Torn
A/N: We've lost track of how far along Gin is. For the sake of the story, don't bother caring and just go with it.
Chapter 15; Beyond Life
A couple of months had passed, and the young couple were nervously anticipating Mrs. Weasly's arrival. She had flip flopped around quite a bit, saying she would come in December...no January...no december...finally december had come and gone, and Ginny had recieved a short letter from her mother which said she would be arriving within the week. Ginny was starting to show, and now using maternity clothes. She wondered how her mother would react...She and Draco had gone to see Ms. Walters every weekend since Draco had first introduced her to Ginny. She had just about every aspect of the wedding planned (which she assumed would slightly miff her mother). She could see it would be gorgeous, and really couldn't wait.
"You mother hasn't arrived yet has she?" Draco asked nervously, disrupting Ginny's thoughts.
"No," she said, twirling around the ring on her finger.
"That's not what's bugging you, is it?"
She paused. "No," she said slowly.
"Well, what is it?"
"I'm going to miss you next year. I mean..we'll be married, and we'll, like, never see each other, and I just..how am I going to raise a baby in Hogwart's? I mean..It's going to be really lonely here without you.."
Draco pondered what she ahd said for several minutes before saying slowly, "I could always get a student-teaching job here...or I could hire a tutor for you so you can study from home..."
"Or, I could go all Fred and George and just bloody quit," she smiled. "But in all seriousness.. my mum would kill me if I just got a tutor and then I mean you would'nt wa--"
"You don't make it easy, do you, Red?" He joked.
"No, Not really. I'm not an optimist."
"Right, well then I'll take a job here, it'll be no big deal, I'll take care of the baby while your in class and use her to test potions on during class."
"Draco!" Ginny screeched.
"I was just kidding...I can teach one of the newer classes, like that 'Wizarding Home Ec'"
Ginny laughed, "I can just imagine you wearing an apron, teaching the class how to bake cookies and be a good housewife.." The thought amused her, and she laughed, until.. "Ow! Oh..my gosh! Draco!"
"Ginny! What?" Draco asked worriedly, "Whats the matter?"
A big grin came across Ginny's face. "Talori just kicked," she said happily, touching her stomache.
Draco's eeys widened, and then his face split into a grin, "Was it a strong kick? I bet she'll be an athlete! World Champion quidditch player!"
"Oh shush, don't make assumptions. She might be another Hermione!" Ginny said playfully, and laughed at Draco's grimaced at the idea.
"So back to our previous conversation...I would like you to know that under no circumstances will I wear an apron, and if I do, it would be a very manly apron. Made from the finest Dragons Hide!"
"'Manly Apron?' Haha!" She giggled. "Sorry. Of course, I understand," she nodded, trying to hide her snickers.
"Don't laugh!" Draco replied snappishly.
"I'm not!" Ginny insisted, but soon burst into giggles. Draco scowled for a moment before stating, "If you won't stop, I'll make you."
"How haha will you hahaha do that?"
"Like this." Draco replied, kissing her hard on the mouth. Their snog session was cut short however when a disgusted Ronald said from the door, "Oh please! Spare me! Ginny, mum is here and unless you want her to see you two doing that, I suggest you bloody well stop! She's only down the hallway talking to McGonnagal."
Mere minutes later Mrs. Weasley came bustling into the room, Draco couldn't help but wonder how many people knew about his room, that old coot, Dumbledor, just couldn't keep his mouth shut.
"Hello Ginny! Have you been thinking about your wedding?"
"We have most of it planned mum..."
"Oh...well lovely!"
Ginny decided to make her mum all excited. "I just felt the baby kick, Mum. And we've chosen out a name.." she said, smiling.
"A name!?" Mrs. Weasly exclaimed, "Do you even know if it's a boy or a girl!? Don't you think you're acting prematurely?"
"I had a dream, mum," she said, smiling while Mrs. Weasley unfairly fumed.
"A DREAM!? What are you, Madame Lavosa?" Madame Lavosa was a very popular psychic witch, although everyone knew she made it up. She was almost as bad as Professor Trelawney..
"No mother, unlike Madame Lavosa, I actually know what I'm talking about...and I don't charge 10 galleons per 30 minutes"
Her mother scoffed. "You know what you're talking about? I highly doubt it!"
Ginny frowned and looked at Draco, who forced a smile at her mother's insanity.
"Mrs. Weasley, I think that Ginny looks into the future. If you remember, she did dream that Potter was going to kill himself, and-"
"Oh, Draco! Don't mention it... A horrible loss, horrible..."
Ginny tossed and turned in her sleep. After a long day of talking (and bickering) with her mother, it was nice to sleep....
"Hello, Gin," Harry smiled. Ginny hugged Harry tightly.
"Hi, Harry," she said. "How is everything...well, you know.."
"I know what you mean," he laughed. "It's fine. I'm with my mom and dad and Sirius! It's so great to be with my family. Just today mum, Sirius, Dad, and I went to the movies! It was amazing."
Ginny giggled. "I'm so happy everything is okay!"
He suddenly turned serious. "Good luck, Gin."
"With what, Harry?"
"You'll see." With a kiss on the cheek, he dissapeered, and she woke up with a pain in her stomache.
"Oh, Merlin!"
Draco snapped up out of his light sleep.
"What is it Ginny?" He asked groggily, stifling a yawn.
"My..my...sto--OW!" Ginny whined, holding her stomache. She tossed her blankets off and twisted, her eyes fluttering in pain.
