Chapter 11: Not How I Thought It Would Be

Ginny took a gulp of wine (a celebratory treat from Bill and Fleur) and tried to keep her mind on the conversation at hand. For the past half hour, her parents and brothers had been grilling the trio on their journey and everything that had happened.

"We've been in Romania for the past nine weeks," Ron was saying, enthusiastically shoveling down spoonfuls of beef stew. "In pretty uninhabited areas. We were looking for the final Horcrux…we'd heard that Rowena Ravenclaw had hidden her diadem somewhere there. But Voldemort must've got wind of where we were, because he followed us. And turned out he had the diadem with him, so we were able to destroy that and then…well…." He turned to Harry, obviously expecting his friend to take up the story, but Harry just motioned for him to continue.

"Well," said Ron, the wind leaving his sails somewhat, "That's where it all finally…happened."

"And we Apparated here as soon as we could," Hermione added.

"That's why things started to improve here months ago," Charlie said. "You-Know-Who and his Death Eaters were all following you to Romania?"

Ron shrugged. "Must be."

"It certainly felt like all of his Death Eaters were there with him, didn't it, Harry? When they all came out of the forest like that?" Hermione added.

"Yeah, it was intimidating, for sure," Harry acknowledged.

Ginny watched Ron and Hermione try, yet again, to draw Harry into the conversation. So far, they weren't having much success. Harry wasn't being rude, of course, but he was definitely quieter than she would have expected, considering the circumstances. He was following the conversation, turning politely to each person who spoke, but he rarely contributed more than a few words in answer to a direct question. Every once in a while, Ginny would glance over to catch him looking at her. He always looked away immediately.

"What about those rumors that you were in Italy? Were you really out of the country as much as we heard?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"No, we were never in Italy," Hermione said. "But we did travel a lot. We were in the south of France for a while, and Ireland for a good amount of time…where else, Ron?"

Ron swallowed a scoop of mashed potatoes. "Erm…we spent that week in Edinburgh…what a disaster…."

"Geneva," Harry volunteered. "We were in Geneva for two months last April."

Ginny nearly choked on her stew. She looked up to see everyone staring at her. Percy cleared his throat. "Ginny and Draco were living in Geneva for about two years," he said, by way of explanation.

Ron's eyes widened, and he opened his mouth to speak, but Hermione quickly cut him off. "Oh, really? When were you…two…there?"

Ginny shot Ron a warning glare. She still couldn't believe the things he'd said to her in the backyard earlier, and she just dared him to repeat them in front of the whole family. "We just got back, actually. Tonight was our big welcome home dinner."

"Oh," Hermione said, surprised.

"So it was perfect-timing that you three came home today, actually," Mrs. Weasley added.

"And what exactly were you doing in Geneva?" Ron said. He almost managed to keep the question from sounding accusatory. Almost.

"I was teaching Charms," Ginny said, "at the international magic school there."

"Can you imagine?" Fred said, "Dozens of Swiss schoolchildren armed with Ginny's particularly potent version of the Bat Bogey Hex. What a nightmare!"

The whole family laughed, including Ron, and Ginny even noticed a small smile on Harry's lips.

"And Draco," Bill said, obviously trying to ride the wave of good-humor through the palpable tension, "was working at Rainiers."

"The bank?" Ron said, seeming genuinely surprised.

"Yeah," Draco said, speaking for the first time, "I was doing portfolios management for them."

"Well that's exciting…," Hermione said slowly.

"He's got an interview at Gringotts tomorrow, actually. Hoping to continue in banking," Bill continued.

"Well that's a surprise," Ron said, giving a derisive snort.

Ginny felt Draco stiffen beside her. She placed a calming hand on his thigh. "What's that supposed to mean?" he said tensely.

"Oh," Hermione said quickly, "Ron didn't mean…well, it's only…you didn't seem to have those ambitions at school…."

