"Where's Hermione?"
"Harry?" Hermione turned away from Draco on the stairs and rushed down the rest of the way to greet her best friend.
Harry wrapped his arms tightly around Hermione's waist as her arms went around his neck. She pulled back from his embrace and smiled. "So 'Mione where have you been hiding?" Harry teased.
"Well you know Ron and I-" Before Hermione could finish Ron was by her side with his arm around her shoulders, grinning.
"Hey Harry," Ron sort of clapped hands with Harry in a form of a handshake and his arm tightened around Hermione's shoulders. "'Mione got caught up in work again," he shrugged.
Harry nodded understandingly, "Only Hermione."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Hermione asked.
Harry chuckled, "Nothing. But for awhile we thought you just disappeared. Sunday dinners here weren't the same without the other extra Weasley."
It took Hermione a second to realize he meant Harry and herself as the 'extra Weasleys'. She looked between Ron and Harry. She couldn't believe it. Ron hadn't told Harry either.
"Malfoy?" Harry's gaze went from Ron and Hermione to behind them where Draco was slowly approaching. "Malfoy," Harry repeated.
"Yes Potter," Draco confirmed sardonically, "it's me."
"What' is he doing here?" Harry shot a glance at Draco before turning to Ron and Hermione. Blaise stepped into the room as well and Harry looked at him too, "And Zabini? What the hell are they doing here?"
"Be nice Harry," Ginny warned as she joined Blaise, taking hold of his arm. "I invited him. I mean them."
"Don't worry Potter, I wouldn't dream of crashing a Weasley party. Besides I wouldn't fit in and, red isn't my colour," Draco voice had a light tone to it making it hard to tell if it was an insult, or just a joke.
Ron obviously chose to believe the former and glared daggers at Draco, "Watch it Malfoy."
"Calm down Ron. He was only kidding." Everyone looked at Hermione in surprise, including Draco.
Yes, she had just defended him, but not because she cared what happened to him, more because she was upset with Ron. And Ron was upset with Draco.
After the shock of Hermione agreeing with him subsided, Draco nodded, "See? Even Granger agrees with me."
When faced with looks of anger and question of her two best friends Hermione shrugged, effectively getting Ron's arm off her shoulders.
She then subtly moved away from both Ron and Harry until she was next to Ginny, between her and Draco. Draco laughed a little to himself noticing her little escape from her friends.
"We're hoooomme!" two almost identical voices sang from the door and the group began to shuffle towards the front of the house.
"Fred! George!" Ginny hugged them both, a smile spreading across her face. Fred and George both weaved through the crowd greeting everyone. Reaching Hermione, Fred grinned and picked her up in a hug before swiftly passing her over to George. George, still holding her off the ground, smiled and kissed her cheek quickly.
"Gorgeous as always Hermione!"
Hermione blushed, "Why thank you."
George put her down and he and Fred moved on to clap Harry on the back. "Hello Ronnikins!" they both patted Ron on the back as well and then noticed the two blokes standing behind them.
"Malfoy."
Draco nodded at them, "Weasleys."
"Funny, no one every says 'Zabini'," Blaise turned to Ginny pouting slightly and Ginny patted his arm sympathetically.
"Yeah, and who are you?" George asked Blaise and he threw his hands up.
"Zabini! Blaise Zabini!"
"We're just kidding," Fred told him. "We've met you before. You're dating our sister," his voice became tight as he said this.
"For now," George threw in the silence.
"Right," Fred continued, "but you what are you doing here?"
"Not by choice Weasley," Draco said, "my so called friend here forced me into attendance."
"Hear that Gin?" George's eyes lit up.
"Hear what?" Ginny looked at her brother as if he had gone insane.
"Well Gin, I believe Malfoy said 'my so called friend' that sounded a little sarcastic. Don't you think George?" Fred mocked thoughtfulness and George smiled.
"Why yes it did. Do you think by chance...?"
"Yes, yes I do."
"What are you going on about?" Ginny sighed exasperatedly at the twins who grinned in response.
"I think they might be gay Gin," George whispered, patting her on the back.
Fred nodded, "It's okay. We're cool with it. It's better to break it off sooner than later though. He needs to become comfortable with who he is."
Ginny looked thoroughly aggravated by her siblings as she hit them both upside the heads and then crossed her arms, "Shut up you two!"
"Ginny, it's okay. You'll move on. You'll find someone else," Fred beamed at her and she hit him again.
"We are not gay!" Draco and Blaise yelled at the same time.
"Oh see Ginny. Right there. They have a we," George cooed.
Blaise took a deep breath, "I'm! Not! Gay!"
"Tsk, tsk. You need to come to terms with it."
Blaise glared at the identical redheads then smirking, grabbed Ginny around the waist and kissed her full on the lips.
Fred and George both raised their eyebrows and Harry leaned over, "That's your sister you're watching," he pointed out.
"Merlin! Harry, make it stop!" Fred and George reached over, covering each other's eyes as they shouted.
Harry pulled Blaise away from Ginny, "You'll be a pulp by the time you leave if you continue like this," he cautioned.
Fred and George lowered their hands hesitantly before sighing. They gave the couple disgusted looks and Ginny sighed.
"I'll tell you one thing," Ginny flipped her hair over shoulder and smacked her lips together, "he's not gay."
"What about you Malfoy?"
They turned to Draco expectantly. "Well I'm not gay," he scoffed.
They each raised an eyebrow questioningly.
"Well how do you expect me to prove myself? Granger? Weaslette is taken."
Hermione stepped back, "Oh no."
"She's dating my brother," Ginny told him.
