Seven Year Drought

smprsgrrl

Rating: PG
Genres: Drama, Romance
Relationships: Draco & Ginny
Book: Draco & Ginny, Books 1 - 4
Published: 12/09/2003
Last Updated: 31/03/2004
Status: completed

All of the wizarding world believed Draco Malfoy died at the wand of his father. Except his wife, Virginia. Seven years later, Draco stumbles upon a life he can't remember, twins he never knew, and a wife he might lose. In the coming days, he tries to remember, she tries to forget, and Blaise Zabini finds himself in a position he never thought he'd be in. NOW COMPLETE! 3/30 - Epilogue Added.

Chapters

1. Authors Notes

2. Prologue - Why We Said Goodbye

3. Chapter 1 - Remember Me

4. Chapter 2 - When I Fall In Love

5. Chapter 3 - Another You, Another Me

6. Chapter 4 - Meet Virginia

7. Chapter 5 - When I Dream

8. Chapter 6 - This is Your Life

9. Chapter 7 - Last Normal Day

10. Chapter 8 - New Beginnings

11. Chapter 9 - Here With You

12. Chapter 10 - No Promises

13. Chapter 11 - Father

14. Chapter 12 - A History Lesson

15. Chapter 13 - Decisions Made

16. Chapter 14 - Goodbye to You

17. Chapter 15 - Friends and Family

18. Chapter 16 - Time Together, Time Apart

19. Chapter 17: Welcome Home

20. Epilogue: Life, Interrupted

1. Authors Notes

Title: Seven Year Drought

Author: smprsgrrl

Contact: clwilson@ctc.net

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: This story is in no way, shape, or form associated with J.K. Rowling or Harry Potter. All of the characters you recognize belong to her and several other entities, while the unknown characters and ideas all belong to me. I intend to make no profit from the writing of this story.

Author's Note: I should first say I can't believe I'm doing this again. I swore to myself once before that I would never write another full-length fic, but here I am… Here I am.

Second, I've written a story once before than begins very much the way this story begins. It was not from Potterverse and most likely wouldn't be recognized by anyone reading this. I won't mention the pairing or realm it comes from here, but if you do recognize certain aspects of that fic in this story (only in the prologue, I believe) then feel free to e-mail me about it. I'll gladly discuss the other story with you.

Third, this is starting out un-betaed. I've read over it, but there's only so much I can catch myself. If someone wants to take pity on me and offer their services, I'll gladly accept. Just e-mail me.

I suppose that's all… if you've made it this far, I now give you permission to read my story.

2. Prologue - Why We Said Goodbye

Seven Year Drought

Prologue

Virginia Malfoy never believed the things people said about her husband. Her brother, Ron, told her daily that he was an insufferable git and only thought of himself. Her closest friend, Hermione Granger, would tell her Malfoy would never be able to see beyond his own reflection in the mirror. Harry, Ginny's ex-boyfriend, was the worst. Not that it was in the least bit surprising. Harry hated Draco long before Ginny fell for the silver-haired Slytherin. He would probably hate Draco long after Ginny was gone. It was just one of the things that was: the Earth revolved around the Sun, the British were better than the Americans, and Harry Potter hated Draco Malfoy. Ginny never even let it faze her when Harry would insult Draco. It just happened.

She never believed those things until today, though. Today she was ready to convince herself that he was the cold-hearted bastard everyone said he was. Draco moved with such ease through their bedroom, as if the idea of leaving his pregnant wife behind was nothing at all. He carefully packed some clothes into a bag she'd charmed to be bottomless and feather-light as she sat on the bed watching him. Yes, today she hated him. But only because she loved him so much.

"Don't sulk so much, love, I'll be back in a few weeks." Draco eyed his wife carefully. Didn't she know that he didn't want to go? That he would do just about anything than leave her and return to the enemy camp. But he had to. If not for himself, for their child she was carrying. Someone had to do something about his father. If the Ministry of Magic wouldn't take care of it, then Draco would.

"Weeks?" she asked. Ginny could feel the color drain from her face. "What exactly do you plan on doing?"

"You know I can't tell you that. It's only my father, Virginia. I can handle him."

When he passed her again, Ginny reached out and grabbed his wrist. He smiled softly down at her, and allowed himself to be pulled to the bed. "The fact that it's your father is what scares me, Draco." Ginny leaned her head against his shoulder. "He's been so angry at you since we married."

"Yes, I would rather have thought he'd gotten over that by now."

"You know he'll never get over it," Ginny whispered softly. "I'll never be what he views as a suitable wife."

His hand reached out to touch her stomach. "If he ever wants to know his grandchild, then he'll start to see you as I see you." Draco smiled when her extended stomach jumped under his hand. "Little Cera's going to be a Quidditch player. Just like her Daddy."

Ginny smiled tenderly. "Yes, I agree. Seth will make an excellent Beater some day."

"It's a girl, I tell you." Draco stretched his hand out, amazed that even in the swollen state of her stomach it still reached across the whole thing. It was times like this that he remembered how tiny she actually was. "A girl with the Weasley-red-hair and her mother's freckles."

His wife shook her head in disagreement. "No. He'll have blonde hair that will always fall in his face, so much so that he'll have to learn those horrible hair-sticking-spells."

"I did not use a hair sticking spell," Draco tried to defend himself.

She smiled again. "Save it for someone who isn't married to you, Draco."

Draco smiled at her smile. "I love you, you know."

Ginny nodded. "I do know. And I love you too."

His hand moved from her belly and soon she was in his arms, her head settled beneath his chin. "You don't need to worry, Virginia. Everything will work out fine. I'll be home before you even have time to miss me."

The redhead in his arms sniffled. "I doubt that. But you better be home for Seth is born. You know I'll never forgive you if you aren't."

Draco felt himself smiling again. "I'm sure Cera wouldn't forgive me either. But I'll be home. Don't worry." He held her tighter, as if trying to burn that moment into his memory for all time. For some reason Draco knew by letting her go, he might be losing her.

The Malfoy heir was well aware of any danger he faced by returning to his father's side. But he needed one more chance… one more time to reason with his father before he allowed the Ministry to raid Lucius's private holdings and send him to Azkaban. There had to be a way to make the elder Malfoy see that by holding onto the Dark Lord so strongly he was missing life as it was happening about him.

The son had never been particularly fond of the father. It was hard, as Lucius Malfoy was not an open man. His father before him had been raised with an iron fist, as he was raised, and so it was only fitting that his only child would be treated the same way. Except life was different now. There was no need for an iron fist. When Draco was born, it was around the time that it was suddenly acceptable to love your children. While Narcissa, Draco's mother, had taken to the concept rather well, Lucius had never quite gotten it. Love was a weakness in his eyes. At first it had been in Draco's as well. Until he finally saw what (or should it be who) was standing in front of him.

Virginia Weasley had saved his life. Not in the literal sense, of course. In fact, it had been Draco who'd done that kind of saving. But Virginia had stormed into his life when he hadn't had a prayer and simply took up residence. He couldn't help but love her. It was insane at first, because he couldn't comprehend the emotions she made him feel. Once he got used to it, though, once he accepted that she was whom he was meant to be with, then Draco accepted them. Marrying her had been the natural thing to do. In his mind, marrying Virginia was the only thing to do. His father hadn't agreed.

Sometime later, Draco was pulled from his reverie by the chiming of an old clock in the hallway. According to the chimes it was seven in the evening. "I need to go," he said quietly.

Ginny stirred, looking up at him with tired eyes. "I can't talk you out of this?" she asked once again.

He touched her cheek fondly. "You probably could, to be honest. You're the only one who has ever gotten through to me, really. But I know you understand this is my last opportunity to save him. I don't think you'll take it away from me."

She shook her head. "I won't. I… I don't like it, Draco. But I understand."

Draco hugged her once more, before helping her sit up on the bed. He brushed his lips against her temple, then down her jaw to her chin. Finally, his lips met hers.

It was the lightest of kisses, as to not tease them both. Anything deeper would have made him stay, and as much as he wanted to he couldn't. He had to do this. "I love you," he breathed against her lips. With one more tender kiss, Draco pulled back completely. "I'll come home," he promised.

Ginny nodded, her right hand resting against her stomach. Suddenly she was standing, her left hand tugging at her right ring finger. Draco narrowed his eyes. "What're you doing?"

When she'd removed both rings, Ginny replaced the engagement ring he'd given her nearly four years before. "I want you to take this with you."

Draco wasn't sure what to say. "Virginia, what're you doing?" he asked again.

His wife studied the simple gold band between her fingers, running her fingers over the delicate carvings in the metal. "Hold out your palm."

He didn't. "Virginia…"

"Draco, hold out your palm."

"That's yours, Gin. Put it back on."

She shook her head. "Hold out your palm," she repeated. Finally, he pacified her. Ginny placed the band in the middle of his palm and curled his fingers tight around it. "When you come home, you can put it back on my finger.

"No matter what happens, Draco, I want you to come home to me. When you married me, you promised to love me until death, and I intend on holding you to that promise. That ring was a symbol of your promise, and I want you to keep it with you so that you remember. You promised, Draco. Now I need you to make me another promise."

"Anything."

"I need you to promise that you'll always remember me."

"Ginny," he sighed.

"I know, I know," she cut him off. "You swear that nothing will happen, and I trust you, Draco, I do. But I just," Ginny stopped, unsure of how to go on. "I just… I can't explain it, but I need you to promise me you'll always remember me. You'll always remember us."

He could never deny her anything. Draco closed his hand so tightly around her wedding band, that he could feel the metal cut into his skin. He focused on the pain, so he wouldn't have to deal with the pain coming from his soul. "I could never forget you, Gin. Or us. Don't you know? Everything good inside of me comes from you. As long as I have that, I'll have you."

Ginny smiled at his promise. "You'll always know where home is, then." Gently she lifted his hand to her mouth, kissing his knuckles. "You should know that the Virginia standing in front of you today was born the day you kissed her. You're where my life really begins. Everything that happened to me before then was only leading up to the day you and I would meet."

"Merlin, I love you," he whispered again. Draco wrapped his arms around her once more, not caring if he crushed her or not. She clung to him just as tightly, silently willing her own strength into him. "I should go," he said finally.

She nodded.

"I want you to know that if something should happen, you don't have to worry about anything. The money, the Manor, everything… I've given it all to you. If you need any help, go to Blaise. He's promised to help you."

"I know." Ginny could feel the bile starting to rise up from her stomach. She hoped she wouldn't get sick before he left. She didn't want his last memory of her to be of her wrenching the contents of her stomach.

"I'll be back," he said releasing her. He moved over to the vanity and picked up the bag. "Take care of little Seth or Cera. Tell them every day I love them."

She could feel the tears prick her eyelids, no matter how much she promised she wouldn't cry. "I will."

Draco nodded, feeling as if he should say more. But he couldn't. There were no words to express what he was feeling right now, so he only turned to walk away. "I'll see you later, Virginia. I'll be home soon."

"Bye," she called after him.

After the bedroom door closed, Ginny heard the soft pop as he disapparated and she sank to her knees on the floor.

He was gone.

~*~

The owl arrived at the same moment as Blaise Zabini. It didn't matter, she told herself. It was only a coincidence. He was fine.

"Blaise," she greeted their old friend.

"Ginny," the Slytherin began. "I…"

"No," Ginny interrupted him. "Don't…"

It was like slow motion to Blaise, he saw her fall before she ever actually did. Luckily he was able to get over to her, and pull her into his body. "Shhh," he whispered soothingly.

"It's not true," Ginny told him. "It… it can't be true."

"I'm sorry," Blaise whispered. "Dumbledore sent word today."

"No."

"Gin, I'm sorry. There was… there's no way he survived." He helped her to the sofa in the sitting room, easing her down onto the white cushions. Blaise left the room long enough to get her some water and a blanket, hoping that she would have calmed down a bit. He wasn't very good at dealing with hysterical women, especially his best friend's bride. "Is there anything I could do?" he asked.

Ginny looked up at him, her brown eyes wide. "What… what happened?"

The raven-haired-boy sat next to her, gently pulling her to his side. "It was a set up. His father lied."

"Lucius?" she questioned. "His father killed him?"

Blaise nodded. "But not before Draco was able…"

"Don't tell me," Ginny whispered. "Don't tell me."

"Okay," he agreed. "I won't tell you."

Time seemed to stand still as the two of them grieved for the fallen man. If anyone had seen them, it would have been assumed that they were lovers sharing something intimate. Blaise's arms stayed wrapped around Ginny for a long time, steadying her as she took baby steps.

He'd been the one at the funeral, holding her gently as she rested her hands against her ever-expanding stomach. He'd been the one who helped her pack her things so she could leave Malfoy Manor. Blaise had been the one who moved her into the small house north of London; he'd been the one to place the Fidelus spell on her and the unborn child. Blaise was her rock.

He was also the one who came to visit her and the twins (they'd both been right, a boy and a girl), Cera and Seth, one day when she looked up at him with bright eyes. It was the first time she'd smiled since the twins were born.

"He's not dead," Ginny declared. "Draco's not dead."

~*~*~*~

A/N: Ok, so I know that was a lot - I promise you that most of the story won't move this quickly. I only wanted the twins to be born and the story to be set up in this first part. While Draco & Ginny were talking, I used a line from the movie Armageddon and I give all credit to the writers of the movie ("Everything … comes from you"). It's the only significant thing I remember from that movie.

The continuance of this story depends on reader feedback. I live for it, so please let me know what you think. Don't worry about hurting my feelings, because I'll be better for it.

And lastly, thanks for taking the time to read my little story. I appreciate it.

3. Chapter 1 - Remember Me

A/N: First I feel the need to defend myself: to the replier who found the "the British were better than the Americans" comment offensive, I would really, truly like to apologize. Let me assure you that I'm from America, good ole North Carolina to be honest. It wasn't meant as a dig, or a barb, or a slur, however it might have seemed. You're right, Ginny wouldn't have thought it - it was just there. But because this is my story, I refuse to remove it. I'm sorry if you won't continue to read it, I'm sorry that it was taken the wrong way, and I'll gladly put a disclaimer on it, but I won't take it out.

Secondly, I'm a little surprised by the replies - thank you very much. All of you.

Third, I wasn't really planning on updating so soon, but I thought I'd go ahead and post this. My plan will be to try and post one or two chapters each weekend. It's really the only time I have to write, but I do promise to try to be as frequent as possible.

~*~*~*~

He hated leaving her. Absolutely loathed the idea. Especially since she was pregnant, and he knew there was a chance he might not return.

But, if nothing else Draco felt he owed it to his mother. Narcissa who had loved him, protected him, and guided him through his childhood. She was probably the reason there was something inside of him Ginny could love, and he could never explain that very well. Lucius Malfoy was important to Narcissa, and for that Draco would at least try.

As he entered the gates outside of the Malfoy summer mansion, Draco couldn't deny the cold chill he felt. He could remember the torture chamber his father kept beneath the first floor wine cellar, a small room with chains and medieval devices used for pain. He'd first experienced them the summer between his second and third year. He'd lost the Slytherin Quidditch match to Potter and the Gryffindors, and in Lucius eye's it was sufficient reason to introduce the young boy to manacles and a whip.

Stop it, he silently commanded himself. There was no point in thinking of it now. It was more than ten years in the past, and part of Draco hated that his father could still evoke such emotion in him. His hand tightened around his wand as the front doors opened before he even reached the steps. "'Ello?" he asked.

No answer.

Of course, he hadn't been expecting one. "Right then."

Draco shoved his right hand into his pocket, grabbing on the wedding ring, willing Ginny to give him strength. He only wanted to return to her, and if this was what he had to do, then he might as well get it over with.

"To father," he murmured. With a flick of his wrist, Draco appeared in his father's study.

The elder Malfoy looked up at him, over the top of his reading glasses. "Draco."

"Lucius."

"I'm still your father, boy."

"You haven't been my father in a long time, Lucius." Draco took a step closer, coming fully into the light. "You killed my mother, and then you became dead to me."

Lucius's eyes flashed, but his mouth thinned. "Why did you come here?"

"You have one more chance, one more opportunity I suppose, to turn Voldemort over. You know his fall is imminent, I would hope you would be smart enough to get out before you fall as well."

"Fall?" Lucius questioned. "He will not fall. He's the most powerful wizard of all time, boy. Not even Dumbledore has more power."

Draco studied his father carefully. "Do you honestly believe that?" he questioned. "Do you believe everything he tells you, Father? He's lying to you, and one would think you were smart enough to notice it."

"How dare you slander my Lord. Just because you were stupid enough to be pulled to the other side, doesn't mean I will be. I tell you, boy, when Potter and Dumbledore are defeated, I will enjoy hurting you." Lucius stood from behind the desk, picking up his wand as he went. "Oh, I won't kill you, don't worry. Not at first. No, first I'm going after that pretty little whore of yours."

"You will not touch my wife," Draco said through gritted teeth.

"She is not your wife!"

"Well I say differently, and since I'm the one who is married to her, I think that's what matters."

"The only thing that matters about your marriage is that it will soon be over. You will have returned to our ranks, Draco, and you will enjoy it."

"I'll never come to you."

"Then I'll kill you," Lucius said softly. "It's a very simple solution. I'll just kill you."

"And with that you take the line of Malfoy." He watched the older man with cautious eyes, mentally preparing himself to combat any curse he might throw at him.

"I can have more children," his father said softly. "I'm not too old for mating. I'll gladly find another wife among the ranks of my Lord and my new child will have everything that was once yours."

"You can't replace a child with a child!" Draco yelled, outraged. "You can't just kill one, then have another. It's not right."

"Who are you to decide?" Lucius's mouth twisted into an evil grin, his white teeth showing just slightly. "You'll be dead, anyway."

"Virginia is about to give birth to the Malfoy heir."

"There will be no 'Virginia' when I'm through with her. Though, I might enjoy taking your son and raising him as my own. With him I will not make the same mistakes as I did with you."

Lucius lifted his wand then, ready to utter the killing curse at any moment. "Just so you know, there's a portkey in my pocket at this moment. As soon as I'm finished here, I'll be going to Malfoy Manor to take care of your red-headed-bride."

Draco was so angry he could hardly see. He blindly lifted his wand and pointed the tip straight at his father's heart. "Avada-"

As he finished the curse, Lucius was able to get off one of his own. "Obliviate," he commanded.

"-Kedavra." A green light shot from the tip of Draco's wand, piercing his father's heart. Lucius fell backwards, reaching for his son as he tumbled.

The memory charm seemed to wrap itself around Draco's mind as he fell, no matter how he tried to find it. His wand fell from his left hand, as his right slipped inside of his father's coat. He could only think of getting to Virginia as he searched for the portkey his father had mentioned.

His last conscious thought was his fingers wrapping around a small wooden object, before the world turned inside out and he was pulled into it.

~*~

All around him, all he could recognize was the noise. A noise he didn't recognize, from some place he didn't recognize.

Where was he?

More importantly, who was he?

Why did everything seem so… fuzzy? None of it made any sense.

The young man pushed himself up from the dirty alley, wiping blindly at the dirt on his cloak. He could feel the soft cashmere beneath his fingers and he gripped onto that. The cloak was obviously expensive, so he must have been someone important, right? Maybe he was…

Try as he might, he had no idea who he was.

After taking a moment to orientate himself, the silver-haired-man was able to stumble his way out of the dark alley. The lights of the city were blinding, as he looked up into the dusk. The sun would be setting soon, but it still didn't give him any idea where he was.

"I don't understand," he muttered.

Wait. Was that an accent? Or wasn't it? He… he wasn't sure what kind of accent it might be, though. It was very… proper. Perhaps that was the best way to describe it.

He saw a man in a blue uniform helping an elder lady with her groceries and decided to follow him. If he was kind enough to help the lady, it was entirely possible the man would take pity on him as well.

After walking across three blocks, the man turned into an old brick building. The blonde looked up and read the words NYPD and sighed in frustration. He was sure that meant something, but he just didn't know what.

He wondered slightly if this was some kind of joke. The man looked around, waiting for someone to jump out and yell, "Surprise!" at him at any moment. Except no one came.

Another moment passed before he followed the blue-uniform-man into the building. The lighting was harsh, and there were more than just one blue uniform people now. He studied each of them carefully, trying to pick out the one who helped the lady. Unfortunately it was useless. He couldn't tell one apart from the other.

When someone finally noticed him, it was a pretty lady sitting behind a desk. "Can I help you sir?"

The young man sighed deeply before approaching her. "I…" He couldn't continue. In truth, he wasn't sure what to say.

"Yes?" the blue-uniform-lady prompted.

"I think I'm lost."

She smiled then. "Judging from that accent, you're a long way from home. I can never tell a British from Australian, though. So, which is it?"

He stared at her, confused. "What?"

"Sydney or London?" she asked again.

The young man studied her, his eyes finally coming across a bad. DAVIS it read it all capital letters. "Ms. Davis, I'm not sure what you're asking."

Her brow wrinkled. "Where are you from?"

"I'm… not sure. I can't remember anything beyond fifteen minutes ago."

"What do you mean?" Surely this was some kind of joke. It was now her time to look around, as if waiting for someone to jump out with a "Surprise!"

"I mean," he announced clearly, "that the first memory I have started fifteen minutes ago, when I gained consciousness in some dark alley. Will you tell me where I am?"

"New York City."

"And where is that?"

"America."

"Are London or… Sydney, did you say, in your America?"

Officer Davis shook her head. "London is in England, Sydney is in Australia."

"And we're in America?" he asked for clarification. Once she nodded, he asked, "And you're sure I'm not from here?"

The police officer shrugged. "You could be, I guess. You're accent definitely isn't native, though."

His brow furrowed further. "I don't understand."

"Do you now your name?" she asked, this time there was a patience and understanding in her voice.

"No." He reached up and placed his right hand on the desk.

When she spotted his wedding ring, she smiled. "Let me?" Officer Davis asked. "Perhaps it will give us some clues." He allowed her to tug the ring from his finger, all the while knowing it was wrong. She was right, though. The inside of the ring was inscribed with Draco and a date. August 1, 2001. "I suppose your name is Draco then," she said finally.

He—Draco—shrugged. "I guess. But that still doesn't tell me who I am."

"Do you have anything in your pockets?"

He reached into the trousers and sighed as his fingers came into contact with a cool metal. He pulled it from inside and frowned when he saw it was a ring matching his own. "Wouldn't my wife have this?"

Officer Davis shrugged. "Who knows? Let me see it." She studied the inscription carefully, finding the same date along with the name Virginia. "Do you remember her?"

Draco shook his head. "No."

She could feel the headache coming and it frustrated her. Finally, she pulled the proper paperwork from the file and attached it to a clipboard, handing him a blue ink pen. "Go sit in those chairs and fill as much of this out as possible. If you don't understand something, then I'll glad help."

He mutely accepted the clipboard and went to the chairs where she'd directed him. The hard plastic wasn't comfortable at all, but he didn't really have a choice. Sitting down, he studied the paperwork carefully. He didn't know any of these answers.

Finally, he gave up and sat the clipboard in the chair beside him. Reaching into his pocket, he again pulled out the second wedding band. For some unexplained reason, it felt important. As if there was a promise attached to it, something that he should remember but couldn't.

Draco only knew that his past—and possibly his future—lay in the hands of this Virginia.

Whoever she was.

4. Chapter 2 - When I Fall In Love

In a sixth year Muggle Studies class, Ginny watched The Wizard of Oz for extra credit. Now, she finally understood the meaning of there's no place like home.

Home.

How she wished she was there right now. Not The Burrow, as it hadn't really been her home since after graduation. And not Hogwarts, because the wizarding school hadn't been her home since before graduation.

No, home was a strange place for a Weasley… Malfoy Manor. From the first time she set foot inside as Mrs. Draco Malfoy, Ginny understood where Draco got some of his pride from. Malfoy Manor had been in the Malfoy family for five hundred years, being passed from father to son as the time came. The 'time' as deemed by Malfoy tradition was when the oldest son, or heir, became of age. This was considered to happen when they became twenty-five, or married, whichever came first. She and Draco had married four months after his twenty-second birthday and they had moved into Malfoy Manor the following week.

Lucius had protested, of course. The older Malfoy never recognized the youngest Weasley's place in his son's life. It was a "phase," according to the father. His son was "slumming." Only it wasn't. The magic in the house ultimately won, however. As the power shifted, the old magic removed Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy. They eventually took up residence at a summer home in the lake district of England.

Now, she longed for home. The vastness of Malfoy Manor, the way you could get lost in the halls if you weren't careful. Cera and Seth both had bedrooms down the hall from her own, and she could easily peek in at night to check on them. Draco kept his study in the opposite wing of the house; it was where he did all of his work. It was also where they enjoyed endless hours of each other.

Home most definitely was not the townhouse in London they had lived in for the last six years. There were no walls lined with pictures of the Malfoy lines, no libraries filled with walls of books, and mostly there were no memories of Draco. Not once had he stopped her in the hall with a look, or picked her up to carry her to their room. It was like he didn't exist in this house.

But he did. Deep in her heart, Ginny Malfoy knew her husband was alive. She could feel it. Since that afternoon so long ago when she had announced it to Blaise, Ginny continued to believe it herself. It wasn't because she needed to believe – she knew she could live without him. She would have to, as the twins wouldn't raise themselves. But that afternoon a peace had come over her, as if Draco was reaching out to her from where he was, letting her know he'd return some day. In all the years she'd known him, Ginny had never known him to break a promise. This was the most important promise he'd ever made, so she doubted he would start now.

Both Cera and Seth knew their father very well. Each night before bed, she would tell them both stories about how he was at Hogwarts. Most nights she told them about his sixth and seventh years, when he began to change. When they asked for them, however, Ginny would tell them about his earlier years. There was no point in hiding anything about their father from them, as they would find out eventually. Ginny never wanted one of her children too look at her in disbelief. She knew her heart would break if it ever happened.

Somewhere in the house an old grandfather clock struck nine and Ginny turned away from the window. The sun had set long ago, but that window reminded her of Draco in some ways. She would go there to be close to him, even though he'd never been there.

The woman climbed the stairs to the second landing, and made her way to hall with the twin's bedroom. She kissed them each, and smiled gently at them. "What will it be tonight?"

The two children – each of them a blend of their parents in different ways – exchanged glances and grinned at their mother. "We want you to tell us about your wedding, Mum," Cera asked.

She couldn't deny them anything. Ginny sat on the bed next to Cera, and patted the spot beside her, motioning to Seth. "We might as well get comfortable."

The little boy hurriedly climbed into bed beside his mother, eager to hear about his parents again. From everything he knew about him, his father was an extremely cool guy. Plus, any mention of his Dad always irritated his Uncle Ron. And that was the best part of it all.

"It started at Hogwarts," their mother began…

~*~

Ginny Weasley rounded the corner breathlessly, when she finally caught sight of them. "Ron!" she yelled, "Stop!"

Her brother continued to hit the blonde haired boy. "Gin, stay out of this," he said between breaths. "This is between Malfoy and myself."

"Stop it!" she yelled again. "You're hurting him." Ginny had finally made it to where the two boys were fighting, surprised to see Hermione and Harry both standing behind him. "Stop him," Ginny asked Harry. "He'll kill him."

"Gin, he won't kill him," Harry tried to reassure her. "Anyway, he's only defending you."

"What if I don't want him to?" she asked. Ginny looked at Hermione. "You're Head Girl, you can't allow this to happen!"

"Ginny–" Hermione started.

"Oh, bloody hell," the youngest Weasley exclaimed, right before she jumped into the middle of the fight. She managed to get her overbearing brother off of her boyfriend, and she pushed Draco up against the wall. Turning back, she wasn't surprised to find Ron glaring at her. "What is your problem?"

