Ginny Weasley lay in the sun watching Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Tay swim in the cool pond behind Harry's home. It amazed her that they could splash in the freezing water and appear so happy. Of course, they were in love with one or the other and got along so well. Ginny always felt like an outsider when around the people who were a year older than her.

It was funny really, she thought, watching Harry. She didn’t feel any regret, nor any bitterness. The fact that her and Harry had broken up a few years ago didn’t really mean anything now. They had loved each other, sure. But, they had both known that they didn’t want to spend the rest of their lives together.

Then Ginny grinned as she saw in her mind's eye the new man in her life. A man she had always looked at in contempt. A man she would never have chosen to fall in love with. She remember it as if it was yesterday. The time she had first seen him as somebody other than the stupid little boy who taunted everybody who wasn't in Slytherin.

~-~

“Ginny, I can't see a blasted thing!” Rosa snapped as she stubbed her toe yet again on a chair in the library.

“Well, I'm very sorry about that but if we're caught you know we're going to get it!” Ginny snapped right back at her. It was the middle of the night and neither sixth-year had gotten any sleep. They had, of course accidentally, left something very personal of Ginny's in one of the books and they had to find it. “You go look in the dragons section and I'll go to the fantasy section.”

Ginny had just reached the muggle studies section when she saw him. She recognized him immediately. How could she not when she had been going to school with him for five years. She was just about to ignore him and go on about her business when she heard a sniff and the sound of a book snapping shut. She was nearly paralyzed with fear that he would see her when he stood up and she gasped.

She couldn't help it. His face was red and blotchy, something that didn't look so good against his normally pale skin, and his eyes were swollen. She could tell immediately that he had been crying.

“What are you looking at, Weasel? And what are you doing out of bed so late? It's past your bedtime!” Draco snapped at her, trying to regain his composure. He had been so caught up in his misery that he hadn't even noticed that she had come in here.

“Oh, stuff it, Malfoy. What are you doing up so late? You have about as much right to be here as I do!” Ginny had gotten immediately on the defensive but she couldn't help but look at him. He was wearing a thin t-shirt and tight jeans that indicated he had left his common room in a hurry.

“Watch your mouth, Ginevra. I can dock points from you in an instant. Or something worse.” Draco let the threat hang in the air.

“You can't do anything to me, Malfoy, and you know it! So stop making those empty threats!”

“Don't push me Ginevra.”

“Don't you dare call me Ginevra.”

“You prefer I call you Ginny?”

She was surprised by the shot of warmth that shot through her stomach at the way he said her name. The surprise in his voice at that 'obvious conclusion.' She decided to change the subject and said instead, “Why were you crying?”

Draco, not knowing how to answer, looked into her eyes. He was in a bit of a bind. Normally, if a girl asked him a question he didn't want to answer he kissed her. But to take a chance to kiss Weasley? Hmm... It had potential...

~-~

Ginny grinned as she recalled how contrite Draco was when telling her that he had kissed her so that her brother would get mad. She had just laughed and leaned into kiss him hard. Now she felt somewhat lost. She had sworn to Ron that she didn't see Draco anymore but Draco had just gotten their relationship more low-key. She still loved him and was with him every second she could be.

Speaking of which, Ginny stood up and wrapped the blanket she had been laying on around her back. “I'm going shopping with Luna. See you guys.”

They all waved and offered her their own good-byes and Ginny took herself off. She couldn't wait to see Draco and so as soon as she was at the door and out of sight of the rest of them she disapparated. He was waiting for her in his bedroom, he always was. He would lower the magical spell that blocked apparations just for her and she would meet him there. He would normally get up and kiss her immediately but this time he was just sitting on his bed with his head in his hands.

“Draco?” Ginny asked quietly but he just put up a hand to shush her. She felt awkward as she never had before in his presence. She kicked off her sandals and walked over to the bed. He still sat there with his head in his hands.

“I'm sorry.”

