A Heart So Ravenous (Sequel to A Love So Belated)
folder
Harry Potter › Slash - Male/Male › Harry/Draco
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
44
Views:
36,862
Reviews:
326
Recommended:
1
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Harry Potter › Slash - Male/Male › Harry/Draco
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
44
Views:
36,862
Reviews:
326
Recommended:
1
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Chapter 19: Old Flame
Chapter Number/Total: 19/44
Chapter Title: Old Flame
Words: 2766 Words
Draco had read all the books he could get on pregnancy but it still didn't seem to help prepare him for the reality of it. He was on his knees in the bathroom again, losing his breakfast.
Harry stood outside the bathroom door, wincing as he listened to Draco retch. It had been a few weeks since Draco had gotten pregnant, and Harry hadn't known what to expect at all. The vomiting had scared him at first, because Draco did it rather often, and he'd wondered if it was normal. They also hadn't told anyone else about it, so Harry couldn't ask Hermione any questions about anything.
He knocked softly on the door when he thought the noises had subsided. "Baby?" he asked. "You okay?"
"No," Draco snapped. He reached for a washcloth, wiping his face when he thought the bout of sicking up was over.
Harry sighed. One of those moods. "You want me to come in there?" he asked.
Draco huffed, but got to his feet. "No need," he sneered.
Harry had to remind himself not to get angry too. He thought he'd been doing a pretty good job of it so far. He remained outside the door and waited. He'd been thinking of talking about something with Draco, but wondered if today was such a good day.
Draco managed to get cleaned up again, even doing a Breath-Freshening Charm before opening the door. He found Harry hovering there. "I told you this is normal," he said.
"Am I not allowed to worry?" Harry asked, raising an eyebrow.
"It doesn't help. Getting me more ice cream when I have a craving, that helps. Hovering at the bathroom door doesn't," Draco insisted. He shook his head.
Harry shook his head too. "I got you ice cream at three a.m. last night," he said, wondering how Draco could think about food after sicking up like that.
Draco smiled. "Sex and ice cream, two of my favourite things," he said, reaching an arm around Harry's waist and pulling him forward.
Harry shook his head again. "I noticed," he said, grinning.
Draco kissed him softly. "So, what is our plan today?"
Harry shrugged. "Not much, I guess," he replied, picking some invisible fuzz off his shirt.
Draco frowned, walking with him down to the sitting room. "You guess?" he asked, recognising something in Harry's voice.
A small frown line appeared between Harry's eyebrows as he looked at Draco. How did the man always manage to know something was going on? "I guess I wanted to bring something up," he admitted.
Draco sat down on the sofa and looked up at Harry. He was curious to see if this was going to be a sit-down talk or a Harry-pacing talk. It would tell him how nervous the other man was.
Without even thinking about it, Harry took a few slow steps across the floor and then turned and walked back, repeating the move a few times. "I've been thinking about getting that job again," he said.
Pacing was a bad sign. Draco had guessed what it was about before Harry had even began to speak. He sighed and leaned back. He knew it was important. They couldn't stay locked together in Twelve Grimmauld forever.
Harry paused to look at Draco, to gauge his reaction. "Especially now," he continued, "you know, because of the baby."
"I don't think Mother will let Father disown me now," Draco answered. "We don't have to worry about money."
Harry shook his head, frowning. He'd thought Draco might say something like that. "I don't ... I don't feel right using that money," he said. "It's not my money. I want ...."
Draco arched an eyebrow, waiting for Harry to continue. It was actually a bit amusing to let him squirm.
"I want to make my own living," Harry said. "Take care of the baby myself, take care of you." He blushed. "Not like you're a girl or anything – well, not that a girl couldn't easily get a job and do the same." He was getting flustered now. "I just – well, I just want to take care of my family myself."
Draco tried to look stern, but failed. The speech was so adorable that he found the corners of his mouth pulling up.
Harry looked at Draco, taking the little smile to mean good. "So, you know what I mean?"
"You are my hero. I can't expect you to stay cooped up indoors forever, can I?" Draco asked, smiling fondly at Harry.
Harry smiled now too, taking a seat next to Draco on the couch. He took his hands and laced their fingers. "If I'm honest with myself," he said, "I'm still nervous to leave you. I don't really like to think about it, but I have been thinking about it. Because, you know, the baby will have to have medical appointments and things like that, and we'll have to take it outside to play, and do other stuff together. If this is going to work, we can't stay in here."
