Narcissa hummed as she flipped through the dress robes in Madam Malkin's. She had no clue what had possessed Draco to allow her to actually get out of the house. Not that she minded, of course. It was a beautiful Sunday morning. It was just a shame that it had nearly been seven or eight months since she had faked her illness and Draco still hadn't gotten married.
I won't have to wait much longer, she told herself, remembering the way Draco had looked at Ginny when they had dinner together. Lucius had never looked at her like that. It was love. No one could possibly deny that.
She giggled like a young girl as she called for Madam Malkin to show her where the wedding gowns were.
_._._._._._._._
Draco had his feet on top of the coffee table, while Blaise lounged in an equally lazy fashion next to him, reading the newspaper. Draco sipped a cup of coffee and surveyed his flat. It was still furnished in a very bachelor-like fashion. It was clean and neat, but there wasn't any connection to the flat, like Ginny's. There were no little touches here and there, a painting or two; no decorative items placed on the mantle, except for the orb Ginny had given him last Christmas. The flat was purely practical and functional.
"How's Puddlemere United doing?" Draco asked.
"Wood's still going strong. Made over twenty saves last weekend against the Cannons."
Draco scoffed. "Anyone can beat the Cannons. You and I alone can beat the Cannons."
Blaise chuckled as he said, "Not if we're on your Silver Arrows."
"Shut up, Blaise," Draco grumbled. "It wasn't my fault that the Silver Arrows went berserk on me. Some of my workers had to stay in the hospital for a week after that incident. It's not like I needed it anyway. The Firebolt line is good enough for now."
"You're the businessman, Draco."
"Give me the paper," Draco said.
Blaise passed the rest of the Daily Prophet to Draco, who pulled out the business section and began reading. A few minutes passed by before Blaise put down the sports section he had been reading and spoke.
"How's Narcissa? I haven't seen her in a while."
"She's doing well. Better than ever, since she found out about Ginny."
"I would imagine so. She really wants those grandchildren."
Draco sighed. The sense of betrayal was fading away, but it was still there. It was a constant reminder of how he had been lied to. It wasn't that he was naïve enough to think that he'd never been lied to; it was just that she was his mother.
"I let her go to Diagon Alley today."
Blaise eyebrows rose. "Why?"
"She's bored. I can tell. I visited her and besides the fact that she was blatantly hinting me about when Ginny and I would be married ninety nine percent of the time, she's definitely bored."
"You haven't told her that you know, have you?" Blaise's voice carried a note of panic Draco didn't miss.
"No, I haven't," Draco sighed again and continued, "but I have to. Soon. I'm getting tired of pretending that I don't know. Plus, even if I tell her, there shouldn't be any reason she should be upset –"
"Draco, she has every right to be upset. No mad or angry in the way that you were, but in that she would feel guilty for making you feel that way. Or she would feel that it was all for naught. Don't let your pride get in the way of joy."
Draco wasn't really listening. "She's the one that lied to me. She's been lying to me for over half a year. That's a long time to hold a secret. Personally, I don't think she feels any remorse at all."
"She will once she knows that you uncovered her plot," Blaise retorted.
Draco guffawed. "And who told me? I think your ass would be in trouble." He slapped Blaise on the back and they both laughed, forgetting about Narcissa and her plot to get herself grandchildren.
_._._._._._._._
"Hermione, please stop worrying."
"What's there not to worry?" Hermione spoke archaically, out of breath from running everywhere. "What if the cake doesn't turn up? What if the priest falls ill? What if Ron decides not to marry me? What if –"
"Hermione, there are a thousand what ifs, but the main focus is that you are getting married." Ginny stressed the last few words, patting Hermione on the back. "You should be worried about what you're going to wear to bed that night, not if Ron is going to leave you – which he isn't," Ginny added quickly.
Harry chuckled as he watched his best friend fuss over the placement of the flowers. Hermione would always be Hermione. He walked over to the two women, his green eyes sparkling with mirth.
Ginny saw him cross the room. "Hey Harry, how's it going?"
He nodded at her, and then he turned to Hermione. "Come on, Hermione, relax, will you? It's a few days before your dream wedding and you need to rest or you're going to pass out at the altar. Then I'll have to deal with an inconsolable Ron."
"Yeah, Harry and Ron will get pissed at the closest muggle bar they can find," Ginny added, smiling at Harry, who winked at her, "and start singing the latest Weird Sisters love song."
"Naw, Ron will crash at my place and pig out on ice cream and wear sweatpants all day while reading all the magazines that have the Cannons in them," Harry contradicted.
