Disclaimer: Nothing from the Harry Potter Universe is mine. And I am not getting paid for this. This chapter is long, at least, long for me. I did ponder breaking it in two parts. But it works better all in one chapter. Besides, I didn't think you would mind.
~~~~~~~~
"Ginny!"
"Hermione," Ginny yelled, running out of the kitchen looking frantic. "I need to talk to you, desperately. I need help."
"Ginny, what's wrong?" Hermione flipped over the open sign on the window to closed, knowing on instinct that they needed privacy. "Are you sick? Should I get one of your brothers?"
"No," Ginny said. She sank down in one of the chairs around the nearest table and waved her wand at the window, which caused the glass to frost over. She didn't want anyone to see inside. "Polly, can we get two cups of tea?"
"Who is Polly?" asked Hermione. She sat down in the seat opposite Ginny, a curious look on her face. When a tea service appeared on the table, Hermione gasped. "You kept the house elf?"
"Polly likes it here," Ginny snapped. She was not in the mood for Hermione's speech on house elf cruelty. She had spent ages in the Gryffindor common room listening to it. There was no reason for her to have to hear it now, especially since she needed help from the older girl. "Sorry, I just need to talk to someone."
"Ginny, what is going on?" Hermione stirred sugar into her tea. "I haven't seen you this panicked in ages. Did something happen with Serena?"
"No," Ginny said hurriedly. "It isn't anything like that. It's Draco."
"Is he sick?" Hermione didn't understand why Draco would warrant such franticness.
"I shagged him," Ginny blurted out.
Hermione spit her tea out. "You did what?"
"Gross, Hermione." Ginny quickly waved her wand at her white shirt while muttering a cleaning charm. "I happen to like my shirt white."
"Are you pregnant?" Hermione kept her voice low, despite the fact that no one could possibly overhear them.
"No," Ginny said loudly. "Why would you think that?"
"I'm just making sure," Hermione replied defensively. "After the last time, I had to check. Serena is wonderful. But I don't think you need to be pregnant right now. It would get in the way of getting to know Serena."
"Enough with the lecture on pregnancy," Ginny said, waving her off. She took a small sip of her tea. "I need to talk to someone about this. Luna and Pansy are pushing for a relationship between us too much. They would be biased."
"Alright, well talk," Hermione said. "I'm all ears."
"On Monday, we went on a date of sorts." Ginny went into detail about what happened on the date and after the date. "I didn't hear from him for two days. Then, this morning, he writes me a letter with a ticket for a scrimmage he has against the Wimbourne Wasps. He wants me to sit in the coach's family box."
Hermione sighed. "And you're worried that might be taking the relationship out in the public eye."
"Exactly," Ginny said. "We haven't even spoken. He just sends me this ticket and expects me to show up. He can be so utterly bastardly at times. He didn't even ask if I could come. He assumes that I'm going to go."
"Are you?"
Ginny shrugged. "It's a possibility. I don't have anything to do on the weekend."
"What about this place?" Hermione pushed her tea away, nibbling on the cookies that the house elf had included. "Will it be open?"
"I'm thinking of making it odd hours on weekends," Ginny said. "I'm not sure. It's becoming a lot of hassle for me to run on my own. I have help from Pansy most of the times. But that doesn't seem to be enough. I need some time off as well and so does Pansy. She should be here any minute now, actually."
"How is that working out?"
"Surprisingly well," Ginny said. "She actually is pretty good at working with the customers."
"That's good," Hermione said. "At least you have help of some sort."
"Yea," Ginny said with a heavy sigh. "Hermione, what am I supposed to do?"
"Whatever you feel is right," Hermione said. "I can't tell you what to do. I will tell you that I think you should go."
"Are you going to elaborate and tell me your reasoning?"
"No matter what you do, the press is going to continue speculating about the relationship between Draco and you." Hermione leaned forward. "This morning there was an article in the Daily Prophet about a possible vacation for you and Draco. He was apparently in the Department of Magical Transportation. Rumor has it that he was securing a Portkey to Sweden."
"It's probably a load of Hippogriff dung," Ginny said. "Scratch that. I know it's a load of Hippogriff dung. We are not going on a vacation to Sweden."
"Anyhow, I think you should go." Hermione finished off the last of the cookies. "If you aren't going to go for Draco and your, apparently, budding relationship, then go for Serena. I'm positive she would love to have her mum there cheering on her father's team."
"I suppose," Ginny said. She stared at the empty plate of cookies. "I see you're really eating for two."
Hermione smiled. "I am."
"How are you? I feel like a terrible sister-in-law. I haven't questioned you about the pregnancy yet," Ginny said. "So, tell me everything."
"Well, I am two months and three days along now," Hermione said. "Other from my appetite, I haven't really noticed many differences."
"They'll come," Ginny said.
"I forget sometimes that you were once pregnant. I'm happy to have someone who's been through it." Hermione paused. "I should rephrase that. I'm happy to have someone I can talk to who's been pregnant before."
"Well, there's always Angelina," Ginny suggested. "I can't see you talking to Fleur or Penelope about it and definitely not Lavender."
"How are things with Ron and Lavender? I feel as if I haven't seen him in such a long time." Hermione clasped her hands together. "I wish that my relationship with Charlie hadn't driven such a wedge between us. I truly do miss him sometimes."
"I'm sure he misses you too," Ginny said reassuringly. "As for Lavender, well, I suppose she's alright. All I know is that I'm going to have a baby in the house this weekend. The divorce was finalized last week. And Ron gets custody of Eva on the weekends."
"Is he happy with the arrangement?"
