When he woke, he didn’t know where he was for a moment. Then he realized he was staring at his impersonal London flat bedroom. There was no one but him in the large bed. No children were making noise in the next room. Tossing the covers off, he rushed into the walk in closet, pulled on the closest things he could find and Apparated to his office.
His secretary blinked in surprise when she saw him. He hadn’t seen her in months but he guessed she’d seen him only yesterday she and was wondering what had happened to her usually neat as a pin boss. Wearing jeans, mismatched socks and a jumper, his hair tangled and his eyes wild, he probably looked like he’d just rolled out of bed to her. Which he, to be fair, just had.
“Do you have the note of Ginny Weasley’s address?”
“Who?”
“The woman who called...yesterday.”
“Oh, the ex?” She began digging through the piles on her desk. “I think I do. Did you remember there was something you needed in the stuff she had? I’m happy to go pick it up for you, you know. I know you have that board meeting today.”
“Screw the board meeting. I’m going there.”
His secretary looked up in surprise.
“Mr. Malfoy, you called this meeting.”
“And now I’m cancelling it. It’s Christmas Day, isn’t it? Don’t people have families to see? Tell them all to go home. And find me that address.”
If her position had allowed her, he was sure his secretary would be rolling her eyes at him. But he paid well so she just shrugged in her elegant suit jacket and continued to look.
“Ah, here it is. 5… Grindylogg Place? I must’ve taken that down wrong, I’m really sorry.”
“No, I know it.” He grabbed the post it from her hand and turned on his heel. “Oh, thank you. And merry Christmas. You go home too.” He called over his shoulder, then he was off, not seeing her sitting, blinking in surprise in her ergonomic chair.
Disappearing into his office, he Apparated the second the door closed behind him, arriving on a small cobbled lane in Wizarding London a moment later. Number five was a pretty, dark pink house with small wrought iron balconies. The main door was open and two wizards were hovering a mattress through it. Someone was clearly moving.
Squeezing past them he took the stairs two at a time. Finding a flat with the door open and boxes piled outside he burst in.
Inside was a cozy, split level flat. A tiny kitchen and living room with stairs up to a loft bedroom. Though most of the stuff had been stripped, he could see Ginny in it.
“Ginny?”
The two people in the room turned, neither of them who he was looking for. Neither were they anyone he’d expect.
“Zabini?” His voice was as incredulous as when the other Slytherin had seen him working for Arthur Weasley. The Blaise Zabini here though looked little like the slick, powerful CEO he had met. He was dressed in faded jeans, a jumper and a corduroy jacket of all things. Tortoiseshell glasses brought a further professorial look to his handsome features. His hand was resting on the shoulder of a petite woman with long, blonde hair.
She was dressed in a long, full skirt bringing Edwardian times to mind and a t-shirt with a band logo tucked into the narrow waist of the skirt. A long necklace rattled when she moved. It took him a minute to place her, digging deep into the recesses of his memory.
“Lovegood?”
“Malfoy?” The former Slytherin looked surprised, but not as surprised as Draco. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m looking for Ginny. What are you doing here?”
“We’re helping Ginny move.”
The way he said it had Draco’s jaw dropping.
“You’re… you’re together. You and Lovegood.”
“We’re married, yes.” His voice was curt with impatience. He’d probably been met with similar incredulity before. “Why do you need to see Ginny?”
“Blaise, stop being contrary,” Luna’s dreamy voice interrupted. Age had deepened it and the slow, floating quality had taken on something vaguely sexy. “Ginny went to the Apparition terminal early. We’re helping her finish packing up.”
“The Apparition terminal. She’s really moving out of the country?”
“Yeah, she’s been offered a great place with the Pixies.”
“The Pittsburgh Pixies? She’s moving to the States?” The irony wasn’t lost on him but he didn’t appreciate it one bit.
“You can probably still catch her. Her Apparition window opens at half past.”
