Synopsis: Ginny Weasley is in Azkaban sentenced to die after Lord Voldemort's defeat of the Boy-Who-Lived. To save her life, she agrees to marry Draco Malfoy.
Disclaimer: Harry and the gang are the property of J.K. Rowling. A few minor characters (Scrubs, Elysia, and other Malfoys), as well as the history of the Malfoy family, belong to me. Don't steal my peeps!
AN: Well, it has been a year and a half since I updated. Rather embarrassing for me, I assure you. And yes, I know, I know, I should have updated sooner and I am a terrible person. I have heard all this already, and I don't need to hear it again, please. >.< I didn't mean for it to take this long, but RL gets in the way quite often. I have been busy with school, working and still more school. I was in Germany for awhile, completing a semester abroad for my German major. The classes, the homework, EVERYTHING was in German, making it twice as hard as regular school. I got two more hellish semesters once I got back, but finally graduated college two weeks ago. =P w00t for me. I am going back for my Master's soon, but I promise to try and update frequently.
As a side note, let me tell you in advance that there is no smut in this chapter. I am not really all that good at writing "romantic" scenes. Truth be told, I am absolute crap at it. Every time I started to write the smut chapter I would grow disgusted with it, either because it didn't sound realistic or because (and this is actually quite funny) halfway through it turned into a love scene between two men. I really need to stop reading so much Harry/Draco…LoL! So, I am skipping the smut and just continuing on with the story. I may, at some point, post a cookie of the smut for those who are genuinely interested but for now…well *shrug*.
Another note: I am in need of a beta reader. If anyone is interested, please let me know!
Chapter XII: Loved
~*~
There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved. ~ George Sand
~*~
It was nearly noon when Narcissa Malfoy arrived at the manor. She was therefore very surprised not to find her daughter in-law waiting for her. They had made plans to have lunch together, but Ginny was nowhere to be found.
"Tiny, where is Mrs. Malfoy?" Narcissa asked a passing houseelf.
"Miss is still in bed, Madam." The houseelf squeaked.
"Sweet Merlin, is she ill?" Narcissa put a hand to her throat. "Should I send for Draco?"
"No Madam, Miss is not sick, but she is still in bed, sleeping."
"She must still be tired from her ordeal, the poor dear. I'll go to the palace and speak to Draco about her."
"Please Madame…Master is not at the palace. Master is sleeping."
"At this hour?" Narcissa looked toward the stairs in confusion, but then her eyes widened in comprehension.
"I see." She said, softly. "That is wonderful! Tiny, there is no need to tell Master Draco that I was here. Let the two lovebirds sleep as long as they like. Oh, and Tiny…cancel all of Master Draco's appointments for the rest of the week."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Draco, are you going to tell me where we are going?" Ginny asked, as she took a cautious step forward. Damn the blindfold!
Earlier that morning, as they were finishing breakfast, Draco had slid the blindfold across the table to her. She had agreed to wear it only because her husband had promised that there was a present waiting for her if she agreed to wear the black scrap of material. She had already been wearing it for half and hour and now the area around the blindfold was starting to itch.
"No, I'm not telling," Draco replied. "Oh, and by the way, your blindfold is charmed so it will not come off until we reach our destination. If you try to peak, your tongue, teeth and ears will start to grow, and won't stop until I administer the counter-charm."
Ginny's hands had been mere inches away from the blindfold. She quickly dropped her back to her side, and tried to concentrate on not falling on her face.
"Bastard," she mumbled, scowling in the direction of Draco's voice.
"Pouting and swearing will get you nowhere, darling." Draco said.
"If you let me take it off, I promise to give you a massage when we get back to the manor." Ginny offered.
"Is that so?" Unless Ginny was greatly mistaken, his voice sounded a little strained. Excellent.
"Full body." Ginny said seductively, reaching out blindly for him. "I'll even use that special oil that you like."
"Damn."
Ginny smiled as Draco pulled her closer. She sighed as she felt one of his hands run softly down the side of her body, coming to rest on her hip. "If I hadn't already made plans…"
"Yes? What would you do to me?" Ginny's hand found the top button of his shirt, and expertly began undoing them.
"What the…no!" Draco playfully slapped her hand away from his shirt.
"Oh…" Ginny pouted, "why not?"
"If you keep your hands to yourself for two minutes, then I'll show you." He promised. "Now, where is that thing? Ah ha! Here it is. Now, Ginny I need you to touch this."
