January 6, 2022: Hi hello. Here's the next chapter! I struggled with it a lot but I'm so happy to move on from this. Here's hoping for more regular updates in 2022? I'm not promising anything though heh.
Draco and Ginny arrived at Malfoy Manor just as the sun started to lower itself to hide behind the clouds. A slight breeze rustled through her cloak and wound its way through the blades of grass and neatly trimmed hedges.
She stared at the Elizabethan manor in front of her. Ginny had heard the vivid description of Malfoy Manor from Harry, Ron, and Hermione, yet somehow it paled in comparison. The enormous house loomed over her, with its multiple towers and ornately carved large windows. The front gardens had been crisply cut, with zigzagging patterns.
She looked up at the pathway in front of her and was taken aback by the appearance of a white peacock. It regarded her for a moment, before it arrogantly ruffled its feathers and lazily waddled away.
Draco raised his wand to open the door but Ginny tugged at his hand she'd been holding since they apparated from the flat.
He looked down at her with a raised eyebrow.
"You'll have my back in there, yeah?" Ginny hoped her voice sounded steady.
"What gives you the idea that I wouldn't?"
"Our childhood."
"Fair enough."
Draco gave her a small nod before completing the spell to open the door. Though he communicated little else, she somehow found comfort in the gesture.
The ornately carved doorway swung open. Draco led Ginny through and they made their way down a long gallery. She tried her best not to ogle at the decor, but her curiosity had her eyes darting in every direction, trying to take in everything before her. The copper plated ceiling sparkled back down at her. Intricately designed furniture and antique artifacts were strewn around the room. Hung on the floral wallpaper were numerous magical portraits filled with unfriendly faces staring down at her. They scrutinized the woman hanging on the arm of the Malfoy heir.
At long last, they were near the end of the gallery. Two people came into view and Ginny realized it was the Malfoys.
Narcissa Malfoy looked like the picture of elegance in her sky blue dress robes that accentuated her dainty figure. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a braided bun, her ears and neck adorned in elegant jewels. Narcissa looked down at her with imperious blue eyes and high cheekbones as her lips formed a thin line. Standing next to her was her husband, Lucius. He looked older than Ginny had last seen him, the gray slowly creeping into his platinum blond hair, which was tied in a ponytail with a ribbon. He oozed aristocracy in his impeccably tailored black dress robes, leaning on his bejeweled cane. His gray eyes and carved features regarded her coolly. He was almost as tall as Draco, she realized, now that they stood before her.
Draco cleared his throat as Ginny disentangled her hand from his arm.
"Mother, may I introduce you to my fiancé," he began, "Ginevra Weasley. Ginny, this is my mother, Narcissa Malfoy."
Narcissa reluctantly put out her hand, wrinkling her nose at her son uttering such a plebian nickname. "We're glad that you've both finally made time for us."
Ginny reached out, taking the older woman's limp hand in hers, as if she didn't want to touch Ginny. Lest she get the poor on her, she thought grimly.
Ginny fought the urge to yank her hand out of her grasp. Instead, she replied with a smile, "Thank you for having us. You have a gorgeous home, Mrs. Malfoy."
Draco turned to his father. "And Ginny, this is my father, Lucius Malfoy."
Ginny anxiously looked up at Lucius as she held out her hand, unsure of what to expect. Lucius took her hand in his and shook it, nodding curtly.
"Miss Weasley."
She felt her stomach flop and her skin prickling. Ginny looked down at their hands to see goosebumps dotting her flesh. She suddenly felt like her gangly eleven year old self at Flourish and Blotts, wearing Ron's old robes and soot clinging to her skin from traveling through the Floo.
Memories that Ginny tried not to dwell on started bubbling to the surface. A notebook slipping out of her battered copy of A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration. Confiding her deepest thoughts in the notebook and feeling validated by the words that appear back at her. The moments of disorientation and paranoia when she ended up in a corridor she didn't remember walking down. Seeing her friends' petrified bodies in the Hospital Wing. Waking up with no memory but discovering rooster feathers clinging to her robes.
Ginny felt her face heat up and the clammy sweat coat her forehead. Her chest started to rapidly rise and fall as her breathing quickened. Though they were in a large room, it felt like the walls were starting to close in and the air had been sucked out. She exhaled quickly to catch her breath, which was proving difficult to do.
