In an attempt to look casual Ginny wore jeans and a sweater. If the jeans happened to be her treasured pair that made her butt look smaller and the sweater was one that hinted at a little more cleavage than usual it was purely coincidental. She was going for the "I just threw it on five minutes ago, yet I look amazing" look.

When they arrived, James deemed the house "cool" and the garden "pretty sweet". The TV however was "beyond awesome". The friendship between the two boys seemed to be solidifying as they sat on the floor and munched popcorn, cheering and cat calling as things blew up on the screen. She really wished they'd sit on the couch. As it were, it was just her and Draco and she was so aware of where he was it felt as if she'd put a Tracking Charm on him. Wherever he was, her body seemed to know, feeling a pull behind her navel, similar to travelling with a Portkey, if less violent.

He was just sitting there, watching the movie, smelling divine and looking as good as sin in jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt. If she'd been in any doubt of his shape it was clear now that he did something. Ran, played sports, whatever. It was all long, slim muscles under that shirt and her hands ached to play over the hard planes.

She had no idea what was going on in the movie. She doubted the plot was very complicated but with him there it was impossible to concentrate. So when James expressed an urgent need for more popcorn she jumped at the chance. Away from him, away from the incessant need to touch him that was attacking her brain like a million little ants. Well in the kitchen she drew a deep breath and leaned her hot forehead against the cool door of the refrigerator. How was she supposed to deal with this? Her son was in there, Merlin help her, and was probably the only thing preventing her from pouncing on Draco.

He shouldn't be allowed to sit all cool and collected, looking immaculate and so damn tasty just a few feet from her. She wanted him to not be able to look away from her. She wanted him to suffer like she was suffering.

Give it up, Ginny, she thought. The man is a walking heartthrob; he must have hundreds of girls lining up. Girls who're better looking, younger, not divorced mothers of teenagers who hadn't had a date in fifteen years. He liked her well enough, she was a friend in the same situation as he was, raising a child on her own. But he didn't have her like a fever in the blood. Didn't feel like kissing her until he was out of air.

"Are you okay?" She snapped her head up.

"Ah, yes. Just warm. I was…looking for a bowl." He leaned on the doorjamb and crossed his arms.

"Cupboard on the right." She opened it and stood on her toes to reach it.

"I can't quite seem to reach…" She could, if she really tried. Or she could get her wand out and summon it. But she heard him cross the room and her heart started beating heavier, slow almost painful beats that she was sure he must be able to hear. She felt the heat of his body as he reached over her, into the cupboard. His chest brushed her back as he leaned in and she felt a shiver run from the tip of her scalp down to her toes. Slowly, he put the bowl down in front of her, both of his hands holding it, with his arms on either side of her, almost like an embrace. Without breaking contact she slowly turned, her eyes downcast. His arms tightened around her and she finally dared to look up. She didn't have time to read the mood in his eyes before his mouth was on hers and everything around them dimmed. Her senses seemed to bring sharply into focus all that he was doing at once; everywhere his body was touching hers, brought into harsh clarity.

With a moan she didn't know she'd been holding back she pressed him closer, feeling the hard planes she'd been fantasizing about meld with her curves. Her hands travelled over the expanse of his back and wound themselves in his beautiful hair. She thought she felt him groan, through the layers of fabric between them that suddenly seemed way too thick. She wanted his skin, she wanted to know what he tasted like, everywhere. She felt his tongue skillfully push against hers and she deepened the kiss. His arms tightened around her waist before he completely lifted her off her feet and turned them around, roughly pushing her up against the wall. She brought her legs up around his waist and pushed with her heels to bring them closer. As she felt his core press against hers, a mewling sound escaped her, a plea for more, anything, just more. From the way her blood was pounding there she could have sworn her heart had traveled south inside her body.

With one arm still supporting her weight his unoccupied hand reached the hemline of her shirt and pushed under it. His hands on her bare skin felt like nothing she had ever experienced as it sent shocks straight from his fingertips to the building pool of desire at her core. It was too much, yet she needed more and her hips rolled helplessly against his. A groan tore out of his throat as he matched her actions and the liquid heat inside her threatened to erupt.

