Chapter 23- Dinner with the parents
On Tuesday afternoon Ruby was sat at the kitchen table doing some revision whilst her Grandma baked some kind of pie when Teddy walked in.
"Rubes, get you're night stuff together."
"Why?" Ruby asked,
"Uncle Harry said you can stay in Wales tonight, I'm stopping there as well."
"Are you sure it's safe?" Grandma asked, turning to Teddy and looking worried.
"Yes Grandma, Uncle Bill twiddled with the wards and it's only for one night. Auntie Eliza wanted Ruby home for a family dinner." Teddy glanced across at Ruby and she tried to contain her blush while her insides danced in excitement; she was going to see Scorpius.
Ruby went up to her father's old room and gathered some nightclothes and brushed her hair into a more acceptable style. She then re-joined Teddy in the kitchen and hugged her Grandma and pretended to listen to all the advice.
When they arrived at the cottage she could hear her mother laughing loudly and her father making odd bark-like laughing sounds as well.
"Sounds like something's funny." Teddy said, as they walked into the kitchen.
Her mother was laughing so hard she was holding her side and making ultra-sonic squeaking noises and her father was… a large seal with ginger hair. Ruby blinked but the scene did not clear.
"You perfected it then?" Teddy asked, shutting the door behind them.
"Oh… Ruby… Teddy… You're here! It will… it will wear off in a minute." Her mother said, pulling Ruby into a hug.
"What is it?" Ruby asked, laughing at the seal-father.
"New product, we only perfected it last night but I snuck it into your father's tea."
"Seriously? Dad I can't believe you fell for that?" Ruby said, sitting down next to her mother.
With a pop her father reappeared looking very red and laughing loudly.
"I can't believe you did that! Of all the times I could have pranked you!" Her father said, smiling at his wife.
"Try it, Weasley. We'll see how you fair!" Eliza replied, kissing him on the cheek.
"You don't play fair, Potter! You'd run to my mother, or Minerva, or get me back worse!"
"Of course I would. Do you want tea, Ruby?" Ruby laughed at the exchange between her parents and nodded.
"Fred? You thirsty?" Her mother asked, waggling her eyebrows.
"I'll make it, do you want one, Teddy?" Her father asked, standing up and moving towards the kettle.
"Please, so what's the product called?"
"Seal-serum at the moment but we may change it before it gets to the shelf if we come up with something better." They talked about the shop for a few more minutes and then Ruby's father looked at her carefully.
"Is Malfoy a vegetarian?"
"No, Scorpius is not a vegetarian." Ruby replied, looking at her father.
"Sorry, hard to break some habits. It took your mother until you were born to stop calling Minerva, Professor McGonagall."
"Really?" Ruby asked, smiling.
"Yes, anyway Teddy's going to get him at six."
"Can I come?" Ruby asked.
"Worried that I'm going to give him the 'big brother' speech?" Teddy asked, smiling.
"Perhaps. So can I?"
"Nope, you're staying in the wards, I promised Harry." Her mother said firmly and Ruby nodded before turning to Teddy.
"Please don't give him the speech."
"I have to, I didn't give it to Henry and look what happened there!"
"Yeah, that's why Henry was a knob." Her father muttered.
"Fred! Anyway we're having Shepherd's Pie and then waffles." Ruby grimaced slightly. "What?"
"Grandma has given me waffles every day, have we got any ice cream?"
"I'll pick some up on my way." Teddy said smiling. Ruby stood up and then forgot what she was going to do so sat back down again.
"No lasting damage from the lack of blood then?" Her father asked, smiling.
"I was going to… have a bath." Ruby said, standing up again and leaving the room before her family could tease her about her memory any more.
By the time Teddy left to pick up Scorpius, Ruby was a nervous wreck. She was sitting in the living room with her parents and no one was speaking. As usual silence unnerved her father.
"Ruby, it will be fine. We've already met!"
"I know but I was on potions and…"
"Have you taken you potions now?" Her mother asked from the armchair where Crumbs was sat on her lap enjoying being stroked and purring loudly.
"I'll take them when I eat. What do you think Teddy will say?"
