Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters you may recognize from the wonderful world of Harry Potter; they belong to J.K.Rowling.
Chapter Three
The Announcement
When the two of them reached home, everyone was sitting outside. Chairs had been placed beside the round tables that had been used at Bill and Fleur's wedding. Ginny wondered if there was another wedding going on that she was unaware of.
Ron steered Ginny into a seat at the back of the group - everywhere else seemed to be full. After making sure Ginny was seated, he walked to the front of the group and grabbed Hermione, who was smiling, by the hand.
The talking volume seemed to decrease as everyone realised Ron was standing at the front of the group of people with Hermione.
Ginny sat back in her chair, knowing what was coming next. She had known this was coming since Ron had first written home about the 'bushy haired know it all'.
Ron cleared his throat, and everyone shut up. Hermione continued to smile brightly.
Someone coughed behind Ginny. She looked behind her to see Draco Malfoy sitting down at her table.
'Hermione and I have something we would like to tell you all,' Ron said, speaking louder with every syllable.
Ginny smiled at Draco, who was rolling his eyes. Ron cleared his throat again, and Molly Weasley glared at Fred and George, who were trying to hold in their laughter.
'Last night I proposed to Hermione, and she said yes!' Ron said, smiling, as the crowd of people stood and cheered.
Ginny stood with the rest of group, clapping and cheering.
Molly Weasley was in tears, hugging Hermione, already welcoming her into the immediate family. Hermione was crying also, and showing her mother in law to be her engagement ring. Harry was clapping Ron on the back, and Fred and George were imitating Ron.
Ginny grabbed Draco by the arm and walked with him up to the front, where the rest of the family sat. She let go of Draco, and ran up to Hermione, hugging her. All of her troubles seemed to disappear - well, forgotten for the moment at least.
'Congratulations. It was bound to happen sooner or later, but I'm glad it's now,' Ginny said, letting go of Hermione, who smiled at her.
'Let me see your ring?' Ginny asked, smiling happily at her sister in law to be. She gasped. 'Wow, this ring is beautiful. How could I not have seen this, this morning?'
'I only just put it on. I didn't want anybody to know until we told the whole family. He even asked my father, Ginny!' Hermione exclaimed.
Draco came up to her and gave her a hug of congratulation. 'Hope you and the Weasley are happy. About time, you know?' he said, smiling as Hermione swatted at his arm.
'Hey, Weasley, are you going to put up with this? You're going to let your fiancé abuse me?' Draco asked, smiling and pointing at Hermione, who was poking her tongue out at Draco.
'Malfoy, what have you done that would make my fiancé abuse you?' Ron asked, smiling also. Harry and Ginny rolled their eyes in unison.
'I was doing nothing, Ron. He was being mean,' Hermione said, pouting as Ron wrapped his arms around her waist.
'Oh please don't make that face, it makes me sad,' Ron said, frowning himself.
'Why don't you try and take it away for me?' she asked. Ron leaned in and started to kiss her.
'Oh gross guys! Get a room! Seeing my brother and my best friend kiss is not something that I need to see,' Ginny exclaimed, shielding her eyes while laughing. Fred and George pretended to gag before leaving to irritate someone else.
'Get used to it,' Draco said, watching Ginny from the corner of his eye. 'They did this everyday while we were gone. It was horrifying one day to wake up and see them sleeping next to each other. Though Potter and I had fun dumping ice cold water on them,' Draco laughed.
'What did I do?' Harry asked, coming back with five champagne flutes. He handed them out.
'Just telling Ginny about dumping water on the lovers over here,' Draco said. Harry started to laugh.
'I remember that. Do you know what they did after they got up and freaked out on us? You'll never figure it out,' Harry said looking right at Ginny.
'What?' Ginny asked, raising her right eyebrow. Draco, who was watching her, raised his eyebrow too.
'They started to fight!' Harry said, starting to laugh. 'They bickered all morning, until we reached this hill that...' he trailed off.
Ginny stopped laughing as she watched Harry shake his head before saying, 'To Hermione and Ron, may the bickering keep on coming, along with the romance!'
The five of them lifted their flutes, laughing. But when the others took at sip, Ginny did not. However, no one seemed to notice.
Charlie Weasley called Ron and Hermione over, and the two of them left – leaving Ginny in an uncomfortable silence. Harry and Draco stared at each other before Draco asked Ginny where she had been that morning.
All of a sudden the full reality of her situation crashed down on her. She stared at Draco, who had asked the simple question.
'Ron said that you were at the hospital. Are you sick?' Harry asked, watching Ginny.
Ginny turned pale. No, she wasn't sick, she was pregnant. 'No,' she stuttered. 'Excuse me, guys,' Ginny said, handing Draco her champagne flute before walking off towards the apple orchard that was to the left of the house.
