A/N: the standard disclaimer applies to the whole story.



Four Weddings and A Funeral



Ch 1: Pansy and Neville




Ginny Weasley had been out of school for four years. She knew this was coming. All of her friends were getting married. The war was long over, the Death Eaters all rounded-up and imprisoned or killed.

Now was the time for merriment and celebration. Ginny was happy for her friends, but it didn’t make up for the fact that she was still single and was on the road to being ‘always a bridesmaid, never a bride.’

Luckily, she was not 'in' this wedding. She was just enjoying it as a guest. She was happy for Neville. Pansy was good for him, but she and Pansy would never be great friends.

Pansy and Neville had been together for one year but were so head-over-heels in love they had rushed their wedding.

Ginny sat in the pew of the chapel with Hermione and Ron. They had finally gotten hitched two years ago and were currently expecting their first child. Hermione was six months pregnant and quite the sight with the large belly on her petite frame.

Ginny looked around and saw many familiar faces, mostly from Hogwarts. One face inparticular stood out under the mop of white blond hair. Draco Malfoy! He was grinning at her!

Sure he’d ended up under the protection of the Order and had saved his mother and helped Harry and the Order triumph over Voldemort, but she’d never said so much as ‘hello’ to him while all that was going on.

Ginny realized she was staring and gave a strained smile before turning back towards the front of the chapel, waiting for the ceremony to begin.

*

After the wedding, a wonderful reception was held out in the garden. Pansy's wedding planner had arranged for quite the elaborate decorating and a fabulous buffet overflowing with delicious foods. Ginny perused the buffet and sat with Harry and the rest of the ‘gang.’

Slowly, people began to dance. Harry found his way over to Parvati Patil. Ron and Hermione danced awkwardly around her growing belly.

Ginny sat by herself, not feeling like talking to anyone. She was still in Healer training and it was tough, long days and long nights of work, with far too few breaks and days off.

“Care to dance?” asked a voice not to far from her ear. Ginny turned startled to find Draco Malfoy nose to nose with her, offering his arm.

“I’d… sure,” she nodded and stood, taking his arm. He led her gracefully to the dance floor and they joined in with other couples twirling around.

They were silent the first few moments of their dance, Draco and Ginny taking turns looking at each other and at the crowd around them.

“So how have you been? I haven’t seen you since I graduated,” Malfoy said.

“Oh, well fine. Ron and Hermione are making me an Aunt and I am in Healer training which is intense to say the least. What about you?”

“Just taking care of the family effects and such. Recently I seem to be attending a good deal of functions like this. I knew this day would come but I’ve never looked forward to it.”

“What? Pansy’s wedding day?” Ginny asked, confused.

Draco threw his head back, laughing. “No no! All of my friends getting married, moving into the next phase of life. Having to attend all these weddings is making me feel…”

“Old?” Ginny suggested smugly.

“Well yes even though I am not- we are not. It’s just eye-opening to how time is flying past.”

“Yes. I agree with you on that. I’ve been lucky so far. This is the first wedding I’ve been to that wasn’t for one of my brothers. But there are a bunch coming up over the next long while.”

“Ah yes. I’ve seen the announcements in the paper.” The music ended and Pansy’s father announced the next phase of festivities, including the sending off of the bride and groom. Ginny thanked Draco for the dance and headed back to find her brother and her sister-in-law.

*

Draco Malfoy watched the young redhead walk away after she thanked him graciously for the dance. Ginny Weasley hadn’t really changed in the past four or so years. She’d always been a good-looking girl, but she was a career woman now and it made her even more appealing.

Being in Healing was regarded as a highly technical and difficult field. It took an enormous amount of N.E.W.T's and four years of training plus another three years of residency, in which Healers were supervised closely by Senior Healers.

Draco shook his head and chuckled quietly to himself. This was going to be an interesting few months. He knew Ginny was in the final stages of her Healer training and didn’t have a lot of free time. But he also knew he was going to see her as much as he could and do his best to win the heart he’d wanted for so long.



***
A/N:
This is just going to be a cute, fluffy short story. I am currently going to a lot of weddings and mine was just last year so they are fresh on my mind. I think wizarding weddings would be incredible! I'll get into more details with them too I promise.

Ch 2: Luna and Gregory

Draco was running late. He’d had a last minute meeting that he could not miss and it was fifteen past six. Gregory Goyle’s wedding rehearsal had been going for fifteen minutes and his best man was not there yet.

