Disclaimer: This is a fan fic, meaning, I do not own any Harry Potter characters you recognize, I do not own the settings, and I do not own the parts of the books I've borrowed. That belongs to JKR. The plot you don't recognize is indeed mine. I hope you enjoy my playing in JKR's playground!
Author's Note: Another chapter with mentions of rape – following up on the previous chapter a bit. Again, make sure you're in a safe spot before you begin reading!
Chapter 10
On Christmas morning Ginny woke up early, her stomach rolling. She sighed. This was the fourth day in a row she had woken early with an upset stomach. Ever since her dream about Tom on the eve of the Solstice, she had just felt off. She hadn't told Draco, though she wasn't sure if he noticed she had been taking her morning a bit more easily. If today was like the other mornings, she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep, so she got up. It was only five in the morning, but that was a somewhat normal time to be up on Christmas morning, at least in her family.
After a shower, Ginny dressed and slowly made her way down the stairs to the kitchen. She had nearly fallen down the stairs yesterday, and she didn't want to risk a repeat. She was surprised to find Narcissa in the kitchen sitting with a cup of tea already waiting for Ginny. "Good morning," Ginny said with a small smile. She lifted the cup to her nose and inhaled. Her eyes widened as she turned to look at Narcissa full on. It was peppermint, even though it was early in the morning. Ginny hadn't told anyone she had been drinking peppermint in the morning.
"Ginger is good for an unsettled stomach too," Narcissa offered as she waved at Ginny to drink the tea. "If you tire of peppermint easily, or would like to try something else. You'll likely get tired of it eventually if it's all you drink," the older witch explained, gazing over Ginny. She had been watching the young girl carefully all month, waiting, and hoping she would be lucky. But Narcissa's instincts had kicked in. Had Ginny's?
"I'm sure it's just a touch of a cold," Ginny said. "I'll be fine in a few days."
Narcissa raised an eyebrow, reminding Ginny of Professor Snape. "Are you certain?" she asked, trying to figure out how much the young witch had thought it through. They both knew what the purpose of her kidnapping had been especially with the forced contract, but Narcissa wasn't certain Ginny had allowed herself to consider it.
"No," Ginny sighed. "But I also don't want to spoil Christmas. And I don't want Draco to know. He and I are on decent terms, but I'm not sure what he would do if...There may not be anything to know, anyway," she whispered. She had thought of it. She was overdue, and she knew there was a very strong possibility she had been dosed with something when she was unconscious the second time - or he had taken something before. When Tom wanted something, he usually got it. But she hadn't wanted to think of it. Just thinking about it made her hands twitch to her arms, and one started to scratch at the minor scars.
Narcissa nodded, though she reached over to guide Ginny's hand from her arm. "And if this keeps up through Saturday? This has been happening all week" she prompted.
"I'd only really trust Madame Pomfrey at this point. He holds the Ministry, so he likely holds St. Mungo's as well," Ginny relented.
"We can make an early return," Narcissa said, pleased with Ginny's foresight. "I informed Draco last night that I will be returning to Hogwarts with you. It's why I've been in contact with the Headmistress. The pawns must be drawn closer, even as we are scattered," she said vaguely. Ginny appreciated the chess reference, even if she wasn't informed of the plans.
After a few moments of silence, both lost in thought, the two women turned to happier topics as they waited for Draco to come down. They didn't have to wait long before they heard a door close and a dressed Draco made his way to the kitchen. "Happy Christmas," he wished them both before perusing the kitchen for a cup of tea. Narcissa had just started a pot steeping, and Ginny took the first cup, a weaker brew, and left the rest to the mother and son.
"Is it time for presents?" she asked, excited. Though she expected very little and hadn't been able to buy either of her hosts a present, she couldn't help the bubble of excitement that Christmas brought. It reminded her of a simpler time, and she wanted to enjoy that.
"Why not?" Draco said, grinning.
Ginny jumped up, smiling, and rushed down the hall to the tree. She paused for a moment when she got there, breathing deep to keep her stomach calm, but quickly fixed a smile in place before Draco could walk in. She noticed the pile of presents was slightly larger than she had expected, with some wrapping that looked suspiciously like her mother's.
