Authors Notes: So…you like it so far?If you absolutely hate it, just hang in there for a few more chapters…my writing greatly improves as the story unfolds. Heh. What can I say? Work is the devil…just thought you would all like to know. It keeps me from writing. Anyway! Back to the story, and I'd just like to thank my three loyal reviewers….please hang in there. I promise…this will get better.
Disclaimer: The personalities are mine, not the names. Hmm… I AM schizophrenic!
Chapter Two
"She's so high, high above me, she's so lovely. She's so high, like Cleopatra, Joan of Ark, or Aphrodite."
Ginny Weasley had never been so miserable in her life. During the long days she cleaned, she answered any one of the many Death Eaters living within the homes every command. She hated it. The evil, yet respected men that lived here daily, carrying out Voldemorts tasks, helping him day by slow day grow stronger in power. By night, she was tortured for answers to questions she pretended to not know about. And that rat Draco! Stealing her from her very home, and murdering so many. She hated it here, she prayed nightly to be rescued, and she had tried to escape six times within these three tortuous days. Just this morning, as all the Death Eaters sat in the grandiose living room sipping black black coffee she brought them discussing the morning paper she overheard the news of Angelina and Fred's baby.
"Yes! Ms. Weasley, you dear, are an Aunt." One man grinned, touching the back of her leg. She snapped away from him, and inched nearer to the paper. Voldemort, detecting that she was eager to know more handed her the paper and asked her to read it aloud. Ginny set down the coffee tray and read the article aloud.
"Today, in The Burrow the Weasley family was blessed with a miracle. A tiny baby girl named Summer Virginia Weasley arrived at 4:13 am this morning, her proud parents Fred and Angelina Weasley made no real comment to our birth reporters except that her middle name was given to her in memory of his lost sister, captured from her home just four days prior. Visits or Congratulations to this happy couple can be attained by the following address." Ginny's face fell downcast. She had ruined their happy day. She had ruined it all…
~~~
Draco gazed down at the address before him…oh please…Lord, please…no. He whispered a prayer over and over, a naïve act of an unbeliever, but if there was a God, oh please…not ……no….
~~~
"And you two wonder why I said you weren't allowed to be alone with Summer!" Angelina laughed, swatting at Fred and George who had bewitched everything in her perfect, spotless kitchen to hover inches above the ground.
"Aw, come off it 'Lina, the baby loves it." George said, leaning down and kissing her gentle, round, warm, welcoming tanned face.
"Thank you for the kiss, George, but I know how to tell the difference between my husband and his identical brother." Angelina laughed from somewhere deep inside and scooped Summer up into her strong arms.
"I know you can tell, I've just grown rather fond of your lips." George smirked, instinctively dodging a curse Fred was, no doubt, launching at him from behind. Sure enough, a purple spark lit up the room and bounced around a few plates before sailing out the open window.
"I feel sorry for who that one hits." Fred said, looking after it, and following Angelina upstairs to tuck in their precious child.
Summer Virginia Weasley was a gorgeous child with brilliant, black hair that sparked with energy. She also had huge, ice blue eyes chilling to stare at but an admirable glance would adore them. She already had begun to exemplify the traits of a Weasley. She was wild, even for a newborn. She never ceased moving and small dazzling stars flickered at her fingertips when she cried. Yet now, in the protective strong arms of her father and mother she cooed contently and eased into her cool blanket with sleep pulling at her feisty eyes.
"She's incredible." Fred said, with pride, leaning down to touch her soft cheek with his finger that seemed huge next to her delicate new frame.
Angelina hummed warmly next to him, his arm laying lovingly across her shoulders. She leaned against him gently, simply enjoying the utter bliss of having an infant that was theirs. A walking symbol of their endless love for one another. Summer was Angelina and Fred's heart - walking around outside of themselves.
~~
Draco arose the next morning in the pitch black hotel room. He recollected his thoughts, and then laid heavily back on his pillow, punching the bed in frustration. The bottle of alcohol next to the bed was half empty and the twisted sheets imprisoning him merely provided that he had been tossing in his sleep. Could he do this?? Could he kill an innocent child who had done nothing but entered this world? He reached for the bottle, but pulled his hand back. He enjoyed the sullen comfort of the darkness, after all, he needed to think and the darkness didn't ask questions, or employ conversation - the darkness was nothing but emptiness and the hallow feeling that ached and ate at him from his very bones, welcoming the darkness with an unsettling ease.
