Disclaimer: J. K. Rowling owns all things Harry Potter.
A/N: Well, this took longer than I hoped, but I think the next chapter will come a little more quickly. Thank you for your reviews!
*****************
Coming Home
Chapter 9: Sorting Things Out
Ginny reappeared in the kitchen of the Burrow just as Molly finished washing up. Molly took one look at her pale face and hurried over to engulf her in a hug.
"What is it, dear? What's wrong?"
"He... He..."
"The Malfoy boy? Hermione said you had gone to apologize. Is he still angry?"
"No, he... Harry..." she muttered unintelligibly, then burst into tears.
Molly rubbed Ginny's back soothingly, as she had when Ginny was a child. "Oh, dear, I see."
"What?" Ginny was confused.
"Did he kiss you?"
Ginny nodded dumbly, shocked that her mother knew. Molly kept rubbing her back, and asked gently, "Did you enjoy it?"
"I... I don't know... I... Harry..."
"So you did, but then you had second thoughts once you remembered Harry."
Ginny nodded again, burying her face further into Molly's shoulder.
"Ginny, Harry is dead. He has been dead for a long time, and is going to stay dead. And hopefully you are going to live many more years. You need to learn to live your life without thinking of Harry all the time."
Ginny had started to control her tears, and nodded, wiping her face. "I know, and I have started to. Evan even accused me of forgetting him. But I have never dated anyone since. And I haven't wanted to. Especially not now, of all times, when everything is changing, and Evan needs me. Why now? And why Draco Malfoy? Harry is probably turning over in his grave."
"Ginny, Harry was a good man. He thought of everyone else before himself, always."
"I know. That was a big part of why I loved him so much. I still do."
"Do you think he would want you to pine over him all your life?"
Ginny shook her head. She was remembering the last time she had spoken to Harry, the last thing he had said. "Whatever happens, be happy."
"And does Draco Malfoy make you happy?" Molly asked.
"I... I don't know. I like him. We have a lot in common, and he's easy to talk to, but... I don't know any more than that."
"Well, that's something you need to figure out. But you need to figure out how he makes you feel. Not what Harry would think."
"I don't know. It was no problem when all I thought about was friendship. But this... this feels like I'm betraying him."
"If Harry would want you to be happy, then being happy is not betraying him, even if that happiness involves someone he didn't particularly like." Ginny smiled at Molly's understatement. "All you have to worry about is whether he really does make you happy."
"Thanks, Mum. You always did know how to make me feel better."
"That's because all I have ever wanted was for you to be happy," Molly said with a smile. "Now I think you should stay here tonight. Evan is already asleep in Ron's old room. I think the flying lessons took a lot out of him." She got up and started bustling around the kitchen. "Would you like some tea or hot milk?"
"No thanks, Mum. I think I'll just go to bed. It has been a long day."
"Yes, and you will need to be up early in the morning."
"I will?"
"Yes, you will. You need to go talk to Draco and sort things out."
Ginny sighed. "I suppose I do. Goodnight, Mum. And thank you again."
"Good night, dear."
***
Molly woke Ginny early so she could Floo to her flat before going for coffee with Draco. Ginny was amazed by the number of owls waiting for her--they filled all the nearby trees and lined the roof of her building. She was sure the Muggles would suspect something, but as she dug in her bag for her key, one walked by and didn't give the flock of birds a second glance. After giving out Owl Treats, she removed all the letters but didn't open them. She didn't have the time or strength for it now. Besides, just after her marriage to Harry had become public, she had opened a letter from a disgruntled fan of Harry's, who thought he should have married her. Her rabbit ears didn't go away for three days. So she bundled the letters up, and made her way to the coffee house.
Ginny was relieved to see that Draco was there. She gave herself a little pep talk as she stood in line, then took her time adding cream to her coffee. When she sat down at his table, they both said "I'm sorry" at the same time. They looked up at each other.
"Please," Draco said, "let me go first." She nodded and he continued. "I'm sorry for what I did last night. It was too soon, and I guess I knew that. But you looked so beautiful, and you were so upset, and I just wanted to... Well, I lost control. And I'm sorry." He moved to touch her arm reassuringly but stopped as he felt her stiffen.
