Chapter 6
Draco awoke with Ginny sleeping soundly underneath him. Her eyes still swollen from too many tears. Still, she was lovely. Studying her ivory face with just a faint dusting of freckles, he wished that Ginny would never leave. His mouth danced along a column of her throat bringing Ginny out of her slumber.
Something was wrong. She was pushing him away. "Not now, Draco." She slipped from his grasp easing herself out of bed.
"Where are you going?" he asked, his eyes pleading with her, "I thought we could spend the day together. I could call off work and get a substitute to teach my classes."
"I have to talk with..." she mumbled as she walked to the shower, " Harry."
Draco shoved the blankets that had covered him and Ginny just moments before, to the floor. He sat up on the edge of the bed sighing heavily. After sharing so much with her, he had assumed, wrongfully so, that she would want to be with him today. Perhaps he had shown her too much. There were old wounds in his memory he hadn't wanted to face again. Obviously she didn't either.
Towel drying her hair, Ginny took a seat at her vanity, "It's not what you think Draco. The press conference is this morning. He needs to know about you and I."
Vultures, the name was too nice a descriptive for the Daily Prophet. He didn't relish the thought of being at their mercy. Only for Ginny would he meet the press he had so long tried to avoid. Hexes wouldn't come fast enough if the Prophet or the Quibbler hurt her.
Draco crossed the room, chanting a quick dry spell for his wife, "Do you want me there with you?" Waiting for her reply, he pulled a hairbrush through Ginny's long red hair. He loved combing her hair, it had become a bit of a tradition each morning. A part of him hoped that one day a little one of their own would have her hair.
***
Less than a month ago they had been lounging in bed after another round of fabulous lovemaking on a lazy Sunday afternoon. His mind still couldn't fathom the fact that after 3 years of marriage, Ginny loved him despite his past. No longer was he rich. Gone was Malfoy Mansion to be replaced by a small cottage in Hogsmeade. No matter. Ginny Malfoy was lying beside him looking up at him with more love than he felt he rightly deserved.
"I want our little ones to have your hair." Draco had said playing with a stray tendril as he lay between her thighs.
Ginny's soft laughter reached his ears as she feigned surprise, " A Malfoy wants red haired offspring?"
"Correction, I want our babies to have blazing red hair, freckles too. Think you can manage that Mrs. Malfoy?" he told her as his nose nuzzled against her neck.
She had disagreed, "If they have red hair they'll be teased mercilessly. I prefer blonde babies with grayish-blue eyes."
"Let's get started then Gin-girl." They never did leave the bed that day. From sunrise until the sun dipped from view they spent the day in exploration and arousal. Draco decided he most definitely wouldn't put that memory in a pensieve. Safely he would have it locked in his mind for instant retrieval. Three long years they had tried to conceive, without success. It wasn't for lack of trying. And what great fun they had having a go at it.
Never would he admit to Ginny how scared he was. If she chose Potter, he would never get a chance to make love to her again.
***
Putting the brush down Draco caught her gaze in the mirror as he rested his hand on her shoulder. Ginny reached up and laid her hand over his.
"I think it's best I go alone."
He snatched his hand away, "It's becoming a bit of a habit for you, isn't it Virginia. To leave me!?"
Draco started to pace back and forth in a manner Ginny had never seen, "Maybe it was a - a mistake, allowing you access to my pensieve! What the hell was I thinking!" Would she now start making comparisons between the great Captain Harry Potter and lowly Medic Malfoy ? The awardee of Order of Merlin 1st class due to Operation Lestrange had been despised by his whole platoon, while Harry Potter had been loved and respected. Valiantly Harry fought a hero's battle against his evil wicked witch of an aunt. The humiliation he suffered under his Aunt Bellatrix, went far deeper than he thought Ginny would ever begin to suspect. Ginny probably hated him for it.
Draco hated himself for it. He who so prided himself in being strong, had been weak and hadn't been able to stop any of it.
Ginny rose fluidly from the chair , looking up into the grey eyes that tried to hide so much yet told her everything. She brushed her fingers softly against his cheek. "I love you even more Draco. I love you even more."
***
"Mrs Potter!"
"Mrs. Malfoy!"
Ginny brought her hand to her face trying to shield her eyes from the blinding flashes. Reporters surrounded her from all sides threatening to crush her.
"Is it true you had a torrid affair with Draco Malfoy prior to Harry Potter's disappearance?" asked a pudgy reporter with a badge that read "THE QUIBBLER." He stepped in front of her attempting to snap a picture.
A fully cloaked man with hood drawn reached out to grab the camera, sending it smashing to bits on the sidewalk in front of St. Mungo's.
"That's Quibbler property! You'll pay for that!"
The cloaked figure threw off his hood, "Bill me!" Ron Weasley ushered Ginny hastily past the mob into St. Mungo's Hospital. He rushed up the stairs , taking them two at a time. "C'mon Ginny!" he yelled down to her from the 4th floor landing, watching his sister carefully ascend the stairwell.
