Antithetical

EPILOGUE - In Which There Is A New Beginning

Please forget the words that I just blurted out

It wasn't me, it was my strange and creeping doubt

It keeps rattling my cage

And there's nothing in this world will keep it down

Even though I might, even thought I try, I can't

Even though I might, even thought I try, I can't

So many things that keep, that keep me underground

So many words that I, that I can never find

If you give up on me now I'll be gutted like I've never been before

And even though I might, even thought I try, I can't

Even though I might, even thought I try, I can't

If you give up on me now I'll be gutted like I've never been before

And even though I might, even thought I try, I can't

Even though I might, even thought I try, I can't

Even though I might, even thought I try, I can't

Even though I might, even thought I try, I can't

Radiohead - I Can't

******************

THE DAILY PROPHET

December 24, 2003 LUCIUS MALFOY DEAD, 23 DEATH EATERS ARRESTED

Rita Skeeter

London - Lucius Malfoy's life was ended late last night by the Killing curse at his own Malfoy Manor. Aurors arrived at the scene minutes after the crime and found 23 Death Eaters bound to the ceiling under the supervision of Malfoy's own son, Draco and classmate, Virginia Weasley. Fellow Hogwart's student Yvette Delacour was discovered unconscious in the same hall and was rushed by mediwizards to nearby Malfoy Village Hospital. Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ronald Weasley reported the incident, meeting Ministry officials outside the manor.

The case is still under investigation, but for now, authorities believe Malfoy's death was caused by a reflection of a killing curse he cast at Virginia Weasley. The Malfoy heir and mother, Narcissa, have no comment on the death nor the arrest of her husband's comrades. The 23 detained members of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's inner circle have their trial scheduled for the second day of the New Year. Though the names of the suspects have not been released to the public, Head Minister Cornelius Fudge commented, "It is hard to believe that such respected citizens collaborated with the Dark Lord."

Virginia Weasley is the suspected perpetrator of the Protego curse that ended Malfoy's life. She will be held at Ministry Headquarters until her expected release. "She confessed to it, but they can't send her to Azkaban for self-defense against a Death eater," said auror, Alastor Moody.

***********

Draco threw the paper aside on to a nearby table and sank back into the luxurious leather chair behind his father's mahogany desk. He was in the library, waiting for the Ministry to summon him to testify as a witness at the incident. A few words from his mother managed to convince the Ministry to let him remain at home rather than to be detained at the government offices. But that was where Ginny was. He stared into the large fireplace, waiting for some Ministry lackey to call him to the bureau. He checked his timepiece and glared at the fire impatiently. Finally a timid face appeared through the flames.

"Mr. Malfoy?"

He sat up straighter. "Yes?"

"The Ministry of Magic now summons you to its London Headquarters to testify in the trials of Virginia Weasley, Peter Pettigrew, Igor Karkaroff, Bellatrix Lestrange..." Draco's focus waned as the head in the fire place continued to rattle off names of death eaters. This was it - he was going to see Ginny for some long-awaited moment of truth. He knew what he was going to say, and he had waited two days (an eternity in a seventeen-year-old's life) to say it.

*************

Virginia Weasley sat stiffly in the wooden seat of the court. Light streamed in from the tall windows behind the row of ministry officials and she watched absentmindedly as the millions of tiny dust particles danced in the air. The room was decorated for Christmas and Dumbledore, who sat on the panel, was wearing a Santa hat. In contrast to her weary emotions, the ministry headquarters were decked merrily with the season's red and green. It was slightly sickening. Her family had assured her that she would not receive any drastic punishments, and that her trial was just a formality brought on by the strict rules of the ministry. All eyes were on her as she quietly made her way to the witness stand and answered the panel's gentle questions.

"Do you confess to the murder of Lucius Malfoy?"

"Yes."

"Do you concur with the testimonies of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley?"

"Yes"

"What was your motive in killing Lucius Malfoy?"

"He was going to kill Draco. I had to do something." Her eyes rested on the wood paneling while her fingers traced patterns on her robes.

"What were you doing at Malfoy Manor that night?"

"I got a ransom note for the kidnapping of my best friend, Yvette and I was told to meet the captors in the woods. I'm not really sure what happened but...I ended up in Lucius's hands."

"What happened when you got there?"

"I was bound and blinded until the ceremony, at which they offered my body for the Dark Lord's possession."

Her responses were calm and concise as she has thought them out in the hours before the trial. It's what Draco would have done, she realized, and with this felt a pang of sorrow. It was about two days since they had first kissed, and now she had killed his father.

When at last her questioning ended, Cornelieus Fudge stood and called in the final witness. She watched numbly has he entered, meeting his grey eyes as they found hers. She listened to his words and knew that he didn't care that she killed Lucius, but that he also was not willing to turn his father in as a Death Eater. The past is the past, and it would be buried in two days at the funeral. The Malfoy name would remain untainted in the books, though severely scrutinized by moral witches and witches as always.

