The Devil's Gone and Got her Now

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. The song "A Sin Away" belongs respectively to the Kendalls and their affiliates.

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“The Devil’s Gone and Got Her Now”
By C.K. Blake

“The devil’s gone and got me now
Gone and got me now,
I can’t fight him anyway,
I think he’s going to win…”
--The Kendalls “Heaven’s Just a Sin Away”

He couldn’t help rolling his grey eyes as he shook his head at the girl as she frantically dressed and cast repairing and refreshing charms on her clothes, and a drying charm on her hair. He laughed when she tried to pull her jeans up, both legs at the same time and fell back on her bum, swearing soundly. She looked up at him with a glare through the curtain of her red silky hair. He used magic to put on her socks and shoes for her, though oddly enough her left shoe pinched her right foot while her right shoe pinched her left.

“You’re no help at all,” she hissed.

He lifted a brow as she fixed her shoes. “Really? Well I can always help you out of those clothes. I suppose then I would be a help.”

“Argh! I’m going to be late for the train! Why did you have to kidnap me the day before school?” she snapped.

He shrugged. “It seemed as good a time as any. Now you look divine. I’m certain that your parents will be at the train station to see that you show up to collect your trunk. Now, my lady, if you will just hold on to me, I will see to our timely arrival at the train station.”

With a curt nod she took his hand. He snorted and pulled her flush against his body, her arms automatically going around his waist as he brandished his wand and apparated to the train station at platform nine and three quarters. She quickly released him before anyone noticed her arrival with him and she began to head out of the shadowed spot where he’d Apparated them, but his firm hand grasped hers and pulled her back against him. He leaned down and captured her mouth in a searing kiss and she felt something being slipped on her left ring finger.

As she took a step back she looked at him, surprised by his behavior as they were in such a public place, and then she looked down at her left ring finger. Her eyes widened at the sight of the platinum band with the large marquis cut emerald, a small diamond on either side of the emerald, and then she looked back up at him.

“You’re mine now, Ginny. You do remember accepting my proposal? Now you have the ring as proof of that proposal and our engagement,” he replied to her unspoken question.

The girl swallowed thickly before she leaned up and caught his lips in a chaste kiss and at the sound of Harry Potter and her mother calling her name she hurried out the shadows and raced out to the main part of the platform where students were already getting on the train. Hardly watching where she was going she ran headlong into Harry, who caught her in his arms and looked down at her with a shake of his head as he bent down and kissed her cheek.

Ginny pulled back, a fierce rosy hue to her cheeks as Harry’s eyes narrowed on her in suspicion and he asked, “So where have you been Ginny? Imagine my surprise when I took Ron home sloshed out of his mind and your mum asked where you were and why you weren’t with us, after she informed me that you left shortly after Ron for a drink at the Leaky Cauldron.”

She jerked free of his hands which lingered on her arms and hissed, “That is none of your concern Harry.”

“It is when the reason Ron is getting completely pissed is because his baby sister was in love with Draco Malfoy!” Harry snapped.

Before Ginny could respond a cool, clipped aristocratic voice cut in, “And what is wrong with Ginevra having loved my son, Mr. Potter?”

Harry’s eyes widened a fraction before they narrowed and looked at the stately form of Lucius Malfoy. “What are you doing here Malfoy? You don’t have anyone to see off. Your son died awarding you your freedom.”

Lucius looked as though he’d been struck, but his expression quickly changed to one of anger, however Ginny stepped between the two men, and glaring at Harry she said, “He is a free man and can be where he chooses to be, as for his son, Draco didn’t switch sides to free his father. That may have been a part of it, but he switched sides because of me, and he died protecting Hermione, as I asked him to. So don’t you dare say such things to a man who lost his only son and his wife in a war!”

Saving Harry from more of this rant, Ginny’s parents stepped up behind him, Molly Weasley said, “Ginny dear, where have you…?” she was cut short at the sight of Lucius Malfoy standing closely behind her daughter, and her daughter’s angry expression directed at Harry.

“Ginny,” Arthur said, anger in his voice at the sight of his one time rival, “What is going on here? Where were you? You had us worried. And why are you standing in front Lucius Malfoy like he needs someone to protect him?”

Ginny looked from her mother to her father and sighed. “I needed to be on my own last night to tie up some old loose ends. As for Mr. Malfoy here, Harry insulted him and I came to his defense. As you may know he suffered terrible losses in the war. Harry had no right to bring that up in public.”

