Ok, this chapter is a little bit shorter than the last.
And I have to explain one thing, in this chapter, they speak about the bible, now, I know that JK never mentions religion in her story, but in this one, for it to fit in with the whole AU thing, they are living in a very dedicated religious area. So, there is a slight mention of the bible in this chapter.
~*~*~*~
Virginia brushed the stand of heat frizzed hair out of her eyes as she stoked the coals of the fire and pulled out the loaf of fresh bread she had just made. Placing the hot loaf on a board, she put it on the table to cool, and then went back to sweeping the floor.
A few minutes later, the creaking of the stairs in the corner startled her. Looking up, Virginia froze as she saw Draco Malfoy coming down the stairs. For the last week, she had been rather paranoid; Draco was not the type of person to make hollow threats. And what he had said about making her pay.
She turned back to her work, not wanting to catch his eye, not even wanting him to speak to her. But, unfortunately for her, Draco sat down at the table.
"Have you cleaned my room yet?" Draco asked. Virginia looked up from her work.
"You have been in there all morning, I have not had a chance" She replied truthfully.
"Well, do it when you have finished that then!" Draco told her, reaching for the loaf of bread.
"Umm..." Virginia began. Draco looked up, his hands poised over the fresh loaf.
"You have something to say to me?" Draco asked angrily. Virginia sighed and shook her head. She had had ever intention of telling him not to eat the bread that it would still be hot and he would burn his mouth. But the way that he had just ordered her around, she decided that he deserved to learn the hard way.
"No, nothing" Virginia replied, replacing the broom in the corner and moving to the stairs "I will just start on you room now"
Virginia could not help but giggle as she heard him exclaim in pain as she moved up the stairs.
~*~*~*~
"You knew that bread was hot" Draco accused as he stood in his doorway, watching as Virginia shook his bedroom rug out of the window.
"I may had an inkling" she replied, replacing the rug on the floor and moving to the table where she began to organize the things on his desk. She picked up one of the sheets of paper and glanced at it. Rows and rows of simple, clean handwriting on the crisp white paper.
"Give me that" Draco snapped, practically ripping the paper form her hands. "You have no right to read my personal papers."
Virginia looked at her hands, shifting a quill around. "I cannot read"
Her admission was so soft, that Draco thought he had not heard it. He looked for her, where she was standing, blushing, and then, looked at the sheet of paper he held. "You can not read?"
"No, sir, I cannot" Virginia replied, busying herself with organizing the other things on the desk. "No one cares if a servant girl can read, they only care if she can clean, and speak proper"
Draco looked down at the sheet of paper again, and placed it on the pile of books. "So you have never even read the bible"
"Never read it sir, but I know it teachings, there is not an unmarried girl in Massachusetts who does not know the teachings" She told him as she moved to make his bed. Draco just stood, shocked.
"Then you cannot write either?" he asked. She shook her head.
"Never been taught, my parents don't know either, and I never bothered with schooling, I had to work for my family, plus we could not afford it" Virginia told him, and the looked away, ashamed. "Percival can read" she went on "his lady friend Penelope taught him last summer. He reads the scriptures to us some times"
"I don't think I would be able to survive if I could not read." Draco smiled sadly "The stories are my escape"
"Your escape from what?" Virginia suddenly snapped "As far as I can see you have nothing to escape from"
"I have problems ..."
"You are the son of the wealthiest land owner in Massachusetts. You have no problems. Live a day in my shoes, or in the shoes of my brothers, and see if you could survive" she exclaimed.
"Do you always get this defensive?" He asked quietly.
"Crying injustice when your justice is fair is a waste of perfectly good tears. Save them for a time that you need them" Virginia told him "Because believe me, there will be a day when even the strong will fall to their knees and weep"
"Should I take that as a threat, Miss Weasley?" He asked.
"Take it how you wish to take it. Your interpretation does not bother me in the slightest" She replied, leaving the room. Draco followed her.
"Where did this strong character come from?" He asked suddenly.
"Wealth dictates social strength, but the poorest of people can be rich in character" She replied, continuing down the stairs. Draco just stayed, trying to decipher what she had meant.
~*~*~*~
He glanced out the window, watching as Virginia sat with her brothers, they threw a rock between them, laughing at each other.
