The song The Way You Look Tonight was written by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields, and originally performed by Fred Astaire in Swingtime. It's also been performed by many others including Frank Sinatra.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the Harry Potter Universe, nor do I own the song.
I get the feeling that people expected this to be a long chaptered fic. I have toyed with the idea of writing a sequel to this, but I'm not sure yet. This was just meant to be a two-shot. I can see where I would go from here, but, again, I'm not sure if I will be writing a sequel.
Huge thanks to Aerileigh for beta-ing this for me.
Ginny wandered the halls of the Black townhome, taking in all the intricate details of the residence. It was a respite from the thoughts of her marriage and her suspicions of the Malfoys being up to something strange. The nagging thoughts about the mystery behind her current situation gave her a headache, which was inconvenient because she wasn't at home to retrieve a headache potion from her cupboard-not that she had any left. Furthermore, she didn't see the need to dwell on things she couldn't change. She was married to Draco for the weekend and had to deal with that fact, so she occupied herself with the many rooms of his home. He had, after all, left her to do whatever she wanted as soon as they arrived back to the townhome.
She started with the pool room, noting that the pool was as beautiful as Narcissa had described. Lush plants and rock surfaces covered in flowers and grass surrounded the stone pool, and a waterfall poured water from above. It was a body of water in the midst of the green foliage of a forest. Yet, this still wasn't the most beautiful room in the house. As Ginny continued to explore, she found rooms even lovelier, like the library. White and gold walls surrounded her as she stepped towards the center of the circular room spanning two floors, her eyes riveted to the comfortable couches in the center, perfect for curling up and reading a novel. The most surprising room was one modeled after a Muggle movie theater, only on a smaller scale. Even with her limited knowledge of Muggle movies, which she had acquired from nights spent with Hermione, she could tell that Draco's collection of films was rather extensive.
Ginny maneuvered her way through the many floors of the townhome, her eyes capturing every detail and cataloging it in her memory. When she finally reached the fifth floor, the sound of music reached her ears. Her feet were silent against the carpeted floors as she walked down the hall towards a side staircase. Sunlight streamed down the winding steps, and she wondered where it led. As far as Draco had told her, there were only five floors. He hadn't said anything about a sixth. The minute she put her foot on the bottom step, the music stopped. Her curiosity urged her to walk up the stairs while her logic told her not to. In the end, her curiosity won out. She slowly climbed up the stairs, not sure what she would find. She didn't expect to find Draco, nor did she expect to see the room she saw.
It was a music room, that much was obvious. However, it was a room unlike any she had ever seen before. The walls were all glass, giving her one of the most breathtaking views of London. But the view, though very beautiful, did not have her slack jawed. Rather, Ginny gaped at the sight of the instruments. She had met a few people who could play Muggle instruments, and she knew of the basic ones: pianos, guitars, and drums. She didn't know what all the different instruments surrounding her were, though it seemed that Draco did. He sat comfortably behind the large white piano, a glass of what looked to be champagne resting on top. His eyes were on her as she stepped into the room, focusing her attention on the view around her.
"How is it that you manage to invade my space when there are so many other places you can go?" he said, his tone suggesting he was simply curious and not upset.
Ginny shrugged. "I was exploring."
"Was the house to your liking?" He gracefully stood from the piano bench, his hands gliding along the keys as he moved across the room towards her.
"You have a beautiful home, Malfoy," Ginny said, her years of etiquette tutelage under Molly Weasley taking over. "The pool and library are lovely."
"If you are in need of swimwear, I can provide something for you," he said smoothly.
"That would be nice," she replied warily. She was unsure why he was offering her things and not tossing her out of what she assumed to be his private sanctuary.
"You look like a frightened kitten," Draco drawled.
Ginny straightened her shoulders at his statement, not happy with being compared to a kitten. "I do not."
"You do." He began to close the distance between them, making Ginny feel more and more uncomfortable. "I must say, this look is almost as sexy as the one you had on last night. Almost. I could remind you of that expression, Ginevra, the one you make when you come."
Ginny's cheeks became tomato red. "Get away from me."
"We could always accept this for what it is, Ginevra: a weekend retreat." His face was mere inches from hers. "No one has to know what happens here."
"I'll know," Ginny whispered, avoiding eye contact with him.
"Isn't that the best part? One weekend of you being Ginevra," Draco murmured, running his index finger down from her cheek to her neck, straight to her collarbone. "You have one weekend to be yourself. Are you going to waste it?"
Ginny shuddered as she allowed him to remove one side of her sweater from her shoulder. She didn't know what compelled her to allow him to do such a thing, but the words he had said echoed in her head. Perhaps for one weekend she could let her scruples go. From what she could recall, sex with Draco was beyond amazing. It wouldn't hurt to release the sexual tension that had been building up over the past few months. As he ran his finger along the rounded neckline of her t-shirt, she thought that it couldn't hurt in the slightest.
"What will it be, Ginevra?" His voice was compelling, entrancing her. "I am open to anything you want to do."
"I want-"
A crack interrupted them, a house elf cowering at the sight of its master's face. "Tinky is sorry to be interrupting, but Master has a guest."
