Chapter 001
The real hero(ine)s
December 24th, 1997
Past
Ginny sat on a window sill in a far different time. A far happier time, looking at a far from expensive landscape. Rich as the Blacks might have once been, the old house was located in a poorer neighborhood than Ginny would live in when she reached twenty-two. But among muggles, any type of landscape was good. Many of them were forgetting the power of nature, cutting its growth for their machines. One day it would be fixed. Perhaps one day soon...
"Ginny! Virginia Weasley. Pay attention to me when I'm speaking with you!" Molly Weasley demanded, waving a feather duster in front of Ginny's face.
"Sorry mum," Ginny said automatically, wrenching herself from her thoughts. It was hard, truly difficult, to leave them this time. So much was happening.
"I need you to dust in here dear. The Order is gathering for an old fashioned Christmas dinner," Molly said, handing the duster to Ginny. Ginny sighed and stood, moving to do as her mother said before she was in even more trouble.
"Is Hermione coming?" Ginny questioned her mother and she dusted the tables in the sitting room. It truly didn't need dusting at this point. It needed a bomb not old fashioned dusting.
"Yes dear, Hermione is coming. She said she was bringing a friend...Dumbledore apparently approved. So we'll see, you won't mind sharing a room will you?" Molly asked. Not that it mattered.
"Course not mum," Ginny said, dusting with a tad more pizzazz now. Hermione had news for her, at least that's what the letter Archimedes had delivered had stated. Ginny couldn't wait, it must be important if she hadn't written it in the letter. And she, of course, knew who the 'friend' was. Boy were they in for a treat.
It took her nearly two hours to dust the living room to Molly's satisfaction, and by that time most of the Order had arrived. Ginny was forever being left behind, and as much as it bothered her, she had to admit, an old fashioned dinner with the entire family did sound pleasant. They truly were one large family, the Order was, remarkable how so many people of so many shades could blend in a time of need. She supposed it was Albus Dumbledore's doing. He had a hand in almost everything these days.
It would be a treat to see the "Golden Trio" together again as well, the three had graduated nearly a year ago from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and Ginny had barely seen Hermione and Harry since. Not for anyone's faults, she supposed she could have spent the summer with them, she had resigned a deal to model for a shop in Diagon Alley. A shop she had started modeling for in her fourth year. It was not much after she started there that Lucius Malfoy began showering gifts upon her. Eventually he attempted to bed her, unfazed by her young age. If anything it had seemed to add intrigue for him. Ginny denied him, faithful to her promise to remain chaste until after Hogwarts. Hermione however, was convinced, and probably still was, that Ginny was his Mistress. However, the gifts had stopped coming during his stay at Azkaban, almost up now.
"Ginny!" Hermione's unmistakable voice sounded from the hallway. Ginny stuck her head over the banister to look down and screeched, at the same time as Hermione, nonetheless. The man beside Hermione covered his ears.
"Why do women always insist on screeching?" He asked jokingly, wrapping his arm around Hermione's shoulders. Ginny made her way quickly down the stairs, for the moment ignoring the man, and giving Hermione a hug. It was then that she noticed the more than slight bulge of Hermione's stomach.
"My gods Hermione, you're pregnant?" Ginny demanded, hugging Hermione again. "Who's the dad.... Does this mean your married?"
"The dad is the man standing next to me, and yes we're married. You knew I was engaged at least. I would have invited all of you to the wedding...But," Hermione was interrupted.
"My father took over control of our lives as soon as we stepped out of Hogwarts. We were glad he even allowed us to marry. S'long as it happened neither of us cared who was invited." Ginny turned to look at the man next to Hermione. Handsome in all accords, he'd drawn all the looks at school, even she had looked. Though, where Hermione had felt the need to touch, Ginny had stayed far away. No Griffindor mixed with the Malfoy line, until Hermione. Well, Ginny was still debating over Lucius. The attention was flattering, but the man was old enough to be her father.
"Draco, good to see you again. Knew you were coming...Didn't realize this would be a part of the news," Ginny said with a smile. She hugged Draco fondly, in the four years the two had been together Ginny had always been supportive.
The relationship had started in the America's, while Hermione was vacationing, and had continued in England with the death of her parents. This tragic event was followed by the grim paperwork that stated quite clearly of Hermione's true heritage, the sole heir to Michael and Lucia Ravenclaw. A couple murdered by Voldermort. Ginny had the vague details of prophesies that apparently revolved around the two, but Hermione had refused to disclose any other information until she was sure they had been completed.