"It's not your fault. I... I guess it was too soon. You took me by surprise, and I guess I'm not ready for that yet. You said that you didn't want to be friends, but..."
"What I meant is that friendship isn't all I want. But I am willing to wait, if that is what you want."
"I... It's hard for me to let go of Harry, to convince myself that it's okay to let go of Harry. I... I have this problem with fairy tales."
"Fairy tales?"
"I tend to think that life should follow some perfect preordained path, and it takes a lot to break myself of it. I had that crush on Harry that you used to tease me about."
Draco smirked. "Well, it was funny..."
"Yes, well, I see that now, but at the time I hated you for the teasing."
"Of course. That was the point, after all."
"Anyway, I did eventually come to see Harry as he really was, and fell in love with him for real. But I still have that tendency to idealize. I somehow thought Evan could be happy without knowing his family. He was up to a point, but that hunger for family was still there. And then I thought we could move here without being hounded by the press. But the strongest of all my fantasies is that Harry was the love of my life and that any other relationship would be a betrayal of that. And on some level I know it's silly, and that Harry would want me to be happy, but..."
"But it's hard to let go."
"Exactly," she said, somewhat surprised.
"I had this silly idea at one point that my father was wonderful--the ideal I should strive for." Ginny snorted, remembering that Lucius Malfoy had tried to kill her in her first year at Hogwarts. "Yes, well, I finally realized that he wasn't, but it was still hard for me to let that go."
"So you do understand, at least a bit."
"A little bit, yes. As I said before, I am willing to wait for you to sort things out, if that is what you need."
"I... I guess it is what I need. Thank you, Draco."
"For what?"
"For being so understanding."
He smirked. "Oh, don't worry, I expect I'll get what I want eventually. I generally do."
She smiled and punched him affectionately on the shoulder.
"What?" he asked. "As much as I've changed, I'm still a Slytherin."
"Well, I guess there are worse things," she said, laughing. "You could be..."
"A Hufflepuff!" they said together, and burst into laughter.
***
There was an awkward moment when Ginny and Draco's hands brushed as they both reached for the sugar at the same time, causing Ginny to blush ferociously. But they felt more or less comfortable with each other by the time they finished their coffee. They had moved on to lighter subjects and were recovering their old easy companionship.
"So," asked Draco, just before it was time for them to leave, "have you thought about meeting with Shawna?"
"Shawna?"
"My publicist. I asked her to owl you yesterday. Didn't she do it?"
"Oh! Yes, she did, I just forgot about it. Honestly, when her owl came I was still mad at you so I didn't respond."
"Well, I have a meeting with her in ten minutes. Would you like to come? Really, she'll be able to help you use the press to advantage, now that they know the truth."
"All right. I guess it wouldn't hurt to hear what she has to say."
"Okay," he said, scribbling something on a napkin. "This is where her office is. See you there in ten minutes?"
Ginny ducked out of the coffee house and into an alley. She looked at the address Draco had given her, took a deep breath, and Apparated into the publicist's office.
Shawna Wickness had piercing blue eyes and perfectly sculpted blond hair that looked as if it hadn't moved for more than twenty years, when it had been the epitome of style. Ginny thought it odd that a publicist would be out of date, but reasoned that she must be good at what she did if Draco employed her. Shawna, in turn, was looking at Ginny carefully, clearly evaluating her from head to toe.
"Ah! You must be Mrs. Potter. I'm glad that you decided to come. We have much work to do!"
At that moment, Draco arrived. "Sorry I'm late--I got caught up talking to a woman about her poodle."
"Ah! Mister Malfoy! I'm glad you are here. I was just going to tell Mrs. Potter about her options with regard to the press. Please have a seat. You too, Mrs. Potter." They settled into comfortable chairs surrounding a small table.
"Now as I see it, there is a continuum of possible responses," Shawna began. "At one end, you could give the press everything they want. This would more or less mean having them follow you and your son around, and not getting a moment's rest. At the other end, you could ignore them completely. This would more or less mean having them follow you and your son around, and not getting a moment's rest."
Ginny was aghast.
"I, of course," Shawna said with a slow smile, "would advocate a response somewhere between the two extremes."
Ginny smiled in relief. Draco reached out to squeeze her hand, and she latched onto it for comfort.
