Disclaimer (I felt like doing another one)- If I claimed to own the characters you recognize, JK Rowling and anyone else who owns anything associated with Harry Potter would attack me with their giant sea stars. As I don't wish to be attacked by sea stars (though I'm not sure what damage they could do), I will inform you all now that I do not own the characters. So now you know.
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"And he said what?" Ginny asked Blossom, smiling. They were discussing the guys at school, and their former crushes.
"He said, 'Oh, Blossom, won't you be my girlfriend?', and I was like, 'No'."
Ginny laughed, something that Draco heard through the door. Yes, he was eavesdropping, but it is the best way to learn information.
"And then what did he do?"
"He walked away, and glared at me! It was so funny! Too bad you weren't there, Gin." Blossom finished. There was silence as Ginny looked out the window. Blossom realized what she had said, and tried to apologize. Ginny ignored her, thinking of her brief stay in the Dead Lands. She still didn't know why they had been transported back, and she didn't know why she was able to relive those last seconds before Narcissa broke into Draco's room.
This is enough. Draco decided, walking into the room. Blossom and Ginny looked over at the door, shocked. Then Ginny glared at him and said icily,
"Have you ever heard of this wonderful thing called 'knocking'?"
"No, I don't believe I have." Draco said with his trademark smirk. When she glared at him, he thought, Damn it. That isn't what I wanted to do.
"Leave us alone." Ginny ordered, her eyes flashing. Draco saw amusement in Blossom's eyes.
"Hi, Draco." Blossom said, smiling. Draco gave her a look.
"Hi, Blossom. Virginia, I just wanted to inform you that both of you are required to come to supper tonight. We are having guests." This "both" was added because Ginny refused to eat with Draco when there weren't any people around. Blossom, of course, found this entirely hilarious (forgetting the fact that she acted the exact same way around Gordon) and would tease Ginny and Draco about it. Both of them secretly appreciated Blossom's humor, and would have thanked her if it weren't for the fact that they were both so proud.
"Guests? Some more of your father's business associates?"
"No. But it is a surprise."
"Who?" Ginny demanded, but Draco just smiled and shook his head. And then he left.
"That infuriating man!" Ginny vented. Blossom smiled, and Ginny turned to her,
"What are you smiling about?"
Blossom refused to answer.
"Tell me!" Ginny ordered, throwing a pillow at her best friend. This, of course, ended in a pillow fight. From the other side of the door, Draco smiled. He wasn't happy to be called "that infuriating man", but was happy that Ginny was having a good time with her friend. He walked off, hoping Ginny would like the surprise.
Ginny walked down the stairs, comfortable in her Muggle clothing. She was wearing a t-shirt with some brand name screen-printed on the front, and some comfortable jeans. Blossom was still up in her room, dressing for the "guests" that they were having. The thing that most angered Ginny was that Blossom seemed to know exactly who was coming that night, and no one would tell Ginny.
When she reached the bottom of the stairs, Everett was sitting there.
"Get away from me, you stupid mutt." Ginny murmured. She had grown to dislike the dog in the time that she had lived at Malfoy Manor. Now, this was unusual, as Ginny usually loved animals of all kinds.
Everett gave her a cute puppy-dog look, and then ran to Draco, who had just walked through the dining room door.
"Virginia." He said softly, coming forward to take her hand. She looked at him, searching for ulterior motives. She found none.
"Draco." She replied, just as softly. There was also a certain fondness in her voice, which Draco knew better than to mention. If she didn't know what she was showing, he wasn't going to tell her.
Ginny took his hand, and let him lead her into the dining room.
It was beautifully decorated, and standing in the corner was a group of people she recognized.
"Mom? Dad? Ron, Harry, Hermione?" Ginny asked, surprised. She looked at Draco, wondering what her parents must have threatened to make him allow them to visit her. She also saw Harry's girlfriend, Ron's girlfriend, and Hermione's boyfriend. They stayed back, as to avoid being caught up in the greetings.
"I'm so glad you visited! And now that you're here, why are you here?"
"Didn't Draco tell you? He invi-" Molly started, but catching Draco's look, broke off and looked over where Ron and his girlfriend, Luna, were standing.
"Now, that won't do…" She chastised, and they both stood, embarrassed. It is one thing to be caught kissing your girlfriend in front of your mother, but quite another to have her yell at you in front of others. Harry and his girlfriend, Patricia Inness, stood, waiting to greet Ginny. She smiled warmly at Harry, just as if he were a brother. Because that is what he had become. Another brother.
However, Draco caught this smile, and glared at Harry, jealous that he got Ginny's attentions when Draco couldn't.
"Hi, Harry, Patty. How are you two doing?" Ginny asked. Patricia, however, seemed to be thinking along the same lines as Draco as she steered Harry away from Ginny.
Last to greet Ginny was Hermione and her new boyfriend…
…Percy!
