Disclaimer:The characters and locations used here are NOT MINE! I owe them to J.K. Rowling. She owns them. Thanks, Jo, for letting us use them for entertainment!
Chapter 1
"Dad, I've got work. I can't stay!" Ginny hurried out of the room and apparated into the office. A loud 'crack' announced her arrival to a witch dressed in acid green robes. "Excuse me, uh, Ginny Weasley?" asked the woman, sounding annoyed. "Yes," responded Ginny, sounding equally irritated.
"I have a message from the Ministry, to be delivered by hand; not by owl," the woman said, confusing Ginny. Ginny straightened her robes and took a step forward, her hand outstretched. "Okay, who is it from?" she asked curiously. The witch said nothing, but laid the parchment envelope in her hand, turned with a flying of the robe, and disappeared with a crack. Surprised, Ginny turned to the envelope in her hand. Flipping it over in interest, she saw the seal and knew exactly from whom it came. The seal of the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts office was stamped on the back. Sitting down at her desk, Ginny broke the seal and pulled out the heavy parchment.
Ginny: I know you're probably very busy, but I thought I would invite you to the office for lunch. I need to talk to you. As a brother. I know this sounds strange, but I need to tell you about something and this is really important. So, at about twelve, I want to meet you in the Atrium.
Ron
"Ron! I'm working!" she mumbled to herself in an angry rage. She threw it onto the desk and pulled off her cloak. Straightening her flaming red hair, and picking up the stack of letters ready to be mailed, Ginny rolled her eyes and strolled out of the office. She slowly climbed the stairs to the Owlry, pondering what Ron was dying to speak to her about. Percy was gone and they had worn out the topic with discussion. Hermione was coming back to town, they're already dating, she thought. Unless he's going to ask her to marry him, there's nothing to talk about there. Carefully, she ran through the message in her mind. As she sped through the rest of the note, the phrase 'as a brother' popped out at her. What did that mean? It had something to do with her directly, not something her silly big brother wanted to ask her about. He's crazy, she concluded and continued to go about her work.
"Ginny! Good to see you again!" called Ron from across the Atrium as Ginny neared. He acts like he never sees me any more now that he moved out! she thought. With a roll of the eyes, she gave an aggravated wave. "Glad you came. Where would you like to go for lunch?" he asked as if it were a simple dinner, not as he had sounded like in his note.
"Err, the Leaky Cauldron?" she responded filing into a queue for the Floos. "What is it that you need to talk to me so badly about?"
Glancing over his shoulder, Ron whispered, "Let's not talk about it here. Wait till we get to the bar." Once again, Ginny rolled her eyes as she grabbed a pinch of Floo powder and said clearly, "Diagon Alley!"
"So what's this message all about?" Ginny asked, irritated.
"Listen, Draco Malfoy got his Auror's license," Ron said, like it was the end of the world, just like Hermione's coming back to town was to Ginny.
"So? What's so bad about Draco?" she asked as if this was the most inept response ever given. "You remember Malfoy, don't you?" he asked like she had lost her mind.
"Of course I do. Don't you? Oh, I forgot. That was seventh year," she said like nothing had happened.
"Seventh year? What do you mean 'seventh year'?" asked Ron, furious.
"Oh, nothing." she said, dismissing the subject with a wave of her hand. "So what was is that you wanted to talk to me about?"
"I already told you! Draco!" he nearly shouted.
"I don't understand why this is such a big deal. He's only a rich kid that made trouble for you while you were in school. This isn't a matter of national security; it's you holding a grudge." Ginny crossed her arms in victory. Ron covered his face with his hands and let out a sigh.
"Don't you get it? Draco and the rest of the Malfoy's are just bad news! Why don't you believe me? Just take my advice and stay away from him, okay?!" he sounded upset.
"You know what? I don't care! I'm 21 now! I have a job, I'm mature, and I don't need you to tell me what to do! I've finished my lunch and now I'm going back to work," she stated simply and securely. Quickly, Ginny stood from her seat and, with a twitch of her robes, disapperated.
