Author's Notes:

A day early!

Standard Disclaimer: It all belongs to JKR. That you JKR for letting us play with your toys.

I will continue to use the occasional song lyric in the story and will give credit at the time when needed.

This is the fifth book in my Slytherin Harry series.

Book 1 Harry Potter and the Muggle's Daughter.

Book 2: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Book 3: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Book 4: Harry Potter and the Blood Traitor's Daughter

Book 5: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

If you haven't read books 1-4 you won't know what's going on. But the bonus is you've got four completed books before you even get to this one!

HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE

CHAPTER XXI

You Deserve Me

HPHPHP

"It's magnificent," Fleur said in French, admiring the necklace Harry had given her.

Ginny blushed. "Thank you," she answered, also speaking in French. In exchange for help with her English, Fleur was helping both Ginny and Harry with their French. As Remus had once predicted, Ginny was a quick study. Harry was having far more difficult a time.

"And it belonged to his mother?"

"Yes. His father gave it to her on their wedding day."

"Well, I am happy for you."

Ginny smiled. "Thank you." She giggled. "I'm very happy for me too." They sat in silence for a moment or two.

"May I ask you a question?"

Ginny shrugged. "As long as I can reserve the right not to answer."

"Of course."

"All right then."

"I hear rumors."

"That's not a question."

"Rumors about you and the others."

"Still not a question."

"Can you tell me about any of them?"

"Which ones?"

"That Harry is a Parselmouth."

"That would be true."

"And a troll?"

"A troll got into the school our first year. It cornered Hermione and I in the toilet. Harry and Luna came to save us. We ended up killing the troll, but Harry's familiar, Kaa, was killed in the fight."

"And Kaa was?"

"A snake; an adder. Black as night. She was a wonderful friend and one of the most beautiful creatures I've ever seen."

"You were friends with her?"

"Yes."

"But you could not speak with her?"

"I couldn't speak with her, but it was still possible to communicate with her. She was very intelligent. Harry still misses her. I don't think he'll ever stop. A piece of him died when she was killed. It was terrifying. Harry came in this school and he was larger than life. A tiny little runt of a first-year, smaller than everyone in the school but me, and inside of two days everyone in the school but one person was terrified of him. Some of that was because he walked around with a poisonous serpent wrapped around his wrist like a bracelet, but you've seen him. He's like a human thunderstorm. He's always been like that. When Kaa was killed, it was like he shriveled up and died. It took a long time for him to wake up again."

Fleur considered what she'd learned. "There are stories of a big fight between you."

"I can't talk about most of that. But it was a huge misunderstanding."

"And you were really kidnapped?"

"I was."

"And?"

Ginny took a deep breath. "And Harry, Neville and Professor McGonagall saved me. They fought and killed a basilisk and then killed the man who took me. Harry was bitten in the fight. He nearly died and the only reason he didn't is because Kaa's venom in his veins protects him from all other poisons. He was in hospital for weeks and it took him almost a whole year to fully recover. I think part of the reason he's so small is his body couldn't spare the energy for him to grow when he needed it just to get healthy again. Still, he's alive. I guess being short is a small price to pay for it."

"He's not so short anymore."

"He's the shortest boy in our year. His godfather says his father was nearly six feet by the time he was fifteen."

"Does it bother you, he is short?"

"It upsets me. It doesn't bother me."

"There is a difference?"

"Yes." Fleur frowned. "Both his parents were on the tall side," Ginny explained. "It's not in his genes to be short but he is because of the trauma his body has suffered. So it upsets me, but it doesn't bother me. Besides, so he's short. He's not dead. That's more than Sandra got."

"Sandra?"

"She was my brother's fiancé. She tried to stop the man when he grabbed me. He killed her." Ginny swiped at her cheek.

"I am sorry," Fleur said. "I am prying now."

"No. It's all right. I'm just sad. She was very kind… I miss her."

Fleur placed her hand on Ginny's. "I am sorry."

