A/N: I can say for sure that I'm a little overwhelmed by the replies I've received for this story so far. I'd like to thank each of you, but I'm sure I'd miss someone and the whole point would be missed. I do read my replies, and I appreciate each of them. While I'm sure I'd still write this story if all of you hated it, it's a little easier if you like it. So thank you for taking the time to do so - it means a lot to me.
Also, onto this chapter: I'm a little unsure where this came from. This was really supposed to be a funny chapter, where Harry and Blaise snipped at each other a lot. As you'll read, it didn't turn out like that. But, I think it's important for the direction the story is taking.
So go on now, read. Enjoy it.
~*~
She was insane. That was the only reasonable explanation.
What had she been thinking inviting Harry, Ron, and Blaise over on the same night? Sure, in theory it was a nice gesture to have a dinner party once they'd settled at Malfoy Manor, but in reality it was insanity.
Blaise and Harry hated each other. Much in the same way that Ron hated Draco. They couldn't stand to be in the same room together, and it had been that way since Hogwarts.
Ginny was sure it was the 'rebound' relationship she'd shared with Blaise after her mutual split with Harry. Which she didn't understand, by the way. They (she and Harry) decided together that maybe a relationship wasn't for them, parted as friends, and still remained friends, but since then Harry despised the man she dated afterwards.
It didn't matter that she and Blaise were together less than two months. It didn't matter that she married Draco. It didn't even matter that she remained friends with both men. Nothing she did was enough to stop the white-hot hatred they shared for each other.
"What was I thinking?" she asked the mirror image of herself.
"Simple, dear," the mirror answered back, "You weren't. And you'll pay for it tonight, too."
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Oh, who asked you anyway?"
The mirror hmph'd in response, but didn't say anything else.
She went about straightening her black robes: not too informal, but not too formal, and fixing her hair. Dinner was to be served at seven sharp. The three men and their families (well, except for Blaise who didn't have a family) would start arriving any moment. These were probably the last few quiet minutes she'd have all night.
As she finished placing the combs in her hair, the doorbell downstairs rang. "That'll be Blaise," she commented to herself. It wasn't even six-thirty yet, and he was always notoriously early.
"Gin?" she heard him call.
"I'm in my dressing room! I'll be down in a minute." After adding a last minute touch of perfume to her wrists, she smiled at herself in the mirror. "Wish me luck?"
The mirror remained silent. "Oh, bugger off then. I'll wish myself luck. Merlin knows I'll need it."
Blaise was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs. He was wearing a Muggle business suit, with a dress robe tossed over his arm. "Hello, Miss Virginia. Aren't we beautiful tonight?"
Ginny smiled sweetly at him, and took the arm he offered. "Full of charm, aren't we? Where's your date?"
"I told you I wasn't bringing a date."
"Blaise," she protested, "You have to start dating sometime. How are you going to find the perfect woman, if you aren't out there looking?"
He looked down at the top of her head and shook his head. "How do you know I haven't already found her?"
"Then where is she?"
The former Slytherin chuckled heartily. "She's out there, completely oblivious to me."
Ginny stopped and put a hand on his forearm. Looking up at him, she managed her best smile. "Not completely oblivious, Blaise. She loves you."
"Yes, but as her best friend. Nothing more."
She smiled again and looked away. "Not that you would want it to be more."
"How do you know?"
"Blaise-"
"Look," he interrupted, "I know you love him. And I know you're certain he's alive. But there comes a time when you have to let go, Gin."
Ginny jerked her hand from his arm like she'd been burned. "What? Where the hell did that come from?"
"Ginny-"
"Blaise Zabini, I think you need to realize something. It was always him. And it will always be him. And even if I wanted to forget, I have a six-year old upstairs that is the spitting image of his father. For nearly seven years you've stood by my side. You've held my hand when I needed it, allowed me cry when I felt like I couldn't breathe, and stood by me when no one else would. You've protected me, and been my only friend, and now you pull this shit on me?"
"Shit?" he repeated. Blaise studied her carefully. "Is that what this is to you? Is that all my feelings mean to you. Shit."
"Blaise-"
"No," he cut her off, "As a child I was always second best to Draco. My father would have rather had him as a son, than me. At Hogwarts, he was the popular one. And I was okay with it, until he got you. And that's when…"
"When what?" Ginny asked. She sighed deeply and took a step forward. Holding her hand out to him, she flinched when he jerked away from her touch. "You've never loved me like that, Blaise. It was a rebound and we've always been better as friends. He is your best friend! And I'm his wife."
"He was my best friend, Gin. And you were his wife." His dark eyes deepened with sympathy. "It's been almost seven years. Do you really think he's still alive?"
