Huge thanks to Aerileigh for beta-ing this for me.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the Harry Potter Universe.
~~~~~~~~
Ginny woke up, unsure of her surroundings. Upon closer inspection, she realized that she was still in the tent. Serena was snuggled up to her side, but Draco was nowhere to be seen. She eased herself off the floor, cursing under her breath as her feet tangled in the sheets on the floor. She managed to shake herself loose and leave the tent without further incident. Ginny grabbed her shoes and stuck her feet in them before glancing back to make sure that Serena was still asleep. She spun around, and stifled a scream at the sight of Draco standing in the doorway.
"You scared me," Ginny whispered furiously.
"Not my intention," Draco replied. "I was coming to see if you were awake."
Ginny tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I am."
"Can I interest you in breakfast?" asked Draco kindly, his tone sounding almost hesitant.
"I really shouldn't. I'm interviewing people today to help me out at the bakery and I have to sort out all the order requests for the events," Ginny said, grappling for an excuse. "I just have a lot to do today."
"Which is why you should eat something," Draco said pointedly. "You'll need your energy."
Ginny sighed. "I will have a quick breakfast. What time is it?"
"Half past seven," Draco replied. "I have to wake up Serena."
"Does she usually wake up this early?" asked Ginny. She knew that she wouldn't be able to leave early if they had breakfast with Serena as well.
"Her tutor will be here in an hour and a half. She has to wake up and get ready for the day." Draco moved across the room, crawling into the tent to rouse his sleeping daughter. "Serena."
"No," Serena groaned.
Ginny crossed her arms, amused by the two of them. While she had spent time with Draco and Serena before, she never really understood their close bond until she spent the night with them in the tent. When Draco was around Serena, he transformed. His every motion and thought seemed to be attuned to his daughter. When she was about to spill her juice, he somehow knew, and steadied her glass. Before she could ask for another sandwich, he was already serving her one. He was the perfect father to Serena. Throughout the night, the little girl had not frowned once. She was all smiles and laughter. And surprisingly, Ginny had not felt uncomfortable. She found herself fitting in with them, enjoying the jokes and the company.
But sitting in a secluded area with Draco, even if their daughter was present, made her realize how much she would miss their relationship. While a good portion of their affair was about sex, their conversations, their thoughts, and his presence were also a huge part of it. She would miss the latter more than she would miss the former. He was good company, not to mention that the care he showed towards Serena was the same he showed her throughout the night, pouring her juice, offering her seconds, and tucking her in, though the latter was at Serena's insistence. Ginny realized that she would have more difficulty letting go of Draco than she thought.
"Ginny!"
Ginny shook her head when Draco called out her name. "Er, sorry. I was lost in thought for a moment."
Draco held Serena in his arms, with her head tucked into the crook of his neck. "There's a guest room next door if you'd like to go freshen up."
This additional act of concern for her well-being shoved Ginny over the edge. The fact that he was kind enough to think of her, even if it was just to offer her a bathroom, shocked her. She quickly stuttered, "No. I just forgot that I promised Hermione I would have breakfast with her this morning. I haven't seen her since Serena's incident. I really shouldn't cancel on her."
Draco gave her a look that clearly showed he didn't believe her. But when she adopted a serious expression, he said, "Okay. I'm going to stop by the bakery later. There's something I need to talk to you about."
"I will see you then," Ginny said quietly. Inside, she did not know how she felt about seeing Draco so soon. Her thoughts were jumbled together, and she couldn't quite wrap her head around how much she cared for Draco. She moved across the room, and kissed Serena's forehead. "I'll see you later, sleepy."
"Bye, Mother," Serena said groggily.
Ginny looked up, her eyes meeting Draco's gray ones. "Uhm, see you later."
"You can Apparate from the lobby, or Floo," Draco said in reply. "I'll have Zee take you there. Zee!"
Ginny waved goodbye before following the house elf that had appeared. As she moved through the house, Ginny's thoughts swirled in her head. Her feelings for Draco were deeper than that of a girl for her boyfriend. They were part of the bond that she made with Draco when she had a child. She had thought that letting go of Draco, of the short time they had been together, would be easy. But she now found herself wanting what they had. She wanted to be able to stay for breakfast. And what surprised her the most was that she liked waking up in his home, with him there, and her daughter.
