In My Life

Chapter 9

Draco stopped laughing as he felt Ginny tense up. She rose slowly to her feet, and as the men noticed Albus, they followed suit. Draco stood next to her, a comforting hand on the small of her back, while Charlie and George stood slightly behind them.

“Hello, Al,” Ginny said softly. Her voice was even, but Draco could feel her trembling slightly.

“Mother,” he said. Ginny flinched, and Draco wondered if Albus had ever called her anything but “Mum” before.

After a moment, Albus continued, his voice cold and uninflected. “You really are going to do it, aren’t you?”

“Do what?” Ginny asked, even though Draco was sure she knew what he meant.

“You’re going to marry the evil bastard.”

Draco stiffened at the insult, but he forced himself to remain still. Albus was Ginny’s son; this was her battle.

“Albus Severus Potter!” Ginny said angrily. “I thought I raised you better than that! How dare you speak that way about anyone?”

The orchestra had fallen silent and every eye in the tent was on the Potters. Ginny and Albus didn’t seem to notice.

“How dare you disgrace our family by connecting us with scum like the Malfoys?” Albus spat.

“The Malfoys have been just as respectable as the Weasleys and the Potters for seventy years,” Ginny said. “Your insults are out of date and based entirely on your prejudices, as you know very well.”

“I wish Uncle Ron were still alive. He would never have let you go through with this!”

“Ron never had any say in what I did, and he wouldn’t now,” Ginny scoffed. “My life is my own, and I am the only one who has a say in what I do, or who I marry.”

“Apparently that’s true,” Albus said, his face turning a dangerous shade of purple. “You’re being totally selfish. You certainly haven’t thought about anyone else these last few weeks!”

“I’ve thought about myself and Draco,” Ginny said, her voice becoming lower but more intense. “We’re the only ones this decision will affect. If you don’t like it, you can just keep out of our way, and it won’t have to bother you!”

“You’re wrong! I might not have to see you together, but everywhere I go, I will have to hear people whispering about you, and even worse, whispering about Dad!”

Ginny paused, and all the anger seemed to seep out of her. “Al,” she said gently, “I had a good life with your father, but he’s dead. My relationship with Draco has nothing to do with Harry, and everything to do with our own happiness.” She took a deep breath, then said, “I hope you’ll be able to understand that someday.”

Albus seemed to deflate somewhat. A woman appeared at his side, smiled apologetically at Ginny, and led Albus away. Ginny turned to Draco, and her face was full of weariness.

“Do you want to go home now?” Draco asked gently. Ginny nodded.

Even as he offered Ginny his arm, Draco gave George and Charlie a hard look. They nodded in return. Somehow, Draco knew that they were as concerned for Ginny as he was. He could trust them to talk to Albus after he and Ginny had gone. Hopefully they would be able to sort things out for Ginny’s sake.

Ginny leaned heavily on Draco as they made their way slowly to the house. Despite the pain in his knee, he didn’t mind.

***

Ginny was grateful for Draco’s hand as she stepped out of the fireplace at Notting Park. It had been a very long, eventful day, and she was a little unsteady on her feet. She turned to smile at him in thanks, but before she could say anything, he reached out to wipe a bit of soot from her cheek. She responded by brushing the Floo powder from the front of his robes. The gestures were so domestic—so intimate—that they made her glow with love.

Ginny smiled at Draco, who still had his hand on her cheek and a concerned look on his face. “How are you doing?” he asked quietly.

“I’ll be all right,” Ginny responded, forcing herself to keep smiling.

“That’s not what I asked,” Draco said, frowning.

“I know,” she said, her smile twisting wryly. “But that’s the only answer I can give you right now.”

They stood there for a moment, staring at each other. Ginny hoped that Draco would understand that she wasn’t ready to talk about Albus yet, that she needed a little time to react on her own before sharing with him. After a while, Draco nodded and took her hand, saying, “Come with me.”

Ginny followed curiously as Draco led her up the stairs to the second floor and down a long corridor. He held a door open for her, and as soon as she stepped inside, she realized that he had brought her to his suite. She looked around with interest as he led her to a sofa. The suite was much like her own, though it was somewhat larger and decorated in rich blues. The whole room was bursting with books and sheet music, which gave it a warm, lived-in feeling unlike Ginny’s own suite.

Draco, who had been rummaging around in a cabinet, emerged with a bottle and two glasses. He settled himself next to Ginny, poured the amber liquid, and handed her a glass. “Drink this. It will help you feel better.”

“What is it?” Ginny asked, sniffing it gently.