Draco had thought of that too. "I know," he said. "I need to ... get over it." He shivered as he said it.
Harry brought one hand up to Draco's face. "Don't say it like that," he said. "I know, Draco. I know it's not easy. I don't want you to take any steps you're not comfortable with."
"I know," Draco said, his own hand coming up to rest on his belly. "I don't want to miss his or her life because I'm afraid."
Harry let out a small breath. "You won't," he said confidently.
"So, have you decided what you will do?" Draco asked.
"No Quidditch," Harry answered. "Too much time in that. I would be away too often."
"Auror then," Draco said calmly.
Harry bit his lip. He didn't want to upset Draco, but his gut just tugged toward Auror whenever he even thought the word 'job'. "It's good money," he said. "I know a lot of people in there. Ron's going in and says he's actually been waiting for me to come with him."
Arguing for Ron wasn't the best tactic, Draco thought, but he let it go. "Fine," he said simply, waiting for Harry to react.
Harry raised his eyebrows. "Fine?" he repeated, surprised.
"Yes, fine," Draco said, sitting back. This was fun. He loved getting Harry going like this.
"You're serious?" Harry asked slowly, just to make absolutely sure.
"You made me a promise. Do you remember?" Draco asked.
Harry cocked his head. "Which promise?"
Draco frowned. "About your wand," he said.
Harry looked at Draco seriously. "Yes, I did promise that," he said. "And I meant it."
"I have been thinking. You're right. You are Harry Potter, you killed Voldemort. No matter what you do, his ex-supporters will want to hurt you. Might as well get them first. As long as you keep your promise not to give up your wand, then I will accept you getting paid to fight them."
Harry nodded. "I will not give it up," he said.
Draco scooted closer, reaching to cup his lover's face again. "I fell in love with a hero," he said. "I guess I can accept that as long as I'm the only one who gets to play with your wand."
Harry laughed at that. "My wand is completely yours," he said.
***
Harry had papers spread out over the table, looking them over and filling them out as he tried to eat soup at the same time. It probably wasn't wise. He'd already dripped a few times, but he was hungry. He'd been going through all of these entrance papers for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement for the better part of the last few days, and worrying over Draco – he couldn't help it – and trying to wait on him hand and foot. If it weren't for the sex, he thought it might not take him long to lose his mind.
Draco was sipping his soup, reading the paper and occasionally chuckling at his lover. Harry was making a mess. It was probably lucky that Harry was such a hero, because he wasn't going to get in based on neatness.
"Merlin!" Harry exclaimed suddenly. "How many damn times can they ask what type of wand I have? Holly and Phoenix feather, holly and Phoenix feather, holly and Phoenix feather." He made a disgruntled sound, writing down the description again.
Draco smirked again, closing his mouth tightly on the lewd wand jokes that came to mind.
"I know what you're thinking," Harry said without looking up, his lips quirking on one side.
"You think so?" Draco teased, arching an eyebrow.
"I know so," Harry answered, grinning as he looked up at Draco and then back down to where he was trying to fill out a big blank spot asking him to define his magical ability.
Draco shook his head and returned to his paper. If they hadn't already had sex that morning, he would probably have taken advantage of how easily distracted Harry was. As it was, he thought he should let him finish the papers.
They sat in quiet for a few minutes, only the scratching of Harry's quill making any noise, but then someone knocked on the front door loudly enough for Harry to hear from the kitchen. He'd finally wised up and put a bloody Silencing Charm over that damned portrait.
It wasn't all that odd for someone to be stopping by for a visit. Since Harry still hadn't really gone out, his friends came over a lot. He got to his feet without any worry, knowing he should finish filling things out, but welcoming the distraction. "I'll see who it is," he said, kissing Draco's forehead.
Draco nodded. He was nearly finished with his soup and planned to work in the lab. He was having trouble in that odours seemed stronger now and he just couldn't make some potions without getting sick. But some smelled better than others.
Harry bounded up the steps, expecting Ron or Hermione or someone, but he was not expecting who was actually there.
"Harry," Ginny said to his dumbfounded expression, looking a little awkward herself.
Harry swallowed, trying to remember what one was supposed to do when they met someone at the door.
Ginny stared at him, shuffling her feet and looking more awkward. "Sorry I didn't ... Well, I thought it would be easier if I just came. You're not doing anything, are you?"
"Um," Harry managed.
"Maybe we could just set up another time."