"If you hurt my little sister I'll kill you and bury you where you'll never be found." Her father said promptly and her mother laughed.
"Is that what you said to Harry?" She asked.
"Nah, I couldn't say anything to him could I? I'm not a hypocrite, we had a healthy respect-slash-fear of each other. Still do."
"But you never hurt Mom." Ruby said distractingly.
"I did once, Harry punched me in the face and I deserved it."
"Fred, not today, she's nervous enough."
"Yes, I can't think about you two now, no offence..."
"Plenty taken." Her father said, standing up and walking into the kitchen to check on the pie.
"Ruby, relax. It will be fine!" Ruby nodded and then the front door opened and she heard Teddy and Scorpius laughing as they entered; that had to be a good sign.
Ruby stood up and tried to walk and not run, over to them. Scorpius smiled when he saw her. He was wearing a red shirt and black jeans and was carrying a bunch of tulips which he presented to Ruby's mother.
"Oh, tulips, they're my favourite. Thank you Scorpius." Her mother said, moving past Scorpius and walking into the kitchen to find a vase.
"Hi." Ruby said. She was so pleased to see him it was as much as she could do not to pounce on him.
"Hey, how are you?" Scorpius asked. Teddy walked into the kitchen and her father walked out before Ruby could answer.
"Hi Scorpius, nice to see you again." He said, holding out his hand. Scorpius shook it looking rather nervous.
"Hi, thanks for inviting me, Mr Weasley, you have a lovely home."
"Thank you, Ruby give Scorpius a tour, I'll dish up in ten minutes." Ruby nodded and her father disappeared back into the kitchen. Scorpius stepped towards her and she took his hand.
"This is the living room." She said.
"I gathered. How are you?" Ruby smiled.
"I'm good thanks, much better, just mild potions left, F3 and blood-replenishing. I'll show you the upstairs."
Ruby took Scorpius's hand and led him up the narrow stairs of the cottage. As soon as they reached the top Ruby dragged Scorpius into her bedroom and shut the door before he grabbed her and kissed her, tenderly at first before she deepened the kiss.
"I've missed you, Rubes." He said softly, pulling away and stroking her face.
"I've missed you too, I can't wait to get back to work." Scorpius smiled and kissed Ruby again on the forehead.
"I don't care about work I just want to be with you, always." Ruby nodded and took a deep breath.
"We need to tell people. Not all of my family know, what about yours?"
"My Dad knows, I had a nightmare after you were hurt and he woke me up from it. My Mom suspects but I can't keep it a secret anymore. I love you and I don't care about the fall-out."
"Okay, I'll tell the family on Sunday at the Burrow."
"Great, I'll tell my Mom and then my Grandmama."
"How is she?"
"Quite good actually. Anyway carry on with the tour I don't want your 'brother' getting suspicious." Ruby showed Scorpius the rest of the upstairs and then took him into the cellar to show him her father's workshop.
"Ruby, can you pick some wine for dinner?" Her mother called from the kitchen. She grabbed a couple of bottles of red and then led Scorpius back up into the kitchen and they sat at the table.
"So, how is your placement going, Scorpius?" Ruby's mother asked, as they sat down with plates of steaming Shepherd's pie and broccoli.
"I'm enjoying it, thank you, Mrs Weasley. It's much quieter without Ruby there though."
"Hey! I'm not loud." Ruby protested in a quiet and dignified voice.
"I know, but I'm not allowed to treat patients without you so I'm stuck in the office most of the time."
"Oh, can't they switch your placement?"
"They offered but the only opening is in obstetrics. I'd rather be in the office." Ruby laughed and Teddy joined in.
"How is your Grandmother now?" Ruby's father asked, taking a sip of wine.
"Much better thank you sir. I just need to convince her to stay off the rich food but she's stubborn."
"Did they not give her a diet sheet?" Ruby asked.
"Of course they did but she won't stick to it. My father tried to speak to the house-elves but they wouldn't defy my Grandfather."
"Do you have house-elves at your parents place?" Teddy asked.
"My father has two but I'm moving out next week and I'm not having one. I don't approve of them, they're enslaved and brain-washed." Fred nearly choked on a piece of broccoli and Ruby was about to point her wand at his neck when he recovered before she could intervene.
