If Only, If Only
Chapter 1: Dredging Up The Past
The books on the ancient shelves were covered with dust and years of disrepair. A long wooden table was groaning under the weight of piles and piles of century old texts. A squat middle aged man sat at the table armed with only a wand, black leather bound book, and a pair of glasses. He sat leaning over a large, dusty book, running his hands along words and gently turning pages. He made little notes in his black book, murmuring unintelligible things as he went. A young man of twenty was perched behind him on a ladder that helped give access to books higher up. He had a book of his own, smaller, and covered in dust, but he looked at it with the same interest as the man at the table. His white blond hair was slightly dirty, but that did nothing to diminish his handsome features. All of a sudden the blonde shut his book with a snap, stirring dust into the air. He looked at the other person in the room with him and gave a small chuckle.
"Mr. Graves, I must give you credit. You find enjoyment in a job I never could. How you can sit down here in this dank, drippy, and forgotten old library day after day, translating and re-recording the early Malfoy history beyond me."
The older man laughed but did not look up from his book.
"If you despise it so much Draco, then why do you continue to spend day after day down here with me?"
Draco Malfoy jumped down from the ladder and began to wander aimlessly around the library.
"I don't know, because I respect you, because I figure you could always use some company, and Merlin, help me, but I actually find this interesting."
He paused for a moment.
"Or maybe it simply gives me something. Something that doesn't make me feel guilty about what my family has done in the past twenty years because back when these books were written the Malfoys were decent people."
Albert Graves finally looked up. He regarded the young man for a moment. Draco had been like his shadow since he had arrived at Malfoy Manor months ago. In those short months Albert had learned a lot about the Malfoy heir. Come to think of it, he had learned a lot about the Malfoys in general. All three of them still carried much guilt for the things that had transpired in the war.
"Draco, come now, your family has not even been charged with any war crimes. In the three years since the wars end your father has not moved from here to there without first thinking to please someone else. Your business is beginning to pick up again; everything is on the up and up for you. For over three years you three have paid your dues in every way possible. Why do you still continue to carry on in this way?"
"Oh, because I'm wallowing in self-pity," he responded sarcastically.
The elder man regarded him yet again. "I think you need to get out of this library. You need some fresh air, and I need some quick quotes quills, my wrists are killing me. How about you pop over to Diagon Alley and pick up some for me? While you’re there you can visit your father as well."
Draco gave him a crooked smile. "Sure, I suppose some time in the sun wouldn't hurt me. Do you need anything before I go?"
"No thank you, I'll be fine."
"Well mother is in the garden if you do. I'll be back in maybe an hour."
With a nod to his friend, Draco raised his own wand and disapparated. Mr. Graves sat silently for another few moments before shaking his head and going back to the book in front of him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Draco walked slowly through the sun drenched streets of Diagon Alley. All around him students ran back and forth, running into friends, looking over supply lists, trying to get ready for the new Hogwarts year. He slipped into Flourish and Blotts and regretted it almost as soon as he did. The amount of people in the small book store was unbelievable. He took a look around and decided to try and go elsewhere for the quills. Flourish and Blotts was not going to calm down anytime soon.
Back on the street, Draco made his way to what used to be Knockturn Alley. After the wars end the ministry had cleaned out the shops there to make room for more respectable businesses. Draco looked up at the store he was standing in front of. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes wasn't exactly respectable but it was profitable, and because the Malfoy's had helped finance the business after Fred Weasley's death, Draco liked the store.
He entered, and as he predicted the store was quite busy, but less so than the rest of Diagon Alley. With the Malfoys’ help the store was able to move to a bigger venue and expand. Draco expected to see George behind the counter but instead he saw Ginny Weasley.
"Hello Malfoy," she smiled at him.
"Hello littlest Weasley," he laughed. "Didn't expect to see you here today. Where’s George?"
"Oh, he had an appointment with his therapist with mum and dad today."
"How has it been going?"
"Well the therapist you recommended has been wonderful," Ginny smiled sadly. "Things get better every day, but this is something none of us will ever..."
"Fully get over," he finished for her.
She nodded and looked down at her hands. There was a moment of silence between the two.
"No offense Malfoy, but why are you even listening to this? I mean we both know you don't care."
"I am trying, very hard I may add, to erase the Malfoy M.O. of being heartless, snooty bastards. It’s not easy; we have no friends, no decent people want to associate with us. We have to start reforming ourselves somewhere and simply listening to someone else's problems is somewhere to start."
Ginny gave a fake gasp "Oh my god! Who would think that people could actually change?"
Draco smirked at her. "You’re very unattractive when you gloat."
"Seriously Draco-"
"Oh its Draco now?"
