Author's Note: I thought switching perspective was in order again, so here we are inside the mind(s?) of one of the twins: Fred. This was a lot more difficult to write than anticipated, Draco wanted to take over a lot (you can sort of tell in places). But I sent him to the corner and he behaved. Mostly. (He snuck in at the end.) There's a little rehash in the beginning, but it is from Fred's side of things, so a new perspective on it all (a little anyway). I hope I did Fred justice, he is more "mellow" I suppose?

This is also a branch off to something my friend Blue Rose (spittingllama7856) mentioned in her story, We Have Cookies (Ch. 3 of her Silver Fireworks collection). Feel free to go read it! My own collection interweaves with her stories as well, but most can be read as stand alone pieces.

Sorry for the premature upload! I have no idea what I was doing, and uploaded my draft version. Here is the polished version!

Thank you for being so patient with me while I trudge through my real life things.

Enjoy!

Rated: T

Genre: Humor, Family

Summary: Fred thought it would be a great idea to take Draco to the Burrow to meet his mum. Innocent and harmless, right?

Warning: Mentions of 2nd hand observations of anxiety.

13th of March, 2010

Fred was surprised Draco had agreed to come with him to his childhood home—leaving Scorpius behind with George back at home—on a whim with little thought behind the suggestion. The blond hadn't had a day off since he had first stepped through their shop's door, little Scorpius in tow, all but asking for work over a year ago. The twins hadn't asked what happened in the pureblood's life that lead him to their doorstep, and they still never bothered to inquire about it.

It seemed like the papers were right about Draco and Astoria's unpleasant fallout, but the twins knew the information wasn't all true. With The Daily Prophets sketchy history, it was a surprise anyone still read it to this day.

It didn't really matter, it wasn't any of their business, anyway. They took them in for the kid's sake, gave Draco a job and the spare room in their flat, and they had yet to let go of the family of two since. If Draco wanted them to know, he would tell them in his own time.

What they both knew was that Draco desperately needed a break. Working every waking hour while rearing a four-year-old took its toll on the single father who insisted on doing everything on his own. Fred knew the Burrow wasn't the first place Draco would've picked—it most likely wasn't on his top one hundred list, or even on his radar at all—but he and George had an agenda: have their mum meet Draco.

The twins had no idea how Draco's employment and residence with them hadn't been noticed by their family. It wasn't like they were purposely hiding either of them from anyone, it just wasn't something they made a big fuss over when they hired him. Some very well placed coincidences kept the blond in the back of the store whenever a family member came bursting in with their kin to notice him behind the counter.

They weren't even sure how the public rumors didn't make it back to their parents. Surely the hearsay of Diagon Alley hadn't learned to mind their business so soon? Regardless, they didn't really care if anyone found out or not. The twins were showing a kindness, offering a place for a kid and his dad to stay, giving Draco a job to help get them back on their feet—that is what should really matter.

The two apparated out in a field not far from the rickety gate and broken down fence that lined the Burrow's property and ward lines. Fred had immediately started for the house, allowing the familiarity to guide him. It took him a moment to realize that Draco wasn't following, so he stopped to look back at him.

"Coming, mate?"

Draco was taking in the scenery, Fred noted. The passive facade he managed to hold as he scanned the unkept property multiple times was rather amusing. He could see the concentration it took to not crack such a finely tuned mask and reveal what he was really thinking. Fred glanced around him briefly, looking over the worn out shed perched on the back side of the property, his mother's garden that was always overgrown with vegetables on one side, the chickens that pecked and scratched the dirt near their coop on the other, and of course the Burrow itself stood front and center in all its crooked and quirky-shaped glory.

He knew it wasn't much to look at, but it was still home.

"I think I've changed my mind," Draco finally answered, scrutinizing the structure that towered behind Fred.

Fred looked back at him and saw that Draco now seemed very out of place there. The preened appearance of the blond still held that faint echo of his origins; his stature, squared shoulders, and not a single hair out of place reflected countless years of exposure and grooming from a wealth Fred would never know himself. Some habits never truly die. Draco was definitely going to be the white elephant in the room, but they had to start somewhere.

Approaching Draco, Fred casually placed a hand on his shoulder, ignoring the faint tension he felt from it. "It'll be fine. My mum should be the only one around at this hour, and I'd hate to leave ya standing out here while I go and enjoy a nice big ham sandwich on home-baked bread."

The chuckle that followed didn't seem to ease Draco's mind. He was overanalyzing again, based on his ever-shifting gaze. This was what Fred needed to avoid. This restless pattern of Draco's when he was in situations he'd rather not be in was one he and his brother had picked up on the moment they hired him. It caused bouts of anxiety and uncertainty, but he needed to know that it was going to be okay.

