A/N I apologize for the shortness of this chapter. Forgive me. Keep reviewing though. Thanks Lolua and dementorchic for sticking with me.
(Ginny)
I sounded brave, but inside I was shaking. The events of the last twenty four hours had left me in shock, the world seemed to be turning upside down. The enemy had found us, Neville was in love with me, and my daughter was far away in the forest, against my husbands wishes. Presented with three battles I found no desire to fight any of them. Instead I curled up on the couch with a quilt over me, hoping I had made the right choice.
No one bothered me, and I was glad of that. Had they spoken to me at all I might have cried. For hours I just lay there and pressed my fingers to my lips nervously. Harry would be back soon. He would be angry with me, though there was a chance he would understand. Not a great chance, but one nonetheless
Perhaps he would see how frightened I was, how dangerous this house had become, how Lily wasn't safe here anymore. Perhaps he would look at Neville's wounds and appreciate the horror I had been going through. I laughed at my own foolishness.
The thought of Neville sent my insides quivering again. He had been in shock, he probably wouldn't remember that he had said anything, but I would. I could still see the desperation in his gaze and hear his words. Half of me wanted to go and ask him to explain. The other half wasn't able to focus on anything.
In the end I got to my feet and wrapped the quilt about my shoulders. My bare feet found their way to his room where he lay staring at the ceiling, eyes moving as though he saw things I couldn't.
"Neville?" I asked quietly.
He turned and smiled.
"Ginny. Come to change the bandages, then?" He asked pleasantly.
"Not yet." I sat in the chair by his bed pulling my quilt tighter.
"Is everything okay?"
"Not really."
"What's going on?" He asked looking confused.
I paused and tried to gain the nerve to say what I needed to.
"What you said earlier, did you mean it?" I asked looking at my hands.
"What did I say earlier?" The tone of his voice told me he remembered, he was going to make me say it.
"About…about loving me." I managed.
He sighed and rolled onto his side, "Ginny, I'm not going to lie to you, I meant what I said."
I looked up and found him staring straight at me, hazel eyes never moving.
"But…you married Luna."
A smile came to his lips at her name, "Yes I did, I married her because she was my best friend. She was like Summer to me. But we both understood that we didn't love each other, not like that."
"That doesn't make any sense."
"I loved you then. And she…she loved Harry. When you got married, it nearly killed the both of us, we were left with no one but each other and took advantage of the situation. It worked, too. Worked so well we didn't see the damage we had done."
"What do you mean, damage? She loved Harry?" None of this was right.
"She mooned over him, and cried so terribly hard after your wedding, I thought she would split in two. But by being together and being so close, I fell in love with her." A shadow crossed his face.
I wondered at how little I knew. Luna was the closest thing I ever had to a best friend, I thought she told me everything.
"That's good though, you were married."
"I never told her, for fear of rejection. I thought she still loved Harry. So I never even hinted at it. That's why she died."
"You said she died for me." I added.
"She didn't just die for you, Ginny. She was tortured for you. All because she thought…she thought I loved you."
I was crying, hot tears were running down my face. Somehow, he didn't seem sad. He just half smiled and stared past me, once again seeing things I couldn't.
"But you know what? She loved me too. And she gave me two wonderful daughters. I don't know if I could ask for more when I'm so blessed already."
It was too much, I broke down and sobbed into the quilt. For the past few days I hadn't cried, not really. A few tears, a strangled wail and I would collect myself and move on, but this was more than I could handle.
"Don't cry." He whispered.
"Damn it, Neville." I gasped.
"Please, I didn't want to make you cry, but you had to know."
And the stupidest remark escaped me, "All that time I was worrying over my scar and I should have been grateful to be alive."
He said nothing, let me grieve. Once I felt his hand brush my hair, but it pulled away quickly before I could react.
"And you think you are in love with me now?" I asked when I could speak again.
"Yes."
"You know I don't love you back. That I can't."
"Yes."
"That's just…you can't love me, Neville." I pleaded.
"I don't think it's your choice." He answered and rolled onto his back.
I wiped my eyes and we sat in a strange companionable silence.
