Search the Sheets
When all was said and done and Draco and Ginny had decided to be together, to stay together – they spent one last night on the Pacific Island completely alone, watching the sun make its small fall into the horizon of brilliant and tranquil blues.
"I'll protect you from my red-haired kinship upon arrival fair Draco!" Ginny whispered teasingly into Draco's ear as they prepared to apparate away.
In the heat of their hideaway, Draco had rolled up the sleeves of his black robes and the Dark Mark on his left forearm was leering conspicuously. Both Draco and Ginny darted their eyes too it and back to each other. Draco had to count on Ginny's protection… lest he be torn to pieces.
Two pairs of eyes, one brown, one grey, took one last look at the little slice of heaven they had stumbled upon before disappearing with a crack.
Needless to say when Draco and Ginny suddenly appeared at the Burrow's doorstep with a resounding crack, sheer pandemonium ensued. There was months of "Ginny? Have you ever heard of the Stockholm Syndrome? When you become affectionate towards your captor? I think you've got it…". There were a lot of threats of other various mental health examinations and theories of "imperio."
Draco was subject to weeks of stringent truth tests with veritaserum despite the first batch declaring his honesty in wanting to become the Order's agent. Draco was also questioned about his emotions in relation to the youngest fair Weasley and he found that he was uselessly trying to shape his horribly emotional answer – much to the embarrassment of Ron and himself. Ron could not rid himself of the painful honesty in which Draco had answered "I love her, I am in love with her and I would do anything for her. She has completely snared my heart and I have never known happiness to this extreme degree." His words haunted Ron late at night when he was alone in bed his fiancé Hermione Granger in his arms. It was exactly how Ron felt about his bushy-haired, bright-minded girl.
Dumbledore – who had an excellent eye for character had also visited Draco within the Ministry's holding cells. He was thoroughly buoyed by the step Draco had taken not exactly for the 'Light', but against Voldemort and was the first person apart from Molly Weasley who had not shown varying degrees of hatred and mistrust toward him. Dumbledore read over the transcripts of the veritaserum interview and the motives for which Draco had for turning. Dumbledore with subtleness wove Ginny's name here and there in the conversation and watched for whether Draco's steely grey eyes would brighten in interest. Not once did the irises not change shade almost imperceptibly, despite Draco's absolutely unemotional expression. Draco looked on at his old headmaster shrewdly as Dumbledore's eyes twinkled with the satisfaction of confirmation.
Molly Weasley visited often during the weeks where Draco's identity and motives were being sifted through and brought home-made foods, an emerald jumper with a grey 'D' knitted in the middle and various photo albums to help alleviate the unavoidable boredom and loneliness of waiting. Through the photographs, Draco (who could not possibly protest against his new love's mother!) was suddenly subject to the latest generation of Weasley's photographic history. Molly started from Bill down to Ginny, and Draco noted with a small sliver of fear that as a collective, Ginny's brethren had massive amounts of muscle. Molly noted with delight the obvious attention Draco would pay Ginny whenever she appeared.
On the last visit of Molly's before Draco was allowed to pledge to the Order, she shrewdly announced with a succinctness, "you're probably wondering why all of a sudden I – the mother and wife of a family who have all been subject to Malfoy derision am suddenly so enthused to see you?"
Draco could only nod with surprise. Yes indeed… he had been brooding about that. "Ginny explained to me what happened on that island… and no, not everything Draco," interjected Molly. Her eyes, at the widening of Draco's, were twinkling with mischief. "Her story corresponded with the Weasley grandfather clock. For the first few weeks, the Ginny's clock-hand was pointing at mortal peril… but then it moved away from it. That's when Ginny started to perceive that there was something …different about you? But the hand didn't settle on any of the standard locations or actions. It was confused…" Draco nodded at this point – not sure where the Weasley matriarch was going with her anecdote. Molly smiled warmly at Draco and leant over to put his hand in hers. Continued with a small laugh, she said, "I suppose the Weasley forefathers hadn't thought to include a small other tidbit of information on the clock, apart from school and work and the like. Our clock didn't know where to point when all Ginny was preoccupied with doing was falling in love."
▪Ж▪
Draco's eyes snapped open to see the bed he shared with Ginny bathed in the full moon's light when he heard a forlorn howling in the distance.
Lupin thought Draco wearily, slanting his wrist in the dappled light to look at the time. Four o'clock am… great groaned Draco internally, silently berating the werewolf despite knowing that Lupin couldn't exactly help it. Draco tiredly scrubbed at his eyes and stubble and decided that he wouldn't bother going back to sleep for another half hour. Military standards - especially his position as strategist – demanded that all arrived on their designated times on the dot. For Draco this was six am. When he usually awoke at four thirty, he would head out to exercise in the dead quiet of early morning for forty five minutes, return to the tiny flat he shared with Ginny, shower, throw breakfast together hastily to then head out the door looking completely immaculate and in control with his hair combed, his face shaved and his Ministry robes spotless with a black dragonhide briefcase in hand.
