Part One – Why God Why?
Ginny sat in St.Mungo's waiting room, her beautiful head clasped in her dainty hands. Tears streaming from her eyes like a river. One single thought ran through her devastated mind. Why her? Why my sweet little angel? She lifted her face from her hands as she heard hurried footsteps echoing down the hall in which she was sitting in. The worried face of Hermione Weasley came briefly into view before Gin found herself being wrapped in a bear like hug from her best friend. Ginny allowed a fresh wave of sobs to escape onto Hermione's shoulder and into her bushy brown hair. The latter just stood there and allowed the younger girl to get it all out. Stroking her head comfortingly and trying to calm her, "Shhhhh… Shhhhh, Gin she'll be fine… I know she'll be fine…"
"How?" demanded Gin through her sorrow. "How can you know?"
"She has the best healers in the world working on her Gin… She'll be fine."
"Magic can't solve everything Hermione…"
"I know…"
"They say it may be incurable… She's only eight Hermione…"
"She's a fighter… we all know she's a fighter." Hermione said soothingly as she finally released Ginny. Hermione could not quite bring herself to speak the little girl's name. The little girl that had been born to Ginny Weasley eight years beforehand. It had been a difficult birth and as she sat there Hermione's mind flashed momentarily back to it.
"Come on Gin! Just push!" urged the older girl as she felt her best friend seize up in pain once more and give her hand a painful squeeze.
"I'm trying!" roared the flustered red haired. She felt like she was trying to squeeze out a watermelon and not a small watermelon to say the least! Gin however did do as she was told. She knew that after nine months this was the last time this child would cause her any pain and she was glad. She gave another push and an excited squeal escaped Hermione's lips.
"I can see the head! Ginny you're doing amazing!" Gin looked up at her best friend with those chocolate brown orbs of her and gave one final push. Gripping Hermione's hand so hard she was amazed she didn't break her fingers. And then… it was over. A cry burst through the still air of the delivery room and Ginny fell backwards onto the bed. Exhausted from the birth but happy that it was all over.
"It's a girl…" Announced the Medi-Witch as she lowered the now bundled in a blanket baby to its tired mother. Ginny stared down at the little piece of perfection she had just bought into the harsh cold world. She was truly beautiful. Hermione gasped as she looked down at the child as well.
"What are you going to call her Ginny?" Asked Hermione as she moved to stand behind Ginny so she could get a better view of the infant.
"How does Rose sound?" Asked the red head as she stroked the soft skin of her daughter's cheek with a thin finger.
"Rose suits her…" Nodded Hermione… "Hello Rose…"
Hermione was snapped out of her memory when Ginny shook her lightly on the arm. Ron Weasley, Gin's older brother and Hermione's husband, had finally managed to get way from work and decided to join them in there petrified worrying. "What exactly is wrong with her Gin?" He asked softly as he sat down on the chair the other side of Ginny from Hermione. He took her hand in a comforting grip and waited for Gin to explain.
"They don't know what's wrong with her… She just woke up this morning screaming in agony and thrashing about… She looked like she was having a fit of some sort. It was terrible… I had no clue what to do… It's never happened before. I tried to wake her up but she never opened her eyes… She just kept flailing around…" She broke off for a moment so she could hold back another sob before continuing. "…Then she just stopped. I rushed over and put my hand to her head the way Mum used to do when we were all ill. She was burning up. I had to take my hand off and I saw she'd actually burnt me… look…" She held out her left hand for her brother to inspect and there was indeed a dark red burn running all the way over her palm. Ron drew in a breath of shock but didn't speak as Gin spoke the rest of her story quietly. "… I rushed her in here and before I knew what was happening they'd wheeled her away screaming their heads off for nurses and doctors and even a priest… I haven't heard anything since…" She admitted and buried her head in her hands once more. Ron threw a cautious arm around her shoulders and looked pleadingly over at his beautiful wife. He had no clue what to do with this crying Ginny. He had never been the one for tears. Always leaving for Mum to deal with it. But their Mum wasn't there yet so he'd have to cope some how.
Hermione caught his eyes and the begging look and sighed inwardly. She knew Ron couldn't deal with anybody while they were miserable. He always managed to say the wrong thing. Hermione told him with her eyes to remove his arm and leave it to her. "Would you mind getting us all some coffee Ron?" She inquired to give him an excuse to go away for a bit. Ron hastily nodded and scampered off to go find a machine as quickly as possible, Ginny couldn't help but look up and give a watery laugh.