When she landed in the lobby, she realized that she didn't know what to do. Draco had made it clear last night that the only thing he was interested in was sex. Now, she found herself falling, if she had not fallen already, for a man who hadn't fallen for her. All he felt was the physical attraction to her. Tears prickled at the back of her eyes, and she didn't know what to do. Not wanting to stand in the lobby of Draco's home and cry with a house elf, she spun on the spot, Disapparating.
"Ginny?"
Ginny looked around at her surroundings and was surprised and somewhat relieved to find herself at the Burrow. She turned to her mother, tears streaking down her face, and collapsed into Molly's open arms. To her, it felt safe. For just a moment, she could pretend that she was eleven, and that her greatest worry was going to Hogwarts with Harry Potter. It was familiar. It was soothing. It was home.
"Oh, honey, what's the matter?" Panic registered on Molly's face. "Is it one of the boys? Did something happen to one of my grandchildren?"
"Molly, have you seen my--Ginny?" Arthur Weasley came down the stairs of his home in his work robes, shock on his face upon seeing his daughter. "Did something happen?"
Ginny managed to take a deep shaky breath, and answer, "No. Everyone's fine."
"Arthur, you go on to work," Molly said, shooing her husband away. "Ginny, come and have a seat. I'll get you a cup of tea and some breakfast."
"It's good to see you, Ginny." Arthur gave his daughter a hug, holding on as if she would disappear at any second. "I've missed my little girl. I'm so sorry for what we did."
"Oh, Dad, I know," Ginny exclaimed with a sigh. She embraced her father, closing her eyes upon the familiar feeling of comfort. "I'm going to come around more now. I promise."
"Nothing would make me happier," Arthur said heavily.
Ginny watched her father Disapparate with a quiet pop before turning around to take a seat at the dining table. The wooden table was still the same as it was when she was little. The rickety chair still trembled slightly when she sat down, and she could see where she had carved GW into the table when she was younger. Looking around at the stacked cookbooks, the owl perch, and the large fireplace, Ginny realized that little had changed in the kitchen at the Burrow. She guessed that statement also applied to most of the other rooms.
Her mother set a porcelain teacup in front of her, and then moved back to the stove. "Now, do you want to tell me what's wrong?"
Ginny played with the handle of her teacup. "When did you first realize you were in love with Dad?"
Molly let out a wistful sigh, continuing to turn the sausage as she began to speak. "It was a month or two after I started dating him. I had managed to convince him to go for a walk with me around the lake. It was freezing outside, and I was wearing my winter cloak but I was still cold. Your father took off his cloak and wrapped it around my shoulders. There he was, in naught but his school uniform, but he sacrificed his warmth for my own. From that moment, I knew that he would always do whatever it took to keep me safe. I was a goner."
Ginny smiled. Her mother had never told her that story before, but by the look on Molly's face, Ginny knew that her mother was still deeply in love with her father. Ginny sipped her tea mournfully, wondering whether she would ever find a love like the one her parents had.
"Why do you ask?" Molly plopped two pieces of buttered toast on a plate with sausage and eggs, and placed it in front of Ginny. She took a seat across from her daughter, and gave her a knowing smile. "It's the young Malfoy, isn't it?"
"It's nothing to smile about Mum," Ginny said softly. She picked up the fork and shuffled her eggs around. "He doesn't love me."
"Nonsense, what man wouldn't love you?" Molly leaned over and patted her hand. "You're beautiful, smart, funny, and you can make just about anything to satisfy his sweet tooth."
"It's more complicated than that, Mum," Ginny replied, stuffing a piece of sausage in her mouth.
"Well, tell me all about it." Molly opened her arms in a welcoming gesture. "I have all the time in the world."
Soon, the story was falling from her lips. She told her mother all about Serena's many tantrums, about her stolen moments with Draco-the non-explicit version-and all about what her life had been like over the past couple of months. As the story spilled from her lips, Ginny felt a heavy weight lift from her chest. She knew that even if her mother couldn't find a solution for her problem, she would try her best to help her through everything. Ginny finished her story with the tale of what had happened the previous night and earlier that morning.
