Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter series. Nor do I own Draco Malfoy, or Tom Felton. But fear not my readers, I'll manage to kidnap him yet and then he'll fall in love with me and we'll get married and live happily ever after! He just doesn't know it yet ;D

Well, no amount of begging and pleading for your forgiveness will do for the amount of time I took to update this story. But listen anyway. After Thanksgiving Break ended, which was the last time I updated, it was crazy busy. It was three weeks till the end of the semester and ever teacher it seemed decided to make EVERYTHING due! I had hardly any time to get everything done, let along write on my stories. It wasn't possible. But fear not, I'm home for a five week break! I should get lots of writing done!

I want to thank all of you SO much for the huge amount of reviews I've gotten for this last chapter. And don't worry, our favorite couple is just going through a rough patch in their marriage. Surely one will pull their head out of their rear end soon enough, right? What do you think is gonna happen?

In case I don't get another chapter up before then, Merry Christmas! I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and don't forget the true reason for the season. It's not all about presents and good food. It's about the birth of our Savior. Give thanks to God for the chance to celebrate this.

Without further ado…

Chapter 26

Ginny POV

After the momentary discomfort of apparating, I found before my eyes an elegant estate right on the seaside. The sprawling land all around, most of it obscure in the fading light, stretched on as far as I could see with rolling green hills and the occasional tree. Very clearly I could hear the sound of the ocean beating on the rocky beach not far away, calming and gentle. I could hear the sound of bleating sheep somewhere in the distance, though I could not see them. The air smelled salty like the sea, fresh and clean. And directly in front of me stood the most beautiful house I'd ever seen.

It was nowhere near the size of Malfoy Manor but much bigger than any other place I'd lived in. It was made entirely of white stone and there was ivy crawling its way up the sides. All around the house, along the walk ways and in a box under every window there were flowers of every kind and color. They added sweetness to the salty air and more beauty to the landscape and the house. It was stunning and for the first time that day, I found myself smiling.

"This is the Greenwich Estate," Tilly said after giving me a moment to soak in the beauty all around. "It is seldom used but well kept up. Would Mistress like Tilly to show you around?"

"Yes," I said quickly, wanting to see more of the beautiful place, all worries gone from my mind for the time being.

"This property is large, stretching a great number of acres and goes right down to the beach over there," she told me, pointing towards the nearby sea. "The caretaker grazes his sheep on the grasses and he keeps the flowers looking pretty." She took my hand and led me towards the house. "And this is the great house. The caretaker's cottage is over the hill."

"This place is lovely," I said as she opened the doors and proceeded to show me around my new home. There was a small entryway with a grand fireplace, fire already blazing. There was a family room, a formal sitting room, a kitchen, breakfast nook, formal dining room, five bedrooms, five bathrooms, a master suite, a personal library and a large and cozy office. She also said there were quarters for house elves but she didn't take me down to see them.

The room that surprised me the most was the master bedroom. I had been stunned to open the closet and find all my clothes already there. My pictures and knickknacks were all on the dresser, waiting for me to find them a place, and my soaps that I usually used were waiting in the bathroom. Draco had sure thought ahead when he offered this place to me. In a way, I was saddened to see this though, for that meant he wasn't coming after me any time soon, especially not if he moved me out himself.

But I did not let that sadden me for long as I began to settle into my new home, at least for the time being. And as I sorted through my things, began to hang pictures where I wanted them and put things away I came across a picture I hadn't seen before. In a silver frame I found a picture that had been taken before Christmas months ago by Dennis. It was a picture of Draco and I sitting in front of a roaring fire. Dennis had told us to act natural and Draco had muttered some witty comment I couldn't even remember now. But the next thing I had known he and I were collapsed against one another in fits of laugher.

I smiled at the memory as I watched the Draco and me in the picture laughing and holding onto one another. It was a picture perfect moment to be sure. I took the picture and sat it on the bedside table, a reminder to me in hardest times that things could be okay between my husband and me. I just hoped that one day it could be like that between us again. I let myself fall backwards onto the soft and fluffy bed, letting out a long sigh as I closed my eyes.

If only I hadn't told him that I loved him maybe things would have stayed the same. If I'd just contented myself to fall asleep in his arms that night, instead of voicing my feelings, maybe he wouldn't have drawn away from me. Maybe if we'd just waited to have sex a while longer, things could have turned out better. So many thoughts were spinning through my head, filling it with what ifs and maybes. Doubts and worries, things I should have done, bombarded me. Would all of this have happened anyway, even if I hadn't said I loved him? Could anything have been done to avoid it?

