A/N: I was inspired to write this story after watching a movie a few days ago. Originally I had planned to make it a one-shot, but it turned out to be a little too long. Still, it will probably not consist of more than a couple or maybe three chapters. This will be a dark story with some mature language so be warned.

Chapter 1 – Another life

"Draco! Draco Malfoy!"

Damn... To hear his own name being screamed out from the other side of the street was enough to make his skin crawl. He had hoped that his black, hooded coat would hide his form, but apparently it had not been enough. He supposed he should invest in an invisibility cloak instead.

Reluctantly, he raised his head and saw two tall, gangly men running towards him from across the street. At first, he had no idea who they were, but when he caught a glimpse of their bright red hair and their freckles, he knew beyond doubt where they came from. There was only one clan in the wizard world with that sort of carrot hair.

Weasleys... he thought with faint disgust.

A part of him just wanted to pull away when he recognized the twins Fred and George Weasley. Even after all these years, they looked as juvenile as always with the same goofy grins painted over their spotted faces. They were certainly not people he would have liked to bump into, but considering the size of the Weasley clan, they were difficult to avoid, even in the swirl of people in the Diagon alley.

"How good to see you," he said stiffly with a tone of voice that implied that he really found it anything but. "How is everything?"

"Fine," they both answered in chorus. "We are still running our practical joke shop, just around the corner. We like it, though we are not making much profit."

"How nice," said Draco and couldn't help being astonished by some people's total lack of drive and ambition.

"I had no idea you were back in England." said Fred.

"Well, I thought eighteen years was enough time away," answered Draco lightly, hoping to avoid any further questions on the subject.

"Did you finally get tired of the climate in Transylvania?" Asked George. "After what Charlie told us, the rain and mist in those mountains are actually worse than in Scotland?"

"There is nothing wrong with the climate. The heat of the dragon fire has kept me warm. I am just home for a few busy days." Draco put a great deal of emphasis on the word busy. He just wanted to finish the conversation. Unfortunately, the twins were not perceptive enough to take a hint.

George frowned. "Everyone thought it was so strange that you went off to Romania. You were one of the greatest heroes after the war with Voldemort after all. Especially since you went over to the right side to save the world."

Draco went rigid. "Well, like I said, I am really busy. It was good to see you two again, but I really need to go so..."

"Wait a minute." The Weasleys' big ears were obviously deaf to any kind of insinuation and George raised his hand to stop Draco from leaving. "We are going to have a bit of a family get together tomorrow. You could join us if you like."

Draco shuddered by the thought. "Oh thank you, but I really don't think so..."

"Oh come on. All of the old guys from school will be there and they will all be thrilled to see you again. Everyone is wondering what became of you."

Draco frowned. "What kind of family party is this?"

"It's in the honour of our niece. She has just graduated from Hogwarts."

"Niece? Which one?" asked Draco. Considering the number of Weasleys, he assumed there were quite a lot of them.

"Eirinn Potter. You know, Ginny's daughter?" asked Fred. "No, that's right. You had probably left by the time she was born."

The thought of seeing his old nemesis Harry Potter again, along with his cute little family was enough to make Draco cringe. "I don't think so," he said as politely as he could. "I really don't have time."

The twins looked disappointed. "Well, if you change your mind, you are still welcome to join us. Ginny and Harry live at Grimmauld Place now if you want to come by."

No way in hell am I going there, Draco thought as he left them.

I am such an idiot, Draco realized and tried to keep his foolish grin in place as he sipped a glass of champagne. His jaws felt like they were starting to ache. He had no idea what he was doing here, in the house that had belonged to his mother's family, the house the rebel Sirius Black had given to his beloved friend James Potter's only son.

He had been determined not to come. He had no desire to even slightly open the door to the past. He was only in England for a short visit and he did not intend to let himself get caught up in things he had left behind a long time ago.

