Disclaimer: J. K. Rowling owns all things Harry Potter.
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Coming Home
Chapter 12: Settling In
Over the next several months, Ginny and Evan adjusted to life in London.
Ginny had settled into the routine of the clinic. She looked forward to work in a way she never had before. She started to get to know her patients, and they got to know her. She also found some favorites among them. Mr. Martin teased Ginny incessantly about how much he wanted to introduce his granddaughter to Evan. She discussed cookie recipes with Mrs. Baker, whose husband had been an American soldier with a sweet tooth. Mr. Wilson was a mathematician who always dressed in flamboyant colors and told her fascinating stories about the history of mathematics.
But Ginny's favorite client was Mrs. Turner. She didn't know why, exactly, but Ginny felt as if she had more in common with Mrs. Turner than any of her other clients. Mrs. Turner had worked briefly as a nurse during the Second World War. She, too, had lost her first husband under tragic circumstances. And she had also been a single mother, though at a time when that had been much more difficult. The one thing that bothered Ginny about Mrs. Turner was that she always asked about Draco. She had been one of the women who had been so fascinated by Draco on Ginny's birthday, and she never failed to mention him. What drove Ginny mad was that Mrs. Turner insisted on referring to him as "your young man." As in, "Will you be meeting your young man tonight?" or "When are you and your young man going to get married?" Ginny insisted that Draco was only a friend, but Mrs. Turner just responded by raising her eyebrows disbelievingly, which always ended in Ginny looking away, blushing.
But even beyond her favorite clients, Ginny found that all the patients had stories to tell. If she listened carefully enough, they all had something to teach her--ranging from making the best homemade marmalade to forgiving the enemy. This last came from Mr. Zsigmond, a Hungarian Jew who had fled to London during the war, and his best friend Mr. Gegner, who had been a Nazi sympathizer, at least for a while.
Meanwhile, Evan spent most of his days at the Burrow with Molly. During the summer, she would set chores or allow him to fly in the old orchard. However, starting on September first, she began to give lessons typical of wizarding families. Paul, Eric, Adam, and young Harry also attended. The lessons covered all of the usual Muggle subjects, such as reading, mathematics, and geography. They were the same lessons that Ginny and her brothers had received, so she was confident that they would prepare Evan well for Hogwarts.
Every Sunday evening, Evan would call Isaac Porter on the phone. The two would discuss everything that had happened that week in some sort of language they had developed in their years of friendship, but that Ginny could just barely understand. She did, however, notice that Evan was scrupulous about not telling Isaac anything about magic, despite their suspicions that Isaac was a wizard as well. Once the boys were done talking, Ginny would talk to Flo, then call Elsa. Elsa was almost as persistent as Mrs. Turner in asking about Draco.
Remus visited Ginny and Evan on Monday evenings, unless it was right after a full moon. Those weeks, Ginny and Evan would bring him soup to help him regain his strength. Remus had appointed himself Evan's history teacher. As such, he occasionally escorted Evan to various historical sites in Britain. Evan had always been intensely bored by anything historical, but something about the way Remus explained things appealed to him, and he looked forward to their adventures.
Fred and George tended to join Ginny and Evan for dinner on Wednesdays, unless they forgot, which was fairly often. George was still dating Natalie McDonald, despite her part in exposing Evan's presence to the press. Now that Ginny had Shawna to manage the situation, though, she didn't really mind. Unfortunately, this meant George was sometimes too preoccupied to visit, but he and Fred did make an effort. Not only was Ginny their favorite sibling, but Evan was turning out to be a great asset to their business. His experience living as a prank-loving Muggle gave him ideas that most wizards would never consider. Fred and George were determined to milk it for all it was worth before it wore off as Evan adjusted to the wizarding world.
On Thursdays, Evan spent the night at the Burrow so Ginny could have "some time to herself," as Molly insisted on putting it. Molly knew that Ginny spent most of her Thursday evenings with Draco, but she never mentioned it. In fact, Ginny was spending quite a bit of time with Draco. They still had coffee together every morning, as well as their Thursday dinners. They inevitably shared a bottle of wine when they met in the evening, and took turns choosing. Draco tried to convince Ginny of the superiority of Bordeaux, Burgundy, and vintage Port. Ginny tended to choose New World wines in an attempt to broaden Draco's horizons. Their light-hearted debates about wine led to deeper discussions about all sorts of things. They seldom agreed on anything, but each of them was willing to listen to the other's opinions, and they never ran out of topics for discussion.
