Should've Listened

Draco shrugged off his jacket as he entered his bedroom and flung it over the back of a chair. He had just returned from a long day at work and was looking forward to doing nothing but relaxing. At a closer glance around his room he realized that was not going to happen. Something was wrong. The wardrobe was wide open and his clothes were strewn all over the bedroom. He never left his things lying around in such an untidy fashion and certainly couldn't remember doing so this morning. Further inspection of the room drew his attention to the mirror above the dresser. There was something scrawled in what looked like lipstick across the glass. What on earth did Ginny think she was doing?

He left the bedroom and began examining the rest of the house. All the pictures were missing from the hall were they usually hung and there were holes punched through his walls. He frowned and walked back out the front door. Draco saw something lying in the grass and picked it up. It was his wallet. A very empty wallet. This couldn't be a good sign.

Draco was slowly coming the conclusion that Ginny must have left him. She left him and took everything with her. But why would she do that? He was a Malfoy. You didn't just leave a Malfoy. He thought hard trying to remember what could have caused her to leave.

He could hear her voice echoing clearly in his head. "I can't take it anymore, Draco. You don't have time for me anymore! You're always so preoccupied that even when you're here, you're not here! I can't keep living like this. You don't even act like I matter to you!" He vaguely remembered reassuring her. Telling her that he loved her and he promised to pay her more attention. He did love her. He just never expected to her actually leave. And so he never bothered to listen to her threats.

He sank slowly down into the damp grass still holding on to his empty wallet. He was getting his designer trousers wet and he didn't even notice. Why was this happening? This kind of thing didn't happen to Malfoys. Sure, he hadn't been paying Ginny much attention lately but that didn't mean he didn't need her company. Suddenly his home felt lonely and cavernous. He didn't want to know a life without her. He should have listened. He was self-absorbed just like his father. Never paid attention to anything he didn't want to deal with.

Ginny had obviously decided that she'd had enough. He should have known she wouldn't stand for it. She had a lot of pride and dignity with a fiery temper to match. She wasn't the type to allow herself to be taken for granted. And that's exactly what he had been doing. He hadn't appreciated her.

It took something like this to happen for him to realize the truth.

Draco went back into the house and followed the now barren hallway to his bedroom. He stood in front of the mirror and stared at his reflection. His skin was even paler than usual with red scrawls of lipstick disturbing the image. It was a while before he could focus on the words written there.

That was it. No last 'I love you'. She didn't even sign her name. "... Not as sorry as I hope you are." Ouch. That cut deep but it was nothing less than he would have expected from her. He had treated her badly; she wasn't bound to be very forgiving. He squeezed his eyes closed, willing this to all go away.