Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, places, or ideas relating to or pertaining to the world of Harry Potter and JK Rowling. I graciously thank JK for her life-changing works and our ability as faithful readers to use her creations as our own for pure fanfic pleasure. Because honestly, if I did own the rights to Draco and Ginny, obviously they would end up together forever and always.
In the months following the Final Battle the students of Hogwarts were deemed heroes, publicly commended alongside the great Harry Potter for saving the British wizarding world. Voldemort had been defeated, and though many brave lives were lost in the process, those who remained were shouldered with the burden of guilty satisfaction. They were only teenagers but they all questioned how it was that they were chosen to live that day when so many good people had to die.
Even the Slytherins and notable "bad guys" were raved for their bravery in opposing their parents to defend the school. Draco had been somewhat shocked by the amount of positive publicity he received but went with the flow to keep at bay the rumors that his role had not been overly effective in the eventual downfall of Voldemort, his blonde head grateful that he was able to avoid linkage to his father's own scrutinizing fame. No matter how they were able to escape condemnation, Narcissa was not willing to risk their safety again and promptly packed all their bags to depart to France for a handful of months. With her son technically finished with school and her husband aiming to stay out of the public eye for a bit, she felt no qualms in rushing the two towheaded wizards into the fireplace to Floo to one of their vacation estates.
Draco spent his days in the French countryside and his nights in the Parisian outliers. Of course news had traveled to the Continent about the abrupt ending to the British wizarding war but he was grateful for the lack of notable news outlets that could provide the foreign citizens with accurate images and details of who did what and when it all happened. The Malfoy's were able to live anonymously next to a small village that accepted their strange money and randomly occupied Manor without question, the townspeople relieved to no longer have to snoop for their information about the mysterious house and its fair haired tenants.
Weeks became longer months and before they had realized the rushing movement of time, a full year had elapsed. Draco was vaguely content with his life in France, his parents constantly dotting on him but also nagging him about finding a wife and settling down. Their comments only fueled him to spread his wild oats more freely and by the time Draco realized the hole in his heart could only be filled by a flame haired witch and the bloody soil of his homeland, he had slept his way through a majority of the female population under the age of thirty within a few square kilometers. Narcissa noticed the depressing change in her son but had vowed not to return to England if she could help it. Lucius too recognized the difference in his child but dismissed it as a hankering for the boy to find something that would hold his interest for more than a minute. Draco became restless when the days eclipsed into more months and he was closer to having lived in France for two years than he was to returning to his fair Britain.
Then the wedding invitation came in the mail. Though they had not spoken in years, Blaise Zabini sent Draco the customized envelope announcing his nuptials to Luna Lovegood. Holding the simple cream invitation in front of him, Draco smirked at the notion that all of his mates would be getting married about now. The distant communication with his once best friend caused him to feel even lonelier in the French chateau; for all the beauty of the old home, he still ached to see the dark stone walls of the British Manor. Without consulting either parent, Draco sent his affirmative response with the owl before it hooted happily with the toss of a treat and flew out the open window. He would have to wait at least a day for the bird to get to the central post office and the letter to be sent quickly to England before he could offhandedly mention his departure to the British Isles to Narcissa.
As expected, the snowy Malfoy matriarch was at first furious, Lucius merely sitting by and watching with disinterest as Draco firmly stated his intents to leave France, folding the daily newspaper over his bent knee with dexterity. Narcissa could only scream and throw her thin arms into the air in defiance and that did her nothing as she realized when she was breathless and both men were still silently staring at her.
"Fine," she ultimately agreed, a fierce glare shortening her vision as one hand gripped her hip and the other pointed a finger at his face. "But when we come to visit - that Manor better be full of children."
"Thank you Mother," Draco appeased with a dutiful kiss to her cheek. Pulling back he let his excitement show with a foolish grin as he smartly remarked, "I can't promise any children but I certainly plan on having a wife before I see you again."
