Title: Call Me Ginevra
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I don't own any characters except those you can't research on the lexicon and aren't mentioned in the books. The plot is my own. Any resemblances to other plots are pure coincidence. Think about it this way, great minds think alike.
Full Summary: The war has the Weasley's worried about poor little Ginny. After checking her resources McGonagall claims she has the best caretaker for Ginny. Too bad it turns out to be Narcissa Malfoy. While at Malfoy Manor Ginny faces growing up, a strict regiment and Draco on a day-to-day basis. Can Ginny and Draco brave the unknowns of friendship? Will the buds of relationship form? What will Harry do when he finds out that only Ginny holds the key to defeating Voldemort?
Pairings: Draco/Ginny (I guess this sort of answers the "buds of relationship" question in the summary, huh?)
Rating: Eventually M, but pace yourself. (I will give fare warning of the chapters which that rating applies.)
Chapter Note: Another chapter with little dialogue, but all the importance in the world!
Oh, and p.s. Laurent is pronounced "Lore-ent," with emphasis on the 'ent'. It's kind of like Lauren but with a 't' at the end.
Author's Note: Now that school is out I have more time to write. What does this mean? Well, more frequent chapter updates of course! I'm very proud to say this story has accumulated 400 plus reviews which makes me VERY happy! I have a plot outline I work off of and, believe it or not, we're VERY close to the end of this fic! I'm extremely excited because this will be the first fic EVER that I've completed, and I couldn't have hoped to do it with a better fic.
I want to thank everyone for reviewing, it really does motivate me to continue writing, I'm not just saying that. I'm in the process of working with my beta to rewrite the chapters (for grammar, spelling, and clarity) and have recently uploaded an edited prologue. With any luck I'll start posting this story on FIA! Oh, and all my love to AceCade, who saw it fit to review every chapter. That makes me exuberantly happy. Enjoy the chapter, I know I enjoyed writing it.
Chapter Twenty-Three: Thunder in the Distance
Ginny clenched and unclenched her jaw. Pansy was going on again about how perfect her wedding was going to be. If Ginny didn't have to help plan the whole thing, she'd tell Pansy to shove the wedding up her arse, but as it was, Ginny was in charge of organizing the bridal party. "Repeat back to me all of that," Pansy demanded as she inspected her wedding dress in the circle of mirrors.
They had set up a fitting room in the ballroom so Pansy could be fitted for her dress. Narcissa, and Claire who had taken to shadowing Narcissa during the whole planning process, had gone off to finalize contracts with caterers leaving Ginny with Pansy. Instead of taking her wand and avada-ing herself, Ginny was trying the hardest she could to be somewhat civil to Pansy. She was almost about to launch herself at the pug-faced girl, though, and had to take a moment before speaking lest she utter things that ought remain in her thoughts.
"The maid of honor will be wearing teal with a red sash and the bridesmaids will be wearing brown with a red sash." Ginny regurgitated the color combinations Pansy had shouted at her through the changing room.
"Ouch! You bleeding cow!" Pansy snapped as the fitter prodded her with a pin. "Just because red is one of my colors doesn't mean I want my dress stained with my own blood!"
Ginny shot the woman who had nearly been bowled over by Pansy an apologetic look before rubbing her temples. She had been genuinely surprised when Pansy had chosen red for a color in her wedding, but Ginny knew it was more for the color of blood than the Gryffindoric connotation it held. Sighing, she looked out towards the garden, tempted to run for her life if need be.
"Weasley, are you even paying attention to me?" Pansy's shrill voice was closer than it was before.
Jumping slightly, Ginny turned her head to find Pansy, hands on her hips, standing in front of Ginny. "If I'm going to trust you with any responsibility at least attempt to act like you're not a deaf, mute, imbecile."
Ginny narrowed her eyes at the girl. "I'm going to get some air." She stood and threw her notepad and quill on the chair she had just occupied. "And I suggest you go a size up in your dress, squeezing yourself into it is why the fitter keeps stabbing you with pins."
