Some will be disappointed. Some will be happy. We shall see.
Many thanks to Aerileigh for helping me with this.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the Potter Universe.
~~~~~~~~
Ginny breezed downstairs and into the dining room on her second afternoon on the island. Draco and Serena were already seated, beverages in hand, when she entered. She could see Draco smirking at her as he eyed her bare shoulders and legs with appreciation. She blushed under his gaze, self consciously adjusting the straps of her top and tugging down her shorts before sitting down.
All sorts of food appeared on the table. Ginny helped herself to some crab cakes before asking, "What shall we do after lunch?"
"What do you want to do?" Draco asked.
Ginny was a bit taken aback that he had bothered to ask her, but she recovered quickly. "Uhm, I was thinking about a walk around the island. I wanted to explore."
Draco nodded curtly. "That's fine."
"Can we collect shells too?" Serena seemed excited at the prospect.
"We can use the shells and make necklaces tomorrow," Ginny replied. "Or maybe we can make matching bracelets."
"Why can't we make them tonight?" Serena pouted.
Ginny laughed. "By the time we get back, you'll be so tired that you'll only want to eat and get ready for bed."
"I won't be tired," Serena denied.
"Well, if you do everything today, what ever will we do tomorrow?" Serena conceded, happily going back to eating her lunch. Ginny tried a bit of the shrimp salad, and her taste buds were absolutely delighted. "This food is divine."
"The seafood is all fresh," Draco remarked.
"Nothing less for a Malfoy," Ginny teased.
"Absolutely," Draco said, helping himself to some of the shrimp salad.
"Is the island protected from Muggles?" asked Ginny curiously. She wondered if any passing ships would see the island.
"Wouldn't want any venturing onto the property," Draco said lightly. "It's more so that they wouldn't end up staking claim here than anything else. The surrounding islands are all private, and all owned by witches and wizards as well."
"Of course," Ginny said wryly.
"We received it as a gift centuries ago. I believe it was part of a dowry." Draco's expression became thoughtful for a moment. "I came here for the first time when I was three. This is where I learned how to swim, in the pool out back."
Ginny's eyebrows shot up. "There's a pool too?"
"Right outside," Draco said. "My father threw me into the water, and I swam to the top."
Ginny smiled. "I didn't have the chance to learn in a pool. But my father taught me in the stream behind the Burrow. He tried your father's method first. I sat at the bottom, and he had to come in and get me. In the end, he had to use different methods."
"You are quite stubborn," Draco said with a glint in his eye.
"When did Serena learn how to swim?" Ginny turned her attention to the little girl.
"I used the same method as Father did. When Serena came to the surface, she cried and refused to go near the water," Draco said amusedly.
"I love the water now," Serena announced.
"I could see that," Ginny said. "I think if you had a choice, you would have let us stay in the water until we were shriveled."
Serena giggled. "No I wouldn't."
They finished their lunch and readied themselves for a walk around the island. Though the house elves would come if they needed anything, Draco and Ginny decided to carry water and little packages of fruit with them. They shrank the items, put them in their pockets, and were on their way with sunglasses on their faces and sunblock charms on their skin.
The island, as Draco said, was not very big. It was a good size though. They slowly walked along the beach, and Draco pointed in the direction of the coast of Spain. He also pointed out all the other surrounding islands, listing off the names of their owners. Serena happily walked alongside them, every now and then breaking up the geography lesson in order to point out a pretty shell she found.
After a while of walking along the shore, they turned inland, journeying towards the lush vegetation on the side of the island. Draco told Ginny that it was safe, for the small forest had been cleared of dangerous creatures long ago. Friendly creatures, particularly birds, were still there though, creating a lulling sound in the forest.
"Ooh, look at that one," Serena murmured excitedly. This was her first time in the forest. She had always been too young to go trekking along the uneven ground. "Father, can I have a parrot?"
Draco looked as if he were about to say yes but glanced at Ginny, who had pushed her sunglasses on top of her head. She had an amused expression on her face, almost daring him to say no. He was never one to back down from a dare. "Definitely not."
"But Father," Serena whined.
"Serena, no," Draco said firmly, removing his sunglasses.
"Serena, parrots are beautiful in nature but annoying in captivity, much like most birds. No bird likes to be cooped up inside. They want the freedom and fresh air that comes with the outdoors," Ginny said softly.
Serena seemed a bit placated but still slightly miffed with her father. "Fine."