"I don't know," I moaned, squeezing my eyes shut and rolling over onto my side, curling up. But then another thought occurred to me. If we had waited, if we hadn't had sex at all, I would not be worrying over the fact I might be pregnant. Could it really be possible? Did I have Draco's child growing inside of me right now? I knew pregnancy could happen at any time but was it really likely the first and only time we did anything that this happened?

I sat up quickly, looking around for where I'd put my purse. It was lying on a chair at the nearby desk and I quickly slid from the bed and made my way over to it. Just where I left it was the bottle of potion white potion I had taken from the supply closet at work. In the fading light of the room, the sun outside nearly set, I pulled the bottle and held it in shaking hands. Could I really be pregnant?

The test was simple and easy, quick too. I shakily reached up and plucked a few strands of red hair from my head, not caring about the sting it caused. I walked slowly back over to the bed as I held the vial in one hand the hair in the other. When the hair was put into the potion, it would either stay white, a negative on the pregnancy, or turn purple, signaling a huge change in my life. Sinking onto the bed, I unstopped the bottle and slipped my hair into the white liquid. But at the same moment, a knock sounded on the door.

I hid the vial behind my back, desperately wishing I could just be left alone, before calling out for whoever it was to come in. It was Tilly and at once I was glad I had hid the potion. "Yes?" I asked, trying to sound normal as I was dying with curiosity to look at the potion.

Tilly bowed and quickly said what she came to say. "It is late and Tilly was wondering if Mistress needed anything else tonight?" she asked kindly, waiting for my answer.

"No, nothing, thank you," I answered quickly. "I'm fine."

"Then Tilly must report to Master that you accepted the Greenwich Estate," she said with a nod. "Is there anything you wish Tilly to tell Master for you?"

I thought about the potion behind my back, wondering what the results were. If it was positive, I should tell Draco. But, for the past month or so he'd wanted nothing to do with me at all. Why should I tell him? He'd just feel obliged to take me back. That's not how I wanted it to happen. I wanted him to come to me on his own. I wanted to know he realized he loved me and then come and get me. I was sure he felt something for me, I just knew it. No, I didn't want to tell him. I could get by on my own, child or not. If he wanted to know, he'd have to suck up his pride and come to me himself.

"No thank you," I told Tilly, giving her a smile and hoping she would leave soon so I could find out if I was pregnant or not. I didn't want to risk her seeing to potion, whether she knew what it was or not, and have her telling Draco.

She nodded her head, big ears flapping a bit, before bowing once again. "Tilly will be back before you wake in the morning," she promised before disappearing with a pop.

"Finally," I muttered, thankful she was gone. Closing my eyes, I pulled the potion bottle out from behind me. When I finally got up the courage to open my eyes, tears began to fall but a smile formed on my face for in my hands was a vial of bright purple potion. "I'm pregnant," I whispered to myself. Inside of me right now was a little life, a combination of me and of Draco, growing into a little person.

And not for the first time in the past weeks, I wished for my husband's arms to be around me. I just wanted us to be the happy family we were supposed to be. Setting the vial down on the nightstand beside the happy picture of Draco and me, I curled up on the bed and began to cry in earnest. "Draco," I cried into my pillow, clutching it to my chest and wishing for my husband to be beside me. I wished I could rewind time and go back before he stopped being himself. I wished that had never happened. I wished I was lying in bed next to him right now, both of us marveling over the little life we had created.

The tears continued to fall as my hands slid down to my abdomen, touching the place where just below the surface a small baby was growing. Closing my eyes, I imagined what it could be like. Draco and I could raise out child together, like we were supposed to, and love it with all we had. He'd hold me in his arms while I held our baby. He'd dote on our child like any loving father. I knew he'd be a good daddy, if given the chance. And here I was keeping that chance away from him. My daydream burst like a bubble and I cried myself to sleep, arms wrapped around my middle, holding onto the child within.

~!~!~!~

Light shone brightly, waking me up like any other morning. But unlike most mornings, I heard the sound of another person bustling around the room. My eyes snapped open when the day before came flooding back. I wasn't at home in Malfoy Manor then who was in my room? My eyes took a second to adjust to the brightness of the room as I sat up quickly, looking around. My eyes fell on a familiar blond opening the balcony doors. "It's a lovely morning," Luna said in a singsong voice, twirling around and beaming at me.

