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 12
"I found a reason for me, to change who I used to be. A reason to show a side of me you didn't know. A reason to start over new, and that reason is you." -Hubastank, The Reason-
Draco sat on the stone floor still in shock at his own actions, he had hit Ginny. Slowly, he pulled himself up from the floor and looked at the gilded mirror hung on the wall. For a fleeting instant he swore he had seen Lucius Malfoy smirking at his misfortune. Upon checking again he realized his reflection was his own. Draco knew he had to prove to her that he was not his father, he had to prove it to himself. Too long had Draco let his father's mistakes haunt him. Just like his mistakes would haunt Brangaine, his daughter. The thought of placing his daughter in the position he was in froze Draco's blood. For years he had struggled with his guilt after the fall of the Dark Lord. Now all the old wounds were being reopened. The decision to kill his father had not been easy, but even Snape had said it was the right decision. Lucius was turned into a slave, no Malfoy wanted to serve anyone. Snape thought Draco was saving his father, but Draco knew he was still a murderer. It was during the second rise of Voldemort Lucius had begun to change. It was then he had shown Draco what it meant to swear fealty to the Dark Lord. What it truly meant.
Before, he had been a wonderful father, very strict, but still loving. He loved his wife with a fierce passion and if it had been possible he wished for more children. Growing up inside the Manor had been pleasant and luxurious. Draco's favorite time had always been Christmas when his father was home from the Ministry and the house elves cooked a magnificent feast. Then, the Dark Lord was returned to his body by Harry Potter. Suddenly his father seemed cold and cruel, beating Narcissa for minor trespasses. He had never seen Lucius beat his mother before or any woman for that matter. Draco took his own share of violence, but he was far stronger than his frail mother. Lucius had made it clear Draco was going to join the Death Eaters, yet somehow Draco knew he was destined for other things. After the battle he returned home to the Manor to bid his mother farewell. When Draco discovered she was dead, he decided he had nothing left in this World and left trying to make a new life. Even though Narcissa had always been a bit inept as a mother, Draco was crushed. His mother had always needed someone to protect her, for all those years she had just clung to whatever man she could and now she was dead.
Draco tried hard not to think about the war, so many memories, all of them sad and horrific. Now, he had to concentrate on saving his daughter, although he loved Ginny, blood was thicker than water. He wanted Brangaine's childhood to have the same memories of Christmas and riding on the estate as he did. He did not doubt Ginny had taken care of his daughter, but he wanted her to remember him being there. He wanted to spoil his only daughter as he had been spoiled. One thing that did not change after the war was the wealth of the Malfoys. Several large mountains of gold were still buried underneath London in the Malfoy name. Draco wanted to buy his daughter everything she could want fine clothes, a new broom, and a position in high society. Even though money could not buy love, it could buy her a suitable husband and lifestyle. Draco knew how hard it would be to turn this bastard child into his heir, but he wanted Brangaine to be socially accepted. They could return to the Malfoy Manor and erase all the unhappy thoughts and make new. He had almost lost her once he would not let it happen again. Now, the only thing standing in the way of that dream was Derrick Bole.
Draco looked up at Snape, who had witnessed the whole exchange with disgust. Snape had been working against the Dark Lord for many years and he had never seen such contempt. Part of him knew that Draco cared for Ginny, yet Snape knew Draco's temper and arrogance were intimidating to the young woman. Snape also felt a force stronger than love pulling the two together. Draco's little daughter was much loved by both of them and could melt the coldest heart. Snape had never seen Draco care for anyone, except his mother. Now the man who was struggling to forget his past was ruining his future. Unfortunately the only thing Snape could do was advise Draco on how to be a good man and not let him make mistakes like he had.
"Draco save your daughter, prove that you can love," Snape said softly. Draco looked anywhere, but at Snape.
"I can love," he pouted.
"Can you Draco? I have my doubts and Ginny has hers."
"Who said I love Ginny?" Draco snapped angrily and embarrassed.
"No one," Snape answered disappointed in the boy who he once placed such hope.
"Did you contact Bole?" Draco asked.
"Yes," he began. "He is willing to meet with you, but I would advise caution Draco. Your daughter is Ginny's ward in that man's eyes. He is not playing games, this is her life." Snape silently tried to convey to Draco his apprehension at his plan.
