Chapter 5

Harry waited in front of the fireplace anxiously, pacing back and forth. The orange fire flared up and turned green signalling that someone was about to step through the fire. Hermione stepped up hurriedly and looked like she had dressed in a hurry. Her face was void of any make up and her hair was tied up in a messy ponytail. Dressed in a simple shirt and jeans, she quickly brushed off the soot and looked up.

"Where is he?" she asked Harry, worry evident in her voice.

"In the study, going through my liquor cabinet like there's no tomorrow," Harry replied, leading her up the stairs. Harry had inherited 12, Grimmauld Place after Sirius' death and had renovated it into a comfortable home.

"Did he say anything when he arrived?"

"Not much, just that he got thrown out of The Burrow. Then he headed straight for the strong liquor."

"Oh dear. Do you think we should call Ginny? She has a right to know what happened," Hermione asked as they stopped before the door of the study.

"We'll talk to him first then we call Ginny," Harry said, stepping into the room.

Ron turned when he heard them come in and smiled, swaying slightly on his feet.

"Hermione! It's so good to see you, love. I was wondering when you would arrive," Ron said, dropping into the sofa. He drank the whisky straight form the bottle, ignoring the glass on the table. Harry left discreetly to send a floo message to Ginny.

"Ron, what happened? Please tell me. You don't usually drink. Is something wrong?" Hermione said to him softly as she sat down next to him.

"Nothing much happened. I came back from visiting Ginny and my mom threw me out of the house. Oh, and she called Ginny a whore." Ron frowned at the empty whisky bottle and shrugged. He dropped it on the floor and stood up to look for more liquor to drown his sadness but Hermione prevented him from moving towards the liquor cabinet. She pulled him to sit down and laced her fingers through his.

"Oh Ron. Why did you do that? You know your mother's not happy with Ginny then why did you go and see Ginny in the first place?" Hermione asked.

"Because she was going to destroy every single thing in the house that belonged to Ginny! She even removed Ginny's clock hand from the family clock!" Ron roared at her, pulling his hand away from hers and stood up. "She made me clear out all of Ginny's things and burned them. I couldn't do that. Ginny will always be my sister no matter what my mother says. I can't just cut her away from my life! Ginny's my one and only sister, my baby sister! I had to save her things. I had to give it to her. I had to see her to apologise for not standing up for her during the party. I felt so guilty. You shouldn't have stopped me Hermione."

"I'm sorry but if I hadn't, your mother would have thrown you out earlier and you wouldn't be able to save all Ginny's things," Hermione said softly.

"I know Hermione, I know. I'm just angry with them for doing this to Ginny. She deserves to be happy," Ron said, dropping back into his seat and rubbing his face with his hands.

Hermione moved closer to him and wrapped her arms around Ron. "I know she deserves it. We all do Ron. I'm glad that you stood up for Ginny and cared so much about her. It makes me love you even more," she whispered to him. "I love you Ronald Weasley."

"I love you too Hermione Granger. Would you still marry me even though my parents disown me? I've got nothing except the things I brought with me and some money in Gringotts."

"Is that a proposal?"

"I guess it is."

"Well, Mr Weasley, I'm in love with you, not your family. Then the answer is yes, I will marry you."

Ron pulled Hermione into a hug, inhaling the scent of flowers from her hair. "I love you so much."

"I know baby. I love you too."

They broke apart when they heard footsteps entering the room. Looking up, Ron saw Ginny standing at the door. Ron stood up and looked at her, waiting for her reaction. Ginny ran to her brother and threw her arms around him. Hermione, Harry and Draco left the room, giving the two siblings some privacy.

"I'm so sorry Ron, so sorry. I didn't know she would go this far. If had known, I wouldn't have moved out," Ginny cried. For the second time that day, Ron felt her tears seep through his shirt.

"Shhh baby sister, don't cry. There's nothing to be sorry for honey. Ginny, all I want is for you to be happy. Staying at home wasn't making you happy. I would have helped you moved out too if you had told me."

"Why does she do this to s Ron? Doesn't she love us anymore?"

"I don't know Ginny. I honestly don't know. I've never seen her act that way, even when Percy was being an idiot back in my fifth year."

"We don't have a family anymore Ron."

