Disclaimer: Thanks to my friend Stacy (mysterywriter) I got this idea. So,
hopefully, it isn't too hard to follow. It all belongs to J. K. Rowling,
except the part me and Stacy thought up.
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Chapter 5: The True Sign of Love
Voldemort insisted that Ginny and Draco spend time together. He wanted them to get along so that they would agree more when it came to sharing the leadership of the Dark side. Unfortunately, this 'quality time' usually ended in yelling.
"You're such a pompous bastard!" Ginny screamed, slamming her bedroom door shut.
"I don't fucking care who you're related to, you're still a bitch!" Draco yelled, shutting his door loudly as well. Ginny retorted to this by opening her door and throwing the engagement ring Draco had reluctantly given her that night at his closed door. She then slammed her door shut once again.
Ginny didn't even bother crying. Draco Malfoy wasn't wroth it. She just sat on her bed and swelled with rage. After a few rude but still rather colorful words were screamed through the wall at her fiancé, Ginny decided to throw a few things as well. Nothing breakable, mind you, just heavy things that made a lot of noise.
But the sound of her creaky door opening brought Ginny's five-year- old tantrum to a screeching halt. Narcissa Malfoy stood in her doorway, smirking a little warmer version of the Malfoy smirk.
"Sorry." Ginny muttered, carefully setting down the book she was preparing to throw.
Narcissa walked over to Ginny and handed her the engagement ring she had recently thrown at Draco's door. "Would you like to talk about it?" She asked as Ginny set the ring on her nightstand. She was surprised and touched by Narcissa's kindness. She would never expect this out of any of the Malfoys.
"I don't think you want to hear the things I have to say about your son." Ginny said, glaring in the direction of Draco's room.
"I'm sure it can't be that bad." Narcissa half laughed. She sat on Ginny's bed and motioned for her to do the same.
"It's just...." Ginny started, looking around her room as if the words she was looking for would be hidden somewhere. "Everything is going wrong." She sighed. "I'm being forced to marry someone I don't even like, and everything is just happening so quickly, you know?" Ginny said, her voice cracking a little. "I mean, only a few days ago, I found out that my parents had hidden my real identity from me, and now people expect me to be the new Dark Lord?" Ginny wiped her eyes franticly and Narcissa put a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Do you miss your family?" She asked, looking sympathetically at her soon to be daughter-in-law.
Ginny sighed with annoyance. "I shouldn't miss them. They kept a secret from me my whole life, and then trade me to a man who's name I can't even say freely." Ginny was too numb from all of the feelings that were pouring out to notice that Narcissa had her in a motherly embrace. "But now that they're gone, I miss them so much. Every night I lay in bed and try to remember their faces, how they smelled. It's only been a few weeks, and I can't even remember my mother's voice." She said, letting a few tears escape as she twirled the Claddagh ring around on it's chain. "I feel so alone. Everyone thinks I'm dead, and they've probably already forgotten about me."
"Don't say that." Narcissa said in a soothing voice. "You're family will always love you." She ran her fingers through Ginny's red hair as the little girl cried quietly into Narcissa's dark green blouse. "And you shouldn't feel alone. You've got Draco." Ginny scoffed at this remark.
"How can I feel comforted by a man I hate?" Ginny asked, straightening up to whip her eyes.
"Hate seems like a strong word." Narcissa said with a small smile.
"Sometimes I don't think it's strong enough." Ginny half laughed, completely forgetting about the tears that had once filled her eyes. "I'm sorry to tell you this, but you're son's a horrible human being."
Narcissa laughed whole-heartedly. "Trust me, he's not as bad as you think."
"You're just saying that because you're his mother." Ginny said dismissively.
"Actually, I shouldn't say that because I'm his mother." Narcissa explained. Ginny looked up at her with a puzzled expression. "Let's just say that the Malfoy's and the Weasley's have two very different ideas of what a family is." She said knowingly. "Just give Draco a chance, I'm sure he'll show his true colors soon."
"I'm just afraid that that's already happened." Ginny remarked.
"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you." Narcissa said with a warm smile. "Draco is like... a Hippogriff."
