NO GOOD DEED
A/N: Thank you to all my reviewers. Sorry it took me so long to update, but I have been working at my real job late lately, and only have time to write mostly on the weekends. So the next chapter should be rather long, I have quite a few ends to tie up from this chapter. Please review, I love reading what people think of my ideas. Also I do realize that my grammar is not the best, if you would like to help me out, let me know. Okay, on with the story!
CHAPTER TEN
" I really hope you get it
And you don't live to regret it
I hope you're happy in the end
I hope you're happy, my friend"
Defying Gravity - Wicked
"Shall we take a break, or perhaps call it a night?" Minerva said after, Gertrude struggled to continue. Severus was busy wearing a hole in the floor to take noticed that no one was talking, until finally he snapped his head up.
"Are you willing to let us stay here, overnight that is?" Severus questioned.
"I am beginning to understand you and your motives, however there are still many questions that are lingering. However I do not feel threatened in any way. Perhaps Albus was right to trust you." Minerva said cautiously, recalling her own memories of Gertrude and Severus here at Hogwarts.
"I am a bit tired." Gertie confessed.
"I will have a house elf make up a room, in the mean time, you may do what you wish, within reason." She added quickly.
"Two rooms," Severus piped in. Gertrude shot him a quick glance, then looked down to the floor.
"Two rooms then." Minerva said somewhat confused as she flooed a house elf to see to the job.
Gertrude got up slowly, and walked out of the room without saying a word to Severus. The memories were still too painful for them to turn to each other for support. Of course what happened next in their story would explain the distance between them now.
Severus stayed by himself in the Headmistress's office, staring for a while at the portrait of Dumbledore sleeping wishing things were still the way they were a year ago or perhaps even two decades ago.
Gertrude on the other hand slowly wandered through the castle, her home really, thinking on the past, on Severus, her sister. So much had happened in her life, so many cruel and twisted things, that she could not help but scoff.
Gertrude finally found herself standing on the Astronomy tower. As she looked down, she had a brief thought of jumping, but then knew better. At least she was still alive. So many had died, Lily, Regulus, Cecile, her child, jumping would be far too selfish.
"All right?" Minerva said taking her by surprise.
"Yes, fine, just thinking." She said solemnly.
"Its cold out here." Minerva said, wanting to talk, but unsure how to start.
"Yes, I suppose it is." She stated looking off into the night sky.
"That night in November, you lost the baby that night, didn't you?" Minerva finally asked.
"Yes, Severus brought me to the Headmaster. He pleaded with him to fix what had happened, everything that had gone wrong, it was all my fault.
Albus took pity on me, and Severus that night. He took me to the infirmary. I was in and out of consciousness for two days, but from what Severus told me later, was that he had confessed everything, and that Dumbledore would protect us.
But he couldn't forgive himself for what happened, and I blamed myself. We stopped talking, and well…" Gertie trailed off.
"What caused you to miscarry? Was it the stress?" Minerva asked curious. She was not aware of what occurred that night in November, only that Gertrude was in the hospital wing.
"I wished it would have been stress, but no, it was worse. It was the Cruciatus curse, the pain was too much for my body to handle.
"Who would do such a cruel thing? Was it Voldermort?" She asked.
"Yes and no. Voldermort did the worse imaginable." Gertie started to say, but found herself struggling to finish. Minerva walked closer to her and placed a hand on Gertrude's back.
"I'm sorry, it is just so horrible, I can't imagine how Severus feels. I mean I never blamed him but, I know he still struggles to look me in the eye." Gertie said sobs racking her body.
"What do you mean?" Minerva asked.
"Voldermort, casted Imperio on him. He was the one who..." She said softly.
"Oh dear. That is, I am sorry." Minerva said flabbergasted and saddened.
"Yes, well after that, Dumbledore taught him everything he knew about Occulmency and Legitimism. Severus vowed never to allow anyone to control him again. He shut himself off, trying to protect himself, thinking he was helping to protect me. It only pushed us farther apart. He had changed, we both had changed, to be honest. There was a part of me that still clung to the hope of being together, but the obstacles were to great, our paths were now laid, and we had no other choice but to follow them if we wanted to live. And that meant, never seeing each other again, until now." Gertie explained.
Minerva was not sure if she was getting lost in the story, or if she truly felt deep sorrow for them both. Either way she could not stop the few tears from falling down her face. Whoever said no one mourns the wicked, had not heard this pair's story.
"If you don't mind, I think I am going to retire." Gertie stated after a few minutes.
As she traveled along the castle corridors, she thought again of the past right before everything began going horribly wrong.
"Gertrude." Lily Evans, now Lilly Potter greeted monotone on a warm autumn day in Diagon Alley. She watched as Lily cuddled her new son.
"Lily." She replied shortly.
Being pregnant herself, she watched in observation of mother and child. Lily had changed, she was more poised, more focused, and less flighty. She had also help James change as well. The two were perfect for each other, both beautiful, both charismatic, Gertrude had no doubt that baby Harry would grow to be the same.
"Are you shopping?" Lily asked a little more politely.
"Yes, if you excuse me I have to be going." She stated. She had been running errands for the Dark Lord for the past few days, but found it increasingly hard to keep both her magic and her bladder in control.
Gertie turned to be on her way, but Lily must have caught a glimpse of doubt on her face, because Lily spoke up.
"Wait, Gertie, would you like to have lunch? I know we left each other on bad terms. Perhaps we can talk, make amends?" She offered. That was Lily for you, always trying to be good.
"I don't think I should." Gertie replied.
"Please? You didn't come to the wedding, the least you can do is have lunch with me." Lily said.
