13. Positively Perfect
"But now there's nowhere to hide since you pushed my love aside. I'm out of my head, hopelessly devoted to you." -Hopelessly Devoted, Grease
The days seemed to be getting shorter and colder. Of course it was nearing the end of October. But all this was ok to Ginny because it matched her mood perfectly; shorter temper and a colder personality.
It had become a chore to endure her boyfriend lately. So when Nova questioned her again on why she hadn't broken up with him yet her answer was, "why indeed?"
With a light sigh Ginny sat at the Gryffindor table and pushed her food around on her plate a while. Harry sat down next to her and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek for a morning greeting. To cover her growl, she brought her pumpkin juice to her lips.
She knew she was being unfair. Her delaying the situation she was currently avoiding was only hurting those involved all that much more.
Ginny's head lowered further down into her plate when she saw Zabini walk through the giant double doors because she knew he'd be close behind. And he was; with Pansy Parkinson hanging off his arm, Tempus Moon hugging her books in front of her on his other side and Goyle and Crabbe laughing loudly behind him.
"They act like they're all important." Ron snickered.
Ginny couldn't help it; she glanced up. Her eyes met his briefly – sadly – before she turned away and pushed around the food in front of her some more.
Beside her Ron and Harry made their snide comments until Hermione shut them up.
She was thankful for the distraction when owl post came. It was a relief to receive a package to take her mind off present day disturbances in her happiness – note sarcasm.
Her parents had sent them picture from Bill and Fleur's wedding. It was good to see all their smiling faces. It was good to see some real happiness. Ron had received some as well and so the four of them passed around the pictures commenting as they did.
"Her dress was so gorgeous." Hermione said.
"I especially love this picture." Said Ron handing Hermione the one of Bill and Mrs. Weasley dancing. "Mum looks so happy."
"She does. I bet she loved having all her children in one place again."
Ginny nodded.
"The cake was amazing." Harry said. "The way it was charmed to have a fountain spitting frosting."
"Heaven." Ron said.
"And the design. A cake garden surrounding the frosting fountain." Harry said.
"That was creative. But at ours I'd like something a little more unique. Like dragon's breathing fire or sea nymphs swimming in a frosting lake."
Silence ensued. Ginny didn't notice at first as she continued gazing at the pictures. But it became deafening. She looked up to curious eyes from Hermione, an astonished-but-dumb look from her brother and an almost giddy-excited look from Harry.
"What?" Ginny asked.
A smile crept across Harry's face. His eyes brightening by the second. "You just said our wedding."
Ginny sucked in a breath as the panic started to rise.
"We're getting married?"
Now Ginny could hear the giddiness and see the excitement in a smile she had never seen more pure and filled with joy as she looked at him.
All Ginny could manage was to blink her eyes. Please tell me I'm going to wake up, she begged silently. "Well – I just meant-"
Before she could say anything else, Harry stood and climbed onto his chair, effectively gaining the attention of the entire Great Hall.
"Oh, God." Ginny whispered, burying her head in her hands.
"Everyone," Harry hollered. "Ginny and I are to be married."
There were cheers and then pats on her back and crowding around her like she was a celebrity. Of course, marrying The Boy-Who-Lived would make her one. The smiles were dizzying, the voices making her head throb and the people suffocating her.
"So, how's it feel being the one Harry chose to be his wife?" Someone asked from behind.
Ginny could feel fears of entrapment spring up. "Actually I've never felt more nauseous."
The mornings had become more and more horrible. It had long come to pass that Draco admitted to wanting Ginny to himself. That was the easy part as it turned out. The hard part was trying to make her understand the dangers in a relationship visible to the public.
He'd not been able to get her alone in days; not since that night patrolling in the dungeons. She'd almost literally disappeared. Except at meal times but that was a joke.
The worst part in this whole mess was that she'd not even looked at him. He just wanted to scream at her "You think this is easy for me?" That couldn't happen though.
With a heavy sigh, Draco headed for the great hall but not soon enough that his minions didn't join him. Parkinson immediately clutched onto his arm like he was a lifeboat. Draco didn't even bother with a sigh or growl or grimace. What was the use?
Tempus took to this other side, books lightly hugged to the front of her. She looked at him sideways and offered him a small smile. Flashbacks to his nightmare and his taking advantage of this girl flashed before his eyes. He wasn't the best of friends, that's for sure.
Draco could hear Crabbe and Goyle behind him. What were they talking about? Quidditch? No. It sounded vaguely darker… Voldemort? No, no. They'd not do that in the open. They weren't that stupid. Draco strained to hear and was slightly amused to find out the goons were talking about a girl. He'd never heard them do so before.
He had almost laughed at them when Blaise pushed the giant doors to the Great Hall open. As always his eyes sought out Ginny. Her head was down and she played with her food.
As they walked, Draco watched her until Tempus whispered, "Staring is not polite."
He quickly turned away. Did she know who he was looking at? Draco didn't dare look to find out.
