Vidi, Vici, Veni

Chapter Twelve

"Fate and Free Will"

Draco decided it was best to be direct, he felt that she deserved it. "My father wants me to become a Death Eater...this summer." Ginny gasped with dread.

He continued, his face was emotionless and his voice was low and monotonous. "And before you hear it from anyone else, I thought I should tell you. My father has arranged for me to marry Pansy Parkinson, they have set a date for the engagement party this July, the wedding would be next year after graduation." Draco couldn't look at Ginny, he just continued to stare at his hands while Ginny began to cry quietly in her chair. She was glad that Draco had insisted that she sit down as she could feel her heart rend itself in two.

"I love you too much to hurt you. I don't know if I can walk away from my father's will. I would be leaving everything behind. Maybe if we part now, if will be easier for you and me to move on. I don't want to leave you, but if it means my father will never find out, that means he'll never have anything to use against me. I don't want him to hurt you to get to me.

"I love you and I always will no matter what happens. I'd be willing to die for you, but I don't want you to be hurt by anyone. I don't know if I have enough strength to deny my father." Draco gave a long sigh of sorrow.

Ginny saw a shattered man. She knew him well enough that no matter what she said, it would not change his mind; he had already reluctantly resigned himself to accept his father's plans.

She wanted to run, run as fast as she could from him and to him. But, there she sat silently crying.

Finally, she was able to regain her voice. "I will always love you, Draco. With all my heart, unceasingly, without bounds. Please tell me that you will remember that I love you."

Draco finally looked at her. Her face was streaked with tears and her eyes were distant. He answered, "I will remember, and I will always love you just as much, to the moon and back."

Ginny stood and walked away closing the Room of Requirement behind her. Slowly, she trudged her way to the empty Gryffindor Tower. Thankfully, everyone was outside or at the library so they couldn't hear her racking sobs.

Draco continued sitting in the room they had shared many hours together. When she left he realized the fact that Ginny was now gone and he had no one. She would always be in his heart, but she was no longer in his life.

~_~_~_~_~_~

When Saturday came, Ginny finally found her appetite. It had been almost a week since Draco let her go. Her heart still carried a heavy weight. The only bright spot that she could find was that they hadn't made love. She didn't know if she would've agreed to become the mistress of a Death Eater if he had taken her virginity. Draco had never asked her to be, but if her feelings became any stronger, she felt that she just might've volunteered.

It was the third of May and her O.W.L.s were four weeks away. Ginny had absorbed herself in her studies in hopes of keeping the sight of Draco slumped in a chair out of her mind.

When she did sleep, she was awoken by frequent nightmares of Draco standing beside his father and Voldemort. He would stand and watch as Lucius and his master tortured her. She would wake up sweating and screaming, wondering if she did the right thing. Should she have fought to stay by his side? Draco was the one who wanted to break it off. He wanted to protect her. Even if she did beg for him to take her back, would he?

Hermione was quizzing Ginny, helping her prepare for her O.W.L.s. She commented that Ginny was making fine progress and that if her pace continued she should receive high marks.

As everyone was beginning lunch that Saturday, Ginny looked at Draco for the first time. He looked listless. Pansy was sitting next to him, clinging to his arm acting like Lady of the Manor. She was talking with several girls at the Slytherin table. News just broke that morning of their upcoming engagement party and the news spread like wildfire through the school.

Draco was wallowing in despair. A lifetime chained to this conniving, shallow, obnoxious, witless, prattling, pug-faced, insipid bitch. Too bad Death Eaters don't take a vow of celibacy. Merlin!

Just as Ginny started to eat something to fill her shrunken stomach, a loud bang echoed from the entrance hall. It sounded as if the huge wooden door had been thrown open with great fury.

Students were starting to stand up to take a look at the source of the noise when a booming voice split through the air.

"DRACO! DRACO! COME HERE, BOY!"

