100 years
It was on the day of her 15th birthday that Ginny Weasley received the strangest gift that she would ever get. It was a gift that would begin a story; a story that wouldn't end until 84 years later.
It was the first time it had ever rained on her birthday, and even though she wasn't allowed to, the redhead had crept outside. Now, at a quarter to eleven and with everyone sleeping, she sat on the stairs outside the front porch, staring out into the darkness.
The speckled eagle owl didn't startle her when it landed at her feet. After all, she was a witch and was quite used to the feathery animals that seemed to appear from nothing.
"Hey pet," she whispered as she bent forward for the parchment at its leg. "I've never seen you before, right?"
As soon as the little roll of paper was between her fingers the owl set off. Ginny sighed and stood up with her eyes on the letter. It was made out of that sort of paper you could buy anywhere in Diagon Alley, and so was the seal, which she slowly let her fingers break.
She arched a brow. Her eyes grew wide. Her jaw dropped.
Weasley.
I like your hair; you should let it out more often.
They say it brings luck to give an enemy a gift.
You and a compliment were as far as I was able to go.
Happy Birthday Freckles.
Draco Malfoy.
"How does he know…?" she whispered to herself.
I'm 15 for a moment
Caught in between 10 and 20
Several miles away Draco Malfoy opened the doors to his balcony fiercely. The wind and rain hit his face with rage, but he didn't care. He stormed out and let the weather rampage around his ears as he tiredly leaned himself on the balcony rail.
Suddenly, he looked up and stared out into the darkness. He breathed heavily and his eyes were filled with fury and horror. "I can't do this!" he screamed to the rain and wind. "I can't bloody do this!"
"Draco?" A cold voice said from inside. It was his father. "What are you doing out there?"
He sighed and straightened up. "Nothing father, I just needed some fresh air."
"Fresh air?" Lucius said with a snort. "The Dark Lord wants to see you son, now."
With a stern expression on his face Draco walked inside. The balcony doors slammed shut behind him on order of his father, but he didn't flinch. To flinch would be to show weakness.
"I expect you to be downstairs, dry, and dressed in your finest robes in five minutes." Lucius said and left the room.
Draco watched him leave, and as soon as the sound of the footsteps had died out he drew a deep breath of air. "I hope she's received it." he whispered.
And I'm just dreaming
Counting the ways to where you are
Draco spent his 22nd birthday in the manor. It was nothing big, just him and a few of his closest friends and lunch with presents and Quidditch on the grounds. Little did he know what was about to happen.
The evening fell, and even the closest friends had to leave for their own lives. He receded to his study with a bottle of firewhiskey and some paperwork. The windows stood open, letting a cool breeze reach into the room and play with the surroundings. The clock on the wall showed on a quarter past eleven.
The sound of the doorbell echoed trough the old house like a wildfire and Draco raised his eyes surprised. For a successful businessman he had very few visitors, and not even on a day like this, his birthday, did he take a visit as something natural.
"Oscar?" he said, and ghost dressed in a tuxedo appeared in front of him. "Who's the visitor?"
"A young woman sir," the ghost answered.
"Do I know her?"
"She wouldn't give me her name sir, but she's never been here before."
"And what brings her here?"
"She refused to say."
Draco arched a brow, but curiosity defeated him. "Show her to me."
The ghost disappeared, and Draco rose from his chair and walked over to the window with his back against the door. After a while the door creaked, and light steps from a pair of high heeled shoes, probably pumps, entered the room. He cleared his throat, turned around, and closed his mouth.
"Draco Malfoy," the female Weasley said. "I'm glad you would see me."
She was wearing a dark blue cardigan over a black t-shirt and a pair of jeans. Her feet were decorated with a pair of black pumps with small heels, and in her hands she held a worn leather bag. But what struck Draco the most was the hair. It was short, and curly. He just stared.
She chuckled. "I know, it's short, but it'll grow out again."
"Ginny Weasley," Draco finally said as he'd managed to recover himself. "What brings you here?"
"Once," she said with a sigh, and her eyes turned worried. "Somebody told me that it would bring luck if you gave an enemy a gift."
She held out her left hand, and in it was a small box. "Happy Birthday, Draco Malfoy."
I'm 22 for a moment
She feels better than ever
As she turned and left, Draco fumbled with the little black box in his hands. After what seemed as forever he finally succeeded to open it and stare surprised at its content: It was a lock of her hair, held together by some green ribbon.
A few seconds later both the box and the lock were laid on the floor. Draco hurried down the corridors toward the entrance. As he reached the big stairs in the hall that connected the first and second floor he stopped by the banister.
"Wait!" He exclaimed, making her stop and turn around surprised. He hurried down the stairs and approached her.
