During the war, Ginny Weasley hadn't been able to do very much. Her parents were against her involvement, and all six of her brothers were concerned about her safety. The Weasley red hair was too distinctive to miss. Any Death Eater would have known who she was. Ginny snuck into Diagon Alley during a shopping trip and met Hermione at the Leaky Cauldron. Together they snuck into Muggle London to buy hair dye; glamours were too tricky, and no one magical should know that a Weasley was going to dye her hair black.

She missed the red when it was gone. Her family had to admit that it worked, but the concern remained. As a result, she became a messenger. Between her flying skills and her knack for getting out of trouble, it was the perfect way to be involved and minimize her parents' fear for her safety. She thought they were too concerned, blowing it all out of proportion.

And then she was caught.

The message itself was coded three different ways and enchanted so that only the recipient could read its contents to decode it.

It was a single Death Eater that found her in the deserted alleyway, waiting for her Portkey to become active. He knocked her down, and her teeth closed over her tongue painfully. He put his foot down over her chest, wand aimed at her head, and waited.

She wanted to cry when the Portkey winked out of existence without her.

"Who were you going to meet?" It was a male, though she could have guessed that by the force behind the gloved fist meeting her face.

She looked from the wand in his hand to the mask over his face. This was what her parents had feared. This was the end.

"I won't tell you," she replied fiercely. She thought of her parents, how sorry they would be if they found her dead.

"I won't kill you," he drawled. He sounded almost pleased with himself.

Ginny froze. She knew that voice.

"Death is too quick for you. Perhaps our Lord would like to see you." The Death Eater paused for effect. "Perhaps you'd like to see him again, now that he's all grown up."

Her insides turned to ice, and she fought the fear and rage. She wouldn't let him know how terrified those words made her. She refused to let anyone know how scarred she still felt. The memories, however dim at times, were her own. The nightmares that still had her waking in a cold sweat haunted her.

"Avada kedavra."

Lucius Malfoy fell over, eyes dull and lifeless behind the mask. The weight from Ginny's chest eased as he tumbled down to the side. She scurried backward, away from the body. Ginny got up slowly, and wasn't able to see who her rescuer was.

Draco Malfoy stepped into view, looking pale and thin. There was a thin scar along the right side of his jaw. He slowly dropped his wand arm.

"Malfoy?" she whispered, stunned.

"Did you think I was Potter?" he asked, voice bitter and gray eyes flashing. His jaw was tight, only highlighting the scar.

"Why?" She retrieved her fallen message. "Why did you save me? That's your father there."

"I know," he replied. His voice was dull, and there was pain in his eyes. Ginny noted that he was dressed in black from head to toe, and could easily fall back into the shadows of the alley. "He's killed enough. It's time to stop."

Ginny came closer to him, eyes wide with surprise. "But... I don't understand what just happened here. Aren't you a Death Eater? Don't you serve Voldemort just like he did? And he's your father! I don't understand how–"

He kissed her then, roughly. It wasn't her first kiss, but it felt like it was her first genuine one.

Draco released her, face carefully blank. He took a step back. "Just go. Leave quickly, before anyone thinks to look for him."

Ginny reached out and touched his arm. "Thank you," she whispered. She leaned forward and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She flashed him a small smile. "I can never repay you."

"I know. That's not why I did it."

"Maybe someday you can tell me."

"Maybe." He stepped back again, lip curling into a bitter smile. "You should go now. Deliver that letter and save the world."

"Will I see you again?"

"You know me," he said, turning to go. "I'm sure you'll find me somehow."

Ginny watched him melt into the shadows, and didn't try to follow him. She did have a letter to deliver, but she wasn't so sure about saving the world.

She didn't mention him when everyone asked about her missing time.

***

After the war, Ginny began working for her brothers at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. She balanced the books and restocked the shelves when the supplies ran low. Wizarding towns and villages were mostly devastated by the damage, but most of Hogsmeade was unscathed. Most of the Weasley family had transplanted there during the war, but Ginny had managed to share a flat with Luna Lovegood.

