The Perfect Mistake by hearyoume
Chapter Notes: Here is another chapter! I've proofread it about fifty times, do you think that's enough? (Ha...) I hope the wait will have been worth it and you'll leave me some more lovely reviews - I appreciate them all very much.
The night was dark and stormy, and when I materialized in front of the Malfoy Mansion I was immediately soaked with rain. I made my way up the walkway, feeling my clothes sticking to my body and my wet hair around my face.
Part of me didn’t know what I was doing there, but there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that I would be welcome. So I clung to that small bit certainty and didn’t hesitate when I reached up and knocked on the door. I waited just a few moments until I heard faint footsteps inside, and the door swung open.
Draco stood there for a minute, still in his work clothes, looking completely aghast at the sight of me. “Ginny?”
“Hi Draco,” I said, suddenly aware that I must have looked completely mad, standing in the rain outside of his house so late at night. “Can I come in?”
“Yes! I mean, of course you can,” Draco replied, and he held the door open for me.
I stepped inside the exquisite front room, its marble flooring stretching out in front of me and a large staircase leading upstairs. Instead of the typical chandelier, Draco’s house had a magnificent stone lantern hanging from the ceiling. There were serpents wrapped around its massive frame and it emitted a warm glow that lit up the entire room.
Of course, I had been there before on numerous occasions. Draco often hosted the Ministry’s holiday balls and other gatherings, to which I’d usually attend with Jonathon. Tonight, though, was my first time alone with him at his house, and I suddenly realized just how large and intimidating it was.
I heard the door shut behind me and I turned to face Draco, who still looked slightly out of sorts.
“You’re drenched,” he said, pulling out his wand and giving it a complicated wave. I instantly felt my clothes become dry and warm, and even my hair became light and fluffy again.
“Thanks,” I murmured.
He stood there awkwardly for a minute, during which I started to wonder what I was doing there. Perhaps it was best that I left. He was obviously uncomfortable, and it must have been rude to just show up, unannounced...
“Let’s sit down,” Draco told me, interrupting my thoughts. I hesitated for a moment, then followed him down the hall to a cozy sitting room with a roaring fire burning in the fireplace.
I sank into a large leather couch, scanning the room with mild interest. I had never been there before, but I supposed there were many places in the vast mansion that I had never seen “ or been allowed to see.
“Er, would you like a drink?” Draco asked.
“Sure,” I replied. I watched him get two wine glasses from a cabinet and grab a bottle from a small wine rack.
“Is this all right?” he asked as he sat on the couch opposite me. “It’s Muggle wine, I only just tried it a few weeks ago and I had to get some myself.”
“Oh, yes, I’ve had it before. It was my dad who told me about it, only this time I don’t think it was his fascination with Muggles that got him interested, it seems many wizards have been drinking it lately.”
Draco smiled politely as he poured us both a glass of wine, but the mention of my father had created a tense silence between us.
My father, who had normally been the one to accept everyone’s differences (Muggles, for one thing), had made it quite clear that he did not approve of Draco working for the Ministry. In fact, his hatred for the Malfoys did not allow him to see the man that I saw. In his eyes, Draco would always be the son of a Death Eater, and his past was as permanent as the mark on his arm.
Contemplating this, I took a large gulp of wine, but lowered my glass when I saw that Draco was watching me, his expression suddenly serious.
“Ginny,” Draco said softly, “why did you come here tonight?”
I sipped my wine again while he stared at me intently, not wanting to face the truth but knowing that I’d have to eventually. I set my glass down and answered, “Because I knew you would let me in.”
“What happened?” he asked me gently.
I turned to look at the fire, and stared at the large flames that danced in front of me. I thought of everything that had happened that night: Jonathon’s strange behavior, his confession, how I had so quickly given him back the ring and refused to forgive him, and all the nasty things I said to hide how much I hurt inside. My eyes began to water and before I knew it, tears were sliding down my face, and I was powerless to stop them.
“Ginny,” I heard Draco’s alarmed voice say, and I finally looked at him again.
“It’s Jonathon,” I whispered.
“What?” Draco said sharply. “What did he do? Did he hurt you?”