"Fine thanks, Rubes. Blimey Malfoy, you're full of surprises." He said, gulping down some water that his wife conjured.
"My father says I'm my mother's son." Scorpius said, grinning.
"How's the apothecary business?" Teddy asked.
"Good I think; they want to branch out into Europe but they think they'll have to do it under my mother's name. Malfoy doesn't carry good connotations in Europe."
"Where are they hoping to expand?" Her father asked, looking interested.
"France to start with, we have a house there, in Paris."
"I could give you the name of my French business lawyer, he might be able to help."
"Thank you that would be helpful."
"Was your father disappointed when you didn't want to follow in the business?" Teddy asked.
"I don't think so, he knew that I wanted to be a Healer. I was too competitive with Wea… I mean Rose at school. Before I got on the train my father told me to try and beat her in every test so…" Scorpius stopped when Ruby parents started laughing.
"What?" Ruby asked, slightly embarrassed. Scorpius had turned pink.
"Sorry, that was just what your Uncle Ron told Rosie, make sure you beat him in every test Rose!"
"Really?" Teddy asked, smiling.
"Yep, and he also told her that if she wasn't in Gryffindor he'd disinherit her." Her father said, laughing.
"She's a Ravenclaw though, and isn't Hugo Hufflepuff?" Scorpius asked, smiling.
"Yeah, it's a family joke." Ruby said, smiling as well.
"We're sorry we interrupted you, Scorpius, we just weren't expecting that." Her mother said, taking another bite of pie.
"That's okay. So yes I don't think my father minds. My grandfather was livid but I really don't care what he thinks. My Grandmama is proud I think…"
"She is, Scorpius, she told me." Ruby said.
"She was on potions though, you said she thought you were your mother." Ruby nodded and her mother stiffened slightly at the talk of the families' difficult history.
Before the moment could get too intense two cracks of Apparation sounded and Teddy picked up his wand and moved towards the door.
Uncle Harry opened the door and Teddy held his wand at his Godfather.
"What secret of James' did Ruby spill when she was on potions?" He asked.
"That James was in love with a muggle. Good job, Teddy but now unnecessary." Uncle Harry did not elaborate but walked into the kitchen and looked surprised to see Scorpius there. James followed behind him.
"What the…"
"Harry, what is it?" Ruby's mother asked, before James could finish.
"We got him, Crayton. Caught him at trying to get a Portkey to Portugal, he's in custody."
"Really?" Ruby asked, relieved.
"Yep, I officially relieve you of the over-bearing, yet loving clutches of Molly." Uncle Harry said, bending down and giving his niece a kiss on the head.
"Thanks, Uncle Harry." Her parents stood up and both hugged Harry and Ruby found Scorpius's hand under the table and squeezed it in reassurance before standing up and pulling James into the living room by his robes.
"Ruby, what the fuck is going on? Why is Malfoy here?" He asked, as soon as she had put silencing charms up.
"Listen, I know I didn't keep your secret forever but can you just keep mine till Sunday. Please?"
"Your secret being?"
"Don't be thick. I'm in love with Scorpius, don't be a prat about it."
"I'm not sure about this, Rubes."
"I'm not asking for your permission I'm asking for your silence, for five days James. After everything that happened with Henry don't you think you owe me this?"
"You're calling that in, over Malfoy?"
"What part of 'I'm in love with him' don't you understand?" She asked, her eyes narrowing.
"It's going to take some getting used to."
"That's fine, just keep quiet till Sunday." James looked conflicted but then nodded.
"Fine, but one night next week can you come to mine to meet Poppy?"
"Yeah, I'll owl you on Monday when I get my shift pattern." James nodded and they returned to the kitchen. Ruby hugged her Uncle and then he left with James and Ruby sat down at the table again.
"He going to keep quiet?" Teddy asked, looking sceptical.
"Just till Sunday, I'm telling the family."
"Are you sure about this? I like you Scorpius, you seem like an alright guy and I can tell you like Ruby…"
"I love her, sir."
"Okay, I get that, but are you sure you're ready for the fall-out?"
