Of Cold Nights and Coffee Flasks
By: fairy-colors
Disclaimer: Standard disclaimer applies.
Summary: Draco came too late for Ginny and knew he'd regret it for the rest of his life. (DG – one shot)
Draco glanced at his wrist and cursed softly.
4:35pm - You're going to be late, it read. With a deep, resigned sigh, he shoved his freezing hands into the pockets of his coat as he willed his dragonhide boot-clad feet to trudge down Diagon Alley.
He knew he shouldn't have procrastinated on buying this particular gift. Now he knew he had to face her anger when he came back from his shopping expedition. He remembered the way she had pushed him out of the door that morning as she set him on his way, her red hair magically held up in twists to get her ready for that afternoon. That had been five hours ago and he was still without a gift for her.
"I don't want any expensive jewelry you keep on giving me or those weird paintings you like. I swear I'll throw it at your face!" She had threatened with a teasing smile on her wind-chaffed lips, her arms around her waist as she watched him walk to his car trying to ward off the early December chill.
He grinned ironically to himself at the same time as he walked by Tridium. It was the expensive jewelry shop that was located at the far end of the Alley with its wide array of platinum set rings, delicate gold filigree necklaces that would have looked lovely on Ginny's swanlike neck and earrings inlaid with different precious and semi-precious gems. A particular piece of jewelry caught his eye.
It was an exquisitely cut diamond ring set in platinum which he guessed was no less than seven carats. Surrounding the large gem were tiny rubies which made it look like a glittering sun. That would look perfect on her, he thought with a glum sigh.
Besides, he thought that the ring she'd be wearing soon would be quite enough.
Flashback
"So you're saying that if I gave you a diamond tiara, you would throw it back at my face?" He asked lazily that morning, leaning his back at his midnight blue Aston Martin Spyder.
"Yes, right smack in the middle of your dashingly good-looking eyes," she answered wryly.
"I guess that's alright. Wouldn't peg you to look good wearing a tiara anyway."
"Thanks a lot, you prick."
He grinned at her as he watched her approach him, her fuzzy bunny slipper-clad feet skimming the snow, clutching Bill's coat to protect her from the chill. If she only knew that he wouldn't let her go cold. He reached for her hand and let her lean next to him. "No, seriously. Why can't I give you jewelry? It's a special day," he asked, kissing her temple and protesting quite a bit about what she said.
Ginny frowned and proceeded to shrug. "I'm not a jewelry kinda girl, Draco. Besides, I easily lose jewelry and I know you like throwing away money just for the hell out of it—"
"But—"
She glared at him, effectively silencing him better than any charm. "I'm serious. I don't need those, you know that. I'd rather you give me something you find in this ratty, old antique store which reminds you of me and only costs 2 sickles. Something that suddenly makes you remember a memory you had with me. It's nicer that way, don't you think?" She asked gently, reaching out for his eyebrows which were at that moment, engrossed into his ferocious frown; her hands smoothening it back to normal.
He sighed loudly, protesting with his actions.
"Really Draco," she teased, "I know you have to put extra effort on little ol' me in finding this gift but I'm worth it, aren't I?" she chided, nudging his shoulder. "Now get me something reaaaally nice, something just for me, not for both of us!"
"Alright, alright. Just for you," he said mock-exasperatedly to her before kissing her cheek quickly, climbing into his car to go find the perfect gift.
"Don't be late!" she called out.
End Flashback
It was already 5:05 pm on his muggle watch and he knew that he had to hurry up. Ginny was sure to kick his ass if he came without a gift. He was sure she'd forgive him if he was late for the party. She'd be too busy attending to the other guests so he knew his presence wouldn't be missed.
He pushed the door leading to Flourish and Blotts' and breathed in the distinct smell of printed books. Ten minutes later after perusing the sections Ginny frequented when they came here, he exhaled noisily at the mundane selection they had at the moment. There weren't any trashy, smutty novels written by that muggle writer, Judith McNaught, that Ginny loved to read nor were there any new pastry cookbooks available.
Then again, it was alright. Books as gifts for Ginny? Well, Draco decided, they're boring. He needed to give her something that would trigger a memory they had together. It shouldn't be that hard trying to figure out something good for her since he had known her for the past eight years, not counting the two while there were still in Hogwarts. And yet, here he was, stumped at what to give her.
Perhaps he would have better luck in the Quality Quidditch Supplies Shop next to Flourish and Blotts'. Again, he was disappointed. There weren't any new brooms she could drool on. He had to discard the idea as well, since her ladyship didn't want anything expensive.
