Mala Fide: In Bad Faith

Mala Fide: In Bad Faith - Chapter 20

Five hours earlier...

Despite having gone to bed early, Ginny got very little rest. She slept fitfully, waking up time and again and at 3:00, she decided it was futile. She got up and began pacing nervously around her room. The decision she faced was huge; how could she possibly deal with all this information, and in just a few hours?

Then it hit her: with a Time-Turner, she could spend almost any amount of time elsewhere. Were it not for her condition, she could be gone for weeks, if she wanted to. But where would she go?

She couldn't imagine. She considered going to the hotel where she and Rhiannon had vacationed last summer, but she wanted to be close to home. Not to mention, it was fairly expensive, and she wasn't sure how often Lucius checked their balance at Gringott's. Hogwarts was another possibility, or even the Burrow. But she soon realized that every location had its own set of drawbacks, each one worse than the last.

Frustrated, Ginny slipped into her robe and left her bedroom. She crept through the silent hallways and headed toward the kitchen for some juice. She stood next to the counter and pondered as she drank.

So if I did go back in time, how long should I go for - and other than hide away and think, what should I do?

She hung her head as she thought of the potion she had given Lucius this evening and the horrible things that spewed unwillingly from his lips. It reminded her of something she had learned all those years ago in Snape's potions class: It only works on the unsuspecting. She set down her empty glass.

Should I attempt to warn Lucius about the Veritaserum, or should I just not go get it all? After all, it was my idea to go check on the marriage license . . .

Ginny struggled internally, weighing the various outcomes. Although it was certainly tempting, she couldn't just forget or wish away what she'd already heard him say. She had to be reasonable. If she meddled with time in that way, and if anything from his confession that she hadn't known before should come up in the future, how would she tell him why she knew about it?

I'm pretty good at lying, but I don't know if I could be that good.

Back to square one, she poured herself a second glass of juice. She changed this one to apple; she was never all that fond of pumpkin juice, but it was all they had at the moment.

I could go to the Room of Requirement. That would give me a few extra days to contemplate, plan . . . work this whole thing out.

It was the best idea she'd had so far.

Once she had charmed her glass clean, she noiselessly whisked everything back where it belonged. Ginny knew it would have to appear as though she had never left her room or even gotten out of bed. She went straight to where the Time-Turner lay: Lucius's study.

She approached the door quietly, just in case one of the house-elves was awake and close enough to hear. They were her servants too, of course, but they were old-fashioned; when it came down to it, their loyalty was to the master and not to her. Secrecy was paramount.

"Alohamora," Ginny whispered. The lock clicked. She glanced around both ways then stepped inside. The room was quite dark, and except for the ticking of the clock on his desk, silent.

"Lumos."

She had once seen Lucius put the Time-Turner away in the drawer of an end table that stood to the left of the sofa. The drawer wasn't locked. She relaxed a little then tugged, opening it as far as it would go.

The drawer was narrow, but apparently much deeper than it looked. She held her wand over it to peer inside, but that didn't help much. Cautiously, she reached inside and felt around for the Time-Turner. She started to wonder if maybe he had moved it some other spot. But having no idea where else to look - and not feeling entirely safe in doing so - she renewed her search, determined to find it.

At last, she felt its light chain. It had been tossed into the back and was now buried underneath a few loose slips of parchment. Holding her breath, she pulled it toward her and took it out. She glanced around once more to be sure no one was watching her and then stashed it in her robe pocket. As a final precaution, she transfigured a paperclip from Lucius's desk into something that looked like a Time-Turner, just in case he came looking for it.

Before she left the study, she lamented that she didn't know where he kept his Invisibility Cloak. That could make this so much easier, she told herself. However, deciding there would be even more to explain if it were missing, she turned and left without it, locking the door behind her as she went.

Ginny went back to her bedroom to prepare. The biggest question now was how far she should go back. Life outside the Room of Requirement would go on as normal, so she knew she needn't worry about her family. But she also knew she couldn't be gone for very long. What if Lucius wanted to use the Time-Turner himself? If he found the copy she'd made, what would happen when he put it on and realized it didn't work?

