Chapter 14- The Muggle Wedding and Christmas Eve
Ruby sat down at the table in between her mother and Aunt Ginny; it was Milly's wedding reception, the wedding itself was beautiful and Aunt Petunia was in her element.
"Eliza, do they do the speeches before or after food?" Aunt Ginny asked and Eliza smiled.
"Before I think, sorry Gin."
"I think I've got my emergency chocolate bar if you want it?" Ruby asked, rooting around in her bag and pulling out a bar of Honeydukes chocolate and placing in discreetly on her Aunt's lap.
"Thanks, Ruby. Why do you have an emergency chocolate bar?"
"I have lots of emergency things, I may be a chaotic mess when it comes to organisation but I always like to be prepared. I have a spare quill, muggle pencil, muggle money, hair bobble, wand, umbrella, paper, bottle of water, muggle pain killers, a few potions, makeup and a couple of joke products." Ginny looked down at her tiny bag and smiled.
"Undetectable extension charm?"
"Yep, Aunt Hermione got me a bag with it for my seventeenth, it's really handy."
"Are you hungry all the time?" Her mother asked.
"Yep, except for about five minutes after I'd eaten."
"I was the same with the twins, not with Ruby though, could barely hold down water."
"Morning sickness tends to be worse with the first child." Ruby said, thinking back to her first year course on pregnancy and child birth.
"So James, got your eye on any of the girls?" Aunt Ginny asked, looking over at her eldest child.
"What? Oh no, probably just dance with Ruby, Lily and the twins…oh and Pansy of course."
"And me I hope!" Ginny said, looking deeply offended.
"If you want me to."
"You've been different lately James, have you met someone?" She asked. James blushed and gave Ruby a quick glance.
"No…"
"You have, you so have!" Squealed Lily, joining the conversation with delight. "Who is she? Is she an Auror?"
"Lily, leave your brother alone." Uncle Harry said, saving his son from hours of interrogation.
"What about you, Ruby? Have you found someone new yet?" Lily asked.
"No, too busy with work." Ruby said quickly, willing her traitorous blush away.
"You could meet someone at work." Albus said with a sly grin. Thankfully at that moment Uncle Dudley stood up and everyone turned to look at him.
"Hi, thanks for your attention and I'd like to start by thanking you all for coming, especially as Christmas is only two days away and I'm sure some of you haven't finished your shopping," He paused to a small amount of laughter. Ruby saw her father nod and then smile at his wife.
"I'm Milly's father, Dudley Evans, and before I delve into embarrassing stories designed to make Patrick think twice about what he's just married into…" again laughter rang out. "…I'd like to make a special thanks to my mother." Aunt Petunia blushed but looked pleased, "not only has she helped to organise this amazing day, but she has also taught me how to be a good father. I won't go into details because this is a happy day, but our family, including my cousins Harry and Eliza, who lived with us, didn't have the easiest start in life, but I think you'll agree that thanks to my mother, we all turned out pretty well," more laughter and Harry snorted, "and that is because my mother was brave and stood up for herself, and for us, and I'll never be able to thank her enough, so please raise your glasses to Petunia."
They all toasted Aunt Petunia who looked overcome with emotion and was passed a tissue by Uncle David. Dudley carried on his speech and by the end of it Milly looked mortified but radiant, she stood up and hugged her father tightly.
"Good speech." Aunt Ginny said, nodding her head.
"Who'd have thought it, Eliza?" Uncle Harry said, smiling at his sister who nodded back.
The rest of the speeches were shorter and followed by a delicious three course meal. As soon as the dishes were cleared the happy couple danced and then others joined them.
"Come on, Lily," Teddy said, pulling her to his feet. They walked over to the dance floor and make quite a spectacle of themselves as they danced away.
"Always wants to be the centre of attention," Albus muttered, looking at his glass of beer miserably.
"What's up, Al?" Ruby asked.
"Bored of being alone." He replied, not looking up at her.
"You must have your eye on someone?" To her surprise Albus coloured slightly.
