Fic: Lost And Found
Title: Lost and Found
Pairings: Draco/Ginny with Harry/Hermione and Ron/Pansy on the side
Rating: PG-15
Summary: When Arthur Weasley is murdered, Ginny must work with the Unspeakable assigned to the murder investigation... only to find it's the last person she wants to talk to.
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Notes: Written in honour of sarea_okelani's birthday, with many thanks to jade_okelani for the awesome beta.
Ginny Weasley walked slowly into her new office and took a few long moments to examine her surroundings. After completing a mental stocktake to ensure all of her personal belongings had been brought across, she eased herself into her chair and breathed deeply.
It was her first day back at the Ministry since the death of her father. Even though three months had passed, Ginny still wasn’t sure she was ready to be here. However, the Ministry Healer she had been encouraged to talk to once a week seemed to think she was and Ginny knew that she couldn’t remain at the Burrow for the rest of her life, so she’d had Ron move her things back to her flat and returned to work.
Although what good she was going to do anyone, she wasn’t sure.
Up until Arthur Weasley’s murder, his youngest child had been one of the best Aurors the Ministry had seen for quite some time. She’d enjoyed her job and was grateful for the opportunities her position had afforded her.
However, one of the few conditions she’d placed upon her return was that she was moved to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement - the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office. Nobody had replaced her father; nobody wanted his job. It wasn’t exactly the kind of position that allowed someone to rise through the Ministry ranks. But Ginny had been insistent; she wasn’t going to let all her father’s hard work simply die with him. He’d strived to do the best job he could, and so she would carry on in his memory. It was the least he deserved.
Her eyes began to blur as her gaze fell upon the family portrait that sat on her bookshelf. Everyone in the picture grinned and waved, and she watched as her father placed an arm around her photographic self and kissed her head. Closing her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose, Ginny willed herself to take several deep breaths.
“Ginny?” Her head snapped up to find Cecil Wineburger, her new boss, standing in her doorway. “May I come in?”
“Of course, Cecil.” Ginny stood to greet him, and he shook her hand before settling into the chair opposite her.
“How are you feeling?” The older wizard looked at her, his concern clearly visible.
“I’m doing okay, thank you. I’m glad to be back here, able to do something useful.” Ginny mustered as much enthusiasm as she could, but they both knew she was fooling nobody.
Cecil pointed at the small stack of files on her desk. “I went through and pulled out some cases for you to look over.” Here, he coughed slightly and cleared his throat. “Your father had been working on some of them when he... passed on. If you’d like to leave them for Perkins to deal with, just put them aside.”
Perkins had been the only other member of her father’s particular department of Law Enforcement; after Arthur’s death, he’d remained on board in the office they’d shared. Ginny had been given a separate office nearby.
She patted the files and attempted to smile. “I’ll get a start on them as soon as I settle in.”
“Of course, there is no rush.” He stood and looked at her. “You take your time, Ginny. If you’re not ready to do anything, just let me know, okay?”
Ginny nodded. “Thank you for being so understanding, Cecil.” She rose with him and came around to the front of her desk to see him out.
“Your father would be proud of you.”
The comment came out of the blue, and it took everything Ginny had not to dissolve into loud, noisy tears right there and then. “Thank you,” she managed.
He patted her arm awkwardly and moved towards the door. “Oh,” he said, pausing and turning back to her. “The Ministry has assigned your father’s case to an Unspeakable. He wants to talk to you about what happened, since you are the only witness.” Ginny’s hands began to tremble ever so slightly, something that didn’t go unnoticed by Cecil. “I know it’s hard for you, dear. The Ministry wants to catch the wizard who did this, and if you can help-”
“I’ve already spoken to countless Aurors and Unspeakables about it,” Ginny butted in, her voice raised a notch. “I don’t know how many times I can repeat myself. Why can’t this Unspeakable just look at the file?”
“He already has,” Cecil answered quietly. “Over and over. But he wants to hear it from you. I asked him to give you a few days, but he insists on speaking to you now. Thinks it better to talk to you while it’s still fresh in your mind.”
“I won’t ever forget it,” Ginny said, a solitary tear falling down her cheek. “It will stay with me for the rest of my life.” Cecil looked slightly uncomfortable, not really knowing what to say, so Ginny took pity on him. “Fine, Cecil. I’ll talk to him when he arrives, okay? Do you mind if I have some time alone?”
“No, of course not. Just owl me if you need anything else.” He turned and left the room, closing the door behind him.
Ginny took a shaky breath and covered her eyes briefly with her hands, then set her mind on the tasks at hand. She went over to her bookcase and skimmed the titles, some old and well-loved, some brand new and uncreased.
Five minutes later, there was a knock at the door. Ginny sighed inwardly, praying it wasn’t the Unspeakable descending upon her already.
“Come in!”
She turned around as the door opened a crack and looked down to see a pair of mischievous green eyes framed by messy brown hair blinking at her.
Ginny smiled and played along. “Gosh, is somebody there? I can see the door open but nobody seems to be there!” She heard some giggling. “Must be the ghosts again, I’ll have to talk to-”
“It’s me, Aunty Ginny!” Four year old Brian Potter burst into the room, his mother right behind him with a plant in hand. “I was just playing a trick on you and you fell for it!”
“I sure did,” Ginny said, squatting down so they were at eye level. “You’re always tricking me, monster. How about a kiss?”
Brian leaned over and kissed her affectionately, one chubby hand clutched tightly around a violet orchid, Ginny’s favourite. “I brought you a flower for your new room,” he said, presenting the flower to her with the grin he’d gotten from his father. “I picked it myself.”
Ginny took the flower from him and scooped him up in her arms. “It’s beautiful.” She stood up properly and perched Brian on her hip, then looked at Hermione, who was watching her closely.
“We wanted to come by and see how you were doing, Gin,” she said in greeting, coming over to kiss her friend’s cheek.
Ginny reached out and squeezed Hermione’s free hand. “I’m doing okay. Cecil’s already dropped by to tell me I have to relive all the gory details for some Unspeakable who’s been assigned to the case.”
Hermione frowned. “So soon? I thought you’d already told them all you knew.”
“I have, but he wants to go over it again.” Ginny sighed and deposited Brian into the chair, standing him up so he was the same height as the adults.
“I brought you this, thought you might like a nice new plant to go with the office.” Hermione handed over the small pot and Ginny thanked her, placing it on the windowsill behind her desk.
“I think Harry will pop by later to say hi,” Hermione said. “We won’t keep you. Brian insisted on buying you a flower and I thought it would be nice to drop your plant off.”
“On your way to see Harry?”
Hermione nodded. “Oh! Brian, don’t you have something you wanted to tell Aunty Ginny?”
Ginny looked at her godson inquisitively. “What’s up, monster?”
Brian clapped his hands and reached up to Ginny, urging her closer. She leaned over him and he put his hands on her face, drawing her to him until their noses were touching.
“I’m going to have a new baby brother or sister,” he informed her proudly.
Ginny gasped and stood up, looking at Hermione for confirmation. She nodded happily, and Ginny dropped a kiss on Brian’s head before hugged her friend tightly. “I’m so happy for you, Hermione. How far along are you?”
Hermione hugged her back, winking at her son over Ginny’s shoulder. “About six weeks. Harry and I have our first check up at ten just to make sure all is well.” She looked at her watch. “We’d best get a move on. Say goodbye to Aunty Gin, Brian. Daddy’s waiting for us.”
Brian hopped down off the chair and gave Ginny a kiss when she bent down. “All these kisses today! I feel so special.” Brian gave her a toothy grin and took his mother’s hand, waving over his shoulder as they left.
~*~
Harry did stick his head in the door after the appointment to see how she was doing and Ginny passed on her congratulations to him, too. He embraced her tightly as she assured him she was as well as she could be.
Letting him go but keeping a hold of his hand, she looked at him. “Do you know which Unspeakable has been assigned to Dad’s case?”
She thought she saw a flicker of something in Harry’s eyes, but whatever it was faded almost instantly as he shook his head. “Do you want me to find out for you, Gin?”
Ginny thought for a moment. “No, no point, I guess. I’ll find out some time this afternoon when he arrives for question time.”
“Shall I come by for that?”