Draco apparated to the rehearsal location and prepared himself for a good tongue-lashing for his lateness. However, to his surprise, everyone was standing around laughing and talking.

“Oh! There he is! Oy, Draco!” Greg Goyle bellowed as he rushed over to Draco and patted him on the back.

“I’m so sorry Greg, last minute meeting-”

“Oh it’s quite all right. We’ve been having a grand ole time. This is a celebration after all, yes? Come on everyone, let’s get started and then we can all go eat!”

Draco hadn’t had a chance to really glance around him. Once he was shown his position in the front of the hall, he watched as Luna Lovegood’s bridesmaids filed in. Greg and Luna- that one had been a surprise to everyone but once those two had worked together for the ministry, they had become fast friends and lovers.

Draco came back to the present as he saw a familiar flash of red hair strolling down the aisle towards him. Ginny Weasley was last in- that made her the Maid of Honor. He’d be escorting her out. It could not be more perfect if he’d planned it.

*

Ginny smiled softly at the handsome blond man who was in her position on the groom’s side. It had been nearly a month since she’d seen him at Pansy and Neville’s wedding and she’d received a beautiful bouquet of silver, white, and red roses at the hospital one day while she was working the week after that wedding.

The card had simply said ‘Beautiful flowers for a beautiful young lady. Thanks for the dance.’ No name. Ginny had been very surprised by this gesture and also slightly embarrassed. Everyone at the hospital now thought she had a suitor who she was hiding from them.

What was Draco playing at anyway, sending her flowers? She’d heard through the grapevine, as they say, that he had dated a little but mainly focused on his work. She’d always assumed he had women that were there whenever he wanted them and not given it much thought. Surely he didn’t think he’d get her as one of his little flings.

She saw hi smile at her and returned it quickly then focused on the matter at hand. She kept her gaze on Luna and Gregory Goyle and the portly little Wizard, his name she did not know, who was in charge of the ceremony.

*

The rehearsal dinner was a sit-down dinner and there were name cards at each table. Ginny found her name with the rest of the wedding party. The Bride and Groom were sitting with their family. She took a glance at the name card at the place setting next to hers. Draco Malfoy it said. ‘Should have known,’ she thought.

“Well hello again,” a voiced cooed as the chair next to her slid from under the table and Draco sat down, grinning.

“Hi yourself. I’m glad you are here,” she began.

“You are? Well I am glad you are here as well.”

Ginny blushed. “I got your flowers and wanted to thank you properly. I didn’t know where to send a card,” she lied, thinking that was a really lame excuse.

“I thought you’d appreciate them, what with all your long days at the hospital,” he smiled, obviously satisfied with himself.

“Yes. They brightened my day. My co-workers think I’ve got a boyfriend I am not telling them about though.”

“Oh? I didn’t embarrass you, did I?”

“No. But you gave them reason to tease me, which they love. But I don’t mind. I work with great people and with the sort of situations we deal with, laughter is always welcome.”

She was relieved when the other party members took their seats and the dinner was served. She did enjoy continuing to talk to Draco, as well as everyone else during the dinner, but for some reason she had been nervous talking to Draco when he’d first sat down.

She excused herself after dinner, since she had worked early that morning and really needed to get home and rest before the wedding the following day. She disapparated home after saying good-bye to Luna and Greg, but not to anyone else.

*

The next day, Ginny apparated to Luna’s early to help her get ready. Luna’s wedding robe was simple and elegant. It was silk with beading around the scoop neck top and the shell-shaped train. Ginny and the other bridesmaids were wearing similar gowns in pale blue with no train.

“So I heard from Greg that Draco had a great chat with you last night at dinner,” Luna said, eyeing her dear friend. Ginny blushed.

“Oh... yeah. He’s different now I suppose, than when we were in school.”

“And what is this I hear about him sending flower’s to St. Mungo’s?”

“Well that… we danced at Neville’s wedding and we talked about work and such and he knows how hard Healer training is and it was a nice gesture.”

Luna smirked. “So, he’s making a play for you then?” Ginny waved her hand, dismissing the idea.

“No. He’s just… he just being Malfoy. He probably thinks I am another girl he can have at his beck and call. Well he just as another thing coming then doesn’t he?” she laughed.

“What do you mean?”

“Obviously, Luna, I am not going to be one of his little… what do they call it… ‘booty calls.’” Luna looked at Ginny, quizzically. “Oh, on muggle television I saw them call a girl that one time when some bloke was drunk and got home and you know… wanted a bit of action. That’s what they call them. I am not going to be that girl.”

