After Effects: A Draco Malfoy Fanfic

"Us six are your... um..."

The trio walked into the living room where Ron, Ginny, Neville, and Luna were waiting for them.

Draco's eyes widened slightly yet again and he sighed. "And it keeps getting better and better," he muttered under his breath sarcastically.

When they were all sitting, no one spoke for a moment, content in just staring off into space. It was Luna, of course, who broke the silence.

"How are you, Malfoy?" she asked innocently.

Draco looked at her as if she was crazy, which she probably is. What kind of question is that? "Just peachy," he answered flatly.

After that, the awkwardness in the room settled and built until it was almost unbearable.

Hermione cleared her throat. "Um, well..." she started. This is awkward. "So, we all agreed to do, er, this," she said, gesturing at the six of them, "and that it would be the best way for you to continue to live somewhat normally."

"Hmmhmm," Draco murmured, no emotion on his face. "Well, I can see you two," he gestured to Harry and Hermione," and the other two lovebirds," he gestured to Neville and Luna, "but not the weasel and weaselette. How'd that happen?"

Ginny sighed. "Harry can be very persuasive when he wants to be," she said, glaring at her boyfriend. Ron just grunted in agreement. He didn't trust himself to talk civilly with a Malfoy just yet.

"Okay," Harry said, eager to change the subject. He told the other four who hadn't been at the Ministry what Mr. Graves had told them before. That went on for about an hour or so before he turned to Draco who was leaning back on the couch and staring at the ceiling.

"Us six are your...um..."

"Just say it, Potter," Draco said impatiently. "I have to get used to it sometime. Better now than later."

Harry nodded. "Okay...owners," Draco fought off a flinch at the word," but you are signed under my name, meaning that I make the big decisions."

"And we won't take advantage of you as long as you do the same for us," Hermione added.

"Sounds fair," Draco agreed. "Though I seriously doubt that," he added, referring to the first part and eying the youngest Weasley brother.

"Ron?" Ginny prompted forcefully.

Said wizard groaned. "Fine, I can promise that I'll at least try," he relented. "Maybe." Ginny poked her brother in the ribs. "Aaah," he said. "Ok, fine. I will."

"I guess that's good enough," Neville said, then looked at the clock. "Well, I should get going. I told me Gran that I would be home for lunch and she gets worried."

"Yeah, me too," Luna said, though she wasn't expected to be home until later.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay for lunch, Luna?" Ginny asked. "You know you're always welcome."

"I know, and I'm sure," Luna answered. "Besides," she added in a lower voice, "I don't want Malfoy to be overwhelmed at lunch."

Ginny pursed her lips at that. She could understand the reasoning full heartedly but couldn't help getting angry at Malfoy for what he was unintentionally doing.

"Ok," she eventually said and moved to give her friends a farewell hug. The others did as well and Draco nodded at them which was returned with little hesitation.

After the two had left, the remaining five sat around, making small talk, until they were called for lunch. And by small talk, I mean small talk. Harry and Hermione tried to keep a steady conversation between the five but with Draco and Ron not really talking and Ginny barely talking, it didn't work out.

About 10 or 15 minutes later, Mrs. Weasley came into the living room and told them that lunch was ready. They stood up and made their way to the kitchen, Draco lagging behind.

He was rather nervous, meeting the Weasleys, the people who he had mocked for most of his life. Mrs. Weasley had accepted him pretty well and he just hoped the rest would do so too, or maybe he didn't?

They walked into the kitchen and a pool of redheads greeted them, all but one.

"Where's George?" Harry asked, though he already suspected that he knew the reason why.

"He's in his room," Mrs. Weasley answered sadly. "He refuses to come out for lunch. My poor baby."

Draco couldn't help but sympathize with the Weasleys. He knew exactly why George wouldn't come out of his room.

Fred. Another death. Another death that he was partly responsible for. Professor Lupin, he'd admired. Lupin's wife he hadn't known, but she'd been his cousin and now he never would know her. And Vince Crabbe. In some ways he hadn't been up to much, but he'd always been around.

Draco mentally shook his head to clear out the thoughts. He could think about them later when he was alone. He then turned to the other occupants of the room. Two of the older red-headed people walked up to him, one smiling and the other annoyed.

"Hi, I'm Charlie," he said, his hand outstretched, which Draco shook. "You know, you're name is Latin for dragon. I work with them so I know a lot about them."

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Really now?" he said with some curiosity.

Charlie nodded. "And you know Percy, don't you?" He added, gesturing to his brother standing next to him.

"Vaguely," Draco said, shaking Percy's hand.

"We had a few run-ins while I was a prefect and head boy," Percy said pompously, remembering the many times the blond Slytherin and his friends had caused trouble.

"That was a long time ago Perce, let it go," Charlie said, rolling his eyes at his uptight brother.

Percy mumbled something under his breath before he turned and walked away from the group and to his seat.

"Ignore him," Charlie told Draco. "We all do."

Another man came up to him and introduced himself. "I'm Bill. It's nice to meet you properly, Draco," Bill said, holding out his hand to the blond. While he had seen the former Slytherin during the war he had never actually met him.

"You too,"Draco said uncertainly.

Until Draco had come face to face with Bill, he had forgotten that it was a member of the Weasley family that was attacked by Greyback the night of Dumbledore's death. Draco remembered how angry he had been when Greyback had shown up at the school and how devastated he was after Severus Snape had told him that someone had been attacked by the werewolf.

"I'm sorry about everything I've done," Draco said quietly, wanting Bill to know he regretted what had happened.

"It's in the past, let's leave it there and make a fresh start," Bill said, surprising Draco with his willingness to forgive.

"I appreciate that, thank you," Draco said.

Mr. Weasley came up to Draco and smiled at him. "Draco, m'boy," Arthur said, clasping his shoulder and shaking it a little in a sign of assurance. "Thank you," he whispered with a smile.

Draco nodded and smiled, knowing exactly what he was talking about. "It's no problem, Mr. Weasley."

Arthur shook his head but let it go. "Well, then. Let's eat."