Disclaimer: I own nothing except for any original spells, characters, potions, ideas, etc.
A/N: This is my first HP fanfic so please be easy on the comments! Ginny is 20 and Draco is 21 (if you read the books that's obvious). Any comments, complaints, and/or constructive criticism are welcomed, but flames will be ignored and used to light my fireplace, as it's quite cold in England right now. Huge thanks to beta reader Danette! Couldn't have done it without you!
Longing For the Light
By Alison Porter
Chapter 1
Deep in my soul that tender secret dwells,
- Byron
***
December, 2001
Draco Malfoy glared at the Muggle woman, who stood behind the counter of the airlines ticket booth, and muttered an oath under his breath. "What do you mean, 'all flights on hold'?" he demanded.
The woman - Alicia, he noted - merely smiled patronizingly at his tone. "I'm sorry sir," she chirped pleasantly, "because of the storm, all flights had to be suspended until further notice."
Draco gritted his teeth, mumbled "Fine," and stalked away, only to drop heavily into a hard, plastic chair. He had been looking forward to this holiday for months! He'd had to practically beg to get this holiday, and now it was basically cancelled. To make matters worse, in order to get to Paris in the first place, he would have had to fly on a Muggle plane! Why did I even become a Ministry spy? He wondered silently. Ah, yes, so I would be 'pardoned'.
Directly after Draco graduated from Hogwarts, Malfoy senior had encouraged him to become a Death Eater. Well, that was putting it mildly. He had practically ordered him to become a Death Eater. Draco had refused and fled to his Uncle Matthew's house in Dublin, Ireland. It had been difficult to adjust to his Uncle's way of doing things, though. For instance, the term 'Mudblood' was not allowed, no causing trouble, and so on. Secretly, Draco preferred this lifestyle to that of his parents'. Approximately one year later, when he was nineteen, Voldemort had met his death courtesy of the 'Dream Team', consisting of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and the Mud- Hermione Granger. But it was far from over for Draco. Although he wasn't - and never had been - a Death Eater, the Ministry didn't believe this, and they threatened to toss him in Azkaban - unless he did a little 'work' for them. He reluctantly agreed, and here he was - miserable.
Draco was rudely startled out of his brooding when he felt someone watching him. He glanced down and what he saw nearly made him forget his rule of having an unemotional countenance. His own face was staring back at him, in the form of a child!
His 'twin' stared right back at him curiously. "Hi. I Niko. Who you?" the boy asked.
Draco blinked. "My name is Draco. Are you...lost?" he asked uncertainly.
"No," Niko said cheerfully. "Mummy's dere!" He pointed to a red headed woman standing where he had been moments before. She appeared to be as aggravated as he was. Draco shivered. She...looks familiar, he thought. Where have I seen her before?
Just then the woman glanced up and looked around. When she caught sight of her son she rolled her eyes. "Niko!" She scolded as she approached. "How many times have I told you not to wander off?"
Niko shrugged. "Dunno."
She sighed, exasperated. "I apologize," she directed at Draco, "was he-" Then she froze and hesitantly took a step closer. "Draco Malfoy?" she whispered.
He narrowed his eyes. "Do I know you?"
The woman seemed to shake herself out of her stupor. "Maybe you don't remember me. I'm Ginny. Ginny Weasley. You've already met my son, Nikolai."
Draco's mouth opened and closed but nothing came out. "Weasley?" he said dumbfounded.
Ginny laughed. "What's wrong Malfoy? Cat got your tongue?" she teased.
He smiled thinly. "Hardly. I just didn't expect to see you in a," he lowered his voice, "Muggle airport."
"I could say the same for you. So, what are you doing here anyway?"
"Trying to have a break. You?" Draco wanted to laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation. Here he was, in a Muggle airport, having a nice little chat with a Weasley!
Ginny shrugged. "My brother, Charlie, wanted us to come visit and Niko wanted a plane ride so..."
All through this, Niko had been sitting at their feet, looking bored, but he perked up hearing the word 'plane'. "Mummy, we go pane?"
Ginny sighed. "We can't, sweetie. The planes have to stay here because of the storm."
"Is broke?" Niko asked worriedly.
Draco, seeing Ginny's expression, knelt down and spoke to the boy in a solemn tone. "No, they're not broken. They just have to take a nap."
"Oh." Niko seemed satisfied with this answer. Draco tried to ignore the warm feeling Ginny's grateful look gave him.
Draco stood back up, and he and Ginny maintained an uncomfortable silence.
"Ginny-"
"Draco-"
They laughed as they tried to speak at the same time. "You first," Draco offered.
"Well," Ginny began, "I was wondering if you had a place to go. No one should have to be alone at Christmas. Even if that someone is a Malfoy," she teased.
Draco smirked. "I wouldn't want to be the cause of bloodshed in front of Nikolai."
"Bloodshed?" Ginny asked, confused.
Draco made a meaningless gesture. "You know. Potter and your brother."
Ginny snorted. "Oh, please. Ron and Harry will behave in front of Mum and Dad."
Niko smiled. "Please? I show Snapper."
"Snapper?" He looked to Ginny for help.
She rolled her eyes. "Fred and George bought him a snake for his third birthday on October twentieth. He loves it. It bit Mum one time, and she called it a 'vicious snapper'. Hence its name."
"Ah," Draco nodded sagely. "Well, Niko, I suppose if your Mummy doesn't mind, I could visit."
Niko cheered. "Yay! We go," he demanded and began dragging his mother toward the exit.
Ginny shrugged at him helplessly. "Better come on," she said, "Niko won't wait."
As if to confirm this, Niko shouted, "Now! See Gramma an' Grampa!"
Draco laughed. "Yes sir."
***
Once outside, Draco hailed a cab, and instructed the driver toward the Weasley house. He smiled as he observed Niko talk about something-or-other to Ginny in the serious tone only toddlers can. When Ginny laughed, he felt like doing something, anything, to make her produce that melodious noise again. Gods! Draco thought, disgusted. I'm getting mushy.
"We're here, sir."
Draco blinked in surprise. "Uh...right." Ginny gave him a funny look. He got out and shoved some money into the cabby's hand. "Keep the change," he muttered.
The cabby smiled. "Thank you, sir. A good eve'n to ya." He sped off.
Draco eyed the Weasley house, feeling...nervous? "Maybe this isn't such a good idea."
Ginny snorted. "You made it this far, you might as well go the rest of the way." She shifted Niko to the other shoulder.
Draco shrugged. What the hell? He hesitated then offered, "I'll carry him."
Something appeared then disappeared in Ginny's eyes so fast, Draco wasn't sure if he had really seen it. "All right," she agreed. She transferred the sleepy Niko to Draco and, other than smiling at him, Niko didn't seem to care.
When they got to the door, Ginny paused then knocked. After a minute, the door was flung open and a red headed man stuck his head out. "Hey, Gin!" he greeted. "We were won-" he broke off, and gaped at Draco behind her. Ginny stepped forward, perhaps to reassure her brother, but he shoved her out of the way.
"Draco Malfoy!" he hissed.
"Ron Weasley," Draco said coldly.
| Home | Next Chapter |
Draco and Ginny belong to JK Rowling, Bloomsbury, Scholastic, Warner Bros and various other corporations. They are being used here without permission and/or affiliation with the above. None of the authors listed here make any profit from these stories.