Disclaimer: You recognize it, it isn't mine.

AN: Now for the fun! Plot bunnies away! Ahhhhh! I have a review! (It's the little pleasures!). I am re-writing some of this chapter to make it more clear.

May 12

Miss Weasley,

It has come to our attention that over the course of the Second Great War, your wand is recorded to have cast 25 or more Dark spells. The Wizengamot is required to investigate the use of Dark Magic in every sense and must try you for your war crimes. You will appear on

Tuesday at 3:45 PM

for your trial.

...

Thus, here she sat, letter clutched in hand. Ginny looked around at all the mocking faces. It was bad enough that the "Dark" had officially won the Great War, as they were calling it. It was worse that she was now forced to answer for cursing men who had tried to kill her. The only thing keeping her from openly weeping was the knowledge that Harry survived, as well as most of the Order, so deep in hiding that the Dark Lord proclaimed himself the victor.

She knew better.

Ginny asked the Chief Warlock, "So it's a choice between Azkaban and ... marriage?"

The Chief Warlock nodded, apparently himself somewhat displeased, but said, "that is the law. Since you are a Pureblood, we will put you under house arrest if you marry another Pureblood who will speak for you. If such an arrangement would occur, it would absolve you of your guilt as you will be seen to have embraced our new little world."

Arthur Weasely interrupted, "this is an outrage!"

"It is the law," repeated the Chief Warlock. He turned to Ginny. "Your decision?" He raised the gavel in anticipation.

"D-do I have a say on who it is at least?" Ginny wracked her mind for an acceptable Pureblood who could emerge from hiding in the Order.

"I believe I could present a solution. I believe I would qualify, since I've lost my beloved wife to this war. It only be just to replace her with a new one." Lucius Malfoy stood up from the back row of the circular trial arena. The very same Lucius Malfoy who had caused her so much torment years before.

Ginny's head was spinning; of course Azkaban was dreadful, but would it be so much better with Malfoy? At least at Azkaban she would be a faceless prisoner among hundreds, whereas at Malfoy's she would be his exclusive prisoner ... no, more than prisoner, wife ... she shuddered. But Azkaban? Her thoughts were jumbled, and she was surprised to hear herself say in a clear voice, "I choose marriage."

The Chief Warlock banged his gavel. "Marriage, then."

Arthur Weasley shouted, "It will be annulled as soon as this farce of a background investigation is over!"

Lucius smiled maliciously. "Perhaps. But in the meantime, I assume I can count on you to present to me the bride at the wedding? After all, the niceties must be observed. And it would be a shame if the marriage were not recognized, since then she would no longer..." His voice trailed off.

Arthur ground his teeth; he was beaten. "I shall present my daughter when the time comes."

"Good," said Malfoy. "The wedding will be in one week." Arthur gasped. Malfoy continued, "I would make it sooner, but I have some pressing business to attend. I hope my lovely fiancee can endure the wait." He mockingly bowed at Ginny, who blushed; only now was she starting to appreciate the full import of her decision. "Chief Warlock, although Ginny Weasley is not yet my lawful wife, I bed the Court's induldgence to allow my bride to have this week without detention; I have faith that she will indeed marry me, and she has much to prepare before our wedding."

"So decided," said the Chief Warlock. "This trial is now concluded. Ginny Weasley shall remain free as the wife of Lucius Malfoy, pending results of the background investigation." He banged his gavel one more time. Lucius walked over to Ginny and took her right hand in his. He lifted her hand, and pressed it to his lips. "Until next week, my dear," he said, with a malicious twinkle in his eye. She shuddered, and then he turned and left.

That night in the Weasley household was a nightmare. Molly, of course, was hysterical, screaming and threatening to defend her daughter from "that depraved fiend Malfoy" ... it was some time before Arthur was able to convince her that the alternative was Azkaban, and that no escape was possible. Molly then broke down crying, hugging Ginny fiercely. Ginny welcomed the embrace, but her mind was already racing ahead, worrying about what would happen in a week.