She wretched her hand out of Lucius's and he looked at her quizzically. Her eyes caught Draco's and he also held an alarmingly similar expression as his father's. She needed to get out of here.
Before Draco could say anything, Ginny's eyes landed on a door to her right that led outside. She could see the sun filtering through lush green trees. Without another thought, she darted towards the door to escape.
Ginny gasped for air as soon as she felt the breeze on her face when she stepped out onto the patio. She blinked rapidly as the tears in her eyes threatened to fall. She was not going to cry.
Seeing Draco's parents face to face, in Malfoy Manor, had thoroughly unsettled her. She silently cursed her trauma for deciding to rear its ugly head at a time like this. Ginny hadn't reacted this way when she sat through Lucius' trial or when she'd seen photos of the Malfoys living their lives after their sentences.
She'd grown too accustomed to her and Draco's little bubble and routine. Having little interaction with other people in either of their lives made it easier to keep up with the ruse and allowed herself the chance to deny the fact that she'd have to interact with Draco's parents or anyone else from their past for that matter.
Her mind wandered to the day Lucius Malfoy had dropped the journal in her cauldron. The day that he cursed her. He may not have uttered words or waved his wand, but the damage that was done was a result of his hand. Ginny had made peace with her past and had come to terms with it long ago. Long before she had to process the war and its aftermath. Her days had gotten significantly better but there was the rare moment, like this one, when it came roaring back.
"Weasley, are you okay?"
Ginny hastily wiped her eyes before the tears ran down her face. She turned around to see Draco, his brows raised in concern.
"I'm fine," Ginny mumbled, refusing to meet his eyes. She could only imagine what she looked like. Her face always became a red, blotchy mess when she was about to cry. She hoped the mascara she'd taken care to apply wasn't smudged around her eyes.
"No, you're not," Draco retorted bluntly. "You took one look at my father and made a beeline for the nearest door. What's wrong?"
"What's wrong?" Ginny asked with a bitter laugh and looked up at him. "Did you forget your father slipped me Tom Riddle's diary?"
Draco's eyes widened at the realization. "I… did."
"How nice for you," Ginny retorted "I've done my best to put the past behind me, but one look at Lucius Malfoy and I'm suddenly back in the Chamber of Secrets."
"I didn't forget because it's not important," Draco began, shoving his hands in his pockets, rearranging his face until it was void of emotion. "It's just…. my father's done a lot of heinous things in his past. I've lost count of all the wrongs he's done when he was a Death Eater and there are things I'm still discovering he's done."
Draco guided her to the set of chairs and table on the cobblestoned path nestled in the blooming garden. They sat there in silence as her breathing slowed, returning to normal.
"He's just caused so much damage to our family. I'm still working to undo everything he's done but it's been an uphill battle," Draco began again. "I do apologize for the harm he caused you."
Each word was laced with pressure and expectation. Ginny looked up and saw weariness in his eyes from the weight of the world on his shoulders. He suddenly looked older than his twenty six years, and looked as tired as she felt.
And then, she became angry. How dare he apologize for his father's actions? Lucius Malfoy had done that himself years ago, in the aftermath of his trial. It was one of the stipulations Harry negotiated with the Wizengamot as part of his sentence. Lucius had a lot to atone for, and it certainly wasn't Draco's mess to clean up.
"Don't!" Ginny shouted fiercely. She saw Draco stiffen, casting steely eyes at her. "Don't apologize for his actions."
Ginny had attended all of the Death Eaters' trials, including both of the Malfoys. Narcissa had been spared because of her defiance to Voldemort, though her husband and son had their days in court. She'd heard everything that Draco had to suffer through in attempts to keep his family safe when he had to take the stand to defend himself. Harry himself told her how Voldemort used Draco to punish their family for their shortcomings by getting tasked with killing Dumbledore. She may have hated him on principle and for his personality, but she knew Draco Malfoy was not truly the evil monster most people thought he was - he had been stuck in an impossible position like the rest of them caught in the crossfire of the war, trying to protect their loved ones.