Ginny smiled painfully. "Thank you." They sat there for a long time before either of them spoke again.

"May I ask one more question?"

"Sure."

"How is it, you are so good?"

Ginny stared at the table. "I can't answer that."

Fleur reached for Ginny's chin, turning her. "I will do anything for friends like you have."

Ginny stared back into her sapphire blue eyes. "I believe you… But it's not just my decision to make."

"I understand."

Ginny squeezed her hand. "There's room, Fleur. It just has to be earned."

HPHPHP

It was a week after Valentines when Daphne decided sooner was better than later. She just hoped, with March fourth and the second task only eleven short days away, what she had to say wouldn't push either Harry or Ginny over the edge. Harry especially was a concern. "Can I talk to you two?"

The two glanced up from their research. It was their free period and the three of them were at their usual table in the library. Ginny quirked a brow. "Nothing good ever comes from that opening."

"Tell me about it," Harry muttered.

"Is it to do with the task?" Ginny asked.

Daphne let out a little huff. "No. I'm afraid it's a bit bigger than even that."

"I'm really not going to like this, am I?" Harry asked.

"No, you won't."

"And you don't think the others should be part of whatever this is?" Ginny asked.

"It doesn't necessarily involve them and will be easier to discuss if it's just the three of us."

Ginny set her pen down. "All right then, what is it?"

Daphne took a breath. "First, let me preface this. I'm going to say some things; things you already know but may not have heard voiced so plainly. These things will make both of you angry so I want you to promise me you won't do something stupid before you've heard why I'm telling you what I am."

Harry drummed his fingers on the table. Ginny put her hand on his, stopping him. "Just say it, Daphne."

She took another breath. "Draco is not the same person he was before the Christmas break. He is quite obsessed with you, Ginevra. Further, he flaunts a confidence of belief he did not possess even upon his first arrival at this school; that belief manifests in the threat he made last week. I know he's made threats before, but this was different. It was a clear escalation of hostility as well as declaration of intent. His lack of subtlety in this regard is rather astonishing, but there it is. When we combine these things with what we learned over Christmas it points to the conclusion Draco has been made aware of his father's plans for you. I don't know how, or where, or when, but Lucius Malfoy is not finished with you."

Turning her attention to Harry she was glad she'd picked here to tell him because she wasn't certain if Draco were in his line of sight right then that Harry wouldn't just kill him. In fact, she was fairly convinced the only thing holding him back was the promise he'd made Lily that he wouldn't. Given Draco's threat of a week ago, she feared that promise was, at best, tenuous.

"Go on," he bit out.

"Forgetting everything else to do with you, Harry, you, are the object of discussion when love potions are the topic; whether Ginevra already has you under one, or if one would work to snag you away from her." Harry's cheek twitched.

"Who?" Ginny growled.

"Don't play stupid, Ginevra. It's beneath you."

Ginny's eyes darted to a table across the way. Romilda Vain, a very developed fourth-year Gryffindor, quickly averted her eyes. Ginny shifted. Cho Chang was at a table two rows over. The older girl sneered back before leaning over to whisper something to one of her friends. Ginny turned back to Daphne but wolf-sense allowed her to hear a soft chorus of laughter issue forth from the direction of Cho's table. Harry flexed his fingers under Ginny's. The tingling feeling between them had taken on a sharp, almost metallic, edge. It was like a confirmation of his anger; telling him her desire to just act was equal to his. There were days he wished he could do what his wolf wanted. The wolf would have killed Draco on sight after finding out it was Lucius who had given Ginny the diary.

"Since you don't want us to kill them," Ginny said through clenched teeth, "did you have a point you were trying to make?"

"I did."

"That is?" Harry asked.

"There is a way to protect you, both of you, make the punishment far more serious for harming either of you than would normally be the case."

They pair leaned forward slightly. "And that is?"