Leaving a cursing and screaming Pansy behind, Ginny stepped out into the courtyard, footsteps echoing on the pavers as she tried to get as far away from Pansy as possible. Glad to be away for a moment, Ginny went to the nearest bench and fell onto it. She ran her fingers through her hair, sighing. How did she wind up helping marry her ex-boyfriend and the most annoying girl to ever walk the halls of Hogwarts? Surely there had to be some sort of cosmic law which prevented this?
Knowing full well she had put herself into the situation she was in, Ginny did her best to bite back her anger. Or was it jealousy?
She had to admit, it stung to see Draco move on so quickly. It hurt to see him so ready to marry Pansy when just six months before it was Ginny in his arms instead.
But six months was a long time, she reasoned. Within three months of receiving the letter she had developed strong feelings for Laurent. Strong, but not the same as what she felt for Draco. But what could she do about it? Beg him to take her back? Grovel?
Weasley's didn't grovel. Ginny wouldn't subject herself to the humiliation of Draco smarting off some sort of comment about his ability to draw women to him. She couldn't do that, couldn't see him look at her and not care that she was hurting. Couldn't take the rejection. So instead, she would keep her mouth shut and do her best to pick up the pieces of her heart, and maybe even give them to Laurent.
She stood once she was sure she wouldn't personally stab Pansy with all the pins she could find, and walked back to the ballroom. As she stepped inside she was surprised to find the fitter sitting on a chair outside the changing room.
Frowning, Ginny walked over to her. "Where's Pansy? What's going on?"
The fitter shrugged. "She won't come out."
Groaning, Ginny lifted her weary body onto the platform where the changing room was set up and knocked on the door. "Pansy, are you coming out anytime soon? You've got to go cake testing in a few."
A petulant sniffle could be heard through the cracks in the door causing Ginny to frown. "I'm not feeling well." Pansy's voice was strained.
"Are you crying?" Ginny asked a little disgusted.
"Of course not!" Pansy nearly ripped the door off its hinges as she opened it. Her eyes were bloodshot and her blotchy complexion gave away her lie. "I've got allergies!"
Ginny rolled her eyes. "For Merlin's sake Pansy, I was angry. Don't take it seriously." Pansy sniffled again and slammed the door shut in Ginny's face. That would be the last time Ginny attempted to apologize for offending Pansy's self-image.
--
Ginny reveled in the warm sunlight that blanketed her body. She was laying out on the edge of the fountain, forearm over her eyes as she tried to relax from her morning with Pansy. They had met up with the bridal party so the dresser could start draping all of their gowns. It had been the same group from the dance that had clued Ginny in on Blaise's true intentions. She supposed she ought to be grateful to them for their honesty (however concealed in cattiness it was), but she couldn't help but flinch at the way the always referred to Pansy as 'Mrs. Malfoy'.
It was bad enough that she had to run into Draco in the hallways or be subjected to scathing glares from his soon-to-be, but Ginny could handle this. In fact, the worse part was that she had finally acknowledged that she had lost Draco. She had been holding out, waiting for some sort of clue that he may still have feelings for her, but the looks he gave her were evidence enough. Something had happened to change the way he felt, and it had worked flawlessly.
She sighed again. The bridal party had all loved their dresses. For that, Ginny was happy. She wouldn't have to deal with Pansy barking orders at her, demanding responses, changing her mind every thirty minutes. She supposed she ought to be grateful to Pansy especially. It was because of that girl's never-failing stubbornness to make Ginny's life busy that Ginny hadn't had enough time to think about Draco.
Except now, that is, in the garden. Pansy was gone with her bridal party, and had given Ginny every clear indication that she was not invited. Ginny hadn't wanted to go anyway. She was the bridal party planner, any more involvement, and she may just hang herself off her balcony.