“And you think that is what Draco wants?”

“Duh Luna. Think about it- he’s a totally eligible bachelor and yet hasn’t had a girlfriend to speak of in ages! I mean come on- my mom knows everything about everyone and she says he’s not been serious about anybody! So obviously he fulfills his… needs and that’s that.”

“And what about you little miss? You’ve not had a boyfriend in ages either. Is that what you do? Go around finding blokes to…”

Ginny rolled her eyes, laughing. “Well of course not! I mean I work a lot, don’t I? I haven’t the time for boyfriends. I mean really, it isn’t as if guys don’t ask me out because they do but I just don’t have the time to-”

“Maybe Draco doesn’t either,” Luna shrugged.

*

The wedding ceremony went off without a hitch. Draco’s breath caught in his throat when he saw Ginny walking down the aisle towards he and the other groomsmen in the pale blue robes that hugged all the right places and complimented her skin tone and hair, making her glow. Her dusting of auburn freckles stood out, completing the glow.

Ginny Weasley was a vision indeed. How no one had snatched her up yet was beyond Draco. She looked like a goddess, like an angel. He could barely tear his eyes from her during the ceremony and once it was over, was very nervous at the thought of touching her arm to escort her down the aisle after the bride and groom.

He managed to do so gracefully and without letting his nervousness show. She smiled graciously at him and they went their separate ways for the party entrance to the reception.

Draco watched as Ginny laughed and joked with her friends during the reception but kept his distance until he felt the moment was right. He saw her take a seat alone to have some cake.

“Hello there,” he said, taking the seat next to her.

“Hi, lovely wedding wasn’t it?” she smiled.

“Yes, it was. And so are you. You look ravishing in that dress.”

Ginny blushed. “You clean up well yourself, Malfoy,” she said, looking him up and down in his dress robes a bit more obviously than she’d meant to.

“I was hoping we could share another dance once you are done with the cake,” he asked hopefully.

Ginny nodded her head in agreement and when she finished the cake, she allowed Draco to take her arm and lead her to the dance floor.

“You left the dinner last night before I got a chance to ask you to have dinner with me sometime,” Draco grinned as he twirled her around the dance floor, weaving in and out of other couples.

Ginny shut her eyes, knowing this was why she had left without talking to him. She had avoided him. “I had an early day yesterday. And then with all the activities of last night, I was just worn out,” she explained.

“Ah yes I see. But you haven’t answered my question.”

Darn it. Ginny wasn’t able to dodge that bullet. “It’s such a nice offer! I really wish I could but training is so intense and I am nearing examinations. I’m afraid I would lack in conversation as a dinner companion.”

“Oh I doubt that. I remember loud, bubbly Ginny Weasley from Hogwarts. You’re conversational skills could never suffer.” Ginny laughed. She had been loud and boisterous in school- that fact didn’t even get past Draco Malfoy.

“I guess I was loud, eh?”

“Yes. But one could tell you were happy and that was a fact to be envious of.”

“Hm… after my first year yes. Listen Draco, it’s flattering, this attention from a guy like you but right now… it’s just not a good time,” Ginny began.

“You don’t want to go to dinner with me,” he looked at her as though he knew deep down she really did want to.

“Well I would but it’s just… it’s rather complicated.”

Draco frowned. “Is it because of who I am?”

“No. No it’s not that,” she lied. “I know you ended up doing wonderful things for the Order and helped out a lot in our side winning and all. I just have a lot going on. My job is very important to me and Healing is a tough trade to learn. I don’t need distractions.”

“I see,” Draco said, still frowning. “Well what if it was to be just a friendly dinner. Two friends having dinner so one can have a nice, relaxing time and get away from her tense days?” He offered.

‘We’re not even friends,’ Ginny thought. “I just don’t think it would be a good idea,” Ginny stated as the music was winding down. The band director announced it was time to see the Bride and Groom off. Ginny dropped her arms from Draco’s shoulders.

“Thank you for the dance, and again for the flowers. I’ll see you,” she said and hurried off before he could say another word.

A/N: Used Wikipedia as a source for the medical stuff you will read below. Also, fans of the 1992 movie The Cutting Edge with Moira Kelly and DB Sweeney will recognize a bit of dialogue. ;)



Ch 3: Lavender and Blaise

Ginny was on cloud nine. She had passed her Healing Board examinations with flying colors! She had graduated into her Healing residency! Tonight was the perfect chance to celebrate like she had not been able to celebrate in years.

