Disclaimer: I own nothing copyrighted by anyone or anything or any corporation. Sure, you can sue, but what will you get? A bunch of clothes, crap CDs, tons of books, and an aging boom box. Perhaps my computer is worth something but not much.

A/N: Most of the first few chapters were written quite awhile ago (i.e. few years) when I was interested in a myriad of weird things (i.e. Sweet Charity) so go in with your eyes open. So yes, most of the chapters so far were written pre-HBP and some are even pre-OOTP.

***~~~***

A ghost butler glided silently into the dim bedroom and opened the curtains. Sunlight poured into every corner of the room, rousing its inhabitants very rudely.

Draco Malfoy awoke abruptly when a ray of light broke through his dream and brought him back to consciousness. Wincing, he brought a hand up to block his face. 'Remington, what the hell? It’s too early to be…wait, what time is it?'

'10:00 in the morning, Master Malfoy.'

He fell back on his pillows, flaxen hair covering his face. 'See? Too early.'

'Actually sir, it is an hour and half later than when you usually sleep on a weekday. But after all, you don't turn 24 every day.’ The ghost slipped into a memory, small smile appearing on his face. ‘I remember your very first birthday. You started to walk and your mother was so very proud of you. But your father hardly even smiled.'

Draco's face had become very red, clearly embarrassed at these memories of long since forgotten days. 'That'll do, Remington.'

'Very well, sir. Shall I bring breakfast for you and the lady up here, or would you rather get up and have it served in the dining room?'

'No. I'll let her sleep. Please bring the food up here in about a half hour,' Draco said as he settled against the headboard.

'Certainly Master Malfoy.' The ghost glided back out through the door.

Draco felt something stir beside him and looked down at the lady in question. Two bright brown eyes peered out at him from beneath a mass of coppery hair. 'Good morning, Ginevra.'

Ginny Weasley stretched out from head to toe as her mouth opened in a gaping yawn. 'Morning,' she said sleepily.

'I was going to let you sleep for awhile longer but seeing as you're already awake…' Draco cocked his eyebrow and ran his hand up Ginny's leg.

She laughed, still clearing cobwebs out of her mind, not really thinking clearly enough for a witty remark. 'Didn't you get enough last night?'

'No,' he mumbled, lips focusing on her neck.

'What, is four times too little now?'

'Clearly.'

Ginny pulled back slightly. 'Are you going to die if we don't do it right now?'

The answer was an adamant 'yes!'

'Well, if I have to.' Ginny smiled. 'C'mere Cowboy!' she beckoned.

Now it was Draco's turn to pull back. 'You've been watching "Sweet Charity" again, haven't you?'

'Maybe,' Ginny said sheepishly. 'But you're getting a little off-topic, don't you think? We can talk about some Muggle movie if you want instead of doing other things you have in mind. I'm up to it if you are and we both know that I can wait a lot longer than you can.'

'No, I'm ready now.' Draco dove under the covers and started tickling Ginny lightly.

'Stop it! You know how ticklish I am! Stop!' Ginny was laughing hysterically, but managed to wrench herself out of Draco's grasp, almost falling off the bed in the process. 'Yes, tickling. Very sexual. I am so turned on.'

'No? How about this?' Draco's lips moved onto another area.

'Mmmm.'

'And this?

'Now you're starting to get back into my good book,' Ginny said, smiling.

'Always a good place to be.' Draco smirked, and then dragged Ginny under the covers.

They were just starting to get serious when a loud 'Ahem!' was heard from near the door. Draco and Ginny poked their very tousled heads out from under the comforter to see two house elves with food and a very amused Remington waiting patiently.

Draco cleared his throat, while Ginny collapsed in a fit of giggles. 'Just put the food down at the end of the bed,' Draco said authoritatively, desperately trying to get some of his dignity back.

'You can stop laughing now,' a very unimpressed Draco said once the servants had left.

"I wish I had a camera. Your face was priceless!" This sent Ginny off into more laughter.

'Whatever. While you laugh your arse off at me, I'm just going to eat all of this delicious breakfast.'

Ginny sobered quickly and grabbed a croissant. It was only then that she noticed the cake on the tray, with 'Happy Birthday Draco' written across it in elegant script, candles burning brightly around the edges. 'Merlin’s beard! I completely forgot! I am so sorry!'

'Its okay, Ginevra,' Draco said laughing, very amused at her distress.

'No, it's not okay. I can't believe I forgot! Especially after I went on and on about your birthday yesterday.' Ginny threw herself on Draco and hugged him tightly.

'Forget about it. You can make it up to me later.' With a wink, Draco detached himself from her and getting up, crossed the room to the wardrobe.

Ginny settled back against the headboard, a sheet draped across her body. 'Is that all you think about?'

'Pretty much,' was Draco's muffled reply as he pulled a turtleneck sweater over his head.

'Come back to bed,' Ginny whined. 'It's your birthday; you shouldn't be up for at least another 2 hours. C'mon, it's nice and cozy in here.' Ginny patted the spot the spot next to her and beckoned him seductively. 'You shouldn't have to do any work.'

'My thoughts exactly, but I have to go check the mail and then answer all of the birthday cards.' Draco finished doing up his pants and started to look for a shoe that matched the one in his hand.

'Can't that wait until later?'

He looked up at Ginny. 'Have you ever met my extended family? If you don't give a prompt response, they'll hex you… badly.'

'Ooh, stickler for proper manners.'

'Yes, but I also have to check with my mother on the last minute details of the ball tomorrow. Did you get your dress?'

"Yes, it arrived yesterday. It's in my wardrobe, but no peeking. I want everything to be a surprise.'

"I'm not promising anything.'

Ginny pouted, knowing that Draco could never resist her.

'Fine, I promised I won't look at your dress. But then you have to promise you won't look at mine.'

'Draco!' Ginny laughed.

'I promised and my word is my bond. But I really have to go or the next time you see me, I might have a faucet coming out of my forehead with purple polka dots all over my body.'

'But the food was brought up here and you haven't even touched it. You don't even want a piece of this delicious cake?' Ginny picked up a piece and bit into it. 'Mmm, yummy. Are you sure you don't want any at all?'

'I think I'll wait. Just save me a piece, because I really have to go.' To illustrate his point, Draco started edging towards the door.

'Fine, but I'll be here if you get lonely.' Ginny settled down under the covers.

'Oh, don't worry, I'll be back soon as I can.' Draco's voice had become deep and silky.

'But if I get lonely, I may just have to start without you.'

Now it was Draco's turn to be startled. 'Ginny!'

'Sorry, I just had to slip that in.' She grinned, knowing that her boyfriend was mentally kicking himself very hard.

'You little tease,' Draco said as he quickly left the room, not wanting to hear anything else that would make him forget everything and take Ginny on the spot.

***~~~***

Draco strode into the dining room, his mind still on the fiery redhead up in his bed. But he quickly snapped back to reality when he saw the mountains of cards stacked beside his chair at the head of the table. Draco groaned very loudly.

'Is there anything I can get for you, Master Malfoy?' Remington said, appearing right beside the blond.

'A sharp knife that I can plunge into my chest. Though I still don’t think even a gruesome death would get me out of answering these cards,' Draco replied dryly.

The ghost chuckled dryly. 'But shall I bring you some coffee?'

'No thank you, I really don't need any distractions. Even in a soundproof metal box, this would take me a lifetime.'

As Remington left the room, Draco took out his Quick Quotes Quill, settled back in his chair and prepared himself for an eternity of mind-numbing boredom.

***~~~***

'Finally!' Draco said out loud, as the quill signed his name with a flourish on the last thank you card. 'I'm done with those damn cards, all 567 of them. Now back to business as usual.'

Draco pushed his chair away from the table and started to rise, but his mother appeared in the chair beside his and kissed his cheek.

'Happy birthday, sweetheart. Are you ready to finish up details for your birthday ball tomorrow?' It was more a statement than a question, as if anyone would ever go against the wishes of Narcissa Malfoy. Since the imprisonment and then execution of her husband, Narcissa had grown stronger and was no longer a meek, submissive woman.

'Yes mother,' Draco conceded and inwardly groaned. He was never going to get back up to Ginny with the way things were going.

'Perfect. Now, all of the guests have RSVPed and all are coming. As if anyone would dare miss this party!' Narcissa laughed, pure notes of silver escaping her throat.

Draco smiled. He loved to hear his mother laugh, a sound that had been silenced for many years. Although many doubted him, he really did love his mother.

'The food is already being made but the decorators will arrive early tomorrow morning. I decided we should hold the party in the large ballroom with the staircase, the other ballroom of course being too small. Also when we use the larger ballroom, the guests can have access to the gardens and grounds. This reminds me, I need to get some servants to make sure everything outside is pruned or plucked, or whatever they do to make things look perfect.'

Draco chuckled, memories of the tour of Malfoy Manor he had given to Ginny coming back to him. 'You have two ballrooms?' she had said unbelievingly.

'Something funny dear?' Narcissa asked.

'No mother. I was just remembering something that happened awhile ago.'

'Very well,' Narcissa moved on. 'So I thought the theme would be silver and green, a bit of throwback to your Slytherin days and your roots. You always looked nice in green, dear. But the decorations will be quite simple, nothing ostentatious, you understand. We don't want to flaunt anything."

'How many people did you invite, mother?' Draco asked, having really done none of the planning.

'Not many. This is just going to be a small party. I believe I only invited 300 people.' Narcissa looked down at the guest list. 'Yes, only 300. This ball is going to be very exclusive.'

'Exclusive? That's not very exclusive, and 300 guests is definitely not a small party.' Seeing that he would get no leeway from his mother, Draco shook his head in disbelief. 'But did you at least remember to invite the Weasleys? And Harry Potter?' Ginevra would personally see to it that he slept on the sofa for a month if he forgot even one member of her family, including the Boy Who Lived.

'Of course, dear. You specifically asked me and I wouldn't forget about them. Plus, we couldn't afford to forget Arthur Weasley. He is the Minister of Magic after all, and we must keep our ties very strong with the Ministry. Who knows what will happen in the future? Oh, that reminds me. Severus owled me this morning, and he was able to get out of the conflict he was involved in and will be coming tomorrow.'

Draco smiled in delight. Professor Snape had been like a father to him, not only a teacher. Meanwhile, Narcissa had continued on speaking, not noticing that her son's mind was off in another place. She looked up once in awhile to check Draco's opinion on something, but as he nodded every so often, she was satisfied.

'I guess that's all.' His mother's voice brought Draco back. He smiled convincingly, knowing that she would be very angry if she knew that he had not been listening to a thing that she had said. Narcissa had always been a whirlwind, jumping from subject to subject, hardly stopping for breath between sentences and so Draco hardly ever managed to fully follow a conversation of his mother's, even when he was actually listening.

Narcissa got up to apparate back to her own manor, but her face took on a troubled look. 'Draco, you missed a letter.'

It was only then that he noticed a small envelope half-hidden under his plate, addressed in a scrawl he didn't recognize.
Draco reached for it but his mother's voice stopped him.

When he looked up at her, he noticed that her face was even more troubled than it was a minute ago, as if she knew that the letter contained something potentially destroying.

'Draco, no matter what that letter says, I want you to do what it instructs you to.'

He looked scared, as if the letter would be leading him into a trap.

'No darling, it's nothing bad and definitely not something dangerous. You must do what this letter instructs you to as it is your destiny. This letter and the events that stem from it will decide your future. I have been waiting for that letter for 24 years and dreading it at the same time. But you must not go against what it tells you.'

'Mother, what is the big d-' but Narcissa had already apparated.

Draco approached the letter with caution. He quickly checked it for curses, hexes or charms but as it was clean, he opened it. Removing a crisp piece of parchment, he started to read the bold black letters splashed across it.

Draco,
It is now your 24th birthday, which means it is time to tell you of a great responsibility that rests on your shoulders alone. It is of monumental importance that you come with haste to a secret spot as soon as you receive this. The bottle cap will transport you here to me. The fate of the Malfoy family is in your hands.

It was left unsigned but Draco was filled with the sense of urgency that the note conveyed. Looking into the envelope, he saw the piece of metal lying there unobtrusively but didn't pick it up just yet.

Draco ran upstairs to the master bedroom. Upon entering it, he saw that Ginny had fallen back asleep, breathing quietly.

The blond crossed the room to his desk and taking out a piece of parchment and a quill, penned a quick note to his girlfriend.

Gin,
Had to go out for a while. Don't worry about me. I'll be back for dinner.

Love, Draco

P.S. Don't eat all the cake!

He lightly placed the paper on the bed beside the sleeping Ginny, and kissed her on the forehead. Ginny's face creased into a small smile. She looked so angelic that Draco wanted to lay down and join her in oblivion but he had no time.

Smiling to himself, Draco reached into the envelope and grasped the bottle cap. Feeling himself hooked, Draco shut his eyes tightly and felt himself leave security behind.

Disclaimer: I own nothing that legally belongs to J.K. Rowling or Warner Brothers, or Aretha Franklin (or anybody else.)

A/N: please remember that I wrote this chapter almost 3 years ago and so by the end of the story, the writing style will have changed a lot.

***~~~***

The pull from behind Draco’s navel stopped and he opened his eyes to find that he had been transported to a garden area. A brook babbled in the distance and sunlight streamed through a canopy of tree branches overhead. All around him were stone ruins of high frames and pillars, reminiscent of the times of the Ancient Greeks. Suddenly, Draco noticed the older man sitting on one of the two stone benches in front of him. The man’s features came into focus and Draco recognized him from one of the paintings that hung in the library of Malfoy Manor.

‘Great Uncle Albert! What are you doing here?’

‘Something big needs to be explained to you, and they thought that it would be a good idea to send along a familiar face. Take a seat, son.’

‘You look good. Heaven treating you well?’

Albert stretched back, relaxing a little. ‘As well as can be expected. Plus, you get to choose how you look. I think my early twenties was a prime time for me, and so, I don’t look a day over 24. I still get quite a bit of attention of the ladies as well. But this isn’t about me, so no more distractions.’

Draco looked worried. ‘You’re so serious. What did I do?’

Albert chuckled. ‘It’s not what you’ve done, it is what you’re about to do. It's your birthday today, isn’t that right?’

He nodded. ‘And like you, I also don’t look a day over 24 but that’s because I’m not.’

‘Damn,’ the older man muttered to himself. ‘I thought they’d give him more time.’

Noticing that he was still standing, Draco quickly sat down, his expression turning to one of confusion. ‘Who’s this they you keep mentioning? And what do I need more time for?’

Albert sighed deeply and patted his great-nephew on the arm. ‘The Fates, Draco. But this is going to be hard for me to tell you, so try to not interrupt me. I’ll answer all of your questions to the best of my ability but only after I’m done with my entire speech. What I’m about to tell you will affect not only your life but the life of your pretty young girlfriend.’

‘How do you know about Ginny?’ Draco burst out.

His uncle chuckled. ‘I watch people, especially those I know. What else am I going to do all day? Play a harp? But stop with this interrupting business. I don’t have a lot of time, but I have a lot to say.’

The garden area suddenly darkened, as if nature had picked up on the depressing mood. Draco couldn’t control the small shiver that ran through him; judging by everything, the news he was about to receive wasn’t going to be something that one wants to hear on their birthday, or any other day for that matter.

