The Wife of the Emperor

Remus watched with a bemused smile as Ginny paced in front of the Grand Staircase, her long lace veil billowing behind her gracefully. Her perfectly curled tendrils shook with anger, and her manicured hands wrung in anxiety. He clasped his hands together, resting them on his knees as he sat on the marble steps, attempting to hide his own worry and suppressed the urge to pace behind her.

Ginny didn't think she could handle this. Hundreds of people waited just beyond those wooden doors for her grand entrance. Thousands of flowers adorned theirs seats, the windows and the transfigured altar that stood in place of the Head Table. Rita Skeeter was no doubt scribbling down every tiny detail with her acid green quill, surrounded by wizard dignitaries and the upper crust of their world. They all sat just beyond those immense doors, waiting, wondering, and growing impatient. One woman delayed them all, though only she and Remus knew it.

For the first time in history, Muggle and Wizard alike, Hermione Granger was late.

The reason, however, was unknown to the nervous bride, and Remus knew all her anger and nerves would vanish when Hermione finally arrived. She should have been here by now, with Remus' gift to the woman he thought as a daughter ever since he first saw her. He remembered her wide eyes, the fear and admiration on her face. That year, his first and only teaching at Hogwarts, seemed ages ago, and he felt so much older. Remus glanced back up to find Ginny still pacing, as angry as he had ever seen her. She stopped and faced him, hands on her hips, a perfect image of the woman she once called mother.

"Where is she Remus? We are supposed to go down that aisle in five minutes, and she's still not here! I swear I'm going to hex her into next year if she doesn't show up in the next thirty seconds."

Remus stood and sighed, noticing tears of frustration in her eyes. He took her hands, shaking and cold in his own slightly wolfish ones. "Be calm, Ginny. She'll be here, I promise." Ginny took a deep breath and nodded. He smiled reassuringly just as he heard footsteps descending the stairs.

Ginny looked over Remus's shoulder, ready to berate Hermione for being late, when the angry words caught in her throat. Hermione stood at the top of the steps, clad in a simple amethyst bridesmaid dress with Arthur Weasley standing proudly beside her in brand new dress robes. Ginny couldn't move, tears blurred her eyes and she knew her mouth was hanging open in disbelief. Her father took Remus' place in front of her and smiled. Somehow, Ginny managed to speak. "What are you doing here?"

Arthur smiled, his eyes wet with his own tears. "My only daughter is getting married today, do you think I'd let her be given away by anyone else?" He wiped the tears that had fallen onto Ginny's cheeks and gathered her into a hug. Ginny squeezed back, afraid that it was all a dream, that if she let go he would not be standing in front of her. Remus touched her gently on the shoulder, cutting the reunion short. It was time.

Ginny slipped her arm into her father's awaiting elbow and grinned. For a brief moment, her life felt complete, without worries, a feeling she hadn't had in a very long time. She was marrying the man she loved, truly loved, and her father was there to give her away, despite all of the obstacles life had thrown at her. Suddenly, a question she had to ask formed in her mind. "How did you get away from Molly?" She kept her voice low as Hermione disappeared through the double doors to the Great Hall. He smiled, slightly bitter but mischievous at the same time, and his eyes twinkled in a way she hadn't seen since she was young.

"I took some of Hermione's Muggle sleeping pills and put them in her tea." Ginny had to stifle back proud laughter as she and her father started down the aisle to a beautiful rendition of Ave Maria sung by the wizarding world's leading soprano.

Instead of long tables, comfortable white chairs filled the room, a white runner trimmed with gold satin led the smiling pair down the center of the hall, along with red rose petals under their feet. The afternoon sun filtered through the glass windows, casting a golden light on the entire scene. Ginny's smile reached almost to her ears when her eyes landed on the man waiting for her at the end of the aisle.

Standing beside McGonagall, who beamed proudly, stood Draco, clad in black dress robes, a red rose pinned to his chest added a shocking burst of color. His silver hair was slicked back, gleaming in the light, and his eyes were wide as he took in Ginny's beauty. He too, could not stop grinning, a sight very few had seen, and now he shared it with the whole world.

Arthur and Ginny stopped in front of him, and silently her father took her hand and placed it in Draco's gently. He looked at his emperor with regret as well as happiness, and spoke softly so only the three could hear. "I know I can never be forgiven of separating you two, but I hope I can be accepted by bringing you back together." Ginny tried furiously not to cry and squeezed her father's hand with her free one. "I love you." Arthur smiled at his daughter, kissed her lovingly on the cheek then looked back at his future son-in-law. Draco tried to look intimidating, but the sincerity in his voice, near pleading really, took away any fear he wanted to instill. He instead nodded slowly, and then drew Ginny closer, allowing Arthur to sit down.

