A/N: Harry Potter Characters belong to JK Rowling etc, not me, and the Lyrics belong to Savage Garden.
and she takes another step
slowly she opens the door
check that he is
sleeping
pick up all the broken glass
and furniture on the floor
been
up half the night screaming
now it's time to get away
pack up the kids in
the car
another bruise to try and hide
another alibi to write
another
ditch in the road
you keep moving
another stop sign
you keep moving
on
and the years go by so fast
wonder how I ever made it
through
and there are children to think of
baby's asleep in the back
seat
wonder how they'll ever make it
through this living nightmare
but
the mind is an amazing thing
full of candy dreams and new toys
and another
cheap hotel
two beds and a coffee machine
but there are groceries to
buy
and she knows she'll have to go home
another ditch in the
road
you keep moving
another stop sign
you keep moving on
and the
years go by so fast
wonder how I ever made it through
another bruise
to try and hide
another alibi to write
another lonely highway in the
black of night
there's hope in the darkness
I know you're gonna make
it
another ditch in the road
keep moving
another stop sign
you
keep moving on
and the years go by so fast
silent fortress built to
last
wonder how I ever made it
She sat on the edge of her bed, the sun just starting to peak through her window. It made the shattered glass scattered across her floor sparkle. The light glinted off her hair, which had faded to a deep copper over the years, picking up on the golden highlights. She looked beautiful, if you could ignore the red blotch on her cheek, it was bright and livid against her pale skin. If you looked closely her whole body was trembling, her thin fingers clenched into the folds of her robes.
Get a grip! She ordered herself harshly, taking deep breaths. She moved to wipe her tears away, flinching as her fingers came in contact with the livid bruise.
Ginny glanced towards the bathroom door, the same door that only moments before her husband had stormed out. The door which separate their bed chambers, the door which he could come back through at any moment. It was that thought which sprung her back into action. She reached for her wand, in it's holder beside her bed, a habit bred from years of being stuck in battle mode. A place she felt her marriage had reverted to.
Ginny set to taking stock of the mess around her, quietly putting her furniture back-together. Draco had effectively smashed her mirror, torn the priceless tapestry on the wall, and destroyed her favorite chair.
Cleaning had calmed her nerves just enough for a plan to start forming in her head. She had to get out of the Manor, and fast. But she couldn't go to the Burrow, her brothers would descend on Draco looking for blood the moment they saw her face. And it wasn't his fault she looked like this, not entirely. It took her a few minutes before Ginny could calm down enough to fetch her children. The antiquity of the house was most notably expressed by the fact that her children's chambers were in a separate wing from hers and Draco's.
Dressed in muggle jeans and sweater (which Draco didn't know she still owned), a coat on under her large black cloak, Ginny moved through the house. As she walked, evidence of her husbands fowl mood surrounded her, shattered vases littered the corridor. Cleaning their master's mess up dutifully were two of the Malfoy house elves. They paid Ginny no heed, knowing better than to ask if she was alright, or where she was going; they really didn't want to know.
The third elf, Binny, was with her children. Dominic was trying to ebb his sisters flow of tears, while she sobbed into his shoulder. Julian was doing his best to be brave, sitting beside Dominic and clutching Lydia's hand.
"Missus Malfoy!" the elf looked startled to see her, he quickly tried to hide it by bowing.
"Binny, I think it would be best if you went and helped clean up. Draco seems to have made a mess of the entire house." Binny took his leave quietly, looking back on the children with concern.
"Mummy," Lydia sobbed. She transferred easily from her older brother to her mother.
"Shhh baby, it's okay now. Mummy's here. See it's alright my little angel." Ginny rubbed the little girls back, calming her shaking body. Dominic had flushed red the moment she entered the room. His fists now sat clenched on his lap, his eyes fixed on her face, and the welt in particular.
"It's not alright." He muttered tightly. Ginny reached out to caress his face. Ever my little protector. He didn't soothe under her touch, and instead he moved Julian between them. The little boy snuggled up close to his mother and sister, finding protection in her warmth.
"Dom, will you please get dressed. Put on those muggle things I bought you, they should still fit." Her son made a face, but moved towards his room in compliance. This was not a moment to fight with his mother. "And then help Julian to do the same." She sent the boys off to get dressed, setting herself to the task of dressing the baby. Ever her father's child, Lydia screamed whenever Ginny tried to dress her in muggle out-fits, but this morning the baby was also aware that a fuss would be dangerous. The boys were ready in only five minutes, a record for them. And Dominic had thought to pack them a few things, story books, magically transforming blocks, an assortment of other toys, as well as a few clean pieces of clothing.
"Thank you." Ginny smiled and kissed the top of his head. "We're going out to the garage, but we need to be very quiet. Daddy's asleep and we can not wake him up. Quickly and quietly we go, right?" the boys nodded, and the baby buried her face into Ginny's shoulder.
********************************
The drive from Wiltshire to London was an exhausting trip. The children had fallen asleep within the first hour, while Ginny stayed awake by drinking a steady supply of Pepper-up potion. The car was an older model BMW, Draco had turned his nose up at the idea of owning a muggle car at all, but if they must have one, it was going to be prestigious. The inside was charmed to be quite spacious, and the seats were very comfortable. The country-side flew past them; Ginny was too engrossed in her own thoughts to notice that the sun had risen. No one in the car stirred, the night had taken its toll. Ginny didn't take the M's, not trusting herself on the express-ways, having been taught to drive one Sunday by Hermione after graduation.
