Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter and I hope you continue to do so.
Chapter 5- Uncovered feelings"Ron, if you've called her three times and spoken to her father, and left two voice messages, then you just simply have to wait until she has a chance to call," Ginny said into the phone as Draco walked into his living room on Thursday night.
Her dark eyes were serious as she listened for a moment and he saw her front teeth scrape across her lower lip. Draco knew what was going on after overhearing just eight seconds of speech.
Luna hadn't called Ron.
Hell he couldn't blame her. He wouldn't call him either he thought to himself. But he really shouldn't be that way. He and Ron might not be best friends but they had come a long way since Hogwarts.
She managed to wave at him and smile even while she kept nodding and listening, making those supportive "mm" noises, then said.
"Ron, wait until you hear what she has to say, and stay calm about it or you will sound needy, okay?"
Draco went into the kitchen and discovered that Ginny cooked. Peering through the oven's glass door he saw a huge pan of Lasagna and his stomach growled at the very thought of piling food on ho his plate.
He decided as he gulped down a glass of water. He'd have a quick shower and then eat. On his way back through the living room and up the stairs, he heard Ginny say.
"How many times did you check on him today? She listened for a moment. "Oh, he did?" She sounded pleased, but then her voice fell again.
"Oh, he said he would go alone"
Apparently that wasn't good news.
"Well, did he go? Did you ask? Please find out Ron and you guys have to stay after Dad till I get back. And have him call me. Him, not you, if he didn't go." She said.
"I don't care what time it is. Just whenever he gets home, I want him to call me. I know you're distracted because Luna hasn't called you but- Yes, I know. I know. Okay. Love you too."
Her voice faded as Draco reached his bedroom. After a five-minute shower, he came down again and asked her.
"Don't they drive you nuts?" He didn't need to specify who he meant.
"Yes" she shrugged and smiled, quirking the corner of her expressive mouth. "But they left me alone all afternoon, which is better than yesterday."
"What did you do? He asked.
"Absolutely nothing. Until I started cooking. I loved every second of it.," she laughed.
"The cooking"? He asked laughing back.
"The nothing. If you didn't allegedly need me to meet you for lunch tomorrow. I might have opted for more of the same." Ginny said.
"More nothing? Get real!" he teased her. "The Ginny I know? Spending four days in a row doing nothing? I bet you haven't done that since you used to lie in your crib and I don't believe you could do another day of it if you tried."
"Just you watch me," she said smiling again and raised her hands behind her head and arched her back. He heard a couple joints crack, which made her smile wider, and he noticed her mouth hadn't done that sucking on a lemon thing in his presence in two days.
She looked so beautiful and graceful when she stretched. And she really needed this break. Couldn't her family see that? Couldn't they be generous enough not to tell her they loved her quiet so much, so sincerely and so needfully?
"You don't have to come to lunch tomorrow if you'd rather rest," he told her. "I understand really! I have been asking you for a lot lately"
"You know I don't mind" Ginny replied.
"Yes, I know you wouldn't mind. But the reasons aren't urgent either. We've been seen by plenty of people since Tuesday."
"Arguing loudly, at one point" she crossed her arms and raised her eyebrow.
He shrugged "Which is what most married couples do."
She nodded her head at his words "But we didn't use to. Not seriously really. Only that one time before you left."
Now it was his turn to nod. "Maybe if we argued more we would have known more about what each other was thinking."
She shrugged as if she didn't like that idea.
"Have you decided yet how long you're staying?" he asked.
This time, she sighed and made a helpless sound. "No. I'm- I mean- sometimes I think I could do a whole- No."
"No hurry," he answered mildly.
"To decide, or to leave?" she asked.
"Either" he shrugged.
Right now he wasn't pushing her to do either. And he got the uncomfortable feeling that each of them was waiting for something, some defining statement from the other person about the past or the future.
He just didn't know what that statement was.
They stuffed all through the delicious meal she'd cooked, pretending they weren't flaming with their awareness of each other, and he left her with a pile of muggle movies and headed back to the bank for a couple of hours of work after they ate.
He had finished all his work that afternoon but he went back anyway. Because he didn't trust what he might do if he stayed.
It was noon of the following day and Ginny was ready for lunch. Draco was already at the restaurant with some clients and she was on her way to meet up with them.
Today they would be dining with a group of people who had investments with Malfoy Holdings. Ginny was actually looking forward to meeting them and seeing Draco.
She hadn't seen him since Dinner last night. When he left to head back to work and she was already asleep when he returned.
