A/N: After a lot of consideration I decided to write the second part to what was a one short in the beginning. Hopefully, it isn't bad.
Game for High Stakes Part II
Dear notebook,
Two months has passed since… No, that sentence came out wrong. Brings a lot of bad memories. I'd better write this: six weeks has passed since the evil spirit of Lord Voldemort vanished from Earth. Hum, that doesn't bring any good memories or emotions either.
Yes, he is gone, but it doesn't mean that his death brought a happily ever after for everyone. I don't even want to start writing about the casualties of that fruitless war. I, of all people, surely know what it is to loose your loved ones. But my burden is much heavier. I myself was the cause of all bad things that happened in my pathetic life.
But then there is still hope. Hope that I care under my heart. It will be noticeable soon. I can bet Hermione will find out even sooner. I mean, she was there. She surely can put two and two together, with crazy hormones or without them. Ron will never forgive me for what I've done. Still he has his beloved Hermione and I… I have no one and will have no one.
Oh, forgot to mention. Harry proposed to me the other day. I firmly declined right away. So then he started to beg, declared his undying love, jada, jada, jada. I told him, my decision was unshakable, but he still pled to reconsider. His arguments were quite strong. Firstly he said, he loved me all that time and always regretted the break up we had in my fifth year. Bullshit. Three years since then and he hasn't took a single move in my direction. Yes, we were friends more or less. Talked from time to time, but that was it. His other argument was that he did everything to find me after I 'disappeared' and how devastated he was after hearing of the blowing up of the Burrow.
Maybe he said the truth, maybe Harry does love me, but I don't. My heart is in ashes just as my beloved. And I will never be mended.
Oh, Hermione is calling me to go downstairs. Preparing a wedding is such a crazy business, especially with Hermione who want everything to be p-e-r-f-e-t.
"Ginny! Where are you?! I am looking for you all day long. Your measurements for the gown must be taken. Right now!"
"Calm down, Hermione. It isn't good for the baby."
"Don't give me this baby talk. Go to Madam Malkin's at once!"
"Okay, okay. Don't make such a fuss about some stupid gown."
"By the way, are you bringing Harry as your date for the wedding?"
"It is certainly convenient. This way he doesn't need to look for a date for himself."
"So it is just a matter of convenience to you?"
"Of course. What else can there be?"
"Well, I heard he had proposed to you."
"And I said no. End of story. You know that it will always be no. Now I must go for my gown fitting. Bye, Hermione."
…………………….
The wedding preparations were at full swing. Almost all Ron and Hermione's savings went there. Because of the lack of money the three rented a two room flat in muggle London. Ron's salary as an Auror was practically their only income. Hermione, being three months pregnant couldn't have any job and Ginny, well Ginny worked in the Ministry as a secretary to the Head of one of the departments. The salary was enough only to satisfy her basic personal needs.
She knew she could do much better, she just didn't want to. Ginny dragged herself from one day to another, watching with jealousy how Hermione was fitting the wedding dress, writing the guest list or furnishing the nursery. Hermione noticed the longing glances of course and that's why was pushing her towards Harry. Harry was also quite persistent about the matter. The thing that made Ginny mad in that entire proposal ordeal was that Harry hadn't asked about her feelings towards him. Not once. As if she still loved him, as if there could be impossible otherwise. How wrong he was.
The bomb was blown up when a luxurious looking owl delivered a very official looking envelope to Ginny during breakfast.
"What is it, Gin?" Ron asked, cutting the bacon on his plate.
"Nothing important, just a letter from Gringotts," Ginny answered, reading the contents of the parchment. The letter was a surprise for her, but not less could be awaited from the brilliant strategist. Suddenly she smiled, whispering, "Archibald Arthur…"
"And who is that?" Ron barked. "Not your date, I hope?"
"You can say so…" Ginny replied still smiling.
"So he works at Gringotts?" Hermione inquired.
