A/N: Thank you all for the reviews!!! I'm so happy you all enjoy my writing. Yes, this story is coming to an end, sadly. This is not the last chapter, but I'm starting to wrap things up. Please review and tell me what you all think!!
Chapter 28
"Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless- it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable."
-C.S. Lewis
Forty five took a toll on Ginny. Though her life was easier since her divorce from Harry, the weight of her own mind tugged her down. Her children were now fully grown and out of Hogwarts. Lily, who had graduated over two years earlier, was the only one who would regularly visit her mother. Both James and Albus were living quite a distance away, which made it difficult to visit their mother since the international flooing laws had been put in place.
Even though she was proud of her children's accomplishments, Ginny missed their childhood. She missed being able to cuddle with them or tickle them. Now that they were older, she was pushed to the backburner. James had married a lovely muggle woman a few months earlier and Albus was engaged. Lily was dating. The combination of Ginny and Draco's genes had made Lily into a beautiful woman. Her long red hair wasn't nearly as harsh as the other Weasley's and her pale skin was flawless, doll like. Her eyes were by far her best feature. She had inherited the large almond shape from Ginny, but the dazzling pearl blue from Draco. Because of her looks she had received a lot of attention from many wizards. She had recently even gone on a date with one Christian Lockhart, one of the most famous male models in the wizarding world.
Harry had remarried a few years after his divorce with Ginny. Amanda Potter was now on the cover of half the wizarding tabloids, but Harry ignored it. Ginny frequently saw him at the Burrow. After Molly had passed away, Arthur still lived there, but George had moved in along with Teddy. Now it was considered a bachelor pad and Arthur loved it. Arthur was now suffering from heart problems, but with regular appointments at St. Mungo's, doctors said that he would live another five to ten years. Arthur's seventy fifth birthday was what brought Ginny to the burrow late that evening.
"Ginny!" Arthur hugged her close and said, "How are you doing?"
"I'm ok," Ginny smiled weakly. "How are you?"
"I'm fine, as always," Arthur smiled. A curious look crossed his face and he asked, "How are the kids?"
"They're fine," Ginny smiled, "James loves being married and Grace truly is a wonderful woman. She visits me often with Lily."
"Well, I'm glad you were able to come join us for the evening," he said, "Come on, everyone's gathering in the backyard." He led Ginny out and she smiled at the sight of all her brothers in the yard. They had decided that this year, it would only be Arthur and his children at his birthday. Charlie pulled her into a hug and asked her the same questions as Arthur: how was she doing and how were the kids
Ginny watched her family closely as they ate. Bill and Percy were arguing about the newly imposed laws on elf rights while Ron and George fought over the biggest slice of lasagna. She smiled and took a seat next to her father. He smiled at her and patted her hand before asking, "Ginny, how is Draco?"
Unfortunately, Ginny, who had just taken a sip of her wine, choked and spit it out over the table. Arthur and the others gave her funny looks, but soon her brothers turned back to their food. Arthur watched her concernedly as she coughed. When she was finally able to speak she said, "Dad, I haven't talked to Draco in years."
Arthur looked confused, "But didn't you leave Harry to be with Draco?"
"Well," Ginny said hesitantly, "Yes and no." Arthur looked even more confused and Ginny added, "I left Harry because I was unhappy. I didn't love him and when I finally realized that I also realized that I always have and always will love Draco."
"Then why haven't you gone to see Draco?" Arthur persisted.
"Because," Ginny groaned, "I'm stubborn, Dad."
"So is he," Arthur said, rolling his eyes.
"What are you talking about? How do you know that?" Ginny asked, shocked.
Arthur sighed, "I had lunch with him last week." Ginny looked at him incredulously, her eyes threatening to burst out of her face. "He owled me and he wanted to know how you're doing." Arthur took a deep breath, "He's supposed to get married again, but he's panicked about it. He doesn't have his father or his mother anymore and he needed parental advice. Ginny, he wants you back, but he's too stubborn to talk to you because he thinks you don't want to be with him."
"Dad," Ginny groaned.
"Ginny, don't take that tone with me," Arthur scolded, "Now, I think you could use some parental advice too. Get off your high horse and get your ass over to Draco's house before he makes the mistake of marrying another woman. I saw it twenty years ago and I still see it now, you two are meant for each other whether you like it or not. So get over yourself and go." Ginny opened her mouth to protest and Arthur said, "Now!"
"You really think I should?" Ginny asked timidly.
"Yes, I do," Arthur said honestly. He touched Ginny's arm and said, "I loved your mum from the moment I met her until the day she died. I still love her and it hurts me to see you passing up the opportunity to have that love."
A soft smile spread across Ginny's face and she said, "Thanks Dad." She stood up and hugged him before announcing, "Excuse me!" Her brothers all turned to face her, "I have to leave early. I love you all and I'll see you all soon."
"Where are you going?" Ron asked.
"I'm going to tell Draco Malfoy that I love him," Ginny said, grinning. Her brothers all froze but she ignored them and ran back up to the house.
Minutes after they left Percy said, "Did everyone else hear what she just said?"
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Her arrival at the Malfoy Mansion was anything but graceful. She stumbled into the parlor and would have fallen if she hadn't steadied herself on a woman who was conveniently standing there. The woman gasped and yanked her arm away from Ginny. Ginny gasped too, but not for the same reason. The parlor was filled with the most upper class wizards in England. They all turned to stare at her. She stared back, mouth open. Finally her eyes met Draco who was approaching her. He grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the parlor, letting the doors slam behind him.
"What are you doing here?" he snapped.
