Part 5: Dinner at the Weasleys

Draco opened his eyes and groaned as sunlight from his open curtains pierced his skull. A headache made itself known and he became nauseous. He grabbed his wand and spelled his curtains closed. Once that bright light was gone, he fell back onto his bed with a sigh, his headache not fully retreating but was less severe.

"No more mead on an empty stomach." he vowed. He sat up slowly, his temple throbbing. He climbed from his bed and went into the bathroom for the hangover potion he kept there. He downed it in one gulp and waited for his headache to subside.

It had been 2 days since he's seen, spoken to Harry. He'd kept his distance since then out of respect for the always private Ex-Gryffindor. He'd told Draco he'd think about the things he had said to him.

"Maybe this means he doesn't want to see me anymore." he said to himself, feeling dejected. At that moment, a message appeared on his bathroom mirror:

FLOO ACTIVATED!

Someone was trying to contact him. He quickly pulled on his dressing robe and went to the living room. The face peeking at him from the fire was not the one he'd been expecting. But still he was surprised.

"Hermione Granger! Well this is a surprise."

"Hello Draco. And it's Weasley now, thank you."

"My apologies. To what do I owe the pleasure of this call?"

"Ron and I would like to invite you to dinner this evening."

"What for?" he frowned.

"We wanted to talk to you about Harry. He told us about your meeting a few nights ago."

"Did he tell you what happened after?"

"Not in so many words. But I got the gist of it. Will you come?"

"Will he be there?"

"Unfortunately no. He's away on business until Saturday." He got the feeling there was something she didn't want him to know about where Harry was. He wisely kept silent. "Please say you'll come." He closed his eyes and sighed.

"I'll be there. Shall I bring anything?"

"A face protector and a raincoat should do nicely. See you at 6." Before he could ask, she was gone.

"And people call me odd." he muttered to himself. He went back to his bedroom to get dressed.

He assumed she was joking about the face protector and rain coat, so he brought a bottle of wine from his collection. She told him he could Floo directly into their home but he didn't want to sit through dinner smelling like soot. So he ended up Apparating. During school, he'd never gotten along with Granger and Weasley so the dinner invitation made him wary.

He stood on their front porch waiting for someone to answer his knock and glanced around at his surroundings. It was - in a word - breathtaking. The love and care that seemed to go into the grass, flowers and trees bespoke of a great love for the land. He looked up at the modest style ranch house. It was painted a burgundy and gold color, with white shutters over the windows.

"Gryffindor colors. Should have known." he chuckled. He had a hard time picturing Granger and Weasley living in such a beautiful home.

The door opened behind him and he turned. At first he almost didn't recognize the beautiful young woman standing on the threshold. Gone was the bush of brown hair that had been her trademark in school. It was still thick, but it was straight and neatly trimmed, hanging down to nearly the middle of her back. She was wearing a brown suede skirt (at a modest knee length naturally) with a matching suede jacket with a white silk blouse. No other adornments were on her except her wedding rings and the small pair of glasses perched on her dainty nose. She blushed as he gave her the once-over.

"Hello, Hermione. You look wonderful."

"Thank you, Draco. I'm glad you could come." she greeted warmly. She stepped aside to let him enter.

"I was surprised you invited me at all given our past history." She took his leather coat and hung it in the closet.

"We aren't children anymore. I think we're beyond that." she replied, preceding him into the living room. He was expecting a disaster of Weasley-type proportions when he looked around, and was surprised once more. The colors were a deeper burgundy and gold, but it was tastefully done and made the fashion model in Draco sit up and appreciate it.

"Your husband isn't going to try and hex me is he?" he asked. She indicated he should sit on the couch while she sat in the armchair across from him.

"I think out of all of us, Ron has grown up the most. I think it has something to do with being a Dad." she smiled. Draco looked down at the coffee table and saw a series of family portraits, one of which was of three identical girls. All with flaming & bushy red hair and blue eyes.

"You're children?" he asked.

"Phoebe, Delila and Caroline from oldest to youngest." Hermione answered his unspoken question.

"Triplets? You guys don't believe in doing anything half-way do you?" he chuckled.

"Not on your life." she grinned.

"Well they are just as pretty as their mother." he complimented her.

"Thank you." Footsteps sounded on the stairs and Draco got to his feet. Ron rounded the corner and Draco's eyes nearly fell from their sockets. Sometime in the last 10 years, Ron had not only grown up, he'd filled out. He was no longer the gangly unsure teen. His shoulders were broad and well toned muscles peeked out at him from the sleeves of his short t-shirt. If Draco wasn't so stuck on Harry, he would have given Hermione a run for her money. And she seemed to know it as she watched him ogle her husband. She cleared her throat and he blushed.