Hermione laughed. "Knowing Ron, he will probably do all the things you mentioned."
Ron walked in just in time to hear Hermione last statement. "What?" he asked. He came behind Hermione and wrapped strong arms around her waist, making her giggle as he kissed her on the neck. "I will do what?"
"Nothing," Hermione said, sneaking glances out of her laughing hazel eyes at Ginny and a grinning Harry. "Nothing at all."
_._._._._._._._._
Draco lay in bed that night, bare arms crossed behind his head, staring up at the ceiling.
As if you could ever make her feel what I made her feel. You're a Malfoy. Nothing but a Malfoy. The low of the lowest. One day she's going to wake up next to you and wonder why she ever dated you.
The whole Seamus incident seemed to have faded from Ginny's mind, for she no longer looked uncomfortable at all around him, nor did she seem saddened by the fact that he was ever there. But for Draco, it was only the beginning of doubt.
As if you could ever make her feel what I made her feel.
Of course he loved Ginny. Ginny obviously loved him. She hadn't slept with Seamus. But she didn't seem to want to with him either. He could feel her against him, warm and yielding when he kissed her, yet she pulled away. Nor did he want to push her, after what happened recently. Seamus is an idiot, he told himself, an idiot who couldn't keep what he had. He threw it all away. I won't ever do that. And yet, the words still echoed within his head.
You're a Malfoy. Nothing but a Malfoy. The low of the lowest.
There was a time when he was proud to be a Malfoy. He was at the top of the wizarding world. No one had more power, prestige, or prosperity than a Malfoy. Then he was ashamed of himself, hiding from his father, working as a waiter in a muggle restaurant. He had learned humility then, to put himself in other people's shoes, trying to make up his own mind on what he thought of the world. It had been good for him. He wasn't ashamed of himself now, but he was still a Malfoy. One day he would take up his name once again and move into that old manor that had been in his family for countless generations and start a new generation, hopefully with the woman he loved.
One day she's going to wake up next to you and wonder why she ever dated you.
It wasn't going to come down to that was it? So what if he was a Malfoy? Did Ginny care at all?
He didn't like feeling this doubt. He was a Malfoy, however horrible that was in others' eyes, and he would always be. There had and always would be a sense of confidence around him, and he hated to feel vulnerable and lost, especially over a few words from an idiot.
The questions flew through his mind, and he couldn't think clearly. He fell into a troubled sleep.
_._._._._._._._._
Ginny sighed happily as she leaned back against Draco's hard chest. She trailed a finger down his arm. They were in her flat before the rehearsal dinner that night, enjoying the peace and quiet before all the celebrations tomorrow. Draco had gotten a last minute invitation to Hermione's wedding and he wouldn't pass up a chance to poke fun at the new couple or spend the whole night with Ginny by his side.
But he was thinking about something else.
Ginny felt him stiffen and looked at him.
"Is everything alright?"
Draco snapped back, annoyed for no particular reason at all. "I'm fine. Quit asking."
Ginny sat up, hurt. "I only asked once, you butthead."
"Calling me names now, are we?" Draco drawled. "How immature."
"Don't you dare say that! I was only concerned about you."
"You can stop. I'm fine."
"Like I'll really believe that," Ginny shot back.
"You should."
Ginny huffed and picked herself off of Draco and stormed toward the kitchen, slamming the door behind her.
Later, Ginny and Draco were in the kitchen, baking cookies. Draco hadn't apologized, but Ginny felt bored, so they had gone out to buy flour, sugar, and such. Draco was in a better mood, but he still complained the whole way, saying that cooking was not a man's work. He was still doing so as Ginny poured milk into a mixing bowl.
"Ginevra, this is ridiculous. I am a –"
"Don't do your whinny 'I am a man' thing, okay? Grow up, Draco, you can do this." She handed him the bowl. "Mix."
"That's not what I was going to say, Miss Know-It-All," he growled, "I was going to say I was a Malfoy, and Malfoy don't do such menial labours."
Ginny turned around and stared at him. "What?" It was surprising to have Draco say the same words that he had been spitting out all through her Hogwarts years. Something was wrong and both of them knew it.
Draco grimaced inwardly at the look on her face. He hadn't meant to say that. He hadn't meant to say or do a lot of things, actually.
"Never mind, Ginevra." He took the spatula and started mixing as quickly as he could.
It wasn't long before something happened.
"Draco, I told you to dust the cookie sheet with flour, not pour it!"
