It was the night before Ginny was to go home for Christmas, and she knew she'd miss Kristiana terribly. Ginny had been saving all year for a Christmas present for the little girl, whom she had come to love as her own.

It was the night before Ginny was to go home for Christmas, and Draco knew he'd miss her terribly. She was the only one he could talk to without fear of betraying himself or his sister, and she was the only one besides Kristiana he had let into his heart. In hindsight, it had probably been an unwise move, but now that Draco had had a taste of Ginny in his life, he knew he could never give her up. It wasn't love; Malfoys didn't know the meaning of love. However, he desired her more than any other woman he'd ever known, but he desired her in a more innocent; intimate way than all the others. She was such a fragile person, yet he admired her for her strength. It was a confusing issue, really.

Draco sighed as he ran his hand through his hair, mussing each brown strand perfectly. Ginny had a family to go home to. Draco's father was in prison, his mother dead. Even if Lucius wasn't in prison and his mother alive, they weren't family. Malfoys didn't know the meaning of family. However, the previous years he had stayed at Hogwarts he had gotten many a present, and he admitted wryly to himself that he would miss that this year.

It was funny; but by being forced to act as someone else, he found himself acting less like who he once was and more like the person everyone liked. And the odd thing was, he didn't mind so much. Sure, Gryffindors were still the most irritating people on earth, but there were a few who were okay. Draco even found himself thinking of himself, Ginny and Kristiana as family sometimes, which occasionally warmed him but mainly annoyed him.

He could not like Ginny. She was a Weasley. She was everything he had been bred to destroy, and he knew it was quite likely he would someday, deliberately or not. This thought hurt him deeply, and if he was that sort of person, tears would have been leaking from his pale eyes. As it was, he clenched his teeth and stared out the window, determinedly pushing all thoughts of Ginny out of his mind.

Ginny was methodically wrapping the various presents for various people when she heard the telltale creak of the wardrobe and Kristiana flung herself at Ginny, sobbing.

"I don't want you to leave mama," she wailed as Ginny cradled the girl in her arms.

"I'm not going for very long. It's just two weeks," Ginny tried to reassure her, but in truth was feeling rather choked up about the whole thing herself. "But hey, I got you a present," she said, grinning as she held a parcel above her head. Kristiana immediately began reaching for it, and when she found she couldn't reach she stomped her feet.

"You'll get it on Christmas," Ginny said, grinning. Kristiana merely pouted and sat back down while Ginny performed a levitating charm on it to ensure the girl wouldn't reach for it again.

Ginny hugged Kristiana tightly, blinking back tears. "I'll miss you baby."

Kristiana was sniffling. "I'll miss you too mama."

"You better get back to Draco's room. Your dinner will probably be there soon."

"Oh yes! Daddy promised me that it was something really yummy for tea tonight," Kristiana said happily, tears still apparent on her face but forgotten for now. "Love you mama," she added, and left the room. Ginny wiped at her eyes before taking hold of the present floating in mid air and placing it on top of a small pile. She then picked up the next item to wrap, and stared at it as who it was for registered on her mind.

I wasn't planning to get him anything for Christmas. Nothing I could get him would be anything he'd like, he's used to really expensive things. Yet Ginny had seen it and couldn't resist buying it. It was a beautiful woolen scarf that matched the colour of his grey eyes perfectly. To Ginny, he didn't even look like Kiran anymore; he looked like Draco, although she hadn't mentioned to him the more recent changes. It was already painfully obvious to her that no one else could see the change, and that confused her to no end. Why did she see it and no one else? Even Kristiana saw him as Kiran, though she knew his true name.

Ginny shrugged, and wrapped the beautiful thing up. Since she'd bought it, she might as well give it to him. She then placed the presents carefully into her trunk, along with a few things she'd need at home. The train was leaving at nine o'clock tomorrow, and she knew she'd never have time in the morning to pack.

Draco stared at the ceiling, his mind fixed on one person. It was agony, knowing he wouldn't see her for two weeks, and she didn't even care. He thought back to the way she had looked at Quidditch practice that afternoon, and his heart ached. The sun had been glinting off her hair, turning crimson to gold. Her cheeks were pink from the cold, biting wind. Her beautiful cinnamon eyes sparkled as she smiled, and Draco had found his gaze drawn to her scarlet lips, and he remembered what it was like to kiss them.

Draco had never known such an explosion of emotion, and- he thought wryly- wasn't likely to again. Whatever they might have had, he ruined by bringing a girl to his room.

I don't even remember her name, he mused, and gave a short bark of laughter. It had to stop. He was obsessing over a lost cause. Yet, a part of his mind still believed that Ginny could be his; that she was meant to be his.

