Ch. 5 Pick Your Poison

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

A/n: Okay, I realize I already uploaded this chapter. Which I noticed about five seconds ago. It's been a long few months so just bare(sp?) with me. I edited this chapter and made it longer thinking that I hadn't uploaded it yet. So what you get is the updated version replacing the old one. And a promised that I will hopefully be able to write the next chapter quickly and possibly upload that today as well. If not today I will upload it as soon as I finish it this week. Because I actually owe you all chapter six anyway.

By February, Ginny had gotten into a pretty well balanced routine. She struggled in her seventh year classes but Ross helped her stay on top of them. And even though she spent two days a week in class with Draco, she had so far avoided talking to him. The only real problem she had was with Kitten, who hissed and growled at Ross every time he saw him. As they were walking through the halls on one of Ginny's seventh year days she nearly collided with Pansy and Blaise as the rounded a corner.

"Sorry Gin," Blaise stopped only a few inches away from her. "How are seventh year classes coming along?"

"There fine. It's a lot of work but I'm getting through it." She smiled at the friends she never saw anymore. "I miss you two. I never see you anymore."

"We'll have to maybe meet for lunch of something this weekend in Hogsmeade." Pansy's face lit up at the thought of getting to spent time with Ginny again.

"Yes, that would be fun maybe Azlyn and Logan would join us as well." Ginny smiled and they all said quick goodbyes as Ginny and Ross made their way to class together. At the end of the day, Ginny made her way up to Gryffindor alone, planning to spend most of the evening studying. But as soon as she entered the common room, Craig stood up from the sofa making his way over to her.

"Go away Craig, I'm not in the mood." She went to walk past him but he blocked her path.

"Look you hate me, I get it. But I need you to listen to me. Just five minutes that is all I'm asking."

"Fine, what do you want?"

"He's playing you."

"Who is playing me?"

"Hart, he's bad news."

"Seriously Craig? You are bad news. Ross is a perfect gentleman." She once again attempted to get past him but stopped when she noticed that Kitten was curled up in one of his arms, purring away happily. "I don't understand. He hates Ross but not you?"

"Animals are smarter than you think Ginny. This cat is meant for protection. They have a charm on them so that they can sense danger. I noticed him hissing at Hart the other day and then being nice to me. I'm a jerk maybe but your cat knows I'm not a danger to you."

"I'm confused though. Ross is head boy, a good student, and perfectly nice. How is he dangerous?"

"I don't know. But perhaps you should speak to whoever gave you the cat." He held his arm out handing the cat to Ginny. She ran up to her dorm dropping her bag and school robes. Then she began the long walk down to the dungeon.

"I am not looking forward to this." She whispered to Kitten as she began making her way through the dungeons. But when she heard a voice she recognized she hid and listened.

"This is so much easier than I thought it would be." It was the girl, Bromwell speaking.

"Yes, now if only I could get rid of that damned cat, all it does is hiss at me. Good thing Weasley is clueless, five more months and we will be the dark lord's new favorites." It was Ross. So Craig had been right, but why five months? It took Ginny a moment before it clicked and she turned and ran as fast as she could to Draco's room. She was relieved to find out the password hadn't changed as she made her way inside. Draco wasn't in his sitting room and Ginny cursed quietly to herself.

"Where is he?" She made her way into the bedroom and found the person she was looking for. He was asleep on the bed, probably exhausted from the extra course load just as she was. He looked so comfortable and at peace but Ginny knew she had to speak to him then and there just in case Bromwell came looking for him. She put kitten down on the bed and he curled up comfortably, going back to sleep. Then she shook Draco by one of his shoulders and he shot up looking around confused before his eyes landed on Ginny.

"What are you doing here? Is it the baby? Are you alright?" He stood eyeing her with worry.

"I'm fine and so is baby. I need to speak with you about something." She took only a moment before continuing on. "Kitten can sense danger can't he?"

"Yes, I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I thought you would be more pissed with me if you thought I was trying to look after you. Why? Has he been sensing something?"

