Chapter Twelve: Dear Harry
Chapter 12 of 17
MMADfanHarry reads his letter in private. Ginny gets one in return.
Reviewed
Chapter Twelve: Dear Harry
Harry sat down on the closed toilet seat and took Ginny's letter from his bathrobe pocket. He looked at his name, written in Ginny's familiar handwriting. He fingered the edge of the parchment and shook his head. He knew that he hadn't been what Ginny needed, that what she had needed from him the previous summer, he hadn't given her. There had even been a part of him that had known that at the time. And what he had needed . . . he hadn't known what he'd needed or what he was trying to get from Ginny, but it hadn't been fair of him to try to wrest it from her, that unknown something. He had thought it had been sex, but sex had only been the symbol, and he hadn't gotten what he needed or given her what she had wanted from him.
But did she have to go to Malfoy? Harry swallowed past the lump in his throat and took off his glasses, dashing some tears from his eyes. He put his glasses back on and opened the letter, breaking the Sticking Charm. He took a deep breath.
9 May 1999
Dear Harry,
Ron probably has told you that I've started dating Draco. I don't want to make this about Draco. My dating him has nothing to do with you, and I hope that you understand that. Still, I know that you're probably not thrilled with the news that I'm seeing someone, let alone Draco.
I'm happier, Harry, and a lot of that has to do with Draco. I love you, but you know that things weren't right between us, that there were so many things going wrong between us...and not everything was your fault or my fault, but it was just the way things were...and nothing was going to make things work the way either of us wanted them to. I hope that eventually we'll be able to be friends again. I know that you hoped we would get back together, but that's just a dream, and it's not one that I share anymore.
I know you're going to want to make this about Draco, and maybe if I were dating someone other than Draco, you would feel differently, but I didn't start seeing him until after I told you that our relationship was over. I wasn't even thinking about dating him. We just started revising together a couple weeks before Easter, we spent a lot of time together, and it went from there.
Draco's not replacing you, Harry. He is just who he is, and that's what's right for me now. We have fun together, I like him, and I really enjoy being with him.
I hope that you find someone you enjoy being with, too, and I hope that we will all be friends.
Ron was doing me...and you...a big favour by bringing you my letter. I hope you will appreciate it and not take it out on him. He wasn't happy about seeing Draco and me together, but he was really supportive of me, and he even had lunch with us and a couple others in the Three Broomsticks, and it went okay. It was a start. Ron was really trying to be good to me, so I hope you don't hold it against him.
I hope that you're doing okay. Are you still working in that Muggle shop? Were you still going to talk to them over at the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes? I think you should see what they say...or are you reconsidering entering the Auror training programme? Whatever you do, I hope that it's satisfying. This is a time of opportunity for you, for all of us.
Write me back if you want to, or if you have any questions.
Love,
Ginny
Write her back if he wanted to . . . Harry shook his head. He folded the letter and put it back in his bathrobe pocket before he took it off and hung it on the hook on the back of the door. He stripped and turned on the shower. A time of opportunity, Ginny had said . . . the opportunity for lunch with Ron, to start. He stepped under the spray of warm water, raised his face, and let it wash over him.
"I got a letter from my dad this morning," Ginny said, flopping down on the grass beside Draco. "He said that I have to invite you to dinner at the Burrow. He wants to get to know you."
Draco raised an eyebrow. "You're joking."
"No," Ginny said, shaking her head. "I'm not at all. He said that Hermione told him that we're dating. She must have put it well, because he didn't give me a lecture or anything."
"Hermione Granger told him?"
"Yeah, good news travels fast," Ginny said with a smile. She leaned over and kissed him.
"Hermione . . ." Draco blinked. "She heard it from Ron?"
"Apparently."
"She doesn't like me, either, though."
Ginny shrugged. "We're in luck, 'cause she does like me...and my dad...so she wanted to break it to him gently, probably."
"Huh . . ." Draco thought about that. "I don't know whether my father would be so understanding, no matter who told him, if he felt about you the way your father probably feels about me."
"Your father . . . he kind of saved my life, you know. Mine and Gareth McGonagall's. If it hadn't been for your father, it wouldn't have been just Percy who died."