"Come on, the cliffs are this way," Draco said, pointing to a dirt path with rocks scattered on it.
"Cliffs?" Ginny queried.
"There are so many safety spells on it that I doubt you could even trip," Draco said, calming the fear he saw in her eyes. "My mother was paranoid that I might try and explore in the night when no one was watching me."
"You strike me as the type to sneak out of bed at nights. Did you ever do it?" Ginny held onto one of Serena's hand as the path started to incline.
"Once. Father was not amused to find me exploring the lagoon at two in the morning. He was livid. He made me stay inside the house for the three days that we had left on the island." Draco gave Serena a stern look. "The same punishment awaits you, young lady, should you decide to go nighttime exploring."
Serena paled. "I won't. That doesn't sound fun at all."
For the rest of the walk, Ginny and Draco both entertained Serena with stories of various punishments they underwent in their youth. By the time they reached the top, Serena was ready to vow never to misbehave again because her parents knew too many terrible punishments. Their stories ended the minute they stepped out of the forest and onto the cliffs. The view needed silence, even Serena could pick up on that.
The clear blue water spread out in front of them, the sun's rays bouncing off the surface. The waves crashed into the cliff, the sound soothing and calm. The cliffs formed a cul-de-sac, the water rushing in and rushing back out. On either side of the water, lush green trees hung from random points in the cliff, some of the trees so low they touched the water, swaying under the pressure of the waves.
"It's beautiful," Ginny said softly.
Draco had picked Serena up so that she could get a better view since she was too scared to move towards the edge of the cliff. Quietly, he told her the same thing his father had told him his first time on the cliff. "This will all be yours one day."
"And my little brother's or sister's too," Serena added.
Ginny had to smile at that. Though Serena knew not to pester either one of her parents on the subject of siblings, just the fact that she was willing to share made both Ginny and Draco reluctant to reprimand her. Instead, they stood there, Draco and Ginny side by side, Serena on Draco's hip. They were the perfect tableau of a little family, the forest in the background and the ocean in front of them creating a beautiful setting. In fact, the longer they stood there, the closer Draco and Ginny seemed to shift together.
Draco and Ginny both seemed startled when their arms brushed against each other. But neither one of them moved, nor did they say anything. This was one of those moments they would forever remember, a family moment, a moment shared between the three that would be etched into their minds.
After twenty minutes of simply staring out at the water, Serena began to get antsy. Draco sensed it and said, "We should get back if you want to go to the other side of the island and see the lagoon."
"Is it terribly far?" asked Ginny, her eyes still glued to the water.
"It's the opposite side," Draco repeated. That seemed to shake Ginny out of her stupor, and she smiled sheepishly, mumbling something under her breath. Draco ignored her and said, "The sun will start setting by the time we get there."
Ginny nodded, and they made their way back through the forest. They stopped for a little while when they reached the edge for a water break, happily munching on the fruits they had packed. When they finished, Serena hopped on her father's back, refusing to walk anymore. Draco didn't seem to mind, and he took off running, Ginny trailing behind them with both hers and Serena's sandals in her hand. They had taken them off in order to walk in the sand barefoot. Plus, their feet were hurting from walking through a forest in ill-equipped shoes.
"Come on mother," Serena shrieked, letting out a peal of laughter when Draco spun around.
Ginny's heart warmed at the sight, and she jogged to catch up with them. "We'll make record time at this speed."
Serena's eyes gleamed. "Can I get down, Father?"
"Sure," Draco answered. He allowed her down, holding out his hand for her to hold it. But she shook her head no.
"I want to have a race," she said. She shot off, yelling, "I'm going to win."
"She gets that from you," Ginny remarked.
"What are you talking about?" asked Draco.
"Cheating," Ginny said lightly, laughter in her eyes before she ran away from him.
Draco shook his head but dashed off after the two of them. He caught up to them, grabbing Serena around the waist and falling into the sand. He turned in order to take the brunt of the fall, and father and daughter collapsed into the sand. Draco let out a sound of pain while Serena continued laughing until she could barely breathe. Ginny simply stared at Draco before bursting into laughter herself at the pained look on his face. He obviously hadn't thought that move through.
"You think this is funny?" Draco grabbed her ankled and tugged, chuckling when she too fell back with a sound of pain. "That is funny."
Ginny propped herself up on her elbows with a grimace. "That was not funny."
"Yes it was," Serena said, rolling off her father with a fresh set of giggles.
