Will I

CHAPTER-4

Harry got up and greeted the man with a huge grin spread on his handsome face. Even Ginny stood up to see him also.

"Hi Malfoy," Harry acknowledged him.

"Harry devil, it's nice to meet you after all," said Draco as he hugged him.

Harry turned towards Ginny. "Draco, I want you to meet Ginevra Potter, my wife!" he made the formal introduction.

"Its still Ginny for you Malfoy," Ginny looked murderously at Harry as she spoke to Draco. She leaned forward and kissed him on his cheeks.

"Won't Harry be angry? You're kissing me in public," Draco asked innocently. Harry laughed while Ginny looked affronted. "I am allowed to kiss my friend on his cheeks at least," she said.

"Damn," said Malfoy suddenly. "I still can't believe the news. Didn't you used to say, Harry, that you would cut your hands before you put a wedding ring on it?"

Harry laughed and pulled Ginny possessively nearer to him. "I changed my plan!"

Ginny smelled in the perfume. It was wonderful and intoxicating for her. Instead of trying to get herself free, which she should have, she felt herself leaning into him. Harry flashed a surprised look at her before continuing their talks.

"I never got an invitation card for your wedding!" Draco complained.

Ginny answered it. "We just married quietly for now; we'll hold a formal party later."

"You never told me that you still liked him, even when we dated together Ginny."

"Even I never knew about it. I was fancy-free and bang, the next second, I was married to the famous Potter."

Harry interrupted the talks leading to the dangerous territory. "Enough talking, we need to go to the conference Malfoy. You can pick us up at lunch." Harry stood up.

"But Malfoy hasn't even had his breakfast!" Ginny complained.

Draco waved his hand. "Don't worry; I had breakfast at my home before coming. Anyways, luckily I have an errand here and can pick you up with no problems- you just be here on time," he said.

***

"You really are a pretty girl," Sarah said.

They were sitting in Draco's dining room, sipping coffee. Sarah had arrived only a few moments before and had smiled as she saw Ginny.

"Draco told me you're prettier than me, and I must say that I agree with him," she said.

Ginny blushed. "Come on, leave all this flattery. I am not a beautiful girl with an hour-glass body!" she said.

"But you do look pretty my dear," Sarah persisted.

"Leave all this girly-chats Sarah dear," Draco interrupted, while Harry grinned. "What did you do today darling? You were later getting home than usual." he asked standing up.

"Nothing much," she said as she kissed him on the lips quickly. "Just a Saturday and college couples swarming over till ten and it took us an hour to patch up." She turned to Harry and Ginny. "Sorry, I was not able to accompany you for the dinner and that you had to suffer through the torture of Draco's cooking."

Everybody laughed. Sarah quickly kissed Draco again, and went in to change.

Ginny had instantly liked Sarah. She was a warm and cheery woman, reminding her strongly of her mother. While Draco and Harry talked about their lives, the two women chatted about anything they could think to talk about.

"OK then Ginny, Draco told me you also dated him. But in the end, you married Harry. What was the reason?" she asked grinning mischievously.

Ginny paused, thinking of an appropriate reason, but decided not to do so. It was dangerous territory. "Because Draco came here and married you," she replied teasingly.

"Nice way of avoiding the real answer," Sarah commented laughing.

Just then Harry came to them. "Well, I hate to interrupt you ladies, but we need to sleep as Malfoy plans to take us on a brief trip of Jaipur early in the morning," he stated smiling.

Sarah stood up. "Certainly, I'll take you to your room."

It was even worse than the hotel, not in cleanliness, but in arrangements. It wasn't a suite but an ordinary bedroom. How could Ginny ever go through this ordeal?

Harry bid them good-night and came over to her. Ginny jumped nearly a foot when he touched her on the shoulders.

"I understand, Gin," he whispered. "You sleep on the bed, I'll take my things and sleep on the sofa, don't worry."

This was only one of the things that troubled Ginny. Surely she could trust Harry, but could she trust herself, with Harry so close, in the same room? Ginny seriously doubted that.

***

They had a wonderful day. They went to see a Hindi Muggle movie (much to Draco's dismay) called "Black," which Ginny enjoyed a lot. It was so sentimental that Ginny even had to ask Harry for his handkerchief.

