Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of its affiliates. All of it belongs to J.K. Rowling.
Coming Back
Chapter 3
Reality Check
Ginny sighed deeply as she closed the door quietly. The flat had a mysterious silence in it, like a deep haze. Dropping her bag on the floor, she was slightly surprised to see Harry's coat lying on the front table. Thinking he forgot it and shrugging her suspicion off, she advanced to her bedroom. The door was shut.
Ginny pressed her ear to the door tentatively. There was no noise from within. Shaking herself for thinking that someone else was still here, Ginny opened the door quietly. The bed's covers were bunched up in the middle, one pillow missing, the other three on the floor.
"Harry doesn't make the bed anymore?" Ginny mumbled to herself. She walked over to the bed and grabbed one corner of the blanket and tugged. The blanket pulled slightly and something moved from underneath it. Ginny covered her mouth in shock. "There's a homeless man in my bed!"
Grabbing the blanket some more, a face was revealed.
'Oh Merlin,' Ginny thought. 'It's Harry!' His eyes were shut and his stomach was slowly moving up and down. He looked vulnerable and troubled.
Remembering suddenly that Harry was a light sleeper, she quietly backed up, and into the open door, which closed with a loud bang. Harry stirred and untangled himself from the blankets, groping her his glasses.
"Bloody Hell!" Ginny moaned, falling to the ground, as if she could sink below it and hide from Harry. Harry sat up and rubbed his eyes, putting his glasses on.
"Whozair?" He called, reaching for his wand and pointing it unsteadily at the door. He paused for a second before he grabbed the light switch. Ginny closed her eyes and hid her face in her hands. Harry would surely notice her red eyes, blotchy cheeks, and slight stomach.
"Wait, Harry. It's me," Even through the dark, Ginny could see his face soften. Her heart melted at the site of his disheveled outline in the darkness.
"Ginny? Why are you here? I mean, of course you can-can be here. You still live here but I-I thought you left," Ginny gave no reply as tears pricked her eyes and her throat burned. Harry continued, getting off the bed and making his way toward her. "We really have to talk. I was being daft. I'm mad for letting you go like that. Can we please talk?" The lump in her throat prevented her from answering.
He was bent over her now, kneeling over and grabbing one of her hands that were tangled in her hair. Ginny moved her robes to cover her stomach. Harry slowly wrapped his arms around her, moving her over so that he could hug her from behind. He rested his chin on her shoulder.
"Gin, what's wrong?" Harry whispered in her ear, sending shivers down her spine.
"No," she pushed him away, his head hitting the door as she stood up. She grabbed her discarded bag and hurried out of the flat. She had reached the end of the street, before she remembered she was a witch and could've apparated. Cursing herself as she wiped at her tear stained cheeks, she turned on the spot and apparated away.
"Ronald Weasley! How could you have been so careless? Ginny, your sister, is in a delicate state. Imagine what this is doing to the baby. Harry'll see her! He's leaving, Ronald. Did you forget that?" Ron winced as another blow was aimed towards his head.
"Ah, but 'Mione-"
"Don't 'but 'Mione' me, Ronald. I -" Hermione's rant was cut off by a POP! and a sniffle. Smacking Ron one last time, Hermione advanced on Ginny. "Ginny? Ginny!"
Ginny shook her head and headed towards the couch. Throwing Ron a dirty look, Hermione carefully took a spot next to her. "Ginny? What happened?" Ginny bowed her head, tears hitting the couch. There was a POP! near the kitchen. Ginny let out a startled cry and abruptly headed toward the loo.
Hermione sighed as Harry ran into the room, out of breath. His unruly hair was currently being raked down by his own hand.
"Ginny-here?" Harry panted, gesturing wildly, his hands on his knees, his breath coming out shallowly. He took a deep breath and stood up straight. Ron and Hermione looked at each other stimulously, then back at Harry. Hermione nodded to Ron, then bustled off toward the loo. Ron turned back to Harry.
"Mate, she's not exactly in the finest shape. Maybe you should come back later," Ron suggested to Harry, all but shoving him out the door. Harry turned around quickly. Ron was thrown off balance and fell to the ground. Harry stepped over Ron and walked towards the hallway.
