Chapter 14

Six Months Gone

February 2004

A baby's shrill cry rang out into the midnight air, and the intensive care Mediwitch at St. Mungo's maternity ward shuffled tiredly over to the crib that bore a small white card reading, 'Weasley, Brandon' in small black letters. "What is it, little one?" she crooned, carefully removing his tiny body from the comfort of the specially heated incubator he'd been kept in since his birth two weeks ago, which was about a month before his due date of March 12th.

"Excuse me . . . Madam Bellford, would you mind if I fed my son this time?" questioned Ron, walking into the nursery just as she was about to make a bottle.

"Of course, Mr. Weasley, here you are," she agreed genially, handing the baby and bottle over. Ron gently cradled Brandon as he placed the nipple of the bottle against his unbelievably small mouth and smiled as he started to eat.

Madam Bellford stated, "If he keeps up eating like that you'll be able to take him home in no time."

"I hope so," whispered Ron, managing to maneuver one hand out to wave a farewell to her as she left.

As she trod out the door, Hermione walked in after her and smiled wistfully at the sight of Ron feeding their son so lovingly. She walked over to him and lay one hand on his broad shoulder, asking, "Did Madam Bellford say we could take him home soon?"

"Mmm-hmm, we'll finally be able to put that nursery to good use," added Ron, standing up from the rocking chair he'd been sitting in and handing the baby to Hermione.

"I wonder how Ginny's doing," mused Hermione contemplatively, as she often did when holding little Brandon in her arms. She couldn't help but wonder if he'd ever get to know his little cousin, Ginny's daughter. Or, for that matter, if she and Ron would ever know their niece. It had been six months since everyone had seen Ginny off at King's Cross and Harry had gone to Hogwarts after hearing about Michael confronting her. When he'd gotten home that night, he'd packed his stuff from Ginny's room and moved it all to his London flat without any explanation. Nobody had ever got it out of him as to why he suddenly moved out.

Ginny came home for Christmas, but she seemed sick and her face was pale and tense when she discovered Harry's things missing from her room. After that, she barely communicated with anyone at home, they received about an owl a month from her. Harry hadn't spoken with her once since their encounter that day, and he had no idea that everyday she waited for him to come see her, as he'd promised her what seemed ages ago. Everyone in the Weasley family, and Harry, though he'd never admit it to anyone, was extremely anxious these days, knowing that Ginny was due any day now. Naturally, Hermione saw her every day at school, but Ginny avoided her at all costs and made every effort to conceal it from Hermione that she was with Michael once again.

"I don't know," returned Ron, thinking that he'd somehow have to get Harry to tell him what was going on. He was baffled at the fact that two people who'd clearly been in love could stop speaking to each other so abruptly, especially for no apparent reason.

In the Corner mansion, however, things were not so joyful as they were over at the hospital where Ron and Hermione were enjoying their newborn son.

"You bloody well better let me out of here!" shrieked Ginny hoarsely at the top of her lungs. She was sick and tired of begging, and the effect of so much yelling was starting to catch up with her.

The first day of term, after Harry had seemingly abandoned her, she'd fallen for the same old trap once again, as Harry had warned her against doing. Michael had come to her, entreating her to let him get back with her so he could prove that he'd changed and was remorseful for everything he'd ever done to harm her. Believing that Harry had forsaken her and wouldn't want her anyway after what a obstinate bitch she'd been to him, she consented and had somewhat reluctantly got back together with Michael.

It was only after she found him snogging some slutty blonde Ravenclaw that she forced herself to stay away from him. Unfortunately, though, Michael had other plans. Afterwards, when she'd been ready to write Harry and tell him everything, he'd found her and brought her back to his father's house, locking her wandless in a room without any windows, doors, etc.. The only entrance could exclusively be accessed by a certain password thought up by Cillian Corner.

Ginny slumped down against a dreary grey wall, resting her hands over her protruding stomach. She was nine months along now, and she feared that the baby would be born here, therefore under the control of Michael and his father. Tears streamed down her face at the mere thought of what would happen to her baby girl if she were to indeed end up in their care.

Harry sat forlornly in his dismal flat, trying to conjure up some other feeling besides the one of misery he'd felt since the last time he saw Ginny. It's no use feeling like this, mate, he told himself, but there was something that plagued him, some thought that Ginny wasn't as happy as she should be. And why should she be happy living with that monstrosity?