"Who?" snapped Draco.
"Master Blaise," Tinky answered.
Draco stared at Ginny once more before turning away. "Lead the lady to the Coral Room, then see me in the sitting room."
"Should I stay out of sight?" asked Ginny.
"You may do whatever you please. I'm not your master," he drawled, a smirk lighting his face, "At least, not outside of the bedroom."
"Shall we, Tinky?" She stepped past him, a smile on her face. She refused to let him get in the last remark. So, she turned her head to the side, slyly saying, "The control in the bed lies with me and me alone, Malfoy."
Before he could respond, she moved down the steps behind the house elf. She practically ran down the hall, not wanting him to follow behind her and comment.
Ginny trailed the house elf as it took her to the second floor. The room the house elf stopped outside of was only a few doors down from the stairs. She made a note of all the things in the hallway, just to make sure she could always find the room. But those notations fled her mind at the sight of the room, which was aptly named the Coral Room. The walls were coral, the carpeting coral, and all the accents to the golden curtains and bed sheets were coral.
"Will Miss be needing anything?" Tinky looked at the floor shyly.
"Thank you, Tinky," Ginny said, jumping back as the house elf aimed wide eyes at her. "Er, are you alright?"
"Miss is too nice. Tinky must go. Tinky must go," the house elf exclaimed, disappearing from the room.
"Bloody elves are as nutters as their master," Ginny whispered to herself.
She removed her cardigan and tossed it over the couch in front of the fireplace. The room breathed femininity, and Ginny knew there was no way Draco had decorated it himself. Everything, from the chandelier to the bed, was gilded but not gaudy. Rather, it was quite beautiful and romantic. Her hand brushed across the vanity as she explored her room further, her legs taking her into the walk-in closet that held no clothes. She moved from the closet to the bathroom, which put her bathroom at home to shame. Ginny assumed the house was outfitted by a Muggle when she saw the large tub. There were small circular holes on the inside of the tub, which Ginny thought to be silly. She didn't understand why Muggles would make holes in their tub. Other than the extravagant tub, there was a shower large enough to hold at least four or five bodies, a gold tinged toilet, and a counter with his-and-her sinks. All in all, the bathroom was the size of her bedroom, making her slightly envious.
A pop sounded in the bedroom, and a house elf called for her. "Yes?" she replied.
The house elf held several packages and boxes in its hand as Ginny reentered the bedroom. "I is giving you the packages Master sent for you."
"What packages?" inquired Ginny. She didn't remember ordering any packages, nor had Draco mentioned anything to her.
"Master sent these for Miss," the house elf said.
"Uhm, thanks," Ginny muttered, her attention on the packages rather than the timid house elf.
"If that is all Miss needs," the house elf said questioningly.
"Yes, that's it," Ginny said offhandedly.
She quickly moved over to the packages, unwrapping the plain brown paper like a little girl unwrapping her Christmas gifts. Her face registered shock as she tossed the various items of clothing on the bed. There were tops, pants, skirts, and dresses. The boxes held different styles of shoes, and three out of five had stiletto heels. In the last package, a swimsuit, she found a note.
I thought you would need a few items of clothing for the weekend.
-Draco
"A few items my arse," Ginny mumbled, her eyes sweeping over the clothes on the bed. She held up the brown string bikini with an exotic, floral print as if it were an unsanitary item. "What the bloody hell is this?"
"I would think you'd recognize a swim suit when you saw one." Ginny dropped the bikini as if it were on fire when she heard Draco's voice in the door.
"Do you find enjoyment in terrifying me?" she asked sharply.
"Wasn't it common knowledge that Malfoys liked to torture?" Draco leaned casually in the doorway, observing her movements.
"You may not want to bring up torturing, Malfoy. It will carry us down a road you do not want to visit," Ginny said bluntly.
He was silent for a moment before saying, "I didn't enjoy it."
"What?" She was shocked that he was actually opening up about something.
"I didn't enjoy the torture. I think Potter, Granger-Weasley now-and your brother liked to think that I reveled in it, that I liked what I had to do. I didn't." Like all the times he had spoken honestly in her presence, his voice was devoid of emotion. "I did what I had to do out of necessity. You may never see that because you were never thrown into that particular situation. However, I will say this: I didn't sleep at nights, haunted by images of the people I hurt, the dead and the living. I've paid my dues, Weasley."
"You haven't 'paid your dues,' as you put it. You didn't go to Azkaban. You didn't suffer like the other Death Eaters. Your family got away clean," Ginny spat. "My family suffered, Malfoy. On my brother's birthday, instead of the family gathering together at home and celebrating, we convene in a graveyard. George walks around with one ear, lamenting the fact that his twin is no longer by his side. Bill is scared to go into his daughter's room at nights because he's frightened she will cry at the sight of his face. He can't spend the full moon at home with his family because of the urge to eat human flesh-"
"Weasley-"
"No," Ginny snapped, tears in her eyes and sorrow in her voice. "I've had it with you somehow deluding yourself into thinking you've paid for what you've done. You haven't. Innocent families paid the price of your so-called survival instinct. Do you know I had to move out of my house before my brother's face could stop haunting me?"
