Many years ago she had had a great love; and great love is amazing if you only catch it once. How could she expect to find it again?

She couldn’t expect to. That’s why she was settling for a normal love. A normal love is what most people find. It is real, but it’s never grows and becomes the kind that lasts forever, through all obstacles. You catch it when you fall in love, but even though you may stay in love you never feel inside the true destiny that is found in a great love. It is assured, but great love is a miracle resting on the heart. Great love what you can’t let go or forget. The kind that is always leading you back to the arms of that one person.

She had never forgotten her true love, but knew she could never be with him. So, she settled for Harry Potter, who had just proposed last night. Not that she didn’t love him, but he was not ’The One’, as most people put it. They were going out to the posh, popular Wizarding club ‘Avalon‘, where the Weird Sisters commonly perform, to celebrate the engagement. Not only did she appear lucky in love, Ginny was very successful at her job. She was quite famous for creating the most effective antidote, which was effective against 53 known poisons, in her spare time, while working her way up to Healer-in-Charge in the Potions and Plant Poisonings ward at St. Mungos. But ever since one amazing summer a long time ago no matter how many people wanted her life, she had never been truly happy.

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Draco Malfoy’s life was going down hill. No matter what he told people, he was an alcoholic and was never seen with the same girl more than once. He was wasting his parents’ wealth and had no desire to get the job he had once wanted as a teacher at Hogwarts. No one could convince him that he was wasting his life. He always just told them, “I’ve already lost the only thing I ever had to live for.” None of his friends or family liked to be around him anymore, but they didn’t think it wise to leave him alone.

Tonight, however, he was going out alone to a club or bar somewhere to get drunk, to try and forget a summer long ago that wouldn’t let him move on. He was going to be alone this evening, but didn’t regret it. Joanne was starting to think too seriously about their ‘relationship’ and Brigit was out of town. He didn’t think he’d keep seeing either of them much longer. Both relationships had been going on for over two months. A lifetime compared to some of his one-nighters. He wasn’t meaning to do this but he just couldn’t find anyone he wanted to see any longer.

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“Harry, come on. We’re going to be late,” Ginny yelled down the hall. “They’ll cancel the reservations.”

“I’m coming, just hold on,” Harry retorted.

It had been a hectic day. Harry had been working on a write-up after work for an entrant into the Auror training program. Ginny had been busy too, even though it was her day off. She had spent all day in an interview and photo shoot for Witch Weekly for an article on being ‘Young, Successful, and Gorgeous.’

“Hermione and Ron will already be there. Even Fred and George are going arrive before us,” Ginny continued.

“Well, my shoes are somewhere in Ron’s pile of clothes. Honestly, the sooner we move into our own house together and I get out of Ron’s room, the better,” he griped, aggravated more than angry at Ron’s untidiness.

“You don’t have to stay here you know, I can help you rent-”

“No,” Harry interrupted, “that’s fine. I’m ready.” He walked down the stairs and smiled at Ginny, but suddenly Ginny saw a very different smile. The one she wished would be there for her. A little smile crept across her face and a dazed look filled her eyes. But when she saw Harry’s confused expression she shook her head and put it from her mind. That was another life completely.

Harry and Ginny grabbed hands and disappeared as they Apparated to Avalon.

“Reservation name, please?” the greeter wizard asked.

“Potter-Weasley,” Harry told him. The wizard checked the list, before exclaiming, “Ahh, here it is! Please enter.”

“Do you know who Fred and George are bringing?” Ginny asked Harry as they looked for a place to sit and get drinks.

“I don’t think they’re bringing anyone,” Harry answered, sitting at a table big enough for six. The club was very high end. They had a bar and a restaurant, but it still felt like a club. There was music playing very loudly and the dance floor was packed even though it was still early. When the waiter came, Ginny told him that they would wait until the rest of their party arrived to order. She turned to Harry and smiled before glancing around the room searching for their friends. She spun her ring impatiently around her finger, it feel like it belonged. It was elaborate and beautiful, but Ginny like simple, it just wasn’t meant to be there.

“Here they are, Harry,” Ginny said, when she saw Ron, Hermione, Fred, and George walking towards them.

“Hey Harry,” George yelled when he was within earshot.

“You’d better be good to our little sister,” Fred continued, sitting down at the table.

“Or you’ll have us to deal with,” George finished, as everyone sat down laughing.

“Shall we have some drinks?” Hermione suggested.

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“Mum, I’m off for the night,” Draco yelled into the living room.

“Draco, I don’t think that’s such a good…”she began.

“I’m quite old enough to make my own decisions,” he interrupted testily, before immediately Disapparating.

“Ahh, Mr. Malfoy, another bar visit I presume,” the greeter wizard assumed.

“Yeah, Sam.”

“Going to forget her for good this time?” Sam asked.

“How could I?” Malfoy said quietly. Her memory had already defeated his will to forget her.

“How did it happen? Who is she?”

“She was a medical intern in Spain. I was there on a summer getaway, trying to stay away from Mother. Voldemort had already been defeated, and father had been killed. I was trying to get away from England. She needed volunteer hours to apply to St. Mungo’s. That was true love, everything was just so right. Then, summer ended and we came back to England. We tried to see each other, but neither of us was brave enough to tell our family. We had a terrible row, and I haven’t had anything to live for since.” At the beginning he had been talking to Sam, but at the end a reminiscent tone had taken over and he was only talking to himself.

“My apologies, Mr. Malfoy. You can enter,” Sam apologized, bringing Draco out of his daze.

Draco went straight to the bar and ordered Firewhiskey. He finished two in no time, then dropped his chin to his chest, held his head in his arms, and cried.

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Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione were all laughing at Fred and George. They had just been turned down again. They had all been to dance and were back for more drinks.

“Excuse me,” Ginny said abruptly. Harry’s constant attention was driving her crazy and she needed a break.

“Where are you going?” Harry asked concernedly.

“The loo,” she said bluntly, getting up and making her way to the restroom on the other side of the bar. She didn’t really need to go; she just need to get away from the group. She couldn’t stop herself from remembering celebrating her first engagement, with only her fiancé and herself on the beach, not knowing that the end of summer would end all hope of true happiness in their lives.

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Draco lifted his head to order another drink, when something red flashed on his left side. His heart began to race as he turned to look for the owner of the red, but it was just the skimpy top of a woman too old to be wearing one like it. He turned back to the bar and motioned to the bartender. He was beginning to dwell on her so much he was seeing things. He downed two more shots of Brenklin’s Brandy. He dropped his head again. He was glad the bar was separated from the restaurant by the dance floor. Too often, couples came her to celebrate and Draco found them very depressing. He ordered another round of Firewhiskey. Then another flash of red caught his gaze. He was sure it had once again just been his imagination, yet , still not expecting to actually find the one he was looking for, he turned to search the crowd. Immediately, he dropped the Firewhiskey and his stomach jumped to his throat.

“Ginny,” he whispered, still feeling as though his heart was about to stop.

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Ginny stopped, sure that she had heard her name. She looked around, startled because she knew that voice didn’t belong to any of her companions. She turned to the dance floor, then the tables. Finally, she looked at the bar and saw Draco Malfoy gazing fixedly at her. She made to walk toward him, but her knees gave out and her vision went black