In My Life

Chapter 7

Ginny returned to Notting Park late that afternoon, utterly calm. Ellen’s tacit approval of a relationship with Draco had helped soothe her doubts. She knew that not all of the family would take the news as well as Ellen had. (Though it apparently hadn’t been news to Ellen.) But having at least one family member’s support—two if she included Dietrich—might make convincing the others easier.

As Ginny had slowly given her heart the freedom to feel what it wanted to feel, she had daydreamed more and more often about Draco’s eyes. The memory of the intense way he had looked at her made her heart race. She wanted that, she had realized. She wanted him to look at her like that all of the time. For that matter, she wanted to be with him all of the time, to talk with him, to listen to him play the piano. She wanted him so badly it took her breath away.

Ginny stepped out of the entry hall fireplace, planning to return to her suite in order to clean up, then to try to find Draco before dinner. She was ready to face him and tell him what she felt. But she stopped short as she noticed Addie in front of her, trembling terribly.

“Addie! What’s the matter? Can I do something to help you?”

“Oh, missus!” Addie said agitatedly. “It’s horrible!”

“What’s horrible?” Ginny asked with concern.

“It’s Master Draco, missus. Addie doesn’t know what to do!”

“Draco?” Ginny asked, her heart sinking. “Is something wrong with him? Where is he?”

“Master is in the music room, missus. Addie hopes missus can help him!”

Ginny practically ran to the music room. She flung the door open, expecting to see Draco lying prone on the floor and in terrible pain, or in a pool of his own blood, or something equally melodramatic. Instead, she found him at the piano, pounding it as if he wanted to beat it to death.

“Draco! What’s wrong?” she cried, rushing to his side.

“Get out!”

“What? What’s wrong?” Ginny asked, stunned by his anger.

“I said, get out. I don’t want to see your face again.”

Ginny had no idea what was wrong with Draco, but his stubborn rejection of her overtures was beginning to get under her skin. She could feel her own ire rising, but did her best to control it. “I’m not going anywhere until you give me an explanation,” she said firmly. “You at least owe me that.”

“I don’t owe you anything.” Draco continued to bang on the piano, refusing to look Ginny in the eye.

“You do, and I won’t leave until you explain,” Ginny said, her voice hard with determination.

“You left,” Draco said simply.

“What do you mean, I left?” Ginny asked, confused.

Draco stopped playing and turned to look her full in the eyes. She looked right back, eyes blazing. “I offered you everything, and you left.”

“I don’t understand,” Ginny said, losing a little of her anger.

“What’s not to understand? I fell in love with you, and was stupid enough to think you might feel the same way, but then you left. So you can just go away again, and leave me to my misery.” Draco turned away again, and began to play, but this time the melody was melancholy rather than angry.

Ginny’s heart leapt. He loved her! She hadn’t imagined it.

“I love you too, you git!” Ginny said, a wide grin splitting her face.

Draco stopped playing. He sat very still for a few moments, then slowly turned to face Ginny again. “You… You love me?”

Ginny sat down next to Draco on the piano bench, and took his hand in hers. “Yes,” she said simply.

“Then why did you leave?” he asked, staring at their intertwined hands.

“I didn’t leave,” Ginny said with exasperation. “I’m right here.”

“Where were you this morning? I waited for you forever, and you didn’t even leave me a note,” Draco said petulantly.

“I was at the Burrow,” Ginny answered matter-of-factly. “Helping with the wedding arrangements. You were right there when Ellen and I made the plans!”

Draco had the grace to turn pink. “Oh,” he said. “I forgot.”

“Well, in the future, I suggest you try to remember things like that before you throw a tantrum like the spoiled brat you are,” Ginny said, her voice light. “Poor Addie was absolutely terrified.”

Draco grinned sheepishly. “It wasn’t just Addie, I’m afraid. I suspect Sophie and her grandson will never come near this room again.”

Ginny shook her head in disbelief. “Poor Sophie. I’ll have to find some way to make it up to her.”

After a moment, Draco said, “I’ll try not to fly off the handle so quickly again.”

“Thank you,” Ginny said, with mild surprise that he would make such an offer.

