Disclaimer: All HP related characters belong to Rowling as you'll already know ) Everything else is mine- well, this one anyway. I might put in stuff later on that's not mine but then that'll be in a different disclaimer and now I'll stop blabbering (although I love doing that) cos I know you'll just skip this and read the story instead- that's what I'd do.
Chapter One
Ginny Weasley wasn't happy. You could probably tell by the way she stomped down the corridors of St. Mungos, although rather than wasting time actually listening for the thump-thump sound, it would be more advisable to jump away instead (or squeak and run away, as in the case of a quavering witch).
She reached her destination quickly and unhindered. It was only then that she forced herself to relax in front of the office door labelled Hermione Granger and give her loose curls a frustrated yank before stepping inside. "Stupid, stupid ferret!" Ginny announced furiously, plonking gracelessly onto the patient's chair.
Hermione looked up from the parchment that she was currently writing a report on and stared at the redhead. "Ferrets?"
"Yeah, the amazingly bouncy Ferret of Hogwarts."
"Ah…" The other woman nodded in understanding. "So you just met with him to discuss Narcissa Malfoy's living arrangements?"
"No, we've met to discuss our autumn wedding and who should be the Best Man- Crabbe or Goyle," Ginny said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, it was about Narcissa. The prat insisted on rather than his beloved mother moving to St.Mungos' care home in order for us to monitor her health, a witch would have to actually move into the Malfoy Manor instead."
"Oh dear."
"You said it. Guess who's the lucky girl that'll be carted off? I've gotta pack my bags for the day after tomorrow."
"Surely Malfoy could have insisted on another med-witch?"
"They actually offered it to him- a choice of other suitable candidates but he rejected them on the grounds that they were- get this- too ugly." Ginny screwed up her nose comically and mimicked, "Too fat, oily skin…do I look like I want a hairy yeti in my home?"
Hermione let out a small snort of exasperation as Ginny continued to imitate Malfoy, each imitation becoming more and more ridiculous. It was a good thing that there were no appointments scheduled for any time soon- she couldn't quite imagine how her patients would react to seeing a pucker-mouth fish stomping around in her office with what appeared to be a feather duster sticking out of Ginny's skirt.
"You picked a Weasley to look after me?" Draco winched as Narcissa's voice pierced his eardrums. They were sitting in the master bedroom of the manor and he had just delivered the news of Ginny's upcoming arrival.
"I'm sorry mother, but it'll be for the best," he offered awkwardly, trying to find something in him other than irritation. "There wasn't much to choose from."
"Is or isn't my surname Malfoy? We donated half a million gallons to the St. Mungos children's fund last Christmas- surely that counts for something."
"The directors weren't happy that you insisted on staying at home despite recommendations, so little choice was given."
"But what if she poisons me! What if she steals our heirlooms? God knows the Weasleys are poor enough to stoop that low." Her voice changed into a petulant whine and a few tears leaked out of her eyes in Narcissa's creditable effort to cry.
Draco looked at the blond woman in front of him and sighed. For years he had suffered under Lucius' tyranny in the household and put up with the lack of support from his own mother, as well as the lack of love from either parent. It was difficult to call up the love that he had never felt for the frail woman whose hand he held right now. "She would risk her job if she tries to," he pointed out.
The glare Narcissa sent his way would have done her dead husband proud. "Are you taking her side?" she hissed, struggling furiously to sit up.
"Please, mother, you'll only exert yourself. Just take your medicine and rest." Draco told her coldly and held out a bottle of the sleeping potion that the healers had created specially. When she didn't accept it, he motioned for the waiting house elf to take over and left, without a backward glance at the pitiful woman lying in the mass of silk blankets and cushions.
In his own room, Draco stood in front of the mirror, staring. A pale-faced man with sleek blond hair stared back. None of the turmoil and hate that he felt about his situation showed in the cool grey eyes that reflected back.
Ever since the War, when the glorious Harry Potter had defeated the Dark Lord and killed Lucius as well, he had felt…lost. He had actively fought to stay in the middle ground during the war, neither siding with Potter, nor the Dark Lord, as well as fighting to disconnect his name from any of his father's ill deeds. He had risked disownment in the effort to stay in the grey, but he was now free. Free to do what, though?
He frowned at the question that echoed constantly in his mind. Surely he had some sort of purpose to fulfil other than being forced to put up with the dying Narcissa. With all the wealth that came with the Malfoy name, he could do anything he wanted- set up a new business, invest in trades, play Quidditch professionally…yet none of that appealed to him. So four years after graduating Hogwarts, he was just as clueless about his future as he was at seventeen.
An image flashed across his mind. It was of the Weasley girl…Ginny. He had seen her in Hogwarts, just a year below his- who could miss that bright, blinding hair? She had grown up well, turning into a woman with a pretty face to match the curves she boasted. When she had walked into the room during the meeting, Draco was mesmerized by the intense and determined expression she had on her face. Of course, that could have been determination to not drool at the sight of Draco Malfoy, winner of the Most Eligible Bachelor award in Witches Weekly three consecutive times, but he doubted it. He had heard of the tremendous effort by both Granger and Weasley during the War in St. Mungos. Draco envied the way she had her life all set out to help people, whilst he was still drifting around aimlessly, his currently job only to terrorize the house elves. And that was only a part-time thing.
But that was all going to change. A familiar smirk settled on his face and he almost cackled out loud. No, my job description has now changed. I'll be adding a certain Ms. Weasley to the Terrorize list. An almost childish glee shot through him at the thought of a new toy to play with- one that would put up quite a fight before breaking, unlike most of the women in his life.
"Ginny dear, are you sure it's wise to go and work in that….that place?" Molly Weasley asked in concern as her youngest child ruthlessly shoved clothes into a battered suitcase.
