Chapter 13: I'll Be Seeing You or In A Graveyard
Disclaimer: As you know by now… I own nothing.
A/N: I sincerely apologize for the delay for this chapter. Quick recap…Ginny is currently staying with Draco while Snape, Sirius and Remus work to heal Harry. Ginny is trying to figure out what to do with everything that is going on, while Draco has suddenly realized what I mistake he made when he let Jen slip through his fingers. But will he be able to get her back? What was the "one little word" that ruined they're relationship? But more importantly…why did he say it??
I'll be seeing you
In all the old familiar places
That this heart of mine embraces
All day through.
In that small cafe;
The park across the way;
The children's carousel;
The chestnut trees;
The wishin' well.
I'll be seeing you
In every lovely summer's day;
In every thing that's light and gay.
I'll always think of you that way.
I'll find you
In the morning sun
And when the night is new.
I'll be looking at the moon,
But I'll be seeing you.
-I'll Be Seeing You, Billie Holiday
Wandering properties of death
Arresting moons within our eyes and smiles
We did rest
Amongst the granite tombs to catch our breath
Worldly sounds of endless warring
Were for just a moment silent stars
Worldly boundaries of dying
Were for just a moment never ours
All was new
Just as the black horizons blue
-In A Graveyard, Rufus Wainwright.
"And where were you so early today?" Draco was questioned as he entered the kitchen.
Draco was surprised as he found himself slightly annoyed by Ginny's presence in the room.
"Out," he replied shortly.
"Out," she mimicked making a face at him.
"Where are the kids?" Draco asked curiously as he poured himself a glass of water.
"I had a talk with Mum last night about everything. She told me that she wanted me to take a day or two for myself and leave the kids with her."
Draco could tell that, while Ginny was grateful for the break, she didn't like being separated from James and Hope. Rarely had she ever spent more than 12 hours away from either of them.
"I was thinking about going to Diagon Alley today to pick up a few things. Do you want to come?" Ginny offered.
Draco thought for a moment. Despite her being a fully capable, grown woman, Draco hated the idea of Ginny wandering around Diagon Alley by herself. Especially after the time her had discovered her down Knockturn Alley after dark, oblivious to the dangers that lurked there.
However, Draco hadn't planned on leaving the house in hopes that Jen would find the note he'd just left at her apartment and come by to see him.
"Could we go tomorrow?" he tried.
"No, I really want to go today. It's all right if you can't come. You'd probably just be bored anyway.
As a silence settled over the room Draco felt a strong urge to ask Ginny about her night with Harry; however, as much as he wanted to know what exactly she was feeling at the moment, he already knew that she'd have no desire to share.
Feeling her stomach rumble, Ginny decided that it would probably be a good time for her to stop and grab something to eat. She entered the Leaky Cauldron and was excited when she saw a good friend there, eating alone.
"Do you mind if I join you?" Ginny smiled.
The woman looked up, surprised, but smiled as she recognized Ginny.
"Ginny!" Jen smiled. "Of course!"
Ginny pulled out the chair and settled herself into it.
"How are you?" Jen asked.
"I'm doing ok," Ginny said, it was sort of the truth. She certainly wasn't the wreck she had been for the past couple of days.
"I'm doing ok too."
"Anyone special in your life at the moment?" Ginny asked, grinning mischievously.
"No," Jen sighed. "Though I did find a note from Draco on my door this morning."
"From Draco? So that's where he was so early this morning…" Ginny said more to herself than to Jen.
"Did you see him today?" Jen questioned, slightly confused by Ginny's statement.
Ginny frowned realizing she'd said too much. She hadn't wanted to talk about what was going on in her life with Jen. She didn't want to talk about it with anyone.
"I've sort of been staying with him…Harry and I are having troubles…" Ginny attempted to be a vague as possible. The last thing she needed was anyone else to know what was going on. The ministry had so far done a flawless job in keeping the entire scandal and investigation under tight wraps.
"Are you two separated?" Jen asked surprised.
"No…I mean… I'm not really sure what we are right now…"
Jen smiled kindly. "I understand if you don't want to talk about it Gin. Lord knows I didn't want to talk to anyone when Draco and I started having our problems…I still don't like to talk about it."
"Well that's okay because Draco already told me all about it," Ginny joked.
Jens expression suddenly changed, "He did?" She asked in a tone that told Ginny that Jen was unsure how she felt about that.
Ginny shrugged trying to play it down. "Draco and I tell each other everything."
The two women sat in silent for a moment, Jen suddenly very interested in her sandwich. Ginny was beginning to become uncomfortable when Jen spoke again.
"At first I thought he had said Jenny, he said it so quietly. But then he said it again and I knew that I was wrong. Draco never in the entire time I knew him once called me Jenny. Though before then he'd never called me Ginny either…"
Ginny's eyebrows shot up. "Draco called you Ginny?" she asked.
Jen seemed to pale a little. "You said Draco told you…"
Ginny snorted. "Were two arguing when he did it? I argue with him so much that it's probably a reflex to shout Ginny at people that are fighting with him now…"
"We weren't fighting Ginny…" Jen sighed, interrupting her and giving her a meaningful look.
Ginny opened her mouth about to ask Jen what she meant when suddenly she understood the significance of her expression. Ginny placed over her mouth and she suddenly felt extremely embarrassed and regretful. The guilt rising in her was almost overwhelming.
"Jen…. where were you guys when…when he called you my name?"
Jen stared at Ginny as though she had grown another head. When Ginny didn't retract the question as silly though, Jen blushed profusely.
