Chapter 25

Spike lurked. When Ginny was in class, he was never that far away. Usually up the back of the classroom, smoking and making sarcastic comments. Ginny worked on steadily while Draco and Spike made plans. Things to do, people to torture maim and kill…busy, busy, busy. Draco had put about ten boys from the different houses in the infirmary for making cracks about him, Spike and Ginny. When Spike found out, he usually went round and made sure they stayed there for a bit longer. Letters poured in complaining, and the three moved out to an apartment in Hogsmeade. And then Ginny’s family came up for a visit…

“Spike!” Ginny put her hands on her hips and glared at the smirking vampire. “Smoke outside! I don’t plan on getting lung cancer through secondhand smoke.”

“Don’t worry, pet. I’ll turn you before it becomes a problem.”

“Grrrr…” Ginny threw up her hands and stalked out of the living room to answer the front door. “You are a real pain in the arse, you know that?” She yelled back over her shoulder as she opened it. “Hello?” Her eyes went wide. “Mum?” She fainted. Spike shot to his feet and snarled at the red haired older couple who were looking in with shock at the crumpled heap that was their daughter.

“What the bloody hell did you do? Wake up, pet.” He tapped her cheeks gently and her eyelids fluttered open. He glared at the people in the doorway, all with red hair and dressed in wizard clothing. He spotted Ron, and guessed correctly that this was Ginny’s family, six elder brothers and all. “Right. Up we go, pet.” He lifted Ginny easily and walked inside. “S’pose you better come in.” Draco padded into the living room, shirt off, and toothbrush stuck in his mouth.

“Spike, where’s- Ack!” Draco fled. “Why the hell didn’t someone tell me we were having company?!” Tap running sounds and spitting as he finished brushing his teeth. “I mean, c’mon!” He came back out again, barefoot in jeans and a black top, collar as always in place around his neck. “What’s up with Ginny?”

“She fainted,” Spike said curtly. “Make tea.”

“Sir, yes, sir, mister vampire, sir.” Draco sketched a salute with a hand and walked into the kitchen, Spike’s growl following him. “Ah. Well, I’ve met some of you, but not others but I’m guessing you’re Ginny’s family?” Draco’s voice came from the kitchen accompanied by the sounds of him getting out cups and putting the kettle on. “More polite then mine at least.”

“Oh, Lucy’s always unfailing polite. It just took a few dead bodies to make him stop coming over for tea and biscuits. Try and break into my house, not sodding likely to live through it.” Spike laid Ginny out on the couch. “Wake up, pet. You’ve got visitors.”

“Nononono. Not waking up. Not,” Ginny insisted faintly. Spike chuckled and brushed her cheek with his fingers. “Still not waking up, you evil vampire.”

“I am evil, as you say pet, and you *are* waking up.”

“She won’t, you know. She’s stubborn. And she actually cares what her family thinks,” Draco’s voice came from the kitchen. “Not like me, who is looking forward to killing his father most vehemently.” Draco stuck his head around the corner. “Spike, you want something?”

“Just a mug of blood, ta.”

“How do you people like your tea? Or we do have hot chocolate and coffee.” The Weasleys seemed shocked into silence. “I don’t bite, but he does.” Draco snickered as Spike growled. “So. Tea? I’m having some, and Ginny will need all the helpful qualities of coffee. As in making her wake up and face the reality that yes, her family have come for a visit into our highly abnormal lives.”

“Sod off,” Ginny said clearly, eyes still closed. “This isn’t happening, and this isn’t real. I’m gonna wake up any moment now, and this will be a dream.”

“Vampires don’t dream, much, so I can tell you you’re definitely awake. Now, introduce me to your family.” Ginny didn’t move. Spike sighed airlessly, and then leant down and flipped her off the couch.

“OW!”

“Well, you’re awake now.” Spike shrugged as Ginny glared at him as she stood up, rubbing her bruised posterior.

“You are so dusted.”

“Yada, yada, yada, your death will be extremely ugly and painful. Be nice, pet.” Spike stuck a cigarette in his mouth and flicked his lighter open. “We haven’t been introduced yet, although I’m sure the headmaster has sent you a letter or two. We moved out cos everybody was so worried about their ickle darling kiddies. Like I was gonna snack on them anyway. My word is my bond. And they’d probably taste foul. Which reminds me, Draco, did you get those stakes done?” He lit the cigarette and inhaled thankfully.

“Yes. Yes I did. I do not want to go chasing vampires without them.”

“Steaks?” Said a tall guy with a ponytail and an earring.

“Stakes, as in the wooden pointy variety that make vamps go poof. We patrol the area and keep it safe from the evil creatures of the night like me. After I dusted the master of the area, I haven’t had much worthy competition.” Spike shrugged. “Fledges mostly. After being on the Hellmouth in Sunnydale, it’s been nice and quiet. No Slayer for one thing, bending my ear about stupid moronic demons I’ve met and killed before and are actually sodding easy to kill if she could wrap her little blonde head around it.”

