-Chapter 22-

Hermione helped Ginny to her feet and took her upstairs with Willow and Aislin.

"What do we do now?" Harry asked the Weasley brothers.

"We didn't really plan that part, did we?" Bill walked around the sitting room.

"I think we should contact the Ministry. Tell them that there are three Death Eaters with body bind curses on them plus the woman that was hiding them and one Death Eater that has probably bled to death," Charlie said.

"What?" Bill thundered. "We agreed that we wouldn't seriously hurt anyone unless it was necessary!"

"Hermione used some spell on Rabastan that basically gutted him from the inside out."

"Sectumsempra?" Harry asked, stunned.

"That was the one," George said.

"Yeah, he's probably dead," Harry said. "At least it was self defense." Charlie and George looked away from Harry. "Oh please tell me it was self defense, guys!"

"We had him bound on the floor," Charlie said, "Hermione came out of the room with Aislin and Ginny and then unbound him…then swore at him and used the spell."

"Not as far as I'm concerned," Bill said. "As far as any of us know, the three of you got separated from her through the maze of hallways and he tried to attack her. It was self defense. You got to her just after it happened, got Ginny and then got the hell out."

Everyone nodded.

"I'm going to the Burrow," Charlie said. "Mum needs to know about this…about everything. Ron, you go to the Ministry and tell them what happened."

Ron and Charlie left, Harry, Bill and George sat in the sitting room in silence.

...............

Hermione helped Ginny up the flight of stairs to her room. Ginny sat on the bed and Hermione sat next to her and wrapped her arms around Ginny. Aislin and Willow stood by, nervously.

"Ginny, tell me what I can do. What do you want, tell me and I'll do it," Hermione said.

"Bath…hot water," Ginny mumbled.

"I'll get the water going," Aislin went into the bathroom.

Hermione started to unwrap the duvet from Ginny's shoulders but Ginny pulled it back.

"Don't look at me, Hermione."

"We're going to St. Mungo's after this…I'd rather not be shocked by anything."

"No! No please, Hermione…no…I-I can't," Ginny begged. Hermione held on to her. "Please…I don't want people knowing."

"Ginny, we have to. We have to make sure you're going to be okay. Come on now, let's just get you into the bath."

"N-not you…" Ginny pulled away from Hermione. "I-I don't want you in there."

"Gin…I…"

"No. Just stay here, okay?" Ginny looked at Willow and the smaller redhead walked to the bed and helped Ginny up. They walked into the bathroom and shut the door. Hermione looked at the door, tears in her eyes.

Several minutes passed and Molly Weasley's voice echoed through Ginny's bedroom. "Where is my daughter? Where is she?" Molly burst into the bedroom and Hermione met her with a hug.

"She's in the bathroom. Aislin and Willow are with her. Ginny…sh-she was…"

"I know, dear," Molly said, petting Hermione's head. "Charlie told me. He also told me what you did." Hermione looked at the floor. "Under any other circumstances I wouldn't be pleased but…that vile man deserved what he got."

Hermione nodded. "I agree."

Aislin stepped out of the bathroom.

"She needs clothes. She's still determined not to go to the hospital, hopefully you can talk her into it."

Hermione went to the chest of drawers and pulled out comfortable clothes for Ginny and handed them to Aislin. She went back into the bathroom and she, Ginny, and Willow emerged a few minutes later. They sat on the bed and Hermione stood nearby. Molly knelt in front of Ginny.

"We need to get you to St. Mungo's, all of you," Molly said. "I've already sent the other boys aside from Bill. He said he is going to stay here until Ron gets back. I've asked him to alert St. Mungo's of our arrival."

"Mum I don't know…"

"Ginny," Hermione said, stepping closer to the bed, "please. You really need to get checked out. The Healers need to make sure…"

"I know what they need to make sure of! This is just really humiliating, okay? I didn't fight him! I just laid there and let him fuck me without a fight! I'm a bloody coward!"

"Ginny you are not a coward!" Hermione yelled. "You did what you had to! You are the bravest woman I know."

"Yeah, Gin," Willow said as she hugged Ginny, "from what you told us there's no one in the world that will ever be able to call you a coward."

"They're right, dear," Molly spoke softly. "You've never been a coward and you aren't one now. You're a true Gryffindor, through and through."

"And you need to be that Gryffindor again right now, Ginny," Hermione's voice quivered. "I know this isn't going to be easy but it's something you need to do. All of us will be there, you have nothing to worry about."

Ginny nodded her head. "Fine."

All the women headed downstairs to the sitting room where Bill was talking with two female Mediwizards.

