Chapter Nine-March

Dear Agony,

Just let go of me.

Suffer slowly.

Is this the way

It's gotta be.

Dear Agony.

-Breaking Benjamin

March had begun and Hermione had spent the entire weekend trying to convince Ginny that she should tell Draco, but Ginny was dead set on not telling him so he would come back on his own. It had taken until Monday morning for Hermione to convince Ginny to return to work. It seems that Hermione spent most of her Sunday night in bed working out the plan.

Ginny was only about a month along, if even. Hermione had asked a few times if she was sure the baby was Draco's. There was no doubt in her mind because her and Harry hadn't been physical since well before New Year's. She asked Ginny when she got her last period and Ginny couldn't remember.

The plan was Ginny would return to work until her fourth month, when pregnant Aurors were forced to start maternity leave, for obvious reasons.

Hermione agreed to not tell anyone about the pregnancy. Ginny was dead set on having Draco change his mind and then she would tell him. Unfortunately they had to look at it from all directions, which meant what if Draco didn't change his mind?

Ginny offered to not tell him and just to disappear then, but Hermione gave her a stern look to that one. If Draco didn't get things moving before Ginny needed to leave work, then she would tell him.

As they headed into work, Ginny realized that it has been two weeks since the article had been on the front page. All the media around it died down but no one forgot about it. More people stared at Ginny as she walked into work, but she ignored them. Rumors were bound to creep up again now that she was back. Hermione had mentioned that a few times so that Ginny was prepared.

Ginny said goodbye to Hermione and entered the Auror department. Blake was the first one to notice her. She was immediately hugged by the blond, who had been very worried about her over the past couple weeks. They talked a little, before Ginny started heading on her way to speak to Robards. She knocked on the door and he was surprised to see her walk in.

"Miss. Weasley?" He asked shocked. "Feeling up to working again?" He asked and Ginny couldn't help but feel awkward.

"I am ready to start again. I just needed sometime to become emotionally stable again." She confessed to him and he nodded.

"We can't have emotionally unstable Aurors." He said, before noticing that she was hesitating. Like she was trying to say something else. "Is there something else?" He asked her when he noticed her struggling.

"Well, I'm pregnant." She admitted and he looked shocked for a moment, before wiping the look off of his face. He smiled.

"I don't want to know which one is the father. I will not be getting involved in this. I just need to know when you will be on your fourth month so you can start your leave." He explained to her, before dismissing her to begin her work. More like, leaving her to go deal with Draco. Her partner that hates her currently and is also the father of her unborn baby.

Needless to say, Draco wasn't thrilled when Ginny walked into their office. He didn't say a word or even acknowledge that she was back. Hermione's talk didn't seem to break any barriers. Although he did have more respect for the muggleborn. That's right, muggleborn, not mudblood.

Ginny sat down at her desk and sighed. She kind of hoped he would just forget everything when he had seen her walk in the door. As she sat silently at her desk, she realized that when Draco first came back, although it was five years and not two weeks, the first thing that hit her was how much he had hurt her. It wasn't long before there was a knock on the door and Ron walked into the office.

"Well look who decided to show back up." Ron said and Ginny rolled her eyes, getting up to hug him. He did hug her, but it felt different between the two of them. If there was anyone she didn't want to find out about her and Draco, besides Harry, it was Ron. "I'm assuming you may have guessed that mom has seen the article?" Ron asked and she winced slightly. The thought may have crossed my mind once or twice. Or twenty times a day. How proud she must be to be the mother of the girl who cheated on the Chosen One with Draco Malfoy.

"How did she take it?" She asked him carefully, as she sat back down in her chair.

"How would you feel if it was your children that came off as the worst in the article that had nothing good to say in the first place?" He asked her and she had to admit he was right. Which also would explain why he was not hounding her for sleeping with Draco.

Neither of them were painted to pretty in the article. Ginny was sure that Ron was trying to keep them both on each other's good side so that when it came time to face the family, they would be on each other's side. Ginny was completely okay with that.

"Now that your home, she wants the family home Sunday night for dinner." Ron explained and she nodded, expecting it to happen eventually. She could easily start to feel Draco getting annoyed with the conversation, but it really didn't bother her. It was quiet for a few minutes, before Ron finally excused himself and left.

Ginny laid her head back, not wanting to work on any paperwork. Her hand rested on her flat stomach, her thumb subconsciously stroking it. She tilted her head over, her eyes landing on Draco. She frowned slightly as he worked away on whatever he was working on. She wondered about the baby and how Draco would handle it whenever he found out about it.