Ginny lay awake, the moonlight filtering through flimsy curtains and casting shadows across her bed. They danced as her curtains trembled in the wind, and Ginny found this strangely comforting; the light flickering over her face. However, it wasn't helping her sleep.

Hearing a small noise, she sat up, heart pounding; her sheet held in front of her with one hand to her chest. Seeing only Draco, she relaxed slightly, though she was increasingly aware of the old white nightgown she was wearing.

Draco felt terrible. He'd finally dropped off to sleep when visions of Kristiana and Ginny began to haunt him. They both lay on the floor; their bodies lifeless. Ginny had managed to crawl to Kristiana and cradle her in her arms as they had died. Traces of the Unforgivables still lingered in the air, and with horror, Draco found himself holding the wand so tainted with it. He threw it away from him in self loathing before falling to his knees, his hands reaching out to those he'd never hold again. He noticed, with some detached part of his mind that while Kristiana had someone holding her, Ginny didn't. And Draco knew with unfailing certainty that he should've been the one holding her.

Draco looked terrible, in Ginny's opinion. His grey eyes were stormy, filled with a haunting blankness. His pale blonde hair was ruffled messily, and he was still in his robes. It was a new sensation to see him like this, and not a pleasant one, for something must have shaken him badly for him to look so poorly.

"Draco, is anything wrong with Kristiana?" she asked him, suddenly concerned.

He seemed to register that she was actually in the room, and seemed to sag with relief. "No. I just had… a nightmare," he said, before crossing the room quickly, and looking down at her, the haunted look replaced with an emotion that Ginny couldn't define.

"A nightmare?" she asked him, now concerned for him. As far as she knew, he didn't have nightmares. He wasn't the kind of person to wake up in the middle of the night and run to anyone for comfort, let alone a Weasley.

"Yes, but it's okay now," he said, still staring at her intently. Ginny shifted slightly under his gaze, and suddenly his lips were pressed against hers in fervent passion. However, he was gentle, and Ginny found herself responding despite alarm bells sounding in her mind. He lifted his hand to her face and stroked her cheek gently, not attempting to deepen the kiss.

Where his hand met her skin, a burning trail was forged down her face, and she closed her eyes to savor the sensation. No one had ever treated her with such courtesy before, especially not a Malfoy. Her hand still clutched at the sheets, but it was more out of reflex now than a conscious decision to do so. And still the kiss was soft.

Draco pulled away from the kiss, and left the room as silently as he came, leaving a confused girl behind him, two fingers to her lips as she felt the lingering sweetness of moments before. Her heart was beating hard; opening itself to a man that was nothing like she had ever imagined, and yet, everything she knew he could be.

Ginny arrived home to find herself accosted by two very happy twins.

"Ginny dear, it's lovely to see you," Fred said in a high falsetto as he hugged his sister. "Me and Fred have been dying to see you," he added.

Ginny laughed. "You're Fred, he's George," she said, pointing to each in turn, and Fred sighed. "We just can't trick this one. She always knows," he groaned, and George fell to the floor in an elaborate display of despair.

"Just once! Just let us trick her just once so we can lord it over her for the rest of her life," he pleaded dramatically to the ceiling. Ginny grinned.

"Well, it's not likely to happen. It's easier to tell you apart. George's smarter," she said, smirking, before leaving the room in search of her mother.

"My heart," George said in misery, hands held against his chest. His twin just smirked. "You're never gonna let me forget this, are you?" George said accusingly to his twin brother.

"Not likely! It seems your nerdy side is showing through brother. I'd be careful about that if I were you," Fred said seriously before walking from the room, whistling cheerfully to himself.

The first week at the Burrow passed without major incident, and Christmas Eve found Charlie, Bill and a very pregnant Fleur joining them. Ginny was currently playing a game of chess with Charlie, trying desperately not to think about the fact that Ron was absent. Sure, she knew he was off somewhere, saving the world with Harry and Hermione, but she still missed him heaps. She was also trying to remove thoughts of a certain grey eyed blonde that she hadn't been able to stop thinking about since she left the school. She had sent off his and Kristiana's presents that afternoon, by way of Fleur's owl, Aristotle.

Draco sat at the window, staring at the blizzard outside when his sister tugged on his hand.

"Daddy, can we go for a walk?" she asked him, her voice pleading.

Draco almost laughed, thinking his sister crazy for wanting to go out in this weather, then reconsidered his options. He could either wrap himself and Kristiana up in the warmest clothes they had and go out for a walk, or he could stay and brood about Ginny. Unfortunately, the latter wasn't very appealing (though the subject of his brooding certainly was), so with this thought Draco found himself outside 15 minutes later watching his sister run joyfully through the snow, hugging himself to stay warm.