"No." 'To say or not to say. Well, everybody must know sooner or later. Better say it now than to answer a hundred questions later.' "They inform me that I have inherited the contents of one of their vaults."
"What? That's nonsense! There must be a mistake. Who can you inherit from?" Ron asked, clearly disbelieving.
"Certain actions give you certain rights. Even I myself didn't know that they would be given to me."
"So who is that kind uncle who presented his money to my little sister?"
"My husband."
If jaws could really fall onto the floor then Ron's would've soundly hit the table at that moment. "You were married?"
"Yes, I was. In the past tense. I am a widow now. He was one of the victims of that stupid war."
"For how long have you been married?"
"For sixteen days, and then he died."
"I am so sorry," Ron said with genuine condolences.
"You should be, Ron," Ginny uttered with a sad smile and left for work.
Out of curiosity Ron took the remained document to know the identity of his former brother-in-law. Black spots started to dance in front of his eyes after he read the first line – Dear Mrs. Ginevra Malfoy… And for Ron they changed into words in cursive handwriting – Don't tell your sister…
………………..
When she returned home, Ron was waiting for her in the kitchen. Gringotts' letter lay in front of him just where she left it. Left it on purpose.
"You know," he stated grimly.
"Know what?"
"What happened to him."
"Happened to whom?"
"You know exactly who I am talking about!" Ron blew up.
"Not really."
"About your… your… your husband," he finally breathed out.
"Yes, I do. Unfortunately."
"And you don't… that I…"
"Spill it out already. What's the matter?"
"How can you talk to me so evenly? I made you a widow for Merlin's sake! I, your own brother!"
"It wasn't your choice. It wasn't my choice. His choice was also forced. But I am glad that your hand did it and not somebody else's."
Ginny was about to leave and not discuss the topic any further when the door to the kitchen opened to reveal Hermione and her companion.
"Look, who I've brought to you," Hermione announced with a broad smile.
"Hello, Harry," Ginny greeted flatly. She was too tired for another tirade about his proposal. But Harry Potter seemed to have other plans.
"Can I speak to you alone, Ginny?" he asked with pleading expression.
'Not again…But, okay, I must put a fat point in this business.' "Okay, but not for long. I want to lie down."
Harry started to walk towards her, passing the kitchen table and his glance fell onto the letter. Ginny cursed very colorfully in her mind. She left it for Ron. Ron was family, he should know, he was a part of it all. But with Harry it will be a catastrophe of world proportions.
"What is this?" Harry choked out, reading out loud the first lines of the letter, "Dear Mrs. Ginevra Malfoy, we are sorry to inform you about the death of your husband Draco Malfoy. Please except our deepest condolences… What the fuck is this?!" he shouted, throwing the parchment into Ginny's face.
"It is a letter addressed to me. And it is quite rude to read other people's letters without permission," Ginny answered impassively, pocketing the letter.
"You were married?! Married to that scum?!"
"I was married to Draco Malfoy. I don't know who you are talking about."
"And you don't even try to hide it! Why aren't you saying anything, Ron? Your sister was married to a bloody Death Eater!"
"I know," Ron only said.
"And what about you, Potter?" Ginny asked with mockery. "You are trying to do the very same thing."
"What do you mean?"
"You, Harry Potter, the hero of the wizarding world, the biggest supporter of the Light Side, attempt again and again to marry a Death Eater!" Ginny finished with a maniac laughter.
Everyone in the room was paralyzed by the revelation. Hermione turned deathly pale. "Why, Ginny, why?"
"Because somebody had to do at least something! Horcruxes couldn't have just popped out of thin air. What was the point of sitting all day in libraries going through numerous volumes? I couldn't sit down all the time when my friends were dying every day. So I became a spy. A spy nobody knew of. It was the only opportunity to find useful information. Directly from the enemy."
"The next thing you are going to say that Malfoy was your source. I won't believe he didn't suspect you to be a spy."
