A Sirius Change

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 3: Falling

Draco wandered into the chaos that was the Black's townhouse, two weeks after Christmas.

The townhouse was engulfed in workmen. Sirius had arranged to meet Draco at the townhouse, so he could be updated on Draco's project and still keep tabs on the work being done to the house.

"Cordelia finally got the bloody contractor to take this job. We're remodeling the downstairs and adding a playroom on the back. Of course we've had this planned for months, but have been repeatedly delayed. Finally the day he shows up is the day Cordelia's away for the week. She's finally getting over to the states, she had to reschedule all the meetings she'd cancelled the week she was sick." Sirius said all this as he was leading Draco from the front door to the kitchen, sidestepping electricians, carpenters, and men with heavy hammers knocking in walls. Draco tried to keep up, desperately in need of a cup of coffee.

"Help yourself," Sirius gestured to the coffee pot, as Draco rooted through the disorganization to find a mug.

"Follow me; we can talk in the office… that's upstairs." Sirius took off again, retracing his path to the stairs.

Draco looked around, evaluating the way the Deputy Chancellor lived. It seemed too formal for Sirius, but too casual for a man in such a powerful position. "Is that an original Seurat?" Draco asked as he reached the landing at the top of the steps. "I'm impressed."

"Yes, I believe it is. Cordelia's father gave that to her. It's been in her father's family for ages, I think."

"Great. It's even being taken care of properly," Draco commented respectfully, watching a young woman dust off the frame.

"Well, Kate, Cordelia's mum, owns a gallery and keeps us up on what to do so we don't decrease the value of the thing. She insisted on sending one of her art historians over to take it down properly. She didn't want it damaged in the remodeling, and Cordelia wanted it reframed to reflect the more casual atmosphere à la Kinder Haus," Sirius commented, as he rolled his eyes and gestured at the wild array of plastic toys scattered through every room.

"Ahhhh… nice having an expert in the family, eh? My mum hired a couple of wizards one summer to catalogue our collection, but I don't think they ever got done. They got through the third floor of the manor, but then got scared off when one of them got bitten by a sculpture."

Sirius laughed and shook his head. "Only in your house, Draco. Right then, where do we stand in your investigation on those talismans?"

"There is someone definitely interested in time travel with these talismans. There have been a lot of enquiries into objects that could be talismans. The people making the enquiries change names with each call, but I think it's the same people. Some of the objects are just gemstones that people think might have travel properties. Others are fossils. They've been calling auction houses, and museums, ordering catalogs. They don't specify exactly what they're looking for, but this group is based in Wales, Swansea to be specific. For what it's worth, my mum had a bizarre little amulet that reminds me of what they've described. It was a fossilized ammonite; you know those things that look like curled up snail shells. I have no idea where it is now. She used to wear it as a brooch, but I haven't seen it since I was small."

"I've had similar reports from agents in other countries. Australia and France seem to be targeted. But there's definitely an upswing in interest."

Sirius was quiet for a time. He seemed preoccupied and withdrawn. "Do you think these people have anything to do with Harry, and where he might be?"

Draco knew better than to comment that Harry might not be anymore. "No idea. I'd hate to even think he's time traveled. It would make locating him near bloody impossible," Draco said as he ran his hand through his hair. "The timing seems right though. The calls seemed to get more frequent after he disappeared. So either they're related or they reckoned they could get away with more while Harry was gone and while the rest of the world looked for him."

"True," Sirius paused, then looked Draco directly in the eye. "I want you to find these people and figure out if they have any connection to Harry, or Hermione for that matter."

It was obvious to Draco that Sirius was still losing sleep over Harry's disappearance. His eyes were shadowed and he looked just a bit older. There were times when Harry was discussed in meetings or when Sirius was reviewing reports that Draco could see Sirius get lost in his own thoughts and be nearly unresponsive. He wondered if Harry realized how deeply this man cared about him, and he wondered what it would feel like to have someone like that in his life. Draco understood that his own father cared about Draco in his own twisted way, but to have someone who cared like that, and didn't expect your soul in return… Draco didn't dwell on these thoughts. They just flitted into his head every now and again, particularly when Harry was mentioned.

Just then there was an ear-splitting crash and Sirius was up and out the office door in a flash.