She glanced at Julian and Lydia through the rear-view mirror, they were both sound asleep. Julian brought a smile to her lips; the pudgy little four year old was the spitting image of his Grandpa Weasley and how it irked his daddy so! Lydia, snoring quietly in her seat, was going to be trouble. She already had Draco bending to her every whim, just looking up at him with her big blue eyes and he was sunk. Draco was sure to be the first of many, of that Ginny was sure. She also hoped the baby's soft, strawberry coloured hair stayed that way. Lydia was, Ginny stopped to think, about sixteen months old. Only time would tell about her hair. Ginny's attention fell to the boy asleep beside her, her first born, Draco's heir, her protector from all evils. The boy was an image of his father, silvery blonde hair, pale grey eyes, and thin features. He was already showing signs of his father's slim, Seeker's build. She smiled warmly and touched his face, the lightest of caresses, as though she would break him. That's what she had thought at first, he was so small and so delicate, she was scared to death she would break him. Molly had just laughed, assuring her babies were quite hardy, no matter how delicate they looked. A tear slide silently down her face and as the sun began to sink down the horizon. Ginny had to pull into a motel, the combination of tears and exhaustion getting the better of her.
*****************************
Julian and Lydia had been full of beans all through dinner, which was eaten at a muggle fast food chain. They played happily with their new muggle toys and then, getting bored, moved on to the magical toys. Julian's favorite was a set of blocks and little men charmed to build forts and battle medieval wars. Lydia much preferred the spontaneously transfiguring blocks, both gifts from their uncles Fred and George. Dominic was curled up on the bed he would share with Julian, retreated into a book and completely ignoring his surrounds; sulking off in the corner.
Typical Malfoy, Ginny sighed.
"Dom, you'll watch your brother and sister while I shower?" he looked up and barely nodded. "Dom, I expect an answer from you."
"Yes Mum I'll watch Julian and Lydia for you while you shower," he parroted back at her. Sighing inwardly, and doing her best not to scream in frustration Ginny closed the bathroom door. The motel was cheap, but at least it was clean, and had s steady supply of hot water. All three children had been bathed already, and changed into sleeping clothes.
The hot water ran over her when she stepped into the shower, stinging the welt on her cheek. Ginny frowned, remembering earlier that evening. The people in the restaurant had looked at her little family as they walked in. She'd been confused, ordering their food and sending Dom to find a table. They weren't openly gawking at her as though she was from another planet, but she couldn't figure it out. Her children ate and played happily, like every other child in the establishment. It hit her when Dominic reached out and touched her puffy cheek-bone. He seemed to have noticed everyone looking at them. She'd forgotten to but any kind of charm on it, nor any ice, and upon inspection it looked deep and painful. Now in the hot shower water it throbbed painfully.
She didn't waste anytime looking in the mirror, knowing what stared back at her would be no better now than it was earlier. She pressed a cold cloth to her face, wiping away any dried blood, and trying to soothe the throb which had settled some hours ago. Not wanting to leave her children unsupervised any longer, Ginny dressed in her own, ancient pajamas.
They looked so normal, playing alone, each off in his or her little corner; Lydia had fallen asleep on the carpet. They had calmed down after their car trip. She had tried hard not to disturb their routine anymore than necessary, making sure dinner, bath, and now bed time would all arrive at their normally prescribed hour.
"Okay angel, time for bed," she scooped up Lydia, and put the toys away with a single, well practiced, flick of her wand.
"Mum!" Julian protested, turning Ron's eyes on her, with that same petulant look.
"Bed, Julian. Now." The little boy sighed, and climbed into bed beside his older brother. Having placed the baby onto the bed, she went to her boys, after turning out the over-head light. She leaned down to kiss them, going through their normal routine and then moved to lie in her own bed, pulling Lydia to lie cradled against her torso.
"Mum?" It was Julian's small voice drifting through the darkness.
"Yes Luv?"
"May Dom and I come sleep with you?"
"Of course you can," Ginny slid over to make room for her boys. Dominic picked up his now sleeping little sister, squishing Julian and Lydia between them. When everyone was settled, Julian was nestled were Lydia had been, leaving Dominic with the baby asleep on his chest. Laying there, his eyes closed, Ginny was transported back to when he had been a new-born. Draco had often lain in bed, a tiny Dominic across his chest in much the same way, sleeping soundly. Just as often, Draco had watch while she slept in the same position, both taking turns basking in the love their new family had created. She remembered just as vividly, spending a whole day lying in with Draco and their boys. She had been well along in her pregnancy with Lydia and on strict bed rest. The boys had come in early, knowing she wouldn't be able to get up and come for them. Draco had suggested the family have breakfast in bed, which the boys responded to with enthusiasm. Breakfast had become lunch and lunch dinner, the entire day had passed in easy companionship. The boys had played happily in and about Ginny's chambers and bed, occasionally racing back to their chambers to retrieve a desired toy. Draco had lavished her with attention, reading to her, chatting with her, and playing with his sons. Ginny could still pull from that memory more joy than from any memory contained in the Burrow or Hogwarts. That memory had kept her marriage together for the past year and a half. She could still call to her heart all the feelings of that day, the feelings of love and joy, and security. It had been as though all was finally right with the world. Looking at her children now, it was hard to think that the feeling was gone, or that they had been happily wrapped in it under two years ago.
It was hard to believe that Dominic would begin at Hogwarts next year or that in two short months Lydia would be two years old. It was hard to believe that she'd left Draco less than twenty-four hours ago.
They were in the outskirts of London, but no where near Grimmauld Place. Running to Harry was not the safest plan, but he was her only option. She couldn't go to the Burrow lest her male relatives take one look at her and start calling for blood. It had taken almost ten years for the Weasley's to fully accept Draco into the family, no matter that he was technically family. She wasn't about to undo all that hard work, especially since she wasn't even sure she wanted to call it quits with Draco. She wasn't all that sure running to Harry would improve the situation. Both men would jump to all the wrong conclusions, but Draco had forced them all into this situation. He was going to have to accept that and move on with his life.