Ginny appeared on the polished marble steps of the imposing Malfoy Manor, responding to an accident and emergency call. She wasn't terribly excited that she had been the one to take the call, but she supposed the Malfoys had the same right to medical attention as any other wizarding family. Her wand still in her hand, she knocked abruptly on the massive wooden door.
The colossal door swung open to reveal Draco Malfoy, a frown on his face.
Draco looked at the woman who was obviously the healer that he'd summoned. He recognized her immediately; after all, he'd spent the better part of his sixth year watching her from afar. To be honest, fantasizing about her. He'd never really spoken to her, although he'd thought about it, and her, a great deal.
"Ginny Weasley. Come in."
"Thank you," she said as she entered through the door, noticing the strained expression on Draco's face. She couldn't help but think he must be quite worried about his mother if he sidestepped propriety and received her at the door himself instead of letting a house elf attend to it.
He gazed at her for a moment, lost in old memories, and then blinked several times, remembering what she was there for.
"Right," he said, gesturing to the corridor ahead of them. "My mother took a nasty spill in the gardens a few minutes ago and hit her head on the stone path. I want to make sure that she's alright," he said as they walked through magnificently decorated hallway, with the likes of Rembrandt and Monet gracing the walls. "She's just through here."
He opened the double doors to reveal a ladies' parlour, done in summer colors, delicate and feminine, which held Narcissa Malfoy, elegant and regal. Even with a head injury, she was in complete command of the room, and looked as if she could host a luncheon for two hundred at a moment's notice.
"Is this the healer, Draco?" the blonde woman asked, appraising Ginny with a quirked eyebrow. "I told you that I was fine, darling. You didn't have to call St. Mungo's."
Draco looked at Ginny with an expression that clearly read, 'help.'
Ginny grinned at Draco as she set her cloak down on a chair and stepped forward to kneel by the chaise Narcissa was seated upon. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Malfoy. Yes, I am the healer. My name is Ginny Weasley." She observed Narcissa while introducing herself and noted that she seemed to be alert and aware. Getting to her feet and taking the chair to the side of the chaise that Draco offered her she said, "I'd like to take a quick look at your head, if I may."
At Narcissa's nod, Ginny carefully searched her head for signs of trauma, but other than a few tiny scratches along her temple; Ginny found nothing out of the ordinary. She passed her wand over them, murmuring the incantation, and they disappeared.
Narcissa pulled out a hand mirror and inspected Ginny's work. The porcelain skin was unmarred. "Well done," she said in approval.
"Thank you," Ginny said with a smile. "I'm going to ask you a few questions now, if you don't mind. I'm afraid they may seem silly."
Narcissa studied Ginny for a moment. She glanced up at Draco with a long-suffering look and replied, "Yes, alright."
"Could you tell me what day of the week it is?" Ginny asked almost apologetically.
Narcissa's face remained carefully blank. It wouldn't do to call visiting healers idiots, after all. "It's Tuesday afternoon at half four," she replied with pursed lips. Looking up at her son, she said, "Speaking of, Draco darling, would you arrange tea, please?"
"Of course, Mother." Ginny watched for a moment as he crossed the room and rang a small bell, conversed briefly with a house elf, and returned quickly.
Ginny was certain that Narcissa was quite fine, but needed to be absolutely certain. "Mrs. Malfoy? Do you recall what you ate for breakfast?"
The girl is earnest, at least. She apparently isn't going to be intimidated or rushed off. Good for her. A faint smile graced the corner of Narcissa Malfoy's mouth. "Half a grapefruit and toast. Tea with honey."
She then gave Draco a pointed look, and Ginny watched as the man's face went from concerned to amused.
"Yes, that's right. She remembers. She also remembers the éclair she had as well, that she doesn't want you to know about." He threw himself in the chair across from them and chuckled. "It's her dirty little secret."
Narcissa huffed. "Draco Malfoy!" She rolled her eyes and looked at Ginny in commiseration. "Men." She shot Draco a glare. "That's it. You're out of the will."
"Mother, you say that three times a week," Draco replied with a smile.
"And this time I mean it," she said, smoothing her already perfect blonde hair into the twist that held it.
Draco laughed. "Yes, alright, Mother."
