Decisions
Ginny's parents watched her pace up and down as she was trying to figure out how to reason with her parents about possibly having Draco Malfoy coming to visit.
"Ginny, you called us down here to talk and all you're doing is pacing. What's wrong? Are you failing something?" Arthur asked as he and Molly exchanged glances.
Ron was sitting in a chair next to them, tilted back and propped against the wall. Ginny had asked him to be there, mostly for moral support. Though she knew he didn't really like Draco even HE had to admit Malfoy had changed and his opinion might come in handy.
"No, mum. My classes are great. I wanted to ask you if someone could come visit us for the day; someone from school," Ginny leaned against the sink, arms crossed and her heart beating a mile a minute.
"You know you can have friends over," Molly said hesitantly.
"Yes, I know that but this isn't a girl--,"
"You have a boyfriend?" her dad asked smiling a bit. Ron made a strangled type noise and everyone looked at him.
"You know about this?" his dad asked him. Ron just shrugged, keeping his mouth shut.
"Ok, you want a bloke to come visit then?" Molly asked grasping at straws, trying to read through her daughter's nervousness.
"I do; his Christmas won't be so great this year and since he's an only child I thought he might like to see how a big family celebrates. I don't want him here on Christmas, just sometime during the holiday break and maybe have a family dinner," Ginny explained.
"It doesn't sound like something you needed to call us down here for," Molly said, thoroughly confused.
"Well, it's not someone that you particularly fancy," Ginny looked at her brother who was watching her with a passive expression on his face.
"Ah, there it is. The real reason we were called down here," her dad joked and Ginny sighed. She gripped the edge of the counter as if asking it for strength; she felt so sweaty and nervous just asking them, knowing all the pain that Lucius had caused her family.
"It's Draco Malfoy, dad," Ginny blurted out and saw a set of twin shocked expressions move across her parents faces.
"What?" Molly asked at the same time her father said, "Malfoy?"
Ginny nodded and they stared at her.
"Are you serious? You were never friends with him; "sworn enemies" I've heard you and your brothers say more than once," Molly said apprehensively and she looked at Ron. He just shrugged at his mom.
"Ron, you don't seem very surprised by this…," their father said slowly, a pained expression on his face. Waving his hand, two firewhiskeys shot to the table and settled in front of him and Molly. Ginny rolled her eyes, walked over and sat down next to Ron.
"What do you want me to say?" Ron asked carefully.
"He's changed mum, ever since his father died. He's so different than the past years I can't even describe it," Ginny exclaimed.
"Is this true, Ron?" her father asked sharply. "And what's so different about him?"
"He has changed in general, that's true. He hasn't gotten into trouble, he's civil to me, Harry, Hermione and everyone else and he seems to have taken fancy to Ginny…," Ron let the comment hang in the air as her parents heads turned towards her.
"Why should we allow him here? After all that his family has put our family through?" Molly asked the difficult question that Ginny knew was coming and she still didn't know how to answer it. "Give me one good reason."
Ginny stared at a spot on the table. "I can't think of how to put it into words, mum. Can't you just trust me?"
"We do trust you, though right now we're wondering if someone has you under an Imperious Curse…what has caused you to become friendly with Malfoy?" her father demanded, taking a long drink of his firewhiskey.
"Ginny is Ginny, dad…no curses," Ron offered.
"I can't explain it; how he's changed. He's more patient, he broke up with Pansy Parkinson, I really enjoyed dancing with him-,"
"Dancing?" her parents asked in unison.
"Twice at the Halloween Ball and we went to the Yule Ball together," Ginny explained watching her parents look at each other then back at her. Then they turned to Ron.
"Tell us your thoughts, Ron."
"Come on-," Ron protested, but caught Ginny's pleading stare and sighed. "I can't really explain it either. He doesn't make fun of me and Harry anymore; he doesn't scare anyone anymore; he even took Ginny to the hospital wing when she fell off her broom at practice-,"
"What?" Molly shrieked, looking alarmed.
"I'm fine…bruises was all," Ginny interjected.
"ANYWAY, he seems to have come out from under his father's rule and into his own I guess. He really seemed to fancy Ginny when they were dancing at Christmas," Ron added, seeing his sister blush.
Her parents were quiet for awhile as they all sipped their respective drinks.
"Well?" Ginny asked after her parents finished their firewhiskeys.
"I think I'd like to have us talk about this in private. I don't have any more questions though, do you Mol?" Arthur asked and his wife shook her head slowly.
