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Chapter 22: It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

Ginny slipped into her chair at the table and waited for the houselves to magic the food in from the kitchen. For once the entire Malfoy family was assembled for the same meal which was perfect for Ginny's purposes. She had been meaning to ask the family a question regarding Christmas Day for quite some time but the days had gotten away from her and now the Christmas Eve Ball was only a few hours away and Ginny still didn't know what her plans were for the next morning.

"Soo…" Ginny began as she piled eggs and toast onto her plate. "I was wondering exactly what our plans were for tomorrow morning?"

Salvia smiled at Ginny's tone already guessing what she wanted. "Honestly our big plans take place tonight so if you wanted to spend Christmas morning with your own family you are more than welcome darling."

Ginny beamed in happiness. "Thank you!" She had half expected there to be some sort of conflict but this was perfect. She couldn't stop smiling as breakfast continued.

Hallie stared up at the gigantic door in front of her. She knew what she needed to do and knew that it had to be now while her resolve was firm or she would never make it this far again. Nor would she be able to handle seeing him tonight at the Malfoys' without this resolved. She took a deep breath and knocked soundly on the door.

Within moments the door opened and she looked down into the gigantic eyes of a houseelf. "Oh! Hello."

"Hello Miss. How can I be helping you today?" he said in a high squeaky voice.

"I'm looking for Theodore Knott, is he at home?"

"Yes master is at home. Is he expecting you?"

"Oh.." It had not even occurred to her that Theo might be busy and not able to see her. "Well actually no he's not. Is there any way you could just tell him that Hallie Weschester is here to see him."

The little elf smiled up at her. "Of course Miss." Was all he said before he popped away leaving the door ajar.

Hallie tried to stay at the door and await the elf's return but curiosity got the better of her and she could not help venturing into the mansion.

It was beautiful. High ceilings, huge room, everything was bright and open, not at all how she pictured one of these old homes to be.

She was still captivated by what she saw when a rich voice that she had come to know all too well interrupted her thoughts.

"What are you doing here?"

Hallie spun around to face a very tense looking Theo. He was disheveled with his hair sticking up at all kinds of odd angles and was wearing only a pair of sweat pants leaving his chest exposed but Hallie did not have time to recognize all of this because she was entirely distracted by his eyes. His big green eyes held this haunted, emotionally empty look that broke Hallie's heart in two because she was positive that she was the one who had put it there.

"I…I wanted to talk to you." She sputtered out.

"Fine." He descended the last couple stairs and headed towards one of the multiple doors that lined the room. Hallie cautiously followed him, still inexplicably unsure of this man.

He led her into what appeared to an informal sitting room with several couches and an already roaring fire that warmed the entire room without the need for magic.

"So what is it?" he asked with almost none of the emotion he was feeling betraying him in his voice. He was just as much a practiced Slytherin as the rest.

This version of the man though was painful for Hallie to watch. Impulsively she crossed the room and launched herself into his arms. She hugged him with everything she had and nestled her face into the crook of his neck kissing him softly. At first he did not respond but after a moment she felt him relax and wrap his arms around her waist. He buried his face into her hair and breathed in her scent. It had been too long since he had seen her.

When she pulled away his eyes had come back to life. She smiled ever so slightly at him and led him over to one of the couches.

They both sat down and she took a deep breath to steady herself to push out what she to say. "The other day… you scared me." She began.

"I know and I'm sorry!" He interjected his voice full of sincerity.

She held up a finger to his lips to quiet his protests. "Let me finish. You scared me because, as much as I haven't wanted to admit it, there is something here. The problem is though that I refuse to trust you again completely because I'm terrified of you running off again in the middle of the night without any kind of notice or explanation." She paused to take in the expression of pure pain and dismay that crossed over Theo's face and filed it away in her memory for later. "We were barely together back then, if together is even what you could call it, and, even though it felt like I had always known you, in fact I hardly knew anything about you after our one night together. Now though, after several months of whatever this is I know so much more about you and everyday you draw me in closer, but I have to know what happened that night and why you never came back before this can go any farther."