“Yes, well his losses weren’t entirely unfaulted, were they?” Arthur bit out as he glared at the man.

“Arthur!” Molly scolded. “That is completely uncalled for. The loss of a child or a loved one is terrible for anyone!”

Still before anything further could be said, the train gave a whistle and Lucius, taking Ginny’s left hand in his, bent down and kissed the top of it, and as he righted himself, said with a smirk, “As always Miss Weasley, it has been a pleasure. Gryffindor hasn’t had such a noble knight since the days of Godric himself. Until we meet again, I wish you the very best.”

Molly looked positively scandalized, Arthur was seething and Harry burned with suspicion as Ginny raced to board the train and Lucius, with a flourish, Disapparated.

As Ginny walked down the corridor she sighed, hoping that the compartment she usually stayed in wasn’t occupied. She also hoped that her mother had remembered to pack her Head Girl badge, an honor she’d been notified of a few weeks into the summer. Eventually she reached her usual compartment, slid open the door and saw Luna Lovegood in her usual seat, an odd pair of pigmy pixie wing earrings dangling from her ears and a copy of the Quibbler upside down in the strange girl’s lap.

The girl looked up at Ginny, a small smile on her face, as her blue eyes met Ginny’s brown. Luna tilted her head at her ginger haired friend and asked, “So how was your summer? Mine wasn’t that exciting, it turns out that the Yorkshire Banshee was really a poltergeist.”

“Well, I made Head Girl, but for the most part my summer was uneventful. There was one development, but that happened recently,” Ginny said.

“Head Girl? Why aren’t you on your way to the meeting?” Luna asked, happy for her friend’s accomplishment.

Ginny shrugged and reached for her trunk. “I had a few minutes and I really need to change into my robes before going to the meeting. As Head Girl I have to set an example.”

Luna’s blue eyes widened at the sight of the ring on Ginny’s left ring finger. “So who is your fiancé?”

Ginny blushed and quickly withdrew her hand. Luna reached out and patted the girl’s hand. “A Slytherin is just as good a man as any other. Didn’t think I’d see you with anyone after Draco. It’s good moving on.”

“Yes,” Ginny replied with a small smile as she pulled her robes from her trunk and quickly pulled them over her clothes, adjusting her Head Girl badge over the Gryffindor crest of her robes.

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It was at breakfast on the third day of school that Ginny received a simple brown box tied with string, delivered by an eagle owl. She took the small box from the bird and gave it a bit of her toast, and as she untied the package the box expanded. This caught the attention of most of the Gryffindor table as the box finally stopped growing once it reached the size of a department store box.

A fifth year sitting next to Ginny, Lilac Brown, looked from a surprised Ginny to the package in her arms and then the girl’s eyes widened at the ring on Ginny’s left finger, before she squealed, very much like her older sister, Lavender, would have.

“Ginny! You’ve got a present, and is it from the same man that gave you the ring? You are so lucky! Who is he?” the girl squirmed in anticipation of an answer.

Ginny sighed and rolled her eyes. “Lilac, please, I’m sure it’s something from one of my brothers, or maybe Harry.”

“Harry gave you that ring? Oh Sweet Circe! You’re engaged to Harry Potter?!” the girl shouted and the whole of Great Hall turned stunned and interested eyes on the youngest Weasley. Even the Head Boy, shockingly Colin Creevey of all people, stared at her in surprise.

“I am not engaged to Harry!” Ginny shouted and this made Lilac grin, as the young girl so much like her elder sister replied, “But you are engaged?!”

Ginny stood up and stormed out of Great Hall, the package held carefully in her arms. She was glad she had a free period before her class as she headed to the common room she shared with Colin and ultimately her own private room. Once she reached it, she locked and warded her door and set the box down on her bed. She carefully lifted the lid on the box, and her mouth fell opened as she noticed the large white mother of pearl box that could only be a box of Chartreaux’s Chocolat, the most exquisite and expensive chocolate in the wizarding world. The box was safely nestled in rich, dark blue silk. She took the chocolate out of the box and set it down on her bedside table before she pulled out the blue silk to discover a renaissance style gown that laced up the front, with long bell sleeves, a square cut collar trimmed in crème colored lace, and the long skirt opened to reveal the crème color of an underskirt.

