Disclaimer: It's mine! It's all mine! Mwahaha! Oh wait, this is reality...
Home
There was, it turned out, a lot to go over. So much, in fact, that it took over an hour to get through, and the lunch Molly had prepared went cold.
It was mainly just signing things. By the end of it Arthur, Molly and Draco's hands were quite tired, and there was a huge stack of papers next to them.
"Well, that's it I suppose." Fudge said finally, "A social Worker will be appointed to you, and will visit you once a week, bringing with them your weekly allowance. It probably isn't as much as you're used to, but you'll get by. Also, some time next week, your Social Worker will take you back to the manor to collect anything you really want. Once you turn seventeen it's yours but until then... I'll visit again before the end of the holidays."
"Thank you Minister." Draco replied flatly.
"Cheer up m'boy," Fudge patted him on the shoulder, "I know it looks rather dreary now, but the sun will shine again. Well Arthur, Molly, I must be off. Important Ministry business."
"Yes Minister, I do work for the Ministry too." Arthur replied, "How is the hunt going?"
Draco noticed that Arthur Weasley looked slightly smug when he said this, and he remembered that the Weasley's had been on Dumbledore's side against the Ministry over the issue of Voldemort.
"Well, we have several leads, so..." He trailed off looking embarrassed, "I'll see you again soon, you too Draco. Goodbye." And with that he apparated away. Lombard stayed a moment longer to give a slightly more sincere goodbye, before following suite.
And Draco was left sitting in the Weasley living room.
"Well, let's see if I can salvage the lunch, shall I?" Molly said, "It's cold, but I can warm it up."
Arthur, the twins, Ron, Ginny and Draco all followed her into the kitchen. After some nervous looks, Draco finally took the seat between Arthur and Molly. After a few moments silence an awkward conversation started.
"After lunch, we'll show you your room." Molly told him, "It's quite a nice size. Then afterwards you can watch the others de-gnome the garden. They make something of a competition of it."
"What are you two talking about?" Arthur asked suddenly. Fred and George had been whispering to each other, but now looked at their father, their faces the picture of innocence.
"Nothing Dad." Fred said earnestly, "Just Quidditch."
"We were thinking of playing a game after we de-gnome the garden." George added.
"It'd be great if we had a snitch." Ginny said wistfully, "I'd love to play Seeker."
"Who says you're playing?" Fred asked.
"You can't be serious!" The small red head exclaimed, "I caught the snitch for Gryffindor! I beat Cho Chang!"
"Yeah, but Chang's a rubbish player." George pointed out, "Anyway, we don't want you to get hurt. We play rough."
"Funny, you didn't seem to worry about me getting hurt when you knocked me down the stairs with your trunks." Ginny said bitterly, "Mu-um! Da-ad! Tell them!"
"I don't see why Ginny can't play." Molly said evenly, "She's a very good player."
"Fine." George sighed, "You can play."
"Draco, you have a broomstick, don't you?" She asked, "Wouldn't you like to play Quidditch with them."
There was a long silence. No one could believe she'd asked. They all looked at Draco, apprehension on their faces. He had managed to get through most the lunch without drawing attention to himself, and now he was faced with this. He had to get out of it with out causing insult.
"Uh," His mind worked furiously, "If I play, it'll be uneven. Maybe another time."
There was a silent sigh of relief from everyone. They all nodded, and George even managed to say, nonchalantly, "You can watch, if you want." Although he was looking at his potatoes as he said it.
After lunch the four Weasley children headed into the garden the start the de-gnoming, and Molly and Arthur took Draco up to his room.
"It looks bare now, but once you start to put your own touches in it it'll look fine." Molly assured him.
"You can leave your unpacking until tomorrow if you want." Arthur told him, "It's up to you."
"Thank you...um?" He had no idea what to call them.
"Just call us Molly and Arthur." Molly said, smiling.
They left, and Draco was left in the room. All that was in it was a bed, a bedside table, a chest of drawers, a desk and some shelves. All personal effects were gone, and the room felt cold and lonely.