In addition to coffee and Thursday night dinners, Draco had also started to join Ginny and Evan some other evenings as well. Evan wasn't entirely happy about this, especially at first, but the two had found a mutual interest in Quidditch. Since Evan had arrived in the U.K., he had been fascinated by the wizarding sport, and Draco was quite happy to indulge his interest. Ginny had been a Quidditch player and fan when she was younger, but her interest had dulled during her years away. But Draco's enthusiasm seemed undiminished since his school days. In fact, it might even have increased. Ginny was so happy that her son and friend had something to talk about, that she didn't mind being left out of most of their conversations. She knew she could talk to Draco once Evan had gone to bed, and to Evan when Draco wasn't there. The whole arrangement worked quite well, she thought, at least for the time being.
One of Ginny's favorite parts of her new routine were the family dinners at the Burrow the first Sunday of each month. The whole family came and the house was a joyous riot of color and sound. It was easy for her to slip back into the rhythms of her large family, and Evan had adjusted beautifully. Her one regret was her relationship with Ron. Ever since the confrontation at her birthday party, he had been cold to both Ginny and Evan. He avoided them if he could. He was polite but there was no warmth in his voice and his smile never reached his eyes. Ginny wanted her brother back, but she wasn't willing to give up her friendship with Draco to do it. And she knew there was nothing she could do to convince Ron that Draco had changed. Ron never had been one to let go of a grudge easily, and Draco had done too much to hurt Ron--and worse, Harry--in school. Ginny understood this, and forgave her brother for it, but it still saddened her deeply. She tried not to dwell on it, however, and basked in the warmth of the rest of her family.
Ginny particularly enjoyed her talks with her father. Arthur always made an effort to ask her all about her life, especially her work at the clinic. Part of why he was so interested was that her clients were all Muggles. But Ginny knew that his gentle questions were his way of reassuring her that he supported the decisions she had made in her life. He even asked her about Draco, but not in the same way that Mrs. Turner, Elsa, and even her mother did. If Ginny said that the two of them were just friends, that was enough for Arthur. He asked about her other friends in the same way. Ginny found it to be quite comforting.
In fact, Ginny's adjustment to life back in England was much easier than she had dreamed.
***
One Thursday in early December, Draco excused himself from his regular dinner with Ginny, claiming another engagement. As it was getting close to Christmas, Ginny decided to spend her free evening doing some shopping in Diagon Alley.
Ginny no longer thought twice about entering the wizarding world. When she had first returned, and the news of Ginny and Evan was fresh, it had been uncomfortable. Most people honored Ginny's request that they be left alone, but she still got lots of looks from passers-by, and whispers had followed her wherever she went. Now she was no longer the novelty she had been four months earlier--though she did still draw some attention. Anyway, it was not enough to deter her from her Christmas shopping.
Ginny began by visiting Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes and Flourish and Blotts to take care of gifts for most of her nieces and nephews. She was on her way to Quality Quidditch Supplies to get a practice Snitch for Evan, when she caught a glimpse of familiar blond hair out of the corner of her eye.
He was about twenty yards further down the alley, but she didn't need to see his face to know who it was. She would recognize Draco's form and gait anywhere. She was about to call out to him when she noticed that he wasn't alone. As she watched, he turned to speak to a woman with lovely long blonde hair, then placed a possessive hand on the small of her back to steer her through the crowd.
Ginny was stunned. When Draco had told her that he had plans that night, it had never occurred to her that it might be a date. An unfamiliar feeling settled in her stomach. All of a sudden, she didn't feel like shopping anymore. She Apparated home, where she went to bed early, plagued by a feeling of emptiness.
The next morning, Ginny was particularly quiet at coffee. After several unsuccessful attempts to start a conversation on several of her favorite topics, Draco asked what was wrong.
"You might have told me you were seeing someone," she said coldly, after a moment's contemplation.
"Seeing someone?"