Bringing Draco to the Burrow was supposed to be a little getaway for him. Not only for a change of scenery, but someplace that felt a little homey where he could hopefully relax. Fred was certain no one was home besides his mother, so running into anyone else was slim. Though Molly always had an open door policy, so anyone could show up at any given time, Fred realized. He was willing to risk it anyway. It would do Draco some good to have a bit of a social interaction outside of the shop.

An idea crept into Fred's mind then.

"I'll flip you for it."

This puzzled the blond enough to have him direct his attention over to Fred. 'Good,' he thought, 'keep him distracted.'

"What?"

Fred pulled a galleon from his pocket. "I'll flip you for it. I win, we go in. You win, we can go somewhere else for lunch, if you like."

"Are you being serious?" Draco scoffed and rolled his eyes at the silly game of chance Fred offered.

He noticed that the blond was eying the pristine galleon he held out between them. He wouldn't know just by looking at it, but it was one that Draco had used to buy Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder with so many years ago.

A couple of long seconds ticked by before Draco nodded in agreement.

"Call it." Fred flipped it high in the air between them.

Draco caught it as it descended and looked into his brown eyes. The flutter Fred felt in his chest was intoxicating as he grew lost in the silver-grey pools watching him.

"Tails," Draco said before opening his hand to reveal the answer.

Fred gave a smirk as he took the coin from Draco's hand, having it linger a split second longer than he needed to. "Onwards it is, then."

"I just want you to know if I don't make it back… you made me come here," Draco hissed, hesitantly following the redhead inside.

Fred just gave him one of those famous cryptic smiles.

The two entered the Burrow into the sitting room where their senses were immediately welcomed with the sweet smell of freshly baked bread.

"Honey bread. Amazing stuff, that is," Fred said, smirking.

Draco took in a deep breath and Fred knew it was a method to help keep calm. The smell of bread will certainly help that.

"Allow me to break the ice, eh?"

Fred proceeded into the kitchen where he knew his mother would be, leaving Draco behind to gather his bearings.

"Hey Mum," he greeted as Molly turned around to face him from the oven.

"Ah. Fred! This is a surprise," she said, embracing her son. "Slow day at the store? Would you like some lunch, or are you just dropping by to pick up something?"

Based on the way Molly's expression changed when she looked behind Fred, he knew she had immediately spotted Draco idling by the entrance.

"Lunch sounds fantastic," he replied before giving a light shake of his head. "But I wanted to introduce you to our new employee for the shop, actually."

He grabbed her arm and gently turned her away from the kitchen's entrance so she'd quit gaping with shock from seeing a Malfoy in her house.

"Please be nice to him. He… means a lot to us."

Slight realization dawned on his mother at the half-whispered explanation, and she gave him a slow nod in understanding.

Fred turned and gestured for Draco to come in. Draco stalled for a moment before stiffly approaching, looking directly at Molly as he stopped right beside Fred and held out his right hand to the matriarch.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Weasley."

His voice was so crisp and unshaken despite how nervous Fred knew he was. Fred found the skill admirable, even if it was also one of Draco's faults at times.

"A lie is a very poor way to say hello," Molly responded without thinking.

"Mum," Fred said, tone borderlining a scold.

A second ticked by before she accepted Draco's hand, placing her other hand on top of it. She gave a stiff, but warm smile. "I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me. Never in my many years did I expect to see you in my kitchen, but it does not excuse my rudeness. It's nice to officially meet you too, Draco."

Draco cleared his throat and tucked his hands into his pockets once his hand was released. "I understand. We share the same thought on that, at least."

Fred offered Draco a coy smile when he half-glared at him. Molly went back to busying herself with the oven where a lovely fragrance emitted from.

"I purposely brought you here on her breadmaking day," Fred explained as the pair watched her remove the honey-bread from the oven. "Sandwiches made from fresh bread is to die for."

He glanced at Draco who seemed perplexed by the idea. Fred wondered if he ever had a proper sandwich before that wasn't bite-sized.

Molly placed the bread on the counter before moving to the stove to stir something in a cooking pot and gave it a taste. Fred helped himself to a breadknife and a cooled loaf, placing it on a clean cutting board nearby. He then expertly started cutting even slices of it without hardly looking.

"Smells great, Mum. Supper?"

"Mmmhmm," she said, taking the towel tucked in her apron to dab at her face. "Stew in bread bowls."