“After all,” he said with a smirk, “we’re likely to have enough fights as it is, with how stubborn you can be.”

Ginny swatted him on the arm. “Determined. Not stubborn,” she admonished.

“Whatever you say,” Draco answered, as he reached up to wipe some soot off of Ginny’s face.

“And you had best remember it,” Ginny said. “If it weren’t for my determination, you would still be sitting here alone.”

“Are you ever wrong?” Draco asked with a sigh.

“It’s been known to happen,” Ginny said with a smile, “but not very often. Get used to it.”

“Whatever you say, my love,” Draco whispered, as he leaned closer to her.

“I like the sound of that,” Ginny replied, before closing the distance between his lips and her own.

***

Draco was lightheaded with giddiness and lack of oxygen. He pulled away from Ginny, but still clutched her hand. He had kissed other women before, of course, but it had never been like this. Never before had he felt as if he was on fire and at the same time serene as the stillest water. But then again, he had never been in love before, either.

Once he had regained his senses somewhat, Draco turned to look at Ginny again. His breath caught in his throat. She looked as dazed as he felt. When she smiled at him, he couldn’t help himself—he kissed her again.

Draco had no idea how long they had sat on the piano bench, snogging like teenagers. They were finally interrupted when Addie appeared with a tray of food.

“Master and Missus is not being at dinner, so Addie is bringing dinner to Master and Missus,” the house-elf said. She arranged the plates of food on a small table in front of one of the sofas, then disappeared with a pop.

“I guess that’s a sign that we should take a break,” Ginny said sheepishly. She stood up, and moved towards the table of food, and Draco followed, grinning widely. He wasn’t hungry, but he figured he would need to eat to keep up his strength if they were to continue later.

They ate in silence, but found excuses to look at each other or touch each other as often as they possibly could. After a while, Ginny said, “Come to Ellen and Dietrich’s wedding with me on Saturday.”

Draco looked at her questioningly. “Are you sure?” he asked. “Ellen said it would just be family. I wouldn’t want to intrude.”

“She invited you specifically, so you wouldn’t be intruding,” Ginny answered. “Besides, didn’t you say you are related to Dietrich?”

Draco snorted. “If I am, he’s probably my fifth cousin twice removed, or something like that. I can’t imagine they planned to invite such distant relations.”

Ginny turned to face Draco and looked intently at him. “You’re going to be a closer relation soon, though, aren’t you?”

Draco was surprised by her boldness. He had made all sorts of mental plans for slowly courting Ginny. He hoped that she would eventually agree to marry him, but he had thought it would take quite a bit of time to convince her. Her comment suggested otherwise. On the other hand, maybe she meant something else entirely.

Draco cocked his head and raised an eyebrow. “Is that a proposal, Mrs. Potter?”

Ginny blushed. “No, I’m too old-fashioned for that.” She took a deep breath, then looked Draco in the eyes and said, “But you could consider it a suggestion.”

This time, Draco’s mouth dropped open in shock. “You want me to propose to you?” he asked with disbelief. “Now?”

Ginny looked down at her plate. “We’re not getting any younger, Draco,” she said, then looked him in the eye again. “Who knows how much time we have left? I don’t want to waste a minute.”

Draco looked into Ginny’s eyes. He knew that he wanted the same thing. “It won’t be very romantic,” he said. “I don’t have flowers or a ring or any of that.”

“I don’t need those things,” she said earnestly. “My first proposal had all the trappings of romance, but I never realized until last night that it was missing the most important thing of all.”

“What was that?” Draco asked, holding his breath as he waited for the answer.

“All I need is for you to keep looking at me the way you are now, as if I matter to you more than anyone else.”

“You do,” Draco breathed. His heart raced as he cupped her face in his hand. “Ginevra Weasley Potter, in the short time you have lived here, you have come to mean more to me than any other person in my life has ever meant. I love you more than I thought possible. Will you marry me?”

“Oh, yes!” Ginny said, and Draco let the rush of happiness sweep over him before kissing her—his new fiancée—as if his life depended on it. Later, as he relived the moment, he realized that maybe it did.