Chapter 2
Disclaimer: I own nothing
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Harry stood just outside the room Ginny lay in at Saint Mungos, absolutely dreading the upcoming conversation he was about to have with her father.
He could hardly believe the situation he now found himself in. His best friend's little sister, attacked by the slimy git Draco Malfoy. Her beaten face, her torn clothes, her screams...
He shook his head, hoping to shake the disturbing thoughts out of them.
He chanced a glance through the ajar door of the hospital room. Ron's parents hovered around a white linen bed, Mrs. Weasley fussing with the blankets and blubbering helplessly. Harry could just make out a mass of dark red hair, contrasting brightly on the white pillow. Ginny lay very still in the bed, curled up around herself. She was no longer crying, and she stared blank-faced at the wall.
Mr. Weasley had just arrived with her a few minutes prior, and immediately one of the Medi-witches helped Ginny into a hospital gown and into the white linens of the bed while they waited to visit with the healer.
Mr. Weasley turned around, and made his way to Harry. Without making eye contact, he placed a hand on Harry's shoulder, leading him out of the room near where Ron stood.
Mr. Weasley seemed to struggle to find his words. They seemed to catch painfully in his throat.
"Harry… tell me. Tell me everything you saw."
Harry gulped, his insides churning. He never wanted to relive the scene ever again. Seeing Malfoy grabbing and pawing his hands at a half-naked Ginny, and her small form crying and fighting him… it was disgusting. He considered begging one of the healers to erase his memory, to wipe the sad scene which would now be surely imprinted on his brain.
"It was Malfoy, Draco Malfoy." He started quietly. He looked at Mr. Weasley though the man continued to stare at nothing. Ron stood still as stone; fists clenched.
"Ron had thought he'd heard a scream, so we split up and went looking for her… I'd just heard her yelling-and I ran in and- I mean it happened so fast- He was there, in the alley and she was screaming and crying and he hit her…"
Something in Arthurs gaze seemed absolutely broken.
"Go on."
"Well, he- I mean, He hit her when she screamed. Hit her on the face. A couple times, I think. He was – he had her on the ground, he had ripped her shirt off..."
Harry trailed off and desperately wished this conversation would be over. "I saw him and I pushed him off of her and he just-just ran away."
Mr. Weasley paced back and forth a bit, but then he stopped and turned back to Harry.
"Draco Malfoy you say? You are certain? Are you absolutely sure it was him?"
Harry gulped. "Yes."
Mr. Weasleys jaw clenched. "I've an errand, boys. I'll be back shortly."
Harry's blood to ice. Ron cleared his throat.
"Dad, an errand?"
"Yes, let your mother know I'll be back soon."
With a whirl of his cloak, he was gone.
Harry stood motionless. Ron turned to him, his face contorted slightly with panic.
"Harry, I've never seen Dad like that before. He looked murderous." He said shakily.
"Ron," Harry started nervously, "you don't think your dad would... well, you know?"
Ron paled at the implication, then clenched his jaw.
"Bloody hell, Harry, we've got to stop him."
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"Now, now, Arthur, Draco is a just a boy. What you are accusing him of is heinous indeed-"
"Heinous? Heinous you say? There are NO WORDS to describe this act, Lucius."
Inside the main drawing room of Malfoy Manor, Arthur stood in a frigid, icy rage. His wand was drawn, and he had it pointed at the pale neck of Lucius Malfoy. Lucius was backed up to the wall, his hands raised in neutrality. Though Mr. Weasley's stance was steady, his wand without a tremble, his voice was broken and cracked.
"My daughter, my eleven-year-old daughter, a child, was stripped. Was beaten. By the filthy hands of your bloody son ."
"My dear Arthur, this is a horrible misunderstanding. Surely you can't think my son would do this? Draco would never lay his hands on a blood traitor. Besides, you have no proof it was Draco! It was probably some scum wizard wandering the streets." Lucius blabbered shakily.
"I have a witness."
Lucius paled, clearing his throat nervously.
"Oh, er, do you now?"
"Yes. Yes, I do. He saw him strike my daughter. Saw him put his hands on her. I heard her screams, Lucius."
Lucius gulped loudly. "Well, I'm sure this is all just a vast unfortunate misunderstanding-" Arthur stabbed his wand further into Lucius neck. "But if you like, I can call Draco down and he can give you a formal apology."
