And we're back on schedule! I'm thinking I can write another chapter of this tonight. Go for it Jade! I should probably get another cherry coke though. I'm kind of sleepy and it's only like, eleven. And the music is sad. That might not bode well for the story. I find that my music always ends up affecting the tone of my stories. I started this one story out, totally intending to write a humorous one shot and before you know it, it's all angsty and stuff. I'm writing this whole story while only listening to eight songs! Go me! Time for the story!
Disclaimer: I so don't own Harry Potter.
Warnings: Oh Ron, I still love you…
Ghosts
Chapter Four
There was no one waiting for them in the front room. Harry supposed that they were waiting in Ron and his old room. Would it be just his and Ron's room now? Or would Draco stay in there? That was just asking for trouble though. Even Dumbledore wouldn't be that daft. Everyone was quiet out of habit. The portrait of Sirius' mother had been taken down but some still feared that somehow, if they made a loud noise, it would come back into being.
"Come on." Harry muttered as the other Order members turned to go into the kitchen. As soon as the door opened, Mrs. Weasley stepped out. Harry braced himself, he knew what was coming.
Mrs. Weasley threw her arms around Harry and hugged him tightly against her.
"Oh, Harry, it's so lovely to see you again!" Mrs. Weasley pulled away to beam at him. "Ron and Hermione are upstairs waiting for you…" Then her eyes traveled from Harry to Draco. "You must be Draco."
Draco gave her a curt nod. Mrs. Weasley gave him her most endearing smile. Harry blinked in mild surprise. He supposed that Mrs. Weasley was quite used to being a mother and she seemed to like taking people under her wing.
"You're welcome to stay with us for as long as you need." Mrs. Weasley put a hand on his shoulder that appeared to bewilder Draco. "Dumbledore told me everything and if you need anything at all, please don't hesitate to ask."
Draco had clearly been expecting enraged sparks to be flying from Mrs. Weasley's mouth as she stomped on him. Instead, she was in pure mother mood. But then, Harry reasoned, it might have a bit to do with his situation. She had disapproved of Mundungus Fletcher and even, he swallowed hard, of Sirius. But Draco was still just a child in her eyes, a child who didn't have any family. Mrs. Weasley was a caring soul. That's what she did, provided care.
She gave Draco's shoulder one last tight squeeze and then turned back to Harry. "You show him up, alright Harry?" Then she leaned in a bit. "And…and…well, it's good to see you, I really have to go back to the meeting." She knew Ron and Ginny and Hermione were not going to be pleased to meet Draco Malfoy. But Mrs. Weasley went back into the kitchen and they were left out in the front room, standing alone.
"Is she always like that?" Draco asked in an almost irritated fashion.
"She's really nice." Harry remembered that Mrs. Weasley had been nothing but kind to him. Sure, he feared her wrath the way her own children did but in the end, she was always ready to make him feel like he was part of their family. "And if you make one dumpy comment about her, I'll curse you."
"I wasn't going to." Draco looked indignant. "What are they doing in there?"
"It's a meeting for the Order of the Phoenix." Harry was a bit annoyed. The children were still probably not allowed to know anything. Not even him. "Come on." He went up the stairs, Draco after him, and when he got to the second floor landing, he could hear the voices of Ginny, Ron, and Hermione. They were joking around. He was about to drop a bomb on them.
At least we'll all be together when they hear…
No one was there to help me when Draco showed up on my doorstep.
He scowled at that thought. There was no reason to play the victim now. He twisted the door knob and opened up the door.
"Harry!" Hermione and Ron cheered as he came in.
"Hi Harry." Ginny waved from where she was sitting on one of the beds. Harry turned to see that Draco was standing back a bit. He frowned at the boy who stared back in a very reproachful manner.
"What're you—" Ron was about to ask but then Draco came into the room. "Malfoy!"
"What's he doing here?" Hermione stood up, holding out a hand a bit, as though she could hold back Ron somehow. Or maybe she was trying to shield him, who knew? Ginny was the only person who didn't say anything, she just looked incredibly curious.
"Oh, I thought I'd drop by for a game of Exploding Snap, Granger." Draco rolled his eyes. "What do you think?"