Ashen eyebrows rose on both his parents faces, a rapid glance between the two marking their surprise at his new love interest.
"Who's the lucky witch?" Lucius questioned dryly.
"You'll meet her," Draco promised without answering the question.
Their goodbyes were hasty, the young wizard eager to get to the International Apparation Point in Paris so he could travel quickly to London and on to Wiltshire. The short journey seemed to take hours but barely sixty minutes had passed when Draco was stepping out of the inconspicuous Muggle building to stroll down the busy sidewalk with the rhythm of pedestrians. Entering Diagon Alley would have been reminiscent but he did not want to take the chance that every other witch or wizard would recognize him and cause a stir about his return to Britain. Instead he ambled through Trafalgar Square until the sun was near set before slipping into the Leaky Cauldron with his hood drawn.
Tom paid him no mind and slowly prepared his drink when Draco occupied the last bar stool against the wall and motioned for a short glass of Firewhiskey. Sipping the amber liquid smoothly, he casually rotated his neck to glance over his fellow bar patrons, slightly disappointed when the person closest to his age was the mother nursing an infant and yelling at her two other sons to sit down and eat their food. He turned back to the bar top, drumming his long fingers against the edge of the wooden table as his chilled glass was emptied in a large swallow. When Tom grabbed the cup to refill it, Draco noticed the shadowed face of a half-naked woman on the cover of a magazine rolled into his back pocket.
Curious as to why he thought he recognized the witch, he politely asked if he could flip through the glossy pages while he drank. Confused at first as to what Draco was inferring, Tom rushed an affirmative response when he gestured to the twisted papers, tossing the magazine to the bar top before hurrying to the other end of the bar with slight embarrassment. Flipping the bulky book around, Draco curled his lips when the sheen of the cover of the newest edition of Sports Wizardry revealed the porcelain face and pale but freckled body of Ginny Weasley. Underneath the bold title of her name was the quick caption stating, "Quidditch's Hottest Player." The moving image on the front scarcely contained any movement as the close up vision of Ginny was almost lost behind the focused flaming Snitch in her open palm.
Flipping apart the sleek pages, Draco thumbed through the magazine until he caught sight of the large images of Ginny that marked her featured interview. His steely eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets as he glanced through the four page spread on the redheaded witch of his desires. The sultry and painfully sinful images reminded Draco of the many days and nights they spent together in his private rooms at Hogwarts, her soft curves teasing his fingers for the real flesh. If only the walls of that Head Boy's room could talk, he mused thoughtfully, turning the page back to slowly begin reading the accompanying story to the tantalizing photos.
The magazine was tucked into the folds of his thick cloak when Draco exited the pub several hours later, his hand patting his breast with satisfaction as he stopped short in the alley behind the magical building and cautiously Apparated to Malfoy Manor. His arrival to the abandoned house was met with somewhat joyous response from the few remaining house elves and Draco mumbled a handful of orders about cleaning and preparing food before lumbering up the main stairs to wander to the master suite. The elves had mysteriously known in advance that whenever he returned, he would be considered the Master of the Manor and would be living in such quarters. At first it felt strange for him to be disrobing in his parents' bedroom but the dark black and silver furnishings that had adorned his previous chambers were decorating these rooms and it only took a steaming bath for Draco to walk back into the suite and consider it his own.
Blaise's wedding was still two weeks away but he intended to begin preparing for the festivities the next day. Ginny was sure to be there as Luna's maid of honor and Draco was beyond eager to see the witch and more than ready to sweep her off her feet once more. He had already checked and had been disappointed to learn that she would be out of the country with the Holyhead Harpies until only days before the ceremony but Draco considered that only a small derailment in his plans. When the time came and they finally saw each other after too many years apart, he knew nothing else would matter but getting Ginny in his arms, once and for all.