“It’s very sweet of you, but I’m sure I can handle him, whomever he is.” She took a deep breath and smiled bravely at him. “I have to learn to deal with this, Harry. By myself.”
“I know,” Harry said quietly. “But a little support from your friends is always allowed.”
Ginny squeezed his hand and got up on her toes to kiss his cheek. “Thank you,” she whispered. “If it gets too much, I’ll owl you, okay?”
“Okay,” Harry agreed. “You take care of yourself. Are you going to be at the Burrow for dinner on Friday?”
“Yes, Mum wouldn’t hear of me saying no,” Ginny answered, scrunching her nose up. “See you there?”
“You will indeed. Brian’s been raving about it all morning, he can’t wait to tell everyone about his new sibling.” Harry couldn’t wipe the grin off his face and Ginny found it was infectious; his joy at the prospect of becoming a father again was clear for the world to see. If anybody deserved to be happy, Ginny thought, it was Harry Potter.
~*~
Ginny did not think she could have been any more shocked when the Unspeakable assigned to investigate her father’s death arrived at 2pm that afternoon to see her. He pushed his blonde hair back as he strode into her room without asking, shutting the door behind him.
“What are you doing here?” she said, unable to keep the incredulousness out of her voice.
“Didn’t Wineburger tell you I’d be dropping by?”
Ginny crossed her arms over her chest and stood. “No, he most certainly did not. I want you to leave, I have a very important appointment this afternoon.”
Draco Malfoy dropped himself into a chair, looking at her calmly. “Yes, you do. With me. So sit down and let’s get through this as painlessly as possible.”
“What are you talking about, Malfoy? I don’t have an appointment with you, I have an appointment with the Unspeakable who... ” Ginny’s voice died in her throat as everything clicked into place.
“Who has been assigned to find your father’s killer. Yes, Weasley. That’s me.”
Ginny sat back down before she fell, any false bravado she had evaporating. “You,” she whispered. “Why?”
Draco stared at her, his icy grey eyes unreadable. “Because I’m the best wizard to catch whoever did this, that’s why. I didn’t ask for this assignment, so let’s just agree that neither of us is happy about it and get down to business. Now,” he said, leaning forward. “Where would be most comfortable for you to do this?”
Ginny’s mind was a messy haze of questions and emotions she couldn’t even begin to control. “Do what?” she asked sharply.
“Tell me what happened.” He stood and indicated at the lounge that sat against the far wall. “Would you rather sit over there?”
She looked at him dazedly. “Okay.” She got up and sat on the lounge, tucking her feet up underneath her. He followed her over, perching himself stiffly next to her.
“Why must I do this again?” she asked in a soft voice. “Haven’t you read the file? Why are you making me relive this?”
A flash of something - was it sympathy? - crossed his face, but as Ginny blinked, it disappeared. “When they took your statement you were still in shock. There’s likely things you missed the first time round. I want to hear it from you first hand. Tell me what happened.”
Ginny glared at him for a moment. When she realised he wasn’t going to go away until she told him what he wanted to hear, she sighed deeply and closed her eyes, casting her mind back to the terrible night she lost her father.
Draco began the questioning. “Why did you go with your father on what should have been a routine call?”
“Dad dropped by and asked if I minded going with him before I headed home. There was something about this call that didn’t make sense to him and he felt uneasy about it.”
“Why you, though? It’s not standard for family members to work together.”
“I was the only Auror still around when he arrived. I offered to come with him because I was going to the Burrow for dinner. We planned to check it out and then head straight there.” Ginny felt the tears prick her eyelids, but did not open her eyes. She didn’t want to show any weakness in front of Malfoy, of all people.
“Okay. What happened when you arrived?”
Ginny took a deep breath before continuing. “When we got there, Dad went in first. We looked around, but couldn’t find anything wrong. There was something about the whole thing... ” She let her voice trail off as the memory of what happened flooded over her, and she couldn’t stop the solitary tear that rolled down her cheek.
She opened her eyes to brush away the tear, and noticed that Draco had averted his gaze away from her. Bastard, she thought. He was probably getting a kick out of her discomfort. “Did you sense it was a set up?,” he eventually said when she’d calmed.
“Not at first,” Ginny said. “But when we couldn’t find anything, we both knew something was wrong. Dad suggested we get the hell out of there, and I agreed. We tried to Apparate but something was blocking us, so we bolted for the door when-- ” She gulped, finding the room suddenly humid and blurry.
Draco moved towards her and, for a moment, Ginny thought he was going to take her hand, but instead he simply moved until he was close enough to touch her. He let her compose herself for a few moments, then spoke.
“I know this is hard for you,” he said in a low tone. “Let’s try a different tact. Access the situation for me as an Auror. Tell me what you see.”
Ginny turned to look at him, blinking rapidly. “I can’t--”
“You’re an Auror, Weasley,” Draco said. “Think like one.”
“I can’t!” Ginny spat out, putting proper distance between them again. “I can’t do this! Why don’t you just leave me alone?” She stood up abruptly and wrapped her arms around herself, her body trembling. “Please, just go. I can’t do this right now.”
She heard him move to stand behind her, close again as he had been before. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “Whether you believe it or not, I truly am. I’ll come back when you’re ready.”
Without waiting for an answer he left the room, and it wasn’t until the door shut that the tears came.
~*~
Later that week, Ginny sat with her extended family as they gathered for dinner at the Burrow. Ever since Arthur’s death, all seven of the Weasley children made sure they were present for dinner every Friday, for Molly’s sake as well as their own. They found comfort in being together, especially since they were scattered to the four corners of the universe. Ginny, who sat at the head of the table where Arthur used to, was especially glad to be able to lay eyes on Percy, who thankfully had reconciled with his parents before Arthur’s death.
Tonight was a full house with all spouses and children present. Eighteen Weasley grandchildren (including Brian Potter, whom Molly had adopted as one of her own) ran amok in the backyard as twilight fell, under the watchful eyes of their parents.
Ginny was quiet, leaving conversation to everyone else. She still hadn’t contacted Draco about her father’s case; every time she’d tried to put quill to parchment, nothing would happen. She simply wasn’t ready. However, she knew she couldn’t put him off forever, so she made the resolution to owl him soon. She wanted to see her father’s murderer brought to justice. She would never find peace unless the person responsible for taking away the man she loved most in life was safely tucked away in Azkaban.
Pansy Parkinson leaned back and observed her youngest child nearing the edge of the garden, having spotted some gnomes. “Sarah!” she called out. Her three year old was inching towards the troublesome creatures, despite having been told on numerous occasions that they would bite her if she got too close. “Sarah!”
Sarah turned to look at her mother and then gave her a mischievous grin before continuing on her merry way.
“Ron,” Pansy nudged her partner. “Go and get your daughter.” Pansy was seven months pregnant with their third child, so she wasn’t able to chase their daughter around the backyard.
“I love how she’s my daughter when she’s doing something naughty,” Ron said, winking at Harry. He kissed Pansy’s temple as he rose, and then scrambled over to pick up Sarah as she attempted to chase the gnomes around.
Ginny smiled as she watched Ron with her youngest niece; Ron and Pansy were a classic case of opposites attracting if ever there was one. Their interaction at school had been limited to scowls exchanged across classrooms, but they’d been set up on a blind date when they were twenty-three and sparks of a different kind had flown. They’d been together ever since, although they weren’t married, much to Molly’s chagrin. They’d told anyone who asked time and again they were perfectly happy with their relationship the way it was; and it was plainly obvious to anyone who observed them for a period of time that they were devoted partners and parents to their children, Matthew and Sarah. Child number three, another boy, would complete their family.
She was so lost in thought that it was only when her skirt was being tugged so hard it might fall off that she realised that two small beings wanted her attention. She looked down to find Matthew Weasley and Brian Potter, miniature versions of their fathers both in looks and the fact they were the very best of friends, standing on her right, holding hands.
“We want kisses, Aunty Ginny!” they chorused with cheeky grins. She swept them up into her arms and kissed them in turn until they squirmed with laughter and begged to be put down.
“Brian,” Hermione called, and her son looked up inquisitively. She gave him a smile and nodded her head, and he breathed giddily and ran over to his parents, his father lifting him up to stand on the seat between them.