She held the dress against her body and twirled about the room, and when she finally stopped spinning she noticed a piece of fine, folded parchment, it must have fallen out of the box. She carefully set the gown on her bed and picked up the parchment. She unfolded it and read:

My Dear Ginny,

I hope this gift finds you in good spirits at school, and that you find yourself receiving an adequate education. Of course while your education is important, I find that it leaves inadequate time for our courting. You may wonder why I would wish to court my fiancée, as we are already engaged and have gone further than proper courtesy demands, but I feel as though getting to know you is appropriate. Perhaps you feel the same, or this could simply be the rambling of an old man.

I took liberties with the sizing of your garment, though I believe it will fit. I have an eye for such things. I hope you find the gown pleasing. I thought the color would compliment you well, and I cannot wait to see you in it. Would you indulge me in your reply and tell me when your first Hogsmeade weekend is?

In the meantime should you need anything, send an owl and I will respond immediately.

Yours in Adoration,

L.A. Malfoy

P.S. I noticed at the train station your reluctance to inform anyone of our engagement so suddenly. I shall trust in your judgment, however I would be honored to have you on my arm publicly.

Ginny took in a deep breath and let it out in a long drawn out sigh before she sat at the desk in her room, pulled out parchment and quill and began a reply.

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It was Friday in the second week of October, and Ginny was looking forward to the next day, as it was a Hogsmeade weekend and she would be meeting Lucius at the Three Broomsticks where they would apparate to a well-known restaurant in Diagon Alley. It was during lunch at the smell of ham that the familiar bout of nausea struck her. She quickly covered her mouth and bolted to the nearest loo.

She was just getting up from in front of the toilet when she felt a soothing hand rubbing her back and sighed as her friend spoke.

“This is the second week that you’ve been sick, Ginny. It’s time you go see Madam Pomfrey. What if it’s something serious like Snargflat Hogies Cough? Or Nurgle Breath Stomach Flu? You could be terribly ill.”

Ginny rolled her eyes at her odd blonde haired friend, but gave in as the girl led her to the infirmary. Once she’d stepped inside the infirmary, darkness swam into her vision, she began to feel faint and her legs gave way beneath her as she fell into welcoming darkness.

When Ginny came to, the mediwitch was finished with the examination and was giving a stern look to the red headed girl. Ginny winced at the woman’s expression and looked about for her friend, but Luna was nowhere to be found.

“If you are looking for Miss Lovegood I sent her on to class, but you young lady are not going anywhere until I get some answers. First, how will it look having this year’s Head Girl pregnant? What sort of example is that setting for the younger years? Miss Weasley, I will need to contact your parents. Of course I will do so after informing the headmistress. However I would like to know who the father is so that I might inform him and his parents as well,” the mediwitch said.

“Pregnant?” Ginny asked stunned. “Are you certain? I’m pregnant?”

The girl shakily brought her hands to her currently flat stomach and a serene expression flitted across her face as she looked up at the stern looking Madam Pomfrey and then said, “Please, don’t tell my parents just yet. As for this child’s father, I’d rather tell him myself. I’ll see him tomorrow, and then together we will decide how best to tell my parents. Of course we shall probably be married before we tell them, but seeing how we are already engaged this really isn’t as bad as it seems.”

“The child’s father does not attend Hogwarts?” Madam Pomfrey asked, and then she shook her head and smiled ruefully. “Mr. Potter never ceases to amaze me.”

Ginny looked at the woman with a smirk. “And what makes you think this baby is Harry’s?”

The mediwitch was struck dumb by the girl’s brazenness as the girl hopped down from the bed and began to walk out of the infirmary. Just as the girl was about to step into the corridor she called after her, “Just remember Miss Weasley, that you should not Apparate in your condition. It would agitate the child and the chances for splinching yourself increase threefold.”

Ginny shook her head as she headed to her room, having decided to skive off the rest of her classes to adjust to this newest bit of information. As she reached her room her head was swimming with thoughts, wondering how Lucius would accept the news. They’d talked briefly of children that night, and he’d written of it a few times in his letters, but now that it was real… Her stomach roiled as she raced to her bathroom. How could she tell him that she carried his child?

Worry curled deep within her gut, and she only left her room to go down to dinner for the sake of eating for the baby she’d only just discovered. She dodged everyone’s questions about where she’d been through the afternoon classes, and when Luna approached her in the corridor she gave a hasty excuse and hurried back to the seclusion of her room where she tossed and turned in a restless sleep all the night through.

