Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything with Harry Potter.

"But to see her was to love her, love but her, and love her forever."

~Robert Burns

By the way. Si is short for Simon. It's said like sigh. Ok so now on with the show...

"No Mr. Rosen, I'm not done with those papers yet. I'm almost finished." Ginny said to the slightly rotund man addressing her.

"Thanks. I'll be back in an hour." He said with a smile and left. Unbeknownst to Ginny, Draco had been standing just outside the door and was now in the doorway watching her. He stared at her and thought she looked exhausted. She must be working incredibly hard. He noticed a picture frame sitting on her desk and automatically wanted to know who was in it. Was it Potter, framed and staring at Ginny all day? He hoped not because even the thought made him queasy.

"Excuse me, I'm looking for a Miss Virginia Weasley." He announced as he entered her office, causing her to visibly jump.

"Do you knock?" She glared.

"Occasionally." Draco smiled at her in a friendly way and it automatically set Ginny's nerves on edge. "You look tired."

"Good observation. Is that what you came here to tell me? I mean, I assume there is a point to this little get together." She asked rudely.

"Right to the point? Where's the carefree, friendly Ginny I used to know?" Draco asked softly, honestly wondering and hoping she wasn't lost to him forever.

"She died. This Virginia," she pointed at herself, "is a big girl used to the real world."

"That's sad." He continued to stare at her making Ginny very uncomfortable.

"Tragic. Is THAT what you came here to say?"

"No." He said moving closer to her so he could better gauge her reaction. "I came here because today I heard a very old message."

"Is this a riddle?" She asked shaking her head when he paused.

"It was a message that was 5 years old."

"Uh-huh." Ginny said annoyed.

"It was you telling Hermione about when we slept together."

Ginny flinched. That message was incredibly personal. She laid her heart out there completely and the one person she never wanted to hear it had.

"And."

"You said you loved me." Draco stared hard.

"I told you that to your face, remember? You just gave it right back. Actually you threw it back really, wanted to get rid of it like an old shoe or something." She said with a shrug, feigning nonchalance.

"I remember what you said. I remember every word." Draco said with genuine emotion.

"Well then why is that tape so shocking to you?" Ignoring the passion in his eyes.

"Will you have dinner with me? That dinner that we never got to have." Draco asked, swiftly changing subjects.

"Nope." She said without any regret. She was remembering her son sitting at home with a babysitter. She was also thinking about how he could easily be taken from her. She had no money to fight Draco if he decided to take Simon away from her.

"Why not? Already have a date?" Draco sneered.

"As a matter of fact, I do." It was true tonight Ginny was taking Simon to see a new cartoon movie about a wizard dog that was a superhero.

Draco's face fell. He looked truly upset and Ginny squashed the little feeling of sympathy she was feeling like a bug.

"Why do you think I'd have dinner with you? Has anything thing changed between us. What's in the past is in the past and that's what you are. The past. Why not just go and get laid somewhere else? I'm too highly priced now, you wouldn't be interested." Ginny turned her back on him and started the task she was doing when he interrupted her.

"I doubt it. I'd pay any amount of money to have you again." Draco meant have in every sense of the word, sexual and emotional. But to Ginny it only meant sexual longing.

"I don't have a price tag. I never did and never will." Ginny stapled some papers together with a little more force than was required. "That's obviously something you didn't learn. I guess they're right, you can't teach an old dog new tricks."

"Fine then, at least have dinner with me for old times sake." Draco just needed time. If he could have some time with her, he knew she'd realize he was different. He hoped anyway.

"What old times? We got smashed one night and had sex, that doesn't constitute old times."

"That's not what you said to Hermione, Or me for that matter." Draco said coldly. He was getting frustrated with her ignoring him.

"We talked about that yesterday, remember?" Ginny reminded him. She was afraid her composure might snap. She was terrified she might somehow let it slip that she still loved him.

"You and Potter are only friends. I've asked around. He's got a fiancé, some witch from America." He said with a satisfied smile.

"I was the other woman once, why would I let something like that stop me?"

"That was different and you know it." He practically yelled. "I didn't love my wife. I didn't give a damn about her, but I know Potter loves his fiance."

Ginny knew Draco was right, her bravado faltered slightly. "Please just go. I'm at work."

"Fine, we'll talk later." Draco told her. His hands were itching to turn the picture around and see who it was.

"No. Draco please just leave me alone. You did enough damage once, I can't do it again." Ginny told him honestly hoping that he'd realize she meant it.

"I'm sorry." Draco said simply, but she knew he meant it.

"I'm sure you are."

"You have no idea how sorry."

"Then go away." Ginny said.

"I can't." Draco said, his voice sounded tortured.

"Look. I'm not going to love you again. Seriously, go find someone else. I know you think that you care about me and there's this part of you that thinks you missed something wonderful and you probably did. But that doesn't mean you can redo it now. It was the past and life isn't as simple as it was back then. There's no way we could ever be together again even if I wanted to, which I don't." She said unemotionally and turned back to her work hoping that Draco would go home. She knew that if she let him back in, let him have her heart and soul again he could completely destroy her. She couldn't afford to let that happen when she had Simon to raise.