"Oh, Ginny," her mother said sadly. Molly removed her wand from her apron, and muttered a summoning spell. A container soon landed on the table with a spoon. "I made some homemade strawberry ice cream last night. I think it's a little more appropriate for heartache."
Ginny cracked a grin. "Thanks. But do you think we could change the subject?"
"Sure," Molly said with a bright smile. "What exactly is that outfit you're wearing?"
Ginny looked down at her dress with a laugh. "With all the excitement, I had forgotten I was still wearing this. It was my dress for dinner at Draco's last night."
"Well, you look lovely, dear," Molly murmured, patting her shoulder. "How's the bakery doing?"
"Shit," Ginny exclaimed.
"Ginevra Molly Weasley," Molly shouted. "Watch your language, young lady."
"I'm sorry, Mum. I just forgot that Pansy and I were holding interviews this morning," Ginny said, hurriedly rising from the table.
"You're hiring people now?" Molly asked.
"Yes, she and I need a break every once in a while. I decided that we're making enough money now to afford some extra sets of hands," Ginny said. She moved to peck her mother on the cheek, but thought better of doing so. It didn't seem right, despite the fact that they had just bonded. "I have to go. Thanks for the help, Mum."
"You stop by any time, dear. Don't be a stranger," Molly said with a sad smile. "These past few months without you and your brothers have taken a toll on your father and me."
"I know. I know," Ginny replied. She grabbed her wand from where she had dropped it on the floor.
Without any last words, she Disapparated, landing inside her apartment and stumbling upon a scene that made her sick to the stomach: a bra-clad Pansy on top of a shirtless Ron. She shrieked and shielded her eyes with her hands, her wand clattering to the floor for the second time that morning. She heard Ron stuttering and Pansy laughing, but didn't dare to peek from behind her hands.
"Are you dressed yet?"
"Yes," Pansy said, still laughing.
Ginny uncovered her eyes and glared at the two of them. "What the bloody hell are you two doing? You have a room for that sort of stuff."
Ron turned red in the face. "Sorry, I guess we got out of control."
"I couldn't tell," Ginny said sarcastically. "I'm going to go take a shower. Pansy and I have people to interview."
"Ron, why don't you go get ready for work? I want to talk to Ginny." Pansy gave Ron a small kiss before following Ginny into her room. She closed Ginny's door and rounded on her. "What happened last night? And have you been crying?"
Ginny stared at her reflection in the mirror and winced. Her eyes were red and puffy, rimmed with large black rings from her running eyeliner. Her hair was in disarray, and there was a small bit of strawberry ice cream at the corner of her lip. She swiped strands of her hair back, and wiped under her eyes.
"I'm fine," Ginny said, grabbing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt that flashed Weird Sisters in different colors. "And nothing happened last night. We made Serena a tent and had sandwiches."
"Oh," Pansy said disappointedly. "I was sort of hoping that you two did a bit of naughty all night long, and decided to get back together."
"If only," Ginny mumbled. She leaned against the wall. "Draco is so frustrating. Do you know he actually thought that we could do casual sex? Can you believe him?"
"Yes, I can," Pansy answered truthfully. She fixed her hair in Ginny's vanity mirror as Ginny moved to the bathroom. "He's Draco Malfoy, Ginny. What more do you expect?"
Ginny turned her bathroom door, and bit down on her lip. "I don't know, Pansy. I don't know what I expect from him anymore."
"Merlin!" Ginny heard Pansy exclaim before throwing the bathroom door open. "You--oh, Ginny, that's why your eyes are puffy."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Ginny said, hiding her face.
"Ginny, I may seem like all I do is sleep around, but I know about love." Pansy placed a hand on Ginny's shoulder. "Are you okay?"
"I'll be fine," Ginny lied. "Could you leave me to take my shower now? We have a busy day."
"Sure," Pansy replied. She paused at the door. "I don't particularly feel like being a Hufflepuff right now, but just know that if you ever need someone to talk to, you can come to me."
"If I need someone to talk to, I would go to Hermione and Luna." Ginny saw Pansy's face fall, and she smiled. "If I need someone to take me out and get me drunk off my arse, I'll Floo you."
Pansy laughed. "Sounds like a plan."
