All Harry Potter Characters don't belong to me.
The Source - Chapter Twelve
"Speaking"
<Thinking>
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A month had gone by and every night Ginny would go to Draco's room to give him his medicine and answer some of his questions, if he had any.
He never asked really important things, usually just about the recent rumours going around or gossips about couples. Draco wasn't really interested but he was determined to find something the Weasley didn't know about.
"So exactly how much do you know about me, Weasley?"
Ginny was flipping through a potions book on the floor looking up a question. It had become a routine for her to do her homework while talking to and/or answering Draco.
"If you give me one Galleon, I'll give you a full report on yourself," Ginny was looking up at Draco from her position on the floor and smiling innocently.
"You really are a money sucking leech, aren't you?" he said while looking down at her from his bed.
Ginny sighed dramatically and returned back to her textbook, "A girl must survive."
They remained silent for a while then Ginny all of a sudden screamed out,
"YES! I found it."
Draco was so shocked by her outburst that he fell off the bed and landed on the floor. He scrambled back up onto the bed and glared at Ginny, who was sitting on the floor on the other side.
"What the hell was that for?" he growled.
"I've been looking for this page since yesterday," she squealed "It describes how to preserve deedle roots. This is the main ingredient I need to make a cure for your Vervexia."
Ginny was so happy that she was still smiling while taking notes on a piece of parchment.
<So the yell was for me.> Draco thought happily.
Ginny slammed the book shut and was picking up all the books and parchments around her. Draco knew that she was going now.
"I won't be coming to give you your medicine tomorrow Malfoy."
Draco got up from his bed and stood up next to Ginny.
"Why?" he asked.
"I have to sit an exam, so I won't even be at school tomorrow night. But I will be making your medicine before I leave so you can go and get it yourself tomorrow night at the hospital wing."
"What exam are you sitting?"
"An entrance exam to 'Medica' the best Medi-Wizard and Witch College in all of Europe."
Ginny shoved all her books and parchments into her book bag and walk towards the portrait.
"Er, good luck then, Weasley," Draco said.
Ginny looked over her shoulder and smiled, "I'll see you when I get back Malfoy."
And then she left.
Ginny left the castle the next day at around 10 am and was still absent through the whole night. Ginny had gone to sit the exam along with some other 6th and 7th years and they were to stay there overnight.
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Ginny came back to Hogwarts on the Saturday morning and she was going to go into Hogsmeade with her brother Ron, but it wasn't going to be a fun outing. It was for business.
The two arrived into Hogsmeade in the carriages and then left Harry and Hermione to go to the small Gringotts bank in the middle of the village. It was a small branch of the actual Gringotts bank in Diagon alley but was still large enough to be intimidating.
Ron and Ginny walked in through the large doors and saw their other five brothers waiting for them. There was Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred and George. All five stood up to greet their younger brother and sister before they all sat down again to do some quick catching up.
"So how was the test Ginny?" asked Percy.
"Yeah, it was alright. A little hard but let's not talk about that now. Where's Mr. Grouch?"
Bill was the one to answer, "They said he was in a meeting, but he'll be out soon."
The seven siblings waited for another ten minutes before a short stubby goblin came walking towards them.
"Come with me please," he said coldly.
The Weasley's followed the goblin into a room and then all sat down at a round table.
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Draco was sitting across the room watching, when all the Weasley's came walking out of the room. Once they had all left, he got up from his seat and headed towards the goblin that was with them. The goblin wasn't walking very fast because he was quite short, but also because he was holding a big pouch of money.
"Mr. Grouch." Draco addressed him.
"Ah, Mr. Malfoy. Come to get your weekly allowance I presume."
"Yes. But I was also wondering what the Weasley clan were doing here?"
"Why, they were paying their loan of course."
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The Weasley's were outside and they all visibly relaxed. They hated doing this every three months, but it had to be done. Fred and George were the first ones to speak.
"Let's all go back to our shop," said Fred. (They had opened a joke shop in Hogsmeade).
"Yeah, have a cup of tea and some cake," George finished.
All the brothers and Ginny looked at each other for approval, but then Percy spoke.
"I should really be getting back to the Ministry," he said "Maybe some other time."
He then stepped over to Ginny and gave her a hug, "Hope you did well on your exam, Gin." And then he said goodbye to everyone and Apparated away.
Bill was next to decline the offer, "Sorry guys. Have to get back as soon as possible. I'll make it up to you all at Christmas or something," Bill too walked over to Ginny and gave her a hug. He also patted Ron on the shoulder before Apparating.
"Well. That just leaves us five. Let's go then," This was Ron and he was already dragging Charlie and Ginny towards Fred and George's Shop.
"Sorry Ron. But I have to go too," Charlie said apologetically.
"Already," Ginny cried. Out of all her brothers, Ginny liked Charlie the best because he was always looking out for her ever since she was little.
"Yeah Gin. But before I go I wanted to talk to you about something, so how about we go for a quick walk?"
"Ok."
Charlie said good-bye to his remaining three brothers and guided Ginny down the road.
"There they go to talk in private again," said Fred.
"She was always his favourite," answered George.
"Yeah," said Ron.
There was silence and then the three brothers headed of in the other direction to the joke shop and left Ginny and Charlie to their private conversation.
