Disclaimer: I don't own anything Haven, and somethings that could matter less.
Later while Ginny was trying to scrounge up a suitable dinner with Molly, the wind started blowing furiously and the tents flaps blew open. Ginny went to tie them shut when a man walked in the door, his robes flying around him wilding. Haven's eyes widened, "DADDY!" He shouted, and ran towards the man. Ginny's hand flew up to her neck to grasp the silver chain that was there.
The man standing at the door looked at Haven curiously and echoed, "Daddy?" He shook his head, and peered over at Ginny with bright green eyes, "Who's daddy?"
Ginny's breath caught in her throat and she felt like she couldn't breathe. His raven black hair shone in the dim light, his green eyes were dancing as he looked down at Haven, and his face was etched with lines that weren't supposed to be there. He looked as if he had aged ten years in only four.
She ran to him, and held her arms out; he fell into them and wrapped his arms around her. "Oh my," she breathed. "We thought you were dead."
"I'm here." He said quietly.
"Harry?" she heard Ron call out from his bed. "Is that you? I knew you were alive! I knew it!"
Harry smiled, but Haven's face drooped, "He's not my daddy." Haven looked back at Ginny and ran to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his head in her side. "He's not my daddy."
Harry's eyebrows bunched together as he peered down at Haven. The corner of his lip quirked up, but he didn't say anything.
Ginny's voice came back to her and she hugged on Haven as she said, "I found him last week wandering around the camp. He's expecting his father to come back for him." She looked down at Haven, and back to Harry. "Where were you?" she whispered.
He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, he looked down at Haven, "I'm sure you're father will be coming for you soon." He looked over at Ginny, and said softly, "I'll tell you a bit later, let me talk to Ron first?"
"Sure, sure," Ginny said slowly, watching him walk over to Ron's bed.
"Hey Ron, how's it going?" He asked gently, sitting down at Ron's side. Molly walked over to stand next to Harry, she was crying. Harry looked up at her, "Mrs. Weasley," he said smiling. He hugged her and Molly started sobbing loudly.
Feeling tears running down her face, Ginny decided to allow Harry and Ron some time alone, and walked outside with Haven. The wind had died down and it was dark outside, the stars were shining brightly in the black sky. The moon was a luminous ball that cast shadows all over the camp. Haven held onto Ginny's hand, and looked to the stars with her.
"My daddy is going to come back for me," Haven said firmly. "He said that he just needed to take care of some things first." He looked up at Ginny with wide eyes.
Ginny wished that she could reassure and him and know that she'd be telling him the truth if she said that he was going to come back. But she didn't know. In fact she didn't even know who Haven's father was. "Who is your father?" Ginny asked inquisitively.
Haven cast his eyes down and mumbled, "I'm not supposed to tell. It's a secret."
"Why?"
"He told me not to. He said that if I told the bad men would find him," Haven said, looking up at her with a single tear trekking down his face. Ginny wiped it away and hugged Haven.
"It's okay; you don't have to tell me," Ginny reassured him. "I'm sure that your daddy loves you very much and that if he told you he was coming back for you then he will." Ginny sighed; she hoped that Haven's father would come for him soon. It was heartbreaking to watch him search through the crowds, looking for his father's face, yet….
"But," Haven murmured, "My daddy is good. He helps people. A girl had called him the Dragon of Hope. People love my daddy." Ginny's eyes widened, she had heard tales about the Dragon of Hope. He rode his broom in the night and brought food and money to all of the poorest refugees. The reason he was called the Dragon of Hope was that emblazoned on the back of his robes was a large black dragon with a silver outline. A small smile appeared on Ginny's face; the Dragon of Hope was said to have stolen all the money and food that he gave from the New Ministry. Now Ginny understood why he wouldn't want his son with him, it would be too dangerous for him, but why leave him at the camp, it wasn't safe either.- "I love my daddy."
