Missing Years

Of course Ginny had been right about the arguement. Harry woke with a smile, kissed her as he headed out the door for work, and all was normal once more. Smiling to herself as she watched Lily playing with her dolls, she sat down at the dining room table with a cup of tea and the early edition of the Daily Prophet. As she scanned the headlines she found the article that Draco was alive, followed by comments about his mother's homecoming party that evening.There was an open invite to all of his old classmates and co-workers. Ginny thought for a moment of attending, but then thought better of it. She would send the letter and see what happened after that.


As she was flipping through the announcements section to see if any of her old classmates were tying the knot, she heard the sound of wings flapping coming into her kitchen. Looking up, Ginny spied an entirely black owl carrying a letter, just before it landed on the table in front of her. Not recognizing the bird, she wondered who it could be from and what indeed it was. As the bird pecked at the small bowl of treats on the kitchen counter, she carefully slid open the letter, breaking a seal she would have found terribly familiar if she'd taken the time to notice it. Pulling out it's contents she found a decorative invitation to Draco's homecoming event. It was an ivory card with swirls of silver and little sparkling owls moving about the front carrying a banner inscribed with the words welcome home. Opening the card, Ginny almost dropped it when a silver shower of sparks emitted from it, like fireworks, only tiny. Chuckling at the extravegance, she began to read the curling script that could be none other than Narcissa's handwriting. It gave a time, date, address of the manor, dress code, among other things. Ginny eyed the time of the party at once and realized that the festivities would be going on long before Harry would arrive home from his shift at work. Knowing him he wouldn't want to go anyway, but neither would he want her to go without him. I have to go though. It may be my only chance to find out if this is what it seems. As Ginny thought on the matter, she was flipping the card around and looking at the birds on the front once more. As she went to turn it again however, it became apparent that there was a note attached to the back of the card. Unfolding the small bit of parchment, she recognized the slanted script immediately and her heart went in her throat. Her eyes scanned the words carefully, but even so, she had to read each line three times to get it to stick in her mind.


Dear Ginny,

I know it has been years and if you wish to ignore me once you read this and go on living the life you have, I will understand.
I lied. I wasn't always there for you like I promised. I am haunted by those words I said, years ago.
I'm not sure if you even remember them now, but I hope you can at least remember one part.
I didn't break my word fully. I promised to love you for all eternity and that still stands.
I will always love you, no matter what. If you should choose to accept my invitation, I have many things to tell you.
We do hope you attend, Ali and I, that is.

Love Always,

Draco "Dragon Boy" Malfoy


Ginny stared at the words a bit longer and let them bounce around in her brain, trying to comprehend what this could mean. She read the last line again for good measure. "Alissa," she said aloud as she thought of the little blonde girl she'd seen only a few times before the adoption process went through. Alissa Kadia Malfoy. Ali for short. Her baby. It was true and she wasn't losing her mind, Draco had found their daughter. How she didn't know, but he had and she would finally get to see the little girl again. Ginny stiffled an giggle that came out of joy and wiped away a tear or two that did the same. She had thought of Ali everyday since that day in Paris, but even after she finished school, she'd never had it in her to check in on the girl. It could have had something to do with the fact that Harry knew nothing about her and Draco's past. Perhaps just a bit. Nobody knew really, aside from her mother and Narcissa. The secret would be history now she was sure, as there was no way she wasn't attending the gala. Harry would be mad, livid even, but he would just have to deal with it. Even he couldn't keep her from this, as it was something she would let no one take away from her. Reverting to her school girl days, she let out a happy squeak and set the invitation on the table before grabbing Lily and flooing to her mother's house to tell her the news.