"They say I got to learn but nobody's here to teach me. If they can't understand it, how can they reach me?"
-Coolio
Chapter Thirteen
"Ginny! Ginny wake up!" A distant voice screamed. I could barely make out the recognizable voice of Draco Malfoy, who was as I opened up my eyes, sitting right beside me on the hospital bed holding my hand.
"What happened Ginny?" He asked as he noticed the fact that I was now awake.
"I-I don't…what happened? When did you get here?" I asked back. Sleep still evident in my mind.
"You were asleep but then you started screaming out in your sleep. You said something like 'Bastard' and then you started crying. What did you dream about?"
"Oh god Draco the baby! He killed the baby!" Suddenly my dream started replaying over in my mind, every sad gruesome detail.
"What baby Virginia?" He asked puzzled.
"My baby, he killed it! He killed me with it…" I was crying now, sobbing uncontrollably. No one ever knew about the baby, no one knew about Tom or the miscarriage that happened because of his rage. I just told Draco he killed a part of me when he killed my baby, and I meant every word of it. Part of me died that night as the blood poured down my leg and gut-wrenching pain took over my body.
"You…you were pregnant…with Tom's child?"
I nodded, too shaken to speak at the moment. When I could finally gather enough energy to speak, my voice was hoarse and very soft.
"It was a little over a month after the first rape…I was three weeks pregnant at the time and I was scared to tell him. When I did he flipped out and said that the child wasn't his; that I was cheating on him or something. I don't know what made me fight back that time but I the thought of him accusing me, for saying I was some kind of whore, well that was the last straw. I dug my nails into the side of his face, I meant to only slap him but I wanted him to bleed, just like he did to me all those other times. He called me names and I called them right back and after a few minutes he got sick of my defiance and he…there was a rod, a metal rod only a few feet away. I don't remember what room we were in or why there was a metal rod there to begin with but he swung it as hard as he could into my abdomen. I doubled over in pain…oh god how it hurt. And then there was blood…so much blood everywhere. He laughed, he sneered, then he turned away and walked through the door and I was left alone to suffer. I regained consciousness I'm assuming about two hours later and after cleaning up the blood I walked down to the bathroom and threw up. I knew I couldn't go to the nurse, after all everyone still thought of me as this happy in love little Virgin who would never do anything wrong. People are so naïve. I used floo powder to go to the Sinclairs and they took me to a Muggle doctor who didn't ask any questions and fixed what he could. Tom left not too long after, said he couldn't stand being around a whore. I didn't mind though, I was finally rid of him. It was the happiest day of my life."
Again Draco was quiet for quite some time before he spoke. His face was a bit paler than usual and his hands were clenched into fists. I knew what he was thinking at that moment but it wouldn't have mattered. Draco wanted to kill Tom, probably would if he ever saw him too, but Tom was far away now, he would never come back.
"How-how can you love me after the things he's done to you? How can you not want to stay away from the male species entirely? I swear to god Ginny I'll kill that…thing…if he ever comes near you again. I'll put him under a curse that will make the Cruciatus Curse feel like a pinch. No one, no one will ever raise a hand or object to you, you have my word Virginia Weasley, you have my heart."
"That is more than I could ever ask for Draco Malfoy. You have my heart as well."
The Christmas holidays came and passed, as did the entire month of January. Snape and I haven't advanced much on our potion research, but a few very small discoveries were uncovered in the meantime. We have found out that Janovive mixed with shredded snail shells and powdered unicorn horn stirred for two hours straight and then left to simmer overnight reduced the amount of pain given by the Cruciatus Curse, but did not overall stop it. We, much to my dismay even though it was for the good of the entire world, tested our results on lab mice and after a number of positive results we presented our information to Professor Dumbledore. It wasn't much, but it was a start. However we needed to start getting somewhere fast, time was nearing when Harry would finish school and the Dark Lord would strike at his worst, or so we were informed. I also needed better results before Draco was officially initiated into the Death Eater 'clan'. Once a week he would be summoned by his father to go on a 'mission'. When he returned his face was much paler than usual and his eyes were glazed over in pain and regret. He wouldn't tell me the things his father and Voldemort made him do, in some way I really didn't want to know either, but it was unnerving how I couldn't help ease his pain. I wanted to help, but the only way I could do that was by working as hard as I could on a cure for the Unforgivable Curses. Today was February 14th, or rather Valentines Day. Couples throughout the school were opening showing their affection for one another, except of course for Draco and I. One other student was also without a partner, one who never lacked for female attention…
"Hello Harry." I said as I walked into the common room after breakfast. It was a Saturday and therefore there were no classes. It wasn't a Hogsmeade trip weekend either so most of the students were lounging around on in the library studying for their upcoming exams, or rather Hermione was…
"Hello Ginny, no guy this year? If memory serves correct you've had a number of admirers over the years on this particular day." He commented as I took a seat across from him in front of the fireplace.
"I haven't had a boyfriend in two years Harry, not since Tom anyway." Though it pained me to mention his name, I still had to say it. I shouldn't fear a name, not when the physical being of the name no longer resided here.
"What about you Harry Potter? You've never lacked female attention in all the years you've been here. I should know seeing as how I spent the first few years pining over you like a love-sick puppy." I joked. A look crosses his eyes at that moment but I brushed it off as inconsequential.
