The remaining week before Easter break flew by like a phoenix in the flames; pausing only to allow Ginny and Draco one last free period together.
"So you really are going to Spain with Finnigan?" Draco broke a long moment's silence,
"With Lindy, but yes Seamus is coming," Ginny said plainly and continued working on a particularly nasty piece of potions homework.
"Wow, you must really like this guy," Draco muttered as his quill paused over his parchment, "If I'd invited you to Spain on our own little private holiday would you have come with me?" during the last week they'd finally started talking about their relationship and becoming honest friends.
"I would have been nervous as Snape confronted with shampoo but yes I would have found a way to go," she said honestly after a moment's thought, "I suppose I had too much faith that you wouldn't take advantage of me," Ginny looked pointedly at the silver ring on Draco's left hand but her tone was still light and playful.
"You know I would never have done anything you didn't want me to do," this time his words held so much suggestion that Ginny was forced to bow her head to her parchment and hope her hair covered her extensive blushing. Draco laughed as he noticed her manoeuvre,
"I always wondered why that sort of thing embarrassed you so much Ginny, you appear to greatly enjoy snogging but you turn bright red whenever someone actually talks about it," as it wasn't specifically stated as a question Ginny chose to ignore it.
"What are you doing over the break?" she said politely after finishing another murderous paragraph,
"Tell me why it embarrasses you and I'll share my plans," he levelled his grey eyes at her with a knowing smirk,
"Nope, don't want to know that much, I'll just write Lacey and ask her," Ginny grinned, pleased with her trickery and new found talent for manipulating Draco,
"Come come, is it really so terrible for a person to talk about snogging?" he has to be doing this on purpose, using that stupid sexy voice to make me blush. Ginny dared look away from her smeared essay to glare at him,
"I have a problem with you talking about it while I'm trying to work,"
"That's not it, you're just avoiding the question," he leaned towards her, "Or is it me that makes you uncomfortable?" he taunted, happy in his knowledge that despite everything that had happened Ginny still found every aspect of him drop dead sexy.
"Alright, fine," Ginny huffed and tossed her quill aside, "It's awkward because you keep using that stupid sexy voice and it drives me insane," she crossed her arms and glared at him hoping her outburst hadn't caught the attention of the fearsome Madam Pince.
"Still think my voice is sexy do you? Even with Finnigan's accent, tut tut Miss Red, I wonder what other parts of me you still admire, his tone was playful and sexy and all Ginny wanted to do was snog him into silence then go back to writing the ridiculous essay. His eyes glinted as he read her expression,
"Really Miss Red, you'd do all that even though you have plans with your boyfriend to go to Spain together," Draco somehow managed to laugh even though deep down he wished as much as Ginny did that they were free to be with each other in every way.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Ginny said in a falsely modest and calm voice. Internally she was slapping herself for not being over Malfoy like she should have been.
"Do you want me to visit you in Spain, I have a feeling that Lacey would love to go, she's been talking about it ever since Blaise let slip that he was going with Lindy," he looked at her at if he would honestly like to spend time with her and Seamus while he was with Lacey,
"Perhaps if you write to me we'll find some time to steal away," Ginny smiled happily, this was the Draco she'd fallen in love with. Too bad for him her heart now belonged to the sandy haired boy standing in the library entrance looking warily at Ginny and the blonde boy; their heads close together and smiles on their perfect faces.
"I'll write to you Ginny, or get Lacey to, she's been longing to see you ever since Valentines," he smiled again, one of those genuinely happy smiles that used to make Ginny go weak in the knees but for now it only softened her previously hard heart,
"For now," he continued, "I'll leave you in the capable hands of Mr. Finnigan here who looks like he's come to jealously sweep you away from me," one last happy glance was shared before Draco left as promised.
"You two always look so perfect together," Seamus said sadly but Ginny noticed the glint in his eye and recognized the ploy for her pity.
"Oh aren't we just, so equal and perfect for each other in every way, pity he's married and she's happy in her relationship with this ridiculous Irish guy," Ginny laughed as Seamus's pout turned into a grin,
"You all packed?" he said while his hand snuck around her waist,
"Definitely," Ginny smiled and leaned onto his shoulder, "you?"