She sat down next to the tree, assuming the role she had always had in her family - the distributor of gifts. She soon sorted through the pile, surprised when there were multiple gifts from her mother for all three of them. She knew what the soft, lumpy one was, and when all the presents had been handed out, she tore into that one first. In hers was a forest green sweater with a seafoam green G on the front. It was a traditional Weasley sweater, though in colors she hadn't received before.
Draco had quickly opened his similar gift when he saw Ginny tearing into hers, and pulled out a dark grey sweater. Narcissa had a slightly smaller soft and lumpy gift, and she found a scarf and a pair of mittens in hers, in Ravenclaw blue. Ginny smiled. Her mother had to have been working very hard to get the extra knitting done in time. She opened the other gift from her mother, which turned out to be a charm for the bracelet Luna had given her. Ginny wasn't sure how her mother knew of the bracelet, but she quickly added it. It was a small clock face, reminding Ginny of the special clock her mother often watched to ensure everyone was okay.
Her presents from Draco and Narcissa were small, but perfect. Draco had also given her a charm for her bracelet - a snitch. "I asked Luna what you would like most, and she said you always toyed with that bracelet," he explained when she looked at him. "She spelled a piece of metal with a protean charm like hers, and I had both of those new charms made from it. The Headmistress managed to get it half of the piece of metal Luna spelled to your mother, the same way she returned the presents to us I suppose," he continued.
Ginny's eyes welled up that that. She quickly tried her mother's charm, and only moments later she had a response. She finally knew her mother was safe, and she could contact her if she needed to. A watery smile was all she could manage as thanks. She opened Narcissa's gift as she struggled to control her tears. She wiped at her eyes quite roughly as she cleared them to read the note that was Narcissa's gift. She read through the short note, and reread it before looking up at Narcissa. "Thank you," she managed. She hoped she did not have to accept Narcissa's offer of assistance for the next year, but she knew how much the older witch was giving her just by offering.
She finished wiping away her tears, before motioning for other two to open the gifts she had managed to create for them. She did not think they were as lovely as what she had received, but she was excited to see them open the gifts in any case. For Draco, Ginny had taken one of the clear ornaments from the tree and worked some tricky transfiguration of the snowflakes inside. The bauble now held a scene of a pair huddled around a chessboard, sitting next to a rosy fire. One of the figures had blond hair; the other had long red hair. She had struggled with the final touch: the remaining snow she had transfigured to say 'Friends' in gold, similar to that of Luna's artwork. She watched his face carefully as he went over every detail, and she sighed, pleased, when she saw the smile break out over his face.
Ginny then turned to Narcissa to see what the older woman thought of her gift. Ginny had struggled even more with this one, as she wasn't sure how the witch would react to it. She had decided to gift the woman with a pair of long, fingerless gloves. The part that extended beyond the wrist and up past the elbow was nude, in the skin tone she thought would match Narcissa's best. The palm, hand, and wrist were similar to the fingerless lace gloves so many women chose to wear when performing tricky wand work that required a tight grip on the wand. The palm provided the grip while the visible portion looked very fashionable. "So you don't always have to wear heavy jackets to cover your arms," Ginny explained, dipping her head a bit but still able to see Narcissa's reaction. "I thought it would be easier than a spell."
The older woman looked down at the material, and she knew it had been charmed as well. It was cool to the touch, and she was certain it would stay cool in the summer months, when she most loathed coats. It was a thoughtful gift, and Narcissa was again pleased by the young witch's insight and intuition. "Thank you, Ginny," she said, with more kindness in her voice than Ginny was expecting.
When the rest of the gifts were opened, and the paper vanished, the three returned to the kitchen for a light breakfast. A larger meal would be served in the middle of the afternoon, but until then, the three had planned to enjoy a few games of Exploding Snap, chess, and each other's company. It was a pleasant way to spend Christmas, Ginny thought, if she couldn't be with her parents in person. She kept fiddling with the two new charms on her bracelet and smiling. She hoped her parents were enjoying their holiday, and that everyone was safe. She hoped Harry and Hermione were okay, that Luna and her father were busily writing (explaining Luna's radio silence), and that everyone who had had to stay at Hogwarts were having fun in the snow and preparing to enjoy the feast she had always heard was amazing.
