See Chapter One for disclaimers
..oo00oo..
Draco settled himself down in his hotel suite and reviewed the latest missive from Mr Carlucci. A very Malfoy part of him rebelled at the thought that he was staying in a hotel where, Gods forbid, other people had used the bed before him, but it just didn’t seem appropriate to purchase a property here. Once his plan had come to fruition he planned to spend the rest of his life making Ginny forget Blaise and everything the two of them had shared while he was married to Pansy. Returning to this city did not fit in with his master plan.
He’d been in Italy for a week keeping a low profile and the closest he had come to actually seeing Ginny had been in the surveillance photos attached to Carlucci’s reports. Seeing her face light up in a smile had been magic; it was like he had stepped back five years and she was teasing him as she danced around his bedroom, well up until the point Blaise had entered the frame and Draco had realised that the smiles, the happiness radiating from her were not due to him but to bastard ex-best friends who should have demonstrated more loyalty than to move in on Ginevra when she was vulnerable and hurting. Draco had known Blaise since they were kids. He had watched his friend grow from a charming child who could have a face smeared with chocolate icing and still convince an adult that he had had no part in stealing the cake, to a devilishly charming teenager who was able to entice the knickers off anything in a skirt. Draco knew he had hurt Ginny badly, he knew what his decision to marry Pansy must have done to her and he could intellectually understand why she had let herself be sucked in by the Zabini charm. Although he did hope Blaise had somehow imperio’d all of his Hogwarts conquests to lie and he was in fact really, really crap in bed. If she had had to put up with five years of bad sex hopefully Ginny would be more than happy to throw Blaise over for someone who had never failed to please her.
While torturing himself over the photos had been all sorts of fun, Draco really needed to see her in person, although the question of exactly how to approach her still remained unanswered. His original plan of mournfully supplying her of proof of Blaise’s infidelity was not going to plan. Damn Pansy for getting his hopes up. Carlucci had managed to link Blaise to any number of women over the last few years but getting concrete evidence had proved to be more difficult. His ex-lovers seemed to view him through rosy tinted glasses and none were willing to make a statement about their relationship once they realised that Carlucci was not working for Blaise. There wasn’t even an incriminating shot from the society pages that he could use; the only photos appearing in the Italian newspapers were of either Blaise flying solo, or being accompanied by his 'long term companion, la bella Ginevra’. Appearing at her doorstep with a bunch of flowers, and a puppy dog expression was out of the question; he was a Malfoy and a Slytherin, not some nancy boy Hufflepuff. While he doubted that Ginny would, upon seeing him again, immediately proclaim that she had always loved him and they’d run away in the sunset, it never hurt to make a good impression especially after so long apart. Draco took a moment to review that scenario and added in Ginny proclaiming publicly that Blaise was half the man he was, and could never meet her needs, before finally dismissing the fantasy. It had to be casual, something that appeared accidental where he could be suave, debonair and generally irresistible. He dug out one of the reports from earlier in the week and smiled.
B. Zabini and G. Weasley have a standing reservation on Thursday night, 8 pm at Agata e Romeo for dinner. They have not missed a reservation in over a year so it is safe to assume that their schedules are unlikely to change.
..oo00oo..
Ginny plonked herself down in front of the floo grate dispensing with the splendour of the seventeenth century chairs in favour of comfort. She waited patiently while Luna's head danced in the flames as the international connection was established. Although they never made an issue of it, Ginny knew she owed Luna for so much. Apart from sending Blaise after her that night five years ago, she had steered Ginny through most of their seventh year and NEWTS without letting her to return to the self destructive depression Ginny had fallen into after hearing the news of Draco's marriage. The one time Ginny had tried to thank her properly, Luna had shrugged it off saying that after the six years that Ginny had spent defending Loony Lovegood, it was the least she could do.
Luna smile was slightly worried as she took in the minute signs of stress appearing on Ginny's face. "Are you positive that you don't want me to come and stay for a week?" she asked.
