The Wife of the Emperor

Somewhere in the distance, a clock struck 7:30, waking Ginny from her dreamless sleep. She stretched slightly with the grace a cat, a wide grin lighting up her face as she took in the sight of a sleeping, naked Draco lying beside her. The grin turned mischievous as she leaned down and placed feather light kisses on his face, and trailed downward. Just as she reached his navel, a hand grabbed her chin and pulled her up once again. Her grin grew wider at the lust in Draco's now opened eyes, and he placed a somewhat chaste kiss on her lips. He stretched, moaning slightly as he did so. She sighed, knowing the time and hating the fact she had to leave. She pulled the covers away and stood, shivering slightly as cooler air hit her naked body. He grabbed her wrist, pulling her down on the bed and kissing her again, longer and more seductive. She ached for him, but knew she had to dress. He sighed, releasing her unwillingly, and watched as she rummaged for something in the wardrobe.

"How did we end up in your chambers?" She turned, smiling with clothes in hand.

"Because it was closer." He grinned as she began to dress, any modesty she had no longer existent in his presence. She sat at the vanity, brushing her mussed hair and applying some makeup. She knew the upcoming confrontation would be difficult, and she didn't need her mother telling her she looked like a whore back from a customer. Ginny didn't know if Molly would actually say such a thing, but she wouldn't put it past the woman she once called mother. Draco stood behind her, a sheet clutched in one hand, the other on the back of her chair. He watched her apply the makeup the Muggle way, his brow furrowing as she did so.

"Why don't you use your wand?" She smiled at his reflection as she applied the last of her makeup.

"My parents always encouraged us to embrace Muggle tendencies. Old habits die hard." He stroked her newly brushed hair, now gleaming copper. He paused, realizing her natural looks were once again restored.

"Why was your hair black yesterday and red today, my love?" She paused slightly as she set her makeup brush down.

"I used an appearance-altering charm but couldn't find the counter-charm. I had to let it wear off." He nodded, walking back to the bed and lying down. He looked so beautiful to her that she nearly considered climbing back into bed with him, but she could not deny her family one last explanation.

"Why are you even going? They don't deserve an explanation, after the way they've treated you." She paused, her entire body stilling before she turned in the chair.

"Molly is the one who treats me the oddest. She loved me as a mother loves a child, but only when I did as she asked. When I didn't consummate my marriage with Colin, and when she found out about our relationship, she turned on me. My father, bless him, couldn't stand up to her, he loves her too deeply. My brothers try, but they fear her too much." He sighed at the explanation which didn't really answer his question. He chose not to prod her even further, knowing she would need her head clear if she was to face Molly again after ten years. He quickly asked another question.

"Will you be long?" She smiled, crossing the room to crouch beside him.

"I don't believe so. My intent is to answer any questions they have until nine, then I plan on leaving, never to return." His smile faltered slightly, his guilt at her family's discourse gnawing at him slightly. Had it not been for him, she might still love them. She shook her head at his silent guilt and placed a small kiss on his cheek.

"The split between me and my parents happened before I realized my love for you, Draco." She smiled reassuringly and he smiled back, though he did not know if he believed her. She kissed him quickly on the lips before Apparating, leaving him to mull over the recent events.

***

Ginny stared at her childhood home, its leaning tower still on the edge of collapsing as it always was. The air here was cleaner, fresher, with a woody scent that she never could recognize, and for a moment she felt at peace, before remembering what it was she came here to do. Taking a deep breath, she pocketed her wand and started up the path to the Burrow. She hesitated at the door, unsure if she should knock, and wishing she could just leave and not have to endure this. Draco's question echoed in her mind, and she wondered why indeed was she doing this. Because they deserve a better explanation, even if she doesn't. Nodding to herself, she raised a hand to knock on the wooden door, only to have it swung open by Hermione, and Ginny pitched forward slightly into the older woman's arms. She giggled faintly, and Ginny righted herself quickly, giggling as well. Hermione smiled and stepped aside to let Ginny in. Taking another deep breath, Ginny stepped inside, the anxiety rested in her stomach like a Quaffle, increasing in size as she continued into the living room. The house was surprisingly empty and quiet, and it took Ginny a moment to realize the lack of noise came not only from the absence of her brothers, but of Hermione's children as well. Ginny opened her mouth to ask Hermione where the rest of her family was when a great roar and crash from above them stopped her. They both looked up at the noise, as though they could see through it and find the source. Ginny turned her eyes back at Hermione who was looking nervously back, one hand on her swollen belly, the other on the back of an armchair. Ginny could tell that whatever, or whoever, made that noise, she didn't want Ginny to know about it. Ginny sat, her question on the tip of her tongue, but one look at her friend's apprehensive face, she decided to put Hermione at ease first.