“Everyone, may I have your attention please!” he said in a perfect imitation of his mother. The adults tried not to choke with laughter because of the earnest look on his little face. “I have somefing very important to tell you.” Hermione didn’t bother to correct his pronunciation, instead patting his leg encouragingly. He waited until all eyes were upon him, and then he gave the group an enormous grin. “Mummy has a baby in her tummy!”
Congratulations and cheers sounded, and Ginny could barely make out what anyone was saying over the din. She could tell by Ron’s lack of surprise (for he never had been very good at hiding his emotions) that he’d already known, but everyone else was thrilled for Harry and Hermione and the Weasley matriarch got out of her seat and hugged them both tightly, bursting into tears as she held Hermione. “Arthur would have been thrilled at the thought of being blessed with another grandchild,” she said tearfully, and Hermione held her close, Harry putting his arms around both women.
Ginny’s eyes became misty as she watched her family interact, and her heart ached at the absence of a man who’d been taken from them far too soon.
~*~
She mulled over it all day Saturday as she caught up on household chores and did her shopping, and it was late afternoon when she owled Draco with an invitation to dinner at her house the next night. After talking with Harry before he’d gone home the previous evening, she’d eventually decided that things might go more smoothly if she was away from work, in a place where she could relax.
Ginny began to regret sending the invitation as soon as the owl left her house, but it was too late to rescind it. She was surprised, however, to receive a response only half an hour later.
Weasley,
Thanks for the invite. Will bring the wine. See you at seven.
DM
It was only after she’d read the response five times that it kicked in - Draco Malfoy would be having dinner at her house tomorrow night. Which meant she had to figure out what to wear (how did one dress when having a mortal enemy over to dinner?), make sure the place was spotless (the thought of him thinking people without money lived slovenly was disquieting), and decide what to feed him (an overdose of Devil’s Snare was not out of the question).
What had she been thinking, inviting Malfoy into her home? She’d gone mental, as Ron would quite happily tell her.
~*~
Draco arrived on her doorstep promptly at seven, a bottle of the most expensive white wine the wizarding world offered in hand. She ushered him in, smoothing her dress nervously, and poured them both a glass.
“I’m doing roast lamb, I hope that’s okay.”
“That’s fine. You didn’t need to go to any effort.”
“Yes, I did,” Ginny said softly. She took a deep breath and somehow found the strength to look him in the eye. “I owe you an apology for the other day.”
“No, you don’t,” Draco said.
“I shouldn’t have kicked you out.”
“I shouldn’t have pushed you to talk before you were ready.”
They stared at each other for quite some time; Ginny took the opportunity to actually look at Draco, really look at him. He had rather a nice face, and his eyes... his eyes seemed to tell her that far from being indifferent, as she’d first believed him to be, he was genuinely dedicated to both his job and this case, and that he wouldn’t rest until he’d solved it. Perhaps she’d been too hard on him. People did change over time, and he was no longer the selfish, spoilt teenager he’d been raised to be. “Why don’t we start over?” she finally suggested.
“If that’s what you want.”
“You’re being very amenable to my suggestions.”
“I want to solve this case, and I need your co-operation to do that. It’s in everyone’s best interests that we get along, Weasley.”
“My name is Ginny.”
“Ginny.” The name seemed to roll off his tongue as if he’d been saying it for years, and Ginny found she liked the way he said it.
They enjoyed a nice dinner and talked about their jobs and what they’d done with their lives since their departure from Hogwarts. Ginny found herself relaxing and actually enjoying his company, something she never thought she would. They now had a mutual friend in Pansy; Draco told her he still kept in regular touch with his former housemate and he did, by extension, know some news about the Weasley family in general. He confided he’d attended the memorial service for Arthur (which surprised Ginny, as she’d never spotted him there and she was sure she’d spoken to all attendees) and had already starting investigating some leads he had on the case.
After they were done with their meal, they retreated to the lounge room, the atmosphere made warm and cozy by the large fire burning brightly. Ginny made Draco go through everything he had on the case thus far and he filled her in with what he knew.
“But there are a lot of blanks I need filling in, Ginny.” She nodded her understanding. “That’s why I need you to walk me through it. You might have seen something crucial and haven’t realised it.” He had a mouthful of wine, then put his glass down and turned towards her. “I wondered if you might be willing to go back to the house and show me what happened.”
Ginny opened her mouth to instantly refuse his request, but something stopped her. She looked into his grey eyes and knew that he wasn’t trying to make her life hell. He genuinely needed her help and she had no right to refuse it. She owed it to her father to help in any way she could to apprehend his killer, and if reliving the horror of what had happened that night, then she would just have to gather up the courage somehow and do it.
“Will you--” her voice trailed off as her mouth went dry. “Will you stay with me while we’re there?”
“I will not leave your side. You have my word.”
Judging by the look on his face, his word meant a great deal to Draco Malfoy. “Okay. Let’s get it over with as soon as possible.”
“We can go tomorrow morning.”
“Fine.”
He stayed for another half hour and then bid her goodnight, thanking her for the meal. She got up to see him out and was more than a little surprised to feel his lips brush her cheek as he walked past her out the door.
“Get some sleep. Tomorrow will be a big day. Owl me if you need anything.”
Before she could respond, he had been swallowed by the darkness.
~*~
Ginny had tried to take Draco’s advice and get some sleep, but she tossed and turned all night, unable to get comfortable. Finally, at 5am, she gave up. She showered, ate and dressed, then headed into work early.
At 8am, she got an owl from Draco, telling her to let him know when she was there and what time would suit her to go to the house where her father had died. Deciding it was best to get it over and done with, she owled him back and told him to come and pick her up as soon as he was ready.
He arrived fifteen minutes later, and they Apparated to the house where Ginny and Arthur had gone to investigate the report he’d received that morning about a Muggle vacuum cleaner that had been magically tampered with.
Ginny let Draco enter first, following carefully behind him. Nothing had been touched since the murder, and just breathing in brought everything rushing back. She willed herself not to cry as she trailed Draco into the room where she’d cradled the body of her dying father.
“You okay?” She felt Draco’s hand on her arm and she nodded silently, trying not to shake. “You want to sit down for a bit?”
“No,” she ground out. “I’m okay. Let’s just do this so we can get the hell out of here.”
“Tell me where you were both standing.”
Ginny moved to where she’d been and pointed to the spot Arthur had stood while looking at the vacuum cleaner. She walked him through their movements from the time they’d entered the house up to when they’d attempted to leave but hadn’t been able to.
“We should have been able to Disapparate,” she said.
“Yes, you should have,” Draco confirmed. “Whoever lured you here must have put a block up to stop you from doing that.” He moved throughout the room, although Ginny had no idea what he was looking for. “Strange. There should be some residual traces of the magic the perpetrator used, but I can’t find anything.”
Once they were done at the house and Ginny had told him as much as she could remember, she was emotionally exhausted. All she wanted to do was go home, curl up into a small ball, and cry her heart out for her Dad.
“We’re done here,” Draco said, breaking her train of thought. “I’ll come back alone later, but you don’t need to be here any longer.” The thoughtfulness in his voice touched her, and Ginny suddenly wanted very much to be held by Draco Malfoy.
As if he could read her mind, Draco stepped closer to her, hesitantly reaching out for her. When Ginny didn’t offer any resistance, he gently pulled her into his arms, resting his chin on the top of her head. “Thank you for doing this, Ginny,” he said softly. “You’ve helped more than you know.”
She wondered if he was just saying that to placate her or because he really meant it, but either way, Ginny found she didn’t care, because the feel of his arms around her was the best thing she’d experienced in quite some time.
~*~
They stayed in close contact over the next few months, meeting up for lunch once or twice a week to discuss the case. Ginny was becoming frustrated with the length of time it was taking to solve the case, but as an Auror, she understood that Draco had to be thorough in his investigation and couldn’t afford to mess it up by being impatient. Molly’s mind had been temporarily taken off the lack of progress by the arrival of her newest grandson, Thomas Arthur, whom Pansy had given birth to three days previously. Ginny had visited her nephew in hospital the night of his birth and was amused to see he’d inherited the Weasley red hair, like his siblings, who were ecstatic about his arrival.
