"Gods, Ginny, how do I make you understand?"
"Draco, I love you…but what am I supposed to think?"
"That I was spending the day with one of my best friends. Pansy and I have been friends since we were born. She and I once had romantic aspirations, but that ended years ago. Before I even met you."
"You promised me. You said today would be just for us. Did you know that Harry asked me to go to Hogsmeade with him, Ron, and Hermione? But no. I thought I was going with you. You snuck out of the castle with her. What was that about?"
His face is suddenly icy. "Would you rather have spent the day with them? Nothing is stopping you."
"Babe, don't say that. You know I wanted to be with you. Why would I care so much if I didn't?"
"Ginny, she and Blaise are the only ones left in my life whom I can trust, aside from you. I am not going to give that up because of your mad jealousy."
"Jealousy? What would you have thought if I had snuck out to spend the day with Harry alone? And then had, I dunno, Hermione cover for me?"
"I would have trusted you. If I hadn't trusted you enough not to betray me, I wouldn't have given you my heart in the first place."
"Merlin, Draco…I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything. I just miss you. It seems like it's been far too long since we've spent any time together…I can't stand being away from you so much. Especially since I—never mind."
"Especially since what?"
"Nothing."
"Ginny, I am not going to let this go. I cannot defend myself against accusations of which I have no knowledge."
"Fine. You remember that last night we spent together. I—I think…fuck…Draco, IthinkI'mpregnant."
There passes a full minute of dumbstruck silence.
"I…I'm…you're…we're going to be parents? Well, I suppose I'll have to make you honest now, then?"
"Wait. Really? You want to get married?"
"Yes. This was a little bit botched up, but give me a few days and I will propose properly."
"Gods, Draco. I can't believe this. I was so worried."
"You thought I would abandon you? Do you really think so little of me?"
"No, I didn't think you would abandon me…I thought…I don't know. It's just such a big leap. You're seventeen, I'm sixteen. It's just a little much. I'm happy. You'll be such a good father."
"Do you think we will have a girl or a boy? I think the odds are on a boy, with my family's history—we have had all male children for generations—and all of your brothers."
"You're right. But who knows? We're an odd couple, maybe our child will reflect that difference."
"It's getting late. We should probably sleep."
"Can I just stay here? I don't want to go back to my dorm and see Hermione right now, and you have these nice private rooms."
"Of course."
Two days pass
Ginny—
Would you meet me down by the big beech tree by the lake after classes today? I have something to ask you.
—Draco
Ginny runs down to the lake after classes, but doesn't see Draco. She looks around, and finds him relaxing in a hollow at the base of the tree, facing the lake.
He hears her running, and stands up, smiling. He gestures to the blanket he has laid out for her.
"Care to join me?"
She giggles. "Sure." She settles down next to him, and accepts the flute of cider he offers her.
"No alcohol for you." He smiles, then sombers. "It has been hard, not seeing you these past few days."
"I know! How have you been? I haven't heard from you or anything. I stopped by your rooms a few times, but you weren't there."
"Yes, well, I've spent almost all of my time in the owlry, trying to contact Gringotts and make them believe that I am indeed a Malfoy, so that they would send me this." He kneels, and pulls out a small velvet box. He flips open the lid. "Ginevra Weasley, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
"Oh Draco! Of course. Of course I will. Oh Draco, I love you."
"I love you too. Of course, I would not expect you to wear the ring right now, if you do not want to, and we will have a long engagement, of course. Nothing has to change too much right now."
"At this point, I don't care. People will know I'm pregnant. I'll definitely wear my ring. But a long engagement would probably be good." She blushes.
"We can wait until you've graduated, of course, and we can perhaps find a house…unless, of course, you wish to live in my ancestral home…" He smirks playfully.
"I would love to live in your parents' house! But…oh no. What will they think of me? Our families have never gotten along."
He is surprised. "Would you really? Despite what you may think, my parents are surprisingly reasonable—they trust my judgment. If I approve of you, they will."
"If they're willing to give me try, I'll give them a try. I don't know. What do you want? Would you like to live with your parents?"
"It is a tradition in my that, when the heir marries, the previous generation moves to one of my family holdings in Brighton. We would have the house to ourselves. And the baby, of course."
She sighs. "Yeah, I'd like that." She rests her hand on her lower abdomen, and her head on his shoulder. "This is so strange. The thought that, in less than a year, we'll have a little one of our own…I'm glad I'll be of age by then."
"I am as well. If for no other reason than I do not want your—what, twenty? Twenty-five?—quite large, rabid brothers to hunt me down."
She giggles. "Only six. But I don't think you'll escape them. You'll have to come to terms with them eventually."
"Yes well, I suppose if you can come to terms with my family, I can come to terms with yours."
"Thank you." They kiss. "Now, what do you say we just sit her and enjoy life?"
"Yes. Let's enjoy this. It does not get much better than this."
FIN