He hardly even wanted to set one foot outside the Malfoy mansion, even though he didn't feel very welcome there. His mother had taken him in since he was her only child and because courtesy demanded it, but every time she looked at him, Draco saw disappointment and quiet accusation in her blue eyes. His father, her sister... He knew that she blamed him, just like everyone else from the old and respectable wizard families did.

He was a traitor.

The fact that he had come here was probably proof of that. This was a place for the winners of the war, those who had defeated Voldemort. But even though Draco was nominally one of them, he didn't feel like one of them. Still, he had not been able to stay away. The temptation had been too great.

But now that he was here, he wanted nothing more than to get away. He felt guilty and uncomfortable. He had been received by a house-elf by the door and quietly slipped into the drawing room where he tried to melt into the background. He prayed that no one would recognize him.

But of course he wasn't that lucky. When he turned around, he suddenly found himself staring into a woman's eyes. They were round with shock. "Malfoy?" She did not sound pleasantly surprised, she seemed rather disgusted.

It took Draco some time to recognize Hermione Granger. The frizzy hair she wore in a horrible bun on her skull gave her away. "Granger," he flatly replied. "How nice."

The man next to her turned at the sound of his voice and Draco found himself staring into yet another familiar face. Ron Weasley was taller and scrawnier than his twin brothers, but otherwise, he was just as Weasel-like as they were with flaming red hair and a face full of spots.

They stiffly shook hands. "Didn't your brothers tell you that we had met?" asked Draco.

"Yes, they did," Ron admitted reluctantly. "But they said you would be too busy to come."

"Change of plans," said Draco lightly. He noticed the looks of horror exchanged by the former Gryffindors. They were obviously not very happy to see him. Granger and Weasley had never liked or trusted him, not even when he had joined their side. He supposed they had their reasons, but it didn't matter. He didn't give a damn what they thought and he would not let himself be driven out just because those two didn't appreciate his presence.

"You two are married now I suppose?" he asked them lightly, remembering their silly courtship at school.

"We are not actually," said Ron. "I have proposed enough times, but Hermione..."

"I don't believe in marriage," she answered.

"Well, in any case, we are living together and we have two reasonably well-behaved children," Ron continued and nodded towards the corner where a number of kids were loudly fighting over a bowl with liquorice wands. Most of them had red hair, Draco noticed.

"Lovely," he said ironically, earning himself a cold glare from Granger. "And what do you do these days?" he asked them amiably.

"We are at Hogwarts both of us," said Hermione. "I am the DADA teacher and Ron coaches the quidditch teams."

They were interrupted as the twins spotted Draco and hurried up to them through the crowd. "Didn't we know you wouldn't be able to stay away?" grinned Fred. "Here we are, our big, fat Weasley family and our big, fat friends and in-laws."

Draco chuckled politely and silently prayed that the twins would keep their voices down. He didn't see the need to ask either of them if they were married or in a serious relationship. They had always been married to each other and no woman could replace that bond. They were joined by the hip.

He hoped they wouldn't make too much of the fact that he had showed up at the party, but discretion seemed to be an unknown word for the Weasleys. George raised his glass of champagne and his voice. "Listen up!" he shouted, effectively drawing everyone's attention to himself. "I am happy to announce that an old friend and hero of the war has returned to our shores. Let's make a toast to Draco Malfoy who has decided to grace us with his presence today!"

I knew I should never have come, Draco thought as he struggled to look relaxed and smile in a good-natured way, even though a part of him just wanted to toss himself into the fireplace and apparate himself the hell away from there.

Everyone had silenced. Everyone was staring at him. He casually recognized several old faces from his years at Hogwarts, mostly from Gryffindor. They were eighteen years older and yet eerily familiar. Above all, he recognized the couple that were standing by the table with presents: A slim man with round glass eyes and a pretty, red-haired woman.

Harry Potter glanced at his wife Ginny Weasley. Then he slowly put his glass down and made his way through the crowd towards Draco. "Malfoy," he said in a low, flat voice. "It's good to see you."

Draco found himself accepting Potter's hand, although reluctantly. "It's good to see you too." He turned to Potter's wife and nodded slowly. "Ginevra. You look fine."

