Late! Late, late, late! Merlin, she was always late. Mistress Greengrass would not be happy. It seemed that lately she could do nothing right in the eyes of her mistress, so when she actually did do something wrong the punishment was severe.

Rushing into the room of her mistress, Ginevra quickly noted that Miss Greengrass was sitting on her bed waiting for her. Her face drained of what little color her fair skin had and dread filled her.

"Ginevra dear, you are late," Miss Greengrass began coldly, "again." Her mistress fiddled with her bed hangings before looking her in the eye.

Ginevra dropped into a graceful curtsey to express her apology. "I know miss and I have no excuse other than that…," Other than what? Other than that I just couldn't stand to see your face again? "…I was detained by the laundry. I was trying to finish washing your favorite blue dress for the ball tonight."

Ginevra congratulated herself on the quick lie. Thank goodness, she had always been good at lying. This job would be more trouble than it was worth if she wasn't.

Mother always did tell me I should become an actress, Ginevra thought to herself and smirked. She was very good at playing a part. Currently she played the penitent. Her head was slightly bowed and her hands were joined in front of her. She even had the costume: a simple brown dress with a white apron.

"Well, that's just not good enough. I'm taking your day off. You will now have to work Saturday this week." Ginny's heart sunk. She always looked forward to Saturday. She and Mark would always go for a stroll in the city together. It was the only time she ever felt like she was a free witch.

"You're lucky I'm in such a good mood. Otherwise the consequence of your tardiness would have been more severe." A smile still had not graced Miss Greengrass's face to betray this 'good mood'.

"Yes, Madame, thank you." Ginny made another curtsy to show her gratitude.

"Draco Malfoy is to be my date tonight for the ball." Oh wait, there it was. A teeny little self-satisfied smile, so small you had to be looking carefully to catch it. It was gone as quickly as it had come and the mistress's cold exterior was resumed.

Ginny's face became a blank, mimicking that of her mistress, at the mention of Draco being Daphne's date to the ball. She self-consciously fingered the locket she always wore below her servant's dress.

"You needn't have taken so much trouble to wash that dress for me either. I had a new dress commissioned when I learned of my date's favorite color--green, naturally."

Ginny's brow wrinkled the tiniest bit, almost unnoticeably. Was that what he was saying now? He had always told her it was red. She reached up and fingered a tendril of her hair. Was that a lie, or was this new favorite the lie?

"The dress turned out so wonderfully. I have no doubts I will be the belle of the ball." A confident smirk graced Miss Greengrass's lips.

I can hardly doubt it either, Ginny thought mournfully, and that just makes it all the more painful.

She spent the rest of the afternoon in a daze. She helped Daphne into her dress. It was forest green with pearl accents on the bodice and skirt. Ginny did Daphne's hair as well, a pretty up do with a few tendrils escaping the style, but after she could hardly remember it. As she left, Ginny was sorry to say that Daphne looked beautiful. More beautiful than she could ever hope to be.

~***~

When she had finished the rest of her chores Ginny slowly made for her chamber still in a daze. She couldn't begin to fathom Draco with another woman. It was just too painful. She walked over to her little twin bed and lay on her back staring up at the ceiling. Tears gracefully fell down her cheeks as she cried silently. Her arms were spread out near her sides.

I thought I was over this, Ginevra thought sadly. I thought I was done crying. I just wasn't prepared. It came as such a shock.

I knew that he would find a woman someday; I just didn't expect to hear about it. I've known for a long time now that we can never be together, so why does this hurt so much?

It's not even like he's marrying her, just going to some ritzy ball. He probably just needed a date. He doesn't love her. He can't love her.

Ginevra consoled herself with these excuses, but a little part of her didn't believe it. It was very possible that he had moved on and found love with Daphne Greengrass. But Daphne Greengrass? Draco could have surely found someone better than her. Ginevra brushed these thoughts from her mind and took her locket out from beneath her dress.

She ran her index finger over the initials and allowed a wistful smile to grace her lips and reach her eyes.

She didn't open it. She didn't want to let herself remember those moments right now, only remember that there was a time that he had loved her, Ginny, instead of one the social butterflies he hung around with.

