Disclaimer: I've been such a good girl with these… I don't own Harry Potter.
Please don't flame me saying that Crucio can't do that! It's a bad habit of mine, extending the capabilities of the Cruciatus curse, but it was important for the scene.
This is the last weepy chapter, I promise. There's one paragraph in the next chapter in which Ginny has to explain about Laura to somebody, but it's only one paragraph.
I can't do reviewer responses because I don't have Internet at the moment and when I do have Internet, I have to post this. I'm sure you would rather have the chapter than reviewer responses, especially since I probably won't be able to post chapter eight until next weekend. However, I'd like to dedicate this to Sexi Silver, who has reviewed every chapter so far (I think… I can't look at the reviews yet). Oh, and Ginny won't see Laura for the rest of this fic, but I can't say anything about the sequel until the last chapter... .
Only two chapters left after this! And then a huge long wait for the sequel that may never come!
"L-Livy?"
"Yes, it's me; let me in. I need to see Cammie."
"Give her a sec. She has to get presentable."
Ginny put two and two together and her eyes bugged as much as Nick's had. "You're sleeping with my best friend!"
"I'd rather not discuss this with the door open," he hissed, looking back and stepping away from the door. "Now you can come in."
"Thank you," Ginny said sarcastically, but stepped in. "Nick, go away. I don't give a shit what you're doing to my best friend right now as long as she's happy with it, but I need some girl time with her. You can shag each other like bunnies later."
Nick raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me. Get the fuck out." Ginny threw her shoe at him. It hit him in the stomach.
"Ginny!" Cammie squeaked. "Stop it!"
"Well, make him get out. Tell him you'll meet him for coffee in two hours at the Starbucks across the street. And then I wouldn't have to resort to violence."
Cammie rolled her eyes. "If it's that important to you, Nick will go. Won't you, Nick?" she asked in a sugary-sweet voice. Nick rolled his eyes.
"Fine, but only because you asked nicely," he said, looking pointedly at Ginny, who shrugged. He left and Ginny flopped down on Cammie's bed and started crying. Cammie sat down next to her.
"OK, Livy, what's up? Why are you crying?"
Ginny controlled herself enough to speak. "OK, well, I don't know if you saw it on the news this morning or not, but my apartment building got attacked by those evil people I told you about, the Death Eaters."
Cammie gasped and pulled Ginny up from the pillows to hug her. "That's awful! Did people die?"
Ginny gave a wry smile. "Only about everyone. The only survivors I know of are me and this little girl named Laura. I babysat for her and I knew her since she was one year old. Anyway, I took her back to some of my school friends and we crashed with them. But this morning I had to bring her back to the Muggle world so I wouldn't get arrested for kidnapping and now she's g-g-gone!" Ginny said, sobbing again.
"Shh, Livy, it's OK, it'll be OK," Cammie said in the same tone that Ginny had used with Laura.
"I'm afraid she's going to turn out like Tom," Ginny whispered. "I bet she's feeling betrayed and abandoned right now. That's how Tom felt, I'm sure."
"Tom?"
"An evil somebody that almost killed me when I was eleven and made me set a monster on the students at my school. And that was just his 16-year-old memory in the form of a diary. He was an orphan and grew up in an orphanage."
"Isn't there usually a long waiting list for a small child, though? She'll surely get adopted soon."
"I know, but still… it's awful. She's the most adorable thing you've ever seen, and she wasn't bothered at all by the magic. In fact, Tonks thinks that she's a Muggleborn witch. I hope to God she is. That way, I might be able to see her if she gets into Hogwarts. I'm not quite sure if magic people in America get accepted to Hogwarts."
"Ah. That makes perfect sense. Can we bring Nick back in?"
"Go ahead. I'll go back to my friends' house. I don't really need to see you two shagging like Natalia and Fred."
"Ginny, we need to talk, all three of us."
