AN!! HI THERE! PLEASE LET ME EXPLAIN. Okay I know you guys want to kill me, it's been months however I do have a good explanation. The last week of school RIGHT before finals my laptop caught a virus and died -yes, died. I lost EVERYTHING, luckily I was still under warranty so they sent me a new hard drive but all my information was gone for good. However, due to the wondrous thing called beta's I still had copies of the fics and chapters I had beta'd in my email (thank goodness). I did lose some new fics I was working on and some chapters of current ones that I hadn't sent out for review but at least it wasn't everything. Now as for not posting it sooner, well after getting through finals and holidays I was still without MS word on my laptop which meant that I couldn't open the doc or edit it which I needed to do to explain what happened and for other reasons. So here it is, the first week back at University and I'm in the library updating the story for you guys because it's SOOOOO close to the end. THANKS in advance to anyone who takes the time out to review and let me know they haven't forgotten the story. I'm getting MS Office back on my laptop next week and will update the last chappy then. Thanks for reading!!!
Redemption
Surprises
I looked around the small gathering and did my best to smile with everyone else as George and Ron told funny anecdotes about Ron's week working at the joke shop this past fall. As the ribbing turned to Percy I kept my smile in place and looked over the group of people who were gathered at the Burrow. My parents had thrown me a small party for my birthday, which is why they were all here. The Burrow had been decorated beautifully with red balloons and streamers, the garden had been degnomed and my mum had cleaned the place from top to bottom. There were plenty of drinks and snacks for everyone to partake of spread throughout the kitchen, dining room, garden, and living room and my favorite dish of pot roast and mashed potatoes was being served. Mum had even prepared her specialty, made from scratch, gravy that I love.
All of my siblings that were still alive were here with their families or significant others as well as my mates. My good friend Amanda Pretchet, whom I hadn't seen since we graduated Hogwarts years ago, had even made an appearance before her shift at St. Mungo's.
I gave the happiest smile I could when my mum bustled over to me asking how I was enjoying the party and quickly replied that it was absolutely tops. I knew it was what she wanted to hear and I couldn't disappoint her. I knew that she and everyone else were trying their hardest to make me happy. I didn't have the heart to tell her that even though I was surrounded by friends and family who loved me, I still felt heartbreakingly lonely. That my eyes still searched futilely for the one person who wouldn't be here and my heart still leapt to my throat every time someone apparated in, and then sank to my toes when I saw that it wasn't him.
True to his word, Draco had returned to the states with his mum and dad just days after that last emotional encounter at the Ministry when he told me that he didn't love me and I ran out of the area like some reject in a Muggle teen film. It sounds silly, but I felt it when he left. Part of me died and an ache remains in my heart that will probably never go away, just become more manageable over time. My family has been trying to help me through it though, since they all know now, thanks to the public scene I had created in the Ministry. They are constantly trying to not only cheer me up, but to even fix me up on several occasions. In fact, I'm quite sure I would have been coerced into at least two or three disastrous dates already if it weren't for Harry standing up for me.
I looked over at my dark haired mate and ex-boyfriend at this thought, feeling my gaze he turned away from his finance and caught my eye. He looked at me for a moment before giving me a wink and mouthing the words `hang in there'. I threw him a watery smile and a sad nod. Harry had grown annoyingly perceptive over the years. I personally blame his Auror training for the reason that it's damn near impossible to hide anything from the man.
I stifled a groan a moment later when my mum walked out of the kitchen followed by my dad holding an enormous birthday cake teeming with red and gold candles. Ron led me over to the couch and sat me down while dad made his way over with the overly large item balanced on his hands. I shot Harry an arch look when he dimmed the lights and he gave me a playful wink.
"Happy birthday to you!! Happy birthday toooo yoooou!!! Happy birthday dear Giiiinny!!! Happy birthday tooooo yoooouuuu!!!" everyone sang out loudly.
