Disclaimer - I do not own anything related to Harry Potter, I just like to meddle.
I've been telling old stories, singing songs
That make me think about where I've come from
That's the reason why I seem
So far away today
ONE YEAR LATER
"Seriously, Ron! Don't throw Cal in the air like that. I just fed her and I doubt you want baby sick all over you."
Ginny frowned as she scolded her brother. He was supposed to be helping her move into the small cottage that she had finally managed to afford after working three jobs and saving two thirds of her pay packet every month. The cottage was gorgeous albeit a little small, the exterior was painted white and had a grey slated roof. There were two bedrooms, a double and a small single room just perfect for Caledonia. The kitchen had a traditional rustic look to it which reminded her of the Borrows' kitchen and the living room was small with an open fireplace. After renting a shabby room above the Hog's Head for a whole year she was glad to find a place to call home.
At the moment her brothers were using various spells through-out the house. Bill was busy fixing the plumbing in the tiny bathroom, Charlie was charming the walls in the kitchen different colours, and Percy was busy hooking up her fireplace to the floo network. Fred and George were doing god knows what to little Caledonia's bedroom; if room is painted in Chudley Canons' colours they will definitely be changing it straight away, no child of hers will be a Canons fan. Go Falcons!
"Ron, you said you would help me with the living room, Cal is fine sitting in her walker. Move that sofa to the corner," Ginny directed.
Grumbling and whispering into his niece's ear to make her laugh, Ron placed the gorgeous little girl back in the green baby walker he had pulled her from. "You know, Harry wanted to come and help. He has been asking about you an awful lot recently." Ron said absently as he pushed the squishy chocolate brown two seater sofa into the corner as per Ginny's instruction.
His sister sighed and nodded her head, "He has been sending me owls and I keep ignoring them. I don't care if he and Cho are going through a "Rough Patch", I will not be having anything to do with him. I don't particularly want a man just now. I'm too busy at the moment." Which was completely and utterly true.
Ginny had given up one of her three jobs. The Hogs Head owner, Aberforth, had been extremely generous but being a cleaner for one of the dirtiest pubs in Scotland was hard going, especially when after all her hard work the place still looked like it hadn't seen a scourgify charm in years. Now she was left with two jobs. She was a shop assistant for Honeydukes on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays doing 6 hours a day; 10am – 4pm. Then on Saturday and Sunday she worked the late shift in the Three Broomsticks. Not to mention she was also bringing up her 23 months old daughter, which she hated to admit was quite hard-going by herself but she made her choice to bring Caledonia up in Scotland and she was sticking to it.
"Who is on babysitter duty tonight?" Ron asked as he plonked himself onto her squishy sofa, jumping slightly to test it out.
"Luna," Ginny sighed falling onto the chair next to her brother, "she took a week off work to come and see me and already I have her doing favours for me. She probably won't want to stay ever again after this week. I could only get Tuesday, Friday and Saturday off, I told her and she said she would look after Cal for me the rest of the week, that will give Mrs Higg's some time off."
Mrs Higg's was her elderly neighbour who lived two doors down. She was a kind old woman with a gentle smile and wonderful with children, she brought up twelve of her own children and had a total of thirty three grandchildren and five great grandchildren which she never really saw much apart from passing visits from the grandchildren when they took advantage of the Hogsmeade trips at Hogwarts or on her birthday – she was going to be ninety seven this year on Halloween. She was as fit as a spring chicken and it wasn't uncommon for Ginny to find Mrs Higg's and Caledonia laughing and running around in her well kept garden.
"That's you hooked up to the floo network, I have only done the kitchen fireplace but if you want the living room one connected that won't be much of a problem, it's just less private." Percy explained fixing his tie then looking to his watch.
"I only need one connected. Thanks Perce." Ginny smiled at the curly red head, he had moved on up in the ministry and was now in charge of his own department, Floo Network Regulations Office.
"I need to go. I promised Penny I wouldn't be late home. No doubt she will be hysterical if I'm a minute late." Percy rushed back into the kitchen to use the floo. Penelope Weasley was pregnant with their second child. At the moment her emotions were all over the place, when Ginny had declined her homemade biscuits she went into a fit of tears, exclaiming she was such a horrible cook that it was a wonder Percy or the children were even able to survive off her food. Penelope Weasley was a wonderful chef and owned her own restaurant called "Clearwaters".
Ginny's two oldest brothers entered the room. Bill was covered in dust and dirt from being under the sink and Charlie's overalls were covered in various samples of paint.
"Right Gin, you are now free to use the toilet." Bill said with a cheeky grin and walked over to give her a smacking kiss on the cheek. "See you on Sunday."
