Disclaimer: You know I don't own the characters… don't you?
Chapter 10- Mansions and Men
Ginny had spent the week following Ron and Hermione's wedding on air. "Ginny, the cake is burning!" Cathryn yelled at her when she had gone into her own little world once more.
With a flick of her wand, Ginny turned the oven off, but did nothing to remove the already scorched cake. "Isn't it a great day for dancing?" Ginny asked, grabbing Cathryn and twirling her around, bringing her into a dance, all the while humming a mindless melody.
Cathryn laughed, cake forgotten. "You've gone bonkers," she declared, and tried to pull away, but instead was pulled back into a tight embrace by the girl a whole three inches shorter than herself.
"Those glasses make you look so… dashing," Ginny said with an overdramatic French accent. "Ah Cherie, Mademoiselle, allow me to… show you my moves."
"Ginny!" Cathryn declared, as Ginny led her into the living room with tango steps. "Ginny!" she shouted again.
With Ginny's great leading abilities, they both crashed into the couch and landed; Cathryn on the cushions and Ginny on the hard wood floor—both laughing.
"Ginny, you have a—" Felicia started to say, stopping in confusion at the two. "What is wrong with you two?"
"I'm sure they're just having fun," a man's voice drawled.
Ginny's heart skipped a beat as it plummeted to her stomach, and she stood up fast, almost too fast, causing her to lose balance. "Draco," she said, steadying herself.
Cathryn righted herself as well. The smoke from the kitchen was suddenly very noticeable. "The cake!" Ginny exclaimed and ran into the kitchen, pulling out the baking pan with the burned batter, not bothering with any oven mitts. She bit back a cry of pain as she threw down the pan and went to the sink to run her hand under cold water. Somewhere in the next room she could hear muttering voices. Just after, Draco appeared in the doorframe, a bouquet of red tulips hanging from his left hand. "Are you okay?" he asked, brows furrowed in slight concern.
"I-I'm fine," Ginny said, water still running.
"Mind if I look at it?"
Ginny hesitated, but swallowed and nodded her head while gritting her teeth and turning off the water.
Draco sat in the chair closest to the sink and pulled one of the other chairs around and in front of him for Ginny to sit. She did so as he held out his hands. He set the flowers on the table and took Ginny's burned hand in his. "Do you have a potions' storage?" Draco asked, taking great lengths not to touch the red area.
"Over there, below the dishes," Ginny pointed to where she was referring. He turned around and started looking through, pulling out a couple of vials and ingredients. He also took out a bowl and started to mix them together.
"I haven't seen you in a while," Draco said.
"Since Christmas," added Ginny.
"Right, since Christmas." Draco concentrated on the bowl, crushing the dried fig leaves and pouring a little more silver goat's milk into the mix. Once he was done, Draco took his own fingers and smeared the mix over the burn, looking up as Ginny grimaced in pain.
"What are you doing here?" Ginny asked, trying to get her mind off the pain as Draco took out some gauze and covered the wound.
"I wanted to see you," he said, done with the treatment, but not moving his hand from hers.
"Oh," Ginny said at a loss for anything else. "Thank you," Ginny said, pulling her hand back with gentle care.
"I was wondering," Draco said, "would you come have dinner with me? I know it's last minute, but I decided to cook a bit and…seeing as things are turning out here," he added, looking over at the cake pan, now only a black shape.
Ginny blushed and gave a shy smile, "that's not fair! I was a bit distracted."
"By what?" Draco asked.
Ginny blushed a deeper red, remembering exactly what it was that had caused the chaos in the first place. "Just… stuff," Ginny said. Stupid! Stuff? Ginny reprimanded herself, but didn't amend her statement, knowing her words would probably betray her.
"Oh," Draco said, a smirk of his own. "Curse stuff for its endless distractions in our daily life." Draco laughed and Ginny found herself giving one of her funny little scowls. "So, will you come with me?" he asked, standing and looking down at Ginny with great hope in his eyes.
"I suppose I have to eat sometime," Ginny said, accepting the hand extended towards her. "I do have some business I need to get back to, though," she lied, needing an excuse if things turned a direction she didn't expect.
Draco just nodded in response, but picked up the flowers. "These are for you, by the way," he added. "I meant to give them to you when I came in, but 'stuff' got in the way," he said with another teasing smirk.
Ginny returned the look and said, "thank you," before finding a vase to put them into. She did so and then followed Draco to where he had a limo. "It's a bit more eloquent than soaring from grate to grate or going by portkey," he explained away, but Ginny suspected that time was of the essence here.
"Been busy, I'm guessing," Ginny asked once she was seated. She looked down at herself, looking a mess, but not caring.
"Hardly," Draco replied. "It's been quite a bore. Nothing to do until the season starts up again."
"Then what?" Ginny asked.
"Travel to watch games," he replied with a shrug. "Not much other than that."