"The blonde. I saw you with her last night in Diagon Alley."
Draco's expression changed from confusion to amusement, but Ginny wasn't looking at him, so she didn't notice.
"Oh really? Jealous, are you?"
"Of course not!" Ginny answered a little too quickly, not letting herself acknowledge that she just might be a little jealous. "I... I thought we were good enough friends that you would tell me something like that."
"Well, that's good," he said, "because I have been meaning to introduce you to her for quite some time."
"Oh really?" Ginny tied to sound cheerful. "That would be lovely."
"That's settled then. I'll tell my mother to expect us for dinner on Thursday."
"Thursday, then," Ginny said sadly. Then, after a moment, she realized what he had said. "Wait... Did you say your mother?"
Ginny looked up and found him grinning at her. "Of course. She insisted that I accompany her to an exceedingly dull dinner party last night."
"So you aren't seeing someone?"
"No, but if I had known how jealous it would have made you, I would have tried it sooner."
"I wasn't jealous!" she insisted.
"Oh, no! Of course not!" he said, rolling his eyes.
After a moment she asked in a quiet voice, "You want me to meet your mother?"
"Why not? I've met yours."
"Yes, but..."
"Come on, Ginny, she doesn't bite. At least not that I have seen," he added, grinning widely.
"Do you really want this?"
"Would I ask you if I didn't?"
"Okay, then, I'll do it. I guess that's what friends are for."
***
Ginny had mixed feelings about her upcoming dinner with Narcissa Malfoy. On one hand, she was relieved that Draco had been with his mother that night in Diagon Alley, and oddly excited that he wanted Ginny to meet her. On the other hand, she knew too much about Draco's mother to be able to let her guard down. She had seen the other woman's face only twice in her life--at the Quidditch World Cup before her third year at Hogwarts, and on platform nine and three-quarters at the end of her fifth year--and both times she had appeared to be an insufferable snob. Sirius's descriptions of the Black family hadn't helped this impression, either. So it would be an understatement to say that Ginny approached dinner at Malfoy Manor with nervousness. Actually, she was bloody well terrified.
Draco met Ginny at her flat and they Apparated together to the Manor. Its size and elegance made Draco's flat look like a hovel. Just the elaborately carved front doors must have been four meters high. Ginny was slightly reassured when Draco smiled at her, offering his arm, and ushered her inside. She gaped at the three-story foyer with its sweeping marble staircase as a house-elf took her cloak. Draco led her down several corridors to the drawing room, which was decorated in a rich burgundy and filled with priceless antiques. Narcissa was there, seated by the fire. Draco released Ginny's arm to take Narcissa's hand and kiss it.
"Hello, Mother," he said, "this is my friend Ginevra Potter. Ginny, this is my mother."
Ginny nodded her head gracefully, and said, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Malfoy."
Narcissa looked her over carefully, and then said dismissively, "I'm sure it is."
The rest of the evening followed in a similar way. Draco attempted to make pleasant conversation, and Ginny was unfailingly polite, but Narcissa subtly insulted her at every step. Draco tried to smooth over his mother's works, but as soon as they had finished dessert, he made their excuses, claiming that they both needed to get up early. He ushered Ginny out of the Manor, but not before she heard Narcissa mutter, "Yes, I do suppose she needs her beauty sleep, doesn't she?"
"I'm sorry," Draco said, as they stepped outside. "I would never have asked you to come if I had realized how rude she would be."
"It's okay," Ginny said shakily, "let's just go." They Apparated to the door of Ginny's flat, and she released the wards to allow them entrance. She pulled out a bottle of Cognac, poured them each a generous measure, and took a large swig before saying anything else. "Is she always like that?"
"She isn't usually so..."
"Cold?"
"No, she's always cold. But she doesn't usually insult her guests. I'm sorry for that. If I had known she would do that, I would never have dragged you along."
"Don't worry about it, Draco," she said, pouring herself another generous glass of the brandy. "Let's just find something else to talk about for the rest of the evening."
He gladly complied.
