Disclaimer: Don't own any character, besides some odd percentage of the Aurora character. The plot of a mixed-up wedding belongs to me . . . at least I think it does . . .
Omni's Note of Apology: I had a fever yesterday and Nyquil knocked me out for 13 hours. I had no homework done, and obviously I didn't get to write any of this chapter until now (Saturday morning).
Please excuse the briefness of the chapter. Thank you!
~*~*~
Chapter Eight: BIG Trouble
Oh please don't let them get hurt, please don't let them get hurt, Ginny prayed silently for the makers of the bridesmaids' dresses. The color of the dress was wrong, instead of a light colored green, the color was a dark forest green.
"The wedding is in the summer, not during the winter! Dark colors make the event forlorn. Sheesh, getting married should be happy. The lighter colors show happiness . . ." Ginny looked at her friend wondering when the explosion would happen. It was more unnerving to have Aurora rambling like a constant monologue than just one powerful hex direction at someone or some object.
"I am sorry Miss Classen. We will have the dresses fixed by tomorrow," the shopkeeper mumbled with a shaking voice. Hm, he at least has enough sense to act inferior. And look, Aurora is calming down already, but she still looks skeptical. Grr!
"Come on Aurora. I want some snacks and a rest. We have been walking around for the better half of the day!" Good move Ginny, now you have just saved the shopkeeper's life and perhaps his business too. Aurora paused to do what Ginny calls the "de-stress exercise" and silently nodded without acknowledging the shopkeeper.
Ginny didn't have to drag Aurora out, but the need to treat Aurora like a child was apparent when the supposed grown-up won't eat.
"Ginny, if the dresses had problem, something else must be wrong too!"
"Aurora, get a grip. You wedding is still months away, problems are bound to happen. But you have time! Come on. I did mean it when I said I wanted some snacks." Aurora shrugged and followed Ginny to the ice cream stand.
"A mint chocolate chip with a scoop of strawberry please," Ginny ordered. She looked at Aurora who nodded, "And another one with mint chocolate chip, only no strawberry." After waiting a few moments, Ginny had two waffle bowls with ice cream piled beyond the top in her hand.
"Eat," Ginny ordered. In a situation like this, the best way to get Aurora to comply is being motherly and bossy. Scooping up a large chunk of ice cream, Ginny jammed into in front of Aurora's face.
"You, you'd make a good mother," Aurora said sarcastically. "What a great way of feeding you kid." Ginny rolled her eyes.
"My child would not be in her early twenties with the ability to feed herself!" Aurora took the spoon from Ginny's hand and proceeded to eat her ice cream. The joy of having the creamy dessert melt on the tongue was the perfect way for Ginny to get relaxed and Aurora to forget about the stress of her wedding.
The two best friends had long finished their ice cream and were just sitting at the table chatting happily about just about anything that can be the topic of conversation.
"Aurora, why are those girls giving me harsh looks?" Ginny asked after she noticed the third group of girls glaring at her within five minutes. Aurora turned to look around and the girls scuttled off acting as if nothing happened, or they had just played a prank.
"I don't know. Did any tabloid feature anything about you?" Aurora asked. "Taking you to the office and me causing a scene probably wasn't such a good idea. Some of the people that work in the lobby are nosy and can't keep their mouths shut." Ginny searched her head about anything that might lead to her being in trouble with the media.
"Nope, nothing that I can remember. And I haven't read any sort of paper like those in a while." Aurora was about to respond, but a formally dressed man walked up to the two friends relaxing.
"Miss Classen, Miss Weasley," the man bowed in respect. "Mrs. Malfoy wishes to speak with you." Ginny rose her eyebrow silently inquiring what was wrong. Aurora shrugged mentally back.
"Thank you, Geoffrey. Is it urgent?"
"Yes. I believe Mrs. Malfoy said immediately." Aurora nodded and began cleaning her mess from the ice cream.
"Give me five minutes." Geoffrey nodded and disapparated, probably back to the Malfoy manor.
Ginny was confused during the entire conversation. What did the Narcissa Malfoy want with her? She may be friends with a future Malfoy, but the Weasleys and Malfoys still did not get along, especially for the generations prior to hers.
A flutter of a wing distracted Ginny from her jumbled thoughts.
"Isn't that your parents' owl?" Aurora asked. Ginny nodded and took the note off the little owl's claws. Reading the note rapidly, Ginny's eyebrows formed into a "V". "What is wrong?"
"My parents want to talk to me immediately as well." Just as Ginny muttered this, an ordinary owl dropped a tabloid-like magazine onto the table. The headline was in bold letters and animated by magic to flash. Both ladies glanced at the cover, and simultaneous cursed.
