The Final Revenge

Chapter 1: The Will

Draco Malfoy was sitting in a soft brown chair facing a large desk in a spacious office. He shifted slightly in his chair and set his eyes on the stack of papers on the desk: his father's will. His father had died two weeks earlier in Azkaban. He had been there for the past three years; ever since Potter had finally defeated the Dark Lord. Draco knew it would happen. Heck, if Potter could defeat Voldemort as an infant, why wouldn't he be able to defeat him as an adult? That was the reason he never received the Mark. He knew it was a lost cause. Besides, he never really cared for the cause. Oh, he still hated Potter and all he stood for, probably always would. He just didn't hate muggles and mudbloods enough to murder them. He would rather just ignore their existence.

It had definitely been… interesting trying to explain this to his father. But for all the screaming and threats, Lucius just could not make his son change his mind. Draco had no intention of spending the rest of his life in Azkaban.

Draco shifted in his chair again. “Where is he?” he said out loud.

He had been waiting for the damn lawyer for the past forty-five minutes. “Doesn't he know I have things to do?” Draco grumbled.

He had been growing increasingly anxious over this meeting. Not that he was worried about the will… not much anyway. His father really had no choice but to leave everything to him. He wouldn't leave it to Narcissa. As much as he loved his mother, Draco knew that the only thing the woman knew about money was how to spend it. He had always known that he would have to care for his mother after his father's death. He didn't really mind. She was usually pleasant company.

Except for recently. She had been in such heavy mourning over Lucius's death that she never talked and refused to eat. Draco was beginning to get worried. Contrary to popular belief, his mother really did love the bastard, and she believed that he loved her, too. He just didn't like to show it. Draco wasn't so sure. He knew his father never loved him, but he never loved his father either. Not that that mattered now.

Draco had visited his father once in Azkaban. It was this visit that worried him. Lucius had made it very clear that Draco would get a surprise when he read the will. It was Lucius's final revenge for his son not becoming a Death Eater. Draco was pretty sure his father hadn't really done anything to the will. He only wanted to torture him with anxiety, but still… The man had been known to do some pretty cruel things in the name of revenge.

“Ughh! One hour. That's it. I'm just going to sign the will and leave,” he said getting up.

As he was standing, a middle-aged wizard with a balding head bustled into the room.

“Mr. Malfoy, sir, I am sorry I'm late. I had an important matter to discuss with the Minister of Magic,” stated the man as he sat at the desk.

After Fudge had been killed in the final battle, the entire wizarding world had been stunned when Arthur Weasley had been unanimously voted Minister of Magic. He tried to refuse, but they wouldn't hear of it.

“Well let's just get this over with, Mr. Waltham,” snapped Draco.

“Very well,” said the balding man, “It seems that Lucius Malfoy has left you the entire estate.”

Draco had expected this and reached for the quill to sign the papers when the man stopped him.

“Actually, before you can receive any of the money, you have to meet a few conditions,” said Mr. Waltham carefully.

`Damn, I didn't think he would actually do anything,' thought Draco. Out loud, he impatiently sighed, “Which is…?”

“Well, maybe you should read the letter your father left you,” Mr. Waltham said as he handed Draco a piece of paper. Draco immediately recognized his father's leaning scrawl.

Draco,

As I am sure you remember, I told you that you would be surprised when you read the will. To get the estate, you must get married by the time you turn twenty-one. Don't start thinking of those whores I've always seen you with. No, I have a particular bride in mind for you, son. Virginia Weasley. She's a pure-blooded witch and I'm sure you can control her muggle-loving tendencies. Her family has gained considerable amounts of respect over the past few years. This marriage will help the Malfoy name demand the respect it deserves. Besides, she's enough your opposite to drive you crazy for the next sixty or so years. That's right: no divorce. You must also produce one heir by your twenty-fifth birthday. In love or out, you must always play the happy couple in public, which will be about everywhere considering the publicity this union is sure to receive. Appearances are, as always, extremely important. You will receive the estate as soon as you marry, but if you break even one stipulation, you lose everything. It will all go to the dark arts program at Durmstrang. And remember, do what you must to marry her, but do it soon.

Lucius Malfoy

So that's what his father meant. He planned on torturing him for the rest of his life. “Just great! Not only do I have to marry a girl I despise, but I have to convince her to do it in three months. Just great!” thought Draco as he gripped the paper. This was Lucius Malfoy's final revenge.

A/N: I would just like to say thanks for all the reviews. This is my first fanfic, and I really appreciate all the support. Reviews make me smile.

Chapter 2: Not On Your Life

Draco was seething.

After the shock of what his father had written had worn off, he was absolutely livid. His father planned to control his life even in death.

He could always refuse. He didn't really need the inheritance. Thousands of people were poor.

Who was he kidding? He didn't know how to be poor. Besides, his mother would have a fit. It looked as though he would actually have to marry that Weasley brat.

And what was that “whore” comment about anyway? Draco liked to think himself picky over the girls he would allow share his bed. Unless of course, he was drunk, depressed, angry, happy, annoyed, or in some cases just breathing, Okay, so maybe that wasn't the point. So what was the point? Oh yeah…

Lucius must really have wanted revenge to even suggest he pair up with a Weasley. Granted, his father hadn't hated the red-headed clan as much after the war. It was only because of Arthur Weasley's interference that Narcissa hadn't been sent to Azkaban. She hadn't even been charged with anything. Narcissa really hadn't committed any crimes, but that wouldn't have stopped the vengeance-seeking aurors from throwing anyone with any connection to the dark arts in Azkaban without even blinking an eye. Draco still didn't know why Arthur Weasley was so adamant on protecting his mother. He had asked her about it once, but she just shrugged it off and changed the subject.

Still…even though his father didn't hate the Weasleys, it didn't mean he liked them. The Weasleys were muggle-loving fools who had helped bring Voldemort's downfall. Maybe what people said was true and Lucius really had lost his mind after the Dark Lord was defeated. Or maybe, just maybe, his father really did love his wife enough to forgive a long-time enemy because he saved her. Forgiveness was usually a foreign term for Lucius. Heck, this whole mess was caused by Lucius's refusal to forgive Draco for an “irredeemable transgression.” No, it was easier to believe that his father had gone crazy than to believe he had actually forgiven someone.

Although, if Lucius really did release all grudges against the family, it might make some sense. The Weasleys were a greatly respected family and they had gained significant power in such a short time. Along with Arthur becoming Minister of Magic, Percy had become a respected authority on equipment regulations and had even written several books on the topic. Fred and George had expanded their business and were making money left and right. Ginny owned some sort of robes shop in Diagon Alley that was very popular with teenagers. Draco had never been there. Even Weasel had gained some power in his own right. He had become one of the best aurors the Ministry had ever had, with the exception of Scarface.

Yes, the Weasleys were definitely respected and powerful, and it would be good P.R. for the Malfoy name if Draco and Ginny wed. The Malfoys had lost a considerable amount of respect when Lucius was sent to Azkaban. They were still feared, but fear and respect were two very different things.

To Draco, the P.R. just wasn't worth it. He did not want to marry Ginny Weasley. He couldn't stand the girl. She was everything he wasn't. She had always been the quiet girl who followed Potter around like an annoying fly. It was as if she had no personality of her own. And surprisingly, it seemed that everyone loved her. It had actually been a joke in Slytherin. It was just hilarious to listen to different people talk about her. The stories were always completely contradictory. Some thought her a quiet, but sweet girl, while others believed her to be a sexy vixen waiting to be released. It was as if everyone just made her what they wanted her to be. Actually, Draco had been slightly intrigued to find out who Ginny Weasley really was.

“Well, it looks like I might find out,” said Draco as he rose from his desk. “As long as I can get her to agree to go out with me, she will instantly fall victim to my debonair charms,” he said smugly.

If he told the truth, he really didn't know what to expect from Ginny. The only thing he knew about her was that she owned a fairly successful robes shop in Diagon Alley. He only knew this from his mother, who made it her business to know everything having to do with shopping. He only hoped she wasn't romantically involved. It would make things much more difficult.

“If I'm supposed to seduce Ginny Weasley in three months, I had better get started. Here goes nothing,” Draco said as he downed the last of his whiskey and stepped into the fireplace.