Ginny laughed, having trouble picturing Draco's blonde head on a Hippogriff.
"He puts on an intimidating exterior, and is horrible to you in the beginning. But once you get to know him, and he knows that you have good intentions, he'll show you the real him. And, believe me darling, you want to be there when the real him shows through." Narcissa laughed.
~*~*~*~
The next day, Ginny was still avoiding Draco, not speaking to him and sending him nasty glares whenever they pasted in the hall on the way to the bathroom. Narcissa's words had some effect on her, but not very much of one. Every time Ginny considered speaking to Draco, she remembered all of the horrible things he did back at Hogwarts. If he was as good as his mother claimed, then why did he insist on making fun of her family at every opportunity? There wasn't enough of Ginny's heart left to have space for some Slytherin bastard.
"Have you..." Narcissa asked one day.
"Made up? No." Ginny answered. Seeing the frown that formed on Narcissa's face at the sound of that word, Ginny tried to explain. "I'm sure he's a wonderful person," she lied. "but if he wants to marry me, then he has to show me that he's not the person he was back at Hogwarts."
Narcissa sighed and nodded, knowing that there wasn't anything she could do to change Ginny's mind. Draco would have to do that.
Ginny walked into the kitchen when someone stopped her by shoving her roughly into a wall. Ginny let out a little yelp, but suddenly couldn't breath when that person grabbed her throat.
"Now what's this I hear about you not wanting to marry my son?" Lucius hissed in a casual manner as Ginny gasped for air. No one was around to help her, not that they'd try to stop Lucius Malfoy from doing something.
"You will marry Draco because I deserve that power." Lucius whispered, his voice like venom. "I worked my ass off for this, and I'm not going to have some muggle-loving idiot come in here and take that power away from me."
Ginny's eyes filled with tears of pain as she groped at Lucius' hand that was clutching her throat. She was sure that she was going to black out, when suddenly an angel's voice broke through the havoc.
"Get off of her!" Draco yelled, yanking his father off of Ginny. Ginny thankfully inhaled in the air that she had been deprived of. She touched the ginger area around her neck, and looked up at Draco gratefully. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Draco asked his father in disgust. Quick as a flash, Lucius took a hold of Draco's jaw and suddenly he had the power.
"Don't you EVER talk to me like that again." Lucius' voice boomed. Draco narrowed his eyes, not giving into the pain as is father squeezed tighter on his tender jaw.
Ginny didn't know what to do. She was paralyzed by fear, but felt that if she didn't do something Draco would get even more hurt. But just when Ginny was deciding what to do, Lucius let go of Draco's jaw. Draco recoiled from his father's touch, but not quick enough. Lucius brought his hand up again and slapped Draco hard across his already damaged jaw. With a swish of his expensive cloak, Lucius was gone.
"Are you alright?" Ginny asked, rushing over to Draco. He just shrugged her off and wiped away the blood that was trickling down his chin. He had bitten his tongue when Lucius grabbed his jaw. "You're bleeding."
"Thanks for the update." Draco scoffed, rolling his eyes as he tried to control the bleeding.
"Well stop being such an ass and let me help." Ginny said angrily. Draco looked up at her for a second, and then let her take over. She whipped out her wand, and with a simple charm, everything was healed.
"Ummm... thanks." Draco said, obviously not use to having to thank other people.
Ginny shrugged and muttered a thanks in return. She really didn't have the energy, nor the stomach, to handle going through the whole, "thanks for saving me life" thing. Though, if it hadn't have been so cheesy, she would have said just that.
~*~*~*~
Ginny and Draco sat outside in the garden one afternoon. Ginny agreed to give the relationship another chance, not that she had any choice. But the courage and kindness that Draco had shown the night before had convinced her that she was doing the right thing. So she put the engagement ring back on and went back to spending time with her fiancé. Most of this time, however, was spent in silence.
Ginny sat on a white garden bench with Draco next to her. She stared at her hands awkwardly as Draco focused on constructing a little pile of dirt with his feet.
Draco finally broke the silence. He took a big breath and said simply, "This sucks."