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Lucius was sitting at the bar of the Three Broomsticks, awaiting the arrival of Ginny Weasley. The barmaid had asked if he wanted a drink and he’d declined with the reply that he was simply waiting for someone. Many of the patrons of the tavern watched him with a weary eye, as it was a well-known fact that Lucius Malfoy was a convicted former death eater, despite his aristocratic manner and wealth. His name had suffered many blows since his arrest and the war; still he was very rarely outright disrespected. Though if worse came to worse he could hardly defend himself as his magic was bound to keep him from magically harming others.

Lucius lifted a brow at the sound of the door opening and he turned and saw Ginny Weasley, her long ginger hair flowing about her and down her back, dressed in the blue gown he’d sent her a few weeks before. She was beautiful, and he wasn’t the only man that noticed, as a few male students from Hogwarts who had been enjoying a round of drinks cheered at her and tried to get her attention. Still with her head held high she ignored their catcalls and headed toward Lucius, a small smile on her face, though to Lucius’ experienced eyes she seemed nervous. He noticed the tremor in her steps and how her chest heaved with the effort to breathe. Perhaps she had the dress cinched too tightly, something that he would have been more than happy to remedy for her.

He stood as she finally reached him and took her hand, placing a light kiss on the top of her hand and smiling at her. “You look charming Miss Weasley, now may we be on our way? Our reservation at Chateau d’Avril awaits.”

The girl took a deep breath and looked at him, her eyes wide, and he wondered if they shone with unshed tears. He brought his hand to her cheek as a tear slipped free, not caring that they were attracting an audience. “Ginny, what’s wrong?”

“I can’t go with you to Diagon Alley. I’ll tell you why, but not here,” she replied softly.

He gave her a nod and putting his arm around her shoulders he led them out of the Three Broomsticks. He didn’t stop walking until they had reached the Shrieking Shack and were well out of earshot of anyone, as they hadn’t been followed.

“Well, what is it?” Lucius asked, a cold tone in his voice as he prepared himself for rejection. She had obviously decided to choose her family over him.

Ginny looked up at him, feeling afraid of him for the first time in a long time. She tried to take a deep breath to tell him, but she began to grow faint. Within moments she was lightheaded and falling, but he caught her before she hit the ground and he untied the dress, loosening some of the cinching so she could breathe a little easier, and he tied it for her again.

She blushed slightly and when she looked up at him her brown eyes locked with concerned grey. “Ginny?” he asked, sounding almost vulnerable.

She brought her hands to her face and wiped away the tears as they began to fall. His arms tightened around her as she leaned against him, and slowly he began to rock her, saying nonsensical things that calmed her.

When her tears were finally shed and his robes sufficiently damp, she pulled back and said, “Lucius, I don’t know how to tell you… I know we’ve mentioned it in our letters and we talked about it that night, but… I don’t’ know if I’m ready. My family will have all sorts of fits, and I don’t know how you will react…”

“React to what?” he asked, getting a bit frustrated at how she seemed to be dodging the issue.

“I’m pregnant,” she whispered.

He froze for a moment, wondering if his ears deceived him, or if she’d just said what he thought she said. He drew her closer, his hand lifting to turn her face to his as he looked in her eyes full of fear and worry. “Pregnant, and I am the father,” he said quietly, and a look of awe filled his grey eyes and a small smile tugged at his lips before he bent down and captured the beautiful young woman’s lips in a gentle, lingering kiss.

When he pulled back from the kiss he leaned his forehead against hers and whispered, “Marry me Ginevra Weasley. Marry me tomorrow,” he kissed her again before continuing, “I can make all of the necessary arrangements, and if I remember correctly, the headmistress is ordained to perform marriage ceremonies. We could be married tomorrow and then we’ll tell your parents once we’ve said our vows. Arthur will no doubt try to hex me, and I can only imagine your mother’s reaction once they get over the shock.”

“Not to mention my brothers and Harry,” Ginny grumbled.

He chuckled. “It won’t matter then, because we’ll be married. Say yes, marry me tomorrow. They couldn’t do anything once we’re married.”

“Yes,” she replied with a smile, “But you don’t know my brothers. I’ll more than likely end up a widow before my wedding night.”

“A widow indeed,” Lucius snorted.