"Yes, but I didn't realize it until Craig pointed it out."

"Craig? You're back with him?"

"No, he was in the common room when I got back today, not that it is any of your business now. Kitten was curled up sleeping in his arms. But he told me that he thinks something is wrong with Ross. I didn't believe him until I overheard Bromwell and Ross talking to each other on my way down here. They were talking about how, if they managed this charade, they would be Voldemort's new favorites in five months." She sat down on the bed suddenly feeling queasy, waiting for Draco to make the connection. Ginny could see in his eyes when he figured it out and he sat down on the bed next to her.

"They want the baby?" He whispered and Ginny nodded placing a hand on her barely there baby bump. Draco put his head in his hands and sighed. "What do we do now?"

"I don't know. I spend all of my seventh year days with him. If we just confront them with no real proof then we have nothing." She laid back on the bed staring up at the ceiling.

"We slowly and publically make up and get back together. Then when we aren't in class we will always be together. And until that happens we just avoid being alone with them."

"So we're going to pretend like I forgive you?" She turned to face him, a serious expression on her face.

"I don't deserve your forgiveness. So if it is just for show then yes. You will need to pretend to forgive me." He laid back turning to face her as well. "But no matter how much this is pretending for you, it is real for me. I love you more than life itself and I wish from the bottom of my heart that you would give me a second chance."

"I love you as well. But you broke my heart. How am I supposed to trust that you won't hurt me again?" Somehow without really intending to, she had moved a bit closer to him.

"I know that nothing I say will ever be able to gain your trust. But if you give me a second chance I will show you every day for the rest of our lives that I can be half the man you thought I was." He moved closer to her and placed one hand on her face lightly.

She smiled slightly running a thumb across his cheek. "Hurt me again and I'll kill you. And trust me I'm good they'll never figure out it was me." She leaned forward kissing him gently on the lips.

Over the next month Draco made several public attempts at gaining Ginny's forgiveness. And even though Ross continually warned her against trusting Draco, she did publicly forgive him on his third attempt and they were quickly reunited as a couple. Ross was fuming the day it became public knowledge the couple was back together. It was a Hogsmeade weekend. But Ginny and Draco were staying behind. They walked into the great hall for breakfast hand in hand and they could see the angry look on Ross's face. Ginny followed Draco to the Slytherin table and sat down with her friends again.

"Oh Ginny, we missed you over here at the dark side." Azlyn laughed smiling widely.

"I've missed you all too. And now that we have reconciled, we will all get to hang out together." Ginny smiled and though she was still uneasy with Draco, it was nice to be back with her friends.

"So will you to be joining us in Hogsmeade today?" Pansy asked.

"No, not today, Ron is having lunch with my family so I am staying here with Draco. He is helping me with some of my school work. This whole pregnancy thing is making it hard to concentrate in class, my mind is always drifting and apparently making a human being is exhausting." Ginny placed a hand on her now visible but small bump and Draco followed by sticking his hand over hers and smiling.

"Did I tell you that next month during spring break we are going to find out what we are having?" Draco turned to their group talking with excitement.

"My money is on boy." Blaise joked.

"No betting on the gender of our baby." Ginny warned.

"I'll put money on Girl." Logan laughed.

"No betting!"

Later in the afternoon, Ginny was curled up on Draco's bed reading her textbook for a charms quiz she had the next week when Draco joined her.

"Prepared?" He asked leaning up against the pillows.

"Hardly, but I can't focus. It is so boring." She closed the book placing it on the night stand and leaning back next to Draco.

"So what so you want to do now?" He laughed realizing studying was not going to take place.

"Something not boring" She sighed. Draco wrapped and arm around her waist pulling her on top of him and kissed her passionately on the lips. "Well this isn't boring." She smirked returning the kiss. She knew that she was lettering her pregnancy hormones get the best of her but she didn't care.

