Final Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Harry Potter world, including Hogwarts, Draco and Ginny. They belong to that lucky chit… J.K. Rowling. Lucky, damn it. ; I do own the plot to this, and some of this characters I own as well, but nothing else. I do own Krystal Elizabeth Malfoy, Michael Potter, Malcolm Whitlock, Mariana Lopez, Ormand Favian Malfoy, Wilson Arthur Malfoy, Gabriel Alexander and Cassandra Molly Malfoy, Marina and Jane Potter, and Winnifred.

Author's Note: The ninth chapter! Thanks for the awesome response! Yep, this is it, the end of IWU and the end of the MTAM saga. Thanks to all for your support. If you're reading this, it must mean that either you're really bored or that you really DO care what the author has to say beforehand. I admire that. ; Again, thanks to NB for the wonderful ideas for this story!

It Wasn't Unexpected

Summary: SEQUEL TO MARRIAGE TO A MALFOY Krystal and Michael are in their 5th year at Hogwarts and they still are as "polite" as they ever were to one another. Being in different Houses does not help the situation, but maybe Christmas can. R&R please!

Chapter Nine:

It Wasn't Unexpected

Ginny sighed as the door closed with a slam. She put a hand to her temple, discussing all of it had given her a steady headache. She looked at Draco, who was glancing at his father calmly and at Lucius, with the same calmness, glancing at her. Ginny wanted her daughter to be with whomever she wished; she didn't want her to go through what she went, to be forced into a marriage. Even though she now loved Draco, she would have liked to have chosen him instead of having to marry him off the bat.

Lucius stood up, overlooking both of them now. "I will never allow it, you must know."

"Well, I'm sorry, but she's my daughter, Lucius. I'm afraid you really have no say on this," said Ginny, rubbing her temple steadily. Draco placed his obsidian eyes on her, inquiringly. "Don't look at me like that, Draco, it's time someone said it."

"We'll see," said Lucius slowly, looking at Ginny dead in the eye now. A shiver went through her; she knew what Lucius was capable of. However, she stood her ground.

"Oh, I don't think so. And don't even think of hurting my daughter, Lucius. If she suffers because you did something to contribute to that suffering, I'll do whatever it takes to rectify it and you'll have to answer to me. I'm a mother; I'm capable of anything to protect my children. Just have that very clear before you do anything."

The older blond man sneered and scoffed back a laugh. "Right. I suggest you put a leash to your wife, Draco, I daresay her commonness is surfacing once more."

"I'll show you commonness—let go of my wrist, Draco!" She looked back at him angrily, for he had instinctively grabbed her right wrist as to prevent her from taking out her wand. She hadn't really been planning on it, anyway. At least not for the moment being.

"Tut, tut, tut," Lucius smirked. "Don't make me laugh, girl. Step down, really." He fingered his cane with a smirk on his features. He then turned around. "I'll be the bigger person. Farewell."

As the door closed after Lucius, Ginny shouted, "Good Riddance!" She then turned towards Draco, whom had long since released her already. "And you better try to knock some sense into your father!" Then she whipped around and went out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Draco stood dumbfounded, still staring after his wife, with the empty glass of his drink in his hand.

"And what in the bloody hell did I do?" he asked himself, shaking his head slowly.

-----

She fell with a dull thud and coughed. She stood up and brushed the soot out of her traveling cloak and hair. She glanced around the house and remained in a slight state of awe. The last time she had come to this house had been about seven years ago, on her eighth birthday, which had been celebrated along with Michael's, much to her disdain at that moment. There was a recurring thought in her head as she brushed one last speck of dust out of her shoulder and it was that she wasn't sure if the thought of celebrating her birthday along with his would bother her so much now.

Wooden beams crisscrossed along the ceiling, giving the house a very rustic look which she adored. However, the last time she had been inside of this house, the windows were draped and the floors had been bare. Now a lush carpet covered the olden wooden boards and the bay windows had no drapes, allowing the allotted space to seem bigger. The red rays of the sun setting were entering through the windows, casting a dull shine on every object around.

It seemed like nobody was home. The only sign of someone that could be in the house was that of the soft crackle of the fireplace, but she realized that that particular thing, she had done herself. She had to remind herself that she had just come that way. She sighed, but she did not know whether it was in relief or disappointment that no one was home.

