Believe

Ginny Weasley stared absentmindedly out the window of her small apartment on Diagon Alley. It was Christmas Eve and snow was swirling down thickly from the gray sky. The soft chatter of witches and wizards doing some last minute shopping could be heard but no real laughter accompanied it. Most sounded forced.

Ginny turned away from the window and stared blankly at the twinkling candle on her nightstand. She had sworn to keep it lit until it was all over, until he came home to her.

At the end of Ginny’s fourth year, the Second War against Lord Voldemort had broken out. With the War came a sadness that would not be lifted until the War was over and Voldemort was defeated. But this could only be possible if Harry Potter, the one destined to defeat him, could actually fulfill his fate. All those closest to Harry didn’t doubt his abilities but the question was when would it happen.

The War had been going on for five years now, Ginny having graduated from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry two years earlier. As it continued, Ginny had found her sadness deepening and despair taking over her heart more and more. Christmas for her was no longer the happy and cheerful holiday it had once been.

Ginny sighed and stood up, taking her empty mug of hot chocolate and walking into the kitchen to rinse it out. The apartment was dark with only a few scattered candles lit. It seemed she would been spending another year all by herself. Almost everyone she knew was either fighting or dead, a sad fact but a true one.

Ginny gripped the kitchen counter, trying to keep the flood of tears wanting to spill forth at bay. How many years had it been since she had seen him? How many Christmases had she endured without him there? Just how long had it been? It seemed like an eternity.

Draco Malfoy. Hearing his name brought forth joy and sadness, a smile and tears. The arrogant and spoiled only child of a Death Eater, the most hated enemy of the entire Weasley family and Harry Potter, the intimidating and mocking ferret, was no longer like that. During her sixth year, Draco Malfoy had gone through a complete turn around. Realizing just how wrong his father and Voldemort were, Draco had turned away from becoming a Death Eater and instead joined the Light. He swore his allegiance and ever since then, began fighting and going undercover.

Slowly Draco had built up trust with all those he had previously been enemies with. And after getting approval from Ron, which took a lot of convincing Ginny was later told by Hermione, Draco came to her and asked her out. Though in shock, Ginny has accepted and the two began a happy and long relationship.

But halfway through her seventh year, the day came that would forever be etched into her memory. Draco came to Hogwarts with the news he would be leaving with Harry and Ron to go fight Voldemort outside of England. In tears, Ginny had begged him not to go, not wanting him to risk his life, not wanting to lose him. But she knew, deep down, that she couldn’t convince him otherwise and this was something he wanted to do. He felt it was his duty to make up for everything horrible he had done and prove himself to the Light.

So Draco had left, swearing to her that he would return to her and they would be able to live happily ever after. “I love you” were the last words he whispered to her before he disappeared into the night, leaving her alone on the grounds, tears running silently down her cheeks.

Two and a half years had passed without a word from Draco. Ginny had desperately wanted to fight but her parents had forbidden her. The Weasley family had already lost Percy and Charlie to Voldemort, they didn’t want to risk their youngest daughter along with their other sons. Ron was still with Harry, as far as Ginny knew. Hermione and Luna had been in the fight for a year before they were sent back, the risk and the danger becoming so high that Harry had forced both of them away. Ginny knew both of them were as unhappy as her, waiting anxiously for any news at all.

Life without Draco was becoming harder with each passing Christmas, the time when miracles supposedly happened. Ginny didn’t understand this belief though. No miracles were coming with her Christmas, only fear. Fear that she would receive news of Draco’s death, that he would break his promise and never return to her. The thought of living her entire life without him was almost too much to bear. She loved him and she needed him. He was everything to her.

Ginny shook her head, trying to clear the unnecessary thoughts from her head. There was no need to dwell on things like this. Her eyes flicked around the apartment, realizing for the first time that she hadn’t hung up one Christmas decoration. But why would she? Her faith and belief in Christmas was almost gone, it had left with Draco. He had vanished from her presence on Christmas Eve and with him he had taken her belief in hope and miracles.

“When you return to me,” Ginny whispered to the darkness, “then I will once again believe in Christmas. Just come back to me Draco, that’s all I ask.”

Blinking back more tears, Ginny started blowing out the candles around the apartment before finally going into her bedroom. With a few flicks of her wand, she cast some protective spells around her room, she could never be too careful with the War on. She set her wand on her bedside table and crawled into bed, wondering how she was going to survive through another Christmas.

With a close of her eyes, Ginny quietly said, “Just give me something to believe in. That’s my Christmas wish.”

And leaning over, she blew out the last candle.

………………………..

Late Christmas morning, Ginny woke to an annoying tapping sound coming from her bedroom window. As she sat up, tiredly rubbing her eyes, her alarm clock started blaring loudly, announcing it was eleven o’clock and causing Ginny to jump in shock. Slamming her hand down to shut it off, she quickly noticed that the tapping noise had not disappeared.

Looking to her right, she saw the faint outline of an owl through the fogged up window. Groaning loudly, she lifted the warm covers off her legs and walked reluctantly over to unlatch the window. A blast of cold hair hit her face as the owl swooped into her room and landed on her bed. Ginny hurriedly shoved the window shut and snatched her thick robe off of her bedside chair to warm herself up.