“Perfect Fit,” he called as the room swirled around him.

~~~~~

It had been a long day.

It was the store's Halloween sale, which was the biggest sale of the year other than the one at Christmas.

Ginny loved her job, but sometimes it was so stressful. Everyone had been surprised when she opened a robes store full of her own creations. All of her friends and family had expected her to become a mediwitch. If it hadn't been for the war, she probably would have. Ginny had decided that she had seen enough blood to last her a lifetime.

Because of the Weasley's financial situation while she was growing up, Ginny had become quite good at making her own clothes. A friend had asked her to make her wedding dress, and the dress had been a hit. Since then, requests had been rolling in for her to make other things. This inspired her to open her own store with the money she had been making. Her boutique sold many different types of robes, but her most popular were those for teenage and young adult witches. They all thought she had impeccable style.

Although the store had been a madhouse that day, the sale hadn't been the main cause of stress.

That job belonged to Ben.

He had been screaming all morning. He wasn't sick, tired, or hungry, and Ginny couldn't think of anything to calm the three-year old child.

Ginny had adopted Ben a year and a half earlier. She couldn't have loved him more if she had given birth to him. He was her life.

Most of the children left alone after the war had been adopted within months. It had proved to be quite difficult to find Ben a home. He had only been a few months old when both of his parents had been tortured and murdered right in front of him. No one knew why he was spared. Everyone said that he had been such a happy child, but since that night, all he did was scream. When Ben didn't cry, he just sat and stared at the wall. He couldn't talk and he was almost two before he could walk. Some doctors thought he had developmental problems, while others thought that, while he had no brain damage, he had been so traumatized as an infant, he may never become a fully functioning adult. No one had wanted to adopt a “defective” child.

Ginny didn't care. To her, he was a brown-haired, blue-eyed angel. He was the sweetest child on earth.

Although, she was concerned for him and her own sanity. It wouldn't have been such a problem if he had liked strangers. The sale was what induced his screaming fit. He was absolutely terrified of strangers. There had been so many in the store that day, that Ben just couldn't handle it anymore.

She had to take him to work with her. It was next to impossible to find a babysitter who was willing to listen to ten hours of non-stop screaming. She couldn't ask her mother. She felt like she asked her too much already. Besides, Mrs. Weasley was out of town visiting Ron and Luna. Luna had given birth to their first child earlier that week and Ron didn't have a clue as to how to care for the two of them. Her mom had gone to help out for a week and would be coming home on Saturday.

Ginny and Ben had been to visit them two days ago. Ben was quite well behaved. All he did was sit and stare at the newborn until it was time to leave. Ginny was shocked when she picked him up to go and he leant over and kissed baby Cara on the forehead. It was incredibly out of character for him to show any affection to anyone other than Ginny. She hoped that maybe this meant he was finally making some progress.

Well, that was Wednesday, and this was Friday. Ginny had closed the store and Ben was finally beginning to calm down. She sat in the rocking chair by the fire and rocked him while she sang. He stopped sobbing and crawled out of his mother's lap to sit on the floor and stare into the fire.

Ginny gave him a peanut butter sandwich, his favorite, and a glass of milk for dinner, while she started to work on some of her designs. She really could work at home, but she liked to use her huge artist's desk to draw on and Ben didn't mind. She didn't plan on being long anyway. She just couldn't get the sleeves to this robe right, and only wanted to try an idea she had had earlier that day.

“There. Perfect,” exclaimed Ginny twenty minutes later as she blew the eraser rubbings from the paper. It was finally done.

“Ben, I'm going to go to the back to put this up, and then we can go home. Stay here, alright?” she called as she walked to the back room.

She was excited that it was done. She had been working on it for the better part of a month. For some reason, the sleeves always came out wrong. She was anxious to start making the robe to see if it would look the same as it did on paper.

Ginny gave a triumphant sigh as she put the drawing in the drawer with the rest. She was leaving the storage room when she heard coughing.

“Ben, are you alright,” Ginny called. Wait. That couldn't have come from Ben. That cough was far too deep to come from a three-year old boy.

She started running back to her office. Something wasn't right.

She stopped dead in her tracks to see white blonde hair and piercing gray eyes stare into her own deep brown ones. Draco Malfoy was standing in front of her fireplace. What was more surprising was that Ben wasn't screaming. In fact, he wasn't making a sound. He was staring up at the man with the unwavering attention.

`Who the heck is this kid staring at me?' thought Draco. `Must be one of the young Weasley brats. But no red hair…interesting.'

“Malfoy,” Ginny seethed. “What are you doing here? We're closed.”

“Yes, I'm aware you're closed. That's why I chose now to come,” Draco simply replied.

“What are you doing here?” Ginny repeated obviously irritated.

Okay. This may be difficult. “Actually, I'm here to ask you on a date,” he said as he stepped past the small boy and closer to Ginny.

“Y-you you w-what?” Ginny sputtered.

“I would like to take you on a date,” he stated as if he had just asked the price of the green robes instead of asking her out.

Ginny was floored. `What is he playing at? Has he lost his mind? He knows I hate him, and doesn't he hate me?'

“Look, Weasley, I just want to take you out for coffee. You can get your jaw off the floor.”

“Have you lost your mind?” Ginny half screamed, half whispered, which resulted in an interesting screeching noise.

“Not last time I checked. So, do you want to go?”

“Of course not! Who do you think you are? I can't stand you. Why would I go out with you?” Ginny was still reeling by what was going on.

This was a definite blow to Draco's ego. “Come on Ginny. Give me a chance. I'm really not as bad as you think,” he reasoned.

“No! Go away!” she stated forcefully.

“Ginny-”

“Not on your life.”

“Ginny, please-”

“NO!”

“Oh, come on! At least listen to me,” Draco nearly yelled.

“What are you really up to?” Ginny asked looking at him questioningly.

“I promise, all I want is to take you out.”

“I'd rather voluntarily try one of Fred and George's experiments.”

“I promise you a good time,” he said.

She raised her eyebrow at him. “Oh, really? You mean like all our other `good times?'” Ginny asked sarcastically.

“I was a prat back then. I really am different now. At least give me a chance to prove how I've changed.”

“You know, as appealing as that sounds, I'm going to have to decline. My son is tired, and quite frankly so am I. Good day, Mr. Malfoy,” Ginny stated as she gathered her son in her arms. “Please let yourself out.” And with that, Ginny apparated home.

“Son?! Shit! I didn't know she had a son! You've got to be kidding me,” Draco ranted as he flooed home.

“And she wouldn't even listen to me. I'm supposed to marry a stubborn little brat with a kid! I swear if my father wasn't dead, I would kill him myself. What am I supposed to do with a child? The only child I've ever known was myself. What am I supposed to do now?” Draco grumbled as he got into bed.

“Well, I guess I do what I'm best at,” Draco said as he calmed. “I'll just have to charm her.” He smiled as he put his arms behind his head and thought of his plan to seduce Ginny Weasley. Oh, this was going to be fun after all.

A/N: I would again like to thank everyone who reviewed. I seriously appreciate it. Pinksunryse, you are exactly right. To be honest, I was aware of this, but wasn't quite sure how to fix it. And as another bit of honesty, I personally can't stand chapter 2. It just bothers me for some reason. I like chapter 4, but you'll just have to wait a bit to read it. For those of you annoyed by my sad attempts at writing, remember, this is my first one and I'm still trying to find my bearings. To everyone else who has questions about the insanity of this thing, rest assured that whatever I did, I did it on purpose and all will be answered… hopefully.

Chapter 3: Moth to a Flame

“That, Ben, is what we call a prat,” Ginny said as she carried the small child to his room. Ben just looked up at her and put his head on her shoulder.

“I'm sorry, baby. I know it's been a long day, and then that scary man came by. How do you feel about a bath?” Ginny asked, although she really didn't expect a reply.

She grabbed a pair of Ben's pajamas and carried him into the bathroom connecting the two bedrooms. She turned on the faucet and poured in some baby bath. Ben was half asleep, but she knew that she wouldn't have time to give him a bath in the morning. They were always running late. Tomorrow was Halloween, so the store would be closed, but she had errands to run, and she and Ben were going to have lunch with Harry that afternoon. Ben really wasn't particularly fond of Harry, but Ginny insisted that he just needed time.

Harry was one of her closest friends and she couldn't bear to think that Ben just didn't like him. Harry was the first one to support her when she decided to adopt Ben, and had been the influence she needed to convince the adoption people that she could handle a particularly difficult baby on her own at only eighteen.

Most of wizarding Britain believed that she and Harry would get married one day, but the two just laughed it off. They were good friends, nothing more. It just appeared that they were a couple because neither really dated and they were often seen together.

Despite Ben's intense dislike of Harry, Harry really loved the screaming toddler. Whenever Harry would get back from an assignment, he would always bring a gift for the child. Ben just wasn't the type of kid who could be bribed for affection.

Ginny stopped and realized that the child had fallen asleep in her arms while she bathed him. `He's clean enough,' she thought as she lifted him from the cooling water and wrapped him in his favorite fluffy yellow towel.

`He really does look like an angel when he's asleep,' she thought as she dressed him in his plain blue sleeper and tucked him in his bed.

Ginny had just bought him his first `big boy bed' last week and he loved it. He really was getting much too big for the crib and she sent it to Ron and Luna for Cara. She tucked him in and placed the plush quaffle in his tiny arms. She had bought him the toy while he was still in the orphanage and he never slept without it. Sometimes, she would wake to him screaming in the middle of the night only to find the quaffle lying on the floor near the crib and his little arm straining to reach it through the bars.

“Good night my angel,” she said as she kissed his forehead and turned out the light. She stood in the doorway for a few minutes watching him sleep. She sighed as she turned to go into the bathroom to take her own bath. She once again turned on the faucet, but this time poured in some rose scented bath oil. She lit a candle sitting on the counter and let her robes pool to her feet. She always lit that candle, even if she was only going to take a quick shower. It had been a gift from Hermione last Christmas and it was enchanted to never burn out. It too, smelled of roses. She stepped into the tub and sunk into the rising warm water as she let out a sigh of relief. This was exactly what she needed after the hectic day she had.

At least Ben was too tired to put up much of a fight when she put him to bed. It was usually a knockdown drag-out just to put his pajamas on.

She felt all of the tension leave her body as she inhaled the subtle beauty of the rose scented air. She released one last sigh and the events of the day came screaming back to her.

Draco Malfoy asked her on a date.

Seriously, who was he kidding? There had to be something he wasn't telling her. He would never ask a Weasley out. Maybe he was drunk. That was it. He had to be under the influence of something, but… aside from the words coming from his mouth and the distinct lack of sneering, he looked perfectly normal. Well, as normal as Draco Malfoy could look.

Ginny wasn't blind. The man was attractive; there was no denying that. Not even his abysmal personality could mask his striking features. His gorgeous moon-kissed hair was much shorter than it had been in school. It no longer looked like he used more hair care products than a French poodle. It wasn't messy by any means, just more neat and trim. The look really suited him. His aristocratic features that had once been considered sharp and too pronounced for a child, now complimented him immensely. He also dressed to kill. He wore black slacks that hung loosely from his hips. They looked like they were made for him. In fact, they probably were. He was also wearing a silver-gray sweater that, while not tight, emphasized his toned upper body. The sweater seemed to match his eyes exactly. Oh, and his eyes… They were the type of eyes that you could drown in. You could actually feel yourself being sucked into them. It reminded Ginny of a moth flying to a flame. His eyes were his bait for anyone who would be unfortunate to be lost in them for too long.

“Oh, what am I thinking?” Ginny asked as she started to pull herself from the tub and her fantasy.

“Draco Malfoy is the spawn of Satan, quite literally, as far as I'm concerned. What does he want from me anyway? I was doing perfectly fine pretending he didn't exist. Maybe this has something to do with his father dying, but that doesn't make any sense. He must just be trying to rattle me. That's the only answer. Well, I wont let him get to me,” she ranted as she hastily threw on her floor-length green silk night dress and brushed the knots from her red curls.

She gave herself one last glance in the mirror as she opened the door to her room and strode purposefully to her bed. She ripped back the sheets and slipped into the blue satin, determined not to dream about piercing gray eyes.

A/N: I would just like to apologize for this chapter. I know it's weird, but keep in mind that it was three in the morning when I wrote it. Please excuse what I've done to poor Draco in my sleep-deprived state.

Chapter 4: Orders to Kill

After a night filled with plotting and maniacal laughter that would do Salazar Slytherin proud, Draco decided that maybe the direct approach wasn't the best plan when it came to the Weasley chit. The first thing he needed to do was a little research on this girl. Well, when he said, “he needed to do research,” he really meant he needed to find someone to do it for him. He immediately knew who he wanted to help him. Now he now had a course of action.

The thought of having a semi-descent, half way acceptable beginning to a plan that didn't involve boggarts and easy cheese, had Draco running around the room looking for something to wear. He was half dressed when he realized he hadn't showered. He groaned, stripped, and padded off to the bathroom. Opposed to popular belief, Draco really wasn't as “put-together” as he liked people to believe. When he got excited about something, which really didn't happen often, his behavior turned a little, well, strange to those who didn't know him. The “People That Know Me” list currently contained three names, one of which was his mother, so he had to be careful about the whole “excited” thing, lest people find him odd. Most of the wizarding world believed that he was always calm and collected, and he'd be damned to let them think otherwise.

Satisfied that he was, in fact, clean, he tried getting dressed again. It worked much better this time. Looking in the mirror to make sure he was wearing everything he should be and nothing he shouldn't be, he grinned to himself and apparated to his best friends' house.

