15 June 1998

Draco’s heart pounded in his chest, and every time he took a breath it felt like a knife in his ribs, but he continued to run. He threw the occasional hex behind him, but judging by the sparks that continued to whiz past him, he hadn’t found his mark. Just when he thought it’d be more comfortable to let the blasted Order catch him, he was able to take advantage of a small explosion behind him and duck into an alley without being seen. The pink haired witch ran right past his hiding place, and he caught his breath. This had been a very long night. The Dark Lord was dead; he’d seen it happen. Potter’s lot was rounding up his followers one by one, and he knew it was only a matter of time before he found himself in Azkaban. He shuddered at the thought; he was too pretty for jail.

He peeked around the corner and surveyed the scene. Things were winding down; only the most devoted of the devoted continued to fight. He wanted to make sure he wasn’t included in that group. He’d just thought of someplace safe to Apparate to, when his aunt appeared next to him, slightly out of breath and eyes gleaming. Despite the disappointment she must feel over the destruction of her Master, she was obviously having fun - a lot of it.

“Draco, you’re still here?” she said, in a surprised tone.

Draco immediately changed his plans. “Of course I am, Aunt,” he said. “We need to do as much damage to these filthy blood traitors, as we can; we owe it to our Lord.” He scowled. She looked at him intently, trying to decipher his intentions. He had never let her know just how well he’d learned from her Occlumency lessons - a good thing for him.

She smiled. “I knew I could count on you.”

Harry and his band of friends walked into view; they looked tired and vulnerable. Draco couldn’t imagine things going more perfectly for him. He nodded over his aunt’s shoulder to the group who were nursing their wounds. She smiled as she seemingly glided over to the group and raised her wand over her head.

“Stupefy!” he exclaimed, and his aunt crumbled to the ground at his feet. Now Harry Potter owed him his life.

He caught the eye of Ginny Weasley and returned her slight smile as several Aurors came out to arrest him and his aunt. Things were going to be okay.

28 September 2003

Draco walked down the street with a grin on his face and flowers in his hand, congratulating himself on being so romantic. His destination was Granger Labs, the completely unimaginative name of the company where Ginny had joined her Mudblood - er - Muggle friend, the week before, in order to save the world - or something equally as sugary and good. She was excited about it, however, and therefore, as her boyfriend, he was, too.

He opened the front door to the nondescript white brick building, which was located in the heart of Muggle London, and walked past the sleeping, aged, security guard. He made his way to the main laboratory where he thought she might be, and was rewarded by the sight of the shapely young redhead, measuring potion in a beaker. He crept through the door, intent on surprising her.

He managed to get behind her without her noticing, and placed the flowers in front of her face, while he kissed her neck. She screamed and dropped the beaker of potion onto the floor. The glass shattered and the potion began to sizzle on his clothes; at the same time a cloud of blue smoke enveloped him. He coughed as the smoke cleared. Despite the dramatic incident, there didn’t appear to be anything wrong beyond a blue spot on his trouser leg.

Ginny gasped, and stared at him in shock. “Draco? Are… are you okay?”

He dusted off the sleeves of his jacket; they were covered in a fine yellow dust. “Yes,” he answered. “Are you?” She looked very pale.

“I’m fine,” she answered absently. She looked worried. “Draco, I think you should sit down.”

“Why?” he asked, just before he caught a glimpse of himself in the glass. It wasn’t him, though. His body was intact but his head had turned into a giant daisy. “Ginny!” he yelled, too occupied with his terror to be ashamed that his voice had cracked. “What did you do to me?” His petals shook as he yelled. He noticed this and shook his head on purpose. “Turn me back!” he demanded.

“Sure,” she said nervously. She took her wand off the table and pointed it at him, saying clearly, “Finite Incantatem.” Nothing happened. “Okay, don’t panic,” she told him. “But I don’t know how to fix this.”

“WHAT?” His petals shook furiously and more of the yellow dust covered him and the ground. It was pollen. Pollen! His face was secreting pollen!

Ginny sneezed several times in a row. “Yet,” she said, blowing her nose on her handkerchief. “I don’t know how to fix this, yet.”

“How did this happen at all?” he asked, angrily.
“It wasn’t my idea to sneak up behind me and scare me half to death,” she said, indignantly. “What were you thinking?”

