AN: Thanks to Julie for the beta!

Part One

To touch the rose unfearful
Is to meet the thorn
Pierce the heart's emotion
And feel the emptiness no more
-- Dan Haseltine, "No One Loves Me Like You"

Draco Malfoy's eyes unconsciously followed the redhead in front of him, admiring her shapely figure and sexy gait. He was about to whistle with admiration when something stopped him. It was the hair. He had not seen quite that shade of hair since… no. It could not be. What was the likelihood of meeting a Weasley in New York?

Nevertheless, it was a Weasley, he confirmed, after seeing her face when she turned the corner. Little… Ginevra Weasley, who he had subbed "Potter's Shadow" at Hogwarts. What had happened to her? The last he had heard, she was working for the Daily Prophet as a photographer. Now, here she was in his "area code", so to speak.

It had been years since he had thought of Hogwarts and his school days there. In his seventh year, there had been the huge battle between Voldemort's Death Eaters and Dumbledore's Army. He had fought for the Dark Lord only in name. In reality, he had been a spy for Dumbledore.

Those who had gone to school with him would have been shocked at this information, had they known. Draco had been his year's resident "bad boy", in every sense of the word. He had been a bully, but he had also been described as "smoulderingly glandular", the boy every girl wanted to sleep with. People viewed him as too concerned with mussing his perfect hair to bother fighting for anything. His main source of amusement in those days had been to torment those in Gryffindor house- especially those who had hung around with Harry Potter. For Malfoy and Potter to fight side-by-side would have been inconceivable to everyone except for the three people who really knew him.

Harry Potter was Draco's nemesis for seven years, up until Potter's death at Lucius Malfoy's hands. Part of the reason why Draco had begun the feud in the first place had been to set his reputation. As a Slytherin, and more importantly, as Lucius Malfoy's son, he had been expected to hate Potter on sight. Which he had, especially after Potter had been so much of an ingrate to reject his offer of friendship. Not for his father or for "Slytherin Pride", but for himself. Everything had come easily for Potter. Ever since he had "defeated" the Dark Lord as an infant, people looked up to him. Saint Potter, indeed. Whereas Draco had had to struggle for years. His father had been a brutal man until the day he had died. Physical torture, including use of the Cruciatus curse, had not been uncommon in his childhood, nor had starvation.

After the war, to escape the backlash he could only reasonably expect from both sides, he had done what many of his ancestors had done before him- immigrated to America.

Now, ten years later, here he was feeling homesick for Hogwarts, of all places. Just because of a chance glimpse of "Weasley red" on the head of a pretty girl. He chuckled to himself and resolved to look up Ginny Weasley as soon as he had wound up his appointment.

Stepping inside the restaurant where he had arranged to meet his contact, Draco was startled to see that Ginny Weasley was waiting to be seated as well. Rather than imposing himself upon her, as he would have done ten years ago, he merely observed her discreetly from his corner, admiring the marked changes that had manifested themselves in the littlest Weasley since he had last seen her.

Draco would be lying if he denied noticing how she had grown up during her sixth year, but even then, Ginny had still been a little girl. No one could call her that anymore, to be sure.

She must have somehow felt his gaze, as she turned around and looked right back at him, challenging his right to ogle her. There was no surprise in her gaze, merely annoyance. She must not recognize him. That was the only explanation

When it was his turn to speak to the maître'd, he informed the illustrious personage that he was there to meet with Gringotts' American vice president, Draco was flabbergasted when the man led him to Ginny Weasley's table. Ginny Weasley? Where is Brian? I was supposed to meet him for lunch.

She smiled graciously at him, standing up as he approached. "Mr. Malfoy, what a pleasure it is to see you again."

Had he not been a Malfoy, one would have called the expression on Draco's face awestruck. However, as he was a Malfoy, it was ignored.

"I suppose you must wonder at what I'm doing here, Malfoy," Ginny said boldly. Slightly shocked that the Weaselette could be so composed when he was on the verge of being flustered, he merely smirked.

"No, actually. I just did not recognize you, Weasley. My, my. You have come up in the world. Merlin Jacobs robes, I see. And they are new. That must be something to write home about."

When he had known her before, that speech would have been enough to make her turn tail and run, but Ginny merely pressed her lips together, a small crease forming between her beautifully arched brows, and sighed. "I suppose I gave you too much credit. I thought that you might have grown up in the past decade. Now if you will try to act with some professional courtesy, we could get this meeting over with and go our separate ways."

Draco eyed her, a bemused look hovering on his thin lips. "And here I thought that we might spend time reminiscing about our old school days at Hogwarts."

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Ginny Weasley sauntered out of Le Cirque de Magique, mulling over the odd meeting she had just had. It had been years since the last time she had seen Draco Malfoy. He had changed, although a spectator of their meeting would have disagreed. She had changed as well, and that was something he obviously had not counted on. Throughout the lunch, he had tried to bait her, to get her to lose her famous Weasley temper. Had he been the same Draco Malfoy of ten years ago, she would have said it was to report her to her superiors, but this afternoon she had gotten the sense that it was… habit, or something else she could not quite place.

