Conversations 2
Ginny stood at the entrance to the apartment her head tilted, frowning as if deep in thought. The door to the hallway that she had just closed behind her led to the small parlor and cloak closet, then opening up to the living room on the left and the open kitchen on the right. The living room was decorated in hazy greens and subdued grays. Ginny had protested against the Slytherin colors, the boys to subdue her had thrown in some wine and navy cushions that considerably brightened up the room. There was a marble fireplace made in slick, black marble that matched the countertops in the kitchen, accenting the room nicely. All in all, it didn't look dark and forbidding, but rather inviting and lived in. Not a place that she would have ever imagined Draco Malfoy in if she hadn't known any better.
Ginny bit her lip. She supposed that subconsciously she had chosen an apartment that she felt comfortable in, that appealed to her as much as it did to Draco – a place where they could find a middle ground. His whole idea had been to have her move in as soon as she graduated. He'd been very clear on that, only accepting to have Blaise stay with him because Ginny had insisted.
"There you are," Draco said emerging from the room he'd been using as a study/library. "I was beginning to think I'd imagined you yesterday. If it weren't for a particularly annoying roommate that kept going on about some ring, I'd almost believe you were still at sch- what's wrong?"
"I'm contemplating." She said tilting her head, loving the sight of him in soft cotton pajama bottoms and a forest green tee. He looked like he belonged here.
"Contemplating what, exactly?" he asked, trying to swallow his panic.
(
"This is so exciting!" Ginny said, attempting to resist the urge to bounce like a small child in a candy shop.
"We're going apartment hunting, Gin, it's not going to be a party. And why on earth are you so perky. It's barely nine in the morning and we've been up since five." Blaise said, stifling a yawn.
"I can't believe it's summer; I can't believe you've graduated; but mostly, I can't believe we're getting you and Draco an apartment." She said, choosing to ignore the previous comment. They only reason why they'd been up since five was because Draco had panicked last minute, deciding to eliminate thirty of the fifty apartments that the real-estate agent had sent over based on some nightmare about a wallpaper. It had taken them well over two hours to sort through the different files and remove any that might possibly have offending wallpaper.
"I can't believe your lazy bum of a boyfriend got out of this," Blaise grumbled under his breath.
"He did not get out of this, he had work to do, so you and I are going to narrow this down to five apartments that he can go look at." But it had never gotten that far. By the time they were at their fourth, Blaise was grumpy and Ginny was in love. The particular complex overlooked Diagon Alley. On the seventh story, the view from the windows and balcony were spectacular and, in Ginny's words, the apartment "overall perfect!" They'd gone to fetch Draco, who, seeing the excitement in her eyes, had signed the contracts right then and there. Heir to a fortune and with no parents to question him, the investment had been well worth Ginny's happiness. The one condition had been that she think about moving in with him after she graduated. Mrs. Weasley and Ron had been particularly appalled when Ginny had spent most of the summer at Draco's place, having to be nearly dragged back home every night.
Draco had been in the kitchen, talking business and signing papers, when Blaise had gone out to the balcony to find Ginny.
"You'll stay with him, won't you?" She had asked without turning around.
"As often as not, I guess." He had said with a dismissive shrug.
"No, I mean room with him, live here." Ginny asked, turning to face him.
"I can't impose, Gin."
"I'll ask him."
"Is this for his sake or yours?" Blaise asked suspiciously. Ginny thought for a moment.
"Both." Blaise grinned mischievously.
"So the whole concerned girlfriend is just an act! What you actually want is your best friend here so that I can report any illicit activities back to you… if that's what you're getting at, then you're not getting it from…"
"Blaise," Ginny said softly, and he could hear a hint of ofense in her tone. "You know how he gets sometimes, sulky and brooding and seething. Even with his parents gone, I think that he still feels them looming over him. I need to know that he's ok, but he'll be to worried about me getting worried that he wont tell me. I need you to watch out for him, take him out to have some fun, not let him forget that he's still young, that he's not his father."
"So you aren't going all girlfriend jealous on me are you?"
"Not yet," she said with a smirk. "And you, you shouldn't forget that I wouldn't ask that of you."
"He is ridiculously loyal to you," Blaise said, rolling his eyes. "For a Slytherin."
(
"I was trying to decide exactly what I'm going to have to change when I move in," she said knowing it still hadn't dawned on him that they were getting married. The panic gone, his expression settled into one of pure joy. He picked her up and twirled her around, laughing the whole time.
