"Ginny, dear, will you come down for a minute?" Molly Weasley called her daughter from the foot of the stairwell. July was coming to a close, and wedding preparations seemed to take everyone's time, much to the dismay of Ginny. Abandoning her dusting cloth, Ginny yelled her reply of consent before running down the stairs.
"The way s'e runs down t'e stairs you would t'ink she was an elep'ant." Flur remarked loudly from the kitchen table where scraps of clothe, bridal magazines and decoration ideas lay.
"I'm sure she doesn't care." Ginny answered despite her mother's hard eye.
"Ginny!" Molly corrected her daughter. Ginny merely shrugged, her distain of 'Phlem' obvious to everyone.
"What do you need, Mum?" Ginny asked.
"Flur wants to figure out the colors for the wedding." Molly explained.
"You and Gabriella will look so beautiful toget'er." Flur interrupted, "I t'oug't pink would be z lovely for z dresses. But iz would clash 'ooribly with z'er 'air. Grey would be too drab for z wedding, don't you t'ink zo, Molly?"
"Oh, yes. That blue would look lovely, don't you think?" Mrs. Weasley asked.
"But z blue is for z tables." Flur answered shoving a piece of blue fabric to the side.
"Right, sorry, dear. And the purple?" Mrs. Weasley asked.
"Gabriella 'ates z color purple." Flur accused.
"What about yellow?" Ginny asked.
"Yellow would make Gabriella look pale." Flur sighed.
"How about you have two colors for your brides maid dresses?" Draco asked stepping into the kitchen, the course of his training still visible on his appearance.
"Two colors?" Flur asked.
"Yes, many witches are doing that. Since Ginny and Gabriella are so different skin tones and hair colors, they can wear colors that complement you and them. For example," Draco took the yellow and pink pieces of fabric and draped them over Ginny's shoulders.
"Now the pink obviously does not compliment Ginny, but the yellow does, so lets keep yellow on this side," Draco placed the piece of fabric on a chair nearest to him, "Do you and Gabriella share skin tones, eye color and hair color?"
"Of courze." Flur answered.
"Excellent. Then you will be Gabriella for the moment. Now your colors for the wedding are light blue and white?" When Flur nodded Draco continued, "Then yellow will not be a good color for anyone." Draco tossed the yellow scrap to the bench seat, "Pink is still in the running."
After some argument with Flur, and great patience on Draco's part, the dresses had been chosen, with the correct colors for the bridesmaids. No argument was made on his behalf because, as he later told Ginny, his reason for helping with the color façade was to warm her family to him a bit more. His plan worked, because at dinner that night, Flur raved about Draco's 'vonderful' ability to coordinate her wedding.
"What a git." Ron had murmured out of his mother's earshot.
"Ron, you should be grateful that she finally figured it out so she wouldn't have to pull me downstairs also." Hermione reminded him sternly.
"Grateful to the bastard?!" Ron had yelled, turning every eye present in his direction.
"I'm not as big of a bastard as you think, Weasley." Draco returned silently. Gracefully, Draco raised himself from the mismatched chair he had earlier taken and walked to the garden gate.
"Draco, aren't you staying for desert?" Mrs. Weasley asked when she saw the blonde man walking away from the dinner scene, a large chocolate cake in her hands.
"The meal was exquisite, Mrs. Weasley, and I thank you for it, but I am afraid I must leave. Remus requested me tonight, and I am soon to be late." Draco lied easily.
"Oh, well then, enjoy your evening." Mrs. Weasley told him kindly.
"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley. I hope you enjoy yours as well." Draco smiled politely before walking past the gate and dissaperating with a small 'pop'.
"Bloody hell! I knew he was playing us!" Ron yelled as soon as Draco had disappeared.
"No he's not! He is trying really hard to help us and all you ever do is shun him and knock him down. He left his family- everything to join us." Ginny yelled back, her time of holding her thoughts back about Draco long passed.
"The Ministry is tracking him, Ginny. He's still got the trace and now they know he's here and will kill us all!" Harry defended his best mate.
"No, they aren't," Ginny replied with a small laugh resembling one who is on the verge of mentally instability, "They aren't because he's 17. So just shove it, because you know nothing about him."