"You sure do take your sweet time sis." he said to her as they entered the corridor. " For someone who played Quidditch, you're incredibly slow."
"Don't rush me Ron!" Tapping her wand to her temple ,Ginny chanted the headache banishing spell. Trepidation filled her every step as Ron swept her past the corridor full of Aurors.
"Why so many?" Ginny asked, although she suspected the reasoning behind it.
Ron stopped at an empty patient room two doors down from Harry. Opening the door he revealed a room filled with thousands upon thousands of letters, piled from the floor until they reached the ceiling. "Security measures. Death threats are owled daily..."
Ginny brought her hand up to her lips, gasping in surprise and horror.
Ron continued, "... as well as numerous marriage proposals, job offers, requests for money and autographs. Bunch of nutters if you ask me. The ministry has had to censor his mail before allowing him to read it. Some of the correspondence reveals information that is highly sensitive."
Ron shared a knowing look with Ginny. She had to tell him - and soon.
Entering Harry's room, Ron's grim expression quickly changed as he flashed a brilliant smile at Harry. "I've brought a visitor."
Ginny stepped out from behind her brother. Cards, flowers and muggle balloons decorated the room. "Get well soon. Get well soon." a card on his stand repeated. A crude picture drawn by her nephew James hung prominently over Harry's bed. "The Weasley Family - by James Harry Weasley." Had been drawn in crayon. Ginny had to laugh at the stick figures of her mum, dad, and brothers. He had drawn his aunt Angelina and her children a bit too dark. James had even added Harry Potter making his scar a bit bigger than the rest of his body. There was no mistaking which stick figure she was. The long red hair gave it away. Standing next to Ginny, his stick hand in hers was the only blonde in the picture. Draco.
Had Harry noticed? Did he question who the mysterious figure was amongst a sea of Weasley's?
Ron gave Ginny a comforting squeeze as if willing to add his strength to hers. "I'll leave you two alone then." Before turning towards the door Ron whispered in Ginny's ear, "You have an hour."
It's now or never, she told herself. Harry had suffered enough. To prolong his knowledge of the truth would be cruel. Ginny settled herself in a chair nearest his bed. "H-Harry I have something to tell- "
She didn't get a chance to finish. Harry swung his legs over the hospital bed. He sat forward looking at her intently with the same sparkling green eyes that had once said. "Till death do us part." Ginny felt neverending tears start to fall. She had let him down.
Pressing a finger to her lips, he said quietly, "Shh Gin - I know."
Draco awoke with Ginny sleeping soundly underneath him. Her eyes still swollen from too many tears. Still, she was lovely. Studying her ivory face with just a faint dusting of freckles, he wished that Ginny would never leave. His mouth danced along a column of her throat bringing Ginny out of her slumber.
Something was wrong. She was pushing him away. "Not now, Draco." She slipped from his grasp easing herself out of bed.
"Where are you going?" he asked, his eyes pleading with her, "I thought we could spend the day together. I could call off work and get a substitute to teach my classes."
"I have to talk with..." she mumbled as she walked to the shower, " Harry."
Draco shoved the blankets that had covered him and Ginny just moments before, to the floor. He sat up on the edge of the bed sighing heavily. After sharing so much with her, he had assumed, wrongfully so, that she would want to be with him today. Perhaps he had shown her too much. There were old wounds in his memory he hadn't wanted to face again. Obviously she didn't either.
Towel drying her hair, Ginny took a seat at her vanity, "It's not what you think Draco. The press conference is this morning. He needs to know about you and I."
Vultures, the name was too nice a descriptive for the Daily Prophet. He didn't relish the thought of being at their mercy. Only for Ginny would he meet the press he had so long tried to avoid. Hexes wouldn't come fast enough if the Prophet or the Quibbler hurt her.
Draco crossed the room, chanting a quick dry spell for his wife, "Do you want me there with you?" Waiting for her reply, he pulled a hairbrush through Ginny's long red hair. He loved combing her hair, it had become a bit of a tradition each morning. A part of him hoped that one day a little one of their own would have her hair.
***
Less than a month ago they had been lounging in bed after another round of fabulous lovemaking on a lazy Sunday afternoon. His mind still couldn't fathom the fact that after 3 years of marriage, Ginny loved him despite his past. No longer was he rich. Gone was Malfoy Mansion to be replaced by a small cottage in Hogsmeade. No matter. Ginny Malfoy was lying beside him looking up at him with more love than he felt he rightly deserved.
"I want our little ones to have your hair." Draco had said playing with a stray tendril as he lay between her thighs.
Ginny's soft laughter reached his ears as she feigned surprise, " A Malfoy wants red haired offspring?"
"Correction, I want our babies to have blazing red hair, freckles too. Think you can manage that Mrs. Malfoy?" he told her as his nose nuzzled against her neck.
She had disagreed, "If they have red hair they'll be teased mercilessly. I prefer blonde babies with grayish-blue eyes."
