A/N: I refer to a book in this chapter called Outlander. It's written by Diana Gabaldon, whom I have had the pleasure of seeing (and getting my book signed by her). It's a great series, but the first book, Outlander, is the best!
I deeply thank all of you for your wonderful reviews and words of gratitude and encouragement. I am currently working on a sequel involving their children (and no, Marissa will NOT get together with James as he is her cousin!) and am working on my own story. I have always wanted to write a book and would write my own when I was 12 or 13 (way past that now). So, maybe one day…a real book will be published out there in the real world! Until then…I hope to continue on fanfic. I also have a few chapters written of a different Harry and Hermione story…one that takes place years after Hogwarts with no HBP in there. Maybe I will work on that too…who knows!?
There is an Epilogue after this. I will post my next story at the same time as the Epilogue so you can find it easily. Also, Ch.1 of the sequel is the same as the Epilogue of this one, just to catch new readers up to date.
Thanks so much for being so supportive and I never dreamed I would get this many reviews for a D/G fic! <round of applause for all of you reviewers>
-------
New Beginnings
Ginny left that squeezing sensation behind her as she stood in a very silent, very large, very modern kitchen. Quizzically she looked at Draco then turned away from the kitchen and looked out a set of French Doors to her right.
"Where ARE we?" she muttered and walked the few steps to the doors. The sun had already set and she could only see the shadows of bushes and a few trees out the window. She swore she could hear something so she opened the door and a blast of cold air, combined with the sound of water reached her ears.
"Ok, I give up…where are we?" Ginny felt him come up behind her and she shut the door, turning towards him.
"I really should just let you see in the morning; I'm sure you'll recognize it then," he wrapped his arms around her waist and she placed her hands on his chest looking at him. He recognized the silence and the look to mean he had better tell her…now!
"We're in a house at Costa De Valencia…in Spain," he saw a look of surprise then joy come across her face.
"I came here with Ron and loved it. I told you about it?" she spun around and looked out the window, cupping her hands around her face so she could peer into the gray darkness. He came up and hugged her from behind.
"You did…I didn't forget how much you liked it. I was in Africa when you wrote me about it," his cheek was pressed against the side of her head and he watched his breath fog up the window.
"I can't believe this. Where did you find this house? It looks Muggle to me, a very nice one at that," Ginny felt him press something into her hand as she let them fall to her sides. Looking down and uncurling her fist she saw a key.
"What is this for?"
"To the house," Draco said.
"We just apparated in, why do I need a key?" Ginny asked confused. He stepped back and grabbed a file that she hadn't noticed was sitting on the counter and he silently handed it to her.
She set the key down and opened the folder, glancing down through the first page.
It was the deed to the house in their names…she saw in bold print Ginevra Weasley Malfoy…the first time she had seen her name in print and she stared for such a long time that Draco touched her shoulder.
"You mean," Ginny said slowly, flipping through the paperwork, clearly from a Muggle Bank, "that you own this house?"
"We," Draco said quickly causing her to look up at him.
"It's…ours?"
Draco nodded. "I didn't buy it for us to live in permanently, but as a vacation/weekend/summer place. I would have asked you, but wanted it to remain a surprise."
"Oh…it's a surprise all right, and a wonderful one." Ginny stood up, walked over and kissed him, feeling his hands settle on her back.
"Are you going to take me on a tour?" she whispered and briefly he shook his head, bending over and scooping her up in his arms.
"Draco!" Ginny yelled, laughing.
"First stop is the bedroom…and we'll finish the rest tomorrow," he grinned at her, walked up a spiral staircase, and through a door at the top of the stairs, depositing her on the bed and crawling until he was over her. Gazing down at her, seeing her smiling and her hazel eyes sparkling, he realized that she was the best thing that had ever happened to him.
She sensed the change in him and reached up to touch his cheek.
"I can't believe you did this…and I didn't buy you anything," Ginny let her fingers trace his ear then trail down his neck.
"You don't have to buy me anything…ever. You've already given me the best gifts I could have ever asked for," he said in a rare moment of complete sweet honesty.
"What's that?" she whispered, watching him lower himself so he was resting on his forearms and his face was just a few inches above hers.
"You and Marissa," he bent and kissed her forehead causing Ginny to close her eyes as his lips trailed down over her temple, to her cheek then her chin.
