Ginny closed her eyes, but sleep eluded her. What would happen if she were pregnant? Draco said he’d stand by her. Oddly, she didn’t doubt him.
How could she tell her parents?
Over the years, she’d heard her parents make reference to certain girls transferring out of Hogwarts. No one said where the girls went. When she was younger she’d assumed they’d gone to Beauxbatins. As she matured, she detected a note of disapproval in her parent’s voice, which led her to believe the girls hadn’t gone on to any sort of school at all.
Until this very night, she’d never understood how a girl could be so stupid. Tears filled her eyes and slipped over her lashes.
“What’s done is done,” Draco whispered.
She sniffled. “Sorry. I thought you were asleep.”
“I meant what I said.” His fingertips trailed up and down her back in a soothing rhythm. “I will stand by you no matter what. If that means a quiet wedding ceremony at Malfoy Manor, then so be it.”
His words soothed her. He did care. Maybe now was the right time to tell him why she’d come down here in the first place. Propping herself up on one elbow, she said, “I found you earlier because I needed to talk to you. I figured something out and I wanted to share it with you. I wanted to tell you I’d fallen in love with you.”
He blinked.
She waited.
He said nothing.
“While I greatly appreciate your offer to marry me if I’m knocked up, you have about thirty seconds to say something romantic before I attempt to smother you with your pillow,” she warned.
“I’ve never told anyone I loved them,” Draco stated.
Ginny made a grab for the pillow, but he caught her arms. “I’m being honest. Love is not a word that was used in my household.”
Surely he was joking. “Your parent’s never told you they loved you?”
He shook his head. “I’ve never heard my father utter those words. I did hear him tell my mother he cherished her, but that isn’t the same thing as love. He mentioned being proud of my accomplishments. No one has ever said they loved me.”
She couldn’t imagine growing up without love. “I said it. I meant it.” She cuddled up against him. “Due to the fact that you were raised in an emotionally frigid household, I’ll refrain from doing you bodily harm.”
He snorted. “Thank you ever so much. My family may be abnormal, but your family produces foul tempered individuals who are prone to violence.”
“I can’t argue with you about that.” She yawned. “Maybe we can sleep now.”
***
The next morning, Ginny woke to find herself alone in bed. She sat up and grimaced as her muscles complained about her activities the night before.
“Good morning,” Draco said from across the room. He was dressed and reading the newspaper.
“Tea?” she asked.
“On the nightstand.”
She found the cup of tea and sipped slowly while she tried to figure out her next move. Never having spent the night with someone before, she was unsure of protocol.
“Clothes?” she asked.
He folded the paper and set it in his lap. “At what point in the morning are you capable of speaking full sentences?”
She counted items off on her fingers: tea, shower, food, conversation.
“Your clothes are in the loo. Scones are on their way.”
“Thanks.”
She didn’t know where the scones were coming from. Perhaps he had a house elf who delivered breakfast. After finishing her tea, she padded barefoot to the loo. Her clothes were folded neatly on the vanity.
She lingered in the shower. The warm water felt heavenly. After dressing she felt more awake. She emerged from the loo to find Draco eating a scone.
He glanced up when he heard her. Pointing at a plate, he said, “Food.”
“Smart arse,” she stated as she sat and picked up a scone.
“I see we’ve moved on to two word phrases,” he mocked.
She ignored him and enjoyed her blueberry scone. She preferred orange, but this didn’t seem like the time to be picky.
Once her stomach was full, she walked over and sat on the armrest of his chair. “What are you reading?”
“I was reading about the effect of inflation on potion ingredients and the destabilization of the Galleon in the southern hemisphere.”
She blinked. “I’m going to smile and nod and pretend I know what you’re talking about.”
“The cost of-”
She held her hands palm out to indicate he should stop talking. “While I’m sure you find that topic fascinating, it will put me back to sleep.”
The corners of his mouth turned down. “It’s important to understand the economy and how it affects your investments.”
Walking back to her own seat, she said, “When and if I ever have any investments to worry about, I’ll let you explain it to me. Until then I’ll go with the smile and nod response.”
He folded the paper and set it on the floor by his chair. A house elf popped into the room, snatched the paper and disappeared.
Ginny swallowed the bite of scone she’d nearly choked on. “A little warning would’ve been nice. Does he do that often?”
“We have a system. When items are placed in certain areas, he knows they’re ready to be disposed of.”