"Yes, smart ass, it is. Draco at least you’re trying, starting somewhere is better than not starting at all."
He simply shrugged his shoulders.
"Draco if you really want to try and make some friends again, my mother has tried to invite your family over for dinner, but no one ever answers our floo calls."
"What can I say," Draco laughed. "We're still very proud."
"Too proud to have dinner with the Weasleys."
"You said that, not me," he chuckled.
"But you were thinking it," Ginny pointed out.
He shrugged again. "Old habits die hard."
Ginny's mouth hung open for a second, "I thought you said you wanted to change!"
Draco gave a very un-Malfoy like snort, "I was joking! God Ginny I was only joking."
"You’re still going to be at the wedding Saturday aren't you?" she asked. "Your mother RSVPed and said you would be coming."
"Yes, I am. Unfortunately my parents will be out of town this weekend, but I was still willing to go to the wedding. Though I do continue to wonder why in Merlin's name we were invited. I mean, me at the wedding of Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley."
"Whether you acknowledge it or not, your family has done a lot for mine in the past three years. You recommended that therapist for George, that my entire family plus Harry and Hermione have gone to see. Not to mention your father is footing those very expensive sessions. Lucius also helped dad get a job higher up in the ministry, and both you and your father partnered with George to support the shop."
Draco gave a wry laugh. "Yes, typical Malfoys using their money to get them what they want."
"True," Ginny confessed. "But Malfoys helping someone other than themselves is not so typical, and Malfoys helping Weasleys is unheard of all together. Believe me, compared to the Death Eaters sitting in Azkaban right now, you are a saint."
Draco gave a very small smile, his pale cheeks reddening slightly. "Well- I um- hey! You don't happen to sell Quick Quotes Quills here do you?"
"I'm assuming you want the normal ones, not the ones that only write insults."
"Please."
Ginny stopped. "And the shocks keep on coming. Did you just use the 'P' word?"
"Shut it Weasley! Laugh all you want, but I was taught manners as a child."
Ginny smirked, and disappeared behind the counter muttering something about 'wouldn't have known that while we were in school'. A few seconds later she set a box of acid green quills on the counter. Draco pulled out a few Galleons and tucked the box under his arm.
"By the way, how’s Potter?" he asked as he gave her the money.
"Wouldn't know," she said tightly.
"Why? You were shagging him weren't you?"
Ginny shot him a fierce glare. "And the old insensitive Malfoy returns. Why are you interested in my love life?"
"Because I saw a picture of him in the Prophet yesterday with a girl that wasn't you. A Miss Miranda Allen from the circulation department of the Daily Prophet."
For moments Ginny was silent, and Draco thought he might have gone too far.
"Alright, since we're getting along and confessing secrets I'll play along. I wasn't 'shagging him' as you so eloquently put it. I was in love with him truth be known."
"Oh I see," Draco nodded. "Then you found out he was shagging that bint from circulation."
"Which is when I broke up with him. I wouldn't have sex with him so he went off and found himself a fuck buddy."
All of a sudden she became aware of her surroundings.
"I don't think we should be talking about this in the middle of the store."
Draco continued as if he had not heard her. "Then why do I see the two of you together? He cheated on you, but you stayed friends?"
"Not quite," Ginny said, looking more then a little embarrassed. "It’s because he convinced me not to say anything to my family. I haven't told them yet that Harry cheated on me, and we broke up. I still hope that maybe one night he'll see the light and show up at my door finally realizing what he threw away."
"You know I never realized just how pathetic you are," Draco remarked.
"Really?" she gave a small laugh. "God, I'm so aware of it!"
Draco laughed. "Well maybe you should get out and date. Who are you taking to the wedding?"
"Harry. He's best man, I'm maid of honor, we're stuck going together. Though I refuse to spend the entire night with him. He is such a horrid dancer and he'll never even ask me. I love to dance, and I want to dance at my own brothers wedding."
"Tell you what little Weasel, I will dance with you for the entire night. You can tell your parents that I asked you, and you just wanted me to feel welcome. That will give you a whole night to work up the courage to tell your family. It will also introduce the thought of seeing you with someone else into their heads."
"Wow Ferret," Ginny grinned. "That is a brilliant idea! Good looks and a brain, how refreshing."
"You flatter me."
"Oh no, we don't need your ego getting any bigger then it already is."
"You’re too funny Weasley," he smirked at her. "And on that note, I bid you good day. Thanks for the quills, Flourish and Blotts was mad. So I suppose I'll be seeing you."
"Yea, be seeing you."
"Bye Ginny."
"See you Saturday Draco."
He turned on his heel and walked out of the shop, half a smile on his face. He took his wand out and apparated himself home, leaving a very happy Weasley in his wake.