***
Christmas came and went with all the usual excitement. Evan was showered with gifts for his "first" Christmas. Ginny had worried that he would be spoiled, but was secretly delighted when it was clear that her gift--a trip to visit his old friends in Chicago--was his favorite. Ginny's gifts to her family were well received, and she was touched by the thought that they seemed to put into their gifts for her. Even Ron's gift was thoughtful, though the look of curiosity on his face when she opened it suggested that Hermione had picked it out. She and Draco had exchanged gifts as well, and had both laughed out loud at the fact that they had each bought mixed cases of their favorite wines for the other.
Ginny and Evan went to Chicago for New Year's and the first week of January. Evan spent a little time with Elsa, because she insisted, but otherwise he and Isaac were inseparable. Ginny was a bit surprised. She knew that children Evan's age bonded quickly, but also forgot each other quickly, and they almost seemed closer than they had been before. She wondered if perhaps the two shared some sort of magical bond and decided privately that she would make sure the two had the opportunity to stay close if they wanted to.
Ginny enjoyed her time with Elsa, Flo, and her other friends in Chicago, but she couldn't help but think there was something missing. Whenever they had wine, she found herself anticipating Draco's generally scathing comments, but they never came. She was sarcastic where she never would have been before. On Thursday, she called him, and felt much better for it afterwards. Elsa teased her incessantly, but Ginny insisted that she missed Draco now in the same way she missed Elsa when she was in London. "Yeah," muttered Elsa when she thought Ginny couldn't hear, "except that you don't want to get into my pants."
When she returned to London, Ginny was so happy to see Draco that she hugged him right there in the coffee shop, which she had never done before. He looked pleased by this and took the opportunity to run his hands through her hair, but backed off respectfully as soon as she pulled away. They soon fell back into their old patterns.
In early February, Evan had his tenth birthday. There was a party, of course. The Weasleys showered Evan with gifts, partly to make up for previous years, and partly because that is what Weasleys do. Ginny had never bought Evan the Snitch she had planned to for Christmas, and instead gave him the first Snitch Harry caught--or rather, swallowed--for his birthday. Evan nearly cried over the gift, but then Draco brusquely handed over a Snitch that he could actually use, and said as much, which made nearly everyone present burst into laughter. Ron snarled at the exchange, but didn't say anything. Molly had insisted on inviting Draco to the party and Ron made it clear that he didn't approve. But he, Hermione, and young Harry had come anyway, and brought a gift of Quidditch Through the Ages, at Harry's suggestion. Ginny thanked Ron afterwards, as if the gift had been his idea, and he nodded in acceptance. They both knew what had really happened, but they were at least making an effort with each other. At least Ginny hoped so. She really wanted Ron back in her life.
***
One Sunday at the end of the month, Draco was quieter than usual at coffee. When Ginny asked why, he looked at her solemnly and asked, "Did you read the Prophet yet this morning?"
"No. I don't usually. Why? Did something happen?"
"A... A Death Eater escaped from Azkaban."
"Oh," she said, not sure how to respond. "Is it someone you knew?"
"Yes. Marcus Flint. He was Quidditch captain my second and third years."
"Oh," she said again. "Do they know where he went?"
"No, but I would be careful if I were you. Potter killed Flint's father, you know. He might be out for revenge."
"Revenge? But Harry is dead."
"But you aren't, and neither is Evan. How are the wards on your flat?"
"They're... They're good. Fred and George set them since I was so out of practice. There are several sophisticated locking wards, much more sophisticated than I had ever seen before I left. Only a few people can Apparate in or out. There is even a ward to let me know if something is wrong."
"Good," said Draco. "You might want to ask Fred and George to check that everything is working properly, just in case."
"Okay. I'll do that if you think it is necessary."
"I hope it isn't, but Flint... Let's just say that Flint might be a few Bertie Botts short of a box, but he did always know how to hold a grudge."
"Well," said Ginny, "thanks for the warning. I'll Floo Fred and..." She trailed off as she heard an unfamiliar voice echoing in her head.
"Mom?" it said. "Mom?" And then she realized it wasn't so unfamiliar after all.
Ginny quickly pulled a small mirror from her pocket and said, "Evan? Evan, what is it?"
************
A/N: I don't have any reason to believe that Robin Wilson will ever read this, but if he does, I hope he doesn't mind his cameo appearance. Thanks, as always, to everyone who has reviewed!
