The sun was high in the sky and all the grass was wet with the melted frost. The candles shone in the windows of Shell Cottage, with its garden path that eerily ended suddenly with the end of the garden, because wizards don't need to walk when they can appirate. The cottage looked warm and welcoming, but a long way off in the long grass a creature stirred stalking slowly along the sore line, its eye fixed firmly on the window of the cottage in the distance, just watching, just waiting.
Ginny was lying on her bed in her tiny bedroom. Her jumper was only round her neck and one arm so that Fleur could give Ginny the daily treatment that she had to endure. Ginny tried to not think about what Fleur was doing to her, if she thought about it too much then it freaked her out. The thought of someone sticking their wand into your lung is horrible, it's as bad as if it were someone's finger. Ginny lay as flat as she could, she had become very stiff. Her walks were all that was keeping her fully mobile, and she hadn't walked since her accident over a week ago, so she was feeling the effects. She gazed out of the window at the clouds glowing with the soft winter light. Fleur was kneeling on the floor examining Ginny's wound that went all the way into her right lung.
"Ginny I am not 'appy about 'zis, I 'sink it is infected"
Ginny looked at her. Fleur's face was full of worry, Ginny had noticed it aching and the blood that was coming from it was getting blacker and blacker each time.
"What can we do?"
Ginny said. But Fleur sat back on her heals and just looked at it.
"We 'ave tried all 'zee normal muggle methods, but zee wound is big… and deep, and zee infection is deep to. I don't know what to do now."
Ginny looked at the ceiling, she wanted to cry with frustration, even a deep infection is easy to fix with healing magic. If she uses that kind of magic the Esben treatment will stop working, and she will die in a matter of minutes, if she leaves the infection she will die in a matter of weeks, give or take.
"I don't think we have much of a choice do we?"
Said Ginny giving Fleur a halfhearted smile. Fleur smiled back weakly
"Lets get the Esben treatment over and done with shall we, the others will be wondering why we are taking so long."
Fleur nodded and knelt up to be level with Ginny's body.
"Are you ready?"
She asked,
"Aren't I always"
Said Ginny through a sigh. She closed her eyes and grabbed the sides of the bed. Fleur inserted the wand tip into the wound, Ginny's hands clenched hard so her knuckles went white and she was breathing fast though her nose to try and calm herself and control the pain. Then Fleur began the whispers. It was a curious effect, the start was so painful and the sensation was so nauseating but as soon as Fleur began the spell Ginny relaxed it was like being in a vacuum, the blackness was somehow all around her closing in tight and comfortable, but also it was nowhere and could not be seen or felt. It was a short relief from what she had to open her eyes to.
After a few minuets the treatment was done and Fleur was dabbing the wound with a 'disinfectant' that she had bought from a strange kind of potions shop called a 'chemist', Fleur had also come home with various other strange objects from that strange place like a muggle 'shampoo' and muggle 'vitamin C' (what ever that is?). When Fleur was done tending to the wound, Ginny began to put her arm gingerly back into her sleeve, and as she was doing that there was a knock at the door and Harry's voice called though. Ginny jumped and almost shouted
"Don't come in!"
She looked at the door with a terrified expression. Fleur looked at Ginny in a confused way, surely a bit of shoulder is nothing Harry hasn't seen before?
"I'm… I'm not dressed I will be down in a minute"
There was a short pause where Harry was clearly thinking the same as Fleur.
"ummm ok we were just wondering if you were ok you have been a while that's all?"
And Ginny almost barked back
"I'm fine I will be down in a minute."
There was another pause in which Fleur looked over at Ginny. Harry didn't have anything else to add and they heard his footsteps disappear down the stairs. Ginny gave a sigh of relief. Fleur was still looking at her totally confused. Ginny struggled into her jumper and straitened herself up. Fleur passed her a glass of water. Ginny managed a couple of sips, but the treatment left her dizzy and nauseous. Fleur left Ginny to gather herself and went down stairs. Ginny looked out of her window again. It was something that she really liked about the sea, it was that the view was different every time she looked, even if it was only minutes apart from another, the view had still changed. There was a call from downstairs. And so Ginny straitened up and went down to join her family.
