Sorry for the long time between updates, I've been busy. Many thanks to Rainpuddle13 for the fantastic (and quick!) beta.
Hours later, they were still inside Draco's flat. After her brother's left, Ginny seemed to be in no hurry to see anyone else. She'd mentioned needing to Floo her parents, but eventually just wandered off to her room. Draco kept himself busy by looking over some family related things for his mother. Since the 'reunion' with his father, he was now the sole heir to both the Black and Malfoy family fortunes. His mother had long ago handed over controlling interests for the Blacks, but the Malfoy vaults had been neglected for years. Draco knew it would fall on his shoulders to restore greatness to his family name.
As he worked, he would occasionally hear a thump as something hit the floor. When he'd checked on his wife earlier, he'd found her redecorating her bedroom. Draco knew she was only trying to make this feel like her home, but in some way it pleased him. He wanted her to be comfortable in his home. He was glad she'd found someway to occupy herself, as he wasn't ready to venture outside the flat. There was sure to be a media spectacle whenever they emerged and he wasn't sure Ginny was ready to handle it.
The Malfoy heir was a bit disappointed, however. He knew Ginny was keeping herself busy so she wouldn't have to be in the same room with him. Was his kissing so revolting to her? Could she be upset with herself for kissing him back? No matter how hard he concentrated on the paperwork before him, he couldn't escape his own mind.
Pushing the contracts aside, the blond sat back and listened to the sounds his wife was making. He wanted more than anything to offer to help, but he also understood she needed to work this out on her own. His thoughts turned internal and he began to examine the reason why he'd kissed her. He kept coming back to one thing: it made sense to him. After her brothers left—or even before—when they'd been pounding on the door, demanding entry, he'd been stunned by her vow to stay with him. Their marriage was fake and they both knew it, yet she risked the wrath of her family to stand by him. Draco knew it would have been easy to tell them the truth about his father. The Weasleys might not have liked it, but they would have understood. Ginny could have taken the easy way out, but she didn't. He respected that.
Time passed and morning faded into afternoon. He worked for a bit longer, always aware of the sounds Ginny was making. When they stopped, Draco decided it was time to get out of the apartment. Lunch would be a perfect excuse. There was no food to speak of and he was afraid of what she'd changed in her room. He almost expected half of his flat to be decorated in red and gold now. When their marriage ended, the blond knew he'd have to live with whatever changes she made. He'd been very clear about this being his home, but Draco knew he'd never stop her from making whatever changes she wanted. Even now he could see her cloak tossed haphazardly over the back of a chair. Didn't she know there was a cloak closet for that purpose? Almost in front of his eyes his orderly life was being turned upside down.
Draco heard her bedroom door open and close and then another door open down the hall. If they were leaving the flat, now was the time. He stacked his work in a neat pile beside the couch and stood. Draco resisted the urge to hang her cloak. Sylvia, the house elf his mother employed to clean his flat, would be in later to take care of it. "Weasley?" he called out.
"In your study," she called back.
His redheaded bride was busy hanging something behind his desk. Draco casually leaned against the doorjamb, watching her struggle with the picture. "What're you doing?"
"Hanging this," she glanced back over her shoulder and smiled. "Can you help?"
Draco rolled his eyes and straightened, taking out his wand. "Bloody women, have to make everything so complicated." With a quick swish and flick, the painting was perfectly placed on the wall. Draco studied it for a moment, thinking he knew the place but couldn't place it. "What is it?"
"The grounds at Hogwarts."
"From what vantage point?"
"The Astronomy Tower." Ginny went around the desk to study his work. The painting was level and centered perfectly behind his chair. She turned to face him and smiled again. "Thank you," the redhead told him. Draco frowned when she didn't say anything else and left the room.
"Weasley," he called behind her. His frown deepened when she kept walking, knowing she could hear him. He realized his error and cursed under his breath. "Ginny?"
She stopped at her doorway and looked back at him. "Yes?"
"The painting," he said. "Who's the artist?"
Ginny shrugged her shoulders carelessly. "I am."
Draco unsuccessfully tried to hide his surprise. "You paint?"