"Almost I think, Ron keeps giving me weird looks, don't worry I haven't told him anything except that I'm going on holidays but I think he suspects ever since Harry told him that Jess had invited him to Spain," he laughed cheerily at the worried expression on his girlfriend's face, "I told Harry the plan and he's promised not to tell Ron, somehow I get the feeling he wishes he could be going as well so he's hardly going to spoil it for the rest of us," Seamus pulled her just a little bit closer.
"Good," Ginny matched his grin, "Because I've been looking forward to this too much to have Ronald spoil it," on tip toes Ginny kissed Seamus on the cheek, "Finish packing and then we'll have some fun," she whispered before dashing off to her next class. Seamus behind her whispered quietly,
"Well now I'm motivated,"
xxx
Early the next morning a messy group could be found in the headmaster's office as he sent them off towards Lindy's house via portkey. First Lindy with Blaise, followed by Jess and Natalie and finally a yawning Ginny helped along by a bright eyed Seamus.
"Um, wow," was all Seamus managed as he stepping out of the fireplace and into Lindy's living room, "This is impressive Lindy," he raised an eyebrow in appreciation of the immense wealth.
"Thank you," Lindy muttered in an offhand sort of way, she was watching her mother descent the stairs,
"Lindy dearest, and Blaise, looking as handsome as ever," Mrs. Jack-Mason smiled widely at her future son-in-law, "And Ginny darling how lovely to see you again, so this must be Natalie, Jessica, and..." she looked curiously at Seamus before Ginny was forced to introduce him and Mrs. Jack-Mason responded with a 'pleasure, I'm sure'.
"Now, dears I've set up the house so everything is ready for you to floo in, I want a solemn promised from all of you that you will behave yourselves," she looked shockingly like Lindy when she glared at the schoolchildren and waited for them all to reply demurely before continuing, "So as I said everything is ready, Lindy dear Anna is already at the house so she can assist you with anything, yes I'll manage without her for the week I'm not completely useless you know," she chided as her daughter's glance questioned her mother's ability to manage without the house elf.
"Thank you so much Mrs. Jack-Mason," Natalie smiled the widest of them all as they gave their thanks before stepping into the fireplace.
"Not a problem dear," the society lady smiled as she wished them farewell.
xxx
Stepping out of the Spanish fireplace was more shocking than stepping out of the one in Lindy's house. Everything was made of white stone and elegantly patterned wood. Soft plants grew up the walls of the courtyard and Ginny could only sigh and breath in the warm air as she stepped from the fireplace and into Seamus's arms.
"Lindy I cannot thank you enough for bringing me here," she said in awe,
"Hey, it was my idea if you've all forgotten," Natalie said loudly, feigning annoyance,
"Yes, thank you Natalie for being invited to Spain by a very rich man who adores you," Jess chimed in, happy to be in the heat even without Harry.
"Oh whatever, he said that he'd come and get me this evening," Natalie smiled brightly, "So let's explore this place before I go," she seemed to bounce on her toes as she left her luggage in the courtyard and dashed into the main house, Jessica trailing close behind. Lindy and Ginny looked at each other saying silently, 'what have we unleashed' before laughing and following their giggling friends.
Left behind in a rather awkward silence was the luggage and the two boys who previous to that day had never spoken to each other let alone been left with only each other for company.
"So, what is the deal with you and Lindy anyway," Seamus finally asked out of burning curiosity, "Nobody wants to tell me how a girl like her ended up with a Slytherin," Blaise laughed happily and sat on the closest stone bench,
"We were betrothed to each other as children, she has a choice in the matter though, it is considered reasonable for the girl in such a relationship to leave the boy, but I could not leave her without being shamed, not that I want to of course, Lindy is absolutely fabulous," he smiled and looked off into the distance as if thanking fate for forcing them together,
"So like, an arranged marriage?" Seamus sat on the luggage, "Is that how Malfoy ended up getting married so soon?" this was all becoming much more interesting to him as he saw how it might factor into Ginny's relationship with Draco.
"Actually yes, he and Lacey weren't supposed to be married until they both graduated but Lacey had a very sudden need to change the date of the wedding," Blaise shook his head, still in disbelief that Lacey's father had been so foolish with his fortune.
"Wait, is she like pregnant or something?" Seamus's eyes bulged as the idea occurred to him. He relaxed as Blaise looked at him in shock and burst out laughing,
"Very funny Seamus," he shook his head as if in denial that anyone could be so stupid,
"Well it's a reasonable guess isn't it?" he said indignantly,
"Oh I suppose it is, it's just that knowing Draco and Lacey, suggesting such a thing is amusing, Draco didn't want to marry her, he wanted to ditch everything and stay with Ginny but then Lacey dashed to him with her father's problem, a true damsel in distress she was and Draco had no choice," Blaise spoke more freely than he ever had, the warmth of the Spanish sun forcing him to relax.