Ginny eyed the owl warily, wondering who would be trying to contact her on Christmas Day. She gave a slight gasp when she saw what exactly was clamped in it’s beak. A beautiful and perfect white rose with a small note attached. Ginny stretched a trembling hand forward and gently took the rose from the owl. She stared down at it in wonder, running her fingertips over the delicate petals.

“But who,” she said softly to herself, “would have sent me this?”

She looked again at the owl, studying it carefully, but she did not recognize it. The tawny stretched it’s wings for a moment before staring at her expectantly. Suddenly knowing what it wanted, she went over to her dresser and pulled out a couple of owl treats. Once the owl accepted these, Ginny opened the window again and the owl left in a flurry of snow.

Still awed by the rose, Ginny refused to put it down, wracking her brain to find out just who had sent her this special Christmas gift.

“No one sends me anything anymore,” she muttered. “The War doesn’t allow much happiness and gift-giving.”

Ginny’s thoughts wandered to Draco but she scratched that as soon as it flitted through her head. There was no way that Draco would have sent her it, she had no idea where he was. She didn’t even know if he was still…..

No, she thought angrily, I refuse to think that he is dead cause he’s not.

But could it have been Draco? Why then, if it was, would he send it anonymously? Ginny sighed deeply and then remembered the note attached to the stem. With trembling fingers, she slowly unwrapped the piece of parchment and read the two words written on the surface. With a sharp intake of breath, Ginny dropped the note and just stared blankly into space.

Just Believe.

……………………

Ginny wandered the apartment restlessly the entire day, not able to calm down. It was Draco, it had to be Draco, but what did it mean? Just believe. What was she suppose to believe? Did it mean he was finally coming home to her?

As night began to fall, Ginny grew anxious. She no longer believed in good things happening to her on Christmas Day, so how could this year be any different?

“But the note said to believe,” she said aloud, trying to reassure herself.

Ginny finally gave up on thinking about the note too much and decided to go to bed. The clock was slowly ticking towards midnight and so many thoughts were going through her head that a headache was forming. After making another mug of hot chocolate, Ginny went into her room and crawled into bed. She stayed up for another half hour out of pure nerves, too shaky to turn off the lights and just fall asleep. Exhaustion finally came over her and with a wave of her wand, the lights went out and Ginny drifted into a very light sleep.

A few hours later, Ginny started awake, feeling a presence in her room. She grabbed her wand off her bedside table and clutched it tightly, ready to spring into action at any sign of danger. Breathing slowly and quietly, Ginny decided to chance it and light the darkened room.

“Lumos!” she whispered.

A flare of light appeared at the end of her wand and she gasped, almost losing hold of her wand when she saw another white rose laying on the end of her bed. Her curiosity fully peaked now, Ginny crawled out of her bed and picked up the rose, twirling it in her fingers. Her gaze landed on the other rose she had placed in a vase on her dresser. Just where were these roses coming from?

She stood up, still holding the rose but keeping her wand close by just in case. Ginny moved toward the door and listened closely for any strange noises. Silence greeted her ears so she took a chance and swung the door open. With a wave of her wand, the apartment lit up, practically blinding her. After blinking a few times, she was able to see clearly into the kitchen and living room. Her jaw fell open in shock with the sight that greeted her eyes.

On almost every available inch of space, bouquets of white roses had been placed. Petals had been scattered on the floor and a few individual ones had also been set around the rooms. Hardly believing it, Ginny stepped further out of her bedroom, letting her wand clatter to the floor.

Ahead of her, the largest bouquet of roses had been placed on the kitchen counter. She made her way towards it, hoping it would have a note on it, revealing all of the answers that she craved. Just as she suspected, a note was among the fragrant flowers and she plucked it out and unrolled it. One word was written on it this time.

Believe.

“That’s all I wanted you to do,” a deep voice spoke behind her.

Ginny froze. She knew that voice, she knew that voice very well. Tears starting to well in her eyes, Ginny slowly turned and faced the one person she’d been dreaming about for the past two years.

Draco Malfoy smiled softly at her when she finally faced him. His blonde hair was longer and he looked older but he was still the same Draco that Ginny loved with all her heart. He was holding a single white rose in his hand and was staring at her adoringly. Ginny had never seen a more beautiful sight in all her life. Tears of joy started to fall from her eyes and her own smile started to spread across her face.

“Happy Christmas, Gin,” he whispered.

“Draco!” Ginny exclaimed, finding her voice and running to him.

They embraced each other, holding on as if they were afraid the other person would disappear if they let go. Both were crying, hardly believing that after two long years, they were finally back in each other’s arms.

Draco pulled back slightly and cupped Ginny’s chin in his hand, making her look him in the eyes.

“I promised I would return, all you had to do was believe,” he said softly, stroking her cheek.

Ginny smiled through her tears. “Never again will I doubt that. I love you, Draco.”

“I love you too, Gin.”

Then he leaned forward and their lips met in a gentle but loving kiss. And never again would Ginny doubt Christmas, for miracles did take place that day, all you had to do was believe.

........................

Author's Note: This is just a quick one-shot I thought up for Christmas. I hope you enjoyed it, I meant it to be really sweet. I don't see many Ginny/Draco Christmas stories on here so...that's why I felt like writing this one. I plan on doing a Harry/Hermione New Year's one so be on the look-out for that and I'll be updating Heirs of Hogwarts and Take My Breath Away this week as well. So, I hope you enjoyed my first attempt at a Christmas fic! Please review!
Much Love,
PhoenixFirebolt