Homeward Bound
Marissa made sure she had all her notes, her supplies and other personal items she had brought with her to her internship. The day was August 11th, her mother's birthday and she was going home. A bit less than four weeks after she started she had completed the experiments outlined and had even made a bit of headway in her journey to find the cure for the wizards flu. She hadn't done much more experimenting than her time with Professor Snape, but she did peruse the book her father loaned her, for the second time, and looked at the one Brian had owl'd her and made page after page of notes for what COULD work.
Now, she was sitting waiting for her father to come pick her up and side along apparate her home. He insisted on coming to pick her up, wanting to see how the area had changed and to thank Professor Snape for letting Marissa participate.
Jennifer was sitting on Marissa's bed, idly tracing an imaginary pattern on the brown blanket.
"So, another week here huh?" Marissa asked, knowing Jennifer was done like she was, but her parents weren't at home in Maine.
"Yeah," Jennifer sighed as she pulled her brown hair back into a pony tail. "I wish I could go home like you, but my parents took a cruise to Alaska and won't be back for another five days. It's going to be boring here. I'm DONE everything here," Jennifer sighed, an unhappy note evident in her voice. Marissa patted Jennifer's knee reassuringly, seeing how upset she was for the first time since arriving.
"I'm sorry…I can ask my father if you could come visit? You'd love England," Marissa said before she could stop herself. Jennifer raised her blue eyes to Marissa's and looked at her evenly.
"You don't have to feel sorry for me you know. I'm just venting." She smiled her thanks; touched that someone she had only meet four weeks ago would make such an offer.
"I know that! I'm offering something a bit more fun than sitting in HOT Africa," Marissa said right back, now trying to convince Jennifer that her idea was the best. Some underlying thought was telling Marissa to try and get Jennifer to come to England, but the reasons weren't known to her at the moment.
"I know, sorry, I wasn't trying to be snippy, it's okay. I don't know what my parents would think-," Jennifer started explaining almost sounding as if she was coming around to Marissa's idea, then jumped along with Marissa as someone knocked at her door. Marissa looked away from Jennifer to the door and saw her father.
"Dad!" Marissa jumped up and quickly walked up to him, not knowing that she would be this happy to see someone in her family. In one fluid movement they hugged, tightly and longer than usual. The only sign that Draco missed his daughter during her time away. Jennifer smiled at the resemblance between father and daughter, now knowing where Marissa inherited her hair and eyes, and the angular face she had grown into.
"Hello…my you have grown. I thought it was another ploy for new clothes, but I can see I was wrong," Draco jokingly said while appraising his daughter. He touched her hair lightly acknowledging that he noticed it was several shades lighter then dropped his hand seeing another girl in the middle of the small room.
"Hello Professor Malfoy. I'm Jennifer Clark…from Maine," Jennifer introduced herself politely holding out her hand. Keeping an arm around Marissa's shoulders he walked over to Jennifer and shook her hand, impressed at how polite she seemed to be.
"I've seen you name mentioned in the letters we received. How was your internship, Jennifer?" Draco inquired noticing how exotic she looked. Her brown hair and dark blue eyes were set off by her dark almost olive like complexion. She was the almost the exact opposite of Marissa, which Draco found amusing. He bet her attitude was quite different from his daughter's too.
"It went well. I finished everything and even learned some new things, sir," Jennifer said smiling at Marissa, remembering the night they accidentally discovered how to create an exploding solution, and had hours of fun dropping in rocks to see how loud they could get the explosion. Then were told by one of the visiting Professors to stop, or risk getting in trouble.
"I bet you did," Draco gave a small smile seeing the exchange between his daughter and her new friend. "I don't think I want to know what you girls concocted."
Jennifer blinked in surprised at how close he came to the truth and slid her eyes to Marissa who gave a slight shrug as if saying, `What can we do?' Jennifer Clark just received her first taste of the special communication Marissa and her father shared.
"Well, I'll head back to my cabin. It was nice to meet you, sir and keep in touch, Marissa," Jennifer gave Marissa a quick hug then jogged out the door back to her own cabin.
"Does she get to leave early too?" Draco asked watching Marissa gather up her bags and secure her trunk.
"No. Her parents are away. She's going to be terribly bored as she's done, like I am."