"I know you do honey. I'm going to take good care of you until he comes back," Ginny said sitting on the ground and leaning against the tent. Haven sat down with her and Ginny rocked him.
"I know," he said, "I like you, Ginny."
"I like you too, sweetheart," Ginny said. They stayed out there for a while, Ginny just rocking Haven and staring up at the stars, then she felt Haven fall asleep and kissed his forehead. She thought that he was lucky to have the Dragon of Hope for his father.
Harry stepped out of the tent and looked down at Ginny who was still holding Haven. He sat down next to her, "I already told your mother and your brothers this, but I thought you'd like to know too." He looked at her smiling. "You're brother's aren't dead. They're all at Hogwarts, so is Hermione."
"Ho-Hogwarts?" Ginny's voice cracked. "It's still standing? They're alive? Alive?" Hot tears burned her eyes and fell to her cheeks. She was so happy.
He nodded and watched her, "I was there too, but I figured that I needed to come tell you that everyone was okay."
"Why did you take so long?"
"I couldn't come before, it wasn't safe. Truth be told, it still isn't, I only came because I was the only one who could get here unnoticed the quickest. I have to go back soon."
"Can you take us with you?" Ginny asked hopefully.
"No, the New Ministry would notice and it wouldn't be safe, you guys could be taken and killed for being with me if they caught me," Harry said sadly. "I really wish that I could. But I couldn't risk your lives." Ginny looked down at Haven and didn't say anything. "What's his name? He looks familiar." Harry asked, following Ginny's eyes.
"Haven," she said softly, smoothing his baby soft hair lovingly.
Harry's brow furrowed and he shook his head, "Oh well. I'm going to go back inside and sit with your mother," he smiled and walked back into the tent.
Ginny stayed outside with the sleeping Haven in her lap. He looked like an angel, his blond hair falling over onto his face, his pale face tinged with pink on the cheeks, his mouth parted slightly for him to breathe. Angelic, Ginny thought was the best word to describe Haven. He had been nothing but sweet and compromising since he had arrived at the camp and stayed with the Weasleys. Ginny couldn't believe how accustomed she had grown to having him with them, she didn't want to think of the day his father would come to take him.
She sat outside for another hour until Harry came back out. He looked down at Ginny and Haven and whispered, "I'm going out for a walk, and I'll be back later." Ginny nodded.
He walked off, the darkness enveloping him, taking him from sight. Ginny could hear the cicadas chirping noisily all around her, and closed her eyes, breathing in the earthy air that was tainted with the smell of blood.
Her eyes fluttered open as she heard a commotion down the next row of tents. There was a woman shouting, "He was here! He was here!" She heard a sob, "The Dragon of Hope was here, my family has food."
Ginny thought that the woman should shut her mouth if she wanted to keep the food. But of course it was too late now. The New Ministry officials probably had heard her and would take the food. Foolish woman, Ginny thought shaking her head sadly. Then she realized, if the Dragon of Hope was here, so was Haven's father.
Her heart beat furiously in her chest. Would he come to take Haven tonight? - So soon? The commotion grew louder and Ginny could hear a rough man's voice shouting, "Woman! Give us your food! That was stolen from the New Ministry." Ginny had known it would come. It was inevitable. The woman had been stupid and it was her fault. Next time the Dragon of Hope should go to someone worthy of his attentions.
Ginny tightened her hold on Haven and cradled him in her arms and walked back into the tent. Her mother was in bed with Percy, Ginny guessed that meant Molly had given up her bed for Harry. Ginny had been sleeping with Haven since he had come, it was comforting to have his warm little body cuddle up against hers during the night.
Setting Haven down in their bed, she pulled his shoes off and tucked the blankets up around his neck to keep him warm. She smoothed his long bangs out of his face and kissed his forehead.
There was a snort from Ron's bed. "You take care of him like he's your son," Ron said, giving Ginny an indiscernible look.
Ginny looked back at him, her brown eyes warm, "I wish he was my son."