"I'll be quick," Ginny yelled as Pansy closed the door. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and said, "Pull it together, Weasley."
~~~~~~~~
"I like the Cathy girl," Pansy said, looking at different parchments filled with various information about the applicants. "Then I think we should hire Alexander. He is quite the eye candy."
Ginny frowned. "Well, Cathy seems to know her way around the kitchen. And she'll just be working from my recipe book so it shouldn't be that hard either."
"And Alexander can take my spot at the register," Pansy said. "There, problem solved."
"I guess they have Polly here to help with the cleaning," Ginny rationalized. She bit down on her lip. "I might have to hire more help eventually, though. I don't think I could really leave two people to run the bakery. It gets too busy."
"Well, what if you just handle the events," Pansy suggested. "You can hire another set of hands if you really think you need to. You can always expand the catering side of the business to bring in more money. Plus, you'll need it to expand your wardrobe as well."
Ginny gazed at Pansy in confusion. "What's wrong with my wardrobe?"
Pansy leaned over the counter and bit into a cookie. "Did you look in the mirror this morning before you got dressed?"
"I happen to like this t-shirt," Ginny shot back. "I got it when the Weird Sisters performed a sold-out concert in America."
"Well then maybe you should frame it, not wear it," Pansy said lightly.
"Leave my clothes alone," Ginny grumbled.
Pansy shrugged and stood upright. "At least it's fitted so it shows off your assets."
"Do you think you can manage sending the owls to Cathy and Alexander?" Ginny sat down at one of the tables in the bakery, hoping that Pansy wouldn't pick up on her swift change of subject. "It's empty in here, and I want to decide who else I should hire."
"I suppose," Pansy said. She rummaged under the counter for parchment. "Must I be polite?"
"Yes, you should," Ginny replied.
Just as Ginny was settling into choosing someone for the remaining position, the door opened, and in walked Isaac. Ginny looked up from her papers and flashed him a smile with a slight wave. He returned a charming grin and pointed to the empty chair in front of her. Ginny nodded, and motioned to the seat across from her, gathering her papers and setting them aside in a neat pile.
"This is a nice surprise," Ginny said. "What brings you by?"
"Lucius had to cancel our lunch meeting. I thought I would stop by and see if you were free," Isaac answered. He eyed all the papers in front of her, and chuckled. "I see that you're not."
"Sorry," Ginny replied with an apologetic smile. "I'm trying to find someone to run the bakery for me on weekends so that I can have some time off."
"I'm free for lunch. There's a really nice restaurant that just opened up down the block. We could go there." Pansy grabbed her bag and sunglasses from the back room, quickly joining Ginny and Isaac. "Ginny, I sent the owl. Come on, Isaac. Let's go. You can tell me how your night with Theo went."
"Wait, you went home with Theo?" Ginny stopped the two from leaving. "I didn't know that."
"No, Theo came home with me." Isaac winked.
"That's--well, that's fast," Ginny said hesitantly. "Don't you think?"
"Don't mind Ginny. She's just upset because she's the only one in here not shagging someone," Pansy said, linking arms with Isaac.
"I thought she and Draco were--"
Pansy shook her head. "No, I'll fill you in over lunch."
"Pansy," Ginny cried as the two left the bakery. Pansy simply waved as they passed by the window. Ginny cursed and muttered, "I hate Slytherins."
"Should I come back later, when you're done conversing with yourself?" Draco waited for the door to close behind him before adding, "And I don't recall you hating Slytherins that much when we were shagging."
Ginny jumped, placing her hand over her heart. "Would you stop scaring me?" After she processed what he had just said, she glowered at him, not deeming his comment worthy enough for a reply.
"It's not my fault you are so easily frightened," Draco drawled. He pulled out the chair that Isaac had been sitting on, unbuttoning his jacket and sitting down. "I saw your date from last night walking arm in arm with Pansy."
"He wasn't my date, and I know. They're going to lunch. He was planning on taking me, but I have work to do." Ginny pointed at his suit. "You seem a little overdressed for going to practice."
"I was in a meeting with my father about your boyfriend's business." He raised an eyebrow. "You certainly move on fast."
