Chapter Three- Learning About Family
Draco was lounging on the small couch in the living room of the Burrow attempting to study for potions, but his efforts ended up being in vain. It was impossible to study right now with all the commotion that was going on.
He couldn't help but smirk as he watched Ron and Ginny desperately chase the twins around kitchen and living room. This was a difficult task since the Fred and George were apparating and disapparating every time one of their siblings got too close. The scene was rather funny, and Draco found himself watching them quite amused.
"Get back here you two!" said Ginny running around trying to catch one of them before they could disapparate again.
"FRED, GEORGE, FIX MY HAIR RIGHT NOW!" Ron screamed. His normal fiery red locks were now bright pink and sticking up in every direction. Ginny's hair on the other hand seemed to be an interesting shade of purple. Draco didn't have the heart to tell them that their freckles had also been significantly changed. They were now flashing different colors of the rainbow and they took on the effect of blinking Christmas lights. Ron caught Draco watching them and shot him a dirty look. He laughed out loud as he saw Ron's freckles begin flicker faster at his mounting rage.
"Serves you right for trying a sample from our snack box!" said Fred.
"What! I didn't know…"
"Honestly, dear brother. How do you live in this house after so many years and not at least suspect foul play from your handsome older brothers!" replied George.
Mrs. Weasley entered the kitchen from the garden. She looked extremely annoyed with their childish antics. "Stop that nonsense this instant. You know we will be leaving shortly. Go on and gather your things now." With a flick of her wrist Ron and Ginny were set back to normal.
"Yes, mother," Fred and George replied together. They looked as if she had spoiled their last bit of fun.
Fred and George had decided to finally opened their long awaited joke shop in Diagon Alley. Although Mrs. Weasley was upset with the fact that her sons would not be completing their education at Hogwarts, she was proud of the fact that they had already began to be successful. Their mail order catalog was a huge success and had immediately doubled their profits. They decided to live in a place of their own since their increasing need to experiment and make new products would only irritate the family to no end. Loud explosions had become ordinary at the Weasley household, but no less infuriating. Mrs. Weasley and Ginny were going to help them get settled in their place above the joke shop, and then go on to Romania to visit Charlie.
Draco was a little sad to see everyone go. He had finally become adjusted to life with the Weasleys, and wondered if all families were as fun and as interesting as this noisy bunch. Draco could honestly say that he wasn't really friends with any of them yet, but they were civil to one another. The Weasley children still harbored some deep rooted feelings against Draco for the way he had treated them in the past. However, he was allowed to join the family for some friendly games of Quidditch in the backyard.
There seemed to be no end to the laughter and commotion. Something was always going on with this crazy family. In the beginning, it was all Draco could do to keep his sanity. He was accustomed to being waited on hand and foot by house elves. He was also used to mostly silence since he was ignored in his own home more often than not. Draco found himself taking long walks through the woods surrounding the Burrow when the loudness of it all got to be too much.
He loved those long walks and they felt like his salvation in some small way. He could always think more clearly when he was outside in the fresh air. He would often find himself contemplating what could have been if he were not born a Malfoy. Would he be the same person that he was today? Would he still be a Slytherin? He knew the answer deep down to that question. He was no saint by any means, and he knew that was where he truly belonged. He was just as cunning and ruthless as his dorm mates, and that had nothing to do with his father's influence.
He thought about many things on those long walks. He sometimes thought about the affection that he now regularly received from Mrs. Weasley. He realized that he loved her in a way he never did with his own mother. Narcissa rarely took notice of her son, and relied mostly on the help to raise him. Draco had many memories of him and his mother together, but nothing that he would substantiate as motherly love. She was just not affectionate in that way. Mrs. Weasley seemed to fuss over him about everything from dirty socks to taking third helpings during meals. Amazingly, he found her actions endearing, and he tried to find ways that he could be helpful around the house to pay back her kindness.