‘Many generations ago, your great, great, great, etc. grandfather, Draco Bartholomew Malfoy fell in love with a witch named Elizabeth who lived in the village near his Manor. They attended Hogwarts together: he in Slytherin and her in Gryffindor. Eventually she fell in love with him as well, as most women did; after all he was a Malfoy.’ Albert smirked to himself. ‘After graduation, they planned to get married. But considering her lack of social status and material assets, Draco Sr.’s parents did not regard it as a good match. In fact, they were quite set against it.’

‘Just like Ginevra and I,’ Draco interjected dryly, shaking his head at the stupidity of people.

‘Exactly but as we know, you two as a couple no longer raise any objections. And please no more interruptions because we’ll be here all millennia the way we’re going. So like I was saying, Draco Sr.’s parents were quite against the match and said that they would disown Draco if he married the girl. He, unlike you, really had no backbone and wasn’t prepared to give up everything he had for the woman he loved. Faced with the ultimatum of love or money, he broke off the engagement with Elizabeth which completely broke her heart. He retreated to the Manor and very soon after married a rich socialite who his parents actually approved of. When Elizabeth heard of the marriage, she was devastated. Secretly, she had been hoping that Draco loved her enough to endure poverty just to be with her.’

‘Spineless bastard!’ Draco muttered under his breath.

Albert nodded but continued on. ‘The canceling of the engagement and the ensuing marriage of Draco Sr.’s made Elizabeth a very hurt, angry and bitter woman who inflicted pain on those around her. She made it her life’s mission to see that Draco and all of his descendents were as miserable as possible. But although Elizabeth was an extremely powerful witch, she was also a realist and knew she didn’t have the power to make sure the Malfoy family was always suffering, so she focused on a curse that would affect the family in the distant future. She wanted a Malfoy to feel the pain that she did, but she wanted to take it a step further and made it so that the pain would be one of being torn apart from someone they loved to be forced into the arms of another.’ Albert paused for a breath, but Draco stayed silent, wondering how this would affect him.

‘Elizabeth’s curse stated that the seventh son with Malfoy blood would be ripped away from the woman (or man) he loved and would be forced to find another to marry. The kicker is that the Malfoy son would have to find this girl by the 8th month of his 24th year or the entire family goes down in one colossal ball of flames.’

‘A bit graphic,’ Draco thought, but then looked at his great-uncle blankly. ‘What does this have to do with me?’

Albert looked at the young man sharply. ‘Draco, I know you’re not as stupid as you’re pretending to be. But just for you, I’ll spell it out. You’re the seventh Malfoy son, so the curse comes to rest on you. Its not a coincidence that you were named after the man this whole situation stems from. Your parents have known this was coming since the moment you were born.’

‘So that’s why Mother looked so scared when I got this letter this morning,’ Draco whispered.

‘Exactly! But you know what this means, don’t you?’

Draco started at the comment. ‘It means that I … have to leave Ginevra,’ he said as his heart clenched.

Albert nodded vigorously, excited that Draco was catching on but his tone was sympathetic. ‘So now you’re starting to understand more of your mother’s distress.’

Draco jumped up and started to pace around. ‘I can’t leave Ginny. I love her! She’s the one, my soul mate, the one I want to be with for the rest of my life. I can’t ever leave her. I won’t!’

‘None of that matters because you have to leave her behind. But you know what; if you want your remaining family members to die a slow excruciating death, by all means, stay with your girlfriend. I don’t want to play the guilt card, but if you actually care about your mother and all of your other relatives, you’ll let Ginevra go and do what the curse dictates.’

Draco stopped pacing and slowly sank back down onto the bench, a look of grim determination on his face. ‘What do I have to do?’

‘After Ginevra is gone, the new girl’s identity will be revealed to you slowly through dreams. When you find her, you’ll have to go through some trial before you can marry her and all of this must be done by August.’

‘Great!’ The younger man exploded. ‘So I have 5 months to find some girl who’s going to ruin my life before some spell ultimately ends it?’

Albert shrugged. “So is the curse of being a Malfoy. Are you going to be okay?’

Draco’s shoulders drooped ‘No, but I’ll live…I hope.’

‘That’s my boy!’ Albert gave his great-nephew a short hug before his figure started to shimmer. ‘The bottle cap will bring you back to the Manor. But remember, 5 months!’ he disappeared.

Draco sat a little longer in the garden, gathering his thoughts to him, before he touched the tiny piece of metal and was taken back home.

***~~~***

The sun had just begun to set when Draco arrived back in the dining room of Malfoy Manor, although he could’ve sworn he hadn’t been away for longer than two hours.

Not knowing what he was going to say to Ginny but knowing that he needed to do it quickly, Draco went looking for his girlfriend. He found her in the kitchen surrounded by house elves, absolutely covered in flour.

‘Weasley, what are you going?’

Ginny spun around guiltily. ‘Nothing! Well, something, but you need to get out of here.’ She started to push him out of the room, but he held his ground and tried to peer around her.

‘Looks like a little more than something. I demand you to tell me what’s going on in my kitchen.’ Draco folded his arms across his chest and glared.

The redhead mirrored his position. ‘Well, I’m not going to tell you; otherwise it wouldn’t be a surprise. But let’s just say that it’s a special birthday surprise, so get out of here so I can finish, you great prat.’

Momentarily forgetting the events of the past few hours, Draco seductively winked at her.’ Does this special birthday surprise include you naked, covered in chocolate and whipped cream, draped on top of my silk sheets? ’

Laughing, Ginny winked back. ‘Only if you’re good and get out of here now. Go!’

Chuckling quietly, Draco allowed himself to be pushed out of the huge kitchen. But as soon as he was out of sight of his girlfriend, everything came rushing back and his happy mood was destroyed. Draco needed to get away from the perfect domestic picture everything around him presented and ran out to the garden, Ginny’s voice following him out in a refrain of some Muggle song from the 1960’s.

‘R-E-S-P-E-C-T…find out what it means to me…’

***~~~***
It was in the garden that Ginny found Draco an hour later.

‘There you are! I’ve been looking everywhere for you. First, you disappear for almost the entire day and then when you finally get home, you disappear again.’

Draco just shrugged, at a loss for words.

Ignoring his silence, Ginny grabbed his hands and led him inside to the door to the dining room. ‘Its time for your surprise but you have to close your eyes and keep them shut until I say to open them. No peeking, promise?’

Sighing, Draco nodded. ‘I promise, but you’re treating me like a child.’

‘Just humour me.’

Shutting his eyes, Draco allowed himself to be led into the room.

‘Okay, now!’

Opening his eyes, he was shocked. On the immense table lay all of his favourite foods, crammed from one end to the other.
Ginny was watching his reaction very closely. ‘I made a special birthday dinner just for you and me. That’s the surprise. Do you like it?’

‘It’s excellent. Thank you so much.’

Ginny’s smile lit up her entire face. ‘I’m so glad. I felt so bad this morning about forgetting your birthday and so I knew I had to make tonight really special. But sit down and start eating before everything gets cold.’

They both sat down and tucked in.

***~~~***

Ginny noticed that Draco had been unusually quiet all meal, even though she had made all of his favourites. He had always been quiet on his birthday, but this time he was more reclusive than ever.

Suddenly Draco looked up from his plate and focused on his girlfriend. ‘Gin, I love you. You know that, right?’

She beamed at him. ‘Of course I do. I love you too.’

“But I can’t marry you.’

Ginny started to laugh, caught off-guard by his comment. ‘Who says we were talking about marriage?’

Draco just looked at her, a grim expression on his face. ‘Seriously, Ginevra.’

Ginny sobered as well and put her utensils down. ‘Okay. If you don’t want to get married now, I’ll wait. I have time, and I’m not going anywhere. Getting married isn’t a deal breaker.’

Draco shook his head, and reached for her hands, enfolding
them within his warm grasp, needing to establish a physical link between her and him as he already felt her slipping away. “Gin, it’s not that I can’t marry you now. I can’t marry you ever.’

A sneaking suspicion entered Ginny’s mind, and she slowly withdrew her hands from his. ‘Can’t…or won’t?’

Draco shook his head as if to physically dispel the notion. ‘Ginevra, it’s not like that. I want to marry you but I just can’t. A curse was placed on this family many generations ago, dictating that the 7th Malfoy son (which is me) would have to marry a certain girl by the 8th month of his 24th year or bring about the downfall of the entire family.’

‘So you’ve just been stringing me along? This has all been just fun and games to you, some cruel joke?’ Ginny’s voice started to rise hysterically.

‘No Ginevra, don’t think that. I only found out about this stuff today. That’s where I’ve been all day, finding out about the curse and the girl.’

Draco was about to continue when he heard Ginny’s whisper. ‘Who is this girl?’

He shook his head. “That’s the thing. The curse doesn’t say. All I know is that her identity will begin to be revealed to me through dreams. And then to finally win her, I’ll have to be deemed worthy by some test or trial.’

‘Sounds like you’ll be a fitting knight in shining armour ready to rescue the damsel in distress on your white stallion,’ Ginny replied bitterly.

‘At first I thought that the girl must be you because you’re the one I want to be with. But I already know you, there’s no mystery as to your identity. And why would the curse make me pass a test for someone who I am already involved with? You understand all of this right?’

Insensitive bastard. Ginny nodded. “I understand. You want more salad? I made way too much. Here, have some.’

Draco stared at her. ‘Gin-’

She interrupted quickly. “Or bread. Can’t have too much bread. Oh, look at those dirty dishes. They’re just piling up. What a disgrace!’

Draco said nothing as he watched Ginny go from task to task, knowing he wouldn’t get anymore of a reaction out of her that night, also knowing that he’d definitely be sleeping in one of the guestrooms.

***~~~***

Draco woke up the next morning feeling a little disoriented. ‘Where the hell am I?’ he thought groggily. But then the events from the previous day come flooding back: the curse, the girl, the dinner, and finally the wise choice of sleeping in a guestroom far away from his girlfriend.

Groaning, he hauled himself out of bed and got into the shower. Soon, the pounding water drops from the showerhead were at work massaging the tenseness and knots out of Draco’s shoulders as he stood half-asleep leaning against the wall. Finally wrenching himself away from the relaxing warmth, Draco wrapped himself in a towel and tiptoed down the hall to his and Ginny’s room.

Opening the door slowly, he peered inside. ‘Ginevra?’ he called hesitantly but hearing no response, he rushed over to his wardrobe and dressed quickly. Best to avoid his girlfriend until the Birthday Ball, he thought, heading downstairs to check on the progress of the set-up.

Draco found his mother already in the Ballroom, clipboard in hand with lists galore, surveying the progress of the workers.

‘Good morning, Mother,’ he said, kissing the proffered cheek.

‘Good morning, sweetheart. How did yesterday go?’ Narcissa asked, watching her son with a pained expression on her still youthful face.

Putting his hands in his pockets, Draco shrugged. ‘It went okay, I guess, all things considering. I mean, I only have to break the heart of the woman I love because some witch couldn’t get over a spineless coward and his betrayal hundreds of years ago. But other than that juicy morsel of information, things went swimmingly!’ he practically spat out the last sentence.

‘Do not take that tone with me, young man. I am still your mother and as such, I deserve more than to get ‘dumped on’ when circumstances arise.’ But Narcissa’s voice softened. ‘Your whole reaction makes me think that you’ve already told Ginevra.’

‘Yes.’ His answer came out in a sigh.

‘And?’

‘And what?’ Draco paced around, trying to avoid the entire situation.

‘And how did she react? What did she say?’ Narcissa pressed on anxiously, ignoring her only child’s skirting of the issue.

‘She said nothing, absolutely no real reaction. I have yet to get a positive or negative response from her.’

‘Poor child,’ the older woman whispered, shaking her head.

‘Poor child? What about me? I’m your child, your only child!’ Draco cried.

‘You’ll get over all of this eventually, dear.’ Narcissa patted his arm reassuringly, more for herself than for his benefit. ‘I know you love her deeply and the feeling is quite mutual, but Merlin willing, in time she’ll just be a happy memory.’ A thought crossed her mind, causing a worried expression to appear on her face, wrinkling her forehead. ‘Is she still showing up tonight?’

Grimacing slightly, Draco replied, ‘as far as I know.’

‘Good girl, she’s stronger than I thought. And what a Gryffindor, always doing what’s right, what’s needed. Ginevra is doing this for you, so you better be grateful.’

‘I am, Mother,’ he muttered.

‘I wanted to be in Gryffindor when I first arrived at Hogwarts though that feeling lasted for about a minute once I saw where I really belonged,’ Narcissa chattered as she launched off on a new tangent, re-reading her lists, leaving her son to do as he wished for the rest of the day.

***~~~***

Draco knew that Ginny’s favourite spots around the Manor were the library, the magically heated outdoor pool area and the orchard, and so he purposely avoided all three spots and headed to the stables.

He heard a horse’s joyful whickering as he entered the large wooden building. Draco’s footfalls were muffled by movements of the horses in their stalls and the straw on the floor as he went to investigate the source of the loud noise. It was to his great surprise to see Ginny saddling Dimples, the black stallion he had given to her. Dimples neighed at Draco’s approach and Ginny whirled around in surprise. But when she saw who her visitor was, her expression turned from happy expectancy to cold, contained fury.

‘Good morning, Ginevra,’ Draco ventured forth.

‘Morning,’ was Ginny’s clipped response and turning, she quickly mounted the horse and rode out of the stables, not giving Draco a backwards glance.

Shrugging helplessly, Draco turned and walked out of the stables. ‘She has to face up to this and me at some point or another,’ he thought.

Needing to cool off, he headed for the pool as the magically heated air around him grew quite stifling. The snow had melted quite early that year, leaving the Manor grounds wrapped in the illusion of spring, even thought it was still March.

Time passed very quickly that day which was fortunate for Draco, and it was time for him to get dressed for the Ball before he knew it.

Entering the bedroom, he spotted Ginny taking a clothing bag out of the wardrobe. Turning, she acknowledged him and then headed into the bathroom. It seems as if the horse ride had greatly improved her temper.

Sighing, Draco went to the wardrobe and took out his outfit for the night. Muggle attire was quite in fashion and so Draco quickly donned his tuxedo.

Hearing a click, he looked up to see the bathroom door open. Draco watched as Ginny walked into the bedroom, and his breath caught in his throat. Her champagne coloured sparkly dress hugged her curves, straps resting lightly on her shoulders and a square neckline showed a hint of cleavage. As Ginny walked towards the mirror, Draco caught a glimpse of the scandalously low back. The dress just brushed the floor, the material covering the glass slippers that peeked out when she moved. Ginny’s fiery locks lay in long loose curls, having opted to leave it down for the evening. A light coat of makeup accentuated her features, and to top off the outfit, a diamond butterfly rested in her hair.

‘You look absolutely amazing,’ Draco breathed as she made her way towards him.

Holding a hand up as if to keep him away, Ginny
snapped, ‘save if for your new girlfriend.’ Her amber eyes were now empty and glittering dangerously. ‘I’m only doing this for appearances. I still have some pride and a reputation to uphold. Just don’t touch me more than you need to or you’ll be missing valued parts of your anatomy.’

Brushing by him, Ginny walked briskly out of the room. Draco followed slowly. ‘Let the thrill ride begin.’

***~~~***

The redhead was waiting for Draco at the head of the main staircase that led down into the front hallway where the guests had congregated to wait for his arrival.

‘I was ready to go down, but your mother says we have to make an entrance together, to make a maximum effect or something. I wasn’t really listening.’ Ginny leant against one of the pillars that was part of the balcony, looking quite bored and effectively hiding herself from the hundreds of guests
below.