"So do you," she said, smiling lightly.

Two little male creatures made their way through the people up to the Potters. "Mummy! Daddy! Isn't it time for Erinn to open up her presents soon? I want to look at that new broom you bought for her!"

"Jamie! You promised not to talk about it," scolded Harry. He looked sternly at his son, who looked very much like himself, apart from the glass eyes.

"It's just because he is so stupid he can't even remember the things you told him two minutes ago," laughed the other little boy. He was practically identical with his brother, but his hair was red and not black. They both seemed to be around eight years old.

"Don't call your brother stupid, Lance," said Ginny. "Have you both forgotten how to behave? Do you want to ruin your sister's graduation party?"

"It's okay mum," said a voice behind them. "That present didn't exactly look like there was a golden snitch in it."

"That's a relief," sighed Ginny. "Well, if we should start opening the presents then..."

"Wait a moment," said Harry. "Malfoy hasn't been properly introduced yet. This is our daughter Erinn and our sons James and Lancelot."

The boys didn't show much interest in the newcomer. A quick "Hello!" was all they took the time to say before hurrying back to play with their cousins. The girl was better behaved and smiled politely to Draco. She looked almost exactly like her mother with red hair and warm brown eyes. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Malfoy. Are you an old friend of my parents'?"

"You could say that." said Draco lightly. "Let me congratulate you on your graduation day. It must be a relief to finally get away from that ghastly old castle?"

"Not at all," smiled the girl. "I have always felt like home there and I have always had Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione so close. I think I will miss it a lot actually."

"What house were you in?"

"Slytherin."

Draco raised his eyebrows in astonishment. "Really? I wouldn't have thought that. Not with two arch-Gryffindors for parents."

"Actually I am the first in the Weasley clan for generations to end up in there," she said. "But miracles do happen."

"Sweetheart, the presents are waiting," Ginny reminded her daughter.

The girl excused herself and prepared to dig into the huge stacks of gifts. Her younger brothers were jealously watching her and her parents were smiling proudly. But Draco couldn't help noticing that Ginny was looking slightly stiff.

He had called her Ginevra. He had not been thinking before he opened his mouth. To him, that had always been her name. She had not showed any reaction, but he knew that she must have been affected. He was one of the few people who had ever called her by her full name.

"That's what I like about it," he had once told her in a state of unusual sentimentality. "That makes you unique to me. To all the others, you can be Ginny, but to me you are Ginevra and Ginevra is only mine."

As he watched her, he asked himself whether she could remember the last time they had talked, that angry, frustrated conversation they had shared in his flat in the Diagon Alley. It had been the consummation of an endless row of fights and arguments between them. It had all started the day they had found out that The boy who lived had not died this time either. He was actually still alive and well. That conversation had also been the end of their relationship, affair, or whatever you would call it.

"Look Ginevra, would you just stop all this bloody nagging! I am in no mood to talk."

In annoyance, Draco threw off his covers and got out of the bed, wearing only his boxers. He grabbed a packet of fags and started smoking. He knew how much she hated that which made him even more determined to enjoy it as long as possible.

"No you are not," he heard her saying behind him with that complaining, whining voice she always seemed to use those days. "You never seem to be in the mood to talk nowadays. You leave before I even wake up and you won't come home before I am asleep. And whenever you are around, it seems like you can't wait to kill something. So when exactly can I talk to you?"

He turned back to her. She was sitting on the bedside in that thin, silky nightgown he had given her as a birthday present. She was looking straight at him. Her red hair was falling down over her shoulders in tousled waves. He didn't want to look into her accusing eyes. There were other things he preferred to concentrate on.

He tossed the fag into an ashtray. "Why talk at all? Talk has never had anything to do with our relationship." He moved over to her and grabbed her elbows, pulling her to her feet. "This is the only way we need to communicate." His long, slim fingers ran over her breasts and belly and down towards the warmth between her legs. He knew how to make her melt; he had done it so many times before and never failed...