"You look wonderful, Hermione. How have you been feeling?" Hemione smiled and rubbed her belly proudly.

"I feel like an elephant, even though it's only been four months. This one is going to be a boy, I'm sure of it." Ginny smiled back, mentally doing the math in her head, then frowned slightly.

"I thought you were due in the winter, Hermione. Four months along and it's the beginning of May, that doesn't add up!" Hemione frowned and stared at Ginny as though she had three heads.

"I thought Ron told you, but I guess not. We thought that I was due in December, but the Medi-witch said that I was farther along, and the baby is due in October." Ginny nodded, smiling again.

"I'm so happy for you, Hermione, though I don't know how you handle it. Four children, with another on the way?" Hermione laughed and sighed, the amazement of her growing family not lost on her.

"I guess you could say that Ron and I...love each other very, very much." Ginny shuddered at the thought of Hermione and Ron in bed together - a very odd and not welcomed picture in her mind. Hermione laughed again, this time at the disgusted look on Ginny's face, then suddenly sobered. "Ginny, I know this is hard for you, and I know you'd rather not be here ever again, but there's something I must say before the others arrive." The slight fear in her voice made Ginny nervous and she began fiddling with the edge of her robes. "After I sent you that note, I continued to search for the prophecy. The old Ministry building still has some records left in it, and Ron managed to snag them for me." Ginny frowned, not only at the illegal nature of Hermione's search, but that she convinced Ron to go along with it.

"Yes, and what did you find?" Ginny grimaced inwardly at the tremor in her voice and willed it to go away before this stupid family meeting.

"That's just it, there was nothing there. Not one single mention of this prophecy." Ginny sighed, realizing that Hermione was not on some simple fishing expedition. She was trying to prove that there was no real reason for Draco and Ginny to marry.

"Hermione, don't you think that if Voldemort wanted to keep this a secret from everyone around him, even his most trusted Death Eaters, that he wouldn't leave evidence of it lying in the Ministry?" Hermione sighed and nodded reluctantly, though Ginny knew she didn't believe her.

Another crash filled the silence that followed and this time Ginny asked the question Hermione did not want to answer.

"Who's up there, Hermione?" Hermione looked at her fearfully before glaring up at the ceiling.

"He came here this morning, just after your owl. I'm so angry with him that I could hex him into oblivion. Your mother too, for that matter, letting him into the house slobbering drunk as he was." Hermione's rant made Ginny uneasy, as she had a guess as to who exactly was upstairs, but she prayed that it wasn't true. Swallowing hard, Ginny glanced up at the ceiling once more before looking back at Hermione. The anxiety on the pregnant woman's face told Ginny that her suspicions were true. Quickly Ginny stood, her courage and resolve gone. She could not do this, she would not do this. Not with him here.

"Where are you going?" Ginny heard Hermione struggling to sit up and did not turn to help her as she continued her determined trek to the front door.

"I'm leaving. It was a mistake to come here." Ginny made her way to the door, her hand on the knob before a cold voice stopped Ginny in her tracks, and she shivered at the memories that followed it.

"The only mistake was letting you slip back into that wretched man's bed again." Turning slowly Ginny found Molly Weasley, standing at the kitchen doorway, a tray of drinks in her hand. Her cheery clothes and homemaker appearance was the complete opposite of the presence she bore. She set the tray down and motioned for Hermione to sit back into the chair, and did so slowly, her eyes darting between the torn mother and daughter.