"No, I'm not doing anything," he said finally. "Er, come in."
She nodded, and it took Harry a moment to actually step back and allow entry.
She moved past him and stood in the foyer, her hands clasped. It was something Harry knew she did when she was nervous.
"How was school?" he asked when she didn't tell him why she'd come.
"Still Hogwarts," she said, nodding.
"Ah." Harry nodded as well.
"Ron says you're finally going into the Auror program."
"Yeah." Harry nodded again. "Filling out papers now."
"Mm."
Harry didn't say anything else.
"Listen," said Ginny. "I came over because ... Because we haven't even spoken in months and ...." She sighed.
Harry didn't know what to say to that. Did it mean she wanted to talk to him? "Do you want to sit down?" he asked.
Ginny looked up at him. "Yeah, I guess that would be better," she said.
Harry nodded, feeling very odd, and led her into the sitting room. They both sat down, in two chairs opposite each other. She crossed her legs and he rested his ankle on his knee.
There were a few moments of silence before Ginny opened her mouth. "You're still with him," she said.
"He's downstairs," Harry answered.
She nodded and didn't look surprised. She didn't look ... anything. "I saw those articles, you know," she said.
Harry tensed and frowned.
"I was really angry when I saw the first one, because I'd gone through all that and still tried to hide it for you, because I figured you didn't need all that attention, and you just threw it away for a quickie in Hogsmeade."
Harry continued to frown, looking at her seriously.
"And I was mad because I just was. How could I not be?"
Harry opened his mouth, but she shook her head.
"I wanted to rip you to shreds for at least a couple months, and I wanted to say horrible things about you, and I wanted to absolutely kill you, but I'm glad I didn't, because I feel better about it now."
Harry still sat without talking.
"And then I figured I never wanted to see your face again; that I didn't care what you did or who you fucked. But then that second article came out and scared me to death." There was finally some emotion in her face when she said that. "You were really captured and almost killed?"
Harry bit his lip. Draco was really captured and almost killed. That was what he thought about whenever this was brought up, but he nodded to her question.
"Merlin, Harry," she said.
"I know," he replied.
She shook her head. "After that, I didn't feel so angry anymore, because I stopped thinking about you ... kissing me, and holding hands, and instead I remembered that summer when all we did was play Quidditch, and when Ron fell off his broom into the mud and Fred and George laughed about it for the rest of the day. And I thought about all those summers when we were just kids and you were just like one of my brothers." Her eyes looked a little shiny then. "And, Harry, I realised I still love you and I hate you for it, but I can't help it. You're part of all that, and Mum and Dad love you like their own, and Ron needs you, and I need you because it doesn't feel right when Ron says something about you, or anyone says something about you and they all shut up because I'm there." And then she was actually crying.
"Ginny," Harry said quietly, kneeling beside her chair to pull her into a hug. He knew she meant what she said. Ginny never cried.
Draco had come up the stairs and stood in the hall. He hadn't meant to eavesdrop, but when he heard Ginny's voice he had frozen. It hadn't seemed like the right moment to come in, so he'd waited. He stood now but didn't know what to do.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and it didn't feel like a lover kind of hug, but it did feel like family coming home, and Harry realised he'd missed her too. Well, he'd realised it a long time ago.
"You're a bastard for doing what you did," she sobbed. "And it was a cowardly, low, terrible thing, but I love you."
He tried to hush her, knowing he deserved everything she said about him. "I know," he said. "I'm sorry."
She pulled back finally, shaking her head at herself as she sniffed and wiped at her eyes. "And I know you mean that too," she said in a small voice. "Because ... you're Harry, and you're the same Harry I've known since I was ten. You're like my brother, and people probably shouldn't date their brothers." She laughed strangely and shook her head again. "I've missed you."
Harry sighed, leaning back. "I missed you too," he said.
She hugged him again, another one of those warm, family hugs, and it made Harry feel at home.
"I don't want to fight," she said. "I never wanted to fight – well, a little – but not now. Now I just want you to come back so Mum can stop worrying about you. So everyone can stop worrying about you and wondering if they shouldn't because of me." She squeezed him before she let go again.
Draco stepped into the doorway now. It seemed as good a time as any.
Harry and Ginny both turned their heads and Harry pulled back, getting to his feet.
Ginny wiped at her eyes again. "Malfoy," she said quietly.
Draco wasn't sure what to call her, so he nodded. "Hello," he said quietly.
Ginny nodded too. "You're doing well?" she asked.
