Chapter 16- Grown Up Christmas List
Ginny smoothed her dress self-consciously and swallowed hard, one shaking hand gripping the railing tightly. Everything was working out just as Blaise had said it would, but she was still exceedingly nervous. She’d floo-ed into his guest room at Malfoy Manor, found a waiting house elf, and was now following that elf down a grand staircase. The sound of festivities was growing closer by the second.
As she neared the ballroom, butterflies grew in her stomach. She had made a decision to leave, and was gathering her skirt to do so, when a familiar voice called her name.
“Ginny? Is that you?”
She turned back around and found Blaise strolling toward her, warm smile on his face.
“Hello, Love, glad you could make it.” He kissed her cheek, then held up a finger for her to turn. She did so, blushing under his appraising gaze. “You look good.”
Ginny knew it was true, and bit her lip in an effort to keep from beaming. The gown truly was wonderful; Hermione had done an unbelievable job. Emerald velvet lined the neckline, which rested on her upper arms. The shimmery silver bodice outlined her curves, and the cocktail style skirt rested, poofy, against her knees. Red curls were piled atop her head in a loose bundle, and her fair skin glistened with a translucent silver powder. She wore two pieces of jewelry; an emerald ring on the middle finger of her left hand, and a rose-shaped locket around her neck.
Ginny smiled and looked Blaise up and down. “You don’t look too bad yourself,” she said, taking obvious note of the way his white tux complemented his dark features.
Blaise just smirked wider and took her arm, leading her forward into the ballroom. “Come on then, we can’t keep them waiting all night.”
People stared as they walked along, often casting Ginny half-incredulous looks before Blaise made them turn away with a glance. He led her straight through the flocks of onlookers to an extravagant group of Hogwarts teenagers. Out of the ten already there, only one other wasn’t a Slytherin. Draco was standing with his back to the approaching pair, telling an apparently entertaining story about ‘Potty and the Weasel King.’ Blaise tapped his friend on the shoulder, and he turned.
The look in Draco’s eyes as he got his first look at her sent shivers down Ginny’s spine, but she was also all too aware of the dirty looks she was receiving from the others present. Surprisingly, Draco made the first move.
“Ginny,” he said smoothly, grasping her hand with his own gloved one and bending to kiss her cheek. “So glad you could make it.”
Ginny had all she could do not to just stand and gape at him, both because he’d just kissed her and because he looked so good in that black tux. She understood, however, the appearance he had to keep up, and so gave his hand a little squeeze and smiled graciously.
“I’m incredibly honored to be here, Draco. Thank you very much for having me.”
“Drakie,” a whiney voice broke in, tinged with more than a little jealousy. “What is she doing here?”
Draco released Ginny’s hand and turned back to the group. “I invited her, of course. Everyone, you know Ginevra Weasley. I trust you’ll make her feel welcome.”
The looks coming at her from the Slytherin teenagers were anything but welcoming. The other non-Slythie, however, rose gracefully from her chair and walked toward Ginny. The girl was about Blaise’s height, with long dark hair that almost looked black. Her eyes were the same color, and her smooth chocolate features were nothing short of stunning.
“Hi,” she said, holding her hand out to shake Ginny’s. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”
“Gin, this is my cousin, Natasha Zabini,” Blaise put in, looking pleased. “She’s playing Meg Giry in the show, so you might want to get to know her.”
“He can never stop raving about you,” the girl said, flashing a half-annoyed, half-adoring smile at her cousin. “Every time I see him, it’s ‘Ginny this,’ ‘Ginny that,’ ‘OH MY GOSH have you heard Ginny sing?’ It's quite funny, actually.”
Ginny blinked and gave an enchantingly embarrassed smile. “Wow, I’m flattered. Why haven’t I seen you before, though?”
“Oh, I’m in Ravenclaw. Quite the little family disgrace, too, but I haven’t been disowned, because I wasn’t placed in Gryffindor. No offense.”
Blaise opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by a chillingly smooth voice.
“Draco, we specifically invite a guest and you don’t even let us see her? That won’t do at all.” Ginny spun gradually and came face to face with one Lucius Malfoy, looking down at her with what he probably thought was a friendly smile. “How are you, Miss Weasley?”
She reluctantly placed her hand in his gloved one, and fought back a grimace as he raised it to his lips. “I can’t complain, sir. And yourself?”
“Quite well, quite well. May I introduce my wife, Narcissa Malfoy?” He stood aside and a tall, slim woman came forward, her beautiful face contorted into a derisive smile.
“How do you do, Mrs. Malfoy?” She asked politely, shaking hands with the detestable woman.
“I am well, thank you.”
“I wonder, Miss Weasley, if you might treat us with a little song?” Lucius took back over the conversation, a slightly challenging look rising in his eyes. “Draco tells me you’re quite the little song bird.”
So here it was. This was the reason she’d been invited: to be publicly humiliated in front of the entirety of Slytherin house. On either side of her, Blaise and Draco were arguing, politely, with the head of the house.