Daphne glanced between them. "A betrothal." Harry rocked back while Ginny stared, blinking rapidly. "Think about it," she went on intently. "It's not anything you don't both want. You're practically engaged as it is. A betrothal can be written such that the damages someone would have to pay for interfering to such an extent that one or both of you were unable to fulfill the terms of the contract would be astronomical. For instance, say Ginevra was somehow trapped, tricked, or forced into marrying Draco. The restitution demanded by Harry for her breaking the contract could be the very children Lucius wants her to provide."

"That's – That's—"

"That's protection," Daphne cut Ginny off. "In fact, cursing each other might be the best thing you could possibly do."

"W–what?" Harry asked.

"You are both targets, Harry," Daphne said. "Women are going to come after you for the same reason Lucius wants Ginevra. A betrothal could be written in such a manner that any child either of you produced that was not also of the other would be born a squib."

Harry's jaw dropped. "That's horrible," Ginny cried.

"But legal," Daphne answered. "And it would eliminate the very reason Lucius wants you."

"I couldn't—"

"Your father has been murdered, Ginevra," Daphne cut her off. "Lucius has tried to kill at least one of your brothers. He will stop at nothing… Unless you remove the reason he's doing it in the first place." Ginny just stared at her in disbelief. "It protects you. It protects your family. And, it protects Harry," Daphne finished.

"And what if his revenge is to just kill her family anyway?"

"Then it saves the children he wants from her," Daphne said without emotion.

Ginny abruptly stood. "I can't listen to this." She stormed away.

"Ginny," Harry called. She ignored him and kept going. He jumped up to go after her but stopped, caught between Daphne and Ginny's rapidly retreating form. "Shit."

"Go," Daphne said.

"I can't leave you alone" he protested.

"Me or her, Harry."

"Fuck." He looked around desperately. Spotting Fred, George and Lee watching them he snapped, "Don't go anywhere," and stalked over to them.

"Potter," Fred acknowledged warily.

"You want back in your sister's good graces," Harry pointed at Daphne, "you stay with her. You walk her to dinner. You walk her to the toilet. You wait for her to come out. You don't leave her alone, got it?"

"Erm," George said.

Daphne dropped her bag on the table and sat down. "Go, Harry."

"Don't leave her," Harry growled and ran off.

The three boys watched him till he was out the doors. They slowly turned back to Daphne. She leaned towards the twins and sniffed. "Well," she said, sitting back, "the good news is, I don't detect that either of you have a particularly offensive odor."

"What the hell?" one of the twins, she couldn't actually tell them apart, said.

"Surely you've noticed we never travel alone; even when we pair off we're rarely far from the others."

"So why are you alone now?" Lee asked.

"He do something to our sister?" the other twin asked. Till further notice she decided he was Thing One. It seemed more appropriate to her than the Tweedles. They did, after all, have an uncanny resemblance to the depictions of her childhood favorites.

"Going to protect her honor?" Daphne asked.

"She might hate us—" Thing Two said.

"But she is our sister," Thing One said.

Daphne tipped her head. "Interesting. Does that mean you no longer believe her efforts to talk you out of entering were only so that Harry would have a better chance at it himself?"

"We've been trying to apologize for that," One said.

"She won't let us," Two finished.

Daphne smiled patronizingly. "That's the problem with apologies. After the third or fourth time for the same thing one learns not to trust them."

"Fine," One said, "you were right. We're idiots. Is that what you want to hear?"

"Vindication is a bit of a bitter pill in this instance."

"You know," Lee said, "she did run away from both you and Potter. And everyone knows about that kiss. Maybe she found out there's something to the rumor about the two of you."

"Oh yes," Daphne mocked, "that would be why he gave me a stationary set and her a three thousand galleon emerald and ruby necklace." Things' and Lee's jaws dropped. Was it mentioned the necklace belonged to his mother; a gift from his father on their wedding day?"

Lee held his hands up. "Just an observation."

"And I observe, while the three of you spend an inordinate amount of time together, you spend very little time with your supposed girlfriends… Shall I start a rumor with that observation or keep it to myself?"

"Touché," One said.

"Disturbing," Two said.

