My apologies. I had intended to expand on this story, but I decided that it would be better to focus on getting my current works in progress finished instead of dedicating my writing time to a fic like this that was already completed for the exchange. Alas, I just don't get enough free time these days to juggle several stories and fandoms at once.

And now for the final chapter …

"Ginny!"

Ginny jumped in fright and swung around to see a pretty brunette grinning at her. Perfectly coiffed hair, big hazel eyes, and an outfit that would have made the models in Entrance magazine jealous. A sigh escaped the redhead's lips. Of course it had to be this witch.

"What do you want, Astoria?" Ginny asked, continuing to push her trolley down the supermarket aisle.

Astoria toddled after her in her strappy heels, designer handbag swinging at her side. "Aw, don't be like that, Ginny!" she pleaded. "And here I've been trying to find you all day!"

Ginny's left temple twitched. "Stalker."

Astoria giggled. "Maybe a little, but it's for a good purpose!"

The redhead just hunched her shoulders and kept walking, pausing only to toss the odd product into the trolley. This wasn't the first time she had been bombarded with an Astoria Attack. In fact, the sound of those heels clip-clopping along beside her had even begun to infiltrate Ginny's dreams. It was no wonder she had become so twitchy and jumpy. She couldn't seem to go anywhere without having Astoria appear and start buzzing around her like some extra fabulous, fashionista gnat.

"One of these days I'm going to get a restraining order placed on you," Ginny said grumpily. "Your stalking days will be over."

Astoria laughed and swatted Ginny on the shoulder. "Don't be silly. You will thank me for my efforts one day."

The nerve in Ginny's left temple twitched even more. "In case you haven't realised, I don't like it when people try to dictate my life for me."

"But—"

"Not even if it's written in the stars that I'm supposed to be with your ex," Ginny finished in a sour voice. "So, for the last time, leave me alone!"

Astoria pouted. "But you're destined to be together!"

Ginny made a frustrated sound and grabbed fistfuls of her hair, tugging at the red strands as if the tiny shoots of pain could ease her irritation. "What is wrong with you?" she demanded. "The two of you were engaged to be married not that long ago! Why the heck do you want to set me up with him now?"

"Because you're his true love," Astoria said, as if that answered everything.

Ginny shook her head, too exhausted to keep arguing. She knew from experience that it never got her anywhere. It had been several months since she had broken Malfoy's curse with a kiss. Most of the Wizarding World was still not aware of the facts, but Astoria had been told the full story. Since then, the brunette had made it her mission to bring Ginny and Malfoy together as a couple. And it was hell.

Astoria grabbed Ginny's hands and held them within her own. "Look, I know you keep saying that you don't want to be with Draco, but if you just got to know him more—"

"Not interested," Ginny said flatly, pulling her hands away.

Astoria huffed and stamped her foot. "Why are you both making this so difficult? Your true love is right in front of you and neither of you are even making an effort."

Ginny's mouth twitched. "Oh-ho, so Malfoy is being just as stubborn, is he?"

The brunette's eyes narrowed in remembrance. "He put wards up around his flat so that I couldn't get in. I only wanted him to ask you out on a date, but he said that if I kept pestering him about it, he would send me a pickled gherkin every day for the rest of my life."

A crease formed on Ginny's brow. "A pickled gherkin?"

Astoria shuddered. "Horrible green things with their slimy little bodies, and—" she broke off. "Uh, I mean, it's nothing. Just Draco's silly idea of a joke."

Ginny stared. Wow. Gherkin phobia. That was unexpected.

Astoria fidgeted with her bag. "Anyway, I was trying to find you so I could give you this." She offered a sealed envelope to the redhead. "Please accept it."

"What is—gyah!"

Magic sizzled through Ginny's fingers the moment she touched the envelope, followed by a sharp tug in her navel. The damn thing was a Portkey.

"ASTORIA!" Ginny shrieked.

But it was too late. The magic had done its work, and Ginny was already beginning to vanish. The last thing she saw was Astoria waving and telling her that she would finish up the grocery shopping and deliver everything to the redhead's flat. Then the supermarket disappeared and Ginny landed with a thump on something warm and solid. Something that had silvery-blond hair, pale skin, and—

"Kyah!"Ginny pulled her hands away from what was unmistakably a man's bare chest. "Malfoy!"

Malfoy groaned and shoved her off him. "The hell, Weasley?"

Ginny's cheeks burned. He was only wearing a towel. He was only wearing a towel and his hair was all wet and dripping little droplets down his body, and—oh gods!

"A-Astoria!" Ginny stammered, holding up the envelope. "Ambushed. Supermarket—" her voice jumped an octave when he stood up, giving her the full view of his (very, very nice) body. She squeezed her eyes shut. "Portkey!"