"It's…it's complicated."
"Why, because she's still at Hogwarts?" Ruby asked quietly, moving seats so that they wouldn't be overheard.
"How do…?"
"It's Sarah isn't it?"
"How do you know?"
"Come on Al, everyone knows! She'll be out of Hogwarts in June but you better snap her up quickly, Alice said she's popular."
"Of course she's popular, she's smart, funny, kind and beautiful." Albus said, looking across at the dance floor looking relieved that Lily was out of earshot. "She'd never like me…"
"Albus, trust me, she likes you."
"How do you know?"
"I live with Alice, they're close sisters. Take a chance Al."
"What about you?"
"What about me?"
"Have you taken your chance yet?"
"What do you mean?" She asked, worried that Hugo might have already spilled the beans.
"Come on Ruby, I know you like him."
"Who?"
"Scorpius."
"Listen Al, just…"
"No, you listen Ruby. I know Scorpius Malfoy, we sat together in Potions for seven years, everyone expected us to hex each other but… he's a nice guy Ruby."
"We're colleagues, that's it." She said firmly.
"You're lying, but if you're not ready to talk about it yet I understand but…"
"Dance with me, Rubes?" James said, coming over and pulling her to her feet before she had chance to respond. Glad for a reason to stop talking about Scorpius she danced with James, then her father, then Uncle Harry, then Teddy, then Uncle David and finally Uncle Dudley.
"It was a great speech, Uncle Dudley." She said as they danced to a song she had never heard of.
"Thanks, took me ages, Lyddy kept changing it."
"Well it was worth it, you must be really proud today, Milly looks really happy."
"She is, always happy that one, Pansy's a bit more up and down. How are you, Ruby? Mom told me about Henry, I'm sorry."
"Yeah, I'm okay. Just keeping busy with work really."
"How's it going? When do you qualify?"
"June, it's a three year scheme."
"Muggle doctors have to train for five years, and vets take seven years."
"Seven years! For animals!"
"Well, there are a lot of animals, Rubes."
"I suppose but still… Uncle Charlie only had to have a year's training before he was qualified, that was only for dragons though." Ruby said, with a hasty look around.
"I like Charlie, how is he?"
"He's great, he's teaching at Hogwarts now, did Pansy tell you?"
"No she never mentioned it, she mainly talks about people, she seems to be quite popular. Still can't believe she's a witch!"
"These things do run in families but it varies with muggle families. Oh, I'm just going to go and get Annabel away from that guy, she's ridiculously loose at the moment!" Ruby said and she left Uncle Dudley and was pleased to see her mother dance with him so that he wasn't stranded in the middle of the dance floor.
"Annabel!" She called, just before her sister was about to lock lips with the handsome guy.
"What?"
"Uncle David wants to take our pictures." She lied, but as she pulled her sister away Immy came towards them.
"Uncle David wants to take our picture." She said and Ruby smiled to herself; perhaps she was developing a sixth sense. They made their way across the dance floor and joined up with Teddy and Uncle David near to the top table.
"Oh, good job girls, just a few snaps for the album." Uncle David said, looking happy. She had never known him to be anything except elated.
They gathered in front of their parents and posed for a few photos and then Uncle Harry and his family joined them, the last few were of her mother, Uncle Harry and Uncle Dudley with Aunt Petunia, all of them smiling brightly.
On Christmas Eve Ruby woke early and dressed before the rest of the family were even up. She was staying at the cottage but as she was on-call she needed to be ready to leave at a moment's notice. Her parents came downstairs just after ten, both of them still in there dressing gowns, Ruby stood up and starting making them drinks.
"Rubes, look at you! Up and dressed already. So grown-up!" Her father said, laughing.
"I'm on-call till six, I can't longue around in my PJ's all day." She said grumpily. Teddy came downstairs next, his hair his preferred turquoise colour.
"Morning Teddy, are you staying with us today or going to see Vic?" Her mother asked.
