apolla | Yet another HP DDD ficlet, Yet another Ginny/Draco HP DDD ficlet.

This is the final pre-sequel DDDverse ficlet there is. I know as I say this you all heave a collective sigh of relief.

The Burrow, England. August 2014

It seemed that half the entire magical community had been invited to a big party at the Burrow for Romeo Weasley's third birthday. Molly Weasley had taken a great shine to her latest grandchild and had gone all out to make his third birthday one to remember. Even Charlie and his family were at the Burrow- the first time they'd all been back to Britain from Croatia in three years. Harry, Hermione, the twins and Richard were there. Maura and Deirdre were there. Even Sirius, Narcissa and Jamie were there with Hogwarts' Professor Lupin in tow. The only person not there was Ginny. And her 'young man' (as Molly described him) Draco, but Ron cared a lot less about that.

"Has anybody even spoken to Ginny?" Ron asked, worry furrowing his brow.

"I spoke to her last night on the phone," Hermione said. "She sounded... strange. Not in a bad way. But... I don't know."

"Uh! You're no help, Hermione," said Ron before he flounced away to the table full of food.

"Ignore him," advised Deanna. "He's not comfortable unless he's got something to gripe about."

"I know," said Hermione with a wry smile. "But I am worried. Ginny isn't the sort to just not turn up to her own nephew's birthday party."

"Have you seen her recently?" Deanna asked. Hermione shook her head.

"Last Tuesday. I met her in Diagon Alley for ice cream. She was fine. She said she was looking forward to the party."

"Do you think we should worry?" Deanna asked her anxiously. Hermione pondered this for a moment.

"Not yet. Ginny's been known to be late. But not absent."

"Hello darlings!"

Every single person in the vicinity of the Burrow turned to see Ginny Weasley bouncing towards them hand in hand with Draco Malfoy. Fourteen year old Flynn was in tow looking like the cat that got handed the keys to the Anchor cream factory. On Ginny's ring finger they could see a brand new, gleaming, expensive looking gold ring. A matching one adorned Draco's hand. Silence reigned supreme for a long moment. Then everybody began talking at the same time.

"I have an announcement to make!" Ginny bellowed after standing on a chair, Draco's hand still in her own.

"I'll bet she does," growled Ron. Ginny glared at him.

"Draco and I got married in New York on Monday!"

To his eternal credit, Draco managed not to laugh or smirk at the Weasleys' collective shock. Ginny sighed dramatically.

"Oh come on. We've been going out for ages! We've been involved for eight years!"

"Yes, but we didn't know you were going to naff off to New York and get married," Ron snarled in the direction of Draco. Harry immediately grabbed Ron's arm to prevent any violence. Hermione stepped forward and hugged Ginny.

"I'm happy for you, Ginny," she said loudly, pointedly. "Congratulations, Draco. You're a very lucky man."

Draco nodded solemnly.

"I know that."

The dam broke and everyone swarmed forward to congratulate Ginny. Some of them even congratulated Draco as well. Ron, on the other hand, stayed on the edge of the party playing with Romeo and glaring at Draco.

"Ron!" Deanna shouted sharply. She stormed over to him. "Go and congratulate her."

"Not on your life."

"Ron..." Deanna said in a low, dangerous voice. "Whatever he did to you and your friends was a long bloody time ago. You have children of your own at Hogwarts now. Bloody hell Ron, Rain's been playing with Flynn Malfoy since she was a baby."

"Not by my choice," he muttered. Deanna sighed angrily and she gave up. She walked away from him to speak to Molly and Penny.

"Ron?"

"Don't even try, Harry."

"You saw him during the battle. You've seen him since. He's not a bad guy."

"He is if he married my sister."

"Why?"

"Because Ginny deserves better than Draco sodding Malfoy," Ron told him, kicking the tree angrily. Several leaves fell from the branches and landed in his hair.

"I don't doubt that," Harry said. "But isn't it more about what she wants?"

