Chapter 17: Dinner Guests

It was lunchtime on Friday, and Ginny was sitting alone at one of the outside tables of a café in Diagon Alley. Ron and Hermione were meeting her for tea.

"So, which of the two idiots do I need to kill?" Ron asked, tossing a copy of Witch Weekly onto the café table.

Ginny looked up and scowled. "Well, that is the question of the moment," she replied, rolling her eyes and incinerating the glossy magazine with a flick of her wand.

Hermione smiled sympathetically and settled into a chair beside her. She was carrying a bag and a gigantic stack of papers, all of which she stowed under her seat. "Nice incineration spell," she said, hailing the waiter. "Two teas, please, cream and sugar." She pulled a small plastic-wrapped sandwich out of her bag. "You don't mind, do you? I only have twenty minutes for lunch today. Anyway, I'm glad to see you're taking all this tabloid nonsense in stride,"

As the waiter bustled away, Ron sank into the last chair at the table. "Well," Ginny answered, taking a sip of her half-finished mug, "I, like everyone else, absolutely cannot wait to find out who fathered my first love-child."

Ron chuckled appreciatively. "They're making you look like a real slag, aren't they?" he said. "I think Charlie almost blew his top off when he read it. Floo'd me and all. I had to assure him that you not, in fact, pregnant." He narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously. "Are you?"

"Of course not, you twit," Ginny snapped.

It was Sunday, and that morning's Witch Weekly had printed the first photos from Harry and Ginny's entrance into St. Mungo's. Farther down in the article, they had included photographs taken when Draco had entered the hospital several minutes later. All of the tabloids were in a frenzy about what all three of them being at the hospital could mean. Witch Weekly's had gone with the headline "GINNY WEASLEY PREGNANT, BUT IS IT POTTER'S OR MALFOY'S?"

Ginny sighed. "It's getting ridiculous," she grumbled. "How am I supposed to get my students to take me seriously when I'm the current tart of Britain?"

"Just ignore it," Hermione insisted. "Trying to counter it will only lend it credibility. Act like you haven't read any of it."

Ron jerked a thumb in Hermione's direction. "Trust her. This one's got experience."

The waiter came back and set Ron and Hermione's drinks on the table.

"So change of subject," Ginny said, once he'd walked away. "Ron, how's training going?"

Ron took a swig of his tea and ran a hand through his hair, which was longer than Ginny had ever seen it. "Bloody brutal, that's how it's going," he sighed. "I've got the next few days off, but next week I don't even get a weekend break."

Hermione rubbed his back soothingly. "I am so glad I didn't sign up for that," she said.

Ginny laughed and Ron scowled. "Helpful, 'Mione!" he muttered. "Sheesh!"

"What! I'm glad I get to do my work and then go home at the end of the day and sleep like a normal human being."

"And I have this gigantic bruise on my side," Ron moaned.

"He does," Hermione confirmed, nodding solemnly. "It's quite horrible."

"So, wait," Ginny said, "How does it work? How long is training?"

"Well they have such a shortage right now that it's two months intensive training instead of the usual five."

"Is that safe?" Ginny asked, "They're not just sending you out in the field half-ready, are they?"

"No, but they're skipping some of the less relevant stuff. Trapping dangerous creatures, that kind of thing. They know exactly what they need us for: tracking down the remaining Death Eater cells. So that's what they're training us for."

Ginny nodded. "What about Danny Eckhart? Any news?"

Ron looked up at her sharply. "How do you know about that?"

"Harry told me. He's been getting updates from Shaklebolt."

Ron took another sip of his tea, shaking his head wearily. "No, no news. I should've known Harry would ask for updates though."

"What do you mean?"

"Well it's a tough case, and emotional for all of us. And stuff like this really gets to Harry, with his whole nobility complex and all. You know."

Ginny sighed and nodded. She did know, probably better than most.

"Hey, isn't that Malfoy?" Ron said suddenly, his gaze shifting to a point over Ginny's shoulder.

Ginny turned and just caught sight of Draco's blonde head disappear into a restaurant at the end of the street.

"Yeah," she said, "that's him." She turned back to her tea.

"Well…should we invite him over?" Hermione asked hesitantly.