"He says he's fine. But I know he isn't. The past month has been stressful for him. If it weren't for Pansy, he would probably be thoroughly depressed." Ginny gave Hermione a significant look. "I would even venture to say he might actually love her."
"They do seem to work well together," Hermione said. "I'm happy for him. Things are finally looking up in his life. But I know he can't be happy with the custody arrangement."
"He isn't," Ginny said. "He can say he is all he wants. But I know he would rather have full custody of Eva."
"Why doesn't he?" Hermione jumped as the tea service disappeared. "I always saw him as the stronger parent."
"They believe that Eva is better off in a situation with a mother and a father," Ginny said.
"Wait, what?"
"Oh, that's right. Lavender remarried last week." Ginny snorted with disgust. "Ron refuses to believe she was cheating on him. But it's the only explanation I can come up with for her marrying so soon."
"I've known Lavender for years now. I always thought she was a bit flighty at Hogwarts. But I thought she changed. I thought that Ron changed her." Hermione shook her head. "I guess some people don't change. Who did she marry?"
"A Frenchman," Ginny answered. "Ron said he seemed nice enough."
"I would have never thought that our lives would take this turn," Hermione said sadly. "I always thought that after all we went through in the war, everything would be perfect after. I never believed for a second that our lives would be so difficult."
"Well, you and Harry seem to be pretty happy now," Ginny pointed out. "It's just us Weasleys. We're having a hard time finding our happiness."
A sudden knock startled both women. Thinking it was Pansy; Ginny waved her wand in the direction of the door, muttering the unlocking charm. When the door opened, Ginny almost fell out of her seat. It was not Pansy at the door. In fact, it wasn't anyone she thought that she would ever see outside her bakery, let alone inside. After all, when last they spoke, things had been truly unsettled between them.
"Hello, Mum," Ginny said sardonically. "Can I help you?"
"I came to-talk," Molly said slowly.
Hermione cleared her throat. "I will take my leave now."
"You and Charlie should come and have dinner with me tonight, Hermione." Ginny gave her friend a look that clearly said they would need to talk later. "I'll bake something with chocolate just for you."
"I think we can manage that," Hermione said. She gave Ginny a kiss on her cheek, whispering in her ear, "Send for me if you need me after."
Ginny nodded. "Thanks for coming."
"I'm always here for you, Ginny." Hermione left, pausing only to give Molly a small hello. She had never been one to be rude to her elders, no matter what they did.
"I would rather you hurry up," Ginny said impatiently, waving her wand at the door once more with whispered words. This was another conversation she didn't want anyone else to be privy to. "I've already delayed opening the shop. And I suspect that my friend will be here any moment now."
"Ginny," Molly said, sounding somewhat hurt. "I'm sorry."
Ginny raised an eyebrow. "If that's all you came here to say, then I'm sorry you wasted your time. Just saying I'm sorry is not going to fix anything. You took my child away from me. You left her out in the rain. She could have died. And all because you thought you were doing something good for me."
"Ginny, you have to understand," Molly said.
"No, I do not. I was of age, Mother. I was capable of making my own decisions." Ginny stood, her face flushed with anger. "You had no right to do what you did. I would have been fine had you allowed those letters to reach Draco. If you weren't willing to take care of me, at least he would have been."
"That is my point," Molly exclaimed suddenly. She moved further into the room, her expression grim. "The summer before my sixth year, I found out I was pregnant. And before you ask, it was not for your father. It was for the man my parents wanted me to marry. A man I hated. Had it not been for the fact that I was angry at your father, I would have never slept with him in the first place."
Ginny cringed as she realized how eerily similar that was to how her and Draco managed to sleep together. After all, had she not been so upset with Harry, she may not have been as adamant that Draco have sex with her.
"However, I couldn't change what happened. I was three months pregnant by the time we left Hogwarts. Our parents conspired for us to get married. It was terrible. I hated him. He wasn't particularly fond of me. And had it not been for the fact that I was pregnant. We would have probably never even thought of getting married, despite my parents' wishes." Molly let out a wistful sigh. "Plans were made, a wedding planned. And then I lost the baby."
Ginny gasped.
"We ended the engagement after that. My parents were so upset with me. They thought that somehow I had brought the miscarriage upon myself." Molly shook her head with a forlorn look on her face. "I didn't want that for you. I got a brief glimpse of what it was like to be trapped in a loveless marriage. I didn't want that for you. I knew that the Malfoys would demand that you and their son get married. And I didn't want that life for you."
Ginny took a deep breath, trying to process the information. On one hand, she understood what her mother was trying to tell her. She was beginning to understand that her mother was indeed trying to protect her. On the other hand, Ginny steadfastly believed that it should have been her decision to make. Molly should not have taken it upon herself to make the decision for Ginny.
"I know that what I did was wrong." Molly gave Ginny a small smile. "I hope that one day you'll be able to forgive me. I've spent the past month trying to convince myself that I did the right thing. But seeing those pictures of you in the Daily Prophet, particularly the one at the Malfoy Ball, I can no longer convince myself. And the way Bill spoke of the young Malfoy when he wrote me. Well, I know now that I did in fact make the wrong choice. Sorry may not fix things. But I am truly sorry Ginny for all the hurt I may have caused you. Please, understand that I never meant for you to be hurt."
"Bill wrote to you?"
"He told me about what happened with that vile Tracey woman. If I were there, I would have whacked her good with my spoon before cursing her to pieces," Molly said with a sniff. "She should have never laid a hand on my baby."
Ginny couldn't help but to smile at that. "Mum, in time, I will probably forgive you. For now, though, I need time. I need to come to terms with what you did. I'm beginning to understand your reasoning. But I'm still having a hard time trying to wrap my head around it."
Molly stepped forward and placed a hand on her daughter's cheek. "That is all I ask."
