Chapter 4 - Girls talk
Next morning, Ginny woke up with the sound of birds singing on the Burrow's garden.
"What a way to wake up!" she yawned, stretching her long legs and arms on her king-sized bed. That was one of her first purchases, when she started receiving her pay-salary.
Through the gauzy curtain, she watched the perfectly blue sky and sighed. It was a perfect day to relax around the house… Ginny got up from her bed and has she reached for her wand, on her bedside table, her fingers brushed on something silky. Looking down, she found the beautiful red rose she had received last night, from someone she hadn't expected to do such thing.
"You're seeing too much in a simple gesture, Virginia, dear…" she scolded herself. "Maybe he just wanted to get rid of it and by coincidence he left it on the railing… close to your hand…"
She really was exaggerating, right? Or maybe not?
On her 6th year, Ginny had started to watch Draco Malfoy on the school's corridors and on the Great Hall, at meal times. He used to bed one of the most gorgeous guys in Hogwarts, with his pale and smooth skin, the full lips (so kissable) and the shiny blond hair that hung free of gel in front of his silver eyes.
If you asked Ginny what was her favourite feature in Draco, she would have to say, without a doubt, his silver eyes.
After so many months just watching him and fantasising over him, Ginny had come to be an expert on Draco's eyes.
When he was angry or when he looked at the Dream Team, his eyes would become a stormy dark grey, able to make you want to shrink until you're nothing but a little ant. When he was interested in something, his eyes became a steel grey that made you confess every single thing you knew. And her favourite look, but an extremely rare one, was when he was amused and smiled or laughed. On those rare moments his eyes became a light grey, with rays of blue in it, that could melt your heart.
After so many years, Ginny still remembered this crush she had had over him, and blamed this old thoughts on her overreaction about the rose.
Putting on a pair of black mini-shorts and a green spaghetti straps top, she caught her hair in a ponytail and walked down the stairs. In the hallway there was a faint smell of food, and she wondered if it was already lunchtime. Looked time she really had slept her tiredness away.
As she reached the last step, her eyes fell on the living room full of people and she squealed in excitement. There, sitting comfortably on couches were Ron, Luna and their 3 year old boy, Sean; Harry and Hermione sitting so close that she was almost on his lap, both looking extremely happy; and Mr. Weasley, looking proudly at his little grandson.
"Good morning, family!" Ginny smiled happily, kissing her father, her brother and Luna. As she was kissing Luna's cheek, Ginny felt a small hand grab her butt. "Hey! Sean, what do you think you're doing, little boy?"
Sean laughed when his aunt picked him up in the air and placed his tiny arms around her neck for support.
"Hello, Piggy…" he replied, with a cute smile on his freckled face.
Ginny laughed and messed her nephew's mass of red hair.
"Really Ron, I don't want you teaching those things to Sean! We already had problems at the day care because of those gropings…" Luna said angrily staring at her husband.
"Hey, I'm not the fault… He watched me doing that to you and he decided to experiment, that's all!" Ron complained with a red face.
"It's ok, Luna… At least it wasn't someone I hate!" Ginny smiled sweetly and then placed her nephew back on the ground. "And how's my favourite couple?"
"HEY!" Luna complained with a pout.
"Sorry… One of my favourite couples?" Ginny asked again, hugging Hermione and Harry.
"We're wonderful, Gin!" Harry replied with a huge smile.
"Yeah… I can see that in your face! Hey, Hermione, I wonder what you did to get such a big smile on his face? It looks like his face will stay that way for the next two centuries…" Ginny joked, sitting next to her father.
"Oh, don't worry, I'll tell you all of it, later…" Hermione said with a wink.
"HEY! I don't want your girls talking about my private life behind my back…" Harry complained, placing an arm around Hermione's waist.
"Fine, we can talk about it in front of you and picture how you looked in each moment of the story!" Luna smiled amusedly.
"Mione, promise me you won't tell them about our private life…" Harry pouted, placing his forehead against hers.
"Harry darling, I won't tell them anything they don't need to know, ok?" Hermione kissed him passionately and then smiled.
Ginny had been staring at the two couples in front of her with longing. How she wished to be like them… So deeply in love with their other half and able to show the world how happy they are.
Ron and Luna had started seeing each other on Ginny's 6th year, and they had been together ever since. Ron was his father's right hand in the Ministry and Luna owned The Quibbler, but she had made a lot of changes since her father's days and now the magazine was extremely famous.
Harry and Hermione were a completely different story…
After Harry had defeated Lord Voldemort on the end of his 7th year at Hogwarts, he became very cold and lonely. He was in a huge state of depression and no one seemed capable of helping him out. Having had enough of his bad humour and acid behaviour, Hermione had forced him to go to the old Order's Headquarters, at 12, Grimmauld Place, and after a whole week there, together, they both appeared at the Burrow, both smiling happily.
They still didn't know what had happened in that house for a whole week, but it certainly was worth it, because since then Harry never ceased smiling. Along with Hermione, Harry became and Auror and they were living together.
"Lunch is ready!" Mrs. Weasley called from the kitchen, making Ginny wake up from her thoughts. With a huge smile on their faces, everyone ran to the kitchen table, eager to eat Mrs. Weasley's cooking.
A friendly chatter accompanied the delicious lunch and as soon as Harry, Ron, Mr. Weasley and Sean went out to the garden to play Quidditch, the three girls went upstairs to Ginny's bedroom.
"So, how was the party last night?" Hermione asked curious, as they all sat on Ginny's bed.
Ginny told both her friends about every single moment of last night's party and by the end of it, both girls were shocked and surprised.
