Synopsis: Ginny Weasley is in Azkaban sentenced to die after Lord Voldemort's defeat of the Boy-Who-Lived. To save her life, she agrees to marry Draco Malfoy.
Disclaimer: Harry and the gang all belong to JK Rowling. The lyrics, "Great Escape" belong to Guster. Hmm… resemblance of these characters to anyone living, or dead, is purely coincidental.
AN: Here is your chapter, so please don't beat me! Although not completely satisfied with the chapter, I have released it into the world of fandom. There won't be another chapter out for a least two weeks, 'cause I have two tests next week, and I'm working at the Bloomsburg Fair the week after that. Much thanx to Mrs Felton, Dawn Matthews, monagy3, Arin, Katelynkay, Dracosbaby, hartbreak, Peanut, Dj Mandy B, Pirate, Adrial, Tayler, EvLlsFuYy, crème de Lilac, Tears of the Phoenix, Court, Blaze FireStorm, Mooshy, down2earthangl85, Harry and Orlando, Office Depot, chocolatefroggie, Iced_Faerie, faeriedust, Coffee_Lover, all you Anonymous people, and to my 'faithful reviewer', essence.
Notes and explanations: some reviewers had questions, which I answered, but for the benefit of all, I'll post some of the answers here:
Office Depot: Yes, I thought the bit about the pig farmers was rather clever. And for all you
history buffs, the battle at Varaville really did take place. Henri I, won that battle, which he fought against the
future William I of England. The bit with the pig farmer OBVIOUSLY never happened, but I thought it was fun.
Charles-Louis being burned at the stake is also possible. During the reign of King Henri II, from 1547-1559, His Most
Catholic Majesty did indeed prosecute the Protestants of France, and indeed, anyone who was not a practicing Catholic.
People were burned at the stake and other such drivel. He even created the Chambre Ardente so he could try and
prosecute all the "heretics" in his kingdom! Well, enough of the history lesson
I'm glad you liked Elysia. I took her name from the word "Elysium" meaning 'a place of absolute
happiness for those who have died' i.e., Heaven. Since her mommy was an angel, I thought it appropriate. We'll
be seeing more of her in future chapters!
Court: The two children are Pansy and Percy's. Percy married her after the faking of his own death. Penny, his first wife, was pregnant at the time of her death.
Chapter VI: Great Escape
~*~
Please come tempt me you've got something good in mind
Dropped everything glad to be persuade this time
Into the car baby bleed the gas
Fast is fast never turning back
Please come tempt me steal me from this priss-teen life
Oh so gently everyone feels pain this time
Into the car baby bleed the gas
Fast is fast never turning back
Oh yeah not scared of that
The past has passed and we cannot take it back
They want to know if we could get away
Yeah we backed it up and made our great escape
When the dust will settle and they discover
The furthest exodus getting somewhere
While the messengers get the message in
Try to capture us we've done nothing wrong
Oh she wants me
And she needs me
She can have me all of the time
Oh she wants me
And she needs me
Circle circle dot dot dot
They want to know if we could get away
Yeah we backed it up and made our great escape
When the dust will settle and they discover
The furthest exodus getting somewhere
While the messengers get the message in
Try to capture us we've done nothing wrong
~*~
Ginny sighed gratefully as she sank into the warm water. It had been so long since she'd last had a bath. The dirt of her time in Azkaban melted away, and left her feeling clean and fresh.
Looking down, she realized she had forgotten to take off the chain that held her family's wedding rings. She slid them by, one by one, associating each one to their owner. "Mum, Dad, Bill, Fleur, Penny, George, Angelina, Hermione, Luna." Charlie and Fred had never been married. Ron's ring had gone with him to his grave, and Ginny wouldn't take Percy's ring if he begged her on his knees. How her brother could deceive and betray his family... She shivered involuntarily.
"Is the water too cold Miss?" An anxious Scrubs asked.
"Oh, no. It's just right." Ginny assured her. "I want to soak for a few minutes before I eat dinner."
As Scrubs hurried out of the room to get warm towels, Ginny let her eyes wander once more around the expensively decorated room. Who could possibly guess that she would ever become Mrs. Draco Malfoy? Not herself, certainly. She remembered the Draco from school. The 'Ferret Boy' who had set her robes afire, and put an engorgement charm on her breasts. What an event that had been. Madam Pomfrey nearly had an apoplectic fit when Ginny walked into the hospital wing, her breasts the size of small melons. It had taken almost three hours for them to be shrunk back to normal size. "Well, almost original size."
Then there was the Draco as she had seen him today. There was no evidence of his former maliciousness. He seemed to be genuinely concerned for her welfare. And he wanted to sleep with her. Ginny grinned. IF she had learned one thing from Azkaban, it was that nothing was more useful and easier to control then a little boy in heat. How many times had she bribed the guards to get extra food for Hermione, or Baby Leona? She was certain, that if she played her cards right, she would soon have her freedom.
"He won't know what hit him!" She said triumphantly.
