In The Arms of the Monster

Chapter Six To the Place it All Started

Third Person's Point of View
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Knock, knock, knock. Mrs. Weasley runs to the door to answer it but Hermione gets there first. Mrs. Weasley sits back down at the table while Hermione opens the door. "Hello, I'm looking for the Weasley's are they in?" "Malfoy? Pleasant surprise?" Hermione asks politely, but softer she says, "I'm glad you made the right choice." "I'm here to speak to the Weasley's and offer my condolences. May I come in?" "Of course the table is this way let me grab a plate." "I don't believe I've been invited to eat," Malfoy says, glancing at Hermione. "Don't be silly of course you have been, I just did." Hermione doesn't realize that the Weasley's are staring at her as she grabs and plate and makes a chair appear for Malfoy. "What?" She asks when she finally notices the stares. "Nothing," Harry says moving over to stand beside her quieter he says, "Hermione did he slip you something?" Hermione stares at him shocked by his implications that she was drunk or high. "No, he didn't Harry. And would you kindly sit down?" She whispered back. Harry slipped back into his chair and Malfoy sat down on beside Hermione and Ginny.
A little while later Malfoy speaks. "I'd like to offer my condolences for Mr. Weasley's death and also my gratitude that you are welcoming me graciously into your home. I have come to also apologize for all the times that I did you wrong." At this point Ron slammed his chair back, letting it clatter to the floor, and stalked away muttering, "Did us wrong, like hell he did us wrong." "Anyway I'm so sorry and although I must take responsibility for it know that I never liked it and I only did it because of my father and the influence he had on me throughout my childhood teaching me to hate certain people and like certain people. I asked often if there was another way and for my words my father hit my mother and I, though my mother never asked she just did as my father said. I would like to ask for forgiveness but if it is too much to ask I will leave now and understand your decision to hate me still because I deserve it, I deserve everything the Wizarding World feelings toward me except for anything good. I deserve only the bad." The Weasley's, Harry, even Hermione stare at him in shocked awe, for it takes a great man to admit his faults and except the consequences.
The silence that followed was long but not harsh. "I guess that's my answer I'll leave and never darken your doorstep again. Thanks for the meal," Malfoy says as he stands. "Don't go," Harry says first before anyone can open there mouth to tell Malfoy to stay. "Come into the sitting room and talk with us." "Sure," Malfoy responds uncertain. "Are you sure I'm welcome?" "Why wouldn't you be, Mr. Malfoy, I would have objected already if you weren't." "Thanks Mrs. Weasley, can you not be sarcastic right now?" Hermione asks through clenched teeth. "Hermione, let's go talk in my room really fast, we'll be right back," Ginny says. Hermione walks up to Ginny's room with Ginny right at her heels. When the door is shut Ginny turns and says, "Why the hell would you invite him here? Without anyone's knowledge?" "Would you have let him come over and no one seems to mind. Don't you believe him?" "Of course I do I can tell when people are lying with a spell, all of us used it and all of us know that what he said is true, but why would you invite him over without at least my knowledge. Oh my God, that's what you were doing last night, what you wouldn't tell me. You wouldn't tell me that you invited him over because he didn't give you a yes or no last night he told you he'd think about it. Hermione you still could have told me." "Ginny look I know you don't approve of him I never used to but since you know that what he said is true you can hardly blame me and maybe you can forgive him." "One apology might work on my mum and maybe Harry since he knows it's true but not me I need to know that he's sincere and that he's not going to go around doing the same damn things he just apologized for. And Ron what do you think he'll do? He's not going to forgive Malfoy that easily." "Okay Ginny I made a mistake, but I think he's really sorry so if you'll excuse me I'm going downstairs to be with the family and Malfoy." "Ironic how quickly people become family, Harry and I aren't married yet. Ironic how quickly you became part of the family and ironic how fast you left it." "You think I don't want to be your sister. You think I'm knocked up, don't you? Look I'm not and I want to be your sister more then anything, but not if I have to get married to Ron to be your sister, it's not worth it. Can't we be like sisters not by marriage just because we love each other in a sisterly way?" "Of course, that's not what I was implying Hermione. And I'm sorry that I thought you were knocked up with Malfoy's kid." "I can't believe it, you actually thought that I would... I can't believe you."
         Hermione shoves passed Ginny and starts up the stairs to her room as Ginny calls, "Hermione wait." Hermione walks into her room and grabs her leather jacket. She throws it on over her pink and frilly tank top which she had paired with jeans for her casual day in or out. Hermione runs through the living room and out the door as she throws on her jacket. "Hermione where are you going?" Harry calls. "Too the place where all of the mess that this is started," she called back secretly telling Malfoy where to find her if he wanted to meet up with her. "Hermione come back," a new voice, Ginny's voice, calls but it's too late Hermione has already apparated away.