Author's Note: Note that this is part of the D/G ending.

Chapter 29: Truth (Ending 2)

Bright green eyes were boring into his own, and Draco had the uncomfortable feeling that this was what it really felt like to be interrogated by Harry Potter. But he met the harsh glare with flinching. He had no intention of lying. He knew that's what Potter was on the lookout for – more lies. But for the first time in three years, he was going to tell the truth.

Three years earlier

Anger flashed in Pansy's eyes and she glared back at him. "You should know better than to try to marry for love," she hissed derisively, "When has that ever worked?"

Fierceness flared between them like a charge, and Draco felt a vengeful impulse grip his chest. Ginny had been sleeping with Potter, probably for months, and had betrayed their relationship with a sweet smile on her face and lies on her lips. It would be easy – almost too easy, he thought – to get her back. He looked down at Parkinson's lips, moist and slightly parted, inches away.

It would be so easy.

But then something flashed at Pansy's neck. His eyes darted down to the glittering gold chain that disappeared beneath the fabric of her blouse. "Draco?" Pansy murmured, all seduction, but suddenly, he wasn't thinking about revenge anymore. All he could think of was that locket – that damn gold locket – the one he'd given Ginny on the night of her seventeenth birthday. The night they'd watched the sunset from the air and the night she'd kissed him in the old broom-shed behind the Burrow. The night all the dancing around each other had ended and everything else had begun.

And as the flashing of memories subsided, he knew with an absolute and painful certainty that he couldn't do this. Not because Ginny didn't deserve it – he didn't owe her anything, not anymore – but because he knew it wouldn't do any good. Sex with Pansy would just be cheap and spiteful, and after what he'd lost, cheap and spiteful weren't going to be enough to make him feel better. Not by a long shot.

His arms dropped to his side and he stepped back.

A harsh silence filled the room, and when Draco looked up again, Parkinson was glaring at him. He could see the fury building in her eyes, but he didn't look away. "I can't," he said directly.

Pansy made a derisive sound in her throat. "Can't do what, exactly? Be a man?"

"No," he replied harshly, rolling his eyes. "I can't have meaningless revenge sex with you."

"Why not?" she answered fiercely, "You enjoyed it plenty back at school."

"Different life, Pansy," he answered, glaring right back.

She made another derisive sound. "What the hell happened to you, Draco?" she hissed.

"I grew up," he countered, but she continued over him, voice rising with each moment.

"You were powerful and influential and privileged, and you came from the right family – you're a Malfoy, for Merlin's sake – and the Dark Lord even honored you with a task. But then you went and screwed it all up by being a coward in the Astronomy Tower," she sneered. "And you know what," she continued, yelling now, "even then, I defended you. When those idiots Crabbe and Goyle made snide comments about you, I told them they'd better watch themselves because when we got back to school you'd hex them so hard they wouldn't be able to see straight for days. But then you don't show up next term and you completely disappear off the face of the earth, and next thing I know Potter's back and everything's gone to hell and you show up on the other side with a blood-traitor on your arm!"

"Don't call her that," Draco growled warningly, almost by reflex.

Pansy slammed her hand down on the table in the middle of the room. "Hanging around with all those bloody Gryffindors really made you a pushover, Draco," she yelled. "She's been making a fool out of you for months, and you're still defending her!"

"I am not defending her!" Draco shouted back. "But all that crap about the Dark Lord and bloodlines and the right family is old news, Pansy, and the sooner you figure that out, the better."

Her face red with fury, Pansy pulled her wand from her sleeve. "Don't you dare say that," she snarled.

He snorted derisively. "Go ahead, curse me. Won't change the fact that all of our purity and family honor doesn't mean shit anymore."

Pansy was nearly shaking with anger now, and she raised her wand. His hand went to his own wand in his back pocket and he threw up a shield just as she hissed a low spell.

A cutting hex flew from her wand and he watched in horror as it rebounded. She ducked away from it, but it grazed the side of her arm and there was a sickening slicing sound. Pansy inhaled sharply as a large gash opened up just below her shoulder and dark red blood began to soak onto the sleeve of her dark dress and across her skin.