The war had changed him; that was obvious. It had changed her as well. Once a happy member of the large and boisterous Weasley clan, she was now an orphan living 3,000 miles away from the country that had once been her home. Ginny's only family now were her co-workers at Gringott's Bank and her pet dog, Millicent.

Ginny was not Gringott's vice president, as Draco had found out. She was upper level management, and very trusted. The real vice president, Brian Jameson, had sent her to the meeting because of her prior acquaintance with Malfoy. She had tried to dissuade him from sending her, but Brian was tenacious- once he had caught hold of an idea, he would not let it go. It made him a wonderful boss and friend, but alas, it also made for some rather uncomfortable situations.

After the war to end all wars, the Great Wizarding War, Ginny had been left all alone. Harry was dead, as was Hermione. Ron had gone half-mad when Luna had died and was now in St. Mungo's. The twins had moved to China to escape the memories of the war, and Bill, Charlie, and both of her parents had been killed at the Battle of Hogwarts.

Had Ginny met Malfoy a year after the Great War, she would have pounced on him and slit his throat the moment she had seen him. She would have killed the ferret without a second thought. That was, until she had realized that Draco, not Harry, was responsible for the Wizarding world's continuing prosperity and state of Voldemort free-ness.

As a photographer for the Daily Prophet, she had been able to work side-by-side with her best friend from Hogwarts, Colin Creevey. It had been difficult to keep going, day after day. One day, she had quit her job, and gone to Hogwarts, where everything had begun and where everything had ended.

She had walked down the halls, astounded by her peers' hardiness, amazed that they could go on with their lives as if nothing had changed. After several hours of aimless wandering and odd looks, she had come across Professor Dumbledore, who was pleased, if somewhat astonished, to see her.

That day had changed her life. If anyone had needed therapy at that point, it was Ginny Weasley. Dumbledore had cleared things up for Ginny, and had let her do all of the talking and crying she had repressed. That was the day she had found out about Draco's bravery. He had saved her life, and never even told her. Not that she would have given him the chance.

Ginny let out a sigh and continued on her way back to her flat. It was actually her vacation, but Brian had coerced her into the meeting. In a way, she was happy she had seen him again. It was… closure. Something she had sorely been in need of for a while. If only she could stop thinking about the expression in a certain pair of grey eyes when they had been settled on her…

She mentally berated herself. It was Draco Malfoy, for Merlin's sake! Not some hero in a romance novel. Even though he had saved her life, he was not obligated to fall head over heels for her, or she for him.

Letting herself into her building, Ginny climbed the short flight of stairs and walked down the hallway to her roomy flat, suddenly finding herself eager for a nice cup of tea, a good book and Millicent's company.

She was lucky dogs were uncomplicated. People, on the other hand, were mysterious creatures very often misunderstood and hurting. Dogs gave love unconditionally, whereas people always had an angle.

Millicent, as she had expected, was stretched out on her normal perch, her chestnut coloured fur gleaming brilliantly in the sunlight.

Part Two

It gets so lonely
When you're walking
And the streets are full of strangers
All the news of home you read
Just gives you the blues…
-- "California," Joni Mitchell

Draco Malfoy was a cat person. His father would have been horrified had he been able to catch a glimpse of his heir's abode. He had four cats. He had not bought even one of them. Animals just tended to… flock to him. They always had.

Each cat had a very distinct personality, and it was easy to see from his or her appearance and mannerisms. His favourite was the one his friend Luke had christened "Catzilla". This often-maligned animal's real name was Fluffy, but that was such a commonplace name. Catzilla was a large grey cat who had oft been mistaken for a raccoon. Draco could have sworn that he must be at least half. Catzilla's polar opposite was a small black cat named Maddox, a very dainty and feminine feline. She was quite conniving when she wanted to be, able to convince anyone to do her bidding. Unlike Catzilla, she had subtlety in spades. The last two were "the twins", Minerva and Athena. They were Siamese cats from the same litter that tended to be rather high strung.

When Draco had first come to New York, he had had only his owl for company. Although Glorfindel was a very loyal bird, he was not very chatty, unlike Catzilla, Maddox or even the twins. Catzilla had been his first and only cat for two years. After Catzilla's antics, Maddox had been a bit of a surprise.

One of Catzilla's quirks was that he rather liked to be walked in the park. Every morning, therefore, Draco got up to take him to Central Park, after which he enjoyed a cup of coffee and a biscuit at an American institution, Starbucks.

It was on one of these mornings that Draco had happened on Ginny Weasley again. She was sitting on a bench, her face partially obscured by the New York Owl. Sitting on top of her feet was a large chocolate lab who was eying Catzilla with curiosity. He secretly wished that she would get it into her mind to chase Catzilla, just so he could have a chance to talk to the littlest Weasley again.

Draco would never forget the night he had saved Ginevra Weasley's life. It had been the one real "Potter Moment" in his life, his one act of blatant heroism. Idly, he wondered if she even knew. She would not have been able to tell from his behaviour towards her the day that they had had lunch together, but he had mellowed in his "old age".

