[HP translation] Hope

Ginny and Lupine have been catching up all week.Hearing that almost all the Weasleys had died, Lupine turned pale with horror, but Ginny no longer felt remorse, and felt she should be mad at herself for it. "I don't know." After quietly accepting the news, he said hoarsely. "I think I've figured it out, because you've been through so much together..."

"They're fine," she insisted. "They went to better places with Harry and Dumbledore and everybody. I know they're fine."

"That black curse in George sounds like something Hephaestus Sumner would do." He repeated what Draco had said to her a few months earlier. "But I'm not surprised he broke the spell."

"Really?" Ginny blinked. "All the therapists were surprised."

"It shouldn't be that surprising, Kim, the twins are very powerful wizards," he said brightly. "I taught their fifth year, if you remember. Their defense is always excellent - when it's time to turn in their homework, of course." They all laughed, but Lupine immediately became serious. "So I was surprised to hear that Fred had died. I thought George would have been devastated without him."

"He said it was like having a ghost limb," she said sadly. "He's been looking forward to seeing Fred by his side."

"And Arthur with Molly?" He closed his eyes and turned away, not finishing his thoughts.They sat uncomfortably in silence for a long time on this glass porch at the back of the estate.Ginny found herself suddenly longing for Draco's company, just to hold his hand or let him wrap his arms around her shoulders.Reminiscing about the past was tiring, although it was necessary for Lupine, but all she wanted was to curl up in Draco's arms, reassured and content.

"You may be wondering why Draco and I live together and haven't killed each other yet," Ginny said dryly.

Lupine looked at her with a smile. "Not really." Seeing her frown, he continued, "I know the famous Malfoy-Weasley feud well, but it's more between Arthur and Lucius and Ron and Draco. You guys Others shouldn't be chained into it."

"Nevertheless, it was Lucius who stuffed that diary Horcrux into my book and nearly killed me in my first year at Hogwarts," she pointed out.

"Is that why you despise Draco? Yes, his father, but Draco has nothing to do with that."

"He's arrogant," she said. "He treats everyone as if they owe him. Merlin, he put a possession spell on me so I don't run away from him."

Lupine laughed. "So, now the segment is 'I told you he was a lousy man, you have no right to argue back'?"

"Uh, yes—" After a few seconds, Ginny caught up with the train of thought. "Wait, what?"

"I'm leaving for England tonight." He didn't answer her question. "Now that I know I can do something valuable for the Resistance, I need to go back to my home country. Tonks must miss me too," he added, as if he had only just remembered.

"tonight?"

"Draco told me they wanted to open another Apparation point and a safe house," he said. "As far as I know, my father's house in the swamp is still intact and unused. I will give them the safe place they need."

"Tell my dad, I miss him," Ginny said, though she really wanted to ask Lupine what he thought of Draco. "I miss him and George."

"You'll see them again," said Lupine confidently, patting her on the arm. "You will come back to the UK one day and you will live to see it safe again."

"I hope so," she sighed. "I really hope so."

When Lupine left that night, he let her stay because Ginny had wanted to go with him to the International Apparition Point. "I don't want you to face the temptation to go back with me."

"Tell them I love them, I think about them every day," she said again, and she could feel Draco move uncomfortably behind her.

"I will." Lupine smiled at her, then turned to Draco. "Thank you for your hospitality."

"I'd like to hear you have everything sorted out within a month," Draco said stiffly, and Ginny snickered under her breath. "Mr. Winkler will send you the necessary materials through the appropriate channels to build the apparition point."

Lupine nodded. "Take care of Ginny." He walked into the apparition spot in the glass doorway, a small bag of his belongings slung over his shoulder.

Draco blinked, seemingly too surprised to answer. "I—I will, sir," he said.Lupine gave a knowing smile and left.

"You're ridiculous, you know?" Ginny said, rolling her eyes. "Lupine is the friendliest wizard I've ever met, and he's thanking you, and you just say—"

"This is a business transaction," Draco snapped, turning and striding towards the manor. "It's not a personal matter."

Ginny smiled and followed. "Dear Merlin, Draco. If I didn't like you so much already, I would definitely cast the Bat Spirit Curse on you, and let it knock a little rationality out of you."

He stopped at the door leading to the vestibule, his face half hidden in the shadows, making a sound of frustration. "At least I helped him, didn't I?"