Draco stood and fear crept over his face. He knew his father was out there waiting for him. He turned and took great long strides towards the door, steeling himself so he would be ready for his father's wrath.

A flood of students followed him wanting to see what was going on. All the professors followed as well.

He had no idea why his father would be furious, unless. But they had been so careful.

Draco went through the threshold and saw his father in his travelling cloak, black boots that gleamed charmed to repel dirt and his infamous cane. It was his cane that caught Draco's eye as his head had been on the receiving end of that cane during many of his father's beatings.

He continued striding over to him wondering why he had come here risking being caught by Dumbledore and how he had dispatched the two Aurors that stood guard at the gates of Hogwarts.

When Draco stopped, he stood ten feet away from his father. They were almost the same height. Daggers of ice were exchanged.

Most of the students had already spilled into the entrance hall and stood around the edges, keeping clear of the fight they guessed was coming.

"What is this I hear about you banging the Weasley girl?!?"

Ron went purple with rage and was about to leap into the fight, to kill Lucius or Draco, either way he wanted to kill both Malfoys. Harry, Hermione, Dean, Seamus and Neville had to hold onto Ron to keep him from doing anything that might make him a permanent resident of St. Mungo's with Neville's parents.

Ginny just put her hands over her mouth and stared as the battle began.

"I have NOT been banging anyone," Draco shouted back.

"That's not what I heard from Oswald Parkinson. Of all the people, anyone but a Weasley. How COULD you, how could you consort with her? Never would I have thought of a Malfoy touching a Weasley, the bottom of the cauldron. The worst of all possible choices for you to sow you oats with. I'm disappointed in your taste. That Muggle-loving, dirt poor, worthless little tramp. You're getting engaged anyway, so just end this little affair with that slut."

"GINNY IS NOT A SLUT!" His voice echoed through the hall. The students were holding their breath and some had finally torn their eyes away from escalating quarrel to look at Ginny.

The poor girl stood there lost and embarrassed. She had become the object of instant gossip. Harry and Hermione stepped in front of her, shielding her from people's stares. Neville, Dean and Seamus still had to keep hold of Ron to prevent him running into the fray.

"Don't tell me you have feeling for that wanton whore! Just like you to be weak at the wrong moment. This will reflect on you badly. You will end this matter with her and do what you are told! You will fulfil your Destiny and you will marry Pansy Parkinson!!!"

Something in Draco snapped. Ginny could tell that something was going through his mind and she became very afraid for him, afraid that his prophecy of his father killing him might come true today.

Draco stood up to his full height, squared his shoulders and sneered at his father. "I will NEVER fulfil my destiny if that means I have to kow-tow to that THING you call the Dark Lord. Why didn't you even tell me he was half-Muggle?!?" he spat.

A loud whisper of voices circled the hall, heads turning to each other in disbelief.

Draco continued while his rage was still building, "You neglected to fill me in on THAT little fact...father. I will never marry Pansy, she can rot in hell in her wedding dress for all I care. Besides, would marriage stop her from banging Crabbe and Goyle?"

All eyes turned to Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle. Pansy shrieked and ran towards the dungeons while Crabbe and Goyle tried to make a more discreet escape. Draco didn't care, if Pansy had brought this down on him by ratting him out to his father, he was glad that she would be the subject to malicious gossip, it served her right.

Lucius turned his eyes back to Draco, his gaze was white hot with anger. "Look what you've done! She comes from a fine family! You'd better apologize and make this up to her somehow-"

Draco cut him off. "PANSY IS A CUNT!!! I will never marry her and I will never worship Voldemort!"

Lucius raised his cane and was about to advance on Draco when he saw Dumbledore and the whole staff of Hogwarts watching them. Instead he held his ground, trembling with rage. In a measured tone he growled, "You will never speak the Dark Lord's name! He will never welcome you now."

"I'd rather DIE than become a Death Eater. As far as I'm concerned, FUCK PANSY, FUCK VOLDEMORT AND FUCK YOU!!!"

