Author's Note: Ooh, I'm so excited that people like the story. This is an odd chapter; I don't even know why I wrote it, but just bear with me here. So without further ado… the fourth chapter!
 
 
 
Yesterday just seems so far away
When you were just another pretty face to me
I used to only think about you once in a while
But now I can't do anything
To get you off my mind –Crazy ~By Jake

Chapter Four

~One Drink Too Much~

Months passed like days in Malfoy Manor, everything went by quickly. The days seemed to be barely hours when Ginny sat on the library, enjoying a nice cup of hot chocolate in front of the fire. It was a rather odd night, for it was chilly and it was summer, though it was the end of summer. She sat with her legs crossed, staring at the fire, thinking what to draw. She had been accustomed to drawing, playing the harp or the piano, writing, or simply staring at things. Piano and Harp came naturally to her, with, of course, the help from a few ghosts that also wandered around the manor. Drawing had been difficult, for she had to learn to do it herself. But afterwards, she found a soothing aspect in this. Writing was a natural talent of hers, for as long as she could remember, so that wasn't exactly new.

She was wearing a short black skirt with a dark green tank top that was rather provocative, but as she also wore a dark green robe, could not show off the amount of skin that it naturally showed. She was barefoot, her feet now beneath her buttocks, she was sitting on them. She had grown accustomed to the attention she was given in the Manor. Some would even say she was starting to get spoiled. But she really tried to maintain sanity and her honesty by sometimes neglecting the luxuries provided for her.

She had also begun to socialize a bit with her husband, not being so cold towards him, as he in return did the same. They had formed a relationship of not friends but of acquaintances. They could be at least in the same room without an argument now. The first month had been hell, they were both snapping at each other's throat and, every time, he would give her a different expensive gift, which she threw away on a drawer and left them there without using them. They had been mostly jewels; emeralds, rubies, diamonds, sapphires, amethysts and all the stones you could think off. She thought that he had spent almost all the money on her, but she soon got to know the Malfoy riches triplicate every time he or she spent money.

They owned factories, stores, industries, and they even had stocks of magic corporations. It was too much things to name and remember. She had been going to parties and gatherings and reunions with him, always pretending they were happy when they weren't really so. And in turn, she had invited Hermione and Harry (she invited Ron, but he would not set foot in the house) to the Manor and they had spent hours with her. Draco hadn't been pleased with this, but he let her do as she wanted, because she also went with him to wherever he asked her to.

Draco wasn't a bad husband; she'd give him that at least. He was rather indifferent as to what she did with the money he gave her; she gave it to her parents. He never forced her to get intimate with him, but by now he knew the period in which she could get pregnant and had it pinned on a calendar, so he knew when it was coming. They were very subtle those days, a week or so of being intimate, every night. But they had had no luck yet of conceiving a child. She didn't mind the trying so much, though. She knew he didn't at all, but she had at first. Now, though, she had resigned and gotten acquainted with the idea that there was no escaping this and settled down.

As the end of the summer approached, she knew that the Malfoy family reunion was approaching as well. Thinking this, she saw Draco come in, carrying a burgundy shawl on his arm. He spotted her and nodded a greeting with his head. "Evening, Virginia,"

"Evening, Draco," she replied, sipping another sip of hot chocolate and staring at him now. He was wearing a white sweater and navy trousers. He then threw the shawl at her and she saw that it was not a shawl, but a dress, a very beautiful embroidered dress. "What's this for?" she asked, examining the dress carefully, it appeared to be made of a velvety material.

"For the reunion," he said and shrugged. "Mother sent it to you." He then sat on the seat opposite from her, putting his hands to his temples. She folded the dress and put it aside, eyeing him briefly.

"It's lovely; I will have to thank your mother." She blinked a bit and sighed. "Bad day?" she asked gingerly, he looked at her appraisingly, then shrugged again.

"I had to send some reports and pay some people. Thankfully I work here at home, or I wouldn't have made it back. I'm bushed," he replied indifferently, sighing deeply and stretching slightly. "Teeny, come here!" Ginny raised her eyebrows and shook her head slightly as the little elf came into the room. She bowed down. "That's enough," said Draco, a bit uncomfortable with the bowing and all. "Bring me some brandy, quickly." He cleared his throat and looked at Ginny. "What? Why are you staring at me?" he half-snapped at her.

"Nothing," she said, turning her gaze towards the fire again, and placing the now empty cup onto the table beside her. There was an extremely long silence which was only broken when Teeny came back, carrying a tray with brandy and two glasses with little ice. She then picked up the cup that Ginny had placed on the table and Ginny smiled at her, the elf smiled back.

