"Are you alright?" drawls Draco from his chair, not really sounding like he cares.
Crabbe coughs and his face is turning red, Goyle looks at Draco with his mouth agape. They both start to laugh nervously.
"Yeah, good joke, Malfoy."
"You almost got us."
"What makes you think I'm joking?" he asks them with his head cocked to the side. "I can assure you gentlemen that I am entirely serious."
"There's no way." Draco gives him a heated glare and Goyle looks uneasy. "But why? I mean, what did Nott do to you?"
Draco looks off into space and narrows his eyes. "He took something of mine and I want it back,"
"Couldn't you just, you know, take it back? Does it have to go to this extreme?" asks Crabbe clearly uncomfortable as he tugs at his collar.
He gives them an unpleasant smile and crosses is arms. "This is the only way. He's interfered too many times in my life."
"I can't kill one of our friends, Draco." Says Goyle seriously, shaking his head. "I just can't."
"He's not our friend. He never was and he never will be. I'm surprised the sorting hat even put him in Slytherin." Draco stands up. "Take out your wands for the unbreakable vow."
Crabbe gulps and Goyle stutters. "I-I won't do this."
"Why?" he snaps. "It's not like you've never done anything like this before." Goyle looks confused so Draco elaborates. "Your poor comatose father hasn't lifted an eyelid in three years. It must have been horrible for you to have to take up the Goyle family bank account, wouldn't you say? And of course your father doesn't have much say in where his money goes, now does he? It's hard to have an opinion when you're being fed periodic spoonfuls of poison each year. I wonder when he will finally give up and just die? It would make things a lot easier for you."
Goyle looks to the floor. He's been caught but Draco doesn't stop with just him. "Vincent?" Crabbe stares at him fearfully. "Was Nott there when you killed that hooker last summer?"
"That was an accident… I didn't…"
Draco brings his hand up to silence him. "Who helped you cover your tracks on that one? It sure as hell wasn't Theodore Nott…" he looks sternly at the two men across from him. "Now, as I said, take your wands out so we can do an unbreakable vow."
X
"Well, classes begin at the end of August. By that time I'll be about five months pregnant and then the semester ends in January…"
"Isn't the baby due in December?" Theo asks her as he watches her flip through an old healing text book.
She nods her head. "Yes, but I'm sure I could work out a deal with the professors so I could finish things early and then get the credit for them. After that I'll take about half a year off and then start back up again."
He sighs and pulls her onto his lap. She looks at him surprised at her new position; she didn't even realize he was that close to her. "Are you sure going to school would be a good idea for you right now?"
"Of course it is." She snaps at him.
He takes off his glasses and rubs the bridge of his nose with his right hand. "I know you want to carry on with your life but all that stress and work can't be good for the baby and there's no purpose in going for only a semester." He buries his head in the crook of her neck and sets his hand on her leg. "Why don't you just take the year off, have the baby, and then go from there." She opens her mouth to protest but his voice overrides hers. "Let me take care of you, Ginny. I can do that, you know?" He tells her as he looks meaningfully in to her eyes.
She looks away from him, not knowing how to respond. She feels him place his arms around her and she relaxes a bit into his body. "I want you to be a healer, I want you to be happy, but I also want what's best for you." She looks to him and he smiles. "Let me spoil and pamper you for a while. Let me show you what a good husband I can be."
"I'll think about it." She says as her face breaks into a smile and she kisses him. She pulls back and looks at the clock. She immediately starts to pout. "Is it absolutely necessary that we go to this party?"
He laughs. "Yes, after all, my parents are throwing it for us."
"But I don't think I will be comfortable." She tells him and she worries her bottom lip between her teeth.
"You'll be fine. Besides, I think my mother would have a conniption if we didn't go. She already hates me for running away and marrying with out telling her."
"I should start getting ready then." She says solemnly, not really wanting to move.
"Yes, you should." He says and tickles her sides until she gets up. "and wear the blue dress, it looks so good on you."
