Thanks a bunch to Aerileigh!
We're getting to the end now-2 chapters left.
~~~~~~~~
"I cannot wait to get out of here." Ginny toyed with her sheets as she waited for her Healers to come back with her test results. She turned to Luna, who, since she was in the hospital as well, spent most of her time in Ginny's room with little baby Guinevere. "Aren't you being released today?"
Luna gently rested Guinevere in the bassinet by her side. "I am already checked out. Blaise is signing my release forms. He should be down here momentarily."
"Not fair," Ginny grumbled.
"You went through extensive surgery and had a minor concussion." Luna shook her head and crossed her legs. "You can't possibly think that you're ready to go now."
"I feel fine," Ginny exclaimed loudly, causing Guinevere to make a snuffling sound. "Er, sorry."
Luna waved her off. "She sleeps like her father. I could yell at Blaise while he's sleeping, and he will remain that way."
"You don't strike me as the type to yell," Ginny said with a smile.
"I have my moments," she said with a sniff.
They lapsed into silence, and Ginny stared at the white walls surrounding her, her mind drifting off to Draco. He had stopped by every morning with Serena in tow, and then at nights, he would come alone. Sometimes she would be asleep, and he would stay in the chair at the side of her bed until she woke up in the middle of the night from her nightmares, which were a nightly occurrence. He would then talk with her until the early hours of the morning when she would slip back to sleep. On some nights, she would be wide-awake when he came, and he would tell her all about Quidditch practice and upcoming games. And when he left, she would sit and ponder what his actions meant. She couldn't figure out if it was because of the discussion they'd had after they shagged, or guilt over her kidnapping.
"Thinking about Draco?" asked Luna, breaking through her thoughts.
Ginny turned and stared at her blonde friend. "Yes. I'm so confused."
"About?"
"I know he cares about me-"
"But you want him to love you," Luna finished.
Ginny crossed her arms. "Yes. I've been brutally beaten and kidnapped. When things like that happen, you realize that life is a lot shorter than you think. I want to get married, Luna. I would love to have a nice wedding on a beach. I want to be pregnant again and be able to walk out of my house instead of being locked up like a prisoner. I want to go through all the nuances of pregnancy with someone who loves me by my side. I need to be able to hold my newborn child in my arms one day."
Tears streamed down her face, and Luna handed her tissues with a somber expression.
"You're my age, and you have everything, a husband, two adorable children, and a lovely home. Why can't I have that too?" Ginny sniffled and lowered her head, batting at a strand of hair that fell in her face. "I want Draco to be that person by my side. But if he can't give that to me, I need to move on, Luna."
"Maybe you should take some time away, Ginny." Luna stood and embraced her friend. "I think that you could use some rest until all of this blows over in the press. I know Draco and Lucius have been working really hard to keep the story from the papers, with some considerable help from your family and Harry. But they won't be able to quiet the news when the trials start."
Ginny shuddered at the thought of having to see Warrington's face again, even if it was just a picture. She had enough of him in her sleep. She didn't want to see him when she was awake as well. The nightmares that plagued her often followed her into consciousness, and it would take hours until she could shake the image of Warrington hovering over her, his wand pointed menacingly at her body, his mouth moving to whisper the spell that would end her life.
"I don't know. What about the bakery and Serena? I want my life to return to normal, Luna. Hiding from this isn't going to help me move on," Ginny said as Luna stepped back. "I think I need to stick this out."
"Why don't you just go until the trial is over?" asked Luna, her gaze serene. "I think it would be a good idea to keep the bakery closed until this ordeal is sorted and Warrington is locked in a cell in Azkaban for good."
Ginny stared at the white walls in front of her, imagining what it would be like when she went back out in the world. She knew that the reporters would be standing outside her shop, constantly barraging her with questions. With a swarm of cameramen and interviewers waiting outside, business probably would slow down. Her customers wouldn't want to wade through a sea of people. She bit down on her lip, puzzled.
When she opened her mouth to respond to Luna, a knock sounded on the door. She called for the person to enter and watched as a head of white hair peeked into the room. Once he realized it was all clear, Healer Mosley entered the room with a smile and a wave to both Luna and Ginny. He opened the charts in his hand in a dramatic motion, smiling at Ginny's anticipatory expression.