Lucius went apoplectic and raised his wand while moving towards Draco. Draco stood his ground ready to bear whatever his father would unleash on him. Lucius screamed, "AVADA KEDARVA!"

Students screamed and panicked. Ginny turned her head, she couldn't watch Draco die. She thought that if she could take the Unforgivable curse instead of Draco, she would.

Just before the bolt of green light struck Draco, it bounced off an invisible shield that surrounded him and deflected to one of the walls. Rock exploded and a large crater marred the wall.

Dumbledore walked towards Lucius while the elder Malfoy stood still, shocked that his curse had been blocked. Before Lucius could turn and fight, Dumbledore had placed a multiple hex on him that froze, bound and silenced him.

The students were still seeking an escape from the entrance hall when Dumbledore yelled out in a booming voice, "Silence!" The crowd of students stopped.

Just then, the two Aurors who Lucius Malfoy had cursed came bounding through the front doors.

Dumbledore instructed the Aurors to take Lucius away to the Ministry's new penitentiary that had just been built. The heads of the four houses were instructed to take the students back to their rooms until further notice.

Draco Malfoy was asked to accompany Dumbledore back to his office.

As Draco walked away, he looked over his shoulder searching for Ginny. She was walking with her fellow Gryffindors, Hermione had an arm around her while Ron and Harry acted as bodyguards. He knew that she would be safe with them. Draco then willingly followed the Headmaster.

When they reached a gargoyle, Dumbledore said, "Sugar Quills." The gargoyle moved aside and Draco was led to the Headmaster's office.

Inside he saw many items whirling about on tables, but he quickly turned his attention to the chair that Dumbledore motioned for him to sit in.

As the Headmaster settled into his chair behind his desk, he tented his finders and looked over his half moon spectacles at the young man.

Draco looked him straight in the eye and said, "Thank you for saving my life." Dumbledore smiled. "What is going to happen to me now?"

The elder wizard leaned over his desk and said, "That is entirely up to you."

"I know what I want to do," Draco announced with conviction. "After graduation, I want to fight. Fight against Voldemort. I can't rest until he's gone."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he asked his next question. "What made you decide that you would not become a Death Eater, that you wouldn't serve him?"

Draco smiled and began to tell his tale of revenge, his change of heart and the redemption of his soul through Ginny's love.

~_~_~_~_~_~

As they were walking back to Gryffindor Tower, Ron began to ask Ginny what that was all about down in the entrance hall with Lucius accusing Draco of sleeping with her, but Ginny said that she didn't want to talk about it, yet. When Ron persisted, she threatened him with a Bat-Bogey Hex if he didn't drop it.

Ginny had to process all that had happened and she didn't need Ron searching for Draco so he could kill him right after Dumbledore had just saved him.

Professor McGonagall returned to the Gryffindor common room. Ginny was sitting in the corner, while Harry, Ron and Hermione were standing guard around her to discourage anyone from bothering her.

As Ginny followed McGonagall to Dumbledore's office, the anxiety in her mind rose with each step. When they finally reached the office, Ginny saw Draco talking with the Headmaster.

He turned to see her in the doorway and leapt out of his seat towards her. Draco hugged her and kissed her face while tears flowed down her cheeks.

"Draco, oh, thank the gods you're safe."

"I'm so sorry, Ginny, can you forgive me? Please don't leave me. I would rather have died out there than gone on living without you. Please say you'll stay with me."

Ginny nodded her head and sobbed, "Don't you ever leave me again."

After a few minutes of their joyful reunion, Dumbledore motioned them to both sit down. Ginny was embarrassed realizing they were being watched by the two professors.

"As I understand from Mr. Malfoy, you two love each other?" Dumbledore smiled warmly at her and she felt more at ease. Ginny nodded, then looked at Draco. He extended his hand and she put her in his. He continued, "Then everything will be alright.

"Mr. Malfoy, do you know how you were saved from that Unforgivable curse?"

"Yes sir, you blocked it," he replied.

