A/N- Okay, I'm updating now because I think you all might kill me if I don't. This chaper has more of a resolution at the end so you all should be happy. It is a transition chapter so there is not as much going on. It may take me a week or so to get the next chapters out because I just sent them to my beta today, but in the meantime enjoy this one!

Chapter Twelve: Victory or Defeat

When she came to, the first thing Lily noticed was that she was lying in a comfortable bed. If it weren't for the pain in the back of her head and her fatigue, she would have thought she was in Jack's bed at home, safe and sound. Looking around, she was in some kind of private room. There was a potions tray beside her bed and everything in sight was sterile white. She struggled to sit upright so she could go see where Jack was—until two strong hands pushed her back down.

"Lily, you can't get up yet."

"Daddy?" she asked, not being able to adjust her eyes to the harsh light.

"Yes, I'm right here. You need to calm down and relax," he said, taking her hand.

"Jack…where is he?"

"There's been no change," Harry admitted. "But he's no worse either."

"This is all my fault," she proclaimed, looking him in the eye. He was wearing a sweatshirt and old jeans, and looked weary.

"No, this isn't your fault," he told her in an even tone of voice. "It's no one's fault but the death eater who cursed him. You need to understand that."

"Dad, that curse was meant for me! He knocked me to the ground and took it for me!"

"Lily, he would have done anything to prevent you from getting hurt. Just as you would do for him," Harry tried to reason.

"Where is he?" she asked, looking around.

He brushed some of the hair off her forehead and said gently, "He's in another ward. You're Aunt and Uncle are with him."

"You have to let me go see him," she said, trying again to stand up.

Harry pushed her back down. "No, honey, you have to get checked out by a healer. Ginny just went to go find someone when we saw you were waking up."

"Dad, I'm fine," she tried to tell him, but he cut her off with a stern look.

"Lily, you are not fine. You hit your head pretty hard, and you passed out in the lobby. I can tell by looking at you that you're weak. What I'd like to know is what happened to your neck and back," he said, watching her face to see if her emotions would get the better of her. He had a hunch that something else was going on.

Lily struggled to at least sit in a sitting position, which her father reluctantly helped her into. She didn't meet his eyes as she explained, "A death eater tackled me to the ground just after Jack was hurt. He had his hands around my neck for a few seconds before he cursed me and left. I must have hurt my back sometime during the battle."

"Cursed you?" Harry asked, clearly alarmed. He knew she hadn't been acting right. Her color was off and she looked like she had absolutely no energy. "What curse?"

"I don't remember," she said truthfully. "I don't remember much about what happened. It gets blurrier the more I try to remember."

"Look at me, sweetheart," Harry asked raising her chin upward. He looked deep into her eyes saw her affliction and anger. But he also saw fear and embarrassment. Before he could press her for more information however, Ginny returned with a friendly looking female healer.

"Hello Lily," the healer said, smiling at her kindly. "I don't know if you remember me, but I supervised you a few months ago."

Lily nodded and returned her smile. "Of course I remember you, Healer Dodger. It's nice to see you again."

"I'm sorry it's not under better circumstances," Healer Dodger said regrettably. "Would you like me to ask your parents to leave the room while I question you before your exam?"

Lily looked over at the two of them, knowing in her heart that the truth was going to come out and she'd rather have a healer tell them then have to tell them herself. "No, they can stay if that's alright with you."

"I've been cleared by the auror department and the Ministry of Magic to be your healer as well as Jack's," she told them as she pulled out her wand and walked over to the bed. "I've been informed of your past medical history. I know about the dreams you've experienced in the past and I also know about the other attacks you've suffered from recently. Now if you've had one of these attacks recently, you need to tell me now."

"I had one this afternoon," she admitted, not meeting her father's probing eye.

Healer Dodger nodded her head and jotted that note down on Lily's chart. "Now when you have these attacks, do you physically feel pain?"

"Yes."

"Do you have bruises?"