"He didn't suspect. He knew."
…Flashback…
When Ginny left her initiation she was sick to her stomach and beyond. She was sick from Voldemort's ugly face, from his hissing voice, from the pain from the Mark on her forearm, from the deathly pale face of an innocent girl she had to kill to prove her loyalty. She was only starting but she was already sick from it all. She practically puked, seeing the all too familiar face of the person who was waiting for her in front of the doors.
"Malfoy," she greeted in a dangerous hiss.
"Hello, Weasley. And next time be polite when you are talking to your colleagues," he reproached with a smirk in the end. "I am in charge of the new recruits so come with me."
'Oh, now I am surely gonna be sick. Spending even a second with Malfoy makes me want to strangle him with my bare hands.'
They walked silently through one hall after another, passing Death Eaters once or twice until they reached a secluded and dark hallway. Malfoy stopped then and Ginny followed suit. Before she realized what happened Ginny was pressed to the wall, his forearm at her neck, effectively cutting out half of needed air supply.
"So did they send you or you came on your own?" he hissed into her face.
"What are you talking about?" Ginny choked in return.
"Don't make me laugh, Weasley. Do you really think that I will believe that you became a Death Eater out of the willingness of your heart?"
"Why not?"
"This is utterly ridiculous! You came here to spy. This I will surely believe."
"How can you be so certain?"
"Because you are a Weasley, idiot. Do you think I don't remember how you defended your family at school? How you and your brothers were on and on about family unity and love and other crap? You family is the core of the Order. So how do you suggest I can believe you or trust you for that matter?
I bet you'll need to kill a hundred including your family to prove your loyalty. Are you up to that, Weasley?"
"I will do my best."
"I will see how far you manage to get. You are a Weasley and a spy and Potter dumping you didn't change it." He moved his arm away and Ginny fell onto the floor in a huff. "I will be watching you. And remember, one mistake and Crucio will be the least of your problems."
…End Flashback…
"So he blackmailed you into marriage?" Harry asked, sounding hopeful.
"No. It was his idea but I agreed willingly. Draco had a very high understanding of family honor."
"What honor can a Malfoy have? He was just a slimy coward."
"One more foul word about him, Potter, and I'll personally hex you to the Moon," Ginny threatened through clenched teeth, pointing her wand at his head. "I am a Malfoy, so with these words you are insulting me too. And, please, explain to me how you can call a coward someone who took the Dark Mark at fifteen; who took his father's place in Voldemort's ranks, who didn't run away and hid afraid of being dialed with as his father was, who risked everything to save his mother, and he did it all alone, not without a struggle, but he did it."
"He is not some hero, for Heaven's sake. He killed dozens of people, Ginny! Dozens! He was the right hand of Voldemort himself!"
"And how many did you kill, Harry? You are not a saint yourself. Ron killed fifty. What is your number? Do you know that he actually learned to kill? He couldn't kill Dumbledore. It wasn't in his nature. But he knew that otherwise he would not live. So he suppressed all his emotions, his fears, his insecurities and closed his eyes every time he killed so not to see the look of death in his victims' eyes. He almost killed me once."
…Flashback…
"You failed your assignment, Weasley. Do you know what happens if you fail to fulfill the order of the Dark Lord?"
"Crucio will be the least of my problems," Ginny replied, shaking like a leaf and trying to hide it.
They were in some abandoned room. All furniture was covered with dust. Ginny's falling in the current predicament was simple: she had been assigned to kill the Lovegood family and she just couldn't come over herself that time. Yes, she hexed them for good measure, but that was it. And at that very moment she was to take her punishment in the face of Draco Malfoy. And frankly speaking, she was scared for her life.
"Yes, Weasley, you are right. In several minutes you are going to die. Say your prayers."
"What for? Just kill me and the job is done. Why postpone it? Or are you increasing my sufferings with anticipation?"
"Dammit. You want to die? Okay. Sit down."
