Chapter 35: Sweet Escape

AN: I know it has been a terribly long time since I've last update. My only excuse is ---real life sucks. She is a horribly wicked beast who is only happy when you are a broken whithering mass curled at the bottom of her feet. So, needless to say I have had several personal issues that have sucked the creativity from me. I do want to thank each any every person who has taken the time to read this--and a special thank you to those who have poked and prodded me along the way over the past couple of months.

Draco knew he wanted this weekend to be special, one that his wife would always remember. His only problem was his inability to think of something other than the clichéd flowers and candlelit dinner. His wife deserved more than that. She deserved something original and something just for her.

He stood from his desk ignoring the mounting parchments and crossed to the window where he leaned against the large window frame with one hand perched on the sill as he looked over the snow covered grounds. He groaned in frustration internally berating himself when his thoughts were interrupted by a pair of yellow and black quidditch robes spotted in the distance.

"She still hasn't tried out her new broom." As this thought crossed his mind, a slight smile graced his patrician features. At least now, he knew how he was going to lure her there as well as spend a portion of their weekend, a small portion if he had his way.

Ginny opened the door leading from their suite into Draco's office. She watched as her husband leaned against the window with his brow furrowed in deep thought. She slipped into the room unnoticed until she stood directly behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist hugging him tightly. She pressed her body into his trying to get as close as possible.

"Mmmm, what I wouldn't give to have just one night wrapped in your arms with nothing else to think about," she sighed against him.

Draco placed his hands on top of hers and pulled them away just enough to turn around and draw her into his embrace.

"Better?" he asked kissing the top of her head.

"Mmm-hmm," she answered nodding.

They stood quietly wrapped in each other's arms enjoying the peace that comes with being with the person you love. Words were not necessary as they held each other in the quiet interior of his office.

After several silent moments, Ginny began humming and swaying to the slow melody. Draco smiled looking down at his wife. "What are you doing?" he asked amused.

"Pretending"

"Pretending what exactly?"

"That we're dancing," she replied as if it were to most obvious answer in the world.

Within seconds, Draco had withdrawn his wand and turned on the wireless and a soft tune drifted through his office. He adjusted his position and led her to the center of the office as the furniture was magically moved against the walls.

"No more pretending. We do enough of that Monday through Friday," he said sincerely as he led her through one dance after another for the remainder of the afternoon.

*****~~~~~*****

Ginny sat at the Gryffindor table enjoying the time she could spend with Colin, Natalie, and the rest of her housemates. It was during this time that she could be just a teenager and not a married mother with an infant son whose father happened to be one of her professors.

They were laughing at Jimmy Coote's description of the less than stellar performance of the team's new chaser at the previous night's practice when the daily post owls swooped into the Great Hall seeking their marks. A small spotted owl landed on the table in front of Ginny alongside one of the school's barn owls and patiently waiting to be released from her burden.

Ginny untied the parchment from the school's owl and immediately recognized the elegant sloped lines of her husband's handwriting. She placed the letter in her lap opening it so that no one else could see it as she read.

My beautiful Angel,
It would be a great honor if you would accompany me to a secluded location to spend
a quiet weekend away from these hallowed halls. I have spoken to Madam Pomfrey and
you have been cleared to fly once again. I know the perfect place to put your broom
through its paces and the view is exceptional. Mother has cheerfully volunteered her
services for the post Valentine weekend.

Yours eternally,

-D

Ginny glanced up to the head table with a questioning look. She wanted to spend time with Draco, but she wasn't sure about leaving Alexander. She had faith in Narcissa's ability to care for the baby-for Merlin's sake the woman raised a child while living with Lucius Malfoy, but Ginny had never been away for her son overnight since his birth. She caught her husband's eye for a moment. He smirked and arched his brow challenging her to accept his invitation. He could see the torn look on her face from across the room and was relieved when Ginny sighed and nodded. They needed this time and it would be a sacrifice on both parts to be away from their child for the first time.

Ginny gently folded the parchment and placed it in her bag before tenderly stroking the feathers of the spotted owl that patiently waited for her to remove the post attached to its leg.

"Aren't you a pretty little thing?" she asked the small animal as she removed the missive. She recognized the handwriting immediately as well. Scowling, she tossed the letter into her bag. She would deal with the letter from Harry Potter later-- much, much later she thought as she resumed her conversation with her housemates. The disturbed look on her face did not escape the eyes of her husband, her husband's godfather, or the knowing eyes of the headmaster.

*****~~~~~*****

Draco entered his living quarters that evening to the sound of his wife singing their son to sleep. In his opinion, she wouldn't win any accolades for her voice, but it was a beautiful sound to his ears.