He picked up his bag and unpacked his clothes. He was, like his father, a very neat person, and although he was used to the House Elves doing things like this, he was vaguely aware of how to fold and put away clothes.
Once finished with his clothes he turned to the other possessions that cluttered the bottom of his trunk. There was his chess set, his journal, his books, his stationary and the box that had once belonged to his grandfather. He put his books on the shelves, his stationary and his chess set on the desk and his journal and box on the bedside table.
It had taken him all of fifteen minutes to relocate his life into the Weasley's house. There were still the things at the manor that he would like to pick up, but this was mainly it. Perhaps Molly was right, and that it would become more homely the more he lived in it.
Sighing he left the bedroom and made his way the garden. Once there he was almost hit in the head by a flying object.
"Uh, sorry." Said Ginny, the youngest Weasley. She didn't actually look sorry.
Draco hadn't mentioned it, but he had had no idea what it was to de-gnome a garden. Now he realised that it consisted entirely of chucking gnomes over the fence, spinning them around a bit before hand.
"Ha!" Ginny exclaimed as her gnome flew through the air and landed in the field, "Did you see that? That had to be forty five feet!"
"No way Gin." Fred shook his head, "Thirty at most."
"Look at it! Look how far it is!" She exclaimed, pointing.
"Ah, but it skidded, didn't it?" George pointed out, "That doesn't count you see."
"It did not skid." She sulked, "Forty five feet...at least!"
They were mostly ignoring him apart from the occasional half-hearted apology when they miss aimed and he'd have to duck to avoid a flying gnome. It was...not enjoyable, but interesting. Draco wasn't used to family situations, and certainly none to do with the Weasley's. But they seemed to be enjoying themselves so much, even when they were teasing each other.
Eventually Molly came outside, offering cold drinks. It was home made lemonade, and very delicious.
"Thank you Mrs Weasley." He muttered after taking a sip.
"I told you dear, call me Molly." She said kindly. Behind her Ron pulled a face, "Um, dear, I just received a letter from your Aunt Andromeda."
Aunt Andromeda. He knew very little about his mother's sister who married a Muggle Born. But if she was writing to the Weasley's the day he arrived it could only mean one thing, funeral arrangements.
"Shall we go inside?" She asked, and he nodded. Once inside she passed him a scroll of parchment.
Dear Arthur and Molly, I have heard through the grapevine that you are now the legal guardians of my nephew Draco. I am terribly sorry that I could not have been more of a help to the boy. It is my belief that he would be far happier with you then he would be with Ted and I. Also, I thought Nymphadora's involvement with the arrest of Draco's father may have made thing's awkward. I have made contact with several other of my relatives, and arrangements for Narcissa's funeral have been arranged. I will send Draco an official invitation, but I thought you should know in advance. Thank you for the compassion you have shown Draco. Andromeda Tonks.
"Will you be attending my mother's funeral also?" He asked quietly.
"No Draco, me and Arthur have no business being there." She replied, "We'll make sure you get there safely and are brought back here though."
"In case I run away?" He snapped.
"Yes." She answered, and he was taken back by her honesty, "We're not fools Draco, we know you don't want to be here. But you are, and that's all there is to it."
"Mrs Weasley-"
"Molly." She corrected.
"Molly..." He sighed, "You're children don't tell you everything that happens in school, do they?"
"Of course they don't!" She laughed, "I'd have a heart attack if I knew half the thing's they've been up to."
"Do they tell you anything about me?" Draco asked.
"Generally? No, just a few complaints here and there." She told him, "Occasionally I get a few specifics. I know about some of the things you've called us, some of the things you've said about our home. I know about the time when you teamed up with Umbridge against my children and their friends. But look around our home, is it a dustbin?"
Reluctantly, he looked around the kitchen. It was small and squashy, but had a friendly, lived in feeling. "No." He admitted, "It isn't."