She pulled away from him tugging his shirt up over his head while he did the same to her. While they made out she could feel him unsnapping her bra and when they pulled apart again, both were naked from the waist up. Suddenly Ginny felt very exposed when she noticed Draco's eyes fixed on her stomach. She went to cross her arms over herself but he stopped her.

"No, Gin, I think you are beautiful. I think that our child growing inside you makes you even more beautiful. Please don't hide from me." He wrapped his arms around her while she relaxed. She smiled up at him and blushed a little when her hands found the buttons on his pants and began to undo them. He kissed her on the neck and let his lips linger as he managed to finish undressing her as well. It wasn't long before he was hovering above her on the bed.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" He questioned, suddenly worried she would regret it.

"It's not like we haven't before. And look on the bright side. You already knocked me up; can't do it again now." She laughed.

Later that evening, Draco and Ginny were walking back to Gryffindor tower when they ran into Ross.

"Watch where you're going Malfoy" Ross snarled when he realized who he had run into.

"Ross it was an accident. He didn't see you" Ginny stepped between the two boys and she could feel Draco tense behind her.

"I highly doubt it. I can't belief you got back with this jerk after what he did to you." Ross stared Draco down over Ginny's head and she rolled her eyes at the obvious show of testosterone.

"Can we not do this now? I'm exhausted from studying for my charms quiz. I just want to get up to my dorm and go to sleep now." She grabbed Draco's hand and began pulling him along but Ross stepped in front of them.

"I can walk you the rest of the way Gin." He smiled offering his hand.

"If you don't mind Hart, I think I will walk my girlfriend the rest of the way to Gryffindor. Since that was my intention after all." Draco put on a fake grin and held tightly to Ginny's hand.

"Actually…" Ross began.

"I don't think I was clear enough. I don't really care if you mind or not. I am walking my girlfriend the rest of the way." The ice in his voice made Ginny tense. She hated that tone and it scared her a little bit. Draco led her away from Ross who was still staring angrily at them as they walked away.

"Perhaps that was over doing it a bit." Ginny sighed when they reached the portrait of the fat lady.

"I'm sorry love, I just can't help it. Every time I see him all I can do is picture him trying to steal our baby and it makes my blood boil." He brushed a stray hair out of Ginny's face and kissed her gently on the forehead. "I just want everything to be okay again."

"I know the feeling." She sighed. "I'd better get up to my dorm. I'll see you tomorrow." She kissed him once in return before slipping into the common room and up to her dorm.

When Ginny awoke the next morning she felt absolutely terrible. It took all the strength she had to get dressed and it only took one look at herself in the mirror to realize that there was something wrong. As soon as she walked out of Gryffindor tower she ran straight into Draco and Ross arguing with each other.

"What part of stay the hell away from my girlfriend are you not getting Hart?" Draco's wand was raised and he was livid.

"What is your problem Malfoy? Afraid she'll fall for me instead?" Ross smirked, twirling his own wand in one hand.

"Not a chance in hell, bastard" Draco was dangerously close to losing his patience and Ginny could see it. Suddenly overcome with dizziness she figured it was a good time to interrupt the two fighting boys.

"Draco" She swayed dangerously and leaned against the wall to keep from falling. Immediately Draco and Ross dropped their wands and turned around to look at her taken completely by surprise that she was even there. "I don't feel so great."

Draco was at her side as her legs began to give and he wrapped an arm around her waist to keep her from falling.

"We need to get you to the hospital wing." Draco lifted her into his arms and carried her towards the hospital wing with Ross following close behind. "Go away Hart. This doesn't concern you."

"She's my friend. It certainly does concern me." Ross actually looked genuinely upset and concerned over Ginny's sickness which struck Ginny as almost odd.

By the time they made it to their destination, Ginny had tuned out the argument that was still going on right next to her. Draco placed her into a bed and Madam Pomfrey was at her side instantly. It took Ginny a few moments to realize that Madam Pomfrey was asking her questions but Ginny couldn't hear any of it. And the last thing she remembered before slipping into unconsciousness was three almost terrified faces looking down at her.