"You're going to be late for your meeting

A/N: If I owned anything to do with Harry Potter would I be a poor student writing fanfiction about it? No I don't own anything except maybe a plot or two if you can find one.

Full Summary: Ginny Weasley's son and Draco Malfoy's daughter hate each other as much as their parents hate each other, which makes things difficult when both Ginny and Draco are hired to restore a dilapidated mansion. It gets even worse when the family who lived there a century ago just won't leave them alone until they find out what happened to them.

Time of Fic: After Deathly Hallows but completely disregarding the Epilogue (which I'm personally not happy about) and Fred is still alive because I love the twins.

Pairings: Draco/Ginny, Ron/Hermione, Harry/OC

Rating: M for language and eventual sex scenes

Lyrics from 'High School Never Ends' by the Bowling For Soup

Title taken from OneRepublic's album

Dreaming Out Loud

Chapter One – High School Never Ends

Four years, you think for sure
That's all you've got to endure
All the total dicks
All the stuck-up chicks
So superficial, so immature
And then when you graduate
You take a look around and you say, hey wait
This is the same as where I just came from
I thought it was over
Oh that's just great
The whole damn world is just as obsessed
With who's the best dressed
And who's having sex
Who's got the money
Who gets the honeys
Who's kinda cute
And who's just a mess
And you still don't have the right look
And you don't have the right friends
Nothing changes, but the faces, the names and the trends
High school never ends

"You're going to be late for your meeting."

Ginny glanced up over the top of her cubicle wall, shrugging one shoulder at her friend and co-worker who was hanging over the wall with a magazine in her hand.

"I'm Apparating, I've got plenty of time." She said, going back to the scattered pile of files and sheafs of parchment on her desk.

"He won't like you being late." Cressida teased, lifting her eyebrows when Ginny shot her a dirty look.

She heaved a sigh and shuffled her notes into a haphazard pile and dropped them into a drawer that opened on its own, revealing a number of colourful files.

"Why did it have to be Malfoy the owners hired to restore Hope place?" She said moodily, prodding sulkily at a miniature doll on her desk her niece had given her with the tip of her quill.

It squealed loudly and shuffled behind a large picture of her family in an ornate silver frame.

"I know… imagine having to spend all day every day for months locked up in a spooky mansion with the most eligible bachelor in the wizarding world, who also happens to look like a swimwear centrefold model from Playwitch. It's just so damn infuriating." Cressida said, rolling her eyes and waving the magazine in her hand at Ginny.

Ginny narrowed her eyes at Cressida, snatching the magazine out of hands as she flapped it happily under her nose again. Ginny flipped through the magazine, snorting when she reached a glossy page depicting Draco Malfoy with only his hands to keep him from indecency standing in a shallow pool. He blinked steadily up at her, a smirk on his face and his wet hair dripping steadily onto his wet shoulders. She held it up to Cressida, who shrugged and continued to grin at her.

"Last month's edition of Playwitch." She said innocently as Ginny flipped through the magazine, coming across several more pictures from the same photo shoot.

"I know what he looks like." Ginny said firmly, rolling up the magazine and dropping it idly onto her desk.

"Well there might be someone out there who doesn't and who needs appraising of what they're missing." Cressida replied promptly, completely unabashed and busying waving at a passing co-worker who nearly dropped his tray of coffees trying to wave back.

"It's a meeting with the headmaster of our children's school, Cress." Ginny pointed out as she got to her feet, flapping a hovering memo away from her face irritably.

"Details." Cressida said twirling her wand in one hand, aiming it at her head trying to secure her long dark hair back neatly.

Ginny hurriedly pushed the wand back down away from her friend's face before she took out an eye or worse. She shrugged into her pale blue cloak and piled her files into her arms.

"Hold on, let me look you over." Cressida demanded, stepping swiftly in front of her and pulling open her cloak.

She stared at Ginny closely for a long moment and a passing reporter, who was flicking through a newspaper, shot them a strange look. Ginny snatched herself out of Cressida's grip and straightened her cloak with a ruffled look.

"I don't care how I look… it's just a meeting." She repeated, fastening her cloak with a self-conscious glare at Cressida.

"Yes but Ginny, you need a bit of sexing up." Cressida said cheerfully, tugging the tie out of Ginny's hair and fluffing the molten locks around her head.

She withdrew her wand from her jeans pocket and rapped Ginny on the head with unnecessary force as Ginny opened her mouth to argue. Her hair sprang up into curls and Ginny had barely snorted angrily when Cressida shook her head and jabbed her with the wand again.

"Too Rita Skeeter." She muttered to herself as the curls unravelled a little to become waves. "Much better."