"Neville!" Someone shouted up the stairs, followed by pounding feet.
I jumped out of my chair when Harry burst in followed closely by Ron. Both men stood panting in the doorway for a moment, neither noticing me.
"Guys? What are you doing back so soon?" Neville asked pushing himself into a sitting position.
"Surely you didn't think we'd stay away with you injured? You're our brother, we plead emergency at home" Ron explained and sat on the edge of the bed.
"How are you doing? What exactly happened?" Harry asked coming closer.
I still stood there, nervously playing with the edges of the blanket.
"The twins and I were attacked out front, someone knew where we were and tried to kill the girls, I took the blow." Neville held up his bandaged arms.
"And the girls?" Ron asked.
"Fine. Just fine."
"Where are all the children?" Harry asked looking around.
I gulped and wished I was wrapped in my husbands invisibility cloak instead of my quilt.
"We sent them to the safe haven Dumbledore mentioned, the one in the forest." Neville explained glancing my way.
Harry turned slowly to look at me, I couldn't read his expression, but felt his anger. Ron just frowned.
"I thought we agreed not to do that?" My brother said.
"We thought it would be best under the circumstances." I spoke up.
"What circumstances are those?" Harry asked quietly.
I flinched, "Whoever it is, knows where we are, it's only a matter of time before they get in."
"You couldn't mention that in the letter you sent? Or even wait a day?" Ron asked.
Harry said nothing, just turned and walked out. I stood and hurried after him, I had to make him see that I was only trying to protect Lily.
"Don't follow me, Ginny." He warned.
"You don't understand." I said.
He whirled around and looked me straight in the eyes. His face inches from my own.
"What? That you sent our child out into one of the most dangerous places in the entire wizarding world? That you completely ignored my wishes and went behind my back? What don't I understand?"
"I did what I thought was best." I answered standing up taller.
"The least you could have done was tell me. Just mention it in the letter, 'oh yes, I've sent our daughter off the be eaten by some very nasty beast in the forest' at least then I would have known." He snapped.
"You weren't here, everyone was scared, Neville claims it was Voldemort who attacked him, I wasn't going to let my daughter stay here."
"She'd have been safe enough until I came back, we could have made the choice together."
I tightened my jaw to hold back the tears and reached to touch his arm, "Harry."
"Don't touch me." He growled and jerked away.
"But…"
"I have to go and undo the damage you caused. I'm getting my daughter."
"I'll go with you." I whispered.
"NO! You stay away from me." I saw him swallow hard as if he too were repressing tears.
"But…" I said again.
"RON!" Harry shouted up the stairs.
My brother looked down at us from above, "What?"
"We're going to get my daughter."
"Alright." Ron sounded a little confused but called a goodbye to Neville and hurried down to join us.
"Harry, I'm sorry." I tried.
"Try not to be here when I get back." Harry muttered close to my ear.
Ron tried not to listen, looked at his hands, looked at the ceiling.
"I love you." I murmured.
I knew this was my fault and I knew that there was no way to fix it.
"I'm finding it hard not to hate you." He replied.
"I hope the forest eats you alive." I spat and went back up the stairs.
"Harry…" I heard Ron start quietly.
"Leave it. Not now." My husband said.
(Draco)
"I wanted to thank you for all your help." Hermione said smiling at me from across the dining room table.
After the children left she had suggested we find something to eat, and I agreed. There was minimal chit chat while we dug through the cabinets, she talked about her children and I listened politely. The werewolf apparently didn't stock his shelves well, we only found a box of jam tarts. Hermione grinned and grabbed two bottles of butterbeer as well. We retreated to the dining room, happily munching on our food.
"I didn't come here to help, I came to repay a debt." I reminded her.
She sighed and took another sip of butterbeer, "You don't owe me anything."
"Just my life and the life of my son."
"I did the right thing, I didn't do it to put you in my debt."
"I know." I said and smiled sadly at her.
"It doesn't matter, you've been a help."
"I'm no hero. I'm still a Malfoy, you must remember that."
She laughed and I almost smiled a genuine smile.
"Everything for personal gain. What have you gained, then?" There was a funny sparkle in her eyes.