"My father? How . . . He couldn't even stand for weeks after the battle. How could he have done anything?"
"Gareth had come out after me and Percy," Ginny said softly. "Voldemort had already cast the Killing Curse, and it had hit Percy. Voldemort was just about to cast another curse in our direction...he'd already started...and it would have hit one of us, Gareth or me." Ginny stopped.
Draco waited, then he asked, "What happened?"
"Your father said something to him to deliberately turn the attention on himself, not on us. I couldn't hear what he said, but it made Voldemort angry. That's why he cast that Avada Kedavra at your father, the one that hit Harry."
"I'll never understand why Harry didn't die," Draco said. "Is he just immune to the Avada Kedavra?"
Ginny shook her head. "Just to Riddle's, I guess. But if it weren't for your father, I might be dead. So . . . I know that he gave me that book my first year at Hogwarts, and that he didn't care what might happen to me, but he kept Riddle from killing me last year. It sort of . . . balances out."
"Balances out?" Draco looked incredulous. "No..."
"All right, whatever, but still, maybe my father doesn't hate yours quite as much as he used to."
"My father was dying," Draco said. "He had been tortured. I don't think his motives were purely about saving your life. Your father probably realises that, too."
"Maybe. But you should give your father just a little bit of credit, I think."
Draco twitched one shoulder.
"I know you want to," Ginny said.
"I've only heard about what happened from other people, and from the newspaper, not from my father. He never told us about that, about that curse, and why the Dark Lord...Riddle...had cast it at him. Or he never told me. Maybe he told Mother. But he didn't tell me about what happened out there that morning of the battle. He did say that Potter'd told him that the Dar, that Riddle had lied to him about us, and that we were still alive and safe." Draco's eyes were unfocussed as he remembered his father's tears when he had first seen them. He had never seen his father cry before.
"I hope they catch that vigilante soon so that your parents can come home," Ginny said, taking his hand.
Draco nodded. "A lot of people will be relieved." He looked up. "An owl."
"Hedwig," Ginny said. "Harry's owl."
"Harry. I guess news does travel fast. Your brother must have told him."
Ginny took the letter and told Hedwig to go to the Owlery for a snack.
"I asked Ron to tell him right away, and I wrote him a letter myself for him to give to Harry. I didn't think I'd hear back from him, though. Harry's not much for writing letters."
"Do you want me to leave? You probably want some privacy."
"No, that's all right." Ginny opened the letter.
Dear Ginny,
I didn't kill the messenger. Ron and I had lunch in Diagon Alley.
I had visions of you and Ron and me all living together here at Grimmauld Place, Luna too if she wanted. Like a family. Now that won't happen.
I thought that when you broke up with me it was bad but this is the definition of bad. I suppose I didn't really believe it. I thought it was just that we had to wait until you were out of school and that it was too hard to be trying to keep the relationship going when we were always apart. But you're right, it was more than that.
You know how I feel about Malfoy. I don't need to tell you. He tried to make my life miserable, he hated Ron, and he didn't care about you at all. He looked down on every Weasley ever born, you included. You know that. You know that the Malfoys have always been steeped in the Dark Arts from their first breath. I don't know how you could forget any of that. Maybe he's changed. That would be nice. If all that dying meant that some people could change. That would be good. But even if he's changed, he's not right for you. I hope that when you learn that for yourself it's not too late and you aren't hurt.
You asked if I'm still working in the Muggle shop. I am. But maybe it's time for a change for me too. I'm going to go right to the top and talk to Shacklebolt. There's no point in being the Wizard Who Didn't Die Twice nowdays if I can't at least talk to the Minister himself, right? Maybe I can work in the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad, at least for a while. Although maybe I might be able to help catch that vigilante first. Moody was here a couple weeks ago and wanted me to work with him. He's a special consultant to the Ministry on it and he thought that I could help him, do some leg-work (no pun intended) for him.
I love you Ginny, and I'm sorry that it didn't work out between us. I'm sorry if you didn't feel that I was giving you what you needed, especially last summer. Maybe later, when we're both older and have careers and everything, we can try again.