She stopped talking and just looked at him. Hallie could tell by the look on his face that Theo was more than a little uncomfortable with her declaration but showed no signs of searching for a quick exit. She remained silent while he appeared to collect his thoughts.

"I'm sure you've gathered this from what Pansy and the others have mentioned but… I didn't have an easy childhood." He finally began after some time.

She simply nodded her head once, not wanting to interrupt him at all.

"What you have to understand is that I never wanted to leave you. I felt this connection to you that was so strong even though you were only mine for a few short hours. You are the only girl I have ever felt like that with. My entire life I have avoided forming close bonds. With the exception of Drae, Pansy and Blaise I have preferred to keep the world at a distance because… well people around me have always tended to get hurt."

"I don't understand." She said in a voice barely above a whisper.

"I know… I'm sorry. You asked for answers and I'm just being more cryptic." He ran a hand over his face. "Ok, here goes, my father was a sick, sadistic son of a bitch. Everybody pointed fingers at Lucius for being involved with the deatheaters but in all honesty my father was more important to … Voldemort and far worse than Draco's father could ever be. I was tortured as a child both physically and mentally. He was a monster. I always search for a better way to describe him but nothing really seems to suffice.

"Where I really need to begin though is with my mother though. In order for you to really understand what happed you need to know how much I loved my mother. She was my world, the kindest most amazing woman. She would do anything for anyone and her life just made the world a better place. You have always reminded me of her actually… but that is beside the point.

"What is important is that she was amazing and then when I was home for Christmas during my 6th year at Hogwarts… he killed her."

Theo stopped speaking for a moment to compose himself. It had suddenly gotten hard for him to breath. He had not spoken to anyone about his mother's murder since… well since after he had explained what happened to Draco, Blaise and Pansy. He couldn't stop the tears that had begun to silently run down his face.

Hallie remained silent but simply moved to sit flush next to him. She pulled him into her arms. Seeing this beautiful, strong man that she loved so much breaking down was breaking her heart. She smoothed his hair out of his face and kissed him softly before whispering, "Why?"

Theo laughed ever so slightly but it held no mirth, only bitterness. "He decided that she was no longer useful to him. She would not be helpful when the Dark Lord rose again and this why continue to keep her around? I never knew that…not until the day I killed him…. I spent three years wondering why I had a mother when breakfast began and then by the end she was dead. After that I stunned him long enough to grab my trunk and my cat and floo back to school.

"That was the beginning of the most hectic period of my life. With the help of Dumbledore and Snape, I traveled and hid all the while continuing my studies. My father never stopped looking for me. Every time he would get too close I would have to change schools, change lives, move on and forget everything about the place I had been.

"And then… I arrived in Salem and begun attending the Salem Division of the International School of Curse Breaking… where I had a class with the most beautiful girl I had ever seen in my life." He paused and kissed her softly on the forehead when she sucked in a large breath of air at her entrance into the story. "She was perfect but never seemed to notice me even though all I ever did was stare at her. Then one morning I received one of the owls I most dreaded, my father was getting too close to finding me to stay where I was any longer but just as I finished reading the letter the door swung open and in walked the girl of my dreams. I knew then that I could not let her leave the room without at least making some kind of effort so I asked her out to coffee which turned into the most perfect day of my life. Unfortunately no matter how perfect it was I still knew in the back of my mind that I would have to leave that night; that I would have to leave her for both of our safety.

"I tried to tell her that night but I couldn't bring myself too. I decided I wanted to have my one perfect night with the girl I already knew I was in love with and then… early the next morning, I had to tear myself away from her warm bed and I left but this time it was different. This time I couldn't just forget everything that I had come to know. I was stuck; tortured by the memory of our day together even though I was sure I would never see her again.

"Finally, after nearly 5 years of running I decided it had to stop. I confronted my father, ready to die if need be but instead I killed him and I have never regretted it. The only thing that I have to regret in my life thus far is not explaining my situation to you. I justified it by saying I didn't want to risk your safety, which was true, but I also feel like we always should have been together and me not telling you just made us lose years that we could have been together. I love you Hallie. I always have."

By this point it was Hallie who had tears streaming down her face. His story dually broke heart and made it sing. She knew that all the things that had worried her were void. Theo loved her, he had always loved her and what was even better was that she loved him.