Ginny's voice became more aggressive as she spoke, more tears accumulating in her eyes.
"I'm scared to go into my childhood home because the pictures of him cripple me. It's been years since he died, but the wound is still fresh for my family. We cover it; hide it behind the good things that happen to us. But whenever we gather together for our family dinners and special occasions, emptiness fills the room because we know one of us is missing."
She took a deep breath, lowering her head, her eyes focusing on anything but his face.
"You have your family, Malfoy. Don't tell me you've suffered. You were tortured during the war. But that's over. You live with memories. I live with physical proof that my brother isn't here-along with the memories of my friends, pale and lifeless on that battlefield."
Ginny sank down onto the bed, her face wet from the tears she shed, as Draco spun on his heels and left the room. She brought a hand up and swiped at the tears, cursing herself for letting her guard down in front of him. She couldn't remember the last time she cried over Fred or admitted she still felt pain over his death. Every time she thought she had moved on, something would happen to remind her of her deceased brother. Her siblings had moved on as well, all were married with children or children on the way.
Not her, though. She had ended up alone, without someone to help her heal. After the war, majority of her time was spent healing Harry, and helping him get over his nightmares and fears from the war, yet he had never helped her. She was left with the scars from the war, with the pain and night terrors, the visions of all the dead bodies in the Great Hall lurking behind her eyelids when she shut them to go to sleep.
She grabbed her wand from the pocket of her sweater and aimed a locking charm at the door. While she shed her clothes, she felt remorse for the way she had lashed out at Draco. She still believed that he thought too highly of himself and had delusions about the fact that he had paid his debt to society, but she still could not justify the way she spoke to him or the manner in which she had done it. She'd taken out years of repressed emotions on him.
She slipped on the barely-there swimming suit and pulled on a dress, which she suspected was bought with the swimsuit in mind, and left the room, wand in hand. She would go and have a swim, clear her head and then, just maybe, she might apologize to Draco.
In the meantime, she went down the stairs to the ground floor and into the pool room. She looked around the room, careful to check if Draco was lurking. She wasn't ready to face him yet. She needed to cool down and couldn't think of a better way to do it than in the pool. She discarded her dress and wand, placing them onto a rock before slipping into the pool as quietly as she could. Though she figured Draco was somewhere on the other side of his home, brooding, she still didn't feel the need to be loud. Rather than splashing about like a child, she floated on her back, content to simply be in the water. She had never been in a pool before, unless the stream behind the Burrow counted, and was happy with just being able to relax.
She basked in the warmth of the water, allowing the current to carry her about for twenty minutes before she heard him enter the room. Ginny didn't want him to know she knew he was in the room, so she continued to float about the water. It wasn't until ten minutes later when the current carried her to the very edge of the pool, into the shallow part, that she stood to her feet. She did her best not to let shock register on her face at the sight of him in naught but a pair of low slung swim trunks. His physique made everything that happened before slip from her mind.
Moments later, after they both indulged in a bit of lustful staring, Ginny said, "I'm sorry."
"You don't sound very sincere," Draco replied, draping the towel he had in his hand over a tree branch.
Ginny bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from telling him she didn't believe he deserved an apology. "Regardless of whether it is sincere, I do need to apologize. It was wrong of me to take out all my anger on you, despite the fact that I believe some of it was deserved."
Draco chuckled. "I thought I was bollocks at apologies."
Ginny's mouth fell open. She had never seen a genuine smile on Draco's face before. Seeing him chuckle, even if it was at her expense, was startling, to say the least. As he dove into the water, his body perfectly aligned, she began to wonder what else she didn't know about the youngest Malfoy. She knew about the things that people whispered about him. She knew what she saw in school. But perhaps, much like herself, there was a part of Draco Malfoy that she had yet to see, a part that he reserved for those closest to him. Ginny, after watching Draco surface behind the waterfall, made a promise to herself that she would find out as much about Draco Malfoy as she could before Monday morning.
"If you were ever given the chance to go back and do something differently, would you?"
The question startled Ginny out of her thoughts. "What?"
"Would you change anything about your past?" he asked loudly, his voice almost drowned out by the sound of the waterfall.
Ginny shrugged. "I can't go back and change things, so I don't see the point in even thinking about it." She paused, dipping her body beneath the surface of the water, leaving only her head above the waterline. "Would you?"
"It wouldn't be fair of me to answer, when you have not," Draco pointed out. He swam from behind the waterfall, his movements as graceful in the water as they were on land.
"I would change some of my choices," Ginny finally admitted. "I made a few wrong turns in my life."
He swam to the edge of the pool, pulling himself up to sit on the very edge. "I said I would do everything I did in the past again, and I meant it. But if I were put in a different situation, if I was given the chance to change my circumstances, I would have done things differently. I can't change that now. I can only live here and stay as far away from the Wizarding world as my parents will allow."
It finally dawned on her why she only saw him in the hospital. "You exiled yourself."