"He's too old to be your son, you're too young." Ron said in an older brother fashion.
Ginny gave him a mischievous grin, "Not if I had had him when I was seventeen."
"I would kill anyone that got you pregnant at seventeen," Ron said gruffly.
She smiled at him lovingly, "I guess that's one of the reasons that I love you."
"Whatever," he said, turning over so she wouldn't see the delighted smile on his face. He didn't want her to know that he liked playing the big brother role and felt bad that he couldn't do as well considering he was bedridden. "Good night Gin, I'm going to sleep."
"Good night," she said softly. She blew out a candle that was sitting on the table and walked back outside to savor the night, it was her favorite time; it cloaked the reality of the camp like a blanket. And if she looked up at the stars she could sometimes imagine she was back home, or at Hogwarts. Somewhere safe, somewhere she wanted to be.
The moon cast daunting shadows in the trees and on the tents, Ginny shivered as a cold breeze went through her thin robes. She hugged her arms around her and sat on the dusty ground. No one really knew why it had gotten so dusty after the war, but it had. She had heard and old woman saying that it was because of all the dead bodies, but Ginny preferred not to think so morbidly.
A dark shadow caught her eye in the trees, instantly her heart sped up and she got nervous. It wasn't the shadow of a limb, or that of an animal, it moved like a man. It didn't prowl or scurry as an animal would; it walked stealthily. She watched the person with rapt attention, waiting. Her mind was screaming at her to go back into the semi-safety of the tent, but her body wouldn't let her move. While she felt scared, at the same time she wasn't.
The shadow came closer until it was standing in front of her, a tall figure in black. He spoke in a low voice, "I'd like to see my son." Ginny scrambled off the ground and into a standing position. His robes were a dark black and his hood was drawn, there was no way to see his face.
"What's your son's name?"
"Haven."
Ginny peered up at him cautiously; she couldn't see his face. "How can I be sure that you're really his father?"
The man let out an exasperated sigh, "How many other people know he's here?" When he saw that she wasn't going to budge from her place in front of the tent flaps, he said, "Look, I'm not here to harm him, I'm his father for Merlin's sake. If I'd known you where going to be this much of a nuisance I would have let him off somewhere else."
Ginny sighed resignedly; "He's sleeping," she said quietly and lead him over to Haven's bed.
"I just want to see him," the man said, stopping at the side of the bed. "You've been taking care of him?" he asked.
Ginny nodded, "Yes. He's a very sweet boy."
The man murmured in agreement, "He is and more," he whispered as he leant over to kiss the little boy's forehead.
Ginny blinked rapidly, tears were forcing their way up in her eyes, begging to be let out "He's missed you," she choked out.
The man snapped his head in her direction, and Ginny could feel his eyes on her as if he was regarding her curiously. "You'll miss him," he said, it wasn't a question.
She nodded again, "I will. He's been so…loving." The man looked back down to Haven and Ginny followed his gaze. Footsteps not so far away broke them out of a reverie.
The man looked at her, "Thank you for taking care of him. I've got to go." He walked out of the tent, his robes billowing out around his legs. Ginny sighed as she watched him go and finally climbed into bed beside Haven.
A little later she heard Harry come in and get in bed, taking his boots off noisily. She watched the canvas ceiling, wondering why the man hadn't taken his son with him. Maybe it still wasn't safe for Haven to be with him. That's probably why he hadn't woken him, so that he wouldn't ask for his father to take him away.
When she woke in the morning she found herself staring into the wide eyes of Haven. He had been watching her as she slept. He cuddled up against her, against her body heat, it was cold and the blankets didn't provide much heat on their own. Ginny put her arm around him as he balled up his fists on his chest. They lay there for a while, not talking or moving just waking up slowly.
"Good morning," Ginny said her voice a little gruff from sleep.
"Morning," Haven said quietly.