Their own afternoon meal was impressive to Ginny. She hadn't eaten much, certainly not as much as she would have in past years, but she was able to enjoy a little bit of her favorite dishes. They had even had crackers to share, and Ginny's contained a tiara and a travel-sized wizard chess set in Christmas colors. She grinned and quickly put on the tiara. Draco indulged her and put on the bright purple top hat that had been in his cracker, and they spent the rest of the evening playing with the various games from the crackers before retiring to bed early.
-x-
Ginny's promise to Narcissa came soon all too quickly. In fact, Ginny had only made it to the following morning, when Narcissa found her dry heaving into the toilet at six. Ginny didn't mention she had been there for half an hour already - the witch seemed to know. She stayed with the young witch until the heaving stopped, then helped her to wash her face and dress in some comfortable clothes. She helped Ginny down the stairs, catching her once as she nearly tripped, and set her down firmly in a chair with a cup of ginger tea. "As soon as Draco wakes and can be ready to return, we are going back to Hogwarts," the older witch told Ginny. The redhead only nodded, knowing she couldn't ignore it any longer.
Draco was up a short while later, and Narcissa went upstairs to ask him to quickly pack his trunk and bring it downstairs. She packed Ginny's and hers as well while Draco prepared for the day, and soon there were three trunks waiting in the entrance. Draco had rushed through his routine when his mother had said that Ginny wasn't well and needed to see Madame Pomfrey, and they were ready to leave by seven that morning.
Narcissa shrunk the trunks and put them in the pocket of Draco's jacket. "Draco," she said as she handed him his jacket before turning to help Ginny into hers. "When we arrive at Hogwarts, I want you to go to the Headmistress' office and let her know we've arrived and I've taken Ginny to the Hospital Wing. You can come up after that," she said firmly. It would give Ginny some time before he would arrive. Draco nodded, though he looked upset. "She'll be just fine, Draco."
With that, Ginny stood and grabbed Draco's hand, in preparation to apparate. "Madame Pomfrey will know what to do," she reassured him. Narcissa touched both of their shoulders, and quickly apparated them to the front gates of Hogwarts. When they arrived, Ginny was very glad to see Hagrid was waiting for them. She didn't stop to think of how he knew; she just wanted to get out of the cold as quickly as she could. She gave a weak smile and said her hellos to the half-giant, waving as Narcissa quickly walked her up towards the castle.
The time sitting down and the tea had seemed to help her stomach, but the apparition had put her back out of sorts. She pulled on Narcissa's arm so she could stop just outside of the castle to bend over and heave again, but it quickly passed. Once they were in the castle, Narcissa slowed her pace and they made their way to the Hospital Wing while she spoke to Ginny about the various paintings, and asking questions about specific ones she remembered from her time as a student. Ginny figured it was a distraction tactic, but she was grateful.
"Madame Pomfrey?" Ginny called out when they finally entered the Hospital Wing. The matron was out of her office a moment later, and rushed towards Ginny as the girl chose to sit on a bed close to the door. She gripped Narcissa's hand, and, opening her mouth but not knowing what to say, nothing came out. She was grateful when the older witch spoke for her.
"The Headmistress informed you of Miss Weasley's kidnapping earlier this month?" Narcissa asked, kindly. When the matron nodded, she went on. "I was able to heal the knife wounds she received, but I am not proficient in performing pregnancy tests," she said, carefully. The matron's eyes widened at that, and then softened as she looked over the girl sitting on the bed. She had not expected the war to come to that, and to someone so young…
"Miss Weasley, can you lie back?" she asked. Her patient nodded, and she reclined on the bed, though she did not let go of the older woman's hand. The matron was grateful the spell was simple, and she would have a result in moments. She explained it to the girl before she performed it. "This spell is very simple. It does no damage, though it can indicate if there is damage. A yellow glow indicates an empty womb. A pink glow indicates a female foetus, and a blue glow indicates a male foetus. A bit more advanced than the spells we had a decade ago," the matron said, directing the last comment towards the older woman who would have been familiar with the spell.
Poppy gave the young girl a moment to prepare. When she looked ready, the matron raised her wand and silently cast the spell. The first result indicated some damage that was healing. She had been expecting that but it still hurt her heart for the young girl. The second result was a blue glow, and though she wanted to gasp, the matron held her composure. The girl lying back on the bed started to cry, but did not look surprised. She turned to look up between the two witches standing on either side of her. "What do I do now?" she whispered.