"Yes, you helped. Thank you." She approached him, raised her head, and kissed his lips lightly.She felt him tremble, and then he squeezed her chin between his thumb and forefinger.

"I mean it," he whispered, his silver eyes fixed on her. "I'll take care of you, Kim."

"I know you will." She smiled and walked to her room.Now it's just the door.

For days, he hadn't tried to rekindle the spark they had had on Evelyn Prentice's birthday night, and she was starting to despair that he wouldn't pick up where they left off.But why did that bother her so much?Ginny tried to think calmly and practically—though all she wanted to do was throw himself into his arms and make out with him—to think about everything between them, his change, and her own change.Merlin, when did I become the second Hermione?she thought dryly.

But she was really thinking about him, from morning to afternoon, from afternoon to night.When they had breakfast together, she thought of him—him from the Mercury Herald, him from The Quibbler—and when she was growing different kinds of plants in the greenhouse with Cassie and Gobber .As she curled up on her private balcony with a book ("Don't Destroy Flowers Even If You're Handy," by Freya Bardon), she thought of Draco's annoying habit of always looking down at others, of his Rarely expresses their thoughts or emotions.When they had tea with the Winklers in the glass foyer, she thought she liked the way the sun lit up his ash-blonde hair.She would think about him at night before she went to bed, and when she woke up the next morning, he was already on her mind.

Eventually, Ginny realizes something, and she's glad Ron and Harry won't live to see it.

At least, that's something they can't stop anyway.For, a few weeks after Lupine had returned to England with Tonks, she had had another dream one night.She sat by the familiar fireplace in the Gryffindor common room, with Harry, Ron and Hermione in three chairs around her.

"Now you see why we couldn't tell you," said Hermione, smiling nostalgicly at Ginny and squeezing her hand. "Otherwise you wouldn't have agreed to go there in the first place."

Ginny sighed. "Yes, I think you're right."

"I'm still not very happy with the situation," said Ron, crossing his arms across his chest, puffing up. "I don't see why it has to be that bloody Malfoy."

"He's gotten better, Ronald," said Hermione angrily.

"Oh, as if you weren't upset when he ripped off her clothes—"

"What?" Ginny called, covering her mouth. "Did you see it?"

Harry laughed. "I told you, we've been with you, Kim." He paused, then added, "Although I'm sure there are a lot of things I could have left out—"

"Tell me," Ron grumbled. "Merlin, I'm her brother."

"She has the right to do what she wants," said Hermione dryly. "That's her body, not yours."

"Yes, but that doesn't mean—"

"I'm in love with him," Ginny said softly.This got their attention. "I didn't want to at first either, but...he really isn't the annoying fool he was at Hogwarts anymore."

"Yeah, Kim," said Ron sharply. "A Weasley is going to love a Malfoy unless—" He stopped suddenly, flushing.

"What are you going to say, Ron?" said Hermione.

He gave her a crooked smile. "Well," he said, "I was going to say 'unless I die,' but..."

"Oh, Ron." Ginny cried and threw herself into his arms. "You good guy. I miss you."

"Don't cry, Kim." Ron patted her head awkwardly. "Uh—I miss you too."

"I wish every day that I could have saved you, no matter what—"

"Hi." Ron grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her slightly. "Don't blame yourself for our deaths." He suddenly became serious. "You couldn't do anything then. Okay?"

"Okay," she whispered.

"See? There's a reason for everything," said Hermione. "If you've ever studied numerology, you'll know it. Everything is given and taken for granted."

Ginny nodded, wiping away tears. "Can I ask you a favor?"

"Anything will do, Ginny," said Harry.

"Can you three not always be on my shoulders? Actually, the thought kind of scares me." She shuddered, but gave them a teasing smile and wink as she got up and walked toward the portrait hole.

"Hey," said Ron, standing up. "I hope that doesn't mean you plan to do more nasty things with that stoat king—"

Ginny smiled, and the next morning she woke up with a smile on her face.

Before you know it, the months pass like sand slipping through an hourglass and summer turns into wet and rainy fall.After the annoying heat of August, the wet September and October were very pleasant.Ginny pulled out the fancy cashmere sweater she'd bought in April, making sure Draco could see her wearing it to tea.She is willing to wait for him.She thought that since she had begun to accept it, he would eventually accept it too.

