One Moment in Time

One Moment in Time

Part Two - What happens after salvation

What was a Malfoy doing, living with and embracing a Weasley? It was a good question, one he wished he knew the answer to. In actual fact, it did not bother him much at all, very little did these days. After the defeat of Voldemort, everything he had known and come to treasure had crashed and burned. Ingrained in his mind was his father, whom he had worshipped religiously, self-composure gone, fighting tooth and nail to get away from the Aurors, all the way screaming and yelling manically. His once commanding father had been reduced to a stuttering coward at the mere thought of Azkaban. The Aurors ransacked the Mansion, bypassing him as if he were a statue. He could only watch as everything fell around him in pieces.

They moved to a small house his mother owned in Liverpool. In reality it was a three-storey mansion with enough rooms for each servant in the house; nevertheless, his mother called it a closet. Readjusting to life was an entirely hopeless affair. His mother cried constantly as if the sun would never shine again, or rather, none of her lady friends would dare attend her tea parties anymore. Finding a job was impossible, as doors were slammed shut as soon as the word 'Malfoy' was mentioned, and the Auror Academy would not accept him with such a family history. His solace was in the books he found at the house, a great many of which were by Muggles; slowly, they began to spark his curiosity. Granted, if he had been in any better a situation, he would never have even contemplated the Muggle world. As it were, he was desperate enough to try anything. It took him three weeks to persuade his mother to live with her cousins in France; she was convinced her son was abandoning her and that nobody would attend her funeral when she died.

The Muggle world was a place where he could roam the streets freely without people pausing to stare and whisper. He had no plan, no purpose, merely to exist until something - anything, presented itself. He had obtained a whole batch of Muggle identification to rent a unit together with a Muggle university student.

His flatmate, Nic, was a notorious 'party animal' as they termed it, and Draco found himself either being woken up in the middle of the night or kept awake by loud music. Their flat felt like a hostel for the lost and wandering as unexpected guests poured in and out at odd hours. Worse though, was the stench that accompanied the flat of two grown men who had never quite grasped the meaning of the word 'cleaning'.

The situation grew steadily worse after Nic found a girlfriend. Draco had to constantly keep up silencing charms around his walls so that he would not be subject to their animalistic mating rituals and incessantly soppy behavior, not to mention the loud proclamations of what they would be doing to each other that night. When he frowned in distaste, they would merely ask if he wanted to join in.

A change of scenery was in order, he decided, especially since he had gotten that pay rise at JB's. He resolved to go without the flatmate this time, renting a clean, two-bedroom apartment on the other side of town; he moved in almost overnight. A week went by and Draco felt that he was almost satisfied, at least for the time being. Then the emptiness began to creep up on him. The days were so quiet that he would literally speak with no one for an entire week, work-required communication not withstanding. Suddenly, the apartment seemed so spacious, and then too empty. He would walk around aimlessly after work, delaying the fitful slumber that awaited him. That was how he'd met her.

~~~

He had finished work two hours ago, and snow was beginning to fall as he trudged along, knowing he should go home, but wanting to delay it as long as possible.

Is this really what my life has become? Is this it then? Draco thought, as he plodded through the greying snow. Surely there was something waiting for him, something that would allow him to serve his purpose in this world.

"God, if there really is one, is this really my life then? I'm 24, let me believe that there is more to my life than this. Please, if I can be saved, let me know. Give me some kind of sign that I should keep faith in something more."

He never did hear the answer though, as he walked forcefully into someone standing on the roadside. "Watch it you idiot!! Can't you see there's someone here? I was in the middle of something!" the girl yelled.

"It was an accident," he mumbled, so tired his eyes could barely focus on the girl in front of him.

"What accident? The road is this wide!"

"It was an accident lady! Will you drop it?" Merlin, she was annoying. He was about to move on when her screech made him pause mid step in fear.

"Draco Malfoy!" she screamed, and then caught him in a suffocating hug.

His head was beginning to hurt with her screeching and bouncing. Then something occurred to him. He shook his head, surely not; surely this hysterical girl was not God's answer. "I can't believe you think this is all it'll take!" he yelled to the heavens. Some girl off the streets, his savior? She had known his name, perhaps a witch? No, nobody in the Wizarding World would willingly come ten feet near him. Must be one of the girls at JB's he concluded.

He always knew God was a hoax, there was no doubt about it, and this girl was just a strange, drunken partygoer. He collected his thoughts and noticed the girl had stopped her mad hopping. "Draco Malfoy, I can't believe we're meeting here."

He had said something off hand before noticing the red hair underneath a canopy of melting snow. After the initial shock of recognizing who she was, they had played a strange game of tug-of-war until he'd relented and allowed her to take...drag, him to a coffee shop.

~~~

Draco watched as she slept, cradling his arm possessively like a child would their teddy bear. Her long hair was fanned out, tangling itself around anything that ventured into its path. Gently, he swept some wayward strands from her face so he could count her freckles, beginning with the spatter on her forehead, down along the crowded cluster on the bridge of her nose, and beyond to the wandering on the side of her neck. It was drawing near Spring now, and the cold weather was slowly melting away. Soon, there would be no excuse for them to huddle together and seek each other's warmth. Would they find a fresh rationale, or would she deem his usefulness over? Draco twirled a strand of her hair around his finger absently, lost in his own musings.

An hour passed and Ginny showed no signs of waking. He contemplated allowing her to sleep in, but his stomach was protesting loudly. Gently, he shook her until she moaned.

