Nothing belongs to me.
LVIII: Pen to Paper
Draco sighed, dipping his quill in the ink pot.
It was hard enough thinking about the whole ordeal, now he would he have to put it in words.
He was in for a rough night, and Ginny Weasley would be in for a rougher morning.
She received a letter from an unfamiliar owl. Wondering who this handsome creature could possibly belong to, Ginny read:
Dear Miss Weasley,
I don't know how to write this. And it pains me to, but I need your help.
You see, you're the only person who can –
Well, I think I should start at the beginning.
As you may or may not know, my father is dying. Being his only son, I shall inherit the entire Malfoy fortune when he does.
Unluckily, before I can receive it, I have to meet certain criteria, or else all the money shall be passed on to our house elf, Tinky. This can'thappen.
So, Miss Weasley, you must be wondering just what "criteria" I am required to meet.
Which is this: I must be happily married by the time of my father's death.
No! Don't chuck this in your fireplace yet! Just keep reading, please.
The Malfoy name is mud nowadays. Nobody wants to be associated with our family, and everyone just loves the Weasleys so I thought…
Please, don't make me have to marry Pansy Parkinson. She's probably the only girl who'll actually want to be my wife.
I don't even know why I'm begging! It's not like you have any choice in this, I'm afraid.
D' you remember that day a few years ago, five years ago when I saved your life? Yeah, you fell off your broom, and I just happened to catch you.
Do you know what that means? It's called a life debt, Miss Weasley.
This is a perfect opportunity to repay me. You'll marry me – when Father hears that I've wed a Weasley, he'll probably keel over and die – and then we can get a divorce. It will be over, no one will ever have to know, and I'll even offer to split the inheritance to sweeten the deal.
We'll split it evenly, 80-20. Merlin knows you need the money.
Remember Weasley, life debt.
Owl me back with the soonest time we can meet. And hurry, will you?
Father could croak any day now.
Your Possibly Future Husband (Most Likely),
Draco Malfoy