"What is it Draco Malfoy?" she asked concerned. "Didn't you like it?"
"Ginny Weasley, I never thought I would say this, but I love it now."
She arched him a brow. "Love what?"
"Your hair."
Ginny shot him a smile. "Thank you Draco. That means a lot to me."
"No," he said and shook his head. "Thank you."
They stared shyly at each other for a few seconds, before Ginny sighed and threw her arms around his neck and Draco slid his around her waist.
And we're on fire
Making our way back from Mars
The first time Draco saw Ginny Weasley that autumn was in the library where she was sitting at a table with the Golden Trio. She saw him as he entered, and when he slid in behind a bookshelf to not be discovered by her friends they locked eyes in the gaps. She bit her lip and tried to suppress a smile as she brought a hand to the back of her neck and slowly pulled out the braid that held her hair up in a ponytail. He came out on the other side of the shelf, and nodded in satisfaction toward her before disappearing.
15 there's still time for you
Time to buy and time to lose
15, there's never a wish better than this
When you only got 100 years to live
This year the 6th of June was the warmest day for long. Draco turned 33 and almost 70 guests were invited to the celebrations in the gardens outside the manor. Close friends, colleagues, family and acquaintances shared the day with him this year.
"Happy birthday old mate!" Blaise Zabini exclaimed, and shoved a bottle of firewhiskey into Draco's hands. "Thirty-three, how does it feel?"
"Well, it's a bit different from 22." He answered and waved to an associate who was talking to Pansy Parkinson.
"The birthday you'll never forget," Blaise said and sighed. "but 33 is a good number."
Draco knew that face; Blaise never wore it if he didn't have anything on his mind. "What do you want Zabini?"
"I'm suggesting a trip, just for a few months, the old Slytherin-gang. Just cruising around as in the good old days! Come on pal, a trip isn't a trip without the Draco Malfoy."
Draco snorted. "You know I can't Blaise. It isn't about just me anymore."
I'm 33 for a moment
Still the man, but you see I'm a they
Blaise's face fell. "Of course, you're the family man now." He said, patted Draco on the back, and strolled off.
Half past eleven that evening Draco was lying in bed, listening at the sounds coming from the balcony. "What're you doing out there?" he asked, and rolled over to the side.
"Nothing," a female voice said, and moments later a woman with long vivid red hair stood in the doorframe. "Thinking about today perhaps."
"What about today?" he asked as she walked over to him and sat down on the bed.
"Did you like it?"
"Thank you, I did," he said and pulled her down next to him. "You know what happened today, but four months ago?
A smile grew on her lips. "Did we make a baby?"
"That's right Miss Weasley," Draco answered and put a hand on her belly. "We made a baby."
They lapsed into silence, both into their own thoughts, and Ginny was almost asleep when Draco whispered something in her ear.
"What did you say Draco?" she mumbled and snuggled into his chest. "I drifted off."
He chuckled and pulled away her hair from her face. "Will you marry me?"
She looked up at him puzzled, but as she met his gray eyes a smile escaped her lips. "Yes, I will."
"Good."
A kid on the way
A family on my mind
It was a quarter to 12, and Draco Malfoy was fumbling with his keys when Ginny fiercely opened the entrance door. He froze and returned her stare.
"Where have you been?" she demanded.
"Working." He answered and lowered her arm which had stopped him from enter and walked past her aiming for their bedroom.
"I flooed in at your office Draco," she said with a cold voice. He stopped in the middle of the stairs. "You haven't been there today."
I'm 45 for a moment
The sea is high
"It's your bloody birthday!" she exclaimed and slammed the door shut. "Why are you doing this to me, on your birthday of all days?"
He turned around and faced her flushed expression. Ginny had a way of showing her feelings from head to toes, and this day was no an excuse. He sighed and walked down to her level. "Gin, you've got it—"
"—Wrong? Do you think I'm dumb?"
She stormed off towards the fireplace in the next room, and was just about to step into it and floo out when his voice stopped her.
"I love you."
She stopped and breathed heavily. He seldom used those three words, they just weren't designed for a Malfoy, but she knew that he was aware of the knowledge of that sentence's power, and especially what it meant to her. She looked up to the doorframe where he was leaning against the wall. She snorted.
"Do you know what Luna's husband said to her when she'd caught him cheating on her?"
He shot her a brow, she detested the way he always hid his emotions. "Cheating, is that what you think I've been doing?"
"I love you, that's what he told her, over and over again. Do you think it changed anything?"
"I haven't been cheating on you." He said it with grace and slid down in the sofa with a sigh. "Ginny. This morning I woke up early, actually feeling a year older. I didn't want to celebrate something that only made me feel uncomfortable."
