She's In Love

Title: She's In Love

Rating: G

A/N: Where did this come from? *scratches head* Who knows?

Disclaimer: Last time I checked my checking account balance, there was about $65.00 – which would definitely make me NOT J.K. Rowling or associated with Harry Potter in anyway. Does that work for you?

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I'd always loved her, of course. Who could not love her, honestly? She was… perfect.

Okay, maybe she wasn't so perfect as an eleven-year-old. But as Ginny Weasley grew up, she really grew up. The bright-red-Weasley-hair mellowed a bit and now turns dark copper in the sun. Those tattered robes always hint, but never really show, the curves beneath. And her smile… it has to be the most beautiful thing in the world. When Virginia Weasley smiles you always wish she's smiling at you.

One morning I woke up – I was sixteen, I think – and realized she was standing there in front of me. Except she wasn't. No, this time she was dating Seamus… not someone I really thought she loved, but he was a friend and I vowed to respect their relationship. I see now that he really loved her. Really, truly loved her – well, as much as any sixteen year old boy is capable of loving someone. It was very much the same way that I loved her. Very… innocent and true.

It was during her relationship with Michael that she and Malfoy became friends. It was Dumbledore's fault, really. "Fostering in-house relationships," the old wizard called it. At the time no one thought it was a good idea. The Slytherin Devil paired with the Gryffindor Golden Girl? But she wasn't, not really. I just wanted her to be… I wanted her to be good, and pure, and honest. Innocent, I think.

The first time I saw her and Malfoy together was when I felt it. Jealousy as sharp as nails digging into me, making me realize she'd been standing right there all along and I'd somehow missed it. He made her laugh – which doesn't surprise me – and her whole body shook with it. I looked up and she was glowing. I think I knew then, even though I did nothing to really acknowledge it.

Ginny was in love with Malfoy.

Oh, we tried dating… after she broke it off with Michael, and when she and Malfoy were still "just friends." Not that they fooled anyone… they had never been just friends. But they never understood that. I didn't either at the time.

I'd like to think I made her happy for awhile. We certainly had a lot of good times together. I could make her laugh, but not in the same way… and the jealousy never quite went away. It was always there, just waiting… festering, dying to get out.

And it did. Trust me. I saw them… to this day Ginny denies what I saw… but they were standing out under the willow by the lake, her entire body turned towards him. She never gave me that sort of attention. Malfoy reached out to finger that straight red hair, sliding it around like it was silk. His finger traced her cheek, his expression full of love and adoration. Or at least that's what I guess Malfoy looks like in love. Who knows?

Ginny didn't get it, I guess. That's why she could deny it. Somehow, someway she had gotten Draco Malfoy to fall head over feet in love with her. The boy was lovesick off his ass. It didn't make any sense to any of us…

He started being nice. Well, not to me, not really. But I was her boyfriend, and no one expected him to be nice to me. Life long hate doesn't really change because of a girl. Not even Ginny Weasley. But he stopped calling Hermione a Mudblood sometime near the end of fifth year. After sixth, he stopped hexing Ron. He didn't even complain about Care of Magical Creatures. Well, at least not much. He made an effort to be patient with Neville… okay, so that's it. Maybe he didn't change that much.

He was still nasty, mean, spiteful Malfoy. He owned the world and everyone knew it. Ginny and I broke up because his father died.

Right before Christmas break sixth year, the owl came. They hadn't even bothered to tell him in person – his mother owled him to let him know Lucius was dead. Even the Dursley's treated me better than that.

Malfoy didn't go home that break – he stayed at Hogwarts with a handful of other students. Ginny and I broke up because she stayed with him. When it came time for us to board the train that would take us back to London, she simply refused. "Mum would understand," she told Ron and me. She was right, of course. Molly Weasley did understand.

But I didn't. Or maybe I couldn't.

"If you don't get in this carriage right now, Ginny, you can forget about us," I'd said.

Her eyes widened, but that was the only way I knew she was shocked. Ginny must have been taking lessons from Malfoy about how to hide her emotions. At one time she was like an open book – now she was like a diary, closed and always locked. I never quite held the key.

