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 22
"Sometimes, things I thought were right turned out wrong. Its not fair, I mean, how was I to know what was going to happen? Worst of all is when these things come back and bite me in the ass." My ever eloquent sister, BallerinaBarbie.
The very happy engaged couple had to be escorted out of the courtroom to avoid all the reporters and photographers. Draco scanned the crowd outside the Ministry of Magic building. He was holding his daughter's hand and had his arm wrapped around Ginny's waist, in other words he had never been so happy. Not everyone felt the same way.
Owein Bole was walking on his mother's other side, not smiling. No one had bothered to ask if he would like a new father, or little sister. Granted both Malfoys had treated him like family, he was not sure if the merger of these families was such a good idea. After all, he still needed to catch up on lost time with his mum, he didn't want to share her with Professor Malfoy. Owein was still not over the death of his father, although it had been his fault. Owein did not want to take another's surname or feel an outsider in his own family. For years he had dreamed of a proper family, but the dream had always included his father, not someone else's. Strangely enough the young man was not alone in his thoughts.
Brangaine Malfoy, the recently declared heiress of the Malfoy fortune and estate, was also bemoaning her current state. She who had craved a family of her own for so many years was also not getting what she wanted. Brangaine had waited for her father to come rescue her and take her home, where in truth she was a princess. In a small way this was true, and she would be treated like a princess, but when did a princess ever have to compete for the King's attention. Worst still, was the fact Owein Bole was coming with them. He had been part of a group of Slytherins who never missed an opportunity to tease her. She tried very hard to get along with the moody, surly boy, but he still ignored her as if she was a child.
"Brangaine!" a woman's voice cried out from somewhere in the crowd. Brangaine let go of Draco's hand and ran towards the red haired women.
"Mummy," the little girl said as she embraced the thin woman.
When Draco saw her, he almost fainted in shock. Elsie was standing right in front of him, his Elsie who was supposedly lost or dead. This was the woman he had pined over for years and Brangaine's mother.
"Els- Elsie? I can't believe its you," Draco stuttered trying to control his emotions. Unconsciously Ginny moved closer to him, as if to provide comfort. This was the woman he once loved, Ginny was the woman he was in love with.
"Draco, its me, I swear," Elsie said looking at his stormy gray eyes.
"How did you find me?" Draco asked not able to think of a better question.
"How did you find me? I have survived on the fact that you loved me for the past decade and that is all you can ask," she replied furious. "I have been trying to return from my exile for so many years and all you can ask is how did you find me?" Draco seemed unable to make any sort of words, instead he just stood there gaping.
"Mummy, Daddy found me. Now we can be a family again, just like you promised, Daddy," Brangaine said cheerily looking at her father. Draco immediately snapped out of his state of shock.
"Princess, when I said we were going to have a family again I mean Ginny, Owein, you, and myself," Draco replied not knowing how to soothe the little girl. To his horror tears appeared in her eyes at his words.
"What? Did you think I would abandon our daughter?" Elsie demanded hotly, obviously insulted by his statement. "That I would never come for her?"
"No, I just didn't know if- if you had, er- survived," Draco admitted.
"I survived because I had to," Elsie told him, a little calmer.
"How?" Ginny asked. "If you don't mind telling us, and why haven't you tried to make contact before? Why did you leave Brangaine to be raised by me? And why have you waited and how did you survive the dungeons of Malfoy Manor?" All of these were excellent questions, but the answers would be very painful.
"I guess I am going to have to start at the beginning," Elsie said a little wearily. "After Draco left me pregnant-"
"I never knew and if I did I never would have left," Draco interrupted angrily. After all it was her fault he hadn't known he was a father.
"After an unknowing Draco left me pregnant, I was captured by Death Eaters under his father's command. They had learned of our relationship and thought to use me to persuade Draco to the Dark Side. After they discovered I was carrying his heir, I was locked away, presumably to starve. However, a kind women took pity upon me and agreed to help me and my baby escape. Pansy was her name, I think. She took Brangaine to Hogwarts the first night, but upon returning she was discovered. I heard she had been killed and that I was to receive a fate worse than death. One night the Death Eaters came to my cell, and I knew it was time. Yet, instead of killing me, they placed a memory charm on me. They left me in a place called Grenoius in France with no memory I was even a witch. All I could remember was a pale face with gray eyes, my lover. Then just two days ago I saw this," she said removing a newspaper from her pocket. It had Draco's picture on the front page and a headline that read 'Malfoy Murder Mystery' across the top. "My memory came back, I remembered everything. Nothing is more important to me than my daughter, I swear I love her." She hugged the little girl closer to her.
"I'm sorry Elsie, I truly am, but I have fallen in love again," Draco said steadily. He loved Ginny.
"Draco, you haven't fallen in love with someone else, you've tried to replace me. Look at her, for Merlin's sake. She has the same coppery red hair, same mouth shape, and even her build is similar," Elsie retorted gesturing to Ginny. Ginny realized how right she was, they looked very similar. Almost as thought they were sisters or the like.
"You're wrong Elsie. Ginny is strong, smart, and beautiful. I love her with-"
"A deep passion unmatched by all others in this World," Elsie and Draco said at the same time.
"You used to say the same to me, Draco," Elsie reminded him gently. "However, what I really came for I already have," she said hugging Brangaine closer.
"She's my daughter!" Draco cried outraged she would even try to take away his flesh and blood.
"She's my daughter too," she reminded him.
"She's the Malfoy heiress," he snapped. "As far as I am concerned she has no use for a mother who forgot about her." Even as he said the words he immediately regretted them, they seemed so childish.
"Like she really wants a father who walked out on her, not to mention an admitted murderer," Elsie shot back.
"Yet it doesn't matter what either of you think because I am her guardian, as appointed by Albus Dumbledore," Ginny said interrupting the bickering. A triumphant smirk graced Draco's face. "You will both have to share your daughter." That wiped the smirk off Draco's face.
"Draco are you really saying that you don't love me anymore?" Elsie asked one last time trying to reconcile the fact she had lost him.
"Its not that I don't love you, but the love I had changed. I loved you very much and when I lost you it hurt. You made me chose between you and reality. And there was no such World where you and I could be together, I am sorry, deeply sorry," Draco finished a bit lamely.
"Your love was the thing I lived for, for so many years. I never even thought about what would happen if how you felt changed. I am sorry the price of our love was too high, but know I will always love you," she told him softly.
"Part of me will always feel the same," Draco murmured.
A/N: So Draco's past is now tied up pretty well. Yet, how can Ginny react to all this? She hears all this and is probably truly hurt. And where does Brangaine stand now? Do Draco and Ginny still get married if he will always love Elsie? Where does this leave Elsie? Don't worry she'll find someone. Please review. Love KTBallerina.