Ginny awoke early on Christmas morning to the sound of her brother's yelling, and a familiar voice telling him to hush. She shoved her feet into her slippers and slipped on a dressing gown before bolting down the stairs. There, in the lounge room, was Harry, Hermione and Ron.

Ginny squealed and tackled her brother, hugging him tightly. "I was so afraid you guys wouldn't make it for Christmas!"

Ron hugged his sister back, just as happy as she was. "Could hardly miss out on Christmas! Then who would get my presents?" he grinned as she punched him. "Nah, ma would've had a fit if we didn't at least drop by," his voice lowered to a whisper, "and you know how scary that can be."

Ginny grinned, wiping away tears, before embracing Harry and then Hermione. Soon the commotion had woken up the whole household, all of whom were ecstatic to see the trio. Then, of course, came presents.

Ginny received many things that day, but the one she treasured most was Charlie. He had given her a Dragon fang, which signified protection and good luck. It was also from the same dragon that the one around his neck came from, and Ginny knew in that moment that Charlie was saying- in his wonderful, Charlie-ish way of saying things- that he would always be there for her, for dragon fangs were rare and could be sold for more than the Burrow was worth altogether. However, it saddened her to hear that he still hadn't found the right girl, and had basically given up hope of ever doing so. In her eyes, her brother was perfect. She knew there had to be someone out there who felt the same.

That night Ginny found sitting at her bedroom window, staring at the rotting window sill blankly as thoughts swirled through her mind. Thus she was rather startled when an owl landed next to her, bearing a large package wrapped in a brilliant blue wrapping paper that saw flitting fairies and mischievous leprechauns throwing around their bewitched gold. Puzzled, she took the package and accompanying parchment and sent the owl on its way after feeding it one of Pig's owl treats.

She unrolled the parchment and began to read, wondering who on earth had sent such an oddly wrapped parcel.

Ginny,

I didn't pick the paper, Were the first words she read in elegant calligraphy. Her eyes skipped down to the bottom of the page and found Draco's name scrawled across the bottom. Knowing who the sender was, she grinned at the first line, expecting that it had been Kristiana who had picked the wrapping paper, just to tease her brother, who disliked frivolous to the extreme. Curious, she read on.

Kristiana felt it was her duty to pick some pretty wrapping paper, so I, as her wonderfully obedient brother, told her to go ahead. Ginny snorted at this. I daresay it was a bad idea.

Kristiana ordered your present from a Wizarding Connections catalogue with her allowance. Kid's been ordering from catalogues for six months now, and I still can't get over her impeccable taste. It must run in the family.

The smaller package is from me. I know you'll enjoy them.

Draco.

Ginny grinned at the arrogance he portrayed, and looked down to see a P.S.

The scarf is nice, but why grey? My eyes are a horrible green now. But then, on second thought, perhaps that is why you chose it, for lack of a better colour to match it too. However, I shall make good use of it anyway, as I know my eyes would look absolutely smashing in it.

Ginny giggled, and put the parchment aside, before turning to the rather lumpy package. Carefully unwrapping it so as not to damage the paper, then realizing that Draco had put an anti ripping charm on it, shrugged and tore at the present. She'd hang the paper up in her dorm later. She didn't want to waste it.

The paper fell away to reveal a mass of green satin. Ginny stared at it in delight as she held it against her. She then ripped off her old pajamas and slid into the masterpiece, marveling the feel of such a gown. She stood in front of the mirror and laughed in delight. She was no longer a poor Weasley wearing her brother's hand-me-downs, she was a princess.The gown was relatively simple, with a plunging neckline, and a tapered waist, before spreading out into a full skirt that swished when she spun. Ginny stared at herself in rapture, her eyes sparkling and her hair messy. But she looked beautiful. And she felt beautiful, for the first time in her life.

She remembered the letter, and bent down to retrieve a small package that had fallen from amidst the folds of the dress.

Ginny flicked open the box to find two emerald drop earrings floating in what seemed like what water looks like when the sun hits it. She gently picked one up, and marvelled at the fact that her hands were dry, yet the earring was still sparkling as though water had touched it. They were elegant but simple, just like the dress, and Ginny carefully put them on, wondering at how much the Malfoy heirs had spent on her, a Weasley. She touched the earrings again, and her thoughts turned to the one who had bought them for her, a man who was slowly yet surely stealing her heart.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed that! Sorry it's taken me so long to write. Writing two fics at the same time as well as increasingly large amounts of Japanese to learn makes it difficult to get time to actually finish a chapter! Well, love you all, and will love you even more if you review..? hint hint