The sun shone bright on the Burrow on the 31st of August, smattering across the low level trees and the gardens that housed gnomes and other wild things. Andrew Potter sat on a hammock his Uncle had charmed into two trees in "The Secret Place", a light summer breeze blowing into his hair. There was only a day left until he departed for his sixth year at Hogwarts and, although there was plenty packing to be done, he had needed a bit of time to escape and think.

He had arrived at the Burrow at the beginning of the summer. His father had said it had always been a part of his childhood and had felt very 'funny' being away from it. Andrew did not mind much, his best friend and surrogate cousin Michael lived there and he could spend as much time as he wanted flying or swimming. Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron hosted lavish dinner parties every night and (every once in awhile) some of Uncle Ron's siblings would show up and set up firework displays. Not to count it had been his childhood home and he valued his secret places and the serenity of magic very much.

Marcy Malfoy was the problem. Well, if Andrew was to be honest with himself, it was her family more than her. He got along with her fine at school. In fact, although she was only 13 and he would be 16 soon, they got along perfectly. She did not follow him around the Gryffindor common room or giggle annoyingly whenever he said something foolish. When he said something foolish she merely smacked him or took the mickey out of him. He liked that. Andrew had always admired people who were down to earth, like his father and Uncle Ron. No, Marcy was not the problem. It was not even her family. It was just her mother.

Ginny Malfoy was a woman Andrew could never quite understand. She was feisty but reserved. She enjoyed arguing but ran away whenever she gained the chance. She lived in the Muggle world and yet she was a witch at heart. She had abandoned her child. He had watched her walk out on Marcy when they were younger. He had heard, late at night, how his father spoke of her leaving her husband too. She got a sick pleasure from deserting everyone that cared about her and Andrew could not stand it.

She had left Julian, Marcy's now 11 year old brother, in the care of his Aunt and Uncle for the summer. Ginny had promised she would return at the conclusion and take Julian to Hogwarts herself, that she would support him and bring him up in the wizarding world; a gift she had refused to bestow before. But it was already late, and Andrew highly doubted her arrival.

"Andrew?" A voice boomed across his secret place and the whoosh of a broom could be heard through the trees. He turned on his side to see his sister, Lillian, landing amongst a pile of leaves he had created earlier. Her hair was flying about and her cheeks were tinted a rose color, "What are you doing up here?"

"I could ask you the same question," he said.

"Oh don't get your knickers in a twist!" She giggled. The phrase had been a favorite of his Uncle's and Lillian had picked it up at the beginning of the summer. She used it continuously, even when terribly inappropriate. Sometimes he wondered if he liked it better when the girl did not talk, "I know you like to be alone here. I just don't feel like being yelled at by mum and Auntie Hermione because you are no where to be found."

"I'll be down soon," he replied.

"Well, hurry up. They hate to be kept waiting. Plus, Uncle Draco just arrived."

Andrew missed Lillian's exit as he puzzled over the new bit of information. He had not seen his Uncle in a very long time. It was rumored that him and Ginny had not worked out quite as expected after going off into the Muggle world to remake their family. As far as he knew, Draco lived close to Diagon Alley in a small apartment while Ginny continued to live in Manchester with Julian. He had not even heard from his Uncle since the unexpected arrival of Marcy's new broom, and even that had merely consisted of a note and a few galleons. Hopping down off of the hammock, Andrew grabbed his own broom and flew down towards the Burrow. He was sure the afternoon would suddenly become interesting.

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"THAT ISN'T FAIR!" yelled Marcy Malfoy, slamming her hands down on the small table in the Weasley dining room. She stared at her father angrily, her blue eyes ablaze as they locked on his, "she promised!"

"Things don't always work out Marcy. Sometimes things don't go as planned. For now you are simply going to have to live with this," Draco responded, running fingers through his now long blonde hair. He hated speaking to his daughter this way. He wanted to run to her, to tell her he disliked this predicament as much as she did. He wanted a lot of things, but two long wars and a divorce later he had learned that wanting things rarely got you anywhere. He smiled weakly at his daughter and attempted to reach out to touch her but she pushed him away, stomping into the kitchen and out onto the patio. I'm sorry, he yelled in her wake. He was sure she did not hear him.