Draco stood up when Ginny arrived at the table. His eyes locked with Ginny's for a moment and he mouthed "Whoa!" He obviously approved of her outfit. A stunning yellow dress casually cut to fit her body just perfect.
Ginny grinned back at him and took her seat just as the waitress came to the table. Lunch went on as planned with Ginny making light conversation with the men and their wives, while Draco talked business.
A couple of times Draco slipped his hand over hers and she felt the way they seem to belong together. The moment didn't last long but it surprised her with its feeling of intimacy and heat all the same.
Draco turned to her "Gin, I'm going to run and grab some papers and I'll be back" He dropped a quick kiss to her mouth and left with a few of the men.
The look on one of the wives chilled a little more now that Draco was gone. "Ginny, right?" she said.
"That's me," Ginny said.
"First I heard a rumor that you and Draco were married, and I guess that has to be true, since you're here. Then I heard a rumor that your marriage is on the rocks. Are you trying for reconciliation, or something?"
The woman's direct question had Ginny grabbing blindly for an answer that fell somewhere between the truth and what she knew Draco would want her to say.
"Reconciliation?" she echoed finally. "There's no need for that. You shouldn't listen to rumors, you should judge for yourself."
The woman raised her brow "That sounds like a challenge, to me."
Ginny smiled faintly "It wasn't meant to be." She said. But Ginny knew it was too late. She set herself up to be judged for the rest of lunch. If she hadn't been judged already.
Not something she would look forward to. She'd been looking forward to some quality time with Draco, instead. Looking forward to it far too much, when she thought about it.
Draco had come back, papers in tow and signed. He surveyed the group and saw that sure enough they looked happy. The only person who didn't seem to be happy was Ginny, which was a pity, because she was the only one whose state of mind Draco cared about most.
She kept busy the past hour with talking and laughing and listening to his client's stories about his past. But whenever Draco caught her at an unguarded moment, she looked tense.
He didn't get a chance to ask her about it until the group broke away in closed conversations.
"What's the problem Gin?" He asked leaning closer to her.
"Oh, does it show?" she said sighing at him.
"That you're tense, yes. Were you hoping it didn't?" he asked concerned.
Ginny shrugged "I don't mind you picking up on it, but if that woman over there has intercepted the signals, she's probably taking notes."
"Notes?" he said clearly confused.
"Just remembering Danny and the camera from the other day, hoping she's not a friend of Rita Skeeter's." She whispered.
"You think it's possible?" he looked over at the woman in question.
"Well she asked me a couple of questions and I got the impression she was waiting to see what I might dish out in reply."
"You know I just had the feeling she was used to asking invasive questions." She finished.
"And you think Rita Skeeter's hoping for a nice kicker to her article, so she sent a spy?" he drawled.
"That or she likes you." Ginny shrugged.
"Oh, I see and you want to keep me for yourself" he grinned.
"Yeah, smile when you say that, so I don't slap you for being serious." She smiled at him to show she wasn't serious, either.
"You want me to act as if I want to keep you for myself, remember? It's the whole reason I'm here."
"But" he said. "Your not comfortable lying about it."
"No I'm not. But you knew that"
"Well you just leave her to me" Draco said. "Why don't you go to the bathroom and take a few minutes and breath. I hate seeing you like this."
Ginny sighed, "That's sounds like a good idea. I could use a few minutes to collect myself."
The woman watched as Ginny stood up and left the table, then her gaze fixed itself on Draco and stayed there. He smiled and she smiled back.
She slowly angled her chair so she was closer to him "So tell me the real story Mr. Malfoy" she said sweetly.
"The real story?" he said reaching for his goblet.
"That's right the real story about you and Ginny" she said.
And suddenly he couldn't think of any reason not to tell her, so he did, as briefly as possible. "We got married a long time ago and had a few problems, that's why she wasn't around when your friend wrote her article."
Yep, her eyes widened and she let out a sharp breath. Ginny was right, she was spying on them. "My friend?" she said half- heartily. She knew her cover was blown so she didn't try that hard.
"And we've discovered we want to try and work things out," he continued. "So I would really appreciate it if you would tell Rita, and the entire staff of Witch Weekly if you must, to please respect our privacy and leave us alone."
"But as the first Bachelor of the Year…" she began.
"No, you're not getting it, Listen I want this to stop." Draco said firmly cutting her off.
She didn't say anything for a moment then nodded. "Right I'll pass it on."
The woman moved her chair back and left him alone after that. He had the rest of the lunch to think about what he said. That he and Ginny found they wanted to work things out.