But to his surprise, she put her hands against his chest and pushed him away in a fierce gesture. "Is that all I ever was to you? Just a damn body in your bed? Just some pleasure when you felt like it? Just a thing without a face?"

Draco rolled his eyes, angry that she had rejected him. "Drop the drama queen act, Ginevra. As if I was ever any more to you than some body. All you wanted was to be shagged rotten to forget the pain. It could have been any bloody guy as long as he had a working prick."

Her brown eyes looked harshly at him, almost pierced him. "If you really believe that, then there is no reason for me to stay."

"Damn right there isn't," he snapped. "I don't know why you keep looking for excuses. Why don't you just crawl back to Potter right away? Being the noble person that he is, I am sure he will forgive you. You did think he was dead after all."

"What if I don't want him back?" she asked him resolutely.

"Oh please, I am not blind." Draco was pleased with how cold and nonchalant he sounded. He wanted her to understand that the situation didn't bother him at all. He wanted to be distant. Superior. "Everyone could see that you were practically getting wet just by looking at him when he showed up at the ministry. He is back again, your long lost love. So stop pretending like you give a damn about me. Go back to him and fall on your knees and apologize for being comforted by a scum like me. Just some tears and he will happily take you back and you can start working on Harry Jr."

She shook her head. "Sometimes I think that's really what you want. That you just can't wait to be rid of me."

"So what if I do? Don't you think I can survive without you?"

"Maybe you can," she said, adding knowingly: "But I am starting to think there is something more behind this."

He laughed mockingly "Oh, you know how I love your psychoanalyses that Granger the muggle taught you, but..."

She never took her eyes away from him. She continued as if she had not even heard his sarcastic input. "I think you are doing this to punish yourself. Because of your father."

Draco's smile abruptly died. He glared at her. "Shut up. You don't know what you are talking about."

"Oh, yes I do." She moved a few steps closer with a challenging look on her face. "Isn't that why you refuse to visit your mother? Because you are afraid that she will blame you too?"

"Be quiet, I said!"

He turned away from her, reaching his hand out to grab another fag, but she caught his wrist and turned him back. "You act like it was all so easy to change sides. But deep down, you can hardly live with yourself, can you? You can't stand the thought of being a pariah to everyone from your own class. And deep down you know that you have failed them, betrayed them..."

Furiously, he snatched his hand away from her grip. "Just shut it, you bloody bitch." His voice was low, menacing. It was a definite warning. He would not let her go any further than that.

But she didn't seem to hear it, or if she did, she just didn't care. "What? Do you think I am stupid? Do you think I don't notice, Draco? Don't you think I feel you shaking in your sleep? Don't you think I can see what you are dreaming about every night? You think I don't hear you whimpering? Father, oh father, please forgive me..."

Draco's fury used to be hot, steaming, boiling. But this was something different. His whole body turned cold, trembling. He couldn't stay unmoved.

He grabbed her shoulders, pushing her up against the wall. The paintings and mirrors shook violently. He put his arm against her throat, pressing hard. "You fucking whore. I should kill you."

She coughed in his grip, but she didn't try to fight back, even though her feet almost left the floor. "Go on then. That's what you want more than anything, isn't it? I am still your enemy, aren't I?"

Her voice was choked, but her eyes were still steady. He was tempted. It would be so easy to break her, crush his own pain and weakness. Damn her. Damn the whole world.

He released her abruptly and she almost fell to the floor. She had to lean back against the wall for support. She looked up at him and was met by two grey eyes, cold as ice.

"Get out," he whispered, turning his back on her

Draco was pulled out of his memories, into the bitter reality when the house elves brought a giant cake for the young Miss Potter. It had seven floors and was decorated in the green and silvery Slytherin colours with brightly shining candles at the top. The girl's little twin brothers hardly seemed to be able to control themselves and the elves quickly put the cake on the table where it would be safe. The boys' parents quickly restrained them.

