I have no excuses, guys. But if anyone is still reading, here's the next chapter.

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The weeks leading to Christmas seemed to simultaneously drag on and rush by. At the very least, most the gossip had stopped. The student body was finding new things to be interested in that didn't include Ginny Weasley, though anytime there was a blurb about Harry in the paper or someone's gossip rag; she would catch a few extra looks that ranged from pity to absolute disgust throughout the day.

Before Ginny realized it, it was the day before she would be leaving for the holidays. She'd heard nothing from anyone, no word from Harry, Draco, or even her family so far. It wasn't especially strange to not hear from them, but the ball of nerves in her stomach had her over thinking everything these days.

She was completely unprepared to spend an entire evening with Draco, being scrutinized by countless people she knew little about, especially the ones who had always run in the Malfoy circle and would likely be disgusted by the sight of her on Draco's arm. There was far too much to think about, so many things that could go wrong and Ginny had been obsessing over every last one of them. In getting so caught up in all the what-if's, she'd only managed to make herself more uncertain as the days rolled by and had even briefly considered signing up to stay at Hogwarts and not bothering to tell anyone.

Luna seemed to take her nerves as being for a different reason, nudging her gently and offering a soft smile. "You're very excited, aren't you?" She questioned. "It's probably been quite difficult for you, being at school and missing Draco. I suppose it must be strange to go without seeing him for a while."

"Oh yes." Ginny replied, attempting to smile back. "I'm just not so sure about the Christmas party. It's a lot of people and it's making me a bit nervous."

"I wouldn't worry too much about it, Ginny. That feeling will pass once you see him again. Besides, eventually you'll be the one hosting these parties with Draco." Luna assured her, smile never wavering on her face. With a sigh, Ginny nodded at her, trying to take it as the positive comment it was meant to be rather than letting it get to her head that for the next Christmas party, she would indeed be a member of the Malfoy clan. "You're right, I know." She agreed after a long moment. "I'm being ridiculous about this. I've been so nervous that I haven't even packed yet, Luna, and we leave tomorrow."

"I'll help you pack later, don't worry. It'll be just fine." The Ravenclaw responded softly, and Ginny couldn't help the genuine smile that stretched across her face. How Luna, all calm and serene, managed to put up with her, she didn't know but her friend certainly managed to make things look far more bearable with her positive outlook on everything.

By the time of the feast in the Great Hall, Ginny was in a far better mood. Her dorm room had been cleaned up and all that she needed to take with her packed away neatly with Luna's help. She'd had another momentary breakdown when realizing that perhaps she should have ordered Draco a gift- after all, it was Christmas, and they were getting married, but the thought hadn't even crossed her mind. Luna managed to help her out with that as well, leaving to her own dorms and returning with an unopened bottle of spiced mead ("Colin gave it to me for my birthday but I don't care much for the taste. It's very popular though.").

By the time she was in bed, curtains drawn and blanket pulled up around her, Ginny's mind was at peace and perhaps even a bit excited for the days ahead of her. She fell asleep easily, no worries to keep her mind racing and body tossing and turning throughout the night.

It didn't take too long for Ginny to look back and realize she should have known that something would go wrong, considering how her life had gone over the past few months.

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The ride back to King's Cross was fairly uninteresting. Ginny, Luna and Colin sat together talking quietly amongst themselves about seeing their families again and complaining about all the work they'd have to do when they got back to Hogwarts for their final year.

She hadn't realized just how much she had been missing her family until she saw their faces on the platform when the train came to a stop and excitement flooded her entire body. Even though she was used to being at school and away from home by now, Fred and George had been there as well for a bit, and even when they left there was still Ron and Harry and Hermione, who were just as good as family.

"So good to see you again, mum." She murmured once she was enveloped in Molly Weasley's arms. "It's even good to see you again, Ron. I never thought I'd actually miss you!" Ginny joked, grinning as Ron smiled fondly at her.

Being back at The Burrow and smelling Molly Weasley's cooking filled her chest with warmth, surrounded by her family in a house so full of memories. The absence of Harry was like an elephant in the room however, considering how many holidays he had spent there. Ron had said he was busy on an assignment and while Ginny smiled and nodded, she couldn't help but to think that he had chosen not to be around her or that maybe he was with Lavender, though nobody had spotted them together since.

