Title: Intrinsic fraud
Rating: PG13/R
Possible Spoilers/Warnings: Deathly Hallows Spoilers, language and references to sex, I don’t now own Harry Potter or the rights to the lyrics of Maroon 5 which were used in the story as inspiration for some bits of dialogue.
Summary (if fic): Memories were personal, in her opinion. They should not be displayed in a public trial for all those who want to see. Unfortunately, she had given up her right to privacy about five hours ago, when she had agreed to stand witness and give memories in defence of Draco Malfoy.
Intrinsic fraud
Summer of 1999.
Frustrated, Ginny threw down her wand and glared at the source of her aggravation on her desk in her old room at the Burrow. Her memories were swirling in a stone basin; silver mist lingering above the essence of her secrets. Wondering how she got herself into this situation in the first place, she blew at the strand of copper red hair that had fallen into her line of vision.
It was her own fault, really. She had agreed to do this. Therefore, she should be frustrated with herself. But the task she had set out before her seemed damn, near impossible to do on her own.
What she was doing was illegal, intrinsic fraud. She was tampering with evidence; evidence that will hopefully help another escape imprisonment, but also reveal a secret that she was planning on stowing away for about, oh eternity.
Memories were personal, in her opinion. They should not be displayed in a public trial for all those who want to see. Unfortunately, she had given up her right to privacy about five hours ago, when she had agreed to stand witness and give memories in defense for a trial.
Finally giving up, she left her childhood room in search of the one person who would be able to help her, if she agreed.
Ginny found Hermione reading a book on the overstuffed couch in the sitting room. Ginny studied her for a moment, as she flipped the pages, mentally noting the book she was reading.
“Hermione?”
She jumped, dropping the book. “Ginny, you scared me,” she said, retrieving the tome, “Are Ron and Harry back yet?”
“No they aren’t. Mum and Dad are still at the ministry too.” Ginny said, trying to shake her voice of the anxiousness she felt. Hermione would not do this for her unless she gave her consideration in return. How irritating…
They had all been at the ministry for many hours today. Many of the remaining trials were scheduled for the Death Eaters that were charged with lesser crimes or who had helped the Order in some way or another during the war. Her family along with Harry and the surviving Order members had been helping over the past year and a half as much as they could to restore order to the wizarding world and bring justice to those that deserved it.
“They’ve been there since we left, haven’t they? I hope they’ll be back soon,” Hermione said, placing the book back on the shelf, “It’s Malfoys’ case they’re working on right now, isn’t it?”
“Yes, that’s why I came down here, I-”
“I don’t know why Kingsley put your name on the list of witnesses,” Hermione said, cutting her off, “I understand that you were at school with him during some of his seventh year, but you were a year below him and barley saw him. Not like you wanted to be near him or anything, he was a known Death Eater and all....”
It was a shock to her family when Kingsley had asked her to stand witness for Draco Malfoy’s trial. To be a qualifying witness, the defendant must submit a witness and have he or she approved by the Wizengamot. The tentative witness must willingly accept and present memories as evidence to the court and stand witness for those memories at the trial. Her family was, to put it lightly, very upset about this.
*****
“My daughter doesn’t need to relive the memories of this war!” Her mother said tearfully.
Harry had stayed silent though, but his stare pierced her as she looked up at Kingsley. Harry was also asked to be a witness, along with others. She wasn’t sure what the meanings behind his eyes were; all she knew was that her options were very slim.
If she accepted, they would know. If she denied the offer, her family would wonder why she was picked. Was there something that they didn’t know? What could their precious Ginny known about a Death Eater? Well, she knew something. Either way she would have consequences.
“My baby sister knows nothing about him! He was horrible to her in school, why would any of her memories help Malfoy? She would never--”
“I’ll do it.”
The protesting stopped there. The room went silent as her family closed their mouths and began thinking why she would agree or what she knew. Her name appeared in gold letters on the enlarged parchment under the witness column behind Kingsley.
“Very well. We will need the memories of all witnesses before noon tomorrow. After evaluation of the memories by the court, the trial will be set to begin on the following day at nine am. ”.
*****
Hermione eyed her suspiciously, “Did you know him, Ginny?”