The afternoon disappeared quickly. There was a lot of chatting to be done and a lot of information to depart to Harry Ron and Hermione. They had been so cut off from the world the last few weeks and that had no idea how complicated the politics had become. That night Harry went to bed with Ginny who insisted on dressing in her night clothes alone in the room before Harry came in. Ron went to bed with Hermione, although it wasn't actually said out loud everyone had basically accepted that they were together because Ron would not let go of Hermione at all since they had come into the lounge at lunchtime, after there mysterious chat that no one elce knew the details of. still Hermione must have said the right thing because Ron suddenly had an appetite again.
It passed trough Ginny's mind that night as she was getting ready that Bill had chosen Shell Cottage because it had the 3 bedrooms, and he wanted the children to fill them. Ginny just hoped that Fleur didn't feel like she was being pressured.
Once Harry's warm body had slipped into bed next to Ginny all her bad feelings just disappeared. It was as if he was surrounding them with a bubble that was keeping them safe from everything, even the bad feelings. Ginny was exhausted and slept better then she had done in a long long time, even better than when Harry was last with her, this was a real restful sleep, something that the both of them really needed.
The next morning came with brilliant sunlight the sky was clear and the frost was thick on the ground, the landscape was the whitest Shell Cottage had ever seen and the atmosphere in the house was for the first time in what seemed like months, relaxed, contented and happy. Fleur was already up and awake, and in the kitchen busying away over her Christmas lunch, she was preparing everything accept the goose which was being brought by molly and Arthur later on.
Ginny was lying on her side as close to Harry as she could get without squashing her tummy. She had been lying gazing at his face for some time half an hour maybe more, she didn't care how long. She was gazing at his sleeping face all dishevelled and sexy. His arm was round her waist holding her close, and she wanted that feeling to never end, there was the thought that she had all day with him, and that was the most magnificent feeling in the world right now. There was a knock on the door and Ron's voice called though,
"c'mon we are all up! Come and have breakfast, Fleur is cooking Christmas lunch it is a great spectator sport!"
Harry stirred and opened his eyes blinking in the soft light that seeped though the curtains.
"Morning beautiful"
He said sleepily stretching gently.
"Good morning"
Replied Ginny smiling lovingly at him. Harry propped himself up on his elbows and ran his hand through his hair. Ginny ran her hand down the back of his neck and down the groove in his back. Harry leant over and smiled cheekily at her with a twinkle in his eye. He kissed her very gently and tenderly. They stayed with their faces close for a moment just enjoying the warm fuzzy feeling!
"c'mon we are missing the Fleur cooking spectacular!"
Said Harry grinning. He carefully slipped over Ginny and out of bed, Ginny had forgotten just how magnificent his body really was. He shoved his clothes on very fast and Ginny thought how annoying it was that Harry only had to put on 3 items of clothing and that was it he was dressed! Harry turned to look at Ginny sitting up in bed.
"c'mon then"
He said
"You go ahead I will be just a sec"
Harry frowned at her; he sat on the bad next to her and put his arm round her and his other hand on her knee.
"What's wrong gin? You haven't been right since I arrived here?"
Ginny shrugged and thought furiously for an excuse
"I just don't want you to see my starch marks that's all. I am only 17 and its embarrassing."
Harry stoked her face
"You could have green skin with purple spots for all I care and I would still love you"
Ginny smiled sympathetically at him.
"Thank you… but still can I have just a little dignity."
Harry smiled back
"Ok I'll see you in a minute"
Harry kissed her on the cheek got up and gave her a last cheeky smile before he closed the door behind him. Ginny reached her hand under her arm to feel her wound as it was sore; she found It hard to see so she used her mirror. There were back threads spreading under her skin, it was the same rash she had got the time she had her breaking episode back at school. She couldn't see it spreading visibly as she looked at it, a trickle of black blood ran down her side, it didn't hurt her when it bled the wound was already open. She grabbed a tissue and wiped away the blood. Ginny let out a sigh and put her hand on her belly. This was killing her and she knew it. She told her self 'almost half way now, still alive, that has to be a positive thing'
Ginny carefully struggled into a shirt and a jumper and managed to get into a pair of hipster jeans, but she couldn't do up the top button. She brushed her hair and got she looking presentable. She slowly made her way downstairs to be met bay the amazing sight of Fleur's cooking there were pots and pans cavorting round the room with amazing vats of food on the top of the aga, there were knifes chopping food and peeling potatoes on every counter, with Fleur standing on a small stool by the sink conducting the kitchen like some kind of bizarre orchestra, Ginny knew that Fleur was talented but she had never imagined that she could manage this level of multi tasking. But just as she thought that she realised that the knife on the far counter had run out of carrot and so had taken to starting to cut up the chopping board, with surprising success considering it was a smooth vegetable knife and it was a large wooden chopping board.