"My problem?" he repeated. "What is my problem? You're the one sleeping with the enemy!"

"I'm not sleeping with him!" Ginny declared. Suddenly, she turned to glare at Draco. "Did you tell him that?"

The Slytherin was bent over, his hands planted against his knees, as he desperately tried to catch his breath. His lungs burned each time he pulled oxygen in through his mouth, so he only shook his head 'no' at her question. It seemed to be enough for Ginny, as she turned her glare back to her brother. "Where did you get that idea from, then?"

"Gin–"

"Don't 'Gin' me, Ronald Weasley, I want to know what this is about. You promised me and you promised Mum you'd leave him alone. Do you want me to owl her?"

Ron paled and his eyes widened. "You wouldn't."

"I would," she told him. Her mouth twisted into a bitter smile. "In fact, I think I might. What will everyone think when Ron Weasley gets a howler from his Mum about messing with his little sister's life. It'll be all they can talk about."

"Ginny," Harry broke in, embarrassed for his friend, "You wouldn’t do that. Ron was only trying to look after you."

Her brown eyes swung to his green pair, and she glared. It was insane to think she once thought she might love him. "How many times do I have to tell you? I. Don't. Need. Your. Help." She ended the statement by poking him in the chest. "I was doing just fine without you, Harry Potter. Just because you've decided I'm the little sister you never had, doesn’t mean you get to stick your nose where it doesn't belong."

"But why him?" Ron asked. "Out of any boy at Hogwarts, why'd it have to be a Malfoy?"

Ginny shrugged. "If I recall, you reacted the same way when I fancied Blaise."

"They're Slytherins!" he exclaimed.

"Oh," she asked, "So I can have any boy at Hogwarts, except those in Slytherin house? Is that what you're saying?"

"They're evil, Gin. Why can't you see that? Anyone sorted into that house is pure evil."

Ginny swung her gaze back to Harry. "If I remember correctly, you were almost sorted into Slytherin house, and no one seems to think you're evil." She placed her hands on her hips and rocked forward on her feet. "I'm only going to say this once, so the three of you need to listen. I'm dating Draco because I want to. He hasn't put me under a spell, he isn't blackmailing me, and neither of us is winning some kind of bet. He cares about me, Ron. And I care about him… so please, please leave him alone."

She didn't wait for her brother's response and she turned back to the Slytherin leaning against the wall. "Are you okay?" At his nod, she smiled slightly. "Let's get out of here."

Draco slipped his arm around her waist and shot one last glare at the Trio. He was still hurting, but he wouldn't have them know that. As they turned the corner towards his bedroom, his grip on her waist tightened. "Hold on a minute," he told her.

Ginny turned to him, concerned. "Are you sure you're okay? Perhaps we should visit Madam Pomfrey."

He shook his head. "I'll be fine. I've learned a few healing charms over the years. You can help me, if you want when we get back to my room."

The redhead nodded. "Of course. Was there something else?"

Draco smiled at her, gently. "Thank you. No one… no one's ever done anything like that for me before."

She smiled slightly, then. "I couldn't let my brother kill you. He'd go to Azkaban then."

"Oh," Draco faltered. "So that was you're reason?"

Ginny shook her head.

He felt slightly relieved. "So what was your reason?"

"I…" Ginny hesitated, unsure of what to say next.

"Go on, Virginia."

"I think I love you."

"You think?" He prodded gently.

She smiled. "I love you."

Draco reached up and touched her face, smiling gently. "I'm not sure anyone has ever said that to me before."

"Not even your Mum?"

"My Mum has to love me, Virginia." He smiled, as he ran his left hand through her hair. "It's required."

Ginny closed the distance between them, backing him against the dungeon wall. "I love you," she whispered again. Her forehead resting against his, the two of them standing as close as possible for a long time.

After some time, Draco shifted and hugged her again. "I think I want to marry you, Ginny."

The younger girl pulled her face back, her eyes searching his for truth. "You think?" she repeated his words from earlier.

It was his turn to smile then. "I want to marry you, Virginia Weasley."

"Are you asking?" she whispered softly.

Draco shook his head. "No, I want to do it proper, when we're both out of school… I just, I wanted you to know."

Ginny smiled at him. "Just so you know, I'll say yes."

"Good to know."

She pulled him off the wall, wrapping her arm tightly around his waist. "C'mon. Let's go see about those healing charms."

~*~

The soft snores of her children pulled her from the memory. Each of them were curled in towards her and Seth had a leg draped across hers. Which was exactly like Draco would sleep.

Slowly, she managed to get herself out of the bed without waking either of them. "I never get to the end of the story," she whispered. Gently she kissed both of them on their foreheads. "Sleep well, my darlings."

Ginny covered both of the children before leaving the room.

She found Cynthia, her longtime companion, sitting in her parlor. "Cyn, could you listen for them for a little while?"

The woman looked up from her knitting and nodded. "Going out?"

Ginny nodded. "I need to speak with Blaise."

"You'll be back tonight, though?"

The other woman nodded. "I will. It won't take long."

Cynthia studied her mistress for a moment, before asking, "Madam, is there something wrong?"

Ginny leaned against the doorframe and crossed her arms over her chest. "I want to go home, Cynthia."

"Madam, this is your home."

She shook her head. "It's not. This is just where we've lived for six years. I want to return to Malfoy Manor. My children… it's time they know their heritage."

The older woman eyed her for a moment, before nodding her head. "I'll start preparing everything tomorrow."

Ginny smiled. "Thank you. I'm going to Floo to Blaise's house, and I'll return soon."

Cynthia nodded. "I'll listen for the children. I should be up when you get back."

"Thank you," Ginny repeated. "I'll be back soon."

She left the parlor and went to the study, where the only fireplace connected to the Floo network was. Ginny grabbed a handful of Floo powder and threw it in the flames. They turned green before she stepped inside. "Blaise Zabini," she pronounced clearly right before she disappeared.

5. Chapter 3 - Another You, Another Me

Blaise Zabini looked up from Quidditch Weekly when he heard the soft whoosh come from the fireplace. In the once empty flames Ginny now stood. "Gin, what're you doing here?"

She stepped from the fireplace and dusted at her robes. "I needed to speak with you."

He stood and went to the wet bar, wetting a cloth hanging on the rack and took it to her. "Don't you know it's a lot cleaner to apparate?"

"Yes, I know." Ginny took the cloth from him and wiped at her face and hands. "But I've always preferred to Floo."

The black-haired man smiled faintly. "I remember." Blaise reclaimed his seat by the light and motioned her towards the identical arm charm across from it. "What brings you by?"

Ginny continued to wipe at her nails until she removed all the dirt and soot from her fingers, and then deposited the cloth on the round table between their chairs. "I've decided it's time for us to return to Malfoy Manor."

He almost choked on his brandy. "Wh-what?"

"Cera, Seth, and I will be returning to Malfoy Manor." She stood, having too much nervous energy to sit down. Ginny knew he wouldn't like the idea, but ultimately she knew it was her choice. "My children are the heirs to the Malfoy line, Blaise, and they need to know their heritage."

"But what of the danger, Gin? Is it really worth putting them in danger?"

Ginny stopped when she reached the window, and parted the drapes to look outside. The Zabini Estate was almost as massive as the Malfoy's, and they had some of the most beautiful land in all of Britain. She sighed deeply before answering. "It's their right, Blaise. You won't talk me out of it, but I have some ideas if you want to hear them."

He thought about joining her at the window, but decided she needed her space. Blaise took another sip of the brandy and nodded at her. "Go on."

She looked out the window once more. "I plan to make it as a public as possible. One of my old housemates, Colin Creevey, is a reporter for Witch Weekly. I refused an interview after Draco's disappearance, but he told me whenever I was ready to talk, I could. I think I'm ready."

"Are you sure? Do you really want to put them through that?"

Ginny turned to face him then, her face etched with worry. "Do I want to put them through that?" she repeated. "No, I don't. London is not our home, Blaise. I know it's safe, but I can't breathe there."

"You could stay here," he offered.

Immediately she shook her head no. "I can't. Malfoy Manor is our home. It's the only place I would consider taking them. Thank you for your offer, though."

He nodded once before resuming his reading in the Quidditch magazine. Ginny stood at the window, studying the horizon and the landscape for sometime before she turned to him. "You'll help me move?"

"Of course." Blaise looked up from the magazine again. "You know I'll do anything for you. It's been like that since sixth year."

The corner of her mouth quirked up in a smile. "Yes, but things have changed since then, haven't they?"

"Well, you did casually marry my best friend."

Ginny's smile brightened and she went back to the chair. She seated herself and turned to study him. "It was never serious between us, Blaise."

"For awhile, I thought it might have been," he admitted. Blaise could still remember the shock of the sixteen-year-old boy he'd been when Ginny had walked into the Great Hall on his best friend's arm. It hadn't mattered at that moment that their parting had been mutual. "I could never figure out a way to make you happy, though."

"You made me happy," Ginny told him honestly. "But what we were… it was never enough. Not for either of us."

"We were both rebounding," Blaise agreed. "You from Potter and I had just ended things with Amelia Scott. Hmmm, that's someone I haven't thought of in a long time. I wonder what happened to her?"

"You mean you're little Ravenclaw girlfriend?" Ginny questioned.

He nodded. "You remember her?"

"Well, I'm sure the whole school remembers the two of you snogging relentlessly in the hallways."

His cheeks colored and he laughed softly. "You sound a bit jealous, Gin-bean."

"Not jealous," she corrected, "Just… well, it was rather something you would remember."

"And then you befriended Draco and none of the rest of us had a chance."

"You make it sound like every boy in the school wanted me."

Blaise took another sip of his brandy and shook his head. "You never knew how beautiful you were, did you? Of course every boy in the school wanted you, with the exception of your brother. But I knew from the very moment I saw the two of you together that it was how it was meant to be."

"How did you know?" Ginny asked softly. She gently slipped two fingers of her left hand over her right ring finger and pulled the engagement ring off. Ginny could still remember the exact moment Draco had slid it into its resting place.

"He made you laugh," Blaise answered simply. "He was protective of you, no matter what it cost him. I knew he loved you when he defied his father. He was also incredibly stupid, as well."

"Draco was never incredibly stupid," Ginny defended her missing husband. "Although, he did have moments when I questioned his sanity."

"Yours was a love that everyone wanted. Every girl wanted what you had, and every boy envied Draco because he had you. His entire time at Hogwarts he made out like he was so much higher and more advantaged than everyone. In most cases he was. But when he managed to get you to fall in love with him… well, to use a Muggle term, he hit the jackpot."

Ginny laughed softly. "So you don't hate me for loving him?"

"No." Her friend sat quietly for a moment before he said, "But I do sometimes wonder at your sanity for loving him."

That made her laugh harder.

Sometime later when she was leaving, Ginny turned back to Blaise and smiled. "Thank you for tonight."

"What're friends for?"

She shrugged. "Anyone else would think I was crazy for believing him to be alive. Neither of us has seen any proof for seven years, and I still… I still believe."

Blaise stood and went to her then. He wrapped her small body in his arms and hugged her tightly. When he pulled back, Blaise wasn't surprised to find her eyes shining with tears. "You knew him better than anyone, Gin. The two of you… you were the definition of love. Of course you would know if he were still alive. What would you say to looking for him again once you're settled at Malfoy Manor?"

Ginny nodded, some of the tears slipping down her face. "I'd like that. He's out there somewhere, Blaise… he's waiting for us to come and find him."

He kissed her gently on the forehead before he backed away. "I know. And we will."

She turned from him again and tossed the handful of Floo powder into the fire. "Home," she said clearly. A moment later she was gone.

Blaise drained the rest of his brandy in one swallow before gently sitting the snifter on the mantle. He would find Draco for her if it was the last thing he ever did.

~*~

Ginny fastened her traveling cloak in place and looked herself over in the mirror. She could see Cera and Seth sitting on her bed behind her. "No need to frown so, I'll be home soon."

"Where're you going, Mum?" Seth asked.

"I'm going to talk to an old friend of mine."

"Uncle Blaise?"

When the children became old enough to question Blaise's position in their life, she'd told them he was like a brother to their father. They'd taken the explanation and started calling him 'uncle' on their own. "No, Mum's going to visit her friend Colin."

"Who's he?"

Ginny smiled at them again in the mirror. "A friend from Mum's time at Hogwarts."

"Did he know Dad?"

Their mother nodded. "He did."

They exchanged glances and smiled. "Can we come?" both children asked at once.

"No, not this time." Ginny turned to face them, taking in their dusty clothes and wrinkled robes. "I need you to stay here and help pack."

Seth frowned suddenly. "Why do we have to move?"

"Because this isn't your home, Seth. One day, you and Cera both will understand what being a Malfoy means. Part of that is living in Malfoy Manor. It's a great big house, with a great big yard that you can play in. It's where your Dad grew up. I want you to both be proud of who you are, and who your father is, so I think it's time we return to Malfoy Manor."

Both children nodded, whether they understood or not. They both heard their Mum cry at night when she thought they were sleeping. They understood that she missed their Dad, but didn't understand where he was. "If it's what you want, Mum," Cera answered.

Ginny smiled warmly at both of them. She went forward and wrapped her arms around them both. "It is, more than anything."

"Then we'll stay here and help Cynthia pack."

"Blaise should be by in a little bit," Ginny told them. "I'm sure he'll have some kind of present for you."

They both smiled at that. "You'll be back to tell us a story?" Seth asked.

Ginny nodded. "Have I ever missed a bedtime story? By the way, what'll be tonight?"

"You're wedding."

"I told you about my wedding last night."

The twins shook their head in disagreement. "You told us about Uncle Ron beating Dad up. We want to know about your wedding."

Their mother raised her hands in mock defeat. "Okay, I'll tell you the story of our wedding tonight before bed. But you two have to promise not to fall asleep."

"We promise," Cera said for both of them.

"Okay, then I'll see you later?" Both children nodded. "Be good for Cynthia. No tricks and hiding. Help her, okay?"

"Yes, Mum," they both answered.

"Okay." Ginny picked up her wand and thought about the offices where she agreed to meet Colin. Cera and Seth were startled by the sound of her apparating, but amazed just the same that she'd disappeared right in front of their eyes.

Cera stood and Seth followed, each of them exiting their mother's bedroom. "C'mon," the girl told her brother, "let's go find Cynthia and see if we can help."

~*~

Ginny sat in the waiting room of the magazine for nearly twenty minutes, trying to ignore the whispers behind hands and looks she was receiving. No, she hadn't been very public in the last few years, but it didn't give the whole wizarding world the right to be rude when she went out somewhere.

When Colin's secretary called for her, Ginny sighed in relief. "Finally," she said under her breath.

He was sitting in a large, black leather chair behind an equally large oak desk with a window view. Colin Creevey stood when she came inside and smiled widely. "Ginny."

She returned his smile with one of her own. "Colin. How have you been?"

The reporter nodded. "I've been fine. I was surprised to receive your owl. How are you?"

"I'm doing well." She sat in the black leather chair across from him. "Thank you for meeting me."

"Of course." Colin reclaimed his seat. "Again, I was surprised to receive your owl. What made you change your mind about the interview?"

Ginny looked down at her hands, unsure of how to tell him. Was she really ready for the whole world to know how she felt about her life now? Would they think she was insane for believing Draco to be alive after all of this time? What happened next, she wondered. "My children and I will be returning to Malfoy Manor soon. I've talked it over with my friends… and we feel the safest option is to let the wizarding world know my reasons."

"And you choose me."

She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands. "You were a good friend to me in Hogwarts, Colin. And you understood why I couldn't talk after Draco's disappearance… I promised you that if I were ever ready to talk, I would come to you. I'm not sure if I'm ready, but I know I have to."

He nodded, accepting her answer. "Okay." Colin selected a quill from a cup on his desk and his hand was soon perched above his parchment, waiting. "Whenever you're ready, Gin."

The redheaded woman smiled at him, thankful for his understanding. "It started ten years ago, when there was another you, and another me…"

6. Chapter 4 - Meet Virginia

On the third Tuesday of the month, while Ginny Malfoy and her two children moved back to her husband's childhood home, the wizarding world of London was surprised to find out she was indeed alive.

After Draco's disappearance, and then the reported attacks against his widow, the world had assumed the Death Eaters had done their job. The Malfoy legacy was over, apparently.

So most of them were a little shocked to see her waving at them happily from the cover of Witch Weekly. Colin Creevey had tastefully named the issue Meet Virginia, as she was the feature of the week.

With great curiosity, the witches and wizards of London picked the magazine from the local newspaper stand. Each of them skimmed the first thirty pages: the typical Weekly bit. Recipes, letters from readers, an editor's notes, etc, etc. On page thirty-one, they all found what they were looking for.

~*~

Meet Virginia

As interviewed by Colin Creevey

As a student of Hogwarts Witchcraft and Wizardry, I grew up with Virginia Weasley. We weren't always the best of friends – to be honest; I had a huge crush on her from our third year until our sixth. Ginny would have none of it. For ages all she could see was Harry Potter, who she considered to be the great love of her life (she was fourteen, of course). Their relationship lasted a whole summer. When Ginny returned from her fifth year, I thought I might actually have a chance. Instead, she found companionship with Blaise Zabini, a seventh year Slytherin.

But it wasn't quite love. No, she found love with another seventh year Slytherin – her oldest brother's rival – Draco Malfoy. I gave up then. Anyone who looked at them knew it was for real. So I settled at being 'just a friend.' It was enough for me. A few years later, after I lost touch with Ginny, I wasn't surprised to hear of their engagement. Anyone who knew them from Hogwarts couldn't pretend to be surprised. From the moment they walked into the Great Hall together, Malfoy's arm slung across her shoulder, it was fated. Ginny Weasley was destined to be Virginia Malfoy.

When the wedding did happen, it was remembered because Lucius Malfoy crashed and demanded his son start showing some respect. Ginny's six brothers and Harry Potter had some fun showing him out. Ginny and Malfoy took their rightful place at Malfoy Manor, and Lucius was removed to a summer lake home.

Fast-forward a few years, and there's news of a pregnancy. But the birth of the child (twins, it seems) wasn't celebrated in the wizarding world. The Malfoy line was continued, but at the cost of Draco Malfoy. It's rumored that he died defending his wife and unborn child to his father Lucius. At least, that's what we've all believed until this point.

Virginia Malfoy will tell you a different story today.

Colin Creevey: I wanted to thank you again, Mrs. Malfoy, for agreeing to this interview.

Virginia Malfoy: Please, call me Ginny or Gin, you've known me much too long to be so formal.

CC: Alright, Ginny. I wanted to say, I was quite surprised to get your call after seven years. What made you change your mind?

VM: My children and I will be returning to Malfoy Manor, Colin. I may call you Colin, correct?

CC: Of course.

VM: Thank you. As I said, my children and I will be returning to Malfoy Manor. I've talked this over with some close friends, and we've decided the safest option for the return is to make it as public as possible. And here I am.

CC: You are, indeed. Are you aware that the whole wizarding world thought you were dead? And along with you, the Malfoy line.

VM: Yes, I knew. A few select people did know I was alive, though. My family and Harry. Blaise, of course.

CC: Zabini?

VM: He was my husband's best friend. After Draco's disappearance, Blaise was a good friend to me.

CC: Was he anything more? There has been rampant–

VM: I have been completely faithful to my husband. Blaise Zabini was nothing but a good friend to me, and an uncle of sorts to my children.

CC: Your children? With Draco?

VM: Yes. When Draco disappeared, I was pregnant with twins. Shortly after, I gave birth. Cera and Seth were two weeks old when the attacks were ordered against our home. It was arranged for the Fidelus Charm to be performed, and we've been protected by it for over seven years now.

CC: And you've decided now to return. Why?

VM: My children are heirs to the Malfoy legacy. They deserve to know their heritage, and I want to give that to them. Also, they've had a chance to know the Weasley's, but I want them to know what they've been missing out on. My husband's family is gone, but there is more world out there than what I've given them in the last seven years.

CC: Does it have anything to do with Voldemort's downfall?

VM: He fell ages ago, really. Thanks to Harry. I wanted my children to have a normal life, with their mother. It was what Draco wanted for them. I also wanted them to know their father as I knew him. Not as the rest of the world saw him. At the time, I thought it best to keep all things Malfoy from them. But they are seven now, and in the next few years I suspect they'll receive their letters from Hogwarts, and I want them to have a normal childhood. Malfoy Manor was built for children to play in. Great big halls and so many rooms you can't count. The grounds are beautiful, and they're meant for my children to play in. It's the future Draco and I wanted for them.

CC: You've mentioned your husband several times now, Gin. Tell me, do you believe he is dead?

VM: Absolutely not.

CC: After seven years? You don't think he's dead? But the Ministry–

VM: I know what the Ministry of Magic says, as my brother Percy is the Minister of Magic. I didn't believe Draco was dead seven years ago, when they told me he was. And I still don't believe it now.

CC: Why? After all of this time, why do you still believe?

VM: I've never seen any proof, really. His body was never recovered, if his father did kill him. Lucius's body was found immediately, whereas Draco hasn't been seen or heard from since. That's the logical reason I don't believe he's dead. But there's something else, something far more important to me telling me he isn't dead. And that's my heart. Call it women's intuition, or just plain silliness, if you want, but I know Draco is out there somewhere, completely lost and alone. I won't rest until he's found, and he is returned to his children.

CC: Surely after seven years, you don't still hope to find him.

VM: I do. And I will.

CC: Do you love him still?

VM: With my whole heart. I love him as much now as I did when I first met him, and he made me laugh.

CC: So that was your reason, then? For marrying him? Because he made you laugh.

VM: No, I married him because he let me see what was underneath the tough outward appearance he put up. Draco allowed me to see he wasn't a future Death Eater in training, or a conceited stuck-up prat. Sure, he could be an insufferable git at times, but most of the time he was just Draco Malfoy. I did not marry his last name, I just married him. I loved him. Still do.

CC: Then I believe you'll find him. I sincerely hope you do. As a former student of Hogwarts, I witnessed first hand how much you loved him and how happy he made you. I wish you all the luck in the world, Mrs. Malfoy.

VM: Thank you, Colin.

At this moment, Virginia Malfoy is settling into Malfoy Manor with her children, hopefully preparing them for their father's eventual return. As for the whereabouts of Draco Malfoy, that is a true mystery in the wizarding world.

Would a man who seemingly had it all have vanished on his own? Is there a more sinister plan at work here? No one seems to know. His wife remains convinced he is alive, even though she admittedly has no proof supporting her beliefs. If he is, then he's missed seven years with her and his two children.

What's going to happen here, no one knows. As for this reporter? I wish Ginny all the luck in the world in her endeavor. If Malfoy still makes her happy after all of this time, then she should be allowed to be with him.

~*~

"The article was rather tastefully done, Gin," Blaise said from the armchair. "I'm surprised, with that git Creevey writing it."

"He's always been good to me, Blaise." Ginny looked up from her needlework and shook her head. "Why didn't you ever like him, anyway?"

"Creevey was bloody in love with you for years. And you never saw it."

"I saw it," she admitted. "I just never acknowledged it. Colin was never my type. That blonde hair and glasses? He was so…" Instead of finishing her sentence, Ginny just shuddered.

"We both know it wasn't the blonde hair that turned you off," Blaise teased. "And if I remember, Draco has to wear glasses when he reads. No, I simply don't think you liked Creevey."

Ginny smiled at him. "Colin just wasn't my type."

"Not Slytherin enough for you," Blaise remarked knowingly. He stood from his chair, finishing his firewhiskey in one swallow. "I thought you should know, I was able to get Draco's name put back on the missing wizard's list."

"What?"

"A friend of mine maintains the list, and he owed me a favor. Draco's name and picture have been placed on the list, and every wizarding counsel in the world will see it. If he's out there, and living with any wizards, we'll find him. If not, then it was worth the effort."

"Thank you."

Blaise walked to her, and placed an affectionate kiss on the top of her head. "You're welcome." He straightened, and nodded. "I should go now. Give the twins my love."

Ginny nodded. "Sure. Blaise, I can't say thank you enough."

"There's no need, Gin. You and I both know I'd do anything for you."

She simply nodded. After Blaise was gone, and the door to Malfoy Manor was shut behind him, Ginny allowed herself to hope as she'd never hoped before. If Draco was out there, then surely someone would recognize him. And he would have to be living as a wizard, wouldn't he? While he might have finally accepted Muggles, Ginny knew there was no way he'd live with them voluntarily.

Perhaps Draco would be returning sooner than thought.

~*~

That night, when she went to tuck them in bed, their mother finally told them the story of the wedding.

"You see," she began, "your father's father didn't like me very much…"

~*~

Ginny looked up when she heard the light knock on the door. Who could it be, she wondered. Taking extra care to not get her dress caught on anything, she went to the door expecting her mother or Hermione. Only, it wasn't either of the aforementioned women.

It was Draco.

"What're you doing here?" Ginny whispered. "Don't you know it's bad luck–"

"Malfoy's don't believe in luck, Gin," he drawled, interrupting her. "Will you please let me in?"

"Draco…"

"Please?"

She could never deny him, especially when he said 'please.' "Fine, but when my mother shows up to yell at you and our marriage goes to hell, just remember it's your fault."

His smile was quick, as if he was laughing at her, but trying desperately not to. "If you say so."

Ginny opened the door, and forgot how to breathe. Of course, she'd seen him in formal attire before. At Hogwarts, or during other Ministry events. But the tailored black pants fit him perfectly, and his white tuxedo shirt was tucked into them. The silver, serpent cufflinks stood out against the white, catching her eye. "You look beautiful," she whispered. She meant it too. His dress robes were opened, allowing her to take in the full picture of him. "Absolutely beautiful."

Draco frowned, and looked down at himself. "Men aren't supposed to look beautiful."

"Sure they can. When words like handsome and gorgeous don't work, they look beautiful."

"I see." Draco closed the distance between them, and he easily pulled her into his arms. "I'm nothing compared to my wife."

Ginny smiled at him, even when she said, "I'm not your wife yet."

"I disagree." With his arms tight around her waist, Draco looked down and couldn't help but wonder how he'd become so fortunate as to have her. "As far as I'm concerned, you've been my wife for ages. We're just making it official."

Being here, with him, like this was too much for her. Ginny was sure that her face was going to crack from smiling so much, that her heart might explode from the love she felt for him, that she would cease to exist because her body could no longer contain what she felt for him. 'I love you' simply didn't work anymore. Yes, she loved him… but it was more complicated than that, but so simple at the same time. Ginny could feel the tears just behind her eyes, and promised herself she wouldn't cry. Not yet, anyway. "Did you need something?"

"Yes." Draco loosened his grip on her, and took a step back. His eyes swept over her, taking in the white of her wedding dress. It was a simple A-line gown, one that clung to her hips and stomach, and pushed her breasts up against the fabric of the gown. He knew by touching it that it was pure silk, that her mother had helped her design it, and that he couldn't wait to get it off of her. "I wanted to talk with you, before the ceremony."

Immediately her face fell. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Taking her hand, Draco led her to the settee by the window. When they were both seated, he turned to face her. "I just… I know when we're out there, during the ceremony… I know we agreed that we wouldn't write our own vows, but I don't think I could get through this day without telling you what you mean to me."

"Draco," she breathed. He was going to make her cry. "You… Merlin, you're perfect."

"No, Gin, you're the perfect one." His thumb began to draw lazy patterns across the back of her hand. "I keep asking myself why you're with me. Because I honestly don't know. You're light, and beautiful, and loving and you deserve someone who's all of those things. Part of me thinks I should probably walk out of this room, out of this church, and let you go." When he saw her mouth opened, he held up his hand. "Let me finish, okay?"