Harry
Ginny folded the letter and put it in her pocket.
"So?" Draco asked.
"He's not happy."
"I didn't think he would be. Is that all?"
Ginny shook her head. "He has to get his life together, that's all. He's just going to have to figure out how to do it without planning on me being in it."
"I don't envy him that," Draco said. He reached over and brushed some hair back from her face. "I want to plan . . . and I want you a part of those plans, at least to see where we can go together."
Ginny smiled. "I want the same thing, Draco."
Story Actions
To follow, favorite, like, and more either log in or create an account.
Leave a Review
Log in to leave a review.
Latest 25 Reviews for Draco's Heart
59 Reviews | 8.51/10 Average
love he scenes between severus, draco & former headmaster, in last couple of chapies!!! wish there more story on draco & how he returned to hogwart to finisheing his school.. love the relationship develop between draco & ginny! update real soon..
Response from MMADfan (Author of Draco's Heart)
Thanks! I'm very glad you are enjoying it! I have a few more chapters up my sleeves, so to speak, and although the last couple will have to wait until A Long Vernal Season catches up to the point (to avoid spoilers for LVS for those reading both fics), I hope to post the next chapter within the week.I'm glad you enjoyed seeing Draco's interactions with Snape & with Dumbledore, as well as the relationship with Ginny. :-)Thanks very much!
Oh, you! You made me cry! 
Your talent for description is seen here, dear. And I loved that Draco lost his composure a bit when he was trying to ask Madam Pomfrey for the potion. lol! It did look like Poppy expected a totally different conversation with our young wizard here. Also, the fact that Draco said he loved Ginny was a surprise, even to him. I mean, we know and he knows, but I also didn't think he would say it. I suppose it was the moment as he thought.Lovely chapter. Thank you!Stef 
Response from MMADfan (Author of Draco's Heart)
Aw, thanks! (Not that I wanted to make you cry, but . . .)Yes, he wasn't the cool guy when he had to ask Poppy for that sort of potion, was he? ;-)Thanks very much for the review! Glad you enjoyed the chapter!
Okay, so I couldn't find Chapter 14 in my reserves so I came here to find it. And I must say, I quite enjoyed it.Ginny's response to Draco's story was very funny. I sort of felt bad for him. I do like how his character is evolving though.I apologize for being a very bad friend lately.
Response from MMADfan (Author of Draco's Heart)
Oh, you haven't been a bad friend! Just a busy one! Life gets that way sometimes! (I didn't want to overload you!)I'm glad that you enjoyed the chapter! Yeah, Ginny's response was embarrassing for Draco!Thanks muchly! 
<<<<---a dragon for you! 
My lucky day for updates! lolI have to say that I'm surprised Harry didn't destroy the letter but I'm glad he didn't. I think it's important for him to read what Draco had to say and to maybe come to understand what Ginny sees in him.I hope, in time, Draco will come to open up to Ginny about what happened but at least he was open and honest with her about his reluctance. I'm so glad to see that your Muse is happier and being cooperative again. I'll look forward to more updates!!
Response from MMADfan (Author of Draco's Heart)
I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. As you say, it is significant that at least Draco indicated to Ginny that there was more to discuss than NEWTs, and that there's something that he finds too difficult to talk about, at least at that point.We can keep our fingers crossed for my Muse! I hope she'll stick around! LOL!Thanks for the review!
yay! an update!! I think it was very good of Draco to write to Harry, I hope Harry will understand that Ginny wasn't meant for him and be able to move on. Draco needs more time to cope with his choices before he can talk to Ginny I believe, but it's very nice that she's willing to wait and that he knows that. I can't wait to read more!!Will you update LVS and CSG soon? yes? pleeeaaaseeeeeSam
Response from MMADfan (Author of Draco's Heart)
I wish I could say I am updating LVS and CSG, but unfortunately, I can't. I am, however, making some headway on the short fic I've been working on, so that will be here soon -- I hope!I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter -- thanks for the review!