Ginny jumped when he talked after what seemed like a lifetime. “What are you sorry for?”

Draco didn't respond and Ginny looked around the room. She had always loved his bedroom. Even though it was Slytherin colors she still adored the room. She guessed, although she would never admit it to him, it was because of how fancy it was. She had always wanted a room that had a big bed and he had the king of king-sized beds.

In the corner of the room sat a black table with a picture of her in a silver picture frame. She remembered that the first time she saw it she had freaked out thinking she would let his parents see it. But nobody but her and him could tell it was her. Everybody else who looked at it saw Narcissa.

He also had a black desk, a black dresser, and there were three doors leading in and out of his room. A sliding glass door led out onto his own personal balcony but they never went out there. There was much too big of a risk to get caught. One door led to his own luxurious bathroom that was also decorated in forest green, silver, and black. And the last door led out into Malfoy Manor. The place he kept swearing he would take her. That she had never gone to.

“I can't do this anymore.”

Ginny jumped again and looked over at him. He hadn't moved a muscle and for a second she was wondering if she had just imagined him talking. “Can't do what?” She secretly hoped that he meant that he didn't want to keep them a secret anymore but she knew that to hope was to be let down.

“Can't be with you. I want to break up.” Draco stood up and went over to the sliding glass door. She reached out a hand to him but let it drop as he didn't look over at her.

“What are you talking about, Draco? I know that we have to be secret. I know. I don't mind. Really. Why do you want to break up? Is it me?” Ginny shut her mouth abruptly as he turned back to her with a look in his eyes that she had never seen.

“I want to break up, Weasley. What? You thought you could keep my attention for long? Ha! Laughable. I don't want you anymore. I don't care about keeping the relationship secret. Tell the world. They'll laugh at you. Thinking that the Slytherin Pureblood Prince would want a lowly little blood traitor like yourself.”

Ginny gave a short laugh. “Don't be stupid, Draco. If you think you'll get rid of me that easily you're wrong. What is it, darling?”

Draco opened his mouth, closed it again, and Ginny raised her eyebrows. Damn her, he thought with a scowl. “How full of yourself,” he snapped. “Thought I wouldn't get tired of you?”

Taking a step forward, Ginny grinned, showing her teeth. “Ah, just last night you were telling me that you'd want me forever.”

“Yes, well, things change.” Draco turned around and stared at the window again. Ginny frowned at his back. What was wrong with him? She couldn't comprehend why he would want to break it off. And it wasn't because of what he said. She knew that he wasn't tired of her. He couldn't be. Right?

“Draco-”

“Leave.”

“Draco-”

“Leave!” Draco pointed a finger at the door even though she couldn't exit that way. She raised her eyebrows and disapparated. After she was gone Draco slumped down on the bed and put his head in his hands again.

~-~

“Come on, Gin.”

“Are you sure you don't want to come with us?”

“It'll be fun!”

Ginny shook her head. “Thanks, guys, but really. I'm just going to stay and maybe dye my shoes. Or, uh, something.” Ginny grinned at the four people, two couples, standing in front of her. Although she hung out with them more she had never lost the feeling of being a fifth wheel and right now she didn't want to deal with it. No, she couldn't deal with it.

“Well, see you later then.”

Ginny waved at them and when they were out of sight went back into the kitchen. She had no intention of dying her shoes for Harry's wedding right now. It was so boring and she was tempted to take up Harry's offer to pay for them being done by a professional. Ginny had to get back to cleaning her room anyway.

Humming quietly to herself, Ginny started walking around the kitchen. She had so many things she should be doing yet she didn't feel like doing any of them. Ginny sighed and walked slowly to her room. Maybe she would write in her diary for a while. Or maybe just take a nap. Yes, a nap would work fine.

“Aaagh!!!” Ginny screamed as she realized that a nap would not in fact be fine.

“Thank the good lord that your family is gone.”

“What the blasted hell are you doing here?” Ginny screamed at the top of her lungs.

