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A/N: I wrote several versions of this scene, intending to use one as part of the epilogue of "Coming Home". I then decided that I wanted to keep the whole story in Ginny's point of view and this no longer fit. But I still like it, so I decided to post it separately. Please note that this may not make sense if you haven't read the rest of the story.
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Coming Home: An Awkward Conversation
Draco shifted in his seat as he poked ineffectually at the remains of his hot fudge sundae. He would have liked to pretend that the heat of the fire was causing his discomfort, but he knew that it was nerves. He eyed the young wizard sitting opposite him, wondering how to start what would undoubtedly be an awkward conversation. Evan Potter, on the other hand, was enthusiastically attacking his bowl of mint chocolate chip ice cream with marshmallow sauce, apparently oblivious to Draco's unease.
Ostensibly, they had come to Diagon Alley so that Evan could buy a Christmas gift for Ginny. Draco had helped him pick out some books about magical healing, as Ginny had been toying with the idea as training as a Healer at St. Mungo's. Draco had already bought his gift for Ginny. In fact, that gift was the real reason for their trip--and the subject of the discussion Draco had been avoiding.
Once their business was out of the way, Draco had steered Evan into Quality Quidditch Supplies to buy a racing broom. And it wasn't just any broom, but a Swallowtail II, the fastest broom on the market. Evan gaped when Draco handed it over, but had managed to stutter out a "Thank you!" Now they were at Florian Fortescue's, Draco searching for words as Evan finished his ice cream.
Popping the cherry into his mouth, Evan looked up at Draco with a hint of a smirk. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?"
Surprised, Draco asked, "What makes you think I want to talk to you about something?"
"Come on," Evan said, grinning. "You bought me a top-of-the-line broomstick and ice cream? You're clearly buttering me up for something."
Draco dodged the issue. "It was was your Christmas gift. You're going to need to practice if you want to make your house team when you go to Hogwarts next fall."
Evan looked doubtful. "But I thought first years aren't allowed broomsticks."
"They're not. But you can use it at the Burrow before you leave and when you're on holiday. Plus, exceptions were made for your father, and I suspect they will be made for you as well, once your Head of House sees you fly."
"I'm not that good."
"Just wait until you try the Swallowtail."
"Mom isn't going to like it," Evan said with a frown. "And neither will Grandmum."
"You've come a long way since your first broom ride, Evan, and they know it. It won't take much for us to persuade them that you can handle it. We'll just have to be clever about it."
Evan contemplated this for a few minutes, then looked up at Draco with a mischievous grin. "We can go out flying before dinner and when Mom comes to tell us it's ready, she'll see me flying it!"
Draco smirked. "That's exactly the sort of thing I had in mind. I guess that you do have some Slytherin in you."
"Hey!" Evan protested. "Slytherins aren't the only ones who can be clever. Just look at Uncle Fred and Uncle George!"
"Point taken," Draco responded. "But there is an important part of the plan that you left out. You should be sure not to let your Mum spot you doing anything dangerous, or she may never let you fly again!"
"Good point!" Evan smiled to himself, then turned serious again. "So what did you really want to talk about? I haven't forgotten, you know."
"I can't get anything past you, can I?" Draco said with a smile and a sigh. This was it then.
Draco closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then looked intently at Evan. "I wanted to tell you that on Christmas, I am planning to ask your mother to marry me."
Evan stared expressionlessly at him for a few moments, then asked, "Are you asking my permission?"
"No!" Draco spat out more forcefully than he intended.
Evan raised his eyebrows in surprise.
Draco took a sip of water, then continued more calmly. "No. I love her very much and no matter what you say today, I will ask her. I am, however, asking for your support. I want Ginny to be happy, and I think it would hurt her if you opposed this."
Evan contemplated silently for while, then nodded at Draco. "I won't object. I won't be able to take care of her when I go to Hogwarts, so I'll have to trust you to do it."
"I would defend her with my life, you know."
"Yes, I know. And if you ever hurt her, I'll have to kill you."
Draco had to force himself not to smile at this. He knew how protective of Ginny Evan was, and didn't want to hurt the boy's feelings. "I assure you, that won't be necessary."
"Good," Evan said, then smiled suddenly at Draco. "I can't wait to see the look on Uncle Ron's face when he finds out he's going to be related to you!"
Draco grinned at this. "Yes, that will be one of the side benefits." He paused. "You sound pretty certain that she is going to say yes."
"Of course I'm sure. Mom has never been as happy before as she is with you." Evan smiled brightly before adding, "If she wasn't, there is no way I would have put up with you for two years!"
"And now you are going to have to put up with me for good."
"Yes, well," Evan said, still smiling. "She's worth it."
The two sat in companionable silence for a while before a look of horror crossed Evan's face. "I'm not... I'm not going to have to call you Dad, am I?"