"Look, whatever your father's done, it isn't your fault," Ginny sighed, her ire deflating . "I've made peace with what happened all those years ago. It's just seeing your parents and learning that Aurora is aware of our situation really reminded me how real this arrangement is. It's not just a headline for the gossip rag. I never really thought about all the things we'd need to do to make this situation believable."
"I promise that we'll keep this as brief as possible and won't have to interact with them again," Draco offered earnestly.
Before she could say anything else, a house elf appeared before them, startling them both.
"Dinner is being served, Master Malfoy," the house elf announced, standing before them in an intricately patterned pillowcase.
Without another word, they stood up to make their way back inside.
"Hey, Draco," Ginny called out as he opened the door. Draco turned around, looking at her expectantly.
"Why do you keep calling me 'Ginny'? I thought you said these, old aristocratic families loved old timey names." She hadn't missed the way Narcissa had wrinkled her nose after he called her by her preferred name.
"They do," Draco explained as a mischievous grin formed on his face. "But 'Ginny' has the added benefit of irritating my mother."
They followed the house elf through the corridors until they ended up in the smaller dining room, where his parents stood at their usual seats at the table. Ginny glanced at them and they had the grace to look slightly apologetic, a departure from their usual snobbish disposition.
Lucius broke the silence with a clearing of his throat. "I'm sorry if my presence caused you discomfort, Miss Weasley." To his credit, Lucius did seem somewhat regretful. She supposed an unconscious Weasley on his carpet wouldn't look good for him.
Ginny simply nodded, not quite ready to form words in the moment. She breathed steadily, feeling much calmer than she did moments ago. The color had returned to her face and her brown eyes were once again bright with fiery determination.
"Now, then," Narcissa cut in, forcing everyone to put the incident behind them for the time being. "Let's have dinner."
As his parents took their seats at the heads of the table, Draco pulled the chair out for Ginny. She gave him a small smile as he pushed her in before he took his own place across from her.
Their first course appeared in front of them, a caramelized onion soup. The unlikely group quietly drank their soup in silence for several moments. Only the quiet ticking of the grandfather clock and light clanks of silverware could be heard in the room.
"So, Ginevra," Narcissa began nonchalantly, breaking the silence. "What do you do when you're not scantily clad on billboards?"
Ginny was relieved that she had just swallowed or else she would have choked at the question.
Ginny looked up at Narcissa, her eyes narrowing for a split second before she pulled herself back into a polite expression. She knew Narcissa wanted to take a cheap shot at her and likely knew her actual occupation.
"I'm a Chaser of the Holyhead Harpies," she answered, holding her head up high.
"How... quaint," Narcissa replied with a slight grimace.
"She's brilliant," Draco interjected.
Surprised, Ginny glanced back at him and she saw his own eyes slightly widen in surprise. A warmth of pleasure washed over her. He had actually given her a compliment, in front of his parents no less. What had compelled him to blurt that out?
Out of the corner of her eye, she also saw Lucius' eyebrows raise.
"Ginny's one of Britain's rising Quidditch stars," Draco rambled on, hoping to soften his outburst. "You two should come to a game sometime."
"That would be nice," Narcissa agreed with a nod at her son as she took another sip. Ginny took a sip of her wine to silence the snort that wanted to make its way out. She knew his parents would never actually take up the invitation, much to her relief.
Lucius dabbed his mouth carefully with his napkin. "How is your family doing? Are they still living in that hovel?"
Ginny grit her teeth in an attempt to bite back the insult she wanted to lash out on him. She looked down to see her knuckles were turning white from her fingers gripping her spoon so tightly.
Relieving her utensil of her death grip, she took a deep breath. The Malfoys were truly doing the most to rile her up and throw jabs every step of the way, but she was not going to give them the satisfaction of blowing up. It's exactly what they wanted to see, she realized.
"My parents love the Burrow," Ginny began pointedly. "They worked hard and built our home piece by piece rather than inheriting it."
Lucius merely scowled and said nothing else. The anticipatory glint in his eyes had dimmed as Ginny didn't quite cause the outburst as he'd been hoping for.
From then on, Draco decided to take control of the conversation, directing the chatter towards himself in an attempt to deflect his parents from asking Ginny too many questions. Thankfully, they happily obliged as did Ginny. She leaned back in her chair in relief. The appetizer course went by quickly in their small talk about their friends and high society.
When the main course arrived, his parents had decided to move onto business.
