Tell Me On A Sunday
Chapter One - Take That Look Off Your Face
It was with a grim determination and an odd satisfaction that Ronald Weasley strode up the pathway leading to Malfoy Manor. He was heading towards the ominous looking mansion in order to tell his sister that, for once, he had been right. To alert her of a truth that would hurt her for the present but ultimately would allow her to have a future of happiness and to bring back the closeness she'd had with her family. The winter air bit at his cheeks, making them bloom a famous Weasley scarlet and his hands felt as though they were not far away from freezing into blocks of ice, however he was full of certainty. He'd been wanting to visit his sister since three o'clock that morning, however, had refrained. It was now around five in the evening and he was certain she'd have returned from rehearsals and that Malfoy would still be out of the house.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
The rapping of the large brass knocker reverberated around the massive grounds, disturbing the peace that had been there before. Silence for a few moments, the loud bangs were still ringing in his ears when the door opened; a small creature, a House Elf, stood in the doorway eyeing him suspiciously.
"May I be helping you…sir." Even Malfoy's elves seemed capable of his sneering sarcasm.
"I'm here to see Ginny Weasley - my sister."
"Miss Ginevra is not expecting you."
Before Ron could administer a swift kick to the small servant, his sister dashed into the entrance hall and appeared in the doorway; her long red hair fell in soft waves about her shoulders, her eyes were large and open wide in surprise at the visit from her brother (he never normally came here unless invited, or, rather, forced). She looked much as she had last he'd seen her, thinner perhaps, though she always did diminish in weight when in rehearsals.
"It's okay, Henna - that'll be all." Though spoken kindly it was a firm dismissal and the House disapperated to the kitchens.
Not allowing him to even enter over the threshold she threw herself bodily at him, "oh, Ron! It's so good to see you!" It had been a couple of months since the siblings had seen one another. They'd had a falling out at Halloween, over her choice of partner. He'd always hated Draco Malfoy and now that hate had intensified since his sister had moved in with him. At first, when they'd just been dating he was quite happy to pretend it wasn't really happening and that it wasn't official. Although now, it seemed that he'd realised that once they were moved in together when he visited Ginny, he'd also be visiting the Amazing Bouncing Ferret from his schooldays. And that made things a whole lot harder to deny to himself. Clearly she thought he was here as a representation of a truce between the two.
"Hey, Gin…think we could, you know, get in the house…I'm freezing my arse off here."
"Of-of course!" Letting go of his neck she allowed him to enter the magnificent household. The door shut quietly (it had been charmed not to slam) behind him. "Come, lets have some tea in parlour." She said this a little tongue in cheek, expecting Ron - like her other siblings had done at her invitation - to take the mick out of their ickle Ginny-winny having a parlour! But Ron said nothing, merely followed his sister into a beautifully decorated room. She ushered him into a seat by the fire and took the one opposite him. She was seated in a chair which Draco usually sat in, Ron was in hers. She felt Draco may actually have an apoplectic fit if he knew her brother had been sitting in his favourite chair.
"Tippin." She called to the room. As yet another House Elf appeared Ron rolled his eyes a little, knowing Hermione would have had a small coronary if she could see. "Could you bring up a pot of tea for my brother and I, please? Anything to eat Ron?"
"Er, no -- no thanks, Gin." He replied, practically bursting with anticipation at wanting to tell her his news.
"Oh, don't be silly. We'll have the leftovers of last night's pumpkin pie too, Tippin. That'll be all, thank you."
"Really, Gin, I'm not hun-"
"Oh, please. Ronald Weasley you are always hungry, especially as you seem to have come straight from work." He glanced down at his plain Auror robes and sighed, she looked so elegant in comparison, he could hardly believe it was still his sister who sat before him. The girl he used to know wore ratty old jumpers of his or Harry's, and shorts or thick jeans and boots. The woman he now knew to be his sister dressed in the finest materials, in expensive designer robes and make up that was not really needed.
"I guess you know me well." He grinned, then grew slightly more serious; down to business. "There is a reason I'm here though, Gin."
"Oh? What --" she began, however the re-entrance of Tippin interrupted her. The elf balanced the large tray admirably well for one half the size of it's load.
"Here is Misses tea." Sliding the tray upon the table which stood between the brother and sister he poured the tea into the dainty cups and placed a slice of pie in front of each of the Weasleys. "Enjoy." With a flourish the small creature disappeared once more with a loud crack.
Picking up her tea without pouring in milk or adding sugar Ginny began to sip, Ron who was currently adding his third and final sugar looked up at his sister in shock. "Since when did you drink your tea like that, eh?"
"What? Oh, I don't know…it's how Draco drinks his and I just got used to it, I suppose. Too much stealing slurps of his morning tea." She smiled in a slack-jawed, utterly besotted manner and Ron responded with a grunt before drinking about half of his tea in one swallow.
"Merlin, these cups don't hold much."
"No…I know. It's an old Malfoy tradition to drink tea properly or some such nonsense. Draco and I use our mugs when there are no guests in the Manor," she shrugged and took another small sip. "So, what did you want to tell me?"
