Chapter Seven
The day they went to Hogsmeade, Draco met her breathless in the front hall.
"Ginny, Snape has roped me into helping him bottle potions for Madame Pomfry before I leave. I'll be along as quick as I can."
"Oh no! You can't not show up! This is the one chance we have to show at least two members of my family that this is right!" Ginny said.
"Don't worry, I'll be there. I'll be late, but I'll be there!" Draco reassured her.
Ginny walked along with Harry and Hermione, who were still speaking to her, although they studiously avoided talking about Draco. Ron was still not speaking to her, and he walked on the other side of Hermione, glaring at her every now and then.
When they made it into Hogsmeade, the twins were waiting on her. They clapped Harry and Ron on the back, and teased Hermione, but made it perfectly clear they wished to speak to Ginny alone. As the trio walked away, Fred and George led Ginny to a booth in the restaurant and sat down.
"So, where's your fellow?" asked George.
Ginny explained what had happened and Fred grimaced and said, "Sounds like Snape. Always ruining someone's fun. Ah well, just as well that he'll be a bit late. Gives us a chance to talk to you alone."
"Gin, are you quite sure you know what you'rE doing? It is Malfoy after all." Asked George.
"Quite George. Listen to me you two. He's not what you think. Oh, he's a prat, I know that. He's mean and nasty to most people, most of the time. But when you get past that, he's different. I can't tell you he's really a kind considerate human being, that would be a lie. But I can tell you he loves me. And he treats me as if I am a princess in a fairy tale. He'd do most anything for me, including face down Ron and Harry."
They talked a bit, George and Fred peppering her with questions about her and Draco. Ginny told them about what had happened with Zanbini at the dance, and what had happened with Ron. They seemed both reasonable and willing to consider Draco as a person. It wasn't a huge surprise to Ginny, when she thought about it. The twins had always treated her as more of an adult than the others had.
When Draco finally got there, breathless and nervous, though it was indiscernible to anyone but Ginny, Fred invited him to sit down and avoided the subject that had brought them there altogether. They chattered on about quidditch and the news in recent quibblers, and asked Draco's opinion of how a joke shop might fair in Hogsmeade.Ginny watched Draco slowly let his guard down.
When it became time for Ginny and Draco to get back to school, both twins rose and shook Draco's hand. Before Fred released his hand he said to Draco, "Ginny tells us you're not as bad as we thought you were, mate. After talking to you and her today, we're inclined to believe her and give you a chance."
George then took up his hand and said, "Yes, a chance. Don't blow it mate. You understand that if you hurt our Ginny, if you abuse her in any way, we'll be forced to hunt you down, yes? I see that you do. I think I might grow to like you Malfoy. We'd hate to have to show you that our practical jokes aren't always harmless or temporary."
Draco nodded and said, "I'd not expect anything less."
"Good, good, "Fred said, clapping Draco on the back. "Can I offer you a toffee for the trip back?"
Ginny laughed and declined the toffee for Draco.
On the walk back to Hogwart's Draco told Ginny, "That wasn't excruciating."
"No, the twins have always been more of the live and let live type that the rest of my family. I guess that's because Mum's always given them such a hard time for opening the joke shop instead of going into the ministry like Father and Percy."
"Two down, three to go."
"What?" asked Ginny, confused.
"Two brothers down, three to go." Explained Draco.
"I have four other brothers, Draco, five if you count Harry, who might as well be adopted." She said.
"Yes, I know how many there are. But Ron is a lost cause, and I simply can't bring myself to try and be friends with Potter, not even for you." Grimaced Draco. "The best I can promise you with him and Ron is that I won't hit them if I can help it."
Ginny just shook her head and snuggled up against him as they walked back to the castle.
Despite the fact that Draco had insisted he wanted to tell his father about Ginny, he hadn't been able to do it. Ginny had watched as he tore up letter after letter, trying to find the right words and sympathized with him. She wished she'd had the opportunity to tell her parents face to face instead of Ron tattling on her by owl. Though Draco felt guilty for taking so long to tell them, Ginny didn't mind in the least that he hadn't done it. She knew, from what she saw that day on the quidditch field, from what Draco had told her of his home life, and from past experience with the diary fiasco, just how cruel Lucius Malfoy could be. She almost didn't want Draco to tell him, she was so afraid of what he might do to him.
One night, in the music room, Draco quietly said as he played a Brahms's lullaby, "My parents are coming this weekend."
