Man oh man...I am so sorry everyone. I left the disk with this chapter in my computer at school, and then went home. So I couldn't finish it without what I'd already got written. I wrote an interlude piece to go with this story, to tide people over, and then couldn't upload it from the computer at home. So it had to go separately, which didn't work so well. So I am really, really, really, sorry about how late this is, and about how short this is. And I promise that the next bit will be out soon.



Disclaimer: I own nothing. Except the plot.





Chapter 5





He knew the shout would bring both of them running, and sure enough, a moment later two sets of footsteps thundered down the stairs, and the Potters skidded into the room. Hermione took in the sight of Draco Malfoy holding a small child in an instant and her eyes flashed an immediate understanding.

"Anything you want to be telling me Hermione?" She looked at him, and sighed.

"Alright. I suppose I can tell you now."

"What's going on?" Harry asked. "Who is that?"

"That's Ginny and Draco's daughter, Harry."

"WHAT?"

"Just let me explain."



****



"Herm? Can I talk to you?"

"Well, of course you can Gin. You know you can always talk to me."

"Well, really only when you visit nowadays." Hermione's face crinkled into a smile.

"Well, that's true. Come on, there's a nice tree we can sit under in peace" The two young women wandered over to a large oak tree and Hermione sat down in the grass. Ginny remained on her feet.

"Well?"

"Do I look different to you?"

"Well you look a little tired."

"I know that. Look at me from the side. Can you see it now?" Ginny turned and pulled her clothes tighter. Hermione gasped.

"Gin! You're-"

"Pregnant, yes. This is my problem."

"Is it Draco's?"

"Of course! That's not the problem."

"What is the problem?"

"I don't know what to do, Herm. I graduate in two months. But I can't work because the baby will be 5 months after that."

"Does he know?"

'No! I can't tell him. He'd go all overprotective on me."

"And this is a bad thing?"

"Yes...no...it's just that I don't know how he'd react. He's not the 'I love kids' type."

"He'd never hurt you, if that's what you're afraid of."

"NO! I know he'd never do anything like that. But if he's encumbered by a pregnant girlfriend..."

"What could possibly be wrong if you know he wouldn't hurt you."

"He'd give up everything he wants, just to care of me. I don't want that."

"Why not? I'd want to be taken care of."

"You're married. And Harry isn't anything like Draco. Draco needs to be Draco Malfoy before he can be someone's husband and father. And I need to be Ginny Weasley before I can be Ginny Malfoy."

"So what can you do?"

"Not a lot, really. There isn't much call for pregnant teenage girls these days."

"Ginny..."

"I just don't know what to do about it Hermione. I haven't told anyone else yet."

"Well Gin...I-" They were suddenly interrupted by Draco Malfoy appearing from behind a tree brandishing a camera.

Oh girls!" He called out. They waved warily at him, and he took a picture. He flashed them a grin, then left abruptly. They waited until he was out of earshot.

"I don't know what to tell you. Unfortunately I don't have any experience with this type of thing."

"I'm glad I talked to you anyway. Makes me feel a little better." Ginny sighed.

"Well, when in doubt Gin, do what your heart tells you. Things'll turn out alright in the end."

"I hope so. I really hope so."



****



"So you knew."

"I knew. I didn't know what she was going to do, or where she went, but I promised to tell anyone anything, especially about the baby."

"I just don't understand. I thought she knew you enough to..." Harry started.

"She did know me. She was right. I wanted a Ministry position. Anything to make me Draco Malfoy, not just Lucius Malfoy's son. But she meant more to me than anything. If I had known three years ago, I would have dropped everything and taken care of her."

"But she didn't want you to do that. She wanted the Draco Malfoy that you were happy with. Not the one that you weren't." Hermione said.

"But didn't it backfire? I mean, you've devoted your entire career to finding her." Harry pointed out.

"Not really. I'm available to anyone who wants to find someone they lost. I'm pretty successful at it. I look for her more or less in between cases. They say I'm the best detective the Ministry's got." Draco said.

"I can't believe you think her disappearance is a good thing. Look what you've missed!" Harry exclaimed, waving his arms at the sleeping girl on Draco's lap.

"Maybe. But that's hardly the point. The point is, if we don't find out where they've taken her, she's going to die." Draco pointed out.

"I'll go and get a hold of Ron on the floo. He has to know, even if he doesn't want to." Hermione said.

"I'll get back to the files. There must be something there." Harry said.

"I'll join you in a minute. I'm going to take her to bed first." Draco said. They all left the living room in a hurry.

As he was carrying the as yet unnamed girl upstairs, she woke up from her doze. He noticed that she was examining his face from her vantage point on his shoulder.

"You're my Daddy." She said.

"It seems so."

"Mummy showed me pictures."

"So that's how you know." She nodded at him.

"Wanna know my name?"

"Yes."

"Silvannah. Mummy calls me Sylvie."

"What would you like me to call you?"

"Sylvie."

"Alright then, Sylvie. Do you know what happened to your mummy?" The girl shook her head.

"Mummy magicked me to a pretty castle. Then a nice man gave me some candy and found the funny man who brought me here." So Ginny had sent their daughter to Dumbledore for safekeeping until she could be brought to him. It was a smart move.

"When did you last see your mum?"

"Mmm...." The girl thought hard, and then counted her fingers. "Four sleeps ago."

Four days. Someone had seen her four days ago.

"Where did you and mummy live?"

"In a 'partment." That meant a Muggle town somewhere. Silvanna started playing with his necklace.

"Mummy has a necklace like this."

"Does she?"

"Yup. It's pretty. But she never lets me wear it."

"I'm not surprised."

"Is it special?"

"Very special."



****



"This is pretty, Draco. Where'd you get it?" Ginny asked, playing with the serpent pendant.

"Some shop in Diagon Alley."

"How come? You don't seem the pretty necklace type."

"Well, when I bought it I just thought it was cool. Pretty wasn't really what I was thinking of."

"It is pretty though. It glints in the right lights."

"Do you want one?"

"Oh, I dunno. I'd probably want it if it wasn't so expensive looking."

"I'd give one to you."

"But I'd want to buy it myself. I don't need you to provide for me, it's not why I love you."

"It'd be a birthday present."

"Only if you want. Don't feel you need to."

"I want to."

"Then I'm not complaining."



Soon after Ginny's birthday that year, both the Gryffindor and the Slytherin could be seen proudly sporting identical serpent pendants. Hers on a chain, his on a leather strip.



****



"Mummy never told me that story. She just said it was a present." Silvanna said as Draco settled her on his bed.

"Well, it was. It was a gift from me, and it meant a lot to her. I thought I'd never understand why, but now I think I'm beginning to." He started tucking her in. "Now, you get some sleep. I'll get you in the morning."

"Okay." She turned over onto her side. Then, just as he was leaving the room, "Do you love mummy?" He looked at her, smiling slightly.

"Yes. I do. Very much."