Summary: Draco Malfoy stands trial before the Ministry for his crimes as a
Death Eater. His only vote of confidence is a letter from Albus Dumbledore,
who died during the Final Battle. The current headmistress, Ginny Weasley
mistrusts her new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, but Dumbledore
must have known something.
Disclaimer: My name is not J.K. Rowling, I do not own Harry Potter, and am not either Warner Brother.
Crimes Against The Heart
Chapter 2
"It is often easier to forgive those who have wronged us than those whom we have wronged." -Oscar Hamming-
Draco had prepared himself to leave for Hogwarts, but was not prepared for what awaited him there. A small part of him knew he had not paid the price for his father's murder, but no one ever needed to know about that incident. He was to be forgiven for everything. Even if Potter and Weasley did not forget his past trespasses, others would. His father had been able to accept his dislike of the Dark Lord, but not his disobedience. Not that he wanted to become his father, that was one of his greatest fears. His father had been his greatest fear as a child, but it was not the physical pain that had hurt, but the mental abuse. Lucius had never abused Draco, Narcissa would not allow it and Lucius did not believe abuse of any type worked. Draco refused to bow to someone other than himself and so he had left, but Lucius had not let him go without a fight. In the end, Draco had been able to outwit his father. Lucius had taught Draco where most men's weaknesses are all too well and in the end the only thing that had saved him was the knowledge his father gave to him.
The sight of the castle brought back stark memories for Draco of the days when he had wanted to join the Dark Lord and keeping court at the Slytherin table at mealtimes. As he entered the Great Hall the witch wearing flowing wizard robes gazed at him, she appeared to be the height of a seventh-year student, she was talking to a little girl, who was surely too young to be a student. She had her back to him so he called out to her.
"Can you tell me where the headmistress is?" Draco asked politely to the girl.
"Right here," she replied promptly. Draco could not hide the look of surprise that fluttered across his face. The girl could looked so young, she could not possibly be the Headmistress. She was not what Draco had been expecting. "Welcome to Hogwarts, Draco Malfoy."
"Ginny Weasley, I presume," Draco said holding out his hand, trying to determine exactly what type of person she was. She and the young girl next to her bore a shocking resemblance to Elsie an he could not help, but think of her when he saw the red hair.
"Correct, I understand you wish to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts, is that true?" Ginny inquired. She was obviously sizing him up as well. "Do you believe you are up to the challenge, Malfoy?"
"Good to see we haven't lost the family hatred, I would have really been disappointed if you hadn't insulted me at least once," he replied sarcastically. "I see you have decided to start your own overly large family already, speaking of family." He glanced down at Brangaine, who was looking at him in a fascinated manner. "Your daughter, I assume."
"Never assume anything Malfoy, you'll make an ass out of you and me. This is Brangaine, my ward, she was sent to Hogwarts for the same reason as you. She needed to be kept safe, she is not my daughter," Ginny said her eyes flashing at the insult. She had subtly reminded Draco he was being protected by Hogwarts and would need help to ensure his safety.
"I don't need protection from anyone, Weasley," he spat regretting his decision to come already. "I would not be here if your brother and stupid Potter had kept their mouths shut," Draco could not keep the viciousness out of his voice and Brangaine was taken aback. She was not used to yelling or people saying horrible things about Harry Potter.
"I like Harry Potter," she said softly. Draco glared at her disliking everything about her. Then he saw her eyes, he had seen eyes like them before, he saw them every time he looked into a mirror or at his father's face. Those eyes were upon the face of every Malfoy in the gallery.
"Who did you say her parents are?" Draco asked completely changing the subject. Brangaine's eyes immediately dropped to the floor.
"Brangaine, go find Professor Snape. Mr. Malfoy, please follow me to my office," Ginny said pointedly and Draco knew he had said something offensive. They walked in silence until they reached the office. Ginny whipped around, fire burning in her eyes as she looked at him.
"I did not mean to upset her-"
"Listen, Malfoy, my orders are to allow you to teach. Dumbledore told me you would return to Hogwarts and that when you do, to welcome you," she waved her hands as she spoke. "I understand you did not mean to upset Brangaine, but that little girl has nothing, but this castle. It is her home. You think you have some god-given right to walk all over everyone because of your surname, but I refuse to allow you to do that. My blood is as pure as yours, so if you wish to remain on my staff it stops now, this is your welcome and your warning." Her voice did not sound angry, but rather stressed. In the light of the office she looked older and more distinguished. Her voice was calm and authoritative and it was obvious why Dumbledore had chosen her as his successor.
"Her eyes," he mumbled.
"What about her eyes?" she asked sharply.
"She has the eyes of a Malfoy, they look just like mine. I just wanted to know if she was a relation of mine. That way she would not be an orphan, a Malfoy would never be an orphan," he explained trying to elicit some information from her. "The Malfoy name could protect her and give her anything she ever wanted."
"I highly doubt she has any relation to you, her mother was French," Ginny replied acidly. Draco felt his stomach drop slightly. "Besides, she is far too kind and compassionate to be a Malfoy."
Draco knew right then and there that Brangaine was his daughter. There was no doubt, but the even bigger question was what was he going to do about it. He knew he didn't want to be like his father, perhaps leaving her alone would be best, however as a Malfoy he felt it a necessity to claim what was his. It was his daughter, his heir, and the only thing he had to remind him of Elsie. If she was his daughter she would be perfect and have everything her heart desired, Malfoys only had the best, therefore she was the best.
Most importantly, his daughter could be a valuable card to hold against Ginny Weasley, Headmistress of Hogwarts.
A/N: Brangaine is his daughter, who didn't see that one coming a mile away? Don't worry Draco isn't going to do anything yet. He is still deciding where his loyalties lie. He is still a pureblood supremacist, but not willing to obey anyone, but himself. Draco is also fearing some sort of backlash from his father's death, he is not going soft! Review, Love KTBallerina.