"Yes."

"What do they feel like when they happen? When they first set in."

"It feels like someone is pulling my body somewhere else against my will," Lily explained. "Its kind of like being one place one minute, and apparating somewhere else."

"What about the dreams? Are they the same?"

"Well, usually the dreams are just memories of things that happened in the past," Lily explained vaguely. "The attacks are new memories. Things that haven't happened before. It's almost like being projected somewhere."

"I see," she said writing more notes. "I'm going to cast just some regular check-up charms and see how your vitals are doing," she said before waving her wand over Lily's body and muttering under her breath. For several silent seconds, no one said or did anything. When the healer pulled her wand back into her pocket she looked somewhat conflicted. She shot Harry and Ginny a tense look before addressing Lily again. "Are you sure you don't want me to ask them to leave?"

Harry felt Ginny take his hand as they stood on the opposite side of the bed from the healer. He looked down at her and saw she seemed to be holding her breath. He let go of her hand to wrap his arm around her shoulders. He pulled her as close to his side as possible; just as much for her comfort as for his own.

"I'm sure," Lily said looking down to her hands in her lap. "They're going to find out sooner or later."

Healer Dodger nodded solemnly. "Lily, I have to ask…have you and Jack had sexual intercourse in the last 24 hours?"
Fighting against tears Lily shook her head, "No. Not since Christmas." Under different circumstances, she probably would have been insanely embarrassed to admit this in the presence of her father, but it really didn't seem to matter at the moment.

"Did Draco Malfoy rape you in the attack you had earlier today?" She asked as gently as possible.

Lily couldn't help but look up at her father before answering. He was looking away from her with glazed eyes. She waited several seconds, silently hoping that he'd look at her, but he didn't. Finally she answered the healer in a voice just above a whisper. "Yes."

"Well, I can see from the charm that your body has physical signs of rape. Did he use a contraceptive charm?"

"No, he didn't."

"Are you on a birth control potion?"

"I am, but I didn't take it this morning. I…didn't think I'd need it," she said looking ashamed.

"It's okay, dear. I'm going to have you take a potion to prevent pregnancy. I need to examine you thoroughly now so I'll ask Ginny and Harry to wait outside for a few minutes."

Harry and Ginny nodded, both looking completely stunned. Ginny kissed her forehead, "It's going to be alright. We'll be just outside."

Lily nodded her head but didn't look up. She looked up expecting to see her father standing there with some words of comfort, but he wasn't there. He seemed to have slipped out of the room undetected.

Harry stormed out of his daughter's hospital room and tore down the hallway on a mission. He walked to the healers' station and got the attention of the first person he saw, "Excuse me, can anyone tell me if Dennis O'Connor has returned with more victims?"

"Yes," a young male healer informed him. "He's in the family waiting area just down the hall third door on the right hand side."

Harry nodded his gratitude and walked quickly down the hall. He spotted the doorway he was looking for and walked in. There were several different families clustered together. He saw Dennis sitting with a couple of other aurors.

He walked over to them with a determined look on his face. "O'Conner, can I have a word with you outside?"

Dennis looked up, somewhat startled to see him. "Harry, is Lily alright? I heard she collapsed after I left."

"No, not really. I need to speak with you about something," he said again.

"Sure," Dennis finally said, standing up and leading the way. They walked just outside the waiting room before they turned to face each other. "What is it?"

Harry clinched his fist, trying very hard not to take his anger out on the wrong person. "I want to make something very clear to you. From now on I want to be made aware of all the department's tips on Draco Malfoy and Richard Luis. I want to know what you know. And when there is a lead on where they are, I am going with you to take him in personally. Frankly, I don't care if this means I have to quit my job at Hogwarts and return as an auror full time until we find him. I want that bastard to rot in hell for what he's done to my daughter."