Lavender Brown was marrying Blaise Zabini in what would be a truly societal wizarding wedding. She was not in the wedding, just a guest, but it was so formal she had fretted over finding robes that were formal enough. Ginny had settled on robes made of a pale purple, silky material.

She left her hair down and wavy and smoothed and shined it with a charm. She looked herself over in the mirror and decided she was happy with what she saw. She was going to have a blast at this wedding, particularly at the reception.

She wondered briefly whether Draco would be there. Looking like she looked and feeling like she felt, she would enjoy it if he were. He had owled her to wish her good luck on her Boards, but that had been their only contact.

She had done some ‘investigating’ and found out that perhaps she was quite wrong about Draco. After Voldemort had been defeated, Draco had made it his sole purpose in life to be completely opposite of everything his father had been.

He’d focused on running successful, ‘clean’ businesses and weeding out his father’s more sordid business affairs and cutting those loose. As far as Ginny knew, there was nothing bad about him, nothing left of the snot-nosed brat she’d known at Hogwarts.

*

Draco stood in the alcove watching the guests arrive. Yet again, he was a groomsman. He saw the silky red hair he’d been looking for enter and take a seat with her usual gang.

He kept his gaze on the wedding party during the wedding but he could feel Ginny’s eyes on him. He kept a grin on his face the entire ceremony.

*

“Draco!” he heard a voice call brightly after him. He turned to see Ginny running towards him across the reception hall. He smiled. “I passed with flying colors!” she gasped as she reached him, sloshing the drink in her hand.

“As I knew you would.”

“Thanks for the note wishing me luck. It was very thoughtful.”

“Yes well, I respect your trade for its difficulty and I thought it was the least I could do.”

The music started and Ginny gulped down the last of her drink. “I’d love to dance again, Draco.”

Draco nodded and removed the empty glass from her hand. The party went on for hours and by the end of it, he and Ginny had enjoyed many a dance and many a drink. They were laughing and falling all over each other. Draco had insisted they take a few shots of Firewhiskey when Ginny said she had never done one before.

“Let’s get out of here!” Ginny suggested with an evil grin as she and Draco were twirling around the dance floor. He stopped and she spun right into him.

“You want to?”

“Sure!” she hiccupped.

“But where would we go?”

“I don’t know. I don’t care. I’m just having fun and this-” she gestured around her, “party’s dying.”

“Right then.” Draco took Ginny’s hand and led her to the hallway. “Let’s go to your place.”

“Aw, that’s no fun!” Ginny pouted.

“We can hang out there, ok?” he said, knowing she’d be ready to pass out before long so he needed to get her safely home.

Ginny nodded grudgingly and Draco led her to a hallway where they apparated and arrived in the living room of Ginny’s flat. Draco looked around briefly. It was nicely decorated considering Ginny’s meager Healer-in-training salary.

Ginny yanked Draco’s hand and pulled him to her. “So, just what is it we’re going to do here?” she asked, desire flaming in her eyes. Draco’s pulse quickened. “Want to dance?” she giggled, and began swaying to music that wasn’t playing.

“Uh no, I don’t think so.”

“Oh Draco, you silly thing, please don’t think!” Ginny sighed, her giggled subsiding. “That’s what I like about the way I feel. I feel like even if I tried to think I couldn’t and I think too much and I think so long… and the world is spinning and spinning and spinning.”

Draco pulled away from her. He wanted her so badly but she was very, very drunk.

“Did you ever see a muggle item called magnets? They have two sides- one side attracts, the other repels. And you can push ‘em around and they push away and you push ‘em around again and… all you really had to do was turn ‘em over… and suddenly,” she stared at his lips and he began to back away.

Ginny followed him into the kitchen where he poured her a glass of water and one for himself.

She draped herself over his shoulders, murmuring incoherently, her soft, warm lips brushing his ear lightly, sending chills up his spine.

“Come on, Ginny,” he said turning to her and gently removing her hands from his shoulders, but keeping them clasped in his. “Not tonight, not like this.”

“Not like what? Not like me?” she lunged forward again, throwing her arms around him and he caught her. “I thought you fancied-”

“I do but Ginny, you’re sloshed!”

“What do you mean?” she giggled.

“I mean that you should probably go to bed.”

Ginny pushed away from him, wobbling, and flung away the arm he reached out to help steady her. “Gods! That’s just what I need- someone else telling me what to do!”

