Apologies for the short chapter! I just want to say thank you to the support I have received about my story! It means the world to me that people like what I've written and I was on the verge of tears from the support, even if it didn't seem much from your point of view.

Arodri – you put the reasons why I didn't like the canon pairings into words! That's exactly how I feel, they just aren't compatible. I definitely channelled my best Draco Malfoy when rereading it and you were right, I could get through it without laughing! I'm honoured you like my story and seem to enjoy it as much as I am while writing it.

Amory k – I'm so grateful for your support and I'm glad you look forward to new chapters

LavishlyUrs – thank you for the advice (though admittedly now I'm worried it will be deleted haha but fingers crossed) and I definitely agree with your opinion on Dumbledore (I read it on your profile) so thank you for your review!

Rhys898 – I certainly agree with your view on the canon pairings and while I do agree with some things you say about Ron I prefer to write him… nicer (?) I suppose as I love the idea of the close friendship. I do love that you referred to the hater as crazy and I won't let it get me down and I will keep posting (now admittedly partly in spite)!

Chapter 11

Arthur waited patiently in McGonagall's new office, now appearing much bigger since all of Dumbledore's trinkets had been removed. She had gone to get Ginny, acquiescing to his request to have a chat with his daughter and even offered for him to use her office for an hour.

"Dad?"

He stood up, heart heavy as he surveyed his daughter. "Ginny, I need to talk to you about something serious."

She frowned but nodded, taking the empty seat opposite him.

"I have been informed about the argument that happened when you found out that Harry and Hermione were dating."

Ginny didn't reply, instead staring at the floor, arms now crossed and a slightly sulky expression making its way onto her face.

"I understand it is difficult if someone you like doesn't like you back but that doesn't mean you can't get angry at Hermione and accuse her of stealing him which is blatantly untrue. Neither of them can help their feelings and you can't stop him dating other people –"

"I don't mind him dating but why her? She's nothing special," Ginny cried, upset. "What has that bookworm got that I haven't?"

"Ginevra," Arthur said sternly. "this is exactly what I mean. You have to respect Harry's decision and not make petty comments about Hermione." He sighed, leaning forward and laying an arm on his daughter. It hurt him that she was upset but he couldn't let this behaviour slide. "You are a beautiful, talented young girl but that doesn't mean every guy is going to want you. It's not a competition between you and Hermione, there isn't anything she's got that you haven't and vice versa, it's solely based on who Harry is attracted to and that is Hermione."

He then fell silent and watched Ginny as she shifted in her seat, looking anywhere but him. Eventually she seemed to settle on something and turned to him, face blank as she said "I'm sorry. It's just difficult but I understand I can't keep Harry to myself when clearly he doesn't want me."

Arthur finally smiled, relaxing. His daughter understood. Standing up he hugged her tightly before watching her go with slightly wet eyes. It felt like only minutes ago he was watching her run around the burrow before going to Hogwarts and now she going into her OWL year and was interested in boys. His little girl had grown up so fast.

Watching her father disappear in the floo, anger re-emerged on Ginny's face. Mum said she was could get whatever she wanted and she wanted Harry. Harry was hers and that boy stealing bookworm would get what was coming to her.

Arthur felt lighter now the talk with Ginny was over, but that wasn't the only one he had. Molly needed to see the problems with not only Ginny's behaviour but her own as well.

Arriving back at the Burrow he could see Molly in the kitchen with Bill and Charlie who sat at the table, faces looking like stone.

"Arthur dear, please get through to our sons that they should come back home. I've already found a few nice girls for both of them, better than that ve–"

"Molly!" Arthur interrupted sternly, shocked. It was one thing to be told about it and another to hear it in person. "What is your problem with Fleur? She's a nice girl and smart as well."

"Arthur darling you must understand, as should you two," she glared at Bill and Charlie "that I know best. The girls I've found are all nice and are from respectable families –"

"So is Fleur!" Bill snapped, ears going red like Ron's did when he was angry. "The Delacour's are a well renowned and respected family in France and you're too bigoted to see that!"

"I'm not bigoted! How dare you compare me to families such as the Malfoys!" Molly yelled, red blotches decorating her cheeks. "I welcomed Hermione into my home as my own –"

"So why can't you do the same to Fleur?" Charlie pointed out. "After all she is pureblood as well so you should love her, unless it's to do with her heritage than blood status."