"It was this past Halloween, when we stayed the night at the burrow after your family's Halloween party…"
Ginny immediately rose from the table. "I'm sorry Jen. I have to go." Jen opened her mouth to reply but Ginny beat her to it. "Can you do me a favor?" Jen nodded. "Come by the Manor tomorrow night after dinner time. I…I need to talk to you…But I need to talk to Draco…and its just…Will you come over?"
Obviously beyond confused by Ginny's rambling Jen simply nodded that she'd come, and watched as Ginny flew out of the restaurant.
Draco looked expectantly as Ginny after she sat him down across from her in his living room.
"I had lunch with Jen today," she said, opening the conversation.
Draco interest rose at the mention of Jen, but he played it off, simply raising an eyebrow at Ginny.
"Draco I think that we need to talk…"
Draco froze. Jen had told her. Jen had told Ginny about that night.
"Draco there…there are things you don't know about that night and what happened…and well….Draco what happened wasn't your fault….and it doesn't mean whatever you and Jen might think it means…"
Draco was lost. What in gods name was Ginny talking about? Ginny, however, only continued to confuse him farther.
"Draco do you remember just after Christmas time three years ago, when you and I attended the ministry ball together?"
Draco knew exactly what night Ginny was talking about; however, neither its relevance to the current conversation nor his situation with Jen were apparent to him.
It was just over a year since the war had ended when the ministry had finally come to a decision on the final death eater trial, and the wizarding world was finally ready to begin moving on from the era of Lord Voldemort.
Of course, the best way to move on from such a period of time would be to throw a celebration ball in honor of the war heroes of the Order. An a-list of wizarding families had been invited and among them had been men and women such as Sirius Black and Remus Lupin, Alastor Moody, Nymphendora Tonks, Serverus Snape, Minerva McGonagall, Hermione Granger, every member of the Weasley family, and Draco himself.
From the moment he received the invitation, despite his abundance of options, Draco knew there was one woman, and one woman only who he could ever attend such an event with: Ginny.
"Every detail," Draco stated in response to Ginny's inquiry.
"No you don't Draco," Ginny told him.
Draco put up his hand to stop her.
"Ginny, I think I can trust my own memory thank you. I do believe we started out the evening with me convincing you that James would be perfectly fine staying with your Aunt Cecil for the night…."
Ginny bit her lip as she and Draco walked away from her aunt's house.
"He'll be fine," Draco said assumingly.
"I know," Ginny said, though her tone made it clear that she was not surely as certain as her words would imply. "Its just…I've never left him without me for a whole night. What if he needs me."
"Then your Aunt will get in contact with you and you'll be there as soon as you can."
"What if I can't get there quickly enough though?" Ginny halted.
Draco stopped beside her and grabbed her by the shoulders.
"Ginny. James will be fine. Your aunt raised four children already. She's almost as much of an expert as your mum. You just need to relax. Tonight will be even more miserable than I'm anticipating if you don't."
Ginny made a face at Draco, but her sour expression quickly dissolved in to a smile and Draco swore he could see her muscles unclenching throughout her body. It was then that he also noticed just how phenomenal she looked in her black gown and dress robes. It fit snug against each of her ample curves and her hair, which she had worn down-just the way Draco love it-, was even more striking than usual and its crimson color formed a stark contrast with the black of her robes. Taking in the sight, he almost didn't hear her when she began to speak again.
"You're right Draco. Let's go," she said grabbing his hand.
He smiled and nodded and they promptly disapparated together.
The room was bustling with people whose voices echoed loudly against the vaulted ceilings when he and Ginny arrived. Both members of the pair heard their voices being called the moment they arrived. Ginny's came from an already tipsy George Weasley. Draco was slightly surprised as he noted that Fred Weasley, however, looked completely sober. Draco's name had come from one of his commanding officers in the war, who was standing with Blaise Zambini, his wife, and Snape.
Draco had been about to tell Ginny that she could go see her family and that he'd be with her in a moment when he saw her motioning to George that she'd be over in a moment. She then took his arm and escorted him over to see her friend.
"I should have known you'd clean up well Malfoy," his commanding officer smiled at him. The war had been the only time in history that Draco Malfoy had looked anything but perfect, and far from perfect he had been. However, as soon as the war had ended Draco had made sure his appearance returned to its previous state of flawlessness.
"And who is this beautiful woman with you?" he continued.
"Ginny Weasley sir," Ginny shot out her hand for him to shake.
"Weasley? It's a pleasure to meet you Miss. Weasley. Your brothers are all wonderful men. I had the pleasure of working with each of them."
Ginny smiled, genuinely touched by the words.
"And Harry Potter…he…well he…"
"He was very wonderful too," Ginny finished for him, still smiling as if to reassure the man that it was alright that he had brought up the subject.
Draco was shocked as Ginny's use of the word 'was' and saw by the questioning look his friend was giving him that Blaise was too. All was forgotten though when Ginny spoke again in a sugary sweet voice, "Though Professor Snape may beg to differ." Ginny then innocently sauntered away as Blaise burst out in laughter and Snape's face froze somewhere between anger and embarrassment.
When Draco found Ginny again she was sitting at a table with Fred, George, Angelina, Bill and Christine.
Sitting down in the chair next to her he whispered in her ear, "And that is why you're my best friend."
Ginny smiled, clearly proud of herself; however, she gracefully moved on from the subject.
"Who's that girl Charlie's dancing with?" Ginny asked Bill across the table.
Her brother shrugged and Christine rolled her eyes.
"That's Tara O'Neill," Christine stated.
"Tara O'Neill?" Ginny's eyebrows shot up.
"You two know her?" Bill looked at them.
"You know the model on the cover of the magazine you keep under your mattress William?" Christine looked at him.