Hearing the concern in his voice made me give him a watery smile. “No. At least, not in the way you think.”
“Then what---?”
“We’re not engaged anymore,” I told him. Absentmindedly, I touched the place where my ring used to be, and I saw his eyes glance down and see that it was missing.
“Well, is this... something you can work out?”
I shook my head. “No, Draco, he... cheated on me.” Once I had said it out loud, I felt a lump form in my throat, so I downed the rest of my wine and grabbed the bottle to pour myself more.
“Oh, God, I’m so sorry.”
“He told me tonight. I had to ask him what was wrong, because he didn’t have enough guts to come out and say it,” I said bitterly. “I don’t know anything about her, and I don’t want to know anything about her, but she must be something special. I mean, he picked her over me, didn’t he? I wonder how much better she is...”
“Don’t say that,” Draco said. “She’s not better than you.”
I sipped my wine and looked at him doubtfully. “How would you know that?”
“Look, Jonathon is an idiot. A complete moron. It doesn’t matter what he thinks.”
“And why is that?”
“Because he never realized how lucky he was. He threw away the best thing that will ever happened to him for a girl who can’t even compare to you.”
I didn’t know what to say. I simply stared at Draco until he leaned forward and took my hand.
“Listen,” he said softly. “You will find someone, one day, that will be able to appreciate you for who you are. He will never stop loving you, and he will be so devoted to you that he will never even think of betraying you like this.”
“But how do you know that?” I whispered, pulling my hand from his grasp. “How do you know that Jonathon wasn’t the one I was supposed to end up with, and I just threw the ring in his face and ended it?” I wiped my eyes and sipped some more wine while I waited for him to answer.
“You’re not the one who ended it, Ginny. He’s the one who made that choice to go off with a girl and let himself fall in love with her. He’s the one who told you he couldn’t marry you. He’s the one that made that mistake, not you. You can’t blame yourself for refusing to put up with a man who didn’t even respect you enough to remain faithful!”
I put my empty wine glass down and stood up. I felt a little light-headed, and I couldn’t think of a good argument to what he said. I took a few steps towards the fire, once again entranced at the sight of the bright orange flames, and then spoke. “I hope you’re right, Draco.”
He stood up and walked behind me without saying a word. I felt his hands slide over my stomach and wrap around me, pulling me to him. I laid my head back against his chest, closing my eyes for a minute and letting his warmth spread through my body.
Then, barely knowing what I was doing, I slowly turned and gazed up at him. When our eyes locked, I thought of nothing but the person whose embrace gave me a sense of security I’d never felt before. I paid no attention to anything else as Draco lightly tucked a strand of my hair behind me ear, but when he leaned down to kiss me, I was brought to my senses.
I don’t know what I was expecting him to do, but for some reason I didn’t think he’d do that. When our lips touched, I was so startled that I immediately pushed him away from me. We stood there staring at each other for what felt like forever, and the only sound that could be heard was the crackling fire. Then, Draco spoke.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I shouldn’t have...” And he hurried out of the room.
Stunned, I reached up and touched my lips, where he had kissed me only moments before, and found that I did not regret it. And before I knew it, I was walking out the door after him, thinking only of the source of comfort that I felt I had to have.
I caught sight of him walking into a room upstairs and shutting the door, so I made my way up the staircase after him. All sense of reason left me as I went to the closed door and turned its handle.
The room was dark, but the light I had let in immediately fell upon Draco, who was sitting at the edge of the bed with his face in his hands.
I stepped inside and shut the door behind me, looking fixedly at his dark outline. A second later he looked up and saw me standing in the middle of the room. When he stood up, nothing else seemed to matter except the man in front of me, inching closer and closer by the second.
By the time he had kissed me tenderly once more, I was barely aware of what I was doing. Our lips met again and again, each time with such passion that we were laying down on the bed before I even realized what was happening.
All thoughts of my family and of Jonathon left my mind, and not once did I begin to comprehend the possible consequences of my actions. I forgot to stop and think, instead letting myself be swept up in an act that I thought I so desperately needed but, upon waking up early the next morning, I would deeply regret.