Still frustrated with her memories or her family’s reaction for that matter, she was getting annoyed with Hermione.
“Would I have agreed to it?” she snapped, tired of her inquiry, “You’re a smart girl, why would I be on the witness list of a person who I never knew?”
Hermione frowned. Ginny normally didn’t talk to her like this. Ron, maybe, but she was generally nice to her. There was something she was hiding.
“Is there something you’ve been hiding from us?”
“I’m aloud to have secrets Hermione. Or am I too young to have the privilege of that as well?” She snapped, glaring at Hermione.
“Ginny, it was for your own safety that you didn’t come with us went we went to look for -”
“Apparently I lost the privilege to make decisions on my own as well!”
Hermione went silent. Ginny ran her hand through her hair, trying to calm herself. She hadn’t lost her temper like that in a long time, since they had had their last and final fight.
She had to calm down. She needed Hermione to help her.
“I’m sorry Hermione. It’s just with finishing up the war trials and Harry and I just moving in to our flat and just him and I in general…I’m just a little stressed.”
“What’s wrong with you and Harry?” concern evident in her voice.
That’s just what Ginny wanted; this was her chance to ask her.
“I need your help with something.”
“Ginny, of course I’d help you with anything, especially with Harry.” She said with a smile.
“Come with me.” Ginny turned and went in the direction of her room, trying to mask the disgust on her face. When it came down to Harry, it was important, ‘especially with Harry.’
Hermione followed and when she came into the room, she shut the door behind her and placed a locking and silencing charm on the door.
Hermione looked apprehensive now, “Ginny…what’s going on?”
“I need you to modify a memory.” She said quickly, trying to listen for any movement in the house.
“You need me to modify a memory?” Hermione asked, confusion etched across her face, “The one for Malfoy’s trial? Why?”
Ginny sat down on her bed before answering her.
“It will…complicate things between me and Harry.”
Realization dawned on Hermione’s face. “Ginny, please tell that you didn’t-“
“Technically, Harry and I were broken up.” Ginny said calmly, looking Hermione straight in the eyes.
“How could you do this to Harry, Ginny? With his enemy?” anger evident in her voice, “After everything he has been though, after all he did for the wizarding world, you go and -”
“Draco’s not entirely his enemy; he was asked to stand witness and agreed--”
“Oh it’s Draco now?!”
“Hermione…”
Hermione looked away from her. She looked disgusted with her. She was angry, but in Ginny’s mind she had no right to be. Why was she expected to wait forever for the boy who lived? Was she expected to wait if he had decided to move onto another woman after the war? It was never set in stone that they were to get back together and - wait, she loved Harry. She shouldn’t be thinking like this. Not after what she did to him., after what she went through to be with Harry again. She had to stop contradicting herself. It wasn’t fair for her to think like this for herself and to Harry…
“I’ll do it on one condition,” she said with conviction, “You must promise to tell Harry everything after the trial is over.”
Ginny had to struggle very hard to restrain her smile. Hermione was very predictable. Smart, but predictable.
“I promise.”
Hermione relaxed visibly then. “Where is it?”
“Right here,” Ginny said standing up, “We’ll go together and I’ll tell you what I want modified.”
Hermione nodded and both girls leaned over the stone basin and tipped into Ginny’s memories.
September 1997
Ginny flinched as the doors to the castle closed with a thump.
She had just finished detention with Hagrid in the Forbidden Forest, harvesting potion ingredients. Even though she just finished detention, she was out of bed after curfew and she would still get points or better yet another detention if one of the Carrows or a prefect caught her.
She was given the detention for trying to steal the sword of Gryffindor out of Snape’s office. It wasn’t his and it rightfully belonged to Harry. Neville and Luna were with her as well, what was left of Dumbledore’s army.
She crept across the Great Hall towards the grand staircase, careful not make any noise
“10 points from Gryffindor” A smug voice from behind her called, as she jumped onto the wrong stair and fell into the trick step of the grand staircase.
Lovely, she thought to herself. She knew who that voice belonged to. Who else could sound arrogant and condescending just by the tone of their voice?