Mumbling under her breath, Ginny riffled through the letters to be delivered. "Warlock Mortlake...Alastor Moody...Draco Malfoy..." she read in a monotonous voice. Suddenly realising what she had read, she fingered back through the stack of letters to one addressed in red ink. "Draco Malfoy. That's what I thought." Ginny smiled. Just the time to show Ron who is in charge of my life! she thought.
Defiantly, she stomped down the corridor to the Auror's office. Grabbing a hold of the notes addressed to this centre, Ginny strolled down the aisle between the cubicles. Without a word, she dropped the letters in the desks as she passed them, but she only stopped when she reached the cubicle that was quite empty.
A tall man stood right inside the doorway of the small, fabric- walled room. The man had long, flowing blond hair and midnight black robes. Ginny had seen this man before. Quite a few times, in fact. Lucius Malfoy stood in the entrance to his son's compartment, his hand resting on his walking stick, ready to draw his wand at a moments notice. As Ginny peered farther inside the cubicle, she saw the boy, now a man, with the gleaming blond hair he inherited from his father. "Uh, Mr. Malfoy?' she inquired cautiously. Had he continued in his transformation, or had he returned to his old ways? Ginny suspected the latter. Draco's father shoved over in extreme distaste. The boy turned his handsome face towards Ginny and a small smile stretched across his face, but disappeared when he caught sight of his father. "Yeah?" Draco asked in his irritated, stuck up, rich boy voice. "There's a letter here for you," Ginny held out the envelope tentatively. Draco roughly snatched it out of her hand and turned in his chair. Exasperatedly, he ripped open the envelope with a sigh. The letter whisked out of its envelope and Draco unfolded it with a whip of the wrist. His eyes scanned the miniscule handwriting, and when he noticed Ginny still stood in the doorway, he turned around. He gave her a look that told her with out words that he did not understand why she remained. "Could you leave?" he asked in an irritated tone of voice. "Oh, sorry," Ginny replied and bustled out of the cubicle. Her suspicions had been confirmed. Draco had returned to his snobby self. Disappointed, she continued to deliver the remaining letters. When the final memo had been distributed, Ginny returned to her office where she buried her head in her hands. And she remembered.
"Ginny," he whispered in a gentle manner. "Will," she whispered back. "Why do you insist on using my middle name?' he asked. She had been using it for a time now. "I don't know," she shrugged. "I just like it." He snickered and buried his nose in her fierce red hair. She wrapped her hands around his waist and let her muscles relax. They stood there in an empty classroom for what seemed like hours. Then he spoke again. "Why do you hide our relationship from everyone?" he asked in a subdued voice, resting his chin on the top of her head. "It would make my family angry. You know they don't like your family and your family doesn't like mine. Ron went insane when he found out I had my first boyfriend. I'm just glad he's away this semester," she finished with a wistful sigh. "Where'd he go again?" he asked, suddenly turning to look her in the eye. "He went on an exchange trip to America. He's at some school in Pennsylvania, I believe. I think it was called Oak Castle Academy," she responded gently. "Oh, yes. I believe you told me about that when he left. It's so different to have him away. I never really liked him, you know. But it was always nice to have some one around that made life...interesting," he ended thoughtfully. She giggled. Silence followed for another series of uncounted moments. The youths merely longed to be in each other's presence. They never regretted the time they spent together, but few knew of that time. Time stood still when they were alone, but sometimes the silence would be broken by a sudden thought. "Sweetheart?" he asked. "Yes?" she replied. "What do you think will come of us?" the young boy quietly and gently inquired. "I've wondered that myself, Draco," she responded sweetly. "And what do you think?" he asked slowly, as if he were in another world, looking through a dirty window. "I don't know. Time will come and time will go. The question is whether we will be together as the days pass," she responded softly, but the blond boy broke the moment. "I really dislike your philosopher moments!" She giggled.