"I dabble. Don't act so surprised. I did that my sixth year, while you and I were…"
"Right." The blond felt like he should have known that, especially if they were together at the time. "I didn't know you painted."
"I don't," she told him. "I dabble. What, did you think I only went to the Astronomy Tower for one thing?"
"You did have a bit of a reputation—" The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them.
She turned to face him fully, her hands resting on her hips. "Are you implying that I was loose at Hogwarts?"
"Gin—"
"No," she cut him off. "Is that what you're trying to say? That I was loose?"
"You did snog quite a few boys," he began.
"Yes, during my fourth and fifth year, particularly. Michael, Dean, Seamus, Harry, Neville." Each name came from her lips a little louder than the previous. "Let's not forget Blaise my sixth year! I could see why you might think that, Draco."
"Blaise?" Draco questioned. "You snogged Blaise?"
She rolled her eyes. "Like you didn't know. Damned Slytherins could never keep a secret."
"I resent that—"
"Then there was the most important Slytherin of all! You! I snogged Draco Malfoy!"
"Ginny," he tried.
"No. I don't want to hear it. What else did you think about me while I was at Hogwarts? You enormous prat. I've never met a bigger hypocrite."
"What do you mean by that?" Draco could feel his temper beginning to rise.
"How many girls did you shag at Hogwarts?" Ginny asked bitterly. "Pansy, Hannah, Susan, Mandy Brocklehurst, and probably countless others. You had a number of slags before I came around, Draco. Slytherins, Ravenclaws, and Hufflepuffs alike. Then stupid Ginny Weasley comes along and you complete your tour of all four houses! I'm the only Gryffindor you ever bothered with, so I guess I should be relieved."
"Who I shagged is my business!" he yelled at her. Draco stopped and tried to collect himself. When he spoke again, his voice was even and controlled. "You and I never…in case you've forgotten. And don't accuse me of not caring for you. You didn't care, you never cared, so why are you bringing this up now?"
"I never cared?" she questioned. Ginny let out a short, bitter laugh. "I kissed you and couldn't kiss anyone else, Draco. At the end of your seventh year, when you told me we should both move on with our lives, I didn't know what to do. I came back to finish school, and did what you told me to do. I moved on." She went into her bedroom door, slamming the door behind her.
Draco stood in the doorway of his study completely stunned. Had she just admitted to caring for him? At least while they were at Hogwarts? He could feel his heart beating rapidly in his chest. None of it seemed possible and he wouldn't have believed it had he not heard it with his own ears. Ginny Weasley had feelings for him. Those feelings might be dead now, but at one time she'd genuinely cared for him.
Returning to the living room, Draco went straight for the mini bar. He poured a healthy splash of scotch in a tumbler and downed it in one swallow. Most of the time he avoided Muggle alcohol, as he didn't care for the loss of control that came along with it. Right now, however, he welcomed the burn as the amber liquid settled into his stomach. He needed to regain some control over himself before he faced her again.
He was amazed that she could still get under his skin like that. Even before their affair began at Hogwarts, little Ginny Weasley still unnerved him like no other. Draco poured himself another drink and prepared for another confrontation. He already knew he needed to apologize. Leaving his glass at the bar, he went to her door.
The Malfoy heir could hear her crying from outside the room. Knocking lightly, he waited for an answer. "Weasley?" he asked softly.
He wasn't surprised when he was met with silence. "Weasley?" Draco called again, louder. "Open up, I know you're in there."
"Leave me alone!" she yelled through the door. "Go away."
"Come on, Ginny, we need to talk about this."
"I don't have anything to say to you. Leave me alone."
"I'm not above opening this door. You have three seconds to open up," he warned her. "One… two… three…"
Ginny yanked the door open and glared at him. "What?"
Draco was too busy with the tears glistening down her cheeks to answer her. She looked amazingly sad and Draco cursed himself for doing this to her.
"Well?" Ginny asked impatiently.
"Well?" her husband repeated.
"What do you want? Don't tell me you're mad; you acted like a bloody pillock. You deserve everything you get."
Draco raised his hands in surrender. "You're right. I'm sorry if I… said something you didn't like."
The redhead raised an eyebrow. "How often do you apologize to people, Malfoy?"
