He Did Not Have To Be
Chapter 26
From the Wedding to the Present
The next morning was everything Ginny hoped for. Narcissa had asked if she could invite Ginny's bridesmaids and mother over for a bridesmaid's brunch. This and one of Ginny's three bridal showers were the only things to do with the wedding Draco allowed his mother to plan. Once brunch was done, the women all began the process of going from everyday to wedding day beauty.
Narcissa respected the private family moments that needed to take place between Ginny and her own parents, but took over Lily's preparations to see that the toddler looked perfect.
Ginny and Molly agreed it was best not to tell Arthur about the wedding dress's history. Arthur stood back watching the final touches being put on the bride-to-be. Once the ladies were done Arthur asked, "Could I have a few minutes alone with my daughter?"
All the others cleared out of the room. Arthur then walked over to Ginny and took her hands in his. "You look beautiful."
She gave him a shy half-smile as she felt tears sting her eyes.
"You're a little nervous, right?"
"A bit," she admitted.
"After what Harry did, it's to be expected. Draco has really surprised me. I know he loves you, and for a young man who was raised to hide his feelings, the amount he loves you and Lily is amazing. Gin-bug, if I thought for a second that he didn't love both of you with his whole heart, I would never have allowed you to even think about marrying a Malfoy!"
She bit her lip and looked up at her dad from under her eyelashes. "How do you know he loves me?"
Arthur was not surprised by this bit of insecurity. Harry's leaving mere weeks after Ginny moving in with him had done more damage than most realized. Oh yes, Ginny hid it very well, but Arthur knew her better than most. "Because I see two different Dracos; one who is cold and closed off, and one who is happy and lights up at the very thought of you or Lily. Ginny, be happy," he requested.
"Daddy, you're the first man I ever loved, and I still love you."
He smiled. "I love you, too. Now stop it or you'll see a grown man cry."
End of flashback
"Our wedding day was perfect and everything I ever could have hoped for. Harry, I'm very happy with Draco."
"I don't believe it," Harry protested.
"Talk to Ron and Hermione. They will tell you."
"How could you let him raise my daughter?" Harry pushed.
"Harry, Draco has given her everything you missed out on as a child. Unlike us, she has never worn something that was second-hand, unless you count the times she's been playing at Mum's and gotten far too messy. He has given her more love in a day than you received your whole childhood. She has never missed out on anything."
"And he's made her a spoiled snob too, I bet," Harry lashed out.
Ginny smiled. "Spoiled, yes, but it's not in her nature to be a snob."
"She's in Slytherin!"
"Come on Harry, you told me yourself the Hat wanted to put you there."
"That was because I carried that piece of Tom," Harry insisted.
"Harry, the Hat wanted to put me there, too," Ginny informed him.
"You were already writing to Tom, though," he pushed further.
"I wasn't the first Weasley in my generation that the Hat wanted to place there."
"Don't lie, Ginny! Every Weasley ends up a Gryffindor."
"Maybe that's because we feel to be elsewhere would make us less of a Weasley."
"What is Lily like?"
Ginny smiled. "She's at the top of her class. She is loving, she holds a grudge, like you. She has a hard time believing anything bad about the people she loves, again like you. She hates the fact that people look at her in awe because of her connection to you."
"I need to talk to her, to explain that I never knew about her. If I had, we would have been together," he vowed.
"I'll go to Hogwarts tomorrow after her classes to talk to her." She paused. "How long are you back for?"
"I didn't think I was returning for long, but now I plan to stick around."
Ginny nodded.
"Ginny, I will win both of you back," he stated, sounding very determined.
Ginny sighed. "It's been fourteen years, Harry. Besides having Lily, my life did continue. In total, Draco and I have four children."
"Four?"
"Yes, Harry, and I don't think, even if I was willing to let you try, that you could be a father to them. But I need to head home. I'll contact you by owl once I speak with Lily." She rose. "Good night, Harry."
Harry grabbed hold of her hand. "I meant what I said;. I never, not for a second, stopped loving you."
"I heard you the first time, Harry." She turned and walked out.
Meanwhile, Draco decided he couldn't keep his mind on work, not with his wife alone with Potter. He headed over to the Joke shop. It was almost seven, but he knew George would still be there, and he was right, George was in the lab, working on a few new items when Draco sauntered in. "Call your wife. Tell her you won't be home till late tonight."
"I wasn't sure if I would see you or Ron first. Was it Zabini or Lily who told you?" George asked.
"Lily wrote me yesterday; she wanted to leave school for the week."
"You knew yesterday and didn't give us a heads up?" he said as he wiped off his hands on a rag.
"Hey, George! Do you think your wife would mind one more for dinner?" Ron asked as he walked into the lab.
"Sorry, bro. I'm not heading home." He pointed at Draco.
"Does he know?" Draco asked George.
"Not from me, and I'm guessing not from anyone else either."
"What in bloody hell are you talking about?" Ron cursed. "Ginny's not pregnant again, is she? Bloody hell, Malfoy! Can't you keep your hands to yourself for ten minutes?"
"No, she's not, but we do have an unwelcome visitor," Draco declared.
"Might be safer if I tell him!" George offered.
"No, I'm fine with it," Draco retorted, then turned back to Ron. "Potter's back."
Ron turned red."What?"
"He came into the shop today," George supplied.
"Who the hell does he think he is?"
"He wants to know Lily," Draco said.
"There's no way in hell!" Ron spat.
"Come on, guys. Let's go and have a few drinks. I'm buying," Draco offered. On the way to the pub, he explained what had taken place the night before in the Three Broomsticks. Once they sat down at a table, Draco finished, "So tonight, Ginny and I went to talk with him again. She wanted to explain to him about us and sent me on my way."
"You left her alone with him?" Ron was getting more upset by the sentence.
"How was I going to stop her?" Draco asked.
"You should have called all of us! We'd be willing get rid of him."
Draco shook his head. "No, Lily needs to talk to him."
"You're going to let him near her? You're insane," Ron said as he downed his first drink.
"I don't want to, but I have to. I have no fear of him taking Ginny or Lily from me," Draco lied. "To keep him from Lily would prove otherwise."
"He walked into the shop earlier today looking for answers. I told him to get out and not return," George chimed in.
"He had better not come around my place! I'll--" Ron started.
"We know, little bro. We know."
Several hours later, they were about to leave. "You can't let him take Ginny from you. You and her are sho very good together," a very drunk Ron slurred.
"I have no intention of allowing him to even get close to Ginny," Draco promised.
"Good! Keep it that way!"
When Ginny arrived home, she wasn't surprised that Draco wasn't there. And when, at three in the morning, he crawled into bed smelling of Firewhiskey, she simply snuggled closer to him and spent the rest of the night in his arms.
A/N So there you go, I have one small warning, over the flashback the path that this story was going to take has changed, but only a little, I think you will all still be happy. I don't want to say how, and ruin the story for you. Anyway I did not ask for reviews at the end if the last chapter, because I feel funny asking for reviews for smut. But thanks to everyone who did! Now please I still love reviews so please drop me one!