Draco and Harry both watched her walk away, frowning.
'What did I say?' Draco asked, watching the redheaded girl walk into the orchard.
'Nothing. You just asked her a question,' Harry said - he too was watching the orchard.
'Girls,' muttered Draco.
Harry laughed, 'You said it, mate.'
Before either of them could speak again, however, they were called over to where Molly Weasley was sitting.
'Yes Molly?' Draco asked, making his way over to the table that held Molly and Arthur Weasley, Mr. and Mrs. Granger, Bill Weasley, a heavily pregnant Fleur Weasley and Fred Weasley.
Harry followed after Draco and stood behind him.
'I want you both to know that you are welcome to stay the rest of the summer with us, and as long as you want to, actually,' she said, smiling. Fred got up and left the table to sneak up on his girlfriend, who was carrying a platter of food.
'Thanks Mrs. Weasley, I'd love to stay. I also have no place to go,' Harry said, smiling.
Mrs. Weasley turned her head towards Draco. 'Well what about you, young man?'
Draco looked down at the woman who had sent him a letter once a month for the past year, a Weasley sweater at Christmas and a cake for his birthday. 'I'd love to stay here, but I have to get settled into my flat. Unlike Potter, I do have another place to stay. I won't want to burden you any further, you have done so much for me already,' he said. Harry glared at him, but did nothing further.
'You haven't burdened us, Draco,' Mr. Weasley said, shaking his head at the men's foolishness. 'We would love it if you would stay the rest of the summer. Besides, if you don't, I think someone may be a bit disappointed. Ginny would hate it if you weren't here for her birthday. Either of you,' Mr. Weasley said, looking over at Harry, who was rubbing the back of his head. 'You did, after all, miss her last one.'
'You’re right, I should stay, and I will. But once the summer is over, I must leave. I have to restart the Malfoy Company, and at least try to bring honour back to the Malfoy name,' Draco said, smiling.
Mr. Weasley nodded his head and told him to sit in Fred's empty chair. Harry excused himself, and made his way towards the apple orchard.
After what seemed like hours, the crowd started to leave, around nine pm, after Mrs. Weasley had brought out the dinner, which had been a buffet.
Draco got up from the table he was sitting at, grabbed a sweater from the steps of the barn and a plate of food, and with that, he left.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
AUTHOR'S NOTES
Many thanks to my beta reader shiiki!
Also, thanks for all the reviews!
~Natasha
The Announcement
When the two of them reached home, everyone was sitting outside. Chairs had been placed beside the round tables that had been used at Bill and Fleur's wedding. Ginny wondered if there was another wedding going on that she was unaware of.
Ron steered Ginny into a seat at the back of the group - everywhere else seemed to be full. After making sure Ginny was seated, he walked to the front of the group and grabbed Hermione, who was smiling, by the hand.
The talking volume seemed to decrease as everyone realised Ron was standing at the front of the group of people with Hermione.
Ginny sat back in her chair, knowing what was coming next. She had known this was coming since Ron had first written home about the 'bushy haired know it all'.
Ron cleared his throat, and everyone shut up. Hermione continued to smile brightly.
Someone coughed behind Ginny. She looked behind her to see Draco Malfoy sitting down at her table.
'Hermione and I have something we would like to tell you all,' Ron said, speaking louder with every syllable.
Ginny smiled at Draco, who was rolling his eyes. Ron cleared his throat again, and Molly Weasley glared at Fred and George, who were trying to hold in their laughter.
'Last night I proposed to Hermione, and she said yes!' Ron said, smiling, as the crowd of people stood and cheered.
Ginny stood with the rest of group, clapping and cheering.
Molly Weasley was in tears, hugging Hermione, already welcoming her into the immediate family. Hermione was crying also, and showing her mother in law to be her engagement ring. Harry was clapping Ron on the back, and Fred and George were imitating Ron.
Ginny grabbed Draco by the arm and walked with him up to the front, where the rest of the family sat. She let go of Draco, and ran up to Hermione, hugging her. All of her troubles seemed to disappear - well, forgotten for the moment at least.
'Congratulations. It was bound to happen sooner or later, but I'm glad it's now,' Ginny said, letting go of Hermione, who smiled at her.
'Let me see your ring?' Ginny asked, smiling happily at her sister in law to be. She gasped. 'Wow, this ring is beautiful. How could I not have seen this, this morning?'
'I only just put it on. I didn't want anybody to know until we told the whole family. He even asked my father, Ginny!' Hermione exclaimed.
Draco came up to her and gave her a hug of congratulation. 'Hope you and the Weasley are happy. About time, you know?' he said, smiling as Hermione swatted at his arm.
