An Unexpected Twist

Ginny Weasley stood in the Entrance Hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry staring at the doors of the Great Hall, tear tracks running down her face, eyes bloodshot from crying. Her long, auburn hair tangled and knotted after having fingers run through it so many times. She hadn't slept at all the night before, and as soon as she could she went down to the hospital wing to have Madame Pomfrey confirm her suspicion. Scared shitless, she couldn't believe what she was actually contemplating doing, but she had little choice at this point. She had to tell him before she lost her nerve, and he was in the Great Hall, with the rest of the school, enjoying Monday morning breakfast before classes started for the day. Ginny was scared – no terrified – on so many levels, but he deserved to know – even if that was all. She wasn't going to force him into anything. She had to go in there and pull him out, If only that was the easy part, she thought, then I actually have to tell him.

Slowly she took a step forward, then another, concentrating on moving her feet, and not where they were taking her. Pushing the doors open she looked over to where he was sitting and kept her eyes on him as she made her way over. She ignored everyone else, not noticing that the Hall got suddenly quiet as students noticed her and took in her dishevelled appearance, as they waited in puzzled anticipation.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Ron first noticed something was wrong when Hermione stopped yelling at him halfway through her scolding. When he turned around to see what had saved him, his mouth fell open. A disheveled Ginny stood in the doorway to the Great Hall, but that wasn't it. Just as he had begun to rise from his seat, she turned away from him and their house, walking towards the other side of the Hall. At first he thought she was headed to Ravenclaw, she has some friends there, he fervently hoped. But no, she passed that table and continued over to Slytherin. Slytherin!

If Ron hadn't already sat down, he might have fallen once he saw who she stopped behind at the Slytherin table. First Ginny wasn't in the common room that morning, then not only was she late for breakfast, but she entered looking dejected, as if her world were ending. To top it off, she went straight to Malfoy. Malfoy! What has that git done to her? I'll kill him! Ron thought. Unfortunately for him, Ron's day had only just begun, and he knew it could only get worse as time progressed.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

When Draco saw Ginny enter the Hall, his first reaction was to go to her, but he couldn't. They'd agreed not to. That was why he was so surprised and confused when she turned towards him, rather than to go to her brother and Potter as he had expected. Draco's surprise and confusion were soon joined by worry and fear as he realized this meant whatever it was that had her looking the way she did was very big, and it would effect them both. She was behind him now, he could make some sneering remark, or he could pull her into his arms and hold her. Draco didn't get the chance to make a decision either way before she bent down and whispered in his ear. Even as close as she was he had to strain to hear her.

"Please," It was only one word, but within it he could hear more fear and confusion than he ever wanted to hear in her voice again. Draco was thoroughly shaken and desperately wanted to comfort her as he followed her dumbly from the Hall. Once in the Entrance Hall he took her hand and stopped her.

"Ginny, what is it? What happened?" He went to pull her into his arms, to give her the only form of comfort he knew how to, when she stopped him again.

"Please, Draco, not here," Her voice was just as quiet as before but now sounded strained and there was a pleading edge to it. He followed her again, not sure where she was leading him.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Ron stood up to follow them, with Harry and Hermione behind him, just as Ginny was pulling Malfoy through the doors. He was going to pound that ferret's face in! Hermione, of course, noticed his look and stopped him long enough to convince him to at least find out what had happened before he went storming in, arms and fists flailing. The trio left the hall, carefully making there way through the corridors, following the sound of two sets of feet. Oblivious that they, too, were being followed.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Ginny finally stopped in a deserted corridor on the 5th floor. She felt so nervous and scared that when Draco went to pull her into his arms, she didn't stop him. This maybe the last time he holds me like this, she let out a tiny sob at the thought and clutched him closer to her, needing to feel him again, if only for a short while.

Draco hated seeing her look so dejected, and felt so relived when she didn't try to stop him pulling her into his arms, he couldn't read all the emotions on her face, they were flickering in and out so fast. The one that was always there though, was fear. He just wished he could figure out what she as afraid of. Draco didn't know how to help her, how to reassure her; it tore him apart.