“Can I help you with something, Malfoy?” She asked, trying to pull her leg out of the trick step.
Chuckling, Draco came closer to observe her dismay.
“So, what brings the Weaselette out after curfew?” he asked, climbing a few steps above her.
“None of your business,” she grunted as she gave a big heave upward on her leg.
“Oh, I remember now,” he sneered, “How was your detention?”
“Just smashing, really. I had so much fun gathering potion ingredients and ruining my good robes, thank you.”
Draco looked down at her robes, noticing for the first time that they were completely filthy. How did he miss that? Usually, her appearance was the first he would ridicule her about. He was losing his touch.
“I didn’t know you had any ‘good’ robes, they all seem to look like that.”
If she didn’t have her left foot stuck in that trick step, Draco was sure he would have relived that hex she had casted on him back in his fifth year. Hiding his visible discomfort with a sneer, he ran a hand through his hair.
“Why don’t you leave me alone? Go off with your Death Eater friends and come up with some more ways to make your daddy proud!” she gritted out, “Oh, I forgot, you can’t do anything without daddy giving you permission.” She finished cheekily.
If she wasn’t so preoccupied with her situation, she would have noticed his sneer turn into a menacing glare.
“Don’t you dare talk to me about things you do not know.” He said moving down a few steps to come face to face with her.
She jumped and fell backwards, coming to a sit on the step above her. Looking up at him, she thought that maybe she had gone a little too far.
“Not so brave now, without your precious Potter here to save you?” He spat, kneeling in front of her, wanting to see the fear in her eyes.
What he saw was not expected. Her eyes went blank, seeming to stare right through him. It looked like she had stopped breathing for a moment, but that moment passed quickly and her eyes blazed with fury and locked with his.
“How dare you assume that you know anything about me,” she said in a deathly calm voice, so low that Draco had to lean in to hear her, “How do you know how I feel about a boy who can’t see what is right in front of him?”
She grabbed the front of his shirt pulling him face to face with her. “How do you know what it feels like to have every decision of your life made for you by everyone but yourself?!”
She shoved him back away from her. He stumbled down a step before regaining his balance, surprise evident on his face.
She was glaring at him, as though he was the source of her tribulations.
Draco sneered. “Well, it seems the littlest Weasley has some fire in her.”
She blew out a breath of air in frustration and looked away from him. This gave Draco the chance to take a good look at her. He had never looked at her this close before. Her copper red hair was pulled back into a knot secured by a broken quill. Her eyes were a dark, deep chocolate. Her cheeks tinged pink with frustration. Somehow, during the time between now and before she walked up to the stairs, her robes had fell open and the top two buttons on her blouse had ripped open, showing ample cleavage that he had never noticed throughout his seven year stay at Hogwarts.
A Weasley? He had to get a grip.
“Go away Malfoy”
Draco looked down to see her trying to hide the few stray tears that had fallen. He sighed, knowing he was going to do the most unMalfoyish thing he had ever done in his life. He climbed up the remaining steps between the two and kneeled behind her.
Startled by his movement, Ginny jumped and tried to move away from him.
Struggling to grab her, he took a hold of her upper arms.
“What are you doing?” She shrieked.
“I’m trying to help you, now hold still,” he commanded.
She stopped moving and he pulled her out onto the step he was standing on.
Her back was up against his chest. Both of them froze, neither of them had ever been this close to one another before.
Jumping away from him, Ginny stumbled down the last three steps of the staircase, landing on her knees. Putting her head in her hands, she wished he would just disappear.
Draco looked down at her, contemplating on what to do. Breaking him of his thoughts, he heard her sniffle.
“How pathetic are you, Weasley?” He spat, before he could stop himself, “You do not know how good you have it. There are people out there that have worse lives than you.”
Her head snapped up, eyes red and glaring daggers at him.
“Oh really,” she snapped, picking herself off the floor and stepping towards him, “I’m guessing you know who has a worse life than I? I’m guessing you tortured them, you Death Eater!”
Ginny knew she had said the wrong thing after his face contorted with fury.
“How dare you,” he growled, “You know nothing about me, you know nothing about my life and nothing about what I have gone through.”