Ginny attempted a reassuring smile. "I always love having you to stay, you know that, but I know how busy you are at the moment. If this whole Draco situation hadn’t reared its head you would be buried so deep in your book that you wouldn't surface for another month."
"Maybe," Luna admitted.
"No maybes about it! The last time you were at this stage of the editing I had to send over timed food parcels so that I knew you were eating."
Luna grinned at her friend. "I could bring a chapter with me and work on it while you’re at the office."
"Luna love, you are far too good to me but I am not about to risk the wrath of Flourish and Blotts because the revised edition of 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' isn’t ready in time for the next Hogwarts’ year. I love you for offering but I don't need you to hold my hand. I'll be fine."
Luna tilted her head to one side and stared fixedly at Ginny. "Is there no need because you are honestly truly fine, or do you just not want to appear like you need the support?"
"Because I'm fine."
Luna did not look convinced. "So what would happen, hypothetically, if he did turn up asking for a reconciliation?"
Ginny's face froze. "He wouldn't get one. Just because the wife he chose over me didn't work out I'm not about to welcome him back into my life for a second go."
"Or your bed?"
"And definitely not my bed. He proved last time that he thought of me only as a bed partner, someone to shag before he settled down. I'm worth more than that."
"If it was just the sex he didn't need to cross House boundaries," Luna said hesitantly. She was beginning to go against the unwritten Draco is a Bastard, End of Story rule they worked under. "I think he did care for you in his own way."
"Well obviously not enough. Anyway," Ginny continued, "Draco has been here for several days and he hasn't attempted to contact me. There is nothing to suggest that he has any intention of trying to finagle his way back into my life."
"Uh-huh and the fact he decides to visit Italy immediately after his divorce after avoiding the country for four years is not at all suspicious."
"You sound like Blaise," Ginny teased. "He has been stomping around all week trying to work out what he is up to. He's like an over-sexed protective teddy bear."
Ginny turned her head slightly when she noticed Neecie trying to get her attention and missed Luna's wistful expression. "You're very lucky to have someone like that in your life."
"He really is something else. Did I tell you why Ron cut back on his visits here?"
"Other than you repeatedly calling him a spineless bastard?"
"Well apart from that, it turns out that Ron believes Blaise to be lusting after his freckled bod and is too scared to show his face lest he get groped or worse."
Luna sighed in exasperation at the thought of her one time crush. "Ron is very good at running away to avoid a bad situation," she said wryly.
"Oh Gods is he still hiding from you?" Ginny groaned. "It's been years since you told him to stop using you to make Hermione jealous."
"It's disconcerting really," Luna started to giggle. "He stood fearlessly by Harry's side against countless Death Eaters but being yelled at by his pseudo girlfriend in public appears to have scarred him for life."
"I love him to death but he can be such a prat at times. I am ashamed to call him my brother."
Luna looked past Ginny shoulder to the frantically waving house elf. "I take it Neecie's dance in the background is her way of telling you that you are needed elsewhere.
"I have to get ready for dinner with Blaise soon. Neecie's just making sure we don't talk for hours again."
"I'll let you go in a second but tell me something first and I promise never to ask you this again. I know that you hate what he did, and hate what it did to you, but is there a part of you that still loves him?"
Ginny closed her eyes and pressed her lips together, damn Luna for making her say this. "I don't think it would still hurt this much if I didn't."
..oo00oo..
Blaise was in fine form that evening, he wasn't entirely sure what had gone during her conversation with Luna but it had obviously upset her. Setting himself out to be even more charming than normal he decided to do a little gentle digging. "How's Luna?" he asked while Ginny fussed with her napkin.
"She's fine. The editing is going well and she is taking a certain perverse joy in making Ron squirm whenever their paths cross."
"Go Luna. My innate nastiness is obviously rubbing on off her. Did you manage to talk her out of coming to check on you in person?"
"With difficulty. I don't think she is convinced that I am not just pretending to cope."
"That makes two of us," Blaise muttered.