She let out a cry of frustration. “In case you missed it, I am throwing myself at you! I am tearing off my clothes,” she began to fidget with the back of her robes, “and you’re giving me a rundown on drinking do’s and don’ts!” Her temper was flaring. He knew it was the alcohol.

“Ginny, why don’t you just calm-” he began.

“Listen, I have six older brothers and a mother and a father and on top of all that, a Hermione! I get enough advice between that lot! You should leave,” she stormed.

“You’ve got this all wrong,” he began again, trying to soften her up.

“Do I ever. Pardon my surprise, but really, what a disappointment!”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Well look at you, God’s gift to the wizarding world- wealthy, handsome, powerful- revealed as nothing but a prude in wolf’s clothing.”

Draco eyed her, sneering. “You’re a lousy drunk.”

“And you’re a lousy date!” she yelled. Draco turned away to leave, then turned back to her.

“It didn’t have to be like this, Ginny,” he said gently.

“Get out!” Ginny yelled. Frowning, Draco obliged.

*

Ginny stumbled out of bed the following morning, still in her robes. She ran as fast as her wobbly legs would carry her around the apartment, shutting all the drapes to keep the bright morning light out. She wanted to go back to bed.

As she settled back in to her magnificently soft bed in the wonderfully darkened room, she heard a snap in her fireplace and looked up to see Harry’s head.

“Ginny! Ginny- aren’t you up yet?”

“Harry! I had a late night… what do you want?”

“You need to get to the hospital. I’m about to leave, too. Hermione’s in labor!”

Ginny moaned. “Of all the… all right,” she growled, throwing off her warm covers and lighting her wand. “I’ll get dressed and be right there.”

Ginny dressed quickly and hurried off to Helga Herdstrom’s Witch’s Hospital, a small birthing and witches’ specialty hospital. She found her family and Harry crowded in a small waiting room.

Ginny’s mother Molly ran to her, tears in her eyes. “I can’t believe I am going to be a grandmother… again,” she cried.

Her mom had been made a grandmother five times already by Bill, Fred, George, Charlie, and their wives. They heard Hermione’s painful cries issuing from the room they were outside. Ginny winced as she heard them mix with Ron’s moans of anxiety and, no doubt, fright.

*

They had been there for nearly an hour when a medi-witch burst through the doors, pulling a struggling Ron with her. “Sir, sir you must stay calm and remain here!” the witch said sternly.

Molly and Ginny ran to Ron, who was ghastly pale and crying. “Darling! What’s wrong?” Molly asked, hugging her youngest son to her.

“Blood… too much blood!” he screamed.

“There, there now Ron it’s okay. It is all part of-” Molly began, thinking he was just a nervous wreck because of the natural process.

“No! ‘Mione!” he gasped. “She’s losing too much blood! The baby is fine! But ‘Mione, she’s unconscious!” Ginny’s head dropped. She ran out of the waiting room and apparated home quickly. She ran for her Healer robes and bag. She apparated back to Herdstrom’s as though she’d never been gone.

Without a word to anyone, she burst through the doors into Hermione’s private birthing suite. There was a lot of commotion and yelling. No one paid Ginny any mind.

“What have we got?” Ginny asked boldly, stepping to the bed where Hermione lay and taking in the situation. There was a lot of blood, just as Ron had said. Hermione did not appear to be breathing. Her skin was pale and her lips were blue.

A medi-witch turned to her. “Who are you?”

“Sister-in-law of this woman and Healing Resident at St. Mungo’s,” Ginny stated, looking over the parchments the witch held.

“Do you know anything about birthing?” the witch asked.

“It’s not my specialty but we learn all aspects of Healing. What’s the problem? She obviously has an obstetrical hemorrhage,” Ginny noted.

“We also think she may be in puerperal sepsis, possibly with some remaining pre-eclampsia. Her rates are all over the charts,” the witch offered.

“Shouldn’t the pre-eclampsia have subsided once she gave birth?”

“Yes, but it hasn’t.”

“Isn’t anyone giving her air?” Ginny yelled. She turned red when she noticed the medi-witch at Hermione’s head giving a breathing spell, which did not seem to be working. At least the witch was trying, Ginny thought.

Ginny sighed and brushed hair off her sweaty brow. There was nothing to be done. Hermione had been bleeding too long and with her toxicity levels, she was not going to make it. Not to mention the fact that Ginny was sure she hadn’t breathed in ten to fifteen minutes.

