Disclaimer: Wow, totally not mine...well, I mean what I wrote was, but the
characters...definitely not.
My goodness! I can't believe it's taken me so long to do this! School has been so hectic, and I've been to Outdoor School, and just got back from a retreat (Chalk it up!!) and I'm sick! The worst part is that while I've had all this time to write, I did this whole chapter today, since I got home from school. Pathetic. Forgive me? Enjoy!
Chapter Four: A Contract, a Discussion and a New Family
Ginny paced the room. Up and down, back and forth, again and again. Obviously agitated, she tried to sit, but got up again as soon as she did. What she wouldn't give for a massage! She checked the clock for easily the tenth time in as many minutes, continuing to pace. Nothing would calm her down- in less than an hour, she would be meeting with the Malfoys, and she was at her wit's end with nervousness, and even looked completely ruffled. A shiver shook her body, Merlin, how slowly time was passing.
Malfoy Manor was huge, and Ginny felt so incredibly out of place. She did not belong somewhere as lavish as this- there were more rooms here than she would know what to do with. And more than lavish, the place seemed empty; Ginny had never seen a place less homey, and the insincere decor accosted her from all sides. There were no happy family pictures; instead there were ancient and dry paintings of long-dead Malfoy ancestors. As she followed the butler she had met last time she was here, Ginny's sense of apprehension began to fade, and once again a numb feeling took over. Whatever happened here today was out of her control, and with that thought foremost in her mind, Ginny took the step over the threshold and into the room where three Malfoy aristocrats waited.
Ginny did not need to take a deep breath to appear composed- she was calm and strong. Holding her chin high, a slight nod was all the recognition she gave to the others sitting around the circular table. Ginny sat in the one empty chair, and the small-talk that appeared to have been transpiring halted.
"Hello, Miss Weasley." said the cool voice of Narcissa Malfoy.
"Good afternoon." Ginny replied.
"Virginia, is it?" the cool voice asked again. Ginny could barely keep from staring. This woman expected Ginny to marry her son, and didn't even know her name?
"Yes, it is." An awkward silence filled the room, and only then did Ginny allow herself to look more thoroughly about the table. There sat Lucius on her right, Narcissa on her left and her future husband dead ahead.
"Well," broke in the smooth tones of the Malfoy patriarch. "How about we begin? Virginia, I believe you know about this," he handed her a copy of the prophecy, "so there shouldn't be that much to discuss. You will be married within the summer. You will be a member of the Malfoy family, and with that comes responsibility. Your behavior must be impeccable, your manners first-rate, an overall gentlewoman of the highest class. I'm sure Narcissa can help you with your conduct." Ginny gave an icy smile. "Other than that, though..." He let the words hang.
"Actually," put in Ginny, "I believe there are some issues we need to cover. This is a marriage of convenience, as you know, and so I would like to set some ground rules."
Lucius raised an eyebrow at her. "Please continue, Virginia."
"I would like to have another residence, perhaps a cottage somewhere, and-"
"And what are we to tell people if you don't live with us? Whether we like it or not, your name will be associated with ours, and I do not believe it would be good for you to move out right away. Perhaps in ten or so years."
"If it is your image that you're concerned with, I'll appear at social events and such. No one needs to know that I don't live here. I just didn't think you'd appreciate it if my friends and family frequented the manor." Lucius grimaced.
"Thank you for bringing up that subject, Miss Weasley. I do not believe that we would benefit at all from an association with Potter or the rest of the Weasley clan. Thus, we thought it might be better if you would occasionally visit them, not the other way around. Perhaps on birthdays and an occasional major holiday?"
Ginny leaned in. "I'm seventeen years old. I don't think I'm ready to give up my family and friends."
Lucius leaned in the same amount as Ginny had. "First of all, that is part of what marriage entails. Second, you won't be losing anything, seeing as how you'll become part of our family." The smirk stretching across Lucius' face was just as disconcerting as the one often found on Draco's.
"Speaking of families..." broke in Narcissa.