‘Okay, then.’ Draco cleared his throat and then held his arm out to her. Only hesitating slightly, Ginny took it and they walked to the top step, making their presence known.

The music wasn’t quieted but all of the guests stopped talking and turned to observe the couple as they made their way down the stairs, making both Ginny and Draco intensely uncomfortable.

‘We should go mingle for a few minutes, but dinner will be announced soon and then we should meet by the door to go in together. Okay?’ Draco muttered out of the side of his mouth.

‘Whatever you say Malfoy,’ Ginny said, smiling broadly for the partygoers.

‘Now is not the time. We can talk about everything after the party. For now, we’re happy and our relationship has no problems. Got it?’ Draco was getting a little snippy in his unhappiness.

They had reached the bottom step, but Ginny pulled on Draco’s arm to stop him from going off into the crowd. ‘I got it. But I really have nothing to say to you. You said your piece, and now you can have your cake and eat it too. I really couldn’t care less. Do what you want with your life.’ All of this was said in a low, icy tone, but the kiss Ginny gave to Draco’s cheek appeared genuinely happy and affectionate.

A few men Draco worked with pulled him away; leaving Ginny to let out the breath she had been holding and go find her family.

‘Please don’t kick my arse, but your girlfriend is the hottest thing I have ever seen,’ said a colleague that Draco didn’t remember the name of.

‘Yeah, can’t believe that she’s actually the littlest Weasel. She never looked like that at Hogwarts,’ drooled Marcus Flint as he watched Ginny (but mostly her back bottom half) walk across the room, occasionally stopping to talk to various people.

‘Well, at least not while you were still there,’ Draco agreed. ‘She really popped out in her fifth year. And then, no one looked better.’

‘But so untouchable. I mean, if you weren’t a Gryffindor or at least some one of notice, you had no chance. I can’t believe you finally got her, Drake. I remember you were obsessed with her in your 6th year, but she wouldn’t give you the time of day. She burned you every chance she got, and literally did once. But your eyebrows grew back all in good time,’ Blaise Zabini replied.

‘Yeah, it took me awhile but I got her.’ Draco’s voice trailed off, as he remembered the happier times, especially at school when they didn’t really care about anything but each other.

‘Lucky bastard.’ All of the men agreed to Blaise’s statement, but a bell rung and a servant announced that dinner was served. Draco excused himself to go find the object of the previous conversation.

He found her waiting as promised by the door, and she took his arm as she didn’t actually want to tear it off his body.

‘All of the guys were drooling over you. They say that you’re the hottest woman in this room. Marcus Flint’s eyes were practically glued to your arse,’ Draco mentioned to Ginny as they headed the group that was entering the dining room.

‘Good to hear. I’m in the market for a new boyfriend, maybe I’ll go check them out.’

‘Please stop it; you’re only making this whole thing worse. Don’t you know how much it hurts me when you keep saying these things?’

Ginny narrowly restrained herself from kicking Draco where the sun doesn’t shine, but she didn’t want to make a scene and just settled for snapping back at him. ‘Save it, Draco. I’m really not in the mood for all of your ‘this is hurting me much more than it’s hurting you’ bullshit. Just save it, and we can both try to get through the rest of this evening without any major explosions.’

Draco wisely kept his mouth shut and as they had reached their seats, he pulled out Ginny’s chair and then sat down himself.

Narcissa sat at the foot of the main table, and once all the guests were seated, she clapped her hands and the feast appeared. The dining room soon filled with busy chatter, and Draco was able to fix his attention on those seated around him. Ginny was engaged in an avid conversation with Blaise Zabini who was eyeing her hungrily, but she kept looking over at Draco with an unreadable expression on her face.

Soon, his attention was drawn away by the sound of a knife on a glass, signaling the start of a toast. Draco looked down the table towards his mother, but was quite surprised to see that all of his guests were turned towards him and that their eyes were focused on his neighbour: Ginny.

She cleared her throat quietly, but then spoke loud enough to not need a Sonorus charm. In a public display of affection only for the audience, Ginny reached out and squeezed Draco’s shoulder, flashing him a smile. Turning back to the group she smiled again. ‘The man sitting next to me is unlike any other I have ever met. He can get scared, but would defend those he loved until death even in the face of terrifying danger. And sometimes Draco makes me angry to the point of screaming, but then there are the times when I have to sit back and wonder how I got to be so lucky to have him in my life. Now he’s 24 years old, someone who has his whole life in front of him; time to do whatever he will.’ Ginny turned back to Draco again to address him directly. ‘You will face problems that you think you can never overcome, but look inside yourself and you will always find the strength you need. Fate does not control your destiny; that’s all up to you. Only you have the strength to change the course of your life, to bend it to your will. Success and failure is up to you, but just look inside yourself and at those you love, and you’ll find that you’re able to do anything you want. So here’s to Draco, I love you.’ Ginny lifted her glass to him, the crowd mimicking her, and took a sip. As she sat down, the guests started to talk amongst themselves again.

‘That was beautiful, Ginevra,’ Draco whispered to her sincerely.

‘Yeah, well, I wrote it a few days ago, and even after last night I couldn’t be bothered to change it so don’t get your hopes up. I’m still incredibly angry.’

‘Really darling? I hadn’t caught that,’ he drawled sarcastically, but stifled all other comments after he caught the glare Ginny shot him.

The rest of the dinner passed relatively peaceful, without any other undue interruptions. But Draco inwardly groaned as he saw his mother stand up and clear her throat.

‘Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen. If you would all be so kind, please accompany me into the ballroom, and the dancing will commence with Draco and Ginevra starting the waltz.’

Knowing that the entire guest list was waiting for them to make a move, Ginny got up and took Draco’s hand, pulling him to the front of the group and then into the ballroom. Walking quickly to the centre of the room, she positioned them correctly and waited for the music to start up. Once it had, they skimmed effortlessly over the dance floor, impressing others with their presence and grace.

‘My, aren’t they a good-looking couple?’ a woman remarked to Molly Weasley.

‘Quite.’

‘And they really seem to love each other. Looking forward to having a Malfoy as a son-in-law?’

Molly laughed quietly. ‘As long as he treats my daughter well, I couldn’t care less who he was. But Draco is nothing like his father, and has already become like family to Arthur and I. He’s delightful and so charming. He even pretended to have an interest in Arthur’s Muggle spark plug collection.’

The older woman smiled in return. ‘And how do your sons like him?’

This caused Molly to laugh again a little loudly, drawing a bit of attention to herself. ‘They don’t mind him very much either. Granted, at the beginning of the relationship, Ron and the twins were ready to beat him into a pulp any time he was around.’

‘How about the older boys?’

‘Luckily, Bill, Charlie and Percy only made the one visit to Draco. But it was enough. I can’t imagine wanting to anger those boys, especially when it comes to their baby sister. But Draco dotes upon their children, and this always endears anyone to proud parents.’

Meanwhile, Draco and Ginny had kept up a stream of light chitchat, in order to not rouse the interest of others.

“It’s a beautiful party, Draco.’

‘Thank-you. And you look beautiful as well.’

‘Thank-you. You look quite handsome yourself.’

‘Thank-you.’

But the stream died there, and a tension-filled silence filled its place. Luckily, the music ended then, and they immediately stopped dancing.

‘Mind if I cut in?’ Harry Potter asked, sidling unexpectedly up to the couple.

‘No, be my guest, take him away,’ Ginny said, giggling.

Smiling wildly, Harry shook his head and swept her away. But Draco had no time to brood as a flock of girls surrounded him, and rendered him quite busy for the rest of the night.

***~~~***

Draco wearily said good-bye to the last guests long past midnight, and shut his front door heavily behind them.
Leaning against it, he sighed. The evening had been a success as parties go, and people were still oblivious to the precarious state that his and Ginny’s relationship was in. The petite redhead had gone up to bed a few minutes earlier, and Draco knew from past parties that she would already be undressed and partly asleep by the time he arrived at the bedroom, giving him time to quickly shed his evening clothes, grab pajamas and then go settle himself in the guestroom he had occupied the night before.

Ginny was indeed already in bed and already on her way to Dreamland when Draco got upstairs. As quietly as possible, Draco changed out of his tux and into his pajamas. He was about to sneak out of the room when he heard a sound coming from the bed. Tiptoeing over, he saw Ginny stirring restlessly. Leaning down, Draco kissed her softly on the forehead, breathing in her scent. Ginny quickly became still and comforted but as Draco was about to leave, he noticed that the smile that came on her face whenever he kissed her in her sleep was noticeably absent.

‘Her feelings are clear even when she’s dreaming,’ Draco thought, but shaking his head, padded out to his new sleeping area.

***~~~***

The next evening, Draco found Ginny out in the garden. By silent agreement, they both had avoided each other the entire day. He stole up to her and silently took a seat beside her on a bench.

After a few moments, Ginny spoke. ‘I’m moving out tomorrow.’

Draco quickly turned to her in shock. ‘What?’ he cried. ‘Why?’

She faced him as well. ‘Draco, you know that if there is no chance that this relationship can ever get to the next level, there’s no point in continuing it and getting even more emotionally involved than we are. If we do, and it comes to the inevitable end where you leave, it’ll be even harder and hurt so much more, especially because I know you’ll be leaving me for another woman. If we do it now, it’ll be easier and less painful. You don’t know who she is and I don’t know who she is so I can’t put a face to a name.’

Draco grabbed Ginny’s wrists. ‘But whenever you leave, it’ll be painful, especially now as this all so fresh. You can stay here and we’ll just live this way. Screw my family and the curse! You can’t just leave me like this.’

Ginny shook him off. ‘I know what you’re thinking, but we can’t. A clean break will heal quicker. In a few months, you’ll look back and thank me for ending it when I did.’ She turned away to stare at the horizon, where the sun was setting in a blaze of colour. ‘Draco, this may sound wrong or selfish, but I want more. Eventually, I want a husband and babies and a big house.’ Turning back, she stroked his cheek. ‘You said it yourself; those aren’t things you can’t give me. And one day, you’ll find the girl you’re supposed to marry, and you’ll want and have a wife and babies and a big house. It’s better this way.’

Draco raised his head, and Ginny saw that he had started to cry, which made her do the same. ‘But Ginevra, I want those things with you.’

‘And I with you, but obviously we can’t always get everything we want.’ Ginny tried to control herself. ‘Ron, Harry and the twins are coming by tomorrow to help me with my stuff. It’s best if you weren’t here. It’ll be easier that way.’ She got up, kissed his cheek gently, and started to walk away. ‘Bye Draco, it’s been fun,’ but the end of her sentence was lost in sobs.

Draco couldn’t bear to watch her walk away from him forever and so just stared at the ground, his tears soaking the pavement below.

Disclaimer: I own nothing copyrighted by anybody.


***~~~***

Draco spent most of that night in a tavern, nursing a glass of firewhiskey. He couldn’t bear to be anywhere near Ginny, knowing that in only a few short hours she would be leaving him forever.

But around one in the morning, he pulled himself off the barstool and Apparated home. Once inside and upstairs, Draco started to pause outside the room he and Ginny used to share, but forced himself to keep moving to the room where he had recently been staying.

As much as he dreaded the morning to come, Draco quickly fell asleep with Ginny’s face imprinted on his mind.

Waking up a few hours later, he noticed that something was different in his room. Something heavy and warm lay on his chest and all he could see was red. Pulling back, his eyes focused in the light, and to his amazement, he saw Ginny lying beside him with arms wrapped tightly around his middle. She shifted slightly, muttered something unintelligible and snuggled closer to him, eliciting a trembling smile to form on his face.

Suddenly, Draco was looking down into Ginny’s big brown eyes that gleamed softly in the darkness.

He opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off before a word was uttered.

‘No talking. Can’t we just be together like this, just us, for a little while longer? I just want to forget everything for a few minutes, and believe that we’re just like we were; perfect, happy, together. Is that too much to ask for?’

Even if he had something to say, he wouldn’t be able to speak as he was too choked up to get words past the block in his throat. Leaning down, Draco kissed Ginny softly and felt all of the magic return, felt all of the explosiveness that their kisses held. Letting go of her senses, Ginny moaned softly and hearing that, Draco threw all caution to the wind. He made love to her then, stripping off her pajamas gently and revelled in the feel of her bare skin against his, knowing that it would be the last time. Each of her touches left a line of fire on his skin and Draco answered in kind. Somewhere in the darkness, Ginny cried out his name and he answered, reaching out to her. Losing themselves in each other, they fell sleep and held on tightly to each other, both still unwilling to finally let go.


***~~~***

Against all her good judgment, Ginny had gone into Draco’s room and held him, to feel that sense of togetherness for the last time. She couldn’t deny that it felt so right, that they fit together so well, and she knew that as his arms periodically tightened around her, the body could never lie.

And then he had noticed her there, forcing her to own up to her actions. She didn’t want to let the feeling go and so asked for more time to forget. But then he had kissed her and Ginny lost herself in him again, letting it go too far for redemption. She cherished every caress, knowing that they would be the last. Draco’s touch always ignited something in her, asking a question she knew she would always answer, but not any more. There was to be no more passion, no more questions, no more answers, at least not for her.

Time and the folly of others were to break them apart, but Ginny had to defy the powers that be one more time and say goodbye in her own way to Draco. As they fell asleep tightly holding each other, she knew that she had done the best she could.

***~~~***

When Draco woke up again, he was alone and acutely felt a cold spot on his chest where Ginny’s head had recently lain. He got up quickly, not wanting to dwell on what could not be his. He pulled some clothes on hastily and Apparated to his office, wanting to get out of the house before the others arrived to take Ginny away.

***~~~***

Ginny stood forlornly in the middle of her bedroom as Harry and her brothers bustled around her.

‘Gin, do you want this?’ Harry asked her, holding out an object.

She looked down to see the picture in its frame that had sat on her dressing table. The photo had been taken at a formal party a few months before, a moment forever-captured on film by Colin Creevey and his Muggle camera. Ginny and Draco were wrapped in each other’s arms with their foreheads touching, looking deeply into each other’s eyes. They had half-smiles on their faces, as if they were sharing a delicious secret only they could know, looking so in love that it would cause your heart to break.

Ginny just stared at the picture and then looked up at Harry with tears in her eyes, not able to speak.

Harry understood her turmoil and gently patted her on the arm. “I’ll leave you alone. Just Apparate back when you’re ready.’ Picking up the last box, he followed her brothers out the door.

Tearing her eyes away from the picture, Ginny looked around the room. The complete absence of all of her things made the room seem so forlorn, so empty and lacking substance, just the way it had when she had moved in. She had made the room and Draco feel alive, giving them just what they needed. She then walked out of the room and around the house, trailing her fingers over everything for the last time, saying goodbye to most of her life as she knew it.

Ginny stepped outside onto the back courtyard, surveying the grounds in all of their magical glory. Pulling out her wand, she was just about to Apparate away when a faint whickering came from the stables. Mentally slapping herself, Ginny quickly walked towards the sound. She couldn’t believe that she’d forgotten about Dimples and the stallion neighed joyfully when he saw her walk into the stables. Already in an emotional state, the happy noise brought fresh tears to her eyes. Grabbing an apple from the barrel by the wall, she offered it to the horse. Munching happily, Dimples nuzzled her shoulder and then snuffled her hair. Ginny laughed quietly, feeling content for a moment.