Draco sucked in a deep breath, unsure for a moment of what to do. Then, worry replacing the tiredness, he gathered Ginny up in his arms, glad he was still able to carry her despite the...slight...weight gain. Holding her closely, he jogged lightly towards the hospital wing, hoping Madame Pomferey would be awake.
He backed into the infirmery, Ginny moaning in his arms, tears forming in her eyes.
"Madame Pomfery?" Draco barked, awakening several patients. A very frazzled Pomfery came out through a door, her hair in curlers.
"What is it, Mr. Malfoy?" She hissed, not yet spotting Ginny in the dark.
Draco moved into the light that gleamed from the window and Madame Pomfrey gasped at Ginny, who was writhing in his arms. She picked her up and moved her over to the bed and slapped Draco's hands away when he tried to touch her, hissing "Don't!"
"But, Mad-"
"This is YOUR fault, Mr. Malfoy! Just sit and be quiet!"
Draco glared at her. "MY fault? Excuse me, don't you think Ginny had a bit to do with her current situation?"
"It takes two to tango, Mr. Malfoy." She responded dryly, ignoring his glares as she tended to Ginny.
"Well?" Draco snapped, "Whats wrong?"
"The baby...we need to get the baby out or they will both die."
Die? Draco thought, his world seeming to crash down around him. Everything went in slow motion for him as he watched the nurse send an emergency dispatch to St. Mungos.
"But...why?!" He asked, furious.
"The baby is premature, unless you think it's normal for a girl to have a baby when it's only been six months?"
The emergency witches arrived and they put Ginny on a stretcher, carrying her off; Draco following close behind.
-----
Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...
Ginny awoke with a start as the 'beeping' of a muggle device she was hooked up to continued to 'beep...beep...beep.' She looked around and saw Draco in an armchair, dozing off with a magazine on his lap. She smiled and, deciding not to wake him, pressed the "Call A Helper" button.
"Oh, you're awake! Wonderful, wonderful! We have some questions to ask you, one really important one: Do you want an abortion?"
Ginny looked flabbergasted. "An aborwhat?"
"An abortion," the witch stated. "It's a muggle 'treatment'. When the baby or mother is sick, the mother can decide to have an abortion...The baby, well...dies."
"TALORI WILL NOT DIE!" Ginny said, as the 'beeping' of the machine started growing faster. "She's not supposed to! She's supposed to grow up! She won't-"
"-Calm down, Ms. Weasley -"
"- SHE'S NOT GOING TO BE ABOATED! -"
Beep.Beep.Beep.Beep.Beep.Beep.
"Ms. Weasley, please calm down, it is not safe for you to act like this."
Ginny couldn't speak, or catch her breath, for that matter.
BeepBeepBeepBeepBeep
Neither of the women had noticed that Draco had woken up, until he reached for Ginny's hand.
"Red?...Gin?" His eyes were wide with worry as he watched her breath in deep gasps.
The mediwitch stuck her head out the door, calling to the doctors and nurses nearby.
"What happened?" An older, graying wizard said, putting gloves on his hands.
"She was yelling about an abortion," she said, looking at Ginny. "She was saying how she wanted it."
Draco stood up, his face now filled with rage, "You pathetic little wench! You heard her say she didn't want one! That's why she was yelling! She didn't want our daughter to be killed." He yelled, before saying something that made him sound much like his father, "Have you any idea who I am? No? You'll soon find out, shortly before you get fired. Prejudiced Bitch."
"Mr. Malfoy -" The wizard said before changing his mind, and ignoring him. Focusing his attention on Ginny instead.
"She might... Mr. Malfoy, please leave the room."
"I'm not going to leave her. Just fucking ignore me, 'Cause I'm not going anywhere."
The wizard opened his mouth to speak, then closed it and shrugged. This was Lucius Malfoy's son, why take the risk?
"Fine, stay, but keep out of my way."
A string of doctors filed in, as well as a surgeon. Putting Ginny under a light anisthetic, they began their work. The doctors seemed to purposely block his view of his fiance.
"Ow!!!" Ginny screamed once she had semi-caught her breath. "Damn it! Oh, merlOWWWWWW!!"
A mediwitch was chanting a spell that would help Ginny breath easier as another handed Draco a cool, damp cloth, muttering something about making himself useful.
He awkwardly patted Ginny's head, who was sweaty and about as red as Ron was during his first kiss.
"Will she be okay?" Ginny asked.
"Who?" A mediwitch replied curiously.
"Talori. Duh?"
"Oh. Well," The mediwitch said, pursing her lips, "I'm sure she'll be fine."
"That's all you have to say?! What's going o-OOWWWWW!!! Gods! This is bloody hell!"
"Just keep focused on the dream you had of her, Gin." Draco said, keeping his voice masked. If Gin had been really listening, she would have been the only one to detect the hint of nervousness.
She closed her eyes and imagined Talori. She was running in a yard, chasing a black, shaggy dog. But...something was wrong... Harry was there, laughing, along with...
"Oh my gods..." Ginny said tearfully. "She...She..."
Their were bright, almost unbearable lights all around her, and she saw her grandmother reach out and give Talori a big hug. Her grandmother had been dead for years, what did this all mean?
She didn't hear or see the doctors around her, rushing the limp body of a baby to the ER. As they ran, clearing her air passages, attempting to get air into her lungs...begging for the faintest cry of life.
"No!" Ginny cried. "No!! She wasn't...I...This is what I get for not killing her? Having her die anyway?!"
She heard someone shout over the fog clouding her mind, what they actually said she didn't really know. Though soon she felt the prick of a needle in her arm, soon she was put into a dreamless slumber.