Death Eaters Cometh…
Ginny and Draco sat on her parent's sofa, across from Molly and Arthur.
Samantha and Ron had also come over after her mother had floo'd them with the news.
"So, Malfoy, how did you manage to apparate from Hogwarts to your flat? I thought there were wards up to stop that from happening?" Ron questioned, his arm laying around the back of the loveseat, behind Samantha's shoulders.
"I actually had received permission from Dumbledore to do it that day. He took down the wards from my classroom only, as I was planning on leaving from there to my flat, hopefully with Ginny in tow," Draco explained and Ron nodded understandingly.
"Any idea when the wedding will be?" Molly asked both extremely happy and still a bit unnerved that her daughter was marrying a Malfoy.
Ginny turned to Draco who looked at her and shrugged.
"I take that as a "no"," Ron said with a hint of amusement in his voice. "Let's see that ring," Ron leaned over and Ginny held out her hand explaining the enchantments Draco had placed on it. Ron let out a low whistle and squeezed her hand gently then let go.
"Nice ring, Malfoy," Ron nodded in his future brother in law's direction and Draco nodded back. They looked at each other for a moment then stood up and went to the chess table, not having played in…well, Ginny couldn't remember how long. Almost a year she supposed. She settled back with her parents and chatted a bit about the death eaters that were sighted in Northern England and her father said that they hadn't heard anything else on the matter, reassuring Ginny's nerves a bit.
Samantha and Ginny talked a bit about how Ron was adjusting to a Muggle flat complex and was thoroughly enjoying his job. Ginny still couldn't believe she was talking to Ron's WIFE. She could see he had settled down a bit. He wasn't making as many smart comments like he usually did and was staying civil to Draco. He had actually shook his hand when he found out his little sister was marrying this Slytherin.
Ginny was happy with the way her life was slowly coming together. Over the next few weeks when she wasn't studying or living her NEWT level classes she let her thoughts wander to being Mrs. Draco Malfoy and found that it made her immensely happy. Her friends, Tom, John, Maggie and Susan along with Harry and Hermione had seen the ring and had complimented her on it, understanding the charm that made it so special.
As she had finally decided to be a healer Ginny started the paperwork, with Professor McGonagall's help, to be sent to St. Mungo's before her grades arrived (after her exams in June). She was excited to finally be stepping out into the real world and many times, via floo or owl, she heard stories from Hermione about strange cases and illnesses that came through the hospital.
Hermione was planning on working up until she had the baby then was allowed a few months off. Harry and Hermione were trying to figure out work schedules already to see if one of them could stay home while the other one worked; Katharine and Charlie were doing it well with Jillian and Cassandra, who celebrated their first birthday in style with both sides of the family in attendance.
March rolled on into April and Easter came and went when Ginny heard the first real news of the Death Eaters that had been spotted. During breakfast in the Great Hall when all the students were together, Dumbledore announced that there had been a "scuffle" of a death eater and auror, the auror winning (Ginny found out later it was Tonks and silently cheered her on) at Diagon Alley. Ginny remembered meeting Draco's gaze that morning and neither one said anything but she knew his guard was up even higher than it usually was.
After leaving the hall that early spring morning Ginny talked with John and Susan about the Death Eater, trying to figure out where the others were and why this one was by himself, or herself as Susan pointed out. Ginny bid them farewell as she entered her DADA class, ignoring Lisa who made it there before her. Ginny approached Harry, said, "Hello" and asked how Hermione was.
"Miserable," Harry said, with a small smile. Ginny laughed then set down her books and walked over to the corner where he was going through a cupboard.
"Are you thinking about the Death Eaters?" she asked quietly, leaning against the wall.
"Part of me is," he admitted shutting the cabinet and locking it silently. He had taken out a few of the older textbooks for his students to go through and find some difficult spells for them to try out. "I should have known that they all wouldn't have spontaneously combusted after I…defeated…Voldemort, or Snape would have been gone. Lucius Malfoy too…anyone with the dark mark. But I was lost in my own little happy world and I never looked ahead."
"It's not YOUR fault. This happens…anytime a leader is defeated. Their followers try to rise back up."
Ginny touched his arm for him to look at her. He nodded his understanding.
"Know what though? I am hoping against hope that this is it. I will have a child here in another month. I can't desert him or her and my wife to go fight evil…for the umpteenth time," he said in a low voice.
"No one is expecting you too. Tonks managed this one on her own." Harry looked at her pointedly.