She blushes, wondering how she got so lucky, and scurries to the bed room. When she comes back out Theo is already fully dressed in his black dress robes, looking handsome. He's reading something in the book she had out earlier, and there's a scowl on his face. His sleek, expensive, glasses perched on the tip of his nose, she watches him and laughs. He has terrible eyesight but hates wearing his glasses, she doesn't know why. He looks good in them.
"You ready." he asks her when he realizes she had come into the room. He puts the glasses in his pocket and holds out his hand to her.
"I suppose so." She says quietly… She really doesn't want to go there but if she must, she must. She takes his hand and they leave.
X
"Harry Potter you have a beard!" Ginny gives him a tight hug and then pulls back with a smile on her face. He looks so different now, he's officially a man. "So, how was your vacation?"
He smiles at her and pushes his glasses up his nose. "It was wonderful," he says and Ginny notices how tan he is now. "I really suggest you do it sometime, there are some really amazing things to be seen in this world."
"Well, I'm glad you liked it." She feels a hand on her back and turns to Theo. "Harry this is my husband, Theodore Nott."
"Thanks for inviting me." Harry says as he shakes his hand and nods, but doesn't smile at him. "So this is the lucky guy?" he says flatly and Ginny gives him a strange look. "It's weird that your married." He tells her and Theo laughs.
"Yes, well, she had better get use to it because I'm not going anywhere." Theo kisses her cheek. "My mother wants to introduce you to some of her friends." He says and she excuses herself from Harry to follow him.
They walk up to his mother who is so different from her own. Anna Nott is tall and willowy, with dark brown hair and bold, feminine features. She always keeps her back straight and proud, with her head held high. She has a stronger disposition then her husband and she reminds Ginny of some old female warrior. She is a little afraid of her new mother in law if she's being honest.
"Ah, there is my son." She says in a strong straight voice. She kisses his cheeks and embraces him. "Ginevra," she greets Ginny the same way. "I would like to introduce you to some of my girlfriends."
Ginny nods in response and is pulled away from Theo. She gives him a 'help me' look over her shoulder to her husband but he just smiles and winks at her.
"Ginevra, these are my dearest friends…" they are now standing in a circle with beautifully dressed middle aged woman who are all eyeing her up and down. "This is Rebecca De Mauier, Amelia Fudge, Helen Parkinson, and Narcissa Malfoy."
She gives them all timid smiles and her eyes lock with Narcissa Malfoy's and she gulps nervously. She can see Draco in her features. Amelia Fudges voice brings her out of her thoughts.
"Aren't you a pretty one. I can see why Theo loves you so much." She says as she takes a step closer to Ginny. "You have beautiful hair."
"Thank you." She says and blushes.
"Your welcome. Now that you're a married woman you must know the importance of keeping hold of your friends." The other woman nod and Ginny feels like she's being introduced to some married woman club. "You must always keep your girlfriends no matter what your husband says, trust me."
"I have a few good friends." Ginny says honestly as she's handed a glass of wine. She looks down at it and almost takes a drink when she remembers her condition. No one else but her family here knows.
"Yes, and that's all and good but you're a Nott now darling." Says Anna Nott. "You have to make society friends."
"My daughter in law must be your age. Astoria Greengrass, well it's Malfoy now, but do you know her?" Narcissa's cool blue eyes bore into her own.
Ginny's face pales. "Yes, I know her." she says tightly.
"You really should start talking to her more. I believe you would go together beautifully." Says Narcissa as she takes a thin cigarette out of her purse and places it in a pale blue, long stemmed holder. She lights it with her wand and takes a drag from it. Ginny has never seen someone look so elegant while smoking. "I believe her and my son will be here later, if you would like me to introduce you properly." She says after she exhales a puff of smoke.
Her heart skips a beat at her words. "You invited Draco?" she says fearfully to Theo's mom.
They all laugh at her strange behavior. "Of course! You must always invite the Malfoy's when having a party." She turns back to her friends. "The poor dear doesn't know the first thing about high society but she'll learn… won't you Ginevra." She turns to Ginny but Ginny is already walking away. "Well, that was strange."