He also thought about the relationships between each of the Weasley children. Each one seemed to fill a niche within the household. Beneath the constant bickering, Draco could see the finely woven lines that supported tied each family member together. Bill and Charlie seemed to have a guiding influence on their younger siblings. They were someone that the younger children could look up to and idolize for their ambitions. Fred and George provided the family with the much needed comic relief in these dark times. Ron and Ginny's optimism and youthfulness embodied the hope that the future will get better. Draco really didn't know Percy that well other than from school because of his absence at the Burrow. All their lives in some small way held a purpose. Draco wasn't sure he even had a purpose in life.
Mostly he also thought about his father on his long walks. He shuddered at the mere thought of him, but Lucius consumed his thoughts nonetheless. Draco, who once loved the man unconditionally, now loathed him. He hated his father for brainwashing him into believing that he was superior to everyone else. He hated his father for beating and belittling him all those years. He hated the fact that his father was a death eater and had helped to resurrect He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. He hated the fact that he was no better than a pauper now because he chose to turn his back on the Dark Lord. But the thing that Draco hated the most was the fact that he essentially no longer had a family. He felt so utterly alone in the world. It seemed as if there was no end to his mounting loneliness.
Draco made many other revelations on those long walks. The thing that shocked Draco the most was that the Weasleys, who were crammed into such a tiny place, were richer than he had ever been in his whole life. Wealth seemed so insignificant when compared to the love and support these people held for one another. This made Draco feel very envious that he was not apart of this wonderful family. What was even worse was the feeling of guilt that he felt inside over all the times that he made snide comments to the Weasley children about being poor. The jealously he felt towards Ron, who was blessed with so many siblings was sometimes overwhelming.
Draco observed the Weasleys as everyone said their goodbyes to one another. Even though they were most likely to see each other again soon, the goodbyes felt important because of the constant threat from the Dark Lord that loomed in their hearts. Mrs. Weasley made it a point to include Draco in her goodbyes, and his heart swelled from the small action. He watched as Fred and George apparated away to their new joke shop. Mrs. Weasley followed Ginny into the fireplace so that they could floo over to Diagon Alley as Ginny was not yet old enough to apparate herself.
Mr. Weasley decided to go upstairs for a quick nap. The Burrow became very quiet again. Draco took up his position again studying on the couch in the living room now that he would be able to concentrate once again. He noticed that Ron had grabbed a piece of parchment and a quill and sat down at the kitchen table. He knew that he must be writing to Harry again. He could always tell when he was writing to him as opposed to Hermione. Ron's entire mood changed when he wrote to Harry. His body always visibly tensed and lines of worry could be seen creasing his forehead.
Draco knew that Ron had repeatedly written to Harry, but had not received many responses, which Draco thought was pretty rude. Ron was still hoping that Harry could come to the Burrow, and made several threats to retrieve Harry himself if the order didn't do something about it. Being the peacemaker that he is, Mr. Weasley wanted to make sure that it was okay with he relatives first.
Draco often wondered why Ron was so concerned about him. Draco knew that Harry's godfather had been killed in the attack at the Department of Mysteries, but he didn't think that they knew each other all that well anyway. Surely, Harry's relatives must be able to console him in some way. Draco still held onto his belief that Harry Potter was treated like a golden child at home.
As he yawned, he became vaguely aware of Ron sending the letter and some packages off with Pig and Hedwig. Draco thought that the packages may contain some birthday presents for Harry because he had overheard Ron discussing it with his mother earlier. After reading the same paragraph three times to no avail, he decided to allow his body to succumb to the sleep that it was now craving. He fell asleep on the couch in the living room, to lazy to make himself go upstairs.
Draco dreamt about Harry again that night, thankful that it wasn't another nightmare about his father. It was always the same dream. The two of them were laughing as they flew across a field on their broomsticks. Harry was making some bold maneuvers trying to impress him. Draco was desperately trying to catch up to Harry, but he was always just out of reach. Something was stirring deep inside of Draco. Emotions he wasn't even willing to consider at the moment. Emotions, which could change his life forever.
A/N: Don't worry, Harry finally arrives in the next chapter, and he isn't looking to well either. I wonder what could be wrong….