"I need a portkey to his home," Draco said ignoring the warning his mentor was giving him.
"I have already took the liberty of arranging one, though I hope you will reconsider," Snape replied holding out a card, an ace of diamonds. Draco took the card and felt a jerk from behind his navel. As Draco disappeared another figure came down the hall.
"Professor I need to talk with you," Ginny's voice rang out down the corridor, she sounded winded and out of breath.
"I am no longer your teacher, feel free to call me Severus," he said for the hundredth time since she had become Headmistress. She gave a small smile.
"I need your help," she said. "I need to prove I can save her."
"She's not your daughter, Ginny," Snape said coldly. "Draco is right, this is his fight, not yours."
"I raised her, for all these years I cared or her. Aren't I her parent as much as Draco?" she demanded angrily. Snape knew how much she loved Brangaine, how could he say that she should let her die?
"Draco has to do this on his own," he explained. "You're a risk, he will try to protect you if you are in danger. Please stay, for her safety."
"Severus, I can do this. My whole life I had to prove to everyone I could overcome the obstacles. My first year in the Chamber, fighting Ron about who I could date, proving I could play quidditch, and that I could run this school. No one has ever believed in me, I thought by now you knew me well enough to know I could do this." Ginny wrapped her arms around herself.
"Ginny, I know you can do this. Draco is the one who needs to prove himself. He wants to prove himself to you," Snape responded.
"Why to me? He hates me," Ginny bit out bitterly.
"No he doesn't," Snape said shaking his head. After all these years Gryffindors were still the same.
"He h-hates me," she said again faltering.
"Do you hate him?" Ginny stood there thinking about him.
"No, I feel sorry for him, he has never loved anyone. I always had so many people who loved me and I loved," Ginny explained to him. Snape began to laugh at her words.
The truth was Draco did love someone. Ginny.
A/N: Chapter 12 up! I will be in Florida with my Band for a whole week so no updates. Plus, I got a new boyfriend so I'll be busy. I do hope to finish this story by the end of summer, but who knows. I have about three more chapters still. This is by far my longest story. Is there anyone who would like to see any pairing besides Draco/Ginny? Just wondering. So please 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 12
"I found a reason for me, to change who I used to be. A reason to show a side of me you didn't know. A reason to start over new, and that reason is you." -Hubastank, The Reason-
Draco sat on the stone floor still in shock at his own actions, he had hit Ginny. Slowly, he pulled himself up from the floor and looked at the gilded mirror hung on the wall. For a fleeting instant he swore he had seen Lucius Malfoy smirking at his misfortune. Upon checking again he realized his reflection was his own. Draco knew he had to prove to her that he was not his father, he had to prove it to himself. Too long had Draco let his father's mistakes haunt him. Just like his mistakes would haunt Brangaine, his daughter. The thought of placing his daughter in the position he was in froze Draco's blood. For years he had struggled with his guilt after the fall of the Dark Lord. Now all the old wounds were being reopened. The decision to kill his father had not been easy, but even Snape had said it was the right decision. Lucius was turned into a slave, no Malfoy wanted to serve anyone. Snape thought Draco was saving his father, but Draco knew he was still a murderer. It was during the second rise of Voldemort Lucius had begun to change. It was then he had shown Draco what it meant to swear fealty to the Dark Lord. What it truly meant.
Before, he had been a wonderful father, very strict, but still loving. He loved his wife with a fierce passion and if it had been possible he wished for more children. Growing up inside the Manor had been pleasant and luxurious. Draco's favorite time had always been Christmas when his father was home from the Ministry and the house elves cooked a magnificent feast. Then, the Dark Lord was returned to his body by Harry Potter. Suddenly his father seemed cold and cruel, beating Narcissa for minor trespasses. He had never seen Lucius beat his mother before or any woman for that matter. Draco took his own share of violence, but he was far stronger than his frail mother. Lucius had made it clear Draco was going to join the Death Eaters, yet somehow Draco knew he was destined for other things. After the battle he returned home to the Manor to bid his mother farewell. When Draco discovered she was dead, he decided he had nothing left in this World and left trying to make a new life. Even though Narcissa had always been a bit inept as a mother, Draco was crushed. His mother had always needed someone to protect her, for all those years she had just clung to whatever man she could and now she was dead.