Only Ginny would be opposed to expensive gifts. Of course he would have his arse kicked if he simply grabbed a few Shooting Shuttles posters with Benjamin Raiken, the star seeker of the team which she fancied enormously. She'd reason out that the gift was too easy for him to buy. Besides he didn't really want to buy the posters. The Raiken bloke and his teammates look like a bunch of pansy fairies to him, he snorted.
Running his hand briskly through his hair, he frowned at the other shop windows. It's hard enough for a guy to find the perfect gift, but for Ginny, well, he knew what he wanted to find. Something that would tell her how much he loved her but without being mushy.
Ginny hated mush.
"Draco, you know I loathe 'prom' music." She grimaced as she furiously jabbed at the buttons of his CD player in his car once. "Don't you have real music here?" She flipped through his CD case in disgust. "Do you have any idea how much this information is worth in Witch Weekly?" she asked mischievously, waving his copy of Celine Dion in the air.
"Hey! Give me that!" Draco said embarrassedly, snatching the copy back from Ginny who was laughing hysterically.
"When I get married, I'll have head-banging music. And anybody who requests for anything 'sentimental, mushy love songs' can go dig a hole and bury their head!" He just smiled and nodded. He was quite prepared to let her do whatever she wanted.
He fiddled with the different aromatic oils and lotions inside Boudoir Silky Scents and grinned evilly as he read the label of an elaborate glass bottle filled with viscous deep crimson liquid in it.
Liquid Lust in a Bottle
DIRECTIONS: Dab liquid on the pressure points
on your wrists and neck after shower.
WARNING: Use sparingly!
She's going to kill me, he thought with a smirk before putting it down. It wasn't the right time for that gift, he decided. The gift-hunting expedition he was in was quickly making him irate. There was nothing there that was remotely good enough for Ginny. She deserved something that screamed GINNY. In other words, something special and he didn't know if he can find something like that in Diagon Alley where he was sure Ginny had seen all of. What's the surprise with something she has already seen?
Fifteen minutes later, Draco was in his way to muggle London. He knew he was terribly late but he decided that it would be best to be calm before going to the party. His feet dragged him into one of the millions of Starbucks cafes lining the city to get a cup of coffee. It was only the first week of December and it was too bloody cold already.
He lounged lazily at one of the plush sofas in the café, for once not minding the time. He was already late, so what the hell does it matter if he was really late? With his cup of Grande white chocolate caramel macchiato, non-fat milk, no cream, he closed his eyes momentarily, remembering the last time he was in a Starbucks café with Ginny a couple of months back.
She openly mocked and labeled his drink 'girly'. Draco's lips curled into a soft smile, recalling her twinkling eyes filled with teasing laughter at his unwavering glare. It had been a long time since he really intimidated that chit.
They had been in one of his late afternoon shopping expeditions which she loved to tag along almost a year ago when she dragged him into the coffee shop. They ended up staying in the café for more than three hours talking and laughing as they waited for the sudden blizzard to stop.
"How's work?"
"Hmmm…It's alright, I guess," she answered wearily, unable to mask the slight frown on her face.
"What's wrong Princess?"
"Nothing's wrong and stop calling me princess."
"Make me."
"Really mature Malfoy."
"Potter's bothering you again, isn't he?" he asked suddenly after a few minutes of silence, while each was lost to their own thoughts.
Ginny looked up at him from her cup, startled at his question before smiling weakly. "Not really bothering me, per se. Just that—well…He's acting weird around me."
"Define 'weird'."
She blushed before she could even help herself, adverting her eyes from his hawkish gaze. "Would you stop looking at me like that," she mumbled to him, watching him arch an eyebrow at her obvious discomfort. She sighed with disgust as she saw that he wasn't going to relent until she tells him everything. "You really need to get a life other than meddling with my business. You can be really annoying with that."
"Well, princess, I don't think that's possible seeing that you are my life," he answered with a roguish smile, swirling the cup of coffee, not surprised that Ginny rolled her eyes at him yet again.
"It's just that I know I don't like him that way anymore. I'm not a bloody eleven years old anymore, swooning and mooning—"
"Que horror Weasley, you mooned after Potter? !"
"Shut up," she muttered, throwing him a pillow which he fended off quite easily. She paused before continuing. "Well, you see…I think he fancies me now."
Draco stiffened at those words, his eyes narrowing. "Don't worry, I'll take care of it. I'll make sure Potter doesn't bother you,"
"No, no, it's alright," Ginny said quickly. "It's alright, he's not 'bothering' me too much…"
He stared at her for a long time after that before she cleared her throat, pulling him back to what she had just said.