She tucked the locket away, back beneath her dress. She stood from the chair and straightened herself out. She brushed the wrinkles from the skirt of her dress and tucked her hair behind her ears. She wiped the dried tears from her eyes, but a quick look in the mirror showed they were still red-rimmed. She tried to fix it, but there wasn't much she could do since she'd been stripped of her wand when she became a servant.

Oh well, she thought, Mark won't care. He'll just know I need cheering and do a wonderful job as always. She smiled thinking about him, then rushed out the door, not wanting to be alone with her depressing thoughts anymore.

~***~

"Mark! Mark!" Ginny was flying at him with a broad smile on her face trying to hide her earlier sadness.

Mark looked up from his work and couldn't help laughing at how wild she looked. Her long, curly red hair was blowing behind her as she ran and her face had taken on a pink tint from her exertion. What he loved best was how her brown eyes sparkled from the exercise and her joy at seeing him. He didn't even notice their red rims, too caught up in her beauty to notice a flaw.

Ginny finally reached him. Mark wrapped his arms around her and twirled her around. Her laugh rang out like beautiful bells. He put her down grabbed her face and gave her a brotherly kiss on the forehead.

For Ginny, Mark had replaced the family she had lost. She never found out if they had all died, but it was just like they had so she tried not to think on it.

"Oh now, you've got me all covered in paint," Ginny laughingly complained. Mark was in charge of the carriages and was just adding a fresh coat of paint when Ginny arrived.

"Sorry, love, it's all part of the job."

Ginny took her apron and began wiping the paint off her face before it dried there.

"Here, let me help." Mark smiled, then began to purposely make it worse. Ginny laughed and smacked his hands away.

"Must you do that?" She questioned in a fake scold. The smile gave her away.

"What? Now you look a proper wild woman." He teased her.

She stuck her tongue out at him as her defense and went back to wiping the paint off her face.

"Now that I have been thoroughly chastised, please tell me to what I owe this visit," Mark said jovially.

Ginny quickly assumed her oh-pity-me voice and spoke. "Well, I've just had the most terrible day, and I was hoping, if you don't mind, that you would tell me one of your wonderful stories. They always cheer me up."

Mark was a half-blood, so knew all the muggle fairytales and Ginny always enjoyed hearing them. He enjoyed making her happy.

"Oh alright, but only because you sound so tragic. What story would you like?"

Ginny smiled with triumph. She was glad he hadn't asked what happened. He wouldn't have liked the answer. She knew that he loved her, even though she didn't quite return the feeling.

"You know my favorite is Cinderella." She moved to sit and lean against the carriage that wasn't freshly painted. Mark joined her.

Later, after the sun had gone down, Mark reached the end of his story.

~*****~

"…And so they lived happily ever after." His voice was low. He had been waiting for this moment for a while now. The stars were shining bright, it was a full moon, and Ginny was leaning her head against his shoulder as his hand rested around her waist.

He turned to look down into her big, doe eyes and she gazed back drowsily. Her lips parted the slightest bit. He reached his had up to her cheek and drew her face to his. He slowly leaned down and joined his lips to hers.

Ginny quickly got caught up in the kiss wanting to forget her awful day. Wanting to forget Draco. His hands travelled down to her waist. Hers moved to his shoulders to hold him closer.

Oh, she couldn't do it, she felt awful. She was using Mark. He loved her and she could never love him back.

Ginny broke the kiss and slowly stood up, his hands dropped from around her. "I'm sorry Mark. I have to go." She couldn't get her voice above a whisper. She was choking back the tears. She quickly leaned down to kiss his cheek and ran away trying to hold back her sobs.

To add to her unfortunate day, an onlooker had just witnessed their little tryst.

A platinum blonde man had been watching the two from his carriage as he waited on his date. He could feel his heart breaking at the scene he'd just witnessed, but kept his face composed.

"Good evening, Draco," Daphne spoke low, "it's a beautiful night. Don't you agree, darling?" She smiled at him as she took her seat in the carriage.

"Yes, love. It is beautiful." He finally turned to her, but still held a slightly distant look. "Almost as beautiful as you." He kissed her cheek and they were on their way. He still had a part to play. Emotions couldn't get in the way of that.

~****~

Draco did what was expected of him, a member of the Dark Lord's inner circle, all night.