"I'm hungry," he said in an almost angelic voice as she cracked open an eyelid.

She rolled her eyes but got up, knowing how he was if she let him go with an empty stomach.

They sat at the kitchen table, Draco anticipating what their conversation would be about. Lately, they had spoken of their life with the Muggles, sharing the amusement and awe of how they survived without magic. The shows on television fascinated them, giving them a Muggle perspective on magic and other 'supernatural' phenomena.

Ginny placed their plates on the kitchen tabletop before taking a seat beside him. "How's your job at the nightclub?" Ginny asked. Ever since the drunken episode, Ginny had decided to take Hermione's advice to heart and not to frequent such places.

"Fine," he mumbled around a mouthful of toast.

"Why is it that you never ask me about my job?"

"You smell of soap spuds, I don't want to know," Draco said with a frown and a shrug.

"Do you have a phobia of cleaning?" she asked, half jokingly. He continued his frown for another moment before confessing.

"Detention in Second Year, Filch made me polish every single award, statue, cup, plate, shield and medal in the Trophy room...by hand. It was quite revolting, there was this slimy stuff all over the awards, and he kept breathing down my neck threatening to hang me off the ceiling by my wrists, sadistic fool."

Ginny laughed, then gasped. "Wait a sec, Ron was polishing awards for detention too! Except, he was still spewing slugs from a hex that backfired. Which reminds me, wasn't he aiming that hex at you?"

Draco wasn't listening though, he had immediately blanched after hearing 'Ron' and 'slugs', and as Ginny watched, his face began to take on a greenish tinge. She swallowed the urge to laugh and patted his head in a motherly fashion.

"Anyway, I hate my job. I was thinking since I have a two-day break, I'd go look for a cashier job, now that I know how to count Muggle money. Do you know where I could find job vacancies?"

He shrugged. "My old flatmate used to go to the University here, he said there's usually an employment board around the Administration area. Why don't you sneak in and see what's on, you'd easily pass for a student."

"Right then, well I'd better get going. Leave the dishes in the sink, I'll get them when I come back."

~~~

Over the past decade, Manchester has emerged as a northern hub of commerce, enterprise and research. Around the city, modern developments housing Manchester's economic and cultural bright young things stand side by side with imposing 18^th and 19^th century buildings - a reminder of Manchester's rich tradition of industry, growth and innovation.

Ginny raised her eyebrows as she read the welcome pamphlet at the entrance to the campus. None of the terms made much sense to her, and she discarded the glossy paper soon after, opting to seek verbal directions to Administration.

By the time she arrived, Ginny had been breathless from climbing seven flights of stairs and negotiating her way across more than half the campus. The giant notice board stretched half the corridor and Ginny made her way slowly from left to right, tearing off potential opportunities and noting phone numbers. Near the right end, there was a small notice with a flashing rainbow colored heading that caught Ginny's eye.

It read:

Auditioning

Barton Theatre Company

Junior Special Effects Assistant required

No prior experience needed, training will be provided on set

Please see Professor Litner

School of Performing Arts Building Room 403

Blinking at the notice, she read it over and over again to make sure she wasn't hallucinating. Here was a notice, clearly magically enchanted, standing in full view of an entire institute of Muggles, the nerve of some folk! Still recovering from the shock, Ginny noticed a girl moving toward her, also looking at the notices on the board. Holding her breath, Ginny watched as the girl walked past, oblivious to the flashing sign. Confused, Ginny tapped the girl on her shoulder and said, "Excuse me, but could you read this notice for me?"

The girl gave her a strange look but came over and read it all the same. "Hiring, cleaner for campus lavatories, required for part-time position. Please see janitor for full details." The girl looked over, "Would you like the number?"

"Oh er, no...thank you," Ginny replied, hurriedly tearing off the notice under the curious eye of the other girl. "I'm a little short on cash these days," she said by way of explanation.

The girl gave her a sympathetic look. "Well I don't think anybody will be fighting over that position with you." Ginny feigned a relived look and made her way toward the School of Performing Arts Building.

Professor Litner, Professor Litner, Ginny chanted in her head as she walked down the corridor counting the room numbers. 401, 402, 403. Stopping outside room 403, she double-checked the label on the door, which read 'Professor E. J. Litner' and then knocked twice.

"Come in," a voice called from behind the door, and Ginny straightened her shirt and jacket before turning the doorknob.

A middle-aged man in a gray suit sat behind a small office table, typing away at an old typewriter. As Ginny entered, he turned and motioned for her to sit down.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

Ginny hesitantly passed him the notice clutched in her right hand and cleared her throat. "I er, saw this notice and I was wondering if the position had been filled yet."

Professor Litner took one glance at the notice and broke into a grin. "Ah, a witch are you?" Ginny nodded nervously. "We've had this notice up for weeks, but nobody's been able to pick it up. I'd begun to worry there'd been a reduction in magical folk."

Ginny gave a half smile, not sure what to answer. "Well, I'll have to ask you to come with me. Mrs Waldenburg is the one responsible for filling this position."

Professor Litner stood up and led Ginny out of the room, down the corridor and then up a flight of stairs before stopping at a large set of double doors. He entered with Ginny following close behind. Ginny looked around at the room they had entered and realized that they were at the back of a small theatre.

"Mrs Waldenburg, I've found you a witch. Looks to be a very promising child," Professor Litner called, giving Ginny a wink.

They made their way toward the stage as a shadow emerged from the side curtains. Upon close view, Mrs Waldenburg reminded Ginny of a younger version of Professor McGonagall. She looked in her mid forties, her brown hair pinned in a tight bun with rectangular spectacles set rigidly on the bridge of her nose. Immediately, Ginny felt as if she were back in Hogwarts again as Mrs Waldenburg made her way off the stage and to the floor, scrutinizing Ginny as if she were inspecting the beef for luncheon.

"Wand arm please," Mrs Waldenburg demanded in a nasal voice. Ginny lifted her right arm obediently and waited, Mrs Waldenburg sniffed at the bony protrusion with disapproval. "Too skinny, don't you eat, girl?"

Greatly offended at the lady's remark, Ginny decided she didn't care much for this position if she was going to be criticized for inconsequential matters. "I eat enough, thank you. I was under the impression you were looking for an assistant, if I had realized what you wanted was a well plumped turkey for Christmas, I wouldn't have bothered coming here. Now if you will, please tell me which it is that you require."

"What an impertinent child," Mrs Waldenburg murmured, exchanging amused glances with Professor Litner. "But perhaps with potential. Well then, as you seem so sure of yourself. What qualifications do you possess?"

"I am a graduate of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I was an active member of the Order of the Phoenix during the Second War with Voldemort and I attended the Auror Academy for a period of time." The fact that she hadn't graduated from the Academy was a minor detail that Ginny felt did not have to be conveyed.

"An impressive history for a young witch. And your results for NEWTs? I'm particularly concerned with which subjects you took."

"I received Outstandings for Advanced Transfiguration and Charms, Exceeded Expectations for Herbology and Potions. I also took a course in Muggle Studies out of interest."

"Good good, Transfiguration and Charms work are the major skills we require in this profession," Mrs Waldenburg said approvingly. "Well, the rehearsals shall begin Thursday, that is when I will need you to come in. I'm afraid the pay is award rate, however depending on your performance, we may have larger roles for you in the future. Please be here at Nine o'clock sharp, bring your wand and your wits and wear something comfortable, we don't want any stilettos and flimsy pieces of cloth on this stage."

It took Ginny a moment to absorb what Mrs Waldenburg had said. "So...I'm hired?" A thankful smile spread across Ginny's face as she shook Professor Litner's hand and then Mrs Waldenburg's in turn. "Thank you, Mrs Waldenburg."

"Please, call me Winnie," Mrs Waldenburg said, smiling for the first time that day. The smile brought out the twinkle in her eyes and took off years from her face, making Ginny take back her first appraisal of the woman. She began to regret her words earlier, and she returned Winnie's smile with genuine gratitude.

"Thank you, Winnie."

