Ginny rolled over in bed and groaned silently as the dark haired man sleeping next to her came into focus in front of her still sleep heavy eyes. She'd almost forgotten what had happened last night, between the bottles of wine and aged fire whiskey she'd forgotten how angry with him she was. And old habits did die hard. She pulled the sheet up closer to her chin and reached a hand out to poke him in the ribs.

"Harry wake up." The dark haired man groaned. She hoped that he had a hangover for all that he had plied her with alcohol the night before she remembered that he had drunk far more than her. "Harry you have to go."

Harry opened his eyes briefly to the still quite dark room and rolled over his back to her. "It's barely sunrise Gin," he said sleepily. She poked him in the ribs again, harder this time. He groaned but didn't move. Ginny sighed heavily and rolled the other direction, swinging her legs out of the bed and quickly pulling her robe over her naked body. Every time they had one of these drunken nights together she felt useless the next day. Today wasn't exactly a day she could spend being utterly useless.

"I'm going to take a bath. My mother's going to be here for breakfast and if you're still here she'll be wondering if we're back together," Harry opened his eyes at this, looking a little startled. "And that means that the wedding bells will be ringing again." At this he jumped out of bed hastily pulling on a pair of boxers and searching for his pants.

"You may as well use the guest bathroom and at least take a shower. I think you still have a few things in that closet," Ginny said nastily. She had been nagging him for months to come and take the last of his things. He shrugged and left the room without another word. She sighed, pulling the bathroom door shut behind her and shedding her robe. She was going to need a long bath to wash away the regret this time.

Half an hour later Ginny walked downstairs to the smell of brewing coffee. Harry was sitting at the kitchen table playing with a napkin. His hair was dried, unlike Ginny's, and he looked put together in a pair of black slacks and a silver button down shirt. His spare set of Auror robes were slung over one of the other kitchen chairs.

"I thought we agreed you were gonna leave," Ginny stated. Though she was thankful for the coffee, she didn't want to show any weakness. Not this time.

"I thought we'd just tell your mother I came over for coffee this morning. Dropped by on my way to work. Plus, there was an owl waiting this morning so I have some official business to discuss with you. We might as well have it out before Molly comes," Harry said, his hands drumming absentmindedly on the table.

Ginny raised an eyebrow as she turned around mug in hand and took a sip of the coffee. She let out an appreciative sigh. Harry was always better at the damned muggle coffee maker, his coffee always came out so much better. He opened his month to speak but before he could the fireplace in the living room roared to life and child's squeals echoed into the kitchen. Ginny placed her mug on the counter with a smile and bent down as a blonde haired boy streaked through the hall and into her arms.

"I missed you Momma!" the boy shouted excitedly giving her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Ginny smiled lightly and returned the kiss.

"I missed you too darling. Say hello to Uncle Harry." The blonde boy turned his gray eyes on the man at the table with a frown, which he quickly masked as he noticed Ginny's disapproving face out of the corner of his eye.

"Hullo Uncle Harry," he said quietly.

"Ginny?" Molly's voice called from the living room. Ginny looked through the doorway to see her mother brushing dust off her cloak, a red headed girl clinging to her hand.

"Hi mum, I see he got ahead of you again." Ginny said with a chuckle. Molly wagged her finger at the boy and let go of Victoire's hand. The little girl made her way daintly to Ginny and hugged her Aunt.

"Hullo Aunt Ginny, hullo Uncle Harry."

"Oh, hello Harry," Molly said in surprise as she reached the kitchen. She motioned for the kids to go and play and they took off to the front yard with a speed only befitting children.

"Good morning Molly. I was just here to speak with Ginny, official Ministry business and all," Harry said gesturing to his cloak. Molly didn't look entirely convinced but she let it slide nonetheless.

"Which we hadn't gotten too yet," Ginny reminded him none too gently. She glanced at her mum and then at Harry and Harry shrugged.

"Molly can stay if you don't mind," Harry replied. However, Molly was already interrupting her.

"Ginny dear, I actually have a couple things I have to take care of today and I'd forgotten that I told Fleur I'd take Victoire for the day would you mind watching her?" Ginny shook her head.

"No problem Mum, I'll see you around lunchtime then?"

"Yes sure dear. Why don't you come to the Burrow and I'll cook. You too Harry, Wednesdays most of the boys come home for lunch."

"Sure." Ginny replied. Harry shrugged and nodded.