Ginny nodded, but tightened her hand in his.

"But I'm not strong enough, Virginia. While I know I should let you go, I can't. Because I don't know if I suddenly woke up tomorrow and you weren't by my side. I'd turn the world over, trying to find you, I guess. I don't want to live, if you're not there with me.

"You're my heart, Virginia Weasley. More than that, you're my soul."

The tears silently streamed down her face, as she studied him. Ginny knew he meant every word. "You've absolutely ruined my make-up," she teased. At his small smile, Ginny sobered a bit. "Can I talk now?"

"Yes."

"You say that I'm light, and beautiful, and loving in a way that sounds like you're not those things. And you aren't, but you're not the opposite of them either. You've had a different life than me, Draco. Different family, different experiences. In some ways it might have been easier, but in a lot of ways it was harder.

"I'm with you because the thought of not being with you makes my heart constrict. Since the night you kissed me so long ago and I realized I was in love with you, I've always been with you because I wanted to be. When you look at me, I feel beautiful. When you touch me, I feel loved. When I think about my future, I see you. I'm head over feet, absolutely in love with you, Draco Malfoy."

"I love you," he whispered.

"We don't have to do this, you know." She looked up and tried to smile at him. "We could leave, go home, do whatever. We don't have to do this tonight."

"When I make love to you tonight, Gin, I want to make love to you as my wife. You're already my wife in every way that counts, now I just want to make it official."

She nodded.

"Are you ready?"

"I think so."

Draco reached over and gently wiped at her face with his thumb. "You look beautiful," he told her again. He placed a soft kiss against her lips, before standing and offering his hand to her. She took it instantly. "Let's go get married, Gin."

A few minutes later, they stood at the front of the small country church, in front of the Ministry official. To Ginny's left, Hermione was standing holding the bouquet of orchids and smiling happily. Across the aisle from her, stood Blaise with an encouraging smile on her face. Ginny knew that if she looked back, there would be a mixture of people. Mostly redheads, as her family, and her two uncle's family were all there.

Draco had invited a few friends. Gregory Goyle, a friend from his time at Hogwarts was sitting in the second aisle. In front of him, sat Draco's mother Narcissa. He hadn't really been expecting her to show up, but Ginny had felt him squeeze her hand when he'd seen her.

"We're gathered here today," the Ministry official began, "to join this man and this women in matrimony. They've invited you all to join them on this blissful day, and to share in their happiness. If any of you can think of any reason why they shouldn't be married, please speak now or forever be silent."

"Does the fact that she's a Muggle lover and will taint the Malfoy name matter? My son doesn't seem to think so."

Ginny stiffened, and shook her head. Fred and George had been in charge of the wards to keep any unwanted visitors away from the ceremony. She sighed in defeat, before she turned to face Lucius Malfoy along with Draco.

"What do you want?" the groom asked. "We're kind of in the middle of something."

Ginny didn't have to look to see the sneer he was wearing. She could practically feel it. She'd long ago gotten over any insults Lucius would hurl at her. Since the fight between her father and him during her first year, Ginny had accepted that Lucius was a miserable old man who wanted everyone around him to miserable as well.

"I want you to come and join me, boy. That's what I want." Lucius reached into his cloak and pulled a silver flask from the inner pocket. He had some trouble uncapping it at first, but soon he was pouring the contents down his throat. "Our Lord is calling you. He wants you to join his ranks."

Draco took a step forward, blocking Ginny from his father's view. "Are you drunk?" he asked. "And you can tell your Lord that I won't be joining him, not now or ever. I've already discussed this with you, Father."

"Don't call me that!" Lucius hissed. "You're not my son. You're just someone I used to know."

"If that's true," Ron Weasley said, standing, "Then what're you doing here?"

Lucius turned to glare at the young man, shaking his head. "Of course. Leave it to a noble Weasley to start defending the Malfoy's." His gaze went back to Draco. "You're pathetic, you know that?"

Ginny took a step forward and put a hand on Draco's shoulder. She was surprised to find that he was shaking. "It's okay," she whispered.

"I want you to leave," Draco told his father.

"No."

His fists clenched at his side, as he couldn't quite control his anger in the situation. This… this man was ruining what was supposed to be the most perfect day of Ginny's life. "I'll ask you once more to leave, Lucius, before I personally see to your removal."

When Lucius Malfoy didn't move, other men began to stand to join Draco and Ron. First it was Fred and George (who were feeling guilty for not putting up the wards), then Bill and Charlie. Percy and Blaise were the last two to step forward and join the group. When Draco took a step forward, Ginny grabbed onto the back of his robes. "Stay with me," she asked him. "Let my brothers and Blaise take care of it."

Draco nodded, and stepped back against her. He was shaking with fury now. His father had ruined everything. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

Ginny studied his face, trying to figure out what he was feeling. "What for?"

"For him showing up, and ruining things."

Her hand went around his waist and she hugged him to her. "It's not ruined, Draco. I'm about to marry you. Nothing could ruin this day."

Draco smiled, and allowed her to hold him until the other men returned.

The rest of the ceremony went by in a blur. Before she knew it, Draco was kissing her and smiling down at her. On his face was pure adoration and joy.

They were finally married.

~*~

Ginny stood from the chair that she'd pulled over, and silently tried to make her way out of the room. At the door, she heard Cera asked, "Mum?" and she turned around.

"Yes, Cera?"

"What happened to the bad man at your wedding?"

Ginny frowned. "You mean Lucius?"

"Yes."

"Lucius was your grandfather, Cera. But he… he died several years ago."

"Did he ever like you, Mum?"

"No." Ginny didn't want to plant any false impressions of Lucius Malfoy in her daughter's head, so she continued, "Lucius was a bad man, Cera. He couldn't get past his hatred for me and my family to see that your father and I were very happy together." Ginny came to stop in front of the bed again, and leaned down to give her daughter a kiss on the forehead. "Now go to sleep."

"Okay, Mum."

Once she reached the door again, Ginny sighed when she heard her name once more. "Yes Cera?"

"Do you still love Dad?"

She turned back to face her daughter, her heart constricting from the sight. The child looked so little in the bed there, even though her brother was beside her. "I love him more every day, Cera."

"Even though you haven't seen him in a long day?"

Ginny started towards the bed again, and silently nudged her daughter over before laying down beside her. "Just because he's not here, Cera doesn't mean I've forgotten about him. He'll come home soon."

"Do you promise?" a sleepy voice asked.

Ginny closed her eyes, and wrapped her arms tightly around her daughter. "I promise."

~*~

A/N: I can't say thank you enough for the replies – it means the world to me. I'm having a lot of fun with this story, and I hope you are too. Thank you for each of you who take the time to reply.

A/N2: To Jorrn: Thanks so much for pointing out my mistake concerning Narcissa. She is dead – and I've changed it in the edited version.

7. Chapter 5 - When I Dream

I miss you.

The words repeated over and over in his head, until he finally woke up. His flat was completely dark, except for the lights coming in from the city. He'd long ago accepted that the lights never went out in New York. When he'd first arrived, it had comforted him. Now it only made him feel secure. The world was never dark. And he needed that.

The man fought to know what—or who—he'd been dreaming of. He always heard the voice, but could never place it exactly. And after seven years of having almost the same dream, it was getting a little tiring. He knew they were memories from his past life. Someone was trying to invade his sleep and bring him back. He just didn't know who, or why they would want him back. Surely, after seven years whoever he'd left behind would have moved on by now.

Including Virginia.

He pushed the black cashmere blanket back and reached for his glasses on the nightstand. His fingers brushed hesitantly over the wedding band that wasn't his, and he sighed. It was reassuring: being able to touch it, see it, and know that someone out there once loved him enough to marry him. That fact had gotten him through many a lonely night.

As the numbers on the alarm clock focused, he saw that it was just after three a.m. He'd only been asleep for four hours, yet he knew he was up now. "Might as well get some work done," he sighed. Climbing out of the king sized bed, he frowned when his slippers weren't at the side where he'd left him.

That was the first clue that someone was in the apartment with him.

The second was that his robe wasn't lying over the back of the chair, but was apparently missing. He was feeling slightly alarmed, as he made his way to the kitchen in search of a weapon to protect himself with.

If someone was in the apartment – even if they only seemed interested in stealing his personal effects – he wanted to be sure he could protect himself.

Only he stopped halfway when he saw the intruder sitting in his living room, having a cup of tea. Even though she was wrapped in his black terry cloth robe and wearing his bedroom shoes, he was sure she wouldn't hurt him.

And although he'd never seen her before in his life, he knew who she was. Something inside of him reached out to her, and was brought to life. Some part of him that had been missing for so long now. And he began to feel things he hadn't felt in the seven years he could remember. "Virginia."

She looked up from the magazine she'd been flipping through, and smiled at him. "Draco."

"I don't go by that here. It's not very American."

"You're not American," she pointed out, unnecessarily, "But what is your name then?"

"Nathan Hall."

She tutted softly, then asked, "How long have you been calling yourself that?"

"About six years now." He felt awkward, standing by the chair like he was. Finally, he decided to sit. "I don't mean to be rude, but what're you doing in my apartment? How did you get in?"

"That's simple. I'm not really here."

"What?" he asked. "Are you telling me I'm hallucinating? Talking to myself?"

"No, you're dreaming."

"Dreaming?"

Virginia nodded. "I've visited you before. Some of those you've been able to remember when you woke up, but some of them you haven't. Either way, I'm here now, and I just thought I'd like to talk with you for a while."

"Why?"

Instead of answering him, she asked, "Do you still not remember me, Draco?"

Ashamed, he dropped his head. "I've tried."

"How could you have forgotten us?" she questioned. "How could you have forgotten everything we meant to each other?"

"I didn't want to!" Draco answered her. "It's not like I woke up and decided I wanted a different life. At least I don't think I did. That time in my life is still very fuzzy."

"What do you remember, then?"

"Waking up in the alley off of Fifth Avenue, downtown. That is my very first memory."

"Have you thought about memory charms, then? I think someone must have intentionally wiped your memory out."

"Memory charms?" Draco repeated. "What's that?"

She studied him, as if to ask him if he were serious. When she realized he was, her mouth dropped open. "You mean… you don't know?"

"Know what?"

"All this time… you've… you've been living as a Muggle?"

"A Muggle?"

"One without magic," she answered his question.

"Of course I've lived without magic. Everyone does!" Draco studied her carefully, as he started to consider her sanity. Sure, he knew this was Virginia and that she held the keys to unlocking his past, but now she was prattling on about magic and the sorts…

"No, everyone does not. There is a large magic community in America, and England, which is where you're from, and every other country in the world! How did you not know this?"

"What?"

"Magic, Draco. Magic." She sighed, suddenly weary of this conversation. If he didn't know… well, he'd never be returning to her then. "What else do you want to know?"

"Will you tell me more about the magic?"

"No."

His eyes widened, as he stared at her. Why not, he wondered. But didn't ask. "Fine. Tell me about yourself."

"I'm Virginia," she told him. "I'm your wife."

"After seven years?"

Virginia nodded. "After seven years. You have two children. Twins, Cera, who is two minutes older, and Seth."

"Children."

"Yes, before you disappeared, I was pregnant. We used to argue over whether it would be a boy or a girl."

"Oh." He sat quietly for a minute, before saying, "Can you tell me about our last day together?"

"There isn't much to tell, really," Virginia told him tiredly. "You were hell-bent on going to see your father, and I didn't want you too. You went and I went along with it, because I knew you'd never forgive yourself if you didn't. A few days later, Blaise told me you and your father were both dead."

"Wait," he interrupted her. "You're telling me that my father did this to me?"

Her eyes widened, as if she knew she'd said something she shouldn't have. "You didn't know? You don't remember?"

"Of course not!" Draco could feel a headache forming, even if he was sleeping as Virginia claimed. It just… his father? His father had stolen his memory? "I don't understand…"

"I'm sorry," she told him. "I'm so sorry."

Draco looked away, and shook his head. "If he's dead, as well, does that mean I killed him?"

"Draco…"

"Did I?" he questioned quietly.

"Yes."

"Oh God."

"I think I should go," Virginia said after a minute. "I'm sorry to have upset you. If you want, you won't have to remember."

"No," Draco stopped her, "I want to remember. And please, I want to know more. Don't go."

"It's time." She stood from the chair, and closed her eyes willing herself out of the dream.

"Wait," he stopped her again, "Is there anything I can do for you before you go?"

Virginia smiled sadly down at him. "The only thing you can do for me is come home, Draco."

With those words, she disappeared.

~*~

Nathan Hall slapped absently at the alarm clock. It was Saturday, why was the alarm going off?

I love you.

I love you, too.

The words were clear in his head, out of nowhere. He could hear the woman's voice telling him, just like it was yesterday. Nathan shook his head. Why was he up again?

Then he remembered. He'd promised Richard he'd come into the office that morning to help with the new accounts.

I, Draco, take you, Virginia, as my wife. To have and to hold, for the rest of my life. In sickness and in health, until death do us part.

"Or until father decides to wipe out my memory." He sat up in his bed, and reached for his glasses. Wait, how did he know that? How did he know his father had wiped out his memory? He couldn't remember his father. "Think, Draco. Think."

…she'll taint the Malfoy name… my son…

Malfoy. His name was Draco Malfoy. He remembered… Reaching for the paper on his desk, he began to write things.

Draco Malfoy.

Virginia Malfoy.

His hand hovered over the paper, as he shut his eyes and willed the memories to continue.

I was born the day you kissed me.

I need you to promise you'll always remember me.

"I remember."

Everything good inside of me comes from you.

"Virginia," he sighed.

If you need help, go to Blaise.

On the paper, Nathan wrote, 'Blaise' with a question mark out beside it. Who was Blaise?

I'll be home soon.

Nathan reached for the phone on his bedside, dialing the number quickly. After two rings, the man on the other side picked up. "Richard? Yeah, it's Nathan. Look, I need you to look into something before I get there today." He paused as he listened to his mentor mention something about their business.

"Yes, I know. I'll still have time do to that, Richard. Listen, I need you to look into someone name Draco Malfoy. Or Virginia Malfoy. Cross-reference both of those names with the name Blaise. Find out if it means anything. Thanks, Richard. Sure. Ok, I'll be there in an hour."

When he hung up the phone, Nathan slipped out from beneath the black cashmere blanket. Today was the day… today he was going to finally find out who he was. As he dressed, he couldn't help but smile to himself. Suddenly, he wanted to go home more than anything in the world. He wanted to see her…

Virginia.

After seven years, the drought was over.

8. Chapter 6 - This is Your Life

At 8:15 Richard Worth looked up and saw his number one guy, Nathan Hall, walk through the door. A leather briefcase slung over his shoulder, while he balanced two cups of Starbucks in his right hand, and carried a bag with the coffee makers insignia in his left. "You're late."

"I stopped for coffee. And breakfast. You were here when I called earlier, so I didn't think you'd have eaten."

Of course, Nathan was correct. Since the market had been finicky lately, Richard had been working nonstop trying to pacify a growing list of customers. Rich people did not like to lose money, and when they got scared, they started to pull their investment out. Except it was exactly what shouldn't happen. By withdrawing all of the capital, the Dow would freefall. It'd be just like the crash of '29, except about thirty times worse. The world market had grown extensively since then.

Richard took the coffee and croissant from Nathan and nodded gratefully. He had to admit; he'd miss the young man once he went back to England. Which, according to the information he'd dug up, was exactly where he was supposed to be. "Why didn't you tell me that you're Draco Malfoy?"

The blond haired, gray-eyed man stopped, his coffee cup halfway to his mouth. "I didn't know my last name until this morning."

"How?"

Draco leaned back in the leather chair, not really wanting to have this discussion. "I've started to remember."

"You know, when I met you six years ago… I knew you had magic in you. I recognized it instantly, of course. I just didn't know you were connected to such an important pureblooded family."

"Wait," Draco stopped him. "Magic?" This was all sounding vaguely familiar.

"The American community isn't so big anymore, really. Wizards still exist, of course, but they're harder to find. I'm descended from a long line of wizards, my great, great, great grandfather being one of the first to escape persecution in England, finding some solace in the colonies."

"But, I thought…" Draco stopped for a moment, trying to process the information. "Didn't the early Americans burn 'witches' at the stake?"

"Hung them, actually. Twenty women died before the madness in Salem ended. However, none of those killed had any known ties to witchcraft."

Richard paused, as he studied his young protégé. "You know, I had hoped you'd be the one to take over for me some day. It was certainly what I'd been grooming you for."

Draco blushed, and looked away. "Thank you for the compliment. But you know that I don't know nearly enough to run a company of this size."

"Nonsense. I have complete faith in you, seeing as how you learned everything from me."

The younger man smiled, replaying the words in his head. "Wait, what did you mean, you'd hoped I'd take over for you. You mean…?"

Richard sat the documents he'd found on the Internet, along with a copy of the most recent Missing Wizards Report to come out of London and their Ministry on the desk. "You asked me about Draco Malfoy, but you weren't surprised when I told you who he was. That much you knew.

"You also asked about Virginia Malfoy. What do you want to know about her?"

"Who is she?" Draco questioned. He fingered the gold band absently. "Other than the obvious. I know we were married once."

"Still are," Richard told him. "Virginia Malfoy, formerly Virginia Weasley. You went to school at Hogwarts together, started dating your seventh year, her sixth. After graduation, you moved to London together and shared a flat. Four months after your twenty-second birthday, you married. It is the day that the Malfoy-Weasley feud ended."

"What about now?" Draco leaned forward and took the papers from the desk. He shuffled through them as Richard talked, looking at the pictures of the red headed woman and the black haired man.

"About seven years ago, Virginia Malfoy gave birth to twins – the heirs to the Malfoy fortune. Shortly after, Lord Voldemort ordered an attack against her and her children. A professor there, along with Harry Potter, was able to prevent the attack. This professor arranged for the Fidelus charm, and he along with Blaise Zabini were the Secret Keepers." When he saw Nathan—Draco start to talk, he held up his hand to stop him. "Let me finish first." At the other man's nod, he continued, "She and the children remained under the charm until recently, when Mrs. Malfoy reclaimed her rightful position as mistress of Malfoy Manor, claiming she wanted her children to know their heritage."

"What about the danger?" Draco asked. "She went into hiding because of it, so did it vanish?"

"She's a Malfoy, Nathan, the danger will never completely vanish. But, a year after her the charm was performed, Harry Potter was able to defeat Lord Voldemort and she's been relatively safe since."

"You've said both of those names twice now. Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort. Who are they?"

Richard took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He could still remember the power base Voldemort had gained among the American wizards during his original rise to power some thirty years ago. It had been a dark time for wizards and Muggles everywhere, particularly England and America. "Before you were born, there was a dark wizard who was terrorizing the non-magic people of the world. He believed in pureblood wizardry, which is ironic as he wasn't a pureblood himself, and his name was Lord Voldemort. When you were about a year old, Voldemort went after James and Lily Potter. There'd been some kind of prophecy about their son, Harry. He killed James, but instead of killing Harry, Lily sacrificed herself for him. Harry was able to defeat Voldemort when he was just a baby, with nothing but a lightening-bolt shaped scar left to remind him. They called him The Boy Who Lived."

A corner of Draco's mouth lifted as he smirked. "Sounds like a positively boring story. What's this got to do with me?"

"During your fourth year at Hogwarts, Voldemort was able to regain his body and rise again. You were a teenager, about fifteen, I think. Mr. Potter wasn't able to defeat him again until after your 'death' at twenty-three. Harry Potter is known worldwide for his heroic efforts."

"Why don't they just give him a medal, then?" Draco asked. "I still don’t see what this has to do with me."

"Your father was Voldemort's right hand man."

"What?"

Richard slid another picture towards Nathan. This time it was an older version of the man sitting in front of him. "Lucius Malfoy."

"Father," Draco whispered. He studied the picture intently. The man was almost a mirror image of himself. "He's the one that sent me here."

"What?" the older man questioned. "Do you know that for sure?"

Draco nodded. "I don't know how, and I don't know why… I just know he's responsible for me being in America. I imagine I'll have a few words with him when I return to England."

"He's dead," Richard said flatly. "Has been for seven years."

Draco didn't even bother to look up. "I killed him, didn't I?"

"That's the rumor."

"Ah." He studied the picture once more, before sliding it to the bottom of the papers. Staring up at him now was Virginia, with a tall black haired man beside her. His arm was wrapped around her shoulders, shielding her from whoever was taking the picture. "Who's this?" he asked, holding up the picture.

"Blaise Zabini."

Draco lifted an eyebrow. "Any relation to Zabini Enterprises out of England?"

"His grandfather was the founder. Blaise is now CEO. Have you done business with him?"

He shook his head. "No. Read about him. What's he to me?"

"Best friend. Partner in crime and business. As far as I can tell, you've known him since you were in diapers. Your fathers… they shared similar interests."

"In Voldemort, you mean."

"Yes," Richard answered him. "Alvin Zabini died when Blaise was eight, and your father took it upon himself to look after the boy and his mother. You were raised as brothers. Until you went to Hogwarts, when you grew apart. It wasn't until your fifth year that the friendship was continued. Ironically, he is the reason you met Ginny Weasley."

"How's that?"

"I didn't bother with school yard crushes, but from as far as I could tell, he dated her. After your death, several articles referenced their past relationship, while hinting at renewal of his intentions towards her."

Draco frowned as he studied the picture. "Were there any truth to those rumors?"

"Your wife recently did an interview with a Colin Creevey claiming she was completely faithful to you, and that Blaise was only her friend. But, I do know that Blaise Zabini was the reason your name was put on the Missing Wizards list."

The blond turned away from the picture of Virginia and Blaise to find a formal looking report, complete with pictures and vital information about each of the wizards listed on it. Draco studied the picture of himself, even though he was a lot younger than he was now. The information listed beside his picture was accurate. So they had been looking for him after all. "What's this?"

"After Voldemort was defeated, the British Ministry of Magic released a list of missing wizards that disappeared during the war. They update the list every six months or so. You've never been on it, until now."

"Why now?"

"Apparently everyone in England thinks you're dead, killed by your father. Except your wife and Blaise Zabini. She wanted to try and find you again, and Zabini had the resources to make that happen."

Draco eyed his boss carefully. "Are you sure there are no truth to those rumors?"

Richard merely shrugged. "What do you think?"

He reached into his trouser pocket and took out the wedding band he carried with him. Draco scrapped his fingernail over the engraving on the inside of the band and sighed. "She loved me once. She made a promise to me, and she wanted to start a family with me. But it's been seven years. It's not inconceivable to think she might have moved on."

Richard leaned forward on his elbows, as he studied his young friend. "Is that good or bad?"

"What?"

"That she might have moved on."

"I imagine I would want her to be happy. And I wouldn't want her to be lonely. If she's been faithful… then she's better than most people out there. If she hasn't, then I can't blame her. I'm in no position to judge her, as I've never been in the position that my supposed death put her in."

"Do you love her?"

Draco shrugged. "How am I supposed to know? All I have are the few things I started to remember about her this morning. For as long as I can remember, I've wondered who Virginia was and why she was so important to me. Suddenly I'm finding out we've been married for nearly ten years – a marriage that I can't remember. I have two children with a woman I don't know." He held up the ring to the light and sighed. "But I loved her once. And I'd like to meet her again."

Leaning forward, Richard grabbed his phone. He cradled the handle between his shoulder and ear as he searched his Rolodex for the number of his travel agent. After a minute, he dialed the number and smiled when James Moyer finally answered. "Jimmy, it's Dick. I need a favor."

Draco studied his mentor as he made the travel arrangements, knowing that he could do the work himself, but happy to let the other man. It was all too much for him, the memories from this morning and all the information Richard had gathered for him.

He'd met Richard Worth by chance. Or at least he thought it was chance. Now he knew that might not be entirely accurate. But still, he was grateful. Richard had given him his dignity back.

After he found himself in New York, unsure of his past and future, Draco had settled into a men's shelter, working menial jobs to pay for his room and food. He'd been there for eight months when Richard had offered him a job as a mail courier in his investment firm. A year later he was middle management. The man had made it possible for him to take the classes (paying for two of them) and get the certification he needed to become an investment broker. Four years later, he'd received another promotion: a vice-president had retired and Draco had unexpectedly been given the position.

Draco had no doubt that Richard Worth had saved his life. If not for the job and financial help (even though he'd repaid every penny of the money), then he was sure he would have died long ago. Not because he wasn't a survivor, but because his spirit had been broken. The not knowing used to drive him crazy, and finally he learned to lose himself in his job. If not for that, he would have lost his mind.

After Richard hung up, he finished writing the instructions on the notepad. Tearing the slip of paper off, he folded it and handed it to Nat—Draco. He'd have to get used to that eventually. "You're flight leaves at one. You'll arrive in London around six thirty. I imagine someone will help you apparate or Floo—they'll explain it there—to Malfoy Manor. There may be wards, but you should be able to get past them, as you are Master of the Manor."

"Where is it located? In case I can't find it."

"Wiltshire, near Bath. You'll be able to find it."

"Richard," Draco began, after a minute of silence, "I don't know how to thank you."

The older man waved away his pleasantries. "It's been my pleasure knowing you, Nat… Draco. I'm still getting used to that. I only regret that you lost seven years of your life and it was during that time that you and I became friends."

Draco stood, and grabbed his briefcase. "I'll come back."

"Don't make promises you can't keep."

He nodded, knowing what the older man meant. "Thank you for being my friend."

Richard stood, and extended his hand to Draco. "You'll be hard to replace."

Draco shook the man's hand, and sighed. "I'll be in touch."

"Good luck, Mr. Malfoy. I hope whatever you find in England is what you've been searching so desperately for."

His fist closed around her wedding ring and he closed his eyes, welcoming the pain as the gold cut into his hand. "She's there, Richard. And that's what I've been searching for all along."

Richard nodded once, before sitting back down in his chair. He reached for the stack of papers, but didn't start work until after the young man had left his office. "Goodbye Draco," he said quietly.

The businessman sat there for some time, just staring at the closed door. He sincerely hoped that the young man found out who he was. And that he found Virginia. After awhile, though, he turned his attention to the market reports and sighed.

Now if only he could figure out how to stop the imminent market crash.

9. Chapter 7 - Last Normal Day

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.

10. Chapter 8 - New Beginnings

He'd waited over an hour for her at the airport. So long that he almost missed his plane. And after everything they said the night before, Blaise was still surprised when Ginny didn't show up to tell him goodbye.

It was tradition. She would always see him off – she said it was because she was terrified he'd never return, he used to think that maybe it was just to see him one last time. But, apparently, he'd been wrong. Whether she was really terrified or not, he didn't know. He just knew Ginny never went out of her way to see him one last time. Or any other time.

She saw him as a friend.

A friend.

Ginny Malfoy saw him in a completely plutonic, friendly sort of way. And now that she knew he saw her exactly the opposite, she'd probably never let him within ten feet of her again.

What was worse was that he'd broken the only rule of friendship: never fall for your best friend's girl (or guy, depending on the situation). Both he and Draco broke the rule because of Ginny Weasley, but this was an entirely different situation.

For starters, they were no longer at Hogwarts. This was real life. And Draco… well, one would think Blaise might have an unfair advantage over his missing friend, but he knew better. While Draco was missing physically, he was always in the marriage.

They'd never talked about it, but Blaise assumed Ginny thought Draco to be captured, held by former Death Eaters in a torture chamber somewhere. Of course, that would be the only reason he'd leave her.

Unfortunately, Blaise knew better. He knew his (former) friend was living it up in New York City, under the alias of Nathan Hall. He lived in a high-rise apartment off Fifth Avenue, and worked on Wall Street. According to the information he'd collected, Draco was recruited six years ago by Richard Worth – a wizard – and invited to join a Muggle investment firm.