"Er, right." He took a deep breath, "well…thing is, Gin. Me, Luna, Hermione and Harry were out last night…in that Wizarding bar on Wardale Street."
She motioned for him to continue and he did so after draining his teacup.
"…and we saw Malfoy there."
She raised her eyebrows.
"He wasn't alone, Gin; he was with Daphne Greengrass."
Swallowing down hard she forced out a smile, "don't be ridiculous, Ronald, Draco's in France until eight, this evening."
"They looked…pretty cosy."
"They're old friends," she ground out.
"She had her tongue in his mouth and her hands down his trousers, Ginny!"
Taking a deep breath she stood. "Don't be stupid. We go there all the time, we know people that go there
all the time. Don't you think he'd be a tad more discreet if he was having an affair?"
"He doesn't care, Gin."
"You're mistaken, Ronald." He smiled in what she assumed he thought would be a sympathetic manner. But it just looked self satisfied and smug upon his features.
"I bet you've been dying to share that little tid bit with me, haven't you?" She accused, her eyes hard. "You could hardly sleep last night with excitement, could you? I can see it in your eyes --- you've been practically bursting since you arrived to tell me that! Well take that self-satisfied look off your face, go on…say it 'I was right, Gin, you shoulda listened to me…I know best!'" She imitated his voice in a satirical fashion. "Well, you silly bastard, here's news for you - you couldn't wait to bring all that bad news to my door but I knew before!"
His mouth gaped as tears sprung to her eyes. She strode behind the high backed chair, gripping it tightly with her white-knuckled hands she leant forwards slightly, "shocked are you, brother dearest? Yes, I knew. I've known since it began; I know everything about him. I love him, don't you think I'd be able to tell that he'd started fucking someone else?!" Her language was course and suddenly her elegant, glacial demeanour was gone, she looked frazzled, defeated and thoroughly pissed off. "You idiot. I saw all the signs but I…I just closed my eyes to it, like only a woman can. Like only a lover who is so desperately enamoured with him, could; you see, I don't care that he is hers…cause he's mine as well."
Breathing deeply she wiped the tears away fiercely and sat back down, smoothing her hair down as she did so. "I didn't want to know, Ron. I didn't dig deep into his life to discover his little fuck buddies that he'd acquired in the past couple of months, it was plain to anyone that knows him. I didn't interfere with his affairs and his private life in order to reveal all of this shit. You just don't, not when you're afraid you'll hear the truth. I knew, but I didn't know and I was happy."
He didn't know what to say. His sister. His fierce, beautiful, strong, intelligent sister who was loyal and opinionated and full of life was happy settling with a man who could only ever he half hers. Who had she become?
"And if you think I'm going to leave him when he returns this evening - you're wrong again. I'll ask him how was France, I'll sit besides him, we'll eat dinner, he'll drink, we'll make love and fall asleep. In the morning it'll be as if you were never even here."
"Ginny, I don't think you're fully comprehending what I said to you!"
"Ronald he's having an affair, I know what you said. But the thing is - I knew before you told me!"
She knew. She'd known since the beginning. They'd been together fourteen months and for the past two he'd been drinking heavily and sleeping around. Ever since she'd moved in…why had he asked her if he was going to treat her like this? Wanker.
But Merlin damn it, she loved that wanker.
You must be mistaken, it couldn't have been
You couldn't have seen him yesterday
He left here around 7.30 am
I hate it when he's away
You must be mistaken, I'm sure that you are
I know that bar on Wardale Street
Well, lot's of our friends go there of a nigh'
You'd think he'd, be more discgreet
Take that look of your face
I can see through your smile
You would love to be right
I bet you didn't sleep good last night
Couldn't wait, to bring all of that bad news to my door
Well, I've got news for you, I knew before!
If I'm not mistaken, this is nothing new
Bet I could tell you where it began
I noticed a changed, so I just closed my eyes
As only a woman can
No, I didn't dig deep
I did not want to know
Well, you don't interfere
When you're scared of the things you might here
And when he's back, you'll thing I'll end it there and then
Well my fearweatherd friend, you're wrong again
Take that look of your face
I can see through your smile
You would love to be right
I bet you didn't sleep good last night
Couldn't wait to bring all of that bad news to my door
Well, I've got news for you, I knew before!
Author's Note: Heyhey.
Tell Me On A Sunday is a one-woman musical that I'd LOVE to do. Hah.
But yeah this is a Ginny-centric story. She'll be in other relationships with about 3 other men, okay? Although those of you who know my work know I can't help but have Ginny and Draco together so yeah. Hah.
Lyrics belong to Andrew Lloyd Webber (genius!).
Each chapter will co-inside with a song of the musical, telling Ginny's story. Possibly a sequel to this.
Chapter aren't going to be overly hefty, I don't think. Soz.
Also, readers of Delicate I'm going to be taking down the first chapter and heavily revising it. So hopefully in a couple of weeks a new version will be up and it'll be much better!
Review? Ta.
Tasha.