The second the pop of him disappearing sounded as Blaise turned to his wife.
“Are you going to be smug now?”
“Of course not. I’m always right, why would this time be any different? I’ve never been smug before.”
The former Slytherin shook his head with a laugh.
“I’m not sure Ginny’s going to appreciate your interfering.”
Some of the dreamy quality in Luna’s voice disappeared as she snorted derisively. “Well, then she should have stopped being so stubborn. She still has feelings for him but refuses to admit it. And he’d forgotten all about what was important over in his ivory tower in the financial district. They both needed a good wake up call.”
“Fine, fine. I’m just saying maybe you shouldn’t tell them you 'helped'. And I’ll be glad if they can sort it. It means I never have to see you disguised as an old man again. That was just off-putting.”
“There’s beauty in all people.”
“Sure, but I’m not going to have sex with an old, toothless, bearded man. Not even for you.” He bent over her. “Blonde goddesses with eyes like liquid silver, however…” Kissing her, he was glad he hadn’t been as short-sighted as his Slytherin house mate. He knew what made his world whole.
o.O.o
Bursting into the terminal, Draco ran down the length of the hall, scanning the crowd for her red hair. His heart was beating hard in his chest, the adrenaline making his legs feel weak. Whipping around, he looked the other way, turned back. There!
He spotted the unmistakable fiery curls and set off. She was almost at the front of the line, her focus on the book in her hands.
“Ginny! Ginny!”
Disoriented, not expecting to hear her name, she looked up. Spotting him, her eyes widened in surprise. She looked a little different to his Ginny. She was a little leaner, her hair a bit shorter. Quidditch career, he reminded herself. But the oversized jumper and the big socks in sturdy boots made his heart soar.
“Draco?” Surprise made her ask more if it was really him than what he was doing there.
“Ginny, I need to speak to you.” He took a step forward as she did, the queue moving.
“Draco, I’m sort of in a hurry. Can it wait?”
“No, it can’t wait. It’s important. Please?”
She glanced behind her, hoisted the bag strapped over her shoulder higher.
“One minute,” she said curtly and stepped out of the queue to let others pass. Crossing her arms she raised an eyebrow at him.
“I’m surprised you’re here. If you wanted anything, I was sure you’d send your secretary.” A stab of shame pierced him as he knew before his glimpse that would have been true.
“I...That’s fair. Or it used to be. Ginny, something happened. Something...amazing. It was bizarre and I’m not altogether sure it wasn’t a dream but I just needed to see you. I had to come to…” He halted himself. He couldn’t just blurt out they’d both be much happier if they got married and moved to their tiny house. In reality he hadn’t spoken to her, not as much as seen her in thirteen years. Suddenly jumping to a life together would make it seem like he’d lost his marbles, at best.
“...to apologise. I wanted to say I’m sorry. For what happened between us. I know it was a long time ago but it was my fault. I promised you I would come back for you and I didn’t. I let you go and I’ve regretted it ever since. I might not have realised but I missed you every single day. I broke my promise to you and I’m so sorry for it.”
Uncertainly Ginny fiddled with the strap of the bag again. Her eyes flew to the queue where people were climbing up to the platform to pop away.
“That’s...nice of you. But it was a long time ago, Draco. I appreciate you coming all this way but I’m fine now. You broke my heart once but it’s healed. I’m okay. And I’m on my way to the chance of a lifetime so…”
She began to turn away.
“Wait!” He pushed his hair out of his eyes, searched for the words. “Ginny, wait. Do you remember the last time we were here and you were asking me to stay back, to start a family with you?”
She stopped, still half turned away.
“I saw it. I don’t know how but somehow I was given a...glimpse. A glimpse of what would have been if I’d stayed then. And Ginny, it was...perfect. It was all I could have ever dreamed. More than I would have dreamed. We had a house. It wasn’t grand and Merlin knows it could use some new plumbing and a coat of paint but we loved it. It was ours. We were happy there, close to your parents, to our friends.”