"I recommend that we make an exclusivity deal with the Daily Prophet. We agree to give them exclusive interviews at certain key times, and in exchange they agree not to follow you around and publish a story whenever you go to Flourish and Blotts."
"What key times do you have in mind?"
"Well, you would probably have to do a full interview right away to explain why you left the wizarding world, and why you returned. They would probably want an interview around Christmas, probably one around the anniversary of the defeat of You-Know-Who, maybe on the anniversary of Mr. Potter's death. Perhaps something near your son's birthday. We could probably limit it to about three or four times a year."
Ginny nodded, considering. "And what would keep them from publishing at other times?"
At this, Shawna grinned sardonically in a way that convinced Ginny that she had been a Slytherin. "We will threaten to sell all future interviews to the Quibbler."
Ginny laughed. "Are they still afraid of being outdone like they were when Rita Skeeter interviewed Harry for the Quibbler?"
"Of course. And Luna Lovegood more or less runs the place now. All we would have to do is mention that you and she were friends at Hogwarts and the Prophet will do whatever you want."
Ginny was a bit startled, but Draco's face was impassive. She figured she would never know if he had told Shawna that she and Luna had been friends, or if Shawna was just extremely well informed.
"I'm willing to agree to your suggestion of how to deal with it, as long as you think the other papers and magazines will follow the Prophet's lead."
"We'll probably have to allow the Prophet to sell the transcripts of the interviews to other news outlets as they see fit, but the Prophet is the major publication of the wizarding world, so if they are happy, you should be safe, more or less. It would probably be worth giving Witch Weekly a recipe or two in order to keep them off your back, but they are small potatoes compared to the Prophet."
"A recipe?"
"It wouldn't even have to be your own recipe--something of your mother's would be fine. Especially if it was a favorite of your husband or son."
"Mums are wonderful things, aren't they?" Ginny asked. Shawna just grinned.
"Are you willing to let Shawna act as your publicity agent?" This was the first time Draco had participated in the conversation.
"Yes," said Ginny, smiling, "you seem to have a good head on your shoulders."
"How do you think I've kept his business all these years?" Shawna asked, gesturing at Draco.
"Thank you," Ginny said, though it wasn't clear whom she was addressing, and both Draco and Shawna nodded at her in response. "So I should expect an interview soon? With both Evan and me?"
Shawna nodded. "They're unlikely to accept a deal without something up front."
"Okay. How long can I put it off?"
"Probably no later than the weekend. And they'll want posed photographs. They have a good shot of Evan, but all they have of you so far is bits of hair falling out of your hood. I suggest you buy some nicer robes."
Ginny looked hopelessly at Shawna. Draco intervened.
"I'll talk to Madame Malkin. She can prepare something appropriate on short notice."
"But..." Ginny began.
"But nothing," Draco said. "If you can't afford it, then I can. And she will be discreet if I tell her to be. She can't afford to lose my mother's business. Sometimes I think she singlehandedly keeps that shop in business," he said, rolling his eyes. He then turned to look appraisingly at Ginny. "I think I'll suggest that you wear green..."
Ginny was about to protest, but Shawna spoke up. "Oh! Green would be perfect! It would look lovely with your hair. And I think either a dark blue or brown for your son. We do want the pictures to be flattering."
Ginny gave in. She felt a little as if she were selling herself and Evan out, but on the other hand, it would help control the situation. She was starting to see the benefits of thinking like a Slytherin.
"Speaking of pictures... Do you think you could try to get me a copy of the picture they printed of Evan and I?" Ginny asked suddenly.
"Oh, I can probably manage that. It was a lovely picture, wasn't it? I'll let you know once I've made the deal. Try not to think about it too much until then," Shawna said with a smile.
Ginny stood up to leave, and was surprised when Draco stood as well.
"Will you be okay getting back on your own?"
"Of course. I'm going to collect my mail and go back the to Burrow to open it, so my mum can heal me if someone's sent a curse."
Draco grinned. "Well, good luck. I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Of course. Goodbye!"
Ginny was overcome with a sense of peace as she prepared to Disapparate. Everything was going to work out fine. The last thing she heard was Draco saying, "Now Shawna, about that grand opening..."