"Not one baby Ginny, but twins." Hermione whispered softly. Perhaps Draco had heard, perhaps not, he didn't respond however. "Where's Molly?"
"Mums in the kitchen cooking. I think...Well you might want to talk to her about rooms. And introduce her to our newest member. Dumbledore approved?" Ginny asked, suddenly uncertain.
"I'm not working for the Dark Lord Ginny..." Draco stated, an icy edge on his words. He had taken enough hints from many officials, after his father was sentenced to six months in Azkaban for intent to kill. He had rid himself of the manor, leaving it to the care of a housekeeper and house elf. Narcissa was dead, a suicide committed two years ago, that day. Christmas Eve would be a bitter affair for Draco, he had loved his mother dearly.
"Yes...Well we'll just be going to see Molly," Hermione said, dragging Draco along with her.
"Hermione..." Ginny said softly.
"Yes?" Hermione asked as she opened the door.
"Never mind," Ginny replied, moving to follow Hermione into the kitchen. She had meant to warn Hermione that Ron and Harry were in playing chess, but had forgotten until that very moment. Well it would be an interesting reunion, to say the least.
"What the-" Harry said.
"Bloody hell Hermione, are you trying to kill us all. Why not just mark, 'shoot here' on the door and tell the Dark Lord where to locate us," Ron said icily. Looking at Draco with both distaste and distrust.
"Hello Hermione dear, Draco. Nice to see you both again," Ginny looked at Molly blankly.
"You knew mum?" Ron and Ginny demanded at the same time in very different tones.
"Of course I did. I was the first to know about Hermione's news..." Molly Weasley stated. Ginny realized they gave the woman far less credit than she deserved.
"What news?" Harry demanded. It was then Ginny decided Harry was becoming all too big for his bloody skin. Save the world he might, but the way he was acting since the last group of death eaters was caught was ridiculous. She hoped one of the men cut him down to size and soon. It would probably be Moody, he knew bloody well that a kid of Harry's temperament becoming cocky could ruin a plan with little room for error.
"Well...Draco and I are married..."
"You're what?" Harry demanded, standing from his chess game and glaring at both of them. Ginny watched as his green eyes fell to Hermione's stomach and came to the sick realization that she was also pregnant.
"I'm married...And I'm pregnant Harry" Hermione stated calmly. Ginny found a butterbeer in the refrigerator and climbed onto one of the barstools to observe. An interesting reunion it would be indeed. Molly was bustling about carrying plates and silverware back and forth between the kitchen and the dining area. Ginny knew that should a fight occur, Molly would step in, just as she'd always done back home.
"To a Malfoy?" Harry asked incredulously.
"Really Potter, this scene is all too familiar. Do we have to go over the basics that I attempted to explain to you back in sixth year?" Draco drawled softly, his arm lightly around Hermione's waist. He was about an inch or two taller than Harry, his muscles toned from working out on top of exercising horses daily. Ginny took a sip of her butterbeer.
"Draco..." Hermione said softly.
"This is sick, just sick Hermione. I never thought you'd stoop this...this..."
"High Potter? This rich. This good looking?"
"DRACO," Hermione said. She waved her hand idly at him in a shut up gesture and his voice disappeared. "That's better. I explained what was going to happen, what you were not to do," she said icily before turning back to Harry.
"Mione can I ask you something?" Ron asked meekly, probably afraid that she would shut him up too, Ginny mused.
"Sure Ron," Hermione said softly. The sweet angel again.
"Why?"
"Because...Because I love him Ron. And because he's not his father, as much as they look alike. Because he deserved a chance, and given that chance he proved himself."
"Over me?" Harry demanded. Still the cocky son of a bitch who had walked in on the two years ago with much the same reaction.
"Yes Harry, over you. You could have any girl, and when I finally moved my heart from you, you offered me what I had waited years for. When I leapt at the chance I watched you love someone else. Now I have the love I deserved from you. And you should be happy for me. If you're my friend, you will be." Hermione said softly.
"Come on Mione, I'll show you you're room," Ron said. He pushed Harry into the seat, motioning for him to stay there.
December 24th, 2007
Present
Ginny felt a hand on her shoulder and was wrenched from her memories.
"You okay Virginia?" the man she loved asked. She turned her emerald green eyes to meet his gray blue ones. A smile lit on his face and she couldn't help but return it. The man always smiled when he sa her, still in love with her despite everything. He pulled her from the seat and kissed her softly on the lips.
