Author: Lash_Larue

Title: The Hunters Part 9 "News"

Pairing: Ginny/Hermione others

Rating: Adult

Summary: Some things are learned, others remain hidden

Warnings:Not really if you've been reading. If not, find the first chapter

Word Count: 2545

Disclaimer: These characters belong to JK Rowling

The Hunters Part Nine

"News"

"Oh?" Fleur said as she swung her legs from Ginny's lap and swiveled upright.

"There's been a huge discovery in Assyria. Biggest find in the last century, maybe ever, they want me to do the curse-breaking," Bill explained.

"Actually, it's not Assyria anymore," Hermione could not refrain from pointing out, "it's mostly Iraq and – nobody here really cares about that, do they?" she said as she trailed off.

"Not so much, Babe, no," Ginny agreed.

"When do they want you to leave?" Fleur asked.

"Well, they wanted me to leave now, but I held out for two weeks delay," Bill said proudly.

"They cannot wait until the baby is born?"

"No, we have first crack at the sites, but we have to move quickly. I only got the delay by explaining that there is still excavation and protective charm work to be done. They don't need me for that," Bill explained.

"How long this time?" Fleur asked him.

"Best estimates are at least a year," he said grimly. "Of course we won't know until we do it, but based on past experience it would be naïve to expect any less than that. I can come back for the birth of course, but apart from that I won't be able to leave very often. The level of protective spells in use will make travel extremely awkward.

"Well, I knew what you did when I married you; I suppose I can't start complaining now. And it puts food on the table and a roof over our heads," Fleur acquiesced.

"It will do much more than that this time, there is an enormous bonus, and I held out for a percentage of the find as well," Bill told her with satisfaction.

"How enormous?" Ginny asked.

"Put it this way Sis, if things go anywhere near like projections, I won't find you and Hermione a house when I get back, I'll buy one for you."

"Holy sh- " Hermione bit off the exclamation.

"Just about what I said, but really, I couldn't do this at all if I didn't have people I trust absolutely to stay with Fleur and Victoire. Yes love," Bill said, sensing the protest Fleur was about to make, "I know that you can take care of yourself and Victoire, but I will still feel better knowing they are here. Oh, you will stay here, won't you? Can you stay here that long? I mean, you do have jobs and such."

"I don't see why not," Ginny said, considering the prospect, " 'Mione?"

"With a little arrangement it should be fine, we were planning on staying a while anyhow. We can floo if we need to, and I can arrange to do much of my work from here so that I can be around while you're off at matches. Now that I think of it, I quite like the idea of working here. There are fewer distractions."

"You sure about that?" Ginny said with a meaningful glance at Fleur. Hermione blushed.

"Behave, Ginny," Fleur scolded, "you know very well that Victoire has manners enough not to disturb Hermione while she works," she added innocently.

"I do have the next two weeks off though," Bill announced, "would you like to go somewhere, Fleur?"

"That would be nice," Fleur admitted.

"How about Rio? The bank has a house there we could use," Bill suggested.

"Ahhh, it is not Carnivale, but the city is exciting. I'm not sure that would be the best place to go with Victoire, though. Most activities are at night, could we find a reliable Nanny there?"

"Leave her with us," Hermione suggested, "Ginny has the rest of this week off, and I can take next week. It will give us the chance to get closer to her."

"Are you sure?" Bill asked. "I know she'd be fine with you two, and she's a pretty good kid, but…"

"Go, have fun," Ginny insisted, "heck, I'll take her to meet the team, they'll go nuts over her. And Hermione and I are going to be a much bigger part of her life now, at least until you get back. She needs to know that she can depend on us."

"Well, if you are sure," Fleur temporized, but Hermione and Ginny could see how much she liked the idea. Bill would be gone for a long time, and the chance to have him all to herself for a while was not something Fleur would want to pass up.

"We're sure," Hermione said for both of them, "when will you leave?"

"Hermes is here," Ginny announced.

xxxx

"Hello Dad," Percy said as Arthur's eyes focused on him.

"Hello yourself," he replied as he cast his eyes around the room. He winced and raised a hand to his head, where he encountered bandages. "Well I don't recognize the ward, but this is surely a hospital. Did Molly brain me with a pot then, Percy?"

