A Life Worth Choosing

Author notes:Yay me! TWO CHAPTERS IN TWO DAYS! Oki, as all of you know, Draco has that big interview coming up, so I thought I would let you be the reporters. If you have any questions reguarding what happened to Draco during the sixteen years he has been gone, please write all your questions in the review section or you can send them to me at Lunajay7@hotmail.com and they will be answered

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Chapter 12: A Place to Belong

Draco walked through the wall, passing a shaky Avery on his way back in. On the other side, he found Junior and Teddy engaged in a conversation with a few Hogwarts witches.

“Hello boys,” Draco said walking over to the small group.

“Hello Father,” Junior said.

“Mr. Malfoy,” Teddy inclined his head.

“Father, this is Macadrian, Katharina, Viola, and Ashlyn.”

“Ladies,” Draco inclined his head hello.

The girls all giggled silently and whispered in each others ears.

“What happened to your face?” Draco asked noticing a small gash running down his son's cheek.

“He had a little run in with the fairies from the lamp post,” Teddy snickered.

“Mum said she'd fix it when we got home,” Junior blushed.

“Where is your mother?” Draco asked.

“She's with Kaeda. I think something happened between her and Avery,” Junior pointed down the road towards Flourish and Blotts.

“Yea, he came strutting by pretty fast, and it sounded like he was mumbling to himself,” Teddy added.

“He did seem a bit odd when he walked by me.”

“Kade probably told him off or something,” Teddy laughed.

“Wouldn't be the first time,” Junior shook his head.

“Well I'll just have to go find out then, won't I?” Draco said. “Nice to meet you ladies,” Draco inclined his head again.

Draco strutted off down the alley, grinning as he caught a bit of the conversation from behind him.

“That's your father?” one of the girls was asking.

“He's cute,” another added.

“Is that what you're going to look like?” the third asked.

Draco shook his head and continued walking.

“Why are you smiling?” Ginny asked as Draco approached them sitting together on the bench.

“I'm cute!” Draco smirked.

“Now what would make you think that?” Ginny raised an eyebrow.

“The young witches Junior and Teddy are talking too. You ladies alright?” Draco asked.

“Perfect,” Kaeda smiled dreamily.

Draco raised an eyebrow at her vacant expression.

“How about you, Gin?”

“I'm fine, thanks,” Ginny smiled.

“So what's up with Avery?” Draco asked.

“Nothing,” Ginny shook her head in a you-don't-want-to-know fashion.

“I'm going to go see what Teddy and Junior are doing,” Kaeda excused herself.

Draco took the vacant seat next to Ginny and leaned his head against the wall of the building.

“So, engaged huh?” he let out a low breath.

“Yea. Seemed like a good idea at the time,” Ginny sighed, starring at her reflection in the store window across the street. “But I hear you've been there more than a few times.”

“So that's what you and Addy talk about when I'm not around?” Draco chuckled. “I've been engaged a total of three times. Addy's the only one who got me down the aisle.”

“What happened the other two times?”

“I don't know. Just wasn't ready I guess,” he shrugged.

“You were ready when it came to Addy?”

“Not at all.”

“Then why did you do it?”

“Seemed like a good idea at the time,” he laughed. “No, there's more to it than that.”

“Like what?” Ginny asked, looking at him the first time.

“I was lonely,” Draco answered. “I spent the first eight years locked up in my apartment. The only time I left was to go to work or to go shopping. Then a co-worker forced me to go out clubbing with him one night. We met a few girls there and for the first time, I forgot about you. So I continued on with the partying, every night. It seemed like the more I partied, the less I thought about you. Before I knew it, I was a mess. There were days when I would wake up the next morning and I couldn't remember what the bloody hell I did the night before. Sometimes I didn't even know where I was waking up too.

“Safara was just another girl I met at a party one night. To tell you the truth, I don't even know how we ended up engaged. I woke up one morning and she was there, asking about wedding arrangements, so I went along with it. She left me after about a month. She heard me mumbling something in my sleep and thought I was cheating on her or something like that. Then there was Zamora. She was a pistol. I couldn't even keep up with her partying.”

“What happened to her?”

“Harry.”

“Harry?”

“Yes. On one of his visits, he told me I was nothing but a mess and that I needed to clean up my act. He said a lot that night. Set me straight. There was no way I could marry Zamora and keep a straight path, so I left her at the alter. She didn't care though. My friend that took me out partying in the first place, she ran off with him.”

“Wait, so you mean, Harry actually visited you?” Ginny asked in shock.

“Yes. About five, six times. Didn't he tell you?”

“No! He mentioned the owls, but that's all. He refused to tell us anything about you.”

“Yea, he came out quite a few times. How did you figure we planned the final battle? Owls would have easily been intercepted.”