Draco tried hard not to think about the war, so many memories, all of them sad and horrific. Now, he had to concentrate on saving his daughter, although he loved Ginny, blood was thicker than water. He wanted Brangaine's childhood to have the same memories of Christmas and riding on the estate as he did. He did not doubt Ginny had taken care of his daughter, but he wanted her to remember him being there. He wanted to spoil his only daughter as he had been spoiled. One thing that did not change after the war was the wealth of the Malfoys. Several large mountains of gold were still buried underneath London in the Malfoy name. Draco wanted to buy his daughter everything she could want fine clothes, a new broom, and a position in high society. Even though money could not buy love, it could buy her a suitable husband and lifestyle. Draco knew how hard it would be to turn this bastard child into his heir, but he wanted Brangaine to be socially accepted. They could return to the Malfoy Manor and erase all the unhappy thoughts and make new. He had almost lost her once he would not let it happen again. Now, the only thing standing in the way of that dream was Derrick Bole.
Draco looked up at Snape, who had witnessed the whole exchange with disgust. Snape had been working against the Dark Lord for many years and he had never seen such contempt. Part of him knew that Draco cared for Ginny, yet Snape knew Draco's temper and arrogance were intimidating to the young woman. Snape also felt a force stronger than love pulling the two together. Draco's little daughter was much loved by both of them and could melt the coldest heart. Snape had never seen Draco care for anyone, except his mother. Now the man who was struggling to forget his past was ruining his future. Unfortunately the only thing Snape could do was advise Draco on how to be a good man and not let him make mistakes like he had.
"Draco save your daughter, prove that you can love," Snape said softly. Draco looked anywhere, but at Snape.
"I can love," he pouted.
"Can you Draco? I have my doubts and Ginny has hers."
"Who said I love Ginny?" Draco snapped angrily and embarrassed.
"No one," Snape answered disappointed in the boy who he once placed such hope.
"Did you contact Bole?" Draco asked.
"Yes," he began. "He is willing to meet with you, but I would advise caution Draco. Your daughter is Ginny's ward in that man's eyes. He is not playing games, this is her life." Snape silently tried to convey to Draco his apprehension at his plan.
"I need a portkey to his home," Draco said ignoring the warning his mentor was giving him.
"I have already took the liberty of arranging one, though I hope you will reconsider," Snape replied holding out a card, an ace of diamonds. Draco took the card and felt a jerk from behind his navel. As Draco disappeared another figure came down the hall.
"Professor I need to talk with you," Ginny's voice rang out down the corridor, she sounded winded and out of breath.
"I am no longer your teacher, feel free to call me Severus," he said for the hundredth time since she had become Headmistress. She gave a small smile.
"I need your help," she said. "I need to prove I can save her."
"She's not your daughter, Ginny," Snape said coldly. "Draco is right, this is his fight, not yours."
"I raised her, for all these years I cared or her. Aren't I her parent as much as Draco?" she demanded angrily. Snape knew how much she loved Brangaine, how could he say that she should let her die?
"Draco has to do this on his own," he explained. "You're a risk, he will try to protect you if you are in danger. Please stay, for her safety."
"Severus, I can do this. My whole life I had to prove to everyone I could overcome the obstacles. My first year in the Chamber, fighting Ron about who I could date, proving I could play quidditch, and that I could run this school. No one has ever believed in me, I thought by now you knew me well enough to know I could do this." Ginny wrapped her arms around herself.
"Ginny, I know you can do this. Draco is the one who needs to prove himself. He wants to prove himself to you," Snape responded.
"Why to me? He hates me," Ginny bit out bitterly.
"No he doesn't," Snape said shaking his head. After all these years Gryffindors were still the same.
"He h-hates me," she said again faltering.
"Do you hate him?" Ginny stood there thinking about him.
"No, I feel sorry for him, he has never loved anyone. I always had so many people who loved me and I loved," Ginny explained to him. Snape began to laugh at her words.
The truth was Draco did love someone. Ginny.
A/N: Chapter 12 up! I will be in Florida with my Band for a whole week so no updates. Plus, I got a new boyfriend so I'll be busy. I do hope to finish this story by the end of summer, but who knows. I have about three more chapters still. This is by far my longest story. Is there anyone who would like to see any pairing besides Draco/Ginny? Just wondering. So please review, Love KTBallerina.