Molly seemed to be too right, too soon. The party came to a close, and everyone could feel the tension emanating off the couple. Molly used all her motherly power to discreetly send the partygoers home; all took heed. Ginny, was furious.
Molly turned to the couple, the last to leave. She smiled sadly, her big blue Weasley eyes shining. "I'm going to take Gideon with me until you two figure everything out. I wish I could say it'll be alright." And disappeared. Draco slowly turned to Ginny, his mouth fluttering open, than closing. No words would make this situation right. She turned her back on him and walked up the stairs, shoulders shaking. A door slammed shut. Small vases shattered against the wall, Draco soon dropping the objects and using his fists instead. The anger burning a pit in his stomach; the hurt pushing the tears down his cheeks.
Ten minutes and the crashingbangingyelling stopped. He wordlessly stumbled in the room, and packed a small bag. A desperate look and a more desperate kiss, then he was gone. No word to where he was going, or when he would be back.
It had been almost a year since Jade was dropped off at the Little Angels Orphanage, and the bond between Taylor, Trevor, and the little girl only got stronger. They were currently sitting in the playroom having a tickling war. The usual when adoption day came round, as no maybe-parent was permitted there; a safe-haven if you will for the children who didn't want to be adopted. They were the only three in there. The front doors opened promptly at 8:00 AM as usual, and the few visitors trickled in slowly, as usual. But today was a different day, a different smell in the air, if you will. Today was the beginning.
The man stood out, the ginger red hair, scruffy as ever and a caramel tan. His cornflower blue eyes scanned the visible rooms as someone, who could only known as a Weasley, leisurely walked through the wide door. She had shoulder length black hair and the same beautiful tan as he did. Her eyes were emerald green and they sparkled as she looked lovingly at the man. "Charlie, we don't have to do this." Was said with a soft lilting voice. The man looked at her, the same loving look in his eyes.
"I want to." Andrew approached the couple, same-as-ever "May I help you?" on his lips. Samantha Weasley, Charlie Weasley's wife, smiled and said, with a now firm determination, "We're looking to adopt." Andrew's smile turned into a grin when Charlie added enthusiastically, "Boys preferably!" Andrew nodded with a small laugh and led them through the orphanage pointing out some of the younger boys. "Who's in there?"Charlie asked as Andrew led them past the playroom.
Hopefully, they would have ignored the three in there, but no. Samantha gently opened the door while Andrew tried to explain the off-limits playroom. His words wholeheartedly ignored. Taylor paused in mid tickle as he saw the door open, Charlie's eyes wide as he followed his wife into the room with Andrew palming his face at the door. "That's just the twins and Jade." He said tonelessly, hoping to disinterest and lead the couple back out. He knew that to separate the boys and Jade would be heart breaking to them all.
An uncomfortable silence filled the air, curious and excited vibes coming off Charlie in waves. "What are their names?" he asked, indicating the twins. Jade was getting annoyed that the twins weren't paying attention to her anymore, and tried in vain to get it back, but the couple that looked so much like their old mommy and daddy had enraptured them. "That's Taylor and Trevor, the twins, and the little girl's name is Jade."
Samantha knelt down to the twins' level and smiling gently, said, "Hi, my name is Sam. What's yours?" Taking a look at each other the boys began their usual mix-everything up act. "I'm Trevor," Taylor said pointing to himself, "And I'm Taylor." Trevor said. Both with identical grins that made them look suspiciously like George and Fred Weasley. Jade looked from the boys to the adults and then stood up, kicked the closest twin to her, and ran out of the room looking like she was about to cry. Andrew watched her sadly "Excuse me, I better go after her." And followed Jade out.
Soon after Andrew left, the playroom was filled with talking and laughter as Charlie and Sam slowly fell in love with the twins. Although, when Andrew caught Jade on the stairs there was no happiness. "What's wrong Jade?" he asked. She said nothing; just let the tears roll down her small, sad face. He sighed and picked her up, carrying her back to the playroom "Don't worry. Talk to the twins; find out what's going on. 'kay?" A small nod was his only response.