Although, she thought as she frowned, she may do that after her most recent string of thoughts. All of them revolving around Draco.
As if conjured up out of her thoughts, she heard his deep baritone as he instructed a house elf on what to do with the furniture in his room. Apparently the idea Pansy had that morning to move into his room early had caught him a little off guard. Ginny smirked at this. Maybe Draco didn't like his bride-to-be as much as he tried to play off. Moving her arm, she turned her head and saw the house elf disappear with a 'pop'.
Draco turned, saw her, and froze. Taking a step back he seemed like he was trying to slowly blend in with the house. Nearly growling Ginny threw her arm away from her face and sat up, crossing her legs and massaging her forehead. "Honestly, Draco, can you not do the 'don't make eye contact, back away slowly' business? I think we could at least act like adults in this whole situation."
Draco, shocked at her words, waited. She saw the muscles in his jaw move under his skin as he contemplated her words. "Fine," he said.
Ginny took a deep breath and nodded. "Well, then, good." She looked at him, watching his body language. To anyone else he would've seemed calm and controlled, but to her, he was feeling uncomfortable. Before she could think about what she was doing she'd taken a step farther. "I don't want us to be this way," she said quietly.
Draco clearly hadn't been expecting this, dropping his jaw a bit. He stepped forward, eyebrows furrowed. "I don't…" he trailed off. Shaking his head, Ginny could see his mood change instantly. His eyes were hard again, his face stony. "I'll be civil, but don't fool yourself into thinking we'll be best friends again." And with that he was gone.
--
Ginny did not have lessons the next day. Instead, she woke to a letter sitting on her bedside table written in Draco's handwriting.
Ginevra,
Mother's ill.
-Draco
--
Ginny became aware of someone walking down the hallway. Turning her head slightly, she saw Claire step through a doorway, disappearing into the room inside. Narcissa's room. Ginny turned her head back against her folded arms. Closing her eyes, she tried not to cry again. Her face hurt from it, the edges of her eyes were rough from wiping away her tears, her sides burned from sobbing. She let her head fall from side to side, felt the muscles in her neck burn in protestation. She'd been sitting outside of Narcissa's room since that morning waiting for a diagnosis, but no matter what the Healer tried, there were no questions that could be answered. Worse, there was nothing that could be done, but wait.
Slowly she picked her head up, letting it fall against the wall behind her. Sniffling, she pushed her legs out to stretch them. After getting the letter from Draco she'd quickly dressed and made her way to Narcissa's room. There she'd stayed since that morning, arms wrapped around her knees, sitting on the ground. Leaning forward, she rubbed her soar muscles through the denim pants she wore. After working through what knots she could, she pulled her legs back to her body. It was as if she was trying to hold herself together.
In a way, she was.
Narcissa had been the one constant in her life at the Manor. She'd been the one to rescue Ginny, she'd been the one to teach her, clothe her, feed her, and mentor her. She was more of a mother than any other name Ginny could conjure up in her muddled thoughts. It was true, Narcissa Malfoy really had become Ginny's second mother. Of course, no one could compare to Molly Weasley in that department, but Narcissa had taken Ginny in and turned her into the young woman she was. The young woman feeling every last reserve slip away as the tears behind her eyelids pushed down her cheeks.
Narcissa couldn't die, couldn't be so sick that no one could think of anything to do, couldn't be nearing the end of her life on the other side of the wall that held Ginny up. Narcissa had been keeping Ginny safe in the Manor. Without Narcissa, the only people Ginny had were Lucius, and Draco, neither of which she would trust with her life at this point. Yes, Lucius had started to show some liking to her, but Ginny wouldn't forget what Snape had told her. Lucius was trying to trap her in his web, and she wouldn't let him do it. She wouldn't let him be the only person keeping her alive.