"Let's get started then Gin-girl." They never did leave the bed that day. From sunrise until the sun dipped from view they spent the day in exploration and arousal. Draco decided he most definitely wouldn't put that memory in a pensieve. Safely he would have it locked in his mind for instant retrieval. Three long years they had tried to conceive, without success. It wasn't for lack of trying. And what great fun they had having a go at it.
Never would he admit to Ginny how scared he was. If she chose Potter, he would never get a chance to make love to her again.
***
Putting the brush down Draco caught her gaze in the mirror as he rested his hand on her shoulder. Ginny reached up and laid her hand over his.
"I think it's best I go alone."
He snatched his hand away, "It's becoming a bit of a habit for you, isn't it Virginia. To leave me!?"
Draco started to pace back and forth in a manner Ginny had never seen, "Maybe it was a - a mistake, allowing you access to my pensieve! What the hell was I thinking!" Would she now start making comparisons between the great Captain Harry Potter and lowly Medic Malfoy ? The awardee of Order of Merlin 1st class due to Operation Lestrange had been despised by his whole platoon, while Harry Potter had been loved and respected. Valiantly Harry fought a hero's battle against his evil wicked witch of an aunt. The humiliation he suffered under his Aunt Bellatrix, went far deeper than he thought Ginny would ever begin to suspect. Ginny probably hated him for it.
Draco hated himself for it. He who so prided himself in being strong, had been weak and hadn't been able to stop any of it.
Ginny rose fluidly from the chair , looking up into the grey eyes that tried to hide so much yet told her everything. She brushed her fingers softly against his cheek. "I love you even more Draco. I love you even more."
***
"Mrs Potter!"
"Mrs. Malfoy!"
Ginny brought her hand to her face trying to shield her eyes from the blinding flashes. Reporters surrounded her from all sides threatening to crush her.
"Is it true you had a torrid affair with Draco Malfoy prior to Harry Potter's disappearance?" asked a pudgy reporter with a badge that read "THE QUIBBLER." He stepped in front of her attempting to snap a picture.
A fully cloaked man with hood drawn reached out to grab the camera, sending it smashing to bits on the sidewalk in front of St. Mungo's.
"That's Quibbler property! You'll pay for that!"
The cloaked figure threw off his hood, "Bill me!" Ron Weasley ushered Ginny hastily past the mob into St. Mungo's Hospital. He rushed up the stairs , taking them two at a time. "C'mon Ginny!" he yelled down to her from the 4th floor landing, watching his sister carefully ascend the stairwell.
"You sure do take your sweet time sis." he said to her as they entered the corridor. " For someone who played Quidditch, you're incredibly slow."
"Don't rush me Ron!" Tapping her wand to her temple ,Ginny chanted the headache banishing spell. Trepidation filled her every step as Ron swept her past the corridor full of Aurors.
"Why so many?" Ginny asked, although she suspected the reasoning behind it.
Ron stopped at an empty patient room two doors down from Harry. Opening the door he revealed a room filled with thousands upon thousands of letters, piled from the floor until they reached the ceiling. "Security measures. Death threats are owled daily..."
Ginny brought her hand up to her lips, gasping in surprise and horror.
Ron continued, "... as well as numerous marriage proposals, job offers, requests for money and autographs. Bunch of nutters if you ask me. The ministry has had to censor his mail before allowing him to read it. Some of the correspondence reveals information that is highly sensitive."
Ron shared a knowing look with Ginny. She had to tell him - and soon.
Entering Harry's room, Ron's grim expression quickly changed as he flashed a brilliant smile at Harry. "I've brought a visitor."
Ginny stepped out from behind her brother. Cards, flowers and muggle balloons decorated the room. "Get well soon. Get well soon." a card on his stand repeated. A crude picture drawn by her nephew James hung prominently over Harry's bed. "The Weasley Family - by James Harry Weasley." Had been drawn in crayon. Ginny had to laugh at the stick figures of her mum, dad, and brothers. He had drawn his aunt Angelina and her children a bit too dark. James had even added Harry Potter making his scar a bit bigger than the rest of his body. There was no mistaking which stick figure she was. The long red hair gave it away. Standing next to Ginny, his stick hand in hers was the only blonde in the picture. Draco.
Had Harry noticed? Did he question who the mysterious figure was amongst a sea of Weasley's?
Ron gave Ginny a comforting squeeze as if willing to add his strength to hers. "I'll leave you two alone then." Before turning towards the door Ron whispered in Ginny's ear, "You have an hour."
It's now or never, she told herself. Harry had suffered enough. To prolong his knowledge of the truth would be cruel. Ginny settled herself in a chair nearest his bed. "H-Harry I have something to tell- "
She didn't get a chance to finish. Harry swung his legs over the hospital bed. He sat forward looking at her intently with the same sparkling green eyes that had once said. "Till death do us part." Ginny felt neverending tears start to fall. She had let him down.
Pressing a finger to her lips, he said quietly, "Shh Gin - I know."
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