Taking a sip of his wine, Lucius asked, "how are things going at the office?"
Though his father's Azkaban sentence was lifted early, for the most part he stayed confined to the manner, retreating from society at large. Draco may have been able to make a place for himself with their money and connections, but Lucius was no longer welcome by the general public. He remained a silent figurehead, providing support in a consulting manner, with Draco becoming the face of the company.
"It's going well," Draco replied in between bites. "We've had talks with Zabini Enterprises to see ways in which we can take sporting and other live events to the next level."
Lucius nodded, though she couldn't tell if this was in approval or disapproval. "Are you still on about those musicians? I will never understand why you didn't choose to head up the real estate branch instead."
She saw Draco tense, his jaw hardening ever so slightly.
"The real estate branch is quite stable, Father," Draco explained, though it seemed like it was not the first time he said this. "We have our most experienced leads seamlessly running it. Sports and Entertainment is relatively new, and as such, I want to make sure that it gets the prioritization it needs."
"I think it's a fantastic fit," Ginny piped up, startling Draco. "Draco has such a depth of knowledge of Quidditch. He has so many ideas and strategies to make the industry even better."
All of the Malfoys looked at Ginny in disbelief. His parents, because Ginny had the gall to defend their son's decisions to them. Draco, because he seemed surprised that Ginny retained the things he would share over their dinners. She tried not to roll her eyes at his incredulity.
She learned a lot about Draco's Quidditch knowledge through their dinners. While she would rant about the events and frustrations of the day as she set the coffee table for their meal, Draco would wordlessly decompress and get settled in. Eventually, Draco started sharing some of his own thoughts about Quidditch, the different leagues, and the industry at large. She was impressed with how closely he watched the industry as a whole and was coming up with ways to take it to the next level. It was also nice having someone to talk about the industry with that she didn't work or play against.
A beat passed and no one said anything. The calm, collected masks returned to Lucius and Narcissa's faces as if nothing had happened.
"I do hope you had Miss Weasley sign a non-disclosure agreement if you're revealing company secrets during pillow talk," Lucius stated. "I suppose she is of good social standing now and unfortunately a pureblood."
Ginny's face burned in anger. He somehow managed to insult her character and her lineage in the same breath. Though Draco said nothing, she could see a similar anger flashing in his eyes as he reached for his wine. Oh, you have no idea how detailed our contract was, Ginny thought grimly.
"That's enough," Narcissa said, sensing her son's rising temper. Warning flashed in Narcissa's eyes as she shot a pointed look at her husband. Her voice then softened and her eyes brightened. "How is Aurora? It's been a week since we've spoken to her over Floo. She sounded like she had the sniffles. I do hope she's doing alright?"
At the mention of Draco's daughter, the Malfoys' demeanor changed. Their usual masks of indifference and superiority had been pulled away, and she could see the eagerness and affection they had for their granddaughter. Ginny looked at them curiously, recognizing the same enamored expressions on her own parents' faces. It was unnatural to see the Malfoys actually look human.
"Aurora's doing wonderful, Mother," Draco answered with a smile. She saw Draco relax for the first time since they'd arrived. "She was getting over a cold, but she's back to running around like a Snitch."
"Good," Lucius commented, a bit of excitement slipping into his tone. "We look forward to seeing her in a few weeks when she's back in London. I just purchased a new alchemy set for her that I know she'll enjoy."
"Now, Father, we've talked about this," reminded Draco. "Aurora's too young for toys like that. She might be ready in a year or so."
Lucius' face slightly fell. "Oh, alright. I suppose I'll take another look through Thornby Trinket's catalog."
Ginny bit her cheek from laughing at the bizarre scene before her. She had only known Lucius Malfoy to be an arrogant, evil bully, and to hear such a feared man look forward to playing with his granddaughter was absurd. How he pivoted from being a disapproving father to a doting grandfather right before her eyes, she couldn't figure out.
Their conversation continued to revolve around Aurora for a while, including some of her latest antics and habits. Ginny listened with genuine interest, curious to learn more about her. Draco hadn't divulged much about his daughter and she hadn't pressed him unless he brought her up first.
As the dishes were being cleared away, his mother asked, directing her question at Ginny, "You two are going to Blaise's wedding in September, right?"