Ginny had managed to ease herself into her father’s old job with relatively few problems, Perkins assisting where she needed it, and she found she enjoyed Draco’s company, glad to be able to see a familiar face regularly. Not that Perkins wasn’t a nice chap, but he was rather quiet and hadn’t interacted with her much, and she felt this was because she reminded him of her father.
“I think that’s entirely plausible,” Draco said around a glass of wine when Ginny voiced her concerns to him a week later. She’d accepted his invitation to have dinner at his penthouse (which had the most incredible view of London she’d ever seen, especially at night) and they were sitting on the balcony. “He’d been working with your father for quite a few years and you do resemble Arthur in some ways.” He leaned over as he said this and tugged on a lock of her hair softly. “Maybe he’s just one of those blokes who enjoys his own company more. Don’t take it personally, Gin. I’m sure it’s nothing you’ve done.”
“I didn’t think it was,” she said irritably, putting down the remainder of her wine. “I’m just...” she trailed off and sighed loudly. She sighed once more when he raised his eyebrows at her for her to continue. “It doesn’t matter. Anyway, how goes the case?”
Draco deliberately took a mouthful of wine, swallowing before he answered. “Does the name Stuart McDonnell mean anything to you?”
“No. Should it?”
“Your father busted him two months before his death selling magically enhanced vacuum cleaners to Muggles. He was making a small fortune before Arthur shut him down.”
Her sharp intake of breath was audible. “Are you serious? Vacuum cleaners? But that’s what we...” The implication of what she’d been told sunk in, and she couldn’t speak.
Draco got up and pulled her to her feet, leading her over to the edge of the balcony, where London lay beneath them, decked out in lights, and stood behind her, his arms wrapped firmly around her waist. “Breathe,” he whispered in her ear, and she closed her eyes and did what he told her.
She tried to breathe, inhaling and exhaling slowly, but what he’d revealed had shaken Ginny so badly that she started to cry. Draco turned her around and embraced her tightly, Ginny wetting his shirt with her tears. She had become so comfortable around him that it no longer bothered her to cry in front of him; she wasn’t concerned he was going to walk away, as she might once have been.
He let her cry until her sobs subsided into sniffles, and then raised her chin with his finger so their gazes met. Ginny thought Draco was on the verge of saying something, but instead he lowered his mouth until it brushed against hers.
She moaned softly, caught unawares by this surprising but not unwelcome gesture. He kept the kiss gentle, brushing his lips against hers, his warm breath ghosting across her lips. He pulled back a little, his gaze steady. “You’re not crying anymore,” he pointed out.
“No, I’m not.” She brought a shaky hand up to rest on his cheek, stroking softly, then pulled his face down to hers again and pressed their lips firmly together. He let her take the lead, not wanting to push her into anything she didn’t want to do, but Ginny was soon demanding he open his mouth for her, and as soon as he did, her tongue slid inside, exploring his mouth.
His grip on her tightened as their kiss deepened, and the world fell away. All Ginny could think about (not that she was doing much thinking at all) was the fact that Draco’s arms were around her, Draco’s lips were on hers, Draco’s tongue was in her mouth... and she liked it. She wanted it. She needed it. She needed him.
“Draco,” she murmured against his lips as he kissed her fiercely. She wrapped her arms around his neck and stood on tiptoe, trying to draw him as close as she could. His lips drifted down her neck, trailing kisses in his wake, and she moaned with desire. Ginny couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt such pure lust for a man, and it was just what she needed. He made her feel safe.
“Draco,” she whispered in his ear. “Make love to me.”
He stopped what he was doing and looked at her, his eyes betraying nothing. “Are you sure?” he asked her. “Are you sure this is what you want?”
“Yes,” Ginny said, and she was sure. “I want this. I want you.”
Draco didn’t answer, choosing instead to kiss her again and lift her into his arms, Ginny wrapping her legs around his waist as he carried her inside.
~*~
It was still dark when she woke the next morning, and Ginny would have been quite happy to stay where she was for the next year. Draco lay behind her, his arms around her, and she was cuddled into him. She stroked his arm lightly, careful not to wake him, thankful that today was not a workday.
Ginny drifted in and out of sleep, only waking fully when she felt Draco rise behind her. She sat up and yawned, wiping her eyes sleepily, unconcerned that the sheet had fallen to her waist, leaving her upper body exposed.
Draco was standing next to the bed naked, and he leaned over and kissed her. “Sorry, I didn’t want to wake you. I was going to shower and make you some breakfast.”
“That’s okay,” she said with a smile. “I’m an early riser, too.”
“In that case, care to join me in the shower then?”
“In the interest of saving water?”
He smirked at her. “If it gets you in there, sure.”
“Okay.” She slid out of bed and allowed him to lead her into his bathroom. They stepped into an enormous shower and Ginny stood still while Draco washed her almost reverently, making sure not to miss anywhere. She returned the favour, lingering in some places longer than others, and by the time she was done, Draco had no choice but to carry her back to bed, both of them still dripping wet, and make love to her slowly, teasing her as she had him.
Eventually, they got up and had some breakfast, then decided to go into Muggle London for the day on a sightseeing trip. Ginny knew London better than Draco because her father had taken her there to share his love of all things Muggle. She took Draco to the places Arthur had taken her, sharing anecdotes about her childhood and giving him some insight into her relationship with Arthur. He listened attentively and seemed genuinely interested in what she was saying.
That night, she stayed at Draco’s again, going home only to pick up a change of clothing. Ginny pondered taking over a nightie, but decided that if tonight was a repeat of last night’s events, she wouldn’t have time to be wearing it anyway.
As it turned out, she was right.
~*~
Ginny hadn’t realised Draco had found proof Stuart McDonnell was the wizard responsible for Arthur’s murder until she received an owl from the hospital wing of the Ministry a month later, informing her that Draco had been admitted with serious injuries. She rushed there immediately where Draco’s superior, who also happened to be a friend of the Weasley family, explained to her that Draco had gone to arrest McDonnell for Arthur Weasley’s murder and had been attacked by McDonnell, who had tried to escape. In the ensuing battle for his freedom, McDonnell had thrown some rather nasty hexes and curses Draco’s way, and in spite of having five broken ribs, a broken arm, massive bruising to his face, chest and back, burns to both legs and a serious concussion, Draco had still managed to keep a hold on McDonnell until reinforcements had arrived.
After much pleading, Ginny had been allowed in to visit with Draco for five minutes, and was horrified by his appearance. He skin was paler than normal, his face wan (the parts that weren’t bruised, of course). She knew the potions he’d been given would clear the bruising right up, but the rather large black eye he was sporting was still visible. His bones had been reset and were no longer broken, but Ginny knew he’d be stiff all over and unable to get around normally for a good couple of days. Her heart ached to see him like this.
“Hey, Gin,” he murmured as she got closer.
“Hey yourself,” she said, leaning over to kiss him as softly as she could. “I didn’t know you were awake.”
“It’s a bit hard to sleep.”
“I can imagine.” She kissed him again and very gently stroked the cheek that wasn’t bruised. “You look like a mess.”
“Thanks. Good to see you, too.”
Ginny smiled. “I understand you got McDonnell.”
“Yes.”
“Thank you, Draco. You have no idea how much this means to me, to all of us. Mum will be ever so pleased. I’ve owled her. Don’t be surprised if she comes in to see you.”
“As long as she doesn’t bring me one of those awful jumpers, that’s okay.” Draco had found a drawer full of jumpers knitted by Molly in Ginny’s wardrobe, and had spent a good ten minutes smirking over the fact they all had a ‘G’ in the middle.
Ginny laughed, in spite of the situation. “I can’t make any promises.” She smoothed the hair back off his forehead, placing a kiss there. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”
“I’m not okay. I feel bloody awful.”
“I know, love,” she said soothingly, trying her best to comfort him.
He blinked rapidly, staring at her. “What did you say?”
“I’m allowed to call you ‘love’, aren’t I?”
“You never have before.”
“Well, I am now.” Ginny’s heart was thumping wildly against her chest as she realised just how important Draco Malfoy had become to her. He reached over and squeezed her hand, and Ginny decided she didn’t need to hear him say the words because she already knew.