He advanced towards her, closing the distance that was left between them.
“Don’t you dare accuse me of crimes I did not commit! Of crimes I had to witness…” he said furiously, “Don’t judge me on the dealings I was forced to do.”
He looked away from her then, his eyes vacant. And then he was gone.
It only to her a moment to spin on her heel towards the dungeons and sprit after him.
He wasn’t far by the time she caught up to him.
Draco stopped walking, at the sound of her approaching steps.
“Go away Weasley,” he said unemotionally, his back to her.
She didn’t know how to respond. She should have gone back to her common room, but she was here. She wanted answers. She couldn’t leave her mind like it was.
He turned around to face her, his face twisted into a sneer. “Do you really think, I’d tell you?”
Taken aback Ginny answered. “Tell me what?”
“Don’t play stupid, Weasley, it’s unbecoming of you.”
“I don’t understand. Why would you say those things if-”
“I didn’t mean to say those things to you,” he said, his voice icy.
“Well you did, and I’m not leaving until I have answers” she snapped.
He chuckled, “I’m not one of your family members or friends you can get an answer from. I think you have forgotten who you are talking to.”
“No I have not. I am talking to you, Malfoy, and you said those things for a reason.”
“Stop looking.”
“Stop looking for what?” she asked confused.
“Stop looking for the good in people, especially me.”
“Malfoy-”
“Weasley, there is nothing you could do for me. I’m trapped. This is it, there is nothing you could do,” he snarled.
“I could offer you protection; the Order could offer you protection.”
“Yes, and bloody Potter and your family will welcome me with open arms.”
“Why wouldn’t they?”
A bitter laugh erupted from him. “You are very naïve, Weasley. You have not even heard my explanation, my story, my past; and you are offering me protection. Your family and Potter would not offer the dirt beneath their shoes and I believe you know that already. So stop being thick.”
She paused for a moment and studied him. Why was she here? Was she wasting her breath? This person had done nothing for her but tease and disrespect her, so why would she help him?
She knew why. He had said it before. The good, the good in people. There is always some good in everyone. She had to find out if Draco Malfoy had any in him.
“So you’re telling me that you aided in killing Dumbledore because you chose to?”
His eyes narrowed in the dark corridor as he stepped towards her and backed her up against a door to one of the potion labs, placing his hands on each side of her on the doorframe.
“I was forced,” he spat, “It was complete the mission or have my family killed. What would you have done in my situation? Would you have watched your mother die? I sure as bloody hell was not going to. Not that I give a bloody fuck about my father. A father who forced me to follow a half-blooded lunatic and beliefs that are not even my own!”
Frustration, defeat, and remorse filtered across his face. He began to pull away from him, when Ginny grabbed his upper arm.
He turned to look at her oppressing hand before locking eyes with her.
“You don’t have to do this alone” she said quietly, eyes pleading.
Without thinking, he kissed her with bruising force, like it was the last thing he was going to do. To her own surprise she kissed him back, bringing her hands up to his hair. Draco fumbled behind her for the doorknob as he began nipping her neck. Finding the knob, he pushed the door open and both of them stumbled into the room and out of sight. .
*****
Hermione finished the last spell and glanced at Ginny. “Alright Ginny, it looks okay to me,” she said staring at the stone basin, “It seems Draco may be able to get off just on your memories alone…”
“I’m sorry to do this to you Hermione.” Ginny said.
“It’s alright Ginny, as long as you tell Harry. He deserves to know and…” Hermione stopped as Ginny moved behind her with her want raised
“Ginny what are you-”
“Stupefy!”.
The spell erupted from Ginny’s wand and hit Hermione, causing her to fall onto her bed. Ginny approached her as she chuckled.
“Smart girl, but predictable…Obliviate!” .
Ginny quickly levitated Hermione into the sitting room. Glancing at the clock, four hands began to move to traveling. She placed her on the overstuffed couch and retrieved the book she had been reading from the shelf and placed it on her lap. Running out of the room she heard the backdoor to the kitchen open.
“Evenerate!” she whispered, aiming the spell at Hermione from the hallway, just before Ron and Harry went into the room.
