Chapter 12: The Garden of Knowledge
Percy did just as he was told and sat down at the table. He watched his sister and Malfoy walk on closer towards the gardens.
They sat down, Malfoy on an old wooden bench and Ginny on an ancient wrought iron table chair.
Ginny kept her eyes on the ground and began twirling her copper hair.
"You know, I don't have any more choice in this than you do." Draco stated.
Ginny bit on her lip and sighed. "I know, but you do have the advantage of being the one."
"The one what? Ginny, we have to learn to at least find a middle ground here."
Ginny glanced up to look Draco in the eyes. The silver icicles still looked cold and unfeeling to her. It was like looking into a pensieve and recalling all the horrible things he had done to them over the years.
She continued, "The one that---" Ginny broke down in tears.
Draco went to reach for her hand.
"NO, don't touch me! It's not as if you really care anyway. All you ever do is make fun of my family. I'm surprised you can even lower yourself to be in the same place as a Weasley. Is your father already planning to kill me as soon as I give you an heir? No, I bet he's going to kill me before. Wouldn't want to taint that Malfoy bloodline would we?" Ginny's voice had gotten louder and louder during her tirade.
Loud enough to make Percy look up in concern. He saw his sister running towards him, her body wracked with choking sobs.
"Ginny---?"
Ginny brushed by Percy, almost knocking him over. This was followed by the sound of the door slamming and footsteps on the stairwell quickly followed.
Percy walked over to Draco. The corner of his mouth turned up in a slight smile and he offered Draco his hand. Draco took it quite skeptically and certainly reluctantly.
"Draco, this is going take some time for all of us. Hang in there. Things will work out for the best."
Percy then released Draco's hand and walked back towards the house.
Draco stood there in shock. Had Percy Weasley just given him his acceptance? Draco wasn't sure, but if he had that left what, only eight more? Ten, if you counted Potter and Granger. Not bad, not bad at all. Mother would be proud.
Draco assumed his usual smirk.
"Malfoy, are you coming?" Percy queried.
Malfoy jerked from his pensiveness to find Percy waiting for him by the back entrance to the dilapidated house.
"You really should come in with me. Otherwise, the rest of the family will probably attack you, she WAS crying you know."
"I know, I know, I just don't know why"
"Huh?"
"I truly have no idea what was at the core of the issue. One minute we were talking, the next she stopped and then she began a tirade about my father. Last stop--tears."
"You disagree? You think after all these years and all you have done in the past, she should just assume you are going to change? Ginny is smart, but she has been completely forced into this new situation with a person she does not even like, and she knows does not like her. Her emotions are on full throttle and you acting like this is a normal occurrence is only going to sound off more alarms to her."
"You heard?"
"It was kind of hard to miss. She WAS yelling you know. I was just trying to be polite. That and I know you did nothing to harm her. Good thing too, while I am more reserved than my other siblings, I DO still have red hair." Percy sarcastically responded.
Draco smirked at this. He looked Percy dead in the eye and said, "Yes, I do agree with her. This is a highly unlikely pairing- a Malfoy and a Weasley. We have been enemies for years. And, I do know that my father has already gone to great lengths to stop this wedding. However, the Merlin Oath considers that. My father would never be able to lay a hand on her without causing his own demise. My father may be evil, Percy, but he is far from stupid."
"Right you are, Draco. Are you sure about the Merlin Oath offering protection to the affected people?"
"Very. Hard to miss my father screaming at the house elves and throwing glasses at walls."
"Good. I'll pass that tidbit onto the family after you leave-which might be a good idea considering Ginny's departure. I'll see you safely to the floo network. Come on."
Percy and Draco walked into the house. All the aforementioned Weasley's, Potter and Granger were waiting for the duo to return. Ron was a scarlet red and looked very much capable of murder. Harry and Hermione looked very much concerned that Ron just might commit murder, so they each held one of Ron's arms.
The twins looked more like they wanted to hex Draco into oblivion, possibly as one of those great constellations of the sky. "Dragon of the Great Beyond" wouldn't that be a great star cluster name?
Mr. Weasley, well, he looked like a Dad, ready to teach a certain Mr. Draco Malfoy some manners.
Mrs. Weasley just looked very sad and disappointed.
Draco, resulting to normal behavior, found himself pulling out his wand, sneered to those in the room and walked to the fireplace.
But before any could try their ideas, Percy jumped in front of Draco and said, "I'll explain in a moment. Draco, you should put that wand away and head home now. I'm sure we will be hearing from you and your family soon. Have a nice evening."
Six groans of protest were quickly conjured, but just as quickly dispelled at Percy's stern look of disapproval.
Draco snarled a cold "Good Evening" and left.
After his momentary departure, all turned to Percy for some quick answers.
Ron jumped in with a strong "This better be good."
Percy cleared his throat and found his "Authority of the Ministry" voice. He quickly explained that Malfoy had done nothing to Ginny. She was simply upset at the situation as a whole and needed some time to herself to deal with it.
Percy then turned towards the stairwell and headed up to Ginny's room.
Mrs. Weasley smiled in relief. That "uptight" son of hers was just the one to help Ginny through the next few months.
