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Thanks to my reviewers.

Now on with chapter six.

Chapter Six

A Simple Choice

"Miss Weasley, just the topic of conversation." Draco said a sly smirk pulling to his lips.

"Is that so?" Ginny gave Draco a suspicious glance before heading over to Severus. "Sev, what's going on?"

"So it is true." Minerva sighed. "You two are seeing each other." The Scottish woman complexion paled slightly. How could she not have seen this? A student/teacher relationship. Unbelievably scandalous.

Ginny held herself high, she didn't care what the Headmistress or anyone else thought. At least not anymore, not that she ever should have, she realized that now. "So, I'm of age, and there is no rules against it." Ginny defended their relationship.

Severus' suddenly looked ten years older than he was, his dark eyes were filled with hurt and betrayal.

"Ginny." Severus said taking her hand and looking into her eyes. "Draco has told the board of governors about our relationship and I am afraid they have given me an alternative. Either I resign or I stop seeing you."

"No." Ginny shook her head fervently. "Sev, that-that's not fair. We haven't done anything wrong."

The young Ravenclaw suddenly felt a lump of fear settle into the pit of her stomach. She couldn't lose him. Not now.

"No," he sighed, delicately moving a strand of her beautiful red hair behind her ears, "but life is not always fair."

"No, Sev." She said wrapping her arms around him. "I won't let them do this." Still holding Severus she turned her head toward the boy she once thought herself in love with. "Why-why would you do this Draco? Why?"

Draco, ever the Malfoy stayed his cool, calm, collected self. "To show you he values his job more then you. Don't you see Ginny, he has been using you. You are young and beautiful and all that he wants from you his your beauty, your warm body to fill his otherwise cold, empty bed."

"That's not true." Ginny yelled. "You're lying!"

Draco's face softened, as he took another step to Ginny. "You are not thinking clearly, love." He smiled at her, and gave her a look that just a year ago would have made her putty in his arms. But that was before…before she realized what real, true, love.

Ginny looked back up at Severus who now had a distant look in his haunted eyes.

"See, he can't even look at you, you are meant to be with me, my darling and now that you are no longer being manipulated by a man twice your age you can come home with me."

"Draco, You're married."

The blond former Slytherin smirked. "I won't be for much longer. The bond will break by the end of the day."

Ginny's eyes narrowed. "I told you before I'm not sleeping with you."

Draco chuckled lightly. "Silly girl, I didn't need you. I found a willing participant."

"Draco that-that's evil."

"No, it's manipulative and sneaky which is why I was in Slytherin. Now, let's leave the old potions professor to himself and we can begin our life together."

He reached out his hand for hers expecting her to take it immediately.

Ginny glanced over at Minerva who looked absolutely horrified at her former student. She had always thought Draco was an arrogant stuck up, bigoted brat, but Ginny had been his friend, and Severus was his godfather, and now he was betraying both of them.

Ginny has never thought Draco capable of such duplicity. For years her brother and Harry kept telling her that he was nothing but an uncaring, selfish ferret, but she didn't want to believe them, she refused to, but now, it looks as though they were right. How could she have been so stupid?

"I-I will not go with you. I love Severus."

Suddenly, Ginny felt a warm, soft hand on his shoulder. It was her beloved. "Severus, please don't give up on us. No after we have come this far. I love you."

Severus took a long deep breath, his worried frown slowly turned to a small smile.

He then kneeled down in front of her, gazing into her beautiful bright, brown eyes. "I love you too Ginny, and I would never leave you. You are worth far more than any job." Ginny smiled before kissing him softly.

Draco's fists were clenched his teeth grinding. Minerva was watching the three with great interest.

"After Lily I never thought I would love again, but you...you wonderful amazing young woman have shown me I can. You have mended my heart." Severus reached into his robe pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. Opening it he reviled a rather large diamond on a gold band.

"Ginny, love, I am a man with many faults, but I love you with all the passion that I possess, and I simply want to be with you forever. Generva Molly Weasley will you do me the immense honor of becoming my wife."

Suddenly Ginny fears of losing her love floated away as she gazed down at the sparkling ring. "Oh Sev. Yes, a thousand times yes." She pulled him into a searing kiss. Severus pulled away from her momentarily so he could slip the ring onto her finger then retaking her back into his arms.

"No-no, Ginny, it's me you love." Draco interrupted. His face contorted in anger and frustration. "Me. It's me who took you to the Yule Ball, I was the one who showed you what love was."

Ginny shook her head before resting it on Severus' chest. "You also showed me what heart ache is. Something Severus has never done."

"Mr. Malfoy." Minerva finally interjected. "I think it's time you left."

Draco quickly pulled himself together changing his shocked and defeated expression into one of cool indifference. "Fine! Your still terminated Snape." And with that Draco turned and quickly swept from the room.