"Dad, I hate keeping secrets. I'm rubbish at it and I hate lying to people. We're in love, it's simple."
"Ruby, I know it's simple but it's not that simple, Poppet." Her father said, smiling.
"It is Fred, it's like a simple complexity." Her mother said, before taking a sip of wine.
"Is that some complicated Transfiguration thing…" Her father started but his wife shook her head.
"Nope, I just made it up. It fits though, love is simple, we all know that, it's just life that makes things complicated. Therefore it's a simple complexity."
"Merlin, Auntie Eliza, you should like… run for Minister or something." Teddy said and her mother snorted.
"Yeah Teddy, like that's going to happen."
"It was a nice way of putting it though, Mrs Weasley." Scorpius said, looking serious.
"One thing you'll learn about my wife Scorpius, she doesn't say things that she doesn't mean. If she doesn't know what to say, she won't say anything. She always thinks before she speaks."
"Something that you have always struggled with, my darling." Her mother said, smiling. Fred nodded and kissed her on the cheek.
The rest of the dinner passed well and they then moved into the living room and had tea. Ruby put her feet on the coffee table and yawned before looking at Teddy.
"Can I go back to the flat tonight then?" She asked.
"Yeah, no reason why not." He said, also yawning. "I better get back to Vic."
"Tell her I say hi."
"Will do, nice to meet you properly Scorpius."
"You too, Teddy, say hi to Hamish for me." Teddy said goodbye to Ruby's parents and then apparated back to Grimmauld Place.
"Are you sure you want to go back to the flat tonight, Rubes?" Her father asked.
"Yeah, I miss Alice, who knows what kind of chaos she's created in my absence."
"The flat is probably immaculate, Ruby." Her mother said.
"Are you implying I'm messy?"
"No, you're like a tornado of madness, Ruby. I even had to tidy your desk last week, it was distracting me." Scorpius said and Ruby's father laughed.
"Very true, I call it Ruby-madness."
Ruby gathered her things and hugged her parents good-bye. Scorpius had offered to take her back to the flat to make sure she settled in okay and her parents seemed reassured.
"Thank you very much for having me, it was a lovely evening." Scorpius said, shaking Ruby's father's hand. Her mother gave him a small hug. Ruby noticed that Scorpius seemed relaxed in the cottage.
"It was nice to meet you properly. I'm sure we'll see you again soon."
"I hope so, Mrs Weasley."
"Oh, here's that address for your father. Tell him to mention my name, it might help."
"I will do, thanks Mr Weasley."
Ruby and Scorpius left the cottage together and Ruby apparated them into the living room of the flat.
"Alice!" She called out as soon as they landed.
"She's not here." Scorpius said, enlarging Ruby's bag and putting it on the sofa.
"How do you know?" She asked.
"Because she's at Hamish's tonight."
"And you knew this?"
"I did." Scorpius said, grinning at her. "I wanted to make sure you settled in well, knowing that Alice wouldn't be here." Ruby took a step towards him and smiled.
"My parents really like you, I can't believe my mother spoke to you."
"I was surprised, she's really nice. And your Dad and Teddy."
"What time have you got work tomorrow?"
"Eight, come on, you're tired." Scorpius picked up her bag and they walked into the bedroom. Ruby felt so relieved to be home and finally alone with Scorpius, she sat down on her bed and took a deep breath. Scorpius knelt in front of her and held her hands in his.
"Ruby, you're safe now. They've caught him, it's alright to cry." Ruby hesitated for a moment, trying to maintain the strong façade but he squeezed her hands and she felt it crumble.
"I… I thought I was going to die." She said quietly, a tear sliding down her face.
"I know, I thought you were too. But you're here, you're safe and we're together." Ruby nodded and then burst into tears. Scorpius sat next to her on the bed and they leaned back and he held her while she cried herself asleep.
A/N So dinner with the parents was a success, what did you think?
Next chapter; Ruby goes to the Burrow for lunch, and it's quite a meal!
xXMizz Alec VolturiXx- Thanks!
witchprincess33- Thanks!
LUG-14- He's caught, don't worry!
scorubes4life- Thanks, I miss writing Eliza and Fred as well!