Man, haven't we all had days like Ginny's? I can totally relate to her view on the world some days. But, I'm glad Draco was there to take care of her. That's truly a new side of him and one that is a definite improvement over the ones from JKR's books.I love that he had to go to Poppy and she was super concerned, too. I wonder if she and Severus had a little chat about the Ginny/Draco situation? tee hee.Thanks for the update and I'm still eagerly awaiting an update on the Poppy/Severus story as well as the Johannes/Siofre one!!!
Response from MMADfan (Author of Draco's Heart)
Oh, yeah, Ginny's day was familiar to many, I assume! LOL!I figured that if Draco had a way out, plus the time and space -- and distance from his peers & pureblood society -- he might grow up to be a bit different than he was able to be. Being whisked away in March of his sixth year did him a world of good.I know that Poppy & Severus had had a couple chats about the two -- don't ask me how I know! It's just one of those mysterious things! LOL! (Yeah, I'm a nut! haha!)I'd love to write more of the Johannes/Siofre chappie that I started way back in October. I'm beginning to go into withdrawal, myself! So maybe we'll both be lucky, and I'll have the time & energy to do some writing this week.Thanks much for the review! Glad you enjoyed it!
yay!!! an update!!! I was so worried you had given up on this!! I hope this means that updates for LVS and CSG are coming soon, yes? lol. I loved, loved, loved this chapter! Draco was just wonderful!! it's funny because always run for the hills when that time comes! LOL, I loved it that he was ready and willing to help, it was just so cute! I can't wait for the next chapter! Sam
Response from MMADfan (Author of Draco's Heart)
I've been really busy lately, so I haven't written anything in weeks, but I had this chapter sitting in reserve, and I decided there was no point leaving it there!If things settle down some in the next week or so, I might be able to get a little writing done. We'll see! I have more of LVS written, but I've decided to wait to post until I have most or all of the story written. If I can get the next chapter of CSG written & polished, though, I'll post that as soon as I can. :-)I'm glad you enjoyed that chapter -- I think Draco was glad that the potion worked, that's for sure! lol!Thanks very much for your review!
Sorry it took me so long to review. Real life happened and it detained me! I can't decide if it's funnier when Snape was actually having the conversation with Draco or if it's funnier when he retells the story for Ginny. Either way, I had a huge grin on my face. tee hee.I think it's really sweet how Draco's feelings for Ginny are developing and he's slowing starting to see his future with her by his side. awww.
Response from MMADfan (Author of Draco's Heart)
Ah, yes, RL! that thing that's always interfering with fanfic! LOL!I'm glad you enjoyed the chappie and found it amusing. :-) Yep, Draco's really gotten serious about her!Thanks for the review!
aaawwwww, this chapter was soo sweet! I'm liking Draco more and more, he's great! I love it that he likes thinking of marriage now that he's with Ginny, I hope they do get married sometime in the future! I can't wait for that dinner with Arthur, that's going to be fun! thanks for the updateSam
Response from MMADfan (Author of Draco's Heart)
Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed this little chapter. Draco's definitely serious about her.Thank you for your review!
oh this was so sweet
Response from MMADfan (Author of Draco's Heart)
Thank you,
Response from MMADfan (Author of Draco's Heart)
! I'm glad you enjoyed it. :-)
Great chapter title!!!I could love to have been a fly on the wall when Severus had that chat with Draco. I bet that was one for the books! tee hee. And I bet Snape had to have a little chat with Poppy about how to proceed with that conversation, or at least to obtain the little blue book. Draco calling Snape "Dad" was priceless!!!!Loved this chapter!!!
Response from MMADfan (Author of Draco's Heart)
Yeah, I have a feeling that Poppy had a little input there, too! haha! We'll have to see if they have that conversation in LVS. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks!
yay! thank you for updating! this chapter was great and a bit funny, I never imagined Severus having this chat with anyone! though I do think he'd make a wonderful father, he has the drive to be better than his dad ever was at least. I love Draco in this chapter, he's really uncomfortable! lol poor thing! I can't wait to read more.