She pulled him down on top of her and kissed him soundly. "I love you Theo." She whispered.

He beamed down at her with a cheeky grin. "Good, 'bout damn time."

And with that they began to kiss again, becoming less and less certain every moment about whether or not they would make it to the Christmas Eve Ball.

After they ate the entire Malfoy family went into the main ballroom with all the available elves and worked to finish up the last minute touches for later that evening. Somewhere around 5 o'clock Ginny and Draco were both released from their indenturement and shooed off to get ready.

Ginny headed out of the ballroom just a minute after Draco and hurried to catch up to him.

"Drae," Ginny called out as he walked up the stairs. "Wait for me." She skipped up the steps and swiftly linked her arm though her husband as he continued up the stairs towards their rooms.

"Yes?" he inquired. She was bouncing. It was never good for him when she bounced. It always seemed to mean that she had an idea.

"So I would like to formally invite you to the Weasley family's Christmas."

Draco paused in his steps, "Really?"

Ginny giggled. "Of course! That is unless you want to stay here with your family… oh I'm sorry I should have thought about that! It didn't even cross my mind, of course you would…"

"Ginny!" he cut her off laughing. She was beginning to babble. "I would love to spend Christmas with you and your family. It's the least I can do since your giving up your Christmas Eve to my family, even trade."

"You're sure?" she asked demurely looking up at him through her long ginger eyelashes.

He had to swallow hard and really think about what he was trying to say after she did that. He was always attracted to her but unfortunately it was never more so than when she looked sweet and almost innocent. "Yeah. Of course I am." He stammered gracefully. "I think a night with 300 of my parents' closest acquaintances is almost comparable to a couple hours with your brothers.

"Ok." She beamed. She really did want him to come. She knew from before that his family wasn't very bog on the traditional aspects of holidays and she really wanted him to see what a real Christmas morning might be like. "So what does your family do on Christmas Day?"

He snorted. "Nothing really, in all honesty. Normally we just eat breakfast together and then all go our separate ways. When I was younger, before I started Hogwarts, my mother would buy me a few presents to open that morning, but as you have always so aptly pointed out, I'm spoiled and never really had much need of anything."

"Yes, but… I don't know. For me, the holiday has always been more about the family togetherness than it has about what I get at the end of the day."

Draco couldn't help but laugh again, "Gin, does my family give you the impression that they are good at togetherness?"

"Sometimes." She answered truthfully.

"Well, I've never really noticed it… but it could just be me." He said still smiling. "No, Christmas was always better once I could stay at Hogwarts for the holidays and I've never really had the classic birthday either."

"No birthdays?" Ginny looked absolutely horrified.

Draco laughed. "Well of course we have birthdays, everyone does, we just don't do much to celebrate them."

"Well that is going to change." She insisted. "This year you are having a birthday party, a serious one and August I expect the biggest party this family has ever seen!"

"What's in August?" he asked with a smirk.

She didn't even bother to answer him. She was perfectly aware that he knew good and damn well when her birthday was. She just hit him in the stomach in response just as they approached his door. "Go get dressed."

He smirked and simply replied, "Yes ma'am."

Forty-five minutes later, Ginny heard a rap on the bathroom door. "Come in.

She heard the doorknob turn and then turned around to see Draco dressed in his best dress robes with every hair perfectly in place. Bloody hell, he was wonderful.

He crossed the room and ever so carefully flopped down on the bed. "Are you ready yet dearest?"

Ginny resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Why no darling, as you can very clearly see, I'm not." She said gesturing to the robe she was wearing rather than the beautiful green gown draped across the bed next to him.

"Hmmm well do you think you will be ready in the next five minutes?"

"Nope."

"The next ten?"

"Probably not."

"Fifteen?"

"Draco…"

"Right, sorry." He gave her a cheeky grin that she could tell meant he was no such thing.

It was quickly becoming apparent to Ginny that her dear sweet husband was just going to continue to sit there and be a pain in the ass unless she released him from the pain of having to wait for her. "Drae, why don't you head downstairs and I will be down in a few minutes when I'm dressed and my hair is not damp."

