An Acceptable Risk

Chapter Twenty-Four

The Leaky Cauldron

"Ronald Weasley, watch your language," said Molly Weasley, while Hermione gave him a sharp poke in the back. "Now, do we have everyone? Ron, and Hermione, Harry, Ginny and Draco. Yes, that's everyone. Your father had a car and driver from the ministry bring me over to pick you up. I'm afraid we may be a bit cramped, but we'll manage," said Molly as she led them all across the platform. They crossed through the portal and appeared on the Kings Cross platform and began to make their way to the parking area.

"A car?" asked Draco snidely. "Why not use a portkey?"
"We have several errands to run dear," said Molly calmly. "Besides, after what happened at Hogsmeade, the Ministry has asked everyone to limit their use of portkeys. Floo powder, can be used, and people are still allowed to apparate, but you all are too young for that."
Her comment caused Draco to shoot Ginny a knowing look, but he refrained from saying anything.
"Where do we need to go Mum?" asked Ron.
"Our first stop is Diagon Alley. I have a few things to pick up for Christmas, and I'm assuming that none of you had any opportunity to do any of your holiday shopping yet. Oh look, there's the car," she said, pointing to a Volvo station wagon. They quickly loaded their trunks into the back of the wagon, and piled Crookshank's basket as well as Hedwig's and Pigwidgeon's cages on top of their trunks. The car seemed to magically expand to fit all of them, and the settled in to make the trip to the Leaky Cauldron. Mrs. Weasley insisted they all stop for lunch at the Leaky Cauldron before doing their shopping. Tom, the innkeeper, sat them in a private room and took their orders.
"Nothing for me Mum, I don't seem to have much of an appetite," said Ron shooting Draco a dark look.

"Ronald Weasley, you come with me right this instant!" cried Molly. She reached over and grabbed Ron by the ear and dragged him out of the room. It was humorous to see tall lanky Ron being dragged across the floor by Molly who was so short of stature, yet nobody laughed. Harry and Hermione both looked at the floor awkwardly as the door to the room slammed. Draco leaned back in his chair, with a smirk on his face. Ginny surveyed the scene, burst into tears and rushed out another door in the direction of the rest room. Draco and Harry both rose from their seats to follow her but Hermione was quicker.
"You two wait here. Neither one of you can go into the woman's room. I'll take care of it." She exited the room swiftly, following Ginny. Harry and Draco glared at each other and returned to their seats. An uncomfortable silence filled the room until Draco cleared his throat and looked at Harry.
"So, how does this work Potter?" he asked."
"How does what work?"
"The meal. We certainly can't expect the Weasleys to pay for us. Everybody knows they don't have any money," Draco said in a condescending voice. "It would probably bankrupt them."

Harry glared at Draco across the table, sparks of green shooting from his eyes. "The way it works, you ignorant jerk, is that I slip out part way through the meal and give old Tom enough money to pay for me, and Hermione and you, and a little extra to help defray the cost of the Weasley's meals as well."
"I'm not letting you pay for my meal," said Draco. "I pay my own way!"
"That's fine," said Harry. "Do what you want, but if you do anything to embarrass Mrs. Weasley, you'll live to regret it!"
"I won't," said Draco shoving a small pile of sickles across the table at Harry. "Here, when you go see Tom, add that to the pot," he said, looking down at the table. Harry slid the money into his pocket and nodded to Draco.

The two stared at each other for a while until Draco broke the silence again.
"Why aren't you going home to those muggles you live with anyhow Potter?"
"Why aren't you going home to Malfoy Manor?"
"Ginny asked me to spend the holidays with her," answered Draco.
"And I was asked by Ron to spend the holidays with him," said Harry.
"Right," drawled Draco. "It's more likely your afraid to be around any muggles with the Dark Lord growing more powerful."
"Hardly," said Harry. "Voldemort and his followers just destroyed the only entirely wizarding village in all of England. There wasn't a single muggle in the village, and he leveled it!" said Harry, his voice rising. "Do you think anybody who fights against Voldemort is safe anywhere?"