"You know when I asked him he actually said to me that he didn't think you would approve; but I asked him if you said it was ok, would he think about it and he said yes. To me, that means he's willing to take a big step and come here to be surrounded by Weasley's," Ginny said softly, then stood up and walked to her room. She heard her parents ask Ron to leave them for a bit and it wasn't a minute later that he appeared in the doorway to her bedroom. She was laying on her bed, staring up at the ceiling listening to Christmas Music on the wireless.
"That other hard part, Gin, is trying to get our brothers to believe what you see; you should probably tell them tomorrow when they come over," Ron said and saw his sister nod. He bid her goodnight and headed up to his room near the attic.
The following day was Christmas and after the whole family arrived and presents opened, Molly fixed a turkey dinner complete with trimmings and silence fell across the room.
"Ginny wants to have Malfoy over," Ron announced and Ginny dropped her fork, kicking him sharply under the table.
Fred and George stared at her, mouth full of mashed potatoes.
Bill and Fleur glanced at her then at Molly and Arthur, forks in mid air.
Charlie remained eating and Katharine looked confused.
Percy of course, wasn't there, but he would have probably launched into a thousand reasons why this shouldn't happen.
"Ginny, I think you need to explain," Bill said calmly.
"He's changed," Ginny began quietly and the twins yelled "HA" and looked towards Ron for some back-up.
"He actually has," Ron agreed and this time Charlie looked up.
"Because of his father's death?"
"Seems that way," Ron answered.
"He doesn't even make fun of Harry or even Ron here; he seems happier, calmer and more relaxed," Ginny said, her voice getting stronger as Ron backed her up a bit.
"Ginny, you must be crazy," George said, wiping his mouth with his napkin and leaned forward. "How can someone change that much? It's Malfoy!"
"We beat him up for Merlin's sake," Fred shot back.
"Remember us getting thrown out of Quidditch for defending our family?"
"And the whole diary thing that happened to you?"
"I know all that, guys. Don't you think I've thought about that? For the past three months I've wondered the same thing-," Ginny began.
"Maybe he's under the Imperius Curse," George said.
"No, who would do that now? And, Dumbledore would be able to tell; he's talked to him one on one since his father's death," Ginny shot back.
"Who is this 'Draco'?" Katharine asked. "I recognize the last name, but don't know a Draco."
Charlie launched into a quick explanation on what his family was like, how rich they were and how Draco acted towards them and any non pure blooded wizards.
Ginny pushed her beans around on her plate, suddenly not hungry. 'Why am I fighting so much to get him here'?
she asked herself. 'Clearly, they think I'm crazy'.
"Anyone can change; sounds as if his father had him on a tight rein," Katharine reasoned giving Ginny a smile. Weakly she smiled back and while leaning back in her chair, Ginny appraised her family.
"You know, I could have just gone through the whole year seeing him and having you find out through the paper or something; but I did something really hard and TOLD you what I've been doing. Do you think that this is easy for me? I have no idea why I'm fighting so much on trying to get him here, to see what a close-knit family is like, so just forget it," Ginny angrily shoved a piece of turkey in her mouth, wishing she wasn't sandwiched between Fleur and Charlie, because she would surely get up and run up to her room.
"What do Harry and Hermione think?" Molly asked and Ron was the one who answered, seeing as Ginny was stabbing a green bean over and over.
"Harry has commented that he's changed and they act civil to each other; Hermione actually talked to Draco giving him advice to ask me before asking Ginny to the dance."
Ginny's head snapped up and she almost fell off her chair.
"She did?"
"He actually asked you?" Fred asked appraising Ginny.
"He asked you?" Ginny echoed Fred but directed her comment towards Ron and he nodded.
"Yea, he said that seeing as I could probably break his nose like I did at the beginning of the year, he thought it would be wise to ask me if it was ok to take you to the dance. At the time I didn't know Hermione had said anything---she told me later---."
"You broke his nose? Brilliant!" George beamed at him. Molly glared at him until he started eating again.
"What did you say when he asked?" Charlie asked lifting his gaze to Ron's.
"I said the decision wasn't up to me, but if he hurt her, he would be very, very sorry."
There was a murmur of assent that would have made any parent proud and Ginny stared at her plate, not quite sure what
to feel.
"I've seen him at the bank a few times since his father passed and he has been very civil; businesslike," Bill commented and Arthur looked at him.
"He's not doing anything shady is he? I know you can't tell us, but you can at least give us that hint can't you?" their father asked. Bill paused and looked at Fleur who gave a small shrug.