If he thought the days had been long when he was anxiously looking for an excuse to leave France, Draco knew the hours spanning between him and Blaise's wedding would be tortuously slow. His return to the Manor kept the house elves in a flurry, as if they had the duty to rearrange and redecorate every room and space in the entire estate to his likings, and he evenly told them every day that the refurnishings would wait until a later date. He was then kept busy with making sure that the sneaky creatures did not disobey him and start refurbishing the whole lot under his nose. When he was not meandering through the many hallways of the Manor, pausing to talk to his ancestor's portraits or admire an astonishing view from a floor to ceiling panel of glass, Draco remained in the library next to the roaring fire with many books spread around him. Knowledge was something one could never have enough of and he knew this all too well as his brain craved entertainment and sensical musings. The many tomes on wizarding laws were atop the pile, along with the wizarding genealogy records, both large volumes covering many other topics that had amused his interest. Hours were spent pouring over the scrawlings and the days vanished until he glanced up the night before and distractedly remembered the big event was only a sunrise away.
At last the day finally arrived and he was jumping out of bed with the rising sun as overwhelming excitement frazzled his normally calm nerves. Blaise's wedding began many hours later in the late afternoon but that did not stop Draco from dressing in his fancy black trousers and a crisp white, button down shirt as if he were preparing to leave for the ceremony soon. Fredrique was not surprised to see the Master stride into the kitchens much earlier than usual nor was he shocked when Draco energetically bounced on the balls of his feet as he hesitated in choosing a quick breakfast before running out the door to burn off some of his anxiety.
Luna had told Ginny that Blaise had invited her long lost lover but since she had been out of contact while overseas with the Harpies, the bride had neglected to mention to her fiery best friend that Draco had responded with a confirming reply, no extra guest needed. Still, as the minutes ticked by the fair haired witch dreamily waited for her father to come get them for the bridal march and Ginny openly fretted over Luna's billowy gown, sparkling tiara, and misplaced veil to hide her nerves at the possibility of seeing the platinum wizard again.
"Don't worry, Ginny," the blonde witch airily remarked. "Stress can attract Gnargles and Draco might not want to come near you if they're swarming you."
"He's coming? He'll be here?" The redhead asked, visibly distressed as she worried further under the rapid beating of her anxious heart.
"I suppose so," Luna half responded. "Blaise never mentioned it when he got the RSVP."
"Don't tease me Luna! Is he going to be here or not?" Ginny demanded nervously.
"The Gnargles - I think I see them," her best friend modestly joked, her serene face the picture of innocence as she pretended to swat at the invisible creatures.
"Fine," Ginny hmphed, crossing her freckled arms over the satin bust of her rich chocolate dress as an agitated frown twisted her pink lips. "Don't tell me." She turned abruptly, stalking to the opposite side of the wide circular room, flaming curls flowing behind her with the swift rotation.
"Don't forget to tie the bow around your waist!" Luna called as she flung open the wooden door and rushed through the exit, the garish yellow ribbon wrapped around her wrist so purposefully could not forget to adorn the fabric that so horribly clashed with her ensemble.
As she sped down the wide hallway of the Zabini Manor, Ginny nearly plowed over Mr. Lovegood as she rounded a sharp corner that would take her outside to the back gardens. Dressed in bright yellow robes that matched her silky sash exactly, Xenophilius braced her upper arms and stilled them both as he excitedly smiled at his daughter's best friend.
"I was just coming you to get you girls! The ceremony is about to start!" He announced, utter joy at Luna's marriage seeming contagious as she pushed up the corners of her mouth and smiled genuinely.
"She's still back in the study making final adjustments," Ginny stated, one foot stepping backwards as she scooted away from Xenophilius. "I'll meet you at the entrance to the ballroom - I need to get some air first."
"Certainly, my dear!" He automatically responded. "Weddings make everyone a little. . . romantic, shall we say." With an odd twirling of his flaxen locks, the father of the bride easily trotted down the hallway to retrieve his daughter for the ceremony. Ginny sighed heavily, a dainty hand lightly running over her brow as she turned to continue her path outside.