But it was better that way then she did not have to explain her presence to anyone. So Krystal did the only thing she could do, turn around and prepare to leave. She took the remaining floo powder from her pocket, put her hood over her head, took one last look around and as she was preparing to throw the powder into the fire, a voice startled her.

"Don't move, I am pointing my wand at you. Who are you?"

The powder in her hand fell and vanished; she didn't know if she was relieved that the voice that was so hostile towards her was that one of Michael's. She started to turn around.

"Hey! I said don't move!"

"What are you going to do, hex me?" she asked as she lowered her hood so he could see her face. She saw him lower his wand suspiciously and then put it away as recognition dawned on his face.

"Er… Kry—Malfoy, what are you doing here?" he asked, putting up a hand to scratch the back of his neck. He looked as though he had just woken up from a nap. His brown hair was tousled (which was utterly adorable) and his eyes were half groggy.

"You know, you shouldn't be so rash," she said coolly, passing a hand through the threaded furniture and feeling its irregular but familiar texture. "You didn't know if I was a muggle, and you said you had your wand pointed at me."

"A simple memory charm would've done."

"Oh really? And what about the letter from the Ministry of Magic the one with the warning of expelling you from Hogwarts? What would you have done with that?" she asked nonchalantly, leaning against the back of the same sofa she had been caressing moments ago.

"It would have been just a warning and I would have explained everything to my parents and they would have sorted it out in the ministry… but… what are you doing here? You never answered me that." He crossed his arms over his chest, looking at her; his vibrant green eyes piercing into hers so intensely that she had to look elsewhere.

"Er… well…" she wasn't going to tell him what happened at her house. However, as she looked up at his face once more, she decided to just forget about it and she ended up doing just the very thing she did not want to do: telling him everything that had gone on. She remained leaning against that sofa, spilling everything she needed to tell. He had just merely observed her as she did so, silent in his own arbitrary way.

When she was finished, he let out a rather large sigh. He passed his fingers through his unruly tresses; his fingers seemed to twitch to tear at the chocolate strands. "I see," was all he spoke. She sighed in frustration and sat on the edge of the couch. Her hands rubbed at her eyes. "Krystal… might I ask something?" he said. She gave a small nod. "Is there something between us at all? As far as you were concerned… it was only a kiss. A couple of kisses, actually, but that's beside the point."

"If you're talking about that night…"

"Not only about that night, but also about Christmas Eve and Hogsmeade," he eyed her carefully. "Perhaps you have not really realized that the encounters ever since Hogsmeade have been more and more… suggestive, if I may use that word, but that however, both of us have denied redundantly the existence of something other than – and this word may be a bit too galvanizing – lust."

"And what do you expect me to say, Michael? That I love you?" she asked discouragingly and he widened his eyes at her. She gave a small laugh. "Don't worry; the feeling is not that extreme."

"Oh, but there is a feeling, is there?"

"I'll admit that because there's nothing else I can do, Michael. I will admit it because I'm too tired of this to be full of too much pride right now. But nothing can come from this, you know it. There's just… too many years of conflict… too many things that will be against us if we do try to develop this. And what then? What will we do when everything comes crumbling down on us?" she groaned and covered her face with her hands. "It's just too difficult in many, many levels!" She walked around the sofa and let herself fall on it, sitting in the middle. It was comfortable.

"If it is that difficult… how come you came here? Why did you turn to me in your most desperate of moments?"

"Because I feel like I can trust you! Are you happy? There, I said it. I trust you, I…" she broke off, wanting nothing more than to be able to apparate out of there at the moment. Her self-discovery was too much for her. She didn't know how she could trust him, but it was an innate feeling that had consumed her.

Some things are better left unresolved, some incognitos better left unanswered, because when someone tries to find the logic of it all, when someone tries to explain it, the truth might be too much to handle. And sometimes the answers are far off worse than the mystery of the incognita. However, the relief might also be the best solution to the mix of feelings that come with the answer, and therein lays the ability to move on or stay put.

Perhaps things are meant to be. Perhaps there is manifest fate, that something will happen whether we like it or not. Or perhaps our choices, besides changing everything that could and will be, determine exactly what we will get out of life, out of a person, out of a feeling. But sometimes the best thing is to not ask oneself these questions, as they may confuse one furthermore.

As unexpected as it all seemed, there was a part of it that was not unfamiliar at all, there had always been that what-if string of uncertainty – or perhaps hope – that had been present all along.

