Miracle

A/N: This fic is dedicated to all my friends who inspired me to write, particularly Rachael, Andrea, Emily, and my little sis.

Disclaimer:

Although I wish I did, I do not own Cascada or her lyrics to Miracle.

Miracle

March

Ginny awoke with a start. She was breathing heavily and her brow was sweating. She had been remembering the night when it all had happened... the night when she'd ended up in this horrible situation. Quietly she slipped out of bed, put on a pair of slippers and a robe and proceeded out into the hallway. The bleak staircase and dark setting reminded her of everything that had happened. Trying to shut it all out, she crept downstairs for a cup of tea to clear her head.

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December

It had been like any other day, any other day during the war, that is. The moment Harry had left school, it seemed like all hell had broken loose. Death Eaters could be seen walking the streets at night. The Order had become more in demand than ever before. Luckily for Ginny, her parents were prominent members in high esteem with Dumbledore so it wasn't long before she became a member herself. Her stealth skills and her keen wit had moved her up the ranks until she, too, was a member of the core group who met to discuss major war tactics and Harry's next moves. On this particular day, Ginny had left a rather important meeting early in hopes of getting some sleep before a large maneuver they had planned for the next morning. As she proceeded from Number 12 down to a designated apparation point, she paused. She had heard something or someone move behind her. Spinning quickly and placing her hand on her wand, she suddenly wished she'd taken up on Dumbledore's offer to have someone walk her home. A rather large tabby cat appeared out of the bushes and she relaxed. A slight smile came to her face as she'd thought she'd seen Minerva- it was a first name basis with all the Order members now. Placing her wand back inside her robes, she walked on and suddenly everything went black.

***

Draco Malfoy emerged from the exact spot the tabby had hidden and fired a stunning spell at the girl just as three other Death Eaters had emerged, wands raised. As they watched her fall, their gazes turned toward him. They didn't move to lower their wands. Without a word he stepped out towards her body, but another Death Eater stepped in his way.

"Well, well, well," he snarled, "if it isn't my long lost son. Why on earth would you be trying to prevent us from taking her to the Dark Lord if you still supported him?"

"Because it isn't her," Draco replied simply. He proceeded to step around his father, but another Death Eater with his hood still raised stepped in front of him. Draco sighed, clearly not bothered by the situation and proceeded to tell them, "She's a muggle. They bewitched her to look like Weasley and sent her out first. She hasn't come back yet so they know we're here. If you'll let me remove her, I can clear it up with the Dark Lord later." He paused for emphasis, "I am actually doing you a favor. Had you brought the

wrong girl who know's what could have happened to you." He let his words hang in the air menacingly.

Not moving an inch, Lucius replied, "And how do we know this is all true? Where have you been the past few months of battle? Fleeing like a cowardly dog, I'm sure."

"What I do is the Dark Lord's business only. You are no longer the right hand man you claim to be." He pulled up his left sleeve for emphasis. His Dark Mark was pitch black and prominent on his forearm. Without giving anymore explanation, he stepped behind his father and carelessly picked the slight red headed girl, her hair falling in her face as he threw her over his shoulder like a rag doll. Giving his father one last cold look, he apparated.

Draco strode through his doorway, ignoring the house elf trying to take his coat and carried her up his front steps into his small country house's lone bedroom. He carefully laid her on the bed and collapsed from exhaustion, falling on the bed next to her. A small pop could be heard as a silver band appeared on each of their ring fingers but both were fast asleep.

Boy meets girl...

***

Ginny awoke with a start, completely dazed and confused. She looked around her and noticed she was in an unfamiliar room from a position on a four-poster master bed. She looked to her left and saw him. She immediately tried to sit up and grab for her wand, but her head exploded in pain. She flopped back down, holding her head which felt like it was going to split open. Her movement had woken up Draco who sat bleary eyed, watching her grit her teeth until he woke up enough to realize she was in pain. He pulled out his wand and her eyes turned to terror. He remembered she still thought he was a Death Eater. He performed a quick healing spell to remove some of her pain and lowered his wand. She looked even more confused now but she was no longer gripping her head in her hands. She opened her mouth to speak and closed it again. He almost laughed at the absurdity of their situation, but he figured she would take it the wrong way. Suddenly her eyes narrowed and she sprung off the bed, gripping her wand so that her knuckles were white. He followed her gaze to his left forearm and swore. His sleeve was still rolled up to the elbow, his Dark Mark almost exuding evil. He pushed down the sleeve and held his hands up. "Wait," he said simply. Shocked by his simple gestures and his lack of attack, she paused. "I'm not going to hurt you." Ginny rolled her eyes but it was clear that she wasn't going to attack unless provoked. He smirked at her. "If I was going to kill you I've already had several chances. When you left the meeting alone, or when I stunned you were perfect opportunities." Her eyes widened at the mention of the meeting and the wand which had fallen slightly was raised again. Draco sighed, knowing it was going to be a long night. "Yes, I know about the meetings and the Order and even Number 12. In fact, I was there." Seeing the disbelief in Ginny's eyes, he hopped off the bed. She took a step backwards and he paused. "I'm only going to the fireplace so I can have Albus come tell you the full story. You clearly aren't going to believe me." True to his word, he strode over to the fire place, stuck his head in, grabbed some floo powder, and spoke the words, "Albus Dumbledore's living quarters." After a brief conversation, Draco pulled his head out of the fire and, without glancing at Ginny, flopped back down on his bed, clearly tired of his situation and the entire night.

After a few moments of silence, Ginny opened her mouth to ask what Dumbledore had said, but was cut off by him apparating into the room. Dressed in a rather out-of-date nightgown and cap, he had the appearance of an old befuddled man. His eyes, however, were twinkling as he looked at Ginny, understanding the confusion in hers.

"Good evening, Ginevra. I understand you have found out my little secret," Dumbledore said in his even tone. Looking around, he saw that there were no extra seats in Draco's cramped room so with a flick of his wand, two comfy looking armchairs appeared. He took one and gestured for Ginny to take the other. "Do you remember that night last year when you all thought I was dead?"

Nodding, Ginny replied, "Of course, Professor." Even after becoming part of the order she couldn't call him Albus, so she simply called him Professor. She continued, "But what does that have to do with him?" She gestured toward the bed where Draco was looking bored.

"All in good time, all in good time. The plot you are about to hear is known only by myself, Severus, and Draco himself. You see, when Draco was first approached by his father to become a Death Eater, it seemed natural to him. He, of course, had no idea what Voldemort had in mind for him. The plan was for someone on the inside to kill me. When Draco learned of this he went to Severus for guidance. Draco went to him for help because he was a mentor and knew of Voldemort's great influential powers. What he did not know at the time was Severus was also working for the Order. Clearly understanding that Draco did not want to kill me, despite what you may think, he came to me. The two of us devised a plan that allowed it to look like the two of them were in good graces with Voldemort by killing me, but those who needed to know found out in good time that I was still alive and Severus was part of a greater scheme."