"Why would you hide a magazine under your mattress Bill?" George teased his older brother.
Bill blushed and mumbled back an affirmative response to Christine.
"That's her sister," Christine told him much to his surprise.
"Her twin sister," Ginny added.
Bill whipped around in his chair to get a better look at his brother and the girl.
"Well I'll be damned," he muttered quietly. "Is she a model too?" He snorted. Charlie was known for not bringing home the most wholesome women, much to Molly Weasley's disappointment.
"She's an elementary teacher," both Ginny and Tara spoke at the same time.
The men at the table each seemed impressed with Charlie Weasley's catch, and each of the women sighed.
"She beautiful, smart…" Ginny began.
"Charitable…" Christine added.
"And she's a good dancer," Angelina pointed out, causing both Christine and Ginny to sigh again, nodding in agreement."
'Why can't we have all that?" Ginny said in an exasperated tone, and the other two girls nodded along enthusiastically.
None of the men gave them the pleasure of a contradictory response but Draco did take the moments following the comment to quickly observe each of the women. All there of them were attractive, and he knew all three were smart and giving. Not to mention he knew for a fact that Ginny was a fantastic dancer.
"How are we supposed to compete with someone like that?" Angelina snorted.
"Got your eye on Charlie eh?" George raised an eyebrow at his girlfriend; however, before she could voice her denial, Fred spoke.
"And how are we supposed to compete with someone like that?"
The whole table followed his gaze to where Viktor Krum had Hermione deeply involved in a conversation at another table.
Ginny, George, and Bill had all opened their mouths to tease him and assure him that Krum had nothing on him when it came to Hermione when he suddenly rose from his seat and headed toward the exit of the room.
"What's gotten into him? Usually he just gets piss drunk when he's jealous!" Ginny turned to George and Bill.
"I haven't seen him with a drink all night," Bill added, turning to George to clue them in.
George however shrugged, appearing to be genuinely bemused by his brother's behavior.
Draco and Ginny were the first of the table to make their own way out onto the dance floor, but both Bill and George and their better halves soon joined them. Not long after that Ron finally arrived at the party and introduced Draco and Ginny to his coworker and date for the night, Allison McCreedy. They spotted Percy and Penelope on the edge of the dance floor chatting politely with ministry officials, and Charlie and Tara seemed to be dancing closer than they had been earlier in the evening. Fred still hadn't returned when Hermione walked onto the dance floor with Krum.
Despite his initial doubts about the evening, Draco had to confess that even he was having a good time. Who would have thought that Draco Malfoy would be having fun at a ministry sponsored event accompanied by the entire Weasley family?
And Ginny…not only did Ginny look beautiful, but for the first time since he could recall she actually seemed to be completely happy. He'd missed that in Ginny. Ginny had always been the one who managed to keep her spirits high no matter what life threw at her; however, ever since Harry had gone missing and James had come along Ginny always had a sadness in her aura: a sadness that had never been there before. Tonight though it was as though the clouds had parted and Ginny had finally found the sun again.
Draco's thoughts were interrupted when and argument broke out behind him. Fred had returned and apparently him and Hermione were not happy with each other.
"We were just dancing Fred!" Hermione hissed at the red head.
"And before you were just talking," he snapped back, not backing down.
"Yes! We were!" Hermione exclaimed.
"While I sat at the table all by myself!"
"You were with half of your family!" Hermione nearly laughed in amazement.
"You know what I meant," Fred huffed.
"Your right. I know what you meant. You meant that you're a jealous control freak who's too insecure in our relationship to handle seeing me spend time with anyone male that's not you," Hermione scowled. "Tonight is not just all about you, you know!"
"Your right Hermione! It's not all about me! But it was supposed to be about us! It was supposed to be about me and you."
"Fred tonight isn't…" Hermione began but was cut off.
"Tonight you were supposed to spend the whole time cluelessly attempting to force me to have a good time as I nervously tried to function around you. You were supposed to dance with Ginny and Ron while I sweated in anticipation at the table. You and I were supposed to walk back to my apartment. And both of us were supposed to shed a few tears when I sat you down on the couch and offered you this."
While the few surrounding Weasleys and partners were the only ones who actually stopped dancing, to Draco it seemed as though the whole room froze when Fred Weasley whipped out a glittering diamond engagement ring. Hermione's jaw dropped and Draco noticed her hands begin to shake.
"Tonight was supposed to be the night I asked you to be my wife," Fred stated as though it wasn't already obvious to anyone watching the scene.
"So what are you doing right now?" Hermione questioned in a soft, tentative voice that bordered on being a whisper.
It was at that moment that Fred seemed to suddenly realize what he had just done; he's actually proposed to Hermione in the middle of one of their argument.
"Bugger," he cursed. "Mum's going to kill me for not getting down on one knee."
"Do it now shithead," Draco heard Ginny mutter to her brother.
Fred seemed to like the advice and promptly got down on one knee.
Both of them trembling slightly, Fred took Hermione's hands into his as he looked up at her.
"Hermione. I know how much you like things to be planned out and organized and by the book. And I had this whole plan for this with a speech and everything. But now it seems that that's all gone to hell. Maybe I'm just not meant for the world of regiment. So I'm just going to ask. Hermione Granger, will you marry me?"
"Yes," Hermione managed to let out. Taking a breath to collect herself, she then managed, "Yes Fred. I'll marry you."
They both burst out in smiles as Fred leapt to his feat to pull her into and embrace. Draco heard small sniffles next to him and turned to see that Ginny had tears in her cheeks. He was about to ask her if she wanted to get out of there when she turned to him with the biggest grin he'd ever seen on her face.
