Title: Gareth Unbound
Name: rainpuddle13
Rating: Not Naughty
Characters/Ships: Gareth Malfoy
Word Count: 735
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various
publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc.
No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Notes: For dragonsangel68 - How about the summer Gareth finishes Hogwarts?
Summary: Gareth ponders how to spend his summer after leaving school.
It felt odd waking in his bed at home with its deep green velvet duvet and curtains and dark mahogany posts. The dark earthy colors he favored lent the large room warmth and character, while the clutter of furniture and shelves filled with books gave it a nest like quality.
Odd in that his first waking thought was not of the homework he had to do over the summer - he was always a diligent student, doing it the first week he was home so he could spent the rest of his holiday footloose and fancy free. He was free until early September when Auror training started up.
Complete freedom was an almost disconcerting feeling. He could spend all day in bed if he wanted. Or he could take a holiday in Italy with his brother, and meet some exotic witch and have some fun. He could go to Diagon Alley to Flourish and Blott's and buy enough books to read until he went blind; there were at least forty books he could think off the top of his head that he wanted read. Or he could spend his days in Muggle London exploring all the museums, and he could take his recently retired grandfather with him. He could take a leap across the pond to New York just to see what it was all about since he could barely remember the time Da took him on a business trip there when he was still just a wee lad. Or he could always take a scuba diving trip to the Maldives Islands because he'd always wanted to swim with sharks…
Gareth could go anywhere or do anything he wanted since upon successful completion of his primary education he came into half of his trust fund. The world was his oyster.
"Finally!" an exasperated little voice said from the doorway. "I thought you'd never wake up! It's nearly seven!"
He mumbled and turned over, trying desperately to feign sleep. The last thing he wanted was to spend the summer catering to the whims of his sister.
"Gareth," Ava said, pouncing on the bed, her knees landing solidly in the middle of his back. "I know you're awake!" She gave a little bounce just to make sure.
"I'm up, I'm up," he groaned, turning over to face the little blonde girl already dressed in a Quidditch kit.
"Good, I've got plans for today."
"You do?" he asked before he could stop himself. He loved his baby sister, really he did, but she always instilled a sense of dread in him. She always got her way. Always.
"Yes," she said, smiling broadly and showing off a missing tooth, "you're taking me to London for shopping and lunch."
"I am?"
"Uh huh, you missed my birthday and I decided that was my pressie."
"I was at school."
She gave him an incredulous look, and he knew right then that he was in hot water. "That's not an excuse."
"I sent you a present," he said. And he had too, a really nice present at that - a little silver charm bracelet with Snitches, Bludgers, Quaffles, broomsticks and bats.
"But you weren't here." She pouted prettily, giving him big blue puppy dog eyes. "And I've missed you ever so much!"
"All right, all right, you win," he said with a sigh. There was no way in the world he could resist her when she was being so sweet. "I'll take you and we'll do whatever you want."
Ava perked up immediately, giving him a quick squeeze before hopping off the bed. "You're the bestest brother and I love you!"
"Well, go get ready," he instructed, sitting up and giving thought to what he was going to wear since he no longer had the fall back of putting on a uniform everyday.
"Rauri," she shouted at the top of her lungs as she skipped out of his room, "I told you he'd take us to London today!"
Gareth ran his hands through his hair and sighing heavily. He had just been had by a four-year-old con artist. All of his plans for a fun and exciting summer had just gone right out the window. Not that he would have gone off and done any of them anyway, except maybe splurge on books and take his grandfather to the British Museum, because there was no place he would rather be than with his family.
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