There was no possible way I could explain what I had gained in the past few days. For the first time in years I could see a way out from under my mother's thumb. I could see me having a life that didn't involve petty games.
"Possibly a friend." I said.
"You know, away from your big house and fancy clothes and wicked mother, you aren't half bad."
My face fell at the mention of my mother. It was surprising she hadn't found me yet, sent an owl to tell me of her displeasure. A dull throb behind my eye gave me pause, but it did not continue.
"Thank you."
A loud thump from the foyer brought us to the doorway to see Ron and Harry race past us on the stairs.
"That was quick." She said frowning.
"Should we follow them?" I asked.
"No. They'll come back down after they've talked with Neville a bit. I imagine I'll have some explaining to do about the children being gone."
She retook her seat and popped a tart into her mouth. I followed suit.
"I should explain to him about my father."
"Why?"
"I get the feeling that if I don't tell him, my mother will arrange for him to find out. She said as much when I last spoke with her." The joy of moments before was gone.
"How did she know you were with us?"
"She just knew, she's always been like that."
"Draco! If she knew you were with us, she knew where we were, she would have to." Her voice was getting frantic.
"What do you mean?"
"This place is so secret…she would have to know that this is where you were, she could be the one informing the attacker."
I began to comprehend what she meant.
"You have to tell Harry." She stood and I followed her to the door.
Just as we were starting up the stairs, Harry and Ron came down them.
"Harry, Draco has something to tell you." Hermione called as we trailed them.
"He'll have to come with me." The dark haired man replied.
"Where are you guys going?"
"To get Lily. We'll be back." Ron said and kissed Hermione's cheek.
"I'm going to ask Tonks about the path through the forest." Harry announced and stalked off to find her.
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked her husband worriedly.
"He and Ginny are fighting, he's really mad about her sending Lily off without his knowing about it. I, personally, am not that upset about it, but I can't let him go in there alone. Who know where he'd end up." Ron replied glancing back where Harry had gone.
"Be careful. I love you." She said and hugged him hard.
"I love you too."
"We're leaving." Harry called, Ron and I hurried to follow him.
(Ginny)
I sounded brave, but inside I was shaking. The events of the last twenty four hours had left me in shock, the world seemed to be turning upside down. The enemy had found us, Neville was in love with me, and my daughter was far away in the forest, against my husbands wishes. Presented with three battles I found no desire to fight any of them. Instead I curled up on the couch with a quilt over me, hoping I had made the right choice.
No one bothered me, and I was glad of that. Had they spoken to me at all I might have cried. For hours I just lay there and pressed my fingers to my lips nervously. Harry would be back soon. He would be angry with me, though there was a chance he would understand. Not a great chance, but one nonetheless
Perhaps he would see how frightened I was, how dangerous this house had become, how Lily wasn't safe here anymore. Perhaps he would look at Neville's wounds and appreciate the horror I had been going through. I laughed at my own foolishness.
The thought of Neville sent my insides quivering again. He had been in shock, he probably wouldn't remember that he had said anything, but I would. I could still see the desperation in his gaze and hear his words. Half of me wanted to go and ask him to explain. The other half wasn't able to focus on anything.
In the end I got to my feet and wrapped the quilt about my shoulders. My bare feet found their way to his room where he lay staring at the ceiling, eyes moving as though he saw things I couldn't.
"Neville?" I asked quietly.
He turned and smiled.
"Ginny. Come to change the bandages, then?" He asked pleasantly.
"Not yet." I sat in the chair by his bed pulling my quilt tighter.
"Is everything okay?"
"Not really."
"What's going on?" He asked looking confused.
I paused and tried to gain the nerve to say what I needed to.
"What you said earlier, did you mean it?" I asked looking at my hands.
"What did I say earlier?" The tone of his voice told me he remembered, he was going to make me say it.
"About…about loving me." I managed.
He sighed and rolled onto his side, "Ginny, I'm not going to lie to you, I meant what I said."
I looked up and found him staring straight at me, hazel eyes never moving.
"But…you married Luna."