"I cannot arrive at the ball without my date."

"Suuure you can! I will just be right behind you; your mother won't mind that."

He narrowed his eyes are her, "Yes she will and you know that but I really don't want to sit here any longer so just this once I'm going to humor you but you better look good woman for making me do this!" he added jokingly as he headed to the door.

Ginny laughed and threw a pillow at him as he exited, promising to be down as fast as she could.

Once he was gone Ginny returned to her preparations. Finally after twenty-five minutes or so she was finally able to slip into her magnificent an emerald green gown and put on the strappy gold heels that she had found to go with the striking color of the dress.

When she was finally ready, Ginny headed downstairs on her own. She knew she was a little late for family arrival but she couldn't make herself care. She felt pretty tonight so it seemed as if nothing could touch her mood as she finally entered the ballroom through the main doors.

When Ginny appeared at the top of the stairs Draco felt as if he had forgotten to breathe. She looked amazing in that green dress. It hugged her in all the right places and the color made her glow with life and contrasted perfectly with her hair.

She stood at the top of the stairs and surveyed the ballroom. He assumed that she was admiring her handy work but all he could do was admire her.

Ginny though could think of nothing but Draco. As she descended the staircase towards him she felt as if she was a princess in a fairytale… or like that girl in that muggle movie on the big boat, descending to where her love waited. It was at the same time exhilarating and surreal.

When he greeted her at the bottom of the stairs he offered her his arm and led her over to the other Malfoy couples, Pansy and Greg Goyle and Blaise and Luna.

"Sorry I'm late everyone."

"Not a problem darling." Narcissa responded. "We all know very well that a look like that doesn't happen in ten minutes."

"Besides," Blaise added. "You beat Hallie and Theo. They are coming right?"

"Who even knows?" Ginny said rolling her eyes dramatically.

Their conversation was cut short though with the arrival of the first actual guests. And as all the Malfoy couples fell into place to greet the new arrivals Draco grabbed her hand and squeezed it before whispering in her ear. "Worth the wait."

After a decent amount of guests had arrived and were all mingling about it was finally time for a Malfoy couple to open the dance floor. Normally, the honor fell to the most senior couple but just as the instruments began tuning, Salvia approached the youngest pair and said to Ginny, "Well dear, since this is your first Malfoy Christmas Eve Ball I feel that you and Draco should have the honor of opening up the floor."

Ginny smiled and turned to her husband who simply shrugged. "Are you sure?" she asked timidly.

Salvia laughed. "Ginny, I'm almost 100 years old, when I make a suggestion I am always sure. You, my dear one, need to stop asking me if I mean what I say and just accept whatever gift it is we're trying to give you. You are part of the family now which means that regardless of what happens next year your presence will still be required at major family dinners, Cissa and I will still be banging on your door to take you shopping and when we buy you something you will say thank you and not try to give it back!"

Ginny couldn't help but blush bright red and smile meekly. "Yes ma'am."

Saliva laughed again. "Perfect! Alright now you two get out there. There are a lot of people here who are waiting to dance!"

Ginny grabbed Draco's hand and began to drag him before he caught up to her and twirled her into dancing form just at the edge of the floor. Moments later the music began and his perfect pureblood breeding began to spin her effortlessly around the floor.

Ginny could feel all eyes on them and automatically began to blush again but Draco quickly distracted her.

"Stop that. There is nothing to be embarrassed about. You are the most beautiful woman in this room and you are dancing with me."

Ginny resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Oh does that mean I'm just lucky then?"

"No, it means that they aren't even really looking at you but at the pair of us in shock. Everyone is wondering how a bloke like me could have possibly convinced someone as wonderful and beautiful as you to marry me."

"I doubt that."

"I don't."

The song ended and Draco released her except for her hand and stepped back. Then he surprised her by dipping down ever so slightly and raising her hand to his lips. "Thank you for the dance madam."

Ginny smiled nervously, "My pleasure."

And with that he led her off the floor while others filed on, waiting for the music to recommence.

The ball continued on smoothly. Ginny found that she was actually having a wonderful time, especially in comparison to the last ball that the family had held here in October.