Dennis looked somewhat stunned at Harry's sudden outburst but recovered nicely. "Usually we don't do this, Harry. You know that. But for you I'll make an exception. I'll put you on active status with the auror department again, but I'm not going to require that you work with us on anything other than the Malfoy case. I know there are things you know about Lily' connection with Draco, and I know you're keeping them from me. I understand that it's hard to trust someone in my position so I'll humor you, but if we're going to catch this guy we're going to have to find some middle ground. You may even be able to help speed up the process."

"Thank you," Harry said, more grateful than he sounded.

"Has Jack woken up yet?" Dennis asked apprehensively.

"No," Harry replied, trying to sort through things in his head and not really paying attention to what Dennis was saying any longer.

"Tell Lily we're all pulling for him."

"I will," Harry promised, before walking back down the hallway.

The walk back to Lily's room seemed a lot longer than it had going in the other direction. He knew he needed to tell Lily the whole truth about who her mother really was. He needed to have Hermione help him figure out what curse Malfoy was using. He needed…

"HARRY JAMES POTTER!" His head shoot up in the direction of the scream to see his wife standing there with her hands on her hips looking completely infuriated. "What in Merlin's name did you think you were doing? You should have seen the look on Lily's face when she realized you'd just walked out like that! As if she isn't ashamed enough!"

Harry could have kicked himself. He hadn't even thought about what leaving like that would do to her. He'd just been so set on getting out of there before he made something explode.

"I'm sorry, Gin. I just had to get out of there," he said lamely.

"I'm not the one you need to apologize to!" Ginny looked at him unsympathetically before she took pity on him, and walked over to hug him close. "I know this is hard on you. You've got to be strong for her. She needs you."

"I know," he whispered as he buried his face deeper into her shoulder. Several seconds later he glanced over her head and saw Ron walking towards them. He looked worse than Harry had ever seen him look, and seeing as how the two had been through a war together that was certainly saying something. His eyes were bloodshot, his hair was a mess, and his neck was scratched as if he'd been clawing at it due to nerves.

"No change," Ron said, leaning heavily against the wall. "I think I was driving Hermione crazy so she sent me here to find out how Lily is doing."

Just then Healer Dodger came out. "You may see her now," she said kindly.

"How is she?" Harry asked.

"She's very weak. She needs bed rest and plenty of sleep over the next week or so. Her reserves are low as well, which worries me. I don't know what curse they used on her so unfortunately we're going to have to wait it out and see if there are any side effects. I've done a full exam and I don't see anything out of the ordinary that would point to one curse or another. I'm going to be informing the auror department that she's not to work for at least two weeks. She's not working here either, don't worry I'll let the hospital know. She's asking to go see Jack, but I told her that would be up to you. If she goes you need to be careful that she doesn't fall and hurt herself. I've done a rape kit which I will turn over to Magical Law Enforcement," she assured, before walking back to the Healers' Station.

If Ron looked worried before, he looked horrified now. Ginny sensed his distress and spoke up, "Harry, go in and see her. I'll fill Ron in on what's happened."

Harry nodded in understanding and walked through the doorway to see his daughter lying on the bed with her back to the door. She was curled up into a tight ball with her knees held tightly by her arms. He approached her slowly, not wanting to frighten her anymore than she already was. Walking around to the other side of the bed, he smiled down at her in what he hoped was a comforting way.

"Hey," he said, getting her attention.

"Hi," she said. She met his eye and didn't try to hide her tears.

He took a seat in the chair by her bed and took her hand. "Are you okay?" He asked.

She squeezed his hand, "I'll survive."

"It's okay to admit when you need help."

"I'm sorry if I've disappointed you," she said, wiping back tears.

"You could never disappoint me, honey. What would make you think you had?" He waited for her reply but it never came. He sighed deeply before moving on. "Lily, you really should have told me what happened today before you let it get this far."

"Dad, it was your wedding day. I didn't want to be the one to ruin it."

"Lily, you need to understand that you're my daughter. I've worried about you your whole life. That's my job."

Strangely enough, Lily smiled at his comment. "You sound like Jack."