"And is there anything appalling about my Husband and me?" Molly asked.
"No, not at all." He said quickly. If there was one thing his father had taught him it was that you respected your elders. Well, to their faces anyway.
"Think carefully Draco, and answer what you think, not just what I want to hear." She said warningly, "Is there anything about me and Arthur that appals you?
"No." he said carefully, but she was looking at him sharply, "Well, I...I really don't understand why you like Muggles so much." He confessed.
"Because I find them to be no different from us." She told him, "They eat like we do, they sleep like they do. Some of them work for a living and some of them don't. They have laws that are broken; they have rich people and poor people. They can't do magic, but they survive anyway."
"I know...but-"
"Have you ever met a Muggle?" She asked him.
"I've met Muggle Borns." He replied.
"But never a Muggle?"
"No." He admitted distastefully.
"Well, as soon as I can, I'll arrange for you to come with me to Muggle London and meet a friend of mine." She told him, "After that you can judge."
"How do you know a Muggle?" He asked.
"He's the brother of a Muggle Born friend of mine." She explained, "Well, I think that's it. We'll keep a look out for that invitation from Andromeda. You can go back outside now, if you want."
Nodding, he left the kitchen and went into the Weasley's garden. The Weasley children had finished de-gnoming the garden and were getting ready to play some Quidditch. They all looked at him nervously as he walked into their view.
"Uh..." Ron said, looking at his feet, "We're...uh..."
"We're going to play Quidditch." Ginny finished off for him. Draco had the almost irresistible urge to say 'well that's obvious' but stopped himself.
"You can..." Fred started, but was unable to continue. Ginny sighed impatiently.
"Oh for god's sake! Look, you can come and watch if you want." She said sharply, "Can we go now? It'll be dark by the time we start at this rate."
She was the only one of them who looked at him when she talked to him, but it wasn't much better as she looked at him like he was something vaguely disgusting.
"Let's go then." George said, hoisting his broom over his shoulder, "We all know ickle Ginnykins has to be in bed when it gets dark."
"Shut up." She snapped. They began to march up to the hill where the played Quidditch, and Draco, feeling very unwanted, followed a little distance behind them.
Half way up Fred and George called at exactly the same time 'Team leader!' and Ron gave a disgruntled sigh.
"I choose...Ginny." Fred said eventually.
"Gee thanks." Ron muttered, "Make me feel all wanted why don't you?"
"It's ok, lil' bro, we'll squash 'em." George assured his younger brother.
On each end of the paddock there was a basked on top of a pole, and the Weasley's used an old football they had found as a Quaffle. There were no specific positions, the general idea of the game was to score a goal or prevent a goal from being scored whoever you were.
It took every once of Draco's will not to burst out into 'Weasley Is Our King' but he had the feeling that it would not go down well at all. He contented himself by humming it very quietly under his breath.
"Foul!" Ginny shouted as George grabbed the back of her broom, "George you idiot! That's such a foul!"
"Not the way we play!" He replied, grinning, "Told you, you couldn't keep up with us!"
The game continued in that way, the twins breaking every rule imaginable while Ron and Ginny tried their best to keep up.
After an hour or so of this they began to tire and landed, even the losers looking happy.
"We would have won if Ginny hadn't cheated." George said finally.
"How is shouting 'isn't that Maximus Brankovitch the third' cheating?" She asked, shocked, "That tree looked astonishingly like him!"
There was general laughter at that, and George affectionately tousled her hair. She glared at him for a moment, before smiling.
"Guess we should be getting back." Fred sighed, "It was a good game though. We'll make Quidditch Players out of you two yet."
"Ok, you two have just completely forgot about us winning the Quidditch cup, haven't you?" Ron asked, "Because we did pretty damn good!"
"Yeah, you did ok." George said nonchalantly, "No way as good as you would have if we were on the team."
"We didn't need decent beaters to win." Ron pointed out. There was a moment of silence, and then they all burst out laughing.