He went around exchanging pleasantries with all the guests, Daphne on his arm. Then, danced a few times with her and discussed business with a few of his friends. The pressing issue of France's opposition was on everyone's mind.

Everyone's mind but his. His father continued to push him towards marriage. He always responded with the usual excuses: I like being a bachelor, I don't want to be tied down etc. but after the display he'd witnessed tonight he wasn't sure he had a reason to hold back anymore.

With his musings taking a new turn, Draco wandered out to a deserted balcony, a glass of firewhiskey in hand. He walked over to the railing and leaned his elbows against it. The night was bright, lit up by the stars and moon. The exact opposite of how he felt.

He was morose. Ginevra had obviously moved on, or at least it appeared so. Of course he'd enjoyed his fair share of women since their tragic break up—the Dark Lord liked to keep pretty women at his followers' disposal. But he just couldn't stand the idea of Ginny doing the same.

It was different for him. For him it was always meaningless. He held no feelings for the many women he'd used. But a woman like Ginevra could never do something like that. She was too good to use another person in that way. She would have to have feelings for them.

He stared off and noticed a happy, young couple below him, journeying through the maze of bushes. They were holding hands and looking for the entire world as if in love. That's how he and Ginny used to be, young and in love.

He smiled bitterly. Young love never lasts and soon those poor souls would learn that. He finally had. It was time he moved on. Time he listened to his father, and settled down.

"Darling, I've been looking everywhere for you." Daphne whispered in his ear as she wrapped her arms around his waist from behind and wrested her chin on his shoulder.

"Have you? I've just been here, waiting for you." He smiled mischievously as he maneuvered their bodies so her back was to the banister and wrapped his arms around her waist. She snaked her arms around his neck and smirked up at him.

He leaned down and placed hard, rough kisses on her lips. He was frustrated. She wasn't Ginny, but she was all he'd ever have. Ginny would forever be out of his reach. He bit down on her lip angrily. Daphne whimpered. He moved down to her neck, caressed it with his hand before resuming his assault.

Daphne moaned into his ear. Draco smirked.

"Honey, we have to go. Your father's giving a speech," Daphne said breathlessly. Draco scowled, grabbed her hand and led them back into the ballroom.

He took a place in the shadows, leaning against a wall where he could observe the crowd rather than listen to the speech. The guest list was full of worshiping followers of the Dark Lord—no one else was part of their society.

He noticed many couples take this time to slip out. He smirked. Slytherins never did change their ways. He wondered why the Dark Lord would choose to surround himself with them. They were never fully loyal to anyone but themselves. Their only interest was furthering their own interests.

He saw Pansy sneak off with some newbie he hadn't learned the name of yet. She had recently tied the knot with Crabbe. Blaise Zabini, also married, slipped out accompanied by a pair of blonde, French twins.

He smirked. Maybe his father was right; he should settle down. It would be like killing two birds with one stone. He could appease his father and move up the Death Eater hierarchy. Plus, he wouldn't have to give up his normal four different girls a week lifestyle. Draco nodded to himself. Yes, marriage would be good for him. He would become a much more serious player in this political world and forget about his past love.

He turned to Daphne who was still by his side. "Daphne, will you marry me?"

~****~

Ginevra greeted her mistress at the door that night. She had spent most of the night crying alone in her room. Her eyes were still puffy and red-rimmed.

Daphne came through the door with a huge smile on her face and giggling like crazy. Ginevra couldn't help but think she must be drunk. Ginny quickly took her clutch-purse and followed Daphne up the stairs.

When they got to Daphne's room Daphne was still smiling. Ginny helped her out of her dress and once she was released she twirled around the room. When she was finally out of breath she grabbed onto a post of her bed.

Ginevra had a shocked expression on her face. Her mistress was acting completely out of character, yet Ginny was happy. Daphne was finally acting her age, twenty.

"Oh, tonight was the best night of my life!" Daphne did another twirl with her arms spread wide and then collapsed onto her feather bed.

"Draco Malfoy proposed!"

~****~

A/N: so I kind of wrote this like it was the 18th or 19th century. I like when stories are set in the past.

Please tell me what you thought! I'd love to get some reviews! And I'd really like to know if I made any grammar errors or anything else you didn't like that I could improve on.