"It took you this long to realize that?" Ginny asked, looking up at him.
"I mean," Draco said, ignoring her comment. "we have absolutely nothing in common. Plus I don't know anything about you, and we're getting married in less then a month."
"Well, my favorite color is blue, I like spaghetti, and I'll kill myself before I date a man who smokes." Ginny said, looking up at the sky thoughtfully.
"I mean important things." Draco said.
"Like what?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Like... what's one quality that you think your perfect man should have?" he asked. Ginny pondered this question for a few seconds, biting her bottom lip in deep thought.
"He'd have to be really great in.... the kitchen." Ginny said truthfully.
"...what?"
"I want a guy who knows how to make eggs." Ginny explained. "And not just any eggs. My eggs."
"So, you'd rather have a guy who can cook then a guy who's -I donno- devilishly handsome?" Draco asked, obviously referring to himself.
"I don't care if he can cook, he just has to make the eggs I like." Ginny said.
"Well, any guy can do that. Eggs are easy to make." Draco said dismissively.
"Don't be so sure of yourself." Ginny teased. "I like my eggs with two egg whites and only half of one yellow. Then a pinch of salt and maybe a few shakes of pepper. I'm a very picky eater, and if the eggs aren't perfect, neither's the guy."
"So, let me get this straight." Draco said. "You'd rather wake up to the smell of eggs, then next to an amazingly good-looking guy?"
"I'd rather have the relationship with the person I love be about more then just looks." Ginny corrected with a smile.
"So, eggs over beauty?" Draco asked. Ginny nodded and he sighed. "You Weasley's do love your food."
"Riddle." Ginny corrected him with a smile.
"Naw, you're a Weasley." Draco said confidently.
"I'm not sure if that's a compliment coming from you."
"What I mean is that I know Voldemort. I've known him my whole life. And, believe me, you're nothing like your father." Draco said, looking into Ginny's eyes and seeing them crinkle into a smile.
"Well, it looks like we do have something in common after all." Ginny said.
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A/N: in case you missed it, Ginny meant that Draco's nothing like his father either. See? Complicated! I know!
If you want me to e-mail you when I update, just leave your e-mail address in your review. I'd be happy to do it.
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Chapter 5: The True Sign of Love
Voldemort insisted that Ginny and Draco spend time together. He wanted them to get along so that they would agree more when it came to sharing the leadership of the Dark side. Unfortunately, this 'quality time' usually ended in yelling.
"You're such a pompous bastard!" Ginny screamed, slamming her bedroom door shut.
"I don't fucking care who you're related to, you're still a bitch!" Draco yelled, shutting his door loudly as well. Ginny retorted to this by opening her door and throwing the engagement ring Draco had reluctantly given her that night at his closed door. She then slammed her door shut once again.
Ginny didn't even bother crying. Draco Malfoy wasn't wroth it. She just sat on her bed and swelled with rage. After a few rude but still rather colorful words were screamed through the wall at her fiancé, Ginny decided to throw a few things as well. Nothing breakable, mind you, just heavy things that made a lot of noise.
But the sound of her creaky door opening brought Ginny's five-year- old tantrum to a screeching halt. Narcissa Malfoy stood in her doorway, smirking a little warmer version of the Malfoy smirk.
"Sorry." Ginny muttered, carefully setting down the book she was preparing to throw.
Narcissa walked over to Ginny and handed her the engagement ring she had recently thrown at Draco's door. "Would you like to talk about it?" She asked as Ginny set the ring on her nightstand. She was surprised and touched by Narcissa's kindness. She would never expect this out of any of the Malfoys.
"I don't think you want to hear the things I have to say about your son." Ginny said, glaring in the direction of Draco's room.
"I'm sure it can't be that bad." Narcissa half laughed. She sat on Ginny's bed and motioned for her to do the same.
"It's just...." Ginny started, looking around her room as if the words she was looking for would be hidden somewhere. "Everything is going wrong." She sighed. "I'm being forced to marry someone I don't even like, and everything is just happening so quickly, you know?" Ginny said, her voice cracking a little. "I mean, only a few days ago, I found out that my parents had hidden my real identity from me, and now people expect me to be the new Dark Lord?" Ginny wiped her eyes franticly and Narcissa put a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Do you miss your family?" She asked, looking sympathetically at her soon to be daughter-in-law.
