My Soul Belongs To You
Chapter Seventeen
The Distance Between
The next evening, Draco and Ginny went to Malfoy Manor for dinner. Draco was relieved that almost ten years earlier Ginny had spent some time with his father. She was nervous, yes, but only because of what they were about to announce. Draco had toyed with the idea of telling his parents alone, but in the end decided that this was good news and not something to be ashamed of.
“Mother, this is Ginevra Weasley Potter. Ginny, my mother, Narcissa.” The two women had met and spoken a few times in the past; however, Draco was now formally introducing his future wife to his mother.
“Ginevra, it's lovely to see you again. I hear so much about your son Al from Scorpius.”
“Mrs. Malfoy, you have a lovely home,” Ginny greeted.
Narcissa smiled. “Yes it is; I only wish I could take credit for it. As both Draco and Lucius could tell you, I have the most hideous taste in decor.”
Draco nodded. “What you lack in taste there you more than make up for in fashion, as Father complains about regularly,” Draco teased, trying to show Ginny that his family was really the same as any other family.
Lucius had entered the room and took a moment to watch his son with the love of Draco's life. Draco's hand was resting gently on the small of Ginny's back. As the evening went on, it didn't take Lucius long to figure out something big was coming. Draco was clearly very protective of Ginny.
“Well, Mother, Father, Ginny and I would like to tell you that we have decided to get married, before the end of the coming summer.”
Narcissa looked at Draco; she believed there was more. Normally, it would be far too soon for Ginny Potter to remarry! “Draco, is there something more I'm not aware of?”
They were sitting at the table in the dining room. Draco reached under the table and squeezed Ginny's hand. “A lot, Mother. Ginny and I have been in love for twenty years, and for most of that time we were apart.”
Narcissa smiled at Ginny, “Don't misunderstand me, Ginevra. I'm simply concerned about the fact that you are recently widowed and... Well, I ...”
“Mother, Ginny and I are both aware of what people's reactions will be. However, I can assure you that while Ginny was married she never broke her wedding vows. Her family is aware of this, and now you are as well. I have wished to marry her for most of my life, but now it will be a little sooner than we thought. You see Father, Mother, Ginny is expecting my child.”
A smile played on Narcissa's face.
Later that evening, Lucius and Draco were in Lucius' study. “Did you plan this, Draco?” the senior Malfoy asked.
“No, Father. This is an unexpected blessing, however a very welcome one,” Draco replied.
“Well, it's really too bad you couldn't have married her sooner. I will say this about her family; they're good breeding stock.”
“Father, I would appreciate it if you didn't talk about my future wife like you would a horse.”
“Don't misunderstand me, Draco. I'm very happy for you and I'm pleased at the idea of another grandchild. I only meant having children is something her family does well.”
Once their families had been told, Ginny began to relax; there was still a lot of time before the fact that she was pregnant would become public knowledge. Draco had been coming over each night until about four weeks ago, then he became very busy at work. Now if he made it over twice a week Ginny felt lucky, but even when he was over Ginny noticed he was distant and withdrawn.
She couldn't help but think that maybe he had lost interest in her. It did hurt. He didn't even ask about the baby! That only made her miss Harry. In the past when she had been expecting, Harry was always asking how she and the baby were doing. It was like Draco didn't even want to know about the baby.
Ginny was walking down Diagon Alley one afternoon when she ran into Lucius. “Ginevra, join me for lunch?” he offered warmly.
As they sat in a small café, Lucius asked all kinds of questions about Ginny's pregnancy, and even how it compared with her others. In ten minutes, he asked more than Draco had in the last month! “Ginevra, is there something wrong?” he asked; he had noticed she seemed distracted.
“No, why do you ask?”
“I can tell something's bothering you,” he declared.
“It's nothing, really,” she lied.
“You're worried about what will happen when news of the baby comes out to the public, right?” he guessed.
“No. I mean...a little. Can I be honest with you?”
“Of course.” He smiled reassuringly at her.
She toyed with her fork. “You remember that Draco and I were... well, you know about our past. I think that for Draco, perhaps he had years of knowing that he couldn't have me and that only made him want me more. Now he has me, and I think he might be finding that having is not as pleasurable as wanting.”