He could still see her red nose back then as she clasped the coffee between her hands, sipping the hot liquid with a groan of contentment. A slight blush formed on her cheeks as she told him that Harry Potter, Scarhead, The-Boy-Who-Lived, his ex-nemesis, fancied her like mad in the office.
His little Ginny. His princess.
It was then he realized he loved her. The insistent tug at his heart after that day made it clear to him that his dormant feelings for her were triggered by Potter's growing affections to his Ginny.
Draco gulped the last of his girly coffee before placing it down on the low table. He couldn't believe he had been searching for a gift for her for the past six hours. Speaking of which, he still hadn't even had lunch. Good thing he was used not to eating much. With his forearms being braced by his knees, he glanced listlessly around the café. He was already late but it didn't matter anymore. At least he didn't have to go back to his apartment and change his clothes. Ginny didn't want the party to be such a formal one so he guessed his dark gray cashmere turtleneck, tan leather pants and leather trench coat was good enough.
It was already 6:30 pm and it was time to get a move on, deciding to just get one of each of the products in the Boudoir Scents or those gay photos of pansy Ben Raiken back in Diagon Alley since he wasn't having any luck in muggle London as well.
With one last look at the café, he turned around but was quickly stopped by the sight of the stainless silver coffee flasks on display before him as another memory flashed in his mind.
Flashback
They were about to exit the South London Starbucks café they frequented that summer when she suddenly stopped in front of him, effectively making him bump into her.
"What's wrong with you woman?" he asked irately at Ginny who was standing still.
Ginny glanced back at him, a slight smile on her cherry-tinged lips before looking back at the coffee flask display near the entrance. "I want one," she said simply.
"A coffee flask? What for?" Draco asked puzzled at the secret smile she had on. "Why don't you just buy one if you want it?"
She grasped his hand, rolled her eyes before dragging him nearer to the display. "Things like these aren't bought, Draco," she said as if he was a child. "They're given to you. When I get married I often think of my husband preparing me a flask of cappuccino or café mocha and handing it to me before I floo myself to work. I mean, it's romantic," she declared with a silly grin on her face.
It was Draco's turn to roll his eyes. Ginny could be too much sometimes. "Your screws are loose again princess. Besides, isn't it supposed to be the other way around?"
"That's the point, you prat," she said with a resigned sigh at the idiocy of her friend at comprehending the matter at hand. "It's sweet because he's making coffee for me. He's thoughtful enough to prepare me something before I go to work so I don't catch chills going to work"
Draco sighed loudly, not knowing if he should kiss her senseless or well, kiss her senseless. "I'll make you a deal princess, I buy you a flask of your choice and we get the hell out of here."
Ginny whirled around to face him before slapping his arm. "You don't get it do you? That coffee flask is a dream of mine. I plan to marry the guy who gives me a coffee flask. It's simple gift yet I know why he bought it for me. That's a thoughtful gift."
"Alright, marrying you isn't in my list of future plans so I think I'll pass," Draco said, wrinkling his nose for effect as he looped his arm around her shoulder.
"It's not as if I'm off my heels running after you Malfoy," she retorted, swiftly jabbing his side with her elbow effectively making him wince.
End flashback
Draco sat in his car, staring at the package situated on the passenger seat with a slightly fearful expression. Finally, he let out a sigh after scribbling a message in the card for Ginny.
He spied the time on the dashboard and saw that it half past seven in the evening. Oh, she was going to kill him alright. He was three and half hours late, to be exact. She wasn't going to like this at all. Well, at least he was ready.
In less than twenty minutes, burning rubber behind him, he reached his destination. Of course the party was still in full swing. With a heavy heart, he grabbed her gift and climbed out of his car.
"Oh, you, YOU are in such big trouble," a voice behind him smirked.
"I think I know that all too well Charlie," Draco answered sardonically at Ginny's older brother before shaking his hand. "Did I miss a lot?" he asked, a smile playing on his lips. Of course inside, the butterflies in his stomach had suddenly morphed into dragons right after he stepped out of his car.
"Did you-did YOU miss a lot? Oh mate, watch your hide, really," Charlie said, guffawing and shaking his head at the same time. He sobered up quickly and looked at the tall, blond man in front of him. "She's mad beyond belief, you better have a good explanation cause here she comes," he said, patting Draco's arm before turning his heels.
Ginny barreled her way to where her best friend was and smacked his head upside down making him wince in pain. "MERLIN AND AGRIPPA, YOU BETTER GIVE ME A GODDAMN GOOD EXCUSE WHY YOU WEREN'T HERE DRACO CASIUS MALFOY! PARTICULARLY AN EXCUSE THAT CONTAINS THE FUCKING WORDS 'ST.MUNGO'S', 'BLEEDING', 'DYING' OR 'INJURY'!" Ginny growled at Draco who was already feeling like shit that had been ran over by rabid hippogriffs quite a dozen times.