She couldn’t help the giggle that erupted from her lips as he stood up and helped her stand and they began the walk back to Hogwarts where Ginny would introduce her fiancé to the headmistress and make arrangements for a private marriage the next day.

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Headmistress McGonagall was still in shock over the Head Girl’s confession from the day before, as she looked disapprovingly at Lucius Malfoy standing calmly by the Rowan tree, awaiting the arrival of his bride-to-be. Of course her doubts of the man’s intentions ceased the moment she saw him stiffen and looked towards the castle, his eyes growing soft and warm as he caught sight of the Head Girl dressed in a simple silk crème colored bodice with a white chemise and crème colored silk skirt that matched the silk bodice. The girl’s red hair flowing down her back as she held a bouquet of white lilies and baby’s breath as she approached the tree where her groom waited.

The headmistress was stunned at the seemingly cold man’s reaction to the girl, and was even more surprised to see the radiant expression on the girl’s face as she stepped beside her groom and handed off the bouquet to Professor Sprout. The headmistress looked about the small gathering, noticing Poppy Pomfrey’s stunned expression at the whole proceeding as well as the stunned expressions of Pomona Sprout and Filius Flitwick.

Minerva McGonagall quickly cleared her throat and looking at the couple standing before her said, “We have gathered here beneath the sacred Rowan to witness the joining of this son and daughter of the Earth. For this to be a true marriage I ask that each of you name three strengths and three weaknesses you see in the other, and then if both of you agree to be bound I will do the honors. Ginny, if you would speak first.”

The girl looked nervously from the headmistress to Lucius, and the nervousness slowly melted away as she took a deep breath and the words fell from her lips. “I find in you Lucius the ability to weather the worst storms, the strength to move on in life, and the courage to find hope. Of course you can be arrogant, conceited, and rather sneaky in acquiring the things you want.”

Lucius chuckled at her last words, and then clearing his throat he said, “I find in you Ginevra the courage I need to hope, an unfailing ability to love, and passion that I fear will never be tamed. Of course you can be obstinate, quick tempered, and too assertive for you own good.”

The headmistress’ eyes widened, but still she looked at the two before her, seeing something so unexpected, emotion and hope and humanity shining in their eyes, she took a braided chord of silver, gold, and white, and said, “With light brought to each of your strengths and weaknesses, if it is still your wish to be joined, then with this chord I shall bind you.”

The two of them nodded, and joined hands, left to left, and right to right, as the headmistress wrapped the chord three times around Lucius’ wrists, thrice around their joined hands, and three times around Ginny’s wrists before she knotted the chord three times and said, “By Wind and Water, Earth and Fire, may all of life’s passions in this marriage inspire. By the elements below and the deities above, may these two be joined, never a doubt in their love.”

At McGonagall’s nod Lucius leaned down and gently kissed his young bride as the headmistress untied the chord. Once their hands were free Lucius turned to the headmistress who had given the chord to Madam Pomfrey while she reached in her pocket and pulled out a medium-sized jewelers’ box. Lucius took the box from her and flipped open the top revealing a matching set of platinum bands, one for a man and the other for a woman. There was an intricate Celtic knot work carved into the bands, and he took the small ring from the box and Ginny looked at him with wide eyes as she lifted her left hand and he slipped the band on her ring finger. She smiled at him and with a trembling hand she took the large ring from the box and slipped it on to Lucius’ left ring finger as McGonagall declared them man and wife.

The small gathering of teachers and mediwitch broke apart and headed back to the castle, leaving the headmistress and the newly weds. Lucius and Ginny began to head back toward the castle but a word from McGonagall stopped them, “Mr. Malfoy, if I might have a word with you in regards to your earlier request to take up residence at Hogwarts while your wife continues to pursue her education.”

“Yes?” Lucius replied with a lift of his eyebrow, as he placed his arm possessively across his wife’s shoulders.

“Well,” McGonagall began and coughed, before she continued, “As you may have heard our Potions professor has been requesting his second retirement, and while your Potions Master certificate is a well kept secret from most, I know of it, and would be pleased if you took the position of Potions professor. With you teaching at the school I would have reason to allow your request to live on school grounds to be close to your wife.”

“I didn’t think Slughorn would last much longer here,” Lucius said with a smirk, as he noticed Ginny looking at him in surprise over the news that he was in fact a Potions Master. He chuckled at her expression and replied, “Ginny, Severus insisted that I join him in pursuit of a Potions Master certificate. I am just as qualified a Potions Master as Severus was, though he had more natural talent in the subject than I did. And yes, Headmistress McGonagall, or may I call you Minerva, I accept the position.”