"Wasn't that just the sweetest thing you've ever seen?" she said, laughing and crying at the same time as she dabbed the tears away. "I'm such a sucker for romance," she poked fun at herself.
As the excitement of the moment calmed, the music changed and a familiar muggle tune came on.
As they were dancing Ginny sighed against Draco's shoulder. "This has to be the sexiest song in the world," she professed aloud.
Draco laughed at her. Fred and Hermione seemed to agree, as they were more concerned with each others lips than their dance moves at this point.
When they finally sat back down again, Draco was beyond exhausted, and his feet were absolutely killing him. Ginny however seemed to have an endless amount of energy built up within her. She was unable to stay in her seat long, and was soon off flitting from table to table, socializing with all of the guests. The grace and charm that came so naturally to Ginny never ceased to amaze Draco. There was an ease to her every move that he rarely saw in anyone who hadn't been a Slytherin. At times Draco wondered if maybe Ginny should have been sorted into Slytherin; however, anytime he dared to ponder such a thought she'd do something so annoyingly Gryffindor that he'd immediately dismiss any further consideration of the idea. Expecting this to happen yet again, Draco looked around to relocate Ginny, who he hadn't even realized he'd lost track of. Finally he found her seated on a sofa on the edge of the room with Ron's date for the night.
It appeared that Allison was talking without allowing much space for Ginny to add anything to the conversation.
"I was so shocked when Ron asked me to come with him tonight," Draco heard as he approached the duo.
"I've always sort of had a crush on him but I figured he must have girls coming out of his ear, you know being a famous war hero and all. Not to mention how attractive he is…"
Draco snickered as he heard this and watched as Ginny smiled graciously even though he knew her reaction would have been more along the lines of his own.
"And after tonight I like him even more!" Allison continued to gush. "You're brothers such a gentleman!"
Draco snickered again. Ron Weasley was not a gentleman in any sense of the word.
"And your family…Ginny your family is just the best. All of your brothers are so great. And your parents and all of your brothers' girlfriends! And Draco's just great Ginny. You two make such a cute couple."
Draco would have laughed, only Ginny didn't. Instead she paused before smiling slightly and saying almost to herself, "We do. Don't we?"
Allison didn't seem to notice anything odd in Ginny's tone of voice as she nodded enthusiastically.
"You do. I think its so beautiful that through all of the loss the two of you have suffered, you managed to come away from it with love." Allison sighed at the romance of her self-generated scenario while Ginny sat in complete silence.
Draco held his breath as he awaited Ginny's reaction to the comment. He was caught off guard when suddenly Ginny was looking him square in the eye from her seat beside Alli.
"Excuse me," he heard her say to Allison. She then got up from her seat, only to be replaced almost immediately by Ron.
Ginny grinned as she approached him. "Eavesdropping are we?" she teased.
"Never!" he replied.
Ginny laughed. "Lets head back to the table and sit down. I'm exhausted," she paused. "That girl can talk!"
When they got back to the table they found that it was entirely empty except for Bill and Christine.
"Where did everyone go?" Ginny asked.
"Charlie disappeared about an hour ago," Bill stated.
"And so did Tara," Christine added with a little grin.
"Hermione and Fred went back to her flat not long after their fight slash engagement, and since Fred will be there tonight…"
"George and Angelina took advantage of Fred's absence from the Twin's apartment. Penelope just took Percy home because she thought he'd had one to many glasses of champagne."
"And Ron and Alli just snuck out the front door," Bill said, pointing to the two making a fast exit, hand in hand.
Draco shook his head in amusement as he realized all of the Weasley boys would be getting lucky that night. This information however was not shared with Molly Weasley when she approached the table.
"Where are all your brothers?" she asked Ginny and Bill.
"They're around here somewhere Mum. I just saw Ron not so long ago."Ginny replied sweetly.
"Well dear, when you see them tell them instead of traveling home so late your father and I have decided to pay for a hotel room for the night."
"Alright Mum," Ginny smiled.
Molly Weasley began to walk away before stopping in her tracks to call back.
"Oh and Ginny dear. Don't try and contact us unless its an emergency love." She then hurried on her way.
An awkward silence settled over the table as Mrs. Weasley disappeared from sight.
"Right then," said Bill. "So who needs another drink?" There was a consensus and Bill promptly ordered the table another round.
"It's so strange to have the whole house empty," Ginny commented as she sat down beside Draco on the sofa in the living room of the burrow.
"You'd probably rather not have any of your family members here tonight with what it seems they all have planned for the evening," Draco noted.
Ginny gave a small shudder before sighing and resting her head against him.
"I had a really great time tonight," she told him.
"I noticed," he replied.
"It was so nice to see everyone so happy again. After everything everyone's been through. To see people finally laughing and dancing…The world is finally moving on; moving past it all."
Draco wasn't sure how to respond to this, or where Ginny was going with it all.
"Including me," she finally added, causing Draco to shift his position so that he and Ginny were looking directly at one another.
Before he even knew it was going to happen, Draco felt Ginny's lips press against his, giving him a kiss that should have felt wrong in every way but somehow managed to pass as one of the most natural, innocent moments of his life.
Draco gently but sternly pulled away from the kiss and looked Ginny in the eyes, not even attempting to hide the confusion on his face.
"I think it's time that we stop pretending Draco," she said.
"Pretending?" he asked, caution evident in his voice.
"Pretending that we're not in love with each other, at least a little bit."
Draco's jaw dropped open in shock, but he quickly recovered.
"Ginny I think that you had a little too much too drink tonight. You're drunk, so lets not discuss this now. I should probably get home anyway."