"Hermione? I know you know where she is!" Harry called out into the empty hallway. Realizing in a somewhat distant mind that he sounded like a stalker, he threw up his hands. Ron walked up behind him.
"I just want to talk to her," Harry whispered, sinking into the same couch that Ginny had. Ron frowned. "I just want to tell her I love her one more time."
Ron looked Harry over. He looked as horrible as Ginny. His eyes had bags under them and were almost glassed over as if he was in a stupor. His hands were curled around a small box and Ron realized why he had to talk to Ginny one more time.
"Mate. I'm coming from the heart here. I know you're a good bloke and all, but now, is really not the time. She's-er- in a delicate condition." Harry looked up at Ron. Ron saw the pain in his eyes. He winced.
Harry stood up. "Alright, I don't want to hurt her anymore. Just please tell her I love her, alright?" Ron nodded and Harry walked to the door, stepped outside and Apparated away.
"But Herm, I've never really liked Healers."
"Ginny, you're a Healer."
"Yes, well, I've never liked other Healers all that much. Baby Healers. They poke and prod. I need my space."
Hermione rolled her eyes and sank into the chair on the side of Ginny. Ginny was stretched out on the bed.
The bed, was just that, a bed. It was reclinable to fit the woman's need, it recorded her body temperature, among other things, as well as the baby's.
"Well, the baby does need to be checked out. You never know, something could be wrong." Hermione reminded Ginny. Ginny's eyes narrowed into slits.
"I'm leaving." Ginny got off the bed quickly and walked out the door. Hermione hurried to catch up to Ginny.
"Ginny! Wait!" Ginny waved a hand over her head and sped up. Healers walked past Ginny with a curious glance; a few even stopped to stare open-mouthed at her.
Hermione caught up with Ginny and caught her by the arm. "Ginny, just a quick look. Don't you care about the baby?" Red hot anger flashed across Ginny's eyes while she turned to glare at Hermione. Hermione's face fell.
Ginny sighed. "Of course I do. I'm sorry 'Mione. I just don't want this baby exposed to the world yet. The world won't handle it well. Hell, I'm not handling it well." Hermione let go of Ginny and looked at Ginny's slightly bulging stomach.
"Harry would have handled it well." And with that, she walked away, leaving Ginny standing slightly dazed in the corridor.
"I'm Corin. I'll be your Healer throughout your pregnancy." Ginny forced a smile and shook the blonde's hand. Corin continued. "I'm assuming you want it here, in St. Mungo's, correct?" Ginny nodded. "Do you know who'll be present for the birth yet? Father? Aunt? Your mother?" Ginny looked over at Hermione, who met her eyes eagerly. Ginny resisited the urge to roll her eyes and turned back to Corin, who had poised her hand over the clipboard.
"An aunt. And my mother." Corin looked confused and raised an eyebrow.
"The f-father? He won't be p-present?" Corin faltered, almost disappointedly. Ginny then understood why so many Healers wanted to be her Healer.
"No," Ginny whispered. "And it's not who you think it is," she said a bit louder.
Corin frowned and wrote something on her clipboard. Sighing, she put it away and asked Ginny if she was ready.
Ginny looked at the white orb that was produced, which hovered sinisterly above her. Corin fretted for a second, mumbling to herself. Hermione's face changed to one of worry.
"Everything's fine, right?" Hermione asked, biting her lip nervously. Corin snapped out of her daze.
"Well, it seems you have a very magical being growing inside of you. It's reflected the spell used to check its appearance and sex. We cannot find out anything about it now," Corin's voice was one of awe. "This has never happened before." Ginny winced, hoping Corin couldn't put two and two together.
"Yes, well. You're all set, I guess. I'll check with the other Healers and see what they say." Corin shook slightly as she walked out.
Ginny lifted herself up on her elbows and turned to look at Hermione.
"I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in saying that I think I need a different Healer." Hermione giggled slightly and helped Ginny off the bed.
I didn't work on this in months and then suddenly, I felt inspired again to continue. I hope you're all still out there.
I am.
Revised as of 8/26/08.
