Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter series. But, after much deliberation and planning, I've finally come up with a way for me to be with Tom Felton and everyone be happy! We'll push his 'longtime girlfriend' Jade in front of a bus, I'll kidnap him and he'll fall in love with me! Then, I'll clone the love of my life and, though I'll keep the original Tom, everyone who wants to be with him could! Now, who wants a Tom clone?
Another update? So fast? This is great! As the due date for my impending research paper grows closer, I start procrastinating more. I'm sure you'll see another chapter soon because of it. I hate my English class.
To Samantha.D: Don't worry dear, this story isn't over till I say "THE END!" And trust me, that day isn't coming anytime soon! As for the abundance of Ginny's POV, don't worry about it. I know you all enjoy the Draco POV but I have a plan with all the of Ginny's. You'll find out why soon enough!
Okay, so one major concern here. What has happened? I used to get an average of ten reviews a chapter and now that number is sadly dwindling. I have at least one or two faithful reviewers that have been with me from the almost very beginning and that never fail to review (you two know who you are and I thank you oodles!) but for some reason, nobody else is bothering to review much. I haven't had a chapter with a double digit number of reviews since chapter 37. The last two have been the worst. I got five for chapter 42 and only four for chapter 43. Am I doing something wrong? Has my writing gotten worse? Please, I feel like I'm failing you guys! What's wrong?
Okay, so now that that's out in the open, I'll leave the author note there. Sorry it was kind of long. I haven't got much to say other than I hope you enjoy the chapter!
Without further ado:
Chapter 44
Ginny POV
The dim morning light filtered into my small bedroom through the pink curtains that had been hanging there since my birth. Opening my eyes sleepily, I took in the oh so familiar surroundings. The same quilt that had resided on my bed since I was a little girl was keeping me warm, the same faded curtains hung on the window, the same white and pealing dresser sat against the wall. For a moment, as I lay in the familiar room still half asleep, I felt like a little girl again.
I wouldn't have been surprise to see Mum poking her head in to wake me up for breakfast or to hear the sound of Fred and George torturing Ron. It would felt right to hear Percy crowing about the noise or Charlie trudging his way down the stairs, complaining about being woken up. I could almost hear Bill and Dad talking about random muggle gadgets.
And then, to my surprise, Mum did poke her head in. "Ginny dear, breakfast is nearly ready," she said with a smile, the apron tied around her ample waist dusted with flower.
With a yawn, I sat up and pushed the blanket down. "Okay, Mum," I said with an answering smile. "I'll be down in a few." I stretched as I swung my legs over the side of the bed.
Shutting the door behind her, Mum left to go finish breakfast. I was always the last to be woken up, needing the least amount of time before I actually got out of bed. As I was pulling my nightgown off I heard the sound of Ron's screaming followed by the laugher of Fred and George from across the hall. I couldn't help but smile. I was home.
Breakfast was a huge affair. It was the first time the family had all been together in so long with nobody else around. There were no order members scattered about the table, no visiting family friends. Mum and Dad already considered Harry and Hermione family, so they were counted among their children. So, breakfast was with just the family.
Over full plates of biscuits and gravy, pancakes, bacon, eggs and sausage we all got to catch up with each other. It wasn't like we never got to see each other, but it was so rare for all of us to be home at the same time nowadays. Charlie, who spent a great deal of time in Romania at the dragon refuge where he worked, had taken a few days off to come home. And even the prick of an older brother Percy was joining us this morning, having realized how stupid he'd been when the war had fully broken out.
Mum had been thrilled the day he'd showed up at the door, his face downcast and tear filled eyes. She had welcomed him home with open arms and he'd apologized profusely to both her and Dad. Git though he could be, he was okay for the most part nowadays. He'd learned his lesson the hard way not to let power and status go to his head.
Fred and George were sitting on either side of a very grumpy Ron who had evidently been woken by his pillow being transformed into a spider. I could see Harry stifling laugher each time it was brought up, trying to stay faithful to his best friend. Hermione on the other hand had no problem laughing at Ron. She found it hysterical.
