Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the fabulous world of Harry Potter
Chapter 6: First Meeting
Ginny Weasley was awoken on Saturday morning by a sharp tap-tap-tap on her bedroom window of a post owl. She groaned and rolled over to look at her evil little alarm clock. It was 8:30 in the morning. What an ungodly hour to be up at on a Saturday morning.
She rolled out of bed, pausing to readjust her black tank top and pink pajama shorts, and walked over to the window to let in a large black eagle owl with a small scroll tied to his leg with soft leather thongs.
"Who could this be from?" she wondered aloud.
The owl hooted and pecked softly at her arm to get her attention. "Oh sorry." She said to the bird and grabbed an owl treat from a small box she kept on her window seal for occasions such as these. "Here you go." She handed the bird a treat and expected him to fly away but when he didn't she was puzzled.
"What do you want now?" she asked him and he simply nudged the note in her hand which she had yet to open and hooted at her once again. "Ok! Ok! Let me read it."
She picked up the small scroll and examined it noting a beautiful seal in green wax. Such an intricate seal could only belong to a pureblood family. Three guesses who this is from she thought to herself.
She carefully broke the seal and unrolled the parchment. It read:
My Dearest Ginny,
I would be much obliged if you would be willing to come to the manor tomorrow evening for dinner to meet the rest of my family and, unfortunately for you, your betrothed. Dinner is served promptly at 7:00 so if the evening works for you if you could arrive at 5:00 so we can make an effort to finish the business portion of the evening before dinner is served. Please reply with your answer.
Sincerely,
Abraxas Malfoy
Ginny sighed. She really wasn't ready for all this; I had only been two days after all. Yes she had agreed to the arrangement but that didn't mean she necessarily wanted to have anything to do with Draco as of yet. Plus going tonight would make everything legal and then she wouldn't be able to back out of it. She doubted that she would but having the option made her feel better.
Unfortunately she didn't have a good excuse ready to get out of the engagement and so she simply pulled out a piece of parchment and scribbled a quick reply.
Abraxas,
It would be my pleasure to join you and your family for dinner this evening. I will be there at five as you requested. See you this evening.
Sincerely,
Ginny Weasley
Ginny quickly read over her response. It sounded a bit strained to her but it would have to do the owl was waiting and so was Abraxas. She rolled up the parchment and tied it with a red ribbon and secured it to the thongs. With one last pat from Ginny the owl was off.
Dinner at the Malfoys, wow. She needed Hallie and they needed to go shopping.
Draco woke up early on Saturday morning. Rolled out of bed and walked out onto the balcony of his room. It was a beautiful morning, cool and crisp, exactly what an early autumn morning should feel like.
"Lilith." He called out. And within a second there was a tiny house elf standing before him in a tiny yellow dress.
Lilith was Draco's personal house elf and had been since he turned thirteen. She was quite possibly the tiniest house elf that he had ever seen standing barely two feet tall. She was tenacious and was the only house elf that would stand up to Draco and all his crap which was the reason he had asked her to be his personal elf. Over the years he felt as if he had gone from respecting the obstinate little elf to actually loving her. He showed her his love by giving her fabric and patterns so she could make her own clothes, a slight loop hole in house elf slavery law. She, for her part, adored him as much as he did her, doing whatever he wanted unless she thought he was being an idiot.
"Yes Little Dragon, what can I be doing for you?" That was another thing about the elf; she never referred to him as master but by her own pet name for him.
"Could you please bring me a cup of coffee?"
"Of course." She said and then there was a pop as she disappeared.
Draco crossed the balcony to sit on the thick stone railing. He stretched out his arms trying to shake the last of the latent sleep from his body.
Another pop alerted him to the return of his favorite being in the Manor.
"Draco!" his full name that meant he was in trouble. "Get down off that railing before you is falling and breaking your neck!" Lilith yelled at him, her button nose turning bright red with the force of her anger.
"Ok! Ok! Lily I'll get down. I was just perching." Draco hopped down from the ledge and walked back to the door where his elf was standing. "Better?"
"Yes, you was going to fall to your death and then Lilith was going to be losing her Little Dragon! And you needs to be going to put on some clothes. It is being too cold out here for just what you is wearing."
Now that she mentioned it he was a bit chilled. After all he was wearing nothing but the black pajama pants he had worn to bed and with the crisp morning air he discovered his whole body was cover in little goose bumps that made him shiver. But it just felt too good to be going inside. He took the cup of coffee that Lilith shoved at him, obviously still annoyed with his behavior. "Hey," He said to her after taking a sip of his coffee. "I think I am going to go flying."
"Oh no!" Lilith said in her best scolding voice. "When you goes flying you gets hurt. You is just getting back from St. Mungo's and I is not letting you go again because you likes to be stupid."
Draco laughed at the tiny little creature. She had one hand on her hip and the other with a finger pointed at him to scold. She was so cute but that didn't mean he would make the mistake of crossing her. That little elf was a force to be reckoned with. When Lilith wanted something she got her way, especially when it came to Draco. He was going to have to weasel his way out of this and convince her that he wouldn't do anything stupid.