Ginny was leaving the shop, headed toward the main market in Hogsmeade. The twins had set her shopping with a list of things the shop needed, as well as some personal goods for their flat above the shop. Along the way, she chatted with Lavendar Brown, who was running the flower shop, and bumped into Dennis Creevy, who was visiting a Ravenclaw that Ginny hadn't known well at school. Still smiling, she turned toward the supplies shop she frequented. Gobber's Grown was a fairly small shop on the outside, but was full of various odds and ends on the inside. Weasley Wizard Wheezes had turned into one of their largest customers, and Georgina Gobber treated the twins as well as her own grandchildren.

Ginny stopped short on the way there. A flash of black and pale blonde had caught her eye, and she turned toward it. Draco Malfoy, head down, was trudging toward the tavern. Forgetting about the shopping list in her hand, she ran after him.

"Malfoy," she called, catching up to him. Draco paused and looked at her warily. Ginny blinked, her hand still outstretched and almost reaching his arm. "Oh! Your scar! What's happened to it? It's gone now."

His eyes narrowed slightly, and he took a long look at her. "I thought that was you."

"Are you all right? I've wondered what happened to you after that. I'm glad you're okay," she said honestly, smiling at him. "Um... Do you want to get lunch together?"

"You were shopping," he pointed out, nodding at the list in her outstretched hand. "I wouldn't want to interrupt that," he added, sidestepping her question.

Ginny grinned and shoved the list in her pocket. "Oh, it's nothing that can't wait until after lunch with a friend. It's only supplies for the shop."

"A friend," Draco said, face blank. "Who?"

"You, of course," Ginny said brightly. "Aren't you?"

He blinked in surprise. "Because of what happened last year?"

"I would think so, wouldn't you?"

Draco nodded slowly, taking time to assimilate that thought. "I suppose it could be seen that way."

"So we should catch up. I have to admit... I didn't like you when we were at school."

"I gathered that by the hex you threw at me," he drawled.

Ginny flushed somewhat, and began walking toward one of the restaurants with him. "Well, you weren't very nice then, you know. At least, I never saw anything nice about you then." She paused, looking at his stiff profile. "I was surprised last year," she said quietly. "It got me thinking. I guess I never really knew you at all."

"No, you didn't."

"I thought I still hated you, you know. When I saw you in the alley, I mean. I thought it was your fault Hogwarts wasn't safe anymore."

"It was my fault," Draco replied. He opened the door for Ginny and gestured for her to enter first.

Neither spoke as they waited to be seated, and neither responded to the questioning glances that the hostess sent their way. Ginny was sure that there would be a lot of gossip soon afterward, but she wasn't about to think of that.

Once at their table, Ginny looked at the menu, biting her lip. "Why did you do it?"

"Do what?" he asked, not looking up from his menu.

"Hogwarts. Rescuing me. All of it. What happened?"

He shrugged negligently. "Have you eaten here before? What's good here?"

"I usually get the Petrified Poppy salad and some pumpkin juice. But that doesn't excuse you from the question."

"Why does it matter?" he asked, finally looking up. There was a weariness about him that surprised Ginny, and she suddenly felt like hugging him until he was able to smile again. "It happened, and it's over and done with."

"What happened to you, then?" Ginny asked, voice hushed. "Did they hurt you badly?"

"Why do you want to know?" he asked, a tinge of frustratrion lacing his voice. "Aren't you and Potter going to get married and have your dozen babies?"

She stared at him, stunned. "Not you, too."

Draco looked at her, confused. "What?"

Ginny shook her head and took a sip from her water glass. When the waiter arrived, they placed their orders. She waited until he was well away from the table before speaking. "It's all my brother Ron is on about. Or my Mum. Really, it's tiring. That's not what I want."

He lofted an eyebrow at her. "Wasn't that what you wanted?"

She shrugged, looking somewhat uncomfortable. "It wasn't what I thought it would be. It wasn't real. It wasn't really me that he wanted." She gave him a pained smile. "That still hurts sometimes. I suppose it's better I learned that early."

"You never told anyone that before, have you?" he asked softly.

Ginny shook her head. "I don't think my family would understand that. I've changed. Not as much as you, apparently, but I've changed since then."