"Hardly ever," Draco admitted.
"I can tell. You're horrible at it."
Her honesty made him grin. It was rare to find someone who wasn't afraid to call him on his rubbish. "Malfoy's don't usually apologize for anything we do."
"Weasleys expect apologies when the other person is clearly in the wrong."
Draco nodded. "Right. I'm sorry then. I didn't mean to… do whatever I did."
"Upset me?" Ginny suggested. "You didn't mean to upset me."
"Yes. I didn't mean to upset you." When she smiled at him, Draco knew he'd be apologizing a lot in the future. Especially if it meant she'd keep looking at him like that. He was relieved to put this behind them and decided to change the subject. Earlier he'd been intent on asking her out to lunch, and now seemed as good a time as any. "Would you like some lunch?"
The redhead shrugged. "I could eat."
"Get your cloak. We'll go to Diagon Alley."
"Diagon Alley?" she questioned. "Why can't we just make something here?"
"Since news of our wedding broke so quickly, I think we should be seen in public. Everyone will be curious if the gossip is real. Besides, I don't typically eat here, so there's no food."
"Right." Ginny studied him, feeling uneasy. Was she ready to be seen in public as Mrs. Draco Malfoy? Still unsure, she started to shut the door. "Give me ten minutes, and I'll be ready."
Her husband was waiting in the living room when she reappeared seven minutes later. She'd washed away her tears and changed out of her plain black robes from before. The emerald green complimented her hair and Draco noticed that the bright colour didn't wash her out as much. He made a mental note to tell her later. Slytherin Green looked amazing on her. "Ready?"
Ginny pulled her wand from her pocket and nodded. "Diagon Alley, right?"
"The Leaky Cauldron." Draco never blinked as she Disapparated. After she was gone, he raised the security wards for the flat and followed after her.
The redhead was waiting for him outside of the Leaky Cauldron. She took his hand when he offered it and asked, "Where do you want to eat?"
"It doesn't matter. Do you want to pick, or should I?" She let him take the lead, guiding her throughout Diagon Alley. They'd made so many turns, Ginny was glad he was with her. She was certain she'd never make it back if she were alone.
"Do you like fish?" he asked.
The redhead wrinkled her nose in disgust.
"Curious. A Brit who doesn't like fish," Draco teased her. "Fine then, no fish. We'll find somewhere else."
In the end, he decided to take her to his Mum's favorite restaurant. When he was a child, Narcissa would take her tea at Summerbee's every day. Before he left for Hogwarts, she would often allow Draco to come along with her.
The restaurant wasn't formal, which surprised Ginny, and the menu was varied for all types of eaters. She decided on a large bowl of salad with chicken and Draco ordered a steak for himself. After the waiter left them, they soon found it was as easy for them to talk as ever.
"Your flat," she questioned. "How did you find it?"
"It was given to me. My mother is a Black, did you know that?"
"I think Harry might have mentioned it."
"How did—" he stopped. "The family tree. Sirius Black would have shown him. How familiar are you with my family, then?"
"I know the basics," Ginny admitted. "They used 12 Grimmauld Place as headquarters for the Order and I spent some time there. I've seen the tapestry."
Draco nodded. "Well, my mother is a Black, as am I. Sirius Black and I were cousins. Fifty years ago, the Blacks were one of the prominent wizarding families. Grandfather Black was a great man, but he and Grandmother never had an heir. The estate was to be divided between my mother, Bellatrix, and Andromeda. Two of the three fell out of favor with Grandfather after their marriages, so everything fell to my mother upon his death. Grimmauld Place was where Sirius and Regulus grew up, and Mum never bothered with the property.
"Back to Mum and her marrying Father… Grandfather didn't want Mum to marry a Malfoy. Originally, Bellatrix was promised to my father, but she broke the contract and married Rodolphus LeStrange instead. My father asked that my mother be used as a substitution. Mother was Grandfather's favorite and he was against the match – Malfoys had a reputation for being stuck up prats who expected their wives to produce an heir and then disappear. As you well know, my father didn't disappoint."
"But your Mum married him anyway."