After debating internally for a few minutes, she decided she could do this in two days. She would be undisturbed by daily life. Besides, she had already been thinking and rethinking this decision since that fateful day in Neville's office, when her old friends had accused her lover of the unthinkable, which now proved to be true. She winced at the harsh memories.

She gathered a few items and Reducto'd them so they would fit into a small pack. Feeling she had all the necessities, she placed the Time-Turner around her neck and carefully counted the spins.

Time travel was definitely an odd business; for instance, she didn't know that it had rained two nights ago. The windows in her room, which had been dry just moments ago, were now spotted with drops. The water streamed down in thin streaks.

She turned toward her door and listened to be sure that no one had been wandering the halls at 2 a.m. that night. Assured that she was the only one awake, Ginny emerged then slinked cautiously to the upper-most level of the house.

She stood out in the hallway. She stared intently at the spot where she had seen the door to the invisible room appear once before, envisioning everything she would require for the next 48 hours, including a loo, a fireplace, and a jar of Floo powder. When the door appeared at last, she hurried inside and closed it softly behind her.

She frowned. Now that she was here, she wasn't sure exactly how to begin. She started by walking about the spacious room. It was almost as luxurious as it had been the last time she was here: the day she and Lucius had moved beyond friends and to something more meaningful than either one of them had expected. The mere memory of it caused something to stir deep inside her. How she longed for his touch, his kiss, to be delirious in his arms.

Once her mind had turned to her lover, Ginny couldn't avoid facing her feelings, and her doubts, head-on. She had to see everything as objectively as possible. It wouldn't be easy. She flinched as she recalled everything he had shown her: his selfishness, manipulation, prejudice, the murders, his hatred . . . and then, when she least expected it, his love. The admiration he felt for her was palpable. It was certainly genuine; of that, there was no doubt.

As thoughts of his confession turned over in her mind, she bemoaned why things had to be this way. Why was the truth so painful? Part of her longed to know the truth he was destined to tell, while another part wanted to return to the ignorant bliss she had been living in. But that wouldn't solve anything.

"It's too bad I don't believe in Divination," she said to no one. "I'm sure Professor Trelawney would love to have an adoring disciple knock on her door right now, begging her to read their tea leaves and unfog the future."

She laughed at the idea.

"I mean, it's such a discretionary art," she snorted, as if the idea were preposterous. But after a brief pause, she added, "And yet, Luna seems to be able to foresee things, now and then."

Ginny went over some of the things her old friend had known that no one else could have guessed. "She predicted that Harry and I would break up, and that I would end up marrying someone he hated - even that my first child would be a girl."

She had dismissed it all at the time. But now she wondered: was there really something to it?

"Yet if Luna and Neville are so keen on having children, why isn't she pregnant yet? Is it just so she can have her child on the spring equinox of next year, like she said?"

Frustrated, she rubbed her tired eyes and groaned. "I can't believe I'm even thinking this. But still . . . could she help me?"

She mulled over the idea as she plopped down on the sofa, sighing heavily. She shook her head. "I must be exhausted. I'm talking crazy." Sleep soon overtook her.

She woke some hours later. Based on how hungry she felt, she judged it to be about midday. One glance at the gold-plated anniversary clock said she was right. Ginny opened her pack, took out a paring knife and a green apple and proceeded to cut it into slices. As she ate, she thought once more about Lucius's actions and the choices he had made. It made her heart sink.

I have to speak with Luna.

She finished her fruit and washed up then walked toward the fireplace. Tossing a handful of Floo powder in, she called her friend's name. The blonde-haired witch's face appeared soon afterward.

"Why, Ginny. This is a pleasant surprise." Her smile was relaxed.

"Hello, Luna. I'd like to come see you, if you have the time. I need some advice."