"Touch what?" Ginny asked. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm blindfolded."
"Just… reach out, and you'll find it." Draco promised.
Sighing heavily, Ginny stretched her right arm forward. Her fingers brushed something cold and metallic. The next moment she felt a pull, somewhere near her navel. A Portkey!
Ginny landed hard. Draco's arms came up to support her. "Steady there, Gin. We can't have Mrs. Malfoy breaking any bones."
"Well, if I could see."
"Alright, alright…you can take off the blindfold now."
Ginny eagerly pulled the blindfold away. The sun was bright, and it took a few moments for her eyes to adjust to the light. When she saw where she was standing, she gasped. It was the Burrow. It was no longer a pile of rubble. It was freshly painted; every shingle was in place on the roof; each and every window shutter hung straight. It looked just as it had when she was a child. She expected Fred or George to come bursting out of the house at any moment.
"I know how much you missed it and… them… So I had it rebuilt," Draco said. "It's yours. A place that is just for you, for you to come and visit whenever you want. Happy Birthday."
"Oh… Draco..." Her voice shook and tears gathered in her eyes. It was the most wonderful birthday present he could have given her, short of bringing her family back. She put her arms around him and buried her face against his chest.
"I take it that you like my gift?" Draco asked, as he gently kissed her ear.
"I love it!" She stood on tip-toe and kissed his mouth. "It's wonderful."
"Thank Merlin," he laughed, "because it cost me 250,000 Galleons to restore."
"You didn't have to spend that much money on me."
He shrugged. "I can afford it. Since I have the money, I might as well spend it on the people I lo-care about." He wiped away a stray tear that had made its way down her cheek.
He had almost said "love." Ginny grinned like a fool. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to cry."
"You are allowed to cry if you need to."
"No, I'm not." She gave him a small smile. "Rule 312 of The Malfoy Code of Conduct states that, `A Malfoy shall not show intense emotion when in the presence of others. Emotions include joy, sorrow, and lust.' Sub article `B' strictly prohibits crying."
Draco laughed. "Where on earth did you find a copy of The Malfoy Code of Conduct?"
"In the library. I was bored, and was looking for something interesting to read. I found it on a bottom shelf between Beautiful Women of the 18th Century and a dog-eared copy of a romance novel called Enchanted Encounters by Fifi LaFolle."
Draco made a face. "My mother's, no doubt. She loves those trashy, medieval, wizarding romances."
"When I first saw it, I thought it might be yours." Ginny said, slyly. "After I found that copy of Witch Weekly under your mattress on Tuesday--"
The rest of her sentence was lost as Draco brought his mouth down on hers. "What do you say we go check out your house, Mrs. Malfoy?"
"Certainly," Ginny said. "We can start with the upstairs. With my room." She pulled him toward the back door.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
You look very happy, Ginevra." Narcissa smiled at her daughter in-law. "I do not remember ever having seen you so happy."
Ginny took a sip of her tea and smiled back at Narcissa. "I am happy. Your son is nothing short of wonderful. We still quarrel occasionally, of course, but we always make up…in the end."
"Yes." Narcissa smiled mischievously. "I can just imagine how the two of you `make up'." Ginny blushed and Narcissa laughed. "It is nothing to be ashamed of, my dear. It is only natural. With all the `making up' you and Draco engage in, is there a chance that I might be a grandmother soon?"
Ginny shook her head, noting the older woman's disappointment. "I'm sorry, but I don't think so. And honestly, I'm glad. Draco and I have only just started to get to know one another. We still have fights, and I hardly ever see him, what with his work at the palace. I don't want to complicate matters by having a baby."
Narcissa sighed. "It is understandable, I suppose. After all, you have plenty of time. You are only twenty-two, after all."
"Twenty-three." Ginny corrected. "My birthday was yesterday."
"Yes, of course, twenty-three. You had better move quickly, my dear, if you are to have six children and have them nicely spaced. If they are to close in age, taking care of them can be quite a chore."
"I'll keep that in mind." Ginny promised, shuddering inwardly at the thought of having six little Dracos running around the manor.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It was late when Draco slipped into bed beside her. She felt the mattress shift under his weight, and moved closer to him.
"Did I wake you?" he asked. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her bare shoulder.
"No. I've been awake for hours, waiting for you." She slipped her arm around his waist and snuggled even closer to him.
"Nightmares?"
"No. I just didn't want to go to sleep without you." She nuzzled his neck and sighed contentedly. "I was just remembering the discussion your mother and I had today when she came by for tea. We talked about the dozen children I'm supposed to bare for the Malfoy family."