Chapter 1: Dredging Up The Past
The books on the ancient shelves were covered with dust and years of disrepair. A long wooden table was groaning under the weight of piles and piles of century old texts. A squat middle aged man sat at the table armed with only a wand, black leather bound book, and a pair of glasses. He sat leaning over a large, dusty book, running his hands along words and gently turning pages. He made little notes in his black book, murmuring unintelligible things as he went. A young man of twenty was perched behind him on a ladder that helped give access to books higher up. He had a book of his own, smaller, and covered in dust, but he looked at it with the same interest as the man at the table. His white blond hair was slightly dirty, but that did nothing to diminish his handsome features. All of a sudden the blonde shut his book with a snap, stirring dust into the air. He looked at the other person in the room with him and gave a small chuckle.
"Mr. Graves, I must give you credit. You find enjoyment in a job I never could. How you can sit down here in this dank, drippy, and forgotten old library day after day, translating and re-recording the early Malfoy history beyond me."
The older man laughed but did not look up from his book.
"If you despise it so much Draco, then why do you continue to spend day after day down here with me?"
Draco Malfoy jumped down from the ladder and began to wander aimlessly around the library.
"I don't know, because I respect you, because I figure you could always use some company, and Merlin, help me, but I actually find this interesting."
He paused for a moment.
"Or maybe it simply gives me something. Something that doesn't make me feel guilty about what my family has done in the past twenty years because back when these books were written the Malfoys were decent people."
Albert Graves finally looked up. He regarded the young man for a moment. Draco had been like his shadow since he had arrived at Malfoy Manor months ago. In those short months Albert had learned a lot about the Malfoy heir. Come to think of it, he had learned a lot about the Malfoys in general. All three of them still carried much guilt for the things that had transpired in the war.
"Draco, come now, your family has not even been charged with any war crimes. In the three years since the wars end your father has not moved from here to there without first thinking to please someone else. Your business is beginning to pick up again; everything is on the up and up for you. For over three years you three have paid your dues in every way possible. Why do you still continue to carry on in this way?"
"Oh, because I'm wallowing in self-pity," he responded sarcastically.
The elder man regarded him yet again. "I think you need to get out of this library. You need some fresh air, and I need some quick quotes quills, my wrists are killing me. How about you pop over to Diagon Alley and pick up some for me? While you’re there you can visit your father as well."
Draco gave him a crooked smile. "Sure, I suppose some time in the sun wouldn't hurt me. Do you need anything before I go?"
"No thank you, I'll be fine."
"Well mother is in the garden if you do. I'll be back in maybe an hour."
With a nod to his friend, Draco raised his own wand and disapparated. Mr. Graves sat silently for another few moments before shaking his head and going back to the book in front of him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Draco walked slowly through the sun drenched streets of Diagon Alley. All around him students ran back and forth, running into friends, looking over supply lists, trying to get ready for the new Hogwarts year. He slipped into Flourish and Blotts and regretted it almost as soon as he did. The amount of people in the small book store was unbelievable. He took a look around and decided to try and go elsewhere for the quills. Flourish and Blotts was not going to calm down anytime soon.
Back on the street, Draco made his way to what used to be Knockturn Alley. After the wars end the ministry had cleaned out the shops there to make room for more respectable businesses. Draco looked up at the store he was standing in front of. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes wasn't exactly respectable but it was profitable, and because the Malfoy's had helped finance the business after Fred Weasley's death, Draco liked the store.
He entered, and as he predicted the store was quite busy, but less so than the rest of Diagon Alley. With the Malfoys’ help the store was able to move to a bigger venue and expand. Draco expected to see George behind the counter but instead he saw Ginny Weasley.
"Hello Malfoy," she smiled at him.
"Hello littlest Weasley," he laughed. "Didn't expect to see you here today. Where’s George?"
"Oh, he had an appointment with his therapist with mum and dad today."
"How has it been going?"
"Well the therapist you recommended has been wonderful," Ginny smiled sadly. "Things get better every day, but this is something none of us will ever..."
"Fully get over," he finished for her.
She nodded and looked down at her hands. There was a moment of silence between the two.
"No offense Malfoy, but why are you even listening to this? I mean we both know you don't care."
"I am trying, very hard I may add, to erase the Malfoy M.O. of being heartless, snooty bastards. It’s not easy; we have no friends, no decent people want to associate with us. We have to start reforming ourselves somewhere and simply listening to someone else's problems is somewhere to start."
Ginny gave a fake gasp "Oh my god! Who would think that people could actually change?"
Draco smirked at her. "You’re very unattractive when you gloat."
"Seriously Draco-"
"Oh its Draco now?"
"Yes, smart ass, it is. Draco at least you’re trying, starting somewhere is better than not starting at all."