He gave her a scathing look only went skin deep. "I am a man," he announced proudly, "and I don't know what you are blabbering about when you say 'dust'."
Ginny gasped. "You chauvinistic pig!" She laughed at threw some of the excess flour at him.
It caught him full in the face, making his nose powdery white. "You asked for it, Ginevra."
Within seconds they were in a full-blown flour fight, throwing as much flour at each other. Everything that had happened before was momentarily forgotten. It was over as soon as it started, as Draco began to sneak kisses every time he threw a handful at her.
"Draco! Stop, that isn't fair."
"I don't play fair." He kissed her again as she swiped blindly at him, trying to blink away the flour he had thrown.
He forgot about the fight when she kissed back, hot and insistent. He wrapped his arms around her and pushed her gently against the counter, still not breaking away.
When they came up for air, Ginny took a finger and smeared a little bit of flour on his cheek, smiling. Draco shook his head at her and kissed her again, this time on her nose, which was still coated with flour. There was a smudge of white on his lips when he straightened, looking at her with those beautiful silver eyes.
Draco released Ginny and she went to properly put the cookies into the oven, instructing him to clean the kitchen up.
Draco chuckled softly as he looked again at the kitchen. Most of it was covered in the flour they had thrown, though the majority of it was on the floor. He waved his wand at the mess, making the flour disappear and the mixing bowls fly over to the sink. He picked up the extra flour and sugar in their packages and put them in the pantry.
Ginny finished putting little scoops of cookie dough on the sheet, and slid them into the oven. She turned around the see Draco leaning in the doorway. He was in a very masculine stance with his hands in the pocket of his loose jeans.
He looked pensive, his eyes unreadable as he stared at her. She walked up to him, slipping her arms around his shoulders as his arms came around her waist. His piercing eyes swept over all of her, memorizing her chocolate brown eyes, the milky skin, her wavy red locks of hair.
She fleetingly wondered what had happened when he bent down and kissed her, and it was somehow saddening. He lingered just a bit too long when she drew back, as if he wanted to savour the kiss.
"Ginevra?"
Ginny looked up at him through her eyelashes. "Yes?"
He took a deep breath. "Does it matter –" He paused and continued. "Does it matter that I'm a Malfoy?" There was so much more he wanted to blurt out, but he contained himself.
You're a Malfoy. Nothing but a Malfoy.
Her eyes widened and she stiffened in his arms. "What?"
He looked at her, staring deep into her eyes. "Please Ginevra, just tell me."
You're a Malfoy.
She looked at him incredulously. She had never heard him plead, except for the time he had done so on behalf of his mother, when they had coffee at Starknuts. "What do you mean?" Her voice cracked. "Why are you asking me this?"
Nothing but a Malfoy.
Draco didn't want to mention Seamus, lest he look incredibly stupid in front of her. "Just tell me."
She sighed. "Let's sit down, okay?"
Draco braced himself for the worst. Words blurred together in his head.
A Malfoy...
"I want to know what brought this up," Ginny started as they sat on the sofa. Draco opened his mouth to say that he couldn't possible tell her, and she raised a hand to stop him. "But I know you're not ready or you won't tell me. That's fine. I'll give you my answer."
Draco had never felt so sick in his life, and that included the time when he had wondered whether Ginny would ever go to him or not. Funny, how this was practically the same situation.
"I couldn't say that I don't care that you're a Malfoy."
Draco's throat closed up and he nearly choked trying to swallow.
"Because it's part of who you are. I can't just love you without loving who you are. You couldn't help being born a Malfoy any more I could have chosen to be a Weasley. It's part of you."
Draco spoke, "Then why?" Ginny looked at him, confused. "Why are you with me?" he clarified.
She laughed, and the tension evaporated slightly. "I could go on forever." Her eyes betrayed her thoughts. Pure love shone through and Draco could see that.
They looked at each other, swirling silver against steadfast brown. They sat there, lost in their own world.
_._._._._._._._
After the rehearsal dinner, which mostly consisted of a blushing Hermione, a beaming Ron, and great food, Ginny pushed Draco in the direction all the Weasleys and Harry were going for some sort of bachelor party, while Ginny left with Hermione and a few other girls to do whatever girls did when they were together.
Draco walked stiffly by Harry, muttering, "What's going on?"
Harry grinned at him, as if they had been friends since that first day on the train. "A bachelor party. You know, to sort of celebrate Ron's last night of being a bachelor. We're having quite a mild one, no strippers or anything like that."