"He wanted to stay with Ginny?" Seamus's voice was suddenly pale and his accent very prominent,
"Yeah, she was head over heels for him as well, then he went and got married and she was destroyed, I actually haven't seen her quite the same since, she's colder and more distant, I suppose she's been doing better lately but still, purely wrecked when she got the news," he commented as if completely forgetting that Seamus and Ginny were together, "Perhaps Spain will do her some good, I hope so, she used to be such a lovely girl, always smiling and laughing," Blaise ended shaking his head; he was honestly worried for his red headed Gryffindor friend.
Seamus sat very still. Draco had never stopped loving Ginny or truly left her. He'd been forced into marrying someone else. Of course he'd known parts of the story but the idea that perhaps they still loved each other haunted him; images of Ginny and Draco cozied up in the library floated through his mind. Suspicion and worry edged into his brain like a whisper from Circe.
"Anyway, she seems happy enough with you so I wouldn't worry about it, also Draco is making an honest effort to keep Lacey happy so I reckon you'll be okay," Blaise tried to give a consoling look as he realized the effect his words were having on Seamus.
"Yeah, sure," the Irish boy muttered before getting up to follow Blaise in his search for the girls.
xxx
Eventually they were found in raptures over a drawer full of summer dresses and various bikinis.
"We come all this way and all you notice are the clothes?" Blaise shook his head at Lindy, "Lindastaire I cannot believe you," he kept shaking his head until Lindy looked at him with a pout,
"But, they're really nice clothes," she pretended to whine as Jess came out of the bathroom wearing a new white cotton dress over a matching bikini. To their credit neither of the boys looked at her for too long. Ginny was a whole other story. When she re-entered the room in a black string bikini Seamus stared openly at a loss for words.
"What are you thinking Seamus?" Ginny giggled at how the situation between herself and Draco was now reversed between herself and Seamus, "From your blush I'm guessing something terribly naughty, and I must forbid it as we are not entirely alone," she kept giggling as Seamus stood there with his mouth slightly open. This was a side to Ginny he hadn't seen before; or perhaps he was simply imagining her being this way with Draco.
"Lindy you put them all to shame," this was Blaise's low voice as Lindy came out in halter neck number in her favourite shade of red. She was closely followed by Natalie wearing a similar swimsuit in hot pink.
"I'm glad you think so dear," Lindy smiled calmly, ignoring all suggestion in Blaise's voice. Jess and Natalie were giving each other the typical girl style 'check me' 'you're good' before declaring themselves perfect and water ready.
Once again leaving the boys behind the girls dashed out of the house and towards the beach. Blaise began looking calmly around the house as Seamus felt more questions burning inside his skull,
"Blaise," he started, the dark skinned boy turned to look at him curiously,
"Everyone thought you were the boy who knew the whole truth Seamus, I'm thinking now that perhaps that is not true," his insights made Seamus hesitate.
"I knew some of the truth, but perhaps if you know you could tell me where Terry came into everything and why Malfoy is being all friendly with Ginny now," Seamus looked around the room the most miserable person on holiday at that moment.
"Terry was hopeful that Ginny would go back to him once she came to terms with losing Draco, problem was she never came to terms with it as far as I can tell, she just kept on pining until she came to the realization that she didn't need Draco, she needed the feeling of having him, of having something forbidden, Terry wasn't forbidden but his presence made you even more so," Blaise paused to give Seamus a moment to absorb and collect his thoughts,
"But what about now, Terry isn't in the picture anymore and she spends all her free time with Draco in the library," again his accent gained weight as his worry increased.
"I wouldn't worry about that yet Seamus, Draco made a promise to Lacey, he promised that they'd both be happy and Draco knows that his happiness is seated in his relationship with Ginny, so as long as Ginny doesn't push the boundaries, and I reckon she won't yet, then Draco will stay friends with her,"
"What do you mean 'yet'?" the worry was returning even though it was evident that Blaise was trying to calm him with the truth,
"She loved him too much to be able to stay just friends with him now, Draco's the same it's just that he has more self-control," Blaise just shrugged as if he had already accepted the inevitable before seeing the look of horror on Seamus's face, "Then again she might not do anything, as I said before she seems to be happy with you," he back tracked and decided that it was probably time to go swimming with the girls before Natalie left and Jessica became sulky.