Response from MMADfan (Author of Draco's Heart)
Thanks, I'm glad it was amusing. I think neither of them was particularly comfortable. haha! But Severus also had a bit of a behind-the-scenes nudge, as you might imagine. Thank you for reviewing!
a good chapter as allways. I loved the scene with Draco and Severus, it was very sweet and funny
Response from MMADfan (Author of Draco's Heart)
Thank you! I'm glad you found it funny -- I hoped it might be! :-)
And I guess this is where the spoilers start. I'm only about three quarters of the way through Resolving a Misunderstanding, so I have a ways to go. *pout* And with my nephew in the hospital with pneumonia, I won't be able to read much of the older stories for a while. *darn* At least Arthur's taking the news better than Ron did. ^_^
Response from MMADfan (Author of Draco's Heart)
You can always skip over the rest of Resolving a Misunderstanding for the time being and read A Long Vernal Season -- you did say you'd read DD, right? -- then you might have some hope of catching up with the spoilerish stuff in this fic. Actually, there's still not been the BIG spoiler, which if you want to enjoy it in LVS, you might wish to wait for. (It hasn't come up yet in LVS.)I do hope that your nephew gets well soon! Pneumonia can be quite nasty. I hope you're enjoying RaM. :-) And that you enjoy the other fics, however you choose to read them! Yep, Arthur is definitely taking the news better than Ron -- he has a few more years of maturity on him, so that helped!Thanks for the review!
I hope I'm wrong but it looks like Arthur has a bit of crush on Hermione! lol, that could be interesting. I'm so happy it was Hermione giving him the news and not someone else, she was great at making him see that Ginny is happy and can decide for herself. I can't wait to see what's next and I'm curious about all that blushing! lolThanks for updating!Sam
Response from MMADfan (Author of Draco's Heart)
Hermione's good at sweeping in and taking care of things, isn't she? I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. The next one is "Letter from Home," and you'll see Ginny again! :-)Thanks for the review!
It's a good thing Hermione went to see Arthur, not only for his stomach's sake but for his daughter's as well. lolI can easily see Arthur reacting just as you have him reacting to the news that Ginny is dating Draco. Given the history between those two families, it's sort of like an odd Romeo and Juliet version. I'm glad Hermione was there to talk to Arthur before he went charging up to the castle. eeep. I bet that would make Ginny an unhappy camper! I think it's great that they're going to work in the shop together, haha.Looking forward to another update!
Response from MMADfan (Author of Draco's Heart)
Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it.It is probably for the best that Arthur found out from Hermione and not in some other way -- he probably would have done something a bit rashl And ya know that Ginny & Draco are trying to avoid big drama! lol!Thanks for the review!
Gareth and Snape were really kind to go check on Draco and I agree: sometimes it's not your actions that cause problems but those of others that draw you into their path. Hopefully, when he thinks back on it, Draco will realize it was a nice gesture on both their parts.Loved the conversation about Albus and Minerva. You know they're my favorites so it's always nice to see or hear about them in a chappie. I think the kids are right in their estimation of Minerva. I think she would be approachable to them simply because they knew here in a different role. Still, I think she and Albus are both wonderful leaders!!
Response from MMADfan (Author of Draco's Heart)
Thanks! Gareth felt it important as Snape's friend to let him know that there might be an impending problem, and he also felt a bit of sympathy for Draco, who has, in Gareth's view, quite a few roadblocks in his path as it is without having him get in an altercation in the middle of the Three Broomsticks after being provoked by Ron. Fortunately, Ron's better nature came forward, and no intervention was necessary. Glad you enjoyed the conversation about the two. I thought it was a natural topic to come up among them.Thank you for the review!
Would not have wanted to be Ron in this situation. Either way ya go, it was going to be awkward and explosive. I think Harry handled it in the manner I would have expected of him. Can't say I blame him for his reaction. Draco was a nasty git during their time at school together. However, if he's truly a "Newman," then he deserves a chance. Besides, Harry shouldn't shoot the messenger!!!Looking forward to more.
Response from MMADfan (Author of Draco's Heart)
Yeah, Harry didn't take the news well at all, but as you say, the Draco he knew was pretty awful. He's already still stinging from Ginny breaking up with him, while trying to hold out hope it's just temporary, then this happens. He's also just not doing well with no structure after the war -- if he didn't have Kreacher coming in to clean the house regularly, it'd be a pigsty. Don't worry tooooo much about Harry. (Some of the Harry backstory will be mentioned in a coming chapter of LVS, so keep your eyes open for that -- blink, and you'll miss it, as they say! haha!)thanks much for the review!