The crowd behind them sat as well, a ripple of expensive robes and flashing jewels as McGonagall moved behind the altar to perform the ceremony. Ginny tried to concentrate on the Headmistress' words, but they jumbled when they reached her ears, as her mind was already focused on the happiness she and Draco would enjoy as husband and wife. She smiled again as she pictured their life together, pure joy flooded within her. She glanced over at Draco who was looking at expectantly. She looked over at McGonagall who seemed to be waiting also. Ginny cringed at her own daydreaming and looked back at Draco for help. He shook his head slightly in amusement and mouthed the words "I do." Her eyes widened slightly in shame and fear. Of all the times to let her mind wander! She collected herself quickly and said clearly and with great emotion, "I do." She listened as McGonagall said the same words to Draco, whose answer was equally full of emotion, a shocking sound for all those in attendance. McGonagall could not help but smile as she bid the now joined couple to kiss. Polite applause and flashing bulbs filled the hall, though neither Draco nor Ginny heard it. Their kiss they kept simple for public, yet it was the most intense kiss either had experienced. Ginny wanted to giggle or laugh right out loud with joy as her lips met his. Finally, she would have her happy ending, finally her childhood dreams of a knight came true, though the story in her books were usually less fraught with despair. Draco could help but smile and sigh contently as he pulled away from Ginny-his wife-and knew that he could die, right now, a happy man.

Suddenly, a chorus of screams ripped through the applause and both turned to see Harry Potter in the middle of the room, surrounded by a group of seething wizards. Ginny recognized most of them, all having lost family in the attack last week, and her heart broke to see Dennis Creevy, perhaps the angriest of them all. The Death Eaters moved quickly, attacking every wizard and witch who stood behind Harry. Draco pushed Ginny behind the altar, his wand already in his hand. "Stay here," he ordered harshly.

Ginny struggled to stand, the yards of cloth tripping her. "I will not stay here," she cried indignantly.

Draco stared her straight in the eye, and cupped his face in her hands. "I don't want to lose you so quickly having found you again. Please, stay here." Draco Malfoy had just begged! She wanted so to say no, that she would not be away from the battle, but the pure fear in his eyes made her sit. She nodded and he kissed her quickly before joining the fight. Screams, thrown curses and yelled accusations assaulted her ears, and she wanted nothing more than to cover them and curl into a ball, she had never felt such fear before. She kept her ears open, listening for any sound of someone coming towards her, or worse, Draco's death. She tried not to think such morbid thoughts, but years of losing loved ones let her do nothing else. She panicked as she realized that if someone did attack her she had nothing but her buquet to defend her. She grabbed it, knowing it would do no good, when she felt something smooth and wooden stuck within the silk petal. She gasped in amazement as she pulled out her own wand. Ginny didn't know who put it there, but she thanked them silently before she heard someone screaming her name.

"Ginny, come out from hiding, I want you to see this!" Ginny realized then that most of the cries had died down, and Harry's deranged voice terrified her, yet she didn't move for fear of a trap. "Ginny, I know you're here and I want you to come out, you coward." Her pride leapt in anger at this remark, but she promised Draco she wouldn't leave.

"Ginny, please come out." Draco's hoarse voice startled her, and she slowly stood from her hiding place, her wand gripped tightly in her hand. She gasped as she took in the sight before her: Draco and Harry, their wands pointed at one another, surrounded by dead and dying bodies, smoking and charred seats, even the sun had hidden behind the clouds, all joy in this room gone.

Harry spoke, his green eyes ablaze with insanity and desperation. "You thought you could get away from me? I am the Boy who Lived! I am the most famous wizard in the history of our world and still you picked this second-rate emperor, a man who succeeded the throne through lies and deception over me." Ginny glanced at Draco who stood very still, his hand unwavering, his eyes calmly looking at Harry, yet she could see his muscles taut, ready to spring.

She returned her gaze to Harry, and spoke very softly so not to startle him, but held back no anger from it. "Harry, this isn't going to solve anything. You've just killed innocent witches and wizards out of jealousy and now you think I am going to rush back to you with open arms?"

Harry laughed again, the madness in it sent chills up her spine. "You silly girl," he spat, never taking his eyes of Draco, who remained still and silent through the whole exchange. "I don't want you back, I want you dead." Ginny flinched at this, disbelief flooding her. How had he deteriorated so? What had happened to him? "You left me, without regret, without remorse, and without answers. You were simply itching to get back in his bed, weren't you?" Ginny moved in front of the altar, and Draco flinched, wanting to move, to get her away, but Harry's wand kept him still.

"Harry, that's not true! I feel horrible for the way I left you, but there wasn't any other way!" She was frozen, unsure what to do, how to get Draco out of danger. She hoped that if she distracted Harry long enough, Draco could get free.