They hadn't been standing like that for long before Ginny suddenly increased her hold on him. Draco bent to kiss the top of her head when she pulled away and looked up at him. "I have to tell you," she took a step away from him, eliminating any contact they still had. Draco mourned the loss of her in his arms. "Draco, you deserve to know – I need you to know – first, from me, even if that's all," she seamed to almost choke out the last part, but now Draco was confused, he didn't know what she was saying. "Gin," he tried to reassure her, he wanted to tell her that whatever it was, they would get through it, but she cut him off.

"Please Draco, just let me say this," or I may not be able to. I can't have him tell me he'll never leave, only to change his mind. A tear ran down Ginny's cheek, completely unnoticed by her, tearing Draco apart as he watched it. "You know I wouldn't have pulled you out of the Great Hall this morning if it wasn't the only way, but I couldn't think of another time when I would know where you were and could talk to you privately before I loss my nerve. Even now I don't know what to say, how to tell you. And gods I'm babbling!" Her speech was getting faster, too. If Draco wanted to actually be able to understand her by the time she got around to saying whatever it was she needed to tell him he had to calm her down, but how?

Ginny seemed to realize Draco's problem and stopped to breathe, then she started again – not wasting any breath this time on trying to find a way to tell him gently. "I'm pregnant, Draco. I went to the hospital wing this morning, and had it confirmed. I've had my suspicions for a about a week, and when I counted yesterday and found I was 4 days late I wanted to know for sure." She looked up at him, to watch his reaction. There wasn't much to see. Draco's face, which she could usually read despite it being an emotionless mask to most people in the castle, she found blank. "I'm not expecting you to do anything, and I don't want your money, I just thought you, being the father, should know before the rest of the school." She sounded almost resigned, and tired, she sounded very tired. The fear was gone from her voice now, but it was still in her eyes.

Draco stood in front of her shocked into silence, he kept replaying what she had said over and over in his mind, I'm pregnant, Draco. I went to the hospital wing this morning, and had it confirmed. He had known it was something very important to her and it couldn't wait when she had pulled him out of breakfast that morning, but he hadn't expected this. He missed most of what she said after that in his shock, but one word made it through, father. He was a father, or going to be. She's carrying my child, that thought made the love he felt for her grow even stronger, when just a few days ago he had thought that wasn't possible. From somewhere in the back of his mind he noticed that she seemed to be waiting for him to do something.

She looked nervous and he could still some fear in her eyes. But before he could pull her into his arms again Ron came around the corner, beat red and looking ready to throttle someone. Ginny spun and quickly dashed down the corridor. Running away from her problems, though she knew they would catch up with her. They always did. But for now it would be nice if she could get somewhere quiet and think. Go over Draco's reaction, he just stood there, didn't say a word.

Well of course not you dolt, you just told him you were pregnant with his child! What did you expect him to do? Smile and say 'oh that's great Gin'? He probably thinks you're trying to get something from him.

But I told him I didn't want anything. He knows I'm not like that. He knows me...

Think about who he grew up around - with, how he was taught to think. You know that's how he does think, you've seen it, felt it, gotten hurt by it. More than once, too. Ginny's mental battle lasted until she was shaken out of her thoughts by a pair of rough hands grabbing her upper arms and spinning her around to meet the face of her hurt, confused, and angry brother.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Draco was still trying to understand what she had been saying when Ron appeared from around the corner. The confusion spinning inside him was replaced with dread. He didn't know how the Weasel King would react to his sister's announcement, but he didn't think it would be good. He was about to pull her into his arms again when she ran down the hall. Ron looked back and forth between Draco and Ginny, trying to decide whether to punch Malfoy's face in or to go after his sister running down the hall. Seeming to come to a decision he threatened Malfoy and ran after her.

Draco leaned back against the wall and slid down until he was sitting on the floor. His head falling to his knees, he whispered into his hands, "Je t'aime, Gin. Je t'aime avec tout que je suis. Je suis le tine pour toujours si tu me veux, si tu me veux encore."* His words were exactly what she had wanted to hear, but she was gone, around the corner, with Ron running after her.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Blaise Zabini had been as shock as the rest of the school after the littlest Weasley had walked into the Great Hall in the middle of breakfast, tears running down her face, and took a member of her House's rival House, not to mention the only son of one of her family's greatest enemies, out of the hall. As if that wasn't enough, Draco hadn't protested at all, though it was true he was probably experiencing the same shock as his fellow classmates. Coming out of his reverie as the Golden Trio left the Hall, Blaise silently followed, completely undetected. Coming to a stop in a small alcove he listened as the Gryffindors discussed what they had overheard.