"We all just assumed you'd live off Daddy's money your whole life," Harry interjected, meeting Draco's gaze full-on. Ginny felt the dislike running between them like a charge. "You never seemed very interested in doing anything useful."

Ginny wished she could just disappear. She squeezed Draco's thigh in the hopes of keeping him from rising to Harry's bait, but she knew him too well to expect him to take that lying down.

"Well when Ginny decided to take that job in Geneva," Draco responded coolly, "I knew I had to find something to do there. I wasn't about to just…abandon her. It probably wouldn't have taken long for some other bloke to win her over."

Ginny froze in horror, and she felt everyone else at the table do the same. She glared sharply at Draco, but he was still staring straight at Harry, the slightest hint of a smirk playing around his lips. What he'd said had been a flat out lie – she'd followed him to Geneva, not the other way around. His comment had been a calculated barb.

Harry was regarding Draco with barely concealed hatred now, but instead of responding he just pushed his chair back from the table. It made a harsh scraping sound against the floor.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Weasley," he said softly, "This was a really great meal, thank you. But I just need to get some air." And with that, he turned on his heel and left the room. There was a sharp clap as the back door closed behind him.

Ginny turned to Draco. "What the hell was that?" she hissed.

Draco looked back at her confusedly, and the fact that he didn't understand why she was angry only infuriated her further. "That was cruel and uncalled for," she added in an undertone, sliding her own chair back and standing.

"Thanks for dinner, Mum," she added briefly. And she followed Harry out the door.

"Harry, wait!" She spotted him walking toward the wooded area behind the house and jogged to catch up to him.

"Harry, wait!" she called again as she came up beside him. They had passed the edge of the woods and were now out of sight of the house.

"I'm sorry about Draco," Ginny said, putting a hand on his arm to try to get him to face her.

"Don't," Harry said, shaking her away. His voice was harsh. Ginny sighed; this wasn't going to be easy. She let her arm fall and just walked beside him.

"Look, I'm sorry about what he said," she began again. "He just wasn't expecting to see all of you tonight, and he was nervous and on edge…." She knew this wasn't the whole truth. Whatever part of Draco had made him tell a lie in order to throw that last barb had been motivated by his long-standing dislike of Harry and maybe…jealousy? But she had to defend him.

Harry exhaled wearily, and Ginny could tell by the way he ran an agitated hand through his hair that he was trying to decide whether or not to say something. "He wasn't nervous and on edge, Gin," he said, "Don't you see? He's Malfoy, for Merlin's sake…."

"Can't you understand why he would be nervous to see you three?" Ginny interrupted. "You never really got along in school and…."

"And why do you think that is, Ginny?" Harry said, voice rising, "It's because he's a complete shite! He never misses an opportunity to put people down and take what isn't his. And he bloody enjoys it! He rubs it in their faces and then sits there smirking like a complete…."

"You don't know him at all," Ginny cut in defensively.

"Don't I?" Harry continued, green eyes boring into her. "Isn't that what happened here?"

"First off," Ginny said, stepping back, "he didn't 'take what wasn't his.' I'm not your property, Harry Potter, and I never was. You're the one who broke it off, or have you conveniently forgotten that?"

"But everyone knew that when we got back…that you and I…."

"Well, that's just the thing, isn't it?" Ginny said, "You may have known, Hermione and Ron may have known, but I didn't know. We didn't hear from you for four years, Harry. I didn't know if you were alive or dead! Did you expect me to just sit around and wait for you…?"

"No!" Harry said vehemently, "I didn't think…I mean, I hoped…but I didn't expect…."

"Then what?" Ginny challenged.

"Did it have to be Malfoy!" Harry exploded. The words hung in the air, and after a moment Harry broke their gaze and sat down on a log beside them. When he continued his voice was soft. "Look, Gin," he said, "I hoped that when I came back that we could maybe figure out how to be together again, I won't deny it. But I'm realistic. I knew there was a possibility that you had moved on. And I could have been okay – happy for you, even – if it had been Dean or Neville or someone…someone who was good for you. But Malfoy? How am I supposed to be happy for you when I know you're making a huge mistake?"