She wasn’t looking at him but she had tilted her head slightly so he knew she was listening.
“We had two kids. Liam and Evie. Liam is a spitfire, he’s so smart and he talks a million miles a minute. He loves trains and Quidditch and making his toy cars collide in massive pile ups. He loves to swim but he’s afraid of getting water in his eyes and sometimes he complains there’s a monster with three heads in the closet. You have to leave the nightlight on so it can’t reach him because the light of it burns the monster.”
He took a step closer.
“And Evie. Evie’s the baby. She can’t speak yet but we know she will any day. You can see her watching and listening all the time and she’s so close now. You can almost see the words in her eyes. Your dad says so too. We know she’s smart. She loves her teddy bear mobile and finger-paints. One day when I came home, she’d painted your face with it and you were both laughing like loons. She hates mushy peas, we have that in common. Though she throws them across the room to let her feelings be known. And you, Ginny, you’re… you’re the hub of the family. Your children adore you. You’re beautiful, strong, warm and you still make me laugh like when we met. I can’t picture being with anyone else now. Not when I know what it’s like to be married to you.”
She finally turned back to him, her jaw dropping.
“We don’t have a lot of money but it doesn’t matter because we have each other and I’d forgotten - I can’t believe I managed - I’d forgotten what that was like. It was like waking up and having won the lottery every single day. Do you understand, Ginny? I found my way back and I knew I have never stopped loving you. I never will.” The words rushed out of him, tripping over the one in front and slipping like marbles emptied from a bag.
“Draco…” She blinked, her eyes fastened to the floor. “These are pretty words. Words I would have killed for thirteen years ago. Hell, even five years ago. But I’m moving to America. I’ve made my mind up. They’re expecting me.”
“I understand that. I do. I’d never stop you doing what you want. America isn’t far away. I’m not making the same mistake again. I can work from anywhere. Or not. I just know I want another chance at you. At us. I’ll trade anything for it.”
Throwing up her hands she met his eyes again, temper flashing in hers.
“Draco, what do you want from me?”
“Have coffee with me.”
“What?”
“Have coffee with me. Take the next Apparition window. Just one coffee.” He pulled out the smile he’d seen his son use to great effect. “I’ll buy you a cookie.”
For a moment she just stood, temper still alive in her eyes. Then a small smile crooked her lips.
“You’re crazy.”
“I’ve been called worse.”
“Oh, of that I have no doubt. Especially since I’ve probably called you all the worst names.” She gave a last glance at the queue behind her. “Fine. One coffee.”
o.O.o
Late on Christmas Day with snow falling outside the large floor to ceiling windows in the Apparition terminal two people remained long after the café had closed. In their world little else existed outside the small, round table where they were sitting. A blond man and a redheaded woman were talking, their voices too quiet to echo in the almost empty hall. Sometimes their mingled laughs would ring out, heralding something to come. There was a closeness to how they sat, how they bent their heads to listen to what the other was saying that spoke of an intimacy greater than holding hands or kissing would. This was the picture of something starting. Something born of the ashes yet no less beautiful for it.
o.O.o
Epilogue
Eight years later to the day, Draco Malfoy woke with a start when the bedroom door was slammed open. Liam’s high voice was singing his favored version of Jingle Bells and in a moment he felt the first weight land on him. The dog. A moment later a sharp knee jabbed him in the side. Liam. And finally the boy dropped his sister rather unceremoniously on his chest.
“Oomph.”
“Just five more minutes, Draco.” Ginny turned, still half asleep - a minor wonder - and slung a leg over his.
“No sleep, mummy, Santa’s hewe!” He could feel rather than see Liam bounce as he announced this news. Pushing the covers down with regret, Draco peered over the edge at his son. He was wearing footie pyjamas with gingerbread men on them and a huge grin. His blond hair was sticking up on one side and his cheeks were still flushed from sleep.
