Caught In The Middle

Chapter 2 - Draco's Arrival

Ginny Weasley was pacing back and forth in her room on Sunday morning. In her eyes, she was nowhere near perfect - she had carrotty red hair that always made her stick out in a crowd, her face was spotted with horrible freckles, she had plain brown eyes, her lips were coarse and dry... If there was one thing in this world she didn't want Malfoy to find out about her, it was her insecurity about her looks. It would only make her more vulnerable to his spiteful remarks, and that was the last thing she wanted.

Ginny sighed and slumped into the cheap wicker chair near her. Although she had slept peacefully all-night, she still felt exhausted. It was as if she hadn't slept a wink!

Ginny yawned. She rubbed her eyes and looked around for her clock - it was four in the morning! Good lord, what possessed me to get up in this god-forsaken hour? I must be out of my mind, she thought as she crawled back into the comfort of her bed. This time however, sleep did not come so easily. After an hour of just lying there staring at her white ceiling, she finally coaxed herself to sleep.

*

Knock!

Ginny was abruptly woken up from her restless sleep by a knock at her door. The knock turned into a bang and a shrill voice shouted from behind the closed door, "Genevieve Weasley!"

The door swung open and her mother's head popped in, "What on earth are you doing asleep? Draco will be here any minute! Up, up! Get up, this instance - or else!" and with that threat she slammed the door shut.

Ginny looked over at her clock - it was 1P.M! Malfoy will be arriving in thirty minutes! She rubbed her eyes and began searching for Hermione. She must have already awoken. Her cot had been neatly wrapped up and now sat in the corner of her room. It was just like Hermione to get up nice and early.

Ginny groaned as she pulled herself out of bed. Why does he have to stay here? Hasn't he made us suffer enough? She thought angrily as she rummaged through her dresser. She settled for a pair of fairly decent dark-blue dress robes - mum had insisted upon everyone dressing up for the "occasion."

She took her clothes and stalked into her bathroom. She twisted the old, rusty, shower knob and stepped in. The warm, soothing, water instantly enveloped her. She closed her eyes as the droplets of water caressed her body, cleansing her body and soul. The warmth of the shower felt so wonderful - she never wanted to leave. She sighed, knowing that in a few hours she would be in the presence of the most loathsome being she had ever encountered. Ginny grabbed her bottle of strawberry scented shampoo and poured a spot of it into her hands. She rubbed it into her hair and then slowly rinsed it out.

"Ginny!" Ginny snapped out of her reverie as a loud bang sounded on the bathroom door. It was Ron. "Dad's just to get him. You had better be out soon 'cause mum's going crazy! She swears if you're not out soon she's - "

A loud boom drowned the rest of his words out. Obviously, an explosion had just occurred from within Fred and George's room. Ginny wasn't the least bit surprised - this was a common occurrence in the Weasley household.

"In a minute," she yelled, turning the shower knob and sighed as the warm water stopped; she dried herself with a towel, and slipped into her dress robes. Wrapping her head with her towel like a turban Ginny walked into her room and plopped herself in front of her dressing table.

She frowned at her reflection in the mirror. "Why am I burdened with these hideous freckles?" She asked herself as she dabbed her face with powder in an effort to cover them up. But, her effort was in vain, because although her skin looked much smoother her freckles were still distinctly visible.

*******

"Ginny! Mum's calling you down here!" shouted Fred from below.

"Yeah, and if you don't hurry up she says she's gonna wring your neck!" yelled George trying to scare her.

Ginny chuckled as she walked down the creaking stairs. She found everyone; well everyone except for her dad, seated around the kitchen table with glum looks on their faces. Fred and George were whispering back and forth to each other and were throwing her suspicious glances.

"Oh, what is it now?" she snapped.

But, they didn't answer. Instead they gave her a blank stare and then continued whispering to each other.

Ginny glowered at them, but they wouldn't speak. She could feel the frustration rise... After a few moments, she couldn't take it anymore and launched a long tirade about everything that had been going wrong in the past few days. No body would talk to her. No body would leave her alone, even if she were taking a shower - at this point, she glared at Ron, who blushed. All of them were overprotective. It wasn't as if she wasn't a little girl anymore. They were frustrating her to death...

It went on and on and on. At the end of her speech, she slumped lower in her seat and exhaled heavily.

