Disclaimer: All characters are the property of J.K. Rowling. I own nothing.

Chapter I: Awakening of Suspicion

They had just made love and were stretched out on her four-poster bed, their limbs entwined. If anyone were to ask, she would freely admit that the times she spent with him were some of the happiest of her life.

"Ginevra," He murmured, running his fingers through her tangled red curls, "what are your plans for tomorrow?"

"Well, I had planned on taking the children to Diagon Alley for school supplies." She replied. "Why?"

"If you want to go to Diagon Alley, then you had best do it today. The Dark Lord has ordered a demonstration. Tomorrow, the entire place will be filled with Death Eaters."

"V-Voldemort?" Ginny whispered his name, as if speaking it aloud could cause "Him" to appear.

She did not see the blow coming. The flat of his hand connected near her mouth, causing her to gasp and her head to turn sharply to the side. The blow was light, almost playful-- not nearly hard enough to leave a bruise.

He leaned in closer to her and gently caressed her face. "You, my dear, are not worthy to utter his name." He rose from the bed, and began to dress, a clear indication that their interlude was over.

Ginny gingerly brought her fingers to her face. Her mouth and cheek were dully throbbing. Perhaps it would leave a bruise after all. She smiled tentatively up at him. "Are you sure you can't stay, just a bit longer? I won't be able to see you again for a week."

He smiled coldly at her, his grey eyes freezing her with his gaze, just like chips of ice. "Really my dear, I do not think that would be prudent. Your husband is due home soon, is he not? I do not think he would be at all pleased to find me here. In fact, I believe he would be furious. He might even take it into his head to challenge me to a duel. No, it would not do at all for him to find me here."

"No…you are right, I suppose." Ginny stood up and reached for her robe. I should probably go and wake the children. I don't want the shopping to take all day."

She fidgeted as he continued to dress, not even acknowledging her existence. She loved him with all of her being. But at times like this, when he treated her with coldness and indifference, she wondered why she allowed herself to care for him at all.

He had finished dressing, and was busy lighting a fire in the grate, preparing to Floo home. Right before he stepped into the fire, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward him. His left hand tangled in her hair as he drew her forward into a bruising kiss. His kisses made it all worth it.

He was about to throw down the powder when she called him back.

"Lucius!"

He looked at her, one eyebrow raised in question.

"You will... be careful... won't you?" Her voice was pleading. "Promise me. I could not bear it if anything were to happen to you."

He smirked at her. "Aren't I always? It will take more than those fool Aurors at the Ministry to bring down Lord Voldemort's Death Eaters." A burst of flame, and he was gone.

Ginny hurried with her dressing and then proceeded to the bedrooms of her children to wake them for the day. Finding all of their rooms empty, she went instead to the dining room where she found her six children enjoying their breakfast. And much to her surprise, she found her husband seated at the head of the table, the Daily Prophet in hand.

"Well, look who finally decided to grace us with her presence."

She did not know how long he had been home. Long enough—she wondered—to have seen the departure of her lover? No, it was impossible. He would have flown into a rage and Lucius would now be dead.

"What?" He said sneeringly. "No welcome home kiss for your husband?"

Plastering a smile on her face, she went forward and planted a kiss on her husband's cheek. "Good morning, Draco. Welcome home."

A/N: I have revised this slightly. The old version was the worst crap imaginable, full of spelling and grammar errors. Hopefully this version is somewhat better P