"Oh poop!"
"Um Gin, I really need to go to the Malfoy manor. You send a reply to your parents that you will meet them there. Also tell them that I will be there as well. This way, there will be no more assumptions that will make the problem worse," Aurora directed, which Ginny complied.
With a pop, both ladies disappeared and found moments later on the outskirts of the Malfoy territory.
~*~*~
Ginny was in awe with the environment around her. Tall trees and green grass with little patches of wild flowers surrounded her. The resemblance to her dream location to be was uncanny. Great, the one sort of place I like happens to be situated on the outskirts of the Malfoy manor. Aurora seemed undisturbed by the scenery though. She marched to Ginny and pulled Ginny towards somewhere. The place the two girls had landed could easily be passed for the center of a forest.
"Aurora? Are you sure we are at the right place?" Ginny asked. The situation was ideal for being lost. Apparate somewhere that looks like the middle of nowhere. Aurora merely nodded and held out her wand. She muttered some incantation that Ginny couldn't hear, and a door appeared. Aurora turned the knob and motioned for Ginny to enter.
Just looking through the door looked like you are about to walk into oblivion. But once you stepped through, momentary darkness and a large gate appeared. Geoffrey was right by the gate and ushered Aurora and Ginny in.
"Welcome to the Malfoy manor," Geoffrey greeted. "Mrs. Malfoy is waiting for them in the drawing room." Ginny followed Aurora to the long path to enter the actual building.
"Wait," Ginny stopped suddenly. "If we went through this difficult task of getting to the house, wouldn't my parents have a hard time??"
"They shouldn't," Aurora answered. "Your father had many raids to the manor, he should know the way." Ginny shrugged. The answer didn't settle her doubts.
"But he had ministry permission then. They must have had some special spell or whatever to penetrate the security system." Aurora nodded thoughtfully and forced Ginny to continue again.
"Come on. I know Mrs. Malfoy does not like to be kept in waiting. We better hurry. I ask about your parents later. It will take awhile for the owl to reach them anyway."
~*~*~
"Hello Aurora, Miss Weasley," Narcissa Malfoy said in greeting. A table set for five people were in the middle of the room. Please take a seat. Our discussion will begin once your parent arrive, Ginny."
"Well, that solves the problem of them getting here," Aurora announced. Ginny winced at Aurora's actions. Wouldn't it offend the older Malfoy? Bracing for a denouncement, Ginny tensed. However, Mrs. Malfoy's reaction was a twinkling laugh.
"I had thought Molly and Arthur Weasley would want to speak to their only daughter about this situation," Narcissa answered. "You do know the situation right?" Aurora nodded. "Good, the owl reached you on time then."
"I didn't get to read the article," Aurora began. "What did they say exactly?" Narcissa began to paraphrase the article. Once her story was done, Ginny's parents still have not arrived.
"Hmm, I think they might have gotten lost," Narcissa guessed. "Geoffrey!" the man quickly appeared.
"Yes madam?"
"Please go make sure the Weasley's are not lost." The man bowed and went off to complete his task, in whichever way.
"Now you have been very quiet Ginny," Narcissa observed. "You needn't be so stressed about meeting me. After all, I am certain we will be seeing more of each other. I don't mean for Aurora to end all contact with you once she gets married." Ginny blushed at the older woman's clairvoyance. "I know the Malfoy's and Weasleys have had a long grudge; however, with Draco and Aurora's union, I hope to end this silly animosity. Though I didn't expect for it to be you and Draco." Ginny's only response was a redder face. It was then Aurora chose to save Ginny's dignity.
"Mrs. Malfoy, did you send for Harry and Draco as well? I think they need to be present too."
"Call me anything but that dear, after all, you are going to be my daughter in a few months," the older woman chided with a smile. Her fondness for Aurora was quite evident in her behavior. "I did send for them, but Draco said they will be late. It seems the ministry wants him and Harry to question some person."
"Please excuse me," Aurora declared. Ginny looked at her friend with widen eyes. What is she pulling? She is not supposed to leave me with Narcissa Malfoy. This is Narcissa Malfoy of all people! To Ginny's awful luck, she was indeed left alone with Narcissa Malfoy.
Here comes the interrogation of all interrogations!
~*~*~
Omni's Rambles: Acky, I don't like being sick. It messes up my brain. I want to thank everyone, but the drowsiness for even the non-drowsy Dayquil is making me sleepy.
Thanks for everyone that is putting up with this short and somewhat meaningless chapter!
~Omni (sick, tired, and way too much homework)
P.S: I'll thank everyone by e-mail as soon as I gather up all my brain cells. ^^