As he entered the nursery, he saw his wife rocking Alexander; his little eyes were closed and his mouth was slightly parted as he slept. He walked quietly to the chair where they sat, leaned over a pressed a gentle kiss to his wife's forehead before lifting his son from her arms. He held Alexander tenderly in his arms as he carried his across the room.

"Sleep well, little prince," he whispered kissing the still fuzzy blonde mane on his sleeping son's head before placing him in the cot. He tucked the blanket tightly around Alexander settling him in for the night. He turned from the cot expecting to see his wife only to find an empty chair.

***

Ginny had avoided thinking about the unopened letter she received at breakfast all day. She knew she should at least see what he had to say- not that she expected it to be anything worthwhile. It had been months since they had a polite conversation. As Draco settled their son into his cot, Ginny went into the sitting room and pulled the letter from her bag.

She stared intently at the heavy lettering on the envelope: Miss Ginny Prewett-Weasley. She had several thoughts racing through her mind. First and foremost, she wanted to know how he of all people found out about her name change and if he found out about this, how long would it take for him to find out about her second name change? Secondly, she was confused as to why he was writing her in the first place. She hadn't talked to him in months. In fact, they hadn't spoken since the fiasco formerly known as her coming of age birthday party. Their friendship was on shaky ground at best.

Hesitantly, she broke the seal and opened the parchment. When she finished reading, she groaned and dropped the letter in her lap as Draco sat next to her.

"Bad news?" he asked apprehensively.

She sighed heavily. "Not the best," she replied passing the letter to him.

Before reading, he glanced at the bottom; the missive was signed by Harry Potter. His jaw tightened in suppressed anger as he began reading the words scrawled across the parchment.

Ginny,

I wanted to share this with you before you found out from anyone else. I've been asked by Kingsley to go to Hogwarts

to help recruit and assess new Auror candidates three days each week. From what I understand, anyone interested in
becoming an Auror candidate will be required to sit in on these classes. I'm not fully sure why they've elected me for this,
but I'm not complaining- decent food three times a day, a warm bed every night, and the scenery isn't bad either. It beats
what I've had over the last month. That might be why we've had so many drop out from the program.

I won't keep you, I didn't want it to come as a shock if we ran into each other; I know I'm not high on your list right now
and I don't blame you for being angry with me. I do want to apologize for everything I've put you through. The messy situation
with Luna that caused you so much pain, my behavior towards you after your birthday, and most importantly, not treating you
with respect. I hope you will allow me the opportunity to apologize in person. I know I can't change what I've done, I only hope
that you'll let me make it up to you. You were my friend before I loused everything up and I'd like to have my friend back if you
are agreeable.

I'll see you next week.

Hopefully still your friend,
Harry

After reading the missive, Draco carefully folded the parchment and placed it on the table without saying a word. Ginny watched nervously as Draco gathered his thoughts.

"I gather you're not too happy about the chosen one's return?" he finally asked.

"It complicates things," she said weakly. "He doesn't know we're married."

"I could tell him if you like," Draco replied with a little too much enthusiasm for Ginny's liking.

"No, you prat," she replied smiling slightly.

"Why not? He knows I'm Alexander's father."

"For starters, my mum still doesn't know and neither does Ron. I'm not sure who he'd run to first."

"Don't you think it's time we told them?" he asked cautiously.

"Yes, but this isn't something I'd feel comfortable sending in a letter. Imagine the howler I'm sure I'd get over breakfast. I don't think that would go over very well, do you?"

Draco chuckled a bit at the image of a Molly Weasley howler informing the entire student body that he was married to one of his students. Specifically, he was thinking of the reaction of several Slytherin students. It would almost be worth it to put Greengrass and Boles along with their entourage in their place. It would remind them that Ginny was off limits as well as his to protect as he saw fit.

"So, how do you feel about Harry being here?" Ginny asked cutting into his reverie.

"I knew the Ministry was going to send someone, but I didn't know it would be him. I should have known they'd send their golden boy." Draco sighed heavily and ran his hand through his platinum locks. "I can't say I'm happy about him being here, but at least it's not all three of them," he responded. "I can barely tolerate your brother, Potter and Granger individually, but all three at once is more than any wizard should have to endure."

"Try living in their shadows for six years," she replied timidly.

"You were never in their shadow, love," he stated drawing her into his arms and placing a gentle kiss on her full lips.

Ginny pulled away from her husband and cocked her eyebrow as if to say "Oh, really?"

Draco leaned in and placed another kiss on her lips before replying, "Maybe you were a devout follower for years, but you were never hidden in the shadows; you always stood out."

