Her Father's Daughter
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.
A/N: Thanks to Aikakone for her wonderful beta for this and the previous chapter. Thank you for your support, encouragement and witty comments.
Snape Meets His Match
An unexpected sight greeted Ginny when she awoke several hours later in the hospital wing.
Charlie Weasley sat in a chair next to her bed, thumbing through a copy of The Quibbler. He laid it aside when he noticed that she was awake. He reached a hand across to stroke some hair away from her face.
"Hey, there, sleeping beauty," he said softly.
"Charlie!" she said and smiled. "What are you doing here?" She reached up to hug him.
Charlie sat back down after embracing her and answered, "Lupin contacted me last night. He said you'd had some kind of Potions accident. I don't think he called the rest of the family, but I know that he knows you and I are close." He eyed her warily. "Are you okay?"
At once, Ginny's eyes filled with tears and she shook her head sadly. Charlie crawled onto the bed and gathered her in his arms.
"What is it?" he asked. "Are you sick, hurt? Do you need a Healer?" His tone was worried. Perhaps she should go to St. Mungo's, he wondered.
"No, Charlie," she replied. "I don't need a Healer." She cried into his shoulder and confessed, "I've really made a mess of things."
Before she knew it, the entire tale tumbled out of her. She confessed everything about the potion, blackmailing Malfoy and even what happened with Snape.
For his part, Charlie remained calm through the entire story, though inside a range of emotions washed over him.
"I just wanted to know both my parents, Charlie," she sobbed. "But then after I got Sirius' diary, I thought I would be okay. Instead though, I just miss him even more. I just want to talk to him and spend time with him and hug him. D'you know I've only hugged my father once? It was that Christmas we spent at Grimmauld Place. I thought he was just comforting me about Dad, but now I realize that he just wanted to hug his own daughter for Merlin's sake!"
"But you know that he loved you, Ginny," Charlie said, trying to soothe her. "And you still love him, and that's okay." He paused and made sure to choose his next words carefully.
"But Snape, Ginny?" he questioned. "I can't imagine what you were thinking. I know you feel sorry for him, but…"
Ginny pulled away from Charlie and wiped her eyes on her sleeve. "I don't feel sorry for him," she whispered. "I love him." She sighed heavily. "And I thought he loved me, too. He never said so, but I thought I saw it in his eyes. I guess I was wrong."
Charlie cupped her cheek and razed her face to meet his. "What do you mean, Ginny?"
"He kicked me out after. He said we couldn't be together, that it was a mistake," she cried, her eyes filling with fresh tears.
"I'm not saying it was the best idea you've ever had, but what gives him the right to call it a mistake?" Charlie asked angrily. He stood quickly and turned from her. He ran his hand through his curly hair in frustration.
"Please don't say anything to anyone, Charlie," Ginny pleaded, getting up from the bed. "He'll lose his job, and right now, that's all he has."
"Fine," he said tersely. "I don't want to talk about this anymore."
Before Ginny could counter with anything, Madam Pomfrey walked into the infirmary with a smile on her face.
"Time to go!" she cried. "You can go back to your own dormitory now and back to classes tomorrow morning. But I want you to come to me if you feel the slightest bit dizzy or nauseated."
Ginny nodded as the nurse brought her clothes over.
"Charlie?" she called.
"I'll wait outside," he said briskly as he strode purposefully out the door of the hospital wing.
But Charlie didn't wait outside. He kept walking down the corridors until he came to the spiraling staircase that led straight to the dungeons. He didn't run, but he must have look determined because the few students in the hallways scurried out of his way at first sight.
When he reached the dungeons, he paused outside the Potions classroom. He didn't hear any students inside, but when he tried the door, it was locked. Rather than casting a simple Alohamora, Charlie kicked the door open and found a startled and wand-bearing Severus Snape on the other side sitting behind his desk.
"Weasley!" he demanded. "What is the meaning of this?"
Charlie flicked a strong locking charm at the door and stormed up the aisle to his former teacher.
"Lower your wand, boy," Snape sneered. "And tell me what it is that you want."
"Lower my wand?" Charlie hissed. He tossed his wand to the floor. "There! It's lowered. As for what I want, how's this?"