"Still the same old Ron then?"
"Yeah…" Nodded the older witch with a soft laugh before she drew her attention back to the situation at hand. "Firstly let me see that hand of yours…" Ordered Hermione and Ginny held out her palm. Hermione tapped it lightly with her wand and the burn began to heal slowly. Gin winced as it hurt but then the pain disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.
"Thanks…" She said with a weak smile.
"Now I bought this book with me…" Smiled Hermione as she withdrew a heavy leather bound book from her bag. Still the same old Hermione as well… Ginny found herself thinking as the volume was pressed into her hands. She read the front cover. Magical Illnesses of the Twenty First Century and Their Cures Ginny looked up at her with a slightly tilted head.
"You think Rose's illness may be in here?"
"It may well be… You never know…" But she was cut off when a Nurse entered the corridor through the swinging doors. She was rather on the plump side but her face was a kind one. She came scurrying over to Ginny and knelt down in front of her.
"You can go in and see her… but I'm afraid she's slipped into a coma…" With that she ran off. Ginny looked after her with a shocked expression before her words sunk into her brain. Rose was in a coma… Her little angel was in a coma…
Hermione recovered more quickly and grabbed Gin's hand to pull her off the seat. "Come on…" She urged and tugged the dazed young woman down the corridor and through the door leading to Rose's room.
The sight that awaited them was a sorry one. A small girl of only eight years of age lay still in a clinical white room. The sheets pulled up over her thin, petite body and her eyes shut. Ginny sat down heavily unable to stand. Hermione travelled around to the side of Rose's bed and looked upon her. Hermione lifted a hand and stroked a lock of Rose's silky black hair off of her dazzling face and out of the way. The little girl's skin was pale and warm under Hermione's soft fingers. Rose's eyelashes had tangled together and Hermione knew those eyelids hid a pair of emerald orbs that seemed to look straight into your soul. It was quite strange when your saw them for the first time. As Hermione looked upon her another memory flashed through her mind…
Rose Maria Hermione Weasley was beautiful to say the least. So full of live and love that all the other witches and the wizards at the party couldn't help but stop and look at her. Their eyes glistening as they watched the small girl running around after Fleur and Bill's son Edmund. Her long silky black hair was being picked up by the light wind and whipping behind her as she chased the young boy all around the back garden. Her emerald green eyes were twinkling like jewels when she finally managed to catch him and say in a small but confidant voice. "Tag you're it!" Then she was running again. Rose had so much energy it was amazing to watch. She never stopped. She never needed rest… She seemed to run on a constant power source that never wavered at any point.
Her cheeks were bleached slightly pink as she teased Edmund that she was too quick for him. Her adorable face reading exactly how much she was enjoying herself. Upon seeing Edmund finally give up Hermione ran over and scooped her favourite niece into a hug. Rose squirmed a little but Hermione knew she was as usual only playing around. Hermione put Rose back on the floor and looked at her. How she wished for her own children. But her and Ron had yet to conceive. She was so envious of Ginny that she had this little treasure to care for and live with. Ginny came rushing over as well, along with Fleur who snatched up her tired son with a laugh. "She'll be the death of him soon…" Laughed the part veela as she also surveyed Rose with good humour and love.
"She may well be…" Agreed Ginny as she tackled her daughter lightly and began to tickle her sides mercilessly. The little angel kicked and flailed about as she pleaded with her mother.
"Please Mummy… Mummy." But Rose was giggling to hard to get anymore out. Ginny stopped and picked her little treasure up. Ginny loved her little girl with all her heart but it hurt sometimes that she looked so much like the Father who had betrayed Ginny all those years ago. With his silky black hair and dancing almond shaped emerald eyes it was almost like he was still there. But parts of Rose's appearance were most definitely Ginny's. Her nose and freckles, her ears and figure. All of it was Ginny's and this made the young mother feel a little better about Rose's hair and eyes. Rose was her's not Harry's. He simply helped Gin get pregnant. Ginny had not bothered to track him down after the birth. She didn't want him to have any part in Rose's life or even know she existed. Then he couldn't hurt her as she had hurt Gin.
