CHAPTER THREE
Draco and Ginny returned to the Burrow hand in hand. On their way there Ginny decided to move in with Draco until the end of the Quidditch World Cup, then she would be able to make an accurate decision.
When they finally arrived at the Burrow, they were once again were greeted by Arthur, Molly, Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
Hermione sat with Ron and Harry in the living room playing with Leila while Arthur and Molly went to de-gnome the garden.
When Leila saw her mother, and father, she walked away from the trio and went straight to her parents. Draco smiled at the little toddler and scooped her into his arms. He began playing with her small hands as the child began tugging on his hair.
Breaking the awkwardness in the room, Ron finally asked, "So. uh, Gin. How long are you staying?"
Drawing her attention away from Draco and Leila, she turned to her brother. "Oh. until the game. Maybe longer. I'm not sure."
"Why not?" It was Harry who asked.
"Well, I mean I have a job and a house and everything. Leila and I were living pretty nicely. I can't just leave.. No matter how much I want to."
Draco looked at Ginny. She was staring at the floor and he could see her eyes beginning to water. She was going to cry, and Draco knew exactly why. He knew she wanted to be with him. She just never knew how to say it. And neither did he.
"Ginny's going to be moving in with me for a while, until we get all these matters sorted out," said Draco.
With his free hand he held Ginny's hand. "I think we ought to apparate over to my flat. You and Leila should unpack."
Ginny nodded in response and gave Draco a small smile. She bid her friends and family goodbye, and apparated to Draco's home.
~*~
At the flat, Draco showed Ginny around. He began at the front door and made his way around.
"This is the kitchen, living room, dining area, study, bathroom, guest room, smaller sitting room, and master bedroom. I added on since I need my space. I also have my own manor, which I fondly call 'The Dragon's Lair,' but I prefer this place when I'm working."
"So, what do you do?"
Draco looked thoughtful for a moment, most likely thinking of a way to make his job seem more important. "I design broomsticks."
Ginny waited a while expecting further explanation. ".And.?"
Looking nonchalant Draco calmly responded, "There is no and. I design broomsticks for Quidditch."
Crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes, she became suspicious. "Draco, even I know you would have to have more money than that to have so many houses and luxuries."
"Well, there is my inheritance. Seems the old bastard, Lucius forgot to change his will before he died. Shame, really. Maybe if he would've he wouldn't be rolling around in his grave now that I'm rolling around in his gold." Draco smirked at the thought.
"Oh. I see. So, where am I sleeping?"
"You may sleep in one of the guest rooms if you wish. Leila will most likely want to sleep with you."
Ginny's face tinted red as she tried to look everywhere else but at Draco. "Uh, well. I think that Leila may want to sleep with. you. Since you seem to be attached to her, and vice versa, maybe she should sleep in your room."
Draco looked at the baby in his arms who began to doze off again then at Ginny. "You do realize I have no experience with children. What am I to do if she wakes up in the middle of the night?"
Ginny, still not looking him in the face, smiled shyly. "If it helps any, I could sleep there with you, too."
Draco held her hand and smiled. "I think I would enjoy that very much. As for now, we best get Leila into her crib."
The two of them walked hand in hand, Draco carrying Leila, and for once they both felt whole.
~*~
After Leila's nap, she became better acquainted with her father while her mother looked on. So many things were going through Ginny's head like, 'why is he so wonderful' and 'why do I love him'. She couldn't avoid the fact that she felt complete with him.
Later that night, after Leila was finally asleep, Ginny and Draco talked.
Ginny was sitting in the living room waiting for Draco to arrive with their drinks. When he finally came, he carried two glasses and a bottle of the finest red wine. The two of them sat on Draco's leather sofa and sipped wine. After a moment of silence, Draco spoke.
"Ginny. I think it's time we continue to talk about what we're going to do." Draco placed his and Ginny's glasses on a nearby table and turned to her. He held both her hands and looked her in the eye. " I know this is going to seem a bit. well, rushed, but I feel we must consider what happened before Leila cam along. So, I'm going to ask you to just listen to what I have to say."
Ginny nodded in response and sat intently listening to Draco.
"You remember how in your seventh year, some of my year came back and prepared for the final battle? And you remember how we worked together?" Ginny nodded. "Well, since then, I've felt some sort of. bond with you. I probably remember everything we ever talked about, though I would never admit to it. Then I think of the last night we were together.. I'm really not sure I know what my expectations were before it happened, but when it did. I knew things were going to be different. It was the next morning I realized I felt more for you than I've felt for anyone.. When you started ignoring me afterwards, I didn't really know how to react. I felt hurt. That's something I don't think I've ever felt before I met you. And when you moved. you took a part of me away with you, and I don't only mean Leila."
