Somebody has informed me that I need a disclaimer. I am aware of this
fact, and there is a disclaimer in the first chapter that is supposed to
cover the entire story. What I was trying to do was not interrupt whatever
flow the story had with details that were not related to the story.
Unfortunately, now that this has already happened, there's nothing I can do
to about it, so from now on there's going to be a disclaimer somewhere in
every chapter.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
It had been a week since he'd turned up at her doorstep, and she still didn't know how he'd managed to get her home address. Mae insisted that she hadn't told him anything, and she believed her. He was a sneaky bastard, he'd probably pulled some strings somewhere to find her. What she didn't understand was why he'd kept after her. A better question was, why was she wondering why he'd stopped?
"Earth to Gin-girl. Come in Gin-girl."
"What?" She answered distractedly. Mae looked at her watch and raised an eyebrow.
"You've exceeded your five minute daydream break for the day, Gin-girl. What's bothering you?"
"It's nothing, Mae. Really, it's nothing."
"'Nothing' doesn't make you stare at a pancake flipper for ten minutes of your lunch break. Something's bugging you, and you won't solve it by not eating."
"Fine, fine, if you insist." Ginny sighed. Mae adopted her best listening pose and then sat still. "You remember that guy who came in twice in a row last week and sat at the same table?"
"The blonde one? Sure, no one could forget him. What about him?"
"Well, you know he turned up at my apartment last week, but I haven't seen him since, and I was just wondering why I care that he hasn't come around again."
"That doesn't sound like nothing, Gin-girl. That sounds like a serious conundrum to me. Have you come up with any reasons yourself, or do I have to give them too you?"
"You better give them to me."
"You haven't been on a date in five years. You did it purposely at first because you wanted to bring that girl of yours up right, on your own. Then when you wanted to date again, you found that most guys our age don't want a woman who's already got a child to look after. And, now that one seems to have appeared, you enjoyed attention, even if you really didn't like him. And you miss that now."
"Am I really that shallow? To want only attention?"
"No. That's not shallow. That's called being alone for five years. Come on kid, back to work."
"Not me. I'm only doing the half shift today remember?"
"Oh yeah, you lucky thing. Wish I was a war hero, then I could go to fancy parties too. But no, all I did was get shoved into a Beauxbatons basement until it was over. I hated being a year younger than the rest of you."
"Tell the truth, you were scared stiff and relieved you didn't have to see what we saw." Ginny grinned at her, gathering her stuff.
"Well, that too." Ginny laughed, but then sobered.
"I don't want to go to this party. My brothers are going to be there. I can't face my brothers. Not yet."
"Hey, buck up Gin-girl. You can do anything you put your mind to." Ginny smiled at the other woman and left the restaurant. She really was not looking forward too this Anniversary party. She'd been all set to decline the invitation, but Hermione insisted that she come with them. She'd been out of the loop for so long, she needed to get back into it, she'd said. She could still hear the conversation echoing through her head.
"Ginny, you really need to get back out with the people you know. They miss you, they want to talk to you. I won't take no for an answer. So what if you've had a baby. I'm going to be having one."
"Hermione, you're married, it's your first, and you're 23 years old. Not single and seventeen."
"Nobody cares, Ginny. Not anymore. We're all caught up in fixing our own lives."
She'd reached her building before she realized it, she was so caught up with her thoughts. After stopping at the neighbour's to pick up Sam, she continued up to her own apartment. She set Sam on the floor and started shuffling around, getting a quick dinner before the babysitter arrived.
After their quick meal and halfway through Ginny's preparation for this honourary party, the telephone rang.
"Hi, Miss Weasley?"
"Yes?"
"This is Diane Warren, I'm supposed to babysit Sam tonight."
"Oh, yes. What can I do for you?"
"I'm really sorry to have to tell you this, but I've got to cancel."
"What did you say? This is a little short notice!"
"I'm so sorry, but my brother's broken his leg in a bike accident and I'm the only one home who can drive." The girl said. Ginny sighed heavily.
"Alright, ok. Tell your brother I hope he heals quickly, and thank you for letting me know. Bye now." She said, and hung up the phone. Then began the frantic telephoning of all known babysitters in the area, while at the same time trying to pull herself together.
An hour later she was searching her phone book for anyone that was available to babysit.