Disclaimer: My name is not J.K. Rowling, I do not own Harry Potter, and am not either Warner Brother.
Crimes Against The Heart
Chapter 2
"It is often easier to forgive those who have wronged us than those whom we have wronged." -Oscar Hamming-
Draco had prepared himself to leave for Hogwarts, but was not prepared for what awaited him there. A small part of him knew he had not paid the price for his father's murder, but no one ever needed to know about that incident. He was to be forgiven for everything. Even if Potter and Weasley did not forget his past trespasses, others would. His father had been able to accept his dislike of the Dark Lord, but not his disobedience. Not that he wanted to become his father, that was one of his greatest fears. His father had been his greatest fear as a child, but it was not the physical pain that had hurt, but the mental abuse. Lucius had never abused Draco, Narcissa would not allow it and Lucius did not believe abuse of any type worked. Draco refused to bow to someone other than himself and so he had left, but Lucius had not let him go without a fight. In the end, Draco had been able to outwit his father. Lucius had taught Draco where most men's weaknesses are all too well and in the end the only thing that had saved him was the knowledge his father gave to him.
The sight of the castle brought back stark memories for Draco of the days when he had wanted to join the Dark Lord and keeping court at the Slytherin table at mealtimes. As he entered the Great Hall the witch wearing flowing wizard robes gazed at him, she appeared to be the height of a seventh-year student, she was talking to a little girl, who was surely too young to be a student. She had her back to him so he called out to her.
"Can you tell me where the headmistress is?" Draco asked politely to the girl.
"Right here," she replied promptly. Draco could not hide the look of surprise that fluttered across his face. The girl could looked so young, she could not possibly be the Headmistress. She was not what Draco had been expecting. "Welcome to Hogwarts, Draco Malfoy."
"Ginny Weasley, I presume," Draco said holding out his hand, trying to determine exactly what type of person she was. She and the young girl next to her bore a shocking resemblance to Elsie an he could not help, but think of her when he saw the red hair.
"Correct, I understand you wish to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts, is that true?" Ginny inquired. She was obviously sizing him up as well. "Do you believe you are up to the challenge, Malfoy?"
"Good to see we haven't lost the family hatred, I would have really been disappointed if you hadn't insulted me at least once," he replied sarcastically. "I see you have decided to start your own overly large family already, speaking of family." He glanced down at Brangaine, who was looking at him in a fascinated manner. "Your daughter, I assume."
"Never assume anything Malfoy, you'll make an ass out of you and me. This is Brangaine, my ward, she was sent to Hogwarts for the same reason as you. She needed to be kept safe, she is not my daughter," Ginny said her eyes flashing at the insult. She had subtly reminded Draco he was being protected by Hogwarts and would need help to ensure his safety.
"I don't need protection from anyone, Weasley," he spat regretting his decision to come already. "I would not be here if your brother and stupid Potter had kept their mouths shut," Draco could not keep the viciousness out of his voice and Brangaine was taken aback. She was not used to yelling or people saying horrible things about Harry Potter.
"I like Harry Potter," she said softly. Draco glared at her disliking everything about her. Then he saw her eyes, he had seen eyes like them before, he saw them every time he looked into a mirror or at his father's face. Those eyes were upon the face of every Malfoy in the gallery.
"Who did you say her parents are?" Draco asked completely changing the subject. Brangaine's eyes immediately dropped to the floor.
"Brangaine, go find Professor Snape. Mr. Malfoy, please follow me to my office," Ginny said pointedly and Draco knew he had said something offensive. They walked in silence until they reached the office. Ginny whipped around, fire burning in her eyes as she looked at him.
"I did not mean to upset her-"
"Listen, Malfoy, my orders are to allow you to teach. Dumbledore told me you would return to Hogwarts and that when you do, to welcome you," she waved her hands as she spoke. "I understand you did not mean to upset Brangaine, but that little girl has nothing, but this castle. It is her home. You think you have some god-given right to walk all over everyone because of your surname, but I refuse to allow you to do that. My blood is as pure as yours, so if you wish to remain on my staff it stops now, this is your welcome and your warning." Her voice did not sound angry, but rather stressed. In the light of the office she looked older and more distinguished. Her voice was calm and authoritative and it was obvious why Dumbledore had chosen her as his successor.
"Her eyes," he mumbled.
"What about her eyes?" she asked sharply.
"She has the eyes of a Malfoy, they look just like mine. I just wanted to know if she was a relation of mine. That way she would not be an orphan, a Malfoy would never be an orphan," he explained trying to elicit some information from her. "The Malfoy name could protect her and give her anything she ever wanted."
"I highly doubt she has any relation to you, her mother was French," Ginny replied acidly. Draco felt his stomach drop slightly. "Besides, she is far too kind and compassionate to be a Malfoy."
Draco knew right then and there that Brangaine was his daughter. There was no doubt, but the even bigger question was what was he going to do about it. He knew he didn't want to be like his father, perhaps leaving her alone would be best, however as a Malfoy he felt it a necessity to claim what was his. It was his daughter, his heir, and the only thing he had to remind him of Elsie. If she was his daughter she would be perfect and have everything her heart desired, Malfoys only had the best, therefore she was the best.
Most importantly, his daughter could be a valuable card to hold against Ginny Weasley, Headmistress of Hogwarts.
A/N: Brangaine is his daughter, who didn't see that one coming a mile away? Don't worry Draco isn't going to do anything yet. He is still deciding where his loyalties lie. He is still a pureblood supremacist, but not willing to obey anyone, but himself. Draco is also fearing some sort of backlash from his father's death, he is not going soft! Review, Love KTBallerina.