“I was being romantic,” he defended, ignoring the pollen falling from his face every time he moved quickly. “I brought you flowers,” he added lamely, holding the posy before him.

“Oh,” she said, eloquently. “Thanks.” She took the flowers from him and then laid them on the counter behind her. “I’ll get Hermione,” she said quickly, walking past him to the door.

He caught her arm. “Granger? What? Why?”

“She’s smarter than I am," Ginny said plainly.

“No, she’s not,” he said, quickly. Panic crept into his voice.

“Yes, she is, she’s smarter than everyone,” she started to leave again, but he held on tighter. “Okay,” she said, trying a new tactic. “We should go to St. Mungo’s.”

He dropped her arm. “You mean in public? Absolutely not,” he said, shaking his head.

Ginny sneezed. “Well there aren’t many more options, beyond sticking you in some soil and watering you regularly.”

He drooped in defeat. “Fine, get Granger. But no one else shall ever hear about this, understand?” he said, seriously.

“Absolutely,” she said, with enough tact to look solemn, as she left the room.

Draco sat on a nearby stool and waited. Ginny returned a few minutes later with Hermione in tow.

The bushy-haired, Muggle-born witch looked him over and simply said, “Oh, dear.”

“Yeah,” said Ginny and Draco together.

“Have you tried ‘Finite Incantatem’?” she asked sorting through the ingredients on Ginny’s worktable.

“Oh no, why didn’t we think of the most obvious way to end a spell ever created by wizard?” Draco asked sarcastically.

“No need to get snippy,” she said. “Let’s not forget who’s trying to help whom.”

Draco didn’t apologize, but he didn’t call her a ‘filthy Mudblood' either, and Hermione marvelled at the change in his personality since he had started dating Ginny.

“What were you working on, Ginny?” she asked curiously. “These ingredients don’t make any sense for the Ministry contract.”

“Well, actually, I was working on sort of a side project for Fred and George,” she admitted.

Hermione frowned at her friend’s misappropriation of company supplies, but was stopped from addressing the issue by the sudden entrance of Ron and Harry, with whom she had plans that night. They were chatting easily with each other about Quidditch, when they caught sight of Draco.

Although his head was now a giant daisy, there was no mistaking him for anybody else. For a moment everyone stood frozen inside the little laboratory. Then Ron burst out laughing, spraying bits of the pasty he was eating, and was followed very shortly by Harry.

“Stop that,” said Hermione, trying not to smile, but failing. “You two get out of here.” They didn’t even try to leave, and just kept on laughing. Ron seemed to be having trouble breathing.

Draco had suffered many indignities over the course of his twenty-three years on the planet, thus far. Beaten at Quidditch countless times, turned into a ferret, Bat Bogey Hexes... this was too much, though. He got to his feet and rushed at the two mockers. The cloud of pollen that filled the room caused everyone’s eyes to water.

There was a loud bang and Draco found himself frozen on the ground, unable to move his legs or arms. While this was even more embarrassing, he noted with no small amount of glee that Weasley and Potter were in a similar predicament, less the flower head, anyway.

“That is enough!” yelled Ginny. She helped Draco up, and led him back to the stool. Hermione tended to Ron and Harry. Ginny followed the group out of the lab and started to yell at them.

Draco smirked as he saw the two boys cower before her. ‘That’s my girl,’ he thought, as she sent them away and came back to help him with his problem.

23 March 2005

Draco stormed down the busy London street. She’d done it to him, again! Narrowly missing being hit by a passing vehicle, but being splashed by the muddy puddle it drove through instead, he vowed that the next time he fell in love with someone she would not be, in any way, intelligent or passionate about anything… bedsides him. Of course, he didn’t plan on ever being in love with any one else again, as evidenced by the ring he had in his pocket.

Tonight had been planned to the last detail - dinner at the first restaurant the two of them ever agreed on liking, a walk through the park where a street musician would happen to be playing their song... Everything was perfect, except that his would-be-bride was obviously so absorbed in her research topic that she forgot about him completely. Don’t get him wrong, he was all for her efforts to save wizard babies from diseases, or whatever it was Granger’s company was trying to do, and it wasn’t like she was always so absorbed in her work – she was quite attentive to him during the middle, and after she was finished with a project - but just because their anniversary happened to take place near the end of one of her projects didn’t give her leave to stand him up. Especially when he was going to propose!