Draco's eyes fell on Ginny again. He wondered whether she ever thought about that last meeting. He could well imagine that she had done her best to forget it. Did she ever feel regret? He doubted it. She was probably grateful that she had not been forced to take pity on him when she dumped him.

He couldn't really blame her. What woman would not rather have Potter than him? No one except some psycho self-torturer. Potter wouldn't sleep around. He wouldn't treat a woman like rubbish. He was faithful and gentle and reliable. He was also rich and famous and deeply respected by the whole wizard world. Perfect enough to make any rival fade into obscurity.

After she left him that day she had done exactly as he had predicted. She had run straight back to Potter who had forgiven her and taken her back without much fuss. Voldemort had been defeated. Draco had left the country. And here she was now with a perfect husband, cute kids and a lovely home. She probably blessed the day she had finally dropped him.

"Come on Erinn, time to open your presents!" Ginny smiled at her daughter while she was fighting to hold back the little twin monsters.

But before she could start, Harry Potter stepped forward and raised his goblet of champagne. "Just a moment. First of all I think we should make a toast. Here is to our lovely daughter who has taken a great step towards the future!"

Everyone applauded and the girl beamed against her father. Draco noticed that a fair- haired boy was standing close to her and now he leaned over to kiss her cheek and whisper something in her ear. "Who is that?" he asked Ron Weasley who was standing close to him.

Ron glanced quickly at him. "That's Gabriel Lupin. Son of Tonks and Remus Lupin. He and Erinn have been going out for quite some time."

The son of a halfblood and a werewolf... Then Draco shrugged. That was a part of the past. Those opinions would not be wise to put into words. Especially not when you had personally fought against them. Besides it wasn't his business. Ginny Weasley's family had always been tolerant and she was married to a half-blood so why would she care?

"Okay, finally time for presents!" The little boys were practically hopping up and down like rabbits by now and they looked like they would burst with impatience.

But once again, they were disappointed. "No, wait." Erinn Potter raised her hand and smiled at the audience. "Please don't think I am ungrateful, but I would like to say a few words before I start. First of all I want to say how happy I am that you have all come here today." She let her eyes follow the crowd. "There is nothing more important in this world to me than my family – and Gabriel of course." She turned her head to the blond boy, who blushed. "Knowing that you have all come here today to share this happy occasion means so much to me."

Erinn turned her head away from her boyfriend to Harry and Ginny. "Above all, I want to thank my mother and father. I know that we fight sometimes and I know that I have been a stubborn and stupid teenager who hasn't listened to you. But I want you to know that I don't think anyone in this world has ever had a better mum and dad. You two are really the best, most loving and caring people I know. No matter what, I will always feel this way about you both." By the end of the sentence, her voice had gotten thick.

Ginny mildly reached her hand out. "Sweetheart, you don't have to..."

"No, I want to say this." The girl pulled a deep breath to keep her voice steady. She looked straight at her parents. "Last year when I turned seventeen, you decided that I was old enough to learn the truth. That was when you told me that you were not my real father. You told me... that there had been someone else."

Some people in the crowd looked shocked, among them Fred and George Weasley; others looked like they had known this for a long time. Draco raised his eyebrows, slightly surprised.

"Back then, I felt very angry and betrayed," continued the girl. "I found it very hard to accept these news. But now I have realized that you did what you did because you loved me and because you wanted me to be happy. And I have come to realize that it doesn't make any difference." She smiled lovingly at Potter. "Whether you fathered me or not, I will always feel the same way about you."

Suddenly, Draco noticed that some people had started peering at him as if they were looking for a reaction. One of them was Hermione Granger and she blushed when he caught her watching him. Frowning, Draco turned back to the podium. Potter was still looking straight at the girl, but Ginny was squirming slightly. She was smiling, but she looked uncomfortable.

Suddenly, Draco felt like he couldn't breathe. His eyes were fixed on Erinn Potter and he found it impossible to take look away. Her hair was red, her eyes were brown. She had the typical Weasley look. And still...

No, it can't be true, it can't. It's a mistake, all of it...

