The Cruelty Of The Past

Chapter Six

The Meeting

Arthur looked at his daughter, not knowing what to say. Personally, he was thankful Harry hadn't taken Ginny, but he could also see where she was coming from. "Ginny, everything will work out for the best."

"How, Daddy? If I don't marry Lucius, then our family will die off."

"Ginny, look at me. My children's happiness is what matters most. There's no way you could ever be happy with him."

"But Mum has always wanted grandchildren, and Bill and Fleur..."

"They can adopt children," Arthur pointed out. "I don't want you to even think about this. Now, your mother has supper going. Are you going to come down?"

She shook her head. "No, Daddy, I'm just too upset with Harry right now."

"Alright. And Gin, tomorrow when I meet with Lucius, I will let him know that you aren't willing to marry him," he said as he got up.

"You're meeting with him?"

He nodded. "He owled to say his lawyers said there is no way out of this."

"Daddy, I will meet with him," Ginny stated.

"No, sweetheart. I'll do it for you."

"Dad, I need some way to take out the anger I have towards my ancestors, and Harry. Besides, I'm an adult, and I want to do this."

Arthur pondered whether to let her go or not. "Ginny, I don't think..."

"Dad, he gave me Tom's diary! It's time for me to face the man who handed me to that monster, and I have to do it on my own two feet."

Arthur gave in, figuring it would be good to let Lucius see what a temper Ginny had. "If you're sure..."

"I am."

"I'll have someone come up with a plate for you."

She made eye contact with him. "Just not Harry or Hermione."

Not five minutes later, there was a knock on the door. "Gin? Please let me come in and explain," came Harry's voice. Ginny did not reply. "I'm not leaving until you hear me out!" She still didn't answer.

Twenty minutes later she could hear Ron talking to Harry outside her door. "She still won't talk to you?"

"No," Harry grumbled.

"Then it's going to be awhile. She doesn't get mad often, but God help you when she does. It's the whole reason the twins never tried anything on her. They didn't want to risk her wrath. Better to have her on your side than mad at you." Ron then knocked on Ginny's door and said, louder, "Ginny, I have your supper here."

"You and you alone can come in," she replied.

Ron then said, "Harry, go down and eat."

"No! I'm staying right here until I talk to her."

"Look Harry, I'm not risking her being upset with me, too."

A second later, Ron opened the bedroom door with a spell and walked in, kicked the door closed behind himself, then came over and handed Ginny the plate of food and a drink. He then placed a silencing charm on the room. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked his only sister.

"Do you know what he suggested?" she asked as she stabbed a piece of cucumber.

Ron smiled to himself. "Yeah, and I gave him a black eye for even thinking it." He paused, "But he and Hermione explained that we didn't understand. It's not what we think; it's some Muggle thing called science."

"I don't care what they call it!"

"No, I guess not. Look, I don't understand it either, but they would never have to touch or even see each other. Apparently, two complete strangers that have never even met can have a child together."

"You believed that?"

Ron rolled his eyes. "I guess it does seem a little far fetched, but why would they lie?" They both sat quiet for a long time. "So are you going to talk to him?"

"I'm not ready yet."

"I'll tell him that, but I can't say it will keep him from sitting in the hall all night."

"Thanks, Ron."

The next morning Ginny was relieved to see Harry did leave at some point. After eating breakfast, which was full of, "Are you sure you don't want us/me to come with you?" from her family, Ginny took time and put a good deal of care into her appearance. She didn't want Lucius Malfoy to have any reason to insult her. She chose a sun dress that was aquamarine in color and she secured her hair in a fabric headband that was made from the same material as her dress. She headed down to Malfoy Holdings which was located at the far end of Diagon Alley. After having to ask for the location of Lucius' office, she made her way up. As the lift doors opened, she found a fair sized waiting area. Across from the lift was a reception desk that had an older witch sitting behind it. The woman looked old enough to have gone to school with her Great Aunt Tessie. Ginny walked up to the desk and plastered a smile on her face. "Weasley here to see Lucius Malfoy. He's expecting me."

