"No, Miss Weasley, left. Left. Left, the other direction." The dance instructor was a tall, reedy man who swayed in time with the music and had very little patience. Ginny was finding this out. She had been roused out of bed by a very apologetic looking Remmy before the sun had come up. She carefully showered to avoid getting her arm wet, and when she came out, Remmy had chosen a spring green dress that went to her knees. It hugged her top and was loose below the waist. She pulled her hair up into a high ponytail. She couldn't believe how long her hair had gotten.
She and Draco were now standing in a ballroom in the manner and a very annoyed man was nudging her with his wand. Draco was graceful and smirking. "You're so good on a broom," he whispered. "What happens on the ground?" She stepped on his foot. The dance instructor gave a long suffering sigh. "No, no, no. Do it again."
After dancing she had to learn several domestic spells. She had already learned a few from her mother, but she was only slightly better at them than Ron. She learned how to have a table set itself, but she kept getting it wrong, and the forks would in the wrong place. Once they were where the spoons go, once they were in the glasses. She waved her wand frustratedly and sent the forks flying . They stabbed the wall and jiggled in place. Draco spent the day watching her and helping when he needed to. He also spent a lot of it teasing her. Neither of them brought up the flying episode or the kiss, although he had asked her how she was feeling when she came downstairs.
Narcissa informed Ginny that in three weeks she would be throwing an event and that she expected her to preside over it. She would be formally presented as Draco's fiance. This would include planning the menu, overseeing the elves in their set up, and opening with the first dance. Ginny was filled with dread. Not only did she have no idea how to plan a party, she did not want to meet a room full of people (probably many of them were former Death Eaters) and dance in front of them. Draco seemed to sense her trepidation and when Narcissa left, he turned to her. "If you would like, I can invite some of the people who will attend the party over before then. One of two at a time. That way you can know some of them. Mother will have you set and plan for tea for them, so it might help you practice in the meantime."
"I think that might be a good idea. Thanks." She gave him a hesitant smile. "Draco, what do you want to do?" she asked him suddenly.
"What do you mean, do? Right now?"
"No, I mean do. With your life."
"Oh. I'm really not sure. When I was in school, I was really very good at charms and transfiguration. When I... left school, I became very good at curses. I never had to worry about what I was going to do, because we have money, so I was always going to be taken care of. And, of course..." he lowered his voice at this point. "Father always thought our side would win the war. But don't ever bring that up in front of Mother," he added quickly, "it's an off-limits subject in the house. What about you?" he asked. "You were always very talented. I remember you being really good at jinxes."
She blushed. "I've always wanted to play quidditch. I was a chaser in school, you know. We won the cup that year."
"Hmm. Well, let's go find Mother."
They found her in the sitting room. Draco explained the plan, and, once she agreed to it, he said he was going out and left Ginny to start planning the upcoming events. Narcissa provided her with a list of couples that had been paired up as a result of the decree and recommended that they invite one couple at a time (although the recommendation was really more of a directive). Ginny glanced over the list and saw a very familiar name pop out at her- Luna Lovegood. The name beside hers was Theodore Nott. The name recalled a face, but nothing else. "Let's start with them."
Ginny found that she didn't hate planning and even though Narcissa was cold, she didn't hate being around her. She was looking forward to seeing Luna. They had been very close while the war raged around them. Narcissa broke her out of her revive. "I want you to know that planning these event is practice for the wedding planning. Of course, I will be working with your mother to do most of it, but you will be expected to play a role." Ginny paused at the mention of the wedding. She nodded and went back to the planning.
As Ginny washed her face and got ready for bed, she thought back on the day's events. She had Luna and Theodore over for tea and it had actually gone very well. Narcissa had greeted the guests on her way out (she had told Ginny ahead of time she would be playing hostess). The elves pulled everything off flawlessly and the food was wonderful. She spent time getting to know more about Theodore and Draco asked Luna some questions and didn't even call her Loony. After tea the boys left the room to do whatever it is boys do, leaving Luna and Ginny alone.
"This is a very pretty home," Luna told her.
"How do you like Theodore?" Ginny asked.