“So that's where he went when he was in hiding.”

“Yes. Well anyway, after Harry straightened me out, I met Addison. I sold her a house, and the house alone wasn't good enough for her. She must have chased me for over a year, but I was afraid. I was still recovering and didn't want anything to drive me back to my old ways. Finally I gave in just over a year ago and it went well. One day she asked me to marry her and bloody hell, I said yes. Believe me, Addy is not a person who excepts the word no. Even when I was having second thoughts about marrying her, she dragged me down the aisle. Told me it was cold feet. So what's with you and Xenon?”

“Xavier!” Ginny corrected him. “I don't know. After the twins were born, it was just the three of us. I was way too busy to even think about dating through the war. It was impossible. Even after the war, I wasn't up to it. News was spreading that you were dead and all hope was soon lost, but I just couldn't believe any of it. Of course, everyone else around me were all getting married and having children and cursed me for not even trying. After a while I finally gave in, dating here and there. Nothing serious. Then Harry announced that you were still alive and that they were trying to prove your innocence and I stopped dating altogether. I was sure that you would be coming home, but you didn't. I was about to give up when your father was captured and I realized, that he was the reason you were staying away to begin with, so I waited again. After another two years, I finally convinced myself you weren't coming back. That's when I met Xavier.”

“So you've been dating for three years, then?”

Ginny nodded.

“The week before you arrived, he asked me to marry him, and I said yes. I was waiting for the right time to tell the children, but then you came along-”

“And changed everything. I'm sorry, Gin. You would probably have been better off without me ever showing up.”

“No, Draco, don't say that. The children need you. They want you around. Besides, you made me realize something about him that even I didn't know.”

“What's that?”

“He doesn't even know my favorite color.”

“How did I-?”

“No offense, but you know nothing about your wife. I mean, what's with guys? It's like, everything we have to say goes in one ear and out the other. You may not think it's important what our favorite number is, but we do.”

“Seven!”

“What?” Ginny asked.

“Seven. Your favorite number is seven.”

“How do you-?”

“Seven is the amount of children in your family. Seven is the amount of years there are in Hogwarts. Seven is the amount of Quidditch players to a team. Seven was the number of your Quidditch jersey the first year you made the team.”

“My favorite color?”

“Orange. It's bright and colorful, just like you are. See, not all guys don't listen, but what about the witches, huh? What's my patronus?”

“A wolf.”

“My favorite color?”

“Silver. Your favorite number is thirteen. Your favorite place in the world is the Garden Room of the Manor. Your name comes from the constellation, Draco, which is a family tradition. Your mother is the only Black who's name is not. Well, and of course Kaeda, who was named after her father.”

“Huh?” Draco asked confused.

“Don't you remember that day we were down by the stream. It was late and we laid down on our backs to stare at the stars and you told me about the traditions of the Black family names?”

“Yes,” Draco said thinking back to that night.

“Well, I had asked you what you would name your kids then and you said you would name your son after you. So I asked what if it was a girl and you said-”

“That I would still name her after me, but what does Kaeda's name have to do with me?”

“Well I couldn't name both of them Draco Junior, so I came up with Kaeda. Kaeda means little Dragon, so in a way, she's little Draco.”

Draco smiled:

“That was meant as a joke you know.”

“I know, but I wanted to name her after you.”

Draco sat for a moment starring straight ahead of him, looking at nothing.

“You wouldn't believe how many letters I began writing to Harry asking about you,” he said breaking the silence.

“What stopped you?” Ginny asked looking towards him.

“Well for one, I thought you were still dating Harry, so I really didn't think he would take to me asking about his witch.”

Ginny laughed:

“That's a good reason.”

“I really did miss you, Gin.”

Ginny looked up at him. For a moment, she thought she was starring at the same boy she knew sixteen years ago.

“I missed you too, Draco.”

Draco tucked a part of her hair behind her ear before cupping her face in his hand as he gently drew her to his lips. As their lips touched, all the excitement that Draco had felt those sixteen years ago, returned with great force. He twitched slightly as his stomach seemed to flutter with hundreds of snitches. He pulled her closer in an attempt to deepen the kiss: to fully capture that feeling he had longed for the past years, but she began to pull away. Draco followed her lips as she pulled away, refusing to let go after being apart for so long.

“Draco, we can't do this,” Ginny said, tears forming in her eyes. “We should go,” she turned away as she got up and hurried away down the alley towards the children.

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“I can't believe he would even attempt such a thing. I mean he's married! I'm engaged. How he could something like tat. What in the world would possess him to do something like that. I mean, what if the children saw? Kaeda already has her heart set on us getting back together and Junior, well who knows what that boy is ever thinking, but grrr... How could he do something like this!”