"Good evening." Ginny's tone was crisp and as frosty as the woman she addressed. This is not going to be easy. She stood there, not moving to sit though she slowly slipped her hand off the icy brass knob. She stared Molly straight in the eye, not giving her the satisfaction of submission.

"You have a lot of nerve pulling the stunt you did. Poor Harry is upstairs, sick as can be over your selfishness." Ginny's anger grew, and she struggled to keep her voice calm.

"He's drunk, not sick. And what I've done is not selfish. Quite the opposite, actually; but I'd rather the rest of the family be here so I don't have to repeat myself." Molly's mouth curved into a small, grim smile.

"The others aren't coming. They've decided to accept this little game of yours for truth, though I know better." Ginny's eyes narrowed and she focused them on Hermione for a moment.

"Why are you here, Hermione?" Hermione jumped at being addressed, and she fumbled for a moment, the tension making her very uncomfortable.

"Well, Molly told me that Harry was sick, and since I knew you were coming too, I wanted to support you. Ron said he'd take care of the children, that they shouldn't be here in case things...." Hermione trailed off, afraid to anger either woman more. "I didn't know he was drunk, and I arrived only before you!" Hermione looked near tears, as though she had just been caught doing something naughty. Ginny smiled reassuringly at her, knowing her hormones were wreaking havoc on the poor woman's system. Silently she crossed the room and hugged Hermione, who returned it after a moment of surprise.

"Thank you for coming. I need someone on my side," she whispered in her friend's ear before pulling away and turning back to the portly woman still standing by the coffee table.

"Is father going to be here, at least?" Molly stiffened slightly, as her daughter's frigid voice warmed slightly at the thought of her father.

"He should be arriving any moment." The three women waited in silence, Ginny's anger and anxiety growing with each passing moment. Surely she could leave, if no one else was coming. Her father she contacted mostly through owl, but the thought of seeing him again after ten years filled her with such happiness that she could not bring herself to leave so soon. Soon the sound of roaring flames and an emerald light from the kitchen broke Ginny's thoughts of abandonment and she looked expectantly at the doorway. Arthur Weasley soon stepped into view and Ginny gasped at how different he looked. The past years had not been kind to her gentle father, his red hair now a light silver color, his sparking eyes dulled and underlined by dark circles. He looked frail and thin, as though he lost a large amount of weight in a short amount of time. However, when he saw his youngest child and only daughter standing in his living room, his eyes lit up and his face glowed with a bright smile. Tears began to stream down her face at the sight of him, and she rushed into his open arms. She cried freely, inhaling his familiar sent with each sob, and wanting never to leave him again. Too soon he pushed her to arms length, taking in her red hair flowing down her shoulders, her brown eyes sparkling with delight. He couldn't remember the last time he had seen her so happy. At least, not since that night Molly took her away from the one man she loved. He knew of his daughter's affair with the young Malfoy, and knew that they loved one another deeply, for the sight of Draco's sobbing frame sinking into the ground still haunted his dreams.

Slowly Arthur brought himself back to the present where his daughter was to finally be married to the one she loved, even if the reason was not clear, and to a present where his wife was still trying to do what she thought was right. Sighing heavily, he released his daughter and sat on the couch where Molly had placed herself during the heartfelt reunion between father and daughter. Ginny took in a shaky breath, knowing it was time for her to face the wrath of her mother once more. She waited expectantly for Molly to barrage her with questions and accusations. Another crash invaded the silence and Arthur was the only one to look sharply at the ceiling. He looked back at his wife for answers, but she was too busy waiting for Ginny to explain herself. Ginny saw her father's confusion and answered his unasked question.

"Harry's upstairs, quite drunk, according to Hermione. He didn't take to my leaving very well."

"And why should he? You left him this morning with very little explanation, or so I'm assuming, to run into the arms of another man. The man who nearly ruined your chances of marriage to Harry in the first place!" Ginny steeled herself against her own anger, willing herself to be calm.