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Coming Home
Chapter 12: Settling In
Over the next several months, Ginny and Evan adjusted to life in London.
Ginny had settled into the routine of the clinic. She looked forward to work in a way she never had before. She started to get to know her patients, and they got to know her. She also found some favorites among them. Mr. Martin teased Ginny incessantly about how much he wanted to introduce his granddaughter to Evan. She discussed cookie recipes with Mrs. Baker, whose husband had been an American soldier with a sweet tooth. Mr. Wilson was a mathematician who always dressed in flamboyant colors and told her fascinating stories about the history of mathematics.
But Ginny's favorite client was Mrs. Turner. She didn't know why, exactly, but Ginny felt as if she had more in common with Mrs. Turner than any of her other clients. Mrs. Turner had worked briefly as a nurse during the Second World War. She, too, had lost her first husband under tragic circumstances. And she had also been a single mother, though at a time when that had been much more difficult. The one thing that bothered Ginny about Mrs. Turner was that she always asked about Draco. She had been one of the women who had been so fascinated by Draco on Ginny's birthday, and she never failed to mention him. What drove Ginny mad was that Mrs. Turner insisted on referring to him as "your young man." As in, "Will you be meeting your young man tonight?" or "When are you and your young man going to get married?" Ginny insisted that Draco was only a friend, but Mrs. Turner just responded by raising her eyebrows disbelievingly, which always ended in Ginny looking away, blushing.
But even beyond her favorite clients, Ginny found that all the patients had stories to tell. If she listened carefully enough, they all had something to teach her--ranging from making the best homemade marmalade to forgiving the enemy. This last came from Mr. Zsigmond, a Hungarian Jew who had fled to London during the war, and his best friend Mr. Gegner, who had been a Nazi sympathizer, at least for a while.
Meanwhile, Evan spent most of his days at the Burrow with Molly. During the summer, she would set chores or allow him to fly in the old orchard. However, starting on September first, she began to give lessons typical of wizarding families. Paul, Eric, Adam, and young Harry also attended. The lessons covered all of the usual Muggle subjects, such as reading, mathematics, and geography. They were the same lessons that Ginny and her brothers had received, so she was confident that they would prepare Evan well for Hogwarts.
Every Sunday evening, Evan would call Isaac Porter on the phone. The two would discuss everything that had happened that week in some sort of language they had developed in their years of friendship, but that Ginny could just barely understand. She did, however, notice that Evan was scrupulous about not telling Isaac anything about magic, despite their suspicions that Isaac was a wizard as well. Once the boys were done talking, Ginny would talk to Flo, then call Elsa. Elsa was almost as persistent as Mrs. Turner in asking about Draco.
Remus visited Ginny and Evan on Monday evenings, unless it was right after a full moon. Those weeks, Ginny and Evan would bring him soup to help him regain his strength. Remus had appointed himself Evan's history teacher. As such, he occasionally escorted Evan to various historical sites in Britain. Evan had always been intensely bored by anything historical, but something about the way Remus explained things appealed to him, and he looked forward to their adventures.
Fred and George tended to join Ginny and Evan for dinner on Wednesdays, unless they forgot, which was fairly often. George was still dating Natalie McDonald, despite her part in exposing Evan's presence to the press. Now that Ginny had Shawna to manage the situation, though, she didn't really mind. Unfortunately, this meant George was sometimes too preoccupied to visit, but he and Fred did make an effort. Not only was Ginny their favorite sibling, but Evan was turning out to be a great asset to their business. His experience living as a prank-loving Muggle gave him ideas that most wizards would never consider. Fred and George were determined to milk it for all it was worth before it wore off as Evan adjusted to the wizarding world.
On Thursdays, Evan spent the night at the Burrow so Ginny could have "some time to herself," as Molly insisted on putting it. Molly knew that Ginny spent most of her Thursday evenings with Draco, but she never mentioned it. In fact, Ginny was spending quite a bit of time with Draco. They still had coffee together every morning, as well as their Thursday dinners. They inevitably shared a bottle of wine when they met in the evening, and took turns choosing. Draco tried to convince Ginny of the superiority of Bordeaux, Burgundy, and vintage Port. Ginny tended to choose New World wines in an attempt to broaden Draco's horizons. Their light-hearted debates about wine led to deeper discussions about all sorts of things. They seldom agreed on anything, but each of them was willing to listen to the other's opinions, and they never ran out of topics for discussion.