"Merlin! My mother and children…" Draco began rubbing her back. "You realize, of course, that once we have a child, Mother will start complaining that she is too young to be a grandmother."
"Thankfully, there won't be any grandchildren for awhile, so there is no need to start worrying about it now." Ginny was as close to Draco as was humanly possible, with her arms around his neck, and one bare leg curled around his hip.
"That's just fine." Draco's hand moved to her shoulder, sliding the strap of her nightgown off. "I like having you all to myself."
"Don't you like to share?" she asked playfully, shifting her body so that she lay beneath him."
He pulled her nightgown off and began laying kisses on her stomach. "When it comes to you, I find I am incredibly selfish."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
When Ginny opened her eyes she realized it wasn't yet morning. She could not see any light peeking in around the edge of the heavy, black curtains, and the room was filled with the chill of pre-dawn.
She rolled over, and groggily reached out for Draco. The feel of the empty pillow beside her caused her to come awake, instantly. What on earth could have caused him to leave in the middle of the night?
She climbed slowly out of bed and bent down to retrieve her discarded nightgown from the floor. Adding a warm dressing gown over the thin nightdress, she went in search of her husband.
The first place she checked was his study. She tried the door handle, but found it locked. She knocked softly, and called his name, but he did not answer. Perhaps he fell asleep. Taking her wand from the pocket of her robe, she pointed it at the door. "Alohamora!" she said clearly. The door did not budge.
With a sigh, Ginny next plodded down the hall to the library. She found a fire burning in the grate, but again there was no Draco. She checked the second floor study, the music room and three of the small parlors, all without result. As a last resort, she decided to check the kitchen.
She took the short-cut, using the door hidden behind a tapestry of The Last Supper. The oak door was heavy, and it took two tries before Ginny succeeded in getting it to open. Even at this early hour, the kitchen was bursting with life. Twp large sinks in the corner were filled with dirty dishes, and several houseelves were busily scrubbing them clean. Half a dozen more were busy sweeping and scrubbing the kitchen's stone floor. Near the fireplace, a tiny houseelf wearing an embroidered dishcloth was darning what appeared to be one of Draco's socks.
Ginny cleared her throat, and immediately all conversation and work ceased. Fifty pairs of eyes turned to look at Ginny. There were gasps and small squeaks of dismay, and several houseelves rushed forward to see to Ginny's needs.
"Is Miss wanting something to eat or drink?" an elf named Dewey asked, anxiously.
"Or perhaps Miss would like a bath?" inquired another.
"No, thank you." Ginny pulled her robe more tightly around herself. "I'm looking for my husband. Where is he?"
The elves instantly became silent, all signs of helpfulness vanishing. They looked at each other uncertainly, regret showing on many of their faces.
"Well?" Ginny asked. The houseelves remained silent and Ginny frowned. Why wouldn't they speak? Then suddenly, she understood. Houseelves guarded the secrets of the family to which they belonged. "You aren't allowed to tell me, are you?"
"No, Miss," The elf, Beanie, said, regretfully shaking his little head. "We is good houseelves. We is keeping our Master's secrets."
"But I'm his wife!" Ginny insisted. "As a member of the Malfoy family, I have a right to know."
"We is keeping our Master's secrets," Beanie repeated, firmly.
Ginny could not help but feel annoyed. If Draco was going to disappear at three o'clock in the morning, he should at least have had the courtesy to leave her some kind of message, telling her where he was going. She had no idea where he was, or if he was safe. His absence frightened her.
She knew that the houseelves would never tell her, but she knew that she needed a way to find out where her husband had gone. Then she remembered! "Scrubs!" she called.
There was movement at the back of the little crowd. The next moment, the crowd parted, and Scrubs emerged. She moved quickly to stand in-front of Ginny. "Yes, Miss," She said, tremulously.
"Tell me where my husband is," Ginny repeated her earlier command.
"I is not allowed to say, Miss--"
"You will tell me." Ginny said firmly. "On my first day here in this house, Master Malfoy told you that you were to be my houseelf. You were to answer first and always to me. Do you remember that?"
"Yes, Miss," Scrubs reluctantly admitted.
"Good. Now, tell me where Master Malfoy has gone."
"He is upstairs, Miss."
"Where upstairs, exactly?" Ginny prompted.
"In the gallery, Miss. In the room behind the portrait, Miss."