She nodded, afraid to speak. She would not cry. She would not cry. She would not cry.
"Why?"
"Because he promised me," she whispered. "And he's never broken a promise yet."
"He may not have wanted to, Gin. But you have to face reality; his father killed him long ago. Draco's dead."
Shaking her head, Ginny backed away. "No," she whispered. "No."
"Ginny," Blaise sighed. He took a step toward her, but stopped himself. "No, I won't do this."
"I want you to leave."
The black-haired man looked away from her and shook his head. Next, he laughed. It was short and bitter. "I finally find the courage to tell you what I think, how I feel, and you shut me down before I can even get the words out of my mouth."
"Blaise-"
He advanced on her quickly, gently clasping her wrist in his hand, and reaching down to hold the other hand at her side. "Why can't you love me?" he asked softly. "Why won't you love me?"
Ginny looked up, her brown eyes searching his for answers. She wanted to tell him she didn't understand, that none of this made sense, instead she just shook her head. "Because I love him."
For a minute, he thought about trying to kiss her. It was what he wanted, but he knew how it would turn out. She wouldn't respond, her body would go stiff against his, and she'd never let him close to her again. Not that she would now, anyway. Not after tonight.
Finally he stepped back, and released her hands. Dropping his head, he exhaled deeply. "I guess that's it."
"I think you should go," Ginny told him softly. "I'll tell Ron and Harry you were called away on business."
Blaise nodded.
"I'm sorry, Blaise. I really am."
He wouldn't look at her. Instead, he turned away and picked up his dress robe from across the banister. "I'm flying to America tomorrow morning, love. I won't be back for two weeks."
"Why?"
"Business," was the only answer he gave her. "I'll see you when I get back." He started across the foyer to the door, and froze when she called his name. "What?"
"I'm sorry-"
The former Slytherin turned to face her, his shoulders sagging in defeat, his heart breaking in his chest. "There's nothing to be sorry for, Gin. I knew the answer before I asked the question. It was stupid of me, really."
She nodded once. "I'll see you."
"Yeah," he nodded. "See you."
When the huge oak door shut behind him, Ginny found herself sitting at the bottom of the stairs, crying.
Ginny managed to pull herself together twenty minutes later when the doorbell rang. Harry and Ron both, probably. With Hermione and Susan in tow, no doubt. Glancing upstairs, she wondered if the children were ready. Cynthia had been with them for over an hour now, helping them get ready to see their Uncle and Harry. Cera adored both men, while Seth seemed to take his father's attitude. He didn't dislike them, exactly; he just wasn't very forthcoming with them either.
In simple words, Seth was Draco Malfoy's son and there was no denying it.
The doorbell chimed again, and Ginny went to answer it. Putting on her best smile, she greeted her brother, Harry, and their wives. After hugging her, Harry gave her a bottle of white wine and accepted the kiss on his cheek. Susan Bones was carrying a large chocolate cake, obviously one of Molly Weasley's desserts. "Come in," Ginny invited them.
The men took their wife's cloaks, then their own and handing them to Winston, the Malfoy butler. Looking around, Harry let out a low whistle at the mansion. "I never get used to be in this place."
"Well, it does belong to Malfoy," Ron answered him.
"Ron, we're not going through this," Ginny said tiredly. After the incident with Blaise, she didn't have the energy to defend Draco to her brother. "By the way, in case you didn't notice, I'm also a Malfoy."
"By marriage only, little sister. You're still a Weasley when it matters."
Ginny rolled her eyes and turned to the two women. "How do you put up with them?"
Hermione smiled. "I carry a really large stick at all times."
Ginny laughed when Harry blushed. "I'll take note of that." Ginny studied her old friend carefully. Harry was one of the reasons she was alive today. If it hadn't been for him then the Death Eaters might have succeeded in wiping out the Malfoy line. "Dinner should be done soon. Let's go have a drink."
Harry caught her by the elbow and held her back from the crowd. "Where's the insufferable git?"
Ginny looked away, hoping he wouldn't catch the tears desperately trying to escape her eyes. "He got called away to America, last minute. Business."
The Boy Who Lived accepted her answer with a nod of his head. "Thank Merlin. I don't think I could put up with him tonight."
"Harry," she gently chided.
"Hey, I've got great news," he interrupted her, "I'm gonna be a dad."
She smiled what felt like the most genuine smile she'd smiled in weeks. "Yeah?" she asked. "Why didn't Hermione say anything?"
"We're trying to keep in quiet, for awhile. Ron knows, of course. But I'm not even sure if he's told Susan yet. Don't say anything."
"Who would I tell?" Ginny asked.