~~~~~

Ginny was running late… again. She needed to leave the house at 7:30 in order to run all of her errands and make it to lunch with Harry at 11:45. She needed the entire afternoon to finish Ben's costume.

She jumped out of bed at 7:08 with an “Oh, crap!” and ran around the room looking for something to wear. (Ginny had more in common with Draco than she really wanted to know.) She threw on some robes and a pair of shoes and put her hair in a messy bun.

She then ran through the bathroom to Ben's room to wake him up. This was a task easier said than done. Her prodding earned her a rather nasty glare for a three-year old, and Ben just rolled over and decided to ignore the insane woman who dared to wake him.

Ginny groaned and went to his closet to find him something to wear. She hoped that maybe he would decide to get up if she promised he could wear his favorite outfit portraying scary dragons eating a village. Ginny found the garment a little disturbing, but it had been a gift from Charlie, and it was Ben's favorite.

The bribing and pleading fell on deaf ears and Ginny had to take desperate measures. She braced herself and picked up the child who immediately started kicking and screaming.

“Ben, you are really getting too old for this, now stop,” Ginny said in her “mother voice.” This earned another glare and the screaming resumed.

Ginny thought that those doctors who thought Ben had developmental problems were daft. This child knew exactly what was going on. He just didn't like it.

A headache and several bruises later, Ginny and Ben were ready to go.

This day was already going swell and it was only 7:40.

~~~~~

Draco apparated to his best friends' dining room expecting to find Blaise and Pansy at breakfast. This was not the case. Being in the completely calm and rational state that he was, he decided that the best thing to do was stand in the middle of the living room and call for Blaise at the top of his lungs.

“He has got to be kidding me,” Blaise mumbled as he disentangled himself from the sheets and his fiancé.

“Blaise, honey, kill him,” came Pansy's muffled response from under her pillow.

“Will do,” Blaise said as he staggered from the room in only his pajama pants.

He made his way to the stairs and found Draco waiting impatiently at the bottom. Draco looked at Blaise's pajamas, messy black hair, and sleepy eyes and had the nerve to ask, “I didn't wake you, did I?”

Blaise glared at his friend and replied, “It is 7:00… in the morning… on a holiday. What do you think?”

“Oh, sorry about that. I need your help,” Draco said as he made his way to Blaise's study.

“You do know I'm under strict orders to kill you,” Blaise said as he relented and followed his half-crazed friend.

“How is Pansy, anyway? I haven't seen her all week,” Draco asked ignoring the death threat.

Blaise sighed and flopped down on his leather sofa and said, “Well, she isn't thrilled with you at the moment, but other than that, fine.”

“That's good. I need a favor,” Draco said feeling that small talk could be had later.

“If I say I'll do it, will you go away and let me go back to bed?”

“Well, it may take a while to explain.”

Blaise put his head on his arm that was on the arm of the couch and let out a groan that greatly resembled a sob and motioned for Draco to continue.

~~~~~

Four false starts and half an hour later, Draco had finally related the contents of the will. Blaise, who was currently in a state of uncontrollable laughter, managed to ask, “So, to get your inheritance, you have to marry Ginny Weasley!” This was too great as far as Blaise was concerned. It was just the thing to wake him up. “Doesn't she have a kid?” he asked as he tried to hold back the tears of mirth.

“I don't see why you find this so funny, and how did you know about the kid?” Draco asked as he looked uncertainly at his friend.

Blaise, sobering himself, asked, “Doesn't everyone know about that?”

“Well obviously not!” Draco hissed.

“Oh, come on. It was in the papers for weeks,” Blaise said as he looked at the other man strangely.

“It most certainly was not. I think I would remember that.”

“No, really. It was about a year and a half ago, I guess.”

“Would this happen to have been during the three months I spent in France?” Draco almost yelled.

Blaise stopped and looked thoughtfully into the air. “Now that you mention it, I think it was.”

Draco let out a groan of frustration and said, “Well, why would it be in the paper anyway… and that kid looked much older than a year.”

“All I know is that she adopted some child after the war. Nobody wanted to let her do it, but then Harry Potter got involved, along with the media, and there was nothing anyone could do to stop her.”

“Why would she adopt some random child?”

“I'm not really sure. I know that no one else had wanted him. I guess she felt bad for him.”

“Well, who were his parents? What happened to them?”

“See, that's the thing. No one knows. When the aurors found them, they were too badly mutilated to tell who they were. They weren't from Britain, and there were no reports of a missing couple with a baby. They're pretty sure that Death Eaters killed them, but what the main question on everyone's mind is why didn't they kill him, too? He doesn't have a scar or anything. It's like they didn't even try to hurt him. They just wanted to kill the parents. Usually, Death Eaters will take out the entire family.”

“That is strange. That really doesn't sound like something they would do. Do you know anything else?”

“Not that I can think of except that the boy should be about three now. Oh, and his name is… Ben I think. Yeah, his name was embroidered on his blanket along with his birthday.”

Draco, yet again, cursed his father, and Blaise looked at him with a smirk plastered across his face. “What?” Draco asked impatiently.

“You're going to be a daddy,” his voice not at all hiding his amusement.

“Shut up! Don't even say things like that. And I'm not going to be anything unless I convince Weaslette to marry me. I cannot believe this is happening!”

“You know, you don't have to do it,” Blaise said completely serious.

“What do you mean? Do you think there may be a loop hole?” Draco asked, getting excited again.

“That's not what I meant. I meant that you could just refuse.”

“And lose the inheritance? Have you lost your bloody mind? I don't know how to be poor. Besides, even Weasley looks good compared to poverty. That would make me… one of them,” he said with his face set in absolute horror.

“You know I wouldn't let you live like that. That would be inhuman. You could always work for me,” he said grinning like a mad man.

“As wonderful as working for you and having to buy robes off the rack sounds, I'll have to decline. Besides, maybe being married to the chit wont be so bad after all. I mean... she's hot. That's something. And it's not like we'll actually have to see each other, except in public anyway. She can take the east wing with the brat, and I'll stay in the west,” Draco said as he was mentally drawing borders throughout the manor.

“Well, none of that'll be a problem, unless she says yes. Have you talked to her at all?” Blaise said drawing him out of his mental doodling.