*

It was over. Hermione Granger-Weasley was dead. Her baby boy, Sirius Harry Weasley, was beautiful and doing well. Ron sat quietly at the side of his dead wife’s bed, holding her limp hand. Ginny approached him after removing the bloodstained Healer’s robes.

“Ron,” she whispered. “Come see Sirius. He’s a doll!”

Ron didn’t move. He had stopped crying. He simply moved a caressing finger over Hermione’s brow. “She was so very brave, so very smart,” he sighed.

“Yes. She was. She loved you more than anything. She loved our family, she loved Harry… she loved your baby as well, even though she…” Ginny stopped, not wanting to finish the sentence. Ron nodded his head in agreement and kissed Hermione on the cheek.

“Where is he?” Ron said, gathering his emotions and rising. He hadn’t seen his son yet. He followed Ginny through another door that led to the room where newborns were kept while thoroughly checked by medi-witches. Ron joined the rest of his family in admiring the chunky, red-haired baby boy.



*

A/N: Please forgive me for the death... but someone had to die because of the title. I do love Ron and Hermione but I this was the way that made the most sense to me. I'm sorry... but I had to.

Ch 4: Hermione's Funeral


Ginny flopped down on her couch. Her sister-in-law, Ron’s wife, her schoolgirl friend, was dead. No one would have ever guessed this would happen. She sighed, rubbing her aching forehead. She needed to make a headache potion. She headed to the kitchen, remembering the events of the previous night. She groaned. She really should apologize.

She grabbed a quill and a piece of parchment from her desk and began to write.

Draco,

I wanted to apologize for my behavior last night. You have been so kind to me since I saw you at the Longbottom’s wedding. I have had a horrid day since and not because of the alcohol. Hermione died this afternoon, after giving birth to her and Ron’s son. Her funeral will be on Tuesday at 11AM. What a way to spend my vacation between training and residency. I wish she were still here. I knew you would want to know about her. Again, I am sorry, for everything.

Sincerely,

Ginny Weasley

She fetched her owl, Mildred, from her cage and sent her off with the letter.

*

Draco was surprised to see a tawny owl he did not recognize outside his window at the late hour. He opened the window with a flick of his wand and reached out to take the parchment tied to the owl's leg and to give it a treat.

He knew instantly the message was from Ginny. The handwriting was neat and controlled. He’d heard that Healers had horrid writing, but he should have known Ginny’s would be perfect. He saddened as he read her note.

He had never been what one might call 'friends' with Ron’s wife but he had known Harry and Ron both much better since fighting with them in the war. He’d known Ron was completely loopy for the girl even early on at Hogwarts- everyone had seen that.

It was late and instead of owling her back, he came up with a better plan. He had known that last night was a fluke. She had… over-celebrated with the alcohol. He could forgive her for that. She was obviously attracted to him- that had not just been the alcohol. She was just unsure of him when they were alone and she was sober. All he wanted was take her to dinner, have an actual date with her.

*

Ginny awoke somberly on the day of Hermione’s funeral. She had stayed at the Burrow that night with Ron, baby Sirius, and the rest of her family. Ron would be staying at the Burrow indefinitely, learning how to take care of a child and getting help from his mum.

She ate, showered, dressed, and waited quietly in the living room for the rest of the family to descend the stairs to go to the funeral. They needed to be there at least an hour early.

Nobody really talked on the way to the Muggle funeral parlor where Hermione’s parents and Ron had agreed to have the service. Hermione had been cremated and was going to remain with Ron for a while and after some time he would spread her ashes over some of her favorite spots on Hogwarts’ grounds.

Ginny hugged everyone who came in before the service and spoke softly to Hermione’s parents. Luna Lovegood-Goyle and Pansy Longbottom were keeping Sirius at the Burrow. He was much too little to be out yet.

Ginny found a corner in the large home that served as a funeral parlor and sat in an overly stuffed armchair. She wasn’t avoiding anyone; she was just depressed. And, although she’d never admit it to anyone else, she had been fretting over the incident with Draco and the fact that she’d not heard back from him.

*

Draco found the Muggle funeral parlor without any problems. He held the bouquet of lilies awkwardly. He was partially through the doors when he spotted her. Ginny’s red hair was tied back and she as wearing simple black robes. She looked radiant despite the sorrow he knew she must feel. She hadn’t seen him, so he approached her cautiously.

“Ginny,” she heard a whisper. She had been off in her thoughts and was surprised to hear the voice and even more surprised to look up and see the gray-blue eyes looking back at her with concern.

“You…” she breathed.

