Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/13454775.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Underage
  Category:
      M/M
  Fandom:
      Harry_Potter_-_J._K._Rowling
  Relationship:
      Draco_Malfoy/Ron_Weasley, Hermione_Granger/Harry_Potter
  Character:
      Draco_Malfoy, Ron_Weasley, The_Weasleys
  Additional Tags:
      Lucius_Malfoy's_A+_Parenting, Slow_Burn
  Stats:
      Published: 2018-01-23 Updated: 2018-03-03 Chapters: 5/? Words: 7426
****** I Wouldn't Want To Live In A World Without Grudges ******
by Codydarkstalker
Summary
     After Lucius fails to dethrone Dumbledore, or kill Harry Potter, he
     is arrested by a team of aurors. His wife flees the country. Draco,
     suddenly alone with no friends or family to take him in, is given to
     the one wizarding family willing to overlook his family's dark
     history. Now he must struggle to live in a home totally unlike his
     own, filled with happiness, warmth...and gingers.
***** Chapter 1 *****
Draco sat in the Headmaster’s office, eyes locked on the ground. He could hear
the portraits on the wall whispering, and it took all his concentration to
block their words out. He already knew what they were saying anyway. Lucius
Malfoy had tried to kill Harry Potter, he had almost killed the little Weasley
girl. Students were hurt. A giant snake. There wasn’t a person in the wizarding
world who wouldn’t know by the time the Prophet was delivered the next day.  
 
He had been surprised when his father had come to the school. Lucius had seemed
very excited about something, the board of Governors would be meeting soon and
Dumbledore would be out on his ass for not protecting the students from
Slytherin’s serpent. It had all seemed so certain. The board would need to
appoint someone else to run the school, and Lucius would cash in some of his
many favors to make sure the right sort of wizard got the job. Draco had never
seen his father so excited, the man had practically oozed malicious glee.
 
That was before Dobby showed up, and Lucius got caught in a hallway with his
wand out, threatening Potter. It had all fallen apart, the whole plan
unraveling around him. Lucius had been under investigation by the Ministry
since the disappearance of Lord Voldemort. His money and status, along with
claims of being under the Imperius Curse, had protected him from being sent to
Azkaban along with many other Death Eaters. But it had not kept the aurors from
keeping close surveillance on him when he was not protected by the charms and
wards around Malfoy Manor.
 
Once Potter had emerged from the Chamber of Secrets with the little Weasley
girl and the tattered diary, the events had become quite clear. An auror had
indeed witnessed Lucius and his son in Flourish and Blotts the day the
Weasley’s had been there. Tom Riddle’s Diary was traced back to Malfoy, and the
freed house elf, Dobby, had been more than willing to divulge his former
master’s secrets to the authorities. Lucius had been dragged out of Hogwarts in
chains.
 
“Ah, Draco, I am sorry for keeping you waiting.”
 
Draco started, trance broken at the sound of the Headmaster’s voice. The old
man had just come up the staircase, and Snape was standing behind him, a pained
expression on his face.
 
“Hello sir,” Draco mumbled, eyes going back to the ground. The carpet in the
office was a bit worn in some spots, he wondered how old it was. The house
elves at Hogwarts were terrible compared to the ones at the manor.
 
“Draco,” Snape took a steadying breath. “Draco, your father has been taken into
custody. It will take some times for the trial and sentencing but right now he
is being held by the ministry.”
 
Draco nodded mutely. He had known this was a possibility. Had known it for
years, his parents involvement in dark magic and ties to the Death Eaters was
something he had been aware of for some time. Numerous ex Death eaters and
supporters of You Know Who were frequent visitors.
 
“Your mother…” Snape hesitated, unsure of how to explain the situation. “Is
gone.”
 
“Gone?” Draco whipped his head around to look at the older Slytherin.
 
Snape winced slightly at the look on the boy’s face. “She fled as soon as she
got word that Lucius had been captured. We haven’t located her, but most likely
she has gotten help form contacts of your aunt’s.”
 
“Ah. Aunt Bellatrix.” Draco leaned back in the chair, head spinning with the
news. His mother was gone, most likely disappearing to the continent to seek
refuge with other dark wizards and and witches. “And if she returns?”
 
“She would be arrested and tried, same as your father. There is evidence she
was aware of his plans, even if she didn’t do anything directly,” Snape
answered.
 
Draco nodded. It made sense. His mother didn’t share Lucius’ ambition, surely,
but there had never been secrets between the two. Whatever his father had done,
his mother was just as guilty.
 
Dumbledore circled around draco and took a seat at his desk, settling back in
his seat and steepling his fingers in front of him. “Draco, first I must
express my sadness at this situation. Your parents have left you in a difficult
place.”
 