“Father, I really don’t think-”
“Now, Mr. Malfoy, please-”
“I'd be delighted, Mr. Malfoy,” Ginny broke in, meeting the challenge in those cold eyes head on. “It's an honor.”
A few minutes later, she found herself on stage in front of a silent crowd of people. Draco had warned her to choose a song that his father would approve of, but Ginny had no intention of following this advice. She spoke quietly to the band, then took a deep breath as they began to play.
“Do you remember me?
I sat upon your knee.
I wrote to you
With childhood fantasies.
Well, I’m all grown up now,
And still need help somehow.
I’m not a child,
But my heart still can dream.
So, here’s my lifelong wish,
My grown up Christmas list.
Not for myself,
But for a world in need.”
She found Draco and Blaise in the crowd, the former looking worriedly in his father’s direction, the latter nodding at her encouragingly.
“No more lives torn apart,
And wars would never start,
And time would heal the heart.
Everyone would have a friend,
And right would always win,
And love would never end.
This is my grown up Christmas list.”
Her eyes found Natasha’s as she began the second verse, and the girl was smiling amidst a crowd of frowning Slytherins.
“As children we believed
The grandest sight to see
Was something lovely,
Wrapped beneath our tree.”
Ginny looked directly at Lucius Malfoy as she sang the next part, forcing the pain of all the families he’d torn apart and the hearts that he’d broken into her eyes.
“Well, Heaven only knows
That packages and bows
Can never heal
A hurting human soul.
No more lives torn apart,
And wars would never start,
And time would heal the heart.
Everyone would have a friend,
And right would always win,
And love would never end.
This is my grown up Christmas list.”
Ginny found the youngest person in the room, a very small boy gazing up at her with wide, wondering eyes.
“What is this illusion called the innocence of youth?
Only in our blind belief can we ever find the truth.”
Ginny’s words separated more as her throat filled with tears. She threw her head back, blinking furiously as she tried to regain a hold on her emotions.
“There’d be no more lives torn apart,
And wars would never start,
And time would heal the heart.
Everyone would have a friend,
And right would always win,
And love would never end.
This is my grown up Christmas list.”
Ginny held her hand out to the little boy as she rebelled against everything the Slytherins believed in, her heart soaring as he came to her, and her voice ringing above the silence in an unforgettable forte.
“No more lives torn apart,
And wars would never start,
And time would heal the heart.
Everyone would have a friend,
And right would always win,
And love would never end.
This is my grown up Christmas list,
It’s all I’m asking this Christmas.”
With a single tear rolling down her cheek, Ginny’s eyes locked with Draco’s, and they spoke of a contempt for the world he knew.
“This is my grown up Christmas list.”
Ginny smoothed her dress self-consciously and swallowed hard, one shaking hand gripping the railing tightly. Everything was working out just as Blaise had said it would, but she was still exceedingly nervous. She’d floo-ed into his guest room at Malfoy Manor, found a waiting house elf, and was now following that elf down a grand staircase. The sound of festivities was growing closer by the second.
As she neared the ballroom, butterflies grew in her stomach. She had made a decision to leave, and was gathering her skirt to do so, when a familiar voice called her name.
“Ginny? Is that you?”
She turned back around and found Blaise strolling toward her, warm smile on his face.
“Hello, Love, glad you could make it.” He kissed her cheek, then held up a finger for her to turn. She did so, blushing under his appraising gaze. “You look good.”
Ginny knew it was true, and bit her lip in an effort to keep from beaming. The gown truly was wonderful; Hermione had done an unbelievable job. Emerald velvet lined the neckline, which rested on her upper arms. The shimmery silver bodice outlined her curves, and the cocktail style skirt rested, poofy, against her knees. Red curls were piled atop her head in a loose bundle, and her fair skin glistened with a translucent silver powder. She wore two pieces of jewelry; an emerald ring on the middle finger of her left hand, and a rose-shaped locket around her neck.
Ginny smiled and looked Blaise up and down. “You don’t look too bad yourself,” she said, taking obvious note of the way his white tux complemented his dark features.
Blaise just smirked wider and took her arm, leading her forward into the ballroom. “Come on then, we can’t keep them waiting all night.”
People stared as they walked along, often casting Ginny half-incredulous looks before Blaise made them turn away with a glance. He led her straight through the flocks of onlookers to an extravagant group of Hogwarts teenagers. Out of the ten already there, only one other wasn’t a Slytherin. Draco was standing with his back to the approaching pair, telling an apparently entertaining story about ‘Potty and the Weasel King.’ Blaise tapped his friend on the shoulder, and he turned.
The look in Draco’s eyes as he got his first look at her sent shivers down Ginny’s spine, but she was also all too aware of the dirty looks she was receiving from the others present. Surprisingly, Draco made the first move.
“Ginny,” he said smoothly, grasping her hand with his own gloved one and bending to kiss her cheek. “So glad you could make it.”
Ginny had all she could do not to just stand and gape at him, both because he’d just kissed her and because he looked so good in that black tux. She understood, however, the appearance he had to keep up, and so gave his hand a little squeeze and smiled graciously.
“I’m incredibly honored to be here, Draco. Thank you very much for having me.”