"Luna!" I cried, bounding from the bed and throwing my arms around my best friend. "How did you know I was here?"

"Blaise," she said simply, hugging me back just as enthusiastically. "Draco tells him everything it seems. He was concerned how you we doing and asked Blaise to ask me to come and check on you. I would have come anyway but it was so sweet to see him concerned. Whether he acts like it or not around you, he does care about you. You see that right?" She let go of me and put her hands on my shoulders, her face taking on an uncommonly serious expression.

I let out a sigh and pulled away from her hands, turning around and sinking down onto the warm bed once more. "He's hardly been able to stand the sight of me for the past month and a half almost. What part of that seems concerned? What part of that cares?" I asked, fighting back tears. "I want to believe he does, really I do Luna, but I don't want to be hurt more than I've already been. I was so sure he loved me after that night." I paused, thoughts of that night flooding back. I didn't clarify when I meant, knowing Luna would understand. "That night I told him I loved him and do you see how that backfired? It's easier to just not get my hopes up again. I will love from afar. It's less painful that way at least."

Luna let out a long and drawn out sigh, plopping down on the bed next to me. She pointed to the vial of purple potion still sitting on the night stand. "And does he know?" she asked, drawing my attention to it.

My hand slid down to my abdomen, resting above the child growing inside of me. "No," I said softly, lowering my eyes.

"Are you going to tell him?" she questioned, her small hand coming to rest on my own.

My eyes snapped up to meet hers and shook my head. "No and you can't tell him, or Blaise if he'd tell him. I don't want him knowing," I said quickly, my voice firm.

"Why? Trust me; it's good to have someone at your side during this. I'm only two months along and already I've been eternally grateful to have Blaise with me," she explained, her other hand going to her own belly that wasn't yet showing the signs of pregnancy, before continuing. "It's not just yours baby it's his child too, he needs to know."

"But I don't want it to be like that," I tried to explain. "I don't want him to take me back because of the baby. I want him to realize he loves me. Oh Luna, I was so sure he loved me that night. I could feel it in every fiber of my being. He just won't let himself." I shook my head, wiping away a few stray tears. "I'll tell him about the baby eventually, if it comes down to it. But I just want to wait for now, give it time. Maybe with me being gone, he'll see sense. Maybe he'll finally listen to his heart. You're right Luna, he does care. He just can't show it, not to me at least."

"How long will you give him before you tell him?" Luna asked, not arguing with my decision.

I shrugged and let out a sigh. "I don't know. Something tells me I won't be able to keep it from him very long, at least when I start showing. Someone is bound to say something to him in passing about it. I'll just try to keep it hidden for a while. I'm sure if I ask my family not to tell, they'll keep quiet. It's everyone else I'm not sure about."

"I'll keep my mouth shut, I pinky promise," Luna promised, holding out her pinky to me.

I took it with my own, laughing all the while at the childish act. "Thank you," I said happily.

"But I have to tell Blaise," she told me honestly. "I tell my husband everything. But I'll make sure he doesn't tell Draco."

"How can you be sure?" I asked, worried that Draco's best friend would let something slip.

"Oh trust me, Ginny," Luna said, throwing her head back and laughing. "I have Blaise wrapped around my finger. He'll do anything I ask him. He's a total softy and I love him very much."

I joined in her laugher before we turned out conversation to other topics. We had a long day ahead of us as she planned to help me settle into my new home. I hadn't felt so happy in a long time but something in the back of my mind kept nagging me, pulling at my heart. Something was missing from this picture. Draco was missing and no amount of happy days with Luna could fill the void completely.

Well, how was that? I thought it was a long overdue time to have Luna come back in. I hope more than one of you thought when I said 'familiar blond' that I meant Draco! I couldn't help but tease you a little bit. And don't worry, the story should pick up from here. Next chapter or so should cover quite a bit of ground.

If you have any ideas or suggestions, let me know! I could always use help brainstorming. Nothing is too set from this point on, other than a rough outline of what I kind of want to happen. Toss ideas at me! You'll get credit if I use it!

Till next time, enjoy the holidays and spend lots of time with the people you love! Merry Christmas everyone!

And remember, a happy author writes better and faster! So review and make me happy!