I smiled, as I should, before looking down at the massive cake.
"Make a wish!" George called.
"Yeah and make it a good one," added Ron. "Don't waste it on something stupid. You only get one birthday wish a year you know."
I stuck my tongue out at him before looking at the candles once more. Closing my eyes I thought for a moment on what I wanted before taking a deep breath and blowing with all my might. I sighed in relief when the flames went out with no problem or explosion, letting me know that mum had successfully kept George and Angelina away from my cake this year. As everyone clapped I gave a polite smile.
"Can I have the first piece?" asked Ron, leaning over my shoulder.
"No Ronald, the first piece is for the birthday girl," mum reprimanded.
"Yeah you git," added Charlie.
I shrugged. "He can have it; I'm not really in a cake mood."
I saw the worry flash in my mum's eyes before she could hide it and flushed a bit.
"So what did you wish for Gin?" inquired Bill.
"It's a secret, she can't tell you or it won't come true," Tiffany frowned at my brother.
"She can give us a hint," threw out George.
"Yeah," someone else added, "was it at least something good Red?"
My head snapped up so fast it was a wonder I didn't get whiplash. There, just a few feet away looking like some sort of fallen angel stood Draco Malfoy. My eyes greedily drunk in the sight of him, the wide stance of his legs, the way his arms were crossed loosely over his chest, the rise and fall of his broad chest, the way his windblown hair fell lightly into his eyes. Oh and what eyes they were, a rich gray so deep that I felt as though I were lost in them and could happily stay that way forever.
When Draco ran a hand through his hair I snapped out of my stupor and noticed that he party was at a complete stand still. Everyone was staring at either him or at me, but I didn't care about that. I cared that he only seemed to have eyes for me.
"What…how?" I whispered.
He flushed a bit. "Harry said…"
"I told Draco about your party a couple of weeks ago, we did some correspondence back and forth and were able to work some things out," Harry finished smoothly. "I thought that there was a slight chance that you would want him here."
I felt giddy laughter bubble in my stomach before bursting from my lips. "You thought…" I trailed off in laughter before vaulting over the cake on the table and into the dark haired man. I gave Harry a tight squeeze and a whispered thank you before pulling back and nervously facing Draco.
"Hey Blondie," I smiled softly.
He gave a subtle one back. "Red."
I hesitated for a moment before throwing my arms around his neck and pulling him into a tight hug. My body sagged in relief when his arms folded around me a moment later and I just held on, relishing the feel if being in his embrace once more. As I stood there with my eyes closed and tears seeping through I could hear Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Tiffany shooing people out of the family room.
"I missed you Red," I heard him whisper into my ear.
I shuttered from both his words and the feel of his warm breath on my neck and ear.
"I missed you more Blondie," I murmured back, lightly kissing his neck.
I felt his lips brush my neck and so I brushed his with mine again. It wasn't long before we had lightly kissed our way to one another's mouths. When his lips soft connected with mine and his tongue delved into my mouth I was assaulted with the taste of sweet chocolate that always clung to him. I closed my eyes and melted into him, my hands tangling roughly in his hair and my body pressing heavily against his as I put all of my weeks of loss and longing into the kiss. After a while my fingers left his hair and trailed lightly down his neck, when he shuddered under the light caress I shivered from his reaction. My lips finally left his mouth and proceeded on a warm trail down to his Adams apple and he gripped me tighter groaning lightly.
"We need to stop Red," he shuddered.
"I don't want to," I breathed, working my way to his ear.
"We have to; your whole family is probably in the next room listening to us right now."
"So, let's go to my place then -or your place." I shrugged and pulled back looking up at him. "Do you have a place?"
He frowned down at me. "Yes I have a hotel suite and no we're not going there."
I pouted. "Why not?"
"Two reasons -One, most of your family already hates me and I don't think leaving with you in the middle of your birthday party to… uh, `spend time together' is the best way to get over that hurdle. And B -we really need to talk before we do anything else."
