Search the Sheets

by yourbeautifulnightmare

A fluffy three-part capture of the love that Draco and Ginny come to share in a difficult and lonely world of war and hate. Pure D x G bliss...

3. Chapter 3

peoples! reviews! plezploxpweeeettyplease!

Search the Sheets

Ginny woke the next morning to the subdued England sunlight weakly filtering through the window. The magic Draco had commanded the previous night on their usually tiny apartment was beginning to fade. Half the room was normal, with the other half still a beach – quickly fading. Ginny's naked body was caked with a thin layer of sand and her dogtags were back around her neck again. The contentedness the redhead was experiencing just looking at the quickly-fading sand disappeared at the sight of the small pieces of metal nestled between her breasts.

Why now?! Ginny mentally screamed. Why now that Draco's just proposed! Damn it, damn it all to-

"Tea?" prompted a drawling voice from somewhere above her. It was Draco holding two steaming mugs in hand – utterly naked. He was smirking, smirking because he could see his fiancé trying very hard to keep her eyes on his face…

"Thank you," Ginny replied with warmth. For that moment, she had forgot all about her active service all over again. Draco, absolutely naked was so, so, …compelling. He joined her on the hard wooden floor, where the sand had already retreated and the 'ocean' was quickly evaporating away into nothingness.

Ginny was torn. As she sipped her tea, she badly wanted to bask unfettered in the steady kisses Draco was peppering her cheeks and shoulders with between drinking, but she also had to work out how to break the news to her new fiancé without him blowing up in worry and distress. She felt the desire to simply luxuriate begin to overwhelm her desire to inform Draco and so she quickly pulled away from his warm lips.

"Draco," began Ginny but Draco shuffled closer to her, unrelenting in his affections.

"No, Draco," tried Ginny again, breathlessly this time. Draco's hunting lips suddenly found what he was diligently looking for - that little spot on Ginny's neck that would never fail in making her dizzy with excitement.

"Ohh!" Ginny moaned uncontrollably. She had to act now before Draco distracted her even further. In the same breath of her second moan, Ginny said "Oh god, Draco – I've been called into active duty!"

The kissing suddenly ceased and a deadly silence suddenly filled the now tiny-again apartment. It was only broken a moment later by the shattering of Draco's mug as it fell from his nerveless fingers. Ginny's eyes – which had been lightly shut during Draco's ministrations – snapped open to witness his angular face arranged in a rare expression of shock and horror.

Hot tea sped over the ground to warm Ginny and Draco's bodies but neither of them noticed.

"Oh," Draco said aloud in a strangled voice. "Oh sweet Merlin no…"

Ginny impatiently swept away the shards of broken mug to clutch at Draco's bare form as he continued to mouth agonies to himself.

"Draco, you knew this was going to happen one day… The war has pivotal battles everywhere now, and I've been in the reserves for so long…" Ginny said in what she hoped was a placating tone but it did not seem to take any effect on the white-blonde haired man. In fact, Draco appeared to become even more distressed and he suddenly clutched Ginny's pale, now un-freckled shoulders.

"You're going to Europe aren't you? Aren't you!" demanded Draco.

"Yes…" breathed Ginny, beginning to be afraid for him. It suddenly dawned on her.

"I've sent you to fucking Europe, where our sure-fucking-fire formation should have worked, but didn't. The Collective forces are getting fucked shitless by the Dark Forces out there and I've sent you as DEFENSIVE BACK UP?!" roared Draco. He unconsciously clutched Ginny harder, uncomprehending of her gasp of pain and shock.

Holy sweet mother of flying fuck no this should not have happened! Roared the voice in Draco's head. Another one joined the ranting cacophony.

Ah but you left her safety to chance – didn't you. She's the only thing you ever truly needed to be happy but nooo, you didn't take enough affirmative action.

"Draco!" Ginny pleaded but he didn't hear her.

Oh Merlin, Merlin, Merlin, Merlin raced the initial panicky voice.

"Draco!" Ginny tried again.

Yes, Draco. You stupid fool. She is going to DIE out there! You saw the reports, you saw the contingent nearly fuckin' decimated. Now you've sent her to PICK UP THE PIECES IN THE MIDST OF A DEATH EATER ONSLOUGHT? WITH EASTERN EUROPE THE FUCKING POWER BASE FOR VOLDEMORT?

Ginny couldn't bear it anymore. She tried for the third time, "Draco! Please, you're hurting me – let go."

Hurting me… Draco thought. Suddenly he realised, and he released Ginny immediately, horrified at himself for another reason.

"Ginny," Draco said in a tortured voice. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

Ginny crawled back over to her fiancé and into his lap. "Who says I'll be hurt in the war?"

There was no reply for a long moment, and Ginny turned her head up to see Draco unmoving, with his previously glorious smirk replaced by a taut expression with his lips turned down at the corners. She couldn't find the words to phrase how she felt, and instead buried her head into Draco's chest, listening to his racing heartbeat.

After a few minutes of absolute stillness, Draco finally spoke in a dead voice. "I'm not letting you go."

"What? C'mon Draco – not this again. We've been through it…"

"You're scared."

Ginny opened her mouth to retort but could find no rebuttal.

"You're scared Ginny, I know it. Stay with me – "

"What? Stay with you? At the fucking Strategical office? Want me to wait out the door all day and night like a good puppy? Because there's not much of you to stay with." Ginny felt her sadness being transmuted into unjustified anger as she spat. Draco's body stiffened even more around Ginny and she felt an immediate jolt of guilt. She felt him drag in a heavy breath but no words were formed with it.

"Oh no, oh no Draco I'm sorry. I don't mean that – you do what you have to do. You have to play your role," amended Ginny quickly, resting her forehead on Draco's, feeling suddenly scared – scared that she had angered the dragon within Draco. To Ginny's great relief, he only tightened his arms around her again.

"You're scared," Draco pointed out bluntly again.

"Yes. I am," admitted Ginny, rubbing her nose softly against Draco's sharp one, hoping to exude some comfort.

In the same dead voice, "but you're still going."

"Yes," Ginny breathed. "Because I win, I get ideology and you."

Draco's grey eyes opened and he looked steadily into Ginny's as he whispered emotionlessly, "I never thought I'd see the day a Weasley own more than a Malfoy. If I lose you, I'll have nothing."

In response, Ginny pressed a brief but fierce kiss upon Draco's lips, as if to emphasize how much she belonged to him, and he to her. "I'm-" Ginny began but Draco cut her off.

"Don't bullshit me Ginevra – and tell me you're not going to die," Draco said cruelly, turning his face away from Ginny.

Hurt, Ginny moved away from Draco and muttered "I was going to say 'I'm going to become a Malfoy.'". She felt utterly stripped and bare, not only physically. Draco had made the greater personal sacrifice in not only leaving Voldemort and his principles – but Draco's family ties and tradition. Ginny had no time for modesty, she knew she was worth it all in Draco's eyes, but that meant that if she was killed in battle, Draco would be utterly alone. It was not to say that the Weasley's – or Molly at least – wouldn't have supported him, but their support would not have been the same as his own parents'. Draco was only familiar to Ginny's family for two years - the second of which where he practically never visited due to a lack of opportunity, and the supreme awkwardness that surrounded Draco's newfound relationship with the youngest Weasley in the first year prevented any family bonding.

It was selfish on Ginny's part… she could understand that.

Draco slowly turned his head back to face Ginny again, and she was struck by the roiling emotion in his eyes. It was so hauntingly familiar, she had only just seen it the previous night while he was on one knee, proposing to her. Passion Ginny realised. It was passion.

Draco started to move. Ginny was forced to slip off Draco's lap and tumble onto the ground beneath him. "Draco!" Ginny squeaked. He didn't reply, but instead loomed over her, pushing her flat on her back, never breaking eye contact. Ginny was excited, and slightly afraid - a powerful combination that left her breathless and shaky.

He was positioned between her bare legs, just nudging her entrance when he muttered threateningly, "No Malfoy has ever been jilted at the altar. Understood?" Ginny felt her chin pull downwards in a nod – what she understood was that this was the most Draco would allow her to lie to him in the war.

Draco's hips surged forwards and he grunted in satisfaction at the low hiss Ginny made. Later, lying spent and breathless on the wooden floor – Draco pulled Ginny in for a long kiss. It was a kiss that Ginny understood as Draco's unhappy acceptance of her news.

▪Ж▪

Molly Weasley slowly sank herself down into her worn rickety kitchen chair as she put her hand to her forehead in distress and stared at her youngest son's solemn face. "Oh no…" said Molly crestfallenly. "My youngest son off to war." The lines of love, age and weariness on her face were set into sad resignation as Ron hugged his mother in response.

Their embrace was suddenly disturbed by the two loud cracks of Ginny and Draco apparating directly into The Burrow's kitchen. Draco forgot his anger and hurt at Ginny's leaving for a moment when he observed Ron's restrained embrace whilst Ginny herself exclaimed "what's going on? Mum what's wrong?"

"Oh Ginny, Ron's been called into active service," Molly replied, swiping a tear away quickly. "They all go so soon! Hello Draco, I'll get some tea and shortbread."

"Oh," replied Ginny shortly. She felt guilty, now that her mother had to bear the loss of another two children after her older brothers had all thankfully, returned home and were relieved temporarily of duty. Draco subtly nudged Ginny and she quickly turned to her fiancé with a grimace.

Ron narrowed his eyes slightly at Draco and nodded briefly before turning to his sister and kissing her on the cheek. "Hey Gin, I'm going to Europe. There's another contingent accompanying us, not sure which one though," he said in a level voice as he himself plopped down in the chair his mother had recently vacated and immediately started toying with his dogtags.

"So Draco, aren't you usually at work? You work too hard dear!" said Molly conversationally as she tapped her wand against an old copper kettle and bustled around collecting mugs and plates.

"Umm…" replied Ginny for Draco, looking at him nervously again.

"What…" asked Molly with a confused frown.

"I am spending the next two days with Ginny alone and not going to work," began Draco steadily.

Ron lifted his head in interest at the conversation going on around him as Ginny twisted her fingers and Draco looked emotionless as ever.

"Ginny's going to-"

"Get married to Draco!" interjected Ginny with a sudden and honest grin, throwing out her left hand proudly. Draco was momentarily taken aback at Ginny's statement - he had completely forgotten in the past morning that he was indeed engaged to Ginny!

How the hell did I forget that? Thought Draco rapidly as the kitchen suddenly burst forth with Molly's excited yelling and Ron's exclamation of "what the fuck?"

The excitement from Molly and Ginny was momentarily blinding and contagious and Draco found that the passive expression he usually reserved for Ginny's closest brother dissipated into a ecstatic grin.