In addition to coffee and Thursday night dinners, Draco had also started to join Ginny and Evan some other evenings as well. Evan wasn't entirely happy about this, especially at first, but the two had found a mutual interest in Quidditch. Since Evan had arrived in the U.K., he had been fascinated by the wizarding sport, and Draco was quite happy to indulge his interest. Ginny had been a Quidditch player and fan when she was younger, but her interest had dulled during her years away. But Draco's enthusiasm seemed undiminished since his school days. In fact, it might even have increased. Ginny was so happy that her son and friend had something to talk about, that she didn't mind being left out of most of their conversations. She knew she could talk to Draco once Evan had gone to bed, and to Evan when Draco wasn't there. The whole arrangement worked quite well, she thought, at least for the time being.
One of Ginny's favorite parts of her new routine were the family dinners at the Burrow the first Sunday of each month. The whole family came and the house was a joyous riot of color and sound. It was easy for her to slip back into the rhythms of her large family, and Evan had adjusted beautifully. Her one regret was her relationship with Ron. Ever since the confrontation at her birthday party, he had been cold to both Ginny and Evan. He avoided them if he could. He was polite but there was no warmth in his voice and his smile never reached his eyes. Ginny wanted her brother back, but she wasn't willing to give up her friendship with Draco to do it. And she knew there was nothing she could do to convince Ron that Draco had changed. Ron never had been one to let go of a grudge easily, and Draco had done too much to hurt Ron--and worse, Harry--in school. Ginny understood this, and forgave her brother for it, but it still saddened her deeply. She tried not to dwell on it, however, and basked in the warmth of the rest of her family.
Ginny particularly enjoyed her talks with her father. Arthur always made an effort to ask her all about her life, especially her work at the clinic. Part of why he was so interested was that her clients were all Muggles. But Ginny knew that his gentle questions were his way of reassuring her that he supported the decisions she had made in her life. He even asked her about Draco, but not in the same way that Mrs. Turner, Elsa, and even her mother did. If Ginny said that the two of them were just friends, that was enough for Arthur. He asked about her other friends in the same way. Ginny found it to be quite comforting.
In fact, Ginny's adjustment to life back in England was much easier than she had dreamed.
***
One Thursday in early December, Draco excused himself from his regular dinner with Ginny, claiming another engagement. As it was getting close to Christmas, Ginny decided to spend her free evening doing some shopping in Diagon Alley.
Ginny no longer thought twice about entering the wizarding world. When she had first returned, and the news of Ginny and Evan was fresh, it had been uncomfortable. Most people honored Ginny's request that they be left alone, but she still got lots of looks from passers-by, and whispers had followed her wherever she went. Now she was no longer the novelty she had been four months earlier--though she did still draw some attention. Anyway, it was not enough to deter her from her Christmas shopping.
Ginny began by visiting Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes and Flourish and Blotts to take care of gifts for most of her nieces and nephews. She was on her way to Quality Quidditch Supplies to get a practice Snitch for Evan, when she caught a glimpse of familiar blond hair out of the corner of her eye.
He was about twenty yards further down the alley, but she didn't need to see his face to know who it was. She would recognize Draco's form and gait anywhere. She was about to call out to him when she noticed that he wasn't alone. As she watched, he turned to speak to a woman with lovely long blonde hair, then placed a possessive hand on the small of her back to steer her through the crowd.
Ginny was stunned. When Draco had told her that he had plans that night, it had never occurred to her that it might be a date. An unfamiliar feeling settled in her stomach. All of a sudden, she didn't feel like shopping anymore. She Apparated home, where she went to bed early, plagued by a feeling of emptiness.
The next morning, Ginny was particularly quiet at coffee. After several unsuccessful attempts to start a conversation on several of her favorite topics, Draco asked what was wrong.
"You might have told me you were seeing someone," she said coldly, after a moment's contemplation.
"Seeing someone?"
"The blonde. I saw you with her last night in Diagon Alley."