I nodded then arched a brow. "B?"
He shrugged.
"So… where do you think we should start -talking I mean?"
"Well, I wanted to start by apologizing," he said lifting his wand and saying a small spell to put a silencing charm around the room.
I smiled at the action and added my own locking charm to it before frowning as I processed what he had said. "For what?"
"For what I said to you that day in the Ministry -I… I was just," he sighed.
"You don't have to apologize for that," I placed a finger over his lips when he tried protest. "You really think I didn't recognize those words Draco? You think I don't remember saying them to you just weeks before? I know why you said them and, now more than ever, I really understand now how you felt when I did…" I cupped his face and studied him. "Just like I'm sure you now understand how it felt for me to say them to you."
He closed his eyes briefly and then reopened them. "Yes, I think I do," he replied cupping my face too. "I'm also sorry for not letting you into the hospital room that day. I just, I just wasn't ready to face you yet and I didn't…"
"That's okay," I shook my head.
He frowned at me. "No it isn't, you don't understand. I mean -it was just that at the time… the last thing I heard from you was that you didn't love or want to be with me. So when Harry told me that you had been outside all night and worried about me, I just figured… I don't know; that you were there out of guilt or something. You felt bad for the poor pathetic Malfoy who had foolishly fallen for you and sought to lighten up my day by coming off of your pedestal to greet the commoner."
My mouth opened and closed at the tinge of anger behind the words. "That's not true. I came because I loved you -because I love you. I don't think that I'm better than you or that I'm on any type of pedestal."
"I know," he sighed and pulled away, pacing. "You didn't put yourself on a pedestal, I put you there. It was just, I had been so lonely since returning to England and then when you and I began to spend time together I suddenly realized that I've been lonely most of my life. The way I felt with you…" he shook his head. "I had never felt so comfortable around a person before, so free to be myself without an act or a mask. -I had shown you all of me and in the end you found me unworthy and I didn't know how to handle that. So I lashed out at you… especially in the Ministry and I'm sorry.
I sniffled and looked down before looking up at him once more. "You don't have to be sorry Draco. I was the one who made you feel that way. I never wanted you to feel like you were unworthy of anything or anyone, because you aren't. You couldn't be." I reached out and lightly grabbed his hand. "I should have stood up for us, for you. I tried to justify my actions by telling myself that you would do the same if the situation were reversed, or that my family would hate me if I got involved with you. When in truth what I really did was underestimate both you and my family. -Your reaction to your father, and my father and everyone else's reactions after the Ministry taught me that." I pulled him back to me. "I'm sorry Draco, for all of the times I've hurt you. That night that we broke up, the night of Luna's party," I caressed his face. "the night of your last interview…"
Pain flashed across his face and he closed his eyes for a moment before a ghost of a smile appeared on his lips.
"Draco, I've always wondered… what happened that night? Where did you go?" I inquired unable to stop myself.
He shrugged. "To think."
"Where?"
"The bridge."
"What bridge?"
He shrugged once more.
I frowned. "Draco… how did you… I mean…"
He looked at me when I trailed off and scoffed lightly. "How did I apparate in from that angle?" he finished for me. I nodded and he shrugged. "I jumped… well, I guess let go of the wire and fell would be a more accurate description."
My eyes widened. "Draco!"
He cupped my neck. "I was in a really bad place at the time Red. I promise I haven't done anything that stupid since."
I felt tears well up. "D-did I… was I?"
"No," he said quickly kissing my cheeks, "it was a lot of things. I was getting a lot from all sides, not to mention the nightmares and personal things. It wasn't your fault. Besides, I chickened out at the last minute anyway," he gave a small smile.
"It's not funny," I reprimanded harshly, ruining the effect of the statement by sniffling.
Draco pulled me back into his arms. "I know Red; I didn't mean to imply that it was."