"Well, I should open the bakery," Ginny said shakily. She had the sudden urge to wrap her arms around her mother and cry. She stamped the urge down as her mother stepped back. "I'm glad you came, Mum."
"I'm only sorry it took so long," Molly said. She kissed Ginny on the cheek. "I am at the Burrow whenever you need me. And tell your brothers hello. I understand their anger as well. Hopefully, one day, we can be a family again."
"We will, Mum," Ginny assured her. "Maybe not tomorrow but some day, we will be the Weasleys once more."
"Goodbye, Ginny," Molly said, smiling as she walked out the door.
Pansy stepped in as soon as she left. "Was that your mother?"
"Yes," Ginny said, a tear finally falling down her face. She collapsed in the chair. "I miss my mum."
"Should I call her back?" Pansy looked confused. "I thought you were angry with her."
"No." Ginny hastily wiped the tear away. "Well, I was angry with her. Now, though, I'm beginning to see that she was only trying to do what was best for me."
"How was abandoning Serena the best for you?"
Ginny explained what her mother had told her. "What do you think?"
"That is so sad," Pansy wailed. "She lost the baby?"
Seeing unshed tears in Pansy's eyes, Ginny began to cry. "She did."
"It's so twisted," Pansy muttered as she handed Ginny a napkin. "Who knew that the Weasleys would have such a dark past?"
Ginny half laughed half cried. "I know. It's horrible, isn't it?"
"So, what are you going to do now?" asked Pansy.
"I don't know," Ginny said with a shrug. "Well, for one, I'll tell my brothers that they can go see her. I'm sure she'll want to see them as soon as possible."
"On the subject of your brothers, I need your advice," Pansy said.
"About?" queried Ginny.
"Ron wants me to meet Eva," Pansy whispered.
"I know. He told me this morning." Ginny failed to see a problem. "What's wrong?"
"What does this mean? He's never had the inclination for me to meet Eva before, even when he used to have her at the office. He used to make sure that I wasn't around when he would have her." Pansy rested her elbow on the table, placing her head on her palm. "Why does he want me to meet her now?"
"It's the next logical step in your relationship," Ginny said. "You both seem to like each other a lot. You shag every chance you get. I think this is just Ron's way of telling you he wants you around longer than just a regular relationship."
Pansy brightened. "Do you think so?"
"I know so," Ginny assured her. "What did you think it meant?"
"I didn't know what to think," Pansy admitted. "I've never been in a relationship where I pictured things being serious. This is the very first time I've ever felt this way about someone. It's new and terrifying."
"Well, I'm happy for you," Ginny said. "I think you and Ron make a fantastic couple."
"As do you and Draco," Pansy replied coyly. "What is this I hear of Draco spending the night? Ron said he thought he heard Draco leave early in the morning two days ago."
Ginny bit her lip. "Pansy, we're trying our best not to let word get out. We need to know if this is something that can work before we let anyone know. We have Serena to think about."
"I get it." Pansy patted her hand. "Your secret is safe with Ron and me. I'll make sure he doesn't say anything to your brothers."
"Thank you," Ginny said, sagging with relief. "Now, what do you think of him inviting me to the scrimmage this weekend?"
"I think that you need a suitable outfit," Pansy responded. "How about you close shop and we go shopping?"
"Or I can wear something from my own closet. It's a Quidditch game." Ginny got up from the table, removing the spell from the glass so she could see outside once more. "Besides, I'm not spending any more money than necessary. I finally have enough money to redo the kitchen."
"You're so boring," Pansy groaned.
"I'll be in the kitchen working on a batch of strawberry cream tarts." Ginny stuck her tongue out at Pansy as the dark haired girl scoffed.
~~~~~~~~
Saturday morning dawned cloudy and rainy. Ginny had woken up from seven in the morning, making breakfast and feeding Eva. Ron had been awake as well. But Ginny had sent him back to sleep because he looked exhausted. He had been working extra hours on one of his cases all week. After an hour of getting food spit on her, Ron had woken up once more to relieve her of her duties. He knew that she had to get ready for the game and eat breakfast.
"Are you sure you don't want to come?" asked Ginny.
Ron waved her off. "I just want to spend some time with Eva and Pansy."
"Are you nervous?" Ginny handed the little girl screaming Dada over to her father.
Ron shrugged. "I've seen her with Serena. She's good with kids. So, I'm not worried about that. I'm more worried about how she feels about me having a daughter."
"I'm sure things will be fine," Ginny said.
Ron kissed Eva on the cheek. "It will be. Now, shouldn't you go shower? I doubt you want to go to the game with mashed bananas in your hair."
An hour later, Ginny was dressed and ready to go. She had donned dark gray jeans, a white long-sleeved t-shirt with the Falcons emblazoned across it in gray lettering, and white leather riding boots, which had been charmed to repel mud. She threw on a gray cardigan, knowing that the weather would be slightly chilly. Her hair hung to her waist in curls and she brought along the proper hair accessories in case she wanted to pin it back. For now, she had on a white knitted hat due to the weather. All in all, she looked chock full of team spirit in her all gray and white ensemble.
"I would never guess what team you're rooting for," Ron joked.
Ginny laughed. "Do you think it's too much?"
"Nah, you've always gone over the top. I remember the time you painted red and gold stars on your face in second year." Ron chuckled. "You were full of team spirit."
Ginny tapped her wand to her chin, knowing that gray stars were now on her face. "How is that?"
"You're going to be late," Ron said.
"Shoot," Ginny cried as she saw the clock. She kissed Ron and Eva. "I'll see you two later tonight."