Mum was fawning over Fleur almost the entire meal, spooning more and more food onto her plate every time she looked away to talk to Bill or someone. Mum was convinced she wasn't eating enough for the growing child inside of her. It was never any wonder why all the Weasley babies came out at near eight to ten pounds.
Bill would simply smile each time he noticed more eggs or bacon appear on his wife's plate. He, Dad and Charlie were discussing the latest standings in Quidditch. The Holly Head Harpies, my favorite team, was currently dominating. There were closely followed by the Chudley Cannons, a fact that Ron was ecstatic about. If things kept going like they had been, the two teams would be playing against one another at the annual Quidditch World Cup.
The whole family was happy and exuberant and for once it was like the war wasn't happening. All worries about when the next raid would be were gone, no worries about who would get hurt or who would get captured. It was just like when I was a little girl. I could close my eyes and imagine ten years ago. The only new voices would be those of Harry and Hermione but they belonged here as much as the rest of us.
As Mum set the dishes to clear themselves and brought out the coffee, we all settled into the crowded living room. Fred and George were talking about the shop. It was amazing how well it was thriving even under such conditions. It was like a bubble of happiness that not even Voldemort himself could pop.
They were the geniuses behind the jokes and, even though Mum still huffed about them throwing education down the drains, they were doing very well. With such a thriving store, they were raking in the galleons. Both sported new dragon hide jackets with the Weasley's Wizard Wheezes logo on the back.
They got customers from all places and all walks of life coming into their store. It was the one place that people could get away from the war, away from their troubles, and just have fun. Even if a nut wasn't spent, no trip to the famous joke shop was a waste.
As we sat around, relaxing and letting the huge meal digest, Fred and George were telling us about some of their customers. Just as news of the war had spread all over the wizarding world, so did the news of the thriving Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Just the other day a couple American girls had strode into the shop, braving the heart of the war to go there.
Though they hesitate at first, the two young women soon found themselves entranced by the jokesters and their shop. It was obvious to everyone there that Fred and George were not just excited that they had customers from all over to globe now, but were a little more than entrance themselves by the American girls. I could see Mum smiling knowingly at Dad as Fred and George rambled on.
Soon the conversation turned to Bill and the ever so pregnant Fleur. She was doing quite well and, with the help of Mum's cooking, was growing quite well. Fleur wasn't so happy about losing her figure but she resigned herself to her fate so long as it meant she could have the baby. The soon to be parents raved about the new baby room and how everything was ready. Mum and Dad were thrilled that the due date was soon. They couldn't wait to meet their first grandchild.
The rest of the day was spent together. After lunch all of my brothers and I, along with Harry, all went out to the field to play Quidditch. With a fresh coat of snow on the ground from last night and the fairly strong wind, even the warming charms that Mum had put on all of our cloaks wasn't enough for long. But, it was too fun a game to give up on such a small thing as the cold.
After a while though, I did give up, and landed in the pristine snow near the edge of the clearing. Charlie, George and Ron all looked disappointed since they would be losing a member of their team. To keep the numbers even, Harry too decided to pull out of the game. As the boys in the air stopped to adjust positions, having one team lost a seeker and the other a chaser, Harry landed beside me and put his broom over his shoulder.
"You didn't have to pull out of the game," I said apologetically as we walked back towards the Burrow. "I'm sure you guys could have figured out the uneven numbers. It's not like Percy's much of a help to any team anyway. He's never been the best at Quidditch. Both teams would have been equally matched." I laughed as shifted my broom and pulled my warm cloak tighter around me.
"I don't mind," Harry said with shrug and a laugh of his own. "I was getting cold. If I'd been up in the air much longer, you'd have had to unfreeze me from my broom." He too pulled his cloak tighter around him. Winter had set in with a vengeance this year.
I let out a small laugh at that, knowing how he'd felt. I felt like my fingers would never be warm again and my toes felt like blocks of ice. Harry and I walked in silence for a few moments, the trek back up to the house seeming to take forever in the cold.