Draco grinned at her from where he was laying on her bed. “I decided that the sex just wasn't as good with the other girls.”

Ginny's eyes widened and her eyes flashed. He wondered for a second if she was going to hit him but then she smiled. “You stupid bastard. It's been four years, asshole. Four and a half years.”

“Yeah, well, it's been hard. And I haven't had a lot of time for sex. I didn't realize nobody was as good as you.” Draco had to hide a grin as her face went redder. She looked like she was going to explode. He quickly fingered his wand, if she got pissed and tried to curse him he'd be ready.

“Oh, for God's sakes. I sent you owls! You couldn't have taken two minutes to send one back? Say you're okay. I was... Worried about you.”

Draco suddenly frowned. “I didn't get any owls, Ginny. I mean, I would've responded to owls. But, I swear I didn't get any.”

Ginny's eyes narrowed. “Four years, Malfoy.” She had to stay angry at him. Had to stay angry at him. She hated him. She despised him. When she had to tell him the news then it would be okay. She would tell him the news. Tell him the news and tell him to get out of her life. It would be easy. She tried to tell herself. It would be easy.

“Oh, God, Ginny. Back to Malfoy are we?” Draco abruptly stood up and walked over to her. He cupped her face in his hands and looked deep into her eyes. She was shocked and couldn't move for a minute. His hands moved over her cheeks, pushing her hair back. He leaned in and she pushed him away.

“Draco...”

“Yes?”

“I have to tell-”

“What the hell is going on here?” Ginny gasped as Ron suddenly appeared in the doorway and drew his wand on them.

“What are you doing here?” Ginny shrieked.

“I forgot my wand,” Hermione said and gasped as she saw Draco standing there.

“You guys, it's fine,” Ginny snapped. “Ron, put down your wand.”

“Ron, why do you have your wand- Ginny- What the hell?” Harry appeared as suddenly as Ron in the doorway and Ginny sighed. As if her day couldn't get any better.

“That bastard-” Ron was so angry his voice was shaking. “Just shows up and starts kissing Ginny!”

“You have no idea what's going on!” Ginny yelled at him.

“Then what's going on?” Hermione asked sensibly.

“Use your eyes, Hermione!” Ron yelled, looking at Ginny. “Draco is kissing my sister who he LEFT!”

Ginny suddenly went silent and Draco thought she looked like a dog who had just smelled a rabbit. “Look what you did.” She suddenly rushed from the room.

Draco, deciding that the odds weren't very good while he was alone with the trio and Tay, started towards the door. Harry and Ron stood in front of it with their arms crossed.

“Move,” Draco commanded, his ice blue eyes flashing.

“Why?” Harry asked and Draco opened his mouth and then closed it again.

“Where'd she go?” Draco asked.

“You didn't hear?” Ron asked with a grin.

“Obviously, Weasley. Where is she!?” Draco was beginning to wonder if Harry and Ron had gone crazy, he wouldn't be surprised, when Ginny came back into the room. “What is that?” He asked quietly.

But he knew what it was. Ginny was holding a child. A toddler. A white-blonde toddler with ice blue eyes. A Malfoy. His... His daughter. “Ginny?” Draco asked as he walked slowly forward.

“I sent you owls,” Ginny responded sheepishly.

