You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling

You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling

Open your Eyes

"Every little girl, while growing up dreams of finding a Prince Charming who will magically whisk them away and make their lives perfect."

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The sound of smashing plates startled them, disrupted the quiet of the neighborhood.

"That's the second time this week," Aidan murmured. He stood up and glanced at their neighbor's window. A baby's loud cries could be heard. "Cho, do you want me to...?"

"Interfere?" She stood next to her husband. "We're not Ginny's relations but I'm worried. She's seven months pregnant, something might happen to her and the baby." She rubbed her arms, feeling cold.

Aidan looked at her tenderly, and put his arms around her. "I'll go take a look now." He placed a kiss on her forehead before heading out the door.

With a frown on his face, Aidan rapped on the neighbor's door. Aside from the baby's cries, he heard loud yelling, followed by swearing and the sound of footsteps fast approaching. The door swung wide open, and Aidan came face to face with a furious-looking Roger Davies.

"What do you want, Lynch?"

His eyes were bloodshot, Aidan noted with extreme displeasure. A slight movement behind Roger's back alerted Aidan to Ginny's presence. She had been crying and, to Aidan's consternation, her lips seemed bruised.

"Listen, I know it's none of my business, but-"

"Since it's none of your goddamn business, leave!"

The door was slammed with such force Aidan nearly jumped. He was about to rap at the door when Roger's voice came bellowing loudly:

"GO UPSTAIRS AND SHUT HER UP!"

This made Aidan even more determined. He was about to use his wand to magically open the door when something fell down from the open window upstairs. Aidan caught it before it fell to the ground. It was a note. He recognized the handwriting. It was Ginny's.

He opened it.

========

Aidan, I know you and Cho were only worried about me. I'm fine, honestly. Pls. don't come again, it only makes Roger cranky.

Thanks, Ginny

========_<>

With a frown, he crumpled the note and headed back to his house.

"There's nothing we can do," he told Cho once he was inside. He handed her the note. "We can't help her if she won't let us."

Frowning, Cho stared outside, her gaze drifting towards the window upstairs. After watching the lights dim and hearing everything become silent, she whispered: "I just hope she's okay."

On the other side of the wall Ginny trembled as she lay beneath the bed sheets, waiting. She heard Roger slip inside the room, then all of sudden he grabbed her by the shoulders, his grip extremely painful.

"Roger, please, you're hurting me..."

His response was a brutal slap on the face. "You slut. Have you been sleeping with Quinn?" His voice was slurred.

"You know I wouldn't do that to you," she whimpered; his grip tightened.

He pushed her back on the bed. "Don't ever let me catch you lying," he threatened ominously. He stared at her, looking like the devil himself. With, with a loud curse, he stood up and wrenched the door open.

Once Roger had left the house Ginny checked on their one-year old baby in the crib, sleeping undisturbed. Then the tears flowed freely.

~*~*~*~*~*~

The next morning after Aidan had left for Quidditch practice Cho decided to pay Ginny a visit. After several knocks she heard a slow shuffling of feet, then the door slowly opened a foot wide. She saw Ginny's face peeking at her warily. "Can I come in?"

Ginny opened the door for her to slip inside. Once Cho was in, Ginny quickly closed and bolted the door.

"Where's little Lissy?"

"She upstairs, asleep."

"Ginny-" Whatever Cho had been about to say was forgotten the moment she saw Ginny's face. It was badly bruised. Her left cheek was swollen and dark purple, her eyes all puffy from crying. "Do you have some ice?"

Ginny nodded.

Inside the kitchen, Cho pursed her lips, a troubled frown on her face. She noted with displeasure that Ginny looked so much older than her twenty years. 'My God, she's two years younger than I am but she looks so haggard she could pass for thirty.'

"I know what you're thinking," Ginny said in a low voice.

Cho merely looked at her as she gently pressed the ice pack on Ginny's left cheek.

"He didn't beat me," Ginny said in a small voice. "We were just arguing."

Cho sighed deeply. "Ginny, married couples do argue normally, but they do not end up with bruises the morning after. Especially in that condition." She stared at Ginny's swelling stomach. "Please Ginny, stop covering for that good-for-nothing drunk-" She stopped after seeing the imploring look on Ginny's face. "I can't see what compelled you to elope with him at the age of sixteen," she muttered in disgust.

"He was incredibly sweet and thoughtful," Ginny said almost defensively.

"Was is the right word." Cho sighed impatiently. "For Merlin's sake, Ginny, wake up and see the bruises! He drinks a lot and has a violent temper. Can't you see that he's changed?" She wanted to shake Ginny. "He's no longer the Roger Davies we went to Hogwarts with."

