Chapter Three
The Housemate
Or am I standing still 'neath the darkened sky?
Or am I standing still, with the scenery flying by?
Or am I standing still, out of the corner of my eye,
Was that you, passing me by?
Are you passing me by?
Jewel Kilcher "Standing Still"
Ginny's stomach rumbled loudly as she put her key in the lock. She twisted the key around and pushed open the door, slinging her bag onto the floor and closing the door behind her. She headed off down the passageway to the kitchen and stopped short upon reaching the door.
"Suze! You're cooking?"
"Yep!" Susan said, stirring something in a large pot on the stove. She smiled at Ginny and gestured at the table. "Water crackers with cheese if you're keen. We're going shopping after dinner because we have next to no food left."
"Great," Ginny said, moving into the room and inhaling deeply. "What are we getting?"
"Perishables, essentials," Susan shrugged. "What do you think, Lav?"
"Doesn't bother me," was the mutter from the other end of the table. Lavender was hunched up in her chair, still wearing her pyjamas and looking miserable.
"Lav!" Ginny said, somewhat concerned. "You didn't go to work?" She reached out and smoothed Lavender's hair out of her eyes. There came a muffled 'thanks'. Ginny smiled and sat down next to her.
"No, no," Lavender said, raising her head. "Stay away!"
Ginny was surprised. "Are you contagious?"
"Yes!" Lavender said before laying her head back down on the table. "Curses upon whatever deity invented this miserable illness."
"What's wrong with her?" Ginny asked Susan quizzically, before moving away from Lavender.
"Gastro!" Susan said cheerfully. "The only thing I didn't bring a potion to fix!"
"Oh, yuck! Poor Lav!" Ginny said, moving even further away.
"Yeah. Thanks," Lavender replied, before sniffing. "I might go back to bed; the smell of the food is making me feel sick."
"Okay," Susan said. "Do you need any help?"
"No," Lavender grumbled, getting to her feet. "I'm throwing up, not limping."
"Do you want me to keep your tea in the fridge for when you're feeling better?" Susan asked, glancing into her pot. "I've made enough for a small army."
"Yeah," Lavender said, brushing past Ginny. "That'd be good. Thanks."
Susan was silent until Lavender had left the room before grinning ruefully at Ginny. "We'll catch it. Guaranteed." She paused, a speculative look in her eye. "But by that time, I will have gotten the potion!"
Ginny laughed, sitting down at the table. "What a day." She reached for a water cracker and cut a few slices of cheese off the block, putting one on the cracker. She bit down and chewed thoroughly.
Susan picked up the wooden spoon and began stirring in her pot again. "Have a good second day of work?"
Ginny considered. "Yeah, for the most part," she said truthfully. "My boss is getting curious about my Swiss background, though. Keeps asking me things about their lifestyle. He must think I'm under the Muggle Witness Protection program."
"What's that?" Susan asked. "Can you reach behind you and pass me the oregano?"
Ginny cast around in the spices rack and came out with the right jar. She tossed it across the kitchen to Susan, who caught it left-handed and shook some of the dried herb into the pot. She inhaled deeply while still stirring.
"The Muggle Witness Protection program protects folk who are supposed to give evidence against criminals in a Muggle court of law. It's only for those who are in extreme danger and so on," Ginny said. She tapped her fingernails on the table absently, watching Susan stir. "Those Muggles are given new identities and sent elsewhere to live for awhile."
"Sounds interesting!" Susan said cheerfully, dipping a wooden spoon into the mix. She tested it on the end of her tongue. "Ooh, yummo! I am a champion."
"What are you cooking?" Ginny asked.
"Spaghetti bolognaise," Susan replied, searching the cupboard next to the stove. "Damn it, where did I put the gravy powder?"
"In the pantry," Ginny volunteered.
"Ah," Susan said. "Thanks." She pulled out a small pot and put it on the stovetop, turning the heat up to high before turning her attention to searching for the powder. "Dear pantry, where have you hidden the gravy? ... Aha!" She removed the gravy powder from the pantry and began measuring it out. "So, is your boss giving you a hard time?"
"Nah," Ginny said. She uncrossed her legs and crossed them back the other way, looking about the kitchen. It wasn't half as interesting as the kitchen they had at home. No clock to tell them where everyone was. No dishes doing themselves. No brooms sweeping the floors. She wondered how Muggle children ever managed to entertain themselves.
"So you think you'll enjoy working there?"
"Oh, yes," Ginny replied. "I've got my new partner, Dave, to keep me entertained. Remember I told you about him last night? The Australian? He's really funny." She paused. "I guess I'm just missing some people from the wizarding world."
"Harry?" Susan asked knowingly, turning the heat down on the stove.
"No," Ginny said hotly. "Why would I miss Harry?"