Sorry for the delay. I've been mega-busy. Hopefully updates will be less than two months next time.
~~~
Draco looked around at the tense faces around him. There were heaping plates of mashed potatoes, turkey, biscuits, gravy, and some red thing that Draco had yet to identify but nobody had picked up a fork yet. They were all too busy trying to decide the best way to kill him. It made Draco just a little bit uncomfortable.

“Oh, for goodness sake's darlings. Will you eat? You too, Draco. Dig in!” Molly, the only one who had had a bite so far, finally said with a frown. The tension in the room was so thick that Draco thought it could be cut with a knife; he didn't know how long he could stand it.

“Mmm, Mum. Delicious,” Ron's voice was flat as he took a bite of mashed potatoes and swallowed thickly.

Molly sighed at this and looked down at her plate. Draco had to be grateful at that. At least there was one person at the table not giving him murderous glares. But he wasn't even really thinking about the glares. He was thinking about the woman sitting next to him. Thinking about the daughter he had upstairs, napping. Thinking about the task at hand.

“So, Malfoy,” Harry started and Draco knew he wasn't going to like what he had to say. “What have you been doing the last two years?”

Draco felt Ginny tense at his side and he wanted to reach over and grab her hand. But, for some reason, he didn't think that would go over too well. “Actually. I was in America.” Ginny glanced at him but he couldn't look at her. “I was sort of, uh, sent there. By my mother. I came back only a month ago.”

He practically felt Ginny willing him to look at her but he couldn't. He couldn't move his head at all. He knew that they could tell he wasn't telling the whole truth. But could they tell what he was hiding?

“Interesting,” Ron said with a glare.

“Bullshit is what it is!” Fred said and made a move to stand up but a glance from Molly sent him back in his chair and back into his conversation with George.

“So, why didn't you tell us?” Harry asked and Draco wondered if Ginny was getting stiff from all the tension in her body.

“You?” Draco asked with a scoff. “I didn't know we were on such good terms, Potter.”

“You guys, please. Not at the dinner table.” Molly too, it seemed, had finally given up eating and was wiping her mouth with a napkin. Draco was grateful and wondered when he could get the hell out of there.

“Yes, Mum.” Ron glanced over at Hermione, sitting silently next to him. She hadn't said a word all evening; not a single word since they had found Draco and Ginny. Just what he needed! The silent treatment. He'd resolve everything with her later.

“So, what'd you do in America?” Harry asked.

Draco quickly responded, “None of your business, Potter.”

“Well, it's mine!” Ron snapped and smacked his napkin so hard against his plate that Draco was surprised the plate didn't shatter. The rest of the Weasleys had all stopped their private conversations and were watching them. Draco knew that if he got into this argument then he wouldn't win.

“No, it isn't,” Draco said simply.

“It's my sister! Her love life is my business!” Ron yelled and stood up, smacking his fist against the table. Hermione sat watching him but otherwise hadn't moved an inch.

“I am not involved in her love life!” Draco yelled, equally loud, and stood up himself. Molly closed her eyes as the boys glared at each other and she wondered what glasses would break. She had a feeling that her and the girls had no chances of getting the dishes out of the way. It was too bad; she did like this dish set.

“She had your child!”

“I don't care!” Draco yelled and then he knew that he had made a mistake. “Wait, Ginny.”

“I need to make sure that the baby isn't awake.” Ginny got up quickly and rushed out of the room. Draco felt the blood pounding in his head and wished it was one of the Weasleys fists. Then, on second thought, maybe not. Making sure to keep an eye on the remaining Weasleys wands, Draco rushed out of the room.

“Ginny.” Draco put his hand on the nursery door just as she was about to close it. “Ginny, if you want to keep your pride then open the damn door.” He gave a sigh of relief as the door suddenly swung open. His breath caught as he saw her standing there with the baby, the baby's blue eyes wide open and her face red from sleeping.

“What do you want?”

“You never told me her name,” Draco said suddenly and reached out a hand to touch his daughter.

“Rose Jamie Weasley Malfoy,” Ginny muttered.

“Well, at least she has one good name,” Draco muttered back.

“Excuse me?” Ginny asked and pulled Rose back.

