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. I wish I were.
Crimes Against The Heart
Chapter 24
"Work like you don't need money, love like you have never been hurt, and dance like no one is watching." -Unknown Source-
The wonderful thing about each new dawn is the promise each new day brings. Every morning you have an opportunity to live one more day, to the fullest. You have the chance to love deeper and with a greater passion. Today was a new chance for love. To Draco, this was his last chance to prove to Ginny the extent of his love. He had been given so many chances in his life and he regretted so many of the choices he had made, but this time it would be different. He knew Ginny was the right choice.
The plan had been carefully laid. His first objective was to sway Owein to his side, this was quite a daunting task. The young boy had proven time and time again what a pain he could be if he chose to exercise his power. The second phase of his plot was to settle things with Elsie. He had spent a good portion of the night planning exactly what he would say to her. The third portion of his mission was explaining to Brangaine about her mother, her new stepmother, and stepbrother. Draco had decided he could not even ask Ginny to be with him if Brangaine did not approve. He had already missed out on so much in Brangaine's life he did not want to alienate his daughter anymore. Lastly, Draco intended the make things right between Ginny and himself. He wanted her beside him for the rest of his life, and one thing that had not changed since the fall of Voldemort was a Malfoy always got what he wanted. Draco decided that as long as things stuck to the plan there was no way he could fail.
However things rarely go according to plan. Even before he had left his room he cut himself shaving, stubbed his toe on his coffee table, and misplaced his favorite set of robes. Things did not seem to be going well. After setting foot outside his door he was waylaid by the Headmistress, who seemed to have been waiting for him.
"Draco, wait," Ginny called softly. She did not sound angry, merely disappointed. "I need to talk to you, please. Let me have a moment." Draco cringed at the sound of her voice, he wished he could just explain that he loved her, but other things ruled his life. Right now, he needed to avoid her, to collect himself. He was not prepared to do battle with the Weasley temper.
"Ginny, what are you doing here?" he said as if it were unnatural she would want to talk. Ginny drew back at the harsh tones in Draco's voice. Maybe, Severus was wrong, he sure didn't act like he loved her. His voice was sugary sweet, not mean, it was all so very odd.
"I think you know why I am here," Ginny told him. She wished he would start acting like the man she fell in love with, not some stranger. "There's something I need to say."
"Can it wait? I really need to go talk to Severus about something," he lied quickly and effortlessly. This was not supposed to be happening yet. He had not talked to Brangaine or Owein, yet.
"What?" she asked sounding very affronted this time. Something was definitely wrong with him, was he purposely trying to exclude her from his life?
"I said, 'I really need to go talk to Severus about something,'" he repeated for her in a teasing tone. She scowled at him fiercely. He could not keep this lie going for very long, he would have to think on his feet.
"No, what do you need to talk to Severus about that is more important than what I have to say to you?" she demanded angrily. Draco, thought for a moment, then got an idea.
"I don't know, because I don't know what you're going to tell me," he responded cheekily. Draco needed time to lead her into the conversation he had planned. He knew he could not keep lying, but he just needed to find the right words to explain to her his situation.
"This is not a joke! What could be more important to you than me?" Ginny said rephrasing her question so he couldn't avoid answering it. It was sink or swim, Draco decided finally.
"Brangaine," he said simply abandoning all humor out of his voice. This was his main concern about loving Ginny; he could not do so if Brangaine and Owein could not live with their decision.
"Huh?" Ginny asked totally confused at this point.
"Ginny, I love you, but I love Brangaine more," he told her gently. "I can not make you any promises, until I know she will happy, too. For the first time in my life I am trying to do the right thing, please do not hate me for trying to be a good father." Instead of screaming, Ginny started smiling.
"Oh, Draco, don't you understand? Its because you want to be a good father I love you. I never believed a person could change, but you have restored my faith in people," she explained as gently as possible. "I love Owein with the fierce passion all mothers have for their children, so his happiness is a million times more important than mine. I have to know Owein will be happy, even if it means I will be miserable." Ginny looked into Draco's silvery orbs, that returned the intense look.
"So, you love me?" he asked finally not knowing what her response would be.
"With all my heart," she confessed. "We just might not always be together, we both have another love in our lives. I need to know Brangaine and Owein will be happy, if I marry you, otherwise..." she let herself drift off not caring to finish her thought.
"All we can do is ask them," Draco replied determinedly. He had faith his daughter would approve of Ginny, she had been her caretaker for her entire life.
Oddly, enough at that moment both children made a sudden appearance down the corridor. Owein's black head was slightly bent over Brangaine's red curls. Both of them stopped suddenly having caught their parents in such an intimate situation. Owein grabbed Brangaine's hand and pulled her back down the way they had came, but Draco stopped them.
"Brangaine, Owein, come here," he said in the smooth authoritative voice of a father. They turned around again and came to stand by their respective parent.
"We would like to be a family," Ginny announced, not quite knowing how to find the words to describe their situation. Immediately, Owein wrinkled his nose and Brangaine looked disdainful.
"I would like a new broomstick, but you don't see me..." Owein muttered darkly.
"Please, give me a chance, Owein. I know I can not be your father, but I would like you to be Brangaine's brother," Draco said trying a new approach.
"I want a brother and a mother, Daddy. I want a family," Brangaine interrupted steadily. "I'll even take Owein as my brother if I can't have Uncle Ronnie for a brother." The look of seriousness on her face made Draco smile.
"Owein, please. At the very least consider it your second chance at making a family work. I may not be your father, but I do care about you," Draco told the young boy.
"Owein, the decision is yours. I know you will know what to do," Ginny told her son. "I thought I would never have another chance to be with you, this is our chance, baby. But remember, I will love you, no matter your choice."
"Alright," Owein said defeatedly. "I want to be part of your family," he said to Draco.
"Not my family, Owein," Draco began. "Our family."
Authoress Notes: Sorry, I know you all must think I am dead, but in reality I am just really busy with tennis, color guard, and a beauty pageant. I have been trying to keep the updates coming, but the story seems to be over. I think there will be one more chapter and an epilogue, or at least I hope so. I have been thinking about my next story, I think it might be a Pansy/Neville story or a story about the Slytherin quidditch team. Or I might write another Narcissa fic, my first story seems so pathetic now. Well, please review. Love, KTBallerina.