Walking into the warm stall, she stroked the large horse’s neck. 'I’m sorry about this, boy, but I couldn’t leave without saying goodbye to you. I have to go and I can’t come back.’ As if he caught onto her emotions, Dimples hung his head and softly pawed the ground. But then he looked at her, his soft brown eyes gazing at her sadly. 'I don’t want to leave you but I can’t bring you with me. Please understand, boy. I’m really going to miss you.’ She wrapped her arms around his neck, but then after a minute Ginny walked out of the stall. After one last pat, she left the stable and with one last look around, Apparated herself to the Burrow.

The assembled family looked up when Ginny came through the door, but they tactfully kept quiet. Thankful for that, Ginny quickly walked through the kitchen, and up to her old bedroom. The room was cool and quiet and she dropped down onto the bed. The events of the past few days finally caught up to her and she curled up, hugging her knees to her chest. ‘Oh Draco,’ she whispered pitifully, finally letting the tears that had welling up in her eyes all day wash over her.


***~~~***

Draco wandered aimlessly through the house, acutely feeling the lack of energy. His and Ginny’s laughter had once filled the rooms, creating warmth in a house that had only known coldness and sterility of emotion. But now Draco was back in the Manor of his youth, one he could hardly bear to be in. A house elf entered his line of vision, but Draco couldn’t even muster up an even slightly scathing insult for his servant and just motioned for it to continue its work. In a perpetual haze, he wandered up the stairs to his room, the place where he felt the loss of Ginny the most. Never again would he see one of her bras lying on a chair or wake up to see her smile peacefully in her sleep. Never again would he come home after a long day to slip into bed and just hold her until he drifted off or complain that her Weasleyness was contaminating him.

Though it was only a bit after four in the afternoon, Draco slipped under the covers and tried his hardest not to break down. If only those dreams would start coming so he could just figure out who this girl was and get through with the entire scam. Maybe then he could finally start to forget about the fiery-headed girl whose spirit haunted all the secret rooms of his heart.

***~~~***

Draco walked down a long stone corridor completely alone except for the ancient statues of armour that lined the walls. His footsteps echoed up to the cavernous ceiling as he rounded a corner and entered an enormous entryway of sorts. It was only then that he realized that he was back at Hogwarts and was standing right outside of the Great Hall.

A figure materialized out of thin air to rest ghost-like beside him, an arm resting on his shoulder. Turning his head, Draco was shocked to see his great-uncle looking somberly at him.

‘It’s time Draco,’ he said, voice unnecessarily low. ‘It’s time to start revealing the identity of your new "mate", so to speak. Now, pay attention to everything that goes on in the next few minutes. Any person or thing can be the key to unlocking this secret. Nothing will repeat itself; you only get one chance to take in as much as you can. And the images in this dream are not from your time; you will not be getting clues today from people you know. Is everything clear, young Malfoy?’

Shaking his head, Draco sighed. ‘Nothing has been clear since I found out about this damn curse. But continue on with the destruction of my life. I can’t stop you.’

‘You’re laying it on a bit thick, don’t you think? But you have always had a penchant for the theatrical, but here we go. ACTION!’

As if Albert had pressed some imaginary button, the hallway became alive with activity. Students spilled out of every door and down every staircase, crowding the hall until it threatened to become choked with adolescent pandemonium. Draco searched feverishly, his eyes sweeping over everything in his attempt to find his answers. His attention was quickly drawn to the excited girls at the front of the crowd, chatting loudly in an effort to cover the unimpressed mutters of some of those behind them. Though slightly old-fashioned, their school badges professed them to be prefects of Gryffindor House. Still trying to figure out if this was important, Draco felt his body being tugged along after the crowd that was rushing into the Great Hall whose doors had just been opened.

As soon as he stepped through the door, his eyes were assaulted with copious amounts of scarlet and gold. Groaning to himself, Draco turned back to his uncle who had followed him in. ‘Gryffindor won the House Cup again? Can’t they give up and let some other poor sod get some recognition once in a while?’ he cried.

Albert just gazed at him in placid amusement, not offering any help.

Just then, things clicked into place for Draco. ‘She’s a Gryffindor, isn’t she?’

A quick nod was all of the encouragement he got.

‘Not another one? Am I a magnet for the courageous ones? Do I have a sign on my back that says ‘Muggle lovers and Headmasters' pets wanted’? I don’t think I could deal with another one after Ginevra. I love her so I put up with it, but I don’t think I could stand the nobility in someone I didn’t care a flying fuck for.’

‘Are you quite finished?’

‘Yes,’ the younger blond replied sulkily.

His great-uncle just shook his head, and motioned for Draco to follow him out of the Great Hall. When they were standing outside of the doors, the scene froze, leaving the students that were still trickling in at a standstill, some with mouths still twisted with silent words.

‘I hope you got enough out of this little adventure, Draco. You have seen that your new mate is a Gryffindor, and I think that piece of information is enough for you to digest right now. When I snap my fingers, you will wake up, but what to do with this tidbit I will leave up to you.’

A stunned Draco stood in silence, watching as Albert snapped his fingers, and the scene dissolved around him.


***~~~***

A now irate Draco sat up in bed, wide awake and destined to stay so for the next few hours. ‘For fuck's sake!’ he growled and rubbed his eyes, trying to rid himself of pictures of grinning redheaded Gryffindors. He flung himself out of bed and stalked around the room, desperately trying not to think of what Ginevra was doing at the moment but failing miserably.

***~~~***

Also a victim of sleepless nights and vicious dreams of her now ex-boyfriend living happily ever after with some faceless cow, Ginny channeled all of her energy into baking, spending an inordinate amount of time in the kitchen.

A few days after Draco’s first dream (though unknown to her), Ginny stood at the kitchen counter in the Burrow, luxuriating in the absence of the constant stream of house elves asking her if she needed something. Hearing a noise from the fireplace, she whirled around to see Ron lope into the room. He enfolded her in a big hug and then pulled back to look her over.

‘Where is everyone?’

‘If by everyone, you mean Mum and Dad, Mum went to the market and Dad is at work. Speaking of such, aren’t you supposed to be doing something of the sort yourself?’

Ron took a seat at the table and motioned for his sister to do the same. ‘Nope. While Hermione is slaving the day away, Harry and I have a few days off. So you’re here all by yourself?’

Ginny nodded.

‘Crying?’

She started. ‘I have not been crying!’ she replied hotly.

‘Gin, your eyes are red. I may not be the best but my observation skills are improving, and my teacher gave me a gold star,’ he joked, but quickly sobered. ‘You need company and Mum and Dad are away a lot during the day. Come and stay with Hermione and me.’

‘And be stuck with you two lovebirds all the time?’ Ginny snorted.

‘Fine, then at least stay with Harry,’ Ron countered.

She thought not. ‘No, Ron, I’m fine where I am.’

Ron looked horrified. ‘Gin, I love Mum and Dad too, but you don’t want to stay at the Burrow forever. Trust me, stop holding on. It only gets worse from here, Mum gets clingier. It’s like the summer before your last year at Hogwarts multiplied by ten. Being coddled is great and all, I mean, I love when Hermione coddles me but Mum takes it to the nth degree, just a little too far.’

Ginny sat back in her seat, amused at her brother’s outburst. ‘Of course I don’t plan to stay here forever. I mean, I just got out of a very serious relationship and I need a little time to get my shit together. Money isn’t a problem, but I need a new place to live.’

‘I always knew that moving in with Malferret would be a bad idea,’ Ron muttered, cracking his knuckles like a brute.

‘What?’ Ginny threw him a look. ‘You encouraged me to live with him. Said it was a good idea, us being so compatible. Remember the time when you actually liked Draco and approved of our relationship?’

‘Yeah, but it went by like that,’ Ron snapped his fingers, though clumsily as he had never fully mastered the trick, an area of longstanding personal disgrace.

She just laughed at her youngest older brother. ‘Thanks, I really did need someone to cheer me up.’

Reaching across the table to hug her, Ron replied, ‘Just remember, that offer to live with me and Hermione is always on the table. We’d both love to have you. And even if you don’t want roomies, Harry and I are always good to get sloshed with if you want to forget about everything for a while. Though if you forget your hangover potion, you’ll end up with a wicked headache in the morning. Fred and George are also easily sloshable fellows. They’d go drinking with you too.’

‘All of the Weasley boys are good for that, well, except for Percy,’ Ginny commented.

‘I think it’s just our Scottish background. If there’s one thing we Weasleys are good at, it’s holding our liquor. Remember that time back in my seventh year when you, me, Harry and Hermione snuck out after curfew down to Hogsmeade and-’

‘And did what, Ronald?’ their mother’s voice said as she entered the kitchen laden down with shopping bags.

‘And realized that we were breaking rules and disrespecting our elders, and so promptly turned back to the castle where we went right to sleep and never snuck out again,’ he said as he helped his mother put away the groceries. She turned to stare down her nose at her youngest whose face was turning an alarming shade of red.

‘Yeah, what Ron said,’ Ginny added, taking a big gulp of tea to hide the smile rapidly growing on her face.

Glancing at his non-existent watch, Ron strode over to the fireplace. ‘Well, would you look at that? The time has absolutely flown by. I wish I could stay longer and visit with you all but I promised Hermione that I would help her…do…with the thing…yeah, I’m going to go.’

‘That son of mine,’ Molly muttered. ‘He’s just like the rest of them.’ Turning her attention back to her daughter, she frowned a little, sizing Ginny up. ‘You okay, hon?’

‘I’m fine, Mum, really. It’s just going to take a while for things to start feeling right again.’

‘Do you miss him?’ her mother asked quietly.

Glancing up sharply, Ginny looked strangely at her. ‘What kind of question is that? Of course I miss him. I hate it because all I can think of or see is him. I got addicted to Draco and what he meant to me, and he’s not the kind of thing you can go cold turkey over. It’s going to take me a while. And then I know I’m going to go through this whole situation again when he figures out who that girl is and marries her. But eventually, I think I’ll be able to love a man again. Maybe not as much or in the same way, but I know that I have the capacity to be happy and no one can take that away from me.’

Getting up, Molly kissed her on the head. ‘That’s my little Gryffindor girl. But remember, it’s always okay to cry. Mum’s here for you.’

At those words, Ginny could feel the 5-year old in her take over, and she broke down in tears. Through the haze, she could feel her mother’s arms come around her and start rocking, and her head was cradled on Molly’s chest. ‘It’s just not fair! I love him so much!’ she wailed. Molly did nothing but listen, stroking Ginny’s hair from time to time, her heart breaking at the pain her baby was going through.

Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize from any copyrighted Harry Potter anything.

***~~~***

Ginny woke up the next morning with a splitting headache, courtesy of crying herself to sleep and many shots of liquor. Feeling around for her wand, she did a spell to ease the pounding behind her eyes and stumbled down the stairs to harass whichever brother was there for a hangover potion.

Entering the kitchen, Ginny winced as the sunlight hit her full-on, throwing her arms up in front of her face. ‘Natural light is not my friend,’ she groaned.

Rapid shuffling of paper drew her attention towards the table. Ron was shoving the newspaper under the table as her mother, Harry and Hermione quickly moved away from behind him.

‘Hey, Ginny,’ Harry said with a bright fake smile. ‘We weren’t doing anything.’

Ginny eyed the group suspiciously as she took a seat.

‘What would you like for breakfast, Gin?’ Molly asked, picking up a frying pan to appear busy. ‘Eggs? Kippers?’

‘What’s going on?’ she asked, reaching for the cup of coffee her mother had put in front of her as she looked around at the collective group.

‘Nothing,’ Ron mumbled, stuffing eggs into his mouth.

‘Hermione? You know that you’re a horrible liar.’

The brunette turned bright red and stared in her lap. ‘Nothing’s wrong.’

Things started to click in as Ginny slowly got up. ‘Does it have anything to do with today’s paper?’

‘No,’ came the timid reply.

‘Then you won’t mind if I read it then,’ she said as she lunged towards Ron, but he was too quick for her.

‘Harry, go!’ he said, throwing the paper over his sister’s head to his best friend.

‘Ron!’ she cried, but then turned to chase Harry around the kitchen. Molly hopped up onto the counter with a hand pressed to her chest, while Hermione squished herself into a corner of the room to get out of the way.

It was then that Fred and George appeared in the doorway. ‘Ah, I see Gin saw the piece about her on the front page of the Prophet,’ George commented.

‘What?’ Ginny stopped in her tracks. ‘Harry James Potter, you get over here with that paper this instant.’

Seeing the look on her face, Harry made the wise choice to get out of the Burrow. Gearing up, Ginny hurdled over the table and gave chase. She tore out into the yard after Harry, with the rest of the group moving as one to watch.

Harry stopped to look over his shoulder to gauge Ginny’s distance but it proved to be a fatal mistake, giving her the second she needed to tackle him to the ground. Wrestling the paper away from him, Ginny jumped to her feet to read the headline.

‘Minister of Magic’s daughter and Malfoy heir have hit splitsville!’ Ginny gasped, eyes resting on the picture of her and Draco from a charity event the year before that had been ripped to accompany the headline.

‘Society’s hottest couple is no longer together as Ginevra Weasley and Draco Malfoy called it quits last week, an inside source said,’ Ginny read out loud, not believing what she was seeing. ‘This is headline news? There wasn’t anything else in the world they could’ve reported on? Is my life a source of entertainment for the masses?’

Molly stepped towards her. ‘You are the Minister of Magic’s daughter and were part of a high-profile couple, darling. For some reason, this makes you the subject of public scrutiny and obsession. But this will die down in a few days, I’m sure of it.’

‘How the hell did this happen? We haven’t told anyone besides family. Who in bloody hell could this inside source be?’ Ginny exclaimed.

‘You know how reporters can be, Gin,’ Hermione placated. ‘Just think back to Rita Skeeter.’

Ginny growled low in her throat. ‘Well, this is fucking unbelievable,’ she said, ignoring her mother’s comment about her choice of language. ‘I wonder if Draco has seen this yet.’

‘Are you going to owl him?’ Ron asked.

Folding the paper, Ginny looked up at him. ‘What for? It’s not like this was his doing. Even though we can’t be together, I know he still loves me and would never do something like this.’ Shaking her head, she brushed past her family back into the kitchen. ‘My life fucking sucks!’

‘Ginevra!’

**~~~***

‘Sir, sir, I believe its time for you to get up.’

Draco cracked open one eye to see his butler floating by the bed. ‘What is it, Remington? I’m trying to sleep. It hasn’t exactly been the best few weeks for me, if it hasn’t been obvious.’

‘There is something in today’s newspaper that I believe you should see, sir.’

‘I’ll see it when I get up later,’ he said, settling back down into his pillows.

‘No sir, you should see it now.’ The ghost’s voice was gently insistent.

Draco groaned. ‘Fine, I’m up, but don’t expect me to be pleasant.’

‘Do I ever, sir?’

A small smirk graced Draco’s features as he raised himself up and swung his legs over the side of the bed to rest on the plush carpet. He ran a hand through his hair and standing, he started to pace the room to wake up.

Gliding by, Remington handed the blond the Daily Prophet. Unfolding it, his eyes widened at the headline. ‘Minister of Magic’s daughter and Malfoy heir have hit splitsville!’

Oh my God, he thought. ‘Buggering hell!’ Draco exclaimed, throwing the paper across the room.

‘What the hell am I going to do?’ he picked up the pacing. He knew Ginevra read the Prophet and he fully expected an angry owl from her any minute or at least one from a member of her family.