"First of all, why would you assumed I left him with no explanation? I told him as much I as I deemed he needed to be privy to. Second of all, Harry and I no longer love one another, we haven't for years, but we've been living together out of convenience on his part and fear on mine." A feral gleam came to Molly's eye and Ginny immediately regretted her use of the word "fear".

"Fear of what, my dear daughter?" The mocking tone in Molly's voice pushed Ginny's anger dangerously close to the edge, but she managed to keep herself collected.

"Fear that you would ruin my life again. Fear that if I even tried to return to Draco you would do something worse than you did that night!" Tears formed in Ginny's eyes and she angrily willed them away. She would not let Molly win by seeing her weak.

"Surely you can see that it was for the best." Arthur's weary voice broke Ginny's heart, but the words he spoke angered her more.

"I did not see that then and I do not see it now. We would have been happy together, Father, happier than I have been these past ten years." Arthur sighed, staring at his daughter again. Had it really been ten years?

"We did it for your safety, Ginny. Surely you can see that." Ginny looked her father in the eye, his comforting ones matching her determined ones without flinching.

"Safety from what?" Ginny asked the question, though she knew the answer. She wanted to hear why they ruined her life so completely. This time Hermione stepped in. Ginny noted that Molly was watching this conversation with a satisfied smile on her face. You have not won yet.

"You know what Draco became, what would have happened if you didn't leave him." Ginny whirled on the pregnant woman, her placating voice grating against her already heightened nerves.

"He wouldn't have joined the Death Eaters if we hadn't been torn apart, quite literally!" Ginny struggled to keep her voice calm, but this pressure from all sides was beginning to wear her patience. "There's also another reason why I'm marrying Draco, but I cannot tell it to you. Very few people know, and for a very good reason. Suffice it to say that it is in the best interest of the entire wizarding community that we marry." Molly opened her mouth to speak, but the sound of invading elephants broke her off and all three turned their direction to the stairs, where the herd was coming from.

Harry stopped at the bottom of the steps, his green eyes bloodshot and his black hair messier than usual. One hand clutched an empty whisky bottle, while another pointed his wand at Ginny's heart.

"I thought I heard you here...slut," he slurred, wavering slightly as he tried to walk towards her. Ginny moved quickly, her wand out and pointed at the drunk man, her back towards the front door. The sight of the boy who stood strong after the deaths of his friends and family, only to be broken by her leaving saddened her, but did not change her mind on the action she took earlier that morning. If not for her own sake, but for the sake of others, she had to leave Harry.

"You're drunk, Harry." Her voice was calm, though fear tinged the edges of her words.

"Well spotted," he laughed bitterly and took another step towards Ginny. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Hermione, struggling to stand, her wand in her hand, and she saw her mother calmly watching it all, not bothering to even come to Harry's defense. It angered Ginny so that her hand began to shake. Stupid woman. She also saw her father walking up behind Harry, but she did not know what he planned to do.

"You left me. Left me for some pathetic Slytherin who can't even succeed a throne without stealing what's not his!" Ginny's tears returned at Harry's broken heart heard clearly in his voice.

"I had to, Harry, I had to. If I didn't, everyone would die." Harry laughed madly, the idea apparently very ridiculous to his drunken mind. Though, it would probably sound ridiculous to anyone, sober or drunk. Before Harry could answer, Arthur had lunged on him, stealing his wand in the process. Harry fought back, scratching at Arthur's hands, and bellowing like mad.

"Go Ginny, leave!" Arthur's voice rose above Harry's cries, and Ginny hesitated, wanting to spend more time with her father, but then Molly sprang from the couch, and headed towards Ginny with the intention to keep her from doing exactly that. Without a second look, Ginny Apparated from the Burrow and back into her room. Draco turned from the window he was staring at; his black clothes a stark contrast to the pink of the setting sun. He saw Ginny in time to catch her from falling in exhaustion and tears. She sobbed uncontrollably, the pain in Harry's eyes and the love of her father letting her do nothing else. Draco carried her back to the bed and held her the rest of the night, letting her cry out all the demons her trip home had resurfaced.