The Break up
A/N: I feel compelled to write lately so this chapter is up even before I anticipated. I got on a writing roll last night and got most of the fic complete so updates shouldn't be nearly as far between anymore. I noticed some grammatical and spelling issues in past chapters. I have gone back and cleaned them up a bit. If you notice any errors, let me know. I don't currently have a beta as I am just getting back into the swing of writing fanfiction.
You go talk to your friends, talk to my friends, talk to me
But we are never ever ever ever getting back together
-Taylor Swift
"Ginevra Molly Weasley!" The voice of Molly Weasley bellowed as angry green flames licked her equally livid expression. Ginny kneeled to the fire, attempting to block her mother's view of Draco with her body. "You have a naked man in your apartment? A naked Malfoy man no less?"
Ginny rolled her eyes at her mother's dramatic screech. "Mother, he is not naked. He's only shirtless."
"Don't you sass me, young lady. There is an indecent Malfoy in your flat. In the early hours of the morning...Absolutely unacceptable. Your father and I...We didn't raise you this way... You just wait until your father gets home." She huffed, unable to adequately convey a complete thought while so flustered.
"Mum, you are blowing this way out of proportion There is nothing improper going on here. He is just a friend and he just took his shirt off. Nothing untoward or indecent happened."
"Then what is he doing at your flat at this time of the morning?"
"What is who doing at her flat at this time of the morning?" she heard in the background of the Burrow.
'Holy fuck.' Ginny thought to herself. 'And the plot thickens'.
"Mum, just back up. I am going to come through in a mo'."
"Yes, do come through. We have some things we need to discuss."
"Yeah, to discuss!" She heard George's voice -as she finally discerned who the voice belonged to- from the background.
Ginny doused the fire with an Aguamenti, extinguishing the flames and her mother with them. Ginny rose from her knees, dusting off her pajama bottoms. She pushed her long bangs from her eyes, a nervous habit she'd picked up from being near Harry, and Draco to an extent.
She spun around and saw Luna in the kitchen munching on a left over pumpkin pasty and slices of bacon. She must have surfaced while Ginny was in the floo. As Ginny made her way into the kitchen, a fully dressed Draco appeared from the hall leading to the bedrooms. He'd changed into proper slacks and an oxford. Whether they were left over from a drunken night of foolery or if he apparated home, Ginny did not know.
"Morning Lu," he said as he dropped a kiss on her forehead and stole a pumpkin pasty from her plate.
She flashed him a serene smile as a response and took another bite of her remaining pasty. Luna swallowed as Ginny filled her Punch and Judy Banks mug with coffee and flashed her a smile in greeting and thanks.
"How's the editing coming along?" Ginny asked slightly distracted.
"Good. But you don't care about that. You care about the row your about to have with Molly," Luna quickly retorted.
"That bad huh?" Draco directed at Ginny with a wince. Ginny nodded noncommittally.
"I'll go with you if you'd like," Draco drawled. Ginny raised her eyebrow, surprised by his offer.
"Are you taking the mickey?"
"No. Honest," he shook his head. "If you need me, I'll go."
"That's a really uncharacteristically Gryffindor offer," she said impressed and suspicious of his chivalry, "but I don't think you being there will help anything."
"I'll stop by after work then, yeah?" he intoned leaning in to kiss her temple and steal bacon from Luna's plate simultaneously. "See you girls," he said before disapparating on the spot. At his disappearance, Ginny rushed into the bedroom to change into more presentable clothing less her mother get the idea that she was late for some nefarious reason. She returned to the kitchen moments later where Luna was still slowly savoring her unconventional breakfast.
"Guess I'd better go as well, Lu. I'm going to stay at Mum's until after brunch. Want me to bring anything back?"
"Good cheer," she responded without hesitation. Ginny chuckled softly at her eccentric roommate.
"I meant food, Luna."
"Well then, if your mum is making that Yorkshire pudding I like, I wouldn't say no to that."
"Will do. Don't forget to feed the Doctor and water the plants today. I should be back before it starts to get dark." Like Draco, she dropped a kiss in Luna's hair and disapparated on the spot with a 'pop' to reappear in the Burrow to the sound of her name being shouted.
"Where is that Ginny? She was supposed to be here some time ago. She has three minutes before I floo her," she heard Molly shouting, presumably to one of her brothers.
