I wrote this for a Battle of the Drabbles on the DG forum AGES ago. As in it seems like years ago although I can't remember if it was. Anyway, I just found it again and I figured that seeing as so much time has passed I may as well upload it here. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters, all credit to JK Rowling. If this fic seems familiar, you probably saw it on the DG forum when it was published there.
"So to conclude, the Finnish Ministry for Magic and Sorcery would be delighted to form a political alliance with the British Ministry of Magic to strengthen International Magical Relations."
Ginny breathed a huge sigh of relief. Finally, after nearly two months of arguments, deals and tremendously boring meetings, they had gained the alliance. As the wife of the Minister for Magic, Harry Potter, she had to attend all of the meetings that he couldn't attend – which for the last five months had been all of them, as Harry was in the USA for a year helping their ministry. In all honesty, being his wife was absolute hell – nothing like the fantasy she had dreamed about at Hogwarts.
Plastering a smile on her face, she got up and walked down the meeting table to where the Finnish ministers were talking with Neville Longbottom, who was now the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
"Hello, can I just say how delighted I am to be able to form an alliance with your ministry." She put on a show of being the Ministers wife, acting polite, formal and interested – when actually she was dying to get out, have a cigarette and try to relax for the first time since this had begun.
The Finnish Minister, a small, balding man with a permanently confused expression, turned to her.
"I am sure that our ministries will work together very well." He said simply, before returning to his conversation.
Ginny nodded politely before turning away. If no-one else wanted to have a conversation then she could just slip out and try and get home...
"Weasley? Can I have a word?" A man drawled from behind her.
She stiffened. She would recognise that tone anywhere. Why oh why did he have to talk to her NOW.
"It's Potter, actually – unlike you I managed to settle down with someone, as opposed to being so irritating no-one wants to be with me. Now what do you want?" She turned around to meet the smirking grey eyes of Draco Malfoy. How on Earth did he manage to get his eyes to smirk?
"Ahh, but Weasley unlike you I've never had to tie myself down – I have the luxury of sampling the whole basket, so to speak." He smirked again, his voice infuriatingly smug.
"Right, out with it Malfoy – what do you want? I really want to get out of here and have a cigarette and I need to get home and floo call my husband."
Malfoy's eyebrows raised a fraction of an inch. "My my, the perfect wife of The Chosen One Harry Potter smokes? What would His Royal Highness do if he knew?"
Ginny ground her teeth together. Malfoy was so frustrating! How he had gotten to be head of the Auror Office she would never know. "You should show more respect to your boss, Ferret. Besides, Harry does know – I don't think he approves, but that's none of your business. Now, why are you keeping me here when I could be relaxing for the first time in months?"
Malfoy dropped his head to level with Ginny's ear and breathed huskily. "You know, I'm sure if you wanted I could help you relax..."
Ginny shoved him away, before remembering where she was and straightening up. "If that's all, I'm out of here."
"Not so fast Weasley, I need to talk to you about the Auror intake for this year. Normally I talk to Potter, but as he's buggered off I suppose you'll do." His face had resumed a perfectly serious expression that was almost believable. Except, of course, this was Malfoy.
"Fine, but make it quick. Unlike you I actually have a life."
"You have a husband who cares so little for you he left for the USA without you, a family who tolerates you but prefers your husband and can't understand why you haven't started popping out kids yet, and a smoking habit that suggests how depressed you really are. Yet you accuse me of having no life?" His voice was low, but the undertone was deadly and cut through Ginny like a knife.
She just about controlled herself enough to grab his hand and yank him out of the meeting room into the corridor before letting rip.
"HOW DARE YOU! YOU GOOD FOR NOTHING LITTLE FERRET. HOW DARE YOU ACCUSE MY HUSBAND OF NOT CARING FOR ME? HOW DARE YOU ACCUSE MY FAMILY OF NOT LOVING ME? HOW..." At this point, she broke down and burst into tears.
She didn't realise she was still holding his hand.
After a moment, she felt a warm hand rubbing circles on her back.
"It's ok..." The murmur made her realise who it was.
"What are you doing, Malfoy?" Her voice sounded squeaky from crying.
"I didn't mean to make you cry... I... I'm... urm, I apologise." He sounded unsure of what to say for the first time ever, and it surprised Ginny so much she stopped crying and looked up.
"Did you just apologise?" She asked incredulously.
Malfoy looked at her for a moment, then squeezed the hand he was still holding and leaned in, looking into her eyes. "Believe it or not, Ginny, I do have a heart."
He squeezed her hand one last time then walked away.
I hope you enjoyed it – please feel free to review!