Dumbledore shook his head with a slight grin. "I did no such thing. It was you and Miss Weasley who blocked that curse. I know of only one other instance in which someone has survived that curse from a Death Eater or Voldemort and walked away."

Draco and Ginny's mouths hung open in disbelief; they knew who he was referring to.

Dumbledore continued, "It was the power of your love that blocked that curse. Love is the most powerful magic in the universe and there is no doubt that the bond you two have formed was strong enough to protect you, Mr. Malfoy.

"Now, if you will excuse us Miss Weasley, Professor McGonagall will escort you to the Room of Requirement where Mr. Malfoy will join you shortly where you can talk privately. We still have a few more things to discuss here."

Ginny realized that they knew about their secret meetings and blushed a deep shade of scarlet that made her freckles disappear.

When she left the room, Draco turned back to Dumbledore. "Professor, I have a request I was wondering if you could help me with."

"Certainly, Mr. Malfoy, what is it?"

Draco reached down his shirt and produced a small gold key on a thin gold chain. Handing it over to Dumbledore he explained, "This is the key to my family's vault. I have no doubt that in a very short time news of what just happened will spread. If you could please be so kind as to withdraw ten million galleons from my vault. Now that I know that my father will disown me, my access to the vault will be denied within a few days. I need money so I can finish my last year here and until the war is over."

~_~_~_~_~_~

Ginny sat in their room. She did not know what would transpire when he walked through the door, so she thought of the usual bed, couch, fire and bathroom. The room was familiar to both of them.

When Draco did walk through the door, Ginny ran to meet him. For a long time they just held each other tight.

Finally, Draco pulled his head back from her shoulder to look at her. "Forgive me." Ginny started laughing while tears began forming in the corners of her eyes. She grabbed his face and pulled him in for a kiss.

"I forgive you, just don't ever try to leave me for the sake of protecting me."

Draco kissed her forehead and pulled her into another hug. "I promise. Well, now that my father knows about us, there's nothing to stop us from letting everyone know we're together."

"Except Ron," Ginny added. They both sighed.

"Well, Ginny, my love, you are just going to have to tell him about us. If I can face my father, you can face Ron. At least he loves you. What did he say after..." Draco jerked his head towards the door. He was unable to give a name to the whole unfortunate event that had happened earlier that day.

"I told him I wasn't ready to talk about it. Hermione convinced Ron and Harry that I would be ready in my own sweet time and to drop it until further notice. They even protected me in the common room from others trying to badger me with questions. I don't know if he'll understand, but I suppose we can't wait any longer."

"It can wait until after we're done talking here."

Draco told Ginny about his conversation with Dumbledore, but neglected to mention that he volunteered himself for the war after graduation. He figured he could tell her when the time was right. After a while, they just sat holding each other on the couch.

Ginny turned to Draco and said, "When was the last time you took a bath?"

His brows shot up at the directness of her question. "What sort of question is that?"

"It's just that you smell a little...ripe."

"Well, it's hard to feel compelled to groom oneself when you have recently lost the great love of your life."

Ginny grabbed his hand and dragged him to the bathroom. She started peeling his clothes off and he got the idea. Draco joined in and started disrobing her, too.

When they both got into the shower, Ginny started soaping his body, enjoying the slick feeling of her soapy hands over his taut body. Her hands travelled over his back and along his arms. Draco poured a small pool of shampoo into his hands and started washing Ginny's hair.

He loved moving his hands over her wet skin, along the sensuous curves of her back, breasts and hips. He wondered why they had never taken a shower together before. It certainly was a very, very pleasant experience.

When they had both towelled off, Draco led her to the bed. They started kissing and caressing which led to Draco eventually trailing his hand down her stomach and between her legs.

When she finally regained her breath, she looked at him and gave him a little frown. "Oh, it's a pity you don't have those potions with you." She gave a little whine.

"Who said I forgot them." Draco stood up and went to his cloak and pulled out three vials.

