Chapter Eleven

A week went by and Draco patiently waited for Ginny to recover. How much time did you give a woman in this situation? Draco wanted to know. Was a week enough? Not enough? Did it depend on the woman? Draco was a wreck that entire week, not able to get sleep. He longed for Ginny and ached to be near her.

"Is Ginny ready yet?" Were the first words out of Draco's mout the next day at work.

Arthur looked around the room to make sure no one was listening, then began talking to Draco in low tones.

"In a couple of days the family's going to Canada to prepare for the Quidditch Cup this Saturday. Maybe you should plan to be there?" Arthur smiled.

"But I haven't got time off--"

"Don't worry! I got it off for the both of us."

Draco felt like hugging this man, but refrained. His sullen mood was soon turned to a brighter one. He'd go to Canada, catch Ginny and make them sit down and talk. Then he'd explain what happened and all would be well! Life was going to be good once again.


~*~*~

"Ginny, you have to come out of this room." Hermione stated, seated on the edge of Ginny's bed.

"Hermione, I can't." Ginny had been crying all morning, and was happy to see Hermione.

"Please, Gin, tell me what happened." Hermione implored.

"Hermione...it's so horrible! To think I thought he cared...and then he goes and--" Ginny began crying all over again.

"Was he messing around?" Hermione asked.

Ginny looked up, then nodded her head.

"Maybe you thought you saw or heard something, but misunderstood. These things happen, Ginny, but never get repaired if you're locked in your room." Hermione paused. "You know, going to Canada would do you some good. It will get you away from familiar things and you'll get a time out from life. I'll help you pack."

Ginny watched as Hermione rummaged through all of her things and placed them neatly in a trunk. When she was finished, Ginny began to laugh.

"You know, I think you're right. I need some time away from things."

The Weasley's were taking a Muggle airplane because not all of them felt as sure of themselves to apparate over such a great distance. The whole time Arthur was looking around, poking at different buttons and asking the stewardists about differen't devices in the plane. The twins were trying to think of a breakthrough joke item that included Muggle transporation, such as planes. Hermione and Ginny were seated together, but Ginny wished to rest, rather than talk.

Half way through the plane ride Ginny felt the pain in her stomach. She hurridly got up, knocking over Hermione, and rushed to the bathrooms. Upon her return Hermione looked very worried.

"Is something wrong?" Hermione asked.

Ginny looked at her then smiled. "Um, just air sickness."

Canada was a very beautiful place. They landed in a large city, then were directed to a portkey that would take them to the Quidditch Pitch. A large hotel was conjured to house all the visiting wizards, seeing as the pitch was in a very isolated part of the country. The Weasley's found their rooms, then joined Ron for lunch.

"Harry's getting here tomorrow." Arthur told Ron.

"That's great!" Ron said, looking as if he were torn between running, and eating his food.

"It's ok to be nervous, Ron, it's your first World Cup." Molly said, noticing his jitters.

"Nervous? Oh no, it's just--nevermind."

The whole family tried to take Ron's mind off Quidditch, but he kept repeating things he already said. Finally he asked to be excused so his team could practice.

"The Chudley Cannon's have got to win this year." Arthur stated. "Wouldn't it be wonderful for Ron to bring them back?"

"I'm sure they will." Molly smiled.

Ginny and Hermione had left lunch early to go around to the different venders that had set up shop just outside the hotel. They were passing a candy booth when someone tapped Ginny on the shoulder. She truned around and was confronted with a huge bouquet of flowers.

"What?" Ginny questioned.

"Are you Mrs. Malfoy?" A voice behind the flowers asked.

"Yes, but who--"

"These are for you, ma'am." The person handed Ginny the flowers, then left directly.

Ginny's face came in contact with a huge rose that smelled divine. She shifted the vase around in her arms, trying to get a good hold on it.

