Ginny walked back through the huge oak doors of Hogwarts alone. Draco had walked back ten minutes earlier to avoid suspicion. She nervously packed her bags up in the Gryffindor Dorms. She was getting ready to 'meet the parents' and they were her parents! She was nervous as to how they would react to Draco. With a final throw, all her clothes were jumbled in her suitcase. She was only staying for a night, but wanted to be prepared.
Meanwhile, in the Dungeons, Draco paced back and forth with a fervor.
What if they didn't like him? Well, shit; of course they wouldn't like him, he was Draco Malfoy, le bastard extraordinaire. They had practically disowned Ginny for accepting his marriage proposal. He straightened his gold ring on his ring finger with a sigh, pulling of what seemed like the thousandth shirt off his shoulders and staring at his drawers menacingly. Red? No, too predatory. Orange? Merlin, no. Do I even own an orange shirt? That is definitely against the Malfoy code. Draco shifted his attention back to the problem at hand. Black is too somber, grey is too dull, green is too Slytherin! What the hell am I going to wear?
The pants had been easy, black; conservative yet commanding and natural. The hair; lightly gelled as to look presentable. Black shoes. All he needed was a damn shirt! Whoa! Didn't even know I had that one! His eyes fell on a light blue shirt with miniscule dark blue pinstripes. Slipping it on past his shoulders, he turned his head sharply to hear a knocking at the door. Buttoning the front of his shirt grumpily, he opened it with a creak.
"My, my, Draco. I must comment on the shirt, looks wonderful on you."
"That's because it took me a whole damn hour to pick it out, Gin!"
"Here." Ginny reached over his shoulder to a shelf on his dresser and grabbed his favorite cologne. (And hers too, actually.) She spritzed a light mist on his neck and upper chest. "Just enough. You look perfect." Draco shifted lightly on his feet, nervous.
"This has really got you rattled, hasn't it?" She asked adoringly.
"Hell yes it has!"
"Don't worry. Just keep the swear words to a minimum, or don't say them at all, and be polite, don't talk about money and smile. Don't smirk."
"Okay…"
"Okay, are we ready?"
"As ready as Voldemort would be to get a cute pink fro." (couldn't resist, sorry!) Ginny had to laugh at that one. She grabbed his hand and apparated, pulling their luggage with them, hers scattered and cluttered while Draco's was clean, neat, and meticulous. Being a Potions professor does things to you.
"The world spun hideously and Ginny fought to suppress a gag. She hated apparition with a passion. They arrived at the burrow and Ginny blushed. Next to his manor, this must be nothing to Draco.
"It's lovely." He smiled and gripped her hand.
"Thanks." Ginny sighed nervously and lead him up the steps. She knocked hesitantly and the door swung open almost immediately. The clock on the wall quickly shifted Ginny's hand to the Burrow and chimed. Ginny's mother swooped into the kitchen with a baking apron and flour spattered everywhere.
"Oh, Ginny dear! I was trying to make biscuits the muggle way for you and…" She choked a little. "Draco, but the flour wouldn't bake right and the oveyfen keeps beeping, and…" Molly Weasley sighed. "I guess I'll just clean up and cook them the way I normally do." With a wave of her wand, the kitchen was spotless, the rolls were in the oven and cooking smoothly. She turned to Draco with a somewhat forced smile.
"Mum, this is Draco Malfoy, as I'm sure you already know." She stepped aside and Draco bowed, following the old custom. Mrs. Weasley nodded in return and hugged him warmly.
"If Ginny says you've changed, who am I to argue? I must warn you though that Arthur might not be as welcoming. And none of that Old Custom stuff. We hug, not bow!" Her face cracked into a warm smile and Draco relaxed visibly. Ginny grabbed his hand with a smile.
"Where's dad?" She asked.
"Still at work, honey. He should be back soon. How about a cup of tea while we wait, and we can discuss the ball."
"How did you know about the ball?" Draco cut in curiously.
"Draco, dear. I am a mother, I know these things." She bustled them into the living room, crowded with books and papers flying all over.
"I'm sorry about the mess, Draco. It just seems we never have enough space in this little house."
"I think your house is splendid! It's so warm and welcoming. Gin and I have made plans to board of many of the rooms at my house because we just don't need them."
"How many rooms do you have?"
"Well…" He hesitated, not wanting to seem pompous.
"Oh go on, Draco, tell her." Ginny's voice cut in. Draco glared at her but obeyed.
"About 235, but I am sure we aren't going to need them all. There is a huge hall that you enter through that has stairs to each wing. I figured we would keep the Great hall and the dining hall and cut off about ¾ of each wing. That way we'll have enough space if we want to start a family and it won't be so huge that we have to use owls to wake one another up in the morning." Mrs. Weasley's shocked face turned to one of approval and she nodded.
"Very nice plans, you two. Oh, look, here's Arthur now." Arthur walked through the door as his hand on the clock shifted from work to home. He swooped Ginny up in a big hug and turned to Draco.
"Mr. Malfoy." He said evenly as he shook his hand. "Let's take a walk, shall we?" Draco nervously looked from Mrs. Weasley to Ginny, who nodded enthusiastically. The two men left the house together and strolled through the front yard and out onto a dirt road passing the house. The two girls could hear Mr. Weasley's voice echo back to them.
"Draco, I am perfectly willing to accept you as my son-in-law on one condition." Draco was silent. "If you ever, ever hurt my daughter, I am coming after you with all pistons firing and the whole Auror squad. Got that?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good." Arthur Weasley clapped Draco on the back and they strolled around the block, talking until Molly rang the bell on Arthur's watch for dinner. Ginny and Molly had planned the ball and arranged invitations all in a very short time. They finished cooking and rang the bell for the two men to come in, not telling them that they had been chosen to clean the kitchen. Ginny smiled evilly at Draco as he walked in the door.
a/n: review please! Only a few more chapters to go! I also posted the first chapter to a new story called Fury and Grace, which I won't be working on until this one is done, but check it out! I love the plotline and will finish it! Thanks guys!