"We have Harry, Hermione and Malfoy. They're all the family we need and we have each other. No matter what happens, you will always be my sister."

"You will always be my brother Ron. I love you big brother.'"

"I love you to baby sister."

~ ~ ~

Down in the kitchen, Harry, Hermione and Draco sat around the kitchen table with mugs of strong tea in hand.

"I shouldn't have asked her if she wanted to move in with me," Draco sighed, staring into his half empty mug. "Then all of this wouldn't have happened. It's all my fault."

"Malfoy, it's not your fault. Neither of us had seen Ginny happier than when she's with you. Both of us had seen how everyone in their family, except Ron, treats her like a kid even though she's legally and adult. She had tried once to move out of the house before both of you got together but was guilt tripped by her mother into staying," Harry said.

"Harry's right Draco. I think that things would have been far worse if she had continued to stay there. She might have hexed her mother if she was pushed to far. We know that you love each other very much and we want her to be happy," Hermione added.

"Thank you. I will try my best to keep her happy always. Every time after each confrontation with her family, she cries herself to sleep and it breaks my heart when that happens. Now, not only was she disowned, her brother's in the same predicament as well. What if she hates me because of that?" Draco asked, rubbing his face wearily.

"Don't beat yourself up about it Malfoy. It was my choice and I'm going to live with it. What's important is that my sister happy. You had better make sure that she stays happy," Ron said from the kitchen door, his arms around Ginny's shoulders.

"Draco looked up and saw Ginny smiling at him. "I don't blame you for anything Draco. In fact, I want to thank you for giving me the strengthening my resolve to move out of the house. I love you," Ginny said, sitting down on his lap.

"I love you too Ginny," Draco said softly.

Just then, their quiet moment was interrupted b the arrival of Erwin, the Weasleys' family owl after Errol's demise. The owl dropped a howler in front of Ginny and flew back out into the night. Not wanting to delay the inevitable, Ginny opened the envelope and her mother's voice boomed out.

"YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF! POISONING YOU BROTHER AGAINST THE FAMILY! DON'T YOU DARE COME CRAWLING BACK HERE IF THAT BOY LEAVES YOU FOR ANOTHER WHORE! YOU AND THAT BROTHER OF YOURS WILL NEVER BE WELCOMED BACK HERE! "

The envelope burst into flames on the table as Ginny looked on. She got up from Draco's lap, took a washcloth from the sink and wiped off the ashes. She stood at the sink and sighed, "I was afraid that she was going to do that."

"Honey…" Draco began.

"It's alright. I'm going to be fine," Ginny interrupted. She turned to look at the people around the kitchen and said, "All of you are the only family I have left."

"We're all the family you need Ginny. We're all the family you need," Ron said, gathering her into a hug.

~ * ~

Over the next few months, Ginny was too busy getting ready for her wedding to think about her mother and the rest of the Weasley family. Ron had moved in with Hermione after getting permission from Mr Granger to marry his daughter. Hermione was going to be Ginny's maid of honour so Ginny, Hermione and Draco's mother, Narcissa, would get together and discuss the wedding plans every other week. It was after one of these meetings that Draco took Ginny out for lunch to spend some time with her. He had been busy the past few weeks too and rarely saw her except when she was asleep.

They went to Draco's favourite café near Diagon Alley and sat down, looking through the menu. After ordering, Ginny leaned back on her chair and sighed. "I'm so tired. Your mother and Hermione ganged up on me and made me try on all those dresses," she said.

Draco chuckled and asked, "How many dresses did they make you try?"

"35! They made me try 35 dresses! Thank God, you came by. They would have put me into more dresses if you hadn't come by to rescue me."

"It couldn't be that bad."

"Do you know how heavy those dresses are?! I could barely stand after the last one. I'm so hungry, I could as much as Ron right now."

Draco laughed and patted her hand fondly and asked, "So what has your brother been up to?"

"Nothing much. He's not driving Hermione mad too badly and she keeps him in line. They're very happy and their wedding is going to be next summer."

The waiter then arrived with their order and conversation drifted to what they had been doing the past week. Ginny was half way through telling Draco about her week when she saw a familiar red-haired person walking down the street in her direction. Seeing that Ginny had stopped talking and staring beyond his shoulder, Draco turned around and saw Mr Weasley walking in the direction towards them.

