Disclaimer: J. K. Rowling owns all things Harry Potter.
A/N: Classes are over and my grades are all in, so hopefully I will be able to update more frequently again. Thanks for your reviews!
*****************
Coming Home
Chapter 11: Surprises
The next day, Ginny began work at the clinic, after dropping Evan off at the Burrow in the morning. Molly had agreed to let him stay with her when Ginny was working. Young Harry was also there most days, and Bill's sons occasionally came as well. Molly loved the excitement of having a house full of children, and it gave her an opportunity to get to know her grandchildren better. Today they had plans to start cleaning out the attic. Ginny suspected it was just an excuse for Molly to show Evan Ginny's old school things, but she wasn't going to complain.
Working at the clinic was much different than what Ginny had been used to. The maternity ward in Chicago had been constantly busy. Here, the staff monitored their elderly clients' health, but referred any serious cases to specialists. This made for a very relaxed atmosphere. Ginny spent her first day with Dr. Perry to learn the clinic's practices, and she very quickly realized that what many of the clients needed most was not medical attention, but someone to talk to. Dr. Perry seemed to know all about each client's family and hobbies. He checked their health, certainly, but did it while chatting away. It seemed that most of the clients actually looked forward to their monthly check-ups, just for the conversation. And they were all delighted to meet Ginny. She had lost count of the number of times she had heard, "Oh, it is so nice to see a young face around here! No offence to you, of course, Dr. Perry."
On Tuesday, Ginny woke to Evan singing "Happy Birthday To You" loudly and out of tune. With everything that had happened recently, she had nearly forgotten that she turned twenty-eight that day. Evan, it seemed, had not forgotten. Once he had finished his song, he crawled into bed with her and handed her a small package. "Happy birthday, Mom!" he said happily.
"What? No breakfast in bed this year?" Ginny asked in mock disappointment.
"After Mother's Day, I figured you would prefer to cook it yourself," Evan said sheepishly. Evan had tried to make pancakes but had gotten distracted and they had burned. This had set off the smoke alarm and sent Ginny into a panic for their lives. It was an experience neither of them wanted to repeat. "Open your gift!"
It was messily wrapped in blue wrapping paper with tiny Snitches flitting about. Ginny smiled at the paper as she carefully opened it. She opened the box to find a small locket on a chain. It was a gold oval with a pattern of ivy and roses raised on its surface. She smiled at Evan, who had cuddled against her. "It's lovely!"
"Open it," Evan said in a slightly apprehensive voice. Ginny found the clasp and released it, then gasped. Inside were wizarding pictures of Harry and Evan, both smiling up at her. "Grandmum helped me pick it out and gave me the pictures. I... I just didn't want you to forget."
"Oh Evan," Ginny said, trying to hold back her tears. "It is beautiful. And I told you before that I wouldn't forget."
"I know, but with Draco and all, I just want to be sure."
"I understand. It is beautiful. Will you help me put it on?" Evan fumbled with the clasp, but managed to secure it eventually. Then the two ventured into the kitchen, where Ginny insisted on making the pancakes herself.
***
That day, Ginny saw patients on her own, but Dr. Perry checked in on her now and then. So when he entered the examining room towards the end of the day, she automatically said, "I don't need anything, Dr. Perry. Mr. Martin and I are nearly finished." She smiled at the gentleman who had just put away a photograph of his granddaughter.
"Oh, that's not why I'm here, Ginny," he said, his eyes twinkling. "There is a young man here to see you, and he is... causing a bit of a stir in the waiting room. So I thought it might be best if you leave a little early today." He winked at Mr. Martin, who beamed at Ginny.
Ginny was confused as she made her way into the waiting room. Who would visit her at the clinic? She had to stifle her laughter when she saw what the fuss was about.
Draco sat uncomfortably on one of the plastic chairs, as three white-haired ladies hovered around him. They all seemed to be talking at once, and he was making a valiant attempt to carry on three conversations simultaneously. When he noticed Ginny, he stood up and gave her a grateful look.
"Hello, Draco," she said, the ghost of a smile on her lips.
"Ginny! I'm glad you're here. Dr. Perry said that you could leave early today?"
"Yes, let me just collect my things."