The shade of a large oak tree proved chillier than she anticipated but Ginny hugged her arms around her lean torso to hold warmth as she thickly inhaled the fresh air. Where was all of her spunky courage and Gryffindor bravery now when she needed the self-assurance that even if Draco did show up, everything would be alright? She tried but Ginny could barely muster the strength to walk back inside when several minutes passed and she knew the bride would be waiting for her. The wretched yellow sash looped around her muscled waist and knotted in a large bow against her back, she forcefully smiled when she stopped in front of the Lovegood pair and Luna handed her a small bouquet of white lilies.
Before she could think twice to dart off and skip her walk down the aisle, the grand double doors opened simultaneously and a uniformed usher grinned widely as the processional music began and a collective swoosh echoed as the many guests stood up to watch their entrance. Luna softly encouraged her forward and without thinking Ginny took the first step into the lavishly decorated ballroom. Hundreds of eyes were on her as she slowly proceeded down the carpeted walkway between the two sections of guests and she politely smiled and nodded to the various faces she recognized in the crowds, brown eyes hastily scanning the people to find a familiar head of blonde hair. As the aisle grew shorter and she heard the unanimous gasp at Luna's entrance into the room, Ginny disappointingly frowned and moved to the appropriate, designated spot at the front of the assembled space, slight discouragement evident when she had not seen Draco's obvious head within the people.
And then - the small sea of Weasley heads huddled together near the front parted and she saw him. He was sitting on the very end of a row near the middle, his piercing silver gaze trained to her face, a sly smirk in place, as everyone else was watching the bride's walk. Ginny felt the air halt in her lungs, her chocolate eyes bulging momentarily until she remembered to breathe and trained her neck to stare at her radiant best friend, vision wandering to the blip of a white head through her peripheral. She was thankful that Luna and Xenophilius blocked her view of him when they paused in front of the alter, Blaise swiftly moving in to take her arm as the emotional father stepped backwards with tears in his rounded eyes. The young couple grinned stupidly, their fingers intertwining and clasping tightly as the room quieted and the booming voice of the wizard officiating the ceremony began speaking.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the joyous union of two brightly magical souls. Blaise and Luna care about each and every one of you and are willing to share their harmonious day with you. In lieu of traditional vows, the couple has chosen to speak their own words."
Luna stared at Blaise as if he were her shining star lighting her path and Ginny felt somewhat nauseated at the blatant happiness. A loud cough from the audience disturbed her even tuning out of the romantic, personal vows as she casually twisted her neck to glance over the guests. Mocha met mercury when she attempted to nonchalantly catch Draco's gaze and Ginny felt the strength give out in her knees as he held her stare without blinking, his silver orbs silently conveying the emotions he still felt for the flame haired witch.
Minutes must have elapsed while they stared at each other because suddenly a polite cough echoed just behind her, jolting her attention as Ginny realized the entire room was staring at her in anticipation.
"The ring," Luna whispered softly. "Ginny - I need the ring."
Flush crawling up her cheeks and giving away her embarrassment, she hastily slipped the too large ring off her thumb and slid it into Luna's outstretched palm. "Sorry," she mouthed but the bride only smiled dreamily and turned back to the handsome dark skinned wizard who was adoringly watching her.
Attention back to the happy couple, Ginny looked down nervously before quickly glancing to the far side of the ballroom. All of her anxiety evaporated when she saw the empty seat at the end of the row where Draco had been sitting. Crestfallen but feeling stupid for putting her hopes in someone who might not have even been the Malfoy heir in the first place, Ginny returned her sights on the ending ceremony as Blaise roughly pulled Luna against his chest and they kissed passionately. She strode to the middle of the front of the 'stage' and stiffly slid her hand around the proffered arm of Zacharias, Blaise's half-brother and best man, slowly trudging behind the bride and groom as the happy couple exited under a shower of yellow rose petals.