"Mrs. Weasley, I wouldn't worry. But if she doesn't come in a bit, I'll go get her. What's got you so worried anyway?" she heard Harry reply. 'Great just what I need is to have to explain this with Harry around.'
"Never you mind, dear," Molly replied, brushing off Harry's curiosity. Ginny dusted the remainder of the floo powder from her jumper and denims and walked toward the kitchen.
"No need for all that, Harry. I'm here now. Hello, Mum." She hugged her mum as much as possible from behind as she magicked the dishes to wash themselves. She startled a bit as she felt Ginny's slim arms. "Hey, George," she said noticing her brother at the dining table.
"Oh there you are darling. I was starting to worry about you. What with that Malfoy about your place."
"Mum-" Ginny said exasperated, indicating Harry with her eyes.
"Come now, dear," Molly replied with a nonchalant waved of her hand, "Nothing to hide from your partner."
"Yes, nothing to hide from your partner," George repeated mocking their mother.
"What's this about a Malfoy?" Harry practically growled. Gone were the days when Harry paid little attention to her. Now all of his ire was focused on the sole target on Ginny's forehead.
"Look, Mum, Harry," she stressed. "He's a friend, a great friend."
"How did you even become friends with a Malfoy in the first place?" Harry said ignoring her earlier dismissal.
"Yeah, how did you become friends?" George put it, now mocking Harry.
"Shut it, George. We had double potions together and it was...civilized...and then we met up again earlier this fall-"
"Early fall!" Harry exclaimed. "You've been hiding a friendship with Malfoy since early bloody fall."
"Language, Harry," Molly corrected. "Now I don't like to get between a lover's spat, but we'll have none of that kind of talk in this house, she ordered still facing the sink, now delegating her wand to peel potatoes and wash lettuce.
"Sorry ma'am," he apologized with a nod in her direction. "Just how exactly did a friendship-" he said still saying the word like a curse, "happen between you and Malfoy."
"Not that I have to explain myself to you, Potter," she said stressing his last name like he stressed the name Malfoy. "I had a rough day and I ran into him. He took me out for ice cream and we just -hit it off. He's a great bloke to just pal around with. Watch muggle movies, eat dinner, regular stuff... Besides, he takes good care of me. Sometimes, I come home with bruises from quidditch practice and he heals them and makes sure I get enough rest and all that." She gave Harry a pointed look at the word bruises. Harry recognized with a shock what that word meant. He was silent while he considered the implications.
"I don't think I want you around him," Harry said.
"Well then it's a great thing that no one is paying you to think, yeah?" She retorted quickly, a little of the old Ginny coming from beneath the surface. George guffawed loudly and Harry seemed surprised by her quick and snappy response.
"Ginny, can I speak with you? Privately?" He asked, looking towards Mrs. Weasley's turned form.
"You kids go ahead. Shoo, It's much too lovely to be inside," she said without turning her head. With Harry on top of the mission, she no longer had to focus on the Ginny saga and was free to immerse herself in the true task at hand.
Harry firmly took Ginny's upper arm, leading her out the kitchen door to the fields behind the Burrow. She couldn't help but compare his treatment to the gentle way that Draco guided her with a hand on her lower back. They walked for a few meters before sitting on the stone wall at the edge of the gardens. They sat in silence while they gathered their respective thoughts.
"Ginny, what's going on with you?" Harry asked, running his hand through his hair, not exactly sure what to say. He reminded Ginny of Draco. For two people who so loathed each other, many of their thought and their mannerisms were the same. Thinking of Draco brought back memories of their conversation the previous night. She knew immediately what she needed to do.
"I can't do this anymore, Harry," she blurted out before her Gryffindor courage could leave her.
"Can't do what, Gin?"
"I can't be with you. Not anymore. Not when you're like this."
'Not when I'm like this? What about you? Running around, having secret friendships with Malfoys."
"Not Malfoys. Draco. And that, is none of your business!"
"None of my business?! None of my business?!" He outright exclaimed. "He's a Malfoy, Ginny. He's a death eater. Or did he somehow manipulate you into forgetting that? He's a bad guy and you can't trust him."