"It's going to be strange not having you around for Christmas dinner, Ginny." Ron commented through a mouthful of food, causing her to pull a face before the extent of his words hit her.

"Wait," she frowned, anger flaring up inside of her, "you aren't coming? But… Did they just not invite you? You're my family, they can't do that, I won't let them-"

"Ginny dear, calm down." Molly interrupted, reaching over to stroke a comforting hand through her daughter's hair. "That isn't it at all. The Malfoy's did invite all of us, but we thought it would be better for you and Draco if your entire family wasn't there to crowd you, that's all."

"I'm going to have plenty of time with him, mum. We're getting married and besides, tons of other people are going to be there. It's a party."

"We just want to stick to our own tradition. If things get to be too much, you're welcome to floo over here for a break. You and Draco both are invited to stop in at any point if you want to. It's going to be fine, dear. You'll have a lovely time, I'm certain of it."

She wanted to argue more, argue that she would not have a lovely time and things would absolutely not be fine, especially without her family there, but Ginny knew it was useless. Her mother had already turned back and was asking Ron about when Hermione would be arriving and nobody else was paying her any attention. Accepting defeat, she finished off her plate and pushed back from the table, bidding everyone a goodnight before heading up to her bedroom to get some sleep.

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The next few days were good, Ginny was able to truly relax for the first time in weeks, enjoying the familiarity of being home and knowing that she wasn't being judged and whispered about behind her back. But as she had learned time and time again, all good things would eventually come to an end, and suddenly she was standing in front of the fireplace hugging her family goodbye and wishing them happy holidays, a small suitcase gripped in her hand for her stay at Malfoy manor.

At the manor, Draco waited near his own fireplace for her, expression disinterested. The manor was empty and silent, save for the occasional clang of pans from the kitchens where the house elves were preparing a feast to rival that of Hogwarts, and his father had gone to attend to something at the ministry, his mother busy making sure she looked nothing short of perfect somewhere in her upstairs quarters.

When Ginny did arrive with a flash in the fireplace and a slight stumble, Draco couldn't hold back the displeased look that crossed his face when he saw her. "No. No, no, no. You can't wear that to a party, Weasley. I know you were raised in a barn, but you must know that parties are generally considered formal events – I saw you at the Yule Ball that year, I know you're capable of looking decent."

Ginny stepped out of the floo, letting go of her luggage as one of the house elves came to gather it and letting Draco's words sink into her head. She fixed him with a curious look, mouth quirking slightly. "Did you just admit that you checked me out at the Yule Ball, Malfoy?"

"No," he snapped back, just a bit too quickly and Ginny couldn't help the giggle that slipped out of her. "You did, didn't you? Huh. I wasn't expecting that."

"Shut up, Weasley. You're delusional. All I said was that you know how to clean up, so why are you wearing that?" He cut in, gesturing at where she stood, hair pulled back into a messy ponytail and clothes casual. Far too caught up in her amusement to care about his snapping, Ginny rolled her eyes, still smiling. "You said guests arrive at half past 6. That's not for nearly two hours, I have other clothes to change into. I'm not an idiot."

"You'll be ready by then?"

"Uh – yes? Of course I will, that's plenty of time."

"All the women I've met have taken the better part of their afternoons to prepare for parties." He seemed surprised, she noticed, as if the idea of her not taking several hours to get dressed up was a true shock to him. She supposed it probably was though, considering how seriously many Pureblood families took their physical appearances.

"Well I'm sure that the women you've met didn't grow up sharing a bathroom between multiple brothers, either." She shrugged; not giving him a chance to reply before walking past him and down the hallway she assumed would lead to her bedroom – she eventually found herself uncertain of her direction, but too stubborn to go back and ask Draco for directions, but was lucky enough to walk into the kitchen and get help from one of the elves.

xxx

She had spent a good chunk of her time enjoying the hot spray from the shower pounding against her skin, letting it soothe her tense muscles and wash away all her worries and enjoying the large variety of delicious smelling soaps available. Hogwarts showers tended to be rushed, either due to curfew restrictions or Quidditch practice or classes, and at home it was even worse with the multiple people who would come banging on the door just within twenty minutes, and she took advantage of the uninterrupted time to its fullest.