Ginny walked down the corridor to the girl's toilet and stood in front of the mirror. Her hand reached for the blazing strands of red hair that framed her face. Staring into her own eyes was like looking into the past. The pigment reminded her of it. Grey. Her life always seemed so dark and troubled. Each new year, something new came to make a generally pleasurable time self-destruct. Every day, Ginny was reminded of what she had said to him that day: "Time will come and time will go. The question is whether we will be together as the days pass." Never would she forget that.
The days continued to drag onward. Rows continued to break out during breakfast between Ginny and her father. Each time, Ginny asked herself why she put up with it. She was now of age, she could move out. But she never did. Ginny was not dating. She met few men of her own age, and even rarer were decent ones that her father would allow her to go out with, even if she happened to be 21 and legally an adult. Boys didn't trust her. Most thought her barking mad because of the run in with Lucius Malfoy during her first and last years at Hogwarts. She evaded the topic as much as was possible. Some times a conversation about it was conjured with out her realising it. How much she hated this when it happened. Many boys brought up her father. Famous Arthur Weasley, Minister of Magic, appointed the day Fudge was found dead on the doorstep of his house. This topic was bearable, at times. Some were so obsessed with it that she knew they would never like her for who she was. Ginny hated this. But there had been one boy that she would never forget, that was always there, that was an incredible comfort blanket. But no one knew. What a boy that Draco Malfoy had been. Under his tough exterior he was kind and mature, friendly and silent, loving and sweet. But no one knew. A boy that would bring tears to your eyes for no reason at all and then wipe them away with a smile, a boy that would make you laugh and then massage your shoulders when they began to ache, a boy that was perfect when no one could tell on him. But no one knew. Only Ginny. Ginny loathed her former self. A carefree child she had been just four years ago, roaming the halls and secret passageways of a castle school that no one could see unless they possessed the magical powers that made you a witch or wizard. Safety rested in the walls of that castle, along with so many other things. Magical feasts, only mildly boring classes, tower dormitories. But most importantly, what Ginny thought what might be the love of her life: Draco.
Chapter 1
"Dad, I've got work. I can't stay!" Ginny hurried out of the room and apparated into the office. A loud 'crack' announced her arrival to a witch dressed in acid green robes. "Excuse me, uh, Ginny Weasley?" asked the woman, sounding annoyed. "Yes," responded Ginny, sounding equally irritated.
"I have a message from the Ministry, to be delivered by hand; not by owl," the woman said, confusing Ginny. Ginny straightened her robes and took a step forward, her hand outstretched. "Okay, who is it from?" she asked curiously. The witch said nothing, but laid the parchment envelope in her hand, turned with a flying of the robe, and disappeared with a crack. Surprised, Ginny turned to the envelope in her hand. Flipping it over in interest, she saw the seal and knew exactly from whom it came. The seal of the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts office was stamped on the back. Sitting down at her desk, Ginny broke the seal and pulled out the heavy parchment.
Ginny: I know you're probably very busy, but I thought I would invite you to the office for lunch. I need to talk to you. As a brother. I know this sounds strange, but I need to tell you about something and this is really important. So, at about twelve, I want to meet you in the Atrium.
Ron
"Ron! I'm working!" she mumbled to herself in an angry rage. She threw it onto the desk and pulled off her cloak. Straightening her flaming red hair, and picking up the stack of letters ready to be mailed, Ginny rolled her eyes and strolled out of the office. She slowly climbed the stairs to the Owlry, pondering what Ron was dying to speak to her about. Percy was gone and they had worn out the topic with discussion. Hermione was coming back to town, they're already dating, she thought. Unless he's going to ask her to marry him, there's nothing to talk about there. Carefully, she ran through the message in her mind. As she sped through the rest of the note, the phrase 'as a brother' popped out at her. What did that mean? It had something to do with her directly, not something her silly big brother wanted to ask her about. He's crazy, she concluded and continued to go about her work.