And that was all that mattered.
Pairings: Draco/Ginny with Harry/Hermione and Ron/Pansy on the side
Rating: PG-15
Summary: When Arthur Weasley is murdered, Ginny must work with the Unspeakable assigned to the murder investigation... only to find it's the last person she wants to talk to.
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Notes: Written in honour of sarea_okelani's birthday, with many thanks to jade_okelani for the awesome beta.
Ginny Weasley walked slowly into her new office and took a few long moments to examine her surroundings. After completing a mental stocktake to ensure all of her personal belongings had been brought across, she eased herself into her chair and breathed deeply.
It was her first day back at the Ministry since the death of her father. Even though three months had passed, Ginny still wasn’t sure she was ready to be here. However, the Ministry Healer she had been encouraged to talk to once a week seemed to think she was and Ginny knew that she couldn’t remain at the Burrow for the rest of her life, so she’d had Ron move her things back to her flat and returned to work.
Although what good she was going to do anyone, she wasn’t sure.
Up until Arthur Weasley’s murder, his youngest child had been one of the best Aurors the Ministry had seen for quite some time. She’d enjoyed her job and was grateful for the opportunities her position had afforded her.
However, one of the few conditions she’d placed upon her return was that she was moved to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement - the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office. Nobody had replaced her father; nobody wanted his job. It wasn’t exactly the kind of position that allowed someone to rise through the Ministry ranks. But Ginny had been insistent; she wasn’t going to let all her father’s hard work simply die with him. He’d strived to do the best job he could, and so she would carry on in his memory. It was the least he deserved.
Her eyes began to blur as her gaze fell upon the family portrait that sat on her bookshelf. Everyone in the picture grinned and waved, and she watched as her father placed an arm around her photographic self and kissed her head. Closing her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose, Ginny willed herself to take several deep breaths.
“Ginny?” Her head snapped up to find Cecil Wineburger, her new boss, standing in her doorway. “May I come in?”
“Of course, Cecil.” Ginny stood to greet him, and he shook her hand before settling into the chair opposite her.
“How are you feeling?” The older wizard looked at her, his concern clearly visible.
“I’m doing okay, thank you. I’m glad to be back here, able to do something useful.” Ginny mustered as much enthusiasm as she could, but they both knew she was fooling nobody.
Cecil pointed at the small stack of files on her desk. “I went through and pulled out some cases for you to look over.” Here, he coughed slightly and cleared his throat. “Your father had been working on some of them when he... passed on. If you’d like to leave them for Perkins to deal with, just put them aside.”
Perkins had been the only other member of her father’s particular department of Law Enforcement; after Arthur’s death, he’d remained on board in the office they’d shared. Ginny had been given a separate office nearby.
She patted the files and attempted to smile. “I’ll get a start on them as soon as I settle in.”
“Of course, there is no rush.” He stood and looked at her. “You take your time, Ginny. If you’re not ready to do anything, just let me know, okay?”
Ginny nodded. “Thank you for being so understanding, Cecil.” She rose with him and came around to the front of her desk to see him out.
“Your father would be proud of you.”
The comment came out of the blue, and it took everything Ginny had not to dissolve into loud, noisy tears right there and then. “Thank you,” she managed.
He patted her arm awkwardly and moved towards the door. “Oh,” he said, pausing and turning back to her. “The Ministry has assigned your father’s case to an Unspeakable. He wants to talk to you about what happened, since you are the only witness.” Ginny’s hands began to tremble ever so slightly, something that didn’t go unnoticed by Cecil. “I know it’s hard for you, dear. The Ministry wants to catch the wizard who did this, and if you can help-”
“I’ve already spoken to countless Aurors and Unspeakables about it,” Ginny butted in, her voice raised a notch. “I don’t know how many times I can repeat myself. Why can’t this Unspeakable just look at the file?”
“He already has,” Cecil answered quietly. “Over and over. But he wants to hear it from you. I asked him to give you a few days, but he insists on speaking to you now. Thinks it better to talk to you while it’s still fresh in your mind.”
“I won’t ever forget it,” Ginny said, a solitary tear falling down her cheek. “It will stay with me for the rest of my life.” Cecil looked slightly uncomfortable, not really knowing what to say, so Ginny took pity on him. “Fine, Cecil. I’ll talk to him when he arrives, okay? Do you mind if I have some time alone?”
“No, of course not. Just owl me if you need anything else.” He turned and left the room, closing the door behind him.
Ginny took a shaky breath and covered her eyes briefly with her hands, then set her mind on the tasks at hand. She went over to her bookcase and skimmed the titles, some old and well-loved, some brand new and uncreased.
Five minutes later, there was a knock at the door. Ginny sighed inwardly, praying it wasn’t the Unspeakable descending upon her already.
“Come in!”
She turned around as the door opened a crack and looked down to see a pair of mischievous green eyes framed by messy brown hair blinking at her.
Ginny smiled and played along. “Gosh, is somebody there? I can see the door open but nobody seems to be there!” She heard some giggling. “Must be the ghosts again, I’ll have to talk to-”
“It’s me, Aunty Ginny!” Four year old Brian Potter burst into the room, his mother right behind him with a plant in hand. “I was just playing a trick on you and you fell for it!”
“I sure did,” Ginny said, squatting down so they were at eye level. “You’re always tricking me, monster. How about a kiss?”
Brian leaned over and kissed her affectionately, one chubby hand clutched tightly around a violet orchid, Ginny’s favourite. “I brought you a flower for your new room,” he said, presenting the flower to her with the grin he’d gotten from his father. “I picked it myself.”
Ginny took the flower from him and scooped him up in her arms. “It’s beautiful.” She stood up properly and perched Brian on her hip, then looked at Hermione, who was watching her closely.
“We wanted to come by and see how you were doing, Gin,” she said in greeting, coming over to kiss her friend’s cheek.
Ginny reached out and squeezed Hermione’s free hand. “I’m doing okay. Cecil’s already dropped by to tell me I have to relive all the gory details for some Unspeakable who’s been assigned to the case.”
Hermione frowned. “So soon? I thought you’d already told them all you knew.”
“I have, but he wants to go over it again.” Ginny sighed and deposited Brian into the chair, standing him up so he was the same height as the adults.
“I brought you this, thought you might like a nice new plant to go with the office.” Hermione handed over the small pot and Ginny thanked her, placing it on the windowsill behind her desk.
“I think Harry will pop by later to say hi,” Hermione said. “We won’t keep you. Brian insisted on buying you a flower and I thought it would be nice to drop your plant off.”
“On your way to see Harry?”
Hermione nodded. “Oh! Brian, don’t you have something you wanted to tell Aunty Ginny?”
Ginny looked at her godson inquisitively. “What’s up, monster?”
Brian clapped his hands and reached up to Ginny, urging her closer. She leaned over him and he put his hands on her face, drawing her to him until their noses were touching.
“I’m going to have a new baby brother or sister,” he informed her proudly.
Ginny gasped and stood up, looking at Hermione for confirmation. She nodded happily, and Ginny dropped a kiss on Brian’s head before hugged her friend tightly. “I’m so happy for you, Hermione. How far along are you?”
Hermione hugged her back, winking at her son over Ginny’s shoulder. “About six weeks. Harry and I have our first check up at ten just to make sure all is well.” She looked at her watch. “We’d best get a move on. Say goodbye to Aunty Gin, Brian. Daddy’s waiting for us.”
Brian hopped down off the chair and gave Ginny a kiss when she bent down. “All these kisses today! I feel so special.” Brian gave her a toothy grin and took his mother’s hand, waving over his shoulder as they left.
~*~
Harry did stick his head in the door after the appointment to see how she was doing and Ginny passed on her congratulations to him, too. He embraced her tightly as she assured him she was as well as she could be.
Letting him go but keeping a hold of his hand, she looked at him. “Do you know which Unspeakable has been assigned to Dad’s case?”
She thought she saw a flicker of something in Harry’s eyes, but whatever it was faded almost instantly as he shook his head. “Do you want me to find out for you, Gin?”
Ginny thought for a moment. “No, no point, I guess. I’ll find out some time this afternoon when he arrives for question time.”
“Shall I come by for that?”