Ginny sighed with annoyance. "I shouldn't miss them. They kept a secret from me my whole life, and then trade me to a man who's name I can't even say freely." Ginny was too numb from all of the feelings that were pouring out to notice that Narcissa had her in a motherly embrace. "But now that they're gone, I miss them so much. Every night I lay in bed and try to remember their faces, how they smelled. It's only been a few weeks, and I can't even remember my mother's voice." She said, letting a few tears escape as she twirled the Claddagh ring around on it's chain. "I feel so alone. Everyone thinks I'm dead, and they've probably already forgotten about me."
"Don't say that." Narcissa said in a soothing voice. "You're family will always love you." She ran her fingers through Ginny's red hair as the little girl cried quietly into Narcissa's dark green blouse. "And you shouldn't feel alone. You've got Draco." Ginny scoffed at this remark.
"How can I feel comforted by a man I hate?" Ginny asked, straightening up to whip her eyes.
"Hate seems like a strong word." Narcissa said with a small smile.
"Sometimes I don't think it's strong enough." Ginny half laughed, completely forgetting about the tears that had once filled her eyes. "I'm sorry to tell you this, but you're son's a horrible human being."
Narcissa laughed whole-heartedly. "Trust me, he's not as bad as you think."
"You're just saying that because you're his mother." Ginny said dismissively.
"Actually, I shouldn't say that because I'm his mother." Narcissa explained. Ginny looked up at her with a puzzled expression. "Let's just say that the Malfoy's and the Weasley's have two very different ideas of what a family is." She said knowingly. "Just give Draco a chance, I'm sure he'll show his true colors soon."
"I'm just afraid that that's already happened." Ginny remarked.
"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you." Narcissa said with a warm smile. "Draco is like... a Hippogriff."
Ginny laughed, having trouble picturing Draco's blonde head on a Hippogriff.
"He puts on an intimidating exterior, and is horrible to you in the beginning. But once you get to know him, and he knows that you have good intentions, he'll show you the real him. And, believe me darling, you want to be there when the real him shows through." Narcissa laughed.
~*~*~*~
The next day, Ginny was still avoiding Draco, not speaking to him and sending him nasty glares whenever they pasted in the hall on the way to the bathroom. Narcissa's words had some effect on her, but not very much of one. Every time Ginny considered speaking to Draco, she remembered all of the horrible things he did back at Hogwarts. If he was as good as his mother claimed, then why did he insist on making fun of her family at every opportunity? There wasn't enough of Ginny's heart left to have space for some Slytherin bastard.
"Have you..." Narcissa asked one day.
"Made up? No." Ginny answered. Seeing the frown that formed on Narcissa's face at the sound of that word, Ginny tried to explain. "I'm sure he's a wonderful person," she lied. "but if he wants to marry me, then he has to show me that he's not the person he was back at Hogwarts."
Narcissa sighed and nodded, knowing that there wasn't anything she could do to change Ginny's mind. Draco would have to do that.
Ginny walked into the kitchen when someone stopped her by shoving her roughly into a wall. Ginny let out a little yelp, but suddenly couldn't breath when that person grabbed her throat.
"Now what's this I hear about you not wanting to marry my son?" Lucius hissed in a casual manner as Ginny gasped for air. No one was around to help her, not that they'd try to stop Lucius Malfoy from doing something.
"You will marry Draco because I deserve that power." Lucius whispered, his voice like venom. "I worked my ass off for this, and I'm not going to have some muggle-loving idiot come in here and take that power away from me."
Ginny's eyes filled with tears of pain as she groped at Lucius' hand that was clutching her throat. She was sure that she was going to black out, when suddenly an angel's voice broke through the havoc.
"Get off of her!" Draco yelled, yanking his father off of Ginny. Ginny thankfully inhaled in the air that she had been deprived of. She touched the ginger area around her neck, and looked up at Draco gratefully. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Draco asked his father in disgust. Quick as a flash, Lucius took a hold of Draco's jaw and suddenly he had the power.