"Isaac and I are not dating, nor will we ever be," Ginny snapped, irritably. "Did you come here just to harass me?"
"I wanted to talk about what happened last night with Serena," Draco said, eyeing her with curiosity. "He's rich. He's attractive. Why wouldn't you want to date him?"
"It seems you're more interested in him than I am," Ginny said slyly. "Would you like me to put in a good word?"
Draco glared at her with disdain. "You're hilarious."
"Well, it seemed like you were ready to wax poetic about him," Ginny said with a shrug. "Perhaps that's why things didn't work out with us. I didn't have the proper, ahem, equipment to keep you satisfied."
"If it weren't for the fact that a passerby could see, I would show you just how properly your equipment can keep me satisfied," Draco said, his eyes flashing dangerously. "In any case, I wouldn't tempt me, if I were you."
"You assume that I would let you touch me," Ginny replied, not missing a beat.
"Not only would you let me, you would beg me," Draco taunted. He leaned forward, and brushed her hair out of her face. "You would spread your legs, and beg for me over and over."
Ginny smacked his hand away, her anger increasing the redness of her cheeks. "I think you should go, and come back later."
"No, I think I quite like it here right now. It's empty," Draco murmured, drawing his chair around to her side of the table. "With a wave of my wand I could close the door and blur the windows so no one could see in."
"Stop, Draco." Ginny stood up and put some distance between them, mostly to prevent herself from doing something she would regret. "I really think you should go. I told you last night that I'm not interested in casual sex."
"You won't let me try and convince you otherwise?" queried Draco with a cocked eyebrow.
"No," Ginny said forcefully.
"I want to go on a vacation," he said abruptly.
Ginny's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "That's lovely. Er, have fun?"
"I want to take you and Serena on a vacation," Draco amended. "I think it would be good for us."
Ginny's face fell. "I can't take a vacation right now, Draco. I'm trying to run the bakery. I'm going to have to train new people. I don't have anyone to take over."
"I'm not asking, Ginny," Draco said, standing up. He buttoned his jacket, and moved towards the door. "I'll pick you up for dinner at six. We can discuss this some more. It will give you some time to clear your schedule."
"You presumptuous--"
"Bye, Ginny," Draco drawled, closing the door behind him.
Ginny let out a scream of frustration, effectively scaring away an incoming customer. She smacked a hand in her face before groaning once more. She couldn't believe that she had ended up falling for someone like Draco Malfoy. Ginny knew he had his good moments, but when he acted the way he had moments prior, she couldn't help but think the man was six different people.
"Erm, are you open?"
Ginny smiled at the old couple wandering in. "Yes, we are. Come in."
~~~~~~~~
Wrapped in a bathrobe, Ginny stood in front of her closet, not sure what to wear. She did not particularly feel like going anywhere with Draco. However, he had sent her an owl informing her that he was bringing Serena along. Ginny knew that it was simply a coy trick to get her to agree to go on the vacation. She wouldn't mind going on a vacation with Serena, but Draco was a problem. Plus, she had to run the bakery. She still hadn't found anyone capable of doing the job. Furthermore, she didn't feel right leaving Pansy in charge, although Ginny was sure Pansy would volunteer if she knew why she would have to be in charge.
A knock sounded on her door, and she yelled, "Who is it?"
"It's me, Mother."
Ginny moved across the room, and poked her head out the door. Indeed, Serena was standing there, dressed in a pretty cream dress, her reddish-gold hair surrounding her face with bouncy curls. Ginny stared past Serena to see Draco, clothed in a dove gray shirt and a pair of dark pants. She couldn't deny that he looked quite handsome. Her eyes drifted from his outfit to his face, only to find him staring at her with a perplexed expression.
She licked her lips unconsciously and said, "You two are here early."
"I thought you would be ready by now," Draco commented dryly. "I see I was wrong."
"Draco," Ron greeted, exiting his room with a bowl of ice cream in hand. "I didn't know you were coming over."
"I'm taking your sister to dinner," Draco replied, nodding his head in greeting.
"Oh, that's why you were groaning about having nothing to wear." Ron ate another spoonful of ice cream. "I'll never understand you women. You could have a whole closet full of stuff, and still say you have nothing to wear."