"Fine, but make it rather quick." Gertie sighed.
The two walked across the street to a small café and took a seat in the back. Lily congered a bassinet and placed her son in it, while Gertie attempted not to look interested.
"He's such a good baby, never fusses, only when he needs a changing or feeding. I am truly blessed." Lily said stroking her son's cheek.
"What's his name?" Gertie asked.
"Harry, well Harold, but we call him Harry." Lily explained.
"Ah, after your late brother no doubt." She commented as she magically stirred her coffee with an incantation. Lily tried not to look sad at the mention of her dead brother.
"So, when are you due?" Lily asked nonchalantly. This caused Gertie to go as stark white as a transparent girl can go. No one was suppose to know, how did she find out.
"Oh, I'm not pregnant." She tried to blow off.
"Come now, you're peaky, all you are eating is crackers, and you keep looking at Harry. I know, I did the same things when I was pregnant. Could not touch anything for the first few months, and every time I saw a baby I would stare at it for hours, not even realizing it. You're pregnant." Lily said sure of herself.
"Look, no one can know." Gertie hissed, just wanting Lily to shut up before someone over heard.
"Oh, did the father leave you?" Lily asked quietly.
"No, not that that is any of your business." She said now upset.
"I am sorry, I shouldn't have pried. I wanted us to make amends, not become enemies once again." Lily stated.
"We con't be friends, not now, not ever." Gertie furrowed her brow.
"Why can't we? What is going on? Please tell me that you're not involved with this new wizard who calls himself Voldermort." Lily said now beginning to piece together times in which she had seen Gertie in the past few years.
"Stay away from me Lily, I am nothing but trouble. Take your son and hold onto him, tell him every day that you love him." Gertie said now getting up.
"What about you? What are you going to do?" Lily asked concerned.
"Do not trouble yourself over me."
"I know this isn't what you wanted Gertie. He cares for no one but himself! He cannot give you what you are looking for." Lily said.
"I have no choice Lily! Not anymore." Gertie hissed.
"You always have a choice. I know people who can help you, who can protect you. You are a great witch Gertie, I hope you know that." Lily said honestly.
"And what about those I love, those I have brought into damnation because of me, because of my stupidity, what of them, Lily? Just stay away from me." Gertie said upset.
"Be careful, and take care of yourself." Lily said still shaken.
"You will need it more, believe me." Gertie said and swept out of the empty café.
ooo
Gertie spent the rest of the day obtaining the potions ingredients needed to please the Dark Lord for the week. When she finally reached home, she was ready to pass out having little energy to begin with. Running into Lily did not help matters; in fact, it shook her deeply.
After putting her sacks down, Gertie tried to clean up a bit, but found that she only made matters worse when she said a simple dusting spell, which turned out to only produce more. Ever since she found out she was pregnant, her magic was on the fritz. Gertie broke down crying, and before she knew it, she had fallen asleep on the couch, waiting for Severus to come back.
"We have a problem." Gertie jolted up, seeing a sopping wet Severus in the doorway.
"Severus? What? What time is it?" Gertie responded groggily.
"Your sister is going to get us all in trouble." He said hastily slamming the door behind him.
"What, what are you talking about?" Gertie said still confused.
"She's been feeding Regulus a love potion, for four years!" Severus said appalled.
"What? Why would she?" Gertie said wondering where she would have gotten a crazy idea like that, then realized that it was the pair of them that suggested it in the first place. If Regulus ever came to his senses, he would realize that he had joined the Death Eaters for a girl whom he did not even really love. That he had followed her blindly into the worst possible fate, Regulus could be the death of all of them.
"Oh gods, its okay, as long as she keeps giving him the potion, there won't be a problem right?" Gertie asked.
"That is the problem, your sister has suddenly gained a conscience. She's decided to stop giving it to him." Severus said running his hand through his wet hair.
"When? Tonight?" Gertie said snapping into action.
"No not tonight, I thankfully talked her out of it tonight, but who knows when. You need to talk to her." Severus said drying himself off with a spell.
"Okay, I will speak to her tomorrow, it is late now." Gertie said yawning.
"Are you okay?" Severus asked, having calmed down a bit. Severus sat down next to her on the couch.
"Yes, a bit tired is all, but that is nothing new theses past few weeks." She said looking in his eyes.
"I love you." Severus said softly out of the blue. Gertie was taken by surprise. Severus hardly ever actually spoke those words aloud; it was more of an unspoken knowledge between the pair.
"I love you too." She said kissing him.
Severus slowly took his hand and placed it on Gertie's stomach, gently caressing it.
"What's up with you, your not dying are you?" Gertie joked, not used to this kind of affection from him.
"Don't be daft, I just, well I know this past month has been difficult for you, for us. I just, I was thinking about what you said, and well..." Gertie scrunched up her face in confusion, usually Severus was so well spoken, and here he was stuttering.
"Thinking about what?" Gertie asked.
"About us, about the baby. The baby needs a father Gertie." Severus said abruptly.
"You will be the father, what are you talking about?" Gertie said now slightly worried.
"A proper father. Gertie, be my wife?" Severus asked as he pulled out a small ring.
Gertie was speechless; he had finally asked her the question she had been waiting for three years. It may have taken a baby to get him to say the words, but Gertie did not care. Before Severus knew it, Gertie had flown into his arms, crying.
"Does that mean yes?" He asked.
"Yes, of course, yes!" She said through tears.
"Gertie, I promise I will never hurt you." Severus whispered, merely as a reminder to himself of what his own father was like, and he had vowed never to become that kind of man.
"I know Severus." She smiled.