"Ginny! Good to see you again!" called Ron from across the Atrium as Ginny neared. He acts like he never sees me any more now that he moved out! she thought. With a roll of the eyes, she gave an aggravated wave. "Glad you came. Where would you like to go for lunch?" he asked as if it were a simple dinner, not as he had sounded like in his note.
"Err, the Leaky Cauldron?" she responded filing into a queue for the Floos. "What is it that you need to talk to me so badly about?"
Glancing over his shoulder, Ron whispered, "Let's not talk about it here. Wait till we get to the bar." Once again, Ginny rolled her eyes as she grabbed a pinch of Floo powder and said clearly, "Diagon Alley!"
"So what's this message all about?" Ginny asked, irritated.
"Listen, Draco Malfoy got his Auror's license," Ron said, like it was the end of the world, just like Hermione's coming back to town was to Ginny.
"So? What's so bad about Draco?" she asked as if this was the most inept response ever given. "You remember Malfoy, don't you?" he asked like she had lost her mind.
"Of course I do. Don't you? Oh, I forgot. That was seventh year," she said like nothing had happened.
"Seventh year? What do you mean 'seventh year'?" asked Ron, furious.
"Oh, nothing." she said, dismissing the subject with a wave of her hand. "So what was is that you wanted to talk to me about?"
"I already told you! Draco!" he nearly shouted.
"I don't understand why this is such a big deal. He's only a rich kid that made trouble for you while you were in school. This isn't a matter of national security; it's you holding a grudge." Ginny crossed her arms in victory. Ron covered his face with his hands and let out a sigh.
"Don't you get it? Draco and the rest of the Malfoy's are just bad news! Why don't you believe me? Just take my advice and stay away from him, okay?!" he sounded upset.
"You know what? I don't care! I'm 21 now! I have a job, I'm mature, and I don't need you to tell me what to do! I've finished my lunch and now I'm going back to work," she stated simply and securely. Quickly, Ginny stood from her seat and, with a twitch of her robes, disapperated.
Mumbling under her breath, Ginny riffled through the letters to be delivered. "Warlock Mortlake...Alastor Moody...Draco Malfoy..." she read in a monotonous voice. Suddenly realising what she had read, she fingered back through the stack of letters to one addressed in red ink. "Draco Malfoy. That's what I thought." Ginny smiled. Just the time to show Ron who is in charge of my life! she thought.
Defiantly, she stomped down the corridor to the Auror's office. Grabbing a hold of the notes addressed to this centre, Ginny strolled down the aisle between the cubicles. Without a word, she dropped the letters in the desks as she passed them, but she only stopped when she reached the cubicle that was quite empty.
A tall man stood right inside the doorway of the small, fabric- walled room. The man had long, flowing blond hair and midnight black robes. Ginny had seen this man before. Quite a few times, in fact. Lucius Malfoy stood in the entrance to his son's compartment, his hand resting on his walking stick, ready to draw his wand at a moments notice. As Ginny peered farther inside the cubicle, she saw the boy, now a man, with the gleaming blond hair he inherited from his father. "Uh, Mr. Malfoy?' she inquired cautiously. Had he continued in his transformation, or had he returned to his old ways? Ginny suspected the latter. Draco's father shoved over in extreme distaste. The boy turned his handsome face towards Ginny and a small smile stretched across his face, but disappeared when he caught sight of his father. "Yeah?" Draco asked in his irritated, stuck up, rich boy voice. "There's a letter here for you," Ginny held out the envelope tentatively. Draco roughly snatched it out of her hand and turned in his chair. Exasperatedly, he ripped open the envelope with a sigh. The letter whisked out of its envelope and Draco unfolded it with a whip of the wrist. His eyes scanned the miniscule handwriting, and when he noticed Ginny still stood in the doorway, he turned around. He gave her a look that told her with out words that he did not understand why she remained. "Could you leave?" he asked in an irritated tone of voice. "Oh, sorry," Ginny replied and bustled out of the cubicle. Her suspicions had been confirmed. Draco had returned to his snobby self. Disappointed, she continued to deliver the remaining letters. When the final memo had been distributed, Ginny returned to her office where she buried her head in her hands. And she remembered.