"Of course, dear. I was just on my way back to Hogwarts. I'd come home so I could have lunch with Neville. Do you want to join me here or just meet me at the school?"

"That depends," she said skeptically. "How do you travel?"

"By Portkey." When Ginny made a face of mild disgust, Luna replied with a grin, "I love the goofy feeling I get when I'm spinning like a top."

Frankly, Ginny couldn't imagine anyone actually enjoying Portkey travel, except maybe Luna. She scrunched up her nose. "You know, I think I'll just Apparate to the front gates. Can you meet me there?"

"Sure," she agreed cheerily.

"Great, give me ten minutes."

Luna, who was already throwing her cloak around her shoulders, said in mild surprise, "Ten minutes? Why so long?"

"It's, uh, complicated. So you'll wait for me by the gate?" Ginny asked hesitantly. But Luna nodded eagerly that she would then waved goodbye.

The young mother, meanwhile, quickly tried to recall where she would have been at this time two days earlier. Now she really wished she had the Invisibility Cloak. There was nothing more she could do except head for the front door without stopping to speak to anyone and keep her fingers crossed.

By some miracle, she made it past that hurdle unscathed and now stood outside in the misty afternoon air. She breathed a sigh of relief and stepped out far enough away from the house to Apparate. She was soon standing outside the boundaries of Hogwarts. Luna was already waiting inside and swung the gate open to allow her entrance.

"Hello, Ginny," she greeted her as she clanged the gate shut once more. She hugged the young mother enthusiastically. "It's so good to see you! You're looking well."

"Thanks. I feel well."

As the two of them started toward the castle, Luna took her hand and said, "Now, what do you need advice on?"

Ginny hesitated. All of a sudden, this seemed like a very bad, very stupid idea.

Even so, she had to try.

At last, she blurted out, "How do you know the things you know, Luna? I mean the things you've predicted that actually, you know, happened?"

"Like what?"

"Like my having a daughter with someone that Harry had always despised? The exact date you will have your first child . . . How do you know things like that?"

"Oh, is that all? I usually ask the Centaurs."

"The Centaurs?"

"Yes. They trust me, so they tell me things," she replied as they continued walking across the dry grass.

Ginny frowned in response. "But I thought the Centaurs didn't like any humans," she half-whispered, somewhat fearful one of them might be close enough to hear their conversation. She wasn't sure how acute their hearing was.

"Not everyone. Only most people." Luna added with a shrug, "I've been to the forest often enough, they know me as a friend."

The young mother looked at her doubtfully. "When did this start?"

"Shortly after I came to Hogwarts. One day, I followed a baby Thestral in. The Centaurs saw me treating it gently, petting it, and one of them became curious about me. We became friends before the Christmas holidays."

"And you just . . . ask them things?" It sounded too easy.

"Mm-hmm," Luna murmured with that serene smile that had so often baffled and calmed Ginny at the same time. "What do you want me to ask them for you?" she said intuitively.

She only hesitated for a second or two. "As you can probably guess, I'm concerned about my impending marriage. Will we be happy? Should I, you know . . . go through with it?" came her desperate plea.

The witch at her side turned to her slowly and gazed at her.

"What do you think, Ginny? You're pregnant, and from what I hear, it's twins. Would it really be fair to deny them their father? I think you could be just what Lucius needs. Now, I know that Neville and Hermione - especially Hermione - would disagree with me, but from the few times I've seen him with you . . . it's clear that you mean the world to him."

Stunned, her freckled face fell a bit. It wasn't what she'd expected Luna to say. Still, it made her feel peaceful. Reassured. "What do you think the Centaurs would say?"

"I've already asked them. Their visions aren't always easy to interpret, but they're certainly better than any human Diviner. They said you two would live a long and happy life together. But he has to eliminate You-Know-Who first."

She swallowed with relief as tears started to form in the corner of her brown eyes. "Oh, Luna, I'm so lucky to have a friend like you. I can't thank you enough."