Ginny caught herself smiling as she followed their banter back and forth. She rose to her feet and gathered up her bag of medical supplies. "I think you're going to be just fine, Mrs. Malfoy." She glanced quickly at Draco before continuing, "I'm glad Draco was cautious, though. You can never be too careful with head injuries."
Narcissa nodded and gestured for Ginny to take a seat as an elf wheeled in the afternoon tea. "Yes, well, his smart mouth aside, he is a good boy," she said, pleased at Ginny's compliment of her son. She poured for the threesome and sat back for a moment, watching her son watch the healer. She found that little development very interesting indeed.
"How is your mother, Miss Weasley?" Narcissa asked Ginny over the rim of her teacup. "It's been an age since I've seen her."
"She is doing very well; she's just been made a Grandmum, and she's never been happier. Thank you for asking." Ginny took a sip from her teacup, pleasantly surprised that she was enjoying tea with Narcissa and Draco Malfoy, of all people.
"A grandmother!" Narcissa exclaimed. She clapped her hands in delight and sighed, her face falling as she looked at Draco with a disappointed air. "I should be so lucky. At the rate Draco scares away women I won't be a grandmother until I'm too old to pick up the little darlings."
"Mother," Draco muttered in embarrassment, rolling his eyes.
Ginny shared a look of commiseration with Draco and offered him up a small smile. She should have realized Narcissa would do the same thing Molly would at the mention of grandbabies. She bit back a giggle though at the thought of Draco scaring away women; she knew he was one of the most sought after bachelors in Great Britain. "I didn't realize Draco was so frightening," she said lightly, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh, you know me, terribly frightening," Draco said drolly, setting down his cup.
"Terrified of commitment, more like," Narcissa countered under her breath.
Ginny's eyes widened and she continued, "Draco told me you were out in the garden at the time of your fall. Do you spend a lot of time in your garden?" She noticed Draco seemed to relax a bit at her reply.
"More time than she does indoors, that's for sure," Draco interjected. "I get less attention than her roses," he said with a mock pout.
"Yes, well," Narcissa replied with a authoritative tone, if you start winning awards and multiplying like they do, then we'll renegotiate the amount of time I spend with you," she teased.
Ginny couldn't stop the laughter that bubbled forth, and instinctively clapped a hand over her mouth. "Forgive me for laughing, please."
"There's nothing wrong with laughter, Miss Weasley," Narcissa said. "It's something that this house could use more of." She gazed at her son, whose face, for the first time in quite a while, held a pleasant expression.
Ginny smiled at Narcissa's words. She would have never have guessed her to be so personable and kind. "I'd love to see your roses sometime," Ginny said, hoping she hadn't overstepped her bounds as a visiting healer, but feeling surprisingly comfortable with the Malfoy matriarch.
"Of course. The next time you find yourself in the middle of the Wiltshire countryside, do drop in."
Ginny's smile faltered only a little and she gathered her bag, thanked Mrs. Malfoy for tea, and walked silently as Draco escorted her to the entrance hall.
They came to the large front doors and Draco stood with his hands shoved in his pockets, a lock of blond hair falling across his forehead. "I do appreciate your promptness in coming all the way out here," he said sincerely.
"It was no problem at all. I'm just glad your mother wasn't seriously hurt." She watched Draco's fringe fall almost down into his eyes and her fingers itched to reach out and brush it off it forehead. "Please don't hesitate to Floo if you're concerned about her again. You'll want to keep a close eye on her for the next twenty-four hours."
He nodded, and reached out a hand and shook hers, conscious that in all the time that he'd known her, this was the first time they'd touched. Her hand was small and delicate, but warm, and she applied just the right amount of pressure. He noted that she didn't pull away immediately, either, unlike most people who shook the hands of former Death Eaters.
"Until next time, Miss Weasley," he said, bringing her hand up and brushing his lips over her knuckles.
Ginny's stomach flip-flopped nicely as his lips made contact with her hand which was tingling from his touch. "Please, call me Ginny," she said looking up at him through her lashes. She was sure she was blushing furiously, and with one last look at Draco, she Apparated.