Ginny opened her mouth to start speaking, but the words didn't come. Instead, she let her eyes drift over his body, taking in every change. There weren't many changes. His face and eyes looked older but the rest of him looked the same. When she finally gained control over her mouth she said, "Draco." Her voice cracked and she cleared her throat before continuing, "Draco, I know I'm probably the last person you want to see, but I have to stop you. You can't marry her! She is probably a wonderful girl, but she's not me! You and I are supposed to be together and you know it and I love you! I always have and always will love you and I've just been too stubborn to say anything. I love you with my everything! Please, don't marry her. Marry me!"
He stared down at her, shock crossing his face. Finally, the layer of ice covered his face again and he said stubbornly, "You need to leave. Now."
"Draco, you have to stop this wedding!" Ginny yelled. "You can't marry her!"
"I can and I will," Draco roared. "You have no right to come into my home less than a week before my wedding and tell me that you want to be with me. You should have come to me years ago, but you didn't. You lost your chance Weasley. Now, get out!"
Ginny gasped for words, but he ignored her, pushed her towards the fireplace and then stormed out of the room.
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It was raining. It wasn't just a light rainstorm or a spring shower, it was pouring. Lighting streaked through the night while thunder shook the windows. Ginny lay curled up on her couch, jumping every time the thunder boomed. She did her best to keep herself warm, but fall had settled in England, bringing the bitter cold winds. The power flickered and suddenly she was sitting in pitch black. "Shit," she muttered.
Another spout of thunder shook the house and Ginny tried to stand up to look out the window to see if the other houses in her neighborhood were also dark, but as soon as she got to her feet her cup of tea slid off the table and smashed onto the floor dousing her feet in hot tea.
"Fuck!" she fell back onto the couch and nurtured her feet before standing up again, avoiding the broken ceramic on the ground. She had just made it into the kitchen when suddenly she heard the window smash and then she was on the ground, blood spilling down her forehead. She cursed and carefully started pulling herself off the floor, but she felt herself getting dizzy at the sight of all the blood on the floor. Just as her vision was getting hazy strong arms grabbed her and pulled her up before carrying her out of the kitchen and into the living room.
She was on the couch then and someone was muttering charms over her bloody hands. Suddenly she gained all consciousness and sat up. The deep male voice mumbled, "No, lay down again, I need to heal your forehead."
"Draco?" she whispered, not believing her eyes.
"Yes, now be quiet and let me heal you," he said stubbornly. She hissed as he pulled small pieces of glass out of her skin, but she didn't mind the pain. His one hand pulled glass while the other caressed her shoulder gently.
When he was done he sat next to her on the couch and ran his fingers gently over the now healed skin of her forehead. "What happened?" she asked quietly.
"The wind knocked a branch through your kitchen window," Draco said quietly, "It must have hit you in the head." He gently stroked her hair. "How do you feel?"
"I feel fine," said Ginny, staring up into his face. "But," she paused carefully, "What are you doing here?"
"I-I just," for the first time since she'd known him, Draco seemed speechless. "I couldn't marry her." Ginny carefully laced her fingers with his. He looked down at her and said, "I don't know what it is about you, but you're like poison to me. After I saw you that night I just couldn't get you out of my mind. He stared down at her and the look in his eyes scared her. "Ginny, I'm in love with you. I don't want to spend the rest of my life with anyone, but you. You're perfect for me." Ginny's eyes widened and she stared up at him, fear in her eyes. He stared back down at her, lust crossing his face. After a minute he said, "Ginny, please say something."
Suddenly, without thinking, she leaned up and smashed her lips against his. He froze, shocked, but then quickly regained thought and wrapped his arms around her. He felt her smile and he smiled too, pulling her tightly against him. When she broke the kiss she grinned up at him and said, "I love you too."
Draco shifted on top of her and reached into his pocket. Ginny gaped as he opened the soft velvet box that she hadn't seen in almost twenty years. The ring was exactly as she remembered it. Draco took a deep breath and said, "Ginny, this ring has always been yours, none of the other women in my life have even seen it. Will you please, finally, marry me?"
Ginny laughed out loud and hugged him tightly. "Of course I will!" She let him slip the ring on her finger and she kissed him deeply. He kissed her back, wrapping his arms around her again. One instant they were just kissing and the next she felt the urgency in his lips. Immediately the mood completely changed and she found herself tugging at his shirt.
He pulled away and stared down at her for a second. She sat up and stared him face to face. Finally she reached over and fingered the edge of his shirt. Relaxing, he slowly unbuttoned the buttons and allowed her to slide her hands up his chest and push the shirt off his shoulders. Her eyes skimmed over his body and she resisted a groan. He still had the same body that he had twenty years ago. "God," she said quietly.
He tipped her chin up and smirked down at her before kissing her deeply. She felt his hands on her waist and he broke the kiss to quickly pull her shirt off over her head and then immediately his lips were back on hers. She arched her back as his hands moved down her spine, sending shivers through her body. Their stomachs met and the final contact of skin almost made Ginny scream with how amazing it felt. A minute later he pulled away from her again and stood up. She watched him cautiously until he held his hand out to her. She smiled and laced her fingers with his, allowing him to pull her down the hall and into her bedroom.
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Ginny sighed happily and rested her head on Draco's shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her body close to his. She lifted her arm and held her hand up to admire the ring on her finger. His hand moved up her arm and grasped her hand gently before pulling her arm down so she would wrap it around his waist. She glanced up to look at him. He was staring up at the ceiling, a soft smile playing across his lips. "What are you thinking about?"
The smile widened and he said, "I'm looking forward to seeing you in your wedding dress."
"Oh, I get a dress?" Ginny asked.
"Of course," Draco chuckled, "A big white one."
Ginny laughed and leaned over to kiss him deeply. "You're perfect."
"You make me perfect." He smiled down at her and then kissed her deeply. Inwardly Ginny sighed. He made her life perfect.
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