'Hey, Weasley, are you going to put up with this? You're going to let your fiancé abuse me?' Draco asked, smiling and pointing at Hermione, who was poking her tongue out at Draco.
'Malfoy, what have you done that would make my fiancé abuse you?' Ron asked, smiling also. Harry and Ginny rolled their eyes in unison.
'I was doing nothing, Ron. He was being mean,' Hermione said, pouting as Ron wrapped his arms around her waist.
'Oh please don't make that face, it makes me sad,' Ron said, frowning himself.
'Why don't you try and take it away for me?' she asked. Ron leaned in and started to kiss her.
'Oh gross guys! Get a room! Seeing my brother and my best friend kiss is not something that I need to see,' Ginny exclaimed, shielding her eyes while laughing. Fred and George pretended to gag before leaving to irritate someone else.
'Get used to it,' Draco said, watching Ginny from the corner of his eye. 'They did this everyday while we were gone. It was horrifying one day to wake up and see them sleeping next to each other. Though Potter and I had fun dumping ice cold water on them,' Draco laughed.
'What did I do?' Harry asked, coming back with five champagne flutes. He handed them out.
'Just telling Ginny about dumping water on the lovers over here,' Draco said. Harry started to laugh.
'I remember that. Do you know what they did after they got up and freaked out on us? You'll never figure it out,' Harry said looking right at Ginny.
'What?' Ginny asked, raising her right eyebrow. Draco, who was watching her, raised his eyebrow too.
'They started to fight!' Harry said, starting to laugh. 'They bickered all morning, until we reached this hill that...' he trailed off.
Ginny stopped laughing as she watched Harry shake his head before saying, 'To Hermione and Ron, may the bickering keep on coming, along with the romance!'
The five of them lifted their flutes, laughing. But when the others took at sip, Ginny did not. However, no one seemed to notice.
Charlie Weasley called Ron and Hermione over, and the two of them left – leaving Ginny in an uncomfortable silence. Harry and Draco stared at each other before Draco asked Ginny where she had been that morning.
All of a sudden the full reality of her situation crashed down on her. She stared at Draco, who had asked the simple question.
'Ron said that you were at the hospital. Are you sick?' Harry asked, watching Ginny.
Ginny turned pale. No, she wasn't sick, she was pregnant. 'No,' she stuttered. 'Excuse me, guys,' Ginny said, handing Draco her champagne flute before walking off towards the apple orchard that was to the left of the house.
Draco and Harry both watched her walk away, frowning.
'What did I say?' Draco asked, watching the redheaded girl walk into the orchard.
'Nothing. You just asked her a question,' Harry said - he too was watching the orchard.
'Girls,' muttered Draco.
Harry laughed, 'You said it, mate.'
Before either of them could speak again, however, they were called over to where Molly Weasley was sitting.
'Yes Molly?' Draco asked, making his way over to the table that held Molly and Arthur Weasley, Mr. and Mrs. Granger, Bill Weasley, a heavily pregnant Fleur Weasley and Fred Weasley.
Harry followed after Draco and stood behind him.
'I want you both to know that you are welcome to stay the rest of the summer with us, and as long as you want to, actually,' she said, smiling. Fred got up and left the table to sneak up on his girlfriend, who was carrying a platter of food.
'Thanks Mrs. Weasley, I'd love to stay. I also have no place to go,' Harry said, smiling.
Mrs. Weasley turned her head towards Draco. 'Well what about you, young man?'
Draco looked down at the woman who had sent him a letter once a month for the past year, a Weasley sweater at Christmas and a cake for his birthday. 'I'd love to stay here, but I have to get settled into my flat. Unlike Potter, I do have another place to stay. I won't want to burden you any further, you have done so much for me already,' he said. Harry glared at him, but did nothing further.
'You haven't burdened us, Draco,' Mr. Weasley said, shaking his head at the men's foolishness. 'We would love it if you would stay the rest of the summer. Besides, if you don't, I think someone may be a bit disappointed. Ginny would hate it if you weren't here for her birthday. Either of you,' Mr. Weasley said, looking over at Harry, who was rubbing the back of his head. 'You did, after all, miss her last one.'
'You’re right, I should stay, and I will. But once the summer is over, I must leave. I have to restart the Malfoy Company, and at least try to bring honour back to the Malfoy name,' Draco said, smiling.
Mr. Weasley nodded his head and told him to sit in Fred's empty chair. Harry excused himself, and made his way towards the apple orchard.
After what seemed like hours, the crowd started to leave, around nine pm, after Mrs. Weasley had brought out the dinner, which had been a buffet.
Draco got up from the table he was sitting at, grabbed a sweater from the steps of the barn and a plate of food, and with that, he left.
AUTHOR'S NOTES
Many thanks to my beta reader shiiki!
Also, thanks for all the reviews!
~Natasha
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