Just a neat sound bite, put together for public consumption?
No, shoot…damn it…it was true.
True for him, anyhow, if not for Ginny. She didn't have the same demons chasing her as he did. She was stubborn, but he doubted she was as stubborn as he was.
His childhood felt like one long series of defeats. He didn't want to add divorce to the pile. No matter how crazy it looked on paper, no matter what his lawyer might say to him on the subject, no matter that he had no strategies in place for convincing Ginny to see things the way he did, he knew he just wasn't ready, yet, to let his marriage go.
Lunch was over and the clients had all gone. Draco and Ginny were the last ones to leave. "I have calls to make and accounts to go over, so it may be another three, four hours tops till I get home. But I can accompany you to the house first if you want." Draco said as they left the restaurant.
"Is there anything I can do to help you? Speed things up a bit?" she asked.
"No I got it covered. Becky's there and besides you would be bored." He told her.
Ginny shrugged, "I thought I'd ask. I cooked last night so I guess we're eating out tonight right?"
She couldn't quite keep the reluctance out of her voice. She really didn't relish the idea of another evening of pretence pretending to other people that she cared for Draco while pretending to him and herself she didn't.
What was the truth, beneath all of that? What really counted for something?
"What would be the purpose of that?" he asked not really thinking about their act.
She shrugged and managed to smile "Eating in public, being seen, acting married." She said.
"You know what?" he said, after a moment. "Let's not. Last night was nice"
"Okay then" she grinned "I'll cook again for us"
He waved his finger at her. "Tempting, but no. I'll do the cooking." He said. "And while I'm at it how about I notified Witch Weekly and they can do a interview right from the house."
"Or we could not. We could keep it private." She warned.
He brushed his fingers lightly across her cheek and down to her shoulder, making her melt. "I like that plan better."
Ginny was waiting for him when he walked in at seven. He was digging around in the fridge for some steak while Ginny cut some onions. She had tears streaming down her face from the fumes when the phone rang.
"Hi Ginny…" Ron's voice, no surprise there. "Gin, I've been calling and calling but you haven't picked up all day," Ron said sounding annoyed.
"I was in town this afternoon and then I took a nap. Sorry" Ginny snapped at him. "How're things? What's up?" Ginny asked, making her questions sound cheerful in the hope the answers were the same.
The strategy didn't work.
"Well, Luna called me but she sounded weird, Ginny" Ron said.
"Okay" Ginny said. "Did you ask her about it?"
Ron sighed into the phone "Of course I did, even asked Harry to talk to Hermione about it. Maybe Luna has said something to her. But they keep insisting everything is fine. She's just busy with work."
"She said I'm just acting paranoid. Am I a paranoid person Ginny?" he asked.
"Well, normally no, I wouldn't have said…" Ginny began.
"Exactly! You're so right, you see! I'm not. So this isn't me it's Luna. What if she's dating someone else? She could very well be with him now. I have been working long hours." Ron cried.
"Maybe I should go to her house and demand she tell me what's going on." He finished.
"Okay, Ron, now you're sounding paranoid," Ginny said gently.
The kitchen door opened she saw Draco looking at her across the room. He frowned and looked startled, really concerned, actually and she didn't understand why until he put his finger to his cheek and made a questioning gesture.
Tears? Crying?
She shook her head, smiled and mouthed, "Onions" and he nodded and laughed, and it was the kind of small nice moment that they'd had a few times today.
It reminded her of everything she'd lost when he left eight years ago and she recovered her patience with her brother. Luna would destroy Ron if she left him.
They'd only been dating for a bit which wasn't the same as four years of marriage true, but Ginny knew that the heart didn't know dates and time when it was breaking.
"So when you coming home?" Ron asked.
"Coming home? Um, I'm not sure yet, because…"
Draco was still watching and listening. He stepped closer. "Tell him you're not," he told her.
"Hang on a second, Ron." She put her hand over the phone. "Excuse Me," she said to Draco.
"Just tell him you're not coming home." His words seemed intense and his whole body looked tight all of a sudden.
"But that's not true…" she started to explain. And he took a couple more impatient paces.
"Does it matter if it isn't true? He demanded. "How about if it was true? He is a grown man, they all are Ginny. No one is saying to stop caring. But is it good for them to know you'll come running to make everything better the moment they call with a problem?"
"Draco I can't do…" she looked horrified by the idea.