Draco's expression changed from confusion to amusement, but Ginny wasn't looking at him, so she didn't notice.
"Oh really? Jealous, are you?"
"Of course not!" Ginny answered a little too quickly, not letting herself acknowledge that she just might be a little jealous. "I... I thought we were good enough friends that you would tell me something like that."
"Well, that's good," he said, "because I have been meaning to introduce you to her for quite some time."
"Oh really?" Ginny tied to sound cheerful. "That would be lovely."
"That's settled then. I'll tell my mother to expect us for dinner on Thursday."
"Thursday, then," Ginny said sadly. Then, after a moment, she realized what he had said. "Wait... Did you say your mother?"
Ginny looked up and found him grinning at her. "Of course. She insisted that I accompany her to an exceedingly dull dinner party last night."
"So you aren't seeing someone?"
"No, but if I had known how jealous it would have made you, I would have tried it sooner."
"I wasn't jealous!" she insisted.
"Oh, no! Of course not!" he said, rolling his eyes.
After a moment she asked in a quiet voice, "You want me to meet your mother?"
"Why not? I've met yours."
"Yes, but..."
"Come on, Ginny, she doesn't bite. At least not that I have seen," he added, grinning widely.
"Do you really want this?"
"Would I ask you if I didn't?"
"Okay, then, I'll do it. I guess that's what friends are for."
***
Ginny had mixed feelings about her upcoming dinner with Narcissa Malfoy. On one hand, she was relieved that Draco had been with his mother that night in Diagon Alley, and oddly excited that he wanted Ginny to meet her. On the other hand, she knew too much about Draco's mother to be able to let her guard down. She had seen the other woman's face only twice in her life--at the Quidditch World Cup before her third year at Hogwarts, and on platform nine and three-quarters at the end of her fifth year--and both times she had appeared to be an insufferable snob. Sirius's descriptions of the Black family hadn't helped this impression, either. So it would be an understatement to say that Ginny approached dinner at Malfoy Manor with nervousness. Actually, she was bloody well terrified.
Draco met Ginny at her flat and they Apparated together to the Manor. Its size and elegance made Draco's flat look like a hovel. Just the elaborately carved front doors must have been four meters high. Ginny was slightly reassured when Draco smiled at her, offering his arm, and ushered her inside. She gaped at the three-story foyer with its sweeping marble staircase as a house-elf took her cloak. Draco led her down several corridors to the drawing room, which was decorated in a rich burgundy and filled with priceless antiques. Narcissa was there, seated by the fire. Draco released Ginny's arm to take Narcissa's hand and kiss it.
"Hello, Mother," he said, "this is my friend Ginevra Potter. Ginny, this is my mother."
Ginny nodded her head gracefully, and said, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Malfoy."
Narcissa looked her over carefully, and then said dismissively, "I'm sure it is."
The rest of the evening followed in a similar way. Draco attempted to make pleasant conversation, and Ginny was unfailingly polite, but Narcissa subtly insulted her at every step. Draco tried to smooth over his mother's works, but as soon as they had finished dessert, he made their excuses, claiming that they both needed to get up early. He ushered Ginny out of the Manor, but not before she heard Narcissa mutter, "Yes, I do suppose she needs her beauty sleep, doesn't she?"
"I'm sorry," Draco said, as they stepped outside. "I would never have asked you to come if I had realized how rude she would be."
"It's okay," Ginny said shakily, "let's just go." They Apparated to the door of Ginny's flat, and she released the wards to allow them entrance. She pulled out a bottle of Cognac, poured them each a generous measure, and took a large swig before saying anything else. "Is she always like that?"
"She isn't usually so..."
"Cold?"
"No, she's always cold. But she doesn't usually insult her guests. I'm sorry for that. If I had known she would do that, I would never have dragged you along."
"Don't worry about it, Draco," she said, pouring herself another generous glass of the brandy. "Let's just find something else to talk about for the rest of the evening."
He gladly complied.