"You said yes Ginny! I knew you would!" cried Molly happily, ignoring the whistling kettle in the background to wrap Ginny in a big hug. Ginny was jumping up and down slightly in excitement and Molly winked at Draco from over her daughter's shoulder. Draco's grey eyes only twinkled joyfully back at his mother in-law to-be as Ron quickly strode over to Ginny, grabbed her left hand and stared with a dumbstruck expression at the small but glittering diamonds on his sister's pale finger. Ron's mouth moved, but no sounds were coming out and he slowly raised his head to look at Draco in amazement.

"You… what… Ginny?" he managed to choke out while Ginny was still hugging their mother tightly.

Draco smirked evilly at Ron and replied, "I proposed. Pro-posed," he drew out slowly.

"Yes, yes I know you proposed," snapped Ron irritably. "I just, you're going to be… I don't want…"

"You think I want you as a brother either?" snapped Draco back.

"Hey!" Ginny and Molly yelled together simultaneously, sounding frighteningly similar. Ginny disentangled herself from her mother's arms and punched Draco on the shoulder whilst Molly backhanded her son on the back of his red head.

"Ow!" both yelled in unison, continuing to glare at each other.

The kettle in the background was whistling unbearably but Molly still ignored it to reach for Draco to crush him in a matronly hug as well.

"Oh, thank you Mrs Weasley," choked Draco over the top of the woman's head to grimace at a giggling Ginny.

Molly soon returned to preparing morning tea with an incredibly happy glow inside of her, a glow that had to be nestled between the pains of war. Ron continued his fidgeting with his dogtags but now he also half glared, half stared at his sister and Draco who were seated incredibly - and to Ron – disgustingly close together. They kept leaning in to rub noses, hold hands… look into each other's eyes… "Oh that's it! I feel sick!" Ron ejected suddenly, moving to get up to brood in his room and wait for Harry and Hermione who were coming over that evening for dinner.

"You're going nowhere! You're going to war – Europe no less and I don't know when I'll see you again!" scolded Molly with worry, sternly pushing her lanky son back into the kitchen chair.

Ginny and Draco ceased being in their own little world at the words "war" and "Europe." Ginny's heart plummeted as Draco's briefly happy expression faded away into his little frown of simmering worry and anger. Molly noted the little change with interest but quickly dismissed it. She set the tea and biscuits down and glared at Ron to eat some before turning her attention back to the engaged pair.

"Drink! Drink Draco you're looking a bit peaky," encouraged Molly before sipping on hers, preparing to have a long discussion about wedding plans and dresses with her first and only son in-law to be. "So you sneaky two! When are you thinking about having all of this? There's a lot to think about… we should do it soon. I want the whole family here, and I don't foresee boys like Bill and Charlie being kept on leave too long…"

Ginny felt Draco's body stiffen next to hers and his hand suddenly clenched around hers under the table. She looked at him nervously again whilst Molly's suspicions suddenly heightened again.

"What is it you two?" she asked sternly. "Draco just proposed to you last night! Why aren't you falling over with happiness?"

Her mother had just reminded Ginny how painful it was experience joy and disappointment simultaneously and she choked on her tea and the sudden lurching of emotion she felt.

Draco decided that he had had enough beating around the bush. Rubbing Ginny's back soothingly as her coughs subsided, he said flatly, "Ginny's going to Europe with Ronald. She belongs in the other contingent."

"No!" gasped Molly whilst Ron said at the same time, "You?"

"Yes," replied Ginny as flatly as she could, trying to sound composed like Ron and Draco did. "If Ron's going too… well we're both going to be leaving on the morning day after tomorrow." Ginny reached over the table with her other hand for Ron's. She tried to foster a cheerful smile and murmured, "Ron. Looks like you'll be stuck with your little sister, again."

"This is the reason why I'm not going to work," muttered Draco darkly at the three sad Weasley's in the kitchen.

There was a long moment of Molly staring in horror at her daughter, Ron's clutching of his sister's hand and Draco's cold expression before Molly slammed her mug hard on the kitchen table – shattering it and spilling tea in all directions. Second time this morning thought Draco dully.

"No!" yelled Molly, unable to stop her tears. "They can't keep taking my children!"

"Mum, but you've always known I was going to fight. I'm not a soldier-Auror for noth-"

"They take my sons, put them all through some sick hell and now they have the gall to take my daughter too?" Molly roared as Ginny and Ron quickly came to her side and hugged her tightly. "I've seen what it's done to my boys, the haunted expressions in their eyes…"

Draco felt the moment between the Weasleys too intimate for him and he left for Ginny's old bedroom after waving his wand and silently restoring order to the mess on the kitchen table.

As Draco ascended the stairs, he would have admitted the mixture of soprano and baritone in Ginny and Ron's consoling beautiful – if not for the ugly cause.

▪Ж▪

"Dinner." Sniff. "Tonight. The whole family."

"Okay mum, look, just go have a bit of a kip right now and we'll help you sort out dinner tonight later okay," breathed Ron, his heart heavy.

After Molly had moved off to her bedroom slowly, Ron and Ginny looked at each other sadly.

"Merlin this shit is fucked," breathed Ginny, cradling her head in her hands. "I wonder why I don't just stay. I wonder why we all don't just stay…"

Ron mirrored his sister's actions and groaned aloud, "you know why Ginny. Our whole lives… school lives and everything. Affected by thefucked Lord."

"Yeah," agreed Ginny silently. I get Draco and ideology. "Say, you and Hermione have had an awful long engagement! The hard part's over! You've already proposed!" joked Ginny.

Ron smiled tightly in response and replied, "we're waiting for the war to end. I, I want her to be my wife now – but I can't start a family and possibly… die… and… I don't want her to be a widower. We both don't want to have our wedding tailed by the black dog of Voldemort. For now, she knows I love her."

Ginny nodded slowly at her youngest elder brother. "Well, you'd better stay alive! You know how scary she can become when you've disappointed in some way! Like… Yule Ball in your fourth year! Or that night she sent you a note saying she was interested in some… activities… and you didn't receive it and got stone drunk with Harry and fell asleep right next to her!" Ginny waggled her eyebrows at Ron as he reached over to mess up her hair and growl – the tips of his ears turning red.

"So you and Malfoy huh," grunted Ron after a moment of silence between the siblings. Ginny looked him in his clear blue eyes and nodded resolutely.

"You can't deny he loves me," said Ginny defensively. Ron simply put up his hands and shook his head quickly.

"No Ginny. I don't deny it. That man would follow you to the moon," Ron conceded through grumbles.

"I'm scared, y'know," breathed Ginny.

"Hey, hey. I'll be there, don't worry your brother's here for ya," said Ron with a reassuring smile, but Ginny only shook her head rapidly.

"No I'm scared for Draco. What if I die Ron? Will you be nice to him even though you hate him? I am the light of his life… I guess, the beacon of promise for him. I don't want him to be alone, yet, at the same time I have to fight," Ginny continued tortuously.

Ron paused and sighed, his hands reaching for his dogtags instinctively. "I don't like him. Hermione's nicer to him and I suppose… Harry is just tolerant of him for all the work he has done for us, on behalf of you. Mum loves him though, and so does dad. Bill and the git share wit and Charlie simply loves darling Draconis. I don't know, somehow he and Percy manage to have some form of interesting conversation and the twins love ruffling his feathers. We'll never let him go." God damn it Ron thought. "Especially when everyone finds out he went and bloody proposed to you. I can't even try and convince mum that I already have too many brothers!" Ginny smiled wanly at Ron's lighthearted dig before gazing at him sadly again. "But seriously Gin. We're in a war. It strips away the bullshit that coats everyday life and what is revealed is what we really value. I'm pretty fuckin' blinded by what shines for you under his immense amount of bull. He's working for us, for you. It's good enough for me."

Ginny felt an immensely happy smile break through and words escaped her joy at Ron's support of her engagement.

"Oh please tell me you'll say something like that at our wedding!" squealed Ginny eventually as she threw her arms around her brother.

"No!" roared Ron as Ginny grinned and skipped away from the kitchen.

Through a floo call, Ginny quickly told Colin about her engagement to Draco and to The War and invited him to dinner before lightly ascending The Burrow's staircase to her old room, where she assumed Draco would be brooding.

Ginny knocked softly on her old door and when it was met by silence, she gently open it to reveal a pair of moody grey eyes framed by lashings of platinum gazing directly at her from her childhood bed.

Ginny's breath caught – as it always did.

The door was shut with a snap and Ginny wasted no time crossing the small distance to her bed to meld her body with her fiancé's.

"How's your mother?" Draco asked softly, absently running his hands up and down Ginny's back and through her silky red hair.

"Um, not good Draco – especially not with Ron leaving at the same time as well," sighed Ginny in response. Draco heard the almost-crack in Ginny's voice and tilted his head to kiss her in an attempt to console her.

"I think, at least, she knows Ron will be with me a lot of the time."

"Good," Draco growled. Ginny's lips curved in a small smile against Draco's cheek as she wondered fleetingly is this Draco beginning to like Ron more? "But not good enough. He let you join this god-forsaken war," Draco continued bitterly.

"Hey, hey!" Ginny snapped defensively. "There was nothing they could to do to stop me! It was my decision!"

"Oh Ginny, how I know…"

"You respect what I have decided to do," breathed Ginny sternly, whilst feeling a rending in her heart at the knowledge of parting with Draco.

"I don't know if respect is the word I'd quite use Ginevra. I accept it though - ironically enough it is what brought us together." Draco shared a brief but sweet kiss with Ginny before continuing, "but I don't think, I know you won't know what will hit you when you get out on that battlefield."

Ginny sat up straighter and leaned against her small bed's headboard as she listened intently to Draco. My beautiful Draco thought Ginny as she gazed at Draco's angular face which was arranged in an expression of utmost worry, concern and unconcealed pain. Ginny sensed Draco was going to speak about his past experiences as a Death Eater as he sat up straight too and unconsciously gripped his left forearm. It was incredibly rare for Ginny to coax any information out of Draco about his time as Voldemort's main man.

"I suppose, Weasley, I could talk myself blue in the face but you'll never truly understand what I'm saying until… if… you come back from Europe," began Draco, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration and pain. "War changes people."

"I know that Draco," breathed Ginny at the earnest concern radiating off the aloof handsome blonde man.

"No Ginny, I don't think you do. You actually can't, until you go and come back. I'm …afraid."

"Yes?" urged Ginny.