"Theo." Says Ginny when she reaches him.
He turns around from talking to her parents and gives her a warm smile. "Hey babe. I was wondering when you would get away from those harpies."
"Ginny are you alright you look a little pale?" says her mother as she steps closer and eyes her face.
"I'm fine." She gives them a tight smile. "But I do need to speak to you." She says addressing Theo.
He nods his head and follows her outside to the balcony. "What's wrong? Is the baby alright? You really do look a little ill." He says with concern in his eyes.
"Your mother invited Draco." She says breathlessly.
He frowns and looks over the garden. "I told her not to." He looks back to Ginny and pulls her into his arms. "There's not much else we can do now though. He won't try anything with all of these people, if he shows up."
"But, you know how he can be… I don't want anything bad to happen."
He kisses her forehead. "Don't worry." He says and they stay like that for a few moments before Theo's dad comes out and invites him to come in to discuss some business venture.
"I'll be in there in a second." He says and then looks down at his wife. "Do you want to come?" he asks her.
She shakes her head. Listening to business deals really doesn't sound appealing. "Nah, I think I'll just stay out here for a little bit."
"Ok," he kisses her. "I love you." He says with a smile.
"I love you too." She tells him and watches his back as he walks inside. She takes a deep breath and turns back to the railing.
"So, is he the one you left me for?" she turns around to see Harry in the doorway watching her through unreadable eyes.
"What?" she asks. She wasn't really paying attention to what he was saying.
He walks beside her and rests his hands on the cement railing of the balcony. "Is he the one you left me for?" he asks again and she can now see the hurt in his eyes.
"I didn't leave you Harry, you broke up with me… remember?"
He looks down at his shoes. "I know but I thought that… once I was done with everything… that… "
"That I would be waiting for you?" she finishes for him while watching his profile closely.
He nods. "You know I didn't break it off with you because I didn't love you… I did it to protect you. You know that right?" he finally looks to her.
"Yes, I know…You just took too long. It's not like I didn't wait for you Harry. Even after you killed Voldemort I stayed around hoping you would come back to me. When you finally did it was too late." She says as she looks deep into his green eyes. He was her first love, you'll always have a soft spot in your heart for your first.
He nods his head. "I was an idiot to think you wouldn't move on."
She touches his arm. "I'll always love you Harry but you know, things change, people change." She looks away from him thinking of Draco. He was the reason she didn't take Harry back when he came for her. He had come back from his vacation early and asked her to go with him but she said no. She fell in love with Draco and Harry packed up and left the country again with a broken heart. She was the idiot.
"Does he make you happy?" he asks quietly. She doesn't answer right away, still stuck with thoughts of Draco and the pain he constantly causes her. "Ginny?"
"Oh, yes, yes he makes me very happy." She says in a far away voice.
He nods his head again and tells her he's going back inside she follows him and they end up next to Ron and Hermione to are bickering over something stupid, like usual.
"Why did you make me wear this thing?" Ron asks irritably as he loosens the tie around his neck and unbuttons his collar.
Hermione rolls her eyes. "Oh, heaven forbid you look nice for once."
"Hey, I look nice sometimes."
She snorts. "Sometimes means times like this when I make you dress up."
Ginny and Harry watch them fight with amused looks on their faces. "I guess not everything changes." Comments Harry out of the corner of his mouth.
"I suppose not." She answers as her eyes scan the floor. Theo is talking to a group of men with his father and she studies him closely. He is a handsome man. He looks her way and she smiles at him fondly.
In a few seconds he's before her. "Do you want to dance?" he asks her with his hand held out.
"How did you know?" she says teasingly as she puts her hand in his and follows him to the dance floor.
"I don't know. It could have been the poor, pleading look you were giving me from across the room. Really, are you friends that boring?" he says with humor in his voice.
"I just prefer your company." She tells him and they fall into a comfortable silence as they dance.
