Dear Gin
I've been here almost an hour and I'm already going 'round the bend without you. Whatever happened to that Malfoy patience and restraint I once had? Oh, now I remember, I met you. I'm not complaining, far from actually. With you, however, came your impatience which was soon passed on to me. But it's only a small, insignificant price to pay to be yours.
My welcome here was not a warm one luv, but we expected that. Ran into your brother and nearly killed him. I'm sorry but he doesn't know when to let things go. And from what you've told me, he never has. Today he had the nerve to say that you belonged with Potter, the boy-wonder! Now I've told you about our run-ins at the pubs, but after hearing about it in Hogwarts and then after we got married, I am quiet certain that I'm getting tired of hearing that you should be with the boy-who-lived. He's an all right chap but I can safely say that I would rather you had nothing to do with him in that way if you catch my drift. Okay, that sounded a little over protective but I'm sure you can understand my reasoning.
I would think that Ron would let it alone, for your sake as well as his. All right, for myself as well. I can tell you one thing though luv, it will be a long war if he keeps that up. Maybe you could give him what for? He sure as hell won't listen to me and you're the only one he really listens to at all anymore, Gin.
On to better news, though you may have already heard it by the time this letter gets to you. Potter asked Granger to marry him. Of course she said yes, rather enthusiastically by the way. I walked in half way through and nearly made both jump out of their skins. Got Potter to promise to give us good seats at the wedding before stepping out. I have never heard that woman shriek that loud before! Apparently Granger does has a voice that can rise above an annoyed growl.
The only down side to this proposal and usually joyous event (beside the fact that were facing war tomorrow) is that I started thinking. You know what happens when I start thinking, my thoughts always wander to you. This time I thought of our own engagement. Nearly drove me mad within two seconds of the thought entering my mind. I hope you're happy that you have this control over me, no one else has ever possessed it. Well, except one but that was different and we won't think on him.
You know, I never thought I'd have to use this stationary again. I thought I'd be able to spend every day with you and not need a quill and parchment in place of mouthed speech. It's not a happy thought but at least we still have a way to communicate before that too is taken from us.
I'll try to come home as soon as I can luv. I hated walking away from you this morning; you have no idea how hard it was. Hopefully there won't be a need to again.
I love you Ginny, with all my heart and I can't wait to come home. Make sure to be there when I do, or I'll come looking for you and that's a promise. I'll write again soon.
Forever yours
Draco
My breath caught in my throat as I read the letter over a third and fourth time. He'd been gone maybe half a day and the need for additional oxygen was becoming more and more desirable. The hyperventilating began as soon as I had sat down on the floor in front of the fire, making my chest burn for hours later. That was how the owl found me and I greedily snatch up the letter in its beak. How is it possible that one man could make me react this way? I had promised myself that no one would control me ever again, not after...But here I was, taking in the words on the page as if it were my ticket to life, my way to solace. Of course it was not the same kind of control; I could remember everything that had happened that day, I was not covered in chicken blood, and I wasn't running to a diary. And, according to the letter, I had the same control over Draco. It was strange…
I looked around the front room again, scanning over the people moving in scattered picture frames. Their smiles brought some comfort, the warmth of memories pulling a small laugh from my throat, but not nearly enough to brighten my mood for long.
Standing, my legs stiffened from sitting to long, I stumbled over to the far wall. Draco's face was grinning back at me from within the black and white surface while he tried to keep a hold on picture-me's waist. Picture-me was giggling and trying to escape from view but not getting any farther than the edge before being snatched back into Draco's arms. The picture had been shot only a few hours before he had got down on one knee and proposed. I was still blind to what he had been planning at that point. But after a late breakfast in bed, at trip to London, dinner in a Muggle restaurant, I had figured something was up. Near sunset, he pulled out a simple silver ring, a thin crimson layer rounding the top and bottom of the band inspired by our stationary.
"It fits us," he had said later that night.
A smile crept onto my lips as his voice floated through my mind, my eyes still watching the struggling, miniature pair.
"You've made me a better man Gin and I don't think I would be the person I am today without you. You make my world one that I want to live in, as long as you're there. I love you more than I have ever loved anyone or anything. Please, make me the luckiest man alive and say that you'll be my wife."
His voice had shaken as he spoke which, added to the rambling, making me laugh as tears burst out of their hiding places. Apparently, what he had really wanted to say never came out but what did couldn't have been more perfect. It was one of the best days of my life, the other one following only a few months later.
Looking at the picture made a harsh pain stab my heart, watching how happy we were together making the distance between us now seem even more unbearable. I wanted him. The need was suddenly unbearable, causing my body to unwillingly flinch away.
My fists ball at my sides as I fight off my sudden anger towards the man I had once considered my blood relative. He had taken so many of my loved ones away; my father, my brothers and now Draco. The boy wonder. Ha! He wasn't so wonderful now…
"Doesn't he have enough?" I ask through clenched teeth. My logic tried to reason with me, telling me it was the only way for us to be saved, that I really loved Harry and was grateful to him in so many ways. But he had taken Draco from me and that was something I could not easily forgive. To hell with logic…
I was dangerously close to an explosion, fury wrapping in a tight blanket over my heart and become red before my eyes. A crash sounded from the kitchen, no doubt a plate being thrown against the wall by no visible means. I spun around, ready to throttle something else, when my eyes landed on Draco's letter. The fire inside me was smothered in an instant, replaced by a dull ache. I ran a hand through my hair and let out a soft sigh before reaching out for the last bit of him I had left. Clutching it to my chest, I turn to walk upstairs to find my own crimson-lined paper. The tears were already beginning to fall down my cheeks as I mounted the steps. Just when I thought I'd run dry again…
Author's note: So, chapter three is fixed. Hope you're enjoying this so far!