Disclaimer: We own nothing. Except for Sevilen which was Hermisia Draco's creation
A/N: Sorry it has taken soooo long for this chapter. It took me a while to write this. I hope it was worth the wait. Now, it's Hermisia's turn to get to the next chapter. Enjoy and please review. We live on reviews.
Part Two Chapter 14
Be still my beating heart
Ginny hugged Hermione good-bye. Hermione was leaving, going to South Africa. Silent tears fell from her eyes as she watched her go. She did not want to admit it, but deep down she was jealous. Hermione shagged Snape once and she was pregnant, where she and Draco must of done it hundreds times, yet her womb was empty. She wanted to ask Hermione how it felt to have the child of her love growing inside her? How did it feel to know you would always have a part of him?
Owl me everyday, she had said, but she secretly hoped Hermione did not. It had been three months, five days, six hours, thirty-eight minutes, and twenty seconds since she discovered Draco was missing. Every day was a task and each morning she woke up and wished to go back to sleep. Because in her dreams, she was with him, and only in dreams could she touch him, hold him.
Ginny slowly made her way to her room; a small owl was waiting for her by her window sill. It flew around her head excitedly when it saw her. Ginny grasped at it, grabbing the parchment from its leg. She opened it quickly expecting it to be a letter from Hogwarts because it was that time of year already. It was, of course, her book list and school supplies. A small note slipped from the thick pages and fell to her feet. She picked it up and sat down on her bed. She dropped the note as if it burned only to pick it up again. No. It could not say what it did. Could it be true? She reread it again.
Meet me at the willow tree in the field behind your house tonight at ten –DM
Ginny begged her heart to slow down. How did she know this was not a trap? Doubt clouded her mind. Well, what else do I have to lose, she reasoned. It was nine o'clock now. She usually took a late night walk anyway. She glanced out her window and stared out to the willow tree as if it would give her the answer she wanted. She pulled the ring from around her neck and placed a small kiss on it. A small pang of hope played at her heart. It was a dangerous thing and she knew it, to hope, but right now it was all she had.
At nine fifty, she made her way out the back door, armed with her wand and a single knife attached to her right arm. Slowly she made it to the willow tree, doubts played at her mind. It was a good thing she had persuaded her brother Charlie to teach her hand-to-hand combat and the proper way to use a knife two summers ago. She would be able to fend off her attacker if it was a trap long enough to send out a distress signal in the case her wand could not be used.
Questions played at her mind as she neared the tree. What if this was a set up? What if he really did switch sides? What he if didn't love her anymore?
She sat down at the bottom of the tree wrapped in her black cloak, almost invisible. The sound of leaves crunching caught her attention. She listened to see if there was more then one footstep. Satisfied that she could only hear one, she waited for his approach. Suddenly, there he was, standing before the tree, his back to her. She rose slowly and silently making sure not to be heard.
She placed the tip of her wand against his neck. "Drop your wand and turn around, slowly."
He held his hands up, dropped his wand, and turned slowly as he got his first glance of her. Her hood half hid her face and the breeze blew her hair around her face. He had almost forgotten how beautiful she was but then again, things of beauty were not long part of his life. Around her neck was the ring, his ring, and the one he had picked for her.
"Ginny."
The sound of her name on his lips hurt. She had missed him. Tears fell from her brown eyes and her body shivered. His hair was longer and had lost its shine. His body was thin and stress was written on his face, but he never looked more beautiful to her as he did at that moment. He cupped her face with his hands and slowly lowered his lips to hers. He kissed her lightly as if testing the waters.
"Why?" Her voice was hoarse from her tears, but she had to know.
He closed his eyes. He knew this question would come but time was short and he just wanted to hold her. "Not now, Love. Just know I didn't go willingly, but time is short, Ginny. Kiss me." He caught her lips with his in a passion filled kiss. "Love me."
Ginny nodded and slipped her cloak from her shoulders. He slipped the ring from the chain around her neck and, grabbing her left hand, he slipped it on her ring finger. She looked at him questionably. He did not offer any answers but just kissed her, letting her feel his longing. Resting his forehead against hers, he whispered words of love.
Draco gasped in pain and clutched his side. Fear gripped Ginny. "Draco, are you hurt?"