Ginny's eyes narrowed on the bowl of ice cream. "Have you been eating out the strawberry ice cream Mum sent over? That's for me."
The tips of Ron's ears turned red. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"As interesting as all of this is, we have reservations," Draco interjected.
"Serena, why don't you and I go check out the new toys in your room?" asked Ron. "I think your mum needs some time to finish getting ready."
"New toys?" squealed Serena in excitement.
"Yep, I picked you out some stuff when I was getting your cousin Eva some things," Ron said. "Maybe you'll get to meet Eva soon."
"Is she my age?" asked Serena, following behind Ron.
"If I had known you were coming so early, I would have been dressed earlier." Ginny held up her finger. "I'll only be a little while."
Ginny turned around, closed the door, and moved across the room. She heard her door open, and didn't jump when he said, "You could wear that for all I care."
"Somehow I don't think the other patrons would take so kindly to that," Ginny murmured, moving back to her closet. "If you plan on being crude, at least close the door. The last thing either of us needs is for Serena to overhear us."
Draco closed the door and leaned against it. "You didn't need to use Serena as an excuse to get me to lock us in a room together."
"I bet you thought that would sound good," Ginny rebuked. She rested her hands on her hips. "Where exactly are we going?"
"A restaurant in Muggle London," Draco answered while idly examining his nails. "I didn't want us to be seen."
Ginny flipped through her small collection of dresses. "I suppose I should wear a dress then."
"That would be preferable," Draco murmured, his voice right in her ear. Draco reached around Ginny, and pulled a dress out of the closet. "You should wear this one."
Ginny shivered at his close proximity. "Draco?"
"Ginny," he said.
"Why do you keep doing this to me?" she whispered.
Draco stepped back, and held up the dress. "I'll leave while you change."
"Don't bother. I'm going to need help to zip it up," Ginny said.
Ginny knew it was cruel of her. But she wanted him to feel the way she felt. She untied the sash on her robe and removed it slowly. She took the dress from his hand. Ginny tried her best not to smile at the lust in his eyes when he saw her black lace underthings. While she wasn't one to tease, she also got sheer pleasure out of knowing that Draco was still very much attracted to her. She bent over and stepped into the black and white dress, giving Draco an eyeful. It was at this moment he turned away from her, and she caught of glimpse of a bulge before he quickly adjusted his pants.
With a small smile, she stuck her hands in the sleeves of the dress and said, "Could you?"
"You're a minx," Draco muttered under his breath, motioning for her to turn around.
She did as told, smoothing down the silky ruffles under her bust. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Of course not. You know, I never even got a kiss for my birthday," Draco said petulantly while zipping up her dress. "It was the least you could have gotten me."
"My wonderful presence wasn't enough?" Ginny moved away from him to get her wand, quickly waving it at her hair. The ends of her hair instantly took on a wavy curl.
"Frankly, no," Draco deadpanned.
Ginny removed black stilettos from her closet, and ignored his comment. After stuffing her feet into the heels, she spun around, finding herself face to face with Draco. He held a silver chain in his hand with a solitaire diamond pendant. It was not something she owned. He wrapped his arms around her neck, clasping the necklace for her. His hand drifted down her collarbone, touching the diamond nestled right above her cleavage.
"That isn't mine," Ginny whispered, her eyes drifting to his.
"It's a gift," he replied. He gave her an uncharacteristic lopsided grin. "I bought it before we ended things. It belongs to you."
"It's beautiful," Ginny said, looking down at the simple diamond.
Before she knew what she was doing, Ginny lifted her chin and touched her lips to his. Draco didn't respond for a second, but once he got over the shock, he moved his lips against hers, the soft feeling a familiar one for both of them. His tongue snaked into her mouth, and moved against hers slowly, sensually. Her body heated up as his hand wrapped around her waist, dragging her body closer to his. The warmth spread from her very core, and Ginny felt weightless.
She pulled away, breathing heavily. "Thank you."
"The best thanks I've ever gotten," he said quietly.
He moved to let her go, and she gripped his shirt. "Not yet."
"Can't walk?" Draco smirked down at her.
"You killed our moment," Ginny said, pushing him away.
"I thought we had this discussion," Draco said as he straightened his hair. She hadn't even noticed she had mussed it. "I don't have moments."
