Chapter 29 Flashes of Ginger
"Age is no guarantee of maturity." –Lawana Blackwell
Draco and Harry were sitting in the peacefully empty Great Hall avoiding their wives and plotting when the doors burst open in a flash of ginger. Harry felt his mouth drop at the stunning array of Weasleys and had the distinct urge to run far, far away.
"Harry!" George announced stepping forward with a big smile on his face. "Heard the news, mate. Ginny wrote us."
"When's the day?" Fred asked just as enthusiastically. The group approached with varying broadness of smiles until they stood just a meter away from the terrified boys.
"Oh, I, um…he…" Harry mumbled unintelligibly and forced a smile back at them. "Ginny?"
"Oh, yes, Dear! It's wonderful, of course. Oh, there's so much to do!" Mrs. Weasley stepped forward and brushed invisible dirt from Harry's face.
"Well," Draco stood seeming to gather his wits, "this looks like a nice, family occasion. I'll just go and-"
"Now, Draco," Mr. Weasley spoke, pulling Draco back to the group, "Hermione is a part of our family too."
"That's very kind of you." Hermione smiled making her way into the hall with Ginny hot on her heels. She turned to her husband, "Well, I haven't seen you around at all today. I'd wondered where you'd gotten to."
"Um…Harry. Talking to Harry. Big plans." Draco nodded encouragingly.
"Really, Harry? You're planning already?" Ginny turned to her boyfriend and smiled at him.
Harry paled several shades and attempted to answer and discretely glare at Draco, "Yes. Mostly bad, painful plans." He thought back to when he and Draco were discussing what Ginny would do them if she found out and paled even further.
"Are you sick, Darling?" Ginny tenderly touched his forehead her face the epitome of concern.
"No. I just need some air." He nodded and walked away mentally chanting to himself that people would be suspicious if he broke into a run.
"Is he quite alright, dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked her youngest child.
"I think he's just a little overwhelmed, Mum." Ginny smiled at her mother.
"Well, this has been lovely, but I need to kidnap my husband for a bit." Hermione smiled at everyone while dragging Draco out of the Great Hall.
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"Have you been avoiding me?" Hermione asked calmly as soon as Draco was securely trapped in their rooms and the portrait was closed. Draco squirmed uncomfortably in his seat and avoided eye contact. "Fine. Have you thought about what you did?"
"Yes, mum." Draco mumbled. Hermione glared dangerously at him and he attempted to smile at her.
"As you saw, Ginny invited her family and told them all the wonderful news. Too bad the news isn't wonderful to the future groom and we're the only ones that know, right?" Hermione sat herself next to him on the couch and delicately crossed her legs.
"Look. I feel bad, alright? But I didn't make that tosser do anything!" Draco yelled in a last ditch effort to salvage his marriage and his sex life.
Hermione sighed. "I told Ginny."
Draco froze for a second then pinched himself. "How am I still alive?"
"Oh. Ginny was ready to kill you, don't worry. I simply suggested an alternate method of torture." Hermione smiled sweetly at him and patted his leg before standing and shutting herself in the bedroom.
Draco stayed planted to the couch. "Oh shit."
&&&
Harry plucked at the grass around him adding to the gradually growing pile of blades in front of him. He hadn't expected the wave of guilt that hit him when he saw the Weasleys. It would be hard to explain to their eager faces that he wasn't going to marry Ginny. Well, not anytime soon. It would be hard enough to tell Ginny that.
Harry looked out at the lake and thought about his life. This situation was like that lake. It looked calm and beautiful but as soon as one little pebble was thrown in, the monster would rise up and break the serenity.
"I hear the troop arrived this morning." Ron sat gently next to him. Harry didn't know what to say to his former best friend anymore. "I guess it's time to come clean, right? Tell them everything."
"Ron, I don't need this right now. Not today." Harry groaned and let himself fall back onto the hard ground.
"I figured. I hear your going to marry my sister." Ron stared out across the very lake Harry had been so mesmerized with moments earlier.
"That's up in the air. After we talk all I can hope is that she still wants to be with me. And that her brothers don't kill me in the meantime."
Ron sat silently processing the information. "Ginny's not easy."
"No kidding." Harry agreed before they both lapsed into silence.
A/N: It took way too long and I have no excuses for you. Big changes in my life…As of yet, I'm not sure exactly where the next chapter is going. I'm hoping to have this finished in Chapter 32 then continued another sequel.
Reviews: Thanks to everyone who actually read the story this far and I look forward to hearing from whoever is willing to stick with my volatile updating.
Alenor: I hope Draco's smugness was significantly wiped for you!
a walk in the dark: Well…um…haha. Sorry. Just be very glad I didn't go into graphics!
Sarah: Yeah…sorry about the update thing…
iamdracosgirl: Oh yes…revenge…sweet revenge…cackles
DracoMalfoyFan: Thank you! I love happy reviews!
sexyslytherin27: Oh, I am going to test Draco's will…
apparateawayhp13: I really hope you got some sleep…and you liked that chapter when you could comprehend it.
Angel5blue5: Well, I'm sure it's not quite the couch you were looking for yet…but Draco's going to be spending a bit of time there.
. stfu its Kaley .: Thanks. I like to rock…
bluebaby3296: I love that you love everything!
xoKaSsIeox: Haha…the enthusiasm…that's comforting…
Sunflower18: Well, it's here. Not sure it's asap…but it's here.
dmhg: I'm glad your exams went well…you've probably had more already…oh, dear…