As he passed a food stand, he was put in mind of his and Ginny’s first date together. He stopped in his tracks, ignoring the shouts of passers-by that were hard pressed to avoid running into him. He couldn’t care less about them. A glimmer of an idea had started to form in his head; this night could still be salvaged.

Turning down the nearest alley, he quickly Apparated to his nearby London residence, a restored town home in the oldest, and most prestigious, section of wizarding London. He waved the House Elf away from him as she approached to take his coat, went straight to the fireplace and threw a handful of Floo powder into the fire. He spoke the address and a minute later Vincent Crabbe’s face appeared in the flames. Draco gave him his instructions.

* * *

“Twenty minutes, Crabbe,” he said as he left the room. “Don’t screw up.” Crabbe disappeared and Draco went to change out of his muddy clothing.

He then Apparated to Granger Labs. The recent addition of an Apparition point in the foyer of Granger Labs had been a point of contention between himself and Ginny. He didn’t consider it safe, but he was very glad for it tonight. Ignoring the security wizard completely, while simultaneously feeling aghast at the incompetence he demonstrated by letting him just walk by, Draco climbed the four flights of stairs to Ginny’s office. It was empty. He scowled at this second, albeit minor, spoiling of his plans and headed to the only other place she could be.

He approached the lab and glimpsed her through the round window on the door. As he had suspected, she was hard at work at whatever she was working on. In case it was something volatile, he knocked rather than risk startling her by entering unannounced. She didn’t seem to notice. He entered the room quietly and cleared his throat. She glanced over her shoulder.

“Draco? What are you doing here?” she asked, still absorbed in her work.

“I’ve come to see you,” he answered. “I don’t suppose you’re ready to go?”

“Of course I’m not,” she said, turning to face him. “I’m really close to something here. I can feel it.” She did that little bounce thing that she always did when she was excited, and went back to her task. Under any other circumstance he might have understood, kissed her on the cheek and told her come to his place when she was through. But not tonight!

“Weasley!” he practically shouted at her in exasperation. He hadn’t referred to her by her last name in over a year. He took the vial of potion out of her hand and placed it on the counter. “You will stop working and come with me this instant.” He latched onto her hand and pulled her out of the lab.

“Draco, wait. Hang on a second,” she protested. She dragged her feet and he ignored her. He was a man on a mission. “You’re hurting my arm,” she said, matter-of-factly. That got through to him. He stopped and loosened his grip; she wrenched her hand from his.

“What is the meaning of this?” she demanded.

“We had a date, Ginny, and I mean to keep it.”

He watched as her expression changed from anger, to surprise, to guilt. Merlin, she was cute. She opened her mouth and got as far as “I’m sor-“ before he put a finger on her mouth shushing her.

He leaned in close and kissed her once, quickly. “Save it,” he said excitedly. “We have a date to get to.” He turned around and started to lead the way again.

The twinkle in his eyes both unnerved and excited her. This time she ran to catch up, and willingly gave him her hand. “Where are we going?” she asked, eagerly.

“You’re just going to have to trust me,” he said as he pulled her close to him and Disapparated them away.

* * *

They appeared in a park near an inverted tree. A faint glow and the slightest aroma of pasty told him that, for once, Crabbe hadn’t let him down.

“A tree?” she asked, trying to stay optimistic but obviously thinking Draco had gone mad.

“Just go inside.”

Draco followed her into the tree, taking the opportunity of her back being turned, to remove the ring from his pocket, and hold it before him. He took in the scene as she did. Fairy lights hung in the branches, illuminating the hamper, and the blanket that was spread on the ground. It wasn’t very fancy, but it was beautiful; just like Ginny.

She spun around and faced him, eyes shining, and a huge smile on her face, which faded as soon as she saw the ring. Draco felt a moment of utter panic as he saw the look on her face. It was short lived, however. After the longest five seconds of his life, she laughed and tackled him to the ground, covering his face in kisses - which he very quickly directed to his lips.

He reluctantly broke apart from her- not the easiest task ever undertaken, but he needed to be completely sure. “Is that a ‘yes’, then?” he asked, brushing the hair away from her flushed cheek.

Her eyes twinkled. “I don’t recall you asking me a question.”