Harry smiled quickly. "Good point. It's not like you have any friends, besides us, of course."
"Harry Potter!" She smacked him playfully on the arm. "You're no friend, saying something like that."
He snaked an arm around her neck and pulled her closer to him. "I'll always be your friend, Gin. Don't ever forget that."
Ginny hugged him back briefly, thankful for the contact. "Thanks, Harry."
Harry nodded. "Where're the kids?"
"I'll go get them. Go join the others, okay?"
"Okay."
When Ginny returned five minutes later with the twins, she was thankful that all attention was off of her now. The two other women hugged and kissed Cera and Seth until neither of them could take it anymore. Finally, Cera attached herself to Ron, while Seth stayed by his mother's side the whole night.
Dinner went smoothly, with no mentions of Draco or Blaise. If the children knew anything about Blaise's departure, they didn't say anything. Ginny allowed herself to get lost in Harry, Ron, and Hermione, like she used to. It was still fun to watch them together. She was no longer the fourteen-year-old girl, who desperately wanted to be admitted to their group. The three of them were still a force to be dealt with, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
More importantly, they were her friends. Sure, once upon a time, Ron had given up speaking to her because of Draco. But the disappearance of her husband, along with the birth of the twins had managed to soften his heart. Hermione had understood, of course. She was the first friend Ginny made in the group, and remained her friend through it all.
Harry was the best, though. He'd accepted Draco. He didn't like it, didn't like him, but Harry had understood that sometimes your heart leads you to something your head would never consider. He'd also told her that if the git (meaning Draco) ever tried anything, he'd be the first to hex him into the next century. Ginny had only laughed.
He'd never had to follow through on his threat.
Sometime later, way past the children's bedtime, they were all in the master bedroom, sitting on the bed. "Did you have a nice time?" Ginny asked.
Cera nodded. Seth bit his lip, and looked away.
"Seth?"
"Mum, where'd Uncle Blaise go?"
"He wasn't-"
"I saw him, Mum. Why'd he leave?"
Ginny studied her son for a minute, before sighing. "Blaise and I had a fight, Seth. Things will be okay later."
He needs a father, Ginny thought absently. And he did. One who was there to guide him, to teach him about being a man. Seth needed someone (not Ron or Harry) that he could look up to. For a long time, that man had been Blaise. But she realized now it was better for Seth and Blaise if they didn't share that relationship. "Why don't we go to bed?"
"But," Cera complained, "I'm not tired!" Her entire argument went out the window when she yawned widely.
Their mother stifled her laughter behind her hand. "What if I let you sleep in here with me, tonight?"
"Really?" the little girl asked.
"Yes. Now let's get ready for bed."
~*~
She was tossing and turning, mulling the evening over in her head, when she heard it.
At first, Ginny was sure it was just the wind. That's what it had sounded like. And then she'd heard it again and again.
The night the Death Eaters arrived flashed in her memory suddenly, and Ginny bolted up in the bed. Looking over at her children, she felt the maternal need to keep them safe in her chest. "I'll just take a quick peek then," she decided.
Getting out of the bed, she wrapped her robe tightly around her nightdress and went down the hall to Cynthia's room. The light peeked out from beneath the door, and Ginny sighed in relief. "Cyn?" she asked.
A minute later, the older woman appeared with her wand clutched tightly in her hand. "What is it, ma'am?"
"There's a noise-" Ginny stopped abruptly when she heard a loud bang from downstairs. It was followed by a string of curses. Someone was trying to get into the house.
"What was that?"
Ginny pulled her wand from her robe pocket, and shook her head. "Listen carefully, and do exactly as I say. Go to Draco's library, and Floo to Harry's and Ron's. Tell them to come quickly, and that someone is trying to get into the house."
"Ma'am-"
"Go," Ginny ordered. "Tell them to come quickly. I'll be fine."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes!" she hissed. "Go quickly."
The other woman thought about protesting for a moment, but finally decided against it. "I'll be back soon."
When she was gone, Ginny turned towards the stairs. Harry and Ron would be here soon, and she'd be fine. They'd all be fine. She just needed to keep the intruder out until they got there. That was all.
Ginny clutched her wand as she started down the stairs. Whoever was trying to get in was messing with the doorknob now, trying to undo the lock. She didn't want to consider how they'd gotten on the grounds. Several of the wards were invitation only, and had to be removed by someone connected to the house. She hadn't removed them, and she was the only person with authority to do so.
When she reached the bottom of the stairs, the front door suddenly opened. Ginny started to scream, when a blond head peaked out from the darkness.
Instead, her eyes widened when she realized who it was. Then she fainted.