"I am afraid what Europe will do to you Ginny. I'm afraid of what you'll see and what you'll be forced to do when your survival instincts kick in." Draco clutched Ginny's hands in his and applied pressure, reveling in her reassuring physical presence. He suddenly choked on emotion as he said, "…Ginny. You are, so, beautiful. So incredibly pure and innocent. At the tender age of twenty two… I don't quite think you… I… The war will break you Ginny. I'm still me, but my life has been lived up 'til I met you with a bloody backdrop of Voldemort, violence, murder and death. It's a part of me – I was born into it. A killer's life isn't yours Ginny. I don't want you-"

Draco was interrupted by Ginny's soft sob. "Draco…"

"I don't want you to bear that pain, Ginny. You are strong, but your strength lies not in warfare. I'm afraid for your sanity… I sincerely hope but doubt, that you will be able to retain all of what made you, you. It affects you… war. I don't want to let you go."

Ginny was completely silent for a few long moments, holding onto Draco's hands and staring past Draco face into her mind's eye. She felt like she was on an out of control emotional rollercoaster that had accelerated from zero to at the very least a thousand kilometersin the space of about two days. From Draco's heartfelt and breathtaking proposal, to his severe anger at her leaving and now his past's revelations, Ginny was experiencing such intense and pure portrayals of Draco's emotions when for the past year or so, they spent most of their time muted and busy.

"You, as a Death Eater… you…" Ginny couldn't bring herself to verbally acknowledge the acts of Draco when he was one.

How will she think of me now? Wondered Draco tortuously as he gazed anxiously at Ginny's pale face with wide wondering brown eyes. "I have killed hundreds and tortured even more."

Ginny's eyes closed with pain. This was the reason why Draco kept his past in the past.

"You, you understand why I never explicitly told you…" said Draco softly and evenly.

"Yes," whispered Ginny. I always knew, I always knew he killed and tortured… all in the name of Voldemort. Yes I always knew and I always loved him, always, always.

"I…" trailed off Draco.

"No Draco, you don't have to apologize, I know you don't regret doing it because it didn't affect me then. I didn't love you then, but I love you now. You are who you are now, my fiancé. Thank you for telling me this…

I, still owe it to my world to, to fight. I don't want to leave you, don't want to change, I don't know anything yet…" whispered Ginny, feeling the onset of a powerful migraine at the influx of emotional energy she hadn't had adequate time to adjust to yet.

Ginny slid back down her small narrow bed and wrapped Draco's arms around her, snuggling her back into Draco's broad chest. She let a sense of security and protection wash over her with his strong presence behind her.

"I'm sorry you feel scared now. I can't let you go in ignorance Ginny. I love you too much," breathed Draco softly into Ginny's ears.

For the moment however, Ginny felt her emotional and intellectual stress fade away with every one of Draco's kisses on her neck and cheek as the powerful land of the sleep enticed her away from the problems of consciousness.

▪Ж▪

"I don't believe it!" exclaimed Draco indignantly as Ginny luxuriated in her fiancé's arms that had snaked around her waist.

"Mmm what Drakie?" Ginny purred as she gazed into the beautiful sight The Burrow's bathroom mirror beheld.

"Creevey is stationed as Healer with you in Europe! Your brother has you, Loonie's with you and now that twerp will be there with you!" growled Draco with his lips pressed against Ginny's pale neck. Draco's frustration only escalated when Ginny giggled in response.

"Aww Drakie, are you jealous?" she teased, her eyes sparkling with mirth.

"Very, very much," replied Draco in utter seriousness, eliciting a soft sigh from Ginny. She couldn't resist it anymore, the urge to feel morose and sad. It was her final night in England, her final night with her family and her husband-to-be. Ginny decided it was best to hurry and do what she and Draco had commandeered the bathroom for.

Cut off all of Ginny's long wavy hair.

The Military had a rule required that all hair be cut and a maximum length of one centimeter – and it was to be strictly adhered to. Ginny's vain side recoiled at the idea of losing her deep red locks, but did admit her hair would be her biggest liability.

"I've never had short hair," admitted Ginny nervously, toying with the strands.

"You'll feel so less weighed down when it's gone," replied Draco absent-mindedly as he reached for a sharp pair of scissors and something else in the pocket of his jeans. He drew out a length of green ribbon and tied it around a section of red hair.

"What are you-" began Ginny but Draco cut her off.

"I'm keeping a part of you… I know you won't mind," shushed Draco before snipping the lock near the top of Ginny's head. He placed the long strands of red hair held together by the ribbon next to the bathroom tap where they both gazed at the… prettiness of it.

"Ready for the rest Ginny?" Draco asked softly before Ginny nodded.

For the next half an hour, Ginny watched with a mixture of horror and fascination as Draco deftly cut off all of her hair. The bathroom tiles were obscured by a sea of vibrant red as Draco worked the scissors and Ginny did indeed feel a large weight being shucked.

When Draco was done, he put the scissors aside and softly kissed her cheek.

Her cheeks were the first things Ginny noticed about herself now, they were so pronounced, so pale and visible where her hair once covered them. The brown of her eyes seemed to demand more attention as well and Ginny placed more attention on the curve of her eyebrows.

Ginny's secret worst fear was not completely confirmed. The crew cut was definitely masculine but the soft angles of her face belied a male conception of her haircut. Tentatively, Ginny reached up her neck and felt the bristly surface of her scalp and shuddered a little bit.

"Oh wow, that's so creepy!" breathed Ginny in shock.

Draco's fingers skimmed over her head too and he chuckled in response, saying, "yes it certainly is different to this red mass down here." They both looked down at the liberal amounts of hair that coated the bathroom floor.

"Merlin! I never knew I had that much hair!" laughed Ginny, with a twinge of regret in her heart. She wanted all of it back on her head so Draco could run his fingers through it sensuously.

"Do you like your new do?" ask Draco as he waved away the many strands on the floor.

Ginny tilted her head this way and that in consideration before announcing, "its okay. I don't feel as ugly as I thought I would… but I wouldn't go this short if I had a choice."

"Please Ginevra, don't insult yourself," growled Draco – placing a kiss on the top of Ginny's head. "You are beautiful. The hair was a wonderful aspect of you, but your face…" he continued huskily. Draco wrapped his arms around Ginny again from behind and pressed his cheek against her, reveling in the warmth from Ginny's shy blush. "Look in the mirror Ginny," Draco commanded and Ginny complied.

"I see a pair of warm brown eyes, wide and beautiful. Do you?" murmured Draco. Ginny nodded in response, trying to discern whether they were really wide or not.

"This adorably cute nose," continued Draco huskily, reaching up to tap it. Ginny couldn't help but allow a grin form at the attention Draco was paying her.

"Ahh, this smile - do you know how fast I fall when I see this? Hmm Ginny?" prompted Draco.

"Oh Draco… not nearly as fast as all your arse-kissing is making me fall for you right now!" replied Ginny, if possible, grinning wider. She felt the warmth of a good compliment in the centre of her as she turned around in Draco's arm to face him and kiss his smirking lips.

"You have no idea how perfect you look to me Ginny. The hair changes nothing," said Draco with a dark edge to his tone. He flicked his wand towards the bathroom door and locked it as Ginny resumed her fierce kissing and began to fumble with Draco's belt buckle.

▪Ж▪

Very soon after, Hermione and Ron were walking hand in hand past the bathroom, both carrying mugs of hot chocolate and heading towards Ron's bedroom to spend their last evening together alone.

"Sounds like someone's having a night shower," commented Hermione to the sound of falling water from the bathroom.

"Yeah, Ginny and Ferretface are in there cutting her…" Ron suddenly stood stock still, an angry red flush filling his face. "Hermione, Ginny may be an adult, she may be getting married to the git, but I will always find the thought of those two doing that horri-!"

Hermione wore a large grin of satisfaction as she stopped Ron's rant immediately by slipping her hand deftly down Ron's old flannelette pajama bottoms.

"So you were saying about Malfoy and your sister?" prompted Hermione sweetly.

Ron couldn't quite comprehend what his fiancé was saying as all of his attention was diverted to the devious things Hermione was doing with her fingers.

"I said, bedroom, now!" growled Ron with a gleam in his eye and Hermione responded with a knowing smile.

Mission accomplished.

▪Ж▪

"Be safe Ginny and look after your sister Ron," commanded Arthur to his two youngest children somberly, trying to convey his worry and sadness at their departure through his words.

"Aw dad, it's okay. It's Ron who needs looking after, he's safe with me," joked Ginny, trying to alleviate the depressiveness of departing. She could feel the burn of tears beginning and she tried to blink them away.

"Don't worry dad, nothing will happen to Ginny," replied Ron earnestly to his father before leaning in for a tight hug. Ginny did the same before she was embraced by all of her family, including Hermione and Harry.

"Be so careful Ginny!" said Molly tearfully to her youngest child. "I want you back home in one piece okay. Just like your brothers. I want you home soon."

"Okay mum, I will. I'll miss you," breathed Ginny to her mother during the fierce hug they shared.

Ginny took a step back in the crowded Ministry mass portkey room to look at her whole family properly for the last time for what would probably be a long while. She drank in the redness of her family's hair and the warmth of their expressions. She would not forget them, she would remember them in her coldest moments.

She spied Draco striding up to her from the other side of the room and threw herself into his embrace when he neared her.

"You still have a choice Ginny. Don't go. This is your last chance, you can't leave when you get there," hissed Draco with worry as he cradled his fiancé to his chest.

"I've made up my mind Draco," whispered Ginny resolutely before burying her face in his chest, reveling in his sheer physicality and the solidness of it. She would miss it.

Draco only responded by holding onto Ginny tighter. He could not believe that this small wisp of a woman could withstand the terror and pain of magical warfare with Voldemort and his Death Eaters. His heart beat painfully fast at his speculation which in turn urged him to never let Ginny go. Draco wasn't sure he could stand the wretched pain that would envelope him if Ginny was lost to war – he was having a difficult enough time coping with the knowledge of Ginny's departure alone.

"I have to go soon, Draco," sniffed Ginny, letting the tears fall in the blonde man's presence.

"I love you Ginny," said Draco without preamble, kissing Ginny squarely on the lips for a long moment and savouring every moment of sweetness.

Choking on her raging emotions and tears, Ginny managed to stutter out, "I love you too Draco. Always. I'll always think about you, and I'll write to you. No one will touch me but you. I will come back to you and marry you, Draco Malfoy."

Draco felt a bolt of fear reach his heart at Ginny's last promise. 'I will come back to you and marry you.' Will you Ginny? Or will you die? Will you die at the hands of an expert Death Eater like many have died at mine?