It was just as she finished spraying her hair that there was a quiet knock at the door and she heard one of the house elves. "Miss Weasley, Master Draco is wondering if you is ready. Guests is to be arriving soon."

She opened the door, greeting the little elf with a grateful smile. "I'm ready, thank you. Would you mind leading me back down? I'm afraid I'll get lost again."

The elf seemed thrilled to be asked for help and happily led Ginny down the hallway and two sets of staircases until they were back in one of the hallways she recognized from earlier. She could hear voices, probably those of early arriving guests, floating down the hallway. She didn't recognize any of the voices even as they grew nearer and for the first time found herself relieved when she turned the corner and found Draco, turned away and speaking to Blaise Zabini. She thanked the house elf who left with a small 'pop' that caught Draco's attention, drawing his eyes away from Blaise and onto Ginny. He found himself caught off guard momentarily. The Ginny Weasley who had admittedly caught his eye in his fourth year had been a girl who he had never really paid attention to when he'd seen her around, who had surprised him when he'd been forced to notice that she did have quite a cute face rather than looking like her brother with longer hair like he'd always pictured.

The Ginny Weasley who stood in front him now was four years older, four years more beautiful. Before he could let himself get lost in his thoughts or let too much time drag by, Draco gave her a smile that he found he didn't have to force for the sake of appearances and stepped forward to slip an arm around her waist as he drew them both back to Blaise. "Blaise, you know my fiancée from school, Ginevra Weasley, don't you?"

"I always found you to be lovely and yet you've still managed to blow me away with your beauty, Ginevra." Blaise spoke to her, taking a gentle hold of her wrist to drop a soft kiss onto the back of her hand, despite the look Draco shot his flirtatious friend.

"Thank you, Blaise. Call me Ginny, please."

"Of course, Ginny. Whatever you like."

"Blaise, if you're quite finished trying to flirt with her, we have other guests to greet." Draco interrupted, tugging her a bit closer to his side as Blaise laughed, clearly amused.

"It'll be hard to tear myself away, but I suppose if I must. I'll see you soon, Ginny."

"Goodbye, Blaise." Draco responded before Ginny had a chance to, leading her away into the next room, where a few people were milling about, every few moments the floo lighting up as another group poured in. It didn't take long for the manor to begin really filling up with people, people mingling amongst one another. For a short while she and Draco were able to keep to themselves, neither making an effort to break into other groups despite what he had told Blaise, though he kept his arm wound around her waist even so.

Eventually, the new couple began to garner interest though and more and more guests came over to meet Draco's bride-to-be and congratulate them. "You two are all people seem to be interested in these days. Well, you and Harry Potter, but usually it's just Harry Potter all the time. " One of the editors for Witch Weekly told them, cooing at them as if they were an especially adorable dog and attempting to persuade an interview out of them until Narcissa intervened, leading the witch away.

Ginny was just growing comfortable in the growing crowd of people, sipping at a glass of wine and taking Draco's actions as her lead, laughing along when he did at something someone had said to them. She wasn't even bothered by the flash in her peripheral vision, by now used to the photographers who had been going around snapping pictures of everyone – far more of her and Draco than she thought necessary, but apparently they were the hot topic of the night, she had learned.

However, as much as she was growing used to everything else, Ginny was completely unprepared when she heard the voice of the Witch Weekly editor again, not calling at her and Draco but instead saying "Mr. Potter, Harry Potter, so glad you came this year! And is this lovely lady your date?"

She tensed up immediately and could feel Draco's eyes snap to her in the same moment. He was moving, trying to move her with him, as if to take her out of the room, but Ginny pulled away from his grip and turned back toward the floo, where she already knew she would find Harry. She could hear Draco speaking her name into her ear, sounding distant despite being so close to her, yet she found herself frozen in place as Harry's eyes met hers from across the room, his mouth stretched wide into a familiar, easy smile from whoever he'd just been shaking hands with, Lavender Brown beside him with both arms wound tightly around him, looking more like a lion ready to eat its prey than a girlfriend.

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