairs she could hear the twins, Fred and George, at the table. From the way it sounded, the twins were picking on Ginny's older brother, Percy, who was also visiting for the some of the summer hols. Molly was scolding the boys and messing around with the breakfast dishes when Ginny entered the kitchen.

With a huge yawn and a "good morning all," Ginny sat herself down in her usual spot at the table. Mrs. Weasley was busy at the stove, a huge pan of eggs and bacon cooking in front of her. Fred had his wand out and was about to Summon the pitcher of orange juice from the cupboard when Mrs. Weasley's shrill voice stopped him dead.

"Fred Weasleyཀ How many times do I have to tell you? No unnecessary use of magic in this house." Mrs. Weasley turned around, a steaming pan of eggs in her hand. "Why can't you act like the adult you are?"

"Okay, mum okay." Fred reluctantly put his wand back in his pajama pocket and picked up his fork. As his gaze met Ginny's, he rolled his eyes.

Ginny smiled to herself. The twins were always getting into trouble. They were so much fun to be around, although they did have a tendency to go too far sometimes. Well, ok, most of the time.

"Hey mum, Harry's coming tomorrow isn't he?" George asked around a mouthful of toast.

Mrs. Weasley nodded. "Yes, dear he is. And don't talk with your mouth full, George. It's not gentlemanly."

At that, Percy, who was sipping his tea, sniggered. "Nothing these two ruffians do is gentlemanly."

Fred made a rude gesture in Percy's direction and George threw a piece of bacon at his older brother. With a scowl, Percy got up from the table.

"That is it. I am going to eat in the den." He took up his plate of food and stalked off through the door joining the kitchen to the den.

Ginny turned to the Twins. "That wasn't very nice you two. Can't you be a bit more civil to Percy?"

"Where's the fun in that?" Fred answered as he took a swig of orange juice.

Ginny was about to answer him when a startled cry issued from the living room. Within seconds, Fred, George, Ginny and Mrs. Weasley were all in the doorway.

"Percy dear, are you alright?" Mrs. Weasley asked, her voice full of concern as she pushed open the door. She gasped.

Ginny, who was behind her mother and brothers, couldn't see what was going on.

"Oh dear," Mrs. Weasley said and stepped into the living room. "Percy, what…?"

Ginny saw the older boy shrug. "I don't know. I walked in and there he was." He kneeled down beside something Ginny couldn't see and pushed his glasses up his nose. "He's bleeding."

Mrs. Weasley gasped again and this time, Fred and George entered the room, giving Ginny the chance to see what was going on. When Ginny stepped into the living room, her attention was immediately drawn to the fireplace. And in the fireplace was a very unconscious-

"Malfoy?ཀ" Ginny squeaked.

Mrs. Weasley looked up from the boy and over at her daughter. "Do you know him, Ginny?"

All Ginny could do was nod. While he was covered in ash and what appeared to be dried blood, the figure lying in her fireplace was most definitely Draco Malfoy.

"Oh it's him all right, mum. There's no mistaking that hair and pasty complexion." Fred piped up beside Ginny.

"Lucius's son?" Mrs. Weasley inquired as she put her fingers to Draco's neck to check for a pulse.

George made a disgusted noise. "The one and only,"

What the bloody hell is he doing in our fireplace?" Fred asked no one in particular.

"Language," Mrs. Weasley shot her son a hard look, then returned her attention to Draco. "Well, Percy, help me get him to the couch."

Percy did as he was told and he lifted the small boy up by his arms. Mrs. Weasley took his feet and together, the two carried the unconscious Draco over to the couch.

"Mum, what are you doing?" George gasped.

"What does it look like? I'm going to clean him off." Mrs. Weasley ignored her son's horrified gasp and grabbed up her apron in her hand. Carefully, she wiped the rose patterned cloth over Draco's forehead. "Oh dear," She intoned. When she had taken away the cloth it was stained with ash and blood.

Ginny, who had been shocked into silence up until that point, moved over to the couch and looked Draco over. "I think his arm is broken, mum. Shall I get your wand?"

Mrs. Weasley let out a worried sigh. "Oh dear, look at himཀ He's bloody all over. And his arm does look broken, yes. Oh this is horribleཀ Who would do this to a child?" Mrs. Weasley looked on the verge of tears as Ginny walked back into the kitchen to retrieve her mother's wand. In the kitchen she found Ron, who had just sat down to eat.

He looked up when Ginny came in. "What's everyone doing in there?" He inquired.