"Don't you EVER talk to me like that again." Lucius' voice boomed. Draco narrowed his eyes, not giving into the pain as is father squeezed tighter on his tender jaw.
Ginny didn't know what to do. She was paralyzed by fear, but felt that if she didn't do something Draco would get even more hurt. But just when Ginny was deciding what to do, Lucius let go of Draco's jaw. Draco recoiled from his father's touch, but not quick enough. Lucius brought his hand up again and slapped Draco hard across his already damaged jaw. With a swish of his expensive cloak, Lucius was gone.
"Are you alright?" Ginny asked, rushing over to Draco. He just shrugged her off and wiped away the blood that was trickling down his chin. He had bitten his tongue when Lucius grabbed his jaw. "You're bleeding."
"Thanks for the update." Draco scoffed, rolling his eyes as he tried to control the bleeding.
"Well stop being such an ass and let me help." Ginny said angrily. Draco looked up at her for a second, and then let her take over. She whipped out her wand, and with a simple charm, everything was healed.
"Ummm... thanks." Draco said, obviously not use to having to thank other people.
Ginny shrugged and muttered a thanks in return. She really didn't have the energy, nor the stomach, to handle going through the whole, "thanks for saving me life" thing. Though, if it hadn't have been so cheesy, she would have said just that.
~*~*~*~
Ginny and Draco sat outside in the garden one afternoon. Ginny agreed to give the relationship another chance, not that she had any choice. But the courage and kindness that Draco had shown the night before had convinced her that she was doing the right thing. So she put the engagement ring back on and went back to spending time with her fiancé. Most of this time, however, was spent in silence.
Ginny sat on a white garden bench with Draco next to her. She stared at her hands awkwardly as Draco focused on constructing a little pile of dirt with his feet.
Draco finally broke the silence. He took a big breath and said simply, "This sucks."
"It took you this long to realize that?" Ginny asked, looking up at him.
"I mean," Draco said, ignoring her comment. "we have absolutely nothing in common. Plus I don't know anything about you, and we're getting married in less then a month."
"Well, my favorite color is blue, I like spaghetti, and I'll kill myself before I date a man who smokes." Ginny said, looking up at the sky thoughtfully.
"I mean important things." Draco said.
"Like what?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Like... what's one quality that you think your perfect man should have?" he asked. Ginny pondered this question for a few seconds, biting her bottom lip in deep thought.
"He'd have to be really great in.... the kitchen." Ginny said truthfully.
"...what?"
"I want a guy who knows how to make eggs." Ginny explained. "And not just any eggs. My eggs."
"So, you'd rather have a guy who can cook then a guy who's -I donno- devilishly handsome?" Draco asked, obviously referring to himself.
"I don't care if he can cook, he just has to make the eggs I like." Ginny said.
"Well, any guy can do that. Eggs are easy to make." Draco said dismissively.
"Don't be so sure of yourself." Ginny teased. "I like my eggs with two egg whites and only half of one yellow. Then a pinch of salt and maybe a few shakes of pepper. I'm a very picky eater, and if the eggs aren't perfect, neither's the guy."
"So, let me get this straight." Draco said. "You'd rather wake up to the smell of eggs, then next to an amazingly good-looking guy?"
"I'd rather have the relationship with the person I love be about more then just looks." Ginny corrected with a smile.
"So, eggs over beauty?" Draco asked. Ginny nodded and he sighed. "You Weasley's do love your food."
"Riddle." Ginny corrected him with a smile.
"Naw, you're a Weasley." Draco said confidently.
"I'm not sure if that's a compliment coming from you."
"What I mean is that I know Voldemort. I've known him my whole life. And, believe me, you're nothing like your father." Draco said, looking into Ginny's eyes and seeing them crinkle into a smile.
"Well, it looks like we do have something in common after all." Ginny said.
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A/N: in case you missed it, Ginny meant that Draco's nothing like his father either. See? Complicated! I know!
If you want me to e-mail you when I update, just leave your e-mail address in your review. I'd be happy to do it.