Draco looked around, "Which one?"
"Me," Ron stepped forward, looking appalled that he could think it was another Weasley. "Stupid ferret," he muttered.
Draco narrowed his eyes and raised his eyebrows, "Really Weasley? What is it now? Four years since Hogwarts, and you're still using that?"
"Called honesty Malfoy," Ron glared.
Draco shook his head, deciding it wasn't even worth a retort and easier to just step back.
"Ginny!" Mrs. Weasley called from the kitchen.
"Yes Mum?" Ginny leaned back as she called back to her mother.
"Set the table please!" Mrs. Weasley bellowed from the kitchen over the clang of the utensils being dropped in the sink. "And Ronald, please get your father downstairs," she added.
Ron nodded albeit the fact Mrs. Weasley couldn't see him, and then ran upstairs to get Mr. Weasley. Ginny went into the kitchen to help her mum.
The rest of the group went into the living and sat down. Draco looked around, taking in his surroundings. He used to think the Weasley's house would be more of a hole. But looking around he had to admit, even thought it was far from Malfoy' standards, it was nice. Definitely not in a classy kind of way, but more of a warm, homey feel. The furniture was obviously mismatched, magically changed to all be the same colour, but it seemed to fit the way it was.
Draco felt a pang of jealously at that. The way the whole house was inviting and warm, soft in a way. It was a home. His house however-even though his parents had left, his father rotting in Azkaban and his mother at St. Mungos having gone somewhat insane-was no home. How he lived was classy. Everything matched. Everything was cold, dark, sharp, and gloomy. It was like some sort of rich hell hole.
"Hello all," Mr. Weasley waved vaguely as he came downstairs smiling at Hermione and Harry, not registering the two former Slytherins next to them.
"Mum!" Ron shouted loud enough so his voice carried throughout the whole house, not bothering to find exactly where his mother was. "When is dinner!"
"Does Weasley ever shut up?" Draco asked to no one in particular.
Hermione sighed, "Sometimes... while he's swallowing. He's choked too many times to count," she answered absentmindedly.
Harry looked at her, having missed what she said. "What?"
"Oh," Hermione shook her head, "nothing."
Draco chuckled as he turned to Hermione on the couch, "Who knew you could be funny Granger?"
"Pardon?" Hermione asked, sounding rather offended.
Draco shrugged, "Just saying. Although I do give you points for making Weasel the butt of the joke."
Blaise shot Draco a look, clearly having caught the 'Weasel' part of his comment. And Draco looked annoyed, "Well he's not your girlfriend, you can't expect me to be nice to everyone. Why do you care?"
Blaise considered this for a moment, "True. But not in front of his face. Or the family. We are making a good impression here."
"Correction," Draco said pointedly, "you're making a good impression. Or trying to anyway. I'm just here to wait and watch for the moment you truly embarrass yourself."
"They like me," Blaise defensively.
"No we don't," Fred and George replied together, both not bothering to hide the slightly obvious tone from their voice.
Blaise's expression went from confident to worried, "How much do you think they heard?"
"All of it," Harry, Hermione, Fred and George responded.
"It's okay," Fred patted Blaise's back a little too...firmly, causing Blaise to rock forward a bit, "we don't care for ickle Ronnikins that much either."
"Well, we don't," George corrected gesturing between him and Fred, "but 'Mione does, and Harry...might."
Harry rolled his eyes and Hermione tried not to give away her feeling of 'I don't care much either at the moment'.
Draco smirked, "Does this mean Weasley's fair game?"
Blaise nudged his best mate hard in the ribs and Draco hit him back with equal force.
"Stop that," Blaise whispered through clenched teeth.
Draco took a deep breath, "No," he replied simply.
The sound of the front door opened had almost everyone in the house up on their feet and heading over to the front again.
Bill and Fleur came in through the door, Fleur holding a year old Victoire against her chest and away from the cold outside and Bill holding a light pink diaper bag.
Immediately a crowd of people swarmed around the baby, "And how are you little Victoire?" Harry cooed tickling the child's tummy.
The baby reached out toward George and George went to take the baby into his arms. Fleur reluctantly handed her child over.
George began bouncing with the baby in his arms. "And who's the bestest little girl? You are. Yes you, you are."
"She's such a pretty baby girl," Hermione commented touching the soft hair on the little girl's head, admiring her blue eyes.
"Well she's got my genes 'asn't she?" Fleur said.
Hermione looked at her, not quite sure how someone could immodest or even just say something like that in complete seriousness. But then again, she was part veela, if that was any sort of reason. She laughed to herself a little.
Draco peered over at the little girl himself, and couldn't help but smile as she smiled happily up at everyone else. Loving the attention and basking in the knowledge of having everyone's eyes on her.
"Well, we're all here," Mrs. Weasley called. "I'll give you all a few minutes, Bill and Fleur just to settle and then we'll eat."
Bill and Fleur both nodded, removing their outer robes. "We'll just feed Victoire first," Bill told her after giving her a quick hug. "This won't take long."
Mrs. Weasley nodded, "Whenever you're ready."
"Alright," Bill agreed as he took Victoire from George who frowned, but Bill ignored him, sitting down with his daughter on his lap.
Hermione helped fleur with the bag, holding it while she pulled the jars of food from inside.
Mrs. Weasley smiled and then left to join Mr. Weasley in the kitchen, finishing putting dinner on the table.
A/N: Sorry for the long wait. I know it's awful. Anyway I hope you enjoyed this and please let me know what you're thinking. I'm thinking of getting a beta for this so if you'd be interested please let me know.
Anyways,
Scarlett