Draco rocked back on his heels, appraising his daughter waiting for the question. Sensing his eyes on her back she looked over her shoulder as she picked up her bag and calmly met his gaze. For a moment they stared at each other then he broke their connection letting his gaze wander over her slightly darker and freckled face then back to her twin blue eyes.
"I know, Marissa…you want her to come visit. But, this is something your mum should weigh in on too."
She just nodded, not giving him an answer either way but letting him know she was listening and knew the rules.
"And her parents need to say its okay. I don't have a problem with it."
"Okay. So, how can we contact her parents?"
"By floo, if they are on a magical cruise," Draco informed her, having gathered most of the information he needed when they had a silent moment of communication. "Why don't I go talk to Professor Snape and you go tell Jennifer. I doubt her parents would object but I still need to ask them."
"Okay…thanks dad," Marissa dropped her bag and hugged him once more, noticing that she didn't fit under his chin anymore. "I'll go tell her."
"I'll contact mum too," Draco dropped his arms and headed out the door to find Professor Snape, pausing as Arnold appeared at the doorway.
"Bosse," Draco greeted and stopped walking for a moment.
"Hello, Professor. I was just saying goodbye to Marissa," Arnold explained backing up a step to let Draco exit Marissa's cabin.
"Are you staying the next week?" Draco stayed between him and his daughter, trying to get a read as to what was going on now between these two teenagers.
"Yes, sir. One more lesson to finish. I'm not as quick as Marissa," Arnold nodded to Marissa who stepped outside with her father. He nodded, relaxing visibly (at least to Marissa).
"I'll be right back, Marissa. I'm going to track down Professor Snape and make that floo call." Draco cut a look towards Arnold deciding that since Marissa didn't seem the slightest bit nervous that it was alright to leave the two of them alone.
"Good luck, Arnold, with the Strengthening Solution. It's tough getting the ratios right to make those bones unbreakable."
"Tell me about it," Arnold agreed watching his Potion Professor retreat down the road. "Well, enjoy your extra week at home."
"I will, thanks." Marissa fiddled with the door handle not too sure what she should be saying to Arnold. This was person that drove her crazy the last half of her fourth year and the only person Brian ever punched.
"Can I be a pain one more time?" Arnold asked smiling a bit at her with a gleam in his eyes. He inched closer
and looked down at her resting his hand on the wooded wall of her cabin.
Marissa cocked an eyebrow, "Doing what?"
Before she knew it, he swooped in and planted a kiss on her lips then pulled away. He did it so quickly she didn't even have time to close her eyes and register what had happened.
"Arnold…," Marissa sighed and rolled her eyes, feeling a blush rise to her face. He gave a small laugh, grinning down at her.
"That's it. I promise. Just had to do it."
"You didn't "just have to"!" Marissa resisted the urge to run her hand over her lips so she hooked her fingers in her belt loop on her shorts.
"I wanted to…fine," he admitted. "Potter isn't here…and I'm sure he'll kick my arse when he finds out, but…anyway…I'm done now. See you in September," Arnold said still smiling and spun around jumping off her porch, leaving her to stand there staring at his tall, skinny back. Marissa wondered if she would tell Brian what just happened during her last few hours in Africa.
---
Two hours later, Marissa had described her internship to her father and Jennifer was now a guest at the Malfoy Estate. Marissa and Jennifer side along apparated with Draco into their living room to the chorus of voices yelling in the kitchen.
"Ah, my brothers and sister are fighting again," Marissa said dropping her bags as Draco went off to investigate.
"Knock it off!" Draco yelled poking his head into the kitchen and it immediately went quiet. "Marissa is home with a guest, so behave."
Seconds later Derek, Dixon and Erin tumbled out of the kitchen eyeing Jennifer then hugging their sister, the boys a bit reluctantly, remarking on how much taller she was and how her hair was lighter. Erin kept looking at Jennifer with her hazel eyes assessing her; not saying a word until Jennifer quietly addressed her.
"Is there something you want to ask me?" Jennifer asked with a friendly smile and Erin looked at her calmly for a minute.
"I just really love your hair band," Erin said pointing to Jennifer's head. Absently Jennifer reached up to touch the beaded hair band that was holding her hair back from her eyes.
"Thanks. I made it…I'll show you how later," Jennifer winked at her and Erin smiled clearly pleased.