Snape didn't have time to respond before Charlie lunged across the desk and punched him squarely in the jaw. Snape managed to hold onto the desk and prevent himself from toppling his wheelchair.
"What the bloody hell was that for?" Snape asked, backing away from Charlie's fist.
"Who the hell do you think you are, you great greasy bat?" Charlie demanded in a shockingly calm and low voice. "How dare you take advantage of her!"
Snape didn't have to ask who "her" was. He swallowed hard and rubbed his jaw. "Weasley, it isn't what you think," he began slowly.
"What I think is that you knew my sister was vulnerable and you took what you wanted without a care in the world for her!" Charlie's voice was no longer quiet and calm. He was railing.
"That isn't true," Snape said softly, lowering his eyes.
"Look at me when I'm yelling at you!" Charlie bellowed, seizing the front of the older man's robes and shaking him forcefully. "You slept with her, then kicked her out and told her everything was a mistake. Is that the truth?"
"Yes, but you don't know the whole story," Snape insisted. "If you'd unhand me, you Neanderthal, you'd hear it. Now let go, damn it!"
Charlie released him with a violent shove and Snape straightened his robes and glared at his assailant. "Obviously, you've forgotten that I am a teacher at this historic institution, Weasley," Snape mocked. "As such, I am not permitted to be involved with a student. As a student, Ginny could be expelled if the relationship were discovered. I sent her away because I didn't want her to be caught."
"And telling her it was all a mistake?" Charlie demanded, stepping closer.
Snape sighed and his expression diminished a bit. "She fancies herself in love with me, and I didn't want her to get hurt," he explained sadly. "I could not make her happy. I am too old and broken, and she deserves so much more in life."
"You're damned right she does, Snape," Charlie hissed. "What in the hell were you thinking?"
In an instant Snape's temper flared again and he pushed himself closer to the younger man and glowered up at him. "I wasn't thinking about anything other than the woman I love was in my bed and for the first time in a year, I could actually feel something. Not that I expect someone like you to understand. Now if you don't mind, pick up your wand. And. Get. Out."
Charlie snatched his wand from the floor in disgust and walked away. When he reached the door, he turned back to face Snape. "You should hear her in there, Snape," he spat. "She can't stop crying. She misses her father. She feels so alone, and she blames herself for what happened with you. She doesn't have anyone to talk to. I know not all of this is your fault, but I hope you remember that you sure as hell didn't help."
With that, he snatched the door open and stormed down the corridor.
Ginny finally sat alone in her room later that evening. Charlie had left before dinner, and their parting had been tense to say the least. He didn't reveal his argument with Snape to her, but she knew that something other than their earlier conversation had him rattled.
She was just getting ready to get into bed when a stack of photos on her chest of drawers caught her attention. She picked them up and climbed into bed. Ginny scanned through the pictures, smiling as Sirius waved to her from each one. Curiously, she noticed one picture missing, but she assumed it had fallen behind the chest of drawers. She made a mental note to search for it later. Instead, Ginny set the photos aside and pulled Sirius' journal to her. She reread a passage which was dated New Year's Eve 1995.
I've watched you all evening, Ginevra. You giggled and shared secrets with Hermione, schemed with the twins and even managed to get Remus up for a dance. Oh, if I'd had a camera at that moment….
I watched as you wrote a letter to someone. With the look in your eyes, it must have been to your boyfriend. I've heard Ron grumbling something about it to Harry. Ginny, are you really old enough for boyfriends yet? My heart shudders at the thought. I can't imagine anyone being good enough for you, not even Harry. Don't mistake me. I love Harry very much, but I've also heard the way he goes on about a particular girl at school called Cho. I know he's a normal teenage boy, but I'm not sure I want any of those around my daughter!
There are so many things to look forward to, Ginny. I imagine us having a wonderful relationship and getting on so well together. I know there will be an adjustment period, but I hope, in the end, that you can accept me. Until then, I can only hope that you will come over and pull me out of my chair for a dance as well.
Ginny smiled to herself as she fell asleep, knowing that in her dreams, she would get that chance to dance with her father.