"I don't go into Diagon Alley or any other Wizarding establishment, barring the hospital, because I believe it makes it easier on people. Katie Bell doesn't need a constant reminder of the cursed necklace. My classmates don't need to see me and be reminded of the day I let Death Eaters into Hogwarts. I stay away because it's easier for them to forget than to remember." He didn't make eye contact with her when he finished, his eyes fixated on the water.
"This is what you meant by 'paying your dues,'" Ginny whispered, more to herself than to him. She stood, the water hitting her just above her waistline. "Your parents roam freely. What sense does it make for you to stay here and not enjoy the Diagon Alley, which your father and mother pretty much rebuilt? Eventually, if you do the right thing and show you've changed, people would forget-even with you walking next to them."
"How easily you jump from hating me to helping me," he commented amusedly.
Ginny scowled and crossed her arms. "Forget I said anything."
"You get angry very quickly," Draco remarked dryly. "I can only imagine what you would be like pregnant."
Awkward silence overcame them, the sound of the waterfall in the background, as Draco's eyes widened with realization. Ginny, deciding that torturing him by withholding the information that she had indeed taken a pregnancy prevention potion would be too cruel, said, "I've already taken a potion. I wouldn't be a very good Healer if I didn't."
"What do you meet with my father about?" asked Draco, and the swift change of conversation caught Ginny by surprise.
"The ward," Ginny answered, more out of habit than anything else. Her family often asked her why the eldest Malfoy seemed to know her on such good terms, especially on the occasions where they attended Ministry events and charity events together.
"My father's special project," Draco murmured.
"He certainly is dedicated to the ward." Ginny smiled. "I was surprised when Carrington told me he was the main benefactor. After seeing him interact with some of the newborns and their parents, I am less shocked."
"He is rather good with children." Draco shook his head. "He and Mother are pressuring me to marry and have children of my own."
"No more so than my own mother," Ginny said exasperatedly. "You would think with Rose, Victoire, Fred, Teddy and Fleur's pregnancy, she would ease off her constant nagging. Unfortunately, she thinks that since she had seven children, I should as well. I'm not her, though."
Ginny bit her lip when she realized how much she had said, but Draco didn't mock her or comment on it. Instead, he said, "You're too work oriented to manage a family."
"There isn't anything wrong with that," Ginny said defensively. "I'm the best Healer in the Maternity ward. Not even Carrington has had as many requests as I have."
"I've met Carrington. I'm not surprised no witch wants him to deliver her child," Draco said with a sneer. "Every word that comes out of his mouth is condescending to women."
Ginny stared at Draco as if seeing him in a new light. "I've always thought of you as someone who would disrespect women, much like Carrington."
Draco slid into the water, swimming towards her. "I assure you, I have the utmost respect for women, especially women like you."
"What do you mean women like me?" Ginny was wary of their closeness but resisted the urge to step backwards. She couldn't help but to cross her arms, conscious of her nipples, which she suspected had hardened in the cool air.
"Strong women," Draco stated, now striding towards her, not stopping until her arms touched his stomach. "I like independent women, the kind that can fend for themselves but don't mind needing a man either."
"If I can fend for myself, what do I need a man for?" Ginny didn't know why she was flirting. She just knew she felt good doing it.
"This," Draco murmured.
Draco's lips descended on her, effectively surprising her into dropping her arms to her side. Draco took the opportunity to step closer to her, her hardened nipples, which Ginny suspected were no longer due to the temperature of the room, pressing against him. Her initial surprise quickly wore off, and she brought her hands up to rest on his shoulders. For a second, she contemplated pushing him away, but when his lips moved against hers, and his warm, soft mouth pressed against her own, she couldn't bring herself to do so. Instead, she linked her hands together at the nape of his neck, playing with his hair. But it wasn't enough. She pressed herself further into him, standing on her toes in the water. As she did, her tongue swept inside his mouth, moving against his in a way that seemed familiar to her, very familiar.
She moaned into his mouth when he ripped her dress in two. A brief thought of how unhappy Hermione would be to see her dress in two pieces surfaced from the back of her mind. However, it was quickly discarded as Draco unhooked her bra, emitting a groan when he cupped her breast. He sandwiched her between himself and the wall, the different textures assaulting her senses as much as his tongue in her mouth. She had never been kissed so thoroughly; a man had never kissed her so passionately before. It was as if their tongues were doing an intimate dance of some sort, and it felt good. She applied pressure on his head, her fingers tangling in his soft hair, deepening the kiss. She was thirsty, and he was her water.
Floating back to reality, Ginny realized that she and Draco had stopped kissing. He was looking down on her with what seemed to be concern etched on his face. She quickly grappled for something to say. "Wow," she murmured. The minute the words left her mouth, she felt like slapping herself. When he smirked cockily at her, she wanted to slap him.
"I have that effect on women all the time," he said smoothly.
Ginny resisted the urge to slap him, settling for a glare. "You killed a perfectly good moment."
"I'm not one for moments," he said dismissively.