***
Ginny arrived at the Burrow to find the house empty. Curious, she stepped outside, and followed the distant sound of shouts to the Quidditch orchard. Molly was sitting with her back against a tree, watching two figures on brooms. Ginny's breath caught in her throat as she spotted them. For a moment, she was thrust into the past, watching Harry and Ron again--the fliers had the same hair and the same flying styles. Then the light shifted and she realized that it was Evan and young Harry.
"He's a natural, isn't he?" Molly asked. "But I guess that isn't a surprise considering who his parents are. Young Harry is in heaven. It's rare that he has someone as good as he is to fly with."
"Then he's lucky he got the Weasley flying skills, and not Hermione's. She never really could stomach it."
"Oh yes, he is a very lucky child. He's very intelligent, too, but not at all showy about it."
"Oh, Mum!" Ginny laughed. "He's not a know-it-all like Hermione. That's what you meant, isn't it?"
Molly reddened a bit, but she was smiling a little. "I didn't say that, dear. And Hermione has toned that part of her personality down considerably over the years."
At that moment Evan spotted Ginny. "Mom! Mom! Watch this!" He made a spectacular dive that almost caused Ginny to faint with worry, but he pulled out of it expertly at the last second. Ginny's heart was pounding thunderously in her chest.
"Evan James Potter! Get down here this instant!" He complied immediately, familiar with his mother's temper and the consequences of defying it. "What do you think you were doing?! You got on a broom for the first time yesterday! You could have killed yourself with that stunt!"
"Sorry," he muttered, embarrassed. She hugged him fiercely, her expression softening. "Just be more careful, okay?"
"Okay, I'll try. But flying is brilliant! It's better than... It's better than Mr. Porter's barbeque ribs!" This was saying something--Evan had inherited the Weasley love of food, and Jefferson Porter's ribs were his absolute favorite.
"It is fun, isn't it?" Ginny said with a smile. "And I bet that if you keep flying like that, you'll have no trouble earning a spot on your house Quidditch team when you get to Hogwarts. That is, if you don't kill yourself first!"
They laughed and turned back towards the house together, forgetting Molly and young Harry, who had been watching the exchange with amusement. There would be time to discuss the press later. Now, it was time for lunch.
A/N: Well, this took longer than I hoped, but I think the next chapter will come a little more quickly. Thank you for your reviews!
*****************
Coming Home
Chapter 9: Sorting Things Out
Ginny reappeared in the kitchen of the Burrow just as Molly finished washing up. Molly took one look at her pale face and hurried over to engulf her in a hug.
"What is it, dear? What's wrong?"
"He... He..."
"The Malfoy boy? Hermione said you had gone to apologize. Is he still angry?"
"No, he... Harry..." she muttered unintelligibly, then burst into tears.
Molly rubbed Ginny's back soothingly, as she had when Ginny was a child. "Oh, dear, I see."
"What?" Ginny was confused.
"Did he kiss you?"
Ginny nodded dumbly, shocked that her mother knew. Molly kept rubbing her back, and asked gently, "Did you enjoy it?"
"I... I don't know... I... Harry..."
"So you did, but then you had second thoughts once you remembered Harry."
Ginny nodded again, burying her face further into Molly's shoulder.
"Ginny, Harry is dead. He has been dead for a long time, and is going to stay dead. And hopefully you are going to live many more years. You need to learn to live your life without thinking of Harry all the time."
Ginny had started to control her tears, and nodded, wiping her face. "I know, and I have started to. Evan even accused me of forgetting him. But I have never dated anyone since. And I haven't wanted to. Especially not now, of all times, when everything is changing, and Evan needs me. Why now? And why Draco Malfoy? Harry is probably turning over in his grave."
"Ginny, Harry was a good man. He thought of everyone else before himself, always."
"I know. That was a big part of why I loved him so much. I still do."
"Do you think he would want you to pine over him all your life?"
Ginny shook her head. She was remembering the last time she had spoken to Harry, the last thing he had said. "Whatever happens, be happy."
"And does Draco Malfoy make you happy?" Molly asked.
"I... I don't know. I like him. We have a lot in common, and he's easy to talk to, but... I don't know any more than that."
"Well, that's something you need to figure out. But you need to figure out how he makes you feel. Not what Harry would think."