“Muggle brandy,” Draco said, turning a little pink at the admission. “I always have a glass after a bad day.”

Ginny took a sip, and immediately felt warmer. She smiled at Draco, and he smiled back before taking his own sip.

They sat quietly for a long time, each sipping the brandy and lost in their own thoughts. After both of their drinks had been finished for quite some time, Draco broke the silence. “Do you want to postpone our wedding?” he asked quietly.

“What?” Ginny asked, startled. “What would make you think that?”

“I just thought that you might like some extra time to resolve some of the… issues with your family.”

“I’m afraid there isn’t anything that’s in my power to resolve,” Ginny said sadly.

“Maybe you could talk to him,” Draco suggested.

Ginny shook her head. “Al was always very close to Harry, and I suppose he’s still grieving. He thinks I’m somehow betraying Harry, and that would be very hard for him to forgive.”

There was a long pause, then Draco asked, “Do you want to wait for that?”

Ginny laughed bitterly. “He’s as stubborn as Harry ever was. He might never forgive me. Are you willing to wait that long?”

The corner of Draco’s mouth twitched. “I’d prefer not to wait quite that long,” he said with amusement, but then he frowned. “I will wait, though, if that’s what you want. I can’t imagine not having Scorpius and Lyra with me that day, and I’m sure it wouldn’t be any easier for you not to have Albus there.”

“I do want Al to be there—of course I do,” Ginny said earnestly. “But I meant what I said to him. All that really matters in our marriage is what makes us happy. I hope that he will come to the wedding, but I’m not going to put our happiness on hold just so he can resolve his own issues. I love you too much to do that.”

“Do you mean it?” Draco asked, his eyes intense with emotion.

“Yes,” Ginny answered simply.

“Good,” he said, and he kissed her so fiercely that she forgot about Albus entirely for several minutes.

When she regained her senses, Ginny knew that she had made the right decision. She hoped Albus would come to accept Draco, but if he didn’t, it wouldn’t change a thing. She could never remember ever feeling so alive, and she wouldn’t sacrifice that for anything or anyone. She reached up and touched Draco’s face. “Thank you,” she whispered.

“For what?” Draco asked, a bemused smile on his face.

“For the brandy, for being so understanding, just for being you, and for loving me, I guess,” she answered.

“You’re welcome,” Draco said. He then smiled mischievously, and asked, “But you do know that I’m just wonderful without even trying, right?”

“Don’t get too big a head,” Ginny said, swatting him lightly on the chest.

“How can I help it when you heap such praise on me?” he asked loftily.

“I don’t know,” Ginny said, laughing. “I guess you’ll have to find a way. Otherwise, I might just stop praising you, and then where would you be?”

“Alone,” Draco said with a sudden frown. Ginny took his hand, mindful of his sudden change of mood. “I have been alone most of my life, and thought I was content, but now I know differently. I couldn’t go back to that life, not now that I have you.”

Ginny squeezed Draco’s hand and said lightly, “Well, I hope you don’t change your mind. I’m afraid that you’re stuck with me now.” She stifled a yawn. “But it is getting late, and I had better get some sleep.”

Draco walked Ginny back to her suite and kissed her goodnight at the threshold. As she slipped into her bedroom, Ginny realized that soon she wouldn’t have to retire to her own suite at all. She fell asleep that night with a wide smile on her face.

***

The next morning, Draco was surprised to arrive in the drawing room before Ginny. He had slept later than he was accustomed. He had also lingered over his breakfast, reading the Daily Prophet carefully. As he had expected, there was a small article about their engagement in the society pages. He was pleased to see that although it detailed the announcement at Ellen and Dietrich’s wedding, the reporter did not mention Ginny’s argument with Albus. The reporter’s name seemed vaguely familiar; Draco was trying to decide if she was one of Ginny’s relatives when he was interrupted by a loud squeal from the doorway.

Fanny Marshall burst into the room, talking extremely quickly. “Oh, Draco!” she said, and he flinched at her familiarity. “Congratulations! What wonderful news! I had no idea until I saw the notice in the papers! I was just telling Ginny here how sly you two have been, keeping your affair so secret!”

Draco looked up to see Ginny following Fanny at a much more sedate pace. She rolled her eyes in Fanny’s direction and shrugged her shoulders. Smiling slightly, Draco turned his attention back to Fanny, who was still gushing.

“You could have blown me over like a feather when I saw it! Who ever would have thought? You two falling in love right here at Notting Park! And right under our noses, with none of us the wiser!” Draco was pretty sure that Susan Bones had known very well what was happening, but he knew better than to try to explain anything to Fanny.