“Well in that case-“ he said, looking around for the ring box that had fallen to the ground. He picked it up and held it before her. “Ginevra Weasley, will you marry me?”

She smiled. “Yes, I will.” She allowed him to place the ring on her finger, and then frowned slightly. “I’m sorry for standing you up,” she said, looking into his eyes.

“I forgive you,” he said, before drawing her lips to his. Their pasty picnic lay to the side, quite forgotten.

30 July 2005

Draco sat at a table covered in cakes in between a thin blonde woman and a plump red-haired woman. He was missing his shapely red-haired fiancé. He couldn’t remember ever being in a more awkward situation.

Narcissa frowned, looked at her diamond-encrusted watch, and sighed, again.

“She’ll be here soon,” he said.

“She should be here already,” his mother scolded, seemingly oblivious to Mrs. Weasley’s presence. “What kind of girl isn’t interested in her own wedding cake?”

“The kind of girl who is busy trying to make the world a better place,” Molly said, huffily, in defence of her daughter.

Draco suddenly got to his feet. He knew where this was going to lead and didn’t want to listen to the two women bicker. Secretly, he was inclined to agree with his mother, not that he’d ever say so in front of Mrs. Weasley. He wished Ginny were more actively involved in the planning of her own wedding. But the burden of that had fallen mostly to him - punishment for being independently wealthy, and jobless. “I’ll go and get her,” he said to the two women, stalling the start of the impending argument. Draco leaned in and kissed his mother on the cheek. “Be good,” he whispered to her before he straightened up. “We’ll be right back, but go ahead and start.” He gave a brief nod to his future mother-in-law and to the baker who was bringing out more samples. “Nothing coconut,” he called over his shoulder as he left the building.

As soon as he was in a secluded place, away from prying Muggle eyes, he Apparated to the foyer of Granger Labs. He gave a brief nod to the guard and climbed the flight of stairs to the lab. It was empty, which was rare. Shrugging it off, he headed upstairs to check her office. She was in there with Harry Potter. Through the glass window he could see her sitting on top of her desk looking up at him. He was leaning over Ginny and speaking softly. Draco stood frozen in his place. Harry said something that made Ginny’s face colour, and then he leaned in farther to kiss her. She let him. She let him. Draco saw red and left.

He entered her flat sometime later. He didn’t know if he had Apparated there or if he had walked. He hadn’t even been aware of deciding to go there, but there he was. It was a place that had always been comforting and warm to him, but now it felt as cold as ice. He flicked his wand at the lights and lit them. All around him were pictures of the two of them laughing and waving. It made him sick. He picked one up. He’d taken it of them as they walked along the Thames on one of the rare afternoons that he was able to persuade her to skive off of work. They’d been happy; they’d been laughing. Draco threw the picture against the wall, and kicked the cat he’d given her on her last birthday. The beast growled at him and ran into the other room.

How could she do this to him? How could she do that with him? He needed to know at least that. There had to be a why to the end of their relationship. He turned off the lights and sat down to wait for her. It wasn’t very long before he heard the lock click, and the lights turned back on. He stood up and faced her. She was still beautiful to him. It would have been easier if she weren’t.

She started in surprise. “Draco?” she asked. “What did I forget this time?”

“The cake tasting,” he said flatly. He didn’t know if he would fall into her arms, or hit her if he got close to her, so he kept his distance, wanting neither event to come to pass.

“I’m sorry about that. I just got really busy today. Did you pick out a good one?”

“I don’t know,” he answered, still without emotion and from across the room.

“You should’ve just picked one, I like everything that you like.”

“I wish the same could be said for me,” he said letting his anger creep into his voice.

“We agree on almost everything, certainly enough to pick a wedding cake,” she said, though she was starting to suspect that they weren’t talking about cakes anymore.

“I don’t know if that’s true,” he said. “You like blueberries, and I don’t care for them. You like Muggle art, and I think it’s boring. You like Harry Potter, and I loathe him.”

She paled at the mention of Harry’s name, and took her eyes from his gaze. “Harry and I are friends,” she started lamely.

Draco laughed bitterly. “Friends?” he asked. “Friends speak to each other from more than 6 inches apart. Friends don’t snog each other in one friend’s office, especially when said friend is engaged to the other friend’s enemy, Ginny!” he shouted.