Draco raised an eyebrow. "Weasley couldn't handle strippers anyhow."
Harry shrugged noncommittally. "So we're just going to have a few drinks and tease Ron about married life."
Draco gave him a predatory grin. "Sounds like a plan."
They went into a pub, and gathered around the bar, ordering drinks from the bartender.
"Two butterbeers, please."
"Me too."
"One Firewiskey."
"What are you ordering a Firewiskey for, Malfoy? Hoping to drink away the fact that you're here with a bunch of Weasleys?"
Bill smacked Fred on the head. "Shut up, Fred. If you were at least decent toward him, he would probably be the same to you." Fred protested as Draco smirked at Fred, passing the grappling brothers to get his Firewiskey.
Bill released Fred, who immediately steered his comments toward Ron, who was currently gulping down a butterbeer.
"So Ron, have you done the dirty deed yet?"
Ron choked and George whacked his back.
Percy frowned at Fred. "Could you be any more crude?"
"We're all not prudes, you know Percy, ol' boy." George grinned.
"I really don't want to think of my little brother having sex."
Charlie winced at the thought too, but said, "You're an idiot, Fred."
"What?"
There were so many voices at this time Draco gave up on following the conversation so closely and sipped his Firewiskey instead, though he was more amused than annoyed by the shouting and arguing.
"I resent that!" George laughed. "So do I! I'm his twin, after all."
"Don't I get a say in this?" Ron was calling above the ruckus.
"Why do they live together then? Come on, Fred, Hermione moved in for a reason."
"Isn't it just a stage all couples go through?"
Here Draco lifted his head and stared at Fred.
"Bloody hell, mate, you've never asked Angelina –"
Bill cut off Ron's soon-to-be lewd comment. "It's whatever you want it to be." He directed this at Fred.
Fred said snidely. "You would know, wouldn't you –"
"– you're the one who dated Fleur, veela extraordinaire, " George finished, and the twins made kissy-kissy noises at him. Bill blushed, turning the same color Ron had just turned earlier when he had been hacking.
"What our wonderful older brother is trying to say, " Charlie interrupted the twins' merciless teasing of Bill, "is that you can live with your significant other and obviously one of the reasons would be easier access to each other, or you don't do that. It's really that simple."
George elbowed Fred in the stomach. "Told you so." They focused their attentions back on Ron, who visibly shrank back as they teased him.
Draco sat there, his firewhiskey clutched in his hand halfway to his mouth, but he didn't notice. It's not really that simple, is it? he thought. He couldn't say that he'd never slept with a woman before, but he couldn't say that any of his girlfriends had actually moved in with him either. He'd never been that intimate with a woman before, nor did he ever find the need to do so.
But now that Ginny was his...
He was jerked out of his thoughts when one of the Weasleys bumped his shoulder as they passed him. Harry was perched on the barstool next to him, observing him, wondering at the look of panic that had passed over his eyes when Charlie had said his part about couples living together.
It was quite a surprise to Harry that Draco had stayed with Ginny so long, but he should have known that wasn't just any man who could have drawn Ginny out of the box she had kept herself in after Seamus, nor was the look in Ginny's eyes that day when she had defended him one that passed. The hurt was slowly subsiding anyhow.
Draco, on the other hand, was now thinking about Ginny. He hadn't meant to snap at her so much that afternoon, or act like what she had correctly called him, a butthead. A thought came to his mind. Was Ginny a virgin? It never really crossed his mind, for it seemed unlikely, for such a gorgeous woman to be one, especially since she was in her twenties, albeit in her early twenties.
She had told him that she had never slept with Seamus, but that didn't mean there weren't any other men in her life, one of which was sitting right next to him. Draco growled at the thought, making Harry look at him, then groaned and lifted the firewhiskey to his lips once more.
_._._._._._._._._
Ginny was back in her flat around ten, brushing off Hermione's pleas to stay the night at the Burrow, where all the rest of the woman were staying that night. She was pulling off her dress when the front door opened and closed, and a rapid tattoo beat on the wood floor before the soft carpet muffled the sound. Ginny reached for her nightgown just as the door began to open, but realized she didn't have time to get it and pull it on. She squeaked as the door opened and clutched the dress to her front.
Draco stood there, his hair mussed. "Ginevra, " he acknowledged, walking toward her, before he noticed she wasn't dressed. His eyes slid over her bare shoulders and back up to her startled eyes in her flushed face. "I'll wait outside."
