Chapter 4: Misunderstandings

It was a sunny day in Diagon Alley as Ginny had lunch with Luna and Neville at the Leakey Cauldron. The couple were still happily dating, Neville was working at Hogwarts and Luna was helping her father work on the Quibbler. Ginny sat and listened as her two closest friends told her all about what they had been up to and debated with herself about telling them her news.

"So Gin," Neville addressed her, bringing the young women in question out of her thoughts. "Besides being single what's new with you?"

"Not a lot," she answered honestly, taking another bite of her food. "Practices are going well, and when I'm not practicing I help George with the shop, in fact I have to be at the shop in less than an hour."

"Oh come on Ginny," Luna looked at her friend. "I can see a twinkle in your eyes. You're not telling us something."

The redhead blushed, knowing that Luna and Neville were probably the only two people she couldn't hide from. She had went through the war with the two of them, she had leaned on them, they had all seen each other at their worst, seen each other through the worst. Even if she wasn't ready to tell her family or anyone else, Ginny knew that she could tell the two of them.

"I started seeing someone," Ginny finally told them, blush still coloring her cheeks.

"That's fantastic Gin," Neville smiled at her brightly.

"Who is it?" Luna wondered.

Ginny hesitated for a moment or two. "Draco Malfoy."

She waited for the two to say something, they just looked at her and then looked at each other.

"Anymore to the story?" Luna asked with a small laugh.

"You guys aren't going to yell at me?" she seemed a little skeptical. "Or tell me that he was a Death Eater, has the Dark Mark, and is just an all-around arse?"

"First of all Gin, the war is over," Neville reminded her. "Second of all he might have the mark but that doesn't automatically make him the worst person in the world."

"I know that," she groaned, running a hand through her hair. "I'm just trying to prepare myself for what my family is going to say, what Ron and Harry and Hermione are going to say."

Luna looked at her friend seriously and leaned over, placing her hand over Ginny's. "Give yourself some credit Gin, you wouldn't date him if you didn't think he was a good person. He has done a lot to try and improve himself, to make up for the things he did wrong. Even while he was still caught up in the war he was trying. He made sure that Griphook, Mr. Ollivander and I were all fed while we were trapped in the dungeons at Malfoy Manor. The Death Eaters would sometimes forget about us for days, leaving us without food or water. Draco would bring us down food early in the morning, enough for the whole day and then come and get the trays at night so we wouldn't get caught. Even while he was away he ordered house elves to sneak us food."

Ginny took her friends hand in hers. "I didn't know that."

"Well you know I don't like to dwell on what happened in the past," Luna smiled. "But not all of Draco's past is bad."

"You remember how bad things were for him at school that last year," Neville reminded Ginny. "The Carrow's would tell anyone who would listen what a failure he was. I once heard them say he was the biggest disappointment the Death Eaters had ever seen, he wasn't worth the magic that Voldemort spent to put the mark on his arm. Snape didn't help him, nobody was looking out for him that last year but somehow he looked out for others. He created distractions if a student was trying to get to the Room of Requirement and was going to be caught, he helped supply ipotions we needed and couldn't get. He was the only Slytherin that wasn't out to turn us all in."

Ginny closed her eyes and remembered, not just remembering how he had spared students the Cruciatus Curse but also thinking about every time he seemed to appear out of nowhere to take the blame off someone else. He had been the Carrow's favorite target but a lot of people forgot that and were not willing to give him the benefit of the doubt like Luna and Neville.

"So how long have you two been dating?" Luna wondered.

Ginny smiled and told her friends about their first two dates. Since their movie night the pair had been spending as much time as possible together.

"It's been almost a month since we started seeing each other," Ginny finally answered after calculating the time in her head.

"Are you two official?" Neville asked.

"Not yet," Ginny let her face fall slightly. "But neither of us are seeing anyone else so hopefully we can move on to the next level of our relationship soon."

"Don't rush it Gin," Luna told her in her same dreamy voice. "It will happen when it is supposed to happen."