Eventually she puts her head on his shoulder and watches the other people in the room. There really are a lot of people here, most of them she doesn't know but I guess if you're a well known family like the Nott's you're going to know a lot of people. She's surprised and thankful that his family and friends have been so accepting towards her, considering the way Draco acted you would think that they would flay her alive if she even dared to come into their little club. A flash of blond hair catches her eye. Speak of the devil.
Her body tenses as she watches Draco and Astoria greet Theo's parents. She lifts her head and notices that Theo has been watching them too. She's about to say something but Theo beats her to it.
"Let's just pretend they're not here." He tells her as he looks down at her. His arms hold her a little tighter. "We're married now… there's not much he can do."
She nods her head and lets him kiss her. She resumes her place on his shoulder and closes her eyes trying to relax. When the song ends she opens her eyes and looks straight into a pair of silver ones across the room. Draco is watching her with a mysterious smirk on his face. It makes her uncomfortable. She walks with Theo over to the refreshment table as he gets another goblet of wine.
"What are you drinking?" he asks her making her snap her head away from the other man in the room.
"Oh, nothing, I'm fine for now." She tells him.
"I saw you holding a glass of wine earlier. You didn't drink it did you?" he asks her worriedly as his eyes flick down to her stomach, she can't help but laugh at him. He really is trying to be helpful towards the baby.
"Of course I didn't, Theo. I'm not an idiot." She says as she smiles at him. "I'm going to go to the restroom."
She begins walking out of the room and down the hallway to the bathroom. "You look beautiful tonight."
She spins around and sees Draco leaning casually against the wall with his arms crossed. She sighs and rolls her eyes. It figures. "Why did you come here?" she spits out at him.
He smiles at her and shrugs. "I was invited."
"Maybe, but that doesn't mean you're welcome." She says and turns around to begin walking.
"How's my baby?" he says to her retreating back. She doesn't turn around.
She gets in the bathroom and locks the door. When she's finished she washes her hands and begins her way back to the main room where all the people are. She yelps when an arm grabs her and pulls her into an empty room. Damn Draco Malfoy she thinks to herself as she pulls away from him.
"What the hell do you want!?" she yells at him, her temper getting away with her.
"I asked how my baby was doing." He says as he shuts and locks the door. Her heart starts to beat faster but she doesn't want to show her fear.
"The baby's fine… " she says with her arms crossed. "Unlock the door now."
"No."
"Theo's going to notice if I'm gone too long. This is our party, you know. Mine and my husbands." She says spitefully, trying to hurt him.
Anger flashes in his eyes but is replaced by smug amusement and it confuses her. What is he playing at? "Astoria's pregnant." He tells her lightly.
She raises an eyebrow at him. Last time she checked they were getting divorced. Maybe this is good; he'll leave her alone now. "Congratulations, you're fertile." She walks to the door and looks at it expectedly, waiting for him to open it. She really needs to start carrying her wand around.
He laughs. "I suppose I am." He tells her. He walks over to her and his breath is warm on her neck. He's so close to her that she feels like he's touching her, but he's not. "Why did you marry him, Ginny?" he asks her, his voice right next to her ear.
She's rooted in place and she stands a little taller. "Because I didn't want to marry you."
"Why do you always say things you don't mean?" he tells her and she shivers when he puts his hands on her hips. She knows that she should pull away… but her body won't listen to her mind. "I know you love me… I know you want me." He tells her and then places a light kiss on her neck. Loving him was the worst thing she's ever done in her life, she's created a monster. His hands move to her stomach and he caresses her there lovingly. "You'll be a good mother to my children and a good wife to me." He says causing her to jump out of her daze.
She pulls away from him. "Open the fucking door or I'll scream."
He studies her for a few moments before he takes out his wand and does what she wants. She makes her way quickly back to the party with out looking back. She finds Theo and doesn't leave his side for the rest of the night.