He was sorely tempted to write an apology note to her, but he didn’t know why. It’s not like he had leaked the whole mess to the reporters. He would’ve much rather gotten over Ginny by himself, silence and alcohol his only company.

This development only made Draco long for Ginny more. She had always been the one to calm him down after any media exposure and help him form some mode of attack. But now she had been shoved into the spotlight and they were no longer together to fight the press.

‘Ugh, can my life get any worse?’ Draco groaned.

‘I see you’ve read this morning’s Prophet,’ came a feminine voice from the doorway.

‘Good morning, mother. And yes, I’ve read it.’ Walking over, he kissed her on the cheek and then moved into his closet.

‘Whoever wrote this certainly did their homework. As far as I know, you’ve only told me and Ginevra has only told her family-’

‘There’s a lot of people right there,’ Draco snidely interrupted.

‘Hush, son. Don’t pretend you don’t like the Weasleys, even Ronald. I’m sure her family won’t say anything to the press as they’d want to protect her and I certainly wouldn’t say anything.’

‘I don’t even know how the Prophet found out. It would take a lot of underhanded sneakiness on their part,’ Draco replied, as he walked out of his closet wearing jeans and a charcoal jumper.

‘The only positive thing I can derive from this is that they haven’t discovered the curse. If that tidbit of information was published my darling, girls would be lined up around the block. You’d be mobbed!’

‘Joy,’ he muttered dryly. ‘By why didn’t you tell me about the curse before now? You knew as soon as I was born, right?’

A clouded look passed over Narcissa’s features. ‘Your father and I knew, yes, but we had to keep it secret from you as part of the curse. And it hurt as I watched you fall in love with Ginevra because I knew how it must end. From my standpoint, you two were perfect for each other.’

Draco moved over to lean by the window. ‘I thought so too. You know, I was going to ask her to marry me.’

A quiet gasp followed. ‘When?’

‘I’m not exactly sure, because we’re so young. But I know that I wanted to; I couldn’t picture my life in the future without her. I still can’t. ’

‘Darling, I’m sorry.’ His mother tentatively moved to put a hand on his shoulder.’ I know there aren’t any words to make anything better. You just have to know that in life, things aren’t fair and those that you love can and will be taken from you.’

‘You loved Father, didn’t you?’

Narcissa half-laughed, though it came out like a sob. ‘Merlin knows why I loved him but I did. It was so easy at the beginning. There was a time before the Dark Lord when we were happy all of the time and when he found out that I was pregnant, he was elated. With the reputation of being a Malfoy, your father felt he had little choice with what to do with his life, and he only ever did things to protect us.’

‘I know Mum. We had our differences, but away from the public he wasn’t all bad.’

Narcissa sniffed and straightened her shoulders. ‘Well, let’s get back to this trouble. I’ve made my peace with the past, and now I’m here for you. But I think we should discuss a plan of action during breakfast. Nothing should be solved over an empty stomach.’

***~~~***

Wiping her mouth daintily with her napkin, Narcissa fixed her eyes on her only child who had moodily picked at his breakfast. ‘Have you thought of what you’re going to do?’

Draco flung his fork onto the table with a groan. ‘Nothing.’

‘Nothing?’ she queried gently. ‘What do you mean by that?’

‘I’m going to do absolutely nothing about it. I’m going to pretend that the announcement never happened; I will not acknowledge the press. If they try to contact me at the office, they will be sent away. Eventually, they’ll get tired, drop the story and leave Ginny and me alone.’

‘I certainly won’t say anything,’ Narcissa said, getting a small smile out of her son.

Draco reached over and squeezed her hand gently. ‘I know and it means a lot to me.’

Narcissa took a sip of her tea. ‘Moving on, how will you find out the identity of this new girl?’

Slumping forward, Draco rested his elbows on the table, abandoning all memory of Malfoys proper posture. ‘I get hints in dreams, and then I piece them all together to figure out who she is.’

‘Anything yet?’

‘Yeah.’ Draco’s voice lowered. ‘She’s a Gryffindor.’

‘A what, darling? I couldn’t catch that.’

‘She’s a bloody Gryffindor, Mum!’

‘Another one?’ A look of surprise graced Narcissa’s face. ‘I’m sorry, darling.’

‘Yes, another one. Father and Salazar Slytherin must be tossing in their graves. Do I have a target on my back or something? A sign saying ‘send all shit my way’?’ Draco slumped back in his seat.

‘Worst case scenario, you meet her and after you marry her, you live separate quiet lives and be happy this curse doesn’t require you to produce an heir. But there is a chance that you meet her and you fall in love, and then you live a happy life together.’

‘But mother, I love Ginevra and only her. No one could ever take her place, and I will never love a woman the way I do her.’

‘I wouldn’t expect you to, but Draco, you must know that there are all different types of love. It’s true that you will never get that first love back and you may never experience that passionate, die-for-you love that you shared with Ginevra. But you may fall in love again but this time a gentle, mature, quiet love that is steady and strong. You owe it to yourself to find out. You may not love this mystery girl at the beginning or even like her, but you may grow to love her. It’s a risk I believe you should take. I’ll be here supporting you every step of the way.’

Draco just shook his head in amazement. ‘How do you do it? How do you know exactly what to say to calm me down?’

‘I’m your mother, it’s my job.’

‘Did you take classes or does this supreme knowledge just come to you when you become a mum?’

Narcissa smiled. ‘Go to work, son.’

‘Yeah, another bright spot in my day; keeping the family business from disarray and destruction. I can hardly wait.’

‘Well, I see that your sarcastic nature has escaped unscathed.’

‘I’m going, mother.’

***~~~***

The day passed quickly enough, and the night held no dreams for Draco, leading to a relatively replenishing sleep.
He received breakfast in bed the next morning and was halfway through his morning croissant when the headline of that day’s Daily Prophet caught his eye.

‘Minister of Magic’s Daughter Says Split with Beau was Perfectly Amiable.’

In a written statement directly to the Prophet, Ginevra Weasley has said that her recent breakup with Draco Malfoy was both mutual and pleasant.

‘We still love each other, but we both realized that we’re not what the other needs as a partner at this spot in our lives.’

Miss Weasley, just shy of her 23rd birthday, is said to have moved out of Malfoy Manor immediately following the break-up, but maintains that she and her ex are still on good terms.

‘The break-up was a decision made by both of us, and we left the relationship as friends. There are still feelings there for me and Draco, but being in love means that you want the best for that person. Draco and I wish each other all the best in the future.’

The break-up came as a shock to the Wizarding community, as the couple had seemed perfectly happy at Mr. Malfoy’s 24th Birthday Ball held last week.

Throwing off his blankets, Draco bounded across the room into his closet. He had to see Ginny.

***~~~***

Draco managed to keep his balance after he Floo’ed into the Burrow, but didn’t see Ginny at first.

Hearing the sound of a quill scratching on parchment, he followed it into the kitchen. There he spotted Ginny scribbling furiously at the table, copper hair spilling over her shoulders.

‘Why’d you do it?’ he blurted out, startling the redhead.

‘Draco, what are you doing here?’ she asked, hand on her heaving chest. Ginny pushed her hair off her face, making the dried trails of tears on her face quite visible.

‘Why’d you do it?’ he repeated again, countering her.

Ginny sighed. ‘It needed to be done and you know it. What
were you going to do? Just ignore the press and wait it out?’

‘Exactly. They’d give up soon enough and move onto fresher blood.’ Draco moved to sit down across from Ginny. Slipping into an old routine, she summoned a cup of coffee for him.

‘Yes, they’d move on eventually, but not until they’d taken the story and twisted it into something the complete opposite of the truth. By the time the papers had moved on, you would’ve cheated on me with some half-Veela after I’d gotten pregnant by one of the Malfoy servants. Then the actual break-up would’ve come after I threw a house-elf at you and threatened to cut off some of your special bits, resulting in you locking me out of the house in nothing more than high heels.’

‘Very entertaining, Gin. Did you have time to work on this story?’ Draco asked as a shadow of his old smirk on appeared on his face.

‘What can I say? The excessive drinking does that to me. But I just wanted to make sure that our break-up went public on my terms, and that our reputations, but especially yours, wouldn’t suffer. Just because you broke up with me to go off and find some other girl to marry doesn’t mean that I stopped caring about you.’

‘I really am sorry, Ginevra.’ Draco’s silver eyes glinted.

‘I know that, and I know that this is something you have to do. I also know that no matter how I wish that it didn’t have to happen, it does. Realistically, I also know that if I went out there, I could eventually find someone that could make me happy.’ She saw the wince on his face and sympathized but she had to continue on. ‘I know that might be hard to hear for you and it’s hard for me to say. I don’t want to move on though because I know someone could make me happy, but he'd never make me as happy as you do. No matter how hard I’d try, I could never forget you. That person would always be second best, and that’s not fair for anyone.’

Without thinking, he reached over and held her hand. ‘What are you going to do?’

Ginny let him hold her hand for a minute but then gently pulled it away, wishing desperately that his thumb hadn’t caressed her hand like that, an invisible line of fire now pulsing there. ‘I don’t know. Get a job I guess. I don’t need the money but I need something to fill up my days. I can hang out with my nieces and nephews, be more available to take care of them. But right now I want to lay low, out of the public eye as much as possible. You?’

‘We think alike. I’m taking a few days off work until the fireplaces stop ringing off the hook. Owls have just been swarming into the Manor, quite annoying really.’

‘Yeah, they are annoying…’

The two lapsed into an uncomfortable silence.

‘So any word on who this new girl is yet?’ Ginny asked, eyes fixed on the table as her fingers traced worn patterns on the wood’s scarred surface.

Draco’s head snapped up in surprise. ‘Do you really want me to answer that?’

She got up from the table and started to pace the floor. ‘No, but it was the first thing that came to mind. I hate that we have uncomfortable silences now.’

‘So do I. Before, I couldn’t wait to come home and have you tell me about your day because you were so warm and made everything sound so interesting. I would miss you so much that all I would want to do was sit and listen to you talk. It made me happy.’

‘Please Draco.’ Ginny put a hand out to stop him. ‘Don’t…don’t talk about what we used to have. The memory is still too fresh…to hear you talk like that and being forced to remember is killing me.’

‘I’m sorry Gin.’ Draco looked up with tear-filled eyes. ‘I can’t help it. You’re everything.’

Ginny let out a little sob and retreated to the window overlooking the garden, leaving Draco still seated at the table.

After a few minutes, Ginny took a deep breath and turned down, visibly calmer. ‘I know it’ll be hard but I do want to be friends with you.’

A surprised Draco threw her a skeptical look. ‘Do you think we can even be friends? Do we even know how? I mean, we went right from enemies to being involved thanks to Dumbledore’s insane school wide game of Hide and Go Seek. Fighting and then kissing…that’s our deal.’

Reaching the table, Ginny sat down. ‘I have put way too much time and emotion into this relationship to lose it completely. If being your friend is the only way to keep you in my life, then that’s what I’ll have to do.’ She paused and refilled her coffee. ‘So tell me about this girl.’

‘Are you sure you want to do this?’

‘Absolutely.’

Draco shifted about, clearly uncomfortable. ‘Well, all I know is that she’s a Gryffindor.’

Ginny suddenly stilled at this, hands frozen in bringing her cup to her lips. ‘So I probably know her…or of her,’ she said quietly, a lump coming back to form in her throat.

‘There’s a really good chance.’

‘Well, the Malfoy in you must be revolting at that news,’ she replied, fiddling with the cream and sugar. ‘Two serious relationships with Gryffindors. I think Hell is freezing over as we speak.’

Draco laughed in spite of himself. ‘Yeah, that witch must’ve been really hurt to be this vindictive.’

‘Well, you know the term ‘hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.’ I fear that your ride is only beginning.’

At that moment, Molly came bustling into the Burrow, arms laden down with bags and boxes, causing the door to slam into the wall. ‘I’m back, Ginevra,’ she said, striding right by the table. ‘I got those pumpkin muffins you like so much, and you don’t even have to share them with Ron.’ She gave no mention of the visitor at her table, and started puttering around the kitchen whilst singing.

After a few minutes of Draco and her staring at Molly, Ginny cleared her throat loudly. ‘Ahem.’

‘Did you need something, dear?’ Molly said, turning. But when she spotted Draco, the surprise caused her to rear back, hand on heaving chest. ‘Draco!’

He gave a weak wave.

She immediately strode over and enfolded him in on of her famous hugs. ‘Darling, I was so sorry to hear the news. Arthur and I were really looking forward to you joining the family some time in the future.’

Hugging her tightly, Draco looked over at Ginny. Pulling back, he kept eye contact. ‘So was I.’

Ginny looked down, biting her lip in order to hold back the tears.

He noticed this and realized that it was his cue to leave. ‘I should be going, Ginevra.’

Ginny nodded. ‘I’ll walk you out.’

Leaving the house, they stopped outside on the porch as Draco prepared to Disapparate. But yet they stood in silence for another few minutes.

Suddenly Ginny turned to him and kissed his cheek.

‘So this is goodbye then?’ Draco asked, understanding the meaning of her gesture.

‘It has to be,’ she replied, ‘for now. I need to be friends with you, to keep you in my life, but I can’t be around you right now. Does that make sense?’

‘It makes perfect sense, but then, you always did. You can just contact me when you’re ready, if you’re ready.’

‘Will you be okay?’ Ginny asked, a concerned frown gracing her brow.

‘Aren’t I always?’

‘Stop it…stop doing that whole “closing yourself off while answering flippantly” thing. It’s me, Ginny. Just tell me the truth.’

Draco studied her. After a sigh, he replied, ‘I’ll be fine, I promise.’

Ginny reached out and caught his hand, savouring the touch.
‘And you?’

‘Don’t worry about me, Drake. I’ll be okay. I just need time and copious amounts of alcohol. I've got my family- they'll help me through all of this.’

‘I always worry about you Gin, nothing’s going to change that.’

The silence started again as the pair studied the horizon, willing tears and notions of hope to stay buried. But as if by instinct, they turned to each other and grabbed each other fiercely. Their arms locked around each other tightly, and Ginny couldn’t help the sob that escaped her lips.

‘I know I said I wouldn’t do this, but I miss you so much!’ she cried. Draco’s arms tightened around her, one hand stroking her back as her words poured out and her tears soaked into his shirt.

‘I can’t be strong and put on a brave face anymore. I don’t want you to go. I want you to stay so we can get married and have kids and watch them grow up. I want us to get old together.’

‘I want that too Gin, but we both know that however much we want it, it can never happen.’

‘But I haven’t done anything wrong! Why are we being punished because of something that happened long before we were born?’

‘I don’t know. A witch was hurt very badly and decided to take out her emotions on other people. But to help others, we just have to settle for second best, no matter how much it hurts.’

Ginny pulled back to look at him, tears streaking her red face. ‘Just know that I love you, okay? Always remember that.’

‘I will.’ Draco leaned down to kiss her on the forehead. ‘I love you too. You’ll always be mine, even if you’re someone else’s.’

‘Stupid ferret.’

‘Silly weasel.’

Small smiles broke through the tears as they separated.

Draco opened his mouth to speak, but Ginny cut him off. ‘Don’t say it, don’t say good-bye. We’ve said enough. It’s okay if you just go because I know what you want to say, and this way we don’t have to end it on a farewell.’

