The Cruelty of the Past
Chapter 22
Important Decisions
The teaching staff watched in horror as Ginny's broom spun to the ground. No one could do a thing as Ginny and the broom were moving too fast. Oliver Wood did jump from his spot in the stands and rush down to the pitch. He was followed closely by both Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom.
Oliver was the first to reach where Ginny's small body landed. He slid on his knees towards her the last couple of feet. Her one leg and both arms were bent in unnatural positions. Oliver knew enough not to move her before a healer arrived. "Ginny! Ginny! You're going to be okay!" he lied as he gently brushed her hair away from her face. He hoped his lie would convince her; however, the redhead was unconscious and heard nothing.
Harry and Neville arrived at the same moment as Madam Pomfrey, "Stand aside!" the school nurse ordered as she began assessing Ginny. As Oliver stood up, the rest of the players and Hermione and Luna arrived. Luna positioned herself next to Neville. Hermione looked sick as Harry wrapped an arm around her to comfort his friend.
Everyone stood silently waiting for word. Headmistress McGonagall arrived in time for the nurse to state, "I need to get her to the hospital wing." Madam Pomfrey then charmed Ginny's body so that nothing moved and then levitated her up, revealing the blood-soaked snow under Ginny's body. There was a gasp from the stands and Luna grabbed Neville's hand.
"I'll come with you," Oliver said to the matron.
The Headmistress seemed torn between heading to the hospital wing and remaining on the pitch, but after a second or two, she turned to Harry. "Professor Potter, you and the other staff see to the rest of the student body," she ordered.
"Professor? We, the Ravenclaw team, would like a rematch," declared the captain of Ravenclaw.
"Professor Potter!" Minvera said louder to get his attention, ordering Harry to remain with the student body. She then turned to follow the matron ad her charge, who were already being followed by Neville, Luna, and Professor Wood.
In the hospital wing, Luna stood with the three professors outside of the curtained area where Madam Pomfrey was caring for Ginny. All were quiet as they waited and worried. After what seemed like forever, the nurse finally stepped out of the curtained area, but instead of approaching her fellow staff members, she headed for the Floo. McGonagall followed the other woman.
"She needs more care than I can provide here. I need to make arrangements for her trip to St. Mungo's," the Headmistress was told.
McGonagall returned to the others. "She will need to be moved."
"What's wrong?" Oliver asked.
"She's that bad?" Neville asked.
"Someone should contact her husband," Luna said in her dreamy-sounding voice.
"I don't know, but she requires more care that can be offered here." Then, as if Luna's comment finally registered, Minerva looked over at Luna and a look of shock crossed the older woman's face. She nodded slowly. "Yes, I guess that's my place. Miss Lovegood, please go ask Poppy how long until Ginevra is moved. I'm sure Lucius will demand to know."
"Of course." Luna then waltzed down to the office at the back of the hospital wing.
"Professor Wood, your students will want to know what's happening with Ginevra," Headmistress McGonagall stated.
"I'll tell them once we've talked to Madam Pomfrey," Oliver replied.
The door burst open and in walked Harry and Hermione. "What's wrong with Ginny?" he demanded.
Neville looked at Harry. He, too, knew that Harry had given Ginny a hard time since Ginny's marriage, but like Hermione and even Luna to some extent, he believed Harry's actions were due to hurt. "She's going to be moved to London," Neville explained.
"Why? What's wrong?" Hermione asked.
Oliver was the only one who knew that Ginny hadn't heard much of anything from her family.
He turned his back on the rest of the group and stared at the curtained area that Ginny lay behind.
"We're still waiting for word," Minerva said as she saw Luna and Poppy come out of the office. Poppy, without a word, returned to her charge. Minerva headed towards the curtained area.
Once Luna got closer, she explained, "They're coming to take Ginny right away."
The large Floo on the far side of the room then opened and two of the staff from St. Mungo's came through. The group watched as they too disappeared behind the curtain.
"Headmistress, shouldn't you call Mr. Malfoy now?" Luna asked.
Minerva stared at Luna for a second before shaking her head and realizing her duty. "Right!" She headed down to the small office.
"Why does he need to be informed?" Harry started to rant.