She could only nod as he swiftly turned around and out. Ginny took a deep breath, not aware that she had been holding her breath, and stepped into the nightgown.
Walking into the living room, she noted that Draco had made himself comfortable on her sofa. When he saw her, he rose and handed her a mug of tea.
"So what brings you back so early?" As Ginny spoke, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was somehow warding off something.
"Your brothers were boring me."
Ginny sighed. "You're going to get used to them, Draco. Or at least call them by their names."
"They still call me Malfoy."
Ginny shrugged and they sat there, Draco with an arm around Ginny, holding her close. He could feel the smoothness of her skin under his arm and he relaxed, the tension in his shoulders evaporating. Then he remembered what he had come here for and he stiffened again.
"So what brings you here?"
"Can't a guy come and see his girl?"
"Don't answer my question with a question."
"Okay, so I wanted to ask you something." She nodded, encouraging him to continue speaking. This was so much smoother in my head, Draco thought. "Are you a – have you ever –"
Ginny brow furrowed. There wasn't much that could make Draco like this. She waited patiently for him to finish.
"Did you ever sleep with anyone before?"
Whatever Ginny had thought was going to come out of Draco mouth, it wasn't that. She could feel herself turning the same color as her hair, but she couldn't hold back her words. "You mean you think I'm a virgin?"
"Well, yes." Draco said tersely.
"Why do you think I'm – " She was cut off by a voice coming from the fireplace.
The pair turned and saw Molly's head floating in the fireplace looking frazzled. Ginny had come to associate the look as the one she wore when Fred or George had blown something up or broken something valuable.
"What is it, Mum?"
"It's Hermione, dear. I think she's going crazy. I don't remember the night before my wedding, but I'm quite sure I wasn't this frantic. Can you come over?" Molly's voice was pleading.
Ginny looked apologetically at Draco, then back at her mother. "Sure. Don't worry, I'll be over in a minute."
"Thank you." Molly breathed an audible sound of relief before her head disappeared from the flickering flames.
"I'm sorry, Draco. Hermione, she –"
Draco snickered, "It's fine, Ginevra. If I was marrying Weasley the next day, I would need a pep talk too."
Ginny slapped his arm, smiling slightly. She kissed him briefly and started for the door, shrugging on her coat.
Before Draco left after her, he noticed the plate of cookies sitting on the dining table. As he took a few and chewed on them, he reflected that they were perhaps the best cookies he'd ever eaten.
_._._._._._._._
"Ginny, wake up!" Ginny blearily opened her eyes, and shut them again from the sun coming in through the windows.
"Ginny!"
"Gin, dear, you must wake up! It's already noon. You only have four or five hours before we have to leave for the wedding!"
Ginny groaned. She had stayed up late the previous night, attempting to calm down Hermione. It was only a mediocre success, for Hermione had began reading every volume of The Standard Book of Spells before she was too tired to see straight. "Five hours? Let me sleep more." She turned over and buried her face in the soft pillows, throwing the covers over her head.
"Now, Ginny!" Molly pulled the covers back from Ginny's now shivering form.
Ginny sat up abruptly, rubbing her eyes. "Alright, I'm up!"
The next few hours were a flurry of bathing, dressing, and putting on makeup. Hermione was rushing here and there, to get the bouquets, to get the wreaths, to make sure the cake had arrived.
Finally, they all managed to clamber in a rented car, and sped toward the chapel. Even though neither Hermione nor Ron were overly pious, her parents had wished for the wedding to be held in a church. Ron had simply shrugged, not caring.
Once they were in a small antechamber, waiting for Mrs. Weasley to signal them to come out, Ginny fiddled with her bouquet of white lilies, checking in the mirror to make sure her matching wreath was on straight. It was amazing, how Hermione, the infamous bookworm, could choose such beautiful flowers that set off her auburn hair so beautifully.
She looked at Hermione, who was clutching her own bouquet of carnations. The flowers fit Hermione for they were so elegant in a simplistic way. Pale pink and white apple blossoms were woven into the curly brown hair.
"You look beautiful, Hermione."
Hermione smiled at her now, her anxiety washed away by the image of marrying the man she loved. "Thank you Ginny, same to you."
"You know, you were like the sister I never had."
Hermione nodded. "You were the sister I never had too." She began to tear up.
"Don't cry, Hermione," Ginny said, but she could feel herself tearing up as well. "Best of luck to you and Ron in the future."
Hermione didn't answer, but hugged Ginny fiercely, holding her tears back.