Luna warned her, "There will be rough spots, of course, as in any marriage. But you must have the strength and courage to work through them, and you have no shortage of that." The two friends exchanged a smile.

After a leisurely walk around the castle that included a stop-off at the kitchens for a late lunch, Ginny returned to the manor via Floo and landed in the Room of Requirement. She felt more at ease, now that she knew there was hope for her and Lucius's relationship. And why not? She loved him, and he was more in love with her than she had originally thought. True, he had done some despicable things in the past. But that was not the man she loved; this was a new man, a changed man. She believed it in her soul.

"He doesn't need all that now because he's satisfied with his life. With me, he's found peace and acceptance. At last, he's satisfied with his life." She pondered these words as she took one more scrutinizing look at the crimes levied against him.

So he wasn't exactly innocent.

She hesitated, as if she were actually speaking to someone. "I, I know he could never justify his actions, no more than I can explain why I still love him . . . but I believe in my heart that he is a better man for having loved me," she said as she stared into the fireplace. "And I know my life is better for having loved him."

Still, she worried. What of the Aurors? His confession was pretty solid and extremely damning. She fretted as she thought of him languishing in Azkaban for years, never seeing her or their children . . . Frankly, she wondered if he would ever see the light of day again.

The very thought of it crushed her heart. She lay down on the sofa once more to rest.

On awakening early the next morning, Ginny thought back on what she had done on this particular day. She had gone to the Ministry to check on the marriage license and ended up making a deal with the devil.

What she had meant to do was save Lucius - only it didn't end up that way.

She spent the day thinking, reading, and most of all, resting so that she would be awake at 2 a.m. By nightfall, she was fully alert and planning how and when she would return to her bedroom, and exactly what she would do the next morning.

* * * * *

Lucius barely dared to ask for her decision. "And?"

"I'm staying. I will marry you - but there is the problem of your confession."

He was baffled. "I don't understand. You're staying, even though the truth bothers you?" he said, trying to guess her meaning.

She smiled. "I know, it's crazy, but I just can't imagine our lives without you. The children are so attached to you, and of course, I am too. I don't know how well we'd fare in another situation. I just - don't want to stop loving you. True, you deceived me, but still . . . what you are now is not what you were then. I may be the world's biggest idiot, but I do love you. I even, dare I say it, trust you. So yes, I will marry you."

Thinking this sounded too good to be true, he furrowed his pale brow.

"But, didn't you put your memories of last night into the Pensieve? I thought that was required."

"It is, but I haven't done it yet." She walked over to the wardrobe and smiled back at him. "And I'm not going to."

He shook his head and said adamantly, "You know it's not safe to do a Memory Charm on you because of the pregnancy. Do you want me to modify your memories once you've deposited them?"

She didn't answer him right away. Instead, she opened the wardrobe and surveyed its contents. "Where do you keep the Polyjuice Potion?"

Lucius jumped off the chaise lounge and rushed to her side. "It's in here," he answered, reaching behind the rows of stylish robes, shirts, and trousers. A frosted glass case that contained a small black cauldron with a thick, chalk-like substance set on the shelf next to his shoes. He lurched forward to pick it up, but she put a smooth, cool hand on his bare arm as if to say 'wait'. When she did, he shivered involuntarily and pulled back.

"Not now," she said. "Wait till tonight. For now, floo your office and tell them you're not feeling well. That will give us all day to plan it all out."

"Plan what out, my dear?"

She backed out of the wardrobe and looked at him conspiratorially. "We'll enlist Nicolette's help in acting out a most convincing confession. All we need is one hair from my head. Then when we're done with our performance--"

"We put her memories in the Pensieve."

"And then, we Oblivate Nicolette."

A smile of understanding spread slowly across his face. "Simple, yet brilliant."

"Exactly," Ginny said with a nod.

He gazed at her. "Is it any wonder I love you?"

She nodded. "It's perfect. It can't fail."

All he could think was, We can't afford it to.