"I heard that," Ginny objected. "I'll be okay Blaise. The news threw me for a moment but I've come a long way from that love struck teenager. If Draco turned up right now and went down on bended knee I'm not sure whether I'd laugh or kick him for thinking I could fall for him again after what he did."
"Excellent attitude my dear, just try to hang on to it," Blaise said, looking over her shoulder. "Because the great ferret himself has just walked in the door."
"He what?" Ginny's voice squeaked alarmingly.
"No don't look around," Blaise scolded. "He's seen us, let him make the first move."
Ginny tried for a casual tone and almost pulled it off. "Does he look like he is about to go down on bended knee?"
"Probably not, but he's dressed to impress."
"That's a relief. This skirt is not made for kicking."
Blaise snickered appreciatively. "There's an opportunity for some fun here." Quirking his eyebrow at her he repeated the question he had asked so long ago, "Do you trust me?"
"Implicitly."
"That's my girl. Follow my lead and we'll see if we can make him squirm."
After Draco had dismissed the maitre d' he casually walked towards Ginny's table trying not to dwell on the fact that he was about to embark on what was quite possibly the most important conversation to date. It was probably for the best that he couldn't see her face from this angle, it gave him a few more seconds to recite to himself, suave, debonair, not a nancy boy Hufflepuff. He somehow managed to keep his face impassive as Ginny dipped her head towards Blaise, giggling at something he had just said. Catching Blaise's eye he curved his lips in a small, decidedly insincere smile. "Zabini, Ginny," he called. "What a delightful surprise. I do hope I'm not interrupting."
Blaise the bastard looked highly amused. "Not at all Malfoy, in fact, Ginny and I were just reminiscing over old times."
Draco had to fight to concentrate on processing what he was hearing without making a complete tit of himself. Pansy had been right, no matter how hard he had buried it; he'd never stopped loving Ginny. When she turned to face him, her lips quirking in that familiar smile, it was all he could do not to AK Blaise on the spot and drag Ginny off somewhere secluded where he could explain, using hands, tongues and all other available body parts why she belonged with him.
"Draco," she murmured. "It's been a while."
Gods he'd missed her voice. "Too long," he said honestly.
"By your choice I believe." Ginny's tone had the slightest bite to it.
Ah, so her claws were still nice and sharp.
Blaise had been watching the two of them with an amused smile. "A choice I thank you for daily, Draco," he said. "If it hadn't been for you, Ginny and I would have never got together, and look at us now, we're coming up to our fourth anniversary."
"Five, if you count that night in Hogsmeade," Ginny corrected him with a sickeningly sweet smile.
Zabini you absolute bastard. You back-stabbing, girl friend stealing prick. Did you wait at all before moving in on her? Draco smiled down at the two of them. "I'm glad to see the two of you so happy," he lied.
Ginny laced her fingers together with Blaise's. "Are you planning on staying in Italy long?" she asked.
"That depends," Draco let his eyes warm as he turned his attention fully on her. "I'm laying the groundwork for a long-term project. At this stage I'm not quite sure how long it will take." Take that Zabini.
Blaise picked up the challenge. "You should be congratulated on your willingness to throw yourself into another project. I understand that the last one was less than successful."
"Never let it be said that a Malfoy cannot learn from their mistakes." Draco replied coolly, aware that if he didn't stop gritting his teeth soon his jaw was going to start aching.
Ginny raised her hand to her chest in mock horror. "Draco Malfoy admitting he makes mistakes? I distinctly remember you telling me that was against the Malfoy code of conduct," she teased.
"I've grown up a lot since then," he said softly, completely ignoring Blaise. "I actually allow myself thoughts outside of what was expected of me by my family."
"Hmm perhaps." Blaise intruded on Draco's consciousness as the prat raised Ginny's hand to his lips for a quick kiss. "I should probably warn you that the business market is not as easy to break into as you might be expecting."
And there he went again with the gritted teeth. "I guess we'll see just have to wait and see what happens then," Draco promised.
