She felt her body flood with panic the moment she Apparated into their flat. It was dark. Which meant… "Draco?"
No answer.
Ginny mumbled the light spell and as soon as she did, she saw that her things were still exactly as she left them. Her shoes at the door, her robe over the chair, her clothes at the bedroom door.
He wasn't here. "Draco?"
Silence.
Going into the bedroom, she saw her bra was still lying on the bed. A quick check of the bathroom and kitchen proved what she knew. He'd left her.
Draco had left her.
Ginny could feel the bile start to rise in the back of her throat. She sat on the edge of the bed, willing herself to calm down. He wouldn't have just left, would he? There would be a note, or an explanation, or something.
She went to the wardrobe, anxious and nervous at the same time, and opened it. When she did, her heart sank. Several of the wooden hangers were empty - some of his favorite sweaters and trousers were missing. Along with quite a few of his dress shirts and ties. He'd even taken two suits. For the first time, Ginny noticed how absolutely empty the flat was without him in it.
How absolutely empty her life was without him in it.
The big suitcase wasn't in the closet either.
He'd taken his clothes and suitcase and left her. Before she was aware of what she was doing, she was pulling article after article of clothing from the closet, throwing it on the bed. They were her clothes - but she couldn't be here. Not without him.
She'd go to the Burrow. Or… one of her brothers. Charlie would let her stay with him, in Romania, and she hadn't really gotten to talk with Elise on their last visit… or Bill, he and Fleur would let her stay with them for a week or so. She just needed some time. Time away from England, and her parents and Ron, and time to get used to looking around every corner and not seeing Draco.
Time to be Ginny Weasley, mother of one, Draco Malfoy's ex.
But she knew she'd never get used to it. After talking with her parents, she'd planned on coming back here and apologizing to him. Explaining to him why she'd freaked out, why she was unable to entertain the thought of keeping the child, why she only needed him.
And now she didn't even have him.
Ginny took the two smaller suitcases from the closet and filled them with her clothes. He was gone. Without her. And she… well, she was pregnant with his baby, and…
"Oh god," she breathed.
What was she going to do?
Next, she found herself on the floor in the loo. She was going to be sick. Horribly sick, from the lurch her stomach gave. She shouldn't have went to her parents. Aside from the fact that her child apparently hated spaghetti, she'd lost Draco in the bargain.
She braced one hand on the porcelain bowl, and the other tried to keep her hair from interfering, while she vomited. Her body violently rejected anything she'd eaten in the last twenty-four hours as she sat on the floor. There was spaghetti, and eggs and toast, and peanuts from the plane.
When she was finished, she laid her head down on the cold tile. Curling into a fetal position, she allowed herself time to cry. It was what she'd wanted to do for days now, trying to get the unwanted emotion out of her body. Even before she allowed herself to believe she was pregnant, she'd known. To be honest, she'd known since three days after the baby was conceived. But Draco and her own doubts kept her in denial. And when she could deny no more, she started looking for alternatives.
Because really, Draco wouldn't want this baby - not now, maybe not ever. It wasn't in the bargain. Or at least she didn't think he'd want it, no matter how much she did. And then a miracle happened, and he did want the baby, but…
She'd blown it, and he was gone.
Gone.
Getting up off the floor, Ginny looked herself in the mirror. She looked horrible. Sick even. Going back to the bedroom, she went back to packing. She couldn't stay here. And while Romania and Egypt weren't the best choices, her only other choice was renting out a hotel room for the rest of her life.
She just needed some time to think. Some time to process whatever happened. Some time to decide what to do.
Ginny had just finished packing the second suitcase when she heard the sound of someone Apparating. She felt her body flood with relief, even as her brain told her to not believe he was really back. "Draco?"
"Ginny?"
"I'm in the bedroom," she called. Ginny didn't have time to do anything with the suitcases before he was there, taking her in his arms from behind.
Draco kissed her cheek, eyeing the suitcases with disdain. "Are you leaving again already?"
"I…"
"Gin?" he asked. He saw the open wardrobe and empty hangers, the closet with the missing clothes. "What's going on?"
She pulled away and went to sit on the bed. Ginny wrapped her arms protectively around herself, trying to guard herself against the hope she didn't want to feel. "What're you doing back?"
"I live here, remember?"
Her eyes were trained on the wardrobe, and she wouldn't look at him. "You left."
"I went to see my Mum," he explained. "I needed to talk with her about what was happening with us."
"You told your Mum I'm pregnant? How could you!"
"Gin-"
"I didn't even tell my Dad!" she yelled. "And you told your Mum?"
"I'm sorry?" Draco glared at her. "How was I supposed to know that, Virginia? You Disapparated away before I could even get a word in!"