Four years after joining the firm, Draco was promoted to vice-president, where he was being groomed to take over for Worth. And that's where he was now. Living as a Muggle, completely ignoring his wife and two children on the other side of the ocean.

Draco Malfoy was more like his father than he ever realized.

"Attention passengers, please fasten your seat belts, we'll be beginning our descent into New York in ten minutes."

Blaise tugged at the lap belt, secure in the fact that it was secure. This was the part he hated: landing. He could have Apparated, of course. Except he'd have to explain to the Americans what he was doing there. No, it was much easier to walk into Worth Investment as a businessman with an appointment. He'd even left his wand at home. Along with the picture of Ginny he always carried with him.

He always knew she didn't love him. Or at least he thought he knew. Still, he hadn't been expecting her reaction from yesterday. She'd shut him down before the words were out of his mouth.

Blaise sighed heavily and jerked on his seat belt again. This would be over soon. That's all he could tell himself. It would be over soon.

~*~

He took the elevator to the seventy-fifth floor. Blaise shook his head. Of course, executive offices. Why wasn't he surprised? Stepping out, he saw a plush waiting area for the investment giant. Whatever Draco was doing here, he'd been doing it well.

The secretary looked up from her computer and smiled politely. "May I help you?"

"Yes, I have an eleven o'clock appointment with Mr. Hall. Please tell him Blaise Zabini has arrived."

After a few clicks on the computer, the secretary frowned at him. "I'm afraid that Mr. Hall is out of the country at the moment. It says here that he went to negotiate a merger, which is strange…" She paused and shook her head. "I'm sorry. You'll be meeting with Mr. Worth instead."

Damn. "That's fine. Is he ready to see me?"

Standing, she went around the desk. "Let me announce you."

Blaise found himself lingering behind her, studying the gentle sway of her hips, and the shape of her long legs as she went ahead of him. After seven years, it felt like he'd finally woken from the stupor he'd been in. If Ginny didn't want him, there were sure as hell plenty of women who did. He'd been in New York for another five days, if he was lucky, the secretary would be free for all five of them. If not… well, someone would be free.

Richard Worth was standing behind a large, solid cherry desk when Blaise entered. The businessman was talking quietly to his secretary, before he finally nodded and sent her away. Blaise took a minute to take in the office. It exuded wealth and power, but also that Worth was a family man. The picture of his wife (Blaise guessed) was sitting on the corner of his desk, while pictures of his children (?) sat behind him on a bookshelf. "Mr. Worth, thank you for meeting with me."

Worth waited until he was seated, before he took his own seat. "Mr. Zabini, is it?" At Blaise's nod, he continued, "I understand from Anna you requested to meet with my associate Mr. Hall."

"Yes sir, I have some business to discuss with him."

"Really?" Richard eyed him warily.

"Yes sir."

"I find this odd, because Nathan Hall rarely agrees to personal meetings. He's very much a behind-the-scenes kind of person."

"I knew Nathan as a child, and I can see that he's drastically changed. When he did something, he wanted the entire world to know it."

Richard leaned back in his chair, holding his hands out in front of him. "The man is different from the child, Mr. Zabini. Now why don't you tell me why you're really here? My protégé can't have been so interesting that you'd fly all the way over from England to discuss his childhood habits."

Blaise shook his head. Time to get down to business. "Mr. Worth, I know you're a wizard."

"So?" the older man countered. "I don't see how it really makes a difference."

"I didn't think you would, seeing that you do nothing to hide the fact. I know that the Muggles here aren't… well, as terrified of magic as those in Britain."

"It isn't something I advertise, if that's what you're wondering. But anyone who does a bit of digging into my history can easily find the information."

"You're smart as well, Mr. Worth. But I have to wonder why you worry yourself with these Muggle things."

"'Muggle things'?" Richard repeated. "I don't think you understand, Mr. Zabini. I choose to live as a Muggle. I received my standard education from Salem Academy, and my parents brought me up as a wizard, but I was the one who pursued Muggle education at Columbia University. I was allowed to be what I want to be, do what I want to do. It's part of the 'American dream' as so many others put it."

"I see. Although, I didn't think it was the same life Nathan would choose for himself."

"You know him as Draco Malfoy, so refer to him as that. And why do you think he chose this life?"

"He's not back in Bath with his wife, is he? He hasn't been there for the past seven years as she has struggled to raise his children, has he?"

The other gentleman leaned forward and glared at Blaise. "You don't understand what you're talking about."

"No?" Blaise questioned. "I understand that I've been doing it for him for seven years."

"Did he ask you to?"

"He did–"

"So he gave you permission to fall in love with his wife?" Richard questioned. "Really. That's not anything like the man I know."

"Who said anything about love?"

"It's written all over your face."

It was quiet for a long time, each man glaring at the other. When Blaise finally muttered something under his breath and stood to leave. "This was pointless. I apologize for coming here."

"Malfoy left for England a few days ago."

"What? He's going back?"

Richard nodded. "He's known his identity for less than a week. He's always known he had a wife, just never knew who she was, or where she was, until then."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because when Nathan asked me to do research on Draco and Virginia Malfoy, he also asked me to cross-reference them with Blaise Zabini."

Blaise sat down again. "You said he's starting to remember. Remember what?"

"His life," Richard answered. "When I met him six years ago, he was haunted. I knew that right away. What I didn't know was that he couldn't remember the previous twenty-odd years of his life. As I got to know him, I found that out. When he asked me to research Draco Malfoy, I found out that's who he was. And that Virginia was his wife."

"He went to Britain?"

Richard nodded.

"Bloody hell. Gin's gonna be a mess."

"Don't worry so much about Virginia," Richard instructed. "Draco loves her still. Even if he says he can't remember the feelings, I know him well enough to know he loves her."

"How can you be so sure?"

"For as long as I've known him, he's worn his wedding ring like a married man. Completely faithful to someone he couldn't remember. When he's feeling particularly bad, he'll put her wedding band from his pocket and stare at it. It's not that he hasn’t tried to remember, because he has. He just couldn't.

"And as soon as he realized she was out there, he boarded the first plane we could get him on and he was gone. I doubt I'll ever see him again."

Blaise sat there silently, taking in the information Worth had given him. Was it true? Did Draco really not remember what happened to him? Who he was before he came to America? It didn't make sense…

"Sir, I think you should probably go now."

He looked up, startled. "Why?"

"The next plane to Heathrow leaves in an hour. Don't you want to make it?"

Numbly, Blaise stood and gathered his briefcase and cloak. "Thank you for meeting with me."

Richard nodded, then went back to work at his computer.

Outside, Blaise stopped at the door, contemplating his next move. He could get on the plane and return to Britain. He could stand on the sidelines and watch the reunion between the two, or he could stay here and finish up his business.

The secretary looked up, her brown eyes sparkling at him. Blaise smiled, making up his mind.

"Say, I'm only going to be in town for a few more days, and I was wondering if you're busy for dinner tonight?"

Anna – Richard Worth had called her – shook her head no. "I'd love to join you."

Ginny and Draco could wait. It was time for Blaise to come out and play.

11. Chapter 9 - Here With You

She'd been pacing since he left. Or that's what it felt like. The little patch of carpet between the fireplace and settee in their sitting room was definitely worse for the wear.

Hermione Potter wanted to stop. She did. It was hard, though. Since the moment Ginny's nanny appeared downstairs, pleading with Harry to come with her, that someone was trying to get into Malfoy Manor, Hermione hadn't felt right. The danger was supposed to be gone. Ginny and her children were supposed to be safe.

But with a last name like 'Malfoy' would they ever be safe?

A lot had changed since Harry defeated Lord Voldemort five years ago. The world had become a better place. She and Harry finally married – after the world's longest engagement. Or so it seemed. Four years wasn't that long, honestly. That was what she told herself, anyway.

It never stopped, though. The danger. Hermione knew there would always be a wizard with dark intentions, or a Death Eater looking for the chance to revive his lord, or someone wanting to take advantage of The Boy Who Lived. She also knew that being Mrs. Harry Potter; she was a target as well. And that was a decision she made for herself.

Ginny, however, did not. There shouldn't have been danger in marrying Malfoy. Yes, his father was a Death Eater. But Hermione knew enough about tradition and magic to know that once Draco married, his father became powerless. Except it hadn't quite worked out that way.

Lucius Malfoy sold his soul to the devil long ago, for a bit of power. And the devil allowed him to hold onto it, for much longer than was right. Hermione knew deep in her bones Draco did the right thing when he killed his father. If he hadn't, she knew they would never find any peace. It was Draco's last gift to the world, to Ginny and his children. Yes, he died. But he'd died making sure they were safe.

Somewhere in the house, she heard the distinct pop of someone Apparating, and she allowed herself to breathe since hours before when he left. The sun was now up, and Harry would be expected at the Ministry in an hour or so. Hermione made her way up the stairs, until she found him in their bedroom. "Is everything okay?"

Harry smiled down at his wife, and bent slightly to kiss the top of her head. "Ginny is okay, if that's what you're asking. I'm not sure what else."

She frowned. "What happened? Was there an intruder?"

He began to pull his robes off, unfastening the buttons hastily. He was so tired, but Harry was sure he wouldn't be able to sleep. "Yes, someone was trying to get into the house."

Hermione studied him with wary eyes. Something was going on. "What aren't you telling me?"

Her husband shrugged, dropping the robe to the ground. Next he pulled the jumper he'd pulled on over his pyjama top off. "The 'intruder' was Malfoy."

"What?"

"It was Draco." His shoes came next, and he pulled the trousers from the previous evening off. "Draco Malfoy."

"I don't think I understand."

Harry took her arm gently and led her to the bed. First he lay down, then he pulled her next to him. "He's alive."

"Where's he been?" she asked. She tucked herself beneath his chin and sighed happily. "Harry, love, one thing, aren't you going to work?"

"I went by the Ministry first. Told them I'm not coming."

"Okay. Now tell me what happened."

~*~

There was an Apparation point in a field beside the Burrow, and Ron quickly made his way to the house. It'd been left to him to break to his mother and father that their estranged son-in-law had returned from the dead. Very undead, it might be useful to add.

Molly Weasley answered the door after the second knock, and smiled at him. "Ron! What brings you by?"

"'Ello, Mum. Is Dad around?" He leaned down to kiss her cheek.

Her face instantly fell. "What happened? What's wrong?"

"Mum—"

"Ronald Weasley, you'll tell me this instant!"

He gently took her by the arm and led her to the couch. Once she was seated, he stood above her. "I will tell you. But first, I need Dad here as well. It's something you both need to know. Let me Floo him."

Ron took a handful of the Floo powder from the jar and tossed it into the fire. Sticking his head inside, he clearly said, "Dad's office at the Ministry."

An instant later, the small office that Arthur Weasley and the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts occupied appeared. "Dad?" he questioned.

Arthur appeared behind a stack of files. "Ron? What is it?"

"Dad, I need you to come home quickly. It's important."

"Ron, what's wrong?" Arthur was already beginning to search for his wand beneath the papers on his desk. "Is it your mother?"

"Mum's fine, Dad. She's here with me. I just need you to come to the Burrow quickly."

"Alright, son."

Ron pulled his head from the flames; pleased to see his mother was still sitting where he left her. "Dad should be here any minute."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Arthur Weasley appeared in the middle of the living room, causing Molly to jump. "Sorry dear," he immediately apologized to his wife. Rounding, he stared at his youngest son. "Ron, what's wrong?"

"Dad, I think you might want to sit down." His father took the seat next to Molly, while Ron opted for the armchair next to the fireplace, across from his parents. "This morning, around three or so, Ginny's nanny came with urgent news. She said someone was trying to break into the Manor."

"What?" Molly gasped. "Already? Is Ginny okay? The children?"

He held up a hand, signaling for her to stop the line of questioning. "Let me finish, Mum. When I arrived, Harry was already there. But there was someone else."

When he stopped, Molly Weasley said, "Well? Who was it? A supporter of You-Know-Who?"

"It was Draco," Ron said finally.

"Draco?" Arthur repeated. "It couldn't have been Draco."

"But it was," Ron insisted. "I saw him."

"How is that possible? You and Harry checked the scene at the Lake House years ago, Ron. Draco is dead."

Their youngest son shook his head. "No, when we couldn't find him, we assumed he was dead. After a month or so, we gave up looking. All of the options we considered never came close to the reality of the situation."

"And that was?" Arthur asked. He stood, looming over his wife and son, and said, "Did he leave her voluntarily? Fake his death? If so, then I need to have a talk with him right now."

He was ready to Apparate away again, when Molly pulled his wand from his hand. "Arthur, let Ron finish." She looked expectedly at her son. "That's not the end, is it?"

He shook his head. "His father prepared an Obliviate charm before their meeting, and when things didn't go his way, he cast it. None of the Auror's bothered to do a Prior Incantato on Lucius' wand, because Avada Kedavra was on Draco's. We would have known about the memory spell then."

"So Draco has been wondering around lost for seven years?" Molly asked. "That poor boy."

"From what he told Harry and me earlier, he's only recently started to remember. Apparently, he didn't even know he was a Malfoy until last week. Said he's been living as Nathan Hall, a Muggle, in New York City for seven years."

"A Muggle?" the woman asked. "Our Draco has been living as a Muggle?"

Ron swallowed his scowl at his mother's use of the word 'our'. Just because the git was married to his sister did not make him family. "Apparently. I plan on contacting someone at the American Ministry in the morning, and getting what information I can on Nathan Hall."

"But he was well?" Molly asked. She'd been the first in the family to take to Draco as a permanent fixture in Ginny's life, and she was rather fond of her only son-in-law. "Not too skinny?"

"Give Gin some time, Mum, and I'm sure she'll allow you to see Draco."

Arthur blinked at his daughter's name. "How is Ginny taking this, Ron?"

The young man looked up into the eyes of his father, a frown on his face. "She fainted, Dad. She was still out when I left earlier."

~*~

She'd had the most wonderfully strange dream. Someone had been trying to get into the house, and when she went to investigate she saw Draco.

Ginny knew she was losing it now. It was probably stress. They'd just moved, and she had re-emerged into society, and…

Wait, hadn't she gone to sleep with the twins? Weren't they supposed to be in the bed with her? And what time was it, anyway? They always woke her…

"Cera?" she asked. Opening her eyes, Ginny looked around, noting that she was still in her bed. "Seth?" Neither of them answered.

Ginny reached through the bed curtains and found her wand on the night table where she left it. There was also a class of water and a damp rag. Two things she most definitely did not leave there. What was going on?

She pushed aside the curtain, and immediately wished she hadn't.

Because she was hallucinating again. Sitting there, in the antique chair his mother had given them, was Draco. Aside from the clothes, he looked exactly the same. The same silver-blond hair, the same long, thin (and handsome) face, and she suspected the same gray eyes. Only she couldn't tell, because he was sleeping.

Ginny slipped on her bedroom shoes, and stood, preparing to go find her children. He wasn't there, of course. There was no way. She'd seen him before. Months after he disappeared, Ginny would turn and he'd be smiling at her. Or she'd see him across the market, waving at Blaise and herself. When the children were born, she thought she'd seen him in the room with her, her Mum, and the medi-wizard.

It was like he never left her at all. But he had. In her heart, she really didn't believe he was dead, but at the same time she was unsure as to whether she'd ever see him again. Lucius Malfoy had exacted his last revenge before his death. In life, he'd hated the thought of Draco and Ginny together, so in death he managed to keep them apart.

She walked past the not-there Draco and was surprised when he reached out to grab her wrist. Which was different. None of the hallucinations had ever touched her before. Looking down, she saw that his eyes were the same. The eyes she used to feel undressing her across the Great Hall at Hogwarts. The same eyes that filled with tears when he came to her in her dressing room before their wedding. The eyes she loved so much.

"This isn't real," she murmured. It couldn't be real.

"Virginia?" The hallucinations had never talked before, either.

"What's going on?"

Not-there Draco stood then. The other hallucinations moved, too. So it was still possible he wasn't real, right? Right. "Are you okay? You took a pretty hard fall."

"I… I don't understand."

He lifted his hand to the back of her head, searching through her wild red hair for a bump. When his fingers found the knot, she couldn't help but wince. When had that happened? "Who are you?"

His face fell then. "You don't recognize me?"

Ginny stepped away from him and frowned. "Of course I recognize you. And it's obvious that you're really here, and not something I'm dreaming. You look just like him. And I want to know who sent you. Why are you here?"

He took a step back. "I'm Draco Malfoy," he told her. It was a phrase she'd heard him say many times before, one he had practiced on the plane trip over. Still, it didn't feel right. Even to his own ears, Draco didn't sound like he believed his claim. He added, "Your husband."

She shook her head. "No… you can't be. My husband is…"

"Right here," he told her. He thought about reaching out to touch her face, but knew she'd reject him if he tried.

"He's gone," Ginny said weakly. "His father killed him."

"Virginia, that's only what they want you to believe. I'm here." He held up his left hand, the gold ring glittering in the light. "On the inside, Draco is inscribed." His right hand fished in his pocket and he pulled out her ring. "It matches the Virginia on this ring."

Her eyes narrowed as she studied the ring he was holding. "Where did you get that? What did you do to him!"

"I am him, Virginia. I am Draco Malfoy." This time it was said with more conviction and confidence, and Draco began to believe a little more.

She still didn't believe him. Because if she let herself believe, and then it turned out to not be true… she didn't think she could lose him all over again. She wasn't strong enough, not this time. She couldn't do it again.

"Then tell me something about us, something only Draco would know. Something he would have never told anyone." Ginny waited patiently, as his eyes widened. "Well?" she asked. "Tell me."

This was impossible. He didn't remember their past! There was no way he could tell her… "I asked you to marry me on a gondola in Italy." Wait… where'd that come from?

Her mouth softened from the hard line. "You could have read that in the paper. Something only you and I, if you are Draco, would know." She crossed her arms across her chest, her fingers tapping against her elbow as she waited.

How had he known about the gondola? "The first time we made love, it was in a small alcove behind the kitchen at Hogwarts." Where were these memories coming from? "It was the first time for both of us."

"Draco might have told his friends about that." She knew he most likely hadn't, of course. With the exception of Blaise and Greg Goyle, none of his fellow Slytherins approved of his relationship with Ginny. "Something else," Ginny demanded.

He smiled then, the third memory coming to him. It was like something out of a movie, except he suddenly realized it was his life. "On the day of our wedding, I came to visit you. I wanted to say my vows in private. You didn't agree at first, but then you said, 'Fine, but when my mother shows up to yell at you, and our marriage goes to hell, it's your fault.' Then you told me I was beautiful."

She'd never told anyone, of course. There were few really sacred moments with Draco, but the moment he was describing was one of them. Ginny looked up at him, her eyes alight with hope. "You sort of frowned, and said 'Men aren't supposed to look beautiful.'"

"They aren't." Draco took a step closer, this time reaching out to touch her cheek. "Do you believe me now?"

Ginny nodded. Amazingly, she wasn't crying, even though she could feel the tears just behind her eyelids. She steeled herself though; there was no reason to ruin this beautifully perfect moment with tears. "I don't understand… how?"

"Shhh." Draco placed his forefinger over her lips, as he studied her. He took in her messy red-hair, the white silk nightgown, and the fuzzy black slippers on her feet. She was thin, but rounded in the right places. From childbearing, he imagined. "You are so beautiful."

"Please don't make me cry?" Ginny asked. "Don't let me ruin this by crying."

"Virginia, love, there are such things as happy tears."

Damn him. He was going to make her cry anyway. "I know that. But…"

"Shhh." His hand moved from her cheek to the back of head, as he pulled her forward. She took a step to meet him, her soft body melting against his hard one. His second hand went to her hip, both of her hands smoothing up his chest. "Would it be okay if I kissed you?"

Ginny nodded her approval, still not quite sure if this was happening. But if it was a dream, she never wanted to wake up.

His lips covered hers gently. Moving against her softly, surely as he rediscovered what once was his. His tongue came out and she sighed wistfully, allowing him entrance. He didn't push too hard, only dipping inside of her mouth for a quick taste. There would be more of that later.

Her hands fisted in his sweater, bringing their bodies in full contact from chest to hip. He continued to kiss her, his lips moving against hers in perfect harmony. It was as if he was made to kiss this woman.

And he was, as far as he was concerned.

When Draco finally pulled back, her lips were red and swollen. She looked thoroughly mussed, but loved. Ginny reached up to touch her lips and then she touched his cheek. "Are you really here? Are you really real?" she asked.

Draco took her hand in his and raised it to his lips. He kissed her fingertips. "I'm here, Virginia. I'm standing right here with you."

Ginny nodded, accepting his answer. She'd want details later; answers to her endless list of questions. And there was the matter of the children: they needed to meet their father. And Blaise… poor Blaise. Except he was in America, right? She'd need to tell her family, of course. They'd need to know.

But for now, she allowed her husband to pull her into his strong arms, hers automatically wrapping around his waist. He even smelled just right, she noticed. As she closed her eyes and finally allowed the tears to flow, she realized it finally happened.

He'd finally come home.

12. Chapter 10 - No Promises

She was sleeping again. Not that he minded, because Draco knew Virginia was experiencing at least some shock. Even if she'd been entirely convinced he was alive, it must have been difficult finding out she was correct.

He wanted to sleep as well. In his mind, he knew he'd been awake for more than twenty-four hours. He should have collapsed from the exhaustion of it all by now, but instead he was wide-awake. Draco checked his watch and dropped his head when it read seven o'clock. He'd have to reset that sometime.

In America, Nathan Hall wouldn't have left the office yet. In England, Draco Malfoy was wandering aimlessly about his Manor, trying to fit together his life. Jet lag was not something he enjoyed.

The nanny, Cynthia, Virginia had called her, took the twins to their grandparents for a few days. Neither of them had seen him, nor did they even know he was alive. Draco was anxious to meet his children. Anxious, but apprehensive. What if they hated him? What if they blamed him? What if they could never forgive him?

And Virginia… what happened when she realized he didn't know who he was? He still couldn't remember his life before… Well, before whatever his father had done.

Whatever happened in her bedroom earlier had been a fluke. After he convinced her to lay down again, he found that he remembered no more about his life now than he did before. It was all still a mystery. The memories of them… they had come from somewhere deep in his subconscious. Almost like dreams of a life long forgotten. He couldn't say with any surety that he even loved Virginia.

Draco sighed as he continued walking through the halls of the Manor. He felt something for her. Of that he was sure. Be it compassion or sympathy, lust or longing, it was at least something. He wasn't very sure that it was love, though. In the seven years he could remember, Draco couldn't recall ever experiencing love firsthand. He'd heard about it, of course. His co-workers had invited him to their weddings, and he'd witnessed two people promise to love, honor, and cherish… but it was never him.

From the moment he woke up, he'd been in a committed relationship. In his mind, it didn't matter that he couldn't remember Virginia, or that he may never know who she was, he was still committed to her. It was strange, even to his ears – but he was married, with all of the commitment and responsibility, but none of the perks.

In New York, there had been no women. No dinner dates, no afternoons in the park. He'd never shared ice cream with anyone. He was a married man. The gold wedding band never ventured very far from his left ring finger (a switch he made after starting to work for Richard – apparently in America wearing a band on the right hand signified some sort of alternative lifestyle).

His fellow workers questioned his celibacy, but more often than not left him alone about it. Draco had never been completely oblivious to the stares from the women (and sometimes men) when he walked into a room. He was just vain enough to know he was handsome, but still not tempted enough to break a vow to someone he couldn't remember.

Over seven years, he'd received what felt like hundreds of offers. One-night stands, and just sex, but never from anyone he felt he couldn't live without. Also, there was the fact that he'd always intended on returning to Virginia – be it one year, or ten, he wanted to go home to her. He'd loved her enough to marry her, so the least he could to was remain faithful. Draco also knew if she'd ever been unfaithful, and he found out about it… well, he wasn't sure he could live with that.

It wasn't even something he wanted to consider. But, the Virginia he'd encountered earlier… she seemed pleased to see him. Happy, even. Draco couldn't blame her for her superstitions, and thanked whatever god gave him the knowledge to prove his identity to her. But did she love him… well; it was a question that was still unanswered.

Draco was pulled from his thoughts when he rounded a corner and came face to face with the man responsible for his predicament. Hanging with a long line of Malfoy men, there was Lucius. Beneath the moving picture, there was a plaque that read, Lucius Malfoy, husband to Narcissa, father to Draco.

There was no doubt they were related. The white-blonde hair and light colored eyes linked them. However, there was a hardness about Lucius that Draco knew he didn't contain. Even after seven years, he'd never allowed himself to go cold inside. Yes, it was often boyhood fantasies of Virginia – whoever she was – that kept him going, but they were enough. He'd never completely lost hope, and as long as he had hope he had something.

Draco was momentarily distracted by picture to the right of his father's: a picture of him, although it was several years old. He wasn't smiling, but he wasn't sneering either. Picture-Draco had taken on the pose of many of the other men hanging on the wall, one of just looking content with life and having his picture taken. Beneath the picture was a similar gold plaque that read Draco Malfoy, husband to Virginia, father to Seth and Cera... He imagined the '…' was there because his life was still incomplete.

His gaze settled back on his father and Draco was overwhelmed with such hatred that he could barely contain himself. He hated him for all he'd taken away from him, all he'd cost him. For the seven years he'd missed with his wife and children, all of the time he spent wandering about America lost and alone.

"I hate you," he told the picture. "I hate you."

"Your hatred was what he wanted."

Draco turned to find Cynthia standing down the hall from him. "Excuse me?"

"If you hate him, it means he still matters to you. Lucius never wanted you to love him, but he also never wanted you to forget him. He has insured this, I see."

His silver eyes slanted into a glare. "How do you know any of this?"

The older woman took a step forward, into the light of the hall. "Because I was there. I was at your mother's side when you were born, as I was by your grandmother's side when Lucius was born. My family has served yours for five generations, and will continue to serve yours through future generations."

"Why?"

"The why doesn't matter," the old woman told him. "It just is."

"Oh."

"You don't remember any of this, do you?" she asked after a moment.

Draco stayed silent so long; Cynthia didn’t expect him to answer. He stood stony, facing the picture of his father, as he thought. She went to move past him, to her own bedroom, when he spoke. "He took it from me."

"Who took what?"

"My father, he took my life from me… I can't remember anything. I'm not sure if I ever will."

"Why would you want to remember the past, when it's now time to start your future?"

"Virginia will never–"

"The lady hasn't given up after this long, Sir. For seven years, she's stood by and waited for you to return to her. Each night, when she puts the children to bed, she tells them a story about you. Since the night you disappeared, she has waited for you to return. Now that you have, I don't think it's likely she'll let you go."

He nodded, as she continued to pass. When she reached her door, Draco asked, "How would one send a post?"

"You mean an owl?" Cynthia answered him.

No, that wasn't what he meant at all… "I need to send a letter to Potter, I think he might be able to help me. How do I do that?"

"You send an owl." The woman studied him from the doorway, watching as the confusion drifted over his face, and stayed there. "Come, I'll show you."

~*~

It was the hand on his forearm that woke him. Sometime around three that morning, he'd made his way back to Virginia's bedroom, and settled himself into the chair there. Potter hadn't come right away, although Draco knew he wouldn't. He expected him sometime today.

Draco opened his eyes and saw Virginia standing above him, smiling. He immediately closed them again, reaching up to wipe the sleep away. Even though his brain knew it was right to be here, he was still a bit disorientated from it all. "What time is it?" he asked.

"Seven thirty. What time did you go to bed?"

"I have jet lag. So it was after three, I think."

"Jet lag?"