I nodded and laid my head on his chest. Closing my eyes, I held onto him and listened to his steady heartbeat.
"Where does this leave us?" I whispered after a moment.
"I don't know," he replied just as softly, "we've determined that we're both sorry and acted like enormous arses. Where do you want to go from here?"
"I don't know," I answered. "I only know that I want to go there together…"
He kissed the top of my head. "Me too Red, me too."
I pulled back and smiled up at him. "I love you Draco."
He gave me his typical heart melting crooked smirk back. "I love you too, Ginny."
As he dipped his head to kiss me once more there was a knock on the double doors.
"Are you guys done in there?" complained Ron. "We can't hear anything so we don't know and I am just dying for afters."
"Did someone use a silencing charm?" butted in my mum. "I hope so. You two better not have spent this whole time snogging young lady! I know I taught you better than that."
Draco chuckled and quirked a brow at me.
"Sweetheart!" called my dad. "Can we come back in for cake now or did you two need longer to talk?"
"And you had better be talking -not snogging young lady!!" my mum bellowed again.
"Did you want me to unlock the door mum?" Bill asked a moment later.
Draco laughed aloud and I smacked him in the stomach before removing the silencing charm and unlocking the door.
"It's open," I called in a peeved tone, a scant second later both doors open and everyone clamored into the room once more. "And for your information we talked, not snogged," I finished crossing my arms over my chest.
"No thanks to you," smirked George wagging his brows.
I felt my face flame and threw my hands over it to cover my mortification. Draco was right, they had been listening! As I stood there wishing for the ground to open up and swallow me whole Draco put his hand lightly on my shoulder and pulled me back up against him.
"So then, I'm guessing you two have finally hashed things out?" Harry inquired from his place near the back of the crowd.
I nodded lightly a large grin on my face and he and Hermione, who was in his arms, both beamed back at me.
"Well…" my mum said slowly, "welcome to the party then Draco… would you like a piece of cake?"
"I...uh, that would be lovely ma'am thank you," Draco responded from behind me. I let my head fall back against his shoulder and he wrapped his arms around me.
"Alright then, lovely. Let's tuck in everyone," she continued coming forward and heading to the table holding the cake. "I trust your appetite for cake has returned also Ginny?"
I flushed once more and looked down. "Yes ma'am."
Ron snorted and I shot him a glare. My mum didn't comment, just gave a short nod and went to the table quickly and efficiently cutting perfectly square pieces for everyone.
Twenty minutes later most everyone was done with their cake. I was sitting next to Draco and happier then I had been since -well since the last time I was with him, before we ran into Harry and Ron at the carnival. His arm was around my shoulder and I leaned in closer to him, enjoying the feel and the weight of him and unable to keep my mind from wandering to later tonight when I would hopefully get to feel the full weight of him upon me once more.
"A galleon for your thoughts," he whispered.
I flushed. "I was just thinking that I can't wait for us to have some time alone."
He arched that annoying brow of his and I felt contentment and joy rush through me. How I had missed that smug look of his.
"Is your mind becoming as dirty as your mouth Red?" he teased with a smirk.
I granted him with a huge grin and a slow nod. "Dirtier."
Both brows rose at this and he chuckled.
"So Malf-," Ron cut off with a grunt when Luna elbowed him. "I mean Draco," he grumbled. "Does your dad know you're here?"
"He knows," Draco shrugged.
"And?" Ron pressed, "What did he say? I mean it's no secret how he feels about our family."
"True, which is probably why you really don't want to hear what he said," Draco replied with a smirk.
Ron looked at him for a moment deliberating, then nodded.
"Did he still pay for your ticket back?" Hermione asked as she finished off her cake.
"No, actually I did," Harry answered, and then looked at me. "So when you don't see a gift on the table with my name on it you know why."
I grinned and wrapped my arm around Draco's waist holding him tighter. "Don't worry; I much prefer what you did get as opposed to anything that would have fit in a box."
