Nothing seemed different about today. It was just another average, if somewhat overworked, day as Assistant Chief of the Auror Department. Harry had become an Auror officially about two years after Voldemort's demise, and had married Ginny a year after that. Two years after what Witch Weekly called "The Wedding of the Century," Harry had found his wife very pregnant with their first child. The healers at St. Mungo's said that it would be a girl and that Ginny was due in three months, although they said that the risk of complications for this particular pregnancy were particularly high. The healers recommended that Ginny stay at home for the duration of the pregnancy, and she should also avoid all forms of magical travel. This happened to include apparation. Under any other circumstance Harry knew that Ginny would hate staying at home, but she never complained.
So what made this particular day very not average was the fact that Ginny was nowhere to be seen when Harry arrived at Grimmauld Place that evening.
"Ginny!" He called out; there was no answer.
Harry continued to make his way through the house, which Ginny had made quite a bit more cheerful during the past few months, although despite several well attempted attempts (one involving trying to take the wall down) they still couldn't get rid of the portrait of Mrs. Black. She also managed to keep the entire house immaculate. Harry guessed that she must be going insane if she was resorting to housework to pass the time.
When Harry finally managed to get to the kitchen (Kreacher had a nasty habit of nagging him about taking his coat or asking Harry if he wanted some other nicety from the moment he walked in the door) he noticed a note with Ginny's scribbled cursive on it. Being a star Quidditch player for the Holyhead Harpies certainly had its perks, but for one thing it certainly didn't improve one's handwriting.
Harry's face fell as his eyes quickly scanned the short note once, twice, and then a third time. Harry disapperated on the spot.
Ron and Hermione were already at Ginny's bedside in room A28. Ron was trying to make himself look busy by rearranging some white lilies in a glass vase on Ginny's bedside table that had clearly been rearranged one time too many. Hermione was leaning in very close to Ginny, and it appeared that they were having a very intimate conversation. Ron saw Harry enter first and cleared his throat. Hermione looked up and saw Harry. She gave him a small smile, and the couple made for the door, linking hands as they walked out.
Harry rushed to her bedside and had her in his arms before the water works began.
"Harry," Ginny sobbed, "I didn't know what to do... I know they told me not to apparate, but there was so much blood..."
"Shh, it's okay," Harry whispered back, and they just stayed in each other's arms for what felt like eternity.
When some amount of time had passed, Harry realized that Ginny had fallen asleep. Harry maneuvered himself out of Ginny's embrace and walked out of the room looking for a healer.
He learned from the healer operating the desk that Ginny's healer was dealing with another patient on another level, and he would be back in five to ten minutes. Harry wanted to go chase him down, through the entire hospital if necessary, but his common sense told him that even if it didn't feel like he was doing anything, he would be helping Ginny more if he just sat down and waited.
Five minutes passed, then ten, then twenty. Harry was just about to go on an angry rampage through the hospital when he recognized Ginny's healer walking swiftly toward him.
Harry rose from his chair to greet her. "How is she?"
"She is fine. However, the baby isn't doing as well. I believe that we did tell Ginny not to apparate, and the fact that she did complicated things much more severely."
"But she said that there was blood! What was she supposed to do, just sit around and hope it went away?" Harry said with indignation."
"What I'm trying to say, Mr. Potter, is that there seemed to be a complication earlier this afternoon. The fact that she apparated here instead of contacting us made it worse."
"You can't be blaming this on her. She has been doing everything in her power to protect this baby, and I will not let you put the blame on her," Harry said, trying to keep his voice at a reasonable level for indoors.
"I'm not blaming anyone. I'm trying to point out the fact that at this point, only a miracle would be able to save your unborn child. There's nothing that magic can do for you." The healer hurriedly walked away as if she had something better to do.
Harry walked up to the healer at the desk and said, "I would like to request a change of healer for my wife, Ginevera Potter."
"Is there a particular healer that you would like, Mr. Potter?"
"No, I'm sure anyone would do."
Harry caught up with Ron and Hermione as he was walking down to get something to drink.
"Hermione, the healer said that there's nothing they can do, so I requested another healer," Harry said.
"Harry, I looked at the charts. She was right," Hermione replied.
"Hermione, this is magic we are talking about here. We're not trying to raise the dead or anything impossible; I just want to save my unborn child is that so much to ask!" Harry's voice had gradually increased in volume, which had caused more than a few stares.
Ron ushered him to a table, and Hermione followed. The trio sat down as Hermione calmly said, "If you would just let me explain what I had in mind, then perhaps you wouldn't have the overwhelming need to raise your voice."
"Come on Hermione, what do you know?" Harry asked.
"There is a certain branch of magic, although it is outlawed in Britain and has been ever since 1782; however, it is still being practiced in some southern portions of the United States. They say that it can give the user influence over the physical body of another human being." Hermione sighed softly as she did when she was about to admit something that she wasn't sure that she should be admitting. "They call it voodoo."