"I don't know about you," I said as we walked up to the garden gate, "but I think I'll have a nice big mug of hot chocolate when we get in."
Harry held the gate open for me before following me into the yard. The ground that was usually filled with Mum's plants was now covered in snow. Looking back over the fence, I smiled at the small winter wonderland. In the distance I could see my brothers still playing Quidditch.
"Hot chocolate sounds amazing," Harry said as we made our way to the house.
A blast of heat met us as I opened the back door into the kitchen. With a sigh of relief, Harry shut the door and we both peeled off wet cloaks and soaked socks and shoes. Tossing my gloves onto the small table by the door, I walked over to the cupboard and pulled out two of the biggest mugs I could find.
I could hear Mum, Dad, Hermione and Fleur in the living room chatting away. I expected Harry to join them but he surprised me by coming up beside me at the counter. "Do you need any help?" he asked, taking the mugs and setting them beside the stove.
Smiling at my friend, I grabbed a saucepan from the cabinet beside the stove. "Sure," I answered as I set the pan down and lit the fire on the stove. "I can show you how to make Mum's famous hot chocolate. You'll have never tasted anything better!" I could feel my mouth watering at the prospect already.
"Sound fun," Harry said with a grin.
As we prepared the hot chocolate, a process that didn't take too long thankfully since we were both still chilled from the cold, I took him though it step by step. Having been raised my muggles, he was used to packaged hot chocolate. It was nothing compared to the homemade hot chocolate that Mum had taught me to make.
Finally filling the mugs to almost the brim with steamy hot chocolate, I set the rest back on the stove to stay warm for the others when they came inside. There was no such thing as making just a little bit of Mum's hot chocolate.
I let out a satisfied sigh when I took my first sip of the hot liquid. Wrapping my cold fingers around the warm mug, I settled into a chair at the long table to enjoy my beverage. Glancing over the rim of my cup, I could see Harry's face light up at his first taste. "You're right Gin," he said as he took a seat next to me. "This is the most amazing hot chocolate I've ever tasted."
I giggled and took another sip, wanting to drink more than such a little bit at a time but unable to since it was so hot. "I told you so," I said with a smile. As I blew on the liquid in my mug in hopes of cooling it off a bit, we both slipped into a comfortable silence.
My mind drifted to Draco. I wondered if he'd ever stood in the kitchen with his mum as a little boy and made hot chocolate. Somehow, I doubted it. If he ever wanted any, he probably just has to snap his fingers and demand it from a house elf. I frowned, picturing how his childhood must have been.
I smiled though as I thought about making hot chocolate with him much like I just had with Harry. He would enjoy it much more than he'd let on. One of his biggest weaknesses was chocolate and to him, this would be like liquid heaven. I tried not to frown as I wondered if I'd ever be able to do that with him. Would we ever have a normal life like that? Would we ever even be able to tell people about our relationship?
It didn't matter how difficult our relationship would be, had been. It would always be worth it. If I had to keep my relationship with him a secret for the rest of my life, I would, even if that had many repercussions on my life. It would be worth it to be with Draco.
We had always kind of avoided talking about the future, Draco and I. We both knew it would be difficult, no matter what. I thought about it much more than I let on though. Growing up, I'd always wanted a family of my own. I wanted children running around a home filled with love. But, how could I have children with Draco if we had to hide our relationship to keep each other safe? Would we ever live together? Would we ever have a home of our own? Would we ever get to have children?
The only time this subject had really been brought up was when he gave me the Malfoy family heirloom, the dragon necklace. That day, he'd promised that he'd make me a Malfoy someday. I held on to that hope as best I could, a hope of a happy future together. That was all I could do, hope and pray.
Right now though, I'd just be happy to see him alive and well. I wouldn't care if we ever got married so long as I could feel his arms around me, his lips on mine, his voice in my ear again. I missed him so much.
I frowned and shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts as I took another sip of hot chocolate. I could not dwell on such thoughts, not today. Today was too good a day to ruin worry with fears of the future. Tomorrow would come soon enough for that. I let out a sigh and sat my mug on the table, keeping my hands around the warm cup.