"Mum, where's the popcorn?" James called from the living room. They both froze and Draco gently put her down. Wide-eyed she met his eyes, darker than ever with a desire no one had looked at her with before.

"Merlin," she breathed.

"I'll say," Draco chuckled weakly. Her voice slightly unsteady she called,

"I think we're all out." A chorus of "oh, man!" rang out. She heard the movie credits start to roll, the explosions finally ceasing as she and Draco stood, both breathing heavily.

"Mum, can we watch another one, please?" Merlin, she couldn't stay near this man without ripping his clothes off for another five minutes, let alone an hour and a half.

"Next time", she called back, "we're going to have to go." More disappointed sighs resounded and then a lot of shuffling. Quickly Draco pulled at her hand to turn her towards him.

"I was going to wait to ask one more night but it seems…unnecessary now. Will you… go out with me? On a…date?"
"Yes." The answer was out before her brain had fully caught the question.

"I'll call you."

"Just…we might have to slow down a bit. I have…things to consider." She said just as the Thing in question burst through the door.

"Man, mum, you missed the whole end bit! It was awesome, there was one guy who just swooped in and he planted a bomb and it blew up the White House. It was awesome."

"And when that assassin came in through the window and just slit his throat from behind?" Score added, and her heart lifted. It was so normal. The teenage boy excitement over blood and explosions.
"That was pretty sweet!" A play by play followed as Draco kept her hand in his, their joined hands hidden behind the kitchen island. She had a hard time concentrating on her son's rendition of a scissor kick when he kept caressing the point in her wrist where her pulse still hammered. In the end she had to rather rudely interrupt her son to remind him to get his jacket but he seemed in too good a mood to mind and the two boys drifted out, talk of explosions along with several sound effects echoing in the hall.

"Can I just say, by the way, that you look beyond awesome tonight?" Ginny laughed at his use of her son's words.

"You can. You look pretty sweet yourself."

"So I'll make you a deal. We'll slow down, but you can't wear those jeans again." Thanks, trusty Levis, she thought.

"Deal. But you can't wear that grey cashmere sweater."

"Fair enough. You've got a deal, Weasley."

"Pleasure doing business with you, Malfoy." She saw his eyes darken again as he opened his mouth to reply. Then the boys were back and with a hurried goodbye she ushered James to the Apparition point.

o.O.o

Sweet Merlin, Morgana and Circe! Draco closed the door to his bedroom and leaned against it. If he had ever imagined that moment…and okay, he had, numerous times, it hadn't been close to how it actually felt to kiss Ginevra Weasley, to feel her skin under his hands.

It had been…explosive, violent, like being swept up in a whirling storm, all sense of the now losing importance as you just got pulled along. His son had been in the next room and it hadn't mattered, her son had been in the next room and it hadn't mattered. They had been in his kitchen for heaven's sake and it hadn't mattered. Slowly, he sat down on his bed. He would have to be more careful from now on.

He'd thought the infatuation had died a long time ago but it seemed now like it had only been gaining strength under the surface and the old feelings mixed confusingly with the new. There was still that undeniable ache to touch her which he knew well, the way he couldn't keep his eyes from searching her features for the answer to why they were so compelling to him. Yet there were new ones too. Feelings that had nothing to do with how she looked or who she had been at school. How she struggled to do her best for her son, how her eyes lit when she looked at him, the very same way he looked at his own son. The admiration he felt for her leaving a husband she still loved in many ways to stand on her own. How she worked tirelessly to support her son when all she had to do was whisper and Potter would drown them in galleons. The way she laughed, that full, rich sound and the glimpse of surprise that came a split second before it, like she was surprised to be laughing. He wanted to make her laugh. To make her content, to make her happy. He lay back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. He wanted to make her want the way he wanted her. And maybe, just maybe, she could. He'd always imagined she'd be sweet, gentle but she had matched him step for step, pulling him closer, wanting more. Wild unbridled passion was what he'd tasted in her. It beat sweet any day.