His shield disappeared, and in a moment he was at her side, raising his wand above the wound. He whispered a quick healing spell and she sighed with relief as the cut closed up.

"What the hell were you thinking, Pansy?" he growled, backing away. He was breathing hard. He ran an agitated hand across the back of his neck. "You could've been killed! You're lucky you dodged the worst of it!"

Pansy glared at him. "No," she countered. "You're lucky you got your shield up."

Draco narrowed his eyes at her, but he knew the argument was over. "Go wash yourself up, Pansy," he said harshly. "You've got blood all over you. I don't want people to think I was trying to murder you in here. And then get out."

She stalked past him toward the loo, but she paused just before going inside and fixed him with a bitter look. "You're an embarrassment, Malfoy," she said, and then she disappeared around the corner.

Moments later, he heard the shower start up, and he exhaled heavily. He pressed the bases of his palms hard into his eyes. How the hell had things gotten like this so suddenly? This had to be some kind of bloody nightmare. He slammed his palm against the wall again in frustration. How the hell had this happened?

There was a loud knock on the door, and Draco tore himself from his thoughts. He gave a last sigh of frustration before crossing the room to open it. His stomach clenched in anger when his eyes locked with Ginny's. How the hell had she found him?

"Please don't slam the door in my face!" she said quickly, and he had to restrain himself from doing just that.

"What the hell do you want, Ginny?" he said harshly. "I thought I made it clear that I don't want to hear whatever you have to say."

She launched into a string of excuses, but far from appeasing him, the pleading look on her face only made the anger rise into his throat. "I don't want to hear it," he snapped. How stupid did she think he was? He clenched his fists to keep from shaking her.

"Draco! Do you have an extra towel? I can't find one! Oh!" He watched Ginny's face blanch, and he turned to see Pansy standing in the middle of the room, pushing her wet hair from her face and holding her dress around her naked body. Ginny inhaled sharply, and Draco suddenly realized just how this must look to her. If things hadn't been completely ruined between them before, this would have done it. He saw the quick spark of satisfied amusement that crossed Pansy's eyes and knew she was thinking exactly the same thing.

He whirled back around. "Ginny…," he began. But suddenly she reached up and slapped him hard across the face. "Don't!" His cheek was stinging fiercely, and he felt shocked anger rush back into him.

"You're going to pull that devastated girlfriend act on me?" he said, voice rising into a yell. He barked out a mirthless laugh. "Don't you dare pretend you didn't already destroy this!"

He could see her chest beginning to heave with sobs, and he could tell from the pink tinge forming at her cheeks that she was desperately trying to suppress tears. His brow furrowed in uneasiness. Something wasn't right.

"Don't try to put this on me!" she shouted. "I was just going to tell you that I let Harry sleep in my bed because he was sick! I was just going to tell you that I slept on the bloody sofa! I was just going to tell you that nothing happened – that nothing has ever happened between us! I was going to tell you that I love you, and that this…," shock glued him in place as she pushed her fist deep into her pocket and pulled out the velvet box. His hands went out reflexively to catch it as she thrust it at him. "…Is a beautiful ring. And I was going to tell you that if you had asked me, I would have said yes!"

He made a sound in his throat as a relief mixed with a heady sort of happiness flooded through his body. He leaned slightly against the doorway to keep himself upright against the force of it. She was staring up at him now, clear tears sitting at the edges of her eyes and threatening to spill over. He clenched his fists to recover himself so that he could tell her that everything – absolutely everything – had been a huge misunderstanding, but then she spoke again.

"You know," she hissed, and her voice was laced with more malice than Draco had ever heard in it. "Everyone told me I was crazy to date you. They told me I should be with Harry, that he was right for me. But I defended you – I told them that you were just as noble, just as good as him. But you know what, Draco, I was wrong. Because Harry would never have done something like this."

