SH Chapter 25

Title

Harry et al.:

They had been in Albania for nearly four months now and it had been nothing but a waste of time. It was evident that Voldemort never hid a horcrux in the country and now the group was more desperate for ideas than ever. For the last four months they had searched forests and wizarding towns in the hopes of finding just one tiny clue that would have made the time and effort worth the time that they had given to this location. But it had been nothing but a waste of their precious time.

Not only was it weighing on them that they were so obviously wrong in the train of thought of going to Albania but they had the guilt on them over the string of murders that had taken place in their absence. They were able to pick up the news here and there and while they were aware that Draco was involved in the murders, including a nasty one of a young family where their child's body had yet to be found, they noticed that Ginny was no longer being accused of any of the murders. In fact her name was never mentioned in the papers at all.

They group was tired and needed to rest and regroup and just to think. And well Ron wanted a hot meal and a hot shower. He was very adamant about that last part and the thought of a hot shower was more than appealing to whole group, so when Hermione suggested that she knew that Viktor would not mind some unexpected house guests and made the suggestion that they detour to Bulgaria for a short visit to regroup.

After traveling for three days they finally arrived at their destination in the middle of the night. The night was cool especially with it being June. They didn't have to wait long for Viktor to open the door. His look went from half asleep to complete and utter shock when he finally was able to take in the group standing on his doorstep at three in the morning. He quickly ushered them into the house before any of his neighbors could see them, if they were awake at this hour.

"Sorry, for just showing up, Viktor, but we really had no way of sending a message ahead." Harry spoke up.

"No, no, don't worry about it. From the looks of the lot of you it looks like you've been through Hell and back. What is going on? The news said that you all got scared and ran off and you have been in hiding.

"We have, kinda" Hermione spoke up. "So much has happened."

"What does "kinda" mean. Either you are scared of You know Who or you're not."

"What that means is that yes, he scares us, we'd be stupid not to be scared for our lives, but that is not exactly the reason that we are hiding. I wouldn't even call it hiding really, more like attempting to operate outside of his radar." Harry spoke up and immediately realized that the mugglism that he used was lost on everyone except Hermione.

She laughed and kissed his cheek before turning back to the room and explaining that Harry simply meant that they were working on something that has to remain a secret and we're trying to keep Voldemort from finding out what they were up to.

"Well, he knows that you are up to something because what I do know is that he has increased his efforts to find you over about the last six months. In fact they may already know that you are here. I know that they have been watching my mail, so it's good thing that you didn't try to owl me. Fleur told me that that they are watching the Weasley family's every move too. So don't even try to contact them. You be signing their death warrants if you do Ron."

"Thanks for the warning. But I am still waiting for Mum to calm down before I try to talk to her. I'm pretty sure that she wants to hurt me more than Voldemort does."

"Yes, I heard about your sister. Personally, it was a real shock to hear about her and Malfoy. I never saw that marriage coming."

"WHAT!" came a chorus of startled voices.

"You didn't hear that Ginny married Draco Malfoy?"

"No, we've been hiding under rocks lately. When did it happen?"

"January. There was a big write up about it in the papers. It was at Hogwarts. Voldemort has control of the school now. I still have that paper around here somewhere. There was an article involving me and I always keep a copy of those papers. Oh here we go." He pulled out an old copy of the local paper and handed it to Ron. And there on the front page was a picture of a smiling Ginny being given away by none other than Voldemort himself. Ron jumped up and ran out of the door and vomited in the hedges.

Luna and Neville had been hot on his heels. Viktor had grabbed Harry and Hermione when they went to follow saying it would be safer for all if they stayed inside so they weren't seen. He left the two to quietly wait while he went to make some tea for the group.

When Ron was able to calm down enough to come back inside and rejoin the group Viktor told them everything that he knew about what the paper's had been saying about her becoming a death eater and the murders that she had been accused of. Of course Harry and the others knew pretty much all of it and really weren't that surprised that not only the general public but pretty much everyone that knew Ginny believed that she was the murderer that she was being accused of being. As Viktor told Ron, the evidence against her is just too staggering to ignore.

"I know that as her brother you love her and don't want to believe that she is capable of doing these horrific things but this is war and with war comes that indisputable fact that things change and people change and sometimes not for the better."

