With you in my Arms

57. "I hope, he knows what he's doing."

True to her word Ginny Weasley arrived early Friday afternoon. Hermione was thunderstruck when her friend suddenly appeared in their hearth. Draco grinned conspiratorially at her from behind his fiancée's back.

"Ginny! What are you doing here?"

They girls hugged each other while the male in the room pretended to read the latest edition of the Prophet.

"McGonagall thought that I need to be around my family and has given me the permission to stay away from Hogwarts for the weekend and as I have no classes this afternoon..." She smiled widely.

"Oh."

"So, how about us flooing to Diagon Alley and have a look at some dresses. I could do with a new one for special occasions."

It was obvious that clothes shopping wasn't what the older witch would have liked to do the most, but when she was informed that a new bookshop had opened and it needed to be checked out as well, her face lit up.

They were gone for just a few minutes before Draco got up, put his travelling cloak on and disapparated.

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Blaise Zabini had a look in the mirror and was wondering what could have possibly possessed the shop keeper to advice him to try this particular outfit. Fashionable it might be and the dernier cri in Merlin knew where, but he wasn't going to be seen dead in bright orange.

He took the offending garment off and then scanned the selection before him. There were some fashionably cut black trousers that should go well with the dark blue lined dress robes. He was about to button the trousers when voices outside the changing room caught his attention.

"I can not allow my customers to be disturbed while deciding on a new outfit. If you would take a seat over there..."

"I am going to talk to him. Right NOW."

Moments later the door opened. Blaise felt eyes on himself an instant later. He was shirtless and the dark hair that was dusted over his upper torso in order to follow a straight line down to his navel and beyond normally had girls sigh. Grinning he saw the scowling expression on the face of his best friend. He turned in order to finish getting dressed.

"What are you doing here, mate? Needing new robes for the big day tomorrow?"

"I can't do it, Blaise."

The dark skinned wizard stopped dead.

"Excuse me?"

"I can't do it. I simply can't condemn her to a life at my side. She is worth so much more than I could ever offer her."

It wasn't very often that Blaise Zabini was left speechless, but this was one of these rare occasions.

"Say that again?"

There was a pained expression on Draco's face. It seemed to cause him physical pain to confess his defeat.

"I love her too much as that I could..."

"Stop it right there!" He was cut off unceremoniously. "I don't believe what I'm hearing."

The distance between the two males was covered swiftly and then strong hands got hold of the travelling cloak.

Eyes blazing Blaise nearly yelled at his mate. "Are you totally out off your mind? First you go flat out and risk the humiliation of a lifetime just to speak to her and now, after all you two have been through together, you just want to pack in? I have always known that you are afraid of your own courage, but there is really no need to proof me right in this kind of dramatic fashion."

No answer was forthcoming, so he carried on.

"I have seen you with Pansy, with Jennifer, Julia and that Ravenclaw redhead. None of these girls have made you happy. They had never a chance in hell to do so, but Granger does." He took a deep breath before continuing. "She's the only one that will ever be able to touch you in the way you need it. She is the one girl that can love you without forgetting that she has her own brains and doesn't need you to do any thinking for her. She might be a Griffindor through and through, but she is the only one that will never desert you, no matter what. She would kill your bastard of a father given half a chance for what he did to you, to avenge you. Merlin, Draco! What has got into you all of a sudden? Why do you think you can chicken out now?"

Grey eyes devoid of all expression were gazing at him.

"Draco?"

No response. Blaise waved his hand in front of his friend's face.

"I can't even control my most basic instincts..."

He wasn't making any sense at all today. What could have happened to provoke this kind of reaction?

"Will you tell me what has brought on this insanity willingly or do I have to get you drunk to get the truth out off you?"

There was a heavy sigh and then the pale skinned face was directed towards the dark one showing a scowl.

"The other day I'd picked her up from the Weasley's and when we got home... things got out off hand."

"You mean, you two have..." He made a distinct gesture and Draco nodded. "So, what's the big deal about that? It's not as if you haven't...," he hesitated, "done it before."

"But that's it! She is pregnant with my son. I have felt him move..." He stopped as he saw Blaise's face contorted into utter surprise. "What?"

"You... You have actually felt him?"

"Yes?"

His friend seemed to have some issue with this bit of information. He sat down heavily on one of the plush chairs.

"Blaise?"

For a long while there was no response, but then a head was slowly raised and the dark eyes that pierced Draco's made him shiver.

"You are going to marry Granger! I'll see to it and if it is the last thing I ever do."