"But why not do the same for Mal- Draco?"

"It was for his own safety we thought he should go into hiding. Severus had already been planning to play both sides, but Draco had no idea. It was easier that way to keep him from being found by Voldemort and his father. In due time I was going to reintroduce him to the group, but he has not been missing out on any of the happenings. He has actually been at every meeting." Ginny's eyebrows furrowed. "Did you think Harry's invisibility cloak was one of a kind? I had another one and Draco has been standing in the corner for quite some time. Tonight when you refused an escort, I sent him after you. I am glad to see he did his job well." Sighing, he added, "Unless there is anything else I may help you with, I believe you have the full story."

"Before you go-" Ginny began, but never had the chance to finish as Draco took a sharp intake of breath. Both Dumbledore and Ginny turned to look at him. He was pulling at something on his left hand ring finger, but to no avail. Out of no where, a piece of parchment appeared, floating right at Draco's eye level. Pausing, Draco plucked it out of the air and quickly scanned it, his eyes narrowing with hatred. He dropped the document and stormed over towards Ginny, his wand raised and his mouth formed to curse her, but she disarmed him quickly, before he had a chance to finish. His wand flew out of his hand and the force of the spell knocked him off his feet. She was immediately towering over him, her wand pointed at his chest, her eyes daring him to try to move. Understanding the threat, without a wand he simply lay there staring up at her with pure hatred.

"Ginevra Weasley." Dumbledore's tone wasn't raised, but it was stern and powerful. Ginny dropped her wand to her side and stepped back, but she didn't take her eyes off Draco. He stood up, his gaze traveling to her left hand. Her eyes followed her gaze.

She noticed the silver ring just as he said, "What the hell did you do to me?"

She, too, instinctively tried to pull the ring off, but the parchment that had caused Draco's explosion whisked itself over to her. Reluctantly she grabbed the document and her eyes widened. Her voice barely above a whisper in order to reign in the rage fuming inside her she said, "You think I would want this?" Unable to control herself, her voice raised, "You honestly think I would manipulate you in order to marry you?! Number one, I don't trust you, despite the wonderful things the Professor has to say about you. Number two, I despise you. I always have and I always will." Full out yelling now, Ginny took a breath to go on, but Dumbledore stepped in.

"Did you say marry him?" Completely consumed in her rage, Ginny didn't notice the slight amusement in his voice.

Ginny handed him the certificate and he glanced it over. "Well, it does seem to be that you two are legally married as per wish of your mother." Glancing at the shocked look on both of their faces, he asked, "Were you unaware, Draco, that there was a clause in her will stating that this bed," he gestured toward the spot where Draco had been siting, "was to be shared with your wife only?"

Ginny began to turn beet red, believing that Draco had taken advantage of her while she was unconscious, but before she could draw any further conclusions Draco put in, "You honestly think I would... with her?" He laughed uncomfortably.

"Did you fall asleep on the bed?" A silence followed, both realizing that they had. Then the fact that this made them husband and wife sunk in.

Breaking the tension, Ginny stated, "I never wanted to get a divorce, but for you, dearest, I'll make an exception." Draco snorted at her comment.

"Unfortunately, Ginevra, that cannot happen," Dumbledore said to the couple.

"Oh, I understand that we'll have to wait until morning, but..."she trailed off as she saw Dumbledore's head shaking.

"You see, my dear, we have laws to prevent this kind of thing from happening. Normally any person under 18 must have a legal guardian's permission to get married. In this situation, however, Narcissa's will was enough. In order for you to get a divorce, null and voiding the clause in her will, you must both have parental approval. Seeing as it would not be wise to ask for Lucius's permission, it seems that you two will have to wait until Draco is 18 in," Dumbledore proceeded to pull out a pocket watch and, glancing at it finished, "4 months, 6 days, 2 hours, 12 minutes, and 3 seconds." After pausing to let this sink in, he added, "I am not quite ready yet to let the others know of Draco's involvement, so Ginny, you will have to stay here for the time being. When the time is right, I will inform your parents of your situation and all we will have to do is wait for Draco's birthday in April. I shall tell the rest of the Order you are on a special mission."

"I have to stay with him?" Ginny asked weakly.

"I am afraid that is what you are bound by law to do. Also, considering the will states that you are married because you shared that bed, I would suggest sharing it until I can uncover more on the origin of the clause."

"She's staying?" Draco added.

"I would suggest that, Ginevra, you go home and pack up all your necessary belongings and move them in for the time being. Draco, I expect to find her here tomorrow morning alive and well. The same goes for you, Ginevra. You must spend the night here, but I do not want to have to discipline you two. You are in a time of war and certain precautions must be taken to ensure our position with the enemy. It is not time to work out petty feuds you had at school. You must leave them behind you and work together. Now, if you'll excuse me, it is late and we have a mission planned for the morning. Ginevra, come wearing gloves. If someone were to see the ring, all hope would be lost. I will announce that you are leaving tomorrow morning. Draco, our plan stays the same. You may fill Ginevra in on the parts which may concern her. Good night." Without pausing to see if they understood, he nodded and apparated home.

Ginny turned to Draco briskly and said, "I'm going to my apartment. I'll be back shortly." With a turn, she apparated as well, leaving Draco alone. He walked over to the bed that had caused him so much trouble, sat down, and put his head in his hands.

You were my dream my world.

But I was blind...

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March

Remembering their first uncomfortable night together, Ginny smiled softly in the dark. She had left the kitchen unlit in hopes of not waking Draco.

The mission the next day had gone well. They had successfully infiltrated a Death Eater camp on the outskirts of London. She had even single-handedly captured MacNair, the man who had almost killed Buckbeak in her second year. After that, though, things had gotten dull. She was stuck almost 24/7 in Draco's little cottage, scared of being seen by someone she knew. She did manage, however, to make a garden out back. It was the only place she could be herself. She managed all sorts of household tasks and had even rearranged the sparse bedroom furniture to consolidate what little room they had. She transformed Draco's house somewhat into a home. Of course, the conversation wasn't much, so during the day, she had struck up quite a friendship with Gerty, the house elf. Draco had never paid attention to her much, so Ginny was welcomed with open arms. She had quickly learned the ropes of housekeeping as well as different key signals for Draco's various moods. While the Dumbledore was right, he had changed, he still held on to some prejudices and anger. He would often come home at night in an awful mood, cursing and hexing anyone or thing that got in his way. She had learned to read his body language because in the three months they had lived together he had barely said a word to her. Ginny sipped her tea, staring out the window into the early morning twilight. So caught up in her revelry, she didn't hear Draco come downstairs. She didn't notice him until he was in the chair beside her. She practically jumped out of her skin. The look on his face scared her. She had never seen this one before. His eyes were slightly bleary from sleep and he seemed confused by, well, her existence. It was as if he had no recollection of her ever being there. He sat down beside her with a sigh. Clearly unsure of what to do, she sat staring out the window, but peered at him from the corner of her eye. He seemed locked-down, but at the same time, more relaxed than she'd ever seen him. She tensed in the silence, unsure of what he was going to do.