The woman didn't smile at Ginny; just looked her up and down and then said, "Have a seat. I will let him know you're here." As Ginny moved toward a chair, she noticed the room was soft and relaxing, not at all what she had expected. Once seated, Ginny realized the secretary hadn't yet informed Lucius she was there; she just continued to work on whatever she had been working on before her arrival. Ginny recognized this for what it was; it was meant to inform her that she was of no importance and it didn't matter if she was left waiting. Once the old bat finished, she then rose and entered what Ginny guessed was Lucius' office, closing the door behind herself. Ginny tried to calm herself. Lucius had done his worst to her as a child, so there was nothing more he could do to her now. If he wanted to play little mind games to prove to himself he was superior to her, fine. She wasn't the one who spent at least two days a week at the Ministry selling her friends up the creek without a paddle.

Finally, the woman stepped back into the room. "Mr Malfoy will see you now."

Ginny rose and moved toward the door, holding her head high. She would not go in meekly, nor would she show any weakness. The office was colossal. The far wall was all windows that let in the morning sun. There was a large desk in the center of the room, where Lucius sat wearing his custom-made business robes, black in color. His hair was pulled back in a sleek ponytail. When she entered the room, he stood to greet her. Ginny guessed that was part of the gentlemanly manners that must have been bred into him since childhood.

Lucius looked at the young woman in front of him; she was young, and a Weasley, but it did not change the fact that she was beautiful. He noticed how she carried herself with a natural grace; it wasn't forced or practiced. He had been surprised when Ms. Oftener said it was a Miss Weasley to see him and not Arthur as he had been expecting, but Ginevra was far easier on the eyes than her father would have been. "Miss Weasley. Is your father going to be joining us?"

She stood still and met his gaze. "I'm an adult. I don't need my father's permission to think for myself." Ginny smiled at herself for what she knew was a little dig about how Draco seemed to only do as his father allowed.

Lucius did pick up on what she was saying. "I'm quite surprised he would allow you to come alone today. Have a seat." He gestured to the chair in front of his desk

Ginny took note of the sunlight that was entering the room and realized if she sat down she would be blinded by it. "Thank you, but I prefer to stand."

Lucius couldn't miss the fact that she realized sitting would place her at a disadvantage. "Fine." He too remained standing. "No doubt your father informed you that my lawyers couldn't find a way out of this?"

"Yes he did."

"Then we need to discuss what course of action we wish to take."

Ginny shook her head. "Not really. We only have two choices, and while I knew what I was willing to do when I believed it was Draco that I was betrothed to, you are a different matter."

"And what would you have done had it been Draco?" Lucius asked.

"If I had to, I would have married him. He has spent his whole life doing what you have told him to do. I could have handled him without a problem."

"Are you saying you could not handle me?"

"No, I'm saying Draco is a puppy and he would have been easy to retrain. You would be a larger project that I don't know if I care to put any effort into."

"You insolent child!"

"Insolent, perhaps. Child, no. Now, as far as marrying you goes, I have not made up my mind as of yet. I'm only seventeen and I need more time to decide which way I want to ruin my life."

"I don't recall saying that I was willing to marry you," Lucius said, his calmness returning.

"But you will... if I agree to it. I have spent a lot of time thinking about this. Having me as you wife would allow the Malfoy line to continue. I'm Pure blood, and there is the added fact that having me as your wife would be good for your image. Also, there's Draco's happiness to consider."

Now Lucius wanted to string her up! How dare she speak to me like this? he thought, then said, "I assume your family thinks you're here telling me that you definitely will not marry me."

"That would be correct. There's no reason to upset them as of yet."

"When do you think you will know what you're doing?"

She smiled to herself; she had won this encounter. "I will let you know once I know. In the meantime, I would appreciate it if you don't send any owls while I'm still at home. I don't need my family reacting to the fact that I'm even thinking about this." She then turned and left the office.

That didn't go as Lucius had hoped. He told himself that it was because it was Ginevra Weasley, not Arthur, as he had been expecting. He didn't think the girl would come on her own. Had he been expecting her alone, his game plan would have been different. Still, it was sloppy of him to not have anticipated this circumstance. Well, even from failure there is still something to be learned. His lesson today was: do not underestimate Ginevra Weasley. And expect the unexpected.

As Ginny rode the lift down, she said to herself, "First point to Ginny Weasley!"