"No," he growled, pulling leaves from his hair.

"Don't you think that your family wished you'd found someone who wasn't a struggling fashion designer?"

"What do you mean by that?" Ron's temper flared quickly and easily.

"I don't mean anything, idiot. I mean that nobody will ever be good enough for Ginny in your eyes just as nobody would have been good enough for you in hers. Besides, would you prefer she married Rodney?"

Ron looked up at Harry. There was no love lost between Rodney Mayhew, Ginny's former fiance and her protective brothers.

"I should go and congratulate them," he said. Harry laughed. "Malfoy... I'm related to Malfoy. I should go and be sick first."

"Don't be stupid, Ron. You and Draco have managed to get along for fifteen years. I even thought at one point the two of you might be in danger of becoming friends."

"Don't talk crazy talk," Ron said with a slight grin. He sighed and approached Ginny and Draco.

"Congratulations, Ginny," he managed to say with sincerity. Ginny threw her arms around her brother.

"I'm so glad!" she exclaimed. "I was so worried you'd be angry or you'd hate me or-"

"I could never hate you, Ginny," Ron said softly. He looked at Draco. "I could hate you," he told Draco, who suddenly looked rather disappointed. "But I won't."

Ron stuck his hand out and Draco shook it, the blond heaving a sigh of relief as he did.

"Congratulations Draco, Ginny. I hope you'll be very happy together. And of course, if you hurt my sister, I'll kill you."

"You know," said Draco. "Every single person who has congratulated me has said the same thing. I think I've got it. But thank you... Ron."

"It's all right," he said, managing a genuine smile. "So, how was the wedding?"

"Well," said Ginny, breaking out in a smile. "We've had it planned for a while. Draco got a license and we just went off and got married. Then we had lunch at the Plaza, that's a fancy Muggle hotel, and... it was so lovely!"

"Why didn't you tell us? Or more importantly, invite us?" Ron asked.

"Because we didn't want a fight or a fuss. We didn't want it to be about anything but us," Ginny said firmly. "I'm happy Ron. Very happy."

"You're not pregnant are you?" he demanded, eyes narrowing towards Draco. Ginny blushed slightly.

"Ron! No, I'm not. Honestly, do you have to see ulterior motives everywhere you go?"

"Just thought I'd better ask."

"Well don't," she said with an over-exaggerated pout. She let go of Draco's hand and pulled Ron aside. "You are happy for us, aren't you Ron?"

At that moment he felt like answering back with something snippy, but the happy smile on her face and the plea for approval in her eyes sapped the desire to be sarcastic from him. He threw an arm around her.

"Course I am, Gin. Course I am."

"Good."

"Of course, you know this means you're a step-mother now?"

"I don't mind. I don't want to be the wicked kind, though."

"You'll do a grand job," he said warmly. He lowered his voice. "Better than bloody Fleur."

"If I didn't know you better," Ginny teased "I'd say you actually care about Flynn Malfoy."

"He's a good kid," he admitted. "Knocks Kit down a peg or two occasionally. Someone's got to do it, right?"

Ginny laughed loudly before saying, "Don't let Harry hear you say that!"

"Moving into Malfoy Manor, are you?" he asked. She nodded.

"I practically live there anyway."

"True. Very true. Don't think that escaped our notice."

Ginny blushed slightly.

"Ginny!" They turned to see Flynn bounding over. "Ginny!"

"Yes sweetie?" she asked.

"Dad says that if I ask you nicely, you'll help me with my birthday party next week."

Ginny smiled and put an arm around him.
"Course I will. You don't even have to ask nicely."

"But I will!" he said firmly. "I thought we could..."

Ron watched as Flynn dragged her away to talk about his party, feeling much happier about the life Ginny now had than he expected to. He didn't dislike Draco and he genuinely liked Flynn. He was happy that she was called Ginny Malfoy now.

Sometimes, life really could surprise you.

*

The End