"I'm hungry!" Ron called loudly from his bed. "Sheesh, Ginny, how late did you stay up last night?"
Ginny turned to glare at Ron through sleepy eyes, "Quit being a prat Ron, you better start appreciating me, or I might never cook you breakfast again."
"Sorry," he mumbled.
"Haven," Ginny said, "today is our row's day at the showers."
"Our row?" Haven asked, looking confused.
"Yes, dear, today our row of tents gets to use the shower building."
"Oh," he said quietly, "So we get to take a bath today."
"Yes," Ginny nodded. Haven watched her clean up the few dishes they had used for their lentil soup breakfast. The soup had been very bland for lack of bouillon and onions, or that least that was what Percy said. Ginny had told him to stuff it and eat before she gave his share away.
"Where are the showers?" Haven asked curiously. Ginny stacked some freshly washed bowls in a beaten wooden crate.
"It's to the left, all the way down the row, and then you have to take another left and keep walking for awhile. It's a pretty long walk," she said rummaging through and old trunk.
"Why is the walk pretty?" Haven asked; eyebrows furrowed. "Are there flowers along the way?"
Ginny looked over her shoulder and smiled at him. "I guess a walk through here isn't pretty. What I meant was that it's a very long walk. I'm looking for two towels and some clothes for you."
Haven looked down at his dirty robes and frowned. "Will they be black?"
"Probably not," Ginny laughed. "Hardly anyone has black robes anymore."
"My daddy does," he said proudly.
"You're dad is special, honey" Ginny said pulling out a small butternut colored robe.
Haven wrinkled his nose, "I have to wear that?"
"Only if you want to be clean," Ginny said mildly.
"Gin," Ron called from his bed. "Is Harry up yet?" Ginny glanced at Harry's bed, where his head was barely visible underneath the blankets. She walked over to him and listened, she could hear him snoring slightly.
"No," she answered, "He was out late last night." Ron sighed loudly from his bed, "Come on," Ginny said to Haven, "Let's go get our showers."
Haven grasped her hand and she tucked the towels and clean robes under her arm. "It's good for you to be wearing one of these robes," she said looking pointedly at the ones in her arms. "You won't stand out."
"Is it bad to stand out?" he questioned.
"Here it is, if you stand out the New Ministry is suspicious of you," Ginny told him.
"What will they do to you?"
"Take you to the dungeons, hold you for questioning, and probably put you in a cell with dementors for guards," Ginny said quietly as they passed the New Ministry building.
She felt Haven shiver, "I don't like dementors."
"Neither do I, sweetheart," she said softly, squeezing his hand reassuringly.
"My dad is probably going to come soon," he commented casually. Ginny didn't say anything. He sighed and looked up at the sky, "He'll take me to our house way far away in the mountains where Grammy Ciss will take care of me while he's gone."
Ginny felt her heart wrench. "Is Grammy Ciss your grandmother?" she asked thickly, feeling the tears in her throat.
Haven nodded and smiled, "Grammy Ciss is funny."
"Why do you say that?"
"She calls herself an old bat," Haven said, giggling boyishly. Ginny found herself smiling.
"Haven…" Ginny said warningly.
"I'm not sleepy!" Haven pouted.
"It doesn't matter," Ginny said growing grumpy. "It's late and you need to go to sleep."
"Will you sing me a song?" he asked pleadingly while climbing into bed. Ginny heard Ron snickering from his bed.
She glared at Ron, "Yes, I will."
"What are you going to sing, Gin?" Ron asked smiling, and elbowing Harry who was sitting next to him, "Puff the Magic Dragon?"
She rolled her eyes, "No, shut up." She turned back to Haven and pulled the blankets up to his neck. She started to sing softly.