Breakfast dragged. Then the owl post came with yet another letter from his mother. This time he didn't bother to open it, instead shoved it in his robes.
Draco wanted to lay his head down on the table. Who cares what people would think? He didn't anymore. He was toying with this idea when Potter stood and made his announcement.
It was like his world came crashing down around him. He felt what little color was in his face drain as the blood rushed from his face. Or perhaps his heart had just stopped beating.
Everything momentarily drowned out; all the cheers and clapping (laughing and snickering from the Slytherins), even his own vision was contorted. That lasted only a moment before Draco shoved his plate across the table and stood.
He stormed out so suddenly he hadn't realized until he was in his dorm destroying absolutely everything his hands could get a hold of. And when he ran out of those items, his wand destroyed the rest. But that didn't nearly satisfy the sickness that swam in his stomach or the strange feeling that his heart had been crushed or the swimming feeling his head was going though.
So Draco emerged and traipsed down stairs to the common room and tore that apart too. Suddenly he was on the floor in silent tears, his hands covering his face.
At some point he noticed two very shocking things. At the same time he realized that his tears were stinging open wounds on his face – which he hadn't remembered being inflicted upon his person – he also realized that this crush, this infatuation and any other excuse he came up with for his desires for the Weasley girl, were in fact all a bunch of crap. He had real feelings for this girl and he had missed his chance with her.
The second thing was that after a particularly loud sob, Draco realized he was not alone. A gentle hand had rested lightly on his forearm and Draco snapped his head up to see Tempus' concerned green eyes staring at him with her own tears.
"Please don't cry." She whispered.
Draco violently whipped them away only to have more streak down. "I'm not." He said flatly. "And if you tell anyone that I did, I swear-"
"Cut it out, Draco. You know you can trust me." She said pushing him lightly.
Draco didn't respond. Instead he covered his face once more. Taking deep breaths, he finally soothed the tears away. But the pain remained.
"Do you wanna talk about it?"
He shook his head. "Nothing to talk about."
"Oh really." She said making a show of looking around the battle field. "Just a mood swing then and after a meltdown. Perfectly understandable."
Had Draco had the energy, he'd have told her off but he felt incredibly weak at the moment. Draco looked up to her after a while and for whatever reason just started talking.
"I screwed up." He said quietly. "And I think I screwed up so bad that I can't fix it this time. I only wanted what was best but there was no convincing her. Despite what she thought, it wasn't shame or cowardice – well maybe a little of that – but mostly I just didn't want her in danger." He felt the tears well up once more. "She was my savior before I even knew it and I figured it out far too late."
His head hung.
"What happened." Tempus asked.
He felt a sinister chuckle escape and a bitter smile form as he turned his head to face Tempus once more. "He was the one. She loves him." And not me.
Since the ball and their argument, Hermione had found it harder and harder to get along with Ron. Very rarely did they sit closely and snuggle together like they used to. Very rarely did they look at each other just to admire. Very rarely were their words kind and gentle as they once were.
Hermione kept trying to show Ron Ginny's change but he'd just continue to make excuses. "She's tired." "She had to meet her friends." "She wasn't hungry." And the list grew daily.
There were times when Hermione was sure Harry was noticing a difference too but his words sounded more in awe of her than anything. "Poor girl had a long day and is exhausted." "Such devotion to her friends."
It was so frustrating. Not to mention Hermione could never find the opportunity to speak to her alone. She was always with her friends – either one or more of the girls from her year or the three boys she hung around in Gyffindor – or Ron and Harry were always there.
So Hermione continued to watch. And because of the actions on this particular morning, she knew her concerns were at least in the right direction.
The sheer panic in Ginny's eyes when Harry asked the question about marriage said it all. And when he stood up to make his announcement, the horror on her face spoke louder than anything Harry had said.
Her panic only increased as the swarm of people started to encircle the two. But then the Slytherin movement caught her attention as Draco stood and stormed out. Hermione looked back to where he had been to see his friends snickering.
"He just couldn't stomach the sight." Pansy Parkinson was saying to Millicent Bulstrode who pretended to gag.
Tempus Moon was watching after Draco in an almost confused expression. And then her head turned to the scene before her and her eyes locked with Hermione's.
She couldn't read her expression though and moments later she leaned in to say something to Blaise Zabini. He nodded and she left. He spoke to Parkinson quietly. Whatever he said made the two gossiping girls wilt under his cold stare. Then his eyes turned to her and Hermione quickly turned away.
Natalie and Nova hurriedly pushed their way through the crowds and grabbed Ginny. The two rushed her off before anyone had the chance to stop them. As they left the Great Hall, Ginny's attention swept over the Slytherin table and then the girl disappeared from sight.
Ok, so when I originally planned to write this story, it was with the intent that every few chapters of the past, I'd add one that follows them when they are adults with their children. Then I thought that maybe I'd just make that into a sequel. Since I cannot make up my mind, I'll leave the decission up to you. Would you rather see the story continue as it is right now with their adult lives being a sequel, or would you rather have some more glimpses into futher family Malfoy?
-LC