"You just wait. I'll figure out a way to pay you back," Ginny said evilly. She laid back in the sand. "This sand may feel nice and soft when you're walking on it. But it's awfully painful."
Draco grunted in agreement. "I know."
"What possessed you to do this?" Ginny whined.
Serena poked her father's chest. "It wasn't that bad."
"Because your father acted like your human pillow," Ginny said, groaning in pain as she stood on her feet.
Draco got up with a lot less complaining and only a slight wince betraying the fact that he was in pain. "At least we got a lot closer to the lagoon."
Ginny nodded in agreement. They had already passed behind the house, where Ginny had seen the pool. They continued their walk, albeit slower, to the lagoon. Serena stood in-between her parents, swinging their hands back and forth, ignorant to the occasional wince from Draco and Ginny, who were still in a bit of pain from the fall.
They reached the lagoon, and Serena joyously picked up a few shells she found in the shallow water. Ginny withdrew her wand from her pocket, happy to see it unharmed from the fall, and reversed the shrinking spell on the basket Serena had been using. She also had to fish out some of the shells that had fallen out in her pockets, which were charmed to be deeper than they looked, during the fall.
"This island really is beautiful." Ginny dropped her shoes on the sand before stepping into the water, which hit her mid-calf. She avoided stepping on sharp things, especially the coral, and warned Serena not to step past the ankle deep water because of the stones and coral.
The sun began to go down, the shift in light playing across the waters of both the lagoon and the ocean, which wasn't very far away from the embankment that separated the ocean and lagoon. Ginny placed her hands on her back, lowered her sunglasses, which she noticed were askew on top of her head, and stared out at the setting sun.
Serena looked up on where she was picking up seashells. "Mother?"
"Yes, Serena?" Ginny moved out of the water, drying her feet and dusting off the sand.
"Will I be as pretty as you when I grow up?"
Ginny stopped brushing the sand of her feet, moving her sunglasses back to the top of her head. "What?"
Serena bowed her head shyly. "Nothing."
Ginny smiled and slipped on her sandals. "You're going to be a lot prettier than me, Serena."
Draco cleared his throat. "Are we ready to go inside?"
"I've got enough for our jewelry, Mother." Serena shook her bucket that rattled with the sound of the seashells.
"Fantastic," Ginny exclaimed, grabbing Serena's hand. "Let's go inside. I could use a nice soft sofa right now."
Draco nodded in agreement. "Slinky."
A house elf appeared at Draco's side. "Master called?"
"Take us back to the house," Draco ordered.
"Lazy," Ginny muttered, despite the fact that she was thankful.
~~~~~~~~
Ginny cut into the lemon meringue pie that she had baked for dinner earlier in the night. Draco and Serena were asleep, and she was unable to rest. She had gone for a dip in the pool, hoping that swimming would induce tiredness. However, all it did was make her hungry. She placed a slice of the pie on her plate before putting it back in the crystal pie dome. After tightening the towel around her waist, grabbing a glass of wine, and pinning her hair back, she sat down at the counter to eat.
"You're a bit inappropriately dressed, aren't you?"
"Considering I was swimming earlier, I think I am perfectly dressed." Ginny stared down at her bikini to make sure everything was in place before turning to look at Draco. "You're the one to talk. I would have at least put a shirt on before I came down here."
Draco eyed the large slice of pie on her plate. "Hungry?"
"A bit," Ginny said, watching as he retrieved a fork and removed the pie from its dome. "What are you doing up? You looked pretty tired after dinner."
"I could say the same for you," Draco retorted, sitting down next to her.
"I didn't think a Malfoy would eat out of a pie dish," Ginny said in mock shock.
He scoffed. "The entire pie belongs to me. Of course I'm going to eat out of the pie dish."
Ginny laughed. "I'm sorry to hurt your ego, but that the pie was not made for you."
"Ah, but I was in your mind when you were making it, right?" He took a bite of the pie with a self-satisfied look.
"Someone is a little full of himself," Ginny remarked.
"Today was a good day," he said out of the blue.
Ginny nodded in agreement. "Serena certainly enjoyed herself."
"Mission accomplished then," Draco stated, continuing to eat.
"We still have to get through the next three days. So don't talk too soon," Ginny said warningly.
"Speaking of the next three days, we won't be the only ones on the island," Draco said, continuing to eat his pie. "Three guards are coming. They've promised to stay out of sight. But they'll be staying in the other three rooms. Well, two, since two of them are married."