"There's a note." Hermione said, taking a small note from the mass of flowers. "It's from Draco. It reads; Ginny, please let me appologize for what I have done. I did not mean to hurt you and I would like to speak with you. Meet me at the hotel restaurant at 9:00 tonight. Love, Draco."

"He's here?" Ginny nearly dropped the vase, but caught it just in time.

Hermione waved her wand at the vase and it vanished. "I put them in your room."

"Thank's Hermione." Ginny dusted herself off. "I can't believe he has the nerve to come here and--"

"And appologize?" Hermione finished, then noticed the guilty look on Ginny's face. "Ginny, I think it's time to confront him."

Ginny looked torn, not knowing what to do. "I guess I should stop acting like a childish school girl. But I doubt he'll have anything to say that will change my feelings."

Ginny started walking away, and Hermione followed closely behind.


~*~*~

Ginny didn't feel like dressing up. She wore an organdy dress and had her hair tied back with a matching ribbon. She entered the restaurant and looked around for the silvery shimmer of Draco's hair.

"Mrs. Malfoy, followe me." A waiter said.

Ginny followed him through the maze of tables, and he opened a door into a secluded room. Inside there was a table set for two upon a dark green table cloth. Ginny entered the room, and waited for the door to shut before sitting down. There were mirrors surrounding the table, and a plush green couch in a corner. Vases of roses decorated the room, and the table was laddened with silver.

The door began to open and Draco stepped through. Ginny hadn't seen him in so long, and missed being around him, but she refused to let her feelings show.

"Hello." She said rather coolly, as if she were greeting an acquaintance.

Draco's face fell a bit, but he returned his smile. "I'm glad you decided to come."

"Hermione talked me into it."

Draco sat across from her. "I need to explain what happened." Draco paused, then continued. "I went and got sloshed, and I know that was wrong in and of itself, but what happened after...what you saw...didn't really happen." Draco read the look of doubt on Ginny's face. "Please, believe me. I ran after you, Ginny! I wouldn't touch that woman with a ten foot wand! She snuck up on me, and you appeared just as she had started talking. What will make you believe me?"

Ginny sat there a moment. "Let me see your memory." Ginny knew this was asking a lot. To ask to see someone's memory because of doubt meant you had no trust at all in that person.

"If I let you see my memory, then will you believe me and come back?" Draco asked and Ginny nodded.

Draco pulled his wand out from his pocket and touched the tip of it to his temple. As he pulled away a silvery mist clung to the tip of his wand and trailed behind it as he brought it to Ginny's temple. Immediately Ginny felt herself being pulled down by some force and she saw herself seated next to Draco at the bar. Draco had his head in his hands, and he looked completely worn out. Ginny wanted to comfort him, but knew no one could see her.

Ginny saw a woman come up to Draco and sit down on the other side of him. She recognized the woman at once to be Bianca.

"Why, if it isn't the Great Draco Malfoy." Bianca said, smiling.

Draco didn't look as if he had heard at first, but then his head jerked up.

"What are you doing here?" Draco's voice sounded slurred. "More!" He motoined for the bar keep with his empty glass.

"I'm here for the same reason you're here...to get away from life."

Bianca took a drink of a dark liquid. "Remember that time in Paris? That old man trying to sell us his shoe?" Bianca began to laugh. "I still wonder what happened to him after you cursed him."

Ginny's faced turned red with anger. She wanted to slap this Bianca into next month!

"Listen, I'm not in the mood for reminescing, so please let me wallow in my dispair." Draco hiccoughed, then downed the drink he was handed.

Ginny saw Bianca place her hand on his shoulder. "Draco, you can't deny we were great together. Things just happen sometimes...but let's not hold that against each other." Bianca started running her fingers through his hair, Ginny swiped at Bianca's hand, but her own hand went right through Bianca's. Bianca leaned in towards him and started nibbling on his ear.

"Draco?" Ginny turned around and saw herself. "Draco!"