“No, really?”
“Yes, and there are a hundwed presents in my stocking. It’s all full.”
“A hundred? Did you count all of them?”
Liam nodded sagely.
“Well, go get them and we’ll have a look. Get Evie’s too.” In a flash, his son was up and out of the room. Lifting Evie into his arms he sat up. “Wake up, sunshine.”
“Do I have to? Why do we always leave wrapping the presents until Christmas Eve? Why don’t we learn? We should start earlier.”
“I did learn something from the past years. For example, to keep our coffee up here.” He pulled the thermos with the heating spell on it from under the bed.
Ginny cracked an eye open.
“You have coffee?”
“Yes, but only for good girls who sit up.”
With a groan she pulled herself up, leaning against the headboard.
“I’m up.”
“Here you go.” He handed her a mug and she took a deep gulp. When she opened her eyes again the sleep had almost cleared from them.
“You are the best husband ever. Have I told you I love you today?”
“Not yet.”
“Well, I do.” She leaned in and pressed a kiss to his lips. Tasting coffee and sleep on her he felt the morning brighten further.
“Mummy kiss Daddy.” A small voice they had only heard utter gibberish before interrupted them and surprised they broke apart, staring at their daughter.
“Did you hear that?”
“I did. Evie, what did you say?”
Proud, the small redheaded bundle laughed and bounced on Draco’s lap. “Kiss, kiss, kiss.”
“I knew it. I knew you were the smartest baby ever. Not just a word but a whole sentence. Just wait until your grandpa hears this. It’s the best Christmas gift ever.”
Showering praise over Evie she beamed, repeating her new word. Compliantly they kissed her, kissed each other and kissed the dog. Delighted with the new game Evie pointed at things and said “kiss”. Draco drew the line at kissing his socks from yesterday that hadn’t made it to the laundry basket.
Before Evie could make her displeasure over this known, Liam returned with the two stockings. They were almost as long as he was tall and he staggered slightly under their bulk. Clambering back into their bed, he joyfully set about the task of opening gifts. Evie mostly enjoyed the wrapping paper but Liam gleefully exclaimed at each unwrapped treasure.
Watching their children, their hands joined under the covers Draco treasured something himself. He already knew his best Christmas gift, but it wasn’t something that could be unwrapped. In fact he wouldn’t even see it until summer. Ginny had just told him last night, and though he had had his suspicions he hadn’t been sure until she told him. Another child. A baby in July.
Nine years ago he had thought he was happy. What he’d been was ignorant. He’d thought a corner office and a good share price had been the height of happiness. Now he knew it was nothing of the sort. He’d sold Malfoy Holdings and though he could be easily defined as financially independent he’d insisted on the small house in Ottery St Catchpole he’d lived in once before. The plumbing was updated and the children wore less hand-me-downs than in his glimpse but most of the rest remained the same. Retired from Quidditch since Liam was born, Ginny had taken up coaching it to kids. Draco had, much to his own surprise, set up his own muggle contraption shop. Arthur Weasley was co-owner and delighted to join his son-in-law’s venture.
It may not be exactly like his glimpse but it was a hundred times better because it was his reality. It wasn’t a fabrication but his life. He wouldn’t trade back for anything. Because now he knew what it really meant to be happy.
It meant his wife’s body next to his in their bed, with their children laughing next to them on Christmas morning. It meant hearing her sing off key in the shower and watching Liam concentrate on his homework, his tongue tucked in the corner of his mouth as he focused. It meant hearing Evie’s breaths grow deeper as she fell asleep and her first babble on the baby monitor in the morning.
It meant family. And he had it, to have and to hold, now and forever more, thanks to someone making him reassess his priorities. That had been the best Christmas gift he had ever received, because it had led him here. Led him home.
