Chapter 28: The First Pick
Ginny Weasley stared at the patchwork building that had been her home for so many years. She'd never understood Ron's disdain for the Burrow. The way he'd spoken of their childhood, you'd have thought they lived six to a bed in a Knockturn Alley slum. They'd had everything they could have ever needed, acres of fresh air, full bellies, warm clothes, a place to thrive and they were loved. So loved. Her chin shook as she clutched the thick parchment between her fingers. It had arrived that morning, and she'd read it and then apparated home . Grimmauld Place was a great house, and she loved how they'd made it their own, but it wasn't the Burrow. It wasn't home. She hoped Harry would be fine with the baby, being late for work, and finding her gone with no explanation.
She knew the Burrow would be awake, her father was a notoriously early riser, and Arthur was top of her list of all the people in the world she wanted to speak to. She pushed the gate open and stepped onto the land of her kin. It was like electricity was firing into her slippered feet. She hadn't bothered to change out of her night things. Her walk towards the front door turned to a jog and then an all-out run. She slammed through the door and stumbled via the hall into the kitchen. Arthur Weasley sat alone, a piece of toast halfway to his mouth, his balding head shining in the lamplight. His eyes grew wide at the sight of his only daughter, in her sleep things, just burst into his home in the darkness of the early morning.
"Ginny?" He dropped the bread and lunged toward her, worry streaking his face.
"Daddy." Ginny's eyes began to stream, her chin wobbled violently. She held the piece of parchment up, and her breath shook.
"Is it Harry?" Arthur scanned her for injury. His heart hadn't pounded this hard since the war.
"I'm going to play for England, Daddy." She managed to croak and watched with the most full heart as her dad, the man who took her to her first Harpies game, stumbled back and froze. Arthur was the man who'd grabbed her chin and told her, 'you're better than all of them' when her brothers wouldn't let her play. He'd always believed in her, even going as far as to say during his speech at her wedding that she was destined to play for England. "First pick seeker." She squealed as she felt his arms wrap around her and lift her like she was eleven again.
Arthur was roaring, leaping around the kitchen with his precious daughter in his tight embrace.
"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?" Molly Weasley, curlers still in and nightgown askew, stumbled into the kitchen.
"SHE'S GOING TO PLAY FOR ENGLAND!" Arthur placed Ginny on the table and ran to his wife. "SHE'S BLOODY GOING TO BLOODY PLAY IN THE WORLD CUP!"
"We've not qualified yet, dad!" Ginny tried to temper his expectations.
"Oh, come on!" Molly was screaming too, "That's in the bag!"
Ginny watched as her parents bounced up and down in their cluttered kitchen. The smile on her face almost ached; it was so vast.
"What's going on?" George Weasley, who often slept at home despite owning his own house, appeared in his boxers at the entrance to the kitchen, Ron who'd been visiting the night before close behind him. He was still wearing his Chudley Cannons jumper. Ginny smirked.
"Your baby sister has been called up to play for England." Molly sobbed as she clutched her chest. George bounded towards Ginny, a rare smile on his face.
"Well done, Ninny." The joke-shop mogul pressed a kiss to his sister's head, calling her by the nickname Fred had given her when she was three.
"Thank you." She smiled into his bare shoulder and wished he'd taken a second to spray his pits before assaulting her with his stink.
"Awe, man," Ron huffed. "They sent out the offers today?" he asked with a sigh.
"Yea." Ginny narrowed her eyes, daring him to say what she thought he planned on saying. She would murder him. Fuck witnesses. Mum, Dad and George would cover for her.
"I really thought this would be my year." Ron shrugged sadly and leaned into his mother for consoling. She, as ever, complied.
"I'm sure they were very impressed." Molly assured him, glancing at Ginny's furious expression, "But isn't it wonderful for your sister?"
"Yea, of course… But.." Ron didn't get to continue his latest 'how the world is unfair to Ron' story, Ginny was on her feet.
"You don't play professionally, you absolute shit." Ginny roared, her cheeks still wet with the happy tears she'd been shedding before Ron made his presence known. She pushed herself up from the table.
"I'm semi-professional!" Ron pulled himself away from Molly's bosom and looked at Ginny with an affronted expression. As if she were being unreasonable.
"Yea, that's not professional. Just like a semi-detached house isn't detached." Ginny snipped. Molly had coddled him too much, clearly.
"Or a semi-erect penis isn't erect," George added, helpfully.
"George!" Mrs Weasley scolded, "Please don't say Penis."
"You can try and thumb it in, Ron, but it won't get the job done," Ginny added, making George snort with laughter and her dad turn away to hide his own snicker.
"GINERVA!" Molly looked aghast.
"Oh, come on, mum, the goal was wide open on that one." Ginny groaned as she rolled her eyes. "But that's Ron for you, wide-open goals."
"Shut up!" Ron was striding towards Ginny threateningly.
