A/N: I just finished writing chapter 10 and I have so many ideas in my head that I have to get them down before I forget! This is kinda cool being able to put out so many chapters quickly.
Disclaimer: I disclaim all the characters and anything else you would recognize as the wonderful and talented J.K. Rowling.
Rated: PG-13 – there's a lot of cursing…I have a potty mouth!
Summary: Ginny gets a job at Draco's magazine. What happens when two rivals start having feelings for one another and one makes a mistake that could tear everything they have apart?
Fluff-o-meter: Would I fail you?
Back To The UK
It was Ginny and Draco's last night in New York. They were leaving tomorrow to go back home.
Yesterday, Ginny took Draco on a tour of New York City. They went to China Town and did some shopping on Canal Street. Then they went to lunch. After lunch and some more walking around in China Town, they went into Little Italy. They bought Italian pastries and walked around, looking at all the shops.
They both bought shirts that said I love New York on them, along with a ton of other tacky New York memorabilia.
After walking through China Town and Little Italy, they took a cab to Times Square. Ginny showed him everything from the MTV studio to the gigantic Toys 'R Us. She also showed him where the ball drops on New Year's Eve and the wax museum.
Then they walked along Broadway and read advertisements for the shows. After Broadway, they went to Radio City Music Hall. All in all, it was a nice day.
Draco got to see all the big sites of New York and learn about the diverse cultures in New York.
Now they were on the roof of the apartment building having a romantic dinner together. From the top of the building, they could still see the light of Times Square that made that part look like it was still daytime.
The stars and moon were bright overhead, providing them with enough light. The table was set for two with one long candle sitting in the middle of the table.
They talked about the time spent together here in New York and more about Ginny's life when she was here.
"So you've heard all about my life here, including my very drama-filled love life, and I have yet to find out about your past relationships," Ginny said.
Draco shrugged. "I don't know if you could actually call my past relationships, relationships," he said, taking a sip of wine. "I was never with a woman for more then two weeks tops."
Ginny chuckled. "You were still in your Draco Malfoy Hogwarts player mind set?" She asked, smiling. She took a sip of her wine.
Draco shook his head. "No, I just couldn't find someone worth staying with," he said. He took another sip of wine.
Ginny leaned back in her chair and looked at Draco. "I must be special then for you to spend two months with me," she said. She had meant it as a joke.
Draco looked at her his eyes completely serious. He took her hand and rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. When he spoke his voice was even more serious. "You are special."
Thank god it was dark out because Ginny's face turned as red as her hair. Sure, she had been told that she was special. By her family and Chris when they were dating. But for some reason when Chris had told her, she had never felt like she was feeling now. When Draco told her, she actually felt special.
"Draco," she said softly, like she was out of breath.
Draco shook his head to stop her from speaking. He stood up and walked over to her. He then pulled her to her feet. He kissed her hard and passionately.
Tangling his fingers in her hair he pulled her closer to him. He drank all of her and tried to show her how much he needed her. She was his drug he couldn't and didn't want to live without.
Ginny was just as head over heels as Draco was. He was everything she could ever want. When she was with him, she didn't feel like she had to be anything she wasn't. She wasn't scared that he may not like the real her.
Air was needed after a few minutes and they pulled away. Forehead against forehead, they gasped for air. Each one taking in the breath the other just finished.
"I'm not one to make a long speech so I'm gonna get to the point," Draco said. He cupped her face in his hands and caressed her cheek. He pulled back a little so he could look Ginny in the eye. "I love you Ginny," he whispered.
Tears instantly found their way to the surface of Ginny's eyes. She never thought he would say that to her, or at least say it this soon. But it wasn't like Ginny didn't love him. She did, oh god she did.
Ginny finally pulled herself out of her thoughts. She looked at his face and found that he looked worried. She hadn't said anything for over a minute. She smiled and threw her arms around his neck. "I love you too," she whispered into his ear.
Words had never made Draco feel like he was feeling right now. He felt like he was falling but floating at the same time. He put his arms around Ginny's waist and hugged her closer to him. From everything she had told him, he knew that her heart was bruised and it was hard for her to open up. But he was so happy that she was able to trust him with her heart.