Ginny remembered one day in October when the temperature rose briefly.Because it rained all morning, the air was very humid.Thinking that this might be her last chance to get outside comfortably this year before the winter winds blow over from the Arctic Circle, she went to the cove where she had swam many times, watching the blue waves lapping against the dark stones on the island's outskirts.She didn't bring an umbrella.

When the rain started pattering, her hair was quickly sticking to her back and shoulders, and her clothes were wet and sticking to her skin.She remembered doing the same at the Burrow, when her brothers were bothering her and she just wanted to be quiet, to be close to Mother Nature.The rain cooled her anger and made her thoughts clearer.

"You don't even know you have to come in when it's raining, Weasley?"

She turned her head to see Draco standing a few steps behind her, safely hidden under a wide green umbrella.Ginny smiled and looked at the water again.

"What are you doing out there? Do you think I'll take care of you if you get pneumonia? Because I won't." The tone of his voice made Ginny laugh and let her know that he didn't mean it at all.

"What are you doing out there?" she asked back.

"I came looking for you, and when I didn't find you, I thought—" He cleared his throat, sounding almost annoyed. "I've made my decision, I just thought I should let you know."

"I'm listening."

When he spoke again, he came closer; Ginny turned and found him almost touching. "I always get what I want, always have it," he said, looking her in the eyes. "So, I've decided that I don't really care what doubts you may still have about me, Ginny, because I want you, and I won't take no."

"Then answer my question." Her heart was pounding. "Why don't you treat me like other witches that speed-dating companies deal with? Why don't you send me to live my life?"

He clenched his jaw and looked down at the wet sand for a moment before answering. "Because -- when Melvin Winkler got the new batch of applications, I saw your picture," he said. "I recognized you right away, and... I remember seeing you at Hogwarts."

She raised her eyebrows. "So, just because we went to the same school—"

"No." He said immediately.He clearly doesn't want to express himself.But he continued on. "I remember you as a—a tough, strong girl. You're not like that at all in the picture. I think I can bring you back to the way you were before the war."

Ginny brushed damp hair from her forehead and looked at him curiously.Does he remember what she used to be like?Hell, not only were they in different houses, he was a year ahead of her, and the only interaction she remembered with him was casting the Bat Spirit spell on him in early fifth grade.

"That's why you were so cruel to me on the first day I came here." She slowly understood.

He nodded, shaking the umbrella in his hand. "But the war has affected you more than I expected, and I acted too much and too quickly."

"And it's all out of your kindness," she said coldly.

"No, I—" He pursed his lips tightly, his eyes flickering angrily. "Damn, I liked you before. When we were at Hogwarts, you were the only witch worth seeing. Like I said, I wanted you, and I always got what I wanted."

Ginny's breath caught in her throat.Dumbledore said, I will find love.That man can never be wrong. "Okay." She took a step towards him. "First, we need to get rid of this thing in the way." She pulled the umbrella out of his hand and threw it on the sand at their feet.Draco was immediately drenched in the downpour.

"Malfoy doesn't like getting his clothes wet," he said contemptuously, but smiled.

"Weasley doesn't care," Ginny mumbled, and she ran her fingers through his long hair and kissed him deeply.He quickly started kissing back, and before long she found herself wrapped in his warm, strong arms.

"I hope that means what I think," he said shortly after, when they both had to breathe apart.

"I thought Malfoy wouldn't want it, they'd just ask."

He gave her a crooked smile, one of his real smiles, and despite the cold rain Ginny felt warm from fingers to toes. "Then I ask that it mean what I think."

She kissed the tip of his nose. "I love you too, you pompous fool."

Epilogue: six months later

Draco was snoring softly, waking Ginny up, and when she realized it was morning, she knew she would never go back to sleep.The windows were covered with a lace-like mist, which made her appreciate the warmth of the bed.With a rumbling stomach, she made the final decision: she was going to get up.Frowning wearily, she broke free from his arms and turned to face him, and if she had to get up, so would he.

"Wake up, honey," she murmured, brushing his hair from her face.She kissed him lightly on the lips and made up her mind that no matter how much he begged her, she would not let him kiss her without brushing her teeth.