“Gin, relax. Take a breath,” Ron urged as he sat back and watched his baby sister pace back and forth around her room.

“What are you just going to sit there and watch me pace back and forth around the room?”

“What do you want me to do?” Ron asked.

“Well, you don't have to do anything, but the least you could do is say something?”

“Like what?”

“You know what I mean. Go on, say it. You've been waiting how many years to do so. Just say it already.”

“I'm not going to say it. Gin, Malfoy's changed. For some strange odd reason, I'm starting to like the guy.”

“Oh, so now you're turning on me!”

“No one is turning on you, Gin.”

“Then say it already!” Ginny screamed at her brother, her face bright red with frustration.

“Fine. I told you so. Are you happy now!” Ron shouted back. “I told you would leave you stranded. I told you he wouldn't come back. I told you he would find a new family and wouldn't want anything to do with you. I told you he was a good for nothing, pompous, bloody arse that didn't deserve you or the children and you know what, Gin!” Ron paused to take a breath as Ginny began to sob into her hands. “I was wrong!”

“What?” Ginny asks looking up as her brothers yelling halted.

“I was wrong,” Ron said softly, wrapping his arm around his baby sister.

“He didn't leave you stranded. He left you with Narcissa and more money that any of us could offer you. He did return. Even with his new family, he still wanted you and the twins in his life and even though it's still extremely difficult for me to admit, he does deserve you three. He's changed Ginny. He's not the arrogant pompous arse we knew in Hogwarts.”

“Then why does he make me so- so- grrr...” Ginny growled clenching her fits so tight her knuckles paled.

“See you don't even know how you feel. You're confused.”

“No I'm angry!”

“Why?”

“He kissed me!”

“And that angers you?”

“He's married! How could he do that to Addison?”

“Oh I get it. You like Addison. You don't want to because she's married to Draco, but she got to you.”

“No!”

“Yes!”

“Maybe!”

“And can you honestly say that you didn't have anything to do with the kiss and you just pushed him away?”

“No,” Ginny sniffed.

“Now the real question is, what are you going to do?”

“I don't know. What do you think I should do?”

“I think you should what ever you think is the right thing to do.”

“You're right. I'm going to bow out.”

“You're what?”

“I'm bowing out. I'm going back to the Burrow. The children know they can visit there any time they want. They only have a few days left anyhow. It will give them a chance to get to know Draco.”

“Is that really what you want to do?” Ron asked.

“No! But it's the right thing to do. I'll talk to Draco in the morning.”

“Well if you need anything, I'm always here for you. Remember, I've been through a divorce so I know a little about what your dealing with.”

“Thinks Ron,” Ginny said hugging him.

“Anytime little sis,” Ron hugged her back. “Well I should go, Pans and Vi should be home by now.”

“Tell them I said hi.”

“I will,” Ron said walking for the door.

“Hey Ron!” Ginny stopped him before he could leave.

“Yea?” he asked turning back towards her.

“When did you get so smart?”

“Too many bloody years of listening to Hermione.”

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Draco found himself sitting alone on the bench in the dark, quiet alley long after the shops had all closed and the streets had emptied. It was quarter pass eleven, by the time he found the strength to return to his feet to walk to the apparation point to return home.

As he reappeared in the foyer of the Manor, he found his mother sitting in a chair awaiting for him.

“Long night?” she asked as she stood up to help him with his cloak.

“Yes,” Draco said softly.

“The children were worried about you. They thought you were attacked by more reporters or something. Were you?”

“No.”

“Severus and Charlie had all they could do to keep Junior from Floo-ing back to Diagon Alley. What in the world were you doing there?”

“Thinking.”

“If you were thinking you would of had the right mind to come home so you're children wouldn't have to be worried about you.”

“Sorry.”

“Do you have anything to say for yourself that consists of more than one word?”

“Excuse me, Mother.”

“Excuse you? Draco, where do you thing you are going? I am talking to you.”

“I'm going to pack, mother.”

“Pack? What for?”

“I'm going home. I don't belong here. You and I both know it. No one wants me here. I don't want to be here. This isn't my life anymore. I'm going home.”

“Draco,” Narcissa called after him as he ascended the stairs. “Draco!”

Draco barged into his suit, finding Addison already packing.

“Good, you had the same idea as I did,” he said pulling out his own suitcase and laying it on the bed.

“Draco.”

“Our stay is over here. You two go on home tonight and I'll meet you there in the morning.”

“Draco.”

“I just want to wait to say goodbye to Kaeda and Junior before we leave.”

“Draco.”

“Maybe they can come out and spend Easter with us in Texas.”

“Draco!” Addison shouted finally getting his attention. “Nate and I are going home.”

“I know. I'll meet you there in the morning.”

“We wont be there.”

“What do you mean?”