Ginny was now looking down. She felt guilty and ashamed of what she did. "I never meant to hurt you," she whispered. "I said to myself that I would tell you when I was ready, but I never was. Draco, I'm so, so sorry. I really am."
"Before you go on, there's more." Draco took a deep breath and persisted speaking. "No one ever told me where you went or how to contact you. I spent everyday looking for you and when I couldn't look any longer, I hired professionals. Still, you weren't anywhere to be found. And then Harry called me saying you were here. I felt. I felt like I was me again. Now that I've found you, I don't want to let you go. Ever. So, I'm just going to cut to the chase. I know we don't know each other as much as I wish we could, and I know this is rushing things quite a bit, but.. Virginia, will you marry me?"
Draco pulled out a small velvet blue box from his pocket and placed it in Ginny's hands. He watched her waiting for Ginny to react.
Ginny did not even look at it.
"Ginny? Are you going to open it?" asked Draco impatiently.
Still, she sat there. Box in her hand, eyes upon Draco. Her gaze never faltered. Finally, when Draco was seriously considering shaking her, Ginny showed a sign of comprehension.
A tear rolled down her cheek.
"Ginny-?" Before he could finish his question, Ginny embraced him in a tight hug pushing him down on the couch.
"Oh, Draco! I can't believe this!" She began sobbing uncontrollably out of happiness. "I never thought this would happen! It's just. so. I don't ever know what it is!"
"So is that a yes?"
"Yes!" Ginny began kissing him all over his face completely overwhelming Draco. The two of them were as happy as they ever thought possible.
The two resumed kissing well into the night. There, on the floor, lie the forgotten engagement ring.
~*~
A/N: I know it's short. I have absolutely no idea what I'm going to do for the next chapter! (Yes there is going to be a next chapter, I'm not done yet) I'm open for suggestions, in fact they would help a great deal. Until then, I've been working on other fan fics. If you want to read them then go to my profile. It also has summaries for other fanfics I'll be adding. So, until I can think of a new chapter for this, I'll have to put it on hold for a week or two. Sorry. (suggestions really will help)
So check out my other fics that I'm writing!
Draco and Ginny returned to the Burrow hand in hand. On their way there Ginny decided to move in with Draco until the end of the Quidditch World Cup, then she would be able to make an accurate decision.
When they finally arrived at the Burrow, they were once again were greeted by Arthur, Molly, Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
Hermione sat with Ron and Harry in the living room playing with Leila while Arthur and Molly went to de-gnome the garden.
When Leila saw her mother, and father, she walked away from the trio and went straight to her parents. Draco smiled at the little toddler and scooped her into his arms. He began playing with her small hands as the child began tugging on his hair.
Breaking the awkwardness in the room, Ron finally asked, "So. uh, Gin. How long are you staying?"
Drawing her attention away from Draco and Leila, she turned to her brother. "Oh. until the game. Maybe longer. I'm not sure."
"Why not?" It was Harry who asked.
"Well, I mean I have a job and a house and everything. Leila and I were living pretty nicely. I can't just leave.. No matter how much I want to."
Draco looked at Ginny. She was staring at the floor and he could see her eyes beginning to water. She was going to cry, and Draco knew exactly why. He knew she wanted to be with him. She just never knew how to say it. And neither did he.
"Ginny's going to be moving in with me for a while, until we get all these matters sorted out," said Draco.
With his free hand he held Ginny's hand. "I think we ought to apparate over to my flat. You and Leila should unpack."
Ginny nodded in response and gave Draco a small smile. She bid her friends and family goodbye, and apparated to Draco's home.
~*~
At the flat, Draco showed Ginny around. He began at the front door and made his way around.
"This is the kitchen, living room, dining area, study, bathroom, guest room, smaller sitting room, and master bedroom. I added on since I need my space. I also have my own manor, which I fondly call 'The Dragon's Lair,' but I prefer this place when I'm working."
"So, what do you do?"
Draco looked thoughtful for a moment, most likely thinking of a way to make his job seem more important. "I design broomsticks."
Ginny waited a while expecting further explanation. ".And.?"
Looking nonchalant Draco calmly responded, "There is no and. I design broomsticks for Quidditch."
Crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes, she became suspicious. "Draco, even I know you would have to have more money than that to have so many houses and luxuries."