"Jack's a good man. He loves you," Harry reminded her.

"We had a fight tonight," she admitted, looking away and remembering the events.

"About what?"

"You," she said vaguely.

"What about me?" he asked in confusion.

"Jack figured out what happened this afternoon. I asked him to promise me that he wouldn't tell you about it, but he said he couldn't do that. He said you deserved to know."

"He was right," he said, brushing some hair off her face.

"We yelled at each other. I don't want the last memory I have of him to be a meaningless fight. I can't loose him, Dad. You have to take me to see him," she pleaded.

"Lily, you're not strong enough," he said, looking at her frail and pale body in the sea of white sheets. "The healers don't know what curse they used on you, and frankly you haven't recovered from your encounter with Devon yet. You've got to be careful."

"You call that an encounter? Dad, I killed a man!" she said angrily, glaring at him.

"You did what you had to do," he told her firmly, matching her facial expression with one of his own.

"Dad, Jack has always been there for me when I needed him. Now it's my turn. He needs me and I'm going to go to him whether you help me or not," she informed him.

"Where do you get your defiance?" Harry asked rhetorically.

"Are you going to help me or not?" she asked again.

Harry turned around and found the hospital dressing robe draped over the back of the chair. He helped her sit up and wrapped the gown around her shoulders. They had put a hospital gown on her to get rid of her blood stained clothes, but the gown was hardly warm enough. He eased her off the bed and onto her feet. She swayed dangerously and he held her back to his chest to keep her from falling.

"Do you want me to carry you?" he asked.

"No, I'm just a little dizzy," she said as they started to walk towards the door.

The trip was slow and awkward, but they eventually made it into the hallway where Ginny and Ron were standing. Ginny had clearly just finished telling Ron about the new developments, because he had a completely stunned expression on his face which he managed to cover up poorly when he saw Lily.

"Hey there, kiddo," he said, smiling at her. "What are you doing out of bed?"

"She's bound and determined to see that son of yours," Harry explained.

"You think that's a good idea?" Ron asked, looking at how weak she clearly was.

"No, but you know she's a Potter. Never listens to reason," Harry joked.

"Sounds familiar," Ginny said, walking to Lily's other side and taking her hand.

Their progress was painfully slow. Harry knew the healer wasn't joking when she said Lily was weak. They had to stop three times for her to catch her breath. Eventually they made it to Jack's floor and all the way to his doorway where they found Hermione sitting on the ground against the wall with her head in her hands. She heard them coming and looked up.

"I just couldn't stand to sit there and look at him like that anymore," she explained through tears and sobs. "I'm a horrible mother."

Ron rushed to her side and sat down with her. He pulled her to him and let her cry on his shoulder. "No, you're a wonderful mother. It'd be hard for any mother to look at her child hurt like that and not be able to help him. Its okay, love, he'll wake up now. Lily is here. If anyone can bring him out of this she can."

Hermione stood up and embraced Lily as only a mother could. "He'll come back for you. I know he will," she said desperately. When Hermione stepped away from her, Lily stumbled back into Harry's chest from physical and emotional exhaustion. He steadied her by wrapping his arms around her shoulders.

"I'll do my best, Aunt Hermione," Lily said honestly.

"We know you will," Ron said, now standing behind his wife.

Harry guided Lily into the dimly lit room and around the curtain which shielded Jack from the view of people passing by in the hallway. He couldn't help but gasp at the sight before him. Jack was lying flat on his back, his arms at his sides and a blank expression on his face. Again he felt Lily stumble in his arms.

"I don't think you're ready for this," Harry thought out loud.

"I'll be alright when I sit down," she whispered.

Harry sighed and led her around the bed to the chair. He watched as she stared at Jack for several seconds before she tenderly reached out and took his hand.

"Can he hear us?" Harry asked, thinking she might know from her healer training.

"Maybe," she said, clearly holding back tears. "It depends on how deep his coma is."