"Come on Lily, I swear I'll be good. Just flying; no tricks or stunts or injuring myself accidentally or on purpose, promise!" he pleaded with her.
She looked him over, probably trying to decide if he was telling the truth. They both knew that he had put himself in the hospital on more than one occasion for various reasons and she didn't want it to happen again. When she sighed in defeat Draco knew he had won. "Fine Drae can be going flying but he better not be having one single scratch on himself when he is coming back."
His face broke out into a genuine smile. "Thank you love!" he bent down and kissed his elf on her tiny cheek.
"Yes, yes, now you needs to be going and putting some clothes on!"
Draco nodded solemnly and then headed straight to his wardrobe to grab his Quidditch robes.
"Oh Drae, Lilith is almost forgetting. Master Abraxas is asking her to tell you that you needs to be coming to see him early this afternoon. He is needing to talk to you about tonight."
"Do I have to?"
"Yes."
Ginny and Hallie had been wandering around Glad Rags for over an hour. Ginny must have tried on at least thirty different outfits and none of them seemed to be what she was looking for.
"Oh Hal I give up!" Ginny collapsed onto the floor of the dressing room. She was wearing a midnight blue ball gown that when she was standing up had a form fitting bodice and a flowing skirt. Now that she was on the floor though the dress was now hiked up around her thighs in a most unladylike way.
"No! Gin we are going to find the perfect outfit we just haven't yet. I must say though I do think that the gown is a little bit overkill for family dinner."
Ginny looked as if she could kill her best friend. "Overkill? You think this is overkill? I said that when you picked it up!"
"Breathe love. Come on let's get you out of that and then we will go try one more time." She offered her friend a hand and pulled her to her feet. "Turn." She ordered.
Ginny spun around to be released from the evil contraption.
Hallie hung up the gown while Ginny slipped back into her comfortable worn jeans and Holly head Harpies tee shirt. "Round three." She said as they stepped outside the dressing room.
"Ok let's go over our list of criteria again."
"It needs to be fabulous, it needs to make my body look amazing so Draco can drool all night but also it can't be too risqué because I don't want to upset the rest of the family and loose the job."
"And I think that we need to look for semi formal. What about a pair of nice, well tailored dress pants and a nice top? Maybe with a vest? You always look hot in that."
Ginny nodded in agreement. "I think that is sounding like a great idea. Lead the way Yoda."
Hallie let out a clear bell like laugh. "Yay! Pureblood British witch makes a muggle Americana reference! I am corrupting the wizarding world one witch at a time!"
"Come on you bint! I need to find this outfit."
Draco circled about fifty metres above the manor. He had been flying all around the expansive Malfoy grounds for several hours and now he was contemplating his options as to what he should do next.
Normal people in his situation would land their broom, apperate upstairs to change and then go back down and rationally talk to their grandfather but Draco was far from normal and besides that he was pissed off with his grandfather and this stupid plan he had devised. He also had the option of flying through the house up to his grandfather's door and then hopping off and walking in. that still wasn't right; that wouldn't piss off Abraxas only the Lilith and his mother neither of whom he wanted to cross.
No he felt that the best option was to blast open the window and fly directly into Abraxas's office. Yes that sounded perfect. That would only affect Abraxas.
Draco took out his wand and blew open his grandfather's office window and put his broom into a nose dive. He pulled out of it at the last second and gave the broom a burst of speed to rocket himself through the window. He pulled his broom to a stop and hopped off.
"Good afternoon grandfather."
Abraxas, who had been watching the entire stunt from his desk chair, gave him an amused smirk. "Good afternoon Draco, so nice of you to actually join me."
"You asked and I obeyed, are you surprised?" Draco leaned his broom against the window and sat down in one of the chairs opposite his grandfather.
"In a word? Yes."
Draco laughed out loud and Abraxas smirked in amusement.
"What can I do for you grandfather?"
"You can go get yourself cleaned up and ready yourself to meet your bride."
"What? Already?" Draco was mortified he had barely had enough time to process the idea of getting married, to her, and now she was on her way here. "Is there any way I can get out of this? If I promise to be good? Become an upstanding Malfoy? Anything?"
"I'm sorry but I have made up my mind. You have really gone too far with your stunts. Look at what you just pulled. We have to find a way to publicly fix your image and I truly believe that this girl is the best way. Wait till you meet her…"
"Save the speech," Draco interrupted. "I don't care who she is. What time will she be here?"
"Five o'clock to do business and she is staying for family dinner, both of which you will be expected to attend."
"Fine, I'm going to go get ready."
"Good."
Draco stood and exited the room. He needed a long hot shower. Despite his hours of flying he now felt extremely tense.
"Let me check you over." Hallie said to Ginny as she walked into her friend's room.