Before both of them knew it, they were standing in the archway. They watched the five-year-old daughter of Hermione's co-worker skipped down the aisle, scattering violets everywhere. Then Bill's boy stumbled after her, almost tripping on someone's shoe as he walked too close to one of the pews, nervously clutching the pillow with the rings in his hand.
The bridesmaids, both of them Hermione's friends from work, glided smoothly down the walkway. Then Ginny took in a deep breath and stepped forward, holding her shoulders back and chin up, as her mother had told her to. The first person she saw was Draco, sitting in one of the front pews, staring at her as if she was the only person alive at that moment.
She smiled at him and took her place next to where Hermione would soon arrive, opposite from Harry, Ron's best man, who grinned at her. Ron's expression was a mix of uncertainty, happiness, and love. The soft classical music changed to the wedding march and everyone stood up, awaiting the bride.
As Hermione entered, glorious in her simple wedding gown, many eyes were on her, but she only had eyes for the tall red haired man looking lovingly at her. She blushed slightly, her cheeks turning pink as she walked down the aisle slowly.
Her father lifted her veil and kissed her on the cheek as he let her go, tears in his eyes. She smiled at him sadly, and turned to Ron, placing her hand in his as she stepped on the raised platform. They looked deep into each other's eyes as the priest spoke:
Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come:
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.
Ginny had thought the sonnet beautiful, written by a muggle named William Shakespeare a long time ago, when Hermione had chosen it for the wedding. She smiled at her brother and her friend as they said their vows.
Upon 'you may now kiss the bride', Ron had swept Hermione up in his arms and kissed her. Everyone laughed and the two walked back down the aisle in each other's arms for the first time as husband and wife.
The reception was boisterous and fun, as any Weasley wedding would be, though Draco and Ginny did not talk much for the constant barrage of relatives coming to squeeze Ginny's cheeks and comment of Draco. They had danced, Draco growling at a few of Hermione's cousins who wanted to dance with Ginny, though he did let Harry have a dance. There were a few minor explosions coming from a few of the wedding presents, most likely from Fred and George.
_._._._._._._._
It was reaching midnight when Draco and Ginny apparated in front of her flat.
"Do you want to come it?"
"Sure."
She looked up at his face. "I guess you want your answer, then?"
Draco hadn't forgotten his question. "Yes."
"I just –" Ginny couldn't get the words out.
"Sit down, first."
Ginny blurted out, "No, I haven't slept with anyone."
Draco stopped pushing her toward the couch, one hand on the small of her back. "What?"
"Is that such a surprise?"
"Why? You're so beautiful, you must have –"
Now that the truth had come out, Ginny seemed calmer, though she was as red as a tomato. "No."
"Why?"
"You sound like a two year old."
"Why?"
"I was," she seemed embarrassed. "I didn't because –"
Something clicked in Draco's head. "You're waiting?" His tone was incredulous.
"Merlin's name, kill me now, " Ginny groaned.
Draco was still staring at her. It seemed impossible that at twenty three years, she was still untouched. His beautiful angel was still a virgin. As pure as the white of the flowers she still wore in her hair.
Ginny grimaced at his expression. Was it disgust? "I know it's stupid, but I just always thought sex was something to be cherished."
Draco kept staring at her. All he could say was, "Why?"
"I've heard that phrase about five times in the last minute."
"Tell me."
Ginny sighed and plopped on the sofa. "For me, it seemed that so many girls just threw it away. Hell, it happened enough at Hogwarts, didn't it?" She looked at Draco, who nodded in agreement. "To me, it's something special."
Draco couldn't get her reasoning. "But aren't you denying your body, er, pleasure?"
Ginny shrugged. "I don't know about that. In this world, there are over six billon people. What does any one person matter? But when you get married, like Ron and Hermione, you're promising someone else everything, whether it is good, or bad, or boring. You're saying, 'Your life will not go unnoticed, because I will notice it; your life will not go unwitnessed, because I will witness it."
Draco frowned. "What does that have to do with anything?"
Ginny smiled, though still blushing. "Don't you see? It's special to me, both my virginity and marriage. The importance of both is dying out day by day. How many times do we do something we regret? How many times do people rush to marry because of the wrong reasons and regret it later?" She ducked her head down. "You must think I'm a prudish and old fashioned."
Draco was surprised, but certainly did not think her a prude. He tilted up her chin. "I still don't get what you're saying, but that's alright. You want to wait, you wait."
They snuggled together there, Draco's arm around her waist, his lips against her hair, smelling the lavender scent that always wafted around her.
"I love you."