A/N: This short story is set within the Alternate Universe I created several years ago within "Married to You?!", a fanfiction that I rashly deleted after some intense criticism from close friends. I've written this piece at the request of Fern Paquette, and it should be able to stand alone. I think only a couple preliminary givens are needed to understand this AU: Draco & Ginny were married in a Marriage Law enacted by the Ministry after the war. Also married in the law included Ron & Luna, Hermione & Charlie, Harry & Gabrielle Delacour, and my OC, Molly's younger sister Katharine (Kitty) & Severus Snape, who obviously survived Nagini's bite. Most of canon (with the exception of DH's epilogue & Snape's death) remains true in this universe.

If you recognize anything, I do not own it, as the HP world belongs to JKR. Happy reading!


Expecting

She should be crying. Why isn't she crying? Her face immobile, there was no trace of any reason why Ginny would feel such a conviction, but she knew without a doubt that the young woman calmly brushing her red tresses at the vanity had every reason to allow tears to fall in torrents.

Ginny tried to reach out, but she could not. Heart breaking worse for the young woman who refused to be comforted, who refused to cry, Ginny drew her arms close to her chest. How could she be so cold hearted? Didn't she know that her stoic face twisted an even sharper dagger into Ginny's heart than any rush of tears?

A rush of tears like those coming from the next room. A blonde - oh, she looked so like Draco - her head cradled in her hands, a sharp contrast. Not just to the stone-faced redhead. To the beautiful, pure white dress that flattered her figure exquisitely. She should be happy. Another dagger twisted, this one into Ginny's gut. A wedding dress should not be accompanied by such grief. Her mother's heart should not mourn so keenly on this day.

The blonde clutched at her - begged her. The redhead said nothing, but the depths of her eyes hinted. It was her fault. Ginny's. She could have prevented this. She needed to prevent this. She had to save them from this.

But she didn't. The blonde married the boy. The redhead stood with her head high, her face an impenetrable mask. And Ginny stood with the man she loved while one daughter married the other's love, all hearts shattering.

"No!" Ginny sat up violently in bed, her heart racing. Eyes frantically searching, the contents of her room gradually sank into her awareness. The delicately wrought dressing table covered with her toiletries. Heavy drapes to keep the room free from any starlight that might disturb rest. Still shaking, Ginny tentatively pushed back the covers to climb out of bed. Maybe if she could wash away the memory of the dream, she would find sleep again.

Wringing the excess water from the wash cloth, Ginny heard her husband's approach.

"Did you have another dream?"

Ginny met his eyes in the mirror above the sink. If it had been any other dream, she would have smiled at his sleep-mused hair, a warm glow spreading at the thought that she was the only one he was ever so vulnerable with.

But it hadn't been any other dream. It was the same one. Again.

His forehead furrowed. "Ginny?"

"Do you think a glass of warmed milk would put me to sleep?"

"I think you need a draught of dreamless sleep and a visit to a healer." Draco's eyes were fully awake now that she had answered his question even as she avoided answering. "You've had that same dream for how long? Two years?"

"Only a year and a half or so," Ginny sighed. "It started when Lizzy was about six months old."

"And it's gotten worse with the baby coming," Draco turned her to face him. "This is the second time this month, Ginny. That's not natural."

"But... what if it's true?" She cradled her belly protectively. "Draco, we know she's a girl, what if the dream isn't just a dream?"

He tightened his grip on her upper arms reflexively. "We can't live like that, Ginny. We can't live in fear of a dream. We have to live now."

"What if I can do something now, but I'm not doing enough?" Ginny's voice cracked. "What if it comes true?"

Draco brought her head close to his chest as she began crying in earnest. He whispered soothing words into her ear, rubbing circles across her back. When the tears were finally spent, he spoke calm assurance. "Ginny, I want to go with you to see a healer about this. And unless they say something specifically against it, we are going on holiday. You've been working too hard and worrying about too much. It's not good for you or the baby."

Perhaps most telling of Ginny's exhaustion, she did not immediately contradict his suggestion. Searching his face, she asked the most heavy concern that weighed upon her heart. "Do you think I'm going mad?"

Draco smiled wryly. "Love, madness runs in my family, not yours. I don't think that's what your problem is. But for the record, even if you go mad, I'm not going anywhere."

Ginny sighed into him, content to be simply held. She hadn't ever asked him to sit up with her when the nightmares haunted, but he supported her through them all the same. "You know, I'm so glad I didn't marry Harry."

"And why are you thinking about Potter while in my arms?" he asked, amused.

"Not about Harry," Ginny placed a kiss on his cheek. "About how wonderful you are. And how glad I am that I didn't marry the boy I fancied as a ten year old."

Darkness flitted across his grey eyes. "If you'd married him, your life would have been much different."

Ginny snorted. "And I'd be pregnant with my third child instead of just my second. You know he wants an excessive amount of children."

The shadow did not entirely lift from Draco's eyes, even as a subtle smile crossed his mouth. "That's not all that I meant, Ginny."

"I just want you," she leaned heavily against his chest, soothed by the steady beat of his heart. "You are the one I want to go to bed with at night and wake up with in the morning."

"Even when it's waking from a nightmare at three?"

Ginny tightened her hold, hugging Draco's strong frame to her own. "Especially then."

Draco returned the embrace before gently guiding them back to their bedroom. As he recast the fading Sweet Dreams charm upon the bed, Ginny sighed into the comfort of the deep blue linens, so soft against her skin. Although a hint of anxiety remained at the prospect of returning into the dream, it was a fear kept at bay when Draco slipped his arms protectively around her.

Weary from the restlessness of the dream, her eyelids drooped even as she knew that Draco would not likely slip so easily into sleep. Instead, he was sure to lie awake until long after her breaths settled into the deep steadiness of a peaceful slumber.

"I still want you to see a healer," he whispered against her ear with a kiss. "I want better for you."

Humming contentedly, Ginny couldn't be sure if she spoke or merely thought her last words before sleep. I already am better.