"If I can get away Molly," he said when she gave him a pointed look. Molly nodded and bustled from the kitchen. Ginny picked up her coffee again and looked at Harry.

"So. You're official business then," she demanded.

"Gin, Draco's been released. They cleared him of charges last night. They've also unfrozen his assets."

"Oh." Ginny said. She turned then, to refill her coffee glass and contemplated this. The Daily Prophet was on the counter and Draco Malfoy's face stared up at her.

"I thought you'd be more excited," Harry huffed finally. "Now our lives can go back to normal. We can do all the things we couldn't do with the brat."

"That's not how I think of him Harry," Ginny hissed slamming her coffee down on the table and managing to spill some on her hand as she did. She turned around her eye alight. "Get out."


"OUT. NOW." She yelled pointing at the fire. He left in a roar of flames and she sat at the kitchen table thinking about what her left had come too.

Eleven years ago she had been living the life of a young Hogwart's graduate. She was two years into her Quidditch career and could be seen happily supporting Harry as he made his post-war public appearances. At the time there had been talk of him running for Minister of Magic. Instead, he had convinced her father to run and had helped Mr. Weasley secure the office. Ginny's family had risen in the world, and they couldn't have been happier. Of course, they were short a son now and one was badly disfigured, but George's son almost made up for Fred's loss as he seemed to embody the very spirit of his deceased uncle.

Ginny had not been surprised to hear the announcement of Draco Malfoy's marriage shortly after the war, now was she surprised it was to Astoria Greengrass. The Greengasses were one of the few pureblooded families other than Ginny's who hadn't been on the wrong side of the war. Astoria had Scorpius Draco Malfoy almost nine months to the day after the wedding. Right around the time Ginny started her first match for the Holyhead Harpies.

She and Harry brushed elbows with the two often, as Draco had become the face of Malfoy Enterprises in his father's stead. Lucius, it had been rumored, had declined quickly in mental health following the war. He passed away after her second contract year, almost no one attended his funeral. Ginny had almost, almost felt bad for the only Malfoy child but she couldn't help but continue to dislike him. Although he treated her with some respect now, she knew it was only because her father was Minister. They harbored no foolish beliefs about each other.

So, when her father showed up at her door seven years ago she was surprised when she was greeted by a three year old miniature of Draco Malfoy himself.

"Astoria Malfoy is dead," her father stated after he sent the young boy into the living room to play with Fred.

Ginny, Harry George, and Angelina were sitting at Ginny's kitchen table sharing a bottle of wine. Harry looked surprised, but not necessarily upset at the news. Angelina's hand had covered her mouth in shock. Arthur's mouth was set in a firm line.

"How?" Harry asked, ever the Auror.

"She appeared to have overdosed with some muggle drug. There was a needle near her bed, on the floor. However, she left no note and none of her friends thought her particularly sad. We suspect foul play. Draco Malfoy has been arrested and is currently incarcerated at Azkaban," Arthur said. He chose his words carefully because he knew the next thing he asked would change his daughter's life forever.

"Why do you have his son," George asked, looking at the blonde boy playing with his own redheaded toddler in the living room. Scorpius looked very much like a society child. Fred, on the other hand, was in a pair of secondhand play jeans and a somewhat dirty orange Falcon's shirt.

"I would like you to take him for now," Arthur said softly. Harry narrowed his eyes and Ginny just stared at his father.

"Why?" Harry deadpanned.

"Of course," Ginny said at the same time. Her eyes were on the young child in the living room. At the time she was still playing for the Harpies and her career, coupled with Harry's crazy schedule, had put her behind most of his friends in marrying and starting a family. At the end of the previous season she had told the team that she didn't think she would be returning – she and Harry were on their fourth year of engagement and she was desperate to walk down the aisle – desperate to hold a child in her arms.

When she returned her eyes to the table, her father was smiling, looking very much like red-headed Albus Dumbledore with a twinkle in his eye. Harry was frowning. George was glancing between the two, but he knew when Ginny had that look in her eyes not to fight with her.

"Good," Arthur said finally. Ignoring Harry's question. "I don't know how long a trial will take – Draco isn't speaking right now. So we're going to wait him out for the time being. See if anything changes. We're not sure what young Scorpius saw. He seems like a well-behaved young boy I'm sure you won't have many problems."

Harry and Ginny had had a horrific row that night, after she had showed Scorpius to his new room. A row that had ended with Harry leaving and Ginny screaming after him that if he left there wouldn't be any turning back.

As it turned out. There hadn't been.