Ginny looked up from her homework. "What?"
He stopped playing and looked at her. "They're coming. To see the Slytherin- Ravenclaw match. I'm going to tell Father while they're here."
"Oh Draco, are you sure?"
"Yes." He said firmly. "It's past time. You'll come won't you? To watch? I'll make sure there's a seat for you in the Slytherin tower."
"I'll come. Of course I'll come. I've come to all your other matches, haven't I?" Ginny said. "But I don't think I'll sit with Slytherin again. Last time I tried that, I thought Pansy was going to burn holes in me; she glared so hard at my back. I don't think I can deal with your jilted lover again. I'll sit in Gryffindor and meet you after."
"All right."
The day of the match, Ginny climbed up the tower with a few other Gryffindors to watch Draco. It was quite a stunning victory for Slytherin, 210 to 20. Ginny almost felt sorry for Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw seeker, when Draco easily out flew her and captured the snitch.
After the game, Ginny hurried over the field to Draco. He was standing with his parents as she slowly approached. Draco saw her, and after a moment's hesitation, reached out and drew her close to him, kissing her firmly on the mouth.
Draco's mother looked amused. Ginny didn't think Narcissa Malfoy knew who she was, but Lucius did. He looked ready to kill.
"Darling, introduce us to your friend." Exclaimed Narcissa.
"Mother, Father, this is Ginny... Ginny Weasley." He said, casting a look at his father.
"Weasley?" Narcissa looked shocked for just a split second, then recovered nicely, extending her hand to Ginny. "You must be Molly and Arthur's youngest. I had heard they had a little girl. So pleased to meet you my dear. Draco, she's just lovely. All that red hair."
"Thank you ma'am. Pleased to meet you." Said Ginny smiling shyly, taking Narcissa's hand and releasing it quickly.
"Narcissa, I see Cora Zabini over there, didn't you say you needed to speak to her?" Lucius said, diverting Narcissa's attention from Ginny.
"Where? Oh yes, I see her. I do need to catch her. I assume we'll be seeing you over the summer, dear?" she asked Ginny but went on before Ginny could reply." I look forward to getting to know you. Draco's never introduced us to a girl before."
As Narcissa hurried away, Lucius glared at Ginny and then said, "A word Draco...Alone."
"Yes father." Said Draco, casting Ginny a look and releasing her hand.
Ginny tried to smile reassuringly at him and watched him follow his father round the side of the locker room.
She tried to wait but curiosity got the better of her and she snuck to the corner of the building, out of site, but within hearing range.
"Whatever are you thinking Draco, dragging about with a Weasley?" Lucius said, spitting her name out as if were a dirty word.
"She's a nice girl father, and just as pure blood as us."
"Pure blood is no redemption when you're a muggle lover like Arthur Weasley."
"Ginny's not her father."
"Are you trying to imply she doesn't hold to the same philosophy as the rest of her family? No? I thought not. They're gutter trash, every one of them. The Parkinson girl will do quite nicely for what I've planned for you. You are to get rid of the Weasley girl immediately."
"NO!" cried Draco.
"What did you say? How dare you defy me! You will get rid of her. A quick roll in the hay is one thing, to try and introduce your trash to your mother is quite another. I insist you end it at once."
"I won't do it. I'm tired of you telling me what to do with my life. What about what I want? I don't want to follow your disgusting mudblood dark lord, and I don't want Pansy Parkinson. I don't want to be a death eater. All I want to do is play the piano and be with Ginny."
Ginny heard the slap from her hiding place. She dared a peek around the corner to see Draco sitting in the mud, a red handprint on his face. He looked up at his father defiantly and said, "I won't leave Ginny Father. I love her and nothing you say or do to me will change that!"
Lucius looked ready to hit Draco again, but instead said, "We'll see." And turned and strode away.
Ginny hurried over to where Draco was still sitting in the mud. She knelt down in the mud with him and wrapped her arms around him. "Are you alright?"
He hugged her tightly and said, "Yes, that wasn't nearly as awful as I thought it would be."
"I'm so sorry you had to go through that for me Draco. I can't believe he hit you!" Ginny cried, touching the red spot on his cheek.
Draco smiled and leaned into her hand. "Oh, he's not done, not by a long shot. But it's ok. You're well worth whatever he can throw at me. ... And my mother said you were lovely! As you can see, she also has excellent taste!"