Lucius looked at her for a long moment before replying, “Why do you say that?”
“Well, of late he has been withdrawn and he doesn't seem to have an interest in the baby.”
“Have you considered that the problem is not Draco's, but yours?”
Ginny took offence. “What?”
“I don't mean to offend; just hear me out. You're expecting Draco to react like your late husband did. You must remember Draco is not like Harry Potter and he will react differently. Draco is a man whose first wife lost one baby, then she and another child died in childbirth. Draco is reacting the only way he can; he is protecting himself.”
“That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard!” Ginny snapped.
“Really, Ginevra, think about it. He spent years wanting you, thinking about what life with you would be like. He was unhappy in his life, and at the same time he knew you were happy. Now he is very close to having the very things he dreamed of for years; having you, as his wife, carrying his child is one of those dreams. He is scared to be happy, to get too close, or be too excited.”
“But he knows I had no problems having my other children,” Ginny tried to reason.
“Of course he knows, but this fear is deep down and by no means rational,” Lucius explained.
“You sound like you're speaking from experience.”
He smiled at her again. “Yes and no. I told Draco this, and I will share it with you now. I have been in your place, at least until Mr. Potter passed away. Narcissa wasn't my first choice for my wife, but I do love her. I know what it's like to watch the love of one's life live with another, to see her have someone else's children, to know that she loves this other man. I know Draco; he and I are very much alike. I know how he has hurt over the years, but at the same time I think I understand where you're coming from. You loved each of them for different reasons; don't expect Draco to react to things now as Harry once did.”
Ginny was shocked by Lucius' openness with her. “Why are you being so open with me, and while we're at it, nice to me?”
“You are carrying my grandchild, therefore you will be a member of my family,” he replied as effortlessly as breathing air.
“Who is she?” Ginny asked.
“I will take that to my grave. But please, there is no reason for Narcissa to know; it would only cause her pain.” He paused and looked thoughtfully at the woman in front of him. “Talk with Draco.”
For the first time in Ginny's life, she realized there was more to Lucius Malfoy than the man who gave her Tom Riddle's diary.
Chapter Seventeen
The Distance Between
The next evening, Draco and Ginny went to Malfoy Manor for dinner. Draco was relieved that almost ten years earlier Ginny had spent some time with his father. She was nervous, yes, but only because of what they were about to announce. Draco had toyed with the idea of telling his parents alone, but in the end decided that this was good news and not something to be ashamed of.
“Mother, this is Ginevra Weasley Potter. Ginny, my mother, Narcissa.” The two women had met and spoken a few times in the past; however, Draco was now formally introducing his future wife to his mother.
“Ginevra, it's lovely to see you again. I hear so much about your son Al from Scorpius.”
“Mrs. Malfoy, you have a lovely home,” Ginny greeted.
Narcissa smiled. “Yes it is; I only wish I could take credit for it. As both Draco and Lucius could tell you, I have the most hideous taste in decor.”
Draco nodded. “What you lack in taste there you more than make up for in fashion, as Father complains about regularly,” Draco teased, trying to show Ginny that his family was really the same as any other family.
Lucius had entered the room and took a moment to watch his son with the love of Draco's life. Draco's hand was resting gently on the small of Ginny's back. As the evening went on, it didn't take Lucius long to figure out something big was coming. Draco was clearly very protective of Ginny.
“Well, Mother, Father, Ginny and I would like to tell you that we have decided to get married, before the end of the coming summer.”
Narcissa looked at Draco; she believed there was more. Normally, it would be far too soon for Ginny Potter to remarry! “Draco, is there something more I'm not aware of?”
They were sitting at the table in the dining room. Draco reached under the table and squeezed Ginny's hand. “A lot, Mother. Ginny and I have been in love for twenty years, and for most of that time we were apart.”
Narcissa smiled at Ginny, “Don't misunderstand me, Ginevra. I'm simply concerned about the fact that you are recently widowed and... Well, I ...”
“Mother, Ginny and I are both aware of what people's reactions will be. However, I can assure you that while Ginny was married she never broke her wedding vows. Her family is aware of this, and now you are as well. I have wished to marry her for most of my life, but now it will be a little sooner than we thought. You see Father, Mother, Ginny is expecting my child.”