A humorless, dark chuckle left Ginny at his word. 'That's rich. Coming from you. You want to talk about manipulation and not being trusted?" Harry flinched at her words, knowing what she implied. "You treat me like shite for years. You call me out of my name. You raise your hands to my face. And he's the bad guy? You have got to be kidding me."
"Ginny... You know I don't mean all of those things. I just... It's just that I get so stressed," he finished lamely, running his fingers through his rambunctious hair.
"When is that ever an excuse to physically harm a woman? Or anyone for that matter?"
"Ginny..."
"And you know what's the very worst thing?" she continued as if she never heard him. "You have never apologized. Never. Not once."
"Gin, you know that I'm sorry."
"How exactly would I know that? Is it because your actions just radiate with love?" She asked sarcastically. Harry flinched again. Ginny almost felt remorse for her actions. "Look Harry, I just don't want to do this anymore."
"Is this about Malfoy?"
"No. Of course not. No... Yes. Yes actually. It is about Malfoy. Do you know what? In the last few months since knowing him, he has treated me better as a friend than you have ever treated me in the entire time that we have known each other."
"Gin-"
"It's not even about the...recent developments... in our relationship," a euphemism for the abuse for Harry's sake. "It's about that fact that you have never seen me. I have never been worth anything to you. I have been practically invisible since the first time we met. My first year, I got myself in way over my head... I tried to tell you. Remember that time?...When I tried to tell you at breakfast. I'd heard you were a good guy from Ron and I fancied myself in love with you. So I tried to tell you. And you kind of just ignored me," she sighed but she needed to get this off her chest while she could. She stared down at her feet in her colorful trainers forcing herself to continue. "Then Percy interrupted and I couldn't bear for him to know what I did. What I was doing," she corrected.
"I thought that Harry Potter would be able to save me. But you let me down. I let myself down. Even when you pulled me from the chamber, it wasn't enough... I felt so ungrateful just for thinking that. But I could never forgive you for not letting me tell you. I blamed it on you. And then I felt guilty for that. Felt guilty for not appreciating you saving my life. I have been trying to make up for it everyday since. I can't do this anymore though. I won't give you me just because you saved my life."
She let out a deep breath, relieved to have finally got it all out. She looked up from her trainers at Harry's face. He looked shocked.
"I-I wow. I didn't know any of that. But Ginny. I forgive you. For your ungratefulness or whatever. I understand and I forgive you. But Ginny, I'll do better. If you just give me a chance, I can be a better."
"I don't think so Harry. I deserve better than you changing just because I have finally stood up for myself. I want to be with a man who treats me like a princess. Like I am the very best thing that has ever happened to him... You deserve better too, Harry. Rather you'll admit it or not, you're sick. This is not how people are supposed to behave and this is not how you are supposed to behave. This isn't you." She turned his head gently with a hand on his cheek, forcing him to look her in the eyes. She searched for a few moments, not finding what she was looking for.
"You need to get help Harry. And until you do, we're through. We're not together, not even friends," she said making sure her position was crystal clear.
"Ginny but-"
"Seriously Harry. It's what I need and for once, I'm going to worry about me." He nodded seeming to understand. "I'm going to head inside, now," she said. She stood from the wall, dusting the seat of her pants.
She turned and looked at Harry. He looked small sitting there on the wall all by himself. She didn't feel as good about her decision as she thought she would. It felt good to get things off of her chest but she was in no way happy about the break up. She gave a sigh, turning to head back to the house and leave Harry to his thoughts. She opened the door and let herself in the kitchen.
"Have you both worked everything out?" Molly asked upon hearing her enter.
"Sure thing, Mum...Would it be okay if I actually skipped out on brunch today? I know Charlie's in," she explained quickly, noticing her Mum's affronted look, "but there is something that I really need to do and I don't think it can wait." She hated for her daughter to miss her admittedly, favorite sibling, but Molly must have heard something serious in her voice.
"Sure, love. Just make sure you owl Charlie." She gave her a kiss and a warm hug to which Ginny heartily returned needing the dose of love that only her mother could give her.
"Thanks, Mum. I might stop back today or this week to see you and Daddy if I can between practices."
"Alright, deary. Sounds good." she said to Ginny's back as she walked to the floo.
She took a pinch of powder, yelled "Malfoy Incorporated", and whooshed away.