“I tried to ask her out to coffee, but she wouldn't even hear me out,” Draco said looking very indignant.

Blaise held down a smirk and looked at the man who had always boasted to be able to get any girl he wanted and said, “Well, do you have a plan… anything. Do you even know if she's already dating someone?”

“I was hoping you would know. I don't know a thing about her. How am I supposed to come up with a plan to get her to marry me, if I don't have a clue what she likes? Have you heard any rumors… anything about whether or not she's seeing someone? I really don't want to have to deal with another guy.”

“How would I know? I don't read the gossip columns. You'll have to ask Pansy. But I really wouldn't go yelling after her like you did me,” he hastily added. “She actually carries out death threats. Besides, she deserves to sleep in; she's stayed up studying for exams all week.”

After the war, Pansy had been particularly interested in the trials that went on and decided to go to law school. Not really being known for intelligence, everyone was stunned to learn that Pansy actually held down a respectable 3.9 GPA. When she found something she liked, she worked hard at it. The wizarding world really didn't have many lawyers, but they were becoming increasingly popular.

“I guess I'll save her the trip to Azkaban for homicide and let her sleep in,” Draco said reluctantly.

“She'll be up soon. Come on, let's go see if breakfast is ready,” Blaise said as he put his arm around his friend and led him to the kitchens.

~~~~~

As luck would have it, the house elves had just finished preparing breakfast. Blaise and Draco had just sat down to eat when Pansy entered the room, first glaring at the one who dared to take her at 7:00 in the morning, and then gazing lovingly at the man she called her “soul-mate.” She wore a long lavender silk nightgown and a sheer robe of the same color. She was the personification of loveliness. Draco always thought she was pretty, but when she smiled at Blaise like that, she was absolutely stunning.

Blaise stood and greeted her with a soft kiss on the cheek, which she happily accepted and he asked, “What are you doing up so early, Love? It's only 8:30. You have another good hour or so before you need to wake up.”

Pansy took her seat next to Blaise and answered, “The bed's cold without you there. Besides, I could smell breakfast and I'm starving.” She grinned at Blaise again before loading her plate with sausage, eggs, and biscuits. “Mmm…” came Pansy's happy sigh as she tucked into her makeshift breakfast sandwich. Draco smiled amusedly at Blaise before filling his own plate.

Breakfast was filled with jokes and laughter as the three friends caught up with one another. Finally, Draco could take no more of the small talk and informed Pansy of the real reason for his visit.

Pansy listened with wide eyes as Draco told her of the contents of the will. As opposed to Blaise's outright laughter, she only released a quiet chuckle and her face broke into a satisfied grin. Her only response was, “Well, good.”

Draco immediately ceased his ranting about the injustice of it all and stared disbelievingly at the only woman he ever called a friend. “What!?”

“I think it's good. It's about time you settled down.”

“What!? What do you mean `it's about time you settled down?' I'm only twenty! That's way too young to be thinking of marriage.” Pansy glared at him and he quickly amended, “Except for you guys of course. Anyone can see you belong together. You're in… love,” he choked out. “Weasel and I can't even be in the same room without trying to hex one another.”

“Just give it time. Ginny's a wonderful girl. Besides, I'm tired of seeing you with all those skanks who only want you for your money,” Pansy said matter-of-factly and continued eating her breakfast.

Draco was about to make a comment about girls only wanting him for his money (I mean, surely part of it had to do with his body) when he stopped and slowly turned back to face her with a curious expression on his face. “You said… Ginny.”

Pansy's eyes widened slightly, but she kept her focus drawn to the plate in front of her.

“Pansy,” Draco said slowly with a smile on his face, “How well do you know the little Weaslette?”

She kept her attention focused on her plate and silently prayed that Draco would forget the miniscule slip of the tongue.

No such prayer was answered for poor Pansy.

“Pansy,” Draco said in a singsong voice. “Do you know Ginny Weasley?” he asked as he sat directly across from her and folded his hands on the table in front of him.

Pansy sighed inwardly, still refusing to look at him, and hesitantly replied, “I may… know… Ginny Weasley.”

At the moment, Draco didn't really care how Pansy knew Ginny, and Pansy prayed he wouldn't ask. His face broke into a Cheshire cat grin and happily stated, “Pansy, my friend, you have just become my favorite person in the entire world.”

She groaned and put her face in her hands and all Blaise could do was silently rub circles into the small of her back while he looked on to the gleeful smile of his best friend and the helpless whimpers of the love of his life.

~~~~~

A/N: Alright, before I get flames screaming that Draco's OOC, and I watch as my sad little rating thing drops faster than previously thought possible, hear me out. I know you will all be shocked to hear this, but fanon Draco is OOC. You know it's true. To be honest, I find it completely possible for Draco to be a little spastic behind closed doors. Draco… behind closed doors… mmm… Sorry, back on topic. But seriously, does anyone else remember that happy little scene in the Forbidden Forest where Draco screamed like a banshee and ran as fast as his legs would take him? I swear most fangirls have blocked that out. Sure, he was only 11, but now we know he has it in him. And do remember that one of the best things about fanfiction is that you get to see your favorite characters through the eyes of someone else. Well, these are my eyes. Thank you for having an open mind. :)

A/N: It has just occurred to me that I never put a disclaimer on this. So here it goes. I own nothing even remotely Harry Potter related, except a few copies of the books. I also have no rights, except for that whole bit about life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness thing, and I am making no profit from this other than my own sheer entertainment. Now, a disclaimer to the disclaimer: “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” is from “The Declaration of Independence.” I guess that's it. Did I miss anything?

Chapter 5: Got a Costume?

“Ginny!” Harry said as he stood from his chair in the café to greet his friend.

“Oh Harry, it is so good to see you,” Ginny said as she gave her long-time friend a sisterly kiss on the cheek, while holding the hand of a sneering Ben.

“It's good to see you, too,” he said smiling. “And how are you today, Ben?” Harry said, squatting down to be eye-level with the three-year old.

Ben's scowl only grew as the annoying man impeded his vision. Harry seemed not to notice and pulled a stuffed dog from behind his back. He offered it to the child as he said, “Look what I found, Ben. Now whatever am I supposed to do with this? Do you know someone who may want it?”

Ben looked bored as he glanced at the dog and then looked back to Harry with the same expression. Harry's face began to fall as Ginny decided to step in. She smiled as she took the toy from Harry and said, “Thank you so much, Harry. I'm sure Ben loves it; he's just hungry. We only had enough time to grab a few cereal bars on the way out the door this morning. I know I'm starving.”

Harry started smiling again as he straightened and helped Ginny put Ben in his booster seat.

After eating, Ginny asked Harry how he was enjoying his vacation. He had practically been ordered to take a vacation after his last assignment.

He just closed his eyes and slowly said, “I am so bored. There's absolutely nothing to do. I spend most of the day just sitting in the flat, flipping through old Quidditch magazines.”

Ginny looked amused and said, “You could always pick up a book. You know, read something.”

Harry just made face, so she rolled her eyes and asked how long he was off.

“According to the last owl I got, indefinitely. It'll be at least another week. I think they're just waiting for something to come along. We're a little over-staffed right now, and no one has any breathing room. Even with both me and Ron on vacation, there are still too many people. Being an Auror just isn't as much fun when there's not enough to stay busy. I've thought about doing something else, but there isn't anything else I want to do,” Harry said.

“You could always play Quidditch. The Cannons need a new seeker, and I'm sure they'd take you in a heartbeat,” Ginny said confidently.

“Yeah, I guess, but… I don't know. I'll have to think about it. Anyway,” Harry said glancing at his watch, “I've got to get going. I'm supposed to be at Ron and Luna's soon. Did you want to come? I'm sure they'd love to see you again.”

“I'd really love to, but I have to finish Ben's costume,” Ginny said while she wiped the aforementioned Ben's face and hands.

“Oh that's right. Today is Halloween, oh, and the party's tonight. I don't know how I forgot about that. So, what are you going as?”

“It's a surprise,” Ginny said as she winked.