But here she was. Just like with Ron, Hermione, and Harry. She couldn't do anything to help the dying woman in the room behind her, just like she couldn't help her brother and friends. No matter how far away her parents sent her, the truth remained the same. Ginny was utterly useless in this war. There was nothing she could do.
"Ginevra?"
Ginny's head snapped up as Claire's cool voice drifted down the hall. Looking over, Claire was holding open the door to Narcissa's room. "She wants to see you."
Ginny couldn't have stood any faster, couldn't have crossed that distance any quicker. Stepping through the doorway into the dark room, all she could hear was the dull beating of her heart in her chest. It was as if the organ was trying to escape, to free itself from a torture chamber. Maybe, in effect, it had the right idea. Lately, it seemed any heart trapped inside Ginny's body would have been badly injured.
Trying her best to slow her breathing so her heart would follow, she stepped carefully through the shadows of the room. The curtains had been drawn and only a few candles lit around the bed. Ginny had never been in this room before. It was majestic with vaulted ceilings, murals on the walls that Ginny could decipher through the darkness, and richly designed furniture. Spotting where Narcissa lay, Ginny walked until she was by the bed.
Now that she was seeing Narcissa, something she'd been waiting to do all morning, she had no idea what to do. She did the first thing she could think of. "Narcissa?"
The woman in the bed was not the woman Ginny remembered. She was slow, fragile, exhausted, and grey. Turning her head, Narcissa reached out her hand for Ginny's. Taking Narcissa's hand, Ginny, sat slowly on the bed, not wanting to move the bed.
"Ginny," Narcissa said, her voice barely a whisper, "Ginny, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I can't protect you."
Ginny's bottom lip began to quiver. "No, Narcissa, you'll be okay. They'll find out what's wrong and fix you. You'll be okay, everything will be okay." Ginny was grasping Narcissa's thin, shaking hand between hers.
Narcissa smiled slightly, the edges of her lips barely curving upwards. "Ginny, your optimism was always so refreshing." Narcissa let out a haggard cough that made Ginny jump. "My god, this wedding couldn't have come at a worse time."
Ginny tried to smile at Narcissa's vain attempt to carry on casual conversation, but the dark circles under her eyes, the fact that she could never quite focus on anything gave Narcissa's true condition away. "Yes, well, I think we'd all agree that this wedding could probably fail at coming at a right time."
Narcissa tried to laugh, chuckling a bit before coughing again. After dropping her hand from her lips she exhaled slowly, making Ginny think that if Narcissa were to let out one long breath, it would be her last. "I don't understand," Narcissa shook her head. "I don't understand why he chose her. I wanted him to choose you, but instead he went for…" She couldn't continue, coughing again as her breathing accelerated.
"Narcissa," Ginny pleaded, her hands flying over Narcissa's body, looking for someway to help. "Narcissa, please don't stress your body, you've got to let yourself heal. Think about things like that later." Please, Ginny thought, I can't stand to think about that now, too.
Narcissa nodded, pushing her shoulders into the pillows that held her up. She grimaced, pain sweeping across her expression for a moment before she settled back down. "Ginny," Narcissa mumbled, "I'll do what I can to keep you safe. I won't let you come to harm."
Ginny swallowed roughly, the burning in her throat signaling another bout of tears. "I know, Narcissa. I know you will. You'll get over this. You'll get better. I know you will."
"Claire?" Narcissa asked, turning her head to the door.
Claire stepped forward, raising her eyebrows.
"Get me some tea, please, if you would?"
Claire nodded and disappeared.
Ginny couldn't think of anything to say. Soon the even breathing of Narcissa gave her the sign to leave. She walked into the hallway, closing the door lightly behind her. Narcissa had to pull through this. Ginny knew she wouldn't survive without her.
--
Ginny stepped into her steaming shower, hissing as the hot water soaked her body. She waited for her body to adjust, and then stood fully under the stream of water. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on the feeling of each muscle loosening beneath her skin starting from her neck, and moving down her shoulders and back. Despite having gotten plenty of sleep the night before, she felt terribly exhausted.
