Chapter 2 Worthless Promises
Ginny rushed outside to the nearest tree, and caught her breath. She groaned, and punched the tree in anger. A horrible pain shot through her fist, and she bit her lip in temporary pain. Why was this happening to her? It was a beautiful day in May and she should be enjoying it, like a normal sixteen year old should, perhaps with Harry. She was terrified right now, but she couldn't help picturing herself sitting under the shade of this tree; his arm tossed casually over her shoulder, and enjoying the afternoon together.
How could she possibly be normal again? In February of next year, she'd be having a child at 17 years old! She ran a trembling hand through her hair, and turned, only to lose her breath. There he was.
His jet black hair tossed in the wind, his green eyes full of concern. He hurried to her, and took her trembling hands into his own still, warm ones.
"Are you all right? I heard you were in the Hospital Wing, and I-,"
"There's something I need to tell you,' she spluttered, interrupting him. There was no way he'd talk first. This had to be said, now
"Its okay,' he breathed, seeing the fear and desperation on her face. He placed a hand on her cheek, resisting the temptation to kiss it.
She felt tears burning in her eyes again, but she foughtthem; she had to win this fight. "I'm...Harry-,"
"Ginny!' called Ron, joining them. He looked worried as well. "Are you okay? I heard you collapsed in the Hospital Wing!"
She became distracted, and dropped his hands. "Er- yeah," she forced a smile, but her guilty conscious remained. "Uh, Ron, could you give me a moment with Harry... alone?" she asked, wanting to get this over with.
"Sure," he said slowly. Ron turned to Harry briefly. "Hands off her, Harry," he added to Harry sharply, then began back up to the castle.
As soon as he was out of ear-shot, Harry turned to Ginny. "What is it?" he asked casually, eager to spend another day with her alone.
"I'm pregnant," she muttered under her breath. Her heart was pounding against her chest, and she could hear words of rejection echoing in her mind.
"What?" he said because she had spoken so quietly.
"I'm pregnant," she repeated, still quietly, but loud enough so he could hear.
It was Harry's turn to go pale. "You're serious?" he spluttered.
Tears won again, and she nodded grimly. "Look, if you don't want a child, then fine, but don't try and be friends with me! I don't need a pity friendship," she snapped, wiping her tear-streaked cheeks.
"Gin," he breathed shakily. "Don't think I don't want the baby," he said, clutching her arm nervously. "I'll be there, 100%," he added firmly, but knowing by her expression she didn't believe him. He'd heard of girls having a horrible attitude problem, and this, he supposed, was one of those times.
"Good, because this baby needs a father," she sobbed. He pulled her closely to his body, and hugged her tightly. She cried onto his chest, and stood in his embrace until her tears flowed no more.
"I love you, Gin, I hope you know that," he told her softly, kissing her head lovingly. "I'll take care of the baby while you're in school, then after classes, I'll arrange to have you sent to my home, and we can spend the rest of the day together, with the baby."
She smiled at him, she couldn't help it. "Really?"
"Of course, it's my fault you're pregnant; I'm taking the responsibility."
"What are you saying?" she exclaimed in horror, pulling away from him. "That this is something you HAVE to do?"
He took a brave step forward, staring into her brown eyes. He didn't want to upset her farther, and panic would cause doubts.
"Ginny, it's not like that. I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Let's just concentrate on making arrangements for when the baby comes. I know getting upset isn't good for our child."
She didn't want to listen anymore. The impression he was giving her was that this wasn't something he wanted to do, to become a father.
"No, its fine, I've already got something in mind," she said coldly.
He looked hurt from this, and she slightly felt bad for him.
"I'll finish school, and have my parents look after him or her. Then, I can look for a house, and go from there. It'll be okay," she lied, speaking off the top of her head.
"What about me?"
"I'm not mean, Harry! I can tell how you feel about this, so I won't let you get all upset and stressed. I care about you, love you, but I can't possibly be around someone who won't put their heart into being a real father," she laughed, but it was cold and cruel. It mildly reminded Harry of Voldemort's laugh.
"No I-," he began.
"No, you know what, Harry, it's really okay. I've got thoughts on this, and I can make it on my own. So what if I'm going to be a single mother? I'm not stupid, so leave me be. I'll have this baby, on my own, and then, once I'm done school, I'll leave you alone to get on with your life."
With that, she turned on her heel and stormed up to the castle. She couldn't believe what he'd basically said.
"Ginny," he called to her back. "Please, I'm sorry, but if you would just hear me out."
"I don't want to hear anything you've got to say," she yelled coldly back.
"Gin..."
"Oh go to hell!" she yelled at him, hurrying inside the castle and disappearing.