"No," he gritted. "It is time for me to get back." Ginny nodded her head, not trusting her voice. Their bittersweet reunion had been cut short. He kissed her one last time, passionately, and wiped the tears from her eyes. "I love you, Gin, remember that." Placing a soft kiss on her forehead he disapparated.
Ginny felt as if she left her heart in the fields under the willow tree as she made her way back to the Burrow.
Listen for your love's call
The next time she saw him was at Diagon Alley during her school supply shopping. Her mother was tied up with the order and had asked Harry and Persephone to accompany Ginny. Usually she would have protested, but the company would be nice. It would take her mind off him if they were there.
Harry and Persephone walked ahead of her, busily discussing their upcoming wedding. She watched them and smiled. It was nice to see him happy again. Looking into the windows as they passed by, she pondered on the up coming school year. She paused in front the window of a men's robe shop. That could not be him. She must still be daydreaming.
There, standing in the window of Mr. Hobbs robes for men, was Draco. He was staring at her, his face pale as if he had not seen the sun in months. He probably had not, she thought. Before realizing what she was doing, she entered the store and walked towards him. It was as if they were two magnets with a strong pull to connect. He cupped her face and searched her eyes. She let her love for him show.
She moved a stray hair from his flawless face, gasping when he grabbed her hand. He looked at the ring on her finger and smiled sadly. Never once had she taken it off after he had placed it on her finger. Many people had asked her whom it was from. She would only smile and shake her head knowing that they would find out eventually.
He kissed her palm and then her nose. "School shopping?"
She smiled at the causality of his comment. "Yes, almost done. Just a few more things to get but I will probably be coming back for those."
She offered no explanation on why but he knew she had run out of funds. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small pouch filled to the brim with galleons. He placed it into her hand. She made a motion to give it back to him but he grabbed her wrist, plunked the pouch out of her hand, and stuck it in her pocket. "I take care of what is mine," he said as he stared into her brown eyes. "Now go before you are missed."
Ginny felt as if she had been dismissed and turned with a huff. He grabbed and placed the most mind-blowing kiss on her lips and smiled as she walked out the door, dreamily. Ginny slowly came back to reality when she ran right smack into Harry, who was looking at her with a weird expression.
"Where were you?" he asked.
"Oh, I thought I saw someone I knew in there but I was wrong," she lied.
Harry just stared at her with an unreadable expression. "Well, let's get on with your shopping. Unless you're done for the day."
"Oh, I still have to get my books."
Ginny walked past him in the direction of Flourish and Blotts with a new bounce in her step. She finished off all her shopping that day much to her mother's surprise.
"Ginny, did you get all you're shopping done?" her mother asked.
"Yes, Mom. I even got a new robe to celebrate becoming head girl."
Ginny went back to stuffing mashed potatoes in her mouth. Her mom knew that it was useless to try to talk to her. The girl had an unusual love for mashed potatoes.
"You know," Harry said putting his fork down. "I saw someone interesting in a store today."
"That's nice," Mr. Weasley said looking up at him. "Who?"
"Draco Malfoy."
Ginny dropped her fork, which made a loud clatter when it hit her plate. She turned beet red when everyone turned and looked at her. "It slipped." Ginny grabbed the fork back up and lower her head, studying her food. She wondered how much Harry saw them together.
Her father turned his attention back to Harry. "Was his father near-by?"
"I didn't see him," Harry shrugged then turned to Ginny. "Gin, you went into the store. Did you see Lucius?"
Once again everyone eyes were on her. Great, Ginny thought, just what I needed. "Um, no, I didn't see him."
"Did Malfoy say anything to you?" Ron asked with a mouthful of food.
"Ronald Weasley, you swallow your food before talking to anyone," her mother ordered. Ron's ears turned slightly pink at the tip as he mumble sorry with his mouth still full.
After a few moments, he asked the question again, this time he had the sense to swallow. Ginny took a few minutes to answer, not because she did not want to, but because she had just stuffed a large helping of mashed potatoes in her mouth, and she definitely did not want her mother on her back. "Oh, you know the usual blood traitor stuff." She really hated lying to her family.
The lie rolled off her tongue easily, but then they had ever since she fell in love with Draco. The topic was dropped but the look Harry's face that he was giving to her from across the table, worried her a little.