“She was kinda stupid, yes.” Ginny nodded, then rubbed her face with her hands. “Ok. Introductions. My mum, Molly Weasley and my dad, Arthur Weasley. Bill’s the one with the earring and ponytail, Charlie’s the one with dragonfire burns, Percy’s the one in a suit, Fred and George are the ones that look exactly the same, and Ron you’ve met.”

“He’s not attached to that annoying little scarheaded brat? Thought the two of them were joined at the hip.” Ginny giggled and hit Spike on the arm. “Oi!”

“Harry can’t help it. He’s a white knight.”

“Bloody right he is, the annoying little idiot. Wonder he ain’t dead already really.” Spike shrugged. “The name’s Spike, or if we’re gonna be formal, William the Bloody. Childe of Angelus, Childe of Darla, Childe of the Master. I’m from a different dimension.”

“You guys might wanna sit down while I tell you this…” Ginny started to tell them what had happened to her, covering all salient points for the people she was talking to. “And yes, I am happy, extremely so. It’s weird, but it works. And we’re going to end up saving the universe. Not bad for a girl who nearly died the last time this happened.”

“You hurt her-“ Bill growled at Spike.

“You’ll kill me. I’ve had this speech already, and the Slytherins were scarier considering, what was it you said, Draco?” Spike called out.

“Something along the lines of, ‘There will be fire, there will be never ending torture. Because in the end, death is just an escape. And we’ll have children, and the broken bleeding thing that he will become and the duty that his agony has become will be passed onto them. Forever.’” Draco called back. “I’m a Malfoy, after all. We have experience at this.”

“See, that was scary, mate. And I spent a seemingly endless amount of time with Angelus, pre-soul.” Spike almost shuddered. “Thank god he got souled. I don’t want to even think about what he could have done to these two. I mean, I could see in Angel’s eyes he wanted them. If he hadn’t had the soul, they’d still be there and I’d be in second place, again.”

“We would have burnt him to a fiery crisp,” Ginny said succinctly. “Or levitated a handy stake into his heart.” She shrugged. “We’ve been learning a few things to help when we go out and take Tom down. Such as how to sneak up and break a man’s neck before he sees you. Or how to dust a vamp from a distance of fifty yards. Interesting multifaceted education I’m getting.”

“It’s fun though.” Draco said as he came in and handed out mugs of different hot beverages.

“Yeah, mind numbingly scary but fun. Beats being possessed any day.” Ginny raised her mug. “To the fulfilment of the prophecy.”

“The version in which we win,” Draco added softly and the two shared a glance. Blaise’s painful screaming fits of foretelling continued.

“Heads up, people! We got a vision!” Mordred burst in the door, and gaped for a few moments. Ginny, Spike and Draco swung into action. Ginny caught the sword Spike threw to her and twirled it for a second, before slinging it over her shoulder professionally and catching the crossbow, alternately loaded with silver tipped and wooden quarrels.

“What’ve we got?”

“Deatheaters in the Forbidden Forest. Werewolves and vampires. But the deal is we shoot first, ask the fucking questions later, orright? They got some nasty big arse demon with ‘em. And we got us a big fish. Apparently McNair’s gonna be there.” Mordred’s smile was something terrible to behold. “Voldie’s pet executioner.”

“Oh, god yes. This is gonna be fun.” Draco caught the axe Spike got out and the vampire armed himself with some stakes, and his signature railroad spikes. “He’s the one that gave me that sorta crescent shaped scar on the back of my neck. The handle of his axe he uses to such good purpose for the Ministry.” Draco bent over and laced up his combat boots, before straightening up and adjusting the axe’s balance on his back.

“He’s mine. I’m gonna drink ‘im dry till he’s dryer then the Sahara.” Spike vamped out. “Point him out for me when we get there, pet.”

“Will do, Spike.” Draco nodded and they started out the door. “Um, enjoy the hospitality of our humble house, help yourselves to whatever’s in the kitchen, this shouldn’t take overly long.”

“Good to see you all, we can have more chitchat after the bad guys die.” Spike stalked out of the apartment, duster swishing against his Docs. Ginny went to say something, hesitated, then shrugged and followed. Draco swung the door shut behind them.

“So, Zabini well recovered? Shit, we gotta do something about-“ The door slammed, cutting off the thread of voices. The Weasleys looked at each other, more then a bit shocked.

“Well, that was interesting,” Bill said slowly. Molly nodded and sipped from her cup of tea.

“Make no bones about it, that Spike doesn’t fit the stereotypes,” Charlie drawled, leaning back in his chair. “He does seem overly protective of Ginny. And face it, what can we do? She won’t come willingly, and he will come after her. Claims are a serious business. He owns her, by all vampiric law. But I can’t see a Malfoy as a Claimant, somehow. Despite the collar and bitemarks.”

“It doesn’t go with the family’s reputation, certainly.” Percy nodded. “No wonder Mr. Malfoy has been so easily angered lately. Mr. Fudge has been not far behind him.”

“That may have something to do with the fact the Ginny let her cat loose on Malfoy Senior, and called Fudge a general incompetent. Speaking of Azrael, where is the blasted thing?” Azrael stalked in from the bedroom and leapt imperiously into Molly’s lap.

“Hello, kitty. How have you been?” Molly cooed to the cat who purred and settled down.