"Pregnant? But, how?" That was Potter, always with the smart questions.

"Honestly, Harry." And Granger, the know-it-all, he could just see her rolling her eyes in disdain.

"I swear I'll kill that ruddy bastard for laying even a finger on her! He'll... I'll..." And Weasel-be, already running around the corner. Never thinks that one, always acting on emotions.

Blaise thought back to Draco's behavior over the past few months, and to the conversations he had just overheard. Coming to a conclusion, he stepped out of his hidey-hole after Weasley took off, a smirk on his face as he saw Potter and Granger exchange surprised looks.

"You're not just going to leave Weasley alone with her, are you Potter?"

"What are you doing here, Zabini?"

"I have things to discuss with Granger here, but I'll repeat, since you obviously didn't understand. You're not just going to leave her alone with him are you?"

"What do you have to discuss with me? And why wouldn't we leave Ron with his sister?" Always acting as the peacekeeper, even if Granger was a bit biased.

"Well I'm not sure if you noticed, but your dear friend there was in a bit of a state. And with her... condition, I'm not sure being left alone with her brother is the smartest thing right now. We wouldn't want anything to happen." Potter and Granger exchanged another look after Blaise's pointed words. They could see the truth in what he was saying, but he was a Slytherin so what else did he want? Seeing their thoughts across their faces, Blaise continued, "Oh, bloody hell. Listen, Draco's been my best friend my whole life, I don't want anything to happen to him or any one he cares for, even if it is a bloody Gryff."

"You really think he cares for her?"

"Hermione! This is Draco Malfoy were talking about! He's a Slytherin!" Bloody Potter, biggest hypocrite in school, followed that old bat Dumbledor around while he preached about House Unity one minute, and then spit out his own prejudiced shite the next.

"What, Potter? Because we're Slytherin, we can't feel? We're humans like the rest of you, unfortunately. Just because we don't display all our emotions like a bunch of Hufflepuffs doesn't mean they don't exist." Turning to face Hermione, Blaise said, "Yes, I think he does care, quite a lot. I also think you need to stop Brother Weasel from doing anything he'd regret. He's impulsive and we don't want anyone doing or saying anything they won't be able to take back later."

Potter looked like he was going to cut in again, but Hermione beat him to it, "Harry, he's right. You'd best run after him and try to calm him a bit. You know he acts without thinking when he's upset and Ginny may not be able take much right now."

"But Hermione-"

"No Harry. You saw how upset she was walking into the hall, she needs to be comforted, not lectured. Please go."

With one last look at Hermione he conceded, turning to take off after Ron he paused and said, "Fine I'll go, but if you're not back in the common room in half and hour I'm going to McGonagall."

"Yes, yes Harry. Now GO!"

Blaise was impressed, though he'd never admit it. Granger had just gotten to Potter to leave her talking with one Slytherin, while another was just around the corner. Not to mention that he and Draco had worked hard to earn two of the worst reputations in Slytherin House, in the whole school. Blaise was cautious now, he had to get the information he needed from her and give out as little of his own as he could in the process.

"So here you stand, without either of Gryffindor's Golden Boys to protect you. You must have some questions you want answered very badly. Of course, I have a couple of my own for you to answer first." Blaise had watch her carefully as he spoke, he saw her original confidence began to wane then her determination spiked, and then her reluctance to be of any help to him showed. He continued before she could decide he wasn't worth her time, "Now, now. You can't expect me to give you answers, if you won't give me any."

Unwilling acceptance, flashed in her eyes before she mumbled, "Yes, I suppose so."

"Good. Now would be I correct in assuming the answers you want from me pertain to Draco and this morning's events?"

"Well, yes, of course. Yours aren't?"