~~~

Ginny returned home wearing a smug and slightly goofy grin, barely concealing her eagerness to tell Draco of her new appointment. However, when she returned and opened the door to their flat, darkness greeted her like a bucket of icy water. Checking the clock, she saw that it was half past Five, meaning Draco had already left for work. Slightly put out, she decided it'd have to wait for tomorrow and trudged toward her bedroom to undress.

The next day, however, much to Ginny's dismay, was Wednesday, the day on which Draco regularly disappeared without a trace until around noon. Frustrated and desperate to share her good news with someone, Ginny rampaged around the unit in a flurry of impatience, cursing Draco's mysterious activities.

Meanwhile, five blocks away from the fuming redhead, Draco was happily striding along the paths of Whitworth Park whistling a light tune. At a familiar rose bush, he veered off the path and crossed the grass lawn toward a group of old men surrounding a life-sized Chess set.

"Ah, morning Draco," one of the elderly men said, greeting Draco with a pat on the back. The others all gave him a handshake before they settled down around the edge of the chessboard carved and painted onto the ground. The pieces were scattered about the board and some had already been taken off and placed in a neat line on the side.

"Whose game?" Draco asked his neighbor.

"Ryan's, he's white. Nathan's about ready to bite off all his fingernails," his neighbor replied with a grin.

"Nathan should have castled already, he's going to regret it later," Draco whispered back. Later, "Damn, why didn't he let Ryan waste some time with the pawn?"

"Hold yer horses lad, you'll get your turn soon enough," his neighbor chided.

The game ended with a double bishop checkmate and Nathan cursing to high heavens before retiring for a shot of vodka.

Draco had come across Chess quite accidentally, and he had begun playing for all the wrong reasons. At the tender age of 3, Draco had stumbled upon his father in the library having a game of Wizard's Chess with a friend. Mesmerized, Draco watched in fascination as the chess pieces smashed each other up and the remains were brushed to the side like a pile of ashes. The destruction was what drove him on; for him, Chess had not been about strategy only how many pieces he could wreck havoc on. He liked the feeling of dominance and superiority.

His first week living in the flat, Draco had woken early from a fitful slumber and decided to take a walk to soothe his inner turmoil. A walk in the park had allowed him to stumble across a group of elderly men playing chess. Bored and without direction, he'd stayed to watch. To his dismay however, they moved the pieces manually and removed them from the chessboard by hand without doing any sort of damage to the piece itself.

"His Pawn just got taken, right? Why didn't it get smashed up?" he had asked an observer standing on the side.

"Aren't you awake yet, lad? If it got smashed up, what would the rest of us play with later?" the man asked, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Well...but why do you move the pieces manually?" Draco persisted.