The next thing she knew, he was sitting on the coffee table before her, his eyes passive – or perhaps just still drowsy. An unspoken reconcilement came upon them. He extended one hand and touched her face with the back of his fingers, caressing the smooth pale cheek. Her eyes did not close at the contact and she remained eyeing him with what could have been interpreted as curiosity, but that both of them knew it wasn't.

She grabbed his hand and without another thought, she pulled him towards her, at the same time leaning in and beginning to kiss him softly. He pressed his hand on the back of her head, pulling on her hair a little, assuring her in place so that she could not pull away. She would be damned if this kiss meant 'nothing'! He always knew how to kiss her, even since the first time he knew how to leave her breathless with little effort.

She cupped his face with her hands, caressing on his cheeks, longing for that contact since Merlin knows when. His lips were familiar to her; his taste was the best thing she had ever endured. It was in those kisses that she could really begin to know herself and him more. There was just something about his kisses that made her look deep within herself and harbor those feelings she had made sure to bury deep within float out to the surface.

They separated out of pure will, because the feelings had been too much for either of them to take. Their foreheads pressed against one another and they caressed each other's faces with a renewed tenderness that they might never had had with each other before.

"Are you willing to do all of this?" he whispered, after a while. Krystal bit down on her lip and despite herself, she began to nod.

"I am…"

"If you're willing, Krystal… I'm willing…"

"But what about everybody, Michael? What about those who do not agree of this? What about my Grandfather?"

"We'll tackle one person at a time, until everyone becomes accustomed to it." He nuzzled her cheek. She smiled briefly.

"Besides," she said now, confidently, "who says this will last?" And then she let out a small laugh. He knew she was joking, trying to ease the moment.

He smirked. "Exactly," he leant in and kissed her again, taking the breath off of her feverishly. "I have a feeling that it will, however," he said against her lips. "At least for a couple of months," he smirked again, against her mouth. She licked his smirk daringly.

"At least. Now stop teasing me and kiss me, Potter,"

"I think I like you being the dominant one, Malfoy," he purred uncharacteristically.

"You better get used to it, Potter," she said teasingly, smirking too.

"Gladly," he said and engulfed her in a kiss once more. Who knows what it would bring? Who knows who would oppose and how they would? All the Raven and the Snake knew was that they had been considerate enough to give each other a chance and that perhaps – just perhaps – that chance might be the best damn thing they had ever done to each other.

For now, anyway.

THE END

---Don't forget to check and keep track of my blog because there'll be quite a bit of important info in there and you guys can comment in a more direct way there. It also states every time I update and it has the story mapped out as well as some other tidbits important to the MtaM series storyline---

---Oh yes! I have an LJ if anyone cares to add me! On a more personal level, anyway. In Livejournal, my username is: lieyourtruth so if any of you guys have LJs, feel free to add me!---

---Also, I've started a Harry Potter RPG over at so go there and search for linarastone there are a lot of characters free and we need teachers, death eaters, Voldermort, and anyone else. Please do me the favor of checking it and applying if you can, thanks. Also I'm looking for a home for a Hermione I have---

Author's Note: I liked that ending. I couldn't have ended it any other way. This is the end of the Marriage to a Malfoy saga. So sad that the end came, but so relieved as well. At least now I will not be mean enough to keep you guys waiting. Again, sorry for the month waiting, but I barely have enough time to write anymore. Though I try to always take a little time. THANKS FOR ALL OF YOUR REVIEWING AND YOUR CONSTANT BADGERING FOR ME TO UPDATE! (believe it or not, I like to be badgered). This story would not have unfolded well without it.

Some of you may have noticed (and if you haven't I suggest you check it out) that both on my Author's Page and on my blog, I've declared a small Hiatus for my stories, which means I won't be updating as regularly. For more information on this, do check out my Author Info on my profile, thanks.

ALSO do check my blog regularly (you can also subscribe to receive a notice when I update it). I post my ideas over there, so you can keep track of the work I do, and will do. I've also recently posted a small autobiographic post called "Behind the Stories: An Author's Life" so if you would like to get to know me a bit better, that's the place for you!

THANKS to NB for the idea for this story. The sequel was possible thanks to her. So credits to the plot go to her and her only and a few ideas from the top of my head. Also, if I forgot to credit someone, tell me, and I'll smash myself.

Don't forget to leave me a nice juicy review, whether it is to insult me for making you guys wait or to simply say: "HI!".

-Blue Rain

®It Wasn't Unexpected ©Shiara, 2005