"I'm not going to hex you," he said abruptly.

Ginny turned, holding on to the table to keep from falling out of her chair. "That's the first full sentence you've said to me since we were married." He only smirked in reply. She turned back to her tea and glared. He couldn't tell, but inside she was hurt. It was the first thing he'd said to her in three months and it was 'I'm not going to hex you'?!?! They sat there for a while in silence, Ginny trying not to scream at his lack of emotion and movement. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. She turned, risking aggravating him, and said, "Hi. I'm your wife Ginny. You may not know it, but I've been living in your- our- house for the past three months. I have been stuck here, forced to talk to the house elf and the plants in the yard while you have been out in the real world - living! I haven't seen or talked to anyone else for a long time. So maybe you can find it in that huge ego of yours somewhere the common courtesy to say a few sentences to me every now and then." She turned back to her mug, quite red in the face.

"Fred's getting married," he told her bluntly.

"What?" Her attitude quickly deflated.

"Fred's getting -"

"I know what you said," she cut in quite flustered. "I meant to whom? And when? And why hasn't Dumbledore told me?"

"To Angelina in about three weeks. Albus said to tell you myself so it wouldn't draw attention to him."

"When did you find out?"

"Yesterday."

"Why didn't you tell me?" she demanded.

"Yesterday wasn't a good day." She remembered him coming home. He had been in one of his moods. He even almost hit their bed with a particularly nasty curse. (The wall now had a rather large burnt mark.)

"Why?" she asked for the first time. He stood up, she thought, to leave, but instead, he went to the counter and poured himself a cup of tea. He stood there, simply staring into space for a while. She didn't know how long it was before he answered.

"I killed a muggle." His voice sounded indifferent, but she could tell that it pained him. She stood and walked over beside him. He didn't look at her. She knew that if he had, she would have seen tears in his eyes. She hesitantly placed a hand on his shoulder. The simple gesture seemed to melt some of his could-unfeeling exterior. His shoulders slightly slumped. His voice cracking, he said, "I want so badly to leave the Dark Lord, but Albus needs an insider. I'm his - our - only option..." His voice trailed off. He swallowed and suddenly the rough uncaring exterior returned, but now, having seen into it, he seemed softer around the edges. If she looked into his eyes she could see his pain. Sensing that he was done talking so intimately, she let her hand slide down his arm and fall to her side. She took her seat again and sipped her tea.

"So am I invited? Or am I supposed to stay here?"

At first he looked confused, but then he remembered Fred's wedding and looked grateful that she had changed the subject. "Albus doesn't want a large celebration because it will only attract Death Eaters like me," he added almost bitterly. "They're going to have it at the next full Order meeting. Angelina's been coming with Fred so she's a part of the Order now, too."

By the crestfallen look on her face, he could tell she wanted to be there. "If you can fit, you can stay under the cloak with me."

She looked up. "Thank you," she said softly. She yawned. The sun was just peeking up over the horizon. I'm going back to bed, if you don't mind. When are you getting home today?"

"Why do you want to know?" He asked almost defensively. It was obvious they had never had this conversation before.

Slightly confused, she replied, "I was just curious. I thought..." She let it go knowing it was futile.

"I'm home today." He yawned widely and she could tell he was just as tired.

"You should get some sleep then." He nodded and motioned for her to lead. She levitated their mugs to the sink for Gerty. She then proceeded up the steps to bed, Draco following silently behind her.

***

Ginny awoke to sunlight streaming in through the bedroom window. She lay silently for a moment, her eyes closed, the last dregs of sleep leaving her. Suddenly, she opened her eyes. She was lying with her head on his bare chest. Not wanting to wake him, she carefully lifted herself off him and onto her pillow. The movement caused him to moan in his sleep. She froze. He rolled, unintentionally placing his arm around her waist. She tried to wriggle free, but there was no way to do it without waking him. She gave up and lay there, his warm breath blowing on the back of her neck. Her heart skipped a beat. Immediately her mind shut it down. Even though she was married to him - and he did have a great body - there was no way she was going to be attracted to Draco Malfoy. She closed her eyes to try to sleep again, but her heart began racing. She was curled up in the arms of one of the hottest men in Britain, and all she could do was worry about how to get away. She decided she was allowed to be attracted to him, but there was no way she was falling for him. Finally, having sorted her thoughts out, Ginny fell back to sleep...

The next thing she knew, she was on the floor in a heap of covers and Draco was sitting on the bed trying to decide whether to look angry, confused, or embarrassed. He settled on the scowl he knew best. Ginny played dumb. "Am I really that hard to wake?" She rubbed her head from the fall. When she got no response, she stood up, stuck her tongue out, and sauntered out the door. She didn't turn back so he wouldn't be able to see the redness of her face because she realized how childish she was. (She also realized she was flirting with a man how had very little clothing on.) He stood up, confused by her actions as she walked out of the bedroom. He took a moment, but then grabbed a shirt and hurried downstairs after her. She was stepping off the bottom step when he grabbed her wrist. She turned, relieved he'd put something on. She put on her most confident face, but he could see right through it.

"What were you doing?" he asked.

"What was I doing?" she asked, mocking hurt. She pulled her wrist from his grasp and replied, "You are asking the wrong person. I was trying to get up, but you locked me in a death grip." She turned to go.

"Ginny." His voice was soft with a hint of agitation. Ginny froze. She shut her eyes to keep from falling over. He had never called her by her name before. Of course he had called her Weasley and even Ginevra, but never 'Ginny'. She turned, her eyes flitting back open, trying to appear mad that he was stopping her - again. Apparently it worked because a low growl emitted from his throat. Even though she was slightly alarmed, Ginny ignored him. She rolled her eyes and skulked off to the kitchen, her good mood failing. As she walked through the doorway, Draco apparated in front of her. Behind his cool façade, she could tell he was seething because his quiet life had been interrupted and he wasn't used to not getting what he wanted. She couldn't help but subconsciously hope that maybe part of him didn't want to deal with being attracted to her. She didn't let this show on her face though. Instead she grinned, egging him on. She didn't know what she was doing, seeing as how destructive he could be when he was angry, but he'd started it and she couldn't stop. Seeing his eyes flicker in confusion momentarily, she tried to duck under his arm which was barring the doorway. He was too fast and swung both arms to that side, pushing her against the door frame and placing his hands on the wall on either side of her head.

Without meaning to, Ginny turned. His face was extremely close to hers and his breath was hot on her face. His eyes recognized her discomfort, but not in the way it was meant. He thought she was afraid of him so he tried to prove her right.

"I've done my fair share for the Dark Lord and I know how to make a person disappear. Don't think I'll make an exception for my wife." His voice was low and menacing. The words actually instilled some fear into Ginny's subconscious brain, but she was too far in to go back now.