Ginny hugged him tightly and closed her eyes to stop her tears from falling down her face. She took a beep breath and breathed in the scent of Draco. She knew she could trust him and she knew that he wouldn't hurt her.
They both had different thoughts running through their heads, but the one thing that they both knew was that in the others arms was where they wanted to stay forever.
----------
"I promise I'll write everyday," Ginny said, hugging Liz close to her. She decided to get a P.O Box in muggle London so she could keep in touch with Liz.
Liz hugged Ginny close just as much. "You better," she said.
They both pulled away and wiped the tears off their cheeks. They laughed with each other then embraced once again.
This had been going on for the last ten minutes. Draco, Jesse, and even Chris had tried to pull them apart, but it wouldn't work.
"Gin we really have to go or we'll miss our flight," Draco said, trying to end this tear fest.
Ginny nodded and let go of Liz. "I'll see you Liz," she said. She hugged the girl again and kissed her cheek. Then she turned to the boys and gave each of them a hug goodbye. "Bye everyone!" she said walking out of the apartment.
Draco shook everyone's hand goodbye then followed Ginny out. When they got out onto the street, they stopped walking and Ginny took a deep breath to calm herself down. Draco put his arm around her shoulder and kissed the top of her head.
"You okay?" he asked.
"Yeah," Ginny said, nodding her head. "I will be…let's just go home."
"Okay," Draco said then hailed a cab to take them to the airport.
----------
It was later on that week and Ginny was having dinner with Hermione. Ron was watching John and Rosie so Ginny and Hermione could have a girl's night out.
They went shopping, then to a spa for manicures, pedicures, facials and one hour long massages. Hermione had a gift certificate for two to go to the top wizarding spas in Diagon Ally and brought Ginny along. When they were all finished at the spa, they went to Phoenix for dinner.
They had just been seated and had given the waiter their drinks order. When the waiter left and Hermione and Ginny were left alone, they started talking.
"So how was New York?" Hermione asked.
When Draco first told Ginny they were going to New York Ginny, she was so excited that she couldn't wait to tell everyone.
Ginny smiled, remembering her and Draco's last night there. "It was fun. I had a wonderful time," she said.
"What did you do?" Hermione asked, folding her arms on the table. She leaned forward a little bit, like she was waiting for Ginny to tell her this amazing story.
"Well," Ginny said as the waiter placed their drinks in front of her and Hermione. They both thanked him politely. "We went to the bar I used to work at, I showed him around the city, shopped, played in a fountain, and went to the zoo," she said. She took a sip of her exotic drink.
Hermione raised an eyebrow as she placed her cup down. "You took Draco Malfoy to a zoo?" she asked.
Ginny giggled and nodded her head. "Yes and he had a great time. We spent the entire day there," she said, taking another sip.
"Wow," Hermione said, a little speechless. "Draco Malfoy at a zoo. It's hard to picture a grown man at the zoo, let alone him."
Ginny smiled. "It was a nice day."
At that time, the waiter came back to take their food order. Hermione ordered a turkey wrap and Ginny ordered a chicken Cesar salad. The waiter wrote them down then left.
Hermione turned back to Ginny. "So did you and Malfoy…you know" she said, raising her eyebrows suggestively.
Ginny chuckled a little bit. She touched Hermione hand and looked her straight in the eyes. "Hermione, we've been doing that for a while," she told her.
Hermione nodded. "I would have been too if I was dating the guy" she said.
Ginny's jaw dropped. "Hermione!" she scolded.
Hermione laughed and took a sip of her drink. "Hey! I may not have liked the bloke and still resent him a little because of our school days, but I have to admit he is one fine looking male," she said.
Ginny had to cover her mouth to make sure she didn't laugh too loud. Hermione got caught up in the laughter as well. What finally made them both stop laughing was when the waiter came over and placed their food in front of them. They stopped laughing and started eating.