"Or beaters who could, you know, play at all." He added, grinning.
Draco could scarcely believe it. Were they...taking the piss out of their own team members?
"Remember when Sloper knocked himself out with is own bat?" Ginny asked, giggling.
"Or when he hit Angelina in the mouth?" George laughed.
"I'll thank you for not making fun of my girlfriend's misfortune." Fred said, slightly testily, "Now Kirke falling off the broom when Smith flew near him, that you can make fun of."
"It wasn't bloody funny at the time." Ron reminded them, "I could have died with embarrassment."
"At their playing or at yours?" Fred asked.
"Shut up." The younger boy grumbled.
"Come on, let's go." Ginny sighed, "It's getting cold."
So, following a good deal behind the Weasley's, Draco made his way back to the burrow. It was strange, but when the twin's jokes weren't aimed at him, he found them quite funny. Ron wasn't half the annoying prat he had thought he was, and Ginny, being considerable smaller than the average fifteen year old girl, was almost cute. Almost.
"Ahh!" She shouted as her hair caught on a branch, "Bloody buggery stupid tree! Fine, that's it! I'm cutting all this sodding hair off! I'd rather be bloody bald then have to deal with this all the bloody time!"
Almost.
As they had had a big Sunday lunch, they only had a small snack before bed. Arthur and Molly sent them all into the living room with the plates, and everyone took a seat. The twins and Ron sat on one sofa, Arthur and Molly on another; smaller one, and Ginny sat and Molly's feet, allowing her mother to pick twigs out her of her hair. The only free chair was a small arm chair, which Draco sat in nervously.
"We're going back to work tomorrow." Fred told them, "All the kids are on summer holiday, it makes for a good market."
"Which reminds me, we need to cut down on the Skiving Snackboxes." George said, "There's not much of a need for them if you're not at school."
"I'm not happy about you selling those." Molly scorned.
"You didn't mind them when they were annoying the hell out of Umbridge." George reminded her. There was a silence and everyone's eyes slid over to Draco.
"Uh, I think my friend Theodore bought some of them once." He told them, looking at his shoe, "H-he said they worked really well."
"Have you ever used them Draco?" Arthur asked conversationally.
"No." He confessed.
"Now see? Draco's serious about his studies." Molly said pointedly.
"I've never used a Skiving Snackbox either." Ron reminded her.
"Only because you couldn't afford them." It could have come from Draco, it would have been exactly the sort of thin Draco would say, but it came from Fred. It wasn't an enemy pointing out a weakness; it was a big brother teasing his younger sibling.
"Ow!" Ginny said suddenly, "Mum, that hurt!"
Molly had accidentally pulled Ginny's hair, and made general sounds of apology.
"Well, I think I'm going to go to bed now, what about you dear?" Arthur asked Molly, and she nodded, getting up. They kissed their children good night and patted Draco on the shoulder before leaving the room. There was a long moment where none of the children said anything, and then Draco coughed and stood up.
"Uh...goodnight." He mumbled. They mumbled their goodnights to him, and he hurried up the stairs to his bedroom.
Changing into his night-clothes he got into bed and turned off the light.
This was, apparently, his house, his room. And the Weasley's were his family.
"They are," He said into the darkness, "Not my family."
The darkness didn't say anything back, it never does.
A.N. Huh, I thought people would have more objections to my twisted plot. Oh well, I'm not complaining. This story could go a lot of different ways, so if you want to make some suggestions I'd be happy to hear them. This is not a transparent attempt to get plot ideas because I have none, honest!
Thanks to...
Dementorchic: Well, let's just say people will not be happy...
Queendiablo: Most my stuff is Ginny/Draco, I'm not sure if this will though! And this fic is all about conflict, so Harry coming to stay... Well, let's just say it's likely....
Leen: Ahh, romance. Well, I could be persuaded.
Sever13: Well, this is next chapter...
MelissaAdams: I'm so obedient.
Invader Kit: That has to be the most neutral review I've ever had! Oh well, I can't have all enthusiastic reviewers.
