Disclaimer: Jo's, not mine.
Chapter Ten: Grown Up
Harry, Ron and Hermione sat around anxiously, staring into the fireplace. Suddenly, it flared to life. Ginny stepped out of the green flames, and tottered over to the table Harry was nervously perched on. He caught her before she fell.
"Where have you been, Gin? You're late!" Ron looked his baby sister up and down worriedly.
Ginny glanced at Harry's wristwatch. It read 7:02 p.m. She raised an eyebrow.
Harry remembered that look. Apparently Ron did as well, because he shut up.
Hermione quickly jumped in. "He's just worried about you, Gin. It's still so new…having you back. We all want to make sure you never get hurt again."
Ginny looked sheepish. "I know that. It's just-I've spent all my life being the protected little sister. I was just starting to leave that behind, and then, well…" She sighed. "I understand, Ron," she said, patting her brother's arm. "I'm sorry."
Ron smiled at her. Together, they walked into the dining room, where Andrew and the rest of the Weaslys waited.
Harry looked at Hermione. She looked back at him.
"Time was she'd have thrown a fit and not talked to Ron for days for being 'condescending.' She's grown up with a vengeance," said Hermione, appraisingly.
"I noticed." Harry's voice was dry.
Hermione eyed him expertly. "Is that all you noticed, then?"
Harry refused to let himself be baited. "Of course it is," he said gruffly. He hurried into the dining room.
Hermione just smiled, and then followed him.
After the dishes had been cleared, Andrew stood up.
"We all know who our objective is. We have a general idea of where he is." Andre gestured briefly, and a large map unfurled itself behind him. He drew a glowing circle with his wand. "Somewhere in this general area. Now," he gestured towards Ginny, "We have the necessary means to find him. Ginny, when are you planning on performing the spell?"
Ginny answered without hesitation. "Tonight, after we're done with this. In fact, I can do it now, I you prefer."
Andrew glanced around, looking for an answer from the rest of the Weaslys.
It was, surprisingly, Percy who answered. There was a menacing undertone in his voice none of them had heard before. "The sooner, the better."
Ginny nodded, and got up. "Fred? Will you help me?"
Fred got up and followed Ginny out of the room. The group waited, somewhat anxiously.
About five minutes later there was a blinding flash of light in the kitchen. Thirty seconds later, Fred helped a beaten looking Ginny into a chair.
She tried to grin. "It took more out of me than I thought it would."
Andrew was next to her in a flash. "But did it work?" he asked.
This time Ginny did manage a grin. "Go see for yourself."
Harry pushed the door open. There, on the kitchen table was a glowing map.
Hermione smiled predatorily. "It worked."
Harry voiced the question on everyone's minds.
"When can we leave?"
It took a lot of persuasion, but in the end, cooler heads prevailed. Andrew managed to convince everyone to "wait awhile to kill Malfoy." He reasoned that they had to prepare-it was no different from any other mission, despite the fact that this strike team was comprised mainly of civilians. There would be training.
Charlie cracked his knuckles. "We fought in the War, dammit! How much training do we need?"
"A lot!" Andrew snapped. "I'm taking a huge risk sending civilians into the field. The only reason I'm letting you go in the first place is because if I wasn't the Department head, I'd be right out there with you. I hate that bastard, and after what he did to Ginny…" Andrew clenched his fists, and forced a smile. "How does a month's training sound?"
Charlie, Bill, Fred, Percy and George opened their mouths at the same time.
"A month is fine, Andrew," said Ginny, quietly. Andrew smiled at her gratefully.
She continued. "He's powerful, very powerful. I'm not talking Ferret Boy here. He has serious power. In the end, his Cruciatis was just as strong as Tom's. I don't want him killing any of you. I'd never forgive myself. Understand?"
They nodded, albeit reluctantly.
Ginny looked around. "Good. Now listen. I'm about seven and a half months right now. Around the time you go, I should be eight and a half. I want this done with by the time my child is born. Nothing hanging over his or her head. No threats. Nothing." Ginny stood up. "I'm going to bed."
Harry watched her go up the stairs.
Andrew cleared his throat, bringing Harry's attention back to him. "Training begins tomorrow. Report to my office at seven a.m." He got up and stretched. "Harry, will you keep the map safe?" Harry nodded. "Good. Bring it tomorrow. 'Night, all." Andrew left, deep in thought.
Little by little the Weaslys trickled out until only Ron and Hermione remained.
"Where's Nicholas?" Harry asked as they drifted into the kitchen.
Hermione smiled. "With Molly. She realized Ginny wasn't coming home anytime soon, and decided she needed some time with her newest grandchild."
Harry was puzzled. "Why isn't Ginny going home?"
Ron gave Harry a look that clearly said, 'Are you stupid?'
Hermione smiled that annoying, knowing smile again. "Well, she's quite comfortable here, isn't she? And you two seem to fit together well."
Harry turned red. "I-Ginny is only-she's here because she wants to be here, I'm not forcing her!"
Hermione was still smiling. "Exactly." She turned to leave, hooking her arm into her husband's.
"Come on, dear. Let's go get Nicky."
Ron waved over his shoulder as Hermione dragged him away. "See you tomorrow at seven!"
"Tomorrow at seven!" Harry waved once more, and shut the kitchen door. He went over to the table and rolled up the glowing map. He started up the stairs. As he walked to his room, he passed Ginny's. Strange how t seemed she had been here forever, even though it had only been two days. He cracked the door open a bit and peeked in.
Ginny was slumbering peacefully in a new nightgown. As Harry watched, she mumbled something and turned over in her sleep. Her swollen belly got in the way, and she flopped back onto her other side.
Harry sighed, and went into his own room.
Terrified screams roused him from his sleep hours later. He jumped out of bed and ran into Ginny's room. She was screaming in her sleep, begging for her life, begging someone to stop. Harry froze at the word Malfoy. He had heard enough. Gently, he shook her shoulder."Ginny…shhhhhhh…Ginny, it's all right now. No one's going to hurt you ever again, I promise." Glancing around nervously, he crawled onto the bed next to her, making sure to stay on top of the covers. Gently, he shifted her into his arms.
Ginny seemed to calm down slightly. Harry sat holding her for a long time even after she slept peacefully. He reflected on what Hermione had said earlier. Yes, Ginny had grown up. But the price of her maturity was too high.
He vowed to kill Malfoy if it was the last thing he ever did, as he brushed Ginny's hair out of her closed eyes.
A/N: Boom. Another chapter done. I may have a few more projects in the future, so this probably won't be updated as often, but it WILL STILL BE UPDATED REGULARLY! I think I'll work out an update schedule, so I can update all my fics regularly. I have to update Bogged Down, too. I'm not sure if anyone's read it, but I really like it. sigh So, an update schedule is in order. Another thing to add to my list.From now on, there will be no review thank-yous. I enjoyed doing them, but when I usually write a chapter, I get in a zone where I pound out like 3 chapters at a time. And thank yous are time consuming. So, from now on, no more. It's not that I'm not thankful-exactly the opposite. And I promise to make a huge list of ALL my reviewers and post it with my last chapter.
And, yes, to you who said you would read a sequel, I will be writing one. That is all I'm going to say for now, but I do have really big plans for it. Be excited. Be very excited.
A big group thanks to everyone who reviewed. Look for the next chapter soon.
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PS: Dedicated to my friend, who MAKES me update.
