Ch. 5 All Fall Down
a/n: I love my reviewers..and I wish I could be as brilliant as J.k Rowling..but I am not.
As April turned to May and the weather grew warmer, I spent most of my time out by the lake with Draco. The cuts on my arms had turned into barely there scars and so by the middle of the month I could wear sundresses.
"Bloody hell, I give up" I groaned after a good ten minutes or so of shifting around in the grass trying to get comfortable with no good results. I shut my potions book and dropped it on the ground next to my bag. "How am I supposed to pass my OWLS if every time I come out here to try and study; I can't get stay comfortable for more than five minutes."
Draco put his Transfiguration essay aside and pulled me towards him. I put my head on his chest, closed my eyes, and let the sound of the lake calm me down. I felt him move one of his arms and I knew he was waving his wand, having our books and things pack themselves into our bags. I smiled, softly into his chest.
"Let's go," He helped me up and kept an arm around my waste as we began the walk back towards the castle. The students hadn't acted one bit surprised when me and Draco started walking around holding hands again. But this time it was different. This time it was real. We were together and it felt nice. My nightmare no longer followed me to my dorm on the nights I slept there. Logan still walked me to class and Bickman still glared at me across rooms whenever he saw me. But things were getting better.
Before we made it to the castle we were joined by Pansy, Blaise, Azlyn, and Logan.
"Let me guess" Azlyn began "went to the lake to study?"
"Studied for maybe five minutes" Pansy continued.
"Became uncomfortable" Logan added "spent the next ten minutes or so trying to get comfortable"
"Gave up?" Blaise asked and they all laughed.
I rolled my eyes at them but smiled. This has become a common occurrence in the last week. We all walked together back to Draco's rooms and once inside I removed the charm hiding Merci from the world.
"I'm assuming there was a reason we ran into you lot on our way back here." Draco sat down on the floor in front of the chair I was sitting in.
"Yes, we've been hearing some rumors in the common room we think you two would want to know about" Blaise explained.
"What kind of rumors?" I couldn't quite see all of his face but I knew he glanced back at my growing stomach, afraid my secret was out.
"Voldemort rumors." Logan answered. Draco tensed in front of me and goose bumps ran up my spine.
"What are they saying?" I questioned place a hand over my stomach, as if that alone would keep Merci safe.
"We haven't gotten much. People know our allegiances aren't with Voldemort so if the notice we are listening, they shut up pretty quickly." Azlyn looked to Logan and he nodded for her to continue. "We've gotten just words of phrases. But that is enough to have us worried. It's been things like killing Dumbledore, getting death eaters into Hogwarts, a break out at Azkaban. From what I understand the first two have been assigned to a young new recruit here at Hogwarts."
"How credible do you think these rumors are?" Draco looked to all four of them and they shrugged in turn.
"It seems like an awfully big task for someone here at Hogwarts. Seems strange Voldemort would trust a new recruit at all with suck a big task. I would think he would be seeking something like this from one of the more trusted amongst his rank." Blaise answered him. "I think unless we here more information, we can't really say one way or another about them."
"Alright then, we'll leave it alone for now. But if anyone hears anything new or more credible then we'll take it to Severus. He'll know what to do." Draco decided and everyone nodded in agreement.
"So on a much happier note, what are we doing for your birthday Azlyn?" I smiled knowing Azlyn's birthday was on the thirtieth of May.
"Nothing big, please. I would really like it to just be the six and a half of us gathering in here."
"Fine but what do you want for your birthday then?" I laughed.
"Honestly, nothing. I'm not really in want of anything right now. I've got my best friends. I've had a pretty decent year so far."
"Are you sure?" I pressed.
"If I change my mind, you'll be the first to know, I promise." She rolled her eyes at me and put her head on Logan's chest.
That was the last we talked of the rumors until the day of Azlyn's birthday. I was fast asleep next to Draco when the door to the bedroom flew open and our four friends poured in waking us both.
"Gah, I know it's your birthday Azlyn but what are you lot doing?" I sat up and Draco followed before we noticed that the looks on their faces were not happy ones.
"What is it?" Draco was wide awake and we both tensed up.
Blaise tossed a copy of the Daily Prophet down on the bed and the headline confirmed our worst fears. In big letters it announced the mass break out of death eaters from Azkaban. Amongst the now free prisoners were Azlyn and Draco's fathers and Bellatrix Lestrange.
"Now do we go to Severus?" Pansy asked clearly afraid.
