. . . . . .
Come, madam wife, sit by my side
and let the world slip: we shall ne’er be younger.
The Taming of the Shrew, Induction, scene ii
. . . . . .
And so Ginny Weasley Malfoy got everything she’d ever wanted, beginning with a fairytale wedding. The Malfoys decided, a few days after the incident in France, that they should hold a second ceremony to apologize to all their friends and family who hadn’t gotten to attend the first time around.
It was held a month after the uprising, on Ginny and Draco’s four month anniversary. Ginny wouldn’t have believed it was possible to put a wedding together that quickly, but then, she hadn’t expected her mother and Elise to join forces on the project. The two women met at the first dinner party at Malfoy Manor in many years- in which the hosts sat side by side, rather than at opposite ends of the table, as Draco’s late parents had been known to do- and found themselves perfectly matched in manic energy and passion for planning parties. From that moment on, Draco and Ginny found their wedding plans all but taken over.
They didn’t mind a bit, really; Draco was only interested in details insofar as they related to him looking “very good in dress robes,” as he said, and Ginny was more than ready to let Elise and Molly help out as an apology for lying to them for so long. Both women, though shocked on hearing the truth, insisted that all was forgiven, but Ginny was glad to have some means of recompense.
Ginny’s parents and the Stewarts were the only people the Malfoys told the truth to; they told the Stewarts because James already knew and they didn’t want him to have to keep secrets from Elise, and they told they Weasleys because Ginny’s guilt was finally too much for her. Both couples were surprised but very supportive; still, telling them was uncomfortable enough that Ginny and Draco agreed that while they might someday tell more people, that would be a long while in the future.
The invitations went out less than a week after Elise and Molly went to work on the wedding plans. All of the Weasley clan was invited, of course, as well as Colin and Neville- who were both invited to bring dates, though Draco was reluctant to have Romilda Vane attend, understandably, as her forward flirtations had extended even into Slytherin- and Dean Thomas, to whom Draco objected for another reason entirely.
“He’s a very good friend,” said Ginny firmly.
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Draco retorted.
“I wouldn’t object to your inviting Pansy,” she pointed out.
“Yes, but I would,” her husband responded immediately.
But in the end he did invite Pansy, along with Jens Reichmann the third. Draco didn’t have a lot of family, so he made up for it in friends, including many members of the Slytherin Horde whom Draco wanted to gloat over. The Stewarts and Zabinis were invited, as well as Seamus and Calliope. With Ginny and Draco’s work associates, Hogwarts professors, former Order members and a long list of near strangers that Molly and Elise insisted had to be invited, the guest list was quite dauntingly long.
One person who was especially pleased to receive his invitation was Severus Snape, who’d become unbearably smug since hearing that his plan had worked, albeit belatedly. Draco had cooled down enough to forgive him, and he was once again in good enough standing at Malfoy Manor to be asked around for dinner. Of course, he noticed that Draco often brought up the near-disastrous matchmaking attempt, and he had a feeling his young friend would be holding it against him for a long time.
Still, it was all worth it when he saw Draco holding Ginny’s hand under the table or kissing her when he thought no one was watching. He’d never seen Draco like that, had never seen the boy so happy as when he stood at the dinner party and announced that he and Ginny were to renew their vows. Severus knew well the significance of that; nor did he miss the look the two young lovers exchanged as Draco sat back down. He’d never seen Ginevra and Draco look at each other like that before, and while he normally didn’t care about happily ever afters, he felt sure this was going to be one.
Hermione and Hannah were also very pleased to hear of Draco and Ginny’s reconciliation, and Hermione and Ginny spent several very happy afternoons doing wedding shopping and looking through bridal magazines together. Ginny felt a little embarrassed about holding her wedding so close to Hemione’s; the Malfoy wedding was going to be quite grand, and she knew that Ron and Hermione’s would be rather modest. But when Ginny apologized to her for taking away some of the attention that should have been hers, Hermione just laughed and said it made her feel almost like they were sisters.