The entire day she'd spent waiting for news on Narcissa's condition, but everything she learned only made her feel worse. They still didn't know what it was that had happened to her, still didn't know how to fix it, how to stop it, how to save her. Instead, Narcissa was dying, and Ginny could do nothing.
Ginny reached out and put her hand flat against the tile wall, having to hold herself up against the sobs that were shaking her. She had tried not to cry in front of anyone, tried to hold herself together. Now she could barely hold herself upright. Pushing her hair back out of her face with her other hand, she slowly sank to the floor of the shower onto her knees. Palm still pressed against the wall, she gasped for air between each cry.
How could this be happening? How could nothing be done? This couldn't be what Ginny and Laurent had, this wasn't the flu. This was much worse. Was it somehow connected to her condition?
There were so many questions Ginny had, none of them able to be answered. She was angry. Angry at the Healer's for not knowing, not acting, not helping. She was angry at Lucius for not caring enough to leave his business trip to be with his dying wife. She was angry at Claire for not seeming sad enough. She was angry at Laurent for trying to be too consoling. She was angry at Pansy for being the one to comfort Draco.
She was angry at Draco for not coming to her. She was angry at this whole situation. She was furious with everything. She hated herself. She hated herself for being so useless, for being a coward, for being so afraid of living without anyone's help. She was so afraid of living in the Manor without Narcissa. She was terrified.
Above all she was lost. She was confused. And now with Narcissa on her deathbed, Ginny felt more alone than she had ever before. Yes, she had Laurent. Yes, there was Claire. But, to be frank, there was no deep bond with either of them. Laurent was not someone she would be best friends with, fall in love with, marry. Laurent was to pass the time. Laurent was helping her reaffirm that not all men were like Harry, Blaise, or Draco. That she didn't have to find either Michael Corners' or Dean Thomas' just to keep a boyfriend who wouldn't leave or abuse her.
Laurent was nice, comfortable. But, not even Laurent could soothe her right now. She needed Ron or Hermione, she needed her mum or dad, she needed Fred and George to make her laugh, Percy to make her see the realistically bright side of things, Bill or Charlie to take her mind off of things.
She needed Narcissa to live.
After she had cried more than she knew she could, she finished her shower with occasional tears. Reaching up to the nozzle she turned the water off, grabbing the towel with a wet hand and drying her hair off a bit. Pushing open the stall door, she stepped onto the cool stone floor. Turning to her bedroom, a hand closed tightly around her throat, launching her against the mirror above her sink.
Her eyes watered as her breathing was stopped, her chest started burning as she tried to catch a breath. Her fingertips were prying at the fingers against her skin but to no avail. Slowly, she opened her eyes to see who her assailant was.
There stood Draco Malfoy, eyes bloodshot and raging, expression absolutely frightening as he glared at her. Coughing, trying to do anything to get some air, Ginny squirmed against his strangle hold. "Can't breathe…" she barely whispered.
Draco's jaw twitched, his nostrils flaring. "Good," he snapped, his voice rasping, velvet and gravel.
Ginny's eyes widened as she wondered whether he was going to kill her.
"You knew," he began, "You knew this whole time she was dying, and said nothing. I don't know how you could…" he trailed off. His hold on her tightened fractionally, and Ginny began kicking her legs out towards him. Seeing her attempt to fight, he pulled her back from the mirror and threw her back against it. Behind her head, she could hear the mirror crack. The back of her skull was getting warm, and she was beginning to lose focus.
"She… made me promise… not to tell," Ginny tried to explain, hands leaving deep red lines on his arm as she tried to pull it away.
Draco again forced her into the mirror. This time Ginny could feel pieces of the glass cut into her scalp. "Draco stop!" She tried to scream, but could barely manage a whisper.
