The Aftermath of War

[skoosiepants]

So, the song sung by Gladys Knight & The Pips, Midnight Train to Georgia, inspired me to write a Draco/Ginny cookie. However, I got stuck halfway through and haven't been able to move past it. Basically, I need to come up with Draco's reaction to Ginny. Suggestions are welcome.


*****
It didn't take a genius to figure it all out. The war was over. His parents were dead. His previous friends were, for the most part, Death Eaters. His bags were packed.

In the end, though, Pansy nudged her into doing it. Sitting in the Hogwarts' faculty lounge - which, up until a mere month ago, had been the central Order War Room - she turned to Ginny and asked, "What else are you going to do? Marry Potter?"

Hermione glanced up from her book and snorted. "She can do anything she wants to do, Parkinson."

But in truth, there really wasn't much she wanted that she could actually have. She wanted Charlie back, but that wasn't going to happen, was it? She wanted to dig up Lucius Malfoy's body, kick his arse, and then bury him again. She wanted to sleep for days and adopt seven cats and read torrid romance novels in front of a hot fire for the rest of her life. But none of that was ever going to really happen.

And Draco Malfoy needed looking after.

"He's going to go off to some remote town in Italy, drink obscene amounts of coffee on a sunny terrace and we'll never see him again," Pansy pointed out. "You know he will; he's exactly like that. And it can't be good for his vulnerable psyche." She held up a thin volume, The Aftermath of War. "He doesn't have anyone to anchor him."

"Well then, why don't you go, Pansy, if you're so worried about him?" Hermione asked impatiently.

Pansy arched a brow. "You can't be serious. We'd drive each other mad."

"Oh, and I get along so well with him," Ginny said, but it was a half-hearted protest. She wouldn't mind it really. He was never dull, at least.

Pansy waved a dismissive hand. "That's all foreplay, you know."

"What?" Hermione's mouth dropped open, scandalized.

"Don't be such a prude, Granger. You should really jump at Blaise's offer. Maybe it'll loosen you up."

"Malfoy and I do not do foreplay," Ginny bit out. "We battle with our wits."

Pansy shrugged. "Same thing. Draco and I are too polite to each other. I'd go straight from asking if he wants more tea to strangling him with my pearl necklace. That is, if he hadn't already hexed me into a crab."

Blaise walked over and dropped three heavy books on the low coffee table before perching on the edge of Hermione's wing-backed chair. "What are we talking about?"

"Weasley's going to go with Draco," Pansy said, flashing a smug grin.

"I never agreed--"

"Oh, that'll be good," Blaise cut in, ignoring her protests. "He won't ever be bored, at least."

"Why," Hermione started, curious as well as irked, "does anyone have to go after him at all?"

"Dumbledore offered me a position as Flying Instructor for the next term," Ginny said. "That's what I want to do."

"Is it?" Blaise asked, a slight tilt to his head.

"Yes."

But later, lying in bed, back in the room she'd been assigned to for the duration of the war - the only difference now being that Lavender, Parvati and Padma had gone home - a slow, suffocating panic curled up from her stomach. Malfoy was leaving.

At the thought, she was suddenly more afraid of being without him than following him off to Italy or Majorca or that place in States he was always going on about that boasted the largest cup of yogurt in the world.
****


I'm always writing, even though I take so long to update. Strange.

Comments

[absolut-jmo.livejournal.com]

Draco's response....*big grin* All sorts of lurid propositions come to mind...
BUT I want to know what offer from Blaise Pansy meant when talking to Hermione! Sorry it's O&Uer coming out in me.

[skoosiepants.livejournal.com]

I knew you would pick up on the little Blaise/Hermione bit! I'm sure this one's going to have good ole perverted!Blaise.

I want to have Draco sitting on the train, and then Ginny just sits down across from him. But I can't think of what Draco will *do*. Ignore her? Trade insults? Ask her what the hell she thinks she's doing? My first instinct is to have him ignore her, and her just follow him around every where, but I can't help but think that'd be a little boring.

I really shouldn't be thinking about this, when there's so many other stories to finish!

[absolut-jmo.livejournal.com]

Nothing at all wrong with perverted!Blaise...:)

My first thought would be ignoring her as well. Maybe she nibble seductively on chocolate frogs across the way and drive him insane? That would be fun...poor Draco.

Yes, why am I encouraging you to write more of this when I am waiting for you to update as well.*pokes you* :D

But seriously, it's always exciting starting something new. I have quite a few little unfinished stories hanging around. Wrote a naughty!D/G in my LJ for a gmail account and now I want to continue it as well......*headsdesk*

not to steal Annibug's title but... I Feel Your Pain!

[(Anonymous)]

oh, i really really really can't wait to read your other fics, but i also want to read the end of this wonderful-to-be cookie.
oh, and don't worry about what to do next, you always come up with something great all the time!! and i don't dare to give any ideas cause i think my writing skills can be compared to a pig's ability to tap dance.