"He's staying with us." Harry decided that now was not the time for sarcasm. "Dumbledore had him come stay with me for a bit before we came here. He's on our side now."
"Not much of a choice really." Draco's tone was completely cold. This was more the reception he had been waiting for. "It was either that or be killed."
"How do we know he's really on our side?" Ron questioned suspiciously. Hermione seemed to be trying to read Harry's expression as though she could verify his story with her mind if she concentrated hard enough. "He's a Malfoy! Like he couldn't just join with his father!"
"Wait a minute Ron, if Dumbledore—" Hermione began, still looking at Harry, although he wasn't sure why. What did she expect him to say? What was she looking for?
"Oh, so if Dumbledore said it was okay for us to all jump off a bridge, would you do it?" Ron turned towards Hermione heatedly.
"That's completely different Ron Weasley and you know it!" Hermione shook a finger at him, eyes flashing. "Dumbledore wouldn't have sent him here if he didn't trust him and he wouldn't have sent him to Harry if he didn't believe that Malfoy wouldn't hurt him…" For a brief moment, Harry and Draco glanced at each other and then glanced away. Each knew that the other was thinking about the night before.
"I think Hermione has a point." Ginny piped up from where she was sitting.
"Get out of here Ginny, this doesn't involve you." Ron snapped at his younger sister who glared back.
"To hell it doesn't!" Ginny leapt to her feet in a fair imitation of her brother. "Stop treating me like a baby just because I'm one year younger than you—"
"Shut up!" Harry cut in, rubbing the side of his head. He could feel a headache coming on. "Just everyone please shut up for a moment." There was a brief, awkward moment of silence between the people in the room.
"I think it's a bit like Snape." Hermione spoke up and all eyes turned to her. "What I mean to say is that we've always suspected Snape of being on Voldemort's side and we always turn out to be wrong. He's working for the Order and Dumbledore trusts him. And I know you don't like it Ron," Hermione shot a warning look to the red-haired boy who opened his mouth to speak. "But the Sorting Hat did talk about how we needed to stay together. Voldemort likes everyone hating each other because it distracts from him."
Hermione then took a deep, determined breath, and then walked across the room with her head held high. She stopped right in front of Draco, looking a bit stern.
"So, if you're on our side now, then we've got to all shake hands and at least be civil to each other." Hermione swiveled her head around to shoot Ron another look. Then she turned back towards Draco. She stuck out her hand.
Draco looked at it for a few moments. He didn't look surprised, he looked more like he was trying to figure out why Hermione was sticking her hand out like that. What she said had made sense but it seemed strange that the same girl who took a good swing at him in the third year was now the first person willing to shake hands with him. After a few moments, Draco took her hand, looking away, as though he really didn't care one way or the other and shook with Hermione.
"Good." Hermione nodded her head briskly. "I expect you and Harry have already talked. So, Ron, Ginny?"
Ginny stepped forward before Ron did. She had a grim expression on her face and little wonder. While Draco himself had never really done anything terrible to her, his father had been the one who slipped Tom Riddle's diary into her things in her first year at Hogwarts. She shook hands briefly with him, but didn't say anything.
Ron looked like he'd rather drink acid and stood there for a few moments, not moving a muscle.
"Ron!" Hermione hissed insistently. "If you just stand there than you're no better than…than…" Hermione was going to say him, but it didn't seem like the right thing to say. Draco said it for her.
"Then you'll be no better than I am." Draco smiled in a sardonic fashion, glancing over at Hermione. "Right?"
"That's not quite how I would put it." Hermione folded her arms stubbornly. "Although, you can't pretend you haven't been a bit…" She hesitated again. "Oh, go on Ron." Ron stuck out his hand and Draco shook it for a moment with a cool expression, as always.
"I don't really trust you." Ron said bluntly.
"That certainly makes one of us." Draco spoke haughtily. Ron opened his mouth to retort and even though Harry knew Hermione was about to step in, he decided to take matters into his own hands.
"Alright, alright. It's like Hermione said, we don't have to like each other but we might as well be civil because any other way what help us any." Harry told the two boys who immediately let go of each others' hands. He then turned towards Hermione, Ron, and Ginny. "What's been going on?"