"I didn't leave," Ginny shouted. "You left!"
"I went to my Mum's for dinner." His voice was void of any emotion, as he studied the woman he loved with his whole heart. "I was there nearly every night you were in America."
She stood and went to the wardrobe. "If you haven't left, then where are your clothes? Where is the suitcase, Draco? They're not here! What did you forget? What did you come back for?"
He turned and stood in front of her. Out of his eye, he could see the emptiness of the wardrobe and closet, and he knew what it might look like, except it wasn't. Draco was careful not to touch her. "The house elf took my clothes yesterday, Gin. You know I'm useless with cleaning spells. You weren't here, so Elba took them. And the suitcase? I imagine the suitcase is still with the airport delivery service."
"What?"
"The brown one?" he asked. "The one you took with you to New York? The carrier service will probably deliver it tomorrow."
"Oh."
"Oh?"
Her face softened as she studied him. Her eyes searched his face and movements for any indication that he was putting her on. Except there wasn't any. "You didn't move out?"
"No. Why would you think that?"
"I just-your clothes were gone… and…" she stopped and studied him. "I'm a hormonal mess, and I don't know what to do with myself. I came home, you weren't here, and I just…"
"You thought I left?" he finished.
Ginny nodded. "I'm sorry."
"Gin, you've got to trust me." Draco reached up and touched her hair behind her ear. "You have to trust me."
She bit her lip as the tears welled in her eyes. "I'm sorry."
"Ginny," he sighed.
The redhead lifted herself up on her tiptoes and kissed his jaw. "I'm sorry," she whispered. Her lips followed his jaw until she came to the shell of his ear, and she took it between her teeth. "I'm sorry." Her fingers started working on the buttons of his shirt as she kissed her way across his face, to his lips. "I'm sorry," she told him again, her lips against his.
Draco cupped the back of her head with his hand as he deepened the kiss. She continued to work on his shirtfront until it was completely open, and her hands were splayed across his bare chest. He pulled back and gasped when her fingers closed over his nipple and tugged. "Gin."
"I need you."
"Gin-"
She silenced him with a kiss. "I need you." Stepping back, Ginny began to unbutton her own shirt, revealing that she was naked underneath. Her hands went to the old jeans and she deftly slipped them over her hips.
Draco felt his body harden as he took in her naked form. "Are you sure?"
Ginny nodded as her hands went back to his chest. "I need you."
He accepted her explanation and allowed her to lead him to the bed. After some false starts and experimenting with the best position, they finally found their rhythm. Finally, after nearly two weeks of being apart, they were together again.
***
Later, when he'd welcomed her home many, many times, Draco and Ginny lay in the bed. It was dark inside the flat and out. He held her protectively, listening to her steady breathing and silently wondered what would have happened had he not Apparated home at the exact moment he did. "Would you have really left England?"
"What?"
"Tonight?" he clarified, "Would you have really left England?"
Ginny shifted against his chest. "I don't know."
"I wouldn't leave you, you know. Never."
She pressed a kiss to the skin below his ear. "I think I knew that." Ginny pulled out of the bed, and found her wand. "Lumos," she muttered. Her red hair fell down her back halfway. "I need to take a bath."
"We need to talk." He studied her with wary eyes. Something was still wrong, he knew. Something was really wrong.
"Not now, Draco." Ginny went to the closet and pulled her silk bathrobe off the inside door hanger. "I'm going to take a bath."
She closed the door behind her, but he didn't hear the door lock. "Damn it, Gin." Getting out of the bed, Draco didn't even bother in covering himself. She was just sinking into the steaming water when he opened the door. "We're going to talk. Now."
"Draco-"
"We are going to talk." He eyed her carefully. "Slide up, I'll get in behind you."
Ginny rolled her eyes, but did as he asked. "I don't know why we have to do this tonight."
Once he was settled into the hot water, he pulled her back. "I want to understand what happened earlier. What's happening with you?"
"I'm pregnant, Draco. I've got these crazy hormones going off inside my body. I can't even think half the time."
He rolled the bath sponge she liked over her body, taking care to wash each inch of her. "That's not it, though. This is something else entirely. And I want you to tell me what it is."
"Draco-"
"Virginia." His tone left no room for argument.
"Do you want this baby, Draco?" Ginny turned to look at him, brown eyes seeking silver. "Do you really want this baby?"
"I don't know how to be a father," he admitted. "Lucius wasn't the best… he didn't know how to be a father, Gin. I haven't had a role model. I don't know anything about children. I'd be totally useless to you. But yesterday, the thought hadn't really crossed my mind, but since you told me-honestly, there's nothing I want more."
"Are you sure?"
He nodded. "But why aren't you?"