"This doesn't give us anything on the rumors about Hogwarts. It could be unconnected. And besides Severus knows about this by now I'm sure so it's not like we have anything concrete to add to it. This is bad news and I'm sorry we had to hear about it on your birthday Azlyn but we can't fall apart now. Until Potter kills Voldemort, leads us into an all-out battle, or Voldemort kills him; there just isn't much we can do." Draco ran a hand through his hair as he spoke.
"He's right; we can't do much right now. When I get a chance, I'll see if Ron, Harry, and Hermione know anything." I added. "But in the meantime, Happy Birthday Azlyn."
"Thank you, Gin." She sat down on the bed next to me hugging me close. Or as close as she could really get with my huge stomach in the way. 溺Merlin girl, how much longer until this little one is getting evicted?" She gestured at my stomach and laughed.
"About a month." I answered as she stood and joined the others at the foot of the bed. "Now I love you all dearly but can we have a minute or maybe twenty to get out of bed before you ambush us?"
They laughed and filed out leaving us to get out of bed. I stood and stretched while Draco came up behind me wrapping his arm around my stomach keeping both hands where he could feel Merci kicking. I felt his lips brush against my neck and goose bumps ran up my spine. I turned around to face him and placed my lips on his. The kiss quickly turned passionate and Draco's hand began traveling under my shirt. I broke the kiss and broke away from him.
"What's wrong? Is it Merci?" He took a step towards me clearly confused.
"No, I'm a whale Draco, a fucking whale. I refuse to let you see me without clothes on for the first time like this." Hot tears poured down my face and I sat down on the bed again. He sat down next to me and took my hands in his.
"You are beautiful, not a whale. And I have seen you without clothes before, but it's not a picture I ever try to think of." He frowned while speaking the last part and I wrapped my arms around him tightly.
"I'm sorry; I actually forgot that you have seen me naked." I looked up at him and he put kissed my forehead gently.
"Why don't we get dresses and go celebrate Azlyn's birthday like an all-out war isn't about to begin?" He smiled gently pulling me up so we were standing next to each other again.
"Alright" I wiped my tears away and pulled away from him, beginning to gather my clothes for the day.
After our little celebration for Azlyn was over, I made my way from Draco's room to the Gryffindor tower and found Harry, Ron, and Hermione in the common room.
"You want to know if we know anything about the Azkaban breakout." Harry guess before I even sat down. "We were going to ask you the same thing. But I'm guessing since you are here, they don't know anything either."
"No, they are scared. Azlyn and Draco now have death eater parents free and they aren't on the same side as their parents. So please give me something to work with here."
"I can tell you something. But I'm not so sure it's something you can share with your Slytherin friends." Harry whispered looking around making sure no one was listening in to the conversation.
I trust them. They may not be Dumbledore's biggest fans but they will fight with our side if it means the downfall of you know who." It was frustrating that while my Gryffindor friends tolerated and were nice to my Slytherin friends, they didn't trust them to actually be loyal to the Order.
"Alright fine, but please make sure this doesn't get out to anyone who is not trust worthy. Dumbledore is taking me with him to collect something the night of the forth. Something that could aid us in the destruction of Voldemort. Something we must destroy." Harry explained.
"What could aid in the destruction of Voldemort?"
"He made horcruxes." Hermione answered me. "He made six. Two of which have already been destroyed. The first was Tom Riddle's diary and the second was a ring that Dumbledore destroyed."
"Well this complicates things a bit" Draco sat next to me in bed as I explained what I had learned from Harry and Hermione.
"No kidding, unfortunately nothing they told me helps with the rumors we have been hearing." I sighed leaning back against his chest.
"I know, I have a really bad feeling that something terrible is about to happen." He put one hand on my stomach smiling when Merci kicked his hand. "Can we talk about something unrelated to Voldemort?"
"Alright, what's on your mind?"
"It's about Merci" He spoke slowly as if unsure of how I would react. "I was wondering if you ever think you want to keep her."
I shifted in the bed, turning so I could see his face.
"Yes, the thought has crossed my mind once or twice. But that is all it has done. She belongs to my brother and Anna. I could never do them the injustice of promising a child then ripping it away. Besides I can't raise her waiting for the day when she asks about her father. And also Merci is the name Charlie and Anna picked out for their child. It doesn't feel right to call her that if I'm going to keep her and also it is her name I wouldn't feel right to call her anything else. Draco, why do you want to talk about this?"