The woman gave a curt nod as she said, “Very well, I will arrange for suitable housing for you and your growing family, and should I expect you to take up you position of teaching in two weeks? I’m certain that Professor Slughorn will be pleased with these developments.”

“No doubt he will,” Ginny grumbled, having grown tired of Slughorn’s favoritism and classroom antics.

“Yes, in two weeks I think I can look over his lesson plans and make any changes that I see fit,” Lucius replied.

“Oh, and Professor Malfoy, as the only Slytherin on staff once Professor Slughorn retires you will take over as Slytherin’s Head of House,” McGonagall added.

Lucius chuckled at the sour expression on the woman’s face as she began the walk back to the castle, the newly weds close behind as they planned to use her fireplace to get to the burrow and break the news of their marriage to Ginny’s family, all of whom were gathered at the Burrow to hear the news that Headmistress McGonagall had said their daughter needed to break to them once she arrived. Ginny was to go first and after ten minutes, Lucius would follow.

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All of the Weasley family was gathered in the living room of the Burrow, Fred and George, and George’s wife Katie, Ron, Charlie, and Bill’s widow Fleur, as well as Arthur and Harry Potter. Molly was of course frantically working on cleaning the kitchen and looking after the soup and the roast in the oven as she anxiously awaited the arrival of her daughter, wondering what Ginny had to tell them that was so important.

At the sound of someone exiting the floo with a small bout of coughing Molly Weasley rushed from the kitchen, and watched as her daughter cast a refreshing charm on her clothes and face to remove the soot from the floo and looked around at the familiar faces. Molly rushed up to her little girl, gathered her in her arms and hugged her fiercely. Ginny hugged her back and when the two women parted Molly took in her daughter’s appearance, and the lovely crème colored silk bodice and skirt she wore over a white chemise.

“Ginny, how lovely you look dear, what is the occasion?” her mother asked as she took a seat next to her husband on the sofa.

Ginny took a deep breath and looked at every member of her family, lingering on the suspicious expression on Harry’s face and the openly hostile expression on Ron’s, as she finally spoke.

“Well, actually we decided to come here and tell you, we thought it best you all be told in person rather than hear it from Headmistress McGonagall…” Ginny began and was cut short when Ron snapped, “Tell us what? And who is we?”

Ginny narrowed her eyes at her brother, the brother that she’d once been so close to, but things had changed, ever since he found out about her relationship with Draco he’d been indifferent and distant toward her. Shifting her gaze from Ron to her parents she knelt before them and took both of their hands in hers and with a deep breath she said, “Mum, Dad, today I got married. We are expecting…”

“What?!” Molly Weasley shrieked; as her husband pulled his hand free from his daughter’s grasp and drew his wife close to comfort her.

“Married?” Ron bellowed as he walked up to his sister and glared down at her, the rest of the family and Harry watching stunned.

She winced and tears fell from her brown eyes as Ron continued. “What, finally got over your precious Malfoy enough to get knocked up and trap some poor bloke into marrying you? I’m ashamed to call you my sister. You betray your blood and then you pull this? And why weren’t we at the wedding? Was it a Slytherin? Probably Zabini or Nott, they were rather close with your Draco, weren’t they?”

Before Ginny could reply a tall figure emerged from the fireplace, and upon seeing Ginny, he rushed to her side and kneeling down wrapped her trembling form in his arms, before he sharply looked up at the redheaded boy standing over her and glaring at them. Ron’s eyes widened as he realized just who had come to his sister’s side.

“Lucius, you were supposed to wait ten minutes,” she whispered.

He lifted his hand and pushed back the hair that had fallen into her face as he quietly replied, “I couldn’t let you do this on your own. I am your husband, and I should be by your side through the good as well the bad.”

“Lucius?” Arthur said as he looked at the man holding his daughter, and realized it was none other than Lucius Malfoy, former convicted death eater, and his one time rival. “You defiled my daughter and forced her into this farce of a marriage?”