"How else would they move? You don't suppose they'd just fly by themselves do you?" the man responded, his amusement growing.

Draco had soon learnt that this group of chess fanatics gathered every Wednesday morning for a round of chess before heading to a local diner for brunch, loser's treat. He'd described this as a job to Ginny, but if one were to consider it, he was much more dedicated and enthusiastic about this than he had ever been with any job. Being severely lacking in the strategy department, Draco was more often than not the one to treat the others to brunch, though he was more than happy to oblige. Chatting with the old men pulled him into an entirely different universe and their wisdom and words captivated Draco. Perhaps if his grandfather had lived, and perhaps if his father had acted more like any other regular father, this is how he would have been like, Draco secretly mused.

Today, he had been assigned as scribe to record the chess games, and so did not get a chance to join the excitement himself. After brunch, he waved goodbye to the others and headed home, eager for Ginny's cooking.

Even with brunch, Draco always had enough stomach left for Ginny's meals. There was something special about them that gave Draco a feeling of home, though, oddly enough, he was sure he could not recollect a time when his home had given him the same feeling.

As soon as he opened the door, he was greeted with mouth-watering scents wafting through from the kitchen. Ginny was waiting for him there with a square three-course meal.

"Where were you? I've been waiting for you for ages, the food's getting cold. Hungry?" Ginny asked, looking strangely happy about something.

"Mmm." Draco nodded in agreement before taking a look at the food. They were all his favorites. Without waiting for an invitation, Draco took a fork and helped himself as Ginny watched with a strange grin.

Half an hour later, Draco migrated to the lounge, his stomach satisfied and feeling rather drowsy.

"Did you like it?"

"I always like your cooking," Draco replied truthfully.

"Did you...notice something special?"

"Err...."

"Well?" Ginny persisted.

"It was all my favorites?" Draco asked, feeling uneasy at Ginny's slightly manic look.

"And why might that be?" She was fishing, but for what?

"Because...you're happy?" He rubbed his eyes, feeling rather sleepy.

"And?"

"I'm really tired, can we continue this afterwards?" He moved to return to his room but Ginny beat him to it, heading for her room and slamming the door in a huff.

"Okay, something just went wrong," Draco muttered under his breath. He stood outside her bedroom door and knocked tentatively. "Err, Ginny? Was there something you wanted to tell me?"

A loud thud sounded, like a heavy object had just been thrown against the door, and Draco flinched, glad there was something between them. He resisted the urge to yell, "Hey, door ain't yours you know?". Instead, he took a deep breath and said, "Obviously you need to sleep on it, let me know when you're ready."

He returned to his own room to sleep, leaving Ginny be with her frustration. If there was one thing Draco understood, it was how to play mind games. If Ginny had something she wanted to tell him, she'd spill sooner or later without him asking.

Stupid Draco, dumb Draco. I hate him, hate him! Ginny thought as she ripped her bed sheet to shreds.

She had been waiting for him to come back all morning with bubbling impatience. Finally, she decided sitting around worrying her fingers wouldn't bring him back any faster, so she looked around for things to do. She had found a new job so that called for a celebration and what was a celebration without a proper feast? Making up her mind, she went downstairs for a hurried grocery trip and then returned to prepare a feast Draco wouldn't forget.

She was sure he would realize something once he saw the meal, and he'd remember to ask her how her job seeking had gone. A barely concealed grin fought beneath the surface when she heard a key in the doorknob. But much to her disappointment, his brain was shut off as his stomach worked, as per usual, and all he could pay attention to was the demand of his taste buds.

It wasn't until a couple of hours later that she finally decided perhaps she had been too hard on him. After all, it wasn't as if they were very close, she couldn't expect much from him. Sighing in defeat, she unlocked herself from the room and walked over to where Draco was sprawled on the couch reading.

"Sorry, about earlier. Anyway, just letting you know, I found a new job. Not a big deal, obviously, but just thought we could celebrate together. You know, because I just had this strange notion in my head that we were beyond flatmates, that we were friends even. But obviously I was wrong. Doesn't matter though, glad you liked lunch, at least one of us was enjoying ourselves." What had started out as a simple apology and announcement had somehow turned into a long speech with bitterness, and a little bit of spite.

Draco's expression softened at her defeated look and he ignored her implied tones. He motioned for her to sit down beside him and took her hand, holding it up for her to see their hands together. "One, you should have just told me, I would have taken you out to celebrate. And two, we are friends, for as long as you want us to be."