And it was Hermione who suggested that the Malfoys follow the Muggle tradition of having bridesmaids and groomsmen. Ginny was delighted with the idea and rattled off her four choices immediately: Hermione, Hannah, Luna and Elise. Draco was much slower about selecting groomsmen. James was the obvious first choice, as well as for best man, but it took several days before he hit on the idea of Remus Lupin as a nod to Tonks; his cousin and her husband were nearly all the family he had in the world, and he’d recently decided that his family connections were worth preserving.
His third groomsman wasn’t picked until a few days later, when he received an unexpected letter from Spain. His close friend Blaise Zabini, who’d been there recovering from war injuries for some time, had been planning to return home in the autumn, but on hearing of Draco’s wedding had determined to go to England in time to attend. When Draco read that letter he was so happy he nearly cried, and Ginny, lying on the sofa with her head in his lap, was so pleased to see him so openly emotional that she simply had to kiss him. She was daily learning something new about her husband, and each new facet of his personality delighted her.
Draco needed another groomsman to match Ginny’s four bridesmaids and finally asked Seamus, only to be informed that due to a sister’s wedding back home in Ireland, Seamus was unable to attend, as a groomsman or otherwise. With time running out to find a fourth, Draco shocked everyone by asking Harry to be his groomsman. To everyone’s further shock, Harry agreed immediately.
“He’s not so bad, really,” Harry would shrug when asked.
Draco would simply look surprised. “We’ve always been best friends. Didn’t you know?”
The wedding was held at Malfoy Manor. That morning, Elise, Molly and the house elves- “Well, they’re very efficient, aren’t they?” said an impressed Molly- decorated the house and the stretch of grass just behind, where the ceremony was to be held. The final result was so spectacular that Hermione, walking with Ron and Draco, gasped in surprise and stated, only half jokingly, that she was going to hold her wedding at Malfoy Manor, a proposition to which Draco agreed readily, just to see the horrified look on Ron's face.
The ceremony was held that afternoon, conducted by an elderly wizard from the Ministry- the same wizard who had once, in a far-distance youth, married Arthur Weasley and Molly Prewett. Draco looked, as he’d hoped, very good in his dress robes, but it was Ginny who amazed everyone, including her husband. She’d always been pretty enough- Draco had noticed, that day they’d gotten engaged, her warm eyes and expressive mouth- and of course as his feelings for her had progressed he’d come to consider her more beautiful than any other girl, as all lovers think of their beloved. But as she walked up the aisle, happiness radiating from every inch of her skin, she was stunning.
Draco, no less happy himself, couldn’t resist leaning over to James. “Hey.”
“Yes?”
“My wife’s hot.”
When the ceremony was over and Molly’s tears had subsided somewhat, they had a grand dinner in the ballroom. James and Blaise, unsure of who really ought to be best man, both gave toasts. “I’m sorry I don’t know Ginny very well,” said Blaise, raising his glass, “but I do know Draco, and I know I haven’t seen him this happy in a very long time, and for that, Ginny, I’m glad he found you.”
“You surprised us all,” James said when it was his turn, addressing Draco, “showing up at that party with a fiancée none of us had even heard of on your arm. It was all very fast-“ and here the Malfoys and Stewarts shared knowing smiles- “and I had my doubts about whether this marriage would work out. But over the last few months I’ve watched you two, and now I know that you’re going to make it, because I don’t know when I've seen another couple as much in love as you are. To Draco and Ginny!”
And the rest of the room raised their glasses and echoed, “To Draco and Ginny!”
In the evening they had a reception, as per Molly’s wishes, for acquaintances and well-wishers- “and social climbers,” Draco grumbled- who hadn’t been invited to the ceremony but who wished to come congratulate the couple. And come they did. The Malfoys were a prominent couple, and a large group of people had gathered in front of Malfoy Manor before the reception had even begun.
“I had no idea this many people would come,” Ginny said in surprise, peeking out the window of the second-story sitting room that Elise and Molly had turned into a dressing room for the day.
“They just came to see my dazzling good looks,” Draco said from his spot in the corner, where he was sprawled across a chaise longue.
Identical snorts of derision came from the two Weasley women in the room, and Ginny smiled, glad that her mother had learned, over the course of planning the wedding, how to deal with Draco almost as well as Ginny herself. Things had been much better between the Malfoys and the Weasleys of late. The Weasley men had even invited Draco- without Ginny, who’d been busy looking for a dress that day- to join them on one of their frequent Quidditch outings out behind the Burrow. A very confident Draco left Malfoy Manor that morning, impeccably turned out and carrying his expensive new racing broom; he returned that night muddy and ranting that the twins were absolute terrors who ought never to be allowed to play Beater. Ginny thought that was a definite step in the right direction.