Draco nodded. It still hadn’t really sunk in, it felt more like a nightmare. He
couldn’t shake the feeling that at any moment he might wake up, comfy and warm
in his bed in the dorms.
 
“Since your parents are…” Dumbledore searched for a word. “Unavailable, and you
are still under age, you will need to be placed in the care of an adult witch
or wizard.”
 
Draco glanced at Snape out of the corner of his eye. He knew Severus had been
appointed to be his guardian in the event that something had happened to his
parents. The man was pointedly not meeting his gaze, eyes locked on some point
on the far wall of the room instead.
 
“Professor, I was under the impression that in the event my parents were not
able to care for me, Professor Snape would be my guardian,” Draco said flatly.
 
Dumbledore ignored the boy for a moment, instead diverting his attention to the
large crystal bowl of candy on his desk. “Would you like a jelly baby?” he
asked, pushing the brightly colored gummies forward.
 
Draco’s lip curled in distaste. “No, thank you.” He had no idea what the
candies were but they had the distinct look of a muggle sweet.
 
Dumbledore shrugged and looked to Snape, who also declined. “Well alright,”
Dumbledore said, popping a few into his mouth. “The problem is, Draco, that
your parents are being charged with crimes related to Voldemort and Severus was
known to be a Death eater. Putting you in his care in these circumstances would
be seen as an irresponsible. We simply cannot allow him to be your custodial
guardian at this time.”
 
“Then who will be watching me?” Draco demanded, a feeling of panic rising in
his stomach.
 
Dumbledore opened his mouth to respond, but stopped at the sound of feet coming
up the stairs. “Ah, here they are now.”
 
Draco spun in his chair, eyes going wide at the people he saw. The Weasleys.
The parents, he didn’t know their names, but the red hair and shabby clothes
left no room for mistake. He had seen them before term started, at the
bookstore, herding around a small army of ginger haired brats.
 
“Hello Draco, I’m Molly.” the woman smiled sweetly and leaned down, extending a
hand for him to shake.
 
Draco regarded the limb as if it were a basilisk, recoiling back into the plush
upholstery of his seat. “No.” He looked at Dumbledore and shook his head. “You
cannot possibly be serious.”
 
Dumbledore pulled at his beard thoughtfully. “Unfortunately Draco, your parents
had very few friends or family who the Ministry could deem fit guardians. In
their absence it is either be placed with the Weasleys, or be remanded to the
muggle foster care system.” he let the last statement hang in the air.
 
“Hello there Draco.” Arthur stepped forward and forced a smile of his own. “I
know this is all a lot to take in, but you know it shouldn't be too bad. We
have a few lads of our own, so you’ll fit right in with the family.” He seemed
to perk up a bit as a thought occurred to him. “You I think we’re cousins of
some sort actually. Cedrella Black got cut right off her bit of the family tree
for marrying a Weasley, but still there you are!”
 
“So you’re family already!” Molly grinned and clapped her hands together,
abandoning her failed handshake.  
 
Draco’s already pale face went a shade whiter. It was a dream, a bad dream, a
nightmare. He was not going to live with a bunch of blood traitors. And they
certainly hadn’t done something as awful as suggest he was related to them. It
was too much.
 
Snape cleared his throat and moved forward to shake Arthur’s hand. “Hello
Arthur, Molly.” he nodded to the woman. “It’s good to see you again. I was
happy to hear you would be able to take Draco in.”  
 
Molly shrugged. “Oh what’s one more? We already have a house full of children,
and Harry and Hermione often visit over the Summer.” She leaned in and
whispered loudly. “I actually love having the house full, feels cozy.”
 
Arthur turned to Draco. “Well then, it seems everything is settled. Why don’t
you head down to the dorms and collect your things. You can come back with us
right after the school feast, that way you have time to get sorted.”
 
Draco recoiled slightly, eyes boring a hole into Snape’s skull. The man refused
to look at him. “Home...with you…” he echoed hollowly. He felt lightheaded.
This was a joke, or a nightmare. He was certain his next encounter with a
boggart would leave him staring at the smiling, freckled, faces of the couple
staring down at him.
 
Dumbledore stood, robes sweeping across the floor. “That sounds perfect. Mr.
and Mrs. Weasley, you will of course join us for the feast, you can eat at the
staff table as our guests.” He moved behind Draco and leaned on his chair a
bit, tipping the boy out of it and onto his feet.
 