For when times are hard it is all you have
Harry had cornered her after dinner and asked her about what he had seen. She evaded his question because she was not ready to tell him about her love affair with his supposed enemy. Harry was not satisfied with her answer at the table but when he saw that was all he was going to get, he dropped the subject. Draco was never brought up again except once during a conversation between her father and Remus Lupin. The subject quickly changed when she entered the room. It was as if the Malfoys were a forbidden topic, well at least when she was around and she didn't know why.
Ginny could not wait for school to start. At least there, people would not be avoiding her. It was not really the avoiding that got to her it was the unknown reason of why they were avoiding her that bothered her. She just couldn't figure it out. The final straw came the week before she left for school. Her brothers Fred and George had come to visit and they completely ignored her presence. Well, Ginny had had it with people avoiding her. She had threaten to bat boogey hex them if they didn't tell her right then and there what the hell was going on.
The boys looked at each other nervously. "You see, Gin," Fred started, fiddling with the collar of his robe.
"Mum made everyone promise not to upset you before you went off to school," George finished.
"That is ridiculous. Why would anything that is happening with the Order upset me?" Ginny had taking to pacing the room and throwing death looks at her brothers.
"Well, it's all funny business, with the Malfoys and stuff." Fred was looking for the closest exit.
"Don't even think about it," Ginny warned, noticing his attempts. "Explain what you mean about 'funny business'."
"Harry told us about Diagon Alley, Gin," George said looking her in the eye.
"If you want answers, then you have to give some in return," Fred said.
Ginny nodded her agreement. "Only questions I can answer now, though."
"Same here," the twins said together.
"What is going on with the order?" Ginny asked out right.
"We have located the headquarters for the Snake Charmers…"
"Snake Charmers?" Ginny looked at them in confusion. When did the death eaters change their name?
"Oh right, forgot to tell you that to, I see," Fred said tapping his lips.
"What do you know?" George asked curiously.
"There was a big notice let out that the death eaters who stayed under Lucius' control now go by the name snake charmers. He, as in Lucius, wanted to drop anything made by Voldemort. Even the mark is different. It is now a cobra in its attack stance on the member's side. From what we heard, instead of the searing pain the death mark would give, it feels as if you are being bitten by snakes."
That would explain why Draco had grabbed his side instead of his arm that night by the willow, Ginny thought.
"Why was Draco by our willow tree?" George asked cocking his head to the side.
"How did you know about that?" Ginny gasped.
"You just said it, Gin," Fred said, concern dripping in his voice.
Great, bloody great, Ginny thought. "There is a lot you don't know."
"We can see that."
"He was telling me something," Ginny stated.
"Like what?"
"Like that he loves me," Ginny mumbled.
"What was that?" Fred asked.
"I said, he was telling me to remember he loved me no matter what."
"Oh," they said in unison.
"And why would Draco Malfoy, son of the enemy, love you? You're a blood traitor and daughter to the man who had much to do with his father's arrest and imprisonment?" George stood slowly and backed Ginny into a chair.
"Because he isn't the Draco you guys once knew. He hates his father and was tricked into going back."
"That's what he told you, Ginny. You have no way of knowing if it's true."
"How you know," she spat out, her voice dripping with venom and anger racing through her. They both stared at her with dumb expressions. She glared at them. "You weren't there. You didn't see him after they ripped his memories from his head for the order. You didn't hear him scream. You didn't see the pain in his eyes or hear him beg for mercy. No, you just assume that because his father is bad that he will be bad. Voldemort held his family over his head his sixth year. What would you do? Huh? If some crazed dark lord threatened to kill everything you held dear if you didn't do his bidding?" When they didn't say anything, she continued. "Well? Tell me?" she yelled.
"Gin," Fred started and went to hold her hand. She backed away as if he stung her.
"No." She shook her head. "You don't understand what it's like to be scared to sleep because your nightmares always feel too real. You don't know what it is like to relive the death of you mother over and over again at night." Ginny dropped to her knees, tears running down her cheeks. "You just don't know. I've seen him," she whispered. "I've seen him cry at night. I've held him, comforted him. He is so pure but yet so dark at the same time. He understood me. The truth was in his eyes. He did not chose this life willingly, it chose him."