They were silent for a few minutes before Lily suddenly asked, "Dad, will you please hand me his chart? It's at the end of his bed." She never took her eyes off Jack's face. Once Harry handed her the chart, he watched her open it on her lap with her free hand. Perhaps he should have left them alone, but he didn't want her to collapse or something and not have anyone there to help her.

"They've given him a blood replenishing poison. He's vitals are on the weak side but that shouldn't prevent him from waking up," she read.

"Maybe he just needs a little coaxing," Harry suggested.

Lily nodded, put the chart down on the tray beside her, and leaned forward to caress his cheek. "Jack, can you hear me?"

No response.

"We're all here waiting for you. Your mom's losing her mind out in the hallway. There is no medical reason that you can't just open up those beautiful blue eyes. Please Jack…I…" she paused to look up at Harry who now had tears in his eyes. She looked back down at him again and let her own tears fall. "I need you to wake up, Jack. I can't do this without you. I need you," she repeated in his ear.

When Jack remained silent and motionless, Harry could tell Lily was about to loose hope. "Keep talking to him," he encouraged.

Lily nodded and took a deep breath. "When I was in that cell of Malfoy's, you were the only thing I thought about. I remember leaning against the wall there just before you all came and got me, and I remember wondering if you would still want me after all that Malfoy had done to me. But then there you were, looking at me the way you always have and I knew everything would be okay. I knew I still had something in my life worth fighting for. Jack, please, you have to wake up. Come back to me."

Harry had to blink when he saw Jack's eyebrows twitch in order to determine if he'd imagined it or not. He couldn't help but smile when he saw Jack squeeze Lily's hand and open his mouth to take a deep breath. He turned on his heel to go get Ron, Hermione, and Ginny from the hallway. By the time he got back, Jack was moving his legs, only a little bit but it was still movement.

Lily was still talking to him. "Open your eyes, Jack. I need you to open your eyes."

Jack still had his eyes closed, but he spoke in a raspy voice, "Lily."

Ron stepped forward and patted his son's shoulder. "She's right here, Jack. Open your eyes and you can see for yourself."

That was all the encouragement he needed. Jack opened his eyes slowly having to adjust to the dim light. He focused on the ceiling for a few seconds before turning his head towards Lily.

"Hey, beautiful," he said, managing a smile.

Lily smiled back at him and kissed the back of his hand. "I think you've gone blind," she joked, tucking her hair behind her ear. "I must look a fright."

"Not to me," he told her, raising his hand with great effort to cup her cheek with his palm. She leaned into his hand lovingly, and they locked eyes for several seconds as Jack tried to search for something inside her.

"We almost lost you tonight," she whispered as her eyes filled with tears for the hundredth time in the last few hours.

Jack shook his head dismissively, "Can't get rid of me that easily."

Lily opened her mouth to give a reply but no words came out, and instead tears fell from her eyes running rivers down her face.

"Don't cry, love," Jack soothed. "You're so much prettier when you smile." She nodded and offered him the best smile she could. "That's my girl," he said, wiping her tears away.

There was silence again until Lily looked over to where their parents were still standing there looking at them. "You had us all worried there for a while," she told him, gesturing to his mother and father.

"Sorry, guys," Jack apologized.

"Oh honey, we're so glad you're okay," Hermione said, leaning down to give her son a hug.

"I'm fine, Mum," Jack assured her.

"You're brothers are in a right state," Ron told him. "They'll be glad to know you're okay."

"Tell them I love them, will you?" Jack asked sincerely.

"We will," Hermione replied.

Jack looked at Harry and Ginny, "Sorry to ruin your wedding night."

Ginny shook her head, but Harry answered for them both, "Don't think about it, son. We're just thrilled that you're going to be okay."

Healer Dodger walked in the room unexpectedly. She looked at Lily, "I see you made it up here. And it seems you've gotten Jack here to finally rejoin the land of the living."