“Wake up!” She heard her brother say, most likely shaking Hermione in the process.
“When did you guys get home?” she said groggily, “I don’t remember falling asleep…how long have I been sleeping for?”
“Not sure, Ginny around?” Harry ask
“In her old room I think” Hermione said.
Hearing approaching footsteps, Ginny closed the door to her room.
*****
Late Summer 1999.
“Based on the evidence and the statements of witnesses presented to the Wizengamot, the court has found Draco Malfoy in the case of Malfoy v. Wizarding Britain., not guilty of all crimes accused,” said the Chief Warlock, banging is gavel on the wood.
Shocks of outrage echoed the courtroom, mixed with gasps and cheers.
Ginny sat still, unsure of how she felt. Harry sat next to her watching her every move. He had been watching her very closely since she agreed to stand witness for Draco. He hadn’t spoken to her much over the days preceding the trial either. Most likely the result of the evidence she submitted, since he had privilege to view it before the trial. It was resounding, that her evidence was the most helpful and valuable out of all other memories.
The memory, though far from its original version, shocked her family. The tampered memory made it seem like it was by chance Draco had said those things to her and that they never communicated after that. But of course, no one knew that the memory presented to the court was missing bits.
Well, except for one person and that said person was staring at her at that very moment from the bottom of the court room.
Not looking at him, she stood and followed Harry out of the court room.
She couldn’t see him. She didn’t want to see him. It would undo everything she had tried to prevent today. What had happened between her and Draco was history and that was all it would ever be, not the present or future.
Harry Potter was her future. Her family was her future, and Draco Malfoy was never going to be apart of it. Although he had put up a very good defense for their future, she knew it could never be. Not after what she had done to him, or said for that matter…
*****
“Early May 1998
What do you mean it’s over?” Draco said coldly.
“Draco, you never believed that this was going to go anywhere did you?” Ginny said, resting her hands on the stone wall, looking down at the grounds from the Astronomy Tower.
It was night. No clouds in the sky, allowing clear view of the stars. She saw him moving out of the corner of her eye, coming to a rest next to her.
She turned to look at him, noticing that he was trying to calm himself.
“Do you think that I would risk my life meeting you in abandoned classrooms in the middle of the night for fun? Did you think I just wanted to fuck with you? I have many women that would easily have filled your knickers that wouldn’t get me killed.” He spat, taking her shoulders and making her face him.
She knew this was the only way to end it. She had to hurt him, otherwise this would never end.
“I’m sorry that you thought so highly of me, Malfoy,” she said calmly, locking eyes with him, “But, you have had the wrong impression of me.”
“So you lost your virginity to me for what?” he spat, his grip tightening on her shoulders, “You’re lying!”
“We’re in a war, who knew what would happen?”
“So what was I?” he said icily, “A temporary replacement for your precious Potter?”
“Draco, you know that -“
“Did he promise to wait for you Ginny? Did he promise that he would be faithful? He could be with someone else at this very moment. He could be with Granger. It was never set in stone that you two would get back together after he becomes the hero and-“
“I love Harry.” She said with vindication.
Draco laughed coldly, releasing her from his grip. “So you love Potter do you?”
“I never said that I loved you Draco and-“
He pushed her up against the stone wall and ran his hands up her shirt. “Do you love it when I touch you?” he asked as he moved his fingers around the waistband of her knickers. “Don’t you love it when I make you moan, when I make you shiver beneath me, when I bring you to places that Potter has never even dreamed off?”
Draco kissed her collar bone and moved to licked her neck, making Ginny moan.
He pulled away as soon as the sound escaped her. The loss of his body heat made her shiver.
“You disgust me.” He said, his face contorted with anger, “I do not like being used and I do not like to be lied to.”
Ginny stayed silent, trying to keep her tears at bay. This had to be done. They had no future and this was to make it certain.
“For once, Ginevra, you have nothing to say,” he chuckled.
“Our families would never have approved,” she said quietly, not meeting his eyes.
“Our families didn’t need to approve! Was everything that you told me a lie? I thought you didn’t want your family to make decisions for you anymore. I thought you were going to take control of your life. I thought that-“
“I have control of my life!” she screeched
“Potter has control of your life and Potter has control over your family! Hell, he’ll have control over the wizarding world once this war is over!”