At first startled by his words, Ginny just stared at him. Then, when his words finally penetrated, she grinned and felt rather silly for having caused a scene. "Fine," she said shortly, before returning to her room to grin goofily at herself in the mirror.

~~~

Ginny went to her first day of work in high spirits, having been treated to a spectacular Italian meal. The 'special effects' she was responsible for, turned out to be exactly what Draco and Ginny had often wondered when watching television: How did they make the Muggles fly? How did they create the magical sparkles? How did they make giant monsters like Godzilla? How did they make such realistic transformations? As it were, both Draco and Ginny had given the Muggles far too much credit. While the Muggles praised such things as 'technological advances', many of the hard tasks and theatre shows still required the input of magic.

Her first day, Ginny learned that Winnie was in fact, a squib. That however, did not stop her from expecting a high degree of competency from Ginny. The simple levitating spells she had learnt were only temporary and much too ineffective for long stage performances. Also, each performer would require a mid Pepper Up potion to keep them warm and Ginny quickly found out why Winnie had thought her too skinny. Performing magic on such a large number of people, even if just simple charms, was very energy consuming. However, it was a challenge she enjoyed and so she worked hard each day under the guidance of Winnie.

Just a small taste of her work included such things as making the dancers float a little higher during their leaps, and to change their make up slightly with the mood of each scene. Pepper Up potions were a must for the ballet dancers in their thin dress and Sonorous spells for the singers and musicians. Winnie also taught her a special kind of Memory charm that could last for weeks and even months if cast properly, making the person ignore certain things rather than actually forgetting them. After the initial incantation, Ginny was able to easily adjust the person's attention to her spells and potions so that it was no more important than the action of swatting at a fly.

Life began to settle in again, though Draco complained now and again about the packed lunchboxes, rather than the steaming lunch that usually awaited him. One late Spring day, Winnie had dumped a stack of books on Ginny for her to sharpen up her Charms work. Who knew being born with magic was just a prerequisite to being a Special Effects Coordinator. She was perched on the kitchen bench top reading up on a discussion of extended Levitation charms.

"Draco?"

"Hmmm?"

"Do you know what they put in Fizzing Whizbees?"

"Dried Billywig stingers, I think," he replied.

"How much?"

He turned around on the couch and gave her a raised eyebrow. "Do I look like a candy maker to you? What's this for anyway?"

"I'm looking for ways to extend Levitation charms. Do you think if I get them to eat some Fizzing Whizbees before hand, that would do the trick?"

"Sure, if you have a really bad grudge against them."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, normally you're not supposed to perform magic on people who've just taken any magical herbs or potions. And if they're Muggle, anything could happen. You'd probably blow them up or something," Draco said with an offhanded shrug.

Ginny frowned. "I love how you can say things like that as if you were commenting on the weather."

She returned to her reading as a tapping on the window sounded and an owl peered in. Draco walked over to let it in, wondering whom it was for. Neither of them had received any Wizarding correspondence since they'd moved in together. The owl appeared to be a Ministry owl, bearing its mark around one leg. It landed on Draco's shoulder and offered him its right talon, he untied the parchment attached to it and the owl took off without a backward glance. Normally, Ministry owls did not linger around for treats and so Draco did not hold it back, shutting the window after it. Unrolling the parchment, Draco's eyes widened in surprise as a golden key dropped into his palm. He quickly scanned the letter and then sat back on the couch heavily, the parchment forgotten on his lap.

"Draco, what if I were to...." Ginny trailed off as she looked up to see Draco deep in thought. "Draco? Draco, what does the letter say?"

"It's from the Ministry, my father, he...obliterated himself," Draco replied.

"As in a Memory charm?" Ginny asked with confusion.

"No, not obliviate, the noun, as in cease to exist. He somehow managed to get his hands on a wand, guess he thought an end would be better than Azkaban, even without the Dementors."

"Isn't that your Gringotts key?"

He nodded. "My father kept it with him all this time." Draco let out a small hiss. "Probably thought I'd spend the entire inheritance."

"When are you returning?" Ginny asked, taking the parchment from him to scan it for a funeral date.

"Pardon?"

"Well, you have to go attend his funeral, don't you?" she replied matter-of-factly.

"It would appear that way, wouldn't it?" he answered a bit cryptically. "I'll have to be a few days, will you be alright without me?"

She gave him sideways glance. "I'm 24, Malfoy, not 14, what could happen to me?"

"Well, we wouldn't want you to suffer any sleepless nights without me by your side." She blushed crimson at his remark and gave him a half-hearted glare. He smirked and returned to his room to pack, may as well get this over with.

He left early the next morning, having told Lady Fox of his absence for the next few days. She had not been pleased. Three days later, he Apparated back to the flat, sitting himself quietly on the couch, his eyes staring into space. Ginny, who had been in her room, came out and sat on the opposite end, silently gazing at him. In one smooth movement, he crawled over and collapsed in her lap, one hand on her knee, the other tucked behind his back, his eyes tightly shut. She sighed and began stroking his hair with her fingertips, waiting for him to recover.

The funeral had been desolate; Lucius Malfoy had been proud and arrogant in life, but in death, he had been alone and despised, not a single soul had attended his funeral. Only Draco and Narcissa stood beside his empty grave - they hadn't even had a proper body to bury. Narcissa only sobbed as her last clinging hope fell and shattered into a thousand pieces of heartbreak. With his father's death, it seemed Draco's last attachment to the Wizarding World had been disconnected and he was at last, free.

~~~
With his first step into JB's, all eyes were on Draco as he strode purposefully toward Lady Fox's office. Ivan, the bouncer, deserted his post and followed Draco in with interest.

"Look at you boy!" he said, looking Draco up and down. "Where'd you get the fancy clothes?"

Draco smirked at him but said nothing; he was saving his charm for Lady Fox.

She stretched languidly as he stepped into her office and turned to him with those smoky eyes. "Finally, you're back, we've been losing business every day you were away." Her tone was playful and just a tad reproachful.

"I have a business proposal for you," he drawled, taking a seat across from her. She took in his new attire and his renewed confidence with interest.

"Leave us," she said quietly, and Ivan stepped out of the office with a mock salute. "Well?"

"Your business, it interests me. What would you say to selling it?" he continued, unhurriedly pouring himself a glass of wine from a nearby counter.