"No Dad," Percy assured him.

"Well I couldn't blame her if she had, the things that came out of my mouth, the way I treated Ginny and Hermione…" he fell silent, and Percy remained quiet himself. "I mean, I can't approve of their relationship, I just can't, but it's their life. And Hermione is a fine woman, I know that, I just don't underst- oh, Merlin. I suppose they hate me now, don't they Percy?"

"Well I won't deny that they were both extremely upset, Dad. So you remember the incident that morning?"

"Of course I do, why shouldn't I? Wouldn't mind forgetting it though, it wasn't my finest hour. And why am I in St. Mungo's, and what happened to my head?" he asked.

"This isn't St. Mungo's, Dad, you're in a muggle hospital, and a muggle Doctor has operated on your brain."

"Really? Have I got stitches then? Can I see them?" Arthur asked excitedly.

"Steady on Dad, I've a bit more to tell you," Percy informed him, and the look on Percy's face sobered Arthur's mood rapidly.

"Let's hear it then, Perce."

"You had a tumor in your brain. Our healers couldn't handle it, so we brought you here. The tumor was putting pressure on the part of your brain that controls fear and anger. That's why you lost control. If it hadn't been removed you would have gotten more and more angry and died within a short time. I did not think that in the state you were in that you could make a rational decision on your own, so I sort of decided for you, along with Mum, of course. I hope you can forgive me for it."

"Nothing to forgive, you were quite right, I was bang out of my head. I – I nearly raised my hand to your mother, Percy. I could never forgive myself for that, I'd sooner be dead. Thank you son," Arthur said with tears in his eyes.

"You're most welcome Father; I must say that it's good to have you back. The doctor tells me that you will be here about a week. Of course if we could get you to St. Mungo's I'm sure that they could speed things up now the tumor's been dealt with, but-"

"No, no, best to let the Doctor handle things I expect. So he actually split my head open and cut the thing out? Amazing, that, the things muggles can do without magic! Remarkable people, altogether remarkable!"

"The Doctor is a woman, but she does seem to be tops in her field. Healer Pye was most confident in her abilities."

"Good man, Pye," granted Arthur, "I'll bet your mother didn't think too much of the idea though."

"No more than you'd expect, no," Percy told him, and he turned his head as the door opened, "here's Doctor Barstow now," Percy said as he stood.

"Awake I see, Mr. Weasley, how do you feel? Are you in any pain?" the Doctor asked him.

"My head hurts a bit, but it's nowhere near as bad as it's been of late, thank you, and do call me Arthur, please."

"Very well Arthur, has your son told you anything about what has happened?"

"Yes, he told me about the tumor, and how it made me act like a git. Frankly I'm glad the thing was there, otherwise I'd have to own up to being a right bastard, wouldn't I?" Arthur answered her.

"Can you move your legs, Arthur?" she asked as she folded back the sheet. He lifted both legs and bent them at the knee slightly. "Good, now wiggle your toes for me please. Marvelous, now close your eyes and touch your nose with your forefinger, either hand, good, now the other, fine." She dragged the cap of her pen along the soles of his feet, the jumping and slight giggling proving that he could feel it quite well. "You seem to have gotten through the surgery very well Arthur, sometimes there is some loss of coordination or feeling following brain surgery, I'm very pleased that you seem to have avoided that."

"Thank you Doctor, I'm right chuffed myself," Arthur told her, "Percy tells me I'm to be here about a week, is that right?"

"Just about, yes," she replied, and then her face grew serious. "There is however something more I have to tell you, Arthur. The tests on the tumor showed that it was what we call a glioblastoma, and unfortunately this type of tumor is malignant, it's a cancerous tumor."

"I see," Arthur said softly, "how bad is that then?"

"We'll need to do some further testing to say for sure, but I'm fairly confident that we got all of it. We just need to see if it has spread anywhere else. If it has, there are still treatments we can try for it, but you came through the surgery very well indeed, and I believe the outlook is as favorable as it can be," she said encouragingly.

"Well then, we'll just have to hope for the best, won't we? Thank you for telling me straight, Doctor, I can see I'm in good hands. I'll not worry."