And he'd get the chance to have it again. He couldn't believe it, he was actually going on a date with Ginny. A real, grown-up dinner, just the two of them. Suddenly sweat broke out on his palms. No buffers in the shape of their children, just him and his sad story. Would she still like him if she knew him better? Would she be disgusted if she knew all his truths? Know that he was weak? He rolled over on his side and reprimanded himself. He was not that boy anymore. He was an adult who made his own choices, and good ones too, if his son was any indication. So he'd…He smothered the thoughts. Had she said anything about it? No. She'd known him, well of him, in school and she'd still say yes. Which only means you have more to prove, the snide voice in his head added.

There was a knock on the door and Score poked his head in, his hair sticking out on either side, which Draco knew was a sign of him having worn his headphones.

"Hey." Draco sat again to lean his back against the headboard. Score wandered in, disinterestedly picking things up and putting them down again.

"Hey yourself." Slowly he was making his way towards the bed.

"So…" He spoke as he poked at the picture of him and Blaise on the mantle and Draco raised an eyebrow.

"Ye-es?" Smiling at himself for dragging it out, Score turned and blurted, "What happened in the kitchen?"

"I think you may be too young to know." His son whooped and jumped up on the bed.

"Really? Just now? You had sex in the kitchen?" Draco lost all air in his lungs in shock as he was torn between a desperate urge to laugh and be stern.

"Merlin, no! We were in the kitchen for five minutes and you two midgets were in the next room. We kissed, you little pervert." Score fell forward in mock despair. Then he peeked up to look at his dad.

"How was it?"

"R rated. And great. That's all you need to know."

"R rated means tongue and-"

"- it means none of your business." Draco drilled a finger in his ribs and Score laughed and squirmed helplessly.

"I give! I give!" Score rolled away panting from laughter and exhaustion. Draco pushed his hair out of his eyes and leaned back against the headboard again. "So what happened next?"

"We got interrupted by two inconsiderate popcorn-seekers."

"You should have put a sock on the door."

"Ha-ha. Do you need another lesson in manners, there?" He joked and Score rolled away.

"No! Not the tickling of death!" Draco smiled and was glad that was among the worst "punishments" his son ever had to endure. His own father had been less considerate in his choosing.

"But then, we decided that we're going to go out without the hindrance of teenage presence."

"You're going on a date?"

"That we are." Score laughed again and rolled back closer to pat him on the leg.

"Way to go. I can't believe she said yes. Do you think it's out of pity?"

"Aren't you just hilarious today? If you don't watch it I'm bringing your baby pictures to the date. I'll show them around the restaurant."

"No, no, I didn't mean it! Why wouldn't she say yes? I mean we share genes after all!" Score pleaded.

"Oh, now you admit it?"

"Well, when you get dates with hot redheads I can admit we're related. Normally, not so much." Draco laughed and lounged for him.

"Okay, that's it, now you're getting it." His wider reach ensured he could catch Score and with an evil cackle he brought him close, Score already wriggling and laughing.

o.O.o

In the name of their new, honest relationship, Ginny decided it was only fair she told James of her date. It had gone over less than ideal. First he'd just looked uncomprehending.

"A date?"

"Yes. Draco and I are going on a date. On Saturday."

"No." it had just fallen from his lips as his eyes grew wide and Ginny felt like she'd run over a puppy.

"James…"

"No!" Then the betrayal had turned to anger. "No. What about dad?"

"Baby, I've told you, I'll always love your dad but we're not together anymore."

"But he still loves you too. Why can't you just be together?"

"I know it's hard to understand but we're just…not right for each other. We can't give each other what we need." She tried to reach for him but he backed away.

"You mean you. He didn't give you what you wanted. He was happy before you divorced him, he didn't want to go through with it." How could she tell him that Harry had been relieved to get rid of at least one responsibility in his life? How could he know how it had hurt to be married to a man who never looked at her or talked to her, who just needed her silent support to get through the day.

"Yes, James, I mean me. I need more than what he can give me."

"But Dr…Malfoy can give it to you?" James' voice was trembling.