Draco stumbled, body numb. He moved in a jerk mechanical motion towards the
stairs, the sound of the adults behind him fading behind the dull roar of his
own blood in his ears. It must have been a joke. A very bad joke.
***** Chapter 2 *****
Ron’s eyes went wide as the doors to the Great Hall opened as his parents
walked in, his father engrossed in a discussion with the Headmaster. His mother
took a moment to slow down and glance at the Gryffindor table, frowning when
she noticed the castle made of mashed potatoes the twins were in the middle of
building.
“Hey isn’t that…?” Harry leaned across him to get a better look. “It is!
What’re your parents doing here?”
Ron pushed Harry back before his robes got into his gravy. “No idea mate. Maybe
Fred and George are finally getting expelled and they came for the occasion.”
he shot a glance at his brothers and laughed. One of the other sixth years had
gotten Percy’s attention and pointed out the Weasleys as they took a seat at
the head table with the teachers.
Dumbledore took his place at a podium in front of the table, tapping hiw wand
to get the students’ attention.
“Everybody! I would like to congratulate you all on making it through another
year. I am aware this has been a trying time for us all, but we have
persevered. I am sorry not everyone could be here with us this evening, but
those affected by the basilisk are recovering in the Infirmary.” He gestured an
arm back at the table behind him. “I would like to extend a special thank you
to Professors Sprout and Snape, their mandrake root potion has been a great
help in curing those paralyzed. Also, a thank you to Madame Pomfrey for her
excellent care. She cannot be with us for dinner because she is overseeing the
very full Hospital Wing, but we are all grateful for her hard work.”
The students clapped politely, but it was clear their attention was elsewhere.
It was impossible to miss the redheads at the table in the front of the hall.
The whispering and confused look towards the Gryffindor table continued as
Dumbledore ploughed ahead with his end of year speech and award for the house
cup.
Once Dumbledore sat down it seemed as though every table had it’s own theory
about why parents might be at Hogwarts.
“I hear Mr. Weasley is gonna teach Muggle Studies next year!”
“No, the older Weasley boy did so good on his tests he’s graduating early!”
“Someone at Hufflepuff says she heard from her aunt who works at the Ministry
that the Weasley’s are adopting a kid, probably gonna take home Potter!”
Fred and George added to the chaos by adding their own increasingly bizarre
ideas.
“Mum and Dad are renting the castle for the Summer, only place big enough for
the whole fmaily now you know.”
“I think Mum is running off with Flitwick, a torrid affair sort of thing you
know.”
“No, no, I head it was Dad who was going off with Sprout, wasn’t it? He always
did fancy a lady in gardening gloves.”
Percy whipped around from his spot at the end of the table and glared at the
boys, obviously annoyed at them but powerless to take away points now that term
had ended. “Will you two stop?” he snapped, glaring at them over the edge of a
pasty.
The twins stuck their tongues out in tandem. “Oh, come on, it’s not as if you
know why they’re hear either.”
Percy flushed and turned away, huffing angrily.
“Do you think they’re here because of Ginny?” Hermione asked, leaning across
the table to whisper. Ron couldn’t help but notice she had a tiny bit of beef
wellington stuck in her front teeth.
Ron shrugged. “I don’t think so. Ginny’s been in the Hospital wing for a bit
now, and they’re down here. Not sure what’s going on really.”
The feast continued without much more fuss. The Weasley parents seemed happy
enough at their spots at the head table, talking animatedly to the teachers and
eating the House Elf prepared foods.
The only thing that really unsettled Ron was not at the head table, but at the
Slytherin house one. Draco Malfoy had been staring at the Gryffindor table for
the last hour. The only time he managed to drag his gaze away from them was
when he was looking up at the table where the professors were, his eyes wide
and almost haunted looking.
“Sort of sad isn’t it?”
“What?” Ron turned to find Seamus watching him.
Seamus gestured at the blond with his chin. “Malfoy. You haven’t heard about
his parents?”
Ron wrinkled his nose. “Nothing other than how they’re rich pure blooded
snobs.”
“Lucius Malfoy was arrested and taken in by the Ministry.” Seamus paused to
take a swig of pumpkin juice.
“Padma told me Narcissa Malfoy fled the country,” Hermione added, sparing Draco
a surprisingly pitying glance. “I wonder what’s going to happen to him now?”
Ron shrugged and turned his attention to pudding. “Who cares. Malfoy’s got
money and probably a dozen houses. I bet he goes and stays with some of his
daddy’s Death Eater friends.” He grabbed a biscuit and stuffed it into his
mouth angrily. Malfoy was an ass, and not worth wasting time worrying about. If
anything, people should have been excited his father was locked up like he
deserved.
Eventually the feast dragged to a close and students began filing out of the
hall and back to their dorms to pack for the train ride home. As Ron walked out
of the door he spotted his parents waiting outside and beckoning.
“Oh, Ron! I’ve missed you!” Molly flung her arms around him and squeezed hard,