" I don't think it is good for him, or Fred and George and Percy, or for your dad. Let them know you need a vacation. Which you do. And that you're going to be here for the next six weeks. Just try it, because I want to see the effect it has, even if you don't." Draco sighed.
Ginny carefully took her hand off the mouthpiece and sat down. "Ron? At this stage, I'm thinking I may…"
"You have to let me know, Ginny" Ron cut in wailing. "You can't keep it open – ended. It's not fair of you to do that, when it affects our plans."
Ginny gasped beginning to feel angry. "And what plans does it affect?" she huffed.
"Oh, come on, you know what I mean. Dad and…" Ron sighed.
Draco was still watching her. And Ginny knew he was even though she wasn't looking at him. And even though he was silent. The back of her neck tingled and she hated this all too familiar feeling of being stuck in between her husband's blunt attitude toward her family.
And the demands of her brother's and father which, which sometimes.
"No, Ron," she heard herself say. "I'm not committing myself to a date right now."
"Ginny Weasley! Ron squeaked, indignant and upset.
Draco growled upon being so close to hear his brother in law's comment of her name. They never would call her what she really was. A Malfoy.
"You'll just have to accept I'm staying longer." He heard Ginny tell Ron and sighed with relief.
She said a firm goodbye and put down the phone and stood up then turned to meet the look, with his eyebrows raised, that she knew Draco would throw at her.
Yep there it was, eyebrows and everything. He started to clap at the same time, and that was too much.
"Stop" she told him. "There's no need for you to celebrate this as a personal victory."
Draco shrugged. "Okay I'll leave the celebrating to you then." He said.
"Did it ever occur to you that it might be hard for me to leave them when they need me?" she asked.
He nodded his head in understanding. "I do, but did it ever occur to you that they will turn you into one of those spinster aunts, who never got to have her own life because everyone, including herself."
He looked at her intensely.
"Just assumed she'd go on looking after aging relatives and baby sitting nieces and nephews and knitting shawls and socks until she dropped in her tracks?" He finished.
"That's not how I see myself." She drawled.
"That's how they could end up seeing you. Oh, Ginny will do it, she wont mind." He continued.
"No, that's not how it is." She shook her head. "Draco"
He moved closer and reached out and cradled her in his arms. "And it gets to me, because if that does happen, no matter how much you love them, you'll be angry and bitter and resentful and it will start to show on your beautiful face, and…"
"Sucking on a lemon?" she pressed her finger to her lips.
"Yes, and I would hate for it to get stuck that way. Not a mouth I've gotten so lost in, all the times we've kissed." He said.
Their lips met the moment he stopped talking. Ginny closed her eyes, swept away in seconds. Her body belonged to Draco in a way she couldn't imagine it belonging to any other man's.
She cupped his face in her hands, staking her claim on every inch of his skin, loving the slight roughened texture of his jaw and the feel of his soft neck.
He dipped his head lower and tightened his arms around her, cramping her breath, and she felt a surge of emotion at the knowledge that he was as overwhelmed by this as she was.
His physical strength didn't give him any protection at all against the demands of his senses. For minutes they couldn't stop, although Ginny distantly knew they had to.
But it was so good. His taste and his touch and the way he was lost in this as she was. Her body throbbed and grew heavy. She could have melted on the floor.
Finally, however, she summoned some strength and focus. She dragged her mouth away from his kiss and buried her face in the curve between his neck and shoulder, needing some breathing room so she could attempt to understand the tangled strands on her own feelings.
How could she want and need him like this when they marriage they'd both believed in had failed badly? Draco didn't try to kiss her again, just held her.
Held her so that she could lay her head on his chest, where she felt the hard push and pull of his breathing and heard the thud of his heart.
They both stood very still.
"I don't want love to make me bitter," she finally said. "Not any kind of love. You're right. Love shouldn't do that. But I'm afraid about where this is taking us, Draco. And I think that you have far more power to fill me with regrets than my family does."
He said nothing for almost a minute, and her ears seemed to ring with the silence. "I don't have an answer for that." She heard him say at last. "I don't know what I can tell you. How can I promise that you wont regret the time you're spending here, or the new things we're finding out?"
"You can't," she agreed.
"So what do we do now?" he asked her.
"Now? What do we do right now? Oh, Draco! I think we just…" She pulled back and spread her hands. "Cook."
He hissed the breath out between his teeth. "Yeah, you're right, I guess we do."
Here it is. Hope you like it and please review good or bad.
Thanks to: Holy Pancake, Amanda Mancini, xojulesxo, louey 31, plzkthx 101, for your wonderful reviews last chapter.