Ginny grabbed Draco's hand before he could move and looked him straight in the eye.
"I'm not drunk Draco. You know me well enough to when I'm tipsy and when I'm not, and I'm not right now. Not one bit."
Draco sighed. Ginny was right, and if he knew Ginny, she knew that he knew she was right.
Draco buried his face in his hands, massaging is temples, buying as much time as possible before being forced to continue with the very unexpected conversation. Ginny more than anyone had a very special place in his heart. Ever since he had turned away from the death eaters and made a truce with Harry Potter, Draco had felt a little unsure about his place in the world, and ever since the war had ended he'd felt even more lost than before. Despite the attempts of many to treat him as they would anyone else, Draco knew that in the back of their minds everyone still remembered him as the son of Lucius Malfoy: everyone except Ginny. When he was with Ginny suddenly his past didn't matter and he felt like he actually belonged. She'd always had this power over him, and it had been especially nice when he had first made the decision to fight for the order but hadn't yet gained the trust of anyone. Of course at initially this with a combination of other desirable traits that could be found in Ginny had attracted him to her to no end, and he'd found himself at times wishing she and Harry would have a falling out so he could be there to pick up the pieces; however, after time Draco had realized he had nothing on Harry Potter when it came to Ginny, and had moved past his initial attraction and on to finding a best friend in the fiery little redhead.
"You're in love with Harry Gin," Draco sad very calmly. "You always have been, and you always will."
Ginny nodded. "You're right. I do love Harry. He's my soul mate and that will never change. It's out of anyone's control. But, that doesn't mean I didn't fall a little bit in love with you the first time you flashed me your little mischievous grin-not smirk, grin- and that you didn't fall I little bit in love with me when I showed you mine."
With that Draco felt Ginny's lips on his once again, and despite his every attempt to maintain self control, Draco found himself dissolving into Ginny's kiss.
Breathless, he managed to pull away one more time, his hand tangled in he hair as he did.
"What does all of this mean Ginny?"
"It mean," she whispered in a soft sexy voice he'd never known she was capable of emitting, "That Harry's been gone over a year now and I've accepted that he's not coming home. Draco I meant it when I said I had a really great time tonight. For the first time in a long time it felt like everything was just as it was. Watching all of my brothers finally trying to settle down, watching my parents act like they were still a couple of teenagers who are crazy about each other…you'd think I would have started missing Harry again. Not to say a little part of me doesn't miss him all the time, but Draco tonight I was happy just knowing that I was there with you. I guess what I'm trying to say Draco, is that what this all means is that it's time for all of us to move on, including me, and I'm ready. It means I finally know what I want…" her voice suddenly returned to the soft sexy tone she had begun with, "And that we're all alone in the house."
This time it was Draco who captured Ginny' mouth with his own.
An involuntary shudder ran down his spine as Ginny emitted a nearly inaudible moan when they're mouths collided.
He gently reached for the zipper on the back of Ginny's dress but as he did Ginny pulled away and softly spoke, "Let's go upstairs."
Draco had been heading for Ginny's room but before he reached it Ginny tugged him back and pulled him into the guest bedroom.
"There's more room in here," she explained before kissing him again, gently leading his hand back to where it had been on her zipper as she did so.
Ginny painfully watched Draco as he sat in silence while all of the memories came back to him. She wished she could have taken it all back. She should have never pulled him into her selfish little quest for fulfillment and happiness. He would have done anything for her, and looking back Ginny couldn't help but think she had abused that aspect of their relationship in an irreparable manner.
She really had thought she was doing the right thing when she had altered his memory. It had seemed like the only solution. However, now as everything was happening she could no longer see all of the logic behind her decision, despite how clear it had all once been.
She couldn't imagine what Draco was going through as everything came back to him. Recalling that night and the week that followed was painful enough for her, and she had never forgotten.
Ginny sat in the chair beside the small window in the guest room of the burrow wrapped in a blanket with her knees pulled to her chest as the cold air came in to the room through cracks where the window didn't shut just quite right.
Draco was still sleeping and a part of Ginny hoped that he would stay asleep forever. She was so scared that when he woke up and awkwardness would arise and nothing would ever be the same between them. All her fears were squashed though when Draco awoke.
"It's bloody freezing in here!" Draco exclaimed as he opened his eyes. Flipping the covers down he pointed at the spot beside him. "Get back over here and keep me warm. Wench!"
Ginny smiled, feeling as though a hundred pounds had just been lifted off of her shoulders.
"Oh I'll keep you warm!" she warned, hopping out of the chair and on to the bed on top of Draco, causing him to grunt as her weight crashed onto him before she was welcomed into his arms and he pulled the covers up around them.
"So where do we go from here?" she pondered aloud.
"You're asking me?" Draco laughed.
"Well I already made the first move for you," Ginny teased back. "Don't you think you should take the reigns for awhile?"
"Let's go away for a week."
"Go away where?"
"My flat in Greece," he replied.
"I wish…" Ginny snorted. "I have James…"
"You think I'd even concider leaving him behind?" Draco looked at Ginny. "He'll come with us."
"You have your job…"
"I'll take off. And if I get fired then to hell with them. Its not like I need the money."
"I…well…well why not then?" Ginny smiled, causing Draco to grin in response.
"Great!" Draco said throwing the covers aside. "Lets get going!"
"Now?" Ginny laughed.
"Well why not?" Draco shrugged.
Ginny didn't reply and smiling she pulled herself out of bed again.
As she packed bags for both herself and James Ginny frowned.
"Draco, what…what do I tell my family?"
"Tell them I've been planning to go myself, and asked you if you'd come wit hme spur of the moment."