"Lily is the best medicine," Jack told her confidently.

"I can see that," she said kindly, looking at the two young lovers. "And it appears she's your guardian angel, Mr. Weasley. If Lily hadn't thought quickly and used what she's learned as a healer, you wouldn't have made it."

Jack lifted Lily's chin so she would look at him. "Thanks for coaching me," he said grinning.

"Don't mention it," she said lightheartedly.

"If you ask me, she's wasting her time as an auror. Her true calling is to be a healer. She's got the touch," Healer Dodger said, trying to catch Lily's eye. "Do you plan on sticking with it after you graduate? You will be years ahead of everyone your age and could even practice in your own right in a year or two."

"I'd love to get Lily away from the fighting," Jack said seriously, ignoring her dark expression.

"Me too," Harry agreed. "I'd like to see both of you away from the fighting.

"We'll see how things turn these next few months," Lily told them, ending the topic of conversation.

The healer returned to the issue of their health. "You both need your rest," the healer said firmly, "I don't want Lily running up here to see you all the time during the next few hours so I've taken the liberty of having a bed moved up here for her to use. You both can go home probably tomorrow morning."

Lily was confused for a few seconds until she looked out the window to see the sun was already starting to kiss the horizon in the distance. It was Sunday morning.

"But the holiday is over," Jack pointed out. "Term starts on Monday."

"Not for your two," Hermione said sternly. "You're both not to work for the next two weeks. You will stay here until they release you, and then you're going to be staying with Harry and Ginny until you've gotten your strength back. I don't even want you near Hogwarts until that time. Is that clear?"

"Yes," Jack and Lily said together, sounding strangely like small children again. The healer waved her hand, and a bed appeared just a few feet away from Jack's.

"We should get going," Ron announced, looking at Hermione. "The boys will be worried. We need to tell them they're big brother is alright."

"You're right," Hermione agreed. "We'll be back later on today," she assured them, kissing Jack on the forehead.

"Goodnight, Mum," Jack said, despite the fact that it was indeed already morning.

"Goodnight, Jack," Ron said, patting him softly on the shoulder.

"Ginny and I will stay for a few minutes. We'll make sure they get to sleep," Harry told them.

"Thanks, mate," Ron said, clapping Harry on the back.

Hermione and Ron both walked around the bed to give Lily a hug. Ron smirked and said to Lily, "Thanks for convincing Jack to wake up."

"He's always been stubborn," Lily said, winking at Jack.

"That he is. Goodnight sweetheart," Ron said, also kissing her forehead.

Lily bid everyone goodnight, and Ron and Hermione left for home. Ginny sat down in another chair at the foot of Jack's bed. The healer was looking over Jack's chart and checking his vitals. Harry noticed Lily's eyes drop several times as she gazed over at Jack.

"Bedtime," Harry said, walking over to Lily's chair.

"I know," she said, leaning over and kissing Jack's forehead. She stood up a little too quickly and started to fall, and Harry had to act fast to catch her before she hit the ground. Jack had tried to sit up in a futile attempt to help her but groaned loudly and was forced back down the bed by Ginny and Healer Dodger.

"You're not quite up to that yet, dear," the healer advised.

When Harry looked down at Lily in his arms he saw her eyes were closed. He looked over at Healer Dodger who was watching with concern.

"Why don't you just put her in bed," Healer Dodger suggested. "I'll start her on some strengthening potions when she wakes up."

"Is this normal?" Harry asked, standing up with his daughter in his arms and laying her down in bed. He pulled the covers up to her chin and looked over at Jack who appeared to be both concerned, and in some amount of pain.

"No, I'm afraid it's not normal. I'm going to be running some more tests while she's here. I'll know more then," the healer told them. "Now, Jack, I've got some potions here you need to take." Jack made an unpleasant face but nodded obediently. The healer looked at Harry, "Will you please help me sit him up, Mr. Potter?"