X
"Once you have the baby we're getting divorced. I'll set you up with an allowance, you can do whatever the hell you want with it but you'll never come here again. The child will live here and visitation is out of the question."
Astoria watches him with fearful eyes. "What do you mean? I can't even see my own child?"
"It's my child."
She stands up. "I'm the one that's carrying it. I'm its mother! It takes two to have a baby, Draco!" she shrieks.
His emotions don't match hers. Only Ginny can rile him up. "It doesn't matter. Now take my generous offer or I'm sure you'll wish you had. If you don't agree then I won't give you the allowance and you'll be black listed from all important functions, parties and people."
"How can you be so cruel? What's wrong with you?" she asks him with tears in her eyes. He is unbalanced. She places her hands over her pregnant stomach. "You can't deny a child its mother."
He looks at her. "The baby will have a mother." He tells her flatly.
She shakes her head. "You can't mean Ginny… She doesn't love you Draco! She's married to Theo. I hear she's pregnant. She's going to have his child. She doesn't love you!" she yells hysterically.
With that he stands up and stalks over to her. "She does love me and that baby isn't his." He sneers and pauses watching the realization dawning on her face. "That's right, I always get what I want Astoria, you should know that by now."
"She won't leave him for you." She says quietly, bravely looking him in the eyes.
He smirks. "She won't have to." He says cryptically as he steps away from her. "Now leave me alone, you're annoying me."
She almost says something else but thinks better of it. She leaves the room quickly.
"Malfoy?" he turns to the fireplace to see Crabbe's head floating in the flames.
"What?" he asks as he takes a seat across from him.
"The plan has been set into motion." He says with a frown on his face. "It will be done by the end of the month."
Draco smiles maliciously. "You're sure?"
"Yes, he's going boating next week. It will be easy to make everything look like an accident. They won't find his body for a while, if they find it at all."
He crosses his legs and watches the flames. "You're sure that Ginny's not going to be with him? I don't want her to be hurt." He says as he taps his fingers against the arm rest.
Crabbe looks miserable as he answers. "No, she's not going. Theo likes to go out by himself…. Draco, are you sure you want to do this?"
Draco takes a second before answering. Flashes of a very pregnant Ginny holding a blonde haired toddler, smiling at him, goes through his mind. She'll be his again. He smiles again and Crabbe looks like he's about to be sick. "I am positive."
Astoria stands ups from her place on the floor. She was listening and looking through the key hole. Her heart starts to beat at an alarming speed as she runs off to find her wand and the first available floo connected fireplace.
She's in the living room with a handful of powder in her hands.
"Where the fuck are you going?" she turns around to face Draco.
"Just to visit my mother." She lies as her body begins to shake. If he's capable of killing Theodore Nott he sure won't hesitate to hurt her.
He watches her closely and steps in front of her so he's only inches away from her. She locks eyes with him and immediately wishes she didn't. He starts sorting through her thoughts and she can do nothing to block him.
"You were going to tell on me." He says in a false light voice. She doesn't even notice him take her wand from her hands. "Now why would you go and do a thing like that."
"You're evil." She hisses at him through gritted teeth.
"That's probably true." He says as he grabs her arm and pulls her out of the room. "I don't understand why people just don't listen to me." He says as he throws her down into the room he had kept Ginny in. " Things would be so much easier if they did." He says slightly crazed, as he closes and locks her in.
X
Ginny sits bolt upright and starts breathing heavily. She wipes some sweat off of her brow and her hair out of her face. "Are you okay?" asks Theo as he sleepily rises beside her, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He looks to the clock " Damn, it's three in the morning…did you have a bad dream?" he asks as he pulls her down in his arms and snuggles close to her body.
She's wide awake as she looks at the ceiling. "Yes, I did." She says breathlessly.
He makes a noise beside her and falls back to sleep. She turns to him and smoothes some hair away from his forehead. "A terrible dream." She whispers as she kisses his lips.
She stays awake the rest of the night in a worried panic, unable to get images of Draco laughing and the feeling of drowning out of her head. What a nightmare.