Ginny sat down, watching his fidgeting figure. 'What is it with him?' She decided to change the pose but found out that she couldn't move. The next moment Ginny saw the tip of his wand. The tip where her death resided. She tilted her head up to look into the eyes of her murderer to at least prove her gryffindoric nature by looking into the face of death.
But she couldn't find them. Malfoy was looking into the opposite direction. A minute passed and still nothing. Then Ginny noticed that his forehead was covered with droplets of perspiration.
"I've said my prayers, Malfoy."
"Damn! I can't kill you!" he exclaimed withdrawing his wand.
"Huh? What do you mean, you can't? You must! Do you know what happens if you fail to fulfill the order of the Dark Lord?"
"I know it too well."
"Fail much?"
"Shut up! I've just spared your life."
"Should I be thankful? Not you, then somebody else. You just prolong the torture."
"You'll live."
"How can you be so certain?"
"Because I am saying so. You are a spy, you can't be simply killed. You can have valuable information for us… for them…"
"How many times should I tell you that I am not a spy?!"
"And how many times must I tell you that I don't trust you on this?"
"Well, The Dark Lord does, so bit it."
"Don't humor me. He trusts no one. Especially you."
"Are you examining my trustworthiness, Malfoy? Or maybe you are a spy yourself, hah? Where do your loyalties lie?"
"My loyalties lie where I put them. As for checking you, you are a spy and I know it or you will be soon anyway."
"Let's assume just for a moment that I am a spy. How do you know that I haven't found anything and even if I did why should I tell you about it?"
"Let's say that I know pretty much about what is happening in this damn castle and I also know that you just don't have access to the right people to gain any worthy information."
"And where could I get some worthy information??"
Malfoy smirked. "From me, for example?"
"Oh, yeah? And how can I be sure that you aren't luring me into a trap?"
"You can't be. But what if you are passing a great opportunity here?"
"What are you suggesting?"
"Let's play a game."
"Aren't you old enough for this?"
"A spying game. I will let you spy on me and others."
"But what's the point? You know that I'll be spying on you."
"Then do it so that I wouldn't notice."
"Why didn't you kill me, Malfoy?"
"Why is it important?"
"The Malfoys don't usually save the Weasleys. Moreover they despise them, consider not worthy of even being called wizards. So…"
"You won't believe me, if I tell you. Now go and I'll deal with the Dark Lord."
…End Flashback…
"Do you know why he didn't kill me? He finally told me half a year later – I was his link to the past. The glorious time of the school days, to careless childhood when he didn't served some fucked up bastard; when his both parents were beside him; when he wasn't alone.
He indeed let me spy on him. Information about half of the Horcruxes came that way, but nobody knew it. He definitely wanted for everything just to end, but he couldn't do it himself, it would've been fatal for him. And before you say anything, he wasn't using me. It was an unspoken agreement between us.
Yes, Draco wasn't any hero. He worked up the hierarchy just to stay sane, to do something, to have a goal in his existence. He wanted to be finally appreciated, because it was impossible for him to be with you, Harry, taking every victory from him. He had reached his goal – he was the straight heir of the Dark Lord."
"But he didn't receive his award, he was killed before that," Harry retorted with a smirk. No argument could make him believe that Ginny's marriage was for real.
"Yes, he was killed."
"I wish I could have done it."
"Well, Draco didn't. That's why Ron killed him."
"Don't say this word, Ginny. You know, it wasn't a murder in cold blood," Ron finally said something. He seemed to be quite touchy about that death.
"Of course, I know, Ron. I am not accusing you of anything. We paid the price."
"What the Hell are you two talking about?" Harry blew up.
"Draco Malfoy asked me to kill him, Harry. And I did it and burnt the body as he requested. That's all," Ron replied evenly.
"But why would he do that? Why couldn't he just die on the battlefield like a real man? Or commit suicide if he wanted the way out so desperately?"
