George POV
I lay in bed staring at the ceiling. It was well past one in the morning, but I couldn't sleep. All I could think about was Rose and her aunt, how terrified she'd been and how damn helpless I was in comforting her. I knew her old home situation was awful, and I knew she loved her great aunts, but I didn't know how she could do this.
Silently I tiptoed to the door, cracking it open and wandering over to Rose's room. Without a creak the door slipped open, revealing Rose lying on top of her covers, legs curled around her stomach like an infant. I sighed, knowing I should let her sleep, and began to back away when she stirred and sat up. "George? Is everything alright?" she whispered groggily, rubbing her eyes with the tips of her fingers.
"Yeah, I, uh, er, just wanted to, you know, make sure you got to bed okay, and all," I faltered, embarrassed and nervous. She smiled.
"At two in the morning? What's up?"
"Nothing, I just… your aunt… I don't know, I just should have helped," I muttered, staring at my bare feet. She sighed.
"George, you couldn't have. It's ridiculous to blame yourself. Melinda never, ever does things like that, but when she does there's really no stopping whatever happens. It'll be fine. She'll wake up tomorrow and have a wonderful time with Tonks, Andy and Cissa, just wait and see," she coaxed, lying back against the headboard with another sigh. "You don't mind that they're coming, do you?"
"Of course not. Ron was just being Ron. Although he made a good point; why are Andromeda and Tonks coming at the same time as Narcissa? Aren't they feuding or something?" I asked, walking forward a bit so that I could see her better. The room was pitch black except for the moonlight that feel across the foot of her bed.
"Only to the public," she sighed, and where her previous sighs had been relaxed and serene this one was tired and weary. "Narcissa is really wonderful, it's just, she married much too young and to a man she didn't know too well. They were in love, but Lucius has grown into a very different man than he was. I can see the difference, even in the short time since I was a child," she said. "Come here. We need to sleep and I doubt you can go back into your room without waking your brother," she decided, sliding over to the other edge of her bed to make room for me. Curling up next to her, I found that I was much more tired than I had been before and I drifted off to sleep.
Later - Rose POV
I woke up early, as I sometimes did when there was a busy day ahead, and smiled at the sight of my hibernating boyfriend. Shaking my head I grabbed some clothes and showered very quickly, locking the doors with several spells as well as the usual doorknob switch. I needn't have; even after I'd put on my makeup and styled my hair, George was still asleep. I'd also changed into a cream cocktail dress with bright red polka dots. My hair, neatly curled, was pulled into a bouncy ponytail. As an afterthought I tied a matching red ribbon around it to match the satin sash of my dress.
I tiptoed out of the room barefoot, holding my red flats in one hand and closing the door quietly behind me with the other. Downstairs I could smell Elle preparing something for breakfast, so I decided to pay her company while I thought of everything I had to do today. Elle took care of all the food, usually applying herself to prepare a feast for many more people than were attending, and some of the cleaning, but there were still a few things I took care of. Elle would polish the floors, because for some reason she enjoyed doing it, but I always dusted everything and put new flower arrangements from the garden around the house. I smiled at the gentle house elf as she bustled around the kitchen, greeting me cheerily. She was wearing a sky blue blouse I'd hemmed for her from a child's shirt and a lilac skirt that had come from one of my old ones, which she used for cleaning. She'd change, I was sure, into a dress when the guests were about to arrive; she adored Andromeda and always did her best to please her.
After a few minutes of talking with Elle I walked outside with a basket and clippers and began picking flowers. A few pink and white roses for the front hall, some tulips to scatter around the house, and Tonks' favorite tiger lilies for the dinner table. I carefully put them in clear vases in their designated spots, noting that the front hall had already been neatly polished by Elle, before going back to the kitchen. Ginny sat at the table, staring awkwardly at Draco, but they both turned as I came in.