"Which portrait?"
"The family portrait, Miss." Scrubs looked to be on the verge of tears. "The one that is not speaking, Miss."
"The one that…?" Ginny frowned. What unmoving portrait? There weren't any unmoving portraits in the gallery, were there? Except… "Oh!"
The portrait of Draco with his parents, painted when Draco was about ten years-old. "The one where he looks like a vicar!" Ginny said, triumphantly. "Show me."
Despite the disapproving noises that the other houseelves were making, Scrubs obediently led her mistress out of the kitchen and up the stairs. They walked slowly, neither speaking, until they reached the top of the last flight.
"This way, Miss," Scrubs squeaked. She moved down the hall, walking much more quickly than before, passing sleeping portraits of the Malfoy family ancestors. It was very dark, and Ginny took out her wand again. "Lumos!" she whispered, and the area around her filled with light.
Groans came from some of the portraits, one of them evening shouting obscenities at Ginny, but she ignored them. She was still trying to figure out what Draco was doing behind a portrait. He didn't want to be found, of that much she was certain.
They came to the end of the hall, and Scrubs pointed a shaky finger at the portrait. "Behind there, Miss," she whispered.
"Why is he in there?"
"Because…that person comes to see him, Miss." Scrubs was clearly terrified.
"Who is `that person'?"
"I is not knowing, Miss," Scrubs squeaked. "They is wearing a black cloak, Miss."
"Do you know if it is a man or a woman?" Ginny asked.
"I is not knowing, Miss," Scrubs was dancing around nervously, looking this way and that, as if she expected to be attacked.
"How do I get in?" Ginny asked. She used her wand to look more closely at the portrait.
"Scrubs is seeing Master do it. Master is touching beside the painting and the painting is moving, Miss."
"Alright," Ginny nodded. "Thank you for your help. You can go back to the kitchen now." As an afterthought she added, "I forbid you to hurt yourself."
"Thank you, Miss." Scrubs sighed, clearly relieved. She disappeared with a soft `pop'.
Now to work! Ginny slowly slid her hand up the side of the portrait. She found nothing on the right side, but on the left side, her fingers found a slight indentation in the frame. She pressed softly inward, and the portrait swung open, revealing an opening similar to the entrance to Gryffindor Tower.
Ginny climbed in very carefully, desperate not to make any sound. Up ahead of her, she could see light, so she extinguished her wand. Just ahead, the corridor turned sharply to the right. She moved slowly forward.
There were voices. A man's voice spoke low and muffled, and there came a soft tinkling laugh that was unmistakably female. Ginny moved more quickly now, curious to learn the identity of the midnight guest her husband was entertaining.
"…do it soon," a voice said, urgently. "Or our chance will be gone!"
"We must be careful," Another voice insisted, "or we-wait! Did you hear that?"
Ginny stopped walking. They had heard her, despite how quiet she had tried to be. She gripped her wand more tightly, ready to fight if she had to.
"Malf--"
"Shh!" The second voice hissed. "Who's there? Come out!"
Ginny knew she was caught. Still gripping her wand, she stepped around the corner, and came face to face with her husband.
Draco's eyes widened in surprise. "Ginny! How-what?" He was clearly angry with her, and Ginny wondered how bad this fight was going to be.
A movement behind Draco caught her eye. The room was small, furnished only with a small square table and a few wooden chairs. The chair closest to her was occupied. The figure stood and turned to face her, throwing back the cloak's hood. Ginny found herself staring into a very familiar pair of green eyes.
"Harry!" she breathed.
Draco caught her before her unconscious form hit the stone floor.
~*TBC*~
AN: This took a very long time to post, but I hope you found that it was worth it. Press that button and let me know!
Thanx to swimchick1614, tess, jennyburnett, weasley_malfoy, Ligia Maria Araki, Henna, madhu893, REW, Venus_Rising, Kadajwannado, t a s H a_x, Julez, sailor_girl, HyperSquishy, Marmi, nisi, yunnage, Cupcake, SlytherinBabe29. jchaser, Channy, Anunziata, pirate2555, A.J., crimsonregret2689, Melissa Edelson, slymom, asmartperfectionist, meeaz, monagy3, auror_star_18, blissfulxin, Marauding Moonbabe, CColdwell, irish_slytherin, Breanna, Ohmigoddess, HPfan and all you Anonymous people for reviewing the last chapter. Heartfelt thanks also go out to Book-Master, who was kind enough to beta this chapter for me.
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