Ginny mused on what it would be like to have little to no obligation to anyone, nothing to fill your days. She looked out the window and watched as the city passed before her eyes, looked as they passed the Leaky Cauldron and continued on until there were hills. "Where exactly are we going?" she asked, turning back to Draco, noticing that his attention hadn't turned when he was addressed. She wondered if he had been looking at her the entire time.
"My house," he said. He took out two glasses and poured wine, handing one to Ginny.
She accepted the beverage with a small nod and sipped as they came to a hill. Silence fell between them and Ginny bit her bottom lip, wondering if she should say something. She then took notice of what Draco wore. Probably his best robes, she thought, looking down again at her own apparel. It was then that she saw it: the Malfoy Mansion. "Oh my," she said. "This is where you live?" she asked looking over again to Draco's constant stare, only this time he looked rather pleased with Ginny's reaction.
"Yes," he said. "It was my father's, and his father's, and so on," he explained.
Once more Ginny found herself looking down at her light blue robes, noticing more spots on it than she had before, and every speck of flour sticking out to her. "I feel so underdressed for this," she commented.
Draco laughed, clearly amused. "You look perfect," he said, "but if you'd like something else, I'll have someone show you to my mother's old chambers," he said as the car parked.
Ginny looked down. Should she accept the offer? She didn't want to feel like she was inadequate for the occasion, but it was just dinner. Still, pride tugged at her, realizing she was about to enter a home that was once closed off to her because of her name. Not that it had ever bothered her before, but something didn't seem right about going to dinner in any fine dinning hall dressed with dingy fashion. "That would be nice," Ginny said, accepting Draco's hand and stepping out of the car. He led the way up to the door, giving instructions to one of the maids to take Ginny to freshen up.
Ginny felt alone, even with the maid right there. Her footsteps echoed in the corridors and stairwells. The staircase itself was the length of her living room. The maid didn't say anything. "My name is—"
"Ms. Weasley, I know," she said, her voice with a brisk readiness that Ginny was a bit taken back by.
"Call me Ginny," she said with less enthusiasm. The maid didn't seem to pay attention to this comment, leading her through a couple halls and stopping in front of a set of French doors. "Mr. Malfoy said you're welcome to use anything you see fit," she informed Ginny. "Just ring the bell on the counter when you're done and I'll come to fetch you for dinner," she said with a curtsy and started down the hall.
Ginny wasn't sure how to respond, so she didn't. Instead she took a breath and put her hands on the door, pushing them open. The room was enormous and immaculate. She couldn't believe after so many years this room wasn't neglected, but then she had noticed the softened tone Draco had used with even the slightest mention of his mother.
Ginny walked over to the large mahogany wardrobe and opened its door. Beautiful gowns hung down, a drawer opened to reveal jewels and accessories that Ginny never imagined would be in her reach. She looked through the dressrobes, picking one of a deep forest green before going into the large dressing room and sitting before the vanity. There was a bowl of hot water, and Ginny looked in the mirror before splashing her face. She brushed out her hair, putting it into a simple twist in the back before trying on the dress. As she zipped it up, the dress adjusted to fitting Ginny's form without flaw.
Ginny cleared her throat and put on a simple silver chain before ringing the bell. She looked in her reflection, wondering what it would be like to dress like this every night for dinner, for balls, for any such occasion that she chose, but stopped herself. This wasn't her life, and these weren't her things. Still she straightened up and followed the maid down to dinner to meet Draco.
When Ginny entered the exquisite dinning room, Draco stood and strode over to offer his arm. "That color suits you," Draco said. "It brings color to your cheeks," he added.
Ginny looked down with a small smile. "Your mother had good taste," Ginny said with quiet reserve.
"So do you," Draco whispered back.
Ginny didn't dare look at him to see his expression. She could imagine it well enough without doing so. Ginny allowed herself to be seated and watch as Draco sat down next to her, at the head of the long table. There wasn't need for so many spaces, but still, each had a plate setting. In moments, her own plate filled with food; chicken and pasta with a side of asparagus. "You made this?" Ginny asked, looking at Draco.
"What? Hard to believe I can cook?" Draco asked, teasing.
"No, not at all," Ginny said with a small smirk. "I'm just surprised it's not black."
"Are you talking about my cooking now or yours?"
Ginny had the urge to dip her fingers in her glass and splash Draco a bit in retort to the comment. She would have done this with Harry or one of her brothers even, but restrained; the dinning too fine to spoil with a little water fight.
Dinner continued on with moments of silence interspersed with small talk. Ginny accepted his hand after finishing and walked along side Draco as he gave her a tour of the place. "It's so large," Ginny noted. "Larger than it even looks from outside."
"Aren't all wizarding homes?" Draco asked.
Ginny thought of her own. "Yes, but this one more so; doesn't it get lonely here?" she asked, letting go of Draco and taking a few steps forward to examine a picture in the sitting room they had just entered. It was quiet for a few moments, and Ginny turned around.