"Have I told you how much I love you?" he said setting her down with a kiss. Her hands slipped up to his neck.
"Not nearly enough," she said tilting her head back to meet his eyes. "Just like I haven't done this nearly often enough," she said standing on tiptoe and kissing him softly.
"Oi mate, have you seen – do you have to do that in here?" Blaise said annoyed. "I mean seriously." Ginny pulled back with a sigh.
"I need to get him a girlfriend." She said pushing her hair away from her eyes.
They sent Blaise to pick up Chinese take out, while sifting through general wedding details, both avoiding the fact that they had yet to inform her family.
"I was thinking that we could go pick out your ring sometime later this week. After Christmas and before New Year's so that you can have it before you go back to Hogwarts." He said, smiling at how unprepared he'd been, at how unaware she'd caught him.
"Dray, I don't want to go," she said with a sigh, then when he sat up in alarm she giggled. "No, love, I don't mean that I don't want to marry you – wait. I'm going to marry you, why does it seem like every time I say something you're about to jump out of your skin. We are getting married." She said running her fingertips over his hand which rested over her stomach. She turned around to catch his eye.
"Of course we are," he said, but it sounded like he was trying to convince himself.
"Draco," Ginny said sitting up and away from him, but turning to face him and taking his hands. "There is nothing in the world that can stop this. I don't care if we get married tomorrow at the registrar's office or next summer after I graduate. It doesn't matter if we only have some random secretary as our witness or all of our friends and family. I don't care about dresses or cake or any of that. The only thing I want is to be with you for the rest of my life, can you get that through your thick head and stop having doubts?" he sighed softly.
"I love you. You're amazing. There's nothing I'd rather do than be with you for the rest of my life."
"Now, there. If you say that everyday for the rest of our lives, this'll be easier than pie."
"You Griffs have a bizarre sense of humor." Ignoring the jibe, Ginny went on to the next order of business.
"What I mean when I said I didn't want to go was that I'd really like it if you chose the ring." She said, turning her back to him and resting back against him. She felt his warm, even breaths and tried to match them with hers.
"I can do that."
"As for a wedding date, I was thinking that, just to prove Blaise wrong, we should set the date for the day right after you boys moved in. Just to keep him on his toes about being always right. Oh, and maybe we can ask him to be both maid of honor and best man." Draco chuckled.
"You know, as much as I hate to admit it, he is right ridiculously often – especially about you and me. And you little missy, with a mind for cunningly evil plots like that, you should have been a Slytherin."
"So both of you keep telling me." She said with a yawn. "The couch stays, it's ridiculously comfortable."
"My girlfriend picked it out." Draco said, trying to stifle a yawn too and shifting so that he was lying besides her.
"She must have good taste then."
(
"Who'd have known that furniture shopping could be so exhausting?" Blaise said dragging her into Florean's.
"It's not that bad," she replied rolling her eyes. "We're only missing a couch and a coffee table for the living room, some cushions and I'll buy all the kitchen supplies that I know only Draco will use."
"He is a ridiculously good cook," Blaise said after ordering a particularly large sundae.
"It's not surprising, with how well he did in potions."
"I can't believe that he gave you free reign over the decoration of the apartment after we established a what's-it-called?"
"A color pallet," she said giggling. "And like everything you Slytherin's do, he probably had an ulterior motive."
"Like making the apartment comfortable for you so that you have to take his invitation to move in seriously."
"Something like that, for example." She agreed taking her ice cream cone from the old man who'd been selling them since before she was born. "Maybe we should go back to the last store and get that green couch. It'll go nicely in the living room with some colorful cushions, and it was very comfortable."
"Yes your highness! Your wish is my command!"
(
"Happy Christmas!" called the voice he'd been waiting to hear all day from the entrance hall. Draco glanced back to the mirror and forgot all about combing his hair while he rushed out to meet her.
"This is ridiculous," he said after reluctantly letting go of her. "I'm not sure I can make it through another semester." She smiled.
"Well, every time you start to think that way, remember that you're stuck with me for the rest of your life."
"Today was unbearable."
"I told both you and Blaise that you were invited to open presents at home this morning. You went all noble and ridiculous insisting that you couldn't possibly impose after imposing on Christmas dinner last night, when in reality, you were invited to both."
"I have a present for you."
"I have one for you." But neither moved from within reach. Draco was content with just looking at her for the rest of eternity. "Which reminds me… maybe it was better that you weren't there this morning." He frowned.
