Characters: DracoGinny

#11. Sirens: Write about temptation [Greek Mythology Competiton]

#Hello by Adele. Essay 600w/song/art [The Homework Challenge]

#D40. Write about romance in the most unusual way possible [Scavenger Hunt Competiton]

#764. It's The Past, Let's Not Talk About It [If you dare Challenge)

#1. Draco/Ginny [Royalty Competition 1,500w]

words: 1,763

Disclaimer: All characters belong to JKR. The song I used for this fic is 'Hello' by Adele. I sadly don't own that either.

Everything that happened between us all those years ago is nothing more than history

He had tried to fight it for a long time, but in the end, he couldn't resist the temptation. So here he was now. He was standing in front of the rather old stone house. He had had some trouble finding it at first. But he did in the end. He had come this far, but now that he was here, didn't know what to do, so instead of knocking at the front door, he remained standing right next to the living room window. The spell he had cast on himself prevented that anyone would detect him. Then he saw her. Her long and flaming red hair in a ponytail. Her brown eyes as beautiful as he remembered. With a book in her hand, as she sat down on the couch next to the roaring fire place. She was a married woman now, so what was he supposed to say?

Hello,

Yes, saying hello was always a good way to start.

it's me, Draco

But what if after all these years she had forgotten about him? What if she didn't recognize him anymore?

I was wondering if after all these years
You'd like to meet,

Meet. Talk. Write. Actually he didn't care about any of it. As long as there was some sort of correspondence between them again.

to go over
Everything

Everything indeed. Everything that had happened between the two of them. In school. During war times. Over a decade ago.

They say that time's supposed to heal ya
But I ain't done much healing

Not matter how hard he had tried, to this day, his heart was aching every time he thought about her.
Hello, can you hear me?

His mind was screaming, but as hard as he tried, he couldn't bring his mouth to say the words out loud. He never really got the chance to say them to her. Three simple words. I love you.

I'm was California dreaming about who we used to be

After the war, he had said goodbye. He thought trying to leave all of it behind would be best for both of them. He thought distance would make it all easier. But even in California, where he could have had basically any witch he wanted, he dreamed about the good times. They times they spent at Hogwarts. Together. In secret.

When we were younger
and free

But that was a long time ago. At school. He was starting his 7th year, she her 6th. It had been dangerous for her to return to Hogwarts, but she still did it. Her boyfriend had broken up with her, to go on a hunt for dark artefacts. She was lonely then. But he was there. And against the odds, one day, they started talking. He understood the feeling of loneliness better than anyone. He had comforted her.

I've forgotten how it felt before the world fell at our feet.

Now, in this moment, after seeing her again through the window for the first time in so many years, he remembered. He remembered how it felt to be loved.

There's such a difference
between us

And a million miles.

Back then, it wasn't only the fact that she had red hair and his was blonde. She and her family had been seen as muggle-lovers and blood traitors. His family had remained loyal to the old pureblood-laws. She had been fighting for the light. He had been fighting for the dark. He should have known their relationship was bound to break. And in the end, they were indeed walking on different paths.

Hello from the other side.

Two different sides. As small as they might seem. Inside and outside. These two words separated him from his love. Like an invisible barrier. Unable to break through.

I must've called a thousand times

He had tried to contact her. He had written letters, but didn't dare send them. So he tore them apart. Ripped them in tiny little pieces. They resembled his own broken heart. Her father was known for loving and possessing muggle artefacts. So he even tried calling her on a muggle-phone.

to tell you I'm sorry
for everything that I've done

To apologize. For the people he had hurt, tortured or killed. For breaking her heart. To ask for a second chance. But he hung up every time. Right after she answered the phone with "Ginny Potter, speaking".

But when I call you never
seem to be home

The one time, he had told himself that he wouldn't hang up, no matter what, this one time she hadn't answered.

Hello from the outside

He was still standing there. Outside. In front of her house. This time, he saw children running into the living room. Her children. Two boys and a girl. The children that could have been his.