"Okay Ginny, I'll wait for you. I love you so much," Draco replied, feeling the burn of tears sting his normally dry eyes. Draco knew it was foolish to accept Ginny's uncertain promise of return, but he needed to in an attempt to soothe the raging fear inside his heart. He couldn't bear to let Ginny go though, even after the first warning bell rang throughout the portkey room signaling that the two contingents would be departing in five minutes.

"I love you, I love you, I love you," Ginny spoke in a mantra, completely lost in Draco's tight embrace. She was filled with the scent of him, the warmth of him, the strength of him and the love he held for her. At that moment it was impossible for Ginny to comprehend disentangling herself from Draco's embrace and he didn't mind. He was perfectly content to ignore the portkey that would soon tear her away from him and land her in Europe. Draco, despite knowing Ginny had to leave very soon, had no intentions of ever letting her go.

Draco didn't hear Bill and Charlie's words of release but he was suddenly aware that his small redheaded firecracker wasn't safe in his arms anymore. He wasn't conscious of Bill and Charlie holding his arms back roughly in a bid to stop him from thrashing around violently as he tried to reach Ginny. She had joined Luna and they waited patiently at a portkey with three other soldier-Aurors. Draco struggled against Ginny's bigger and older brothers as he tried to reach her and stop her from touching the magical traveling device but suddenly he stopped when Ginny looked at him steadily from across the crowed room and kissed her engagement ring. Before Draco could even bask in the warmth of Ginny's display of love, the two contingents of soldier-Aurors suddenly disappeared – leaving the room empty save the family and friends of those just departed.

▪Ж▪

"Hey mate, Malfoy – you alright?" prompted Bill at the The Burrow's kitchen table later that day as Molly prepared lunch for her family, minus two.

Draco was suddenly pulled out of his long reverie at the eldest Weasley child's voice. It was the first time anyone had addressed him directly all day. "Yeah," he replied darkly, aware that everyone in the room knew it was a total lie. Draco looked up at Bill as he cleared his throat quietly and looked pointedly at Draco's clenched and shaking fists on the kitchen table. Draco was horrified at his lack of control and quickly put his hands under the table.

Later that afternoon as Draco uselessly paced around The Burrow's large backyard, Arthur came out to young blonde man.

"Draco," greeted Arthur and Draco nodded stiffly in response. The two men stood in a strained silence for a few moments before Arthur continued, "Draco, if there is anyone worth losing control over, it is Ginny."

Draco felt his heart clench at the elder man's steady words and much to his horror again, Draco's hands began to shake in his pants' pockets and tears formed at the back of his eyelids.

"I really lost control in the portkey room, didn't I," muttered Draco soon after, fighting hard to keep his voice emotionless and even.

Draco's suspicions were confirmed as Arthur answered, "yes son, you did. Bill and Charlie had to work to stop you from keeping Ginny in your arms."

For once, Draco decided to actually talk about it – somewhat. "I, I didn't know what I was doing. I always knew she was going – but I always shoved it to the back of my mind." Draco said after a short while in a depressed mutter. "I always thought, 'she still has a couple of years training' and 'she belongs in a brand new contingent, there are more experienced ones available for active service.'" Arthur nodded gravely at his son-in-law-to-be's uncharacteristic display of emotion that was not directly related to his daughter.

"Hah!" barked Draco suddenly, his expression melding into a grim grin. "And I worked for the department that would send her away. How stupid. How bloody stupid. Just two days ago, after I bloody propose to her she tells me she has to go!" Draco paused, schooling his emotions in again. "Logically, consciously and all that rot, I knew she was going to go. Yes, it was her decision and most definitely her life – I had to let her go. Arthur, your family is Gryffindor through and through. You and your bloody morality and loyalty."

"I don't see much difference in Voldemort's cause and his followers," pointed out Arthur placidly, aware that the blonde man wasn't trying to cause a row. Draco only grimaced and cocked his eyebrow at the aging redheaded man.

"I admit. I admit. There is a bit of Ravenclaw, a bit of Hufflepuff, some Gryffindor and Slytherin in every human being. The sorting hat can only surmise what proportion of each house resides in each kid and then it decides on the majority. Ginny, Ginny is fighting because of what she believes in. She is loyal to The Collective's way of government, the 'freedoms' democracy holds and she has already been conditioned by the establishment at a young age to defend it against attack at all costs. I however, joined Voldemort partly because of my upbringing, but also because of my thirst for joy, and joy through power. Voldemort was a clear pathway to power and thus pleasure so I followed it. How conniving and Slytherin of me – to lack morality."

"But now my young daughter has eclipsed all that possible power, purity and pleasure of Voldemort's ambitious dictatorship," surmised Arthur evenly still. "Once you obtain, come across, meet something or someone that beautiful and appealing – who are you to let go?"

Draco smiled dryly and replied, "exactly. I had an unexpected taste of a different type of ecstasy and now I'm hooked. My, …actions today confirmed something about me, something I have been pondering about since I met Ginevra – properly. Would I ever voluntarily let her go? To her very possible death for a principle that does not have hedonistic promise? I know she loves me, loves being with me. I know that, she shows it every day. What in Merlin's sake am I competing with then? Ideology. Faantastic. This… is where the divide between Slytherin and Gryffindor becomes that wide-a chasm I can't cross. I can accept Ginny's foregrounding of ideology on some level, but I'll never be in that 'loyal' and 'brave' mindset. Now I'm in a position I hate – absolute mercy. Merlin's sake. Now I have to hope she survives. I never hope, I've never had to. If wanted it, I would get it. I'm too practical and non-sentimental to ache over people and opportunities missed. Ginny though! I –"

"Can't," completed Arthur with a smile.

"No," Draco finally replied with a small smile. "No I can't quite shake off the grip Ginny has on me. I've gone and done what most of the people I used to associate with would have avoided like a hungry Hungarian Horntail. I've gone and bloody fallen in love! Like a fool who has breathed in too much romantic tropical air!"

By now Arthur was grinning. The pain and the rapture Draco was expressing was clearly real, with not a shred of pretentiousness of maliciousness tainting the emotions. This kind of passion and blunt honest love was the type of love he had always wanted her daughter to be encased in.

Draco lost his rare smile however, as he continued, "and now, now I just have to wait. I have to pay, for caring too much. Loving her too hard. If she dies… I don't know…"

Suddenly the afternoon air around the two men thickened with a mixture of sorrow and love, so thick that Arthur was aware that even he felt like he could choke on the power of Draco's passion. The Weasley patriarch put his hand comfortingly on the platinum blonde's shoulder and did something he never thought he'd ever do in his lifetime.

Understand a Malfoy.

▪Ж▪

"Excuse me," replied Draco in an icy tone that he usually never used in the workplace.

"I'm sorry Draco," replied Wrightwood with sympathy and sadness brimming in his eyes, only serving to infuriate Draco more despite himself. "There is a significant conflict of interest here between you and Ginny. Not only is she now your fiancé, an official declaration of personal emotion, she is in Europe fighting and you are the man who dictates the how's and when's of how those two contingents are operated!"

"You don't know that," replied Draco in anger, although he was well aware of the brooding and plotting he spent last night in an attempt to steer the British soldier-Aurors out of any lethal danger in the most legal way possible.

"Draco," growled Wrightwood suddenly, "I normally never swear – it's not appropriate for my position. However, don't bullshit me or yourself." Draco only narrowed his eyes in response, unable to surpass rank. Wrightwood continued in a more calmer tone, "look. You have been one of the greatest assets to The Collective, you have proved this with your stringent loyalty to our beliefs" Draco cringed at the word 'loyalty'. It was for Ginny, not the bloody Collective. "Simply invaluable, but this is serious Malfoy. I can't let you keep working in Strategy."

Draco continued to glare ruefully at his superior before conceding, "fine."

"Now, there's a position open in the Asian branch of The Collective in assisting the Generals and head honchos over there," suggested Wrightwood.

"No thank you," replied Draco curtly.

"Oh," replied Wrightwood, looking Draco over appraisingly.

"You're not a stupid man, you knew the reasons why I worked so hard for this department."

"Yes, yes I did."

"Now, with Ginny in battle and no way for me to watch out for my fiancé, I have no need to be here."

"Understandable," replied Wrightwood. "What are you going to do?"

"Lucius is dead, isn't he?" asked Draco flatly.

"Yes."

"Then I have family matters to tie up. I am aware of the close scrutiny of my family… but it is only right to keep my kinship's documents in order."

"Alright Mr Malfoy. Is this your official resignation from The Collective? You are well aware of the confidentiality agreements… of both sides," said Wrightwood, hinting at Dumbledore's strict conditions for Draco's security after he deserted the Dark's movement.

For Ginny. I'll lay low. Without her – there's no point in living, let alone returning Voldemort.

"Rest assured Wrightwood," replied Draco coldly and smoothly.

The elder man stared at Draco for a long moment before extending his hand. Draco shook it as Wrightwood said, "have Helena organise the correct documentation."

▪Ж▪

The next year and a half were not easy ones for Draco and Ginny as the war between The Collective and The Dark raged on in every continent.

After being made redundant in international Strategy and henceforth resigning from The Collective altogether, Draco spent a week with the Weasley's showing in his own cold way, his appreciation for their tentative support.

When Molly and Arthur learnt that Draco desired to travel around the world, to plan and to tie up his family's loose ends, they trusted him.

"Oh Draco, I hope it isn't because you feel like you need to, need to escape or something. If the loneliness ever gets too much – you're welcome to come back! You must definitely come home for Christmas and Easter," demanded Molly with love for the blonde man she used to hate.

"Draco, if we receive any important news, to do with Ginny or anything, we'll contact you via these," supplied Arthur, showing Draco two small smooth pieces of clean parchment. "They work like two way mirrors, but are a lot more discreet. If you need to contact us, or vice versa, just write and our paper will glow."

Draco accepted all the news and love from Ginny's family quietly and before he departed, he quietly said, "thank you."

Draco cut the rent on the small flat that he and Ginny used to share on the basis that if or when, Ginny returned, she would like to return to her old family home.

Then, with the money he earned as a strategist, Draco traveled, observed and planned. He tracked down his old friend Blaise Zabini who had mysteriously disappeared at the onset of War. Blaise was not aligned with either the Dark or the Collective and Draco found this impartiality refreshing and the two easily picked up their childhood friendship.

The destruction - psychologically and physically - that was wrought upon the people both Blaise and Draco observed prompted the pair to plan for a post-war world. The Zabini's and Malfoy's had always been closely aligned in their family history and so decided to start sweeping business empire after the war concluded. Blaise still had access to his family's fortune whilst Draco knew his family's accounts would be unfrozen later on. Their combined fiscal power would power investments, industry and construction in both the muggle and Wizarding worlds. They would offer potent and useful services like humanitarian aid and private loans in a war-torn world.