"You're all set, Ms. Weasley," he said with sparkling eyes. "The tests have all come back negative, and you are free to go."
Ginny laughed. "Thank goodness. I like you, Healer Mosley. But I was getting a bit tired of your cheery mood."
"Ahh, I think it helps my patients heal faster when they dislike me," he said jokingly.
"That it does," Ginny replied.
"However, I must inform you that your body is in a very precarious situation at the moment. You are quite healthy, but it does not take long for one to become unhealthy, especially under stress. I advise that you take some Dreamless Sleep Draught for your nightmares and take some time off from work. Running a bakery is no piece of cake," he said with a wink.
"Thank you, Healer Mosley. I appreciate all that you and the other Healers have done for me," Ginny said gratefully.
"It's not a problem, Ms. Weasley. I will just be happy to get home. My wife doesn't like when I am away from her for too long." He closed her charts and rested them at the end of the bed. "I have no doubt that Healer Weasley will want to take a look at this and make her own assessments."
Ginny shrugged. "Probably."
"Well, it has been good fun, Ms. Weasley. My Portkey activates in two hours, and I would like to get some souvenir shopping done before I head back home. It softens the length of my absence when I come home with gifts," he said with a laugh. "Mrs. Zabini, I wish you good health and good luck with your beautiful child."
"Thank you, Healer Mosley. If I ever find myself in the need of a Dark Arts Specialist, you shall be first on my list," Luna said, smiling.
"I pray that you will not," he said before leaving the room.
"Well, time for me to get out of here," Ginny said, shoving the sheets back.
Luna quickly stood and stopped Ginny from getting up. "I would wait for your family or, at the very least, Draco to get here. You don't want to try getting home by yourself."
Ginny let out a disgruntled sigh. "Fine."
"Besides, unless you plan to go home starkers, you'll have to wait for someone to bring you some clothes," Luna added, moving back to her seat.
"I hate that you're right," Ginny grumbled.
Luna simply shook her head before asking, "So have you given any thought to taking some time away?"
~~~~~~~~
"Be careful, Ron. Don't jostle her," Pansy yelled.
"George, don't make me use my wand on you," Angelina cried.
"I told you that it would be a terrible idea to have us all gathered here," Percy said with an impatient huff. "You cannot get anything done with the likes of George running around."
"Oh, Percy, why don't you have a Healer remove the wand that's shoved up your-"
"George Weasley, finish that sentence and I will shove my wand up your-"
"That's it," Hermione shouted over the din. "Everyone be quiet."
"But-"
"I don't want to hear it," Hermione said, her wand held menacingly in the air. "Charlie, you stay here and help me escort Ginny home. The rest of you can come and see Ginny in three hours at dinner. Am I understood?"
After much grumbling, the family finally left the room, leaving behind Charlie, Hermione and Ginny. The three took a moment to adjust to the silence before Hermione ushered Charlie out so Ginny could finally change out of her hospital robes.
"Thanks for that, Hermione," Ginny said, throwing back her sheets. "One would think after growing up at the Burrow I would be used to it by now."
"If there's one thing I've learned over the past few years, it's that Weasleys are unpredictable. You can never get used to them." Hermione smiled at her and handed her a loose linen dress. "I grabbed this from one of your bags."
"Bags?" queried Ginny, one hand outstretched to take the garment.
"Yes, bags, the ones from your vacation. Draco brought them here earlier. He said that his house elves had a problem trying to get into your flat," Hermione answered. She rested a hand on her lower back, her pose relaxed. "I think it must have something to do with Ron's increased security."
"Bollocks," Ginny grumbled, slipping out of the gown. "I'll be glad for the extra protection. But somehow I think I'll have to jump through loops to get into my own flat."
"It's not that bad," Hermione said, waving off Ginny's concerns. "Your brother made sure you would have easy access, along with him and the rest of the family."
"What about Draco and Serena?" asked Ginny.