Hallie had spent the last two hours carefully doing Ginny's hair and makeup the muggle way so that it was all perfect. Makeup and hair spells just didn't have the same effect as plain old makeup, although longevity spells on hair were a gift from the gods.
Hallie had decided to go with a very natural look for Ginny because of all the color that was on her face already: a little powder to hide some of the freckles that were dusted across her nose and cheeks, some brown eyeliner and mascara to bring out the chocolate color of her eyes and a shiny pink gloss on her lips.
For her hair Hallie had worked with the copper colored curls to make them cascade perfectly into a frame for Ginny's face and then she quickly magiced it into place so it wouldn't lose the shape.
"I'm not going." Ginny said as Hallie entered the room. She was standing in her room dressed only in a bra and her pants on but not buttoned.
"Yes you are. I didn't spend three hours shopping and two hours fixing you up so you could chicken out right before you leave. Now get dressed."
Ginny sighed but continued to put on her clothes as instructed. The outfit was the one they had bought that afternoon. It consisted of a pair of black pinstriped pants that were perfectly tailored to Ginny and made her butt look fantastic, a loose royal purple shirt with a low v-neck and cap sleeves that got tight and cinched at the waist, and a short half vest that matched the pants. She had tried it on at the store and both Hallie and Ginny unanimously agreed that the outfit was perfect.
The outfit was completed with a pair of short black boots, some silver bangles, and little silver hoops.
"Ok what do you think?" Ginny asked spinning around so Hallie could get the full effect.
"Fabulous! You look perfect. Draco is going to drool over you for sure."
"Good." Ginny smirked in a way that any former Hogwarts student would have called very Slytherin like but since Hallie didn't it was never said.
Ginny took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She was standing in front of a massive wood door her hand raised to knock. She felt as if she had been here before: standing in front of a door trying to decide whether or not to willingly interact with Draco Malfoy. And just like the last time even though her head told her to turn and run, she knew she wouldn't and so she knocked.
The door slowly opened and Ginny looked down to see a little house elf. "Hello Miss, how can I be helpings you this evening?"
What a strange little elf. No fear, no shaking, just a strange curiosity that she had never seen in a house elf.
"Hello, my name is Ginevra Weasley. I believe I am expected by Mr. Malfoy."
"Which one?" the bizarre elf looked at her like he was testing her; his eyes slightly narrowed and his long ears drawn backward.
It was too cute! Ginny couldn't help but to smile. "I'm sorry I should have been more specific. I am here to see Mr. Abraxas Malfoy."
"Yes Miss, you is expected. Follow me please." The elf opened the door wider so Ginny could pass through and then lead her through the most beautiful foyer she had ever seen.
The high ceiling was decorated with a moving sky that reflected a beautiful sunny day, much like that of the Great Hall at Hogwarts except here the magnificent wood arches that supported the ceiling were gilded in gold. Ginny was forced to pause and stare up in wonder.
"What is it with women and that bloody ceiling?" a deep rich voice cut through the air breaking Ginny's trance.
Ginny lowered he eyes and was greeted by the cold grey eyes of Draco Malfoy. "It's pretty. Why? Are your dates more interested in it than you?"
"I don't know Weasel, you tell me. Is it more interesting than the things I can do?" he asked arching one perfect blond eyebrow at her, smirk plastered in place.
She gave him a sickly sweet smile and answered without missing a beat. "Without a doubt."
Malfoy scowled at her and was about to retort when Abraxas entered the room. "Ah, Ginny, right on time."
"Of course sir." Ginny said focusing all her attention on him and now completely ignoring Draco.
"How lovely it is to see you again." He said as he approached her and offered her his arm. "Draco I would like to introduce you to Ms. Ginny Weasley."
"No introduction necessary Grandfather, the little Weaselette and I are already well acquainted. So how have you been Weasel?"
Abraxas reached over and wacked his grandson in the back of the head.
"What the fuck was that for?" Draco grimaced and rubbed the back of his head while Ginny looked amused.
"That was for calling the lady a rude name. I know your mother raised you better than that."
"Thank you Abraxas," Ginny said laying a hand on his arm. "But we went to school together for years; I am well versed in the Ferret's petty attempts at insulting me and my family."
"The what my dear?"
"No!" Draco burst out in a very un-Malfoy like way.
Ginny turned to him with a positively maniacal grin on her face. "Are you telling me, sir, that you have never heard the story of your grandson's amazing reign as Hogwarts' one and only the Great Bouncing Ferret?"
Abraxas laughed out loud. "No I can't say that I have. Would you be so kind as to inform me of what I have missed?"
"She wouldn't dare." Draco hissed. He narrowed his eyes and scowled at Ginny in a clearly malicious way.
"It would be my pleasure." Ginny replied looking directly at Draco in an obvious challenge.
Hey,
Ok here is chapter six. You all know the drill…comment please!!!!!! I hope everyone was pleased with the turn around on this chapter. It didn't take too long right?
Thanks to everyone who reviewed chapter 5. You all had some great comments and suggestions and you just made me laugh!!!
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