"We do not. There's nothing to be said. I'm perfectly okay with you and him shagging each other's brains out. They're not my brains; he's not my boyfriend. Therefore, you can go and do whatever the hell you want to each other. I just don't want any part in it, thankyouverymuch." Ginny got up and walked out the door, stuffing her foot in her shoe on the way and pausing by Nick to say, "She likes Princess Diana roses best."
She went back behind the trees to Apparate to Number 12, Grimmauld Place. When she got there and stepped inside, her mother was dusting the tops of the portraits.
"Gin, what happened?" Mrs. Weasley asked when she saw her daughter.
Ginny shrugged and continued on to the living room. She sank into a chair, dropping her face into her hands.
"What's wrong?" she heard Hermione ask. She shook her head, her face still buried. Her mother's hands stroked her hair, brushing it away from her face, gently pulling it into a ponytail and letting it go, and starting all over again. Ginny shuddered with sobs, crying harder than she had at Cammie's, perhaps because she was among more sympathetic people and hadn't just been shocked by seeing her two best friends who had obviously just been having sex.
"They took her," Ginny choked out. "They took her and I don't know where she's going. I won't be able to see her."
"Oh, honey," Mrs. Weasley said, hugging her daughter. "Honey, sweetie, it's OK. It'll all be OK in the end."
"We'll find her," Hermione said reassuringly, but Ginny didn't believe her.
"No, we won't! We'll all be too busy looking for Voldemort to look for Laura." She spoke quite calmly despite the fact that tears were still cascading down her face.
"We'll look for her. Promise. What else is wrong? That can't be all…" Hermione said.
Ginny gave a wry smile. "Nick was in Cammie's house."
"…So?"
"Without a shirt on. And then Cammie admitted they were shagging like bunnies."
"I thought Nick wasn't your boyfriend," Harry said, coming down the stairs. Hermione threw him a scathing look.
"Harry, you're going to make things worse!" she hissed. Ginny laughed weakly.
"No, let him say what he wants to say. First Amendment." At their puzzled looks, she elaborated. "It's an American government law thing; never quite understood how it works. It's the right of free speech."
"What's going on down – Oh, Ginny, what's wrong?" Ron asked as he ran down the stairs. Hermione filled him in and he said, consolingly, "Well, it can only get better."
Ginny snorted and Hermione muttered something along the lines of "men". It was enough to make Ginny laugh, and everyone looked relieved.
Suddenly the door banged open and in walked Sirius Black. Wait, no, backtrack, Ginny thought, blinking confusedly. Sirius had been dead last time Ginny was in touch with the wizarding world.
"Sirius?" she gasped. He looked at her, his brow furrowed.
"Do I know you?" he asked. She flinched and remembered that he hadn't seen her in nine years and that she'd probably changed quite a bit since she was 14.
"Of course you do, Sirius; you've known me since I was 13… at least, before you died. Here's a hint: I'm a Weasley."
His eyes widened. "Ginny?"
"Got it in one."
"But we all thought you were-"
"Dead? I could say the same for you. How did you come back from the underworld?"
"Harry and Remus resurrected me last year," Sirius said in a drop-it-and-leave-it-alone tone of voice. "And you?"
"I was never dead," Ginny said. "I was disguised in the Muggle world. I was Hermione's favorite author, actually. She never recognized me."
"No shit?" Sirius sounded impressed. "You spent five years as a famous author in the Muggle world?"
"You'd better believe it. Now, I'm hungry. When's dinner?"
"Dinner? I completely forgot! Thank you for reminding me!" Mrs. Weasley said, bustling into the kitchen. Hermione gave Ginny a last hug and trailed after Ginny's mum.
Sirius took a better look at Ginny. "Gin, why do you look like shit?"
"Because she's been crying," Ron said. "And she didn't get to bed until after two this morning."
"Why?" Sirius asked. Ginny shrugged and stood up.
"I'm going to help Mum and Hermione in the kitchen." She walked the path of Hermione and her Mum into the kitchen, leaving the men to glance at each other, puzzled.
