A/N--
Hullo All (all two of you, and even that's being optimistic),
The power in my house just shut off so I'm writing this by torch and my laptop is running
on battery. Ah, the lovely storms of April, they bring a tear to my eye and a song to my heart..Pfft! I really should work on my history paper but since we have no power...D
Hope those who read are enjoying what's been going on so far. This is a pretty long chaper.
Please let me know if it's totally inconceivable. Thank you ^^
Chloe-- your faithful authoress. Remember! Feedback really lights my fire. Er. Yeah.
Chapter Four
-----------------------
Ron opened the door with his foot, precariously balancing two cups of steaming tea and a package of biscuits. Draco had enough courtesy to get up and help him, Ron noted with slight pleasure. He handed one porcelain cup to Draco and then tossed the biscuits on the bed. Draco looked incredulous.
"You're allowed to eat your room?" He asked.
"Not really," Ron shrugged. "But mum is off in Diagon Alley doing summer shopping so I figured it can't hurt much." He pointed at the biscuits, "Thought you might be peckish."
"Oh," Draco consented, and took a biscuit. He dipped it in his tea. "Don't you have, like, ten other siblings? I thought they might be around," he waved the biscuit around the room before taking a bite.
Ron's forehead creased. "Well..." he began, "I don't have a bazillion brothers and sisters if that's what you were expecting...I have seven, including me."
Draco whistled and rolled his eyes toward the ceiling, "Wow, your parents must've..."
"Don't even!" Ron snapped, cutting him off. "Say anything about that and I swear. I swear I'll do something really nasty," he scrunched his eyes closed banning any mental images that might try to crawl through his brain.
Draco laughed. It was a tinkling sound, merry sound. Not at all like his usual cruel snicker. "Okay, God. Calm down," he said, then smiled, and tilted his head to one side. "I've a sister, you know," he spoke barley above a whisper.
Ron's eyebrows flew up in shock. "You what?" He said, and leaned across the tea they'd spread out on the bed.
"I have a sister," Draco said just as quietly.
"How old is she is?"
"Twelve," Draco answered two soft spots of pink appearing high on his pale white cheeks.
Ron pursed his lips, "Shouldn't she be at Hogwarts?"
"Yeah...she should," Draco took a sip of tea.
"Then why isn't she?"
"Weasley, are you daft? She's a squib," Draco sputtered.
"Oh God," Ron's face contorted in to enormous amounts of pity. "I didn't know...I thought she might be at some other school. Like Durmstrang... Or-"
Draco shook his head. "Don't pity me, Weasley. I don't need your pity. I don't even know why I told you that. I don't even know why I'm here!" Draco said miserably. He rubbed a hand over his face. It was getting late, the cloud ridden sky was already becoming a muddy black and his father still hadn't arrived. Suddenly, he looked up at Ron who was staring at him with an odd expression. "What is it?"
Ron licked his lips looking for the right words, and then began. "I was wondering what your family does to squibs...." He trailed off.
Draco looked disgusted. "We drown them in the quarry, can't mar the family name and all that."
Ron gasped, scandalized.
"Oh for Merlin's sake!" Draco exclaimed. "She goes to a muggle academy," he rolled his eyes and then added, "Malfoys stopped drowning their family members in the 18th century."
Ron wasn't sure if he was kidding or not. Then the awkward silence began. They sat and the seconds moved slowly by. Draco absentmindedly sipped his tea and Ron was reminded of the fact that he was still home alone with Draco Malfoy in his bedroom. Where was his mother anyway? She had left for Diagon Alley early that morning and still hadn't returned home. Still, he thought, it wasn't all that unusual to be left to fend for himself the whole day. After all, Percy often took a room at the Leaky Cauldron when the work load at the ministry was unbearable and Ginny had spent most of the summer sleeping out.
Ron looked down at his hands. They weren't bad hands, sort of large but nice in their own right, he figured. It was then that he realized how odd it was to be sitting here with Malfoy. Here they were on his bed on a rainy afternoon talking almost like they were old friends. Sure, when he showed up Ron was pretty certain he was either going to kill Malfoy or leaving him looking slightly deformed, but now....