End Chapter 3
..oo00oo..
Draco settled himself down in his hotel suite and reviewed the latest missive from Mr Carlucci. A very Malfoy part of him rebelled at the thought that he was staying in a hotel where, Gods forbid, other people had used the bed before him, but it just didn’t seem appropriate to purchase a property here. Once his plan had come to fruition he planned to spend the rest of his life making Ginny forget Blaise and everything the two of them had shared while he was married to Pansy. Returning to this city did not fit in with his master plan.
He’d been in Italy for a week keeping a low profile and the closest he had come to actually seeing Ginny had been in the surveillance photos attached to Carlucci’s reports. Seeing her face light up in a smile had been magic; it was like he had stepped back five years and she was teasing him as she danced around his bedroom, well up until the point Blaise had entered the frame and Draco had realised that the smiles, the happiness radiating from her were not due to him but to bastard ex-best friends who should have demonstrated more loyalty than to move in on Ginevra when she was vulnerable and hurting. Draco had known Blaise since they were kids. He had watched his friend grow from a charming child who could have a face smeared with chocolate icing and still convince an adult that he had had no part in stealing the cake, to a devilishly charming teenager who was able to entice the knickers off anything in a skirt. Draco knew he had hurt Ginny badly, he knew what his decision to marry Pansy must have done to her and he could intellectually understand why she had let herself be sucked in by the Zabini charm. Although he did hope Blaise had somehow imperio’d all of his Hogwarts conquests to lie and he was in fact really, really crap in bed. If she had had to put up with five years of bad sex hopefully Ginny would be more than happy to throw Blaise over for someone who had never failed to please her.
While torturing himself over the photos had been all sorts of fun, Draco really needed to see her in person, although the question of exactly how to approach her still remained unanswered. His original plan of mournfully supplying her of proof of Blaise’s infidelity was not going to plan. Damn Pansy for getting his hopes up. Carlucci had managed to link Blaise to any number of women over the last few years but getting concrete evidence had proved to be more difficult. His ex-lovers seemed to view him through rosy tinted glasses and none were willing to make a statement about their relationship once they realised that Carlucci was not working for Blaise. There wasn’t even an incriminating shot from the society pages that he could use; the only photos appearing in the Italian newspapers were of either Blaise flying solo, or being accompanied by his 'long term companion, la bella Ginevra’. Appearing at her doorstep with a bunch of flowers, and a puppy dog expression was out of the question; he was a Malfoy and a Slytherin, not some nancy boy Hufflepuff. While he doubted that Ginny would, upon seeing him again, immediately proclaim that she had always loved him and they’d run away in the sunset, it never hurt to make a good impression especially after so long apart. Draco took a moment to review that scenario and added in Ginny proclaiming publicly that Blaise was half the man he was, and could never meet her needs, before finally dismissing the fantasy. It had to be casual, something that appeared accidental where he could be suave, debonair and generally irresistible. He dug out one of the reports from earlier in the week and smiled.
B. Zabini and G. Weasley have a standing reservation on Thursday night, 8 pm at Agata e Romeo for dinner. They have not missed a reservation in over a year so it is safe to assume that their schedules are unlikely to change.
..oo00oo..
Ginny plonked herself down in front of the floo grate dispensing with the splendour of the seventeenth century chairs in favour of comfort. She waited patiently while Luna's head danced in the flames as the international connection was established. Although they never made an issue of it, Ginny knew she owed Luna for so much. Apart from sending Blaise after her that night five years ago, she had steered Ginny through most of their seventh year and NEWTS without letting her to return to the self destructive depression Ginny had fallen into after hearing the news of Draco's marriage. The one time Ginny had tried to thank her properly, Luna had shrugged it off saying that after the six years that Ginny had spent defending Loony Lovegood, it was the least she could do.
Luna smile was slightly worried as she took in the minute signs of stress appearing on Ginny's face. "Are you positive that you don't want me to come and stay for a week?" she asked.