"And you do?" Ron asked too prideful to step down.
"Hell of a lot more than you do." Came Ginny's reply before she furiously walked towards the broom closet. She always did her best thinking in the air, and everyone who knew Ginny knew this, so no one attempted to stop her. She never when far, to the borders of the Weasley property, the occasional moment when she crossed to the Lovegood's to visit Luna. But never in the 10 years that Ginny flew on her own, did the Weasley's ever worry about her.
In the midst of her furry, Ginny had hit a stray branch with her stomach knocking her to the ground with a cry of pain and surprise. Her broom, the Firebolt that Draco had bought her when she had been elected captain last year, was one of her favorite possessions; and now because of her stupidity, it was gone. Giving a huff of frustration, Ginny picked herself out of the slop of the marsh she landed in and began the long trip home by foot. She would ask Bill to accio her broom home to avoid questions from her family and Harry, and the feeling of irresponsibility from Draco.
He would not say a word about it to her, she knew that much, but she knew what Draco thought no matter how much his features seemed stone like. When the time would come, Draco would always be sure to tell Ginny everything, and she trusted him to do so. Ginny, on the other hand, was much quicker to voice her troubles or annoyance of something. They were a team, each different enough to equalize the other. Whenever she needs anything, Draco would be by her side. Yet when he needs human condolence, she was gone.
Darkness had settled by the time Ginny reached the Burrow. Every time Ginny had returned from her outings, her parents would greet her along with who or whatever had caused her to flee. Before she was allowed to retire to her room, Ginny was forced to face and resolve her contradiction. Tonight, Ginny entered the kitchen to see her entire family along with, Flur, Hermione, Remus, Tonks and Harry seated around the cramped dining table. Next to the remaining seat Draco's stony body sat perfectly.
"Hello, Ginny, dear." Mrs. Weasley greeted kindly.
"Hey." Ginny answered softly looking to Draco's head and the twins for signs of her situation. Fred and George gave her a grim smile, and Draco refused to acknowledge her presence.
"Have a seat, dear." Mrs. Weasley told her daughter.
"No thanks." Ginny answered stiffly, "Why is everyone here?"
"Harry, Ron and Hermione have decided to leave on their – expedition," Remus told Ginny gravely, "And Tonks and I have decided to send Draco with them. With Draco's profound sense of You-Know-Who, they should have a greater success and this war will be over quicker."
"No." Ginny answered slowly.
"Ginny." Draco's voice was a whispered warning.
"He can't go." Ginny said again.
"It's already decided." Draco answered turning towards her.
"Then take it back." Ginny pulled her gaze from Remus to send Draco deadly stares.
"They don't like the idea very much either, but it is logical." Draco answered.
"Life doesn't have to be logical." Ginny answered.
"This is a war, Ginevera. Not living." Draco hissed.
"Don't." Ginny begged.
"I am leaving, and I will make sure the Dark Lord dies." Draco answered his voice final. Ginny nodded and noticed everyone's eyes between her and Draco.
"With Draco helping them they will be safer." Mrs. Weasley reasoned while Ron snorted his distain.
"When?" Ginny asked.
"Tonight." Remus answered softly.
"Oh."
"We'll be back for the wedding." Hermione answered quickly.
"Wouldn't miss it for the world." Harry agreed. Ginny nodded quietly.
"We will be leaving soon." Ron answered standing from his seat between Harry and Hermione. In response Mrs. Weasley stifled a sob and grabbed her son tightly. Draco turned to Ginny, his grey eyes holding apology.
"I'm sorry, Ginevra." Draco told her softly.
"You don't have to. You could stay with me." Ginny whispered.
"I know what the Horcruxes are and where they are. It only makes sense. Besides, you are not safe with me." Draco explained.
"I love you."
"I know." Draco replied with a classic Malfoy smirk.
"Come back." She begged stepping into his arms.
"Always will." Draco promised.
After hugs, kisses, and tears shed from everyone except for Ginny and Remus, the small band dispersed. As if in a dream state, Ginny locked herself in her room with Draco's journal lying beside her. She wasn't sure how long it was before the leather binding began glowing. Quickly, she flipped the book open to see Draco's neat script. Safe for the night. Love you. She gulped back tears before writing: Stay safe. Please.