"Everything is on the up and up; just moving money around. That's all I can say," Bill smiled at Ginny who pushed her plate away, watching Ron spear her piece of turkey.
"Can I be excused? I'll take my gifts upstairs," Ginny mumbled and Fleur stood up as Molly nodded, letting Ginny slide by her.
Walking into the living room she gathered up the new sweater, art supplies and other items she received and took them upstairs, wishing that Harry and Hermione would hurry over. They were having dinner at her parent's but said they would stop by. Maybe they could shed some light on Draco.
As it happened, Ginny was called down as her brothers and their women played games and listened to the wireless in the living room.
"We can see how mature you are being about this and we are happy that you came to us about what was going on," Molly began as they sat down at the clean table.
"You have to admit, throwing us the name Malfoy as a potential boyfriend was surprising," Arthur continued.
"But we've always trusted you and your judgement. You and Percy seem to be able to analyze situations the best out of all the other boys," her mom smiled.
"However, we would like to talk to Harry and Hermione and after that, we'll tell you our decision tomorrow, is that fair?" her father asked and Ginny nodded.
As if on cue, her two friends apparated into the kitchen, bearing presents, which began a whole new round of present opening and ring admiring on Hermione's part.
Ginny wasn't too sure if her parents got to talk to her friends. There were so many people moving around that she was constantly chatting with someone, looking at Katharine's growing stomach, listening to Fleur talk about wedding plans and before she knew it, midnight had arrived.
She and Harry had gotten stuck under some mistletoe that Fred conjured up and enjoyed the look on his sister's face and Harry's face when they looked up. Shaking his head, Harry looked at her.
"At least they didn't have this invention down while they were in school. Can you imagine?" he asked and Ginny shook her head.
"Don't let it start to shriek!" Fred laughed and jumped off the stairs where Harry and Ginny had been talking about school. Harry glanced down at Ginny who was just watching him.
"Think he is serious?"
"I do, sorry to say," Ginny smiled apologetically.
"I didn't mean it-," Harry started, hoping she didn't mean he thought kissing her wasn't something he would enjoy. Ginny held up her hand, then decided that he would probably be stalling under there all day, thinking Hermione would be mad at him or something, so she stood up and pressed her lips to his. His arm automatically came around her waist; for a moment he let his lips move over hers and then she stepped back.
"See? All done," she smiled at him, thinking of how different it was, just for the brief seconds her lips were on his. Years ago, she probably would have fainted to have kissed him, now it was like kissing another brother. Harry was saved from having to answer her as Molly called his name looking for him.
The night ended shortly thereafter and Ginny retired to her room, hoping that her parents would say yes. She felt that if Draco came, it would be a huge turning point in whatever relationship they were trying to form.
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"New Year's Day
Draco,
My parents said that it would be fine for you to visit one day this week. If you are able to, just let me know what day we can expect you, and about what time.
--Ginny"
Ginny tied the note to Pig's leg and let him out the kitchen window, her heart pounding as she watched the gray little puffball fly erratically towards St. Ottery Catchpole. Hearing a noise behind her, she shut the window and saw Ron coming downstairs, still in his pajama's. She reached next to her for a piece of toast and tossed it to him. He caught it with one hand and mumbled a "thanks" between mouthfuls. Her friends had come through and after a long talk with her mother, her parents had agreed that it would be alright for him to visit for a day.
They asked that it would be after the New Year so her mother could adjust to her new part time job at the Ministry.
Ginny noticed how quiet the house was for the beginning of the New Year. Yesterday had been New Year's Eve and Charlie and Katharine had gone home after midnight. Bill and Fleur left at some early morning hour after playing numerous games of chess with Ron. The twins were opening early today for their half price special sale…briefly she wondered what time Harry and Hermione had made it home from skiing. She was looking forward to hearing about Harry on skis.
Glancing at the clock, she saw that her father was working and her mother was out, trying to visit Percy and talk to him…this was her New Year's Resolution she had told them last night. She wanted all her children together, wanted them all to meet Katharine and hear about the first Weasley Grandchild/Grandchildren, but Percy hadn't responded to any notes. Molly had gone on her quest, leaving Ginny at home to wait for Draco's reply and Ron to function through his third day of not being with Samantha-having spent some time with her and her parents over the holiday's.
"You ok?" Ginny sat down next to Ron, who nodded, took a drink of orange juice then looked at her.
"Fine. Trying to wake up. You?" he asked blankly.