"Nah," Ginny waved it off, trying to act nonchalant. "He's having lunch with Pansy. Best not bother them."

"Pansy Parkinson?" Ron asked, surprise evident in his voice. "Didn't know he was still friends with his old lot."

"He's not," Ginny said, "Just Pansy. They were pretty close at school."

She looked up to see Hermione regarding her with a curious expression on her face, and with some effort, Ginny plastered a wide grin onto her own. "Are you both coming to dinner tomorrow night?"

"Of course," Ron replied. "It's baby Vicky's first entrance into the crowded world that is the Weasley family. Wouldn't miss it for the world."

Hermione laughed, "How in Merlin's name are we going to all fit around that table once everyone else starts popping out babies?"

"Maybe you better start researching table extension spells," Ginny quipped.

Ten minutes later, Hermione sighed and glanced at her watch. "Well, this was lovely, but I've got to get back to work. There are an absolute mountain of cases coming in about Death Eaters who just really abused their elves during Voldemort's reign. Just absolutely dreadful stuff."

Ron made a face and stood. "Well, I'll go pay for all this at the till," he said, "Bye, love." He pecked Hermione on the cheek and headed over to the register.

Ginny stood and gave Hermione a quick hug. "You know," Hermione said lowly, adjusting her bag on her shoulder, "If Draco spending so much time with Pansy Parkinson is bothering you, you should talk to him about it."

Ginny looked at her quizzically. "It doesn't bother me," she said quickly.

Hermione gave her a skeptical look. "Ginny. I know how you act when you're feeling a tad jealous but you know you shouldn't so you try to brush it off. I was around when Harry like Cho in Fifth Year, remember?"

"It's really not like that," Ginny insisted, rolling her eyes. Hermione huffed a little, but patted her friend on the shoulder.

"If you say so," she said, "I'll see you tomorrow night."

"So," Ron said, weaving his way back to the table, "I'm hoping you have another hour or two before you have to get back to school."

Ginny glanced at her watch. "Yeah, I don't have another class until three."

"Great," Ron said, suddenly looking a lot pinker than usual.

Ginny narrowed her eyes at him. "Why?" she said suspiciously, "What's this about? I swear to Merlin, Ron, if this is some kind of intervention, I will…."

"Calm down, calm down," Ron laughed, putting his hands up. "I just need you to help me with some shopping."

"What shopping?" Ginny asked, still wary.

Ron flushed a deeper pink and smiled michevously. "Ring shopping."

Ginny blinked, mind racing. Then, suddenly, she understood. "RONALD BILIUS WEASLEY!" she shouted, launching herself at her brother. People walking down the street turned to look at them, but Ron laughed aloud and caught her up in a big hug.

"You're proposing to Hermione! Ron! I'm so happy for you!"

Ron set her back on the ground and pulled away, grinning broadly. "Thanks, Gin," he said, "We're taking a trip to some beach…Bri something…that she used to go to when she was younger. Some muggle place. But I thought that might be a good place."

"Oh, Ron," Ginny said, beaming. "That sounds perfect. Mum is going to be so excited – can you even imagine!"

Ron laughed, sounding a little nervous. "I haven't quite thought that far ahead yet. I have to get the ring. And then propose. We have to see how that goes."

"Well of course she's going to say yes," Ginny scoffed. "Here, let's go. Do you have a shop in mind?"

After class that afternoon, Ginny went back to her room and threw a few things into her weekend bag. On her way off the grounds, she passed Harry in his classroom. She gave a quick wave. She considered going in and asking if he knew about Ron and Hermione, but glanced at her watch. It was already almost six o'clock, and she had promised Draco she would be home in time to help him cook dinner. "See you tomorrow night," she called brightly instead, and Harry grinned back.

Ring shopping with Ron had put her in a good mood, and Ginny smiled to herself as she made her way down the castle steps and over the grounds. She Apparated to the street outside their apartment. She and Ron had chosen a beautiful ring, a diamond in a pretty silver filigree. Hermione would love it.

From the hall outside their apartment, Ginny smelled pasta cooking. "Gin, I'm desperate for help with the sauce," Draco said loudly as she came in. He was still in his nice slacks and button down from work, but he'd rolled the sleeves up to his elbows and was waving away the smoke coming off the pasta pot on the stove.