"He's not a drunk," Ginny started defending her husband. "He just happened to drink a couple more beers than usual last night. Besides, he's the father of my child-"

"I don't want to hear this," Cho announced, waving her hands in defeat. "Do you need anything?" When Ginny remained quiet, she repeated: "Anything?" Not getting any answer, she decided to try a different question. "All right, how about some breakfast?" Ginny slowly shook her head. "Honey, you must eat somehow." She took Ginny's hand. "Look at you, you're only skin and bones."

"He . . . he doesn't want me to look fat . . ."

"That's it." Cho lost her patience. She turned to leave, but Ginny grabbed her hand, giving her an imploring look. She sighed. "Will you accept my help or would you prefer I owl your brothers?"

"No!" Ginny was frantic. "Please don't," she begged almost in tears.

Cho folded her arms, brows arched. "Ginny, I'm serious. Aidan and I are worried about you."

"I'll be fine," she mumbled. "Roger and I just need to talk things over. We'll be fine."

"I hope so," Cho sounded doubtful. 'Roger needed more than just talk; he needed therapy,' she thought, but didn't say it out loud. "I'll fix you something to eat."

As Cho turned to go to the kitchen Ginny laid a hand on her arm. "Thank you."

Seeing the gratitude on the younger girl's face Cho's throat tightened inexplicably. "I am your friend."

A thankful squeeze was Ginny's response.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Cho was sitting on the sofa making an early Christmas shopping list. She was so deeply absorbed in her task that she didn't hear the door open. Suddenly a pair of strong hands covered her eyes.

She smiled in response. "You're home early."

He removed his hands and planted a light kiss on her lips. "Missed me?"

"Desperately," she responded in her best imitation of a bedroom voice. "Take me to bed or lose me forever."

He chuckled. "You've been watching that Muggle movie again."

"Well, it's your fault," she accused him, smiling like a Cheshire cat. "You were the one who brought me to that Muggle cinema on our second date."

"I'd rather you say, 'You had me at hello','" he shot back in a teasing tone. "Admit it, you've got a huge crush on that Tom fellow."

"He is cute," admitted Cho, grinning widely. "How about 'show me the money'?"

Aidan chuckled, then surprised her by scooping her up in his strong arms.

"Where are you taking me, Mr. Aidan Lynch?" she asked in mock horror.

"Why I'm just showing you the way home, honey."

Laughing, she wrapped her arms around his neck, love in her eyes.

Much, much later, Cho was in the kitchen cooking a special dinner for two.

"Hmm, that smells good," Aidan murmured, sniffing appreciatively at the delicious aroma wafting through the kitchen.

Cho smiled. She was making Aidan's favorite: Irish Stew. Aidan had been away for three weeks and he looked like he had lost some weight, so she decided to fatten him up a bit.

He wrapped his arms around her waist. "Thank you," he whispered in her ear.

"For what?" she asked, smiling at him.

"For marrying me and making me the happiest man on this planet."

She looked at him and felt a rush of affection for him. They had only been married for a year and a half but it felt like they were an old couple. Quitting professional Quidditch hadn't been easy but Aidan never gave her any reason to regret her decision to open a Quidditch supply shop instead. She kissed him lightly. "No, it's the other way around. I should thank my lucky stars that I decided to accept the blind date set up by Oliver Wood. If I hadn't we might not be married today."

"Oh, no," Aidan disagreed. "I had already set my sights on you the moment you came zooming around the field with your silky, midnight-black hair and lovely brown eyes."

She snorted unbelievingly. "Aidan, your eyes were practically glued on the snitch. How could you have even noticed me, then?" She dipped the ladle on the stew and let Aidan have a taste. "What do you think? Too salty?"

"Simply delicious," he said, making a thumbs-up sign. "You were the distraction that made me miss the snitch in that game."

"Oh really?" She chuckled and shooed him away from the kitchen. "How does Rum Raisin Pudding and chocolate-dipped strawberry for dessert sound to you?" she asked as he started leaving the kitchen. At his wide-eyed reaction she added cheekily: "Plus chilled white wine."

"You're spoiling me."

Cho loved cooking and it had been a challenge for her to cook authentic-tasting Irish dishes. "Are you complaining?" she challenged, laughter in her eyes.

"Not really."

Suddenly a loud horrified scream emanated from the house next to theirs.

"Ginny!" they both shouted in alarm.

As the screaming continued, they took one look at each other and bolted out of the house. Running to the house next to theirs, they reached the door. It was locked. Aidan whipped out his wand, shouting: "Alohomora!" With a click, the door opened. He ran upstairs, with Cho a few steps behind.

"Roger, don't hurt Lissy!" they heard Ginny scream from upstairs, they ran even faster. They stood in shock at the scene in front of them.