"Ginny," he whispered in a gentle manner. "Will," she whispered back. "Why do you insist on using my middle name?' he asked. She had been using it for a time now. "I don't know," she shrugged. "I just like it." He snickered and buried his nose in her fierce red hair. She wrapped her hands around his waist and let her muscles relax. They stood there in an empty classroom for what seemed like hours. Then he spoke again. "Why do you hide our relationship from everyone?" he asked in a subdued voice, resting his chin on the top of her head. "It would make my family angry. You know they don't like your family and your family doesn't like mine. Ron went insane when he found out I had my first boyfriend. I'm just glad he's away this semester," she finished with a wistful sigh. "Where'd he go again?" he asked, suddenly turning to look her in the eye. "He went on an exchange trip to America. He's at some school in Pennsylvania, I believe. I think it was called Oak Castle Academy," she responded gently. "Oh, yes. I believe you told me about that when he left. It's so different to have him away. I never really liked him, you know. But it was always nice to have some one around that made life...interesting," he ended thoughtfully. She giggled. Silence followed for another series of uncounted moments. The youths merely longed to be in each other's presence. They never regretted the time they spent together, but few knew of that time. Time stood still when they were alone, but sometimes the silence would be broken by a sudden thought. "Sweetheart?" he asked. "Yes?" she replied. "What do you think will come of us?" the young boy quietly and gently inquired. "I've wondered that myself, Draco," she responded sweetly. "And what do you think?" he asked slowly, as if he were in another world, looking through a dirty window. "I don't know. Time will come and time will go. The question is whether we will be together as the days pass," she responded softly, but the blond boy broke the moment. "I really dislike your philosopher moments!" She giggled.
Ginny walked down the corridor to the girl's toilet and stood in front of the mirror. Her hand reached for the blazing strands of red hair that framed her face. Staring into her own eyes was like looking into the past. The pigment reminded her of it. Grey. Her life always seemed so dark and troubled. Each new year, something new came to make a generally pleasurable time self-destruct. Every day, Ginny was reminded of what she had said to him that day: "Time will come and time will go. The question is whether we will be together as the days pass." Never would she forget that.
The days continued to drag onward. Rows continued to break out during breakfast between Ginny and her father. Each time, Ginny asked herself why she put up with it. She was now of age, she could move out. But she never did. Ginny was not dating. She met few men of her own age, and even rarer were decent ones that her father would allow her to go out with, even if she happened to be 21 and legally an adult. Boys didn't trust her. Most thought her barking mad because of the run in with Lucius Malfoy during her first and last years at Hogwarts. She evaded the topic as much as was possible. Some times a conversation about it was conjured with out her realising it. How much she hated this when it happened. Many boys brought up her father. Famous Arthur Weasley, Minister of Magic, appointed the day Fudge was found dead on the doorstep of his house. This topic was bearable, at times. Some were so obsessed with it that she knew they would never like her for who she was. Ginny hated this. But there had been one boy that she would never forget, that was always there, that was an incredible comfort blanket. But no one knew. What a boy that Draco Malfoy had been. Under his tough exterior he was kind and mature, friendly and silent, loving and sweet. But no one knew. A boy that would bring tears to your eyes for no reason at all and then wipe them away with a smile, a boy that would make you laugh and then massage your shoulders when they began to ache, a boy that was perfect when no one could tell on him. But no one knew. Only Ginny. Ginny loathed her former self. A carefree child she had been just four years ago, roaming the halls and secret passageways of a castle school that no one could see unless they possessed the magical powers that made you a witch or wizard. Safety rested in the walls of that castle, along with so many other things. Magical feasts, only mildly boring classes, tower dormitories. But most importantly, what Ginny thought what might be the love of her life: Draco.