He then offered them rooms to stay in to rest up but suggested that it may not be safe for any of them if they lingered too long. They knew that it wasn't his own neck that he was protecting but theirs.

Ginny and Draco:

Ginny was ever so grateful that the morning sickness had ended months ago. Especially since Draco came home one night upset and needing her comfort and not to mention that the little surprise he came home with.

Ginny had been pacing the bedroom waiting for Draco's return, waiting for him to return from being summoned to Voldemort. Everyone kept telling her that he'd be just fine, but she was not going to be able to rest and relax until she saw for herself that her husband was home safe and sound.

When he did show up at three in the morning he came into the room carrying a small child. He looked at his mother and then his wife pacing the floor and immediately fell to his knees.

"Forgive me. Please tell me that you forgive me for what I've done."

"What happened?" Ginny was now more scared than she was before Draco had come home.

"He-He sent me with Aunt Bella. There was no way out of it." Draco was crying now.

"You killed someone?"

"Yes."

"Who?"

"He sent us to kill this family. I talked him into letting us spare the child. But the parents had to go. I didn't want to, you know that I didn't want to, but I didn't have a choice and they didn't have a chance. Please don't hate me."

"Draco look at me. I don't hate you. I love you. I'll always love you. Tell me what happened."

Draco slumped down but started telling his wife the horrific events that he had taken part in over the course of the evening. How he tried his hardest to make his curses miss the couple but because the couple were moving and trying to fight back he couldn't be sure that he did miss.

Ginny let out a sigh as she ran her hands through his hair. "Draco, did you actually see any of your curses hit them?"

"No I didn't."

"And can you agree with me that your Aunt is a tremendously skilled fighter and it is extremely doubtful that she missed her mark?"

"Yes."

"Then I think that it would be reasonable and safe for us to assume that she was the one that killed them and not you. You were just an unfortunate bystander."

"Yes, I know but that doesn't change the fact that I didn't do anything to save them."

"Draco, you did though. You opted to allow your aim to be off. But, honey, we all knew that we weren't going to be able to save everyone and while it does upset me that two innocent people are dead. Look at all the lives that we have been able to save. That has to count for a lot. At least there were no children involved." She concluded as she tried to get up.

"About that Ginny, there was a baby involved."

"OH GOD! She didn't—"

"NO! I knew that they had a baby and begged Voldemort to allow us to spare him. He's pureblood and all and I knew to play to that."

"Draco, where is the baby now?"

"He's downstairs with Mom."

"And what is going to happen to him now?"

"Voldemort said that we could adopt him and raise him with the proper pure blood values that Voldemort believes in?"

"How old is this baby Draco?"

"He's about fourteen months old."

"We just got married, I'm six months pregnant with twins and you thought you'd just volunteer for us to adopt a one year old without talking to me about it first?"

"There was no way to ask you first. It all happened so quickly but I knew that I had to save that baby, Ginny. I couldn't just let an innocent, defenseless baby get murdered. And if wasn't for me being there to save him, Aunt Bella would have killed him."

"See, that is the reason that it was a good thing that you were there Draco. There is the point of the evening, the silver if you will. If you weren't there then an innocent child would be dead. The parents were adults that understood the risks that they were taking by taking sides. Just like I know that it could be me next. Voldemort could figure out what we've been up to and order your aunt to kill me. And she would not hesitate to do it and I know that I am no match for her."

"I love you so much. You always know just what to say to make me feel better. But you are wrong you know?"

"I'm wrong about what?"

"That you are no match for my aunt. You are and besides, there is no way that you'd stand alone against her. Mom and I and a whole lot of people that are living in this house right now would stand up to defend you. Now, what do you say to meeting your new son?"

"I say, let's go. What's his name, by the way?"

"Ayden Benjamin."

As the two made their way down to the sitting room to meet their son an idea hit Draco of what he wanted to do with his life after this whole damn war was over. They had the big manor and a lot of money but what they had the most of was love. It was the first time in his life that he felt the manor that he grew up in as a true home and he wanted to share that feeling with as many people as possible.

A/N:

Sorry for the delay. School and a client that I want to strangle got in my way. Again, we are going into finals so updates will be sporadic. Have a Happy Thanksgiving! I am seeing DH pt1 tonight! Yes! Can't wait!