"Staying here, we decided that as it's our last Christmas before we're married we'd spend it with our families."
"Oh, Teddy. I can't believe you'll be married next week!" Her mother said, looking like she was about to burst into tears.
"I know, finally getting rid of my Auntie Eliza, bet you were worried you'd never marry me off?"
"Hardly, I knew you'd marry Victoire from when you were about seven, made a bet with Harry."
"Really? How much did you win?"
"Twenty galleons, don't worry I put it in your account. I also won ten galleons when you applied to be an Auror."
"What did Uncle Harry think he'd be?" Ruby asked, looking over at Teddy in amusement.
"Thought you'd end up teaching, like you're dad."
"There's still time, maybe when being an Auror has lost its sparkle, or I've lost a limb or…"
"Don't joke about things like that." Her said mother sternly,
"Don't worry mom, I could grow him another limb." Ruby said and her mother snorted.
"How often do you 'grown ups' bet on what we'll do?" Teddy asked.
"All the time!" Her father said, laughing. "Ruby always loses me money! You're too like your mother, I never know what to expect!"
"Any current bets that we should be aware of?" Ruby asked, smiling. Both her parents blushed and Teddy laughed.
"You two are terrible!" He said, pointing at them. Ruby was just about to join in when an owl arrived carrying a letter for her.
Miss Weasley,
Please report for duty at 1130, another healer has called in sick.
Best wishes to your family,
Hl Kyle
"Knew it was too good to be true." She muttered before glancing at her watch; she had ten minutes.
"Work?"
"Yep, got to be there in ten minutes, someone's pulled a sickie."
"Do you know how long you'll be there?" Her mother asked, looking disappointed.
"Nope but I should be home by six at the latest. Will you apologise to the twins for me?"
"Of course, it's about time they were up actually." Her father said, walking towards the stairs and then yelling to Annabel and Immy.
"Well I'm off, oh and Hl Kyle said to give you his best wishes. What time are we going to the Burrow?"
"Probably about seven, tell him thanks." Her mother said and Ruby nodded before walking out into the garden and apparating to the hospital.
She walked to the office quickly and then pulled on her robes. Kyle came out of his inner office to greet her.
"Apologies Miss Weasley, it is the life of a healer! Did you have plans?"
"Don't worry sir, just a day with the family and then off to my grandparents tonight, we all sleep in tents in the garden on Christmas Eve."
"What a lovely idea!"
"Yeah it's brilliant, there's too many of us to go in the house so the 'next generation' camp outside, I doubt I'll get much sleep but it's always fun." Fun was an understatement, it was always brilliant. She would share a tent with the twins and Teddy and there would be a campfire and they would all talk until midnight and then open one present each before dragging themselves to bed and gossiping the rest of the night away.
"Well I've got a backfired jinx, or a cursed hat, which do you want?" Kyle asked with a smile on his face.
"Umm, I think I'll go for the hat please." Kyle passed her the paper file.
"Room seven, I'll let you discharge, just give me the paperwork later." Ruby nodded and made her way to the room, there was a man, about her parents' age who had a large black witches hat stuck to his head and a distraught looking man next to him.
"Good morning, I'm trainee healer Weasley, how can I help you this morning?"
"It's this bloody hat; it's cursed!" The man said, looking upset.
"Okay, what seems to be the problem with it, sir?" She asked.
"That's the problem Miss, she's my wife; she's a woman!" The man said, standing next to the bed. Ruby swallowed a laugh with well-practiced ease.
"Oh, I see. Has it completely changed you? Everywhere?" Ruby asked delicately.
"She's got a knob if that…"
"Rowan! Please!" The man/woman said over her husband's declaration.
"Thank you, can you remove the hat at all?"
"No, it's stuck!"
"Where did you get it from?" Ruby asked, curious.
"WWW, did you say you were a Weasley?" Ruby was shocked; it was unlikely that her father had sold a hat that had been faulty.
"Yes, did you get it directly from the shop?"