Ginny saw Draco stand and begin walking towards herself, but as she remembered, the memory Ginny just backed away. She remembered feeling hurt and rejected, as if she was just a toy that no longer held any interest.

"Don't touch me!" She hissed, then watched herself storm out of the building

"Ginny!" Draco began running towards her but a rough hand pulled him back.

"Let her go." Bianca whispered in his ear. "I'll make it up to you."

Draco pushed Bianca's hand off of him, then glared at her. "You have a very beautiful mask, Bianca, but for a brief moment I saw what was underneath...and nothing else in this world repulses me more."

Ginny sat there, opened mouth. Draco was telling the truth! She began to feel herself be pulled down again, and suddenly she was back sitting across from Draco.

"Well?" He asked, expectantly.

Ginny ran to where he was and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "I'm sorry, Draco." She sobbed. "It's you who should be mad at me! I should have trusted you! Please, forgive me!"

"Ginny, I'm the one who got drunk! I'm at fault. I need your forgiveness." Draco whispered into her ear.

Ginny pulled away to look into those loving eyes. She saw her reflection in them and smiled. "I think we're both forgiven."


~*~*~

It was odd for the Weasley's to see Draco with Ginny the next day. Arthur was the only one who didn't have a surprised look on his face as they all made their way to the pitch. Ginny and Draco walked, hand in hand, all the way to their seats.

The game was going to start mid afternoon, and the stands were already filling up by late morning. It was shocking to see how far the Cannon's had come. Ron was an excellent Captain, and trained his team well. Harry and his wife were seated next to the Weasley's, and while they waited, they talked about school, and how time had flown. Harry and Draco never did act chummy, but Ginny didn't expect them to. The closest they got to a real conversation was Harry asking if Draco was enjoying his job, and Draco nodding his head.

Finally, the game was started. The two teams went up into the air, and Ginny followed Ron the whole game. Once she looked over at Hermione, and it looked as if she didn't follow anyone but Ron also. The game was pretty tight, and no one really got too far ahead of the other team. And then, when both teams were reaching the hundreds, the golden snitch was spotted. Both teams' Seekers dived for it and it seemed as if the whole audience held their breath.

"The Chudley Cannon's win by 240 points!" The announced screamed, and the crowd yelled and cheered.

The Cannon's were circling their Seeker and Captain. Then something odd happened, though not wholly unexpected. Ron broke free of his team mates and flew over to where the Weasley's were seated. He landed next to Hermione, then produced a black velvet box from his robes.

"Ron?" Hermione asked confused.

"Hermione..." Ron kneeled down before her, and everything went silent. "Hermione Granger, I've loved you for many years, and I think it's time for me to ask you a question...will you marry me?" He opened the box and inside there was something shimmering. A miniature golden snitch was flying on top of a ring.

Hermione gave a weird choking/sobbing noise, then smothered Ron in a hug. "It's about bloody time!" She yelled, then planted a huge kiss on his lips.

"Well, it seems there have been more than one win tonight." The announcer laughed, and the crowd oohed and awed.

"That's so romantic." Ginny said, squeezing Draco's hand.

"Yep, now nothing will surprise us." Draco smiled.

"Actually," Ginny said. "I have something that'll surprise you."

"Oh yeah?" Draco looked doubtful.

Ginny nodded her head, then leaned into to whisper, "You're going to be a Daddy."

Draco's eyes widened, and he looked down at Ginny's abdomin. He placed his hand over it, then kissed Ginny. "I'm--I'm going to be a Dad?" Ginny detected a tear in his eyes, and knew Draco would be the best Father. He leaned towards her and engulfed her in an hug while saying, "I love you, Ginny."

"I love you to." Ginny replied, tears coming to her own eyes.

As the crowd cheered and applauded Ron, Draco and Ginny were in their on euphoria of happiness, and remained so for many months.

(A/N: Ok, an epilogue is on it's way, and remember...if ever ff.net starts acting up I will always up date my web site [which i haven't done in a while])