-Chapter 12-
In Monday's Daily Prophet appeared an announcement that fueled Rita Skeeter with gossip for columns enough for the entire rest of the week:
"Hermione Jean Granger and Ginevra Molly Weasley, both former students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, officially announce their engagement to be married. Miss Granger, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Granger of London, is an employee at the Ministry of Magic in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures in addition to the mother of her son, Lennox Wulfric Granger. Miss Weasley, daughter of Arthur and Molly Weasley of Ottery St. Catchpole, is currently a professional Quidditch player for England's national team and will soon be taking over as head of the Quidditch reporting department for The Daily Prophet. The pair is planning a (long awaited) fall wedding to take place later this year."
Hermione reluctantly sent a copy of the announcement to her parents. She wasn't entirely shocked when her owl came back with nothing in return.
Friday night Molly made sure to invite the Potters and Ron to dinner so the group could continue their tradition of dinner together. Ginny invited Willow but didn't tell Ron. His face lit up when he saw her. After dinner Molly and Arthur insisted that all three children stay with them while the young couples went outside for a moonlit stroll. Hermione and Ginny made their way through the thin patch of forest to the big tree they spent so many mornings under down by the river. Ginny had Hermione pinned against the big tree and Hermione's hands were running up Ginny's stomach when they heard Arthur's voice echo through the woods calling everyone to come up to the house.
Ginny and Hermione tore through the woods and nearly ran into Willow and Ron on the way.
"What do you suppose this is about?" Ron asked as they ran up to the house.
"I don't know but I didn't like the tone of Dad's voice."
"What…happened," Ginny gasped as they got to the kitchen door. Harry and Luna were already there.
"Go in, all of you," Arthur said. Molly stood in the kitchen with all three kids at the kitchen table playing with kitchen implements.
"The sitting room," Molly said as she sat down at the kitchen table with the three young children.
The six walked into the sitting room. Hermione had an arm around Ginny's shoulders, holding herself up. Her muscles were burning from the run. There was a tall female figure with her back turned standing in the middle of the room. Blonde hair cascaded down her back, a serpent design on the sleeve of the cloak tipped Ginny off immediately.
"Narcissa?" Ginny gasped.
"I only want to talk." Narcissa turned around and motioned for them to come into the room. "Sit down." Ginny sat between Hermione and Willow on one couch, Ron in a chair to their left and Harry and Luna sat in a loveseat across from the couch.
"What do you want Narcissa?" Ron hissed.
"I don't want to hurt anyone Ron. I just want my son."
"We can't do that and you know it," Harry said. "Draco is on his own with this one. Even if Ron and I could do something we wouldn't."
"He just wanted his father out of trouble, surely you can try to understand that."
"I don't care what he wants. He threatened my best friend with murdering his wife and sons and then he tortured my other best friend to near madness!" Ron growled and looked at Hermione who was now curled up almost in a ball nearly on top of Ginny. "Why would you even think for one minute we'd help him if we could?"
"You helped him in the Battle of Hogwarts, surely you can find it in your heart to help him now."
"By that logic he is the one that owes Harry, Hermione and me."
"And if he does get out he is just going to come after us again," Ginny scowled. She held Hermione tight.
"I assure you that no such thing will happen. Draco will be under my constant supervision."
"Oh that's a load off my mind. The wife and mother of two of the vilest men on Earth who would do anything for them…"
"Shut it, Ginny." Ron snapped his neck to her.
"No!" Ginny stood up and walked over to Narcissa. "Do you know what your beloved son did to my fiancée? Do you?!"
"I do."
"No, no you don't. You don't have a fucking clue. Yeah, you may know that he used the Cruciatus curse but you have no idea what it has done to her. I sleep next to her every night, waking up at every twitch and every noise that she makes because of the horror that comes to her in her dreams. Do you have any idea what that is like? For the both of us?"
Willow moved over and wrapped an arm around Hermione's shoulder and held on to the shaking brunette.
Narcissa turned to Hermione. "Hermione I am deeply sorry for Draco's actions. This was of no fault of his own though, you must know."
"I don't give a damn," Hermione cried. "You have no idea what he did to me. The images that are burned into my mind because of the nightmares…they haunt me. Your bloody son isn't a little boy anymore. He deserves to rot in Azkaban next to his father."
Narcissa took a step towards Hermione, Ginny darted between them.
"I swear on the grave of Albus Dumbledore," Ginny scowled, "if you or any member of your family ever comes near my fiancée or anyone I care about ever again they will have to go through me first." Ginny narrowed her eyes. "And I am not afraid of what the consequence is of using the killing curse."
Narcissa clenched her jaw and stepped back from the fierce redhead. Ginny didn't blink. She didn't break eye contact.
"I suppose I will see all of you at the trial then."
Harry stood and growled and balled his fists up at his side. "You can bet on it."
Narcissa turned, Harry followed her through the kitchen and out the door. He almost brandished his wand when he saw her glance at his sons who were still sitting at the kitchen table but Arthur shook his head.
Ginny stood in the middle of the room, her face nearly purple. Her fingernails dug into the palms of her sweaty hands. Luna stood up and put a hand on Ginny's shoulder. Even though her heart was racing Ginny was barely breathing. She shrugged Luna's hand off of her shoulder. Adrenaline was coursing through her veins, never so badly in her life did she need to fly or run; anything to get out the emotion built up inside of her.
"Mum!" Ginny yelled as she walked into the kitchen. "Is my Nimbus still in the broom shed?"
"Of course dear. Going for a fly, are you?"
"I have some things to think about."
"Be safe, you've got your match tomorrow don't forget."
"Where are you going, Gin?" Hermione walked into the kitchen and sat down next to Lennox.
"Just a night time fly around the fields. I've got some thinking to do."
"Why not just take a walk, I'll come with…"
"No, Hermione," Ginny snapped. "I need to fly." Ginny left the kitchen. Hermione watched out the window as the tip of Ginny's wand lit up and headed to the broom shed. The light disappeared for a few minutes then emerged. It held steady for a bit, then took off up in the sky.
"Where's Ginny going?" Lennox asked. "No Quidditch at night."
"She's just going to fly for a little while. She'll be back."
"When can I fly?"
"Ginny will teach you when you're old enough, sweetie."
"You know they have trainer brooms, right 'Mione?" Harry sat down next to Albus.
"Yes, but he didn't."
"Come on 'Mione, if he wants to learn to fly then he should start young."
"He'll start flying when Ginny thinks it is suitable to teach him."
Harry smiled. "Okay 'Mione. Have you been over to see the house?"
"I have and it is coming along fantastically, much quicker than I expected. At this rate they'll be done by the beginning of August. I've already talked to someone in the transportation department about getting the Floo set up when we're done building."
Ginny zipped up around the Burrow. She flew over the adjacent fields and dangerously close to the village. She didn't care though. The rush of almost being seen released more adrenaline from her. She flew to the Lovegood house which was now partially rebuilt. The half-built rook-like structure was accompanied by the skeleton of a regular looking house along with a large outbuilding where she assumed The Quibbler would be set up. She took off again, as high as she could go before the air started getting too thin to breathe. She dove back down and avoided collision with the ground by mere centimeters. She landed in an open field and sat down, her broomstick at her feet.
It all happened so quickly. Four figures coming from each direction, all of them shouted at once before Ginny could un-strap her wand from the broom handle.
"STUPEFY!"