Draco wandered out into the hall and looked down the stairs. Nick was bringing Charlie and Ian in from somewhere, as a large man with a tool case was heading out the front door. The art historian had removed the painting from the frame and was gently inserting it into a portfolio for transport to Kate's studio, he assumed. Sirius was obviously occupied by the crisis that resulted from the crash.

Draco gingerly made his way downstairs amid the wood and debris and toys and clutter and called out, "I'll let you know what I find out about this." Draco could see the remnants of a window being swept up by a cursing Cockney workman.

Sirius poked his head out of the kitchen, "Right then - I should be in the office later. See what you can find out about that bauble of your mum's."

"Okay, I'm off."

"Bye," Sirius looked overwhelmed.

******************************

Cordelia signed in at the gate with her assistant, who was also the security witch Colin didn't let her go anywhere without anymore. This bugged her, but she understood it and sometimes actually appreciated the company. Cordelia affixed her visitor badge to her wool tweed jacket. She was glad she'd worn her wool trousers and boots, as it was bitterly cold on the walk from the IFW Embassy to the Capitol, where Sam Seaborne was settling into his new office.

They were ushered in to a large conference room, lined with bookcases on three walls and French doors and windows on the wall dividing the outer offices from the room. An assistant brought in a carafe of coffee, and a tray of muffins. Mugs were stacked by the sink at the far end of the room, all embellished with the seal of the state of Maryland and the new senator's signature.

Cordelia had had her second cup of coffee and checked her watch for a third time. The assistant came back to let them know there had been an accident on E Street, which was why Sam and Ainsley were delayed. Cordelia couldn't help wondering if that was just a cover story for them wanting to stay in bed just a bit longer on this cold morning. She knew she would, but she was way too far from Sirius to stay in bed this morning.

She was lost in the Mary Cassatt painting when the door finally opened and Sam entered the conference room. "Hey, Cordelia! Great to see you again. How's Sirius?"

"He's doing well. I'm sorry I had to cancel last month. Stomach bug. It was awful." Cordelia wrinkled up her nose and stuck out her tongue. "Is Ainsley ready?"

"Ready as she'll ever be. I'll … ummm… find out what's keeping her. I thought she was just going to hang up her coat. Hang on."

Sam poked his head out the door, just as Ainsley was coming in. Sam stole a quick kiss, then closed the door behind Ainsley.

"Hello Cordelia, it's so nice to see you again. Sam, before I forget, I have to work through dinner tonight to get the hearings set up. Could you pick up the cleaning?"

"Sure… what cleaning?"

"The dry cleaning, Sam… you know, suits, shirts, clothes…," Ainsley said in an exasperated tone.

"Of course. Ummm… where?"

"The cleaners, you know the one we always use. Over on Avenue J."

"Right… where's that?" Sam asked as he riffled through some files he'd brought in with him.

Ainsley rolled her eyes, "Never mind, I'll get Cindy to do it," she said with a deep sigh. "Okay, what is it I'm here for? Sam said it was important."

"Yes… well, you remember my husband?" Cordelia asked.

"Who could forget him," Ainsley said with a mock leer and a wink at Sam.

Sam smiled weakly and rolled his eyes.

Cordelia laughed. "You'll have gathered he isn't really part of a non-profit organization as you'd been told."

"I thought as much. Usually non-profits can't afford private security," Ainsley interjected.

Cordelia raised an eyebrow at that deduction, which was certainly true.

Ainsley continued, "So, who is he and why should it make any difference to me, and why all the hush hush stuff."

"Because of your new position with Senator Palladian's office and his appointment to the Justice Committee," Cordelia nodded towards Sam, "you need to know the truth about who he is and the organization he is in charge of. Your new job puts you in a need-to-know position about various investigations that are being coordinated between your government and ours."

"Just what government is that?" Ainsley asked with a bit of a confused look on her face. "Are you with the British Government? Oooooo, is he in charge of all the Bond types?"

"No, not that easy," Cordelia explained. "It's a multi-national organization that is a lot like the United Nations. Sirius is rather like the Secretary General. His official title is Deputy Chancellor of, and here's the tricky part, the International Federation of Wizards."