Harry rolled his eyes at this excuse and snorted. "No other way? You could have stayed, Ginny! You could have married me." His voice softened slightly and he looked at Ginny longingly in her gown. "You look beautiful in that wedding dress." She smiled, hoping to keep him occupied for Draco was attempting to move behind Harry. He wanted to kill Harry despereatly, but Ginny would never have forgiven him, so knocking him unconscious was the next best choice.

Suddenly, Harry flew back towards the double doors, as though on a wire and landed roughly, his head hitting the floor with a loud crack. Ginny rushed to Draco, who was panting in the effort of his silent spell, and the tension in his body started to melt away. She hugged him fiercely, tears spilling down her cheeks. Draco pulled her away slightly, and smiled reassuringly. "I'm fine, Ginny, don't worry. Are you alright?" She nodded wordlessly, not wanting to let go of him, never wanting to leave him again. He brushed her tears away gently before placing a small kiss on her lips. "We can never have an uneventful day, can we?" She shook her head, afraid that if she spoke she would cry even harder. All her fear was washing away, leaving her feeling week. A harsh cry broke their reunion.

"NO!" They turned to see Harry standing unsteadily, blood pouring down the side of his face. He pointed his wand and yelled the worst curse he could think of. "Avada Kedavra!" Ginny cried out, the green light assaulting her eyes, the rushing of the curse drowning out her voice. She looked over in terror as Draco fell, slowly ever so slowly, to the ground, his hands reaching for her, his eyes blank. She caught his body, though everything felt so sluggish, so slow, she couldn't move as fast as she needed to, and lowered it to the ground. She couldn't think, couldn't move, couldn't see or feel anything but his body, still warm in her arms, warmth that she once craved and was slowly receding. She screamed, an inhuman cry of grief, her body completely consumed by it.

Hermoine, Arthur and Remus rushed in, having just finished containing the last of the rogue wizards to a horrific sight. Harry, slumped on the ground, blood rushing everywhere, Ginny, her dress torn and dirty, tears pouring down her face, screaming at the top of her lungs with Draco, dead in her arms. Hermione was the first to move, rushing towards Harry, seeing if he too, was dead. Remus and Arthur move towards Ginny, who now rocked back and forth, her crying as intense as ever. Arthur placed a hand on her shoulder, and she flinched, turning away from him. Remus crouched down, trying to look her in the eyes, but she wouldn't stop staring at Draco's face.

"Ginny," he said softly, barely audible over her sobbing. "Ginny you need to let go, please, let go." She looked up, her sobbing subdued, as though she didn't realize they were there. Arthur crouched down as well, on the other side of her. She turned to look at him, her watery eyes pleading. "He's gone, he's dead!" Her voice was hysterical and her father could do nothing but nod, tears in his own eyes. Hermione called over to them, Harry was still alive. Anger flooded Ginny, and she gently laid Draco down, only to run at Harry, who was struggling to stand. No one had ever seen or experience such intence fury, and Arthur and Remus struggled to keep her from Harry, having caught her arms just before she reached him.

Her voice however, was deadly calm. "This man performed an unforgivable curse, to which the penalty is death. I want to carry out his punishment." Harry smirked, causing her to scream and lunge at him again. Remus spoke clearly, so she could hear him over her rage. "Do not seek revenge as he did, Ginny. You kill him yourself and you are no better than he." Ginny seemed to sober at this, and yet Arthur and Remus did not release their grips. Slowly, she calmed, her back straightened and her eyes turned cold. Now stood Ginny Malfoy, empress of the Wizarding world. She looked back at Draco's body, lying on the cold floor and fought back the fresh waves of tears. She looked over at the men who still held on to her. "Take the emperor's murderer to the prison, and tell all the wedding guests who remained to leave. Have those from his group you captured to be incarcerated as well." They stood still for a moment, unsure how to take this cool order. "Now," she snapped, and they quickly grabbed Harry who was slowly losing consciousness.

They left in silence, and Hermione stood still, afraid of her friend's new show of power. Ginny looked at the pregnant woman, but let no warmth enter her eyes. "Conjure a stretcher so the emperor's body can be removed and readied for burial." Virginia watched almost from outside her own body as Hermione did as she was told, as Virginia called for Death Eaters to remove Draco's body, as she walked behind them, through the crowds of reporters and stunned bystanders. She wanted to feel grief, that warm, encompansing feeling that gripped her so fiercly moments ago in the Great Hall, but she could not. Emotions were weakness, emotions were her downfall, and she could show no weakness from now on. Emotions made her forget her wand, emotions made her stay behind that altar, and emotions killed her husband. Ginny Weasely, the girl and woman who fought for love would never be seen again, for she died with Draco Malfoy. She vowed to rule as he had before she came to him, and as Voldemort did before him: with fear. Virginia Malfoy would never show emotion again.