Ginny broke free of Lucius’ arms and stood up before her parents, the rest of her family, and Harry Potter, and looking at her father she said, “He didn’t force me into anything. He was just as lost and destroyed as I was after the war. He lost his wife and son, and I lost Draco. Yes, he sought me out, and he took me to his home, but he did it only because he wanted answers. He wanted to know why Draco said he loved me in his journal. Don’t you ever accuse him of defiling me. Everything that happened was consensual and even before I found out that I was pregnant he proposed. We’ve been talking about marriage for a few weeks now. Yesterday when I told him I was pregnant he suggested that we get married today and I agreed. Headmistress McGonagall performed the ceremony and Lucius is now the new Potions professor at Hogwarts. I’ll understand if you aren’t happy, but I’m finally feeling again, and I’m hoping that you can accept my decision, and our child within this family.”

Harry Potter was the first to respond, as the Weasley family was still reeling in shock, as he said, “It all makes sense now. That night when you told your mum you were meeting me and Ron at the Leaky Cauldron for drinks, and then the next day when you just showed up at the train station and Lucius was there, and that ring you had on, it was the engagement ring, wasn’t it?”

“How very perceptive of you, Mr. Potter,” Lucius replied as he stood and looked the boy over, appraising him, and then continued, “You look so much like your father, but you’re hardly like him at all. You would have made a fine Slytherin. I can see why Draco wanted to call you a friend. He admired you.”

“Oy, George,” Fred said as he nudged his twin in the side to get his attention, and when George turned to look at him, Fred continued, “You don’t think that last batch of Canary Cremes we made were botched and turned out to be a severe hallucinogen, do you?”

George shrugged. “At this point that is as plausible a possibility as this. A Malfoy in the family, can you believe it? A little Malfoy calling us Uncle George and Uncle Fred. At least Percy was disowned, the little swot might have thought this fitting.”

Charlie leaned over in his chair and gave a sharp look to the twins which shut them up before he looked at the tall and regal form of Lucius Malfoy, his long platinum hair bound at the nape of his neck in a black silk ribbon, wearing a white poet’s shirt with ruffles, black breeches, and finely crafted knee-high dragon hide boots. With a look at his sister’s lingering gaze on the man Charlie shook his head and then caught the man’s attention. “So Lucius, what are your intentions towards my sister since you’ve already married her and preserved her honor?”

Lucius looked at the oldest living Weasley sibling and with a grudging respect at the protectiveness he saw in Charlie’s dark blue eyes he replied, “I intend to be the husband to your sister that I failed to be to Narcissa, and the father to this child that I failed to be for Draco.”

There was a hitch in Lucius’ voice at the mention of Draco and this caught most of the family by surprise. Molly stood up and slowly approached the man. She looked him up and down, before she grabbed him and drew him into the customary Weasley hug, and said, “It may take some getting use to, and you may have made mistakes, but you gave the right answer. I may not approve my daughter’s choice right now, but it’s over and done, and I trust her judgment. You be good to her or by thunder you’ll have me to answer to. Welcome to the family.”

“Molly!” Arthur began, and Harry had to hide his smile as Molly Weasley fixed her husband with a fearsome glare.

“Arthur, I just welcomed our daughter’s husband to the family, now you do the same!” she scolded.

Looking cowed, Arthur grudgingly held his hand out to Lucius and Lucius shook his hand, and then turned to Ginny and bent down to press a light kiss to her lips. Kate and Fleur sighed at the sight before Fleur, being hormonal from her pregnancy and having lost Bill in the war only four months earlier, broke down into tears and sobbed.

Molly invited her daughter and Lucius to dinner, and Ginny nodded their acceptance and as the family moved toward the kitchen Harry followed and Ron drew up to him, “Bloody hell, the devil’s got my sister in his clutches. How do we fix it?”

Harry sighed and shook his head as he looked from the newly weds back to his best friend and said, “Ron, they look happy, and I think Lucius really cares for your sister. How do you intend to fix what’s not broken? Just accept it. He may be a devil or a cad or a complete pillock, but he’s family now, and besides soon there will be a little Malfoy running about calling you Uncle Ron and me Uncle Harry.”

“Blimey, Harry, the world has gone and flipped topsy-turvy and all about arse backwards,” Ron replied.

Harry shrugged a non-committal reply and wondered what Lucius would do when he found out that Ginny was carrying a daughter rather than a son. Sometimes Harry appreciated the after effects of his last battle with Voldemort, and his powers of visual empathy was something he greatly appreciated, especially as he had looked at Ginny and saw the little girl growing within her womb…

End.

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