They all looked so happy. Every single one of them, but Draco didn't understand why. They were the poorest family in their area, they wore clothing that their mother hand made from old worn blankets, each of the boys wore clothes that other boys had worn previous, Virginia wore dresses that had once belonged to her mother. They would all go home filthy and come back looking worse, they would work in the fields, their skin burning. When they were sick, they could not leave work, when they had no food to eat, then they did not eat. Their father was not with them, and their mother could only work one job as she was getting old to do anything more than be a midwife.
And yet, they were happy.
They laughed and played, finding amusement in the rock that they threw from person to person. And Draco had heard the boys in the fields, singing their working songs. They were all so happy.
Draco would never admit that he was jealous of them, he was jealous of the happiness they had. He was from a rich family, and yet, he could not feel the wealth of happiness that they had. He did not have the sense of family.
Draco was technically an only child. He was really the youngest of 8 children, but he was the only one who had survived, but if they had, he would have had 5 sisters and 2 older brothers. He had never had the chance to meet any of them, not even his own twin brother. They all had died within a week of their births.
That was one of the main reasons that the Malfoy house was devoid of love and happiness. The deaths of seven children had stolen all laughter from his father and mother. His mother had been taking ill a lot recently, and Draco's father would always add gruffly that she would not last the summer if her claims of illness were legitimate.
The pain and bitterness that his father felt held all happiness at bay. There were even times when Draco was sure that his father resented him for living.
He wished he would find happiness in his life. Any form of happiness, anything to make him feel human. Anything to make him feel as though he existed.
His father had wealth, which in their small town equaled power, so the only people he ever met were those who were trying to gain just an inch of his father's prestige and power. Every one else seemed to fear him.
All but Virginia. The way he had spoken to her earlier made it obvious that she did not fear him. There had been no fear in her voice as she told him what she thought.
He had threatened her a week earlier, and now, for some reason, he felt his need for revenge slipping away, and he began to see Virginia as some one who could be a friend to him. Some one like her who would challenge him. Some one like Virginia.
He would be her friend, but first, he would have to gain her trust.
~*~*~*~
Virginia sat on the fence that separated the wheat fields from the manicure lawns of the main Malfoy house. She watched her brothers, who were now mere specks in the distance of the rolling plains.
They had left soon after they had finished their lunch, for they knew that Malfoy would not let them leave until they had completely finished the field, and with Ronald still at home sick, they had to do his part of the job to.
After rushing through her work, Virginia had offered to go out onto the fields with them, but the boys had told her no, that she should stay at the home, incase Malfoy was to come back and anger that one of his servant girls is doing to the job of one of the field men.
So she just sat and looked into the distance, watching as the sun slowly fell. Virginia did not wish to go back into the house, for she knew that she would see Draco again, and she did not want to speak to him. He annoyed her, but most of all, he intrigued her.
Virginia wanted to know who he really was. He had said he had problems to deal with to, but she didn't believe him. He was a Malfoy, living the lifestyle of the rich and the famous. What could he possibly have to worry about?
The door of the house opened, and the sound of it closing echoed in the silent afternoon. Virginia did nothing to acknowledge the sound; she stayed silent, watching the horizon.
"I was hoping you would be here" Draco said as he climbed up to sit beside her on the fence. Virginia shrugged.
"Have you come to tell me I am needed in the house?" She asked. Draco shook his head at her.
"I came to tell you that I have been thinking" He began.
"I hope you did not hurt yourself" Virginia smiled, Draco chuckled.
"No, but I came to the conclusion that I want to find a way to pay you for all of the work that you do for my family" he told her. Virginia smiled.
"More silver coins?" She asked happily. Draco shook his head sadly. Virginia felt as though she was about to begin crying. Draco wanted to pay her, and yet, there would be no more coins for her and her family. Jumping off of the fence, she moved back to the house slowly, tears welling in her eyes.
"Virginia. Wait!" Draco exclaimed, grabbing her arm and stopping her from moving away. "I can not give you more coins for I can not afford it, and I cannot tell my father I have offered you more payment."