Draco had repeatedly asked her to dance, gotten her drinks and was in fact the perfect date again except this time around he was doing it because he wanted to not in order to piss her off. They passed nearly the entire night side by side other than when one of the other guys or Abraxas asked her to dance.

Towards the end of the night they had once again made their way to the dance floor together when things took a slight turn for the worse.

"Oh bloody hell…" Draco hissed as his brow creased with concern as he looked not at her but across the room.

"Oh bloody hell? What is it?" Ginny questioned. Tonight had been going so well she really didn't want anything to spoil it and whatever could cause Draco to look like that definitely had the potential to do just that.

"Do you see that girl?" he asked quietly so only Ginny could hear him. He inclined his head ever so slightly in the direction of the doors to the ballroom where a tall stick thin woman with bone straight brown hair wearing a barely there bright red gown with no back and a scandalously high slip up one side.

"Unfortunately."

Draco couldn't help but letting a small smile momentarily flicker across his face at her response. He wasn't quite sure why but a major part of him was glad Ginny was disgusted by his final… conquest before her. "Well love, that is the last girl I slept with before our little arrangement began or at least tried to sleep with, I'm a little fuzzy on what happened the night after grandfather told me about all this." He grimaced at the memory of that very drunken night.

"And why may I ask is she in the Manor at this particular moment?" Ginny's face could have been made of stone. She threw up a perfect Malfoy mask that was even a little bit intimidating for Draco. She obviously had lived in this house too long.

"Well I don't know. She certainly wasn't invited…"

Just then a houseelf popped up right beside the couple and bowed to them. "Begging you pardon Miss and Little Master but there is being a woman over by the door who is asking quite earnestly to be talking to Master Draco right away."

Draco paled. "Umm… please show her to the East wing study." He ordered. The houseelf bowed and apperated away. The last thing they needed was for that woman to cause a scene in front of all the actual guests. Ginny and Draco had been doing such a good job of playing happy couple and in just a few short minutes Giselle could undo everything that they had worked for.

Ginny placed a hand on Draco's chest to pull his attention away from the source of his worry. "I'll take care of it." She said.

Draco smiled at her gratefully. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'm a Malfoy woman now right? She will not be interfering with our ball." And with that she turned and left Draco standing in the middle of the dance floor starring after her slightly in awe.

Ginny made her way through the corridors to the room where Draco had directed that the woman be taken and confidently opened the door.

"Hello there, I'm Ginny, can I help you with something?" she began sweetly.

"I'm sorry. The stupid little elf must have gotten confused. I asked for Draco Malfoy, the man you were dancing with." This woman looked down her nose at Ginny. She had quite obviously sized her up and dismissed the vivacious red head as the latest Malfoy piece of ass. Well, wasn't she in for a nasty surprise?

Ginny smiled her sweetest smile and let out a clear little laugh. "Oh, well, that is where the poor little dear must have gotten confused. You asked for Draco Malfoy and he thought you meant me, Mrs. Draco Malfoy. It is a common mistake."

The woman's eyes bugged out of her head ever so slightly. The news that Draco had gotten married must have obviously slipped by her, although Ginny wasn't quite sure how. This woman must have been living under a rock for the last four months… or rather for the last five years or so if she had gall to dismiss Ginny Weasley…Malfoy in that way without even the slightest flicker of recognition. Quick wit this one was.

"Draco got married?"She eloquently choked out.

"Why yes he did, to me in case you missed that part, back in October. And as the newest mistress to the Manor I instructed all the help that if anyone dropped by akin to a cheap looking whore looking for my husband that their inquires where to be directed to me to take care of." Ginny smiled sweetly again. "But thank you ever so much for dropping by, one of the elves will show you out now." And with that Ginny turned on her heel and began to exit the room.

Giselle, in a desperate attempt to save her extortion attempt, called out, "He slept with me you know. Not too long before your wedding too."