Ginny smiled and helped him up out of the mud. Arm in arm, the made their way back to the castle
The day they went to Hogsmeade, Draco met her breathless in the front hall.
"Ginny, Snape has roped me into helping him bottle potions for Madame Pomfry before I leave. I'll be along as quick as I can."
"Oh no! You can't not show up! This is the one chance we have to show at least two members of my family that this is right!" Ginny said.
"Don't worry, I'll be there. I'll be late, but I'll be there!" Draco reassured her.
Ginny walked along with Harry and Hermione, who were still speaking to her, although they studiously avoided talking about Draco. Ron was still not speaking to her, and he walked on the other side of Hermione, glaring at her every now and then.
When they made it into Hogsmeade, the twins were waiting on her. They clapped Harry and Ron on the back, and teased Hermione, but made it perfectly clear they wished to speak to Ginny alone. As the trio walked away, Fred and George led Ginny to a booth in the restaurant and sat down.
"So, where's your fellow?" asked George.
Ginny explained what had happened and Fred grimaced and said, "Sounds like Snape. Always ruining someone's fun. Ah well, just as well that he'll be a bit late. Gives us a chance to talk to you alone."
"Gin, are you quite sure you know what you'rE doing? It is Malfoy after all." Asked George.
"Quite George. Listen to me you two. He's not what you think. Oh, he's a prat, I know that. He's mean and nasty to most people, most of the time. But when you get past that, he's different. I can't tell you he's really a kind considerate human being, that would be a lie. But I can tell you he loves me. And he treats me as if I am a princess in a fairy tale. He'd do most anything for me, including face down Ron and Harry."
They talked a bit, George and Fred peppering her with questions about her and Draco. Ginny told them about what had happened with Zanbini at the dance, and what had happened with Ron. They seemed both reasonable and willing to consider Draco as a person. It wasn't a huge surprise to Ginny, when she thought about it. The twins had always treated her as more of an adult than the others had.
When Draco finally got there, breathless and nervous, though it was indiscernible to anyone but Ginny, Fred invited him to sit down and avoided the subject that had brought them there altogether. They chattered on about quidditch and the news in recent quibblers, and asked Draco's opinion of how a joke shop might fair in Hogsmeade.Ginny watched Draco slowly let his guard down.
When it became time for Ginny and Draco to get back to school, both twins rose and shook Draco's hand. Before Fred released his hand he said to Draco, "Ginny tells us you're not as bad as we thought you were, mate. After talking to you and her today, we're inclined to believe her and give you a chance."
George then took up his hand and said, "Yes, a chance. Don't blow it mate. You understand that if you hurt our Ginny, if you abuse her in any way, we'll be forced to hunt you down, yes? I see that you do. I think I might grow to like you Malfoy. We'd hate to have to show you that our practical jokes aren't always harmless or temporary."
Draco nodded and said, "I'd not expect anything less."
"Good, good, "Fred said, clapping Draco on the back. "Can I offer you a toffee for the trip back?"
Ginny laughed and declined the toffee for Draco.
On the walk back to Hogwart's Draco told Ginny, "That wasn't excruciating."
"No, the twins have always been more of the live and let live type that the rest of my family. I guess that's because Mum's always given them such a hard time for opening the joke shop instead of going into the ministry like Father and Percy."
"Two down, three to go."
"What?" asked Ginny, confused.
"Two brothers down, three to go." Explained Draco.
"I have four other brothers, Draco, five if you count Harry, who might as well be adopted." She said.
"Yes, I know how many there are. But Ron is a lost cause, and I simply can't bring myself to try and be friends with Potter, not even for you." Grimaced Draco. "The best I can promise you with him and Ron is that I won't hit them if I can help it."
Ginny just shook her head and snuggled up against him as they walked back to the castle.
Despite the fact that Draco had insisted he wanted to tell his father about Ginny, he hadn't been able to do it. Ginny had watched as he tore up letter after letter, trying to find the right words and sympathized with him. She wished she'd had the opportunity to tell her parents face to face instead of Ron tattling on her by owl. Though Draco felt guilty for taking so long to tell them, Ginny didn't mind in the least that he hadn't done it. She knew, from what she saw that day on the quidditch field, from what Draco had told her of his home life, and from past experience with the diary fiasco, just how cruel Lucius Malfoy could be. She almost didn't want Draco to tell him, she was so afraid of what he might do to him.
One night, in the music room, Draco quietly said as he played a Brahms's lullaby, "My parents are coming this weekend."