They would exploit the market that broken societies would provide.

The two men were meticulous as they observed and planned in unison, but at the very concept of their plans, Draco forewarned Blaise, "if Ginny doesn't come home. I can't guarantee myself to be a reliable business partner." The dark man only nodded in understanding.

Though Blaise's friendship and the plan they shared made time go somewhat faster, Draco still felt the dragging weight of Ginny's absence. He thought about her in his every waking moment that wasn't filled with distractions. Often, he would look at Ginny's lock of hair tied in a green ribbon and get lost in the vibrancy of the red or he would pull out a shrunken photo album and expand it with his wand and spend hours gazing at photographs of themselves.

Letters between Draco and Ginny were few and far in between. The level of conflict and hostility in Europe was the highest in the world and most mail was postponed in delivery until many battles were fought and won, or lost. The letters themselves were very short, for Ginny could not express her emotions about her experience in war due to security issues and Draco had no desire to reveal his plans with Blaise, again due to the reading of all incoming mail by The Collective's military officials. Draco showered Ginny with as much love as he could on a piece of parchment whilst her replies, the very fact she sent mail back, proved to Draco she was still alive, still okay and still able to write.

It was the winding down of summertime that Draco discovered that his fiancé was being relieved of her duty. He and Blaise were touring some of the major cities of Japan to scout their future business prospects in the Asian sector and they had just ascended the stairs to their muggle hotel bedrooms after a long night of reveling in friendship of their new Japanese friends.

Blaise and Draco had a great night, where there were large shouts of laughter intermingling in the air, dishes upon dishes of the finest Japanese cuisine arriving under their noses and unlimited amounts of sake seemed to fill their cups. The conversation flowed erratically but continuously, both the Englishmen and the Japanese enjoying the attempts each other made to speak each other's language. The young Japanese women seemed abundant in their restaurant as well and despite the tough language barriers, many were attracted to the two tall foreigners; one dark and one pale but both mysterious and handsome.

That evening, Draco was caught in a state of much despair and joy. He felt that he and Blaise had made the right choice in seeking business associates in Japan and he truly did enjoy the hospitable and friendly atmosphere that the Japanese were invoking. However Draco was continuously distracted by the very friendly Japanese girls who were flirting outrageously with himself and Blaise. On one level, Draco could feel himself very attracted to the black-haired girls with their slanted eyes and endearing lack of height, but at the same time, every time he looked at the beautiful women, he thought of a different one, one who did not possess an Asiatic tan or flowing black hair, but instead had very pale skin lightly dotted with freckles and a riot of red wavy hair.

Throughout the whole evening, the same painful process continued for Draco. Hot chick, wow, really hot chick speaking broken English into my ear. Ohhh yes indeed that sounds like a good way to spend the evening, wait, Ginny is a bit more articulate than that. Damn it! Merlin, I wish Ginny was here - I hope you are safe.

His inner-thoughts traveled in circles as Draco conversed with the people around him and he felt immense stabs of guilt at the thought of Ginny alone and fighting in a bloody war whilst he was surrounded in life's luxuries – food, drink and friendly people.

Blaise on the other hand was delirious with joy and alcohol. Draco smirked amusedly at his friend who drunkenly kissed two women on the cheek and then grinned at Draco. At the fun evening's end, hands were shook between the various now-business partners and Draco, Blaise and the two women took their leave up to their hotel rooms.

Blaise traipsed into his own hotel room with a horny grin and bid Draco a drunken goodnight whilst the two women giggled and waved before Draco himself tilted his head in acknowledgement and turned to his own room tiredly.

After he showered, brushed his teeth and changed for the evening, Draco sat in his bed and retrieved his journal. His journal housed not private thoughts, but the ins and outs of his and Blaise's business dealings around the globe in the past year and a half. Draco added something at least once every two days, and tonight, in light of the clinched deal with the Japanese, he was going to jot down a lot. The page he was up to was bookmarked by the two-way parchment that Arthur had given him before he left England and to Draco's immense shock – it was glowing.

Draco's steady heart suddenly exploded into drumming palpitations, his grey eyes widened in surprise and the pale hands that held the journal went painfully rigid.

It was understood that the two-way parchment would only be activated with news of Ginny or any other event that was drastically serious. Draco was frozen in fear and his mind raced. Was Ginny alive or dead? What would her parents' missive entail?

An agonizing moment later, Draco yanked the parchment from the pages of the journal and scanned it frantically. What he learnt was something that made him relax with supreme relief and joy.

Draco dear, Ginny along with Ron are coming home!

They'll arrive back at the Ministry on the 29th of September, two days from now.

Come back home Draco! Bring Blaise too!

With much love and excitement,

Arthur and Molly

The worry, the fear, the anger and the largely unexpressed love for Ginny that Draco had harboured within himself silently suddenly drained away – the pressure relieved. His personal turmoil was over and he suddenly felt alive again. Some deity out in the universe was merciful to his one most important desire. Draco could return to England and soon hold his fiancé in his arms and never, ever, let go again.

How, Draco mused before he closed his eyes for the night with a soft smile on his face, could I ever let go of happiness twice?

▪Ж▪

A warm afternoon breeze tugged its way through Draco's loose platinum hair as he traversed through the masses of families that were waiting in the Ministry of Magic's outdoor portkey fields. Draco impatiently went to yank his left hand out of his pocket to check the time but Blaise's deep voice from beside him halted his actions.

"Mate, just two more minutes. You're going to get repetitive strain injury if you keep flicking your wrist like that," he muttered. Draco simply pursed his lips in response and began tapping his foot impatiently.

Close to Draco was Hermione, Fleur, Harry, Penelope and the rest of the Weasley family, and miraculously, all of it, bar Ginny and Ron. No Weasley had perished in the war – and with that blessing, the remaining children took the injuries they had sustained without complaint. Bill's left arm was permanently injured, which meant he could not rotate it much without extreme pain. One of Charlie's kidneys was punctured and the wound was left unattended for too long the organ to the saved. Percy was permanently deaf in one ear and both Fred and George were recovering from poisonous smoke inhalation caused from the smoke arising from a fire created through dark magic.

Right on four o'clock, two contingents, noticeably smaller than the one that departed a year and a half ago, suddenly appeared. The regimented lines the soldier-Aurors formed were only maintained for a couple of seconds before uproarious cheering suddenly filled the air and the black-clad soldiers and civilians suddenly tore across the field to greet each other.

"Where is she?" Draco yelled over the din.

He and the rest of the Weasley's scanned the milling crowd before George suddenly coughed, "there!" Draco frantically glanced at the direction of George's finger to see Ginny about thirty metres away hugging Luna, who after the hug melted away into the crowd.

Draco's feet immediately began to move as he half ran, half strode toward the short woman with the short red hair. Ginny was scanning the crowds anxiously and as she turned around to look in the direction behind her, she suddenly came face to face with a tall blonde haired man looking at her intensely.

Ginny's mind shut off in a sudden onrush of bliss and she didn't even realise how tenderly she had called her fiancé's name. Draco wasted no time wrapping his arms around Ginny and likewise she clung to Draco's body as tightly as she could, needing his physical presence there to reassure herself he was real, that holding him was not a vivid dream and that she was truly home. With every inch of their bodies pressing into each other's and Draco's deep voice right at Ginny's ears saying over and over and over that he loved her – Ginny felt safe. She had not felt so safe, so secure and so wonderfully protected in over a year.

▪Ж▪

The Weasley reunion with their two youngest was an emotionally charged one, with hugs of relief and joy shared by all. Ron and Ginny both slid deeper and deeper into a sense of security back at The Burrow, as the immediacy of their family and the familiarity of their childhood home calmed the two exhausted soldiers.

Molly had prepared a large welcome home dinner in honour of Ginny and Ron where all the loved ones of the Weasley's were invited. The two youngest siblings were still in a sense of shock though, and after the initial round of hugs and "I've missed you"'s and "I love you"'s, Ginny and Ron were quiet and simply trying to readjust to the civilian setting of The Burrow. A large portion of The Weasley's, had been involved in active service at some point and immediately understood the troubled looks that haunted Ron and Ginny's expressions and their lack of superficial conversation.

Draco sat unmoved by Ginny's side throughout the whole night, barely touching his own food and assisting her in achieving every possible desire from passing the potatoes to picking up the fork Ginny had accidentally knocked off her plate.

Hermione mirrored Draco's movements with Ron, who kissed her gently every time her eyes filled with happy tears.

Arthur and Molly's eyes swept continuously up and down their very large dining table and they smiled softly. It was obvious that Ron and Ginny were seriously hurt; their downcast eyes, hunched shoulders and general air of withdrawal assented to that. Their hearts went out to their two youngest children who too had finally been dragged through war, just like their older siblings. Arthur squeezed Molly's hand under the table and gave her a warm look however. The body of their family was still intact, Ron and Ginny were alive. The two were not lost limbs, but completed the family. Hurt as they were – the rest of the body would work together to heal the injury and relieve the pain. Time would pass, what would remain would become a scar.

▪Ж▪

After dinner was over, Ginny hugged all of her family again, including Harry, but she hugged Ron the longest – their eyes connecting and sad memories were silently remembered. Ginny was introduced to Blaise whose very witty and sharp personality she liked very much.

"You're right to camp with Potter in the family room?" asked Draco and Zabini nodded, a smirk on his lips at the thought of the conversation ahead.

Both Draco and Ginny felt achingly good when their arms twined around each other's body as they traveled up the stairs to Ginny's old room. Both were silent for the moment and savouring the sensation of reunion. Inside, Draco sat down on the edge of Ginny's bed as she stood in the middle of her room and stared around it in quiet wonder.

I'm back. I am back home. My room… so beautiful. Draco, right where he belongs, in my bed – with me.

Draco felt achy again as he watched Ginny silently looking around. He inspected her closely and was saddened at her changes. Ginny was rail-thin, and the way she stood was unconsciously tense like she was expecting an attack on herself any minute. Some fine lines had appeared prematurely on her youthful face and to Draco, her sparse freckles seemed duller. What disturbed Draco the most, what he feared so much about Ginny entering the war, apart from her dying, was confirmed. Ginny was haunted, so haunted. Her usually bright brown eyes were dull and constantly wary and flickering about in surveillance, a force of habit that Draco found hard to change even in years living a civilian's life.