Susan shrugged. "You did date him for an awfully long time during the war, Ginny," she said. She took the pot off the stove and rested it on the sink. "Oh, blast, I forgot to turn the pasta down!" She looked inside the pot. "A sodden mess. Oh well, at least it's cooked, I suppose!"
"I haven't talked to Harry in a few weeks," Ginny said slowly. "But it's not him that I miss. It's my mum, and my dad, all my brothers..."
"Oh, of course," Susan said immediately. "I miss my family, too."
"And Ernie, of course," Ginny said innocently.
Susan smiled shyly. "Yes, and Ernie."
Ginny laughed. "You are allowed to talk about him, Susan, you're going to be marrying the man!"
Susan took the pot of pasta off the stove, draining it over the sink. She looked thoughtful. "I suppose. I guess I'm just used to hiding it a bit. No one was supposed to be distracted by love during the war."
"No one was supposed to be distracted by anything," Ginny agreed gloomily. "That's why Dad is so keen to clear up the war debris so quickly, so that we can all get on with our lives and forget that You-Know-Who ever existed."
Susan smiled, shaking the last drops of water from the pasta. "Your dad is a good Minister, Ginny."
"It was a bit of a shock," Ginny said. "All he's ever wanted to do was play with the Muggle artifacts... but he said that once he saw how much disrepair the hierarchy of the Ministry was in, he felt some deep-seated need to get in there and tidy it up himself." She matched Susan's smile. "I'm proud of him for that."
"What's the rest of your family doing?" Susan asked. "Excepting Percy, of course..." Her look softened. "I was sorry to hear about that, Gin."
Ginny shrugged. "He was lost to me years ago." She put her hands in her lap, staring down at the table. "I just wish that someone would find him so that we know what happened. It's killing Mum not knowing where he is." She took a deep breath. "Or, indeed, if he's even alive."
Susan came over and squeezed Ginny's shoulder briefly, smiling sympathetically. "It's awful, isn't it? Two of my cousins were never found, either."
"It is," Ginny whispered. She cleared her throat. "I heard about your cousins. I'm sorry." She smiled tiredly back at Susan. "But the rest of my family is doing alright. Mum's still at St. Mungo's, helping out there with those who were hit with memory charms. The twins are running around New York with the American ministry, clearing up stray spells." She laughed. "They hate it. Bill, of course, is back in Egypt, clearing up there... and Fleur has gone with him," she added. "Charlie's working in a London zoo at the moment; apparently some of the bigger animals were cursed."
"Really?" Susan asked. "He really stopped at nothing, didn't he?"
"Ah, well," Ginny replied disparagingly. "He was an evil mastermind, after all."
Susan grinned, heading back to her pasta. "Yes, that he was." She reached into a cupboard and drew out three plates. "Ron and Hermione doing okay?"
"I think so," Ginny responded. "I'm supposed to give them a call tonight, actually, to let them know what's going on here."
Susan paused while serving the food, turning to look back at Ginny. "Hermione's leg can't be replaced, can it?" she asked softly.
Ginny shook her head. "Not at the moment, anyway. The wound is still too raw, and her body is still riddled with magic that shouldn't be there."
Susan was quiet for a moment. "Is Ron looking after her full-time?"
"No." Ginny shook her head. "He's doing some desk work, filing all the reports from wizardkind working in the Muggle world."
"Wow," Susan said. She put a bowl of spaghetti bolognaise in front of Ginny and sat down opposite her. "He's really strong, isn't he?"
"Yeah, he is," Ginny agreed. "He's really changed. But then... war changes a lot of people."
"Yes, it does," Susan said, beginning to eat. "Eat up, Gin, or it'll get cold."
"Yes, Mum," Ginny said wryly, poking her fork into the pasta. "Thanks, Suze."
A knock sounded at the front door of the house. Ginny didn't look up from her book. The fire was crackling merrily, a scented candle was burning on the coffee table and the lamp was creating a dull glow, just enough to read by. Ginny was in heaven. She reached for her cup of tea, and turned another page in the book. She sighed over the romance in the situation, looking around the room in contentment. She snuggled further into her old armchair and sank her teeth into yet another chocolate biscuit. She was beginning to see just how Muggles got along without magic. This was magic enough.
"Oh my god!" Lavender could be heard to exclaim. "Wow. Crazy! I really didn't expect the new housemate to be you!" Ginny raised her eyebrow and wondered absently who it could be to drag Lavender out of bed. Probably one of Lavender's old boyfriends from Hogwarts or something. A low, male voice could be heard to reply, though Ginny couldn't make it out. Not that she minded. The heroine in the novel she was reading was getting proposed to.
"Oh, Tom," Brianna sighed, running her fingers through his black locks. "I just... it's all so crazy, you know? There's so much I want to say to you and..."
"Hush." Tom silenced her with a kiss. She reveled in the glorious feel of his silken lips against her as he whispered, "There's no need for words right now."
"Oh, Tom!" Brianna threw her head back and sighed in ecstasy as he pressed feather-light kisses to her skin.