Ginny looked up from her homework. "What?"
He stopped playing and looked at her. "They're coming. To see the Slytherin- Ravenclaw match. I'm going to tell Father while they're here."
"Oh Draco, are you sure?"
"Yes." He said firmly. "It's past time. You'll come won't you? To watch? I'll make sure there's a seat for you in the Slytherin tower."
"I'll come. Of course I'll come. I've come to all your other matches, haven't I?" Ginny said. "But I don't think I'll sit with Slytherin again. Last time I tried that, I thought Pansy was going to burn holes in me; she glared so hard at my back. I don't think I can deal with your jilted lover again. I'll sit in Gryffindor and meet you after."
"All right."
The day of the match, Ginny climbed up the tower with a few other Gryffindors to watch Draco. It was quite a stunning victory for Slytherin, 210 to 20. Ginny almost felt sorry for Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw seeker, when Draco easily out flew her and captured the snitch.
After the game, Ginny hurried over the field to Draco. He was standing with his parents as she slowly approached. Draco saw her, and after a moment's hesitation, reached out and drew her close to him, kissing her firmly on the mouth.
Draco's mother looked amused. Ginny didn't think Narcissa Malfoy knew who she was, but Lucius did. He looked ready to kill.
"Darling, introduce us to your friend." Exclaimed Narcissa.
"Mother, Father, this is Ginny... Ginny Weasley." He said, casting a look at his father.
"Weasley?" Narcissa looked shocked for just a split second, then recovered nicely, extending her hand to Ginny. "You must be Molly and Arthur's youngest. I had heard they had a little girl. So pleased to meet you my dear. Draco, she's just lovely. All that red hair."
"Thank you ma'am. Pleased to meet you." Said Ginny smiling shyly, taking Narcissa's hand and releasing it quickly.
"Narcissa, I see Cora Zabini over there, didn't you say you needed to speak to her?" Lucius said, diverting Narcissa's attention from Ginny.
"Where? Oh yes, I see her. I do need to catch her. I assume we'll be seeing you over the summer, dear?" she asked Ginny but went on before Ginny could reply." I look forward to getting to know you. Draco's never introduced us to a girl before."
As Narcissa hurried away, Lucius glared at Ginny and then said, "A word Draco...Alone."
"Yes father." Said Draco, casting Ginny a look and releasing her hand.
Ginny tried to smile reassuringly at him and watched him follow his father round the side of the locker room.
She tried to wait but curiosity got the better of her and she snuck to the corner of the building, out of site, but within hearing range.
"Whatever are you thinking Draco, dragging about with a Weasley?" Lucius said, spitting her name out as if were a dirty word.
"She's a nice girl father, and just as pure blood as us."
"Pure blood is no redemption when you're a muggle lover like Arthur Weasley."
"Ginny's not her father."
"Are you trying to imply she doesn't hold to the same philosophy as the rest of her family? No? I thought not. They're gutter trash, every one of them. The Parkinson girl will do quite nicely for what I've planned for you. You are to get rid of the Weasley girl immediately."
"NO!" cried Draco.
"What did you say? How dare you defy me! You will get rid of her. A quick roll in the hay is one thing, to try and introduce your trash to your mother is quite another. I insist you end it at once."
"I won't do it. I'm tired of you telling me what to do with my life. What about what I want? I don't want to follow your disgusting mudblood dark lord, and I don't want Pansy Parkinson. I don't want to be a death eater. All I want to do is play the piano and be with Ginny."
Ginny heard the slap from her hiding place. She dared a peek around the corner to see Draco sitting in the mud, a red handprint on his face. He looked up at his father defiantly and said, "I won't leave Ginny Father. I love her and nothing you say or do to me will change that!"
Lucius looked ready to hit Draco again, but instead said, "We'll see." And turned and strode away.
Ginny hurried over to where Draco was still sitting in the mud. She knelt down in the mud with him and wrapped her arms around him. "Are you alright?"
He hugged her tightly and said, "Yes, that wasn't nearly as awful as I thought it would be."
"I'm so sorry you had to go through that for me Draco. I can't believe he hit you!" Ginny cried, touching the red spot on his cheek.
Draco smiled and leaned into her hand. "Oh, he's not done, not by a long shot. But it's ok. You're well worth whatever he can throw at me. ... And my mother said you were lovely! As you can see, she also has excellent taste!"
Ginny smiled and helped him up out of the mud. Arm in arm, the made their way back to the castle