"Yes, and you?" the blond answered politely, hand still resting on the door-frame.
"I think I feel a lot better," she said with a heavy sigh.
Harry smiled a little. "Tea?" he asked.
Chapter Title: Old Flame
Words: 2766 Words
Draco had read all the books he could get on pregnancy but it still didn't seem to help prepare him for the reality of it. He was on his knees in the bathroom again, losing his breakfast.
Harry stood outside the bathroom door, wincing as he listened to Draco retch. It had been a few weeks since Draco had gotten pregnant, and Harry hadn't known what to expect at all. The vomiting had scared him at first, because Draco did it rather often, and he'd wondered if it was normal. They also hadn't told anyone else about it, so Harry couldn't ask Hermione any questions about anything.
He knocked softly on the door when he thought the noises had subsided. "Baby?" he asked. "You okay?"
"No," Draco snapped. He reached for a washcloth, wiping his face when he thought the bout of sicking up was over.
Harry sighed. One of those moods. "You want me to come in there?" he asked.
Draco huffed, but got to his feet. "No need," he sneered.
Harry had to remind himself not to get angry too. He thought he'd been doing a pretty good job of it so far. He remained outside the door and waited. He'd been thinking of talking about something with Draco, but wondered if today was such a good day.
Draco managed to get cleaned up again, even doing a Breath-Freshening Charm before opening the door. He found Harry hovering there. "I told you this is normal," he said.
"Am I not allowed to worry?" Harry asked, raising an eyebrow.
"It doesn't help. Getting me more ice cream when I have a craving, that helps. Hovering at the bathroom door doesn't," Draco insisted. He shook his head.
Harry shook his head too. "I got you ice cream at three a.m. last night," he said, wondering how Draco could think about food after sicking up like that.
Draco smiled. "Sex and ice cream, two of my favourite things," he said, reaching an arm around Harry's waist and pulling him forward.
Harry shook his head again. "I noticed," he said, grinning.
Draco kissed him softly. "So, what is our plan today?"
Harry shrugged. "Not much, I guess," he replied, picking some invisible fuzz off his shirt.
Draco frowned, walking with him down to the sitting room. "You guess?" he asked, recognising something in Harry's voice.
A small frown line appeared between Harry's eyebrows as he looked at Draco. How did the man always manage to know something was going on? "I guess I wanted to bring something up," he admitted.
Draco sat down on the sofa and looked up at Harry. He was curious to see if this was going to be a sit-down talk or a Harry-pacing talk. It would tell him how nervous the other man was.
Without even thinking about it, Harry took a few slow steps across the floor and then turned and walked back, repeating the move a few times. "I've been thinking about getting that job again," he said.
Pacing was a bad sign. Draco had guessed what it was about before Harry had even began to speak. He sighed and leaned back. He knew it was important. They couldn't stay locked together in Twelve Grimmauld forever.
Harry paused to look at Draco, to gauge his reaction. "Especially now," he continued, "you know, because of the baby."
"I don't think Mother will let Father disown me now," Draco answered. "We don't have to worry about money."
Harry shook his head, frowning. He'd thought Draco might say something like that. "I don't ... I don't feel right using that money," he said. "It's not my money. I want ...."
Draco arched an eyebrow, waiting for Harry to continue. It was actually a bit amusing to let him squirm.
"I want to make my own living," Harry said. "Take care of the baby myself, take care of you." He blushed. "Not like you're a girl or anything – well, not that a girl couldn't easily get a job and do the same." He was getting flustered now. "I just – well, I just want to take care of my family myself."
Draco tried to look stern, but failed. The speech was so adorable that he found the corners of his mouth pulling up.
Harry looked at Draco, taking the little smile to mean good. "So, you know what I mean?"
"You are my hero. I can't expect you to stay cooped up indoors forever, can I?" Draco asked, smiling fondly at Harry.
Harry smiled now too, taking a seat next to Draco on the couch. He took his hands and laced their fingers. "If I'm honest with myself," he said, "I'm still nervous to leave you. I don't really like to think about it, but I have been thinking about it. Because, you know, the baby will have to have medical appointments and things like that, and we'll have to take it outside to play, and do other stuff together. If this is going to work, we can't stay in here."
Draco had thought of that too. "I know," he said. "I need to ... get over it." He shivered as he said it.
Harry brought one hand up to Draco's face. "Don't say it like that," he said. "I know, Draco. I know it's not easy. I don't want you to take any steps you're not comfortable with."