nearly suffocating him with the smell of fresh baked bread and lemon soap. She
pulled back after a moment and frowned, reaching up to wipe away a small bit of
chocolate lingering at the corner of his mouth.
“Mum!” Ron squirmed away, bumping into his brothers as they came up behind him.
“Hello lads!” Arthur beamed at his sons. “Good work on the house cup this year,
good to know Fred and George don’t upset the points too much.” He laughed and
slapped the twins on the back.
“Mum, Dad, what are you doing here?” The twins asked in unison, brows raised.
Arthur glanced at Molly. “Well...you see…” He paused when he saw something over
his son’s shoulders. “Oh, well here he is now!” He pushed past and grabbed a
student by the back of his robes as he tried to slip away.
“Malfoy?” Ron’s eyes went wide as he watched his father practically drag the
blond over. Malfoy’s face was bright red, an interesting contrast to his pale
hair.
Molly stepped forward and wrapped a protective arm around the boy. “Now Ron, be
polite,” she admonished. “Draco is going to be coming home with us now that
term is over. We’ve just come to collect him.”
“What??” All four Weasley children gasped in unison.
“Mum, you must be joking!” Fred protested.
“Dad, have you gone loony?” George demanded.
“Mum, we can’t, he can’t...He’s Malfoy!” Ron sputtered.
Draco ignored all of them, choosing instead to keep his gaze trained steadily
on the floor.
“Now I will have none of that!” Molly warned, raising her finger. “I know for a
fact I’ve raised you all right. We don’t turn away people in need.”
“Like Malfoy needs anything we have,” Ron muttered under his breath, glaring at
the other boy.
“Ronald!” Arthur snapped. “I know how gossip spreads around this school like
dragon pox. You know draco’s parents are…” He struggled for a moment to find a
delicate word. He had a history with Lucius Malfoy and it wasn’t a pleasant
one. “Gone. Draco doesn’t have any other family that can take him in so we
will.”
Molly fixed her children with a stare that left no room for argument, and then
nodded. “Now, Draco is going to leave with us tonight, so he can come back home
and get settled. The rest of you, we will see at Kings Cross.” She leaned
forward and pecked each child on the cheek, choosing to ignore how the three
youngest wiped their faces with their sleeves after.
Ron watched his parents walk off with Draco to collect his things, mind racing.
“Was that real” he asked, grabbing one of the twins by the sleeve. “Did that
really happen? Malfoy is going to be living with us?”
Fred shook him off and laughed. “Yeah, have fun with your new roommate
Ronniekins!”
George snickered.
“Roommate?” Ron asked hollowly. “Why’s he gonna be my roommate?”
“It’s not like he can stay with Ginny,” George pointed out.
“I need my own space to study if I’m going to be Head Boy,” Percy pointed out.
“And I’m already rooming with George,” Fred added. “That leaves you.”
Ron groaned and trudged off towards Gryffindor tower, visions of his bedroom
decked out in Slytherin green already haunting him.
***** Chapter 3 *****
Draco managed to slip into the Slytherin common room without being noticed.
Post feast the dorms were in a sort of state of chaos, with people gathering up
their things and packing and celebrating the end of term papers and tests. A
few of the seventh years who had done poorly on their exams were huddled by the
fire, passing a flask of firewhiskey back and forth and commiserating over how
much trouble they were going to be in when they got home. A first year was most
of the way under one of the long low couches, trying to lure out a cat with a
treat.
Draco shuffled past all of them with his head down and managed to make it into
his room without issue. He was one of the lucky students, privileged with a
private room. He hurried in and slammed the door behind him, leaning against it
and breathing hard. It had taken every bit of his Malfoy charm and Slytherin
cunning to convince the Weasley’s to wait outside instead of coming along with
him to help him pack. His housemates would undoubtedly hear about his fate soon
enough. The pureblood families were keen on gossip, and Draco Malfoy living at
the Burrow was the biggest upset since the fall of He Who Must Not Be Named.
He looked around his room and sighed. The room was nice, not as nice as his
rooms at the manor of course, but he had gotten used to his dormitory. The four
poster bed with the green canopy and silver embroidered duvet, the worn velvet
armchair. It had started to feel like a second home. He couldn’t imagine his
room at the Burrow would be half as nice. He could just imagine it, a leaky tin
roof, mice scurrying around in the corners, furniture falling apart. They
didn’t have house elves either, so it was probably filthy.
He shuddered at the thought and then focused on his packing. It wouldn’t do for
anyone to see how shaken he was. He was Malfoy, he had to keep face even in
trying times. He moved methodically, gathering his books and class materials
and putting them in his trunk. His father had gotten him a luxury trunk, it
could fit an almost limitless amount inside, and it weighed barely a pound even
when full. He folded and stowed away his normal robes as well as extra
uniforms, leaving out a pair of trousers and a shirt.