"Rose!" They exclaimed in relief at once, smiling broadly. Draco quickly regained his composure, but Ginny began chatting excitedly about everything under the sun. Draco had taken special care to dress perfectly for his mother, cousin, and aunt, I noticed with satisfaction. Ginny was wearing jeans and a purple sweater. Setting the last vase of tiger lilies in the center of the table I glanced over at the doorway. Fred and George were coming in, followed closely by Ron and Harry.
"Hermione's in the library. I think she might've spent the night," explained Ron with a smirk.
I laughed. "Where's your great aunt?" asked Harry, sitting next to Ginny and eyeing me curiously.
"She might still be sleeping, or she's reading in her room," I said. "As of this moment I need to track down Elle. She's probably polishing floors," I said, wrinkling my nose in distaste. She was always polishing everything; it was like OCD that she enjoyed. Crazy house elf.
"Why?" asked Hermione, coming in from the side door.
"Because she's insane. Why did you come from the south wing?" I asked, knowing that the only way to that door was through an elaborate maze of hallways.
"I, um, got lost," muttered Hermione. I chuckled.
"You're lucky you found your way out. I got lost there my second day here and I spent a full day wandering it. Thank Merlin Elle found me," I said, remembering. "Andy and the others are coming in an hour for brunch," I thought aloud.
"What bizarre and unnecessary area of the house are you going to make me clean, although no one will walk in it during the whole of the day or, most probably, the next year?" asked Draco, leaning his head back and closing his eyes.
"The south wing. I'm going to need someone with me who can unravel the passageways," I said, ignoring his sarcasm.
"Can we come with you?" asked Ginny eagerly.
"Of course," I said, pulling Draco from his chair and grabbing our wands off the counter.
Heading through the side doorway and into the kitchen Draco and I banished cobwebs and dust from every corner, chatting with the others. They'd all come, even though there was no need, and we had very quick work of it since Hermione and Harry, at least, had brought their wands. We cleaned not only the halls but all the rooms of the south wing, making it altogether a nicer place to be. Usually it seemed haunted, because no one ever came down here anymore. Even Miranda and Melinda had forgotten all the halls and passages; Elle could only find her way about by using her magic to poof through walls. Draco and Draco alone had the wiles to navigate the wing with precision, a trait that mystified me.
We came out just a few minutes before the guests were due to arrive, so it didn't surprise me that Melinda was sitting patiently at the table, hands clasped in her lap. She was dressed in a pale purple high-necked dress and smiled silently at us and we entered. Miranda was sitting across from her, arms crossed, fingers tapping against the cotton of her blue sweater. Under it she wore a dark green sheath dress that was so long it might have had a train. Elle was practically bouncing with excitement. As predicted, she'd changed into a bright yellow sundress I'd made her recently and she'd brushed her hair very neatly.
A knock at the door signaled their arrival so I walked over, nearly slipped on the over-polished floor and opened the door to be nearly tackled by Tonks. "Rose! You're so big! When did I see you last?" exclaimed Narcissa.
I laughed. "A month ago, Aunt Cissa," she smiled at Draco, who had walked up behind me, enveloping him in a chaste hug.
"Yes, well, you've grown since then I'm sure," she said decidedly. I tried not to slip on my way back from the door, but Tonks didn't. She quickly caught onto the slipperiness of the floor, and soon she and an indignant Draco were ice skating over it.
"Let me go, Nymphadora!" he shouted.
"Don't call me that!" she shouted reflexively.
"Then make your hair a reasonable color!" He returned. It was true; her hair was bright blue.
"Never!" she replied, landing them both gracefully, if speedily, next to the table where the floor wasn't as slippery. Harry was desperately trying not to laugh. Fred and George were standing very solemnly, with bright red faces, shaking chests, puffed up cheeks, and eyes shut tight trying not to laugh. Ginny was pinching her wrist and Hermione was biting her lip. None of the older group, however, had any problems with laughing. Miranda, Andromeda, and Narcissa were crying. Melinda was grasping the table trying to regain her breath. Even Elle was snickering.