"Because he wanted to save us all and he did. He did it all for you! For you, Harry, Ron and even Hermione. You can't even imagine what he did, what he managed to do," Ginny finished with notes of sorrow in her voice. "Now leave, Harry. I am really tired."
"Oh, no. I want to hear it to the end," Harry said, advancing on her. "I want to hear from your own mouth how he seduced my girl."
"I have never been your girl in the first place. And he didn't do anything, I came to him. It was inevitable, destined by Fate. We couldn't get away from each other, literally bumped into each other on every corner."
"So now you blame everything on Fate. Ron, say something for Merlin's sake! You have a traitor in your own family!"
"Ginny is my only family. Malfoy paid for it already. There is no point to turn over the old grave."
"So Malfoy did it? Malfoy killed everyone dear to you and you just want to forget it? I can't believe you, Ron! We miraculously remained alive that day!"
"Bah! What miracles are you talking about, Harry?" Ginny exclaimed. "It was Draco who let you live. He sent me a note just five hours before the attack. He had already made arrangements for me. I asked him to take Hermione and he agreed without a word. Draco insisted on you being out, Harry. So you can come and save the world later. Don't you remember, Ron? It was me, who asked you to go the grocery and insisted on taking Harry with you. The house was attacked ten minutes later."
"So you killed you own family, Ginny? Sacrificed them for 'your lord', for your boyfriend-Death Eater?!"
"My cover was blown! They were coming after me! They just wanted to kill the whole flock with one stone, you including! How do you think I felt when I was sitting save and sound and my own house was being burnt down? I cried for three bloody days! Tell him, Hermione, you were there with me!" Ginny yelled with tears, starting to run down her cheeks.
The men even forgot that Hermione was actually in the kitchen. Hermione, who was the only and the most rational witness of all that happened after their disappearance. "We both cried," was her only response.
"Who side you are on, Hermione? Is it some women's solidarity?"
"What the fuck are you doing, Potter?!" Ginny screamed, giving Harry a loud slap. "You want to drag Hermione into this too? Into this 'Harry is the poor boy who once in his life can't get what he wants' game? It's between you and me. Hell! It is absolutely none of your business! My answer will always be no!"
Suddenly Ginny turned white and clenched her abdomen. "No, no, no, no, this can't be happening," she said under her breath, going to her bedroom. She just turned around and left as if the heated conversation wasn't at its peak.
Hermione was the first to react. She rushed to Ginny's bedroom to find her lying on the bed and hyperventilating. "Are you alright?" Hermione asked, worried about the remaining paleness on Ginny's cheeks.
"I can't loose him, 'Mione. He is the only thing I have. The only thing I am living for," Ginny breathed out.
"But Malfoy is already dead."
"Not Draco. The… other Malfoy."
"Oh, Merlin," Hermione gasped, throwing a glance at Ginny's belly. "We must send you to St. Mungo's."
"It is too early. Nobody must know."
"But you are in a dangerous condition."
"I am alright. I just need to rest. Bring them here."
"But Ginny - "
"They must know the truth."
So Ron and Harry took places in the bedroom. Harry was wearing a guilty expression. Of course, he understood that Ginny's condition was by his accusations. But he was extremely jealous. And the most paradox fact was that it was Malfoy who he was jealous of.
"You wanted to know why Draco Malfoy married me. I'll tell you. It happened two months ago…"
…Flashback…
It was an ordinary day at 4 Grimmauld place. Hermione was reading yet another book on baby care. Ginny was cleaning up the house. Draco was… well, he was supposed, to be working on another scam of ambush, but he was just staring out of the window. There was a lot on his mind. That was how Ginny found him.
"Hey."
"Hey."
"Something interesting out there?" she asked with a playful smile.
"I don't know. I wasn't exactly looking. Actually I wanted to talk to you. Please, close the door."
"I don't like your tone, Draco."
"You know that the war has its casualties, one day I won't return either."