“Me.” He nodded. “I got your note and I wanted to be here. For you,” he stated, handing her the flowers. “In remembrance of your friend.”

Ginny’s eyes widened. The flowers were beautiful. She tried to hold back the tears, but they came so easily as they had been doing the past few days. “Thank you!” she gasped, trying to wipe the tears from her eyes.

Draco knelt down to her, handing her the bouquet. She accepted them and took in their fragrance.

“I’m going to go in and pay my respects to Ron and Hermione. Shall I catch up with you after the ceremony?” Draco asked. Ginny nodded. He knew exactly what she needed.

*

The ceremony was filled with tales of Hermione’s days as a top student at Hogwarts and her accomplishments at the Ministry of Magic in the Muggle-Born Relations department, which she had helped build in her short four years there.

Draco sat in the back, watching the redhead and her family cry over their lost daughter. Six, even five, years ago, he’d have never thought he’d be at the funeral of a muggle-born witch, trying to woo a Weasley. But people do change. He reflected on the day he had decided Ginny Weasley was the one for him.

He’d always noticed her. She was hard to miss- beautiful, popular, intelligent, and seemed to always have fun. After his sixth year, he’d been taken in by Snape and the rest of the Order and had fought alongside his former enemies. He’d watched Ginny from afar since the day she’d hit him with that nasty bat bogey hex. He’d really admired her courage and ability, though he was on the bad end of it at that particular moment.

*

Ginny approached Draco, who was standing outside on the porch of the funeral parlor, leaning against a post.

“Shall we go have some coffee or something?” she asked softly.

“Whatever the lady would like,” Draco smiled.

He offered his arm and she took it. They strolled down the street in silence. They found a small café and ordered their drinks. They sat outside in silence for what seemed like ages. Ginny finally broke the ice.

“So I do owe you an apology in person for my behavior-”

“Nonsense. We both said things that we didn’t mean. Water under the bridge.”

Ginny shook her head. “Why are you like this?”

“Like what?”

“Like how you are!” Ginny blurted out, frustrated.

Draco chuckled. “Really, I have no idea what you are-”

“This… this perfect man… this even-tempered, forgiving, kind…”

“And this is bad because…”

Ginny sighed. “It’s not bad, Draco. It’s just… weird! I never expected to-” she cut herself off.

He leaned forward, his interest peaked. “To what?”

Ginny frowned. “To like you.”

Draco grinned, pleased with himself. Ginny buried her head in her hands. “Why me?” she shuddered.

Draco laughed out loud. “If I am really that bad, just ask me to go away and consider it done!” he said, throwing up his hands dramatically. Ginny had to laugh at this.

“I’m sorry! I just make a right fool of myself around you lately, don’t I?”

“No Ginny, you don’t,” he reached for the hand that lay before him on the table. She flinched but didn’t remove her hand from his grasp. “Just have dinner with me. Let me get to know you and vice versa. What’s the worst that could happen?”

Ch 5: Mr. & Mrs.



“Ginny! Get your things! We are going to be late!” Mrs. Weasley griped.

“This polish on my nails! It’s not the right color!” Ginny fumed, her face flushed and sweaty.

“Do calm down dear! Let me see,” Mrs. Weasley looked over the fingernails on the hand her daughter presented to her and waved her wand. “Is that better dear?” she said, putting an arm around her frazzled daughter.

“Yes,” Ginny breathed. “I know we’re running behind, I just…. Aaaaaggghhhh! This is so… so BIG!”

“Yes dear, it is. But never you mind. You just concentrate on what’s ahead of you and let the rest of us deal with the particulars. Come on now- get your things. We need to get going.”

“Yes’m,” Ginny said and ran back up the stairs.

*

Draco Malfoy sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the shoes that he needed to get on his feet. For the life of him, he couldn’t remember how to do it. He shook his head. What had he gotten himself into? Sure, he loved her. He loved her more than anything on this Earth but could he really provide for her? Could he really give her everything she deserved? He feared himself inadequate. The knock on his door brought him back to reality.

“It’s open,” he sighed, suddenly remembering how to put on shoes. He flopped backwards, landing on his soft, down bed.

“Hey,” called a male voice. Draco turned his head to the side to see Ron and Harry. Draco grunted something similar to ‘hello.’

“Not having second thoughts are you, mate?” Harry laughed.

“Not about her, no. But about myself, yes. I can’t even believe she chose me! What was she thinking?” He covered his face with his hands.