Ginny moved very stealthily and very efficiently, another change Draco immediately picked up. Ginny was always rather graceful and coordinated, unlike his cousin Tonks, but now she moved like liquid and sounded like… nothing. Ginny always complained that Draco was so sneaky and that he always surprised her, but now Draco knew that Ginny had been exposed to many deadly reasons why utmost skill in stealth was needed in a war.

The lightweight black military robes that Ginny was garbed in were removed and hung silently over the back of her bedroom's chair, revealing her to be wearing a tight leather vest, close-fitting black pants and a pair of black knee-height leather boots. It suddenly struck Draco that Ginny looked like a assassinating pixie, what with the non-loose fitting and all-black attire and her shaggy short hair.

Ginny then revealed to Draco her weapon's stash. She leant down to her boots and withdrew a sharp glinting dagger from each, four throwing stars from the padding of her bra, two small moderately bright balls from one of her trouser pockets that Draco recognised as super bright flares that blinded an enemy, a spare wand tucked into the back of Ginny's vest and amazingly, Ginny cooed, "come on out Tickles," a miniature multi-hued dragon hopped out of hiding in Ginny's short hair and jumped onto her shoulder.

"This is Tickles," said Ginny softly with a smile at the small creature that was gently puffing smoke in contentment.

"Tickles," Draco greeted, his eyes twinkling not at the dragon, animals whom Draco loved, but the beautiful smile that had suddenly cleared Ginny's drawn expression.

The small dragon flew to Ginny's open windowsill to sit by the breeze as Ginny placed all of her weaponry old her childhood desk. She was almost done. She had rid herself of the dangerous, glinting pieces of metal and she had only two more things to do.

Ginny stripped herself bare of her close-fitting military attire and kicked them unceremoniously into a corner and enjoyed the feeling of bodily freedom that sheer nakedness afforded her. She could feel Draco's eyes watching her intensely and she felt a warm blossom of emotion warm her insides and paused to enjoy the heat before she reached into her old wardrobe and pulled out a worn pair of pajamas.

Ginny was couldn't wait to throw herself into Draco's arms but she had one last thing to do before she felt somewhat relieved of the sense of wartime that shrouded her physical body. Reaching up into the top shelves of her wardrobe, she pulled out a small bottle and drank a mouthful. Immediately, she could feel her hair growing. When her wavy locks reached past her shoulders to rest comfortingly on her back, Ginny tapped her head with her own wand and the growth stopped.

The sense of comfort from her own clothes and her normally long hair soothed Ginny, and now she felt somewhat normal. Somewhat.

Her feet automatically tracked across her small bedroom's floor silently and when she reached Draco, when she felt the muscles in his strong arms around her and the fineness of his blonde hair – when she locked her eyes onto his familiar grey pair, Ginny again felt safe and protected, but this time she did not feel blinding relief, she felt as if she had reached a quiet, personal chamber created only for her own intimate thoughts and raging emotions. Ginny had been waiting for what seemed like eons to finally stop repressing her natural emotions for the sake of war. With her face buried into Draco's neck and his lips gently on hers, Ginny felt an uncontrollable surge of love as she always did with Draco, and with this sudden surge an emotional barrier that Ginny had constructed carefully during her time in Europe was shattered.

Ginny let out the first painful sob since she had first arrived in Europe and witnessed the horrors, and in some faraway place in her troubled mind Ginny was aware of how utterly tortured it sounded. Now she had started, she couldn't stop. The roiling waves of emotions spawned from loss, fear and desperation all surfaced from the dark depths of Ginny's mental repression and now all she could do was try to keep breathing – not drown.

Draco clearly felt the reverberations from Ginny's heartrending sobs and he could feel his heart break. Ginny needed not to tell Draco about what she had witnessed in Europe, he had lived it, experienced it and privately cried over it before. Draco knew exactly what kind of pain Ginny was in and gently pulled her down to lie horizontal with him as he held her. Draco understood that with what Ginny had experienced, a lifetime of tears wouldn't be enough to permanently relieve the pain.

▪Ж▪

Draco's first personal ordeal was over, Ginny was safe at home and all in one piece. Now he had to try and support Ginny as she faced the difficult period of adjustment back to civilian life that most army personal felt.

For the first few months after Ginny arrived home, she spent most of her time at The Burrow basking in the slow-paced steady presence of her family. Draco devoted all of his time to the redheaded woman who had not yet lost the troubled look in her eyes or the perpetual wariness in her posture.

Although Colin had officially diagnosed it for Ginny, everyone was quite aware that she was suffering from combat stress – just like her brothers did.

Every couple of nights or so, Ginny would awake gasping, her one of her hands clenched in a fist and the other gripping her wand tightly and poised at an invisible enemy. Every night Draco was by her side, whispering soothingly to her and continuously reinforcing the fact that she was home and that she was safe.

After the trembling and hyperventilation slowed and Ginny was rocked to a more peaceful slumber, she would wake in the arms of her fiancé, who would be bathed in the gentle British sunlight. Every morning she woke to his presence, a little edge of fear was chipped away from her heart. No matter how late Ginny awoke, he would always be there.

Hermione and Draco talked one night a couple of weeks after Ron and Ginny's return.

"How's Weasley coping?" muttered Draco to Hermione tiredly.

"Ron, is not too good. Nightmares, hyperventilating. Always paranoid, like Mad-Eye, just without the mutterings of 'constant vigilance' all the time. He phases out during the day, his blue eyes just gloss over. I can't imagine what he's thinking about." The bushy-haired woman shuddered slightly. "No media would ever, could ever, reveal what goes on in combat. I can't imagine… how is Ginny though?"

"Same," sighed Draco, putting his face in his hands in an uncharacteristic display of distress. "She's exhausted of course, but then when she sleeps she can't truly rest. She was vomiting a lot, when she just got back – but that's slowed a bit now. I think repression's starting to kick in now. Also, like Ron – she just can't really relax."

"Ron has another think coming if he agrees to go back into service. He might have survived Europe, and we've, Harry, him and I – we've been through a lot of stuff, but nothing has ever hit us this hard," said Hermione softly with conviction.

"Granger," replied Draco with a grimace, "for the first time in my life, I have to agree with you. Unfortunately for me, I know exactly the sorts of things that would have gone on in Europe. I trained with them."

Hermione turned her eyes to the tired-looking blonde man and opened her mouth to enquire but Draco cut her off.

"Trust me Granger," Draco muttered in darkly. He started for the stairs and said directly to the worried woman. "You don't want to know."

Draco ascended the steps to Ginny's room and pushed the door open quietly to reveal his fiancé sleeping fitfully. Every now and then her body twitched and her eyes moved frantically underneath their pale lids.

The tall blonde man paused as empathetic pain surged in his chest at the sight of Ginny's discomfiture. As he softly slipped into her magically enlarged childhood bed, Draco recalled Ginny telling him about her most troubled experience in the war.

"Draco," Ginny had whispered, finally feeling strong enough to tell her fiancé about her time in battle.

"Yeah baby?" Draco had replied just as anxiously, letting Ginny cradle his hands to her chest.

"Draco, I, I guess I can accept the… oh Merlin…" tears trickled down a familiar path on Ginny's pale cheeks as she continued. "At least the… terrible, scary, just, downright heartless things they did, the r-rape, torture, twisted murders, it w-was explained because they were Death Eaters-" Ginny let out an uncontrollable sob as she saw through her mind's eye. "I'll never feel the same about anything anymore Draco – because some of our people, t-they did the same. Everything I fought so hard for… I couldn't do it anymore Draco! But somehow I did… I did, I kept fighting."

▪Ж▪

As Christmas rolled around, Ginny was improving. The extremely haunted look in her eyes was beginning to fade somewhat, no doubt because of the intoxicating Christmas cheer that seemed to always pervade the Weasley household during the latter couple of months of the year.

Draco had noted two very permanent changes in Ginny since she had arrived back home just after the summer. Firstly, Ginny could not stand the sight of blood. The husband and wife to-be were in The Burrow's bathroom, preparing themselves for the day when Draco got distracted by the redhead's cleavage in the reflection of the mirror and nicked his neck with his razor. Blood immediately raced down Draco's pale neck but he did not take any action to relieve the bleeding at first – for Ginny had suddenly collapsed onto the ground. Her body was shaking and she was inching for the toilet, breathing hard.

"Get out," Ginny demanded breathlessly, her trained sense of smell immediately picking up on the distinct tang of blood. "Please, Draco, stop bleeding."

The second thing Draco noticed was that Ginny had suddenly lost all of her tolerance to cold. They were out in the wide Weasley backyard, taking a private walk when the temperature suddenly dropped and a slight night chill entered the air. To Draco, it was cold enough to be uncomfortable, but it was not unbearable.

Ginny however suddenly shivered violently and immediately turned to Draco's body for warmth.

"What's wrong Ginny?" Draco had asked with alarm.

"C-c-coldest winter in Russia. Trench warfare… I thought I was going to die…"

One of the biggest problems that Ginny faced however, was with her own fiancé. The day after she had just returned from war, she woke up to Draco's arms around her. Ginny basked in the first measure of happiness she had felt in a while when Draco's left arm suddenly lifted as he yawned beside her, and it revealed the Dark Mark leering down at her from his pale forearm.

Ginny's first reaction was to scream in pure fear. From her experience in battle, the Dark Mark was the first sign of terrible, terrible happenings. Whenever a dwelling had the mark above it, what she would discover inside made her sleepless for nights. Normally Ginny never made a sound – but she had let some of her defenses down when she had returned home.

She scrambled from her bed and clutched wildly for her wand as her second reaction and pointed it at Draco's neck as she breathed furiously and thought of a curse.

"Ginny," came the pained voice from the man on her bed. Reality suddenly came crashing down on Ginny and she dropped her wand, horrified that she was about to curse her fiancé.

Draco didn't know what to do and he felt wretched. Bile rose up at the back of his throat in anger at himself for causing her pain. At that point and time, he would be a continuous source of pain for Ginny. It was summertime – so wearing long sleeves would be impractical, and the pair felt just as comfortable around each other naked as they did clothed.

"Oh Draco, Draco no it's okay. It just scared me. I love you, I love you, I love you. I'll try to not let it bother me, I promise," Ginny had supplied as Draco's tortured eyes bore holes into hers.

To Draco's great relief, Ginny held true to her promise. In their moments alone, Ginny would take Draco's forearm and stare at the Mark to try to fight down the initial feelings of fear, disgust and horror. She would gaze for long moments at Draco's handsome patient face and back to the leering Mark to try to reconcile the two expressions. The more she did it, the more she felt comfortable in its appearance.

Ginny, apart from these setbacks had finally felt like she was regaining some measure of control, and for the first time in what felt like forever, she said yes to a social outing.