A smile came to his lips at her name, "Yes I did, I married her because she was my best friend. She was like Summer to me. But we both understood that we didn't love each other, not like that."
"That doesn't make any sense."
"I loved you then. And she…she loved Harry. When you got married, it nearly killed the both of us, we were left with no one but each other and took advantage of the situation. It worked, too. Worked so well we didn't see the damage we had done."
"What do you mean, damage? She loved Harry?" None of this was right.
"She mooned over him, and cried so terribly hard after your wedding, I thought she would split in two. But by being together and being so close, I fell in love with her." A shadow crossed his face.
I wondered at how little I knew. Luna was the closest thing I ever had to a best friend, I thought she told me everything.
"That's good though, you were married."
"I never told her, for fear of rejection. I thought she still loved Harry. So I never even hinted at it. That's why she died."
"You said she died for me." I added.
"She didn't just die for you, Ginny. She was tortured for you. All because she thought…she thought I loved you."
I was crying, hot tears were running down my face. Somehow, he didn't seem sad. He just half smiled and stared past me, once again seeing things I couldn't.
"But you know what? She loved me too. And she gave me two wonderful daughters. I don't know if I could ask for more when I'm so blessed already."
It was too much, I broke down and sobbed into the quilt. For the past few days I hadn't cried, not really. A few tears, a strangled wail and I would collect myself and move on, but this was more than I could handle.
"Don't cry." He whispered.
"Damn it, Neville." I gasped.
"Please, I didn't want to make you cry, but you had to know."
And the stupidest remark escaped me, "All that time I was worrying over my scar and I should have been grateful to be alive."
He said nothing, let me grieve. Once I felt his hand brush my hair, but it pulled away quickly before I could react.
"And you think you are in love with me now?" I asked when I could speak again.
"Yes."
"You know I don't love you back. That I can't."
"Yes."
"That's just…you can't love me, Neville." I pleaded.
"I don't think it's your choice." He answered and rolled onto his back.
I wiped my eyes and we sat in a strange companionable silence.
"Neville!" Someone shouted up the stairs, followed by pounding feet.
I jumped out of my chair when Harry burst in followed closely by Ron. Both men stood panting in the doorway for a moment, neither noticing me.
"Guys? What are you doing back so soon?" Neville asked pushing himself into a sitting position.
"Surely you didn't think we'd stay away with you injured? You're our brother, we plead emergency at home" Ron explained and sat on the edge of the bed.
"How are you doing? What exactly happened?" Harry asked coming closer.
I still stood there, nervously playing with the edges of the blanket.
"The twins and I were attacked out front, someone knew where we were and tried to kill the girls, I took the blow." Neville held up his bandaged arms.
"And the girls?" Ron asked.
"Fine. Just fine."
"Where are all the children?" Harry asked looking around.
I gulped and wished I was wrapped in my husbands invisibility cloak instead of my quilt.
"We sent them to the safe haven Dumbledore mentioned, the one in the forest." Neville explained glancing my way.
Harry turned slowly to look at me, I couldn't read his expression, but felt his anger. Ron just frowned.
"I thought we agreed not to do that?" My brother said.
"We thought it would be best under the circumstances." I spoke up.
"What circumstances are those?" Harry asked quietly.
I flinched, "Whoever it is, knows where we are, it's only a matter of time before they get in."
"You couldn't mention that in the letter you sent? Or even wait a day?" Ron asked.
Harry said nothing, just turned and walked out. I stood and hurried after him, I had to make him see that I was only trying to protect Lily.
"Don't follow me, Ginny." He warned.
"You don't understand." I said.
He whirled around and looked me straight in the eyes. His face inches from my own.
"What? That you sent our child out into one of the most dangerous places in the entire wizarding world? That you completely ignored my wishes and went behind my back? What don't I understand?"
"I did what I thought was best." I answered standing up taller.
"The least you could have done was tell me. Just mention it in the letter, 'oh yes, I've sent our daughter off the be eaten by some very nasty beast in the forest' at least then I would have known." He snapped.
"You weren't here, everyone was scared, Neville claims it was Voldemort who attacked him, I wasn't going to let my daughter stay here."