When she returned with her bag in hand, Draco turned to the three still-fawning ladies, and kissed each of their hands. Ginny looked on in amusement. Draco could be quite charming if he wanted to be.
"It was a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Brown, Miss Tyndale-Smith, Mrs. Turner."
"Oh, the pleasure is ours, young man!" answered one of them.
"Yes, dear. Do come back soon!" said another.
As they stepped out the door, Ginny heard the third comment, "He makes me wish I were twenty-five again!" At that, she could no longer control her laughter and doubled over.
"That was priceless!" she gasped, clinging to Draco to keep her balance. "Do women always hang on you like that?"
"But of course!" he said, raising an eyebrow at her hand on his arm. "Not that I mind some of them..." he added with an intent look.
Ginny had just caught her breath after her fit of giggles, but promptly lost it again. Oh, but he could be quite charming, indeed. She hid her smile and asked, "So why are you here?"
"What, I can't meet a friend after work on her birthday?"
He began walking and Ginny followed, not sure of where they were going. She was confused for a moment because she hadn't told Draco that it was her birthday. Then realization dawned.
"Oh! How did you get stuck with the job?"
"Job?"
"You're the one who is going to make sure I get to my surprise party at just the right time, aren't you?"
"Surprise party?" he asked innocently.
"Quit acting stupid--it doesn't suit you. And yes, my surprise party."
"How did you know?" he asked, dropping the act.
"First, I never told you about my birthday, but clearly someone did. Secondly, it's my first birthday since I've been back, so everyone is bound to want to celebrate. And finally, Fred and George have many talents, but subtlety is certainly not one of them."
Draco laughed at this. "Okay, I'll admit it. But you have to act surprised or everyone will think I let it slip."
"Don't worry--even you will think I was surprised."
"Oh, really? Somehow I doubt that. And I got the job of picking you up because I volunteered."
"Why?"
"I wanted to be able to talk to you before I get run out of the house by your brothers."
"That wouldn't happen! They may glower at you all evening, but if my mum invited you, they wouldn't dare do anything worse. Her word is pretty much law."
"Well, I... I actually wanted to give you your gift away from the others," he said, leading her into a small park, and finding a bench to sit on. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small package wrapped in gold with a green ribbon.
Ginny opened the package carefully and pulled out a pair of mirrors, each about four inches square. She looked blankly at them for a moment, then realization set in. "Are these...?"
"Yes. They're communication mirrors. I thought... I thought you might feel better if you could communicate more easily with Evan."
Ginny threw her arms around Draco's neck and hugged him tightly. "Thank you so much! These are wonderful!" Harry had told her of the communication mirror Sirius had given him, and how he had broken it after Sirius's death. She had never heard of such a thing in any other context, so they must be exceedingly rare. "But you shouldn't have gotten something so extravagant!"
Draco pulled away from her a little so he could see her eyes. He pushed a stray strand of her hair behind her ear, and said quietly, "It isn't extravagant. Not if it's for you." Ginny's breath caught in her throat at the softness she saw in his eyes. She wondered briefly if he would kiss her again, but instead he stood abruptly and muttered, "We should go. They're expecting us soon."
Ginny started breathing again. She couldn't help but realize she had been disappointed. She set aside the thought--she wasn't sure she was ready for that yet. "Yes," she answered quietly, "I suppose we should."
***
The surprise party was a success. Ginny managed to convince everyone that it had been completely unexpected. The whole family was there, with the exception of Ron, though Hermione was quick to reassure Ginny that he had been detained at work and would come when he could. Remus came, even though he was still a little weak from Thursday's full moon. Much to Ginny's amusement, he used the excuse to cajole Molly into giving him an extra piece of chocolate cake. Molly had also invited Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood, who Ginny had not seen yet since her return. She had a pleasant conversation with them, exchanging stories from the past ten years. She especially enjoyed watching Evan tear around the house with his cousins. It was beginning to seem as if they had known him all their lives, and she was grateful.
Fred and George were at the party, of course, and they spent lots of time whispering furiously to each other. Ginny knew they were plotting against her and was very careful about what she ate. So when Percy's son Pembroke brought her a Butterbeer, she knew to be wary. "You didn't get this from Fred and George, did you?"