Harry Ron and Hermione were sitting holding bowls of cereal as the table was covered in Fleur's orchestra. They were looking up watching the show laughing and chatting. Bill was at the end of the table sitting casually back in his chair. He had managed to clear enough space for his bowl of cereal that he dipped into now and again whilst reading the daily prophet, with the quibbler lying open on his lap. Ginny ducked though the assault course of flying pots and pans.
"What can I get you Ginny?"
Fleur shouted over the noise.
"Just a small bowl of cereal please?"
Ginny shouted back
"Any toast?"
Asked Fleur
"no no the cereal will be fine thank you."
Ginny knew that it wouldn't be instant as Fleur had to conduct it into her bizarre symphony and it probably wasn't safe to go too close to the counters to get your own, especially as the now slightly bent vegetable knife had finished with the chopping board and had stared on the counter with a nasty stabbing motion. Bill didn't look up from his paper and said.
"Morning gin, hope you have a big appetite? We seem to be feeding the 5000"
Ginny laughed and there was a small call from Fleur to Bill, Bill put his hand up in to the pots and pans express lane that was going over his head at high speed and with great skill caught a small bowl of cereal and passed it to Ginny.
"Thank you … umm may I have a.."
But before Ginny could finish a spoon sped across the room and stopped in front of her face.
"Thank you"
Once they had all finished breakfast, they retreated to the safety of the lounge, miraculously no one was smacked by any pots on the way out of the safe circle of the kitchen table. They talked for a while about what would be the best thing to do in regards to Molly and Arthur, who they were expecting to arrive in less than an hour. They decided that Harry Ron and Hermione would stay in the lounge and give Bill Fleur (if you can catch her) and Ginny time to prepare them for the shock of having them there, there was brief discussions about removing the memories of the day for their own safety but it was decided that it would be cruel and unfair.
They were now expecting Molly and Arthur any minute so Bill and ginny went back into the kitchen. The counters were pilled high with food and the over enthusiastic veg knife had been put in a pot on the floor which was now tied up with tea towels to stop it pushing the lid off, this didn't stop it from bashing and clanging angrily in the pot. Ginny and Bill stood by the wall to watch what seemed to be a finale! (hopefully without the fireworks but you never know!) large pots were lined up hovering above the table, trays of glazed veg and small intricate rolls, hand made sausages and pots of suede and carrot and garlic sprouts. Suddenly all movement stopped and Fleur was stood panting still standing on her stool with her wand in the air. She shouted instructions in French and some of the post whizzed off into different places some into the aga oven, some on to the hot plate and one went out of the window, which was unexpected. Then she faced the rest of the pots.
"Now 'zen! Places! We have less 'zan 2 hours till lunch move move move!"
The remaining pots zoomed into place and Fleur let out an enormous sigh as the aga door closed neatly behind the last tray. Bill grinned,
"Well done my darling that was most masterful!"
He went and offered his hand to help Fleur down from the stool and she then slumped into a kitchen chair.
"That was amazing Fleur that really was"
Said Ginny also grinning
"You know it is really 'ard, we 'ave some pots zat my parents gave us as wedding preazents and zay don't understand English commands! And of course the English ones don't understand French."
Bill and Ginny laughed.
"So what went wrong with that one then?"
Said Ginny pointing at the pot on the floor containing the angry knife that was now putting large dents in the lid of the pot.
"I sink it was anozer present, it may 'ave just followed zee crowd when I 'handed out jobs, I don't sink it really understood, maybe it doesn't understand English or French?"