"That's so mad." Lavender's higher-pitched voice sailed through the old plaster. "Well, hey, I'm sure this'll be interesting if nothing else. Have you seen the house yet? It's really old, isn't it? Ginny, one of our other housemates, loves it. Your room is just upstairs..."
The voice spoke again. Ginny turned another page, unperturbed by the noises in the hall. She chewed absently on a lock of flame-coloured hair as her eyes quickly scanned the page.
"Oh, Brianna," Tom grunted. "No, don't – I just want to lie here with you forever."
Brianna had never felt so happy in her entire life. Tom Markos, the man she had been in love with since she was ten, was sweeping her off her feet and she was falling; falling further than she had ever fallen before...
"Ginny? That's her room there."
There was a knock at the door. It swung open and Lavender poked her head around. The fire spat and crackled merrily. Ginny didn't bother to look up. She slowly replaced her cup on the table, still reading.
"Ginny, the new housemate is here," Lavender said meaningfully. She looked surreptitiously behind her before continuing.
"And you'll never guess who it is!" she whispered frantically. "It's amazing! I can't believe your father approved him to live with us. It's scandalous, that's what it is." She paused to smooth her hair. "But he's really good looking now, so I guess we can keep him."
Ginny smiled, her eyes not lifting from the page. "In a minute, Lav. I'm up to a really good spot."
Lavender rolled her eyes, and closed the door.
"Yeah, I'll show you upstairs..." Lavender was heard to tell the newcomer.
The sound of their footsteps trudging upstairs echoed through the hall and under Ginny's door. Lavender's voice drifted into the distance. Ginny continued to read.
Hours later, Ginny yawned and stretched. She looked around her and reached out for the telephone sitting beside her bed. She picked up the piece of paper next to it and looked at the numbers on it, punching the buttons on the phone and listening to it ring in her ear. There was a click and a distinct clearing of the throat. Ron had been using a telephone for almost fifteen years and yet he still found it necessary to bellow into the mouthpiece.
"Ron!" Ginny said hurriedly. "It's Ginny."
"Oh!" Ron said in surprise. "Hey, Ginny!"
"Hi," she said, wrapping the cord around her fingers. "I can hear you perfectly, by the way."
"Really?" Ron asked. "It's hard to tell with this thing." He paused. "Maybe your phone is just a really good one. I told Hermione we should get a newer one."
"Haven't you got the latest model on the market?" Ginny asked, amused.
"Yeah..." Ron conceded. "Well, no. Not really. There's another model, a newer one; comes with an inbuilt facsimile machine. But Hermione said we didn't need that one because we already have a facsimile machine."
"Fax machines are helpful," Ginny agreed. "How are you, Ron?"
"Oh, yeah, alright!" Ron said brightly. "How's it going over in your neck of the woods? All those Muggles driving you mad yet?"
Ginny laughed softly. "No... no, I've only been here for three days, Ron!"
"You all unpacked?" he asked.
"Not really," Ginny said, looking around her bedroom. "I figured I'd leave most of the boxes until the weekend. I had to start work straightaway... made no sense to stay up all night unpacking and then work all day long."
"Good plan," Ron said. "You getting along with Lav and Susan alright?"
"Yeah," Ginny said. "Susan's great. Haven't seen so much of Lavender, though, she's been sick with a gastro bug."
"Oh," Ron said. "Yuck!"
Ginny laughed again. "Yes, I'm doing my best to avoid her, really!" She could tell Ron was smirking.
"Trust Lavender," he eventually said. "Want to talk to 'Mione?"
At Ginny's assent, he clanked the phone down and went off in search of his partner. There were a number of muffled thumps before Ginny heard Ron saying, "No, she's on the telephone!"
"What telephone?" Hermione was saying, sounding frustrated. "I thought you said that the phone company wasn't coming to install it until next week!"
"No, I told you that last week!"
"You told me yesterday!" she fired back. "So you mean to say that Ginny is on the phone now, waiting for me?"
"YES!" Ron bellowed.
"Well, why ever didn't you say that in the first place?" Hermione asked crossly. The phone was picked up. "Hello, Ginny."
"Hermione," Ginny acknowledged the older girl. "How are you?"
"As well as I can be," she said crabbily. Then she laughed. "Honestly, Ron is the most useless boyfriend I've ever had."
"You've had others?" both Ginny and Ron asked at the same time.
"Well..." Hermione hedged. "Not exactly, no..."
"Then I'm also the best boyfriend you've ever had!" Ron boasted.
Hermione laughed. "Shush! How are you, Ginny?"
"Good," Ginny affirmed. "I'm doing great. The house is great, and everyone here is well. Except Lavender, she has gastro. But asides from that, it's been great!" She smiled. "Just missing everyone a little already!"