She grabbed her cloak from the cloak closet, clasping it around her neck. She walked outside and Apparated from the top of the steps. When she opened her eyes, she was standing outside of the Quidditch pitch in Falmouth. Fans were piling into the stadium and she had to move fast so that she wouldn't be jostled by the fast moving crowd. She could hear the shouting and singing of the fans, some sounding sloshed already.
She approached the man at the gate with her ticket in hand. "Here you are."
"Falcons' fan," the man said with a slight chuckle.
"What gave it away?" asked Ginny.
"Go in through here, make a right, and go up the steps. The coach's box is all the way at the top." The man handed her back her ticket. "You'll have to show the guards up there your ticket as well."
"Thank you," Ginny said.
Ginny followed his directions and found herself face to face with another guard. He checked her ticket, wrote her name down, and then opened the door for her to step inside. She was startled to see Draco inside; nursing what looked to be a glass of Firewhisky in his hand. She had expected him to be downstairs in the locker room or at home. She thought that maybe Serena would be here with Narcissa and Lucius, or Blaise and Luna. But Draco was the last person she had expected. She didn't think she would see him until after the game.
"Hi," she said softly, hoping she wasn't interrupting some kind of pregame ritual.
His lips turned up slightly at the sight of her attire. "I like the outfit."
"I wanted everyone to know how much I like the Falcons," she murmured. She pointed to the glass. "Should you be drinking before the game?"
"There isn't a rule to stop me," he said. "It's just to calm my nerves."
Ginny rested her cloak on the back of one of the comfy gray couches. The suite was decked out in all gray and white, team pictures from different years hanging around the room. The couches were set up in a semi-circle. In the center was a gray and white coffee table. There was a bar set up off to the side of the room where Draco was standing. Behind it was a house elf, who asked her if she needed anything as soon as she approached Draco's side.
"What do you have?" asked Ginny.
"She'll have the vintage red wine," Draco interjected. He turned and faced Ginny. "It's good. I promise."
Ginny nodded. "I never thought you would be nervous, especially since the game doesn't count."
"It counts," Draco said. "It's a reflection of the upcoming season."
"Right," Ginny replied, sipping the wine that had appeared. "Will I be the only one here?"
"No." Draco smirked amusedly. He glanced at the clock above the bar. "You're simply early. They'll be here in twenty minutes or so. Serena likes to give me a pep talk before the game."
"I'd like to see that," Ginny said. Silence fell between them. Ginny, not being able to stand the silence, spoke up. "What do you usually do after the game?"
"It depends on whether or not we win or lose." Draco raised an eyebrow. "Is there something you would like to do after the game?"
Ginny blushed at the way he said it, knowing full and well what he was insinuating. It brought back vivid memories of their night together. She still couldn't believe how wanton she had been. Every time she thought about it, which was usually in the shower, soaking in the tub, or before she went bed, she would immediately become aroused. Those times she could attempt to take care of that ache on her own. Now, however, she could do no such thing.
Ginny decided the best course of action would be to ignore the comment. "What do you do if you win?"
"I go out for drinks with the team." He stepped a bit closer to her. "I could be tempted out of that in order to spend time with someone else."
"Yes, I think some time spent with your parents is an excellent idea," Ginny teased. "You can go out to dinner with them."
"I was thinking more along the lines of going out to dinner with you." He bent his head so his lips were inches from her lips. "What do you think?"
Ginny tried to fight the nagging feeling that he only wanted the sex. But she couldn't, especially after the talk she had with her mother earlier in the week. She didn't want this to just be a fluke. She wanted a relationship with Draco. And she was deathly afraid that if they never got around to the actual talking, their relationship would end up based on the sex alone. That was the last thing she wanted. If that were the case, she would surely be hurt in the end. And she didn't want that.
Draco must have sensed her trepidation because he stepped back. "Something is wrong."
"Kind of," Ginny said. He motioned for her to continue but she didn't. She shook her head. "I don't want you to be thinking about me for the game. You have to be focused and clearheaded, ready to give out orders."
Draco seemed ready to protest but he smirked instead. "Do I get a good luck kiss?"
"That I can do," Ginny said with a smile.
Draco closed the space between them, capturing her lips in his. Ginny wrapped her arms around his neck, threading her hands through his hair. He nipped at her bottom lip, his tongue snaking into her mouth when she gasped. She desperately wanted to rip his shirt off and run her hands across his skin. As he thrust his tongue into her mouth, mimicking sex, the impulse became harder to resist. In order to stop herself from doing something rash, she pulled away, panting.
Draco leaned his forehead against hers. "That is the best good luck kiss I've ever received."
"I'm glad." Ginny inhaled his cologne, the sharp, distinct smell. "Mmm, you smell good."
"Thank you," Draco said with a chuckle. He stared down at her. "You look like you just had a through snog."
"Because I did," Ginny said. She picked her hat up from the floor where Draco had thrown it sometime during their kiss. She ran her fingers through her hair before putting it back on. "Do I look better?"
"I prefer when your previous look," Draco said, downing the last of his drink.
She shook her head, staring out the tinted glass windows. "Does this open when the game starts?"
He nodded his head. "The glass disappears at the start of the game. There's a shield up so the rain won't come in. Wind will come in but not rain."
"Good thing I wore my cardigan," Ginny commented.
"If you need a blanket, Falkie will provide one," Draco said.
Ginny laughed. "The house elf is named Falkie."
"Serena named him," Draco said.
"I take it you're responsible for the decorations," Ginny said.
"Like it?"
"Well, I blend in," Ginny replied.
"You'll always stand out with that hair." Draco moved over to where she was standing, staring out the window as rain drops began to fall heavier than before. "I've liked the rain ever since I was a child."