"Oh, this is hopeless. Hermione will kill me if I don't show up, and I can't take Sam with me." She was in the middle of more running around under the fascinated gaze of her daughter when the doorbell rang. "That better be a miracle." She growled throwing open the door.
"Ah, is this a bad time?" Malfoy said, taking in her appearance.
"Malfoy! Thank heavens. Are you doing anything for the next couple of hours? Good, I need you to babysit." She rattled, grabbing his arm and dragging him through the door.
"What did you say?" He asked, startled.
"You're not going to the party thing tonight, are you?" When he shook his head she continued. "Didn't think so, Harry was doing the invitations and I doubted he liked you well enough. I'm going, and my babysitter canceled an hour ago, and now I'm five minutes late, I need you to babysit for me. I'll pay you, really."
"Calm down, Weasley. It happens that I was invited, I merely chose not to go. I hate parties. But I can't babysit."
"You have too. I don't have anyone else. Please?" She begged, going to her bedroom and digging around for her earrings. He followed her.
"I'm no good with kids."
"It'll be easy, trust me. All you need to do is throw a movie in the video player and she'll sit quietly until bedtime. Which is eight thirty, by the way."
"But."
"Malfoy, please. You want to get into my good graces, you start by getting into my kid's good graces." She knew she was begging, and she knew she was throwing her best pleading look at him, and she also knew that she shouldn't be. But she didn't care. Right now, Hermione would be very upset with her if she didn't turn up, and Hermione upset was scary these days. It was working, she could tell.
"Oh all right. But I won't let you pay me. If I babysit, you have to guarantee me, one date."
"Done. I've got to go, Samantha, this is Draco, he's someone mummy knows from way back. Now I want you to be good for him." She said to Samantha, bending down for a hug, the girl nodded and gave her a kiss goodbye. Ginny stood straight again and looked him in the eye.
"We'll be fine, Weasley. Get going, you'll be late."
"This building better still be standing when I get back Malfoy. And if there's anything out of place, you can bet your head will roll." Then she disapparated. Draco stood there for a moment and considered what had happened in the last few minutes. He moved when he felt a tugging at his hand.
"I always watch Beauty and the Beast when Diane comes. Are we going to watch Beauty and the Beast? It won't be the same if we don't. Diane always brings popcorn, did you bring popcorn? My mummy doesn't like me to eat a lot of popcorn but it's special when Diane comes."
Oh no, what had he gotten himself into now?
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
It had been a week since he'd turned up at her doorstep, and she still didn't know how he'd managed to get her home address. Mae insisted that she hadn't told him anything, and she believed her. He was a sneaky bastard, he'd probably pulled some strings somewhere to find her. What she didn't understand was why he'd kept after her. A better question was, why was she wondering why he'd stopped?
"Earth to Gin-girl. Come in Gin-girl."
"What?" She answered distractedly. Mae looked at her watch and raised an eyebrow.
"You've exceeded your five minute daydream break for the day, Gin-girl. What's bothering you?"
"It's nothing, Mae. Really, it's nothing."
"'Nothing' doesn't make you stare at a pancake flipper for ten minutes of your lunch break. Something's bugging you, and you won't solve it by not eating."
"Fine, fine, if you insist." Ginny sighed. Mae adopted her best listening pose and then sat still. "You remember that guy who came in twice in a row last week and sat at the same table?"
"The blonde one? Sure, no one could forget him. What about him?"
"Well, you know he turned up at my apartment last week, but I haven't seen him since, and I was just wondering why I care that he hasn't come around again."
"That doesn't sound like nothing, Gin-girl. That sounds like a serious conundrum to me. Have you come up with any reasons yourself, or do I have to give them too you?"
"You better give them to me."
"You haven't been on a date in five years. You did it purposely at first because you wanted to bring that girl of yours up right, on your own. Then when you wanted to date again, you found that most guys our age don't want a woman who's already got a child to look after. And, now that one seems to have appeared, you enjoyed attention, even if you really didn't like him. And you miss that now."
"Am I really that shallow? To want only attention?"
"No. That's not shallow. That's called being alone for five years. Come on kid, back to work."
"Not me. I'm only doing the half shift today remember?"
"Oh yeah, you lucky thing. Wish I was a war hero, then I could go to fancy parties too. But no, all I did was get shoved into a Beauxbatons basement until it was over. I hated being a year younger than the rest of you."
