Authors' note: Thank you all so much for your support, it really means the world to me! You're what keep me going right now, what with all the homework and tests.
This chapter begins with Dracos' point of view, hence the use of more curses.
Chapter four: More memoriesDraco was pacing, he never paced. Ever. Until now. He had absolutly no idea what to make of this new situation. He was a buisness-man for crying out loud, not a shrink! He was lousy when it came to feelings and emotions, and (hopefully) temporary memoryloss'sHe ran a hand through his hair and sighed. This was not how it was supposed to be, Ginny had always been his safety line, the person he could trust when everything was crap. Well, now everything was crap and she was… not herself. Sure she looked like his wife, she talked like his wife, she even bloody acted like his wife sometimes!
He went to one of the smaller living rooms, unintentionaly he ended up in Ginny's favourite; everything was decorated in gold and dark red. Except for a silver frame with his picture. He smirked slightly, that one had always bugged Ginny to no end.
He sat down in the big comfy sofa Ginny loved so much and considered whether or not to turn the TV on to get his mind off of everything. But just as he picked up the remote to see if MTV had anything to offer, his cell phone rang. He took it out of his jeans pocket and looked at the caller ID before he answered very rude:
"What do you want, Blaise?"
"Oh, somebody's cranky." Came the sassy reply. "You called earlier while I was… busy." Blaise snickered. "That Jessica is one hell of a morning person, if you know what I'm saying."
If it had been any other day, Draco would have at least smirked, but right now, he was not in the mood for Blaise and his antics. He growled impatient. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Something's seriously wrong with Ginny." He blurted out.
"What do you mean, wrong? What is she, on a diet?"
"No, smart ass. I mean seriously wrong, as in she doesn't remember we're married."
The other line went silent for a split second. "Well, maybe her mind is just suppressing something unpleasant… You're sure she's not messing with you? You know, instead of faking a headach she fakes a memoryloss."
"No, she doesn't recall anything of our life together!" Draco said annoyed. "Dumbledore said it's a lesson she needs to learn or some crap like that."
"Ah, and the great Dumbledore has spoken…" Draco could practicly hear him rolling his eyes. "She doesn't remember you're married, you say? Then what does she remember?"
"That's the problem! I don't know! She said a lot of bull about I and Snape killing Dumbledore." His eyes narrowed. "And some shit about Potter and her."
Blaise whistled sympathetic. "Potter, huh? Didn't she get over him ten years ago?"
"She believes she's turning sixteen this August." Draco's voice was very dry. The only pleasure he got out of that line was that he obviously managed to shut up Blaise.
"Dude, you realize what this means, right?" He said after a long silence. Was there laughter in his voice?
"What?" He was almost afraid to ask.
"Unless you fix this soon - " There was laughter! " – you won't be getting any for a loooong time!"
…Fuck! Thankfully he was spared the necessity of answering by the shout of said Ginny. Dracos instincts kicked in immediately and he was halfway down the corridor leading to the room where he had left her, in record time. Distantly he heard Blaise's voice coming from the cell saying something unaudible. He was barely inside the room before Ginny's piercing brown eyes stopped him dead in his tracks.
"What happened, Gin? Are you alright?"
"Who is that?" She pointed with a shaky hand at the picture of a little silver blonde girl of about three, with big brown eyes and a huge smile.
"Danielle, why?" He asked a touch wary.
"How old is she?" Her voice was shaky too.
"She turned three two months ago, why?" What is she getting at?
"She's ours, isn't she?"
"What?" Huh?
"She's our daughter, right? How else's baby could she be, what with those eyes and that hair!" She sounded almost hysterical.
He faintly heared Blaise laughing out loud from the cell phone. Draco snapped the cell shut and put it back in his pocket with gritted theeth. He did not want an audience for this conversation, especially not a laughing one.
"Danielle is –"
"Oh Merlin." Ginny hiccuped. " This is not happening. I don't even remember my own baby! This is so not happening."
"- Your niece." Draco eplained very calm. "She's Bill and Fleur's youngest child, not ours."
She inhaled slowly. "… You sure?"
He nodded patiently with an arched brow.
She closed her eyes and smiled briefly. "Oh, thank you sweet Merlin for your mercy!"
Draco didn't say anything, he just watched her, waiting for her next move.
"So… eh…" She began dumbly. He almost smirked, so typical her to wanting to break the silence. "How many nieces and nephews do I have?"
"All together there're thirteen Weasley-brats running around in the country. They're all here on the wall." He geastured to all of the pictures.
"Thirteen?" Ginny mumbled and smiled. "Mum must be thrilled…"
"She is." Draco confirmed, even though he was pretty certain she was talking to herself. She looked somehow very lost, not as much as before, but still way to lost for his taste. It was strange, seing her but not being able to touch her like he wanted to. He clenched his fists. If she couldn't remember, he was going to make her remember! No matter how long it would take, he would make her remember him. Them. Everything. That he vowed. He extended his hand.
"Come, I want to show you something."
DG
Ginny had after a seconds hesitation, taken his hand and let herself being led out of the room, down the grand stairs and into the hall where he told her to pick a pair of shoes, out of at least two dozen. She didn't really want to keep him waiting, she took the first shoes she got her hands on and put them on. Halfway down the stairs leading outside did she realise she suddenly was four inches taller. She looked down perplexed. But of course… out of all the shoes, I had to choose the pair I won't be able to walk in… Great, just great… Not only don't I know where he's taking me, now I won't be able to run from it!
"Relax, Gin." Malfoy's deep voice said from the bottom of the stairs. "We're just going to walk in the garden. Nothing else."
She didn't respond, only followed him silently, watching her surroundings.