"I would be surprised if you were," Ginny remarked. She stepped back when she realized how close they were standing, suddenly uneasy with their proximity. "It must be nice to have a place like this in your home."
"Are you uncomfortable, Ginevra?" asked Draco with a smirk.
"No," Ginny said, not being able to prevent the slight waver in her voice.
"What happened to all the confidence you exuded earlier?" Draco matched her step backward with one forward. "Were you not the one who said you had all the control in the bedroom?"
Ginny wanted to reply that they weren't in the bedroom; however, she felt that wouldn't portray a very strong woman at all, and might give him the wrong impression. Instead, she quickly said, "I'm tired. I think I'd like to take a nap."
"Running away doesn't seem like the trait of a Gryffindor," Draco said in mock concern. "I thought Gryffindors were all about facing their fears head on."
"You aren't one of my fears," Ginny said as she walked towards the steps leading out of the pool. She grabbed her wand from the rock, casting a drying charm on herself before slipping on her dress. "I think I'll have a nap and then do some reading in the library."
Draco watched her closely for a moment, his mannerism suggesting that he was contemplating trying to convince her to stay. "Call on Tinky if you need anything."
Ginny nodded, moving out of the room at a hurried pace. The minute Ginny stepped into the hall; she leaned heavily against the closed door. She couldn't believe she had just kissed Draco Malfoy while in full control of her faculties. She could blame her earlier looseness on the fact that she was under the influence of alcohol, but she didn't have anything to blame it on this time around. She put a hand to her forehead and let out a groan. She didn't need her feelings getting involved. Her earlier promise to learn about Draco was quickly thrown out the window. His home was large enough for her to avoid him until Monday. She nodded to the empty hall, sure that she would be able to steer clear of the youngest Malfoy.
However, this new plan was also thrown out the window when the door to the pool flew open, causing Ginny to fall backwards, her arms flailing about. She closed her eyes, readying herself for the ground. Surprise flitted across her face when she felt strong hands holding her up, easing her back into a standing position.
She spun around quickly, her hand pressed against her chest. "Thank you?"
"I've never heard that sentiment expressed as a question," Draco drawled, raising an eyebrow.
"I was just surprised," Ginny managed to spit out, reluctantly drawing her gaze away from his uncovered chest and to his eyes.
"Were you waiting for me?" asked Draco.
"Uhm, yes," Ginny replied quickly. "I couldn't remember where my room was."
"You could have summoned Tinky," Draco said, his look clearly showing he didn't believe her excuse.
"Right, Tinky," Ginny muttered to herself.
"Second floor, fourth door down on the right," Draco said blankly.
"Thank you," Ginny replied, this time firmly.
Ginny made her way through the home with every intention of going to her room. However, when she passed the doors to the theater, she couldn't help but to have a look inside. She loved Muggle movies, and the interesting and entertaining stories that Muggles could tell. Not only had she watched quite a few on the nights she babysat Rose while Ron and Hermione went out on a date, but she had also seen a few of them with Dean, who she dated for a short while after her breakup with Harry.
She made a circular motion with her wand, pointing it at her hair, relieved when the long tresses swept out of her face and into a bun. Moving quietly through the room, she perused the shelf that held all the titles. Settling on one, she took the case off the shelf, searching around the room for the machine that played the discs.
"Tinky," Ginny said softly. She was surprised when the house elf appeared, asking her what she needed. "I was wondering if you knew how to play this movie."
"Of course, Miss," Tinky replied. The house elf took the disc from her, moving to the back of the room. "Master likes watching movies."
"Does he watch them often?" asked Ginny.
Tinky nodded. "Master and his friends come in here all the time."
"Oh," Ginny said quietly. It bothered her that Draco hung out with friends when she did not.
The house elf pressed several buttons on the machine before the picture came onto the large screen. "Will Miss need anything else?"
"Is it possible for me to get some lunch?" asked Ginny tentatively. It had been hours since she last ate. She was starving.
"What will Miss be wanting?" asked Tinky.
"What do you have?" Ginny's mouth fell open as the house elf began to list off the various foods. She had never eaten so richly in her own home before, preferring to frequent takeout places. "Uhm, I'll just have something light. The soup and salad, maybe."
"Yes, Miss," Tinky said before disappearing with a crack.
Ginny settled into one of the chairs as the sound of the movie, My Fair Lady, filled the room.
Hours later, Ginny was hopping about with one shoe in hand, the other on her foot.
After the movie she had taken a nap, only to be awoken by a house elf telling her that dinner would be served in an hour. She had still been in her swimsuit at the time, so she had rushed through her shower, not quite knowing what her hurry was to meet with Draco. It may have had to do with the nagging feeling she had after she woke up from her dream, which had depicted her and Hermione laughing at the preposterous behavior of a Muggle couple getting married on the spot at a festival. Surely, if she was making fun of two people getting married at a festival, she wouldn't have done the same thing herself. Her marriage to Draco was not making any sense at all.
She quickly pushed those thoughts aside as she stared at herself in the mirror, surprised at her reflection.
