Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns all things Harry Potter. Don't sue me please.

Happy Without Me

"I love you," she whispered to the wind. The sun was setting but it wouldn't go down without a fight. The sky seemed to bleed. But as darkness began to prevail the red dyed to orange, pink, purple, and finally (at the stroke of nine) it was that special velvet blue with specks of glittering stars.

He was across an ocean as he said, "I love you." He smiled as the coming sun warmed the salt-scented wind. The sun, seemingly healed, gracefully climbed the steps to its throne in the sky. He smiled, as he knew she missed him. He smiled, as he knew how the pain was cutting still. Slowly deepening. He smiled, as he knew it was killing her. And he smiled still, as he knew it was killing him the same way.

Ginny Weasley stood across from Draco Malfoy. They were at Malfoy Manor, in one of the sitting rooms in his wing. They had been dating since her fifth year and his sixth year. At first they had just thought it was a way to rebel against their parents but now, after seven years, they knew it wasn't just a phase. They loved each other more than anything. Each wanted the other happy at any cost.

"I don't want to be the reason you throw away your life," he said calmly as he turned away from her to stare into the flames.

What am I supposed to say to that? "I'm not throwing anything away. I'm not going to lose my family. I'm just going to gain you," she said trying to convince herself more than him.

"You really believe that?" He scoffed. Why is she being so naïve? She knows they won't accept me. Why does she have to tell the truth now? It was working perfectly well with it being a secret.

"I do," she said firmly. Should I tell him the truth?

"Look, I didn't want to tell you this way. But you should know what you're getting into if you are seriously considering telling them the truth." What the hell am I going to say? I have to make her leave me.

"What is it?" She asked after he didn't continue.

"I don't love you," he said with his expression unreadable and his eyes hard. She's going to go crazy. No. She's going to kill me. No. Crazy and then kill me, after torture. No cr-

She laughed.

-azy. Just crazy it is then.

But it wasn't an insane sort of a laugh it was...a little giggle. As if he'd just said something...silly. Malfoys don't do silly.

"That's the best you could do?" She asked with sparkling eyes.

"What do you mean?" He asked angrily. He hated being laughed at.

"Please don't feed me lies. I know you. I know that you are an arrogant, spoiled, narcissistic prat and you are completely in love with yourself. And I know that you love me more than anything; including you."

What am I supposed to say to that? Don't give in. She'll never be happy with me. "Well it's nice that you believe that Ginevra but I don't love you."

"You don't mean that," she said beginning to think he did mean it. After all she was just Ginny. A Weasley, a muggle-lover, a mudblood-befriender, a joke, tainted, not the cleverest, and most certainly not the prettiest. Just Gin.

She's beginning to buy it. Third time's a charm. "Yes, I do mean it. I don't love you. I don't think I ever have. I'm a Malfoy for Slytherin's sake. How foolish could you be to actually believe I wanted you for anything but..." he smirked and raised his eyebrows letting her catch his meaning.

"You...you...you horrible man," she said it so quietly, so brokenly.

I hate this. I can't see her like this. "Thank you for that assessment. Now get out of my house. I never want to see you again," he said his voice steady and emotionless.

She looked at him for moment like she was deliberating something more important than leaving him. She made up her mind and apparated to the Burrow with a loud crack.

Ginny calmly found a piece of parchment and a quill and began to compose a letter for her family. Her mind was abnormally calm and clear. She told them she loved them, that she'd miss them, and that she hoped that they would forgive her for leaving like this. She had to leave for reasons she couldn't explain. She left the note in the kitchen where her mum would surely find it the next morning.

She packed her things quickly and then apparated to the International Floo-Network Station. The lines were so long. She waited for hours all the while hoping he'd come to stop her and at the same time knowing that he wouldn't. Finally it was her turn. She got into the warm green frames and suddenly realized she didn't know where she was going. She said the first thing that popped into her mind, "Across the ocean."

She stumbled out of the fireplace. She didn't know where she was, nor did she care, this place was home now. Silent tears finally streamed down her face as she left to look for a place to live.

Ginny heard the door to the balcony open behind her. "It's past your bedtime Draco."

"I know mum. I was worried when you didn't come to say goodnight," said her seven-year-old son with the maturity of someone older than herself.

"You worry too much for your age," Ginny said ruffling his light blonde.

"Mum!" He said narrowing his sharp grey eyes as he smoothed his hair out.

"What? You're going to bed aren't you?" She asked pretending to be confused.

"I know I am but it needs to be nice so I look handsome in my dreams," he said haughtily as if she should have known that already.

"Oh, I see. Tell me, Mr. Malfoy, just who are you planning to meet in your dreams?" Ginny asked playing along.

"My father."

The smile fell from her face. She picked her son up and hugged him close. "I'm so sorry," she whispered willing herself not to cry.

"Do you think he's happy without us?" Draco asked after a long silence.

Ginny pulled back a little so she could look into her son's eyes. They were his father's eyes. She was so happy that she had a part of Draco with her. "No, how could anyone be happy without you? He's happy without me."

Across an ocean, he smiled because he knew that somewhere she was happy without him.

The End.

A/N: No pressure to review if you don't want to. If you take the time to though you're sick wicked so thanks in advance.

-Phoenix Fairy