"The usual." Ginny reported with a peeved expression. "Mum won't let us know anything."
"Haven't we already proven that the 'not telling us anything' plan is a bad one?" Harry rolled his eyes. "So no one has any idea what Voldemort is up to?"
"We don't." Hermione shook her head.
"I bet Snape does." Ron grumbled. "Greasy-haired git…" Before anyone could say anything though, Draco had his wand out and was holding in front of Ron's face, level with his nose.
"Hey, what did we just say!" Harry grabbed Draco's wrist.
"Tell Weasley here to keep his fat mouth shut." Draco wrenched his wrist away from Harry. Draco had lost his composure completely at that moment and looked rather like a child does after he has been told off.
"Ron, if you can't at least act—" Hermione began but then cut herself off. "This isn't going to get us anywhere, is it? Why don't we get you two situated before we try to talk? I'm sure you two would like to freshen up after your journey." She thought for a moment. "Ginny and I have been sharing the bedroom we shared last time we were all here. Ron and Harry were in here…" She seemed to be trying to decide something. "I suppose you'd like your own room then?" Hermione turned towards Draco.
"I don't care." Draco glared at Ron, not even looking at Hermione. "As long as I'm not with Weasley."
"Then you can have the room the twins were in last time." Ginny declared the solution. "Come on, I'll show you up there." Draco regarded her for a few moments with his measuring expression but seemed to find nothing wrong with her offer.
"Yes, that would probably be best." Hermione nodded in agreement. She seemed a bit fidgety but Harry imagined it had something to do with her not exactly liking the volatile situation they were all in. "Go on Ginny."
Draco took one last look at Harry before going to follow Ginny. Harry wasn't sure why, but he wasn't exactly happy with this solution. But that didn't make any sense at all. He supposed he must have just gotten used to sleeping in the same room as Draco. Maybe he did have attachment issues.
When the footsteps led away a bit, Ron sat down on his bed rather heavily.
"I can't believe this is happening." He groaned.
"Well, believe it." Harry sat down on the other bed. "How do you think I felt when he showed up on my doorstep in the middle of the night?"
"You could have sent a warning." Ron shot Harry an accusatory look. Then he fixed Hermione with a look. "And what's with your whole 'let's all be nice to each other' thing? Malfoy's been on me since the first time we met. I wouldn't expect him to be chummy all of a sudden. And you saw the way he pulled a wand on me the first chance he got!"
"But he didn't curse you." Harry pointed out.
"Am I the only one who has a problem with this?" Ron looked around at them in exasperation. "Am I going mad?"
"Don't be so dramatic, Ron." Hermione's brow furrowed. "The reason I said we should be nice to Malfoy is that if we aren't, then we're acting just like he always does. Besides, maybe he has switched sides and he honestly has had a change of heart."
"I'm sure he has." Ron commented sarcastically. "The same guy who called you a 'Mudblood' at every possible turn..."
"Just give him a chance." Harry finally spoke up. Ron and Hermione both looked at him. Ron looked incredulous and Hermione had a very curious expression, as though she suspected something but she didn't say anything. "I mean, we've got to live with it no matter what, right? It's not going to do any good to sit here and commiserate."
"Harry's right." Hermione nodded fervently. "There's no reason to cause trouble."
"Fine." Ron still didn't look very happy. "But I don't have to like it."
"No one's forcing you." Harry felt like throwing a pillow at his best friend but didn't. "Besides Voldemort, has anything interesting happened?"
"Fred and George are making loads of money with their joke shop." Ron changed the subject cheerfully. He didn't even want to think about Malfoy right then. "And guess what?"
"What?" Harry grinned a bit, because for the first time in the past week he felt like everything was normal, even if for just a brief moment. There was no Voldemort or Draco or the Order or anything. It was just them, talking about nice, mundane things.
"Bill and Fleur are getting married." Ron announced. "Wild, huh?"
"That's kind of weird to think about." Harry mused. "You'll have veela blood in the family."
