Merely Business

Better Him Than Krum

At one o'clock, George began letting guests in. The first to arrive was Verity, who was festively dressed in a white blouse and vibrant red trousers. Ginny held back a laugh at the sight of her, but loved that she possessed the enthusiasm and liveliness that would be perfect for either of the twins. The next to arrive that Ginny recognised--also alone--was Luna Lovegood.

A pang hit her square in the chest. Luna and Ron had dated for three months before he was killed. Seeing Luna walk through the door without Ron at her side nearly killed Ginny.

Ginny took it upon herself to inform George of his stupidity: 'How could you invite Luna, when you know for a fact that she was in love with Ron?'

'Ginny, it's been two years,' George said as he placed a tray of bite-size pizzas on the table. 'It's time for the girl to move on.'

'How can you say that?' Ginny hissed. 'It's been three years since Harry and I broke up, and I still haven't got over him! What makes you think Luna's ready to move on?'

George shrugged. 'I have no reason to believe that she's ready to move on, all right? But the thing is: Harry's still alive. You still live in the delusional fancy that he'll ditch Hermione and sweep you off your feet. Luna knows that Ron's dead. And she knows that she still as plenty of life to live.'

Ginny had to admit that George had a point, but she still wasn't sure how a Valentine's Day party would help. 'You better have some single men coming to this party, or I'll kill you, George.'

'Not to worry about that, little sister. I have that covered,' he said proudly. 'Here comes one of them now.'

Ginny looked to the doorway where George was staring. Lee Jordan nodded to George.

'Lee?' Ginny said flatly. 'You invited Lee Jordan as a potential replacement boyfriend for Luna Lovegood?'

'No,' George said defensively. 'I invited Lee because he's my friend. However, if he and Luna hit it off, that's just a cherry on the sundae, isn't it?'

Ginny rolled her eyes as he walked away to tend to his guests. She over at the door again and did so just in time. In came Harry and Hermione, hand-in-hand. If they weren't the spitting image of Valentine's Day, Ginny didn't know who was.

She quietly slipped to Draco's side, where she came up behind him and whispered in his ear, 'Showtime.'

Draco's lip curled as the sickeningly sweet couple made their way over to the food table.

'Ginny! It's been too long!' Hermione cried, sounding surprised and hugging Ginny.

Oh please...it's a party in my flat. Of course I'm going to be here.

Harry nodded to her, playing it cool. 'Good to see you,' he said.

Ginny smiled at him, feeling the butterflies dancing in her stomach. It took her several moments and a nudge in her side to bring her back to reality and remember that she hadn't even welcomed Draco into the conversation.

'Oh! And of course you two will remember--'

'Malfoy?' Harry gawped.

'Actually, it's Drake now,' Draco corrected him politely, offering him his hand to shake. If Ginny hadn't known better she would have thought he was a trained actor. 'Drake Black.'

Harry, not even noticing Draco's extended hand, looked as though he had swallowed a vomit-flavoured Bertie Bott's bean--a mixture of both shock and displeasure twisted into his face. Ginny supposed it was the use of Sirius' surname on someone that he loathed so much. She couldn't think of anyone who could use it that would make him angrier; perhaps Snape, Ginny mused.

'It's been a while,' Harry said, clenching and unclenching his fists in rage. Draco finally dropped his hand, realising that there was no hope of Harry returning the courtesy.

The four of them feel into an abrupt silence as mindless chitchat continued all around them. Ginny could see Hermione's lips pursed together, reminding her of Professor McGonagall when she became particularly annoyed.

'Drake,' the words sounded strained coming from Harry, 'what brings you here? Surely George didn't invite you.' He sounded worried, almost as if he was hoping that George would do something so completely idiotic.

'Oh, no, of course not,' Draco said, letting out an amused laugh. Harry seemed to relax a bit. 'Ginny did, actually.'

Harry's eyebrows rose so that they resembled arrowheads. 'Well,' he said, clearly not sure what the words were that he needed to say. 'That is something, isn't it?'

'Quite,' Draco said proudly. 'I owe it all to you, really. I mean, if you and Hermione weren't getting married, Ginny probably wouldn't have moved onto bigger and better things, and by things I mean people.'

Ginny could feel the sting of the words, despite the fact that they were not in anyway directed at her or her family. In fact, it was almost a compliment to her coming from Draco, but still the look of hatred etched upon every line in Harry's face seemed to deflect the words at her.

'Ginny,' Hermione said tensely, 'may I speak to you in private for a moment? In the kitchen, perhaps?'

'Of course,' Ginny said politely. She turned to Draco and smiled. 'Excuse me for a moment.'

Ginny followed Hermione into the kitchen, feeling a sense of pride in how irked she could make Hermione with just one teensy-weensy date.

'Yes, Hermione?' she said, leaning casually against the countertop.

'Don't you "yes, Hermione," me,' she snarled. 'How dare you bring Draco Malfoy here! How dare you date him!'

'Better him than Krum,' Ginny said obnoxiously.

'Krum?' Hermione repeated. 'As in Viktor Krum?' Ginny nodded. 'You were going to invite him here?'

'Actually,' Ginny said, smiling at the thought of her devious plans, 'I was going to invite him to your wedding, but then I met up with Draco--'

'Oh no,' Hermione said fiercely, shaking her pointer finger at Ginny. 'No, no, no, no, no. You are not bringing Draco Malfoy to my wedding.'

'I am if you want me at your wedding.' Ginny stepped away from the counter, staring into Hermione's eyes. 'He's my date.'

Hermione looked as if she were going to explode. For a moment it looked as though she had managed to swallow down the spiteful words that hung on the tip of her tongue, but then suddenly she burst.

'How dare you, you bitch!' Hermione snapped, startling Ginny. Fire seemed to burn in Hermione's eyes. 'Draco Malfoy is a shallow, conceited, inconsiderate bugger. Not to mention that he's completely unworthy of you. That's why he's considered off-limits.'

'And why is it that Harry was considered off-limits, Hermione?' Ginny spat. Hermione looked temporarily speechless. 'Oh, yes, that's right, because he was mine.'

'Are you kidding me?' Hermione said. 'You're lowering your standards--dating Draco Malfoy, the Slytherin who spent each day degrading people because he thought they were unworthy to live--just to get back at me for a silly agreement we made nearly a decade ago?'

'You knew that I loved him! We were supposed to get married, not you,' Ginny shouted, feeling the tears biting at the backs of her eyes. 'So, yes, Hermione, I did this to get back at you.'

'And what? You think this will make me angry and forge a rift between Harry and me?' Hermione asked. 'And then you'll be the one that he'll come to?'

Ginny wasn't sure what she expected out of this plan; all she knew was that she wanted to make Hermione pay for what she had done.

'You're sadly mistaken, Ginny Weasley,' Hermione said darkly. 'Bring Draco Malfoy to the wedding. I don't give a damn. For all I can care, marry the man, but don't expect me to change my plans in order to fulfil your childhood fantasy.'

Hermione turned to leave the kitchen, but she turned back one last time. 'By the way, have fun telling Harry that you're inviting his worst enemy to his wedding. I'm sure he'll just be begging you to take him back then.'

Ginny stared after her, at a loss for words, feeling empty. This wasn't how her plan was supposed to work; this wasn't how her life was supposed to work.