Dealing With It

Summary:

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter! Enough already! If I did, Draco would be my sex slave, Harry would be my concubine, Ron would be my bellydancer/"joker", Hermione would be my personal librarian, Ginny would kill Colin in a fit of anger (which would be quite understandable), Dumbledore and Hagrid would fall off the face of the earth (yes, I know quite a few explorers have disproved that, but still) never to be seen again. And the world would be a happier place. Obviously, I have been quite barred against this by my psychiatrist, Dr. Maggie Grant-Aiken-Depp (lol) and it's really for my own health that I don't buy the book rights, because, y'know, I have *soooooo* much money/moolah/galleons. NOT.

Author's Note: DEEP, MOVIEFONE GUY VOICE:*Ahem* Now, after a long length of time in which the author was repetively e-mailed by angry readers, threatening to gouge her eyes out with Rabid!Bowtruckles, I bring you...

Chapter 4: The Forbidden Fruit

"Yes!" Ginny squealed triumphantly as she walked out of the Hall. Draco, who knew where she'd come out after the O.W.L. (having taken it already himself), hugged her intimately.

"I knew you'd do fine, Weaslette," Draco said fondly, squeezing her tightly.

"Guess what?!" Ginny said excitedly (and rather unexpectedly), jumping out of his embrace. Draco felt a fleeting disappointment.

"What?" he asked, smirking.

"I thought of the place!"

"The place?" Draco asked, confused.

"The place for our wedding ceremony!" Ginny said, exasperated, "I was looking at a Herbology question about those Vain Roses, you know, the ones that look in water and puddles to see their reflection all the time-" (Draco nodded)"-so, I thought, 'A garden would be perfect!' What do you think, Draco?"

"A garden?" Draco asked slowly, as if mulling it over.

"Yes! With a canopy over us and the sage...and roses all around..." Ginny said dreamily.

"How about Diamond Hall instead?" Draco asked.

"That huge place?" Ginny said, frowning and wrinkling her nose in disgust, "Besides, Dray, it's much too expensive-" Ginny blushed, then continued, "-You know that."

"For you," Draco said coldly. Ginny turned crimson, but whether it was from anger or embarassment, it was hard to tell.

"Only if your mother agrees to our marriage," Ginny shot back, "What if your dear old mum disowns you? What then?" Draco's already pale face blanched visibly.

"That wouldn't happen," he said forcefully, as if trying to convince himself.

"How do *you* know?" Ginny asked icily.

"Fine," Draco said, crossing his muscular arms and leaning back unto a nearby stone wall, "I don't know. But I do know that my mother is and was a better parent than my bloody git of a father. And besides, we're both pure-bloods, so she shouldn't be extremely angry."

"Well, *my* parents'll disagree, I know it! In fact--" Ginny was cut short by an owl zooming towards them. They both ducked, covering their heads and the owl came dangerously close, then dropped an envelope unto Ginny's head and zoomed off again.

Ginny retrieved the letter from her fiery locks and paled, her freckles looking more outstanding on her face. She looked at Draco, eyes wide with fear and worry. "It's from my parents," she whispered. Draco paled as well.

Draco sighed, and said, "Open it quick. Let's just get it over with."

"I can't believe they found out so fast..." Ginny said sadly, then her voice changed to anger, "I bet it was Ron, the bloody git. When I get my hands on him..."

"Please, Gin, just open it."

Ginny assented, and pried open the wax seal, noting, "At least it's not a Howler."

"Thank Merlin for that," Draco agreed, running a hand through his white-blond hair.

Ginny flipped the letter open cautiously, and began to read, her brown eyes moving back and forth.

"What does it say?" Draco said curiously, edging towards her to read over her shoulder. Ginny looked up at his curious grey eyes.

"They want to meet you and 'have a talk'," Ginny said slowly.

"I'm dead," Draco said decisively.



Two days later, they Flooed to the Burrow during Hogsmeade weekend, after recieving permission from Dumbledore. It was a quick and simple enough journey for the both of them. Draco had already passed his Apparation test, but he preferred to Floo with Ginny.

As they stumbled out of the fireplace, they looked up to see three angry parental units.

"Sit," commanded Arthur Weasley, his face stony. Ginny had rarely seen him this angry...it was like when Percy and he fought that terrible night. Ginny felt overwhelming sadness, and struggled to fight back tears as she realized that she, his youngest child and only daughter, had disappointed him. She looked at the other two parents. Narcissa Malfoy stood proud and dignified besides the fireplace, looking immaculate in sweeping blue robes. Molly Weasley threw her red-checkered apron on a sofa and placed her hands on her hips, glaring at the two teens. Ginny and Draco looked up at their parents with looks of mingled fear, anger, and resentment. Narcissa began first.