"I'm not sure." Hermione handed her a pair of sandals. "I suppose since Draco didn't drop the bags off at the flat himself, he couldn't get in either. Of course, he could have been busy."
"I'll have to ask Ron about it," Ginny replied. She ran a hand through her hair, wincing as she encountered a few knots. "I think I'm ready to go. I would love to go soak in a nice warm bath and wash my hair. Cleaning spells can't replace a good bath."
Hermione laughed. "Well, your tub is ready and waiting."
Ginny opened the door and stepped out of the room, smiling at her waiting brother. "I'm ready to go home now."
"I bet you are," Charlie commented, ruffling her hair. He slung his arm over her shoulder and pulled her in for a hug. "It's good to see you up and about Gin-Gin."
"I hate when you call me that," Ginny muttered into his chest, playfully pushing him away.
"Why do you think I do it?" Charlie pulled away and grinned at her.
"Alright, you two," Hermione interrupted as Ginny went to punch Charlie's arm. "None of that in the hospital."
"You're going to be such a good mother," Ginny said to Hermione. She touched a hand to Hermione's stomach. "Hey, little one. It's your Aunt Ginny. I want you to know that when your mum gets strict, you can always come to me. You'll know what I'm talking about when your birthday gifts are all books instead of toys."
"Oh shush," Hermione said, though she couldn't keep the smile off her face. "Of course I'll give him a toy for his first birthday."
Ginny's eyebrows shot up. "Him?"
Hermione nodded, her hand automatically reaching up to wrap around Charlie's waist. "We found out the sex of the baby a while back. But there were so many things going on that it never seemed to be the right time to announce it."
"We're planning on telling the family this weekend at Sunday brunch. We figured it's a good way to start the Sunday brunch tradition back up." Charlie kissed Hermione's temple, a gesture that prompted a sad smile from Ginny, which didn't go unnoticed by the happy couple. "Are you alright, Gin?"
Ginny nodded, putting a bright smile on her face. "Of course. I'm so happy for the two of you-make that three."
Charlie looked ready to question her, but Hermione quickly said, "We should get going. I want Ginny to have enough resting time before the family descends upon her."
"Good idea," Ginny said.
She walked side by side with them to the fireplace in the reception area. With a muted sigh, she stepped into the green flames, her body hurtling through fireplaces. In moments, she was stepping into the living room of her flat, the familiar setting a welcome relief after the stark white walls of her hospital room. She walked through the room, her hands running over her furniture as Hermione and Charlie came in behind her, immediately asking her if she was all right.
"I'm fine. It's just good to be home," Ginny said.
"Mistress Ginny," Polly yelled, running out of the kitchen. The house elf grabbed onto Ginny's legs. "Polly is so happy to see Mistress Ginny. What is Mistress Ginny needing?"
"All I need right now is a warm bath, which I can tak-"
Polly snapped her fingers. "All done, Mistress Ginny. Will Mistress Ginny be needing anything else?"
Ginny smiled and shook her head resignedly. "No that will be all, Polly."
"Polly will go make Mistress Ginny something to eat," Polly said before disappearing.
"I thought house elves were supposed to be obedient," Ginny muttered to herself.
"I guess we'll leave you to your bath then," Hermione said, cutting off what would have been a tirade from Ginny about Polly's lack of listening skills. "I'm sure you want to relax and get clean."
"Yes and yes," Ginny replied, wrapping her arms around her friend as best she could. "I owe you for everything, Hermione."
"If there's anyone you owe, it's the Malfoys, not me. I was only the bossy pregnant Healer," Hermione said, not releasing her friend. "I'm glad you're okay, Ginny. I couldn't take it if anything happened to you."
"Well, it's a good thing nothing did." Ginny pulled away and hugged her brother. "Thanks for seeing me home, Charlie. Stop by later for dinner, okay?"
"Without a doubt," Charlie said. He kissed her on the cheek. "Rest up. You'll need all your energy for tonight."
Before Ginny could respond, a knock sounded at the door. The three occupants of the room all turned to face the door, none moving. Ginny's heart started to beat a little faster, a small amount of fear seeping into her mind as she thought of the different scenarios that could play out. Stray thoughts of Warrington having friends come after her entered her mind, and she clenched her hand, her nails digging into her skin and creating small, red crescents.