"Yes. She was smitten with him, I think. My parents were once very attentive to each other – before I went to Hogwarts, Father was affectionate to my mother and generous with me. When I returned after my first year, things changed. He would disappear for days or lock himself away in his study.
"When Grandfather Black died, Mum received an inheritance. Before his death, Grandfather encouraged Mum to keep her own purse strings. He wanted to provide for her when Lucius wouldn't – it's almost as if Grandfather saw it coming. Father was a bit off the deep end before his death, and Grandfather insisted that his daughter and grandson wouldn't be left to the whims of a man controlled by a beast. Her inheritance was a rather large sum of money, as Mum's sister Andromeda was disowned when she married the Mudblood Tonks." Draco didn't miss Ginny's flinch at his use of the word and made a note to try and not use it around her. "Don't act surprised – Grandfather wasn't a Death Eater or supporter of Voldemort, but he believed in pureness of blood. The Blacks were one of few pureblooded families left in Britain.
"After Bellatrix, Mum's other sister, joined the Death Eaters and spent the better part of my childhood in Azkaban, Grandfather threatened to wash his hands with the lot of them. When she wouldn't denounce Voldemort, like my father and many others, he vowed he wouldn't give her another Knut. Grandfather was not someone you wanted to cross. But, Bellatrix was a bit crazy, and she didn't listen. You probably know her as well."
Ginny nodded. "She was at the Department of Mysteries during fourth year."
"I've never actually met her, I just remember the stories Mum would tell me as a child. At the time of his death, Grandfather couldn't be swayed on behalf of Bellatrix, as she was still in Azkaban. The entire Black fortune was passed along to my mother. Mum put most of the money into a vault at Gringotts for me. I think she knew by then I wouldn't follow my father as a Death Eater. It relieved her to no end. In order to protect my inheritance, she went to the one person father had no influence over to keep the money safe."
"Professor Snape?" his wife guessed.
"No. Dumbledore. Mum knew Lucius would never be able to bully the Headmaster into giving him the key. She was right."
Ginny pushed the half-eaten salad aside and leaned forward. She was totally enthralled by the story he was telling her. "And then what happened?"
"I announced after seventh year I would be attending Auror training, not training to become a Death Eater. My father disowned me the day I started at the Ministry. I think he was waiting to see if I would go through with it. Professor Dumbledore called me to Hogwarts the next day. He gave me the key and said he was glad he'd been wrong about me.
"It took me two days to go through the vault. I suddenly had a fortune all my own, with only my mother to advise me. I moved out of my flat in London and into the flat in Brighton. I preferred it from the moment I saw it, and knew I would feel at home there."
"I love it," Ginny confessed. "I've only seen a bit, but the view is amazing. You're fortunate to have inherited such a place. If you and I are going to be living together, I'm glad it's there. We'll both have our own space. Of course, I don't think you'd be very comfortable at the Burrow," she teased.
How right she was. Draco knew he'd never survive with Weasleys around every corner. He wiped his mouth one last time and stood. "Are you ready?" He extended his hand and was secretly surprised when she accepted.
"Where now?" his wife asked.
"Shopping?" Draco suggested.
Ginny flushed. "I didn't bring any money."
"I have money, Gin. I'll treat you."
She shook her head. "I can't—"
Draco turned to her and took her chin in his hand. "You can and you will. I was going to buy you a wedding present, but I'm sure you'd like it better if you picked it out."
The redhead still didn't look convinced.
"You can't sleep in my pyjamas every night, Weasley. You need clothes and shoes and robes and countless other things. You're a Malfoy now."
"Draco—"
"I insist." He dropped some coins on the table and led her out of the restaurant. Ginny followed behind him, hesitating. She didn't feel it was right to spend his money, especially since they would be divorcing. "We could just go home."
"Or, we could go to the jewelry store and you could pick something out." Draco turned to face her, smiling. "Please, Weasley?"
"I'll go if you promise to call me Ginny," she conceded.
"Please, Ginny?"
Ginny couldn't help the smile on her face and she nodded. He looked triumphant for a moment before tugging on her arm. "Let's go."
And so, the day after their wedding, the Malfoy heir and his bride walked through Diagon Alley holding hands. They were laughing and smiling and causing others around them to stop and stare. It was something most of them imagined they'd never see: a Malfoy and Weasley in love.