He nodded and after staring at Ginny to commit this last image of her to memory, Disapparated with a pop.

She stood staring blankly at the garden for a moment, but then turned and went back into the kitchen. She moved to sit at the table where her mother was drinking tea, but Molly motioned upstairs. ‘It’s okay, Ginny. Just go lie down. I’ll bring tea up later.’

Inherently grateful that Molly Weasley was her mother, Ginny nodded weakly. ‘Thanks Mum.’

Once upstairs, Ginny entered her dark room and swiftly shut the door. After changing into more comfortable clothes, she took a vial of Dreamless Sleep potion from its resting place in the drawer of her bedside table. She settled under the covers and sipped it slowly, looking forward to a time where she wasn’t forced to remember.

***~~~***

'Gin, where do you want me to put these boxes?'

Ginny walked over to where Harry was standing, precariously balancing a high stack of boxes that had clearly been lightened by a spell or two.

'The bedroom Harry, it says so right on the side. You helped me label most of this stuff yourself.'

The raven-haired man just stuck his tongue out at her and walked towards the direction of the bedrooms.

'This is a great apartment Gin,' Hermione said as she entered the living room.

'It is, isn't it?' Ginny replied quietly as she sank down onto the leather sofa placed across from the fireplace. But her smile didn't reach her eyes and was tinged with something akin to bitterness.

'Hey now, don't be like that.' Hermione took a seat beside Ginny and put a hand on her arm in a comforting gesture. 'This is a step in the right direction.'

'I know that,' she sighed. 'But I can't help dwelling on the fact that I was forced to take this step, kicking and screaming. I had absolutely no choice in the matter and I feel like my heart was torn from my chest. Perhaps now you can see why I'm still not adjusting very well.'

'It's completely understandable. I can't imagine being ripped away from one of the most important people in my life.' Hermione's gaze rested on Ron who had just popped out of the fireplace with the last of Ginny's possessions from the Burrow. A slightly goofy smile appeared on the brunette's face as she watched her boyfriend throw her a cheeky wink and then head into another room. Sighing in contentment, she turned her attention back to the other girl only to find Ginny trying to control her laughter.

'What?'

'You two...it's just so cute how you still look at each other like that after being together on and off for over 6 years.'

Hermione tucked her feet up onto the couch and got comfortable. 'How exactly do we look at each other?'

'Like it's the first day after you have admitted how you feel and everything is so new and so huge that you feel like your heart is going to break out from your chest.'

Hermione blushed hotly. 'I don't know how to hide it, it's just how I feel. I think I'll always look at Ron that way, no matter how long we've been together. I'll be the first one to say it: I'm bum over teakettle for a Weasley. Your brother is the only one for me.'

Ginny inwardly smirked at Hermione's refusal to even say the word 'arse', but with the expression came thoughts of Draco. She forced the blond out of her mind, determined to distract herself with gossip about Hermione and Ron.

'Finally a vocal admission!'

'Hey! I've said it before...' she cried in indignation.

'Yes, but remember how long it took you to get to that point. You two were so cute, dancing around each other like you did. I mean, Harry and I went out before you did!'

'Ah yes.' Hermione remembered as a flicker of sadness passed over her features. '6th year...Ron just made me so frustrated! I still can't believe I actually used Cormac McLaggen to make your brother jealous.'

'It worked, didn't it? Speaking of which, have you ever gotten revenge on Lavender?'

A chuckle was the reply. 'I think getting Ron in the end was the best revenge I could ever want.'

'I still don't see what attracts you to dear "Won-Won", but to each their own. And where are those boys? This place has a limited amount of rooms, it's not like they can get lost.'

Hermione waved her off. 'Leave them to their own devices. There's only so much girl-talk you can do when the men folk are around.'

'True.' Ginny decided to get right to the meaty issues. 'So...any bushy haired red-headed know-it-all babies in the works yet?'

The former Head Girl was not as shocked by the question as one would think and quickly shot back her reply. 'I'm a little more pre-occupied with getting a ring on a very important finger. More Weasley babies have not crossed my mind...not in a while at least.'

This last piece of information piqued Ginny's interest. She leaned towards Hermione, eyes twinkling. 'So you have thought of having children with my youngest older brother? And just to let you know, I am all for more nieces and nephews.'

The goofy grin appeared on her face again and Hermione sunk down into her corner of the sofa. Her gaze wandered to the blazing fire they had started in the hearth so they could floo back to the Burrow for Ginny's possessions.

'Hermione!'

She focused back on a giggling Ginny who was shaking her head. 'You are so far gone.'

'Not to dig myself a deeper hole but I've been thinking about having kids with Ron since the first time we actually kissed in 7th year. It was like as soon as our lips touched, this little film strip ran in my mind of proposals, weddings, babies and vacations and I knew there was no one in the world that I could ever love more than Ronald Weasley.'

Ginny made a not so quiet retching noise to Hermione's amusement. 'I'm sorry but that was the sappiest thing I've ever heard, and I'd say that even if I wasn't disillusioned with love. But here's a question for you: if you're so perfect for each other and there's no one else you can see yourself with, why all the breaking up and getting back together?'

Hermione opened her mouth to answer when a pale faced Ron rushed into the room slowly followed by a laughing Harry.

'What's wrong, love?'

Ron refused to answer, lips clamped tightly while colour slowly returned to his face.

Seeing that his best mate was still scared into silence, Harry filled the girls in on the situation. 'Ron and I were unloading some of the boxes in the bathroom. Ron didn't notice as a spider slowly dropped down onto his jumper and it wasn't until he felt something on his face that he looked in the mirror and saw it. I can't believe you didn't hear him yell!'

Ron's face had contorted during the story and he let out a little whimper. Ginny turned to her brother with a glint in her eye.

'Seriously Ron, spiders? Still?'

'It was bloody huge Gin! You can't tell me you wouldn't have been spooked out if something the size of a sickle started crawling up your face too.'

Harry leaned towards the girls in the midst of Ron's ranting. 'A sickle? More like an ink drop but even that’s pushing it.’

'What I don't understand,' Ginny now addressed Harry and Hermione after smothering her laughter, 'is how a grown man who has faced pure evil more times than I care to remember can still be afraid of a simple insect! That would be like Harry being afraid of a bumblebee. I mean, it's not like the spider is going to stun you Ron.'

Their friends burst into laughter as Ron flipped his little sister a rude hand gesture and then stormed out of the apartment, pink spots appearing high on his cheeks. Hermione flashed the remaining two an apologetic smile and then hurried out after her boyfriend.

Ginny turned back to Harry. 'So, does this mean you're off as well?

Harry shifted in his spot, pinning his friend with a sympathetic look. 'Not if you need me. I don't want to leave you alone on your first night in your new place.'

Ginny waved him off. 'Don't worry about me. I'm just going to set up my bedroom and then crash. I'm dead tired, so you really don't need to stay.'

'Then what?'

A look of complete confusion was stamped across her features. 'I'm not sure I follow you.'

'What are you going to do tomorrow, as in are you going to get a job? Thinking about modeling again?'

Ginny shook her head. 'No, I'm done with all that. Modeling for Madam Malkin was tons of fun and gave me money and notoriety but I'd really like to do something away from the spotlight. I think I'd like to start writing again.'

Harry came to rest behind the couch and leaned over it. 'Freelance or what? Are you going to apply for a job at the Daily Prophet? I'm sure Colin Creevey could help you out with that.'

'I think the Minister of Magic's daughter working for a very prominent newspaper would be somewhat of a conflict of interest. Plus, I doubt they're interested after the not so polite letters I've sent them this last week.' The redhead chuckled along with her companion but then soon continued. 'I'm not exactly sure what I want to write, just that I do. I'm just feeling too many things and if I don't write them down I'll end up exploding. I can't lose control, I just can't...' Ginny trailed off, staring into the fire.

Harry took this as his cue to leave, realizing that his friend desperately wanted to be left alone. Leaning down, he kissed her on the forehead. 'I'll be heading off then.'

She nodded, still in a bit of a daze. Ginny sat there for a while after Harry left, but then dragged herself off the couch and into her bedroom. She was determined to distract herself for the rest of the night by unpacking all of her things.


***~~~***

Draco paced a path around his room at the Manor, trying to keep himself awake. He knew that he needed to sleep but refused to chance dreaming about the curse that took Ginny from him. On about his hundredth trip past the bed, he noticed the corner of something sticking out from under the bed's dust ruffle. Bending down to pick it up, Draco recognized the novel Ginny had been reading a few nights before he found out about the curse. He shut his eyes firmly, trying to will away the memory but it still came.

*Flashback*

Draco shut off the light in the bathroom and entered the bedroom to find Ginny already reading in bed. He crawled in next to her and snuggled up to her side, causing her to flash him a smile before turning back to her book. Draco wasn't about to be ignored for some silly novel and so set about to distract his girlfriend. Starting at the wrist, he laid small gentle kisses up her arm. Ginny flashed him an annoyed glare that was ill-concealing a smile so Draco took that as a sign to continue. Reaching her neck, he sucked a bit on her pulse point. Creating a small love bite, he laved it with his tongue and then proceeded to repeat the action on all the skin in sight.

Ginny pulled back to stare at him. 'I was kind of in the middle of something, you git. I know it was quite clear to you.'

Draco kept slowly kissing her between every few words. 'It's only,' kiss, 'a measly,' kiss, 'book,' kiss, 'love,' kiss.

'Yes, but it happens to be a measly book that I was reading and quite enjoying, darling.'

He looked at her, Malfoy features quite affronted. 'You'd choose the written word over sex with me? I don't know whether I should be insulted or just worried about my prowess as a lover.'

Glancing between her boyfriend and her book, she sighed quietly. 'There's no way I'm going to get any rest if I don't give in to you, is there?'

'Nope.' Leaning in, Draco took the book out of her hands, tossed it over his shoulder and heard it land somewhere on the floor. He quieted Ginny's small cry of indignation with a kiss and proceeded to firmly keep her attention on him for the rest of the night.

*End flashback*

The book must've been kicked under the bed when he or Ginny were walking around in the next few days. She must have forgotten to retrieve it in her rush to move out of the Manor.

With a groan, Draco flopped down onto his bed and buried his face in the pillows. It wasn't supposed to be like this, he thought. Draco Malfoy wasn't supposed to have a broken heart or lose sleep over a girl. Girls were supposed to lose sleep over him! With a wince, he realized that that was what was probably happening to Ginny. Rising up from the pillows, Draco saw that he was lying on the side that she used to call her own and he lay back down. Sniffing slightly, he was even further saddened to find that Ginny's scent had all but faded from the material. Draco knew it was stupid, but the loss of Ginny's smell on the pillows hurt almost as much as the absence of all of her things; Ginny was finally gone from his life.

Rolling onto his side of the bed, Draco got under the covers and pulled them up over his head He was hoping that his past few wakeful nights would make it easy for him to fall asleep now. Even dreams about the curse would be better than the acute ache the loss of Ginny put in his chest.


***~~~***

Water dripped down over cold stone to form pools at the base of the walls. Green light flickered over the dank walls as if reflecting from the surface of the large spot of water in one corner. Draco stood in the middle of the room, chilly dampness seeping into his bones so that shivers started running up and down his spine.

All he could hear for a few minutes was the drip, drip of the water as he took in his surroundings. Wanting to walk around to analyze the room, Draco quickly found that he couldn't move; it was as if someone had cast a strong sticking charm on his feet. Shifting his body so that he could turn to look behind him, Draco saw a long stone corridor lined with stone pillars that led to the room he was in.

He knew this was a dream about the curse; after all, he had deprived himself of so much sleep since he'd gone to the Burrow to see Ginny that he hadn't had a prophetic dream in awhile. Besides, he doubted much else would have him situated in a stone chamber.

Amidst Draco's thinking, a new sound had joined the dripping of the water. It sounded like the hiss of gas or a cooling potion and was getting louder by the second as if the sound was coming in his direction. Draco whirled around as much as possible to see the corridor behind him and his eyes widened in shock. Scores of snakes were slithering quickly towards him, sometimes crawling over each other as they hissed loudly, forked tongues out. They seemed to swarm towards him in waves until they crested over his shoes and brushed past his legs. Though Draco wasn't afraid of snakes as a rule (he was in Slytherin after all), there was something quite intimidating about a group of hundreds of serpents surrounding him and so he shrank back into himself as much as possible. He gave up deciphering what the snakes and the dream meant and focused on remembering average minutes to catch the Snitch per year for all the teams in the British and Irish Quidditch leagues over the past 50 years just to distract himself.

After a minute or two, Draco felt what must've been the last snake pass over his feet and he watched as the serpents slithered away from him. But suddenly a deafening hiss moved throughout the room, sounding like it was coming from the mouth of the giant face of Salazar Slytherin on the opposite wall. As if on command, all of the snakes stopped moving forward, reared up and turned back to face Draco and pierce him with their slitted gaze. Almost like he was under a hypnosis charm, he felt his eyelids getting heavier as he was drawn further into their yellow eyes. As hard as he tried to resist it, Draco's eyes kept drooping until they shut finally. It was then that a female voice sounded in his head, her tones slightly serpentine. 'Remember Draco...'


***~~~***

Draco bolted upright in bed, firmly awake as hissing rang in his ears. 'What the fuck was that?'

Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize that has been copyrighted by anybody.

***~~~***

'Hello, I’m looking for Colin Creevey. I don’t have an appointment but my name is-'

'Ginny Weasley, I know who you are.' The very young receptionist looked slightly scared. 'You aren’t here to yell at us in person are you? Because we already received your owls.'

Ginny had to laugh at the girl's expression. 'No, it's nothing like that. He's a friend from school and I have a question to ask of him.'

A little more relieved, the receptionist pointed out where to find Colin Creevey. 'He just got back from lunch so he's in his office, which is the large one in the left corner.'

The redhead thanked her and breezed on through the loud newsroom to her friend's office. The door was open but Colin wasn't there, so Ginny stepped inside to wait for him. To occupy her time, she studied the photos on the wall, muggle and magic alike.

'You don't owl, you don't Floo, I was beginning to think you'd forgotten about me.' Her friend's voice broke her concentration and she turned to give him a hug.

'Like you care, you git,' she said, pulling back to kiss his cheek. 'You're the one making sure my life is headline news. You probably know what I'm about to do before I do it.'

Colin smiled and took a seat on the couch in his office. 'As your friend, I am shocked and hurt by your accusation. As the editor of this paper, I can't deny it and am not ashamed. But still, me thinks this is not a social call. What can I do for the lovely Miss Weasley today, besides the obvious of not following you around anymore?'

Ginny took a seat next to him. 'Budge up a bit. Colin...can you give me the number of a good literary agent?'

Moving over, Colin pierced his friend with an inquisitive gaze. 'Are you seriously thinking about writing again?'

The redhead nodded. 'I seriously am. No notebooks that answer back this time…I promise.'

He laughed along with her, having long gotten over his own experience with the Basilisk. Getting up, he walked over to his desk and started flipping through a Muggle Rolodex. 'Magic or Muggle?'

Ginny was quite confused. 'What?'

'Do you want a Muggle or a magic agent?'

'Is there a difference? Does it matter?'

'It really all depends on what type of material you want to put out there. If it's magically related (like research or history or something to do with your experience with Voldemort or Harry Potter- and that shit still sells, trust me) you'll want a magic agent. But if its stuff that can be passed off as crazy fiction, you can sell it to Muggles where you'll have a larger audience.'

