I will eat you if you don't review. Rawr.
Yes, that's right. This chapter, and this chapter only, you will be eaten if you don't review. So don't review! I dare you. On another note, check out my profile to see how my trip to Branson, Missouri went. Yay.
4AnJ
Chapter Five: Family
I took my time
I hurried up
The choice was mine
I didn't think enough
I'm too depressed
To go on
You'll be sorry when I'm gone
I never conquered
Rarely came
Sixteen just held such better days…
Blink 182 – Adam's SongArthur Weasley would not be home for supper that evening. He had owled while the Quidditch game was going on to explain that he needed to work late and to start supper without him. He would try to be home in time, but it was highly unlikely. Molly had owled him back straight away to tell him of their visitor and to warn him not to be as horrid as Ron, because Draco Malfoy was actually a very nice boy when he wasn't being influenced by his father.
The Quidditch game was over for the night when Molly called them to come and wash up for supper. They had played the entire afternoon and Ron's team, having the superior keeper, had won, 380 to 90. Hermione praised Ron on this playing so efficiently, that he didn't notice Draco and Ginny falling behind to be somewhat alone. In fact, he was so absorbed in Hermione that he didn't even notice his mother watching as he leaned in to kiss her, playing with a strand of her hair. So when Molly murmured something of how lovely they were together, Ron's ears turned a vibrant shade of red and Hermione giggled at him.
"They really are a perfect couple," Ginny mused, smiling as Draco stole a kiss. She watched as her mum hassled her older brother about when the wedding would be. Ron tried desperately to avoid the questions, but Hermione answered them gladly, almost glowing with excitement.
The family, minus Arthur, gathered around the table. Bill sat next to Draco again, presumably to talk to him about Gringotts, but Ginny ended up on his other side this time, slipping her hand into his under the table. Molly set out three meatloaves, and they dug in, discussing Quidditch tactics they could use next time and giving each other pointers for improving their game.
"Draco, you and Ginny should join in next time so we can have a proper team of Chasers." Draco glanced up, blinking as Fred and Harry nodded their agreement to Bill's statement. "Then we might have a chance at winning."
"Not in your life," Ron shot back, seeming to not even notice the statement towards Draco. Ginny shot him a winning smile and his ears turned pink.
"Would you care to make a wager on it?" she teased, but his answer was interrupted by the popping noise of someone apparating into the house. Ginny squealed and flew from her chair to greet her father. She found him standing in the den, looking like he hadn't been getting any sleep the past few nights. He gave her a weary smile as she gave him a hug and tugged him in to sit at the table. Molly took her turn fussing over him, muttering about how they worked him too hard and they should let him off at a decent time.
"Really, Molly, I'm perfectly fine. All I need is a little meatloaf in me and I'll be as good as new." Ginny sat back down next to Draco, giving him a reassuring smile. Arthur didn't even seem to notice Draco until the meal was halfway over. When he caught sight of the blond, he blinked, suddenly remembering his wife's owl.
"Oh. Hello, Draco."
"Evening, Mr. Weasley." Arthur nodded a moment, offering a small grin. Ginny beamed, squeezing Draco's hand triumphantly. The meal was finished in relative calmness, and the older children joined their parents in the den for tea. Hermione claimed she and Ron were going to go read the apparation test booklet again, and they disappeared into Ron's bedroom. So Harry, Ginny, and Draco were left to clean up dinner, which they did in silence. Ginny worked uncomfortably between the two boys, drying the dishes after Draco washed them and handing them to Harry for him to put away.
When the dishes were all washed, Harry looked on as Draco whispered something in Ginny's ear, and she giggled quietly, giving him a playful push. He caught her hands and pulled her in for a deep kiss, ignoring her teasing struggles. Harry turned and made his way into the den for tea. When they separated, Ginny gave him a sly smile and enlaced their fingers, tugging him towards the stairs.
"I don't believe you've seen my room yet." Draco smiled, shaking his head.
"I can't say I have," he murmured, stealing a glance behind him to be sure none of her family was watching. When he was sure they weren't, he followed her upstairs, letting her lead him to her room. He took in the yellow walls, covered in pictures of wizard punk groups that either nodded or gave him the middle finger. He snorted quietly, glancing over at Ginny as she checked the lock on her door. When she was satisfied, she shut and locked it, turning towards Draco. She found herself pinned to the door with his lips against hers. Her arms flew around his shoulders and she arched hungrily against him, relishing in his touch. His fingers grazed her hips, moving down to her thighs, then up her sides, slipping skillfully under her shirt. She shivered, smiling through the kiss. After a moment, she pushed him away, backing him towards the bed. He let a half smile play at her lips as he sat on the bed, scooting and leaning back as Ginny crawled onto his lap.