Hermione flashed a sympathetic glance at her and said, "Good, Ginny, now we got it all out in the open! And what have you guys have to say about it?" she asked to the quiet room.

The rest of the occupants stared at her with bewildered expressions on their faces. They were, obviously, still trying to comprehend the meaning and the reason behind her outburst.

"Well, Ron?" said Hermione.

"Uh...what am I suppose to say?" he asked in a somewhat agitated manner.

"Boys!" she muttered.

Before Ginny could make a comment her mother swept in and clapped her hands, "All right, now that you're all here I've got something to discuss with you all."

"You want to discuss...something with us?" asked Fred.

"Yes, about our house guest...Mr. Malfoy." She paused so that everyone could moan and groan because they didn't want to be reminded of Draco's ever nearing arrival, "Oh please!" she snapped after they had been complaining for a few minutes, "Will you all please act your age for once?" she glared at them until they all nodded and agreed to stay quiet until she was done.

She then began listing the three rules they were to abide by when around Draco. Firstly, they were to always call him "Draco," and never "Malfoy," because that would only cause more animosity among them. Secondly, everyone should make him feel welcomed into their home by inviting him to join their activities. And last, but definitely not the least, at no costs were they to ever mention his father or why he had turned him in.

She was just about to let them all go when she remembered something...

"Oh yes...I've been meaning to ask you something...well Mr. Malfoy needs somewhere to sleep - "

Ron and George who both began shouting at once cut her off.

"He can't sleep in my room! Harry's already sharing it with me...there wouldn't be enough room for him, besides I've got the smallest room!"

"He can't stay in ours cause Fred and I got very important things for our joke shop in there...it'd be too difficult to move it all!"

Bill just shrugged and casually said, "Well, I've got important Order information in my room."

So that left Percy's old room and...

"He can't stay in my room...he's...he's a boy!" spat Ginny indignantly.

"Well there's always Percy's old room..." said Ron quietly.

Ginny glared at Ron for a second and then glanced at her mother. Her mother's lower lip was quivering and her eyes brimmed with tears.

Ginny sighed as she remembered what had happened...Although Percy had joined their side he still refused to come home. In response her father had vowed that as long as he lived Percy would not be allowed to enter the Burrow. Mum spent countless days after crying and unsuccessfully trying to persuade dad to take back what he said. Ever since that day mum had for forbidden anyone from entering Percy's room. She kept everything the same - waiting for the day when Percy would ask for his father's forgiveness and the family would once again be complete.

"Well," slowly began Hermione, "He could stay in Ginny's room, I mean Ron and Harry are too big for the couches, but we'd fit comfortably..." she trailed off.

"Yeah!" exclaimed Ron. "Harry and I are too big for those couches!"

Ginny's jaw dropped in horror and disbelief. This couldn't be happening! It just couldn't! Hermione would never suggest something as preposterous as that!

Mother slowly nodded, "Yes Hermione, you're correct. Ron and Harry would never fit on them!" she then turned to Ginny, "Ginny, go now and tidy up your room. Bring both your and Hermione's things down here," and with that she swept out of the room.

Ginny clenched her fists, it wasn't fair! I hate being the youngest; I always get ripped-off! And Malfoy...in my room! Merlin's beard, what was Hermione thinking?

Hermione, Ron and Harry must have noticed Ginny's rage for they all quickly made up lame excuses and briskly walked out of the room trying to avoid Ginny's temper.

Fred and George cleared their throats. "Well, we've got important business to take care of," announced Fred.

"Yes, we haven't got any idle time, so we'll be going now," said George.

They walked across the room, but paused once they reached Ginny. Clapping her on the shoulders they said, "Our deepest sympathies," and walked off leaving Ginny alone with Bill.

******

Ginny groaned loudly, and stalked up the stairs to her room. She flung herself on the bed, refusing to clean her room. After a couple of lectures - "I don't care how nasty his father was, the poor dear has been through quite an ordeal" - however, she grudgingly decided to clean up. She swept the dust off her small bookshelf and straightened the books. Her bookshelf consisted mainly of fantasy books, though there were a few biographies, one of which was "Wayfaring With the Weird Sisters: A Biography," a gift from Hermione for her 16^th birthday. She also changed her sheets. After going through a few different ones, she finally decided that green sheets would be the best for Malfoy.

