A/N: I know I said this chapter would be Hermione or Harry and Draco POV, but I decided to let Ginny get her say, too. So this chapter is in the hands of the girls.
Chapter 4
Hermione POV
Hermione walked silently next to Harry until they had reached a part of the garden where they were far enough away from the house that nobody could overhear their conversation. Hermione wandered if Harry had changed his mind about finding someone to marry and she was not sure how she would feel if he had. She had meant what she had said the other day. It was the right thing to do everything he could to stop Malfoy from becoming Earl and abusing his position, but it hurt Hermione that Harry would have to sacrifice his own happiness for that to happen. Harry deserved happiness more than anybody in the world. That had been the reason why she had encouraged her friend to court Ginny, although she found the thought of Harry being married to Ginny oddly saddening. She had told herself that she only felt that way because she would not be able to spend as much time with Harry as she did now when he was married and he would most likely never have the opportunity to talk to her friend in private like that once he was a married man. It was not like she did not like spending time in Ginny's company. She considered her a dear friend as well, but all the times she had talked openly with Harry meant so much to her, because Harry understood her like nobody else did. The possible loss of this closeness if Harry married was the obvious reason for her sadness, but during the last days Hermione could not help but think that there was more to it than that. Hermione still shuddered when she thought about the awful minutes when she had assumed Harry was dead during the final fight. What she had felt had been beyond grief. It had felt as if her own life had ended as well, because her mind simply was not capable of thinking about her life in which Harry did not exist. Could you feel this strongly for a friend?
Hermione was pulled from her thoughts when Harry started talking.
"I have thought about your words from yesterday. You are right, Hermione. It would be selfish and irresponsible to simply give up and let Malfoy have the title. I will have to take a wife soon, but thinking about being married to someone for whom I only feel weak affection is unbearable to me."
Hermione looked at Harry with sad eyes and nodded. Maybe she shouldn't have suggested that in the first place. Harry deserved to be happy.
"I do not want my children to grow up in a home where their parents merely tolerate each other. You know I have never had a real family and as long as I can remember I've longed for a home in which my family cares for me and I care for them. I have always wanted a wife who will be a true companion to me, someone I love and respect and trust. Hermione, if I cannot have Ginny, there is only one other woman in this world I can imagine sharing my life with."
Hermione took a deep breath. Of course she knew whom Harry meant. There was no woman he was closer to than her and Hermione wondered why she had not seen this obvious solution herself. Hermione watched in a dace when Harry fell on his knees in front of her and opened a small box, revealing a beautiful diamond ring.
"Hermione, you have always been my most loyal and trusted friend. You have been there for me during the worst times of my live and I cannot imagine ever being without your company. I love you, Hermione, although it may not be the kind of love you expected from your future husband. I trust you completely and I cherish you more than I can put in words. This is my mother's ring and I would be honoured to see it on your hand. Hermione Jean Granger, will you do me the honour of accepting me as your husband?"
Hermione's mind raced, processing Harry's words and still wondering why she had not seen before how obvious this was. Harry and she loved each other dearly as friends and this love went deeper than most couples' who were in love. They trusted and respected each other and they knew each other so well. Harry would never expect her to be meek and act like society expected from a woman. He valued her opinion. So why did she hesitate? Her mind was all set up, but her feelings were not able to keep pace with it. She was still confused and unsure about the nature of her feelings for her best friend. How would being married to him affect this confusing mix of emotions? How would it feel like to be kissed by Harry? To share his bed? Hermione blushed at the last though. She knew more than was proper about these things from her father's medical textbooks, but the thought of engaging in this sort of relations and doing so with Harry was more than she could handle.
"Hermione?" Harry asked, confusion and worry obvious in his face.
Hermione suddenly realized that Harry was still kneeling in front of her, waiting for an answer. How long had she stood there, lost in thoughts?
Hermione met Harry's gaze and in this moment she knew what her answer would be. She had always been by Harry's side when he needed her and she would not let him down this time either. She was confused and a little frightened, but that would not stop her from engaging in this new adventure together with Harry.
"Yes, Harry, I will be honoured to call myself your wife."
Ginny POV
"Are you insane? How could you agree to marry that piece of scum, Ginny?" Ron asked his sister furiously.
Ginny fought back the tears and met her brother's angry gaze. "He did not leave me much choice. You know that our home is on the property that belonged to the late Earl? Malfoy threatened to take our house away if he becomes the Earl. Apparently, Malfoy and Harry have the same claim for the title and the one who will have a male heir first will become the next Earl."
"What?! That bastard! Ginny, you cannot help him get the title!" Fred shouted.
"Yes, Harry must become the Earl," George agreed with his brother.