All the amusement that Ginny had found in the situation before drained from her. She ever so slowly turned around and caught the woman with a piecing stare full of white hot rage. "Do not presume that anything you could tell me I don't already know. My husband and I are completely honest with each other so yes I did know that he slept with you and what an awful shag you were. Now," she paused as her voice dropped to a deadly whisper. "Get out of my house before I have to throw you out and if you ever attempt to contact my husband, my family or if somewhere in that pea brain of yours you decide to go to the media not only will I attack you with the full force of the Malfoy family's considerable influence but when they finally find you to take you to the ministry your body will be so disfigured by bat bogey bites that you won't even remember why it was you were trying to extort us in the first place."

And with that Ginny swept out of the room leaving the stunned woman behind.

By the time Ginny made it back to the ballroom she was still upset but some of the rage had begun to ebb away. She found Draco talking to Blaise and Luna off to one side of the room and immediately went to join him.

When she approached Draco was stunned by the little red head's appearance. She was entirely flushed and he could almost feel her anger. He raised one eyebrow at her as she fell into place beside him.

"It's all taken care of." Is all she said before taking his champagne glass out of his hand, downing what remained of it and beginning a conversation with Luna.

Draco stared at her in shock and awe. He stepped closer to her and placed a hand on the small of her back. He leaned down and placed a small kiss at her temple. "Thank you."

She just looked up at him and smiled briefly before returning her attention to Luna who was staring at them with one eyebrow raised.

Before too long the ball was over. All the guests had gone home and most of the family had headed off to bed. As per usual they decided to deal with the cleaning in the morning rather than at two o'clock in the morning.

The only ones left in the ballroom now were Draco and Ginny with the rest of a bottle of champagne.

"I feel like this is becoming our after event ritual. First you show, now tonight." Ginny laughed as she split the last of the bottle between their 2 glasses.

"I'm ok with it if you after." Draco laughed as he finally loosened his tie. Then he added, "By the way, I'm sorry that that bint showed up tonight love."

Ginny did nothing but smile. "It's not your fault. How were you supposed to know that she would be here?"

"True… but there shouldn't have even been the possibility. I don't mean to sound like one of those muggle cards,"

"Hallmark?" she guessed. She couldn't help the warm fuzzy feeling that spread through her chest at his attempt at a reference.

"Yeah those, anyways, what I am trying to say is… I'm really glad you're back in my life Gin."

Ginny was stunned. What had just happened? Who was this man sitting next to her? Surely not Draco Malfoy. The man she had been living with for the last few months would never be able to admit that he had any feelings for her or enjoyed having her around.

When Ginny was not able to say anything in response due to the shock, Draco could do nothing by continue to speak. "I don't know why but when you left me I felt like the meaning in my life had disappeared and I have spent the last 3 years trying to figure out a way to feel as alive as I did when I was with you. But I have been going about it exactly the wrong way. I had convinced myself that the opposite of what we had would be to have anyone and everyone I wanted. That it would be an entirely different way to feel alive… but no matter what I did or who I did when I would wake up in the morning I just felt dead. It was a constant ache that started the morning you I woke up and you were gone, no note, no nothing."

"That was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. Leaving you that day almost killed me."

"I know. I've always known. I couldn't let myself acknowledge it though because I was too hurt and too angry… and I'm sure this is too little too late but I am sorry Ginny. I'm sorry for how I have treated you and how I have acted. You never deserved that."

Ginny couldn't help the tears that formed in her eyes. She had been waiting so long to hear those words that she had never expected to hear. It took everything in her not to jump out of her chair and throw herself into his arms.

She took a deep breath and slowly and carefully in her magnificent green dress rose up from the corner chair in which she had been sitting. She crossed around the table to where Draco sat and leaned down and kissed him softly on the forehead. She whispered, "Thank you." As two of the tears she had been fighting back escaped their confines.

She quickly brushed them away, not wanting him to see so plainly all the emotions she was battling.

Of course though, being Draco, he missed nothing. But then he took her hand that she had used to brush away the tears in his and softly kissed the back of it. Without looking at her he whispered, "You are perfect Ginny. You deserve the world."

He then released her hand.

She let it fall to her side.

Without another word, she turned and left the ballroom, too emotionally unstable to handle another moment there.

I've been in France for 6 weeks. Please don't hate me but this just wasn't at the top of my list… hope you enjoy this chapter because I really enjoyed writing it. Let me know what you think.

Care