She hurried into the girls' toilets, and into a stall. She slammed the door, set the seat down, and sat on it, letting her tears flow freely. She was so alone in this, and it hurt to think what lay in the future for her.
About 15 minutes later, she heard the door open for about the tenth time since she'd been in there.
"Ginny," came Hermione's cautious voice. Ginny looked up slowly at the door. "Ginny, Professor Dumbledore told me to come and get you," she said carefully.
"Why?" she called from behind the locked door, wiping at her wet cheeks.
"He needs to talk to you and so do I," she said calmly. "Please come out."
Knowing she wouldn't be able to argue with Hermione, and not really wanting to, she left the stall, feeling horrible about all of it. She was going to be a single mother, giving birth in about nine months.
Hermione wrapped her arms around her, and sighed, "It must be hard for you."
Ginny sighed in agreement,, releasing her, "How do you know?"
"McGonagall told me; she thought I ought to know." At the look on Ginny's face, she added, "But I'm the only one who knows. Did you tell Harry yet?"
"Yes," she muttered, walking beside Hermione, as they left the girls' toilets. She then told Hermione about how he'd taken it.
"It's possible, of course, but are you POSITIVE that's what he wants?" Hermione asked carefully, as they turned a corner for the staircases.
"I really don't care", she rolled her eyes, as they started up the stairs. "It was both of our faults, and I'm the one carrying the baby, I'm responsible for this child's life. I want what's best for it, and if it means keeping him or her away from Harry, so be it."
"Don't you think that's kind of cruel?" Hermione asked slowly, continuing to lead Ginny upstairs to Dumbledore's Office
"Hermione, I can't have my baby around a father who doesn't really want to be apart of his own child's life," she explained fiercely, as they arrived at the Headmaster's Office.
Hermione gave the password, and then gave Ginny a final hug.
"Good luck," she whispered, leaving Ginny to walk up the stairs to what lay ahead.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters, they are the property of J.K. Rowling.
Thanks to my friend Jenn, who forced me to write a whole story! Thanks to my Beta, who's helping A LOT with my writing skills, as well as my past English teachers, Mr. Sutoski, who's taught me to watch for my spellings and grammatical errors, Mrs. Neil who encouraged me to try again, Mr. Raymond who's taught me to double check EVERYTHING, and to JK Rowling for inspiring my work! Also a thanks to my family and friends who's supported me, and put up with my obsession with writing and Harry Potter for years!
Ginny rushed outside to the nearest tree, and caught her breath. She groaned, and punched the tree in anger. A horrible pain shot through her fist, and she bit her lip in temporary pain. Why was this happening to her? It was a beautiful day in May and she should be enjoying it, like a normal sixteen year old should, perhaps with Harry. She was terrified right now, but she couldn't help picturing herself sitting under the shade of this tree; his arm tossed casually over her shoulder, and enjoying the afternoon together.
How could she possibly be normal again? In February of next year, she'd be having a child at 17 years old! She ran a trembling hand through her hair, and turned, only to lose her breath. There he was.
His jet black hair tossed in the wind, his green eyes full of concern. He hurried to her, and took her trembling hands into his own still, warm ones.
"Are you all right? I heard you were in the Hospital Wing, and I-,"
"There's something I need to tell you,' she spluttered, interrupting him. There was no way he'd talk first. This had to be said, now
"Its okay,' he breathed, seeing the fear and desperation on her face. He placed a hand on her cheek, resisting the temptation to kiss it.
She felt tears burning in her eyes again, but she foughtthem; she had to win this fight. "I'm...Harry-,"
"Ginny!' called Ron, joining them. He looked worried as well. "Are you okay? I heard you collapsed in the Hospital Wing!"
She became distracted, and dropped his hands. "Er- yeah," she forced a smile, but her guilty conscious remained. "Uh, Ron, could you give me a moment with Harry... alone?" she asked, wanting to get this over with.
"Sure," he said slowly. Ron turned to Harry briefly. "Hands off her, Harry," he added to Harry sharply, then began back up to the castle.
As soon as he was out of ear-shot, Harry turned to Ginny. "What is it?" he asked casually, eager to spend another day with her alone.
"I'm pregnant," she muttered under her breath. Her heart was pounding against her chest, and she could hear words of rejection echoing in her mind.
"What?" he said because she had spoken so quietly.
"I'm pregnant," she repeated, still quietly, but loud enough so he could hear.
It was Harry's turn to go pale. "You're serious?" he spluttered.
Tears won again, and she nodded grimly. "Look, if you don't want a child, then fine, but don't try and be friends with me! I don't need a pity friendship," she snapped, wiping her tear-streaked cheeks.
