Chapter Six

During practice they came to blows. Coach Rickman kept Draco back as he sent the rest of the team to the showers. "You got some personal problems with your brother?"

Draco spit out some blood and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "My brother is a little delicate, Coach."

"Well since you're the tough one, I want to see 5 laps around the pitch."

Exhausted, hungry, and dirty, Draco finally headed back to the locker room. After his shower, he realized he had left his shoes in his locker. As he approached, he could hear arguing. Thinking it might be related to the case, he crept closer. Through the grate in the lockers he could make out Ron, and it didn't take long to figure out who he was arguing with.

"Bill and Fleur invited everyone over for the baby's birthday on Thursday night. I said we'd go."

"Thursday? Ron, you know that's the night the equinox lines up. I've been waiting to document it for my book! I've been planning this for months."

"Like you'll never get another chance. This is my family we're talking about."

"For your information, this only happens every 356 years, but that's beside the point. I come to EVERY game, and I don't even like quidditch. I'd like the same support from you for my research."

"Psh, your research? That's all you ever think about, ever talk about! I thought when we got married after Hogwarts you'd drop all this studying!"

"Are you kidding me? This is who I am! I thought you knew, thought you liked that about me!"

"Well sure I do 'Mione. It's just when you grow up and get married there's other things, better things."

"Like what?"

"Well... err... I don't know, family."

The silence was deafening.

Her voice was low and shaky, "I can't believe you just threw that in my face. You SWORE when we found out you wouldn't hold it against me."

"Oh come off it Hermione. You can't use that against me every time we fight about family. YOU KNOW I wanted a lot of kids and I KNOW what Bellatrix did ruined you-"

"Stop it!" She stepped into view and Draco's heart broke. Tears splashed down her face and her voice cracked as she shouted, "I'm sorry I can't give you the big family you always wanted! But I will not take this anymore! Tell your family I won't be coming!" She fled.

Draco hadn't heard a fight like that since his father went to Azkaban.

"Keep your voice down Lucius, Draco will hear!"

"Quit that crying Narcissa! You know your tears don't work on me. I don't care if he does! Its not as if he's every worked a day in his life! It's about time he came to recognize his own hand in what's happening to our family!"

"Please Lucius! He's just a boy. It was foolish of us to expect he could handle such a responsibility."

"He could have done it! Bellatrix, Fenrir, EVERYONE saw him with his wand pointed at an unarmed Dumbledore. Two words and our family honor would still be intact."

"You know it's more than the words. I remember when you first had to use that curse-"

"This was different! He knew how much was riding on him."

"Exactly! Exactly! He would never have had to bear that burden if you hadn't bumbled with the prophecy..."

Ron slammed a locker, bringing Draco out of his memories. Suddenly he was angry. "Well done Weasel," he stepped into the light, slowly clapping his hands. "And here I was thinking she'd lost it when she married you. But I see she's the same old Granger."

"Dammit!" Ron slammed the locker again. "She's a Weasley now!"

Dripping with his signature sarcasm Draco said, "OF COURSE she is. Although, she still sounds like Granger. A little depressed maybe... Anyways, from the sound of it, she won't be a Weasley for long." Angry again, he stepped into Ron's face. "Didn't your mother ever teach you..." But it was pointless. Draco knew it. Why would Ron Weasley ever listen to a word he said? Even if it was the truth? "You know what? Forget it. Five years ago I would have said you were worse off for marrying someone with her blood. Now I know she's the one stuck in the mud."

Ron stepped toward him, visibly shaking with fury. "Sod off Malfoy." He might have looked dangerous if it wasn't for the heartbroken look on his face. "You don't know anything about my family. Stay out of my business or I'll out you to Rickman. I don't care if it does blow Harry's cover."