"Where have you been today?" she asked slowly, hesitating, but confident.
"I went with Blaise, we spent the day on the pub."
"You can't run away from the problems," she said and put back the floo powder back in its bowl. "Eventually they'll catch up."
"Correct me if I'm wrong," Draco drawled out and smirked. "But weren't you just about to leave?"
"Me? No…I was just seeing if we have to buy more floo powder." She smiled and took a few steps toward him; of course he wouldn't cheat on her. As he stood up he gestured for her to stop.
"If the thought of me cheating on you Ginny," he said, "Has ever crossed your mind, and I think it has, we have problems."
"But Draco I—"
"I'll spend the night in my study."
He gave her a last glance and left quietly.
And I'm heading into a crisis
Chasing the years of my life
He took a last lap around the pitch before landing gracefully. It was late in the evening and he'd crept out for some flying. He needed something that would keep his thoughts away from his mission.
"How's the luck doing?" A voice asked behind him, and he twisted around to stare into whiskey brown eyes.
"Weasley."
"Anything except Weasley," she said and sighed. "it's just too worn out."
"What are you doing here?" he asked curiously. "It's late."
"I'm here, because I wanted to." She answered and winked. "I'm just lucky I met you."
"Why freckles, want an autograph?"
She snorted and followed him as he began to make his way back to the school. "Why me?"
He knew very well what she meant. There was no point in playing oblivious. "Because you're the only enemy who'd accept anything from me."
15 there's still time for you
Time to buy, Time to lose yourself
Within a morning star
15 I'm all right with you
15, there's never a wish better than this
When you only got 100 years to live
"Happy Birthday Granny!" the blonde girl and her little brother exclaimed and threw themselves into Ginny's arms. "Where's granddad?"
"Congrats, Mum." Molly said with a smile and hugged her mother.
"Thank you darlings," Ginny said lovingly. "Draco's in the garden, where's James?"
"He's with his sister, they'll be here any minute." Her daughter said as they made their way inside. "Mum, I think he's taking me away for our anniversary!"
Ginny smiled and sighed. "Don't hoist the flag in advance honey, then you'll be disappointed if he only takes you out for dinner."
Half time goes by
Suddenly you're wise
Draco sat in the garden and watched as his daughter and wife came out on the terrace. Time had gone by so fast, one day Molly was born and the next he was the grandfather of six young children. He shook his head and smirked when a hand was placed on his shoulder.
"Hi dad," Lucas said and took a seat next to Draco on the bench. "You're alright?"
"Everything is fine son," Draco answered. "I just realized that the year I turned 33 Molly was born. She was our first child, and now you're 33 and waiting for your 6th."
"I've never had a war to fight," Lucas commented as he watched his six kids run toward the swing set where their cousins already was playing. "And I guess it's just the Weasley blood."
Draco arched his son a brow and pushed him up on his feet. "Go tell your mum Happy Birthday, Luke."
Another blink of an eye
67 is gone
A few hours later things had calmed down, and Ginny and Draco were sitting on a bench by the small pond which was a part of the Malfoy estate, watching how the many grandchildren of the seven Weasleys ran into the cold water a few hundred meters away.
"It's a lovely day," Ginny commented as she put her wrinkled hand onto Draco's. "I'm glad to spend it with you."
"Look at them," Draco said and nodded towards Lukas and Molly who were playing with their children. "Could you ever imagine any of this?"
"You mean them?" Ginny asked and chuckled. "No, not really. It was like yesterday when we were sitting in the bed with our newborn baby boy and that little fascinated girl met her brother for the first time."
"Remember when Molly told us she was dating someone?" Draco asked and laughed. "She was seventeen and had never told us anything about her love life before, and you were frantic."
Ginny smirked. "And then she said the boy was James Potter. I've never seen you so pale."
"I just had never considered to be related to Harry Potter."
The two burst out into laughter, and for a while they lapsed into silence. They had been together for so long now that speaking was rarely necessary anymore, only did for the pleasure of hearing the other's voice.
Eventually Ginny spoke up. "Yes Draco, it's been a good life. A good life with you."
The sun is getting high
We're moving on...
"Come on grandma," the 22 year old woman with fiery red hair said softly as she offered the old woman with silver gray hair a spoon of soup. "Taste some at least…It's your birthday."
Ginny shook her head. "No Honey, I'm fine."
The girl sighed. "It's always fine! You're fading away… "
"You've all been so good to me, And you were to Draco too."
"Don't talk that way! You have many years left to live."
"Honey," Ginny said slowly and took the pale hand in hers, this young woman resembled her in more than one way. "I'm 99 years old today."