Ginny looked at him confused. "When did you get those?"

"I made a little stop by my room on the way here." He winked at her.

"Clever boy," she purred.

He put two drops from the blue vial in his glass and two drops from the pink into hers.

"Cheers," Ginny toasted.

"Bottoms up." They both looked at each other and started laughing till tears were coming out of their eyes.

When they had both drank their glasses dry, Ginny asked, "What's the third vial for?"

With a wicked grin, he said, "Lubricant."

Ginny lay on her back and spread her legs. Draco climbed up between them. She could feel his erection grazing her leg as he drew himself closer. When he finally positioned himself over Ginny, they looked into each other's eyes.

Draco slowly eased himself into Ginny. She was expecting pain, but it felt more like a tight uncomfortable feeling. Her mouth went wide with pleasure as she felt herself being filled by him.

He stayed still in her till her body began to adjust to the width of him inside of her. He started rocking his hips into her and she lifted her knees higher and wrapped her ankles around his back so she could take him in deeper.

The feeling was beyond what they had both expected. Ginny had trouble keeping her eyes open, the delightful feeling of his movement in her made her eyes close and throw her head back. Draco lowered his head and started feasting on her neck.

Ginny could feel an orgasm coming on and surrendered herself and it washed through her. Her screams and the feeling the constriction of her around him pushed him over the cliff edge. He was free falling as he came inside of her, joining her in her screams.

When they finally caught their breath, Draco carefully pulled himself from her and she winced a bit.

"I didn't hurt you did I?"

"No, I'm just a bit tender. All that foreplay over the past few months must have stretched me out. At least it didn't hurt like I've heard from other girls."

They snuggled together, and then Ginny pushed his hips so he rolled onto his side facing away from her. She spooned into the back of him, he could feel her face pressed into the middle of his back, one arm wrapped around his waist and the other hand was playing with his hair.

After a short nap, they both took a rinse off and had one more round in the shower. Ginny used a charm to dry her hair. She could just imagine the look of wonder on Harry, Ron and Hermione's faces if she returned to the common room with wet hair. Draco dressed as well and put the usual styling products in his hair.

Ginny looked at him as he primped in the mirror. "You know, you should really try another hair style."

"What do you have in mind?" He looked at her through the reflection in the mirror.

"Anything, but that goop in your hair. It's so hard to run my fingers through it sometimes."

"Everyone has a price to pay for looking good." He made his signature arrogant smirk.

"But I think you could look just as sexy without it. Try it for me once sometime."

He turned and kissed her on the head replying , "We'll see."

Ginny playfully slapped him on his arse as he left the bathroom.

Draco told her she should go so she would have enough time to talk with Ron before dinner. It was four-thirty and dinner would be in an hour and a half. He would meet her at painting of the Fat Lady at six o'clock and escort her down to dinner.

When Ginny got back to the Gryffindor common room, Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting on the couch in front of the fire. They looked at her simultaneously and Ron said, "Well?"

Ginny looked at Hermione and nodded her head in the direction of her room. All four of them went into Hermione's room and she locked the door and placed an Imperturbable Charm. Seemed everyone at Hogwarts had extendable ears these days.

She took a deep breath and looked her brother in the eyes. "Ron, I know you may be a bit upset, but here's the truth. Draco and I have been seeing each other."

"WHAT?!? I'm gonna kill the bloody wanker, that smarmy git placing his hands on you, I'll turn him inside out and kill him some more!!! I'm going to shove him into the largest cauldron and charm it to frappe."

"RON!" Ginny yelled at him. Her eyes were glaring at him and seeing her this way made him shut up and sit back down. He had never seen his sister like this.

"Draco loves me and I love him." Harry gave a snort of disbelief while Ron grumbled. Hermione was the only one who politely listened. "We've been seeing each other since January."