Ginny's eyes widened for a split second, both in confusion at the question and alarm that the conversation was thrown back to her. What wedding? Luckily, she recovered pretty quickly.
"O- Of course, we're looking forward to it."
Draco sighed in relief and shot her a look of gratitude.
"Lovely!" Narcissa smiled. It was somewhat genuine too. "Milan will be perfect during that time of year. Surely you've chosen your dress?"
"I haven't had a chance yet, what with practices and all," Ginny answered, feeling awkward. "I've barely had time to run errands."
"Draco!" Narcissa admonished. "You must take Ginevra to Gladrags as soon as possible. And make sure Priscilla tends to her."
"Yes, Mother," Draco grumbled.
"On second thought, I can take her myself," Narcissa amended. "Priscilla and I have worked together for years and we can get you up to speed on the latest fashion. We can also get a head start on the wedding dress hunt."
"Oh!" Ginny started, searching for the right words to say. "I couldn't possibly ask you to do that, Mrs. Malfoy." She looked at Draco pleadingly. An uncomfortable tightness bloomed in her chest at the mention of wedding dresses. There was no way she was going to shop for her fake wedding dress.
"Oh yes," Draco jumped in, "no need to worry about that. I'll set up time for Ginny and Priscilla right away."
"Good," Narcissa said, satisfied. "I will check in with her to see what you've put together."
As dessert was getting set up in the drawing room, Draco thought it would be best to take a bit of a stretch and offered to show Ginny around the manor. Ginny jumped at the chance, seeming eager to escape his mother's endless droning about weddings, couture dresses and judging society witches' fashion choices.
He led her through several corridors and stairs, pointing out different family heirlooms and antiques. Each room was ornately decorated and completely spotless. Eventually they ended up in the west wing of the house, where the bedrooms were. They stopped in front of a large oak door.
"Is this your room?" Ginny asked curiously, looking up at him.
Draco smirked at the eagerness in her tone as he turned the knob.
Draco saw her eyes grow large at the scene before her. He knew his room and the entire estate was a sharp departure from what Ginny had grown up with at the Burrow. He had seen her matchbox of a room and it was likely that her entire childhood home could fit inside his bedroom.
She wandered into the space, eyeing the huge four poster bed in the center, pushed up against the wall. The luxurious green curtains were drawn open and the bed was perfectly made, as if Draco would be stopping by at any moment. Her hand trailed along the oak desk and chair across the room, and a few books stacked on the table, though there were several large bookshelves filled with tomes alongside it. She passed by the enormous wardrobe and double doors that led to just as grand of a bathroom.
Two armchairs and a table were placed in front of the floor to ceiling window. He had spent many mornings enjoying his tea and light reading. The velvet curtains were drawn back and there was a stunning view of the sun setting before them. The sky was painted in brilliant hues of oranges, pinks, and purples.
He had started to grow uncomfortable as she took in the space before her, eyeing the luxurious materials and textures. It was another acute reminder of how differently they had grown up.
Once she surveyed the room, Ginny sank down into one of the plush armchairs. Idly tracing patterns on the armrest, she looked up at Draco, who had been observing her take in the space quietly, hands in his pockets.
"Did you like growing up here?" Ginny couldn't quell her curiosity.
Draco paused for a moment before speaking. "I did," he started, then hesitated. "...at least until I was sixteen. "
"Ah, right." she replied, awkwardly, drumming her fingers on the chair.
"Did you raise Aurora here?" She asked, changing the topic.
During the short tour, Draco pointed out a few rooms, such as Aurora's, which was a large suite bathed in soft greens, peaches, and cream tones.
"I did, for a period," he began, allowing himself to smile at the mention of his daughter. Draco realized that this was the first time Ginny had heard anything at length about Aurora. His daughter was the most important person in his life and he had to be sure anyone involved in her life was worthy.
He settled into the adjacent chair. "We lived at the Manor until she was about two and a half. Shortly after that, Astoria moved to France for work and we agreed it made sense for her to live with her mother since she's young."
"Ah, so that's why your parents are completely enchanted by Aurora," she smiled. "I've never seen them act so normally."