"The same, I guess." Shifting, Ginny sat up against him. Her hand settled against her stomach, and she rubbed the tight skin absently. "I don't really know how to be a Mum, either."
"That's not all."
She found his arm in the water and pulled it around them. Ginny linked their fingers and put the two joined hands on her stomach. "I have a life inside of my body, Draco. One we created. I guess I wasn't sure because I've never really been sure of you… of us."
"Wh-what?"
"It's not like we're married, Draco. It's not like we decided to have a baby. We just… we live together. We work together. We sleep together. But really, what's our relationship?"
His arm tightened around her reflexively. "Our relationship," he said clearly, "is long nights and early mornings. It's me hoping you'll come by the office for absolutely no reason at all. It's summoning you for something mundane, just because I wanted to see you. It's going to my Mum's every night for fifteen nights straight, because I couldn't stand being here without you."
"Draco-"
"I love you," he declared suddenly. "And for some reason, you don't believe it."
"You don't have to say that."
"I seriously hope those are your hormones talking and not you. Come on, Gin. I love you."
When she didn't comment, he continued, "How could I not love you? I've opened my life, my company, and my home to you. And now, it's our life, and our company, and our home. I don't know about the future, Virginia. I don't make promises I know I can't keep, but I do know that I want to be with you."
"Does this mean you'll become friends with my brother?"
Draco glared down at the top of her head. "Which one?"
"Ron, of course."
"What?" he asked. "I suppose you'll want me to make nice with Potter and Granger as well?"
"They're my friends."
"I don't care!" He turned her face so she was looking at him and saw that her eyes were gleaming mischievously. "You're kidding."
She nodded mutely. "You should see the look on your face."
"I'm trying to be serious, Ginny. Here I am, declaring my undying love and affection for you, and you're making jokes." He pushed against her back. "I'm getting out."
"Draco," she whined. "I was only kidding." When he didn't seem to be listening to her, Ginny reached up and skimmed her fingernails along his inner thigh. "Please stay?"
"You don't play fair," Draco muttered. "You weren't serious about that bit with your brother and Granger and the four-eyed git were you?"
She slapped his leg, as if to scold him for calling Harry names. "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."
"And you worry about your mothering skills. I'd say you've perfected them."
"Well if someone didn't need to be constantly mothered."
"For that," he said, "I'm not giving you your present."
Ginny squirmed against him, finally turning herself around in the large tub. "Present?" she repeated. "You got me a present?"
"Yes, and I'm not giving it to you."
She playfully stuck her bottom lip out. "I want my present."
"No."
"Draco," Ginny whined.
"No."
Leaning forward, she kissed him soundly. When she pulled back, Ginny smiled smugly. It reminded Draco of someone. Himself. "If you don't give it to me, I won't sleep with you for the next five months."
"Accio ring."
Ginny laughed at him. Her eyes settled on the black jewelry box that was in his hand. "Is that what I think it is?"
"I don't know. What do you think it is?"
"I was serious when I said I didn't want you to marry me because of this."
He could have screamed. She was so… frustrating! "Gin, we've already been through this. Can we not do it again?"
"Fine." She crossed her arms over her chest. "I won't accept what's in that box."
"Do you not want to marry me?" he asked, exasperated.
"Of course I do. I just want you to want to marry me."
"I do."
Ginny frowned. "But if you did, then you would have asked before you got me pregnant." She had to hide her smile. He was getting irritated. And this was so much fun.
"I was going to ask. You already wear my ring, Gin. Why won't you marry me?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe because you haven't asked."
Draco felt the urge to throttle her. He knew instinctively that he must not injure a pregnant woman, but she was sorely tempting him. "Ginny, will you marry me?"
She shook her head no.
"What!?"
"Sorry." She stood up and looked down at him. "I'm going to bed. Are you going to join me?"
He stayed in the tub until she was completely out of the room seething. So she'd said no. Well, he'd just have to ask her again.
Draco found her in the bedroom, sitting at the vanity brushing out her hair. "Virginia, will you marry me?"
"Draco-"
He met her eyes in the mirror. "I'm going to ask you one more time, and then I'm not going to ask you again. Ever. So if you want to marry me, at all, or you think you might like to someday ten years down the road, then you need to say yes. Understood?"
Ginny nodded.
"Virginia Anne Weasley, I love you, and you would do me no greater honor than becoming my wife. So I ask you, will you make the happiest wizard in England and marry me?"
She nodded again.
***
Author's Notes: First I'd like to say how sorry I am that it took so long - real life happened, I guess. And some writer's block. It took some angst in my own life in order to translate into angst on paper. Second, I'm sorry at how random this chapter is - it feels like it's all over the place. If it doesn't fit, please tell me. I'll try to rework it, and see if I can make it better. Thanks for reading and reviewing.