"I know," Draco said, his own hand coming up to rest on his belly. "I don't want to miss his or her life because I'm afraid."
Harry let out a small breath. "You won't," he said confidently.
"So, have you decided what you will do?" Draco asked.
"No Quidditch," Harry answered. "Too much time in that. I would be away too often."
"Auror then," Draco said calmly.
Harry bit his lip. He didn't want to upset Draco, but his gut just tugged toward Auror whenever he even thought the word 'job'. "It's good money," he said. "I know a lot of people in there. Ron's going in and says he's actually been waiting for me to come with him."
Arguing for Ron wasn't the best tactic, Draco thought, but he let it go. "Fine," he said simply, waiting for Harry to react.
Harry raised his eyebrows. "Fine?" he repeated, surprised.
"Yes, fine," Draco said, sitting back. This was fun. He loved getting Harry going like this.
"You're serious?" Harry asked slowly, just to make absolutely sure.
"You made me a promise. Do you remember?" Draco asked.
Harry cocked his head. "Which promise?"
Draco frowned. "About your wand," he said.
Harry looked at Draco seriously. "Yes, I did promise that," he said. "And I meant it."
"I have been thinking. You're right. You are Harry Potter, you killed Voldemort. No matter what you do, his ex-supporters will want to hurt you. Might as well get them first. As long as you keep your promise not to give up your wand, then I will accept you getting paid to fight them."
Harry nodded. "I will not give it up," he said.
Draco scooted closer, reaching to cup his lover's face again. "I fell in love with a hero," he said. "I guess I can accept that as long as I'm the only one who gets to play with your wand."
Harry laughed at that. "My wand is completely yours," he said.
***
Harry had papers spread out over the table, looking them over and filling them out as he tried to eat soup at the same time. It probably wasn't wise. He'd already dripped a few times, but he was hungry. He'd been going through all of these entrance papers for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement for the better part of the last few days, and worrying over Draco – he couldn't help it – and trying to wait on him hand and foot. If it weren't for the sex, he thought it might not take him long to lose his mind.
Draco was sipping his soup, reading the paper and occasionally chuckling at his lover. Harry was making a mess. It was probably lucky that Harry was such a hero, because he wasn't going to get in based on neatness.
"Merlin!" Harry exclaimed suddenly. "How many damn times can they ask what type of wand I have? Holly and Phoenix feather, holly and Phoenix feather, holly and Phoenix feather." He made a disgruntled sound, writing down the description again.
Draco smirked again, closing his mouth tightly on the lewd wand jokes that came to mind.
"I know what you're thinking," Harry said without looking up, his lips quirking on one side.
"You think so?" Draco teased, arching an eyebrow.
"I know so," Harry answered, grinning as he looked up at Draco and then back down to where he was trying to fill out a big blank spot asking him to define his magical ability.
Draco shook his head and returned to his paper. If they hadn't already had sex that morning, he would probably have taken advantage of how easily distracted Harry was. As it was, he thought he should let him finish the papers.
They sat in quiet for a few minutes, only the scratching of Harry's quill making any noise, but then someone knocked on the front door loudly enough for Harry to hear from the kitchen. He'd finally wised up and put a bloody Silencing Charm over that damned portrait.
It wasn't all that odd for someone to be stopping by for a visit. Since Harry still hadn't really gone out, his friends came over a lot. He got to his feet without any worry, knowing he should finish filling things out, but welcoming the distraction. "I'll see who it is," he said, kissing Draco's forehead.
Draco nodded. He was nearly finished with his soup and planned to work in the lab. He was having trouble in that odours seemed stronger now and he just couldn't make some potions without getting sick. But some smelled better than others.
Harry bounded up the steps, expecting Ron or Hermione or someone, but he was not expecting who was actually there.
"Harry," Ginny said to his dumbfounded expression, looking a little awkward herself.
Harry swallowed, trying to remember what one was supposed to do when they met someone at the door.
Ginny stared at him, shuffling her feet and looking more awkward. "Sorry I didn't ... Well, I thought it would be easier if I just came. You're not doing anything, are you?"
"Um," Harry managed.
"Maybe we could just set up another time."
"No, I'm not doing anything," he said finally. "Er, come in."
She nodded, and it took Harry a moment to actually step back and allow entry.
She moved past him and stood in the foyer, her hands clasped. It was something Harry knew she did when she was nervous.
