AN: My readers are in luck; I'm currently on holidays so I was able to write more. I remain 10 chapters ahead and just couldn't leave you all hanging!

Draco was absent at lunch. Molly pursed her lips and glared in the direction of the trees he had disappeared into but refrained from saying anything.

"What happened?" Ginny asked bluntly.

Hermione wasn't sure how sensitive Draco would be to sharing information. She did know how persistent her friends could be though.

"The book I got from Snape isn't about Nargles; to me and Draco it is a book about a male Veela who emerged in 1452."

Harry paused to regard her worriedly, "Why is Malfoy so upset?"

"I'd prefer to speak to him about that first," Hermione said quietly.

Ron was wearing the silly grin which usually preceded an ill-timed joke, "Maybe he has discovered that Hermione is not his mate; it's actually McLaggen."

Ginny grimaced at him, "Gross Ron; we're trying to eat here."

Arthur and Molly chose to ignore the immature bickering around the table. They shared an exasperated glance before excusing themselves.

"We are going to see Dromeda and Narcissa for a few hours," Molly informed the teenagers, "George; are you responsible enough to ensure no-one sneaks off to do something inappropriate?"

"Not at all," George replied happily.

"That's why Wixon and Moxie will be watching," Molly sighed, "No alcohol either."

"Mother dear; you are sucking all the joy out of life," George sighed.

"You'll thank me when you remain sober," Molly said sternly.

Arthur turned to his only daughter, "Keep in mind what we discussed Gin."

Ginny rolled her eyes and encouraged them to leave. George waited until his parents had vacated the premises to turn to his sister with a grin.

"So, what was discussed? We want all the gruesome, humiliating details."

Ginny regarded her brother for a few long moments. Only Hermione realized that George had provoked his sister a little too much.

"Well," Ginny began innocently, "Angelina told me that Fred was behind her while you -"

"Enough!" George cried, "Dear Merlin; why do girls talk about stuff like that?"

"As if boys don't," Hermione laughed.

"There was no need," Ginny, agreed, "Since he and Fred were both present for -"

Harry and Ron were looking around nervously, "I don't think I want to know what you lot are talking about," Harry decided.

"What about you Ron?" Ginny asked, "Do you want to hear about parental comments on my sex life or the threesome Angelina had with Fred and George?"

Ron shook his head; apparently forming words was not possible while he was so horrified.

"When did you become so evil?" George demanded of his sister.

Ginny just smirked at him silently. Harry was watching his fiancée with a dreamy expression; he loved watching her verbally beat up her brothers. Even when she was using her sharp tongue on him, she was hot. On Sunday she had proved that her tongue could be used for other purposes too.

"Harry!" George yelled, "What are you daydreaming about? I asked 'how you could put up with my shrew of a sister?'."

"She's amazing and she puts up with all of my weirdness; what's not to love?" Harry wondered.

Ginny beamed at him before turning to George, "See? Harry is a gentleman who loves me for me; even the moody, demanding parts. You can't look at me without seeing a silly little girl."

"You'll always be my silly little sister," George cooed.

"Get stuffed George," Ginny instructed, "Ask out Angelina before she realizes you are a complete dork incapable of recognising a fine witch right under his nose."

Harry was frowning, which Hermione found interesting. He had been gazing adoringly at Ginny only a few seconds earlier.

"What's up Harry?" she asked as the siblings continued bickering.

Ron had taken the clever way out; he was still eating.

Harry had realized something very disturbing as he watched Ginny bait her brother over the dining table. He had gotten used to Malfoy adding snarky comments to rile people up and he missed the aggravating wizard's wit.

"It feels weird without Malfoy here backing up Ginny and trying to piss off Ron," Harry admitted.

Ron gaped at his friend in disbelief. George leaned over to check Harry's forehead temperature with the back of his hand while Ginny giggled.

"You're not missing that git are you?" Ron asked worriedly.

Harry was clearly confused, "I'm not sure."

"He was quite tolerable yesterday," George mused.

"You were drunk," Ron pointed out, "I could probably tolerate Umbridge if I was pissed."

"He's funny when he wants to be," Ginny said with a shrug.

"Don't start listing tolerable traits," Ron said while waving a napkin at her, "He's an obnoxious git and always will be."

"I miss him," Hermione admitted softly.

Ginny was still smiling, "Well, he has been working overtime to charm you this past week."

"Girl talk!" Ron cooed, "Excuse me while I go out to the swamp and drown myself."

"You're excused," George said dismissively, "Now Hermione, tell me; is Malfoy a good kisser?"

Hermione laughed at the way he was fluttering his eyelashes at her.

"Or is it like wrestling a wet snake back into his mouth? Snakes don't brush their teeth; does he have terrible breath?" George waited expectantly.

"As if I'd tell you anything," Hermione laughed, "I might go ask Angela for some intimate details about you though."

George glared at her, "She couldn't tell us apart at the time. Anything bad was not my fault."

Ron pushed his plate away, "You lot are making me want to hurl. I would prefer to listen to Malfoy babble rubbish."

"I think he's grown on us," Ginny admitted thoughtfully, "Like moss on a rock."

"Or an annoying callous," Harry agreed, "You wish it wasn't there but after a while you don't notice it anymore."

"Are you comparing my boyfriend to something growing on your foot?" Hermione asked incredulously.