"Miss? Is you ready to get out now?" Came Scrubs voice from the door of the bathroom."
"Yes Scrubs," Ginny said, a glint of triumph in her eyes. "I'm ready."
*************************
She had been trying to escape, of course. That much was obvious. Where she was going, or what she planned to do when she got there however, was a mystery to Draco. It wasn't just the wards and charms that guarded Malfoy Manor. The Neighborhood Squad that roamed through Wiltshire would have caught her mere minutes after she stepped out the front door.
"Are you busy?"
Draco turned, and smiled at the portrait on the wall. "No, not at all. How do you fare this evening, Old Woman?"
Elysia frowned down her aristocratic nose at him. "I am not old! On the contrary, I am in the prime of life!"
"You're dead."
"I am still very much alive!" Elysia, snapped, completely annoyed with her young godson. "These paintings hanging about the house enable me to live a very full life, thank you very much!"
Draco chuckled. "You know I don't mean the horrible things I say to you. They're all in good fun." He smiled up at her, the affection evident in his eyes.
"If I thought you were serious, no amount of wards and charms could save you from my wrath, little one."
Draco made a face. "I hate it when you call me that. I'm not little anymore."
"Oh," Elysia told him sweetly. "I was not referring to your stature, but rather a... certain part of your anatomy." She looked pointedly at his trousers.
Draco turned bright red. "As if you would know!"
"I changed your diaper as a child!"
"Well, much has changed since then!"
"I saw you in the bath last week. Really dear... you should have moved my portrait from that room long ago." Seeing the mortified expression on her godson's face, she laughed softly. "You know dear one, that I do not mean these horrible things I say to you."
"If I thought you did... I'd throw all your portraits in the dustbin."
"Now, now! No pouting. 'Tis very unbecoming. Now, down to business; Tell me about this girl who is now your wife."
Draco shrugged. "We went to school together. She was in Gryffindor, a year behind me. We hated each other."
"And?"
"Well, she had good reason I suppose. I did horrible things to her. After graduation I didn't see her around much. Then I lost track of her, until three months ago. I found out she was in Azkaban, and informed her brother. He saw to it that she got out. This morning I married her."
Elysia snorted. "What you are telling me are facts I already know! I meant something personal. What makes her happy? What does her laugh sound like? Does she have any bad habits?"
"Uhhh... I don't know." Draco admitted.
"I am disgusted with you! Not knowing anything about your own wife! Idiot! Don't come visit me again until you know more about your wife."
"Visit!" Draco sputtered. "This is my study old woman! You're the one visiting me!"
"A technicality." Elysia told him, offhandedly. "My portrait was here first, so the room belongs to me. Now get out."
"Damn you! Ask me her middle name or the color of her eyes and I can tell you. These other things are just--just- ridiculous!"
"Out!" Elysia said firmly.
A very annoyed Draco went stomping out of his study to go pout in the kitchen.
*******************
Ginny was ravenous. She greedily shoved another spoonful of peas into her mouth, and took a drink from the silver plated mug sitting in front of her. "Scrubs, this food is absolutely delicious!"
Scrubs blushed. "All good house elves is knowing how to cook Miss."
"Maye," Ginny said, her voice garbled from another mouthful of peas. "Bu dish ish da besh foo I et fo long tumb." Scrubs glanced blankly at her Mistress. Ginny rolled her eyes, and swallowed. "Sorry. I said, 'This is the best food I've eaten for a long time."
"Miss is kind to say." Scrubs squeaked. "Is Miss wanting more food?"
"No, no." Ginny sat back in her chair with a contented sigh. "I think I'm full now."
Ginny stood up and walked to the bed, as Scrubs began clearing the table. "Oh, Scrubs... What do you usually do with the leftovers?"
"Master has the house elves give them to the poor people of the town Miss."
"Oh...." Ginny said quietly surprised to find a grain of human kindness in her husband. "Well... that's good then."
Scrubs disappeared with the dishes, and Ginny flopped back on the bed. God, it was soft and inviting. Her years in Azkaban plus the months she spent over the two previous years on the floor of a tent had almost caused her to forget what a real bed felt like. Even her bed at home hadn't been so soft, she was sure of it.
The door opened, and she heard someone enter the room. "I think I'm going to go to bed now Scrubs."
"I'm not Scrubs." Her husband said.
Ginny sat up so quickly, she almost fell off the bed. "What do you want?" She demanded. "I hope you don't think you're sleeping here tonight."
"Not at all." He said stiffly. I just have a few questions I would like to ask you." Then Ginny noticed he was clutching a piece of parchment in his hand.
"What's that?" She pointed to the parchment.
"My list of questions." Draco said slowly, as if she were a two-year-old, incapable of understanding everyday conversation.
"You wrote them down?"
"Of course. So I could write down the answers. Now," he fished a quill out of his pocket.
"What makes you happy?"
Ginny stared at him. This wasn't the kind of questions she was expecting. Color of her eyes, birthday, middle name, and things like that were more to her liking. "Um... my family I suppose."