* * * * *

"Hermione, you're spoiling me," Ron groaned after having eaten the last bite of sticky toffee pudding. Of course, if she hadn't continued to bring the spoon up to his mouth, he would have stopped three bites earlier.

Lily giggled behind her hands. "You don't look so good, Won."

"Yeah, is my mum's cooking that bad?" Jamie snickered.

Hermione stuck her tongue out at her daughters. "That'll be enough from you two brats," she teased as she threw her napkin at the older girl. "As punishment, you have to help clear the table."

Her daughters started to groan in protest, but when she glared at them, they got to their feet. Each of them picked up one dish and delivered it to the kitchen sink.

"Aww, Mummy, can't you just use your magic?" Lily whined. Then her sister took over.

"Yeah, I don't know why all witches and wizards don't just wave their wands, and poof! Dinner is ready, or poof! It's all put away!" she said, waving her arm as if demonstrating.

Their mother rebutted, "While that may sound great, it's better to do some things the Muggle way. Unless you're a house-elf, food is much tastier if it's cooked slowly. Even Ron's mother makes most of their meals by hand; she only uses her magic for mundane chores, like peeling potatoes, stirring things on the stovetop, and frosting a cake."

Jamie grumbled, "Yeah, but why do we have to clean up? Can't you just 'magic' it all away?"

Hermione would not relent. "You know that doing chores builds character. Now go get some more of those dishes." Their narrow shoulders slumped forward a little as they reluctantly complied.

Knowing first-hand that what Hermione had said about cooking was true, Ron volunteered, "Yeah, I've tried making a few dinners for myself completely by magic. The results were so bad; I ended up going out for takeaway. And the smell! I could barely sit in my own kitchen for three days."

His girlfriend walked past him and carefully set a platter down on the counter. "Well, since you've never fully mastered charms in the first place, Ron . . . I suppose it was rather like watching Neville in Potions class."

The two sisters exchanged a look and laughed among themselves. Their mum's boyfriend rolled his eyes and scoffed. He stood up, wadded his napkin into a ball, and threw it onto the nearly empty table in feigned disgust.

"Is this what I have to look forward to for the rest of my life, day in, day out? I'm telling you, ever since I met your mother, she's nagged me like I was a lazy, stupid child." If it weren't for the slight smile on his face, the young Potters might have thought he was really aggravated. Instead, he took Hermione in his arms and said, "And I wouldn't want her any other way."

"Oooh," Jamie practically sang as she put the last of the utensils in the sink, "let's leave the lovebirds alone, Lily."

They both giggled again then ran away and up the stairs. Normally, their mother would not have let them leave without putting away at least a few more things . . . but having Ron's lips on hers as he pressed her lower back against the edge of the sink definitely muddled her thinking.

"You taste like toffee," she sighed.

"You taste wonderful," he moaned. He kissed her again then lifted her bum up to the sink top, put his hands on her knees, and inched his way between her legs. When he reached underneath her loose skirt for her knickers, she quickly pushed his hand away.

"Wait," she hissed, "what if the girls come right back?"

He'd already thought of that, and it didn't exactly deter him. He kissed her softly in between words, saying, "Tell them we're going to wash the dishes by hand, and if you see them anytime in the next hour, you'll put them to work."

A smile spread slowly across Hermione's face.

"Girls!" she called out, trying not to shiver as Ron's tongue slid up her neck and behind her left ear. Once her daughters acknowledged that they'd heard her, she shouted, "We're going to wash all of these dishes by hand, like Grandma does. Do you want to come down and help?"

The response was more laughter and their bedroom door banging shut.

"Now, where were we?" she said with a grin so naughty that Ron would have sworn this was her idea.

Sliding his hand under her skirt once more, he resumed the pursuit of her knickers, only to learn she wasn't wearing any. He licked his lips appreciatively. "You planned this all along, didn't you, you saucy wench?"

"Maybe," she said coyly as she reached for the front of his trousers, unzipped them, and released his erection. His breath hitched when her warm, soft fingers wrapped around his cock, guiding it into her. It was all he could do to hold back for just a bit to allow her muscles to relax around him. When she nodded greedily to indicate she was ready, neither of them wasted any time.