"Come on, Red," the younger wizard whispered against her ear, the nickname sending a chill up her spine since the last person to call her that had been Draco, and the reference could not be as random as Ginny hoped it to be. "I have a stash of bottles upstairs. They're not serving liquor - we need to have a few drinks first."
Tight smile still in place, Ginny calmly eased her arm past his grasp once they were in the main hallway with guests rapidly following and began walking in the opposite direction of the masses, hoping to slip into the room readied for the reception to snag a bottle of champagne and slip outside. "You go. I'll meet you upstairs in a few minutes. Just gotta use the loo."
Zacharias grinned wolfishly, his clear blue eyes resembling Blaise's so much as he tore a glance up and down her curvy, muscular body. Ginny cocked an auburn eyebrow at his brazen stares, realizing that he intended to get her drunk enough to fuck him at some point during the evening. That was no where near to what would actually happen and she was growing agitated that he had not left yet when randomly, Zacharias peered behind her, his eyes growing wide as they darted between Ginny and the shadows beyond her. A fearful frown yanked down his thick lips and the dark haired boy hurriedly twisted to steadily walk down the hallway into the increasing crowd of guests.
Shrugging her shoulders and blinking once, Ginny turned to see what had scared her admirer off. But only shadows meet her chocolate gaze, a dismissive shake of her head ignoring what could have sent Zacharias running off before she continued the short distance to the separate double doors that led into the reception. A handful of waiters looked up when she entered the room, panic flooding their eyes as they recognized the witch in charge of all of the preparations. Lips tucked into a tight smile, Ginny sped to the long bar set up along the side wall and deftly reached over the counter to grab the handle of an ice cold bottle of golden champagne.
"But ma'am -" the young bartender protested, his hesitant steps bringing him closer to Ginny as she dropped back to the far side of the bar, water dripping off the bottle as she held it against her side. Both eyebrows raised at his interruption of her theft and the wizard's mouth opened and closed several times before he stumbled on a string of words. "I'll just - I'll, I'll go get another bottle."
"Good boy," Ginny falsely praised him and a fake grin twisted her facial features as he spun around to hurry away. Stowing the icy bottle under her arm, she glanced over the room in its entirety to nod in satisfaction, moving back to the slightly ajar door and closing it behind her as she entered the hallway once more. Stepping out into the middle of the corridor, Ginny fought the feeling that she was being watched, rapidly gazing down the hallway behind her to find the majority of the guests loudly conversing in the main foyer. Pushing the heightened notions away, she pressed her arm more firmly to her torso to steady the champagne bottle as she hurried her steps until the almost hidden doorway to the side of the back gardens popped up and she rushed to turn the doorknob and slip past the entryway to the outdoor space.
Shoulders sagging and a large exhale leaving her almost weary, Ginny ambled to the far side of the gardens where a private sitting area was tucked away behind an ostentatious hedge of roses. The glass bottle crunched against the gritty stone seat, set down so she could slide her wand from its stiff position beneath the tight dress and her left ribs to cast a warming charm on the small space. A rippling heat rolled over her bare arms and Ginny shivered in response, goose bumps blanketing her naked flesh as the growing cold was vanished from the magical bubble. The stone bench was still chilled but she worked to ignore the biting sensation on her ass, pressing her knees around the large bottle as her nimble fingers wasted no time in peeling off the wrapping covering the cork. One hand gripped the neck of the bottle as the other fisted around the cork, pulling and twisting until the pressure inside the bottle propelled the stopper out of the mouth and across the garden to roll against the stone wall.
Before fizzy bubbles could even begin to rise up through the funneled glass neck, Ginny brought the small opening to her mouth and tipped her head back as she guzzled the champagne very unladylike. The light alcoholic drink slid down her throat easily, her chocolate eyes squeezing shut when lone tears formed at the corners and threatened to spill over her lashes at the scant thought that she had gotten all worked up about this wedding, about seeing Draco again, for no reason at all. It had been two, very long years since she had last seen him - why on earth would be come back now? Surely by now he was married to a beautiful French woman whom his parents both loved. He had to have moved on by now, hadn't he?