The words were like a punch in the stomach, and Draco dug his fingers hard into the doorframe as all of the happiness rushed out of him just as quickly as it had come. A sharp defiance swelled inside him, pushing the relief aside. He glared at her, eyes flashing with anger. How dare she? After everything they had been through, everything they had meant to each other, she was going to reduce their relationship to that old trope? Even when he'd thought she was a liar, he had at least respected her enough to acknowledge that they'd had something real. But no, she was willing to treat him like she had in school, with the same old contempt, as if the past three years had never happened. He felt his jaw set. To hell with her.

And before he quite knew what he was doing, he fixed her with a steely look. "Go running back to him then, if he's so much better than me," he snapped harshly, ignoring the fact that tears were streaming down her face. Perfect Saint Potter could comfort her now, for all he cared.

"It's over, Draco," she hissed.

"You know what, Ginny?" he replied. "I think you're right about that."

And he slammed the door in her face.

Potter was looking at him acidly. "So you didn't cheat on her?" he ground out.

"Apparently we need to add inability to hear to your list of deficiencies," Draco said dryly.

Harry didn't react to the dig. "And you didn't tell Ginny the truth because of some stupid insult she made in the heat of the moment?"

Draco scowled. "You have no idea what it was like hearing those words come out of her mouth, Potter," he said testily. "She as good as told me she'd rather be with you. And not just that – she would've been better off with you all along."

"Because she thought you cheated on her, Malfoy!" Harry replied loudly. "She has the Weasley temper! She lashes out! For Merlin's sake, how long were you with her, again?"

Draco felt a flash of anger. "My relationship with Ginny had an expiration date from the moment you came back." he said, voice low. He jabbed his index finger into his desk to punctuate his words. "We had fight after fight about it. But no matter what she said, I knew it was only a matter of time before she realized our relationship was just a temporary detour on the road to becoming Mrs. Ginny Potter just like everyone always wanted. And that statement confirmed it. So don't try to tell me what happened that day, Potter. Who the hell do you think you are, anyway?"

"I think I'm the only guy the world who can tell you with absolute certainty that there was nothing going on between me and Ginny while she was with you," he said impatiently. He looked thoughtful for a moment, then shrugged. "Sure there was flirting," he admitted, a dry smile on his lips, "We always had chemistry." Draco scowled at him, but he barreled on. "But even I could tell that she was happy with you and that the two of you were in it for the long haul. But you know what, Malfoy? I guess I just underestimated how stupid you really are."

"What do you want from me, Potter?" Draco snapped impatiently. "Or are you really here just to speak in riddles and insult me?"

Harry pushed himself from his seat and slapped his hand down hard on Draco's desk. "Damnit! I wanted you to say that you cheated on her and that I could go win her back knowing that she really would be better off with me."

Draco laughed. "Oh, so that's it, is it? Perfect little Harry Potter can't get a girl if he thinks she might be happier elsewhere? You always were too noble."

Harry leaned forward so they were face to face across the desk. "Don't test me, Malfoy," he said. Then he met Draco's eyes. "You're making a huge mistake. I'm probably the only other man in the world who knows just what you're losing every second you don't go to her flat and tell her the truth. I know she was happy with you, and I'll be damned if the only reason I end up with her is because of your trumped up sense of pride." He paused, but he didn't break their gaze. Finally, "I'll have Ron Owl you her address. Don't screw this up, Malfoy, because I won't be giving you another chance."

And with a quick jerk, and as if it took no small amount of willpower to do so, Harry pushed himself away from the desk and went to the door.

Draco was stunned to silence. "Potter," he said sharply, and Harry hesitated with his hand on the doorknob. "Why are you doing this for me?"

Harry looked over his shoulder and fixed him with a stern look. "Trust me, Malfoy, I am not doing it for you. Merlin knows you don't deserve a second chance. But she does." And then he walked out of the office and the door slammed behind him.

Draco sat back in his chair, exhaling heavily. A million thoughts pounded through his mind and he shut his eyes hard to calm himself. But one thing Potter had said just kept playing over and over again in his mind: You're making a huge mistake. I'm probably the only other man in the world who knows just what you're losing every second you don't go to her flat and tell her the truth.

Ingrid knocked on his office door an hour and half later. "A note from Ron Weasley?" she said, pinking when she said the red-headed git's name. Draco rolled his eyes. Her hero-worship for the Golden Trio was annoying as hell.