"Merlin, what time is it?" he asked, blinking his eyes and waking up. "Thank you very much, Weasley," he grumbled, rubbing his eyes. "I'm dreaming, it's you, and edible body paint—"

"Oh, please. Don't act like your dream can be better than the one we had last week."

"Maybe I'm reliving my favorite part." He held her firmly to his chest as she began to break free from his arms. "Where are you going?" He continued to make out with her.

"Bah, you smell terrible," Ginny teased, pushing him away. "Brush your teeth, I thought a pygmy cat died in it."

"Honey, you smell like mint," Draco said dryly.

After some more teasing and flirting, Ginny finally pushed him away and put on comfy sweatpants and Ron's Charlie Cannons T-shirt. "Why are you still wearing that old shit?" he asked the first time he saw her in it.After she explained the t-shirt and the rest of her brother's clothing she had kept, he was surprisingly thoughtful and understanding.

"When you come downstairs, the table will be full of food," she promises.

"I've always wanted to make out with you at that table," he said, and she walked out laughing, thinking that maybe that table really was a good place.He is a man with a very active imagination, and she must bow down to him.

Ginny snapped her fingers, and Alekta appeared, ordering toast, eggs, tea, and sausage.She was about to take a seat at the end of the table when someone ran into the dining room, and it wasn't Draco.

"Ginny," gasped Lupine, and Tonks barged in after him. "Thanks Merlin, you're up."

"Damn it, did you two Apparate?" Ginny didn't know if she should be more worried about the news they'd have to travel all the way from London to deliver, or the possibility of their separation. "Are you all okay?"

"We stopped a few times," said Tonks, as Lupine resumed breathing. "We're fine. Where's Malfoy?"

"Here." Draco walked into the room in his dressing gown and pajama pants. "What happened?"

"No," said Lupine, smiling. "Quite the opposite, actually. You all remember Sybill Trelawney?"

"The old bat?" Ginny snorted. "Can't stand her."

"She made a prophecy about Potter," Draco said.

"Just a few hours ago, she said another one," Tonks blurted out. "There's going to be a savior again, but this time, the prophecy clearly says—"

"Voldemort will fail," said Lupine.

"Oh my God," Ginny whispered. "Oh my God!" She rushed to Draco and put her arms around his neck. "We can go home!"

"You didn't come here on purpose to tell us this?" he said suspiciously. "An owl can do the job too."

Lupine and Tonks exchanged a knowing look, then turned to Draco and Ginny. "We want to deliver this message ourselves," said Lupine, "because it involves both of you."

"What?" Ginny said. "One of us is the new savior?"

"We were confused for hours," Tonks said. "Right now, we're 90.00 percent sure we've cracked it. I mean, we can't think of anyone else who fits the description."

"Like ice and fire, two houses that had long been at odds met," Lupine quoted. "We knew right away it was the two of you."

"So we're all messiahs?" Draco frowned.

"No." Lupine said with a smile. "But your son will be."

"Son?" Draco's gray eyes widened. "But Ginny—she hasn't even—"

"I'm not pregnant," cried Ginny.

There was a silent smile in Lupine's eyes. "But Kim," he said, "are you so sure?"

"You should have seen Arthur's face when we unlocked the prophecy," Tonks said with a smile. "He said if you're going to have kids, you two better get married."

"All right then," Draco said, "save me from proposing." He took his wand out of his robe pocket and said, "Here comes the ring box." A black velvet box flew down from upstairs, and he was not paying attention. Throwing it to Ginny, she barely caught it. "I was going to propose at dinner tonight."

"Oh." Tonks and Lupine were still smiling, and Ginny was still thinking that she might be pregnant, might be pregnant with the next Savior, and that Draco's proposal sucked. "Wait, you're not even going to propose?" she stammered, glaring at him.

"What?" He also stared at her. "I'm not going to let you have my baby out of wedlock, so I'm giving you the ring. Where do you want to get married, here or London? I'd prefer my son to be born in England so that when he goes to save everyone later , we won't have to worry about citizenship." Draco seemed rather complacent about the idea of ​​his own son being a hero.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "You're unreasonable, you know?" She opened the box to find a ruby ​​engagement ring—but it was set in white gold.A Slytherin and a Gryffindor, she thought.Our baby will be a miracle. "I want Papa and George to be there," she made up her mind, "and the rest of the Order."