"Hmmph! Look Draco, I know I've always been in their shadow just as I've always been compared to all of my brothers. If I'm good at Charms, I'm compared to Bill. If I take an interest in animals or magical creatures, I'm compared to Charlie. With Percy, it's my grades. If I'm too carefree, it's Fred and George, or I'm too stubborn it's Ron," she explained with exasperation oozing from each word.

"I would have thought devious for those twin brothers of yours," he replied while softly stroking her hair as she laid her head on his chest.

"No, that's when they start whispering about the diary and Tom when they think I can't hear them."

Draco's heart tightened at the mention of what his father had attempted to do at the hands of a twelve year-old girl. It further tightened when his wife was that twelve year-old girl and she was stigmatized by her family because of his father's actions. This was yet another reason to abhor Lucius Malfoy.

He shook himself from his thoughts before replying to his wife, "Well Mrs. Malfoy, maybe you just have the best each of them has to offer all rolled into one beautiful, petite, dead sexy package."

This must have been the correct response for his wife pushed him back onto the sofa straddling his body while thoroughly kissing him in a way he hoped would lead to something more only to be interrupted by the wails of the smallest Malfoy, their little prince with impeccable timing.

*****~~~~~*****

Saturday morning finally arrived and Draco rose early to attend to a few last minute details. When he returned to the bedroom, he found Ginny lying with Alexander as he nursed.

"I was hoping to have a few minutes alone with you before he woke," he said softly as he joined his family on the bed.

"You could have if you hadn't left so early this morning," she answered. "Couldn't it have waited?"

"No."

"You aren't going to tell me what you've been up to this week at all are you?"

"No, you'll find out soon enough," he answered lifting the infant from his mother's arms. "Have you packed everything for Alexander and yourself for the weekend?" he asked patting the baby's back as he paced the length of the room.

"Are you sure Narcissa is ok with this?" Ginny asked as she sat up on the side of the bed running her fingers through her tangled red locks.

"We'll be lucky to get him back," he replied. "You know how much he means to her. I'm sure if she had to choose between Alexander and myself, she'd choose him," he joked. "Everything will be fine, I promise," he added seeing the concerned look on his wife's face.

"But…"

"Gin," he said cutting her off. "She'd never let anything happen to him and she'll have the elves along with herself watching over him the entire time we're gone."

"I know, but we've never left him before. He's only forty-seven days old… that's… that's only one month, two weeks, and two days," she whined.

Draco sat on the edge of the bed next to Ginny and sighed looking at his worried wife. With his free hand he cupped her cheek gently stroking the soft skin with his thumb. He smiled briefly as he felt her lean into his hand.

"Do you trust me?" he asked softly.

"Yes," she answered without hesitation.

"Do you think I'd ever put our son in harm's way?"

"No."

"Then don't you think that he'd be safe at the Manor with my mother for less than forty-eight hours?"

Ginny's head dropped just a fraction before she meekly nodded her agreement.

Draco tenderly tilted her head so that she could see the sincerity in his eyes.

"I know you'll miss him. I will too, but this weekend is something that we need. So much has happened so fast and we need just a few days to ourselves."

Ginny sighed heavily as she looked lovingly into Draco's eyes. She was still torn, but Draco had a point. The past year had been turbulent at best for them as individuals and as a couple and they still had several more hurdles to cross before the end of term.

"You're right," she stated before leaning in and pressing her lips softly to his for just a moment.

