Bring Me to Life

Disclaimer:The characters in the story do not belong to me in any way.

Chapter 9 - Roses are Red...

The whispering click of knitting needles kept Ron from getting any sort of sleep. He was sprawled out on the lawn in the backyard of the Burrow, enjoying the later summer sun. His mother sat on an old rocking chair that was magically enhanced to continually sway. She was furiously knitting something; something purple that Ron was currently unable to identify. Ron knew his mother was anxious, she had always said that knitting manually calmed her.

She had every reason to be anxious Ron thought; Ginny was coming home.

(flashback)

With a sharp crack Professor Dumbledore appeared in the comfy den of the Burrow. Mrs. Weasley sat on the paisley loveseat, nervously rubbing her hands together. Arthur leaned one hip on the arm of loveseat and reassuringly placed a hand on his wife’s shoulder.

“Molly, my dear, Albus is here.” Molly quickly focused her attention from the large grandfather clock that located the Weasley family members, onto their guest.

Ron sat at the top of the staircase silently observing the proceedings downstairs. He knew his parents weren’t hiding this meeting from him; they just hadn’t quite been able to accept that Ron was an adult. They still saw him as their little Ronniekins.

Ron was the only one at home so he was left to eavesdrop alone. The twins had gone back to their flat in Diagon alley, and Bill and his wife Fleur were still in France. Charlie had been at the Ministry all day trying to see if there were any job openings closer to home. He didn’t want to leave mum to head back to Romania. Not to mention the fact that relations on the continent had not yet been completely re-established and Charlie wasn’t certain if the job he had held there even existed anymore.

Ron’s ears perked again as he heard the calm tenor of Professor Dumbledore’s voice.

“Why Molly, you are looking well!” Albus took the seat across the worn oak coffee table from the Weasley’s.

“Thank you Albus. Things aren’t the same, but life… life it must continue on.”

Dumbledore smiled a sad sort of smile and reached across the table to pat her hand reassuringly.

“Molly, I must commend you. You have done your Gryffindor heritage proud.”

Ron listened to the three adults reminisce for several moments. Dumbledore asked after Bill and Charlie and how the twins were coming along with re-establishing their joke shop. Finally after Ron had almost lost all patience for their conversation, Dumbledore finally came around to his reason for visiting.

“I spoke with Dr. Throckmorton this morning. It appears that Ginny will be able to come home tomorrow.” Dumbledore paused as if for reaction, “that is if that’s what you want.” He turned assessing eyes on the couple he had known for years.

Arthur, who had been rather quiet during the previous proceedings, quickly spoke up. “Of course that is what we want!”

Molly raised haunted eyes that reflected the loss of a child, “I want my baby girl back.”

Dumbledore softened his eyes. “Molly I will bring her home to you, but there are things. Things you need to know.”

Arthur began pacing across the small room his hands clasped behind his back. “Albus I told you, I don’t care what she did, I just want her home.”

Dumbledore moved to interrupt, “No, Albus I said I don’t care… We have already lost one child I can’t lose another.”

Albus raised a hand to stop Arthur, “I understand that you just want your child back, but you have to understand she may not be the same girl that you knew.”

Molly raised her eyes that were brimming with tears. “I have heard what is being said. I know that many think that she was helping the Dark Lord; that she brought Hermione there so that he-who-must-not-be-named could kill Harry. To be perfectly honest I don’t know what to think and I am ashamed as a mother to say that.” Arthur stared at Molly; this was the most she had spoken since they had received the news regarding Percy. She continued, “I can’t say that I don’t believe what they are saying. She hasn’t been the same girl that I raised since the chamber incident. I thought that she was coming around these past few years, she was almost the little girl I remember.”

“Molly she has always been that girl.”

“I know, I know. It’s just that she became so melancholy. I tried to help her with it and I know that she was getting better. I could help her again. I know I could! All she needs to do is forget about what happened and remember her family. I know I’ll make her favorite – apple pie!” For the first time in nearly a week a spark lit Molly’s chocolate brown eyes.

“I know you could help her Molly, you are her mother and I am sure there is no where she would rather be right now. But I need to warn you, it may not be as easy as you want it to be.” Dumbledore sighed. He had a great deal of respect for the couple sitting across from him. They had been loyal friends since their days at Hogwarts. He also understood their current position. They had little information from the source only hearsay, especially convincing hearsay he reasoned. He also knew they loved their children unconditionally, but the seriousness of the allegations were enough to test the ties of the closest families. He also knew that it would be hard for Ginny to come home, especially with any such thoughts regarding her association with the Dark Lord harbored by her family.

Dumbledore felt an obligation to keep his knowledge to himself; it wasn’t his story to tell. Yet he feared for young Ms. Weasley, it was hard enough for her to come to terms with what happened without having to worry whether her family had found her guilty of charges she didn’t even know existed.

“Molly, Arthur, You have to understand that I cannot tell Ginny’s story for her, that is something she will have to decide to tell you. But I do want you to understand that she had nothing to do with Hermione’s capture nor was she an active participant in the events that did occur the day that they left the train.” Dumbledore wished that he could tell them more, but in actuality he didn’t know all the facts yet, he knew what Draco had told him, but he would rather hear them from Ginny herself.

‘Albus, I know. I do not blame her for anything that has happened. We just love her and want her home.” Arthur paused in his pacing as he responded to Professor Dumbledore.

Ron dusted his pants off as he rose from his spot at the top of the stairs. He had heard what he needed to know. His sister was coming home, he should probably go and owl Harry – he had wanted to know when she would be back. The only question remaining in Ron’s mind was where had she been?

(end flashback)

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Ginny ran her hand along the luxurious fabric that was spread across the end of her bed.

Draco had said he would have an outfit brought up for her, but she had never thought it would be something this nice. Black slacks, crisp with a crease, were accompanied by a camel colored cashmere three-quarters length sweater. Black dress robes also lay on the bed.

She was feeling much better as of late and planned to walk about the grounds for the first time. She had mentioned this desire to Draco the night before and he responded in a typically Draco fashion.

(flashback)

He ran his eyes over her ‘borrowed dressing gown. “Well Weasley I assure you that our grounds are secluded, but I think the gardener would be a bit scanadlized if he were to spot you in… that” Ginny glared at him.