Draco apparated into his room and collapsed onto the bed. He laid on his back and stared up at the ceiling. Surprisingly he didn't feel like crying. He was far from crying. He knew she wasn't going to believe him, but he had hoped and prayed. But his prayers had went unanswered, they always did.
Maybe she will remember in time, but even if she did she would eventually remember the fight they had to make her get hit. Maybe she would fall in love with him again, if he tried hard enough, but was that fair to Harry? He deserved something too. He had not had a girlfriend in so long and now Ginny was awake and she thought that she was with him, not Draco. Harry got what he wanted. Now it was Draco's turn to wait.
He heard two pops downstairs and then he heard slow footsteps walking up to his room. They knew he would be here, he was a lot of the time. He sat up and looked at them as they walked in the room and sat down dejectedly on a chair.
"I am sorry Draco. I had forgotten that she had been with Harry through the war. I am so sorry Draco." Hermione said in-between sobs. She was crying and Ron was rubbing her back soothingly. He had his face in her bushy brown hair and was talking quietly to her.
"It is not your fault. It should be this way. I don't deserve to have Ginny, but Harry... Harry needs her. He has needed her, and I made her leave." He looked at Ron, who looked sadly at Draco. He closed his eyes and sighed. When he opened his eyes he didn't look at Draco as he spoke.
"I know you are hurting, but as you said, you do not deserve to have Ginny. It may hurt to hear this, but you have to hear it. Harry deserves to have her, not you. You were not good to her at all. I, personally, did not want her to remember you. I know it's wrong for me to say that, but it's the truth. You know it is. I am not saying that what happened to her is your fault, but that is how I feel." He now turned his gaze to his and Hermione looked up into the face of her husband. She sat up and walked out of the room mumbling something incoherent.
Draco sighed and ran a hand over his face. He knew that everything that Ron had just said was the truth. He knew that he had done nothing to get his prayers answered, but there was always hope. Sadly, there didn't seem to be any hope for him. So he sat there looking at Ron and trying to figure out what exactly he wanted to do. He didn't feel like crying, his crying days were over and he was far from crying now.
"I don't know what to do. I can't face Harry now. Not after this, it's just to much to swallow and digest at the same time. I want you to leave now Ron, it'll be best if you do. I need to think and get everything straight and get her stuff together. She won't be coming back for awhile, if not ever again. I will not be coming back to work tomorrow. I'll floo you when I am coming back and when I want to talk to you." He had stood up and had gotten out her trunk and had taken her trousers and had placed them neatly inside. When Ron made no move to leave, Draco lost it. He threw her blouse on the floor and whirled on Ron and anger burned in his eyes. Ron hadn't seen that anger in his eyes since they were back at Hogwarts. At that moment Ron felt scared. Draco had not been this angry in more than nine years and Ron had almost forgotten what it was like to be under his wrath.
"Dammit Ron! I told you to leave! I don't want you in my house again! Ever!" He had pulled Ron up out of the chair and was trying to pull him towards the door. But Ron's feet were planted firmly on the ground. He looked into Draco's eyes and under all that anger was fear, pain, and hatred. He was startled at first to see the hatred, but it was nothing compared to the fear and pain in his eyes. Draco was afraid he would never get his Ginny back and it hurt. He had blamed himself all these years and it made the pain worse. Deep down he hated Harry, and it was showing in his eyes now. He hated Harry for taking his Ginny and he hated Ron for wanting all this to come true to him and make him hurt.
Ron knew that Draco was just hurt and upset now and that he didn't mean what he was saying, but he knew Draco would not come to work and would bury himself inside and would close the doors to his heart that had been locked until Ginny had come into his life. He knew Draco would not want to talk to him and Hermione for a long time, but they had to understand his pain. But Ron, being as stubborn as he is, wouldn't let Draco close himself up like that. He had watched what that had done to him earlier in Ginny's coma, but he had also seen what it had done to Harry.
Draco's chest was heaving with pent up anger and he wanted to be alone. Ron was refusing to leave and all he could do was try and make him see. Make him see that he didn't want Ron, that he didn't need him. Draco let go of his robes and went to gather the rest of her things. When he had it all packed he threw the trunk at Ron's feet. He sighed when he didn't move and sunk to the floor with his back to the bed.
"Please go, please. I need to be alone and I don't want you or anyone bothering me. Please?" Ron rolled his tongue in his mouth, trying to send this feeling of dread away. Draco had never begged before and he was doing it now.
"Fine... I'll go." When he said this he walked out of the room and closed the door behind him, carrying Ginny's trunk with him down into the living room where Hermione was waiting patiently. Before she could say anything, Ron looked at her and apparated. Soon she followed suit.
When Draco heard both the pops of apparating he stood up and walked into the bathroom. He looked around and decided it was time for him to change. He went about the house and took down all of the pictures of Ginny. He put them in a box, sealed it, and placed it in the attic. He decided to change the colours to green and silver instead of her favourite colours. He changed the sheets to black silk and made all of the silverware engraved with the M of the Malfoy Family crest.
When he was done he looked around and gave a grimace. He wanted to change and so he was. He was not going to be open to everyone anymore, he wanted to be like the Draco Malfoy he was when he was back in Hogwarts. He kept his dark grey and charcoal coloured clothes and his hair the same , but his personality was going to change. Around eleven o'clock he went to bed and he knew that when he got up in the morning, everything was going to be different.