Hermione sat at the bar that night. It was a slow night and she really only just wanted one drink. She let out a sigh and took a sip of her third drink. She was sure Ginny wouldn't have a problem making herself at home if she decided to stay out later tonight.

Hermione swiped a stray tear away, not willing to let herself fall back into that. Everything had happened to fast and she still was having a hard time processing it all. She had never anticipated not being with Ron for the rest of her life. Sure they fought a lot, but that just who they were. She was always mad at him, but she loved him all the more for it.

Obviously after all the cheating their relationship was done, but it still happened so fast. One day she was happily married, the next she was involved in an affair with her secretary. Then she was leaving her husband, while trying to figure out her feelings for her secretary, let alone her sexuality.

That article ruined everything it seems. Nothing could be done to fix her relationship with Ron and they would be lucky if they could salvage a friendship out of it. Not to mention Chloe's death. It had taken a while to hit Hermione, what her death meant. What it meant to her at least.

If only she had stayed out with them that night, then Chloe wouldn't have gone out alone.

"Hey Hermione." Blaise said, snapping Hermione out of her thoughts abruptly. She sniffed quickly and then looked up, smiling at him.

"Well, hello Blaise. How are you?" Hermione asked, recalling the last time she had seen him. He had witnessed her outburst and watched her hit her breaking point. The day they first officially met.

"I'm sure I could be worse." He said simply, taking a seat and ordering a drink.

"Ginny had mentioned you before." Hermione pointed out and he looked pleased to hear that. "Up until this year, she explained that her sixth year she was friends with you guys and went into hiding, never going into more detail than that. I never asked any questions because you were all gone." Hermione explained to him.

"Despite the fact that we were all gone, she meant a lot to all of us. Pansy and her were best friends so fast. Pansy wouldn't let anyone hurt Ginny, which surprised me that she was the one to ruin it all. She was, after all, the one who started it all." Blaise explained and Hermione became very interested.

"So why would she do that? Why would she ruin everything like that?" Hermione asked, curiosity getting the best of her. "If Ginny meant so much to you guys, why were you all gone after the war?" She asked him and he frowned.

"Draco and Pansy were once betrothed, just as Daphne and I had been. They weaseled their way out of it, but that didn't change the fact that Pansy was in love with Draco. It was obvious to everyone, except for maybe her and Ginny." Blaise explained, pausing and then continuing. "Love makes you do some crazy things. She has to live with the repercussions of that conversation with Draco forever. The fact that Ginny and Draco were ruined and I ended my friendship with Draco, not to mention Draco never spoke to her again after that." Blaise said and Hermione listened to him closely. "Although Ginny and Pansy seemed to have make amends, I don't think Draco will ever forgive her." Blaise admitted and Hermione could hear the disappointment in his voice. The way Ginny had described them, they all had really strong friendships.

"You and Draco are friends now." She pointed out and Blaise nodded. "Ginny said that after Daphne was killed, you planned to get away for a while. Then you heard what Draco said to her, terminated your friendship, but the next day you were gone and so was everything else that mattered to her that year." Hermione explained it to him, how Ginny had explained it to her.

"Yeah, well I did come back. It may have taken me a while, but I still knew what was going on in her life. I knew that she was an Auror and that she was engaged to Potter. I figured my coming back into her life would just dig up old skeletons." He explained and Hermione understood why he didn't come back.

Ginny had fallen back into her old life with her old friends.

"Then I had seen the article about how Draco and Ginny were partners and they just got back, capturing three rouge deatheaters. I had to come back after that." He said, with a small smirk and Hermione smiled. "I know Potter is your best friend, but Ginny and Draco, they have something that I never thought was possible for them. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it unfold before my eyes." He told her and she nodded, understanding. Draco had to mean a whole lot to Ginny at some point in time to risk ruining everything she had going for her.

"Well she talks highly of you." Hermione admitted and he nodded, happy to hear. He finished his first drink, ordering a second for him and another for Hermione.

"Alright, your turn to share. How did the brightest witch in our year, wind up in the mess that left her in a bar talking to a Slytherin?" He asked and she smiled a little, before sighing. It's not like it wasn't in the papers.

"I don't get how it all happened. I was happily in love with Ron, who was a little neglectful, but we were happy. I recently had hired Chloe as my secretary and Ron had become more and more distant, always busy. At first Chloe has been a friend when I needed one. Ginny was busy with work and sorting out Luna's life." She explained and Blaise nodded.

"You opened up to her, becoming friends with her." He clarified and Hermione nodded.