"I see that today's day is now off the limits for me," said Harry while stretching in a provocative way. "You two ladies can go for shopping if you must, we'll Apparate from here."

Draco shook his head. "We are strictly forbidden to use magic here, even in our homes. Sarah, you and Ginny take the car; Harry and I will take a cab. But return on time, we have to go to the bank's ball this evening," he said. He paused for a second. "Get Ginny a dress for the evening in the market. Ladies have to wear traditional, remember?"

Sarah put a hand on Ginny's shoulders. "Don't worry I'll get a breath-taking dress, I promise. By the way Harry, have you got a dinner-jacket?" she asked him.

Harry nodded. "I have black -will it do?" he asked her.

Sarah nodded. "I'll get her black - or some other colour?" she asked Draco.

"I think some bright colour..." and soon they were engrossed in their own talks.

Harry was staring at Ginny. She blushed and lowered her eyes, only to miss the second's hesitation before Harry's gave her swift but a thorough kiss. It left her temporarily speechless. And her hand flew instantly to her lips.

She knew the kiss was for Draco's and Sarah's benefit, but her throbbing heart seemed unwilling to register it. She looked up again. Never once had Harry removed his eyes from her face. She forced her mind on what Malfoy was saying.

"...love-birds. Will you stop staring at her, Harry? Think of it, Sarah calls me a hopeless case. Now look at them."

Sarah laughed and Malfoy gave Harry a gentle tug, which brought him to his senses.

"We'll see you later, bye," he said, with Draco dragging him.

Ginny was fascinated by Indian market. She had seen Muggle shopping in London with Hermione, but it was nothing compared to the market in Jaipur. There were vendors shouting at the top of their voices, trying to impress the customers with anything possible. There were all sorts of cart-pullers with tasty Indian dishes and artists sitting on the pavement with their crafts, hoping someone would buy them.

In the end, they did shopping quite above Ginny's budget. She got a pink traditional bandhej pleated skirt and a matching kurti (a long top) over it, a salwaar suit and a red saari with heavy matching jewellery for the evening's ball. She also got a pair of jootis for herself and another periwinkle blue saari for Hermione (it reminded her of her third year's ball), along with something for all.

The result was that they returned home with only an hour to get ready. They rushed quickly to home, only to find a note on the gate.

Dearest Sarah,

I got an urgent call from the bank and had to go early. Harry is with me.

Sorry to leave both you beautiful ladies so early. I'm hoping to meet you on time (for a change). Keys are on the fridge.

Love,

Draco

Sarah rolled her eyes. "I knew he would have to leave early, and he must have dragged Harry with him. Anyways, I'll dress quickly first, so that I can dress you up nicely," she said, opening the gate and moving towards her room. "I promise that you'll look so lovely, dear, that every man there will die to dance with you."

***

Harry checked his watch. They were an hour late. He turned impatiently to Draco, who just shrugged. He picked up a magazine and immersed himself in it.

Suddenly there was a hush in the entire hall. Harry noticed it a few seconds late and raised his head quickly to know the reason. And he had to agree, the reason was genuine.

Ginny was standing at the gate with Sarah, who was waving at Draco. Sarah was wearing a black, beaded saari (it was a long cloth wrapped around the body, worn by ladies -he had read about it in a journal -India and its Traditions) and was looking beautiful, but Harry just couldn't remove his eyes from Gin. She was also wearing a saari, a red heavily embroidered one, with red bangles covering a major part of her wrists. She had her waist-length hair open for a change and was looking simply stunning and gorgeous with her red hair matching with her dress.

Ginny flipped her hair back nervously, scanning the hall, looking for someone. Not wanting anybody else to ask her first, Harry went to her.

"You look lovely Sarah," he greeted Sarah. "My bad luck, you are already standing arm-in-arm with Draco, or I would have definitely asked you first," he said to her, suppressing his urge to sweep Gin the same instant. Sarah laughed and slapped him playfully on the arm.

"Well, young man, your wife is there, and I must say she is also looking quite gorgeous today," Draco admonished him, mocking in an uncanny voice of McGonagall.

Harry laughed and turned to Ginny, who blushed. "Will you dance with me?" he said and extended his arm casually.

Ginny suppressed her dejection and nodded, extending her arm in his crook.

Harry led her towards the dance floor, where a slow waltz tune was being played. Harry had to control himself to curse any man looking that way at her, it made his blood boil.