"I do have my eyes on someone, but she just doesn't know it yet. Tell me Ginny, when did you stop caring?" I panicked at that moment. Did he mean what I thought he meant? Did he mean when did I stop caring about people? About life? But wait…no…he was…that's it! He meant when did I stop caring about HIM. Oh no what have I gotten myself into!
"I was ten years old Harry. I still thought boys had cooties…well except you I guess. I couldn't even talk to you without blushing redder than my hair!" I laughed to lighten the mood a bit.
"But I suppose it ended when I went out with Seamus in your fifth year, my fourth. Then of course there was Tom," again nausea rose from my stomach and I had to fight to keep it down. It was just a name after all.
"I guess I've always looked up to you when I was younger because you were Ron's friend and all, and of course you were the Boy Who Lived. But things change and life goes on. I guess it's just how things work. Speaking of brothers…where is my charming older sibling? Romancing Hermione I image?" I asked curiously. Not that I really wanted to know or anything, truly I didn't, I just needed something to take my mind off of the fact that Harry…well Harry might…like…me. No, that was just too weird.
"He and Hermione are currently in the library "studying" for their N.E.W.T.S tests in a couple months. Though I doubt they're getting much accomplished." He laughed back. And then, at that moment, I was given one of the biggest surprises in my life. He kissed me. It was just a light kiss, very light and too short that I couldn't have pulled away from, but it was still a kiss nonetheless.
"Ginny I like you, I've had for some time. I want you to know…"
"Harry stop…please stop. I'm sorry, but I'm not the same person I used to be back in my first few years of school. I never…I never really loved you, I- I admired you yes, infatuated even, but I didn't know you enough to truly love you, at least not the way you want me to. I've learned…I've learned that love must be built upon, must grow and flourish with time, and you never took the time to get to really know me Harry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I can't be who you want me to be, and I'm sorry that I can't return your love. I just…god I'm so sorry Harry but you must understand that you don't really love me, or like me for that matter. You like the idea of being with me, and that's fine but I can't live like that."
"But we can get to know each other better, that's the whole point Ginny." He pleaded. He looked so vulnerable then and for a slight moment and old feeling of longing came back from the past. But it was gone as soon as it arrived for I have found the only person I could ever love, I found my soulmate the night a blonde haired gray-eyed figure walked into my life.
"No Harry, no. I heard a quote once; it does not do to dwell on dreams, right? This…this is an infatuation, just a dream. I-I've found the person I was truly meant for in my life. No-I can't tell you his name, and I doubt you would really care to hear it. But I will tell you me means the world to me, and nothing could ever change that. I'm going to go now Harry. I will talk to you later."
"Goodbye Ginny…" He said forlornly.
"And Harry?" I said as I walked towards the door of the common room.
"Yeh?" He responded.
"May you find someone who loves you as much as you love them, you deserve it." I smiled as I walked out of the room.
Draco cornered me as I neared the end of the hallway. He grabbed my wrist and we both went flying into the nearest deserted classroom.
"I've been waiting all day for you all day. Ran into Weasel and Mudblood on my way out of the library. Stupid gits were making out in the magical creatures section. No offense."
"None taken, I've been waiting for you all day too. God I've missed you." I said as I walked into his arms and kissed him firmly on the mouth. A few moments later we broke apart and for the first time I noticed what he carried in his left hand; a small white rose.
"I remember a few weeks ago in a conversation we had that you love white roses. I enchanted this one to stay blooming for eternity; a symbol of the two of us, together, for all eternity."
"Draco I love it, I love you. This day has been so chaotic with Valentines Day and Harry announcing his feelings for me and…"
"Potty? He did what!" Draco nearly screamed until he remembered that he could easily been overheard.
"He said he liked me, then asked when I stopped caring for him. I told him that it was an infatuation, a lust really. Then I wished him to find a true love, just like I had found…in you. But I didn't tell him you were the one I loved; I know we can't tell anyone. But sometimes I just feel myself wishing things were different, between us you know? I wish that we were of the same house, of the same family type. That this stupid war was never happening and that everything was just…"
"Perfect?" He finished.
"Virginia…Ginny…I know that things seem bad right now, but when something hits the bottom…the only way it can go is up, right? I don't know what will happen between us, but I can promise you things will get better…they must. I love you Ginny, and I will fight till my last breath to keep you. I want you…I want you to have something." He said as he reached into his robes and pulled out a small silver ring. The design was old, yet new in some ways. A small silver dragon was etched into the band and in the center of its mouth was a small blue sapphire, my favorite stone.
"Draco…"
"This is a promise ring for you Ginny. I know you can't wear it in public, too many questions, but I want you to keep it safe, protect it. And when you're out of school, and when this stupid war is over, I want you to be mine. I want the world to know that you belong to me. I want them to know how much I love you."
"I want to belong to you Draco, I want you." I replied.
A/N: Okay okay I know I said I wouldn't update for a while, but I'm prolonging studying for these tests and there are only a few more chapters left to go…big climax coming up in the next few chapters and then the grand finale. Hope you're enjoying the story so far. And this time I'm sure that I won't have another chapter up for a while, I really have to study for finals this time…well cya
~Kandimoon