“Well, just in case they did come to see your good looks, darling, sit back down,” said Molly, who was trying to fix Ginny's hair, which had become a bit mussed over the course of the long day.
Ginny obeyed and a moment later her mother was done and bustling out of the room to double-check all the arrangements. “Do we have to go out there?” Draco asked.
“Come on,” Ginny urged. “I know you want everyone to see how pretty you are today.”
Draco pondered that a moment. “Yes, I see your point,” he said grandly. “Let’s be off, then.”
Despite the large crowds, the reception went off without a hitch. Ginny was beautiful, Draco was charming, and a great many people who came simply to see why Ginny Weasley was throwing herself away on Draco Malfoy went away pleasantly surprised.
The large number of guests meant that the reception went longer than expected, and by the time it ended Ginny and Draco were both exhausted. “What time is it?” Draco yawned as he and Ginny waved goodbye to Arthur and Molly, the last guests to leave.
Ginny took hold of his wrist to look at his watch. “Almost one,” she said. “Do you think the refreshments are still in the kitchen? I’m famished.”
Draco proclaimed himself in favor of finding out and the Malfoys wandered into the kitchen, where the house elves were only too eager to offer them pastries and punch. The outside door was open and the couple wandered outside and sat side by side on the stairs, as they had done on that night when they’d talked about Draco’s mother. The night was cool and a breeze moved silently across the grass, tousling Ginny’s long hair, which had finally come out of its carefully arranged twist.
“Are you happy?” Draco asked suddenly.
“Not really,” Ginny shrugged, examining her tart closely. “I thought this was going to be apple.”
Draco didn’t reply, and after a moment Ginny turned to look at him; when she saw his impassive face, she realized he’d been in earnest. “Wait, you meant it?” she asked, chagrined. “I’m sorry. Ask me again; I’ll be serious this time.”
“It's too late,” Draco said, his face a perfect mask of sincerity. “The moment’s gone.”
“Give me another chance!” She sat up straight and cleared her throat. “Why yes, Draco,” she said, “I am perfectly happy, even though this is a lemon tart.”
Draco looked at her a long moment, his expression grave. Then: “I like lemon.”
“You would,” Ginny remarked with a sigh and handed him the rest of her pastry.
He took it with a laugh and finished it in silence as Ginny leaned against him and laid her head on his shoulder. After a few moments Draco spoke. “So you were serious?”
“Yes, actually,” Ginny said earnestly. “The part where I said I’d be serious- everything after that point, I was being serious.”
“Don't mock me, Weasel,” Draco growled, and his wife giggled.
“It’s Malfoy these days, haven’t you heard?”
Her words sobered him up quite suddenly. “Are you sure about this?” he asked, gesturing at his slightly rumpled dress robes. “The Malfoy name is going to earn you a lot of enemies in a lot of places.”
“Well, if I’m not sure, it’s rather too late now, isn’t it?” He shot her a dirty look and she laughed. “Don’t get so touchy,” she said, and sat back so she could see all of his face at once. He was very still, as he always was when he was holding back emotions. “You’re very serious tonight, Mr. Malfoy,” she observed.
Draco shrugged uncomfortably. “I just want to make sure you know what you’re getting into.” He paused, unsure of how to proceed. “Being married to me is probably hard-”
“Well, I know that-”
“And this isn’t just a year and a half. This is-”
“Forever,” Ginny cut in decidedly. “Which is how long I intend to stay.”
Draco was not good at saying romantic things- at least not if he meant them- so he just looked down and exhaled. “Good.” Next to him Ginny smiled. Draco paused awkwardly, feeling that something more was in order. “You look beautiful tonight.”
All he got from Ginny was a laugh. “This is too strange. Insult me or something so I know you’re not Gilderoy Lockhart using a Polyjuice Potion.”
“I’m trying to have a moment here,” Draco retorted, annoyed. “Can you please respect that?”