Draco closed the doors and grinned. Ginny Weasley. This wouldn't be the last time he saw her, he'd make sure of that. There was energy to his step that hadn't been there in quite some time when he rejoined his mother in her parlour.
Narcissa knew her son quite well, and she knew him to be kind and impulsive, even though the newspapers printed otherwise. She could tell that he was taken with the Weasley girl. And Narcissa heartily approved, if for no other reasons that the girl was beautiful and, if anything like her mother, would give Narcissa a houseful of grandchildren in no time. But she had to make sure Draco was serious; he’d wasted quite a lot of time in her opinion, on girls that were completely unworthy of him, or relationships that she'd known wouldn't work from the start. She was sure that this one would, if he could only work past his own prejudices and inability to settle down and actually be with a girl.
Feeling him out, she asked, "The healer was a nice girl, don't you think?"
Draco sat up a little straighter. "Yes," he said.
"Too bad her whole family's a bunch of blood traitors. I can't tell you how many times your father cursed Arthur Weasley's name over the last twenty years," she intoned, watching Draco closely.
Draco's entire posture changed. "Right. I forgot about that."
Narcissa mentally rolled her eyes. Fight with me. Tell me he was wrong. Tell me you don't care. "Pity," Narcissa said, watching Draco from the corner of her eye. "Because she was a lovely girl. Impeccable manners. Charming personality."
She was disappointed in him. He didn't care enough about the girl to tell his mother that she was wrong. Narcissa hated to do it, but she decided to use her secret weapon. The one that always worked.
"Tell me, Draco," she said with an interested expression, "have you seen the Parkinson girl recently? Her mother tells me she's asked after you several times."
"No, Mother," Draco said sharply. "I have not seen, nor talked to Pansy in quite a while, and I won't be anytime soon, either." He stood and tried not to roll his eyes. "I'm going up to my suite for a bit before dinner."
Narcissa hid a smirk. "Alright, darling. Dinner at eight."
"Of course." He started to stalk from the room when a flash of burgundy caught his eye. He nonchalantly picked up Ginny Weasley's forgotten cloak without breaking stride, and left the room.
After the door had closed behind him, Narcissa let out a soft chuckle. "I wonder how long it will be before he reunites the inimitable Miss Weasley with her cloak?" she murmured aloud, leaning her head against the back of her chair, triumphant smile in place.
The colossal door swung open to reveal Draco Malfoy, a frown on his face.
Draco looked at the woman who was obviously the healer that he'd summoned. He recognized her immediately; after all, he'd spent the better part of his sixth year watching her from afar. To be honest, fantasizing about her. He'd never really spoken to her, although he'd thought about it, and her, a great deal.
"Ginny Weasley. Come in."
"Thank you," she said as she entered through the door, noticing the strained expression on Draco's face. She couldn't help but think he must be quite worried about his mother if he sidestepped propriety and received her at the door himself instead of letting a house elf attend to it.
He gazed at her for a moment, lost in old memories, and then blinked several times, remembering what she was there for.
"Right," he said, gesturing to the corridor ahead of them. "My mother took a nasty spill in the gardens a few minutes ago and hit her head on the stone path. I want to make sure that she's alright," he said as they walked through magnificently decorated hallway, with the likes of Rembrandt and Monet gracing the walls. "She's just through here."
He opened the double doors to reveal a ladies' parlour, done in summer colors, delicate and feminine, which held Narcissa Malfoy, elegant and regal. Even with a head injury, she was in complete command of the room, and looked as if she could host a luncheon for two hundred at a moment's notice.
"Is this the healer, Draco?" the blonde woman asked, appraising Ginny with a quirked eyebrow. "I told you that I was fine, darling. You didn't have to call St. Mungo's."
Draco looked at Ginny with an expression that clearly read, 'help.'
Ginny grinned at Draco as she set her cloak down on a chair and stepped forward to kneel by the chaise Narcissa was seated upon. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Malfoy. Yes, I am the healer. My name is Ginny Weasley." She observed Narcissa while introducing herself and noted that she seemed to be alert and aware. Getting to her feet and taking the chair to the side of the chaise that Draco offered her she said, "I'd like to take a quick look at your head, if I may."