* * *
When Ron and Hermione had arrived at Harry's place, he and Ginny were already there. They set her trunk down and looked at her. She was sitting on the couch reading a book while Harry was in the kitchen. Ron looked at Hermione and walked in the kitchen to find Harry at the stove with his back to him.
"Hey mate. I brought her stuff from Draco's. He's not doing so well. Anyway, how is she?" When Harry turned around, his eyes were brimming with tears and they were red from crying. Ron sat down on a stool at he bar and Harry followed suit.
"She's fine. Perfect, except for the fact that she acts fifteen. Does he hate me?" Ron sighed an looked away. Harry hadn't made friends with Draco, but that was because Draco would never let Harry get to close to him to be friends. Harry wanted to be friends, not enemies, but Draco would only be civil. Even though Harry said he didn't want to be friends, he really did. He stared at a spot on the table and didn't answer for awhile.
"He is upset, I can tell you that. I know he's angry with us not just you. But yes, I'd have to say he does hate us right now." He looked at Harry again and saw that he was staring out of the kitchen window in thought.
"It's not our fault though. We couldn't help that she woke up remembering me. Do you think he'll come to work tomorrow?" His tone was flat, and Ron shifted in his chair.
"No I don't. But right now, I don't know what he is thinking now. I just hope that he won't close up again, but I have a strong feeling that he might. I am happy for you. I am. I'm glad that you got what you've been wanting since sixth year." He smiled and patted him on the shoulder. He stood up and made his way into the living room where Hermione and Ginny had been sitting on the couch. Hermione was patting Ginny's face which was flushed and was saying her name over again.
Ron flew to her side and asked her what was wrong. Hermione shook her head with tears in her eyes and then Ginny snapped out of it as if it had never happened. She opened her eyes and looked at Ron a little out of focus and smiled.
"It's good to see you Ron. Well, not to be rude or anything... but I'm a little tired and I feel like laying down. I'll see you guys tomorrow, I guess." With that she got up and walked to Harry's room to lay down. Ron helped Hermione stand up and walked to the door. He called to Harry letting him know that Ginny had laid down and that they were leaving.
Once they arrived at home, she jerked away from him and stalked into the bedroom. Ron raised his eyebrows and followed her. When he walked in, she was sitting on the bed and had her head in her hands. She looked up at him and glared.
"Is something wrong?" He was shocked to see her angry with him and he didn't know what he had done to make her angry.
"Yes. You should never had said what you said to Draco. I can't believe you. How could say that to him? After all he has been through?" She looked at him in disbelief and he felt anger bubble in his blood.
"I had every right to say that to him. He deserved it. What he has gone through is really nothing. I know he's been into St. Mungos and he has broken down twice, but so has Harry. I am happy for Harry and you should be too. He needs her more than Malfoy... er... Draco does." He stepped towards her and she looked at him. "You know it's true." He tried to stroke her hair but she pulled away from him.
"Yes, Harry and Draco have been through the same thing, but Harry never blamed himself for killing all those people and Draco blamed himself for Ginny's accident for six years. Harry was never emitted into St. Mungos for a depression. Harry has never drank, cut work, hurt himself or anything else that Draco has done or been through. I love Harry, I do and I am happy for him, but Draco needs someone. Anyone. If he doesn't then he'll close up and never talk to anyone or do anything socially healthy for him." She turned away and closed her eyes. "What you said to Draco might have been the truth, but he will take you literally and do something drastic. I know he will. We watched him for seven years and studied him just like he did us. Deep down he believes that you blame him for what happened to Ginny." She looked at him and he sat down next to her.
"He can't think that. I have never given him reason to believe it. He-" He was cut off by her finger being placed on his lips. She nodded and he laid back on his back. She laid down next to him and traced circles on his chest.
"He does."
* * *
Draco awoke early the next morning and took a shower. When he was in the shower he let the warm water wash over his body. It ran in lazy circles over his chest and down his abdomen. He turned so his chest was facing the pounding of the water and washed away the soap. He picked up the bottle of shampoo and squirted some into his hand. He ran his fingers threw his hair and washed the conditioner out. When he was finished he stepped out and wrapped a towel around his waist.
He walked in front of the mirror and reached for his toothbrush. When he finished brushing his teeth he looked for the comb and combed his hair back but didn't put any gel in his hair. He walked into his room and draped the towel over the edge of the chair. He put on his boxers then his trousers which were a dark charcoal colour. He slipped on his black socks and shoes and went to get his charcoal sweater.
When he was ready he went into the kitchen and got himself a cup of black coffee. He sat there and drank it all before he decided to go to work. If he wanted to prove to them that he had changed and doesn't need them he had to go to work. He stood up and went to find his Auror's cloak and as he looked for it he found a letter Ginny had written him six years ago. It was dated three days before she had her accident. He felt his fingers shake as he reached for it. He turned over the envelope and opened it. It read:
Dear Draco,
You are probably reading this and knowing by now that I have left. I was going to tell you, but I decided against it. I don't have to tell you why I am leaving. You should know. I don't want to have to leave, because I love you, but that isn't enough for me to stay here. It's hard for me to write this to you and explain why I want to leave. I know that our marriage is a binding one, but that doesn't mean that we can't get a Muggle divorce.