He had seen the Weasley boys on the train home, they always switched into
muggle clothes. That was something he would have to deal with. He didn’t own
much in the way of muggle clothes, his mother and father favored robes at all
times. He thought about being stuck in Ron’s oversized hand me downs and fought
down a gag. No, he would have to order something via owl.
That brought another thought to mind, the Malfoy family fortune. Certainly his
mother had taken some funds when she fled the country. She was a cunning woman,
she would know how to take care of herself. But the Malfoy’s weren’t just rich
in galleons and sickles and knuts, but in property, power and influence, and
powerful magical artifacts. Draco had no idea what part of his sizable
inheritance was left, or what he would be able to get out of Gringotts. He
shuddered, suddenly realizing he had no idea about a great many things.
“Hey! Draco, can we come in?” A high pitched voice called out form the other
side of the door, and the knob on the door rattled as someone attempted to turn
it.
“Shit,” Draco muttered under his breath, giving himself a once over in the
mirror to make sure he was in order before opening the door.
Pansy and Blaise breezed in. Blaise threw himself across Draco’s bed
dramatically, posing himself on the coverlet as if someone were going to drag
in an easel and paint him. Pansy set herself primly on the edge of the bed,
lips pursed as she surveyed the packing efforts.
“So it’s true then, you’re leaving early.” Pansy sniffed delicately.
Draco rolled his eyes and busied himself with packing his quidditch gear. “Yes,
tragedy of tragedies I will be missing the train ride home.” He folded up his
flying robes and then set about putting his leather gear into a bag to stow
away. His broom itself had a carrying bag of it’s own, but twic clippers,
polishing wax and his pads all needed to be put away. The quidditch season had
ended because of the attacks on students, he had barely a chance to fly all
year.
“So where are you summering then?” Blaise asked, rolling over and helping
himself to a piece of candy off Draco’s bedside table. Narcissa (or the Malfoy
family house elves) were famous for the quality of their treat baskets in the
Slytherin dorms. “I think my mother is planning on France, but I’m going to try
and convince her we should visit someplace more exotic. Maybe Hawaii.”
Pancy shuddered in mock disgust. “Ugh, in tourist season it would be ghastly.
And that heat.” She shook her head. “My family is doing Italy this year.”
Draco kept his head down, focusing on gathering up his personal items. “I’m not
sure.” That was true enough, he wasn’t quite sure where the Weasley’s lived
although he was under the impression it was in the South. “There’s plenty in
England to keep me busy for the time being.”
Pansy quickly put on a face of faux sympathy.”Oh yes, Draco, we were all so
sorry to hear about your parents.” She put a hand on his arm and looked up at
him with huge watery eyes.
Draco patted her hand politely before sliding out of her grasp to collect his
scarf and boots. If there was an upside to his parents being gone, it was that
it would mean a Summer free of any parents pushing Pansy bloody Parkinson on
him. Sometimes t felt as he had been born solely for the purpose of marrying a
pureblood witch and having more pureblooded babies.
Blaise watched the two of them from his place on the bed and then slowly slid
off the side and stood up, brushing imaginary dust off the front of his robes.
“Come on Pansy, we should go do our own packing.” He held out an arm for Pansy.
“I’m sure Draco will owl.”
Pansy sighed and slowly got to her feet, clearly not ready to be dragged off
quite yet. “Do be sure to write Draco, it would be a shame if I don’t get to
see you till next term.” She leaned in and kissed the air to the side of
Draco’s face, tilting her head for him to do the same. She smelled strongly of
fake vanilla.
 Draco waited for the door to close behind them before throwing himself onto
the bed and burying his head under a pillow. If he stayed there long enough
there was a chance that the Weasley’s would get sick of waiting and leave
without him. He only got a few moments of blessed solitude before there was a
knock at his door, this one rather subdued.
“Professor,” Draco said curtly, frowning as he let Snape inside.
The man looked out of place in the dorms. It was rare that he spent time in the
common room and he almost never entered the dormitory unless there was an
emergency. He looked around the room for a moment before sitting gingerly on
the edge of Draco’s bed.
“Draco I know you’re upset with me,” Snape began.
“Upset? I am a bit more than upset Severus!” Draco interrupted, anger boiling
over. “You’re letting this happen!”
Snape stiffened a bit. “I’m sorry Draco but that isn’t entirely true. If there
was a way for me to take you in I would but it simply isn’t possible.” he
raised his hand as if to try and Draco with a touch, and then seemed to falter,
letting his hand fall back to his lap.
Draco sniffed indignantly. “Have you at least heard from my parents?” he asked,
trying to keep the edge of hopefulness out of his voice. “One of them at
least?”
Snape shook his head. “No, no one has any idea where your mother has gone. I
have gotten into contact with anyone I could think of and none have heard from