After some more small talk Ginny bid her friends goodbye and headed over to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. She looked around the relatively empty store and didn't see her brother anywhere.

"George?" she called out.

"Hey Gin, I'm glad you're here," he finally answered, coming out of the back. "I'm trying to get some work done on a new product today so I'll be in the office if you need me."

"George," she took a few steps toward him and looked him over. "Did you sleep at all last night?"

"Yes," he answered quickly, looking away from his sister. "Well no. Not a lot anyway. I got home from my date with Angelina and fell asleep for a bit but I woke up and I couldn't help but wonder….what would Fred think of me dating his girlfriend? Am I betraying him? Am I just dating Angelina because of her connection to Fred?"

Ginny's heart ached for her brother and it ached even more for the brother they had both lost.

"Fred would want you to be happy," Ginny insisted. "Fred would want Angelina to be happy and if the two of you are happy together than he would want that."

George sighed but nodded slightly.

"Now, I want you to go back in the office and take a nap," she continued firmly. "When you try to invent while you're half dead accidents happen."

"That was twice," George grumbled but didn't argue as he turned and walked back where he had come from.

Ginny shook her head sadly as she watched him go, sighing and taking her place behind the counter. She had barely been there for twenty minutes when she saw a familiar head of white blond hair come through the door.

"Draco," she addressed him, surprised to see him. "I didn't know you were coming to see me."

He smirked and handed her a single rose. "I got called into St. Mungo's but I wanted to stop by and invite you to a late dinner at the Manor tonight."

She took the rose from his hand and blushed a little. "I would love to, what time are you done?"

"Around eight," he answered smiling at the color in her cheeks.

"I'll apparate over around eight thirty then," she told him.

"Sounds perfect," he lifted her hand to his lips. "There is something important I want to talk to you about."

Ginny tried not to let her mind wander to what Draco could want to tell her and instead gave him a reassuring smile.

"I'll see you later," he brushed a kiss across the back of her hand before giving her a wink and leaving the shop.

She waved to him as he left and pushed down the fears that had started to form in her mind, lifting he rose to her nose and inhaling its sweet scent. The rest of her day passed quickly once Ginny had something to look forward to. Around five thirty Ginny bid George goodbye and started off home. Just as she was about to apparate she remembered that her mother had ordered something from Flourish and Blotts and had asked Ginny to pick it up on her way home. As she crossed Diagon Alley toward the book store the young woman once again caught sight of a familiar head of blond hair. Ginny thought that he must be taking a break and was about to go up and surprise him when she stopped in her tracks. From the other end of Diagon Alley a young woman rushed up to Draco who got to his feet and pulled her into a tight embrace kissing her on the cheek. Draco pulled his chair out for her before sitting down in the chair across from the young woman. Ginny seemed to find herself again and her anger and hurt mounting as she watched Draco smile and talk with the young woman. She twirled her wand around her body and preformed a disillusionment charm on herself so she could get closer to the couple that was sitting in front of the Leakey Cauldron like she, Luna, and Neville had been only a few hours ago.

"I hope I'm not taking you away from work," Ginny heard the young woman say in a voice that was gentle, her accent a little muddled so the redhead couldn't place where she was from.

"No, I needed a break," Draco assured her. "Besides I wanted to see you. A month is too long for you to be away Aurora; a lot has happened since you've been away."

Ginny stayed silent, moving as close as she dared so she could listen. She looked at the young woman and tried not to be jealous. She was very pretty, a little thinner and less hippy than she herself was, with deep blue eyes and golden brown hair.

"What's happened Draco?" she asked, taking a sip of the coffee in front of her. "Anything you want to tell me?"

"It's not important right now but we'll talk later," he waved her off. "How was your vacation?"

"I love going back to visit my family and old friends but," Ginny heard her hesitate for a moment or two. "I don't really belong there anymore. Sometimes I don't feel like I belong anywhere."

"That's nonsense," Draco leaned forward and took her hand in his. "You belong home, with me."