May 19

And the week went by with frightening haste. The Weasleys tried to keep it quiet, but news about the trial spread like wildfire. Cho had dragged Ginny off on a shopping trip on the weekend, plying Ginny with the twin ideas that, first, Ginny should reward herself with something nice, and second, that Malfoy might be displeased if she were not perfect. Cho had taken her to a high-end bridal shops that specialized in goblin silks. Ginny wandered among rows of lace and garters and cutaway tops; she shuddered at the outfits that would highlight her budding youth. The last thing I need is to encourage him, Ginny thought to herself; but at the same time, she wondered how she would look in some of the racier outfits, and wondered how Malfoy would react at seeing her in them.

In the end, Ginny decided on a white silk night gown that shimmered like moonlight on the water. The night gown was embarrassingly short, ending at just above mid-thigh, but it was the most conservative thing in the shop. When she wore it, the soft silk lightly molded itself over Ginny's body, gently flowing over the curves of her breasts, her back, her bottom; it was sexy, to be sure, but it was the only outfit that the attendants described as "elegant" and that Ginny herself did not think of as "trashy." Ginny was shocked at the price of such a seemingly simple gown - 750 galleons! - but the attendants told her not to worry, that they had received instructions to charge any and all expenses to Malfoy's account. She blushed at such generosity, dreading the quid pro quo, but she was relieved that her family would not be burdened with debt.

She remembered very little of the wedding itself. She remembered putting on the dress that Malfoy had picked for her - a beautiful silk dress adorned with twelve lines of sequins - she remembered seeing Malfoy, looking regal in his tuxedo as black as night - and she remembered the gloating tone in Malfoy's voice when he said "I do." The High Priest had announced, "By the sacred Laws, I now pronounce you ... man and wife. You may kiss the bride." She remembered how Malfoy lifted Ginny's veil, and kissed her gently on the lips; then, momentarily, how he had pressed his lips fiercely against hers. It was just an instant, but Ginny knew in that moment how much power Malfoy had, and how much restraint he was showing. She shuddered.

The next hours were a blur: the barely restrained grief on her family's faces, the hostile glances from some of the Slytherin girls, the amused and lecherous curiousity from some of the men. It was almost a relief when, at the end of the evening, Malfoy turned to the crowd and lifted Ginny's hand in his. "Wizards and witches alike, we thank you for your attendance. But I fear my bride grows tired, so she and I must away. We bid you, good evening." He bowed, and threw a glance at Ginny. Taking her cue, she curtsied; then, Malfoy gripped her wrist, and then they Disapparated.

Ginny had fully expected that Malfoy would take his prize straight to his bedroom, so when the disorientation faded, she was surprised to see that they were just in front of Malfoy Manor. Lucius smiled at her confusion. "Call me old-fashioned, my dear," he said with a slight mocking smile. "But, with your indulgence..." Without waiting for her response, he suddenly scooped Ginny into his arms, sweeping her off her feet. On its own, the front door opened, and Malfoy, carrying Ginny, stepped through.

Ginny mustered up her courage and asked, "Why are you doing this?"

Malfoy said, "It's traditional to carry the bride across the threshold."

Ginny said, "No, not that ... I mean, the whole marriage ..."

Malfoy said mockingly, "Could it be that I simply cared about the fate of a poor innocent pureblood girl?"

Ginny shuddered. Whatever his motivations were, they were not that. "N-no," she said. "Is it ... because you wanted me?"

Malfoy said, "Closer."

Ginny flushed. "What, as ... as your slave, a sex slave?"

Malfoy looked at her witheringly. "If you believe THAT, then perhaps I was wrong about you and need to revise my assessment that purebloods are always smarter than mudbloods," he said contemptuously.

She fell silent, confused; what DID he want?

AN: So! I hope that's more clear for background. I wrote this story a few months ago and never posted it, so I'm still catching continuity issues - but a Beta would help solve that! (*groveling*)