Eternally Missed
Summary:
Sometimes you have to give up the thing you wish for most, a lesson that Draco Malfoy learns very early, and lives with for the rest of his life.Disclaimer:
I do not own Harry Potter.xxx
"You made me believe in something that wasn't even there at all. Did I mean absolutely nothing to you?!" she screamed at him.
He knew he deserved this, after everything he was about to say to her, and everything he had already told her. "You were a good fuck," he said as emotionless as possible.
He watched the angst in her eyes, the tears ready to pour out. It was hurting him too, to say these horrible things to her. They weren't even true. She was much more to him than that, but he had to let her go, it wasn't safe for her to be with him.
She snorted and looked at him, trying to keep those stupid tears from flowing. She refused to cry in front of him, especially after he announced what he did. "I hate you Draco Malfoy," she whispered, disgust dripping from every word, making his heart shatter a little bit more.
He watched Ginny turn on her heel, and exit the room, heading back to her Common Room, he guessed. Draco sighed and sat down on his bed. He knew it was for the best. His father would use her to get to him, and he wouldn't allow that, even if it meant living for the rest of his life in pain.
Draco shot up in bed, coughing softly. He had not dreamt of that particular memory in a very long time. He coughed a bit more, and took a sip of the water near his bed. It was warm, but he didn't have the energy to get up and get a glass of fresh water. His old age was catching up to him, he supposed, or maybe because he was being lazy.
Draco shook his head in an attempt to forget the memories which were all coming back, but it didn't do any good. He could not rid himself the image of Ginny's heartbroken face. "So many years," he whispered, standing up.
He walked over to his closet, trying not to bump into anything, since he didn't turn on the light. He reached for the highest shelf, and removed a box. The shoe box looked just like any other regular shoe box, but what was inside was where the similarities ended.
Draco walked back over to his bed, box in hand, and sat back down, as he removed the lid. He formed a small smile on his lips. There was a mount of pictures, flowers, cards, and a bunch of other insignificant little things. He reached in, and pulled out a picture. He gazed at it, and remembered when it was taken.
"I love you," he said softly.
Ginny looked up at her boyfriend in surprise. It was their first Yule Ball together as a couple. Draco in his sixth year, her in her fifth. She smiled softly, and leaned close to his ear.
"I love you too," she replied.
Draco smirked, and leaned his head down, his lips hovering just above hers. Ginny moved her head up to meet his in a sweet kiss. There was no desperation, there was no fiery passion. It was just a kiss of promise.
All of a sudden, Draco noticed a flash out of the corner of his eye. He removed his lips from Ginny's and looked over to his left, as did she.
Granger stood there, camera in hand, half smirking, half laughing at the couple.
"Granger," he started, "You'd better not do anything stupid with that."
"Don't worry, Malfoy," she replied, "I'll just give it to Ginny once it's developed." She smiled ironically at him. Draco nodded his head to her, and watched her walk back over to the table where Weasel and his date, Luna where seated, along with Scarhead.
Hermione had been the first one to except him as Ginny's boyfriend. She had also helped convince Harry and Ron that he wasn't such a bad person.
Draco put the picture down, and went through the other items. Memories flashing within his mind. He really loved Ginny, part of him still did, and he knew always would. He remembered how he came to receive this shoe box.
Draco was studying in the library, which was very unusual for him. Ever since his recent break up with Ginny, he had decided to concentrate on his work. His grades had gravely improved, but he still was second to Granger.
He heard footsteps coming towards him, and looked up. His lips formed a thin line, as he saw Granger walking towards him, a box in her hand. She dropped the box hard onto the table, making a loud slamming noise.
"What do you want Granger?" he asked in an icy tone, hoping that she would go away.
"Ginny asked me to give this to you, after she told me about the nice conversation the two of you had last night," she stated sarcastically. He knew she was angry at him, but kept herself in check.
"Now that you have done what she asked of you, you can leave," he said.