"I don't know! Maybe. We'd like to get to know each other better."

"You said he was a bastard at school! Dad said so too, and now you want to date him?"

"Language, James Sirius Potter! He was just a boy! He is a good man now and I want to know him better. That's all."

"You can't! You can't do that to dad!" His voice shook precariously on the high notes.

"James…" Tiredly she sat down at the kitchen table.

"No! I'll hate you for it!" Then he whirled around and left. Seconds later she heard the front door slam. With a deep sigh she laid her head down on the table. She'd thought enough time had passed, that he'd realized his dad wasn't coming back and maybe, just maybe that he would see that their earlier life hadn't been perfect. She'd selfishly hoped that when he saw Draco and Score interact that he'd realize what had been lacking all along.

Maybe she should call Draco. They didn't have to go out so soon. They'd just met. They'd kissed once and…as the memory of it swam back in her head she realized she couldn't wait. Not when she knew what it was like to kiss him. To feel that intense want, the expectation as loaded as a volcano before it erupted, the need for release vibrating in the very air around it. She would either have to never see him again or give in to the want. Reaching for the phone she wondered why she felt so sad to give up a man she'd only met four times. Actually she did know. Not only was she fiercely attracted to him but she actually liked him. Liked the way he interacted with his son. Liked how he took the time to give advice without making you feel small. Liked how he tended his house and his life. Liked how she could see how he'd do anything to make his son happy. With shock she realized he was everything Harry had never managed to be. A real father, a listening ear, a caregiver for a home.

Slowly she put down the phone. She'd talk to James again. If it was still making him unhappy she would have to decline, she knew it. Remembering Draco's words about children blaming themselves for their parent's failings she decided she'd have to approach it differently.

In the end she hadn't had to as James had come back from Teddy's (his place of refuge), his head hanging in shame as his outmost idol had apparently given him a long lecture on thinking of other people and their feelings.

So he'd shuffled in, his head hanging and mumbled,

"Sorry, mum." Hugging him she'd felt his skinny ribcage shake with sobs and her heart broke.

"James, if you really don't want me to, I won't go. Okay?" He'd looked up, his eyes wide in wonder as tears hung from his lashes, spiky with moisture. Then he drew a deep breath.

"No. It's okay. You should go." He wiped his eyes with the back of his arm, a gesture so typical of him that Ginny felt for a moment she had her little boy back. He drew himself up and she got to witness his second shaky step towards manhood. "You should have fun." She felt tears in her own eyes as she watched him.

"Thank you, James, that means a lot to me." Then he surprised her again, suggesting she get a new dress for the date. And made her eyes tear up properly when offered to pay for it with the money his dad sent him.

"Geez, mum, he always sends too much anyway," he'd exclaimed as she hugged his writhing form.

"Thank you. But I'll get myself a new dress." Pressing a kiss to his forehead and brushing back his hair she felt his arms tentatively close around her waist and felt that maybe life would be as perfect as it had once been again.

o.O.o

Instead of letting Harry pay for anything she cut into her savings, a small but steady part of her earnings always went towards it and she thought she'd earned a new dress. And some new underwear. And a haircut.

Surveying the end result she thought she'd done okay. For a 32 year old she was in good shape. Quidditch for fun and traipsing around on Ministry errands kept the voluptuousness she'd inherited from her mother in check and having had James very young her body had changed very little permanently. Her stomach would never be absolutely flat and her thighs would never be considered skinny, for that she loved her mother's cooking too much. But her waist was still small and her body evenly proportioned. Her breasts were no longer 22 but having secretly compared herself with her sisters-in-law she thought they weren't too bad either.

Her skin had always been flawless and tonight she'd take extra care to put on scented body lotion, slowly enjoying herself as she felt her muscles relax. The haircut was good, it made her hair look carelessly styled instead of crazy rat nest and she'd left it the way the hairdresser had blow-dried it earlier.