Arthur stopped in his tracks when he saw them. He had a very indecisive look on his face, not knowing whether to ignore them or to go over to talk to them. He gave them a small smile and was about to walk towards them when he turned back, as if someone had called him. Both Ginny and Draco saw Molly walk up to him. Fortunately, Arthur was blocking Molly's view of the couple. Arthur turned around and gave them an apologetic smile before leading his wife away from Ginny and Draco, not wanting a public scene.

Draco turned back to Ginny and found her looking sadly into her food. She was no longer eating but just pushing the bits of food around her plate.

"You alright Ginny?"

"I'm ok. My father didn't look that angry anymore doesn't he?"

"It looks that way. I'm sure he would have come and talk to us if your mother wasn't here. He still loves you honey, he was just angry that's all."

"I hope you're right Draco. I hope you're right."

~ ~ ~

On the wedding day, Ginny was pacing nervously in front of the mirror already dressed in her dress. The dress was a simple silk sheath with thin shoulder straps. Her veil was thrown back and tendrils of hair tickled her cheek.

"Ginny stop pacing. You're going to crease your dress," Hermione said, trying to get Ginny to calm down. "Are you nervous about marrying Draco?"

"It's not that. They're not here yet. Do you think they're coming?"

"I'm sorry Ginny. I don't think they are. Ron did try to talk to them after they sent back the invitation cards but she threw him out. I'm sorry Ginny."

Ginny looked at her sadly and sighed. There was a knock on the door and Hermione went to open it. Ron stood at the doorway, taking in how good Hermione looked in her dress.

"They're not coming are they Ron?" Ginny asked sadly.

"I'm sorry, love. I don't think they are." Ron cupped Ginny's face and tilted it up to look into her eyes. "You look beautiful today. It's their loss that they can't see how beautiful you look."

"I love you Ron. You're the best."

"I love you to Ginny. Now, lets get down there. I'm sure Malfoy's getting worried that you're going to call off the wedding." Ginny smiled as Ron led her to the Malfoy family chapel.

Ginny's beauty astounded Draco when she entered the chapel. She was simply stunning in the simple white dress. He felt so blessed to have her love and that she was going to be his wife. She smiled shyly to him as he took her hand from Ron.

"Who gives this woman away?" the minister asked.

Before Ron could answer, the door to the chapel opened and Arthur Weasley entered, breathing very hard. He walked briskly up to the altar and stood beside Ron. He smiled and patted Ron on the shoulder before winking at his daughter.

"Who gives this woman away?" the minister asked again.

Arthur nodded at Ron and said, "We do."

The rest of the ceremony went by very quickly and smoothly. At the reception, Ginny looked on as her father and Ron talked by the buffet table. They weren't arguing, that was a good sign, Ginny thought. Just then, Arthur gave Ron a hug, causing Ginny to smile.

Ginny was still smiling when Draco led her into the first dance. "You look very beautiful today," he said, kissing her temple.

"Thank you. So do you. The tuxedo makes you look so dangerous and sexy," she whispered, pinching his bottom discreetly.

"You're naughty minx. I might have to spank you later."

Ginny giggle and said, "Kinky."

"Do you mind if I cut it?" a familiar voice asked.

"Of course not Arthur. Carry on," Draco said, handing Ginny over to her father.

Arthur steered the both of them onto the dance floor and lead her into a slow dance.

"You look beautiful today Ginny. So radiant and happy," her father said softly.

"Are you still angry at me Daddy?"

"No sweetie. I'm not angry anymore. What Ron said those many months before, made me think. I could see that you weren't very happy. You were only happy when you went to see Tha- Draco."

"Thank you Daddy. It means so much to mean that you're here. Does Mom know you're here?"

"Gods no. I had to tell her I had an emergency meeting at the Ministry. I'm happy for you sweetheart and I know that he will treat you well."

"He will Daddy if he knows what's god for him."

Her father just laughed and hugged her tightly. "You're gifted with hexes, just like your mother. You're going to be fine. You're going to be just fine."

A/N: Thanks to all those who read and reviewed. I didn't expect this story to have so much support as it had started out as a way for me to vent out my frustrations. I hope that you like is chapter. Please make my day and review. I really love hearing what you think of the story.