He watched her, as she moved away from him, and sat on her bed. "Do you not know what that is?"

She shook her head no.

"It's the effect that changing time zones has on your body. At hom—in New York, I mean, it's only around two a.m. So when you went to bed last night, even though it was nearly midnight here, I was wide-awake. It'll take a week or so, but it'll all straighten out."

"Oh." Virginia continued to sit on the bed, playing with the edges of her dressing gown, not meeting his eyes.

Draco studied her carefully. Something was… wrong. Really wrong. "What is it?"

She looked up, and shook her head. "Nothing. I just haven't woken up yet, that's all."

"Virginia…"

"You don't remember, do you?" she asked suddenly.

"Remember what?"

With a hand motion she indicated what she meant, but said, "Your life," anyway. "The Manor, or Hogwarts, or our life together. It's all a mystery to you, isn't it?"

He knew he couldn't lie to her, not that he wanted to. Draco had hoped he'd talk with Potter before they had this conversation. "Yes. It is."

Virginia's shoulders dropped, as she closed her eyes and willed the emotions away. It hurt. For seven years, all she wanted was for him to come home to her, and now he had… and it didn't matter. Because… "Do you… do you remember us at all?"

Draco shook his head. "I've tried, Virginia. I have. I've always known you were important, because of the wedding band, and there were times when I felt it was right there, just beyond my reach. But only little bits and pieces have returned to me."

She accepted his answer with a nod of her head. She still wasn't looking at him, as it hurt too much. The pain was… unbearable. It wasn't fair. Draco caught the movement as her left hand went to her right, and she began to slide the ring that rested there off. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"I… I won't keep you in a marriage you don't remember, Draco. I won't make you stay with a woman you don't love. I… I won't even make you stay here with me. Just, lets go to the registry office, get our divorce, and you can return to New York."

"Virginia–"

"I only ask that you… please, at least see the children before you go. I don't expect anything for myself, but they are your children. They are the heirs, and one day, this will be theirs. Just, see them… explain to them yourself."

She was reaching out towards him, now. The ring between two of her fingers, wanting to give it to him. He knew if he let her leave him, she would crumble as soon as she was out of her sight. Standing quickly, Draco met her halfway. "What's going on?" he asked, his voice soft. He lifted her chin, making her look at him. He wasn't surprised to see the trails of tears on her cheeks. "Why are you doing this?"

"I won't hold you to any of your promises you made, Draco. It wouldn't be fair."

"Virginia…"

"This isn't your life anymore. I understand that. If you'll come with me today… to the registry office, then to the Burrow and see the children, I'll let you return home."

"This is my home."

She shook her head, breaking their contact. Draco reached down and grasped her wrist gently, as to not let her move too far away from him. "This isn't your life, though. This is some ancestral manor that became yours when we married. Your life is different, Draco. And there's no place for your past in it."

"Why don't you let me decide?" Taking a step closer to her, Draco took her other hand. He twined their fingers so that the ring was held between their hands. "Virginia, you are my life. You are my home." Her husband tried to smile at her, but it was only a half-hearted attempt. "No, I don't remember our life from before. And you don't know how sorry I am for that, but I also know that being here with you, touching you like this, is the only thing I've wanted for seven years. I can't deny what being in your arms means to me."

"But you don't love me."

Her voice was so tiny Draco strained to hear it. Draco wanted nothing more than to wrap her in his arms, and hold onto the end of the Earth. "Will you give me a chance?"

"I…I don't know if I can." Virginia leaned her forehead against his shoulder and sighed deeply. "If it was just me, then there wouldn't be any problem. I love you enough for the both of us. But it's not anymore. I have Cera and Seth to think of. What if you decide you don't want this life, Draco? I'll never survive losing you again."

"That won't happen," he promised. "That will never happen."

"You don’t know that."

"I do," Draco insisted. "This is the only life I've ever wanted."

"Okay."

He pulled his head back so he could look at her. She'd stopped crying, but still looked lost and alone. "Okay?"

Virginia nodded. "I need one thing from you, though."

"Anything."

"Don't make me any promises."

"What?"

"Whatever happens happens. I need you to let life run its course. If you decide this isn't what you want, you won't hesitate to tell me. Don't stay with me out of an obligation you don’t remember. "

"Virginia," he began.

"Please?" she asked him. "Just this one thing. No promises."

"You want me to promise to not make you any promises?"

"Yes."

"What if I can't?" he asked. "I'm not sure I can."

"Just for a little while, Draco. Until we get things settled, until we get things figured out."

"Fine," he sighed. "No promises."

Virginia smiled at him then. "Thank you."

She stepped back from him, and his hands unwillingly let her go. "What now?" he asked.

"I wanted to go see the children. You can come with me, if you like."

"I'd like that."

"My family will be there. Probably everyone but Bill and Charlie… are you sure?"

"What?" he asked. "Does your family not like me?"

"I think you've already met Ron, right?" At his nod, she continued, "Well, he's the worst of them. At school, you and Ron weren't exactly… friends."

"I gathered from his attitude the other night that he didn't exactly like me."

"That's an understatement. For a long time, Ron was sure you used an Unforgivable Curse on me, and then seduced me."

"Did I?" Draco joked.

She smiled, in spite of it all. "No, you didn't. I just… I fell in love with you."

"Well, I know why. I’m devastatingly handsome, and smart, and funny–"

"And you haven't changed a bit," she interrupted him. "Still egotistical Draco, I see."

"Is that a compliment, Mrs. Malfoy?"

Virginia shrugged. "Take it as you please. When will you be reading to go? We'll Apparate over."

When he was trying to find out where Malfoy Manor was, one of the shopkeepers in the town just below the Manor explained to him what Apparation was. Disappearing and reappearing somewhere seemed very sci-fi to him, but he'd kept his mouth closed. "I'm not sure I can Apparate."

"You can. You just need your wand."

His brow knitted in confusion. "I… I don't have a wand."

Virginia frowned, and then shook her head. "Well go by Ollivander's, then. Anything else?"

"I hoped to speak with Potter today. Cynthia had me send him an owl last night, but I'm not sure… what if the bird got lost?"

The redhead laughed at his facial expression. "Owls don't get lost. As long as you give them proper direction, they get along just find. I send owls to my brother Charlie in Romania all the time, and they always make it."

Draco felt dumb for his question then. All the way to Romania? This Charlie must have an interesting job. But he'd have time for that later. "Oh."

"Harry works at the Ministry, we can go by after we get your wand. You'll be able to see my dad, too. I had one of the elves put your things in a suite across the hall. Go get changed, then we'll go."

Draco nodded, still feeling incredibly overwhelmed by it all. He wasn’t sure what was happening, but he couldn't shake the feeling of being lost from his system. It was just disorientation, he knew.

Ten minutes later, he knocked on her bedroom door, and was greeted by the sight of Virginia fully dressed and ready to go. He'd never known any female who could be ready in ten minutes. Her red hair was pulled away from her face, in a bun on her head, and she wore no make, except lip-gloss. The silver robes were open, giving him the sight of Virginia in black trousers and blue blouse. On her feet she wore one-inch heeled boots. She looked… amazing. That was until she burst out laughing at him. "What?"

"Don't you have any robes?"

"Robes?" Draco repeated. "No, I don't. Do I need them?"

Virginia nodded at him. "Yes, you need them. Since we'll be in the Alley anyway, we can go by Madam Malkin's."

"Who is Madam Malkin?"

His wife smiled at his confusion. "She owns a robe shop, Draco. She might have something for you to wear today, but we'll order some others as well. Come, we'll Apparate there, first."

Draco followed her out of the bedroom, and down the hall. Once they reached the entrance, she took out her wand and twined the fingers of his left hand with those of her right. "Hold on tight. I don't want to split us."

He tightened his fingers around hers until he knew it was almost painful. Virginia, however, didn't say anything. Draco felt the pull as he started falling, but couldn't stop himself. He closed his eyes tight and waited for the sensation to stop. A moment later, he could hear Virginia's laughter ringing in his ears. "Is it safe now?"

"Yes, you can open your eyes."

When he didn't, Draco realized he hadn't been prepared for what he was going to see. "What… what is this place?"

His wife looked up at him, as her hand gave his a reassuring squeeze. "Diagon Alley. Come on, let's get your robes, then I'll show you around."

As they entered Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, Draco looked back at what they were leaving behind. It seemed to be too much. Was this really his life?

13. Chapter 11 - Father

Author's Note: I wanted to take a moment to apologize for how long it's been. Before now, I've updated on a fairly regular basis. But last week, I got sick and was forced to miss some school. After that, I had to scramble to catch up and make sure I got everything turned in on time. Writing was pushed to the backburner.

And to everyone who takes the time to reply, thanks so much. I love to hear your thoughts on the stories, and I appreciate each of them. Thanks again.

~*~

If he was dreaming, Blaise Zabini never wanted to wake up.

He could hear Ginny singing quietly as she got out of the shower. Lullabies. Blaise knew she hated being away from the children at bedtime, but it was the only time they had together.

Blaise was propped up on a pillow, his arm tucked behind his head when she came into the master suite. He let his eyes linger on the white silk nightgown she wore, with her robes open on top of it. "You are absolutely beautiful."

She smiled warmly at him. "Thank you."

Ginny sat on the bed as she began to pull her socks and boots on. "I should go. Cynthia said the children have been asking for me."

"I hate that you miss them each night." Blaise watched as she stood, and began to zip the robe up the front. "You know, I could always move in with you…"

Her head jerked up, her eyes wide. "What? No."

Blaise frowned at her reaction. "What's so wrong with that? We see each other each night, Gin. The children love me."

"Not in his house, Blaise."

"Then move in with me?" he offered immediately. "Pack up Cera, Seth, Cynthia, and yourself and come here. There is plenty of room."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

Ginny looked down at her feet, then back up at him. She did care for him, but it wasn't love… it was never love with Blaise. "Because the children are Malfoy's, Blaise, not Zabini's. They belong in Malfoy Manor. It is their birthright. It's what…" she sighed and reached into her pocket, pulling out the engagement ring Draco had given her so many years ago. She slipped it back on her right ring finger, once again feeling like she was complete. "It's what Draco wanted for them."

He watched her actions with weary eyes. She never wore the ring when they were together, but it was never far from her either. "Draco is gone," he said finally. His voice was just above a whisper, but it managed to fill the entire room.

"Even if he is, I'll respect his memory. I won't bring another man into his home, nor will I allow someone else to raise his children."

"Bloody hell, Gin, you're still in love with him."

Ginny pulled her wand from her pocket, preparing herself to Apparate to the Manor. "Blaise, you've always known that. Don't act so shocked."

"No, I knew you loved him… I accepted you would always love him. But after seven years, to still be in love with him? Gin—"

Her eyes were blurry, she realized. Her friend – her best friend – was telling her it was wrong that she was still in love with her husband. Ginny closed her eyes, picturing the foyer at Malfoy Manor clearly, before she looked at Blaise one last time. "I'll be in love with him, forever, Blaise. Why can't you understand that?"

"Because I want you to love me," his voice nearly pleading with her.

"I can't. I'm sorry, but I just can't." With a quick flick of her wand, she was gone and Blaise was left alone once again.

~*~

Nathan Hall could have been a bloody monk.

Or at least he lived like one. Blaise had been in New York for over a week and he couldn't find anything on his former friend and housemate.

No torrid affairs or illegitimate children, no stealing millions from Richard Worth, not even screwing his co-workers out a parking space. The bloody git had a Subway pass. As far as Blaise could tell, Draco had never been late on his flat payment, telephone bill, or even a credit card payment.

He was a model citizen. Right down to helping old ladies with their groceries across the street.

It made him wonder what happened to the cunning, sneaky Slytherin that he grew up with. At first Blaise thought it might be Ginny – but Draco did all of his good deeds away from her careful sight. And these good deeds weren't quite like those he used to win Ginny's heart. Helping her with Potions homework didn't even rank up there with his good deeds.

Donations to charities, volunteering for the bloody Red Cross, and always agreeing to help out with whatever Worth needed him to do.

Merlin, when did Draco bloody Malfoy become so boring?

Blaise could feel his stomach lurch as the turbulence on the plane started again. Two hours into the six-hour flight the airplane started bouncing mysteriously. Several of the passengers had gotten sick, but Blaise wasn't affected. Nothing, in his opinion, could be as turbulent as a Portkey. Apparating and flying were always the better forms of transportation.

After ten minutes, the turbulence had stopped, and the captain explained it away with a storm and some clouds. Now it seemed to be starting again. He couldn't think straight with this bouncing. He should have just Apparated back to London.

Back to London where Draco was. And Ginny. The woman Blaise found himself desperately trying to forget. In the past week, Blaise knew he'd worked himself through at least a dozen women. All of them smart, funny, and attractive as hell. But none of them filled the ache inside of him. He knew it was because none of them were her, but he didn't want to believe it.

Ginny had already welcomed Draco home, most likely. Back to the Manor, her life, the life of the children, and maybe even her bed. If she hadn't, there was no doubt that she would.

For seven years, Ginny had believed Draco to be alive. And now that he was… well, Blaise was sure she was over the moon.

As for him? Even in his sleep, he still didn't get the girl. If the dream from the previous night was any indicator, Ginny never had any intention of loving him. For a long time, he'd been happy with that.

Losing his family at a young age had taught him how important family was. Before Hogwarts, and even when they were in school, Draco had been his only true friend – his brother, even. Over the seven years, they'd been through a lot together. Ups and downs in their friendship, times when they hated each other. But it never changed anything.

This would change them, though. More than anything, Blaise wanted what was Draco's. Lucius Malfoy had provided for both boys equally, and Blaise never found himself lacking or coveting anything Draco owned. Until Ginny Weasley. She changed everything for him.

Two days before the meeting with his father, Draco had come to him, wanting to secure a promise that he (Blaise) would take care of Ginny and the baby if anything were to happen. Of course, the promise was unnecessary. Ginny had a plethora of Weasley's and Potter's looking after her. A Zabini wouldn't have made the difference. But from all of those people, she turned to him.

After a few years, he thought it might happen again. Blaise thought he would eventually just become part of the family – not Uncle Blaise, but just Blaise. He hoped Ginny would look at him, her brown eyes shining with love. He accepted she'd never really forget about Draco, but he didn't expect her too. Draco was the love of her life, but Draco was gone and her life wasn't over.

Blaise also knew the way Cera and Seth felt about him. Seth particularly. Cera had always asked about her father, since the time she could talk. The little girl was very aware that Blaise was not her Father, and because of that she insisted Ginny tell them stories each night. Little Seth had been different. He latched onto Blaise because he was often the only other male around – someone who wasn't a girl, who was willing to play with him.

And Merlin help him, but he loved the little boy just like a son. It didn't matter that Seth was the spitting image of his father, right down to his gray eyes. Because when Seth looked at him, those eyes were filled with love and admiration. Respect. Blaise always assumed that because Seth had those feelings, Ginny one day would too.

How wrong he'd been. And now… well, his chance had passed. Ginny was back with Draco, their family would be reunited. Seth would turn those gray eyes to his real father. What irritated Blaise the most, though, was that he knew Draco deserved the love, admiration, and respect he would receive.

~*~

What had she been thinking?

According to, well—everyone, Draco Malfoy was dead. He'd been killed by his father seven years ago, but not before Lucius perished at his son's wand.

Showing up at Diagon Alley was not a good idea. It didn't matter that he needed robes, or a wand, or needed to speak with Harry. Because the moment someone had spotted them, all of London's Wizarding Press showed up outside of Madam Malkin's. This was a terrible idea.

"Would you hurry up?" she hissed at the changing room door. "It's insane outside. Pick one, and let's go."

"Are you always this bossy?" his voice was filled with laughter.

"Draco-"

"Alright," he sighed, opening the door. He stood in front of her, feeling entirely uncomfortable. His red cashmere sweater and black trousers were partially covered by the black robe he'd selected. Draco was impressed by the variety of robes Madam Malkin had, but he knew there was no time today. "How does this look?"

"You look fine," she said, barely looking at him. "We'll have to release something to the press, you know. You weren't supposed to show up after seven years of being dead."

"I wasn't dead."

With a hand she waved away his words. "You were dead to them."

"And to you?" the man requested quietly.

"What?"

Draco took another step closer to her, so that he could reach out and touch her face. "Was I dead to you, Virginia?"

At that moment, Madam Malkin appeared in the doorway. "If you're finished for the day, I'll show you to the back so you can Apparate."

Ginny turned and faced the older woman, forcing a smile on her face. "That'd be lovely. My hus—er, Draco wants to take this robe with him today. I'll owl the rest of his order later, if that's okay."

The woman nodded her head. "That's fine." Her eyes swung to Draco, studying him. "I remember you as a child at Hogwarts. You've changed since then."

"Is that good or bad?"

Her eyes swept over him once more. "It's a definite improvement."

Ginny watched the exchange, amused. Taking her wand out, she turned to Madam Malkin. "Show us where to go, so we can get out of here. And thank you for taking care of the press."

"No problem." The robe maker pushed on a panel behind a black tapestry and held it open for them. "Have a safe trip, dear."

When they were alone, Ginny looked up at Draco, mirth dancing in her eyes. "I think at least someone is glad you're back."

Color rose on his cheeks. "Can we go?" he requested. "I want to see the children."

Her features softened then, as she realized he was about to meet his children. For the first time. Reaching up, she tucked a strand of hair behind his ear. "Don't worry. They'll love you."

A moment later, Ginny had her arm wrapped around his waist, as she whispered the Apparation spell.

When they arrived at the Burrow, it was on the outside. "We're here."

Draco eyed the house with distrust. "Is it… safe?"

Her eyes widened, as she realized this was his first visit to her childhood home. "Of course it's safe."

"Yes, but that room up there… it's not being held up by anything." Draco pointed directly above them, his fear increasing by the moment. "I don't think that's safe."

"C'mon, you git. Let's go inside."

As Virginia led him into the oddly shaped house, Draco noticed the inside was a complete opposite of the outside. Virginia's mother kept it clean, and orderly. It was cluttered, but not with bad things. Pictures and framed newspaper clippings lined the walls and bookcases, detailing the life of the Weasley's.

On the far end of a bookcase that extended the whole right living room wall, was a picture of him and Virginia on their wedding day. Draco felt himself drifting toward it, even as she started to call for her mother and father. When he finally arrived, Draco saw a moving picture of the two of them, in formal clothes.

She looked absolutely stunning in the wedding dress, as she stared toward the camera smiling. His robes were black, with silver lining the sides. Instead of watching the camera, he was watching her. Draco didn't miss the look of absolute adoration his face wore. He'd really loved this woman, even if he couldn't remember that love.

The silent and his thoughts were broken when the entire Weasley family arrived. He found himself buried in a sea of redheads, each of them peppering Virginia and himself with questions. Questions Draco didn't necessarily know the answer too.

A moment later, Virginia was standing on a coffee table, two fingers in her mouth as she whistled to get their attention. When the room was quiet, she smiled down at her family. "I'm not in the least bit surprised that everyone is here. How long did it take?"

Molly Weasley smiled up at her daughter. "We've been waiting for you for two days now, dear. Now where is that son-in-law of mine?"

"I'm here," Draco called from the back of the room. He couldn't even see the woman who was speaking over the tall redheaded men. "In the back."

"For heaven's sake, let him through," Molly demanded. Bill, Charlie, and Arthur stepped to their right, while Percy, Fred, and George moved to their left. Draco could feel their eyes on him as he went to the small, somewhat rounded woman standing in front of his wife. But when he reached her, she smiled up at him with such love that Draco knew he must have loved her the same. "How've you been?" she asked.

"A bit confused," he found himself saying. "This is all very new to me."

The woman surprised him again by stepping forward, and wrapping her arms around his shoulders. Molly Weasley had to stand on her tiptoes to reach his shoulders, but Draco felt his body surge with familiarity as he hugged her in return. Since the night he arrived at Malfoy Manor and found Virginia, he began to feel at home. "You poor dear," she murmured, "What you must have went through. I'm so glad you're home."

Ginny watched the scene, feeling the emotion starting to rise in her. She really didn't want to cry, as she'd done so much of it in the last three days. She smiled gratefully when Bill stepped over to help her off the coffee table, and hugged her to his side. Clearing her throat when her mum and Draco separated, she asked, "Where're the kids?"

"Ron took them out back, to teach them how to play Quidditch."

"What?!" Ginny asked sharply. "They're not allowed to fly!"

Bill kept a firm grip on her waist, not allowing her to hex his youngest brother for endangering the children. "Relax. Harry and Hermione are out there as well, and they're not using brooms."

She rolled her eyes. "You can't play Quidditch without a broom."

"What's Quidditch?" Draco asked, oblivious. "Some sort of sport?"

The twins and Percy turned to look at him suspiciously. "What do you mean, 'what's Quidditch'? You played at Hogwarts for six years."

"I did? Wait," he stopped again, "What's Hogwarts?"

At that moment, Ginny took a step forward and placed her hand on his back to reassure him. However, she spoke to her family, "Draco's memory of his life from before is still missing. He doesn't remember Quidditch or Hogwarts."

The Weasley's all nodded, and just as Ron entered, followed by Harry and Hermione, with Cera and Seth bringing up the rear, Fred blurted out, "But wait, does that mean he doesn't remember you?"

Ginny felt Draco's body stiffen from the question, and she cursed her brother under her breath. A moment later, however, Draco was no longer watching Fred, but his children as they entered.

Cera lay her broom against the door, and sank down in the chair next to the window. She immediately pulled off her socks and shoes, not caring who was watching. Seth followed more slowly, taking in the different people in the room. His eyes landed on his mother, but swung immediately to the man standing beside her. "Who's he?" the little boy asked.

His sister followed his gaze, her face breaking into a wide grin. "Father." Cera didn't sound excited, even though she was. But more than that she was just shocked. She stayed in the chair, as Seth moved up beside her. She could tell her brother was just as shocked as she was. "We thought…"

Ginny pulled away from Draco then, and went to her children. She kneeled before them, taking a hand in each of hers. "Your father arrived several nights ago, and that's why I wanted you to stay with here for a few days. We wanted to get things settled, first." Taking a chance, she glanced back at Draco and saw that his eyes were glued to them. "Draco?" she asked. "Come here."

He joined her, following her example and getting eye level with the children. "He's going to be staying with us at the Manor for a while," Ginny explained.

The children swung their gaze from their mother to their father, both sets of eyes wide with the news. All of their life, they'd heard about this man. The man their mum loved more than anyone, yet here he was. Cera took the initiative, and reached out to touch his right cheek. "Hello," she said, her voice very soft. Draco was straining to hear her. "My name is Cera and this is my brother Seth."

Draco's gaze swung from the little girl who looked like her mother, to the image of what he must have looked like as a child. There was no denying the boy was his. "Seth," he said, testing the name on his tongue. "I'm your father."

Seth studied him for a moment, before he turned to his mum and asked, "Where's Uncle Blaise?"

Ginny heard the harsh release of air from Draco at his question. She closed her eyes, silently blaming herself for this. If she hadn't brought Blaise into their life, if she hadn't let Seth grow so attached to him… if only she had pressed the issue of his father to him, then Draco wouldn't be hurting. "Uncle Blaise is in America right now."

The little boy looked at his mother, then at Draco again, before he turned back to his mum. "Mum, I want Uncle Blaise."

~*~

Much later, the four of them were lying in bed at Malfoy Manor. After Cera insisted they sleep together, Ginny had transfigured her queen-sized bed into a larger one that would fit them all. Draco had watched, and murmured, "That's so cool," when she finished. She felt rather proud of herself.

Seth was curled into her body, facing her stomach. As much as she was glad to have him home, Ginny felt frustrated with her son. All she ever wanted was finally happening, but she couldn't understand why he couldn't want it too. Draco was back, wasn't that enough?

Cera insisted on sleeping next to her father, not letting him go. The little girl had barely let him out of her sight the entire night. It was almost as if she thought he might vanish again.

Ginny shifted again, and turned on her left side to face Draco. "Are you asleep?" she asked quietly.

"No," was the answer that came.

She could still hear the pain in his voice. It must have hurt him very much, what Seth had done at the Burrow. "I… I wanted to apologize about earlier," she began.

"Virginia, you have nothing to apologize over."

"What Seth—"

"Who's Blaise?" Draco interrupted.

"He was our friend, from school. Blaise helped me a lot, after you were gone."

"He knew the children?"

"Yes. I told them to think of him as an uncle, like my brothers. Blaise was the closest thing you had to family."

"Oh."

Ginny let the silence fill the space between him, even as she wanted to tell him so much more. After opening her mouth and closing it ten times, she finally said, "I never… it was never more than friendship with him."

"It would have been okay," came Draco's quiet reply. "I wasn't here."

"No, but we were still married." Reaching across Seth and Cera, Ginny hoped to find his hand. When she did, she pulled it across her sleeping daughter, and then laid her fingers across his. "When you… when you left, everyone thought you were dead. But I knew you weren't. And until someone brought me evidence that you were, I still thought of you and remained faithful to you. You weren't dead to me, you were just away for a little while."

"How could you believe?"

"You promised me," she answered. "And you've never broken a promise."

"Did you ever love him?"

"Who?"

"Blaise."

"No," Ginny answered. "Not for even a minute."

"Then why does my son love him so much?" his voice cracked at the end of the question, the feeling of being overwhelmed from this emotional coaster he'd been on finally catching up with him. "Why does my son look at me, but ask for another man?"

She twined their fingers, desperately wishing she could be beside him now. Ginny wanted to hold him, and tell him she loved him, and that Seth did too. "Blaise has been the only father Seth ever had."

"That's not true. I'm his father."

"Yes you are," his wife answered reassuringly. "You'll just have to remind him of that over and over until he believes you. Draco, you are his father. And that is something Blaise will never take away from you. No matter what, you'll have your children," she told him, but then hesitated, "and you'll have me."

They didn't speak again that night, both of them finally falling off into sleep. Their arms remained stretched out towards each other all night long, their hands connected across their children. Tonight, sometime between the Burrow and bedtime, they'd become a family. No matter what happened tomorrow or the day after, they would still be a family. And what Ginny told him was true. No one could take that away from him.

14. Chapter 12 - A History Lesson

Author's Notes: So it's been ages, and I apologize. And I'm not entirely happy with this chapter, but it's here. One of those necessary evils, I think. But, for better or worse, it's here.

***

Ginny found him in the study. Draco Malfoy was sitting at his desk, pouring over books like it wasn't four in the morning and he shouldn't be sleeping. She knocked lightly on the door. "Can I come in?"

He removed his glasses and nodded.

"Couldn't sleep?"

Draco nodded. "Still have jet lag, I guess. I slept for an hour or so. I've been reading for a bit."

"Oh." She seated herself in front of his desk in a winged armchair. "What're you reading?"

He lifted a thick, black book that read, The Malfoy Tradition, embossed in silver on the cover. "Family research."

"So, you've given up then, on having your memory-loss reversed?"

He marked his place in the book and closed it. "It's not that I've given up. I'm only preparing for the worst. As soon as I can meet with Potter, I'm going to ask if he can help me."

"I never thought I'd see you ask Harry for help." She smiled, obviously amused. "Harry's going to be shocked."

"So shocked he can't be bothered to reply to my post, I suppose." He adjusted his glasses again. "What're you doing up? Couldn’t sleep either?"

Ginny shrugged. "Just woke up. You weren't there, so I thought I might come find you. I’m sorry—"

He waved her back into the seat. "Stay. If you don't mind, I'd like to talk."

"About what?"

Draco lifted the book again. "Perhaps you can tell me about the past?"

"Okay." The redhead curled her feet beneath her in the chair and studied him. Finally, she asked, "What do you want to know?"