I want out of your life Draco. I need to have my own life. I love you, but you don't love me anymore. I know you did, but your love has dwindled over the past three years and I can't stay with someone who doesn't love me and who sleeps with other women. Harry has asked me to come and live with him until we can get the divorce finalized and I have accepted.
The other day I was thinking about the good times we had in the beginning of our relationship and it hurt. It hurt because then I knew we were happy and we are most definitely not anymore. I need love and I have given you the love you want, but you don't give any in return. Now, you can deny that you haven't slept with anyone, but I know different. Women talk, I've seen letters, and I've seen you with them as I have come to visit you in work. And I don't know for how long that I have let you touch me after you have touched all those women.
I don't want to be the second woman in your life. I want to be first and the only woman. But seeing as how you can't have one, I will leave you. So you can be happy. I want the best for you. I can't tell you how much I love you. I have to go now, and you can't stop me. I want this Draco because I'm not happy. So please, don't try to come after me because it will only hurt me in the process.
Forever my love,
Ginny
He finished it and sat down shakily on the seat. She hadn't wanted him to come after her. She wanted him to be happy so she was leaving and she was unhappy. He felt the breath go out of him as he stood up. He felt like he had been hit in the stomach with a bludger. He shook himself trying to rid the feeling he was having. He doesn't want to love her. He had tried to convince himself since she was awake that his feeling was a freak feeling. He was going to move on and was going to leave his love for Ginny behind. He walked over to the table and picked up his wand. He chanced and glace at the letter she had written and drew in a breath. He raised his wand and apparated to the office.
When he arrived Ron and Harry were already there and they glanced up expecting to see someone else, but when they saw him they stood up. Harry kept his eyes turned away as he stood there with his hands in his pockets.
"Draco, I didn't expect you to come to work. I'm glad you're here though, we all need to talk." Draco looked at him and nodded. He pulled the chair out from behind his desk and sat down gracefully. They pulled their chairs from behind their desks and sat down in them so they could talk.
"I do hope that this is important. I don't have any time to waste." They both looked taken aback by this comment and looked at each other. Harry closed his eyes, took off his glasses, and rubbed them. When he put his glasses back on, he looked Draco in the eye.
"It is important. It's about Ginny. We want you to know that even if Ginny is awake, nothing is going to change between any of us. We want you to be the same Draco Malfoy you have been. Even though she doesn't remember you, you are still family. We don't want you to close up and not tell us anything thing." Ron said as Draco messed with his robes. Draco knew they wanted him to be the same, but he just couldn't.
"That is all very heart-warming Weasley, but I have to change for the better. I am going to get a new position in the Ministry and I am moving on. I don't need you anymore and since she is awake and with Potter there is no need for me to be around any more. I have to let her go and I have to let my past go along with her." They sat in stunned silence as he stood. He walked to the door and heard Ron say his name.
"You don't have to do this. Don't do it. Don't disappear and be the Malfoy you were in Hogwarts. You can still come around and visit us, even if she is awake." He tried desperately to get Draco to see why he shouldn't but Draco wouldn't budge.
"She hates me, you hate me, Potter hates me. Tell me whether I should stay if all of you hate me. You blame me and so does Potter. I want my life to be different. I can't be around her knowing that she hates me and thinks I'm a Death Eater. I love her and want her to be happy. If she doesn't remember me than you both are happy. And in a few months you won't care about me anyway so it doesn't really matter. I don't want to be... It doesn't even matter. If you have anything you want to talk to be about, you know where to find me." He opened the door and walked briskly down the hall, his robes billowing out behind him. Harry got up and shut the door.
"That went fairly well." He said as he sat down on the corner of the desk.
* * *
Ginny was laying in the bed reading as a sudden feeling came to her. She held her head and closed her eyes. This happened lat night while she was talking to Hermione and it was the most discouraging thing. She felt like she had been sucked into someone's Pensieve and was standing in a memory. She looked to the left and saw Draco Malfoy walking with a redheaded girl. He wasn't touching her or annoying her, but it seemed that the girl liked him.
"So... how is Potter?" He tried to act if he was making casual conversation, but Ginny saw in his eyes how he looked at the girl.
"Harry... and he is doing fine. Since Voldemort is gone, everything has been much different including you. Which isn't a bad thing." She smiled up at him and Ginny saw that the girl was her and she looked to be about sixteen if a day. Draco gave a shy smile and looked away. "I like you like this." He looked at her and grinned.
"Are you and P- er... Harry still together?" She didn't miss the note of hope in his voice, but her younger self must've. He looked down at her while she looked out towards the grounds of Hogwarts and she nodded. He sighed and put his hands in his pockets. "If you're not busy this Saturday with The Dream Team, maybe you would like to get some butterbeer with me?" He was watching her watch her boyfriend and brother practice Quidditch and she turned to look at him.
"I'm not busy. Ron and Harry are actually practicing this Saturday. So yeah, I'd like to. Hermione is going to be studying while they play so I was going to go by myself. But since you asked, I'll take you up on that offer." She smiled and he smiled back. Ginny noticed the way he looked at her and wondered if she had ever noticed when she was at Hogwarts.