Hermione spotted the dark look that crossed Ginny's face at that moment and knew what she was thinking but didn't speak. She turned to Ron instead. "Maybe it's best if he never knows… Don't you think?"
"Yeah he was the one who left… he doesn't deserve to have a woman like Gin or a daughter like Rose…" Agreed her husband readily as he watched his one and only sister cradling the little girl in her thin arms…
Hermione was once again pulled from her reverie when she realised Gin had finally risen from her seat and was sinking to her knees next to Rose's bed. She watched her lift a hand to Rose's face just as she had done only moments ago and push yet another lock of hair out of the way. Gin played her fingers across the little girls nose. Touching each small freckle gently. Then the tears began to fall again. Her head dropped into her arms as she wept for her little darling…
Meanwhile
Ron Weasley stood patiently as the machine slowly spewed out the coffee. When he had filled three he flicked his eyes around the room he was in. He'd made his way to the Fifth Floor and the visitors Tea Shop to fulfil Hermione's request. He had been glad to escape his crying little sister and thoughts swam worriedly through his mind. What if Rose doesn't survive? What if she's really ill? Will Gin survive? DON'T EVEN THINK LIKE THAT RONALD WEASLEY! ROSE WILL GET BETTER! Yeah… but what if she doesn't? Ron felt like there was a war going on in the vicinity of his brain and he tried to push the troubled thoughts to the back of his mind. He couldn't be getting upset himself. He needed to stay strong… for Ginny and Hermione's sake.
Ron turned around when he heard a weirdly familiar voice sound from the other side of the room.
"Ron?" Ron's eyes swivelled to where the voice had come from and had he been holding the cups of coffee at the time he would have most certainly have dropped them. For there standing not a few feet away was Harry Potter. Ron felt his voice catch in his throat. His emotions were half way between anger and shock.
"Harry?" He finally managed to croak, as he looked the young man up and down. Taking in the messy jet black hair and emerald eyes there was now no doubt in the red head's mind that this strange wanderer was indeed Harry James Potter… The man who had put Ginny through hell.
"Yeah… Hey mate."
"You are not my mate…" Spoke Ron through gritted teeth as he tried to restrain the urge to hit Harry hard in the nose for all he put Gin through.
"Look I'm sorry about disappearing ok? I couldn't help it… I needed to clear my head."
"You needed to clear your head for nine years?" Demanded Ron as his fists clenched. How he would have loved to send a few hexes in his old best friend's direction.
"I couldn't look back Ron… not after…"
"Not after what?"
"Not after he was gone… I had to get away…"
"And leave us all to pick up the pieces of your mess? You should have seen Ginny you selfish idiot!"
"Was she really hurt?" Asked Harry worriedly.
"What do you think ay? You tell her you love her and then never come back… You get her…" But Ron stopped himself. He knew Gin had not found Harry after Rose's birth because she had not wanted Harry to have any part in the little girl's life.
"Got her what Ron?"
"Got her… Got her hopes up." Lied Ron as he tried to cover his tracks. Little did he know that he need not have spoken. Over the years of being away Harry had become a skilled wizard with a very good control of legilimens. Harry upon noting the fact Ron had lied dived into his old friends mind and very soon found what he was looking for.
"Holy…" Spoke Harry quietly. He had lost his voice before he had a chance to say the curse word that had crossed her mind. He looked up at Ron his eyes wide with disbelief. "… I got… I got her pregnant?" The raven-haired man managed to stutter through his amazement. Ron looked stricken as he realised the secret was out.
"Yes… yes you did… and she doesn't want you to have anything to do with the child…"
"I have as much right to my kid as she does… I'm it's father."
"Firstly, you sacrificed all right you had to that child when you left us all in the lurch. And second, she is not an it. She is the most beautiful little girl I have ever seen and you will never, I repeat never see her." Ron threatened through gritted teeth.
"Oh really…" And with that a smirk played over his lips and he disapparated. Heading straight for Rose's room. Ron followed quickly and headed him off at the door.
"Harry… you are not going in there!" He roared angrily as he tried to get in his ex best friends way.
Back In The Hospital Room
"Harry… you are not going in there!"
The noise had awakened Ginny from her misery and Hermione raced to the door to look out the window. Her bright brown eyes grew in shock as she spotted Ron and none other than Harry Potter. She flicked the lock with her wand. It was a locking charm that could not be broken by anyone but the person who cast it. Hermione had picked it up during her training to be a charm's teacher.