“You’re wrong!”
“No Ginevra, you are wrong,” he said in a whisper, the tenderness of his voice shocking her.
He moved closer to her then. He ran his hand across her cheek and placed a strand of hair behind her ear.
“Please tell me you’re lying; please tell me you are making a mistake.”
She locked eyes with him. His eyes were full of hope and fear. Hope that she never should have given him.
“You were a mistake.”
She heard him take a sharp intake of breath. He looked like he had been petrified.
He dropped his hand and glared at her hard. He began walking towards the staircase to leave the tower when he stopped and glanced at her over his shoulder
“One day Ginny, when it gets cold and dark and Potter isn’t there to comfort you because he’s out saving the world again, you’ll know then that you made the mistake.” .
*****
She shivered at the memory.
As she was walking, someone tapped her on her shoulder.
She let go of Harry’s arm and turned around to face the person.
“May I have a word with you?”
Harry grabbed a hold of her hand and tugged her before she could give a answer.
She wrenched her hand out of his grip.
“I’ll just be a minute,” she said.
Walking back, she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.
“I see you can make some decisions for yourself.”
“What do you want Malfoy?” she said irritated.
“Oh so it’s Malfoy now? I don’t recall you ever screaming out the name Malfoy in bed. It was always-“
“Alright! What do you want?” she whispered, trying not to cause a scene.
“Well, I guess you haven’t told your precious Potter about us,” he said jerking his head in Harry’s direction, “I don’t suspect you ever will, given the memory you supplied to the court.”
“Did you have a reason for calling me over here?” she snapped.
“I wanted to say thank you.”
“What for?”
“Don’t be daft, Weasley.”
“There is no reason to say thank you. Look if we’re quite done here, I need to get back.”
“You lied to me.”
“I didn’t lie to you about anything.”
“You lied to me that night we were in the tower, I didn’t see or understand it then.” He said, stepping towards her.
She stepped back. “I believe you are confused, there was never anything between us. This is the last time you will ever speak to me. I thought the tower was going to be the last, but I felt that I had a duty to help you. And I have fulfilled my obligation to you and we can now part ways,” she said, trying to convince herself.
“Keep telling yourself that. There may not be another way to convince you, Ginevra, so I guess I’ll have to find a new way in,” he said quietly.
“I beg your pardon?” she asked confused.
“You still feel for me, Ginevra. Do you remember how my body tastes; do you shiver every time you hear my name? I remember all of this about you. Remember? Fingers through your hair, kisses on your back, your nails running down my back,” he snickered, seeing her visibly shiver, “You saved me from myself and showed me how to care, you think I’ll just walk away from that?”
She just looked at him.
“It’s time to make decisions for yourself, Ginevra.”
“I need to go,” she said looking behind her to see where Harry was.
She turned back to look at Draco, but found that he disappeared. Looking around the ministry lobby, he was no where in sight.
“What was that about?” Harry asked, irritation and impatience evident in his tone.
“It was nothing,” she said, falling into step next to him, “he just wanted to thank me for submitting evidence.”
“I see,” he said, not believing her, “I won’t be back at the flat for a few days. I need to sort some things out at the Ministry with Kingsley.”
She didn’t respond, thinking about the last thing Draco had said to her before he fled the tower that night.
Walking towards the exit of the Ministry, she looked around once more to see if she could find him.
With one last glace she left the Ministry, wondering if she had made the right decision during that night a year and a half ago.
ORIGINAL REQUEST:
What would you like to receive?
The tone/mood of the fic: Angsty, snarky, even dark. Just not fluffy. I have a weakness for hate!sex and dubcon (though smut is not a requirement)
An element/line of dialogue/object you would like in your fic: I'd like an epilogue compliant fic set during the time period right after DH and before Ginny and Harry's marriage.
Preferred rating of the the fic you want: G to NC-17
Canon or AU? Canon
Deal Breakers (what don't you want?): If you're writing smut, no extreme kinks please. I'd also prefer no references to children. I'm not too big on side pairings unless they're essential to the story.