Ginny got part of her wish. Draco left her office but he didn't go home, he went to a bar and was rapidly on his way to being drunk. He'd gone to a muggle place so nobody from work would see him getting plastered. He only need a few more drinks to reach that goal when Jeff walked over to him.

Draco rolled his eyes. "How did you know I was here?" Draco asked annoyed.

"I didn't. This is where I usually come." Jeff said trying to hide a smile. Draco forgot that that was why he was here in the first place. He'd heard about it from Jeff, a muggle. Draco smiled at that thought.

"Oh yeah. So how'd the date go?" Draco asked taking another shot.

"Good actually. She's gorgeous and laughs at my jokes. I think I'm going to marry her." Jeff told her with a self-mocking smile.

"Seriously?" Draco perked up a little. Maybe Jeff could give him advice about Ginny.

"Yeah man. I met her and I really like her. I mean really. I've met girls before that I thought were so hot that I couldn't stand it and that I really liked but this feels different. I look at her and I think scary thoughts."

"Like what?" Draco grinned.

"Like that she'd be a good mother." he said, causing Draco to raise his eyebrows. "I know, it's frightening but I really had that thought and it didn't even frighten me. It's just weird. It's probably all in my head." Jeff ordered a beer.

"No it's not. I met a girl once. I mean I didn't think she'd make a good mother or anything like that. I really just thought she looked amazing but then we had sex. I didn't use a condom and that's a big deal for me." He looked drunkenly thoughtful for a second. "I haven't done that with anyone else, not even my ex-wife. Ginny was the first and the last. Hmmm…" Draco said falling into thought.

"What happened?" Jeff's interests were engaged, maybe he'd finally get to learn something about his reclusive neighbor.

"I think that she would make an excellent mother actually. The best probably, not that anyone would ever have my child. I'm evil you know." Draco grinned and continued. "Nothing happened really, I'm just an idiot. I left in the morning. Just left her there. I told her I never wanted to see her again. You need to pursue this girl. I regret alienating myself from Ginny more than anything in the world. She's so beautiful and funny….and smart and witty and very positive and nice and encouraging and she smells really good all the time." He rambled drunkenly. "I had the world in my grasp and I just threw it all away."

"Are you in love with her?" Jeff could hardly believe it.

"What?" Draco jerked his head up and looked at Jeff. "Yes. Not that it matters, she hates me." Draco knew he cared about Ginny and felt empty without her but he hadn't ever actually put it under the heading of "love". Strangely, he'd actually known her pretty well from school and the other occasions they'd met. Now he hardly knew her but he knew enough to know he still loved her. "I went to see her today. She told me to get out and never return. Not too unlike the words I threw at her when I left years ago."

Enlightenment hit Jeff. "That's why you work so hard. You're working to forget, but obviously it's not a very effective coping mechanism for you."

"No, it's not, is it?" Draco said with a slur and laughed at the irony of the situation; here was Draco Malfoy, one of the coldest and most emotional devoid wizards and he was trying to numb his pain by getting totally and completely inebriated over a girl.

"Oh my god, Hermione. You told him where I worked!" Ginny yelled at Hermione when she got home from work. Ginny had gone home and picked up Simon and then went straight over to Ron and Hermione's house. Simon was now sitting in the living room playing with Crookshanks.

"I didn't have a choice, Ginny. He said he was going to go to your apartment if I didn't tell him where you worked and I knew that Simon was home with the babysitter." Hermione told her putting her coat in the closet.

"Really? He said that?" Ginny said distractedly. "How'd he hear that tape by the way?"

Hermione told her the story and Ginny realized it was an accident but she was still frustrated by it.

"Look Gin, I'm sorry but I never meant for it to happen. He looked totally dumbfounded by it, I kinda felt a little sorry for him."

"I know." Ginny said and meant it.

"I'll tell you what I know. I know that if he comes near Ginny again I'm going to kill him. How does he think he has the right to be around you?" Ron sounded completely outraged. "You gonna help me Harry?" Ron looked over Harry inquisitively.

Harry was visiting on a trip and had only a day to spend with the old gang. He'd be back in a while for a longer visit. "If I had to. You know Ginny's like my sister right?"

"Neither of you is going to do anything of the sort. I told him to leave me alone and that's that." Ginny told both of the men.

"You two staying for dinner?" Hermione asked pulling out her wand.

"No. Si and I are going to the movies." Ginny said smiling at Simon who had just entered the room.

"I get to have every flavor beans! I've wanted to see this movie forever." Simon told them excitedly.

"Oh, be careful with those beans. I've gotten a few nasty ones." Ron said with a cringe.

A/N: Hey guys! That quote up there was for Draco about Ginny. Interpret that however you want but I liked it. Thanks for the reviews and this chappie is at least a little longer! I know everyone is like "when is Draco going to meet Simon?" But you will see. All will be revealed in time. Just a keep a reading and you will find out. So muchas gracias for the reviews I absolutely love them more than anything in the whole world. They totally just make me smile! Thanks again and please review! Next chapter soon!