Hours later, they were still inside Draco's flat. After her brother's left, Ginny seemed to be in no hurry to see anyone else. She'd mentioned needing to Floo her parents, but eventually just wandered off to her room. Draco kept himself busy by looking over some family related things for his mother. Since the 'reunion' with his father, he was now the sole heir to both the Black and Malfoy family fortunes. His mother had long ago handed over controlling interests for the Blacks, but the Malfoy vaults had been neglected for years. Draco knew it would fall on his shoulders to restore greatness to his family name.
As he worked, he would occasionally hear a thump as something hit the floor. When he'd checked on his wife earlier, he'd found her redecorating her bedroom. Draco knew she was only trying to make this feel like her home, but in some way it pleased him. He wanted her to be comfortable in his home. He was glad she'd found someway to occupy herself, as he wasn't ready to venture outside the flat. There was sure to be a media spectacle whenever they emerged and he wasn't sure Ginny was ready to handle it.
The Malfoy heir was a bit disappointed, however. He knew Ginny was keeping herself busy so she wouldn't have to be in the same room with him. Was his kissing so revolting to her? Could she be upset with herself for kissing him back? No matter how hard he concentrated on the paperwork before him, he couldn't escape his own mind.
Pushing the contracts aside, the blond sat back and listened to the sounds his wife was making. He wanted more than anything to offer to help, but he also understood she needed to work this out on her own. His thoughts turned internal and he began to examine the reason why he'd kissed her. He kept coming back to one thing: it made sense to him. After her brothers left—or even before—when they'd been pounding on the door, demanding entry, he'd been stunned by her vow to stay with him. Their marriage was fake and they both knew it, yet she risked the wrath of her family to stand by him. Draco knew it would have been easy to tell them the truth about his father. The Weasleys might not have liked it, but they would have understood. Ginny could have taken the easy way out, but she didn't. He respected that.
Time passed and morning faded into afternoon. He worked for a bit longer, always aware of the sounds Ginny was making. When they stopped, Draco decided it was time to get out of the apartment. Lunch would be a perfect excuse. There was no food to speak of and he was afraid of what she'd changed in her room. He almost expected half of his flat to be decorated in red and gold now. When their marriage ended, the blond knew he'd have to live with whatever changes she made. He'd been very clear about this being his home, but Draco knew he'd never stop her from making whatever changes she wanted. Even now he could see her cloak tossed haphazardly over the back of a chair. Didn't she know there was a cloak closet for that purpose? Almost in front of his eyes his orderly life was being turned upside down.
Draco heard her bedroom door open and close and then another door open down the hall. If they were leaving the flat, now was the time. He stacked his work in a neat pile beside the couch and stood. Draco resisted the urge to hang her cloak. Sylvia, the house elf his mother employed to clean his flat, would be in later to take care of it. "Weasley?" he called out.
"In your study," she called back.
His redheaded bride was busy hanging something behind his desk. Draco casually leaned against the doorjamb, watching her struggle with the picture. "What're you doing?"
"Hanging this," she glanced back over her shoulder and smiled. "Can you help?"
Draco rolled his eyes and straightened, taking out his wand. "Bloody women, have to make everything so complicated." With a quick swish and flick, the painting was perfectly placed on the wall. Draco studied it for a moment, thinking he knew the place but couldn't place it. "What is it?"
"The grounds at Hogwarts."
"From what vantage point?"
"The Astronomy Tower." Ginny went around the desk to study his work. The painting was level and centered perfectly behind his chair. She turned to face him and smiled again. "Thank you," the redhead told him. Draco frowned when she didn't say anything else and left the room.
"Weasley," he called behind her. His frown deepened when she kept walking, knowing she could hear him. He realized his error and cursed under his breath. "Ginny?"
She stopped at her doorway and looked back at him. "Yes?"
"The painting," he said. "Who's the artist?"
Ginny shrugged her shoulders carelessly. "I am."
Draco unsuccessfully tried to hide his surprise. "You paint?"
"I dabble. Don't act so surprised. I did that my sixth year, while you and I were…"
"Right." The blond felt like he should have known that, especially if they were together at the time. "I didn't know you painted."
