Ginny's Secret

Summary: Ginny Weasley is an average eighteen year old girl with a happy and hopeful future... until disaster strikes and she is left devastated. Will Ginny ever reveal her secret, or will she keep it hidden from the man she loves forever?

Disclaimer: Same as usual- I don't own the characters.

Authors Note: Thank you my very first reviewers! *squeals* I'm really pleased and I hope people will continue to do so. This quite short chapter is mainly introducing Hermione and a lead-up to the main storyline coming later on (all will be revealed in the next couple of installments). If I get some more reviews *hint* then next chappie I'll probably post some replies to them here. Without further ado, here's Chapter 2!

Chapter 2- A Stark Warning

Ginny opened the large double doors of Wizard Holidays Inc. and stepped into the familiar musty smell of her office, complete with stained cream carpets and off-colour desks. Sighing, she muttered a hello to Cheryl, a fellow employee, and sat at her own desk, complete with its own little name tag: "Virginia Weasley, trainee".

"What an insult," she muttered, and began scribbling away at the parchment in front of her. Her job was to copy down all the information from a book detailing everybody's holiday information, and the amounts they were going to have to pay, before totting it all up- it was tedious work, but Ginny hoped that one day it would lead to bigger things, just like it had for Hermione.

"Hi Gin." It was Hermione now, passing her a cup of coffee from the battered machine in the corner. Hermione Weasley had only been working at the company for two years, yet already she had been promoted to manager- she was just so intelligent, professional and business trained that she was perfect for the job, and everyone liked and respected her. It wouldn't be long before she would have to go on maternity leave, but Hermione was determined to get as much work as possible done beforehand. She sat in the desk next to Ginny's (hers was of course with a much more professional name tag: "Mrs Hermione Weasley: Managing Director") and smiled, but her pretty face looked rather strained.

"Hi," Ginny answered, slurping her coffee and laying down her quill for a second. "What's up?"

"Look, I wasn't spying on you or anything, but I saw who dropped you off outside," Hermione said immediately. "And I don't want to sound like I'm nagging, but he's bad news, Ginny."

"Oh, him," Ginny said, blushing. "Did anyone else see?"

"Well... just Cheryl, me, and a few of the artists." It was Hermione's turn to redden. "But it was getting late and we were watching out of the window to make sure you arrived okay."

"What do you mean, 'make sure I arrived okay'? Why wouldn't I?" Ginny glared suspiciously at her friend. "Ron didn't tell you to keep an eye on me, did he?"

"No, it's just-"

"How many times do I have to keep telling people, I'm fine!" Ginny gave a groan of frustration. "I haven't gone dizzy for ages, so stop fussing. It's bad enough with Mum and Ron without you doing it!"

"Okay, I'm sorry. But that's not the point I'm trying to make- why were you riding with Malfoy to work anyway?"

"I saw him on the way here and he offered to give me a lift," she answered dismissively, picking up her quill and idly jotting down a few names and numbers. "It's nothing."

"Remember how awful he was at Hogwarts? I'd hate to think you were getting to know him, because he'd use you and break your heart, whether intentional or not." Ginny opened her mouth to protest, but Hermione stopped her. "I'm giving you this advice as a friend, not as a sister-in-law, though I guess I am that too. Avoid Draco Malfoy at all costs."

Ginny knew Hermione had her interests at heart, but her head was beginning to thump and she found herself getting increasingly irritable and snappish. "You've got the best intentions and all, but I'm eighteen now and I can look after myself- if I do want to see Malfoy again, I will."

"But surely you don't want to see him again?" Hermione demanded incredulously.

Ginny paused, pursing her lips. Although she seriously doubted that she ever would get a visit from the blond haired git, something inside her really desired to speak to him again. "That's got nothing to do with it," she answered, avoiding the question.

"Don't be ridiculous, Gin! Imagine what your parents would say if they knew, they'd be appalled-"

"For once in your life Hermione, let me be! Look, can we just change the subject- Draco isn't like his father and he isn't some Death Eater! You-Know-Who's gone now anyway! You must think I'm really stupid, so stupid that I can't look after myself."

"All right. I understand, it's none of my business." Hermione swiveled in her chair so she was back to facing her desk and tentatively picked up her quill, shooting anxious glances in Ginny's direction. "Still friends?"

"Of course," Ginny sighed. "I'm sorry I snapped, but it does wind me up that everyone's hell bent on looking after me. Besides, I wouldn't dare fall out with my boss- you might sack me!"