"There was something about her. I found myself attracted to her, which is something I never felt before. I don't mind same sex relationships, but it always turned my stomach to think of myself with another girl. Chloe wasn't just some other girl though." Hermione continued to explain.

"So you ended up in a relationship with her?" Blaise asked and she nodded slowly.

"I ended up in an affair, not that Ron noticed because he was so busy. I tried numerous times to reach out to him so I could end that affair, but he wanted none of it. Eventually all of his affairs came out into the open and I was gone." She explained and he looked interested.

"So you and Chloe entered an actual relationship?" He asked and Hermione shrugged.

"Nothing really changed, but I guess so. Didn't matter really because then the article was out and she was gone." Hermione said, finishing the rest of her drink. "She wanted an actual relationship, which I wasn't sure if I wanted or not. I'm still not sure that I would have entered an actual relationship with her." She admitted and Blaise nodded, changing the subject, noticing how much it was bothering her.

"So this is when everyone starts to rebuild. In the aftermath. You've all hit bottom, now it's time to work back up to the top. You all are war heroes, it will work out once you all show a strong united front." He said to her and she laughed.

"Apparently that's what we're all trying. There is so much tension and you could tell none of us are really saying what we think. Some united front." She said with a small laugh, taking another sip of her drink. He nodded, obviously noticing that they were all failing.

"Maybe it is Draco that can't make it in Ginny's world. It doesn't even look like you guys can make it in your own world." He said and Hermione stared at him confused.


Ginny got back to Hermione's flat after work that night. The day had not been all that great and Hermione wasn't even home to vent to. She collapsed in the kitchen, the bottle of fire whiskey staring her in the face. She drank a lot while she was away, drowning away her sorrows, until she found out she was pregnant. But now that Draco hadn't said a word to her all day, not even work related, it became tempting.

"No, I'll hurt my baby." She said out loud to convince herself. It was just sitting there, tauntingly. Why would Hermione have that bottle anyway? Had she purposely placed it there for her to find to see if she was weak. No way. She was over thinking this. Fire whiskey was a common wizard thing and Ginny was strong enough to refuse.

Maybe.

Knock, knock.

Ginny jumped when she heard the knock on the front door. A distraction! She jumped out of her chair, wondering who could possibly be coming to Hermione's. She jogged down to the door, pulling it open and dropping her jaw.

"Harry!" She said shocked, his face matching hers.

"Ginny? I didn't know you were staying with Hermione. When did you get back?" He began bombarding her with questions and Ginny finally realized she didn't see him in the office.

"I went back to work today. Where were you?" She asked him back and he shrugged, not expecting to be called out on not being at work. Then the awkward silence set in, both realizing they were no longer engaged, or even dating. They hadn't spoken since she left him and she wasn't even sure if they could be considered friends.

"Is Hermione here?" He asked and she shook her head.

"No, but your welcome to come in and wait. She shouldn't be long. They will kick her out of the Ministry eventually." She said, forcing a small smile. He nodded, stepping and she shut the door.


Hermione listened as Blaise explained Ginny's sixteenth birthday party. How they all began underestimating her ability. At first it had been amusing to see if she could make it in their world, but then she could and she fit in really well.

"I never thought this is what it was like on the other side. So many lies." He said and Hermione laughed.

"Are you telling me that the four Slytherins that ran everything are the honest ones?" Hermione asked, finding it very hard to believe.

"Bluntly. We were all very honest. Maybe not to everyone, we are deceiving folks, but when you lie to those close to you, you only hurt yourself." He said and Hermione looked at him, staring into his eyes. She wouldn't have believed it if she hadn't actually heard it.

"Yeah, well, we all messed up." Hermione admitted and Blaise nodded. "I can see why Ginny is so fond of you. I guess we all had the wrong impressions." She said and Blaise laughed, offering her another drink.


Harry poured himself a glass of fire whiskey, offering to pour Ginny one. Albeit it was tempting, she turned it down.

"Since when does Ginny turn down alcohol?" He asked, taking a sit at the kitchen table. Ginny pursed her lips.

"Since when does Harry ditch work?" She asked him. If he was expecting her to spill, then so would he.

"How could you sleep with Malfoy!" He yelled out, obviously not happy that she answered him with a question. It was bound to happen. She winced slightly at his voice.

"How could you sleep with Luna? Or Hermione." Ginny said, her voice quiet.

"How about you answer one of my questions first." He said and she clenched her fists. "What went wrong between us?" He asked her and she looked directly at him, able to see the hurt in his eyes.