"But Touché," One reiterated.

"So then why did she run off?" Lee asked.

"Because she didn't like the truth I told her."

"And that was?"

"I can't tell you." Things glowered at her. "Honestly, I wish that I could tell you. Unfortunately, I cannot." Things exchanged glances.

"And we don't need to pound, Potter?" One asked.

Daphne reached for her transfiguration book. "You are aware of just why ten Durmstrang students spent time in hospital?" Things and Lee exchanged looks again. "Four of those boys were in hospital because I put them there… Everything I know about how I did so, Harry taught me." Daphne glanced up. The three boys said nothing. "To answer your question, no, you do not need to pound Harry."

Two pursed his lips. "Three thousand you say?"

Daphne retrieved a pen from her bag. "Conservatively."

"Conservatively?" Lee asked.

"It is highly likely the necklace is also a protection amulet of some sort… After all, there was a war on. And the Potter fortune is rather large."

Harry tracked Ginny to the cloister. He stopped about ten steps from her. "All right?"

"No."

"Ok."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Want me to leave you alone?"

"What I want, is to kill Lucius Malfoy."

"Not Draco?"

"Draco's only a symptom."

Harry tipped his head. "For now."

She considered him. "We're seriously discussing this, the fact we're going to kill him."

"He's a walking dead man," Harry answered. "Has been since Professor McGonagall named him."

"It could be someone else."

"You don't believe that."

"What about the law?"

"I could accept life in Azkaban."

"But we have no proof."

"You don't really think it's going to come down to proof, do you?"

"It will be his wand, won't it?"

"Most likely."

"And we will kill him?"

Harry moved to her, pulling her into his arms he tucked her head under his chin. "And we will kill him," he agreed. She tucked her arms up between them, allowing him to just hold her. They stood there for a very long time before one of them spoke again.

"What do you think of a betrothal?" she whispered.

Harry pushed her back. Holding her by the shoulders he just looked at her. "I am not going to be with anyone else."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Ginny—"

"No, just think about it. I could die. And fifteen or twenty or even two years from now you could run into that girl from Disney World again. And just maybe you might find you're wrong in believing there could never be anyone else."

Harry let out a slow breath. "Then there would be nothing to stop me being with her."

"Except your cursed children."

"You understand, despite the strength of our magic, it is possible we could produce a non-magical child, don't you?"

"I do."

"And would you consider that child to be cursed?"

"You wouldn't?"

Harry frowned. "Magic is an ability, Ginny… Just like some people have good singing voices and some people don't. It is not a curse to not have it."

"I'm not sure I agree with that."

Harry let her go. "You wouldn't love our child if they weren't magical?" he asked, aghast.

"Of course I would!"

"Then why would you think they were cursed?"

"I don't know, Harry. Ask your mother if she preferred having her magic as to not."

"My mum has no regrets," he said angrily.

"I didn't say she did, Harry. But I'm pretty sure it wasn't her first choice!"

Harry clinched his jaw tightly. "Let's just say you got to choose our child—"

"Oh don't even," she cut him off, "of course I would choose for them to be magical as opposed to not. Just like I would choose for them to have two arms and two legs and ten fingers and ten toes and good health and to not be mentally retarded or have anything else wrong with them. But we don't get to choose, Harry. We get what we're given. And I will love whatever child I am given; no matter the gifts they may or may not have. And if I ever have to make a choice like your mother did, even if that child happened to be a squib, I will do so without a moment's hesitation. And don't you, for even one second, stand there all sanctimonious and pretend you wouldn't make the same choice." She finished, glaring at him, daring him to deny her words.

Harry took a slow breath. "You're right. I'm sorry."

"Thank you."

He reached for her hand, gently tugging her to him. She went willingly. He cradled her head in his hand. "There won't be anyone else, Ginny."

"I know."

"What are you thinking?"

"It will protect you."

"Yeah," he agreed.

It was well after curfew when the door of the dormitory opened. Daphne stopped in her pacing. Ginny closed the door. The two stood frozen for a few seconds before rushing into each other's arms. "I just want to keep you safe," Daphne sniffed.