'Can I get someone who deals with both, like a Muggleborn agent? I'd probably be a bit more comfortable with someone who knew magic but I'd like someone who knew what they were doing if I wrote something that can be sold to both audiences.'

Colin snapped up a card with a grin. 'I have just the guy. Deryk Tucker: he's young, works for Merlin Press. And he's a genuine nice guy, no slime balls B only the best for you, darling.'

'Never heard of him. Did he go to Hogwarts?'

'No, he's American. Came over about 5 years ago but don't worry. He won't screw you over, I promise. He's busy but he owes me a few favours. How about I owl him and set up a lunch date for the two of you?'

Ginny got up and flung her arms around his neck. 'Thank you Colin! I have to run some errands now but after that I'm free for the rest of the day. Just owl me after he gets back to you with a time and place.'

'Will do.'

***~~~***

Ginny was so excited about this new phase in her career that she flew through the rest of her errands. Entering her new apartment, she dumped her bags on the ground as soon as she saw a tawny owl sitting on her kitchen table. Opening the letter it carried, she immediately noticed that it was directly from Deryk Tucker, not Colin. It said that he had made reservations for that afternoon at 1:30 pm at Le Petit Grenouille , a new but very high-class restaurant in Diagon Alley. Apparently Colin had been waxing poetic about her and her talents in his letter to Deryk who was very excited to meet her.

Looking down at her watch, Ginny noticed that she didn't have a lot of time before she needed to be at the restaurant for lunch and she rushed into her room. One good thing about being the Minister of Magic's daughter was that she had enough classy dress robes to outfit a small nation.

***~~~***

Arriving at the restaurant, Ginny smoothed down her hair and then approached the snooty looking maitre-d. She was going to ask about the reservation when the maitre-d's face lit up.

'Mademoiselle Weasley, what an honour it is to have you in our restaurant. Do you require a table? You may have any one you wish, no matter if someone is there already. We would do anything for the Minister of Magic's daughter.'

She had had enough of his fawning obsequiousness and so hastened to reassure him. 'It's alright; I actually have a reservation for 1:30 pm. It should be under Merlin Press.'

'Ah yes, avec young Monsieur Tucker. He is already waiting at your table. Follow me, Mademoiselle.'

Ginny was led to a table by the window where a very attractive man sat writing something on a piece of parchment. The maitre-d left them as the man stood up and held out a hand for her to shake.

'Ginevra Weasley, it's a pleasure to meet you. I've heard a lot of great things about you from Colin Creevey.'

Deryk Tucker was a classically handsome young man with dark brown hair, piercing blue eyes and a dazzling smile that created two deep dimples in his cheeks. After they shook hands and sat down, a crisp American accent rattled off a few appetizers, checking with Ginny for affirmation.

For the first time since leaving Draco a month ago, she allowed herself to look upon another man as attractive and was watching the sun glint off his hair when she noticed Deryk's attention was turned back on her.

'I'm sorry, did you say something Mr. Tucker?' She asked.


'Call me Deryk, please,' he chuckled. 'I was just wondering what type of writing you were interested in. You=re a close friend of Harry Potter, is that right?'

'Yes but I'd never write anything about Harry. He has a hard enough time as it is without me turning on him.'

'Fair enough but considering how the market is still hot for Potter-related news, I had to ask. I need to start creating a landscape for your writing, like people to talk to, editors to scope out. Are you interested in fiction or do you just like the hard facts? I have to let you know that society is still liking the light, creative reading material (besides Harry Potter material), nothing too heavy.'

Ginny had to laugh at this. 'You don't have to worry about that. I'm not really in the head-space for anything heavy either. But I'm still not exactly sure what I want to write yet. Getting an agent was just a step to make sure I was going to be completely ready when I finally start writing. It could be some short stories, a tear-jerker, some sappy romance, I have no idea. I=ll let you know when I have something, but for now I just have tons of ideas running around in my head. It=s starting to be dead annoying so I=m going to have to start pounding the parchment.'

'At least you have ideas,' Deryk said with a grin that caused his dimples to deepen. 'A lot of writers that I see at first start off with less than that. They come to me and say "I want to be a writer." So I say, that's great but what are you thinking about writing? And they answer "I have no idea but I want to be a writer." I'm tempted to ask half of these people if they can even spell their own names.'

'Well, the general populace can be pretty thick. You should meet some of my brothers.' The redhead laughed along with him, pleasantly surprised that she was having such a great time with her agent and then she knew that Deryk Tucker would always be good for a laugh. Their appetizers arrived and they ordered the rest of the meal. The remainder of the lunch was spent discussing Quidditch and new novels on the best seller list. As promised by Colin, Deryk would know how to handle it if she wanted to release a book to a Muggle audience. He wisely didn't mention seeing Ginny in the news lately and kept her laughing throughout the meal with witty quips and funny observations about other customers in the restaurants. At one point during the lunch Ginny thought she saw a bulb flash somewhere in the restaurant but paid it no mind; someone was always getting their picture taken at a restaurant like Le Petit Grenouille .

***~~~***

Ginny was in such high spirits after her lunch meeting with her agent that she went home and wrote for hours. Anything that popped into her head got put down onto parchment and she was well satisfied when she took a break to fix herself something for dinner. She seemed to be on a roll and so started up again after she finished eating.

Her good mood was still around the next morning when she got out of bed and fixed herself a cup of coffee. But it quickly dissipated as she unfolded her copy of the Daily Prophet and caught the headline.

Slamming her mug down, she got up and marched over the fireplace while still holding the newspaper. Completely oblivious of the fact that she was still wearing a tank top and baggy flannel pyjama pants, Ginny picked up some Floo powder and called out 'The Daily Prophet.' Her face was set in a furious expression as she disappeared, green flames remaining in her wake.

***~~~***

An angry Weasley is a sight to see but a livid Ginevra Weasley would strike fear into even the most cold-hearted. As she stormed through the Daily Prophet newsroom her expression had people hiding under their desks or just apparating out of the room to get away from her wrath.

Reaching Colin's office, she pushed the door open hard which caused it to slam into the wall. Startled, Colin knocked over a pot of ink and spilled his coffee cup into his lap. He opened his mouth to say something but Ginny beat him to it.

'What the hell is your problem? I thought you were my friend!' she yelled, stepping up to the desk and throwing the newspaper down onto it. Colin looked down and read the front page with the glaring headline "Ginevra Weasley moving on?" accompanied by a large photo of Ginny and Deryk Tucker laughing as they ate lunch at Le Petit Grenouille the day before.

'How can you run this story?' the redhead continued as she paced around the well-decorated office. 'You know Deryk is my agent. You referred me to him, for Merlin's sake!'

Her friend leaned back in his chair, having the audacity to look pleased with himself. 'Sorry Gin, I just give the public what they want. And they want you.'

The rest of the newsroom only heard an irritated scream from Ginny before the office door was shut and a silencing charm placed on it.

***~~~***

'Good morning darling,' Narcissa said as Draco walked into the dining room and took a seat at the impeccably set table.

'Good morning mother,' he replied dully and then took a sip of his coffee. At a silent gesture from him a house elf rushed forward and portioned out eggs and fruit onto his plate.

Narcissa could tell that her son was deep in thought and so did not try to distract him with inane chitchat. After a few moments of staring into the murky liquid of his coffee cup, Draco shook himself slightly and reached for the newspaper that sat folded by his place setting. Sipping again from the hot beverage, his brain digested the headline.

Sitting at his right hand, Narcissa was close enough to read the damaging words on the front page and so looked fearfully at her beloved son for his reaction.

Draco put the paper down beside his plate and then wiped his mouth with his napkin. He picked up his water goblet but then suddenly turned and hurled it at the closest wall. He pulled his wand out of his robe pocket and cleaned up the mess with a flick. Still acting calmly with no trace of emotion, Draco turned back to Narcissa and asked 'so, what are your plans for the day mother?'

***~~~***

'You have no business reporting lies about my personal life!' screamed Ginny at a now cowering Colin. 'The Daily Prophet is not a gossip rag made purely to comment on aspects of my life. What ever happened to responsible journalism? Reporting the facts? You know for a fact that I don't fancy him; I just met Deryk yesterday for Merlin's sake!'

The blond opened his mouth to respond but Ginny cut him off, still furious. 'I know where you live and I've seen where you sleep. I have all the knowledge of torture that a childhood with 6 brothers provides you and if you don't print a retraction for this article, I swear your mother will cry when she's seen what I've done to you.'

Colin had now wedged his body into a corner of his office and he nodded quickly. 'I promise Ginny, whatever you want.' He seemed to shrink into himself as she stalked towards him. 'The retraction will be printed tomorrow, including the truth of the situation. Okay?'

'Perfect.' Ginny's expression remained thunderous for a second but then cleared. 'Thanks Colin for being so understanding. Talk to you later,' she said perkily and after kissing him on the cheek, she practically flounced out of the office.

Colin was left to stare dazedly after her, eyes wide as headlamps, wishing heartily that he could have a strong drink. Shaking himself a little, he shut the door with his wand to keep out prying eyes and started to compose the retraction. He needed to make it perfect; Colin didn't think his nerves could handle another dressing down from Ginny Weasley who was more like her mother than she'd ever care to admit.

***~~~***

Thought not as happy as the day before, Ginny=s mood was much better after berating Colin. Getting back to her flat, she ignored the owl from her mother that probably demanded the truth behind the front page. Merlin knew her father's press department was probably going spare. Finishing her breakfast, she read the rest of the paper. As she did so, the redhead idly twisted a piece of hair around her finger, an affectation that had always made Draco smile. The thought of her former lover made Ginny's heart clench a little; being away from him still hurt so much and she felt as if half of her soul was missing. Her writing was helping to distract her from the pain and she was dealing well enough day to day. Her thoughts flew to Draco, probably sitting somewhere in that big Manor with only his mother for company. Ginny knew that Draco drew into himself when angry or hurt and wouldn’t seek out others to help him get over the pain.

Suddenly she realized that he would be reading the same headline that she was struck with that morning and her heart clenched again. There would be no way for him to know that there was no truth behind the story; Draco would jump to conclusions and think that she was getting over him by quickly jumping back into the dating game.

Ginny debated whether or not she should send an explanatory note to Draco but decided against it. Though there was no romance in the relationship between her and Deryk Tucker, Draco and her were over and he needed to get used to seeing her with other men. Merlin knows that she would have to see pictures of him and this prophesied woman all over the news when they got together.

Still a bit irritated, she binned the paper and quickly responded to an owl from Hermione confirming their lunch the next day at a favourite restaurant, then sighed. Grabbing a sheaf of parchment and a pot of ink, Ginny pushed thoughts of Draco out of her mind and walked out onto her heat-charmed balcony, resolved to simply write for the rest of the day.

***~~~***

Draco stumbled out of bed the next day, having gotten little to no sleep the night before. The picture of Ginny with another man taunted him, their laughing faces etched into his brain. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw them together and his over-active imagination continued the scene in the photo. Shuffling over to his bathroom, he blearily peered at himself and raked a hand through dishevelled blond hair. He looked like dragon dung and he knew it, but Draco couldn’t raise himself to care about his appearance for once in his life.

Narcissa took one look at him when he came into the dining room and knew that something was wrong. He had the worst case of bed head she had ever seen and the purple circles under his eyes were quite pronounced. 'Are you ill son?'

'No mother,' Draco said as he settled into his seat at the head of the table. Noticing the paper lying folded in its usual place by his setting, he shoved it as far away from him as possible.

His mother looked sceptically at him, catching on to what was troubling him. 'Aren’t you going to read the paper, poppet?'

'No.' The answer was quite terse.

'I really think you should.' Narcissa was gently insistent.

Throwing an annoyed look at his mother, he grabbed it from where he had shoved it. 'I don't know why I bother anyway. It's all rot,' Draco replied as he flipped open the paper and scanned the headline.

'The Daily Prophet Retracts Yesterday's Headline Story.'

'Yesterday's story about Ginevra Weasley having romantic feelings for the man she was seen having lunch with yesterday was a gross misrepresentation of the truth, we were told by the lady in question. Her attractive lunch companion was Deryk Tucker, 27, who is in reality Miss Weasley's literary agent. The meal was a meeting to discuss the different options for her upcoming writing. The Daily Prophet apologizes for any confusion, irritation or pain the previous article caused.'

Putting down the paper, Draco couldn't help the small smile from appearing on his face.

Narcissa saw this and sighed. 'Son, she deserves to be happy even if it’s not with you.'

He avoided her eyes and stared down at his lap, pouting like a petulant child. 'I certainly won't be, so why should she?'

She delicately dabbed at her mouth with her napkin and pushed out her chair. 'I'm going to pretend I did not hear that, and leave you for the day. I have an appointment at Hogwarts to discuss a series of donations under the Malfoy name; is there anything you'd like me to pick up for you while I'm out? Anything you'd like to say to Severus, perhaps?'

'If I need to say anything to him, I can send him an owl.'

Narcissa stopped by her son's chair and tugged his ear a bit harsher than her usual motherly affection. 'I rather hope you'll be done with this mood of yours by the time I get back for you to take me to lunch.'

'I haven't been done with it for 24 years, so why do you think I'd stop now?' Draco replied snarkily, though under his breath as he knew the edge of his mother's patience when provoked.

'Good-bye darling...and do remember your manners. I know very well that you were taught to rise when a lady leaves the table but today you stayed still in your chair. A broken heart is no excuse for a lapse in proper etiquette. Ta!'

He grumbled as he watched his mother's figure swish from the room.

***~~~***

Draco sat in his office at the Manor, idly responding to business owls and putting his signature on important documents. Every once in awhile, he opened his top drawer and looked at the piece of newsprint he had clipped out, reassuring himself that his Ginny wasn't seeing anyone new. But then again, she wasn't his Ginny anymore and Draco knew that he had to get used to seeing her with other men. It was an inescapable probability; her father was the Minister of Magic and so now their families often attended the same functions. Ginny Weasley was a beautiful woman; she wouldn’t be seen at events solo for much longer. With a sigh, he picked up the picture of her that he refused to take off of his desk. A laughing Ginny blew a kiss at him as a fall breeze ruffled her hair and blew leaves around the background.

'What am I going to do without you, Gin?' The picture just smiled the special smile she saved just for him. He wished he could pop over to the Burrow like he had a few weeks previous when he read the letter she had written to the Daily Prophet explaining their break-up. But that wouldn't be fair to Ginny and he wasn't even sure if she was still staying with her parents. Draco couldn’t keep forcing himself on her; being apart was apparently their fate and the quicker they moved on, the better for all parties concerned.

His concentration was broken by a soft knock on his office door and it opened to reveal his mother, still dressed in her outdoor cloak. 'Are you ready for lunch darling, or shall I give you a bit more time?'

Clearing his throat, Draco got up from his desk. 'Give me a few minutes to freshen up and grab my cloak.'

Narcissa nodded and smoothed out an imaginary wrinkle in the front of her dress. 'Of course, I'll just wait by the front Apparition point.'

Draco decided that if he was truly going to get on with his life and step out into the public view, he couldn’t do it looking the way he did. Following his mother out of the office, he practically sprinted to his room. Draco did not have time for a shower but a brush, some gel and a few glamour charms would not go amiss. Taking care of his grooming, he grabbed a fresh set of dark grey robes and after donning them quickly, he checked his reflection in the full-length mirror. There he saw the Draco Malfoy who hadn't made an appearance since Ginny left, and smirking at his image, he smoothed his hair one last time and left to join his mother downstairs.