Their lovemaking was quick but sweet. He fingered her under her skirt and continued as he reached his climax. Her eyes fluttered shut and she gasped once as she peaked, drenching his fingers with her warm, slick liquid. As they both struggled to catch their breath, he kissed her deeply.

"Oh, Hermione, I love you so much," he confessed, his breathing ragged. "You know I can't live without you. I'm begging you: Please, please say you'll marry me."

Her reply came in between breaths. "Of course I will, Ron. I've wanted you for a while now - but you were just too stupid to ask. I love you; I always have." She kissed him back, hopped down off the counter, and looked at him seriously. "But you must promise me one thing."

"Anything, just name it," he swore as he continued lavishing her face with kisses.

"Promise me you'll never ask . . . that you'll never ask me to compare you to Harry. Harry was Harry, and no one could ever be him. I'll always love him, but you - you're just as special, but in a different way." She looked at him seriously. "Do you understand what I'm saying, Ron?"

"If it makes you happy, then all right. I won't do it."

"You do promise, don't you?"

"Yes. I swear, I won't ask."

She smiled at him warmly. "Okay. Then let's get married, as soon as possible. Will you have time before practice tomorrow to go with me to get the license?"

His kisses were answer enough for her.

* * * * *

The next morning, Ginny approached the receptionist and said politely, "Mr. Goodspeak, please."

"And your name is?"

"Ginevra Malfoy."

"Have a seat. I'll tell him you're here."

Ginny nodded then sat down in the reception area and carefully set the precious cargo on her lap. Inside the box was the Pensieve that contained Lucius's second confession, the one Nicolette had so willingly helped them obtain.

Of course, the French servant remembered none of it. She only knew that the master she thought so highly of had needed her help. He had always treated her well, so she was quite happy to assist.

As Ginny waited, she hoped she would be able to act out her part convincingly. Just because she had the memories didn't mean she herself wouldn't be scrutinized by the Aurors. She tried to prepare herself for what they might ask and wished desperately she could have been privy to their notes. Then she recalled what she'd told Harry in the Hogwarts library, all those years ago:

One thing about growing up with Fred and George: you get the feeling that anything's possible, as long as you've got the nerve.

She had clung to those words in many a difficult time, and today would be no exception. And this time, she had a secret weapon - a bonus they were never expecting that would surely weigh in her fiancé's favor.

The receptionist interrupted her thoughts, announcing, "Edmund will see you now, Mrs. Malfoy."

She nodded to the middle-aged woman and stepped into the conference room. It wasn't the same one where she had been given the Pensieve. Still, she put on a confident face and chose a place at the table.

"Good morning, Mrs. Malfoy," Rothchild Petree greeted her as he entered the mahogany-paneled room. "Do you have some memories to share with us?"

"Yes, I do." She opened the box and took out the Pensieve. Setting it on the table, she watched the silvery liquid inside swirl around.

Just then, Edmund joined them in the conference room. "Hello, Ginny. Well, our day is pretty full, so is everyone ready?" he asked. The others agreed, and the three of them entered the Pensieve.

The Aurors watched the memories along with the bride. They witnessed her serving Lucius the brandy and soon learned that he and Snape had parted ways after he got the Everlast potion. He had no idea what had happened to his old friend and was shocked to learn how he had died. When asked about Macnair and Bellatrix, Lucius said had not been to see Walden in ages and that he had not seen or heard from his sister-in-law in years - he assumed she was imprisoned somewhere on the continent.

Next, Ginny pressed him for details about Narcissa's death. He said he had nothing to do with it. When she explained the cause, he deduced that his wife and Snape had indeed been lovers; the Potion Master must have been infected and was probably not aware that he was putting her at risk. The very thought of it made Lucius break down in tears.

