Dance

Jacy

Rating: PG
Genres: Angst, Romance
Relationships: Draco & Ginny
Book: Draco & Ginny, Books 1 - 5
Published: 17/08/2003
Last Updated: 17/08/2003
Status: completed

Draco Malfoy is visiting Hogwarts on the last day of his daughter's Seventh Year. He stands on the Quidditch Pitch, remembering his love, how he found her, how they lived, and how he lost her.

Chapters

1. Dance

1. Dance

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Dance

Jocelin Sarea Malfoy walked out onto the Quidditch Pitch, quietly approaching the man standing in the middle. He was standing with his back to her, but he could tell that he had his eyes closed and knew right away who he was thinking about.

“Dad?”

Draco Malfoy turned around and his eyes fell on his daughter as he realized, not for the first time, how much she looked like her mother when she stood like that - arms at her sides, her Hogwarts robes open revealing her uniform and her Prefects badge. Her hair was the same color as her father’s, but she had her mother’s eyes – amber brown flecked with gold.

Jocelin knew right away what her father was thinking about. She knew that he still missed her mother, that this was their spot when they were in school, even after they left. Jocelin gave her father a knowing smile and said, “I’m going to go see if Leslie needs help packing.” Leslie was Draco’s younger daughter, about to finish her Fifth Year. She was the exact opposite of her sister, with her mother’s bright red hair and her father’s piercing grey eyes.

Draco just nodded and turned his attention back towards the field. Jocelin left her father alone with his memories.

~**~

I miss you Ginny. I try not to knowing you wouldn’t want me to, would want me to go on with my life and forget about you if it would make things easier, but I can’t. I can’t live without you. Coming back here…Jocelin finishing her last year and about to leave, live her own life…it brings me back, and brings all of my thoughts and memories of you along for the ride.

I remember the first night I kissed you. It was right here, on the Quidditch Pitch. You remember, don’t you?

You were standing out here when I saw you. I was pretending to study for my Potions exam when I glanced out the window.

And there you were.

Your back was to me, your hair blowing in the wind, and you seemed to be dancing under the stars. I couldn’t help myself – I set down my quill, made my way past the rest of the unknowing Seventh Years, and followed you onto the field.

You didn’t even hear me approach. You were standing perfectly still and I was intrigued by the angelic innocence the light of the moon brought out in your face.

You surprised me when suddenly, you opened your arms wide and started spinning. And you were laughing – that laughter that warmed my heart and made me yours long before I ever realized that I fell in love.

It started snowing and you opened your mouth and let the snowflakes touch your tongue and I realized how much I wanted to kiss you.

So I did.

You stopped spinning and I stopped thinking. I let my instincts take over and decided to do something I had never done before – follow my heart.

I took you by surprise when I approached you. I think you expected a remark, a comment, an embarrassing mention of your childish deeds – anything but the kiss you received. Your lips were as soft as I’d imagined, your mouth still cold from the snowflakes. You resisted at first, tried to push me away, but I ran my hands through your hair, pulled you closer, and you finally gave in, your arms wrapping themselves around my waist.

When I finally pulled back, you looked up at me, eyes shining in the moonlight. “Why did you do that?” you asked. So young, so innocent – so perfect.

I put a finger to your lips, softly running over them with my thumb. When I leaned forward to kiss you, this time you didn’t try to push me away, only drew me closer.

We kept seeing each other for months after that – remember how careful we were? Meeting in spare classrooms, the Astronomy Tower, the Room of Requirement. We didn’t kiss every time – often, we just talked, got to know each other. I told you about my father, how I never wanted to be like him. You told me how you always lived in your brothers’ shadows, how you hated it as much as I hated him. But our favorite place to meet was the Quidditch Pitch. That’s where I found you my last night at Hogwarts.

You were sitting in the stands, knees pulled up tight against your chest. Your eyes were closed. I wanted to surprise you, so I sat down quietly next to you and kissed you. I wanted to be gentle, but you wanted more. It wasn’t until I brushed my hand across your cheek that I realized you were crying. I tried to pull away, find out what was wrong, but this time, you were the one pulling me closer. You were so desperate, so needy, so helpless. All I could do was give in, let you kiss your pain away.

You finally needed to breathe so you pulled away, still sobbing, tears falling down your cheeks. I tried to wipe them away, but you were crying so much, there was no end to the tears.

I asked you what was wrong after you calmed down just a bit. You told me all about your fight with Ron, how he saw us together all night on Harry’s map. You tried to explain to him that we hadn’t done anything – and we hadn’t, just held each other, fully clothed, and slept – tried to explain what was going on between us, but he wouldn’t listen to you. You never told me what exactly he said – it was your best guarded secret – but from what I could make out, you were hurt pretty badly. You never did fully forgive him, did you?

When you finally stopped crying and you looked up at me with that tear stained face, I realized I was in love. You told me you loved me then, but I could only kiss you, take your breath away. I couldn’t say it back and I realize now it was because I was scared. I had never experienced true love before. This was new and unexpected and I barely knew what to do about it.

You looked into my eyes after we kissed and said, “Come dance with me.” You held out your hand and as I took it and you led me out of the stands and onto the grass, I realized my heart was yours forever. I held you and we slowly danced together under the stars.

I asked you to marry me on your twentieth birthday. I was so nervous; I didn’t know what to say to you. You were working as an assistant to Madame Pomfrey – you wanted desperately to become a healer, to help people, and you did – you were amazing, Ginny. I let you change and asked you in our spot on the Quidditch Pitch. I couldn’t believe it when you said yes. When I gave you the ring, you danced around the field and I watched, laughing at your childishness, but in awe of your beauty.

We made love for the first time that night. It was a night of first times, I suppose, because it was also the first time I said I love you. I love you still.

Your parents weren’t too thrilled about your choice of husband, and forget about your brothers, but I’ll never forget what Bill said. “She’s old enough to make her own decisions and if she thinks that Draco is worthy…then I do too.” You ran into his arms then, laughing and hugging him as he twirled you around. I realized, watching the two of you together, how much I wanted a family.

You were my family. You were all I had left until Jocelin was born. I remember holding her for the first time, looking into eyes identical to yours. You were watching me watching her and as our eyes met, I was in heaven – perfect bliss. I had what I always wanted – a family to call my own. Leslie’s birth two years later was a surprise, but not an unwelcome one. You didn’t want a big family, having grown up in one, and I was happy with two children, but had you wanted more, I would have given you fifty. I would have given you the world if you wanted it, Ginny.

But I couldn’t save you when you needed it most. You got sick. The nurses at St. Mungo’s said that there was no known cure, even in the wizarding world. We both cried, but you wanted to stay home, wanted to live the rest of your life with your family. It was the summer holidays and I took off from work, spending every waking moment with you, Jocelin, and Leslie. We had an amazing summer, with more love then most people experience in a lifetime.

And then you went. And I lost my heart.

Jocelin and Leslie come with me when I visit you, but not all the time. I bring you your favorite flowers, white roses, no thorns. Our children are all I have now, and I love them so much, but never as much as I love you.

You changed my life Virginia Weasley, one snowy night twenty five years ago.

And twenty five years later, Jocelin is leaving Hogwarts for the last time. Twenty five years later, I’m standing on the Quidditch Pitch where I first saw you spread your wings and fly.

Twenty five years later, I can close my eyes and watch you dance, but this time I’m dancing with you.

~**~

The next morning, Jocelin and Leslie Malfoy found a dozen white roses on the Quidditch Pitch. They looked at each other with a sad smile.

There were two sets of footprints in the grass – it looked like they had been dancing.

Wherever you are Ginny, I hope you dance…

~* End *~