“Ah, there’s the man I married,” Ginny grinned, and kissed him.
“So what’s next?” she asked a few moments later.
“Honeymoon,” Draco replied. “That Switzerland thing didn’t really count.”
"I’d have to agree with that,” Ginny said. “Although we did have a lovely time with your ex-girlfriend.” She paused, looking up at the sky, a mischievous smile playing over her lips. “And then after that, we should start thinking about children.”
Draco choked on his punch. “Slow down,” he coughed when he could breathe again. “We’re both young. I don’t think we need to rush into things.”
“We can wait a bit,” Ginny agreed jovially. “But this conversation isn’t over. We are going to have children.”
“I suppose do need an heir,” Draco mused.
“Seven.”
“I need seven heirs?”
“Seven children,” Ginny corrected. “I told you when we got married, I want seven. And really, we’ve got more than enough room for that many. Just be glad I don’t want more.”
“I really think one might be enough.”
“Seven.”
“Two.”
“Seven.”
“Three.”
“Still seven.”
“I don’t think you’re getting the whole bargaining thing,” Draco said. “You’re supposed to change your offer.”
“Oh,” said Ginny as if she’d suddenly understood. “Eight, then.”
“We’ll talk about this later,” Draco said firmly.
Ginny yawned and laid her head on his shoulder. “Fine, as long as I win the argument,” she said, and her voice was thick and muffled with impending sleep.
And Draco put his arm around his wife and helped her up off the stairs, and the two tottered sleepily inside, past the trays of leftover lemon tarts and the silver wedding decorations still up in the front entry. And as the Malfoys climbed the stairs, side by side, Draco turned to Ginny. “So what happens after that?”
She smiled. “We live happily ever after.”
He nodded. “I agree. Let’s do that.”
And they did.
. . . . . .
She is my goods, my chattels; she is my house,
My household stuff, my field, my barn,
My horse, my ox, my ass, my any thing;
And here she stands, touch her whoever dare.
The Taming of the Shrew, act III scene ii
. . . . .
fin
Come, madam wife, sit by my side
and let the world slip: we shall ne’er be younger.
The Taming of the Shrew, Induction, scene ii
. . . . . .
And so Ginny Weasley Malfoy got everything she’d ever wanted, beginning with a fairytale wedding. The Malfoys decided, a few days after the incident in France, that they should hold a second ceremony to apologize to all their friends and family who hadn’t gotten to attend the first time around.
It was held a month after the uprising, on Ginny and Draco’s four month anniversary. Ginny wouldn’t have believed it was possible to put a wedding together that quickly, but then, she hadn’t expected her mother and Elise to join forces on the project. The two women met at the first dinner party at Malfoy Manor in many years- in which the hosts sat side by side, rather than at opposite ends of the table, as Draco’s late parents had been known to do- and found themselves perfectly matched in manic energy and passion for planning parties. From that moment on, Draco and Ginny found their wedding plans all but taken over.
They didn’t mind a bit, really; Draco was only interested in details insofar as they related to him looking “very good in dress robes,” as he said, and Ginny was more than ready to let Elise and Molly help out as an apology for lying to them for so long. Both women, though shocked on hearing the truth, insisted that all was forgiven, but Ginny was glad to have some means of recompense.
Ginny’s parents and the Stewarts were the only people the Malfoys told the truth to; they told the Stewarts because James already knew and they didn’t want him to have to keep secrets from Elise, and they told they Weasleys because Ginny’s guilt was finally too much for her. Both couples were surprised but very supportive; still, telling them was uncomfortable enough that Ginny and Draco agreed that while they might someday tell more people, that would be a long while in the future.
The invitations went out less than a week after Elise and Molly went to work on the wedding plans. All of the Weasley clan was invited, of course, as well as Colin and Neville- who were both invited to bring dates, though Draco was reluctant to have Romilda Vane attend, understandably, as her forward flirtations had extended even into Slytherin- and Dean Thomas, to whom Draco objected for another reason entirely.
“He’s a very good friend,” said Ginny firmly.
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Draco retorted.
“I wouldn’t object to your inviting Pansy,” she pointed out.
“Yes, but I would,” her husband responded immediately.