her since your father’s arrest.” He paused and took a steadying breath before
continuing. “Your father has tried to reach out, but the ministry is
restricting his communication. Due to the nature of his crimes he has barely
even been allowed to speak with a lawyer.”
Draco nodded, blinking back the threat of tears. Malfoys didn’t cry, especially
not in front of other people. “I see.”
Snape ran a hand over his face, rubbing at his eyes tiredly. “I know this hard
Draco. But I promise I will try and look out for you as much as I can.”
“Oh, you’re going to come and check up on me at the Burrow?” Draco snapped,
voice dripping with sarcasm.
“Yes actually,” Snape replied, trying to keep the bite out of his own voice. “I
know there is no love lost between your family and theirs but they are…” he
sighed and deflated somewhat. “They are good people Draco. They will do their
best, and I will come and see you over the Summer when I can to make sure you
settle in.”
“I look forward to seeing you then,” Draco replied, voice carefully even. “Now,
if you will excuse me, I must finish packing. I do not wish to keep the
Weasley’s waiting much longer.” He opened the door for the Professor and stood
there, back ramrod straight and eyes trained on the far wall while he waited
for the man to leave.
“I’m sorry Draco,” Snape murmured, just loud enough for the boy to hear, as he
walked out, robes swishing behind him.
***** Chapter 4 *****
Draco met the Weasleys outside the castle, on the gravel path the carriages
used. Waiting beside them was a monster.
Draco stopped in his tracks, eyeing the thing skeptically. “What is that?”
Arthur grinned and slapped the thing with his palm. “It’s a Lincoln!” He
hurried around the massive car and opened the boot so Draco could load in his
trunk. “It’s an American car, not the newest car out there, but i got a rather
good deal on it.”
Draco moved towards the car hesitantly, as if he expected it to jump forward
and bite him. “Are we going to drive from Scotland to The Burrow?” He asked,
sidling around the back of car.
Molly shook her head. “Oh no dear, we can fly right home with this.” She let
herself into the passenger seat and pulled a bundle of knitting out of her
purse. “Shouldn’t take too long.”
“I see.” Draco stared at the car, weighing his chances of making a break for
the Forbidden Forest.
“Now, come along son.” Arthur nudged Draco into the back, closing the door
after him before the blond could voice his opinion on being called “son” by a
Weasley.
A moment later he slid into the driver’s seat and after a moment fiddling with
the clutch, the car rumbled to life, slowly raising into the air. The engine
coughed and for a moment they hung in the air, just off the ground, and then
there was a banging sound under the hood and the car rocketed straight up.
Draco spent the first part of the trip with a white knuckle grip on his
seatbelt, certain that at any moment the car would fall out of the sky. Cars
were a muggle thing, even spelled ones. His father had never been a fan of such
things, prefering to have his family travel by more traditional methods like
portkey or floo.
Arthur chattered happily as they flew, explaining the complicated featherweight
charms and levitation spells, and how they had been connected to the engine, so
they didn’t have to be repeated each time the car was used. It was all rather
complicated, with a good deal about muggle machinery thrown in, but he seemed
excited by the mechanics as much as the spellcrafting.
After an hour Draco managed to slide across the large bench seat and peek out
of the window. The cra was flying high, higher than a brook would normally be,
and it was amazing to see the landscape whizzing by beneath them. Despite
himself, Draco found himself pressed up against the glass, trying to see
through the clouds and treetops. Once or twice he was certain he had caught
sight of the train tracks the Hogwarts Express ran on.
Draco leaned against the window and watched the view, eventually falling
asleep. He woke up when the car touched the ground, the rumble of the magically
enhanced engine suddenly dying down. They were parked in front of a tall
ramshackle structure, and draco could hear the clucking of chickens in the
distance.
“We’re here!” Molly folded up her knitting and stuffed it into her bag. “Come
along, I can show you around while Arthur brings in your things.”
Draco got out of the car, blinking in the bright sunshine. The house in front
of him was unlike anything he had seen before. He had always assumed the
weasley home was small, but it was actually massive. It looked as though
several houses had been haphazardly piled on top of one another. Around the
back of the house were massive garden beds and a large chicken enclosure.
Molly grabbed Draco by the arm and walked him around the outside of the house,
pointing out the various vegetable plants, and occasionally pausing to chase
off a gnome from chewing on an unripe tomato. The chickens rushed to the fenced
edge of their pen when they approached, clucking loudly and scratching at the
ground.
“Don’t mind the chickens dear,” Molly said, seeing Draco draw back form the
fence. “They like to make a fuss but their nice enough to anyone who feeds
them.”
Draco nodded but kept an eye on the birds as they flapped about and scratched
at the dirt. He hadn’t realized live chickens were quite so...big. It was a bit