At Narcissa's nod, Ginny carefully searched her head for signs of trauma, but other than a few tiny scratches along her temple; Ginny found nothing out of the ordinary. She passed her wand over them, murmuring the incantation, and they disappeared.
Narcissa pulled out a hand mirror and inspected Ginny's work. The porcelain skin was unmarred. "Well done," she said in approval.
"Thank you," Ginny said with a smile. "I'm going to ask you a few questions now, if you don't mind. I'm afraid they may seem silly."
Narcissa studied Ginny for a moment. She glanced up at Draco with a long-suffering look and replied, "Yes, alright."
"Could you tell me what day of the week it is?" Ginny asked almost apologetically.
Narcissa's face remained carefully blank. It wouldn't do to call visiting healers idiots, after all. "It's Tuesday afternoon at half four," she replied with pursed lips. Looking up at her son, she said, "Speaking of, Draco darling, would you arrange tea, please?"
"Of course, Mother." Ginny watched for a moment as he crossed the room and rang a small bell, conversed briefly with a house elf, and returned quickly.
Ginny was certain that Narcissa was quite fine, but needed to be absolutely certain. "Mrs. Malfoy? Do you recall what you ate for breakfast?"
The girl is earnest, at least. She apparently isn't going to be intimidated or rushed off. Good for her. A faint smile graced the corner of Narcissa Malfoy's mouth. "Half a grapefruit and toast. Tea with honey."
She then gave Draco a pointed look, and Ginny watched as the man's face went from concerned to amused.
"Yes, that's right. She remembers. She also remembers the éclair she had as well, that she doesn't want you to know about." He threw himself in the chair across from them and chuckled. "It's her dirty little secret."
Narcissa huffed. "Draco Malfoy!" She rolled her eyes and looked at Ginny in commiseration. "Men." She shot Draco a glare. "That's it. You're out of the will."
"Mother, you say that three times a week," Draco replied with a smile.
"And this time I mean it," she said, smoothing her already perfect blonde hair into the twist that held it.
Draco laughed. "Yes, alright, Mother."
Ginny caught herself smiling as she followed their banter back and forth. She rose to her feet and gathered up her bag of medical supplies. "I think you're going to be just fine, Mrs. Malfoy." She glanced quickly at Draco before continuing, "I'm glad Draco was cautious, though. You can never be too careful with head injuries."
Narcissa nodded and gestured for Ginny to take a seat as an elf wheeled in the afternoon tea. "Yes, well, his smart mouth aside, he is a good boy," she said, pleased at Ginny's compliment of her son. She poured for the threesome and sat back for a moment, watching her son watch the healer. She found that little development very interesting indeed.
"How is your mother, Miss Weasley?" Narcissa asked Ginny over the rim of her teacup. "It's been an age since I've seen her."
"She is doing very well; she's just been made a Grandmum, and she's never been happier. Thank you for asking." Ginny took a sip from her teacup, pleasantly surprised that she was enjoying tea with Narcissa and Draco Malfoy, of all people.
"A grandmother!" Narcissa exclaimed. She clapped her hands in delight and sighed, her face falling as she looked at Draco with a disappointed air. "I should be so lucky. At the rate Draco scares away women I won't be a grandmother until I'm too old to pick up the little darlings."
"Mother," Draco muttered in embarrassment, rolling his eyes.
Ginny shared a look of commiseration with Draco and offered him up a small smile. She should have realized Narcissa would do the same thing Molly would at the mention of grandbabies. She bit back a giggle though at the thought of Draco scaring away women; she knew he was one of the most sought after bachelors in Great Britain. "I didn't realize Draco was so frightening," she said lightly, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh, you know me, terribly frightening," Draco said drolly, setting down his cup.
"Terrified of commitment, more like," Narcissa countered under her breath.
Ginny's eyes widened and she continued, "Draco told me you were out in the garden at the time of your fall. Do you spend a lot of time in your garden?" She noticed Draco seemed to relax a bit at her reply.
"More time than she does indoors, that's for sure," Draco interjected. "I get less attention than her roses," he said with a mock pout.
"Yes, well," Narcissa replied with a authoritative tone, if you start winning awards and multiplying like they do, then we'll renegotiate the amount of time I spend with you," she teased.