Draco nodded slowly, and Ginny got the sense that he truly understood what she had meant. It was strange how comfortable she felt with him, even though they had never so much as talked prior to the war. It had all been insults and hexes, power plays and petty jealousy.

Silence fell between then, sharp and uncomfortable. Draco folded his hands primly on top of the table. "They lied," he murmured, looking at his hands. "That's what happened."

"I'm sorry," she said softly. She reached forward and gently rested her hands over his. Draco looked up, startled. "It's never nice to find out you've been wrong about something you thought would be right for you."

Draco gave her a pained smile. "I wondered about you, too," he said slowly. "I saw you about, and I remember thinking you had to be a Gryffindor. No Slytherin would ever be so foolish, taking the risks that you did."

Ginny drew back as she laughed. "Ha. But I got the job done. I did what I could." She watched as Draco took a sip of water from his glass. Something had changed him, stripping the arrogance from him. It had to have been painful. "Are you ever sorry when you look back? Do you wish you hadn't joined up?"

His lips curled into a faint shadow of his old smirk. "And miss the degradation and destitution? Of course not." The sarcasm that laced his voice was painful. The years of war and post-war hatred weighed heavily on him, and it was hard to let go of.

"Where are you staying?"

"Anywhere they let me, until they get tired of me and throw me out," he replied with a careless shrug. "It's better than death, I suppose."

"I'm sorry," Ginny replied instantly. The Weasleys had grown comfortable after the war. They would never be as affluent as the Malfoys had been, but she was definitely much better off than he was now. It was an uncomfortable feeling.

"Don't be. It happens," he replied. He looked up as the waiter returned with their lunches. "Ah. Here we are."

They ate in companionable silence. "Will I see you again?" Ginny asked as she reached for the check at the end of the meal.

Draco resisted the impulse to be gallant and offer to pay for lunch. He could hardly afford his own share of the meal, and there was still his nightly rent at the boarding house to think of. There was no work to be had in Hogsmeade, just as there hadn't been at Diagon Alley or any other Wizarding village in England. The Malfoy name had turned to rot after the war. Anything his father hadn't destroyed to try and please the Dark Lord had been seized by the Ministry. Draco was almost glad that his mother had been killed in a Ministry raid. She would never have to see how low the Malfoy name had sunk. He had only been cleared by the Ministry when it was clear that the other Death Eaters wanted him dead for betraying them.

"Do you want to?" he asked, looking up. She smiled at him so genuinely that his chest ached. "I'm probably not going to be here much longer," he said honestly. He gave her a helpless sort of smile. "There isn't any work for me here."

"Well, can you do bookkeeping?" Ginny asked earnestly. She almost wanted to laugh at the way he reacted so seriously to her question, but she schooled her face into one of sweet concern. She knew the way boys were. They wanted to keep their precious pride intact. "I've so much work at the shop, I'd gladly hire you on to take some of it over."

"Your brothers might have an issue with that," Draco replied dryly. He refused to hope. There was no use in hoping anymore.

She grinned at him slyly. "Oh, I'll deal with my brothers. Can you start right away?"

Silly question. It wasn't as if he had anything else he could do. Draco ignored the sick feeling that his ancestors were rolling in their graves. "Of course."

Ginny's stunning smile made up for that feeling. "Brilliant. Let's start."

***

Looking back afterward, Draco found it hard to pinpoint when their friendship developed into something more. Ginny had certainly bullied the twins into submission and prohibited Ron from the back rooms at the shop. After the first month, the twins stopped glaring at him every day. The books were balanced and neater than when Ginny had done them. It left her more time to haggle with vendors and devise advertising for the shop, which in turn left more time for the twins to develop new products. They had to admit that he was punctual and diligent, something that Fred still hadn't learned.

That first month, Ginny had noticed that Draco didn't leave the shop at all during the day. He didn't bring in lunch and didn't go out to get any. She guessed that he didn't have the money for it, so she began to bring in lunch she had made at home, then declare that she was absolutely stuffed halfway through. She would offer the remainder of her sandwiches to Draco for lunch, downplaying the gesture. Draco would nod quietly, then thank her. By the end of the first month, he began to request particular fillings for the sandwiches. Halfway through the second, he began bringing in two drinks and would give her the second. By that time, he was starting to fill out a bit, and his face seemed less angular and bony.