Ginny hesitated. She knew her brother's feelings toward Draco Malfoy and she was afraid of how he'd react if he knew his arch enemy was in their living room. Ron continued to stare at her, eyebrow raised, until she spoke. "Oh Ron, it's awful. Draco Malfoy was in our fireplace and he's-"

Ron upset his orange juice. "Pardon? Did you just say Draco Malfoy was in our fireplace?"

Ginny nodded, her lower lip caught between her teeth. Ron's surprised look suddenly turned deadly and he shot up from his seat.

"What is he doing here?" Ron demanded and followed Ginny into the living room.

Ginny shook her head as she came into the living room. "I don't know. Percy found him. Look at him Ron, he's hurt."

"I don't bloody care if the bastard's dead-"

"Ronaldཀ" Mrs. Weasley cried.

"Mum, don't touch himཀ" Ron leapt to his mother's side and swatted her hands away from Draco's face. "He might be laced with something."

Mrs. Weasley shot her son daggers. "Ronald Weasley, you get out of my way this instant." Ginny had never heard her mother sound so authoritative.

Ron, however, did not back down. "Mum, do you know who this is? This is Lucius Malfoy's son. You know, the Lucius Malfoy who almost got dad fired?"

"I don't care who he is," Mrs. Weasley replied and pushed her son gently out of her way. "He's hurt and I am going to help him."

"But mum-" Ron cried.

"Enoughཀ If you're not going to help me than leave," Mrs. Weasley commanded and turned to Ginny. "Did you get my wand?"

Ginny handed her mother the wand and looked at Ron. His face was as red as his hair and his eyes were so blue they were almost black. He looked quite hacked off and Ginny wasn't at all surprised when he stormed out of the den, the door swinging shut behind him with a bang.

Ginny turned back to her mother, who barely seemed to notice her youngest son's departure. She was leaning over the filthy Draco, muttering spells. Ginny stepped forward. "Mummy, what can I do to help?" She inquired.

Mrs. Weasley looked up. If she was surprised by her daughter's offer, she did not show it. "Go into the kitchen, dear, and fill up a large bowl with water. And get some tea towels from under the sink." She turned to her other sons, who were still over by the fireplace. "Are you three going to help or be like your brother?"

Fred sighed and stepped forward. "What do you need us to do, mum?" He didn't look at all thrilled to be helping out, but it was better than incurring the wrath of his mother.

Mrs. Weasley nodded. "You and George go upstairs and clean up Charlie's old room. Put sheets on the bed and set out some clothes. I want to set his arm and then I'll bring him up there."

Percy shook his head. "Mum, you can't carry him up all those stairs. He's too heavy."

Mrs. Weasley, who had resumed her muttering, paused at Draco's shirt and began to unbutton it. "I don't plan to, Percy. You're going to do that." Percy frowned. "In the meantime, work on getting those boots off. Then his trousers need to be removed."

Mrs. Weasley's face knotted in disquiet. "Oh, just look at this. He's lacerations all over his arms."

Ginny, who had returned from the kitchen with a bowl and some tea towels, moved to the other side of her mother and began on Draco's left boot. The laces were caked with mud and quite difficult to unknot. When she had both his shoes off, Ginny removed his socks and started on his trousers.

Suddenly Mrs. Weasley looked up, startled. "Ginny, what on earth are you doing?"

Ginny looked baffled. "You said his trousers needed to come off. That's what I was doing."

"No," Mrs. Weasley shook her head. "Let Percy do that. You can go into the kitchen and start mixing the Healing Salve."

With a sigh, Ginny did as she was told and went back into the kitchen. Ron was sitting at the table, staring off at a point on the kitchen door. When Ginny walked over to the cupboard and took out the ingredients to the Healing Salve, Ron slammed his hand down on the table. Fred's forgotten glass of orange juice spilled onto the patchwork tablecloth.

"Bloody Malfoy. What the hell is going on?" He turned to Ginny. "What are you doing?" He demanded.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Ron. He's hurt and unconscious. He won't be making fun of you for a while yet."

Her brother's scowl deepened. "Why is Mum helping him? And what was he doing in our fireplace?"

At that, Ginny whirled on her brother, slamming one of the jars in her hand onto the table. "Mum's helping him because he needs help. Unlike some people, Mum has a general concern for the welfare of others."

Ron opened his mouth to retort, then closed it. He still looked mad, but now he looked slightly sulky as well. "But it's Malfoyཀ He wouldn't do the same for any of us. He'd just laugh and probably kick usཀ"

Ginny exhaled heavily. "Look, if you're going to be a prat about it, you might as well go upstairs to your room. Mum's going to set him up in Charlie's old room. He's going to be here for a while, Ron. Get used to it."