Lifetime of Lies

Chapter Four

A Different Life

Brown eyes flickered open with panic. Ginny sat up in the bed and noticed immediately that she was alone. She looked around, she was still wrapped in green silk sheets, and now that the sun was out, she could view the room more clearly. This was most definitely not her home, and it was far too detailed to be a dream.

It was real; she was here with Draco. She looked down at her hand and noticed the new set of rings that resided on her left ring finger. The engagement ring she was used to seeing there was a simply cut diamond proceeded by a solid gold wedding band. It had always reminded her of her relationship and love with Harry, simple.

This ring though, this new one, was positively exquisite. The large diamond was surrounded by ruby that twisted complicatedly around the unusual shape of the diamond. She smiled, the basis of each man's personality shone through the ring of his choice.

Ginny took a breath and climbed out of the large bed, she had to find Draco. It seemed essential to find him, to see him in the daylight, to feel him with her own hands to make sure that he was real.

She had gone to his funeral. She knew as she stood in cool September shades that if Harry found out a fight would ensue that would never finish. She could not bring herself to care. Draco's death had stuck her in a deep hole of depression and extreme regret. If only she had went with him…if only she had told him that it was his child that she was carrying, not Harry's. He would have settled down with her, he would not have gone on his lifelong suicide mission to bring down an unstoppable evil.

Ginny shook herself and walked out of the room. Her and Draco's room. It was nice to think about…

"Draco," she called out hesitantly, "are you here?"

Hearing no answer, she took the opportunity to explore a bit. The house was huge, but that did not exactly surprise her. Draco had told her that they were in Malfoy Manner; he had called it her home. The house seemed too big and imposing to be labeled as her home. She was used to a house where you could call out someone's name from anywhere in the house and they would hear you. This…mansion, had wings, someone could get lost and die of starvation around here.

She walked down the long hallway and noticed a room with the door cracked open. Her curiosity raised, she entered the room slowly. It was big, but not as big as the one she had woken up in. Ginny walked over to the wall where various pictures were up. She raised her eyebrows; this person was an artist, and a very talented artist at that.

He had mentioned children. Children that were at Hogwarts. Her breath caught in her throat, this must be her child's room. Ginny immediately reprimanded herself, of course, it was not her child, and Draco was not her husband. It was all artificial, the work a genie who did not know when to bloody well back off. Well, Ginny knew one thing, she was reporting that woman to the Ministry of Magic the second she got back, genie or not, you were not allowed to go around changing people's lives without permission.

In the midst of her self-indulgent mental rant, Ginny caught something moving out of the corner of her eye. She walked over to a desk where it had come from; it was a large wizarding photo. She felt her heart skip a beat as she looked at the picture, it was Lily.

Ginny felt tears come to her eyes, her daughter was here as well. She examined the picture with extreme scrutiny, the girl that had always been the spitting image of her was different now. Her beautiful long red hair was now shoulder-length and dyed black. She took a step back as she realized what was different about the picture; there was no smile on her daughter's face.

Not that her Slytherin girl was one to be fluffy and happy at all times, she was normally cynical and sarcastic. However, whenever there was a camera opportunity she would roll her eyes, but then put on a bright smile anyway. This girl though, this Lily, was so…menacing, and unhappy in her photo.

"Ginny," the loud voice from the hallway caused her to jump in alarm.

She took a minute to collect herself and to make sure that her voice would not crack. "Yeah," she called back.

The door opened once more and Draco stepped in. "There you are," he said with a small smile, "I couldn't figure out where you had run off to. I should have guessed that you would be in here though, you always have had a magnet to this room."

Ginny nodded slowly, "well, you know how it is."

He stepped over to her and took a hold of her elbow, "cheer up, sweetheart, Meghan will be home in a few weeks for Christmas break. And before you venture across the hall, Anthony will be back then as well."

Meghan and Anthony. Not Lily and Dante, and no substitute at all for Cyrus.

She glanced over at Draco carefully as they made their way down the hall. "Is she…Meghan," Ginny began slowly, "is she…happy?"

He gave her a strange glance, "why do you ask?"

Ginny attempted a smile, as if the conversation was silly to her. "Oh, you know, I just wanted your viewpoint on it."

He shrugged and returned her smile, "of course she is happy. She has everything a child could want, she has two parents who love her, she never wants for material possessions, and she is one of the most popular students in Slytherin. Stop worrying about her, Ginny."

"You had all those things too," Ginny whispered shakily, "and you were miserable."

Draco shook his head, "I never had love, and you know that."

"And does love equal happiness?"

"Of course. Are you sure you are all right, dear? You are acting quite peculiar." He took a quick intake of breath, as if choking, "you aren't…that is, you are not possibly…are you?"

Ginny laughed in spite herself, "If I had any idea of what you were trying to say I would be more than happy to tell you if I was, or was not."

Her laughter subsided when she saw his eyes flicker meaningfully towards her stomach. She placed an unconscious hand overtop her abdomen, "of course not!"

Draco did not appear to be convinced. "You were pale this morning…you looked as though you were about to be sick. And you've been moody--"

"I am not bloody pregnant!"

He did not seem to have heard her. "Of course, I would not mind if you were, you know I would love nothing more for you to have my child…but we just go some time to ourselves finally, and I thought we would have a while to enjoy that."

Feeling suddenly cross, Ginny gave him a cold glare. "Well, it would not exactly be my fault if I were pregnant. Rest assured though, I am not, so you will have your precious alone time. Though if you keep acting like this, you might be more alone than you bargained for."

Draco sighed and placed and pulled her into him. "I didn't mean it like that. Even if you are not, promise me that you will make an appointment with a healer, you worried me this morning. I just want to make sure that you're healthy, Gin."

"Fine," Ginny mumbled from against his chest, "if it is that big of a deal to you, I'll go."

"That's a girl." He kissed her forehead and once more grabbed a hold of her arm, "now, it is time for breakfast."

Ginny could hardly believe that this extravagant feast was labeled as breakfast. With the distinct exception of Hogwarts, she was used to the policy that if she wanted something to eat in the morning, she was expected to fix it for herself. And while she was at it, she had to multiply portions to accommodate however many were in the house.

However, the only finger she had to lift was to pick up her silverware, and she had a feeling that if she did not want to that, Draco would find someone to do it for her. As much as she enjoyed eating without cooking and being waited on hand and foot…she could not help but grow a bit bored during the meal. It seemed to drag on forever, an hour at least. At her home breakfast was a grab and go sort of affair. There was always something else that needed to be done, there was not time to sit and actually eat the food.

It was not that she did not enjoy long meals, but she recalled from experience that Draco did not like to talk while eating. He said the prospect of chewing and talking was nauseating, and if forced to talk he lost his appetite. Therefore, she sat and ate in silence, growing more jaded by the minute.

Once Draco appeared to be finally done, he sat back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. "So, Ginny, are you planning on going shopping today?"

"Shopping?" she echoed. "I don't know, was I supposed to?"

He narrowed his eyes suspiciously, "You told me yesterday that you had new robes to pick up for you and Meghan."

"Oh," Ginny amended quickly, "yes, of course, it just slipped my mind for a second."

Draco nodded slowly. "Well, I must be off; I have that meeting I have to sit in on at the Ministry. Remember that you are meeting at my office at six for dinner."

"Right, I will see you at six then…dear."

He stood, and she followed suit. He walked over to her, and placed a light kiss on her lips before apparating away.

Ginny glanced around at her empty surroundings and was not sure if she could even manage to find her way back to her room without the help of a map. "Great, what am I supposed to do now?"