From where she was told to sit, Ginny looked around feeling queasy. The walls were bright with drawings of trees and children playing, the table on her right was neatly and colourfully organized and she was waiting on an orange upholstered bench, on the wall closest to the table were pictures of families, looking so perfect it intimidated her.
Harry pulled her sleeve, raising up to her one of the kids' books that were in the basket on their side "Can we read?" he asked hopeful, that way he wouldn't have to get bored.
Ginny picked up the book, giving it a look over, it had to be allowed to read the books since they were placed right beside them, no?
"Sure" she answered and patted her lap, giving space for the child to climb so she could read.
The two of them were waiting for someone to come speak to them, as Ginny and Draco had discussed before, they were now choosing a preschool for Harry and this had been the best candidate, unrelated to anything magical in an area unlikely to have wizards nearby and close enough to where they lived, it was perfect, unfortunately, it made Ginny worried she was going to somehow mess it up.
She wasn't sure why she felt so agitated but her mood was unpredictable and she didn't want it to affect Harry, so she used the tranquil moment of reading as a way to calm herself down.
The woman arrived when Ginny was halfway through the story, making her jump a little. The headmistress was younger than what she had expected, although considering that her only comparison was Dumbledore that wasn't saying much, there were few muggles that were as old as him, wearing an orange sweater and looking rather apologetic.
"I'm really sorry, busy day" she explained herself, sitting behind the table Ginny had observed earlier.
"No, it's ookay" Ginny said unassumingly, the feeling from the woman quite different from her previous headmaster.
The woman smiled thankfully and took some files from the blue pile before looking back at Ginny, her expression was relaxed and ready to start their talk "Hello, I'm Olivia, as you know I'm the headmistress here, and from what I've read you're Virginia Hewitt, planning on enrolling your son here, correct?"
Ginny was slightly taken aback, most people just called by her nickname, Mrs Rees being fond of dear or darling, she had almost forgotten that she had to change her name. But after the brief shock she smiled back at the woman "Ah, yes, everything correct"
"Perfect then," Olivia said, looking over the file again "And this is Harry I imagine"
"Hello!" Harry smiled brightly at being called and leaned over the table.
"Hello" she smiled back before looking up at Ginny again and continue the interview "And your husband is an accountant?"
"Yes" Ginny nodded, realizing that it might look strange without Draco she added "The only times for schedule were times when he is working"
"Not to worry, that is quite common" Olivia reassured her "Any particular reason you have chosen this school?"
"Distance," Ginny said, falling back on the things she had practiced on the way there "It's the closest home that also allowed for my husband to arrive if anything happened"
Olivia could see how nervous Ginny was and tried to joke "Expecting trouble to happen?" only it didn't work as she had expected, only making Ginny more worried, so she added in a hurry "We can assure that you that we have every precaution here, does Harry require any special care?"
Accidental magic aside? "No, it's just our precaution" Ginny lied with a smile.
Olivia nodded "Understandable" before taking some other files from the orange pile and putting them in front of Ginny "Well then, I don't see anything wrong here, then all you and your husband will need to do is read and sign these papers and then give them back to me"
"Perfect!" Ginny beamed, glad that she had nothing to worry about after all.
"Glad to meet you, Mrs-... Something wrong?"
Ginny must've grimaced when she felt her chest hurt like burning, after it was gone she hurried to reassure the headmistress that looked at her worried.
"Oh yes, just some heartburn," Ginny explained "I was anxious before"
Olivia chuckled and nodded, handing her the papers when they heard a knock on the door and turned towards it, where the same man that had led Ginny to that office peeked through.
"Sorry to interrupt," he said briefly, hurrying so they could continue "Just needed to say that the new candidate has arrived earlier"
"Thank you," Olivia said "Tell her I will be there soon"
"You're hiring?" Ginny asked, trying to not sound as interested she was.
"Oh yes-" Olivia looked at her surprised "I'm sorry, you just look so young"
Ginny clenched her fist, the whole reason Draco had to lie before was that they wouldn't be able to get the job they needed that young and it seemed it was the same for her.
"I just turned seventeen" she answered, more brusque than she had wanted.
Olivia hummed "Well, that is the problem," the woman looked around while thinking "But if you are interested in the career then there is somewhere I could recommend you"
"And then I could basically get my studies done while still caring for Harry" Ginny raved about her possible degree to Draco as they sat on the couch and Harry watched the telly between them.
"So you've decided to be a preschool teacher, then?" he asked, observing with a smirk as Ginny's eyes sparkled with her enthusiasm.
Ginny blushed slightly "I know it doesn't sound very glamorous but I think this would be a good thing for me"
Draco chuckled while shaking his head "I just wanted to know if you actually wanted it and not just because it's convenient, weasel"
Ginny was happy that he cared but still showed him the tongue for the weasel comment, he couldn't have it that easy.
"Really? That's what you do? How old are you?" he joked and they both laughed.
Getting down from the high of their jokes Ginny answered "Yeah, I think this is what I want"
In October, Harry started his school days. It had been hard to convince him they weren't leaving for long, they almost caved in at the crying but one of the teachers explained that it was normal for some kids to be worried but would still enjoy their time and convinced Harry to let them go with promises of playtime.
It had been strange to not be with him every moment, and despite knowing they would pick him up later that same day, it made them think of Hogwarts and how once they got on Platform 9 3/4 for the first time in years, it would be to see Harry go away for months.
"Maybe we could just home school him" Draco suggested while they left the school building, shrugging as if that was an option they could talk about like a normal family "Many wizard families do that"
"And no Voldemort to ruin his year" Ginny agreed, it wasn't an option she'd have considered had things been normal, but as it was they couldn't keep Harry from Hogwarts even if they wanted to.
Draco sighed, looking at the ground, not liking that their child had so much to go through "We don't have much of a choice, do we?" and so much of that was his own fault, people did say being a parent was karma coming back to bite you.
"We just don't have enough knowledge," Ginny said, looking ahead. Two accidental drop-outs from Hogwarts wouldn't be able to prepare him, he had so much to learn and they wouldn't be enough.
She looked back at Draco, seeing his gloomy expression she knew they couldn't let their doubts bring them down.
After all, they always had the one power Voldemort would never.
So she took his hand in hers, smiling confidently when he turned to look at her, the flawed person she loved, she told him "He'll be fine"
Draco smiled and brought her closer. What would he do without her?
YOU ARE READING
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Fanfiction"The Hewitts had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and their greatest fear was that someone would discover it." Draco and Ginny didn't expect that, being accidentally transported back in time, they would end up on the night of 31...