Ginny crossed her arms over her chest. "Fred used to make us all hot chocolate on rainy nights. His was the best. All of us, except Percy, would gather around the fire. And we would just tell stories and laugh until Mum came down and sent us off to bed."
"I used to jump in puddles." Draco chuckled. "I would put on my fanciest dress robes and stomp in the muddiest puddle I could find. Mother would throw a fit. And Father would scowl. But he made sure that I never got in trouble."
Ginny laughed. "I can't imagine you messing up your dress robes. You've always struck me as the type of boy who loved those formal events."
"Definitely not," he said scrunching his nose. "Mother used to be furious right before the balls because of me. I would throw my dress robes down and jump on them. One time, I dumped all my dress robes in the bath and turned on the water. It was right after Mother forced me to dance with Daphne Greengrass at my seventh birthday. I told her that I would never wear a dress robe again."
"Did it work?" Ginny leaned against the window, enjoying the conversation about Draco's past.
"Not in the slightest," Draco said. "Mother took away all my clothes and replaced them with dress robes. I clearly remember walking into her tea party starkers and telling the ladies my mother didn't buy me clothes."
"Merlin, no wonder Serena is such a troublemaker." Ginny was giggling so hard she could barely breathe. "I can just imagine you walking in with a smug look on your face, proud that you outwit your mother."
"Yes, well, Father got involved after that." A slight smile appeared on Draco's face. "He found my antics amusing. But Mother promised to banish him from the room until I started to behave again. It's safe to say that my problem with dress robes dissipated after my father's scolding."
"I don't know why you hated them so much," Ginny said. "I loved dress robes, the frills and whatnot, although, I rather dislike frills now. On kids though, frills are absolutely adorable. Take Serena for example, she looks positively cute in her dresses."
"Kids these days get off easy," Draco remarked. "We had to deal with dress robes. They get to wear tuxedos and gowns. If I had a choice between a tuxedo and dress robes, I would choose a tuxedo. Dress robes sound too feminine for my tastes."
"I saw a picture of you in the Daily Prophet two years ago. You were wearing dress robes to the War Memorial Gala." Ginny smiled. "I thought you looked handsome."
"That's because I look good in everything," he said.
"Conceited git," Ginny murmured.
"The War Memorial Gala is coming soon." The teasing lilt was gone from his voice. "If it weren't for Mother, Father and I wouldn't bother showing up."
"You suffered deaths just as we did." Ginny placed a hand on his arm in, what she hoped to be, a comforting gesture. "You lost people who you cared about. Those people deserve to be remembered."
"They were fighting against you, Ginny." Draco stared at her impassively. "It's people like me who contributed to killing the ones you loved."
Ginny closed her eyes, warding off the tears. "We can't go back and change the past, Draco. We can only move forward and live in the present. Besides, grief cares not if those you cared about were evil. Loss is loss. It's heavy and it hurts. If you don't want to celebrate what they were when they were living, celebrate what they are now, free spirits able to rest in peace. You simply have to think that they are in a better place now."
Draco pulled her close, pressing his lips to her own in a chaste kiss before speaking. "I don't know how you can be such a kindhearted person."
"I'm a Weasley," Ginny said lightly. "It's in our blood."
"Will you join me for dinner tonight?"
Ginny was saved from answering because the door opened. She hastily stepped a good distance away from Draco as Narcissa, Lucius, and Serena stepped into the room. The latter took one look at her father before dashing over to him and throwing herself into his arms. Draco wasted no time in spinning her around and making jokes about how heavy she had become. The sight warmed Ginny to the core.
That particular feeling made her shift uncomfortably on her feet. The last thing she wanted to do was fall for Draco right now. When she fell for him, she wanted to make sure he would be joining her on that slippery slope. She knew what unrequited love was. She had experienced it with Harry in her years at Hogwarts. She refused to experience that feeling once more.
"Ginny, it's lovely to see you and so spirited too." Narcissa kissed Ginny's cheeks.
"Dressing for the game is one of my favorite parts. I want everyone to know what team I'm rooting for," Ginny replied.
"Ginevra," Lucius said by way of greeting.
"Lucius," Ginny replied. She stared at Serena who seemed enraptured with her father at the moment. She ignored the pang in her chest when she noticed how the young girl had ignored her completely so far. It was reflex for Serena to only have her father to greet.
Draco placed Serena on the floor, kneeling to meet her eye to eye. "Why don't you go say hello to your mother before my pep talk?"
The fact that Draco had to say something to Serena didn't make Ginny feel any better. Deep down, Ginny knew Serena meant no offense by it. The young girl was simply excited by the prospect of the game ahead. Not to mention, she had been doing this pregame ritual for years. But as her mother, Ginny felt slightly put out that Serena hadn't seemed like she was planning on greeting her mother until her father had left her sights. It made Ginny feel like secondhand. Furthermore, it made her wonder if this is the way it always would be.
"Hello, Mum." Serena hugged her legs briefly before dashing off to talk to her father.
Ginny smiled in order to mask her true emotions. After she was sure that no one in the room was paying attention to her, she walked over to the bar to drink the last of her wine. Her thoughts were revolved around the fact that up until this moment, she had been able to push aside the fact that Draco would always be the favorite parent. But now, faced with the ugliness of it all, Ginny couldn't help but to feel somewhat jealous. She knew the feeling was not warranted. But the interaction with her daughter left a bitter taste in her mouth.
"Think nothing of it."
Ginny nearly jumped as Lucius spoke softly next to her. "Excuse me?"
"I have a keen sense for reading emotions, Ginevra." Lucius tapped his knuckles to the bar and a glass of Firewhisky appeared on the bar. "Serena is only caught up in the moment right now. As soon as the excitement of the first game of the season wears off, she will be back to her normal self."