"I'll finally get to meet my elusive guard." Ginny shook her head in wonder. "Is it necessary to have guards on a private island?"
"It never hurts to be careful," Draco said, turning his head to stare at her.
"I suppose not," Ginny murmured. She stared at the clock on the wall above the sink. "I turn twenty-four in one hour and twenty two minutes."
"You count down the minutes?"
Ginny smiled, and turned her body to face his. "It's a silly tradition, and probably the reason why I can't sleep. When I was younger, my brothers would stay up with me and play games until midnight. Then Mum would come downstairs and make us pancakes before sending us up to bed. We would sleep in until noon."
Draco smirked. "And you called me lazy."
"What did you do on your birthdays?" asked Ginny, pushing his shoulder lightly at his comment. She ignored the way her hand felt touching his bare skin. "Anything special?"
"No, I didn't stay up until midnight counting down the minutes." Draco pushed away what was left of the pie, which wasn't much. "I would wake up in the mornings, and Father would take me out for boy's day out."
Ginny laughed. "What did you do?"
Draco shrugged. "Mostly flying, and in my older ages having a drink. He gave me my first drink, and then taught me how to hold my liquor."
"Is it possible to teach someone how to hold their liquor?" asked Ginny curiously. "If so, I think you should teach me."
"There are a lot of things I can teach you," Draco said, waggling his eyebrows.
Ginny pushed his shoulder once more. Before she could pull away, Draco grabbed her hand in his, pulling her off her stool to stand between his legs. "What are you doing?"
He didn't say anything to her. He simply stared into her eyes, his own shining in the kitchen lighting. Ginny didn't know what was going through his head. She knew that his eyes darkening meant lust, but lately, his eyes were always lust filled. Most of the time, especially when he was saying goodbye, it looked like he would take her wherever she stood. Ginny wondered what she would do if he did.
She didn't have to wonder long.
"I'm going to kiss you."
Before she could retort, his lips touched her own, lightly at first. However, when she responded, he pulled her closer to him, and pressed his chest against her own. She couldn't resist, not when this was something she had thought about doing for over a month. She could no longer deny her body what it wanted, what it craved. In her mind, she rationalized that she would be using him just as much as he was using her.
Her arms wound around his neck, her fingertips gently brushing against the hair at the nape of his neck. Soon, he was standing, walking her backwards until she hit the dining table in the kitchen. Her towel loosened from around her waist until it fell in a pool around her legs. His hands moved up her back, feeling for the ties that held her biking together, but he paused before pulling them, disengaging himself from her lips.
Ginny sucked in a deep breath. Next time, she would have to remember to pause to take a breath. But she was so lost in the kiss, in him, that she didn't think breathing was necessary. She perched herself on the edge of the table, staring into her eyes. She didn't want to be the one to talk, the one to ruin the moment, so she waited for him to talk, to say anything to fill the sudden silence.
"You're sure?"
Just that one act of caring. "I am now."
No more words needed to be said. His lips descended on hers roughly. Cool air hit her breasts as they were released from the confines of her top. The thin scrap went sailing over Draco's head before his hands reached for her breasts, rubbing against her nipples. She moaned into his mouth, enjoying the exquisite feeling of someone other from herself touching her, especially seeing as how that person was Draco.
Her hands spurred into action when he toyed with the edges of string bikini. She placed her palms on his waist and pushed down his pajama pants, delighted to see nothing underneath. Ginny let out a moan when his lips touched her neck, lightly biting her skin. He deftly removed the last article of clothing from between them, and without warning sank his fingers into her wetness.
She let out a keening moan. "Draco."
He chuckled against her neck. "How I've missed that sound."
"Get on with it," Ginny bit out, throwing her head back at the feeling of two fingers inside of her.
"A little impatient are we?"
"Has anyone told you that you're awfully chatty during sex?"
Draco bit her shoulder for that remark. "Cheeky chit."
She wrapped a hand around his erect member, noting how it hardened even more in her hand. His intake of breath made her smile against his ear, his face still buried in the crook of her neck. She nimbly moved her hands up and down his length, letting out a groan of satisfaction when his fingers, twined together, thrust into her, matching her rhythm. Just when she felt herself about to go over the edge, he pulled away from her, smirking at her dissatisfied look.
"It occurred to me that I never paid you back for our last time together." He kicked away his pajama pants, and sank down on his knees on her towel. "If there's one thing I do fairly, it's sex."