Ginny hadn't been paying much attention when she grabbed the dress off the bed. Her mind was still scoffing at the knickers that Draco had picked out for her. The fact that he knew what type of knickers she would be wearing irked her to the point of distraction. Now, seeing herself in the mirror, wearing the formfitting dress, looking nothing like herself, Ginny was shocked. She spun around, almost tripping in the strappy stilettos on her feet. Tinky had said that she had never seen Draco or any of his guests ever eat dinner without their shoes on, and the house elf had gone into a mild state of panic when Ginny refused to put on the shoes, which had eventually led to Ginny strapping the shoes onto her feet in order to calm the creature.
"This isn't me at all," Ginny murmured to her reflection. She scanned the room for any sign of her clothes, moving to the closet to do the same. However, she only found the rest of the clothes Malfoy bought her. She frowned and walked back into the room to stare at her reflection once more. "I guess this will have to do."
With one last glance in the mirror, she left the room, moving at a slow pace to prevent herself from falling on her face. All the while, she thought of her dream and the night before. The only bits she remembered were the ones about sex and her dream. Otherwise she was still clueless as to what happened that led her to marrying Malfoy. She had no recollection of even seeing him at the festival the night before. She frowned as she descended the steps, unaware that she was being watched. When she heard someone clear their throat, she looked up to find Draco, dressed in a pair of black evening slacks and a dark blue button down, staring at her, his eyes sparkling under the light of the foyer.
"Hello," Ginny greeted hesitantly.
"I've been waiting for twenty minutes," Draco said, his voice conveying his irritation.
"I'm sorry, your Highness," Ginny said mockingly. "Would you like to spank me and send me off to bed without dinner?"
"The former sounds pleasant," Draco remarked roguishly.
Ginny scowled. "And you said I change moods easily."
"Shall we try and enjoy dinner?" Draco asked after a moment of silence.
"Perhaps if you keep your mouth shut, I can get through dinner without stabbing you with a butter knife," Ginny said lightly.
"If you plan on killing me, I prefer you use your wand. Less mess," Draco said dryly.
Ginny cursed under her breath. "I forgot my wand in my room."
"At least I won't have to worry about a hex flying my way while enjoying my meal." Draco waved his hand in the direction of the dining room. "Dinner has been ready for twenty minutes."
Ginny scowled while marching away to the dining room, pausing in her tracks when she entered the room. This wasn't the dining room she had been in earlier. Where the dining room from before held a long table with many chairs, this dining room held a small round table with two cushioned chairs. Earlier, the room had been flooded with light coming from the large windows. The drapes were drawn now, and the only source of light in the room was provided by the candles on the table and the ones floating around the room. The rose petals littered on the table top confirmed Ginny's suspicions that the setting was a romantic one, though she couldn't figure out why Draco would set up a romantic dinner for the two of them. Immediately, her mind began to race and her heartbeat sped up to a rapid pace. The sound of his voice in her ear and his breath on her cheek did not help matters.
"You wouldn't be scared, would you?"
Ginny sniffed. "I told you. You are not one of my fears."
"Then let us dine, instead of standing around like statues," Draco said.
Ginny was taken aback when he drew her chair out for her, waiting for her to be seated at the table before going to his own seat. She cast suspicious glares at him when he sat down, her mind still trying to determine what his plan was. Eventually, she decided that he was trying to unnerve her. Either that or he was attempting to get her into bed once more. She couldn't decide whether or not she was repulsed or intrigued by the latter idea. While watching the movie, she had come to the conclusion that her romantic life was sorely lacking. Slowly, she was beginning to think that Draco was right; spending a weekend being herself wouldn't be bad at all. In fact, it would probably be refreshing from her usual day to day life.
"Do you like the dress?" asked Draco as wine appeared on the table.
"No," Ginny replied, pushing her glass away in favor of the water. She didn't want a repeat of the night of her marriage-not like anything could get worse. "It isn't something I am entirely comfortable in. If your bloody house elf hadn't run off with my clothes, I would be back in my jeans and t-shirt."
Draco didn't comment, choosing to change the subject. "How is it that you can drop all the animosity you have with my father but you cannot seem to drop the animosity you have with me?"
Ginny was floored by his line of questioning but didn't hesitate to answer. "Yes because your frequent disparaging remarks tell me that you are a changed man, and I should drop all the issues between us. It's not likely that you and I will ever get along, Malfoy."
"You're blinded by your own wounds," Draco said.
"Have you given me a reason to stop hating you?" asked Ginny pointedly. "What do you think has happened between us that would make me stop thinking of you as the obnoxious school boy you once were?"
"I can think of six reasons from last night, which had you screaming what a wonderful person I was. I wonder if you're always that loose and loud," Draco said spitefully. "It's no wonder you don't have any friends. They're embarrassed by your behavior."
"I may be friendless, but at least I don't exile myself from the Wizarding world and think that I am self-sacrificing because I do so," Ginny hissed. "It's pathetic that you think hiding will somehow heal the wounds you left behind. You are scared to go out there, and frightened to admit that you care what others think about you."