The dress hugged her in all the right places, falling just past her knees in a river of dark plum silk. What was on underneath was nicer than anything she'd bought in years. Usually it was all cotton and comfort for her, but tonight she wanted something special. Not that he was going to get to see it, as they had decided to take things slow, but she'd know. Know that she looked better than she had in years, all the way down to her skin. Fluffing up her hair and slipping into her heels, slightly scuffed black peep-toe pumps (her money wouldn't stretch quite as far new shoes) she went downstairs.

"You look good, mum." James was sitting on the kitchen counter, munching on cereal straight out of the box.

"Thank you. Now, do you have anything you need? The number to the restaurant, Draco's number, Granny's at home and you've got your-"

"Mum, I'm thirteen. I can walk over to Teddy's on my own and I can call if anything happens. I'm not a baby." Teddy lived with his grandmother in a house a few blocks away and was two years older than her son. It calmed her to know that while she viewed it as babysitting, the two boys viewed it as just hanging out. Maybe then he'd behave.

"Okay, okay. But you'll always be my baby." She pressed a kiss on the top of his head and he squirmed. The doorbell rang and to her surprise she saw James bounce up to open the door. At a slower pace she followed, enjoying the sound of Draco's deeper voice mingling with the rushed, excited tones of her son. She joined them in the hall and her heart almost stopped. He was wearing a grey suit, impeccably tailored, with a white shirt and a narrow black tie. Just seeing it made her want to ruffle him up, dishevel him and maybe have him use that tie to bind her wrists to the bed…Blushing furiously, she snapped out of her reverie.

"Mum, can I?"

"Sorry, can you what?"

"Can I bring Teddy over to Score's? Draco says it's okay and we'll behave, I promise." She met Draco's eyes over her son's head, something that was rapidly getting harder as he was growing like a weed. He shrugged,

"There's only so much trouble they can get into. Score's just there by himself anyway."

"See mum, he gets to stay home alone."

"Pick your battles, young man." There'd be the three of them and as Draco said there was only so much trouble they could get into. "Okay, you can go, if Draco says it's okay." James whooped.

"Thanks mum!"
"But no going outside, and use the Floo, and don't-"

"Yes, yes, don't talk to axe murderers and don't get into any fights with gangs unless we're really sure we can take them." He smirked and she was reminded for a second of Scorpius. It looked like the friendship was thriving. He rushed off and Ginny got time to focus on the man in front of her again.

Only now she noticed he was carrying flowers, a bouquet of what looked like big, vibrant daisies.

"Here you go. I saw these in the store and thought of you." It could only be a compliment; the flowers were perfect, colorful and sweet. And she was glad he hadn't chosen roses. It was a predictable first date flower; she preferred it when they meant something. Roses meant love and should be reserved for those you loved.

"Thank you, they're beautiful." He followed her into the kitchen so she could put the flowers in water as they heard the hurried, "bye" before the whoosh of the fireplace signaled her son's departure.

"You look amazing, Ginny." Suddenly the room seemed smaller and her eyes kept tripping and falling into his gaze, getting stuck longer and longer each time.

"Ah…I…Thank you. You too." To distract herself she found a vase and filled it before arranging the flowers in the clear glass vase. She was sorely tempted to suggest they'd skip dinner and stay in, throwing all caution in the wind. But there wasn't just her to consider, she had to be careful with any man she brought into her son's life. Draco was already in it as the father of his friend, she needed to make sure this was really what she wanted. Not just getting him in bed but giving them a shot. When she turned back to face him he'd pulled her into his arms and kissed her senseless, testing her resolve to the very limit.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to…er, do that. It was just going to be a hello."

"Well, he-llo. Phew." He grinned and stepped back, holding his hands up before shoving them in his pockets.

"No more. They'll stay here."

"For now."

"For now," he agreed and the want in his voice made her knees shake.

"I think we better go or I'll forget why it was important to take it slow."

"Right. I guess…" He slowly backed out as she followed.

A/N: Next time, date night! Thank you so much to all of you who've read and special thanks to my lovely reviewers, it always makes me smile to find one of your comments: BlackRose851, a fan, Pizziagirl, Nutmeg44, Just Silence, 1994heidi, Jamie, orangepigeon19, JC and guests! I hope to see you next time/ Sannikex