Chapter 4 - Explanations
After spending the last two years dreaming and hoping he would come back to her, Ginny didn't believe that the man in front of her was Draco.
"Fred and George Weasley, this is not funny… Where did you get some of his hair to do the Polyjuice Potion?" she said, furious. "How can my own brothers do this to me? Do you like to see me suffering, is that it?"
"Ginny, I'm not Fred, or George… It's me!" he said, with a gentle smile.
There he was, beautiful as always, although a little paler. His hair was longer, brushing his jaw in a sensuous way, and his eyes were colder.
Watching him from head to toes, and hearing his soft voice, Ginny started to cry.
"Who are you, and what are you doing with Draco's form?" she demanded.
"Ginny, it's me, Draco… I'm not dead, I never was!" he whispered, coming closer to her, but she took a step back.
"No, you can't be him…" she replied, although her heart knew that she was facing the real Draco Malfoy, in flesh, blood and temper.
"How are you supposed to act when the one you love pretends to be dead for two years, and suddenly, appears again in your life?" she thought, sobbing silently.
"Ginny, I'm so sorry… Please, don't cry! Everything is going to be alright, I promise!" Draco said, kneeling in front of her, with sad eyes. "I love you, Weasel. I always have and always will…"
"How can you say that after all you've put me through? How could you leave me, Cassie and our baby?" she said furiously, but keeping her voice down, to keep Alex from waking up. "How could you fake your own death and make me cry for you, every single night until I fall asleep?"
"I didn't mean to make you suffer…" he whispered sadly, caressing Alex's face with gentle hands, and love in his gaze. "Is this my son? What's his name?"
"Oh dear Merlin… I can't take this anymore!" she thought to herself, standing up and running out of the Great Hall.
Next to the lake, there were two gigantic tents, where the wedding party was taking place, and Ginny ran to join the others.
As soon as she walked in the tent, everyone saw her red face from crying, her body shaking badly and the scared look on her eyes.
"Ginny, calm down, sit over here!" Harry said, helping her seat on a chair, and taking little Alex from her arms to give him to Julie. "Everything is going to be alright, Ginny… Just take everything slowly!"
"YOU KNEW? ALL THIS TIME AND YOU KNEW?" she screamed in shock, surprising all the guests who were looking at her with curiosity.
"What's going on? Ginny, what is it?" Molly Weasley asked, sitting herself close to her sobbing daughter.
"I only found out yesterday! I haven't seen him yet… He's in there, isn't he?" Harry asked, with a worried expression on his face, while he looked to the school's main doors.
"Yes, he's in there…" she mumbled, resting her head on her mother's shoulders, while Molly Weasley hugged her tightly.
"Ginny, love, what's going on? What are you talking about?" she asked, scared.
"Draco is alive, Mom… He's here in Hogwarts!" Ginny said in a low voice, but apparently everyone heard, as they all started to comment.
"HE'S WHAT?" Julie yelled, looking furious, and crying at the same time. "DRACO PHILIP MALFOY, YOU CRAZY GIT, SHOW YOURSELF!"
A few minutes later, Cassie ran out of the tent, looking extremely happy.
"DADDY! DADDY!"
Everyone stood quiet, watching the blond man kneel on the ground to hug Cassie, crying with happiness.
"Hello, darling! Gosh, you're looking beautiful!" he said, kissing his little girl.
"Oh, Daddy, where were you? I've missed you…" Cassie laughed, hugging his neck with her little arms, while he stood up holding her.
"I've missed you to, sweetie! I love you…" he whispered in her ear, coming closer to all the guests.
Harry was the only one to approach Draco and hug him friendly, while the others just looked shocked.
"Everyone, Draco and Ginny need to talk, so please, no questions for now…" Harry said, looking serious. "You've got a lot to explain, mate!"
"I know, Harry, I know…" Draco sighed, handing Cassie to Harry, and coming closer to Julie, who was now sitting next to Ginny, still holding her son in her arms, although he was now awake. "Hello Julie…"
"Oh Philip, what have you done to us?" Julie sobbed, standing up to kiss and hug her nephew.
"I'll explain everything, Julie. I promise!" he said, looking at Alex. "Can I hold my son?"
"He's not your son…" Ginny said, coldly. "Alex is Julie's son."
"He is? But, where is our baby? When I left you were pregnant!" he asked, looking desperate, searching for a two year old baby among the guests.
"The only baby you've got is Cassie!" Ginny said, standing up, to face him, whipping her eyes and breathing deeply. "On that day, I've lost two of the things I loved the most in my life! I lost you and my only link to you… our baby!"
Draco's eyes shimmered with tears, and looked extremely guilty.
Ginny's heart told her to hold him in her arms, forget the last two years and love him freely, but her mind stopped her from doing so. She had to remember all the suffer she went through, because of him…
"I'm so sorry…" he whispered, holding her strongly in his arms, running his hands through her soft hair, feeling her wonderful essence and the feel of her skin against his. "Please, forgive me…"
Ginny sighed deeply, circling his waist with her arms, loving the feel of him again, but soon she stepped away from their hug.
"Harry, Joanne, I'm sorry I've ruined your wedding…" Draco smiled sadly, facing the new couple. "Ginny and I are going inside the school to have a long conversation…"
"Everything's ok, Draco! It's good to have you back, but please, don't you ever make Ginny suffer again!" Joanne replied, hugging Draco with a sweet smile.
"You will face all the Weasley boys after that conversation, so be prepared!" Ron menaced, looking murderous, just like all of his brothers.
Draco nodded in agreement, and started walking towards the castle, side by side with Ginny. He tried to hold her hand, but she refused the touch.
`This is going to be so hard… I only hope everything ends well…' Draco thought, watching the woman he loved. She had been the only thing that kept him from giving up for the last two years, and he wasn't going to lose her. He would do anything just to stay close to her.