"No, it was a gift from my mother-in-law, she's always hated me. I just thought it was a nice gift. I was a fool!"
"Well, if you'll excuse me for a minute, I'll just get the product information and then we can strip the curse down." Ruby left the room and went to the hospital archive. Her father always sent his product catalogue, complete with all the information (charms, ingredients etc.) to the hospital in case products were misused. She found the correct edition and walked back to the couple.
"Right, if you hold still for a moment, this won't take long." Ruby removed the hex and a woman with blond curly hair, with old scars down her neck, emerged from underneath the hat, she looked very relieved.
"Oh, thank you so much! You say you're a Weasley, which one?" She asked, in a voice that was not it any way malicious.
"My father owns WWW, I'll be sure to tell him what happened mam, he'll make sure it can't happen again. He tries to make all his products tamper-proof but he says some people are determined to change the results."
"Oh, so you're Eliza's daughter?" The woman asked, smiling.
"Yes, do you know her?"
"Yes, I was in her dormitory in Hogwarts. I was Lavender Brown before I married into his crazy family." She said with a jab in her husband's direction. "How is she?"
"She's very well thank you. Shall I tell her you say hello?"
"Yes please, do you know when we were at school, before she got the Moonstone blanket, she used to steal my socks in her sleep!"
"Really? She must have been mortified." Ruby said, smiling.
"She was a first but then it was just funny, Harry didn't find it amusing but he was always protective. I heard about Ginny, will you tell him congratulations from me?"
"Oh course, have a good Christmas Mr and Mrs…"
"Dawson, thanks, you too, sorry I didn't catch your name?"
"Ruby."
"Very Gryffindor!"
"Always." Ruby smiled at the couple and left the room. She was nearly at the office when Kyle shouted to her from another room.
"Weasley, suspected heart attack on its way!" Ruby nodded and walked towards the Floo point to wait with Kyle.
"Did you sort out the hat?" He asked as they waited.
"Yeah, it was one of my dad's that the patient's mother-in-law had modified."
"Always more family arguments at Christmas." Kyle said with a jovial smile on his face; this man would get on well with Alice, always cheerful.
The Floo turned green and Scorpius Malfoy came out first.
"Scorpius?" Ruby asked, for a moment fearing that he had heart problems.
"It's my grandmother," he said as the rest of his family piled in behind him. His father was carrying a pale thin woman but blue tinged lips. "I did everything I could think of." Scorpius finished as his father lowered Mrs Malfoy onto the bed.
"Right, straight into room one, Mr Malfoy, take your family into the relatives room we'll call you if we have news."
"Wait a minute, I'm not having a Weasle…" Began Scorpius's grandfather but his son cut across him.
"For Merlin's sake father, can't you ever give it a rest?"
"How dare you?"
"Dad, Grandfather, let's just go and wait, Healer Kyle and Ruby are perfectly capable of looking after Grandmamma." Ruby and Kyle pushed Mrs Malfoy into the room and immediately began treating her.
"Set up a drip, pain potion F4 till we know what we're dealing with." Kyle said and Ruby followed his orders without question.
Narcissa Malfoy was a deathly pale but after thirty minutes of treatment she began to look better and her eyelids fluttered open.
"Potter?" She whispered, feebly. Ruby suspected that she had mixed her up with her mother, it was an easy mistake to make if you were not concentrating properly.
"No mam, I'm trainee healer Ruby Weasley, Eliza is my mother, you're in St Mungo's, you've had a heart attack but you're stable now. Are you in any pain?"
"No… thirsty though… you work with Scorpius?" Ruby passed the woman a glass of water and conjured a straw so she could sip.
"Yes, he's in the relatives room with your family. Can you move your fingers and toes for me?" She asked and Mrs Malfoy complied.
"Excellent, you'll need to stay in the hospital for a few days while the healers work out what potion regime suits you best."
"Thank you… Scorpius, such a good boy."
"Yes mam," Ruby said, as she filled in some of the paperwork. Kyle left the room and Ruby assumed he had gone to speak to the Malfoys.