"I'm fine Lucius," she replied softly. Rather wistfully. Not that he didn't pick up on the wistfulness. She had married when she was twenty, to a man thirty years older than she. But to them the age gap meant nothing. She had lost her family, Molly and Arthur to death eaters, Charlie to a moody dragon, and Bill to Voldermort himself. She had grown cold to the world around her, much as Lucius had, and together they re-awoke. It was odd though, explaining to people that the girls with you were your granddaughters not your daughters.
"Just memories?" He asked, trailing his hand lightly down his cheek. He was so different around her. Though always reserved, the only time he wasn't reserved was in bed. Ginny allowed herself a nod, a slight one.
"Are Hermione and Draco here yet?" Ginny asked softly. No matter how much she had grown she continued to call herself Ginny.
"Not yet....Soon I suspect. They were coming from a barn. Draco mentioned going to look at a new mare." Ginny nodded absently, leaning back against Lucius and looking back out the window.
"Do you remember the day I finally agreed to go to dinner with you?" Ginny asked softly. Her eyes already getting the look of someone in a memory.
"Of course. It was a month after you graduated," he started softly.
"At the Paris show..." Ginny responded softly before the memory trapped both of them.
July 27th, 1998
Past
She bumped into someone, lost in her thoughts. And automatically stepped back, lifting the hem of her dress.
"I'm sorry," she said, lifting her eyes. She vaguely recognized the man before her. He looked so familiar yet she couldn't remember who he was. His long blonde hair would have set him apart in London, but quite a few of the French models she had met wore their hair in this exact fashion.
"To think you looked so graceful out there," that voice...She remembered it, her memory was clouded and finally it clicked.
"Mister Malfoy," she said softly and dropped a curtsy without thinking.
"Really sweetheart, none of the adieu in needed. I hardly deserve the Lord title the Queen presented my family." Lucius said, looking smug despite his words.
"How is Draco?" Ginny asked, leaning gently against the wall. Eager to hear of Hermione. She had been due to give birth when Ginny had left London for the Paris show.
"A father at last," Lucius stated with a soft smirk. Azkaban had done nothing for Lucius, though it was rumored his dealings with the Dark Lord had been suspended. Not that anyone believed him of course.
"Are the babies healthy?" Ginny demanded her eyes lighting up with happiness. Lucius allowed a small twitch of his lips in lieu of a smile.
"Of course, Hermione demanded I come and tell you the news. I was wondering if you might bless me with your presence at dinner tonight Miss Weasley," Lucius added softly. He didn't look very sorry to have been ordered by Hermione. But then, she was probably more powerful than him by now, despite her weakened state.
"Mister Malfoy-" Ginny began.
"Lucius, please" he interrupted.
"Lucius...I don't have anything appropriate. I intended to visit a stable tomorrow to look at a stallion for Draco. I brought nothing in the form of formal wear," Ginny said. She looked him in the eye defiantly. She sort of wanted to go to dinner, she had to admit, he was rather becoming black silk shirt and dress pants he wore. Concealed lightly behind a billowing cloak. Lucius stepped back to eye the black dress she had. A simple dress really, a very delicately embroidered top with slightly flowing skirts.
"That will do," Lucius said simply.
"I couldn't...It belongs to Madame," Ginny said, moving to step around Lucius.
"You forget...I fund her shop. I will buy the dress for you," Lucius said softly, stepping between her and the door. She paused, eyeing him. Finally she nodded.
"Let me just get my cloak," She said softly. He moved and she entered the room, her cloak was hanging up in a rack of dresses. Lucius followed her in uninvited and picked up the locket she had laid carefully on the nightstand.
"This will go wonderfully," he said softly. If he recognized the locket he ignored the fact. It was one of the gifts he'd bestowed upon her nearly a year before. He moved closer and reached around clasping the locket quickly. His fingers trailed across her bare shoulders. Ginny couldn't help but shiver.
"Ready?" she asked softly, pulling her cloak on and turning to face him. She didn't want to admit he turned her on, not yet. December 24th, 2004
Present "Master Draco has arrived with Missus Hermione," a house elf squeeked, breaking the lovers' reverie.
"Show them to the Drawing Room," Lucius said, he moved his hand from Ginny's back allowing it to slide softly to her waist. Ginny sighed wistfully but followed without question. The memories of past were wonderful in their own way. But the present was far more demanding. She placed her hand on her stomach. She had news for once, though she didn't know if she wanted to tell anyone that night. The next perhaps. Christmas Eve was a somber affair for Draco, who still eyed Ginny viciously fore it was the only day he minded his mother being replaced. Her death-day.