"Yeah, Fred and George volunteered to cater the wedding but Bill said he didn't want anyone turning into a pumpkin." Ron grinned. "Percy's coming to the wedding though…" Ever since his fifth year, Harry knew that Percy was trying to mend the ties he had severed with his family. It was a bit of a hard task because Percy wasn't quite willing to admit all his mistakes, the twins were a bit unforgiving, and Harry knew Mr. Weasley was probably still hurt by the things that Percy had said in anger to him. Harry wasn't so sure he felt sorry for Percy. If he had a family, he certainly wouldn't have thrown it away just because of a new job.
The Dursleys are different. A real family. Where I really belong.
"When's the wedding?" Harry asked interestedly.
"During school." Ron looked a bit put out. "Apparently Fleur wants a fall wedding or otherwise Bill would have had it during the summer so Ginny and I could be there."
"I'm sure there will be lots of pictures." Hermione tried to be optimistic. "It's not quite the same but—"
"Are you kidding? Weddings are boring." Ron tried to put a good face on things. "I don't know why anyone bothers having them." Harry and Hermione shared a hidden look that almost made Harry break out into snickers. Ron looked up, looking about wonderingly. "What's taking Ginny so long?"
"I don't know." Hermione seemed to notice that the red-haired girl had been gone this whole time. "Maybe she went to the bathroom or something after she showed Draco where his room was."
"Maybe I should go check." Ron started to get up.
"No, I'll go." Harry jumped up. He didn't think it would be good for Ron to run into Draco by himself. As bad as he always thought things were between himself and Draco, things were more openly hostile between him and Ron.
He left the room and went up the stairs. When he got up to the floor where Draco was staying, he could hear some giggling. Ginny. He walked down the hall a bit, until he got to a partially opened door. Harry wasn't sure why he stopped and listened for a bit, he couldn't help it.
"…I know what you mean." Ginny was agreeing with something. She was sitting on the bed, about a foot from Draco.
"Won't your brother be wondering where you are?" Draco asked her in a teasing tone. Ginny giggled into her hand.
"Nah, he won't care." She pushed some of her red hair over her shoulder dismissively.
"Er," Harry decided to interrupt, coming into the room. Ginny stood up, looking slightly guilty but with a smile on her face. "Sorry, Ron was wondering where you were."
"I guess you were right." She smiled at Draco, sharing a small secretive look with him. It was some sort of instant inside joke. Harry didn't know why, but he was frowning at that idea. "Well, I'll go down then." And she left the room, passing by Harry, who turned a bit to see her go and then found his eyes going back to Draco, who was sitting quite casually on the bed.
"What were you two talking about?" Harry inquired.
"Oh, this and that." Draco waved a hand airily. "Nothing really."
"Hmm." Harry made a noise, but he wasn't exactly sure how to respond. "Will you be fine sleeping in here…?" It was a hesitant question, mostly because he wasn't sure why he was even asking it.
"Will I be fine sleeping by myself? I'm an only child; I never shared a room except for at school." Draco's tone was uncaring and almost bored. "Unless of course you need me to come down and hold your hand when you go to bed." There was a hint of malice and Harry swallowed as he thought about just the night before…the bad dream…the person holding him…This was the Draco he was more familiar with. Tainting comfort he had received, even if it was comfort that Draco had given. But he didn't want to admit that it had any sort of effect on him, because that might give Draco some sort of power over him and Harry knew he didn't want to give him that.
"No. I don't." Harry replied coldly and then without another word, turned away from the blonde-haired boy.
He knew he had been trying to hurt Draco back.
Got a bit introspective there at the end. I blame it on that Mazzy Star song, "Fade Into You" which is one my ultra spiffy Ghosts' soundtrack playlist I made myself. It's got some good stuff on it, like 'Here With Me' by Dido (I don't know what it is about Dido, it always helps me write) and 'Under the Milky Way' by The Church. Since this is kind of a weird story, there's some weird stuff on it that makes sense in my head when I think about how it relates to the story, but would be hard to explain to you guys. Hope this wasn't too dramatic of a chapter, I tried to be as realistic as possible with Hermione and Ron in this chapter, and I feel like I did an okay job…but alas, I'm insecure sometimes. Hope you guys liked it.