She didn't budge. "You weren't even being considered Ron. They're not even looking for a keeper." Ginny's pitch increased, and her fingers tightened on her wand. She could beat Ron in a duel, a fistfight, a thumb war or a Quidditch match. She wasn't worried. Ron was about to get destroyed. She just wasn't sure which way yet.
"Scouts came to Dundee to see me!" Ron cried, coming to stand toe to toe with his little sister.
"Scouts came to see Fiona McKay, her mum is English. She's a great beater, and she hadn't decided if she would play for the Scottish team or us." Ginny felt bile and foam rise up in her throat.
"You just can't let me have anything!" Ron roared. Spit flew from his mouth. "You've taken Quidditch, You've taken Harry and don't think I don't know you've been pouring poison in Hermione's ear about me."
"Wait, did Won Won want to marry Harry?" George asked, perched on the table, very much enjoying the show and waiting for Ginny's killer blow. He hoped she hexed him.
"Probably." Ginny scoffed, squaring her shoulders. "And I don't need to pour anything in Hermione's ear about you. She's not interested. She barely mentions you." Ginny laughed, her eyebrows arched. "So this little notion about you and her getting back together, you've a better chance fucking Harry."
"You don't know what you're talking about." Ron's voice had become small, his face as red as the jumpers his mother made him, his fists balled tightly, making bright white streaks ripple through his crimson skin.
"I know that Hermione's been sleeping with Malfoy," Ginny comprehended she was in trouble the minute she said the words, but for the moment, she didn't care. She bit her lip in triumph as she watched his nostrils flare, heard her mother scold her, heard her father shout 'told you so' and felt the beginning rumble of a Ron Weasley screaming tantrum.
He looked like a Mandrake, all gaping mouth and screwed eyes. George scurried to Ginny's side, a smirk tugging his lips. "That was far more effective than a hex, little one." He praised and patted her head.
"YOU'RE A LIAR!" Ron finally managed to form words, he reached to grab Ginny, but she sidestepped him quickly. She leapt back onto the table, muscle memory from childhood spats carrying her safely to her new perch.
"Ginny, get down this instant. Stop taunting your brother with nonsense." Molly commanded, walking to Ron and placing a hand on his arm.
"Stop coddling him!" Ginny didn't budge from the table. As the smallest in the family, she'd oft been forced to find ways of increasing her presence.
"He's sulking about not getting a job he didn't even interview for, mum!" George solidified his stance next to Ginny.
"I'm allowed to be disappointed!" he was yelling again, and it was tiresome.
"You're deluded." Ginny laughed.
"At least I'm not the one making up filthy lies about our friend." Ron spat.
Ginny swallowed. The black rage that existed in her swirled and bubbled. Ron was a prat, she even liked Percy better than him, and Percy was the worst . Ron leaned his head on his mother's and smirked at Ginny. The blackness churned and sputtered. Ginny lowered her chin, her eyes narrowed, the air left the room, and she grinned. The dark little nugget of herself that she attributed her survival to erupted. "Hermione said Malfoy makes her cum, real hard . Something you've never managed, Ronald."
The Weasley kitchen exploded with sound. Ron had lunged for Ginny. Molly had screamed, and Arthur had roared, neither keen on hearing about 'cum' from their daughter. Before Ginny could even think to get out of the way, her semi-clad hero, George, had grappled Ron around the neck. The pair tumbled to the ground.
"You best go warn Curly about this." George groaned as he choked out his sibling, just enough to make him sleepy.
Hermione's eyes blinked open. Draco was sitting at the foot of her bed, observing her. "Were you watching me sleep?" She asked croakily, stretching her neck and feeling a pop of relief.
"You, wearing that," he tugged at the green sweater he'd vowed to never let her remove, despite how stinky she got, "sleeping beside me, it's a vision. You're a vision."
"You compliment me too much." She groaned as she crawled over to him, desperate to be in his arms once again. Perhaps they could snatch another hour of sleep.
"For every insult I hurled at you, I'll compliment you a hundred times, darling." he grabbed her and pulled her into him. She wrapped one of her legs over his stomach and tucked her head into his neck, feeling instantly safe.
"HERMIONE!" Ginny's voice came from the fireplace.
Hermione leapt from the bed, grabbed her wand and skidded from the room. Battle ready in seconds.
"What's happened?" Hermione questioned, her heart thudding. As much as she rationally knew Voldemort was gone, the fear that he'd return never left her.
Ginny paused in her anxious flapping to stare at Hermione. "What are you wearing?"
"It's Draco's..." Ginny grinned at Hermione's nervous utterance as she tugged the shirt. "Shut up!" Hermione blushed, "Why are you here?"
"We need to lock the floo and barricade the door," Ginny muttered, flicking her wand at the fireplace. Draco appeared from the bedroom, concern etched on his face. He was wearing the grey jogging pants he'd brought from home and one of his old Slytherin jerseys. "Were you two roleplaying as horny teammates?" Ginny chuckled as she slammed the deadbolt on Hermione's door. Ginny turned to look at Hermione with wide, apologetic eyes when she was met with silence. "I've done something awful."
"What?"