"I just want--"
"And you'll get it," Draco said, hooking her legs over his shoulder, his head nestled in between her legs.
"Drac--oh," Ginny squealed as his tongue reached out and touched her clit. "Mmm, you don't have to do--I only want you."
"You have me," he murmured into her folds.
Draco brought her to the brink over and over. His tongue dove into her, his hands beneath her, giving him a better angle. She writhed beneath him, unable to take the movements his tongue made inside her. When he lightly nipped at her clit, she thought she would die from the pressure building inside of her. Her hands found purchase in his hair, keeping him against her. He responded by taking her clit between his lips and sucking on it, driving her to her orgasm. His name fell from her lips in a guttural moan, her hips rocketing off the table, her hands tugging on his hair.
Before she could sink into the after effects of her orgasm, she found herself unceremoniously turned over, her breast pressed against the wood of the table. She eased her head up to look behind her, the sight transfixing. The animalistic grin on Draco's face made her quiver in anticipation. The sight of his cock protruding from his body made her rest her head against the table, excitement coursing through her.
"I'm glad you didn't lose any weight," Draco grunted, grabbing onto her hips. "This wouldn't be as much fun."
Her protest fell from her lips when he pushed into her, the feeling almost foreign. She bit down on her lip, wiggling her arse against him. He chuckled in response. Ginny lifted her torso and twisted to look at him. But he simply raised an eyebrow, swiveling his hips to hit new spots.
"Draco," she said impatiently.
"You're not very patient," Draco replied, his clenched jaw betraying his calmness.
"Fine, get off me. I'll just go finish up in my room," Ginny said coolly.
That spurred him into motion. He glared at her and pressed his hand against her back. She found herself squished against the table once more. But this time, Draco was moving inside her. His hands gripped her hips roughly, and he hammered into her from behind. Her arms reached above her and gripped onto the edges of the table to prevent herself from going flying to the other side.
Her moans mingled with his grunts of pleasure, the sound of slapping flesh joining the mixture. He slowed down and sped up, his maddening pace sending her to the bliss she so needed. He increased the force behind his thrusts, the actions making the table rattle beneath her. She briefly wondered if it would break before she felt a finger press against that infamous pleasure button. With a few more thrusts, a cry fell from her lips, and her walls tightened on Draco's cock.
Draco pulled out and slammed into her once more, spilling inside her with a soft, "Ginny."
He rolled over, and laid next to her on the table, turning his head when she turned onto her back. The air smelled of sex, and their skin was covered in moisture. The sound of their heavy breathing permeated the kitchen; silence was needed for their heart rates to go back to normal.
When a chill began to settle onto Ginny's skin, she sat up with a wince. "That wasn't such a good idea after falling today. Next time we do this, we should use a bed."
"Will there be a next time?"
Ginny didn't respond. She didn't know how to respond. On one hand, she did want this to happen again. On the other, she didn't think she could stand being this thing on the side for Draco. She stood up and retrieved her bikini bottom, shimmying into it. After fishing her top from out of the sink and putting it on, she wrapped her towel back around her waist, turning to look at Draco.
He looked peaceful. His hands rested on his lower torso, his body completely bare and open to her. She was struck by how comfortable he was in his own skin. She didn't think she could be like that in front of her. Part of her hoped that he hadn't been like that with anyone before in his life. It made seeing him like this seem a bit special. And that was what she wanted. She wanted him to be open with her. She wanted them to be open to the world about being together. She couldn't be his secret. She couldn't hide this from her family, her friends.
"That is entirely up to you, Draco. I care about you a great deal, and I know you care about me too. It's in the small notions like keeping protection on me. Before you jump to say that you do that for Serena, don't. I know you care about me." She crossed her arms over her bare stomach. "The decision is in your hands now."
"You're ruining my postcoital bliss," Draco groaned.
Ginny smiled sadly before turning around. "Goodnight, Draco."
"Ginny," he called. When she turned her head to the side and rested it on her shoulder, he said, "Happy birthday."
Spinning around to look at the clock, she laughed. "Thanks for keeping me up until after midnight."
"My pleasure," Draco said, sitting up.
Before walking away, Ginny called him quietly, "Draco?"
"Yes?" He pulled on his pajama pants.
"I didn't just come here for Serena." A blush stained her cheeks, and she wondered why she bothered to bring it up. "I--I know that was what you were going to say earlier. I came her for you too, for us."
With that, she spun and walked away, leaving behind a shell-shocked Draco.