My Fair Weasley
Chapter 3: Cleaning out the Closet
((-))
All Ginny wanted to do was go to bed. It had been four days since her unfortunate trip to Rigby's office and she'd thrown herself into work to avoid thinking about just what being a "project" would entail. It was bad enough that her dreams manifested themselves into nightmares depicting images like Draco Malfoy running after her with a disgustingly pink evening gown and towering six inch stiletto heels to go with it. Then there was the one where Blaise Zabini strapped her down in a grotesque version of a salon chair and proceeded to shear off all her hair while laughing uncontrollably.
Remembering the dreams alone sent a shiver down her spine. The worst scenarios are the ones the mind creates. At least that's what Susan had told her when she told the other woman about her fears. Yeah right, Susan hadn't gone to school with the two men in question. Ginny knew all too well just what sort of mischief Malfoy and Zabini could pull. Every time she doubted her decision she remembered why she made it in the first place. Her job; it was just that simple.
With a sigh she opened the door to her flat, dropping her bag on the floor by the door. The emptiness of her apartment made her wish yet again that she had brought her dog to come and live with her instead of letting him live at the Burrow with her parents. But then again, it just wouldn't be fair to him since she was gone all hours of the day; sometimes if shifts were tight she was gone for days at a time.
Locking her door with a flick of her wand she headed into her nicely appointed kitchen and dug through the refrigerator pulling out a small dish her mother had sent over. Thank the gods Molly Weasley made sure her children ate correctly. Ginny set the dish on the counter and cast a warming spell on it. Normally she liked to use the oven, but tonight it just wasn't happening. While her dinner warmed up she went to her bedroom and got out of her scrubs tossing them expertly into the hamper where all her other scrubs were. Laundry was a definite on the list of things to do on her next day off, which coincidentally happened to be tomorrow. A nice couple of days off would do her good, maybe then she could actually manage to visit with her family for an extended length of time.
Or so she thought until she turned around and noticed a folded paper crane resting on her dresser. The paper creation fluttered its wings gently when she picked it up then proceeded to unfold itself in her hands. Inside it read:
Master Healer Ginevra Weasley
It is my pleasure to inform you that tomorrow begins your tutelage under Mr. Draco Malfoy as well as myself. While we unfortunately met under a situation of duress I hope that within the coming months you will learn to trust both Draco and me not just in terms of fashion but in terms of a possible friendship as well. We will meet you tomorrow morning at your apartment.
Sincerely, Blaise Zabini
P.S. - Please forgive any and all of Draco's outbursts. He can be a bit of an ass.
Ginny scoffed, "'A bit of an ass,' now that's the understatement of the year." Although she hated to admit it, Blaise was actually beginning to grow on her. He had a naturally occurring mischievous nature, much like that of Fred and George, who happened to be her two favorite brothers.
With a sigh she laid the letter back on her dresser where it immediately folded itself back into its crane form. Deciding she wouldn't think about the letter anymore she put on a pair of worn, holey, flannel pajama bottoms that used to belong to George and a black tank top. Well at least it used to be black it was now faded to a sort of blotched grey. They were some of the most comfortable clothing she owned.
She headed back into the kitchen to where her now piping hot meal was waiting for her, grabbed a fork and dug in. The taste of her mother's ground beef and mushroom pie was like coming home and for a moment Ginny wished that she could just go back home to stay. Then again that would mean living under her mother's –at times- overwhelming affection. She could almost say that Zabini and Malfoy were the safer bet.
Oh well, she thought, no more thinking about it tonight. After clearing away her dishes she went to her bathroom and took one of the many bottles of sleep potion stashed away there. Snuggling deep under her covers the last thought to cross her mind was, I wonder what they'll think of my pajamas.
((-))
Snippets of conversation cut through her potion induced sleep. She couldn't really understand exactly what was being said, but she could make out two male voices. It sounded like Fred and George. But…wait, Fred and George were in America overseeing the opening of their newest store. Then who was…?
Something landed on her face and she groggily pulled herself into a sitting position, removing whatever it was from where it had landed on her head. Confused, she looked down and noticed the dark green cashmere sweater Fleur's sister had given her for Christmas. A glance around her bed told her that someone had thrown her clothes all around it. Upon a very groggy closer inspection she realized all the clothes on her bed were the ones given to her by Danielle, Fleur's younger sister, and the rest of the women in her family. Every article was fashionable and something she hadn't even managed to wear yet.
That still begged the question…
"Well, it's about time you woke up," Blaise Zabini stated as he came to stand next to her bed glaring down at her.
The effects of the potions still slowing her down, she looked up and met his gaze struggling to think just why he would be in her bedroom.
A growl of frustration brought her attention to the closet where none other than Draco Malfoy was holding up a pair of her favorite blue jeans. His lips curled into a sneer and he wadded the jeans up and threw them out into the hall.
"What the-?"
Blaise sat down on the edge of her bed and pried one of her eyes all the way open looking at her intently. "What in the world is wrong with you, girl?" He asked as he repeated the process with the other eye.