“I remember feeling the same way on my wedding day,” Ron recalled, looking sad for a moment. Draco sat up.

"This is silly. I am Draco sodding Malfoy, damn it! I am the best thing that could ever happen to her!”

Harry and Ron rolled their eyes and laughed. “Now THAT’S the Draco Malfoy we know!” Harry said.

*

Ginny and her mum were taken to a guest room in Malfoy Manor where Ginny could dress for her wedding, which was to be held out in the lush garden of the Manor.

Mrs. Weasley slipped the protective carrying off of Ginny’s wedding robes with a flick of her wand and watched as her daughter took the robes gingerly from the hanger. Ginny had chosen a mermaid-style robe that was fitted from the bust to the knee, where it flared delicately into a seashell-shaped train in the back. The robes were off-white with beading around the top and the scalloped edge of the train.

“My son will faint when he sees you in that,” said a voice from the guest room door. Narcissa Malfoy had slipped in without either Ginny or her mum noticing. “I hope you don’t mind me popping in. I have a gift,” Narcissa smiled and approached Ginny, holding out a delicately wrapped package.

Ginny smiled in return and took the package. She opened it to find a lovely pearl necklace- the perfect top-off to her robes. “They were my mother’s and her mother’s before her. Naturally, without a female heir, they go to you.”

“Oh thank you! They are lovely! They’ll be perfect!” Ginny exclaimed, holding the pearls up for her mother to examine.

“Now I’ll let you two prepare in peace. See you in a while, darling,” Narcissa gave a small wave of her hand and went back through the door into the hall as quietly as she had come.

“I am certainly glad that you are getting a good mum-in-law,” Mrs. Weasley smiled. “I wondered at first, but Mrs. Malfoy has shown nothing but grace since you and Draco began seeing each other.”

“Yes, she’s wonderful. A good second mother, but you’ll always be my first and most important!” Ginny beamed, throwing her arms around her mum.

*

Draco Malfoy stood in front of many witches and wizards, most he knew, a few he didn’t. He looked out over the faces in the crowd that were waiting for his bride with him.

After his first kiss with Ginny Weasley, he knew he wanted to marry her. No one else had ever touched his soul as she had. The fire between them had been undeniable and at Christmas, after only six months, he had proposed to her and she had tearfully accepted.

They had their moments, as every couple did, where they disagreed. One of the things he loved about Ginny was that she wouldn’t give in to his every whim. She challenged him, and he challenged her. But the making up was always well worth whatever argument they’d had.

He heard the music announce the Bridal Procession and he looked up to see Ginny on her father’s arm looking more radiant than he’d ever imagined possible. She smiled up at him through the thin veil and, instantly, they both had tears in their eyes.

Before he knew it, Ginny was standing before him and her father was offering him her arm. He reached out and took it and they turned to face each other and recite their vows.

’Ginevra Molly Weasley, I, Draco Lucius Malfoy, offer to you my heart, my mind, my body, and my soul and ask of you the same. I promise to love you faithfully, protect you from the Dark and keep you always in the Light. I will provide for you in sickness and in health, in riches as in want, for as long as we both shall live. I ask that you will have of me.’

The tears slipped silently down Ginny’s face as one rolled down Draco’s own face. He squeezed her hands lightly and she began her part of the vows.

’I will. Draco Lucius Malfoy, I, Ginevra Molly Weasley, offer to you my heart, my mind, my body, and my soul and ask of you the same. I promise to love you faithfully, protect you from the Dark, and keep you always in the Light. I will provide for you in sickness and in health, in riches as in want, for as long as we both shall live. I ask that you will have of me.’

‘I will.’ Draco smiled and looked to Blaise Zabini, his best man, for the ring. Ginny turned to Luna, her Matron of Honor. Each handed the other their respective rings and Ginny went first, sliding the platinum band onto Draco’s ring finger.

’With this ring, I thee wed.’

Draco slid the thin platinum band encrusted all the way around with diamonds onto Ginny’s ring finger. ’With this ring, I thee wed.’

The officiant announced that Draco could kiss his Bride. Draco placed his hands on either side of Ginny’s face, after throwing back her thin veil, and looked into her eyes before kissing her.

“I give you Mr. and Mrs. Draco Malfoy!” Everyone clapped as Draco held out his arm for Ginny, who took it and they strode down the aisle.



~FIN~



A/N: Needed some fluff, I love to read the more angsty stories but not good at writing them just yet. Hope you all enjoyed- thanks for the encouragement and feedback!