The scene became fuzzy as it changed from them standing in the entrance hall to them sitting in Honeydukes.
She was sipping on her butterbeer and was watching Draco as he tried to find his wand. She smiled when he patted all sides of him and looked confused.
"I know I had it with me..." He muttered to himself as he took off his cloak and searched in the pockets. Ginny looked at her younger self and smiled when she saw that she had his wand in her hand. He looked up at her and narrowed his eyes. "You have it don't you?" She started laughing and he grinned. She held it up and he made a grab for it. When she pulled it back from his reach he sat back and crossed his arms. "I do need that you know. I still am curious as to how you got that away from me without my knowledge." She smiled and shrugged.
"You'll never know now will you?" He sighed and stood up leaving. Her face fell and she looked hurt. "Where're you going?" He turned to her and gave her a smirk. He never answered her but just flew out of the drink shop. She giggled and followed. When she walked outside she looked around and crossed her arms trying to look for him. She say someone blonde and thought it was him so she started to run after him, but when someone grabbed her from around the waist she shrieked and turned in the arms.
He was laughing and she was glaring at him. She pushed away from him and she placed her hands on her hips.
"That isn't funny. You scared me! I thought you just left and I thought that that blonde over there was you!" He stopped laughing and walked towards her. He was close to her that he could've kissed her. Ginny stood rooted to the spot seeing this interaction between them. Her younger self was dating Harry and was about to kiss Draco. Draco lifted a hand and caressed her cheek. Her eyes closed and she dropped his wand. He bent down and brushed his lips upon the younger version of Ginny. She watched as herself and Draco kissed and felt torn. She didn't know why this was happening or what this was, but it felt good.
She slid her hands around his head and pulled him closer as he deepened the kiss. When he pulled back both of their cheeks were a rosy red. It was snowing and they were out snogging in public. He looked at her and was about to say something when he pulled back all of a sudden. She bent down and picked up his wand and handed it to him without touching him. She turned away from him and began walking.
"Ginny! Ginny wait!" He ran to catch up with her and Ginny saw tears in her eyes. "What's wrong?" He looked clearly confused and she stopped and looked at him.
"I can't do this with you. I an Harry's girlfriend and it's unfaithful to him. I like you, but we can only be friends. I'm sorry." He looked down at his hands and found them very interesting. He muttered an apology and turned around and walked back up to the castle. Ginny watched her younger self walk slowly back and followed her listening to what she was saying.
"I love Harry, I do. Don't I? If I do then why do I feel this way about Dr-Malfoy? I just don't know. I mean... Draco and I have been friends since October and it's only December, but can that change how I feel about Harry? I like Harry but it's not the same anymore. I like Draco and he seems to like me too, but why is it that every time I see him I end up kissing him? I know I'm with Harry, but... I just can't help but feel I'm right for Draco." She sighed and closed her eyes. She looked towards the Quidditch field and watching Harry sadly. He turned in time and saw her so he waved. She waved back and he flew down to the ground and called to Ron for a break.
He jogged up to her and hugged her. He looked down at her and kissed her lightly on the lips. He pulled away and draped his arm over her shoulder. She reached up and held his hand with hers as they walked back to castle.
"I'm sorry I couldn't come to Hogsmede with you this weekend. Or for the last few weeks. Ron really wants to win the Quidditch cup and I can't say no. You know how Ron gets, and I hate to tell him no. I miss you. I love you." She looked at him and he captured her lips in a kiss unlike Draco's. Draco's was gentle and soft, but Harry's was a little rough. Harry's lips were hot and Draco's were cold. Ginny stood there watching sadly and her younger self looked sad. When he pulled back he slid his arm around her waist and pulled her close to his side. She looked up towards the Owlery feeling someone watching and saw no one.
But Ginny saw who it was. Draco Malfoy was watching her and he looked angry. Ginny opened her eyes and felt her face. It felt flushed and she got up to go to the bathroom. She stood up and felt lost. Had she left Harry for a Death Eater? She loved Harry, every time she saw him her heart fluttered. Yet in the "memory", she felt that she should've been with Draco and that feeling alone left her feeling scared.
A/N: I'm sorry, but this one took longer then I had anticipated for. I know it's not the best chapter so far, but I tried. J As I wrote the part about Draco changing, I was listening to the song: Here Without You by 3 Doors Down. I am going to tell you one thing about the next chapter. It will be a big surprise! It's not what you are expecting. J I can be contacted at holdclan@hotmail.com or just go to www.livejournal.com and look for iamsamshope. I also have a Yahoo id for YIM: iamsamshope. Thank you for all the very nice reviews.
Reviewers:
Vallennica: Thank you. I'm very proud of it myself.
k: You do? *blushes* I thank you. J
A.C. Munich: I take it you think it's good since all you can say is Wow? Lol.
StarCrossedFate: Thanks! I'm glad you think it's brilliant. J *blushes* I've got you hooked huh? Just wait till later...
