Worth Any Price by clanmalfoy

Rating: PG13
Genres: Drama, Romance
Relationships: Draco & Ginny
Book: Draco & Ginny, Books 1 - 5
Published: 22/10/2004
Last Updated: 22/10/2004
Status: Completed

Ginny contemplates the costs of war. (one-shot)




1. Worth Any Price
------------------

***A/N:** Originally published July 15, 2004 for Trinidad Burgos-Damasco, on the occasion
of her deployment. Special thanks to Mynuet for the beta.*
~*~
The park was quiet the day before the official holiday of remembrance, and the young red-haired
witch preferred it thus. The Ministry of Magic had arranged a "private" ceremony for all
the families of those who'd fallen in the war against Voldemort and his followers, but the
fight against the Death Eaters had spanned decades. Even the most private of organized events would
be far too large for Ginny's comfort.

A few people still ambled about the memorial, located in a pretty sort of wilderness on the
outskirts of Hogsmeade. A reflecting pool stood in a spacious clearing surrounded by trees, and a
granite marker stood at one end, inscribed with the names of the lost.

She considered for a brief moment the lengthy brouhaha that had surrounded the Ministry's
desire to create a memorial. There had been a large contingent pressing for a magical commemoration
of their lives and sacrifices, with several different ideas and plans for such a place. These were
offset by a small but vocal lobby who reminded anyone that would listen that Muggles and the
Muggleborn had fallen victim to the most heinous of the Dark Lord's crimes.

And when the Minister of Magic heard the word "Muggle", he was hard to distract.
Arthur Weasley had changed in many ways since he was elevated to the highest office in Wizarding
Britain .. but not in his heart, where his affection for all things Muggle resided. There were
arguments made that there one day might be a time of greater cooperation between Wizard and Muggle,
and arguments made that with a simple granite marker, no magical energy would be required to keep
it up through the ages.

In the end, though, it had come down to Arthur's choice.

She ran a gentle hand over the bench on which she sat, unconsciously seeking the dedication
plaque affixed to the seat. It rested opposite the imposing stone memorial. The bench too had been
the Minister's idea -- something tangible, something permanent, a lasting monument to a family
that had given far more than any should have had to give, far too much.

The thought brought tears to Ginny's eyes then. She had fended the sadness off well enough
in the weeks leading up to the day of remembrance, but now that she was here, sitting in a place
where memories were encouraged to flow like elderflower wine, it was much harder to put aside. She
pulled a handkerchief from her bag just as the tears spilled down her cheeks.

She could see their faces in her mind as though looking into a photograph, happy and full of
life. Her heart contracted painfully and a sob escaped her lips, even as a hand settled against her
shoulder.

"I thought you were going to wait for me, Gin."

She shook her head slowly without looking up from the square of silk in her hands. She swallowed
a few times before she could manage to be heard. "I was going to, but .. I had to come here.
I'm sorry."

A sigh and a pause. "People tend to worry when you disappear on them with no
warning."

The tone of voice caused Ginny to give a single chuckle, even with a lump in her throat.
"Not that a Malfoy would ever worry about someone."

"It's happened before," Draco said shortly. His outdoor cloak and robes rustled as
he sat down next to her, and took one of her hands in both of his. They were warm to the touch, and
the difference in temperatures caused a little shiver to run up her spine.

"I thought that you had some modicum of sense," he added in a tone that with any other
person would have been sharp before pulling her close and tucking his cloak around them both.
"Seven years at Hogwarts, and you still don't plan for inclement weather in
April."

"I wasn't thinking," she murmured automatically.

"There's a lot you try not to think about, isn't there?"

She didn't deny the allegation, nor did she grace it with a reply. They sat for several
minutes in silence before she whispered, "I can't believe I'm sitting here. I would
give anything in the world for this place not to exist, not to *have* to exist."

His fingers tightened around hers, but he remained silent.

"Why? Why did we have to lose so much?" she demanded in tearful defiance, sitting up
to look him in the eyes.

"Because it had to be done, Ginny. We all did what had to be done." Her sharp intake
of breath startled him, but only for a moment. "If the Dark Lord *hadn't* lost, he
would have executed his plans for Muggles .. the Mu- muggleborns, and the blood traitors."
Another pause. "Everyone who worked against him thought that the fight was worth any price to
be paid."

"Even you?" she challenged.

"Especially me," he replied. His eyes narrowed. "I was privy to his plans, Gin.
You were not exempt. There would be no us, no Julian, if he'd won."

They had had this discussion before, yet in this place where emotions were amplified, Ginny
couldn't stop the tears from falling. With a gentleness that no Weasley would have ever thought
a Malfoy capable of, he brushed them aside with pale fingers.

"Worth *any* price," he murmured.
*In loving memory of
Gideon Prewett, Fabian Prewett,
Molly Prewett Weasley and Charles Weasley*