Home
There was, it turned out, a lot to go over. So much, in fact, that it took over an hour to get through, and the lunch Molly had prepared went cold.
It was mainly just signing things. By the end of it Arthur, Molly and Draco's hands were quite tired, and there was a huge stack of papers next to them.
"Well, that's it I suppose." Fudge said finally, "A social Worker will be appointed to you, and will visit you once a week, bringing with them your weekly allowance. It probably isn't as much as you're used to, but you'll get by. Also, some time next week, your Social Worker will take you back to the manor to collect anything you really want. Once you turn seventeen it's yours but until then... I'll visit again before the end of the holidays."
"Thank you Minister." Draco replied flatly.
"Cheer up m'boy," Fudge patted him on the shoulder, "I know it looks rather dreary now, but the sun will shine again. Well Arthur, Molly, I must be off. Important Ministry business."
"Yes Minister, I do work for the Ministry too." Arthur replied, "How is the hunt going?"
Draco noticed that Arthur Weasley looked slightly smug when he said this, and he remembered that the Weasley's had been on Dumbledore's side against the Ministry over the issue of Voldemort.
"Well, we have several leads, so..." He trailed off looking embarrassed, "I'll see you again soon, you too Draco. Goodbye." And with that he apparated away. Lombard stayed a moment longer to give a slightly more sincere goodbye, before following suite.
And Draco was left sitting in the Weasley living room.
"Well, let's see if I can salvage the lunch, shall I?" Molly said, "It's cold, but I can warm it up."
Arthur, the twins, Ron, Ginny and Draco all followed her into the kitchen. After some nervous looks, Draco finally took the seat between Arthur and Molly. After a few moments silence an awkward conversation started.
"After lunch, we'll show you your room." Molly told him, "It's quite a nice size. Then afterwards you can watch the others de-gnome the garden. They make something of a competition of it."
"What are you two talking about?" Arthur asked suddenly. Fred and George had been whispering to each other, but now looked at their father, their faces the picture of innocence.
"Nothing Dad." Fred said earnestly, "Just Quidditch."
"We were thinking of playing a game after we de-gnome the garden." George added.
"It'd be great if we had a snitch." Ginny said wistfully, "I'd love to play Seeker."
"Who says you're playing?" Fred asked.
"You can't be serious!" The small red head exclaimed, "I caught the snitch for Gryffindor! I beat Cho Chang!"
"Yeah, but Chang's a rubbish player." George pointed out, "Anyway, we don't want you to get hurt. We play rough."
"Funny, you didn't seem to worry about me getting hurt when you knocked me down the stairs with your trunks." Ginny said bitterly, "Mu-um! Da-ad! Tell them!"
"I don't see why Ginny can't play." Molly said evenly, "She's a very good player."
"Fine." George sighed, "You can play."
"Draco, you have a broomstick, don't you?" She asked, "Wouldn't you like to play Quidditch with them."
There was a long silence. No one could believe she'd asked. They all looked at Draco, apprehension on their faces. He had managed to get through most the lunch without drawing attention to himself, and now he was faced with this. He had to get out of it with out causing insult.
"Uh," His mind worked furiously, "If I play, it'll be uneven. Maybe another time."
There was a silent sigh of relief from everyone. They all nodded, and George even managed to say, nonchalantly, "You can watch, if you want." Although he was looking at his potatoes as he said it.
After lunch the four Weasley children headed into the garden the start the de-gnoming, and Molly and Arthur took Draco up to his room.
"It looks bare now, but once you start to put your own touches in it it'll look fine." Molly assured him.
"You can leave your unpacking until tomorrow if you want." Arthur told him, "It's up to you."
"Thank you...um?" He had no idea what to call them.
"Just call us Molly and Arthur." Molly said, smiling.
They left, and Draco was left in the room. All that was in it was a bed, a bedside table, a chest of drawers, a desk and some shelves. All personal effects were gone, and the room felt cold and lonely.