He simply shrugged his shoulders.
"Draco if you really want to try and make some friends again, my mother has tried to invite your family over for dinner, but no one ever answers our floo calls."
"What can I say," Draco laughed. "We're still very proud."
"Too proud to have dinner with the Weasleys."
"You said that, not me," he chuckled.
"But you were thinking it," Ginny pointed out.
He shrugged again. "Old habits die hard."
Ginny's mouth hung open for a second, "I thought you said you wanted to change!"
Draco gave a very un-Malfoy like snort, "I was joking! God Ginny I was only joking."
"You’re still going to be at the wedding Saturday aren't you?" she asked. "Your mother RSVPed and said you would be coming."
"Yes, I am. Unfortunately my parents will be out of town this weekend, but I was still willing to go to the wedding. Though I do continue to wonder why in Merlin's name we were invited. I mean, me at the wedding of Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley."
"Whether you acknowledge it or not, your family has done a lot for mine in the past three years. You recommended that therapist for George, that my entire family plus Harry and Hermione have gone to see. Not to mention your father is footing those very expensive sessions. Lucius also helped dad get a job higher up in the ministry, and both you and your father partnered with George to support the shop."
Draco gave a wry laugh. "Yes, typical Malfoys using their money to get them what they want."
"True," Ginny confessed. "But Malfoys helping someone other than themselves is not so typical, and Malfoys helping Weasleys is unheard of all together. Believe me, compared to the Death Eaters sitting in Azkaban right now, you are a saint."
Draco gave a very small smile, his pale cheeks reddening slightly. "Well- I um- hey! You don't happen to sell Quick Quotes Quills here do you?"
"I'm assuming you want the normal ones, not the ones that only write insults."
"Please."
Ginny stopped. "And the shocks keep on coming. Did you just use the 'P' word?"
"Shut it Weasley! Laugh all you want, but I was taught manners as a child."
Ginny smirked, and disappeared behind the counter muttering something about 'wouldn't have known that while we were in school'. A few seconds later she set a box of acid green quills on the counter. Draco pulled out a few Galleons and tucked the box under his arm.
"By the way, how’s Potter?" he asked as he gave her the money.
"Wouldn't know," she said tightly.
"Why? You were shagging him weren't you?"
Ginny shot him a fierce glare. "And the old insensitive Malfoy returns. Why are you interested in my love life?"
"Because I saw a picture of him in the Prophet yesterday with a girl that wasn't you. A Miss Miranda Allen from the circulation department of the Daily Prophet."
For moments Ginny was silent, and Draco thought he might have gone too far.
"Alright, since we're getting along and confessing secrets I'll play along. I wasn't 'shagging him' as you so eloquently put it. I was in love with him truth be known."
"Oh I see," Draco nodded. "Then you found out he was shagging that bint from circulation."
"Which is when I broke up with him. I wouldn't have sex with him so he went off and found himself a fuck buddy."
All of a sudden she became aware of her surroundings.
"I don't think we should be talking about this in the middle of the store."
Draco continued as if he had not heard her. "Then why do I see the two of you together? He cheated on you, but you stayed friends?"
"Not quite," Ginny said, looking more then a little embarrassed. "It’s because he convinced me not to say anything to my family. I haven't told them yet that Harry cheated on me, and we broke up. I still hope that maybe one night he'll see the light and show up at my door finally realizing what he threw away."
"You know I never realized just how pathetic you are," Draco remarked.
"Really?" she gave a small laugh. "God, I'm so aware of it!"
Draco laughed. "Well maybe you should get out and date. Who are you taking to the wedding?"
"Harry. He's best man, I'm maid of honor, we're stuck going together. Though I refuse to spend the entire night with him. He is such a horrid dancer and he'll never even ask me. I love to dance, and I want to dance at my own brothers wedding."
"Tell you what little Weasel, I will dance with you for the entire night. You can tell your parents that I asked you, and you just wanted me to feel welcome. That will give you a whole night to work up the courage to tell your family. It will also introduce the thought of seeing you with someone else into their heads."
"Wow Ferret," Ginny grinned. "That is a brilliant idea! Good looks and a brain, how refreshing."
"You flatter me."
"Oh no, we don't need your ego getting any bigger then it already is."
"You’re too funny Weasley," he smirked at her. "And on that note, I bid you good day. Thanks for the quills, Flourish and Blotts was mad. So I suppose I'll be seeing you."
"Yea, be seeing you."
"Bye Ginny."
"See you Saturday Draco."
He turned on his heel and walked out of the shop, half a smile on his face. He took his wand out and apparated himself home, leaving a very happy Weasley in his wake.
Author notes: So... I may not be so good at the humor, but humor me and leave a review!
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