"My boss in New York asked me why I didn't tell him I was a Malfoy. I didn't know what he meant, and I still don't. What's so important about being a Malfoy?"

"There are very few pureblooded wizarding families left in the world. My family, the Weasley's, the Zabini's, the Parkinson's, the Delacour's of France, some others. And the Malfoy's. In a sense, the Malfoy's are royalty. Their influence might be like a Muggle king or queen. They're important. Your family has been around forever, and will be around forever. Over the centuries, it has remained pure and influential.

"That being said, your family hasn't always been good. I don't know a lot about your ancestors, but I do know your father and grandfather were heavily involved in the Dark Arts. Your father wished to bring you into the fold, but ultimately, the magic allowed you to choose your own path."

"The magic?" he questioned.

Ginny nodded. "This house has been here for nearly seven hundred years now. The first Malfoy, Alexander, built it. It's set up a bit differently than other families, because he wanted the power to rest with the heir so that no one person would become too influential over the course of their life."

She stopped when she saw that he was confused. "I didn't understand it very well, and I might not be explaining it very well either."

"No, go on. I think I understand."

"In a lot of ways, the magic rests within the house itself. The master of the Manor is the one who holds all of the power. While you were away, that was me, because I was acting on behalf of Seth, the true heir. Now that you've returned, you have once again reclaimed the title of master because you are the true heir.

"For the last several generations, only one child has been born to the Malfoy's. A boy each time – a guarantee that the family name will continue. Lucius was born to Brandon and Sarah Malfoy; you were born to Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy. Your father married your mother when he was twenty-four, and he immediately took control of the Malfoy influence.

"You and I married several or some other qualifier months after your twenty-second birthday. But, even if we hadn't married then, you would have gained control of the Manor on your twenty-fifth birthday."

"Why?" Draco asked. "Why wouldn't my father continue to control the interests of the family?"

"It's the magic of the house," she indicated with a sweeping motion. "Your mother left very peacefully, but your father refused. We went to Greece for our honeymoon, and by the time we returned the Manor was ready to accept us. Alexander Malfoy blessed this house and the Malfoy heir with great power. A power no one has ever defeated. It has allowed the survival of the Malfoy line for over seven hundred years now and ensures that the line will continue to survive."

He nodded in understanding. "What guarantees the first born child is always a son?"

"It's not a curse. It's just a spell placed on the lineage. Usually there are only sons born, but in our case—"

"There were twins," Draco interrupted. "If not for Seth, Cera never would've been born."

His wife nodded. "Exactly. Seth was born first. He is the heir. And his son will be the new heir. It's how the magic works."

"How long before the house kicks us out?"

"Seth isn't seven yet. We have at most eighteen years. It's likely we won't be forcibly removed from the house; you'll only have to acknowledge that you're no longer the power holder in the family. I think Seth might allow us to stay.

"But even then, you'll still be a Malfoy. Draco Malfoy, at that. There is influence and respect in that name, and it won't be forgotten. After Seth comes of age, there will still be a place for you. There remained a place for Lucius, after our marriage, he just didn't have the magic to support him. Or the money."

"Ah, the money. Richard alluded to that as well. Exactly how much money do we have?"

Ginny smiled at him. It was just like Draco to ask about money. "I'm not sure, exactly. The last statement was upwards of twenty million galleons. I don't know what it is in Muggle money, though."

"Oh." Twenty million galleons. Unless the exchange rate was something horrible, Draco guessed they were fairly well off.

"Of course, we don't have all of that. We have some of it in various vaults at Gringotts. But the rest of it is tied up in business dealings, and such. My oldest brother Bill, you met him today, has been handling most of that. He was really the only one with any major business experience, because he worked for Gringotts. Even so, he's only continued what you started."

"Your brother? Why not Blaise? I know he has a company."

Ginny stood and began to walk around the room, exploring. "You know, I haven't been in this room since we moved back. It was always your room, so I didn't bothered anything." She touched the spine of a book. "Your father always had amazing taste in books, that I'll give him."

"Virginia."

She turned to look at him. "Oh. Right. Blaise." She went around his desk and perched on the corner, smoothing the wrinkles from her dressing gown. "Blaise was raised as a Malfoy, really. His parents were killed by Voldemort when he was eight or nine, so your father took him in. On his seventeenth birthday, he inherited a rather large fortune. One comparable to the Malfoy fortune, but he squandered most of it away by the time he was twenty-one. Women, drugs, and alcohol. Blaise made some bad decisions with his life. And I didn't want that to happen to your money. I knew whatever was in the vault in Gringotts was what you wanted Seth and Cera to have.

"My brother was very good at this job at Gringotts and I trust him implicitly. After your disappearance, he was my only choice in who to manage the businesses."

Draco accepted her explanation. "And Blaise? How do you know him?"

"Hogwarts. We all went to school together."

"And you were involved with him. When I first… when I thought I might remember, I had Richard cross reference Malfoy with Virginia, Draco, and Blaise Zabini."

"I dated him, yes." She closed her eyes as she tried to recall the exact time their relationship took. "I was a fifth year, I believe. The summer before school started, Harry stayed with us the whole ten weeks. At that time, Ron and Hermione were together, so it was only natural that Harry and I would pair off together. And really, at fourteen, it was everything I wanted. Except it wasn't.

"Harry and I both came to the same conclusions. Before school started in September, we agreed to go back to being just friends. I accepted this, but I still rebelled a bit. For as long as I could remember, I only wanted to date Harry Potter. It was never love, just the infatuation of a ten-year-old girl. Blaise was part of my rebellion. I was always amused by the colors Ron and Harry would turn when I showed up on the arm of a Slytherin."

"But you said–" he began.

"I didn't love Blaise," Ginny assured him. "It was never more than rebellion on my part. We did, however, become friends. Good friends. Eventually the three of us became friends. If I remember, you rather enjoyed insinuating to my brother the things the three of us did together behind closed doors."

"Sounds like I was a perfect little snot."

Ginny nodded in affirmation. "Yes. Midway through your sixth year, Blaise started dating someone exclusively. So the three of us became two. You and I… well, I had a monumental crush on you by that point. But it was pointless. You were the Malfoy heir, and I was a Weasley. Your father barely tolerated our friendship, there was no way he would allow anything deeper."

"What happened?"

"You discovered Professor Snape was working for Dumbledore. He was the potions master, and probably the only person in all of Hogwarts that could stand you. Besides Blaise and me. You'd already begun to question your father's belief in Voldemort, but Snape was the final blow. You stood up to your father. And at that moment I realized I loved you. It was just only natural from then on."

"So we married and the twins were born. I… disappeared. Is that all?"

"I think so." She shifted on the desk, noticing she'd mussed some of his papers. "Is there anything else?"

Draco nodded. "Yes." He motioned her towards him, until she was standing right in front of him. Draco took her hand and pulled her between his knees. "Thank you."

"No problem. Do you think you might be able to sleep now?"

"Maybe." He glanced down at his watch. "It's still only eleven in New York."

"Are you going to have problems like this every night?"

He moved his hands to her waist and tugged her forward again. "I'll straighten out eventually."

Ginny eyed him carefully. What was he on about? She was practically sitting on his lap as it was now. "Draco–"

"Since the moment I kissed you, I've wanted to do nothing but do it again," he confessed. "When I close my eyes, it's what I think about. When I sleep, you're what I dream about."

"Draco–"

"Will you let me kiss you, Virginia?"

She shook her head. "I need to know something about you first."

He trailed his hands so that the rested at the small of her back. With one more tug, she was sitting in his lap. "What?"

"In America-" she began. Her cheeks flushed as she thought of the best way to phrase the question. "I know that… men have needs, with their body. I just need to know how many there were."

"How many?" he questioned.

"Women."

He grinned, causing her breath to catch in her throat. "You want to know how many women concerning what?"

Ginny frowned at him. He was being intentionally annoying. "How many women did you shag while in America?" she asked bluntly.

"None."

"None?"

Draco nodded in affirmation.

"So you're saying you've been completely faithful?"

"Is it so unheard of, Virginia?" Draco questioned. "A woman can be completely faithful to a man, but a man can't be faithful to a woman in the same way?"

"But you didn't remember!"

"I didn't have to." He removed his left arm from around her back and held the hand up for her inspection. "No, I didn't remember you. But from the moment I became aware of myself in that alley years ago, I knew there was someone in the world who was married to me. I later discovered your wedding band in my pocket, and knew that it was someone named Virginia.

"Whatever my father did to erase my memory, he only erased the people I knew and the things I'd learned. There was something deeper, some basic knowledge about life and how to live I retained. In that knowledge was the idea that someone loved me enough to marry me, and I should respect that love enough to not dismiss the sanctity of that."

She smiled happily. "You should be happy you didn't marry someone horrible like Pansy Parkinson."

"Who?"

"A horrible, horrible girl you dated at Hogwarts. She was your father's choice for your wife."

"Oh." He ran his fingers across her cheek. "Can I kiss you now?"

Ginny laughed, but leaned down to brush her lips across his anyway. She couldn't help it, every moment she spent with him, she found herself falling more desperately in love with him. She could only hope that it was the same for Draco.

15. Chapter 13 - Decisions Made

Ron Weasley didn't like his sister's husband, which should automatically disqualify him for this job. Family spokesman, indeed. Why not Charlie or Bill? Those two were far more responsible. Or Fred and George? They were the most recognizable Weasley's. Hell, even his dad would have been a better choice. At least Arthur Weasley cared that Malfoy was back among the land of the living.

Not that Ron didn't care. He was happy for Ginny and the twins, but otherwise… well, why couldn't the youngest Weasley have married someone more likeable? Someone more like Dean Thomas or Seamus Finnigan? In his opinion, the only person worse than Draco would have been Lucius Malfoy himself. But, when the devil's unavailable, always go for the son!

So here he was, in the middle of the afternoon, while his beloved Chudley Cannons were playing for the division title against Puddlemere United, at the Ministry about to read a prepared speech. Family spokesman. Bugger.

A clock chimed, marking the half hour and Susan appeared at his side. "Are you ready, love?"

"No." Ron tilted his head upward as she straightened his robes and smoothed away any wrinkles. "I don't see why I have to do this."

The petite brunette smiled up at him. "Because someone has to do it, Ron. Why not you?"

"Why can't Ginny make the stupid speech? He is her husband."

She tutted softly at him. "You and I both know Ginny is just short of a visit to St. Mungo's, love, and facing the press would likely push her over."

"Why'd he have to come back?" Ron complained. "Ginny was fine without him! She, Seth, and Cera were doing fine, they were getting on with life. But the amazing bouncing ferret couldn't stay gone—"

"Ronald Weasley," Susan interrupted him. Her voice was stern and her mouth set in a hard line. "You're sister loves him. You've had nearly ten years to get used to the fact. It's not going to change! Grow up."

"Sus—look, I'm sorry, okay?" The redhead ran a hand over his face and took a deep breath. "I know she loves him. I don't understand it, I don't even pretend to understand it. He's Malfoy for Merlin sakes. He's a slimy git—"

"And you're an insufferable prat," she cut in again. "But you're my insufferable prat, Ron. Just like Draco is Ginny's slimy git." His wife looked up at him, her blue eyes searching his face for some kind of compassion. "I know you don't understand why, but Draco is important to Ginny. And she's happy he's back, Ron. Don't take that away from her, please?"

He nodded, and then looked away. "I guess I should go give this speech, huh?"

"Yeah, you should." She straightened his black robes one more time before leaning up to give him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you."

Ron took her right hand in his left and turned towards the front doors of the Ministry. The parchment Ginny owled over in his right hand, they walked out the door together.

As soon as the double doors opened, the camera bulbs started flashing. Ron squeezed Susan's hand once more before releasing it and stepping forward to the podium. He unrolled the parchment in front of him and looked up at the press representatives. "I'm going to read a prepared statement. There will be no question session afterwards. Thank you."

Clearing his throat, he began.

"As a representative of both the Weasley and Malfoy families, I'm here to clear up any rumors about my sister, Virginia, and her husband Draco Malfoy. Draco is alive. He returned to England recently, making his way to Malfoy Manor and back to my sister. There are still questions surrounding his seven-year disappearance, and it is being investigated. I'm not here to discuss this with you today. When my sister married Mal—Draco nine years ago, they started a life together as one, and after seven years of being separated they will continue on their journey. They ask that you respect their privacy at this time. Thank you."

Ron stepped back from the podium as the reporters began to fire questions at him. He held up his hand, refusing to answer any of them. Susan appeared at his left elbow, taking it gently and pulling him back into the building. Arthur Weasley was standing inside the door, smiling. "Good show, Ron."

He accepted his father's praise with a nod. "Think it'll keep them away from Gin?"

"Not a chance." The Weasley patriarch studied the reporters as they started to Disapparate, all going back to file the story he assumed, and sighed. "Virginia and Draco will have to fight for any privacy they get. The press will be looking for any crack in their marriage. And it things don't work out… well, let's hope things work out."

Ron didn't say anything. Even if he didn't say anything, he wasn't sure he wanted things to work out between the pair. If they divorced, then Ginny could finally find a man who deserved her. And then Ron would be happy too.

***

Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter were not friends. The same went for Ron and Hermione. Before his disappearance, Draco had barely tolerated the Golden Trio for Ginny's sake. He felt Harry was a git with a bad case of hero syndrome, Ron a foulmouthed, quick-tempered prat, and Hermione was a Mudblood. Even if she looked different now, to Draco she would always be the frizzy-haired, buck-toothed twelve-year-old know-it-all from Hogwarts.

Ginny knew these things, so it was very surreal to see Draco sitting down for tea with the Potters. He was polite and courteous and all the things he should be. It should make her happy, except it didn't. This man was… different. He was not Draco. Ginny sat quietly at his side as he talked with Harry about the possibilities of reversing the memory charm. She could feel her heart start to hurt.

"Ginny?" Harry asked. "What do you think?"

She focused on the other three people in the room. Smiling, she said, "I think whatever you think is best." Ginny hadn't even tried to keep the sadness from her voice. "If you'll excuse me, I need the restroom."

"Virginia?" Draco asked. "Are you okay?"

She nodded to him. "I'll be right back."

Three sets of eyes watched her walk down the hall and take a left at the end. Once the door closed, they continued their conversation.

Ginny turned the faucet on and let the water run. She looked at herself in the mirror and frowned. She should be happy. This was… this was what she wanted, wasn't it? Draco back, them to be a family, a chance at a real life. Instead, she got this… Ginny wasn't even sure what she had. Only now that she had it, she didn't want it.

She wanted him to love her, and he didn't. Or maybe he couldn't. Anyway, the result was the same. She was still alone. Maybe not physically, but emotionally.

Last night proved it to her. Ginny knew she could let Draco kiss her and touch her, but she also knew it wouldn't mean anything to him. Because he didn't love her. He couldn't remember his love for her. And she had no idea about how to make her husband fall in love with her.

For Ginny, one of the great mysteries of Hogwarts was Draco wanting her. She understood the friendship. They both shared a sarcastic wit and a desire to prove themselves to everyone. But falling in love with her? Well, Ginny always assumed she'd get over the crush (because that's what it had to be, right?) on Draco and fall in love with a nice boy like Neville Longbottom. They'd get married, have three kids, and get a house and a dog in the country. That was what her life was supposed to be, and she'd been okay with that.

Until Draco kissed her – that was when Ginny knew she'd need his kisses every day for the rest of her life. A miracle had happened and he did love her. They were married, moved into Malfoy Manor, and got pregnant.

Closing her eyes, she forced herself to stop going down that road. It was in the past and it was over. There was, apparently, no going back. Someone knocked on the door. "Gin?" she heard Harry ask.

"I'm fine. I'll be out soon."

She cupped her hands beneath the running water and splashed her face with cold water. In her mind, Ginny kept telling herself she had to be strong for the twins. Seth and Cera needed her. They needed her and she needed them. "They also need their father," she whispered to herself.

She and Draco would just have to work something out. That was the only way around it. Ginny quietly slipped the diamond engagement ring from her finger. She held it in her fingers, studying it for a moment, before dropping it into her robe pocket. There were so many things to settle between them. So many things that needed to be said. But that could wait until they were alone. Tonight, Ginny decided. She'd tell him tonight.

Harry was still standing outside when she opened the bathroom door. "I'm fine, Harry," Ginny sighed.

"Are you sure?"

She nodded. "I just—"

"You weren't prepared for this, were you?"

Ginny frowned. "I'm supposed to be happy, Harry. And I am. I'm happy he's alive, really. I knew he was alive. I never believed he was dead. But I also never imagined this… in my mind, he'd been captured by his father's Death Eater friends and was being tortured every day. He wasn't supposed to be living a perfectly normal life in bloody New York City. He was happy there, Harry. He just didn't love me anymore."

"Ginny," Harry sighed. He cupped her cheek with his hand. "Are you going to be okay?"

"I have to be," she answered him. "I have two kids who need me. I need them, too."

"And Draco?"

"We'll settle things between us. We'll work out something so he can see the kids, but get back to his life."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah," she sighed. "It's the only way."

"Okay," Harry nodded. "Let's go back."

When they re-entered the sitting room, Ginny noticed the worried look on Draco's face. She sat down beside him, but couldn't look at him.

"Are you okay?"

"I'll tell you later, okay?" Turning back to Harry and Hermione she asked, "Did the three of you come up with anything?"

Hermione frowned. The brightest witch in the last century (according to her NEWT scores at Hogwarts, at least) shook her head. "All of the research I've done, everyone I've talked to, and no one knows of anyway to reverse memory charms. The only thing I can think of is maybe it will just fade."

"Fade?"

"I've remembered some things, Virginia." Draco took her left hand in his. "Before, when I first returned – I remembered those things you asked me. It's possible."

"But unlikely." Ginny closed her eyes and sighed deeply. She'd just have to accept this. Finally she stood and turned to Harry and Hermione. "Thanks for trying to help."

"Ginny," Hermione began. "There's… there's other things we can do."

The redhead shook her head, standing. "No. You've done enough. I know what happens next."

"Gin–"

"Thanks, Harry. Hermione. We need to get to the Burrow and take the kids home. It's getting late."

Draco stood behind her. He held her winter cloak out so she could slip it over her arms. Leaning forward, he whispered in her ear, "It's gonna be okay."

Ginny nodded. She wished she could believe him. "Let's go get the children."

Once they were on the doorstep, Draco took her arm. "Virginia, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she told him. Ginny couldn't look at him. "Can I ask you something?"

"Yes?"

"Why do you call me Virginia? Everyone else calls me Ginny or Gin. But you always call me Virginia. Why?"

Draco reached into his trouser pocket and produced her gold wedding band. "It was because of this. On the inside Virginia is engraved."

"You still have that?"

"It was in my pocket when I came to in New York. My wedding band told me I was Draco, and your wedding band told me someone in the world named Virginia loved me enough to marry me."

She touched his face. "I'm sorry you were so alone."

"Not alone, really." Draco closed his fist around the ring. "You were with me. Even if I didn't know you, you were there with me."

"I missed you," she confessed. Ginny took a step back. "I still miss you."

"Miss me? I'm right here, Virginia."

His wife shook her head. "I miss my friend, Draco. I miss the person… I miss the other half of my soul. The man who completed my sentences and knew what I was thinking without saying a word. I miss the way you made me laugh like no one else could and all the color you brought into my life. The way you would hold me when I needed to cry. I just…" Ginny laughed. "I even miss the times we used to fight."

"Why?"

"Because I miss you. I miss us, Draco."

"Virginia…"

"We have to go, okay? We can talk tonight, but I just… I really need to see Seth and Cera right now."

He nodded, accepting what she wanted. Taking a step closer, Draco wrapped an arm around her waist. "I'm ready."

With a flick of her wand and the Apparation spell, they were at the Burrow.

Ginny quickly stepped out of his embrace. She slipped her wand in her cloak pocket and knocked on the door. "I've got it, Molly!" she heard someone call from inside.

When the door opened, she saw the last person she'd been expecting. Looking down, she saw her blond haired, silver-eyed son clinging to his leg.

This wasn't what she needed right now. Not by a long shot.

"Hello, Gin."

"Blaise."

16. Chapter 14 - Goodbye to You

Ginny felt Draco step behind her immediately, his hand coming to rest on her right hip. Her back was now against his chest, her hair brushing against his face. This was not what she needed.

"What're you doing here?" she asked Blaise. "Aren't you supposed to be in America?"

"I got back last night." Blaise's eyes shifted from Ginny to Draco. "Hello."

Draco extended the hand that wasn't resting on her hip towards his childhood friend. "I've heard a lot about you."

"I'm sure you have." He didn't take the outstretched hand and after a moment Draco let his drop to his side.

Ginny looked down at her son and tried to smile. "Are you ready to go?" She knew that if she didn't get Draco and the twins out of there soon, Blaise would make trouble. Trouble that she didn't want. "Where's Cera?"

"In the kitchen with Nana. I don't wanna leave yet," the child told her. "Uncle Blaise just got here."

The redhead felt her husband flinch behind her. "Seth, we're having dinner out tonight with your father. Remember? We told you this morning."

"I wanna spend time with Uncle Blaise!"

"Seth–"

"I'll talk to him, Virginia." Draco released his wife, holding his hand out to his son. "Will you show me the backyard, Seth? And the swing your sister was talking about this morning?"

The little boy looked from his mother and his Uncle Blaise. While he wanted to spend time with the other man, Seth couldn't hurt his mother. He didn't want to go against what she wanted, and he knew she wanted him to give his father a chance. He placed his much smaller hand in his father's. "Let's go."

Ginny smiled at Seth. "Thank you." Her gaze swung up to Draco's. "I'll be in the kitchen with my mum."

When the father and son had disappeared around the side of the Burrow, Ginny looked back to Blaise. She found she had nothing left to say to him. "If you'll excuse me."

"I missed you, Gin." He made no move to get out of her path.

"That's nice," was her terse reply. When it became obvious he wasn't going to move, she crossed her arms over her chest. "What do you want?"

"What happened to us?"

"There is no us, Blaise. There never was. I thought you were my friend."

"I never wanted to be your friend," the other man admitted. "Since the very first moment you slipped your hand into mine, I knew I'd need your touch—"

Ginny covered her ears with her hands. "Please stop."

"Why?" he questioned. "Does the truth hurt?"

She looked up, meeting his gaze. "I honestly don't understand, Blaise. You and I— for seven years, you stood by and watched as I mourned my husband. You were content to be my friend then. But suddenly, now that Draco has returned, you're not longer happy with the way things are. What changed?"

"Nothing, Ginny. That's the problem. Nothing changed. I've wanted you since Hogwarts. It didn't matter if you loved Draco. At least not to me."

"He was like your brother."

"His father is probably the one who killed mine, Gin. They were Death Eaters - Lucius Malfoy most likely had something to do with his death-"

"So this is about revenge?" she interrupted. "I won't be some kind of pawn in your desire to punish Draco for something he had nothing to do with."

"No, this isn't about revenge." Blaise closed his eyes, sighing heavily. "I love you, Virginia Weasley. I love every little thing about you, and I always have. I love your children like they were my own, I love your freckles, I even love the Weasley temper."

"I've told you already," she began. Her voice was soft, but firm. "I love Draco. And I will for the rest of my life. If there was anything I could give to you, Blaise, I would. You've been my dearest friend, my rock, and someone I couldn't have lived without. You were there for me when I didn't know my own name and I'll always be grateful. I won't, however, confuse gratitude with love. I care for you, yes, but it'll never be the all consuming, all-powerful love I feel for Draco. I'm as much in love with him as I was at seventeen."

"So that's it, then?"

Ginny nodded. When he started to walk away, she called out his name.

"Yeah?"

"You are my friend. You're a part of my life. I won't stop you from seeing Seth and Cera, neither will Draco, but he is their father. He is my husband."

Blaise frowned. "If that last part is true, why aren't you wearing his ring?"

"It's a long story."

He nodded. "I'm sure it is. I'll make my apologies to Molly, but I must be going. Tell Seth I had to leave." Blaise instead of walking away came towards her. "Virginia, promise me one thing?"

"I can't."

Blaise held up his hand. "Just hear me out. I need you to be happy. With Draco or without Draco, just find what makes you happy. Once you find it, don't ever let go."

The redhead nodded. "I'll try."

"Okay." He gently kissed her cheek. "Goodbye, Virginia."

***

When Fred and George were just boys, they'd talked Arthur Weasley into building a tree house in the backyard, that was where Ginny found Seth and Draco. It was a popular spot with the Weasley grandchildren. Seth was climbing up the rope ladder while Draco stood at the bottom, prepared to catch his son should he slip.

"Hi," she said.

"You okay?"

She nodded. "How are things with Seth?"

"He talked about Uncle Blaise for a full ten minutes after we got out here." Draco looked back to the tree where his son was now playing. "But, he's stopped now. Said there was something up there he wanted me to see."

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" Draco questioned. "You haven't done anything wrong."

"Blaise," she told him. "I'm sorry your son thinks Blaise—"

"He called me Dad, Virginia. Seth loves Blaise and from what I witnessed before, Blaise loves Seth. But he also knows I'm his father."

"Draco," she sighed. Even though the news warmed her heart, it would only complicate things in the long run. Ginny wanted Seth and Cera to embrace Draco, but at the same time – his life was in New York. And he'd return there some time soon. "I'm happy for you."

"But you're not happy, are you?" He studied her silently. "What's wrong, Virginia?"

Ginny shrugged. "It's nothing."

"It's something." He took her hand in his. "Why did you take off your ring?"

"Draco, can we talk about this at home?"

"I'm not giving you a divorce," Draco told her firmly.

"This isn't your life, Draco. This isn't who you are."

"Virginia," he began.

"You're Nathan Hall, Draco. That's who you are, what you know. And I can't expect you to uproot your life in New York because you suddenly have a wife and two kids. It's not fair to you."

"It is," Draco insisted. "I choose this, Virginia. I choose you."

"I can't do this," she said. "I can't… I can't look at you, I can't see you and know that you don't love me. That you don't remember me. Just… go back to New York, Draco."

"No."

"I release you, Draco." She pulled her hand from his, turning to walk away.

"Virginia."

She continued to walk.

"Virginia!"

Before he could get Seth out of the tree, she'd already Apparated away.

***

Ginny knew she'd be getting a Howler once her Mum found out what she'd done, but she didn't care. She'd explain later. Right now, she just needed to get Draco out of the Manor and back to New York.

Not fifteen minutes after she'd arrived, Ginny heard the sound of someone else Apparating. It was Draco. That was the only person it could be. He found her in the bedroom, putting his things in a bag.

"What're you doing?"

"How'd you Apparate?"

"You're father," he answered. "He told me the spell and hoped I wouldn't splinch myself."

"I see you didn't." She continued to pack. "Where are the children?"

"With your parents. Virginia, look at me."

"No," she told him. "I'd prefer if you'd leave me alone."

"You don't mean that."

"I do." She closed one bag and reached for the second. "We were fine, Draco, until you showed up. Seth and Cera… they understood. They understood you weren't there."

"You can't take my family away from me, Virginia. You can't take my life."

She didn't want to listen to his pleading. "What about my life?" Ginny asked. "What about what I had before you disrupted my life? Before you ruined–"

"You don't mean that."

Ginny looked at him then. "I do. I hate you, Draco."

He sucked in a sharp breath. "What?"

"I hate you," she repeated. "And I hate myself because I love you so much. "

"Virginia… Ginny," he said softly. "Please don't do this."

She continued folding his clothes and placing them inside the bag. "I hate that you look at me and can't remember Draco. I hate that I have all of these feelings, but you don't have any. Why can't you remember me? Why can't you remember us? Why'd you have to go to your father, Draco? Why?" Ginny stuffed the last sweater in the bag and closed it. She was finished. "Why don't you love me anymore?"