"Poor Lavender," Hermione said. "Be sure to send my love. Oh, by the way, who's the fourth housemate? You didn't know when I last asked you."
"I still don't know, actually!" Ginny replied.
"Really?" Hermione sounded surprised. "They haven't arrived yet?"
"Oh yeah," Ginny said. "They arrived about two hours ago. It's a guy, as far as I can make out. Haven't popped my head out yet."
"Ginny!" Hermione said. "That's appallingly bad manners."
"I was reading a good book!" Ginny protested.
"Oh, sure," Hermione responded. "Another Mills & Boon, wasn't it? I was wrong to get you stuck on those."
"It was not," Ginny said defensively, sliding her copy under her pillow. "I don't read that rubbish."
"Of course you don't," Hermione replied. "Oh- Ginny, I'm sorry, we've got some guests at the door. I'll give you a call tomorrow sometime. What's your number?"
"I'll be at work tomorrow," Ginny replied, a little regretfully. "Maybe I could get away on the weekend and Floo to your place." She really missed Hermione. The girls had grown close in later years.
"Oh, yes! Do!" Hermione exclaimed. "I haven't seen you in so long, that'd be fantastic. Alright, Ginny. I'll see you then! Give us a call to tell us when you're coming, alright?"
"Okay," Ginny said. "Bye..."
"Bye!" There was a click and Hermione was gone.
Ginny leaned over and blew out the candle, deciding it was time to finally meet the fourth housemate. She put on her slippers and went into the hallway. She closed the door softly and glanced out of the foyer's front windows. There was a familiar looking blue car parked there, though she couldn't place why it was so familiar. She ran a finger over the decorated glass lovingly.
It's so beautiful, she thought. How could anyone want to leave this place?
There was a discreet cough from the stairwell. Ginny started, and turned to face the stairs, expecting to see Susan's disapproving gaze. The girls thought Ginny to be mad for falling in love with a Muggle house, and as for locking herself up in her new room for hours on end without coming out to meet the new housemate, well- she was sure they wouldn't be impressed about that!
Instead of Susan, though, Ginny saw a familiar white-blonde hair and piercing silver eyes on a somewhat unfamiliar man. Instinctively, Ginny's hand went to her heart. She took a step back in shock. It had to be him. It had been years and he'd changed so much but no one else in the world had hair that colour...
"Draco Malfoy..." Ginny gasped out quietly, staring up at the stairs in pure disbelief. The figure standing there couldn't be the same Draco Malfoy. The Malfoy who had made her life a living hell during all years at Hogwarts, the one who had called her a disgrace to the wizarding community.
"Ginny Weasley," Draco said evenly, moving casually down the stairs. "Nice to see you recognise me. It's been awhile. A good nine or ten years by now, I'd wager."
Ginny's breath caught in her throat. The light glinting through the front windows was reflected in the shine of Draco's cheeks and the silver in his eyes, she noted dully. She forced herself to speak.
"Ni-- nine years," Ginny said, her mind jumping frantically to conclusions. "You're-- you're not-- are you helping your friend settle in?"
Beside Ginny, the grandfather clock in the hall ticked away. Ginny became aware of her heart beating fives times as fast as the steady tick. She took a deep breath in an effort to calm herself.
"What friend?" Draco asked curiously, coming to stand a few feet away from her. "Settle in? You mean, move in?" He raked a hand casually through his hair, raising an eyebrow.
Ginny nodded.
To her dismay, Draco laughed. "No... no, Ginny, I'm the one moving in."
Ginny's mouth fell ajar. Wordlessly, she closed it and gulped. She looked at Draco, lounging casually against the wall. She exhaled slowly and smoothed imaginary creases out of her shirt, at a loss for anything to say. He was watching her with an amused expression on his face.
"You... you've moved in with us. That's... that's nice, Mal-- Malfoy." Ginny forced herself to smile politely. She wondered if she should be calling him Draco now. "Uh... had a good trip?"
He raised his eyebrow. "Yes, Weasley," he drawled. "I had a pleasant trip."
Ginny nodded again. "Glad to hear it. I might just... go to bed, then." She paused, wondering what to say. She turned to her door and fumbled with the lock. "I'll see you later, I expect."
"Probably," Draco said, turning around and going back upstairs. "Night, Weasley."
Ginny slipped quickly into her room, slammed the door and threw herself on her bed. It had to be a joke, didn't it? She stared mutely at the wall, tracing patterns in the paintwork idly, thinking furiously and weighing up her options. Head against the pillow, she could feel the blood rushing through her temples and instinctively put a hand to her forehead, massaging it. She would have to contact her father, maybe asked to be transferred to a different house—but that was impossible, Ginny had seen the housing arrangements herself. There was absolutely nowhere else for her to go. She sighed, rolling over and glancing at the clock. It was late enough to get to bed. Maybe everything would be clearer in the morning. She didn't bother to get changed, just slid under the blankets and lay in the dark, waiting for morning.