"Okay," said Lupine.

"I want to wear my mother's wedding dress," she added. "I think she should have kept it in Madam Malkin's shop."

"I can get it back for you," Tonks suggested.

"I also want to get married in the chapel in the village of Ottery-St. Catchpole," she said.

"Malfoy usually gets married in the sacred jungle on our estate," Draco said.

"I'm not Malfoy."

"You're going to be Malfoy."

Only then did she realize what she had agreed to.Smiling like a fool, she took the ring out of the box and put it on her left hand.It automatically fits her size.

"Your mother will be happy for you," said Tonks, eyes slightly wet. "She always wanted to see her children settle down."

"I wish she could be there," Ginny said softly, and Tonks reached out and hugged her tightly.

"I really hate to bother you," Draco said, "but I think we'd better find out if Ginny is pregnant first."

"Would you still marry me if I wasn't pregnant?" Ginny let go of Tonks.

He snorted. "It's going to be tough, but I think I can force myself to bear it."

"Draco, I think you're just joking."

"Malfoy's not kidding."

Ginny laughed and hugged him. "My God, I hope our son doesn't inherit your sense of humor."

"Finish"

Spoiler: Patience

She left England on a bright early spring day when the world seemed oblivious to the fact that people died and suffered, families were separated, and innocent lives were persecuted because of blood.She never thought that she would come back voluntarily to this place that exudes despair and pain, nor did she think that she would come back with the determination not to leave again.

But she came back.

Ginny Weasley had been in Seattle for thirteen months when they left the island estate, which shone like an ancient palace in the twilight.Standing with her in the front garden, Draco put an arm protectively around her shoulders, as Pinch, Cassie, Gobber, and Alekta shrunk their entire possessions into their duffel bag, their last look at glanced at it.

"I'm glad I can leave." Draco said, looking at the manor contemptuously. "It was never my home."

"The Quindlens will love it here," Ginny said softly.She could picture their three children playing Quidditch on the grass, running or chasing each other on broomsticks, their childish laughter filling the air.They can still live happily here, free from blind obedience and hatred.

The Ketterings took over Speed ​​Dating and Helping Hands, but Draco still holds a controlling interest in both companies.The couple pledged they would run the business as they have in the past and continue to do their best to help Brits fleeing their homeland.They would send him monthly data reports and the Wand newsletter via private owl post.

"Take care of each other there." Mrs. Kettering said to them solemnly, holding their hands. "It's a dangerous place, I don't even understand why you guys are going back—"

"We belong there," Ginny said simply. "That's our home."

They spent a full day Apparating across the United States, stopping in each time zone to recover before moving on.As they handed in their paperwork, officials at each Apparation point looked at them curiously, because no one was going to England now - if there was a choice.Ginny was too tired to answer their pointed questions, and she was getting tired more easily these days, so Draco used his tantrums against their meddling.

"If you keep staring at us like that," he snapped at a Chicago official, "I'm going to start charging."

Two weeks ago, news came from Lupine that he had successfully set up an apparition point in his home and informed the Order of the Phoenix about their wedding.When Tonks finds Molly Weasley's wedding dress, which has been kept in one of Madam Malkin's warehouses, Arthur and George are apprehensive but welcome Draco to the dwindling Weasley family.The entire ceremony has been planned and paid for, except for the bride and groom.

"How do you feel?" Draco asked her in New York, holding her hand.They'd have to wait a few more hours before they could Apparate to Lupine's house in the swamp.

"It's okay." She smiled at him. "It's not a terminal illness. I'm fine."

"You can't lie to me." He said coldly. "You looked like a zombie last week."

"Wow, thanks for the reminder. Can we talk about that thing I keep throwing up too? That's my favorite part."

"Me too," Draco said, rolling his eyes, and Ginny smiled and rested her head on his shoulder.He let go of her hand, put his arms around her, and planted a kiss on the top of her head.

"Are you looking forward to going back?" she asked after a moment's silence.

"I'm still not sure." He kept staring out the window, at the Hudson Bay stretching out in front of them, the skyscrapers of New York rising into the sky like the teeth of a metal comb. "Unlike you, I've been away from there for five years."