The two friends gave each other one final hug and said their goodbyes as they apparated to their respective destinations.

~~~~~

Pansy, resigned to the fact that she was going to have to help Draco, said, “Fine, I'll help you, but I refuse to do anything that might hurt her.”

“Don't worry; I'm not going to touch her,” he said, waving her off.

Pansy looked directly into Draco's eyes and said seriously, “That's not what I mean, and you know it.”

He avoided her gaze and said, “All I need is information.”

“What kind of information?” Pansy asked suspiciously.

“What can I do to show her that being married to me isn't such a terrible idea? She really doesn't seem like the type to be swayed by the money and prestige it would bring her like most girls.”

“No, she isn't,” Pansy said immediately.

“Exactly; now what I need to know is what would sway her. At the moment, she won't even talk to me,” Draco scowled.

Pansy suppressed a giggle at the thought of Ginny refusing to talk to her “suave” friend and said, “I really don't see her marrying anyone for any reason other than love.”

“Damn! Well, how do I make her fall in love with me?” Draco asked imploringly.

Pansy looked at him strangely. “Draco, it doesn't work that way. You can't make someone else fall in love. You can't even make yourself fall in love. It just happens.”

He raised his eyebrows and nearly yelled, “Then how on earth am I supposed to do this? It's supposed to just happen?!”

“You can't make her love you, but you can help it along.” Pansy paused and thought for a moment and said, “The biggest obstacle is going to be Ben.”

“What do you mean? He's just a kid,” Draco asked confused.

Pansy looked at Draco incredulously and said, “He's a kid who envelops her entire life. The main reason she doesn't really date is that Ben doesn't like strangers and she would never be with anyone that Ben didn't love as well.”

“So you're saying that on top of somehow getting Weaslette to fall in love with me, I have to make the kid like me, too? And I have to do it all in three months! This is impossible!”

“It's not impossible, but it will be some work. Whenever you went to see her at the store, did you see Ben?”

“Yeah. He just kind of sat there and stared at me. It was weird. Is he okay… you know,” he said while gesturing to his head.

Pansy scoffed and said, “I don't care what anyone says; there is nothing wrong with that child's mental capacity. In fact, I think he's rather intelligent for his age. It just takes a while for him to start to like people. It was months before he would let me pick him up. He's had such a hard life for someone so young, and trust doesn't come easy, especially with men. So he didn't scream or cry or anything when he saw you?”

“No, he just looked at me funny.”

“That's odd, really good, but odd. Maybe this won't be that hard after all. Although, he may have just been too tired to deal with the whole screaming thing, but we won't think about that.”

Draco looked concerned and said, “Okay, so the kid may possibly not hate me. Now what do I do?”

Pansy stared at the ceiling in concentration and said, “Well, you can come to the party with me and Blaise tonight. Ginny will be there with Ben. I'll somehow convince her to hear you out. I'm not sure how I'll pull that one off, but I'll think of something.”

“Tonight? Good. Is there anything else I should know?”

“The most important thing is to be completely honest with her. If you lie to her and she finds out, it'll be over. She can't stand lying.”

“So I should tell her about the will,” Draco said slowly.

“Yes, definitely. She'll find out about it eventually anyway. If you want to stand a chance, tell her everything up front,” Pansy said as she looked at him seriously.

He sighed and said, “Alright. So what kind of party is this anyway? What should I wear?”

“Got a costume?” It was Pansy's turn to grin madly and Draco's to groan.

A/N: I would just like to say thanks to everyone who reviewed. It really is appreciated. You never understand how happy reviews make writers until you've become a writer yourself. And as to the comment that I “borrowed” a line from Chicago, “moth to a flame” is a cliché dating back hundreds of years. Besides, I still haven't seen Chicago. (I know, I'm sad.) Have a happy day, and until next time,

Heather

A/N: I really do appreciate all the encouraging feedback. It makes my heart smile.

Chapter 6: The Party

The party was being held in the Ministry's largest conference room. Usually reserved for lectures, the room was booked each Halloween for the costume party. It was a tradition started by Arthur Weasley, and everyone loved it.

As Ginny stepped into the room, she gasped. It was spectacular. The floor was covered with a light fog, and the walls were lined with ominous-looking trees. The ceiling donned the appearance of the night sky, covered with a misty haze, and the main source of light came from the glowing full moon.

Through her awe, she heard Ben whimper, and knew that it wasn't the decorations that bothered the child, but the crowd. There were already at least a hundred people there.

“Shhh, Mummy's here,” Ginny said soothingly as she rubbed his back. “Look, there's Charlie. Do you want to go say hello? I'm sure he'd love to see your costume.”

Ben just nodded his head that rested on her shoulder, and Ginny made her way towards her brother.

Charlie saw them coming, smiled, and set his drink on a nearby table. “Now how are my two favorite people?” Charlie asked as he gave Ginny a kiss on the cheek.

Hearing his favorite uncle's voice, Ben turned to him grinning. When Charlie saw Ben, his face broke into feigned fright. He jumped back and yelled, “Ginny! I think that really scary dragon ate Ben!”

Ginny smiled at her brother's antics and Ben roared at him.

“Well, there's only one thing to be done now,” he said seriously. “The only way to defeat the most fearsome of dragons is by… tickling them!” Charlie grabbed Ben and tickled him mercilessly and the child broke into peals of laughter.

After a few moments of joyous torture, he released the tiny dragon and looked at his sister strangely. “Ginny, what are you supposed to be?” he said gesturing to her costume with one hand, while the other held Ben.

Ginny pouted and said, “Can't you tell?”

Charlie looked at his sister's sleeveless, floor-length, iridescent blue dress and the blue strips of organza wrapped around her arms and hands that trailed down her sides. The dress, while not tight, fell on her perfectly and showed off her curves. She went shoeless, and her red curls were unrestrained and tumbled halfway down her back.

He looked back at her and said, “No, I really haven't a clue.”

She let out a frustrated sigh and said, “I'm the wind!”

“The wind,” he said slowly while silently thinking that his sister had fallen off the deep end. “Well, you're a very lovely wind. Why don't you go find some of your friends and give me and Ben some man time,” he said emphasizing the last two words in a deep booming voice.

Ginny thanked her brother with her eyes and told Ben that she wouldn't be far if he needed her. She knew it was good for Ben to spend time with her brothers. It would never be the same as having a father, but it was the best she could offer him right now.

~~~~~

“I can't believe you're making me wear this,” Draco grumbled as he pulled at his enchanted pointy ears.

“Oh, hush; you look great, and quit that. Do you know how many tries it took to get those ears right?” Pansy admonished as the three walked through the door.

“I vaguely recall,” Draco sneered as he remembered the 212 different sets of ears he possessed that day. “And why do I have to wear this and he gets to wear that?” he said as he gestured to Blaise's costume.

Blaise smirked as Pansy said, “Because we're going as a couple. His costume has to match mine.”

Draco looked again at his friend's sweeping black cape and fangs and then at his own tights and tunic and cursed the fates for the unfairness of it all. “He gets to be Dracula and I have to be Leggings,” he mumbled.

“It's Legolas, not Leggings, and he gets to be Dracula because I wanted to be Lucy. Besides, the Legolas look is good for you, but it would have been so much better if you would have let me make your hair longer,” Pansy said while eyeing Draco's beloved locks.

Draco took a large step back and looked at Pansy seriously and said, “I'll let you make my ears pointy, I'll let you make me carry around these stupid bows and arrows on my back, and I'll even let you dress me up in tights, but I will not, under any circumstances, let you touch my hair.”

Blaise laughed and said, “Come on, guys. If we stay in the entrance all night, I won't get to see people laughing at elf-boy.” Draco scowled, but walked ahead anyway.

After greeting a few key people, Pansy told Draco to wait while she went to talk to Ginny.

“So what exactly are you going to say to her?” Blaise asked him after Pansy had left.

“To be honest, I'm not quite sure yet. I'm just going to make it up as I go,” he said while sipping his punch.

“That sounds like a great idea,” Blaise said sarcastically.

“I rather thought so,” he replied, ignoring the sarcasm.

Blaise just rolled his eyes as he continued to watch the partygoers.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the room, a small brown head perked up and glanced toward the entrance. He began to struggle with his captor and Charlie said, “Hey, what's wrong, Benno? Want down? Alright, but don't leave this room, okay?”

His feet touched the ground and he started to make his way to the entrance where a certain blond man stood.

Draco was still scanning the crowd looking for Pansy and Ginny, who he had yet to see, when he looked down into the wide blue eyes of a very short dragon.

“Hello,” he said as his brain screamed, `That's the kid! That's the kid!' Calming, he remembered that he had to make this child like him. How the heck was he supposed to do that?

Before he knew what was happening, the kid had raised his arms straight into the air and was making a whiney noise.

Draco looked at him incredulously while Blaise leaned over and whispered, “I think he wants you to pick him up.”

He looked like he was in pain as he looked at Blaise and then proceeded to squat down to pick the child up. Ben smiled and a chill ran down Draco's spine, as he looked closer into his piercing blue eyes. The cores seemed to swirl and Draco felt himself starting to fall. He quickly looked away and he once again felt the floor beneath his feet. He looked back into his eyes and everything seemed fine. Draco decided that either he was imagining things, or someone must have spiked the punch, but for some reason, he wasn't quite sure.

Ginny was shaking her head. She couldn't believe she let Pansy talk her into this. Although, to tell the truth, there probably wasn't anything she wouldn't do for her. But this? This was beyond weird. What could Draco Malfoy possibly have to say that was worth listening to?

She was still looking down and mumbling to herself when she ran into the back of her best friend. “Pansy, what…”

She looked up and what she saw caused her jaw to plummet to the ground. Draco Malfoy was holding her son… and they both looked rather okay with it. They were just staring into each other's eyes. Ben was actually smiling.

“What in Merlin's name is going on?” she asked bewildered.

Pansy just shook her head and said, “I don't know.”

Ginny was still rooted to the ground, so Pansy calmly walked over and took Ben from Draco's arms. Ben started to fuss and Pansy flipped him upside down blew on his tummy, effectively removing all previous thoughts from the giggling child's mind. While still holding him upside down, she and Blaise carefully made their way away from the two.

Ginny regained her senses, closed her eyes briefly, and walked closer to Draco. She fought to remain clam and asked, “What do you want, and how did you do that?”

Draco took a deep breath and said, “Maybe we should talk somewhere a little more quiet.”

He took her hand and she grimaced slightly, but she still let him lead her away from the room.

Chapter 7: Just a chance

Not knowing exactly where he was going, Draco pulled Ginny down the long corridor. He opened the first door he came to and released a frustrated growl. Upon seeing the various cleaning products that adorned the room, Ginny snorted and muttered, “Idiot,” under her breath. Draco heard her comment and glared at the redhead before continuing his search for a vacant room that didn't contain mops of various sizes.