Ginny opened her mouth the respond but Draco cut her off.
"We don't need to rush into telling them anything. Let's take this week to figure things out, and then we'll go from there."
Ginny smiled, slightly more relaxed then before and went back to packing.
Ginny had only been to Draco's home in Greece once before. She remembered teasing him before thye arrived that he only owned an apartment there rather than an entire mansion, but when she had finally gotten there, she had been forced to eat her own words. It was one of the most beautiful homes she had ever been in. It was as extravagant as Malfoy Manor, but much more inviting.
Draco had explained to her that it had belonged to his mother. It was her own private refuge for when his father's lifestyle became too much for her. Ginny could tell Draco liked it far more than any room in the entire manor, and she didn't blame him one bit. Just the view from the balcony was enough to make you think you were living in a dream.
A dream. That's what the whole week seemed like. It seemed to pass as quickly as one too. When she had woken up that morning it had struck Ginny as she realized it was Friday. They were set to go home on Sunday, and that meant that she and Draco would finally have to face the task they'd gracefully been avoiding the entire week and discuss what turns they're relationship had taken. As strange as is felt, Ginny actually felt good about the sudden changes in her life, and for the first time in a long time, Ginny couldn't think of one thing that could possibly go wrong in her life to take those good feeling away.
"James is asleep," Draco said in a low voice as he entered the room where Ginny was taking a bath.
"He went to sleep without saying goodnight to me? Oh boy, he really likes you," Ginny grinned. "Do you want to join me?" Ginny asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Desperately," Draco smirked. "But I won't. I'll let you relax."
Ginny shrugged. "Your loss."
"What do you want to do tomorrow?" Draco asked.
"Its our last day…"
"Unfortunately, yes, it is."
"Let's not go home. Let's just stay here forever."
"Ok," Draco shrugged. "You'll find no objections here."
"Lets not think about tomorrow right now. We'll think about it…tomorrow"
"That sounds like an excellent plan."
Ginny tried to steady her breathing as Draco collapsed on top of her, both of them glistening in perspiration.
"Well good morning to you too," Ginny smiled as she said the first words either of them had spoken that morning.
"A very good morning," Draco amended.
"James will be waking up soon," Ginny sighed. When Draco didn't respond or make any attempt to move off of her she laughed. "Which means if I want to take a shower today I'd better do it now."
Draco simply grumbled and reluctantly released Ginny from the weight of his body.
Ginny smiled and gently kissed him before crawling out of the bed and heading for the bathroom.
While she should have expected it, Ginny found herself surprised as she felt a cold draft as the shower door burst open. Moving to cover herself the best she could she turned and saw Draco entering the steamy chamber.
"A little late to start being shy wouldn't you say?" Draco said stepping underneath the hot stream of water.
"You scared me!" Ginny scowled.
"Who else would it have been?" Draco said lamely as he began to shower as if he and Ginny weren't in there together.
Annoyed with his behavior Ginny simply moved to the second shower head and turned on the water. When Draco snuck up on her this time however, she was not surprised, and simply smiled knowingly.
"I knew you wouldn't be able to stay away for long," she teased him.
"Well I be damned," Draco said in a low voice, "We've got ourselves a genius here ladies and gentlemen. A supreme genius."
Ginny gave a small giggle and leaned into Draco's embrace. She had just turned her head up to kiss him when she heard someone's voice.
"Did you hear that?" Ginny asked, pulling away from Draco.
"Hear what?" he asked, clearly agitated by the loss of the moment.
"I heard someone calling our names."
"You're imagining things Weasley."
"No. Maybe someone's calling us over the floo…"
"Well they can call back later, when we're not busy…" Draco grinned, leaning in to kiss her again. However before their lips met a blaring alarm sounded causing Ginny to scream and slip on the wet shower floor. Someone had broken through Draco's anti-apparation charms and entered the flat.
'Shit!" Draco called as it occurred. "Gin are you alright?"
Ginny nodded, rubbing her head where she had hit it against the wall.
"Go see what happened… I'll be fine."
Draco flew out of the shower and put on his bathrobe before arming himself with his wand.
'Draco!" Ginny called. He turned back and she added, "Be careful."
Through the walls Ginny could hear a scream that was very familiar to her: Ron. Ron was there.
"Christ Malfoy! Careful who you point that thing at!"
"What the fuck are you doing here Weasley? I have anti-apparation charms here for a reason."
"I tried to contact you over the floo, but neither of you were in any room of the house!"
"We were taking a.… each of us were in the shower." Ginny could tell from the sound in Draco's voice that were he capable of it, Draco Malfoy would have been blushing as he said the words.
"Well where's Ginny?"
"I'm here Ron!" Ginny called as she finally exited the bathroom. "Is everything ok?" she asked worriedly. It wasn't everyday that her brother would break into a Malfoy's place of residence.
"Ginny you have to come home," he said.
'What? Why?" she asked, now truly scared of why her brother was there.
"They found him Gin. They found Harry."
Ginny looked back and forth between the frozen look of shock on Draco's face and the look of pure joy on Ron's before everything went black and she felt herself falling to the ground.
When Ginny awoke she found herself on the couch in the Burrow. Her entire family was there plus Sirius, Remus, Hermione, and Draco.
"She's awake!" Ginny heard James scream.
"Did I faint?" Ginny asked Draco who was sitting in the hair beside her.
He simply nodded.
"Ron, what's going on? Who found Harry? Where is he? I mean…god, I'm confused."
"I got an owl from a wizard hospital outside of London today. They said that last night a man in a dark hood dropped a boy off in front of the building before vanishing. The boy has black hair, is about age 19, and has a small scar on his forehead." Sirius spoke.