"Ah, thank you for reminding me. You will have to bear a Malfoy heir."
"What!" demanded Ginny. "Why in Merlin's name would I have to do that-"
"Because," interrupted Lucius, "it is the duty of a Malfoy wife. She needs to provide an heir. That is why we marry at all." Seeing the stubborn refusal ready on Ginny's face, Lucius' eyes lit up. "I have an idea. You provide a male heir to the Malfoy line, and you get your cottage in the mountains, freedom from social events, and a biannual allowance of, say, a three thousand gallons."
Ginny bit back the objection she had ready on her tongue. That seemed like a fairly sweet deal, though it did involve sleeping with Draco. There were potions that could increase fertility, so she probably only needed to do it once or twice. "And what then? Am I supposed to live alone for the rest of my life in a cottage?" Though it was what she wanted, Ginny was also curious what the answer would be.
Narcissa looked directly at her. "Not necessarily alone...just discreetly. There is to be no scandal nor children that could be considered bastards. Any children born of you while there is a Malfoy patriarch alive must be unmistakably of Malfoy blood. Is that clear?"
"Completely." replied Ginny, breathing a mental sigh of relief- her life wouldn't necessarily be over the moment she married a Malfoy, as long as she was "discrete".
"Yes," agreed Lucius, "you must understand that when you marry into this family, you become almost our property. There will be no divorce for any reason, and even if my son were to perish before you, as long as a Malfoy male was alive to care for you, you could not be allowed to remarry without their expressed permission."
Ginny leaned back in her chair, thinking the whole thing over. It was not a half bad deal. True, she would have to bear a child to Draco, but that was the worst..."Am I able to leave right after having a child?"
Narcissa frowned. "I suppose, if that is what you want, you may. However, I thought the Weasley clan was more maternal than that." A wave of guilt washed over Ginny- she wasn't sure she would be able to leave an infant that she had spent nine months caring for.
"Well, actually, I was thinking that perhaps the child would spend half his time here, and perhaps half his time with me?"
"No." said Lucius sternly. "This son will be a Malfoy, deserving only the best. You would have to come here to visit him. This house seen the raising of a millennia of Malfoy sons, and my grandson will not be the one to break that tradition."
"I see." And she did. Still, it was a good deal- she supposed that once her son left for Hogwarts, he would only be home during the summer. She could manage three months a year here. Unless... "I have another question- what if I have is a girl?" "Well," replied Lucius slowly, "the contract would not be fulfilled, and you w ould have to keep trying until a son is born. If he dies before siring his own son, another son would be required of you. If it were two hundred years ago, I would advise you to perhaps have several sons in case one dies, but the child death rate is much lower now, and it is up to you to take that chance."
"What if I never have a boy?"
"When the oldest daughter is eighteen, and you have been continuously attempting to bear a son, the daughter may marry a man of her father or grandfather's choosing, with the understanding that she must bear a son to be raised as a Malfoy." All the politics of childbearing were making Ginny's head spin, but she still had one more question.
"And say I have a daughter, then a son. May I have the raising of the daughter while the Malfoy family has the raising of the son?"
Lucius frowned. "In that case, I suppose it would be acceptable for you to have her half the time, the other half being spent here. Any other questions?"
"I don't believe so, no."
"In that case, let us set the wedding date." uttered Narcissa excitedly. "I was thinking perhaps the estival equinox."
"But that's just two months from now!" exclaimed Ginny.
"Actually, more like two and a half months," Narcissa commented with a look that said "learn how to count".
"Well, Virginia, what do you say?" asked Lucius, holding in front of him a marriage contract, with what looked to be dozens of clauses, consisting of everything they had discussed the past hour.
And Ginny thought. This was the biggest sacrifice she could make, the most important thing she could do for the Order. And it didn't seem like it would be so bad. She would, of course, have to engage in a few baby-making activities (which, looking at the man sitting across from her, might not be so bad), pop out a kid or two, and live the rest of her life away from here, happy with her friends and family. But the most important thing was that, by doing this, she would be enabling Harry to win, or at least give him the opportunity to win.