"You're right, Gin," George said kneeing down beside her and wiping the tears from her cheeks. "We don't know but we are willing to listen."
Fred dropped to her other side and wrapped his arms around her shoulder. "You know we are here for you, Gin-Bug."
Ginny took a few moments to collect her self before sitting crossed leg on the rug. She let a small smile cross her face when her brothers mimicked her position. "Tell me everything," she ordered.
"Yes, well, we already went over the new name. And I do believe we mentioned that the location of the Headquarters has been discovered."
George looked at Fred pensively. "What are we missing?"
"Seizes, attacks, dead?" Ginny asked.
"One planned attack, which will be happening soon, and no, you cannot come," Fred said before she could even get a word out. The sound of her mother calling them for dinner ended their discussion. However, the twins made her promise to finish this discussion, especially the Draco part soon.
Because even in the dark, sound can be heard
Ginny stepped off the train as emotions ran deep within her. The last time she was here, it was bitter sweet. Memories rushed over her, flooding her brain. I will not cry, Ginny vowed as stepped into the carriage. She went through the motions; clapping when a new first year was placed in Gryffindor, laughing at McGonagall's attempts at jokes, and eating the food before her. She smiled and greeted her friends, but everything was different. She was different.
In classes, she excelled quickly, becoming the best. She was distant and always looked for a way to get Snape alone. Part of her wanted to tell him, hey, you are going to be a dad, and the other part wanted to beg him for any information about Draco.
Of course, she did neither. It was not her place to share Hermione's news and she did not want any harm to come to Draco if news got out that she was inquiring about him. Therefore, Ginny became a habitual reader of the Daily Prophet.
Her owls to Hermione were always cryptic in case someone else read it, but then again her letters to everyone were cryptic. Whether she was trying to find out the Order's latest attacks from the twins, or ask how Hermione was feeling with the baby, or even to ask her mother how everything was on the home front. There was a code for everything.
Ginny made her way over to the Quidditch field. Someone on the top must have thought she was not very busy and decided to make her Head Girl and Quidditch Captain. Yes, life was great. Don't get her wrong, she was extremely proud of her team and her title of head girl but was little time to herself too much to ask. If she was not practicing she was studying, and when she was not doing that, she was patrolling or helping McGonagall with detentions.
Once, she had jokingly told Hermione that she was a new and improved version of the older girl herself. Hermione had laughed it off and gave her some helpful studying tips. Most people who looked at Ginny would think she had it all together, but the reality was that she was breaking down.
"Hey, Gin, ready for today?" asked one of her friends.
Ginny smiled at the girl who addressed her. Kate Smith was a great friend. The sixth year was the best Chaser since Angelina and Katie Bell. Already professional teams were coming to matches to check her out. Actually, recruiters were coming to check out most of Ginny's team, her self included. Today was the last practice before the finally match of the season. It was down to them and Slytherin to fight it out for the cup and Ginny had every intention of her team's name being placed on it.
"As ready as I'm ever going to be," Ginny replied with a smile.
She scanned the people before her, doing a mental head count. "Ok, who is missing?"
"Vane is," someone said from the back. "She said to tell you she will be about five minutes late."
Not surprising that, once again, Romilda Vane was late. This girl had been a thorn in her side from the day she joined the team. If she was not such a good keeper, Ginny would have kicked the other girl off already. "Well, let's get started then. Chasers, get in the air and practice passing the ball to each other up field. Beaters, you know the drill, one aim for a chaser while the other defends. Switch every five minutes. Let's get to work people."
Ginny supervised the practice with a careful eye, quickly correcting any mistakes she saw and making sure to compliment when she saw something that merited. When Romilda had finally shown up, she had wasted no time putting her to work before releasing the snitch to get in some practice herself.
"Great work, Guys. I have no doubt that we will be victorious tomorrow. Remember, the match starts at twelve but I want you all here by eleven thirty, ok?" After a few mumbled oks, she dismissed the team, holding back only Kate Smith and Romilda Vane. "Just to give you girls the heads up, there will be a couple scouts here to check you out."
"Just us?" Romilda asked with her eyebrows raised.
"And me too," Ginny rolled her eyes. Though she, herself, was very humble, her team was always reminding her of her skills.