"But I do," Draco told her. "I love you."

The tears were starting to roll down her cheeks now. "You're just saying that." She wiped at her face with the back of her hand. "You think I need to hear it, so you're just saying it."

"Virginia—"

"Go back to New York, Draco. Go back to Richard Worth and Nathan Hall. That's your life, not this."

"You, Seth and Cera are my life," he insisted. "Magic is my life. I'm not… I'm not empty anymore, Virginia, and that's because of you. At Potter's you said you missed the color I brought into your life. I didn't even know life had color until I saw you.

"I fell so helplessly in love with you the first time I kissed you in this bedroom. I knew I'd need you every day for the rest of my life."

"You need to leave."

Draco shook his head. "I'm right where I need to be."

"Get out."

"No! Not until you listen to me."

"You're just saying these things because you think I want to hear them. Except I don't, Draco. I just want you to be honest with me." She brushed more tears away with her fingertips. "We… we were fine until you came back. Seth and Cera were okay. I was okay. Yes, I missed you, but…"

"Don't do this," he pleaded. "Don't make me leave."

She took her wand from her robe pocket. "I'm leaving, Draco. When I return with the children, I don't expect you to be here. Goodbye."

"Virginia–"

"Go to New York," she told him. "Go home Draco. Go be Nathan Hall."

"I want to stay."

Ginny shook her head. "You can't. We both know that. You have your own life."

"Ginny."

"Virginia," she told him. Closing her eyes, she thought clearly of Harry and Hermione's flat. They'd let her stay there for a few hours. She'd pick the children up later and take them home.

"Goodbye."

He watched in horror, his last second grasp at her was no good, she disappeared into thin air. At his feet, she'd left the ring she was wearing earlier. Bending, Draco picked it up.

She was gone. Virginia was gone, leaving him all alone. Again.

"Virginia, I love you."

He tucked the ring in his pocket, before taking a black leather case in each hand, Draco walked out of his wife's bedroom. Maybe she was right. Maybe it was time for him to go home.

New York was exactly what he needed to forget about her.

17. Chapter 15 - Friends and Family

Author's Notes:

I wanted to apologize for the amount of time it's taking me to post these chapters. I've just started my final semester in college and I'm busy. I'd hoped to be finished by now, and I am nearly finished, but it's not completely done. I appreciate every one of my readers and reviewers and I feel bad for not updating on a regular basis. Stick around and I promise the pay off will be worth it.

***

"Could you watch my things for a few minutes?"

The pretty young airline employee looked up from her computer screen. "Excuse me?"

"I wanted to have a smoke," Draco explained. "And I didn't want to cart my things with me. I was going to step outside those doors over there and was wondering if you could watch my suitcase?"

"Sure," she smiled. "How long do you think it'll be?"

"Ten minutes."

"No problem."

Draco smiled. "Thank you."

He wasn't going outside to smoke. He just needed some air. Some time to collect his thoughts and feelings before the flight left. He was going to back to New York. Back to Nathan Hall, Richard Worth, and his empty life. Back to Wall Street where he was being groomed to take over.

Back to a life without Virginia.

He slipped the gold band off his left ring finger and into his trouser pocket. She was gone, their marriage was over, and he was alone again.

Draco had only known her about a week, so it didn't explain the unexplainable sadness he felt. His heart felt heavy, broken almost. Virginia was gone and he was alone. How was he supposed to process that? She'd accused him of not loving her and now he knew she was wrong. Because he did. He just didn't remember her. Virginia didn't understand that it wasn't the same thing.

He stood outside for several more minutes, contemplating his fate. Draco knew he had two choices. He could get on the plane and return to his life in New York. He could pretend he'd never found her. He could try to not think about his children every day and wonder if they ever missed him. Or he could get his things together and go back to the Manor. He could tell her he loved her until she believed him, and be a father to his children.

He walked back inside once he'd made up his mind. And that's when he saw Blaise Zabini sitting next to his bags. "What're you doing here?"

Blaise took a sip from his coffee. "I heard you were taking a trip. Not sure you really want to do that."

"Isn't that what you want?"

The black-haired man motioned to the chair across from him. "Sit down. Let's talk."

Draco didn't sit. "I wasn't aware that we had anything to talk about."

"If you want to be a prat, then you can be a prat. But I won't let you hurt her."

He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Virginia kicked me out of my own house. She begged me to leave. I don't see how I'm hurting her."

"She's been waiting for you for seven years, mate. And after a week and a half, you've decided it's not worth it."

Draco sat in a plastic chair two seats down from Blaise. "No, she decided it wasn't worth it."

"You are such a stubborn, stupid git. She loves you. Do you know what I'd give for her to love me?"

"If you love her so much, why are you here?" Draco questioned. "Wouldn't you want me out of the picture?"

Blaise drained the last of his coffee. "She doesn't want me."

"Doesn't mean she won't change her mind. Then you'll have everything that is mine."

"I don't have anything that is yours."

"My son," Draco answered. "Seth would choose you in a second."

"Is that what this is about?" Blaise asked. "Because a seven-year-old asked for me? He doesn't know you, Malfoy. You haven't been there his whole life—"

"But you have."

"Yes, I have." Blaise shifted in the chair. "I won't apologize for loving your children. I won't apologize for loving your wife, even. I only did what you asked me to do before you vanished."

"You know I don't remember what you're talking about, but I'm sure I never asked you to fall in love with my wife."

"I've been in love with Ginny since we were sixteen years old and you knew that. You certainly didn't hesitate to move in on her then, Malfoy. It didn't matter that I loved her then, did it? But because you love her…" Blaise trailed off. He scrubbed his hands over his face in frustration. "Look, when you disappeared—"

"You thought it'd be the perfect opportunity to rekindle your relationship?" Draco accused. "Because she chose me when we were kids, you thought you'd get your revenge when I 'died'?"

"I never touched her," the dark-haired man vowed.

"You wanted to."

"Yes, I wanted to. It hurt sometimes, because I couldn't have her. You were always there, though. Any relationship Gin might have eventually had with a man would have failed, because she loved you too much to give up. She believed you were alive, even though everyone believed you were dead. Even when I believed you were dead. She'd tell your children stories every night about the way you were at Hogwarts. But only good stories, because she didn't want them to think you were a horrible git. I guess Gin was wrong."

"What're you doing here?"

"I'm trying to stop you from making the biggest mistake of your life."

"You don't know anything about my life."

Blaise stood and straightened his black suit. "Maybe you're right, Draco. Maybe I don't know anything about your life. But, I do know that if you get on that plane, if you go to New York, then your life might as well be over because Ginny won't be there. And you'll be as empty as I am." He made it to the end of the aisle of chairs before he turned around. "You do realize that's what your father wanted, right? He wanted you to give her up. If you do, then he wins."

***

Ginny placed the last sweater into the overnight bag. "Thanks, Hermione, for letting me borrow these."

The other witch watched from the doorway, a hand was resting on her ever-expanding stomach. "You're welcome. It's not like I can wear them right now."

The redhead took the bag and followed Hermione down the hall to the living room. Harry was sitting by the window, writing. "I can't thank the both of you enough."

"Are you sure about this, Gin?"

She nodded. "Mum said she'd keep the twins for as long as I need and I just need some time to think. Draco is halfway to New York by now, I guess."

"What if he's not?" Harry queried. "Won't you even consider the possibility that he's waiting for you to come home? Or he's trying to find you now?"

"He's not," she said with some certainty, giving them a watery smile. "I'm sure he's on his way back to New York and his life by now."

"Just consider the possibility," he urged. "Malfoy may be at the Manor waiting for you to come back right now. You should at least go by and see."

Ginny shook her head. "He's not. He's gone."

Hermione saw her husband wasn't getting anywhere in changing Ginny's mind, so she switched topics. "Where will you go?"

"London. He won't be able to find me there, unless Blaise tells him where the house is, which is highly unlikely. I need a place to think. For seven years, I thought this was what I wanted – and I do want this. I'm glad he's alive. But it's too hard — we've grown too much apart. I'm going there because I don't have any memories of Draco there. I need to think and I can't at the Manor. Every time I turn around, I'm reminded of the Malfoys.

Hermione didn't think it was necessary to point out that Ginny was a Malfoy. "You love him," she said instead. "Don't walk away."

"I have to. He doesn't remember me."

Harry stepped forward and wrapped her in a hug. "It doesn't mean he doesn't love you."

"How can he love me if he doesn't remember?" Ginny questioned. "It isn't possible."

"It is possible," Hermione argued. "Normally, I would agree with you and you know that. But when you have the connection that you shared with Draco, it doesn't just go away. Ginny, how did you know he was alive when everyone told you he was dead? How did you live the last seven years with hope if you didn't share something special with him? There's this Muggle concept – soul mates. When you fell in love with Draco, you found the other half of your soul. Don't throw that away."

Ginny stepped back from Harry and looked at Hermione. "Draco hates you, Hermione or at least he did. Even after we were married, he still thought badly of you because you were Muggle born. How can you be nice to him?"

"Because if it was Harry, I know I could never give up. If the same thing happened to Harry, if he couldn't remember me, couldn't remember us, then I would find any way to make him remember. I would lie, cheat, and do a dozen other underhanded things because I love him and I need him in my life. I thought that was the kind of relationship you shared with Draco."

Harry stepped up, wrapping an arm around his pregnant wife. "Gin, we aren't ganging up on you. We just want to understand."

"It's not that I don't love him," Ginny protested. "It's just…"

"It's Malfoy, Ginny. If it were you, he would find a way to make you remember. So make him remember."

"I… I have to go."

"To London?"

She nodded. "I need to think. I'll be back."

"Don't stay away for too long, Ginny. Don't make him think you really left," Harry advised her. Ginny didn't say anything else before she Disapparated.

***

Draco pounded his fist against the door of the Burrow again. "Mrs. Weasley?" he called. It didn't matter to him that it was almost midnight and that the whole house was asleep. His children were inside and he needed them. When he left tonight, Seth and Cera were going home with him.

Molly Weasley pushed the curtain back. "Draco?" she asked. "It's late, what're you doing?"

"I'm sorry it's so late, Mrs. Weasley. Can you let me in?"

After a moment, she opened the door. "What's wrong, dear?"

"Is Virginia here?"

The woman shook her head.

"Did she leave the children?"

"Ginny asked if they could stay here," Molly explained. "I laid them down in her old bedroom."

Draco stepped inside the small living room, shutting the door behind him. "If it's okay with you, I want to take them home with me tonight."

She directed him to a chair by the fireplace. "Would you like some tea, dear?"

"Mrs. Weasley—"

"None of this 'Mrs. Weasley' nonsense, Draco. We're family. Call me Mum."

"Tea would be fine. Thank you."

Molly disappeared, reappearing a minute later carrying a wooden serving tray, with two steaming teacups on it. With a flick of her wand, she moved the coffee table between them and sat the tray down. "Now, would you like to tell me what happened?"

Draco sighed deeply. "To be completely honest, I don't know. Things were fine before, then this afternoon, Virginia started acting differently. She Apparated back to the Manor and packed my things. We argued, she left, and I went to the airport."

"But you didn't leave. You're here now," she observed. "You're not on a plane to who-knows-where."

"No, I'm not. When it came down to it, I couldn't leave. Blaise stopped me."

"Ah, I knew Mr. Zabini came into the picture some where."

The blond sipped his tea. "Blaise showed up at the airport. He made me see that leaving wasn't the best option."

"And what is the best option?"

Draco shrugged. "I don't know, but I can't leave her or the children. This is my life and this is where I belong. For seven years, I struggled to remember who I was and where I came from, and now that I know, I can't turn my back on it. I won't walk away from Virginia or my children"

"Do you love my daughter?"

"Yes," he said with absolute certainty.

"And your children?"

He nodded. "Since the moment I saw them."

Molly smiled. "How are you going to win her back, then?"

"She's expecting me to leave." Draco sighed heavily. "I… I don't know how to make her believe me. She won't listen when I tell her I love her and she thinks I’m only here out of obligation. But she's wrong. The only thing I know to do is be there when she returns."

"It's unlike Ginny to be so stubborn," Molly observed. "The only thing she's ever been stubborn over was you. She loved you, dear, and there was no telling her differently."

"Can you tell me about her?"

"Not about her, but about the two of you, if you'd like."

"Yes."

Molly took another sip of her tea. "She came home from her fifth year in love with you. Ginny felt she'd ruin the friendship the two of you and Blaise formed if you ever found out. So that summer she was determined to put a stop to any feelings she had about you.

"Harry spent that summer with us again. At first I thought she might try dating him again, but Ginny knew it wouldn't work. She knew the reason he never looked at her was because of Hermione. Once Ron assured Harry he wasn't in love with Hermione, Harry never looked at another girl. Ginny didn't want to ruin that.

"Then there was Oliver Wood. He was a schoolmate of the twins and he visited them here. I thought it might go somewhere, but Oliver was older than she was. He was also playing for Puddlemere and Ginny couldn't give the kind of commitment he wanted. There were some long distance owls, but nothing more."

"And when school started again?"

"Blaise started dating someone new and three became two. I'm not exactly sure on the details, but I got an owl from Ron complaining about some embarrassing display of affection in the Great Hall from the two of you. You were like one from then on."

"She always knew?" Draco asked. "If she knew then, why doesn't she know now?"

"Dear, she knew how she felt about you. Ginny never believed you'd love her. It's very much the same now. She loves you much like she did then, but she believes you don't remember loving her."

"How do I fix it?"

"Prove it to her. You've made a good start, by not getting on that plane. It'll help if you're waiting for her when she comes home."

"Are you sure she'll come back?"

Molly nodded. "There are two people in the world Ginny loves as much as she loves you. They're sleeping upstairs."

"I want to take them home with me."

She reached over and took his teacup, sitting it on the tray. "Then let's go wake them. I imagine Cera will be thrilled to see you. She was asking for you earlier."

"And Seth?"

"Give him time," Molly advised. "He'll come around."

Draco followed her up the stairs. "Thanks, Mum."

The Weasley matriarch smiled.

18. Chapter 16 - Time Together, Time Apart

His children, Draco decided, were fantastic.

After spending the last three days with them, he still couldn't get enough. From the moment they woke him in the morning, they were ready to go. Cera mostly, he admitted, but Seth followed along nicely.

His son didn't object to playing games in the backyard or to Draco's silly, Americanized bedtime stories. They weren't Virginia's, but Draco knew he would be hard-pressed to come up with anything to rival their mother might have.

Besides, it wasn't his goal to replace their mother. His goal was simply to get their mother to return to him. If he was playing dirty by holding their children for ransom, then so be it. It was his plan to have Cera and Seth completely in love with him by the time Virginia returned from her self-imposed holiday. So in love, in fact, that they couldn't bear to separate themselves from him.

Draco wanted them to love him as much as he loved them. It was really very simple.

Today they were going to Diagon Alley. Seth asked the night before to go see Potter and Draco obliged. Cynthia had informed him two days ago that the children would be starting their second year of primary school in a few weeks. She'd offered to go herself to get the things they needed, since Virginia was away, but Draco told the nanny he'd handle it. He was really becoming fond of the older lady. Despite their abrupt beginning in the hallway, she'd been there to guide him through some of the ups and downs of being a single father.

Instead, Cynthia made him a list of the things they'd need and wished him luck. This morning they would be taking a carriage out (he was sure he could Apparate himself to wherever he wanted, or at least close enough, but Draco didn't feel confidant in taking chances with the children), into Diagon Alley. Harry offered to meet them at the Leaky Cauldron (whatever that was) and Hermione would guide them around Diagon Alley. The one time he'd been there, Virginia had been with him and they'd gone directly to Madam Malkin's, so Draco was sure he'd need the help. Besides, he was fairly certain the Potter's knew where Virginia was hiding out. He hoped he could get some information out of them.

After he had showered and dressed, Draco made his way down the hall to his daughter's bedroom. The door was opened and he could hear singing from the inside. "Cera?"

The singing stopped. "Daddy?" she asked, shyly.

He nudged the door with his foot. "Can I come in?"

The redheaded child nodded. "Daddy, I had a sad dream last night."

Draco sat on the corner of her bed, motioning for Cera to sit beside him. "What was your dream?" He placed a comforting arm around her.

"I dreamed that me, and Mummy, and Seth were still living at the other house. I dreamed you were never here, Daddy."

Her father sighed heavily, trying to battle the pain in his chest. No matter what happened, if he and Virginia reconciled, or if they reached some kind of amicable agreement about the twins, he could never get the seven years back. He would never hear his daughter's first words, or see his son's first steps. He might never know what it felt like to have Virginia lay beside him at night, wrapped in his arms. Draco knew he had a lot to make up for, but he was trying.

"But I am here, Cera. I'm not going anywhere."

"Do you promise?"

Draco nodded.

"Do you mean it?" Cera questioned. "Mummy and Uncle Blaise both said the same thing. And they're not here now."

He smiled sadly. "Your Mummy will be back, Cera. She'd never leave you, I know that. Uncle Blaise will be back too. He loves you and Seth very much. He'd never leave."

"He loves Mummy, too, Daddy."

"I know."

Cera leaned her head against his side. "Do you love Mummy too?"

"Very much," he assured her. "I love your Mum more than anything."

"Even more than Grandmother?"

"Mrs. Weasley is wonderful—"

"Not Nana," she interrupted, "Grandmother."

She was looking up at him expectedly and Draco wasn't very sure who she was talking about. "You mean my Mum?" he asked.

Cera nodded. "Yes. Mummy says you loved her very much."

"Well then, if your Mummy says it, it must be true. Mummy's always tell the truth."

The child accepted his answer and didn't say anything for a long time. She was content to being held by him, both of them sitting in silence her bedroom. After five minutes of this, Draco stood. "Should we go find your brother?" He held out his hand to her.

She didn't hesitate to slip her much smaller hand into his. In her eyes, Draco could see the total trust she'd placed in him. "I'm glad you're here, Daddy," Cera whispered.

Draco looked down into the gray eyes of his child and was suddenly struck by a strong wave of emotion. "I love you, Cera."

Cera trailed behind him as they continued down the hall to Seth's room. His bedroom door was open and he was sitting on the bed, playing with a snitch Harry had given him. "Are you ready?"

Seth looked up, his eyes immediately focusing on the hands of his father and his sister. "Is Cynthia taking us? Mum said she was."

"We're going to go together, Seth. Cynthia has things she needs to finish up here."

The seven-year-old crossed his arms across his chest. "I want to go with Cynthia. Mum said she'd take us."

"I want to take you." Draco let go of Cera's hand, going to his son. He kneeled at the foot of the bed in front of him. "Don't you want to go with me?"

"You don't know what we need."

Draco pulled a list from his robe pocket. "Cynthia wrote it all down for me. She said she and your Mum talked about it. We'll get you everything you need."

Seth eyed the list carefully. "I bet everything's not on there. Mum said I needed new shoes."

His father unfolded the list and pointed to an item about halfway down. "Here, it says, 'shoes for Seth.' Your Mum thought of that."

"Can't we wait until Mum comes home?" Seth asked. "I want to go with her."

"Seth, we're going today."

"No."

"Yes. We're going to see Pot—Harry, remember? Don't you want to see him and Hermione?"

"Will Uncle Ron be there?"

"No," his father told him. "He's away, playing Quidditch, remember? He won't be back until next month."

"Can we Apparate?"

"No."

"Mum always let's us," he pouted.

"Your Mum isn't here."

"Because you made her leave," Seth accused. "Mum left because you made her."

"That's not true—"

"Yes it is. Mum loves Uncle Blaise and not you," he continued. "She wants to make a family with him, and then you came back."

"Seth," Cera scolded. His sister came to stand beside her father. "Stop it."

"You know it's true!" The seven year old began to cry. "He made Mummy leave!"

"He loves her."

"He left us!" Seth screamed. "He doesn't love us. I don't even know why he came back."

Draco sat on the floor, stunned into silence. So this is what his son thought of him. His heir thought he'd abandoned their mother before they were born. He ground the heels of his hands into his eyes. "Do you want me to leave?" he asked finally.

"No," Seth sobbed. "I—," hiccup, "I just want," hiccup, "I just want Mummy back!" he wailed.

The seven-year-old allowed his father to gather him into his arms. He pulled the little boy to the floor and situated him on his lap. Draco rocked him until his cries turned into sniffles and then finally disappeared. The little boy clung to his robes, almost as if he were afraid he'd disappear. "I'm here," Draco kept whispering. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Do you promise?"

"Yes," Draco told him. He moved so that he leaned back against the bed and Cera was seated right next to them. "I love you, Cera, and your Mum very much. I'm not leaving you ever again."

"When's Mum coming home?" Seth asked.

"Soon," Draco promised. "She'll come home soon."

"How do you know?"

"Your Mum won't be able to stay away from you and Cera for very long." He kissed his child's forehead. "She loves you very much."

"She loves you, too," Seth told him. "She told us so."

***

While Draco was using her holiday to bond with Seth and Cera, Ginny was busy missing them all. She had no idea how absolutely empty her life would be without the twins. Over the last several years, they'd been her constant companions and she missed them.

And Draco, as much as she hated to admit it. But he was gone, and there was nothing she could do about it now. She'd made him leave and she—well, she deserved her emptiness.

When Ginny had decided to revisit the townhouse, she'd thought it be a comfort to her. There were too many memories of Draco at the Manor. Every time she turned the corner, she was assaulted with some kind of reminder. After they were married, they'd christened almost every square inch of the Manor, finding different places to make love.

If the memories weren't of them making love, it was of them sitting up all hours and talking. Taking the time to enjoy being married, laughing with each other over the silliest things, or celebrating the news that she was pregnant. They'd been young and stupid, declaring nothing would ever tear them apart. Ginny had known that Lucius would try, but she also trusted Draco. She knew he would never allow his father to destroy them.

Except he had.

Not in the most conventional ways. They were both alive, thankfully, and they both obviously still had strong feelings for each other (be it love or not), but they couldn't be together. It'd been almost exactly seven years since his disappearance and no one expected them to pick up where they left off. Although, part of her wanted to grab him and drag him up to their bedroom. Ginny wanted to find out if his body was still hard in all the places she was soft, if he was still sharp angles, whereas she was more rounded curves. And there was merit to the idea of shagging him senseless - if he couldn't remember her directly, maybe he'd remember the great sex they'd had.

The idea was silly, she knew. Before she accepted him back into her bed, back into her life, she'd wanted to know he remembered. Ginny knew now that he didn't. Which was why she sent him away. It would kill her to know he was out there, not with her, but she'd find a way to move on. Maybe he'd visit the twins, maybe he wouldn't. They would get a divorce, she'd find some nice guy who loved her children, and they would both manage to get on with their life.

Divorce wasn't entirely uncommon these days. True, it was more accepted by the Muggles than the wizarding community, but Ginny considered these to be extenuating circumstances. She loved Draco, but there was just no way.

Ginny knew that, and it didn't make it any easier at all. There was very little stopping her from going to the airport and getting on a plane herself. She would somehow find him in New York, and drag him back across the ocean if she had to. She loved him, even if he didn't love her, and it was enough.

It had to be enough.

She couldn't live knowing he was out there, but not with her. Since the moment he told her he'd loved her, it had always been like that. Draco was as essential to her as breathing.

And yet… he was there, and she wasn't going after him. She'd take a few more days, get her thoughts together, and then go to her Mum's to get the twins. They would go back to Malfoy Manor. She knew she would continue to raise her children as Malfoy's. They would think of something to tell the press – maybe that it wasn't really Draco, just someone impersonating him. She'd been fooled, along with the rest of them; until it became obvious he wasn't who he said he was.

She'd think of something.

Ginny would go back to being a mother, a friend, and a daughter. Even though dating again was a nice thought, she knew she'd never be able to consider it. They had both pledged 'til death do us part' and it wasn't something she was willing to turn away from. Somehow, she knew Draco wouldn't either. He'd remained faithful for seven years, without even knowing her, so it was hard to conceive he'd suddenly change his mind.

Because he loved her.

That thought made Ginny pause. Did he love her? He'd said he did. He'd nearly shouted it at her in her bedroom, willing her to believe him. She'd turned her back from him and walked away. It was… it was the saddest moment in her whole life.

Coming to the townhouse was supposed to clear her mind. Ginny was supposed to find a way to move on, leave Draco behind. But being here, without him, made her realize how much she'd missed out on. Only it was too late now. She had too much pride to go after him in New York. They'd had an amazing run together, she had two children to show for the marriage, and Ginny knew in her heart she'd met the man she would love forever.

It was sad how things sometimes didn't work out. At least to her. One would think after seven years, you would be able to let go. Even now she couldn't. She knew he was really gone, and she couldn't let go of him.

Now she was left with just her pride. Ginny knew it wouldn't hold her at night when she missed him. Her pride and two amazing children. Two amazing children she needed to go home to. There was no doubt about it; Seth and Cera were the best of her and Draco. She'd always have them.

Because of that, she'd always have a little piece of him too.

It was enough.

It had to be.

19. Chapter 17: Welcome Home

The last thing Molly Weasley was expecting on Tuesday morning was Ginny Apparating into the kitchen. The older woman was sitting at the table, flipping through the latest edition of Witch Weekly.

She was pretending to look for the recipes, but was really more interested in the cover story about her daughter and Draco. Ginny's sudden appearance frightened her so much she jumped in her seat. "Dear, I wish you wouldn't do that."

"Sorry, Mum." The younger woman kissed her mother on the cheek. "Where are Seth and Cera?"

Molly flipped another page. "At school, I imagine."

"You don't know?"

"No." She turned another page, admiring the picture of Draco and Ginny from their wedding day. "Draco took them over a week ago. I saw them for a few hours on Sunday, but didn't they start school today?"

"Yes, but . . . " Ginny sat in the chair next to her mother. "Did you say Draco? Did he . . . Mum, did Draco take my children with him to America?"

Her mother turned her brown eyes to her, studying her carefully. "Do you think he would do that to you?"

"I don't know. I haven't exactly been nice to him. He and I might not have . . . he might not love me, but he did love them."

"That's where you're wrong." Molly Weasley looked down at the happy couple from so many years ago and silently wondered what happened to them. "He adores you. I'd say that he's as much in love with you now as he was ten years ago."

"He doesn't know me, Mum. He can't love me." Liar, a small voice in her head whispered. Ginny knew she hadn't given Draco half a chance before she started pushing him out of her life. "He can't remember me."

"Virginia, that boy has loved you since he was sixteen years old. As your mother, I feel that I can tell you he's never stopped. Draco wants to be married to you. You're afraid to give him a chance, though."

"That's not true--"

Molly held her hand up to stop her. "Isn't it, though? You've waited for seven years for him to come back to you. Everyone thought he was dead; Harry and Ron brought you proof that he was dead, and you never gave up. You never stopped believing in him. Why?"

"Because I knew in my heart he couldn't be dead."

Her mother nodded. "That's right. You knew in your heart it wasn't possible. The connection you share goes way beyond anything normal. Virginia, you raised his children and stayed faithful to him when everyone thought you were crazy. And now you find out your right, and you're ready to walk away?"

Ginny sighed. "It's not that simple, Mum. You know it isn't. I wish it were."

"Why isn't it simple?"

"Draco can't remember," she answered. "He doesn't know who I am or what we meant to each other. And I can't spend the rest of my life with those memories. I can't go to him and say 'Remember when?' because he doesn't. Maybe . . . maybe I should ask Harry to prepare another memory charm so he won't remember me. I'll take him back to New York. He was happy there, Mum."

