Chapter 37 – Tensions and Defeat

"I'm sorry Potter but only a few select people know where she is being held," Professor Snape said though he didn't sound sorry at all. Snape was standing in front of Harry giving his report. "They have been ordered not to tell anyone, not even their own side." Harry sighed and nodded and Snape Disapparated, leaving Harry and Ginny alone. Harry sat down wearily on the couch in Ron and Hermione's living room. Ginny sat on the arm of the chair and started rubbing his shoulders.

"Harry," she said carefully.

"Mmmm…" he said in response his eyes were closed and his head rested on her stomach.

"I'm pregnant."

"What?" he asked sitting up straight. "Really?"

"Yes, really," she said and a smile appeared on his face for the first time in weeks. "I know you probably don't want to hear about this right now—"

Harry smile suddenly disappeared.

"Are you really pregnant or is this something to get my mind of searching for Anna?" he said harshly the reality of everything coming back to him.

"Wh—Harry no… that's not what I—"

"Oh I see you're trying to replace her," he shouted on his feet now. Ginny sat opening her mouth and then closing it again as Harry walked toward the door. She sighed sitting on the unoccupied chair a hand on her stomach.

Later that evening Harry stood outside in the warm summer evening air. He was trying to think of a way to apologize to Ginny. Charlie, who was in their search party, had seen how Harry and Ginny had been acting around each other all day and told Harry to sort things out before he searched anymore. Harry had agreed knowing he wasn't in the right frame of mind.

"Harry," Ginny's voice came from behind him.

"Gin, I am so sorry for the way I acted this morning. I was an idiot I never meant what I said and I feel awful for saying it. I am just a bit on edge."

"I know Harry, I can't imagine what you are going through. I just had to tell you," Ginny said.

"I can't believe we are going to have a baby. It's so…"

"Depressing," Ginny offered.

"No," Harry exclaimed. "No it's not it's a gift come to us at a difficult time. I reckon it's a sign of hope. That she will be ok." Ginny raised her eyebrow.

"A sign?" she said grinning slightly. Then she added in a mystical voice. "Have you seen this in your crystal ball Professor Trelawney?"

"Shut it beautiful," Harry said grinning.

Anna was alone for the first time. They felt she didn't need a guard anymore she didn't blame them if she was unchained she didn't think she would make it across the room. Her right arm had lost feeling and it was getting harder to breath and when she was tortured it hurt even to scream. She had stopped screaming she just couldn't make the sounds escape her lips. When she fell asleep from exhaustion she dreamt about her mother being killed. Sadness, misery and despair were taking over her. She had forgotten what it was like to be happy she wondered how she had actually been happy before this. She wondered why she spent all that time being upset over Lupin when it was nothing compared to this Hell.

The door opened and an immediate feeling of dread filled her. The Death Eater came in and forced her mouth open roughly and stuffed some bread in, followed by the familiar green liquid they gave her once in a while. She coughed but swallowed it nonetheless. The Death Eater kicked her in the stomach and went to leave.

"Who are you?" she asked quietly not only was she in pain but she didn't know who was hurting her. The Death Eater turned and looked at her Anna could see grey eyes through the slits in his mask. He looked her up and down and then said.

"Draco Malfoy … you deserve this," he said. Anna knew who he was, he had gone to school with her father and they hated each other. She didn't understand why she deserved it, maybe she did she was being punished for letting her mother die. When she could have done something, anything, she didn't even run for help before it was too late.

"I know," she said hoarsely. "Did you daughter tell you who I was?"

"That brat no she had no idea who you were. But she saw enough in the Pool and had heard enough times to know what you were seeing, so she told me. But none of that matters the Dark Lord would have known anyway, he always knows."

"He doesn't know what he is getting himself into doing this to me."

"I think he does, like I said you deserve this, how could you let your mum die like that? And you know what else your father deserves the same thing."

"No he doesn't he never killed anyone. He is a good person unlike you," she said. She didn't know where she was getting the courage to say all this.

"He was an arrogant show off who didn't know when to die and surrender."

"He wasn't, he won't die. He is 100 times better than you or Voldemort, Harry Potter will defeat you," she said as loudly as she could. Malfoy had had enough though he raised his wand and said the curse to make deep cuts and he went over to her and put his wand to her stomach Anna felt something cutting into her stomach and the blood soak through her robes. Malfoy left leaving Anna with tears running down her face.