"So I stick my tongue out at you and you threaten to kill me. What's next? I kick you in my sleep and you break my leg?" As an after thought she added, "Well, at least you got the wife part right." It was lame and she knew it, but it was getting harder and harder to think with him this close. Draco's eyes narrowed, but before he could say anything, Gerty appeared.

"Master?" Gerty asked bowing and bobbing her head.

Draco looked to her begrudgingly, but his arms didn't move from the wall.

"Master Snape's here to see you, Sir." She kept her eyes on the floor as she spoke, knowing Draco was in one of his moods. "I let him in the parlor, Sir. He's waitin'. He say its important, Sir." Having delivered her message, Gerty disappeared into the shadows to wait for further instructions. Draco turned his gaze back to Ginny. While he had been occupied with Gerty, she had managed to compose her face and regain her light mood.

"So should we play the part?" Seeing his brow furrow, she added, "The part of a happy couple, I mean."

Draco dropped his hands and covered his face in disbelief. He secretly wished he'd never said anything to Ginny in the first place. Then he wouldn't have to deal with her insufferable fickle moods. Ginny took the moment of Draco's distraction to move away from to a place where she could breath more easily. Despite his clear disapproval of her idea, she looked on, waiting for his answer. "Albus will have told him," was all he answered. Not taking this as an answer, Ginny took his hand in hers. He instinctively pulled it out of her grip and walked off before she could see the rare flush on his face. It had been a long time since anyone had intentionally touched him. She quickly followed him, trying unsuccessfully to keep up with his long strides. She tripped, falling to the floor and pulling a rather large vase down with her. The loud crash brought Severus out of the parlor in a flash, his wand raised. Seeing Ginny on the floor, bright red with embarrassment, and Draco standing above her trying to look annoyed, but actually almost smiling, confused him to say the least. His gaze traveled back and forth from the pair, completely unsure of what was going on.

"What are you doing here, Weasley?" Severus asked snidely. Even though the rest of the order was on a first name basis, he refused to give any Gryffindor that much respect.

"I happen to live here. It kind of works that way when you're married."

Severus' look of disdain quickly changed to shock. "When you're - married?" he stuttered.

Ginny grinned. "I've never see you at such a loss for words. Now would you mind helping me up? - Seeing as my husband seems to be paralyzed." Completely shocked by this sudden chain of events, Severus forgot to be mad at Ginny.

After reaching out a hand to help her up, Severus suggested to Draco, "Perhaps you could tell me what's going on?"

Draco seemed to have gotten over Ginny's mishap and gone back to being his normal antisocial self. "Why don't you tell him, Ginny. I'll go find the elf and... get some tea." He added muttering to himself as he turned to leave, "I have a feeling this is going to be a long morning."

After having fully explained everything to Severus, Ginny set back with a sigh. Her eyes wandered around the room noticing how much more civilized everything was now that they had company, lousy though it was. Now that Ginny was part of the Order, Severus had to tolerate her somewhat, but with no one else around, it seemed he no longer cared how rude or biased he was towards her. Draco, being unable to avoid it any longer, strode in, Gerty following behind him, the tea tray tilting precariously in her hands. Ginny hastened to help her, giving Draco a dirty look for not helping. He returned it with an equally dirty look that seemed to mock her. She turned away so she could nod to Gerty that it was okay to leave.

Severus looked up from a train of thought. Not ever glancing at Ginny when she placed his tea before him, he looked to Draco and asked, "Why not use and aging potion. With my skills they aren't difficult to brew. It would -" he stopped when Draco held up a hand. He was clearly annoyed that he'd been stopped but he waited to hear what Draco said.

"Albus warned against it. Just because I would be eighteen, the legal terms count birthdays." He left it at that, closing the discussion. "What was it you came for, Severus?"

He glanced condescendingly at Ginny before saying, "It is a private matter, Draco. Its something your Gryffindor friend shouldn't hear." He sneered at Ginny.

Her face turned bright red and she opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, Draco cut in, "She happens to be my wife. What I do isn't a mystery to her. Don't insult a Malfoy without intending to pay for it." Ginny closed her mouth in shock, but neither seemed to see her reaction. Not only had Draco defended her, but he'd called her by his own name! Ginevra Malfoy. It had a nice ring to it, she thought. She blinked back into reality, realizing how dangerous her daydreams could be.

Severus glared at her before turning a hostile stare to Draco. His former favorite student looked on coolly, waiting for Severus to begin. Knowing Draco wasn't going to change his mind, Severus began, "The Dark Lord is worried about you loyalty. You come when he calls, but he knows your heart is not in it."

"And how would you know the inner workings of the Dark Lord's mind? After you failed him so horribly, it seems unlikely that he has even fully welcomed you back into the circle again." Draco was clearly still hurt from the remarks Severus had made, but for the life of her, Ginny couldn't understand why.

"I have my sources, " Severus hissed in reply. "The Dark Lord still believes you did him a great favor in killing Albus, so he is willing to give you a chance to redeem yourself. At the next full moon, he will call you. He's going to question you, so be prepared." Severus stood to leave. "Remember, Draco, I am doing this for Albus, not for you. If it were up to me, well, I'd feed your secrets to the Dark Lord in a heart beat. That includes your petty wife." He stared at Draco, waiting for a reaction, but finding none, he disapparated in anger.

Ginny stared at the place where Severus had been moments before for a few seconds, and then her gaze turned to Draco. "Thank you."

Draco looked up, his look seemed to suggest that he had forgotten she was even there. "What?"

"I said 'Thank you,'" Seeing no recognition in his eyes, she added, "thank you... for standing up for me."

"Oh. Yeah." He tried hard not to look embarrassed, but he wouldn't look into her eyes. He clearly had acted on impulse and hadn't thought about defending her. He stood up to leave, but she placed a hand on his arm. It affected him again, but he only flinched instead of yanking his arm away.

She stood, letting her hand fall, and forced him to look into her eyes. "What happened between you two that he acted that way?"

Draco breathed again and answered, "He doesn't think its right that I am still in hiding. He thinks I have it easy, just playing one side, but he doesn't know I'm at the meetings.

"Well its not your fault. Dumbledore needs you to hide!" Her tone was suddenly defensive, surprising both of them. She added lightly, trying to cover the awkwardness, "He must not know how hard it is to live with me all the time. If he did, he'd know you had enough to deal with already!" The corner of Draco's mouth curved up in a wry smile. The awkward moment passed, and they stood there, for the moment, as if everything was going to work out alright.