Ginny backtracked smiling a bit, "Ok, probably with some help I am sure. Talk to Lupin, Harry, he'll tell you the same thing. This isn't YOUR fight anymore, ok?" Ginny smiled at him as other students began trickling in and she took her seat across from Lisa who scowled at her.
Ginny's DADA class flew by as Harry put them through the paces of numerous spells that could be used to shield and defend. She trudged up the stairs, exhausted from the day and from the prospect of finishing up her homework for tomorrow. Thinking that she was just going to hang out in her room and study, she changed into a pair of comfortable pants and a loose top and settled at her desk with her Arithmancy out and Transfiguration not far behind.
It wasn't long after she began her Transfiguration homework that Draco floo'd in and looked around her room. He saw her with her head in her arms asleep at her desk. He had missed her at dinner in the Great Hall and came up to check on her, but now he understood the reason why. All the 7th years were looking stressed and tired and she wasn't the only one he had seen fall asleep at a table. Luna had fallen asleep into her mashed potatoes at dinner and Maggie drifted off in the library where he was looking up information in the Restricted Section.
He walked over to his fiancée and pulled the long red hair away from her face and neck, when that failed to rouse her he placed a kiss on the back of her neck, hating to wake her up but needing to talk to her in the small amount of free time he had. She stirred and sat up, immediately seeing familiar icy blue eyes watching her.
"Hey, Sleepy Ginny," he said in a rare moment of outright sweetness. His hand rested on her neck and she smiled at him, dislodging his hand as she stretched. "You missed dinner."
"I did? Damn," Ginny looked at her clock and indeed it was close to quarter of eight. "I was asleep for almost two hours." She shook her head and watched him conjure up a chair and sit next to her. "What's wrong?" she asked immediately sensing something was off. He hadn't visited her in her room in months and the shadow that played around the corners of his eyes and mouth was something she took to mean he received news he didn't particularly like.
"Another Death Eater, Ginny. This time he attacked Shacklebolt, I think his name is?" Draco drifted off and then plugged on at Ginny's curt nod, "Shacklebolt is fine and managed to catch him with help from two other auror's but it looks as if they called a meeting of the Order."
Ginny's eyebrows raised into her fringe, but she remained quiet, her hands gripping a quill tightly.
"They had a short meeting at lunch this afternoon in which they asked me to come; I did at Dumbledore's insistence and it seems they want some younger bodies to crash train as aurors," he saw fear and anger sweep through her hazel eyes and through her now pale face.
"Bloody hell. That means you and…the rest of my friends and brothers doesn't it? How many death eaters are we talking about?" Ginny's said her voice low with anger.
Draco was immensely thankful that she didn't do what any other girl would have done…start crying and hugging him,
begging him not to go.
"Well, Lupin said he thinks there are about thirty of them out there. As far as who is in the Order? Harry is out since he has a baby on the way but he will be showing me some of the finer points since we are both in the same flat complex and here at school. But, Fred and George were there along with Ron," his voice died away as both of them realized it was the first time he had ever said Ron's first name. Ginny reached over and put a hand on his, which was gripping the chair and they were both silent for awhile.
"There's another big meeting this weekend, so I won't be around. That's what I was coming to tell you. And you have to promise to stay here. I made arrangements for my mother to go visit Snape who is back in Africa so she should be safe there, but the safest place for you is here, within these walls," he gripped her hand harder and she knew he wasn't telling her everything. Perhaps he couldn't, but his meaning was conveyed in his firm grip and the next two words he spoke, "Promise me."
Ginny stared at him, her heart fluttering not from romantic feelings but from fear. She nodded her head and he abruptly stood up and pulled her to him, hugging her hard. She pulled away from him.
"Any idea when you will leave?"
He stared at her, completely floored by the calm tone in her voice and that she knew he was eventually going to have to
go out and help track down these pains in the arses.
"Hopefully not til the end of school, but I'm not sure, but I'll let you know. I might have to give my NEWT exam early if I have to leave early, so you all will be crammed with homework," he looked vaguely apologetic noting she had fallen asleep doing just that…more homework. Ginny's stomach growled and Draco let her go.
"You should go down to the kitchens and eat. I have to go help my mother pack, then get cracking on lessons," he bent down and gave her a soft kiss and now Ginny felt her heart fluttering from love. She knew now was not the right time to try and get him to make love to her, even though her body was screaming for it. Taking a deep breath she pulled away and she could see the desire in his eyes and knew he saw it in hers.