Seeing Draco and Sarah dance nearby, Ginny placed her hand tentatively on Harry's shoulders. Taking cue, Harry placed his hand on her bare waist and Ginny had to bite back a sigh of longing as his fingers made a contact with her flesh. Slowly, they danced on the tune, lost in the pleasure of dancing with each other. Ginny even never knew when she placed her head on his shoulders.

"May I dance with you, young lady?" a man came to her, snapping her to reality.

"I am sorry, but she won't," Harry interrupted smoothly, surprising Ginny. The man went away, defeated.

"You may have not allowed her to dance with that man, but you won't deny me, because I've already taken her!" Draco came over quickly and took Ginny with him before Harry could even register what he had said. However, Harry grinned and danced with Sarah.

"Doesn't she look stunning?" Sarah asked him, glancing as Ginny.

"Huh?"

Sarah smiled. "Don't look so shocked Harry," she said. "I've been watching you. You can't remove your eyes from her for even a second."

To Harry's immense pleasure, Sarah left the topic to that only and continued dancing with him.

Some-time later, Harry heard a voice behind him.

"Are you Mrs. Malfoy?" a man asked Sarah. "I am Mr. Sharma. May I have the pleasure to dance with you?" Harry nodded, so Sarah went with him.

Harry went and sat on a chair. Ginny soon joined him, followed by Gary.

"What are you doing here?" asked Harry, surprised.

Richard looked warily around him. "Well, it seems that you haven't got my owl. I expected nothing less. We've got some lead on the case -Listen. Malfoy had a son who was killed last year by Padma, though it was an accident. Yes, Malfoy came to London for a deal for his bank. So this can be considered as a motive. As I am no more on this case, I can't say anything more. I will leave tonight. I only came to meet a relative and thought I might confirm the news with you," he said hurriedly in a hushed tone then bid them good-bye.

Ginny looked uncomfortable. "What do you think Harry?" she asked.

"I intend to confirm this!"

"How long have you two been married?" Harry asked.

"Well, a little less than a year since I came here," replied Draco.

All four of them were sitting at the dining table, drinking coffee and talking about each other.

"That makes it about nine years back, doesn't it?" asked Harry casually.

"Yeah!"

Harry raised his eye-brows, as if thinking very hard. "I hope you don't mind, but could I ask you a rather personal question?"

"Sure Harry," prompted Sarah.

"In all these nine years, wasn't there a child born, or even a pregnancy?"

There was such a silence in the room that Ginny finally believed the phrase- could be cut with a knife -true. Sarah desperately tried to control her tears, but finally put her hand on her mouth and went away. Draco, however, sat there.

"I am sorry, I shouldn't have asked," Harry responded apologetically.

"No it's all right," Draco said, raising a hand. "We had a son named Achilles soon after our marriage." He gulped down his unshed tears. Ginny put her hands on his and pressed them slightly. He forced a smile. "Last year, I came to London, to finish off my bank deal. Achilles went with me, while Sarah stayed here. I was coming to you to give you a surprise when Padma killed him. I immediately returned back to India. He was so...so young, why it was only him?" He looked up, trying to stop his tears, but failing to do so. "Sarah still isn't over him. At times she wakes up in her dreams, crying for him and blaming herself for his death. He was only 8 years old!"

"That's terrible!" Ginny exclaimed.

Draco's expression hardened. "But I promised myself, whatever happens; Padma will be one day sorry that she used that spell!"

Ginny looked at him. "Don't do anything rash Malfoy. You'll ruin both yours and Sarah's life," she said sternly to him.

"Ha! As if it isn't ruined already!"

"But the life isn't over! You have another chance, maybe you'll have another child- don't lose hope," she reasoned.

Draco nodded unconvincingly. "Anyways, good-night! I have to go to bank in the morning. You both want to go somewhere for sight-seeing?" he changed the topic.

Harry spoke. "No, you two carry on your jobs, Ginny and I will stay here. We can go in the evening."

Draco nodded again and went to his room.

"That is so sad. I have total sympathy with him," Ginny said, removing her jewellery and placing it on the table.

"But that doesn't mean he should kidnap Padma's son!" Harry exclaimed.

"Of course he didn't do that!"

