Disclaimer: I'm not Ms. Rowling. I don't own the Harry Potter books.
A/N: Good Sunday evening, everyone! Tonight I'm revealing a special offer! I need a name for a new character, and I'm really stumped for it, so the 100th reviewer can give me their name, and I'll base the new characters name off of it! Doesn't that sound exciting! I'm excited! Sorry it's been so long. I really tried to post last week, but I didn't have more than 800 words, so I decided to put it off. As for my Beta, ElisabethAnne, I'M SO SORRY! I forgot to send this to you! I'll be sure to get it next weeks ASAP!!
Allychick: Here you go, my young friend! Enjoy!
ElisabethAnne: It's totally okay! I'm sorry too!! Tell me what you think of this chapter, and if there's anything I should fix!! :D
BrownOnions: Thanks! I thought it was sort of a cliffie, but I guess it turned out okay! About the writing style, thanks so much! It really means a lot when people say nice things about me! :-)
SlytherinLuver: You were right! You sly devil you!! I honestly live for your reviews. They're SO great!! See you next week!
~iamthewalrus93
"What am I doing here?" I asked drunkenly. Gan raised his eyebrows at me.
"What are you doing here?" he echoed. "You don't remember?"
"Er…no." I said back, and frowned deeply.
"You looked a little woozy in the hall, I think you were returning a book. Anyways, I followed you in here, and you went down."
"I fainted?" I asked.
"Yes," he replied solemnly. "Are you alright?" I blinked a few times.
"I'll be fine," I lied, trying to be brave, "It'll pass."
"Maybe you should sit down for a second," he said worriedly, and placed a hand on my shoulder. I sank down and put my head between my knees. "Do these spells come often?" he asked.
"No," I said in a slurred voice. "This hasn't ever happened to me before." A man burst into the library.
"Mil-er…Gan- Oh, you found her?" Lestrange asked. Gan sent a glare at her.
"What do you want?" he snapped.
"There is important news from India." Gan was on his feet quickly, then looked back down at me.
"Very well, take her to the Malfoy suite." He ordered.
"Not to Riddle?" Rudolphus asked. Gan turned his head slowly to face him, and narrowed his eyes.
"Are you questioning me?" Rudolphus looked down.
"No, sir."
"I thought not. Now take her to Adelé." Rudolphus inclined his head and pulled me up by my elbow. My knees bucked and the edges of my vision blurred out of sight. I collapsed onto the floor and a moment later Gan's fist connected with the side of Rudolphus' face. He staggered backwards and Gan tugged the ends of his sleeves back into place nonchalantly. "Help her properly," he said calmly. Rudolphus took me around my waist and pulled me along with him. He said nothing to me as we trekked to the eastern wing of the manor, but I wondered idly why he didn't dispute Gan.
Rudolphus opened the door and dragged me into the room before dropping me unceremoniously onto the bed. I slowly keeled over and giggled quietly.
"Woah," I said to the room at large, which was oddly tilted sideways. "Head rush!" Adelé came into the room from the bathroom and stared at me.
"What happened?" She asked in a worried tone. I was in no state to answer her, so Rudolphus did.
"She feinted." He said gruffly. Adelé glared at him and crossed her arms.
"Then why didn't you take her to her husband?" She snapped. He narrowed his eyes at her.
"I don't feel the need to explain myself to a harlot like yourself." He sneered. Her eyes narrowed back at him.
"What did you just call her?" A deadly voice demanded from the bathroom. Rudolphus' eyes dropped the floor and his shoulders slumped. From my place on the bed I could see Draco striding up to Adelé, and putting a hand on her lower back protectively.
"Begging your pardon, master Malfoy," Rudolphus said. "I didn't realize you were here." I didn't notice then, but some of my wits must have been coming back to me. Even I noticed that Rudolphus was getting himself in hotter water as he spoke. Draco's eyes were icy as he stared disconcertingly at the older man. Adelé stroked his hair lightly and gazed at Rudolphus as well, amused now, and slightly goading. I giggled again. Alright, I wasn't completely over my feinting spell yet.
"First of all," Draco said in a dead voice, "You shouldn't be apologizing to me. You insulted my wife, so you should be apologizing to her. Secondly, It doesn't matter if I'm here or not, you will never speak to any woman as such again, especially not my better half. You see, Lestrange," He spat the name, "I say she is my better half, because she isn't the one who is inches from cutting off your most prized organ-" He flicked his eyes down to Rudolphus' belt so that he would catch his meaning, "whereas I am. Now, apologize you discusting sod." Rudolphus was beet red and replied,
"I apologize." To the floor.