There, finally I'm done, thought Ginny who still couldn't believe that she had gone through all that effort for a Malfoy. After stuffing some of her clothes and belongings into the cupboard her mother had given her, Ginny joined everyone else in the family room to await Malfoy's arrival.

The room was filled with tension. Hermione sat next to Ron and Harry on the couch opposite of Ginny. Every now and then she would look up and glance at Ginny. Ginny, who was still a little mad at Hermione, ignored her glances. Next to Harry was mother, she sat silently with her hands clasped and a worrisome expression etched across her face. On the opposite couch, facing the door, Ginny sat next to Bill.

They waited for what seemed like hours...where could they be? Perhaps Dumbledore had changed his mind! No, that's not very likely...

"I wonder what could be taking them so long!" said mum anxiously.

And then, as if on cue, the door slowly creaked open. Ginny's father sombrely walked in, followed by Draco Malfoy. No one uttered a word. What would they say, anyway?

Everyone was glancing at each other nervously, but Ginny ignored there glances and turned her eyes to Draco. She studied him intently. He was so different...nothing like the Draco Malfoy she had known.

His pale-blonde hair had quite obviously been combed hastily. Strands of his hair were still tangled. His face held an expression that was almost impossible to read it was completely emotionless. His lips were pursed and he seemed to be examining the floor. In his hand, he held the handle of his black leather trunk. He was holding it so tightly that his knuckles had gone white.

Ginny's eyes trailed back to his face and she was startled to see his cold grey eyes staring at her with utter loathing. For a moment, she was taken aback, but she regained her senses quickly and hastily looked away. She could feel her cheeks burning. Great, now he'd caught her gaping at him! He's probably going to think that I think he's good looking or something...but I don't! He's just an ugly, pale-faced, arrogant prat. Well, maybe he's not entirely ugly...I mean his eyes are a nice shade of grey, and he's...what the hell am I thinking? Ginny shook her head dismissed the thoughts accounting them to lack of food.

There was an eerie silence in the room. Her dad and Draco Malfoy were still standing in the entrance of the house, and everyone else were sitting on the couches, looking very uncomfortable.

"Ginny, Bill!" said Mum so suddenly that Ginny jumped, "why don't you take Draco's things up to his room? The rest of you, go set-up dinner."

They looked grateful to be let off, and practically ran into the kitchen, leaving Ginny alone with Draco and Bill. Here we go, thought Ginny with some resignation.

"So, how about those bags?" said Bill casually.

Draco opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by a loud bang, a crash, and a scream from the other room.

"BILL!" shrieked mum at the top of her lungs.

"Oh, hell!" muttered Bill as he brushed past Ginny.

Great, now she was alone with him. Ginny wrung her hands nervously and said slowly, "So, let me get those bags..."

"I can get them myself, thanks," hissed Malfoy in a cold voice.

"Oh for Merlin's sake, Malfoy! Can't you see I'm trying my best to be civil? Least you could do is give me the same courtesy!" she hissed back.

"Malfoy's don't need to learn courtesy from Weasley's," he spat, his icy grey eyes flashing with contempt.

Ginny bit her tongue, don't say anything...just let it go... "Like it or not, Malfoy, I'm going to have to help you take your bags up - you can't carry them all by yourself."

"I'll manage," he said, even as he struggled to get a hold of all of them.

Ginny didn't protest. Instead, she stood back and watched. Malfoy was desperately trying to hold his trunk in one hand, and the two bags containing his books in the other. But, the trunk was too heavy and required both his hands. He tried for the third time but everything just slipped out of his hand and landed with a crash.

Ginny burst out laughing. "Good one, Malfoy," she sputtered as she tried to catch her breath.

Malfoy didn't say anything, but just shot her a venomous look and stormed up the stairs, leaving his two bags behind.

Oh God, mum's not going to be pleased, thought Ginny as she snatched his bags and raced after him. "Where the hell do you think you're going, Malfoy?" She said between pants as she finally caught up with him, "You don't even know which room is yours!"

"I'll figure it out," he snapped.

"Oh and how are you going to do that?" she snapped back.

He didn't answer, but instead stopped dead in his tracks. After a moment of silence he said, "Where's my room, Weasley?"

Ginny fumed, balling up her fists, and it took all of her willpower to stop herself from slapping the bastard.

"Over there," she said icily, pointing to the door on the left.