Disclaimer: The regular disclaimer still stays in place, I owe nothing but the AU and OC. The rest belongs to JKR.(drb)
Chapter 10
The "process" as these cronies of the ministries was referring to the couple sorting system was started once again. And moments later, it had blared "Draco Lucius Malfoy and Ginevra Weasley – compatibility percentage- 98.8%.
He could hardly make up the mind to laugh, to reek or to dance like a mad man. Still, in Shock, he had turned to look at his intended wife. She turned and was staring at him as well. Blanched, and blotched, her eyes had gone wide with disbelief. Then she had screamed on top of her lungs. "I am not marrying that greasy ferret".
The Ministry official the same plump woman had scrunched her face up in mock sympathy and had stated, "Why don't Mr. Dean Thomas, speak to both the parties in private, the ministry understands that many of the matches declared might come as a shock but, we are truly doing our very best for the general public. In these trying times, we want the public to support us. Or else things will get different for each one of us. We would hate to see our priced magical members to live like squibs and muggles…Mr. Thomas please escort Mr. Malfoy, Miss Weasley, and Oh, why don't you, Mr. Weasley join those two…the presence of the family can do magic."
They had quietly left the room. The dim of the general public had drowned the moment those heavy dorrs of the courtroom had closed behind them. Dean had pointed out a spacious room to the left of the surprisingly deserted corridor. "This part is only permission to the access of the Ministry officials, "holding the door ajar, he had invited the other three inside, "We better get on within little hitch."
When all of them had settled around the simple table and four worn-out wooden chairs, the Gryffindor official had apologized, "I have to read out the Ministry decree to each one of you just to remind you of the consequences of defying the Magical Marriage Law. And I can choose not to do that, by simply telling you why all this is so very important."
He had then turned to Ginny who had been crying her heart out with a subdued George hold her in his arms. "Ginny I know how stubborn you can be, but I pleading you to understand that there is no escape from this law. And if you choose to defy this one, you are making yourself vulnerable."
Draco had noticed how soft the Gryfindor's eyes had gone and how delicately he was handling the situation. He could not stop himself from feeling a pang of jealousy burning a hole in his heart.
"Gin, the reasons are all staring back at you. All you need to do is look past your narrow, yes justified, but immaterial right at the moment, beliefs and accept Malfoy…You got to understand that several things are happening at the same thing. We need to rebuild the British magical world. We have lost too many of our dear ones. And more than anything we need to keep the people safe from Greyback and his nefarious plans. It is a known fact that he is out to overtake the magical world. Ginny it is our prime responsibility to secure each and every remaining survivor. The magical marriage bond is the only answer."
George had kept on holding his crying sister, patting her back, shooting daggers at Draco, gritting his teeth all the while. Dean had turned to him next, asks him to see reason," Greyback is not going behind Slytherins, Gryffindors, Ravenclaws or Hufflepuffs, he is abducting citizens of the magical world, young are equivalent to able bodies to him. Young women are equal to breeding bodies…" Ginny had exclaimed, but Dean had raised his hands to say, "not my words, Prof. Lupin's. I will leave the three of you to settle things and will be back in fifteen minutes."
He had opened the door, to find Seamus Finnigan standing at the other side.
In a tried but eager voice, he had asked," I was thinking if I could borrow Malfoy, it is urgent."
Dean had turned to the three people inside and had asked, "Malfoy, you can make this quick, and go with Seamus. Seamus, just bring him back to the courtroom in fifteen minutes, or else…"
Seamus still had the energy to quip, "you will be hanged and later feasted upon…"
Laughing out dryly Thomas had summed up, "Mate, I too am up for auction, like the rest of you, I too will return home with a tearful and hateful wife…perhaps, who knows."
"Good luck with that."
Turning to the rest of them, he had just said, "finish up quick, Malfoy, I still have some errand to run, if I am done with that, I shall be waiting outside with Finnigan."
When the door was closed, Draco had steeled his nerves and had looked directly at George, "Listen to me out, first. "
Ginny had snuggled close to her brother burying her head deeper into his arms, and George had given the other man a curt nod.
"I am handing over the Manor to the ministry after the ceremony. Your sister will never require to step inside that horrid house, rather I wanted to burn it down, but the Ministry had intervened. Both we both need to visit the graves of my parents- a last goodbye of sorts," looking at George's wand, he had said, "I will get back my wand, after I had handed over the Manor, in the presence of my future wife, the ministry will also put a detecting spell on it. I am not allowed to buy another wand, that probation stays till my first child is born," he had ignored Ginny's whimper," we will be staying far away from all these, at my great grandmother's country house, I will owl you the address later on. I will open a floo connection once we reach there and get it connected with the Burrows, so had your sister can talk to you and pay you all a visit whenever she feels like…"
George had nodded in understanding, and Draco had continued, "There is more…"
"What?"