The Housemate
Or am I standing still 'neath the darkened sky?
Or am I standing still, with the scenery flying by?
Or am I standing still, out of the corner of my eye,
Was that you, passing me by?
Are you passing me by?
Jewel Kilcher "Standing Still"
Ginny's stomach rumbled loudly as she put her key in the lock. She twisted the key around and pushed open the door, slinging her bag onto the floor and closing the door behind her. She headed off down the passageway to the kitchen and stopped short upon reaching the door.
"Suze! You're cooking?"
"Yep!" Susan said, stirring something in a large pot on the stove. She smiled at Ginny and gestured at the table. "Water crackers with cheese if you're keen. We're going shopping after dinner because we have next to no food left."
"Great," Ginny said, moving into the room and inhaling deeply. "What are we getting?"
"Perishables, essentials," Susan shrugged. "What do you think, Lav?"
"Doesn't bother me," was the mutter from the other end of the table. Lavender was hunched up in her chair, still wearing her pyjamas and looking miserable.
"Lav!" Ginny said, somewhat concerned. "You didn't go to work?" She reached out and smoothed Lavender's hair out of her eyes. There came a muffled 'thanks'. Ginny smiled and sat down next to her.
"No, no," Lavender said, raising her head. "Stay away!"
Ginny was surprised. "Are you contagious?"
"Yes!" Lavender said before laying her head back down on the table. "Curses upon whatever deity invented this miserable illness."
"What's wrong with her?" Ginny asked Susan quizzically, before moving away from Lavender.
"Gastro!" Susan said cheerfully. "The only thing I didn't bring a potion to fix!"
"Oh, yuck! Poor Lav!" Ginny said, moving even further away.
"Yeah. Thanks," Lavender replied, before sniffing. "I might go back to bed; the smell of the food is making me feel sick."
"Okay," Susan said. "Do you need any help?"
"No," Lavender grumbled, getting to her feet. "I'm throwing up, not limping."
"Do you want me to keep your tea in the fridge for when you're feeling better?" Susan asked, glancing into her pot. "I've made enough for a small army."
"Yeah," Lavender said, brushing past Ginny. "That'd be good. Thanks."
Susan was silent until Lavender had left the room before grinning ruefully at Ginny. "We'll catch it. Guaranteed." She paused, a speculative look in her eye. "But by that time, I will have gotten the potion!"
Ginny laughed, sitting down at the table. "What a day." She reached for a water cracker and cut a few slices of cheese off the block, putting one on the cracker. She bit down and chewed thoroughly.
Susan picked up the wooden spoon and began stirring in her pot again. "Have a good second day of work?"
Ginny considered. "Yeah, for the most part," she said truthfully. "My boss is getting curious about my Swiss background, though. Keeps asking me things about their lifestyle. He must think I'm under the Muggle Witness Protection program."
"What's that?" Susan asked. "Can you reach behind you and pass me the oregano?"
Ginny cast around in the spices rack and came out with the right jar. She tossed it across the kitchen to Susan, who caught it left-handed and shook some of the dried herb into the pot. She inhaled deeply while still stirring.
"The Muggle Witness Protection program protects folk who are supposed to give evidence against criminals in a Muggle court of law. It's only for those who are in extreme danger and so on," Ginny said. She tapped her fingernails on the table absently, watching Susan stir. "Those Muggles are given new identities and sent elsewhere to live for awhile."
"Sounds interesting!" Susan said cheerfully, dipping a wooden spoon into the mix. She tested it on the end of her tongue. "Ooh, yummo! I am a champion."
"What are you cooking?" Ginny asked.
"Spaghetti bolognaise," Susan replied, searching the cupboard next to the stove. "Damn it, where did I put the gravy powder?"
"In the pantry," Ginny volunteered.
"Ah," Susan said. "Thanks." She pulled out a small pot and put it on the stovetop, turning the heat up to high before turning her attention to searching for the powder. "Dear pantry, where have you hidden the gravy? ... Aha!" She removed the gravy powder from the pantry and began measuring it out. "So, is your boss giving you a hard time?"
"Nah," Ginny said. She uncrossed her legs and crossed them back the other way, looking about the kitchen. It wasn't half as interesting as the kitchen they had at home. No clock to tell them where everyone was. No dishes doing themselves. No brooms sweeping the floors. She wondered how Muggle children ever managed to entertain themselves.
"So you think you'll enjoy working there?"
"Oh, yes," Ginny replied. "I've got my new partner, Dave, to keep me entertained. Remember I told you about him last night? The Australian? He's really funny." She paused. "I guess I'm just missing some people from the wizarding world."
"Harry?" Susan asked knowingly, turning the heat down on the stove.
"No," Ginny said hotly. "Why would I miss Harry?"