"Gee that bodes well for our presents," grumbled Ron.
"Yeah, way to show us up there Harry," added George pulling a face.
We laughed.
"No problem," Harry replied with a cheeky grin.
"So how long have you guys been planning this?" I asked looking between him and Draco.
"Since the day after he told me about your party," Draco responded. "We've been going back and forth about several things."
"Yeah, I talked to the Minister," Harry added nicking some icing from Draco's plate.
"About what?" I frowned.
"A job," Draco replied, moving his cake and glaring at Harry.
"Yeah, with the way he handled the D.E.'s-"
Draco snorted and Harry rolled his eyes and continued.
"Hey, I've said it before and I'll say it again, you held out longer than any agent that I've seen treated to that type of torture," Harry said seriously before looking at me. "He'll start Auror training in about a week or so with the next class."
"You're pulling my nuts dude, seriously?" Ron exclaimed.
Harry and Draco both looked at him with identical disgusted expressions.
"Okay, first of all why would anyone pull…" Harry trailed off. "Never mind."
"That's disgusting even for you Weasley," Draco drawled, I hit him on the leg.
"May I remind you that you're in a room full of Weasleys? So calling my brother `Weasley' or even `boy Weasley' as you are so fond of doing, will not work at all in this instance. I suggest that you try his real name."
"Boy Weasley?" Ron frowned.
Draco gave an unapologetic shrug. "Hey I could have called you worse."
"I'm not a boy," Ron glared.
"Really? Sorry, maybe it's just the way you act sometimes that has me confused," he gave a mock sympathetic smile.
"Draco," I warned hitting his leg once more.
"What did I tell you about hitting me Red?"
I felt my face flame and looked away.
"What did you tell her?" asked Percy.
Draco grinned. "I told her that if she hit me I would-"
"-tickle me!" I yelled quickly giving the blond a quick glare. "Blondie knows how I hate to be tickled… so, he is threatening me with it. That's what he said."
Several people shared skeptical looks and as usual Harry's perceptive gaze flicked between my red face and Draco's amused one.
"Something tells me that we're not getting the truth here," the dark haired man commented, everyone else nodded.
"Yes you are, now drop it," I hissed.
Draco smirked. "Actually Red I think you're leaving-" I slapped my hand over his mouth.
"Blondie I swear to Merlin if you say one more word," I whispered in a deadly tone.
He held up his hands in surrender and gave Harry a shrug. The other man laughed and gave him a sympathetic look. I allowed my gaze to flick between the two of them.
"Are you two friends?" I asked after a second.
Harry and Draco both gave me surprised look.
"Good God I hope not!" exclaimed the blond, throwing Harry a look. "That would be absolutely no fun -besides we both know that Weasley would kill Harry, right Ronnie?"
My brother glared. "My name is Ron you prat. And yes I would kill Harry if he actually became friends with you. It's bad enough my sister's gone off of the deep end; I can't have my best mate lose it too."
"I have not gone off the deep end!" I exclaimed kicking Ron in the shin.
"Ow! Bloody hell Gin, what'd you do that for?!" he yelped rubbing his leg.
"She was trying to knock some sense into you," Draco smirked.
Ron glared at him. "She hit me in my leg you prat, how would that knock sense into me?"
The blond shrugged. "Well you're sitting on your brain so that was the closest she could get without you standing up."
"Look here you-"
"Cut it out you two." Hermione interrupted. "Draco, stop picking on Ron. Ron, you're out matched against Draco when it comes to smarmy comments so just let it go. It's time for Ginny to open presents," she finished clapping her hands together.
Draco gave Ron a superior smirk and Ron shot Hermione a glare while I watched the whole thing content. Though I didn't say it because I was worried it would sound just a tad bit too cheesy, I knew in my heart that none of my other gifts would matter. Not when Harry had already given me the one I had wished on clovers, lashes, stars, and birthday candles for …
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