"That's why I've asked you here tonight," Draco said. Ginny froze. She felt her heart ram against her chest, more than it had done so at Christmas.
"Draco, don't," Ginny warned in concern.
"Please," Draco said taking a step forward and reaching out to grab Ginny's hands. Her body felt limp as it complied with his wishes. "I haven't deserved your friendship," he said, as though this was well rehearsed. "I didn't deserve a date with you, I didn't deserve your kindness at Christmas, and I most certainly don't deserve your love. But please… you've given me everything else, and I need you—"
"No, you don't," Ginny said with certainty. "Draco…" Ginny couldn't find the words to finish her sentence and couldn't find a way to pull herself away as her eyes started to tear up.
"I didn't think I could care about anyone again, Ginny," Draco declared, pulling her closer. "I didn't think I would love a Weasley either. Come with me, Ginny. I'll take you around the world. You wouldn't have to work another day in your life, unless you wanted to."
Ginny had been about to protest, but was cut off by Draco's last two words… if she wanted to.
"I have the whole world, Ginny, but no one to share it with. Please, let me share it with you." Draco closed the gap between them, kissing Ginny with force, yet such gentleness that she didn't know she'd come out of it speaking proper words.
When Draco pulled back Ginny looked down, Draco's hand holding her bandaged one as she swallowed hard. "I don't know what to say," she said.
"I can't tell you that," Draco said, "but I was hoping it would be along the lines of 'yes'."
Ginny looked up at Draco's smile. "I can't," she said. Ginny could have sworn she saw the moment his heart broke.
"Why?" he asked.
"Don't ask me, please," Ginny said, becoming visibly upset.
"Potter?" Draco accused.
"No… partly…"
"He doesn't care about you the way I do," Draco said, anger flashing in his eyes.
"Yes he does. Harry wants more—"
"More what?" Draco yelled, taking only a step back. "More kissing? More dancing, more of you before he decides to go back to work?"
"It's not like that," Ginny said, her own anger threatening to flare.
"Potter is no more than a—"
"Don't!" Ginny yelled before he could finish.
Draco looked at her with irony. "You think he loves you." He smirked and looked down with hurt. "Fine," Draco said. "Leave, then. You'll be back when you know the truth," he said, then turned and walked out of the room.
Tears started to fall against Ginny's will as she looked around for some kind of protection, a place to find refuge. She saw a small jar on top of the fireplace. She took out a handful of the Floo powder within and threw it into the fire, stepping in with gratitude that Felicia wanted to become a part of the network. "Greensboro," she said and pulled in her elbows without a second thought. She landed on her feet and balanced herself before stepping out of the grate. There, alone on the couch, was Harry, looking with pensive anger into a mug of tea. "Harry… I—"
Harry didn't look up. "Why did you go Ginny?" he asked directly.
Ginny looked down at her clothes, and swallowed back more tears. "I don't know," she said in somberness. She didn't even have an answer for herself on that.
She looked towards the opening to the kitchen, seeing a bouquet of roses next to that of the tulips. This caused more tears and Ginny looked down at herself, wearing the clothes that belonged to Draco. "You got nice and dressed up for him," Harry said. Ginny looked down in silence. "What's going on?"
"Nothing," Ginny said, almost too fast.
"You expect me to believe that?" Harry asked, finally looking up at Ginny and standing. "You go on a date with him without telling me, why would you do that?"
"Because I knew how you'd react," Ginny answered.
Harry paused and thought. "There wouldn't be a need for any kind of reaction if it were a harmless action, Ginny," Harry said.
Ginny took a step closer to him, looking down at her feet still. "It was a joke; I didn't think—"
"What? That he would fall for you? How could he not?" Harry shouted, then stopped, looking away. "What did he do to your hand?" he asked with a nod.
"Draco didn't do anything to my hand."
"Draco?"
"That is his name," Ginny said with a quiet sting. Ginny closed the small gap between them. "I'm sorry, Harry, just—" she said, but trailed as Harry jerked away from her touch. "Harry… I…"
"Good-bye, Ginny," Harry said, and apparated before Ginny could say another word.
Alone in the living room, Ginny fell down onto the couch and started to sob.
A/N: Drama, drama, drama! Hmmmm…. I wonder what I would do if someone offered me the world…
PLEASE REVIEW!
Thank you:
little-angel123452000: Well… that's to be shown later J My whole point was to not let my reading audience know who she's going to be with… though as this comes to a close, it'll be impossible to do such.
Q-BriarXJade-Q: Thanks a ton! Glad you enjoy it.
Ladyla: I'm glad you're liking it… I hope you continue to read!
JamieBell: I think Ron's vows are more interesting anyway, because he would have been more likely to have botched it. Thanks for your review, and I hope you'll like this one too!
Dancerrdw: Thanks!
Loralie: I agree lol… I could just picture it up to that point. In fact, I even feel bad for Ron having to be the Groom in the mix of it all.
Dadswell: Thanks!