Arriving at the Ministry usually ten minutes early – Draco would fix himself a strong cup of coffee, scan his eyes over the yards of parchment that were magically tacked onto the walls of his department and mentally organise his appointments for that day. When the clock ticked over to six am exactly, Draco's colleagues would flow into the department, make their greetings and settle for a long day of analyzing military reports, soldier-Auror statistics, weather reports, maps and other various items of information relating to the fierce war being waged.
A trying occupation that yielded unbelievable satisfaction when a job was well-done, meaning a Collective attack well planned, a Death Eater trap executed to perfection, global troops reporting success in the masses and masses of scrolls that the Military Strategy department painstakingly pore over.
Conversely, Draco experienced utter devastating dread at he and his colleague's equal amount of failures. Draco Malfoy was never one to do what is often coined a "half-arse" job. In his service to Voldemort, and now in his service to The Collective – Draco accomplished all his tasks with unbreakable determination, efficiency and to call on the British stereotype – excellence. Draco found himself acutely aware of how most men and women in action would view his position in the war. Draco was from "higher above", he was part of the authority who determined the 'hows' and 'whyfores' of millions of lives. Down in where the hot-blooded action was occurring, all successes and pride was sourced back to the actions of the men and women in battle themselves. All failures, defeats and gross losses of life were angrily directed back up to those who outranked them and made the decisions. Draco could understand that war mentality. It was easy to blame those who were all talk and no action - even if it was their job.
The days stretched very long in Draco's occupation – his sleek platinum blonde hair would always be severely ruffled and unkempt by the end of the day. Most of the time, the witches and wizards in Strategy were stuck on a problem. Days could be whiled away muttering and poking at maps, charming miniature soldier-Aurors to have mock-battles with Death Eaters and trying to match new foreign intelligence with what was information was already existing. Every decision made to send forth troops or to withdraw them was debated contentiously with two priorities jostling for the main attention - eliminating Voldemort and preserving life.
Draco and many others could often be spotted working up past ten in the evening, burning the midnight oil trying to find efficient military solutions to pressing conflict problems.
International travel was also a large factor of Draco's job – and often he would hastily be portkeyed to various different nations and countries for a day, sometimes longer depending on time differences to then be portkeyed back to England feeling utterly drained.
Usually, Draco would wearily apparate home at around eight in the evening, disable the multitude of security and defense wards around the flat, reheat the dinner that Ginny would have prepared for him during the day and then wearily shuffle to bed and fall asleep immediately.
That morning, with the extra half an hour Draco had to spare, he naturally turned his head to the right to look at the small lump next to him. Ginny's deep red hair seemed to explode from underneath the white doona, which rose and fell steadily with every breath she took. Draco afforded himself a small unguarded smile at her. It felt like forever since he had truly held Ginny and his arms suddenly yearned for her. Draco thought guiltily at the pleasure he was going to allow himself… He sat up straight with his back against the bed's headboard and gently pulled Ginny's sleeping form towards him, settling her in his lap and letting her head rest on his shoulder. She didn't awake fully at the movement – just as Draco had expected. She was far too tired.
"Mmmlmgfmmf," mumbled Ginny unintelligibly however into Draco's neck. He only kissed her hair, her forehead and the shell of her ear in response and allowed Ginny to continue sleeping on him for the next twenty five minutes.
Draco completely luxuriated in that moment. He understood depressingly that he never spent any substantial time with Ginny anymore – ironic because they had been living alone together for the past year. For the year before that, both resided in and out of The Burrow and Grimmauld Place – an overbearing requirement of Ginny's family. However both acquiesced, given Draco's less-than-admirable background. Draco and Ginny decided that a year was long enough for Ginny's family to understand the surprising depth of love they held for each other and had adamantly put forth the motion of moving out. Now here they were, in an absolutely tiny, but discreet flat that was close to the Order's headquarters. The flat was the size of a matchbox compared to what Draco was used to living in but he first reasoned – at least he was alone with Ginny. And away from her interfering, pain in the arse, intimidating and infuriating brothers! Draco had thought triumphantly.
Unfortunately for Draco, the one redhead he actually coveted was for the most part, absent from his immediate presence. Draco did suppose he could take time off work… but his job was rigorous, almost fit for a complete anti-socialite. What more was that Draco felt – to his immense surprise and slight disgust – guilty. He did not have a picture perfect past, in fact, it was liberally dotted with murders and the tortures of the loved ones that he now pledged his allegiance to. He felt he owed working himself to the bone to the Order and various members of the Ministry for letting him indulge his immense craving for the beautiful and loving little firecracker; Ginny Weasley.
Draco was about to cease his soft kisses and gentle caresses to prepare for his morning workout when he heard Ginny sleep-talk, almost too quietly to hear, "Sorry Harry, but I want Draco..."
Draco hadn't smiled so widely and so uncontrollably since he last saw Ron the hot-tempered soldier-Auror trip over a doorstop in the Strategy office and fall face-first onto the ground right in front of a Veela who was delegating for France. That was over six months ago.
▪Ж▪
Ginny was not a stranger to strenuous workloads either. Ginny had recently graduated from soldier-Auror training with a nifty little commendation from the head trainer, despite her disastrous incident with Draco and her stupid lack of wand… which turned out to be not-so disastrous after all.