"Really?" she breathed, sucking in her stomach as his fingers started unfastening her buttons on her white blouse. "There has to be other…things you would like or want."
Draco kissed her, delaying his response until he had successfully unbuttoned her blouse.
"I used to think there were other things that I wanted," he mumbled against her lips, lifting his hips a bit so she could pull his shirt out and begin her work on his shirt buttons. "Once I met you, I thought I had it all, and then we had Marissa," he pulled back and looked straight into her eyes.
"And to have a child that…that…," he paused closed his eyes for a moment then opened them again, clearly at a loss as to how to explain what he was feeling.
"I know," Ginny said sparing him from trying to stutter his way through his feelings. She ran a hand up his now bare chest and cupped his head, bringing it down to hers and felt her toes curl as his tongue moved lazily against hers. His hands were mapping her body and it wasn't long until she was moving against him, trying to unbutton his pants so she could feel more of him.
A thought entered her mind as she felt him roll to his side, helping her with his pants and then working on hers. His lips were pressed so hard against hers she couldn't ask him the question that just popped into her head. She felt her winter clothes disappear and she turned herself so she was on her side, looking down at him and was able to pull away.
"Do you…do you want more than one child?" she asked, tracing his lip with her finger, feeling him kiss it softly, then saw him nod.
"Because I want to give you a son…you deserve at least that…a daughter and a son," Ginny said seriously, feeling his arm snake under her and pull her on top of him.
"As long as they are made by me and you, I don't care if it's girls or boys," he pushed her hair back letting it run through his fingers grabbing the ends of it and holding it in his fist.
"Just not right now," he added and felt her give a small laugh, then nod in agreement.
And with the slowness that only two newlyweds, without children near them could do, they celebrated their first night together until the early hours in the morning when Ginny finally fell asleep, curled up against her husband.
-----------
Ginny woke up first on her side, facing the door…and the window in their bedroom. Quietly she slipped out of bed and walked quickly to the bathroom finding a robe to slip on over her chilled body. As she walked out of the nice sized bathroom, she got her first look at the bedroom.
It looked as if Draco had purchased just the necessities…a bed. Smiling at his frugalness she padded over to the window and peered out. She saw the sea moving slowly beneath the cliff that their house was perched on. The view was unbelievable. Glancing at Draco, who was still asleep on his back she walked down the stairs and into a living room that had a fireplace and a sofa, turned the corner into the kitchen where they had apparated the night before. Now she could see out the patio doors and was delighted to see that the view from the balcony was just as gorgeous as their bedroom.
Sighing happily she glanced in the refrigerator and found it stocked with food…all the appliances were stainless steel and the whole Muggleness of the house gave her a cozy feeling and made her think of her father. Finding a coffeemaker she went through the process of starting the coffee, thankful that Grimmauld had one of these and she new how to use it thanks to Harry and Hermione.
She couldn't help the smile that stayed on her face as she thought of her wedding day yesterday. Now, as she glanced down at her ring hearing the coffeemaker gurgle she couldn't believe she was married, and to Draco of all people.
She was going to be 19 years old this year and she had just married one of the richest wizards, which now meant she was one of the richest witches. The thought made her lightheaded for a minute then realization dawned on her that she could take care of her family, her parents for the rest of their lives…if need be.
Stirring sugar and cream into her coffee she walked around the rest of the first floor noticing a laundry room off the kitchen, a small bathroom attached to that and walking back through the kitchen she made her way back upstairs with a black coffee for Draco. She set it carefully down on the window ledge, noticing he still hadn't moved, then went back out to the hall and found four other bedrooms and another bathroom. The house was large yet cozy and was distinctly Spanish feeling. She was going to have fun furniture shopping and just relaxing in general with Draco. Marissa entered her mind for a bit and she glanced at a clock that was mounted in the hall seeing it was almost eight in the morning. Marissa would be up by now, having had her first bottle and totally wide awake staring at her grandmother or whatever toy happened to be floating in the air above her line of sight.
Looking around the bedroom she was standing in, the only one painted yellow-the rest being cream-she thought that this one would be the perfect room for Marissa or any of the other babies in her family. Now, as she thought of Jillian, Cassandra, James and Brian she remembered Fleur pulling her aside whispering that she and Bill were pregnant and would be having their first child in early November. Ginny was so happy because she knew they had been trying for awhile and she hoped that everything went smoothly for them.
