Fire and Ice by Pat Benatar
Snape Apparated out of the club with the man. The effect of the situation sobered Ginny, Pansy, and Luna up.
“Ladies, I actually had fun tonight, but I’m going to get out of here before that happens to me,” Pansy announced, Apparating before they could respond.
“Ginny, will you be okay with crazy maniacs running around if I--”
“Go home Luna.”
“Are you sure, Gin?” she asked.
“Of course,” Ginny replied. “I’ll have Draco take me home if I can’t Apparate.”
“Have a good night!” Luna smiled dreamily and Apparated.
“Come on,” Draco grunted, tucking Ginny under his arm and making his way through the masses.
“What do you think you’re doing, Malfoy?” Ginny demanded, trying to wriggle out of his tight hold.
“Getting you home so nothing happens to you,” he responded, his eyes fixed on the exit.
“I’m plenty capable of getting there myself, thank you!”
Draco ignored her, but let her go. She immediately tripped over her own feet and fell right on her butt.
“Are you going to help me up? After all, it’s your fault I’m on the floor.”
“What was I thinking doing what you told me too? Next time I’ll remember not to.” Draco responded sarcastically.
“Please do,” Ginny responded just as sarcastically.
Draco hauled her onto her feet and the pair walked toward the exit.
* * *
“So, Percy, what do you do for a living?” Mr. Greengrass asked casually over the dinner table.
“I’m an assistant to the Minister. I’m striving for a position on the Wizengamat or Minister of Magic one day,” Percy replied.
“Good, good.” Mr. Greengrass nodded. “Now, how much land do you own?”
“I don’t own any land. I rent a flat in Diagon Alley, it’s an easier commute.”
“How much money do you make?”
“Daddy!” Daphne interjected, embarrassed by the turn his inquisition was taking.
“Alright,” Mr. Greengrass relented. “Do you have an vacation homes?”
“Sir, I’m a Weasley.”
“Right,” he said, remembering. “Too true.”
“Daddy, I have to marry Percy whether anyone likes it or not, so stop!” Daphne ordered.
“One more question?” Mr. Greengrass asked his daughter.
“Fine.”
“What are your intentions concerning my daughter?”
“Well, sir, I’d like to get to know Daphne better so that we can be at least friends going into this marriage, if not more if it comes to that,” Percy answered honestly.
“Oooh. Good response,” Mrs. Greengrass cooed.
Daphne smacked her head with her hand and dropped her elbow on the table.
“No elbows on the table, Daphne!” Mrs. Greegrass scolded. “And we have a guest too!”
Daphne ignored her mother and Percy noticed her frustration with her parents.
“Daphne, it’s getting late...” he started.
“Yes!” she interupted all to happily. “And we have to...do stuff for the wedding!”
Percy smiled at her, inwardly laughing that her parents did not notice the change in her behavior.
Daphne jumped up from the table and dragged Percy out of the room. An elf rushed after them to get their coats.
“Don’t bother,” she snapped, grabbing the coats and rushing out the door. “Oh thank Merlin! We’re finally free!”
“It wasn’t as bad as it seemed,” Percy offered.
Daphne glared at him. “My father is naturally suspicious of everyone’s motives, it comes from being a Death Eater and surviving the Wars...”
“How did he...?”
“Paid off the Ministry,” she replied not missing a beat and continued ranting. “And Mother is an insipid idiot whom Daddy married because she was pregnant with me. Stupid social climber. Used the oldest trick in the book to hook a rich elitist.” She gasped, eyes wide. “I just aired out all my dirty laundry in front a Weasley.”
Percy’s jaw locked. “Yes. You did.” He turned on his heel and Apparated.
* * *
“Uuugh,” Ginny groaned as she leaned her head against the cold porcelain of Draco’s toilet.
Draco appeared at the doorway and smirked at his ill betrothed. “So this is what I have to look forward to when you’re pregnant with my children.” She threw her shoe at him and he made a grand gesture of dodging it. “Good news,” he continued as if she hadn’t tried to take off his head with a three-inch heel. “We’re going to dinner with my mother tonight.” He ducked for the second time as the other shoe joined its pair.
“You know,” Ginny started. “I was thinking about the inevitable children. Don’t you like Leo for a boy?”
“I’m not giving my Slytherin son a pansy Gryffindor name!”
“Who says he’ll be in Slytherin?”
“All Malfoys are in Slytherin,” Draco sniffed as if it was obvious.
“All Weasleys are in Gryffindor.”
Draco tossed hangover potion in her general direction and hmphed out the door. “I’ll pick you up at seven,” he called over his shoulder.
Another groan could be heard from the bathroom.