To Ginny's immense surprise, one of the two of her best friends, Luna Lovegood had signed up to be in the same training squad and contingent as Ginny when they were only a few months out of Hogwarts. Ginny had questioned her dirty blonde-haired friend about her choice and about the Quibbler. Luna had airily replied "ah, a hard life, boil and toil, battlefield burns, rigorous conflict training and fitness will sharpen my reflexes! Those snorkacks can't escape an ex-military woman!" Ginny laughed gaily and hugged Luna tightly. Both girls knew the real reason why Luna was also heading into the war. The two were soul sisters. They had done practically everything together. Ginny knew she would draw strength from Luna's quirky company in the tough years to come.
Now, Ginny along with Luna and a whole army of close friends they had made (pun intended) during years of training were officially the army reserve. Ginny's contingent could be called up into active service any day if Draco and the rest of the higher ups he worked with decided to deploy them.
Ginny knew the conflict of interest that could occur if Draco ever knew which contingent she was in exactly… and had been assured that Draco would never find out. She had been assured correctly. Draco, in vain, had searched with all of his position's powers to discover which contingent Ginny belonged in – but every search had resulted in the frustrating red words CLASSIFIED INFORMATION. The day Draco had hit a dead with his search was a bit of an ugly one to say the least. Draco and Ginny had fought bitterly over her involvement and her secrecy in and about the war. Draco eventually lost and had to rely on hoping that he never, ever, picked Ginny's contingent to fight. Draco, a man of sureties, plan D's and C's as well as the standard B's was disgusted that he was leaving the safety of his principle importance to chance.
Other roles that reserve army men and women possessed were principally to a) keep fit and b) complete community service. Ginny spent half of her time completing intense exercise and competing in strenuous mock-duels and physical sparrings. The other half of her time was used in patrolling the streets of Britain and assisting magical and muggle citizens in any way and form. Over the past seven months, Ginny had been helping the muggle state emergency volunteers repair housing from "freak storms" (she did most of the repairing of Death Eater attacks with magic when she confused the muggles with a nifty confusion charms and memory modification spells) through to helping design pamphlets on war safety.
Ginny had to admit, while she had the appearance and the mannerisms of a gung-ho battle enthusiast, she possessed enough maturity to understand that war was no simple glory-march against a knock-over enemy. Ginny's older brothers slipped through The Collective's censorship board to talk to her seriously about the brutal life at war. Every brother who had taken part in some active service, and that was all of them excluding Ron, had asked her whether she still really wanted to partake in the bloodbath. Real fear shone from Ginny's eyes, but she nodded resolutely every single time. Bill nodded solemnly, having accepted all of his siblings were determined to take a part. His reply to his young sister, who he loved dearly but did not know thoroughly because of the large age gap was "Ginbug, I may have been the one to save you from the other boys' use of you as a practice dummy when you were a wee lass, but I have complete faith in you to break them all into pieces now. I love you."
Charlie had responded to Ginny's "yes, I still want to fight," by slinging his arm around her shoulder and telling her in a hushed, conspirator-like whisper, "shh, don't tell your friends, but I have in Romania a miniature New Zealand Opal Eye dragon who is a wee little tyke who'll be as sweet as pie to you because you're my Ginbug. He never gets hungry for days, is an omnivore and is small enough to fit into your pocket or ride on your shoulder unnoticeably. If you get into any trouble… let's just say you'll be so safe you can kick back and roast some marshmallows while he looks after you! I love you."
Percy whose dormant and deeply hidden sense of family was roused at the alarming deaths around him immediately returned to the Burrow and the Order where he was welcomed immediately. His concern for his youngest sibling was very pompously phrased but Ginny could sense the underlying worry and tension in her third eldest brother. The warm words Percy parted with were "Ginevra. As you understand, Penelope is a rather successful psychologist and she has recently completed an excellent theorem on Death Eater mentality. As of yet, it is not published – but she and I would like to issue one to you Ginevra. I deplore that you read it… Ginny. It… it is likely to keep you safe." Percy's voice was beginning to crack with the emotion he was not comfortable with expressing. "I, I love you."
Fred and George had mirrored expressions of utmost seriousness that for a moment, Ginny thought they were about to pull off a prank or a joke. After Ginny declared her strong desire to fight, Fred and George nodded solemnly with troubled eyes. Just when Ginny thought this is the longest these two have ever been so… so… serious! the twins suddenly cracked identical grins and started shouting in unison "Jiminy Jiminy Jiminy Gin! From the engine rooms of Weasley Wizarding Wheezes, we present to you… Death Eater Dandy's! Ever had a touch of bother with those pesky You-Know-Who bumsniffers? This one deploys to look 'Arry Potter! A dummy that is to scale, those gits will be falling over themselves to kill a large piece of fluff!" As Ginny stared with amazement at the "Death Eater Distractors" the twins had created and dumped onto her lap, they both announced again it utter seriousness, "we love you."
Ron was a reserve soldier-Auror like Ginny, and didn't have any military experience to share. Instead, Ron looked slyly over at his sister and without warning leaped onto her and started to rub his fist into her hair.
"Noogie noogie noogie!" said Ron infuriatingly, completely destroying the elaborate half-up Ginny had painstakingly charmed for the date she was going to share with Draco that evening.