Luna gave her a small smile. "He's clever. I think he could have been in Ravenclaw. His father is in Azkaban. We've been to see him once." She shivered. "It was a terrible place. And he's an old man now, his father. I guess he was the one that picked me out for Theodore though. Apparently I am pureblood enough. He's not Neville," she said quietly, and they both took a moment to think about yet another friend that had fallen in the course of the war. "What about you and Draco?"
"Draco is... kinder than I thought he would be. He is a lot of fun to be around, but I get the feeling he gets frustrated when my mind is off on Harry. Narcissa made a comment that makes me think he chose me, and not her. I don't know what to make of them. After we are done here, we're going to stay at my house, and I can't even imagine the ordeal that will be."
"Maybe we'll both end up okay, in the end." Luna suggested.
"I miss him," Ginny whispered.
"We all miss someone."
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Draco and Theodore sat in a study, smoking and drinking. They had left the girls in the main sitting room.
"How's your father?" Draco asked him.
"Old. He'll die soon. The sooner the better. Yours? How is your mother holding up?"
Draco nodded. "He's doing as well as can be expected. And Mother... Mother is a rock. She moves on. You know how the Blacks are." Theodore nodded back. "So. Luna Lovegood."
"Not for much longer now." Theodore told him.
"Mhm. How is all that going?"
"Well, she's got blood status. That's why Did picked her. But she's pretty, you know? Our kids will be good looking. And she's smart, so our kids will be smart. She's weird man, but I can get past that. I mean, it's awful her dad is dead and whatnot, but without him around she'll grow out of some of that. And I think I can be happy with her. She's a sweet girl. Now you and Weasley, what happened there?"
"Mother let me pick. She said whoever I ended up with, I'd have to live with long after she was dead, and so as long as I could make a good case, I could have anyone. And I wanted her." Theodore raised an eyebrow.
"You wanted a girl hung up on a dead hero?"
"You're one to talk."
Theodore sighed. "Yeah..."
"Listen mate. She's beautiful. She's fun and funny when she's not sad, and I can make her happy again. She's really smart and she has blood status too. Her family, like mine, is one of the oldest, and you can't find that just anywhere. And she's tough. And she's been poor her whole life, so she'll never squander the money or take it for granted. She's a match that will keep up with me and challenge me to be the best, and not just anyone could do that."
Theodore nodded some more. "Makes sense. I guess they're close friends, right? So we'll see each other a lot more. Luna is going to ask Ginny to be her maid of honor. Do you want to be my best man?"
After spending the afternoon catching up with Luna, Ginny felt more refreshed. She had been asked to be Luna's maid of honor and said yes. She was sure the dress would be horrible if Luna was picking it out, but it was nice to be in touch again. She had just finished changing when there was a knock on her door. "Come in!"
Draco came though the door, closing it behind him. "Did you have a nice time today?"
"I did. Did you? What did you think of Luna?"
"She's still weird. But Theodore seems happy. Is Luna happy?"
Ginny sat down on the rug and brought her knees up to her chest; Draco joined her. "She seems really happy."
"Are you happy?" The words slipped out before he could stop himself.
Ginny looked at his face closely. His eyes looked worried. His cheekbones were high for a man's, and his chin was a little pointed. His hair was going to recede in the front more as they got older. She had seen those eyes, that mouth, sneer derisively at people she loved for years. But here he was, sitting on the carpet with her, due to be her husband before the year was out, and he was beautiful. "I... have not felt any emotion since he died, Draco. I did not cry. I can't say that I'm happy. But I can tell you I'm starting to find my old self again."
"Ginny? I can make you happy, if you'll just let me try. You were my first choice. All of my friends, everyone I know, their parents picked their match, with very little in consideration, mind you. Mother let me pick mine. And I picked you. Even when we were in school, I thought you were the prettiest girl. You're tough and smart and I picked you, even though you had already picked him. I can make you happy Ginny, if you let me. I'm a patient man. But I can't compete with a dead man. Please don't make me. I'm giving you an engagement ring at the ball. It was my grandmother's, and her's before her and her's before her and so on. There's only room for two people in our marriage. If there's going to be three , please don't take the ring."
Ginny looked at him steadily. "I chose you when I told my parents I was going to do it." And then she kissed him right there on the floor.