Fred had sandwich fixings flying over his head from the icebox, grabbing at the cheese and meat that hovered around when he was ready for them, and then had them promptly sent right back to where they were. He occasionally looked over at Draco, who decided to make himself comfortable in one of the mismatched worn-in chairs at the table. Based on his strange expression, this was the first time he's witnessed people making food from scratch.

Molly and Fred soon took a seat. Fred slid into the chair beside Draco and sat the plates down in front of them. "Hope you brought your appetite."

Molly struck up conversation first, asking about the shop and how everything involving it went. Draco remained quiet for most of it, occasionally answering a couple questions with short answers while he wrapped his head around the idea that he had to use his hands to hold the sandwich. Fred was receiving mixed signals, he couldn't tell if Draco was simply being polite with his answers or if they were genuine. This was an obstacle both twins knew would be hard to cross. Was Draco truly comfortable living there and working for them? He was a difficult one to read, and it made it even more difficult to decipher when they hit a nerve with him at times.

"Thank you for making me lunch, dear," Molly said, gathering the plates as she stood. "I do quite appreciate it."

Fred cringed at the statement, looking to Draco with a silent gesture to motion that it was time to go. The signal was lost on the blond with a quirk of a confused brow.

"You know, since you're here, Fred. Would you do your dear old mother a generous favor?" Molly asked, turning from the sink to look back at Fred.

He immediately forced a smile, hoping it was something as mundane as cleaning up the kitchen. "Sure, Mum. What is it?"

"Well, I haven't had the chance to weed the garden lately, and now of course it's overrun with gnomes. I need to get out there and make a harvest soon, but I know those pesky things are going to be in the way and try to steal the crops if I try to do it now," Molly huffed out, turning to look out the window to her garden.

Fred flinched, and he could see from the corner of his eye that Draco looked quite confused and uncomfortable about the casual request.

"She is asking you to work?" Draco whispered.

Fred shrugged and got to his feet, making sure the sigh was heard. "Mum, I have a guest over. I'll be happy to come back over the weekend and bring George to help then."

"Oh, nonsense, it won't take that long, Fred," Molly countered, swatting the towel at him. "Besides, I wouldn't make George get on his hands and knees with his ver—" she paused, searching for the word, "—imbalance condition, you know that!"

Draco gently cleared his throat, having the two redheads look his way. The look in his eye when he glanced at Fred was cryptic before he focused on Molly. "Where is the washroom, Mrs. Weasley?"

"It's just up the first flight of stairs, first door on the left, Draco," she offered with a kind smile.

He nodded his dismissal and went to retreat when a light hand rested on his arm. Fred saw that brief wave of stiffness across his shoulders before it relaxed. "Please call me Molly, dear."

"Thank you, Molly," Draco said.

Fred watched him carefully head up the stairs, his own mind racing as to what Draco was thinking right now. Molly turned back to her son. "There's gloves on the porch. I'll fix you some squash juice while you're out."

Fred groaned and rolled his eyes, heading for the kitchen door. "You're not making Draco come out and help, are you?"

His mum scoffed. "Oh, Merlin no. I'm not that rude of a host."

"Please be nice, Mum. He… he doesn't know anything yet—about how we feel," Fred pleaded as he was being shoved out the door.

"Relax, son. This isn't my first walk around the park. I'm far too busy to make deep conversation, anyway," Molly promised, ushering him out. "Now those gnomes and weeds aren't going to be plucked themselves. I do appreciate it, dear."

Fred was feeling as nervous as Draco appeared once the door was securely shut. Grumbling, he grabbed the gloves and examined the garden. The dang thing was nearly spotless aside from a few stray weeds here and there, and there was no signs of gnomes or their nests anywhere.

This was not a part of the plan. That was already fulfilled: Introduce Draco to Molly. It was a success. Now their mother had her own agenda, and this was something Fred and George failed to anticipate.

Casting a few charms to quiet his movements, Fred crept around the corner and knelt under the kitchen window that his mother left wide open. He pulled an extendable ear from his pocket and, with great risk of getting caught, reached up and stuck it on the frame of the window where it camouflaged into the wood grain.

Fred listened to every sound the contraption picked up. Footsteps descended from the stairway. A wooden spoon scraped the edges of a pot, making its contents slosh around. Foot falls tapped against the creaky floorboards, and seconds later the sounds of fruit being expertly squeezed in the juicer was heard.

"Do you like squash juice?" his mom asked. Another piece of fruit was squeezed dry.

"Uh, I don't really know?"

It was easier to hear the tension in his voice than to see it on his person, Fred realized.

"Well, it's never too late to try new things."

