Author's Forward Notes:

For those who are new to reading this ship or are willing to give it a go: I appreciate everyone who is not normally a Drinny fan giving this story a chance! I admit, I am a Dramione fan, myself (obviously - they're my OTP), but I decided to take this challenge for my fest recipient, and I'm glad I did. It gave me the opportunity to open up to new ideas and to overcome my personal prejudice of this couple. It also gave my recipient a story that, I hope, at least entertained her and made her smile. I hope it will do the same for you, dear readers. Perhaps it will even pique your curiosity enough to seek out other Drinny fics (there are some lovely ones out there, I've discovered in the months since writing this story).

For the haters of this ship: if Drinny really isn't your thing, then please don't read this story. I think it shows incredible immaturity to leave a negative review based solely on the fic's cast of characters, and not on its plotted ideas or how it was delivered. If you don't care for the writing or the way I present this story/the characters, feel free to let me know that (con-crit always appreciated). If it's just that you hate Ginny or hate the idea of her with Draco... I'm sorry you have such strong prejudices, but am really not interested in hearing about them (especially when delivered in all caps from some anonymous reviewer who feels the need to vilify me for even attempting to write this ship at all). Thanks, but you can just keep that opinion to yourself.

For those who already do like the ship: I hope you enjoy my interpretation here. It was, as I said in chapter 1 notes, my first attempt at these two together. Please let me know what you think! I value your con-crit.

Please read on and review, if you feel inclined! :)

+.~.+.~.+.~.+

"When you see me like this,

and when I see you like that,

then we see what we want to see..."

+.~.+.~.+.~.+

His stubborn witch drove him absolutely mad! Draco had always thought Slytherins held grudges for a long time, but apparently Gryffindor had them beat, hands-down.

Well, no more of the not talking, the turning away Owls and notes, and the separate living spaces. He'd given Ginny the time and space to work through her anger, and had even stood back and accepted (although it had killed him to do so) that she may have sought a little payback in the arms of another wizard. Fine. He wouldn't begrudge her that, given what he'd done to her. Playtime was over now, though. A year apart was enough. It had certainly brought Draco to the end of his patience – to the point where he'd concocted an illegal and potentially backfiring scheme to get his wife back home where she belonged.

Now that she was here, she wouldn't be able to ignore him any longer; she was a captive audience and had no choice but to bear witness to his grovelling for her forgiveness.

He took in her nude body—a sight he hadn't been blessed with seeing for twelve, long months—and felt his heart give a heavy thump behind his ribs. God, Ginny was still so very beautiful. She wasn't the same coltish girl he'd married at nineteen, but the years of Quidditch had kept her fit. The bit of extra curve to her hips and the heavier weight of her breasts now were sexy embellishments, and he loved how her arse had filled out. She appeared healthy, no longer malnourished, and he could appreciate that more than the slender waif look that Pansy and her friends trended.

Just looking at her made him harder than steel.

"Come here," he bade, yearning to touch her soft skin once more.

The spell upon her forced her compliance, despite her clear attempts to resist. It was dark magic he'd employed to get her here (casting it upon her Secret Santa gift, he was ashamed to admit), but desperate times called for desperate measures. There was nothing he wouldn't do for this woman. Didn't she understand that yet?

She stopped as her bare, painted toes touched the tips of his polished Italian leather shoes. Her brows and mouth were set in a hard, unforgiving line, and her eyes tossed daggers at him. At her sides, her hands were fisted, and her shoulders were rigid and straight. Taking her into his arms, he held her to him, nuzzling into her soft, strawberry-scented hair.

"Relax," he murmured. "I won't hurt you."

"Liar," she argued. "You don't know how to do anything but hurt me, Malfoy."

Stroking over her long, crimson hair, Draco felt a wave of sorrow pass through him. He'd never meant to cause his wife pain. He'd been foolish to try to make her a little jealous by playing up to Astoria's obvious flirtations last year.

The truth was he'd been an insecure man throughout his marriage, as it was clear his wife hadn't wanted their nuptials to begin with and had agreed to become Lady Malfoy merely to stay out of Azkaban, as the Marriage Law required for those who'd disputed it. No matter that he'd quickly learned how to please Ginny in bed after the 'I do's' were said, and that he'd done his best to properly court her post-wedding so she'd know he wasn't opposed to them making a real go of it despite her unfortunate affiliation as a Weasley. Still, he'd never felt secure in holding onto her. That was why, when Potter's divorce from Granger had been permitted last December and the Marriage Law had become a topic of repeal thereafter, Draco had gone out of his way to try to capture Ginny's attention in any way possible, hoping she wouldn't consider leaving what they had for the dream of finally being with her first love.

In retrospect, it had been a childish ploy to dance and flirt with Astoria Greengrass, the witch his parents had pre-arranged to be his wife before the Marriage Law had been passed. All Draco had accomplished by doing so in front of Ginny had been to embarrass his wife and to make her feel insignificant. Instead of reeling her in with jealousy, he'd pushed her away. Then there had been the problem with Astoria herself, who had (apparently) still carried a torch for him. Of course, Draco hadn't known that his former fiancée was the vindictive kind until after she'd spike his drink with Amortentia. There had also been no way to know that Ginny would just happen to walk in on them in the lady's private lounge minutes after he'd ingested said potion, either, to witness him half-undressed, getting his cock sucked by the bint who had made him magically obsessed with her.

Needless to say, the result had been utter disaster: some really nasty hexes fired his way and a trip to St. Mungo's Emergency... and Ginny moving out that same night, running straight into Potter's arms.

If he'd known any of that would happen (and Draco should have expected Astoria to play dirty, as she was as duplicitous as all Slytherin pureblood witches were), he'd never have played such a dangerous game and wrecked his marriage. Instead, he'd have swept his wife off her feet at the mingle, romancing her as she'd deserved, and then taken her home and made love to her all night long.

"I'll make it all up to you," he promised with tender touches and gentle words. "No pain, just pleasure beyond anything you've felt before. Let me give this to you."

"Do I have a choice?" She sounded as if she would rather be anywhere else in the world just then.

Draco was determined to change her mind.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Author's Notes:

Please review!