"No, I know better than that. They gave me some Ticklish Delight once." He shuddered as he said this. "No, I didn't get it from them." Relieved, Ginny took a sip of the Butterbeer and her face immediately puckered into that of a fish. Bubbles emerged from her mouth as it opened and closed. Pembroke gaped at her in horror. "I swear, Aunt Ginny! Uncle Bill gave it to me!"
Ginny's eyes grew even larger than they were at the moment, and she gurgled, "Tht's lmst s bd s Frd nd Grg!"
When Ginny had recovered her voice a few moments later, she reassured Pembroke that she didn't blame him. But catching Bill, Fred, and George snickering in a corner, she chased them out into the garden, sending hexes their way. "What were you thinking?!" she yelled, once they were all incapacitated. "Bringing poor Pembroke into it! As if you hadn't traumatized the poor boy enough already!" Fred tried to say something, but found it difficult through the Bat Bogeys. Ginny sighed, her anger dissipating. "Oh, I'll release you. Just don't do that again, all right?" The three all nodded and she performed the countercurses. They did not follow Ginny back into the house.
Draco had mostly kept his distance from Ginny since the uncomfortable moment before the party, but she smiled reassuringly at him when she returned, and as she went for a Butterbeer, keeping a suspicious eye on the twins, he followed.
"I was duly impressed by your excellent thespianism earlier," he said, raising an eyebrow. "You actually appeared to be surprised."
"That'll show you not to doubt me," she said, smiling.
"Ah, but usually it's so easy to tell what you are thinking, I figured it would be clear as day that you already knew what was going on."
"But usually I'm not paying attention to what I'm showing on my face. It generally doesn't matter. But if I am paying attention, I can act and lie as well as anyone."
"I guess I'll have to remember never to play poker with you. How did you ever learn to lie so well?"
"If you had six brothers, you would learn how to lie too," she said teasingly.
"I didn't need brothers for that," he responded darkly.
Ginny thought about what it must have been like to be Lucius Malfoy's son and paused for a moment. She was about to apologize when his face cleared, and he continued in a light voice. "But that's neither here nor there. The question is, with a capacity for deception like that, why weren't you in Slytherin?"
"Well, the Sorting Hat did consider it," she said, "but I guess my virtue won out in the end."
Draco's jaw dropped. "Are you serious? It actually considered putting a Weasley in Slytherin?"
"What? We Weasleys are really much more varied than we might appear at first glance. Percy could have been a Ravenclaw, no problem. Ron has the loyalty of a Hufflepuff. The hat considered Slytherin for Fred and George as well as me. Sometimes I even wonder if Evan could be a Slytherin. That would shock the world, wouldn't it?" She smiled up at Draco.
"Shock is probably too mild a word. Why would you think that?"
"Well, he can be quite manipulative. You saw that first hand the other day in Quality Quidditch Supplies. And if you think I can lie well, just wait until you see Evan in action. He generally knows what he wants and how to get it. Sound like anyone you know?"
"Sounds like every Slytherin I have ever met. But Potter's son? In Slytherin?"
"Don't tell anyone this--I'm not even sure if Ron knows. But the hat considered Slytherin for Harry too."
"You're kidding!"
"No, not at all. It's one of the things that drew us together. That and our run-ins with Voldemort."
"Well, you certainly have given me something to think about."
At that moment, there was a pop, and Ron appeared at the other side of the room. "Hello, everyone!" he called out. "Sorry I'm late! Life of an Auror and all! Is there any more Butterbeer?"
Then he turned around, and saw Ginny and Draco standing close together near the drinks. He froze for a moment, then bellowed, "Bloody hell! What is he doing here?!"
"Hello, Ron," Ginny began, somewhat stiffly. "Do you remember Draco Malfoy?"
"Of course I remember the git! What is he doing here?" By this time, all other conversation had stopped dead. Ginny and Ron were both seething with anger, but no one seemed to want to interfere.
"He was invited," Ginny said with icy calm, even as her fists clenched.
"That's ridiculous! Who would invite him?"
"Mum. And I am glad she did."
"Well, I don't bloody well care. He was as good as a Death Eater, even if he never got the Mark, and Death Eaters will never be welcome here." Ginny could feel Draco stiffen beside her as Ron turned to him. "Get out of this house and never come back!"