"I'll get it," Charlie said, briefly glancing at his sister to make sure she was still standing.
"Ginny?" Hermione touched a hand to Ginny's arm, stepping back when the redhead flinched. "Sorry."
"It's not you," Ginny said, trying her best to remain calm. "I guess I'm still a bit jumpy."
"Understandably so," Hermione said in her best comforting tone.
Charlie kept his wand in hand as he opened the door, relaxing as he saw the blond in the doorway. "Hello, Draco."
"Charlie," Draco greeted, his hand slipping into the pocket of his black trousers. His eyes moved to Ginny, who was still unnaturally pale. "I thought it would be best to stop by and see you here rather than at the hospital."
"I was about to have a bath," Ginny said softly as Charlie gestured for Draco to come in.
"We're going to go," Hermione said, reaching out and squeezing Ginny's arm lightly. "I'll see you later, Ginny."
"Bye, Gin," Charlie called from the door, holding it open for his wife. "Bake some cookies."
Ginny gave him a half-hearted smile. "I'll see what I can do."
When the door closed behind Hermione and Charlie, Ginny and Draco stood in the room, neither one saying anything. Draco stood by the door, his blond hair slightly ruffled and his hand still in his pocket. It was almost as if he was apprehensive about being alone with her. A few noises came from the kitchen, but other from that, silence reigned in the flat.
"I can wait for you to finish your bath," Draco finally said.
"I-was there something you needed?" asked Ginny, suddenly confused by his appearance.
"No," he replied stoically.
Ginny bit her lip. "Where's Serena?"
"She went to buy you a homecoming gift with my mother," Draco answered. He reached up and rubbed the back of his neck. "Listen, I-we need to talk about what happened on the island. I didn't mean-"
"Wait," Ginny said, holding up her hand to stop him. "I do want to talk about it. I mean, I think it's necessary. But I don't think I want to do that now. I need a little bit of time to cool down and stop being so jittery."
Draco moved towards her, a frown on his face. "Jittery?"
"I'm still having nightmares. Heck, I practically jump at my own shadow," Ginny confessed, bowing her head to avoid looking him in the eye. "I'm actually kind of thankful you're here. I don't want to be alone right now, but I didn't want to burden Hermione and Charlie."
She hated being vulnerable, hated the feeling that she needed someone. However, when Draco had started acting so-so open, an unusual behavior for him, she couldn't help but to admit her current fear. And the way he stared at her when she admitted her jumpiness made her want to snuggle into his embrace.
"You're not a burden to anyone," Draco said quietly. He hesitantly ran his hand down her cheek, a faint smile appearing on his face when she leaned into his touch. "I'll stay here while you take a bath."
Ginny opened her eyes, not realizing she had closed them a moment ago. "Thank you. I'll be quick. Maybe I should just take a shower instead."
"No, take your bath." Draco sat down on the couch and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt. "I haven't read the sports section of the Daily Prophet yet."
Ginny smiled shyly and moved towards her room, relaxing as she entered the familiar setting. It felt good to be back in her environment, which made her think of the bakery, a place to which she was dying to return. However, Luna's comments weighed heavily on her mind. The thought of taking some time away was appealing-getting away from the crowds that she was sure to find outside her bakery.
She stripped out of the dress and underthings, stepping into the water, which had a warming charm on it. Silently thanking Polly, she sank down into the tub, her body causing the water to rise around her. She grabbed the loofah from the side of the tub and began scrubbing her skin with the lavender soap, the smell familiar and soothing.
Dunking her head underneath the water, she came back up, her hands reaching up to scrub her scalp with shampoo. While in the hospital, her hair was constantly braided, and only clean because of several different cleaning charms. While the charms worked, they didn't give her that all-over clean feeling like a shower did. She washed the soap out, pouring on a detangling potion and running her hands through her hair.
A knock sounded at the door and before she could say 'come in,' the door opened. Draco waltzed in, a smirk on his face as he saw Ginny scrambling to cover herself with the bubbles.
"Playing modest?"