"Good, if you need anything just ring, the Nurse will bring 'round your medication soon, just a little something to help the discomfort and reduce the chance of swelling. I must say that you have a good, solid, skull on you Arthur, but be watchful of banging it against things for a while, will you? Do either of you have any questions for me?"

"Not me, Perce?"

"What will the further testing involve, Doctor Barstow?" Percy asked.

"Blood tests and a few biopsies, we'll numb up an area and take a tissue sample with a long needle, there's a bit of discomfort involved, but no real danger. We'll give your father a couple days rest and then get that done. Resting is your job just now, right Arthur? I'll be back in the morning to see you again, have a good night."

She left the room.

"Well, could have been worse, I suppose," Arthur said, "no need to borrow trouble, and perhaps Pye has something he can do if it needs doing. How's Molly doing, son?"

"Scared, but holding up, you know Mum," Percy said heartily.

"Aye, I do, and I'm thankful for it every day of my life. I nearly lost her to another, Son; did you ever hear about that?"

"No, but it's obvious the better man won," Percy responded.

"Wasn't a man. I guess that's why Ginny's news hit me so hard. I've always been afraid that I would lose Molly to her. She was very beautiful, you see, very elegant indeed."

"Who-"

"No, son, that's not mine to tell. And I'm foolish to still worry over it, if Molly were going to leave me she would have done so long ago. But I suppose a part of me will always wonder why she chose me." Percy was silent for a time.

"Shall I bring Mum to see you in the morning then?" Percy asked.

"It would be grand to see her, yes. But tell her I understand if she can't bring herself to come; I know how she feels about stitches!" Percy nearly wept with relief to see his Father's humor again.

"Right then, I'll just let everyone know things are going well so far, and I'll give your love to Mum," Percy said heartily.

"Oh, you can't do that, Perce, I did that long ago," said Arthur with a grin. "I'll see you tomorrow then lad, and thank you." Percy surprised his Father by bending over and giving him a quick peck on the uncovered part of his forehead, and then he took his leave.

Percy left the hospital, stepped into an alley, and Apparated to the back of the Burrow's garden where he wept unrestrainedly for a few minutes before setting himself in order and entering the house.

"Dad's awake, and doing well," Percy announced to Penny and his mother. "The doctor is quite pleased with his recovery, which apparently is due in at least some part to the remarkable durability of the Weasley skull." Both women laughed, although Molly did have tears on her face.

"When can I see him?" Molly asked.

"I'll take you in the morning if you leave your wand here, I can't chance you hexing anyone," Percy said, only half teasing.

"Oh, you!" Molly said as she swatted his arm.

"There are just a few tests to run, and then he should be able to leave in about a week."

"As long as that? Well I suppose the muggle way is slower, but I have to admit that they do know a few things. What sort of tests?"

"How about a spot of tea?" Percy asked.

xxxx

"I'll get it," Hermione said, and she went to the owl port and opened it. "Here, Hermes," she said, giving him a treat and then removing the envelope from his leg. "It's addressed to all of us."

"Read it then," Ginny encouraged.

"He says, oh my goodness!" Hermione gasped.

"Percy sent an owl to say 'Oh my goodness'?" Bill questioned. "Bit odd, even for him."

"No, it's your Father, he's in a muggle hospital," Hermione explained.

"What the devil for?" Bill asked.

"He had a tumor in his brain; the healer's at St. Mungo's couldn't handle it so they sent him to a muggle specialist. Percy says the surgery went well though, he says your father is much improved already," she hastened to add.

"Why didn't he tell us sooner?" Bill asked in some dudgeon.

"He says he's at the Burrow, and anyone wanting more information should come there, otherwise he'll let us know when there is more to tell."

"Go, Bill, I will stay here with Victoire," Fleur said.

"Right, Ginny, you coming?"

"Of course. I'm pissed at him, but he's still my dad. Hermione?"

"Perhaps I should stay here…"

"Nonsense," Fleur told her, "you will doubtless know things about this hospital business that the others will not, and you should be with Ginny. Victoire and I will be fine. Now go, and send me word when you can."

There was no arguing with Fleur when she took that tone, and in any case, she was right.