She batted his hands away and rubbed her eyes mumbling, "Took a sleeping potion…still in system." Belatedly she realized that she'd need the other half of the potion to fully pull her out of the effects. She had taken a potion called "Sleeper Cell" that was given to patients who had trouble sleeping or had insomnia. It pulled the body into a state of rest despite an active mind or overactive muscles. In order to fully pull out of the effects of the potion the antidote had to be administered.
"In the bathroom on the counter…little green bottle…bring it here," Ginny managed to mumble out while tiredly rubbing her eyes. Sleep pulled at her and she wanted nothing more than to sleep off the effects until her body was sated enough with sleep. However, quick as a thought (at least so it seemed) Blaise was back with said green bottle in hand.
"Here," he said handing her the bottle, "drink up."
With a quick gulp Ginny downed the contents and immediately felt the fog she was in lift off of her. As it did, realization came to her.
"What the fuck are you doing digging in my closet Malfoy?" She demanded as Draco picked up a shirt made a face at it and tossed it out into the hall.
"Cleaning out this abomination you have the audacity to call a closet," He replied turning his icy gaze on her as he tossed yet another pair of pants out into the growing pile of clothing.
Throwing the covers back she hopped out of her bed and pointed an accusing finger at him, "And just who gave you permission to do so you miserable little ferret?!"
"That would be you, Weaslette!" He opened his mouth to continue but Blaise let out an undignified yelp.
With a shaking hand he pointed at Ginny, motioning up and down the length of her body. "W-w-what the bloody fucking hell are you wearing?!"
Confused Ginny looked down at herself picking at her clothing before looking back at Blaise with a smirk. "These, Zabini, are called pajamas. You know, you wear them to sleep in."
"Oh no, those most definitely are not pajamas. At least they're definitely nothing I'd consider sleepwear." Blaise flung a dramatic hand against his forehead and fell back against the bed, "Oh dear gods and goddesses above, what ever shall we do with this fashion-less wretch?"
Ginny sputtered in indignation, "Hey! I am not a fashion-less wretch! I'm just untaught." She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest glaring between Draco and Blaise. "I grew up with six brothers you morons. I have no idea how to pair fashions."
"Well, at least you admit it. That after all is the first step to recovery." Blaise mumbled as he picked up a beautiful beige cashmere sweater set off the bed. "Now where did this lovely thing come from? Surely you didn't purchase it yourself."
Ginny yanked the set out of Blaise's hands and carefully hung it back up on a nearby hanger. "This," she motioned to the set, "happened to be a gift from my sister-in-law, Fleur." She laid the item on her bed muttering, "Not that it's any of your business."
"Fleur," Draco questioned as he started in again on her closet. "You mean Fleur Delacour?"
"Well, she's Fleur Weasley now, but yes, that Fleur." Ginny replied.
Blaise admired the set again, "That woman has wonderful taste. You should have just gone to her with your fashion faux pas."
"Yes, well, she has a little bit more on her mind than helping out a fashion degenerate like myself. She does have three children to contend with and she and my brother are trying for a fourth. So I refuse to go to her for something as silly as style." Ginny replied making sure a heavy dose of snark was in her voice.
Draco looked at her aghast, "Oh gods above, you mean to tell me they're all breeding?"
Ginny threw a wayward shoe at him and was satisfied when the heavy boot made connection with his torso. With an "oomph" Draco fell flat on his ass. Ginny fell back against the bed and Blaise fell on top of her in their fit of laughter.
"That was not funny Weasley!" Draco growled as he rubbed his side where the shoe had hit him. He pointed a finger at Blaise, "You're supposed to be my best friend how dare you laugh at me!"
Blaise, trying to regain his composure, managed to sit up, "I'm laughing because she threw a shoe at you. You, the great Draco Malfoy, got hit by a shoe!" And with that he dissolved yet again into a fit of laughter.
Draco stood and winced as he turned the wrong way but resumed his task of digging through clothes. He and Blaise had already gone through quite a few before Ginny woke up, and so he was nearing the last few articles. Snatching out the next thing he could grab it took him a moment to realize just what he was seeing.
It was a dress, or at least so he thought. It was peach colored and strapless with a frill along the top that ran down the sides to the floor. The entire thing was a mess of chiffon in copious layers and a horrendous beaded flower attached to the hip.
It was by far one of the worst fashion disasters he had ever seen. And it didn't need to just go; it needed to be wiped off the face of the earth. Without a second glance to think about what anyone would think he took it in both hands and ripped. The flimsy material split easily under his hands and with the sound of ripping fabric the sweet feel of satisfaction coursed through him.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Ginny screamed as she bolted up off the bed.
Draco looked at her, plastering his best "I'm innocent" look on his face. "What? Do you have a problem with me ripping this up?" He motioned wildly to the dress, "What is this? Your dress deserves to be ripped. It's not even a dress! It shames the name of dresses!"
