Rating:
G
House:
Astronomy Tower
Ships:
Draco Malfoy/Ginny Weasley
Characters:
Draco Malfoy Ginny Weasley
Genres:
Romance General
Era:
Harry and Classmates Post-Hogwarts
Spoilers:
Philosopher's Stone Chamber of Secrets Prizoner of Azkaban Goblet of Fire Order of the Phoenix Half-Blood Prince
Stats:
Published: 11/06/2006
Updated: 11/06/2006
Words: 1,732
Chapters: 1
Hits: 996

An Annual Affair

HumbugGirl

Story Summary:
‘Besides, he enjoyed the Bonfire Night – even if they were generally crawling with Muggles.’ DracoxGinny

Chapter 01

Chapter Summary:
‘Besides, he enjoyed the Bonfire Night – even if they were generally crawling with Muggles.’ DracoxGinny
Posted:
11/06/2006
Hits:
618


Ginny's eyes were sparkling. Indeed in the intense glow from the bonfire it was clear to see that her entire face was a picture of happiness, right down to the bright smile curving her lips. The November night was freezing and she had dressed warmly as a consequence, pulling on her favourite black woollen coat and a pair of brilliant red gloves before they had left the house. On top of her head, she sported a matching hat that clashed dreadfully with her hair.

Draco thought she looked beautiful.

She noticed him staring at her and grinned broadly, waving the sparkler that she was holding around in the air in a complicated swirling pattern. When she had first been handed it, Ginny and swiftly signed their names in the air in such a fashion that something had tightened in Draco's chest.

Returning her grin, he stepped closer, wrapping his arms around her middle from behind and resting his chin on her shoulder. "Having fun, love?"

She nodded, and then added, "Yup. Although I wish that they'd hurry up and start the fireworks display - I think I'm about to loose a toe to frostbite and your spawn is sitting right on my bladder again."

Draco smirked, ever the proud father-to-be. "He's your spawn too," he replied in customary fashion while rubbing her stomach lightly. She was getting big now, and in truth Draco had wondered whether their yearly excursion to the Muggle bonfire was such a good idea this year. Ginny had insisted however, pointing out that it was tradition, and furthermore that she was not going to do without her bonfire toffee. Draco's sweet tooth had been easily persuaded by the argument.

Besides, he enjoyed the Bonfire Night - even if they were generally crawling with Muggles. The first time that he had seen Ginny after the war it had been at a bonfire on the fifth of November. She had been stood facing the massive fire - just as she was now - and in her arms there had been a squirming brat with chocolate covering the lower portion of his face. Around her ankles there had been three more children all sporting varying shades of red hair, and for one surprisingly terrifying moment Draco had thought that Ginny had been their mother.

Then one of the children - a boy of about four or five - had peeled away from the small group and Ginny had been so busy dealing with the child in her arms that she had not noticed. Draco had acted instinctively, striding after the little boy and scooping him up.

The child had let out a yelp of astonishment even as he had turned sly eyes on Draco. With a clarity that he would never have expected from such a youngster, the boy had then declared confidently, "Put me down. My aunty is over there and she's really good at hexes."

A sense of relief at the boy's words had flood through Draco that had left him utterly baffled, and he had been forced to move quickly to prevent it showing on his face. He had cocked his head to one side and raised an eyebrow. "I know," he had replied. "I've been on the receiving end on a fair few occasions - which is precisely why I'm going to make sure you get back to her in one piece."

The boy had then pouted momentarily before innocent curiosity swept across his features. "Why would she hex you? Are you bad too?"

Draco had chosen to ignore that question - instead opting for carrying the boy back to Ginny.

"You know, you shouldn't talk to strangers about magic," he had told him quietly. "I might have been a Muggle."

The boy had shaken his head confidently and for a second he had reminded Draco of Granger. "You're not. You don't look like one."

He had frowned slightly then, resisting the urge to glance down at his outfit. As far as he was aware it was authentically Muggle in every way - and rather tasteful as well. In fact, since the war had ended, Draco had made a careful study of such things in order to fit in with the new Muggle-sympathising regime.

"You were staring at my aunty as well," the boy had added, managing to surprise Draco in the process. This, apparently, was a good enough explanation for why someone would look at Ginny. Draco had not felt the need to point out to the boy that there were a fair few other men present who were looking at his aunt - admiring her - as well.