"When I heard from Mrs. Parkinson (who heard from Pansy, of course) that my son, my *only* son," she hissed lethally, "was going out with a, with a-*Weasley*," she spat, "I was outraged, and ashamed. Draco Aurelius-" (Draco winced)"-Malfoy, how *dare* you!"

"Mother," Draco growled, obviously angry, "I love her!" Molly Weasley's face paled, and uncharacteristically indeed, she said weakly, "Is this true, Ginny?"

"Yes. We love each other," Ginny said strongly.

Narcissa threw her very white, very well-manicured hands up in the air, and turned around.

"Then we'll simply have to forbid you two to see each other. My daughter," Arthur yelled, "DATING A DEATHEATER?! I can't believe you Virginia Molly Weasley! In fact, if Ron hadn't very rightly alerted us, I wouldn't have even known! Why couldn't you at least tell me this to my face instead of hiding it, sneaking around!"

Ginny's face turned crimson. "I wanted to," she snapped, "But we knew you guys wouldn't understand!"

"What's not to understand?" Molly yelled, finally regaining her ability to speak, "You wanted something you knew you couldn't have. Didn't I tell you that you could date ANYONE except those on the side of You-Know-Who? Well, you've tasted the forbidden fruit, Virginia Molly Weasley, and you're going to have to give it up, whether you like it or not."

"No!" Draco yelled, his eyes like grey fire. Narcissa gasped.

"You," Arthur said coldly, pointing at Draco, "You stay out of this. Let Ginny answer."

"His answer is mine too," Ginny said firmly, "I love him."

"How would you know what love feels like?" Narcissa spat indignantly, her blonde hair coming undone from its elegant updo, "You're much too young!"

"Exactly. For once I agree," Molly nodded.

"Well," Ginny said, reaching for Draco's hand and clasping it with her own, "We just know. Mum, Dad, didn't you tell me that you 'just knew'?"

"Don't dredge up the past, Ginny," Arthur said coldly.

"But it's relevant, isn't it?"

"Not at all. Our situations were different."

"How?" Ginny snapped.

"Our parents approved."

"Well, it doesn't matter whether you approve or not, because we're getting married either way," Draco drawled.

There was a stifling silence.

"Is this true?" Arthur asked gruffly, breaking the silence.

"Yes, it is," Ginny replied icily, lifting her left hand to show off the emerald and diamond ring on her ring finger. Molly pressed her hand to her eyes, collapsing on the couch.

"Oh, dear," Narcissa said heavily, "This is going to complicate things."

"And why is that?" Draco said snidely.

"Because you have an arranged marriage."

Draco's jaw dropped.

Author's Note: DUN DUN DUN! *grins evilly and does circular twisty dance, putting her index fingers in the air and wiggling them insanely* TWISTY, TWISTY, PLOT TWIST! And you thought it'd be all engage, marry, happily ever after...Nuh-uh! Heehee. Sorry this is just as short as the last one...I seemed to get yelled at about that quite a bit...*SORRY!* Well, OH WELL! DEAL WITH IT! Lol, sorry. Bad pun. Wow, I should really stop eating whole bags of PixiStix and drinking a gallon of iced tea. Ok, on to the very loyal (and sometimes lovably ranting) reviewers...

Stella7: I am a master at torture, I know...My roots are from Voldemort, I know! *grins*

Karamel06: I am evil. And this ones short too. So that must mean I am still evil! MWAHAHAHA! *giggles* ^_~

Kick My Tush: I would have eloped as well! WHEEEEEEEE!

Bigreader: I'm glad you liked that part. Um, writer's block?...I dunno...try clearing your mind and writing about whatever pops into your head. You may be surprised at what you find on paper. I get a lot of my ideas that way. But shhhh...don't tell ^.~

Nerwen Faelvirin: Glad you liked it. Your penname is very cool, btw. Do you roleplay?

Bride of Malfoy: DRACO IS HOT HOT HOT! Everybody's sayin' that he's HOT HOT HOT! Lol, that song just popped into my head...BAD PixiStix, BAD!

Nichole Malfoy: Thanks, I appreciate the review!

Love y'all (Ah! I have acquired Jessica Simpson's fiendish ways from watching too many Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica eps! Next I shall be saying "Oh my GAW!" and asking things about tuna/chicken! Lol.

Amanda