She threw back her head and laughed maniacally when she apparated into his apartment hours later. First, she kicked the shoes from her feet. Then she headed straight to the bathroom, arms stretching up and down around her back trying to get the zipper pulled down far enough to escape from the dress she wanted to burn.
"Relax," he called after her as he pulled off his dress robes and hung them in the closet. She had the water running and was still trying to work the zipper in vain. He followed her into the bathroom after a minute, his hand sliding across her stomach and around her side until he reached the zipper. She sucked in her gut in anticipation as he pulled the zipper down.
"I have to admit, it felt good to get back on a broom again, even if it was the shoddiest broom I've ever ridden."
"Yes, well, a Weasley family gathering isn't complete until we've all knocked each other off our brooms at least once and broken something in the backyard. Although, it was nice that they refrained from dueling any tables or chairs this time." As she held the dress to her chest, he ran his hands down her arms until he caught her hands. Pulling them away, her dress fell to the floor.
He circled around her, his eyes roaming her body though he ought to have it memorized by now. He slowly pulled his shirt up over his head and tossed it to the side. She was not proud of the little sound that emitted from her throat as she took a shaky breath at the sight of his chiseled chest. Two years together, and she still found him completely irresistible. It wasn't fair, really.
"I had fun today," he admitted, his fingers tracing a butterfly trail down her arms.
"Yes, well, you bask in the misery of others – in this case, mine – so I can imagine you had a smashingly good time."
"Your family is an utter delight, Weasley."
"Well, I'm glad you think so, because we are having the next round of Weasley family barbeques in two weeks when George and Luna return from their honeymoon, and you are coming with me. There's no way I've facing those lunatics on my own after what happened today."
"I would like the opportunity to repay your brother for the bruise on my jaw."
Ginny studied his face, squinting her eyes as she leaned in closer. Catching his chin in her hand, she tilted his head to the side for a better look. "You don't have a bruise."
"Hmm. Well, I'd like to repay him for one anyway. Even if it's just for old times' sake."
"I wouldn't stop you," she admitted, her hand moving to run through his hair.
His breathing hitched as he buried his head against her neck, his nose nuzzling the sensitive skin. A shiver ran down her spine as she caught the nape of his neck and pulled him closer.
It was becoming increasingly difficult to think straight, but she had one question in particular she was dying to ask him. "So what did you tell my dad?" she managed to get out. Arthur and Molly had cornered him again once the guests had left while Ginny, George, Charlie, Bill and Harry worked on pulling together enough broomsticks to get a scrimmage going. Her parents had refused to tell her what they talked about, they had only told her that they disapproved of her hiding the relationship and that they weren't exactly thrilled with her choice, but that they would give him the benefit of the doubt. Then Charlie had hollered over and pointed to her waiting broomstick, the rest of them mounted up already, and she had forgotten to pester her father again before they left.
She could feel his sly grin against her neck. "A gentlemen's conversation is not one to be gossiped about with women, Weasley."
"Malfoy," she protested, displeased with the nonanswer. But then his mouth captured hers, and his answer to her father was the furthest thing from her mind. She had been carefully and delicately withholding sex for the past two weeks now in an attempt to make him a little more susceptible to the idea of going to the wedding for the benefit of wedding sex, and he wasn't the only one it had affected.
She let out an uncharacteristic whimper as his hands caught her thighs and lifted her easily from the floor as if she weighed but a feather. Like a well-oiled machine, her legs wrapped around his waist and pulled him flush against her. He grunted against her mouth as he carried her backwards out of the bathroom, kicking her dress out of the way when he almost stepped on it.
"Careful," she gasped as she managed to pull away. "That dress cost way more than I could afford, so I am keeping it forever."
"Shut up," he snapped, his mouth finding hers once more. Her hands clung to his biceps, and as they flexed from supporting her weight, her legs turned liquid. When they finally reached the foot of the bed, he managed to lean her back and still carry her until he dropped her head onto the pillows. Without a moment's hesitation, he slapped her legs away to unravel them from his waist and then reached for her knickers.
"Don't you dare rip those," she barked as he grabbed the sleek material roughly and began yanking them off. "Malfoy!" she snapped when he paid her no heed.
He paused just long enough to meet her gaze. The look he gave her was almost animalistic, and it sent her heart on a frantic pace. "Seriously, though, that's my favorite pair."
He scooted towards the foot of the bed and yanked on the garment in question twice as hard, as if to prove a point.
"Just let me take them off," she complained, pulling her legs toward her chest as she reached towards his hands.
"Weasley," he snapped, pulling the garment out of her range before quickly removing them entirely, "it has been two weeks. Two weeks of your constant teasing and abruptly ended foreplay. And I did not complain once."
She snorted as he started work on his boxers. "You complained far more than once."
"But I put up with your teasing, and now I am collecting on the slutty wedding sex I was promised for enduring your family today. So if you would stop with your bitching, it would be greatly appreciated."
He climbed back over her and lowered himself down. "I told you that offer was limited time only, and we are no longer at a wedding, in case you didn't notice," she retorted, but she ran her foot up and down the back of his leg as she spoke.
"Precisely. We survived, no one was murdered, and that ought to grant me a bonus round." The words were slightly muffled as he nuzzled his head into the valley of her breasts.
"Not until you tell me what you talked about with my father," she countered, her fingers clutching the hair at the back of his head. She remembered when he used to lose his mind if she so much as looked at his hair funny.
"Merlin's beard, Ginny, shut up." Propping an elbow next to her head, he slid up until his face hovered over hers.
"Thank you," she told him, all joking set aside, as he pushed her tousled hair out of her face.
"No need to be thanking me yet, Love, I haven't even started," he replied as he bent down to kiss her.
"I'm serious, Draco," she told him when he pulled away, her eyes searching his. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." His voice rarely included such tenderness, and it made her heart ache.
"I mean it." They spent half their time arguing and the other half with passive aggressive, sideways displays of affection. They never defined their relationship or their feelings, and it partly scared her and it partly thrilled her. But he had shown up today, and that in itself was definition enough for her. She wanted to know what he had told her father, wanted to know what he thought the future could hold for them, but she was okay with waiting to find out. This was enough, more than enough, for her for now.
"As do I," he assured her.
"I'm going to kiss you know," she informed him with a coy smile as she pulled his head slowly down towards her.
"It would be long overdue."
As their lips met and her tongue found a dancing partner in his, a bushy haired face appeared in the fireplace in the back corner of the room. "Ginny, I just wanted to apologize again-"
"For fuck's sake!" Draco yelled, leaning across Ginny to find the closest pillow not in use. Grabbing it, he flung it across the room at the fireplace. "What does it take for a guy to get laid around here?" he snapped.
"I'll try back later," Hermione stumbled over the words and the green head in the fireplace disappeared in a poof of flames.
"Come here," Ginny laughed at his pent up frustration as she pulled him back to her. Perhaps this was the definition of love after all, she thought as she finally made good on her promise.
If you enjoyed reading Stranger Things and When Hell Freezes Over, you can continue the story with This Life We Have, at s/11099113/1/This-Life-We-Have. Thank you all for reading and reviewing.