"Gin," he breathed shakily. "Don't think I don't want the baby," he said, clutching her arm nervously. "I'll be there, 100%," he added firmly, but knowing by her expression she didn't believe him. He'd heard of girls having a horrible attitude problem, and this, he supposed, was one of those times.
"Good, because this baby needs a father," she sobbed. He pulled her closely to his body, and hugged her tightly. She cried onto his chest, and stood in his embrace until her tears flowed no more.
"I love you, Gin, I hope you know that," he told her softly, kissing her head lovingly. "I'll take care of the baby while you're in school, then after classes, I'll arrange to have you sent to my home, and we can spend the rest of the day together, with the baby."
She smiled at him, she couldn't help it. "Really?"
"Of course, it's my fault you're pregnant; I'm taking the responsibility."
"What are you saying?" she exclaimed in horror, pulling away from him. "That this is something you HAVE to do?"
He took a brave step forward, staring into her brown eyes. He didn't want to upset her farther, and panic would cause doubts.
"Ginny, it's not like that. I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Let's just concentrate on making arrangements for when the baby comes. I know getting upset isn't good for our child."
She didn't want to listen anymore. The impression he was giving her was that this wasn't something he wanted to do, to become a father.
"No, its fine, I've already got something in mind," she said coldly.
He looked hurt from this, and she slightly felt bad for him.
"I'll finish school, and have my parents look after him or her. Then, I can look for a house, and go from there. It'll be okay," she lied, speaking off the top of her head.
"What about me?"
"I'm not mean, Harry! I can tell how you feel about this, so I won't let you get all upset and stressed. I care about you, love you, but I can't possibly be around someone who won't put their heart into being a real father," she laughed, but it was cold and cruel. It mildly reminded Harry of Voldemort's laugh.
"No I-," he began.
"No, you know what, Harry, it's really okay. I've got thoughts on this, and I can make it on my own. So what if I'm going to be a single mother? I'm not stupid, so leave me be. I'll have this baby, on my own, and then, once I'm done school, I'll leave you alone to get on with your life."
With that, she turned on her heel and stormed up to the castle. She couldn't believe what he'd basically said.
"Ginny," he called to her back. "Please, I'm sorry, but if you would just hear me out."
"I don't want to hear anything you've got to say," she yelled coldly back.
"Gin..."
"Oh go to hell!" she yelled at him, hurrying inside the castle and disappearing.
She hurried into the girls' toilets, and into a stall. She slammed the door, set the seat down, and sat on it, letting her tears flow freely. She was so alone in this, and it hurt to think what lay in the future for her.
About 15 minutes later, she heard the door open for about the tenth time since she'd been in there.
"Ginny," came Hermione's cautious voice. Ginny looked up slowly at the door. "Ginny, Professor Dumbledore told me to come and get you," she said carefully.
"Why?" she called from behind the locked door, wiping at her wet cheeks.
"He needs to talk to you and so do I," she said calmly. "Please come out."
Knowing she wouldn't be able to argue with Hermione, and not really wanting to, she left the stall, feeling horrible about all of it. She was going to be a single mother, giving birth in about nine months.
Hermione wrapped her arms around her, and sighed, "It must be hard for you."
Ginny sighed in agreement,, releasing her, "How do you know?"
"McGonagall told me; she thought I ought to know." At the look on Ginny's face, she added, "But I'm the only one who knows. Did you tell Harry yet?"
"Yes," she muttered, walking beside Hermione, as they left the girls' toilets. She then told Hermione about how he'd taken it.
"It's possible, of course, but are you POSITIVE that's what he wants?" Hermione asked carefully, as they turned a corner for the staircases.
"I really don't care", she rolled her eyes, as they started up the stairs. "It was both of our faults, and I'm the one carrying the baby, I'm responsible for this child's life. I want what's best for it, and if it means keeping him or her away from Harry, so be it."
"Don't you think that's kind of cruel?" Hermione asked slowly, continuing to lead Ginny upstairs to Dumbledore's Office
"Hermione, I can't have my baby around a father who doesn't really want to be apart of his own child's life," she explained fiercely, as they arrived at the Headmaster's Office.
Hermione gave the password, and then gave Ginny a final hug.
"Good luck," she whispered, leaving Ginny to walk up the stairs to what lay ahead.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters, they are the property of J.K. Rowling.
Thanks to my friend Jenn, who forced me to write a whole story! Thanks to my Beta, who's helping A LOT with my writing skills, as well as my past English teachers, Mr. Sutoski, who's taught me to watch for my spellings and grammatical errors, Mrs. Neil who encouraged me to try again, Mr. Raymond who's taught me to double check EVERYTHING, and to JK Rowling for inspiring my work! Also a thanks to my family and friends who's supported me, and put up with my obsession with writing and Harry Potter for years!