"I don't know. It was no problem when all I thought about was friendship. But this... this feels like I'm betraying him."
"If Harry would want you to be happy, then being happy is not betraying him, even if that happiness involves someone he didn't particularly like." Ginny smiled at Molly's understatement. "All you have to worry about is whether he really does make you happy."
"Thanks, Mum. You always did know how to make me feel better."
"That's because all I have ever wanted was for you to be happy," Molly said with a smile. "Now I think you should stay here tonight. Evan is already asleep in Ron's old room. I think the flying lessons took a lot out of him." She got up and started bustling around the kitchen. "Would you like some tea or hot milk?"
"No thanks, Mum. I think I'll just go to bed. It has been a long day."
"Yes, and you will need to be up early in the morning."
"I will?"
"Yes, you will. You need to go talk to Draco and sort things out."
Ginny sighed. "I suppose I do. Goodnight, Mum. And thank you again."
"Good night, dear."
***
Molly woke Ginny early so she could Floo to her flat before going for coffee with Draco. Ginny was amazed by the number of owls waiting for her--they filled all the nearby trees and lined the roof of her building. She was sure the Muggles would suspect something, but as she dug in her bag for her key, one walked by and didn't give the flock of birds a second glance. After giving out Owl Treats, she removed all the letters but didn't open them. She didn't have the time or strength for it now. Besides, just after her marriage to Harry had become public, she had opened a letter from a disgruntled fan of Harry's, who thought he should have married her. Her rabbit ears didn't go away for three days. So she bundled the letters up, and made her way to the coffee house.
Ginny was relieved to see that Draco was there. She gave herself a little pep talk as she stood in line, then took her time adding cream to her coffee. When she sat down at his table, they both said "I'm sorry" at the same time. They looked up at each other.
"Please," Draco said, "let me go first." She nodded and he continued. "I'm sorry for what I did last night. It was too soon, and I guess I knew that. But you looked so beautiful, and you were so upset, and I just wanted to... Well, I lost control. And I'm sorry." He moved to touch her arm reassuringly but stopped as he felt her stiffen.
"It's not your fault. I... I guess it was too soon. You took me by surprise, and I guess I'm not ready for that yet. You said that you didn't want to be friends, but..."
"What I meant is that friendship isn't all I want. But I am willing to wait, if that is what you want."
"I... It's hard for me to let go of Harry, to convince myself that it's okay to let go of Harry. I... I have this problem with fairy tales."
"Fairy tales?"
"I tend to think that life should follow some perfect preordained path, and it takes a lot to break myself of it. I had that crush on Harry that you used to tease me about."
Draco smirked. "Well, it was funny..."
"Yes, well, I see that now, but at the time I hated you for the teasing."
"Of course. That was the point, after all."
"Anyway, I did eventually come to see Harry as he really was, and fell in love with him for real. But I still have that tendency to idealize. I somehow thought Evan could be happy without knowing his family. He was up to a point, but that hunger for family was still there. And then I thought we could move here without being hounded by the press. But the strongest of all my fantasies is that Harry was the love of my life and that any other relationship would be a betrayal of that. And on some level I know it's silly, and that Harry would want me to be happy, but..."
"But it's hard to let go."
"Exactly," she said, somewhat surprised.
"I had this silly idea at one point that my father was wonderful--the ideal I should strive for." Ginny snorted, remembering that Lucius Malfoy had tried to kill her in her first year at Hogwarts. "Yes, well, I finally realized that he wasn't, but it was still hard for me to let that go."
"So you do understand, at least a bit."
"A little bit, yes. As I said before, I am willing to wait for you to sort things out, if that is what you need."
"I... I guess it is what I need. Thank you, Draco."
"For what?"
"For being so understanding."
He smirked. "Oh, don't worry, I expect I'll get what I want eventually. I generally do."
She smiled and punched him affectionately on the shoulder.
"What?" he asked. "As much as I've changed, I'm still a Slytherin."
"Well, I guess there are worse things," she said, laughing. "You could be..."
"A Hufflepuff!" they said together, and burst into laughter.
***
There was an awkward moment when Ginny and Draco's hands brushed as they both reached for the sugar at the same time, causing Ginny to blush ferociously. But they felt more or less comfortable with each other by the time they finished their coffee. They had moved on to lighter subjects and were recovering their old easy companionship.