Draco stood frozen for a moment. What little color he had drained from his face. It was clear that he was struggling not to say anything he might regret later. Ginny was torn. On one hand, she was friends with Draco and saw him as more than the boy who had tormented them all at Hogwarts. But then, she could also understand Ron's anger. Hadn't she felt it too, when she first knew who Draco was?
Draco, not wanting to cause trouble between Ginny and her family, had begun to move as if to leave. But a quiet voice said, "No."
At first no one knew who had spoken, and Ron snapped his head around looking for the source. Much to everyone's shock, Evan stepped forward and repeated more firmly, "No. He stays."
There was dead silence for several seconds, then Ron spoke. "Evan? Do you know who this is?"
"Yes," Evan answered calmly. Ginny noticed that none of her family had moved an inch. What was Evan doing?
"Do you know what he did to Harry in school? Do you know what he did in the war?"
Evan took a deep breath and Ginny saw him tremble. "I know that he and my dad hated each other. But I also know that he and my mom are friends."
"Friends? It's not possible to be friends with the enemy," Ron scoffed.
"Then he must not be the enemy," Evan said simply.
"But..." Ron spluttered. Evan held his stance, chest out, chin up.
"I don't care what you think, Uncle Ron. If being friends with him makes my mom happy, then they will be friends. It's her birthday, her party, and I won't let you ruin it for her. He is her friend, and he stays."
Evan stared up at Ron, defying him to say anything against it. After a moment, Ron must have decided there was nothing he could say, and walked away, letting the door slam as he left the house. A collective sigh passed through the room as everyone moved again. Hermione stepped outside to go after Ron. Fred and George looked murderous, but Molly gestured to everyone to move into the sitting room. They, along with the rest of the family, except for Ginny and Evan, followed her suggestion. Draco stood for a minute as if stunned, then at a look from Ginny, managed to follow.
Evan still had not moved. Ginny crossed the short distance to where he stood, and fell to her knees in front of him. He collapsed into her hug, and she buried her face in his neck. "Thank you, Evan. I... I know how difficult that must have been... And... And that was the best birthday present you could have given me."
"I still don't like him."
"I know. That's what makes it such a gift."
A/N: Classes are over and my grades are all in, so hopefully I will be able to update more frequently again. Thanks for your reviews!
*****************
Coming Home
Chapter 11: Surprises
The next day, Ginny began work at the clinic, after dropping Evan off at the Burrow in the morning. Molly had agreed to let him stay with her when Ginny was working. Young Harry was also there most days, and Bill's sons occasionally came as well. Molly loved the excitement of having a house full of children, and it gave her an opportunity to get to know her grandchildren better. Today they had plans to start cleaning out the attic. Ginny suspected it was just an excuse for Molly to show Evan Ginny's old school things, but she wasn't going to complain.
Working at the clinic was much different than what Ginny had been used to. The maternity ward in Chicago had been constantly busy. Here, the staff monitored their elderly clients' health, but referred any serious cases to specialists. This made for a very relaxed atmosphere. Ginny spent her first day with Dr. Perry to learn the clinic's practices, and she very quickly realized that what many of the clients needed most was not medical attention, but someone to talk to. Dr. Perry seemed to know all about each client's family and hobbies. He checked their health, certainly, but did it while chatting away. It seemed that most of the clients actually looked forward to their monthly check-ups, just for the conversation. And they were all delighted to meet Ginny. She had lost count of the number of times she had heard, "Oh, it is so nice to see a young face around here! No offence to you, of course, Dr. Perry."
On Tuesday, Ginny woke to Evan singing "Happy Birthday To You" loudly and out of tune. With everything that had happened recently, she had nearly forgotten that she turned twenty-eight that day. Evan, it seemed, had not forgotten. Once he had finished his song, he crawled into bed with her and handed her a small package. "Happy birthday, Mom!" he said happily.
"What? No breakfast in bed this year?" Ginny asked in mock disappointment.
"After Mother's Day, I figured you would prefer to cook it yourself," Evan said sheepishly. Evan had tried to make pancakes but had gotten distracted and they had burned. This had set off the smoke alarm and sent Ginny into a panic for their lives. It was an experience neither of them wanted to repeat. "Open your gift!"