"I don't," she told him. "I dabble. What, did you think I only went to the Astronomy Tower for one thing?"
"You did have a bit of a reputation—" The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them.
She turned to face him fully, her hands resting on her hips. "Are you implying that I was loose at Hogwarts?"
"Gin—"
"No," she cut him off. "Is that what you're trying to say? That I was loose?"
"You did snog quite a few boys," he began.
"Yes, during my fourth and fifth year, particularly. Michael, Dean, Seamus, Harry, Neville." Each name came from her lips a little louder than the previous. "Let's not forget Blaise my sixth year! I could see why you might think that, Draco."
"Blaise?" Draco questioned. "You snogged Blaise?"
She rolled her eyes. "Like you didn't know. Damned Slytherins could never keep a secret."
"I resent that—"
"Then there was the most important Slytherin of all! You! I snogged Draco Malfoy!"
"Ginny," he tried.
"No. I don't want to hear it. What else did you think about me while I was at Hogwarts? You enormous prat. I've never met a bigger hypocrite."
"What do you mean by that?" Draco could feel his temper beginning to rise.
"How many girls did you shag at Hogwarts?" Ginny asked bitterly. "Pansy, Hannah, Susan, Mandy Brocklehurst, and probably countless others. You had a number of slags before I came around, Draco. Slytherins, Ravenclaws, and Hufflepuffs alike. Then stupid Ginny Weasley comes along and you complete your tour of all four houses! I'm the only Gryffindor you ever bothered with, so I guess I should be relieved."
"Who I shagged is my business!" he yelled at her. Draco stopped and tried to collect himself. When he spoke again, his voice was even and controlled. "You and I never…in case you've forgotten. And don't accuse me of not caring for you. You didn't care, you never cared, so why are you bringing this up now?"
"I never cared?" she questioned. Ginny let out a short, bitter laugh. "I kissed you and couldn't kiss anyone else, Draco. At the end of your seventh year, when you told me we should both move on with our lives, I didn't know what to do. I came back to finish school, and did what you told me to do. I moved on." She went into her bedroom door, slamming the door behind her.
Draco stood in the doorway of his study completely stunned. Had she just admitted to caring for him? At least while they were at Hogwarts? He could feel his heart beating rapidly in his chest. None of it seemed possible and he wouldn't have believed it had he not heard it with his own ears. Ginny Weasley had feelings for him. Those feelings might be dead now, but at one time she'd genuinely cared for him.
Returning to the living room, Draco went straight for the mini bar. He poured a healthy splash of scotch in a tumbler and downed it in one swallow. Most of the time he avoided Muggle alcohol, as he didn't care for the loss of control that came along with it. Right now, however, he welcomed the burn as the amber liquid settled into his stomach. He needed to regain some control over himself before he faced her again.
He was amazed that she could still get under his skin like that. Even before their affair began at Hogwarts, little Ginny Weasley still unnerved him like no other. Draco poured himself another drink and prepared for another confrontation. He already knew he needed to apologize. Leaving his glass at the bar, he went to her door.
The Malfoy heir could hear her crying from outside the room. Knocking lightly, he waited for an answer. "Weasley?" he asked softly.
He wasn't surprised when he was met with silence. "Weasley?" Draco called again, louder. "Open up, I know you're in there."
"Leave me alone!" she yelled through the door. "Go away."
"Come on, Ginny, we need to talk about this."
"I don't have anything to say to you. Leave me alone."
"I'm not above opening this door. You have three seconds to open up," he warned her. "One… two… three…"
Ginny yanked the door open and glared at him. "What?"
Draco was too busy with the tears glistening down her cheeks to answer her. She looked amazingly sad and Draco cursed himself for doing this to her.
"Well?" Ginny asked impatiently.
"Well?" her husband repeated.
"What do you want? Don't tell me you're mad; you acted like a bloody pillock. You deserve everything you get."
Draco raised his hands in surrender. "You're right. I'm sorry if I… said something you didn't like."
The redhead raised an eyebrow. "How often do you apologize to people, Malfoy?"
"Hardly ever," Draco admitted.
"I can tell. You're horrible at it."