Susan shrugged. "You did date him for an awfully long time during the war, Ginny," she said. She took the pot off the stove and rested it on the sink. "Oh, blast, I forgot to turn the pasta down!" She looked inside the pot. "A sodden mess. Oh well, at least it's cooked, I suppose!"
"I haven't talked to Harry in a few weeks," Ginny said slowly. "But it's not him that I miss. It's my mum, and my dad, all my brothers..."
"Oh, of course," Susan said immediately. "I miss my family, too."
"And Ernie, of course," Ginny said innocently.
Susan smiled shyly. "Yes, and Ernie."
Ginny laughed. "You are allowed to talk about him, Susan, you're going to be marrying the man!"
Susan took the pot of pasta off the stove, draining it over the sink. She looked thoughtful. "I suppose. I guess I'm just used to hiding it a bit. No one was supposed to be distracted by love during the war."
"No one was supposed to be distracted by anything," Ginny agreed gloomily. "That's why Dad is so keen to clear up the war debris so quickly, so that we can all get on with our lives and forget that You-Know-Who ever existed."
Susan smiled, shaking the last drops of water from the pasta. "Your dad is a good Minister, Ginny."
"It was a bit of a shock," Ginny said. "All he's ever wanted to do was play with the Muggle artifacts... but he said that once he saw how much disrepair the hierarchy of the Ministry was in, he felt some deep-seated need to get in there and tidy it up himself." She matched Susan's smile. "I'm proud of him for that."
"What's the rest of your family doing?" Susan asked. "Excepting Percy, of course..." Her look softened. "I was sorry to hear about that, Gin."
Ginny shrugged. "He was lost to me years ago." She put her hands in her lap, staring down at the table. "I just wish that someone would find him so that we know what happened. It's killing Mum not knowing where he is." She took a deep breath. "Or, indeed, if he's even alive."
Susan came over and squeezed Ginny's shoulder briefly, smiling sympathetically. "It's awful, isn't it? Two of my cousins were never found, either."
"It is," Ginny whispered. She cleared her throat. "I heard about your cousins. I'm sorry." She smiled tiredly back at Susan. "But the rest of my family is doing alright. Mum's still at St. Mungo's, helping out there with those who were hit with memory charms. The twins are running around New York with the American ministry, clearing up stray spells." She laughed. "They hate it. Bill, of course, is back in Egypt, clearing up there... and Fleur has gone with him," she added. "Charlie's working in a London zoo at the moment; apparently some of the bigger animals were cursed."
"Really?" Susan asked. "He really stopped at nothing, didn't he?"
"Ah, well," Ginny replied disparagingly. "He was an evil mastermind, after all."
Susan grinned, heading back to her pasta. "Yes, that he was." She reached into a cupboard and drew out three plates. "Ron and Hermione doing okay?"
"I think so," Ginny responded. "I'm supposed to give them a call tonight, actually, to let them know what's going on here."
Susan paused while serving the food, turning to look back at Ginny. "Hermione's leg can't be replaced, can it?" she asked softly.
Ginny shook her head. "Not at the moment, anyway. The wound is still too raw, and her body is still riddled with magic that shouldn't be there."
Susan was quiet for a moment. "Is Ron looking after her full-time?"
"No." Ginny shook her head. "He's doing some desk work, filing all the reports from wizardkind working in the Muggle world."
"Wow," Susan said. She put a bowl of spaghetti bolognaise in front of Ginny and sat down opposite her. "He's really strong, isn't he?"
"Yeah, he is," Ginny agreed. "He's really changed. But then... war changes a lot of people."
"Yes, it does," Susan said, beginning to eat. "Eat up, Gin, or it'll get cold."
"Yes, Mum," Ginny said wryly, poking her fork into the pasta. "Thanks, Suze."
A knock sounded at the front door of the house. Ginny didn't look up from her book. The fire was crackling merrily, a scented candle was burning on the coffee table and the lamp was creating a dull glow, just enough to read by. Ginny was in heaven. She reached for her cup of tea, and turned another page in the book. She sighed over the romance in the situation, looking around the room in contentment. She snuggled further into her old armchair and sank her teeth into yet another chocolate biscuit. She was beginning to see just how Muggles got along without magic. This was magic enough.
"Oh my god!" Lavender could be heard to exclaim. "Wow. Crazy! I really didn't expect the new housemate to be you!" Ginny raised her eyebrow and wondered absently who it could be to drag Lavender out of bed. Probably one of Lavender's old boyfriends from Hogwarts or something. A low, male voice could be heard to reply, though Ginny couldn't make it out. Not that she minded. The heroine in the novel she was reading was getting proposed to.
"Oh, Tom," Brianna sighed, running her fingers through his black locks. "I just... it's all so crazy, you know? There's so much I want to say to you and..."
"Hush." Tom silenced her with a kiss. She reveled in the glorious feel of his silken lips against her as he whispered, "There's no need for words right now."
"Oh, Tom!" Brianna threw her head back and sighed in ecstasy as he pressed feather-light kisses to her skin.