Ginny blinked once, twice…he never really asked her how she was- so now she knew he wasn't fully "Ron" yet, whether he was trying to wake up or still depressed about Samantha, she wasn't exactly sure.
"Waiting to hear from Malfoy."
She hoped saying his name would bring a reaction of some kind out of him but he just nodded absently. Sitting back against her chair, Ginny racked her mind on what to do with Ron. She couldn't live with him for another week if he was going to be this…this…DOCILE. 'Should I write Hermione and ask her'? she asked herself, but quickly dismissed that thought as she nibbled on a piece of toast she took to the table with her. Harry and Hermione had just returned yesterday afternoon, so it wouldn't be fair to bombard her now. She pondered her options of what to say to him as she finished her toast.
Ginny scooted her chair closer to Ron's and he looked over at her, wiping his mouth on a napkin.
"Ron?" Ginny's hazel eyes met his blue ones and he looked at her blankly for a moment, then looked away.
"It's stupid, I know."
"No," Ginny said firmly and began to open her mouth to continue her thought, but Ron met her gaze again so she shut her mouth, not wanting to interrupt him.
"I'm an adult, you think my brain would recognize the fact that I will see her again, we will write letters back and forth but when you're used to spending almost three months with someone every day, it hurts when you aren't together," he sat back, gazing at the sponge wiping down the table on its own accord as he fiddled with his cup of juice. Ginny stayed silent, sitting up a bit straighter in her chair. It had been strange for her this past week not seeing Draco. Every day at school she would see him at meals, or walking the grounds, even if they didn't talk much, she knew he was there.
"It's stupid," Ron sighed again.
Ginny's heart ached for him and she didn't know what she could do about helping him feel better; to lift him out of this "funk" that he was in.
He got up and threw his napkin into the trashcan under the sink.
Ginny got up and stood next to him at the sink as he looked out the window at the snow covered ground. She looked in the direction that Pig had flown and an idea surfaced in her brain. Taking a deep breath for what she was about to say and reveal to Ron, she braced her arms on the sink and joined his stare out the window.
"Ever since September first, I have seen Draco at school everyday," Ginny started, feeling his name fall off her lips awkwardly and seeing Ron turn his head to her as she continued, "And it was always the same routine. See him at his table at breakfast, pass him on my way out of Potions, see him walking off the pitch as we were walking on, see him at lunch, once or twice in the library, and see him at dinner. I never thought much about it until his father died and I saw him in the hall. Something in me made me stop and tell him 'I'm sorry about your father'. I wasn't really, at the time, but I knew I would like it if someone said that to me if it was our father."
Ginny turned to Ron to find him watching her, keeping his expression neutral.
"Anyway," she lowered her gaze to a button on his top and leaned against the sink, one arm resting on the edge. "Everything just kind of happened at that point and I noticed that he could be decent, funny at times, mysterious, and his snide comments and rudeness seemed to fade away slowly and I found myself wondering what it would be like to be around him more." Her words were tumbling out now, happy to be out of her head and her heart.
"Then, we were at dances, talking in the halls and it got to the point where we tried to at least have a short conversation about anything once a day. Now, it's been a bit over a week and I haven't heard anything." Ginny placed a hand to her cheek, surprised to find a tear there and wondering when they started falling. She wasn't sad, she wasn't sure what she was feeling but it WASN'T sadness.
She felt Ron's hand on her shoulder and she took a step towards him, feeling his arms go around her.
"So, at least you know where you stand with Samantha, and you have a normal girlfriend. I'm the one who is messed up," Ginny said, squeezing her eyes shut, and listening to the steady beat of her brother's heart under her ear. She felt and heard him take a deep breath and let it out before he started to speak. She felt herself slowly relax as he held her.
"Ok, so I don't have as much on my plate as you do. But I sure hope this gets easier to bear as time moves on."
"You always hated change," Ginny smiled and felt her brother's hand rub absentmindedly up and down her back.
"Yea, big changes," he murmured and he laid his cheek on her hair, both enjoying the rare moment of closeness without any brothers around to make fun of him. She knew he always felt protective of her, more so that they attended Hogwart's together and being only 18 months apart, they seem to go through major life changes together.
Deciding to floor her brother she recalled something Hermione had explained to her.
"Hey," Ginny said suddenly, still relaxing in his embrace, her hands linked behind his back. "Did you know this….this "thing" happens when two pure blooded wizards and witches get together?"
"What "thing"?"