The two young women laughed and grinned foolishly at each other, all forgiven and forgotten. "So, where do you fancy going after work today?" Hermione asked, as she sorted neat piles of parchment into folders and drawers.

"How about Madam Malkins? I need some new stuff," Ginny said, glancing at her woebegone, tatty robes. "I've been saving up from my pay packet a few months now, so we can have a good old spending spree."

"Good idea," Hermione laughed, then noticed the time on the clock hanging above her desk. "We'd better get a move on if we want all these Ibiza details sorted soon."

Ginny nodded and began scribbling away furiously at the parchment, desperately trying to ignore the aching pain that throbbed in her chest.

***

"That looks gorgeous on you!" Ginny grinned, as Hermione twirled around in the baby pink maternity robes that clung to her swollen figure. "You should get a couple of those in different colours, because in a few months you'll be massive."

"Er- thanks," Hermione said jokingly. The two best friends were trying on a huge array of different robes, dresses and other wizarding wear in Madam Malkins, having just finished work that day and headed into Diagon Alley. Ginny was wearing a creamy, cropped robe that revealed slender legs and a curvy figure, with long tapered sleeves and a ruched waist, whilst trying on a ridiculous ostrich hat, similar to that of their friend Neville Longbottom's grandmother.

"How do I look?" Ginny asked, pouting like a model and winking outrageously.

"Just fantastic, dahling!" Hermione giggled, draping a satin shawl around her shoulders and sashaying up and down, wiggling her bottom. It looked rather ridiculous, especially as she was three months pregnant and just beginning to show.

"Hermione!" Ginny chortled. "You look like a penguin!"

"Oh I'm so flattered! Here, try this on Gin- it should look good on you." The older girl passed her a long, full length set of robes in glittering green, in a clingy material that was certain to be tight. Entering a cubicle, Ginny pulled them on after removing her previous robes and stepped out again, making Hermione gasp.

"You have to buy that, it looks fantastic," she said to her friend.

"Well, it's a bit hard- to- breathe," Ginny said haltingly. "Maybe I should - get- it in a- bigger- size."

"Nah, it looks better tighter. Give us a twirl."

Ginny obeyed, spinning fully on her heel so that it flung up around her like a ballerina- but all of a sudden she found it hard to stop. She had a bitter taste in her mouth, and her head was swimming- then all of a sudden, everything went black.

She flopped onto the floor in a senseless lump, her mouth half open. "Ginny! GINNY!" Hermione rushed over anxiously, peering into her face and shaking her slightly. "I'll get some help don't worry. Madam Malkin!"

***

Ginny opened her eyes. Everything was blurry, and she was aware of a stabbing agony deep in the depth of her chest, pulsating angrily. "Wha-?"

"Oh, she's awake." She recognised Hermione's voice and, batting her eyelids a few times, everything eventually came into perspective; Hermione's face was inches away from her, and lined with worry. "Hello Ginny- you fainted. Here's Madam Malkin, look."

Ginny made out a stooped witch and several anxious shoppers crowding round her. Sitting up slowly, she shakily got to her feet, croaking, "I'm fine. Honestly. That robe- it was too tight." Looking down, she saw that the robe had been removed and she was draped in her own familiar clothing.

"I'm going to drop you in at St Mungo's," Hermione said firmly. "No excuses, Ginny! If there's nothing wrong then there's no need to be worried. It's just a simple check-up to make sure everything's okay. You're probably right, you probably are in full working order, but there's no harm in checking. And I absolutely insist you go."

Ginny was about to protest, but she felt so weak that she just nodded her head silently. She was absolutely terrified- what if she was seriously ill?- but she was too exhausted to speak.

"I'll take you in there and sit with you, so there's no need to be afraid," Hermione soothed, as everyone else wandered away, reassured Ginny wasn't dead. "You won't be alone."

"No, I want to be alone," Ginny said, determined not to let Hermione come in with her. "If I have to go, I'm going in by myself- there's no way I'm making anyone else miserable. It's bad enough without having someone next to me so nervous their teeth are chatting!" Ginny smiled wanly and took Hermione's arm. "You'll see, I can manage this by myself- I'm an adult now."

"Fine," Hermione said, rolling her eyes in mock exasperation. "But I'm dropping you off in my wizarding car- you're in no fit state to Apparate or travel by Floo. Come on."

Gulping apprehensively, Ginny followed Hermione out of Madam Malkins, and prepared to find out what was wrong.

Quite short, I know, but this was just the in-betweeny stuff as Hermione persuaded Ginny to go to St Mungos. What's wrong with Ginny? Find out next chapter!