But in the end he did invite Pansy, along with Jens Reichmann the third. Draco didn’t have a lot of family, so he made up for it in friends, including many members of the Slytherin Horde whom Draco wanted to gloat over. The Stewarts and Zabinis were invited, as well as Seamus and Calliope. With Ginny and Draco’s work associates, Hogwarts professors, former Order members and a long list of near strangers that Molly and Elise insisted had to be invited, the guest list was quite dauntingly long.
One person who was especially pleased to receive his invitation was Severus Snape, who’d become unbearably smug since hearing that his plan had worked, albeit belatedly. Draco had cooled down enough to forgive him, and he was once again in good enough standing at Malfoy Manor to be asked around for dinner. Of course, he noticed that Draco often brought up the near-disastrous matchmaking attempt, and he had a feeling his young friend would be holding it against him for a long time.
Still, it was all worth it when he saw Draco holding Ginny’s hand under the table or kissing her when he thought no one was watching. He’d never seen Draco like that, had never seen the boy so happy as when he stood at the dinner party and announced that he and Ginny were to renew their vows. Severus knew well the significance of that; nor did he miss the look the two young lovers exchanged as Draco sat back down. He’d never seen Ginevra and Draco look at each other like that before, and while he normally didn’t care about happily ever afters, he felt sure this was going to be one.
Hermione and Hannah were also very pleased to hear of Draco and Ginny’s reconciliation, and Hermione and Ginny spent several very happy afternoons doing wedding shopping and looking through bridal magazines together. Ginny felt a little embarrassed about holding her wedding so close to Hemione’s; the Malfoy wedding was going to be quite grand, and she knew that Ron and Hermione’s would be rather modest. But when Ginny apologized to her for taking away some of the attention that should have been hers, Hermione just laughed and said it made her feel almost like they were sisters.
And it was Hermione who suggested that the Malfoys follow the Muggle tradition of having bridesmaids and groomsmen. Ginny was delighted with the idea and rattled off her four choices immediately: Hermione, Hannah, Luna and Elise. Draco was much slower about selecting groomsmen. James was the obvious first choice, as well as for best man, but it took several days before he hit on the idea of Remus Lupin as a nod to Tonks; his cousin and her husband were nearly all the family he had in the world, and he’d recently decided that his family connections were worth preserving.
His third groomsman wasn’t picked until a few days later, when he received an unexpected letter from Spain. His close friend Blaise Zabini, who’d been there recovering from war injuries for some time, had been planning to return home in the autumn, but on hearing of Draco’s wedding had determined to go to England in time to attend. When Draco read that letter he was so happy he nearly cried, and Ginny, lying on the sofa with her head in his lap, was so pleased to see him so openly emotional that she simply had to kiss him. She was daily learning something new about her husband, and each new facet of his personality delighted her.
Draco needed another groomsman to match Ginny’s four bridesmaids and finally asked Seamus, only to be informed that due to a sister’s wedding back home in Ireland, Seamus was unable to attend, as a groomsman or otherwise. With time running out to find a fourth, Draco shocked everyone by asking Harry to be his groomsman. To everyone’s further shock, Harry agreed immediately.
“He’s not so bad, really,” Harry would shrug when asked.
Draco would simply look surprised. “We’ve always been best friends. Didn’t you know?”
The wedding was held at Malfoy Manor. That morning, Elise, Molly and the house elves- “Well, they’re very efficient, aren’t they?” said an impressed Molly- decorated the house and the stretch of grass just behind, where the ceremony was to be held. The final result was so spectacular that Hermione, walking with Ron and Draco, gasped in surprise and stated, only half jokingly, that she was going to hold her wedding at Malfoy Manor, a proposition to which Draco agreed readily, just to see the horrified look on Ron's face.
The ceremony was held that afternoon, conducted by an elderly wizard from the Ministry- the same wizard who had once, in a far-distance youth, married Arthur Weasley and Molly Prewett. Draco looked, as he’d hoped, very good in his dress robes, but it was Ginny who amazed everyone, including her husband. She’d always been pretty enough- Draco had noticed, that day they’d gotten engaged, her warm eyes and expressive mouth- and of course as his feelings for her had progressed he’d come to consider her more beautiful than any other girl, as all lovers think of their beloved. But as she walked up the aisle, happiness radiating from every inch of her skin, she was stunning.