She started in surprise. “Draco I di-“

“You’re going to deny it?” he asked in disbelief. “Ginny I saw you. I saw it,” he said disgustedly.

She started to cry. “Draco I’m sorry. Oh God I’m so-“

“Don’t apologize to me! Just don’t say anything,” he shouted. He paced to the other side of the room and back again. He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair. “How long?” he asked, quietly, not looking at her.

“It just happened,” she said moving closer to him. “Draco, it just happened.”

He looked up and saw that she was standing before him. Her eyes were shiny with tears. She took his hands in hers and pressed her lips against his knuckle. “I told him to stop, and that I was in love with you. Draco I’m so sorry.” She kissed his lips. He let her. She moved to deepen the kiss, but he grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her away.

“I don’t forgive you,” he said coldly. He walked to the door and opened it. “Good bye, Ginny,” he said before closing it behind him. He leaned his head against the door to steady himself. Inside Ginny was crying loudly. He almost, almost went back in to comfort her; in some ways her pain was a bigger contributor to his suffering than his pain was. But his pride had been hurt, and Malfoys didn’t stand for hurt pride. His vision blurred as he walked down the hallway, away from the woman he loved.

30 July 2005 - Later

Ginny stood up and dried her eyes. She couldn't say how long she had been crying, but it was time to stop. Crying didn't solve anything. There was only one thing for her to do now... She had to win him back.

28 February 2008

Draco entered his empty bedroom, and fumed. It wasn’t supposed to be empty. His pregnant wife was supposed to be starting her maternity leave today. She should have been lying in bed, getting pampered by one of the House Elves. Okay, so that was never going to happen, but she should be home… with him. He Disapparated.

He appeared in the familiar foyer, and walked to her lab. Ginny wasn’t in there. He went to her office and was relieved to see that she, at least, was sitting down. She was reading a roll of parchment and making notes in the margin. Pasty wrappers littered the desk – they were her most recent craving. He knocked on the door and entered. She smiled as he walked in, and put down her quill.

“Did you come to get me?” she asked, as he bent down to kiss her.

He knelt in front of her. “That and to find out why you weren’t home already,” he answered her truthfully.

She sighed. “I promised Hermione detailed notes on my research so she and Joseph can pick up where I left off.”

“But you’ve been taking it easy?” he asked, concernedly. She’d been pushing herself beyond his and her Healer’s wishes throughout her entire pregnancy. Just this morning she had been complaining of a backache.

She pulled him close and kissed him. “Of course I have.” She smiled. “Now, go away, and let me finish. I’ll Floo you when I’m ready to leave, and we can go eat supper together.”

He stood up and kissed her on the cheek. “Take care of Draco Jr.,” he said, patting her belly.

“I will never allow that,” she said predictably. It was an old argument, one that had already been settled because they were having a girl. What had once been a source of contention between the two of them was now a joke.

“We’ll see,” he said, eyes twinkling.

“One more word about Draco Jr. and his name will be Harry,” she said mock seriously.

“You wouldn’t.” He narrowed his eyes.

“Try me,” she said, folding her arms over her chest. She stuck out her tongue.

“Oh, you’re going to be a great role model for our child,” he said sarcastically.

“Oh, very nice!” She smacked his arm. “Go away, and don’t come back until I send for you,” she said.

“Yes, Mistress,” he said, in imitation of their House Elf. He gave her a small bow and left the room.

He was halfway down the hallway when he heard her call, “Draco, come back!”

His blood ran cold; she sounded panicked and in pain. He sprinted back down the hall into her office. She was hunched over in pain, holding her belly. “What’s the matter?” he asked, quickly as he rushed over to her.

“Something’s wrong,” she said cringing in pain.

“I’m taking you home.” He started to pick her up. Her robes were wet.

“Get Mum,” she said; her eyes welling up.

“Right,” he said, trying to fight the panic that was surging inside of him. He set her back onto her chair, and ran across the hall to Hermione’s office. “Where’s your Floo powder?” he asked hurriedly.

“What?” she asked.

“Get Molly here now!” he ordered. He stayed just long enough to see that she was doing as he asked, and then he went back to his wife.

Her contraction was over for the moment, but she looked scared. He was terrified but he tried not to let her see it.