"That's it though, isn't it?" Ginny's gaze drifted to Draco and Serena, Narcissa laughing at their antics. "Draco will always be the initial excitement. And I will be the leftovers after it's all done."
"If you continue to think that way, then perhaps you will be the least favored." Lucius motioned for the house elf to refill her wine glass. "Has Draco ever told you about the time he tossed his broom out the window so he could get a new one?"
Ginny giggled. "No."
"I steadfastly refused to get him a new broom. I didn't want him to continue to think that by destroying things he would get newer and better possessions. Narcissa, however, didn't feel the same way. She went out and bought Draco the broom. Narcissa became the favored parent in that respect." Lucius shook his head in amusement. "A few months later, Narcissa began to try and interest Draco in social events so could meet people his age. Draco came to me. I began to bring him to work with me, citing that it would be suitable training for his future. I became his favored parent in that aspect of his life."
"I think I see where you're going with this," Ginny muttered.
"Up until recently, Draco was all Serena knew. As time passes, she will come to learn that for some things, her mother is the best person to go to," Lucius said. "In parenting, there are times when you will be ignored and put aside. But you must always remember that Serena loves you equally and unconditionally. She simply prefers to dote on her father today. Tomorrow, she may choose to dote on you."
"Thank you, Lucius." Ginny patted his arm. "I have no doubt that I will always prefer to turn to you with any of my future problems relating to Serena."
Lucius chuckled. "I won't tell Narcissa."
"Good, she might get jealous," Ginny whispered.
"What are you two being so secretive about?" Narcissa ordered a glass of white wine as she stood next to Lucius. "Are you hatching some plan for Draco's celebratory meal?"
"Sure, we'll go with that answer," Ginny said.
"Draco usually takes his team members out for a drink, dear," Lucius reminded Narcissa. "This is if he wins."
"He'll win," Ginny said. "The Wasps don't stand a chance."
"Too right," Draco stated proudly.
"Draco said he would like to have dinner with us tonight, instead," Narcissa said. Her lips curled into a smile as she saw Draco wink at Ginny. There was something happening between them after all. "I think it's a lovely idea. We could go to that new restaurant in Diagon Alley, Half Moon."
"Somewhere low key would be preferable, Mother," Draco said from his spot across the room.
"Fine," Narcissa sniffed. "I suppose we could dine in Muggle London for the night."
"I will take you out to dinner sometime during the weak, Narcissa," Lucius promised.
Narcissa kissed Lucius's cheek. "Thank you, darling."
"I should be going now," Draco said. He held Serena's hand as he joined them at the bar. "I'll come up here after the game. We can finalize plans for later tonight."
"Do hurry the game along, Draco." Narcissa hugged her son. "You know how I hate the long tedious games."
Draco smirked. "I'll do my best."
"Good luck, Dad," Serena said, hugging her father.
Draco kissed her temple. "Thank you."
"Make me proud," Lucius said, inclining his head.
Ginny smiled at Draco. "You'll win."
Draco chuckled. "You're optimistic."
The minute Draco left the room, Serena glued herself to her mother's side. "Mum, I have so much to tell you. Come on."
Ginny caught Lucius's smug gaze before she was drawn to the couch. Serena pulled her down to sit, climbing onto to her lap soon after. Ginny was in awe at how quickly the young girl's mood changed. She went straight from clinging to her father to clinging to Ginny. For example, right now, she was sitting in Ginny's lap, bouncing up and down while readying herself to tell Ginny a story. Ginny did her best to listen to the young girl, knowing that Serena wouldn't take her inattention very well.
"On Monday, during the day, my tutor scolded me. I think she should be fired," Serena huffed.
"Is that so?" Ginny wrapped her arms around Serena. "And what did she do to warrant being fired?"
"She yelled at me for lighting her trousers on fire," Serena said.
Ginny bit her lip to keep from laughing. "Did she get hurt?"
"No," Serena said. "She's a witch, Mum. But I don't see why she had to yell at me. I can't help my uncontrolled magic. I don't even get it."
"Uncontrolled magic happens when you feel particularly strong about something," Ginny explained. "Were you mad at your tutor?"
"No."
"Were you excited about something?" asked Ginny.
"No, I was really bored," she whined. "Mrs. Klein just goes on and on about such stupid things."
"Serena," Narcissa scolded. "Mrs. Klein is a wonderful tutor. Look at you. You're brilliant, especially for your age."
"Father says that has nothing to do with Mrs. Klein and all to do with him and Mum," Serena said snottily.
"He included me in that statement?" Despite Serena's attitude, Ginny couldn't help but to feel a little bit honored.
"Father always tells me you're a really smart witch. He mumbles something about bats all the time too." Serena swung her legs back and forth. "And he doesn't tell me why."
Ginny laughed. "Maybe one day I'll tell you. I don't want to hurt your father's ego just yet."
Serena looked up at Ginny, batting her eyelashes. "Mother, can you have a baby?"
Ginny had just taken a sip of the wine, which Narcissa brought over for her. When Serena questioned her, Ginny spluttered and began to cough violently. Narcissa quickly ordered the house elf to bring her a glass of water. After taking a large gulp and coughing a little longer, Ginny managed to get her breathing under control. It didn't shock her to see both Narcissa and Lucius looking on amused. They were waiting to see how she would handle the situation.
"Why would you want me to do that?"
"Well, Xavier is going to have a little sister. I want one too." Serena paused. "I wouldn't mind a little brother, actually. So, could you? I would really love for you to do that. And since you and Father already had a baby, you could just do it again."