"Ron!" Ginny had yelled with frustration, but there wasn't really any anger in it. She was too mushy from all the attention her brothers had recently bestowed onto her. "You're going to tell me you love me right?"
Ron grinned with a hint of pink tinging his cheeks. "Yeah. I love you sis. You're the best."
Ginny's eyes had twinkled and she threw herself, for the sixth time, at one of her brothers for a hug. On this occasion it was Ron.
It was oddly enough, a supremely happy time for the Weasley children in The Burrow house hold. Arthur and Molly smiled gently. Never had all of the Weasley children gotten along at the same time.
So despite the warm family feeling she was suddenly hit with, Ginny looked to the war with a icy sliver of fear in her gut.
So while most of her life was running suspiciously smoothly, Ginny knew there had to be something lacking. It was her time with Draco. Infuriatingly, Ginny's reserve roster always, always without fail, scheduled her for nightly duties. This meant that Ginny didn't have to prepare for exercise and duties until four thirty to be ready by five o'clock. This literally meant Draco and Ginny barely saw each other even though they lived in the same place. Ginny would be out of the flat by five pm and not return until one in the morning. This put her at odds with Draco's four thirty morning preparations and eight o'clock pm return. All the time they could possibly be guaranteed to spend with each other was between one and four thirty in the morning – which was purely ridiculous. There were rare instances they saw each other at other times when Ginny was given a day off or Draco if came home early. All of the very serious talking was spent in these wee hours of the morning, but even then it was very brief and very succinct.
During the day, when Ginny awoke at nine in the morning, had finished breakfasting and any other visits and errands she had to run, she would pop down to the Ministry and chat with Helena, Draco's friendly secretary. Helena would always have some free time to gossip about idle things that Ginny found rather refreshing. Every time Helena saw Ginny walking down the hall, she would grin and quietly peek into the room Draco and other strategists and Collective officials and generals worked and 80 of the time Helena would return with a sad shake of her head.
The lovely 20 of the time that Helena would return with a pair of thumbs up was always an immense thrill for Ginny. Draco, who would be fully awake, would step out of the office with adorably ruffled platinum hair and a smirk on his face. Most importantly, Ginny could interpret his body language as being completely into her and she could be reminded that Draco Malfoy wanted her despite him never really seeing her back at home, and Ginny could then let go of a breath that she never knew she was holding so hard.
▪Ж▪
"Wow… we're actually finished for today…" muttered Draco with immense surprise at the neat piles of parchment on his desk and the large world map hanging on the wall with miniature soldiers fighting mock-battles. It was only three thirty in the afternoon.
"Yes…" came the heavily accented voice of Francesca, the French woman Draco had been working with for the past week. "How about some late… lunch," asked Francesca suggestively. Draco rolled his eyes internally. Francesca was no ninny, she was a brilliant military strategist, but the most annoying flirt ever! Now that his day's work was complete, he could tell her to, in other words, piss off. Her blatant sexuality, which was very appealing, was constantly reminding Draco of Ginny and how he couldn't exactly have the redheaded siren at that moment.
In pure frustration, an idea suddenly occurred to Draco. His lips involuntarily arched into a smirk. Who the hell cared if he was being rude, she was French.
"Yes, Francesca. A late lunch would be divine," he agreed in a smooth voice, immediately turning on the charm. Draco almost eye-rolled in real life at the obvious excitement of the woman when she thought he was finally reacting to her attempts. He gathered his things quickly and soon the proceeded to the dining area.
Draco ate quickly, maintaining fluid conversation, in French – to Francesca's great delight. He dropped hints about the money he had and his appreciation for women in jewelry. The Frenchwoman nearly choked on her food in excitement. She believed she was going to be portkeying back to France with after a great shag and a British-made diamond ring.
Draco maintained the charm and exaggerated how he mapped out the Frenchwoman's body with his eyes. He led Francesca to a jewelry store to her immense delight and announced, "I am going to buy a ring for a beautiful… beautiful woman I know. I surely need some help in selecting a ring for her." Draco maintained eye contact with the woman during the whole demand and dropped his voice a notch. She was putty in Draco's hands. It was too easy.
Forty minutes later, Francesca was pointing at a platinum band with three small square cut diamonds sunken into it with surprise. She thought she was going to get something with… more rocks?
"You want this one?" she asked again… unsure.
Draco smirked. "Yes, I do. The beauty of this woman that I adore is already so… much that any extra shine would surely not be healthy for a mere man."
Francesca blushed. So it wasn't exactly what she wanted, but this British man was sexy and she wasn't going to say no to platinum and diamonds. She nodded in acceptance. Draco smirked and her knees wobbled.
After making the payment, Draco led Francesca out of the store to stand on the pavement. Francesca was practically shaking with anticipation.
"Francesca…" Draco leaned in huskily. "Thank you for your company during lunch… and invaluable female opinion on rings. Wish me luck…" Draco leaned in closer and Francesca's body tensed in anticipation.
"I am going to propose to my girlfriend with this ring."
"Ce qui?" shouted Francesca in surprise!