I really don't like Harry here! he's being an idiot, he should understand better than anyone that war changes you. He's a pain! lol, I hope Arthur's reaction will be better, I can't wait to read more. Thanks for updating so soon.Sam
Response from MMADfan (Author of Draco's Heart)
He is a pain, but he's also in pain, himself, and this news hurt him even more, so he got angry. He's also been avoiding things and just hanging out with other stockroom guys -- fine for a bit, maybe, but for Harry, it's escapist. Ron escaped by dropping Luna and "boinking blondes," as Hermione put it in LVS, Ginny did her thing, Arthur his, and Harry something else. Doesn't mean he's being particularly kind or mature about it. But he never had a normal family life, either. Yup, Arthur's up next! :-)Thanks for reviewing!
Ya know, I have got to stop reading this before I finish the other fics. *grin* Yeah, right. Like I'm going to do that. ^_^
Response from MMADfan (Author of Draco's Heart)
LOL! There haven't been too many really spoilerish spoilers yet. Those don't come until the later chapters, and I'll be posting them after I've caught up to this point in LVS. We're getting close, though!Glad you're enjoying it!
Oh what a nice surprise- some bonus Gareth! I can sort of understand Rons views on Draco but hope he takes the good advice he's been given.
Response from MMADfan (Author of Draco's Heart)
It's in giving that we receive, they say, and I love giving a little bonus Gareth, 'cause I receive a lot of enjoyment from having him in a chapter, myself! LOL!Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the review!
great chapter! I love Gareth, he's so sweet! well he is Gertrude's son so it's hard not to love him, it's too bad his mother doesn't go out with him more often *hint hint* lol. I miss Gertrude!!!!! lol. Anyway, wonderful chapter, it was very nice of Severus to check up on Draco, I loved loved that they shared the cake that's sooooo sweet and I really doubt that Ginny coos like her parents, she seems a bit more reserved. I can't wait to see Harry's reaction to the news!. Thanks for updating. Sam
Response from MMADfan (Author of Draco's Heart)
I'm glad you liked Gareth's appearance here! And the rest -- yep, Severus was concerned. Harry's reaction will be in the next chapter, then we'll get Arthur's in the one after that. Good times! LOL!Thanks for the review! (Oh, and there will be some Gertrude coming up in LVS, so be on the lookout for that! )
Well, that was a fun chapter in an odd sort of way. haha.I think it was wise of Draco to not make waves with Ron and for Ron to try to be an adult about the whole situation. If he pushes Ginny, she may do something drastic and turn away from the family. However, I really don't think that's going to happen. Telling Harry should be another matter entirely. I can't wait for that chapter. haha
Response from MMADfan (Author of Draco's Heart)
Yeah, telling Harry -- Ron's a hero to do that! LOL!Ginny doesn't want to turn from her family, and family is really important to her. I think, too, that the Weasleys all felt a greater loss when Percy died since they had had such a rift between them for so long. I don't think any of them would want anything similar to happen. That doesn't mean it'll be easy. But maybe they'll all work on at least tolerating Ginny's choice.Glad you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks for reviewing!
you are no fun, giving all those details at the end, I was just going to say that that was the broom Severus and Helena tested, but it makes no sense now! lol. I really liked this chapter, I'm glad Ron is willing to give Draco a chance and it was very smart of Draco to keep a low profile during lunch, I really think Mr. Weasley won't make a fuss about Draco and Ginny, in LVS he seemed ready to do anything to help her; I'm more worried about Draco's parents to be honest, lol. Thanks for the update!Sam
Response from MMADfan (Author of Draco's Heart)
LOL! I'll try to moderate the number of tie-in details I give in the future! (It's mainly for people who haven't read LVS or aren't that far in the fic yet, etc. -- and to refresh memories!)Yeah, Draco did keep his head down, speaking up only once to make a joke everyone could appreciate. He has some sense of discretion being the better part of valor on occasion! Thanks for the review!