The matron looked at the girl, uncertain as to the witch's feelings on such situations. "You have two options," she began, but the girl shook her head.
"I can't, not without losing my magic. I...I signed a binding contract while under the influence of some potion. He wants an heir," Ginny whispered. She was ashamed to admit the truth to her mentor; ashamed she wasn't strong enough to fight whatever they had dosed her with. She turned to look at Narcissa. "I think I have to take you up on your second offer," she said, referring to the letter from Christmas.
"In that case, I believe Madame Pomfrey can provide you with a vitamin potion and something to help with the sickness, that you would take every morning," the older witch told her girl she was going to be mothering and mentoring for the next year. She looked towards the matron for confirmation.
"The potion is easy enough to brew and it only takes one extra ingredient in the vitamin potion to help with morning sickness," Poppy said. "I have a bottle that will last you for a few days, but then we'll need to find someone who can brew it for you regularly," she said. She walked off towards the medicine cabinet where all of her potions and supplies for the females were kept. Ginny took the opportunity to sit up and wipe her face. She knew Draco would be arriving any moment, and she didn't want to look any messier than she was certain she already did. She took the potion when Madame Pomfrey returned and handed her a bottle. "Five drops into a glass of water is the dose you'll need to take for now. We'll adjust it as needed as you start to grow," the matron explained. She sighed, but she needed to confirm the conception date.
"Do you know when?" she gently asked.
"November thirtieth or December first. I don't know what time in the night it was," Ginny said, trying to detach herself from the memories of that night. She knew she needed to talk that through with Poppy, but not now. She was already nearly a month along. If what her mother had told her would follow for Ginny herself, she would be starting to show by Easter. She would have to figure out how to hide herself when it started getting warmer. But she would think on that then. She needed to figure out how she would get through classes now.
The Headmistress and Draco entered the Hospital Wing at that point, and Ginny immediately looked to Draco. She knew she had to tell the Headmistress, but she had hoped to tell Draco privately. She didn't want to try to explain twice, though, so instead she motioned for Draco to come sit next to her on the bed. When he was settled, she leaned against him and guided one of his arms to wrap around her shoulders. It felt oddly safe.
She could feel both the Headmistress and Draco looking at the bottle in her hand. Ginny was fairly certain Draco hadn't seen this potion before since she hadn't, but she caught the look of recognition on the Headmistress' face. "There was more to the kidnapping than I know of, wasn't there?" the Headmistress asked sadly. Ginny nodded, before starting her story.
"I was held in a cellar in a home in Godric's Hollow. Tom informed me shortly after I arrived that I was to bear him an heir, one that would give him access to my strong magic as the only female in a long line of males. When he left, locking me in that cellar, I allowed myself to cry until I fell asleep. When I woke, I was chained to the bed in the room, and had been cut to pull me out of the stunning spell they must have placed on me to move me. I couldn't do anything, but I quickly learned that the more I screamed, the more pleasure he got and the worse it would be. I bit my tongue and my fingers tore into my palms…" she explained, finally trailing off as she started to get lost in the memory she had tried to suppress all month. She felt someone squeezing her hand, and she started, looking around and realizing she had stopped mid story.
"Sorry," she apologized, but the Headmistress dismissed her apology with a wave of her hand. "I don't remember what happened after he started carving into my arms and kept going. When I was rescued, I didn't know it was Harry, Hermione, Draco, and Luna until Luna spoke to me. I thought they had returned. Draco got us out and Narcissa has been helping me since then," she quickly said, rushing through the memory and the feelings.
The Headmistress motioned towards the potion, and Ginny ducked her head. "I didn't know until this morning, or rather, I didn't want to know. I am pregnant, just as he wanted," she admitted, and she felt Draco stiffen next to her. She leaned into him a bit more. She did not want him to think he needed to leave.
"And the father?" the Headmistress asked. Ginny turned her head slightly and looked to Narcissa, uncertain as to how the older witch would respond to the question, and if it were Ginny's place to name their speculation.