***

April

The days passed uneventfully. She continued playing the role of a homemaker. She bonded a little more with Gerty and seemed to be able to make normal conversation with Draco now. It was never like the first night they talked, though. Draco seemed to keep his emotions pent up inside. That wasn't to say they didn't fight. It was at least a daily occurrence. It was always something trivial and both had such stubborn personalities that no one ever gave in. It usually ended up that Ginny did something stupid and Draco couldn't help but get over his anger and make fun of her. The one thing he could never get used to, though, was their shared bed. It seemed after that eventful morning that Ginny always awoke lying on his chest. Every morning she tried to move carefully so as not to wake him, but no matter how careful she was, it always resulted in her on the ground in a heap of sheets and blankets. Finally, about three weeks later, Ginny decided enough was enough. When she woke up with her head on his bare skin, she stayed there. If it was going to be this way, she wasn't going to avoid fate. Instead, she breathed in deeply. She kept her eyes shut and listened to his heart beat. She slid her hand along his arm and subconsciously began tracing shapeless patterns on his chest. He stopped breathing, but Ginny didn't notice. Suddenly he sat up, knocking her off of him, but for once, not onto the floor. He looked at her, the fear in his eyes wasn't hidden. Not sure how to respond, Ginny cheerfully spoke up. "Good morning!" She lifted herself into a sitting position and hugged her knees to her chest. The fear didn't leave his eyes so she continued, "So today's the day!"

Realizing that Ginny wasn't going to address the situation, Draco started, "What was that about?"

She ignored him and added, "Today is Fred's wedding, isn't it?" She hopped off the bed before he could stop her. "I wonder what I should wear..." She turned back to him, still sitting on the bed, and saw that the look of fear was gone, replaced by a look of hopelessness.

He shook his head at her and responded, "We'll be under the cloak. The point is no one is supposed to see you." He swung his legs around to the side and stretched. He strode over to his closet and pulled out a muggle outfit. He proceeded to dress and saw Ginny staring at him. He ignored her and headed into the bathroom. He did what he needed to do and then waited a few minutes to give Ginny plenty of time to dress. They'd arranged this so it wouldn't be uncomfortable for her. When he came back out, she was in a simple muggle top and skirt and, he wouldn't admit it for his life, but she looked beautiful. "I told you no one will see you."

"You will," she replied. He turned away so she wouldn't see his shocked expression. He went over to his closet and pulled out the cloak. He composed his face and turned back to her.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Yup!" she responded excitedly. She thought highly of Angelina and couldn't wait to see her brother settle down... if that was even possible. Draco looked at her and sighed. He walked toward her and threw the cloak around them. Hesitantly taking her hands, he apparated to the apparation point of Number 12 Grimmauld Place. They walked to the front of the houses and watched as Number 12 appeared. Draco led the way, holding on to Ginny's hand so she wouldn't let the cloak slip. The pair quietly slipped inside and proceeded to the meeting room. Now that all of the so called "children" were a part of the Order, too, it was no longer to meet in a sealed room so Ginny and Draco had no problem entering the meeting room. However, no one was there. They retraced their steps and found everyone chatting in the sitting room, waiting for Angelina to enter. Fred looked scared stiff at the front and George, his best man, was standing next to him, trying to joke around and loosen him up. He was wearing a tux and looking as formal as Ginny had ever seen him. She glanced around and saw her entire family taking up half of one side of the room. Only Percy wasn't there. Although they loved him, the Weasley family hated to admit it, but they couldn't completely trust him. He still believed Fudge was an honest man, no matter what Dumbledore told him. Even Fleur was there. Soon after Bill had regained his strength, the pair had gotten hitched. They still weren't sure how the wounds he had sustained in the battle were going to turn out, but they were hoping for the best. Ginny's eyes traveled further into the room and saw Remus holding hands with Tonks, finally having given in to her persistent refusal to care that he was a werewolf. Ginny suddenly realized Ron wasn't seated with them. Her eyes frantically searched the sea of red, but he wasn't there. Then she noticed Hermione at the front in a lovely pink robe. She was clearly the only bridesmaid. Ron was putting a necklace around her neck. Hermione was beaming and Ginny itched to go ask her right then and there how she had finally gotten Ron's attention. It was clear by Ron's red ears that she was his dream come true. Looking further up Ginny noticed Minerva and, next to her was seated Severus. Her eyes narrowed when she looked at him, having to force herself to look on so she wouldn't hex him then and there. In front of Severus was Dumbledore and various

other Order members and... Harry. He looked older than she had seen him in a long time. It was the first time she had looked at him as a boy of 17 rather than the Boy Who Lived, their savior. His eyes had shadows and his shoulders were stooped. He was still Harry, but he had lost the flame inside him. He had resigned himself to the fact that he was probably going to die fighting Voldemort. She realized that the feelings she had had for him last year were gone. Instead, they were replaced with pity and the love of a friend. She would always be there for him, but he would never be the same.

A faint melody began floating through the room. Knowing it meant Angelina was about to walk down the "aisle," Ginny turned quickly. She tripped on the corner fo the cloak and Draco grabbed her to keep her from falling and blowing their cover. His arm wrapped roughly around her waist and his other arm quickly covered her mouth to keep her from making any noise. Keeping his arms where they were, Draco pulled her to the back of the room and out of the way. He let his left arm fall from her mouth, but his right arm remained wrapped around her. Ginny's heart was racing. She was sure he could hear it. So concerned with the fact that he hadn't let go yet, she missed Angelina passing them by. She was wearing simple white robes with pale pink roses bewitched to float about her. Ginny realized that there must be some reason why Draco was still holding her so she relaxed into him, letting her head rest under his chin. He stiffened, but she didn't move. He maintained his rough composure for a while, but relaxed as the time passed. Before long, Ginny realized that she felt perfectly comfortable here. She felt safe in his arms. She watched as Fred and Angelina made their vows and knew that the love they shared was what she wanted. Dumbledore finished the rights and the two kissed, not caring how anyone reacted. Ginny grinned at the look on her mother's face. She turned her head to see Draco's reaction. His eyes were hard, but focused, not letting any emotion meet them. The sense of safety evaporated and she was left feeling cold and alone.

So on my own,

I feel so all alone...

He didn't look down at her even though he knew she was looking at him. When she looked back, the pair was coming back down the "aisle" together. Ginny took control of the situation and, taking Draco's arm, led him out after Fred and Angelina before anyone else got in their way. She turned the corner toward the door and Draco pulled her back roughly. She had to stop so the cloak would still cover her. He waited until the others had followed into the kitchen. Dumbledore was the last to leave and he seemed to glance and wink in their direction, but he moved too quickly for her to tell.

Once they were all gone and it was clear they weren't coming back, Draco let go and turned to her.

"What are you doing?" he hissed.

She replied just as quietly, "I was going outside."

Exasperated, he lowered his tone until it was barely audible. "Why." It wasn't a question but rather a statement that was expecting an answer.

"If you had let me go outside, I wouldn't have to whisper the answer." He simply stared at her, waiting for an answer. Ginny sighed. "I was going to take you outside so you could leave. You obviously aren't here for your own enjoyment."