For the first time, she noticed how neat and tidy Draco’s room was. There were no stray quills or bits of parchment on any of the flat surfaces in his room. The top of his dresser was bare except for a valet box, which sat at a perfect right angle next to his stack of school books. Shoes, socks and ties weren’t strewn across the floor. Every drawer was shut tight.
She bit her lip to keep from laughing.
“What?”
“Nothing. You’re very...fastidious.”
He raised a brow. “Your room is a complete mess isn’t it?”
“I prefer to call it organized chaos.” She broke off a piece of scone and smiled while she chewed.
“If you end up living in Malfoy Manor, I’m assigning you your own house elf.”
The bite of scone seemed to grow in size as she tried to swallow. After taking a drink of tea, she managed to wash it down. “I don’t have any sisters, so I don’t know how we go about finding an answer for this situation.”
He frowned. “I’ve heard other Slytherins discussing this sort of predicament. I believe there are potions we can purchase by owl, which will give us an answer. I’m not sure of the time frame or when you’re supposed to take them.”
“I imagine I’d take the potion once I missed my cycle. I’d rather know now. Maybe I could ask Hermione about this. If she didn’t know, she’d find it in a book much faster than I could.”
He shook his head. “Bad idea. I’d rather keep this information as far away from your brother as possible.”
Ginny stood. “We can’t wish this away. Let’s go do something fun.”
The look he gave her made her insides hum. She sighed. “Sorry, I think I need a little time to recover.”
“Understandable.” He stood and walked toward his wardrobe. Opening the door, he pulled out a broom. “Let’s go flying.”
“Are we picking up my broom or am I riding on yours?”
Draco smirked.
“What?”
“Never mind. I’ve been friends with Blaise for so long, I can hear his smart arse remarks in my head even when he isn’t here.”
In the Slytherin common room, Ginny received quite a few sideways glances. Draco walked past his housemates like it was completely normal for Ginny to be by his side first thing in the morning.
When they exited his common room, he said, “If you act like you belong, people will think you do.”
His tone ticked her off. “Fine. Tomorrow morning you can walk through my common room and we’ll see how comfortable you feel.”
He chuckled. “If we did that I’d want a camera to capture the look on Potter’s face.”
How could she tell her parents?
Over the years, she’d heard her parents make reference to certain girls transferring out of Hogwarts. No one said where the girls went. When she was younger she’d assumed they’d gone to Beauxbatins. As she matured, she detected a note of disapproval in her parent’s voice, which led her to believe the girls hadn’t gone on to any sort of school at all.
Until this very night, she’d never understood how a girl could be so stupid. Tears filled her eyes and slipped over her lashes.
“What’s done is done,” Draco whispered.
She sniffled. “Sorry. I thought you were asleep.”
“I meant what I said.” His fingertips trailed up and down her back in a soothing rhythm. “I will stand by you no matter what. If that means a quiet wedding ceremony at Malfoy Manor, then so be it.”
His words soothed her. He did care. Maybe now was the right time to tell him why she’d come down here in the first place. Propping herself up on one elbow, she said, “I found you earlier because I needed to talk to you. I figured something out and I wanted to share it with you. I wanted to tell you I’d fallen in love with you.”
He blinked.
She waited.
He said nothing.
“While I greatly appreciate your offer to marry me if I’m knocked up, you have about thirty seconds to say something romantic before I attempt to smother you with your pillow,” she warned.
“I’ve never told anyone I loved them,” Draco stated.
Ginny made a grab for the pillow, but he caught her arms. “I’m being honest. Love is not a word that was used in my household.”
Surely he was joking. “Your parent’s never told you they loved you?”
He shook his head. “I’ve never heard my father utter those words. I did hear him tell my mother he cherished her, but that isn’t the same thing as love. He mentioned being proud of my accomplishments. No one has ever said they loved me.”
She couldn’t imagine growing up without love. “I said it. I meant it.” She cuddled up against him. “Due to the fact that you were raised in an emotionally frigid household, I’ll refrain from doing you bodily harm.”
He snorted. “Thank you ever so much. My family may be abnormal, but your family produces foul tempered individuals who are prone to violence.”
“I can’t argue with you about that.” She yawned. “Maybe we can sleep now.”
***
The next morning, Ginny woke to find herself alone in bed. She sat up and grimaced as her muscles complained about her activities the night before.
“Good morning,” Draco said from across the room. He was dressed and reading the newspaper.
“Tea?” she asked.
“On the nightstand.”
