Disowned (Drarry/Pansmione)

Chapter Twenty Six

"Here you are, dear, open it up!"

Draco took the present from Mrs. Weasley. He had a feeling he knew what is was, if he and Ginny's conversation last night wasn't just a dream, which to be honest, it might have been. Sure enough, when he opened it up, he found himself holding a Gryffindor red sweater with a 'D' on it. It wasn't exactly the best sweater he had ever owned, but he was certainly grateful to have received it. It made him sort of feel like he would be alright.

"Well? Do you like it?" Mrs. Weasley asked, looking hopeful.

"Yes," Draco answered. "It's great."

Mrs. Weasley smiled happily and sat back, watching the kids open the rest of their presents. Draco didn't get much, which would make it the first Christmas he didn't get over a hundred presents. Oh well. He was expecting it. He just kind of wished he had gotten something from one of his old friends.

"I'll be right back."

Draco slipped up the creaky stairs and into Ron's room. He knelt down by his bed and reached his hand underneath for the box he had hidden last night, too afraid to send it. He took the box back downstairs and into the kitchen, where he gave it to Aphrodite.

"It's for Pansy," he whispered. Aphrodite hooted and took off. Athena hooted in a disappointed matter. "Hey," Draco said, stroking her head, "I can't send you every time. Your sister needs a turn too sometimes."

Athena hooted in defeat and settled back down. Draco grinned. "Good girl."

Draco went back up to Ron's room and changed into his sweater. It was actually rather comfortable, for a homemade sweater from a poor family that could barely afford to send their kids to school. How come Mrs. Weasley was able to afford to make every single child a new sweater each year when she clearly couldn't afford a birth control potion? Surely she couldn't have meant  to have that many children. Right? Draco didn't think anyone could want that many. Maybe she just really wanted a girl and kept trying to have one until she finally did. That was probably it. Ginny was the youngest. But really, why did Mr. Weasley allow that? He was the breadwinner, so surely he had to have been concerned about the number of mouths he had to feed. Oh well. Now was not the time to be thinking about that.

"Draco? Are you coming back?"

"Yeah, just a minute," Draco yelled down the stairs. In all honesty, he didn't want to go back. He liked being here, he really did, but he also didn't. It was weird to be around so many people all at once. And all the people were actually trying to let him have a good time! It made no sense.

Sighing, Draco made his way back downstairs. Mrs. Weasley brightened when she saw him in his sweater.

"Oh, don't you look precious! Come here and sit at the table, I've made breakfast."

Draco sat next to Ginny and waited to be served. A plate with pancakes and berries landed in front of him. Those around him dug in, but he waited until Mrs. Weasley was seated, the way he always did. It was a sign of respect to the host, to wait for them before eating.

"Merry Christmas everyone," Mr. Weasley said happily, once they had all finished their meal. He was leaning back in his chair, definitely about to have a food coma. Mrs. Weasley sat next to him with her arm around him.

"Merry Christmas," everyone chimed in response.

The family and Draco went into the living room to mess about with their presents. Draco opened his new book from Hermione - Legends of Mermaids - and sat down in an armchair to read it. Many of the legends he had never heard of. One was particularly interesting. It was about a girl who fell in love with a mermaid and drowned herself to be with her, and then became a mermaid herself. Draco had never heard a story about a girl falling in love with a girl before. Sure, he knew it was possible, and he supposed he was okay with it, but still. Cool to read about.

"We're gonna play three way Gobstones out back, do you want to join us and make it four way?"

Draco shook his head. "I'm good, thanks."

Fred sighed. "Alright."

Fred, George, and Ginny turned and headed outside, leaving Draco by himself. The parents were upstairs somewhere.

There was a knock on the front door. Draco set his book down and looked through the window. Two similar looking gingers were standing outside. They must be the other brothers.

Draco opened the door and the two stared at him.

"Who are you?" the one with the ponytail asked.

"I'm Ron's friend. My name is Draco."

The two boys shrugged and stepped inside. "I'm Charlie," the one who had spoken said. "That's Bill. Where are the others?"

"The kids are outside except for Ron, and your parents are upstairs."

"Where's Ron?" Bill asked.

"He stayed at Hogwarts with our friend Harry."

"Then why are you here?"

Draco looked down. "I was disowned."

Bill and Charlie's faces became sympathetic. "So that's why you've got a sweater," Bill joked. "Mum!" he called.

"Bill? Charlie? Is that you?"

Draco heard the stairs creak as the parents came down the stairs. Mrs. Weasley ran over to her two eldest sons and hugged them.

Draco excused himself to go up to Ron's room. He was rather uncomfortable at this point. The whole family was here besides the boy that was actually his friend.

Draco skipped lunch and only came down for dinner because he was hungry. As he sat awkwardly between Ginny and Charlie, he glanced over at the owl perch. Why wasn't Aphrodite back yet?

Just as he had that thought, Aphrodite flew through the window and landed next to him, carrying a box wrapped in silver paper. Draco grinned. It must be from Pansy.

Choosing not to open it until he was back in his room, Draco ate quickly and hurried upstairs. He sat down on his bed and stared at the box. It was about the same size as his present to Pansy was. Gently peeling off the pretty paper, he revealed a green velvet box. He opened it and grinned happily. It was a practice Snitch that was signed by Draco's favorite old player, Heather Framilda. She was retired now, but Draco still admired her. Leave it to Pansy. How on earth did she even get this? It probably cost more than that diamond bracelet he got her.

Draco decided to go to bed early. He wasn't necessarily tired, but he was exhausted mentally. Who knew Christmas break could be so tiring? How Ron managed to survive eleven years with the Weasleys, he would never know. It hadn't even been a week and he wanted to go back to school. School! It was a weird thing to want to go to school, but Draco found himself feeling the urge anyway. Oh well.