Ginny attempted a reassuring smile. "I always love having you to stay, you know that, but I know how busy you are at the moment. If this whole Draco situation hadn’t reared its head you would be buried so deep in your book that you wouldn't surface for another month."
"Maybe," Luna admitted.
"No maybes about it! The last time you were at this stage of the editing I had to send over timed food parcels so that I knew you were eating."
Luna grinned at her friend. "I could bring a chapter with me and work on it while you’re at the office."
"Luna love, you are far too good to me but I am not about to risk the wrath of Flourish and Blotts because the revised edition of 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' isn’t ready in time for the next Hogwarts’ year. I love you for offering but I don't need you to hold my hand. I'll be fine."
Luna tilted her head to one side and stared fixedly at Ginny. "Is there no need because you are honestly truly fine, or do you just not want to appear like you need the support?"
"Because I'm fine."
Luna did not look convinced. "So what would happen, hypothetically, if he did turn up asking for a reconciliation?"
Ginny's face froze. "He wouldn't get one. Just because the wife he chose over me didn't work out I'm not about to welcome him back into my life for a second go."
"Or your bed?"
"And definitely not my bed. He proved last time that he thought of me only as a bed partner, someone to shag before he settled down. I'm worth more than that."
"If it was just the sex he didn't need to cross House boundaries," Luna said hesitantly. She was beginning to go against the unwritten Draco is a Bastard, End of Story rule they worked under. "I think he did care for you in his own way."
"Well obviously not enough. Anyway," Ginny continued, "Draco has been here for several days and he hasn't attempted to contact me. There is nothing to suggest that he has any intention of trying to finagle his way back into my life."
"Uh-huh and the fact he decides to visit Italy immediately after his divorce after avoiding the country for four years is not at all suspicious."
"You sound like Blaise," Ginny teased. "He has been stomping around all week trying to work out what he is up to. He's like an over-sexed protective teddy bear."
Ginny turned her head slightly when she noticed Neecie trying to get her attention and missed Luna's wistful expression. "You're very lucky to have someone like that in your life."
"He really is something else. Did I tell you why Ron cut back on his visits here?"
"Other than you repeatedly calling him a spineless bastard?"
"Well apart from that, it turns out that Ron believes Blaise to be lusting after his freckled bod and is too scared to show his face lest he get groped or worse."
Luna sighed in exasperation at the thought of her one time crush. "Ron is very good at running away to avoid a bad situation," she said wryly.
"Oh Gods is he still hiding from you?" Ginny groaned. "It's been years since you told him to stop using you to make Hermione jealous."
"It's disconcerting really," Luna started to giggle. "He stood fearlessly by Harry's side against countless Death Eaters but being yelled at by his pseudo girlfriend in public appears to have scarred him for life."
"I love him to death but he can be such a prat at times. I am ashamed to call him my brother."
Luna looked past Ginny shoulder to the frantically waving house elf. "I take it Neecie's dance in the background is her way of telling you that you are needed elsewhere.
"I have to get ready for dinner with Blaise soon. Neecie's just making sure we don't talk for hours again."
"I'll let you go in a second but tell me something first and I promise never to ask you this again. I know that you hate what he did, and hate what it did to you, but is there a part of you that still loves him?"
Ginny closed her eyes and pressed her lips together, damn Luna for making her say this. "I don't think it would still hurt this much if I didn't."
..oo00oo..
Blaise was in fine form that evening, he wasn't entirely sure what had gone during her conversation with Luna but it had obviously upset her. Setting himself out to be even more charming than normal he decided to do a little gentle digging. "How's Luna?" he asked while Ginny fussed with her napkin.
"She's fine. The editing is going well and she is taking a certain perverse joy in making Ron squirm whenever their paths cross."
"Go Luna. My innate nastiness is obviously rubbing on off her. Did you manage to talk her out of coming to check on you in person?"
"With difficulty. I don't think she is convinced that I am not just pretending to cope."
"That makes two of us," Blaise muttered.
