A/N: don't own don't sue
The lyrics at the beginning are from 'I'm Free' by Kenny Loggins
I think I'll let you have an epilogue but then that's it I'm afraid, nothing else I can do with this story. Thanks for reviews, although I don't expect anyone to be reading much since the new book's out, all are replied to at the end
Chapter Thirteen – I'm Free
Looking into your eyes I know I'm right
If there's anything worth my love it's worth a fight
We only get one chance
But nothing ties our hands
You're what I want
Listen to me
Nothing I want
Is out of my reach
I'm free
Heaven helps the man who fights his fear
Love's the only thing that keeps me here
You're the reason that I'm hanging on
My heart's staying where my heart belongs
I'm free
Running away will never make me free
And nothing we sign is any kind of guarantee
But I wanna hold you now
And I won't hold you down
I'm shaking the past
Making my breaks
Taking control
That's what it takes
I'm free
Heaven helps the man who fights his fear
Love's the only thing that keeps me here
You're the reason that I'm hanging on
My heart's staying where my heart belongs
I'm free
"So, where are you taking me again?"
Draco only shook his head and carried on his way, leading Ginny gently by the hand with one arm around her waist to steady her as he weaved their way through the crowds. Ginny blinked against the black of the blindfold he had put on her as they got into the car that morning. She could hear the buzz of hundreds of people going about their business around her and she strained her ears to try and hear if what they were saying would help her know where she was.
"We're almost there."
She could hear his smirk as she stumbled slightly and she returned the gesture by digging her nails into his arm where he held onto her.
"Ouch."
She could feel him glaring at her reproachfully so she gave a sweetly innocent smile in the general direction she assumed he was in. She jumped when she felt the brush of something like velvet against her face and she titled her head when she heard the click of wood beneath her heels.
"Right now stay here and don't move."
Pouting Ginny folded her arms and waited as Draco carefully removed the blindfold and replaced it with his hands. Counting to three he felt Ginny roll her eyes under his hands and he grinned before whipping his hands away. Momentarily blinded by the bright lights Ginny blinked, the hand that was already flying up to shield her eyes dropping to clap over her mouth for a moment when her eyes began to adjust.
The old dusty spotlights that circled the front edge of the stage had been polished and lit with magical fire which flickered permanently before them. Three huge chandeliers had been erected high up in the ceiling which glittered and threw sparkles of light on everything. They also cast light on the ceiling which Ginny could now see was a riot of colourful paintings. The old purple chairs had been dusted and thoroughly cleaned while the golden cherubs and their friends had been polished so much she were practically glowing. The stage itself had been polished until the black floorboards shone under the lights and the curtains had been reupholstered with the same purple material.
Looking up Ginny could see hundreds of people working on the various lights and other equipment that resided above the stage ready to be put to use in the next performance. As Ginny spun around to take it all in several dancers rushed past, nodding at Draco and darting backstage to continue getting ready for their rehearsal.
"What do you think?"
Ginny froze mid-turn and stared at him with her mouth open.
"It's amazing. You did all this?"
He raised an eyebrow at her shrugged.
"Oh yeah I cleaned it all, fixed it all and made it habitable." She shot a side-long glance at him. "Of course not, I just paid for it all."
Ginny didn't reply, she was too busy staring around trying to take it all in.
"Hadn't you better be getting ready?"
Ginny turned slowly to look at him and he gestured at another set of dancers who had just emerged from backstage and were stretching.
"What?"
He sighed and shook his head; walking over to her he turned her around and pointed over her shoulder at the huge curling words etched in gold against the back curtain; Swan Lake. She stared at the words before turning in his arms to look at him, confusing making her wrinkle her brow at him.
"What did we spend months rehearsing at the college?"
She cocked her head to the side and jerked her thumb at the words behind her as a reply.
"And what is going to be the first performance in over a hundred years in this theatre in two month's time?"
She gaped at him and he nodded, gently snapping her mouth shut and kissing the tip of her nose affectionately.
"Exactly. Now princess, go and get ready for rehearsal."
Ginny stared at herself in the mirror. The girl staring back through the halo of lights surrounding the mirror looked terrified. Mechanically she touched up her make up without really thinking until it was time to work her way into her costume. Pulling it all on she was still staring idly into the mirror as she pulled her hair back into a tight bun dotted with crystal jewels and pearls when Draco opened the door to her dressing room.
"How are you doing?"
Ginny stared at him blankly in the mirror and he shook his head playfully. Making his way into her dressing room he bent down besides her to stare at their reflection over her shoulder in the mirror. Ginny was slightly calmed by his hands resting on her bare shoulders.
"Don't worry; I've seen you practising you're amazing."
She gave him a weak smile as he pressed a kiss to her temple and one to her silver-dusted cheekbone before giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze and exiting her dressing room. A bell rang in the distance and Ginny jumped, spilling moisturiser all over her dressing table but she ignored it. Getting to her feet she made her way to the wings where she was to make her first entrance on stage.