Without thinking, Harry Apparated to the Burrow, where Ron and Hermione had finally been able to bring Brandon home to. For the time being, they were living there, but Fred and George had offered them the room above Weasley's Wizard Wheezes in Diagon Alley when they were ready. He found himself in the middle of the kitchen, watching Hermione heat up a bottle for the baby.

"Harry!" she gasped when she turned around. "You nearly scared me to death!"

"Is Ron here?" Harry asked sullenly.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him, slightly irritated at his lack of greeting toward her. "Yes, he's upstairs with Brandon."

"Can I speak with him?"

"Go ahead, you know the way."

Harry nodded, offering a modest smile as an apology for his gruffness. She made a shooing gesture with her hand, letting him know that she understood he wasn't himself anymore.

"Ron?" called Harry, nearing his room and watching through the open door as Ron rocked Brandon, trying to quell his incessant crying.

"In here, Harry," he responded, motioning him inside.

Harry felt a pang of some unknown emotion as he saw what a great father Ron was, and knew that he'd more than likely never get the chance to do that now. He knew very well that Ginny was his match, and he didn't think it very appealing to see any other women when he'd already found — and lost — the one he was supposed to be with.

"Hey . . . you want to take him?" queried Ron, knowing that Harry was thinking about the opportunity he'd almost had to be someone's father. Maybe not biologically, but he would've been a better father to Ginny's daughter than Michael could ever be.

"Um — sure, I guess . . . "

Harry took the crying baby into his arms easily, rocking him back and forth until his sobs quieted down to small hiccoughs and he opened his huge blue eyes, all but exact replicas of Ron's. "Hello there, godson." Naturally, Harry had been named godfather to Brandon, and Ginny was godmother, but small wonder that she hadn't been present at the christening.

"Ron, I've been thinking . . . "

"Yeah? About what?"

"D'you reckon I should go see Ginny? I mean, she's about to deliver the baby — what if she's scared? She needs someone."

"Well, it's about damn time somebody said it. Harry, she still loves you, she always has and she always will," declared Ron finitely, leaving no room for arguments.

"Are — are you sure, though? She seemed pretty adamant about staying with Michael."

"How dense can one person get?" asked a female voice from the doorway.

Harry turned round to find Hermione standing there, bottle in one hand and the other planted firmly on her hip. "You think I should go, too?"

"We all do, but nobody's been able to pluck up the courage to tell you," she answered nonchalantly, walking over and handing the bottle to Ron, who took Brandon from Harry's arms and began feeding him.

For a moment, all that was heard was Brandon sucking on the bottle, and then a slight pop was heard as Harry disappeared from the room.

Minerva McGonogall was seething with anger, though one would never know it from the outside. Her sharp brown eyes radiated no malice, nor did the neutral expression on her face. She remained completely tranquil as she asked, "Are you sure about this, Filius?"

"Absolutely, Minerva. She hasn't been to any classes in almost two weeks," Filius Flitwick replied to the Headmistress.

"When was she last seen?"

"She was seen with that chap Corner . . . Michael, I think it is? Anyway, I believe it was a Hogsmeade weekend, you know — children do tend to go missing there for a bit of fun — but she hasn't returned. And my assistant, Miss Granger, seems most worried about her."

"Has her family been informed?" inquired McGonogall.

"Actually . . . I thought it would be more prudent to notify young Mr. Potter first. You know the Weasley boys, they're more than likely to kill Mr. Corner before we can interrogate him in regard to Miss Weasley's whereabouts," Flitwick told her, bringing a hand up to nervously adjust his tiny glasses atop his equally tiny nose.

"Very well then, I shall — "

Out of nowhere, the said "Mr. Potter" burst into McGonogall's office, though by what means, neither Flitwick nor Minerva herself could say. A special protection charm had been placed around the office as a security measure. Even though Voldemort was dead, there were still several people that would like to see any leader of a school such as Hogwarts dead.

"Where's Ginny?" Harry demanded. He'd gone to the Gryffindor common room, as well as Ravenclaw's, the library, infirmary, here, there, and everywhere he even remotely suspected she might've been, but she was nowhere.

"Calm down — "

"I don't need to calm down, I need to know where she is!" he was hysterical now, pacing back and forth. Suddenly however, he stopped and said, "Michael has her, doesn't he? Doesn't he!"

"I'm afraid so, Potter," confided Flitwick somberly.

"Bloody hell," Harry cursed, running his hands through his unkempt hair, ruffling it even more. "She's about to have the baby."

"We're well aware of that, Harry, and I assure you that we're doing everything we can to find her," McGonogall said gently.

"I'll find her myself," Harry bit back defiantly, storming from the office.

"God help that Corner boy."