It was messily wrapped in blue wrapping paper with tiny Snitches flitting about. Ginny smiled at the paper as she carefully opened it. She opened the box to find a small locket on a chain. It was a gold oval with a pattern of ivy and roses raised on its surface. She smiled at Evan, who had cuddled against her. "It's lovely!"
"Open it," Evan said in a slightly apprehensive voice. Ginny found the clasp and released it, then gasped. Inside were wizarding pictures of Harry and Evan, both smiling up at her. "Grandmum helped me pick it out and gave me the pictures. I... I just didn't want you to forget."
"Oh Evan," Ginny said, trying to hold back her tears. "It is beautiful. And I told you before that I wouldn't forget."
"I know, but with Draco and all, I just want to be sure."
"I understand. It is beautiful. Will you help me put it on?" Evan fumbled with the clasp, but managed to secure it eventually. Then the two ventured into the kitchen, where Ginny insisted on making the pancakes herself.
***
That day, Ginny saw patients on her own, but Dr. Perry checked in on her now and then. So when he entered the examining room towards the end of the day, she automatically said, "I don't need anything, Dr. Perry. Mr. Martin and I are nearly finished." She smiled at the gentleman who had just put away a photograph of his granddaughter.
"Oh, that's not why I'm here, Ginny," he said, his eyes twinkling. "There is a young man here to see you, and he is... causing a bit of a stir in the waiting room. So I thought it might be best if you leave a little early today." He winked at Mr. Martin, who beamed at Ginny.
Ginny was confused as she made her way into the waiting room. Who would visit her at the clinic? She had to stifle her laughter when she saw what the fuss was about.
Draco sat uncomfortably on one of the plastic chairs, as three white-haired ladies hovered around him. They all seemed to be talking at once, and he was making a valiant attempt to carry on three conversations simultaneously. When he noticed Ginny, he stood up and gave her a grateful look.
"Hello, Draco," she said, the ghost of a smile on her lips.
"Ginny! I'm glad you're here. Dr. Perry said that you could leave early today?"
"Yes, let me just collect my things."
When she returned with her bag in hand, Draco turned to the three still-fawning ladies, and kissed each of their hands. Ginny looked on in amusement. Draco could be quite charming if he wanted to be.
"It was a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Brown, Miss Tyndale-Smith, Mrs. Turner."
"Oh, the pleasure is ours, young man!" answered one of them.
"Yes, dear. Do come back soon!" said another.
As they stepped out the door, Ginny heard the third comment, "He makes me wish I were twenty-five again!" At that, she could no longer control her laughter and doubled over.
"That was priceless!" she gasped, clinging to Draco to keep her balance. "Do women always hang on you like that?"
"But of course!" he said, raising an eyebrow at her hand on his arm. "Not that I mind some of them..." he added with an intent look.
Ginny had just caught her breath after her fit of giggles, but promptly lost it again. Oh, but he could be quite charming, indeed. She hid her smile and asked, "So why are you here?"
"What, I can't meet a friend after work on her birthday?"
He began walking and Ginny followed, not sure of where they were going. She was confused for a moment because she hadn't told Draco that it was her birthday. Then realization dawned.
"Oh! How did you get stuck with the job?"
"Job?"
"You're the one who is going to make sure I get to my surprise party at just the right time, aren't you?"
"Surprise party?" he asked innocently.
"Quit acting stupid--it doesn't suit you. And yes, my surprise party."
"How did you know?" he asked, dropping the act.
"First, I never told you about my birthday, but clearly someone did. Secondly, it's my first birthday since I've been back, so everyone is bound to want to celebrate. And finally, Fred and George have many talents, but subtlety is certainly not one of them."
Draco laughed at this. "Okay, I'll admit it. But you have to act surprised or everyone will think I let it slip."
"Don't worry--even you will think I was surprised."
"Oh, really? Somehow I doubt that. And I got the job of picking you up because I volunteered."
"Why?"
"I wanted to be able to talk to you before I get run out of the house by your brothers."
"That wouldn't happen! They may glower at you all evening, but if my mum invited you, they wouldn't dare do anything worse. Her word is pretty much law."
"Well, I... I actually wanted to give you your gift away from the others," he said, leading her into a small park, and finding a bench to sit on. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small package wrapped in gold with a green ribbon.