"The ministry wants all of us to contribute in some way or the other in rebuilding the community. This means each of us need to have a job, or a business. I have surrendered everything my parents and grandparents had established under their names. But there are other things I would like to believe I am good at…"
Ginny had spat among the tears, "OH! Yeah! Like bullying and killing…or better plotting to kill"
In spite of the taunt, Draco had smiled slyly, "My dear, my acumen lies in softer skills."
Draco had requested Gringotts to send him a particular item from his personal vault through the ministry agencies. He now got that out from his breast pocket. It was a cubic navy-blue velvet box.
Passing it across the table he had gestured at George to pick it up. The brother had tentatively touched the box.
How predictable. He had drawled, "It is not jinxed, in case that is what you are wondering."
Ginny had peered at it as well. She knew what it could be. "So, you got a ring as well, how eager of you, ferret!"
Shushing his sister, the twin had opened the box. Inside a slit cushion lay a ring. It was shaped like a snake, its body coiled just once but nowhere touching itself. All through the platinum base, red rubies were placed, the smallest sparkled at the base, and the largest glinted at the head.
It was too simple for a Malfoy, but it was still a marvelous piece of art.
Draco had spared them a couple of moments to simply admire it. He was rather pleased to see Ginny staring at it in surprise. Mother was right, women can be tempted with glistening stars.
Seamus was still waiting for him. he needed to get over this obstacle here itself. He had fished out a bunch of parchments again sent back to him by the Gringotts through a high-end Parisian jeweler.
"The validity of that ring, and the other spells that are placed on it by the maker…whether the stones are genuine or not…everything that one would doubt about it, is explained, confirmed and verified, by both the goblins and the Parisian jeweler's guild. There is also a second parchment from the British magical jeweler's guild confirming the same."
He had kept the parchments on the table and had left the room. Ginny was still awestruck at Draco's solemn speech. She had taunted him but he had ignored each one of her jibs. For the first time, she realized she was looking at a changed man. A new man. The only common thing perhaps was just the name. Draco Lucius Malfoy, the rest might have died with the war.
She had whispered aloud, "Or, all of this a bluff."
George had read through the documents and had heaved a sigh. He had rearranged Ginny in his arms so that she was facing him now.
Look at me Gin".
When his sister had managed to stare back at him, he had smiled back affectionately.
"Gin, we need to see the bigger picture here. Voldy got killed but that grey mutt is seriously trying to kill, and turn everyone into werewolves. Remember what Lupin said before he died, 'he is after young woman and girls.' Remember what happened to Gabrielle, Gin I want you to be safe and secure…"
"No, not like this…"
"Gin, sweetie, this is the best available option. The marriage bond will keep you safe. You can kick the ferret's ass, as much as you feel like, but adjust, stand by him, he means good, "pointing at those parchments, he had continued pleading, "look at those parchments, that ring carries pretty strong protective spells, and also ancient wards, that is a complete well-thought-out shield for you. And the bloody shocker of all! That Malfoy, had made it, bloody bonkers!"
"What!"- snatching the parchments from the table the youngest Weasley had read through them for the first time. She had turned to her smiling brother and had whispered in awe, the parchments had fallen off her loosened grip," Malfoy tinkles with jewelry…! Why isn't this a huge buff, a bad joke!"
"Gin, just think about it, you won't expect Malfoy doing something like this, but he has, I don't like the way this sounds, but I will still say it, I would like you to give him a chance to prove, and I will make sure I am just a floo call away." He had hugged the trembling girl in his arms burying his nose in her hair.
"George, what about you? You can't stay alone at the Burrows…"
"Hey! Sis, remember all of us are getting married either today or in the days to come…I might as well snag one of the beauties, and whisk her off in my high castle."
"George!" she had huffed and had slapped his chest.
The two siblings had stayed wrapped in each other's arms a little longer. Ginny had noticed how the twin still smelt of firewhiskey.
"Georgie?"
"Yes?"
"Don't drown yourself in a barrel of firewhiskey. I don't know who will be matched with a prankster like you, but Mum and Dad would have wanted you to behave like a good son. You can at least do that for them and for me, and for Charlie, Bill and Fleur. Be good to your future wife. And tell those three, I will be fine, I will try to come and visit them, whenever I get the chance…"
"Gin, why don't we all try to live one day at a time…"
"Sounds like a good plan."
The two had beamed at each other and had hugged each other once again. They were ready to take on whatever this crumbling world around them had planned to dish out. One day at a time.