Ginny grinned as she saw this, and she smiled outright when she caught Hermione's sheepish look.
"Hey Herm, Perce!" She said excitedly. They talked for several minutes until Harry called Hermione over to him. Ginny looked around happily. She caught Draco's amused expression, and went to talk to him.
"Did you do this?" She asked. If he did, she didn't know what she'd do. This was just so uncharacteristic of him. He smiled, and she resisted the urge to hug him and kiss him--barely. He kissed her forehead gently, so gently that she barely felt it. But she knew he did it.
"Why?" Ginny asked, her heart beating quickly. Her palms were growing sweaty, and she was nervous.
"Gin, come here!" Ron said excitedly. Draco urged her to go, even though he knew that he would have to answer her questions later, but not wanting to just yet. He watched her walk over there, and luckily no one was watching his face to see the predatory gleam in his eyes.
"What, Ron?" Ginny asked when she reached the group.
"Guess what?" He said, happily.
"What?" Ginny replied grumpily. She hated guessing games. Ron smiled and answered,
"Luna and I are engaged!" He said. Ginny's eyes opened wide with shock. She turned to look at Draco. He smirked, but not a cruel smirk. He gave her a look that told her to keep listening.
Damn. She thought, disgusted. I can read his looks. Then she smiled because the thought was so funny.
"When's the wedding?" Ginny asked. Ron looked at her and smiled happily.
"September second." Ginny smiled, and congratulated them. Draco stepped up behind her and congratulated Ron and Luna, too. Luna, for once out of her Quibbler magazine, smiled and accepted their congratulations, and offered her own on their seven-month anniversary. Draco and Ginny accepted it, both knowing that she was actually congratulating them on not killing each other.
Just then, Blossom walked in.
"Blossom?" Luna asked, surprised. She obviously hadn't known that Blossom was staying at the Malfoy Manor. Blossom's eyes widened, and she said,
"Luna? Aren't you with your…oh…" she said, answering her own question that she had left unfinished. Everyone found this hilarious, and broke it the ice, in a way. Ginny was a lot more open to talk to people with Draco hovering around her like a large moth, and Blossom was just Blossom, and blossomed in this atmosphere. While everyone, even Draco, was engaged in a conversation, Molly walked over to Ginny.
"Ginny, dear, we were just wondering…are you happy? Draco said that, if you wished, you could come home for a while. A month, or so." She said, confidentially. Ginny looked at her mother.
"Mother…no, I'm not really happy, but Blossom is here visiting. I can't be rude and tell her to go home, or leave while she's here." Ginny explained.
"You can leave after she does, Gin. It doesn't have to be right away." Molly said kindly.
"Really? You wouldn't mind?"
"Of course not! I'd be happy to have you home, if only for a few days…"
"Thanks!" Ginny shrieked, and her mother gave her a knowing look. Then Molly smiled, and ushered Ginny back to the crowd. Draco gave her a look, knowing what Molly had talked to her about. She nodded, and he looked back to Ron and Luna. Patricia and Harry were sitting in the corner, and were…ah, busy. Suddenly the door opened…
…and Gordon walked in. Blossom suddenly looked as if she had seen a ghost, and Ginny's friends and family looked over at Gordon. Ron made a noise as if disgusted, and Harry noticed him too and narrowed his eyes. The group once again turned frosty. Ginny noticed that Draco led Gordon out of the room while everyone else was trying their hardest to ignore him, which was fine by her.
When they re-entered the dining room, Draco said,
"It's time to eat. Gordon will be joining us." They all gave Gordon the appropriate glares, and settled into eating the delicious food that Draco provided.
After dinner, Gordon informed Blossom that she would be leaving with him that night, so that they could go on their honeymoon. From Blossom's face, Ginny could tell that she wasn't too happy with this arrangement. But Blossom had to do what Gordon wanted, and from Draco's look, she knew she'd stayed her welcome.
"Fine," was all she said.
Ginny felt bad, but Draco's look told her quite plainly that she wasn't supposed to do anything that would encourage Blossom to stay. She felt a stabbing pain in her heart, but said nothing. When she caught Blossom's sad look, she gave her a sympathetic one, and Blossom knew she couldn't stay.
When Blossom left that night, Draco knew Ginny would be sad. He just wasn't prepared for what was coming…
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If there's anything that I have done weird, or doesn't make sense, please inform me of it, because I am not rewriting anything from now on, except for small details that I was too stupid to catch the first time.
So, talk to you all later!
~Lili
"You see, @ is shorthand for at, w/ is shorthand for with, w/o is shorthand for without, and this," makes the "ok" sign, "is shorthand for okay, which is sort of shorthand for 'I'm doing fine.'" – my bio teacher. Great guy.
And, since I'm a little weird, could you please tell me if I'm not posting the chapters in order? Or if I've posted one more than once? Because I'm not very good at the whole paying attention thing.