"Why's that."
"Well… let's just say that Ron was being an ass about you and it sort of slipped out that we were getting married." Draco gave her a look. "Fine, it didn't slip out, it was more like he was shouting and it's what I said to get him to shut up."
"And here I thought that we wanted to do this properly."
"Just thought I'd warn you."
"With you beside me, there's nothing I can't handle – your brothers included."
(
"So, can I see my present?" she said giddily. She lay on the couch, her empty cider flute on the coffee table and her feet draped across Blaise's lap. Draco was just walking out of the kitchen, having just finished the dishes. He leaned over her and planted a kiss on her lips.
"Yeah, you've been so mysterious about it, I want to know what it is too." Blaise said pushing Ginny of him and getting up. "Shall we do the exchange now?" Ginny nodded, going to retrieve the two bags that she had brought with her.
"You know, working last summer was the best idea you two have ever had. I had so much money left over that I actually bought myself a Christmas present."
"Should I bother asking?" Blaise asked coming out of his room.
"Nope. It's for me to know and you to wonder," but the way she said it, with her eyes trained on Draco, made the other Slytherin think that one of them would be finding out just what this mysterious present was before the night was up.
"Anyway, Happy Christmas, Gin." Blaise said offering her a Gryffindor red wrapped parcel.
"I do so love Christmas! The only sad thing is that you two wouldn't let me put up a tree here."
"Next Christmas, love." Draco promised, coming to sit beside her as she carefully undid the gold ribbon and opened the package.
"Oh, wow" was the soft exclamation. "Blaise, it's above and beyond beautiful!" she exclaimed, jumping up and throwing her arms around his neck. She let the emerald green velvet cloak unroll and spill elegantly to the floor, swirling it around her shoulders. "It's absolutely perfect!"
"I thought I'd go nicely with the dress you don't know I bought you for the New Year's Ball."
"You didn't! The one with the-"
"I did. And yes the very same. It should be delivered tomorrow."
"You shouldn't have."
"How come I haven't heard of said dress?" Draco asked arching an eyebrow.
"I told you we went shopping today," Ginny said dreamily, caught up in the dress and the cloak. "I tried on this ridiculously expensive dress that I would never wear because he bullied me into it. But I'm not telling you anything about it, you'll just have to wait and see." Then she turned back to Blaise. "Thank you."
"It's my pleasure. Anyway, you both know I'm not very original, so Draco," he handed his best mate a similar package wrapped in green and silver. After Draco had opened his fine, midnight blue cloak Ginny turned to Blaise and handed him a big bright yellow bag.
"How Gryffindor of you," Draco said, eying the red one.
"She made fudge!" Blaise exclaimed. "You do know your mother makes the best fudge in the world, right?" he said pulling out the tub of chocolate fudge.
"My mother didn't make this batch," Ginny said with a smirk. "I did."
"Did you poison it?" Blaise asked suspiciously.
"Of course,"
"I'll take it!" He then unveiled a brown leather jacket. "Smoooth!" Draco squeezed Ginny's hand.
"Very appropriate, love." He said placing a kiss on her cheek. Blaise tried on the jacked, which was tailored to fit him perfectly.
"There's a card at the bottom." She said, the twinkle in her eyes implying that there was something else. Blaise pulled out the envelope and a pair of tickets from it.
"It can't be! How did you get these? They're not selling them anywhere anymore!"
"Let's just say that I was the first in line a few weeks ago when they started selling."
"Gin, you're amazing! Draco my man, we're going to see Spinx!" Draco frowned down at Ginny.
"Aren't you coming?" he asked, remembering how much she liked the band.
"I'll be in school. But you guys can tell me all about it. Do you want to open your present now?" she asked handing him the other bag.
"Ginny, what on earth – oh." He held the book out like it was the most precious thing in the world. Blaise looked read over his shoulder.
"You gave him a cookbook?" he asked incredulously, watching Draco turn the pages tenderly. Ginny giggled.
"That's not just a cookbook Blaise. I started this during your first year, when I was coped up at home all alone. I copied down my favorite recipes from my mother and grandmother's cookbooks and added some of my own. As it turned out, over the years, it started to house pictures and thoughts, so it's sort of like a cookbook turned scrapbook. Draco's been dying to get his hands on it ever since I let it slip that it existed a couple of months ago. I'm not quite done with it, sweetheart, there's so many pages left…" She added turning to Draco. "But I figured we could keep it around the house and maybe you could add in whenever you felt like it."
