Synopsis: Ginny awaits death in Azkaban after the War. In order to save her life, she agrees to marry Draco Malfoy.
Disclaimer: Harry and the gang all belong to JK Rowling. The lyrics, "Meant to Live" belong to Switchfoot. Hmm… resemblance of these characters to anyone living, or dead, is purely coincidental.
AN: ok… I changed the title of chapter 4. "Sexing the Cherry" will come at a later date. Sorry it took so long for this chapter. The start of the semester, and a bitchy teacher are interfering with my genius. Also… MY BEST FRIEND IN THE WHOLE ENTIRE WORLD IS GETTING MARRIED!!! The wedding is set for December 24th, and I couldn't be happier for her! Convincing Mom however, is another story. Updates will be posted!! Also, much thanx to Dawn Matthews, Tayler, ferret girl, crème de lilac, essence, Harry and Orlando, Mrs. Felton, Mooshy, bigred20, One Magical Muggle, M D, Katelynkay, and all you Anonymous people for reviewing Chapter I4!
Note:
essence: the deaths of the Weasley clan will be talked about in more detail in future chapters!
Chapter V: Meant to Live
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Fumbling his confidence
And wondering why the world has passed him by
Hoping that he's bent for more than arguments
And failed attempts to fly, fly
We were meant to live for so much more
Have we lost ourselves?
Somewhere we live inside
Somewhere we live inside
We were meant to live for so much more
Have we lost ourselves?
Somewhere we live inside
Dreaming about Providence
And whether mice or men have second tries
Maybe we've been livin with our eyes half open
Maybe we're bent and broken, broken
We want more than this world's got to offer
We want more than this world's got to offer
We want more than the wars of our fathers
And everything inside screams for second life
~*~
"Follow me please, Miss." Scrubs said. "I will take you to your room." Taking Ginny by the hand, she led her up the grand staircase.
"How long have you known Master Malfoy?" Ginny asked her.
"Oh! I am being with the family all my life." Scrubs told her, proudly. "I have seen Master when he was a baby. He is the most beautiful baby Scrubs is ever seeing Miss."
"I'm sure he was adorable." Ginny replied, thinking of Leona, and what a pretty baby she had been., all pink and white, with tiny dimpled hands. She had been so tiny, Ron had been afraid to hold her. 'I'm afraid she'll break.' He had confided to his sister.
"Here we are Miss." Scrubs chirped. "This is to be Miss' new room." She flung the double doors open, and Ginny gasped. She had never seen anything so lovely. The walls were a dark blue. Toward the ceiling, white had been blended to give the appearance of clouds in a darkening sky. A writing desk, vanity, and wardrobe made of mahogany were placed strategically about the room. And in the center of it all, set on a pedestal, was a large, four poster bed. It was easily the most spectacular thing in the room.
Ginny raised an eyebrow. "Well, we know where his mind is."
"Through here is Miss' bathroom." Scrubs told Ginny. "And behind this door, is Miss' closet. Miss can order things from Diagon Alley, and they will appear in the closet. And over here," Scrubs walked to another set of double doors, "is the door to Master's bedchamber."
"Ah, yes, well, I don't think we will be using that door much."
Scrubs blushed. "Is not my place Miss… but Elder Master Malfoy visited Mistress almost every night."
Ginny blanched. The last thing she wanted to know was Lucius Malfoy's sexual habits. "Scrubs… I think I'd like to lie down for awhile. I'm feeling rather tired."
"Yes of course Miss. You rest, and Scrubs will send up a bath, and your dinner." With a soft pop, Scrubs disappeared, and Ginny was left alone in the room.
She hurried toward the nearest window, and flung the curtains back. She tried to open the window, but found it locked. "Damn him…" she whispered. "Cheeky little bastard doesn't trust me at all."
She tried her bedroom door next, and found it unlocked. She poked her head out, and after making sure that no one was coming, she ran quickly down the hall.
"Not so fast Missy!" one old wizard in a portrait called to her. "You'll break your neck running at such a speed!"
"Shut up!" Ginny hissed as she passed. At this rate, the whole Manner would be alerted to her escape. The staircase was before her, and she hurried down the first flight to the second floor. She was about to descend the second flight, when she heard footsteps approaching the stairs. Ducking down one of the side halls, she found her self in the Malfoy portrait gallery.
Paintings covered every inch of wall, making it near imposable to see the color of the wallpaper. Lords and ladies in medieval dress, snored in their portraits. Ginny walked up, and examined the first painting, a rather handsome young man in his early twenties. 'Gaston Malfisi, Duc de Vere' read the golden plaque at the bottom of the portrait.
'Born: July 3, 1034; Died: 1058
"I wonder what happened to you…" Ginny murmured.
"Psst!" The man in the next portrait waved her over. "He was killed at the battle in Varaville, fighting for King Henri I of France. Family farmed pigs, and the boy managed to kill a man who was about to stab the king in the back. Another soldier quickly killed poor Gaston, but His Majesty was so grateful for Gaston's sacrifice, that he gave him the title of Duc de Vere."
"Didn't live to enjoy it, did he?" Ginny chuckled.
"No," the portrait replied in heavily accented English. "But I, Pierre Malfisi, a pig farmer's son, became the 2nd Duc de Vere." He cackled. "I enjoyed it immensely!"