At those words Ginny knew she didn't want to hear anymore. With her eyes brimming with tears she retreated back into a nearby alley, took the charm off and apparated back to the Burrow. She collapsed on her bed and began to cry thinking that Draco Malfoy had lost his second chance.

"You have done far too much for my father and me already," Aurora tried to tell him.

"Rora, you're family," he spoke as if having to remind her again. "I will do whatever I can for my family. Now you wanted to talk to me about something?"

She sighed. "Yes, my research has reached a snag….monetarily speaking."

"You know that the Malfoy accounts are open to you Aurora," Draco reminded her.

"I do, and I appreciate it, but I need to try and do this the right way," she sighed. "The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures needs to give me their help and support. I figured because you have been helping me finance my research as well as being a Healer you would be as good a person as any to back me up."

"I agree that they should know what you're doing, and of course I will vouch for you" Draco nodded. "Do you think you're ready to tell them?"

"If I could get all my notes and research together I might be able to," she ran a hand through her hair. "I made an appointment to talk to the whole department but the only time they had available for four months is the day after tomorrow. If I work all night and all day tomorrow I might be ready."

"I'll help you," he told her. "I don't work at all tomorrow so if you promise to get some sleep tonight I will do whatever you need from me tomorrow."

"Really?"

"Of course," he assured her. "You know that I will help you however I can. I have plans when I get home from work but I'll meet you in the lab tomorrow morning."

"You're wonderful Draco," she smiled before getting to her feet. "I'll let you get back to work, I have to run to get some supplies."

She crossed and kissed the blond on the cheek before disappearing down Diagon Alley again, Draco looking after her.

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A week had passed since Ginny had seen Draco with that other woman in Diagon Alley and she was still in a foul mood because of it. She had just finished a game with the Harpies that they had barely won, mostly because Ginny hadn't been her usual self.

"It wasn't a pretty win," their coach told them in his after game speech. "But a win is a win. This week we're going to work on our focus, I know it can be hard but sometimes we have to leave our problems and frustrations in the locker room."

Ginny tried not to blush knowing that he was talking about her, all week long in practices she had been missing her signature fire. Draco had been trying to contact her ever since she had skipped their dinner date at the manor. He had sent her dozens of owls and flowers that she just sent back, she had asked George to give her jobs that would keep her out of sight so he couldn't talk to her at the shop, she had even had to turn the Floo off, afraid that he would try to contact her by sticking his head into the middle of her living room.

Ginny was still sitting in the locker room, she had changed out of her uniform but couldn't bring herself to leave yet.

"Ladies before you leave we got some fan mail in this week," their couch announced as he started handing out letters and small parcels to the girls.

He made his way over to Ginny and handed her two letters and a package. She opened the first two letters that were actually drawings of her flying that had been done by two young fans. She smiled as she opened her locker and pinned the drawings up. She then turned to the package and unwrapped it; inside was a necklace that had a golden charm of a broom dangling from it. She looked for a note but there was only a small piece of paper

For the most beautiful Chaser in the sky, don't make me chase you too much longer

She looked at it and thought about the note as she took the chain and fastened it around her neck. As soon as the necklace was in place Ginny felt a familiar tug at her navel and was swept off her feet as the portkey took effect. As she bounced around she knew exactly who had sent her the gift and exactly where she was going to end up. She cursed herself for not being more careful and tried to prepare herself to come face to face with Draco Malfoy again.

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Draco was notified as soon as his portkey was activated and went down to the entrance of the manor to wait for his guest. The young Malfoy had spent the last week trying to figure out what he could have possibly done wrong. He had waited for Ginny to appear at the manor that night for dinner but after an hour he knew that she wasn't coming. When she didn't respond to any of his owls or Floo calls Draco got a little worried that something had happened but then he saw an article in the Prophet about the Harpies next game and knew that she was alright. That was when Draco hatched his plan to at least get her to speak to him. He went out and bought her a necklace that he could send to her with the rest of the fan mail the Harpies players received and charmed it so that it would bring her straight to him at the manor. Once she was there Draco knew that she wouldn't be able to apparate out unless he allowed her. It wasn't that he wanted to trap Ginny, but he wanted to know what was wrong and this seemed like the only way.