There wasn't even that much to think about- there was a prophecy saying she and Draco would be married, and so it would be best if Ginny set the terms (which she had done), because she had no doubt that if she didn't sign this contract, she and Draco would end up marrying each other somehow. This way, Ginny at least got everything she wanted.
"Do you have a quill?" Ginny asked. However, as soon as she spoke those words, apprehension filled her again. Was she signing her life away? Well, she thought, if she was, than it was for a good cause. Lucius handed her a quill, and Ginny scrawled her name on the parchment and handed it back to her future father-in-law, who handed it to her groom-to-be. Draco had still not spoken the entire time, and continued to be silent as he wrote his name.
"Now, Virginia, I will provide you with 2,000 gallons for the wedding. It will be the social event of the season you know, so I want you to look your best. I have allocated you room for fifty guests, which I'm sure you'll be able to manage to fill." Ginny grimaced at the snub about the size of her family. "We will select the bridesmaids, you just need to purchase a dress for the engagement party, a wedding gown and anything else you might want. Leave the engagement party, and the decorations, location, and reception for the wedding all to us."
"What about rings?" asked Ginny, thinking of the ring her antiquated ring her mother had promised her for the wedding.
"We will provide those as well. Any questions?"
"So you just want me to show up June 21st? That's it?"
"No, I'm sure I will either accompany you on a shopping expedition, or request that you stop by, just to make sure everything flows, and the bridesmaid dresses go well with your dress. Also, we will have to have an engagement party. I'll contact you to let you know when that will be...perhaps within the first five days of May? Yes, I think that will do." Narcissa commented. "If you need more money, just let me know."
Ginny took a deep breath and stood up. "All right, I will." And with another cool nod to everyone in the room, she exited.
Ginny did not hear the comment made as she left: "Maybe she will fit in all right after all- I haven't met someone so disdainful and haughty in years, and especially from someone so plebeian. She just might pull the aristocratic thing off after all."
And then the reply: "Doubtful."
Review!...You know you want to!
My goodness! I can't believe it's taken me so long to do this! School has been so hectic, and I've been to Outdoor School, and just got back from a retreat (Chalk it up!!) and I'm sick! The worst part is that while I've had all this time to write, I did this whole chapter today, since I got home from school. Pathetic. Forgive me? Enjoy!
Chapter Four: A Contract, a Discussion and a New Family
Ginny paced the room. Up and down, back and forth, again and again. Obviously agitated, she tried to sit, but got up again as soon as she did. What she wouldn't give for a massage! She checked the clock for easily the tenth time in as many minutes, continuing to pace. Nothing would calm her down- in less than an hour, she would be meeting with the Malfoys, and she was at her wit's end with nervousness, and even looked completely ruffled. A shiver shook her body, Merlin, how slowly time was passing.
Malfoy Manor was huge, and Ginny felt so incredibly out of place. She did not belong somewhere as lavish as this- there were more rooms here than she would know what to do with. And more than lavish, the place seemed empty; Ginny had never seen a place less homey, and the insincere decor accosted her from all sides. There were no happy family pictures; instead there were ancient and dry paintings of long-dead Malfoy ancestors. As she followed the butler she had met last time she was here, Ginny's sense of apprehension began to fade, and once again a numb feeling took over. Whatever happened here today was out of her control, and with that thought foremost in her mind, Ginny took the step over the threshold and into the room where three Malfoy aristocrats waited.
Ginny did not need to take a deep breath to appear composed- she was calm and strong. Holding her chin high, a slight nod was all the recognition she gave to the others sitting around the circular table. Ginny sat in the one empty chair, and the small-talk that appeared to have been transpiring halted.
"Hello, Miss Weasley." said the cool voice of Narcissa Malfoy.
"Good afternoon." Ginny replied.
"Virginia, is it?" the cool voice asked again. Ginny could barely keep from staring. This woman expected Ginny to marry her son, and didn't even know her name?