"Is your…mother well?" Mrs Malfoy breathed and Ruby looked up from her parchment.
"Yes mam, she's well thank you."
"Such a… brave girl… you should be… proud of her."
"I am mam, are you cold?" She asked, noticing that Mrs Malfoy was shaking. The elderly witch nodded and Ruby stood up and collected a blanket from the cupboard and covered the witch with it.
"Step away from her!" Came a harsh voice from the doorway. Ruby jumped and looked around; it was Lucius Malfoy.
"I was just covering her with a blanket Mr…"
"We don't need help from…"
"Lucius please…" Mrs Malfoy said weakly, holding out her hand. Mr Malfoy came forward and held her hand, glaring at Ruby.
"If you need anything else Mrs Malfoy just push the call button." Ruby said, not looking at the man. She left the room and walked back to the office, she was surprised to find Scorpius sat at his desk looking sombre.
"Scorpius, what are you doing in here?" She asked, walking up to him. He did not respond so she knelt down in front of him and took his hand. "Scorpius?"
"Oh… Ruby, I didn't hear you."
"I gathered, she's going to be okay Scorpius, she's awake and talking."
"I know, father's gone back to the manor to get some things."
"Why don't you go and sit with her?"
"He's in there," Scorpius said darkly and Ruby knew he was talking about his grandfather.
"Okay, do you want a cup of tea?" She asked. Scorpius nodded so she stood up and made to move away to the kettle but he kept a hold of her hand, pulling her back to him.
"Scorpius? We should be with your grandmother." Scorpius' father said from the doorway and Scorpius dropped Ruby's hand instantly.
"I'll be there soon father, do you want a cup of tea?"
"Coffee if you have some?" He asked, walking into the office and looking at Ruby.
"Of course sir, milk and sugar?"
"Black, two sugars please." He said, leaning against the wall.
"It's better than in the coffee shop." Scorpius said and Ruby nodded.
"Would your father like some?" Ruby asked Mr Malfoy, but he shook his head.
"My mother likes tea though…"
"Sorry Mr Malfoy, no caffeine at the moment, just water or pumpkin juice which…" Ruby crouched down to the cupboard that stored her food and retrieved the last bottle of pumpkin juice, "there you are." She said, passing it to Mr Malfoy and then picking up the blue-feathered quill on her desk and writing 'pumpkin juice' on her hand.
"Thank you, nice quill." Mr Malfoy said, looking at the quill and then back at his son. Ruby did not comment but returned to making the tea. She passed the tea to Scorpius, and then the coffee to her father, who left.
"Thanks Rubes, I'll get you some more pumpkin juice." He said, leaving the office before Ruby could tell him not to worry about it. She sat down at her desk and sighed, it was the first time Scorpius had called her 'Rubes', and she couldn't deny that it sounded good coming from his lips. But he had dropped her hand when his father had walked in; that was significant.
She sat at her desk and filled in some paperwork, Kyle came in and then went for his break. She continued working for another few minutes until the foghorn-like alarm filled the office, someone wasn't breathing, and there was only one patient who it was likely to be.
A/N So a bit of a cliff-hanger for you! What did you think of the Malfoy's, and the Evans wedding?
Next chapter; Ruby and Scorpius have a heart-to-heart.
Thanks to mozie for beta-ing! I will be looking for a new beta within the next few weeks, please PM me if interested (preferably someone familiar with UK English).
fantasyluver714- It was never canon that Lavender died in the war, we just know that she was hurt by Greyback and saved by Hermione, in the film it appears as if she's died but in the books we don't know. I like to think she made it!
witchprincess33- I love Hugo too! He's only young in this story so I'm not really planning a romance for him, just a journey of self-acceptance.
xXMizz Alec VolturiXx- Lavender will be discussed more in a few chapters.
LUG-14- With Charlie and Katie I'm trying to mirror George and Angelina getting together in canon. In my story Katie and George dated for a while whereas in canon it was Fred and Angelina, do you see?