Ron and Charlie both said their goodbyes and followed Bill into the kitchen fireplace. Caledonia stared in wonder as her uncle's vanished and let out a small squeak. Ginny picked up her daughter and snuggled her copper ringlets making Caledonia giggle in delight.
"Let's go see what your uncle Gred and Forge are up to." She whispered into the little girl's ear.
Ginny cautiously opened the door only to be mesmerized by the colour and decoration of her daughter's room.
The ceiling was a pale blue and white clouds magically drifted across. The walls were also pale blue until it reached halfway down. Green grass with colourful flowers decorated the rest of the walls on the left wall a rainbow ran from one side to the other, a pot of gold shining brightly at the end. A glorious sun shimmered on the facing wall next to the window. The flooring was green with small daisies dotted about; it felt like she was actually standing on grass.
Her brothers stood in the middle of the room starting at her in anticipation.
"Wow!" She breathed, it was gorgeous. "This is wonderful! Thank you so much!"
She hurried over and gave each of them a one armed hug and a kiss on the cheek.
"We really out did ourselves didn't we." Fred said as he proudly looked at his and his twins' creation. George nodded in agreement, a grin plastered across his face.
Ginny looked at herself in the mirror. She was undecided in her choice of outfit. She liked to look presentable and also a little provocative when she worked in the Three Broomsticks as she was more likely to get tips dressed that way. Her short hair was teased into perfect bouncy curls which framed her face; she applied the smokey look to her eyes and a touch of pink lip gloss. Her outfit drew attention to her curvaceous figure; she showed a generous amount of cleavage in a purple v-neck top which had an empire line so it accentuated her hour-glass figure. Ginny wore a black pencil skirt which came to her knee and black kitten heels with bows she charmed purple. She looked like a ginger version of Marilyn Monroe. Ginny passed her gaze over her reflection once again and nodded in satisfaction.
Luna sat in Ginny's living room with Caledonia tucked in one arm and holding a book with the other, "Mr Knot loses is Crosses" by X. Andowes.
"Ginny you look wonderful." Her smiled flitted serenely across her face and her pale blue eyes were open wide as she tilted her head to the side. "One would think you were going on a date."
Ginny snorted in an unladylike fashion, "Not bloody likely." She was off men, permanently.
"If you have any trouble just floo." Ginny said as she picked up her purse and checked inside to make sure she had everything. Snapping her black purse closed she gave her sleepy daughter a kiss on the forehead and left for work.
The Three Broomsticks was packed as she entered the lively pub. The regulars were dancing merrily to bouncy music coming from the band which was situated in the corner. Madam Rosmerta was busy pulling pints of ale and flicking her wand so six shots of firewhisky magically appeared in front of her group of customers. The men who surrounded the bar were unknown to her and all dressed up in muggle "pimp" outfits. Laughing at their drunken antics, Ginny picked up glasses on her way to the bar, then placed her purse in the back room and proceeded to wash the glasses with a flick of her wand.
"Stag party." Madam Rosmerta called over the noise at Ginny's questioning look at the group of rowdy men. "They are making their way round all the pubs in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade. As you can see, they have been too a few already. It's only half past eight!"
Ginny giggled as one of the men dressed in a pink pimp suit grabbed the landlady's face and planted a slobbery kiss right on her lips. Deciding that she should help her boss out she piped up, "More drinks boys?"
The men turned and gaped openly as Ginny sauntered up to them. "Who is the lucky man then?"
The man who was dressed in pink put his arm up so high he almost touched the ceiling, "Me!" he said hurriedly and pushed himself through his friends to stand in front of Ginny.
She gave him a smile which almost guaranteed to make the man fall to his knees, "A Ginny Special coming right up." She said with a wink and poured a firewhisky into a shot glass adding a dash of cinnamon on top. "Enjoy."
She left the men to their drinks and turned to check that all the fridges and optics were well stocked up.
"Excuse me Miss."
She turned to find one of participants of the Stag party standing in front of her wearing a dark green velvet pimp suit with gold trim, which was unbuttoned to reveal a large amount of his muscled chest, and a large matching hat covering his face.
She eyed the man's chest greedily and gave him one her winning smiles. "Can I help you?"
"I wouldn't mind a Ginny Special." He lifted his head to face her.
Ginny stood frozen. Draco Malfoy stood inches away from her lazily smiling and letting his gaze run over her body.
Forgetting to breathe she collapsed to the floor. The last thing she saw before she fainted was a pair of concerned silver eyes.
A/N - Hello, Thanks to everyone those who reviewed the first chapter. I hope you liked the second chapter if you did, please let me know, if you didnt...please let me know why! Thanks. :) PLEASE REVIEW!! X