"Yes, it is." An awkward silence filled the room, and only then did Ginny allow herself to look more thoroughly about the table. There sat Lucius on her right, Narcissa on her left and her future husband dead ahead.
"Well," broke in the smooth tones of the Malfoy patriarch. "How about we begin? Virginia, I believe you know about this," he handed her a copy of the prophecy, "so there shouldn't be that much to discuss. You will be married within the summer. You will be a member of the Malfoy family, and with that comes responsibility. Your behavior must be impeccable, your manners first-rate, an overall gentlewoman of the highest class. I'm sure Narcissa can help you with your conduct." Ginny gave an icy smile. "Other than that, though..." He let the words hang.
"Actually," put in Ginny, "I believe there are some issues we need to cover. This is a marriage of convenience, as you know, and so I would like to set some ground rules."
Lucius raised an eyebrow at her. "Please continue, Virginia."
"I would like to have another residence, perhaps a cottage somewhere, and-"
"And what are we to tell people if you don't live with us? Whether we like it or not, your name will be associated with ours, and I do not believe it would be good for you to move out right away. Perhaps in ten or so years."
"If it is your image that you're concerned with, I'll appear at social events and such. No one needs to know that I don't live here. I just didn't think you'd appreciate it if my friends and family frequented the manor." Lucius grimaced.
"Thank you for bringing up that subject, Miss Weasley. I do not believe that we would benefit at all from an association with Potter or the rest of the Weasley clan. Thus, we thought it might be better if you would occasionally visit them, not the other way around. Perhaps on birthdays and an occasional major holiday?"
Ginny leaned in. "I'm seventeen years old. I don't think I'm ready to give up my family and friends."
Lucius leaned in the same amount as Ginny had. "First of all, that is part of what marriage entails. Second, you won't be losing anything, seeing as how you'll become part of our family." The smirk stretching across Lucius' face was just as disconcerting as the one often found on Draco's.
"Speaking of families..." broke in Narcissa.
"Ah, thank you for reminding me. You will have to bear a Malfoy heir."
"What!" demanded Ginny. "Why in Merlin's name would I have to do that-"
"Because," interrupted Lucius, "it is the duty of a Malfoy wife. She needs to provide an heir. That is why we marry at all." Seeing the stubborn refusal ready on Ginny's face, Lucius' eyes lit up. "I have an idea. You provide a male heir to the Malfoy line, and you get your cottage in the mountains, freedom from social events, and a biannual allowance of, say, a three thousand gallons."
Ginny bit back the objection she had ready on her tongue. That seemed like a fairly sweet deal, though it did involve sleeping with Draco. There were potions that could increase fertility, so she probably only needed to do it once or twice. "And what then? Am I supposed to live alone for the rest of my life in a cottage?" Though it was what she wanted, Ginny was also curious what the answer would be.
Narcissa looked directly at her. "Not necessarily alone...just discreetly. There is to be no scandal nor children that could be considered bastards. Any children born of you while there is a Malfoy patriarch alive must be unmistakably of Malfoy blood. Is that clear?"
"Completely." replied Ginny, breathing a mental sigh of relief- her life wouldn't necessarily be over the moment she married a Malfoy, as long as she was "discrete".
"Yes," agreed Lucius, "you must understand that when you marry into this family, you become almost our property. There will be no divorce for any reason, and even if my son were to perish before you, as long as a Malfoy male was alive to care for you, you could not be allowed to remarry without their expressed permission."
Ginny leaned back in her chair, thinking the whole thing over. It was not a half bad deal. True, she would have to bear a child to Draco, but that was the worst..."Am I able to leave right after having a child?"
Narcissa frowned. "I suppose, if that is what you want, you may. However, I thought the Weasley clan was more maternal than that." A wave of guilt washed over Ginny- she wasn't sure she would be able to leave an infant that she had spent nine months caring for.
"Well, actually, I was thinking that perhaps the child would spend half his time here, and perhaps half his time with me?"