Standing awkwardly in the wings she caught a brief glimpse of the packed audience and she felt the sudden violent need to vomit. Pushing it back she took deep calming breaths as she music started up for her and she closed her eyes for a second. Just as she was about to make her entrance all her fear vanished to be replaced by a sudden calm that filled her from head to toe with excitement. Darting gracefully onto the stage she caught sight of Draco on the front row and she felt a surge of pride.
The performance had been a raging success with several curtain calls being demanded and it was well over an hour before Ginny managed to extricate herself from well-wishers and retreat to her dressing room to prepare herself for the after-show party. Her adrenaline was the only thing keeping her going by the time she had emerged from her room transformed and ready to face the crowds again.
Fighting her way through the crowds she managed to locate Draco who kissed her lightly and introduced her to his mother who gave her a sly knowing wink when Draco wasn't looking.
"Darling you look stunning."
Ginny blushed at the compliment and hurriedly assured Narcissa she did too. The pair of them contrasted totally, Narcissa in high-necked black velvet that fell from her hip to her knee in a diagonal sweep with her platinum hair piled up on top of her head and diamonds glittering at her neck and wrists. Whereas Ginny was in pale ivory silk that made even her skin look darker that fell straight down to the floor after flaring out slightly from the knees, a split up the front to almost at her navel revealed layers of practically transparent silver material covering her legs.
Her long dark hair had been curled and fell over her bare shoulders while being pulled back from her forehead and temples in an intricate weave at the back of her head, secured by pearled pins. Delicate rubies circled her wrists and a single tear-drop shaped crimson stone balanced under her collarbone, both borrowed from a jewellery store Draco's family had been frequent guests at over the decades.
If they hadn't known any better the other party guests would have assumed the two women had dressed to compliment each other.
"I didn't know you had a daughter."
Narcissa's grip tightened slightly on her glass of champagne.
"Yes well that's one of the reasons Lucius was such a bastard, he blamed himself for her death. And rather rightly too; if he hadn't been playing around with one of his fellow Death Eaters she would never have thought it was for real and tried to stop them."
Ginny reached out a hand to steady Narcissa's trembling one and the older woman smiled at her, reaching out a hand to cup her cheek lightly.
"You're a little like her you know." Ginny stared at her. "Oh not in looks you're totally different there but I have a feeling you're exactly what she'd have grown up to be like as a person."
Ginny felt absurdly flattered as she stood there smiling stupidly at Narcissa who pressed a brief kiss to her forehead as Draco hurried back over to them.
"Are we ready, ladies?"
Ginny and Narcissa exchanged a smile before taking one of Draco's arms each and following his lead out to the car that was waiting for them. As they emerged out of the car Ginny was somewhat surprised to find it was snowing. Draco watched her taking in the beauty of the building before her, her eye slowly realising what the ornately carved M's meant above the gates and front door.
"You better get used to it."
She smiled as he touched her cheek lightly and pressed a kiss against her lips. There was a loud noise before them and they broke away to see seemingly hundreds of reporters climbing over themselves to get at her, their clamouring increasing when they saw their kiss.
"Draco! Draco who's this?"
Ginny clung to Draco's arm and edged a little further towards him as they surrounded the pair of them, Narcissa having glided on ahead to greet some old friends from school.
"Ginny Weasley." He cheerfully informed the crowds jostling to get closer.
Ginny smiled nervously at the crowds who turned their attention to her, some shouting out questions that overlapped before she had time to even consider an answer.
"Who is she Draco?"
"Where do you meet?"
"How are you two connected?"
The questions overwhelmed Ginny until all she wanted to do was retreat back to the safety of the car. Draco, however, was decidedly unaffected as he pushed her a little bit in front of his to give them a better picture opportunity.
"Well that's easy…" Pausing for dramatic effect Draco turned to look at Ginny, snow had caught in her hair as she stared up at him with huge eyes seeming even bigger by the heavy amount of black makeup that emphasised them. "She's my fiancé."
If the reporters had been excited before they practically exploded now. A deafening silence filling the snowy air as even Narcissa turned to gape at Draco. As a smile curved her lips the reporters nearly knocked the pair over trying to get a picture of the couple as Ginny stared literally open-mouthed at Draco.
"Draco… Draco… Ginny… how long have you two been engaged?"
Draco raised an eyebrow and looked down at his watch.
"Oh about fifteen seconds now."
Chantal J – I'm so not happy about this, we ordered our books but we don't even get them til next week damn! But JK Rowling did a live reading of a part of the new book on TV at 12.01 so I watched that yay :) anyway here you go last update for this story although I may do an epilogue
Alicandra Black – an epilogue is probably all I'm gonna get out of the story now and it won't be very twisty so sorry about that
Krystal Klear – nothing very exciting really no grand conspiracy she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time poor girl