"You have them. You just don't seem able to acknowledge them," Ginny replied. She too fixed her hair before grabbing a small purse for her wand. "Shall we go now? I wouldn't want Serena or Ron to get suspicious."
Draco held her door open for her as they stepped out. They both made their way to Serena's room, surprised to see the little girl asleep in her bed with her Uncle Ron at her side, snoring. Ginny smiled at the scene. It was heartwarming to see Ron with children. It was obvious how much he missed having Eva around him. Ginny couldn't imagine what it was like for him to go from seeing his baby every single day to seeing her only on some weekends. Ginny pressed a finger to her lips, turned off the lights in the room, and closed the door.
"I think you should cancel your reservations," Ginny whispered. She kicked off her shoes, and dropped her bag on the couch. "Maybe she could just stay here tonight."
"That's fine," Draco replied. "We still have to talk."
"Polly," Ginny called. When the house elf appeared, Ginny asked, "Are there still leftovers from Ron's dinner?"
"Yes, Mistress," Polly answered.
"Please may I have two plates and two glasses of wine?" Ginny smiled when the house elf nodded, and disappeared. She sat down on the couch, waiting for Draco to do the same. "Now, we can talk."
"We need this vacation, Ginny." Draco pointed to the closed room door. "Serena will easily fall back into her tantrums if she doesn't see change."
Polly popped back in the room, levitating a tray in front of her. Draco and Ginny waited for Polly to set the plates down on the coffee table and leave the room. They both lifted their plates from the table, and set them on their laps, beginning to eat. Ginny used the food as an excuse not to talk to Draco. She took a healthy sip of her wine in between bites, trying her best to think of how she could refute that argument. It would be hard to try and tell Draco no, especially because this was her family. Even if they weren't in a relationship, Draco was her family. Ginny knew that they needed time away from everything, but she couldn't help but to think this wasn't the time.
She finished her food and set the plate down. "When do you propose we go on this vacation?"
"I think going for a few days in two weeks would work out," Draco replied, swirling his wine in his glass.
"Two weeks?" Ginny's eyes widened. "I can't manage that, Draco. I have three events a week for the next three weeks."
"At the beginning of August," Draco said.
"My birthday is at the beginning of August," Ginny murmured softly. "I suppose I could manage to get everything together in a month."
"I didn't know your birthday was in August," Draco said, leaning back in the couch.
Ginny nodded. "I turn twenty-four on August eleventh. It would be nice to spend my birthday with Serena."
"And me," Draco added.
The corners of her lips turned up. "I wouldn't exactly call that nice."
"I'm not getting you a present now," Draco said with mock hurt in his voice.
Ginny adopted a serious expression, turning her body on the couch to face him. "You don't have to get me anything, especially after buying me this necklace."
Draco shrugged. "I buy things. It's what I do."
"So, where do plan on taking Serena and I?" asked Ginny, steering the conversation away from anything too heavy.
"Somewhere tropical," Draco answered, rising from the couch.
"Now, I have to watch what I eat," Ginny said with a shake of her head. "I don't want to look to scar anyone on the beach."
"Your body is perfect just the way it is," Draco said sincerely. "Any skinnier and I would have nothing to hold onto while I fu--"
"Don't finish that sentence," Ginny said, holding up her hand.
Draco smirked. "Fine, I will be taking my leave."
"I'll have Serena up and ready in the morning," Ginny said, standing up as well. "Sorry your plans didn't quite pan out."
"I think it worked out quite nicely," Draco murmured, moving closer to her.
Ginny stepped back. "No more kisses for you."
"Thank you for dinner," Draco said with a bow of his head and a suave smile.
Ginny waved as she watched him disappear into the green flames. She touched a finger to her lips, feeling them tingle from the memory of the kiss earlier. Ginny cleared the coffee table, sending the dirty things into the kitchen. She held on to her glass of wine as she settled back into the couch. She knew sleep was a long way off, and she had just gotten to a good point in her latest trashy romance novel about a hit wizard who fell for the woman he was sent to capture. The two were just about to make love in the cave they were stuck camping in. Ginny curled her legs under her, and flipped open her book, getting lost in the words on the page.