"That could be anyone Sirius…" Ginny sighed.
"He was carrying a letter Gin, a letter that you wrote…"
"What? How do you know?" Ginny's heart began beating faster and Sirius reached into his pocket and from it drew a small parchment, which he handed to her.
Dear Harry,
Christmas is fast approaching and while it's only been weeks, it feels like an eternity since I last saw you. I miss you. I know I've told you that a million times, but I feel as though no matter how many time I say it, words will never be able to express how empty every moment I have without you is.
I can't wait until your home to stay. When you are I'll be sure that we're never apart again.
It's snowing here. Is it snowing where you are? I like to pretend like it is. Maybe that's silly, but sometimes I feel like if I convince myself that the weather is the same where you are as it it where I am, that we're not as far apart as we are. I don't know if I could bare it otherwise.
I hope that you're well, and can't wait to see you again.
I love you.
Always yours,
Ginny.
Ginny had stopped breathing. That was the last letter that she had written Harry before he went missing, just before the holidays.
"It's him," she said more to herself than anyone. Then without another word Ginny rose from her seat and walked up the stairs to her bedroom. She had to think.
She hadn't been in her room long when there was a small knock at her door.
"Come in," she whispered.
Draco entered her room and the two sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity before Ginny spoke.
"Things weren't supposed to get this hard," Ginny whispered.
"I know," Draco replied.
"I thought I'd finally found my happy ending…"
"Gods Gin. I'm sorry." Draco buried his face in his hands.
"Its not your fault Draco. Its weird though…how things turn out sometimes? I should be crying tears of joy that I finally have Harry back, but instead I'm too caught up in just how much I'm going to miss you."
Ginny was expecting a reply but was surprised when Draco silently stood and made a quick exit from her room.
Nervously Ginny stood outside of the hospital room door, working up the nerve to go in. Only when Sirius offered to go with her did Ginny finally become bold enough to turn the door handle.
Slowly she approached the bed. As his face came into the light, Ginny's heart shattered and a small sob escaped.
"Its not him," she said, backing away from the bed. 'It's not him," she repeated before fleeing from the room. An audible 'fuck' could be heard from Sirius as she rushed through the door. Her mother caught her in her arms, rocking Ginny gently in an attempt to comfort her.
"Its not him?" she head Ron exclaim.
"Its not him…" Sirius replied.
"Then who the hell is it?"
"Samuel Ethers…Harry's body guard."
"Harry had a body guard?" Hermione inquired.
"We couldn't risk losing him in the war. We hired Ethers to protect Harry whenever he was unable to do so himself." Remus explained.
'He got the job because he's a dead ringer for Harry, and could act as a decoy when needed," Sirius sighed.
"He must have gotten Gin's letter from Harry's things… Damn Gin. I'm so sorry," Ron said sincerely.
"Ginny I think you should go back to Greece with Draco for the night. You don't need to be around all of these people," Ginny's mother suggested. "I'll keep James, and this way you can get all of your things to bring back home."
Ginny wanted to protest, but she didn't know how.
"That's a good idea Mum."
She could see alarm on Draco's face, but he wasn't going to protest either. Instead he placed a hand on her waist, and guided her away from the crowd of people.
Words didn't need to be spoken for both of them to know what was going on. Things couldn't go back to the way they had been for the past week, and both of them were mourning the loss of the feelings of hope both of them had experienced for the seven days. Likewise, while Ginny was feeling guilty for pulling Draco into a situation that had ended so badly, Draco was feeling guilty for pulling Ginny into it. The question that remained was what would happen to their friendship. A question that neither of them really wanted to face.
Ginny's heart ached as she watched Draco in silence. Everything had changed, and she couldn't bear to see him the way he had been the past 24 hours. Walking the rest of the way out onto the balcony Ginny could hear music coming from the flat below them. Draco briefly looked up when she shut the balcony door behind her, but turned away again just as quickly.
This wasn't how things were supposed to between the two of them. She was supposed to annoy him to no end, while he was supposed to make her angrier than anyone else on the planet. He was supposed to get her into trouble and she was supposed to keep him out of it. He was supposed to be her best friend, and she was supposed to be his.
How had a week, a week that had seemed so right, turned out so wrong? Maybe she and Draco had simply crossed a line they had not been meant to cross. Maybe they were never intended to find that kind of happiness in one another. If they had, wouldn't they have done it long ago? The idea that all of the turmoil she and Draco were going through was inevitable saddened Ginny.
She loved Draco. There was no doubt in her mind about that. And even now that she was very aware that they never could nor should, be together in anyway other than friends, a part of her knew she'd never forget the happiness she felt throughout the past week, quickly as it had seemed to go.
She knew Draco would never forget it either. However, while Ginny knew she'd be able to move on from both the loss of what they had had, and the guilt she felt over everything, she wasn't so sure Draco would be able to do the same. And that was why she knew she had to do what she was about to do.
Letting the music from below overtake her Ginny gently placed a hand on Draco's shoulder.
"Dance with me," she requested.
Obliging, Draco placed a hand on Ginny waist and clasped her hand in her other. Ginny softly placed her free arm around Draco's shoulder.
A few hot tears fell down her face as they swayed to the music. In response Draco pressed his face to hers so that they were dancing cheek to cheek. Ginny knew it was his way of telling her he felt the same way, even if he didn't have the tears to show it.
As the song began to come to an end Ginny's tears began to flow more steadily and behind Draco's back she slipped her wand from her sleeve.
"I'm sorry," she whispered into his ear before whispering the incantation.