"Oh and Hermione, you know what he told me," Ginny said, looking dreamy eyed.
"What?" Hermione asked as she cut her wrap in half.
Ginny smiled and put her silverware down. "He told me he loved me," she said, just above a whisper.
Hermione's action stopped in mid air. She lifted her head up to look at Ginny. Her mouth was agape and her eyes looked like they were about to fall out of their sockets. "He didn't," she said. Ginny bit her lip to keep from smiling too big and nodded her head. "Well, did you say it back?"
"Of course I did. I've been in love with him since we started dating," Ginny said. She picked her silverware back up and started cutting the chicken in her salad.
Hermione smiled at Ginny. She had seen the way Ginny looked at Draco at Rosie's party. She had also seen the way Draco looked at Ginny. She knew they were both in love.
Hermione patted Ginny's hand. "Well, I'm happy for you Gin," she said honestly.
Ginny smiled at Hermione, seeing the seriousness in her eyes. "Thanks Hermione," she said.
For the rest of the night, the two women talked about work and kids as they enjoyed their dinner, dessert, and endless supply of alcohol.
----------
While Ginny went out with Hermione, Draco stayed home at his flat. He worked on paper work for the magazine, along with his articles for this month's issue. He was also going to his mother's for dinner.
He apparated outside into the manor with an elegant 'pop.' He looked around the foyer then made his way into his father's old study. He knew his mother would be in there. That was where she spent most of her time.
He walked into the study. "Mother?" he called.
The study was just as grand as the rest of the house. The room was large with a grand fireplace set in the middle of the wall. There were four couches placed around a dark oak coffee table. On the side of the room, in front of the full wall windows, was his father's old working desk. It was big enough to fit six people around it, and was made from the darkest, most expensive type of wood. A Malfoy would only have the best.
Mrs. Malfoy stood up from her seat on the couch. "Draco, darling!" she cried. She walked over to him and embraced him in a tight hug. She kissed his cheek.
"Hello Mother," Draco said, kissing her cheek as well.
Mrs. Malfoy looked for the petite red head that was usually with him. "Where is Ginevra?" she asked.
"Oh she went out with her friend today. They went shopping then to a spa," Draco informed his mother.
Mrs. Malfoy nodded her head. "That sounds like fun," she said. Draco smiled and nodded his head in agreement. "Well, dinner should be ready, dear," she said, leading Draco out of the study and to the dining room.
They sat down at the dining room table and one of the house elves placed their food and drinks in front of them.
"So did you and Ginevra have a good time in New York?" Mrs. Malfoy asked. She elegantly stuck her fork into her food and took a bite.
"Yes, we had a wonderful time," Draco said before taking a bite of his food. "We went shopping, walked around the city, and went to Central Park. She even took me to the zoo," he said chuckling.
"Really?" Mrs. Malfoy said surprised. "A Muggle zoo?"
Draco nodded and took a sip of his wine. "Yeah. It was actually really nice. The animals are amazing," he said. He took another bite of food.
"I would imagine," Mrs. Malfoy said. She took a sip of her wine and set her glass down. "So was that all that happened?"
Draco looked down at his food for a little bit before answering. "Yeah, pretty much," he said.
"Draco," Mrs. Malfoy said. She rose her eyebrow and spoke in that way that said she knew he was keeping something from her.
Draco sighed. "I told her I loved her," he said. He was a little embarrassed to be talking to his mother about this.
Mrs. Malfoy's mouth dropped open but she covered it up with her hand. Her eyes quickly filled with tears. Not only was she happy that her son had found someone to love, but she was also happy that he let himself love. She was worried that Draco would not open himself up to that emotion because his father drilled it into him that love was a weakness and Malfoy's should not be weak. This was proof that he had grown up well.
"Oh Draco, that's wonderful!" Mrs. Malfoy said, grabbing her son's hand. "What did she say?" she asked. She was praying that Ginny didn't break his heart and said it back.
"She told me she loved me as well," Draco said with a shrug. He was very uncomfortable talking to his mother, of all people, about this.
