This chapter is so sad! The story is growing on me, and I am enjoying more and more!
Author's Response: Another review! I'm glad you are enjoying it!
Oh this chapter is just heart breaking. Poor Draco. :( I love how you go into the details and are shedding light on more of the story. Brilliantly written.
Author's Response: Yes, it is very tragic, this one. I think for both of them really. I also think that she does the right thing by walking out. Neither one of them is ready for the level of committment that he wants, and she saves them both from destroying each other. I reworked this chapter a lot before posting it, adding much more back story, etc. So I am glad to know that you are enjoying the details of their story.And a huge thanks for the compliment on my writing. I sometimes start to wonder if I'm just embarassing myself, well, my anonymous self. :) Thanks so much for the review!
I'm a little confused about things. One, how was Draco cleared of all charges? They had multiple witnesses and his own self confession for a lot of his crimes, including multiple account of attempted murder.
Second, why did Ginny tell her mom she wasn't cheating on Harry and she acted so offended when she had JUST come back from cheating on Harry? Is she really that cold heart and accomplished liar?
Author's Response: Good questions, and you made me double check. But I was almost certain that he did not go to Azkaban. Even if he did, for my purposes in the story, he didn't. And I didn't feel like explaining all of that when the focus is only on their relationship. But, here is the quote from J.K. Rowling: No, the Malfoys weaseled their way out of trouble (again) due to the fact that they colluded (albeit out of self-interest) with Harry at the end of the battle.And as for your second question. Ginny had already broken up with Harry, ending their engagement, before she even showed up at Draco's flat. As far as I'm concerned, that's not cheating. She even goes back to get her things after leaving the Burrow. And she didn't deny being with Draco to her mum, she admitted it. She was upset because her mother still took Harry's side even though he had been the one to cheat. Molly, I think, was the one being cold-hearted during this coversation.
I hope this clears up the confusion. I appreciate the questions. Maybe Draco's uncertainty of whether she had really broken up with Harry is where you were confused? And as for his acquittal, I agree. It is far-fetched to think that there would have been no repercussions. But as I said, it didn't really work with the story I wanted to tell, and since it came from the source, I went with it. Don't hesitate to ask anything else. Thank you!
I have to be honest, I didn't particularly like this chapter. I'm steadily losing respect for both Draco and Ginny. I think it was very cruel what Draco did to Astoria -- so much, in fact, that I wanted to hit him. And Ginny is frankly annoying me with her swtichy indecisiveness and whiny "If you love me, you'll let me walk all over your heart, Draco" nonsense.
I'll keep reading, but I just didn't feel I could say I enjoyed this chapter when it wouldn't be the truth. That being said, I did laugh at the house-elf named Potty.
Author's Response: I'm sorry you feel that way. I admit, their relationship can be pretty ugly. But I'm trying to be honest with what Ginny has been through. Someone who has a lot of emotional baggage is not going to be good for anyone else, no matter how great they are. Ginny was being brutally honest, and I think she did the best thing for both of them by asking for space. And yes, she could have handled it better, but people who are hurting don't often make the best decisions. Even he knows that she is not really ready, but he is clinging to denial. She has a lot of work to do before she could be what he wants her to be. Trying to force things to work would only end very badly for both of them. And yes, Draco was absolutely terrible to Astoria. Although he was 100% right in saying that she deserved more than he could give. As far as I'm concerned, better to be dumped six months in than to be divorced six years later.This story became so much more serious than I ever expected. I did not focus on what happened between Ginny and Harry because it's not about them really. But he did mess with her head, intentionally or not. And he did repeatedly cheat, which can destroy someone on the inside. But just so your warned, until she faces her demons, she's going to continue to make very bad choices.
I do hope you keep reading. I've read so many stories where Draco is absolutely horrid to Ginny and most people (not saying that you are one of them) seem fine with that. It's been surprising to me how much people don't like to see her being the one to hurt him.
Thanks for your honesty and the reviews.
gin is not being nice to this poor guy. i feel bad for him. update soon!
Author's Response: Yes, Ginny is not very nice in this fic, but I hope you can see that she is still suffering as well. I never really intended to make Draco such a sympathetic character when I started this, but I guess I, like most readers, really love him the most, so I'm afraid you will probably continue to feel bad for him for a little while longer.Thank you for reviewing! I really appreciate it.
Oh, what a chapter this was! I do hope that reviewers don't get their claws out and sharpen them on your Ginny here. (Cat's on the keyboard-- that's probably where the claw idea came from...) At first glance, she maybe doesn't look all that great here. Poor Draco, she's broken his heart again, etc. *However*, the only thing that really kept Draco from shagging Astoria on the couch and then moving on to marry her was chance, in the form of Ginny knocking on the door in the middle of the night. And then there are the descriptions of his "expert hands" and how much better he's gotten at it all... I don't think he was exactly living the true-love-waits pledge while Ginny was with Harry. :P
Ginny's relationship with Harry had real consequences for both herself and the people around her, and these are unflinchingly explored-- which is what sets this fic apart from the entire genre of teenage wish-fulfillment D/G. It isn't fluffy and nice, but real. (I do kinda want to see Draco reject her a bit by this point, though... he could start to get a bit doormat-y, if not. Can we send him to Co-Dependents Anonymous Meetings?) Anyway, more soon, I hope! :)
Author's Response: Well, thank you. And as for the claws - I've been applying much dittany to my scars from another site. So far no one here has outright declared their hatred of Ginny, but I'm prepared for it to come, especially after the next chapter comes out. And thank you for noticing that Draco is not so innocent. I love the way you put it - there indeed has been no "true-love-waits pledge" from him. And I hope he doesn't become a doormat, I've been trying really hard to keep some real Draco in there, but yes, I also stupidly decided to make him ask her 7 times (although the first two don't really count).As for Ginny's relationship with Harry, thank you so much for acknowledging it!!! Oops, I might need a little more dittany :) I like to think that the "teenage wish fulfillment" part of this story was really between Ginny and Harry - and it didn't turn out very well.
Thank you, again. I really appreciate your thoughts. I love your work so it's a thrill to hear from you. Well, I'm off to the Co-Dependents Anonymous Meeting, I'll make sure to bring Draco with me!