The trial ended with a rap of a gavel and she was free to go. Free to move on with her life. She smiled and hugged her family and friends as they came up to her amidst the reporters' frantic questions and the photographers' flashing cameras. The room cleared after what seemed like hours until all that remained was the owner of the steely grey eyes. He was still in his witness chair and they were finally alone.

"I'm sorry," she said softly.

He shook his head. "So am I." He rose and made his way to her side. "Ginny, I need time. Lots of it, away from this situation."

She smiled weakly. "I understand."

"No, I don't think you do." He reached out and held her hand. "I...I feel for you more than I've ever felt for someone. But when I look at you...I remember my father and despite how he was, I am his blood and I can't turn my back to his memory."

"No, I guess you can't," she said softly. "It's just...all so fast.the curse, Yvette's capture.Draco -"

"Shhh," he leaned in so his forehead rested on hers. "I should have come clean to you long ago, but I never expected...I just never expected all this."

"So you really liked me?" she asked unsurely. "It wasn't the curse talking?"

"Like I said I need time. I can't be with you yet, but I will someday." he stepped back and ran his hands through his hair.

"Well, you may only have until your eighteenth birthday." Her voice quavered but she looked him straight in the eye and cleared her throat. "Thanks for ...I'm sorry that...I mean..," she sighed. "Well, I guess we'll be seeing each other around."

He nodded kissed her lightly on the cheek.

"Wait," she thought to him, but he had shut his mind to hers and reached in to his pocket. He rolled the shiny mind ball on to one of the tables and walked down the aisle. She bit her lip and sank shakily into her seat. It was over now.

"See you when school starts, Ginny," he said quietly before shutting the door behind him.

But something new was just beginning.

*********

The End (for real)

Merry Holidays and Happy New Year!

*********

Sorry we lied about the winter ball! Just thought it would be odd for her to kill someone and then go off to the ball >_<" even though there was kinda winter ball build up. Sorry!

Cynic387- sorry for the wait!! Yes yes we're awful! But there were times were we almost gave up on the fic all together but we came through! Hope you enjoyed.

DaZLinDZ- Yeah when I re-read the fic I just think wow. People are soo good at figuring us out cause I confuse myself. I think if we re did the fic now it would be a lot clearer and less jumpy ... hopefully ^_~

DracannaMalfoy- sorry bout the wait!! Hm I guess we came up with the idea from a mixture of other stories and melding it in to the Harry Potter world. Personally I remember one fic I read where the pair was cursed by a locket into being the farthest like a yard away. So it evolved in to our own curse story. ^^

Secret Keeper - Yep that as an awful "ending" cause I guess this is more of the last chapter then the Epilogue but ~shrug~ sorry for the wait!.

lacewing- Thanks! Hope you still enjoy us ^^

HosistaA- Sorry bout the wait!! >_<" I guess we had an evil combination of laziness and writers block that stopped us from updating in so long!

SwaummyJs06- Hope you read this part ! sorry bout the wait

Ablaze - Thanks so much!

Coffee- Hm? Was it sweet? At first sellene had a .......um ~cough cough~ syrupy sweet ending and I kinda killed it but hey! She didn't like the pure sugar either. ^^

Proud Slytherin- Thanks! I sometimes feel like we could've done better with our writing and characterizations but the plot almost holds it togther >_<".

Accalia - Thanks! We tried >_<" Ah well no more excuses just hope this one was good. ^^

chuletamia- Ah did he? Haha I thought it would be kinda strange for your partner to kill your father and then just keep going on your merry old way.

RiallePotter- Hope this lived up to ur expectations; a little short though! Sorry

firenziedlight - Wow you caught us and totally created the best explanation! The problem is we vaguely outlined our story and where we wanted to go with it but we didn't iron out the details very well. So when the final battle came down we had no idea what we were doing . -_-" Arg feel so bad admitting to our plot holes oh well hope you forgive us ^_^.

Lady Hayleigh - Thank you!!

browncat - Oh! ~happy sigh~ A long review! Not only a long review but a really sweet one!! I'm glad you enjoyed how we dealt with the relationship because I question it often. -_-: Oh if blushed I would. Excellent writers? Hope this last chapter hasn't let you down!! Yes Yvette is the true Mary Sue of our little tale >_<". I think there's this innate laziness between both of us that's not good for the story, we mock Yvette ourselves like...."understanding" cause she would just understand everything but we didn't bother fix it. Hope the epilogue lives up to expectations!!

sunshinesoleil - Here you go! ^^

Jorrn--Wow! One sitting, not sure I could do that ^_~ hahaha. Hope you make it back for the epilogue!.

Hawk8804 - Erg sorry bout the ASAP but I hope you remember us and come back! ^^ Enjoy the story!.

Borboleta - yep this is the "real" ending, I guess shouldn't even be called epilogue ^_~.

Mika Weasley - I think Sellene and I might not be writing much fanfiction after this, this one project took us two years and we almost didn't complete it. Perhaps later in a one shot or something. ^^

for all first time readers, congratulations for making to the end of the fic. good job! high- five! ^_^