"Are you alright?" Harry asked from beside me.
I looked up to see his worried green eyes. "Yeah," I said softly, "my thoughts just ran away with me, I guess."
Looking at him, I remembered a time when I would have given anything to be with the boy before me. I could remember fawning after him for years. Eventually, I'd stopped after Luna pointed out that he might want me as just a friend before he could see me as more than just his best friends little sister. I'd pushed my feelings down then and had really become friends with Harry.
He was a great friend and, even though sometimes I felt left out when I was with him, Ron and Hermione, I'd always enjoyed his friendship. I was afraid that he'd never see me as more than a friend, though. But, as time passed, I grew okay with that. At one point my fifth year, I could tell he'd finally begun to share the feelings I'd had for him since I was young, but by then I'd really met Draco. By then, those feelings for the Boy Who Lived were gone.
I wondered why, sometimes, things in life turned out like they did. I couldn't imagine not being with Draco now, not loving him. I couldn't see my life anymore without him. He was a part of me, he completed me. But what would my life be like if I'd walked away from him that first night at the lake, rather than sitting down? Would I be with Harry? Would I be happy? Could I be happy?
Taking a gulp of my hot chocolate, it having cooled down enough now, I looked up at Harry again. He was staring at me, as if waiting for me to sort thought my thoughts. He was a great friend and I loved him dearly, but in the way I loved Ron or Bill or any of my brothers. Could I have loved him as more if Draco hadn't been in the picture?
With Harry, my future would be clear and as untroubled as any future was with the war looming over us. One day, we'd have gotten married. With him, I'd be able to safely have kids and not worry about if I was doing the right thing, if something bad would come of it. Ron would be ecstatic to have him as a brother. My parents would be happy; they already considered him part of the family.
They wouldn't be happy with Draco. I might not even be able to tell them about him. My future with him was shrouded in shadows. What would it be like? Would we get married? Would we have kids? I frowned at the thought of not knowing what was to come.
"Sorry," I said quietly to Harry, finally pushing all the worried and conflicting thoughts away. "I've been worried lately, worried about the future." I let out a sigh and sat my near empty cup down before pulling my feet up onto the chair and hugging my knees. "I hate worrying."
Harry too sat his cup down and reached out to put his hand on mine. "It's okay, Gin," he said softly. "It's okay to be scared you know. But, don't worry yourself too much. I'm doing all I can to make the future safe for you, we all are."
I looked up at him from where I'd laid my head on my knees. "Thanks, Harry," I said, my eyes filling with tears. Scooting his chair closer to mine, he pulled me into an embrace, holding me to him. I let myself relax against his side, laying my head on his shoulder. I let him hold me and let his warm arms chase away my fears.
He said nothing as I cried softly, the fears and doubts I'd had welling up and spilling over. I didn't want to think about the future, as unclear as it was. I wanted to know for certain that Draco and I would get our happily ever after. I cried also for the boy whose arms were holding me tightly. Did his feelings for me extend beyond friendship now? Would I end up hurting him to be with Draco? That thought simply made me cry harder.
Did you like it? Was it okay? I know you guys haven't reviewed much lately and that saddens me greatly. I'm trying my best to improve, to make it better for you guys but I don't know what I'm doing wrong! Please, talk to me, review, help me out here. Is my story still okay? Am I failing you guys?
BJ doesn't have much to ask for, other than some nice long reviews to help him out. For once he had been starving and weak, he grew healthy and strong. Sadly now, for some reason he feels like you've all abandoned him. Do you still love our metaphorical starving six-and-a-half-year-old Bob Jughead XIV? Let him know you still care!
Thank you guys for reading my story, it means the world to me really! I love each of you dearly! I'd like to think of my story like Fred and George's shop, a place (or in this case a story) for people from all over and all walks of life. You each mean the world to me! Thank YOU very much for reading! And no, this isn't then end! Trust me, it isn't the end! I just wanted to thank you!
And remember, a happy author writes better and faster! So review and make me happy!