A smile played on Narcissa's face.
Later that evening, Lucius and Draco were in Lucius' study. “Did you plan this, Draco?” the senior Malfoy asked.
“No, Father. This is an unexpected blessing, however a very welcome one,” Draco replied.
“Well, it's really too bad you couldn't have married her sooner. I will say this about her family; they're good breeding stock.”
“Father, I would appreciate it if you didn't talk about my future wife like you would a horse.”
“Don't misunderstand me, Draco. I'm very happy for you and I'm pleased at the idea of another grandchild. I only meant having children is something her family does well.”
Once their families had been told, Ginny began to relax; there was still a lot of time before the fact that she was pregnant would become public knowledge. Draco had been coming over each night until about four weeks ago, then he became very busy at work. Now if he made it over twice a week Ginny felt lucky, but even when he was over Ginny noticed he was distant and withdrawn.
She couldn't help but think that maybe he had lost interest in her. It did hurt. He didn't even ask about the baby! That only made her miss Harry. In the past when she had been expecting, Harry was always asking how she and the baby were doing. It was like Draco didn't even want to know about the baby.
Ginny was walking down Diagon Alley one afternoon when she ran into Lucius. “Ginevra, join me for lunch?” he offered warmly.
As they sat in a small café, Lucius asked all kinds of questions about Ginny's pregnancy, and even how it compared with her others. In ten minutes, he asked more than Draco had in the last month! “Ginevra, is there something wrong?” he asked; he had noticed she seemed distracted.
“No, why do you ask?”
“I can tell something's bothering you,” he declared.
“It's nothing, really,” she lied.
“You're worried about what will happen when news of the baby comes out to the public, right?” he guessed.
“No. I mean...a little. Can I be honest with you?”
“Of course.” He smiled reassuringly at her.
She toyed with her fork. “You remember that Draco and I were... well, you know about our past. I think that for Draco, perhaps he had years of knowing that he couldn't have me and that only made him want me more. Now he has me, and I think he might be finding that having is not as pleasurable as wanting.”
Lucius looked at her for a long moment before replying, “Why do you say that?”
“Well, of late he has been withdrawn and he doesn't seem to have an interest in the baby.”
“Have you considered that the problem is not Draco's, but yours?”
Ginny took offence. “What?”
“I don't mean to offend; just hear me out. You're expecting Draco to react like your late husband did. You must remember Draco is not like Harry Potter and he will react differently. Draco is a man whose first wife lost one baby, then she and another child died in childbirth. Draco is reacting the only way he can; he is protecting himself.”
“That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard!” Ginny snapped.
“Really, Ginevra, think about it. He spent years wanting you, thinking about what life with you would be like. He was unhappy in his life, and at the same time he knew you were happy. Now he is very close to having the very things he dreamed of for years; having you, as his wife, carrying his child is one of those dreams. He is scared to be happy, to get too close, or be too excited.”
“But he knows I had no problems having my other children,” Ginny tried to reason.
“Of course he knows, but this fear is deep down and by no means rational,” Lucius explained.
“You sound like you're speaking from experience.”
He smiled at her again. “Yes and no. I told Draco this, and I will share it with you now. I have been in your place, at least until Mr. Potter passed away. Narcissa wasn't my first choice for my wife, but I do love her. I know what it's like to watch the love of one's life live with another, to see her have someone else's children, to know that she loves this other man. I know Draco; he and I are very much alike. I know how he has hurt over the years, but at the same time I think I understand where you're coming from. You loved each of them for different reasons; don't expect Draco to react to things now as Harry once did.”
Ginny was shocked by Lucius' openness with her. “Why are you being so open with me, and while we're at it, nice to me?”
“You are carrying my grandchild, therefore you will be a member of my family,” he replied as effortlessly as breathing air.
“Who is she?” Ginny asked.
“I will take that to my grave. But please, there is no reason for Narcissa to know; it would only cause her pain.” He paused and looked thoughtfully at the woman in front of him. “Talk with Draco.”
For the first time in Ginny's life, she realized there was more to Lucius Malfoy than the man who gave her Tom Riddle's diary.
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