"But it is not looking good for him. I'll talk to Hermione about it tomorrow. Has she left for Egypt already?"

"Probably."

Harry looked thoughtful, as he removed his shirts. "Gin, will you be able to talk Sarah out of it?" he asked Ginny suddenly.

Ginny considered the circumstances. "Maybe, I'll try my best!"

Harry slumped on the sofa. "Thank God, I don't have any children. At least I am free of all these emotions," he said, rubbing his eyes and spreading on the sofa.

Ginny's heart skipped a beat. After all these days, she had changed her plans and was thinking of a way to tell him of it. But Harry's admission gave her a physical blow.

She said nothing to him but made a mental note to herself.

Telling Harry about the child was off-the-limits.

***

"God, I am tired!" Harry said. "Is it lunch time?"

It had been near two months since they came to India. The matters were getting worse for Draco, but luckily, Hermione had captured the right person in Egypt and Malfoy's name was cleared. They were sitting on the couch in the living room, finishing off their reports.

Ginny was relieved it was finally over. It was just over three months, and already one could notice the slight bulge in her stomach. She would have to take leave earlier than she had anticipated. She had borrowed Harry's shirt, so that she would be able to work properly without diverting her mind to the showing bulge. The best thing was, over her black jeans, his red, over-sized shirt (well, for her it was). She had to fold up the sleeves four times, so that she could work.

She rolled her eyes at Harry's child-ish question.

"We had breakfast only four hours ago!" she said exasperatedly.

"Well if I can't have lunch..." Harry said slowly, pushing his chair back, "Can I at least have a snack?"
"I guess so," she replied haltingly.

"What's there on the menu?"

"Well, Sarah told me go out for lunch so there's not anything prepared. But I know where's everything kept and I'm not that horrible at cooking," Ginny said.
"What do you mean, 'not that horrible'?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh come off it," she said with a laugh. "Okay, we are eating now." Ginny stood up and started walking out of the room.
"Fine by me," Harry said, following behind her. It was all so easy...
"So, what do you want to eat?" Ginny asked once they were inside the huge deserted kitchen.
"Chapattis," Harry replied immediately. He knew Ginny couldn't make the dough.
"Chapattis it is," Ginny said as she began to gather the ingredients.
"It's a little lumpy, don't you think?" Ginny noted a while later, tilting her head and watching the batter they'd concocted drip off of a spoon.
"Er..." Harry said, "let's just see. First the dough is tight. So add some flour," he instructed while doing so.

"Okay, but I don't know how to do it."

Harry moved to her back and took her wrists. He shivered from the touch. "You knead it like this," he moved her wrists, kneading and rolling the dough. "Now you put this on the pan."

"Okay," Ginny said as she reluctantly put it on the hot pan. Then she turned her attention to Harry. He looked up from where he was drawing on the flour-coated counter, a grin forming on his face, highlighting his dimples.
"What?" Ginny snapped.
"Gin, you," Harry replied, stepping closer to her, "have something on your face."
"I do? Where?" Ginny asked, trying to look at her reflection on a shiny pot.
He turned her face towards his. "Right here," he said, moving still closer to her. Ginny's breathing grew laboured. Harry placed his hand below her chin and rubbed a spot beside her lips a little. Ginny unconsciously snuggled at his touch, as he opened her ponytail and let her forcefully straightened hair frame her face.

Harry gave her second, then leaned into her. But his lips touched only...her hair?

"Oh, no. The Chapattis!" Ginny said, glancing over at the now smoking pan.
They rushed over to the pan. Harry picked up the handle and tilted the pan. The undersides of the chapattis were completely black.
"Even I won't eat these," he commented as he leaned over to inspect them, wrinkling his nose disapprovingly. "At least we still have more--"
He spoke too soon. Ginny had taken the bowl of diluted batter and turned it upside down over his head.
"Oh. My. God. You did not just do that," he sputtered.
Ginny bit her lip and looked up at him, smiling guiltily. In her anger, she hadn't even thought before acting. Then she decided it would be best for her to make a run for it.
He seized her waist before she could move and set her on the counter. Then he grabbed a bottle of honey. Without saying a word, he squeezed some onto his fingertips.
"That was a very naughty thing for you to do Gin," he said huskily as he ran a finger over her lips, coating them with honey.
"Yes, yes it was," Ginny whispered before his lips were sliding across hers. She brought her hands up into his batter-covered hair, running her fingers through it.
He soon deposited the rest of the honey elsewhere also: her temples, her jaw line, her neck, her collar-bone. And of course he took it upon himself to remove it with his mouth.
Meanwhile, lost in the frenzy of upwelling passion that she couldn't control, Ginny was using the batter rather like gel, absentmindedly styling his hair. First she slicked it back, next she did middle parting, then she settled on spiking it up.