Draco, no less happy himself, couldn’t resist leaning over to James. “Hey.”
“Yes?”
“My wife’s hot.”
When the ceremony was over and Molly’s tears had subsided somewhat, they had a grand dinner in the ballroom. James and Blaise, unsure of who really ought to be best man, both gave toasts. “I’m sorry I don’t know Ginny very well,” said Blaise, raising his glass, “but I do know Draco, and I know I haven’t seen him this happy in a very long time, and for that, Ginny, I’m glad he found you.”
“You surprised us all,” James said when it was his turn, addressing Draco, “showing up at that party with a fiancée none of us had even heard of on your arm. It was all very fast-“ and here the Malfoys and Stewarts shared knowing smiles- “and I had my doubts about whether this marriage would work out. But over the last few months I’ve watched you two, and now I know that you’re going to make it, because I don’t know when I've seen another couple as much in love as you are. To Draco and Ginny!”
And the rest of the room raised their glasses and echoed, “To Draco and Ginny!”
In the evening they had a reception, as per Molly’s wishes, for acquaintances and well-wishers- “and social climbers,” Draco grumbled- who hadn’t been invited to the ceremony but who wished to come congratulate the couple. And come they did. The Malfoys were a prominent couple, and a large group of people had gathered in front of Malfoy Manor before the reception had even begun.
“I had no idea this many people would come,” Ginny said in surprise, peeking out the window of the second-story sitting room that Elise and Molly had turned into a dressing room for the day.
“They just came to see my dazzling good looks,” Draco said from his spot in the corner, where he was sprawled across a chaise longue.
Identical snorts of derision came from the two Weasley women in the room, and Ginny smiled, glad that her mother had learned, over the course of planning the wedding, how to deal with Draco almost as well as Ginny herself. Things had been much better between the Malfoys and the Weasleys of late. The Weasley men had even invited Draco- without Ginny, who’d been busy looking for a dress that day- to join them on one of their frequent Quidditch outings out behind the Burrow. A very confident Draco left Malfoy Manor that morning, impeccably turned out and carrying his expensive new racing broom; he returned that night muddy and ranting that the twins were absolute terrors who ought never to be allowed to play Beater. Ginny thought that was a definite step in the right direction.
“Well, just in case they did come to see your good looks, darling, sit back down,” said Molly, who was trying to fix Ginny's hair, which had become a bit mussed over the course of the long day.
Ginny obeyed and a moment later her mother was done and bustling out of the room to double-check all the arrangements. “Do we have to go out there?” Draco asked.
“Come on,” Ginny urged. “I know you want everyone to see how pretty you are today.”
Draco pondered that a moment. “Yes, I see your point,” he said grandly. “Let’s be off, then.”
Despite the large crowds, the reception went off without a hitch. Ginny was beautiful, Draco was charming, and a great many people who came simply to see why Ginny Weasley was throwing herself away on Draco Malfoy went away pleasantly surprised.
The large number of guests meant that the reception went longer than expected, and by the time it ended Ginny and Draco were both exhausted. “What time is it?” Draco yawned as he and Ginny waved goodbye to Arthur and Molly, the last guests to leave.
Ginny took hold of his wrist to look at his watch. “Almost one,” she said. “Do you think the refreshments are still in the kitchen? I’m famished.”
Draco proclaimed himself in favor of finding out and the Malfoys wandered into the kitchen, where the house elves were only too eager to offer them pastries and punch. The outside door was open and the couple wandered outside and sat side by side on the stairs, as they had done on that night when they’d talked about Draco’s mother. The night was cool and a breeze moved silently across the grass, tousling Ginny’s long hair, which had finally come out of its carefully arranged twist.
“Are you happy?” Draco asked suddenly.
“Not really,” Ginny shrugged, examining her tart closely. “I thought this was going to be apple.”
Draco didn’t reply, and after a moment Ginny turned to look at him; when she saw his impassive face, she realized he’d been in earnest. “Wait, you meant it?” she asked, chagrined. “I’m sorry. Ask me again; I’ll be serious this time.”
“It's too late,” Draco said, his face a perfect mask of sincerity. “The moment’s gone.”