Luna suffered from the war too but had a different way with coping with pain. She embraced it and tried to turn the sad energy into happiness, like she had in her Hogwarts days. It was impossible, she knew, to ever subvert the horrors that she witnessed in Europe but her technique was somewhat successful, she could keep her head afloat.

She and Colin had been visiting The Burrow towards the end of November and were, despite themselves, eager to take Ginny out. Colin too had witnessed the brutality of many soldiers' injuries so he and Luna wanted Ginny to come out with them to try to make life normal again. With their constant visits, Ginny's family's constant reassurance, Fleur's exciting pregnancy, Draco's love and the pressing need to buy Christmas presents, Ginny suddenly felt like she had a chance to breathe.

During the trio's shopping trip in Diagon Alley, Ginny was amazed to find out that Blaise, who had been looking after business for Draco as he devoted his time to his fiancé, had struck up the beginnings of a relationship with Luna. Colin too seemed to have been lucky in love too – as he recently bumped into Miranda, his ex-patient from almost two years ago and discovered that she was newly single.

Despite the heaviness that lingered in Ginny's heart, she found she could smile cheekily, "no wonder you two are so eager to start afresh! You guys could be getting lucky!"

Both Luna and Colin smiled warmly at Ginny and said one after another;

"And Ginny," said Colin in his friendly voice.

"You're already the luckiest one here," continued Luna. Colin picked up Ginny's left hand and tapped her engagement ring.

Ginny's breath caught as she realized what her friends were trying to tell her. The possibilities of her future with Draco suddenly exploded to life in her mind and Ginny found herself struck and unable to move.

Again, Ginny suddenly burst into tears – but they were happy ones instead of sadness and the three friends leant in to hug each other fiercely in the middle of the alley.

▪Ж▪

Ginny understood that a deep well of sadness took would reside permanently in her heart. It would be the emotional battle scar inflicted upon her amongst her various physical ones. Christmas came and went really well for her and it lifted her spirits greatly.

However, Ginny still seemed unable to stop worrying at her wounds. Despite the few months that had passed and the sparks of happiness her friends ignited, Ginny still felt cottoned by her horrific recollections of war. What really shook Ginny out of her deep, deep internal anguish to a more livable level was Draco getting sick.

One frosty January evening, Ginny was lying in bed, waiting for Draco to join her so she could simply hold her until she could sleep easy. Soon her fiancé entered and as always, took Ginny into his arms - but this time Draco's racking coughs were reverberating through her body.

"Draco?" Ginny questioned with concern.

"No, no go back to sleep. It's okay, I'm good," Draco wheezed before he suddenly burst into another fit of coughing. Undeterred, Ginny pressed her palm to his flushed forehead and gasped. It was boiling. Draco's coughs were getting chestier and a light sheen of sweat was starting to form on his face.

"Muuuum!" yelled Ginny down the stairs and Molly soon came rushing up with a concerned expression on her face.

"What? What is it?"

"Take a look at Draco!" Ginny said in panic.

Molly immediately rushed to her son-in-law to-be's side and fussed over him, checking his temperature and pressing her ear to Draco's chest.

"Charlie's had this before," Molly replied grimly. "It's the dragon's cough. It's not serious Ginny, but it's not mild either. Untreated, it could get nasty."

"Is he going to be okay? Look at him mum! He's all red and he just about can't breathe! Do we need to take him to St Mungo's? I'll go get my wand," babbled Ginny, but Molly stopped her daughter with a smile.

"No dear, I've got left over potions from Charlie's bout. We can get some more tomorrow. Just look after him Ginny – he'll be fine."

Ginny settled back onto her bed but with no intentions of sleeping. "Okay mum, get the medicine and teach me how to give it to him," she muttered, gripping Draco's hand protectively as he wheezed piteously.

Molly arched her brow as she left Ginny's room with surprise and pleasure. Of course she did not wish illness on the young Mr Malfoy, but the determination on Ginny's face to nurse him through the nasty dragon's cough was a stark contrast to her, well, moping during the last few months.

▪Ж▪

Draco's convalescence lasted over two weeks whereby Ginny completely babied the man and kept up a non-stop stream of tittering and fussing. Throughout this period, Draco continuously rasped aloud to Ginny that he was "fine" and "he'd get better himself" and that he wasn't a "child." Secretly though, the blonde man adored the redhead's generous attentions and he did feel relieved, despite himself, that for once he was the one being looked after instead. Ginny would unnecessarily attend to his every whim, gently massage his aching muscles with wonderful firmness and steadiness and pepper him with kisses and soft croons of comfort.

"You'll get sick," Draco had warned, but Ginny had shrugged and kissed him again, silencing their brief conversation. Her constant companionship made Draco's bout of dragon's cough seem to pass quickly – although he did have his speculations that Ginny's undivided attention worked as a placebo.

For Ginny, she felt suddenly wrenched from her tortuous, but repetitive mental anguish and thrust into a new sea of worry – Draco's health. Abject worry and sympathy for her fiancé made her suddenly forget all of her problems as she nursed him back to health. Ginny's emotions ranged from concern at the outbreak of Draco's sickness to happiness and relief as he made the slow transition from severe, painful coughing and raging fever to uninterrupted breathing and perspiration-free slumbers.

The emotional changes that Ginny were feeling acted as a sort of pivotal point for her. Draco was a physical wreck, but he was young and healthy and recovered relatively quickly with the aid of medicine. Ginny did not mind one iota being by his side for the majority of each day, but she realized how much worry she was subject to – and it occurred to her, how much worry and heartache Draco must have harboured when he was tending to her mental injuries. Ginny would never have wanted Draco ill in any circumstance, but having to suddenly nurse his illness snapped her out of a deep funk. It revealed to her that she wasn't embracing Draco as he deserved. Draco knew that Ginny loved him, she had made sure of that in the years of their relationship, but ever since her return from war, Ginny had been one-sidedly guzzling up Draco's devotion to her.

These thoughts struck Ginny late one night when Draco was nearly fully recovered. He slept peacefully for once, emitting a small cough very rarely. He would follow me forever. He would do whatever was best for me, he would love me forever, do anything, at any cost. Ginny gently stroked Draco's pale stubbled cheek and she felt her heart constrict. I could remain sad forever, a damaged shell and Draco would still be by my side. It was the dawn of that realization that seemed so bright to Ginny, so bright that she became so utterly sure that she could move on, live life and love Draco as much as she could.

There was one problem though – Ginny was only on active service leave. Her dogtags still remained looped around her neck and her soldier-Auror gear was neatly folded away in her wardrobe. She knew she would not be called into duty again for another period time, but that could only be months away. Ginny did not trust the local media either for information either – government intervention through media censorship effectively reduced print such as the Daily Prophet to superficially informative pieces of propaganda. Keep them ignorant, keep them hopeful Ginny had thought to herself grimly as she pondered the progress of the war.

One evening, very soon after Draco's recovery – Ginny felt her soul expand in relief and her heart palpitate in joy. Early that night, Molly had entered her daughter's bedroom to hand Ginny a letter that had come through via owl from Military HQ. The very fact that the message was sent through owl immediately caught Ginny's attention. Communication through owls was easily infiltrated and posed a massive security risk.

Thanking her mother, Ginny quickly then proceeded to use she her dagger to split open the envelope cleanly (roughly opened envelopes were a pet peeve of hers) and read the contents. The words were a blur as Ginny rapidly skimmed through it but her eyes froze at two small sentences in particular;

The Collective Forces have won the war.

You are released from active duty.

Ginny made a little choking noise in the back of her throat, born from fierce surprise and joy. She couldn't believe it, but yet she embraced this news wholeheartedly too. The happiness Ginny suddenly felt was intoxicating and she rode the high whilst she kept rereading the same sentences, reveling in the sheer positivity of it.

At the same time, Draco emerged from his nightly shower in nothing but his boxers, eager to twine his bare legs around Ginny's under the doona for a well-wanted restful night's sleep. The sight that greeted him as he entered Ginny's room nearly gave him a literal heart attack. In the soft candlelight, Ginny clutched her dagger to her chest as she held a piece of parchment in her other hand. Draco's mind jumped to rapid conclusions in a matter of moments and he felt pure fear spread from his chest to all of his extremities.

"Ginny, oh no, baby, don't. Put the dagger down, I swear, it's not worth it – I can help you through it all," Draco babbled in panic.

Ginny whipped her head around in surprise and nearly choked again.

"Draco! No, no, no I'm not trying to kill myself!" she replied hastily, putting the dagger back down on her desk. "I was just holding the flat of the blade to my chest in surprise. It's okay Draco." Ginny felt extreme relief at Draco's relief – she could not imagine the utter fear that would have gripped him.

As Draco tried to steady his racing heart, Ginny seemed to float across her room to clutch his hands.

"Draco," Ginny said with a wide honest smile.

"Yeah Ginny?" he replied, lifting their hands and kissing hers – his mind trying to absorb the sudden and beautiful sparkle in Ginny's brown eyes amongst the disappearing tendrils of fear within the rest of him.

"Draco, let's get married," she whispered – and not waiting for a reply, she leaned in to give Draco a drugging kiss.

Draco felt stunned. What's changed? He wondered vaguely, enjoying the feeling of Ginny's gentle, adventurous tongue mapping out his own. Ginny's suddenly happy smile, the sparkle in her eyes and her less-than-docile kisses were confusing him, in the good exciting way - the way that it used to feel.

"Let's get married," Ginny breathed hard. "Soon," she continued, pausing for a kiss. "This spring," she continued again before allowing herself to grin uncontrollably to express how incredibly free she suddenly felt. Cheekily, she refused to allow Draco to reply yet again as she arched her lips to Draco's neck, kissing and biting.

Draco groaned uncontrollably, clutching the short woman to himself tightly before regaining his senses with difficulty.

"Wench," he said in a deeper, huskier voice he hadn't used in a long time. Ginny felt zings of electricity shoot up from scalp to toe at the tone, her heart rate quickened and not because of a terrible dreamt apparition for once.

"Gods, Weasley," Draco continued, taking in a sharp breath as Ginny naughtily bit on his collarbone. "I don't know what's gotten into you…" Draco trailed off as Ginny began to breathe hard near his ear and gyrate against his middle. With a growl, Draco tore Ginny away from him to look at her eye-to-eye. For a split second, he wondered if he was too rough with the recovering soldier but Ginny's breath hitched in excitement and her eyes smouldered at him from beneath her sooty lashes – just as they used to. In turn, Draco felt the course of his bloodstream take a detour to his midsection. "You're driving me crazy."