She brandished her wand before Ginny's face and Ginny flinched, the wand tip passing barely an inch past her eye. She grinned fondly at Cressida who was muttering to herself trying to remember a spell to apply make up to Ginny's face.

"I don't really care what I look like." Ginny sighed, glancing pointedly at her watch. "It's only Malfoy."

Cressida waved her wand with a triumphant look on her face and Ginny felt something rub across her face. She glared suspiciously at Cressida but didn't have time to say anything before Cressida brandished her wand again. Ginny's pale blue cloak with snowy white lining whirled around her and became a pretty blue dress with white elbow-length sleeves.

"That was my favourite cloak!" Ginny gasped in outrage as Cressida waved her wand at the pile of clothes Ginny had previously been wearing.

They lifted into the air and her black trousers and violet blouse became an elegant black cloak with violet swirls and lining.

"Are you done now?" Ginny snapped as Cressida tapped her wand against her palm and continued to stare at her contemplatively.

Cressida pointed her wand at Ginny's black kitten heels and they became a pair of white high-heeled wedges. Ginny could hardly speak in outrage as Cressida gave Ginny a beaming smile, patted her on the cheek and whipped back into her cubicle.

Ginny could barely move with anger as she began to adjust to the abrupt change of clothes. She had just dug into her cloak pocket for her wand to change it all back when her boss marched over to her.

"Weasley! You're late for your meeting and since I graciously gave you the time off for it you better not waste any more of my money!"

She opened her mouth to tell him where he could stick his job but he had already turned away. She stood frozen for a long moment, bristling to herself before sighing and crossing the room. Once she was outside she headed across the busy main foyer of the building. By the time she had reached the cordoned off section specifically for Apparition, she had barely a minute to get to the school.

"This day already sucks." She muttered to herself, almost tripping over her heels as she stepped over the thin ropes.

"You're late."

Ginny was still ruffled and irritable when she appeared at the school and the immediate presence of a snobby looking witch did nothing to alter her mood.

"By thirty seconds." She snapped, yanking her dress straight and hauling her papers closer to her as they slipped precariously towards the floor.

The witch glared at her for a moment before turning on her heel and marching off down the corridor. It was deserted except for the burly security wizards guarding the double doors at the end of the corridor. Ginny felt more self-conscious than ever as she took in the witch's outfit. She was in a tight-fitting black pencil skirt with a matching jacket and apparently nothing underneath either based on the lack of lines.

She opened the door after a pert knock and announced Ginny's presence to the room. She ushered Ginny in and shut the door smartly behind her. Ginny glanced around the room, it was huge. She barely had time to take in the copious amounts of shiny wood panelling and deep red leather furniture, before the tall blond man slouched on the deep leather couch snorted at her.

"You're late."

She glared at Malfoy as both he and Headmaster Garnsey rose to greet her. She eyed him beadily, from top to bottom as the nervous-looking headmaster fumbled with the files on his desk. His silvery blond hair was no longer slicked back but left shaggy around his eyes and his slim athletic body had filled out judging by the cut of his expensive black cords, black v-neck sweater and charcoal suede jacket.

"Yes well some of us work for a living." She muttered under her breath as she smiled at the headmaster and shook his hand.

"I'm sure you're both aware of why we're here?" Headmaster Garnsey said softly, a slight tremble in his voice as Ginny and Draco scowled at each other from their seats on opposite ends of the couch.

"I was actually wondering why I had to be here when it was Weasley's son who attacked my daughter." Malfoy said coldly.

"He did not attack your daughter, your little witch bit him." Ginny snapped, blushing at his snipe at her son.

"I've personally heard both sides of the story from your children, and have come to the same conclusion for both of them."

The headmaster was wringing his hands in front of his face, carefully rearranging the top of his desk one piece at a time.

"I think the best way for your children to learn that this behaviour is unacceptable is to leave this school for the rest of the term until they are aware of how to behave."

Ginny and Draco gaped angrily at the headmaster, who kept his gaze fixed firmly on a spot of his desk.

"What exact behaviour does this school demand that a Malfoy cannot fulfil?" Draco asked in an icily cold voice that made Ginny shiver and the headmaster cough awkwardly.

"Mr Malfoy… Miss Weasley… this wasn't exactly my decision. Despite the fact that I am the headmaster here… the Governors voted that your children are to be used as an example, I'm afraid."

Draco continued to stare the headmaster down with a disbelieving look on his face. He eventually pulled two sheets of paper from a drawer and slid each of them towards Ginny and Draco.

"These contracts outline the details of the suspension and the length until its completion."

Ginny took the form and cast a cursory glance over it, not at all happy that a suspension due to anger management issues would appear on her son's record.

"And what if I don't feel my daughter's need to take this suspension?"

Headmaster Garnsey cast a long look over Draco before sighing and leaning back in his chair.