He smirked and she scowled. "You honestly think I'd leave you here alone with the option of getting caught? How would you explain the cloak? 'Oh, my husband, Draco Malfoy - yes, the Death Eater - lent it to me.' Come on, Ginny, I'm not that stupid. Besides, we still have a meeting later." His words stung and Ginny had to look away and stare at the wall to keep the tears from falling. He noticed how much that had hurt her, but had no experience in how to handle the situation. "Ginny," he said, sighing, clearly not understanding the magnitude of his actions.

"Fine. We'll stay," she confirmed abruptly. She turned her head to look at him and her eyes were cold, revealing none of the emotion she held pent up inside. She was learning from him how easy it was just to give everyone the cold shoulder. She also realized how alone he must feel when he did. She didn't add any more so he simply began walking toward the kitchen. It was amazing how much room she could find in such a confined space when she didn't want to touch him.

They got to the kitchen door and Draco stopped. Ginny ran right into him but made no comment. She looked flustered but simply looked at him with an expression he took to mean as "What the hell are you doing?" He motioned to the door and she realized it was closed. It would have been a death trap to open the door at that point. If the door just opened and no one was there, it would have meant twenty different curses would be hurled their way instantaneously. "They're just eating. They'll have to send a guard out when they start." Draco shook his head and motioned to the door. Somehow Mundungus Fletcher had gotten there and was sitting playing with his wand and checking an inventory of stolen goods. Ginny's shoulders sagged. She leaned against the wall to wait for someone to come out.

As time passed, her legs grew tired and she sat on the floor. Draco followed suit. She wasn't sure how long they had been sitting there, but it had to have been hours. All hope that the door would open was now gone. Forgetting her anger at him, Ginny leaned her head against his shoulder in frustration and exhaustion. Suddenly he yanked his arm away. He pulled in a sharp breath. She looked at him in confusion and then noticed he was holding his left forearm tightly. Her eyes widened. Neither had though of Severus' warning recently and she knew it was the full moon. Without saying a word to her, Draco cast a silencing spell around them and apparated home.

Draco threw off the cloak and raced to the closet for his black hooded robe, all the while holding his arm. Throwing it over himself and raising the hood, he paused to look at Ginny. Staring at him, she told him, "Be careful." He looked at her, his expression sad, and vanished.

Suddenly very awake, Ginny began pacing. She ran her fingers through her hair and tried to calm herself down. She knew something bad was going to happen. He hadn't prepared answers. He was going to mess up and she would feel responsible because she had distracted him. She didn't know how, but she knew that she had. As much as they hated each other, Ginny knew she didn't want Draco to die.

She walked for what seemed like days, but she knew that it couldn't have been more than an hour because the moon hadn't moved much higher into the sky. Exhausted, she sat on the bed with her head in her hands.

The next thing she knew, she heard a loud crack and a thump. She lifted her head out of her hands realizing she must have fallen asleep at some point. Judging by the moon, it was probably midnight. Straightening up, Ginny saw a heap of black on the floor. Not fully awake, it wasn't until Ginny saw the pale moonlit hair that she knew it was Draco. She raced to his side, silently praying it wasn't too late. With all her strength, she rolled him over and he moaned. She pushed some hair out of his eyes and realized his unconscious brow was furrowed in pain. She performed some quick pain relief spells she knew and his face relaxed. Knowing she couldn't lift him, she levitated him to the bed. Carefully Ginny pulled the black cloak off and gingerly lifted his shirt off. She let out a gasp. His chest and arms were covered in bruises and cuts. She ran to the door and flung it open. "Gerty?" she called frantically. The little house elf appeared, rubbing her eyes and yawning.

"Yes, Mistress Ginny?"

"Get me some bandages and ointments. Now!" Gerty looked at her and saw the fear in her eyes. She vanished and Ginny went back to Draco. She had no idea what had happened, but it was clear he was barely holding on to life.

Gerty reappeared, her arms overflowing with supplies. Ginny couldn't help but weakly smile. Gerty quickly brought the items over to Ginny and began to help her cover Draco's wounds. Her lack of talking let Ginny know that she knew how serious the situation was. When they had done all they could for him, Ginny crawled onto the bed. She gingerly pulled him up so she was seated with her back to the head board and his head rested lightly on her chest. After getting situated, Ginny turned to Gerty. "Thank you," she whispered.

"Welcome ma'am. Master Draco's lucky to have sumbudy like you to care for 'im." She bobbed her head and walked out the door, careful to shut it quietly behind her. Gerty's words stuck in Ginny's head. She realized she had broken her own rules an fallen for him. She kissed his hair and then rested her cheek on his head. A faint smile crossed her lips. Ginevra Malfoy...it did have a nice ring. The smile faded as she realized she only had two weeks left to make him feel the same way. She sighed and stroked his arm, knowing it was going to be a long and difficult task...

I need a miracle.

I want to be your girl.

Give me a chance to see,

That you were made for me.

I need a miracle.

Please let me be your girl.

One day you'll see, it can happen to me,

It can happen to me...

Ginny awoke tired and stiff from a her awkward position. She sighed and Draco's head turned in his sleep. His breath was warm against her neck. She stroked his arm and the motion caused him to stir. He immediately tried to sit up, but Ginny easily held him down. He was still very weak and bruised. He seemed dazed. "Where am I?" he asked her.

"You're home, in bed with your wife," Ginny answered quietly. Draco got very still. She realized she hadn't used her normal quip of an answer and it perplexed him. He seemed to sense the change in her, but he didn't say anything. She carefully slipped out from under him and rested his head against a pile of pillows. He didn't complain so she let him be. "I'm going to find Gerty and get you some breakfast. I assure this will be the only time you get breakfast in bed under my watch." She attempted to uphold her light banter, but it was clear she was trying for him.

Ginny walked out the door and down into the kitchen. She didn't call Gerty because she knew Gerty had had as long a night as she had. Ginny quickly prepared some eggs and toast, hoping they would taste alright. Carefully carrying the tray upstairs, she somehow managed to get there without tripping. She set the table up on the bed and sat down beside him. Without saying a word, he began to eat, very very slowly. It seemed a chore to even make that much movement without hurting himself.

Ginny sat there watching him for a while, but she couldn't hold back her curiosity. She couldn't stand it any longer so she asked, "So what happened last night?"

He paused and looked at her. Laying his fork down he looked at her. His gaze was sad and she realized that he didn't want to talk about it, but she didn't back down. He sighed.

"He asked me about you."

"He what?" she practically shouted. She stood up in a panic.

He ran a hand through his hair. "Not like that." Her eyes were still wide so he told her, "Sit down, Ginny. If you don't I won't explain." She immediately obliged and waited impatiently. "The night I brought you back here because my father and two other Death Eaters showed up. I stunned you so they wouldn't take you hostage." He took a deep breath and continued, "I told them the Order had bewitched a muggle to look like you as a precaution and I'd take care of it so they wouldn't bring the wrong girl to the Dark Lord. The Dark Lord saw it in Lucius' head and he realized I had never told him about it. So he asked me about it and I couldn't think of a better answer fast enough."

"So what did you tell him?"

