Always With You

Jordan Bjornsgaard Normal Jordan Bjornsgaard 2 3 2003-06-04T11:55:00Z 2003-06-04T11:55:00Z 4 1268 5390 NanoNet 139 44 6611 9.2720

Standard disclaimers apply.

~~--~~*~~--~~ Always With You ~~--~~*~~--~~

The silence of the night was blissful in the early morning hours that everyone in the castle took to the good use of rest. The moon drifted in through soft whispers and landed on the faces of those who were brave enough to leave their windows open under the curse of the full moon. Above in the sky the stars twinkled brightly, holding a promise of second chances to any who dared to wish.

In Gryffindor Tower one of the beds was empty and a windowsill was wet from the fresh tears of a well wisher who wanted nothing more than a second chance at life.

Her red hair hung in tangled clusters in her face as she struggled to push herself up from the window, the weight of a terrible secret holding her down in more ways than one. Not for the first time that night she felt a horrible pain make its way through her swollen belly and she barely heard herself gasps for air.

Walking across the room in complete silence was difficult as she tried to hold in her pain and not wake the other occupants of the sleeping beds in her dormitory. What would it matter if they woke up anyway? It seemed her life was already ruined anyway. At least that's what she had been telling herself for nine months.

With a robe wrapped securely around her body, she fought her way down the stairs to the empty common room. As she entered, she peered around nervously, wanting no one to see her in her fragile state. When all was clear she found herself standing in the hallway, doubled over in pain as another set of contractions tore their way through her body.

Hell would have seemed like a four star holiday in comparison to the path she took to get to the infirmary. Upon her arrival she had knocked on the door to Madam Pomfrey's office and been greeted with a scowling face fresh from sleep.

"Have you any sense of time?" Madam Pomfrey said crankily as she stared at the young Gryffindor in front of her.

"I, uh-" Once again the pain had come and she knew that her body wouldn't hold out much longer to the intense work out that it had already gone through for the past several hours.

"Oh dear," Madam Pomfrey said as she helped her walk into the infirmary. Thank goodness it was free of anyone sick.

Madam Pomfrey gave her a hospital gown to wear after her contractions had stopped and helped her into bed before the next set started. It was all a matter of timing when it came to giving birth.

There was much help to be given in a situation like this, and Madam Pomfrey made sure that the Gryffindor head of house knew what was going on. McGonagall was up in the infirmary merely seconds later with a calm and collected face as she sat on the edge of the bed, taking the young Gryffindor's hands as another wave of pain hit her.

"The Headmaster needs to hear about this," McGonagall said to Madam Pomfrey as the woman set a large pan of hot water on the table next to the bed.

"I am already here," Dumbledore said as he moved to the other side of the bed from the shadows of the infirmary.

A painful cry rang out in the silence of the night as a fire more intense than anything she had ever felt ran throughout her body. All at once she felt the need to push and faint, so she tried a little of both. Her vision went blurry as she pushed to the limit of her ability, cursing the bastard who had put her in such a compromising position.

It seemed that the pain would never end. It was doomed to torment her body for the remainder of eternity and maybe then some more. After all, there was a full moon outside. And the full moon was cursed. Everyone knew that.

From her throat came a rough scream that was mixed with the cry of a child. Her child.

No sooner was there a newborn lying on her chest in a dark maroon blanket, peering up at its mother through dark eyes. Instantly she fell in love with the child. Her child.

"Congratulations, Miss Weasley," said McGonagall. "You have a daughter."

Ginny smiled and threw her head back against the pillow roughly, glad to have finished giving birth. Never again, she vowed, would she have children. One was surely enough.

"Is there a father that we can alert?" Madam Pomfrey asked as she came up, washing her hands in a basin of hot water.

Ginny looked at the baby sadly, longingly and shook her head no. This child no longer had a father thanks to the damn likes of his father and Voldemort. At least he had left her with one precious gift, even if it would be a slight burden on her last year of school.

"No, she has no father," Ginny declared softly.

McGonagall looked a little surprised and nodded. She pulled the other two away from the bed to leave Ginny and her baby alone for a little while. Much to her surprise, a voice came floating through the infirmary as soft as a whisper.

"She's beautiful."

Ginny looked up to see a white cloud materialize out of thin air. It took the shape of Draco Malfoy.

"Draco?" Ginny choked out. "It can't be."

"But it is," Draco said as he made his way over to the bed. He sat down and Ginny felt the weight press down as if he were real and there and alive.

"You look like… like a..." Ginny was at a loss for words.

"Ghost? Not exactly. Yes, I am dead, Virginia. But I'm not a ghost. I just had an opportunity to come and see you. Why didn't you tell me about her?" Draco said as he ran his hand down his daughter's back.

"I didn't know until after," Ginny said, tears dripping from her eyes.

"The past is the past," Draco said. "May I hold her?"

"Can you?" Ginny asked.

Draco reached a hand out and touched Ginny's face, running his thumb along her bottom lip just the way he used to when he was alive. The way he used to when he was still alive. And his touch felt warm as if he were alive.

"You feel so real," Ginny said as Draco lifted the baby up, cradling her against his chest. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head softly, mumbling something under his breath.

"She may not know me," Draco said as he laid her back down in Ginny's arms. "But she'll always remember me."

"Draco," Ginny said longingly. "I miss you so much."

"I miss you too, love. We'll be together again some day. It won't be for a long time, now, but some day. You need to find someone to help you take care of here. Someone who will love her as I love you."

Ginny sat up and leaned over, kissing Draco softly on the lips, afraid that he might in fact be a ghost. She was pleased to find that he was very really to the touch and to the kiss.

Draco parted with her and stood, walking backward a few steps.

"Draco, don't go," Ginny pleaded.

"I have to, Love. But don't worry. I'll always be with you..."

And with that, Draco was gone.