"You'll find, love that I'm always right," he replied cheekily giving his wife a wink as he rose from the bed head to the nursery. "Now get dressed so we can get going."

~~~~~*****~~~~~

The exhilarating feeling of being in the air was something Ginny sorely missed. She always loved flying and with the broom Draco had given her for Christmas –it was phenomenal. She barely shifted the slightest bit and the broom had seamlessly altered its path and she was rocketing through the air on a new route at the mere thought of changing directions. In its simplest form, it was thrilling.

While Ginny became acquainted with her new broom, Draco sat hovering in the cold air watching Ginny as she darted across the paddock with her flaming locks contrasting vibrantly against the gray wintry sky. He had always been amazed at her flying ability. Ginny was a natural and she thoroughly enjoyed- no she loved being in the air.

She had been able to out-fly and outmaneuver most of Hogwarts on her old Cleansweep. Draco mused that with her Firebolt the Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin quidditch teams should be bowing down and thanking all things magical that Ginny wasn't playing because she would most definitely hand them their arses on a silver platter with or without the help of the Gryffindor team.

His reverie was interrupted by the sound of tinkling laughter drifting over the grounds of Seward Hall. He smiled when he finally registered where the sound was coming from. His wife's laughter was one of the most beautiful sounds to his ears.

"Hey, Malfoy!" Ginny called. "Are you just going to sit up here all day, or are you going to put that broom to good use?"

Her call brought him back completely to the present and away from his previous thoughts. Draco shook his head smiling at the joyful witch whose peals of laughter echoed over the snow covered paddock. Just before she took off his seeker's eyes caught the smirk, his smirk on her lips. This time as she darted through the cold winter air, she was shadowed by a blonde flash pushing himself faster and faster to catch up with her if for no other reason than to kiss the smirk off of her lips.

They spent the remainder of the afternoon in the air descending only when the sun began to set and their heating charms began to fade. Draco took both brooms and draped them across one shoulder wrapping his free arm around Ginny's waist as they made their way across the snow covered ground toward their house and the warmth of a fire and a cup of steaming hot chocolate.

***

When the couple reached the house, they entered the small ante room where they could rid themselves of their snow covered garments. Draco stored the brooms then turned to see that Ginny had removed her robe and was currently placing it on a nearby hook. He thought she looked amazing in her quidditch pants before, but now with the way they clung to her curvier figure, she was awe-inspiring.

Like all women, Ginny's hips among other things filled out due to her pregnancy giving her womanly curves that other girls her age didn't have. Draco smirked as he thought of all of the delicious things he was going to do with and to those new womanly features later.

Ginny turned after hanging her robe to see Draco staring at her. His eyes had darkened into a deep lustful shade of molten silver. The last time she had seen that particular shade was the night Alexander had been conceived.

"What?" she asked biting her lip nervously. "Why are you looking at me like that? I must look ghastly l after flying all afternoon," she rambled.

Draco stepped closer looking into her widened eyes. "You look absolutely beautiful," he replied roughly tucking her long hair behind her ear. "The blush on your cheeks from the cold and your wind-blown hair make you look like you did the last time I had you." Draco groaned at the thought. His lips brushed lightly against her ear as he spoke, "And those pants hugging that delectable bum of yours…" He felt her shudder at the light contact. Taking the opportunity to draw her closer, he placed both of his hands on her waist and pulled her body into his. In response, she ran both of her hands up the length of his arms, across his shoulders, placing them around his neck as his soft lips met hers in a tender kiss.

Her breath hitched in anticipation as his lips touched hers. Their soft tender kisses quickly grew into wantonness and need. When he began nibbling on her bottom lip, she whimpered with desire. When she felt his tongue trace her bottom lip, she eagerly allowed him to deepen their kiss exploring each other earnestly breaking apart when the need for oxygen outweighed the need to be close.

When he removed his lips from hers, Draco began kissing and nipping at her jaw tracing its path to her ear and down to her neck. She thought she would melt like the last of the winter snow on a warm spring day when Draco's lips descended onto a very sensitive spot on her neck just below her ear. She moaned throatily as she ran her hands through his hair and over his broad shoulders. She needed to touch him and feel his body against hers in some way. She hadn't felt like this in a long time and the more Draco nibbled and kissed the more intense her need became. When he shifted their positions, he growled in delight as her leg brushed against the firmness his desire for her had created.

Ginny stiffened for a moment when her leg brushed against him as her mind fought to control the emotions and desires that were surging through her body. She knew where this weekend was leading, and she wanted. By Merlin, she wanted her husband, but she was more nervous now than the first time they'd made love.

There were too many what ifs running through her head. What if she forgot how? It's not like she was particularly skilled before she got pregnant. Can you really forget how? What if she got pregnant again? What if he thought she looked appalling now that she's been pregnant and given birth? What if…? What if….?

"Draco…" she moaned.

"Yes, love," was the muffled reply as he dusted her shoulder with warm kisses enjoying the taste of her skin on his lips and tongue.

"Draco," she called again trying to extricate herself from his arms. "We… we need to stop," she panted.

He continued with his task ignoring her comment. However, when Ginny felt his lips on her breast, she placed her hands firmly on his shoulders pushing him away not recalling when or how he unbuttoned her shirt in the first place.

When he felt her push against him, he lifted his head and looked at her flushed face. Her eyes were no longer glazed with need, but apprehension as he heard her once again telling him to stop.

"Sorry love, I... I got a bit carried away," he sighed raggedly and shifted at the uncomfortable tightness bulging against the confines of his trousers. He closed his hands around her wrists and drew them to his lips kissing her fingertips.

"I want you too, but not like this and not in a coat closet," she replied as she righted her shirt.

"No, not in a coat closet you deserve much, much more than that," he replied. His voice was thick and reflected the remorse he felt more clearly than any apology would have at the moment. "Why don't you go soak in the bath and I'll send Lettie up with a cup of hot chocolate to warm you up."

Ginny nodded in response. She gently kissed Draco's cheek before walking away mumbling under breath about randy wizards and being warm enough without hot liquids.