She laughed bitterly "Then what were you planning on paying me with, air. For I will have you know, that is already free, my family has no debt in that department"
Draco reached into his coat and removed a black leather bound book "Virginia, I wish to teach you to read"
~*~*~*~
Please review
And I have to explain one thing, in this chapter, they speak about the bible, now, I know that JK never mentions religion in her story, but in this one, for it to fit in with the whole AU thing, they are living in a very dedicated religious area. So, there is a slight mention of the bible in this chapter.
~*~*~*~
Virginia brushed the stand of heat frizzed hair out of her eyes as she stoked the coals of the fire and pulled out the loaf of fresh bread she had just made. Placing the hot loaf on a board, she put it on the table to cool, and then went back to sweeping the floor.
A few minutes later, the creaking of the stairs in the corner startled her. Looking up, Virginia froze as she saw Draco Malfoy coming down the stairs. For the last week, she had been rather paranoid; Draco was not the type of person to make hollow threats. And what he had said about making her pay.
She turned back to her work, not wanting to catch his eye, not even wanting him to speak to her. But, unfortunately for her, Draco sat down at the table.
"Have you cleaned my room yet?" Draco asked. Virginia looked up from her work.
"You have been in there all morning, I have not had a chance" She replied truthfully.
"Well, do it when you have finished that then!" Draco told her, reaching for the loaf of bread.
"Umm..." Virginia began. Draco looked up, his hands poised over the fresh loaf.
"You have something to say to me?" Draco asked angrily. Virginia sighed and shook her head. She had had ever intention of telling him not to eat the bread that it would still be hot and he would burn his mouth. But the way that he had just ordered her around, she decided that he deserved to learn the hard way.
"No, nothing" Virginia replied, replacing the broom in the corner and moving to the stairs "I will just start on you room now"
Virginia could not help but giggle as she heard him exclaim in pain as she moved up the stairs.
~*~*~*~
"You knew that bread was hot" Draco accused as he stood in his doorway, watching as Virginia shook his bedroom rug out of the window.
"I may had an inkling" she replied, replacing the rug on the floor and moving to the table where she began to organize the things on his desk. She picked up one of the sheets of paper and glanced at it. Rows and rows of simple, clean handwriting on the crisp white paper.
"Give me that" Draco snapped, practically ripping the paper form her hands. "You have no right to read my personal papers."
Virginia looked at her hands, shifting a quill around. "I cannot read"
Her admission was so soft, that Draco thought he had not heard it. He looked for her, where she was standing, blushing, and then, looked at the sheet of paper he held. "You can not read?"
"No, sir, I cannot" Virginia replied, busying herself with organizing the other things on the desk. "No one cares if a servant girl can read, they only care if she can clean, and speak proper"
Draco looked down at the sheet of paper again, and placed it on the pile of books. "So you have never even read the bible"
"Never read it sir, but I know it teachings, there is not an unmarried girl in Massachusetts who does not know the teachings" She told him as she moved to make his bed. Draco just stood, shocked.
"Then you cannot write either?" he asked. She shook her head.
"Never been taught, my parents don't know either, and I never bothered with schooling, I had to work for my family, plus we could not afford it" Virginia told him, and the looked away, ashamed. "Percival can read" she went on "his lady friend Penelope taught him last summer. He reads the scriptures to us some times"
"I don't think I would be able to survive if I could not read." Draco smiled sadly "The stories are my escape"
"Your escape from what?" Virginia suddenly snapped "As far as I can see you have nothing to escape from"
"I have problems ..."
"You are the son of the wealthiest land owner in Massachusetts. You have no problems. Live a day in my shoes, or in the shoes of my brothers, and see if you could survive" she exclaimed.
"Do you always get this defensive?" He asked quietly.
"Crying injustice when your justice is fair is a waste of perfectly good tears. Save them for a time that you need them" Virginia told him "Because believe me, there will be a day when even the strong will fall to their knees and weep"
"Should I take that as a threat, Miss Weasley?" He asked.
"Take it how you wish to take it. Your interpretation does not bother me in the slightest" She replied, leaving the room. Draco followed her.
"Where did this strong character come from?" He asked suddenly.
"Wealth dictates social strength, but the poorest of people can be rich in character" She replied, continuing down the stairs. Draco just stayed, trying to decipher what she had meant.
~*~*~*~
He glanced out the window, watching as Virginia sat with her brothers, they threw a rock between them, laughing at each other.