"That's so mad." Lavender's higher-pitched voice sailed through the old plaster. "Well, hey, I'm sure this'll be interesting if nothing else. Have you seen the house yet? It's really old, isn't it? Ginny, one of our other housemates, loves it. Your room is just upstairs..."
The voice spoke again. Ginny turned another page, unperturbed by the noises in the hall. She chewed absently on a lock of flame-coloured hair as her eyes quickly scanned the page.
"Oh, Brianna," Tom grunted. "No, don't – I just want to lie here with you forever."
Brianna had never felt so happy in her entire life. Tom Markos, the man she had been in love with since she was ten, was sweeping her off her feet and she was falling; falling further than she had ever fallen before...
"Ginny? That's her room there."
There was a knock at the door. It swung open and Lavender poked her head around. The fire spat and crackled merrily. Ginny didn't bother to look up. She slowly replaced her cup on the table, still reading.
"Ginny, the new housemate is here," Lavender said meaningfully. She looked surreptitiously behind her before continuing.
"And you'll never guess who it is!" she whispered frantically. "It's amazing! I can't believe your father approved him to live with us. It's scandalous, that's what it is." She paused to smooth her hair. "But he's really good looking now, so I guess we can keep him."
Ginny smiled, her eyes not lifting from the page. "In a minute, Lav. I'm up to a really good spot."
Lavender rolled her eyes, and closed the door.
"Yeah, I'll show you upstairs..." Lavender was heard to tell the newcomer.
The sound of their footsteps trudging upstairs echoed through the hall and under Ginny's door. Lavender's voice drifted into the distance. Ginny continued to read.
Hours later, Ginny yawned and stretched. She looked around her and reached out for the telephone sitting beside her bed. She picked up the piece of paper next to it and looked at the numbers on it, punching the buttons on the phone and listening to it ring in her ear. There was a click and a distinct clearing of the throat. Ron had been using a telephone for almost fifteen years and yet he still found it necessary to bellow into the mouthpiece.
"Ron!" Ginny said hurriedly. "It's Ginny."
"Oh!" Ron said in surprise. "Hey, Ginny!"
"Hi," she said, wrapping the cord around her fingers. "I can hear you perfectly, by the way."
"Really?" Ron asked. "It's hard to tell with this thing." He paused. "Maybe your phone is just a really good one. I told Hermione we should get a newer one."
"Haven't you got the latest model on the market?" Ginny asked, amused.
"Yeah..." Ron conceded. "Well, no. Not really. There's another model, a newer one; comes with an inbuilt facsimile machine. But Hermione said we didn't need that one because we already have a facsimile machine."
"Fax machines are helpful," Ginny agreed. "How are you, Ron?"
"Oh, yeah, alright!" Ron said brightly. "How's it going over in your neck of the woods? All those Muggles driving you mad yet?"
Ginny laughed softly. "No... no, I've only been here for three days, Ron!"
"You all unpacked?" he asked.
"Not really," Ginny said, looking around her bedroom. "I figured I'd leave most of the boxes until the weekend. I had to start work straightaway... made no sense to stay up all night unpacking and then work all day long."
"Good plan," Ron said. "You getting along with Lav and Susan alright?"
"Yeah," Ginny said. "Susan's great. Haven't seen so much of Lavender, though, she's been sick with a gastro bug."
"Oh," Ron said. "Yuck!"
Ginny laughed again. "Yes, I'm doing my best to avoid her, really!" She could tell Ron was smirking.
"Trust Lavender," he eventually said. "Want to talk to 'Mione?"
At Ginny's assent, he clanked the phone down and went off in search of his partner. There were a number of muffled thumps before Ginny heard Ron saying, "No, she's on the telephone!"
"What telephone?" Hermione was saying, sounding frustrated. "I thought you said that the phone company wasn't coming to install it until next week!"
"No, I told you that last week!"
"You told me yesterday!" she fired back. "So you mean to say that Ginny is on the phone now, waiting for me?"
"YES!" Ron bellowed.
"Well, why ever didn't you say that in the first place?" Hermione asked crossly. The phone was picked up. "Hello, Ginny."
"Hermione," Ginny acknowledged the older girl. "How are you?"
"As well as I can be," she said crabbily. Then she laughed. "Honestly, Ron is the most useless boyfriend I've ever had."
"You've had others?" both Ginny and Ron asked at the same time.
"Well..." Hermione hedged. "Not exactly, no..."
"Then I'm also the best boyfriend you've ever had!" Ron boasted.
Hermione laughed. "Shush! How are you, Ginny?"
"Good," Ginny affirmed. "I'm doing great. The house is great, and everyone here is well. Except Lavender, she has gastro. But asides from that, it's been great!" She smiled. "Just missing everyone a little already!"
"Poor Lavender," Hermione said. "Be sure to send my love. Oh, by the way, who's the fourth housemate? You didn't know when I last asked you."
