Ginny was trying not to fidget as she waited for Draco to arrive.

Sure she was nervous. Draco was a nice guy. They had past, of course, but Draco was different now. His kids had made him so.

She jumped as the door behind her opened, admitting the handsome blonde in question. He smiled tenderly at her.

Draco looked wonderful. He wasn't overly dressed. Not in jeans but not in a tux either.

"Glad you didn't get lost," Ginny commented.

He laughed. "That'd be hard. I have been here before."

Ginny suddenly felt awkward. She also worried about her brothers. They knew she was bringing a friend tonight but they had no clue it was going to be him. She did not look forward to seeing their reactions.

"Nervous?" Draco asked.

Ginny shot him a look and smiled. "No, but you should be."

"Why's that?"

"Because you're about to go into a room full of Weasleys. And right now only Mum is okay with you being here."

"Oh...shit..."

Ginny laughed and took pity on him. "Well, at least they don't know it's going to be you coming. They just know I've got a date for tonight."

"How is that better?"

"This way they haven't had time to devise a fitting punishment for you."

Draco laughed. "That's comforting."

"Well, that's not to say they don't have a punishment for you. Just not a fitting one."

"You're not that great at this comforting stuff, are you, Ginny?"

Ginny laughed. "Don't worry. I'll protect you."

"Thank you."

"Any time."

Ginny gestured and Draco led the way out into the back yard. The yard was set up with several long tables. The Weasleys and their kin were milling around the yard, laughing and talking amid themselves.

Bill and Fleur stood together. Despite three children, Fleur looked as wonderful as usual. Bill was still working with Gringotts though he had undertaken a few of the less dangerous jobs since his marriage. Fleur, while rich enough to be a stay at home mother, ran a small boutique shop. Her sister Gabrielle, currently engaged to Neville Longbottom, worked as a buyer for the shop and the sisters did good business, bringing tasteful French fashions to England. Charlie sat at one of the tables, his fiancé Nymphadora Tonks sitting in his lap. They had met back in training years upon years ago but nothing had really seemed to flicker until a year ago when Tonks finally got over her childhood crush on Remus Lupin who had moved out to Greece after the war. When she realized Lupin really didn't like her the way she liked him, Tonks had finally noticed the way Charlie looked at her.

The birthday boys were sitting with their wives, Fred with Angelina and George with Katie. Katie was 'consoling' George, which consisted of kissing him silly. Fred was looking at his wife as if wondering if she would consol him like that.

Angelina answered the unspoken question with a snog.

Everything looked happy.

Ron, predictably was the first to notice.

He looked up from something Hermione was showing him and his jaw dropped.

"Ginny? What is he doing here?"

Ginny took a deep breath.

"He's my date, Ron."

(A/N: Ahahaha! CLIFFIE! ...I should lay off the sugar.

To Roni2010- I thought it was a nice touch, having Kari finally accept Draco as her dad, even if he isn't her 'father'.