Chapter 4:

As Harry and Draco strode out of the green flames of the Burrow's fireplace that night, they were bombarded by loud voices, laughter and the overall din in front of them. The smells of good home-cooking wafted into their nostrils and reminded Harry of the many summer holidays spent with the Weasleys.

A familiar voice rose distinctly in the hubbub, 'Ronald! Eat with your mouth closed, for goodness sake!'

'I'm trying, 'Er-my-knee… but da food is so good!'

'Ginny! Some decency at the table please!' Mrs Weasley scolded her daughter, who was very preoccupied with kissing her boyfriend. The couple broke apart grudgingly – Ginny wearing a hearty grin and the other blushing slightly, bearing an apologetic smile.

'Percy's got a girlfriend!' the twins, Fred and George chanted in delight as one of their products – a sparkle, by the looks of it - danced above everyone's heads, 'Penny and Percy sitting in a tree – K-I-S-S-I-N-G!'

'Shut up!' was their reply, followed by a series of chuckles from the tall, curly-haired woman next to a very embarrassed Percy.

'Hey, look! It's Harry and the Ferret!' Fred shouted in an attempt to overpower the volume of noise in the room. It was successful and there was a chorus of greetings.

Draco's lips were pursed. He did not like the name he was called almost constantly by the twins. But as Harry said when he complained about it, 'It's better than Death Eater, right? Try think of it as endearing – more so, accepting.'

Mrs Weasley enveloped the couple in a hug, then stood back and inspected them critically. 'Too skinny, too skinny,' she clucked, putting her hands on her hips. 'You have been eating properly, right? At least I can count on you, Draco, to feed Harry… '

Draco reddened slightly, while his lover rolled his eyes, 'We're all right, Mrs Weasley. Work has just been hectic lately.'

She looked at them worriedly for a moment, before sighing. 'Sorry to have started supper before you came – but Ron attacked the kitchen upon arrival.'

Draco raised an elegant eyebrow, trying to hide his distaste at the table 'manners' of the aforementioned red-head. Definitely not the type you would find anywhere near the Malfoy Manor.

The-Boy-Who-Lived glanced at his two best friends, smiling at their antics. Hermione was wielding a wooden spoon and assaulting her boyfriend, who was laughing at her food-covered face.

'Well, I shan't keep you from joining the others,' she smiled, her round face framed by red hair, brightening, and then she turned back to her seat.

Ron jumped up and gave his best friend a hug as Hermione smiled in greeting, 'Hey, mate. How you been doing?'

'Good, and you? Haven't seen you in ages… Mione said you were in Western Europe chasing down a Death Eater with the Aurors.'

'Just got back,' he answered grinning tiredly – he turned to the quiet Malfoy heir next to Harry. 'Hello, Malfoy. Been looking after Harry for me as you promised?'

'Hell yeah, Weasley. A tiresome task at times, but it has its benefits…' Draco started with a mock thoughtful look, only to be reduced to sniggers by a glowering and blushing Harry Potter.

Hermione wore a knowing, amused smile – while Ron mouthed 'benefits?' in puzzlement.

Hermione and Ron squished up and made space for the new-comers to sit next to them. The young woman scowled at her boyfriend as she removed a leaf of lettuce nearly lost in her frizzy hair.

She pointedly turned away from the red-head, 'Hey, guys. Why were you late?'

Harry coughed and tried to hide his face with his too-long hair.

'We were… busy.' Draco explained, smirking. Hermione giggled, while Ron stared in confusion – before realisation finally dawned upon him.

'Ewww… bad images in my head. Thanks, Malfoy,' the red-head grumbled with a pained expression.

Draco smiled graciously and nodded slightly.

oO.Oo

Before their very eyes, their plates were laden with tempting foodstuffs at an amazing speed by an overly zealous Mrs Weasley, who seemed to think that she could fatten them up in one night.

It wasn't till later that the gathering divided into three groups. Harry, Draco, Ron and Hermione sat together on the porch, all the while watching the others play Quidditch.

Harry snuggled back into Draco's chest, eyes half-lidded and bloated. The two couples sat in a comfortable silence as they viewed the first goal of the game, made by Ginny, the chaser.

'How's she been?' Harry asked, eyes following the red-headed girl as she flew across the lawn before them.

'Ginny, you mean?' Ron asked, his chin atop Hermione's head.

Harry nodded.

'She's … different. I feel like I don't know her. Not after the war,' his best friend murmured, 'Not since you broke up with her.'

Harry was silent for a moment, his face losing expression, 'We all changed. We have the war to thank for that.'

Draco shifted uncomfortably, sensing the familiar emotion Harry felt: guilt.

'She's been having boyfriend after boyfriend . . . sometimes for a day, or a little longer. Muggles, wizards . . . you name it. It's happened so much that Fred suggested Gin is a nympho,' the Weasley said, smiling a bitter smile.

'How long has the latest one lasted?' Draco piped in, gaze falling on the aforementioned man.

'About a week – the longest so far. He's an American - a squib.' Hermione said, trailing her fingers up and along Ron's limp arm over her shoulder, 'I can't speak to her either. She's . . . distant. She's angry in a strange way, not with just us, Harry – with everyone. I don't understand.'

'Well, you did dump her like Harry did in fourth year, Granger.' Draco cut in.

'I did not dump her! I merely broke it off,' she retorted, glaring at the blond-haired man across from her.

'You know . . . it's a bit disconcerting that my two best friends have shagged my sister – hell, one of them is my girlfriend.' Ron chuckled, smiling at his friends' blushing faces.

There was cheering from the lawn – the Twins' team seemed to have won. They were trooping back to the kitchen, to where Molly, a pregnant Fleur and Penny, Percy's girlfriend, sat.

After the group passed, they all wore thoughtful expressions.

'Is she coming back to Hogwarts?' Draco asked, putting a stray blond strand behind his ear.

Ron shrugged, 'We don't know with her anymore.'

oO.Oo