They all looked so happy. Every single one of them, but Draco didn't understand why. They were the poorest family in their area, they wore clothing that their mother hand made from old worn blankets, each of the boys wore clothes that other boys had worn previous, Virginia wore dresses that had once belonged to her mother. They would all go home filthy and come back looking worse, they would work in the fields, their skin burning. When they were sick, they could not leave work, when they had no food to eat, then they did not eat. Their father was not with them, and their mother could only work one job as she was getting old to do anything more than be a midwife.
And yet, they were happy.
They laughed and played, finding amusement in the rock that they threw from person to person. And Draco had heard the boys in the fields, singing their working songs. They were all so happy.
Draco would never admit that he was jealous of them, he was jealous of the happiness they had. He was from a rich family, and yet, he could not feel the wealth of happiness that they had. He did not have the sense of family.
Draco was technically an only child. He was really the youngest of 8 children, but he was the only one who had survived, but if they had, he would have had 5 sisters and 2 older brothers. He had never had the chance to meet any of them, not even his own twin brother. They all had died within a week of their births.
That was one of the main reasons that the Malfoy house was devoid of love and happiness. The deaths of seven children had stolen all laughter from his father and mother. His mother had been taking ill a lot recently, and Draco's father would always add gruffly that she would not last the summer if her claims of illness were legitimate.
The pain and bitterness that his father felt held all happiness at bay. There were even times when Draco was sure that his father resented him for living.
He wished he would find happiness in his life. Any form of happiness, anything to make him feel human. Anything to make him feel as though he existed.
His father had wealth, which in their small town equaled power, so the only people he ever met were those who were trying to gain just an inch of his father's prestige and power. Every one else seemed to fear him.
All but Virginia. The way he had spoken to her earlier made it obvious that she did not fear him. There had been no fear in her voice as she told him what she thought.
He had threatened her a week earlier, and now, for some reason, he felt his need for revenge slipping away, and he began to see Virginia as some one who could be a friend to him. Some one like her who would challenge him. Some one like Virginia.
He would be her friend, but first, he would have to gain her trust.
~*~*~*~
Virginia sat on the fence that separated the wheat fields from the manicure lawns of the main Malfoy house. She watched her brothers, who were now mere specks in the distance of the rolling plains.
They had left soon after they had finished their lunch, for they knew that Malfoy would not let them leave until they had completely finished the field, and with Ronald still at home sick, they had to do his part of the job to.
After rushing through her work, Virginia had offered to go out onto the fields with them, but the boys had told her no, that she should stay at the home, incase Malfoy was to come back and anger that one of his servant girls is doing to the job of one of the field men.
So she just sat and looked into the distance, watching as the sun slowly fell. Virginia did not wish to go back into the house, for she knew that she would see Draco again, and she did not want to speak to him. He annoyed her, but most of all, he intrigued her.
Virginia wanted to know who he really was. He had said he had problems to deal with to, but she didn't believe him. He was a Malfoy, living the lifestyle of the rich and the famous. What could he possibly have to worry about?
The door of the house opened, and the sound of it closing echoed in the silent afternoon. Virginia did nothing to acknowledge the sound; she stayed silent, watching the horizon.
"I was hoping you would be here" Draco said as he climbed up to sit beside her on the fence. Virginia shrugged.
"Have you come to tell me I am needed in the house?" She asked. Draco shook his head at her.
"I came to tell you that I have been thinking" He began.
"I hope you did not hurt yourself" Virginia smiled, Draco chuckled.
"No, but I came to the conclusion that I want to find a way to pay you for all of the work that you do for my family" he told her. Virginia smiled.
"More silver coins?" She asked happily. Draco shook his head sadly. Virginia felt as though she was about to begin crying. Draco wanted to pay her, and yet, there would be no more coins for her and her family. Jumping off of the fence, she moved back to the house slowly, tears welling in her eyes.
"Virginia. Wait!" Draco exclaimed, grabbing her arm and stopping her from moving away. "I can not give you more coins for I can not afford it, and I cannot tell my father I have offered you more payment."
She laughed bitterly "Then what were you planning on paying me with, air. For I will have you know, that is already free, my family has no debt in that department"
Draco reached into his coat and removed a black leather bound book "Virginia, I wish to teach you to read"
~*~*~*~
Please review