After a few more doors and a few more “comments” from Ginny, Draco finally found a room he deemed suitable. He whispered a quick, “Lumos,” before ushering her inside.

She walked to the nearest chair, sat down, and crossed her arms and legs before letting out an impatient, “Well?”

“Look, I'll be more than happy to tell you, but first, I'm really going to need you to stop that. It's distracting.”

“Stop what?” she asked, looking very confused.

He stared pointedly at her foot that was wiggling in impatience. It had gotten so out of hand that it looked like her foot was trying to free itself from her body.

“Oh, sorry,” she said sheepishly as she stopped her foot's incessant bouncing.

He sat in a chair across from her and very diplomatically asked, “You have heard of my father's recent passing, correct?”

Her eyes immediately softened and her shoulders relaxed. Sure, Malfoy was a prat, but he had just lost his father. She shook her head slightly as she said, “I am so sorry for your loss.”

Draco put his hand up, stopping her and said, “Don't. I neither want nor need your sympathy. That isn't what I need to talk to you about.”

Ginny looked confused and asked, “Then what is it?”

“A few days ago, I had to see my father's lawyer to discuss the contents of the will.” Ginny looked even more confused as to why he was discussing this with her when he continued. “In order to receive my inheritance, I must marry by my 21^st birthday,” he said, looking at Ginny pointedly.

“Well, I don't see what any of this has to do with me,” she said as her brow wrinkled.

“The will mentions you specifically,” he said while looking her in the eye.

“What does that mean?” Ginny asked skeptically.

“It means that we have to get married,” he said in a tone all too serious for Ginny's liking.

What!?” Ginny screeched as her eyes bulged from their sockets. “It bloody well does not mean we have to get married. Have you lost your mind? Why on earth would I marry you? Just so you can get your inheritance? I don't think so. I can't stand you, and what's more, you can't stand me!”

“I never said that,” Draco said in a calming tone.

“Yes you did. Your seventh year, I accidentally ran into you in the hall. You fell on your arse and dropped your books.”

“Ah, that. I do believe my exact words were, `I can't stand that Weasley's are allowed to roam the halls without collars and leashes.' That's different.” For some reason, Draco was surprised when Ginny's face turned and ungodly shade of red and her fists clenched. “What?” he asked stupidly.

“This, this is exactly why we could never get married: the constant bickering. I'd lose my mind!” she said, waving her arms in the air.

“Look, all I ask of you is a chance. Give me three months to show you that life with me wouldn't be so bad. If you decide you still don't want anything to do with me, I'll leave you alone and never bother you again. A chance, Ginny, isn't that all anyone ever wants?” he asked, eyes pleading, as he placed his hands over her own. Draco hated being so sappy, but he thought it was the best approach.

“If it was just me I had to think about, it may be different, but I have a child to think of. Ben means the world to me. I'm not quite sure you're the type of influence I want around my son. I mean, you're not exactly known for your good deeds.”

“Is that what this is about? I'll have you know that my family is one of the largest contributors to the St. Mungo's research department,” he said very matter-of-factly.

Ginny rolled her eyes. “Malfoy, you can't just buy your way to being a good person.”

“Oh, don't get me wrong. I'm not a good person. I'd never lie to you about that. Besides, I've been told that lying to you isn't the grandest of ideas.”

“Pansy?” she asked, and Draco nodded. Then she remembered Pansy's request that she keep an open mind and heart. If he was such a good friend of hers, maybe he wasn't so bad after all. Pansy had dumped most of her old friends long ago. She had only kept Blaise and Draco. Ginny had always understood why she kept Blaise. I mean, how could you not love Blaise? He was awesome, and they loved one another, but she had always wondered about why she had stayed friends with Draco. There had to be something that Ginny just wasn't seeing. That's all there is to it. She wondered what that might be. This sheer curiosity and her promise to her best friend were what spurred her on to consider his request for a chance.

“Would you like to tell me how the two of you became friends? She won't breathe a word of it. You're a rather unlikely pair if you ask me,” he said, oblivious of the goings on in Ginny's head at that moment.

She just kind of snickered, thinking of the hundreds of ways she would die if Pansy ever learned that she had told her secret. “Well, it's a rather long story. If you're lucky, I'll tell you about it sometime,” she said smiling.

Draco grinned. “Sometime? There's going to be a sometime?”

“Against my better judgment, I suppose so,” she resigned. “This is just a chance. I guess everyone deserves one, but I reserve the right to call it off at any point.” She looked to Draco for a sign of agreement. He nodded his head and she continued, “I know you're not evil, as much as you'd like people to think otherwise. You are, however, a snarky git, which is why you are to behave yourself around Ben. He has enough of his own attitude without getting any lessons from you. And you can rest assured. If you do one single thing that hurts that precious boy, you'll be begging for Avada,” she said with forcefulness only a mother could produce.

Despite the blatant threat on his person, Draco was smiling smugly, as if he had something to do with her changing her mind. Well, I guess it won't hurt to let him think that.

Yes, I know that it has been terribly long since I have updated, and I will be incredibly surprised if anyone even remembers this fic. My computer kind of caught on fire and I still haven't been able to replace it. I will hopefully have a replacement next week. To those of you willing to forgive me and read anyway, thank you. I greatly appreciate it.

Chapter eight: Left

Ginny went home that night mentally berating herself. `Why on earth did I agree to do this? I must have lost my mind. I have a date with Malfoy. And marriage? Why am I humoring him? But I wonder… What would it be like to marry a Malfoy?'

Ginny pictured herself standing cold and aloof in an ornate foyer while waiting for her husband to arrive home. Ben, of course, would be raised by house elves. Child rearing would be unbecoming for a Malfoy. She really didn't see that going over well. The small exposure Ben had had to house elves had been, to put it lightly, unpleasant for the poor elf involved. She just couldn't get Ben to understand that you don't kick the house elves. Hermione had witnessed the last “incident” and had been appalled. Ginny was completely embarrassed as she pulled Ben from kicking range. No one could understand this seemingly innate fixation with torturing the small creatures. Ginny had always believed that this kind of behavior was learned, and he definitely hadn't learned it from herself or her family. Things like this really made Ginny wonder about Ben's biological parents.

Ginny didn't want Ben to be raised by house elves even if he had loved them. That was her job, and, despite the headaches, she wouldn't give it up for the world. She didn't want Ben to grow up in a museum, void of any laughter. She may not have had the newest toys and nicest robes growing up, but she never lacked love or laughter. Even with seven kids, there was always plenty of love to go around. Ginny was almost positive Malfoy couldn't boast the same claim.

And then there was love. Even if it was possible to get past everything else, could she really learn to love such a cold-hearted man? Certainly not. Ginny had always dreamed of marrying a considerate, passionate man, who would sweep her into his arms and kiss her until she was breathless. She wanted a man who would be her first thought when she awoke and her last thought before she fell asleep. She wanted a man whose breath would catch whenever he saw her. She wanted to be able to see the love in his eyes. She wanted more than love; she wanted her soul mate. You can fall in love many times, but you only have one soul mate. Her heart would accept no less. The thought of Draco Malfoy filling this role was almost laughable. His personality was the antithesis of what she was convinced her soul mate's would be.

So if Ginny was so utterly convinced that nothing good could ever come from a relationship with Draco Malfoy, why on earth would she agree to see him? It was true that part of the decision had to do with her promise to Pansy, but that wasn't the whole truth. She would never admit it, not even to herself, but she had a bit of a crush on the smarmy heir. In her latter Hogwarts years, she went through her “bad boy” phase and had never fully grown out of it. She knew it was silly, but she couldn't help it. She had once even drawn a picture of him in leather trousers. The mental picture had always given her shivers, and she just had to draw it. In fact, the picture resided in the drawer of her bed-side table. It was one of the first things she saw after she woke up and one of the last things she saw before she went to bed.

*****

The date was scheduled for Tuesday night at seven. A date on a Tuesday seemed odd to Ginny, but Draco, who was used to having dates every night of the week, didn't seem to think anything was wrong with it.

Molly was coming over to watch Ben, but it was 6:45 and she still wasn't there. Ginny wasn't having great luck trying to get dressed and make dinner for Ben at the same time. Ben was playing with a toy dragon that was charmed to blow smoke and make roaring noises. Said dragon was currently destroying a village of tiny tot people.

Ding-dong. The doorbell rang and Ginny ran, half-dressed, to the door to answer it.

“Hello, dear,” the Weasley matron said as she entered her daughter's apartment.

“Thank Merlin you're here, Mum. Do you think you could watch Ben while I finish getting ready?”

“Of course. That's why I'm here, isn't it?” Ginny gave her mother a warm smile and ran back to her room to finish getting ready.

The day after she agreed to go out with Draco, Ginny had had a long conversation with her Mum. Molly was, at first, more than a little skeptical, but she knew that Ginny had a good heart and a level head and she was old enough to make her own decisions. The main thing that troubled her was Draco's intentions. She knew he only wanted Ginny so that he could inherit his money, and that it had absolutely nothing to do with love. Ginny would only marry for love, but Molly didn't want her only daughter involved in a loveless marriage. It was unbelievable enough that a Weasley could love a Malfoy, but it was even more unlikely for a Malfoy to love a Weasley. However, she knew that love worked in strange ways. She was never supposed to love a Weasley, either.