"So," asked Draco, just before it was time for them to leave, "have you thought about meeting with Shawna?"
"Shawna?"
"My publicist. I asked her to owl you yesterday. Didn't she do it?"
"Oh! Yes, she did, I just forgot about it. Honestly, when her owl came I was still mad at you so I didn't respond."
"Well, I have a meeting with her in ten minutes. Would you like to come? Really, she'll be able to help you use the press to advantage, now that they know the truth."
"All right. I guess it wouldn't hurt to hear what she has to say."
"Okay," he said, scribbling something on a napkin. "This is where her office is. See you there in ten minutes?"
Ginny ducked out of the coffee house and into an alley. She looked at the address Draco had given her, took a deep breath, and Apparated into the publicist's office.
Shawna Wickness had piercing blue eyes and perfectly sculpted blond hair that looked as if it hadn't moved for more than twenty years, when it had been the epitome of style. Ginny thought it odd that a publicist would be out of date, but reasoned that she must be good at what she did if Draco employed her. Shawna, in turn, was looking at Ginny carefully, clearly evaluating her from head to toe.
"Ah! You must be Mrs. Potter. I'm glad that you decided to come. We have much work to do!"
At that moment, Draco arrived. "Sorry I'm late--I got caught up talking to a woman about her poodle."
"Ah! Mister Malfoy! I'm glad you are here. I was just going to tell Mrs. Potter about her options with regard to the press. Please have a seat. You too, Mrs. Potter." They settled into comfortable chairs surrounding a small table.
"Now as I see it, there is a continuum of possible responses," Shawna began. "At one end, you could give the press everything they want. This would more or less mean having them follow you and your son around, and not getting a moment's rest. At the other end, you could ignore them completely. This would more or less mean having them follow you and your son around, and not getting a moment's rest."
Ginny was aghast.
"I, of course," Shawna said with a slow smile, "would advocate a response somewhere between the two extremes."
Ginny smiled in relief. Draco reached out to squeeze her hand, and she latched onto it for comfort.
"I recommend that we make an exclusivity deal with the Daily Prophet. We agree to give them exclusive interviews at certain key times, and in exchange they agree not to follow you around and publish a story whenever you go to Flourish and Blotts."
"What key times do you have in mind?"
"Well, you would probably have to do a full interview right away to explain why you left the wizarding world, and why you returned. They would probably want an interview around Christmas, probably one around the anniversary of the defeat of You-Know-Who, maybe on the anniversary of Mr. Potter's death. Perhaps something near your son's birthday. We could probably limit it to about three or four times a year."
Ginny nodded, considering. "And what would keep them from publishing at other times?"
At this, Shawna grinned sardonically in a way that convinced Ginny that she had been a Slytherin. "We will threaten to sell all future interviews to the Quibbler."
Ginny laughed. "Are they still afraid of being outdone like they were when Rita Skeeter interviewed Harry for the Quibbler?"
"Of course. And Luna Lovegood more or less runs the place now. All we would have to do is mention that you and she were friends at Hogwarts and the Prophet will do whatever you want."
Ginny was a bit startled, but Draco's face was impassive. She figured she would never know if he had told Shawna that she and Luna had been friends, or if Shawna was just extremely well informed.
"I'm willing to agree to your suggestion of how to deal with it, as long as you think the other papers and magazines will follow the Prophet's lead."
"We'll probably have to allow the Prophet to sell the transcripts of the interviews to other news outlets as they see fit, but the Prophet is the major publication of the wizarding world, so if they are happy, you should be safe, more or less. It would probably be worth giving Witch Weekly a recipe or two in order to keep them off your back, but they are small potatoes compared to the Prophet."
"A recipe?"
"It wouldn't even have to be your own recipe--something of your mother's would be fine. Especially if it was a favorite of your husband or son."
"Mums are wonderful things, aren't they?" Ginny asked. Shawna just grinned.
"Are you willing to let Shawna act as your publicity agent?" This was the first time Draco had participated in the conversation.
"Yes," said Ginny, smiling, "you seem to have a good head on your shoulders."
"How do you think I've kept his business all these years?" Shawna asked, gesturing at Draco.