Something about Malfoy's admission about his sister had left Ron feeling vaguely like he owed the other boy the common curtsey of. Of a place to stay until the rain let up, or whatever. Of course, Ron quickly amended his thoughts, that didn't mean he had to be friendly to Malfoy. And it certainly didn't mean that things were suddenly going to become all duckies and bunnies between them. Oh no, he thought, Malfoy was still an insufferable git and Ron was slightly shocked that he, Malfoy and Malfoy's ego could all fit on the bed.
Sighing, Ron was about to ask Draco about his real reasons for dumping himself unceremoniously in his room; when he heard the unmistakable clatter of his mother coming home from Diagon Alley via floo powder. He glanced at the door and then realizing that Draco hadn't said a word for a quite a while (which was saying something for Malfoy) turned to look at the other boy and nearly laughed out loud. Draco had fallen back against his few pillows and was now sleeping soundly; his mouth hanging open is a rather adorable manner that made Ron want to shut it. Malfoy's teacup sat forgotten on his nightstand.
Ron closed his eyes and scrubbed a hand through his hair. In a few minutes his mother would call him and then she'd begin making dinner and expect him to join the family when it was ready. Thank meant leaving Malfoy alone in his room. He flinched at the thought the Draco stirred in his sleep. Ron was surprised at how peaceful he looked like this. All traces of the sneering, conniving boy that Ron knew disappeared while Draco slept. Hmm, Ron thought, he almost looks like someone worth caring about. No wonder his mother didn't want him at Durmstrang.
"Ronnie...." He heard his mother's voice floating up the stairs.
Ron cast a glance at Draco before quietly gathering up the teacups and biscuits. He was just about to leave the room when he settled them down on the floor and pulled out the extra blanket in the trunk at the end of his bed. Feeling like an over attentive mother, he threw the blanket over Draco and then begrudgingly tucked it in around him like he was putting a small child to bed. He picked up the food stuffs again and tossing a final look over his shoulder left the room feeling satisfied.
----- TBC
[::squeal:: OOoo! Power just came back! ]
Hullo All (all two of you, and even that's being optimistic),
The power in my house just shut off so I'm writing this by torch and my laptop is running
on battery. Ah, the lovely storms of April, they bring a tear to my eye and a song to my heart..Pfft! I really should work on my history paper but since we have no power...D
Hope those who read are enjoying what's been going on so far. This is a pretty long chaper.
Please let me know if it's totally inconceivable. Thank you ^^
Chloe-- your faithful authoress. Remember! Feedback really lights my fire. Er. Yeah.
Chapter Four
-----------------------
Ron opened the door with his foot, precariously balancing two cups of steaming tea and a package of biscuits. Draco had enough courtesy to get up and help him, Ron noted with slight pleasure. He handed one porcelain cup to Draco and then tossed the biscuits on the bed. Draco looked incredulous.
"You're allowed to eat your room?" He asked.
"Not really," Ron shrugged. "But mum is off in Diagon Alley doing summer shopping so I figured it can't hurt much." He pointed at the biscuits, "Thought you might be peckish."
"Oh," Draco consented, and took a biscuit. He dipped it in his tea. "Don't you have, like, ten other siblings? I thought they might be around," he waved the biscuit around the room before taking a bite.
Ron's forehead creased. "Well..." he began, "I don't have a bazillion brothers and sisters if that's what you were expecting...I have seven, including me."
Draco whistled and rolled his eyes toward the ceiling, "Wow, your parents must've..."
"Don't even!" Ron snapped, cutting him off. "Say anything about that and I swear. I swear I'll do something really nasty," he scrunched his eyes closed banning any mental images that might try to crawl through his brain.
Draco laughed. It was a tinkling sound, merry sound. Not at all like his usual cruel snicker. "Okay, God. Calm down," he said, then smiled, and tilted his head to one side. "I've a sister, you know," he spoke barley above a whisper.
Ron's eyebrows flew up in shock. "You what?" He said, and leaned across the tea they'd spread out on the bed.
"I have a sister," Draco said just as quietly.
"How old is she is?"