XXX

Three days later Ginny was sitting on the ornamented antique rug which covered the cold stone floors, helping her fiancé pack up twenty years' worth of possessions. Tobias was attempting to help as well by playing with inside the box flaps.

"What about this Sev?" Ginny held up a picture of Severus and Draco taken at his graduation.

"I'll keep it. Maybe one day he will get his head out of his rear end and beg me for forgiveness."

Ginny gave a small laugh as she wrapped the picture in bubble wrap then adding a cushioning charm. "Do you think Pansy will leave him?"

"I don't know." Severus sighed as he sat cross legged down next to his fiancé, then kissing her on the top of her head. "She certainly has grounds to."

"So," Severus began taking his intended's hand in his own. "Now that pretty much everyone in the wizarding world knows of our engagement have you had to deal with any negative attention?"

Ginny laughed. "Quite the opposite actually. Everyone thinks it's beyond romantic that you have given up your job for me."

Severus smiled as he looked down at their joined hands, his thumb running softly of her palm, and then into her eyes. "I love you."

"I love you too, Sev." Ginny said kissing him sweetly on the cheek. "Now." She began, as she summoned another box. "How do you-

Her words were stopped by the force of Severus lips crashing into hers. "I think we are done packing for now." Severus moved his mouth down his fiancés neck and to her collar bone just under the neck of her shirt. Ginny let out a small moan at the feel of his soft, wet lips on her skin. Severus placed his hands on her waist as he moved his mouth back to hers. He ran his tongue along her lips which she soon parted allowing his tongue to enter. Ginny's hands were now rummaging through the inch of hair on his head.

Severus slowly began to move his hands under his fiancés jumper and shirt, his fingers slowly creeping their way up her waist. Ginny moaned as his warm hands reached her breasts.

"Ginny." He whispered in her ear as he reached around her back.

"Yes." She breathed.

"Let me make love to you." He said just as his fingers reached the hook of her bra.

"Yes." She was ready now. She knew Severus was the one, her only one.

Pulling off her jumper and shirt her unhooked bra fell from her shoulder, exposing her ample breasts for the first time, moving his hands to her perfect mounds he continued to worship her body with his mouth. Ginny suddenly felt passion arise in her she never thought imaginable. Her entire body tingled with anticipation. With a little prompting from Severus, Ginny found her hands nervously making their way towards his chest as she began to unbuttoned his shirt.

"Bed." He whispered in her ear just before he picked up the woman he loved and carried her to his room. After gently placing her on the soft covers he quickly shut and locked his door. Pulling off his trousers he joined her on the bed.

"Sev." She said as Severus pulled off her skirt tossing it to the floor.

"Yes my love." He said as he gently laid himself on top of her.

"I-I've never-

"I know. I will be gentle. I promise."

…And he was.

XXX

Pansy sat at her kitchen table her hands wrapped around a warm cup of tea. Her eyes, full of hurt and heartache stared at her husband who was sitting just across from her. "I don't understand Draco. We were getting along so well. I was really starting to think our marriage was going to work."

She had felt their bond fail the moment it happened, her wedding ring loosened from her finger and fell to the floor. She had immediately gone to her mother who comforted her the best she could until the young bride finally found the courage to face her husband several days later.

Draco closed his eyes briefly, letting out a long deep sigh. "I am sorry Pansy."

"You keep saying that but for some reason I don't think you are."

"I really am. I…" He trailed off not really knowing what else to say. He was sorry he had hurt her. At least he was now that he could see the pain in her beautiful dark eyes.

"Was it Weasley?" She asked softly, dreading the possibility.

Draco sighed. "No. Just some girl I met at a pub. I was drunk Pansy." He lied. "I wasn't thinking straight". He had not told Pansy the truth, nor had he planned to. It was now obvious that he had ruined any chance of a relationship with Ginny, even in friendship. He had also betrayed one of his best friends. The best man at his wedding, the man he saw as a father-figure. Once again Draco had fucked up his life. Pansy was all he had left, he had to at least try and salvage his marriage.

"Pansy please, I really am sorry. It didn't mean anything to me. I really would like to try and work this out, please."

Pansy sighed before rising from her seat and walking around the table to her husband. "Draco." She said sitting next to him. "I want you to take a wizards oath that you will never cheat on me again."

He knew he didn't have a choice, she wouldn't trust him otherwise. "If that is what it takes to prove my loyalty to you then I will."

XXX

Severus lay besides his fiancé, a soft smile on his lips as he watched her sleep. She was so beautiful, he was so lucky. He had just made love to not only a completely gorgeous woman, but one that he was madly and deeply in love with. She was not Lily, but then again no one ever could be, and the truth was Ginny Weasley was more than Lily could have ever been to him. In fact in a few short months she would be his wife. His wife. Severus Snape, the greasy git, the dungeon bat, was going to marry an 18 year old beauty. A beauty that he knew loved him, inside and out.