Percy did just as he was told and sat down at the table. He watched his sister and Malfoy walk on closer towards the gardens.
They sat down, Malfoy on an old wooden bench and Ginny on an ancient wrought iron table chair.
Ginny kept her eyes on the ground and began twirling her copper hair.
"You know, I don't have any more choice in this than you do." Draco stated.
Ginny bit on her lip and sighed. "I know, but you do have the advantage of being the one."
"The one what? Ginny, we have to learn to at least find a middle ground here."
Ginny glanced up to look Draco in the eyes. The silver icicles still looked cold and unfeeling to her. It was like looking into a pensieve and recalling all the horrible things he had done to them over the years.
She continued, "The one that---" Ginny broke down in tears.
Draco went to reach for her hand.
"NO, don't touch me! It's not as if you really care anyway. All you ever do is make fun of my family. I'm surprised you can even lower yourself to be in the same place as a Weasley. Is your father already planning to kill me as soon as I give you an heir? No, I bet he's going to kill me before. Wouldn't want to taint that Malfoy bloodline would we?" Ginny's voice had gotten louder and louder during her tirade.
Loud enough to make Percy look up in concern. He saw his sister running towards him, her body wracked with choking sobs.
"Ginny---?"
Ginny brushed by Percy, almost knocking him over. This was followed by the sound of the door slamming and footsteps on the stairwell quickly followed.
Percy walked over to Draco. The corner of his mouth turned up in a slight smile and he offered Draco his hand. Draco took it quite skeptically and certainly reluctantly.
"Draco, this is going take some time for all of us. Hang in there. Things will work out for the best."
Percy then released Draco's hand and walked back towards the house.
Draco stood there in shock. Had Percy Weasley just given him his acceptance? Draco wasn't sure, but if he had that left what, only eight more? Ten, if you counted Potter and Granger. Not bad, not bad at all. Mother would be proud.
Draco assumed his usual smirk.
"Malfoy, are you coming?" Percy queried.
Malfoy jerked from his pensiveness to find Percy waiting for him by the back entrance to the dilapidated house.
"You really should come in with me. Otherwise, the rest of the family will probably attack you, she WAS crying you know."
"I know, I know, I just don't know why"
"Huh?"
"I truly have no idea what was at the core of the issue. One minute we were talking, the next she stopped and then she began a tirade about my father. Last stop--tears."
"You disagree? You think after all these years and all you have done in the past, she should just assume you are going to change? Ginny is smart, but she has been completely forced into this new situation with a person she does not even like, and she knows does not like her. Her emotions are on full throttle and you acting like this is a normal occurrence is only going to sound off more alarms to her."
"You heard?"
"It was kind of hard to miss. She WAS yelling you know. I was just trying to be polite. That and I know you did nothing to harm her. Good thing too, while I am more reserved than my other siblings, I DO still have red hair." Percy sarcastically responded.
Draco smirked at this. He looked Percy dead in the eye and said, "Yes, I do agree with her. This is a highly unlikely pairing- a Malfoy and a Weasley. We have been enemies for years. And, I do know that my father has already gone to great lengths to stop this wedding. However, the Merlin Oath considers that. My father would never be able to lay a hand on her without causing his own demise. My father may be evil, Percy, but he is far from stupid."
"Right you are, Draco. Are you sure about the Merlin Oath offering protection to the affected people?"
"Very. Hard to miss my father screaming at the house elves and throwing glasses at walls."
"Good. I'll pass that tidbit onto the family after you leave-which might be a good idea considering Ginny's departure. I'll see you safely to the floo network. Come on."
Percy and Draco walked into the house. All the aforementioned Weasley's, Potter and Granger were waiting for the duo to return. Ron was a scarlet red and looked very much capable of murder. Harry and Hermione looked very much concerned that Ron just might commit murder, so they each held one of Ron's arms.
The twins looked more like they wanted to hex Draco into oblivion, possibly as one of those great constellations of the sky. "Dragon of the Great Beyond" wouldn't that be a great star cluster name?
Mr. Weasley, well, he looked like a Dad, ready to teach a certain Mr. Draco Malfoy some manners.
Mrs. Weasley just looked very sad and disappointed.
Draco, resulting to normal behavior, found himself pulling out his wand, sneered to those in the room and walked to the fireplace.
But before any could try their ideas, Percy jumped in front of Draco and said, "I'll explain in a moment. Draco, you should put that wand away and head home now. I'm sure we will be hearing from you and your family soon. Have a nice evening."
Six groans of protest were quickly conjured, but just as quickly dispelled at Percy's stern look of disapproval.
Draco snarled a cold "Good Evening" and left.
After his momentary departure, all turned to Percy for some quick answers.
Ron jumped in with a strong "This better be good."
Percy cleared his throat and found his "Authority of the Ministry" voice. He quickly explained that Malfoy had done nothing to Ginny. She was simply upset at the situation as a whole and needed some time to herself to deal with it.
Percy then turned towards the stairwell and headed up to Ginny's room.
Mrs. Weasley smiled in relief. That "uptight" son of hers was just the one to help Ginny through the next few months.