"What are you saying? You are the heir for Founder's sake! You are not even let to go to the front line."
"I am not talking about dying on the battlefield."
"So what the heck is going on?"
"I received my last order yesterday," he replied calmly, but then slammed the table with his fist. The action made Ginny shudder.
"What happened?"
"The Dark Lord doesn't want to retire, leaving everything to the chosen heir. He wants to become me instead."
"But how?"
"My body."
"He wants to take your body?"
"Yes, my damn body! The last thing I possess! He made my father go to jail, but I joined him. He killed my mother, I continued to serve him. He almost took you from me and I didn't say a word. But bloody fucking Hell! He wants my body too! I've wasted my life on him and this isn't enough! I curse the very day I was born!"
"You mean he is going to kill you?" Ginny whispered, freezing stiff from fear and feeling completely lost.
"Not exactly. But let's say that Draco Malfoy will be no more."
"You can't be serious, Draco! You just can't be!" Ginny cried, throwing herself at his back and tightly hugging him.
"I am deadly serious. So you think I have such a black sense of humor?"
"But, Draco, you can't die. I - "
"You what?"
"I don't want you to."
"The ritual must be performed in three weeks. I am completely free to do whatever I want. This is the reward I receive for winning the war for him. Bloody bastard."
"And there is no way out?"
"No. I must die this way or the other. Man, I am only twenty."
"You can't leave me, Draco. You just can't! Why did you save me then if you are going to leave me alone?!" she screamed hysterically.
"Ginny… For Merlin's sake just listen to me," Draco snapped, putting her onto his lap. They'd finally faced each other. Ginny noticed that his eyes were red from crying – he really didn't want to die that way. "You knew what you were doing when you joined the Death Eaters. Death is their constant companion."
"But not you! I am still mourning my family. I can't loose the man I- 'love'" But she didn't say it out loud. They've never talked about their feelings. She didn't even know where they exactly stood: they weren't lovers, maybe friends; they were just together with no explanations or discussions. They've never had anything physical between them in two years of their relationship. The only reason Ginny was acting so boldly now was because she didn't care about it anymore.
"Ginny, this must be done, otherwise the sacrifice of your family will be in vain. Everything you've done will be pointless."
"So only three weeks?"
"Yes."
"Can I ask you to fulfill my last request?"
"I'll try."
"Can you leave me something to remember you by, Draco? Leave me… someone?"
"No."
"Why? You don't want to make a baby with me?" Ginny asked, sounding defeated.
"That's not it. Don't be ridiculous. You are the one I could – I just can't leave descendants. Because if Voldemort doesn't get me and he won't, he will look for another holder of a blood as magically powerful as mine. Who else but my own child? And then you both will be in danger."
"But nobody will know! Voldemort will be dead in a month. Please, Draco, I beg you! You can't just leave me like this after all we've gone through."
"Tell Granger we are going to Italy tomorrow. We will need a witness."
"What for?"
"We are going to get married."
"I really appreciate it, but there is no need - "
"There wasn't and there won't be any bastards in the Malfoy family."
…End Flashback…
"We were married for sixteen days. On the sixteenth day the pregnancy test was positive. I insisted on dressing him up myself. Prepared his best white shirt. Then he stepped out of our sanctuary, pulled his hood down and was seized by the Aurors in ten minutes. You know the rest," Ginny finished softly with closed eyes, falling asleep from exhaustion.
"You knew," Harry and Ron both said, turning to Hermione.
"Yes, I did. But it wasn't my secret to tell. Malfoy did save our lives. Silence was the least I owed him. But Ginny left out an important detail – they loved each other. Even if they didn't know it. I had been living with them for only one month, but I could clearly see it."
………………
Seven months later Archibald Arthur Malfoy (the name was given by his father) was born. When the newborn was handed to his mother, she started crying. A sword-looking scar was on the baby's forehead. The boy was the next savior of the wizarding world. It was Fate.