[(Anonymous)]

sorry, but i forgot to tell it was me, yumizinha, who left that comment.

[(Anonymous)]

oh, i also forgot to say, nighthawk and twilight of the dawn were sooooo great!!!!! i left a review at FA, but it doesn't hurt to say it again.
yumizinha

[skoosiepants.livejournal.com]

Thanks yumizinha!

[ladybeth.livejournal.com]

hmm...

For some reason I can see him looking up, saying Hello and then going on with what he was doing as if He had expected her all along.

And I like the B/Hr you managed to squese in (did I spell that right...It's past midnight so my brain is slowly melting.

[skoosiepants.livejournal.com]

Like act like he isn't surprised, but also that he doesn't really care? Hmm... that might work. Sort of an apathetic Draco.

[ladybeth.livejournal.com]

Considering what he's been through, that seems like what he would do. He wouldn't be the blow-up type of person.

[(Anonymous)]

Another great one! You must continue with this, I can just imagine Draco's reaction... or lack of it as I can see it being. A sardonic raise of the eyebrow and some dry wit... wonderful.
Where is the state that has the largest cup of yogurt in the world? IS there a largest cup of yogurt in the world? I live in a town that boasts the largest hockey stick in the world... my town kicks ass... in a scary, redneck, not kicking ass at all sort of way.
I love Perverted!Blaise... he's lovely.
Continue!!!
-Jess

[skoosiepants.livejournal.com]

*grins* I'm not sure there is a giant cup of yogurt somewhere... I'm a huge Boy Meets World fan, and it was on an episode.

Sardonic raise of the eyebrow? You're probably right. Maybe he even expected her to follow him.

Largest hockey stick? That's awesome :)

[veracity]

Jess, if it makes you feel better? My town is known where Larry Flint was shot. Yes, I live... there. Exciting, or you know not.

[veracity]

Heh, before you go "who are you?" I'm Sharp Tongued over at FA, just so you know, I'm not a complete stalker.

Now, I want more of the cookie. I like your Ginnys. Always so well-rounded. And Pansy! Sorry, I'll behave now, really. I can't wait to see what your mind comes up with. You're very clever in the ways you write. Ah, well. I'm of no help.

Did I mention you have incorporating Hermione/Blaise in my slash now? *sigh* God love you. Of course, I don't even attempt the dynamic much really. I leave that to you.

*trods off to warm up soup for lunch*

[skoosiepants.livejournal.com]

Ahoy, Sharp Tongued! Glad you like the cookie... someday I will figure it all out and continue it. I just have to really get into Draco's mindset and it's so hard!!

Ginny is such an iffy character... I hate the way people write her sometimes. Especially 'perfect' Ginny, but then *any* perfect character drives me crazy. Understandably.

Yay! Blaise/Hermione in your slash. That makes me so happy :)

[veracity]

I agree about Draco's mindset. I tend to not write D/G because of it. I can get into Ginny's a lot easier. Of course, my Ginny is usually dark and sassy, so that makes it easier on. And either Draco or a girl (as that's the only way I can write her) and my poor Kissing The Dragon (I do wish I would stop putting Draco for drago everywhere) is in limbo land because of Draco's voice.

In my "Sins of the Flesh," Draco killed Ginny (well there's a spoiler for you) and someone said I must not like Ginny. Not even, since she's my favorite, but more like she did something completely wrong and needed to be punished (okay, fine, he was harsh but MALfoy here) for it. No one is perfect, especially in JKR's world. I don't like writing them that way.

And you should be happy, as I think it's only part of the humor bit that make a lick of sense, lol.

You'd never ever know I can write normally. And not in chopped sentences, would you?

[skoosiepants.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, Ginny is infinitely easier than Draco... I tend to cop-out and just have him be witty and quippy (word?) and not reveal any of the emotion behind it. I find it hard to imagine what drives him. Unless it's a comedy.

And in "Origin of Storms" my first story and one I'm desperately trying to finish up, I think I got Draco all wrong, but it's too late to do anything about it unless I start completely over... which I don't think I could do, since my writing has changed so much since I started. I'd want Hermione with Blaise instead of Ron, for instance :) But the Draco in that story kinda annoys me. He's too soft.

I really need to stick to humor all the way and ditch my serious fics :)

[veracity]

I think it's easier with Ginny because she wears her heart on her sleeve, where as Draco hides it under his sleeve and under his skin, through his body, and out behind to the painting behind him. Quippy better be a word as I had "y" to everything (snarky, crudy, greeny, yellowy, etc etc), so that would most of my words in my fics null and void. Actually, that might be good, as I tend want to bury all my pieces...

Origins reminds me of KTD so much. I think I'm going to have to restart it just to finish it. It's so.. well, boring now. And I think I'm going to do some rearranging with some Weasleys *cough*Percy*cough. My fans keep wanting redeemed Draco, and I don't like redeemed Draco much. I don't think a Malfoy would be completely redeemed in a not-humor story.

Well, you do all humor and I'll do all angst. *grins*