Ginny reappeared in a regal and yet comfortable office space, one that somehow made her feel under dressed. She'd never been to Draco's office before with them preferring to meet up in their respective flats. It was nothing like she expected. While it was definitely posh and the furniture quality, none of it was overly gaudy. Much like Draco himself
The fireplace was directly across from a desk which seemed to be placed strategically in front of a hallway of offices. 'Ah. She must be the keeper of the keys,' Ginny thought noticing for the first time a young woman sitting behind a large oak desk.
"Hello," Ginny said approaching the desk, "I wanted to know if it was possible to see Draco Malfoy." The shining gold name plate on the desk read 'Gladys Prescott', who Ginny presumed was the gorgeous blonde sitting behind the desk. Gladys look up upon hearing Ginny's voice somehow managing to look down on Ginny while sitting.
"Do you have an appointment?" She snipped quickly, giving Ginny a false smile.
"No, but I really need to see Draco and it's kind of important," she said, attempting to be polite despite the waves of hostility that were radiating from Gladys. "If he's in a meeting I can wait." She supplied, hoping to sound helpful and diffuse the tension.
"And you are?" She replied not changing her tone in anyway.
"Ginevra Weasley," she replied beginning to match her snooty tone.
"As in the Ginny Weasley? Of the Holyhead Harpies"
"Yes, I suppose so. I am the Ginny Weasley." Gladys squinted her eyes slightly in Ginny's direction, examining her.
'And you expect me to believe that you are Ginny Weasley?" Ginny gave a huff of indignation. This woman's impertinence was going to set her Weasley temper flying. She'd had a rough day and all she wanted to do was talk to Draco.
"What in hell is that supposed to mean? Yes I expect you to believe that I am the Ginny Weasley because it's the fucking truth and I swear to Merlin that if you do not get your boss this instant-"
Draco had just begun to put a dent in the mounds of paper work that seemed to accumulate on his desk every Friday evening when he heard an elevated voice in the hallway. Draco sighed and rose to handle the issue. Even on a day where there should have been no one in the office, he couldn't get any work done.
"Gladys, what's all the noise out here?" Draco said looking up from the document in his hand. There mid-sentence stood Ginevra Weasley, red faced in front of his assistant. He couldn't stop the smile from breaking out, seeing her with her hands on her hips, more than likely about to explode.
"Gin? What are you doing here?" She let out a puff of air that Draco recognized as an attempt to control her temper before replying.
"I wanted to come see you for a bit. Maybe go to lunch but Ms. Gladys here-"
"Yes. Gladys," he said cutting Ginny off for fear that she was about to verbally dismember his assistant, "this is Ginny Weasley. She's a good friend of mine and is always welcomed here." He knew that Gladys could be a little protective, which probably stemmed from her crush during their Hogwarts years. She had a way of being condescending with women who didn't have an appointment, an awesome skill for the young bachelor billionaire who from time to time had women who fancied him showing up out of the wood work. But a dangerous skill for this woman who was in no way ready for the wrath of Ginevra Weasley.
"We met just now actually," she said having the courtesy to blush and be embarrassed at her previous behavior. "It was really nice to meet you, Ms. Weasley. I'm a big fan." She said sheepishly. Draco could tell that she was apologizing to Ginny. He pleaded with Ginny with his eyes, hoping that she would cave and let this go. Good help was so hard to find these days. He didn't want to have to hire a new secretary because Ginny belittled her.
"It was a pleasure to meet you too. Gladys? Was it?" she caved before turning her attentions back to Draco. "Draco let's go to an early lunch. I'm starving. I left before Mum started dishing out the food."
"Oh you didn't stay for brunch? How'd it go then?"
"I'm here aren't I? I'll tell you over lunch," she said looking pointedly in Gladys' direction who now seemed to be hanging on to her every word.
"Can't do. I was going to work straight through lunch. I was going to meet Blaise this afternoon before I stopped by your place and I have mounds of paper work. But I do have a minute to talk. Come." He took Ginny's smooth hand in his, leading her down the hallway to the large private office with a glass door.
"Have a seat," he said gesturing to one of the two chairs across from his desk. Ginny shook her head in the negative choosing instead to browse around his minimal personal possessions. He watched her with narrowed eyes as she took in the few photographs on top of his file cabinet. He knew immediately which her hand and eyes landed on when she gasped. She whipped around so fast that her long ponytail lashed behind her.