"You left. I was sixteen and the guy I was in love with for years, who promised to talk to me about our relationship, just up and left. I moved on during my sixth year." She explained and he rolled his eyes.

"You said nothing happened between you and Malfoy." Harry said through gritted teeth.

"I lied." She said simply. "The war was over and you three were back. I was heartbroken. I had fallen in love with Draco and I guess that even though we got back together, I never really got over him." She said and Harry took a big drink from his glass.

"I can't believe this is who you have become." He said with distaste and that was the last straw for Ginny.

"You told me I was first girl you every slept with, even though you slept with my best friend! Two of my best friends. One of which has your child!" Ginny yelled at him.

"We all make mistakes!" He yelled back and Ginny laughed.

"How do you expect me to forgive your mistakes when you can't forgive mine?" She asked him, crossing her arms.

"Because I still love you." He said and Ginny frowned. "And your mistake was falling for the enemy." He said solemnly, taking another drink, while Ginny summoned herself a water bottle.

"Your right, I made a mistake by falling for Draco." She admitted and at first he looked pleased but then she continued. "The mistake was not ending things with you. I'm sorry Harry, but I love Draco and I left him because I thought you were the safer choice." Ginny admitted, knowing she was hurting him, but it had to be done.

She wanted to be the friend that the Slytherins taught her to be. As werid as that sounded.

"Truth be told, I think all of us, You and me, Hermione and Ron, confused this unbelievably strong friendship we have for love. We have this unbreakable bond and we all know that deep down, though we may be angry, we would do anything for each other." Ginny said, remembering how she once envied the relationship she witnessed between the four Slytherins. It took her until now to realize she did have that.

She was childish and bitter about everything that happened with the trio that she forgot what they really meant to her that year. Harry didn't do anything for a while, except sipping on his drink. Then he nodded slowly.

"Maybe your right. I guess the youngest one has the most common sense." He said, his voice softer. Ginny felt immensely relieved, surprised and thankful that it had work. "I-I think that maybe we were to scared that if we weren't together then we would fall apart." Harry said, a bit nervously at first and Ginny nodded.

"I was scared not to be with you. You were what I was used to. Loving you was all I knew and it was safe. I'm sure we could have been married our whole lives." She said, pausing and then continuing. "We could have been together because I do love you, Harry Potter, and you do love me. Except we would have missed out on real love. The way I love Draco is entirely different, not any more than how I love you." She said and he smiled.

"I think we will make it out of this just fine." He said and Ginny felt relieved that he felt the same way. She had to just bring his feelings into the light. She had been worried that he would not agree and convince her that his love was the right love. Maybe he had thought about this before, but this was something she was okay with not knowing.

"Harry?" Ginny asked to get his attention. He looked up and she took a deep breath. "We need to talk. I have something to tell you and I know we really don't need secrets right now, but…" I trailed off, but he seemed to catch my drift.

"Despite everything going on, you have something you're not ready to have out?" He asked me to clarify and she nodded. He agreed not to say anything and she trusted him. How could you not trust the guy who entered the chamber of secrets, killed a basilisk and destroyed Tom Riddle's memory all to save your life. She bit her lip, swallowing and then taking a deep breath.

"I'm pregnant." Ginny stated, her voice strong. At first he wasn't sure he had heard her right. He stared for a moment, her words sinking into his brain.

"What!" Said a male voice, not belonging to Harry.


Hermione walked with Blaise down the street towards her flat. The bar she had gone to had been in the town and her house wasn't too far from there. He pulled out a cigarette and Hermione turned her nose up in distaste.

"Horrible habit." She said disgusted and he smirked, lighting one up anyway. He offered her one and she laughed. "Honestly." She said, not able to believe he asked.

"You would be surprised. It relieves so much stress, especially the wizard ones. I started with the muggle ones, but the magic ones are so much better." He said, once again offering. Hermione stared up at him, biting her lip. "You won't get addicted from one. Ginny took the one I offered and she doesn't smoke." He said and Hermione rolled her eyes, taking one and using her wand to light it. She exhaled the smoke, not coughing. He looked impressed.

"I hit teenage rebellion just like everyone else. What better way to piss off two dentists-"

"What?" Blaise asked and Hermione laughed, stumbling a bit since she was pretty tipsy. She looped her arm around his to maintain balance. They continued walking.

"My parents are muggles. Of course you know that. Dentists take care of people's teeth so they don't rot. Anyways, they caught me when I was half way through my first cigarette." She said, quickly finishing up, feeling like she was rambling. She quickly put the cigarette to her lips, taking a long drag.