“I talked to my sister, we are going to stay with her for a while.”

“But Addy, I'll be home in the morning.”

“Mama, I'm all set,” Nate announced, dragging in an overflowing suitcase, his toy broom in his hand.

“Put it in that there corner, baby, with the rest of the thangs,” she pointed to her belongings she already had piled in a chair.

“Mama, can I take my broom with me on the airplane?”

“Of course you can sweetie.”

“Airplane?” Draco asked. “You're taking an airplane?”

“Yes, Draco. Charlie is bringing us to London to catch the next plane back to Texas.”

“There's no need for that. I'm coming too. We'll just take the portkey.”

“No Draco,” Addison said pausing for the first time to turn to Draco. “Nate and I are going home without you. You, belong here. You have your own family here. You and I both know that this is the life you need. Not us. You never needed us.”

“But Addy!” Draco argued.

“I'll have my lawyers send the papers to you as soon as possible.”

“Lawyer? Papers? What papers?” Draco asked.

“The divorce papers,” Addison said. “Draco its over. You said it yourself, Ginny is the only girl you have ever loved, and she still is.”

“Addison, there's nothing between me and Ginny. She's getting married.”

“Either way, I'm taking myself out of the equation. That way I'll be one less problem to have to figure out. Goodbye, Draco.”

With a final kiss on the cheek, Addison and Nate grabbed their things and began to walk out the door when Draco stopped them.

“Addy!”

Addison turned and look at him.

“Thank you,” he said softly. “See you around, little man,” he said to Nate.

Nate spun around and for the first time, threw his arms around Draco in a giant bear hug.

Draco sat quietly alone in his room. Even after everything that had happened throughout the day, he couldn't help, but smile. Then it occurred to him:

“Ginny!” he called out loud as he leapt up from his seat on the bed and ran for the door. He rushed through the many hallways and down many stairs until he was standing just outside Ginny's doors. He hesitated for a moment before knocking.

“Come in,” said a soft voice.

“Ginny?” Draco peered his head in through the door.

“Draco, come in. I've been meaning to talk to you.”

Draco walked in and looked around the room, Ginny was no where in sight. As he peered around, he noticed all the drawers of the dressers were opened and empty.

“Ginny?” he called out again.

“Right here,” Ginny said exiting her closet, a bundle of clothing levitating before her.

With a flick of her wand, the clothes began to fold themselves into a suitcase.

“What are you doing?” he asked

“Packing. I'm going home. Thought I'd give you some alone time with the children before they go back to school.”

“Home? But this is your home.”

“No, this is Kaeda's and Junior's home. I live back at the Burrow with my mother and Penelope. I just stay here while the twins are on holiday.”

“You don't have to do that. Mother would let you stay here.”

“I know that. She's told me that more times than I can count, but I'm not a Malfoy, Draco. I don't belong here.”

“But Ginny!”

“Anyhow, Draco. I thought we should talk about what we're going to do about the children.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well obviously they can't be with both us at once. We need some kind of plan to figure out who gets them when. If you don't mind, I'd like them for Christmas Eve. You can have them for Christmas.”

“But Ginny.”

“Perhaps I can speak to Remus and he can allow us to set up some sort of permanent Portkey to link your home with the Manor.”

“Ginny you don't have to worry about that anymore.”

“Don't tell me your planning on leaving and never seeing your children again.”

“No, of course I want to see them. That's why I'm staying here. For good.”

“Addison's letting you move here?” Ginny asked surprise.

“Well, it was sort of her idea, I guess, but anyhow, Ginny, I want you to stay too.”

“I can't stay Draco. I told you I don't belong here.”

“But you don't belong at the Manor either. You said it yourself, its too small.”

“Well I won't be living there much longer. Xavier has a house in the country. After we're married-”

“Married? You're still going to marry him after everything tonight?” Draco said raising his voice. “Ginny, you can't marry him. He's not right for you. I can't let you marry him. I just can't!”

“You can't let me?” Ginny said, now raising her voice to match his. “What makes you think that your decision anyway? I'm marrying him, Draco, weather you like it or not, and there's nothing you can do to stop it!”

“It's over,” Draco said calmly. “Me and Addison, it's over.”

Ginny froze as her eyes locked with his. Not fully thinking of his actions, he placed his hand onto her cheek, leaned in and brushed her lips with his. Unsure of how she would react, and half expecting her to smack him, he pulled away quickly. He searched her eyes for a sign of acceptance. Without waiting for him to react further, Ginny wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down into a deep passionate kiss.

Ginny pulled away smiling:

“I have to go,” she said softly. “My mother's waiting for me. Have fun with the children.”

And she left too, leaving Draco alone for the third time that night. Draco sank to floor, leaning his back against the large four poster bed where he remained the rest of the night, thinking.

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