Ron interrupted, "So, he lied, he was banging you. When I get-"

"RON!" Ginny looked furious. "If you don't sit down, shut up and listen to what I have to say, I'll put a binding curse on you." Ron and Harry both looked at her wearily with eyes wide.

"Now, as I was saying. Draco did not lie." Ginny failed to mention that fact that if the question was put to Draco now, it would have been a lie. "As a matter of fact, the big reason we've been keeping this whole thing secret is the fact that he was afraid his father would find out and hurt me. The other reason is you.

"I knew you'd react just like this. And you're not to tell Mum or Dad or anybody else in the family. I'll get around to telling them when I'm ready." She rounded on Harry and looked at him, "And that means you too. Or you'll be known as The-Boy-Who-Didn't-Live." Harry and Ron looked at each other and they both looked a little frightened at what Ginny might do to them both.

Hermione sat quietly hoping that Harry and Ron didn't notice Ginny's lack of warning to her. She had known about Ginny's romance with the Prince of Slytherin House from the beginning and she wasn't about to tell the two boys that she had known. She didn't want to be on the receiving end of Ron's fury regarding the protection of his little sister.

Ginny continued by explaining why Lucius Malfoy's curse had bounced off Draco. They all looked to Harry who began rubbing his scar absentmindedly. She went on about how it had been Draco at the Halloween ball and a few other details, omitting those she thought might make Ron blow up again. She never mentioned the Room of Requirement.

When six o'clock came, the four of them exited the portrait hole and found Draco waiting in the corridor. Draco walked up to Ginny and extended his arm.

"Are you ready for dinner, my sweet?" he said, ignoring the stares from Ron, Harry and the other Gryffindors coming out. Hermione was smiling, but the two boys didn't notice it.

Ginny glowed as he gave her a gentlemanly kiss on the hand. She looked up at him, "Yes, darling." Together they led the parade of Gryffindors to the Great Hall for dinner.

Ron could be heard in the background grumbling loudly, "Obnoxious twit...if he so much as...Malfoy frappe...entrails for a neck tie...impale him on a Quidditch hoop..." And so it went on as Ron tried to glare holes into the back of Draco's head while the two walked arm in arm.

When they got to dinner, the Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables were already full. Ginny and Draco walked through the doors together and a quiet fell over the room. Ginny stood on her toes and gave Draco a kiss on the cheek before following Harry, Ron and Hermione to their table.

A great flurry of talking erupted as eyes watched Ginny go to her seat and Draco sit in the large gap at the Slytherin table. Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle had decided not to come down for dinner.

Several other Gryffindors came over to Ginny during dinner and asked her questions, which she answered in a brief fashion. Draco sat alone, no Slytherin wanted to talk to him.

Pulling out his wand, he tapped his plate with it before he began to eat. Professor Dumbledore instructed him in his office on a charm that could detect if food has been tampered with. He could no longer trust his fellow Slytherins, as they might try to kill him now. He knew who the children of Death Eaters were and that a few others might be on the initiation list with the Dark Lord.

Dumbledore had allowed Draco to remain in Slytherin House. But if the danger became too great, he would be moved to private quarters elsewhere in the castle with a Fidelius Charm, Dumbledore would be his Secret Keeper. Draco also resigned as Seeker for the Slytherin House team, much to Professor Snape's dismay, but there were more important things than the Quidditch Cup at stake here.

After dinner, Draco escorted Ginny back to the portrait of the Fat Lady and gave her a gentle kiss good night. Ginny went into the common room ready for the onslaught of questions she was going to face, especially from Roxanne and Florence.

Draco went back to his room, his wand ready in case any Slytherin decided to put themselves in the good graces of the Dark Lord.

When he arrived at the common room, Pansy was packing her things. Crabbe and Goyle looked like they had had a friendly row with a Mountain Troll. It seemed neither of them had known that the other had been seeing Pansy.

By morning, all three Slytherins had transferred to Durmstrang to finish their education there.