"Now this is what I've been missing," Draco murmured, pulling her down into a soft kiss. Ginny beamed, settling comfortably against his chest. He ran his fingers tenderly through her hair, loving the way her body curved perfectly with his, and the way her hands always found the right places to touch. For example, at that moment, her fingers were tracing patterns on his chest. He shuddered softly as they grazed his stomach, capturing her lips in another kiss. Then they just lay there, enjoying each other's company.
Hermione didn't return to Ginny's bedroom until Harry had come upstairs to get ready for bed and caught her and Ron in a rather compromising situation. He had coughed politely and she had scampered out of the room so fast, she didn't even see Ron's ears turn pink. But she was quite certain the sight she was met with in Ginny's room would do more than turn Ron's ears pink. And not with embarrassment, either.
Draco and Ginny were looking quite comfortable, curled up together on her bed. Draco was pressed against her back, his face buried in her hair and one hand around her waist, tucked under her shirt to rest on her stomach. Ginny didn't look at all displeased with this, her legs twisted with his. And they were fast asleep. They actually made such a peaceful picture that Hermione didn't want to separate them, but she knew if Ron caught sight of the two, that Draco would find himself short a limb. So the brunette tiptoed across the room and rested a hand on Draco's shoulder, whispering his name.
His silver-blue eyes opened blearily at the sound of his name and they turned upwards to Hermione. He then looked around the room, trying to remember exactly where he was. The feeling of Ginny burrowing close seemed to wake him up efficiently, though, and he blinked, carefully extracting himself from her grip. Once he was able to maneuver off the bed, he opened his mouth to say something to Hermione, but she pushed him out the door, motioning towards Ron's room. So he wordlessly cast a final look at Ginny and reluctantly made his way to his bed for the next…however many days he was staying.
Ron and Harry were talking before he entered, but they stopped as soon as the door opened, both glancing towards the Slytherin boy. Harry had some restraint and turned towards his book, but Ron glared almost openly, the mood that he had at dinner obviously gone. Draco tried to ignore him, tugging off his shirt as he started to get ready for bed.
"Holy hell." Harry's voice jerked through the silence, and Draco glanced over his shoulder to find the dark-haired boy gaping at him. Ron's glare had dissipated to a shocked look as he, too, stared at Draco's back. Scars crisscrossed the flesh like a child's scribbles, faded pink against his pale skin. Draco scowled, brows furrowing.
"What the fuck happened to you?" Ron asked after a moment, earning himself a burning glare from Draco. "You look like a damned tiger attacked your back or something."
"If you must know, my father didn't believe in scolding. Thanks for bringing up such a splendid memory of my childhood." Draco's voice dripped with sarcasm as he spoke, turning his back to the boys as he dug through his suitcase.
"Merlin, what did he hit you with? A fucking pipe?" …Ron didn't really know when to stop. Draco whirled on him, forcing his voice not to tremble with the anger he could feel building up inside. Anger at his father, more than anything. And yes, some towards Ron.
"A riding crop. I've got more scars, if you'd like." Without thinking of the consequence, he tugged off his pants, motioning to the lines of scars just above his knees. "I did these myself. Lovely, right?" The pants were pulled back on as he thrust his wrists towards Ron. "And how about these? Did them too. Last summer. Spent one hell of a week at St. Mungo's. They seemed to think I wanted to cause myself harm." His fury about ready to burst, he grabbed his shirt, sending cold glares to both Ron and Harry. "I wonder why they thought that." Before either boy could get in a word, he practically slammed out of the room, stalking down the stairs and out of the house. He didn't care where he was going, he just needed to get away. He stalked aimlessly through the yard and into the woods, emerging at the lake before he even realized what he was doing. Letting out a growl of frustration, he whirled on an innocent tree, ramming his fist into the trunk until pain shot up his arms when he tried to move his fingers. With a small noise that could only be described as a howl, he collapsed against the tree, sliding to the ground. He curled into a ball, his whole body shaking in soundless, tearless sobs, eyes locked miserably on the lake. …He needed Ginny to be there. Now.
Angst-erific.