"Do you think I do not want that, too? But what if he does not? You know as well as I do that Malfoy would have found another girl to marry soon. His chances of inheriting the title are good. What would have become of us if I had not agreed to marry him? We would have lost our home! Mom and Dad lived here before we all were born," Ginny argued.
"Ginny, I would have never asked you to make this sacrifice for us. We would have found another house we could afford," Arthur Weasley told his daughter.
"Maybe, but not with so much land to it and with a fair lease. The late Earl has always been good to us and his trustee has kept the terms of the Earl. The times have gotten harder in the past 16 years. Look how the people in other counties live! They live in tiny houses and have to give nearly everything they harvest to the Earl. I know we have not much, but we were never hungry. I do not want that to change. I cannot let my family starve or depend on handouts from Harry. We have always been to proud for that and I do not want us to sink so low!" Ginny shouted.
Her brothers still looked angry, but they didn't say anything else and the sad look in her parents' eyes told the youngest Weasley that she had a point.
"What makes you think that Malfoy will keep his word?" Molly asked suspiciously.
"I am not stupid, Mom. We are yet and I will make sure that I get a written declaration that we can stay here on the same terms before I marry him. I know Malfoy will never agree to write a declaration like that for all his tenants, but I will try to make him do this for our friends, too."
"He will never agree to that," Arthur argued.
"We will see that. He is not the only one who can be very convincing," Ginny argued fiercely.
The next morning Ginny and Molly Weasley arrived at Malfoy Manor. They knocked and where greeted by a house elf.
"My name is Ginevra Weasley and this is my mother Molly. I am Mr. Malfoy's fiancée." Ginny shuddered at the word. "Is he home?"
"Unfortunately not, Miss. Would you like to wait?"
"Yes, please. Do you know when he is expected back?" Ginny asked.
"No, Miss, I am sorry. The master does not talk about his personal matters with Minnie, miss."
Of course not, Ginny thought. Malfoy and making conversation with an elf was unthinkable. He probably treated his elves like things. Ginny promised herself to make sure that this would change when she lived here.
Mother and daughter were led into an expensively furnished salon and Minnie brought them a cup of tea. They had to wait for nearly an hour until Draco Malfoy finally arrived. He looked tired and sad and he walked like he could barely keep himself up anymore, but Ginny could not see any signs of injury or illness. Strange.
"Ginny, Mrs. Malfoy, what can I do for you?" he asked, obviously trying to get whatever brought them here over with as soon as possible.
"I wish to speak to you about my terms for agreeing to this marriage," Ginny announced.
"Terms?" Draco asked and Ginny was not sure if he sounded annoyed or amused. Maybe a little bit of both. "You already agreed to marry me and it would do your reputation no good to change your mind. What terms could you possibly be speaking of?"
"My reputation? Please. You know that I am not what is considered a desirable match considering my family's financial situation. A broken engagement cannot make my situation much worse and considering the reputation of your family people would probably understand. Which lady wants to marry a man whose parents are in Azkaban?"
"Do not speak about my parents!" Draco demanded angrily. "Just tell me what you want."
"I want you to give me a written declaration that my family can stay in our house as long as my parents live, without an increase of tenancy if you become the Earl. The same goes for the Lovegoods and the Diggorys. And I want you to sign that you will not increase the other tenants' tenancy more than 10 percent and that you will give them half a year to find a new place to live if you decide to terminate their lease," Ginny demanded.
"That is ridiculous. The tenancy has not been raised for sixteen years. It is about time to adjust it to the actual standard," Draco argued.
"The actual standard is letting people starve! For you it is easy to talk about this like that. You in your pompous house, you who has never whished for anything! I refuse to live of the money other people have scrimped and saved! You will grand your tenants fair terms or you can forget this marriage. If I marry Harry Potter and you have to keep searching for a woman who will marry you after the scandal with your parents, there is a good chance of you losing the title."
Draco looked at Ginny with fury, but there was something else in his expression. Was it respect? "Your family can stay on the property to your terms, the Diggorys and Lovegoods do not get an increase of more than 10 percent and the other tenants not more than 20."
"Alright," Ginny agreed. "Do not forget the written declaration."
Malfoy sighed. "Wait here, I will be back in a few minutes."
True to his word, Malfoy came back with the Declaration ten minutes later.
"Is this is all I will escort you out," Malfoy offered, obviously trying to get rid of his fiancée and future mother in law.
"Thank you," Ginny answered and Malfoy brought them to the door. They said their goodbyes and Draco went back inside the house, while Ginny made no effort to leave.
"That went much better than I had hoped for," Molly Weasley said, "but I still hate the idea of you marrying this man."
"Me, too. Did you notice that he wanted to get rid of us as fast as possible? I think he is hiding something. The house is probably still full of dark objects. I will find an excuse to visit Malfoy again unannounced tomorrow, maybe I can find something before he can get rid of it. Then he can spend the next years in Azkaban and I am free."