Chapter One: One Night Can Change Everything

I have always loved Ron, and I planned on spending the rest of my life with him. But as I have learned, things don't always happen the way I plan them to. And now here I am standing outside a house I swore to myself I would never see again. I looked down and knew I had to do, what I was here to do.

Ron of course had no idea I was here. He worked at the ministry as an Auror. I worked in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. I did mostly investigative type work and never left the office except for the occasional cup of coffee or a minor investigation. My bosses liked keeping me in the office to do the bookworm type jobs, like looking though files and things like that.

Today Ron was called in about a wizard that had used the Imperius Curse to control a group of house elves. I was happy that just a few months ago I was promoted to the department I am in now, or I would have had to go with Ron to investigate that matter.

I raised my hand to the door and knocked. I stood there in silence for a few moments before raising my hand again. But before I could knock again the door swung open.

A woman stood just inside the door, her face expressionless. She wore a long black dress with a low cut neck. Her hair was long and straight, and just as expected, blonde.

"May I help you?" she said in a stale voice.

"Er- yes," I said to her, "I was looking for Draco. Is he here?"

"Come in," she said shortly.

I stepped inside and the door closed heavily behind me. I followed the blonde woman down a hall to a large door. She pushed the door open and stepped aside allowing me to step inside.

"Draco will be with you shortly," she said before closing the door and leaving.

I looked around the room I was just directed to wait in. The walls were coved in bookshelves. A large rosewood desk was on one end of the room and a large fire place with a mantle in the same wood was on the opposite side. This must have been the study, probably Draco's study, because there was a small table in front of the fireplace and a series of Green armchairs and a couch set around it. I walked over to one section of the bookshelves and began to read the titles of the books: The Blithedale Romance, The Dolliver Romance, The House of the Seven Gables, and The Scarlet Letter all by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

For a pure-blood family, they sure have a lot of Muggle books, I thought to myself.

I pulled The Scarlet Letter off the shelf and opened to the first page.

To my dearest Grandson,

I hope this story gives you knowledge before action. As I wish I had before.

Grandfather Malfoy

I read the note a few times over, as I wish I had before, those words hung in my mind but were quickly forgotten.

"Granger?"

I shoved the book back on the shelf before turning to the owner of the voice.

"My mother said you came for me?"

"Yes," I told him, "I did."

"Do you plan on telling me why you came here for me?"

"Look Malfoy," I told him as I walked away from the shelves and to the door, "this isn't something I would like to do."

"What are you on about?"

I closed the door before turning to face the tall blonde who had his grey eyes fixed on me like he was about to throw me out.

"I need to tell you something."

"Well you wouldn't be here if you didn't," he said sounding annoyed.

I took a deep breath, "I'm pregnant."

"And you're telling me this-"

"With your child!" I yelled.

"But how?"

"One night can change everything!"

"But it was just one night, surely I couldn't be the father."

"If you aren't the father then I wouldn't be pregnant."

"But there must be someone else," Draco said looking at everything but me.

"I haven't had sex in about a year," I told him, "I know that's sad, but it's true."

"You don't have sex for a year and it's me who has to change that?"

"Yes," I told him now getting annoyed with him, "the one night I drink more than should and I end up in bed with a stupid ferret like you."

"Wait, you actually gave your virginity to that Weasel?"

"That Weasel is my fiancée," I told him.

"Am I supposed to care about who you are engaged to?"

"Well yes," I said, "because Ron will know the child isn't his."

"So get an abortion."

"I can't do that!"

"And why can't you?"

I took a deep breath as I thought out my answer. I know I hate abortions, but now that I think about it, I would rather have an abortion than have Malfoy's child. But I can't go against my beliefs no matter whose child it is.

"Listen," I said calmly, "I can't get an abortion just because I'm pregnant with a child that isn't Ron's," I took another deep breath as I prepared myself for my own response, not his reaction, "I've always wanted a child."

"Where are you going with this?"

"About two years ago when Ron and I were trying to have a child I took a potion that wouldn't allow me to get an abortion with my first pregnancy," I told him, "and seeing as this is my first pregnancy, I can't have an abortion."

"Oh crap," he said realizing what had to happen.

"You know what we have to do, right?" I told him, "So that no one finds out about this."

"We can make it look like a contracted marriage through the Ministry," he said, "then you will have the baby and no one will think twice about us having a child."

"Right, now when you go to the ministry you have to make it seem like we didn't plan this."

"And you think I want to marry you?"

"No," I told him, "I'm just saying that if we want to pull this off then it has to seem like all you want to do is clear your name!"

I only then realized that I had stepped closer to him as I was yelling. I stepped back quickly and looked away.

"Look," I said quietly, "we just can't get caught with me pregnant. I will break up with Ron, and that will put me on the "available muggle-borns to wed" list, I believe that is what they call it."

"In about a week I will go to the Ministry and ask about a contracted marriage to clear the Malfoy name, and I will pick your name."

"That is basically all that you need to do," I told him, "the Ministry will call me about being chosen and I will accept because I can be a spy for the Ministry."

"You won't really be a spy right?"

"Well, when you say that," I said eyeing him suspiciously, "why shouldn't I?"

"I was just wondering."

"I will see you later then," I told him.

"I guess you will," he said as he opened the door.

I left the house without saying another word, returning to the flat where I lived with Ron.