“It’s very sweet of you, but I’m sure I can handle him, whomever he is.” She took a deep breath and smiled bravely at him. “I have to learn to deal with this, Harry. By myself.”
“I know,” Harry said quietly. “But a little support from your friends is always allowed.”
Ginny squeezed his hand and got up on her toes to kiss his cheek. “Thank you,” she whispered. “If it gets too much, I’ll owl you, okay?”
“Okay,” Harry agreed. “You take care of yourself. Are you going to be at the Burrow for dinner on Friday?”
“Yes, Mum wouldn’t hear of me saying no,” Ginny answered, scrunching her nose up. “See you there?”
“You will indeed. Brian’s been raving about it all morning, he can’t wait to tell everyone about his new sibling.” Harry couldn’t wipe the grin off his face and Ginny found it was infectious; his joy at the prospect of becoming a father again was clear for the world to see. If anybody deserved to be happy, Ginny thought, it was Harry Potter.
~*~
Ginny did not think she could have been any more shocked when the Unspeakable assigned to investigate her father’s death arrived at 2pm that afternoon to see her. He pushed his blonde hair back as he strode into her room without asking, shutting the door behind him.
“What are you doing here?” she said, unable to keep the incredulousness out of her voice.
“Didn’t Wineburger tell you I’d be dropping by?”
Ginny crossed her arms over her chest and stood. “No, he most certainly did not. I want you to leave, I have a very important appointment this afternoon.”
Draco Malfoy dropped himself into a chair, looking at her calmly. “Yes, you do. With me. So sit down and let’s get through this as painlessly as possible.”
“What are you talking about, Malfoy? I don’t have an appointment with you, I have an appointment with the Unspeakable who... ” Ginny’s voice died in her throat as everything clicked into place.
“Who has been assigned to find your father’s killer. Yes, Weasley. That’s me.”
Ginny sat back down before she fell, any false bravado she had evaporating. “You,” she whispered. “Why?”
Draco stared at her, his icy grey eyes unreadable. “Because I’m the best wizard to catch whoever did this, that’s why. I didn’t ask for this assignment, so let’s just agree that neither of us is happy about it and get down to business. Now,” he said, leaning forward. “Where would be most comfortable for you to do this?”
Ginny’s mind was a messy haze of questions and emotions she couldn’t even begin to control. “Do what?” she asked sharply.
“Tell me what happened.” He stood and indicated at the lounge that sat against the far wall. “Would you rather sit over there?”
She looked at him dazedly. “Okay.” She got up and sat on the lounge, tucking her feet up underneath her. He followed her over, perching himself stiffly next to her.
“Why must I do this again?” she asked in a soft voice. “Haven’t you read the file? Why are you making me relive this?”
A flash of something - was it sympathy? - crossed his face, but as Ginny blinked, it disappeared. “When they took your statement you were still in shock. There’s likely things you missed the first time round. I want to hear it from you first hand. Tell me what happened.”
Ginny glared at him for a moment. When she realised he wasn’t going to go away until she told him what he wanted to hear, she sighed deeply and closed her eyes, casting her mind back to the terrible night she lost her father.
Draco began the questioning. “Why did you go with your father on what should have been a routine call?”
“Dad dropped by and asked if I minded going with him before I headed home. There was something about this call that didn’t make sense to him and he felt uneasy about it.”
“Why you, though? It’s not standard for family members to work together.”
“I was the only Auror still around when he arrived. I offered to come with him because I was going to the Burrow for dinner. We planned to check it out and then head straight there.” Ginny felt the tears prick her eyelids, but did not open her eyes. She didn’t want to show any weakness in front of Malfoy, of all people.
“Okay. What happened when you arrived?”
Ginny took a deep breath before continuing. “When we got there, Dad went in first. We looked around, but couldn’t find anything wrong. There was something about the whole thing... ” She let her voice trail off as the memory of what happened flooded over her, and she couldn’t stop the solitary tear that rolled down her cheek.
She opened her eyes to brush away the tear, and noticed that Draco had averted his gaze away from her. Bastard, she thought. He was probably getting a kick out of her discomfort. “Did you sense it was a set up?,” he eventually said when she’d calmed.
“Not at first,” Ginny said. “But when we couldn’t find anything, we both knew something was wrong. Dad suggested we get the hell out of there, and I agreed. We tried to Apparate but something was blocking us, so we bolted for the door when-- ” She gulped, finding the room suddenly humid and blurry.
Draco moved towards her and, for a moment, Ginny thought he was going to take her hand, but instead he simply moved until he was close enough to touch her. He let her compose herself for a few moments, then spoke.
“I know this is hard for you,” he said in a low tone. “Let’s try a different tact. Access the situation for me as an Auror. Tell me what you see.”
Ginny turned to look at him, blinking rapidly. “I can’t--”
“You’re an Auror, Weasley,” Draco said. “Think like one.”
“I can’t!” Ginny spat out, putting proper distance between them again. “I can’t do this! Why don’t you just leave me alone?” She stood up abruptly and wrapped her arms around herself, her body trembling. “Please, just go. I can’t do this right now.”
She heard him move to stand behind her, close again as he had been before. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “Whether you believe it or not, I truly am. I’ll come back when you’re ready.”
Without waiting for an answer he left the room, and it wasn’t until the door shut that the tears came.
~*~
Later that week, Ginny sat with her extended family as they gathered for dinner at the Burrow. Ever since Arthur’s death, all seven of the Weasley children made sure they were present for dinner every Friday, for Molly’s sake as well as their own. They found comfort in being together, especially since they were scattered to the four corners of the universe. Ginny, who sat at the head of the table where Arthur used to, was especially glad to be able to lay eyes on Percy, who thankfully had reconciled with his parents before Arthur’s death.
Tonight was a full house with all spouses and children present. Eighteen Weasley grandchildren (including Brian Potter, whom Molly had adopted as one of her own) ran amok in the backyard as twilight fell, under the watchful eyes of their parents.
Ginny was quiet, leaving conversation to everyone else. She still hadn’t contacted Draco about her father’s case; every time she’d tried to put quill to parchment, nothing would happen. She simply wasn’t ready. However, she knew she couldn’t put him off forever, so she made the resolution to owl him soon. She wanted to see her father’s murderer brought to justice. She would never find peace unless the person responsible for taking away the man she loved most in life was safely tucked away in Azkaban.
Pansy Parkinson leaned back and observed her youngest child nearing the edge of the garden, having spotted some gnomes. “Sarah!” she called out. Her three year old was inching towards the troublesome creatures, despite having been told on numerous occasions that they would bite her if she got too close. “Sarah!”
Sarah turned to look at her mother and then gave her a mischievous grin before continuing on her merry way.
“Ron,” Pansy nudged her partner. “Go and get your daughter.” Pansy was seven months pregnant with their third child, so she wasn’t able to chase their daughter around the backyard.
“I love how she’s my daughter when she’s doing something naughty,” Ron said, winking at Harry. He kissed Pansy’s temple as he rose, and then scrambled over to pick up Sarah as she attempted to chase the gnomes around.
Ginny smiled as she watched Ron with her youngest niece; Ron and Pansy were a classic case of opposites attracting if ever there was one. Their interaction at school had been limited to scowls exchanged across classrooms, but they’d been set up on a blind date when they were twenty-three and sparks of a different kind had flown. They’d been together ever since, although they weren’t married, much to Molly’s chagrin. They’d told anyone who asked time and again they were perfectly happy with their relationship the way it was; and it was plainly obvious to anyone who observed them for a period of time that they were devoted partners and parents to their children, Matthew and Sarah. Child number three, another boy, would complete their family.
She was so lost in thought that it was only when her skirt was being tugged so hard it might fall off that she realised that two small beings wanted her attention. She looked down to find Matthew Weasley and Brian Potter, miniature versions of their fathers both in looks and the fact they were the very best of friends, standing on her right, holding hands.
“We want kisses, Aunty Ginny!” they chorused with cheeky grins. She swept them up into her arms and kissed them in turn until they squirmed with laughter and begged to be put down.
“Brian,” Hermione called, and her son looked up inquisitively. She gave him a smile and nodded her head, and he breathed giddily and ran over to his parents, his father lifting him up to stand on the seat between them.