"Gin, I don't know what to say." Draco said looking at her, his gaze saying more than words ever could.
"Then don't say anything, silly, and see what else I've got you." Blaise and Ginny watched him pull out a small square box from the bag. "I'll bet that I'll be sorry I gave this to you now in ten years when I've run out of ideas on what to get you." He opened the black velvet box to find a beautiful white gold pocket watch. Clearly impressed, he flipped it open to see a mother of pearl background. The watch had the regular time on a small dial within the larger circle. The outer dial one hand delicately labeled with Ginny's name that pointed to seven different places or states that she might be at any given point.
"Thank you!" he said leaning in to give her a kiss. She shrugged.
"It always came in handy at home." He wordlessly handed Blaise a package, watching his friend unwrap the book.
"A thousand ways to charm the – DRACO BLOODY MALFOY YOU ARE AN INSUFFERABLE GIT!"
"I'm sorry Blaise," Ginny said trying not to fall over laughing. "But I'm afraid I'm with Draco on this one, you really need a girlfriend."
"I may be an insufferable git, but at least this git has the most perfect girlfriend in the world." Ginny rolled her eyes.
"You know I'm dying to meet this 'perfect' girlfriend of yours. I'd bet we get along." Ginny said sarcastically. Draco nuzzled her neck.
"Actually, my perfect girlfriend is going to be a little upset with me." He said tentatively. Ginny went still, while Blaise winced.
"What did you do?"
"Gin, I honestly promise that I in no way intended for things to get out of hand. I wanted to get you something nice, and I did, but then I thought that for the wedding there were a couple of family things that you might want to have and… well. Why don't you see for yourself?" he said taking her to the kitchen counter. There were two boxes that had clearly come from a jeweler's. Hesitantly, Ginny pulled the closet one towards her.
"That's what I originally got you for Christmas." She opened it to find the most unconventional string of pearls she had ever seen. They were perfectly round and a dainty cream color, instead of beaded through and together they were suspended on a fine, transparent twine about an inch apart. Ginny lifted them up delicately, admiring the three loops. She looked up to meet Draco's anxious gaze, opened her mouth to say something then hung there. Without a word, Draco pushed another box towards her. Ginny dropped the pearls carefully back to their box and closed it. He cleared his throat.
"This has been in the family for ages, I'm rather afraid I don't know much about weddings, but I figured you'd want to know it was available, just in case."
"Is that your way of saying I don't have to wear it?" she asked opening the larger box, while he nodded. She gasped. The Malfoy tiara was famous amongst the pureblooded families. Worn only when one of the heirs was to be wed, it had been handed down through the generations. Some speculated that it was older than Hogwarts. Ginny lifted it, watching the light glint through the colored stones. Emeralds, amethysts and sapphires lined the bottom, with rubies, yellow and clear diamonds and stones that Ginny couldn't possibly name formed a beautiful, multicolored flower. Part of the appeal of the piece was the variety of precious gems, the other was that it was one of the few remaining goblin made pieces in the magical world. Ginny ran a fingertip over the pearl that serves as center for the flower. Noticing her hands tremble, she set it back in the box.
"You don't have to wear it," he said seeing how overwhelmed she was by it. Ginny sighed, suddenly finding him close and pressing her forehead to his shoulder.
"I don't have anything to wear with it," she complained softly. She said pulling away and looking up to find him trying to mask his excitement. She knew it would mean a lot to him, even with his family history. The excitement turned to mischief.
"You could wear it with nothing else," he said suggestively. Ginny swatted at him.
"Draco Malfoy you git!" he put his arms around her and rested his cheek against her forehead.
"There's a whole bunch of other stuff." He said softly. "We have a separate vault where there's all this jewelry that the family's had since the dawn of time. We should go take a look sometime, see if there's anything you like." She groaned.
"Draco I don't want your family jewels. You really don't have to do this," she said looking up at him.
"But I want to," hearing the hope in his tone she closed her eyes and grinded her teeth. She could tell that he was fixed on dripping her with jewels - if she was going to become a Malfoy then damn right she was going to look the part.
"Some other time,"
"You promise?"
"I promise."
"One last thing," he said letting go of her and pulling a small box from his pocket.
"So soon?" she asked clearly excited.
"As soon as I possibly could," he murmured lovingly, then he opened the box and slipped the engagement ring on her finger.