"Thank you," Ginny said, though it wasn't clear whom she was addressing, and both Draco and Shawna nodded at her in response. "So I should expect an interview soon? With both Evan and me?"
Shawna nodded. "They're unlikely to accept a deal without something up front."
"Okay. How long can I put it off?"
"Probably no later than the weekend. And they'll want posed photographs. They have a good shot of Evan, but all they have of you so far is bits of hair falling out of your hood. I suggest you buy some nicer robes."
Ginny looked hopelessly at Shawna. Draco intervened.
"I'll talk to Madame Malkin. She can prepare something appropriate on short notice."
"But..." Ginny began.
"But nothing," Draco said. "If you can't afford it, then I can. And she will be discreet if I tell her to be. She can't afford to lose my mother's business. Sometimes I think she singlehandedly keeps that shop in business," he said, rolling his eyes. He then turned to look appraisingly at Ginny. "I think I'll suggest that you wear green..."
Ginny was about to protest, but Shawna spoke up. "Oh! Green would be perfect! It would look lovely with your hair. And I think either a dark blue or brown for your son. We do want the pictures to be flattering."
Ginny gave in. She felt a little as if she were selling herself and Evan out, but on the other hand, it would help control the situation. She was starting to see the benefits of thinking like a Slytherin.
"Speaking of pictures... Do you think you could try to get me a copy of the picture they printed of Evan and I?" Ginny asked suddenly.
"Oh, I can probably manage that. It was a lovely picture, wasn't it? I'll let you know once I've made the deal. Try not to think about it too much until then," Shawna said with a smile.
Ginny stood up to leave, and was surprised when Draco stood as well.
"Will you be okay getting back on your own?"
"Of course. I'm going to collect my mail and go back the to Burrow to open it, so my mum can heal me if someone's sent a curse."
Draco grinned. "Well, good luck. I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Of course. Goodbye!"
Ginny was overcome with a sense of peace as she prepared to Disapparate. Everything was going to work out fine. The last thing she heard was Draco saying, "Now Shawna, about that grand opening..."
***
Ginny arrived at the Burrow to find the house empty. Curious, she stepped outside, and followed the distant sound of shouts to the Quidditch orchard. Molly was sitting with her back against a tree, watching two figures on brooms. Ginny's breath caught in her throat as she spotted them. For a moment, she was thrust into the past, watching Harry and Ron again--the fliers had the same hair and the same flying styles. Then the light shifted and she realized that it was Evan and young Harry.
"He's a natural, isn't he?" Molly asked. "But I guess that isn't a surprise considering who his parents are. Young Harry is in heaven. It's rare that he has someone as good as he is to fly with."
"Then he's lucky he got the Weasley flying skills, and not Hermione's. She never really could stomach it."
"Oh yes, he is a very lucky child. He's very intelligent, too, but not at all showy about it."
"Oh, Mum!" Ginny laughed. "He's not a know-it-all like Hermione. That's what you meant, isn't it?"
Molly reddened a bit, but she was smiling a little. "I didn't say that, dear. And Hermione has toned that part of her personality down considerably over the years."
At that moment Evan spotted Ginny. "Mom! Mom! Watch this!" He made a spectacular dive that almost caused Ginny to faint with worry, but he pulled out of it expertly at the last second. Ginny's heart was pounding thunderously in her chest.
"Evan James Potter! Get down here this instant!" He complied immediately, familiar with his mother's temper and the consequences of defying it. "What do you think you were doing?! You got on a broom for the first time yesterday! You could have killed yourself with that stunt!"
"Sorry," he muttered, embarrassed. She hugged him fiercely, her expression softening. "Just be more careful, okay?"
"Okay, I'll try. But flying is brilliant! It's better than... It's better than Mr. Porter's barbeque ribs!" This was saying something--Evan had inherited the Weasley love of food, and Jefferson Porter's ribs were his absolute favorite.
"It is fun, isn't it?" Ginny said with a smile. "And I bet that if you keep flying like that, you'll have no trouble earning a spot on your house Quidditch team when you get to Hogwarts. That is, if you don't kill yourself first!"
They laughed and turned back towards the house together, forgetting Molly and young Harry, who had been watching the exchange with amusement. There would be time to discuss the press later. Now, it was time for lunch.
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