"What you ask? In English I suppose then Madam." Draco was feeling the satisfaction of payback. "I love another woman and I never intended to buy this ring for you. I shall see you in a fortnight's time to see how the French forces are going. Bye now." …and Draco Malfoy with a satisfied smirk apparated away to his flat away from the beautiful stuttering woman.
Draco was home before six! Amazing! He planned to get some kip and wake up before one in the morning when Ginny would get home to surprise her with his non-sleepy presence for once. He wasn't going to propose just yet, but soon. After getting past the wards and setting his briefcase down, he heard a muffled noise coming from the direction of his bedroom. All happy thoughts of finishing work early, embarrassing Francesca and proposing to Ginny disappeared as he instantly retracted into soldier mode. Draco drew his wand out and silently walked the very few steps to the bedroom door. It was half open and what Draco witnessed as the source of the noise made his mouth go dry.
Ginny was half naked on their bed, her hand pumping furiously at her red thatch of curls and she was making all sorts of devious noises. All rational thought left Draco's mind as he furiously began tugging his pants down.
"Oh, Draco!" Ginny moaned suddenly as she climaxed.
Draco's erection had almost formed fully, but at Ginny's wanton moaning of his name, every drop of blood in his body either dropped or rose to his midsection. Forgetting any thought of introducing himself, Draco positively roared and dove for the unsuspecting Ginny.
▪Ж▪
"Draco, I've really missed you," murmured Ginny over a very late dinner – her belly rumbling though in other ways she was completely satisfied…
Draco paused in bringing his fork to his mouth and displayed to Ginny a small crooked smile that only she was privy too. Stroking the curve of her jaw softly, Draco replied "I know. I'm sorry. I have missed you too."
It was now eleven o'clock in the evening… five hours since Draco had arrived home to discover Ginny in her deliciously compromising position. Both were pleasantly exhausted and eating in bed, their bare legs twined together under the covers.
Ginny finished her meal and set the bowl to the side. "Draco, I mean. I'd get home, every night… soooo tired, and you're so tired and then all I do is sleep and I want you to hold me but of course you can't and then at the same time my head hits the pillow and then you're not there in the morning-"
"-Ginny. I know. I don't want to leave the bed in the mornings."
"Draco… can we keep doing this? It's like I don't even see you."
"Yeah… I know. But you also know how guilty you'd feel if we snuck off back to our island for another few months or so."
"Hahah, I suppose. I'd sure like to go back… we could spend all day, you know… sun, surf, sex." Ginny winked at Draco at the third alliterative word and his eyes glinted hungrily back at her. "Draco, while I have the day off today, and you're here, not snoozing away," Draco nodded and grinned in apology. "I've just got to tell you, when I'm with you, I just feel like… Like I've gone insane or something-"
"Oh nice, Weasley, if this is the type of compliment your family gives, imagine the insults" interjected Draco.
"Oh shut up Malfoy. Let me finish," retorted Ginny, reaching her arm out to smack Draco lightly on the shoulder. His quick reflexes caught her hand and held it. Ginny almost sighed at the warmth that shot up her arm. "Um… ah oh yeah. When I'm with you, I just feel unreal. It's like nothing else matters all of a sudden because I am completely happy. Just so, happy, happy feeling like nothing will ever hurt me. It feels like all the troubles of the world, of my family, of mine just don't exist. I've never felt this way before with anyone else, and I'm not prepared to ever let you go to find out. …I mean, you know how I feel about you of course but, but yeah… this is my way of telling you that I'm yours forever. Forever. Just yeah… I love you Draco and I don't want anything to happen to us and for you to not understand how I feel.
By now Ginny was blushing furiously at the raw emotion she was expressing, something she had not done in a while. The glitter in Draco's eyes as he listened to her made a different kind of warmth begin to blossom in Ginny's chest.
I'm not prepared to ever let you go to find out. Ginny's words burned into Draco's mind, making him feel hot and cold at the same time. Draco couldn't really find the words to express how he felt, so he simply nodded.
Ginny's slightly worried expression melted away on the onset of a brilliant smile that took Draco's breath away. "We just haven't really talked in so long. Good to see Ferrets have some degree of memory!"
Draco didn't rise to take the bait to Ginny's teasing as he normally would. Instead, he gently set his dinner to the side, climbed on top of Ginny and slowly eased her onto her back, sliding himself between her legs in the process. Draco maintained steady contact with Ginny's soft brown eyes until they shuttered close in anticipation. He leant into the curve of Ginny's neck as he slowly slipped inside of her and whispered "we're both crazy."
▪Ж▪
When Ginny awoke the next morning, she felt gloriously sated and well-rested and it was a different feeling to simply having a good night's sleep (which she had every night anyway). Lazily, Ginny smiled into her pillow. She understood it was because her heart had been soothed of the subtle ache of separation. Ginny snaked her arm out search the sheets for Draco but her hope was bitterly rewarded with his absence. Disappointed that her great night with Draco couldn't be extend into the morning, Ginny pouted petulantly. She was sort of hoping that Draco would have been so exhausted with their lovemaking that he would simply sleep in and not go to work! Ginny could then have had the pleasure of watching Draco's unguarded sleep in the morning brightness.
After the war… Ginny thought instead. It was now her mantra – after the war.