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It was during dinner when it happened. Most of the scariest moments of Ginny's whole life happened that night, scarier, even, than when she set her clothes on fire using a gas stove (her house smelled of burnt hair for ages afterward). Mostly while she was under immense pain, but whatever.
Just as the main meal – lemon chicken – was served, Remus burst in, panting. He took a moment to regain control of his breathing and then gasped out, "They're coming."
"What?" Mr. Weasley asked automatically. Remus looked up at him, panicked.
"They're coming! Snape told the Death Eaters where the house is and they're coming! We have to leave!"
"Too late," a voice said from the door way. Everyone slowly turned their heads towards the door. At least thirty Death Eaters were there, all wearing their masks. The one in front was obviously a woman, and she was pointing her wand at Remus. The man pulled out his own wand and they circled each other. The other Death Eaters seemed to realize that Remus was Bellatrix's prey and only hers, and they didn't curse him, just turned their wands on the rest of the group.
Great, Ginny said as she started to duel with a random Death Eater. Thirty to fifteen. Logic says we lose.
She Stunned the Death Eater and moved onto a different villain. This time, the Death Eater was laughing as he cast a curse that grazed her shoulder. She gasped in pain but ignored the crimson trickling from it and cursed him. Two down, a billion to go. The third Death Eater she could identify; the white-blond hair was a dead giveaway.
"So, Malfoy, you enjoying your new life? Stupefy!"
"Protego! Yeah, it's got all the perks, Mudblood lover! Crucio!"
Ginny dodged it; it hit the wall and blasted a hole in it. "Don't say that word!" She hexed him.
Brrr… Ginny thought as she dueled with another Death Eater. It's cold- shit. For in the doorway hovered five Dementors. Five, five. Ginny felt very weak all of a sudden. She could hear Riddle's voice in her head as she watched Harry conjure up a Patronus. His stag ran down a Dementor before evanescing into thin air. Ginny took a deep breath and quickly conjured her Patronus – and was surprised to see that it had changed from a tiger to a lion, which had been Laura's favorite animal.
At the same time as Ginny realized this, Malfoy recovered from his hex and yelled "Crucio!" The curse hit her in the side, and she fell to the ground, screaming in pain. Seconds turned to a minute, two minutes… Her eyes didn't seem to be functioning properly; they kept going black until finally they stayed black.
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"Gin, wake up."
No answer.
"Ginny, wake up!
No answer.
"GINNY, WAKE THE FUCK UP!"
"Mmph."
Ron sighed with relief as Ginny opened her eyes. She looked around and the blindingly white room, looking disoriented.
"Might I ask why you were swearing at me, Ronald?" she asked. "And why I'm here?"
"Well, you hadn't woken up when I called you the first couple of times," he said casually, as if she hadn't been in St. Mungo's Hospital and hadn't been unconscious a second before. "And do you really not remember why you're here?"
"I really don't remember," Ginny said, furrowing her brow and racking her brain for anything that might be relevant. She came up with nothing.
"Death Eaters attacked Sirius' house. Malfoy crucioed you until you passed out. Merlin, it must have been for ages, because we couldn't wake you up for three weeks."
"Oh." Ginny frowned, and then a memory hit her. "I think I remember… the Dementors were there, right?"
"Yes," Ron said, relieved. "There were Dementors and Death Eaters. It was thirty Death Eaters against fifteen of us. We defeated them, but…" he trailed off.
"We lost some, didn't we, Ron?" Ginny asked calmly, already knowing the answer. "Who died?"
Ron took a deep breath. "Remus died, Kingsley Shacklebolt died, and we all thought you would die. You don't know how close you were to death."
"But all that would have happened was I would be insane, right?"
"Not quite. The curse does more than just make you insane. Extended use of it can cause the vital organs in your body to swell and burst. Your organs were already swollen by the time we got you here. A few more minutes and…"
"And I would have died."
Ron nodded. Ginny sat up and leaned back, wincing and putting a hand to her ribs.