Charlie was holding Taylor in his lap, Trevor sitting by Sam. By now the twins had told the couple who was who, and when Andrew walked in carrying a still crying Jade, they were all smiling. "We'd like to adopt them." Charlie told him, a smile spread on his face. The little girl in Andrew's arms began crying harder as she heard the dreaded words. Andrew rubbed her back, trying to calm her down. The twins' smiles faded as the words sunk in, "You mean, you're taking us home?" Taylor asked, looking at Charlie's face. Charlie nodded his smile starting to fade too, "Don't you want to come home with us?" Trevor added his voice to his brother's, "We won't live here no more?"
Sam looked down at the little boy beside her, "No honey, you'll come and live with us." Struggling soon accompanied crying, and poor Andrew was soon going to have bruise decor spread on his stomach. He closed the door to the playroom and sat her on the middle of the floor, her sobs only growing louder. Taylor and Trevor locked gazes and simultaneously slid from their spots, to Jade's side trying to calm her down, like they always did. And they weren't going to stop because of these new nice people.
After a minute, when Jade's demeanor still hadn't changed, the twins each grabbed one of the little girl's hands and walked out of the playroom, "We ain't leaving without Jade." Thrown over their backs. Charlie's grin was gone, Sam astonished. Both sent searching looks at Andrew, clearly wanting an explanation to the twins' actions.
12-year-old Devon was lounging on a chair in front of the television in the living room. The remote in his hand stilled momentarily as something on the screen caught his attention. As the twins and Jade made their way into the room though, his eyes were drawn to the three approaching the couch behind him. "Twerps out!" he said as he got up and approached them, eyeing the sobbing Jade warily.
Taylor looked at him before sitting down and said, "We ain't leaving!" "Never without Jade!" Taylor seemed to be talking to her more than Devon. The little girl's sobs died down slowly into quiet tears and sniffles. "What's wrong with the squirt?" The older boy asked. "People wanna adopt us, and she doesn't want us to go." "Tough break kid." Devon said, and went back to his chair. The cares of 12 year olds centered more on television then adoption. Besides, no one ever looked at Devon.
Andrew looked at the couple before him letting out a soft sigh and sitting down on the blue mats. "I'm sorry, I'll explain.." "When Jade first came to the orphanage she was a very sad little girl, her guardians had just dropped her off and left. That same day, an official brought the twins to us." He took a breath, "The twins slowly broke Jade out of her shell, and they are now inseparable. They treat her like a little sister and protect her. I'm not sorry to say that they got very attached to each other. Jade needed it, and it isn't a good idea to split them up." He looked at Sam and Charlie than, "It will break their hearts."
Charlie carefully listened to Andrew's explanation but smiled broadly. A plan was steadily forming in his mind. Samantha looked at him curiously before asking, "What are you thinking honey?" with her eyebrows raised questioningly. Charlie left the smile on his face and turned to Andrew, 'We still want to take the boys home with us, but I need to talk to all three kids first." He winked at his wife and walked out to find them. He found them in the living room without any trouble, only Devon glancing up to see who it was. Not knowing the person, and not really caring, he almost immediately went back to channel surfing.
Charlie walked up to them, and Jade spotted him instantly, clinging to Taylor as her cries started again. Devon turned the volume up on the TV, obviously not happy that the girl-twerp's crying broke the silence. Before speaking to the kids, Charlie turned to the 12 year old and sighed, recognizing a bit of rebellion in Devon that he had when he was 12. Then calmly said to Jade, "Relax little one, I only want to talk to you." He waited to begin speaking until the twins calmed her down again.
He knelt down to look all three of them in the face, "I know you boys don't want to leave this little angel behind, she's obviously like a sister to you." Trevor looked at Charlie curiously, as if wondering how he knew, "Andrew told me how attached you are to her." The twins nodded. Devon turned the volume back down on the TV, not really knowing why, but choosing instead to listen to the man talking then continue to watch the boring old person show that was splayed across the screen. "Well, what if I told you that she could be adopted too?' Trevor looked intently at Charlie's face and asked, in his beautiful, youthful innocence, "How?' wondering, and hoping against hope that Jade would somehow stay with them.