"No," she'd said, "You can forget about us, Harry Potter."

With that I watched her turn and walk away. Malfoy had been waiting for her at the castle entrance. I could see his glare from the carriage as he gently wrapped her in his arms and took her inside.

I tried owling her, of course. Several times… but it never worked. She never owled back. Next I tried Creevey. They'd always been friends… but his hero-worship for me always ran deeper than anything. I used that. I wanted to know what was going on… why she wasn't answering me. His response broke my heart.

She'd moved on. Now it was Ginny who was in love.

And all I could wonder was why couldn't it be me?

After school ended that semester, Malfoy came home with her. With the death of Lucius it seemed that all of the Malfoy transgressions against the Weasley's were forgotten. Of course her brothers were hesitant at first – but what older brother wouldn't be hesitant about their sister's boyfriend?

She cornered me in the garden one day, a few days after Hermione and I had arrived. Ginny had smiled when she said my name. "Harry."

To this day I can still remember what she was wearing. Yellow sundress, her light blue robes hanging open. "Yes?" I'd asked, almost hopeful.

She'd sat on a bench in the garden, and nodded towards me. "Come sit with me."

I'd followed immediately.

We made small talk before she got to the point. I noticed it – but had wisely not said anything. I didn't want it to be true…

But the simple gold ring didn't tell any lies. "I wanted you to be the first to know…"

"Ginny," I breathed. At that moment I knew I couldn't do this. I was an idiot to have let her go… simply an idiot. "I can't."

"We're not engaged," she told me. I couldn't deny the hope I felt… "But I have agreed to marry him."

What did that mean? They weren't engaged, but they had agreed to marry? It didn't make any sense…

"I want to graduate first… and Draco… he wants to make a name for himself. A name not associated with his father."

What did it all mean?

"He'll be starting Auror training with you and Hermione in three weeks."

WHAT!

Malfoy? An Auror? It didn't seem… what… there was no way… I didn't understand.

But it happened. Ginny returned to school, and Malfoy went with Hermione and me to the Ministry of Magic.

I hate to admit it, but he was good. Damn good. There is a reason Malfoy is one of the best Auror's in all of London. There is a reason he was there when Voldemort fell. Yes, I played the part of the hero – but there was never any doubt – but even I'll admit that I couldn't have done it without him.

Eventually I began to respect him. Not like him, exactly… but I could admit to myself (never to him) that he was a decent enough human being. Most of the time I didn't feel like he deserved her… but then again, I'll never feel like he deserves her.

I did finally see what was standing in front of me. Although it was almost too late. When Hermione started dating Victor Krum seriously I had to say something about it – I'd lost one girl to an insufferable git, there was no way I'd lose another.

We married last fall. If you look closely you'll see the way her waist is filling out beneath her robes… the first signs of our first child.

Malfoy and Ginny are the reason we all came back together today. When he officially asked her to marry her, it was right when I'd started looking at Hermione. Ginny had apparated into my flat, unable to contain her joy.

"Harry." She'd said it in the same voice. The excitement tinged with fear, laced with anticipation. "I want to talk to you."

I knew it already. "You're engaged."

She eagerly nodded her head. "Yes." When I saw the ring, I was surprised. I expected Malfoy to choose something gawdy… something obviously expensive, something that would probably cause Ginny to one day fall into a river and drown because of its weight. I never expected the modest diamond, surrounded by emerald and rubies. It was the perfect combination of them both.

"I wanted to tell you first, Harry." She sat then. "I wanted you to know… I'll be your friend for the rest of my life… but I love him."

So I did all that I could do. I nodded and kissed her cheek… and sent her home to her fiancé.

And today she finally married him. I watched carefully to see if she was really being honest… if she really was in loved… but I couldn't detect any signs of her not being. She was glowing again. And I knew… I absolutely knew there was nothing I could do.

She was in love. And it wasn't with me.

But this story has a happily ever after – because I wasn't in love with her either. I've always been a one-woman-man and I have my one woman.

Malfoy loves Ginny in a way I can't comprehend. What more – I can't comprehend why she loves him back. But she does. She does.