He was brought out of his thoughts when he saw a whirl of red come to a bumpy stop right in front of the steps. Draco heard her grumbling from the ground and he held out a hand to help her up.

Ginny looked up at him but didn't accept his help. "What the hell are you playing at Malfoy?"

"You didn't like my gift?" He asked her as she got to her feet and brushed herself off.

"If I had known it was from you I wouldn't have opened it," she retorted taking out her wand. "Now goodbye."

She raised her wand to apparate away from him but nothing happened. Draco watched her try two more times before she finally turned to him.

"Are you trying to make me mad?" she wondered.

"No," he replied honestly. "I just want to know what in the hell I did between when I saw you at your brother's shop and when you were supposed to meet me for dinner. If that means not allowing you to leave until you at least give me the courtesy of an explanation then so be it."

"You know what you did Draco," Ginny spat turning away from him, afraid tears were going to come to her again.

"I don't," he insisted, coming up behind her. "Please Gin, I've hated not speaking to you, not seeing you for the past week. Just tell me what I did wrong and I promise I will make sure I don't do it again."

Ginny took a deep breath knowing that she might feel better if she told him. She had missed him too but she wasn't going to play second fiddle to some other woman.

"What happened to 'I'm not going to be dating anyone else'?" She asked, repeating what he had told her that night atop Malfoy Manor under the stars.

Draco looked at her confusion in his grey eyes. "I'm not seeing any-"

"I saw you Draco," she whipped around to face him. "I saw you with another woman in Diagon Alley the night I stood you up."

The young man furrowed his brow as he tried to think of who the redhead could possibly be thinking of and then it hit him. He had met Aurora that day and Ginny had probably seen the two of them when she had left the shop. Draco ran a hand over his face.

"I know what you must have thought but you're wrong Ginny," he sighed. "I swear that I can explain."

"How do I know you're not going to lie to me?" she crossed her arms and continued to stare at him.

"I swear on my mother's life and on all the lives of any Malfoy children I may have," he spoke seriously, placing his hand over his heart. "That everything I or anyone else tell you tonight will be the honest truth."

Ginny simply nodded, knowing that if he was swearing on his family name than he was going to tell her the truth. Draco took Ginny's hand in his own and brought her inside the manor.

"I told you when we made our date that night that I wanted to talk to you about something important," he reminded her as he led her up into the dining room of the Malfoy home. "If you will stay for dinner I can tell you everything and talk to you about what I wanted to tell you."

"Draco I'm not dressed," she stopped short, looking down at her jeans and jumper.

"You look perfect," he told her. "This isn't a formal dinner and my mother won't be joining us."

Ginny sighed and walked into the dining room sitting in the chair that Draco pulled out for her. He sat down next to her as if he was waiting for something. Ginny heard voices outside in the hallway and looked at Draco wondering who else was in the manor with them. Around the corner came the girl Ginny had seen with Draco in Diagon Alley and an older man with dark blond hair and grey eyes who looked a little too much like Lucius Malfoy for Ginny's comfort.

"Draco," he said in a calm but friendly voice. "You didn't tell me we were having company for dinner."

"Forgive me," he told the older man getting to his feet. "It was a last minute decision. Allow me to introduce Ginny Weasley."

Ginny got to her feet still feeling very unsure and now very awkward.

"Hello," she smiled tightly, extending her hand.

"It's nice to meet you Ginny," the gentleman smiled and shook her hand as did the young woman.

"Gin I would like to introduce you to my uncle, Gabriel Malfoy and his daughter Aurora, my cousin."

Ginny couldn't help the way her mouth dropped at Draco's words. Draco and Narcissa weren't the only Malfoy's and the redhead did not know how to take the news.

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Here is my next chapter and your first taste of my original characters this go round. Tune in next chapter to hear the background on the other two Malfoy's and to see if Draco and Ginny cane make it work. Thank you to anyone who reads and reviews, you guys keep me working.