"Sure," Harry said, stepping to the side of Jack's bed opposite from where the healer was standing. They each took one of his arms and helped him into a sitting position so he could take the potions. Harry heard Jack exhale sharply and grab his side. He was trying desperately to hide his pain.

"How is the pain, Jack?" the healer asked.

"I'm fine," Jack claimed weakly.

"No he isn't," Harry contested. "Jack, if you're in pain you need to say something."

Again, Jack made a face. "I hate taking pain potions. I don't like how they make me feel."

The healer explained, "The pain is only going to get worse and worse until the potion will no longer take the edge away."

Jack still looked skeptical until Harry told him, "If for nothing else take it for Lily. You heard it yourself from her own mouth. She needs you."

Finally Jack took the potion and the healer left them in peace. He already looked groggy as Ginny helped him lay back down. "I take it she told you what happened?" Jack asked looking at Harry.

"The healer found it really," Harry informed him. "We only found out by default."

"Is she alright?" Jack asked, looking over at Lily, who was still asleep in the same position Harry had put her in.

"No, she's not alright," Harry said sternly. "It's going to be a rough couple of days. She and I need to have a heart to heart about some things and I don't think she's going to take it all that well. I'm going to need your help."

"I'll be there," Jack said, now sounding distant and very sleepy.

"Not now, sleep now," Ginny said soothingly. That was the only encouragement Jack needed to close his eyes and drift off into the oblivion.

The sun was already high in the sky by the time Harry and Ginny got back to their house. They walked into the house through the front door, climbed up the stairs, and down the hall to their master bedroom. The room was just as they'd left it when Harry received the unexpected owl in the middle of the night. Neither of them said anything as they fell into bed and into each others arms. Ginny's head rested in the middle of Harry's chest.

Several minutes later, Ginny broke the suffocating silence. "I think Jack and Lily are two of the oldest seventeen year olds I know."

Harry sighed and ran his hand over her back absentmindedly. "I always thought the generation behind us would have it a lot easier than we did. No war to worry about and no psycho mass-murderer running around killing people. I thought their world would be safer," he mused distantly.

"Most of them do have it a lot easier than we did," Ginny reminded him.

"Yes, but why does it have to be my daughter and my godson that have it rough?"

"I don't know, love."

"I'm going to talk to Lily when they are released from the hospital," he told her suddenly.

Ginny moved off his chest to prop her head up on her elbow and look down at him. "What exactly are you going to tell her?"

"Everything," Harry said vaguely. "I should have told her about it all months ago, but I didn't. I don't know what I've been protecting her from, but it clearly isn't working. Its time she knows what we're dealing with. She needs to know that Malfoy isn't just targeting her randomly or even because she's my daughter. She needs to be prepared for what might happen. I sent Hedwig up to Hogwarts to tell McGonagall about what happened. She said that she'd handle my classes for me this week if I need the time off."

"Do you think that will be necessary?"

"No, hopefully I can get back by the end of the week. But, love, I don't think she's going to take this all to well. Lily doesn't like secrets and this one is pretty big."

Ginny nodded in affirmation. "Have you talked to Hermione about researching old pure blood family curses?"

"No, not yet. I kind of wanted to tell Lily about this before I went to Ron and Hermione for help. I don't know….maybe I'm just scared that we'll find out that there is nothing we can do to stop what he's doing to her."

"Knowledge is power, Harry. The more we know about our enemy, the better we can fight him. Even if we can't stop what's happening to her by reversing the curse, we may be able to help Lily deal with it more and maybe even help her learn how to fight it."

Harry reached over and pulled her to him so he could kiss her properly. "Why is it that you always know exactly what to say to make me feel better?" he asked when he pulled away.

"It's a gift," Ginny said smugly.

"I love you Ginny Potter," he said, fighting the urge to close his eyes and fall into unconsciousness.

"I love you too," she said, reaching over and smoothing the hairs off his forehead. It didn't take long for him to give in to beckoning sleep.

A/N- Please review!