====================

Chapter Thirteen

"The End of the Beginning"

For the next month, Draco and Ginny were inseparable. He would always meet her at the entrance to Gryffindor Tower and escort her to dinner, they would study in the library together with him helping her on her Potions homework and they would still meet once a week at the Room of Requirement.

Ginny knew that mixing Draco with Ron and Harry might spell trouble until they got used to the idea of them seeing each other, so she avoided going near the trio while she was with Draco. She knew that someday they would have to interact with him, but that was something that could wait until next year.

Draco wasn't too keen on talking with Harry, Hermione and especially Ron either. There was something about Ron that prompted him to go into 'antagonize' mode. Hermione was usually around Ron, but since she had been such a good friend to Ginny, keeping their secret, Draco didn't hold any more grudges against her. Harry usually only jumped into the fight when Draco started it or if Ron was already engaged, so he figured that if he could just avoid Ron, that would be the best course. Besides, he did not want to get on Ron's bad side and let him influence Arthur and Molly's opinions about him before he had a chance to meet them.

Ginny made great progress on preparing for her O.W.L.s. Draco did his best to help her prepare when Hermione wasn't. Draco even learned the art of massage to help ease the tension in her shoulders and back that was building week by week.

When Ginny finished with her O.W.L.s, Draco planned a little celebration.

He led her blindfolded up to the Astronomy Observation Platform. When they finally got there, he removed her blindfold. Spread out before them was a picnic on a blanket charmed with a warming spell and candlelight. The moon was rising while Ginny and Draco sat while dining al fresco.

He knew she would be too tired to make love that night and after dinner escorted her back down to Gryffindor Tower. Her eyes were heavily lidded; he could tell that she needed a good night's rest.

By the end of the year feast Gryffindor had won the Quidditch Cup and Slytherin had won the House Cup. Draco didn't have his heart in it while playing Seeker for some of the games, but his confrontation with his father had earned his house many points.

Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape had both won and lost their bets. Snape had tickets to the Quidditch Cup and McGonagall was looking forward to enjoying an exquisite bottle of port.

The night before the train back to King's Cross, Ginny and Draco made love. It was not bittersweet, but gentle and languid. Draco would be staying at Hogwarts over the summer. It was not safe for him to leave the school grounds until he took his N.E.W.T.s next year and became a fully fledged wizard.

Ginny promised him before they fell asleep in each other's arms that she would still come to visit him once a week, as long as the Floo Network was safe. Besides, they would see each other at Professor Snape and Professor Mead's wedding. Draco had asked her if she would be his date. She was slightly insulted that he even asked, but he assured her that he was just being the proper gentleman that his mother had raised him to be.

It was the last week in June and the wedding was a week away when Ginny finally sat both her parents down and told them she and Draco were an item. They seemed to take the news better than she had expected. She figured that they had heard the rumours that swept through the wizarding community after Lucius Malfoy's attempt to kill his own son. She informed them that he would be there at the wedding and she would finally introduce him to them.

~_~_~_~_~_~

When they stepped out of the fireplace at Hogwarts, Draco was standing there ready to meet Ginny's parents. He was in his best dress robes and looking a little tanner than Ginny remembered from her visit a week ago. After they had brushed off the dust, Draco walked up to Arthur Weasley.

"I'm Draco Malfoy, sir." He put out his hand and Arthur shook it, wary of the young man. Draco turned to Molly, "And you must be Mrs. Weasley, a pleasure to meet you." He gave a small bow.

He looked at Ron and gave a small nod of his head. As politely as he could without sounding curt, he said, "Ron." Ron glared at him unsure if this was the same Draco Malfoy who took great delight in taunting him.

Ron had been warned by his mother not to provoke Draco by picking any fights with him or he would be spending the rest of the summer cleaning the house with his toothbrush without the benefit of magic. Draco made sure to keep his attitude and mouth in check as well. He did not want to give Arthur and Molly Weasley the impression that their daughter was dating a 'snide git', as Ron had so often called him.

Ron just nodded his head in response knowing that his mother was watching his actions carefully.