At least I can say that I've tried

He did try, but it wasn't enough. He should have done more. He should have been braver. He should have fought for her. He should have told her right away how he felt.

to tell you I'm sorry
for breaking your heart

For breaking his promise to her. For leaving her behind. For leaving her at the school unprotected. For helping the Death Eaters. For fighting against her.

But it don't matter,

It never did. The war ended. Her side won. She got her hero in the end. She moved on.

it clearly doesn't tear you apart anymore

He was different than she was. He still wasn't over it. He was still torn. And it would take him probably decades longer to fully heal.

Hello
how are you?
It's so typical of me to talk about myself

He moved closer to the window. Did her husband treat her well? Was she happy? Was she still thinking about the past? About him?

I'm sorry

Every time he saw her it happened. The flash of guilt that came over him and threatened to suffocate him. He would regret his decisions for the rest of his life. Letting her go. Letting her slip through his fingers.

I hope
that you're well.

After everything, she deserved happiness. Even if she found it somewhere else. With another man by her side.

Did you ever make it out of that school
Where nothing ever happened?

It was the unspoken agreement between the two of them. To keep their love silent. To pretend nothing ever happened.

It's no secret

It's not a secret anymore. Though it was for a long time. The two of them. Being together. A Weasley and a Malfoy. A scandal.

That the both of us were running out of time

Back in school, the time had passed faster than they thought. The final battle had approached. Choices had to be made. She choose light. He choose dark. He didn't choose her.

Hello from the other side

The temptation was there. All he had to do was walk to the front door. Knock and wait until someone opened. But he couldn't bring himself to do it. He didn't move.

I must've called a thousand times
to tell you I'm sorry
for everything that I've done
But when I call you never seem to be home

For years, he thought about a scenario. How to approach her. Should he go home and try to call again? But he was here now. He couldn't leave now that he'd come so far, right? He had to apologize and he had to do it now. But, too much time had already passed.

Hello from the outside

He saw her husband sitting down next to her. Giving her a kiss. A lovely kiss. A kiss like he had given her during their time together. A kiss he would give everything for now. A kiss he had dreamed of since their break up. A kiss he would never receive again.

At least I can say that I've tried
to tell you I'm sorry
for breaking your heart

It wasn't only her heart that was broken. That night. When he told her about his decision. When he left the school to join the other death eaters.

But it don't matter,
it clearly doesn't tear you apart anymore

From what he could see through the window, she apparently hasn't wasted any further thoughts about him. And why should she? She looked happy with her family around. The time when he was the one to make her happy were clearly over. She didn't need him anymore.

Ooooohh, anymore
Ooooohh, anymore
Ooooohh, anymore
Anymore

Hello from the other side
I must've called a thousand times

Ten, hundred, a thousand, a million of times, but he never had the courage to talk to her. And, as he realised now, he never would.

to tell you I'm sorry
for everything that I've done

But when I call you never seem to be home

He was afraid. Afraid that if he spoke to her, she wouldn't accept his apology.

Hello from the outside

He couldn't bear to watch her any longer.

At least I can say that I've tried

He tore his glance away from the window and walked to the front door.

to tell you I'm sorry
for breaking your heart

He didn't knock. He waved his wand and conjured a small piece of parchment. He wrote one word. Sorry.

But it don't matter, it clearly doesn't tear you apart anymore

He left it in front of the door. Then he walked away. He would never be able to stop thinking about her. Never. But she had moved on. She managed to do what he had been trying for years. To stop thinking about the love between the former lovers. Now he was alone. She wasn't. She had always been a daughter. And a sister. Now she was a wife. Mother. Aunt. As much as he wanted to, as big as the temptation was, in the end he couldn't risk leaving more than a note. Brining up old memories. No, not at the expense of her happiness. Because everything that had happened between them all these years ago is history. It's The Past. Let's Not Talk About it anymore.