As Ginny sat up straighter, she caught sight of a little roll of parchment placed exactly in the centre of Draco's pillow. Ginny smirked to herself (a habit she had picked up over the past two years), Draco was always anal retentive. One only had to look at the small walk-in wardrobe the pair shared. Ginny's side was like a clothing explosion whilst the crisp neatness of Draco's could have belonged to that of a house elf.
Dear Miss Weasley
Thank you for a fantastic evening, the fees for your services is on the kitchen table.
Ginny's eyes widened and her lips formed a little 'o' of surprise as she read the audacity of Draco's opening line. "Cheeky sod," Ginny muttered to herself and kept reading Draco's elegant script.
Tonight, I will enjoy your company again. Put on that little black dress you know your best customer happens to love and perhaps something to make you a bit taller?
"Grr, Draco!" Ginny growled at the parchment again.
Meet me at the entrance of the eighteenth apartment in the Glasshouse Apartments on Blossom Terrace promptly at 7o'clock.
I love you –
the most out of all the ladies recommended to me by the agency.
Regards,
Mister Malfoy.
The cheek of him! Ginny wondered about her work though. Had Draco so conveniently forgotten that? At that moment, the parchment in Ginny's hand begin to tug itself over to reveal the other side. It read;
"x I pulled rank. Tonight, you will service me and no one else."
So, Ginny had another night off! Draco had never used his position to get time together. Ginny immediately furrowed her eyebrows together in confusion. She honestly didn't know what was going on. Deciding that she would find out in a few hours, Ginny shrugged and carried on with her day – the sting of not waking up beside Draco having already faded away in anticipation.
▪Ж▪
Draco announced for the first time in all of his employment in the Strategical department that he was only working a half day. His colleagues all simply stared at him in utter surprise. All members of the department worked diligently and determinedly – but Draco Malfoy was the hardest working out of them all. A perfectionist, a worrier and self-slave driver.
"Well you see…" Draco paused to let an extremely rare public smile shine through. "I'm proposing to my girlfriend tonight."
Roars of delight ensued, and for the next ten minutes witches and wizards abandoned their work to clap Draco on the back. Most were extremely surprised, and delighted as well, that the Death Eater turned Order member had a romantic relationship outside of his work. Curious questions were thrown about;
"Show us a picture laddie!"
"Ahh she must be a bit of harpy to fall for a work-obsessed snake like you Malfoy!"
Helena stuck her head into the office to inspect the commotion and squealed in delight as she heard the news. Only Draco's senior, Frank Wrightwood and Helena knew who exactly Draco's girlfriend was. In answer to everyone else's curious questions about Ginny, Draco enigmatically answered, "you will receive an invite to the wedding." The room cheered in response and excitement. Only Frank Wrightwood and Helena had an inkling of Draco's secret fear that Ginny may not be alive after the war if called into active service.
Soon the commotion died down and a strict working atmosphere settled over the room again. Soon after that there were groans of despair dotted everywhere.
"Our troops in Europe have nearly fallen completely, a few days they'll last at the most," said Kylie, Draco's colleague.
"Damn it. Blast!" growled Wrightwood, his grey bushy eyebrows knitting together in grief. "The attack formation should have worked."
"I hate being pushed back into defense," muttered Draco, his hand gripping his silvery-blonde hair in distress.
Eastern Europe had quite a forceful base of Voldemort loyalists who were one of the main threats globally to the success of The Collective. One of the most dangerous fronts to fight in – the especially vicious conflict in the East and West Europe was something legendary among soldier-Aurors.
Draco sighed in frustration and regret. The failure of their strategy was a painful blow and a bitter disappointment. The solution to change priorities from attack to defense was dreaded but not difficult. He voiced aloud "Somebody better fire up the floo networks to inform the other nations. Francesca will have two contingents ready, as will Australia and the US. I'll send the orders for Britain to deploy two of our reserves." Draco made a note, like he always did when he made a decision to deploy fresh troops on his roll of parchment amongst the nodding of his colleagues.
▪Ж▪
The plan of defense was easy to organise – the greatest pain was the depressiveness of it. Promptly at three, Draco picked up his briefcase and walked out of the office. The moral in there was supremely at odds with the excitement of Draco's proposal announcement earlier hat day. Only Helena retained her cheerfulness – partly because of her personality, partly because of Draco's announcement and partly because she was not privy to what happened inside the workroom.
"Good luck Draco!" Helena chirped.
Draco turned to her and heaved a sigh. He had to concentrate on happier things. "Thank you Helena. Have a good afternoon," Draco responded with a slight smile, before striding away from the office.
As he became more and more preoccupied with what he had to prepare for that night, the bitterness of the loss faded away into a distant corner of Draco's mind. That evening, he was going to cook dinner, hold Ginny close and then get down on his knee. Then – Ginny would be a step closer to being officially his. Draco was still feeling warm from Ginny's comment the previous night. This would be his way of promising his love as well.
When he arrived back to the small flat, Ginny was not at home just as he had planned. He had cast a distracting spell – by one o'clock, when Ginny walked past the walls of her apartment she'd feel an incredible need to prepare for her date that evening at The Burrow with the mother – and would not return until seven.