The champagne bottle was almost half empty when Ginny startled, an errant snapping of twigs signaling someone's presence. It was impossible to see through the thick hedge of roses so whenever the person rounded the corner to stand in front of the mouth of private setting would be when Ginny saw her intruder. Several minutes passed and the only noises she heard were from chirping birds. Turning back to face the middle of the sitting area, she had the bottle held at her lips, ready to begin chugging again, when she caught movement in her peripheral vision.
"I spent many summers here as a child," he smoothly drawled, gliding across the distance as a foreboding chill shivered her spine. "I would be able to find you in any hidden space on this property."
At first glance, Ginny thought she was imagining him - Draco was too perfect, his shaggy blonde hair gracing the tops of his shoulders just so and his toned body erectly straight as he came closer, his grey eyes trained on her like a predator stalking its prey. But he was very much real; she could even smell his manly cologne and personal scent the instant he came within a short enough distance. Draco stopped short of the stone bench, his large feet spread evenly as he greedily drank her in, silvery head tilting to the side as he impromptly asked the most obvious question in his mind but an unusual, although expected, query for Ginny.
"Where's Potter?"
The two words hung in the air and Ginny jerked her chin forward to bring her mocha gaze up to meet the mercury eyes that had haunted her dreams and waking hours since the last time she had seen them.
"Probably off with his new wife, I suppose," she blandly replied, all of her strength willing her eyes to hold his gaze as Draco continued to unblinkingly meet her steady stare.
"Hmm," he noncommittally responded before Ginny rather bluntly blurted out, "What are you doing here?"
The rare, genuine smile that had always, and forever would, tugged at her heartstrings crept the corners of his plump lips up as Draco lightly chuckled at her honest question.
"The same reason you are, Gin - to see true love and hope that magic will rub off on me," he candidly answered.
Nervous gaze dropping to stare at the tops of his shiny leather shoes, taking in his taut physique as they traveled down his trim body, Ginny set the champagne bottle aside as her fingers twisted together in her lap. "Did you come just to see me?" She asked without looking up, all courage gone as she faced the one wizard who could stumble her words and falter her heartbeat.
"Don't be so pretentious, love," Draco mildly joked, his platinum head dipping so he could peer around the cascading waves of flaming curls to see her bowed face. "Of course I did," he corrected himself, "I would do anything to see you."
"Where have you been for the past two years then?" Ginny quickly responded, heated gaze turning up to scornfully meet his slightly widened stare. "Hiding out in France with mummy and daddy?"
"I - I -" Draco stuttered. "I thought you wanted to be with Potter. I thought you wanted space," he reached, his words stretched thin as his voice pitched, hoping to further convey the honesty behind his excuse. "After the Final Battle, you just - I didn't think you deserved me when better men were clamoring for your attention. I didn't want to see you unhappy," he lamely finished, silver gaze imploring her to believe that leaving Hogwarts that day without her had been one of the hardest things he had done so far in his short life.
"I wanted you," Ginny bit out, her tone intensifying as her chin quivered, belying the angry mask she was attempting to portray. "I've always, only, wanted you."
"I'm sorry, Gin," Draco hurriedly apologized, his long legs eating up the short distance until he was kneeling before her, his large hands grabbing her woven fingers and pulling them to his chest, shocking chemistry sparking at the touch. "I didn't know! I thought you didn't want me anymore."
"I needed you and you left me," Ginny brokenly moaned, tears springing to her chocolate eyes as her encompassing sadness laced her words. "You left me, Draco - for France."
"Oh, love," he groaned, guilt enshrouding his thumping heart and constricted chest as he shifted to sit next to her on the stone bench, one arm wrapping around her shoulders and the other pulling her hands into his lap as Draco crushed Ginny sideways against his torso, his blonde head turning so he could gently place a loving kiss to her creased brow. "I'll never leave you again. Never. I promise."