It truly was a beautiful garden. Well-mowned lawn, with trees and flowers neatly spread all over it and a lane where she could safely walk without her heels getting stuck in the grass. And it was, like everything else in this place, huge. Run two laps around the whole property and you'd be exhusted!
"It so pretty…" said Ginny with a small smile.
"That's why we bought it." Malfoy was stone-faced. "You insisted we'd buy the house after you saw this." He rounded a corner and Ginny was, for some reason, almost afraid to follow him. But, as they say; curiosity killed the cat; Ginny was right behind him.
It took all of her willpower not to scream very girly and high-pitched. The house had a private lake, a very beautiful little lake with a small bridge.
:.: "What about this one?" Draco said and pointed at the next page in the magazine. It illustrated a very large, black manor with a roof in the same color.
"It's nice, but way too depressing." Ginny wrinkled her nose. "Our future kids would be emotionally scarred for life!"
"Hmpf…" Was Dracos´ only reply as he turned some more pages to find the next house. This one was grey with a very dark blue roof, smaller than the previous one, a bit too small for his taste, which she knew very well, but chose to ignore. She liked it!
"This one I like! It's really pretty!" She smiled. The garden was great, and that was the only must-be she had. Draco turned the page to see the house from another angle.
"Still good…" She nodded when a balcony came into view. Another page was turned and Ginny drew in a deep breath. According to the magazine, the house came with a private lake!
"I want this house! Please, Draco?" She pleaded with stars in her eyes.
"Why?" He said, not entirely immune to her plea. "Don't you think it's a bit small?"
"My parents house could fit in it at least fifteen times!" She pointed out dryly. "Besides, I've always wanted my own lake! Please, Draco?" She asked again. "Please?" She threw her arms around his neck, and put her head on his shoulder.
He sighed and, if she heard right, cursed softly. "Fine, we'll go first thing in the morning and take a look at it."
She smiled content. :.:
"Did you want an even bigger house than this?" Ginny asked without thinking.
He turned his head slowly to meet her eyes. "Why do you ask?"
Shit… She stared at him blankly. "I don't know…"
He didn't press the matter instead he began to walk towards the lake. She had no choice but to follow him. She took a step in the grass and couldn't for some reason take another.
Damnit, my shoes! She took them of with the greatest relief. She left them in the grass, not feeling the slightest guilty, despite the sparkling jewles on the straps. She liked walking without shoes anyway… She caught up with Malfoy and walked by his side. What she did not notice was Malfoy falling back slightly so Ginny led the way.
They walked silently by the shore, Ginny watching the surroundings, Malfoy watching her. After walking for barely five minutes they encountered an oak with a swing. As in a trance she walked over to it and put her right hand on it.
:.: "A swing?" Draco asked disbelieved.
"Ah huh!" Ginny smiled.
"You bought a swing?"
She nodded.
"If my mother sees it she will throw a fit. You know, she almost had a heart attack when I asked for one when I was five."
"Why?" Ginny asked puzzled.
"Because I'm a Malfoy!" He said arrogantly. "A Malfoy can not find pleasure in something as utterly useless like a swing!" He imitated his mother voice.
"Poor baby!" Ginny said compassionate. "You must have been crushed!"
He shrugged. "I got over it."
"The more reason for us to have one!" She said determined. "I know the perfect place for it!"
Draco only shook his head and rolled his eyes.
"Maybe I'll show your mother around when she comes for a visit, and maybe we'll just happen to pass it by…" She somehow managed to smirk innocently.
He matched her with a smirk of his own. :.:
"Did I?" Ginny asked in a, to her ears, strangly distant voice.
"Did you what?" Malfoy asked confused.
"Did I show your mother around? Did I show her this swing?"
He looked at her carefully. "You remember?"
"I don't know…" She said quietly. "I - I think so. Maybe. But not all of it!" She added quickly when she saw hope lighten his eyes. "Only small pieces… Very small pieces."
He said nothing, but the light in his eyes did not fade either. He put his arms around her, apparently ignoring the fact she turned as stiff as a stick.
A strange ringing tone spared her the agony of being hugged by Malfoy. Malfoy and hug in the same sentence? What has the world come to? He released her and picked up the device she recognized from earlier, pressed a button and put it to his ear.
"Yes?"
Was he talking to it? Okay, now she was confused. She knew she should have taken muggle-studies!
"It's for you." Malfoy extended the thing to her. She took it uncertainly and mimicked his actions by putting it to her ear. "Yes?"
"Hi, Ginny!" Hermiones unmistakable voice greeted her.
"Hermione?" She asked disbelieved. Where did she come from?
"Yes, I tried to call your cell phone, but you didn't answer. Have you been busy?"
"Er… no, not really…"
"Anyway, about our lunch appointment today."
"Lunch… appointment?"
"Yes, today at two o'clock. Did you forgot?"
"Eh… you could say that…"
"No matter, now you know." Hermione sighed. "Could we move it to one o'clock instead? I have a very important meeting at half past two and I really can't miss it!"
"Um… sure…"
"Great, I'll see you in half an hour then."
"Uh huh." It's only half past twelve! Somebody must hate her!
"Good bye!"
"Bye." She heard a clicking noise and gave the - cell phone? - back to Malfoy.
"What did she want?" He asked and pressed a button on the phone before putting it back in his pocket again.
"Lunch."
"When?"
What is this, Twenty Questions? "In half an hour."
"Where?" He asked. "I'll give you a ride."
That shut her up for a second. Damn… "I have no idea…"
DG
Author's note: And chapter four is up! What's it been since last time? A week? I'm proud of myself! Yes, I am smiling a disgustingly pleased smile. And yes, I'm in a happy mood! Hugs and kisses to everyone!