When it was all over, the three intruders left the Pensieve and returned to the conference room. Both Aurors stood above the basin, looking in. Petree said, "That's all a very pretty story, Mrs. Malfoy. But is it true?"

"You saw it as well as I did. He took the Veritaserum; how could it not be?"

"How, indeed?" the younger Auror asked, only half-hiding his sneer.

Edmund took over, saying, "Be that as it may, we need to test these memories for tampering. It's standard procedure, especially when dealing with a wizard so familiar with the Dark Arts."

Ginny shrugged. "Suit yourself."

"Do you have anything else to add, Mrs. Malfoy?" Goodspeak asked. "Any observations about his behavior that seemed odd, or anything at all?"

"No, nothing. He's behaved as he always does: like a perfect gentleman."

Edmund exchanged a look with Rothchild then said, "Mrs. Malfoy, would you excuse us for a moment, please?"

"Of course."

The Aurors left the room and pushed the door almost all the way to but not quite. Wishing she had thought to bring a pair of Extendable Ears, she could just make out bits of their conversation beyond the door. Snippets like 'dangerous', 'questionable', and 'her father' reached her. This caused her to frown. She couldn't imagine what her dad had anything to do with this. After all, his areas of expertise were Muggles and illegally charmed artifacts.

The conversation taking place in the hallway faded away. She felt herself getting nervous all over again but fought it down.

It'll be fine, she assured herself, they bought it.

The men returned several minutes later. She could almost see the grin on Petree's face; he was like a kid in a candy store who had just gotten his pocket money. "Thank you, Mrs. Malfoy. You're free to go."

It was almost too easy.

She got to her feet and started to gather up her things. When the big question came, she tried to act nonchalant: "I did what you asked. Now can we get our marriage license?"

Edmund looked at her seriously. "Give us a few days to validate that these memories have not been modified. We'll be in touch. And again, thank you. Your cooperation is most appreciated."

She nodded once then left their office. Although she didn't have the license yet, nor was Lucius' freedom absolutely guaranteed, her heart already felt much lighter. Ginny soon found herself humming that stupid Celestina Warbeck tune her mother loved so much, the one she herself couldn't stand. The wizarding wireless had played it that morning, and now she couldn't get it out of her head.

She scoffed to herself, thinking, That's always the way: hear a song you abhor, and you'll find yourself singing it in your head all day long.

As she rounded the last corner before passing by the marriage license office, her eyes popped open in surprise. Seated in the waiting area with clipboards on their laps and quills in hand were Ron and Hermione, talking back and forth and giggling nervously. She slipped back behind a wall and then made a dash for the loo.

She quickly chose a stall and cast a Silencing Charm so no one would hear her as she thought aloud. "What am I going to do?" she asked the walls pathetically, feeling terribly guilty. "All those times I snubbed my own family, and my dear friend Hermione, for her refusing to believe that Harry had been the man who attacked me . . . oh, Harry, I'm sorry!" She felt like crying but fought desperately to hold back.

Her guilt was exacerbated by the fact that Hermione had been right about everything: not only had her husband been innocent, the man she suspected was about to become Ginny's new spouse! "I'm such a hypocrite," she moaned to herself. Her mind racing, she buried her face in her hands. "What am I going to do?" she repeated.

Maybe she had celebrated a little too early.

True, she had gotten the confession that would hopefully clear Lucius and had passed it to the Aurors. They even seemed to accept it. Only a simple verification test remained; this should be no problem, as the memories were genuine.

However, that was less than half the battle. There was still the matter destroying You-Know-Who, and Merlin only knew how that was going to be done. Ginny was also rather anxious to repair her relationships with her family and friends. She had to win them back; she couldn't remain estranged from them for the rest of her life.

After reviewing several options, she narrowed them down to just a few. It would be a challenge to convince them that she wasn't absolutely barking mad for choosing to marry Lucius Malfoy; she could almost hear "Imperius!" issuing from Ron's angry mouth. Yet she had no doubt that, without using any form of magic, any reservations they had would soon be forgotten.

~End of Chapter~