Ginny huffed. "You go from sweet to snarky in ten seconds. Do you know that?"
Draco shrugged. "I was getting bored sitting outside by myself."
"Could you at least pretend you're not staring at me?" Ginny arched an eyebrow in an imitation of him, dissolving into giggles when he returned the expression. After a brief moment in which she fought to regain control of herself, she turned to stare at him. "I wanted to thank you for coming to the hospital every day. It really-it meant a lot."
He leaned against the sink counter and crossed his arms. "It's the least I could do."
"Draco, it wasn't your fault." Ginny looked down at the bubbles floating around in the water, which barely concealed her naked body. "You didn't make Warrington come after me."
"If we weren't involved, he would never have thought to come after you," Draco said, frustration seeping into his voice. He turned around, resting his hands against the counter, his eyes focused on his reflection in the mirror. "Waiting for you to wake up, for the bleeding to stop-I don't know what I would have done if we lost you, Ginny."
Ginny sat in the tub, her mouth slightly open, shocked into silence. She didn't know what to say. If Draco was a normal guy, she would smile and say something sweet in reply. But she knew Draco was anything but normal. She didn't want to say anything that would make him clam up and revert to his cold ways. Instead, she kept silent and watched as he stared at his reflection, his eyes darkening a fraction, leaving Ginny to wonder about the thoughts going through his head. She didn't have to wonder too long, though.
"I could kill him," Draco deadpanned, emoting anger through his eyes, the rest of his face completely blank. "I would have."
Ginny stepped out of the tub and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around her body. Without hesitating, she wrapped her hands around Draco, resting her cheek against his back. She didn't care if he became quiet and cold. In that moment, she could only think that he needed comfort, whether or not he would admit it.
"I'm fine," she said softly. "I'm here and safe."
Ginny didn't have much warning. In moments, Draco spun around, still in her embrace, and his lips descended upon her own. His hands tangled into her wet tresses, the kiss passionate and needy. It was as if he was trying to assert the fact that she was indeed there, and she did not mind one bit. She ran her hands up his back, wrapping her arms around his neck. She lightly ran her fingers along the base of his skull, her lips never leaving his.
Before she could stop herself, her legs were wrapped around his waist, and her towel's knot was slowly unraveling as he rested her on the counter. He held her securely in his arms, his grip tight and his mouth demanding. Her chest swelled with want and desire. But when her towel fell onto the counter, her body left open to him, she gasped, her mind reeling and flashing back to the scene in Warrington's home. She pulled back and closed her eyes, her head falling to Draco's shoulder and a tear leaking out of her eye.
"I'm sorry," Ginny whispered. "I thought-"
"Shhh," Draco murmured, placing a kiss on her bare shoulder before picking up the towel and wrapping it around her shoulders. "I shouldn't have let it get so out of control."
Ginny sat up and secured the towel around her, giving him a small smile. "We tend to do this a lot, don't we?"
"It's our habit," he said with a smirk.
"And what happens when people want to break habits?" asked Ginny, her eyes concentrated on his shoulder.
"Some habits are hard to get rid of," Draco said stoically.
"Right," Ginny said, holding back a sigh. She looked up at him and cocked her head to the side. "I should go get dressed. My family can be unpredictable at times, especially during crises. They could pop in at any moment."
She slid off the counter, shuddering when her chest pressed against his. She quickly bypassed him and went into her room, not caring whether or not he followed her. Ginny only knew that she needed to get some space between herself and Draco, not to mention some clothing. So she hastily slipped on her knickers-plain ones-and moved to her closet, the feeling of his eyes boring into her back, igniting her skin.
She moved to pick out a simple black dress but was halted by Draco's hand on her own, a similar situation to a few weeks ago when they decided on their vacation. Confused, she asked, "What are you doing?"
"No black," he said shortly.
"Choosing my wardrobe options again?" Ginny turned and gave him a lopsided grin. "Is there some other color you would prefer me to wear?"
"I would like to see you in this little number," he replied, handing her a lacy, midnight blue shirt. "It's a lovely dress."
She smacked his chest. "That's a shirt."