"Do you know what teams?" Kate asked hopefully.
"I'm not sure but I did hear mention of the Harpies," Ginny wiggled her eyebrows playfully.
It was a known fact that Kate was a Holyhead Harpies fanatic. Ginny watched with a smile as the girls discussed teams they wanted to be part of. After a few minutes, she dismissed the two girls. She watched them walk away with a sigh. This year had caught up with her fast.
She grabbed her brand new Fire bolt; a gift from Draco for Christmas as it had come to the school with no note, just a bow and the word "red" engraved on the handle. McGonagall had wanted to test it, like she did Harry's, but Ginny assured her she knew who it was from, she just couldn't tell her. Ginny straddled her broomstick and soared gracefully into the air. Flying was the one thing she could count on. It was always quiet in the air. There was never anyone judging her. No one telling her what to do, or to say, no one trying to protect her from reality, and there were definitely no worries in the air. All that mattered was her and her broom, and that was how she liked it.
Ginny soared around the quidditch field a couple times, savoring the feel of the air in hair, before spying McGonagall flagging her down frantically. She dove down, landing right in front of the older woman. "Is everything alright, Professor?"
"Whew. Ginevra Weasley, you're a hard one to find," Headmistress McGonagall said trying to catch her breath. Ginny waited patiently while McGonagall collected herself. The woman was taking forever. "You missed your meeting with me this morning, Miss Weasley," McGonagall scolded her severely.
Ginny froze. How could she have forgotten that? She was supposed to meet McGonagall about information on a Healers Program in France. She really wanted to get into that program. "I'm so sorry. I don't know what got into me," Ginny said. "Please reconsider me."
"I never unconsidered you, my dear," McGonagall said softly. "It's the reason I'm down here." The older woman smiled down at her. "Why don't you come back to my office for some tea and we can discuss it."
Ginny agreed in an instant. She would not miss this opportunity again. She followed McGonagall back to her office quietly. She thought over her decision to become a healer. She wanted to be able to help those injured in battle, good or bad side. She had learned from Fred and George that the Snake Charmers had learned curses that would make the crucio curse feel like a tickle. She wanted to be prepared to be able to help the injured right when they got hurt, not hours later.
"Have a seat," McGonagall said motioning to the chairs before her desk. She waited for Ginny to get situated before continuing. "As you know, I have reviewed your entry essay for the Supreme Healers program in France and I feel you are the most qualified from your class to be accepted."
Ginny murmured her thanks and took the parchment the other woman was handing to her. She looked it over quickly and saw it was international port key information. Her questions must have been written on her face because McGonagall explained the paper quickly.
"Ginny, I'm sure you are aware that I have already enrolled you into the program. What you are holding is the time of your portkey and where and when it is happening…close your mouth there, it's not very lady like."
"OH, thank you, thank you, thank you," Ginny exclaimed jumping up and hugging McGonagall repeatedly.
"For the love of Merlin, Miss Weasley, sit down!"
Ginny took her seat immediately. Professor McGonagall straightened her robes and stared at the young girl sternly. Ginny opened her mouth to apologize but thought better of it and sealed her lips shut.
After going over a few more details, she left McGonagall's office with a new bounce in her step. Finally, something to look forward to, she thought as she entered her room. She shrugged her robes off and walked into the bathroom. She eyed the statue of the water serpent warily. She had not gone back to the secret bath hall since the last time she was there with Draco. She wrapped her hand around the ring on the chain surrounding her neck. She wore it around her neck during quidditch practice, not wanting to damage it.
She walked over to the statue and ran her fingers down the ridges of its stone belly. Well, today was as good of day as any. She whispered the password and stepped into the small space in the wall. She paused in the entrance debating if she really wanted to do this or not. This is ridiculous, she thought. Straightening her shoulders, she gathered her courage and slowly made her way down the long narrow corridor. The sound of her bare feet hitting the floor echoed through the hallway. A shiver passed down her spine as a cold breeze kissed her naked skin.