The End
His secretary blinked in surprise when she saw him. He hadn’t seen her in months but he guessed she’d seen him only yesterday she and was wondering what had happened to her usually neat as a pin boss. Wearing jeans, mismatched socks and a jumper, his hair tangled and his eyes wild, he probably looked like he’d just rolled out of bed to her. Which he, to be fair, just had.
“Do you have the note of Ginny Weasley’s address?”
“Who?”
“The woman who called...yesterday.”
“Oh, the ex?” She began digging through the piles on her desk. “I think I do. Did you remember there was something you needed in the stuff she had? I’m happy to go pick it up for you, you know. I know you have that board meeting today.”
“Screw the board meeting. I’m going there.”
His secretary looked up in surprise.
“Mr. Malfoy, you called this meeting.”
“And now I’m cancelling it. It’s Christmas Day, isn’t it? Don’t people have families to see? Tell them all to go home. And find me that address.”
If her position had allowed her, he was sure his secretary would be rolling her eyes at him. But he paid well so she just shrugged in her elegant suit jacket and continued to look.
“Ah, here it is. 5… Grindylogg Place? I must’ve taken that down wrong, I’m really sorry.”
“No, I know it.” He grabbed the post it from her hand and turned on his heel. “Oh, thank you. And merry Christmas. You go home too.” He called over his shoulder, then he was off, not seeing her sitting, blinking in surprise in her ergonomic chair.
Disappearing into his office, he Apparated the second the door closed behind him, arriving on a small cobbled lane in Wizarding London a moment later. Number five was a pretty, dark pink house with small wrought iron balconies. The main door was open and two wizards were hovering a mattress through it. Someone was clearly moving.
Squeezing past them he took the stairs two at a time. Finding a flat with the door open and boxes piled outside he burst in.
Inside was a cozy, split level flat. A tiny kitchen and living room with stairs up to a loft bedroom. Though most of the stuff had been stripped, he could see Ginny in it.
“Ginny?”
The two people in the room turned, neither of them who he was looking for. Neither were they anyone he’d expect.
“Zabini?” His voice was as incredulous as when the other Slytherin had seen him working for Arthur Weasley. The Blaise Zabini here though looked little like the slick, powerful CEO he had met. He was dressed in faded jeans, a jumper and a corduroy jacket of all things. Tortoiseshell glasses brought a further professorial look to his handsome features. His hand was resting on the shoulder of a petite woman with long, blonde hair.
She was dressed in a long, full skirt bringing Edwardian times to mind and a t-shirt with a band logo tucked into the narrow waist of the skirt. A long necklace rattled when she moved. It took him a minute to place her, digging deep into the recesses of his memory.
“Lovegood?”
“Malfoy?” The former Slytherin looked surprised, but not as surprised as Draco. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m looking for Ginny. What are you doing here?”
“We’re helping Ginny move.”
The way he said it had Draco’s jaw dropping.
“You’re… you’re together. You and Lovegood.”
“We’re married, yes.” His voice was curt with impatience. He’d probably been met with similar incredulity before. “Why do you need to see Ginny?”
“Blaise, stop being contrary,” Luna’s dreamy voice interrupted. Age had deepened it and the slow, floating quality had taken on something vaguely sexy. “Ginny went to the Apparition terminal early. We’re helping her finish packing up.”
“The Apparition terminal. She’s really moving out of the country?”
“Yeah, she’s been offered a great place with the Pixies.”
“The Pittsburgh Pixies? She’s moving to the States?” The irony wasn’t lost on him but he didn’t appreciate it one bit.
“You can probably still catch her. Her Apparition window opens at half past.”
The second the pop of him disappearing sounded as Blaise turned to his wife.
“Are you going to be smug now?”
“Of course not. I’m always right, why would this time be any different? I’ve never been smug before.”
The former Slytherin shook his head with a laugh.
“I’m not sure Ginny’s going to appreciate your interfering.”