"I told him I'd taken you and done what I wanted to you. Then I...disposed of you. He didn't believe that I would do that. Which is true, but I couldn't admit to that. He could tell I wasn't giving him the whole story, and when I wouldn't tell him anymore, he..." Draco didn't finish the sentence, but Ginny understood where it had gone from there.

"I'm sorry."

Draco looked up, confused. "Why?"

"I kind of caused all this. I practically ruined your life!"

Draco smirked, but it faded when he saw she was serious. He told her firmly, "No, Ginny. This is my life. I make my own decisions and mistakes." She looked down and stroked his hand, knowing he was right but not believing him. He gently pulled his hand away and began to eat again. His eggs were cold and too salty, but he didn't say anything because he knew she had made them. He downed the last of the toast with a glass of milk and pushed the tray away. Ginny simply sat there, staring at him, uncharacteristically not talking. She didn't know how she had missed it before. It was as if she was blind and had just now seen the light. She sighed, knowing she was confusing him, and stood up.

Reaching out and picking up his tray, she told him, "I'll take this downstairs. You should get some rest. You could use some beauty sleep." She tried to joke, but it scared her to see him so incapacitated.

"Whatever you say." He absentmindedly fingered his Mark which was still somewhat sore and tingling.

Ginny took the tray to the door and paused to look back at him. He lay there somewhat serenely until he felt her watching him. He opened his eyes to see what she was doing, but she was already gone.

Day and night,

I'm always by your side.

Cause I know for sure

My love is real my feelings pure.

So take a try,

No need to ask me why.

Cause I know, its true,

I'm still in love with you...

***

The days passed all too quickly. Ginny tried hard to get Draco's attention, but the harder she tried, the further away he seemed to get. April 23^th, his birthday, loomed closer and closer. When she'd first realized his birthday was in April, she laughed. It seemed so out of place with his pale skin and white blonde hair. Then she realized her birthday was in August, a particularly boring and uneventful month, so the month in which he was born didn't affect him at all. All the same, she tried to make the spring fever which had infected her make him more like she thought he should be. However, after that night, he never was the same. He was, if possible, quieter than before. He seemed to always have a sad and defeated look on his face.

Voldemort didn't come to attack him, but that didn't mean he didn't call. Twice Draco's Dark Mark came alive and caused him progressively worse pain. Each time she would sit with him, gently stroking his back. Both times his face was twisted in agony and his arm was gripped in pain, but his eyes were on her and they were filled with sadness. It seemed that his eyes were trying to communicate something to her, but his words would never tell her...

The dreaded day finally came. Ginny woke up dazed and her heart racing. She immediately knew something was wrong. Her head wasn't lying on Draco's chest, but rather a strategically placed pillow. In fact, he wasn't in the bed at all. Ginny sat up abruptly. She frantically looked around. He wasn't in the room. Outside it was raining and she shivered. She pulled his bathrobe out of the bathroom because she was cold and wrapped it tightly around her. Taking a deep breath, she inhaled his scent, knowing it was quite possibly the last time she would be able to do so. Calming down, she slowly proceeded to the door and carefully treaded down the steps. She glanced in the kitchen, but he wasn't there either. She walked along the hall and paused in the door way to Draco's study. She had never been in there, but the door was open. She figured it was her last chance.

Draco didn't use the study much, so she was surprised when she saw him lying on a couch next to a lit fireplace she never knew existed. He was facing the other direction. She was sure he could hear her, but he didn't acknowledge the fact. "Happy birthday," she said weakly. Not being able to avoid it any longer, he turned his head to look at her. His face was different than it had been in a long time. His eyes were the cold ones she hadn't seen since Fred's wedding. His mouth was set in a firm line. Any shred of hope she had fell away, leaving her feeling small and broken.

She looked at him for a few moments and then he said, "So you're leaving today." It wasn't a question, but Ginny answered anyway.

"Yes," she said quietly.

"Have you packed up?" His tone was flat and uncaring.

"No," she said, her voice cracking. She had to look to the floor so she wouldn't start crying. He could tell he was hurting her, but he didn't say a word. Her heart was crumbling into innumerable pieces and she knew only he could put it back together. Finally, knowing there was nothing left to say, she swallowed and turned to leave. As she stepped through the door, her hand caught on the frame. She turned and saw him still staring at her with dead eyes. "Don't you get it?" she practically shouted at him. More quietly she added, "You don't, do you?" She took a deep breath and told him, "I love you!" She ran from the room and out the back door into the rain.

Ginny stopped when she reached her little garden. The past two weeks while she had been focusing on Draco it had been kept up by Gerty. She stared at it and the tears began to fall. There was no use in crying, but she needed to get it out. She knew, that despite the rain, anyone would have been able to tell she was crying. The wind whipped her long, red hair around, blowing it in her face. A flash of lightening lit up the sky and she saw a shadow behind her. Slowly she turned to see Draco standing behind her.

Draco's eyes stared anywhere but at Ginny's face. "I don't know how to do this," he told her, just loud enough for her to hear him over the rain. He glanced at her long enough to know that she was crying freely, but listening to him. "You can't love me," he told her simply. She opened her mouth to protest that he had no idea how she felt, but stopped when he looked at her with the same sad expression as before. "Let me finish, alright?" She nodded. He sighed and then continued. "No one in their right mind could love a Death Eater who-"

Ginny cut him off, saying, "Who says I'm in my right mind?"

Draco smiled softly, but continued anyway. "You can't love a shadow of a man. I'm not good enough for you. You deserve someone better."

Ginny began to look angry. "Don't you dare ever say that again, Draco. I know who you are and I know that I love you and always will. The only thing that could ever stop me would be you saying that you don't love me back. If you tell me that, I'll pack up and leave right now. But don't you dare tell me I can't love you if you love me back."

Draco looked at her, the sad expression even more pronounced. "You don't know what you're saying."

"Of course I do!" Ginny snapped angrily. "I love a Death Eater spy who's killed God knows how many people and can't even seem to express his own feelings! If you don't love me back, tell me now. Go ahead and say it!"

"Ginny," was all he seemed to be able to say.

"So you do love me."

"I didn't say that."

"But you can't say you don't love me."

"Ginny, you're making this impossible."

"I understand that you're trying to let me down easy, but I won't take that as a final decision. Your judgment is impaired and I need to fix it for you." Draco looked confused. Ginny threw her arms around his neck and pulled him down into a deep and passionate kiss. She let her fingers run through his hair and his arms tightened around her waist. Suddenly he pulled back. The sad look was gone and it was replaced by a life she had never before seen in his eyes.

"I love you," he whispered. Ginny started to smile, but then her lips were somewhat otherwise occupied. Draco slipped one hand into his pocket and touched his wand.

They apparated onto the bed. For the first time, Ginny could tell that Draco wanted her there. She looked into his eyes and knew he was the love of her life. As if he could tell what she was thinking, he told her, "I'll always love you." Ginny smiled, and for the first time, she saw Draco smile. He pulled her down into another deep kiss and her last thought was, "I hope our children end up looking like him."