It had been since February since they had been intimate in any way, and with it being mid-April, she was feeling a wee bit frustrated…her anger over the Death Eaters returning though, managed to squelch a bit of that sexual tension back down.
"Tell your mother if she needs anything to let me know," Ginny offered and Draco thanked her, holding her hand as they walked towards the fireplace. Before he threw the powder into the fireplace to floo back to his mother's he turned to her and kissed her once again.
"I love you," he said softly and Ginny echoed him without any hesitation.
It was after he left that she let the tears of frustration fall from her eyes and she punched her pillow screaming it wasn't fair. Not to her, not to her brother's, not to Harry…not to the Wizarding world that the people she loved were the ones who had to protect everyone and she couldn't do anything as she was still in school.
As she silently made her way to the kitchens she tried to make plans to join them, to help the Order but she knew with all her friends, family and Draco there they would never let her step foot outside of Hogwarts.
--------------
The next two weeks were very stressful for Ginny… and Maggie too. Maggie and Fred had become pretty serious and Ginny could see she was worried about him learning from the master auror's. Every night after they closed up shop, Lupin, Shacklebolt, Tonks, Bill and Charlie would put the three youngest Weasley boys and Draco through the paces of auror training. Harry had also been working extra hard with Draco in the Room of Requirement and more than once Ginny had been on rounds and seen them come stumbling out both sweaty and tired. She would receive a quick squeeze on her arm from Draco if no one was around and a tired smile from Harry.
Ron had stopped over one day to visit since he hadn't seen her since their nieces first birthday (who were now
walking all over the place like twin red candles!) and Ginny made him promise to be careful.
"I'm always careful, Gin," he said lightly then turned serious. They were sitting outside on the gorgeous May morning and he managed to ignore the stares of some of the younger girls, apparently transfixed by his now very short red hair and his Canon's Quidditch shirt.
"But, I want you, Samantha, Hermione and Harry to go to Grimmauld Place if we should be…deployed…because then I know you all will be safe."
He has said it in such a meaningful voice Ginny didn't think it was wise to contradict him so she agreed, thinking perhaps it would be better if all the females were together.
"Do you think Harry would do that? Pick up his family and leave his flat?"
Ron shrugged, "I hope he would. It would make me feel better to know there was a talented wizard protecting the women I love." Ginny blushed and shook her head at her brother's reasoning.
"He probably would do it if you put it that way."
Ron could see she was upset by the whole thought of everyone going back to "war" so he switched the subject.
"George is seeing a girl and you will never guess who it is," Ron said slyly. Ginny thought and voiced a few names from Angelina to Katie from Cho to Susan Bones. With each one he shook his head.
"Lavender Brown," he said and Ginny started to giggle, then it erupted into full blown laughter and soon Ron joined in. They managed to talk in between gasps about how they could combine a fashion store with a magic store and that left them in peals of laughter again…thinking of people trying on clothes then eating a piece of "Seamus on You Candy" and POOF! off went the clothes. Apparently, she opened a store across the street from him and they had met in passing a few times and went out to lunch and they had such a fun time they had gone out again and again.
Later that morning, after Ron shared an early lunch with her and talked with Luna a bit, she hugged him goodbye and he headed back towards Hogsmeade to meet with Fred and George. Ginny giggled to herself the whole day about George dating Lavender and realized it was the happiest she had felt since Draco had told her about the Death Eaters trying to wreak havoc.
And as early May slowly faded into full blown flowers and all the leaves returned to the Whomping Willow; as the younger students started swimming in the lake and the 5th and 7th years buckled down even harder and yelled at anyone who dare disturb their studying, the Order and crash trained Auror's prepared to leave in late May as they caught wind of a Death Eater camp on Ireland. Harry had trained Draco and the Weasley's to the best of his ability in all the DADA moves he knew.
The older Order members drilled them over and over in the basics…shields, invisibility spells, how to detect the Imperius curse.
Draco worked night and day to make extra potions for any injuries received and Hermione trained him and Ron in basic healing methods.
All the while, Ginny stayed with her friends back at Hogwarts feeling useless in this battle as she studied and coached and played Quidditch. But, always in the back of her mind was that there was the distinct possibility that her fiancée, her brothers and friends might not see her graduate at the end of June.
Then, it was a piece of happy news that on May 15th Harry Potter became a father and Ron and Ginny Weasley became Godparents. A dark haired, brown eyed little boy named Brian James Potter, whom Harry liked to talk about constantly saying "he has his mother's eyes."