"Because Harry, he is her husband," Hermione stated. The statement earned Hermione a death glare from Harry.
In the nurse's office, Minerva set the smaller Floo to call Malfoy Manor. She knew this line went directly to Lucius Malfoy's private study. "Lucius Malfoy?" she called.
Lucius came into view. "Yes, Professor McGonagall?"
"Your- um, Ginevra had a Quidditch match today. There was an accident."
"She's in the hospital wing, I take it?" he asked without emotion, as if he had little interest in the news.
"She's being moved to St. Mungo's as we speak," she finished.
Lucius' eyebrows shot up. "That bad? What happened?"
"It was a freak accident! Madam Pomfrey made the decision to move her right away."
Lucius looked unsure of what to say or do. "I guess I will head over there then."
"I, too, am going there."
Lucius then closed the connection.
The Headmistress headed back out to the others. Madam Pomfrey had just stepped back out as the staff took Ginny.
Once Ginny disappeared with the staff from St. Mungo's through the large Floo, Madam Pomfrey joined the group waiting for word. "Mrs Malfoy had conditions that I lack the experience to deal with."
"Like what?" Hermione asked.
"I don't have permission to discuss it," the hospital matron explained.
"But in the past, you were able to discuss what was wrong with Harry," Hermione tried to reason.
"Yes. Well, Professor Potter wasn't a Malfoy. There are special rules for them."
"WHAT?" cried Harry.
"Why?" asked Hermione.
"There is a magical agreement that vows personal information about the Malfoy family will not be released. About the only information we can give out is grades," Headmistress McGonagall explained. "Poppy, I'm going to use your Floo to head over there now."
Minerva, having been to St. Mungo's many times, went straight to the visitor's waiting area and checked in. She didn't even need to explain who she was, for she had taught the witch at the desk.
"Headmistress, who is it this time?" the desk clerk asked.
"Ginevra Weasley."
"Ginevra Malfoy," corrected Lucius Malfoy from behind her.
The younger witch gulped at the sight of Lucius.
"Right. Ginevra Malfoy," Minerva then turned toward Lucius Malfoy. She wasn't at all surprised that Lucius didn't fight in the final battle. She always knew family was first for him. "Lucius," she greeted.
"What exactly happened to Ginevra?" he asked, quite eagerly this time.
"A Bludger hit the tail end of Ginny's broom. In this cold, the broom snapped and went out of control. She fell, and there was nothing anyone could do but watch."
"Who sent the Bludger at her?"
"I personally don't know," she admitted.
"Mr. Malfoy, your wife is awake and we are ready to discuss treatment with her and you," a healer said. He held the door open for Lucius to follow.
Lucius nodded. "I'll return and let you know what's happening with Ginevra," he politely informed Minerva.
Once in Ginevra's room, Lucius was surprised that his wife seemed to still be in great pain. The healer began, "Ginevra, you have suffered a broken hip, femur, and arm, all of which can normally be easily healed. However, Mrs. Malfoy, you are pregnant, and the only thing keeping you pregnant is your own magic. If we do anything magically to heal you, it will disturb the balance of your magic and you will miscarry. I would recommend you allow us to heal you."
"I'm pregnant?" she repeated, a smile spreading on her pain-stricken face.
"That's right. But only a few weeks along," the healer explained.
Lucius was surprised too.
"I will not miscarry! I will have this baby!" she vowed through clenched teeth as she fought the pain she was in.
"Mrs. Malfoy, I don't think you realize what you are facing," the healer cautioned.
"What is she facing?" Lucius hoped the facts of her condition would get Ginevra to see reason.
"As I said, we can't do anything magical to heal the bones without her miscarrying, so the breaks would have to heal on their own. The femur and arm can be set; held in place with something called a cast. It wouldn't affect your magic at all, but they are uncomfortable and would need to be used for at least six weeks. However, we can't set the hip the same way; it would heal, but not correctly. You would have to be on complete bed rest for your whole pregnancy. Once you had the baby, we can simply remove the bone and give you Skel-regrowth."
"Ginevra, be reasonable! That's too much! Let them heal you now!" Lucius tried ordering Ginny.
"No! I'm having this baby!" she shot back.
A/N I know finally posted another chapter! More to come I promise! but please leave me a review!