More fruits were squished and Fred could smell their sweet smells in the air mixed with the bread and stew. "I do apologize for being so rude earlier. It's been a long time since the twins brought anyone home is all. They were quite taken with Lee, and I know he played a large part in helping build and running their shop all those years ago. Angelina was a lovely girl—"

'No time for deep conversation my arse,' Fred thought. Some things will never fully heal, and losing Lee was just as devastating as when he thought George had died—twice.

When the wall blew up on George and Percy, Fred was with Lee fending off a pair of Snatchers somewhere else. One cast a nasty curse, and Lee shoved Fred out of the way, connecting with him instead. He questioned the act of foolish bravery up until recently when a moment of clarity had Fred realize that Lee lost his wand seconds beforehand from a disarming spell, rendering a blocking spell useless as a solution.

Angelina moved on to bigger and better things. She seemed quite happy with her life while she traveled with the Holyhead Harpies. They still kept in touch, and she always sent them postcards from her international travels, but she was nothing more than a great best friend to them after their sixth year.

Draco had remained quiet through the information dump his mother rambled through. Mostly about how much she despised the twins' store until finally coming to terms with their career path, like how she had to do with Bill and Charlie and their passions in life. Percy was the only one she managed to railroad into working at the ministry, but he didn't put up much of a fight about it like his brothers did, either.

"I heard that you have a son?"

Fred rolled his eyes. He had wondered when she was going to hedge on the papers smear articles about Draco and Astoria.

"Yes. His name is Scorpius, and is about four and a half years old now."

He sounded a tad more relaxed talking about Scorpius, but that didn't put Fred at ease. He wondered if he should interfere.

"Oh, a winter child. Got to watch out for them more, it seems. But it is still a lovely age. They're so inquisitive about everything around them. Of course my lot were quite fearless at that age, and a couple of the grandkids are now, too," his mum said with a chuckle. "We should arrange a playdate with him and the rest of the kids soon. I'm sure they'll love to interact with someone aside from another cousin."

"I'm sure Scorpius would like that," Draco politely said. Fred could only imagine what was going through his head about the request, though.

The talk revolved around Draco more as his mum prodded in order to get to know him better. Of course the common ground was found once Scorpius was mentioned. Molly could never resist talking about her grandchildren with anyone whose unlucky enough to be caught up in the conversation.

"You're a businessman, yes?" she prompted. "The Prophet mentioned that you were working with the Department of Business Regulations?"

"In a way, I suppose," Draco said with hesitation. "I wasn't handling anything directly involved with the department. I worked behind a desk, doing whatever I was asked."

A slight scoff was heard to dismiss the raw honesty Draco had just dropped. Even Fred didn't know what he did before coming to them, so hearing him talk about it freely to his mother was shocking.

"I'm sure you do well with all that regardless. You'll help my boys do great things with their business now that you're taking care of them. They've talked about expanding for ages now, maybe they will finally get on with it."

"It's a possibility."

"Will you be staying for supper?"

"I am not sure—"

"Ah, well, there's always a spot at the table. I actually need to tend to the chickens, would you mind…"

Fred stopped listening at that point; instead he wanted to bury his face in the dirt at his feet from the lack of his mother's subtly. Hearing someone head for the front door, he shifted over so he could stand, brushed his legs off, and moved over to the garden. Better get it done and over with so he could bail Draco out before his mother had him dusting the rafters or something. Fred pulled up the few weeds in the carrot garden he could find and made a second survey over the fence line to make sure there were no gnomes lurking around before heading inside to clean up.

Draco wasn't anywhere to be found, and neither was his mother. Maybe she was giving him a house tour.

Fred brushed the thought aside, he'd look for them after he cleaned up and rummaged through his old room for some misplaced blueprints they needed back at the shop.

Draco descended the rickety stairs for the second time during his unexpected visit at the Burrow to a quiet ground floor. He had reluctantly helped Molly gather some eggs after she was finished with her juice-making, and he was now with her, making her daily rounds out on the property to feed the hens and goat. He took the opportunity to excuse himself back to the house to drop off the eggs and wash up again.

Animals were quite filthy, and he all but bathed in the small sink in an attempt to get the dirt off.

What he wasn't expecting was being in an unfamiliar house alone. Draco went to the kitchen and glanced out at the garden to see if Fred was there only to find a pristine garden with no one tending to it. He considered apparating out, but knew it would be quite inappropriate at this point if he did without saying goodbye. Some invisible force kept him from doing it when he first arrived earlier, and it seemed to be doing its work again now. Whatever the case, Draco was at his limit, and he needed to leave soon. Staying in a house that raised a large family was bound to be bad news for him if he overstayed his welcome and someone showed up. He was starting to miss Scorpius, anyway.