“You must tell me all the details!” Fanny continued. “When will the wedding be? You absolutely must have it here, of course! I would be happy to help with the planning, you know! I’ve planned scads of weddings in my time! Quite an expert I’ve become! I’ll make sure everything is done up right! And Ginny dear, you absolutely must carry orchids. They’re all the rage you know! And you really should wear Wilma Winterboom if you can—her robes are absolutely divine!”

Fanny paused to take a breath, and Ginny took the opportunity to interrupt her. “We haven’t made any plans yet, Fanny,” she said evenly, although Draco could see that she was stiff with frustration. “We’ve only just become engaged. But once we have settled on a date and location and the like, we will certainly let you know if there is anything you can do to help.”

Draco was impressed by Ginny’s speech. She made it sound as if Fanny would be allowed to help without making any promises, and there was no polite way Fanny could respond, especially when Ginny added, “Draco and I need to settle on a date, and I’m sure you wouldn’t want to miss this morning’s tango lessons while we discuss something as boring as that.”

With only a few more comments, Fanny was out the door and on her way to the activity room, where she would undoubtedly brag about the part she was to play in their wedding plans.

Ginny exhaled loudly as she sank into the chair opposite Draco’s. “I guess I don’t have to ask how you are doing this morning?” he asked with amusement.

“No, I should think not,” Ginny said exasperatedly. “I thought I would never get rid of her!”

“I thought you handled her masterfully,” Draco said with a smirk. “She went away relatively quickly, it seemed.”

“Hmph,” Ginny said. “That just shows how much you know. She was waiting for me when I came down to breakfast, and she didn’t stop talking for even a minute. I think she must have just finally run out of steam.”

“Whatever the reason, she’s gone now,” Draco said, taking Ginny’s hand. “We should just enjoy the quiet.”

“I’d like to,” Ginny said. “But as much as I hate to admit it, Fanny does have a point. We should start making some plans.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Draco said with a sigh. He remembered all the details that had gone into planning Lyra’s wedding and shuddered. He would rather climb a mountain the Muggle way, even with his bad knee and no cane, than spend the morning talking about flowers and wizarding fashion.

“You said that Lyra can make it here by next Friday?” Ginny asked. Draco nodded, and she said, “Good. Then how does next Saturday sound?”

“You’ve got a date!” Draco said with a smile. “Where would you like to hold the ceremony?

“I’d prefer not to have it at the Burrow,” Ginny said tentatively.

“Why not?” Draco asked curiously. He had expected that she would want to hold it there.

With a small shrug, Ginny said, “Harry and I got married there. I would rather start out with you somewhere fresh.”

Draco smiled. “I hadn’t thought of that, but you’re absolutely right. I didn’t marry Yvette at Malfoy Manor, but it is out of the question as well, I’m afraid.” He shuddered. “Justine has had ten years of free rein since I left—I can only imagine what it looks like now!”

Draco thought he noticed Ginny relax a little when he said that, but he wasn’t sure. It would make sense, though. Although the Manor had been his home, most of the witches and wizards who had been alive during the war had trouble thinking of it as anything other than Voldemort’s headquarters.

“I suppose we could look into using Hogwarts,” Ginny suggested, but she was frowning as she said it.

“No,” Draco responded. “There are too many unpleasant associations there.”

“We could have it here,” Ginny said.

“Here?”

Ginny nodded. “The garden is lovely right now, and I bet Susan could make it look even nicer. And the only associations I have here are pleasant ones, related to you.”

“You do know that Fanny will haunt our every step for the next two weeks if we have it here, don’t you?”

“You’re right,” Ginny said with a sigh. “But I can’t think of anywhere else that would work as well.”

“Nor can I,” Draco said slowly.

“That’s decided, then,” Ginny said. “We’ll only invite our families, right? And I suppose we will need to invite the other residents if we’re having it here.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Draco said. “Though with the size of your family, I doubt we’ll notice them at all—even Fanny!”

Ginny swatted Draco on the arm. “Oh, shut up!” she said with a smile. “Well, I guess we’re done with the plans for now. That wasn’t too painful, was it?”

“What?” Draco asked, surprised. “We don’t have to decide on flowers and robes and all that?”

Ginny shrugged. “I don’t particularly care about the details,” she said, “as long as you’re there.” She paused, then added, “And as long as you say, ‘I do,’ in the right place!”

Draco smiled widely. “I knew there was a reason I fell in love with you!”