"Princess…"
"Don't you princess me, you insensitive prick!" she shouted at him, hitting his chest repeatedly in less than controlled rage.
"Princess, I'm sorry…I got tied up," he answered lamely at her flashing eyes, holding her arms, trying to calm her down. Thankfully it didn't take long for her to stop.
She balled her fists and squeezed her eyes shut, trying not to let her tears spill. "I can't believe you stood me up. Why?" she asked hoarsely.
"How ironic. I stood her up," he thought before pulling her into a hug and kissing the crown of her head, breathing in her apple vanilla scent for the last time before clasping her arms. "Hey…Hey, don't cry Gin," he said helplessly as he watched her open her eyes, trying to smile albeit it came out tremulous.
He wiped the one tear that escaped with the pad of his thumb. "I think it's bad luck for the bride to cry on her wedding day," he said quietly, longing to take her into his arms.
"Well, I wouldn't be crying, you pillicock, if you had the decency to show up! Ron had to stand next to Harry as our best man. You know how much I wanted you to be there," she cried out balefully at him.
Draco gritted his teeth, trying to steady his breath. The guilt was gnawing inside of his heart but he knew that if he had been there, he would not be able to handle it. He could face a lot of things but this was one of those that he would cower at, his princess getting married to a bloke other than him.
She looked so beautiful with her curls framing her perfectly oval face, her soft doe brown eyes staring at him accusingly. And heartbroken because of him.
"You look beautiful, princess," he said gruffly to her.
"Brides are required to look beautiful," she sniffed softly.
But she wasn't like any other bride. At 25 years old on the 5th of December, 2005, Virginia Anne Weasley became Harry James Potter's bride and she looked heartbreakingly wonderful. In a simple white empire cut Grecian slip of a dress, she looked like how Draco imagined her to be like when they got married.
"Here, I got you a gift," Draco said softly, handing her the Starbucks paper bag.
Ginny took the back and opened it. Her gasp was the only indication to Draco that she remembered that summer conversation they had.
Shards of undiluted pain flashed through her eyes unguardedly as speech evaded her lips as she stared dumbly at the silver coffee flask inside the bag. "Oh…Oh, Merlin…I don't know what to say…"
He smiled at that. Ginny not being able to say anything was a monumental event. "No need to say anything princess…Just-just be happy for me, alright?"
She nodded numbly with her eyes not leaving his face.
Draco's heart shattered for the second time in his life as he watched her stare painfully at the contents of the bag. The first one being that lazy summer afternoon of that year when she came up to him with a controlled smile and blurted out, "I'm getting married!"
Just then, Harry sauntered to where they were a content smile on his face. He greeted Draco with a firm handshake.
"You're late. Ron had to step in for you," Harry started. "Ginny here kept on calling you on your cell phone threatening bodily harm if you came late,"
Draco merely nodded, looking pointedly at Ginny who quickly blushed. "I got held up in London, I had some things that were quite important."
"More important that Ginny's own wedding day?"
If she's getting married to you, then YES! Draco thought, fury boiling in his chest. But just then, his eyes caught the pleading look in Ginny's pain-torn eyes and sighed heavily. "Congratulations Potter," Draco said finally, keeping all the bitterness in his voice for the sake of the girl Harry's arms were currently wrapped around.
"Thank you, Malfoy," Harry replied as such with a slight nod.
"Look, I'm sorry I can't stay, I have to finish a lot of work, you see. I only came to drop off your gift," Draco began, clearly unease at the situation. He looked into Harry's green eyes and with all the strength he could muster for his voice not to break. "Promise me you'll take care of Ginny, Harry," Take care of her for me, he said, trying to control his voice while his heart was agonizingly throbbing in his chest.
"I promise," Harry answered with a quick nod, understanding then what the other man meant as Ginny quivered beside him.
"Goodbye Ginny, Harry." And he turned around back to his car before finally disappearing at the bend of the road, more than a hundred kilometers per hour on his car.
Hours later, Ginny woke up in the middle of the night. With a quick glance to her peacefully sleeping husband, she slipped out of bed and padded to the balcony of their honeymoon suite and fished a small card from the pocket of her teddy.
Smile and drink your coffee for me Princess.
I'm sorry I came for you too late.
-D.
You came too late, she thought numbly, staring at the starting light of the dawn that lay ahead of her as a spatter of liquid ran across his nickname for her and dragged down the card, down to the dawn she knew he would not see soon.