"No." said Lucius sternly. "This son will be a Malfoy, deserving only the best. You would have to come here to visit him. This house seen the raising of a millennia of Malfoy sons, and my grandson will not be the one to break that tradition."
"I see." And she did. Still, it was a good deal- she supposed that once her son left for Hogwarts, he would only be home during the summer. She could manage three months a year here. Unless... "I have another question- what if I have is a girl?" "Well," replied Lucius slowly, "the contract would not be fulfilled, and you w ould have to keep trying until a son is born. If he dies before siring his own son, another son would be required of you. If it were two hundred years ago, I would advise you to perhaps have several sons in case one dies, but the child death rate is much lower now, and it is up to you to take that chance."
"What if I never have a boy?"
"When the oldest daughter is eighteen, and you have been continuously attempting to bear a son, the daughter may marry a man of her father or grandfather's choosing, with the understanding that she must bear a son to be raised as a Malfoy." All the politics of childbearing were making Ginny's head spin, but she still had one more question.
"And say I have a daughter, then a son. May I have the raising of the daughter while the Malfoy family has the raising of the son?"
Lucius frowned. "In that case, I suppose it would be acceptable for you to have her half the time, the other half being spent here. Any other questions?"
"I don't believe so, no."
"In that case, let us set the wedding date." uttered Narcissa excitedly. "I was thinking perhaps the estival equinox."
"But that's just two months from now!" exclaimed Ginny.
"Actually, more like two and a half months," Narcissa commented with a look that said "learn how to count".
"Well, Virginia, what do you say?" asked Lucius, holding in front of him a marriage contract, with what looked to be dozens of clauses, consisting of everything they had discussed the past hour.
And Ginny thought. This was the biggest sacrifice she could make, the most important thing she could do for the Order. And it didn't seem like it would be so bad. She would, of course, have to engage in a few baby-making activities (which, looking at the man sitting across from her, might not be so bad), pop out a kid or two, and live the rest of her life away from here, happy with her friends and family. But the most important thing was that, by doing this, she would be enabling Harry to win, or at least give him the opportunity to win.
There wasn't even that much to think about- there was a prophecy saying she and Draco would be married, and so it would be best if Ginny set the terms (which she had done), because she had no doubt that if she didn't sign this contract, she and Draco would end up marrying each other somehow. This way, Ginny at least got everything she wanted.
"Do you have a quill?" Ginny asked. However, as soon as she spoke those words, apprehension filled her again. Was she signing her life away? Well, she thought, if she was, than it was for a good cause. Lucius handed her a quill, and Ginny scrawled her name on the parchment and handed it back to her future father-in-law, who handed it to her groom-to-be. Draco had still not spoken the entire time, and continued to be silent as he wrote his name.
"Now, Virginia, I will provide you with 2,000 gallons for the wedding. It will be the social event of the season you know, so I want you to look your best. I have allocated you room for fifty guests, which I'm sure you'll be able to manage to fill." Ginny grimaced at the snub about the size of her family. "We will select the bridesmaids, you just need to purchase a dress for the engagement party, a wedding gown and anything else you might want. Leave the engagement party, and the decorations, location, and reception for the wedding all to us."
"What about rings?" asked Ginny, thinking of the ring her antiquated ring her mother had promised her for the wedding.
"We will provide those as well. Any questions?"
"So you just want me to show up June 21st? That's it?"
"No, I'm sure I will either accompany you on a shopping expedition, or request that you stop by, just to make sure everything flows, and the bridesmaid dresses go well with your dress. Also, we will have to have an engagement party. I'll contact you to let you know when that will be...perhaps within the first five days of May? Yes, I think that will do." Narcissa commented. "If you need more money, just let me know."
Ginny took a deep breath and stood up. "All right, I will." And with another cool nod to everyone in the room, she exited.
Ginny did not hear the comment made as she left: "Maybe she will fit in all right after all- I haven't met someone so disdainful and haughty in years, and especially from someone so plebeian. She just might pull the aristocratic thing off after all."
And then the reply: "Doubtful."
Review!...You know you want to!