"It makes a better dress," Draco said with a smirk.
"So no black, certainly no lace," Ginny said, turning back to her closet. "What color should I wear then?"
"Just not black," he said, his breath tickling her cheek from where he hovered over her. "Black is the color of gloom and death."
"It's your favorite color," Ginny said, running her hands across her clothes, the different fabrics sliding through her fingers. "What does that say about you?"
He didn't reply, and she pulled out a loose, purple, shift dress. When he didn't say anything else, she went over to her vanity, pulling on the dress in the process. She could hear as he moved across the room, and looked up at her reflection in the mirror to see him standing behind her once again, silent. It was as if he needed to be close to her, something she couldn't understand after his statement in the bathroom, which she took to mean that he was satisfied with their current arrangement, unwilling to change it. His current behavior simply confused her.
A knock sounded on her bedroom door, and she called for the person to enter.
"Mistress Ginny, Polly is sorry to be disturbing you, but Mistress Ginny's parents are at the door." Polly bowed her head. "Should Polly tell them Mistress Ginny is busy?"
"No," Ginny said, laughing at the thought of what her mother's reaction would be. "Let them in. I'll be out in a second."
"Yes, Mistress Ginny," Polly said, bowing before popping out of the room.
Ginny grabbed her wand, waving it at her hair. "I better get out there. Are you staying for dinner?"
"I have a prior engagement with my father," Draco said, sticking his hands in his pockets.
"Oh," Ginny said, trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice.
"We have a meeting with some American business men. Your good friend Ethan will be there," Draco said, smirking when Ginny blushed. "Did you know he was seeing Theo?"
"I did," Ginny answered. She heard the sound of her mother's voice and sighed. "I guess that's my cue."
She walked out of the room and greeted her parents, a bright smile on her face. Ginny didn't want them to suspect that anything was wrong. Her mother was a coddler, and the last thing Ginny wanted was her mother popping in everyday or, worse, thinking she needed to stay with Ginny for a little while.
"You look lovely, dear," Molly said, hugging her tightly. Her eyes fell on Draco and widened. "Oh, hello, Mr-Draco."
Arthur turned a deep shade of red. "Hello."
"We weren't making any babies," Ginny joked, laughing when her mother admonished her for her lewdness. "Draco was keeping me company until the family arrived."
"You're not staying for dinner?" asked Molly, reverting to her old, motherly habits.
"I have a meeting," Draco replied stoically, still not receptive towards the Weasley matriarch.
"Ah, Ginny, where's the kitchen?" Arthur held up the pie in his hands. "Your mum baked a pie."
"Not rivaling Ginny's, I'm sure," Draco said, barely keeping the smirk off his face.
Ginny turned to Draco, hiding a smile. "Uhm, Draco, didn't you have somewhere to be?"
Draco stepped towards her, giving her a kiss on the cheek before whispering, "I'll see you."
Behind her, Molly cleared her throat, and Ginny felt like she was living under her mother's roof again. "Bye, Draco."
He smirked. "Bye, Ginevra."
Ginny resisted the urge to slap him, rolling her eyes instead. She waited to hear the door close behind her before turning back to her mother. "So, what's for dinner, Mum?"
~~~~~~~~
"Ginny, what are you doing here? Are you alright?"
Ginny stared at her surroundings, awed by the beauty of the Zabini Manor. The Malfoy Manor was beautiful and filled with richness, but the Zabini Manor was more simplistic in its style with a slight touch of Luna-a modern touch. The floors were white marble, the walls the same shade of pearly white. A black framed mirror hung above the white marble fireplace, pictures, also framed in black, hung sporadically around the room, some lopsided, yet it all seemed to fit together neatly.
"Your home is beautiful," Ginny said, watching as Luna came down the stairs. "And yes, I'm fine. I couldn't sleep is all."
"Why didn't any of us think of that?" Luna wrapped her arms around Ginny. "It didn't even cross my mind that you would have trouble sleeping alone."
"It's alright," Ginny said, laughing as she began to have difficulty breathing. "You're squeezing me too tight."
Luna let her go, laughing. "Sorry, the Vetrimills have gotten to me. Father says women who just gave birth are more vulnerable to them."