"Where's Devon?" Marissa asked but didn't get an answer as Ginny came out of the kitchen, with a much bigger stomach than when Marissa had left in July.
"Hi mum," Marissa hugged her tightly feeling the roundness pressing into her own belly.
"Marissa, great to have you home." Ginny planted a warm kiss on her daughter's cheek.
"Happy Birthday mum!" Marissa answered her mother's own quick peck on the cheek then pulled away, introducing Jennifer. The triplets soon moved outside, the news that their sister was home with an American now old news.
"Thanks, Marissa. Devon is outside cleaning his broom I think."
"BOYS!" Ginny called halting Derek and Dixon halfway out the back door. Ginny instructed them to carry the girls' trunks upstairs, silencing their protests with a single glare.
"How's the baby?" Marissa asked haltingly, still not quite sure how to address it…the baby, the pregnancy, her mother's round belly, it was all so strange to her.
"Fine! Growing well. I think it's a girl, your father is thinking a boy so we have a bet." She laughed at the stunned expression on Marissa's face. "It's all for fun!" Marissa wasn't too sure she wanted to know what the bet was, surprised that her father would even partake in one!
"You want to be surprised?" Jennifer asked playing with a ring on her finger then looking up at Ginny.
"I do, this time. We knew with the other three pregnancies," Ginny answered looking up at Draco who came in with bottled water and handed one to Jennifer and Marissa.
"I'm going to go outside and look for Devon," Marissa said after Jennifer thanked Dixon and Derek for carrying their items upstairs. Following Marissa down the hall and out the back door she had a chance to glance around at the airy, light colored space wondering how much money Marissa's parents made.
"How old is Devon again?" Jennifer asked as they made their way down the patio and walked through the grass towards the broom shed.
"Fourteen and a half…going on eighteen," Marissa laughed. Looking down the hill she saw Devon moving around as he put his broom against the shed.
"Devon!" Marissa yelled waving. He turned around and waved back at them.
"Hey! If you get any taller, you'll over take me!" Devon called out loudly as he walked up the hill to meet them half way. Marissa noticed he had grown and filled out a bit.
"You know I won't be taller than you!" They hugged briefly and he quickly snagged her water bottle before he pulled away looking at Jennifer.
"Oh, Devon, this is Jennifer Clark from Maine. She's staying with us for the week."
"Hullo," Devon actually extended his hand and she shook it, speechless for a minute staring at this tall, blond haired, hazel eyed person in front of her, until Marissa nudged her.
"Hi…Devon," Jennifer greeted then cocked her head studying him. He watched her appraise him for a moment, not backing down under her intense scrutiny.
"I thought you'd have blue eyes like your sister," she said and Devon laughed taking a quick sip of water then handing it back to Marissa. Wiping his hands on a towel he had from polishing the broom he smiled at her.
"Nope, Derek is the only other one of us with blue eyes…and maybe the new baby, who knows?" Devon fell into step beside them as they walked back up the hill. Marissa had never seen Jennifer speechless around anyone before and made a mental note to ask what had struck her about Devon.
"Oh, sis, we have an appointment with Colin at four. Dad is going to take mum out to Neville and Luna's for a bit since they won't be able to make it to the party, so we can get the picture done then."
"Sounds great! Thanks for setting it up, Dev," Marissa patted her brother's arm and he just shrugged. "Why can't the Longbottom's make it?"
"Something about Luna's father and a retirement party."
"Oh. He's been working at the Quibbler for ever."
"You know the owners of The Quibbler?" Jennifer asked sliding past Devon who held the door open for them. Devon briefly told her about how Ginny knew Neville from school and who he had married many years ago.
The afternoon wore on with a tour of the house for Jennifer, Colin Creevy coming to take pictures of the Malfoy
children outside, all dressed in light blue shirts which Jennifer said was the best color on them and then the time
came for everyone to floo over to The Burrow.
Marissa felt like she was back to the first time she danced with Brian. She was nervous, happy, excited all at once. Jennifer was anxious to meet the Potter's, Janet and the numerous cousins of Marissa's. Marissa, however was concentrating fully on seeing Brian for the first time in a month.