Some of the dreamy quality in Luna’s voice disappeared as she snorted derisively. “Well, then she should have stopped being so stubborn. She still has feelings for him but refuses to admit it. And he’d forgotten all about what was important over in his ivory tower in the financial district. They both needed a good wake up call.”
“Fine, fine. I’m just saying maybe you shouldn’t tell them you 'helped'. And I’ll be glad if they can sort it. It means I never have to see you disguised as an old man again. That was just off-putting.”
“There’s beauty in all people.”
“Sure, but I’m not going to have sex with an old, toothless, bearded man. Not even for you.” He bent over her. “Blonde goddesses with eyes like liquid silver, however…” Kissing her, he was glad he hadn’t been as short-sighted as his Slytherin house mate. He knew what made his world whole.
o.O.o
Bursting into the terminal, Draco ran down the length of the hall, scanning the crowd for her red hair. His heart was beating hard in his chest, the adrenaline making his legs feel weak. Whipping around, he looked the other way, turned back. There!
He spotted the unmistakable fiery curls and set off. She was almost at the front of the line, her focus on the book in her hands.
“Ginny! Ginny!”
Disoriented, not expecting to hear her name, she looked up. Spotting him, her eyes widened in surprise. She looked a little different to his Ginny. She was a little leaner, her hair a bit shorter. Quidditch career, he reminded herself. But the oversized jumper and the big socks in sturdy boots made his heart soar.
“Draco?” Surprise made her ask more if it was really him than what he was doing there.
“Ginny, I need to speak to you.” He took a step forward as she did, the queue moving.
“Draco, I’m sort of in a hurry. Can it wait?”
“No, it can’t wait. It’s important. Please?”
She glanced behind her, hoisted the bag strapped over her shoulder higher.
“One minute,” she said curtly and stepped out of the queue to let others pass. Crossing her arms she raised an eyebrow at him.
“I’m surprised you’re here. If you wanted anything, I was sure you’d send your secretary.” A stab of shame pierced him as he knew before his glimpse that would have been true.
“I...That’s fair. Or it used to be. Ginny, something happened. Something...amazing. It was bizarre and I’m not altogether sure it wasn’t a dream but I just needed to see you. I had to come to…” He halted himself. He couldn’t just blurt out they’d both be much happier if they got married and moved to their tiny house. In reality he hadn’t spoken to her, not as much as seen her in thirteen years. Suddenly jumping to a life together would make it seem like he’d lost his marbles, at best.
“...to apologise. I wanted to say I’m sorry. For what happened between us. I know it was a long time ago but it was my fault. I promised you I would come back for you and I didn’t. I let you go and I’ve regretted it ever since. I might not have realised but I missed you every single day. I broke my promise to you and I’m so sorry for it.”
Uncertainly Ginny fiddled with the strap of the bag again. Her eyes flew to the queue where people were climbing up to the platform to pop away.
“That’s...nice of you. But it was a long time ago, Draco. I appreciate you coming all this way but I’m fine now. You broke my heart once but it’s healed. I’m okay. And I’m on my way to the chance of a lifetime so…”
She began to turn away.
“Wait!” He pushed his hair out of his eyes, searched for the words. “Ginny, wait. Do you remember the last time we were here and you were asking me to stay back, to start a family with you?”
She stopped, still half turned away.
“I saw it. I don’t know how but somehow I was given a...glimpse. A glimpse of what would have been if I’d stayed then. And Ginny, it was...perfect. It was all I could have ever dreamed. More than I would have dreamed. We had a house. It wasn’t grand and Merlin knows it could use some new plumbing and a coat of paint but we loved it. It was ours. We were happy there, close to your parents, to our friends.”
She wasn’t looking at him but she had tilted her head slightly so he knew she was listening.
“We had two kids. Liam and Evie. Liam is a spitfire, he’s so smart and he talks a million miles a minute. He loves trains and Quidditch and making his toy cars collide in massive pile ups. He loves to swim but he’s afraid of getting water in his eyes and sometimes he complains there’s a monster with three heads in the closet. You have to leave the nightlight on so it can’t reach him because the light of it burns the monster.”