Her honesty made him grin. It was rare to find someone who wasn't afraid to call him on his rubbish. "Malfoy's don't usually apologize for anything we do."
"Weasleys expect apologies when the other person is clearly in the wrong."
Draco nodded. "Right. I'm sorry then. I didn't mean to… do whatever I did."
"Upset me?" Ginny suggested. "You didn't mean to upset me."
"Yes. I didn't mean to upset you." When she smiled at him, Draco knew he'd be apologizing a lot in the future. Especially if it meant she'd keep looking at him like that. He was relieved to put this behind them and decided to change the subject. Earlier he'd been intent on asking her out to lunch, and now seemed as good a time as any. "Would you like some lunch?"
The redhead shrugged. "I could eat."
"Get your cloak. We'll go to Diagon Alley."
"Diagon Alley?" she questioned. "Why can't we just make something here?"
"Since news of our wedding broke so quickly, I think we should be seen in public. Everyone will be curious if the gossip is real. Besides, I don't typically eat here, so there's no food."
"Right." Ginny studied him, feeling uneasy. Was she ready to be seen in public as Mrs. Draco Malfoy? Still unsure, she started to shut the door. "Give me ten minutes, and I'll be ready."
Her husband was waiting in the living room when she reappeared seven minutes later. She'd washed away her tears and changed out of her plain black robes from before. The emerald green complimented her hair and Draco noticed that the bright colour didn't wash her out as much. He made a mental note to tell her later. Slytherin Green looked amazing on her. "Ready?"
Ginny pulled her wand from her pocket and nodded. "Diagon Alley, right?"
"The Leaky Cauldron." Draco never blinked as she Disapparated. After she was gone, he raised the security wards for the flat and followed after her.
The redhead was waiting for him outside of the Leaky Cauldron. She took his hand when he offered it and asked, "Where do you want to eat?"
"It doesn't matter. Do you want to pick, or should I?" She let him take the lead, guiding her throughout Diagon Alley. They'd made so many turns, Ginny was glad he was with her. She was certain she'd never make it back if she were alone.
"Do you like fish?" he asked.
The redhead wrinkled her nose in disgust.
"Curious. A Brit who doesn't like fish," Draco teased her. "Fine then, no fish. We'll find somewhere else."
In the end, he decided to take her to his Mum's favorite restaurant. When he was a child, Narcissa would take her tea at Summerbee's every day. Before he left for Hogwarts, she would often allow Draco to come along with her.
The restaurant wasn't formal, which surprised Ginny, and the menu was varied for all types of eaters. She decided on a large bowl of salad with chicken and Draco ordered a steak for himself. After the waiter left them, they soon found it was as easy for them to talk as ever.
"Your flat," she questioned. "How did you find it?"
"It was given to me. My mother is a Black, did you know that?"
"I think Harry might have mentioned it."
"How did—" he stopped. "The family tree. Sirius Black would have shown him. How familiar are you with my family, then?"
"I know the basics," Ginny admitted. "They used 12 Grimmauld Place as headquarters for the Order and I spent some time there. I've seen the tapestry."
Draco nodded. "Well, my mother is a Black, as am I. Sirius Black and I were cousins. Fifty years ago, the Blacks were one of the prominent wizarding families. Grandfather Black was a great man, but he and Grandmother never had an heir. The estate was to be divided between my mother, Bellatrix, and Andromeda. Two of the three fell out of favor with Grandfather after their marriages, so everything fell to my mother upon his death. Grimmauld Place was where Sirius and Regulus grew up, and Mum never bothered with the property.
"Back to Mum and her marrying Father… Grandfather didn't want Mum to marry a Malfoy. Originally, Bellatrix was promised to my father, but she broke the contract and married Rodolphus LeStrange instead. My father asked that my mother be used as a substitution. Mother was Grandfather's favorite and he was against the match – Malfoys had a reputation for being stuck up prats who expected their wives to produce an heir and then disappear. As you well know, my father didn't disappoint."
"But your Mum married him anyway."
"Yes. She was smitten with him, I think. My parents were once very attentive to each other – before I went to Hogwarts, Father was affectionate to my mother and generous with me. When I returned after my first year, things changed. He would disappear for days or lock himself away in his study.