He sat on the edge of his bed, dark rings under his weary eyes. He resembled a scared child, cradling his knees to his chest for support. He shook with conviction, but knew no air. He could not escape what lay at his feet. Sweat emitted from his pores, even though his was frighteningly cold. His back lay slumped in a disfigured position as he hugged his legs closer to him. His skin looked as if it was clinging tightly to his ribs, as you could count all of them, jutting painfully out with a demanding unease. Draco was losing it. His heart was pounding so heavily he wondered whether or not he could possibly make himself do this. He fought hard against his father's voice in the back of his mind, yelling at him, beating him with a fierce evil, and instructing him to do whatever it was that Voldemort so willed. Draco slid off the bed onto the floor and clasped his hands together, laying his ice cold, sweating forehead on his knees, and he did the only thing he could think of…pray…
It's funny how God always hears our prayers, even when we do not deserve his attention, or respect. As Draco recognized this, he began sobbing, heavy, heaving sobs that shook his shoulders so hard he felt red hot needles all over his back.
"Help me…." he wept. "Oh…God, I know what I am doing is wrong… help me. Free me from this…be with Ginny…Oh God." He wept until he could hurt no longer, and then, a warm peace settled over him, and his shoulders ceased, and his tears were silenced. He would not kill the child.
~~
"Who's Grandpa's little angel? Who?" Arthur Weasley cooed at his giggling granddaughter. His dirty red hair was now thinning away, revealing a shiny bald spot that his sons never let him forget. His warm blue eyes met the cold piercing stare of his grandaughter as he spun her around and around.
"Arthur, will you watch it!" Mrs. Weasley snapped, then grinned sheepishly noticing the baby in his hands. "You're going to be just spoiled rotten." She smiled. "Just rotten."
"Hey! I want to see that kid for awhile." A familiar voice echoed behind them. There stood Harry Potter; the young child they had almost raised. His black hair still fluttering above his glasses. He had grown and was now a chisled young man. He beamed and took long strides to the infant, taking her lovingly into his muscular arms, now delicate with the child between them.
"Harry!" Mrs. Weasley cried, inching on her very tiptoes to reach up and hug him tightly. "We've missed you! How's Hermione, dear?"
"I'm splendid." Said a welcoming voice from the doorway. Hermione Potter smiled walking into the kitchen, her warm cinnamon hair and eyes reflecting in the daylight. "How are you Mr. and Mrs. Weasley?"
"Oh…Ginny…she just has us all a mess. But, I figure the authorities are right. Ginny's a free spirit, she could have just left." Mrs. Weasley said doubtfully, as if attempting to convince herself. "I just pray she's not in any pain."
"Of course." Hermione said hugging her warmly.
"Here you guys, help me set the table." Mr. Weasley implored, bringing them outside. The air was fresh and crisp with a welcoming summer evening. The sky now deepening into a darker shade of blue, was spanless. Fireflies has just begun to appear, flittering playfully above the Garden Gnomes before retreating to their own private business. Hermione, Harry, and Ron followed Mr. Weasley around the huge table placing forks, spoons, and sherbet dishes at every place setting. Hermione and Ron paused thoughtfully at where Ginny's place usually was. The now vacant setting was now becoming a painful reminder of her absence. Ron blew out a heavy breath loaded with anxiety.
"Wherever you are….you come home to us." he smiled, touching the tablecloth for an instant.
~~~~
"I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING! LEAVE ME ALONE!" Ginny screamed as she was cornered by Voldemort.
"Silence!" he shrieked, and the house trembled on its foundation before stilling evilly.
"First you demand me to talk then you demand silence. Make up your damn mind." Ginny said bitterly.
His fingers twisted around his wand at his side, and Ginny fell silent.
"Listen, I don't know anything. I just want to go home to my family." She begged.
"What's Potter doing for a career nowadays?" he spat at her.
"I told you. I haven't talked to Harry since Hogwarts. I don't know!" she lied.
"Ms. Weasley, you're a terrible liar. I know for fact that he is constantly at the Weasley residence.
"I've been away at school, and even so, he only talks to Ron!" she screamed.
"Fool." He whispered, before raising his hand and allowing it to fall across her face with a resounding crack. She winced and bit down on her lower lip until she felt blood in her mouth, but at least she did not give him the enjoyment of hearing her cry out in pain.
He retreated down the stairs jerking her the entire time. He was now pulling her deep into the heart of the Riddle mansion. Then down crooked dark steps into a wet, cold, dank basement. It's only furnishing's were dozens of boxes, a pail with a thin line of rancid water residing at the dregs and a filthy mattress. Chains and bloodied knives lay near it. Ginny shuddered with fear. She had just walked into hell.
"This is your new residence until Draco returns. Enjoy." He smirked, gliding up the stairs.
She stepped cautiously about the room, gingerly approaching the mattress. She mumbled a quiet charm and cleaned the bed. She sat on the pure white sheets, looking almost angelic in the dark room and pulled her knees to her chest, resting her head on top of them. Her long wavy red hair fell around her waist and arms, almost shielding her from whatever was lurking in the shadows…and in the future.
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