Draco brought his other hand, clenched into a fist, smashing into the mirror beside her face. Tears were flowing down her cheeks, lips turning a light purple. "You knew about everything! Fuck promises! You knew! You knew and you didn't tell me! Did you think it wasn't worth me knowing my mother was dying? Did you think I didn't have the right to know?" He hollered.
Ginny could feel unconsciousness pulling at her. "Please…" she tried.
Sneering, Draco pulled her forward and threw her onto the bathroom floor. "Fucking pathetic bitch. Fucking bint." He slammed the door as he left. Ginny didn't move from that spot for a long time.
--
Ginny sat at the edge of her bed looking down at her hands. That whole morning she had avoided everyone like the plague. She hadn't even left her room to see Narcissa. The night before, lying on the cold bathroom floor after Draco left her and terrified her, she had wondered about the state of things. Maybe she should be glad Draco didn't love her anymore? If he was this violent, maybe she should be glad he had moved on to Pansy. No, she couldn't wish Draco's behavior on anyone. She would hate to know that Pansy suffered the same fate that Ginny had last night.
But she had felt a sudden relief that he had parted ways with her. In a sense, he had provided a perfect catalyst for her to move on. A knock came at the door. Ginny turned to see Laurent walk in, grinning from ear to ear. He had come back from his trip with Lucius, whatever trip it was, and had been trying to see her all morning. Ginny, of course, refused everyone until she had healed all of the bruises on her neck and the cuts in her scalp. She had the house elves replace her mirror and clean up all the blood.
Laurent crossed the room to where she was, sitting beside her. "Ginevra, I have been looking for you all over the place." He slowly wrapped his arms around her stiff and sore body, kissing her gently. She relaxed a bit.
"I'm sorry I've been in hiding. The news about Narcissa is still making me feel ill in the mornings, it takes me a bit to feel better," she lied easily.
Laurent nodded, rubbing her back. "It is unfortunate. I had wanted this to come at a better time." He shook his head.
Ginny frowned. Wanted what to come at a better time? Narcissa dying? That really couldn't come at a good time. And how did he know it was coming at all? Laurent must have seen her expression. He shook his head quickly, smiling.
"I am sorry; I had been planning this only for a week or so. I thought now would have been the perfect time, but this happened. I suppose it's as good a time as any, no?"
Sliding off the bed, Laurent dropped down to one knee. All of a sudden Ginny felt ill. She opened her mouth to tell him to stop, but didn't speak. Her mind started turning. She had been holding out for Draco this whole time, waiting for him to come back to her. He showed last night that he was clearly not interested in her love, or her ability to breathe. Maybe she had Laurent wrong? Maybe he really was someone she should try to be with. She couldn't say she'd been one hundred percent loyal to him. Part of her was always with Draco. But she was sure that part was back.
All these thoughts seemed to cross before her mind in the split second it took Laurent to reach into his pocket. Now, she was watching as he pulled out a velvet covered box which he opened slowly to reveal an oval diamond on a gold band. "Ginevra," he began and Ginny couldn't feel her toes, "I've been trying to wait for you, trying to wait so the time would be right, but I can't. I wanted this to be perfect, but I have no patience."
Ginny felt a tear slide down her cheek, she wasn't sure why, though. Was she sad? No, she wasn't sad. She wasn't happy, though, either. She was lost. She was lost because Narcissa should be there to tell her what to do, tell her how to answer. Should she say yes? Should she wait for real, passionate, true love? Did it exist for her?
"Ginevra, make me the happiest man. Be my wife?"
Ginny blinked away the tears. "Yes."
--
Ginny's footsteps echoed down the hallway to Narcissa's room. As she turned the knob she could've been certain that she had heard a sob, but by the time she got to Narcissa's side the woman was composed. "Ginny," Narcissa sighed, holding out her hand for Ginny to sit next to her on the bed. Ginny complied, trying to move the bed as little as possible. She made a point to lay one hand over the other, covering the ring Laurent had slipped on her finger not two hours before.