Ginny kissed her cheek. "I know."

"They took her from me and I don't think I could stand if they took you too."

"Shush," Ginny soothed. "I know. I know." She pulled Daphne to her bed, settling them with the blonde's head in her lap.

"Promise they won't take you too."

Ginny combed her fingers through Daphne's hair. "Shush, now."

Daphne pushed herself up so she could see Ginny's face. "Promise me they won't take you too."

Ginny slowly shook her head. "Daph."

"Promise me, Ginevra." Ginny grimaced. Daphne grabbed her by the face. "Promise me."

"I can't," Ginny answered painfully. Daphne collapsed in her lap and sobbed. There was nothing Ginny could do but wrap herself around Daphne and hold her. "I know," she soothed. "I know."

HPHPHP

Bill stood, his arms crossed, staring into the fire. He didn't turn when she entered the room. "Bill?" He didn't respond. Lily moved to him, placing her hand on his shoulder. She could feel him trembling with anger. "Talk to me."

"Why the hell didn't he say no?"

"He knew Fudge needed the distraction."

Bill rounded on her. "Distraction?" he all but snarled. "His distraction has turned into a damn five-year-old being used as a hostage in a tournament that killed his own sister."

Lily held her ground. "I agree, Bill, he's lost sight of the cost of his manipulations."

"And you're sure we haven't?" She started to respond but he kept on. "The only reason Snape's no longer at that school is because Harry forced our hand. Harry, not us." Lily grimaced. There was no arguing there. "He needs to go, Lily. Mark my words, someone is going to die at that school this year and we will be complicit in it because we didn't take him down when we should have. Whether we find some way of forcing him to resign, or we join with that son-of-a-bitch the next time he calls for a vote by the board, he needs to go."

"We've already taken steps and begun discussions with our allies on the board. The vote will happen, and we won't have to join with our enemies to do so. He'll be gone by spring, and next fall Minerva will begin her tenure as Headmistress."

"We hope."

"Sending them to Hogwarts was never about the education they would receive. They were always going to be able to learn more, faster, here with me. It was about them being, and needing to be, children. It is a decision I have wrestled with far more than you can possibly imagine. If we can't force him out, if Minerva is not Headmistress come fall, we'll keep them here and teach them ourselves."

"Are you sure we shouldn't just do that anyway? You said it yourself. They'll learn more here. Isn't every hour they spend in Astronomy an hour they could have spent learning something that was going to keep them alive? Aren't hours spent writing essays a waste? Shouldn't we just give up all pretense and have them spend all their time learning how to duel?"

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but are they not all capable of winning a fight against someone far older? Didn't they just recently take out all of you in a simulated attack? Did three of them not just take down ten sixth and seventh-year boys?"

"Don't delude yourself, Lily. Me, Tonks, Sirius, Remus, if we stopped holding back we'd wipe the floor with all of them."

"Now who's deluding themself? You could not take both your sister and Harry and you know it. You would be pressed against even Hermione and Luna. Tonks and Kingsley rate even Daphne and Neville as being capable of taking down a first year auror trainee."

"You're forgetting knowledge, skill and technique. One on one, I could take any of them; Harry included. It wouldn't even take me a minute to do it. And unless they took me down just that fast, I could take both Harry and my sister. And If I managed to take Harry in the first few seconds I'm willing to bet I could take all of them at once. So could Tonks. So could Remus. Sirius… Lucius. And, bet your arse, so could Voldemort."

"My son has already demonstrated he is capable of killing people. Do you doubt his spell of choice is capable of killing Voldemort?"

"I don't doubt that it can, Lily. I doubt him ever actually managing to hit the bastard with it."

"How many different shield charms are there?"

"Eight."

"How many can they cast?" Bill rolled his eyes. "So every possible spell that can be stopped by a shield, they are capable of casting the shield that can stop it… And the one they can't, they are capable of conjuring a wall of stone to stop."