"Due to the similarity of Ginny's knife wounds to the scars on my arms, we believe it was Lucius," Narcissa said quietly. Ginny grabbed for Draco's hand, partially for strength and partially to keep him from running off as he was apt to do when he needed space to think.
The Headmistress sighed, looking at the girl who shouldn't have to deal with this part of war. But she knew what she had to do, since the potion she held indicated her decision, even if somewhat forced. "I can give you and Narcissa rooms near to here, so it will be easy for you to have access to Madame Pomfrey. We can figure out how to mask your body as you grow, as we can't let the Dark Lord or any of his followers know about this. But it will be the classes that will be more difficult to handle, specifically the Defence class. Poppy, do you have any restrictions?" Minerva asked the matron.
"Potions class should be safe as we teach nothing that should produce harmful fumes, especially with the caliber of students in the NEWT level class. The Defence class should be fine to continue, provided there are no stunts, and you are careful to keep yourself shielded well during all practicals. The body will do more to protect the cells growing inside of you than you think, but you need to be smart about what you allow to hit your body," she cautioned. Poppy had seen pregnant aurors take more than the young girl was likely to experience in class, but she wasn't going to let her know that.
"I can handle that. I was hoping we could focus more on escape tactics and offensive defense this term. I can sit out on practical and focus on aggressive healing spells, as I'm certain we'll need them," Ginny offered.
The Headmistress nodded. "Poppy will know what set of rooms I'm assigning you to, so when you are ready she can show you the way. I am truly very sorry, Miss Weasley. Is there anyone I should tell?" she asked carefully.
Ginny shook her head. "I don't think they need to worry any more than they probably already are," she said, knowing the professor meant her parents. Her mother wouldn't be able to help her in any case, and she couldn't write enough on the small charm. She looked over to Poppy, who merely raised an eyebrow at her omission of her other fears.
Minerva frowned, but didn't say anything. She informed them that supper was being served at six, and they were free to roam the castle and the grounds, within the normal limitations, before exiting the Hospital Wing. When the door closed, Madame Pomfrey and Narcissa went to the matron's office, where she had a copy of the brewing instructions for the potion. It was safe to brew near Ginny, and many pregnant potions mistresses brewed their own, so Narcissa offered to brew it for her in their new rooms.
Ginny sighed. Everything was going to change, again, now that she has to hide from everyone. Could she give up her magic to prevent the child from being an option? She moved her hand over her lower abdomen, knowing there was nothing to feel but somehow it didn't feel wrong. It didn't feel right, but then again, losing her magic didn't feel like the right choice either.
Draco was pulling away, and she just managed to grab his hand before he walked away. "Draco," she said softly. "Talk to me."
He stopped, but he didn't turn to look at her. "How can you look at me, knowing who did this to you?" he said, harshly. Ginny flinched, but held firm on his hand.
"You're not him," she said simply.
"I was supposed to be," he countered.
"But you're not. You're here," she retorted. She paused, and let go of his hand before asking, "Is this too much for you?"
He turned and looked at her, and he shook his head. "I don't understand how you're okay with all this, and with me being here with you," he admitted.
"Honestly? I'm not okay with all this. I just didn't want you to see me break down," she whispered. "But can you accept it?"
"Of course. There isn't much of an option, is there? Being a squib would make you more of a target. If you need my help, I'll be right here," he said. He couldn't let his friend go through this by herself, even if he was certain he wasn't even on the list of people who could help her best. She pulled him close and hugged him, as silent tears made their way down her face. Neither she nor Draco noticed the two witches watching them from the back of the Hospital Wing, or the smile that they shared.
-x-
In the days leading up to the return of the students, Ginny once again worked on learning was her new normal was to be; only this time she was relying heavily on Narcissa as her only immediate source on pregnancy. She quickly learned that if she took the vitamin potion just before bed, she would wake in the morning without feeling sick. That was perhaps the easiest thing to learn.
Draco, Ernie, and Ginny had sat down to discuss the Defence class for the upcoming term. Ginny mentioned wanting to focus on healing spells, specifically ones that could be used in the middle of a fight, and their need to focus on non-verbal casting. The two young men agreed, and Ginny volunteered to handle those two sections, or to share with Luna. They would continue per normal for the other sections - one for defensive spells, and another for lecture or discussion of topics they couldn't do practically. They would focus on two sections a session, and cover each section once a week.