"More like a fungus," George clarified, "As long as it is quiet and doesn't make anyone itch in their -"

Ginny burst into laughter, "He makes Hermione itch. How long until he gets to scratch it I wonder?"

Ron pushed his chair back and stomped from the room while muttering about disgusting conversations and never wanting to eat again.

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Draco was enjoying the peace of the scruffy little forest. The novelty of a big family was rapidly fading into annoyance at the lack of privacy.

A dwelling as large as the Manor would be large enough to install twenty annoying Weasley's and leave room to build an indoor pool next to the Quidditch pitch. After Hermione had been tortured there he had resolved never to live there if he could help it.

Draco wondered if Hermione would prefer a different property or if demolishing the Manor and rebuilding would be an option; the Quidditch pitch was quite convenient.

He heard Potter and Weasley arguing from a considerable distance. He glanced around for an escape route before casting a disillusionment charm on himself. If they were determined to annoy him, they would have to find him first.

"Malfoy!" Potter called in an irritated tone, "Get over here; we need to talk to you."

The noises of the forest were the only reply. Draco smirked at how easy it was to annoy the Dopey Duo.

"Hermione owes us for this," Weasley muttered, "She needs to get a leash for her ferret boyfriend."

"You can't call him that after Friday," Potter said absently as he scanned the forest for the missing wizard.

"Well I can today and tomorrow," Weasley replied, "After that I will only think it."

Draco rolled his eyes and repressed the urge to let the sharp retort about Weasley finally learning to think fly through the air toward the redhead.

"Bloody coward; he's hiding," Potter decided.

Weasley scowled and raised his wand, "Expecto Patronum! You are an annoying ferret."

A pale blue shape burst from the tip of his wand and raced toward Draco. He watched the small dog pause in front of him and announce the message.

"Stop being a git Malfoy," Potter said as he stomped over to stand behind the fading Patronus.

"Can you teach me that spell?" Draco asked.

"Take the charm off first," Weasley said with a frown.

Draco reversed the disillusionment charm but made no move to stand up.

"Why are you two here?"

"Ginny volunteered us," Weasley muttered, "She has some crazy idea about us becoming 'friends'."

All three of them scoffed at that ridiculous idea.

"Hermione, Ginny and George went to visit Dromeda and Teddy," Potter informed him, "If you sulk out here for too long your mother might send you a Howler or something."

"I'm not sulking," Draco complained, "I'm brooding."

"Same shit, different smell," Weasley decided.

"Sulking is for children," Draco argued, "Brooding is for mature adults who manage to retain their dignity and good looks while dealing with their issues."

"Still full of rubbish," Potter observed as he sat down next to a nearby tree, "It's good to see that some things never change."

"So what are you brooding about?" Weasley asked though he wasn't particularly interested.

"None of your business."

"Hermione isn't happy; don't you have a Veela need to keep her happy or something?" Potter asked.

"Her safety is the top priority," Draco said flatly.

"Are you a danger to her?" Weasley asked in an ominous tone, "Is that what the book said?"

"She told you about the book," Draco muttered, "Of course she bloody did."

"We're her friends," Weasley pointed out.

Potter broke a twig in his hands and threw the pieces at Malfoy, "Maybe yours too, you annoying prat."

"Friends?" Malfoy laughed.

"Not me," Weasley added, "I think you're like moss."

"Weasley, that doesn't make any sense," Draco said as he threw one of the twig pieces back at Potter.

Ron watched his best friend study the irritating blonde through a haze of boredom. If Malfoy wanted to sulk in the forest he was happy to let him. Hermione would drag him out by his ear eventually if she wanted his company.

Unfortunately, Harry was not easily swayed from the lingering hero complex he had been accused of in the past. Even though Malfoy was clearly a lost cause who needed to be obliviated so his personality could be started again from scratch, Harry seemed to think he could do something to help.

"You don't make sense Malfoy," Harry replied with a frown, "Why are you out here having a sook when you could be discussing the problem with Hermione?"

"There is nothing to discuss," Draco said sharply.

"Good enough for me," Ron said brightly, "Come on Harry; let's leave him to sulk in peace."

"I don't know why you came looking for me in the first place," Draco said dismissively.

"You're an arsehole Malfoy but you're not evil," Harry said crossly, "If you're going to be hanging around Hermione we should try to be friends or something."

"Unless you're a danger to her," Weasley added, "You didn't deny that by the way."

Draco met the suspicious eyes of the redhead, "Her life would be so much easier if she wanted to marry you and have a herd of children."

"Probably, but she'd get bored," Weasley said with a shrug, "I want a whole heap of kids and she wants a maximum of three when she's in a good mood. She wants to change the world; I just want a modest house where I can relax and enjoy myself."

"She'd be safe with you," Draco muttered, not realizing he was speaking aloud.

"But not with you," Potter said darkly, "I'd like you to explain that line of reasoning very quickly Malfoy."

Draco found their glared oddly amusing. They had fought their share of Dark Wizards and then some but he had lived with the Dark Bastard and regularly faced him in his nightmares. Their attempts to intimidate were unsuccessful.

His regard for Hermione added an unexpected dimension to his reasoning. He wasn't ready to face her after reading that book and she needed the meddlesome gits to support her.

"What exactly did she tell you about that book?"