The bath hall was as it always was, completely empty. The water in the bath was calm and still, not even a hint of ripple broke the tranquil surface. Silence surrounded her and tore at her heart. Tears that she had suppressed, threatened to fall. Inhaling sharply, she threw her head back with her eyes pressed close. She could feel his presence. It was as if his essence was stored into every stone, crack, and crevice of the hall. In the eye of the badger, she could see his smile. The silent roar of the lion echoed his laughter. The eagle, in its frozen pose, captured his arrogance. The snake held his haunted eyes.
The bath hall was filled with ghosts. The ghost of Draco and her ran before her. The ghost of their happiness laughed at her. Her mother always said that walls tell stories, but she was not ready for the story the walls were telling her now. She turned to leave but something about the glint in the snakes emerald eyes caught her attention. Slowly she made her way to the snake.
She remembered trying the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff statues and they had revealed sayings about those particular houses. She wondered what the snake would have to say. She pushed the green eye on the snake and a small gold plate emerged from its mouth. She noticed that the plate was engraved with a small message. She leaned closer to read the small letters.
Ginny, I knew it would not be long before you got back here. Know that I love you and want no one else but you. Life has a way of testing you and I believe this is my test. If I survive this task, I hope you will take me back. Now, my pretty one, go live and be happy. But promise to spare me a thought once in awhile. –Love Draco.
When had he gotten time to do this? Ginny ran her fingers over the engraving slightly. His words warmed her heart. She had found the strength she needed to go on. Draco was right about one thing, this was a test for him but it was also a test for her. Tugging at the ring at her neck, she walked out of the bath hall and back into her bathroom. She turned the shower on and stepped under the hot stream. Ginny left the water flow over her body and washed away her worries. Well, at least for one day.
So, listen, love, for it's your name I call.
Gryffindor won the quidditch cup. The score itself was amazing; they had completely crushed Slytherin 500-0. She especially enjoyed the look on Snape's face at the end of the game. He was beet red, the most color she has ever seen on him. The scouts had come up to her after the game and offered her a position on many teams. She had taken their names and where she could reach them. Ginny had no intention of joining any teams right now but there was nothing wrong with keeping her options open.
At the party in the common room, Ginny had to ward off six boys from her year and countless others from younger years. A first year even tried to get in her pants. She just waved her ring in their face and sent them on their way. Ginny was amazed about how fast the year went and before she knew it, graduation had crept up on her. Not too long after graduation, she was standing in the international port key department of the ministry saying good-bye to her family and finalizing the last factors of her trip.
"Are you sure you packed everything?" her mother asked, trying to fix Ginny's robe for the hundredth time.
"Yes, Mum," Ginny said rolling her eyes. "And I packed underwear, and my toothbrush, and my books."
"I'm sorry, dear. I'm just worried," Molly grabbed her in a tight hug. "You're my last one, my baby."
As much as Ginny loved her mom, things like this only fueled her desire to get away.
"Ms. Weasley, are you ready to go?"
Ginny looked at the woman who was going to take her to the port key and then back to her mother. "Well, I guess this is it, Mum."
She gave her mother one last hug, along with her father and brothers. The whole family had come to see her off. She smiled at them as she walked off and followed the woman to the port key. "Grab hold of the door knob at the count of three. It will set off."
Ginny nodded and grabbed the doorknob. She vaguely heard the woman counting to three. She held her breath and prepared for the unsettling feeling that came with traveling with port key. She felt the pull at her belly button and felt as if she was spinning out of control. She landed with a thud, shaking her head to clear it.
"Ginerva Weasley, I presume?"
Ginny looked up to see a tall woman with a short nose and blonde hair standing above her. She stood up slowly and brushed off her robes. She held her hand out to the older woman. "Ginevra Weasley, pleasure to meet you."
To you I come home
Ginny sat down at the chair of her desk in her room. Her port key was set up to leave in an hour and she was sad to leave this place. In the five months that she was here, she had accumulated a number of friends. Her program had ended with her at the top of the class. She was passionate about this work and she vowed that after the war she would study to be a master healer. "Ready to go, Ginny?"
Ginny looked at the professor standing at the door. Over the past few months, she had been a source of comfort for Ginny. Many nights sleep evaded Ginny so she would take long walks around the grounds of the school. One night she had ran into Professor Blanc and soon found her self sitting in the older woman's room drinking tea and talking about the past. For the first time, Ginny was able to talk about Draco and their love.