Ginny was trying to rest up before the students came back, now that she knew that fatigue was likely to set in all the more quickly. She hadn't noticed it much, but she hadn't been in classes or trying to perform a normal workload. That would end in just a few days, and she wasn't sure how she would manage. It would be difficult enough to hide some of the more outward signs, but to stay on top of her schoolwork and appear as chipper as always? She may have to cut back on some things, as much as she didn't want to.
All too soon, the students returned to Hogwarts. Ginny waited in the Entrance Hall for Luna, knowing the blond would know something was different, but Ginny didn't see her. She joined the rest of the students for the evening meal, and scanned the Ravenclaw table as she picked at her plate, but she couldn't find Luna anywhere. She quickly scanned the other tables, in hopes that her friend had sat with Ernie, or even Draco, but she couldn't find her anywhere. Ginny was trying not to panic, but knew something was very wrong. She caught Draco's eye, and Ernie's, and as soon as the Headmistress dismissed the students, they met up and headed towards the Headmistress' office.
Neither of her friends had seen Luna, and just before they reached the gargoyle, Ginny heard Neville call out her name. She turned to see him running after the group. "Have you seen Luna?" he asked, a bit breathless as he had sprinted to catch them. "I can't find her anywhere," he said, worried. "Did you hear from her over the holidays?" he asked.
Ginny looked at Draco quickly, not sure how to answer. "I actually escorted her home from the train," Draco jumped in to answer for her. "I apparated her directly to her home, and her father was very happy to see her. But I haven't heard from her since," he admitted, frowning.
Neville looked as if to ask another question, but the gargoyle jumped aside and the staircase was shown to the group of four students. Ginny motioned to let Ernie and Neville go before her, and though they gave her an odd look, they didn't protest. She grabbed Draco's hand and gripped the handrail with the other. Now would not be the time for her stomach to disagree and cause her to fall up or down the stairs, but she couldn't let the two young men ahead of her know about any of that.
When he reached the top of the stair, the Headmistress was already waiting for them. "Please, sit," she said, motioning at the variety of couches and chairs around the room. Ginny allowed Draco to gently guide her to a chair, but she chose one from which she could see the entire room. She noticed that Dumbledore's portrait was hanging within her line of sight - not that he would be able to help them, but she felt slightly comforted by the fact.
"Headmistress, did you know that Luna would not be returning this term?" Ginny asked softly, trying not to cry but fearing her friend was being punished over Ginny's escape.
She saw the witch sigh rather than heard it, and Ginny braced herself for bad news. "I did not know she had been taken until it was made aware she was not listed as being on the train back to Hogwarts. I was unable to find much, but she is still alive. She is likely being held prisoner in Azkaban, as so many witches and wizards are right now," the professor explained. It was not news any of the four students should need to hear, but it was war and they had become accustomed to such news.
Ginny could not hold back her tears, and they slowly started to roll down her face. She knew she was part of this, though the Headmistress went on to say the official listing from the Ministry was for being an accomplice to publishing supporting articles for enemy number one - Harry Potter. Tom wasn't going to come out and admit the real reason, and Ginny feared for her friend. She trusted the Headmistress when she said Luna was still alive, but for how long? She fiddled with the bracelet, wishing she had tried harder just after Luna went home to verify she was okay. By the time she tried a day it two later, it must have been too late.
"Headmistress, could the young Miss Weasley and I have a word together?" Ginny heard an elderly but familiar voice call out. She looked up and saw the painted Dumbledore looking at her kindly. The three young men stood to leave, granting their goodbyes as they knew they were being dismissed. Draco whispered that he would wait for her at the bottom of the stairs, before he looked up at the portrait, eyes haunted. She briefly wondered how often he relived that night, before the guilt about her never asking about that started to fall on her as well. Before she could stop herself, she was crying even harder, unable to look at the portrait, unable to look at the Headmistress, and unable to allow herself the forgiveness she needed.