In a flash Ginny was in front of him. A resounding crack sounded throughout the room as Ginny slapped Draco with all the force she could put into a single hand. With her eyes glazed over in her fury she raised her head and looked him square in the eyes. "You are a sick son of a bitch, Malfoy." She said her voice barely more than a whisper. "There was a lot of sentimentality in the dress you just destroyed. You don't think. You just do whatever the fuck you want without taking other's feelings into consideration. You've fucked up my life enough by threatening my job because of my sense of fashion."
She grabbed a fist full of his expensive shirt and pulled him down to her level. "I tell you now that if you touch one more thing in that closet then damn my job. I will hex you until your insides are out and your outsides are in. No one will be able to recognize you. And trust me Malfoy, I'm a healer. Don't you dare, for one instant, think I don't know exactly how to do it."
She shoved him hard so that he stumbled back into her closet before stomping out of her room only to go down the hall to the bathroom. The silence was punctuated by the harsh slamming of the bathroom door as she locked herself inside.
Blaise put his head in his hands, "Brilliant, bloody brilliant mate. Things were actually going okay and then you had to go and fuck it all up. Again, just bloody brilliant."
Draco looked at the ripped up mess in his hands. "It's just a dress, damn it."
Blaise sighed, "You know to you it probably is just a dress, but to her it wasn't. Gods Draco, didn't you hear her say it had sentimental value. Do you even know what that means?"
"Of course I do you ass," Draco mumbled.
"Well good," Blaise stood and headed for the door. "So then you must understand just what that dress meant to her. So you had better fix it like it was and I'll try to go fix things with Ginevra."
Draco growled to himself as Blaise headed down the hall.
As Blaise made it to the bathroom he wondered just how stupid Draco really was. He'd known the other man since infancy and they'd grown up together. They knew every flaw and every dark secret about each other. But what Draco had just done was baffling even to Blaise.
With a sigh Blaise rapped his knuckles on the door, "Ginevra, are you alright?"
"Would you please just leave me alone?" Came the muffled reply.
Blaise leaned against the door, "Sorry, but I can't do that. It's not in my nature. Look, Ginevra I know you must be upset over what Draco did. And I'm not going to apologize for him, he's an ass sometimes and what he just did was a brilliant display of it. However, I will apologize for not stopping him. Honestly, I didn't even think he'd do something like that."
The door clicked open and Blaise barely had time to stand again before Ginny was standing there, arms crossed over her chest, "Ass in the understatement of the century, Blaise." Her tone told him she was pissed beyond belief. But here eyes weren't quite as full of fury as they had been. That at least was a good sign. "You know I don't even like that dress, but it was the dress Hermione got me when I passed my HEMEs. I wore it to the party my family threw for me. I know it's not pretty or very fashionable, but it's very sentimental to me."
He gave her a half smile, "You're right about the dress, but I do understand what it means to you. Look, I'm sorry about barging in and going through your closet. It wasn't right of us to do that and it was an invasion of your personal space."
One of Ginny's eyebrows lifted and her face softened a fraction. "You know none of my brothers has ever apologized for invading my personal space. It's sort of nice to have a man apologizing for once."
Blaise let out a chuckle, "Well, sweetheart if you hadn't already guessed I'm about as gay as a football bat, so I'm not so sure about the man part, but you're welcome none the less." He gave her a winning smile. "Now, come on back to the room with us and we'll go through the clothes. This time I'll handle it all and we'll make decisions on it together."
Ginny sighed, as mad as she was at Malfoy Blaise was actually trying to be nice. That at least was something she could admire. It didn't hurt that he could charm the pants off of any man or woman in the world. "Oh fine, but if Malfoy even dares to rip up another piece of my clothing I'll rip him to pieces."
"Yes, that threat was quite something, very creative."
Chuckling she took his hand, "Oh I was quite serious. The Reversement charm is one you have to learn in order to pass the HEMEs. I really do know how to turn him inside out."
Blaise shivered, "Then remind me to never ever get on your bad side."
"Oh don't worry," she said as they headed back to her room, "you don't have anything to worry about. Now Malfoy, on the other hand, he might just have to worry a little."
"Worry about what?" Draco asked as the two emerged back into her bedroom.
Ginny noticed that her dress was now fixed and hanging, on a hanger, on the knob of her dresser. She gave him the sweetest smile she could muster, "Oh nothing, Malfoy. You have nothing to worry about."
((Chapter 3 Fin))
"What? You have a problem with me ripping up this? What is this? Your dress deserves to be ripped! It's not even a dress! It shames the names of dresses!"
That entire portion of their little conversation can be attributed to my very dear friend Amanda, as well as the Golden Globes. We were commenting on the dresses of some of the stars and someone stepped on a starlette's very ugly dress, thus the aforementioned conversation. Again a very big thank you to Amanda, who without her help, this chapter wouldn't be half of what it is! She had so much more to do with this than just that little snippet. She gave me most of the ideas for the second half. Without you, my dear, I would be lost!
Please be awesome and leave those fabulous reviews you know we author's adore!
Ja'ne- Ami