As he approached the Apparition point, Narcissa cocked a delicate blonde eyebrow. 'Ah, my son has finally returned to me from the land of the dead.'

Draco forced a laugh. 'Zombie jokes, mother...how humorous and not at all tasteless. Your wit is dryer than your martinis.'

She swatted him gently on the chest. 'Oh tosh, Draco. Your own sense of humour seems to have fallen into disrepair. Kindly brush off the teardrops and the cobwebs before I must resort to conversing with the help to have any entertainment.'

'Classic mother,' he thought, a small grin appearing on his face as the lady in question stepped into the Apparition point.

Right before uttering her destination, Narcissa turned back and said, 'oh and son, about the martinis? That was your father. You know I like my gin with a twist,' and then she was gone.

His mother liked her gin with a twist, but unfortunately for Draco's sanity, so did he.

***~~~***

A pop behind her signalled Draco's arrival as Narcissa stood inside the entranceway to the restaurant they had chosen for lunch. Mariposa was a small but excellent café that Draco and Ginny had discovered a year before; the staff were efficient yet discrete and the delicious menu was fast making the café one of the most popular in the area. The hostess immediately hustled over, recognizing the family.

Ginny had just received her drink at the table she was sharing in the corner of Mariposa with Hermione when she saw the hostess put on an extra burst of speed to reach the entrance. Ginny followed that path with her eyes and was stunned when she saw the two aristocratic blondes at the front of the restaurant. Turning away, she quickly downed her drink.

The brunette quickly noticed her friend's distress. 'What's wrong, Gin? This is a celebratory meal, you should be happy.'

Ginny indicated the cause of her misery with a backwards jerk of her head.

Hermione looked over in that direction but quickly focussed back on the redhead. 'Please tell me that's not who I think it is.'

Ginny nodded miserably. 'I'm afraid it is; how many people do you know with that shade of blond hair?'

'Of all the horrible luck...I'm sorry Gin, I never would've thought that he'd be here at the same time as us. I think this warrants a few more rounds of drinks...at least.'

'I have to get used to this, Hermione. Our families attend all the same functions, and we'll be seeing each other all the time under intense public scrutiny. At least right now our reactions to seeing each other won=t be plastered all over the front page of the newspaper.' Suddenly she groaned and then rested her head on her hands for a moment. 'And Narcissa is here; I never even really said good-bye to her, and she was so sweet to me. She probably thinks the worst of me now.'

The brunette reassured her friend. 'I'm sure she thinks nothing of the sort. I'm sure Draco has told her the extent of the situation and she probably just feels horrible for the both of you.'

Ginny shot her a weak smile. 'Are you sure? I wonder how long it will take for them to realize that I'm here. Despite the awkward circumstances, their social etiquette will demand that they come over here and talk to us for a bit. If that happens, I may have to kill myself. Pleasantries with Draco and Narcissa Malfoy at this moment would be the last nail in my coffin.'

Hermione covered Ginny's hand with her own while she used the other to motion for another round of drinks to be delivered to their table. 'Let's try and forget about them until Draco or his mother do notice that you're here. I’m sure you’ll withstand any conversations with them beautifully if they indeed feel the need to come over here. Did I tell you what Ron did when he came home from work yesterday?'

Ginny let her friend launch into the story, knowing that the stupid antics of her brother would help distract her from the man sitting across the restaurant.

***~~~***

Draco and his mother were quickly seated at the best table in the restaurant, in a quiet corner under a large skylight. They were served drinks and salads and were deciding on their entrees when Draco's eye caught a very familiar flash of red across the room. Doing a double take, he couldn’t believe it; there sat Ginny Weasley, chatting and laughing over a meal with her friend as if the past month had never even happened.

Sunlight filtered in from the window nearest them and glinted off Ginny's hair, causing it to look like fiery copper. He sat there, transfixed by her completely unexpected presence until his mother's annoyed voice caught his attention.

'Are you even listening to me, son? I was telling you all about my visit to Severus.'

'No mother, truthfully I wasn't listening to a word you were saying.'

'Pray tell me what was so interesting that you couldn’t bother to even appear to be attentive to your own mother?' Narcissa followed her son's eye line until her gaze fixed on the young woman she had always thought would become her daughter-in-law.

'Oh no...I'm sorry darling. Would you like to leave? We can have lunch somewhere else.'

Draco turned back to her. 'Why? Do you think we should leave just because Ginny is here?'

'I thought that you might prefer to. I know how hard it is for you to see her. I feel that this lunch may just turn into an extended torture for you.'

Draco viciously stabbed the last piece of lettuce that was on his plate. 'No. We will sit here and enjoy a nice meal. And then when we are done, we will go over and greet Ginevra and her dining companion, make some quick small talk and then be on our way.'

'Of course darling,' Narcissa replied quietly.

Luckily, the waiter arrived at that moment to take their orders and so broke up the awkward silence that had started. The elder Malfoy continued on with talk of her visit to Severus Snape earlier that day and Draco did his best to interest himself in what she had to say.

***~~~***

Ginny managed to distract herself for the rest of the meal, focussing on the witty stories that Hermione had in abundance (mostly centring around Ron.) She had just been served a final cup of coffee when she dared look over in Draco's direction. The redhead was quite surprised to see the Malfoys being served coffee as well, the remains of a quick expensive meal littering the table.

Stirring a packet of sweetener into her coffee, Hermione noticed that the two blonds across the restaurant were also finishing up their lunch. 'I expect they'll be making their way over soon. I know Draco's noticed that you're here- he's been glancing this way ever since they were served their salads.'

'You pay attention to the strangest things Hermione.'

'Hey, I pride myself on my observational skills,' the brunette replied jokingly. 'Ok, they're coming over. What do we do?'

'Act naturally. Just behave like you're meeting an old school acquaintance again- you shouldn’t have to pretend because that's what is happening.'

Ginny turned to greet the pair as they reached the table. 'Draco, Narcissa, it's quite a surprise to see you here. A pleasant one, but a surprise nonetheless.' Standing up, she kissed Narcissa on the cheek but avoided Draco's gaze altogether. Hermione greeted mother and son as well as Ginny sat back down.

Remembering her manners, Ginny motioned to the table. 'Would you like to join us for a cup of coffee?'

Narcissa smiled but Draco answered for them in the negative. 'We've really got to be heading out but thanks for the offer. It was nice seeing the both of you again,' he said as he gazed at Ginny with an unreadable look in his eye.

'You as well,' Hermione replied.

Reaching out, Narcissa gently squeezed Ginny's hand before she and Draco turned and exited the restaurant.

'Whew!' The redhead sank back into her chair. 'That was relatively painless.'

Her brother's girlfriend stared at her. 'Yes, but it was also completely devoid of anything resembling human emotion. You two sounded like two people who had bumped into each other on the street, not two people who had been seeing each other for a few years.'

'Cold is easy, I can do cold. If I let my emotions take over every time I see Draco, I'd go crazy. An emotionless Ginny is a sane Ginny. I have to save the breakdown for when he finds that new girlfriend.' A bitter laugh left her throat and Hermione thought it best to signal for the cheque.

'Quick, tell me something stupid about my brother so I'll stop thinking about Draco.'

'Well I didn’t want to say anything because this was supposed to be a celebratory meal for you but I have some pretty big news myself.' Hermione took a big breath and plunged in. 'Last night, your brother asked me to marry him and I said yes!'

'What?!?' Ginny shrieked as she spilled her coffee all over the shimmery green tablecloth. 'You silly cow! How did you keep that to yourself this entire time?' She launched herself across the table at her friend and grabbed her in a tight hug. 'That news is enough to keep me distracted for the next few months! What exactly happened?'

And as Hermione described the romantic proposal, Ginny found that it was easy to push Draco far from her thoughts.

***~~~***

Though Ginny was able to forget her former lover for a few hours, Draco was having no such luck. His thoughts were dominated by the redhead from the moment he and his mother left the restaurant.

His mother wisely retired to her chambers, leaving Draco alone in his office. She had informed him that she was going to be spending the weekend with some friends in France and would be leaving before dinner. Draco thought this was best because he knew that he would be in an awful mood for a few more days and wouldn’t want to inflict that on his undeserving mother.

He paced around the Manor for hours and found himself to be in the North wing. The space there had been the chambers of his great grandparents and he peeked into rooms long since fallen into disuse. Dust lay thick on all surfaces not covered by white sheets of a rich material and so Draco figured that the house elves hadn’t bothered to go near the rooms since their inhabitants had passed away.

Darkness fell and the blond lit his wand, torches missing from that section of the estate. He reminded himself to come back to the rooms later with his mother, liking their dimensions and colour palette. Hopefully they could be cleaned and brought back into use; perhaps the woman from the curse could live there, but Draco forced that thought from his mind.

He slowly trudged back to his own room and fell down onto his bed, too exhausted to even remove his clothing. Slipping into sleep, he managed to half wrap himself in his duvet before his eyes fully shut.

***~~~***

Draco found himself at the doorway to a room identical to his own except for the fact that it was a lot messier and seemed somehow a bit more lived in. A noise came from the room Draco knew to be the bathroom and as the door opened, he was shocked still and his jaw dropped as he saw himself walk out.

'Morning Drake,' his mirror image said as he crossed the room to the wardrobe. 'You can come in you know. I'm your twin, not a leper.'

Draco remained silent, eyes still wide as saucers.

'Hey, I know I'm breathtakingly handsome but I didn’t know I could make anyone speechless. Anyway, you see this face everyday.'

'You're my brother?'

'By birth, not by choice. And don't look so surprised. I've been your brother for the last 24 years. But now I'm depressed- you haven't even said good morning to me.'

'I haven't?' He was still slightly dazed.

'No, so repeat after me: good morning Diomedes, my favourite younger brother by 7 minutes.'

'Diomedes?' Draco repeated.

'Oh, and Draco is much better? At least I'm named after a warrior, not a constellation. Just be glad that mother didn’t get her way and name us Castor and Pollux.'

'This is by far the strangest dream I've had yet,' Draco said under his breath as he walked into the room.

This supposed twin of his shot an arched look his way before he tugged on a light grey jumper. 'Don't mutter to yourself Drake, you look like one of those crazed cat nutters.' He shook himself a bit as if to rid himself of a distasteful thought. 'Now I sound like mum; don't make me do that either.'

Draco took a seat on an ornate padded chair in the corner. 'I've always wanted a brother. I hated being an only child.'

Diomedes turned and looked at him strangely from where he was fixing his platinum locks. 'You've always had a brother. What's the matter with you?'

'Nothing…it's just that I know I'm dreaming and that you're not real, so when I wake up you won't be there.'

His twin grinned and the lightly bit a knuckle. 'I feel pretty real and taste real too. Maybe you're the one that doesn’t really exist,' he joked, but then his expression turned serious and he walked closer.

Draco found himself staring into the same sharp silver eyes he saw every day, but it was strange to see them on another person, despite the identical features.

'Are you sure you're okay, Drake? A Healer is only a Floo call away and a Malfoy will only get the best. You do look a bit peaky.'

Draco lightly pushed this brother of his away. 'I'm fine, just adjusting.'

Diomedes still had a concerned look on his face. 'I know that you're the oldest one and are supposed to take of me but I worry about you.'

The now eldest Malfoy child was so touched by those few words. 'That means more than you'll know. Thanks.'

'Yeah, I mean, if something happens to you, I'll have to step in to take over for you. All that responsibility and seriousness, I shudder at the thought.'

'Ah, I see how this works. I'm under all the pressure as the Malfoy heir while you get to live the high life, partying all night and shagging beautiful women.' Draco cracked a now rare grin, colour returning to his face.

His twin answered back with an identical smile. 'I'm under good authority that you partake in a great deal of that yourself, brother of mine. In fact, I remember one deliciously curvy brunette who started off the evening in my delightful companionship but ended up leaving the Manor the next morning dressed only in one of your monogrammed shirts, you berk.'

Draco smirked, remembering a similar incident that had actually happened between himself and Blaise Zabini in his 6th year.

‘What can I say? I am a Malfoy after all,’ he replied

Diomedes grinned and turned back to the mirror to check his hair one more time. Draco stood up as well and crossed the room to stand beside his brother. The mirror swooned as they stood shoulder to shoulder, angular features set in smirks.

‘I think the world is very lucky to have us in it. These faces should be immortalized somewhere; it’s a crime that they’re not on public display somewhere.’

‘I’ve heard that Muggles put famous peoples’ faces onto stamps, some sort of thing they need on their letters,’ Draco ventured.

‘Faces on stamps?’ Diomedes chuckled. ‘What will they think of next?’

Draco laughed along with him, a wave of affection washing over him. But suddenly the room around him turned hazy, a sure sign that he was starting to wake up from this dream. He didn’t want to wake up; he was realizing just what he had been missing in growing up an only child.

Turning, he grabbed his brother in a tight hug.

‘Drake, what is with you today? I think you need to go lay down or something,’ Diomedes said, trying to struggle out of the embrace.

The elder Malfoy held on, trying to memorize the feel of the other man. ‘I just want to say that I wish I actually had a brother like you.’ He continued on through Diomedes’ protestations. ‘You seem like a great bloke and I bet we would’ve had a lot of fun together.’

With that, he let go of his brother and the room grew completely blurred.

***~~~***

Jolting up in bed, Draco kept his eyes shut for a few minutes longer, trying to implant the memory of having a brother in his head. But he opened them when he realized that this was probably the most important clue of all. She must be a twin! Twins…Gryffindor…twins…Gryffindor… became a mantra that ran through his head, having discarded the snake and Parseltongue clue for now. After a few repetitions, something clicked in his mind and he flung himself out of bed and over to the roll-top desk in the corner of the room.

Grabbing the yearbook from his fifth year at Hogwarts, Draco flipped it open to the Gryffindor section and scanned the names and pictures. No specific girl was catching his eye, frustrating him further as he didn’t know exactly what or who he was looking for. The blond then opened the book to the common section of pictures, photos of students from all house just mish-mashed together. It was there that a snapshot caught his eye; right in the centre of a page were two identical looking girls with arms around each other. One wore a Ravenclaw prefect badge and the other was decked out in Gryffindor colours. Draco scanned the names under the photo: Padma and Parvati Patil.

He sank heavily into the chair by the desk. He had done it; he had found the woman from the curse and her name was Parvati Patil. He hardly remembered her from his days at Hogwarts, having looked with disdain at Gryffindor house in general. And now he was going to have to marry her, a woman he neither knew, liked or remembered.

Tomorrow would be the day that he would seek out his future bride and explain to her the workings of the curse. He was sure that he could dazzle her with enough money and Malfoy charm to get her to bend to his will with minimal fuss. A quick engagement would be followed by a small wedding and then he could quietly ship her off to the North Wing or the French country estate. Picking up the yearbook, he was about to close it when a shock of fiery red hair caught his eye. There teasing him was a picture of Ginny, clearly taken after a victory on the Quidditch pitch as she was still in her kit with broomstick in hand. One arm was around her brother Ron with the other looped around Harry Potter’s neck. The three just goofed around in the photo while Draco glared. Snapping the book shut, he threw it on to the desk and sighed. He was just going to have to get used to seeing Ginny happy without him, even if it was in a photo almost ten years old. They just weren’t meant to be together and sooner, rather than later, the blond was going to have to come to terms with that.