"Oh, God Gin, I want you so much!" came the sudden admission from Harry. He kissed her jaw-line, moving to her neck and moving his hands towards her over-sized shirt that she had burrowed from him.

The buttons of her shirt opened like petals and Harry trailed his kisses through her hollow to her collar-bone to the cleft between her breasts. His hands moved tantalisingly from her stomach to her back till his long finger played with her elastic of her bra, while he planted small kisses on the cleavage. In her inner mind, she knew she should stop him, but her heart heard no reasoning. She moved her hands into the hair at the nape of his neck. She felt herself lost in its feel, grabbing a handful and gently massaging the skin beneath.

She opened her eyes and drew back to see his face. His mouth was slightly open, his breath coming in short gasps. His eyes - they had turned dark and smoky, making her shiver. Harry leaned into her again, his mouth taking her lower lip in, warm and moist, gently sucking on her. The tentative touch of his tongue made her shudder, she opened her mouth and he came inside her. Fire was racing through her, turning her pliable. His tongue, gently probing, dancing with her own, was making her head reel. She felt a moan in her; she knew that it had come from herself. He tasted too agonizingly sweet, she wanted time to stop - she never wanted the kiss to end.

In his enthusiasm to kiss her every part, Harry knocked the bowl that had previously held the flowing batter onto the floor. The metallic clatter echoed through the room, snapping both of them back to reality.
"I--sticky--shower," Ginny blurted out. She looked at Harry and saw him trembling, deeply inhaling. His lips were red and slightly swollen, but his eyes were still dark and smouldering, for a reason Ginny couldn't decipher.

He lowered her back onto the ground. They both looked around at the disaster area formerly known as the Malfoy's kitchen. Ginny grimaced and moved for her wand.
"I'll take care of it," Harry replied, his voice still trembling and husky. He had his wand in-hand already, due to Auror practices, no doubt.
"Okay," Ginny said, hurrying out of the kitchen, shocked at her reactions.
"Aren't you going to eat something?" Harry asked as she made her way out of the kitchen.
"No, I'm not really hungry. Sarah probably had some snacks in the cabinet which you can have," she replied from the doorway.
"Alright," Harry said as he watched the door swing closed. Then he exhaled loudly, trying to control his feelings. He reached his hand up to run it through his hair. He drew it back in disgust, however, once his fingers touched the pasty mass on top of his head.
After hurriedly performing a few powerful scouring charms, he headed to Malfoy's room. He was definitely in greater need of a shower than she had been and he wasn't sure he could control his feelings if he saw her having a bath.

He stripped off his clothes turned on the cold water. Mindlessly, he pulled off his glasses, kept them aside, and stood into the icy cascade. 'What do you think you are doing? You promised her, Potter!'

The water had the desired effect; it shocked some sense into him. This was not the time to let his emotions get the better of him. He needed to focus on Ginny, not his desires. His mind took him back to earlier, when he had held her close as she slept. He had longed to hold her and kiss every part of her as he had. Harry knew he could not let his heart rule his head. He needed to master his feelings. If he didn't, he would scare her. And Merlin knew how he needed her as a friend, as an ally, as a... 'Stop it!'

He knew what he needed to do, but he had never thought he would have to remind himself to be a gentleman. But Merlin, she looked so good in her saari...with her bare stomach... 'Get your mind out of the gutter!' He really needed to stop this train of thought. It wasn't helping.

Harry had thought his lust for Ginny would die with the passage of time, and that he would continue being her friend. But as soon as Ginny came in front of him, all his senses flew off from his head, as if he was stupefied.

After pushing some rational thoughts in his stupefied brain, Harry went to their room, to apologise to Ginny.

"Gin, I am really sor-" but he stopped at the sight of the room.

Ginny had packed her bag and left already, leaving a note for Harry on the bed.