He picked up his bag and unpacked his clothes. He was, like his father, a very neat person, and although he was used to the House Elves doing things like this, he was vaguely aware of how to fold and put away clothes.
Once finished with his clothes he turned to the other possessions that cluttered the bottom of his trunk. There was his chess set, his journal, his books, his stationary and the box that had once belonged to his grandfather. He put his books on the shelves, his stationary and his chess set on the desk and his journal and box on the bedside table.
It had taken him all of fifteen minutes to relocate his life into the Weasley's house. There were still the things at the manor that he would like to pick up, but this was mainly it. Perhaps Molly was right, and that it would become more homely the more he lived in it.
Sighing he left the bedroom and made his way the garden. Once there he was almost hit in the head by a flying object.
"Uh, sorry." Said Ginny, the youngest Weasley. She didn't actually look sorry.
Draco hadn't mentioned it, but he had had no idea what it was to de-gnome a garden. Now he realised that it consisted entirely of chucking gnomes over the fence, spinning them around a bit before hand.
"Ha!" Ginny exclaimed as her gnome flew through the air and landed in the field, "Did you see that? That had to be forty five feet!"
"No way Gin." Fred shook his head, "Thirty at most."
"Look at it! Look how far it is!" She exclaimed, pointing.
"Ah, but it skidded, didn't it?" George pointed out, "That doesn't count you see."
"It did not skid." She sulked, "Forty five feet...at least!"
They were mostly ignoring him apart from the occasional half-hearted apology when they miss aimed and he'd have to duck to avoid a flying gnome. It was...not enjoyable, but interesting. Draco wasn't used to family situations, and certainly none to do with the Weasley's. But they seemed to be enjoying themselves so much, even when they were teasing each other.
Eventually Molly came outside, offering cold drinks. It was home made lemonade, and very delicious.
"Thank you Mrs Weasley." He muttered after taking a sip.
"I told you dear, call me Molly." She said kindly. Behind her Ron pulled a face, "Um, dear, I just received a letter from your Aunt Andromeda."
Aunt Andromeda. He knew very little about his mother's sister who married a Muggle Born. But if she was writing to the Weasley's the day he arrived it could only mean one thing, funeral arrangements.
"Shall we go inside?" She asked, and he nodded. Once inside she passed him a scroll of parchment.
Dear Arthur and Molly, I have heard through the grapevine that you are now the legal guardians of my nephew Draco. I am terribly sorry that I could not have been more of a help to the boy. It is my belief that he would be far happier with you then he would be with Ted and I. Also, I thought Nymphadora's involvement with the arrest of Draco's father may have made thing's awkward. I have made contact with several other of my relatives, and arrangements for Narcissa's funeral have been arranged. I will send Draco an official invitation, but I thought you should know in advance. Thank you for the compassion you have shown Draco. Andromeda Tonks.
"Will you be attending my mother's funeral also?" He asked quietly.
"No Draco, me and Arthur have no business being there." She replied, "We'll make sure you get there safely and are brought back here though."
"In case I run away?" He snapped.
"Yes." She answered, and he was taken back by her honesty, "We're not fools Draco, we know you don't want to be here. But you are, and that's all there is to it."
"Mrs Weasley-"
"Molly." She corrected.
"Molly..." He sighed, "You're children don't tell you everything that happens in school, do they?"
"Of course they don't!" She laughed, "I'd have a heart attack if I knew half the thing's they've been up to."
"Do they tell you anything about me?" Draco asked.
"Generally? No, just a few complaints here and there." She told him, "Occasionally I get a few specifics. I know about some of the things you've called us, some of the things you've said about our home. I know about the time when you teamed up with Umbridge against my children and their friends. But look around our home, is it a dustbin?"
Reluctantly, he looked around the kitchen. It was small and squashy, but had a friendly, lived in feeling. "No." He admitted, "It isn't."
"And is there anything appalling about my Husband and me?" Molly asked.