"What I would say, depends on whether the price is right," she returned, a new twinkle in her pale blue eyes.

"Go ahead, set a price you won't regret."

"Ah, but you see, as much as the money interests me, I also have an ... attachment to this place." Her eyes were half-lidded as she studied his reaction. He considered this, and then smirked.

"You keep running the place, and I'll cut you twenty per cent."

"Thirty," she replied, all business.

"Thirty," he agreed with a nod.

They spent the remainder of the night negotiating the sale and both emerged with superior smirks on their beautiful faces.

"Er, wouldn't be interested in telling ol' Ivan what's going on, would you?" Ivan asked, grinning at their looks.

"Ivan, meet your new boss, Draco Malfoy." Lady Fox clinked her glass together with Draco's before placing a full kiss on his lips.

"Wow, always knew you were a piece of work, but 'boss'? I'm gonna miss seeing you behind the bar," Ivan said.

"Not to worry," Draco replied grandly, trying hard not sway. "The bartending has kind of grown on me."

The change of ownership went smoothly, but was kept relatively quiet, per Draco's wishes. He continued to play bartender; though with his newly purchased powers, he was frequently spotted throwing rowdy men out of the club instead of serving them drinks.

At the same time, a hotshot director from Hollywood had attended the play Ginny was Special Effects Assistant to. He'd heard of Magic being used in theatre, and was keen to experiment with it in his new film, which was taking shots in Britain. Winnie had greatly praised Ginny's works to the director and Ginny was astounded when he offered her a new job: Head Special Effects Coordinator. Her paycheck was more than tripled with promise of more work to come if her performance was up to mark.

Movie making was quite different to producing plays, Ginny quickly learnt, her working hours changing rapidly with each scene they shot. She was absent from the flat for long periods and often returned at odd hours. Draco, for his part, was unexpectedly understanding, and did not complain about not being able to taste her cooking.

~~~

A few months later, Lady Fox came to Draco with a strange request. Ever since he had come into ownership of JB's, Lady Fox had taken the role of Manager and it was her responsibility to take care of the daily administrative tasks in the running of the nightclub.

"A fundraiser?" Draco asked, with a confused scratch of his chin.

"Yes, we raise money for a charity," Lady Fox replied.

"I know what a fundraiser is, what I don't understand, is why a nightclub has to establish a fundraiser."

"Think of it as helping the needy, you'll feel better when you sleep at night," Lady Fox replied with a shrug.

He sighed. "Do as you see fit."

Two days later, he was confronted with a horrendous object that nearly sent him running in the opposite direction.

"Leather pants!?" he exclaimed, eyeing the horror with wide eyes.

Lady Fox nodded emphatically, an unusual gesture for her normally laidback attitude.

"There is no way in hell I'm going to wear that!"

"Tough, you have to, Sweetie."

"Why?" Draco asked, almost begging.

"The fundraiser. Our bartenders are all wearing leather pants to support the occasion. How else did you figure we would get donations?" Lady Fox asked with a smirk.

"You tricked me!" Draco exclaimed in horror. "I could have you fired!" Lady Fox gave him a raised eyebrow as he huffed indignantly. Then something dawned on him. "It's never been about the fundraiser has it? It was always about the leather pants!"

"Exactly." Lady Fox agreed cheerfully. "So then, here you go, I want you dressed in it tomorrow night when you come in. Or I'll strip you in front of the crowd to make up for it." She didn't sound like she had a problem with the alternative either.

Poking the horrific garment with a finger, Draco shot her a hateful glare and stormed out of the office.

The next night, Draco poked his head out from behind his bedroom door, glancing around nervously. After a hesitant minute, he slowly stepped into the living room and shuffled carefully toward the couch.

"Merlin's beard!" Draco nearly jumped through the roof at Ginny's sudden exclamation. Why did she have to be home now, of all occasions? "What are you wearing, Malfoy?"

"Just - it's for a fundraiser...stop gawking!" Draco fought the urge to run back into his room and lock the door.

"You look hot!" Draco's defensive look softened a little. "Really hot!" He resisted the urge to preen in a pompous fashion. "But...." But? Draco repeated the offensive word in his head and turned to stare at his flatmate.

"What's wrong?" he asked, dreading the answer.

"Your hair, it's much too...elegant. Clashes terribly with your pants. And it's getting too long anyway, haven't you had time for a haircut recently?"

Running a hand through his hair, he noticed it was hanging below his ear, the back brushing his collar. "Is a bit long isn't it?" he mused.

"Come over, I'll cut it for you." Ginny patted a stool beside her. He eyed her suspiciously but did not comply. "Trust me, I'm a Weasley remember? We know all the do-it-yourself formulas."

Still a little hesitant, Draco sat down on the stool and waited as Ginny placed a cut up newspaper over his shoulders. With a flick, her wand had transformed itself into a pair of scissors.

Two-dozen snips later and some hair gel, Draco stood to face the world with leather pants and spiky blond hair. "I think you made the fringe too short," Draco muttered, examining himself in the mirror.

"Nonsense, it's just the right length to be gelled up. Now you're set, just the right mixture of punk and suave."

"You sure?"

"Trust me, your pocket will be overflowing with phone numbers by the end of the night," Ginny assured him.

She gave him one final look over. His blond hair was gelled and the front stood up in little spikes - for daring; his gray eyes swirled with confidence - for mystery. His white shirt was tailored for a slim fit, his sleeves rolled up to just under his elbow, tucked loosely inside his fitted leather pants - for sophistication. The leather wrapped smoothly around his long legs, loosening just the slightest bit around his rear - for sexiness. "Well, if the ladies don't faint over this, I don't know what'll do the trick," Ginny murmured to herself.

With a glance at the clock, Draco grabbed his keys and waved Ginny goodbye. On his way to the door, he felt a firm pinch on his butt and yelped, turning around with an accusing glare.

"Always wanted to do that," Ginny said with a mischievous grin.

Needless to say, the fundraiser was a huge success, and Lady Fox was sorely tempted to make leather pants part of the uniform, that is, if it weren't for the murderous expression on Draco's face.

