Chapter 7: Two Months Earlier: 3rd Week of new Hogwarts term.

6th Year Female Dormitory, Hogwarts.

"Ginny!" came the shout from the dorms into the bathrooms. "You coming down for breakfast?"

There was a few seconds pause before the reply came.

"No, still feeling rough. You go on down. I'll catch up with you later", then Ginny once more, for the third time in half an hour, turned to the loo bowl that she was cradling and threw up. As she had done a total of 17 times over the last four mornings in a row, with more to come.

"Oh fuck!" as her fourth spew quickly followed. Twice more Ginny threw up in as many minutes before her stomach seemed to settle. Pushing herself up on unsteady legs, she moved from the loo area to the showers, lent into a cubicle and set the shower to flowing, stripped out of her pyjamas and stepped under the soothing flow of hot water. She just stood there, letting the water calm her. She lent backwards to let the tiles surface support her whilst she took the alone time to think.

Down in the Great Hall, Luna Lovegood, looking towards the Gryffindor House table, noticed that for the third morning out of four her lifelong friend Ginny Weasley was late for breakfast. Then after 20 minutes, that Ginny had not turned up at all. So, rising from her Ravenclaw table spot, she decided to go investigate Ginny's absence.

Professor McGonnagle, sitting at the staff table, had been counting the heads of her Gryffindors, trying to figure out who was missing. As she watched, she saw the petite Ravenclaw student approach one of the Gryffindor girls, Katie Bell.

'Hmmm. Luna Lovegood.' Pondered McGonnagle. 'She's Ginny Weasley's friend. And now I see that there is no Ginny Weasley at the table. What's going on?'

Luna spoke to Katie B.

"Hi Katy. Have you seen Ginny this morning? She's not at breakfast."

Looking round, Katie frowned.

"I hadn't noticed she was missing Luna, but your right. I saw her go to the bathroom before me but that was well over an hour ago now. She has been feeling a bit rough though. She even pulled out of Quidditch practise a couple of nights back. Do you want me to check on her?"

"Katie, you know that I am a bit…different..that I sense things in people. Well I…I sense something is different with Ginny, but I can't place what. So, I was thinking that I would check on her myself but I need the Gryffindor password for the entrance to the common room and dorms. Would you mind giving it to me?"

"Sure." Then standing up close to Luna, Katie whispered "It's 'The Fat Lady sings'. But keep it to yourself and don't tell anyone I told you. OK?"

"Thanks Katie. Won't be long, I hope."

As Luna then moved away from the House tables and exited the Great Hall, Professor McGonagle slipped out of the staff door and followed her.

"The Fat Lady Sings".

The Fat Lady's portrait said, "Yes, I do dear, but not normally to a Ravenclaw. I hope you are not up too mischief wishing to enter MY House's rooms?"

"I am just concerned for my friend, Ginny Weasley. Is she still here?" Luna asked.

"Ah, in which case you are more than welcome, my dear. I think she is in in the bathrooms. And I also feel that she needs a friend right now. She is..well, it's not for me to say. Just be her friend. You may enter." And the Fat Lady swung back the portrait door. "And the girls bathrooms are on the second floor to the left."

As Luna cleared the doorway and the portrait swung shut, 'The Fat Lady' saw her House Mistress approaching from the corridor.

"Professor! How nice to see you so early this morning. I presume that you to are here to find your missing student, Miss Weasley?"

"Good morning to you too. And yes, I am. Is that why you let Miss Lovegood from Ravenclaw in? You are normally quite strict at refusing entry to non-Gryffindor's."

"Professor, in this instance I feel that Miss Weasley is in need of a friend…and her Head of House. She is in..well, let's just say in a 'delicate condition'. Go straight in Professor. Miss Weasley is in the bathrooms."

"OH! OH Dear. That's not good. Thank you. Hmmm. Could you get word to Poppy that I will be along shortly with Miss Weasley and that we will need her skills. But don't broadcast Miss Weasley's condition to anyone else, do you hear? Poppy only. This is a very private matter."

"Understood Professor. Take it as done."

And Professor McGonnagle followed Miss Lovegood.

As Ginny Weasley had washed herself, her hands moving over her body, she looked down as she let her hands rest on her abdomen. She was still slim, maybe a very slight swelling showing but nothing that couldn't be explained away as her period time or a bit of puppy fat. But for how much longer, how long before she definitely could not explain her condition away as anything else. Ginny knew she was in trouble. Big trouble. 16yrs old, unmarried, not even engaged, not even with a confirmed boyfriend commitment.

'Four days in a row you've been sick Gin. Four fucking days. And your two missed periods.'

She exited the shower, wrapping herself in a large bath towel and made her way back into the dorm. She went to her bed, pulled out a much-to-big-for-her 'Gryffindor' Quidditch jumper from under her pillow and as she crawled to the corner of her bed next to the wall she pulled the jumper, with the name POTTER emblazoned across it, across her own body, snuggling into it's warmth.

And began to cry. To cry for herself, the child growing inside her and for Harry. Her Harry.

'Oh Harry. Why aren't you here. I need you here, Harry. I'm going to be a mum and you're going to a dad. I need you here! I'm frightened Harry. So frightened. Why aren't you here?'

And her tears flowed.

That is the way her friend found her.

"Ginny!...Ginny? What's wrong? I have never seen you cry. Why the tears?"

As she went to hug her friend, Luna seemed to pause and gave Ginny a strange look. Then she gasped.

"Ginny! The wrackspurts! There seems to be two separate groups of them, some round your head and a second group around your tummy…OH!...That means…..Oh, Ginny! Your…" And as Luna stretched out and hugged her, Ginny wailed

"I'm pregnant Luna! And Harry's the father!" and collapsed into her friends arms.

Professor McGonnagle was only seconds behind Luna Lovegood and was just outside the 6th year girl's dorm when she heard the cry and admission from Ginny Weasley. Pausing on the landing outside, McGonnagle gathered her thoughts.

'Ginny's pregnant…and Harry is the father! The haggis has hit the fan bigtime with this. Minerva, you better get this right or there will be hell to pay. If ever two of your students needed your help it is now, more than any other time in your career, it is now! James, Lily….Sirius….I hope you three can hear me. But help me get this right…for your son and grandchild!...And Snape, you better not get in my fucking way, or you WILL find out how good I am when I'm pissed off! OK Minerva. Get to it."