* * *
“The Botteldoups are particularly abundant this afternoon,” Luna remarked dreamily over her salad.
Blaise chuckled, “And what do Botteldoups do?”
“They provide an air of relaxation. Especially on afternoons like this. When the sun is shining and the birds are chirping and the Nargles are gone for the season,” Luna explained.
“Are Nargles irritating?”
“Oh yes, very. Especially when there’s mistletoe around, they like to breed in it.”
“Is there anything they don’t like?”
“Of course. Platinum scares them off, the shine is too bright for their eyes. Quite lucky really, I love platinum,” Luna answered, a knowing smile appearing on her face.
“Oh isn’t that fortunate,” Blaise smirked. “Seeing how your engagement ring is platinum.”
“Engagement ring?”
“You don’t expect me to have my fiancée walking around without a ring on her finger, do you?” Blaise asked.
“I never considered it really,” Luna grinned as Blaise pulled a jewelry box out of his pocket, pulling the ring out and slipping it onto her finger. It was an elegant ring with a fairly large Chrysoprase stone in the center. Luna looked admirably at it and knew Blaise had picked this ring out just for her.
“Oh Blaise, you did a wonderful job picking out this ring. It was so sweet of you,” Luna cooed.
“Sweet?” he said, choking on his tea.
“Yes.”
“No. I am anything but sweet. I’m a Slytherin for Merlin’s sake! I’m cunning, manipulative, evil, dark, cruel, but never sweet.” Blaise spat, disgusted at the thought of him sweet.
“Mhmm. Sure.”
* * *
Draco Apparated outside of Ginny’s small flat and knocked on the door.
“One second!” she shouted from the other side.
Five minutes later he knocked again.
“Hold your hippogryffs!” was Ginny response.
For a grand total of twenty minutes Draco stood outside her doorway waiting for her to come out.
“I’m ready,” she smiled as she slipped out of her flat.
“I told you seven o’clock and that means--”
“Seven o’clock,” Ginny imitated.
“--and it is now--”
“Seven twenty,” she finished. “I bet our reservations are for seven thirty anyway. You’re anal about being on time if not extremely early.”
He ignored her comment about his tendency to be a little early to everything and shoved a box at her. “Put it on before we get there.”
Inside was simple platinum band that would wrap around her finger, in between there was a pearl staggering where the ends should meet and encrusted diamonds. It was Ginny’s dream ring and he had just thrown it at her unceremoniously.
Without warning, he grabbed her arm and Apparated. They arrived at La Chance, an expensive French gourmet restaurant. When they entered the building, they were immediately swarmed with people who wanted to take their cloaks, seat them, and serve them. After their cloaks were taken, they were led to the best table in the house where Narcissa Malfoy was waiting.
“Hello Mother,” Draco greeted, giving her a kiss on the cheek.
“Draco,” she replied.
“Mother, this is Ginevra,” he introduced while pulling Ginny’s seat out for her.
“I know.”
“Mother, could you be a little more--”
“A little more what? Compliant? Oh yes because Malfoys are always compliant when they are forced to do something that they don’t want to do,” Narcissa snapped.
“Mother, I do have a choice. I could marry Ginevra or I could live like a Muggle.”
Narcissa was silent for a moment. “I still resent the whole situation.”
“Can we just have a nice dinner discussion before you decide anything?” Ginny asked tentatively.
“I think that’s a great idea, Ginevra,” Draco agreed.
“So, Ginevra,” Narcissa said casually even though, Ginny’s name sounded like a disease. “What is your occupation?”
“I’m studying to become a mediwitch,” Ginny smiled.
“Which of course, she’ll stop once we get married,” Draco interceded.
Ginny turned to him. “Excuse me?”
“No Malfoy wife has ever worked, why should one start now?” Draco responded.
“I’m a Weasley and we all carry our own weight, I’m no exception.”
“You will be a Malfoy.”
“We’ll see about that. I’ve heard that Malfoys aren’t compliant with anything.”
“I think its admirable for a wife and future mother to work,” Narcissa said, showing a sliver of respect for Ginny.
“Mother, that is simply ridiculous. No respectable woman would work while married,” Draco retorted.
“Oh Draco, stop living in the Dark Ages,” she replied.
The rest of the evening went quite well for a resenting Narcissa, a petulant Draco, and a determined Ginny. Narcissa decided that she didn’t quite resent the Ministry laws so much. Draco was still whining, but only to himself after being hit several times by his fiancée. Little did Draco and Ginny know that Narcissa would insist upon this being a weekly occurrence.
Snape Apparated out of the club with the man. The effect of the situation sobered Ginny, Pansy, and Luna up.