Ginny dropped her bag to the floor and joined him. "Well, you've made a total mess of it," she decreed, looking down at the mixture of tomato paste and other ingredients he's haphazardly thrown together.

"I was depending on you to arrive and save me from folly," he said, standing behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist. "What would I do without you," he murmered, leaning around to kiss her softly on the temple.

"Well, you would have dry pasta, for one thing," Ginny said, smiling.

"Merlin forbid," Draco laughed.

"Ron, Hermione, and I saw you in Diagon Alley today," Ginny said as she began to stir her new sauce. "Here, pass me the salt, will you?"

"Oh, did you?" Draco said easily. "I was having lunch with Pansy at that new restaurant."

"How was it?" Ginny asked, tasting a small bit of sauce with the tip of her finger and nodding. She got out another pot and poured the sauce into it, turning up the stove with a quick flick of her wand.

"All right. It had kind of a limited selection of dishes, actually…."

"No," Ginny interrupted, "I mean, Pansy. How was she?"

"She's all right as well," Draco said shortly. He didn't seem to be planning on elaborating, and Ginny thought of what Hermione had said to her earlier. Maybe she ought to just ask him why he always seemed so quiet about Pansy. He never brought her up, and he always answered questions about her with short responses. She shook herself. He was allowed to have his own friends, of course, and she didn't want to sound accusatory. He was being much better about her spending so much time with Harry, after all.

"That's good," she said finally. "Maybe we should invite her over for dinner sometime?" she added on a whim. She instantly regretted saying it. She and Pansy probably wouldn't get along.

"I don't think that would be a good idea," Draco replied. Again, he didn't elaborate. She swallowed her response and turned back to the food.

The pasta was bubbling by now, and with a swift arc of her wand, Ginny drained it into a large bowl. "Can you set the table?" she asked.

Draco nodded. "And I'll get the salad. That, I can do," he said, grinning brightly at her. He got the packet of pasta out of the refrigerator and emptied it into a big bowl. Ginny laughed.

"Oh!" Ginny said when they were sitting over their meal. Ginny's legs were swung up onto Draco's lap under the table and she prodded him with her toe. "Guess what I helped Ron with today!"

"Helped him pick a proper Quidditch team to support?" Draco quipped.

"No," Ginny said sternly, although she had to smother a snort. "I helped him pick out a wedding ring! He's proposing to Hermione in a few weeks when they go on holiday together!"

"Is he really?" Draco said, grinning genuinely. "Although, I can't say I'm thrilled about the prospect of your brother's buffoonery and Granger's know-it-all tendencies combining in their offspring."

"Stop teasing," Ginny said, grinning. "Be happy for them!"

"I am happy for them," Draco said, laughingly. "It'll have been a long time coming. Even I could see Granger was pining after your git of a brother at school."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Yeah, he was rather dim, wasn't he?"

Draco raised his glass mockingly. "Understatement of the year. Your mum is going to have a heart attack when she finds out."

"Oh, definitely," Ginny agreed, "You should have seen her when Bill and Fleur were getting married. You think you've seen her in a frenzy."

Draco grinned and swirled his pasta around his fork thoughtfully. "Do you think we ought to get married eventually?" he said suddenly.

Ginny nearly choked on her wine and had to recover herself. When she looked up, Draco was looking at her amusedly. "That shocking?" he smirked. "It's not a proposal, you know. I'm a little more romantic than that, I think."

"Well you kind of caught me off guard there, Malfoy," Ginny managed. "Where did that come from?"

Draco shrugged. "Oh, you know, babies and weddings cropping up all around us…and that's generally what people do after they've been dating for years. They get married."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I know that," she said, "But I like to think that when I get married it won't be because everyone around me is doing it."

Draco looked at her, considering. "That's not the only reason I mention it," he said, and now his voice was serious. Ginny felt her breath catch in her throat. He wasn't joking around. She met his gaze. "I do want to marry you, you know."

She swallowed. "I know."

"Do you want to marry me someday?"

Ginny smiled. "Yeah," she said honestly.