"Yes but…" she answered, and Ginny saw how tears threatened in her eyes. "But you mean so much to me Granny, and I really want you to be here when my baby arrives."
I'm 99 for a moment
Dying for just another moment
Ginny smiled. All this love the young woman was giving her, and had been giving all since the day Draco passed away, was enough to give her life another 99 years. But love was waiting for her somewhere else: Draco. She could feel it stronger every day. "In the manor Honey, there's a big chest in Draco's old study, remember it? I want you to take the key around my neck, go to the manor and open the chest with it. Inside there's a big black box. I want you to have it."
"What's in it?" the redhead asked as she leaned forward to help Ginny to take off the necklace with the key.
"It's mine and Draco's story. From what begun it all, to his death. Now Honey, sing to me, I want to sleep."
She nodded, and began to sing a lullaby with her amazingly beautiful voice. Ginny took a deep breath and closed her eyes slowly, feeling that it would be the last time she did it.
And I'm just dreaming
Counting the ways to where you are
The owlery 00.00, Saturday the 22nd of March.
"I had a feeling you would be here."
"How come?"
"You got a letter this morning, I saw it from my table."
"And you immediately knew I would go here by midnight?"
"It wasn't a good letter. You don't answer a bad letter when you know you'll probably be disturbed."
He didn't sneer, but seemed to agree with her, as he tiredly leaned himself towards a wall. "Maybe it is as he says," he said, more to himself than to her. "I've grown weak. I want to throw you insults, I want to hurt you because of who you are and who I am….but I can't. Yes I can, but the words elude me and I'm standing here like a fool."
She stared at his defeated figure for a while, before she decided to do something radical. "You want me to cure that?" she asked as she approached him.
He smirked. "Nothing will work, I'll bloody kiss you if you could."
So, she grabbed him by the collar and kissed him. A warm and intense kiss before he broke away and stared at her frantic.
"What was that Weaslette? You think you can replace Potter with me? Better go back to scarface, I would never ever let you kiss my oldest pair of underwear."
Ginny just smiled. "Consider yourself cured Draco Malfoy."
"Cured? You didn't cure anything, I didn't even make you twitch a finger!"
"That's because I know you're not really meaning it. If I were Ron though… just believe me, Draco's back."
He stared at her struck as she winked and turned to leave, but just as she'd reached the exit she turned around in the doorway. "And I guess you owe me a kiss Malfoy. It could be years, but I promise you, one day I'll come and ask for it."
15 there's still time for you
The Malfoy manor 04.00, 7th of June, Friday.
"I still have that letter you gave me on my 15th birthday, did you know that?"
He turned around in the big bed and looked into the eyes of the young woman. He had been waiting for this day since he was somewhere between 16 and 17, and now when it finally was here seven years later he couldn't believe it actually was she. "It doesn't surprise me."
She put her hand on his chest and stroke it gently. "You have to tell me everything Draco, from that day you desperately needed luck, to today."
He nodded. "And you have to tell me the very same thing."
"Of course…"she thought for a moment, biting on her bottom lip. "Another day, perhaps?"
Once again he nodded, but this time a smirk grew on his lips. "You remember I owe you something?"
22 I feel her too
The doctor opened the door to the surgery and looked happily at the anxiety-ridden Draco. "Everything went by perfectly fine Mr Malfoy, she's tired but all right, and so is your daughter."
His eyes grew wide and he glanced excited over the Doctor's shoulder.
"They are waiting for you sir, you better go inside."
33 you're on your way
Ginny watched in silence as Draco entered the room and sat down by the table for breakfast. He didn't give her the slightest notice, and her pride made her ignore him in the very same way.
30 minutes later he stood up and left without a word.
She never thought he would chose to spend the night somewhere else in the house. She had always thought he would be by her side.
She closed her eyes and let the tears finally run down her cheeks. Once in a while a sob escaped her lips.
Suddenly a hand was placed on her back, and arms wrapped around her waist. After a while he cupped her chin and directed her face so that she was looking at him. "We'll work it out Ginny, I know we will."
Every day's a new day...
The last time he talked to her before everything fell apart was in May. She stopped him in an empty corridor and put a hand over his mouth.
"Draco Malfoy, I don't have any time for insults." She said. "I just wanted you to know that until we meet again, and we will, there are things I'll keep secret."
It was as if she knew something was going to happen.
She kissed her fingers and placed them on his forehead. The next second she was gone.
15 there's still time for you
Time to buy and time to choose
Hey 15, there's never a wish better than this
When you only got 100 years to live
Okay, a quite long one. Ive been working on it for a while, and lets just say I'm quite satisfied.
Thanks Anna Langdon for editing it!
And don't forget about reviews.
/Honey