"Well, there is my inheritance. Seems the old bastard, Lucius forgot to change his will before he died. Shame, really. Maybe if he would've he wouldn't be rolling around in his grave now that I'm rolling around in his gold." Draco smirked at the thought.
"Oh. I see. So, where am I sleeping?"
"You may sleep in one of the guest rooms if you wish. Leila will most likely want to sleep with you."
Ginny's face tinted red as she tried to look everywhere else but at Draco. "Uh, well. I think that Leila may want to sleep with. you. Since you seem to be attached to her, and vice versa, maybe she should sleep in your room."
Draco looked at the baby in his arms who began to doze off again then at Ginny. "You do realize I have no experience with children. What am I to do if she wakes up in the middle of the night?"
Ginny, still not looking him in the face, smiled shyly. "If it helps any, I could sleep there with you, too."
Draco held her hand and smiled. "I think I would enjoy that very much. As for now, we best get Leila into her crib."
The two of them walked hand in hand, Draco carrying Leila, and for once they both felt whole.
~*~
After Leila's nap, she became better acquainted with her father while her mother looked on. So many things were going through Ginny's head like, 'why is he so wonderful' and 'why do I love him'. She couldn't avoid the fact that she felt complete with him.
Later that night, after Leila was finally asleep, Ginny and Draco talked.
Ginny was sitting in the living room waiting for Draco to arrive with their drinks. When he finally came, he carried two glasses and a bottle of the finest red wine. The two of them sat on Draco's leather sofa and sipped wine. After a moment of silence, Draco spoke.
"Ginny. I think it's time we continue to talk about what we're going to do." Draco placed his and Ginny's glasses on a nearby table and turned to her. He held both her hands and looked her in the eye. " I know this is going to seem a bit. well, rushed, but I feel we must consider what happened before Leila cam along. So, I'm going to ask you to just listen to what I have to say."
Ginny nodded in response and sat intently listening to Draco.
"You remember how in your seventh year, some of my year came back and prepared for the final battle? And you remember how we worked together?" Ginny nodded. "Well, since then, I've felt some sort of. bond with you. I probably remember everything we ever talked about, though I would never admit to it. Then I think of the last night we were together.. I'm really not sure I know what my expectations were before it happened, but when it did. I knew things were going to be different. It was the next morning I realized I felt more for you than I've felt for anyone.. When you started ignoring me afterwards, I didn't really know how to react. I felt hurt. That's something I don't think I've ever felt before I met you. And when you moved. you took a part of me away with you, and I don't only mean Leila."
Ginny was now looking down. She felt guilty and ashamed of what she did. "I never meant to hurt you," she whispered. "I said to myself that I would tell you when I was ready, but I never was. Draco, I'm so, so sorry. I really am."
"Before you go on, there's more." Draco took a deep breath and persisted speaking. "No one ever told me where you went or how to contact you. I spent everyday looking for you and when I couldn't look any longer, I hired professionals. Still, you weren't anywhere to be found. And then Harry called me saying you were here. I felt. I felt like I was me again. Now that I've found you, I don't want to let you go. Ever. So, I'm just going to cut to the chase. I know we don't know each other as much as I wish we could, and I know this is rushing things quite a bit, but.. Virginia, will you marry me?"
Draco pulled out a small velvet blue box from his pocket and placed it in Ginny's hands. He watched her waiting for Ginny to react.
Ginny did not even look at it.
"Ginny? Are you going to open it?" asked Draco impatiently.
Still, she sat there. Box in her hand, eyes upon Draco. Her gaze never faltered. Finally, when Draco was seriously considering shaking her, Ginny showed a sign of comprehension.
A tear rolled down her cheek.
"Ginny-?" Before he could finish his question, Ginny embraced him in a tight hug pushing him down on the couch.
"Oh, Draco! I can't believe this!" She began sobbing uncontrollably out of happiness. "I never thought this would happen! It's just. so. I don't ever know what it is!"
"So is that a yes?"
"Yes!" Ginny began kissing him all over his face completely overwhelming Draco. The two of them were as happy as they ever thought possible.
The two resumed kissing well into the night. There, on the floor, lie the forgotten engagement ring.
~*~
A/N: I know it's short. I have absolutely no idea what I'm going to do for the next chapter! (Yes there is going to be a next chapter, I'm not done yet) I'm open for suggestions, in fact they would help a great deal. Until then, I've been working on other fan fics. If you want to read them then go to my profile. It also has summaries for other fanfics I'll be adding. So, until I can think of a new chapter for this, I'll have to put it on hold for a week or two. Sorry. (suggestions really will help)
So check out my other fics that I'm writing!