Sometime during the fourth month of Draco's employment, Ginny breezed into the back office and sat down next to Draco with a flourish. It was something she often did when she wanted Draco's attention, and one he had initially complained about. By that time, he merely smiled and kept at his work. Ginny cleared her throat, and Draco grinned.

"You know, I have something to say."

"Go ahead. I'm not stopping you."

"Humph. I want you to look at me when I'm talking to you. Haven't you any manners? They've gotten simply atrocious. It must be the twins' bad influence," Ginny added cheekily.

"I wasn't the one raised in a hole in the ground."

"The Burrow, as well you know," she replied as Draco looked up. He put his quill down and leaned back in his chair, pointedly making eye contact. "Well, you know that Luna and Neville had been dating for some time now, right?" Draco rolled his eyes; anytime either of them came into the shop for a chat, they always mentioned the other. "Well, Neville's proposed!"

Draco blinked. "Did he really? He's got more nerve than I thought."

"Well, of course I'm to be Maid of Honor." Draco nodded, since that was fitting. "And they're doing it rather quickly, to be sure that Neville's Gran can attend. Her heath isn't all that good, and they really want her to be there. So it's in two months."

"Are you sure it's his Gran and not an embarrassing situation?" Draco asked wryly.

Ginny laughed and swatted his arm playfully. "Of course not! Anyway, I'd like it if you went with me to the wedding."

Draco froze. His mind stopped short, and he thought of all her dazzling smiles since the first one she had given him in the market. He thought of the lunches they'd shared since the first one, the shame he'd felt when she visited his rented room, the snide remarks he endured from her brothers. He thought of Luna's breezy smiles and easy acceptance of him, and of Neville's hesitant greetings at first. He would see Ginny in a dress. He would be with her in public. He would be dancing with her in front of all her friends and family. He would touch her, and wouldn't have to worry about a hex falling about his shoulders.

"Draco? Are you all right?" she asked, concerned. "If you can't, it's all right..."

"I'd be honored," he blurted. "It's just... I'm supposed to ask you."

Ginny giggled, and Draco's heart skipped a beat. "Since when did anything about us go the way it should? Why should this?"

"So you'd be the one to propose to me?" he asked without thinking. He could have kicked himself as soon as the words passed his lips.

She playfully pretended to consider the idea. "You know, I like that. Women should do more proposing, I think." She grinned at him, then got to her feet. "I'll let you know, Draco," she said gaily as she flounced out of the office. "I might just do that."

He shut his eyes tightly and wondered what he had done right in his sorry life in order to have earned this moment. After a moment, he opened his eyes and smiled. It didn't matter. He had it, and that was all that mattered.

***

The two months spun by quickly. He had quietly gone to Fred and George to ask for an advance on his salary. George had been silent, but Fred had looked at him slyly. "I suppose it's for a girl of some sort," Fred sing-songed.

"I'd like to look respectable when I bring your sister to Luna's wedding," Draco replied evenly. He had years of experience in masking his emotions, and he had faced a dozen Death Eaters without fear. Facing the twins had taken three days and the grim knowledge that he couldn't even afford a tacky dress robe, let alone a suitable one.

"That's something I think we can agree on," George said, cutting off Fred. "Our sister's a dear one, I hope you know."

"Too good for you," Fred added, trying his best to level an imposing glare at Draco.

"Yes, she is. She's very forgiving. I won't hurt her," he added honestly. "I couldn't."

"Of course not," George replied, nodding. "If you did, we'd all have to kill you."

"And that might make our dear sister cry," Fred said thoughtfully. "Never a good thing to see."

"If you do see that, it better be with happiness," George chimed in.

"If it's not," Fred said with a definitive nod, "we know of plenty of places to hide the pieces that will be left of you."

"Just a friendly brotherly warning," George said brightly.