***
Christmas came and went with all the usual excitement. Evan was showered with gifts for his "first" Christmas. Ginny had worried that he would be spoiled, but was secretly delighted when it was clear that her gift--a trip to visit his old friends in Chicago--was his favorite. Ginny's gifts to her family were well received, and she was touched by the thought that they seemed to put into their gifts for her. Even Ron's gift was thoughtful, though the look of curiosity on his face when she opened it suggested that Hermione had picked it out. She and Draco had exchanged gifts as well, and had both laughed out loud at the fact that they had each bought mixed cases of their favorite wines for the other.
Ginny and Evan went to Chicago for New Year's and the first week of January. Evan spent a little time with Elsa, because she insisted, but otherwise he and Isaac were inseparable. Ginny was a bit surprised. She knew that children Evan's age bonded quickly, but also forgot each other quickly, and they almost seemed closer than they had been before. She wondered if perhaps the two shared some sort of magical bond and decided privately that she would make sure the two had the opportunity to stay close if they wanted to.
Ginny enjoyed her time with Elsa, Flo, and her other friends in Chicago, but she couldn't help but think there was something missing. Whenever they had wine, she found herself anticipating Draco's generally scathing comments, but they never came. She was sarcastic where she never would have been before. On Thursday, she called him, and felt much better for it afterwards. Elsa teased her incessantly, but Ginny insisted that she missed Draco now in the same way she missed Elsa when she was in London. "Yeah," muttered Elsa when she thought Ginny couldn't hear, "except that you don't want to get into my pants."
When she returned to London, Ginny was so happy to see Draco that she hugged him right there in the coffee shop, which she had never done before. He looked pleased by this and took the opportunity to run his hands through her hair, but backed off respectfully as soon as she pulled away. They soon fell back into their old patterns.
In early February, Evan had his tenth birthday. There was a party, of course. The Weasleys showered Evan with gifts, partly to make up for previous years, and partly because that is what Weasleys do. Ginny had never bought Evan the Snitch she had planned to for Christmas, and instead gave him the first Snitch Harry caught--or rather, swallowed--for his birthday. Evan nearly cried over the gift, but then Draco brusquely handed over a Snitch that he could actually use, and said as much, which made nearly everyone present burst into laughter. Ron snarled at the exchange, but didn't say anything. Molly had insisted on inviting Draco to the party and Ron made it clear that he didn't approve. But he, Hermione, and young Harry had come anyway, and brought a gift of Quidditch Through the Ages, at Harry's suggestion. Ginny thanked Ron afterwards, as if the gift had been his idea, and he nodded in acceptance. They both knew what had really happened, but they were at least making an effort with each other. At least Ginny hoped so. She really wanted Ron back in her life.
***
One Sunday at the end of the month, Draco was quieter than usual at coffee. When Ginny asked why, he looked at her solemnly and asked, "Did you read the Prophet yet this morning?"
"No. I don't usually. Why? Did something happen?"
"A... A Death Eater escaped from Azkaban."
"Oh," she said, not sure how to respond. "Is it someone you knew?"
"Yes. Marcus Flint. He was Quidditch captain my second and third years."
"Oh," she said again. "Do they know where he went?"
"No, but I would be careful if I were you. Potter killed Flint's father, you know. He might be out for revenge."
"Revenge? But Harry is dead."
"But you aren't, and neither is Evan. How are the wards on your flat?"
"They're... They're good. Fred and George set them since I was so out of practice. There are several sophisticated locking wards, much more sophisticated than I had ever seen before I left. Only a few people can Apparate in or out. There is even a ward to let me know if something is wrong."
"Good," said Draco. "You might want to ask Fred and George to check that everything is working properly, just in case."
"Okay. I'll do that if you think it is necessary."
"I hope it isn't, but Flint... Let's just say that Flint might be a few Bertie Botts short of a box, but he did always know how to hold a grudge."
"Well," said Ginny, "thanks for the warning. I'll Floo Fred and..." She trailed off as she heard an unfamiliar voice echoing in her head.
"Mom?" it said. "Mom?" And then she realized it wasn't so unfamiliar after all.
Ginny quickly pulled a small mirror from her pocket and said, "Evan? Evan, what is it?"
************
A/N: I don't have any reason to believe that Robin Wilson will ever read this, but if he does, I hope he doesn't mind his cameo appearance. Thanks, as always, to everyone who has reviewed!
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