"It is far better than not caring about what others think about me, and not noticing the pitying looks that people shoot in my direction because I surround myself with work and nothing else. At least I have people who care about me, the real me, and not some façade that I hide behind," Draco said scathingly, standing from his seat.
He moved towards the door, stopping at her side and leaning down to whisper in her ear, his soft tone catching her off guard, his words cutting through her anger.
"One day, when your nieces and nephews are grown and off getting married, and your brothers are proudly looking at their children and celebrating their accomplishments, you'll realize who the sad, pathetic one in this room is. Trust me, Ginevra. It will not be me."
Ginny flinched as the dining room door slammed shut in Draco's wake. His words hit her more deeply than she cared to admit, but hearing them out loud-hearing her deepest fears out loud-she could no longer deny that she was scared of ending up alone.
Draco was wrong about one thing, though. She wasn't oblivious to the various expressions of her coworkers. She heard the whispers in the tea room, the comments about "poor Ginny," the woman who didn't seem to have any friends or social life. She had done a good job at blocking them out. But when Draco said those words, when he forced her to face the truth, she couldn't block it out, not when it was sitting there in front of her. If she continued on her current path, her future would turn out the way Draco had said it would.
"I think I was destined to be lonely," Ginny muttered, downing the last of the liquor in her cup. "None of my relationships have worked out. This must be my fate."
Draco shook his head. "A beautiful woman such as yourself could never be fated to be lonely. A man worthy enough just hasn't come along yet."
Ginny snorted, stumbling over to the nearest stand for a drink. "I'm not worthy enough for the men in my life. Harry saved the world and I couldn't even give him kids. I turned down Harry bleeding Potter. I must be bloody mental."
"Why should you stay at home and tend to kids when you have a bright career ahead of you? You're still young. There's time yet to settle down with redheaded munchkins," Draco said, pulling Muggle money out of his pocket and ignoring Ginny's protestations about splitting the bill. "Potter is an arse unworthy of your time."
Ginny halted her steps, the drink in her cup spilling over onto her hand. "And when did you become such a nice guy, Malfoy?"
"Nice?" Draco's face contorted into disgust. "That word isn't even in my vocabulary."
Ginny laughed. "Yet here you are telling me I'm beautiful and that Harry Potter doesn't deserve me."
"Potter doesn't deserve anyone, love," Draco replied, his hand reaching out to steady her as they walked through the park.
"You're just trying to get in my knickers, aren't you?" Ginny wagged her finger at him, wavering on the spot. "I'm onto you, Malfoy."
"If I wanted in your knickers, Weasley, I would have already had you," Draco drawled, pulling her towards him. "I would have taken you against a tree and have you shouting my name to the stars."
"What a lovely young couple," a man yelled as they walked past his tent. "You two look like you're in love."
"He's the love of my life," Ginny said theatrically, opening her arms wide, a gesture that caused half her drink to slosh out of her cup. "He's all I desire and need. He is my soul mate. I want to shout his name to the stars."
"You two belong together," the man said. He beckoned them forward. "Would you like to get married?"
Ginny threw her caution out the window and sipped the glass of wine that was calling her name. From her flashback, she knew that she had probably been the cause of them getting married, and that Draco had said nice things about her. That fact alone had her downing the contents of her glass.
She couldn't believe that he had said that Harry was unworthy of her, and then called her beautiful. She knew there was some level of physical attraction between them. Their sex the night before and kiss earlier in the day was testament to that fact. However, she didn't know that he considered her beautiful. The term was such an intimate one, a word that she only heard from the likes of her parents. Harry had said it to her once in their entire relationship. It was pathetic that anyone had thought that she and Harry would ever work out.
She stood from her chair, determined to find Draco for a reason that she couldn't identify. She didn't know if she wanted to apologize or yell at him some more. On one hand, she knew that he did have a sweet side, even if it took inebriation to show it. On the other hand, she was much more familiar with his obnoxious side. In her short time spent in close proximity with him, she deciphered that he was a man with many layers.
As she moved through the home, her mind on Draco, she stumbled about in her strappy heels. Cursing, she removed the shoes, holding them in her hand as she continued to think about Draco and his many sides.
Ginny walked up the stairs, not knowing where she was going until she hit the fifth floor, and the sound of music floated through the hall, playing a song she was familiar with. Her brow wrinkled as she thought of where in the world she would have heard that song. She had watched Muggle movies, but she rarely listened to the music. She frowned, knowing she would have remembered if she heard it in a movie.
Some day, when I'm awfully low,
When the world is cold,
I will feel a glow just thinking of you.
And the way you look tonight.
"Congratulations to the happy couple," the man said loudly, the audience clapping.
"We're married," Ginny said, a bright smile on her face. "Tell me Malfoy, did you ever think you would marry a Weasley?"
"You have a beautiful smile," Draco commented.
Yes you're lovely, with your smile so warm,
And your cheeks so soft,
There is nothing for me but to love you,
And the way you look tonight.
Ginny laughed. "Do you know this song then?"
"A little bit," Draco said nonchalantly.
"You married a Weasley and you listen to Muggle music? Will the wonders never cease?" asked Ginny amusedly.