"I didn't!" A voice farther down the gallery called. "I died because of the title!"
"That's my great-great-great-great-great-great- great-great-great-great-great-great- great-great-great-great-great-great- great-great-great-grandson, Charles-Louis Malfisi, 21st Duc de Vere. He and his wife, Marie-Charlotte were burned at the stake for witchcraft. His Royal Catholic Majesty, King Henri II, took the title away."
"Burned at the stake! But I thought… er… why didn't they put the fire out? With magic?"
Pierre snorted. "The poor idiot. A squib through and through. A disgrace to the family. We never told anyone of course. Married him off to Marie-Charlotte d'Anjou. Powerful Wizarding family! She gave Charles three sons, all of them highly gifted. In fact their son, Etienne, was one of the mist powerful wizards of his time. After his parents were burned, he escaped to England. Changed his name to Malfoy. Got in good with the English king, and made a fortune."
Ginny fought back the urge to laugh. "So, the great and powerful British Malfoys are descendants of a pig farmer, and a squib who was burned at the stake?"
"Yes." Pierre replied. "But don't go spreading it around. It is a family secret!"
"Well, it seems I am now a member of the family, so the secret is safe."
"Do you hear that, Elysia?" Pierre called down to the end of the gallery. "This young lady is a member of the family!"
"Come here Pierre!" a female voice cried. "I wish to speak with you. At once!"
Pierre sighed, and disappeared from his portrait, the occasional grunt indicating that he had woken others from sleep as he passed through their portraits. Ginny heard voices whispering, a gasp, and then Pierre was calling her to come to him.
Ginny walked slowly past the sleeping portraits, seeing an occasional eyes open. She stopped near the end of the gallery, and found herself facing the portrait of an extraordinarily beautiful woman. It was impossible to determine her age. She might have been as young as 20, or as old as sixty.
"So," the woman snapped. "This imbecile tells me that you are one of the family."
Ginny nodded. "You don't look like a Malfoy."
"I married in." Ginny replied dryly.
"Oh? And just whom did you marry?"
"Draco."
The woman gasped. "Draco?! Draco Lucien Alexander Malfoy? My little grandson?" C'est imposibble! He is much too young to marry! And you! What is your family name? Who was your mother?"
My name is Ginevra Weasley-Malfoy. My mother was, before she married, Molly Pruitt. And Draco is twenty-four years old. He is old enough to make his own decisions about marriage."
"I was one-hundred-and-twenty years old when I married my dear Alexander, and I was too young then! A Weasley and a Pruitt, of all things! Well, I suppose it could have been worse… you could have been a Bletchley, or a Parkinson."
Ignoring the insult to her family, Ginny merely raised an eyebrow. "One-hundred-and-twenty?"
"She's half-angel." Pierre explained. "Her mother was the angel Anetariel. She fell in love with a human and… well…" he chuckled. "My lady Elysia was the result."
Ginny's eyes widened. "Angel? But I thought those were just stories."
"Not at all." Elysia told her. "Although uncommon, they do indeed exist. We are both blessed, and cursed. We age, although very slowly. We have the power to heal others, but we can not heal ourselves from wounds. We can not die, only be killed. We are forced to watch those we love die, while we remain." Her eyes darkened, and she looked sad. "I watched my husband and my children die. My grandchildren also. Draco is my great-great-great grandson. He always was my favorite." She nodded to the picture across from her. "That was my Draco when he was but a boy. Wasn't he a darling? And Narcissa, so lovely."
Ginny looked at the portrait. It was a family picture. Narcissa Malfoy was seated in a high-backed chair, her husband, Lucius, standing behind her. And in the front, clutching his mother's hand, was a younger Draco. He looked like a cherub! Ginny giggled. The poor thing was dressed in a short black skirt, and a white lace shirt with a ruff. Ginny was reminded of the outfit he had worn to the Yule Ball during his fourth year. A vicar indeed!
"Oh, yes ma'am. He is indeed a lovely little boy."
"Yes… lovely. A pity I didn't live to see him grown." Elysia sighed.
"How did you die, if you don't mind my asking?"
"Poison." She replied, with a chuckle. "A jealous rival. Her husband wanted me, and I was only too happy to amuse him for awhile." She sighed. "Ah, well. Death is life's only certainty."
"Well said Grand- mere." Drawled a voice, and Ginny turned to find herself face-to-face with her husband. "My love, you seem to have lost your way. Your room is on the third floor. How careless of you to forget."
"Oh not at all, darling." Ginny replied. "I simply wished to visit to family gallery.
"Ah, yes, of course. But, you'd best be hurrying along now. No doubt Scrubs has your dinner for you."
At that moment, Scrubs appeared with a pop. "Oh Miss! Where has you been!? I has your dinner and bath all prepared." And with a curtsey to Draco, she dragged Ginny off to her room.
"She is most delightful dear boy." Pierre said to him. "Best not let her escape you."
"Yes Draco." Elysia said, quietly. "You'll not find another like her."
Draco was not paying attention. He was looking after his wife, and thinking about how much he wanted her.
~*~
AN: Well, that's chapter five! Hope you have enjoyed! I'll post the next chappie as soon as possible.
P.S. - Reviewing is good for the soul…