“Everyone, may I have your attention please!” he said in a perfect imitation of his mother. The adults tried not to choke with laughter because of the earnest look on his little face. “I have somefing very important to tell you.” Hermione didn’t bother to correct his pronunciation, instead patting his leg encouragingly. He waited until all eyes were upon him, and then he gave the group an enormous grin. “Mummy has a baby in her tummy!”
Congratulations and cheers sounded, and Ginny could barely make out what anyone was saying over the din. She could tell by Ron’s lack of surprise (for he never had been very good at hiding his emotions) that he’d already known, but everyone else was thrilled for Harry and Hermione and the Weasley matriarch got out of her seat and hugged them both tightly, bursting into tears as she held Hermione. “Arthur would have been thrilled at the thought of being blessed with another grandchild,” she said tearfully, and Hermione held her close, Harry putting his arms around both women.
Ginny’s eyes became misty as she watched her family interact, and her heart ached at the absence of a man who’d been taken from them far too soon.
~*~
She mulled over it all day Saturday as she caught up on household chores and did her shopping, and it was late afternoon when she owled Draco with an invitation to dinner at her house the next night. After talking with Harry before he’d gone home the previous evening, she’d eventually decided that things might go more smoothly if she was away from work, in a place where she could relax.
Ginny began to regret sending the invitation as soon as the owl left her house, but it was too late to rescind it. She was surprised, however, to receive a response only half an hour later.
Weasley,
Thanks for the invite. Will bring the wine. See you at seven.
DM
It was only after she’d read the response five times that it kicked in - Draco Malfoy would be having dinner at her house tomorrow night. Which meant she had to figure out what to wear (how did one dress when having a mortal enemy over to dinner?), make sure the place was spotless (the thought of him thinking people without money lived slovenly was disquieting), and decide what to feed him (an overdose of Devil’s Snare was not out of the question).
What had she been thinking, inviting Malfoy into her home? She’d gone mental, as Ron would quite happily tell her.
~*~
Draco arrived on her doorstep promptly at seven, a bottle of the most expensive white wine the wizarding world offered in hand. She ushered him in, smoothing her dress nervously, and poured them both a glass.
“I’m doing roast lamb, I hope that’s okay.”
“That’s fine. You didn’t need to go to any effort.”
“Yes, I did,” Ginny said softly. She took a deep breath and somehow found the strength to look him in the eye. “I owe you an apology for the other day.”
“No, you don’t,” Draco said.
“I shouldn’t have kicked you out.”
“I shouldn’t have pushed you to talk before you were ready.”
They stared at each other for quite some time; Ginny took the opportunity to actually look at Draco, really look at him. He had rather a nice face, and his eyes... his eyes seemed to tell her that far from being indifferent, as she’d first believed him to be, he was genuinely dedicated to both his job and this case, and that he wouldn’t rest until he’d solved it. Perhaps she’d been too hard on him. People did change over time, and he was no longer the selfish, spoilt teenager he’d been raised to be. “Why don’t we start over?” she finally suggested.
“If that’s what you want.”
“You’re being very amenable to my suggestions.”
“I want to solve this case, and I need your co-operation to do that. It’s in everyone’s best interests that we get along, Weasley.”
“My name is Ginny.”
“Ginny.” The name seemed to roll off his tongue as if he’d been saying it for years, and Ginny found she liked the way he said it.
They enjoyed a nice dinner and talked about their jobs and what they’d done with their lives since their departure from Hogwarts. Ginny found herself relaxing and actually enjoying his company, something she never thought she would. They now had a mutual friend in Pansy; Draco told her he still kept in regular touch with his former housemate and he did, by extension, know some news about the Weasley family in general. He confided he’d attended the memorial service for Arthur (which surprised Ginny, as she’d never spotted him there and she was sure she’d spoken to all attendees) and had already starting investigating some leads he had on the case.
After they were done with their meal, they retreated to the lounge room, the atmosphere made warm and cozy by the large fire burning brightly. Ginny made Draco go through everything he had on the case thus far and he filled her in with what he knew.
“But there are a lot of blanks I need filling in, Ginny.” She nodded her understanding. “That’s why I need you to walk me through it. You might have seen something crucial and haven’t realised it.” He had a mouthful of wine, then put his glass down and turned towards her. “I wondered if you might be willing to go back to the house and show me what happened.”
Ginny opened her mouth to instantly refuse his request, but something stopped her. She looked into his grey eyes and knew that he wasn’t trying to make her life hell. He genuinely needed her help and she had no right to refuse it. She owed it to her father to help in any way she could to apprehend his killer, and if reliving the horror of what had happened that night, then she would just have to gather up the courage somehow and do it.
“Will you--” her voice trailed off as her mouth went dry. “Will you stay with me while we’re there?”
“I will not leave your side. You have my word.”
Judging by the look on his face, his word meant a great deal to Draco Malfoy. “Okay. Let’s get it over with as soon as possible.”
“We can go tomorrow morning.”
“Fine.”
He stayed for another half hour and then bid her goodnight, thanking her for the meal. She got up to see him out and was more than a little surprised to feel his lips brush her cheek as he walked past her out the door.
“Get some sleep. Tomorrow will be a big day. Owl me if you need anything.”
Before she could respond, he had been swallowed by the darkness.
~*~
Ginny had tried to take Draco’s advice and get some sleep, but she tossed and turned all night, unable to get comfortable. Finally, at 5am, she gave up. She showered, ate and dressed, then headed into work early.
At 8am, she got an owl from Draco, telling her to let him know when she was there and what time would suit her to go to the house where her father had died. Deciding it was best to get it over and done with, she owled him back and told him to come and pick her up as soon as he was ready.
He arrived fifteen minutes later, and they Apparated to the house where Ginny and Arthur had gone to investigate the report he’d received that morning about a Muggle vacuum cleaner that had been magically tampered with.
Ginny let Draco enter first, following carefully behind him. Nothing had been touched since the murder, and just breathing in brought everything rushing back. She willed herself not to cry as she trailed Draco into the room where she’d cradled the body of her dying father.
“You okay?” She felt Draco’s hand on her arm and she nodded silently, trying not to shake. “You want to sit down for a bit?”
“No,” she ground out. “I’m okay. Let’s just do this so we can get the hell out of here.”
“Tell me where you were both standing.”
Ginny moved to where she’d been and pointed to the spot Arthur had stood while looking at the vacuum cleaner. She walked him through their movements from the time they’d entered the house up to when they’d attempted to leave but hadn’t been able to.
“We should have been able to Disapparate,” she said.
“Yes, you should have,” Draco confirmed. “Whoever lured you here must have put a block up to stop you from doing that.” He moved throughout the room, although Ginny had no idea what he was looking for. “Strange. There should be some residual traces of the magic the perpetrator used, but I can’t find anything.”
Once they were done at the house and Ginny had told him as much as she could remember, she was emotionally exhausted. All she wanted to do was go home, curl up into a small ball, and cry her heart out for her Dad.
“We’re done here,” Draco said, breaking her train of thought. “I’ll come back alone later, but you don’t need to be here any longer.” The thoughtfulness in his voice touched her, and Ginny suddenly wanted very much to be held by Draco Malfoy.
As if he could read her mind, Draco stepped closer to her, hesitantly reaching out for her. When Ginny didn’t offer any resistance, he gently pulled her into his arms, resting his chin on the top of her head. “Thank you for doing this, Ginny,” he said softly. “You’ve helped more than you know.”
She wondered if he was just saying that to placate her or because he really meant it, but either way, Ginny found she didn’t care, because the feel of his arms around her was the best thing she’d experienced in quite some time.
~*~
They stayed in close contact over the next few months, meeting up for lunch once or twice a week to discuss the case. Ginny was becoming frustrated with the length of time it was taking to solve the case, but as an Auror, she understood that Draco had to be thorough in his investigation and couldn’t afford to mess it up by being impatient. Molly’s mind had been temporarily taken off the lack of progress by the arrival of her newest grandson, Thomas Arthur, whom Pansy had given birth to three days previously. Ginny had visited her nephew in hospital the night of his birth and was amused to see he’d inherited the Weasley red hair, like his siblings, who were ecstatic about his arrival.