"I need to go visit Cammie and Nick. I really should apologize to Nick for throwing my shoe at him."
"Not in that state, you're not. You're not going anywhere until the doctors say you can."
"But that could be ages! Don't you think the public is going to notice when a famous author goes missing?"
"Well, she can be missing for a while. You need to rest and recover. You missed the funeral, though. It was a double funeral and Sirius was crying. You know Sirius; he never cries.
"I missed the funeral?" Ginny said, tears in her voice. But she wasn't surprised – wizarding funerals often took place very soon after the death. "What about Tonks?" Last time Ginny had been in the wizarding world, Remus and Tonks had been engaged.
"They broke up years ago. Tonks left on not very good terms with Remus for the States. But, unlike you, she kept in touch with the rest of us who hadn't made her mad." His tone was slightly accusing, but Ginny was spared an answer by Mrs. Weasley coming through the door.
"Ron, your shift's over, you can – Ginny!" she exclaimed.
"Yeah…" Ginny said vaguely. "I'm awake."
"Ronald, why didn't you tell me she was awake?" her mum demanded. "Ah, well, Ginny's up now and that's all that matters. Ron, go and fetch the Healer."
Ron nodded and left the room. Ginny's mother took the vacant seat next to the bed and started stroking Ginny's hair.
"Mum, I want to get out of here," Ginny said suddenly.
"We all want you to get out of here, too," Molly said soothingly. "But we have to wait for the Healer to make sure you're perfectly OK before you can go."
"Ahem." The two turned to face a serious-looking dark-skinned man in the Healer uniform. Ginny frowned; she knew that man. But she hadn't seen him in seven or eight years. He had been one of Harry and Ron's dorm mates, she was sure… what was his name? Ah, yes, she remembered now.
"Dean Thomas?" she asked. He nodded but concentrated on his work. Finally, he looked up.
"Good, Ginny, you're back to normal, or as back to normal as you can be after that curse. I'm going to keep you here overnight just in case. You can go in the morning. And I want you to take a couple potions every morning and one at night, OK?"
Ginny nodded. "What was wrong with me, Dean?"
He winced. "It's a pretty long list. Virtually every organ of your body except your brain was either enlarged or messed up. Your heart even stopped for a few seconds when they brought you in. There were a few other things from the curses after that, but we fixed those pretty easily. But, Gin, from what they said when they brought you in. it seemed like you were kicking butt out there. Good job."
He walked out of the room and closed the door behind him. Immediately, Ron and the rest of the Weasleys came in, along with Harry and Hermione.
"Geez, Ginny, are you a magnet or something?" Charlie asked. "First the nightclub was attacked, then the apartment building, and now our… house!"
Ginny shrugged. "I guess I'm so good looking that the Death Eaters can't help but come near me!"
Ron snorted and Hermione elbowed him in the ribs. Ginny rolled her eyes.
"No, but really, I have no idea why the hell I've been attacked three times in the past one or two months. It doesn't make sense, unless they're stalking me somehow, in which case I'd better get out of here or else they'll attack St. Mungo's. Speaking of which, I want to get out." She crossed her arms and pouted.
"Hey, don't pout. Look what we brought you!" Fred said, dumping a load of candy in Ginny's lap.
"HEY!" Ron protested. "That's my personal candy stash!"
"Yes, and Ginny needs it more than you do right now. Go buy yourself some candy if you're so desperate."
"No," Ginny said, smiling. "Ron, you can have some. But I call all the Bertie Bott's and all the Chocolate Frogs. "
"Deal!" Ron said, helping himself to a Pumpkin Pastry.
"What time is it?" Ginny asked, looking around for a clock.
"It's eight o'clock PM," Bill said, speaking for the first time. "Visiting hours are over."
"Oh," Ginny said, disappointed. "OK then. I love all of you. Yes, even you, Harry, even though I still don't like you."
"We love you too," her brothers chorused and her mother hugged and kissed her on the cheek before getting up.
"Bye!" Hermione said as she walked through the door.
