It was days before Ginny was awake for more than random moments. The doctor said this was normal, and that what her body needed most was rest. Her family took shifts sitting with her and going to a nearby inn to rest, but the exasperated hospital staff set up a cot near Ginny's bed for Draco, who had made it quite clear that he would not leave. Since Ginny asked for him every time she woke up, this had both Neeko's and Doctor Jones's wholehearted approval.
The hospital administration was considerably less sanguine. Molly Weasley was knitting by Ginny's side when a man who reminded her uncomfortably of Percy at his most offensive came bustling into the room. His face reddened and he seemed to puff up with indignation as he looked around the cheery private room. Draco was nowhere in sight, having gone to procure "that swill they call tea" from the nurses' station, and Molly quailed at confronting this angry little man by herself.
"What is this?" Without waiting for an answer, he switched gears to say calmly, "I'm afraid, madam, that my staff has allowed their incompetence to place you in an awkward position, and for that I do apologize."
Molly nodded dumbly, intimidated by the rapid shift from anger to condescension. Her eyes went to her daughter, her precious baby who was still so frail and wan. She had to swallow hard against a lump in her throat as he went on.
"Unfortunately, Miss, ah, Kingsley does not seem to have insurance, and this hospital is not a non-profit, so we have to have certain policies in place to protect our shareholders." He smiled some more and radiated a kindliness that Molly completely distrusted. "But don't worry, our shared ward is still very nice, and I'm sure you'll be able to apply for our indigent program to--"
"That will be quite enough." Draco stood in the doorway, two plastic cups in his hands. Molly, who had flinched at the word 'indigent', looked up and for once felt grateful at seeing a Malfoy with overbearing sneer fully in evidence.
"And who are you?" The administrator blustered, trying to avoid the feeling that he had irrevocably lost the upper hand.
Draco strode in, ignoring the pompous twit long enough to place the tea on the small table beside Molly and stroke Ginny's hair. When he turned back, his eyes were sharp and implacable. "I'm the man who will have your job if you're not out of my sight in one minute. I still might if I find you've offended Mrs. Weasley."
"Now, see here--"
"Thirty seconds." Something about Draco conveyed that he was completely serious, and capable of carrying out his threats. Mumbling something about a meeting and discussing the matter later, the administrator scurried away.
Draco watched him go, then picked up one of the cups and settled into a chair that was much too small for his height. As he took the first sip and grimaced, Mrs. Weasley said timidly, "What will happen if he comes back?"
"I'll have him fired," Draco shrugged.
"But... Surely in America, the Malfoy name..." She trailed off, unable to think of a tactful way to continue.
He smiled, but it wasn't a completely pleasant expression. "I bought the hospital days ago. The Malfoy name might not be well known here, but money is a universal language."
"Oh." Mrs. Weasley's needles paused for a moment, and he continued drinking the awful tea. The silence stretched until Mrs. Weasley said, "Fire the bugger."
Draco choked and only narrowly avoided spraying tea over Ginny's sheets. Mrs. Weasley turned pink and said, "Oh, dear, do excuse my language."
"Of course." Draco collected himself, then put the remaining tea down carefully. "Any particular reason to put on his walking papers?"
Mrs. Weasley blushed furiously. "Oh, my. I supposed it's not nice to cost the man his livelihood just because I thought he was condescending."
Draco grinned, and Molly thought he looked like an angel who knew all the best reasons for having fallen. "Sometimes, Mrs. Weasley, not being nice can feel very, very good." With that, he winked and walked out the door, presumably to shake up the administration of the hospital.
"You checked out his bum. I saw." Molly whipped her head around to look at her daughter, still somewhat alien with her short black hair, but with a distinctly familiar twinkle in her alert eyes.
"Genevieve Weasley, I'll have none of your sauce." The words were reflexive, and were no sooner out than Molly burst into tears and gathered her daughter into her arms.
"Geez, Mum, you don't have to cry, you've got permission to look at his bum all you like." Ginny grinned weakly as she hugged her mother and tried to arrange things so that she could breathe.
Molly laughed even as she sniffled into her daughter's strange hair and they held each other like that for a few minutes. Then Ginny said frantically, "Oh my God, Leela! Is she all right?"
"Yes, dear, she's just fine. One of her ribs cracked from when she fell against the tree, but you remember from when Fred and George were at home how easy those are to mend." Molly smiled a bit. "What is it with my children that they all throw themselves into danger?"
"Too much Gryffindor in the bloodline. Leads to hero complexes." Draco was back, and Molly's heart wobbled as she saw how Ginny looked at him. She'd never looked at Harry that way.
"Oh, and what does a slimy Slytherin do when confronted by a speeding car?" Ginny's voice was still hoarse, but livelier than it had been in ages.
"Disapparate now, obliviate later." Draco perched on the side of Ginny's bed and sneered at her. "What the hell did you do to your hair, anyway? It looks like it was gnawed off by rats."
"I sold it for prenatal v--" Ginny's face stilled as her hand went to her abdomen. "I lost the baby, didn't I?"
"Yes." Draco's face went stiff, but that was the only comment he offered. Her face crumpled and she struggled for a moment before starting to cry.
Draco was reaching for her when the door opened again. "Malfoy! What did you do to my sister?"
"Ron, out!" Both Weasley women snapped at the luckless Ron, who was too shocked to even swear. Draco wasn't in much better condition, gaping at Mrs. Weasley as if wondering who took over her body. Molly continued, "Wait outside, Ronald. I'll be there shortly."
The look she gave him was enough to send him on his unprotesting way, and then Mrs. Weasley turned to her daughter. "Ginny, dear, do you want me to fetch Harry?"
Ginny flinched. "Not yet, Mum, please. I'm not ready to... I'm just not ready."
Molly nodded slowly. "Very well, then. Do you want some time alone with Draco, then?"
"I..." Ginny looked up at Draco, whose expression had completely closed off. He looked so cold, so remote... Had she been dreaming? But he was here. Maybe... Maybe he still cared, at least a little. "Yes, please, Mum. Can you keep the others away until I call for you?"
Mrs. Weasley took a deep breath and studied Draco Malfoy for several long seconds before she nodded her head, satisfied if not happy. "Just ring for the nurse when you're ready, dear."
After the door closed behind her, Draco moved to stand several feet away from the bed. Ginny looked at him and a corner of her mouth quirked up. "Please don't make me chase you. It'd take too long to hook all this rigamarole back onto me before someone came and caught me escaping."
"What do you want from me, Weasley?" Draco's arms were crossed over his chest and he looked tremendously forbidding, until she noticed the lines of weariness on his face and the crumpled state of his clothes. Gathering her courage, she looked up at him and took a deep breath before starting to speak.
(Author's Note: I have a confession to make. This is the last chapter I have typed up. I've got one more chapter written in a notebook, and then after that, it still has to be written. I've got vague ideas of where it will probably go, but this fic has been kicking my butt to get written its own way. I intended for her to keep the baby, but noooooooooo. ^^; This is what a humor writer gets for giving in to the angst fairy. Thank you all so very, very much for reviewing. I have a hard time with writing this sort of thing, because I can't tell at all whether it's any good or not. My sister only got through half of chapter one before she declared it sucked royally. ^^;;;; )