"Thanks, Ingrid," he said, holding out a hand for the slip of paper.

Just so you know, I am totally against giving you this address and am only doing so because Harry barged into my office looking like hell and told me he'd hex me if I didn't. Draco smirked slightly at the thought of how that conversation must've gone, then turned back to Ron's messy scrawl. But I swear to Merlin, if you screw her over again, I will personally make sure that...

What followed was an extremely graphic and detailed account of exactly what kind of bodily harm Draco could expect to endure if Ginny Weasley got hurt again. Draco rolled his eyes. He'd learned long ago that the Weasley men were all bark and no bite, although he couldn't really speak for Potter.

And below all the threats were the three lines of Ginny's address. Draco considered crumpling it up…his fist actually closed a little around it and his eyes flicked to the waste bin beside his desk. But he couldn't. With a sigh, he leaned his head back and stared up at the ceiling of his office. Potter's voice again: you're making a huge mistake. Abruptly, he sat up straight in his chair and tucked the address firmly into the inside pocket of his suit jacket. He pulled the stack of reports toward him and began to read. He had a plan: right now he was going to finish these reports, at three he was going to meet with Higgins to discuss new options for the deal, and at five o'clock on the dot, when Ginny got off work, he was going to go to her flat and get her back.

Draco leaned against the rail of the porch across the street from her flat. For the fifth time since he'd been there, he glanced at his watch – 5:06. He shook himself. For Merlin's sake, pull yourself together, Malfoy. He'd Apparated here straight after work, and his nerves with building with every minute he waited for her to get home. He was acting like a bloody lovesick schoolboy, he thought, rolling his eyes.

There was the crisp pop of an Apparition, and he looked up sharply to see her materialize a few feet away. She didn't notice him, and he watched her with an uncomfortable tightness in his chest as she dug into her bag for her keys and started up the steps to her building. She looked more…mature…than he remembered, but in a good way. Something about the short hair and the crisp dress pants. He supposed she was twenty-three now, and working for the Ministry. It made him realize how much she must've changed since they'd been together, and his stomach clenched with a sharp pang of uncertainty. But by now she was pushing open the door to the building lobby.

He shook himself again and exhaled heavily. "Ginny," he called out, striding as confidently as he could across the street.

She spun in surprise. At the sight of him, her body visibly relaxed and she put a hand to her chest. "Draco?" she said, laughing a little, "You scared me!"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to," he said, smiling. "How are you?"

She smiled back, but he could see the slightest tinge of confusion in her eyes, and he knew she was wondering what he was doing here. "I'm doing really well," she replied. "You?"

"All right."

She nodded. "So…this is a surprise," she began, and she chewed her bottom lip reflexively, "What exactly are you…doing here?"

To his annoyance, Draco felt his heart start hammering in his chest, and he realized he couldn't just blurt out that he wanted her back.

"Do you want to get a cup of coffee?" he said finally, gripping the rail at the bottom of the steps at looking up at her.

She hesitated. "I have a lot of work to do tonight," she answered cautiously.

"Just a walk around the block then?" he persisted.

She met his eyes searchingly for a full second, and for a moment Draco thought she might just refuse and go inside and that would be the end of it, but then she shrugged. "All right, let's go."

She shut the door and came down the steps, and they began walking down her street.

"So I heard you have a new job," he said conversationally. He would work up to the real reason for his visit.

She nodded. "It's a nice change of pace. I got a little antsy at Hogwarts. And now I can have my own apartment off campus. It's nice."

"So you feel all grown up now?" he quipped, grinning.

She laughed aloud. "Something like that." She paused and looked up at him seriously. "I heard about your father," she said. "I'm sorry."

"You hated him," he commented.

"I did," she admitted.

He smiled wryly. "I appreciate that though," he said.

"So what have you been doing now that you're one of the richest men in England?" she asked as they turned the corner and started back around the block.

"Oh, you know," he replied, "Diamond-encrusted suits, caviar, the works."