Seeing that Ginny Weasley's dog was far too polite to do anything as vulgar as chasing cats, Draco gave up on any hope of an "accidental meeting" and plopped (well, what he called plopping) down on the bench next to Ginny, pulling Catzilla onto his lap and turning towards his prey.

************************

She smelled him before she saw him. Maybe she had been spending too much time with Millicent, but the smell of soap combined with what might or might not be cologne and eau de Draco told her who her companion was. Ginny waited, however, awaiting his next move.

He removed the paper from her hand and forcibly turned her to face him. Even though she had somewhat expected it, the motion unsettled her a little. At Le Cirque, they had been sitting some distance apart, and she hadn't noticed the laughter lines on his handsome face.

When they had been at school together, he had had two facial expressions, leering and sneering. Now, he had a bemused smile on his face. Malfoy looked so different now… and was that a cat on his lap? Draco Malfoy had a cat?

Her shock must have shown on her face, as his bemusement turned into a soft (and maybe slightly sexy) chuckle. He lifted the cat's paw and held it out to Ginny, who took it rather gingerly.

"This is Catzilla," he said, smiling. "He's a bloody huge brute, isn't he?"

Ginny looked a little wary, but since animal introductions seemed to be the order of the moment, she reciprocated. "If I lift up Millicent's paw, she will be upset, but she says hello anyway."

They looked at each other for a moment, unsure of what came next. As it usually happens, they became uncomfortable and spoke at the same time.

"What-"

"How-"
`
"You first," Draco said.

"I just wanted to ask why you were walking your cat. People don't normally do that, do they?"

He laughed, surprising her with the ease in which the unexpected noise slipped from his throat. "Catzilla is not your ordinary cat. He might think he's a dog, I don't know. I know that the reason why I walk him is because he's a great big bully who won't leave me be unless I walk him at least once a day, the oaf." His tone was affectionate and teasing, and Ginny's heart warmed at seeing the look he gave the so-called "oaf."

"What were you going to ask me?"

"I was just going to ask how you are, and, if possible, apologise for my behaviour the other day at lunch. I was in a bit of a snit."

Ginny was having a bit of a hard time reconciling this side of her ex-schoolmate to the smarmy git he had been at Hogwarts. She had to admit that she actually liked the man!

Over the next few weeks, the unlikely pair became fast friends, as did their respective pets. They got past their old animosity and prejudices surprisingly quickly and even felt comfortable enough to talk about the war. Neither mentioned what had happened at the Battle of Hogwarts, however, preferring to not reopen old wounds.

Ginny was there on the day he found out that Maddox was pregnant with Catzilla's kittens, and she was there to help the little cat give birth. She even got a kitten! Little Tanya was the runt of the litter, and she looked just like her mother, but with her father's colouring.

It was on that day that Ginny realised that she had gone and fallen in love with the man who had quickly become her best friend (after Millicent, of course).

Part Three

I cannot help it
I couldn't stop it if I tried
The same old heartbeat fills
The emptiness I have inside
And I've heard that you can't fight love
So I won't complain
Why would I stop the fire
That keeps me going on?
-- Michelle Branch, "I'd Rather Be In Love"

Ever since the war and the dispersion of her family, Ginny had had a hole in her heart. Millicent filled part of it, but canine love is not as satisfying as what she yearned for-human love.

Everyone noticed Ginny's new bloom, though few said anything. Her absentmindedness was a indicative sign as well. Neat, organised Ginevra Weasley became dreamy-eyed at the mere sight of blonde hair or grey eyes. Had they known who her partner was, they would have been able to detect the same telltale signs in him as well, though he hid them rather better than she did.

No one would have ever imagined that the icy Draco Malfoy and the fiery Ginevra Weasley would get along as well as they did. Well, no one except Dumbledore, and a certain Brian Jameson.

They did get around to talking about that night, eventually. Ginny let slip something accidentally, and Draco was forced to finally tell her the whole story-how he had seen Harry kill Voldemort, and tried to prevent Lucius Malfoy from killing him, but had been too late. He had staggered back to his hiding place, heart heavy at the thought of his patricidal fantasies finally coming to fruition. Red hair had caught his eye, and he had been able to drag her to his hiding place, healing some of her wounds and keeping her out of sight until it was safe to get her medical attention.

Draco had stayed by her side until Dumbledore had assured him that she would be all right and informed him that he had best leave, as her brothers were coming to see her and had no idea about his true allegiance. Thoughts full of turbulence and confusion, he had taken one last glance and apparated to his squib aunt's house in New York, eager to escape memories of the war and his life with his father.

He had forgotten all about the littlest Weasley until that fateful day when Brian had decided to try his hand in matchmaking. For that little stunt, Brian had earned himself the honour of being little Molly Bellatrix Malfoy's godfather and perpetual baby-sitter.
When Draco Junior and Luke Alexander joined the ranks, however, he gave up his job and retired. After all, what better way to spend your time than with small children that adore you?

La Fine (yes, that's correct. It's Italian, not French)