He had felt decidedly uncomfortable returning the errant child to Ginny. She had been clearly startled by his appearance and had glared at him suspiciously as he handed the boy over. Not that Draco would have expected any other reaction. Seeing him for the first time after several years of intense conflict and finding him wandering around a popular Muggle social event would have unsettled any good Order member. At her inquiring look, he had reeled off a hasty explanation, talking about curiosity and a willingness to try to understand Muggles. Ginny had looked far from convinced, but had returned to watching the fireworks display without another word. He had been oddly flustered and astonishingly grateful at the time.

In truth, it had been curiosity that had dawn him out of the cavernous halls of Malfoy Manor. The usual sense of boredom that Draco suffered from whenever he was forced to spend too much time in the depressingly empty building had set in swiftly that weekend, and he had been all too aware that relief from it could not possibly come from the usual sources. Blaise had disappeared off to Italy with his latest conquest, Pansy was hopelessly enamoured with some German wizard that she had met, and Marcus was in France at a training camp in preparation for the next Quidditch World Cup. The thought of spending the evening with Crabbe and Goyle had been too horrendous to contemplate seriously.

In the end, he had retreated to the library which had become the normal source for any and all entertainment available at the manor. While he had been wandering aimlessly and hopefully around the room, his eyes had lighted on what had once been his father's desk. In the years since the man's death, Draco had hardly touched it. Now though, he had approached it slowly as a memory had come to him unbidden the man scowling as he mumbled something about the Muggles that lived near by and their annual celebration of sorts. Lucius had never elaborated further and as a consequence, Draco had always been curious as to what exactly the celebration was. His interest sparked again, he had set out to the field where he knew the gathering was held each year.

The bizarre Muggle traditions of burning a manikin of some fellow called 'Guy' had been strangely fascinating. Furthermore, Draco had discovered that Muggles could actually be rather interesting when a pair of the friendlier ones had drawn him into conversation when he had purchased some food. Against his better judgement, Draco had begun to enjoy himself.

Then he had stumbled across Ginny. Her presence had rattled him slightly since as far as he knew the redhead had no reason to be in Wiltshire. Afterwards, he had discovered that Ginny had only been there because her oldest brother had moved to the area and she had been left babysitting some of her nieces and nephews for the evening. The bonfire, she had told him, had been a way of getting the children to be quiet.

A week later, Draco had run across her in a small café in Muggle London. He had abandoned the manor in the hopes of finding some company in town only to discover that another story had gotten into the press about the supposedly evil dealings of his company. The Muggle coffee shop had been one of his few methods of escape, and seeing a familiar redhead seated in the window had nearly made him turn away. He had not though - not even when Ginny had shot him a curious look and met his eyes in the process. She had clearly been surprised to see him. It had lasted barely a second before she had continued her conversation with the person she was sitting with, but Draco had obsessed about it for the rest of the day.

Then, a few days after that, they had bumped into each other outside of the Ministry. Her eyes flashing, Ginny had grabbed his arm and accused him of following her. The sight of her riled up had stirred feelings in Draco that he had never imagined he would have towards a Weasley, and the next thing he knew, he was asking her to dinner.

It had hardly been the best start to a relationship, and Draco had been forced to spend more than a little time reassuring Ginny that he was in fact a reformed character. Sometimes, he still wondered how he had managed it, and he was man enough to know that he had been fortunate to do so. Three years, several fights with her family, and one notorious incident involving Potter and an irate house-elf later they were still together though.

Ginny sighed, leaning back into his arms while turning slightly in order to peer up at him. "You've gone all red from standing too close to the fire," she observed with a cheeky little smile.

He pouted slightly, thinking about the heat from the fire and how tight his skin felt. His expression made Ginny giggle charmingly and Draco grumbled, "I'm not the only one."

"Yes," Ginny agreed light-heartedly. "But I'm not half as vain as you."

He should have been irritated - the old Draco would have been. This Draco, however, could only think about the gently loving expression that had been spread across Ginny's features as she spoke.

Before he could think up a response, she reached up to give him a quick kiss that he deepened instinctively. Somewhere in the background, the crowd celebrated as the fireworks display finally started, but Draco could barely hear them. As Ginny pulled back, he followed her, catching her lips again and tightening his hold on her.

END