"I heard that," Ginny objected. "I'll be okay Blaise. The news threw me for a moment but I've come a long way from that love struck teenager. If Draco turned up right now and went down on bended knee I'm not sure whether I'd laugh or kick him for thinking I could fall for him again after what he did."
"Excellent attitude my dear, just try to hang on to it," Blaise said, looking over her shoulder. "Because the great ferret himself has just walked in the door."
"He what?" Ginny's voice squeaked alarmingly.
"No don't look around," Blaise scolded. "He's seen us, let him make the first move."
Ginny tried for a casual tone and almost pulled it off. "Does he look like he is about to go down on bended knee?"
"Probably not, but he's dressed to impress."
"That's a relief. This skirt is not made for kicking."
Blaise snickered appreciatively. "There's an opportunity for some fun here." Quirking his eyebrow at her he repeated the question he had asked so long ago, "Do you trust me?"
"Implicitly."
"That's my girl. Follow my lead and we'll see if we can make him squirm."
After Draco had dismissed the maitre d' he casually walked towards Ginny's table trying not to dwell on the fact that he was about to embark on what was quite possibly the most important conversation to date. It was probably for the best that he couldn't see her face from this angle, it gave him a few more seconds to recite to himself, suave, debonair, not a nancy boy Hufflepuff. He somehow managed to keep his face impassive as Ginny dipped her head towards Blaise, giggling at something he had just said. Catching Blaise's eye he curved his lips in a small, decidedly insincere smile. "Zabini, Ginny," he called. "What a delightful surprise. I do hope I'm not interrupting."
Blaise the bastard looked highly amused. "Not at all Malfoy, in fact, Ginny and I were just reminiscing over old times."
Draco had to fight to concentrate on processing what he was hearing without making a complete tit of himself. Pansy had been right, no matter how hard he had buried it; he'd never stopped loving Ginny. When she turned to face him, her lips quirking in that familiar smile, it was all he could do not to AK Blaise on the spot and drag Ginny off somewhere secluded where he could explain, using hands, tongues and all other available body parts why she belonged with him.
"Draco," she murmured. "It's been a while."
Gods he'd missed her voice. "Too long," he said honestly.
"By your choice I believe." Ginny's tone had the slightest bite to it.
Ah, so her claws were still nice and sharp.
Blaise had been watching the two of them with an amused smile. "A choice I thank you for daily, Draco," he said. "If it hadn't been for you, Ginny and I would have never got together, and look at us now, we're coming up to our fourth anniversary."
"Five, if you count that night in Hogsmeade," Ginny corrected him with a sickeningly sweet smile.
Zabini you absolute bastard. You back-stabbing, girl friend stealing prick. Did you wait at all before moving in on her? Draco smiled down at the two of them. "I'm glad to see the two of you so happy," he lied.
Ginny laced her fingers together with Blaise's. "Are you planning on staying in Italy long?" she asked.
"That depends," Draco let his eyes warm as he turned his attention fully on her. "I'm laying the groundwork for a long-term project. At this stage I'm not quite sure how long it will take." Take that Zabini.
Blaise picked up the challenge. "You should be congratulated on your willingness to throw yourself into another project. I understand that the last one was less than successful."
"Never let it be said that a Malfoy cannot learn from their mistakes." Draco replied coolly, aware that if he didn't stop gritting his teeth soon his jaw was going to start aching.
Ginny raised her hand to her chest in mock horror. "Draco Malfoy admitting he makes mistakes? I distinctly remember you telling me that was against the Malfoy code of conduct," she teased.
"I've grown up a lot since then," he said softly, completely ignoring Blaise. "I actually allow myself thoughts outside of what was expected of me by my family."
"Hmm perhaps." Blaise intruded on Draco's consciousness as the prat raised Ginny's hand to his lips for a quick kiss. "I should probably warn you that the business market is not as easy to break into as you might be expecting."
And there he went again with the gritted teeth. "I guess we'll see just have to wait and see what happens then," Draco promised.
End Chapter 3
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