Draco scribbled on the parchment. "Ok, and what makes you angry?"
"Hmm... Well having my robes set on fire by an arrogant bastard ranks among the top-- What kind of questions are these?"
Draco ignored her, and continued writing. "Very good, now, laugh for me."
"What?... Laugh?"
"What are you? Deaf? Yes, laugh."
"I will not!" Ginny said stubbornly. "I'm tired and I want to go to sleep, so get out."
"This is my house! I'll go where I please, and I want to stay here."
"Fine," Ginny got up from the bed. "You stay here, and I'll go." She started for the door. As she passed him, his hand shot out, and grabbed her wrist.
"You aren't going anywhere." He growled.
"Let me go!" When he grip on her wrist failed to loosen, she brought her knee up. Hard. As her husband of four hours doubled over with pain, she went tearing down the hall, determined, this time, to make an escape.
*************************
Elysia, could hear him swearing from her spot in the portrait gallery. Shaking her head, she turned to her neighbor, Yulia Zamyatin-Malfoy. "The idiot." She told the younger woman. "Has no idea how to handle women."
***********************
She was going to make it! She only had one more flight of stairs to go. Now she was crossing the foyer. She was reaching for the doorknob, when it flew open, and she collided with the person coming through the door.
"Whoa there! You all right?" A very male voice asked her. Then, "My, my. Aren't you pretty." The blond stranger helped her to her feet. "One of Draco's paramours, I take it?"
Ginny pushed past him, and out the front door of the house. But, the moment she crossed the threshold, there was a flash of pink, and she collapsed in a heap on the front step.
Blaise sighed. He put his briefcase down, then went to retrieve the girl from the doorstep. She wasn't all that heavy. And her red hair was quite pretty. "But then, I always did have a thing for red hair." He murmured, his wife's face swimming into focus.
"Zabini!" Draco's voice called from the top of the staircase. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
"The little idiot ran out of the house without removing the ward. Honestly Draco; these conquests of yours get more dense as they get prettier." Ginny stirred in his arms, and Blaise stroked her cheek. "Though, I must congratulate you on this one. She's lovely."
"Zabini." Draco said, his voice deadly calm. "Kindly put my WIFE down."
***********************
"Your wife?!" A very shocked Blaise was pacing the length of Draco's study. "You married the Weasel's sister?"
"Yes." Draco held out a glass of Scotch. Blaise snatched it and gulped it down.
"Why in Merlin's name would you do something like that?"
Draco shrugged. "It seemed like a good idea at the time. Her brother is the Minister. My connections couldn't be better. And," he added maliciously, Ginny's attack on his person still fresh on his mind. "She is quite good in the sack."
"Still... you didn't have to marry her. You never married any of the others. Is she pregnant?"
"Of course not! I'm not like you Zabini. I wouldn't marry some Hufflepuff tramp just because she was carrying my bastard."
"Look here Malfoy. Call my wife a tramp again, and you'll wish Potter had managed to kill you."
"I'm sorry." Draco told him quickly. "I didn't mean it like that."
"No, I'm sorry. I should have realized you were joking. Friends?" The blond held out his hand.
Draco hesitated. He had never really considered the other man a friend. Blaise had always been a loyal follower of the Dark Lord, while Draco...
"Friends." Draco agreed.
"Good." Blaise rubbed his hands together. "Now, we can get down to business. This morning, his Lordship told me of his intentions for Hogwarts. He said I should discuss the plans with you, and that you would make further arrangements."
Sighing inwardly, Draco sat down to listen to his Master's plan.
**************************
"Ginny?"
"Yes Hermione?"
A cough. "Did I ever tell you how Harry asked me to marry him?"
A sigh. She had heard the story a hundred times, but to make the poor thing happy... "No. Why don't you tell me?"
"It was two years after we graduated. I'd just completed my first year as Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. He surprised me, down by the lake, with flowers. He said he loved me. He asked me to marry him. Then he kissed me."
"That's beautiful Hermione."
Footsteps coming down the hall. The lock opening on their cell. The door being opened. Hermione, slipping off her wedding ring. "Keep this for me."
A harsh voice. "Time to go Mrs. Potter."
Her own voice crying. "Hermione, no!"
"It's alright Gin, I'll be with Harry now."
"No, Hermione! Let her go you bastards! Hermione, no! No! NO!"
~*~
"NO!" Ginny sat bolt upright in bed. She was drenched with sweat. The dream had seemed so real. She felt the tears on her cheeks. They were dead. They were all dead.
********************
Blaise had left, and he was alone in his study. He took a fresh piece of parchment from one of the desk drawers, and hastily scribbled a few lines. He then sealed it, and attached it to the leg of Artemis, his favorite and most trusted owl. "You know where to take this." He told her, stroking her feathers softly.
She hooted in agreement. The next moment, she had left his shoulder, and was sailing off into the night.
~*TBC*~
AN: Reviewing is good for the soul...