She found the cup of tea and sipped slowly while she tried to figure out her next move. Never having spent the night with someone before, she was unsure of protocol.
“Clothes?” she asked.
He folded the paper and set it in his lap. “At what point in the morning are you capable of speaking full sentences?”
She counted items off on her fingers: tea, shower, food, conversation.
“Your clothes are in the loo. Scones are on their way.”
“Thanks.”
She didn’t know where the scones were coming from. Perhaps he had a house elf who delivered breakfast. After finishing her tea, she padded barefoot to the loo. Her clothes were folded neatly on the vanity.
She lingered in the shower. The warm water felt heavenly. After dressing she felt more awake. She emerged from the loo to find Draco eating a scone.
He glanced up when he heard her. Pointing at a plate, he said, “Food.”
“Smart arse,” she stated as she sat and picked up a scone.
“I see we’ve moved on to two word phrases,” he mocked.
She ignored him and enjoyed her blueberry scone. She preferred orange, but this didn’t seem like the time to be picky.
Once her stomach was full, she walked over and sat on the armrest of his chair. “What are you reading?”
“I was reading about the effect of inflation on potion ingredients and the destabilization of the Galleon in the southern hemisphere.”
She blinked. “I’m going to smile and nod and pretend I know what you’re talking about.”
“The cost of-”
She held her hands palm out to indicate he should stop talking. “While I’m sure you find that topic fascinating, it will put me back to sleep.”
The corners of his mouth turned down. “It’s important to understand the economy and how it affects your investments.”
Walking back to her own seat, she said, “When and if I ever have any investments to worry about, I’ll let you explain it to me. Until then I’ll go with the smile and nod response.”
He folded the paper and set it on the floor by his chair. A house elf popped into the room, snatched the paper and disappeared.
Ginny swallowed the bite of scone she’d nearly choked on. “A little warning would’ve been nice. Does he do that often?”
“We have a system. When items are placed in certain areas, he knows they’re ready to be disposed of.”
For the first time, she noticed how neat and tidy Draco’s room was. There were no stray quills or bits of parchment on any of the flat surfaces in his room. The top of his dresser was bare except for a valet box, which sat at a perfect right angle next to his stack of school books. Shoes, socks and ties weren’t strewn across the floor. Every drawer was shut tight.
She bit her lip to keep from laughing.
“What?”
“Nothing. You’re very...fastidious.”
He raised a brow. “Your room is a complete mess isn’t it?”
“I prefer to call it organized chaos.” She broke off a piece of scone and smiled while she chewed.
“If you end up living in Malfoy Manor, I’m assigning you your own house elf.”
The bite of scone seemed to grow in size as she tried to swallow. After taking a drink of tea, she managed to wash it down. “I don’t have any sisters, so I don’t know how we go about finding an answer for this situation.”
He frowned. “I’ve heard other Slytherins discussing this sort of predicament. I believe there are potions we can purchase by owl, which will give us an answer. I’m not sure of the time frame or when you’re supposed to take them.”
“I imagine I’d take the potion once I missed my cycle. I’d rather know now. Maybe I could ask Hermione about this. If she didn’t know, she’d find it in a book much faster than I could.”
He shook his head. “Bad idea. I’d rather keep this information as far away from your brother as possible.”
Ginny stood. “We can’t wish this away. Let’s go do something fun.”
The look he gave her made her insides hum. She sighed. “Sorry, I think I need a little time to recover.”
“Understandable.” He stood and walked toward his wardrobe. Opening the door, he pulled out a broom. “Let’s go flying.”
“Are we picking up my broom or am I riding on yours?”
Draco smirked.
“What?”
“Never mind. I’ve been friends with Blaise for so long, I can hear his smart arse remarks in my head even when he isn’t here.”
In the Slytherin common room, Ginny received quite a few sideways glances. Draco walked past his housemates like it was completely normal for Ginny to be by his side first thing in the morning.
When they exited his common room, he said, “If you act like you belong, people will think you do.”
His tone ticked her off. “Fine. Tomorrow morning you can walk through my common room and we’ll see how comfortable you feel.”
He chuckled. “If we did that I’d want a camera to capture the look on Potter’s face.”
To Be Continued.
CCC is the author of 47 other stories.
This story is a favorite of 81 members. Members who liked The Boggart Debacle also liked 1375 other stories.
This story is a favorite of 81 members. Members who liked The Boggart Debacle also liked 1375 other stories.
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