Chapter 9:
After an hour had passed, Ginny was gently awaken by Dru, who was already holding a very hyper Bella. "We should start to head further into the wing, Hermione is almost done with the whole corridor." Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, Ginny looked to the floor in disappointment. "I'm sorry. I wasn't much help." "Nonsense dear, I could tell that the few walls you fixed drained you of a lot of magic. If I allowed to go any further you would have been in a coma." Dru said as she brushed some red hair out of the way.
The older woman offered her hand and began to make her way deeper into the West Wing. As they made their way through the wing, Ginny noticed Dru making certain walls and rooms with glowing marks. " What are you doing?" Ginny asked as she pointed to the wall behind her. Dru gave a gentle smile "Just marking somethings for Hermione." Not wanting to push anything, Ginny nodded and reached out to hold Bella. With a successful pass between the two women, Bella started to play with Ginny's hair trying to pull it into her mouth. "Not so fast, little eater." Ginny said as she grabbed the little fist. The young child turned her wide eyes and stuck out a pouty lip. "That won't work on me. You'll have to try harder than that."
Dru gave a small chuckle. "I believe we can start on this area. Could you place Bella in the crib? I will make her a quick bottle." Ginny gently placed Bella in the floating crib and picked up one of her stuff animals to distract her. After making some silly voices, Dru came from behind Ginny and gently placed a bottle in Bella's hand. "So I have a question, since you are Hermione's fiance do you guys live together, or seperate? I know the traditions of the purebloods is to live apart from your intended until the wedding." Dru gave a heavy smile that implied many things and replied. "I have lived with Hermione for the whole time I have been dead. I was resurrected with her magic, thankfully I had died only moments before or I would have been gone forever. As for the next question bouncing in your head, we got engaged when Bella was in her seventh year of Hogwarts. I didn't want to marry for so long, due to the fact of knowing that I was happy while my little girl suffered at the hands of others."
Ginny felt a little awkward after asking her question and turned her attention towards the child in the crib. "How was Hermione able to grow up with the rest of us?" "She used a deluded spell that was performed on Bella, her body regressed but not her mind." Back and forth, Ginny asked simple questions on the basics of the couples existence and why they came for Bella. After about 10 minutes of questions, Bella signafied that she was done with her bottle by throwing it up in the air for both witches to see. Dru picked up the little girl with a gentle smile while levitating a burping towel onto her shoulder. Three sets of helpful pats on Bella's small back later the little one let out a might burp that made the witches laugh. "Bella seems to have a good set of lungs inside her small form." Dru agreed and placed the joy of her life back into the crib and pulled out her wand ready to work. Ginny followed her lead and started to fix the walls with charms she learned from her mother.
With their combined efforts, the stretch of hallway was completed and both witches sat down to refuel. Dru brought out some sandwiches and hot tea, while Ginny conjured some chair and a table. They started a conversation about charms and jinxes and which one was their favorite. Soon they heard footsteps coming down the hall and both witches turned their heads to see Hermione taking her time as she thought of old times. Spotting the two witches and their setup Hermione smiled and said, "Trying to steal my girl from me Ginny?" The redhead blushed slightly and shook her head. "I would not dare. You would kick my arse." Then Ginny felt a hand to hit the back of her head hard and yelped, turning back to Dru, who pointed her eyes towards Bella. "A Lady does not curse, Ginny. Especially not in front of children." Hermione added her two sense with a smile. "I'm finished with the parts of the hall you marked for me, did you get a chance to look at the sections farther down." Dru shook her head. "No we did not get the chance we got so wrapped up in our conversations."
"Conversations about what?" The question was pointed at Ginny, who grabbed another sandwich from Dru's bag. "Just stuff like if you guys lived together, what does Dru do for work, how old you really are, and how you became immortal. Though she didn't answer the last two, said you would tell everyone later today." Hermione nodded at the answers and confessed to both witches she was bored. "I am going to finish up the rest of the wing. You guys head back to the Great Hall, I'll meet you there." Ginny wanted to argue that she could help, but Dru pulled her shook her head saying she needs someone friendly to talk to while in the Great Hall. Ginny caved and began to walk back with Dru and Bella.
A/N: Sorry for the long wait and the short chapter more will be updated soon.