"I still don't know, actually!" Ginny replied.
"Really?" Hermione sounded surprised. "They haven't arrived yet?"
"Oh yeah," Ginny said. "They arrived about two hours ago. It's a guy, as far as I can make out. Haven't popped my head out yet."
"Ginny!" Hermione said. "That's appallingly bad manners."
"I was reading a good book!" Ginny protested.
"Oh, sure," Hermione responded. "Another Mills & Boon, wasn't it? I was wrong to get you stuck on those."
"It was not," Ginny said defensively, sliding her copy under her pillow. "I don't read that rubbish."
"Of course you don't," Hermione replied. "Oh- Ginny, I'm sorry, we've got some guests at the door. I'll give you a call tomorrow sometime. What's your number?"
"I'll be at work tomorrow," Ginny replied, a little regretfully. "Maybe I could get away on the weekend and Floo to your place." She really missed Hermione. The girls had grown close in later years.
"Oh, yes! Do!" Hermione exclaimed. "I haven't seen you in so long, that'd be fantastic. Alright, Ginny. I'll see you then! Give us a call to tell us when you're coming, alright?"
"Okay," Ginny said. "Bye..."
"Bye!" There was a click and Hermione was gone.
Ginny leaned over and blew out the candle, deciding it was time to finally meet the fourth housemate. She put on her slippers and went into the hallway. She closed the door softly and glanced out of the foyer's front windows. There was a familiar looking blue car parked there, though she couldn't place why it was so familiar. She ran a finger over the decorated glass lovingly.
It's so beautiful, she thought. How could anyone want to leave this place?
There was a discreet cough from the stairwell. Ginny started, and turned to face the stairs, expecting to see Susan's disapproving gaze. The girls thought Ginny to be mad for falling in love with a Muggle house, and as for locking herself up in her new room for hours on end without coming out to meet the new housemate, well- she was sure they wouldn't be impressed about that!
Instead of Susan, though, Ginny saw a familiar white-blonde hair and piercing silver eyes on a somewhat unfamiliar man. Instinctively, Ginny's hand went to her heart. She took a step back in shock. It had to be him. It had been years and he'd changed so much but no one else in the world had hair that colour...
"Draco Malfoy..." Ginny gasped out quietly, staring up at the stairs in pure disbelief. The figure standing there couldn't be the same Draco Malfoy. The Malfoy who had made her life a living hell during all years at Hogwarts, the one who had called her a disgrace to the wizarding community.
"Ginny Weasley," Draco said evenly, moving casually down the stairs. "Nice to see you recognise me. It's been awhile. A good nine or ten years by now, I'd wager."
Ginny's breath caught in her throat. The light glinting through the front windows was reflected in the shine of Draco's cheeks and the silver in his eyes, she noted dully. She forced herself to speak.
"Ni-- nine years," Ginny said, her mind jumping frantically to conclusions. "You're-- you're not-- are you helping your friend settle in?"
Beside Ginny, the grandfather clock in the hall ticked away. Ginny became aware of her heart beating fives times as fast as the steady tick. She took a deep breath in an effort to calm herself.
"What friend?" Draco asked curiously, coming to stand a few feet away from her. "Settle in? You mean, move in?" He raked a hand casually through his hair, raising an eyebrow.
Ginny nodded.
To her dismay, Draco laughed. "No... no, Ginny, I'm the one moving in."
Ginny's mouth fell ajar. Wordlessly, she closed it and gulped. She looked at Draco, lounging casually against the wall. She exhaled slowly and smoothed imaginary creases out of her shirt, at a loss for anything to say. He was watching her with an amused expression on his face.
"You... you've moved in with us. That's... that's nice, Mal-- Malfoy." Ginny forced herself to smile politely. She wondered if she should be calling him Draco now. "Uh... had a good trip?"
He raised his eyebrow. "Yes, Weasley," he drawled. "I had a pleasant trip."
Ginny nodded again. "Glad to hear it. I might just... go to bed, then." She paused, wondering what to say. She turned to her door and fumbled with the lock. "I'll see you later, I expect."
"Probably," Draco said, turning around and going back upstairs. "Night, Weasley."
Ginny slipped quickly into her room, slammed the door and threw herself on her bed. It had to be a joke, didn't it? She stared mutely at the wall, tracing patterns in the paintwork idly, thinking furiously and weighing up her options. Head against the pillow, she could feel the blood rushing through her temples and instinctively put a hand to her forehead, massaging it. She would have to contact her father, maybe asked to be transferred to a different house—but that was impossible, Ginny had seen the housing arrangements herself. There was absolutely nowhere else for her to go. She sighed, rolling over and glancing at the clock. It was late enough to get to bed. Maybe everything would be clearer in the morning. She didn't bother to get changed, just slid under the blankets and lay in the dark, waiting for morning.