Ginny couldn't stop the laughter that bubbled forth, and instinctively clapped a hand over her mouth. "Forgive me for laughing, please."
"There's nothing wrong with laughter, Miss Weasley," Narcissa said. "It's something that this house could use more of." She gazed at her son, whose face, for the first time in quite a while, held a pleasant expression.
Ginny smiled at Narcissa's words. She would have never have guessed her to be so personable and kind. "I'd love to see your roses sometime," Ginny said, hoping she hadn't overstepped her bounds as a visiting healer, but feeling surprisingly comfortable with the Malfoy matriarch.
"Of course. The next time you find yourself in the middle of the Wiltshire countryside, do drop in."
Ginny's smile faltered only a little and she gathered her bag, thanked Mrs. Malfoy for tea, and walked silently as Draco escorted her to the entrance hall.
They came to the large front doors and Draco stood with his hands shoved in his pockets, a lock of blond hair falling across his forehead. "I do appreciate your promptness in coming all the way out here," he said sincerely.
"It was no problem at all. I'm just glad your mother wasn't seriously hurt." She watched Draco's fringe fall almost down into his eyes and her fingers itched to reach out and brush it off it forehead. "Please don't hesitate to Floo if you're concerned about her again. You'll want to keep a close eye on her for the next twenty-four hours."
He nodded, and reached out a hand and shook hers, conscious that in all the time that he'd known her, this was the first time they'd touched. Her hand was small and delicate, but warm, and she applied just the right amount of pressure. He noted that she didn't pull away immediately, either, unlike most people who shook the hands of former Death Eaters.
"Until next time, Miss Weasley," he said, bringing her hand up and brushing his lips over her knuckles.
Ginny's stomach flip-flopped nicely as his lips made contact with her hand which was tingling from his touch. "Please, call me Ginny," she said looking up at him through her lashes. She was sure she was blushing furiously, and with one last look at Draco, she Apparated.
Draco closed the doors and grinned. Ginny Weasley. This wouldn't be the last time he saw her, he'd make sure of that. There was energy to his step that hadn't been there in quite some time when he rejoined his mother in her parlour.
Narcissa knew her son quite well, and she knew him to be kind and impulsive, even though the newspapers printed otherwise. She could tell that he was taken with the Weasley girl. And Narcissa heartily approved, if for no other reasons that the girl was beautiful and, if anything like her mother, would give Narcissa a houseful of grandchildren in no time. But she had to make sure Draco was serious; he’d wasted quite a lot of time in her opinion, on girls that were completely unworthy of him, or relationships that she'd known wouldn't work from the start. She was sure that this one would, if he could only work past his own prejudices and inability to settle down and actually be with a girl.
Feeling him out, she asked, "The healer was a nice girl, don't you think?"
Draco sat up a little straighter. "Yes," he said.
"Too bad her whole family's a bunch of blood traitors. I can't tell you how many times your father cursed Arthur Weasley's name over the last twenty years," she intoned, watching Draco closely.
Draco's entire posture changed. "Right. I forgot about that."
Narcissa mentally rolled her eyes. Fight with me. Tell me he was wrong. Tell me you don't care. "Pity," Narcissa said, watching Draco from the corner of her eye. "Because she was a lovely girl. Impeccable manners. Charming personality."
She was disappointed in him. He didn't care enough about the girl to tell his mother that she was wrong. Narcissa hated to do it, but she decided to use her secret weapon. The one that always worked.
"Tell me, Draco," she said with an interested expression, "have you seen the Parkinson girl recently? Her mother tells me she's asked after you several times."
"No, Mother," Draco said sharply. "I have not seen, nor talked to Pansy in quite a while, and I won't be anytime soon, either." He stood and tried not to roll his eyes. "I'm going up to my suite for a bit before dinner."
Narcissa hid a smirk. "Alright, darling. Dinner at eight."
"Of course." He started to stalk from the room when a flash of burgundy caught his eye. He nonchalantly picked up Ginny Weasley's forgotten cloak without breaking stride, and left the room.
After the door had closed behind him, Narcissa let out a soft chuckle. "I wonder how long it will be before he reunites the inimitable Miss Weasley with her cloak?" she murmured aloud, leaning her head against the back of her chair, triumphant smile in place.
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