Teeny was considerably cleaner and better dressed now, Ginny had bought some clothes and left them lying around for her to find them. She was not really freeing the elf, as to free her, she had to give her the clothes personally and she wasn't doing that. Besides, she didn't think Teeny would want to go, even if she was freed. The elf then left again.

"Play the piano, will you?" said Draco to Ginny, who looked at him, eyebrows raised. "Please," he added as an afterthought, interpreting her silence well. She stood up and walked over to the piano that was beside him, she opened the cover and stretched her fingers as she sat down and began playing Moonlight Sonata.

Draco watched her intently; her flaming long hair was loose. He hadn't seen it loose since their wedding night. Every day after that she always had it up in braids, ponytails or buns. He watched as her fingers slipped through the keys gracefully, the notes coming out in harmonious rhythm. She had grown more beautiful with each day that passed. Sometimes he stared at her all night, when she was sleeping and didn't notice. He had promised to himself that he would at least win her affection, even as just a friend.

Now, now, he wasn't falling in love with her, because if there was one thing he couldn't do was fall in love with her. It would break a thousand codes and rules the Malfoy men had done very long ago about forced marriages. He looked at her again and found her looking down at the piano, with her hands resting on her lap. She had long since finished. He stood up and walked over to her, putting a glass with brandy under her nose. She raised her gaze to him.

"No, thanks," she said pushing the glass away slightly.

"Drink it," he said softly, "It isn't poisoned or anything."

"I know that," she said and shrugged. "I just…" she then took the glass, "Oh forget it. Thanks." She drank it slowly.

"Don't mention it," he said, sipping from his own glass as well.

* * *

She was laughing, laughing like he'd never heard her laugh before. An empty glass lay clutched on her hand. They had drunk the whole brandy bottle and had also drunk another one he had made Teeny get them. They started talking and laughing about stupid things. He was feeling a bit woozy, but not anything a cold bath could not wash out. She looked astoundingly in a good humor. He hadn't seen her in a good humor in months, maybe even years.

They were already two months into their marriage, and things had only gotten better the past month. He watched as she stood up from the seat that was opposite to him and sat next to him.

"You know, Draco," she said, slurring a bit, "I never did—hate you to—begin—with."  She blinked a few times, apparently trying to make her vision less blurry, she then smiled to herself.

"I didn't hate you either, Ginny," he said truthfully and laughing a bit. She looked at him sideways.

"You never—called me by my nickname before," she said and shrugged. "It—sounds odd when—you say it."

"Yeah, well, it sounds odd when you call me Draco, but I don't complain about it." He smirked at her. She shrugged again.

"There's no point in calling you—Malfoy again, is there?" she said rather faintly, "I'm a Malfoy now, so it really isn't that appealing anymore."

He nodded and she nodded as well. He then sighed, sitting back against the couch; she leaned forward, looking around the empty library room. She then looked at him and reached out her hand to touch his face. As she did so, he froze, eyeing her hand and then her face, she was looking at the spot she was caressing, which were now half his cheek and half his neck. "Such beauty in a male," she whispered taking strands of his fair hair on her fingers and looking at them as they slid through her fingers like silk. "Not wasted either," she added, "Many a woman would have given anything to be where I am right now," She then looked down. "But I wasn't one of them."

He seized the hand that was on his face with his own hand slowly, he then brought it down, still grabbing it. "I know that," he said and nodded, his face remained emotionless. He let go of her hand, and she retreated it towards herself.

"I had so many plans for myself," she went on softly, he looked at her. "Shattered them all, this marriage. Don't you ever wonder what it would be like if we hadn't married?"

"Well, of course I do, Virginia, but the other option wasn't too appealing." She looked at him, tilting her head. "Millicent Bullstrode, you see. I had to choose between you or her. And I think the answer is pretty obvious." She nodded slightly as he stretched. She then stood up and in front of where he was sitting. She then bent her knees until she was in his eye level. Her eyes looked oddly clouded. He, despite himself, cupped her cheek with his hand and she tilted her head so she caressed his hand with her shoulder.

He brushed his thumb against her lips slightly and her mouth parted a bit, and she shuddered. He smirked at her, enjoying the chills this sent on his spine, he stood up as she unbent so she was standing up as well. His free hand went to her shoulder and she smiled rather mischievously at him. He leaned in as did she, but when their lips were barely touching each other, he pulled back. She looked at him, confused.

"I won't do this," he said, angry at himself. "You're drunk. Come on, let's get you to bed."

And saying this, he grabbed her hand and led her upstairs. Not stopping, even once, to look at her reaction.

A/N: So there, liked it, hated it? Review and let me now! Also, if you have suggestions, I would be more than happy to take them!

~Blue

And thanks to….

-HPfreak8

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