Ginny had managed to ease herself into her father’s old job with relatively few problems, Perkins assisting where she needed it, and she found she enjoyed Draco’s company, glad to be able to see a familiar face regularly. Not that Perkins wasn’t a nice chap, but he was rather quiet and hadn’t interacted with her much, and she felt this was because she reminded him of her father.
“I think that’s entirely plausible,” Draco said around a glass of wine when Ginny voiced her concerns to him a week later. She’d accepted his invitation to have dinner at his penthouse (which had the most incredible view of London she’d ever seen, especially at night) and they were sitting on the balcony. “He’d been working with your father for quite a few years and you do resemble Arthur in some ways.” He leaned over as he said this and tugged on a lock of her hair softly. “Maybe he’s just one of those blokes who enjoys his own company more. Don’t take it personally, Gin. I’m sure it’s nothing you’ve done.”
“I didn’t think it was,” she said irritably, putting down the remainder of her wine. “I’m just...” she trailed off and sighed loudly. She sighed once more when he raised his eyebrows at her for her to continue. “It doesn’t matter. Anyway, how goes the case?”
Draco deliberately took a mouthful of wine, swallowing before he answered. “Does the name Stuart McDonnell mean anything to you?”
“No. Should it?”
“Your father busted him two months before his death selling magically enhanced vacuum cleaners to Muggles. He was making a small fortune before Arthur shut him down.”
Her sharp intake of breath was audible. “Are you serious? Vacuum cleaners? But that’s what we...” The implication of what she’d been told sunk in, and she couldn’t speak.
Draco got up and pulled her to her feet, leading her over to the edge of the balcony, where London lay beneath them, decked out in lights, and stood behind her, his arms wrapped firmly around her waist. “Breathe,” he whispered in her ear, and she closed her eyes and did what he told her.
She tried to breathe, inhaling and exhaling slowly, but what he’d revealed had shaken Ginny so badly that she started to cry. Draco turned her around and embraced her tightly, Ginny wetting his shirt with her tears. She had become so comfortable around him that it no longer bothered her to cry in front of him; she wasn’t concerned he was going to walk away, as she might once have been.
He let her cry until her sobs subsided into sniffles, and then raised her chin with his finger so their gazes met. Ginny thought Draco was on the verge of saying something, but instead he lowered his mouth until it brushed against hers.
She moaned softly, caught unawares by this surprising but not unwelcome gesture. He kept the kiss gentle, brushing his lips against hers, his warm breath ghosting across her lips. He pulled back a little, his gaze steady. “You’re not crying anymore,” he pointed out.
“No, I’m not.” She brought a shaky hand up to rest on his cheek, stroking softly, then pulled his face down to hers again and pressed their lips firmly together. He let her take the lead, not wanting to push her into anything she didn’t want to do, but Ginny was soon demanding he open his mouth for her, and as soon as he did, her tongue slid inside, exploring his mouth.
His grip on her tightened as their kiss deepened, and the world fell away. All Ginny could think about (not that she was doing much thinking at all) was the fact that Draco’s arms were around her, Draco’s lips were on hers, Draco’s tongue was in her mouth... and she liked it. She wanted it. She needed it. She needed him.
“Draco,” she murmured against his lips as he kissed her fiercely. She wrapped her arms around his neck and stood on tiptoe, trying to draw him as close as she could. His lips drifted down her neck, trailing kisses in his wake, and she moaned with desire. Ginny couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt such pure lust for a man, and it was just what she needed. He made her feel safe.
“Draco,” she whispered in his ear. “Make love to me.”
He stopped what he was doing and looked at her, his eyes betraying nothing. “Are you sure?” he asked her. “Are you sure this is what you want?”
“Yes,” Ginny said, and she was sure. “I want this. I want you.”
Draco didn’t answer, choosing instead to kiss her again and lift her into his arms, Ginny wrapping her legs around his waist as he carried her inside.
~*~
It was still dark when she woke the next morning, and Ginny would have been quite happy to stay where she was for the next year. Draco lay behind her, his arms around her, and she was cuddled into him. She stroked his arm lightly, careful not to wake him, thankful that today was not a workday.
Ginny drifted in and out of sleep, only waking fully when she felt Draco rise behind her. She sat up and yawned, wiping her eyes sleepily, unconcerned that the sheet had fallen to her waist, leaving her upper body exposed.
Draco was standing next to the bed naked, and he leaned over and kissed her. “Sorry, I didn’t want to wake you. I was going to shower and make you some breakfast.”
“That’s okay,” she said with a smile. “I’m an early riser, too.”
“In that case, care to join me in the shower then?”
“In the interest of saving water?”
He smirked at her. “If it gets you in there, sure.”
“Okay.” She slid out of bed and allowed him to lead her into his bathroom. They stepped into an enormous shower and Ginny stood still while Draco washed her almost reverently, making sure not to miss anywhere. She returned the favour, lingering in some places longer than others, and by the time she was done, Draco had no choice but to carry her back to bed, both of them still dripping wet, and make love to her slowly, teasing her as she had him.
Eventually, they got up and had some breakfast, then decided to go into Muggle London for the day on a sightseeing trip. Ginny knew London better than Draco because her father had taken her there to share his love of all things Muggle. She took Draco to the places Arthur had taken her, sharing anecdotes about her childhood and giving him some insight into her relationship with Arthur. He listened attentively and seemed genuinely interested in what she was saying.
That night, she stayed at Draco’s again, going home only to pick up a change of clothing. Ginny pondered taking over a nightie, but decided that if tonight was a repeat of last night’s events, she wouldn’t have time to be wearing it anyway.
As it turned out, she was right.
~*~
Ginny hadn’t realised Draco had found proof Stuart McDonnell was the wizard responsible for Arthur’s murder until she received an owl from the hospital wing of the Ministry a month later, informing her that Draco had been admitted with serious injuries. She rushed there immediately where Draco’s superior, who also happened to be a friend of the Weasley family, explained to her that Draco had gone to arrest McDonnell for Arthur Weasley’s murder and had been attacked by McDonnell, who had tried to escape. In the ensuing battle for his freedom, McDonnell had thrown some rather nasty hexes and curses Draco’s way, and in spite of having five broken ribs, a broken arm, massive bruising to his face, chest and back, burns to both legs and a serious concussion, Draco had still managed to keep a hold on McDonnell until reinforcements had arrived.
After much pleading, Ginny had been allowed in to visit with Draco for five minutes, and was horrified by his appearance. He skin was paler than normal, his face wan (the parts that weren’t bruised, of course). She knew the potions he’d been given would clear the bruising right up, but the rather large black eye he was sporting was still visible. His bones had been reset and were no longer broken, but Ginny knew he’d be stiff all over and unable to get around normally for a good couple of days. Her heart ached to see him like this.
“Hey, Gin,” he murmured as she got closer.
“Hey yourself,” she said, leaning over to kiss him as softly as she could. “I didn’t know you were awake.”
“It’s a bit hard to sleep.”
“I can imagine.” She kissed him again and very gently stroked the cheek that wasn’t bruised. “You look like a mess.”
“Thanks. Good to see you, too.”
Ginny smiled. “I understand you got McDonnell.”
“Yes.”
“Thank you, Draco. You have no idea how much this means to me, to all of us. Mum will be ever so pleased. I’ve owled her. Don’t be surprised if she comes in to see you.”
“As long as she doesn’t bring me one of those awful jumpers, that’s okay.” Draco had found a drawer full of jumpers knitted by Molly in Ginny’s wardrobe, and had spent a good ten minutes smirking over the fact they all had a ‘G’ in the middle.
Ginny laughed, in spite of the situation. “I can’t make any promises.” She smoothed the hair back off his forehead, placing a kiss there. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”
“I’m not okay. I feel bloody awful.”
“I know, love,” she said soothingly, trying her best to comfort him.
He blinked rapidly, staring at her. “What did you say?”
“I’m allowed to call you ‘love’, aren’t I?”
“You never have before.”
“Well, I am now.” Ginny’s heart was thumping wildly against her chest as she realised just how important Draco Malfoy had become to her. He reached over and squeezed her hand, and Ginny decided she didn’t need to hear him say the words because she already knew.
And that was all that mattered.