"Bye," Ginny whispered as she was left alone again, and she rolled over and promptly fell asleep.
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"Wake up, Ginny," a man's voice said, but it was only slightly familiar.
"Yeah?" she asked, opening her eyes, her voice thick from sleep. Dean Thomas, her healer, was standing over her.
"We have to do a last couple tests before you go home," he said.
"OK," Ginny said, brightening at the thought of going home. "What do I have to do?"
"Just lay still, if you can," he said, getting out his wand and waving it in some sort of complicated motion. She closed her eyes, getting dizzy from watching the wand.
"Don't fall asleep," he warned. She opened her eyes to see him putting his wand away and taking out a tiny vial of a cloudy potion. He handed it to her.
"Drink up," he said. She obediently drank the potion, gagging at the taste. Why is it that all helpful potions tasted horrible? she wondered.
"You can go as soon as your parents get here," he said. She scowled.
"But I'm an adult. Can't I sign myself out?"
"Sorry, Ginny, but it's hospital policy."
"Damn. Can I at least get dressed while I'm waiting?" Ginny had finally noticed that she was wearing a hospital gown.
He smiled. "Sure. Your mum put your clothes on the chair when she left. I'll leave so you have some privacy."
"Thank you," she said semi-sarcastically. He exited the room and shut the door behind him.
Ginny quickly threw on her clothes and sat on her bed. Her thoughts drifted to Laura: was she OK, had she been adopted yet, who were the parents… she wondered all those things, but deep inside she doubted she'd be able to every find out. After all, the Muggle population was quite big and Laura was an adorable girl, so she'd get snapped up quickly.
Finally, the door to Ginny's room opened and her mum stepped in.
"Oh, Ginny, you're getting out today! My, you look pale… are you alright?"
"I was just thinking about Laura. I'm fine."
"Oh, good," her mother said absently. "Well, let's get going."
"Right," Ginny said, standing up. "Let's go."
"We have to wait for Healer Thomas," Mrs. Weasley said. As usual, Dean appeared right away.
"Alright, well, I checked Ginny over this morning and she's fine. She might have some fatigue for a couple of days, but a simple strength-replenishing potion should help. Of course, we're not one-hundred-percent positive, as this seems to be a very isolated case, but we're pretty sure this is the case."
Ginny restrained the urge to gulp. Great, they didn't know exactly what was wrong or what to do. Wonderful.
"Ginny, I want you to take these potions, OK? They're labeled with when to take them and how much to take, so you'll know."
"OK, Dean. Can I go now?"
"Go ahead. I'll walk you out."
The three walked out to the Apparation station. On impulse, Ginny reached over and quickly hugged Dean. He smiled, bade her goodbye, and Molly Apparated with Ginny to their new Headquarters.
It was a rather nice house, as opposed to the peeling paint, dust-everywhere sort of look that Number 12, Grimmauld Place had. It was a little smaller than the monster of a house that the last Headquarters had been.
Ginny was immediately pounced upon by five brothers, all telling her how glad they were that she was back. That cheered her up a lot.
But what cheered her up most came at the end of the month in the form of a young woman about the same age as Ginny herself.
I'm hot and sweaty from weeding the sandbox (yes, the sandbox. It's old – think 13-15 years old – and it grows weeds like crazy) and I'm done with this chapter. No long A/N, although if you really like them, I can try harder next time, lol.
P.S. Sugar free chocolate and caramel Creme Savers taste really bad when mixed with Minute Maid Light Lemonade. Just thought I'd warn you in case you ever decide to try it. It's icky. –makes a face-
P.P.S. If I sound stressed in the next week, it's because my friend had a bad reaction to his migraine medicine and he's having memory problems now and I'm really worried. He might not even recognize me when he sees me next (which won't be tomorrow at school, since he's not going tomorrow). That really sucks. He's the first guy friend I've ever had, and for that he's kind of special. (I don't like-like him at all. At ALL. Just get that clear.)