Aurora had Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy wrapped around her little finger and they knew it. They doted on her even more than they did on him, if it was possible. It wasn't as if his parents had never shown him love and affection. He received plenty of that growing up, up until his father went to Azkaban. His parents still had high expectations for him though, and raised him to be a part of the pureblood upper class. With Aurora, however, they completely changed their tune. They made the most of every visit now that Aurora no longer lived at the Manor as she did when she was a baby.
Sometimes Draco wondered if Lucius and Narcissa decided this was their second chance at doing things right with a child. His parents were still pureblood snobs, very much into status, wealth, and power, but they focused on enjoying the fun and memorable parts of being a part of a child's life: playing, cuddling, teaching, laughing. Aurora was truly the light in their lives, which was so needed after the war to bring them out of the despair and darkness they had all experienced.
"She has them wrapped around her little finger," he admitted. "And she knows it. It's becoming a bit of a problem, really. She gets anything she wants."
"I don't think humbleness is a trait passed down in your family."
It seemed that Ginny was full of questions this evening. "How often do you see her?"
"About twice a month," he answered. "And if I happen to be in town or Astoria is with Aurora in London, there might be a spontaneous visit."
Draco saw the confusion in her eyes as her lips turned down. She was about to ask him something else, when Narcissa appeared in the doorway.
"Ah, there you two are, I was wondering where you'd wandered off to," Narcissa said, striding into the room. "Dessert is ready, come join us downstairs."
He saw Ginny tense at the invitation. They had made it through dinner successfully, mostly because Draco had managed most of the conversation. The little she had spoken with them consisted of subtle and outright digs at her family, career, and character. Draco wasn't sure how much more she could take.
Draco stood up and offered his hand to Ginny, which she cautiously accepted.
"We really appreciate it, Mother, but I think we better get going," Draco said. She looked up at him in surprise, and he nodded slightly in acknowledgement.
"Nonsense," his mother chided. "It's only 9 PM."
"Ginny leaves first thing in the morning for the start of the season," Draco added, more firmly. "I would like to spend some time with my fiancé before she's on the road for days at a time."
"Well, alright," Narcissa sniffed, sensing that he wasn't going to back down. "I'll have the house elves pack the dessert and send it over."
"That is very kind of you, Mrs. Malfoy," Ginny complimented. "Thank you for hosting us this evening. Dinner was lovely."
"Do let me know if Draco doesn't arrange an appointment with Priscilla, Ms. Weasley."
"I will."
Draco broke away from Ginny to give his mother a hug and kiss goodbye. "Please tell Father goodbye and we apologize for leaving so abruptly."
Narcissa nodded, patting her son's cheek affectionately.
"You two still haven't told me when the wedding is," Narcissa admonished, her eyes darting between the couple.
They'd been vague with everyone about what potential wedding plans would be. As they'd rehearsed at the start of their agreement, they would tell people that they were taking it slow. There was no intention of going through the motions of planning a wedding since it would be over in six months time.
"We haven't found the right time yet," Draco replied as practiced. "We'll wait."
"Long engagements are not good, Draco," his mother reprimanded.
"Neither are short ones," he reminded.
Before his mother could get another word in, Draco wrapped an arm around Ginny and they disapparated back home.
Draco woke up early the next morning with his alarm pulsating into her temples at the first sign of sunlight. He grumbled and prepared to get ready for his morning run with Ginny. A few weeks had gone by and he finally felt like he'd adjusted to this new addition to his morning routine.
Running a hand through his hair, he walked into the foyer, expectantly waiting for his running partner. The door to her room was closed, but she tended to sleep in until the very last second anyway. Somehow she still ran harder and faster than him.
Draco's eyes swept around the flat as the sunlight filtered through the wispy white curtains. Though she hadn't been here that long, Ginny had already added her touches to the place. Her lavender crocheted throw was splayed over his cream sofa, looking completely out of place. The high heels she'd worn last night were cast aside near an armchair and last night's tea mug was sitting next to the coaster on the coffee table. Draco cringed at the disarray and with a wave of his wand set everything back in its place.
He supposed he had no room to complain after Ginny had suffered through a miserable dinner last night. His parents put in the bare minimum effort despite the fact that his mother insisted on this whole charade. They hadn't bothered with the usual tea before dinner and selected the smallest dining room for the evening.