Making her way back down stairs she stopped in front of a bookcase filled with English and Spanish books. Running her fingers along the spine she saw Muggle titles she had never heard before.
Lord of the Rings…all three of them. 'Three?' Ginny thought. 'How many rings can there be?'
Outlander was the name of a huge book and apparently there were many more after that one too.
Chronicles of Narnia was another one on the shelf below and Ginny thought she had heard Hermione mention that name before.
Grabbing Outlander she sat down on the sofa and saw a small end table on which she set her coffee down and opened up to
the first page. Soon she was lost in the world of 1940's England and then transported back in time to the
1700's in Scotland. She wasn't even aware when Draco made his way to the top of the stairs, his now warm coffee
in his hand, pajama pants on but shirtless. He watched her curled up on the sofa reading intently, her dark red curtain
of hair obscuring her profile from him. Taking a sip of his coffee he crept downstairs quietly, not wanting to disturb
her, but wondering how deeply she was into whatever book she was reading since she didn't flinch when he came and
stood behind her.
Crouching down, carefully balancing his coffee, he put his mouth near her ear.
"Good morning Mrs. Malfoy."
She jumped visibly and spun around, marking her spot in the book with her finger.
"Good morning," she smiled at him, leaned over the back of the sofa and kissed his lips. "Sleep well?"
"I sure did." He walked around and sat down next to her, looking at the book she was reading.
"The previous owners left a whole bookcase of books…is this one of them?"
"It is and it's very good too. I might have to bring it back with me; I don't think I can finish six hundred pages in a week." Ginny marked the page and set it on the table next to her empty cup of coffee.
"Well, what are we going to do today?" Ginny snuggled against him.
"I think we should probably find a place to buy some furniture, sightsee…whatever else you would like to do." Draco kissed the top of her head and waved their two empty mugs to the kitchen.
"Hmm…," Ginny laid a hand on his leg and saw his left hand cover hers. Reaching over she touched the wedding band on his finger. Now he wore only two pieces of jewelry…his Slytherin ring and wedding ring.
"How about we get dressed and go eat? I am starving," she looked up at him, her head still on his shoulder. She searched his eyes for a minute and for a moment felt how happy and complete he was and it surprised her that she was able to bring this to him. Smiling she reached up and touched his cheek.
"Me too," she whispered and he sighed then stared at her harder.
"Don't ever doubt my love for you or for our family," he started and Ginny placed a finger over his lips.
"I never have and never will," she whispered, twisting herself so sat up and straddled his lap. Leaning down she kissed him, holding his face between her hands.
And she showed him just how much he meant to her in the easiest way she knew how; giving herself completely to him…causing a delay in getting breakfast.
------------
Draco and Ginny apparated back into their flat a week later to Narcissa rocking Marissa to sleep near the fireplace.
It had been the best week of Ginny's life and after kissing Marissa and remarking how much bigger she looked, she babbled on for twenty minutes about the house that was perched on a cliff overlooking the coast; the furniture they bought and the sites they visited.
Hermione and Harry brought Brian over and got to hear the story as Ginny repeated their honeymoon adventures, leaving some parts out, while Draco unpacked and Marissa slept peacefully in her bassinette.
Narcissa took her leave, after a glowing report about how good her granddaughter was and with in a few hours it was just the three of them in the flat.
"I'm thinking of starting back to St. Mungo's next week," Ginny said looking through their mail on the table while Draco munched on some fruit.
"Already? You have another few weeks off."
"Well, your mother and mine worked out so well they offered to watch her while I went back and I want to go and finish this trainee program."
"Ok, if that's what you want," he threw the apple core in the trash..
"I get to go see what kind of terror Professor Snape instilled upon my students while I was gone."
Ginny laughed, handing him a few lettesr addressed to him from various organizations.
"I can only imagine."
Marissa began crying from their bedroom and Draco and Ginny looked at each other.
"Welcome back to real life," Ginny smiled and Draco nodded.
"I wouldn't have it any other way," he said seriously, kissing her and Ginny felt tears spring to her eyes at the tone of his voice. He moved past her and walked into the bedroom to grab Marissa. It was time to go to The Burrow and relay their honeymoon story to his new in-laws.
Their life as The Malfoy's was only just beginning.