"If you do that, you're no better than Lucius Malfoy. You'll be hurting yourself and Draco. Ginny, think about your children. Will you wipe their memories away too? Do you want them to continue to think their father is dead?"

"No, of course not. Draco is amazing with them."

"You admit he's a good father. Your reservations aren't about Seth and Cera then. You're the reason you won't give him a chance."

"Mum--"

"He loves you, Virginia."

"No," Ginny disagreed. "He loves the idea of me. Draco loves the idea of a family with Seth and Cera. I come along with the package, Mum. Can't you see that? I'm the quickest way to get to his son."

"That's entirely not true and you know it."

"Why are you agreeing with him?" Ginny questioned.

"I'm not agreeing." Molly reached across the table and covered one of Ginny's hands with her own. "I want you to be happy, love. And I know how happy he makes you. I'm trying to understand why you're afraid of that happiness."

“I’m not,” the daughter insisted. “I want him to be happy and I know that he needs to be in New York for that.”

“The only thing that boy needs is you, dear. It’s the only thing he’s really ever wanted.”

“Mum–”

“Virginia, you’re being unreasonable,” her mother told her. “You’re acting like you did when you were ten years old and Ron was going to Hogwarts. You wanted to go so badly, mainly because Harry was there. You begged and begged for me to let you go. And when I wouldn’t, you refused to acknowledge me for weeks. Nothing I could do would change your mind.”

“I’m not ten years old anymore, Mum. I’m trying to do what’s best for everyone in this situation.”

“Except you’re not, love. You’re making decisions with your head, not your heart.”

“I’m trying to make the right decision.”

“The right decision for who?” Molly challenged.

“For me, the twins, and for Draco.”

“No. Those children need their father, every day. Someday they’re not going to be seven years old anymore, Ginny. They’re going to ask real questions that you’re not going to want to answer. Where their father is, what he’s doing, why he isn’t there. If you send Draco away now, you’ll have to lie to them.”

“He could still see them,” Ginny offered after a moment. “I have no intentions of preventing him from seeing them.”

“Are you sure?” the other woman asked. “He can see them, but not you? Is that how it’s supposed to work?”

“Eventually I will see him. When . . . ” Ginny sighed heavily.

“When what?” Molly questioned. “When you’re no longer in love with him? Is that when you’ll agree to see him?”

“Yes.”

The Weasley matriarch finished the last of her tea as she studied her daughter with curious eyes. Several times she looked like she might say something, but didn’t.

“What?” Ginny asked. “Spit it out already.”

“You do realize you’ll never not love him, don’t you?”

“That’s not true. Someday he and I will be nothing more than two people who share children.”

“If you sincerely believe that, then I think you should check yourself into St. Mungo’s right away.”

“What?” her daughter sputtered. “Why?”

“Because you’re fooling yourself, love. You love him, Virginia. It’s not bad.”

“It is, though.” Ginny brought her hands up to her temples and started to rub. “It’s very bad, Mum. I love him. I’m as much in love with him now as ever. He’s Draco, the person I gave my heart to. The one I’ll never get it back from.”

“Then what’s the problem?” Molly asked gently.

“I... I need him to remember, Mum.”

“Ginny, dear, the past isn’t important now. It’s the future you should concern yourself with.” The older woman stood, busying herself at the kitchen sink. “Your father and I have been married nearly forty years now. Every night I lay down beside him and know I’m the luckiest woman alive. You’re our only daughter and that’s what we want for you. Has anyone ever made you feel like that?”

“Draco.”

“Anyone else?”

Ginny silently shook her head.

“Only him.” Molly flicked her wand and the dishes in the sink went into the cabinet. “That should tell you something, love.”

The youngest Weasley sat at the kitchen table for a long time that morning. She stared into a rapidly cooling teacup, contemplating her past, her present, and her future. Ginny thought about what her life was like without Draco. How empty she’d been in the past seven years. How happy she’d been when he returned to her. How good it felt to kiss him after the long drought.

She thought about how Cera and how the little blonde girl had jumped into her father’s arms. Cera had just known who Draco was.

Ginny thought about Seth too. How much she loved her son, how she couldn’t bring him up as a Malfoy, she couldn’t give him his birthright. Only Draco could show him what it meant to be a Malfoy. Only Draco could explain to Seth the importance of what the Malfoy name meant. Draco had the right to know his son. He had the right to the opportunity to help him become a man.

She knew she was being unfair to him. She knew she was terrified of having her heart broken again. Somewhere inside Ginny thought Draco might leave again. He might miss his life in New York and just take off one morning. He might never look back. Not that Draco would ever, ever do that. She just . . .

“Mum?”

“Yes?” her mother asked.

“Do you think it’s possible I made a mistake?”

“About what, dear?”

“Draco.”

“Ginny, love, you’ve been making nothing but mistakes since you left him over a week ago.”

“I think I’ll go home.”

“He’ll be there, waiting for you.”

“I hope so.”

***

When she found him, Draco was in his study reading. His long legs were sprawled out in front of him on the couch. He wore reading glasses and a look of total concentration on his face. Ginny took a moment to study him from the doorway. Draco was wearing a black t-shirt and well-worn jeans. She didn’t recognize the clothes, so they must have been his Muggle clothes from New York. He was barefoot, too.

“What’re you doing here?” she asked.

He didn’t even look up. “I live here.”

“Since when?”

“This is Malfoy Manor, isn’t it?” He turned the page of his book. “Last I checked, that was me.”

Ginny stepped inside the room, but didn’t move to stand in front of him. He wasn’t looking at her. “I thought you’d be back in New York by now.”

“I’m not.”

“I see.” She walked to the fireplace, taking a seat across from him. “Why not?”

“I’m just not.”

Despite what her heart was telling her, Ginny found her mouth saying, “This isn’t your home anymore, Draco. You should’ve just left.”

“I can’t do that.” He looked up from the book then, taking his glasses off. Ginny could see the marks left on his nose from them. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Right. Because of the children.”

“Think what you want,” he muttered. He flipped the page again and resumed his reading.

“I’m supposed to think you love me, then? That after seven years of having no idea who I was, you love me. Sorry if I’ve had a hard time with that.”

“You never even gave me a chance, Virginia.” Draco turned to corner of the page down, putting the book aside. “From the moment I walked through the door, you’ve been pushing me out. I just don’t understand why.”

“I want you to have a life,” she tried to explain. “A life you want. A life you know.”

“Yes, and it just so happens that I want this life - the one with you, Seth, and Cera.”

“Draco–”

“Do you want me to leave, Ginny? Do you want me back in New York, a whole ocean away from you?”

“What if I say yes?” she asked.

“Then tomorrow morning I’ll be in New York and you won’t even be a memory.”

Ginny stood, walking toward the doorway. “If that’s the way you feel, then leave. I’m not stopping you.”

“There’s one thing,” he told her retreating back. She stopped walking, but didn’t turn to face him. “You’ll have to tell Seth and Cera. I won’t be the one to break their hearts. I won’t be the one who has to explain every day why their Mum ran their Dad off. That’ll be you, Virginia.”

“Always the hero, aren’t you Draco? You know, if you didn’t have such a bloody hero complex, we wouldn’t have lost seven years together.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. I never wanted to be a hero, I only wanted to be your husband.”

“You wanted to save everyone, Draco. You couldn’t save your Mum, so you thought you’d save your Father. He never wanted to be saved, though. Lucius only wanted to destroy you – us – and he did. You let him.”

“My father’s not here now. The only person standing between us is you.”

Ginny turned to face him, surprised to see him sitting in the same position. The book was lying at his side. “I want you gone.”

"It's my manor." His tone was superior, as if it didn't matter what Ginny wanted. It only served to make her angrier.

"Actually, it's Seth's manor. He isn't of age and I'm the recognized guardian with the Ministry. Will I have to call my father to have you removed?"

"Go crying to Daddy, Virginia. That's very mature. How can you raise children when you act like a child?"

Her face turned red and she glared at him. "I don't want you here. The children don't want you here. So just leave."

Draco folded his arms across his chest and propped his feet on an ottoman. "No."

"What do you gain from being here?" she asked, exasperated. "You don't want me, Draco. Is it the children? Because you're so damn noble you can't leave them? Divorced parents raise children all the time. It's a fact of life."

"Yes, but I will be in New York. It wouldn't work. You aren't tossing me out of their lives."

Ginny stopped and studied him. "Is that what you think I'm trying to do? I don't care where you live, as long as it isn't here. Move to France and teach Muggle Studies if you want. I don't care."

"Wrong," he said. "You don't want to care."

"Draco--"

"What?" the blond asked. "I've seen you look at me, Virginia. I recognize the look in your eyes when you do. Just..."

"Just what?" Ginny interrupted. "Let you lie to me? Just pretend that it doesn't matter you have no clue about us? I'm sorry, but I won't do that."

"You're the one who's clueless, Virginia."

She wanted to scream in frustration. Draco was being so difficult. "Why won't you just go back to New York!" she screamed. "Leave and don't ever, ever come back!"

“Fine.” Draco looked up at her. “But I’m taking Cera with me.”

“What?” Ginny gasped. “You aren’t taking either of my children anywhere.”

“They’re mine, too, Virginia. I’m a good father, I can provide a steady home for her, and any judge will see this is the best way. You keep Seth and I’ll take Cera with me to New York.”

“Seth not good enough for you?” his wife questioned. “A few days ago, you were all upset about your heir not wanting you. Now it seems the situation is reversed.”

“Seth is the Malfoy heir. He deserves the opportunity to go to Hogwarts and carry on the Malfoy tradition. I suspect when he’s eleven, he’ll be sorted into Slytherin, like all Malfoy heirs, and he’ll follow in my footsteps.”

“As what?” Ginny asked. “Biggest git on Earth! Sorry, I’m quite sure you’ll still be holding that title. You can’t take Cera away from me.”

“I can and I will. I’ll fight you with every resource I have. I will fight you and I will win.”

Ginny sighed heavily. “Why are you doing this? Is this some sort of revenge? Some further way to prove you don’t love me anymore?”

“I’ve been in love with you since I was sixteen years old, Virginia. I keep trying to tell you that, but you won't listen. So I'm finished. If you want me gone, then I'm gone."

“You can’t remember me!" she cried. "How could you love me?”

“I remember you,” Draco told her. He stood, turning toward her. “I remember that your fingernails dig into my shoulders right before you climax.” Another step. “I remember we were in the hallway outside Snape’s classroom the first time we kissed. You kissed me, not the other way around.” Now he was standing directly in front of her. “I remember promising to love you for the rest of my life. I plan on keeping that promise.”

“You . . . you remember?” Ginny began to back away from him.

Draco started to reach for her, but let his hand drop in midair. “Not everything. I may never remember everything. However, my father kept detailed records of our time together. I’ve been reading his records. They were sent to him from someone named Malcolm Baddock.”

“He was a Slytherin, a few years younger than you." Ginny sighed, upset that he didn't really remember. "You read about us. You don't remember - you just know what your father's writings say.”

“Those are my memories and that's my life. That's good enough for me.”

His wife dropped her head, sighing deeply. "It's not... it's not good enough for me. I need you to..."

"What?" Draco asked. "You need me to what? Remember? I'm trying. Do you need me to love you? I do. What do you need from me?"

"Time," Ginny answered. "Space. Understanding. Friendship. Loyalty. I need you to be him."

"Who?"

"The Draco who died seven years ago."

He closed the space between them. Gently he lifted her chin so she was looking in his eyes. “I spent seven years in New York, imagining you. I thought about your hair color, what your eyes looked like, and if we had any children. I've talked to you thousands of times, even if it was just a conversation in my head. I would dream about being with you at night. For seven years, I tried to imagine what you were like. Those dreams don't even come close.

"I may never be that man again, Virginia. I may never... I may never remember the first time I realized I loved you, or the day I asked you to marry me. But I need you to decide if you can live with that. If you can't, then I'll go. I'll take Cera and say my goodbyes. I'll walk out of your life."

"With my daughter," Ginny whispered. "If you love me, you wouldn't do that."

"I do," he told her. "I love you enough to walk away if it's what you want. But I won't walk away empty-handed. She's my daughter."

"And I'm your wife." Inwardly she cursed herself for her wording. "What about what I want?"

"You just want me gone, Gin. I'll give you that, but there's a price. Don't you know that there's always a price with a Malfoy?"

"You sound just like your father."

Draco didn't respond to her comment. He knew she was trying to hurt him, because he was hurting her. He hated knowing that, but he couldn't stop himself. If she wanted him to go, he would. "You're beautiful. I understand why he loved you then, because I love you now for the same reasons."

"Draco..."

“I carried your wedding ring with me, even though I didn’t know who you were. I came to England because I had to know. I had to know if you still loved me.”

"I can't make you any promises," Ginny told him. "There aren't any guarantees."

“And I'm not asking for them."

"Then just..." his wife looked away from him. Her eyes swept over the study, taking in the richness of the Manor and how much this room reminded her of him. "Will you stay?"

"Stay?" Draco repeated.

"Here." Ginny looked at him again. "In a guest bedroom, or your childhood bedroom, or something. Continue spending time with Seth and Cera, be their father. Find out what it really means to be a Malfoy."

He wanted so badly to touch her, but managed to refrain. "What about us?"

"I... I can try."

"What does that mean?"

"It means I won't try to push you out any longer. I won't ask you to go back to New York," she sighed. "I won't Apparate away in the middle of an argument."

"Then I'll stay."

She nodded. "There's one more thing."

"What?" he asked, weary.

"If you decide this isn't working for you, you can't disappear. Not from their lives, not from my life. There's no going back if you decide to stay here."

"I don't want to go back," Draco told her.

"Are you sure?"

He nodded.

"Alright then. I'll have your things moved to the spare bedroom." Ginny turned from him and went to the door. When she looked back, Draco was back on the couch reading again. "Draco?"

He didn't look up from the journal. "Yes?"

"Welcome home."

***

Final Author’s Notes:

I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who has taken time to review this story. Everyone who has read it, taken a second to let me know what you thought, and contacted me has a part in creating this story. I wanted to thank specifically Rainpuddle, who was my beta and my friend throughout this story. And Donna, who introduced me to the magic of Harry Potter.

20. Epilogue: Life, Interrupted

In a little more than three hours, they would be taking Seth and Cera to Kings Street Crossing for the first time. The twins celebrated their eleventh birthday more than a month ago. Ginny had been waiting for this moment since she gave birth, but it didn't make it any easier. She knew that after the first year, time would fly by. Soon Seth would be seventeen, a legal wizard, and dating. He would find some witch (one his mother approved of) and get married. There would be an internal power transfer, as the Malfoy tradition mandated, and she and Draco would take the backseat in their only son's life.

Ginny didn't even want to consider all of the changes that would affect Cera. It was too much.

Which is why she was awake at five a.m., sitting in the study, pouring over pictures of their childhood. Almost as soon as they were born, she started recording their life in books. At the time, she felt it was for Draco, but looking back she realized it was for herself. Her husband appreciated the memories – they could flip through them for hours as she told him the history behind each picture – but she found herself (more and more these days) pulling the books from their shelf and remembering. If Ginny was completely honest with herself, she knew she wasn't ready to let go. How had her mother done this seven different times?

This was where Draco found her an hour later. He carried a cup of steaming tea in each hand. He wore pyjama bottoms along with a plain gray t-shirt and his feet were bare. "Love?" he asked.

Ginny looked up to find him in the doorway. She immediately began to clear a place for him at the study table. "I'm fine," she told him.

"That's why you've been up since three o'clock looking at photographs, right? Because everything is fine."

"Don't make fun of me, Draco."

He took a sip from his cup. "I'm not." Draco urged the second cup towards her. "I made your favorite."

Ginny smiled gratefully. It was moments like this when she realized how much she loved this man. "Thank you." She took the tea and drank dutifully. "How do you know I've been up since three?"

"I felt you leave the bed. Thought about coming after you, but knew you needed some time to figure it out yourself."

She looked down at the pictures again, running her hand across one of Draco and Seth when he turned nine. "I want him to be this old forever."

"No, you don't, Virginia. You want him to live." Draco gently turned her face so she was looking at him. "You want him to experience life, much in the same way we did."

She smiled sadly. "Maybe not exactly the same way we did. Our life was a bit interrupted."

"My point is, you want him to grow old. You want him to graduate Hogwarts and fall in love. Our son is destined for greatness – he has been since the moment he was born, Virginia. For him to do all these things, you must let go."

Ginny knew this, of course. Their conversation wasn't new – for months now they'd been discussing what their life would be like without the children. What they would do during the day, where they could travel, and how they could enjoy being married. It would be the two of them and it was time for them to experience their own life. "What did I do to deserve you, Draco Malfoy?"

"Simple. You believed." Draco pulled his seat closer to hers then and they both began to look through the books. He placed a gentle hand on her back, offering her the support he knew she needed. There was the occasional comment about the pictures, but mostly they were silent. Neither of them were particularly looking forward to the twins going to Hogwarts, but they both knew it was happening. Since the moment they were born, Hogwarts was their destiny.

Hours later the twins begin to move about the house. Cera was the first to go looking for Draco and Ginny. She found them on the sofa in the study sprawled together. The book her mother made when they were five lay across their chests. Both were sleeping.

Cera took a moment to study them. This was how she wanted to remember them. Together and in love. She hated that she had memories that didn't include her father. Birthday parties with Uncle Blaise trying to fit into the role, and days where she'd find her mother crying for no reason. When her father reappeared, Cera had expected them to get back together immediately. That didn't happen. Her dad had slept in his old bedroom for ages before they started sharing a room. She'd once asked her mother why and the only response Cera received was, "I just need to be sure of him, love." At the age of eight, Cera hadn't understood. Three years later, Cera was still unclear as to what her Mum meant.

"Good morning," her father said, interrupting her thoughts. "What time is it?"

"Nine. Did you sleep in here?"

Draco looked down at his sleeping wife. "No. Have you packed everything you need for today?"

His daughter nodded. "Mum has checked and rechecked our bags about ten times. I'm sure she'll think of something," Cera laughed. "She's constantly worrying over something about us going to Hogwarts."

At the mention of Ginny, Draco tightened his arm around her waist. "You shouldn't make fun of her right now."

"Sorry, Dad."

"It's okay for her to make fun of me," Ginny added sleepily. "I'm sure I'm making everyone crazy. What time is it?"

"Nine," they both answered. "Time to get up," her husband added.

"Nine?" Ginny repeated, sitting up immediately. "We’re running late. They have to be there in two hours!"
"Gin, we're not late. Seth and Cera are packed. They have everything they need. We've been to Diagon Alley eleven times in the last four days. They can't possibly need anything else. If they do, they'll owl."

"But-"

Draco looked at his daughter, silently asking her to give them a moment. Cera nodded and quietly left the room.
"Love, you have to pull yourself together."

"I'm fine."

He cupped her cheek in his hand. "You're not fine, so stop pretending. I don't want them to leave either."

"Really?" she questioned. "You seem to be taking this rather well."

Draco recognized the tone in her voice and inwardly groaned. Now she was looking for a row. "Gin-"

"Don't 'Gin' me, Draco. Why don't you tell me why I'm the only one who is upset? You don't seem to care in the least!"

"I care," he assured her. His assertion didn't seem to change her mind. "Just because I'm not driving everyone nutters—"

"So, I'm driving you crazy now?" Ginny interrupted. "That's nice to know."

She was getting mad, he could tell. With her voice rising with each word, Draco knew he'd have to tread very lightly. "You aren't driving me crazy, love. I expected this. I think you're handling it very well."

"No you don't," Ginny accused. "You think I want to keep them at home forever. You think I don't want them to ever grow up." She was on the verge of tears now. "You think—"

"That you're a wonderful mother, Virginia. I think you're acting like every mother who is sending her firstborn off for the first time. Wizard, Muggle, it doesn't matter. Everyone acts this way.

"They'll be back, Ginny. And we'll go visit them. The first Quidditch match of the season is in November. We'll go see Seth play."

That made her laugh. "He hasn't even made the team yet. Don't reserve the room in Hogsmeade just yet."

"He will make the team. Even Potter says he's good."

Even though she rolled her eyes at him, Draco knew he'd succeeded in cheering her. "Virginia, you're their mother. They'll always need you. From the day they were born, until the day they die. You'll be there when they graduate Hogwarts, you'll be there when they get married, and you'll be there when the grandchildren are born. You'll be the one, Gin. Seth and Cera love you. You'll always be apart of their life."

"And you too," she told him. "Promise me you'll always be there, with me."

Draco leaned forward and kissed her. It was a soft touch of his lips across hers. "There isn't anywhere else I'd rather be."

Ginny nodded before she pulled away from him. "Let's go. Our children are waiting."

When she held out her hand to him, Draco knew what it felt like to be seventeen again. Even if he couldn't remember, he knew he'd follow wherever she wanted him to go.

***

In October, he surprised her with a trip to New York. Ginny knew he was trying to take her mind off the emptiness of the house and she loved him for it. At first she was hesitant to go, should Seth or Cera get hurt while at Hogwarts. They'd need their mother and she didn't want to be an ocean away when that happened. In the end, her curiosity got the best of her. Ginny wanted to know where and how Draco lived while he was there.

She knew the stories. She'd heard them all – the policewoman in New York, how Richard Worth found him, the day he moved into his loft. He even told her of dreams he'd have of her, even if he couldn't remember. Ginny had even seen pictures of New York, but she'd never visited herself. As much as she didn't want to leave should Seth and Cera need her, Ginny wanted to see this part of Draco's life. And she was glad he wanted to share it with her.

On the morning of October the fifth, they left Malfoy Manor by portkey. Her father had helped Draco arrange it. They arrived in a back alley of New York City. This was, Draco explained, where he'd woken up over a decade ago. He'd been alone and a bit scared with no sort of identification. Then he took her hand and guided her to a building with doors that read NYPD. They didn't go inside, but he explained the frustration he'd felt at not knowing anything. Draco could remember thinking it was some elaborate joke, and waiting for someone to yell "Surprise!"

He told her of sitting in the police station, studying the gold wedding band. How he'd tried to remember who Virginia was and what the named meant. She cried a bit then, tightening her hand around his.

Draco had seen the tears, though. He decided that this was enough for today, so he took her to the hotel.

Once they were in their room, they lay across the bed, facing each other. "After the police station, they took me to a shelter. I had no money, no identity, nowhere to go. I stayed there for a few weeks before I decided to look for work. My first jobs were in restaurants. Waiting and bussing tables, eating at the restaurants on my breaks so I wouldn't have to pay for the food, living from paycheck to paycheck. I don't know how I made it the first year."

"You lived. You had to."

"Over that year I managed to save enough money to rent a small flat in Brooklyn. From there, things seemed to improve. The place wasn't much bigger than a cardboard box, but it was mine. My name was on the lease and I had to work to pay for it. It gave me a source of pride.

"I stopped calling myself 'Draco' shortly before I met Richard Worth. I was a kid, who didn't know anything about investments, but he took me on anyway. Nathan Hall had no history, but Richard took me on anyway. He saved my life." Ginny could tell from the tone in his voice he was lost in the memories. She only rolled closer to him, their hands barely touching. "I started in the mailroom. Within two years, he was promoting me to vice president."

"Why?"

"He saw something in me, I guess. He's a wizard… maybe it was magic." Draco laughed then. "Richard thought I had a head for business. He was right. Before… did I ever work in investments?"

She shook her head. "You worked for Malfoy, Incorporated, but there was always someone helping you. You never had a chance, really. You died…you disappeared about a year after we married."

"I loved my work here. It was something I was good at. Even now, I miss it sometimes." He saw her expression and immediately said, "Not that I regret leaving it. But here I wasn't Draco Malfoy. I was just some kid with a head for numbers."

"Do you still want to be that?" Ginny asked quietly.

His hand tightened around hers. "I wouldn't trade our life for anything. I love you and every aspect of life with you."

She accepted his answer. "Then what? After you met Richard?"

"Things fell into place. I would work to eight or nine at night, come home and eat, then go to bed. My whole life revolved around that company. Richard had me going to school to complete a business degree. When he retired, he wanted me to take over."

"Do you miss him?"

Draco shrugged. "Sometimes. I'll always think of Richard as my father. I look at pictures of Lucius and feel nothing inside of me. In the six years I worked for Worth Industries, Richard was my family."

"I've always been your family, Draco."

"I know, love. Even when I didn't know, I knew. You're the only thing I've ever been sure of."

Ginny allowed him to kiss her. "Well, me and yourself," she added. "You've always been sure of yourself."

He could only laugh at her teasing.

They lay in the bed for a long time, talking about this and that. Neither of them were in any hurry to leave the other's arms. That night, he took her to dinner at Tavern on the Green. As they walked, he pointed out the different tourist sites, giving her an education on all things New York. They saw the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty. Draco also took her to different places that were important to him. They agreed to see Richard Worth the next day. Ginny could tell this cheered Draco considerably. Even if he never said it, he'd missed his mentor over the last four years.

After dinner, they returned to the hotel. They talked about the children, wondering how Seth and Cera were fairing at Hogwarts. Seth was sorted into Slytherin, just like every Malfoy heir before him. When the owl from Hogwarts arrived, Draco had been insufferably smug for days.

What surprised them both, however, was that Cera was sorted into Slytherin as well. Though Ginny never said it, she expected their daughter would be a Gryffindor or maybe a Ravenclaw. Ginny knew enough to not second-guess the Sorting Hat (even though Draco used to tell her she would've been a smashing Slytherin) and accepted that both of her children could possibly be future Dark Lords. Not that she would ever allow that to happen – but being in Slytherin made it a possibility.

They stayed awake all night, talking, laughing, and making love. As the sun was rising, they sat on the hotel balcony wrapped in the blankets from the bed. Ginny's head was resting against Draco's chest, each of them perfectly comfortable. They planned to drop by Worth Industries at five that afternoon, to treat Richard Worth to an early dinner.

"Draco?" Ginny asked.

"Hmmm?"

She snuggled into his arms, trying to ward off the chill from the October morning. "What do you think of having another baby?"

"What?"

"A baby." Even though Ginny couldn't see him, she knew his brow was furrowed as he contemplated what he was going to ask.

"Gin, are you pregnant?"

"No," she answered. "But maybe I'd like to be."

"Aren't we a bit…"

"Are you saying I'm old?" she asked. Ginny twisted in his arms to glare at him. "I'm not old!"

"Of course not. Do you want this?"

"Only if you do, too." Ginny studied his gray eyes intently. "You missed seven years with Seth and Cera. Even though you've never said anything, I see it every time you look at them. You deserve the opportunity to experience that, Draco."

He nodded. "Okay."

"Okay?" she repeated.

"If you want a baby—"

"We have to both want it," Ginny told him. "It's a lot of hard work, Draco. Two a.m. feedings, dirty nappies, and baby-proofing the mansion. We're not twenty anymore, but it's something I think we'd be good at."

"Are you sure, then?"

His wife nodded.

"Then I am, too. Let's have a baby."

She smiled and he knew he'd made the right decision. Draco would do anything to see her smile. Ginny turned around and pulled his arms tighter around her waist. "I love you, Draco Malfoy."

"I love you, too, Virginia."

As the sun came up over New York City, they sat on the balcony in silence. It was beautiful and different from mornings in England, and was unlike either of them had ever experienced.

Draco never dreamed they would be here, together. Except that they'd just agreed to have a baby. A little person to love and take care of. Someone to fill in the silence at Malfoy Manor.

As his wife leaned against him, Draco thought of the seven years he'd spent in America. Even though he went through some hard times, the years weren't bad. They'd been empty; he had been empty. For the last four years, for the rest of his life, Draco knew the drought was over. As long as he had Virginia, it would always be raining – blessings and surprises, love and happiness, and… children.

-finis-