As usual, his parents were annoyed that he hadn't informed them of his personal life. Draco had pulled away long ago after years of highly critical comments. They may have loved him, but it was impossible to please them, especially as his beliefs and values started to diverge as he grew into his own.
A tiny part of himself knew that his mother's words from yesterday had struck a chord. His engagement may be temporary, but he still wanted to prove to his parents that he wasn't making a mistake with who he'd chosen as a wife - either time. Though Draco made his life decisions based on what was best for him, a tiny part of him did want some approval on picking Ginny.
Fifteen minutes went by and Draco was beginning to grow impatient. There had been no sign of movement or noise from her bedroom. He looked at the time on his watch and calculated that he could squeeze in a quick run before Ginny left for training and he could get to work on time.
In an instant, he apparated to the park just outside of Scenic Alley. He inhaled the cool, morning air as he went through his morning stretches to run. Ginny had taken a liking to this park after discovering it a few days after moving in. It was lush and green, with ample trees to bask under with a good book and a well maintained Pitch for a pickup Quidditch game.
Once he warmed up, he started jogging through the path. There were few people out, half of them sleepily walking their pets who had been pestering them all morning to get outside. Draco much preferred the desolate mornings rather than the droves of people that loitered throughout the weekend. There were way too many families and kids and pets to actually enjoy the park.
Soon, he fell into his regular pace, evenly placing one foot in front of the other as he inhaled and exhaled. He could hear the crunch of the dirt under his now worn trainers.
He reflected on the conversation with his parents. They had done the same song and dance that they always did - criticize Draco for his career decisions and his personal life. Whether he liked it or not, Draco was responsible for the past, present, and future - the entire Malfoy family legacy.
He very well could have stayed on as the Head of Real Estate, but Draco was utterly bored. Though the hotel had been a fun personal project because it was something he created on his own, working some of the next few properties brought little joy to him. Malfoy properties already had built-in plans from the management to interior design, so he had little to add.
Now sports was something Draco knew a lot about and enjoyed. When he dug into the company's files and discovered the long-forgotten department, he dove head first into the market research. Draco deep dived into the numbers and put together a competitive audit, pouring over the numbers and reports for weeks. He finally presented his findings to the board and his father, showing how much profit they could gain each year if someone put in the work to grow and scale the department. With the numbers in front of them, no one could say no to more galleons.
His mother supported the decisions he made on behalf of the company but his father wanted him to take the safer route. Draco couldn't fully blame Lucius. He didn't want his son making foolhardy and risky decisions he had made when he was younger and wanted to preserve what was left from the ill will Lucius had created over the years.
There was no room for failure.
As a result, he'd completely thrown himself into his job, ignoring his social life - that is when he wasn't focused on his daughter. He was determined to course correct as much as he could so he could set Aurora up for success. She was the next heir but Draco didn't want her to feel the pressure and expectations he had had growing up. He wanted Aurora to be free to do whatever she wanted with confidence - whether she wanted to become an artist or choose to backpack around the world. It might give him a heart attack but he would be comforted knowing she was happy.
He'd also forgotten about Blaise Zabini's wedding. It felt so far away, and he hadn't realized it would fall into the six months he was with Ginny. He didn't even know if she was free or felt comfortable going, but she'd told his mother they'd be there.
Draco groaned as he slowed down, finishing his exercise. He braced himself on his knees, pausing to catch his breath. Now he had to worry about securing a hotel for the both of them and making sure she had the proper attire and navigate Pureblood society. Sometimes he wondered what he'd gotten himself into.
Draco opened the front door to see Ginny sorting her luggage. He shuffled inside, sweaty and lightly panting as he tried to catch his breath. He knew there was a sheen of sweat coating his flushed face.
"Leaving already?" Draco greeted over his shoulder as he walked into the kitchen to grab a glass of water.
"We're expected to be in Wales by 9 AM sharp," Ginny explained with a huff, struggling to close her trunk after fitting a pair of trainers in. "Between the Portkey points and getting everyone checked in, it ends up being a whole thing. I've learned to leave earlier than anticipated."
Draco nodded, exhaling as he chugged down water, quickly draining the glass.
Ginny picked at the hem of her jumper. "So… I guess that's it," she said.
"I guess so," he acknowledged, coming to stand in front of her, carefully arranging his face to be neutral.