Ginny's thoughts flicked back to the letter of gold she had recently received and more waves of happiness crashed through her. She could suddenly breathe again, and the first breaths would be so sweet.

"Marry, me, Malfoy," came Ginny's staunch reply again. Her arms were clamped to her sides with Draco's wonderfully fierce grip so Ginny gently nudged the blonde's growing midsection with her knee, looking at Draco squarely.

Ginny couldn't believe how alive she felt at the feral glint in Draco's eyes. She provoked the dangerously seductive and ardent side in him and now she would be taken for a ride, one ride she had not been on for what felt like an eternity.

"Try and stop me, Weasley," growled Draco darkly. In a blur, he flicked his wand toward Ginny's bedroom door to shut and lock it with a non-verbal spell. Dropping it afterward without a care, he finally allowed himself to look at Ginny as a woman, not a hurt and broken loved one.

Draco took one last calculated look at Ginny, to confirm that she was ready, and coy biting of her pink lips was enough. Simultaneously, Draco felt rushes of blood to his head and his groin as he roughly proceeded to pull Ginny towards the bed, aided by her own enthusiastic dragging of him too.

As Draco re-explored, retraced and re-loved every inch of Ginny's body – he felt like he never wanted to rest again at all.

▪Ж▪

It was the soft patter of insistent rain that woke Draco the next morning. In the early moments of consciousness, Draco felt utterly relaxed and soothed and was confused as to why. He usually woke up tense and alert, worried for Ginny – and more recently, tired, coughing and uncomfortable. Soon the steamy memories of the night previous resurfaced and Draco smirked indulgently up to the standard white ceiling of Ginny's room.

After a few minutes of Draco's erotic mental replay of what occurred all night long, he looked over to Ginny who was still sleeping deeply with an arm lazily flung across his torso. Draco felt his heart quiver at the thought of her. He moved slowly in an effort to disentangle himself from Ginny's body to head to the lavatory when he caught sight of her letter tossed haphazardly onto the bedside table. Curiosity burned in Draco, and he reached for it – eager to know what it was and how it had affected Ginny in that way.

As he scanned the letter, his heart thumped and a smile grew. He now understood – the war was over – it was Ginny's resolution. Draco relaxed back into the sheets and pondered the news, the end, the end of Ginny's active service. He thought about the implications of the future and how imminent they were. Marriage, babies, capitalizing on a post-war world… restoring the Malfoy name to its pre-war prestige.

Draco kept pondering the future as he gently heaved himself over Ginny's body and when he returned from The Burrow's bathroom, Ginny was awake and rereading her letter.

"Hey," Ginny said softly, a gentle smile gracing her lips when she looked up from the letter. "So now you know," she gestured to the parchment, "why I was so happy last night."

Draco paused to just look at her, Ginny's tousled red locks, nearly disappeared freckles and the curvature of her smile. "Yeah," Draco finally replied. He shut the door quietly behind and strode quickly back to the bed and clambering on top of Ginny to kiss her deeply, because he could, because he wanted to.

Draco broke the quickly heating kiss off and reached for the silver around Ginny's neck and lifted it away from her gently. The dogtags pooled on the bedside table and the pair took a long moment to stare at it and revel in the fact that Ginny no longer needed to be under its command.

Ginny felt the dual tugs of the future and the past as she gazed at the pieces of metal. She recalled the terrible images of what had happened and yet with the dogtags on the table, not her neck, she could envision too moving on. Draco's warm hand snaked down her shoulders, to her arms and finally her hands, breaking Ginny from her internal tug-o-war. She responded by gently pushing Draco onto his back whilst simultaneously placing herself right on him. Ginny slipped Draco's boxers off and reveled in the complete skin-to-skin contact she had with the man.

The pair gazed deeply into each other's eyes, feeling it – the tangibility and permanency of their love. Ginny's hands skimmed up Draco's rough unshaven neck to reach for his cheeks, holding them firmly but gently in her hands, reassuring herself of his solidity.

Draco's eyes glinted from under his heavy-lidded eyes in a way that made Ginny feel electric.

"Draco," Ginny whispered lightly, her breath lightly fanning Draco's face pleasurably. "I am so glad to see you. I missed you so much in Europe. The days went forever, forever. It never ended. I didn't want to look ahead - all there were more days, weeks, months of fighting. I felt so suffocated.

You know, I understand torture. I got there, and I realised how, how…" Ginny didn't continue, but instead rested her forehead on Draco's.

"You realised what, Ginny?" breathed Draco lightly, tilting his head just so that their lips brushed – and there was nothing but them in their private world within Ginny's curtain of red hair.

"I realised how much I need you in my life."

Silence ensued for a long time, where both occupants of the old bedroom bathed in each other's presence.

Shakily, Ginny resumed. "I-I, now I mean, now that I am here, now that it did end and now that you're just so, here… and, with the end of the war, I feel like I can admit that I don't ever, ever want to go back. Once is enough for me…" Ginny trailed off and Draco frowned.

"And…?" Draco sensed he was on the cusp of something big with Ginny - an admittance of weakness, a natural instinct to shy away from horror selfishly.

"If they called me back, if the war had not been won – I wouldn't have gone back," whispered Ginny guiltily.

Draco's grey eyes widened in response and his hands gripped Ginny's hips tightly.

"I'd feel so guilty, I'd, I'd be deserting The Collective. I'd be chickening out – and everyone would forgive me because I'm the bloody woman. If, if you weren't in the picture – I'd deliberate thoroughly… but I know I would have gone back into service… but Draco. I have you again, and… and you mean everything to me and… and I just wouldn't be able to leave you. I love you too much. I've-"

Ginny's voice cracked and she paused in an attempt to control the flow of tears. "-I've seen so many people die Draco. When people are dying left, right and centre for a seemingly faraway cause, it makes you think. I hate myself for this, but I don't know if persecuting Voldemort is that prioritized for me anymore Draco. I should be devoting everything I have for his downfall but I am so sick of the fight. I don't want it anymore. I don't want to grind my way through the day, scrub blood off myself at night and be disillusioned. I don't want to champion the democratic free world anymore – but I want to live in one. Essentially though, I just want you, really."

Draco was finding it hard to breathe with the influx of information from Ginny's admittance and her absolute love for him.

"Guilt… it makes you feel like shit when you're compelled to do something, same too for when you don't. If that were the case, Ginny, if The Collective didn't win this goddamn war, remember – you'd have me, all of me, and guilt. If you went, you'd have to live the nightmare again, but you wouldn't have me. Ginny – stand up for yourself. Milk every situation for what it's worth," replied Draco with cold clarity.

Ginny nodded sadly, trying to justify her would-be actions in her head.

"Hey, hey, hey," murmured Draco softly, instantly changing his tone tucking Ginny's waves behind her ears to stroke her face gently. "Look at me Ginny." Her brown eyes, sparkling because of the layer of tears flicked to Draco's grey pair. "It's a choice you don't even have to make. The war is over. Voldemort is down. You fought for it – you have achieved and you have survived. What's only left is to be happy. You know it."

With Draco's words, Ginny felt her spirits lift again – higher than the previous night's level.

"It's so simple," Ginny smiled, realization filtering through – her thought returning back to their conversation at the beach years ago.

"You and I, we're human. We're inherently selfish, and you want me more than anything, and now you know it," drawled Draco lazily before crushing his lips to hers in a passionate and bruising kiss.

-f…i…n-

▪Ж▪

Epilogue…

Draco and Ginny wed in the spring of that very year at a large, lavish ceremony – having the best in everything, food, wine, entertainment, venue.

Draco and Blaise's business got off to a predictably roaring start, and the flush of success was permanent. Luna, who later became a Zabini, and Ginny were integral members of the business too, becoming powerful international focal points in their success.

The Malfoy name was slowly restored over the following years. As Draco often haughtily announced, the Malfoys were a family of long lineage - their family tree dating centuries back. Their power and influence was never essentially centered around the late Dark Lord, his presence within the Malfoys only indentified with Wolfgang, Lucius' predecessor and Lucius himself at the head of the family.

Ginny received awards and medals for gallantry and bravery for her service in the war. Upon reflection, Ginny could honestly admit to herself that she deserved the recognition - modesty would only be pretentious in her case.

Draco and Ginny had three children - two sons and a daughter. They were all mixed models of their parents, the eldest son Jasper a spitting image of Ron really, with unruly red hair and freckles. The middle child Riley could easily have been mistaken for Draco, with fine almost white blonde hair and a steely grey gaze. Their daughter Natasha was somewhat of a difference, in appearance and existence. Like Ginny, Natasha was an unexpected gender. Malfoys almost always produced sons as heirs, the last daughter dating back a good nine decades earlier. Natasha was an interesting mix of both Ginny and Draco – with long flowing blonde hair like her father's and second older brother's, freckles like the Weasley's and a smile that was an exact replica of her mother's.

Jasper, Riley and Natasha were reared at the re-acquired Malfoy Manor and sent to Hogwarts. The three grew up happily, given the upbringing Ginny had and one that Draco had missed out on. Natasha and Jasper were both sorted into Slytherin and Riley Gryffindor – the next generation of Malfoys.

They were most certainly a mixture of their parents in personality as well. Jasper and Natasha dominantly showed elements of Draco's frostier approach to others whilst Riley was prone to blowing a fuse in stressful situations, something his parents always noted as "uncle Ron-like." There had been tensions between the siblings and their friends as they all held a natural aversion to each other, being Slytherins and Gryffindors, but due to Draco and Ginny's very family-oriented rearing of their children, all three parties got over their differences… eventually.

Natasha would always have an eye-roll ready at the rare unified front of her brothers at Hogwarts however – whenever a boy was around her, Jasper and Riley were sure to band together to berate the poor lad she was trying to hold a conversation with.

For Ginny and Draco's honeymoon, Ginny was given a surprise. As their wedding reception drew to a close, Draco placed a possessive kiss on his wife's lips, the impression of Colin's camera flashes dancing underneath their closed eyelids. Ginny allowed herself to be side-along apparated with her husband whilst their lips were still locked.

Ginny's breath caught when she materialized into a shallow body of water. Her eyes flew open and she gaped openly at the setting.

It was their island – perfect down to the last moment of inky blue-black sky and twinkling star.

Up ahead further on the beach lay a low bed surrounded by bamboo flares and beside her was her husband, holding his arm out for her with a smirk.

Ginny at last knew what it was like to be a Malfoy as she gazed back at Draco's achingly beautiful face. It was about scouting, appreciating and capturing the best in life – and Ginny had done just that. After all, humans are inherently selfish and the blonde haired man and red headed woman had claimed exactly what their hearts truly desired; each other.