"Miss Weasley," she heard the kind voice of the former headmaster call down to her. "Child. There is very little you could have done, child. The young Miss Lovegood is quite perceptive, and accepting of anyone. She would not blame anyone but those who took her in the first place," he said, giving her the words she needed to hear but could not yet accept. "She reminds me of her mother. Inventive and brilliant, yet kind hearted and loving. She would never trade your friendship, and never spurn it, when her love for you, as her friend, is so deep. She would not want you to cry, child, but instead be strong for both you and your little one, and find a way to rescue her while keeping as many people safe as possible," the portrait Albus continued. Ginny looked up when he mentioned the 'little one.'
Her eyes widened, and though she knew that the Headmistress had often confided in the former Headmaster, she hadn't considered she still would. But Albus was only smiling at her, no judgement, no loathing, not even pity. He seemed truly happy for her, or at least determined to make good of a bad turn of events. He had always been like that, and for the most part, Ginny had appreciated it.
"If I had paid more attention, we could have known and rescued her," Ginny said quietly, disappointed her herself and in letter her friend down. "Why did she not even try to use the charm? I kept trying to reach her, even if it was a few days later," she whispered to herself.
"Even so, child, Miss Lovegood knows that a message can be intercepted. And she knew your mental state. She likely believed she was protecting you, and can continue to protect you, by not trying to contact you. She knows that Tom is looking for you, and as her friend, she knows she has to protect you," the portrait said. Ginny knew he was making sense, but she felt so guilty.
"Do you think she will be okay until we can get her out of there?" she asked. She knew her friend could perform a powerful patronus, so she had strong memories to push her through, but for how long?
"As terrible as it is to say it, Azkaban is probably in better condition now than it has been in the recent past. It won't be easy, but she'll have what she needs to survive, and she's very resourceful," portrait-Albus said. Ginny allowed herself a grin at that - as much as she tried to help Luna fend of pranks, some quite cruel, of the other students, Luna always seemed to have an answer or a way to make do. Resourceful was only the tip of the iceberg when it came to Luna's capabilities to adapt.
"I still feel as if it is my fault. That if I hadn't needed to be rescued, she would be here, and safe," Ginny said.
"Miss Weasley," the Headmistress chimed in then, looking up at Albus before continuing. "Even so, her name and her father's are on the list of wanted people at the Ministry. Had I known this before the end of the last term, I would have kept her here. She has been as much of a wanted person as yourself, or many other known Dumbledore's Army members. I am responsible for thinking they would be safe to return home for the holidays, when in fact some were not," she admitted. She walked over and held the young witch's hand.
"Worrying will do us no good, and isn't healthy for you right now. Particularly when you are about to add quite a bit with classes. What we can do it continue to look for news and find an opportunity to get her, and many others, out of imprisonment," she continued, squeezing the young girl's hand both in support and for confirmation of her commitment. Ginny nodded, giving a quick squeeze back. She looked up at the portrait of Dumbledore, and she gave a weak smile.
"Should you need anything, Miss Weasley, my portrait is open for your use," he said with a smile. Ginny's eyes shone a bit at that, knowing that while she would still have to be careful of him, even as a portrait, she could come to him for advice as she needed. She stood, dismissing herself and walking down the stair slowly. She had forgotten Draco had said he would wait for her, and she startled when she saw him next to the gargoyle when she landed at the bottom of the staircase.
She quickly recovered, though, and the first thing out of her mouth was an apology. "I am so very sorry, Draco," she said, holding up a hand to stop him from speaking. "I didn't think about what seeing his portrait for mean for you. I have not been a very good friend for you," Ginny explained her apology. She looked around, and seeing the hall was empty, she gave him a very quick hug.
"On the contrary," Draco said, quietly. "You've been the only friend who I know will listen and understand when I'm ready. And you're the one who has stood up for me, given me a chance, and who knows more about me than anyone else. I would trust you with my life, if it came to it," he admitted.
"It was very thoughtless of me," she said, blushing in embarrassment for forgetting such a simple thing.
"We had more important things to worry about. You have nothing to be sorry for," he replied, firm in his stance and not willing to let herself feel any worse over this than she already was. "I didn't even remember until I hear his voice. I, too, was too focused on Luna," he said. "So you have nothing over which to fret."
By this time, they were at Ginny's rooms, and Draco let her enter before him. He called out to his mother to wish her a good evening. Before he could leave, Ginny whispered "Pleasant dreams, Draco."
He couldn't help but smile at her as he whispered back, "Sweetest of dreams, Ginny."