Lady Lestrange: Does it being original mean it's good? Lol
Neni Potter: Well... It looks as if you got your wish. She is gonna be with Harry for quite sometime... J For your second review... I'm glad you think it's wonderful.
the_glom: Hey A... I'm glad you think it's good. I need help to... Lol. I'll talk to you later... J
cosmoz: Lol. That was funny. There's not really a lot of violence in the first few chapters, and I doubt Ginny will slap him again, but who knows? I do!! Lol. J
Kitti MAlfoy: Thanks! I think I might finish the story. J Lol.
Maybe she will remember in time, but even if she did she would eventually remember the fight they had to make her get hit. Maybe she would fall in love with him again, if he tried hard enough, but was that fair to Harry? He deserved something too. He had not had a girlfriend in so long and now Ginny was awake and she thought that she was with him, not Draco. Harry got what he wanted. Now it was Draco's turn to wait.
He heard two pops downstairs and then he heard slow footsteps walking up to his room. They knew he would be here, he was a lot of the time. He sat up and looked at them as they walked in the room and sat down dejectedly on a chair.
"I am sorry Draco. I had forgotten that she had been with Harry through the war. I am so sorry Draco." Hermione said in-between sobs. She was crying and Ron was rubbing her back soothingly. He had his face in her bushy brown hair and was talking quietly to her.
"It is not your fault. It should be this way. I don't deserve to have Ginny, but Harry... Harry needs her. He has needed her, and I made her leave." He looked at Ron, who looked sadly at Draco. He closed his eyes and sighed. When he opened his eyes he didn't look at Draco as he spoke.
"I know you are hurting, but as you said, you do not deserve to have Ginny. It may hurt to hear this, but you have to hear it. Harry deserves to have her, not you. You were not good to her at all. I, personally, did not want her to remember you. I know it's wrong for me to say that, but it's the truth. You know it is. I am not saying that what happened to her is your fault, but that is how I feel." He now turned his gaze to his and Hermione looked up into the face of her husband. She sat up and walked out of the room mumbling something incoherent.
Draco sighed and ran a hand over his face. He knew that everything that Ron had just said was the truth. He knew that he had done nothing to get his prayers answered, but there was always hope. Sadly, there didn't seem to be any hope for him. So he sat there looking at Ron and trying to figure out what exactly he wanted to do. He didn't feel like crying, his crying days were over and he was far from crying now.
"I don't know what to do. I can't face Harry now. Not after this, it's just to much to swallow and digest at the same time. I want you to leave now Ron, it'll be best if you do. I need to think and get everything straight and get her stuff together. She won't be coming back for awhile, if not ever again. I will not be coming back to work tomorrow. I'll floo you when I am coming back and when I want to talk to you." He had stood up and had gotten out her trunk and had taken her trousers and had placed them neatly inside. When Ron made no move to leave, Draco lost it. He threw her blouse on the floor and whirled on Ron and anger burned in his eyes. Ron hadn't seen that anger in his eyes since they were back at Hogwarts. At that moment Ron felt scared. Draco had not been this angry in more than nine years and Ron had almost forgotten what it was like to be under his wrath.
"Dammit Ron! I told you to leave! I don't want you in my house again! Ever!" He had pulled Ron up out of the chair and was trying to pull him towards the door. But Ron's feet were planted firmly on the ground. He looked into Draco's eyes and under all that anger was fear, pain, and hatred. He was startled at first to see the hatred, but it was nothing compared to the fear and pain in his eyes. Draco was afraid he would never get his Ginny back and it hurt. He had blamed himself all these years and it made the pain worse. Deep down he hated Harry, and it was showing in his eyes now. He hated Harry for taking his Ginny and he hated Ron for wanting all this to come true to him and make him hurt.
Ron knew that Draco was just hurt and upset now and that he didn't mean what he was saying, but he knew Draco would not come to work and would bury himself inside and would close the doors to his heart that had been locked until Ginny had come into his life. He knew Draco would not want to talk to him and Hermione for a long time, but they had to understand his pain. But Ron, being as stubborn as he is, wouldn't let Draco close himself up like that. He had watched what that had done to him earlier in Ginny's coma, but he had also seen what it had done to Harry.
Draco's chest was heaving with pent up anger and he wanted to be alone. Ron was refusing to leave and all he could do was try and make him see. Make him see that he didn't want Ron, that he didn't need him. Draco let go of his robes and went to gather the rest of her things. When he had it all packed he threw the trunk at Ron's feet. He sighed when he didn't move and sunk to the floor with his back to the bed.
"Please go, please. I need to be alone and I don't want you or anyone bothering me. Please?" Ron rolled his tongue in his mouth, trying to send this feeling of dread away. Draco had never begged before and he was doing it now.
"Fine... I'll go." When he said this he walked out of the room and closed the door behind him, carrying Ginny's trunk with him down into the living room where Hermione was waiting patiently. Before she could say anything, Ron looked at her and apparated. Soon she followed suit.
When Draco heard both the pops of apparating he stood up and walked into the bathroom. He looked around and decided it was time for him to change. He went about the house and took down all of the pictures of Ginny. He put them in a box, sealed it, and placed it in the attic. He decided to change the colours to green and silver instead of her favourite colours. He changed the sheets to black silk and made all of the silverware engraved with the M of the Malfoy Family crest.