Draco gave her a dirty look and extended his hand a little farther so that it was back on his daughter's cheek. “Malfoy. It's her only good name.”

“Hmmph!” Ginny snapped and stepped back out of his reach. Draco, who was not above begging when the time was right, held out his arms and gave her puppy dog eyes.

“Can I hold her?”

“But you don't like her name,” Ginny said somewhat childishly but handed the baby over to him anyway. “She doesn't really like strangers.” But Ginny had nothing to worry about because Rose was captivated by the man who looked like her. Rose had grown up in a home with a bunch of redheads but to see somebody who looked just like her. It took her breath away.

Ginny gasped as Rose finally did something she never did with strangers: she smiled.

“She likes me.” Draco smiled down at his only daughter and looked at Ginny with eyes of pure joy. Ginny felt her heart melt. How could you hate a guy like him?

“Yes, it appears she does. However, I think also that she's quite tired and not ready to wake up. Put her back down.”

Draco sighed and tapped the baby on her little nose. “We'll catch up later. There's lots of stuff to say. Do you talk?”

“Momma!” Rose looked proud of herself and blew Draco a rasberry.

“I'm not Momma! I'm Dadda! You're such a big girl. We can continue this later. How 'bout that?”

Rose nodded and watched him as he laid her gently down in her crib. Within minutes she was asleep and Draco looked at Ginny. “Now we can talk.”

“Okay,” Ginny said, somewhat reluctantly. “Come on, we can go to my room where we can talk in privacy.”

Draco nodded and followed her. Unlike the Burrow, which had passed onto Bill and Fleur since he was the first to marry, this was a mansion. All the Weasleys lived here currently plus a few ghouls and a few house-elves. Of course, he had also heard that Harry and Tay were here so much it was almost like they lived here too. “Wow.”

“Wow what?”

Draco shook his head, knowing that if he said what he was thinking she would probably get pissed off again. He didn't need that after he had just won brownie points for having Rose fall in love with him.

“So,” Ginny said after they had reached her bedroom and she was sitting on her bed. Draco didn't think she'd appreciate if he joined her so he went to sit over on a love seat placed in the far corner of the room.

“I'm sorry,” Draco said abruptly, knowing he had a task to perform. Of course, with Rose...

“For what?” Ginny asked, completely confused. Besides the fact she had no idea what he was talking about Draco Malfoy, Draco Malfoy, had just apologized to her.

“For everything. Especially for downstairs. I didn't mean that I didn't care. I just, sorta, got caught up in what I was saying. Rose is my daughter. And I love her. Really, I'm sorry.” Draco gave her a smile. He felt sick at the glow that entered her eyes at his smile.

“It's o-okay.” Ginny held her breath as Draco got up slowly from the love seat and walked over to her. She grinned at him when he bounced on the bed next to her. He looked so out of place on her pink bedsheets that she giggled.

“I'm glad you're not mad at me.” Draco leaned in close to her with a smile.

“Oh, I am. But only a little bit.” Ginny's heart started beating faster as Draco began kissing her neck.

“Well, I have to conquer that, don't I?” Draco asked and continued kissing her neck, beginning to move lower.

-

Ron looked down at Hermione. She was sitting there just biting her lips and he wondered what had gotten into her. Everybody had finished dinner and had gone to their separate rooms but Hermione hadn't gotten up from her place at the table. “Hermione? Hermione? Are you mad at me?” Ron asked and her eyelashes fluttered a little bit.

“No,” Hermione said shortly and stood up to put her plate in the sink and stalk up to their room. He gaped after her for she had never walked away from him before. After a few minutes of gaping he finally ran up the stairs after her.

“Then what is it?”

“No.”

Ron sighed and wondered how he got the stubborn girlfriend. “Please?” Hermione giggled quietly at the face Ron was making. He looked so pitiful that she threw a pillow at him.

“Ron,” Hermione said in a warning voice.

“Please?”

“I'm not in the mood for this.”

“Please?” Ron was now drawing it out into a full-on whine.

“Oh, Ron.”

“Plea-ea-ea-ease?”

Hermione frowned and looked down at their bed. “I'm pregnant,” she said so quietly that she herself didn't even hear it.

“Honey, I can't hear you.”

“Let's go to bed.”

Ron frowned but let himself be drawn to bed. “You'll tell me in the morning?”

“Of course.”
~~~
I named Rose before DH came out so sorry if there's any confusion. Please review!