"I just want to feel safe in my skin
I just want to be happy again
I just want to feel deep in my own world
But I'm so lonely I don't even want to be with myself anymore
On a different day, if I was safe in my own skin
And I'm so lonely I don't even want to be myself anymore
I just want to feel safe in my own skin
I just want to be happy again."*
She finished and all was silent. Haven was asleep, Ron was sitting in his bed, his mouth gaping, Harry was staring at her dubiously. "Gins," Ron choked out, "I didn't know that you could sing like that." Harry nodded in agreement.
She shrugged, blushing, "You just never listened." She left the tent and went to stand outside. She looked up at the glowing moon and star sprinkled sky. She wrapped her arms around herself. She knew why she was out there, and it wasn't just for a breath of fresh air. She was waiting for Haven's father; she wanted him to come again. For some odd reason she felt strangely compelled to the man, yet she knew so little about him.
There was a rustling sound near her; she whipped her head around. Limping out of the shadows was a dark figure. He groaned and made his way towards Ginny, "My son…" he said hoarsely. Ginny knew immediately that it was Haven's father.
Then there were voices in the distance. "Come on men! He has to be here somewhere!"
The man looked at her, "Can you hide me?" he asked gruffly.
"Yes, yes," she said helping him into the tent and securing the flap behind her. She guided him over to the bed Molly had given up for Harry. The aforementioned Harry was perched on Ron's bed. Ginny shot him a look, "Harry, could you share a bed with Ron?"
Harry looked at the man Ginny had just brought in, "Sure," he said uneasily. "Who's that?"
"Haven's father," she said helping the man into the bed. She pulled off his boots and set them on the floor. Ginny could see his teeth clenching as she did so. "You're injured?" she asked.
"Yes," he gritted out. "Bloody bastards hit me with a Stalinus hex in the leg."
Ginny glanced over at Haven and then back to his father, "Watch your mouth."
"Hello!" there was a shout at the entrance. Ginny hastily covered him up and motioned for Harry to play possum. Everyone else had already been asleep, "Hello!" it wasn't a friendly sort of hello, it was demanding.
Ginny pulled back the flap and was met with three New Ministry officials. "Miss," one said, "we're looking for someone. Have your seen or heard anything out of the ordinary?"
She shook her head, "No, nothing, I've just been helping my brothers to bed." The men gazed around the tent and left. Ginny shut the flap and sat on the edge of the bed that she had been sharing with Haven.
Harry got out of bed and started pacing. "I think I'll be leaving tomorrow night, I need to get back to Hogwarts," he said raking a hand through his already disheveled hair.
"Why?" Ginny asked earnestly.
"It's getting too dangerous," Haven's father said. Ginny looked to Harry, who in turn nodded.
Ginny got up and started heating some water. She brought out her wand and searched in her trunk for some of her herbs. She looked back at the man, "You said a Stalinus hex right?"
"Yeah."
"That'll take a few days, not only will it have broken your leg, but it decreases your stamina," Ginny said digging out a bottle of Skele-Grow.
"I know what it does," the man growled.
Ginny rolled her eyes, "Gods," she sighed. "Not another Percy." She looked at Haven's father, "You aren't a complainer are you?" She asked as she started to go prepare a potion that would help increase his stamina. The Stalinus hex had grown very popular amongst the New Ministry because it was a way to wound their victims, and make it so that they were worn out before they could get anywhere safe.
After she was done making the potion with some herbs she had and a little water, she approached him. His mouth seemed to be set in a frown as he slept, she could see that much. The top half of his face was masked by a black satin cloth that he had tied around his head, holes cut for the eyes. His hood was covering up his hair. Ginny wanted to see him. She watched his chest rise and fall in a pattern of sleep and glanced around the room seeing that everyone but her was asleep.
A tentative hand reached towards the dark hood, revealing a head of light brown hair. It was baby fine and soft as her fingers brushed against it. Her hand traveled down and grasped the edge of the mask when his hand came up and caught her wrist. She saw his eyes snap open from underneath the mask.
"Don't touch my mask."
A/N: I'll post again soon!!!
Love
VF
* Song goes to Dido.