“Mum, how do I look?” Ginny's voice brought her out of her ponderings, and she stood from the couch. Ginny twirled a bit and her short black dress swirled around her thighs.

“Oh, Ginny, you look gorgeous. When did my little girl get so beautiful?” she said with a tear in her eye as she hugged her daughter.

“Thanks, Mum, but I'm going to get wrinkles,” she said as she tried to disentangle herself from her mother's embrace.

“Oh, sorry, dear,” she said, releasing her grip and reaching for a tissue. Seconds later, the doorbell rang again, and Ginny took a deep breath, trying to calm herself before she answered it.

Assuring herself that this was just like any other date, she opened the door and all the assurance she had just gained fled as she sucked in her breath and her eyes grew wide.

Standing before her had to be the most visually perfect man she had ever seen in her life. Black really did suit him. She had no words to describe what she saw, other than “amazing.”

Seeing her reaction, Draco smiled charmingly and entered her apartment. Ginny was practically drooling when she realized her mouth was open and promptly snapped it shut.

“Mrs. Weasley, it's nice to see you again. You're doing well I hope.” Draco was always good with parents.

“I'm doing well. You?”

“I'm doing better by the minute,” he said as he glanced back at Ginny.

Ben, who had been completely engrossed in his own world, got up and ran over to Draco, smiling.

Being more prepared, and knowing he needed to impress Ginny, he swooped the young child into his arms and asked, “And how are you today… Ben?” He said the name as a question as he looked at Ginny for affirmation. She nodded her head, still amazed that Ben was so trusting of Draco, of all people.

“Well, we'd better be going if we're going to arrive on time,” he said as he handed Ben over to his grandmother.

Ben whimpered and reached out to Draco, who had forsaken him to his Gramma.

“Tonight's just our Mum and me, but I promise that you can come next time, alright?”

The toddler really didn't care if he could go next time. He wanted to go this time and just couldn't understand how they could just leave without him.

”Mummy will see you in the morning. Be good for Gramma.” And with a kiss on the cheek, Ben's mother and her date condemned him to a night with his grandmother. He was not happy about this at all and the entire building heard about it.

A/N: It is official: computers hate me. I had just finished typing this when the computer in the lab crashed. So, I had to completely redo it. It's not as long or good as it was, but it's here.

Chapter 9 - The Date

Ginny and Draco were sitting in complete silence at the upscale French restaurant while waiting for their food.

`Could this be any more uncomfortable? I should have just stayed home,' Ginny thought as she adjusted the napkin in her lap for the fifth time that night.

`Say something! What am I supposed to say? Anything! She's going to think you're an idiot. Better to keep your mouth shut and others think you a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.' Draco quoted the old adage and snickered to himself for his cleverness.

Ginny looked up from her napkin ministrations at the sound and gave a look that showed him that he was correct in believing that she thought he was an idiot. Draco was trying to save face when a strolling minstrel began serenading the two with an old French love song that was traditionally sung at anniversaries. Ginny turned a color of red akin to that of a tomato and covered her face with her hands, and Draco sat speechless as he stared at the man with a look of both disbelief and annoyance. At the end of the song, the minstrel wished the “Spellmans” a wonderful fifth wedding anniversary, kissed Ginny's hand, and left before Draco could completely come to grips with what had happened.

Ginny peeked though her fingers at Draco and began to softly giggle. The giggle grew until she was laughing outright and Draco had no choice but to join in the infectious laughter. They had been laughing for a few minutes when they noticed that they were attracting quite a bit of attention.

Draco threw some gold on the table and said, “Let's get out of here,” as he reached across the table to take her hand.

Still laughing, she nodded, took his hand, and allowed him to lead her out of the restaurant full of annoyed-looking witches and wizards. They walked down the sidewalk, still holding hands, when he said, “I know a much better place. Do you mind getting a little messy?”

“No minstrels?”

“I promise, and if I see one, I will personally hex him.”

Ginny smiled and said, “Lead the way,” as she gestured forward with her hand.

After a few turns, Ginny wasn't exactly sure where she was, but she was pretty sure that there weren't any restaurants here. Draco stopped suddenly and reached for a door that Ginny hadn't even seen at first. He held the door for her, and she looked unsure as she stepped into the hole-in-the-wall establishment.

After she realized what she had just stepped into, she turned around and looked at Draco incredulously.

“It's a hot dog stand,” she said morosely.

“That's where you're wrong. This,” he stopped for a dramatic pause and looked around in awe, “is Wally's Wondrous Wieners. Home of the Super Dog.”

He smiled brightly and pulled her forward with him. “Two Super Dogs, loaded.”

The order was called to the back and in less than no time, they were presented with two items that, Ginny was convinced, had to be heart attacks in a bag. Draco paid the man, took the bags, and proceeded toward the door.

“Where are we going, now?”

“Come on; you'll see.”

After a few minutes of Ginny trying to keep up with Draco's stride, she was about to complain about the walking in heels when he stopped.

“We're here.”

Ginny looked around. She had been so busy trying to keep up that she didn't even notice them entering the park. They were near a large tree and had a perfect view of the moon reflecting off of the lake.

“Could you hold these for a second?” Draco asked as he handed over the leaky bags.

Ginny's face was that of disgust as she held the bags at arm's length and Draco transfigured a napkin into a nice picnic blanket. He took off his shoes, sat in the middle of the blanket, and patted the spot directly across from him.

She handed him back the bags and started tugging on her dress, trying to make it a smidge longer so that she could sit modestly. When she found a position that suited her, she looked at him worriedly.

He took out the boxes containing the mammoth hot dogs and handed her one.

“We don't have any silverware.”

“It's a hot dog,” he said looking at her questioningly.

“Yes, but it's wet. Are you sure about this? It really doesn't look very good.”

“Trust me; you'll love it. Here, just wrap your hands around it and bite. You'll make a mess, but that's okay. That's what cleaning charms are for.” He demonstrated this by taking a huge bite, while his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he released a contented sigh.

Ginny closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and went for it. It was very possibly the best thing she had ever put in her mouth. “This is incredible,” was her mumbled response as she tried to talk with her mouth full.

Draco just smiled. “I know,” he said as he tucked into the rest of his dinner.

They ate in relatively peaceful bliss until Draco finished and started to watch her. `In this moonlight, she really is quite lovely, even with mustard on her cheek.'

Ginny didn't notice as she hummed happily and ate her last few bites. He cast a cleaning charm on her messy hands and face and she collapsed on the blanket with the type of happiness that only comes from a full tummy. He crawled over to lie next to her and she started to giggle.

“What?”

“Never in a million years would I have pictured Draco Malfoy eating a hot dog in the park. Don't tell me this is an old family pastime.”

“Of course not. My father is probably rolling in his grave. It's actually a guilty pleasure of mine. Blaise got me hooked about two summers ago. He bothered me all summer until I agreed to try it.”

“Do you have any other guilty pleasures I should know about?” she asked as she sat up to look down at him.

“Maybe,” he said as he sat up to look her in the eye. As he said this, he leaned in and kissed her on the corner of her mouth. He pulled back to search her eyes. Seeing her approval of his actions, he added, “But I really don't feel guilty about it.”

With this, he kissed her again, but this time, full on the lips. He gently swept her top lip with his tongue, seeking entrance. She timidly opened her mouth and leaned in, and he ran the tip of his tongue over the roof of her mouth. Their tongues met once and he pulled away. Her eyes fluttered open and he whispered in her ear that it was getting late. She nodded and took his proffered hand, and they picked up their trash and left the park.

The walk home was fairly quiet; both had thoughts racing through their minds. Draco was thinking about the softness of her lips and the innocence in her touch, while Ginny was thinking something close to, `Okay, so maybe he's not so bad after all.'

A goodnight kiss at the door, however, was not to be.

In fact, there was no door at all; there were just some charred remains.

Ginny's eyes grew large and they ran into her apartment. They immediately found her mother under the effects of a full-body bind in the living room.

“Mom!”

“Mrs. Weasley? Enervate!” Draco yelled as he pointed his wand at the poor woman.

She immediately collapsed to the floor and started sobbing. Ginny was already running through the house screaming for Ben.

“Mon, where is he? Where's my baby?” Ginny screamed, panicking.

“They took him! They took him!” was the only thing her mother could say, and she was saying it repeatedly.

With this, Ginny released a blood-curdling cry of anguish and fell to the floor at Draco's feet.

A/N: Sorry if it's seemed like a while since I posted, my dad was just put in the Intensive Care Unit and I've been a little busy. If you're the religious sort, could you please add my dad to your prayers? Thanks.

A/N: I'd like to thank everyone who kept my father in their thoughts. I'm glad to say that he is almost fully recovered and has even returned to work. Your words of encouragement meant a lot and I appreciate it. I know this chapter is long coming, but I really have been busy. After my father was released I had finals. After that, I went on a two week vacation with a friend, and then my family moved. Things are settling down, and I actually have time to write again. I promise the next chapter won't take nearly as long as this one did. I'm thinking the end of this week. Anyway, thanks for putting up with me.

Chapter 10: The Symbol

Ginny's mother was still in hysterics as she tried to answer the auror's questions.