"Tell the truth, you were scared stiff and relieved you didn't have to see what we saw." Ginny grinned at her, gathering her stuff.
"Well, that too." Ginny laughed, but then sobered.
"I don't want to go to this party. My brothers are going to be there. I can't face my brothers. Not yet."
"Hey, buck up Gin-girl. You can do anything you put your mind to." Ginny smiled at the other woman and left the restaurant. She really was not looking forward too this Anniversary party. She'd been all set to decline the invitation, but Hermione insisted that she come with them. She'd been out of the loop for so long, she needed to get back into it, she'd said. She could still hear the conversation echoing through her head.
"Ginny, you really need to get back out with the people you know. They miss you, they want to talk to you. I won't take no for an answer. So what if you've had a baby. I'm going to be having one."
"Hermione, you're married, it's your first, and you're 23 years old. Not single and seventeen."
"Nobody cares, Ginny. Not anymore. We're all caught up in fixing our own lives."
She'd reached her building before she realized it, she was so caught up with her thoughts. After stopping at the neighbour's to pick up Sam, she continued up to her own apartment. She set Sam on the floor and started shuffling around, getting a quick dinner before the babysitter arrived.
After their quick meal and halfway through Ginny's preparation for this honourary party, the telephone rang.
"Hi, Miss Weasley?"
"Yes?"
"This is Diane Warren, I'm supposed to babysit Sam tonight."
"Oh, yes. What can I do for you?"
"I'm really sorry to have to tell you this, but I've got to cancel."
"What did you say? This is a little short notice!"
"I'm so sorry, but my brother's broken his leg in a bike accident and I'm the only one home who can drive." The girl said. Ginny sighed heavily.
"Alright, ok. Tell your brother I hope he heals quickly, and thank you for letting me know. Bye now." She said, and hung up the phone. Then began the frantic telephoning of all known babysitters in the area, while at the same time trying to pull herself together.
An hour later she was searching her phone book for anyone that was available to babysit.
"Oh, this is hopeless. Hermione will kill me if I don't show up, and I can't take Sam with me." She was in the middle of more running around under the fascinated gaze of her daughter when the doorbell rang. "That better be a miracle." She growled throwing open the door.
"Ah, is this a bad time?" Malfoy said, taking in her appearance.
"Malfoy! Thank heavens. Are you doing anything for the next couple of hours? Good, I need you to babysit." She rattled, grabbing his arm and dragging him through the door.
"What did you say?" He asked, startled.
"You're not going to the party thing tonight, are you?" When he shook his head she continued. "Didn't think so, Harry was doing the invitations and I doubted he liked you well enough. I'm going, and my babysitter canceled an hour ago, and now I'm five minutes late, I need you to babysit for me. I'll pay you, really."
"Calm down, Weasley. It happens that I was invited, I merely chose not to go. I hate parties. But I can't babysit."
"You have too. I don't have anyone else. Please?" She begged, going to her bedroom and digging around for her earrings. He followed her.
"I'm no good with kids."
"It'll be easy, trust me. All you need to do is throw a movie in the video player and she'll sit quietly until bedtime. Which is eight thirty, by the way."
"But."
"Malfoy, please. You want to get into my good graces, you start by getting into my kid's good graces." She knew she was begging, and she knew she was throwing her best pleading look at him, and she also knew that she shouldn't be. But she didn't care. Right now, Hermione would be very upset with her if she didn't turn up, and Hermione upset was scary these days. It was working, she could tell.
"Oh all right. But I won't let you pay me. If I babysit, you have to guarantee me, one date."
"Done. I've got to go, Samantha, this is Draco, he's someone mummy knows from way back. Now I want you to be good for him." She said to Samantha, bending down for a hug, the girl nodded and gave her a kiss goodbye. Ginny stood straight again and looked him in the eye.
"We'll be fine, Weasley. Get going, you'll be late."
"This building better still be standing when I get back Malfoy. And if there's anything out of place, you can bet your head will roll." Then she disapparated. Draco stood there for a moment and considered what had happened in the last few minutes. He moved when he felt a tugging at his hand.
"I always watch Beauty and the Beast when Diane comes. Are we going to watch Beauty and the Beast? It won't be the same if we don't. Diane always brings popcorn, did you bring popcorn? My mummy doesn't like me to eat a lot of popcorn but it's special when Diane comes."
Oh no, what had he gotten himself into now?