"Sorry."

"Just don't make it a habit." she warned. Ron wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her cheek. It was quite obvious Ron only had eyes for his wife.

"Welcome to our home, Draco." Ron greeted, shaking the blonde's hand.

"The Terrible Trio all settled?" Hermione asked.

"For now."

"Then shall we go into the dining room? Dinner should be ready soon."

"Oi! That reminds me. I brought this." Draco held up the wine.

"That will be perfect. I'll just pop into the kitchen and check on dinner." Ron said, snatching the wine out of Draco's hands.

"And he cooks?" Draco was shocked.

"Better than I do. Think he learned it from his mum."

"I'm impressed." Ron returned with the wine, some glasses and the dishes while several trays of food floated along behind him.

As they ate and talked, Draco learned that Ron played Pro-Quidditch. Hermione had plans to become an Auror after graduation but instead she chose to become the Arithmancy teacher at Hogwarts. And she also co-owned the bookstore in Surrey she and Harry had opened.

"I thought for sure he'd have been playing Pro or at least been an Auror like he talked about in school." He may have not liked the git in school but he had overheard some of his dreams and aspirations.

"After graduation, after defeating Voldemort, he was sick of being in the spotlight. You, of all people, know how he hated being a celebrity." Ron told him. "He wanted to do something peaceful and quiet and have a little peace of mind. That's something he's never had before and he's happier than I've ever seen him."

"Which brings us to you." Hermione rounded on him. "What are your plans?"

"For Harry?" She nodded. "I honestly don't know."

"When did you know it was Harry you wanted to be with?" Ron wondered. Draco looked at him, thinking he was going to get hexed. But there was honest curiosity in that blue-eyed gaze.

"Sometime around 4th year. At first I tried to deny my feelings. One, because I didn't really think I was gay and two - because it was Harry Bloody Potter, the guy I harrassed most of my school career. No one would have believed my sudden about face. And then..." his voice trailed off.

"The war started." Hermione finished for him. He nodded. "Why did you save his life?"

"He didn't tell you?"

"No. He always liked to keep things from us. Quite frustrating really."

"I assumed he told you two everything, you were always joined at the hip."

"If you'd ever met Harry's muggle uncle and cousin, you'd see why." Ron scowled.

"Shush, Ron. Go on, Draco."

"Anyway, when I saw my mother and father standing over him like vultures, something inside me snapped. I couldn't let them kill him because it was my chance to prove my loyalty. Afterwards, I fled. I couldn't let him see how scared I was. Malfoys never show fear. And I didn't want his pity." Hermione seemed satisfied with his answer.

"And now?" Ron asked.

"After 10 years, my feelings didn't vanish like I had expected them to. And I tried everything! Going out with other blokes, girls sometimes - horrendous experience that was, sorry Hermione."

"It's ok." she laughed.

"But after, when all was said and done, I couldn't do it. I felt like I was betraying Harry on some level, abusing something sacred. So I had to come back and tell him how I felt about him and damn the consequences." Ron looked at Hermione.

"I've always wondered why Harry never stayed in a relationship for more than a few months at a time." he mused.

"You think it's possible he has deep feelings for Draco?" Hermione asked her husband.

"I think so, love."

"Interesting."

"Indeed." Draco watched this exchange with a growing interest and a little ribbon of hope bloomed in his heart.

"Do you think there's a chance?" He couldn't keep the hope out of his voice.

"Draco, there's always a chance." Hermione smiled. Before he could reply, there was a commotion on the stairs.

"Battle stations!" Ron exclaimed, drawing his wand. Draco followed suit, not knowing what was going on. Suddenly, 3 blobs of goo came flying into the dining room, one aiming for each adult's head. Draco had just enough time to swear colorfully before the blue blob smacked him directly in the face. This got a shocked gasp from The Weasleys, not knowing how Draco would react. To their surprise, he burst out laughing. He nearly fell off his chair for laughing as hard as he was. That explains the raincoat comment. he thought between giggles.

"All right, you lot! Show yourselves!" Ron called. Three identical sets of red hair and blue eyes poked their heads around the corner, impish grins on their faces.

"Explain yourselves." Hermione stated.

"We weren't sleepy, Mum." said Delila.

"And we really wanted to meet Mr Malfoy." replied Phoebe. The youngest, Caroline, looked at Draco.

"I like your hair." she smiled. "Mum can I make my hair white?"

