Ashes By Now

Ginny glared at her mother. Molly's frizzled hair sat shoulder length and wound in soft, small curls. The large woman squirmed under her daughter's gaze. "Ginny, don't scowl like that dear!”

Ginny was sixteen, her seventh year at Hogwarts would be starting in little over two months. Ginny's intense expression lost its flare, though the anger remained. It rested heavily between her shoulder blades, the tension taut enough to break.

"It'll only be for a bit,"Molly said logically, "Besides, he's different now. He's part of the Order."Ginny didn't care if he ran naked through the streets waving a banner that said ‘I'm not a prat, let me in', she still wouldn't open the door for the boy. Ginny rose to her stunning five six, standing she was two inches taller than her mother, but when her mother was sitting she towered. Ginny gave a small smile when she compared size; she was eight inches shorter than Ron. Ron had gone to America to study with the American aurors. Ginny hadn't seen her brother since school let out. She hadn't seen any of her brothers yet that summer.

It had been years since Fred and George started the shop, and business was thriving, so that had a good reason. The twins had even insisted on paying back every Knut they had ever cost their parents in repairs. It had been a fairly substantial amount, which centered on a broken vase.

"For everything we've broken,"Fred had said, handing their mother a large bag of galleons. Her eyes had narrowed and hands on her hips she had demanded, exactly what, have you been breaking?"The two looked at each other.

"Oh, small things, chairs, books, brooms, Aunt Gracie's vase..."they had said together.

"What!"their mother bellowed, "You told me Ronald broke that vase!”

"Did we?"George had asked, and then bolted, leaving Fred to the wrath of a very angry Molly Weasley.

Ginny shook her head at the thought of her two twin brothers. Even though they had a business to run she hadn't seen them since last summer. They were sharing a flat in London to be closer to the shop and away from Molly's slow receding temper.

"You can't possibly change in a few days!"Ginny snapped, "I've known him for six years. HE CAN'T!”

"Come on Ginny, he does have a certain appeal about him, and Dumbledore trusts him."Ginny rolled her eyes. "He has all the appeal of toast."Molly smiled at the statement, Ginny loved toast. "Then you two should get along real well,"Molly insisted, "You love toast.”

"Argh!"Ginny said in frustration, stomping to her room. There was a sharp rap at the door when Ginny reached the stairs. Ginny went to answer it and swung the door open viciously. She glared rudely and he blinked at her in surprise.

"Is that him?"Molly called, "Don't be rude, let him in.”

Ginny considered it, really, she did. The door slammed in his face at he stared at it in surprise.

As he stood on their stoop he heard the sound of a slamming door. He knocked again, his silver eyes hazy and uncaring. The door opened again and he was embraced tightly. He stood in the woman's arms awkwardly, looking past her head to the door. Physical contact of any kind was forbidden unless it was during sex or something of the like.

She let him go saying, "Hello Draco, I hope you're well."She took his hand and led him into the living room. It was a personal gesture...and it felt...weird. After all, affection is not something they teach you at Sociopaths R Us.

"Ginny, come greet our guest,"Molly called up the stairs. Ginny came slowly, dressed in a yellow sundress, with pale yellow lace at the bottom and collar. It had been a gift from Harry.

Ginny fingered the dress in consternation. Why she had decided to wear it she didn't know, maybe because it made her feel safe...or near Harry, or maybe because it made her completely pissed off. Ginny grew angry every time she thought of Harry, her valiant knight who could have nothing to do with her. He was too busy trying to save the world to endanger her...all Ginny could ever be to Harry is cannon fodder, and Ginny didn't like that idea one bit.

Ginny hadn't seen Harry since his graduation party either. He was too busy cooped up in London training for his Auror quiz. He had rode off into the sunset without a second glance, ready to settle an old score, claim his destiny. All cannon fodder was shoved into a small shoe box, and buried where it couldn't come into harm. Namely one miss Ginevra Weasley placed in a small pink room that clashed horribly with her hair, hidden in the heart of the burrow, the third floor really. Ginny had been virtually alone with her parents for the first two weeks of summer vacation...until Arthur came up missing from work.

She stopped in front of him, the slytherin smirk firmly on her lips. "Malfoy,"she said, putting a hand out. He took it, "Weaslette."There was a warm fuzzy feeling creeping up her arm and she frowned at the warmth.

"What?"Draco asked curiously, there was no way he had offended her with a hand shake, even he wasn't THAT good.

"You're warm,"she remarked, surprised, her eyes wide. It was his turn to frown, "I'm not cold blooded, Ginny,"he said, emphasis on her name. She didn't know he knew her name, and she said this aloud without meaning to.

"There are a lot of things you don't know,"he replied his nose in the air. Ginny mulled that over. He had names for her, all of them were rude, how he came upon her real names she didn't know.

"I know you're an aristocratic son of a bastard,"Ginny said, head high. They seemed to realized they were holding hands and sprang apart from each other quickly. Draco looked at her amused as she blushed and crossed her arms over her chest. Now she remembered why she disliked him so, he made her feel uncomfortable like she had when she was younger, and she didn't understand it.

"I'm going for a walk,"she huffed, and stomped out the door. She turned tword the clearing they used as a pitch, and thought "Pale skin just screams cold as ice, maybe he should get a tan.”

Then she was treated to an image of Draco Malfoy in swimming trunks all golden brown on a beach and shook a head, horrified.

"That's ridiculous,"she said aloud to herself, "Draco Malfoy does not own knees.”