"Hermione told me about it," Ginny pulled back and craned her neck up at her brother, almost a foot taller than her. If he got any taller, he was going to start hitting his head on the ceiling.
"Uh-oh." He smiled for the first time that morning. She leaned back feeling his arms supporting her and she rested her hands on his arms.
"Oh yea…she said that if feelings aren't kept under control that when two purebloods kiss or even more so when having sex, the power radiates out of them and causes intense emotions. Things begin to fly around the room, doors open, things move around…that sort of thing," she couldn't help but grin at the look on Ron's face.
"Seriously?" he asked and she nodded.
"And, have you experienced this first hand?" he cocked an eyebrow at her, threatening to drop her which caused her to shriek and grab his shirt. She pulled herself up and gave a slight shake of her head.
"Not really."
"That wasn't what I was looking to hear. A "No, Ron, of course not," would have made me happier."
"We kissed, Ron, nothing more," Ginny said haughtily, reaching behind her to move her brother's hands from her back, but he held her tight.
"That almost makes my insides squirm, Gin." Ron made a face. "So, did anything fly around?" He looked down and saw his sister blush and felt her tugging at his hands. "Look, I won't ever experience this…it's not like I am going to go out and snog Pansy," he shuddered. Ginny wrinkled her nose at the thought.
"Well, the pillows somehow went from the couch to the chess table," she remembered the nice kiss they shared after the dance in her common room. Still, Ginny refused to meet his gaze and heard him make a noise in his throat.
"Just watch yourself Gin," Ron said roughly.
Ginny felt him let go and she took a step back. "Go get dressed and I'll go kick your arse in a snowball fight." She stood up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. He told her what she could do with her snowballs and was chased up the stairs, managing to dart into his room and lock the door before she could get to him.
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It was after Ginny and Ron called their snowball fight a draw; after Molly came home somewhat happier that she got to at least talk to Percy about Katharine; after Harry and Hermione apparated over (with pictures) that Pig came back as the sun was setting. Hermione had pointed to the window behind Ginny as they flipped through a wedding magazine Hermione had brought with her, knowing the boys would be involved in chess.
Walking to the kitchen window, Ginny quickly let Pig in and saw a letter attached to his leg. She removed it and stood in the corner of the kitchen where no one could see her. She heard Hermione call for Harry to look at something in the magazine and looked up as Ron walked in. He came over to her and looked down at the note, clutched in her hand. She felt closer to him than ever; he now knew something no one else did-her feelings about a certain Malfoy--and he had been an integral part in the discussion with her parents trying to convince them to let Draco visit.
"Well?" Ron asked quietly, hands in his pockets.
"I haven't opened it." She looked at her address on the envelope, intent on the way Draco wrote her first and last name in an unfamiliar scrawl. She could tell it was his writing, even though she had never seen it before.
"You can't change the answer in there now by not opening it," Ron said gently. "Want me to?" she silently handed it to him and he flicked his thumb under the wax on the back with an M stamped into it. He read it, then looked at her.
"Well?" Ginny asked nervously, her hands gripping the counter behind her.
"Doing anything on Wednesday morning?" Ron questioned almost falling backward as she launched herself at him, burying her face in his chest. All the stress she felt about his response poured out of her as she half laughed, half cried in Ron's arms.
"It's only just begun, sis…he gets to see the Weasley's in action. Do you think he can handle it?" Ron gave her a hard hug wishing she would stop crying, or laughing, or whatever she was doing which was making his Canon's shirt all wet.
"Don't stress me out more," she mumbled pulling herself back, and taking a tissue that he handed to her. She grabbed the note from his hands and read down through it-written in typical Draco style:
"I'll be there Wednesday morning via apparition. By the way, your owl is nutters. ~Draco"
Ginny smiled to herself, thinking of Pig flying around Malfoy Manor.
"Just no moving things around the room while he's here," Ron kidded.
Ginny looked at him and kicked him in the shins, resulting in him throwing her over his shoulder (like he did with Samantha many times) and in a declaration of his brotherly love, he dumped her outside into a snowdrift next to the side of the house.
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A/N: I hope you all caught AOL's live feed of the world premiere in London (noon EST) of "Goblet of Fire"; they showed many interviews, including Dan, Emma, Rupert, Tom, Bonnie, Phelps Twins etc etc. I think they are replaying it if you missed the live feed! Many of the HP websites have the link up! I did find out that Tom Felton now wears a wig for Draco's hair…so, that's how it's so perfect now!