When he was done he looked around and gave a grimace. He wanted to change and so he was. He was not going to be open to everyone anymore, he wanted to be like the Draco Malfoy he was when he was back in Hogwarts. He kept his dark grey and charcoal coloured clothes and his hair the same , but his personality was going to change. Around eleven o'clock he went to bed and he knew that when he got up in the morning, everything was going to be different.
When Ron and Hermione had arrived at Harry's place, he and Ginny were already there. They set her trunk down and looked at her. She was sitting on the couch reading a book while Harry was in the kitchen. Ron looked at Hermione and walked in the kitchen to find Harry at the stove with his back to him.
"Hey mate. I brought her stuff from Draco's. He's not doing so well. Anyway, how is she?" When Harry turned around, his eyes were brimming with tears and they were red from crying. Ron sat down on a stool at he bar and Harry followed suit.
"She's fine. Perfect, except for the fact that she acts fifteen. Does he hate me?" Ron sighed an looked away. Harry hadn't made friends with Draco, but that was because Draco would never let Harry get to close to him to be friends. Harry wanted to be friends, not enemies, but Draco would only be civil. Even though Harry said he didn't want to be friends, he really did. He stared at a spot on the table and didn't answer for awhile.
"He is upset, I can tell you that. I know he's angry with us not just you. But yes, I'd have to say he does hate us right now." He looked at Harry again and saw that he was staring out of the kitchen window in thought.
"It's not our fault though. We couldn't help that she woke up remembering me. Do you think he'll come to work tomorrow?" His tone was flat, and Ron shifted in his chair.
"No I don't. But right now, I don't know what he is thinking now. I just hope that he won't close up again, but I have a strong feeling that he might. I am happy for you. I am. I'm glad that you got what you've been wanting since sixth year." He smiled and patted him on the shoulder. He stood up and made his way into the living room where Hermione and Ginny had been sitting on the couch. Hermione was patting Ginny's face which was flushed and was saying her name over again.
Ron flew to her side and asked her what was wrong. Hermione shook her head with tears in her eyes and then Ginny snapped out of it as if it had never happened. She opened her eyes and looked at Ron a little out of focus and smiled.
"It's good to see you Ron. Well, not to be rude or anything... but I'm a little tired and I feel like laying down. I'll see you guys tomorrow, I guess." With that she got up and walked to Harry's room to lay down. Ron helped Hermione stand up and walked to the door. He called to Harry letting him know that Ginny had laid down and that they were leaving.
Once they arrived at home, she jerked away from him and stalked into the bedroom. Ron raised his eyebrows and followed her. When he walked in, she was sitting on the bed and had her head in her hands. She looked up at him and glared.
"Is something wrong?" He was shocked to see her angry with him and he didn't know what he had done to make her angry.
"Yes. You should never had said what you said to Draco. I can't believe you. How could say that to him? After all he has been through?" She looked at him in disbelief and he felt anger bubble in his blood.
"I had every right to say that to him. He deserved it. What he has gone through is really nothing. I know he's been into St. Mungos and he has broken down twice, but so has Harry. I am happy for Harry and you should be too. He needs her more than Malfoy... er... Draco does." He stepped towards her and she looked at him. "You know it's true." He tried to stroke her hair but she pulled away from him.
"Yes, Harry and Draco have been through the same thing, but Harry never blamed himself for killing all those people and Draco blamed himself for Ginny's accident for six years. Harry was never emitted into St. Mungos for a depression. Harry has never drank, cut work, hurt himself or anything else that Draco has done or been through. I love Harry, I do and I am happy for him, but Draco needs someone. Anyone. If he doesn't then he'll close up and never talk to anyone or do anything socially healthy for him." She turned away and closed her eyes. "What you said to Draco might have been the truth, but he will take you literally and do something drastic. I know he will. We watched him for seven years and studied him just like he did us. Deep down he believes that you blame him for what happened to Ginny." She looked at him and he sat down next to her.
"He can't think that. I have never given him reason to believe it. He-" He was cut off by her finger being placed on his lips. She nodded and he laid back on his back. She laid down next to him and traced circles on his chest.
"He does."
He walked in front of the mirror and reached for his toothbrush. When he finished brushing his teeth he looked for the comb and combed his hair back but didn't put any gel in his hair. He walked into his room and draped the towel over the edge of the chair. He put on his boxers then his trousers which were a dark charcoal colour. He slipped on his black socks and shoes and went to get his charcoal sweater.
When he was ready he went into the kitchen and got himself a cup of black coffee. He sat there and drank it all before he decided to go to work. If he wanted to prove to them that he had changed and doesn't need them he had to go to work. He stood up and went to find his Auror's cloak and as he looked for it he found a letter Ginny had written him six years ago. It was dated three days before she had her accident. He felt his fingers shake as he reached for it. He turned over the envelope and opened it. It read:
Dear Draco,
You are probably reading this and knowing by now that I have left. I was going to tell you, but I decided against it. I don't have to tell you why I am leaving. You should know. I don't want to have to leave, because I love you, but that isn't enough for me to stay here. It's hard for me to write this to you and explain why I want to leave. I know that our marriage is a binding one, but that doesn't mean that we can't get a Muggle divorce.
I want out of your life Draco. I need to have my own life. I love you, but you don't love me anymore. I know you did, but your love has dwindled over the past three years and I can't stay with someone who doesn't love me and who sleeps with other women. Harry has asked me to come and live with him until we can get the divorce finalized and I have accepted.