Ginny had matured during her schooling. She now viewed the world in a different way and she was nervous of how her home would look to her now. Or maybe she was worried on how everyone at home would see her now. Would they see the same Ginny they had to shelter? Or would they see the new Ginny who was ready to fight for the ones she loved? Ginny stood gradually and walked from the room. She hugged Professor Blanc and slowly made her way to the port key site. She took one more look at the school around her before grabbing the port key. It was time to get back to reality.
She felt the tug at her belly button and closed her eyes. She hit the floor of the ministry with a thud. Rubbing her sore bottom, she stood and looked around to find the room empty. Had they forgotten that she was coming home today? Typical, she thought as she made her way over to the woman behind the desk.
"Have the Weasleys checked in?" The woman looked at her as if she lost her mind. Ginny just stared at her, hoping the woman would respond. "Well have they?" she asked again, not masking her annoyance.
"Ah, no they didn't. They did, however, send a note." The brown hair mousey woman handed the note to Ginny who snatched it out of her hand and began to read it.
Ginny, be a dear and floo home from Ron's office. Something has come up – Mum
Ginny rolled her eyes, wondering what was more important then picking her up from the ministry. "Where can I find Ronald Weasley's office?" she asked the woman.
"Fifth floor, third door."
She certainly knew that well, Ginny thought hoping to Merlin that wasn't Ron's new girlfriend. "Thanks," she murmured and made her way to the fifth floor.
She got to his door. She knew it was his door because his name was written in bold black letters on it. She knocked.
"Come in."
Ginny pushed the door open slowly taking in Ron's office. It was a plain space with white walls and a small wooden desk set in the middle of the room and a beat up brown sofa in the corner. The window was an enchanted one and it was currently raining. Ron was hunched behind his desk. Stress wrinkled his face. He hadn't looked up to see who had entered yet and from the looks of things, he must have forgotten some one had come in at all.
"Hey, Ron."
The poor boy nearly jumped out of his skin. "Blimey, Gin, you nearly gave me a heart attack."
"Sorry," she paused. "Mum said to floo home from your office."
"Oh, right, she mentioned that this morning. The floo powder in on the shelf by the fireplace."
He returned to his work and with that, she was dismissed. Ginny stared at him in shock. The man had not seen her in over five months and all she got was the floo powder was on the shelf by the fireplace? "Well, I guess I will get going then."
He mumbled what sounded like a bye and waved his hand, never once taking his eyes off his paper. Ginny turned, dismayed, and walked to the fireplace. She grabbed a handful of floo powder and was about to throw it when she was grabbed from behind.
"Now, Ginny, did you really think I was going to let you go home like that?" Ron said, turning her quickly and embracing her in a bear hug. He kissed her cheek and smiled down at her. "I missed you, Gin."
"I missed you too, Ron," she said smiling with relief and happiness.
"Ready to go?"
She nodded her head and threw the powder into the fireplace shouting her destination. Brushing the ash off her as she stepped out the fireplace, she noticed the house was busier than usual. She could hear her mother shouting at the twins from the living room. She shouted her hello but got no answer. Shrugging she made her way to the kitchen. She really could use a cup of tea.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a little boy running towards her. He wrapped his chubby little arms around her right leg and buried his little face in her robes. She reached down and plucked him up. He was a cute little thing with his brown wavy hair and dark eyes.
"Hello," she cooed at the baby. "And who might you be?" The baby placed a small kiss on her cheek before burying his face in her neck.
"Hello, Ginny." Ginny knew that voice. That could not be. She turned and there, standing before her, was Hermione Granger. "I see you have met Sevilen."
Ginny let out a loud whoop and threw the child in the air. His face broke into a wide smile and he clapped his hands for more. She covered his face with kisses before running over and hugging Hermione. "I've missed you so much," she said squeezing Hermione's hand. Ginny smiled down at the child in her arms, and then back at his mother. "What made you come back?"
Hermione looked at her with questions in her eyes. "You don't know?"
"Know what?" Ginny asked nervously.
Before Hermione could answer, her mother came charging into the room muttering under her breath. She paused when she saw Ginny and Hermione standing in the middle of the room. "Ginny, you're home."
"Yes, Mum, I'm home."
She smiled as her mother hugged her. Yes, it was good to be home.