Of Apples and Oranges

IV: ii: Skeptical

Aurum rested her head on her knuckles as she watched Gregory's house pass by. She turned when it was gone and she and her grandmother had pulled out of the driveway. She hung her head in sad reminiscence. They had so many good times, and now it was likely that they would never come back.

The only reason they had stayed as next-door neighbors to the Goyle's, despite their killing of Ruby and Sapphire Creste, was because the special task force of The Order of the Phoenix(nicknamed the Order) were ordered to stay with the ex-Death Eater families and monitor them. It was like they were on probation. The Weasley's lived near the Crabbe's, the Longbottom's lived across from the Carrow's, and the Creste's lived next to the Goyle's.

After a long drive in silence, they pulled into Grimmauld Place where they would be staying for the rest of the summer and Christmas Break. Aurum had been looking forward to it only because Draco would be there due to his mother fearing him getting caught up in his father's ex-Death Eater mess.

Aurum and her grandmother were sort of late to the party, everyone else had already been there for about a week. The wedding took a few days to prepare for and actually execute, so this resulted in their not so early arrival to the safe space for the Order.

Immediately, Aurum pushed herself into the arms of Draco who greeted her with a grunt of surprise when she did this.

"I can't believe we get to spend the whole summer together!" she squealed happily.

"Well, someone's excited."

Standing in the doorway to the kitchen from the foyer was Remus Lupin. He opened his arms for a hug from Aurum who was more than happy to give it to him as well.

"Is Sirius here too?" Aurum asked with stars in her eyes.

"Of course. Can't leave home without my animagus." Lupin shrugged with a smug smirk.

Sirius came to the doorway holding a stirring spoon and donning an apron. "When I said I wanted to make a Black family meal, I didn't mean that I wanted to do it by myself." he joked to Lupin.

"It's what you get for forgetting to put the curtain over your mother last night. Kept the whole house up with her screaming." Lupin raised a brow. "'Werewolf scum' this, 'mudblood' that... that woman's an earful." Lupin gazed irritably at the portrait by the door.

Sirius shook his head, not taking Lupin seriously. He smiled down at Aurum and Draco, waving his spoon. "What can I say? Husbands never like their in-laws."

The two snickered at the joke, but didn't measure up to the laughter given by Aurum's grandmother behind them.

"Oh I know how that is! It was everyday Ruby was complaining about Sapphire's mother!" she laughed all the way to the kitchen which prompted Molly Weasley—who was attempting to clean Sirius's mess so far up—to ask what about. Pearl was just bursting to tell her.

Aurum followed Draco up to the room where they would be staying. Instead of seeing faces happy to see everyone like she did downstairs, the expressions seemed abysmal when she arrived with Draco. Though, she wasn't sure who they weren't looking forward to seeing.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione had been chatting amongst themselves on a queen-size bed, but once they saw Draco, they stopped immediately. Aurum tried to ignore this and sat on the bed next to theirs.

Aurum began catching Draco up on the recent wedding between her brother and her friend.

"I can't believe they got married. They only knew each other for like, two months." Draco pointed out.

"I know! Something's up, but I don't think she suspects anything." Aurum stroked her chin in deep thought. "It's almost as if she's been—"

"Imperiused?" Draco finished for her.

Aurum nodded. "Yes, I do believe so. Argentum has a history with unforgivable curses, after all. I can't really prove anything yet." She heavily sighed. "Maybe it really is nothing to worry about. After all, I really do want my brother to be happy. Before her, I hadn't seen him laugh as much." Aurum smiled weakly.

"What would be the motive?" Draco furrowed his brow, looking up at the roof of the four-poster bed as of it would give some insight.

"I'm thinking maybe something with her family. I don't really understand just yet. I'm sure it will become more clear. At least she seems just as happy for now." Aurum shared his gaze.

The two stared up at the apparently thought-provoking roof of the bed for a while before cracking up in laughter at the idea.

"Hey, Aurum, you believe me, don't you?" Harry asked from the far side of the room.

"About?" Aurum squinted, trying to figure out what he meant.

"Voldemort being back." Harry explained.

"Oh, well, yes. Why wouldn't I? Remember, my brother saw him too. I've many reasons not to trust my brother, but I don't believe he would lie about something such as that." Aurum nodded.

"Thanks." Harry smiled down at the floor and then turned back towards his friends. They seemed to be playing truth or dare now.

Aurum grinned at Draco. She sing-songed in a whisper, "I think he likes me again."

"I think you're being nutty again." Draco returned the mood.

"Aw, come on. He asked me my opinion. He's not so egotistical as I thought." Aurum kept her hushed tone.

"He's going to be just as big of a prat as he's always been." Draco groaned. "Why don't you settle for Weasley? At least he's not trying to be a hero like some attention-seeking brats."

"Ronald is..." Aurum looked at the redhead who had just now stolen a glance at her. "... nice. However, he's nowhere near as cute or brave as Harry."

"Well, if you must like Potter, I suppose I should encourage you as you do with me and my ventures with Hermione." Draco ceded.

"Thank you." Aurum gave a cheeky grin. Draco grimaced, acknowledging her win in logic. "So as long as Operation Mrs. Potter is on, we can bring back Operation Mrs. Malfoy."

Draco looked to the side, blushing. "Actually, I'd rather her not be a Malfoy."

Aurum was utterly stunned. She furrowed her brow, silent with a gaping grin. She just couldn't fathom the thought of not keeping your last name if you were male, but she needed more information. Surely, it was for a good reason.

"What do you mean by that? Your last name is great! It carries so much pride." Aurum shook her head.

"Yes, but it carries a lot of shameful things too." Draco cringed. "You know, Sirius is doing the same thing when he marries Lupin."

"Well, I suppose you're right, but I don't see shame in carrying a family name. Perhaps I've just never had the experience, but Argentum didn't do that despite our parents." Aurum argued.

"Yes, but he still has his ancestors on his paternal side. It's my choice, anyway." Draco shrugged.

"Okay, so Operation Mr. Granger is on." Aurum gave a thumbs up.

A large bout of laughter came from Harry and Hermione as Ronald blushed furiously, trying to dispel the howling coming from them. Hermione was actually tearing up and Harry nearly fell of the bed, they were laughing so hard.

"I don't get it! I'm not that obvious! She clearly doesn't know I have a crush on her!" Ronald gestured to Aurum.

Aurum raised a brow at the ginger which only served to make him more red and cause Draco to join in on the laughing fits of Harry and Hermione.

At that moment, Ginny strolled in, her hips swaying with power as she smirked at her brother. She leaned on a poster from Draco and Aurum's bed.

"Oh no," she mocked. "I can't believe someone told your crush about—gasp—your crush. I wonder how that feels." Ginny smirked evilly.

"Yours was so obvious, Ginny." Ronald moaned, distraught that his sister had betrayed him so.

"And yours isn't?" Ginny scoffed.

"Well, this is a great start to the week." Draco guffawed.