"She'd have been safe enough until I came back, we could have made the choice together."
I tightened my jaw to hold back the tears and reached to touch his arm, "Harry."
"Don't touch me." He growled and jerked away.
"But…"
"I have to go and undo the damage you caused. I'm getting my daughter."
"I'll go with you." I whispered.
"NO! You stay away from me." I saw him swallow hard as if he too were repressing tears.
"But…" I said again.
"RON!" Harry shouted up the stairs.
My brother looked down at us from above, "What?"
"We're going to get my daughter."
"Alright." Ron sounded a little confused but called a goodbye to Neville and hurried down to join us.
"Harry, I'm sorry." I tried.
"Try not to be here when I get back." Harry muttered close to my ear.
Ron tried not to listen, looked at his hands, looked at the ceiling.
"I love you." I murmured.
I knew this was my fault and I knew that there was no way to fix it.
"I'm finding it hard not to hate you." He replied.
"I hope the forest eats you alive." I spat and went back up the stairs.
"Harry…" I heard Ron start quietly.
"Leave it. Not now." My husband said.
(Draco)
"I wanted to thank you for all your help." Hermione said smiling at me from across the dining room table.
After the children left she had suggested we find something to eat, and I agreed. There was minimal chit chat while we dug through the cabinets, she talked about her children and I listened politely. The werewolf apparently didn't stock his shelves well, we only found a box of jam tarts. Hermione grinned and grabbed two bottles of butterbeer as well. We retreated to the dining room, happily munching on our food.
"I didn't come here to help, I came to repay a debt." I reminded her.
She sighed and took another sip of butterbeer, "You don't owe me anything."
"Just my life and the life of my son."
"I did the right thing, I didn't do it to put you in my debt."
"I know." I said and smiled sadly at her.
"It doesn't matter, you've been a help."
"I'm no hero. I'm still a Malfoy, you must remember that."
She laughed and I almost smiled a genuine smile.
"Everything for personal gain. What have you gained, then?" There was a funny sparkle in her eyes.
There was no possible way I could explain what I had gained in the past few days. For the first time in years I could see a way out from under my mother's thumb. I could see me having a life that didn't involve petty games.
"Possibly a friend." I said.
"You know, away from your big house and fancy clothes and wicked mother, you aren't half bad."
My face fell at the mention of my mother. It was surprising she hadn't found me yet, sent an owl to tell me of her displeasure. A dull throb behind my eye gave me pause, but it did not continue.
"Thank you."
A loud thump from the foyer brought us to the doorway to see Ron and Harry race past us on the stairs.
"That was quick." She said frowning.
"Should we follow them?" I asked.
"No. They'll come back down after they've talked with Neville a bit. I imagine I'll have some explaining to do about the children being gone."
She retook her seat and popped a tart into her mouth. I followed suit.
"I should explain to him about my father."
"Why?"
"I get the feeling that if I don't tell him, my mother will arrange for him to find out. She said as much when I last spoke with her." The joy of moments before was gone.
"How did she know you were with us?"
"She just knew, she's always been like that."
"Draco! If she knew you were with us, she knew where we were, she would have to." Her voice was getting frantic.
"What do you mean?"
"This place is so secret…she would have to know that this is where you were, she could be the one informing the attacker."
I began to comprehend what she meant.
"You have to tell Harry." She stood and I followed her to the door.
Just as we were starting up the stairs, Harry and Ron came down them.
"Harry, Draco has something to tell you." Hermione called as we trailed them.
"He'll have to come with me." The dark haired man replied.
"Where are you guys going?"
"To get Lily. We'll be back." Ron said and kissed Hermione's cheek.
"I'm going to ask Tonks about the path through the forest." Harry announced and stalked off to find her.
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked her husband worriedly.
"He and Ginny are fighting, he's really mad about her sending Lily off without his knowing about it. I, personally, am not that upset about it, but I can't let him go in there alone. Who know where he'd end up." Ron replied glancing back where Harry had gone.
"Be careful. I love you." She said and hugged him hard.
"I love you too."
"We're leaving." Harry called, Ron and I hurried to follow him.