Ginny found it ironic that earlier this week Hermione said how bad a pregnancy would be. "Serena, it doesn't work that way. I assure you that I don't intend on having any babies anytime soon."
"But Mum," Serena exclaimed, "I want a younger sibling. Please?"
"Serena, this isn't a subject up for discussion," Ginny said, not believing her ears.
Serena pouted. "I don't see why not."
Lucius hid his smile. "Serena, stop harassing your mother. The game is starting."
~~~~~~~~
After the game, they had decided upon having dinner at Draco's. The weather didn't seem to want to permit them going out. Ginny had popped home after the match, napped and taken a shower. Her black trousers and purple sweater seemed more appropriate for dinner with the Malfoys than her usual jeans. Though she might have been more comfortable with jeans, her trousers would have to do. Besides, she didn't plan on wearing stilettos. She had bought her stone ornament sandals specifically for the purple sweater she currently wore.
More to the point, she couldn't change even if she wanted to. She was currently standing in Draco's home, strawberry cream tarts in hand. A house elf was leading her down the hall, towards what she supposed was the dining room. She wasn't really sure. She knew more about the Manor than she did Draco's home in Falmouth. But from what she was currently seeing, marbled halls, large windows showcasing the extravagance of the water view, it was lovely. If she were Draco, she wouldn't particularly want to move from this home.
She stopped thinking about the home when she was pushed inside the dining room by the house elf. The Malfoys were already seated and waiting for her it seemed. And all of a sudden she realized that there would be no one else there. It would simply be her and the Malfoys for the first time. Had she not already known them very well, the thought would have been daunting. However, now, it was alright. It was still a bit intimidating but not as much.
"Sorry I'm late. I thought you might like some dessert," Ginny said.
"Does it have chocolate?" asked Serena.
Ginny thanked her lucky stars that Serena was there. She rid the room of awkwardness. "No, it doesn't. But I think you might still like it. You aren't obligated to, though. Just remember that."
In this house, Draco sat at the head of the table. Narcissa and Lucius were on his left. And Serena sat to his right. Ginny sat down next to Serena. A house elf came to collect the dessert with promises that it would be served later. Ginny was thankful because she hadn't known what to do with it. She wasn't planning on bringing anything at all. But her mother had always told her that it was rude to show up for dinner empty handed.
"So what did you think of the game, Mum?"
"Fantastic," Ginny exclaimed as their food appeared before them. It seemed they would be having steak tonight. Ginny didn't mind. "I have to say, I didn't think Brody could pull off the Double Eight Loop."
"He's been perfecting that for months now." Draco smirked. "I certainly plan on keeping up with our routine practices after today's game."
"The Falcons have a chance to be at the top this year." Ginny grinned cheekily at Draco. "That is if you don't manage to mess up."
Draco began to say something but was interrupted by Serena. "Father, can you give me a baby brother?"
"Serena," Ginny warned. Though, she couldn't help but to laugh on the inside at the horrified expression on Draco's face. "We talked about this."
"I know but I really want a younger sibling. I'd settle for a sister at this point," Serena said, sulking. "I don't see why Xavier can have one and I can't."
"Serena, I believe your mother spoke to you earlier on this subject," Narcissa interjected.
"You've had this discussion already?" asked Draco, still slightly stunned.
"It caught Ginevra unaware as well," Lucius said. "I find it all quite amusing."
"You would," Ginny muttered.
"What was that Ginevra? I didn't hear you," Lucius said with a smirk.
"She said you would, Grandfather." Serena didn't seem to notice her mother's blush.
Draco cleared his throat. "Serena, you will not be getting a younger brother or sister anytime soon. At least, I hope you will not be getting a younger brother or sister anytime soon."
"Does that mean there may be a chance she might be getting a sibling soon?" Narcissa looked between Draco and Ginny with a smug expression on her face. At Ginny's flamed cheeks, she said, "I do hope you're taking the proper precautions this time around."
"Mother," Draco snapped.
"What does she mean by precautions?" asked Serena curiously. "And am I getting a brother or sister soon?"
"Precaution means safety measures," Lucius explained. "For example, you should wear your coat before going outside in the cold. You must take that precaution so you don't get sick."
"What does that have to do with my little brother?" Serena's voice was perilously close to being considered screaming.
Ginny decided the conversation needed to be put to an end. "Serena, I have no doubt that you will not be getting a younger sibling anytime in the near future. Maybe sometime down the line you will have a younger brother or sister. But for now, you will not."
"Mum, you have all your brothers. I want to have tons of siblings like that," Serena said.
"For Merlin's sake," Draco muttered under his breath. He raised his voice so Serena could hear his next statement. "Serena, your mother is right. This is the end of this discussion. I don't want to hear another word about this for the rest of the night."
"Does this mean I can ask again tomorrow?" Serena had an all too innocent expression on her face.
Draco rubbed his temples. "Serena, you are testing my patience."
"Sorry, Father," Serena mumbled. "I won't bring it up again. But just know that I wouldn't mind having a-"
"Serena," Draco yelled.
"Ginevra, how is the bakery doing?" Lucius did not like to see his granddaughter get scolded, even if she was wrong. He figured a change of subject was in order.
"It's doing great," Ginny replied. "I'm actually really excited because we're getting the kitchen remodeled soon. I've been dying to do it ever since I bought the place."
"Only you would get excited about remodeling a kitchen," Draco teased.
"And the press isn't bothering you anymore?" Lucius ignored his son.
"I haven't seen or heard from them the entire week." Ginny smiled at both Narcissa and Lucius. "Thank you. It has been wonderful to step outside and not be bothered by reporters."
"They can be a hassle," Narcissa commented. "In time, you tend to get used to them."