"Capable and competent are two different animals, Lily."

"How long before you can't take Harry one on one?"

"What?"

"Sirius estimates six months before only luck will allow him to win a duel against Harry."

"Only because he's ridiculously over-powered."

"But he is… As is Ginny. As are Hermione and Luna. So tell me, how long before you can't beat them?"

"It's not me they have to fight."

"He is fifty years older than they are, Bill. If breadth of knowledge was to be the determining factor, there was never a chance."

Bill stared at her. "You're right," he sighed.

She smirked. "Usually."

He grimaced. "Don't smile. You're likely to murder me before the night's over."

She cocked her head. "That's a bit of a non sequitur."

He pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket and offered it to her. She just looked at it. "Go on."

"What is it?"

"Just read it." She took it from him, unfolded it and started to read. It wasn't long and he was able to see when she went back and read through a second and then a third time.

Time dawned.

One began.

One who are two, two who are One.

Where one goes the other will follow

The Champion first. Marked upon his brow.

She after. Seventh child of the seventh child.

Seven generations hence.

The Power he knows not.

The Dark Lord shall brand her very soul.

Through her, the Champion may live.

Without, he shall die.

"What is this?" she asked softly.

"An Arithmetic Projection. Made by my great-great-great-great-grandfather upon the birth of the last female Weasley before Ginny."

She cocked a brow. "Where did you get it?"

"Harry retrieved it from the Hall of Prophecies."

Her eyes narrowed. "My son has seen this?"

"Not per say." He waited. She didn't disappoint, finding the answer in only a handful of seconds.

"You obliviated my son!" she hissed, advancing on him.

He didn't back away. "I risked Azkaban for your son. I know; it had to be done. But I sure as hell wasn't going to do it twice. So I took it; for the same reason we took the other one. But I couldn't let him know what was in it and not tell her at the same time. How do you think she would have taken learning it?"

"So you obliviated my son!"

"I hid the truth from my sister!" He fired back. "I forced her to come here all summer long. I manipulated her so she would come back to him on her own – and we both know it had to be on her own that she did – because if I didn't that bloody fucking thing says we're all dead if she doesn't. Just like you, I've turned the most important person in the world to me into a weapon. You want to kill me, kill me. But we're the same, Lily Potter, and don't you pretend, for even one god-damned-second, we aren't." She turned away, crossing her arms over her chest. He said nothing.

"What else haven't you told me?"

"Nothing." She shook her head slowly and he could see her face, etched with anger and betrayal, reflected in the window. "Are we finished?" he asked quietly.

She closed her eyes, turning her head slightly as she fought with herself. He held his breath, waiting for her to pass judgment. "No," she said softly

Bill let out the breath he'd been holding. He took a second to steady himself. "I'm sorry, Lily. I'd do it again, but I'm sorry."

She turned to face him. "You're right, Bill, we are the same. And you bloody well deserve me."

He smiled painfully. "Yes, you do."

"So where do we go from here?"

"Us, or everything else?"

She considered him for a few seconds before setting the sheet of paper on the table. "I think everything else can keep for a few hours."

Bill eyed the paper for a moment longer before shifting his eyes back to hers. "Well," he said slowly, "I'd say we should get married; there's just this minor complication of you being dead."

Her jaw dropped. "You're joking.

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Suppose not having a ring doesn't help me?" She crossed her arms and glared at him. "Sorry?" he ventured.

"This has to be the worst proposal in the history of proposals."

"Likely," he agreed.

"I don't even believe this."

"I love you."

She rocked back. "What did you say?"

He stepped to her. "I love you, Lily Potter."

Looking up into his eyes, she said, "Will you settle for moving in?"

He grinned. "All the benefits, none of the risk, why would I say no?"

She pulled him down. "Yes, William Arthur Weasley, I will marry you," she whispered and kissed him.

HPHPHP

Author's notes:

Well, now we know the contents of the second prophecy. Now we just have to wait and see how it plays into the first one.