The other day I was thinking about the good times we had in the beginning of our relationship and it hurt. It hurt because then I knew we were happy and we are most definitely not anymore. I need love and I have given you the love you want, but you don't give any in return. Now, you can deny that you haven't slept with anyone, but I know different. Women talk, I've seen letters, and I've seen you with them as I have come to visit you in work. And I don't know for how long that I have let you touch me after you have touched all those women.
I don't want to be the second woman in your life. I want to be first and the only woman. But seeing as how you can't have one, I will leave you. So you can be happy. I want the best for you. I can't tell you how much I love you. I have to go now, and you can't stop me. I want this Draco because I'm not happy. So please, don't try to come after me because it will only hurt me in the process.
Forever my love,
Ginny
He finished it and sat down shakily on the seat. She hadn't wanted him to come after her. She wanted him to be happy so she was leaving and she was unhappy. He felt the breath go out of him as he stood up. He felt like he had been hit in the stomach with a bludger. He shook himself trying to rid the feeling he was having. He doesn't want to love her. He had tried to convince himself since she was awake that his feeling was a freak feeling. He was going to move on and was going to leave his love for Ginny behind. He walked over to the table and picked up his wand. He chanced and glace at the letter she had written and drew in a breath. He raised his wand and apparated to the office.
When he arrived Ron and Harry were already there and they glanced up expecting to see someone else, but when they saw him they stood up. Harry kept his eyes turned away as he stood there with his hands in his pockets.
"Draco, I didn't expect you to come to work. I'm glad you're here though, we all need to talk." Draco looked at him and nodded. He pulled the chair out from behind his desk and sat down gracefully. They pulled their chairs from behind their desks and sat down in them so they could talk.
"I do hope that this is important. I don't have any time to waste." They both looked taken aback by this comment and looked at each other. Harry closed his eyes, took off his glasses, and rubbed them. When he put his glasses back on, he looked Draco in the eye.
"It is important. It's about Ginny. We want you to know that even if Ginny is awake, nothing is going to change between any of us. We want you to be the same Draco Malfoy you have been. Even though she doesn't remember you, you are still family. We don't want you to close up and not tell us anything thing." Ron said as Draco messed with his robes. Draco knew they wanted him to be the same, but he just couldn't.
"That is all very heart-warming Weasley, but I have to change for the better. I am going to get a new position in the Ministry and I am moving on. I don't need you anymore and since she is awake and with Potter there is no need for me to be around any more. I have to let her go and I have to let my past go along with her." They sat in stunned silence as he stood. He walked to the door and heard Ron say his name.
"You don't have to do this. Don't do it. Don't disappear and be the Malfoy you were in Hogwarts. You can still come around and visit us, even if she is awake." He tried desperately to get Draco to see why he shouldn't but Draco wouldn't budge.
"She hates me, you hate me, Potter hates me. Tell me whether I should stay if all of you hate me. You blame me and so does Potter. I want my life to be different. I can't be around her knowing that she hates me and thinks I'm a Death Eater. I love her and want her to be happy. If she doesn't remember me than you both are happy. And in a few months you won't care about me anyway so it doesn't really matter. I don't want to be... It doesn't even matter. If you have anything you want to talk to be about, you know where to find me." He opened the door and walked briskly down the hall, his robes billowing out behind him. Harry got up and shut the door.
"That went fairly well." He said as he sat down on the corner of the desk.
Ginny was laying in the bed reading as a sudden feeling came to her. She held her head and closed her eyes. This happened lat night while she was talking to Hermione and it was the most discouraging thing. She felt like she had been sucked into someone's Pensieve and was standing in a memory. She looked to the left and saw Draco Malfoy walking with a redheaded girl. He wasn't touching her or annoying her, but it seemed that the girl liked him.
"So... how is Potter?" He tried to act if he was making casual conversation, but Ginny saw in his eyes how he looked at the girl.
"Harry... and he is doing fine. Since Voldemort is gone, everything has been much different including you. Which isn't a bad thing." She smiled up at him and Ginny saw that the girl was her and she looked to be about sixteen if a day. Draco gave a shy smile and looked away. "I like you like this." He looked at her and grinned.
"Are you and P- er... Harry still together?" She didn't miss the note of hope in his voice, but her younger self must've. He looked down at her while she looked out towards the grounds of Hogwarts and she nodded. He sighed and put his hands in his pockets. "If you're not busy this Saturday with The Dream Team, maybe you would like to get some butterbeer with me?" He was watching her watch her boyfriend and brother practice Quidditch and she turned to look at him.
"I'm not busy. Ron and Harry are actually practicing this Saturday. So yeah, I'd like to. Hermione is going to be studying while they play so I was going to go by myself. But since you asked, I'll take you up on that offer." She smiled and he smiled back. Ginny noticed the way he looked at her and wondered if she had ever noticed when she was at Hogwarts.
The scene became fuzzy as it changed from them standing in the entrance hall to them sitting in Honeydukes.
She was sipping on her butterbeer and was watching Draco as he tried to find his wand. She smiled when he patted all sides of him and looked confused.