“Ladies, I actually had fun tonight, but I’m going to get out of here before that happens to me,” Pansy announced, Apparating before they could respond.
“Ginny, will you be okay with crazy maniacs running around if I--”
“Go home Luna.”
“Are you sure, Gin?” she asked.
“Of course,” Ginny replied. “I’ll have Draco take me home if I can’t Apparate.”
“Have a good night!” Luna smiled dreamily and Apparated.
“Come on,” Draco grunted, tucking Ginny under his arm and making his way through the masses.
“What do you think you’re doing, Malfoy?” Ginny demanded, trying to wriggle out of his tight hold.
“Getting you home so nothing happens to you,” he responded, his eyes fixed on the exit.
“I’m plenty capable of getting there myself, thank you!”
Draco ignored her, but let her go. She immediately tripped over her own feet and fell right on her butt.
“Are you going to help me up? After all, it’s your fault I’m on the floor.”
“What was I thinking doing what you told me too? Next time I’ll remember not to.” Draco responded sarcastically.
“Please do,” Ginny responded just as sarcastically.
Draco hauled her onto her feet and the pair walked toward the exit.
* * *
“So, Percy, what do you do for a living?” Mr. Greengrass asked casually over the dinner table.
“I’m an assistant to the Minister. I’m striving for a position on the Wizengamat or Minister of Magic one day,” Percy replied.
“Good, good.” Mr. Greengrass nodded. “Now, how much land do you own?”
“I don’t own any land. I rent a flat in Diagon Alley, it’s an easier commute.”
“How much money do you make?”
“Daddy!” Daphne interjected, embarrassed by the turn his inquisition was taking.
“Alright,” Mr. Greengrass relented. “Do you have an vacation homes?”
“Sir, I’m a Weasley.”
“Right,” he said, remembering. “Too true.”
“Daddy, I have to marry Percy whether anyone likes it or not, so stop!” Daphne ordered.
“One more question?” Mr. Greengrass asked his daughter.
“Fine.”
“What are your intentions concerning my daughter?”
“Well, sir, I’d like to get to know Daphne better so that we can be at least friends going into this marriage, if not more if it comes to that,” Percy answered honestly.
“Oooh. Good response,” Mrs. Greengrass cooed.
Daphne smacked her head with her hand and dropped her elbow on the table.
“No elbows on the table, Daphne!” Mrs. Greegrass scolded. “And we have a guest too!”
Daphne ignored her mother and Percy noticed her frustration with her parents.
“Daphne, it’s getting late...” he started.
“Yes!” she interupted all to happily. “And we have to...do stuff for the wedding!”
Percy smiled at her, inwardly laughing that her parents did not notice the change in her behavior.
Daphne jumped up from the table and dragged Percy out of the room. An elf rushed after them to get their coats.
“Don’t bother,” she snapped, grabbing the coats and rushing out the door. “Oh thank Merlin! We’re finally free!”
“It wasn’t as bad as it seemed,” Percy offered.
Daphne glared at him. “My father is naturally suspicious of everyone’s motives, it comes from being a Death Eater and surviving the Wars...”
“How did he...?”
“Paid off the Ministry,” she replied not missing a beat and continued ranting. “And Mother is an insipid idiot whom Daddy married because she was pregnant with me. Stupid social climber. Used the oldest trick in the book to hook a rich elitist.” She gasped, eyes wide. “I just aired out all my dirty laundry in front a Weasley.”
Percy’s jaw locked. “Yes. You did.” He turned on his heel and Apparated.
* * *
“Uuugh,” Ginny groaned as she leaned her head against the cold porcelain of Draco’s toilet.
Draco appeared at the doorway and smirked at his ill betrothed. “So this is what I have to look forward to when you’re pregnant with my children.” She threw her shoe at him and he made a grand gesture of dodging it. “Good news,” he continued as if she hadn’t tried to take off his head with a three-inch heel. “We’re going to dinner with my mother tonight.” He ducked for the second time as the other shoe joined its pair.
“You know,” Ginny started. “I was thinking about the inevitable children. Don’t you like Leo for a boy?”
“I’m not giving my Slytherin son a pansy Gryffindor name!”
“Who says he’ll be in Slytherin?”
“All Malfoys are in Slytherin,” Draco sniffed as if it was obvious.
“All Weasleys are in Gryffindor.”
Draco tossed hangover potion in her general direction and hmphed out the door. “I’ll pick you up at seven,” he called over his shoulder.
Another groan could be heard from the bathroom.
* * *
“The Botteldoups are particularly abundant this afternoon,” Luna remarked dreamily over her salad.