The next few days Ginny and Draco spent as much time together as they could. They knew that they wouldn’t have as much time together as they wanted but they knew that they were going to cherish the time together. The couple often went out of the house, though, for the tension in the house was thick. Nobody approved of their relationship. Days were spent out on the lawn, enjoying their baby girl, and nights were spent together.

Draco now knew what his task was and he hated the thought of hurting Ginny or his daughter. When he had gotten there he hadn’t been sure why he had been sent there, he had thought it was about Ginny. But now he realized that it had scarce to do with Ginny. It was all about Rose.

A week after Draco had returned they were lying by the lake while everybody else had gone to Diagon Alley for shopping. Ginny was lying on her side, looking over the sleeping Rose at Draco. “So, why were you really in America?” she suddenly asked.

Draco frowned, by unspoken agreement they hadn’t discussed anything that had happened prior to Draco coming back. They hadn’t even spoken of their relationship at Hogwarts. “Why are you asking?”

Ginny laughed a slightly bitter laugh. She hadn’t asked him for the truth because she knew that he wouldn’t tell her. But lately she had had a bad feeling that something bad was going to happen and she wanted the truth before that. “Because, darling, I know you’re not telling me the whole truth.” Ginny turned away and looked out the lake.

“Maybe soon,” Draco said and looked away. Looking up at the blue sky and wondering who else was looking at that same sky. His mother? Snape? His father? No, that would be too dangerous.

“How is this relationship going to work if we don’t trust each other enough to confide in each other?” Ginny asked, suddenly sitting up.

“Ginny…” Draco sat up as well, watching Rose stir in her sleep but never opening her eyes. “I just… Just…”

“Just what, Draco? Are we going to be together?” Ginny had never meant to ask that. She dreaded the answer and she hated herself for becoming one of those women who felt they depended on the men. But she knew… She knew that she loved Draco and couldn’t live if anything happened to break them up again.

“It’s complicated, Ginny.” Draco smiled at her sadly. “I can’t stay here that long. I have to go back… Back to the manor. It’s too dangerous to be here. Too dangerous to involve myself with you.”

“I can take care of myself, Draco! I’m not a child.” Ginny sighed as Rose looked up at her after her outburst. Ginny looked away from her daughter and Rose closed her eyes again. “If you have to leave then I don’t want to spend the rest of our time together fighting.”

Draco smiled at her and leaned over to kiss her. After what seemed to Ginny like only seconds but was probably a few minutes, Draco pulled away.

“What is it Draco? What’s wrong?” Ginny asked. Tears streamed down Draco’s face and his mouth was in an ‘o’ shape. She immediately knew that whatever was wrong was very wrong.

“The…” Draco couldn’t speak, instead pulling up his sleeve. Ginny gasped as all she saw for a moment was blood. Then she saw it, a glowing mark. She felt like throwing up, she felt like crying, screaming. Emotions coursed through her and she looked him into the eyes before looking away, it was too painful.

“Draco Scorpius Malfoy, what the hell is that?” A quivering finger pointed at the mark and Draco didn’t look down. She knew exactly what she was pointing at.

“It’s not what you think… It’s not the Dark Mark.” Draco took a deep breath and Ginny wondered if he would scream out in pain. “It’s the trace. The trace of the Dark Mark. To prepare… I have to…”

Ginny jumped up as Draco suddenly Apparated away. “God dammit fucking Aagh! Draco, you can’t do this alone!” But he was gone. She quickly grabbed Rose and rushed inside.

When the family got home they were shocked at the sight. Ginny was sitting up on the couch, sleeping, or at least that’s what it looked like. Rose was asleep in her cradle in the corner of the room, but that wasn’t what was shocking. Ginny’s face was red and streaked with tears.

“Ginny, what’s wrong?” Molly bent down to wake her up.