----
The Burrow was alive and full of friends, family and a few co-workers of Ginny's. People moved in and out of the house, in and out of the pool and around the apple orchard as if moving through water. Marissa had quickly cornered her Grandma Weasley asking if the Potters had arrived and she said they had not and probably wouldn't be around for another hour, as Brian hadn't arrived until late that afternoon. She also learned that Janet had to make a visit to her sick grandmother and couldn't make it to the party. Making a mental note to owl her friend she began pulling Jennifer along to introduce her to the family.
The sun slowly set behind the trees as Marissa coaxed Jennifer into the pool, quizzing her on the Weasley relatives she had met in the course of the hour.
"How many of there are you? Your mother has a huge family!" Jennifer tread water, slowly turning in circles as Marissa explained what child belonged with which one of Ginny's brothers.
"So, you're the oldest?" Jennifer questioned, hauling a beach ball back to the shallow side where Kenny, George's son, caught it and promptly hit his sister Molly over the head.
"Well, Reggie is older than me, but only by three months. His father isn't too family oriented." Marissa turned around where she was hanging on to the side of the pool. "I don't see him here, but Jillian and Cassandra are the oldest…the twins?" Janet nodded, remembering when she met them earlier. "SO, I am the fourth oldest...then comes James who is two weeks younger than I am."
"Craziness," Jennifer murmured then looked past Marissa and ducked, but not before a spray of water flew over their heads.
"Devon! You almost landed on top of me!" Marissa scolded as she punched him solidly in the arm. He retaliated by pushing handfuls of water back at her.
"I wouldn't of, as long as you didn't move," he treaded water next to them giving his sister a mischievous smile.
"What?" Marissa sighed concentrating on pulling her hair back into the pony tail, not wanting it to get too wet.
"I saw the Potters a minute ago," Devon grinned as Marissa's eyes went wide and she immediately started scanning the crowd in the dim light.
"Where?" she demanded, swimming to the side of the pool.
"Near the pool house, talking to mum. Don't worry, I'll make sure your new mate doesn't drown or anything," Devon said and Marissa cast a glance to Jennifer who ducked under the water and came up pushing her hair back.
"I'll be fine…go find Brian. I just want to meet him later!"
"Deal…thanks," Marissa smiled and found her towel, wrapping it around her waist then hiking up her suit, which Jennifer said matched her eyes perfectly. Marissa wandered over to the pool house, seeing her mother's retreating form and then suddenly there he was. Standing next to the building that housed the pump (Arthur Weasley's favorite part of the pool) in a short sleeve red shirt and tan shorts. For a split second Marissa thought she was looking at Harry without his glasses. He too had grown and his hair was much shorter, his bangs falling carelessly over his forehead. He was easily three inches taller and about that much wider in his shoulders.
Feeling goofy and giddy as a smile spread across her face she walked quickly towards him, stepping over people's belongings and shutting out all the noise around her.
"Hey," Brian smiled widely at her, hands in his pockets and she flushed seeing his gaze run up and down her like hers had on him a few steps back.
"Hey," she breathed stopping a few feet from him, totally at a loss for words. Her mind was still stuck on how much older he looked and she tried to force it into intellectual mode.
"Your internship went well?"
"Very much so. All done. You?"
"It went great. Lots of progress on the Flu potion, and I brought a friend home for the week," Marissa
turned towards the pool but didn't see her. "Well, Devon is watching her right now…."
"And who knows where he took her," Brian finished for her, taking a step closer. Her heart beat painfully against her ribs as he touched her arm, then wrapped his long fingers around her elbow. Wordlessly he guided her around the pool house where they were blocked from view and before she could take another breath he had her pulled against him, his mouth on hers.
It was wonderful and strange all at once. She noticed she didn't have to stand up on her toes to kiss him anymore and the moment his tongue touched hers, she fell back against the wall, pulling him with her.
Pulling him into her embrace she kissed him back with all the feelings she could muster. Their hands ran over each other's bodies as if getting reacquainted. Light touches on the necks, squeezing shoulders and pulling hips closer. He was harder and wider than she remembered, but his hands were just as light and perfect as she remembered. Marissa bit back a soft moan as his hand skimmed up her stomach and over her breast to cup her neck, his other hand, wrapping around her waist encouraging her to move closer. Resting her hands on his back she returned his deep, soul tingling kiss…
"Marissa!" a sharp voice said and both Marissa and Brian jumped, hands dropping automatically, guiltily.