He took a step closer.
“And Evie. Evie’s the baby. She can’t speak yet but we know she will any day. You can see her watching and listening all the time and she’s so close now. You can almost see the words in her eyes. Your dad says so too. We know she’s smart. She loves her teddy bear mobile and finger-paints. One day when I came home, she’d painted your face with it and you were both laughing like loons. She hates mushy peas, we have that in common. Though she throws them across the room to let her feelings be known. And you, Ginny, you’re… you’re the hub of the family. Your children adore you. You’re beautiful, strong, warm and you still make me laugh like when we met. I can’t picture being with anyone else now. Not when I know what it’s like to be married to you.”
She finally turned back to him, her jaw dropping.
“We don’t have a lot of money but it doesn’t matter because we have each other and I’d forgotten - I can’t believe I managed - I’d forgotten what that was like. It was like waking up and having won the lottery every single day. Do you understand, Ginny? I found my way back and I knew I have never stopped loving you. I never will.” The words rushed out of him, tripping over the one in front and slipping like marbles emptied from a bag.
“Draco…” She blinked, her eyes fastened to the floor. “These are pretty words. Words I would have killed for thirteen years ago. Hell, even five years ago. But I’m moving to America. I’ve made my mind up. They’re expecting me.”
“I understand that. I do. I’d never stop you doing what you want. America isn’t far away. I’m not making the same mistake again. I can work from anywhere. Or not. I just know I want another chance at you. At us. I’ll trade anything for it.”
Throwing up her hands she met his eyes again, temper flashing in hers.
“Draco, what do you want from me?”
“Have coffee with me.”
“What?”
“Have coffee with me. Take the next Apparition window. Just one coffee.” He pulled out the smile he’d seen his son use to great effect. “I’ll buy you a cookie.”
For a moment she just stood, temper still alive in her eyes. Then a small smile crooked her lips.
“You’re crazy.”
“I’ve been called worse.”
“Oh, of that I have no doubt. Especially since I’ve probably called you all the worst names.” She gave a last glance at the queue behind her. “Fine. One coffee.”
o.O.o
Late on Christmas Day with snow falling outside the large floor to ceiling windows in the Apparition terminal two people remained long after the café had closed. In their world little else existed outside the small, round table where they were sitting. A blond man and a redheaded woman were talking, their voices too quiet to echo in the almost empty hall. Sometimes their mingled laughs would ring out, heralding something to come. There was a closeness to how they sat, how they bent their heads to listen to what the other was saying that spoke of an intimacy greater than holding hands or kissing would. This was the picture of something starting. Something born of the ashes yet no less beautiful for it.
o.O.o
Epilogue
Eight years later to the day, Draco Malfoy woke with a start when the bedroom door was slammed open. Liam’s high voice was singing his favored version of Jingle Bells and in a moment he felt the first weight land on him. The dog. A moment later a sharp knee jabbed him in the side. Liam. And finally the boy dropped his sister rather unceremoniously on his chest.
“Oomph.”
“Just five more minutes, Draco.” Ginny turned, still half asleep - a minor wonder - and slung a leg over his.
“No sleep, mummy, Santa’s hewe!” He could feel rather than see Liam bounce as he announced this news. Pushing the covers down with regret, Draco peered over the edge at his son. He was wearing footie pyjamas with gingerbread men on them and a huge grin. His blond hair was sticking up on one side and his cheeks were still flushed from sleep.
“No, really?”
“Yes, and there are a hundwed presents in my stocking. It’s all full.”
“A hundred? Did you count all of them?”
Liam nodded sagely.
“Well, go get them and we’ll have a look. Get Evie’s too.” In a flash, his son was up and out of the room. Lifting Evie into his arms he sat up. “Wake up, sunshine.”