“Draco!” Ginny said as she woke up and saw them all. “Where is…” Then she remembered. Remembered the mark. Remembered him leaving. “Oh, he’s gone. I have to-”

Molly pushed Ginny back down on the couch as she was about to get up. “Don’t get up. You can’t. Now, what about Draco?”

“He…” Ginny suddenly hesitated, unsure about whether she should tell everybody. Wondering if it was a good idea to spread the word about him. Then she realized that it was her family and she had to tell them. “He had a mark. On his forearm. It bled. He Apparated.” Ginny couldn’t speak in complete sentences. She barely said that. She gasped for air and Molly patted her on the back.

“Ginny, where did Draco go?” Ron asked, approaching Ginny.

“I don’t know!” Ginny suddenly screamed and everyone jumped. She wasn’t acting at all like herself.

“Ginny, let’s get you to bed,” Hermione said and led her carefully to her bedroom, Molly and Tay following closely.

Once the four girls entered her bedroom Molly and Hermione both started talking. “Ginny?”

“Tell us the whole story,” Hermione said as Ginny climbed onto the bed.

“Okay, Draco and I were out by the lake.” And then the whole story poured out. She couldn’t have stopped even if she tried. The three girls sat in stunned silence as Ginny told them the whole story.

“What did he have on his arm?” Molly asked.

“All he said was that it was… The trace. The trace of the Dark Mark. To prepare.” Ginny sighed and put her head in her hands.

“Don’t worry, Ginny. We’ll get to the bottom of this,” Hermione said.

“And don’t worry about Rose. We’ll take care of her,” Tay said and the three girls left Ginny to rest.

When they got downstairs they were bombarded with questions. “What happened?” was the main question that was passed around.

After quickly relaying the story they heard Remus at the back of the room. “He didn’t have the Dark Mark?” he asked.

Remus sighed. “I think I know… Ginny has to stay here though. I think that whoever is out there wants her…”

“Voldemort’s dead,” Harry choked out. “I killed him. I saw him. Most of the Death Eaters are in Azkaban.”

“Of course most of them are, Harry. Only most.” Remus smiled at Harry. It hurt to look at him sometimes. He looked so much like his father.

“Is my sister going to be alright?” Ron asked.

“If she stays here.” Remus looked around at everybody. “I need most people to come with me and a few to stay here.”

There were a few arguments but finally it was decided that Hermione, Molly, and Ron would stay behind. Ron was grumbling about it but Molly and Hermione were content to stay and protect her. The rest of the Order took off.

“What do you think it is?” Hermione asked Ron softly, while Molly and Ginny made dinner.

“I don’t know. I think that Lupin did though.” Ron kissed Hermione swiftly, just because he couldn’t help it. “Don’t worry, Hermione. It’ll all be fine.”

“Are you trying to convince me or yourself?” Hermione asked with a smile. But then Ron was proven wrong as there was a great crash in the kitchen. Both of them jumped and rushed into the kitchen.

Molly was lying on her side in front of the sink while Ginny was struggling with a man in a long black cape.

By the time that Ron and Hermione got their wands out the Death Eaters were gone. “Mum?” Ron went over to Molly and checked her pulse.

“They’re gone!” Molly whimpered. “We were supposed to protect her and they took my baby girl.”

“I know, Mum… Don’t worry. We’ll find her.” Ron had a dark look on his face. “It better not have been Malfoy that took her.” Ron looked around and saw Hermione rocking over the cradle. “Hermione?”

“They took Rose too.”

---

Ginny groaned. Her whole body hurt at the moment. She moved her arms and then her legs. After deciding that nothing was broken she sat up and looked around. It was a dark and quite dingy dungeon. The walls were damp with a liquid that she didn’t even want to identify.

She tried to get up but immediately fell down. “Rose,” she whispered. She had to find her daughter.

She got up and opened the door slowly, wondering why it wasn’t locked. She waited for the inevitable creak and after that tip-toed quietly out into the hall. Where was she? Then she saw him and had to bite back a scream…