"Yes Mum, I can't pick and chose my job duties. It's just an elderly, dying woman that I need to look after as well- nothing I haven't handled before."
"Ginny, I want you to promise me if he lays a single finger on you, you'll apparate straight back and tell us-" George started, exchanging glances with his twin.
"-Because we'll take the great delight in recruiting a new member to our testing team and show him our latest product-" Fred chimed in.
"- One that is both brilliant, dazzling, fantastic-"
"- Out-of-the-world, extraordinary, astonishing, astounding-"
"-Hey, brother of mine- you're taking up all my adjectives there!" George poked Fred in the face. Fred retaliated with a vicious jab and the two was soon caught up in a match of lightening fingers.
"Are you expressing unease about Ginny, or just advertising your jokes?" Ron demanded angrily, face a puce colour after watching the exchange. After hearing their sister's latest placement from Hermione, Ron had grabbed all the brothers that he could find, along with Molly, and headed straight for Ginny's apartment in London. Bad enough his sister was living alone in a hostile city filled with drunks, murderers, rapists and god-knows what, but now she had to live in the same house as Malfoy! At the thought, the already deep shade of Ron's space turned several shades darker. It was practically possible to see steam coming out of his ears.
"Aw come on Ron, chill! Ginny can handle herself well enough with that lovely hex of hers, and we'll supply her with some lovely things to put inside Malfoy's bed as well, should the need arise." Fred solemnly whipped out a bulging bag that wriggled from his robes and handed it to the girl, who stared warily at it.
"What's inside?" she wanted to know.
"It's a surprise," Fred grinned merrily. "Just like Christmas, only earlier."
"And like Christmas, you can only open it at a special time." George added, the identical grin on his face.
"Guys- this isn't how I wanted it to go!" Ron cried out in frustration. "Mum, tell them they can't give Ginny whatever they've given her!"
Molly glared at her youngest son and sniffed. "Ronald Weasley, I believe you have a mouth as well so please refrain from making demands on your own mother. Besides, I'm sure it'll just be some same jokes that's been Ministry Health approved, right dears?" she glanced sharply at Fred and George, who both nodded vigorously. Once satisfied by their innocent, she turned her back on them. Smirking, the twins showed the gaping Ron their crossed fingers from behind.
Stunned, it took Ron several minutes to recover before he decided to take control and start ranting out the lecture that he had given Ginny year after year, the only difference being rather than drunks, murderers and rapists, he replaced them all with Malfoy.
The girl inwardly rolled her eyes and carried on crumbling her shirt into a ball so it would fit inside her already full suitcase. There wasn't anything remotely fancy or expensive inside- no point in dressing up for a job that involved Narcissa and Draco Malfoy, whom were two of the biggest fashion mongers in the business. Her older brother's voice buzzed in and out of her ear and she couldn't help but finally snap as Ron started repeating his whole I'm-your-big-brother-and-I-care-for-you-so-I-have-to-protect-you-from-every-man-you-meet-and-all-the-other-dangers-in-the-world-as-well-and-you-should-be-very-grateful-to-me speech for the fourth time.
"Ron, listen to me- either shut up or get out." She spoke quietly but the poison blazing in her eyes was enough to force him to slam his mouth close. The twins exchanged glances with Molly. Ginny's tempers were infamous in the Weasley household and they were so for a reason. When she blew up, not even their mother could reason with her and that said a lot.
"Dude, I think you should run for it!" Fred nudged Ron and whispered loudly. Ginny was very interested to see how quickly the colour drained from his face- one minute it was bright purple with enough intensity to rival his hair, and the next it was paper white. He gulped and twitched as she slowly edged closer.
"It's now or never." George added his insight to the situation helpfully.
In that second, Ron gained an epiphany and realised that his youngest sister would indeed castrate, gut or maim him quite happily with that look on her face, and perhaps even hum songs from that big purple dragon's show whilst doing it! He made a decision and scampered off towards the door. Fred and George peered out of the windows and chortled when they saw Ron appear minutes later legging it down the road.
"Ah, a new story to add to the Weasley Tales." George wiped a tear from the corner of his eye sentimentally.
"Or as a new file in the folder labelled Blackmail…" Fred pondered.
"You two, honestly!" Molly couldn't quite bring herself to scold them, seeing as she was fighting just as hard not to laugh at the indignant way her youngest son had gone. "Ginny love, are you still upset? I know Ron has been going over the top with his lectures but surely you know we're worried for you? That Malfoy boy do have a certain reputation with the ladies and he's certainly handsome enough." She couldn't help the slight blush on her cheeks.
Mum would know how good-looking Malfoy's become, Ginny thought in amusement, she being a regular subscriber to Witches Weekly and all that. "Ron deserved that but I'm grateful for the rest of you. It'll be fine, I swear. I'm looking after Malfoy's mother, not him and what kind of person still lives with his parents at twenty-one? He's probably got a penthouse somewhere."
Molly sighed and nodded in resignation. "If you say so my darling," she said finally.
"I do." She replied firmly. "It'll all be fine. Healers predict that Narcissa won't have long to live anyway, so I'll only be gone for a bit. How much trouble can occur in such a short amount of time?"
No one answered her, but a small voice in the back of Ginny's head whispered, Oh, a lot of trouble…
AN: This is my first fan fiction on this site and I'm pretty happy to have gotten 2K words+ in cos I just adore the longer stories rather than meagre ones, which never satisfy me.
Anyway, please review (whether you liked/loved/hated it) cos anything else would just be plain rude (it could be other things as well, but I won't go into those details). I don't actually have a beta at the min, so if anyone's offering…(blank)
Next chapter would be up based on a) when I feel like it (aka. When I have time) b) How many reviews I've got and I'll just leave c for now cos I can't think of a c.