"No, not at all." He said quickly. If there was one thing his father had taught him it was that you respected your elders. Well, to their faces anyway.
"Think carefully Draco, and answer what you think, not just what I want to hear." She said warningly, "Is there anything about me and Arthur that appals you?
"No." he said carefully, but she was looking at him sharply, "Well, I...I really don't understand why you like Muggles so much." He confessed.
"Because I find them to be no different from us." She told him, "They eat like we do, they sleep like they do. Some of them work for a living and some of them don't. They have laws that are broken; they have rich people and poor people. They can't do magic, but they survive anyway."
"I know...but-"
"Have you ever met a Muggle?" She asked him.
"I've met Muggle Borns." He replied.
"But never a Muggle?"
"No." He admitted distastefully.
"Well, as soon as I can, I'll arrange for you to come with me to Muggle London and meet a friend of mine." She told him, "After that you can judge."
"How do you know a Muggle?" He asked.
"He's the brother of a Muggle Born friend of mine." She explained, "Well, I think that's it. We'll keep a look out for that invitation from Andromeda. You can go back outside now, if you want."
Nodding, he left the kitchen and went into the Weasley's garden. The Weasley children had finished de-gnoming the garden and were getting ready to play some Quidditch. They all looked at him nervously as he walked into their view.
"Uh..." Ron said, looking at his feet, "We're...uh..."
"We're going to play Quidditch." Ginny finished off for him. Draco had the almost irresistible urge to say 'well that's obvious' but stopped himself.
"You can..." Fred started, but was unable to continue. Ginny sighed impatiently.
"Oh for god's sake! Look, you can come and watch if you want." She said sharply, "Can we go now? It'll be dark by the time we start at this rate."
She was the only one of them who looked at him when she talked to him, but it wasn't much better as she looked at him like he was something vaguely disgusting.
"Let's go then." George said, hoisting his broom over his shoulder, "We all know ickle Ginnykins has to be in bed when it gets dark."
"Shut up." She snapped. They began to march up to the hill where the played Quidditch, and Draco, feeling very unwanted, followed a little distance behind them.
Half way up Fred and George called at exactly the same time 'Team leader!' and Ron gave a disgruntled sigh.
"I choose...Ginny." Fred said eventually.
"Gee thanks." Ron muttered, "Make me feel all wanted why don't you?"
"It's ok, lil' bro, we'll squash 'em." George assured his younger brother.
On each end of the paddock there was a basked on top of a pole, and the Weasley's used an old football they had found as a Quaffle. There were no specific positions, the general idea of the game was to score a goal or prevent a goal from being scored whoever you were.
It took every once of Draco's will not to burst out into 'Weasley Is Our King' but he had the feeling that it would not go down well at all. He contented himself by humming it very quietly under his breath.
"Foul!" Ginny shouted as George grabbed the back of her broom, "George you idiot! That's such a foul!"
"Not the way we play!" He replied, grinning, "Told you, you couldn't keep up with us!"
The game continued in that way, the twins breaking every rule imaginable while Ron and Ginny tried their best to keep up.
After an hour or so of this they began to tire and landed, even the losers looking happy.
"We would have won if Ginny hadn't cheated." George said finally.
"How is shouting 'isn't that Maximus Brankovitch the third' cheating?" She asked, shocked, "That tree looked astonishingly like him!"
There was general laughter at that, and George affectionately tousled her hair. She glared at him for a moment, before smiling.
"Guess we should be getting back." Fred sighed, "It was a good game though. We'll make Quidditch Players out of you two yet."
"Ok, you two have just completely forgot about us winning the Quidditch cup, haven't you?" Ron asked, "Because we did pretty damn good!"
"Yeah, you did ok." George said nonchalantly, "No way as good as you would have if we were on the team."
"We didn't need decent beaters to win." Ron pointed out. There was a moment of silence, and then they all burst out laughing.
"Or beaters who could, you know, play at all." He added, grinning.