Arthur considered him a moment, narrowing his eyes.
"Go ahead Lucius, I would like to see the boy for this apology ."
Lucius eyes moved to the side of the room and he beckoned to a house elf to fetch Draco. Moments later, Arthur could hear stomping footsteps of what sounded like an impatient child storming down the stairs.
A pale blonde stood in the doorway, his silver eyes widening slightly as he took in the scene. Arthur noted his cheek was red and swollen just like Ginny's had been, and one of his eyes was starting to turn black around the eyelid.
His wand not leaving Lucius, he beckoned to the boy with a twitch of his head.
"Come over here boy, and stand by your father." He ordered stiffly.
Draco moved slowly over to Lucius, standing next to him, a hint of uncertainty in his features.
Lucius gulped again, his eyes not leaving Arthur. "Now son, ah, it seems you suffered an indiscretion this afternoon? A temporary lapse of judgement? It seems you have wronged Mr. Weasleys daughter… I believe an apology is on order don't you think?"
Though his words remained eloquent, Arthur relished the fear that lay underneath Lucius words. His eyes stared down the piece of human filth in the form of a boy that was in front of him.
"Let's hear it, boy."
Draco shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably, staring at the floor.
"Sorry."
Lucius looked at him sharply. Draco spoke again, a bit louder.
"I'm sorry, sir."
Arthur chuckled darkly, and then stepped back so that his wand was now pointed at the pair in front of him.
"You should know Lucius, that even if Draco gave me a proper apology, or begged and pleaded for forgiveness, or groveled at my feet, that it could never forgive what he has done."
"Arthur, yes, I understand you and your family must be, ah, upset, right now-"
"Oh, upset doesn't begin to cover it, does it? And then of course once magical law enforcement gets involved it will only put my family through further suffering-"
"Indeed! Well perhaps we can come to some sort of understanding? A financial understanding perhaps? I hardly see a need to involve law enforcement, Arthur. Tell me the cost to make this go away and it will be done."
Arthur scoffed. "You bastard. You're pathetic, I knew you'd play that card, Lucius. No, I'm afraid that the only compensation that seems fitting in my mind," He turned his wand to Draco. "is letting me turn my wand on your disgusting perverted son and end him ."
"Dad!"
Arthur's head whirled to the side, his wand not leaving his targets. There stood Ron and Harry in the doorway, eyes wide, mouths open.
Arthur turned away from them, back to Draco. He had to finish this.
"Dad don't! You can't!"
"Ron I must. We won't receive any justice for your sister."
"I know, but Dad! You'll be thrown in Azkaban and what good will that do anyone? Is that justice? Where would we go? Mum couldn't cope without you! And what about Ginny? Come on dad, she's been through enough."
"He needs to be punished Ron."
"Yes, you're right dad, but that's not your job-"
"Damn right it is! I'm her father! And this boy!" He spat at Draco, "He stripped her, he looked at her! He put his hands on her! He tried to rape her-"
"I didn't rape her!" Draco cut in, cold eyes narrowed. "And she was only half-naked anyway…"
Lucius let out a hiss of disappointment, his eyes rolling towards the ceiling. Arthur's wand lowered a mere millimeter.
"Oh," He said, his eyebrows raising in mock interest, his voice laced with venom, "she was only half-naked you say? Well, that makes it alright then, doesn't it?" He turned to Harry.
"Is this true Harry?"
Harry's mouth opened and closed a few times before answering. "It's true, Mr. Weasley. He stripped her half-naked."
Arthur sighed, lowering his wand. "Alright then. I suppose I don't need to be ending his young life then, yes? Afterall, he is young, and young boys are incredibly stupid."
Ron nodded, "That's right dad, now let's go, let's go back to the hospital."
"In a minute, son. He still needs to be punished."
"Wait, what? Dad no!"
But it was too late. Arthur made a slashing movement with his wand, and a jet of light flew towards Draco, hitting him in the right eye. Draco immediately collapsed to the floor, screaming and holding his hand over the eye socket, which was now bleeding profusely. Lucius sank down with him, clutching Draco fearfully as the blood flowed, trying to pry Draco's hand off to look at the wound.
Arthur looked down at the pair remorselessly. He pocketed his wand calmly, as if he had just finished having tea.
"I really should have taken both eyes, but since she was only half-naked as you say, this is fair, yes?"
Lucius turned his face up towards Arthur, his face pale but full of rage.