"Never say never," Ginny mumbled against his shoulder, a slight, silly grin turning up the corners of her lips as Draco enveloped her tightly.
"I swear on my life that I'll never leave you, Ginny," Draco truthfully promised, his silver gaze meeting her hopeful eyes as she pressed her chin into his left breast and looked up. "You're mine and I'm never letting you go."
Her grin expanded into a full blown smile as Ginny wrapped her arms around his torso and inched her face closer to his bent head.
"Never?" She playfully chided.
"Never ever," Draco whispered and his mouth closed the distance as he pressed his lips to hers soundly, sealing his promise with a kiss as Ginny sighed in content and let her brown eyes fall shut. She did not think that when she finally saw Draco again she would have so easily forgiven his past mistakes, that she would have so hastily let him back into her life with little more than a hurried apology. But if the Final Battle, and the many lives lost there, had taught her anything, it was that life is too short to wait around for the big event to come to you. Just like Harry had to walk into the forest to let Voldemort kill him so he could come back and destroy the remainder of the villain's soul, Ginny had to accept Draco's sudden reappearance as her second chance at what she had missed out on the first time around. She had to take the opportunities given to her and make the most of the consequences of her actions.
"Come on, love," Draco roughly mumbled against her lips when they parted for a breathing second. "We should go back inside before every one wonders where the maid of honor went off to and I decide that I want more than just your lips for now."
Smirking happily, Ginny parted her jaw to nip lightly at the sensitive skin of the column of his neck, her fingers weaving through the thick locks at the base of his skull to keep his head close to hers. "It doesn't matter," she throatily whispered next to his ear. "You have all of me for the rest of your life."
The groan coming up his throat became a moan as Ginny bit down on the soft flesh of his earlobe, her lips trailing down his firm jawline in a tempting manner that sent a majority of his blood rushing below his waist. Draco attempted to keep his fluttering eyelids open and only succeeded when his wide palms gently gripped Ginny's shoulders to pull her away from his neck.
"Don't tease me, witch," he admonished, falsely serious. "Now come - I want to have a dance with my future wife in front of all of the on looking guests as they jealously bask in our perfection."
Unwrapping his arms and standing fluidly, Draco offered Ginny an open palm as she followed his movement and gracefully stood within a hair's breadth from his tall frame.
"Shall we?" He asked playfully, his bent elbow proffered for her assistance as Ginny slid a pale, freckled hand to rest on the crook of his arm, the question weighty as he implied and she presumed the question to encompass the unspoken agreement that they would be together.
"We shall," Ginny responded, flaming head resting against the outline of his shoulder as Draco nodded once in contention and turned their direction to begin leading them back to the Manor.
The reception was well underway when they finally walked through the double doors and although Blaise and Luna were in the middle of their first dance, a large proportion of the guest's attention was diverted to Draco and Ginny as they quietly entered the room hand in hand. The young pair paid no mind to the prying eyes as they strode through the sitting guests to approach the dance floor and become the first couple to join the newlyweds. Draco grinned as his hands tightly wove around Ginny's waist and she held herself within the circle of his arms, not caring who saw them as the gaping hole in her chest seemed to have mended itself the moment she saw her blonde haired wizard again.
"See," Luna prodded Blaise knowingly, her dreamy gaze floating to the loving couple as she smiled easily for her best friend. "I told you that if we invited him, everything would fall back into place. Now they're happy and they only have us to thank."
"Why do you think I married you?" Blaise replied cheekily, his sharp eyes glancing to the Malfoy wizard as Draco leaned down to whisper something to Ginny and she languidly tossed her head back to laugh, their romance quickly budding as the newlyweds watched another love spring to life from the remains of Voldemort's hideous reign of terror.
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A/N:
Thank you for reading! Only one more chapter to go!
Review and let me know what you think! Any feedback is good feedback for me.
And yes, it was Draco that Zacharias saw in the shadows of the hallway before he scurried off and away from Ginny.