Miracle, miracle...

Epilogue

December, again

A fierce cry erupted from the next room. Ginny rolled over and looked at Draco. "Your turn," she said lightly. He sighed and slowly rolled out of bed. Ginny turned to watch him walk out the bedroom door and smiled.

Draco walked into the adjacent room and glanced at the tiny person causing such a ruckus. He smiled softly at his little girl kicking, defiantly in her crib, screaming at the top of her lungs. He always gave Ginny a hard time about having to get up in the middle of the night, but he secretly loved it.

Draco reached out and picked up his new born. Even though she was only three weeks old, she had a personality of her own. The little hair she had was strawberry blonde, a perfect combination of her parents', and her eyes were decidedly hazel. Her little frame was slight for a child her age, but by no means sickly. Her skin was pale and freckled despite her winter birth. The crying ceased as Draco began to walk around the room and murmur to her. He paused in front of her fireplace mantle and began to talk to her about the people in the pictures waving at her. The first was of Albus, holding her as her godfather. He had of course been the logical choice since he had brought the two together in the first place. Draco's mind drifted back to the day when he had finally told Ginny he loved her...

He remembered lying with her in bed, gently rubbing her bare back while her head rested under his chin. At that moment no words had been necessary to tell her how much he cared for her. Of course then, Draco blushed at the memory, Albus had appeared. He was bringing the divorce papers to Draco to be signed at the precise moment he had been born so the pair wouldn't have to spend another moment together. However, when Albus saw them together, the papers vanished. The old man's eyes seemed to twinkle as if he had expected it. Ginny had sat up, drawing the covers closely around her, and blushed from her head to her toes.

"Professor!" she exclaimed. Draco remembered subconsciously placing a protective arm around her and drawing her close.

"I can see things have worked out quite well for you two," Albus had said. If you two wish, in several weeks, perhaps, we can let everyone else know about our little arrangement. It actually works out quite well, you know." Both Ginny and Draco had stared at him, completely shocked by his lack of embarrassment at walking in on them. They stared as he continued, "Two of the oldest and most prominent families from both sides of the war have been joined. It is now up to you two to carry on the legacy." He didn't make much sense to them, but it may have been that they were still in each others' arms. Albus spoke a few more sentences and then seemed to realize they wanted their privacy. He left quickly, a smile on his lips.

Draco shook his head, silently laughing at the old man's bizarre quirks. He looked down at the babe in his arms, the fruit of that rainy day. Little Noelle was named for the month in which she was born on December 6^th. She yawned and curled her little stubby fingers around Draco's ear. He smiled at her and continued to look at the pictures.

The next image was of the Weasley family, excluding Percy, the day they found out about their little girl's so called "mission." The expressions on each of their faces were indicators of how each one had taken the news. Ron, of course, had a scowl on his face. George was making faces behind Ron's head, clearly unaffected by Draco's involvement with his sister. Fred and Bill were standing with their wives, not caring in the slightest. Charlie's expression was much the same. Arthur and Molly's faces were by far the most welcoming. Draco remembered when Albus had introduced him as Ginny's husband...

Albus gathered everyone into the kitchen meeting room for a brief Order session. Miraculously, only three months after Draco's birthday, Harry had managed to finally destroy Voldemort's last horcrux. In celebration, Albus told them Ginny was going to be returning any minute, but first he had an announcement. He gave a rather short but memorable speech about how they never could have succeeded without an inside source. The chatter about Ginny's return now ceased as a hush fell about the group. And then he introduced to them the man who had helped them all win the war, "Mr. and Mrs. Draco Malfoy!" Ginny and Draco walked in arm in arm. Ginny was smiling weakly, but Draco held no high hopes for the encounter. Harry and Ron's jaws had dropped. Arthur looked shocked. Molly, however, was focused only on one thing.

"Ginevra Weasley, are you pregnant?" she demanded.

Ginny laughed and hugged Draco even tighter while beaming at him. She replied, "Yes, mum... and it's Ginevra Malfoy now, if you don't mind. Draco has been your son-in-law for six months now." This seemed to push Ron too far and he moved to attack, but before he could, Molly stood up and rushed to hug her little girl. Draco stood awkwardly behind them watching Ron turn deep crimson. When Molly let go, she immediately turned to Draco.

"Now I expect you're taking good care of my little girl. Where are you living? What are you eating every night? How are you going to-"

"Mum!" Ginny exclaimed, her face red. "Draco's perfectly capable of raising a family. And I love him, so that's all that really matters."

Draco blushed, but that didn't stop Molly from squeezing him into a suffocating hug. When she let go, Arthur walked over. "Well it seems that my little Ginny's happy, so that means so am I." He stuck out his hand and Draco shook it firmly. He was glad it was tradition to shake with the right hand. Although his Dark Mark was now fading because of Voldemort's demise, it was still clearly outlined on his left arm.

Draco's mind drifted back to the present as Noelle's hands got tangled in his hair. He gently pulled her fingers out and repositioned her on his chest. Looking on, he glanced at other pictures of friends, but the last picture stopped him again. It was of Harry. He recognized the sad look in Harry's eyes as had been in his own while he was denying his love for Ginny. He knew, though, that it was partially his fault the look was there. Harry may have defeated Voldemort and that by itself was a feat, but he had also lost the girl. He had lost Ginny. Draco remembered Harry's response to Ginny's return. It struck him more than he would ever let her know...

Everyone in the room had come up to congratulate them after Molly and Arthur had given it the okay. Everyone, that is, except Ron and Harry. Draco knew then that one day Ron would come around, but it wouldn't be for a while. Ron made no move to speak to Draco, but while Ginny was busy with her brother, Harry came over to him. He said simply, "Take care of her." Draco knew it was both a resignation and a threat. If anything ever happened to Ginny, Harry was going to hold Draco responsible. However, she was now Draco's and there was no way Harry was going to stand in his way. She clearly loved him. For almost eighteen, Harry was wise beyond his years. It seemed also that this was the case with Draco. He was married, was almost a father, and had learned how to work with his worst enemy. Draco stuck out a hand and Harry shook it. His eyes said everything else that needed to be said.

Draco sighed and looked at Noelle. She was sleeping quietly, her little fists curled up tightly against his chest. He smiled. It seemed it was becoming a habit. He heard something and turned. Ginny was leaning in the doorway. Her frame was somehow almost completely slender again despite the fact she had been very pregnant only three weeks before. She was smiling at the two of them and Draco walked over to stand with her. He put one arm around her waist and held Noelle in the other. Ginny put her arm around his waist and stroked their daughter's sleeping head with the other. Draco looked at Ginny and knew that he had been given a miracle.

A/N: Thanks so much for reading! It's taken me since August to finally finish it and the story line has become a great part of me. I'm so glad it's out, but I am a little sad it's over. Well, your reviews will make all the difference. Review now! (I know you want to...)