The hesitation that flickered in Molly's face gave them their answers and when Arthur voiced this the boys swiftly shut down their mother's denials. "We wanted to talk to you not only about your bigotry but your problem with Harry and Hermione," Charlie informed her, not giving her a chance to back out. He then turned to Arthur who sighed. This was going to be far more difficult.

"I've had a talk with Sirius as well as Bill and Charlie about the argument you had on the day Ron and the twins left home." Arthur continued quickly, ignoring his wife's unhappy cries about Sirius being brought up. "You accused Hermione of gold-digging which doesn't suggest you hold much love for her –"

"She misunderstood what I meant," Molly snapped, waving a dismissive hand. "I –"

"I don't think she did, Molly –"

"Oh please Arthur, you're my husband! You should be backing me up! Just because you love muggle things doesn't mean you should defend Hermione over Ginny, your own flesh and blood!"

"Hermione's not a muggle thing!" Bill retorted, anger bleeding through his tone. "She's a person, just as much as Ginny is. And unlike Ginny, she understands that you can't force a boy to like you and is able to take rejection."

"You're being ridiculous," Molly hissed. "This is why I didn't want you to move out and into jobs that required you to travel! Your thoughts have been poisoned and you've turned against me when all I've done is sacrifice my life for you!"

"Don't try and manipulate us," Charlie snorted. "You decided to have us, we didn't choose to be here. You were allowed to marry for love so why can't we? You picked dad even though many purebloods would think he's too poor, too low status so why can't we get to choose who we love?"

Bill then began to speak, capitalising on his mother's splutters. "Why are you so desperate to choose who we marry?"

"Because I want you to have a good life!" Molly exploded and Arthur was sad to see the surprise in Bill and Charlie's eyes. Had they really only thought she was doing this for the fun of having control? "I know what an ideal wife should be so I want to select the perfect one for you, who will be kind to you. I want her to come from a good background and have money so you can have a good life!"

"But what if the woman we love is poor? Or isn't a doormat like you're suggesting?" Charlie pointed out, his voice toned down a little.

"Then you should find someone else," Molly said simply and the all gaped at her.

"But – but I'm not rich and you married me?" Arthur said, heart sinking before she spoke, guarding itself.

Molly gazed tearfully at him. "I did because I loved you, because I was impulsive and not thinking of anyone but us. I didn't think of having children and how expensive it was, the shame on my family from marrying poor."

"So you're saying that if you could do your life again you wouldn't marry the man you love, dad, but instead a richer man who your family approved of."

Molly wouldn't look at Arthur when she nodded, seemingly heartbroken at the looks of disgust on her eldest children's faces. "It's why Harry should as marrying a muggleborn isn't good for his bloodline. His father James was selfish in doing so and with Sirius bringing him up –"

"But Hermione's the Heir of Ravenclaw, meaning she has inherited the title Lady Ravenclaw. It doesn't matter about her blood status as she's now one of the most powerful witches in Britain, muggleborn or otherwise. Harry's a half blood but is one of the most eligible guys on the market –"

"Not anymore," Charlie snorted, interrupting and Bill huffed, rolling his eyes before continuing. "As most houses are more focused on wealth and power now, less with blood status unless they're the Malfoy's."

The constant battering of her argument seemed to be her breaking point. "Well good for her! But all I've ever wanted is for all of you to be successes and if Ginny married Harry we could have anything we wanted! We'd have unlimited money and a high status. Other pureblood houses wouldn't shun us anymore –"

"That's seriously all you care about?" Bill looked astounded before shaking his head, scoffing. "I'm leaving. Sorry dad, I can't do this. And mum?" he turned to her sharply, "Don't bother expecting an invite to the wedding."

"What? Wait! No! Bill, come back here –"

"See ya," Charlie said with a jaunty wave, following his brother outside to apparate. Arthur just looked despondently at his wife, quietly saying "The more you try to control them the more they'll try and rebel. You're going to push them away so much they won't even have a relationship with you and you'll miss out on important events in their life. The only person you'll hurt is yourself with this damaging behaviour."

Arthur then apparated to the ministry, knowing from experience his wife would need some space for a while. He only hoped she could see the error in her ways.