The Silver Envelope

Comsidering the Alternative

The moment the front door of Grimmauld Place closed behind Ron, Ginny rounded on Harry.
"This is the worst idea you've ever had, Harry. And that's bloody saying something."
Ginny had made a promise to Harry not one hour previously, and already she found herself breaking it. If Hermione agreed to the plan, Ginny would back off that's what she had agreed.
Harry sighed. They'd been arguing about this for two days now. Ginny was tired of it too, but she couldn't let up.
"Then by all means, tell me what to do instead," Harry said frustratedly.
"Not this!" Ginny shouted. "Bloody anything but this! They hate each other, Harry, and not for nothing! Ron's been horrible to her!"
"If he's been so horrible, why hasn't Hermione said anything? Why did she wipe that film?" Harry said. "Look, I believe you," he added, backing off when he saw the angry steam building up in her face. "Really. Ron can be a real git sometimes. But I think you might be a bit biased, Ginny. He is your brother. Even Hermione didn't want to print those photos just to make Ron look bad. I have to believe that she can make her own decisions.
Ginny closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. Harry waited quietly for her.
She hated this. They hadn't even been married a full month, and already a wedge had been driven between them. Over her stupid, wanker brother, of all things.
"This is different, Harry," Ginny insisted. "He's...I don't know, he's been different. You saw how he acted when Hermione was over here for dinner. I'm worried about putting them together, even in public. I feel like he might do something to Hermione."
Harry furrowed his brows in concern.
"Ron and Hermione fight all the time," Harry said. "This is nothing new. The only thing that's different is that they've finally split up. And besides, Hermione can defend herself. She's the most talented witch I've ever met. If Ron was truly stupid enough to try to do something to her, she would knock him on his arse, no problem."
Ginny looked away from him. The urge to chew on her fingernails was overwhelming, but they were still covered in that stupid acrylic stuff Valmai had insisted she get for the wedding.
"Look, they're not going to interact much, Gin," he reasoned. "They're just going to take a few photos, maybe go on a date or two in public. All we need is enough press coverage to convince people they're really back together, and then we drop the bomb on Johanna. No one will trust anything she says after we make it obvious that she's going after Hermione to get to Ron.
Everyone will dismiss her as jealous and petty."
Ginny's nostrils flared angrily.
"Right, so encouraging everyone to be sexist about it is going to fix everything."
Harry took a slow step toward her, as carefully if he was approaching a Hippogriff. She let him
take her hand gently.
"Ginny, if there was another way, I would do it in a heartbeat. But when you consider the threats Hermione is facing at the moment, Ron is the least of them," he said.
Ginny kept her eves away from him, unconvinced. He certainly knew more than she did about the threats Hermione had recently received, but Ginny had a hard time believing that this asinine idea was really worth it.
"Gin.
," Harry said, letting out a resigned sigh. "I'm going to tell you something, but it can't leave this room. Got it?"
Ginny met her husband's green eyes, taking in his serious expression.
"Alright," she whispered.
Harry hesitated for another moment before speaking.

"Hermione got several cursed letters last week. Ones that, if she had opened them, would have killed her within minutes. And another two that might have left her permanently scarred or disabled."
Ginny's blood ran cold. Harry went on.
"Another letter contained photographs of her leaving her flat, and shopping in Diagon Alley," he
said.
"Someone's been following her?" Ginny gasped.
"Yes. And it's not just her mail. Multiple people have attempted to breech the enchantments we placed around her home. We think one or two might be paparazzi, but if it's not, it's a huge concern for her safety."
Ginny's body was covered in chills. She wasn't sure she could feel her own feet.
"Hermione's life is in danger, Ginny," Harry said. "People, multiple people, want her dead over Johanna's lies. I'm doing everything I can to find Johanna, but until we catch her, I have to do what's necessary to protect Hermione. I know she's angry with Ron, but it's this or shipping her off to a safe house somewhere across the planet until everything blows over."
Which Hermione would never agree to. Not when it would mean abandoning her work.
"I still can't believe she said yes," Ginny said numbly.
Not that Harry would care, but Malfoy was going to be crushed. Hermione had obviously had a falling out with Malfoy at the wedding. She hadn't said much about it, but from the destroyed film and the look of bereft apathy that had settled permanently onto Hermione's face since then, Ginny had made an educated guess.
It wasn't right. She and Malfoy were against all odds strangely perfect for each other. When she'd seen them together at her wedding, it had all clicked into place. Ron was all wrong for a brilliant witch like Hermione. She needed someone who would give her the room she needed to stretch her wings and soar as high as she possibly could. A rich, cocky bastard who happened to be completely whipped for Hermione might be just the man for the job.
And now here came her brother, ready to ruin everything as usual.
"Hermione agreed to this plan because she knows it will reduce the most amount of harm at the least cost to her," Harry said. "I don't like it either, trust me. But it's the best shot we've got."
"He's going to do something stupid and ruin it, Harry. Mark my words," Ginny said, using her eyes to plead with her husband.
"Alright," Harry said. "I hear you. How about this?"
He took her chin in his fingers, tilting her face up to his.
"I promise that I won't leave the two of them alone. Not for a moment. Every photography session, every fake date- I'll be there to run interference," he said.
Unease bubbled in Ginny's stomach.
Harry did have a point though Ron was a git, he at least didn't want Hermione dead. It was a vast improvement over the alternative.
"Fine," Ginny agreed softly. "But...at least let me write to Malfoy."
"Absolutely not," Harry said, his face hardening. He backed away from her, stiff and angry.
"Malfoy is the exact kind of person we need to be keeping Hermione safe from. We cannot trust
*Malfoy is falling in love with Hermione, Harry!" Ginny shouted. "It's obvious! You should see them together!"
"Malfoy is the most manipulative little sneak we know!" Harry retorted. "I agreed to let him come to the wedding, but I draw the line at letting him in on our secret plans. Hermione's life is at stake, Ginny," he reminded her forcefully. "Some romantic idea of the two of them together is not worth risking her life over."
Ginny wanted to punch something, hard.

How could she possibly make Harry believe that Malfoy, the boy who'd bullied and belittled him for years, the boy who'd become the youngest Death Eater in history, was falling in love with their muggle-born friend? There was too much history.
Harry sighed.
"Alright. How about this: if Hermione wants to tell Malfoy about the plan, she's welcome to do so.
But let her do it. You stay out of it, alright?" he said.
Ginny was silent for a long time.
Harry waited for her. He looked like a living apology, but she knew he wouldn't ever regret doing something to protect the people he loved most.
Wordlessly, Ginny nodded her agreement.