A/N: This was written for Lia's challenge at the DG Forum. The rules were:

Prompt/theme: betray - to lead astray, deceive

Challenge: You must add this bit of narration in the format of a letter/note in your drabble: I'm glad you finally found someone to make you happy. I just wish it could have been me.

Bonus: a twist.

Word count: 500 words, maximum.

Deadline: Monday, June 7th.

Fragments

The smoke curls around her like an intangible snake. She can smell the burnt flesh, but it is the blackened photographs scattered on the floor that draw her attention. She reaches down and picks up one of the charred photos that have managed to survive the flames. There is no image. The face has been burned away.

A smile touches her lips. It is a horrifying smile, childish in its glee, yet deeply cruel at the same time.

The figure at her feet groans. She ignores the sound and picks up a quill bathed in crimson.

She is still smiling.

X

Dear Draco,

X

"He's going to marry her, you know."

"What makes you think that?"

"He told me."

Silence.

"I see."

X

Will you still love her if she's ugly? Will she still be the wife you wanted?

X

"What the hell is wrong with you?" the blond hisses.

"What do you think?"

"You can't keep coming to me like this. I'm getting married in two days."

"Afraid your little fiancée will find out about your affair?" She smiles maliciously. "I could tell her, you know."

"Perhaps I've already told her myself."

"Please. I know your type. You'll be trying to keep her in that innocent bubble for as long as possible. You wouldn't dream of letting her know about all the ugliness behind that pretty face of yours."

"You'll never let it go, will you?"

"You broke my heart."

"I'm sorry."

X

Your apologies mean nothing to me. I know you.

X

Draco sits on the bench outside the hospital room, head in his hands. There is a crumpled piece of parchment beside him. He lifts his face and picks it up almost mechanically. He smoothes out the creases and stares at the words – words that have been written in her blood:

I'm glad you finally found someone to make you happy. I just wish it could have been me.

Enjoy your wife.

The twisted irony behind the words stab him like a knife tipped with ice. He wants to take revenge, but he knows that is what she wants.

He stands up from the bench and enters the room where his wife is recovering. She is covered in bandages, her face barely recognisable. The crown of red that once adorned her head is no more. The freckles that sprinkled her skin are burned away. But when she opens her eyes, he sees that they are the same shade of brown. She has beautiful eyes, and even now they still make his heart swell.

He leans forward and places a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"I love you," he whispers.

Ginevra Malfoy looks back at him, unable to speak, yet she returns his words with her eyes.

She does not hate him for what has happened.

He knows that he will never tell her the full truth.

It is easier to deceive.

X

You are only deceiving yourself.

X