Bill looked at the pot that was clattering and banging
"Maybe its Spanish? They tend to be very passionate about their work don't they?"
Said bill
"Could be?"
Said Fleur. There was along pause where they all considered the knife in the pot.
"Oh god Ginny you 'aven't ad your treatment today, come we will do it now so zat you have some time to recover before lunch come come."
Fleur lead Ginny to the bedroom and Ginny slipped her arm out of her sleeve. Fluer lent to look at the wound.
"Oh Ginny!"
Gasped Fleur shocked at the back skin round the wound she went to speak again but Ginny interrupted her.
"Its ok, really its not spreading that fast, I am fine for now, I feel ok, lets just get this done, Mum and Dad will be here any minute."
Fleur was good and although they were expecting guests she didn't rush the treatment. They finished up and went back down stairs. Ginny looked pale and felt woozy as she always did afterwards. But she was happy in herself and that made her feel better. When they came down the stairs Bill was conducting the washing up, it was much slower and more sedate than Fleur's rollercoster ride of the morning. Bill was watching out of the window so that he could see when Molly and Arthur were approaching. Fleur slumped back into her chair and used the bottom of a metal try to check her face, which was spattered with small bits of various things she had been cooking.
"Oh I think that's them"
Said bill peering out of the window, Fleur quickly fixed her face and hair with a quick spell and Ginny sat up in her chair. Bill left the washing up to finish its self and went to the door to let them in.
"Mum Dad! Happy Christmas!"
He said hugging them as they entered, Fleur got up to greet them to and took their coats. Molly was all hugs and kisses to Bill as Arthur kissed Fleur on the cheek
"Merry Christmas Fleur"
Then he moved onto Ginny.
"Hello love how are you feeling?"
He said
"I'm not too bad,"
Said Ginny telling a white lie, meanwhile molly had finally put Bill down and turned to Fleur she kissed her on the cheek and have her a hug
"My god dear you look like you have run a marathon, you look terrible!"
Fleur's expression dropped
"Here sit down love and I will make us a nice cup of tea"
Molly immediately set to work and Fleur rolled her eyes as she sat back into her chair. They were then all sitting down round the table with their cups of tea accept Bill who stood behind Fleur gently rubbing her shoulder.
"Well I suppose it comes to presents doesn't it?"
"Oh that reminds me!"
Said molly summoning the large covered tray that was placed on the table when they entered, she uncovered it and there it was a lovely big goose
"There will be far too much here for just the 5 of us"
Molly said laughing as she levitated it into the only remaining space in the oven
"Well you would be surprised"
Said Bill laughing awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck Molly sat back down with her cup of tea
"Anyway as I was saying presents…"
But molly interrupted again
"Not till after lunch you know that!"
Bill sighed
"I don't think that this present will want to wait till after lunch"
Then Arthur interrupted
"What's that?"
He said pointing at the pot tied up with tea towels banging angrily I the corner
"It's a foreign very over enthusiastic veg knife… look stop changing the subject!"
Molly and Arthur grinned
"Sorry love, carry on"
Said molly, Bill sighed and continued
"We have a present for you, it might be a bit of a shock, but I know you will like it ok? So just be prepared for it to be a big present… ok?"
Molly and Arthur looked very worried all of a sudden
"Bill what have you?…"
"Don't ask questions I will go get them and all will become clear"
He crossed the room to the lounge door opened it and beckoned them in. Harry, Ron and Hermione walked into the room and Ron said the first word.
"Hey mum we have come to join you for Christmas."
There was along pause while Molly and Arthur sat looking shocked, then Molly let out an enormous shriek making everyone jump and Arthur nearly jumped off his chair. Molly ran forward and was all hugs and kisses to all three of them, Arthur went and hugged Ron and Harry and kissed Hermione in the cheek, and then he asked
"What are you doing here? Surely this is far too dangerous for you? Has something happened? Something that we should know about?"
Ron looked at Hermione as did Harry. And she spoke up
"no there's nothing, we have had a rough time the last couple of weeks, but we are all ok and we have just come here for Christmas… if you will have us?"
Fleur grinned
"you are always welcome in our 'ome"
