Ron Weasley was sitting in his room at the Burrow. Ginny waltzed in, flopped down on his bed.

"Merlin, Ginny!" he exclaimed, jumping. "What on earth are you doing here?"

"Oh, you know, saying hi, finding out if you want to get married again… the usual."

"What are you going on about?"

Ginny rolled over and sat up. "I've got a problem," she said.

"So do I; you're here, babbling in my private room."

"No, really Ron." Ginny struggled over how much to tell her brother, but she had never been very good at keeping much from Ron. "I need you to marry someone for me."

"Well, the last round didn't go very well, so why should I try again?" Ron looked at her, frowned. "Who is it, anyway?"

Ginny frowned back. "Pansy Parkinson."

"WHAT?!" Ron jumped out of his chair and looked about to jump on Ginny, before realising that they were now adults. "You're having me on." He sat down heavily. "Well, start explaining."

Ginny hesitated, then began to spill the whole story to her brother. He interjected numerous times – "Snape?! You actually worked for him?" – and Ginny left out the entire Hermione element. Somehow, she thought that he might object to Snape taking an active interest in his ex-wife.

"Wow," Ron let out a breath. "That's some story. And now, to save Malfoy's life, I have to marry Pansy Parkinson."

"Yep," she replied.

"Save Malfoy's life… Couldn't you just let him die?" Ron looked over at her. Ginny shook her head. She'd already considered her options. Ron gave her a stunned look. "You want to marry Malfoy?"

Ginny snorted. "I'm already married to him, Ron. My choice is to let him die or help him live. And, horrible as Malfoy is, I'm not a murderer."

Ron shook his head, bewildered. "Does Mum know?"

"Merlin, no!"

"What will you tell her when she finds out you're married, then?"

Ginny shrugged uncomfortably. "I don't know. That he's a nice person or something."

Ron sniffed. "Don't start lying to our mother, Ginny. She'll spot you a mile off."

"I know. But what am I supposed to do?"

Ron sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Exactly what you're doing, I guess. I'll come to the Leaky Cauldron tomorrow for lunch."

"Thanks, Ron." Ginny gave her brother a hug.

He looked up with a strange expression on his face. "Will Hermione be there?"

"No, she's got a job elsewhere now. Why?"

"Just… Just wondering. I don't think she'd be too enthusiastic about seeing me, that's all. But I wanted to tell her that I'm better now."

"Because you're not drinking anymore?"

Ron nodded.

"How bad were you when you were drinking, Ron?"

Ron flushed. "Bad," he said.

"No, Ron; how bad?"

He wouldn't meet her eyes. "I… God, everything was her fault when I was drunk. I felt like she wasn't being a proper wife. And I wasn't a proper man. So… I… forced her."

Ginny sat back as though she'd been slapped.

"That's why I didn't tell anyone," he mumbled.

"More than once?" She demanded. Ron nodded dumbly. "Oh, sweet Merlin, Ron. You're better than that. If you ever touch a drop of alcohol ever again, I'll slap you silly."

Ron nodded again, and he looked so miserable that Ginny couldn't stay properly angry with him. She leaned over and gave him a hug. He held her around the waist and cried into her shoulder for long minutes. Eventually he stilled, pulled back. "Can you forgive me?"

Ginny searched his face. "Not yet," she said. "And don't even ask me to guess if Hermione will forgive you. But perhaps you could see marrying Pansy as your penance?"

Ron snuffled, nodded. Ginny kissed the top of his head as she stood. "I'll see you tomorrow, Ron. I still love you," she added, "even though I'm really angry with you. I still love you, Ron."

Ron nodded at her, then turned away as more tears slid down his face.