Ginny opened the package carefully and pulled out a pair of mirrors, each about four inches square. She looked blankly at them for a moment, then realization set in. "Are these...?"
"Yes. They're communication mirrors. I thought... I thought you might feel better if you could communicate more easily with Evan."
Ginny threw her arms around Draco's neck and hugged him tightly. "Thank you so much! These are wonderful!" Harry had told her of the communication mirror Sirius had given him, and how he had broken it after Sirius's death. She had never heard of such a thing in any other context, so they must be exceedingly rare. "But you shouldn't have gotten something so extravagant!"
Draco pulled away from her a little so he could see her eyes. He pushed a stray strand of her hair behind her ear, and said quietly, "It isn't extravagant. Not if it's for you." Ginny's breath caught in her throat at the softness she saw in his eyes. She wondered briefly if he would kiss her again, but instead he stood abruptly and muttered, "We should go. They're expecting us soon."
Ginny started breathing again. She couldn't help but realize she had been disappointed. She set aside the thought--she wasn't sure she was ready for that yet. "Yes," she answered quietly, "I suppose we should."
***
The surprise party was a success. Ginny managed to convince everyone that it had been completely unexpected. The whole family was there, with the exception of Ron, though Hermione was quick to reassure Ginny that he had been detained at work and would come when he could. Remus came, even though he was still a little weak from Thursday's full moon. Much to Ginny's amusement, he used the excuse to cajole Molly into giving him an extra piece of chocolate cake. Molly had also invited Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood, who Ginny had not seen yet since her return. She had a pleasant conversation with them, exchanging stories from the past ten years. She especially enjoyed watching Evan tear around the house with his cousins. It was beginning to seem as if they had known him all their lives, and she was grateful.
Fred and George were at the party, of course, and they spent lots of time whispering furiously to each other. Ginny knew they were plotting against her and was very careful about what she ate. So when Percy's son Pembroke brought her a Butterbeer, she knew to be wary. "You didn't get this from Fred and George, did you?"
"No, I know better than that. They gave me some Ticklish Delight once." He shuddered as he said this. "No, I didn't get it from them." Relieved, Ginny took a sip of the Butterbeer and her face immediately puckered into that of a fish. Bubbles emerged from her mouth as it opened and closed. Pembroke gaped at her in horror. "I swear, Aunt Ginny! Uncle Bill gave it to me!"
Ginny's eyes grew even larger than they were at the moment, and she gurgled, "Tht's lmst s bd s Frd nd Grg!"
When Ginny had recovered her voice a few moments later, she reassured Pembroke that she didn't blame him. But catching Bill, Fred, and George snickering in a corner, she chased them out into the garden, sending hexes their way. "What were you thinking?!" she yelled, once they were all incapacitated. "Bringing poor Pembroke into it! As if you hadn't traumatized the poor boy enough already!" Fred tried to say something, but found it difficult through the Bat Bogeys. Ginny sighed, her anger dissipating. "Oh, I'll release you. Just don't do that again, all right?" The three all nodded and she performed the countercurses. They did not follow Ginny back into the house.
Draco had mostly kept his distance from Ginny since the uncomfortable moment before the party, but she smiled reassuringly at him when she returned, and as she went for a Butterbeer, keeping a suspicious eye on the twins, he followed.
"I was duly impressed by your excellent thespianism earlier," he said, raising an eyebrow. "You actually appeared to be surprised."
"That'll show you not to doubt me," she said, smiling.
"Ah, but usually it's so easy to tell what you are thinking, I figured it would be clear as day that you already knew what was going on."
"But usually I'm not paying attention to what I'm showing on my face. It generally doesn't matter. But if I am paying attention, I can act and lie as well as anyone."
"I guess I'll have to remember never to play poker with you. How did you ever learn to lie so well?"
"If you had six brothers, you would learn how to lie too," she said teasingly.
"I didn't need brothers for that," he responded darkly.
Ginny thought about what it must have been like to be Lucius Malfoy's son and paused for a moment. She was about to apologize when his face cleared, and he continued in a light voice. "But that's neither here nor there. The question is, with a capacity for deception like that, why weren't you in Slytherin?"
"Well, the Sorting Hat did consider it," she said, "but I guess my virtue won out in the end."
