A/N: Hope you like this chapter, I love Ron in this one. Anyway, I was just letting you know that I doubt I'll be updating tomorrow because I have an exam in the morning followed by a date with the pub to celebrate the torture being over! So you'll just have to make do with this. I may update on Wednesday, but it depends how bad my hangover is ;)

10. Down and Out

Harry walked through the Weasley's garden shaking with rage, part of him wanted to go back in there and rip Malfoy limb from limb, no magic necessary, he knew the anger would be more than sufficient. His gloating face swam in front of his eyes, he had everything he wanted and more besides it. Ginny had put herself in front of him to protect his unworthy body from Harry's attack. It made him feel physically sick that she could bear to be anywhere near him, let alone share his bed, or … and he struggled to even think it, marry him. He slammed the gate shut behind him as he recalled the expressions of the other Weasley's, of Ron and Hermione, there was anger and disappointment in their eyes. He understood, they were angry with him for cheating on Ginny, but to allow her to agree to marry Draco Malfoy was beyond comprehension. What had Malfoy said to convince them he was genuine? Harry wouldn't be giving up on Ginny that easily, Draco Malfoy was going to have a fight on his hands, but first he would have to go home and deal with the bombshell that Romilda Vane had dropped.

"I'm going to have to go after him!" Ginny said, turning from the window.

"No!" said Mrs Weasley and George together.

"I can't let Romilda face him when he's in this mood!"

Draco hesitated, looking uncomfortable, "she's probably right …" he said to the others. "Thank you", said Ginny, heading for the door.

"You're not going on your own!" said Draco, making to follow her.

"Well you can't come! Harry will kill you!"

"I'll take my chances"

"No!"

"I'll go", said Ron firmly before Draco could reply. Draco looked murderous but he nodded stiffly. Ginny's hard expression softened and she cupped her hands around his face, "I won't be long, I just want to make sure she's OK". Draco's own expression softened at her touch and he kissed her gently on the lips. She smiled up at him for a moment before making her way to the door with Ron. "Bring her back here if you have to!" Mrs Weasley called after them.

* * *

Romilda sat in near darkness on the sofa in the living room with only a single candle flickering in the blackness. She was feeling calmer than she had done in recent weeks, she couldn't believe how kind Ginny and her family had been to her and she knew that she had no right to expect it after what she had done. She smiled slightly as she stroked her hand lightly over her bump, she felt her baby move inside of her and she felt a sudden rush of optimism. Everything would be OK. All of a sudden the door crashed open and she jumped, turning in her seat and staring at the intruder. It was Harry. She opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. He looked livid. She watched as his green eyes stared from her face to her bump and his expression turn to a glare. "What are you doing here?" he demanded.

"I … I came to look for you … but you weren't here … and … well Ginny said I could stay until you came back …"

"The baby's mine?" he asked forcefully. She nodded, her eyes filling with tears. A muscle twitched in his jaw and he ran his hands through his hair. "You're sure?"

"Of course I'm sure! What do you take me for?!"

"I'm sorry, I had to ask! What do you want from me?"

"Well … nothing … I just thought you should know … it's your baby too"

"I can't do this. I need to sort things out with Ginny and I can't if you're … if you're here, with the baby … I just can't …" Harry watched as tears spilled out from Romilda's eyes and streamed down her face and he felt a pang of guilt. "I'm not saying I won't help you", he said hastily, "you don't have to worry about money or anything … and I'll find you a flat or something …"

"Romilda are you OK?" Harry jumped as a new voice entered the room, he turned in time to see Ginny push passed him and cross the room to embrace Romilda. "What have you said to her?" she demanded.

"I haven't done anything!" Harry protested.

"Oh, of course you haven't", Ginny said sarcastically, before turning back to Romilda, "are you OK? Do you want to go into the kitchen and get some water?" Romilda nodded and Ginny put her arm around her and led her into the kitchen. Harry watched them go and then realised that there was someone else in the room, he turned, expecting Malfoy. "Ron!" he exclaimed, relieved. Ron didn't smile. He simply raised his eyebrows. Harry was about to ask him what his problem was but Ginny re-entered the room and she looked furious. "Ginny …" he began.

"Save it", she hissed before waving her wand. The next second two large suitcases were sat in the middle of the living room. "This should be enough for us for now, I'll be back to get the rest at some point"

"Ginny … don't do this …" Harry began again.

"I thought I told you to save it! Ron, I'm taking Romilda back the Burrow, if you could explain things to Harry I'd be ever so grateful, I'd do it myself but I can't stand the sight of him at the moment". Ron nodded as Romilda appeared in the doorway. "Come on", said Ginny gently, taking her hand and leading her out of the house, the two suitcases floating along behind them.

As soon as the front door slammed Harry rounded on Ron, "what the hell has happened?!" he demanded. Ron stared at him for a second, part of him wanted to shout at him, but then he imagined how he would feel if Hermione had hooked up with Draco Malfoy and decided he would at least explain. "You might want to sit down", he said wearily, "and you might want a drink", he added, waving his wand so that two tumblers of fire whiskey flew through the air and settled on the coffee table. Harry walked and sat down on the sofa, draining his drink in one. Ron sat down opposite him and raised his eyebrows, "on second thoughts we might need the bottle", he said summoning it from the kitchen before taking a sip of his own drink. "What the hell is going on Ron?" whispered Harry.

"Well, as you might have guessed, you pissed Ginny off when you left … before you ask she ended it with you before she found out about Romilda …"

"So where does Malfoy fit into this?"

"Ginny got together with Draco before she knew about you cheating on her"

"So it's Draco now? You two best buddies are you?"

"He's not as bad as you think", Ron said, ignoring the sarcasm in Harry's voice. Harry snorted and took another swig of fire whiskey. "He's good for Ginny", Ron continued, "he looks after her, and he's never done anything to hurt her"

"I looked after her! I never meant to hurt her!"

"Maybe not, but you did"

"OK, fair enough, but Malfoy Ron?! You want her marrying that?"

"I'm fine with it"

"After everything he's done, everything he did at school, to you, to me! To Hermione, Ron, how can you forgive him for that?!"

"Don't you dare use Hermione to get into my good books again! If she can forgive him then so can I! It's not like we forgave him overnight here Harry, it's taken weeks! But we got to know him for Ginny's sake, and he's grown up a lot, I can say with one hundred percent certainty that he's changed!"

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to drag Hermione into it … but it's a shock …"

"What are you going to do about Romilda?"

"Not much I can do. I don't want to be with her, but I'll support her financially"

"What about the kid?"

"What? … I don't know … I can't think about that yet … do you think she'll ever forgive me?"

"Who? Romilda?"

"No! Ginny!"

"I don't know, and even if she does it's going to take a hell of a lot of work"

"I'll do whatever it takes"

"She won't get back with you Harry, ever. I'm sure of that. Her and Draco are for keeps, there's no way you'll get between them. Her friendships the most you can hope for … and I wouldn't hold your breath for that", said Ron draining his glass and getting up. "Where are you going?" asked Harry.

"I've got to get back, Hermione will be wondering where I am"

"Ron, we're OK aren't we?" Harry asked.

"We're a long way from OK Harry, but maybe we will be … one day"

Harry nodded as Ron left the room. He heard the door slam a few moments later and he sighed, downing another whiskey. There was no way he was going to give up, he would do whatever he had to to win Ginny back.