When he looked at Ginny, she was beaming at him. He took her hand and gave her a light kiss upon it. He sweetly said, "Ginny."

Turning to Molly, he extended his arm to her. "The wedding is about to begin, may I escort you to your seat Mrs. Weasley?" Molly took it, feeling happy that she was being treated with the respect that the Weasley family so rarely received at times.

Ginny took her father's arm and with Ron trailing behind them walked up to the Great Hall. She looked at her father and whispered, "Isn't he wonderful, Dad?" Arthur tried not to look too skeptical; he was always a little weary of men that charming, especially when it came to his daughter. Ron rolled his eyes.

They walked into the Great Hall and Molly and Ginny gave out a small gasp of surprise. Professor Mead had had several large magnolia trees temporarily transported into the hall, providing dappled shade from the enchanted ceiling above. Roses and honeysuckle festooned the altar.

Except for Percy, the rest of the Weasley children were there, along with most of the people who belonged to the Order of the Phoenix, though Draco knew nothing about the Order. Harry was talking with Remus Lupin when they both turned their head and saw the most unexpected scene of Draco escorting Molly Weasley up a side isle. Hermione smiled at Ron hoping that he would stop looking so glum and patted the seat next to her, inviting him to sit next to her.

Ginny sat in between her father and Draco during the ceremony. Arthur kept looking down at Ginny's hand; Draco had it in his hand and was gently caressing the back of it with his thumb.

After the ceremony, Draco pulled Arthur Weasley aside to speak with him.

"Sir, I know it may be a bit late, but it is only the proper thing do. I must ask you for permission to court your daughter." Draco looked very seriously at him.

Arthur was a little stunned, but responded, "Do you care for my daughter?"

"Deeply."

Arthur paused then contemplated his next question. "Will you keep her from harm's way?"

Without hesitation, Draco replied, "I would give my life for her, sir"

He scrutinized the look in Draco's eye and decided that Calliope and Albus were right, that Draco truly loved his daughter.

"You may court my daughter."

Draco shook his hand and smiled. "Thank you, sir."

When the two men returned to the table, Ginny leaned over ask whispered, "What was all that about." Draco gave her a small kiss on the cheek and said he would tell her later.

Tonks was sitting next to Harry and the two of them just kept staring over at the sight of Ginny and Draco together. Ron wore a perpetual scowl the whole wedding at the thought of Draco even touching his sister. Everyone at the wedding reception was eyeing the couple, but Draco and Ginny didn't notice. They were too absorbed in the occasion and each other to notice.

As band began to play "The Way You Look Tonight," Severus and Calliope Snape stood and walked to the dance floor. Half way through the song, a pretty little fourteen year old girl with raven tresses and aquamarine blue eyes walked up to Harry and asked him to dance.

The guests at the reception were introduced Melponmene. She was Calliope's daughter who she had had when she was eighteen years old. She had her mother's charm and eyes, and her father's hair. Melponmene had never met her father, so she couldn't know for sure if what her mother told her was true.

She told Harry that she would be transferring to Hogwarts in the autumn and looked forward to finally being near her mother, as her grandmother had raised her. She even referred to Professor Snape as "Dad," which made Harry start a bit.

When the second song started, Draco led Ginny to the floor as "Moonlight in Vermont" began. Molly watched Ginny dance with him and started to cry about the fact that her little baby was growing up.

As the song ended, most of the couples left the floor, unaccustomed to this style of dancing. As the next song began, a smile spread across both their faces. Ginny and Draco began dancing to "Por Una Cabeza."

Ginny noticed everyone watching them dance alone on the floor. During the ball, she didn't mind as she was hidden behind a mask. Now everyone, especially her family, could see it was she and Draco. Suddenly she became very self-conscious.

As they danced, Ginny quietly whispered, "Everyone is watching us."

Draco held her close as they travelled across the floor. He whispered back, "Let them, we have nothing to hide."