"I know I had it with me..." He muttered to himself as he took off his cloak and searched in the pockets. Ginny looked at her younger self and smiled when she saw that she had his wand in her hand. He looked up at her and narrowed his eyes. "You have it don't you?" She started laughing and he grinned. She held it up and he made a grab for it. When she pulled it back from his reach he sat back and crossed his arms. "I do need that you know. I still am curious as to how you got that away from me without my knowledge." She smiled and shrugged.
"You'll never know now will you?" He sighed and stood up leaving. Her face fell and she looked hurt. "Where're you going?" He turned to her and gave her a smirk. He never answered her but just flew out of the drink shop. She giggled and followed. When she walked outside she looked around and crossed her arms trying to look for him. She say someone blonde and thought it was him so she started to run after him, but when someone grabbed her from around the waist she shrieked and turned in the arms.
He was laughing and she was glaring at him. She pushed away from him and she placed her hands on her hips.
"That isn't funny. You scared me! I thought you just left and I thought that that blonde over there was you!" He stopped laughing and walked towards her. He was close to her that he could've kissed her. Ginny stood rooted to the spot seeing this interaction between them. Her younger self was dating Harry and was about to kiss Draco. Draco lifted a hand and caressed her cheek. Her eyes closed and she dropped his wand. He bent down and brushed his lips upon the younger version of Ginny. She watched as herself and Draco kissed and felt torn. She didn't know why this was happening or what this was, but it felt good.
She slid her hands around his head and pulled him closer as he deepened the kiss. When he pulled back both of their cheeks were a rosy red. It was snowing and they were out snogging in public. He looked at her and was about to say something when he pulled back all of a sudden. She bent down and picked up his wand and handed it to him without touching him. She turned away from him and began walking.
"Ginny! Ginny wait!" He ran to catch up with her and Ginny saw tears in her eyes. "What's wrong?" He looked clearly confused and she stopped and looked at him.
"I can't do this with you. I an Harry's girlfriend and it's unfaithful to him. I like you, but we can only be friends. I'm sorry." He looked down at his hands and found them very interesting. He muttered an apology and turned around and walked back up to the castle. Ginny watched her younger self walk slowly back and followed her listening to what she was saying.
"I love Harry, I do. Don't I? If I do then why do I feel this way about Dr-Malfoy? I just don't know. I mean... Draco and I have been friends since October and it's only December, but can that change how I feel about Harry? I like Harry but it's not the same anymore. I like Draco and he seems to like me too, but why is it that every time I see him I end up kissing him? I know I'm with Harry, but... I just can't help but feel I'm right for Draco." She sighed and closed her eyes. She looked towards the Quidditch field and watching Harry sadly. He turned in time and saw her so he waved. She waved back and he flew down to the ground and called to Ron for a break.
He jogged up to her and hugged her. He looked down at her and kissed her lightly on the lips. He pulled away and draped his arm over her shoulder. She reached up and held his hand with hers as they walked back to castle.
"I'm sorry I couldn't come to Hogsmede with you this weekend. Or for the last few weeks. Ron really wants to win the Quidditch cup and I can't say no. You know how Ron gets, and I hate to tell him no. I miss you. I love you." She looked at him and he captured her lips in a kiss unlike Draco's. Draco's was gentle and soft, but Harry's was a little rough. Harry's lips were hot and Draco's were cold. Ginny stood there watching sadly and her younger self looked sad. When he pulled back he slid his arm around her waist and pulled her close to his side. She looked up towards the Owlery feeling someone watching and saw no one.
But Ginny saw who it was. Draco Malfoy was watching her and he looked angry. Ginny opened her eyes and felt her face. It felt flushed and she got up to go to the bathroom. She stood up and felt lost. Had she left Harry for a Death Eater? She loved Harry, every time she saw him her heart fluttered. Yet in the "memory", she felt that she should've been with Draco and that feeling alone left her feeling scared.
A/N: I'm sorry, but this one took longer then I had anticipated for. I know it's not the best chapter so far, but I tried. J As I wrote the part about Draco changing, I was listening to the song: Here Without You by 3 Doors Down. I am going to tell you one thing about the next chapter. It will be a big surprise! It's not what you are expecting. J I can be contacted at holdclan@hotmail.com or just go to www.livejournal.com and look for iamsamshope. I also have a Yahoo id for YIM: iamsamshope. Thank you for all the very nice reviews.
Reviewers:
Vallennica: Thank you. I'm very proud of it myself.
k: You do? *blushes* I thank you. J
A.C. Munich: I take it you think it's good since all you can say is Wow? Lol.
StarCrossedFate: Thanks! I'm glad you think it's brilliant. J *blushes* I've got you hooked huh? Just wait till later...
Lady Lestrange: Does it being original mean it's good? Lol
Neni Potter: Well... It looks as if you got your wish. She is gonna be with Harry for quite sometime... J For your second review... I'm glad you think it's wonderful.
the_glom: Hey A... I'm glad you think it's good. I need help to... Lol. I'll talk to you later... J
cosmoz: Lol. That was funny. There's not really a lot of violence in the first few chapters, and I doubt Ginny will slap him again, but who knows? I do!! Lol. J
Kitti MAlfoy: Thanks! I think I might finish the story. J Lol.