Draco was a little annoyed that she hadn't even bothered to tell him that she wasn't going to go running today. Was she just going to go ahead and leave without saying good-bye if he hadn't gotten home in time? Ginny would only be gone for a few weeks for summer training and the preseason, then shuttle back and forth so knew he would see her again. But he thought they were on friendly enough terms at this point.
Why did he even care? They weren't really in a relationship. They'd begrudgingly become flatmates after he sourced her. They made small talk over dinner and went about their separate days for the most part.
The air between them came to a still. She looked at him curiously, as if searching his face for a hint of what he was feeling. They'd barely spoken after returning home, both exhausted from the long day they had. It felt as if words were left unsaid between them but what were even those words?
It felt like they had crossed some threshold the night before. He had witnessed Ginny get upset about things before but never in this way. The mere sight of his father had paralyzed her and a wave of guilt washed over him as he saw her run out the door. The Ginny Weasley he knew was brave and even if she wasn't, she'd push through the situation. She was often rash and didn't consider the consequences of her actions. She had a relentless fire in her eyes and was ready to challenge anyone who was wrong, no matter the situation.
Ginny inched closer and her lips slightly parted, looking to break the awkward silence.
Suddenly, an urgent buzzing came from the pocket of her jeans and she frowned, looking down with furrowed brows. After a little fishing in her pocket, she produced a harmonica trembling in her hand.
"I better get going, they open the Portkey an hour before the arrival time," she sighed, tapping her wand to temporarily silence the device.
Ginny began levitating her belongings to the Floo to send ahead when he cleared his throat.
"I did want to say one thing before you leave," Draco began.
She turned back to him with her brows raised.
"What is it?"
Though he'd just hydrated moments ago, his throat suddenly felt dry. What did he even want to say? Draco realized he was also uncomfortable that Ginny witnessed the dysfunctional relationship with his parents. Few people knew the complexities of it. They had always presented a united front in front of the public and the press, since the moment he and his father had to stand trial in front of the Wizengamot. She'd only gotten a glimpse of the fraught relationship with his father and he would rather keep it that way.
"I wanted to thank you for last night," he began, unsure of where to start. "I know that was a lot to deal with, and I appreciate it."
She nodded wordlessly, seemingly taking in every word Draco was saying.
He shifted on his feet unsure of what to do. Hugging her seemed too intimate of a choice. Instead, Draco offered her his hand to shake. Draco cringed at how business-like it felt but he couldn't take it back now.
Nonetheless, she returned the gesture and took his hand in hers, shaking it firmly. A faintly familiar warmth washed over him as his hand clasped over hers. As quickly as the sensation began, it faded when she let go.
"They were actually on their best behavior last night," Draco observed, choosing to focus on the levity of the evening instead.
"That was their best behavior?" Ginny snorted, though he noticed she had also visibly relaxed and amused twinkle returned to her eyes, grateful they didn't have to dwell on the low points of the night.
"I don't think my mother wanted you to die on her gallery rug, it's ancient."
"I wouldn't have died!" Ginny exclaimed, crossing her arms defensively. "Just fainted."
The harmonica buzzed once more, even more frantically than the first time, signaling that Ginny should get ready for departure.
Leaning onto the mantle, he said, "I guess I'll see you soon."
"It's only a month," Ginny amended. "I'll be back in your hair before you know it."
"I guess I better enjoy the peace and quiet while you're gone," Draco smirked. "And a fuller fridge."
Ginny rolled her eyes and procured the harmonica out of her pocket. Tapping to silence it, she grabbed hold of it, preparing for the familiar pull to whisk her away to her destination.
Just before she disappeared in front of his eyes, she added with a grin, "That reminds me, you're out of Toffee Apple ice cream."
A/N: I rewrote this chapter like 5 times and not fully satisfied but I reached a point where I finally felt comfortable posting. I find Lucius so hard to write which is why I usually don't include him in my fics, so please be lenient on me. And don't worry, this story won't be too angsty or serious (I don't think I do well in that department), but I did want to touch on some of the complexities of Draco and Ginny's relationship. Please be sure to leave a review if you enjoyed it! Thank you again for being patient. In the meantime, you can find me occasionally on Tumblr because that's where I rant about writing.