"Get out." Adelé ordered, and Rudolphus obeyed. The room was silent for a minute as Draco stared after Rudolphus and Adelé softly caressed the side of his face to calm him. After that, Draco turned to me, and cocked his head to the side.
"Why are you laying on my bed?" He asked, amused.
"Or, as a better question," Adelé continued, "Why haven't you gotten up yet?"
"Stuck," I said quietly. "You won't mind if I just close my eyes for a little bit, will you?" She smiled at me.
"Make yourself comfortable." She said, and Draco groaned.
"Wouldn't you rather be in your own bed?" He asked, and I caught that he had other plans for the piece of furniture I was now on. Too tired to be bothered to move, I replied with a quiet,
"No." And was asleep in seconds.
I woke hours later to find Draco and Adelé had left. It must have been after dinner, because it was dark outside. I sat up suddenly, and a wave of vertigo hit me again. I shook my head to clear it, then got out of the bed, and hurried down the hall. Tom must have been wonder where I was.
I hurried down the hall and slid into our rooms. He was seated on the chair infront of the desk, his face away from me, his shoulders slumped. I laid a hand on his shoulder and he sniffed then looked up at me.
"Ginny," He said, his eyes brimming with tears.
"Love, what's wrong?" I asked.
"It's Gan," He said. "He said…he said that Rahim is dieing." My spirits fell in a second, and I knelt beside him.
"Oh god," I breathed. "Is there anything we can do?" Tom shook his head and a tear rolled down his cheek.
"The best medi wizards in the world say he has weeks, maybe days left," I bit my lip and wiped his tear away. He buried his face in my neck and wept for his friend. All I could do was comfort him.
TTTTTTTTTTT
Gan was a mess. Really, he was. We sat in my study that evening, and talked about what could be done.
"Well, there's only one thing," He said.
"What? What can we do?" I said, hoping that we could save the man that was more my father than any muggle could ever have been. His anguished eyes met mine.
"Pay our final respects. Take the court to India, Tom. Show my father how much you respect him." I looked down. "What?" He demanded. "Is it too much work? Is it too difficult to take your subjects to see my father one last time?" I glared at him.
"Of course not, you prat. We'll leave tomorrow," He nodded.
"Good." He made it to the door before I called him back. "What?" he asked, looking back at me.
"I'm sorry," I said earnestly. "I'm so sorry that he's being taken from you now,"
"Whatever," Gan said, turning away from me. "I don't care what you say," and stormed out of the study.
GGGGGGGGGGG
India was warm. Far warmer than the manor. I felt beads of sweat roll down my back as we got a tour of the fortress-like building that Rahim and Gan lived in. I sighed. Rahim was a good man, and didn't deserve to die so young. He couldn't be much older than forty-five, and dieing of a magical disease? It couldn't be bad luck, I told myself.
"And this," said Gan, who was giving us the tour, "is my father's rooms. Tom hurried past him into the bedroom where Rahim lay dieing.
"Rahim?" Tom asked quietly, and took his hand. "Can you hear me?"
"Tom," Rahim breathed. "My boy, I did hope I could see you one last time."
"Hello father," Gan said and took Rahim's other hand. Rahim raised it to the back of his head and pulled him down so he could kiss his forehead.
"Gannon, my son. I don't think it will be long now. Who else is with you? I cannot make out her face."
"It's Ginny," I said stepping forward. "I'm happy to see you again, Rahim." The room made me depressed. All of the curtains were drawn, but light still filtered through with a red tinge. I had never been in a room with a dieing man before. I had seen people die before, on the battle field at Hogwarts, and I had gone to the funerals of Fred, Lupin and Tonks, who had been killed in the death eater attack on the school. Suddenly my insides boiled with rage at myself, at Tom and at Rahim. Myself, because I had forgotten those who fell and joined the ranks of those who killed them. Tom, because he had been inside Voldemort's head, and should have done more to stop him. Rahim, because Voldemort probably asked him for soldiers, and Rahim allowed him to go on and slaughter hundreds of teenagers and teachers alike. A fierce loyalty to the Order sprung up inside me and I wanted to scratch off my own dark mark with my nails.
"I will sleep now," Rahim sighed and rolled over. Tom stood and barreled out of the door. I sighed and stared after him. Of course he was terribly unhappy. Gan appeared at my side, and put a hand on the middle of my back, guiding me out.