"No, no they are. Now before we start you must agree to tell the truth. No untruthfulness by omission either. Agreed?" With a wave of his wand, and a simply muttered spell, Blaise ensured he would know if her answers were otherwise.

"Yes, and you must to."

"Of course." Having established the ground rules, and ensured he would know if she broke them, Blaise began the exchange. He knew Granger wouldn't have understood much if any of Draco's last statement – he doubted she knew any French – and used that to his advantage. He needed to learn more about the Weasley girl, needed to know what it was his friend found so intriguing, so important, needed to know why he had risked so much. Few would have noticed, but Blaise knew the other Slytherin well, and he had been acting strangely for several months now. Draco had seemed distracted, he wouldn't return to their dormitory until after many of the other boys had already fallen asleep, and more recently he had stopped returning at all. Blaise had not mentioned any of his observations to Draco for the sole reason that he seemed, odd as it might be, happier. There was no other way to describe it, Draco Malfoy had been the happiest Blaise had ever seen him in the past few months, and though he hid it well and played it off, it was unmistakable. Now, Blaise knew why.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Draco lifted his head off of his knees to look up into the face of best friend, "Oh, it's you."

"Yes, it's me. Were you expecting someone else?"

"Expecting? No. Hoping? Always."

"I'm wounded. How will I ever recover?" Putting a hand out to help his friend of the floor, he said, "Can you really fault me for not having lovely long red hair?"

Draco gave him a look which clearly said Bugger off. I'm not in the mood for your games.

"Don't look at me like that mate, I'm only poking a bit of fun. You can hide anything you like from the rest of the world, but never can you hide from me. I saw you looking at young Ginny this morning. What are you doing sitting here and not with her in some broom cupboard?"

Draco was on his feet and had Blaise pinned to the wall in seconds. "How dare you speak about her like that! She is far more than a good snog, far more than you'll ever deserve. Don't let me ever hear you speak like that about her again!"

"Calm down mate, it was just a joke. Let's go find that goddess of yours so you can tell her how you feel and stop wallowing. Go tell her you'll stand by her and you're not leaving her, you love sick goon."

Draco glared at his decidedly annoying friend, it was only half felt though as it became apparent that Blaise knew everything and was still there for him. His glare slowly melted into a reluctant smile as Draco hesitantly asked, "How?"

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

From her place around the corner, Hermione smiled as she listened to the friends talk, satisfied that Draco really did love the girl she had come to think of as a sister, she headed off to Gryffindor Tower to convince Harry and Ron of the same thing.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Blaise walked out into the sunlight shinning down on Hogwart's grounds making his way to the lake in search of Draco. Lunch would soon be over and if his friend wanted to eat before afternoon classes began he would need to haul his arse down to the Great Hall. From where he stood halfway between the main doors and the lake, Blaise could only just see the silhouettes of two people, and as he drew nearer it became apparent both were deep in slumber.

The wind rustled the trees around the lake, making the leaves sway, and the shinning mid day sun created a picturesque scene of tranquillity around the two young lovers, wrap in each other arms. Ginny's head was resting on Draco's shoulder, his arms encircling her torso. Both wore happy, contented smiles. As Blaise watched, Draco began to stir, becoming aware again of the world around him. Blaise could see the thoughts float across his friend's face as he remembered all that had happened over the course of the day, and seeing the smile that graced his friend's face as he looked down upon the sleeping girl in his arms, Blaise was reassured that they would overcome every obstacle thrown in their path.

Deciding against intruding on the peaceful moment, Blaise turned around and headed back towards the school. He was sure the kitchen house elves would be happy to put together a small picnic basket for the pair.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

A/N: So, what do you think? This is my first completed fanfic. I've had this story floating around on me computer for awhile waiting to be finished and posted. I still think it needs work, so it may change a bit in the future. I might add a few scenes here and there, let me know what you thought of it please. I especially like constructive criticism, part of the reason I posted this was to become a better writer. If you have noticed and plot holes please let me know so I can fix them, I think I got them all, but you know what they're like, constantly slipping through all over the place. All comments are welcomed and appreciated. Thank you for reading.

*For those of you who don't speak French, Draco's line roughly translated is: I love you, Gin. I love you with all that I am. I'll be yours for as long as you want me, if you want me still.