Her father was standing to the side a neutral expression on his face, the rest of him in the shadow of the pool house.
"Dad," Marissa said weakly, placing a hand to her heart trying to start it back up again and at the same time wishing she could jump into the pool. The heat of her embarrassment, combined with the immediate turn on of Brian's kiss made her warm all over.
"Your mother is going to blow out candles and Potter-," Draco's eyes cut to Brian who was still standing close to Marissa, but not touching her.
"Sir?" Brian murmured, steeling himself for the railing that he thought was going to follow his name.
"Your mother is looking for you, also. Let's move along," Draco ordered and Brian took a step before Marissa reached out and grabbed his hand, pulling him back.
"Dad. I haven't seen Brian in a month. Give me a minute to talk to him, please," Marissa's
voice sounded stronger as she questioned her father's authority.
"It's okay-," Brian started before Marissa squeezed his hand, hard and he took the hint.
"Let me just have a minute with him-," Marissa started the same time her father began speaking.
"This is your mother's-."
They both sighed in unison and Marissa saw her father shut his eyes for a moment then open them, staring right at her; seeing her holding Brian's hand and recognizing the look of steely determination of Ginny, etched all over Marissa's face.
"A minute. Then be at the patio," Draco relented and Marissa visibly relaxed, thanking him softly watching him turn and disappear around the edge of the building.
"I thought we were dead," Brian said flatly, shoving his free hand into his pocket.
"He needs to realize I'm with you and nothing is going to change that. We might just have to start kissing in front of our parents to get them to understand that."
"Oh, my parent's would probably clap. It's your father I'm worried about," Brian acknowledged feeling Marissa press herself into him.
"I can handle my father. I've never done anything to cause him worry," she whispered, kissing his neck, then planting one right on his chest above his last open button on his shirt. She heard him hum appreciatively in his throat.
"Yeah, well…I'm going to need a minute to recover and think of cold showers before we go out there." Brian smiled as he heard Marissa's throaty laugh. Running his hands down her arms he grasped her hands meeting Marissa's gaze on her upturned face.
"Bit more than two weeks until we are back at school and can see each other everyday," Brian said softly, running his thumb along the back of her hand, feeling hers do the same.
"I can't wait. I hated being away from you," Marissa admitted, letting her eyes flutter closed as he placed a kiss on her forehead.
"Me too…I guess we'll have to talk more later," Brian sighed dropping one hand, but firmly grasping the other.
"Hopefully…sooner the better."
"Uh-oh," Brian intoned and Marissa shook her head.
"Just lots to tell you, that's all…come on, let's go find my mum and then you can meet Jennifer."
"Jennifer?" Brian asked as they emerged hand and hand from the shadow of the pool house.
"My friend from America…the one I brought back with me. She was in Africa too."
"Oh, right. I kinda forgot everything you said after "Hey"," he admitted laughing as Marissa pretended to pout.
"But, I didn't forget what we did…so we can pick up later where we left off," he whispered in her ear and she shivered. Not because she was cold, but from the anticipation of when and where that might happen. She smiled and squeezed his hand hard in response.
"Have I told you today that I love you?" Brian asked suddenly as they hung back from the last of the crowd that was congregating towards the patio in the back of the house.
"No." She matched her pace to his slow, relaxed gait.
"Well I do."
"Still?" Marissa joked, swinging their arms slightly as they walked up the grass which was damp under her feet.
"Now and forever," he answered softly looking straight ahead and before she could truly comprehend what he had just said, a round of "Happy Birthday to You" began and Marissa caught her father's gaze as he stood up near the table. She saw a brief smile touch his lips before he turned back to his wife. Draco Malfoy's way of saying he was happy she listened and followed through with her words of "one minute."
For the rest of the evening the words "now and forever" hung in the air between them, waiting to be pulled in and talked about, never leaving the space between them. Just like Brian's hand never left hers or her waist and she made sure she returned the slightly possessive gesture.
Two more weeks until school began, and she had never been looking forward to it as much as this year-with what was to
be her sixth and second to last year at Hogwarts.
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A/N: there are still a few more chapters, so don't worry. TNG is not over yet!
The little "Love you" exchange at the end was taken loosely from a movie I saw a LONG time ago, "Indecent Proposal".
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