It had been around 8 o'clock when she heard a noise come from Ben's room. Ginny had mentioned that since getting the new bed, he would sometimes get up to play in the middle of the night. Setting down her knitting, Mrs. Weasley got up to remind him that he needed to stay in bed and sleep if he wanted to grow up strong like his Uncle Charlie. Before she had made it to the hall, she saw green sparks as she was hit with a body-binding curse. Her panic increased as she saw three hooded figures walk past her. She was getting very irate, thinking they were only common burglars, when they blew open the front door. The spells that had been placed on the front door made it impossible to open from the inside, as well as the outside, without knowing the proper spells. As the last of the three passed though the newly modified exit, she noticed a small limp arm flop against the carrier's leg. Knowing it was Ben, she tried to scream but couldn't. Seemingly an eternity later, Ginny and Draco arrived and contacted the aurors and Mr. Weasley.

Mr. Weasley was now trying to calm his wife.

An auror, Mr. Standers, who thought he was being incredibly understanding and patient about all of this, tried again. “Mrs. Weasley, can you please describe the three wizards?”

“Well,” she said through her sobs, “at first, they reminded me of Death Eaters, but they were different. They didn't wear masks, that I could see, but their hoods were pulled so that you couldn't see their faces. The robes were a dark maroon and there was this silver symbol embroidered on the backs. I had never seen it before.”

Ginny, who had been unnervingly calm after her initial outburst, looked up.

“Do you think you can remember it well enough to draw it?” the auror asked.

“I think so,” she sniffed as she took the proffered quill and parchment.

After a few moments, Mrs. Weasley had produced a swirling symbol that had an uncanny resemblance to something Draco recognized. He closed his eyes and tried to remember what the symbol meant, but he really hadn't the faintest idea. He decided it would be best not to say anything.

“Alright, Mrs. Weasley. I think we have all the information we need for now. We'll contact you if we have any news.”

The aurors talked to Mr. Weasley before they left. As he was walking back, Ginny spoke for the first time since she had collapsed. “Mum, could you draw another one of those symbols?” Ginny asked without looking at her.

“I suppose, but whatever for?” she asked as she wiped her eyes with her handkerchief.

“I'm going to the library,” she said steadily.

Mrs. Weasley sighed. “Oh, Ginny dear. Let the aurors handle it. It's their job. I don't want you putting yourself in danger.”

Ginny's eyes widened furiously and her breathing became ragged. “My son has been taken. He can be anywhere. Who knows what kind of danger he's in?!” she yelled as she stood. “You cannot possibly expect me to just sit here while he's out there, alone and scared. I am going to do everything in my power to bring my baby home to my arms.” She closed her eyes as the tears began to fall from her lashes and her body racked with sobs. “Please… Mum…”

Draco stood and instinctively put his arms around her shaking form. Mr. Weasley eyed the two curiously. While Ginny found solace in Draco's strong arms and soothing words, Mrs. Weasley again drew the symbol. “Here, love. I know that you're going to do this with or without my help.”

Ginny turned to her mother with a grateful smile. “If you find anything out, I want you to go directly to the aurors. Don't go out on your own,” the Weasley matron commanded.

“I'll do what I have to do,” Ginny said levelly. With that, she turned to leave with Draco following close behind.

When they were in front of the building, Ginny stopped and turned to Draco. She swallowed as she looked at him. “You don't have to come with me.”

He looked into her eyes. “Let me help you.”

She nodded and smiled as she took his hand and walked toward the library. It only took a few steps for Ginny to stop and hit her forehead. “Damnit,” she swore softly.

Draco looked at her questioningly. She shook her head and groaned. “The library isn't going to be open at this time of night. What are we going to do?”

“We could use the library in the manor. It has nearly as many books as that library, and it certainly has more books on the dark arts, which is probably where we should start looking anyway,” he said calmly.

Ginny tilted her head to the side and asked if he were sure. He shrugged his shoulders and said, “Why not?” He turned his head to look down the street, for some reason, uncomfortable with the situation.

She reached up and touched the side of his face with her fingertips, and he returned his gaze. She rested her other hand on his shoulder as she raised on her toes to gently press her lips to his. She pulled away, and her fingers trailed down his face as she slid her other hand down his arm to capture his. “Thank you,” she said as she held his eyes.

He gave her half a smile and said, “Come on,” and they apparated to Malfoy Manor.

******

After three hours of scanning through volumes of books in the dimly lit library, Draco looked up to find Ginny asleep on top of an open book. He sighed and turned his book on aquatic curses of the thirteenth century face down on the table so he wouldn't lose his place.

“Come on, Ginny girl,” he said as he slipped his arms behind her knees and shoulders and carried her to the soft green sofa at the side of the room. She unconsciously turned in her sleep to pillow her head on her hands. Draco grabbed his cloak off of the back of his chair and draped it over her before he returned to his research.

******

Ginny awoke to a faint clinking sound and a brightness behind her eyelids. She slowly opened her eyes, using her hand to shade her eyes and take the edge off the intense sun glaring in from the tall windows. She pushed down Draco's cloak as she sat up and slid her feet off the sofa onto the dark hardwood floors. Draco was flipping though a book and absentmindedly stirring a fresh cup of coffee. His hair was slightly damp and one strand fallen over his brow. He was also wearing different clothes. That's when Ginny noticed that she was still in her dress from the night before and desperately needed a shower.

“Sleep well?” Draco asked without looking up, as Ginny made her way over to him.

“I'm surprised I could sleep at all. What time is it?” she asked, plopping down into the chair next to him.

“About eight-thirty. Want a shower?” he asked finally looking at her.

She rubbed her temples. “That would be wonderful.”

As they walked down the hall, he said, “If you'd like to change, you're about the same size as my mother. I'm sure she wouldn't mind if you borrowed something. She's visiting family in France,” he answered her unspoken question as to her whereabouts.

“I don't suppose she has any jeans,” she said, looking at him hopefully.

He laughed, “Not that I've ever seen.”

They finally found a comfortable pair of dress slacks that fit in the back of Narcissa's enormous closet. After that, they found a matching shirt and pair of dress flats for her to wear.

“I don't know where my mother keeps everything in her bathroom, so you can use mine.”

Ginny raised her eyebrows, but didn't say anything as she followed him out of the room.

He led her into a large dark room. The king-size four-poster bed was a deep mahogany color, as was the rest of the furniture. The sheets were a rich and luxurious forest green that matched the drawn curtains. She imagined herself waking from those sheets next to a handsome blond. It really wasn't a half-bad image.

“The bathroom's over here,” he said, walking into a room that branched off of the bedroom. “The towels are in that closet. The soap and shampoo are on the shelf in the shower. I take showers, but if you want to take a bath, the tub is over there. You can just take the soap over there.”

“Oh, a shower's fine. Thank you,” was the only response she could manage.

He just nodded and said, “I'll be in the library when you get out. Will you be able to find your way back alright?”

“I think so.”

He nodded again and left, shutting the door behind himself..

Ginny sighed as she took off her clothes and stepped into the steaming water. Sweet Merlin! The man had more bath products than she had ever seen. Surely he didn't use all of these! She chose one of the only ones written in English, so she knew for sure that it was shampoo, and lathered it into her hair.

Then a thought struck her. She was standing wet and naked in Draco Malfoy's shower. The same shower Draco himself had stood in just an hour or so before… wet and naked. She couldn't help but shudder.

“Ginny, stop that,” she reprimanded herself.

He really was attractive, but he was beginning to confuse the hell out of her. He had always been absolutely horrid to her in school. But the night before, he showed a side of himself she didn't think could exist. He was funny and even nice. Ever since they had arrived at the manor, he had been very sweet, but reserved. It was like he was trying to close himself off to her. If she didn't know better, she would say he was afraid of feeling something for her, so he was trying to block her out. But she did know better, so she didn't entertain that thought any longer.

******

“Hey, I think I found something,” Ginny said as she lifted her head from an old book. “Let me see that symbol again.”

He handed her the parchment and positioned himself to look over her shoulder. “This is it! It's the same symbol!” she exclaimed pointing excitedly to the symbol drawn in the book.

“What does it say?” Draco asked impatiently.

“It's the mark of Mastema. I don't remember ever learning about him in school,” she said as she looked at him.

“Neither do I. What does it say about him?”

“It calls him a rebel angel, an accuser, and an executioner. Some say Mastema is an apocalyptic name for Satan, while others believe he is a subservient of God. It says that after the fall, God allowed him to keep one tenth of the fallen angels, or demons, on earth to tempt mankind. It is his job to entice humans into doing wrong things. He is also the “Heavenly Prosecutor.” After death, humans are put on trial for all of the wrong things they've done and Mastema prosecutes against them. It says he's never lost a case,” she said and looked up at Draco. “He's like a supernatural lawyer.”

“Lawyer? Oh, now I remember where I recognized the symbol,” he said as he fished through the pockets of his cloak that he retrieved from the sofa.

“What? You didn't say you recognized it,” Ginny said questioningly.

“I didn't say anything because I couldn't remember where I recognized it from. It wouldn't have done any good to say anything. Oh, here it is,” he said as he handed a card to Ginny.

“Draco, it's an ordinary business card,” she said looking back at him.

“Look at the background.” In the background of the card was the same symbol they had been searching for.

“Draco, what is this?” she asked, wide-eyed.

“It's a business card from my father's attorney's office. I don't have the same attorney. I never thought to check into the firm's history.”

“You don't think…” she trailed off as Draco nodded his head.