"So where is your flat?" He asked and Hermione perked up.

"Oh shoot. I forgot." She said looking around and the frowning. He smiled and Hermione felt something weird come over her upon seeing him smile.

"We passed it didn't we?" He asked and Hermione nodded slowly, her eyes not breaking contact with his. "You look like you see something you like." He said, leaning closer to her.

"Maybe because I do." She said, feeling foolish for letting the alcohol push the words out of her and not just in her mind. He smirked and Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"Well I simply refuse to be involved with someone who has as much going on as you do. I like control." He said and Hermione rolled her eyes, wondering what she could have possibly been thinking to think they had some connection.

She turned to start walking, when he grabbed her arm pulling her back towards him. He placed lifted her chin to look up at him and before she knew it, his soft lips met hers. She melted and it was over before she could fully process it.

"That wasn't me turning you down. That was me saying come find me when everything gets sorted out." He said and Hermione smiled, blushing slightly. He stuck out his arm and she looped hers back around his, pointing out her house.

"Would you like to come in? I'm sure Ginny is still awake." She asked and Blaise smirked.

"Are you still trying to seduce me?" He asked her playfully and she rolled her eyes, unable to keep herself from smiling. "Love to." He said and she led him up to the door, unlocking it with her key.

"…something you're not ready to have out." Harry said and Hermione placed a finger over her lips, motioning for Blaise to be quiet and to follow her.

"That's Harry." Hermione whispered and he nodded, following her.

"You know I won't say anything…" Hermione raised an eyebrow and Blaise look equally confused, following her to the kitchen. They walked up, the other two not noticing them.

"I'm pregnant." Ginny said and Hermione turned away wincing. She had just walked Draco's best friend in on Ginny telling Harry she was pregnant with Draco's child. She noticed Blaise's jaw dropping, staring at the two of them. It took him a few moments to process thought, but when he did, he didn't keep quiet.

"What!" He yelled out and Ginny jumped out of her chair turning around.

"Hermione. Blaise!" She said, a lot more surprised to see the latter, her eyes very wide. She felt sick to her stomach.

"I'm home." Hermione said, in a fake cheerful voice, still pretty drunk.

"I noticed." Ginny said to her through gritted teeth. "Harry is here to talk to you. Just don't be alone for too long. Who knows what might happen." Ginny said sharply, although she didn't mean it and the other two knew she didn't. She was just angry. Harry and Hermione being together didn't bother her, besides Harry lying to her about it. She had been alone with Draco. She understood it completely.

"I think there is more important matters." Blaise said firmly and Ginny winced at the sound of his voice. Blaise's voice was always relaxed, stress free. He was calm and she only really heard him raise his voice when he defended her against Draco.

"So I just want to be clarified a bit on who the father is." Harry cut in and Blaise looked at Ginny who was looking anywhere but at him.

"Do you know?" Blaise asked and Ginny nodded.

"Draco is the father." Ginny said quietly and Harry looked almost relieved.

"It's better that way isn't it?" He said, obviously noticing that she wasn't thrilled. "He's the one you're in love with. How am I more happy for you about this?" Harry asked and Hermione laughed a little, but Harry ignored her.

"The night I left you, Chloe told me everything. The only problem was that she told me after I ended things with Draco." Ginny said, pausing. "Now he hates me. Because I turned away his love that everyone said was impossible. He is disgusted by me." Ginny said, covering her face and walking away. Blaise told the other two to go talk or whatever and he followed Ginny.

"Hey." He said, sitting next to her on the couch.

"Please don't tell him." She turned to look at him, tears already staining her cheeks. He broke.

"How is every time you cry I do something I never do. I fought with a friend, terminating our friendship and I am keeping something from my best friend." He said and Ginny smiled, resting her head on his shoulder, wiping away the tears.

"And you were worried about me playing with snakes." Ginny said and Blaise laughed, but then he got serious.

"You need to tell him, Ginny." He said forcefully and Ginny nodded.

"I know and I will. But I want him to love me again first. I want him to want to be with me, not because I'm pregnant." She said and he nodded.

"You need to talk to him. Just like you did with Potter. Get everything sorted out." He said and Ginny said.

"Easier said than done. We all know how Draco loves to talk." She said, adding in a bit of sarcasm.

"Yeah well, he likes a girl with fight. You're that girl, Ginny." He said and she nodded, trying to think of that she would even say to him.

Was it something I said?

Or something I did?

Did my words not come out right?

Although I tried not to hurt you,

Yeah I tried,

But I guess that's why they say

Every rose has it's thorn.

-Poison