"Hey Gin…" Bill spoke softly when Ginny walked in the room. "They're going to escort you over to the hospital, all right? They wanted to make sure you got in right away."

Ginny nodded.

Ginny was taken to a room immediately upon arrival to the hospital via a St. Mungo's vehicle. It looked something like a Muggle ambulance but the inside was much more comfortable. There were large armchairs and a couch, Ginny stayed between Aislin and Willow for the quick trip.

"Do you want me to stay here when the Healers come?" Hermione asked when Ginny got to her room.

"No."

"O-okay," Hermione said, shocked at Ginny's sharpness.

Molly came in the room from checking on Harry, Charlie, and George.

"The boys are all fine, cuts and bruises are the worst of their injuries. Hermione dear, you really should get that cut cleaned up."

"I'll have a Healer take a look at it later," Hermione said.

A female Healer came in the room with the attendant that Hermione recognized as the one that was on her floor the night Ginny stayed with her.

"Miss Weasley, I'm Trish, this is Dria. I'll be examining you, taking care of any wounds, and answering any of your questions."

Ginny nodded.

"You can have someone stay with you, if you like."

Ginny looked at Willow and nodded. Willow sat on the bed by Ginny and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"I'll go check to see if Ron and Bill have arrived yet," Molly said. She kissed Ginny on the top of the head and left the room and so did Aislin.

"Would you like some Calming Draught, Miss Weasley? It seems to help things go a bit more smoothly for the patient."

"O-okay. Yeah."

Trish took a vile out of her pocket and handed it to Ginny who drank it down in one gulp.

"While this is going on, Miss…" the Healer looked at Hermione.

"Oh, Hermione Granger. I'm Ginny's fiancée."

"Miss Granger, someone will get that cut on your head taken care and Dria will come find you when we're done."

Ginny wouldn't look at Hermione and the brunette nodded her head and left the room, almost slamming the door behind her.

Hermione met Aislin in the hallway.

"What did she say to you? Why is she acting like this?" Hermione asked, shaking.

"She…she knows that this will affect you and she doesn't want you to have to go through anything else."

"How could she think that? I don't understand…She didn't tell me anything that happened, why would even looking at her…"

"It's bad, Hermione. She wouldn't fight him and it made him angry…there's more bruise covered skin than not."

"That sick…" but before Hermione could let out the string of swears she had intended a Healer pulled her into a different room and mended her cut. As soon as it was done she ran back to the hallway outside of Ginny's door just in time for Dria to come out and let everyone know it was all right to come back in.

"I've got some potions you need to take," Trish said to Ginny. "Of course we can't make you but it is preferable if you stay the night at least."

"I'll stay."

"Good. I'll be back with your potions then and let your family know that you're all right."

Trish and Dria left the room and Molly came running back in. She sat in the chair by Ginny's bed and Hermione stood on the other side. Ginny dozed on and off as Willow told Molly that her daughter would be okay and would only be spending the night and could be go home the next day.

"I'll ask if Luna and Harry can take Lennox for the night…"

"'Mione…" Ginny groaned. She opened her eyes a bit to look at Hermione.

"Yeah love, I'm right here."

"Go home. Lennox needs you more than I do. Mum can stay with me tonight, I'll be fine."

"No, Ginny, I can stay. It'll be no problem."

"Please Hermione. Do it for me, okay? Right now…right now I just want a little bit of time with Mum."

Hermione nodded. "Do you want me to come back in the morning or wait at the Burrow?"

"You can stay at the Burrow, I plan on leaving as early as possible. No doubt the Ministry is going to come knocking and asking questions first thing in the morning."

"Okay, see you tomorrow morning then."

Hermione leaned over and kissed Ginny on the forehead and then left. Aislin and Willow soon followed and they all Flooed to the Burrow.

"Mum…I don't know what to do," Ginny said after she and Molly were alone.

"What do you mean dear?"

"I don't know what to think…I don't know what to feel. I don't know if I can feel. What am I supposed to do?"

"I-I don't know, dear. Perhaps that is something you should ask the Healer. I'm sure whatever you feel or don't feel is normal though."

"Nothing about any of this is normal…I'm not sure any part of my life has ever been. I mean Merlin's beard, I was conceived at the height of a damn war. I should've known my life would never be anywhere close to normal."

"Well what do you think you feel?"

"I don't feel anything. Maybe it's just the Calming Draught but I just don't feel anything."

"After a good nights rest I am sure you'll feel better."

The Healer came back in with two glasses.

"Contraceptive and Dreamless Sleep Potion," she said when Ginny looked at them warily. Ginny downed both of them and settled into bed. In no time her eyelids were heavy and she drifted off to sleep.