"If this program isn't completed, then I'm afraid I shall have to find it necessary for your children to leave my school permanently."

Ginny bit her lip at his words, she really didn't want Rayne to have to do this but this was the best school available in Europe and the rest of the term was only a month. She signed the contract and slid it back across the desk towards the headmaster. After a long moment, Draco signed too with a scowl on his face.

The headmaster tapped his wand against a little disc on his desk and his receptionist opened the door to let the two children in.

"Daddy!"

A blur of blue shot past Ginny and wrapped itself around Draco. Rayne Weasley hovered besides the couch for a moment, staring up at his mother with huge nervous eyes. She grinned at him and he gave her a beaming grin of relief back, launching himself at her. She pulled him up into her lap and cradled him to her. He didn't look like a typical Weasley; he had wavy mahogany hair and huge bright blue eyes fringed with thick black lashes.

When he'd finished jabbering his apologies and telling her what had happened at school that day, he finally settled down on her lap. Ginny glanced sideways to see the blonde bombshell sitting on Draco's lap. She was an absolutely stunning child; thick white-blonde locks curled around her head like a halo and enhancing the dark glittering almond-shaped eyes. She was neatly dressed in an electric blue summer dress with matching pumps, silver tights and a little grey cardigan.

She was staring directly at Ginny with a curious look in her eyes, her glossy black lashes shining in the light from the windows. Ginny felt unnerved by the gaze of the young girl, staring at her so still and unblinking.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Miss Weasley, Mr Malfoy."

Headmaster Garnsey rose to his feet to shake their hands, patted the children on the head and ushered them all out of the room.

They stood in the corridor outside of his office as Draco's rude assistant from earlier helped his daughter into her coat and Ginny crouched down to help Rayne into his jacket around his constant flow of chatter and excited gesturing.

"Well, Weasley, looks like we're going to be spending some time together."

She rose back to her feet, holding her son's hand tightly and watching Draco warily. He had his now gloved hands on his daughter's shoulders, eyeing her lazily.

"Unfortunately." She said, tugging Rayne's mittens on and tucking his scarf into his jacket.

"Now now, shouldn't we be setting a good example?" He smirked as Ginny tugged Rayne's bobble-hat onto his head snugly, tickling his chin as she tied it securely.

"You have nice hair."

Ginny was so shocked she could only goggle at Malfoy's daughter who was smiling up at her prettily, a little black beret that matched her expensive gloves and scarf perched on her soft curls.

"Err… thank you?" She said slowly, unsure how to reply to a child so very different from her nieces.

"It's a pretty colour." She continued but Rayne stepped protectively in front of his mother with his hands up to halt her from moving closer.

"Stop it, Lyra!" He said loudly. "Stop being nice when you're not nice… you can't trick MY Mum!"

Draco drew Lyra back towards him and away from Rayne with one strong hand, eyeing the little redhead with distaste.

"You should learn to control your child, Weasley." He said, his lip curling slightly as Ginny bristled at him.

She turned her back on the pair of them and stalked off down the corridor towards the Floo Room, Rayne almost running to catch up with her angry strides.

"I'm sorry Mum… she's always nice the first time and then she tricks you…" Rayne stopped when they reached the Floo Room, breathless from keeping up.

Ginny stopped and turned to look down at Rayne with a stern look on her face. He looked so earnest, staring up at her with huge eyes and looking almost drowned in his huge coat and hat and scarf. She softened and lifted him up into her arms, inhaling his soap, grass and fruity shampoo scent.

"It's alright. You know not to hit a girl, EVER, don't you?" She asked him seriously, looking him carefully in the eye.

"Yes, Mum. It's not chivalrous to ever hit a girl and a gentleman should always try and be chivalrous." He said, looking to one side as he concentrated on the difficult words.

"Good boy." She grinned putting him back down and leading him over to the nearest fireplace.

"Here are the keys, you can pick any room you want to stay in. The Floo network is fully operational but there is no Apparition in the house and grounds I'm afraid."

Ginny nodded, struggling to look the greasy-looking caretaker in the eye as he stared very fixedly at her chest and licked his lips.

"No problem." She said, holding her files and folders up to her chest to block his gaze.

"The architect arrives in an hour if you want to wait for him before you go up into the house. There's an owl you can use in the shed because the Owlery caved in last year. There's no one about because the grounds take up three-quarters of the area. There is a little village about ten miles north of here where you can get food from the nearby farms."

Ginny nodded again, hoping he was leaving soon before she rammed her wand into his eyes which were now staring at her legs under her knee-length pencil skirt.

"Thank you, I'll be sure to let you know if I need anything in future." She said pointedly, staring at him for a long moment as he continued to merely look at her.