Ginny, who's face was barely recognizable, was lying on the floor bleeding between the legs. Something bloody was lying on the floor next to her. Little Lissy was in the crib, crying at the top of her lungs. Roger Davies was drunk, as usual, cussing loudly as he staggered menacingly towards the crib. He was about to strike at the baby when Aidan moved quickly and stunned Roger.

Aidan gently lifted Ginny, while a shaking Cho took a crying Lissy in her arms and then very carefully lifted the tiny newborn from the floor. It wasn't moving and was blue in the face.

"We must hurry to St. Mungo's. Maybe we can still save the baby!" Aidan urged Cho.

Cho nodded and they Apparated to the hospital, leaving a stunned Roger Davies in the room.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"I can't believe you have the nerve to show your face here!" Ron Weasley yelled furiously at Roger Davies's face.

"I want to see my wife," Roger said bluntly.

"After beating her face to a pulp she's no longer you're wife," Fred replied scathingly as he came up behind Ron. "You're not welcome here."

"Charlie, Bill, Percy, and George are on their way." Ron cracked his knuckles in a threatening way. The two of them blocked Roger from entering the hospital room.

Roger ignored them. "Ginny!" he shouted loudly as he tried to push his way inside.

"Please tell my brothers to let him in," Ginny whispered to Cho who was sitting by her bedside, little Lissy sleeping in her arms.

"What?" Cho was shocked. "You're not going to forgive him, are you?" Little Lissy stirred but did not waken.

"There are things that needed to be said." Ginny was determined.

Looking obviously displeased, Cho, with Lissy in her arms, stood up and tapped Ron and Fred upon the back. "She wants a word with him."

Ron and Fred nearly choked in shock. "Ginny, are you out of your mind?"

Roger, wearing a smug look, pushed Ron and Fred aside and barged into the hospital room. After seeing her swollen face he managed to look shame-faced as he sat next to her bed. "Listen, Ginny-"

"I want a divorce."

"What?" Roger was stunned.

"You heard me, Roger." Ginny looked him straight in the eye. "I'm tired of being you're human punching bag. I nearly forgot that I am a human being who deserves respect, too." She took a shuddering breath. "My lawyer will contact you."

Roger's face was grim. "You can't do that." He grabbed her arm forcefully. "Did they brainwash you?" he asked between gritted teeth, pointing at Cho.

Fred and Ron were about to yank Roger away but Ginny shook her head, so they simply stood, prepared to beat the pulp out of him.

"Let go of my arm," Ginny said coldly. "And no, I haven't been brainwashed, I've just opened my eyes."

Roger was stunned; his grip on her arm loosened. After recovering from his surprise, he snarled: "I won't allow this divorce. We're married, and that's that!"

"No, you're wrong," Ginny held his gaze steady. "After you nearly killed our unnamed baby daughter, we are officially through. If it hadn't have been for Aidan and Cho, she would have died. Lissy might have been beaten to a pulp, and I might have bled to death. We don't deserve to be beaten to death just because you were sacked from the Ministry office."

"Is that what they told you?" Roger's face was a mask of fury. "I wasn't sacked. I quit."

"No more lies, Roger," Ginny said quietly. "I'm tired, please go. We have nothing to say to each other."

"If you expect that I won't fight for our daughters, then you're mistaken!"

Ginny smiled, pain evident in her eyes. "If only you had tried to show that you cared..." Closing her eyes for a moment she steadied her breathing, he face wan and pale. When she opened her eyes again, she spoke in a firm voice. "Don't make this even uglier than it already is. You should be in prison for what you did to us."

Roger blanched.

"The only reason I'm not pressing charges is only for the sake of my daughters." When Roger didn't say anything Ginny spoke very firmly. "Please leave."

Only when he had finally shuffled out the door with his shoulders slumped in defeat, did Ginny collapse on the bed. Cho held her hand as she cried softly.

"Ginny, don't waste your tears on that bastard," Ron said in exasperation.

"This is the last time I'm going to shed tears for him," Ginny sobbed as Cho patted her hand, comforting her. She looked up at Ron and Fred. "Thank you for not telling mum and dad immediately. I don't want them to see me in this condition."

Fred held her other hand. "Gin, they will know sooner or later."

"I know," Ginny said, looking up at him. "Just give me a few days at least."

The door opened. A nurse carrying a small bundle entered the room. "She's awake. I thought you might like a moment with her," she said smiling.

"Thank you." Ginny's smile was heartfelt as she lovingly took the baby in her arms. As she stared into the small cherubic face she whispered: "I will call you Aida, in honor of your godfather."

Cho's eyes filled with unshed tears. Even Ron and Fred were red-eyed.

Holding Aida's tiny fingers in her hand, she whispered: "It will be rough for awhile, but along with your sister Lissy, we're going to be all right." She dropped a light kiss on her forehead. "I promise."

The End