For anyone following this story - I'm sorry for the wait. My life got turned upside down then kicked around a few times for good measure this past week and I've been a wreck. I did manage to get together chapter four for you though!
It took the Britain years to truly recover from Voldemort's rule, though Wizengamot took much less time doling out punishments of the known Death Eater's and Voldemort sympathizers they'd been able to capture.
Draco Malfoy being one of them.
Lucius's trial had been short, simple, to the point. He was deemed guilty, without a doubt. However, despite that and all the evidence stacked against him, he got off without so much of a scratch, besides the absolutely tarnished Malfoy name, and a few hundred thousand gallons missing from his vault.
Narcissa was found innocent, due to her overall lack of fighting and her helping Harry in the final battle; even with her own self-serving reason for doing so.
Draco. Draco was given much of the same deal. Despite his efforts to kill Dumbledore, and the crimes he committed against others in his efforts.. Despite his role in the final battle, despite what he did at Hogwarts.. He was somehow, miraculously found innocent.
Much to the disgust of many, mind you. Ron and Harry wasted no time in loudly discussing their opinions, while Hermione was a little more reserved in doing so (at least around Ginny) after the first time the girl had stormed from the room, slamming the door behind her.
She'd been approached about it later. Hermione came up while she was sitting by the pond, skipping rocks and staring at the water, a habit she'd taken up not long after the fight. She questioned the girl on why she reacted the way she did, and before long.. The truth spilled out. The sloppy, drunken lovemaking session in the Head Boy's room in January when she gave him her virginity. How she slipped out of his bed before he woke up, taking nothing but her clothing and leaving her pride behind. How she avoided him as much as possible, but couldn't help seeing him. How he let her off the hook for things he got others for. How he begged her to stay safe in the middle of the battle.. His comforting words afterwards, how he hugged her close and brushed away the tears and eventually gave her something better to think about.. How she hadn't seen him since, only heard news about him through the Daily Prophet, Harry, Ron and Hermione herself.
Before long, she was crying again, the tears streaming silently down her cheeks while her best friend wrapped an arm around her and just listened, making soothing sounds when appropriate. Not long after, they both made their way back to the house, and while neither of them mentioned it.. a few days later, when Hermione approached Ginny with an interesting offer.
"Molly said we could go to Diagon Alley, just you and I, visit George and.. Lee, check out the joke shop, go get lunch and see how the repairs are going. Do you want to go?" Go to Diagon Alley? Practically alone? No escort from the Ministry to breathe down her neck, no Ron and Harry complaining about Draco? No Percy, who despite his efforts, was still too uptight to make being around comfortable? No Fleur flitting around, no over-protective Charlie? No parents?
"Is that even a question, Mione?!" A grin broke out across her face, and Ginny quickly threw together an outfit; jean muggle shorts that were a dark blue, paired with a flowy white shirt, cinched together between the shoulder blades, the sides longer than the front and back. "Let's go!"
It was so different. Ginny still remembered her trip to Diagon Alley after turning 11, the joy, the wonder, getting fitted for robes. The alley had been packed; people were everywhere, children of all ages running around. There was laughter, smiles. People talked to each other; they stood around, letting their children play together.
This trip was a completely different story.
As Ginny and Hermione reached the alley, while all the repairs had long since been completed, people still hurried, heads down and children's hands clasped firmly in theirs. It was habit, she supposed. It'll return to normal soon. It will. And so, she walked. On and on with Hermione, with no set destination in mind yet. Instead, they wandered through the alley, going into whatever shop they fancied.
When Hermione went to Flourish and Blotts though, Ginny wandered off, making her way down to Quality Quidditch Supplies. They had recently released a new broom, the Lightning Strike. The handle was made out of a beautiful golden color, with a fine tale of finely combed black twigs, the words Lightning Strike along the top in a black cursive. There was no way she'd ever be able to get it, but a girl could dream, couldn't she?
"So, the littlest Weasel has expensive taste.. It is a rather good broom if I do say so myself." The voice was almost mocking, but not quite and Gin quickly spun around, finding herself toe to toe with one Mr. Blaise Zabani. Taking a quick step back, she reached up to tuck her hair behind her ear, scanning the area around them.
"You would have the newest, fastest model. Always trying to one-up everyone else, aren't you?"
"I'm not alone in doing so, Ginevra. Drake and I have a good amount of fun riding together."
The mention of his name had an instant effect on the girl, one that despite her best efforts to hide it -Stop it, Gin! Stop it! He can't know! Unless he already does..? Stop it! Drake would never tell!- "He's around here somewhere, you know. Seems a little birdie asked him to come to the alley today, had a pretty convincing argument too. He hasn't left his home since he was cleared and returned his wand. I guess you being here explains it." Someone told him to come today? For what? …. Hermione.
"It is now." He returned the smile, and they slowly began to talk over the ice cream. About the war, the trial, the deaths they'd both suffered. They talked about Harry, they talked about Hermione. His mum and hers. Talking to him wasn't like talking to her family; they all treated certain subjects like fractured glass that could shatter with even one wrong word; he just talked. They joked, they were serious. The only subject they didn't address was them. If there even was a them, as they played footsie under the table and talked in a way neither of them had in months, maybe even years.
Once they'd finished eating, they returned the bowls and walked down the alley, to where they was a park; it was new, and there was a memorial spot near the middle of the park, where they looped the perimeter in circles. Before long, they had begun holding hands. Ginny had heard a few camera shutters, and while it didn't bug her, every time Draco heard one, his hand instinctively tightened, then loosened as she rubbed small circles onto his skin with her thumb. It was nice, so inexplicably nice to just have a conversation where she didn't have to censor herself, where she wasn't being treated like glass that would break at the first sign of something traumatic.
"I'm who your mother warned you about, Ginny." The words came out of nowhere; they'd been quiet, just holding hands.. Then.. what just happened? Where-?"And I mean that literally, I'm sure. There is no way she didn't warn you about me. I'm bad news, Gin. I'm a Malfoy. My name is tarnished, my family home isn't what it used to be. And despite Mother's claims, we are nowhere as wealthy as we used to be. I can't give you the life you deserve Gin. The life you could have with anyone else.. I'm bad, I'm bad for you, I'm bad to be around.. There's always going to be people who want to hurt me for what I did, for what my father did. Depending on what side they're on, they could hurt you also in retaliation. It's not worth it Gin.. please, please just.. Let it go."
"So I'm not worth it?" The words came quick, almost as quickly as she'd jerked her hand from his and turned to glare at him. "Do you think I care about your family name? You are Draco. Not Malfoy. You are more than your name. And if you think money, of all things, matters to me, you are wrong! I don't want anyone else, Drake. You're right, I could go marry Harry, be crowned next to him as saviors of the wizarding world, but I don't want that! I want you, Draco. But if I'm not worth-" Suddenly, there were lips on hers.
His hot lips on hers, hands on her hips, pulling her flush to his body. One hand made it's way up to the nape of her neck, where he slowly twisted his fingers into her hair, tugging her head back as he slowly walked forward, and before she knew what was happening, there was a tree behind her and she was holding onto him as though she was drowning and he was the only way to survive.. And that's what it felt like.
As though the last seven months she'd been drowning without him, after that first true meeting between the two of them. And he'd given her short gasps of breaths here and there.. And now she was floating high again, with him. "Drake." Her breath was ragged, and as she stared up into his eyes, she ran her thumb over his cheekbones.
"You're worth everything."