"Oh? No trips to Paris on your private jet?" she teased.

"Only on weekends," he answered, smirking, "I try to be frugal."

She laughed. "Rich git," she quipped.

"Penniless brat," he returned, and she smiled broadly at the old affectionate insult.

They were rounding the corner back onto her street now, and Draco knew it was now or never. He glanced over at her smiling profile and swallowed.

"I didn't cheat on you," he said shortly.

She froze and he saw her grip the strap of her bag harder. She was silent for a long moment, and Draco could've sworn his own heart stopped beating. Finally, she looked up at him, eyes wide.

"What?" she whispered.

He exhaled and dug his nails into the palms of his hands to force himself to hold her gaze as he spoke. It was harder than he had imagined it would be; he had never expected to tell her this. "That day you came to my hotel room and you saw Parkinson in there with me…. We didn't sleep together. She hurt herself trying to curse me, and…."

Her eyes flashed. "She was in nothing but a towel, Draco," she cut in.

"It wasn't like that," he said quickly. "She was bleeding, and she was washing up. It wasn't like that," he repeated.

She didn't respond for a moment, brow furrowed.

"Then why didn't you just tell me then?" she demanded suddenly. "Why didn't you deny it?"

"Because of what you said about Potter," he answered. "Do you remember?"

Her head jerked in a nod, but her cheeks began to flush in anger and Draco felt a sickening sense of hopelessness in his stomach. She stared at him for several long seconds, but then her jaw set and she hitched her bag higher on her shoulder and started to walk again down the street. He matched her pace.

"I don't believe you," she said flatly, not meeting his eyes.

Draco's heart sank. "Why not?" he whispered.

"Why not?" she repeated. "Because it's been three years, Draco."

"That's not a reason," he replied.

"Yes it is!" she snapped. "I'm settled and happy and...this?" she laughed mirthlessly. "I'm not interested in being lied to."

"Ginny," Draco said, and he heard how pathetically pleading his voice was. "I'm not lying to you. Please…."

"No," she flared, whirling to face him. "Those first months after we broke up, I wanted nothing more than for you to show up on my doorstep and tell me it was all a misunderstanding. But now? It's just…it's ridiculous for you to show up here and expect me to believe that you're telling me the truth now, after three years!"

"Ginny, please. I really am telling you the truth," he said softly, meeting her eyes, every fiber of his body begging her to reconsider.

But she just shook her head. "Draco, just stop." She climbed the steps to her apartment and opened the door, and Draco had the distinct feeling that she was running away from him. "We've been over for a long time," she said, "Let's just…let's just leave it, okay?" And then she went inside and shut the door firmly behind her.

Draco stood in the middle of the street, frozen in place. It was like ripping off an old band-aid and realizing that the wound was still open and bleeding profusely beneath.

Five minutes later, he started back down the street. As he walked, one last option solidified in his mind, and he began to walk more determinedly. There was one last thing he could do. And if that didn't work? Well, then…? He shut his eyes for a moment. Then it really was over.

Draco lifted the intricate brass knocker and clapped it against the door three times. After several seconds, the heavy door creaked open and Draco entered the foyer to be greeted by a diminutive House Elf.

"How can I help you, Sir?" the elf asked.

"I need to speak with Mrs. Zabini," Draco replied.

"Mistress is supervising the laying out of dinner," the elf replied. "I will go fetch her. Who shall I say is calling?"

"I'm an old friend," he answered coolly.

"Nubbin, who is it?" A tall, dark-skinned man entered the hall and did a slight double-take at the sight of Draco.

"Draco Malfoy," he said slowly, smiling. "I haven't seen you in years. How are you?"

"Blaise," Draco replied, shaking the man's hand. "I'm here to see your wife. Congratulations, by the way."

Blaise nodded. "I'm sorry you couldn't make it to the wedding," he said.

"Well, you know, business," Draco said. He'd conveniently had a business meeting on the continent that day. He had a feeling everyone, including Mr. and Mrs. Zabini, had been relieved at his absence.