"Right," Ginny said, smiling.
"Let's go have some tea," Luna said, swiping hair out of her face. "Blaise can handle Guinevere if she wakes up."
Ginny followed Luna into the sitting room, watching as she tugged on a small rope by the entrance to the room. "How times have changed. Did you ever imagine at Hogwarts that we would end up here?"
A house elf appeared in the room. "Mistress rang?"
"Zippy, a tea service, please," Luna requested before sitting down across from Ginny. "I would have never guessed. We had babies for Slytherins."
"You married one," Ginny pointed out, curling up on an armchair. "You have two kids and are living the life of a socialite."
"Hermione married your brother, and not the one we suspected, either," Luna added.
"Ron is dating Pansy," Ginny continued, giggling. "How did we end up like this?"
"My dad always used to tell me that fate has an unpredictable plan for us that we won't see until we're too far into it." Luna smiled softly. "I like my unpredictable plan."
Ginny smiled. "You never told me about how you and Blaise met."
"It was right after sixth year, his seventh, a week after you announced your pregnancy. I was in Diagon Alley looking for Gildybugs. It was that time of the year." Luna had a wistful smile on her face. "I stopped to get some ice cream, and when I was coming out, he bumped into me. It was awful. I had on this white blouse, and there was a strawberry cone sticking out of my chest. He told me it matched my style, and we had a good laugh about it over some newly purchased ice cream. He didn't make fun of me when I mentioned Gildybugs and comforted me when you wouldn't respond to my letters."
"I didn't-"
"I know," Luna said, shooting Ginny an understanding look. "He listened to me when I talked about all my crazy ideas and creatures. Blaise made me feel loved, and I didn't even know I needed to feel that way. Until Blaise came along, I didn't know that I wanted marriage or kids. But after a month of dating him, I wanted it all. I wanted the ring and the big wedding. Oh, and a small white cottage with a thatch roof and blue shutters."
Ginny laughed. "It's a shame you didn't get it. It sounds peaceful."
"No, I got it." Luna twisted the ring on her finger, the smile still on her face. "We go there every year for our anniversary. It's our love hut."
"Oh Merlin," Ginny said, scrunching her nose up. "I never want to step foot in that cottage."
Luna laughed, stifling her laughter when Zippy appeared with a tea tray. Luna dismissed him and poured herself and Ginny a cup. "Here you go."
"I'll take one of these scones too. They smell yummy," Ginny said, sitting up and taking a plate.
"They're from your bakery," Luna said. "It's from two days ago, though. I hope it's still good."
Ginny bit into the scone, closing her eyes. "Yes. It's still good. Now, how did he propose?"
"On bended knee," came a voice from behind her.
"Bloody hell," Ginny exclaimed as Blaise entered the room. "You scared me."
"Not my intention," Blaise said with a small shrug. In his arms, he held little Guinevere, who was sniffling. "I was worried when you didn't come back to bed, and so was she, it seems."
Luna held out her arms for Blaise to hand her Guinevere. "We're having a bit of story time."
"I can see," Blaise said, calling for Zippy. When the house elf appeared, he said, "Zippy, another cup."
"Yes, Master Zabini," Zippy said with a bow.
"Perhaps you should finish the story," Ginny said to Blaise.
Blaise gazed at the fireplace, his eyes glazing over as if he were recalling the memory, his fondness written all over his face. Unlike Draco, Blaise didn't seem afraid or disinclined to express his emotions when around his friends. Ginny had seen Blaise at various parties, a similar stoic expression to Draco's on his face. Yet, when he was around family or friends, he was always so easygoing and free.
He leaned over Luna and plucked a photograph from the end table. "I took her here."
"Where is it?" asked Ginny, taking the picture of a field from Blaise. Xavier was running around in the grass, pausing momentarily to wave up at Ginny.
"It's this property that's been in the Zabini family for decades. We didn't build anything on it because it's so beautiful." Blaise wrapped an arm around Luna, pulling her close to him. "It was winter at the time, and we landed in a huge snow pile. It wasn't exactly ideal. But I wanted to propose to her on this bridge nearby. I told her we were looking for Fiddlywinks-"
"They live in streams under bridges," Luna chimed in.