The advance had been fairly hefty, and it allowed Draco to buy a complete ensemble with accents that complimented the dress that Ginny would be wearing as Maid of Honor. He sat in the girls' apartment on several occasions, listening to them plan the wedding. Neville tried to be involved, but usually was sent aside. Draco would usually wind up talking to Neville at that point, and the conversation would revolve around Quidditch, the Longbottom Arboretum or the conditions around Hogsmeade. By unspoken consent, neither discussed the war, the Ministry, Harry Potter or Draco's current impoverished state. The old Draco would have been disgusted by the way that Draco looked forward to his conversations with Neville.

One month before the wedding, Neville appeared more nervous than usual when Draco arrived. They began talking about Quidditch as the girls began talking about flowers and centerpieces for the reception at Neville's childhood home. Finally, Neville seemed to reach his breaking point.

"Draco, willyoubemybestman," he mumbled.

He blinked. "What was that?"

"Ron and Hermione are in the States on Ministry business and won't be able to get back for the wedding. Harry's... Well, no one's heard from him in ages, because nobody ever knows where an Unspeakable is. I haven't really many other friends." Neville looked positively green. "I'd... You're kind of my best friend right now."

Draco blinked again, not sure if he had heard all of that right. "Uh..."

"It's all right, I shouldn't have asked," Neville muttered, shoulders slumping. "Sorry."

"No! Um... It was a surprise, is all. I don't have many friends right now either."

Neville looked up hopefully. "So you will?"

"Sure. I've even got dress robes already."

He looked almost pathetically relieved. "Oh, good. You can help me pick mine, then. I have no idea what I'm supposed to pick."

Draco began explaining how men's dress robes should look, and he caught Ginny's eye as he was speaking. Her grin at him spoke volumes, and it made something flutter in his chest. It was a tight burning feeling, a warmth spreading through him.

He smiled back, tentatively at first, then wider.

"You know what, Malfoy? I never thought I'd say this, but you're an okay bloke."

"I never thought I'd say this either, but you're okay, too."

***

The Longbottom estate was rather imposing, but the yard was done up in style. There were two rows of chairs facing a floral-lined archway. There were a limited number of guests, since most of Luna's family and Neville's family were dead, and many of their friends were unable to attend on short notice. Neville's grandmother sat up front in the most prominent position. Luna's father sat on the other side of the aisle in the most prominent position on her side. Neville and Draco stood up at the front of the assembly next to the parish minister beneath the archway. Neville looked somewhat green, and Draco was still as a statue.

Once the minister nodded at the musicians, they began to play their violins. Ginny came down the aisle first, bouquet in hand. She had a smile on her face which widened into a beautiful grin once she caught Draco's eye. She moved into position on her side of the aisle, then looked back down to Luna.

Luna was wearing her mother's gown and Neville's Gran's veil flowing down behind her. She was smiling sweetly as she walked down the aisle. She stood by Neville in front of the minister, and then they both turned to begin their vows.

Draco had no idea what they said. He was too busy staring at Ginny, who was too busy staring back at him. Somehow, they handed over the rings at the appropriate times. Somehow, they managed to walk back up the aisle together toward the estate's main hall. Somehow, they managed to greet the family and friends they were introduced to.

It wasn't until Draco was able to dance with Ginny that his life seemed to restart again. That burning sensation flooded his chest, and it was almost difficult to breathe. "I've been waiting for this all day," he murmured, his arms tight around her. He ignored the glares that the twins shot his way. Ginny's giggles were worth it.

"Really? Seems like I've been waiting for this for months."

"Months?"

"Once I got to know you, yes." She laughed at his stunned expression. "What? Is that so unbelievable? You turned out to be a pretty nice guy."

Draco frowned. "Nice guys don't win in the end."

"This one will," Ginny murmured. She pulled his head down for a kiss, her arms looping around his neck. His arms tightened around her, she leaned further into the kiss. "Don't you think so?" she whispered.

"Maybe if your brothers don't roast me at the stake," he whispered back.

She giggled. "Trust me, I know more fire hexes than they do."

"So you're the flame in the family?" Draco murmured. He spun her out and then pulled her back in. "Are you going to be the one to burn me?"

Ginny pressed herself tightly. "Maybe if you ask nicely."

He smiled back. "Please."

She laughed as he spun her about again. "Oh, this is going to be fun."

Draco couldn't agree more.


The End.