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"So, what's up Charlie?" Ginny asked, while skipping along the road. She loved it when she was with Charlie, he always knew what to say and how to comfort her if she needed. She loved her other brothers too, it was just that Charlie was easier to talk to.
"I met your boss yesterday, Ginny."
"Really, did he say anything special?"
"No, not really. Just that you haven't been working there for over a year now."
Ginny stopped skipping immediately and stared up at Charlie. Her ex-boss had promised that if any one asked if she was still working there he'd say yes.
"Your old boss quit two months ago Ginny, and this was the new manager of the publishing company. When I asked about you he looked up employment records and found out that you haven't been working there for a long time. "
<That's why.> Ginny thought.
"Gin, what's going on? Why didn't you tell us you quit your job? And where are you working now? Where did you get so much money?"
Charlie had stopped walking and had his hands on Ginny's shoulders, "Tell me Gin."
Ginny was on the verge of tears but held them back. She said would not cry in front of her family, she wouldn't make them worry.
"I can't tell you Charlie. I'm sorry."
Charlie let go of Ginny's shoulders and had a very hurt look on his face.
Ginny went and hugged him really tightly while burying her face in his jumper.
"Trust me Charlie; I'm not doing anything that's dangerous or degrading. It's just I can't let anyone know about it. Not yet anyway. But after we finish paying off that loan I promise I will tell you. I promise," Ginny was pleading.
Charlie lifted Ginny up so he could look into her face.
"OK. Gin. I trust you. But just be careful. I don't want anything happening to you, alright?"
Ginny nodded and Charlie smiled.
"I better go now." Charlie gave Ginny a kiss on her forehead and then Apparated away.
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Ginny managed to drag her way to Draco's room that night and just handed him his medicine without say a word or even looking at him.
Draco gulped down the blue liquid and handed the bottle back.
"Why so quite Weasley?" Draco asked.
Ginny was slumped into the soft chair next to Draco's bed, and hearing the question looked up but just shook her head.
"A bit heartbroken at having to give away all that money?"
Ginny's head shot up and she stared into Draco's eyes. Her face showed confusion for a while but then seemed to understand. Ginny leaned back down and just sighed.
"I should have known. You were there, weren't you Malfoy? Picking up your weekly allowance."
Draco smirked. "Fast thinking Weasley. Yes, I was there. So what did you need the loan for?"
Ginny pulled her feet under herself so she was sitting cross-legged on the big chair and looked into Draco's eyes. She was too tired to bicker with him so she just told him.
"Three years ago my dad had a heart attack. The Healers needed to perform surgery because it was something magic alone couldn't fix. The operation was going to cost a fortune, so we had to mortgage our house to the bank. Dad had the operation and it was very successful.
"He soon returned back to work and was ready to pay the bank back after he claimed the health insurance, but the goblins at the bank said we missed the cut off date to pay back the loan so the house belonged to them now. Mum and Dad were really upset, we just had enough to pay back what we borrowed including interest but the goblins wanted double of what we borrowed. There was no way we could afford it.
"Then one night all my brothers and I had a meeting and devised a plan to help pay half the loan off for my parents. Bill and Charlie went to the bank the next day and transferred half the loan to their name. They then signed a contract to state that it would look like the house is given back to our parents at the price we mortgaged it for but in reality it will not be fully returned until Bill and Charlie pay back the other half. Mum and Dad were really happy when they got the house back and so my brothers and I have been paying it back for two years now, not letting our parents know."
Draco had listened to her story and felt sorry for her. He never knew her life was that hard.
"So that's why you started the whole Source thing."
Ginny had her head down and was fidgeting, "Yeah, it was the only thing I could think of at the moment. I had had a few jobs before that, but they just weren't paying enough. I needed a lot of money and fast."
"So how much do you have left to pay off?"
"About 1 thousand Galleons."
"And how much do you pay off every time you go there?"
"My brothers and I aim to pay off 200 Galleons every three months."
"How do you manage to do that?" Draco asked curiously.
"Well, Bill, Charlie and Percy all have jobs so they can manage 30 galleons each if they really save. Fred and George used to sell pranks and jokes at school to get money and now they have a shop, so 30 galleons each from them are good. Ron goes around winning chess tournaments and getting prize money, but when he can't do that he coaches chess and earns some, and as for me, I think you already know what I do."
There was silence in the room for a long time. Draco didn't know what to say, he never had to do anything remotely similar to what Ginny was doing now. He never sacrificed anything for his family.
Ginny got up from her seat and was picking up her bag and straightening up her clothes furiously. It was like she wanted to get out his room as fast as she could.
"What are you doing Weasley?"
Ginny had her head down and wouldn't look at him.
"I. *sniff* I have to go. *sniff*"
Ginny was turning around and trying to get out of Draco's room but he held onto her shoulders and sat her back down on the chair. He kneeled down in front of her and held her face up with his hands.
"Just let it out, Weasley," he whispered.
Hearing this, Ginny covered her face with her hands and started weeping. Draco was still kneeling in front of her and he still had his hands on her shoulder to stop her body from trembling too much. She was full on crying and wrenching now, three whole years of pain and sorrow being let out, and it was even more agonizing for Draco to watch.
End of Chapter Twelve. Thanks for reading and I Hope you Review.
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