"How was school?" he asked when she didn't tell him why she'd come.
"Still Hogwarts," she said, nodding.
"Ah." Harry nodded as well.
"Ron says you're finally going into the Auror program."
"Yeah." Harry nodded again. "Filling out papers now."
"Mm."
Harry didn't say anything else.
"Listen," said Ginny. "I came over because ... Because we haven't even spoken in months and ...." She sighed.
Harry didn't know what to say to that. Did it mean she wanted to talk to him? "Do you want to sit down?" he asked.
Ginny looked up at him. "Yeah, I guess that would be better," she said.
Harry nodded, feeling very odd, and led her into the sitting room. They both sat down, in two chairs opposite each other. She crossed her legs and he rested his ankle on his knee.
There were a few moments of silence before Ginny opened her mouth. "You're still with him," she said.
"He's downstairs," Harry answered.
She nodded and didn't look surprised. She didn't look ... anything. "I saw those articles, you know," she said.
Harry tensed and frowned.
"I was really angry when I saw the first one, because I'd gone through all that and still tried to hide it for you, because I figured you didn't need all that attention, and you just threw it away for a quickie in Hogsmeade."
Harry continued to frown, looking at her seriously.
"And I was mad because I just was. How could I not be?"
Harry opened his mouth, but she shook her head.
"I wanted to rip you to shreds for at least a couple months, and I wanted to say horrible things about you, and I wanted to absolutely kill you, but I'm glad I didn't, because I feel better about it now."
Harry still sat without talking.
"And then I figured I never wanted to see your face again; that I didn't care what you did or who you fucked. But then that second article came out and scared me to death." There was finally some emotion in her face when she said that. "You were really captured and almost killed?"
Harry bit his lip. Draco was really captured and almost killed. That was what he thought about whenever this was brought up, but he nodded to her question.
"Merlin, Harry," she said.
"I know," he replied.
She shook her head. "After that, I didn't feel so angry anymore, because I stopped thinking about you ... kissing me, and holding hands, and instead I remembered that summer when all we did was play Quidditch, and when Ron fell off his broom into the mud and Fred and George laughed about it for the rest of the day. And I thought about all those summers when we were just kids and you were just like one of my brothers." Her eyes looked a little shiny then. "And, Harry, I realised I still love you and I hate you for it, but I can't help it. You're part of all that, and Mum and Dad love you like their own, and Ron needs you, and I need you because it doesn't feel right when Ron says something about you, or anyone says something about you and they all shut up because I'm there." And then she was actually crying.
"Ginny," Harry said quietly, kneeling beside her chair to pull her into a hug. He knew she meant what she said. Ginny never cried.
Draco had come up the stairs and stood in the hall. He hadn't meant to eavesdrop, but when he heard Ginny's voice he had frozen. It hadn't seemed like the right moment to come in, so he'd waited. He stood now but didn't know what to do.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and it didn't feel like a lover kind of hug, but it did feel like family coming home, and Harry realised he'd missed her too. Well, he'd realised it a long time ago.
"You're a bastard for doing what you did," she sobbed. "And it was a cowardly, low, terrible thing, but I love you."
He tried to hush her, knowing he deserved everything she said about him. "I know," he said. "I'm sorry."
She pulled back finally, shaking her head at herself as she sniffed and wiped at her eyes. "And I know you mean that too," she said in a small voice. "Because ... you're Harry, and you're the same Harry I've known since I was ten. You're like my brother, and people probably shouldn't date their brothers." She laughed strangely and shook her head again. "I've missed you."
Harry sighed, leaning back. "I missed you too," he said.
She hugged him again, another one of those warm, family hugs, and it made Harry feel at home.
"I don't want to fight," she said. "I never wanted to fight – well, a little – but not now. Now I just want you to come back so Mum can stop worrying about you. So everyone can stop worrying about you and wondering if they shouldn't because of me." She squeezed him before she let go again.
Draco stepped into the doorway now. It seemed as good a time as any.
Harry and Ginny both turned their heads and Harry pulled back, getting to his feet.
Ginny wiped at her eyes again. "Malfoy," she said quietly.
Draco wasn't sure what to call her, so he nodded. "Hello," he said quietly.
Ginny nodded too. "You're doing well?" she asked.
"Yes, and you?" the blond answered politely, hand still resting on the door-frame.
"I think I feel a lot better," she said with a heavy sigh.
Harry smiled a little. "Tea?" he asked.