“Give me another chance!” She sat up straight and cleared her throat. “Why yes, Draco,” she said, “I am perfectly happy, even though this is a lemon tart.”
Draco looked at her a long moment, his expression grave. Then: “I like lemon.”
“You would,” Ginny remarked with a sigh and handed him the rest of her pastry.
He took it with a laugh and finished it in silence as Ginny leaned against him and laid her head on his shoulder. After a few moments Draco spoke. “So you were serious?”
“Yes, actually,” Ginny said earnestly. “The part where I said I’d be serious- everything after that point, I was being serious.”
“Don't mock me, Weasel,” Draco growled, and his wife giggled.
“It’s Malfoy these days, haven’t you heard?”
Her words sobered him up quite suddenly. “Are you sure about this?” he asked, gesturing at his slightly rumpled dress robes. “The Malfoy name is going to earn you a lot of enemies in a lot of places.”
“Well, if I’m not sure, it’s rather too late now, isn’t it?” He shot her a dirty look and she laughed. “Don’t get so touchy,” she said, and sat back so she could see all of his face at once. He was very still, as he always was when he was holding back emotions. “You’re very serious tonight, Mr. Malfoy,” she observed.
Draco shrugged uncomfortably. “I just want to make sure you know what you’re getting into.” He paused, unsure of how to proceed. “Being married to me is probably hard-”
“Well, I know that-”
“And this isn’t just a year and a half. This is-”
“Forever,” Ginny cut in decidedly. “Which is how long I intend to stay.”
Draco was not good at saying romantic things- at least not if he meant them- so he just looked down and exhaled. “Good.” Next to him Ginny smiled. Draco paused awkwardly, feeling that something more was in order. “You look beautiful tonight.”
All he got from Ginny was a laugh. “This is too strange. Insult me or something so I know you’re not Gilderoy Lockhart using a Polyjuice Potion.”
“I’m trying to have a moment here,” Draco retorted, annoyed. “Can you please respect that?”
“Ah, there’s the man I married,” Ginny grinned, and kissed him.
“So what’s next?” she asked a few moments later.
“Honeymoon,” Draco replied. “That Switzerland thing didn’t really count.”
"I’d have to agree with that,” Ginny said. “Although we did have a lovely time with your ex-girlfriend.” She paused, looking up at the sky, a mischievous smile playing over her lips. “And then after that, we should start thinking about children.”
Draco choked on his punch. “Slow down,” he coughed when he could breathe again. “We’re both young. I don’t think we need to rush into things.”
“We can wait a bit,” Ginny agreed jovially. “But this conversation isn’t over. We are going to have children.”
“I suppose do need an heir,” Draco mused.
“Seven.”
“I need seven heirs?”
“Seven children,” Ginny corrected. “I told you when we got married, I want seven. And really, we’ve got more than enough room for that many. Just be glad I don’t want more.”
“I really think one might be enough.”
“Seven.”
“Two.”
“Seven.”
“Three.”
“Still seven.”
“I don’t think you’re getting the whole bargaining thing,” Draco said. “You’re supposed to change your offer.”
“Oh,” said Ginny as if she’d suddenly understood. “Eight, then.”
“We’ll talk about this later,” Draco said firmly.
Ginny yawned and laid her head on his shoulder. “Fine, as long as I win the argument,” she said, and her voice was thick and muffled with impending sleep.
And Draco put his arm around his wife and helped her up off the stairs, and the two tottered sleepily inside, past the trays of leftover lemon tarts and the silver wedding decorations still up in the front entry. And as the Malfoys climbed the stairs, side by side, Draco turned to Ginny. “So what happens after that?”
She smiled. “We live happily ever after.”
He nodded. “I agree. Let’s do that.”
And they did.
. . . . . .
She is my goods, my chattels; she is my house,
My household stuff, my field, my barn,
My horse, my ox, my ass, my any thing;
And here she stands, touch her whoever dare.
The Taming of the Shrew, act III scene ii
. . . . .
fin
The End.
Eienvine is the author of 3 other stories.
This story is a favorite of 423 members. Members who liked My Anything also liked 1945 other stories.
This story is a favorite of 423 members. Members who liked My Anything also liked 1945 other stories.
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