Blaise chuckled, “And what do Botteldoups do?”
“They provide an air of relaxation. Especially on afternoons like this. When the sun is shining and the birds are chirping and the Nargles are gone for the season,” Luna explained.
“Are Nargles irritating?”
“Oh yes, very. Especially when there’s mistletoe around, they like to breed in it.”
“Is there anything they don’t like?”
“Of course. Platinum scares them off, the shine is too bright for their eyes. Quite lucky really, I love platinum,” Luna answered, a knowing smile appearing on her face.
“Oh isn’t that fortunate,” Blaise smirked. “Seeing how your engagement ring is platinum.”
“Engagement ring?”
“You don’t expect me to have my fiancée walking around without a ring on her finger, do you?” Blaise asked.
“I never considered it really,” Luna grinned as Blaise pulled a jewelry box out of his pocket, pulling the ring out and slipping it onto her finger. It was an elegant ring with a fairly large Chrysoprase stone in the center. Luna looked admirably at it and knew Blaise had picked this ring out just for her.
“Oh Blaise, you did a wonderful job picking out this ring. It was so sweet of you,” Luna cooed.
“Sweet?” he said, choking on his tea.
“Yes.”
“No. I am anything but sweet. I’m a Slytherin for Merlin’s sake! I’m cunning, manipulative, evil, dark, cruel, but never sweet.” Blaise spat, disgusted at the thought of him sweet.
“Mhmm. Sure.”
* * *
Draco Apparated outside of Ginny’s small flat and knocked on the door.
“One second!” she shouted from the other side.
Five minutes later he knocked again.
“Hold your hippogryffs!” was Ginny response.
For a grand total of twenty minutes Draco stood outside her doorway waiting for her to come out.
“I’m ready,” she smiled as she slipped out of her flat.
“I told you seven o’clock and that means--”
“Seven o’clock,” Ginny imitated.
“--and it is now--”
“Seven twenty,” she finished. “I bet our reservations are for seven thirty anyway. You’re anal about being on time if not extremely early.”
He ignored her comment about his tendency to be a little early to everything and shoved a box at her. “Put it on before we get there.”
Inside was simple platinum band that would wrap around her finger, in between there was a pearl staggering where the ends should meet and encrusted diamonds. It was Ginny’s dream ring and he had just thrown it at her unceremoniously.
Without warning, he grabbed her arm and Apparated. They arrived at La Chance, an expensive French gourmet restaurant. When they entered the building, they were immediately swarmed with people who wanted to take their cloaks, seat them, and serve them. After their cloaks were taken, they were led to the best table in the house where Narcissa Malfoy was waiting.
“Hello Mother,” Draco greeted, giving her a kiss on the cheek.
“Draco,” she replied.
“Mother, this is Ginevra,” he introduced while pulling Ginny’s seat out for her.
“I know.”
“Mother, could you be a little more--”
“A little more what? Compliant? Oh yes because Malfoys are always compliant when they are forced to do something that they don’t want to do,” Narcissa snapped.
“Mother, I do have a choice. I could marry Ginevra or I could live like a Muggle.”
Narcissa was silent for a moment. “I still resent the whole situation.”
“Can we just have a nice dinner discussion before you decide anything?” Ginny asked tentatively.
“I think that’s a great idea, Ginevra,” Draco agreed.
“So, Ginevra,” Narcissa said casually even though, Ginny’s name sounded like a disease. “What is your occupation?”
“I’m studying to become a mediwitch,” Ginny smiled.
“Which of course, she’ll stop once we get married,” Draco interceded.
Ginny turned to him. “Excuse me?”
“No Malfoy wife has ever worked, why should one start now?” Draco responded.
“I’m a Weasley and we all carry our own weight, I’m no exception.”
“You will be a Malfoy.”
“We’ll see about that. I’ve heard that Malfoys aren’t compliant with anything.”
“I think its admirable for a wife and future mother to work,” Narcissa said, showing a sliver of respect for Ginny.
“Mother, that is simply ridiculous. No respectable woman would work while married,” Draco retorted.
“Oh Draco, stop living in the Dark Ages,” she replied.
The rest of the evening went quite well for a resenting Narcissa, a petulant Draco, and a determined Ginny. Narcissa decided that she didn’t quite resent the Ministry laws so much. Draco was still whining, but only to himself after being hit several times by his fiancée. Little did Draco and Ginny know that Narcissa would insist upon this being a weekly occurrence.
Author notes: Hope you enjoyed. Thanks to my Omega, darc. btw, the whole interview between Percy and Mr. Greengrass was inspired by The Importance of Being Ernest.
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