Draco quickly divested himself of the heavy outer Ministry robes and rolled up the sleeves of his white business shirt.
I'm going to need a coffee Draco thought to himself. Draco was indeed going to need a coffee for the amount of cooking and spellcasting he was going to complete between three and seven o'clock.
▪Ж▪
"Thanks mum, the hair looks great," said Ginny to her mother in the front walkway of The Burrow. She looked at herself critically in the full length mirror and was satisfied at the woman who stared back. Ginny had slipped into a form-fitting little black dress, a favourite of Draco's that Ginny never found the opportunity to wear much. The design was simple, it had a deep 'V' cut in the bust and the back and was cut just rightly so to cling to Ginny's body. A deceptively simple piece, but Ginny loved it because she always felt so beautiful in it. Her creamy pale legs were lengthened by a largely unworn pair of black heels and Ginny's long vibrant red hair was pulled into a half-up, with small locks of red framing her pale face.
"Mum?" Ginny questioned after a few moments. Molly had not replied.
Instead, Molly Weasley was staring at her youngest child – the only female Weasley to be born in generations and generations. She was absolutely beautiful. She nearly choked with tears.
"No dear, you're quite welcome. Draco will fall over when he looks at you," Molly finally replied.
"Ahh thanks mum. It's just good genes you know," countered Ginny with a wink. "If you only knew how many girls befriend me just to get with the boys."
Molly merely smiled with pride.
"It's just so strange you know?" Ginny continued as she packed her matching black handbag – an expensive gift from Draco that she cherished. "Out of the blue, he takes time off work, takes time off work for me, just to take me out. I mean it's absolutely fantastic, but just odd too."
Molly had to try very hard not to let the cat out of the bag. A few weeks ago, Draco had apparated to The Burrow at about nine in the evening after he had gotten off work. He was completely exhausted but unable to find another time to visit Molly and Arthur. He had sat down and told of his dedication to their only daughter, and that he'd like their permission to marry her. Ginny's parents were falling over themselves to give Draco their blessings. Molly could say – even in the desperate time of war, supreme joy could exist in people's lives.
It was then five thirty pm, still an hour and a half too early for Ginny to arrive.
"Thanks again mum, I'll come by later to tell you how it went. I've still got plenty of time, so I'm going to Colin's for a bit. Bye!"
"Have fun tonight dear!" called Molly to her now grown-up daughter rushing out the front door of the family home to apparate with a wave.
▪Ж▪
"You look fantastic!" exclaimed Colin Creevey, Ginny's other best friend. Colin took a different pathway in the wartime. He signed his name up for the multitude of Healer courses that were being offered in the onset of war and was now a fully qualified medic.
"Can I take a photo?" he quickly slotted in with a grin. He did not however, lose his passion for photography.
Ginny and Colin chatted and laughed while he snapped up a few photos, finding it easy to talk about things other than the on-going conflict around them. Sitting down in Colin's small living quarters in St Mungo's, the two old friends were thoroughly absorbed in discussion about Colin's new developing relationship with Miranda the injured soldier-Auror which was strictly forbidden.
"I just hope that no one ever catches us talking… unnecessarily, but Merlin, Ginny, you should see her! She's heavily bandaged, healing from a nasty piece of Dark Magic and yet so friendly and, and… attractive. I can't help it. I want to be with her."
"Oh but patients are temporary Colin. As soon as she gets out, you two can start something," replied Ginny soothingly, waggling her eyebrows.
Both were in mid-laugh when Ginny felt something warm up in her bra. It was her soldier's dogtags that she was never meant to take off… but did. Ginny knew she shouldn't have removed it to simply let her dress have the full impact it could create – but she couldn't resist. She wanted to be beautiful for Draco that night.
The dogtags were embedded with multiple layers of magic that afforded the soldier-Auror increased skills, stronger spell casts and identification to The Collective member's only. It also acted as a piece of one-way communication for the Generals and Commanders to contact their men and women. Ginny compensated by placing hers in her bra and now had to reach in to take it out.
"Sorry Colin," muttered Ginny, not embarrassed at all but slightly annoyed that the conversation was interrupted.
"Oh that's fine," replied Colin.
Soldier-Auror G. Weasley, report to London Military HQ immediately.
Ginny had no choice but to leave. "Sorry Colin, I'll talk to you later okay. Good luck with Miranda!"
"Aw thanks, I'll see you around Gin," replied the tall mousey haired man with a grin. A quick hug later and Ginny was apparating away to the military base.
When Ginny arrived, she stuck out like a sore thumb amongst a sea of soldier-Aurors all in uniform, looking sweaty and grimy.
"Lovely," announced Luna, when Ginny arrived, blushing a little at her appearance.
"Thanks," replied Ginny with a grin. The meeting soon commenced.
"I suppose this is it," breathed Luna with her eyes wide. "Active duty."
Ginny trembled in her heels. "Yeah… wow."
"Try to still have fun on your date tonight Ginny. I'll owl you," said Luna absently, leaning to kiss Ginny on the cheek.
"Bye Lunes," whispered Ginny response, just as absently as her friend.