"I do know," Blaise said. "Well, I have some paperwork to finish before dinner. Nubbin, please go fetch Mistress. Tell her Mr. Malfoy will be waiting in the sitting room. She'll be pleased to see him, I'm sure."

The elf disappeared in an instant. "It was nice to see you, Malfoy. I'm sorry I'm quite busy at the moment, but please do come by another time. The sitting room's just through there." And with that, the man crossed the foyer and disappeared around the corner.

Draco entered the next room and ensconced himself in an armchair to wait. He didn't have to wait long.

"Well this is quite a surprise," her cool voice echoed in the small room.

He stood to give her an awkward air-kiss on either cheek. "Parkinson." He paused. "Or should I say Zabini now?"

She smirked. "Whatever you like. Now to what do I owe the pleasure? I don't have much time. I'm serving dinner soon."

Draco didn't hesitate. "I need you to go to Ginny and tell her what really happened that day."

Her eyes flashed. "Nothing happened that day," she said.

"Exactly."

"Why don't you tell her yourself?" she asked.

"She doesn't believe me."

She raised her eyebrows at him. "So you want me to help you get her back? Classy, Malfoy."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Look, Pansy, I know we're not friends anymore…."

"No," Pansy said sharply. "No, we're not."

He continued as if he hadn't heard. "But this is my last shot."

She didn't answer, just met his eyes fiercely.

"Please, Pansy," he repeated. "Trust me, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't important to me."

One week later

Draco sat in his study, staring at the sheet of paper on the desk before him.

It's done. I don't know if she believed me, but I did what you asked. – PZ

It had been three days since he'd received that note from Pansy, and he still hadn't heard from Ginny. Malfoy Manor was lonely and cold in winter; absentmindedly, he flicked his wand at the grate and the flames burst up higher and stronger inside.

He had determined not to go back to Ginny's apartment. Pansy had corroborated his story, and if that didn't convince Ginny, nothing would. It was up to her to make a decision now. If she wanted to come back to him, she would. And if she didn't, he wouldn't bother her anymore.

He pushed Pansy's note to one side of his desk and picked up his quill, turning back to the reports he needed to sign. He tapped the quill on the desk, unable to focus. With a frustrated growl, he pushed his chair back and stood, pacing to the fireplace and leaning forward with his hand gripping the mantelpiece.

"Hi."

Draco whirled. Ginny was standing in the study doorway. She was in jeans and t-shirt, her hair pulled into a messy ponytail. There was dark shadows beneath her eyes; she looked like she hadn't been sleeping well. His fingers twitched at his side, and his mind dimly registered surprise. He hadn't realized how strong the instinct to comfort her still was after all these years.

"Is it okay that I'm here?" she asked tentatively.

"Of course," he said quickly. He moved away from the mantelpiece and faced her, leaning back slightly against the front of his desk.

"Pansy Parkinson came to see me," she said.

He just nodded, gripping the edge of the desk so hard his knuckles were white.

"She said that you two didn't sleep together that day…in the hotel."

"It's the truth," Draco said.

Ginny nodded slowly, not breaking their gaze. "I think…I mean, I think I believe that now," she whispered.

Draco felt his heart constrict. "Ginny…," he sighed.

"You should've told me then," she said.

He swallowed, nodding. "I know."

"We lost three years," she continued.

"I know." He exhaled. His heart was pounding in his chest. "Let me make it up to you," he whispered, his voice breaking ever-so-slightly on the last word.

And then, without warning, and without breaking their gaze, she crossed the room in three quick strides and kissed him. When her lips pressed against his, the whole study faded around him, and Draco's whole body was filled with intense relief, because Ginny Weasley was in his arms again.

She pulled away with a soft giggle. "Merlin, I missed you," she murmured against his lips.

Draco leaned his forehead against hers, and stared straight into her beautiful brown eyes – beautiful brown eyes that were filled with a tenderness he had never thought he'd see in them again – and he smiled. "I missed you too."

Author's Note: Phew! So there's only the epilogue now...I can't believe this story is almost finished. It has pretty much consumed me for the past couple of months. I hope you liked this chapter :) Please review and tell me what you think - the first person to review will be the 500th reviewer!