Ginny sighed and sat down beside him. She put her hand over his, and he didn't push her away this time. "Draco is good for me, Harry. We've been through a lot together in the past four years. And people can change. You must believe that."

Harry snorted. "I don't know if I do, actually," he said. "Most of the people I've met in my life have been pretty much good or evil."

Ginny didn't say anything. She knew that that was true. And she didn't blame Harry, really, considering their history, for being hostile toward Draco.

Harry exhaled. "So what are we going to do?" he said finally.

"I don't know," Ginny said. "This isn't exactly how I thought all this would be."

Harry laughed mirthlessly. "Yeah, me neither."

"Do you think we can be friends?" Ginny asked tentatively.

Harry rubbed a hand over his eyes. He hesitated, and Ginny realized that she was holding her breath. "I don't know, Gin," he said. "I want to, I really do. I missed you…."

Ginny heard his breath hitch, and she moved closer. "I missed you too," she said honestly, resting her head against his shoulder. He sighed, and his arms came around her. They sat like that in silence, the night sounds beginning to fill the air around them.

"We can try," Harry said finally. "Let's just try."

"But you have to promise to try with Draco, too," Ginny insisted. "He's different now, you'll see."

Harry snorted. "No promises."

"Okay," Ginny said.

"And I can't promise that Ron'll ever try with Malfoy," Harry added.

"You let me handle Ron," Ginny said confidently.

By the time they walked back to the Burrow, Ginny's brothers had all headed home, promising to come back for dinner next week. Mrs. Weasley was filling Ron and Hermione's arms with towels and extra blankets.

She surveyed Harry and Ginny as they came in, obviously trying to determine what had happened between them. "Harry," she said as they came in, "You can take the twins' old room. Here are blankets and towels."

"Where's Draco?" Ginny asked, looking around.

"He went home, dear," Mrs. Weasley said. "He wasn't sure how long you and Harry would be out."

Ginny sighed. "All right, I guess I better head back then. Thanks again for dinner, Mum."

"Where are you going?" Ron asked as Ginny made for the door. He seemed genuinely curious.

"Back to my flat," Ginny said. "Draco and I got one when we came back to England. We've just moved in, actually."

Out of the corner of her eye, Ginny saw Harry tense up at the knowledge that she and Draco were living together. Well, he was going to find out sooner or later, she reasoned.

Ron didn't look particularly happy about the knowledge, but he just nodded curtly. Ginny wondered if Hermione had given him a lecture. The thought made her smile a little. Some things never changed.

When Ginny Apparated in front of the apartment, she paused before putting the key in the lock. Her anger at Draco over the comment he'd made hadn't totally fizzled out. She sighed. It had been a long night.

"Draco?" she said, coming in and tossing her keys and bag on the counter. The lights were off in the flat; he'd already gone to bed. As quietly as she could, she showered and put on her pajamas. But as she crawled into bed beside him, he spoke.

"That was quite a walk," he said, staring at the ceiling. Not asleep after all.

"He was angry," Ginny said. "Understandably so, after that little stunt you pulled."

"What are you talking about?" Draco challenged.

"You know what," Ginny said. "You didn't have to say that."

"I know," Draco sighed. "But I couldn't help myself. He was being a prat."

"You lied in order to hurt him!" Ginny insisted.

"Well it's true, isn't it?" Draco said, sounding more defensive now. "He did abandon you. It's not like that's big news to anyone."

Ginny sighed. "You shouldn't have said it, Draco."

"Potter's a big boy," he replied. "He can handle it."

Ginny bit back a retort. She was worn out and tired of fighting. For the first time since they'd started sharing a bed, she turned away from him and shut her eyes to sleep. They slept on opposite sides of the bed that night.

Author's Note: I had a ton of fun writing this chapter, and can't wait to read your thoughts. I want to know what you think about everyone's reactions – Ron's, Harry's, Draco's...so please review!