Draco could scarcely believe it. Were they...taking the piss out of their own team members?
"Remember when Sloper knocked himself out with is own bat?" Ginny asked, giggling.
"Or when he hit Angelina in the mouth?" George laughed.
"I'll thank you for not making fun of my girlfriend's misfortune." Fred said, slightly testily, "Now Kirke falling off the broom when Smith flew near him, that you can make fun of."
"It wasn't bloody funny at the time." Ron reminded them, "I could have died with embarrassment."
"At their playing or at yours?" Fred asked.
"Shut up." The younger boy grumbled.
"Come on, let's go." Ginny sighed, "It's getting cold."
So, following a good deal behind the Weasley's, Draco made his way back to the burrow. It was strange, but when the twin's jokes weren't aimed at him, he found them quite funny. Ron wasn't half the annoying prat he had thought he was, and Ginny, being considerable smaller than the average fifteen year old girl, was almost cute. Almost.
"Ahh!" She shouted as her hair caught on a branch, "Bloody buggery stupid tree! Fine, that's it! I'm cutting all this sodding hair off! I'd rather be bloody bald then have to deal with this all the bloody time!"
Almost.
As they had had a big Sunday lunch, they only had a small snack before bed. Arthur and Molly sent them all into the living room with the plates, and everyone took a seat. The twins and Ron sat on one sofa, Arthur and Molly on another; smaller one, and Ginny sat and Molly's feet, allowing her mother to pick twigs out her of her hair. The only free chair was a small arm chair, which Draco sat in nervously.
"We're going back to work tomorrow." Fred told them, "All the kids are on summer holiday, it makes for a good market."
"Which reminds me, we need to cut down on the Skiving Snackboxes." George said, "There's not much of a need for them if you're not at school."
"I'm not happy about you selling those." Molly scorned.
"You didn't mind them when they were annoying the hell out of Umbridge." George reminded her. There was a silence and everyone's eyes slid over to Draco.
"Uh, I think my friend Theodore bought some of them once." He told them, looking at his shoe, "H-he said they worked really well."
"Have you ever used them Draco?" Arthur asked conversationally.
"No." He confessed.
"Now see? Draco's serious about his studies." Molly said pointedly.
"I've never used a Skiving Snackbox either." Ron reminded her.
"Only because you couldn't afford them." It could have come from Draco, it would have been exactly the sort of thin Draco would say, but it came from Fred. It wasn't an enemy pointing out a weakness; it was a big brother teasing his younger sibling.
"Ow!" Ginny said suddenly, "Mum, that hurt!"
Molly had accidentally pulled Ginny's hair, and made general sounds of apology.
"Well, I think I'm going to go to bed now, what about you dear?" Arthur asked Molly, and she nodded, getting up. They kissed their children good night and patted Draco on the shoulder before leaving the room. There was a long moment where none of the children said anything, and then Draco coughed and stood up.
"Uh...goodnight." He mumbled. They mumbled their goodnights to him, and he hurried up the stairs to his bedroom.
Changing into his night-clothes he got into bed and turned off the light.
This was, apparently, his house, his room. And the Weasley's were his family.
"They are," He said into the darkness, "Not my family."
The darkness didn't say anything back, it never does.
A.N. Huh, I thought people would have more objections to my twisted plot. Oh well, I'm not complaining. This story could go a lot of different ways, so if you want to make some suggestions I'd be happy to hear them. This is not a transparent attempt to get plot ideas because I have none, honest!
Thanks to...
Dementorchic: Well, let's just say people will not be happy...
Queendiablo: Most my stuff is Ginny/Draco, I'm not sure if this will though! And this fic is all about conflict, so Harry coming to stay... Well, let's just say it's likely....
Leen: Ahh, romance. Well, I could be persuaded.
Sever13: Well, this is next chapter...
MelissaAdams: I'm so obedient.
Invader Kit: That has to be the most neutral review I've ever had! Oh well, I can't have all enthusiastic reviewers.