“I’m going to take up Malfoy’s offer and look through the fridge.” Fred got to his feet.

~*~*~*~

“Spike, put me down! I’m *fine*!” Ginny’s angry voice carried as Spike kicked in the door and stormed through, arms full of squirming, annoyed teenage red haired witch. Draco followed, shirt ripped half off and axe stained with blood. His hair hung limply into his eyes, clotted with gore and dust. The Weasleys eyes all went wide at the sight of him.

“I bags the shower. What the hell was that?” Draco asked wearily as he trailed them into the apartment, leaning the axe against the weapon cabinet and dragging his shirt over his head. Ginny thumped Spike on the back with her hands and he growled at her.

“Put me down, dammit!” Her legs kicked uselessly as he carried her into the bedroom and laid her down on the bed. “Look after Draco, he got swept into a tree by whatever the hell that was.”

“’M fine, Red. Sore, kinda bloody and scratched, but fine.” Draco stretched carefully, and winced. “Ow.” His back was patterned with scratches, three large clawmarks taking pride of place as they ran from his left shoulder down his back to his right hip. “And indeed, ow. Um.” He shambled over to the medicine kit, ignoring Ginny’s irritated shouts at the vampire about how she was perfectly fine, just get her some ice to put on her ankle, and help Draco. He grinned slightly as he retrieved an icepack from the freezer and tossed it in the bedroom door, hitting Spike on the head. The vampire turned and snarled at Draco before his eyes flickered from yellow to blue and grew wide with worry.

“Why didn’t you say, luv?”

“I’m fine, Spike. A few of those little butterfly bandages to hold the edges together, and some of the Quik-Heal stuff, be good as new in about twenty minutes. I have experience with this, remember?” Draco shook his head and headed into the bathroom. “I need a shower.” He closed the door behind him and soon water started to run.

“Bloody hell!” Spike swore and then stomped off to the bedroom, only to be met with a barrage of pillows. He went down on his ass in shock.

“Stupid, stupid vampire!” Ginny quickly followed the pillows and dove on Spike, snarling and spitting as she proceeded to try and claw his face off.

“Hey, what, OW! Ginny!” Spike got a hold of her hands finally and she spat in his face, bringing up her knee to connect violently with his crotch. “CHRIST!”

“Idiot! You insufferably stupid vampire!” Ginny looked up at her family and smiled calmly. “We have a few things to sort out. Excuse me while I kick his pale white arse.” She tilted her head to the side and then started whaling on Spike again, who had his arms up over his face to stop his nose from being broken. “You are so dense sometimes!”

“OW! What in the bloody hell did I do this time?!”

“Don’t you even dare act like you don’t know, umph!” Spike flipped Ginny off him with a push of his feet and she got to her feet and put her hands on her hips, glaring. Spike winced; if looks could kill, he’d be staked out to watch the sunrise about now. “This is usual fare for us, please don’t be alarmed. And he heals fast anyway.”

“Ok, Ginny, dear.” Ginny flashed a grin at her mother; nice to see someone taking it calmly. Percy looked like he was about to have a stroke, Bill just had that look on his face, Charlie looked shocked, Ron was hiding behind his hands, Fred and George looked liked they were about to start cheering, and her dad…well. Ginny winced. Spike noticed the wincing and sent a bloodcurdling snarl the man’s way, face ridging. Ginny slapped him.

“OW!”

“Don’t snarl at my family, it’s not polite.” The twins snickered. “So, how long are you two down for?” She asked Bill and Charlie.

“I’m going back tonight,” Charlie said softly.

“I’m stationed down here for now. Gringotts have had some problems, and they want me to reset some of the wards.” Spike grinned.

“Good to see I’m causing more havoc. OW!” Ginny slapped him upside the head. “What?!” He glared at Ginny in injured innocence, looking about as innocent as the cat with feathers in its mouth and cream on its whiskers. Didn’t stop him from trying, though.

“Stop being the Big Bad for one evening, please?”

“We’ll havta go patrolling soon. Well, me and Draco can go and you can get caught up with your family.”

“And you can put things right with our dragon.”

“Sod off.”

“No chocolate fudge for you then.” Ginny looked over at her mother to give an explanation. “I made your chocolate fudge. He’s addicted to it. I use it as a threat and a bribe. Who would’ve thunk that you could control vampires with chocolate?” Ginny giggled and Spike growled at her as he picked himself off the floor. Draco came out of the bathroom, fully dressed in black jeans and a long sleeved black cotton top, his blond hair lying in damp tendrils around his face.

“Fangface can go and patrol by himself. I’m going to sleep.” Draco waved tiredly as he made his way into the bedroom and shut the door behind him. Spike looked at Ginny, and she smiled.

“Go beat the crap out of the evil things that lurk in the night. Besides, you havta meet with the Gral’jky clan master as well. She wasn’t exceptionally pleased when you took your human pets along last time.”

“True. See ya in the morning, pet.” Spike kissed Ginny and made his way out the door, grabbing a few more stakes on the way and tucking them away in the duster.

“So, what’s been happening in everyone’s lives recently?” Ginny smiled at her family and settled down to listen.

Next...