~~~

Ginny's film with the Hollywood director was coming to a wrap and, though she ought to have expected it, she was still surprised when the director asked her to return with him to the United States. Very few wizards wanted to associate long-term with the Muggles, and even the Muggle-borns preferred to acquire jobs within the Wizarding World. Talented Special Effects Coordinators with enough Muggle knowledge were rare and the director was not about to let Ginny out of his sights.

Scared and excited and regretful all at once, Ginny owled a letter to her family with the good new, hoping against hope that they would be happy for her. As it turned out, she needn't have worried; the Trio were ecstatic about her new career, and with their blessing, Molly Weasley finally stopped worrying. Her father, of course, bombarded her with questions about the Guggle world and demanded that she owl him once a month with more news. With her family's support, Ginny accepted the director's offer to leave for the States within the week.

Now, she was faced with the hard task of telling Draco her decision. For some strange reason, she didn't think he'd take it very well, and in all honesty, she had a feeling she would miss him very much.

Deciding it would be best to talk to him while he was busy with food, she prepared breakfast and waited for him to wake up. Sure enough, the smell of bacon and eggs lured him into the kitchen and he sat at the bench top, half asleep, the portrait of angelic innocence.

"I got a promotion." She decided to start off with a light tone.

"Mmm."

"I might have to go overseas for a bit, they have some new movies in America they need me for," she continued. She grimaced slightly as Draco put down his fork; he was fully awake now.

"When will you be back?" His tone was indifferent, but she could see the uncertainty in his darkened eyes.

"Maybe a few months. I'll be back from time to time, depends on my schedule. But you know, with intercontinental Apparition, it only takes half a day at most, so, I could still drop by regularly." They both knew that was a lie, even with the convenience of Apparition, Ginny's busy schedule wouldn't have allowed her to take regular breaks.

"Yeah, sure."

Ginny bit the corner of her lip a moment before continuing. "They have a new studio for me. I didn't ask for it, obviously," she added quickly. "But, the director, he thought it'd be more convenient for me to have my own place."

Draco remained still for at least half a minute before he raised his head. "Well, congratulations. Good to hear you're moving up in the muggle world. When are you moving out? Need my help?" he asked, giving her a smile. "But then again, they've probably organized a removal company for that sort of thing, right?" There was a faint trace of bitterness as he said this and Ginny could only watch him, speechless.

"Draco - " She was cut off as he abruptly stood up.

"Breakfast was great, as usual. Sorry, I have to head to the office now, have some things to prepare, you know, for Christmas." He smiled shortly, then hurried to his room to change and strode out of the flat without a further word.

For the next few days, Draco concentrated on making himself scarce. Ginny packed her things and moved to her new studio, leaving the address on top of the television along with a note, telling him she would like to see him one last time before she left on Friday morning. He did not show up, and Ginny left for America with a heavy heart.

~~~

Over the next year, Draco diligently avoided Ginny whenever she returned to Britain. Draco had put up a ward around the perimeter of the flat, which produced a warning tone whenever Ginny was about to Apparate in, giving him just enough time to Disapparate out. After she had left, there would be a green aura around the door, letting him know it was safe to return and read the note she always left on top of the television.

Dear Draco,

I've just finished a new action film in Australia. I'll be staying in Britain for two weeks, I'd love to catch up with you. Drop by when you're free.

Love Ginny.

~~~

Dear Draco,

Happy Easter! I was going to come around and have lunch with you, but looks like you're out, again. Anyway, I made some food for you in the fridge, heat it in the microwave for two minutes when you're hungry. How have you been? Send me an Owl at least.

Love Ginny.

~~~

Dear Draco,

Are you really that busy? I'm beginning to suspect you're avoiding me. And you haven't answered a single one of my Owls. I worry about you. I'll be around for a week or so. Drop by or I'll hunt you down, I mean it!

Love Ginny.

P.S. I mean it!

The last time Ginny came by, there were white sheets around the furniture and a thin layer of dust covered every available surface. The flat looked like it hadn't been lived in for at least a month. Determined to end this childish game of hide and seek, Ginny pulled off the white sheet over the couch and sat herself down. She would wait here until he showed up.

~~~

Draco strolled the paths of Whitworth Park, cursing Ivan and his great weight. Lately, he'd taken to haunting JB's in preference to returning home. He had moved out of the flat and into another apartment across town, thinking a change of scenery would help to soothe him. Staying at the flat made him unwittingly think of the time he had spent with her and only heightened the bitterness within him. However, lingering around his new apartment only highlighted how empty and lonely he felt. And so, he had begun haunting JB's, getting in everyone's way and twiddling his thumbs at the office. Finally, under Lady Fox's directions, Ivan had hauled him out of the nightclub and sent him on his way. Apparently, Lady Fox's word still took priority over his, he would have to talk with her about that. Now, however, he wandered around mindlessly until, for no apparent reason, he stood at the front door to the flat, key in hand. Even after he moved out, he continued the lease on the flat, wanting perhaps, to keep it incase Ginny came back to look for him. If he had been paying attention, he would have noticed that the aura around the door was glowing a faint red. Pushing the door open, he stepped in and locked it behind him.