“Drakie,” a whiney voice broke in, tinged with more than a little jealousy. “What is she doing here?”
Draco released Ginny’s hand and turned back to the group. “I invited her, of course. Everyone, you know Ginevra Weasley. I trust you’ll make her feel welcome.”
The looks coming at her from the Slytherin teenagers were anything but welcoming. The other non-Slythie, however, rose gracefully from her chair and walked toward Ginny. The girl was about Blaise’s height, with long dark hair that almost looked black. Her eyes were the same color, and her smooth chocolate features were nothing short of stunning.
“Hi,” she said, holding her hand out to shake Ginny’s. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”
“Gin, this is my cousin, Natasha Zabini,” Blaise put in, looking pleased. “She’s playing Meg Giry in the show, so you might want to get to know her.”
“He can never stop raving about you,” the girl said, flashing a half-annoyed, half-adoring smile at her cousin. “Every time I see him, it’s ‘Ginny this,’ ‘Ginny that,’ ‘OH MY GOSH have you heard Ginny sing?’ It's quite funny, actually.”
Ginny blinked and gave an enchantingly embarrassed smile. “Wow, I’m flattered. Why haven’t I seen you before, though?”
“Oh, I’m in Ravenclaw. Quite the little family disgrace, too, but I haven’t been disowned, because I wasn’t placed in Gryffindor. No offense.”
Blaise opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by a chillingly smooth voice.
“Draco, we specifically invite a guest and you don’t even let us see her? That won’t do at all.” Ginny spun gradually and came face to face with one Lucius Malfoy, looking down at her with what he probably thought was a friendly smile. “How are you, Miss Weasley?”
She reluctantly placed her hand in his gloved one, and fought back a grimace as he raised it to his lips. “I can’t complain, sir. And yourself?”
“Quite well, quite well. May I introduce my wife, Narcissa Malfoy?” He stood aside and a tall, slim woman came forward, her beautiful face contorted into a derisive smile.
“How do you do, Mrs. Malfoy?” She asked politely, shaking hands with the detestable woman.
“I am well, thank you.”
“I wonder, Miss Weasley, if you might treat us with a little song?” Lucius took back over the conversation, a slightly challenging look rising in his eyes. “Draco tells me you’re quite the little song bird.”
So here it was. This was the reason she’d been invited: to be publicly humiliated in front of the entirety of Slytherin house. On either side of her, Blaise and Draco were arguing, politely, with the head of the house.
“Father, I really don’t think-”
“Now, Mr. Malfoy, please-”
“I'd be delighted, Mr. Malfoy,” Ginny broke in, meeting the challenge in those cold eyes head on. “It's an honor.”
A few minutes later, she found herself on stage in front of a silent crowd of people. Draco had warned her to choose a song that his father would approve of, but Ginny had no intention of following this advice. She spoke quietly to the band, then took a deep breath as they began to play.
“Do you remember me?
I sat upon your knee.
I wrote to you
With childhood fantasies.
Well, I’m all grown up now,
And still need help somehow.
I’m not a child,
But my heart still can dream.
So, here’s my lifelong wish,
My grown up Christmas list.
Not for myself,
But for a world in need.”
She found Draco and Blaise in the crowd, the former looking worriedly in his father’s direction, the latter nodding at her encouragingly.
“No more lives torn apart,
And wars would never start,
And time would heal the heart.
Everyone would have a friend,
And right would always win,
And love would never end.
This is my grown up Christmas list.”
Her eyes found Natasha’s as she began the second verse, and the girl was smiling amidst a crowd of frowning Slytherins.
“As children we believed
The grandest sight to see
Was something lovely,
Wrapped beneath our tree.”
Ginny looked directly at Lucius Malfoy as she sang the next part, forcing the pain of all the families he’d torn apart and the hearts that he’d broken into her eyes.
“Well, Heaven only knows
That packages and bows
Can never heal
A hurting human soul.
No more lives torn apart,
And wars would never start,
And time would heal the heart.
Everyone would have a friend,
And right would always win,
And love would never end.
This is my grown up Christmas list.”
Ginny found the youngest person in the room, a very small boy gazing up at her with wide, wondering eyes.
“What is this illusion called the innocence of youth?
Only in our blind belief can we ever find the truth.”
Ginny’s words separated more as her throat filled with tears. She threw her head back, blinking furiously as she tried to regain a hold on her emotions.
“There’d be no more lives torn apart,
And wars would never start,
And time would heal the heart.
Everyone would have a friend,
And right would always win,
And love would never end.
This is my grown up Christmas list.”
Ginny held her hand out to the little boy as she rebelled against everything the Slytherins believed in, her heart soaring as he came to her, and her voice ringing above the silence in an unforgettable forte.
“No more lives torn apart,
And wars would never start,
And time would heal the heart.
Everyone would have a friend,
And right would always win,
And love would never end.
This is my grown up Christmas list,
It’s all I’m asking this Christmas.”
With a single tear rolling down her cheek, Ginny’s eyes locked with Draco’s, and they spoke of a contempt for the world he knew.
“This is my grown up Christmas list.”
Leave a Review