"You dare put your wand on my son?" He said through clenched teeth. "You forget yourself. You forget me. You forget who I am and what I can do. Arthur Weasley you will pay for this I swear to it!"
Arthur smiled unnaturally.
"Oh? Why don't you call Magical Law enforcement down here and we'll discuss it eh? We'll have loads to tell them wont we?"
The rage in Lucius dissipated.
Arthur stormed out of the room, grabbing a shell-shocked Ron and Harry, magically slamming the door behind them.
The agonized wails of Draco Malfoy echoed throughout the Manor.
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Ginny feigned sleep.
It wasn't an easy task. She had choked down a purplish, sweet potion meant to sedate her for the evening. As a result, she was straining to keep awake while she dutifully kept her eyes closed. Her mind slipped in and out of consciousness but she was able to catch snippets of conversation coming from the other room.
It was the only way to get information. Once she awoke, all she was met with was the pitiful eyes and sympathetic stares of her family. No one wanted to answer her questions, no one wanted to talk.
No one even mentioned... well… him.
But she wanted to know.
She had to know...
She wasn't sure how many nights it had been since she'd come home from Saint Mungos... Two? Three?
She lay on the living room couch, which she had taken to sleeping on instead of in her bedroom alone. She rested on her side, facing the back of the couch.
Her mum and dad sat near the fireplace, speaking in hushed voices. They always did. But if she strained her ears, she could hear most of their words. Her father's voice sounded calm and controlled, while her mother sounded like she would erupt in wails at any moment.
"Mr. Willougby and I met with the Malfoy's solicitor-"
"This would have never happened if you hadn't attacked that boy, Arthur. I honestly don't know what could have possibly come over you-"
"Really Molly? Nothing comes to mind?"
"Don't be ridiculous Arthur! We could have let Law Enforcement handle it. But no! You had to go take matters into your own hands! Get your hands dirty like some medieval warlord-"
"Molly, if you think for one second that justice would have been brought, that the boy would have gotten what he deserved, then you are a complete fool-"
"Don't you dare call me the fool! I didn't go hex happy and blind a young boy!"
"Well, he's only half-blind, Molly. That was rather the point..."
"Arthur it's barbaric what you've done!"
"What I've done? What about what was done to our daughter Molly? Do you think a six-month stint in Azkaban for that boy is justice? Or a fine? Do not tell me you are as naïve as to think that the wizarding law will give us justice. We both know they are ancient laws ruled by ancient wizards. If we try to prosecute the Malfoy boy, they will find a way to fault Ginevra. Do you wish for her to end up suffering more than she already has? No, I didn't think so. No, I don't even pretend to regret what I've done."
Molly sighed.
"It's like we're in the dark ages with this, Arthur. It's so unfair for our daughter. Why did the gods allow her such a fate? "
Arthur cleared his throat.
"Molly, we've come to an agreement, of sorts."
"Oh no-"
"No, just listen Molly. This is a delicate situation, and I want Ginny protected at all costs."
Ginny held her breath and did not move, straining to hear every word.
"The Malfoys have agreed not to press charges, in exchange for the same on our end. It's the only way. If we press charges we are sentencing Ginny to scrutiny and suffering and in the end we both know we will not find justice or peace. No, it has to be this way Molly. Ginny will remain protected, and the Malfoy boy has received a punishment."
"Arthur, what about school? That horrid boy will be there. He'll hurt her I know it-"
"He won't. As of today, Draco Malfoy is no longer attending Hogwarts. It was part of the agreement. His father enrolled him in Durmstrang, so he will be nowhere near Ginny. There is no reason for their paths to cross ever again."
"Arthur, I don't know how to handle this. I don't know what I'm doing!"
"Molly. I think we need to let her talk to somebody about what happened. I don't want this event ruining to the rest of her life. We may not know what to say but I'll find someone who does. Alright? Will you let me do that?"
"She needs her family."
"And we will be there for her. But let's get some help where we need it yeah?"
"Yes. Yes, alright."
Sleep claimed Ginny, and she slipped into darkness.
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Notes:
So once again, heavy inspiration from The Last Kingdom, specifically the scene of Draco losing an eye, as well as Arthur addressing the 'Half-Naked' issue. The rest is mine. Also, that is the last of my plot points that will have to do with the Last Kingdom, the rest of the story is down my own dark twisted mind.