"Good." Draco stood and grinning brightly, began to clear the table. "Well that answers my question then. We ought to get married." His plate and glass in hand, he came around the table and kissed her on the cheek. "Eventually."

The spent most of the next morning in bed, and the afternoon passed quickly in lunch and a movie. Soon enough it was time for the Weasley dinner.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Draco said, "I got this. For the baby. Can you do the wrapping spell? You're much neater with it than I am." He tossed her two black objects, attached to each other by a string, and Ginny caught them mid-air. Upon closer inspection, Ginny found that they were two tiny shoes – patent leather mary-janes – and absolutely adorable.

"They're completely ridiculous, and she'll grow out of them in a week," Draco continued, running water over his comb and raking it through his hair.

"They're nauseatingly cute!" Ginny said, beaming, "Where did you get them?"

"There's a shop right by Gringotts, and I saw them in the window. I figured we should get Bill and Fleur a congratulatory gift."

Ginny went up beside him and kissed him. "Very thoughtful," she smiled.

They arrived at the Burrow at five ten. Most everyone was already there – Bill, Fleur, and the baby, Percy, Charlie, and the twins – and Ginny immediately went to the kitchen to help her mum with the last preparations for dinner.

"I hope the tabloids haven't been too embarrassing, mum," she said, taking the plate of potatoes her mum proffered her and lightly garnishing it. Outside in the living room she heard Ron and Hermione arrive. Ron barrelled into the kitchen and kissed their mum on the cheek, handing over a bottle of wine. He gave Ginny a quick wink as he retreated back into the living room.

Her mum smiled indulgently and patted her on the shoulder. "I'll admit that I'm not particularly fond of them, but that's got nothing to do with you dear," she replied lightly. "Anyway," she added, "I've been so busy knitting for little Vicky that I've hardly noticed."

"What have you been knitting?" Ginny asked as they carried the platters of food out to the table.

"Oh, socks and little mittens and hats and jackets and the like," Mrs. Weasley beamed. "All the same types of things I knitted for you when you were a baby, dear."

Ginny heard the front door open again and glanced up quickly to see Harry walked through, looking uncharacteristically sheepish. "Hullo, Harry!" Charlie cried. "Wait a second, who's this?" he added good-naturedly.

Ginny's head snapped up again just as a pretty long-haired girl followed Harry into the house.

"Everyone, this is Helena. Helena, this is everyone," Harry said, putting a reassuring hand on the girl's shoulder. She smiled and gave a little nervous wave.

Ginny was surprised by her own shock. Somehow, for the past few weeks, she had truly wanted Harry to move on, but she had never really thought about what that would look like. Apparently, it looked like Helena. She was quite tall and thin, with straight brown hair flowing down her back and big, blue eyes. She was very pretty.

The dinner passed quickly enough, with Bill and Fleur reporting on their early days as parents and exclaiming over the little shoes that Draco presented. The whole family was cheerful and boisterous, and Ginny smiled a little everytime she saw Harry burst into laughter at something Helena had said. She could get used to this, she decided. She was glad he was dating someone new. It was good for him.

"It's great that Harry's dating someone now, isn't it?" she said when she and Hermione were washing the dishes after dinner.

Hermione smiled. "Yeah, I think they met in the twins' joke shop, actually. If they end up married, it'll be the only productive and non-mischevous thing that shop ever accomplished."

Ginny laughed. "I'm just surprised he didn't mention it, actually."

"Well," Hermione replied, "I think he's a bit wary about it. It's tough for him, you know, trying to date when he's famous and all that. He's very cautious."

Ginny nodded. "And anyway," Hermione continued, "it's very new. They've only been dating for a week."

"Well, I'm glad," Ginny replied decidedly. "I'm surprised it took him so long to ask someone out. There must be hundreds of witches sending him love letters every day."

Hermione cocked her head curiously at her. "What?" Ginny asked.

The older girl gave a strange half-smile. "No, nothing," she said.

Ginny shrugged and smiled to herself. Everything was turning out all right after all.

Author's Note: That was a quick update, right? I hope you liked this chapter. I know things are moving rather slowly in the drama department, but things are going to come to a head in about two chapters, so hang in there through the filler. Trust me – there are big blow-ups in the future. In the meantime, please review!