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…
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…
Author notes: Aagh! Cliffhanger. Hope you liked it and please review. :)
PS: The 'trace' of a Dark Mark isn't canon but something I made up. I can't imagine that you just go into Voldemort's office and come out and suddenly you have a Dark Mark and you're a death eater. So, I created the trace. You have the trace and it's basically the Dark Mark but it molds itself to your skin to prepare you for the Mark.
PPS: And I just didn't want Draco to have the dark mark. ;P
To Be Continued.
Princess_MJ is the author of 1 other stories.
This story is a favorite of 11 members. Members who liked The Good Life also liked 586 other stories.
This story is a favorite of 11 members. Members who liked The Good Life also liked 586 other stories.
Leave a Review