Ginny stepped away from him. He smiled a little as he wiped the tears from her cheeks.
"It's going to be ok Ginny," he said and for a moment Ginny though it hadn't worked. "I know you miss him and false hopes like this certainly don't help. But he's going to be back, but until then there's no sense crying over it. Now cheer up! And go get me a drink!" Draco laughed and Ginny forced a smile onto her face. It had worked. Whether Ginny was happy or sad about that she wasn't sure, but she was sure that it had worked.
Ginny watched in anticipation as Draco simply stared at her.
"How could you do something like that?" he asked her, aghast at the revelation.
"I thought it was for the best," Ginny tried to explain.
"Well you thought wrong!" Draco snapped at her.
"Draco please…you don't understand…"
"You've got that right!" He was now standing and was beginning to pace around the room.
"I know it was wrong, but at the time…"
"But at the time what? It was wrong then too Ginny! You were just too wrapped up in your own little over emotional mind to even consider how it might affect me."
"That is not true!" Ginny exclaimed, standing as she did so. "Do you know how hard it was for me to do that? I did it for you!"
"Sure you did Ginny," Draco shook his head in disbelief.
"Draco please…" Ginny failed to finish her sentence, her eyes brimming with tears.
"No! No Ginny! You don't get to cry! I am not the bad guy here. Not this time."
Ginny sat in silence as she attempted to prevent any of the tears from actually falling.
"God!" Ginny flinched as Draco called out and kicked the wall. "Didn't you think for one second that what you did was wrong? Didn't it even cross your mind that maybe it was a bad idea?"
"Yes!" Ginny replied, desperation in her voice. "Yes it crossed my mind! Everyday for the next week I wrestled with it. Then the next Saturday I invited you out with me. I was going to undo the spell when you took me home afterwards but…"
"But what?" Draco snapped, clearly not satisfied.
"But you never took me home," Ginny stated simply. "That was the night you met Jen and after that nothing was the same."
Draco didn't have a response to this. After Draco had met Jen there was no denying that Draco and Ginny had drifted apart. As Draco proudly announced that for the first time in his life he had found happiness with a woman, Ginny found that he no longer had as much time for her, and she became even more consumed with motherhood. Time passed and Ginny realized she had lost her chance of righting what she had done, and that it had become a guilty secret that she would simply have to live with.
Suddenly though, something hit Draco.
"Jen," he said aloud. "The night at your house…when I…I was remembering us, wasn't I?"
Ginny nodded sadly.
"That's why I knew I had to tell you. Draco, I'm so sorry. I never meant…"
"I have to go," Draco interrupted her.
"But…"
Draco was gone before she could say anything else though. Sighing, Ginny sank further into the couch, wondering how much things had just changed.
Ginny looked up from her book when she was disturbed by what sounded like the scratchiness of an old time muggle record player. Frowning Ginny turned to find the source of the noise. Her breathing hitched a she found it. There in her doorway was Draco, his wand in the air, his face calm.
As the song began to play Ginny recognized the song immediately. A few gentle tears formed in her eyes as she tried to think of the words to say. Draco however, beat her to it as he spoke.
"Dance with me," he requested.
Ginny smiled and got up from her chair and slowly approached Draco. Ginny didn't feel any of the discomfort she had anticipated at he took her into his arms.
"How are you and Jen?" Ginny asked tentatively.
"I'm not sure yet," Draco replied honestly. "She was a little shocked about…well, about everything." He paused before adding, "I think that we're going to be ok though."
"I'm glad," Ginny spoke sincerely.
"Draco…I'm sorry…for everything."
"I know. I know."
That was all he had to say for Ginny to know that he had forgiven her.
There was a long silence between the two before Draco finally spoke again.
"I have to go away for awhile Ginny," he said.
"What?" She asked, surprised by his words.
"You gave me a lot of things to think about tonight Virginia."
"I know. I did, but that's silly. I'm the guest in you're house. I'll go home to the burrow tomorrow."
"You're never a guest in my house Ginny," Draco said sternly "And do you really think I could ever live with myself if I drove you out?" he teased. " I need to just get away for a while Gin. I wouldn't stay here even if you weren't either."
"Are you sure? Because…"
"I'm sure…"
This was the final word of the argument and not another word was spoken until the song was coming to an end.
"I love you Draco. You know that right?"
"About as surely as I know I love you," he smiled down at her. "I'll be seeing you Gin."
"See you Draco."
A/n: Hello? Anyone still following this story??? Well if you are…thanks so much for standing by me. Its been a hell of a ride these past few months, but I think I'm finally back on track and that I finally have a decent amount of writing time to get this thing done.
I sorta ran into a major road block with this chapter…and everything after it when I really think about it. But I took some time (aka several months) and sorted everything out. However, even once that was done in my very minimal spare time…this chapter took forever to write. I don't think I'm wrong in predicting that there are at least a few of you out there who do not approve of the history in this chapter. But believe or not….its important…as in case you haven't notice TRUST is a big theme in this fic. However, they're relationship needed to be handled with a lot of delicacy in order to make sure it didn't become anything more and anything less than what it was.
Again, thank you so much for all of your patience and waiting. I SWEAR on my life that the next chapter will not take anywhere near as long as this one did to be released. I plan on beginning to work on it tomorrow and I already know a lot of what it entails. Believe or not I think there should only be another maybe five chapters to the whole story left …including the epilogue. So in not so long it will all be over.
Thank you for all of the great response to the last chapter. Even though my lack of updates certainly doesn't show it I read, love, and cherish every review that you leave me.
Hope you liked the chapter…excited but slightly scared to see what you think of this one.
Love,
Bella.