Draco looked taken aback, as if he hadn't realized that Voldemort and his Death Eaters had destroyed a wizarding village.
"Why do you suppose he did it?" he asked Harry.
"Why did who do what?" asked Ron, as he and his mother walked back into the room.
"Why did Voldemort destroy Hogsmeade?" asked Harry. Ron flinched at hearing Voldemort's name but he quashed down his revulsion at the name and answered.
"It's a strategy," he said. "He wants everyone to know he's doing this on his terms. He's grandstanding more than anything else. Remember at the World Cup Tournament, Krum caught the snitch even though Bulgaria had no chance of winning. He ended the game on his terms. Well, the same thing happened at Hogsmeade. I think he was making a grandstand play. He knows he doesn't have a chance of winning this war, but he was letting us know that when this whole thing ends, it's gong to be on his terms."

Harry, Draco and Mrs. Weasley all stared at Ron, their mouths hanging open both figuratively and literally. Finally Molly Weasley found her voice.
"Ron, you really have given this a lot of thought, haven't you? I'm really impressed. If you'd put half as much effort into your studying, you'll do wonderfully on your N.E.W.T.s."
"Mum, with Hermione as a girlfriend, how could I not study?" asked Ron, giving a long-suffering sigh. "I'm hungry," he continued. "Where did Hermione and Ginny go off to? Tom won't bring the food until everyone's at the table."
"There in the ladies," said Harry, indicating with a jerk of his head, the direction the girls had taken.


Ginny, splashed cold water on her face and took a deep breath. The door to the ladies room opened and Hermione came racing in.
"Ginny, are you okay?"
"Yeah, I forgot about Ron," she answered cryptically.
"What do you mean, you forgot about Ron?"
"I was so worried about Malfoy and Harry being together, but I never gave a single thought to Ron. How stupid could I be? Mum even reminded me in a post she sent. I can't believe I forgot how much he hates Malfoy."
"Don't worry about Ron," said Hermione. "I'll take care of him. He'll be okay. Now what else is bothering you?
"N-nothing," she stammered, remembering Harry's kiss at the dance. "How am I going to get Harry's Christmas gift with Malfoy with me?" she asked.
"Do you know what you are going to get him?" asked Hermione.
"No," Ginny moaned, "I don't have a clue. Oh Hermione, what am I going to do?"

Hermione looked at Ginny and burst out laughing.
"I don't think my problems are very funny," said Ginny, pouting slightly.
"No, you're right, they're not," said Hermione, trying to contain her laughter. "It's just that here you are, working so hard to help Harry, and putting yourself in danger, as calm as can be; yet the thought of why to get Harry for Christmas has you tied up in knots."
"It's not funny, Hermione," Ginny reiterated.
"You're right. Let me think for a second," she said. "How about if we all shop together. When you find something for Harry, just signal me, and I'll get it and you can pay me back later."
"Oh Hermione, thank you!" Ginny cried. "Not that I have a clue as to what to get him. And I suppose I'll have to get Malfoy something as well."
"Oh, I hadn't thought of that, I guess I'll have to get him something too," Hermione said, making a face. "Maybe something from the muggle world would be good," she added evilly.

The two girls laughed at the image of Malfoy getting an electric mixer for Christmas. They left the restroom together, schooling their features to look as though they were with acquaintances they could barely tolerate. They sat down at the table in silence and Tom rushed in with the food. The five of them quickly fell to eating and made great inroads into the pile of food while Mrs. Weasley looked on amused. Harry excused himself from the table and stepped out of the room, but returned quickly and resumed eating. Tom came back into the room to refill the pitcher of milk.
"Tom, why don't I come out and settle up with you now," said Molly Weasley.
"No need to do that Missus," said Tom. "It's all been taken care of." He set the new pitcher of milk on the table and left the room.
"Harry," said Mrs. Weasley. "You didn't have to do that. We invited you, remember?"
"Actually, Mrs. Weasley," said Harry, reaching for another slice of bread. "It was Malfoy's idea. He figured since we're probably going to eat you out of house and home over the holidays, the very least we could do was treat you to lunch." Malfoy and Mrs. Weasley both looked at him with identical expressions of shock on their faces. Molly turned to Malfoy.
"Thank you, Draco. That was very thoughtful of you."
"Yeah," added Ron. "Mum's such a great cook that we really do eat everything in site. You're in for a treat. Draco," he added as an afterthought. Ginny shot Hermione a puzzled look. Something had happened while they were out of the room, and both of them were anxious to find out what it was.