"Finally, you're back!" A voice startled him from behind.

"Ginny?"

"I've been waiting for three hours! You could have had the decency to tell me you moved, preferably with your new address!" Ginny said crossly, her hands on her hips.

The scene was so familiar and nostalgic that Draco almost burst out laughing. Resisting the urge to run over and hug her, he sat down at the kitchen with his back to her. "I've been...busy. I thought you would be too, probably forgotten about me between you busy schedule."

Her tone softened. "That's not true. I drop by whenever I get the chance, but you're never around."

"So, what are you doing here? Forgot something? Just as well actually, I'm about to terminate the lease for this place, so if there's anything you left, you better collect it now."

"The only thing I left behind was you." Came the answer, seemingly closer than before.

"Look, you don't have to worry, I can take care of myself," Draco returned. A small hand reached out to touch the side of his face and he turned to see Ginny standing beside him.

"Remember when you said we would be friends for as long as I wanted us to be?" He nodded. "Well, I don't want us to be friends anymore."

His expression grew cold and there was a steely glint in his eyes. "Fine."

"Wait, I'm not finished yet. I've missed you this past year and, I don't think I'm flattering myself when I say that you've missed me too. So, I don't know...maybe...let's try and start a relationship."

He looked at her in astonishment before shaking his head. "I'm not in love with you," he blurted out rather irrationally.

"Yes, but I'm not asking you to be," she paused. "Well, not yet." If possible, he looked even more horrified. "Can't you? Given the opportunity to love me, is it entirely impossible?"

"Do I even need to answer that?" His face was incredulous as he gaped at her with an expression one would have when facing a manticore.

She gave him a reproachful look and stepped forward, pulling him down for a hug. His heartbeat doubled its pace and he looked down at the redhead snuggling close to him with a mixture of relief and anxiety. Almost ready to surrender, he pushed at her gently, but she was having none of that. Putting her weight around his neck, she pulled him down close enough to kiss him. She grinned into his mouth as he gave up and returned her embrace, tracing her lips with his tongue.

After the initial kiss, Draco needed no more persuasion to become an active participant. It was as if all those lonely nights spent thinking of her and cursing the Hollywood director, had melded into one to make this moment, when he, Draco Malfoy, could finally feel her body beneath his as they moved in a desperate rhythm against each other. And he wondered briefly, how he could have survived so long in her company every night without this to make it complete. As she traced a path of kisses from his neck, across his chest, to his belly button, he decided that he had to have been an idiot and resolved to make up for lost time as diligently as possible. With that aim in mind, he pulled her up so that she was straddling him and watched as she rolled her hips experimentally. Halfway to heaven, he closed his eyes, and his lifted his hands to trace the contours of her breasts amidst her sighs.

Hours later, when they had finally exhausted each other and lay there, forehead touching forehead, they contemplated the moment in time that had brought them together. Perhaps, Draco decided, God wasn't just a prankster after all.

"People who've experienced loneliness can't help loving others," he mused, as Ginny placed her head on his chest.

"Let's always be together." She sighed contentedly, and though she didn't elaborate, he could hear her unspoken words. I don't ever want to be alone again.

He woke up the next morning to see her face looking down at him, her fingers brushing his hair gently. "What are you thinking?" he mumbled sleepily, licking at her neck like a small puppy.

"I was thinking...when I asked God for some form of salvation, I was expecting a Prince Charming, you know? Some dashingly handsome young man loaded with money and graceful manners to fall madly in love with me. To whisper sweet nothings into my ear and make me blush. Then to take me on his broomstick and fly me away to some lovely countryside castle where we could spend the rest of our lives doing nothing and being absolutely happy."

Draco gave a snort and eyed her haughtily. "Afraid I have some bad news for you then. Remember the night we met and I bumped into you? Well Prince Charming was right behind you, but he was overpowered by the Malfoy charm, so he jumped back on his tattered Shooting Star and fled away into the night."

Ginny gave him a sideways glare. "It's true! I saw the whole thing over the top of your head while you were choking the life out of me."

"Well, tell him to come back," she demanded, playing along with him.

"Why? You already have me," Draco asked, not looking the slightest bit bashful.

"Because, I think I've had enough of the Malfoy 'charm' to last me a lifetime. Can you imagine? I had to do the seducing. Give me a real man who tells me I'm beautiful and that I'm the love of their life," Ginny said in a theatrical voice.

"I'm the real man, you're thinking of the wimp who appears in fairytales."

"Ah, well so be it. Destiny has sentenced me to be prey for the heir of Malfoy, who am I to protest?" she continued, sliding her hand up underneath his shirt and across his stomach.

"Stop stealing my warmth, wench," Draco said affectionately, caressing the soft skin of her back.

She leaned forward to kiss him, making a thorough expedition of exploring his mouth. "You were saying?" she teased, as her hand slipped down between them. He groaned as his head fell onto her shoulder.

"Nothing at all, Princess."

"That's what I thought." She smiled smugly as her fingers enclosed around him and his eyes shut on a moan.