Draco's jaw dropped. "Are you serious? It actually considered putting a Weasley in Slytherin?"
"What? We Weasleys are really much more varied than we might appear at first glance. Percy could have been a Ravenclaw, no problem. Ron has the loyalty of a Hufflepuff. The hat considered Slytherin for Fred and George as well as me. Sometimes I even wonder if Evan could be a Slytherin. That would shock the world, wouldn't it?" She smiled up at Draco.
"Shock is probably too mild a word. Why would you think that?"
"Well, he can be quite manipulative. You saw that first hand the other day in Quality Quidditch Supplies. And if you think I can lie well, just wait until you see Evan in action. He generally knows what he wants and how to get it. Sound like anyone you know?"
"Sounds like every Slytherin I have ever met. But Potter's son? In Slytherin?"
"Don't tell anyone this--I'm not even sure if Ron knows. But the hat considered Slytherin for Harry too."
"You're kidding!"
"No, not at all. It's one of the things that drew us together. That and our run-ins with Voldemort."
"Well, you certainly have given me something to think about."
At that moment, there was a pop, and Ron appeared at the other side of the room. "Hello, everyone!" he called out. "Sorry I'm late! Life of an Auror and all! Is there any more Butterbeer?"
Then he turned around, and saw Ginny and Draco standing close together near the drinks. He froze for a moment, then bellowed, "Bloody hell! What is he doing here?!"
"Hello, Ron," Ginny began, somewhat stiffly. "Do you remember Draco Malfoy?"
"Of course I remember the git! What is he doing here?" By this time, all other conversation had stopped dead. Ginny and Ron were both seething with anger, but no one seemed to want to interfere.
"He was invited," Ginny said with icy calm, even as her fists clenched.
"That's ridiculous! Who would invite him?"
"Mum. And I am glad she did."
"Well, I don't bloody well care. He was as good as a Death Eater, even if he never got the Mark, and Death Eaters will never be welcome here." Ginny could feel Draco stiffen beside her as Ron turned to him. "Get out of this house and never come back!"
Draco stood frozen for a moment. What little color he had drained from his face. It was clear that he was struggling not to say anything he might regret later. Ginny was torn. On one hand, she was friends with Draco and saw him as more than the boy who had tormented them all at Hogwarts. But then, she could also understand Ron's anger. Hadn't she felt it too, when she first knew who Draco was?
Draco, not wanting to cause trouble between Ginny and her family, had begun to move as if to leave. But a quiet voice said, "No."
At first no one knew who had spoken, and Ron snapped his head around looking for the source. Much to everyone's shock, Evan stepped forward and repeated more firmly, "No. He stays."
There was dead silence for several seconds, then Ron spoke. "Evan? Do you know who this is?"
"Yes," Evan answered calmly. Ginny noticed that none of her family had moved an inch. What was Evan doing?
"Do you know what he did to Harry in school? Do you know what he did in the war?"
Evan took a deep breath and Ginny saw him tremble. "I know that he and my dad hated each other. But I also know that he and my mom are friends."
"Friends? It's not possible to be friends with the enemy," Ron scoffed.
"Then he must not be the enemy," Evan said simply.
"But..." Ron spluttered. Evan held his stance, chest out, chin up.
"I don't care what you think, Uncle Ron. If being friends with him makes my mom happy, then they will be friends. It's her birthday, her party, and I won't let you ruin it for her. He is her friend, and he stays."
Evan stared up at Ron, defying him to say anything against it. After a moment, Ron must have decided there was nothing he could say, and walked away, letting the door slam as he left the house. A collective sigh passed through the room as everyone moved again. Hermione stepped outside to go after Ron. Fred and George looked murderous, but Molly gestured to everyone to move into the sitting room. They, along with the rest of the family, except for Ginny and Evan, followed her suggestion. Draco stood for a minute as if stunned, then at a look from Ginny, managed to follow.
Evan still had not moved. Ginny crossed the short distance to where he stood, and fell to her knees in front of him. He collapsed into her hug, and she buried her face in his neck. "Thank you, Evan. I... I know how difficult that must have been... And... And that was the best birthday present you could have given me."
"I still don't like him."
"I know. That's what makes it such a gift."
Leave a Review