"There's a lot you don't know about me," Draco replied, his voice deep and filled with emotion.
"Perhaps I can get to know you," Ginny said, her eyes locking with his. "That is, if you don't mind."
"I think I could tolerate your presence," Draco murmured.
With each word your tenderness grows,
Tearing my fear apart.
And that laugh that wrinkles your nose,
It touches my foolish heart.
Ginny laughed, raising her hand to look at the ring. "This is probably the closest I will ever get to marriage anyways."
"You do realize that this is all for show, Miss, right?" The man who wed them leaned in, his voice hesitant as he spoke. "It isn't real."
"Oh, I know," Ginny said with a short sigh. "But it is still the closest thing I will get to marriage."
"Unless we made this real," Draco interjected.
"Are you proposing to me, Malfoy?" Ginny's mouth fell open. "We can't get married. I barely know you."
"I'm not proposing, Weasley. I am asking you on a date," Draco drawled. "Are you saying no?"
"A date that could lead to more," Ginny said, her heart pounding in her chest. It had been a longtime since she had last been with a man.
Lovely ... Never, ever change.
Keep that breathless charm.
Won't you please arrange it?
'Cause I love you...Just the way you look tonight.
"If you promise not to be Ginny, and to be Ginevra, I can tell you that this will lead to more," Draco said, leaning in towards her. "Can you handle that, Ginevra?"
"Can you handle me?" asked Ginny coyly.
"I'd give it a go." Draco pulled her closer to him, a smirk on his face.
"A picture for the happy couple?" asked the fake priest.
"Sure," Ginny said happily. She entwined her hands with Draco, holding it up to show their rings.
Mm, Mm, Mm, Mm,
Just the way you look to-night.
"Say newlyweds," the man said, the flash of the light going off soon after.
"Shall we go home now, dear?" Draco wrapped his arm around Ginny, his head bending down to touch her ear. "My townhouse is within walking distance."
"Your place it is," Ginny said breathlessly.
Ginny climbed up the winding stairs to the music room, surprised to see him at the piano. She expected him to be playing it on a radio of some sort, not on the piano. She quietly entered the room, and set her shoes down by the stairs. He hadn't stopped playing the song yet, although he did play it softer. Ginny moved towards the piano, relief sweeping through her as she thought about her flashback and their fake marriage. She was happy to know that they weren't really married, though she was beginning to wonder if he had known all along. The whole time he had acted casually about the entire affair, and she suspected that he had been holding things back. But she couldn't figure out why he would want to keep such a secret. Ginny wanted to know why he would subject himself to her company for the entire weekend.
"Did you know?" she asked quietly.
He stopped playing, looking up at her. "I did."
"Why didn't you say something?" asked Ginny.
Draco shrugged. "I'm the same obnoxious school boy I used to be."
"Do you remember everything?" asked Ginny, sitting on the piano bench next to him.
"Most of it," Draco said.
"So, you remember asking me on a date?" Ginny's hands slid across a few of the keys, gently putting pressure on them.
"I know a nice place not too far from here," Draco remarked. "Are you free tonight?"
"I think so," Ginny said. She paused. "This won't work."
"We have a weekend to test it out." Draco straddled the piano bench. "It will require that we drop our enmity."
"I can if you can," Ginny stated.
"I say we kiss to seal the deal," Draco murmured, sidling closer to her.
Ginny turned her head to the side, leaning towards him. "That's a good idea."
Their lips connected in a soft kiss, interrupted by a deep voice.
"I told you they were fine, Mrs. Weasley."
Ginny jumped back, her mouth falling open at the sight of her friend. "Hermione?"
"I should be the one who sounds scandalized, not you," Hermione said, her face conveying her shock.
"What are you doing here?" asked Ginny, blushing.
"Your family is sick with worry. We've been searching for you for the whole day," Hermione exclaimed. Her eyes moved to Draco. "I thought you were in Paris. You two aren't married, are you?"
"I'm fine, Hermione. I was just-going on a date," Ginny said quickly. "Draco and I are, well, we're dating, not married."
Hermione shook her head vigorously. "I'm not telling your family that. I'll just tell them you've been away all day dealing with a patient, who asked you to do a home delivery. You'll stop by tomorrow, won't you?"
"I'll be at the Burrow by three," Ginny replied. "Thank you, Hermione."
"Blaise, you'll see Mrs. Weasley out, won't you?" asked Draco, wrapping his arms around Ginny. "Ginevra and I are busy."
"I'm a bloody house elf now," Blaise said, shaking his head.
"Have fun, Ginny," Hermione called as she descended the stairs. "It's about time you had a good shag, even if it is Malfoy."
Ginny chuckled and turned to face Draco. "You have Hermione's approval."
"One down, a million to go," he murmured, moving in for a kiss.
"You wouldn't need my family's approval unless we get very serious," Ginny commented.
"I'm making my intentions clear," Draco said, locking eyes with her.
Ginny pressed her lips against him, the only way she could think to react to his statement. His tongue swept into her mouth, and she experienced the kiss that romantics often talked of, the kind of kiss that made her see fireworks.