Mrs. Malfoy let out a breath that she had unconsciously been holding in. Now she was ecstatic. Her son had found love in return. And Mrs. Malfoy couldn't have been happier with the girl. She loved Ginevra. "I'm so happy for you," she said. "Love is the greatest gift a person can give and receive."
"Did you love Father?" Draco asked. He took another sip of his wine.
Mrs. Malfoy sighed and took her hand off of Draco's. She picked her utensils up. "Your father was a horrible man, but yes, I loved him," she answered.
That was the end of that conversation for the night. For the rest of dinner, Draco and his mother talked about Draco's job and Mrs. Malfoy's friends.
When dinner was finished, Draco told his mother that he had some work that still needed to be finished and he should head home.
"Okay Draco," Mrs. Malfoy said, hugging her son. "Tell Ginevra I said hello."
Draco smiled. "I will mother," he kissed her cheek. "Take care," he said, making his way to the door.
"You too darling," Mrs. Malfoy said, waving goodbye.
Draco waved goodbye over his shoulder and left through the door. Once outside, he took out his wand and apparated back to his flat. With a soft 'pop', he appeared in his flat. He took his cloak off and threw it over the back of his couch.
There was soft groan and a shift on the couch. Draco raised an eyebrow and looked over the back of the couch. He found Ginny fast asleep. Her hair was a tangled mess on top of the decoration pillow, and her body was curled together. He also noticed she was wearing a tee shirt and sweatpants that belonged to him.
Draco smiled down at her sleeping form and walked around the couch. He found a small spot of couch near her waist and sat down. He gently pushed some hair out of her face and kissed her temple. "Ginny," he cooed softly into her ear. "Love, wake up."
Ginny groaned a little bit. Her eyes fluttered open and she stretched. "Hey," she said when her eyes landed on Draco.
"Hey," Draco said rubbing her side. "What are you doing here?"
"Well, I was lonely over at my flat so I came here." She told him. "I forgot you were having dinner with your mum until I got here and you weren't home, so I decided to wait," she emitted a very big yawn at the end of her small speech.
Draco chuckled. "Let's get you to bed," he said. He stood up and placed one arm around her back and the other under her knees. He picked her up and carried her to his bedroom. "Nice clothes by the way," he said.
Ginny looked down and smiled at her attire. "Well it's very uncomfortable wearing jeans to bed," she said.
Draco chuckled and tossed her onto his bed. Ginny giggled and got comfortable under the covers. Draco went over to his dresser and pulled out a pair of midnight blue pajama bottoms.
"So how was dinner with your mum?" Ginny asked as she watched him.
Draco pulled his shirt over his head and threw it on top of a pile of clothes on the floor. "It was good. She says hello by the way," he took off his jeans and threw them on the pile. He then pulled his pajama bottoms on.
Ginny smiled and followed Draco with her eyes as he made his way to the bed. "What did you two talk about?"
Draco crawled into bed and Ginny curled into him. She put her head on his chest and Draco wrapped his arms around her. "New York, and I told her..." he looked down at Ginny and found her sleeping. He smiled and bent his head down so his lips were by her ear. "…I love you," he whispered, finishing his sentence.
He saw Ginny's lips curl up into a small smile and he smiled as well. His kissed her cheek then settled into his bed and fell asleep.
A/N: Wow! Chapter 11 is finished at 2:11 AM on Friday August 13th! This is a record for me. Two chapters typed out in one day! Anyway the next chapter is the big one! Dun, Dun, Dun! This is the last chapter before my birthday! You'll also have to wait a couple days for chapter 12. Only like 5 at the most. I'm going away to cheer camp! Review and let me know what you think about this one!
Here are the rest of the reviews I got for chapter 9. Sorry this isn't in chapter 10!
Stephanie – I am so happy you like the story. Thanks for the review.
Abby – Yay! You liked the chapter. Thanks for the review!
Geena-Waters – Yes poor Ginny. But he recovers in chapter 10! At least a little bit. Thanks for the review!
Padfootedmoony – I have to agree with you! I'm so glad you like the fic!