unsettling. He hurried away form them and after Molly as she continued on. Past
the gardens was a massive field of tall grass, spotted here and there with
large trees.
“We haven’t decided what to do with the field yet, but for now the boys like
using it to practice quidditch during the holidays,” Molly explained. “You like
quidditch don’t you?”
Draco nodded. “Yes, I was going to try and play on the Slytherin team.”
Molly smiled. “Oh good! You and the boys will certainly get along then.” She
patted him on the head and headed back toward the house.
Inside the house seemed even more over the top. It seemed like all the
furniture was from different decades, none of it from a single set. The couch
was squashy and covered in what looked like homemade pillows with needlepoint
designs. A sleepy, old looking owl dozed on a perch in the corner, a small pile
of shed feathers scattered around the floor beneath it. The entire house seemed
to smell like fresh bread and vanilla.
Arthur caught Draco as he walked in. “Hey, why don’t you come and see your new
room?”
Draco followed the man up a number of twisting staircases and down a few
cramped halls until they stopped at a door with a Chudley Cannon pennant on the
door.
“You’re going to be staying with Ron, our youngest son.” Arthur opened the door
and stepped inside, pulling the blond boy behind him.
The room was not what Draco had expected. It was larger, for one thing, with a
sloping ceiling and exposed beams. There were two beds, pushed against opposite
walls. One of them was covered in what looked like a home sewed Chudley Cannons
bedspread. The other was still bare, just a mattress on an old wooden frame,
with Draco’s trunk at the foot. Along the walls were dozens of shelves, filled
with books on quidditch, broom maintenance kits, chocolate frog cards, and
broken Zonko’s products.
It looked nothing like Draco’s room at the manor, with it’s massive canopied
bed, and large fireplace. The room had been decorated by his mother in shades
of grey and cold blues. Looking around his new room, Draco longed to be there,
so much it almost physically hurt. If he concentrated he could smell it, pine
wood smoke and lemon cleaner and beeswax candles. Ron’s room smelled like broom
polish and cotton and something that was just distinctly teenage boy.
Arthur walked into the center of the room and drew his wand. “I see Molly went
ahead and put an extra bed in here, but you’re going to need some room for your
things, hmm?” He muttered a spell under his breath, tapped the wall twice, and
then gave the wall a hard shove. The wall gave way, sliding back to create a
few feet more space. When he was satisfied Arthur nodded to himself and tapped
the wall again, giving it a small shove to make sure it was fixed back in
place. “There we go that should do it.”
Draco forced a smile. “Thank you.”
Arthur leaned down to be on Draco’s level. “I know it’s a lot to get used to,
but you go ahead and unpack. I’ll see what string I can pull at the ministry,
maybe we can go to your family home and pick up some of your things.” He stood
up and brushed some dust off his robes. “Now, I’m off to run a few errands. You
unpack.” He left draco alone in the room, closing the door behind him.
Draco looked around for a moment and then sank onto the bare mattress of the
spare bed, cringing as the mattress springs squeaked in protest. He kicked at
his trunk listlessly, there was so little in it. Most of this belongings were
still at the manor, and he had no idea when he would be able to get them, or if
he ever would.
“Fuck.”
***** Chapter 5 *****
Ron boarded the train slowly, dragging his feet on the ground. Harry and
Hermione hurried ahead of him, jostling past other students to grab an empty
compartment. He walked past an open door and saw Blaise Zabini and Pansy
Parkinson sitting inside, huddled by a window. Crabbe and Goyle were sitting
across from them, looking a bit lost without Malfoy between them.
“So, looking forward to the lifestyle upgrade Weasley?”
Ron stopped and spun around, nearly tripping over the hem of his robe. “What
wassat?”
Pansy sneered at him, a licorice wand clutched in her manicured fist. “Don’t
play dumb Weasley,” she paused to consider for a moment, tapping her chin with
the candy. “Or, maybe it’s not playing for you, huh?”
Blaise made a half hearted attempt to cover his snickering with a fake cough,
watching with interest. Crabbe and Goyle remained wholly absorbed in their
packets of jelly slugs.
“What do you want Parkinson?” Ron snapped, blushing a bit. Pansy was a nasty
witch, there was no denying, but it wasn’t that often any girl other than
Hermione paid attention to him.
“Everyone’s heard Weasley,” Parkinson snarled. “Your parents are trying to turn
the Malfoy family tragedy to their advantage. They took in Draco so they could
try and get their filthy blood traitor hands on his family fortune.”
Blaise watched Ron’s face for a reaction, biting delicately at the edge of a
sugar quill.
Ron’s face contorted with anger. “What the bloody hell are you talking about?”
He huffed through his nose. “My family is only helping out that prat because
everyone else he knows is under suspicion of being a dark witch or wizard.”
“So your family is just taking in the son of a well known Death Eater out of