"Twelve," Draco answered two soft spots of pink appearing high on his pale white cheeks.
Ron pursed his lips, "Shouldn't she be at Hogwarts?"
"Yeah...she should," Draco took a sip of tea.
"Then why isn't she?"
"Weasley, are you daft? She's a squib," Draco sputtered.
"Oh God," Ron's face contorted in to enormous amounts of pity. "I didn't know...I thought she might be at some other school. Like Durmstrang... Or-"
Draco shook his head. "Don't pity me, Weasley. I don't need your pity. I don't even know why I told you that. I don't even know why I'm here!" Draco said miserably. He rubbed a hand over his face. It was getting late, the cloud ridden sky was already becoming a muddy black and his father still hadn't arrived. Suddenly, he looked up at Ron who was staring at him with an odd expression. "What is it?"
Ron licked his lips looking for the right words, and then began. "I was wondering what your family does to squibs...." He trailed off.
Draco looked disgusted. "We drown them in the quarry, can't mar the family name and all that."
Ron gasped, scandalized.
"Oh for Merlin's sake!" Draco exclaimed. "She goes to a muggle academy," he rolled his eyes and then added, "Malfoys stopped drowning their family members in the 18th century."
Ron wasn't sure if he was kidding or not. Then the awkward silence began. They sat and the seconds moved slowly by. Draco absentmindedly sipped his tea and Ron was reminded of the fact that he was still home alone with Draco Malfoy in his bedroom. Where was his mother anyway? She had left for Diagon Alley early that morning and still hadn't returned home. Still, he thought, it wasn't all that unusual to be left to fend for himself the whole day. After all, Percy often took a room at the Leaky Cauldron when the work load at the ministry was unbearable and Ginny had spent most of the summer sleeping out.
Ron looked down at his hands. They weren't bad hands, sort of large but nice in their own right, he figured. It was then that he realized how odd it was to be sitting here with Malfoy. Here they were on his bed on a rainy afternoon talking almost like they were old friends. Sure, when he showed up Ron was pretty certain he was either going to kill Malfoy or leaving him looking slightly deformed, but now....
Something about Malfoy's admission about his sister had left Ron feeling vaguely like he owed the other boy the common curtsey of. Of a place to stay until the rain let up, or whatever. Of course, Ron quickly amended his thoughts, that didn't mean he had to be friendly to Malfoy. And it certainly didn't mean that things were suddenly going to become all duckies and bunnies between them. Oh no, he thought, Malfoy was still an insufferable git and Ron was slightly shocked that he, Malfoy and Malfoy's ego could all fit on the bed.
Sighing, Ron was about to ask Draco about his real reasons for dumping himself unceremoniously in his room; when he heard the unmistakable clatter of his mother coming home from Diagon Alley via floo powder. He glanced at the door and then realizing that Draco hadn't said a word for a quite a while (which was saying something for Malfoy) turned to look at the other boy and nearly laughed out loud. Draco had fallen back against his few pillows and was now sleeping soundly; his mouth hanging open is a rather adorable manner that made Ron want to shut it. Malfoy's teacup sat forgotten on his nightstand.
Ron closed his eyes and scrubbed a hand through his hair. In a few minutes his mother would call him and then she'd begin making dinner and expect him to join the family when it was ready. Thank meant leaving Malfoy alone in his room. He flinched at the thought the Draco stirred in his sleep. Ron was surprised at how peaceful he looked like this. All traces of the sneering, conniving boy that Ron knew disappeared while Draco slept. Hmm, Ron thought, he almost looks like someone worth caring about. No wonder his mother didn't want him at Durmstrang.
"Ronnie...." He heard his mother's voice floating up the stairs.
Ron cast a glance at Draco before quietly gathering up the teacups and biscuits. He was just about to leave the room when he settled them down on the floor and pulled out the extra blanket in the trunk at the end of his bed. Feeling like an over attentive mother, he threw the blanket over Draco and then begrudgingly tucked it in around him like he was putting a small child to bed. He picked up the food stuffs again and tossing a final look over his shoulder left the room feeling satisfied.
----- TBC
[::squeal:: OOoo! Power just came back! ]