It felt almost too good to be true and if fact part of him still believed he didn't deserve her.

Christmas break would begin the next day and he and Ginny would be leaving together. He would be staying at his family's home at Spinners End just until he could secure flat. They would be married the coming summer and Ginny had planned to train as a healer in the potions department, and Severus would simply expand his independent business. Money really wasn't an issue for him anyway, he had the Prince family fortune, but he didn't like to sit idle.

Severus gently got out of bed not wanting to wake her, pulled on sweats and a T-shirt and headed into the kitchen. To his dismay he found that their little feline friend left him a little present. Severus magically cleaned up the mess before locating the cat under the couch.

"I am not happy with you, you little fur ball. You lucky I didn't step in it." He picked up the black cat by the tuff of his neck and tossed him outside of his quarters. Quarters that had been his home for the past twenty years. He had to admit part of him would miss teaching, but Ginny was worth far more.

"Did he scratch up your sofa?" Ginny who was wearing nothing more than one of Severus' T-shirts asked having just witnessed him throw the cat out the door.

"No." Severus laughed. "But he left me a lovely present in the kitchen." He said before kissing his fiancé on the cheek.

Ginny chuckled tossing her long red hair over her shoulder. "That's our fault for leaving him locked up in the room for several hours."

"Well yes, we were preoccupied." He said running his hands down her arms the taking her hands.

"Yes we were." Ginny smiled as she looked up into his deep dark eyes. "I love you Sev."

"I love you to Ginny. Are you hungry?"

"Yes, actually, you drained all my energy you know."

With a small laugh he led her to the kitchen table. "I will make you something."

Moments later Severus placed a plate of cheese and crackers in front of her before sitting down beside her.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." He said taking a cracker from the plate.

Just then there was a knock at the door. "I'll get it." Severus strode over to the door expecting Minerva or one of the other staff members and opened it.

"Draco." He growled his name through gritted. "You have two seconds to give me a reason not to hex you here and now."

"Severus, please I-I came to apologize."

Severus raised an eyebrow of disbelief. "Hum. I don't trust you."

"Please, my intentions are pure, I swear."

"Just a moment." Severus closed the door and went back over to Ginny. "Draco is here and would like to apologize. It is up to you."

Ah evil smirk filled the normally innocent face of the Head Girl. "Oh I'd love to hear him grovel. Just let me go change."

"Wait. Keep what you have on."

"Severus this shirt barely goes below my knees."

"Exactly. I want him to know what we have been doing and what he will never have."

Ginny laughed. "That's mean."

"I know, but he does not deserve my kindness or yours for that matter."

"Be that as it may, I will not have Draco see me dressed like this. I won't give him the satisfaction." She then strode off toward the room.

Severus went back over to the door and let him in. "Ginny is changing she will be out in a moment."

"C-changing." Severus smirked and nodded. "So she and you finally-

"Not that it is any of your business, but yes." Just then Ginny exited Severus room, she was wearing the same T-shirt but also a pair of Severus sweatpants. She realized that most of her clothes were still in the sitting room.

"Did you want something Draco?" Ginny said instantly going over to Severus and wrapping her arm around his waist.

"Yes…I wanted to apologize for my behavior. Ginny, from the very beginning I should have listened to my feelings, to my heart. It was wrong of me to lead you on and it was wrong of me to ask you to have an affair with me, twice." Severus rolled his eyes and shook his head. "I knew how Severus felt about you and I told him to try and develop a relationship with you simply because I wanted both of you to be happy, but then, when you two really did get together I-I became jealous"

Draco's eyes momentarily diverted to his feet as he swallowed back a lump of guilt. "Severus I'm sorry," he continued, his eyes now looking at his godfather, "you have been like a father to me and I acted…like a fool. I'm truly sorry about losing your job. I did try and talk to the governors but they won't budge. I screwed up royally. I hope that maybe one day you both can find it in your hearts to forgive me."

"Did Pansy forgive you?" Ginny asked bluntly.

Draco nodded. "But she made me take a wizards oath that I would never cheat on her again."

Severus laughed. "Smart woman."

"I forgive you Draco." Ginny said. "But don't expect me to trust you the way I did before."

"I don't. I would like your friendship however, and yours as well Severus."

"I suppose I can give you another chance." Severus, by nature was a bitter man, but Draco was his godson, and Ginny the love of his life, so if she could forgive him, then he would as well.

"Thank you, both of you." Draco gave a quick nod and then, not wanting to wear of his welcome, he left.

"Do you think he meant it?" Severus asked.

"I suppose only time will tell."

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