I don't mind spending every day
Out on your corner in the pouring rain, oh
Look for the girl with the broken smile
Ask her if she wants to stay awhile
And she will be loved
Please don't try so hard to say goodbye
She felt at ease in his arms, and knew that she always would. People would say for years later that nothing so ludicrous could ever have been so perfect. Though it was… absolute perfection. Theirs was a story that would live far longer than Shakespeare’s, she knew.
He knew, too, as he held her in his arms, and silently cursed himself for ever being with another woman before her. His heart belonged to her, as well as the rest of him. Draco could hardly contain himself as he thought of their carefree future together. He road the Hogwart’s Express to her home, as she had intended him to spend Christmas with her family. It would be a celebration after all they had been through, she assured him.
“Ginny?” he questioned, not sure if she was still asleep in his embrace.
“Hmm…?” she responded, turning around to face him.
“I love you, and never want to be without you. I know you have another year and a half before you graduate, but I wanted to ask you something.”
“What’s that?”
“Not now, not here. Later… when we get home.” Home, a word he had never used with the same emotions before. She was his home, and he’d never find another. Wherever she went, he would follow. He’d already proved that much.
“Okay,” she said, smiling. She leaned up and kissed him softly on the lips. “I love you,” she whispered, and watched the content smile creep over his face. She giggled softly, and sighed. She knew she’d never be alone again. He was hers and she was his. They belonged together, no matter what.
The train stopped at King’s Cross Station, and the couple exited, soon joined by the Dream Team. “There’s mum,” Ron said, walking in Mrs. Weasley’s general direction. Their trunks were already stacked high by the squat lady’s form. She smiled and waved when she saw the.
As Draco and Ginny neared her, he got evident butterflies in his stomach. These people were supposed to hate him. How would they react when he asked for their permission to… oh he couldn’t even think about it now.
“Ginny!” Mrs. Weasley squealed, nearly knocking Draco to the ground when she embraced her daughter. “Oh, so sorry Draco, dear,” she said, and embrace him suddenly, too. “Thank you,” she whispered in his ear. He grinned broadly when she released him. “Now, Arthur’s already waiting over by the barrier, so on you get,” she paused letting her eyes roam over Draco, “All of you.”
Ginny grabbed his hand, and pulled him through the crowd of students greeting parents. When they neared Arthur Weasley, Draco heart found residence within his stomach. The patriarch hardly looked as happy as his wife had been to see the young Malfoy.
“So, Draco Malfoy really is spending Christmas with us? It wasn’t someone’s idea of a sick joke?” Mr. Weasley asked, as they reached him.
“Daddy!” Ginny warned.
“What? He’s the enemy,” he said the last part so only Ginny could hear him.
“He is not! He saved my life! I lo-“
“And I’m very grateful that he did, pumpkin, but it hardly redeems him of his father’s sins,” Arthur reasoned.
“I am not my father!” Draco broke in, hating the fact that they we talking about him as if he wasn’t there.
“So you say! But who can actually trust your word? Who would?” Arthur screeched as the rest of the group surrounded them.
“I would!” Ginny defended.
“As would I,” Harry echoed, surprising almost everyone around.
“Harry?” Mr. Weasley questioned.
“This isn’t the place, Mr. Weasley. We should get home before we make a scene,” Hermione said, eyeing the crowd that was starting to firm.
“Yes, let’s get home,” Mrs. Weasley said in a tone that was not to be argued with.
Each person solemnly took out their wand and Apparated to the Burrow. The moment the telltale pops ended, Arthur Weasley started up again.
“What do you mean about trusting him, Harry?”
The boy hero sighed, and said, “I was there the night Draco saved Ginny once and for all from Tom Riddle. He asked me to help him save her life, and I agreed. Now, I love your daughter, sir, but honestly, if it came down to it, I wouldn’t have the guts to ask my worst enemy for his help to save her. I’d do it on my own, or at least try to. I wouldn’t have succeeded, though,” Harry finished, hanging his head.
It was Ron’s turn to speak, “From the time I was little, you and mum always taught me that it was wrong to judge others without being educated in their beliefs and upbringing. I tried not to make exceptions, but you know we’ve never liked the Malfoys. We didn’t respect their beliefs, but what if his were different?” Ron looked pointedly at Draco. “Ginny once said to me that Lucius Malfoy and Draco Malfoy were two very different people, and all this time I never saw it. But dad, Lucius threw Ginny into Tom Riddle’s grasp, but Draco ripped her away from that demon. He saved my baby sister. Who knows what would’ve happened to her otherwise?”
“Yes, but he also has been the one to tease and torment you all for years,” Arthur pointed out.
“Good training, I guess,” Hermione piped up, “He kept us on our toes, and kept our guard up. He gave the boys dueling practice, and gave us a person to practice tactics on. In the end, he was on our side anyway.”
“Well, I already said he could stay… I just don’t have to like it,” Arthur snapped before he walked out to his workroom.
Draco sighed, and ran a hand threw his hair. He didn’t even have a chance in defending himself. What was worse, Mr. Weasley was never going to except Draco’s request when he asked the question. He was doomed.