She frowned and walked past him, up the overgrown path towards the rusty iron gates of the house. It had a Georgian look about it; a huge balcony on the second floor which had supporting pillars drowning in ivy. She tapped her wand against the gates and a little oval appeared between them with a key hole in the centre.

She unlocked the gates and headed up the weed-strewn gravely path. There was a crumbling fountain outside the front of the house, four beautiful women in elegantly draped dresses which bared their marble shoulders and long legs. Their faces were wearing away from the elements but their large oval eyes still peered in every direction even as the weeds sprouted from all sorts of places. She wandered past the fountain, squinting at the overgrown lawns which stretched in every direction until they melted into the forest which the Hopes had also owned.

"Big."

She jumped and whirled around to see Draco standing behind her with his hands in his coat pockets. The wind was whipping his hair around his face as she glared at him.

"Don't sneak up on me like that." She snapped, watching as Lyra appeared from behind the fountain looking immaculate as ever in jeans and a blouse.

"Hello." She said sweetly, her hair tied back in pigtails on either side of her face.

"Hello." Ginny muttered. "You brought your daughter with you?"

Draco nodded as Lyra wandered off to look at the stained glass windows in the front door.

"Of course, she's my daughter." He said haughtily, watching Lyra stand up on her tiptoes to peer into the house.

"Where's her mother?" She asked cheekily, knowing exactly where Lyra's mother was thanks to her picture being plastered all over the front of a trashy witch magazine this morning.

"She's working." He said flatly as Ginny rolled her eyes at him.

"Yeah, if working means screwing the richest man she can find on his yacht in the Bahamas." She said sweetly, turning back to the house.

She tapped the front door with her wand and once again a key hole appeared in the centre of the door. She let them in and Lyra instantly darted off to explore. Ginny stepped into the marble foyer of the house carefully, her heels clicking conspicuously on the floor. Sweeping marble stairs from both sides of the room merged into one long balcony on the second floor.

"The marble's exquisite." She said to herself, squatting down to wipe some of the dust and rubble away from a small area.

"Those stairs are going to need reinforcing underneath."

She turned to see Draco eyeing the marble stairs carefully and she grinned to herself. She stood up and brushed the dust from her skirt, heading through into the next room. It appeared to be a parlour with huge double French windows that opened out onto the lawn at the side of the house. She moved over to the windows and tugged at one of the curtains, which fell loudly to the floor with a resounding clang.

Ginny coughed and waved the dust away from her face sheepishly. She ignored the look that Draco was giving her and continued her circuit of the room. The furniture was a little too old fashioned and dusty to be comfortable but the fireplace in the centre of the room was beautiful. She was still staring at the fireplace when it roared to life with bright green flames. Rayne appeared in the centre of them, coughing and sneezing as he blinked up at his mother sweetly.

"Rayne?" She said slowly, brushing the soot from her son's hair and face. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be staying at Grandma and Granddad's."

He shrugged and wrapped his arms around his mother's waist, burying his face in her stomach.

"I missed you." He sniffed into her blouse.

She rolled her eyes at the guilt trip, she had GOT to stop letting him stay with Fred and George when she worked overtime.

"You behave yourself or you can stay at Uncle Ron and Auntie Hermione's."

Rayne glared at her for a moment; the use of Hermione's rather strict household was a punishment she kept for serious offences.

"That's a bit harsh don't you think, Weasley. The child hasn't killed anyone as far as you know."

Ginny bit her tongue to keep from hurling a few choice words at Malfoy as Rayne happily seized on Malfoy's interruption to dart off into the depths of the house.

"Be careful!" She shouted after him, shaking her head to herself and picking up the clipboard she'd dropped when Rayne had latched onto her.

"This house is going to take weeks just to appraise and draw up the designs for." Draco said thoughtfully, sighing and pulling out the miniature luggage he had shrunk from his pocket.

"Probably." Ginny agreed, eyeing the sculpted ceiling filled with damp patches and crumbling sections. "Well I'll need a list of the major changes you're going to make as soon as possible so I can salvage what I can from the rooms you're ripping out or whatever."

He eyed her as she scanned the room, taking everything in and occasionally scribbling down a few notes. They both started when a sudden screaming match shattered the peaceful silence. They made their way into the adjoining room to where Lyra and Rayne were each tugging on a side of a painting they had rummaged out of the rubble.

"Stop it both of you." Draco ordered, his voice thundering around the large room.

They both stopped and dropped the painting between them, glaring at each other as they retreated to their respective parents.

"This should be fun." Ginny said as Rayne folded his arms and growled at Lyra. "You want to take one wing and we'll take the other?"

Draco nodded and they went their separate ways, Ginny and Rayne to the North Wing and Draco and Lyra to the South Wing.