Marcy screamed loudly as she plopped onto the soft grass outside the Burrow, folding her legs underneath her body as she started to pull on the blades harshly. She pulled harder and harder, piece by piece, before throwing them all angrily into the air around her. Some floated back to the ground. Others landed in her hair. She kept on pulling.

It was in that state that Andrew came upon her, hoping to come in on the end of a family discussion. He had not been expecting the scene in front of him. Marcy had told him a long time ago that she had always had a temper as a child and always enjoyed fighting and breaking things to solve her problems. He had not known grass had been part of the equation.

"Mar, you alright?" he asked, sitting beside her. Her skin shined with beads of sweat and her knuckles were red from holding her hands in fists. As she flung the grass he could see the nail marks in her palms from squeezing. He gripped her wrists and made her fall against him. The sound of tears followed, "Mar?"

"They…they…oh," said Marcy, sniffling loudly, "Julian is coming to Hogwarts."

Andrew was overcome with surprise. Did Marcy not want Julian at Hogwarts? From what he had heard, they were relatively close, "Mar…I…did something happen between you and Julian?"

"Not at all!" she said, sputtering a bit on the words, "But you see, he's coming because he's going to live with Daddy!" She started to sob into his shirt and Andrew felt distinctly uncomfortable. He had acquired his father's innate dislike of dealing with hysterical girls. It was always so…wet.

"And…?" He asked. He hoped it was not a stupid question.

"He's living with Daddy because him and Mum are…are…" she groaned, "They are splitting up." Andrew gasped, almost forcefully, before letting his fingers fall to play with Marcy's hair. If he was to be honest with himself, he had seen this coming. Draco Malfoy was a prominent businessman since his return from Romania and Russia. He helped his own father with settlements in the Quidditch industry (his father having quit the Auror business following his escape two years earlier). He was a typical bachelor. Draco had wealthy contributors in the Wizarding World and would never have left it to live among muggles. Marcy's mother was not so secure. Andrew was not even sure why they had become a pair to begin with, he knew his own father did not understand it much. It had probably been coming all along.

"Mar I'm sorry. Why…"

"Daddy said it was not working. That Mum wouldn't compromise. She refused to live here. Even if he gave her a bigger house. Can you believe that? Why would someone not want to live here?" She got suddenly quiet and he could sense tears were flowing again because she whispered, barely audible, "Why doesn't she want me?"

"Mar she…she wants you." Andrew tried to sound reassuring, but he could not quite trust the truth in his own voice, "So her and your dad didn't work out. That happens sometimes, ya know? One of the girls in my year has parents that don't live together and she says it isn't so bad. Just think. You get to have two Christmas'."

"That…That isn't the point," she whispered, "I just wanted a family."

"You've got one. Right here." He pointed at his chest and back at the Burrow, "You've got Aunt Hermione, Uncle Ron, and Michael. Not to count me, my dad, and my mum. We're just a bit odd that's all, but still a family. Don't forget Draco and Julian either. Just because your mum needs to be on her own for a bit doesn't mean they are going to go anywhere." She sat up and looked at him, her eyes peering into his. She then wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and nodded, smiling just a bit.

"You're right. I'm being silly. I've got family right here," she touched his shoulder, "an older brother. Thank you Andrew."

She got up and left, leaving an empty feeling in his gut. He was not sure why, but the way the word brother had rolled off her lips sounded completely wrong. Something about it just sounded wrong.

Lillian was running towards him now and he groaned loudly. She was singing that muggle song his Aunt Hermione had taught her, loud and obnoxiously, screeching some parts longer than others just for point;

Andrew and Marrrrrrcy sitting in a tree

K I S S I N G

First comes loooooove

Then comes marrrrriage

Then comes their baby in a baaaaaaaaby carriage!

Yes. He definitely liked it better when she did not talk.