"Right," Seamus muttered as Blaise walked away, changed into swimming trunks and dove into the ocean only to scoop up Lindy from below the surface and spin her around in the water.
xxx
"Now y'all be good without me," Natalie looked almost as stern as Mrs. Jack-Mason as she glared at her friends,
"Natalie just go and have fun," Lindy gave he a shove towards the waiting Adam who smiled charmingly at the group of girls.
"I will, I will, I just want to make sure you won't die without me," this time she laughed before picking up her purse and skipping over towards Adam who smiled brightly at her and waved to the group in thanks. As they walked out the front gate Adam leaned over Natalie and whispered something in her ear.
"Well that's that," Lindy said after a moment of silence, "Let's go look at sleeping arrangements," this was the part that everyone had been wondering about.
"You know we won't allow you to have sleepovers with Blaise," Jess chided, "It's simply unfair to me and Ginny won't allow it," everyone looked at Ginny, who looked at Jess, who looked back her before sighing, "Oh whatever Ginny, you and Seamus take a room, Lindy can share with Blaise and I'll just be all alone down the hall listening to things I'd rather not hear,"
"Don't be that way Jess," Lindy laughed and wrinkled her nose, "Us girls will share a room and the boys can share as well, that prevents anyone from having sleepovers," Jess looked considerably happier but the look on Blaise's face said he'd rather not spend too much more time with Seamus alone for fear he would continue his line of questioning.
Despite this, nothing could have prevented the remaining friends to enjoy their picnic dinner that Anna had arranged for them. Happily seated in Seamus's lap Ginny ate strawberries dipped in chocolate and giggled as Seamus licked it from her lips. Jessica's reaction to all of it was pure jealous disgust.
"We'll find you a Spaniard soon Jess," Ginny soothed, "didn't Adam have a friend that you liked?" she remembered the Christmas Eve party with a pained expression but Jess cheered up after the mention of Adam's friend.
"Perhaps then she'll allow sleepovers," Lindy teased from her spot curled up next to Blaise. Jess looked at Lindy sarcastically and rolled her eyes as if such a thing was still completely out of the question.
"Relax Jess, we aren't just going to start going at it right in front of you," oddly this came from Seamus and as Ginny turned a peculiar shade of red he almost regretted his words.
"Yeah, like all of Ginny's midnight picnics with Draco, sure we couldn't see what was happening but we all knew," her voice was bitter and the group gasped appropriately.
"Jessica!" Lindy hissed, "Ginny and Seamus happen to be sitting right here" pale from shock Lindy looked carefully over at Ginny and was surprised to find her looking quite calm,
"Mmmm, those were fun," she said with a laugh, "and you over estimate what happened Jess," Ginny couldn't see the look of horror on her boyfriend's face as she recalled fond memories of times with her ex.
"Lindy was right Ginny, I am sitting right here," he said slowly, there had been too much 'Ginny and Draco' talk for his liking.
"Course you are," Ginny said with a smile as she tipped her head back to look at him, "Doesn't mean I can't look back at good memories," she rolled her eyes a little at Seamus's continued fretting before saying, "You want the full story, fine, Draco and I used to hang out on the Quidditch bleachers at night after games and stuff, sometimes we had picnics of candy and butterbeer, big deal,"
"Like your cozy little homework sessions in the library," he commented dryly,
"Okay guys, this is officially awkward," Lindy grimaced as everyone looked at her, "Seamus, get the ideas out of your head, can't you see that Ginny is devoted to you?" when Seamus relented and nodded Lindy managed a smile, "There we go people, now I think we should all sing muggle campfire songs then look at the stars like they do in movies before going to bed,"
Everyone grudgingly agreed to this and Jessica led them in a fast real about a man with a wife and two kids who worked at a button factory. Before long Lindy had fallen asleep on Blaise's shoulder and Seamus was dozing with his head in Ginny's lap as she stroked his hair. Jess was on her other side,
"I'm sorry about what I said," Jess whispered, "It's just a little hard being the fifth wheel,"
"Forget about it Jess," Ginny smiled and gave her friend a one armed hug.
(A/N – reviews are awesome…)