Malfoy heaved a sigh. "Damn that little idiot. I told her to stop meddling." When Ginny just continued to sit there with her eyes screwed shut, he leaned forward and flicked her in the forehead. "Oi, stop acting like a nutcase and get up."

Ginny's eyes snapped open. "Towel!" she squeaked.

There was an awkward pause. Malfoy shifted his gaze from her ever-reddening cheeks to the towel that had been (mercifully) wrapped around his waist to cover his male bits. A snort escaped his lips.

"I never pegged you for a prude," he said. "Don't you have a billion brothers or something? This can't be the first time you've seen a half-dressed male."

Her blush darkened. "You—I'm just—it's just—" She made a frustrated sound, even as heat spread in waves to the tips of her ears. "Gah, you're not my brother! It's just different, okay?"

Malfoy chuckled. "Clearly."

Ginny let out a little moan of horror. "This is so embarrassing." She placed her head in her hands, hiding her face from view. "Just go put some clothes on, you towel-loving exhibitionist!"

The smell of soap and shampoo came closer. "Ah, but this is my flat, Weasley," he murmured in her ear, "and you were the one who intruded."

Her whole body quivered. She could feel how close he was to her.

"So," he continued, placing his hands on her shoulders, "I'm going to have to ask you to do something for me."

Her breath hitched. She lowered her hands to peep at his face, even as her heart spazzed out of control in a pounding rhythm. "What's that?" she asked.

Malfoy's expression went flat. "Get out."

Ginny blinked. "Eh?"

He stepped back from her and straightened to his full height. "I'm telling you to leave, Weasley." A smirk flittered across his lips. "What did you think I was going to say?"

Colour bloomed on her cheeks. "N-nothing!"

Stupid git making her so flustered. She stood up and raised her chin, all prepped to stride past him with all the haughty dignity she could muster. Except she skidded on the envelope she had dropped, which then made her lose her balance, which then made her fall into Malfoy. Again.

Ginny's heart thudded against her ribs. For a moment neither of them moved. His arm was wrapped around her waist, holding her against him so that she could feel every hard plane of his body. So toned. So very male. Little droplets from his hair landed on her cheek, her mouth. She licked her lips and raised her eyes to his face.

"Malfoy," she said in a small voice.

"Mm?"

"I thought you wanted me to leave."

"I do," he said.

She swallowed. "Then why are you still holding me?"

His arm tightened around her a fraction. "I don't know," he admitted.

All the air vanished from her lungs. Such honesty. It was almost as if he had reached inside her own heart, peeling back the layers of pettiness and excuses to uncover the truth she had tried so hard to deny: this man was her true love. Blood pounded in her ears, through her veins, making her whole body throb. She wanted him to move closer. She wanted him to let her go. She was all upside down and confused; the only constant thing was the rapid beating of her heart. It told her to stop thinking. It told her to act.

"Oh, to hell with it," Ginny muttered.

She leaned up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his. Soft. Yielding. Insistent. Kissing him was a contradiction of surrender and dominance. His hands wove through her hair, angling her face more to his liking. She traced the seam of his lips with her tongue, teasing him into opening his mouth to her. It was a push and pull of passion, of velvet caresses and dizzying touches that had her toes curling in pleasure.

She definitely did not feel like she was kissing a dead fish.

Malfoy pulled back when the need for oxygen became too much and rested his forehead against hers. "Wow."

"I know," Ginny said, still trying to catch her breath. "That was way better than the first time."

He snorted. "Well, obviously, since I was unconscious."

Ginny poked him in the chest. "Don't get too full of yourself, Malfoy. You're still a pasty-arsed git."

"And you're still a carrot top," he said, tugging on a strand of her red hair.

"At least I'm not a Lumos Head."

"No, just a gorilla."

She giggled. "I can't believe you remember that. You're so lame, Malfoy."

His mouth twitched. "You know, I think we're a little past surnames now, Ginny. You don't have to keep calling me 'Malfoy'."

Pink spread across her cheeks. The way he said her name sounded very nice. "I suppose you're right, Mal—Draco."

He smiled and leaned down to kiss her again. Ginny closed her eyes and let the magic happen. She didn't know if there would be a happily ever after for them like the fairy tales said was meant to happen when a person found their true love. After all, this wasn't the end of her story: it was just one point in what she hoped was a long continuum. There were still so many other things she wanted. To become an international Quidditch star, to be independent and successful, and to eat lots of blueberry chocolate muffins.

Ginny grinned. Well, those things were bound to happen eventually. Constant perseverance and all that. For now, she'd just enjoy the moment. It wasn't so bad having Draco Malfoy as her true love, even if he was a pasty-arsed git.

OMAKE

The sound of heavy cloth hit the ground.

Ginny froze. "Your towel just fell off, didn't it?"

"Uh, yeah."

…

THE END