"I love her, Ginny. It's strange to love a child that isn't yours. I have no claim to her but I love her and I would do anything for her. If you truly in your heart believe that Charlie and Anna are best for her then I will not object; not that I really have any right to regardless. But I want you to know that I would claim her as my own if you made the decision to keep her. The whole world would believe that she was mine and yours and no one else. I have been thinking this over for a while. And I just wanted to make sure that your decision to give her to your brother wasn't based solely on the fact that you didn't want her to know that a monster was responsible for her creation." He kept one hand on the side of my face and the other on my stomach.
"I love her too, but she isn't mine. I am one hundred percent positive that Charlie and Anna are what is best for her." I felt the tears beginning to roll down my cheeks. "You are a wonderful man Draco Malfoy. I wish that we could have become close under different circumstances. I am completely sure that one day you will be a great father on your terms to your child. And I am so grateful for all you have done to help me."
I tucked myself in as close as possible to him and let him hold me while I cried and silently in our own heads we each imagined a different meeting and a different life.
The night of June fourth I curled into bed alone because Draco had prefect rounds and fell asleep rather quickly. It was too soon before I was being shaken awake.
"Ginny, get up!" Draco shook me gently but firmly. I sat up straight taking in the absolute fear in his eyes.
"What is it what's wrong?" I swung my feet over the edge standing to face him.
"Death eaters in the castle. I'll explain later but I need you to go to the Great Hall now. All the other students are going there." He waved his wand at me casting the glamor charm. He handed me my wand and pulled me from his room.
"Where are you going?" I asked knowing he had no plans of being in the great hall.
"To help, someone said something about them heading for the astronomy tower. I think that is where Potter and Dumbledore are. Just please go Ginny. I don't know what I would do if something happened to you or Merci"
Soon we joined the massive crowd of student heading for the Great Hall and Draco broke away heading up the stairs. Before I realized it someone else grabbed my arm and pulled me from the crowd. I looked up and realized it was Carter.
"I need your help." he began pulling me by the hand up the stair case.
"Where are we going?" I questioned, taking in the scared appearance on his face.
"The astronomy tower. I know that is where the death eaters are supposed to be heading. Regan took off when she heard Ron and Hermione talking about how that is where Harry is. She has a thing for him and I'm terrified she is going to get hurt or killed. I wouldn't ask you to do this but I know you have fought death eaters before and I trust you."
"I'll help you." He let go of my hand trusting that I wouldn't run back the other way. "I'm surprised that you would trust me after what happened."
"I knew all along, I think. It was easier to ignore when you two weren't speaking to each other, but once you started hanging out again, it became harder to ignore. I'm sorry I about what I said on the train."
"It's alright. I didn't even know it then that I loved him. But I did probably even then."
"Did you two really date before we dated?"
"No, he was just protecting me from someone."
"Travis Bickman?"
"How did you know that?" I slowed down to a walk as we reached the floor beneath the astronomy tower.
"He stared at you all the time the beginning of term. And after you and Malfoy started pretending to date his expression changed. It became really dark and creepy."
"I don't know it I should be flattered or creeper out that you paid that much attention to me back then."
"I had a huge crush on you for a long time, I just never managed to speak up until I thought telling you wouldn't matter because you were taken."
"I'm sorry Carter. If this year had gone differently then maybe we would have had a real fighting chance at something. But it didn't and I am truly happy with Draco."
"I know this really isn't the time for a heart to heart but since we are already in the middle of it, we might as well have this conversation. How bad could Bickman have really been if you needed Draco Malfoy to protect you and why Malfoy of all people. I want the truth Ginny. I think you owe me that."
"The truth is that Draco found me" I took a deep breath stopping to stand and face him. "After Bickman had already done something bad"
"What do you mean found you after Bickman did something? What on earth could he have possibly...?" I could see that his brain had finally worked it out. "I'm such an idiot. I mean I saw it. I saw that something was different the day you started pretending with Malfoy. But I ignored it. I just thought you were freaked out by how people would react. Merlin Ginny, I'm so sorry."
"It's not your fault Carter. You were nothing but good to me. And I just couldn't open up to you like I did with Draco. I was forced to let him in, but that was a good thing. I'm beginning to feel like me again and I have him to thank for that. Please don't tell anyone about this conversation. I'm okay now but it is not something I ever want getting out. Promise?"
"Yes, I promise."
We started moving again and turned two more corners before stopping dead in our tracks. The figure facing away from us turned and looked straight at us.
"You" I whispered staring at the dark mark visible on the persons arm. I couldn't believe what I was seeing and neither could Carter. We were frozen to the spot and so neither of us reacted quickly enough when the person raised their wand and spoke.
"Avada Kedavra."