"Keep him… keep him out of here!" Demanded Ginny as she lifted her head.
"Already done…" Nodded Hermione and also drew down the blind in front of the door window so Harry could not see in. Then she turned back to the situation inside the room. Ginny was at that moment gripping hold of her daughters delicate hand.
"Come on baby… please… wake up for Mummy… Rose please wake up!" Ginny pushed a strand of her flame hair over her shoulder and out of the way as she continued to beg with Rose to wake up. "Please… sweetheart… honey… please, please wake up!" But then the door was basically blasted off its hinges by a jet of white light that echoed from Harry's wand. Ron was panting slightly as he rushed in after him.
Ginny stood up and came to stand protectively in front of her unconscious daughter. "Get out of here you slimeball." She spoke through gritted teeth as angry tears began to form in her chocolate eyes.
"Gin… look…" Harry began but he was cut off by Ginny once more.
"Harry… just get out of here! Now!" She roared all of the anger and resentment she had built up over the years burning in her eyes like a fire.
"Not until you let me see my daughter." He spoke as coolly as he could whilst trying to keep his temper down. But the major problem was his breath had caught in his throat. His heart hammering ten times faster than its usual speed. He took in her curvaceous hips and dazzling red hair, her burning brown eyes and adorable freckles. I thought I was over this! It's been nine bloody years since I saw her and she still has this affect on me?! He swept her with his emerald orbs. She hadn't changed at all since he left her. Back when she was 18.
Ginny felt his stare and couldn't help but have almost the same thoughts on his appearance as she could tell he was having on her. His hair was as messy as always and an unbidden memory of running her hands through it crept into her mind. His emerald eyes were the complete reflection of those her daughter had hidden at the moment and the look in them made her hold her breath. Those eyes were rash and passionate and Gin quickly tore her eyes away and turned back to her daughter.
Harry dropped his eyes and exhaled the breath he realised he had had caught in his throat. His eyes fell upon the bright white bed and he swallowed. Inside it was the most adorable young child. She had long silky, jet black hair that was splayed all over a spotless pillow. Harry stepped past Ginny and amazingly she did nothing to stop him. She however did watch his eyes as he leant over the unconscious child. His eyes were filled with something that Gin could only name as regret. Regret for not having seen his daughter grow up, regret that he had left Ginny all alone to raise her, regret that he had left Ginny at all. He raised a hand and laid it on the little girl's cheek. He snapped it back as he felt her move slightly beneath his fingers. Rose's fingers began to move slightly and Ginny drew in a gasped breath. Racing to her daughter's side she clasped at her hand once more. "Honey? Honey?" She asked softly into Rose's ear. As her mother's voice reached into the depths of her mind and her father's hand could be felt holding hers Rose's eyes fluttered open. Revealing the emerald orbs she had been blessed with. Ginny heard Harry breath in out of shock as his own eyes stared back at him.
Rose looked up at the man leant over her and locked her eyes with hers. Except from what she could see she was simply looking into her own eyes. But in somebody else's face. She felt her mother squeezing her hand and she turned to look at her. "Mummy…" She croaked and then coughed. Her voice coming out stronger. "Mummy who is he?" She asked looking from Ginny to Harry in puzzlement. "And why does he look like me?"
"Roes, honey… this is your father…"
"But… but you said Daddy was dead?" She asked confused beyond her wildest dreams.
"YOU TOLD HER I WAS DEAD!" Demanded Harry so loudly that he caused Rose to almost jump out of her own skin. He looked down at her with a 'sorry' expression before turning his now blazing green eyes on Ginny.
"Well what else was I meant to tell her when she asked? Telling her you were dead was the only way…"
"Why was it the only way?"
"Because it would hurt her less than telling her the truth!"
"Which is?"
"THAT YOU DESERTED US!" Ginny roared and Rose looked alarmed. She had never heard her mother scream like that before. Her emerald orbs opened in fear and she gripped Gin's hand harder while extracting her other from this strange mans strong grip. Rose was now seriously worried.
"I am so sorry for leaving Gin… but I had to…"
"Why Harry? Why did you have to leave?"
"Because… because I wasn't sure if… if I could live for much longer…"