"I need to talk to you in private." The redhead's eyes shot to Draco.
"Malfoy, do you mind waiting in my room, please?" Hermione scrunched her nose apologetically.
"Of course." He bowed and removed himself. Ginny threw up a silencing charm.
"I've done something really terrible," Ginny whispered, grabbing Hermione's hands and pulling her close.
"Oh god. It's happened…." Hermione spun on the spot. "Where's the body?"
"I've not killed anyone!" Ginny grinned incredulously. "Why does everyone think I'm a murderer?"
"You talk about it way more than normal people do!" Hermione laughed. She'd only been half-serious when she asked.
"I spend all day watching the true crime channels on the telly, that's why!" Ginny shrugged. "It's worse than murder, what I did." She looked plaintively up at her friend, pleading for preemptive forgiveness with her eyes.
"You told Ron." Hermione gasped. She'd gone through all of the possible 'bad things' Ginny could have done that would directly affect her. Telling Ron about Draco was the only real option with a bit of deduction.
"And mum and dad…." Hermione groaned at the admission Ginny was making. "And George."
"No…" Hermione hissed, rubbing her face.
"He was being such a prick, Hermione," Ginny whined, tears rolling from her eyes, "and after what he said to Harry, I just couldn't…."
"What did he say to Harry?" Hermione's voice was small and dangerous.
"That, once he's done being a fuck boy, you and he will get back together. That you're his destiny." Ginny muttered. She'd betrayed her best friend's trust, and now she was betraying her husband's. What a shitty day for the first pick seeker for England.
Unseen to Hermione and Ginny was a curious and eavesdropping blonde. He knew what he was doing was wrong, but his intrusion had been borne of concern. Danger wasn't something abstract when it came to his woman and her friends. It was present and clear. He'd dispelled their privacy charm quickly and held his breath after hearing of Weasel's declaration.
"has he gone fully mental?" Hermione couldn't help the laugh that bubbled from her.
"He said you were like one of mum's jumpers, he moans about them, but he wants one… or something like that." Ginny continued, her friend's changed demeanour encouraging further oath-breaking.
"Fuck off." Hermione expounded her rage at Ginny, transferring fully onto Ron. "I'm not even mad you told him anymore. Fuck him." Hermione glanced at the door, knowing beyond it lay a man who wasn't begrudgingly attached to her but loved her. He didn't need to say it. She felt it every time he kissed her or looked at her.
"I also told them that Malfoy made you cum… real hard ." Ginny's whole face crumpled into itself as she repeated the words. They heard a coughing laugh from beyond the door.
"If you're going to snoop, just come in," Hermione called, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. "In front of your parents?" Hermione asked as she heard the door creak open. A shame face Slytherin padded towards her.
"Ron did that thing where he hugs mum but shoots a shitty look at me!" Ginny wailed her arms in the air. "What was I supposed to do?" Ginny's eyes swivelled to Draco. "Congratulations, on the magic penis, by the way." she pointed at his crotch. She'd been eager to compliment him on his dedication to Hermione's fulfilment.
"Thank you." He nodded, trying very hard not to smile.
"No!" Hermione shook her head. "We are not doing a cute bit right now."
"Sorry." Ginny's cheek's pulled back as she cringed, "I wasn't in control of myself."
"How did he take it?" Hermione winced.
"Em, George had to put him in a chokey." Ginny glanced again at Draco. "Please don't judge us."
"My father's in Azkaban for trying to genocide the country. I have literally no leg to stand on." Draco reached out and gave Ginny's arm a reassuring squeeze.
"wait, it's just gone seven in the morning, and you're in your jammies, Gin. What were you doing at the Burrow?" Hermione looked her over again, wondering if perhaps she'd had a row with Harry. A rarity, but not unheard of.
"Oh," Ginny smiled. "I'm the first pick seeker for England."
Ginny hadn't expected to find herself in a weird Slytherin Green sandwich that day. Draco and Hermione had grabbed her, and both were jumping up and down.
"Oh my god!" Hermione was sobbing. "What did Harry say?"
"Fuck!" Ginny glanced at the clock. "I need to tell him, lock the floo behind me!"
Lucius Malfoy sat stock still in his cell, the picture he held between his fingers shook as he read the writing on the back for the millionth time.
Thought you'd like to know that your son is thriving without you. Cissy. x
He flipped the photo over again and stared hard at it. His son, his protégé, smiled in a way he'd never witnessed before. It was odd to suddenly see a new expression on a face you'd read a million times. Hot bile bubbled in his windpipe as his eyes wandered to the girl. He should have killed the cunt when he had a chance.
"But Draco is happy." He breathed lightly.
"She's a mudblood whore." He responded to his own admission gruffly.
"A dragon born of snakes and a goddess born of lions. " he recited quietly before tilting his head back and letting rip a pained scream.
"Shut the fuck up, Lucky!" Yaxley, the man in the next cell, bellowed, then threw a cup of his own piss through the high barred window that separated them, for good measure.
Lucius Malfoy was quiet again.