It seemed right after Laurent had exclaimed joyously, a house elf had appeared asking Ginny to see Narcissa after lunch. Ginny had been relieved that she'd been called. She could talk to Narcissa about Laurent, talk to her about what to do. Ginny had said yes, but she had meant maybe.
As soon as these thoughts entered Ginny's mind, as if on cue, Narcissa frowned. "Ginny, you seem worried."
Ginny nodded, clenching her jaw. She'd try to omit the part about Draco. The last thing Narcissa needed was to know her son was a violent beast. "Laurent proposed this morning." Ginny had meant to come up with some sort of lead in, a transition maybe, not just blurting it out quite like that. Instead her brain had been subjected to the whims of her body.
Narcissa widened her eyes and made an 'o' shape with her lips. "I see."
"I said yes," Ginny answered the question she was sure was coming.
Narcissa's expression fell. "Oh," she said softly. With a deep inhale, she put her hand on Ginny's. "Ginny, I've got to ask, do you love him?"
Ginny bit her bottom lip, trying to find the words to best answer the question.
Narcissa spoke first. "If the answer was yes, you would have said it already."
Ginny closed her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Laurent is everything I could've dreamed of. He's intelligent, he's thoughtful, he's attractive, he's well-off, and he's affectionate. Any girl would be lucky to marry him."
Narcissa nodded. "Yes, and to every girl the things you listed off would be all that mattered. How someone reads on paper and how they make you feel are two entirely different things, Ginny. You can't base something like marriage on whether someone has more pros than cons."
Ginny dropped her head into her hands. "I know," she mumbled into her palms. "And that makes more sense than anything else my brain has come up with today. But, I just don't see the point of waiting around for love that may never happen."
"Ginny, look at me," Narcissa demanded. Ginny looked up from her hands. "I married Lucius because I had to. The only beneficial thing to have come from that marriage is Draco, and I would never ask that my marriage be undone because of that. But," Narcissa looked towards the windows which were now uncovered. "Had I waited, I would've met Lee, eventually. I believe you know where that story would have ended." There was a sad smile on Narcissa's lips.
Ginny felt a sharp pain in her chest. Narcissa wouldn't be able to see Lee for a while. In fact, if she never got better, she wouldn't be able to see Lee ever again. Who would tell Narcissa's love that she had died? Who could volunteer? "I know," Ginny whispered, eyebrows knit in an exhausting sadness.
Narcissa could be heard trying to even her breathing. She turned back to Ginny and her eyes held a different purpose than before. "Tell me about last night."
Ginny's head snapped up to meet Narcissa's gaze. "Last night?"
Narcissa nodded. "Did you forget about our magical bond? If you are injured, I feel it."
Ginny had forgotten. "I…" She didn't know how to explain to Narcissa what had happened. She couldn't possibly lie, Narcissa had always been able to tell if Ginny was lying. "Draco came to my room upset," Ginny said quietly, "We fought."
Ginny hoped that explanation would be enough. Thankfully, Narcissa nodded, pursing her lips into a thin line. "I see."
Ginny swallowed, her throat stung from being so dry. She couldn't think of anything to say, so waited for Narcissa to give her an indication of what to do.
"Ginny, I need to speak with my son." Ginny's pulse began to race. Would Draco be angry with her? Would he come back and do worse? "But," Narcissa continued, "I must explain something to you. I must beg something of you."
Ginny nodded, leaning in closer to hear better, the volume of Narcissa's voice decreasing the longer she spoke. "I did not have the luxury to marry for love. Maybe if I had I'd be penniless, maybe I'd be dead. But I consider both options in higher regard than the prison I live in now. Please, Ginny, don't throw away the gift you have. You don't understand how precious and valuable it is to be able to marry for love. Please, don't throw that away. Do it because I couldn't, Ginny."
Ginny nodded. "I promise."