A/N: I wrote several versions of this scene, intending to use one as part of the epilogue of "Coming Home". I then decided that I wanted to keep the whole story in Ginny's point of view and this no longer fit. But I still like it, so I decided to post it separately. Please note that this may not make sense if you haven't read the rest of the story.
***************
Coming Home: An Awkward Conversation
Draco shifted in his seat as he poked ineffectually at the remains of his hot fudge sundae. He would have liked to pretend that the heat of the fire was causing his discomfort, but he knew that it was nerves. He eyed the young wizard sitting opposite him, wondering how to start what would undoubtedly be an awkward conversation. Evan Potter, on the other hand, was enthusiastically attacking his bowl of mint chocolate chip ice cream with marshmallow sauce, apparently oblivious to Draco's unease.
Ostensibly, they had come to Diagon Alley so that Evan could buy a Christmas gift for Ginny. Draco had helped him pick out some books about magical healing, as Ginny had been toying with the idea as training as a Healer at St. Mungo's. Draco had already bought his gift for Ginny. In fact, that gift was the real reason for their trip--and the subject of the discussion Draco had been avoiding.
Once their business was out of the way, Draco had steered Evan into Quality Quidditch Supplies to buy a racing broom. And it wasn't just any broom, but a Swallowtail II, the fastest broom on the market. Evan gaped when Draco handed it over, but had managed to stutter out a "Thank you!" Now they were at Florian Fortescue's, Draco searching for words as Evan finished his ice cream.
Popping the cherry into his mouth, Evan looked up at Draco with a hint of a smirk. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?"
Surprised, Draco asked, "What makes you think I want to talk to you about something?"
"Come on," Evan said, grinning. "You bought me a top-of-the-line broomstick and ice cream? You're clearly buttering me up for something."
Draco dodged the issue. "It was was your Christmas gift. You're going to need to practice if you want to make your house team when you go to Hogwarts next fall."
Evan looked doubtful. "But I thought first years aren't allowed broomsticks."
"They're not. But you can use it at the Burrow before you leave and when you're on holiday. Plus, exceptions were made for your father, and I suspect they will be made for you as well, once your Head of House sees you fly."
"I'm not that good."
"Just wait until you try the Swallowtail."
"Mom isn't going to like it," Evan said with a frown. "And neither will Grandmum."
"You've come a long way since your first broom ride, Evan, and they know it. It won't take much for us to persuade them that you can handle it. We'll just have to be clever about it."
Evan contemplated this for a few minutes, then looked up at Draco with a mischievous grin. "We can go out flying before dinner and when Mom comes to tell us it's ready, she'll see me flying it!"
Draco smirked. "That's exactly the sort of thing I had in mind. I guess that you do have some Slytherin in you."
"Hey!" Evan protested. "Slytherins aren't the only ones who can be clever. Just look at Uncle Fred and Uncle George!"
"Point taken," Draco responded. "But there is an important part of the plan that you left out. You should be sure not to let your Mum spot you doing anything dangerous, or she may never let you fly again!"
"Good point!" Evan smiled to himself, then turned serious again. "So what did you really want to talk about? I haven't forgotten, you know."
"I can't get anything past you, can I?" Draco said with a smile and a sigh. This was it then.
Draco closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then looked intently at Evan. "I wanted to tell you that on Christmas, I am planning to ask your mother to marry me."
Evan stared expressionlessly at him for a few moments, then asked, "Are you asking my permission?"
"No!" Draco spat out more forcefully than he intended.
Evan raised his eyebrows in surprise.
Draco took a sip of water, then continued more calmly. "No. I love her very much and no matter what you say today, I will ask her. I am, however, asking for your support. I want Ginny to be happy, and I think it would hurt her if you opposed this."
Evan contemplated silently for while, then nodded at Draco. "I won't object. I won't be able to take care of her when I go to Hogwarts, so I'll have to trust you to do it."
"I would defend her with my life, you know."
"Yes, I know. And if you ever hurt her, I'll have to kill you."
Draco had to force himself not to smile at this. He knew how protective of Ginny Evan was, and didn't want to hurt the boy's feelings. "I assure you, that won't be necessary."
"Good," Evan said, then smiled suddenly at Draco. "I can't wait to see the look on Uncle Ron's face when he finds out he's going to be related to you!"
Draco grinned at this. "Yes, that will be one of the side benefits." He paused. "You sound pretty certain that she is going to say yes."
"Of course I'm sure. Mom has never been as happy before as she is with you." Evan smiled brightly before adding, "If she wasn't, there is no way I would have put up with you for two years!"
"And now you are going to have to put up with me for good."
"Yes, well," Evan said, still smiling. "She's worth it."
The two sat in companionable silence for a while before a look of horror crossed Evan's face. "I'm not... I'm not going to have to call you Dad, am I?"
The End.
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