"No you may not!" Hermione exclaimed in a tone of voice that rivaled that of Ron's mother. "The three of you have behaved most inappropriately to our guest and you should apologize this instant!" The three girls looked properly chastised and turned their identical blue eyes to Draco.

"We're sorry Mr Malfoy." they said together. Draco had finally located his wand and quickly cleaned himself up. Then he looked from the parents to the children.

"Have your mum and dad ever told you about the time your dad hexed himself and vomited slugs for three hours?" The grin on his face spoke volumes.

"Really, Dad?" Delila asked, eyes wide. Ron nodded with a small embarrassed smile, his face red. Draco was enchanted by the youngest Weasleys and spent the next hour telling them stories of their parents adventures at school.

"A cat? Mum!" exclaimed Caroline after they were told about Hermione's unfortunate Polyjuice mishap.

"Anybody could have made that mistake." Hermione laughed.

"But you were the smartest witch in school." Draco told her.

"Nobody's perfect." Draco felt a tug on his sleeve and looked for the source. A small smile greeted him from the little face he saw.

"Uncle Draco, did you go to school with Uncle Harry, too?" Phoebe asked shyly. Draco's heart had briefly stopped stopped at the familial title that had been bestowed upon him. He looked at Ron & Hermione - who were both smiling. Somehow in the last few hours, he'd become an accepted part of The Weasley Family. He was rather content. I guess I've changed more than I thought. he mused.

"Yes I did, young lady." The answer seemed to placate the child.

"All right girls. You've taken up too much of your uncle's time. Bed. Now." Ron stated, brooking no argument. Draco found himself the recipient of 3 hugs and kisses which he returned in kind before they trudged back to their rooms. A comfortable silence followed.

"They are very well behaved and delightful children." Draco finally said. This earned him proud smiles from the parents. "For a Weasel at any rate." he couldn't help to add with a grin.

"Watch it Ferret Face." Ron grinned, taking the joke as what it was meant to be. "I better get started on these dishes."

"May I help?" Draco asked. Ron shook his head.

"You and Hermione go have a chat." Ron pulled out his wand and followed the levitating dishes into the kitchen. Hermione took hold of their wine glasses and they went back into the living room. He returned to his spot on the couch as she went to the bookcase and pulled out a book. She sat next to him and handed him the book. He set his drink down and took it. Harry's face stared back at him solemnly.

"What's this?"

"Open it." He opened the cover to the title page.

"I Just Want To Be Normal." he read out loud.

"Harry began to write this the summer after Voldemort's defeat. He called it therapeutic."

"I call it sensible."

"So did I. Read the inscription." Draco flipped the page.

"Dedicated to Draco Malfoy - who may yet one day realize his full potential as a human being and not a self-centered prat." At that he smiled. "Not much got past him did it?"

"No. He's not as dumb as some people thought he was. You should read it. It might help you understand what his life was like before Hogwarts and Voldemort."

"Thank you for sharing this with me." He started to hand it back out she stopped him.

"Keep it. I have another." Draco nodded before looking at his watch. It was getting late and he had an early morning modeling assignment.

"Thank you for the dinner and the chat, Hermione." He got to his feet as Ron was coming out of the kitchen.

"Leaving already?"

"I have to work early." he apologized.

"Well come back anytime. The girls would love it." Ron shook Draco's hand again.

"Next time I'll bring an umbrella." he smirked, winking at Hermione. She giggled and Ron shot her a look.

"Tell you later." she grinned. She and Ron walked him to the door.

"Are you sure you don't want to Apparate or use the Floo?"

"No. I want to walk a bit, clear my head."

"You'll be careful?" Hermione wondered. Draco was reminded eerily of McGonagal and her mother-hen attitude. Going on instinct, he leaned toward her and placed a small chaste kiss on the young Mrs Weasley's cheek.

"I'll be fine. Good evening to you both." And without another word, he turned and walked away. Hermione and Ron watched him until he was out of their line of vision before going inside.

Draco wandered about for an hour, just thinking. He'd been surprised by the good feelings Ron and Hermione had shown him, especially after how horrid he'd been to them both in school. There seemed to be a mutual trust between the three of them, something he'd hoped to gain with Harry. If only he'd call already! Sighing, he found an empty alley and Apparated home.

After changing into his silk pajama bottoms, he settled in to bed with the book Hermione gave him. He opened it to the first chapter and began to read.

When I was young, someone once told me that everyone expected great things from me. But all I wanted to be was me. Just Harry...

Draco got so involved in the book, he read until his alarm went off at 6. And by then he was finished. He set the book aside and just sat there. It explained so much about Harry, and Draco loved him all the more for it. Now if only he would call!