"He left you a rose? Draco Malfoy?" Luna asked, unable to blink her wide eyes.
"Yes… I just don't know if that rose was meant for me!" Ginny sighed.
"Well, it sure wasn't meant for ME!" Hermione said. "Gosh… He actually did something romantic, didn't he?"
"I wish Ron was like that…" Luna complained. "So, tell me, are you falling for him again, after all these years?"
"I sure hope not, Luna… Back then it was just a little crush. I don't want to suffer in the hands of Draco Malfoy. His fame precedes him, you know?" Ginny replied, holding a pillow against her chest.
"What? The old stories about him going out with a different woman each night, or the ones about him having a one night thing and then leaving them, or the ones about him being violent on the bed?" Luna asked sweetly, making both Ginny and Hermione laugh.
"No… The old stories about him being a cold hearted bastard!" Ginny replied, steadying her breath. "You all know that I'm a sucker who thinks she can save everyone… If I decide to help Draco Malfoy discover the meaning of happiness and love, you both know that I would end up with a heart broken… So, I just don't want to take any chances and luckily I won't be seeing him so soon!"
"Who knows? You could run into him on one of those parties you go to with Carlo…" Hermione replied, looking extremely interested in Ginny's words.
"No, I won't… I've decided what's best for me, Mione. I'm going to break up with Carlo as soon as possible and feel alive again, after a whole year of prison!" Ginny wide opened her arms and yelled at the top of her lungs. "NO MORE MORETTIS IN MY LIFE!"
The three girls laughed and hugged each other.
"That's the right decision, Gin…" Luna smiled. "So, Hermione, tell us the interesting parts of your travel with Harry!"
"Oh, I really shouldn't tell you this, but I know you won't mention it out of this room, so, here it goes!" Hermione replied, blushing deeply. "We have travelled the Muggle way and the first stop was Paris… Harry rented a boat one night and we had dinner has we saw the beautiful monuments, on the Reno's margins. Then, Harry placed an Invisibility spell on us and we had the best sex of my life right there, on the boat front, watching the beautiful lights of Paris reflecting on Harry's eyes…"
"OH DEAR MERLIN!!! Hermione, and you say receiving a rose is romantic? Boy, I wish I had a Harry of my own!" Ginny said with a fascinated smile.
"I can assure you he's more than just fascinating!" Hermione laughed, covering her red face with her hands. "Next stop was Sintra, in Portugal… We have visited the beautiful Pena Palace and then went for a horse carriage sight-seeing."
"Ok, let me guess… You did it on the carriage, as well?" Luna asked, jealously. "That was uncomfortable, no?"
"A little, yes, but it felt good, nonetheless!" Hermione laughed. "Next stop was Barcelona… Well on that city we weren't very original. The elevator got stuck between floors and instead of using magic to get us out of there, we took our chance to be together!"
"Merlin, where is the book-worm I used to know and love?" Ginny asked with mock concern. "You didn't go on vacations… You went on a Sex Parade around Europe! So where was the next stop?"
"Vienna…"
And the girls' talk went on until it was time for dinner.
"Ok, final stop was at Lake Como, in Italy. We rented a house on the lake shore and on our last day travelling around Europe we were sitting on the house's garden, watching the sun set behind the mountains, reflecting the orangey light on the lake waters and we couldn't help it. We placed ourselves in a maze of tall bushes and made love as we watched the sun set… It was magical!" Hermione ended her adventures with her tears in her eyes and a huge smile on her lips. "See, I don't need photos to remember each country… I have these moments engraved in my memory for the rest of my life!"
"Oh wow, Hermione, I can positively say that if you weren't taking any precautions, you'd have as many kids as the number of countries where you did the deed!" Ginny gasped, feeling emotional.
"I sure hope not, because I didn't take any precautions… Harry and I want a family as soon as possible!" Hermione said, happiness all over her face.
"Oh, we're so happy for you!" Ginny and Luna said, hugging Hermione. "You and Harry will be great parents…"
"Thank you… Come on, let's go down for dinner!" Hermione said, leaving the bedroom.
"Gin…" Luna called, holding Ginny's hand, asking her to stay for a little more. "Are you sure about what you said earlier concerning Draco Malfoy?"
"Yes, Luna… I'm not in love with him, I never was. Yes, I had a schoolgirl crush on him, but I'm older now, and I don't think only with my heart, I'm using my head as well." Ginny replied, sitting back on her bed. "Yes, he is beautiful, he can be charming when he wants to, but I don't want to mistake physical attraction with love, ok?"
"Ok, Gin, but this afternoon, when you talked about him, your eyes shone like they used to when you had the crush on him!" Luna said, placing a friendly hand on Ginny's shoulder. "I have the feeling that, although you don't want to, you have already decided to help Malfoy discover the happiness and love you talked about… Just make sure of what you truly want, my friend. Sometimes the best gold runs deeper!"
"Luna, you're talking as if you knew something I don't…" Ginny said, looking at her sister-in-law with confusion in her eyes.
"Just think about what I said, ok Ginny?" Luna sighed, starting to leave the bedroom. "Come on, I miss my two boys!"
Still confused about Luna's little speech, Ginny followed her downstairs for dinner.
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Ok, I know all of you want to jump to Draco's scenes, but that's not possible for now…
Next chapter will include Ginny, Carlo, Draco and a party where the plot will start to take form.
Next chapter is the true beginning of this story.
Well, I thought it would be fun to add a little of other pairings and what's better than a nice long girls talk to
find out the dirty details of their relations, uh?
Thank you for reviewing and being such wonderful readers.
I love every single one of you.
Carina