Ginny apparated back to her apartment, number 18 of Glasshouse Apartments on Blossom Terrace just a little before seven. She debated whether she should just blurt out to Draco her contingent's selection for active duty in war-torn Europe or whether she should wait the whole night.
Suddenly, she felt a warm pair of strong arms wrap around her from behind.
"Wench, you look beautiful," whispered Draco huskily into Ginny's ear. She shivered in response involuntarily.
I'll tell him later then.
Ginny turned around in Draco's arms and stepped back to look at him. Dressed in an expensive looking shirt and casual black pants with his blonde hair flopping messily into his eyes – Ginny felt like she had died and gone to heaven just from the sight of him.
Draco smirked wickedly and took Ginny's hand, and she promptly began to walk away from the flat.
"Where are you going little Weasley," asked Draco. "You're all mine tonight over here." He tilted his head back towards the apartment.
Ginny, who had momentarily forgot about her important news, furrowed her brows in confusion again. "Okay…"
Draco put his hand on the small of Ginny's back and gently led her inside. At the opening of the door, Ginny had to suddenly lean on Draco for support as she gasped.
Draco had charmed the entire interior of the tiny flat to resemble the island they had first ever connected on. At the entrance way, gentle seawater sloshed upon a wooden walkway that led the island's beach. It was just after sunset, and the entire walkway was lined with lights. The replica was perfect.
Draco firmly held onto Ginny's hand and led her to the "beach" over the salty water.
How much MAGIC did Draco harness? Thought Ginny wildly.
"This, this… I…"
"Yes, it's a brilliant work of magic on my part," drawled Draco.
Completely distracted, Ginny agreed with his ego-inflation.
The wooden walkway joined to a large wooden platform where a table for two was set to perfection with dinner already awaiting on it. The perfection of the setting practically screamed Draco, and Ginny found herself almost choking on the swelling emotion inside of her.
"This, you, beautiful, oh my," stuttered Ginny.
Draco politely held Ginny's chair out and tucked her back in as she sat.
Ginny practically exploded with the joy of wining and dining – not just sleeping and working with Draco.
"It's your favourite," Draco gestured towards the food on the table. The extreme happiness radiating of Ginny was most palpable, and Draco felt himself swell with pride and love.
"You, cooked, all, food? My favourite? That takes an awfully long time?" beamed Ginny.
Draco merely smirked and reached for Ginny's hands from across the table.
▪Ж▪
Ginny decided that she definitely was not a mortal being anymore. She was too insanely happy in this magical world of warm wind, water and sand. She buried her face into Draco's hard, masculine-scented chest and sighed with utter contentment for must have been the hundredth time.
Draco and Ginny shared their first, proper conversation together for the first time in what felt like a long time. They took their time and talked about everything. A great deal of it was spent talking about the early days of their relationship, visiting past memories and discussing future ones they were both eager to create. Ginny felt like she was getting a massive hit from a hard drug she had been kept away from. She reasoned, to feel so high was just not natural, couldn't possibly be natural. Draco felt exactly the same. They both knew each other felt exactly the same and the warmth and contentment that existed because of that was the most precious belonging of theirs.
After dinner, Draco charmed away the table, chairs and dishes and was left with a gorgeous dance floor. Bamboo flares lit up each corner of the wooden platform and a full moon bathed the couple in a magical light. With a flick of his wand, slow, steady and heady music infused the air around them. The two were absolutely content to hold each other and to sway continuously to the music for what felt like forever. Ginny could now say, she had truly experienced romance.
Ecstasy would be the word Ginny and Draco would use to describe their time together in the future. For this moment – both couldn't help but enjoy it.
Ginny's body was molded to Draco's and she didn't ever feel like letting go. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, Draco began inching down Ginny's body. He kissed her forehead, her eyelids, her nose, her cheeks, chin, chest… Ginny was completely lost in the sensations and it took her a moment to realise that Draco was in front of her anymore. Looking around in alarm, she soon realised that Draco was actually on his knees in front of her, looking earnestly up into her eyes.
Ginny's heart stopped.
"I never thought I was a lucky man Ginny," began Draco huskily as Ginny's heart kicked back into action – so fast it was almost painful.
"I thought I didn't need it. My life before you was as good as it was going to get. Then, you came jogging along into my life, wandless yet completely magical. On this island I realised that all the luck that one accumulates was withheld for the first twenty one years. You are the key to unlock the cache. Now I realise, I have all the luck."
Before Ginny could process the pure heaven coming from Draco's mouth – a small velvet box was open in Draco's hands and a breathtakingly simple engagement band was twinkling back up at her.
"We are pure happiness Ginny, and I love you. Will you make me happy forever Ginny, by marrying me?"
Draco's eyes burned into Ginny's with intensity, with promise. It was official, Ginny thought. She had transcended into a higher plane of existence.
With a voice utterly light and joyful, Ginny whispered, "yes."
▪Ж▪
That evening, as Draco and Ginny spent their evening together loving each other in every way possible, both were exquisite beings from up above, experiencing something so special that not every mortal were lucky enough to experience.
Dimly, just before Ginny's body took over all of her consciousness, she thought tomorrow is another day, an ordinary human day. War can wait 'til then, not today. No, no, no…
"Oh yes," Ginny moaned into the night.