“Do I have to? Why do we always leave wrapping the presents until Christmas Eve? Why don’t we learn? We should start earlier.”
“I did learn something from the past years. For example, to keep our coffee up here.” He pulled the thermos with the heating spell on it from under the bed.
Ginny cracked an eye open.
“You have coffee?”
“Yes, but only for good girls who sit up.”
With a groan she pulled herself up, leaning against the headboard.
“I’m up.”
“Here you go.” He handed her a mug and she took a deep gulp. When she opened her eyes again the sleep had almost cleared from them.
“You are the best husband ever. Have I told you I love you today?”
“Not yet.”
“Well, I do.” She leaned in and pressed a kiss to his lips. Tasting coffee and sleep on her he felt the morning brighten further.
“Mummy kiss Daddy.” A small voice they had only heard utter gibberish before interrupted them and surprised they broke apart, staring at their daughter.
“Did you hear that?”
“I did. Evie, what did you say?”
Proud, the small redheaded bundle laughed and bounced on Draco’s lap. “Kiss, kiss, kiss.”
“I knew it. I knew you were the smartest baby ever. Not just a word but a whole sentence. Just wait until your grandpa hears this. It’s the best Christmas gift ever.”
Showering praise over Evie she beamed, repeating her new word. Compliantly they kissed her, kissed each other and kissed the dog. Delighted with the new game Evie pointed at things and said “kiss”. Draco drew the line at kissing his socks from yesterday that hadn’t made it to the laundry basket.
Before Evie could make her displeasure over this known, Liam returned with the two stockings. They were almost as long as he was tall and he staggered slightly under their bulk. Clambering back into their bed, he joyfully set about the task of opening gifts. Evie mostly enjoyed the wrapping paper but Liam gleefully exclaimed at each unwrapped treasure.
Watching their children, their hands joined under the covers Draco treasured something himself. He already knew his best Christmas gift, but it wasn’t something that could be unwrapped. In fact he wouldn’t even see it until summer. Ginny had just told him last night, and though he had had his suspicions he hadn’t been sure until she told him. Another child. A baby in July.
Nine years ago he had thought he was happy. What he’d been was ignorant. He’d thought a corner office and a good share price had been the height of happiness. Now he knew it was nothing of the sort. He’d sold Malfoy Holdings and though he could be easily defined as financially independent he’d insisted on the small house in Ottery St Catchpole he’d lived in once before. The plumbing was updated and the children wore less hand-me-downs than in his glimpse but most of the rest remained the same. Retired from Quidditch since Liam was born, Ginny had taken up coaching it to kids. Draco had, much to his own surprise, set up his own muggle contraption shop. Arthur Weasley was co-owner and delighted to join his son-in-law’s venture.
It may not be exactly like his glimpse but it was a hundred times better because it was his reality. It wasn’t a fabrication but his life. He wouldn’t trade back for anything. Because now he knew what it really meant to be happy.
It meant his wife’s body next to his in their bed, with their children laughing next to them on Christmas morning. It meant hearing her sing off key in the shower and watching Liam concentrate on his homework, his tongue tucked in the corner of his mouth as he focused. It meant hearing Evie’s breaths grow deeper as she fell asleep and her first babble on the baby monitor in the morning.
It meant family. And he had it, to have and to hold, now and forever more, thanks to someone making him reassess his priorities. That had been the best Christmas gift he had ever received, because it had led him here. Led him home.
The End
Author notes: Thank you everyone for reading and I'm sorry technical issues and real life got in the way of the original plan to have it completed by Christmas. I hope you've enjoyed and will stayed tuned for any of my future D/G ventures. //S.
The End.
Sannikex is the author of 3 other stories.
This story is a favorite of 12 members. Members who liked The Family Man also liked 333 other stories.
This story is a favorite of 12 members. Members who liked The Family Man also liked 333 other stories.
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