Erinn raised her cup. "So before I open my presents, let me make a toast to my mum and dad. If it wasn't for you I wouldn't be who I am. So thank you."

When she smiled, Draco felt like someone had shoved a spear into his gut. He recognized that smile. It was not the smile of a Weasley and not the smile of a Potter.

Draco felt like he would choke. When the girl hugged her parents and her brothers, he just couldn't take it anymore. He turned on his heel and blindly began to make his way out of the room. He did not look where he was going and he was brusquely shoving people aside.

When he reached the hall, he had to stop and catch his breath. A small house-elf was watching him with wide eyes. He growled something at it and it quickly snuck into the kitchens. Draco heard laughter from the party, glasses hitting each other as another toast was made and over everything, the giggles of the Hogwarts Graduate.

I have to get out of here...

"Draco?"

He whirled around. Ginny Weasley was standing at the other end of the hall looking curiously at him. "Are you leaving already?" she asked. Her voice gave her away. She was trying hard to sound relaxed, but he could tell that she was nervous. She was wondering how much he had figured out.

He didn't answer because he didn't know what to say. He kept scrutinizing her harshly but his grey eyes spoke volumes. A part of him just wanted to grab her collar and scream out all of his anger and frustration into her face.

Ginny squirmed under his hard gaze. "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" he snarled, managing to find his voice. "That's what you should tell me Ginevra, because I seriously don't know what the hell I am supposed to believe right now. Perhaps I am wrong, I am crazy or something?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You know bloody well what I am talking about," he snapped back, predictably. "Things seem to fit each other a little too well here, don't they? I just want an answer."

"What do you mean?"

"The girl, Ginevra," he demanded menacingly. "Is she mine?"

Ginny's face turned pale. She hesitated, just a little, but it was enough. "No, she is not. She is mine. And Harry's."

Draco laughed sarcastically even though he would have preferred to knock her lying teeth in. "Sorry, but that door's already been closed, remember? She is not Potter's and considering her age she should be mine, unless of course you were shagging some third bloke as well back then?"

Ginny's cheeks turned red. "Go to hell, Malfoy. I don't know why you came here and I really don't care. Just go."

She turned away, but he grabbed her arm and spun her back. "Don't you dare walk away from me, bitch. I won't go anywhere until you have told me. Is the bloody kid mine? Or don't you know that yourself?"

"Let go of me!" Ginny struggled, but he just held on to her arm, hard enough to give her bruises.

"Just open your mouth! Yes or no? Tell me now or I don't know what I'll do!"

Ginny reached her free hand into the pocket of her robe. Too late, Draco realized that she had a wand there. Before he could react, he was given a blow, like that of an electric shock. It sent him backwards, away from her and he hit the wall with a loud bang.

He stared up at her in fury, painfully aware of the fact that he had forgotten his own wand at his mother's house. It was a good thing for her. If he had it, he would have thrown every curse he knew on her. And he knew quite a lot of them.

Ginny's eyes blazed as she slowly lowered her wand. "Until you have learned some civilized manners, I suggest you get out of my house. You don't want me to ask my husband and my brothers to throw you out, do you?"

Draco growled under his breath, feeling like he was going to explode. If she had been within his reach, he would have ripped her head off. But as long as she had the wand, he was powerless. "Fine, I am leaving," he told her coldly. "But I'll come again and then I won't leave before I have heard the truth. The whole truth, Ginevra."

He turned and left, slamming the door hard behind him. Ginny watched him quietly as he left with a frown painted over her forehead. The danger had been cleared away for now. But for how much longer?

As she turned to go back to the party, she was suddenly standing face to face with Erinn. Her daughter looked confused. "What was that all about?" she asked. "Why did Malfoy leave so soon? It sounded like you were fighting."

Ginny forced herself to smile. "It was nothing, sweetie, just some old problems. Come on, you need to go back. Your guests are waiting for you."

Erinn threw one last puzzled glance at the door and slowly followed her mother back.