"So I took her there and got down on one knee. Of course, the snow was deep, and so I sank down into it. It was also colder than I expected, and our heating charms kept wearing off. Everything was wrong, but she said yes anyway." Blaise placed a soft kiss on Luna's temple. "It was one of the happiest moments of my life."
Ginny felt silly tearing up. But she couldn't help herself. The love and devotion in Blaise's voice was so heartwarming. It was when she couldn't stop crying that she realized what she had to do. She wiped her tears away with the corner of her shirt, laughing a little at her silliness.
"I should leave you two to talk," Blaise said, seemingly uncomfortable with a crying female. He picked up a sleeping Guinevere, bidding Luna and Ginny goodnight. Before he leaved, he turned to Ginny and said, "He's a good guy, just a little stubborn."
"I-"
Blaise shook his head. "Just remember that."
"I will," Ginny called as Blaise left the room. "Lovely husband you have."
"I know," Luna said, her eyes taking on a curious gaze. "Do you need a tissue?"
"My shirt's doing an okay job," Ginny said with a small laugh. They lapsed into silence for a small while before Ginny broke the quietness. "I'm leaving."
"What do you mean when you say leaving?" asked Luna guardedly.
"No, I mean for a few days. I think you're right. I need to take some time away and gather my thoughts, center myself." She wrapped her arms around herself, staring behind Luna, out the window. "Plus I heard the trial starts in two days and would rather not be here when it does."
"So where are you planning on going?" Luna picked up her tea and took a sip. "Are you going to Pennsylvania again?"
"Yes, Pennsylvania. I still have some things there I need to sort through as well," Ginny said. "I might as well get that done while I'm there."
"If you need it, Blaise and I can arrange a Portkey," Luna offered.
"I can do it," Ginny said, waving off her friend.
Luna set her tea down and smiled. "Do you know when you're going to go?"
"I don't know. I wouldn't want to miss Sunday brunch," Ginny said with a shrug. "I think I'll leave on Sunday, after brunch. Did Mum invite you?"
"Yes, all of us. She invited the Malfoys as well," Luna replied. She glanced away from Ginny, almost hesitating before speaking. "But we aren't coming."
"Oh," Ginny said, a little confused at Luna's hesitancy.
"I love you and your family. But after what your mother did, well, Blaise is a little wary of being around her and having the kids around her. He saw how hurt I was when I thought you were dead and-"
"Say no more," Ginny said, raising her hand to stop her friend. "I understand. Draco refuses to have Serena in her presence without being present himself. I'll have to try and convince him to come. After his reaction to her this week, I doubt he will."
"He will, if only because it means something to you," Luna said with a comforting gaze. "Now, I know you must be tired, and I am exhausted. So let me show you to one of the guest rooms."
"Uhm, I'm actually still not all that tired. Do you mind if I use your kitchen? Baking something helps me to compartmentalize all my emotions and get some rest," Ginny explained. "It's therapeutic."
"I'll have Zippy show you the way." She called for the house elf, and he appeared in the room. "Please show Ms. Weasley to the kitchens and assist her with anything she asks."
"Yes, Mistress Zabini," Zippy replied dutifully.
"And when she's finished, show her to the violet room," Luna ordered. When Zippy nodded, she hugged Ginny. "Goodnight. If you need me, my room is two doors down from yours, to the right."
"Thank you so much, Luna," Ginny murmured, squeezing her friend tight. "Do you have any requests?"
"Cinnamon buns, lots of cinnamon buns," Luna said, grinning. "It's Xavier and Blaise's favorite thing from your bakery."
"Cinnamon buns it is," Ginny said before leaving the room behind Zippy.
She spent the next three hours making cinnamon buns, trying to sort through all that happened. But try as she might, she couldn't figure out Draco Malfoy. And when her eyelids began to droop, her limbs heavy with tiredness, she decided to call it a night, four dozen cinnamon buns left in the care of the house elves, the smell wafting through the Zabini Manor in the early hours of the morning.