"Not until you tell me why you did it," she said, sitting next to him. Draco scowled, closing his book and faced her.
"I don't see how any of that is your business," he retorted.
"What would you do if one of your best friends was crying her eyes out over some insufferable git?" she countered.
Hermione watched his eyes to see if any of her words had an effect one him. If it did, she could not see it.
"I know there's a reason you did and said what you did," she stated.
"I didn't want to be with her anymore," he replied simply, turning away from her, knowing he had just lied through his teeth.
"I don't believe that," she declared.
Draco stood up, and walked away, his books in hand, and just as he reached the door, he heard Granger call out, "You still have time to fix things. Don't be a stupid prat and let her go." He pretended to ignore the annoying bookworm, and exited the library.
"Maybe I should have listened to you," Draco mused, putting the lid on the box. He knew, though that he could not change the past, and that even if he could, his stubbornness would not let him do a thing differently.
All that mattered to him then, and now was that Ginny was safe and happy, which she was. The last time he had seen her was sixty years ago, when he was barely twenty-four. He smirked at the memory. He had been one good-looking man. 'Could have had anyone I wanted,' he thought, then added, 'except the one I wanted.'
Draco had walked into the Three Broomsticks, his cloak twirling behind him, and looked up. He froze. At one of the first tables, he saw her. Her hair that had once been short and straight, was now long, and curled. Her face looked older, and her eyes were enamored with laughter. Her pink full lips were turned into a smile, and Draco looked over to who she was smiling and laughing with.
Potter was there, his arm around Granger. He figured the two must have opened their eyes finally. Next to them, was Weasley, and the girl he vividly recalled as Luna. Draco turned his attention back to Ginny, and noticed an arm was around her shoulders.
His eyes trailed the arm, back to the person it belonged and, he had to keep himself from going over there and punching the living daylights out of Dean Thomas. Draco watched as Ginny"s left hand gracefully took her drink off the table, and brought it to her lips.
The light shined on her hand, showing something that Draco hadn't anticipated to view. It was a ring, more specifically a wedding ring.
For the first time in a long time, Draco felt his heart shatter all over again. It was too late, he was too late. Taking a seat at the bar, he ignored the six, and focused on something else. Yet, he could not keep the annoying little voice in the back of his head from telling him that it was his own fault things had turned out the way they did.
Draco did not stare at the six, and only remembered them once he saw them get up to leave. Draco watched Dean help Ginny out of the chair, and wondered a second why he would need to do that. The answer almost made him want to vomit.
She was pregnant, very pregnant from what he could see. Draco stared as the three couples walked pasted him, hoping to God that no one them would recognize him. Of course one of them did.
To his luck, it wasn't Ginny, it was Granger. She didn't realize it was him at first, then when she made eye contact with him, her eyes widened. She didn't say anything to him, just gave him a look which Draco didn't quite understand the meaning to. She didn't, however, never told anyone he had been there, which to this day, he had been grateful for.
Draco pushed the box under his bed, and grabbed his coat. He didn't care that it was the middle of the night, nor did he care that he was still wearing the clothes he had slept in. All he knew was that he had to be someplace right at that moment.
He walked down the street, and made a right. If anyone had seen him, they would have thought him a raging lunatic about to do something incredibly stupid.
Draco didn't stop walking until he reached a grave. There, he kneeled down, and placed a hand on the top of the headstone.
"I'm sorry," he began, "I never wanted to hurt all those years ago. I loved you, Gin, still do. I just hope that where you are, you are happy, and I hope you understand why I did and said those things."
He removed his hand from the top of the headstone, and traced the letters of the name written there.
Ginerva Weasley Thomas
Beloved Daughter, Friend, Wife and Mother.
You will be eternally missed by many.
xxx
Author's Note -
This was my first Draco/Ginny one-shot. If you like Harry/Hermione check out my other one-shot What if? Hope you guys liked it. Please review and let me know what you think!