"When Grandfather Black died, Mum received an inheritance. Before his death, Grandfather encouraged Mum to keep her own purse strings. He wanted to provide for her when Lucius wouldn't – it's almost as if Grandfather saw it coming. Father was a bit off the deep end before his death, and Grandfather insisted that his daughter and grandson wouldn't be left to the whims of a man controlled by a beast. Her inheritance was a rather large sum of money, as Mum's sister Andromeda was disowned when she married the Mudblood Tonks." Draco didn't miss Ginny's flinch at his use of the word and made a note to try and not use it around her. "Don't act surprised – Grandfather wasn't a Death Eater or supporter of Voldemort, but he believed in pureness of blood. The Blacks were one of few pureblooded families left in Britain.
"After Bellatrix, Mum's other sister, joined the Death Eaters and spent the better part of my childhood in Azkaban, Grandfather threatened to wash his hands with the lot of them. When she wouldn't denounce Voldemort, like my father and many others, he vowed he wouldn't give her another Knut. Grandfather was not someone you wanted to cross. But, Bellatrix was a bit crazy, and she didn't listen. You probably know her as well."
Ginny nodded. "She was at the Department of Mysteries during fourth year."
"I've never actually met her, I just remember the stories Mum would tell me as a child. At the time of his death, Grandfather couldn't be swayed on behalf of Bellatrix, as she was still in Azkaban. The entire Black fortune was passed along to my mother. Mum put most of the money into a vault at Gringotts for me. I think she knew by then I wouldn't follow my father as a Death Eater. It relieved her to no end. In order to protect my inheritance, she went to the one person father had no influence over to keep the money safe."
"Professor Snape?" his wife guessed.
"No. Dumbledore. Mum knew Lucius would never be able to bully the Headmaster into giving him the key. She was right."
Ginny pushed the half-eaten salad aside and leaned forward. She was totally enthralled by the story he was telling her. "And then what happened?"
"I announced after seventh year I would be attending Auror training, not training to become a Death Eater. My father disowned me the day I started at the Ministry. I think he was waiting to see if I would go through with it. Professor Dumbledore called me to Hogwarts the next day. He gave me the key and said he was glad he'd been wrong about me.
"It took me two days to go through the vault. I suddenly had a fortune all my own, with only my mother to advise me. I moved out of my flat in London and into the flat in Brighton. I preferred it from the moment I saw it, and knew I would feel at home there."
"I love it," Ginny confessed. "I've only seen a bit, but the view is amazing. You're fortunate to have inherited such a place. If you and I are going to be living together, I'm glad it's there. We'll both have our own space. Of course, I don't think you'd be very comfortable at the Burrow," she teased.
How right she was. Draco knew he'd never survive with Weasleys around every corner. He wiped his mouth one last time and stood. "Are you ready?" He extended his hand and was secretly surprised when she accepted.
"Where now?" his wife asked.
"Shopping?" Draco suggested.
Ginny flushed. "I didn't bring any money."
"I have money, Gin. I'll treat you."
She shook her head. "I can't—"
Draco turned to her and took her chin in his hand. "You can and you will. I was going to buy you a wedding present, but I'm sure you'd like it better if you picked it out."
The redhead still didn't look convinced.
"You can't sleep in my pyjamas every night, Weasley. You need clothes and shoes and robes and countless other things. You're a Malfoy now."
"Draco—"
"I insist." He dropped some coins on the table and led her out of the restaurant. Ginny followed behind him, hesitating. She didn't feel it was right to spend his money, especially since they would be divorcing. "We could just go home."
"Or, we could go to the jewelry store and you could pick something out." Draco turned to face her, smiling. "Please, Weasley?"
"I'll go if you promise to call me Ginny," she conceded.
"Please, Ginny?"
Ginny couldn't help the smile on her face and she nodded. He looked triumphant for a moment before tugging on her arm. "Let's go."
And so, the day after their wedding, the Malfoy heir and his bride walked through Diagon Alley holding hands. They were laughing and smiling and causing others around them to stop and stare. It was something most of them imagined they'd never see: a Malfoy and Weasley in love.
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