the goodness of their hearts?” Blaise asked lazily, face still perfectly calm.
“You know, some people are actually capable of such things.” Hermione popped up
behind Ron, hand pressing gently on his shoulder to steady him.
“Must be hard for you to imagine,” Harry added, sliding in front of Ron. “Now,
if you’ll excuse us, our friends are waiting in our compartment.” He turned and
grabbed Ron, steering him back to their seats.
Ron sighed as the door slid open, flinging himself down into a seat beside
Neville Longbottom. “Thanks mate, I was about to drop my wand and sock that
smarmy git in the mouth in a minute.”
“We noticed,” Hermione replied primly.
Ron groaned and slid down further. “You know, maybe I could stay on the train,
ride it back to the castle and stay there this Summer.”
“Y-you know, no one thinks your family wants Malfoy’s money,” Neville said
quietly, eyes trained on the fat toad on his lap.
Ron smiled wanly. “Thanks Neville.” He clapped the other boy on the back, hard
enough he almost dropped the toad.
Harry popped his head out of the compartment and waved down the witch with the
snack trolley. He bought a small mountain of snacks and settled back into his
seat with a pumpkin pasty.
“So, I thought your family was going to Egypt this Summer?” harry asked, crumbs
spilling down the front of his robes.
Ron made a face and grabbed a chocolate frog from the pile. “Not anymore. Bill
and Charlie are going to visit the Burrow instead.”
Hermione tutted sympathetically. “Oh, I’m sorry Ron! Egypt sounds so
interesting did you know…” She launched into an exhaustive discussion about
pyramids and Egyptian curses, and their representation in the muggle media. At
one point she dragged Harry into a long talk about a muggle movie Ron had never
heard of, and Ron settled against the window with his snacks and tuned them
out.
The train ride back form the castle was a long one, and it gave him plenty of
time to stare out at the scenery and brood. He really wasn’t looking forward to
going home. Normally Summer break was a fun thing, he would practice flying
with his brothers, play exploding snap and chess with Ginny, sometimes they
would build bonfires in the back yard and even camp out in the field under the
stars.
Now, it was all going to be ruined. No matter how hard he tried he couldn’t
imagine Draco Malfoy being fun. He always looked like an ice statue, it was
hard to picture the other boy doing something as normal as playing gobstones.
Ron had overheard him talking to the other Slytherins at school, normally
Draco’s family traveled a lot over the holidays, going to France or Italy or
even more exotic places. The planned trip to Egypt had been the first vacation
the Weasley family would have had in years.
Ron fell asleep with his face pressed against the cool glass, and didn’t wake
until the train whistled blew. He woke up with a start, Harry and hermione were
already pulling their things down form the luggage racks. He cursed and hurried
to pull his robe over his head, stuffing it into his trunk.
“Be sure to write Ron!” Hermione said as they got off the train.
“Yeah, let us know how things are going with Malfoy,” Harry added with a grin.
Ron just stuck his tongue out and turned to look for his family. After a moment
he spotted a cluster of redheads at the other end of the track. As he
approached he saw something that made him stop dead in his tracks. Draco
Malfoy, in muggle clothes. He recognized them as some of his old clothes, dark
grey jeans that had once been Bill’s and a black jumper he had grown out of
after first year.
“Are you wearing my clothes?” Ron asked, too stupefied from the sight to stop
himself from reaching out and tugging at the sleeve of the sweater.
Draco pulled back and looked down at his clothes. “I didn’t know they were
yours,” he replied, tugging his sleeves back as they slipped over his hands. It
had been obvious the clothes belonged to one of the Weasley sons, but he hadn’t
been sure whose. All of the redheads were a good bit taller than him, and Ron
was broader too.
Ron shook his head and turned to his parents. Ginny was already latched on to
his mother’s arm, and Percy had drawn his father into a talk about his muggle
studies class. The twins caught the expression on his face and clapped him hard
on the back.
“Don’t worry Ron! Even if Mum and Dad are still too busy for you, at least now
you have a friend!” The twins cackled and walked off to say goodbye to Oliver
Wood.
“So...I noticed you like the Chudley Cannons.”
Ron bristled. “Yeah, what about it?”
“I was just hoping you could tell me what’s so interesting about a team that
does nothing but lose.” Draco raised his eyebrows.
“The Cannons are a great team!” Ron insisted. “They’ve just had a rough few
seasons.”
“You mean since the 1890s?” Draco replied.
The Weasley parents had started to walk off of the platform and back to the
station, not noticing the boys argument. They passed through the wall and
emerged in a seas of muggles. As they exited the building and headed to the car
Molly glanced back and saw the boys, still intensely debating the pros and cons
of various Quidditch teams. Ron’s face was red and he was gesturing wildly, and
Draco was biting his lower lip in attempt not to laugh. She smiled and decided
to leave them to it.
Please drop_by_the_archive_and_comment to let the author know if you enjoyed
their work!