"Where'd you get this?" She demanded.
"A gentleman never tells," he replied with a smirk.
"Seriously, Draco. Where'd you get this photo?" She held in her hands a photograph of the two of them in his last year. They stood behind a potions bench. Photograph Ginny toggled between smiling for the photograph and rolling her eyes at Draco who seemed to rotate between smirking and leering for the photographer. The photograph was taken after they successfully completed brewing a modified Draught of Peace on their first attempt. The potion was a fifth year potion but to modify it took great skill. Luckily, Slughorn had assigned Ginny as his partner on that occasion. She was ideal to work with. She took potions seriously and had a natural skill and intelligence that perfectly balanced Draco's own. She never judged him or treated him like a pariah after the war. He was just her potions partner. After a time or two of being paired, they managed to work seamlessly and gracefully, almost like a marriage.
Ginny cleared her throat, distracting him from his musings. She lifted her eyebrow in a gesture that was one of his own, which told him that they spent entirely too much time together.
"I called in a few favors. Slughorn, the old loon, had photos of all students who successfully completed their potion so I had Blaise go collect ours when he went to get his own."
"Why did Blaise want his?" She asked curious.
"Well, that's the strange thing. His was with Lu," Draco smirked when Ginny's eyebrows shot up in surprise. That year all of the seventh years and repeating seventh years were placed in one class to support inter-house unity and solidarity. And apparently, it worked if Blaise was requesting photographs of he and Luna.
"Wow."
"Wow, indeed," he repeated back. "But that's not what you're here for. Sit down. Talk to me." She took a seat in one of the chairs and Draco sat on the edge of the desk in front of her. He gave her his undivided attention.
"I did it. I broke up with Harry," she spewed quickly, as though the words were hot and she needed to get them out of her mouth. He jumped a little, as if he'd physically felt the heat from her words.
"You what?" He asked after a few seconds, afraid that he'd misheard her.
"You heard me. I broke up with him. I did it. I told Harry I didn't want to be with him and that I thought he needed to see someone about professional help."
"Wow," he said for once in his life speechless. No matter how much he talked about, he didn't think Ginny was capable of actually leaving Potter with Potter's irrational hold on her heart.
"Wow indeed." She replied, mimicking his earlier statement. They sat in silence for a few moments with Draco deep in thought and Ginny squirming under his penetrating stare. "Draco, say something," she said beginning to worry.
He took one of her hands and gently pulled her from her seat into his arms, hugging her tightly and resting his chin on the top of her head,
"Good job, little Weasley. I know how hard that was and I'm proud of you." He released her for his next question. "How do you feel?" She tossed herself back into the chair as though her legs couldn't hold her up.
"Free. Jittery. My stomach is all knotted like it knows I just made a huge mistake," she exhaled loudly, wringing her hands between her knees in a classic nervous-Ginny gesture. "I know I should feel good about this, after all, he hurt me. But I don't really know a life where I don't want Harry. What do I do now?"
"You live, Ginevra. You are better than that relationship with Potter. It'll be hard at first but it'll get easier. And I'll be right here, annoying and pestering the shit out of you." Her light laughter filled the office, warming Draco.
"You always know the right thing to say, you idiot."
"It's a gift, love."
"I'd better get out of here before you say something dumb and I no longer feel better. Will I see you later today?" She asked gathering herself to head out.
'Would you like to see me later today?" he replied sensually before he considered what was coming out of his mouth. Ginny stopped for a second on her way out of the door and stopped turning to face him. She considered for a moment.
"Yeah. Yeah I would like to see you." He smiled, a reflex to Ginny's sweetness.
"Then I'll meet you at your flat for dinner?" She nodded and shut the door behind her on the way out.
Draco walked around to his chair and threw himself down. He spun around and faced the magically created window, watching the people far below without really watching them. After a few minutes one caught his eye. A redhead. His redhead. He realized his heart was beating relentlessly in his chest. He wanted her and now there was hope that he could have her. For the first time in a long time, he sent a silent pray into the universe.
'Please, God. I think you exist. Please let me have her. I want her to want me.'
A/N: Alright guys, there is it chapter four. This came a lot faster than I anticipated. Consider it my version of a New Year's present. Anyway, please read and review. Tell me what you like. What you don't like what you'd like to see. Is it moving too slowly for you?