He heard a racket from upstairs, pulling him from his thoughts. It was a sound of someone recklessly taking the stairs two at a time, and Draco figured that it was Fred until—

"Mum! Did James leave his quidditch jersey here because—"

Draco stood frozen near the edge of the stairs, staring into the shocked and surprised face of Ginny Potter. Thankfully the intense awkwardness didn't last for more than a couple long seconds—not quite enough time for a hex to be set off at least. The interruption of a light snap Draco learned to recognize as Fred apparating broke the silence.

"Thank Merlin you found him for me, sis. I thought I lost him for good this time."

Fred approached Draco's side, pulling his attention away from Ginny for a moment when his shoulder was gently squeezed. He didn't know what to make of the statement or gesture.

Ginny quirked a brow, silently asking her brother why Draco was there.

"I thought maybe Mum would've liked to properly meet our new employee for the store. Nothing special," Fred explained. "But we were just leaving, actually. Business can't run itself."

"I see," Ginny said slowly. "Fairly new and interesting choice, hmm?"

Fred just shrugged.

Draco felt her intense gaze on him again, but he put on his best mask and attempted a half smile.

"Evening, Mrs. Potter. I'd say it's surprising to see you here but…"

"Wish I could say the same for you," she said.

Fred cleared his throat while gesturing for the door. "It's getting late, we better be getting back—"

A lot suddenly happened in a handful of seconds.

The Floo activated, the front door opened—as well as the kitchen side door—simultaneously. Draco felt the color drain from his face when he noticed the mantle clock showed that it was close to Molly's projected dinner time, and it seemed like everyone was showing up all at once to it.

Hermione stepped through the fireplace, brushing soot from her blouse while she cleared the space. "So sorry we're late, Molly. We—"

She went speechless when she noticed Draco.

Fred rubbed the back of his neck, and Draco felt his skin prick from all the sudden attention. He barely noticed that cryptic Weasley smirk coming from Ginny when Fred grabbed his arm in an attempt to get him out of the house.

"Granger," Draco found himself saying before looking over her shoulder at the fireplace that activated again.

Two little ones sprang out squealing loudly for Grandma Molly, not even taking notice of the awkward tension emitting from the adults.

"Hermione, you forgot your bookbag," Ron said with a grunt, hauling the large bag over his shoulder through the Floo. His face went as red as his hair when Draco locked eyes with him.

Molly was heard from behind Draco, attempting to speak over the toddlers now crowding her feet.

"What the bloody hell is he doing here!"

Fred looked like he wanted the floor to swallow him as much as Draco did.

"Ronald Weasley you watch your mouth!" Molly bellowed back. "And you do not speak to guests like that in my house!"

Draco finally made it to the door when he noticed Weasley Senior shuffle into the sitting room, only seeming to be half curious about what was going on. "Ah, we have a guest? Who?"

It was the last thing Draco wanted him to know at this point.

"Got to run, Mum. Love you!" Fred said, barely leaving her a peck on the cheek.

"It was nice meeting you, Mrs. Weasley," Draco rushed out before fleeing the scene.

There were far too many Weasley's in the Burrow for him to handle right now. Fred knew it, too. He all but dragged him out the door by the arm in hopes that Draco's nerves wouldn't catch up and cause him to seize. They were almost to the wardlines before someone called for him.

"Hey, Malfoy!"

He heard a feminine voice shout. Draco turned out of habit to nearly be caught with what he presumed was a Bat Bogey Hex. Fred deflected the spell sent from his sister, the shield causing it to burst into a mess of bats before they disapparited.

They landed just outside the joke shops side entrance. Draco let out a breath he didn't know he was holding before sending a cruel looking glare towards Fred.

He knew by the physical reaction that it startled—and seemed to hurt?—Fred.

"Well that turned into quite a disaster," the redhead half-whispered.

Draco scoffed and half-rolled his eyes. There was a lot he wanted to say, but after seeing how hurt Fred appeared, he refrained from adding salt to a wound he didn't know he created.

"I'm going to check on Scorpius…"

Draco didn't know how he felt about anything right now. Angry? Upset? Scared? Worried? Why did Fred decide to take him to his childhood home of all places out of the blue and meet his mother?

It all blended into a mix of uncertain turmoil he wasn't sure how to handle. Right now he pushed it all aside, he wanted to see his son.

He needed to rethink his life—both of their lives. Staying with the twins was becoming too much.

Originally Written For:

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments)

Monthly Challenges for All

Word Count: (Per Google Docs) 4,636