He crossed over to her and knelt down in front of her. He wiped the tears away from her cheek. “Your mother will be here any minute now.” He’d barely gotten the sentence out when Mrs. Weasley rushed into the room, and over to her daughter. Everett Martin, their Healer, closely followed her. Draco immediately took back every mean thing he’d ever said about Hermione Granger, when he saw that she’d had the foresight to Floo him, as well. In his panic, it hadn’t occurred to him. He backed away and made room for the newcomers.

Everett examined her quickly. He spoke the obvious. “She’s definitely in labour,” he said. “You should get her home as soon as possible. I’ll meet you there with my mediwitch and the equipment." He spoke calmly and matter-of-factly; Draco appreciated it.

Hermione ran down the stairs to hail a cab, and Draco and Molly helped Ginny walk down the hallway. “Don’t worry about a thing, dear,” her mother comforted. “Bill was a bit early too, and everything worked out wonderfully with him.”

The group received some strange looks from the cabbie, as Ginny had another contraction in his cab, but he didn’t say anything. The cabbie took them as close to the house as he could, and Draco carried his wife the rest of the way. By the time she was tucked into their bed, Everett was back, with his mediwitch. The other members of Ginny's family were milling around in the hallway outside. Draco ignored everybody and concentrated on Ginny.

“You’re going to be a great role model for our child,” he said, sincerely, and then he kissed her on the forehead.

The labour didn’t last long, compared to the horror stories everyone seemed to insist on telling them throughout the pregnancy; it was finished a mere eight hours later. Draco was only able to see red hair, before his daughter was whisked away to an incubator.

“Is she okay?” Ginny asked worriedly, trying to sit forward.

Draco stopped her from getting up and helped her to settle onto the bed. “She’s fine,” he said, hoping it wasn’t a lie. “She’s beautiful, she looks just like you.” Ginny smiled and started to fall asleep. He stayed with her until her breathing steadied, and he was confident that she was sleeping. Then he went to speak to the Healer.

He was standing over the incubator, giving soft instructions to his mediwitch. Draco went to see his daughter. She was so tiny, but would grow up to look just like her mother; that thought made him happy. Everett cleared his throat and Draco tore his eyes away from his daughter. “Will- will she be okay?” He forced himself to ask the question he was most afraid to hear the answer to.

“I think she has a good, fighting chance,” he answered honestly. “But only time will tell.”

Draco nodded in acknowledgment, and stared at his little girl. They had planned to call her Erin Marie because, on a day when they felt agreeable, they thought it sounded nice. But his daughter needed strength, so he made up his mind to name her after the strongest woman he knew. “Fight, Ginevra Molly Malfoy,” he said to the sleeping baby. “Fight.”

He fell into a sort of trance as he watched the little Ginny struggle to breathe steadily. He wasn’t aware of time passing, but soon the elder Ginny sat down beside him, and leaned her head against his shoulder. He put his arm around his wife and continued to watch his daughter. She would fight. She was strong.

1 September 2023

Draco took in the scene of Platform 9 ¾ and smiled at his wife’s advice to their youngest son, on his first day of school.

It was the same thing she had said to their daughter and oldest son. “…Watch out for the third step from the bottom of the staircase to the east of the courtyard,” she said. “Sometimes it isn’t there.” She smoothed out his jumper. “Don’t let your cousins get you into too much trouble, and don’t try to sneak books past Madam Pince, until you learn a proper vanishing spell,” she concluded.

The whistle blew and she hugged her son. Draco moved over to the two of them. “I’ll give you a hundred galleons if you get into Slytherin,” he said quietly as he hugged his son.

The boy looked up and smirked “Mum said she’d give me 150 if I get into Gryffindor,” he said.

The whistle blew again and it was really time to go. Kevin, their middle child, came over to help his brother find a compartment.

“Take care of your little brothers,” Ginny said to her daughter, Molly. The newest Slytherin prefect rolled her eyes, but agreed. The three Malfoys boarded the train just before it started to leave.

Draco moved closer to his wife and put his arm around her shoulder.

“The house is going to be so quiet, now,” she said, wiping the tears from her eyes.

“For a while,” he agreed. “Of course there are some advantages to a quiet house.” He kissed her on the lips.

She smiled wryly and arched her eyebrow. “I’ll race you home,” she said, and Disapparated with a ‘pop’.