"It's the same in a lot of ways," she said wistfully. "People go on about their daily lives, going to the theatre, eating in restaurants, walking the streets. It's just that sometimes—" Ginny shivered slightly, and he held her tighter. "Sometimes, the Death Eaters will suddenly interrupt a performance," she whispered, tears welling in her eyes. "They'll come in during a dramatic scene, check everybody's ID, and probably take some Muggle torture away."

"That's London," he whispered. "We'll stay away from there, away from all the big cities."

"I like that," she said. "But—god, Draco, I just hope—"

"I know, Kim," he said, pressing his face against her red hair.

The officer who sent them to the private Apparation point was the same man who had welcomed Ginny to America a year earlier. "I remember you," Walter Bans said to her with wide-eyed eyes. "Don't like Seattle?"

"Seattle is great," she said.

"My grandmother hated it there," he said with a shrug, checking their paperwork one last time. "Please step slowly up to the apparition point and stand at—"

"We've done it before, thanks," Draco said coldly.

"Never mind, he's weird." Ginny patted Draco's arm and said to Bance.

It was late at night when Ginny blinked and saw them in a wooden cabin full of old furniture and empty picture frames.The tempting aroma of steak and kidney pie wafted through the air, and Ginny's stomach let out a growl of protest even though she was a little sick.

Hearing the apparition sound, Lupine entered the room, and he smiled at them. "Hello, Ginny, Draco," he said, shaking Draco's hand and hugging her. "Thought you had ten minutes. My watch must be slow."

"Kim, is that you?" Tonks burst into the room with bubblegum pink hair, an excited smile on her face. "Merlin, it's great to meet you!" She hugged Ginny and led her around. "How was your trip? Are you hungry? How—"

Draco frowned sullenly as he pulled Ginny out of Tonks' arms. "Don't throw her like that." He whispered, his eyes flickering angrily.

Tonks put his hand over his mouth, his eyes widening in shock. "Oh, damn it," she said. "I totally forgot, Ginny, I didn't mean to—"

"Merlin!" Ginny pushed Draco's hand aside, took a step back, and gave them an annoyed look like Molly Weasley's. "I'm not dying. Can't you calm down?"

"Of course, I'm sorry," said Tonks timidly, but after a while she was her lively self again. "How long have you been pregnant, Kim?"

"Eight weeks," she said with a smile.

"Have morning sickness? My mother told me how bad she felt when she was pregnant with me..." Tonks took her by the arm, talking to her quickly as he led her into another In the room, dinner for four was already set up on the long trestle table.

They talked about everything over dinner—where everyone was, what they were going to do, who was getting married, who was having kids.Draco didn't say much, eating his steak and kidney pie in silence, and Lupine and Tonks made no effort to speak to him.Of course, Ginny noticed - especially since Draco and Tonks were cousins ​​- but she was so eager for the news that the thought slipped from her mind quickly.

"George started working with the search and rescue team," Lupine told her. "St. Mungo's told him to wait a few months so they can make sure he's healthy, but he's already joined the missing persons search." He added some more food to her, insisting that she take it easy. "You should be proud of him, Ginny," he continued. "He's done a lot for the Resistance. His recovery from the sleeping spell is also considered a sign of hope."

"And Luna? Are she and Mr. Lovegood still publishing The Quibbler?"

"Every week," said Lupine. "And some good news: Kingsley came across a dirty woman in Devon who didn't know who she was or what happened to her, but we cleaned her up and found out - it was the sea Scarlett Jones."

"Merlin!" Ginny called. "Is she all right?"

"We figured she might have been with Moody when he was killed," Tonks said. "Moody made her run, someone cast a jinx on her, it didn't do the intended damage, it just knocked her unconscious and wiped her memory. She's slowly remembering, but it's a long way off Going. She's in St. Mungo's long-term ward."

"I found Effias Dorje a few months ago," Lupine murmured. "I've told Kingsley a thousand times that he's too old to stand guard—"

"So... you mean, you found his body," said Ginny sadly.

He nodded. "In Hoylake, near the River Mersey. He was spotted by a Squib who lived in the area, and her sister happened to be at Hogwarts with him, so she recognized him immediately and contacted Tonks. "

"Seems like I missed a lot of things." Ginny collapsed in her seat with a sigh. "So much has happened since I went to America, and—"

Draco suddenly jumped from the table