“It’ll be okay,” Ginny said, patting the couch next to her. Draco sat down and she continued, “He’ll come around. You’ll see. You’ll charm your way into his heart just like you did with everyone else here.” She kissed his lips tenderly, putting her arms around him.
“I don’t know…” Draco started.
“Oh, Arthur’s only stubborn! Ginny’s right. He’ll come around,” Molly reassured him. “Now Ginny, why don’t you show Draco to his room,” she prompted, and Ginny beckoned for her love to follow her.
They both took their trunks are climbed the stair, unoccupied hands clasped within the other’s grasp. She led him to Percy’s room, which had a nice view of the front lawn, and the small creek beyond.
“You want to know why I always teased you?” Draco asked her suddenly. He came up behind her, and wrapped his arms around her middle.
“Why’s that?”
“Because you never needed what I was so proud of. You were happy with what little money you had. You have more pride in one beautiful little finger then I have in my whole family line. It didn’t matter that half of the pureblood families thought you were traitors to the cause because you knew what you were fighting for, and the greater good was salvaged inside your heart. People respected and liked you. I was only feared, and paid people to be my friends,” Draco finished solemnly.
“You never paid me,” Ginny said with a giggle. She turned against him, just about to kiss him when she heard her mother’s call.
“We better get back down there. Don’t want your dad to rip off my head for touching his baby girl,” Draco stated, and Ginny stuck her tongue out at him.
“Mr. Weasley, may I have a word?” Draco asked, his voice shaking uncharacteristically.
It was well after dinner, and all of the Weasley clan and its guest were asleep, except Draco and Mr. Weasley.
“A word. Make it short.”
“Ginny,” Draco said, finding her name the most effective one within his vocabulary. It was a good choice because the older man looked up from the broken maraca he was studying, and eyed the young Malfoy.
His look was critical, but he managed to bite out, “Go on.”
“I know that you don’t approve of me, seeing as my background and upbringing wasn’t the best. But sir, it’s not fair for you to judge me by looking at my father. I’ve done nothing to directly hurt your family, and what I have done I’m paying for. In this moment, I’m paying for it in tenfold. Now, you may not trust me, but most of your family does. Ginny does, and I will never do anything ever to hurt her intentionally. You’ve heard talk of me saving her life, but in reality, she saved me. I was so lost in my past, present, and future that I couldn’t see the path lying before me. Ginny grabbed my hand, and led me to the road of salvation. I owe her everything. She is my everything.”
“My father has done your family wrong, but don’t blame me for his mistakes. I am not only a Malfoy, but a Black as well. Don’t burden me by only recognizing the worse half of me. I believe that you were friends with the late Sirius Black. He was my uncle, and though I didn’t know him, his blood runs through my veins. He had to live within the shadow of past sins he did nothing to create. He was only associated with the wrong sort of people. You looked past the image and saw the real man inside. You gave him a second chance for Harry’s sake. Can’t you look inside me? Can’t you give me a second chance for Ginny’s sake?” Draco finished, and looked expectantly at Mr. Weasley.
“Let me ask you something, Draco,” Arthur started, “Have you ever forced yourself upon my daughter?”
Draco choked, not knowing what had brought the question about. “No sir! I would never do that to her! I’m not like my father! I would-“
“Have you ever thought about it?”
“Honestly?”
“Yes, honestly.”
“It, yes, force no. I respect your daughter way too much to do that to her. I want her first time to be special, and not something she’d have to look back on, seeing it as wrong. I don’t want her to be further scarred by pain I can help her avoid.” Draco answered.
“So, if it’s not about sex, what is this relationship about, and how long do you think it will last?” Arthur questioned.
“Actually, that’s what I came out here to ask you,” Draco said, “But I wanted to have both your and your wife’s attention first.”
“Well, you have it.” The men turned to see Molly Weasley looking slightly disgruntled. “Honestly, Arthur, you know I can’t go to sleep without you!” she said as she came to her husband’s side. “Now, Draco, dear, what’s this all about?”
Draco cleared his throat, “I know that you both have always wanted Harry Potter to end up with Ginny. I know that for most of her life, Ginny wanted that, too. I’m not a squeaky clean hero like Potter, and I’m not a golden boy. I have my flaws, but to Ginny, that’s okay. She says that it makes me twice as good to her. To know that I have flaws, it makes me human to her, and she loves me for it. I love her. You probably think I’m too young to know what love is, but I know this is real. I also know that Ginny has a year and a half before her graduation, but I can wait. I only wanted to ask if you would give me you blessings and grant me her hand in marriage.”
Mrs. Weasley gasped, and covered her mouth. For once, Mr. Weasley gave him a look of understanding. “You really do care about her, don’t you, Draco?”
The young boy nodded.
Mr. Weasley looked at his wife, and tears were in her eyes. She removed her hand from her mouth, and smiled at Draco. Ginny’s parents stared at each other in silent conference, and then they both looked at Draco. “We’d be honored if you would make our daughter so happy.”
Draco smiled, thanked them, and went happily to bed.
This Chapter comes in two parts. The end of this fic will be the second part. Please R/R!
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