Seeing Serena sulk was not what Ginny planned on doing for the rest of the night. "I heard Serena exhibited signs of uncontrolled magic recently."
"I had Mrs. Klein droning on about how my daughter couldn't control her magic," Draco said moodily. He nudged Serena. "Would you mind if you no longer had to see her?"
Serena perked up. "Are you really going to fire her?"
"No," Draco said. When she slumped back down, he added, "But if she messes up again, I'll look into it. And before you begin hatching plans, I'll know if you sabotage her."
"I wouldn't do anything like that," Serena said innocently.
Draco shot her a disbelieving look. "This coming from the young lady who tossed her sheets in the fire because she wanted a new set."
"Sounds a bit like you, Draco," Ginny remarked. Narcissa and Lucius both laughed along with her.
The night progressed in much the same manner. They finished dinner, had tea with Ginny's tarts, and then said their goodbyes. Narcissa and Lucius left first, leaving Ginny to chase Serena around Draco's home. Draco simply sat in the sitting room, amused by their antics. By the time Serena's bedtime rolled around, the little girl was so exhausted she didn't bother protesting to having to go to bed. She just changed, allowed her parents to tuck her in, and drifted off to sleep.
"Aren't you happy you took me up on my suggestion to have dinner with your parents?" Ginny followed Draco back into the sitting room. "It was a fantastic night."
"Yes, especially the part where Serena whined about wanting a little brother," Draco joked.
Ginny shook her head ruefully. "I almost choked to death when she said it earlier today."
"You do realize you have yet to tell me what was wrong with you earlier today," Draco said. He raised an eyebrow. "What is it that was bothering you? The match is over. We won. So, tell me."
Ginny bit her lip. "It's silly really."
"You seemed rather pensive about it before," Draco replied.
"It's just that we had sex on our first date, didn't we?" Ginny threw her hands up in the air in frustration. "The one thing I promised myself I wouldn't do is exactly what I did. And I'm a little scared that maybe we rushed things."
"I think we did ourselves a favor." Draco bit into one of her tarts before continuing. "We can get to know each other without all the sexual tension hanging in the air."
"I suppose," Ginny relented. "I know it's stupid. But I'm a little worried that all you want from me now is sex."
Draco's face was slightly impassive as he spoke. "I won't deny that I do think about the sex-often. However, after today especially, I realize that I do indeed like the talking part of our relationship as well."
Ginny removed her sandals, curling up into the couch. "I'm glad. It takes that nasty nagging feeling away."
"I'm glad I could be of assistance." He eyed her current position. "Are you comfortable?"
Ginny nodded. "I am."
"Pansy mentioned your mother stopped by," Draco said after a few beats of silence.
Ginny launched into the story of what happened with her mother. Draco seemed genuinely interested, which made Ginny feel even better about their relationship than she did before. The fact that he was giving her advice and encouraging her to speak to her family was also helpful. She had thought that he would be against Ginny reconciling with her family because it would mean Serena would come face to face with them. But Draco didn't seem to mind. He did make her promise not to allow her parents around Serena without him around, at least initially. Ginny didn't mind making that promise, although, she did tease him that he would have to meet her parents.
"How was your week?" asked Ginny after she finished. "Did you do anything interesting?"
"Every day is an interesting day in my life," Draco said smugly.
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Of course it is."
"Unlike you, I don't have very many family issues in my life right now," he said. He paused to think about the events of the past week. "I made my reservations for Sweden."
"So, you are going to Sweden," Ginny stated. "The papers got something right for once."
"They have their moments." He shrugged. "I wouldn't be surprised if their evidence turned up to be false, though. It's common knowledge that I go to Sweden in June every year for the Annual Broom Race."
"Oh, that must be so much fun," Ginny said. "I used to listen to it on the Wireless sometimes. It's at the end of June, right?"
"Yes," he answered. "I took Serena with me last year. She refuses to go this year, though. She found it boring."
"It does seem like the kind of thing for an older bunch," Ginny commented. "She'll probably like it more as she gets older. It's more exciting when you understand the distance and challenges the racers go through."
Draco gazed at her for a few minutes. "I have two tickets if you'd like to join me."
"I might like that," she replied after pondering it. "I won't be able to give you a definite answer for now. I'll give you my answer in a few weeks, when we get closer to the time."
He nodded. "As soon as possible would be better. I'll have to make arrangements for your hotel room."
"I could just stay with you," Ginny said. "A nice hotel room in Sweden, all by ourselves, sounds nice, doesn't it?"
"Tease," Draco muttered.
Ginny feigned innocence. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Sure," Draco drawled.
"It's getting late," Ginny said with a yawn. "I should probably go."
"Or you could stay," Draco suggested.
"We both know what a terrible idea that would be." Ginny slipped back on her shoes and stood from the couch. "I could only imagine the scene it would cause if Serena caught us."
Draco wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. "You do have a point."
"Today was a good day," Ginny said, staring up at him.
"I agree." He bent low and captured her lips. "Are you sure I can't tempt you to stay?"
"You could," Ginny admitted softly.
Draco groaned, leaning his forehead against hers. "It's taking all my willpower not to drag you upstairs to my room."
Ginny kissed his cheek. "Stop by tomorrow for lunch, okay?"
"I don't think I have any plans," he murmured.
"Good." Ginny leaned up and dragged his lower lip between her lips. She wrapped her arms around his torso, getting as close as she could while thrusting her tongue in his mouth. She simply couldn't get enough of his taste. She stepped back, breathless. "Goodnight, Draco."
Draco watched her walk to the fireplace and take Floo powder from the bowl on the mantle. She threw it into the grate as he said, "Goodnight, Ginny."
She disappeared in swirling green flames.