"Wizards?" She turned to Sam in disbelief. "You're putting me on, Sam. This is not funny. If I hear you and Josh have been planning this. Where's the camera? There has to be a camera in this office somewhere." Ainsley was looking around and giving Sam vicious looks out of the corner of her eye, but was smiling.

"No, this isn't a joke, Ainsley," Sam said, putting a hand on her arm.

Ainsley looked back and forth from Sam to Cordelia to Cordelia's assistant who was sitting quietly at the end of the table, out of the dynamic of the official conversation. She didn't look convinced.

"Bzzzzzz," the intercom buzzed. "There's someone on the line that needs to speak to Mrs. Black. He says it's urgent."

"Everything's always bloody urgent. All right," Cordelia said a bit impatiently. She really didn't want this session to be interrupted. It usually meant they'd have to start all over and there were investigations that were waiting to go forward on this issue. Sam pushed the phone on the conference table in Cordelia's direction. Cordelia came around the table to get closer, hit the button and picked up the receiver.

"Hello, this is Cordelia Black."

"Cordelia? It's Sirius. There's been an accident. You need to come home right away."

"What? Who? Charlie?" She sank down into the nearest chair and ran her hand over her face.

"No, it was Ian. He… ummm… he took a tumble down the stairs." His voice broke.

"Oh Christ, what's wrong?"

"We're at St. Sebastiani's Children's Ward. The mediwizards have put him in the intensive care unit. They… they aren't sure at the moment. They said there's swelling in the brain. They're working on him now." He paused to breathe again. His voice had been steady, but now wavered. Cordelia's hands were shaking, and she wasn't at all sure she would keep down the muffin she'd eaten earlier.

"He's been unconscious since the fall, but he's breathing…" She could tell he was trying to be optimistic, for her sake, but she wasn't fooled. "God, Cord, just get home soon… he needs you."

Cordelia felt like someone had punched her in the stomach. As a mother she knew that fear. That fear of something awful happening in a split second between when they are happy and healthy with an unlimited future, and when all that vanishes like an ethereal ghost of the child that might be.

She'd cleared her throat, but couldn't stop the tears that had begun to stream down her face. "Ummm, they don't know?"

"No. We have one of the best hyperempathetic witches seeing him now. Plus we've gotten the hospital's potions master brewing a reduction brew, and the medicharms experts are meeting at four this afternoon. Meanwhile they're running tests and monitoring him."

"Okay," she croaked. She realized her hands were shaking as she glanced up into the worried faces of Sam and Ainsley. Glancing back down again, "I'll be right there. We'll figure out the fastest way."

"Chelsea can conjure a portkey for both of you."

"Okay. We'll be right there. Can we portkey to hospital, or do we need to go through the IFW offices? Can we do it from here?"

"I think you can go directly from there to here. Ask Chelsea, she'll know."

There was a long pause, "Ummmm… Sirius?"

"Yes, love?"

Her voice was no more than a whisper now. "Don't let him… well… don't let him…"

"I won't. We love you."

Cordelia broke down at this.

"Hang on, Cord, he needs you, okay?"

"Okay," Cordelia murmured as she wiped her eyes with her fingers and took a few more deep breaths.

"Okay. Bye then. I'll be there as fast as we can." Cordelia replaced the receiver. And buried her face in her hands for a few moments. Shaking her head, she looked back up at Ainsley. "Ummm, my um… my son fell down some stairs. I have to go. We'll pick this up later, although you've already heard a number of things that will help with the transition."

"Chelsea, can you conjure up a portkey for us? We need to leave right away." Then, half to herself, "Oh God, I was going to put those damn gates up this weekend."

Cordelia shuffled her papers back into her briefcase. "Here, this was for you. I intended to go over everything. Sam, could you help her out?"

Sam nodded, and Ainsley was looking bewildered and concerned. Chelsea chose a large clean coffee mug. She glanced up at the windows to make sure no one was watching, drew her wand, and set the time and destination.

"Ainsley, call me in a week or so, I know you'll have questions. I'm not sure when I can get back here. If you could come to London, Sirius and I could explain everything. Sam, you could take her over to the IFW embassy and introduce her to Mr. Macintosh. He's the undersecretary for Muggle relations over there. We do need to get her up to speed."

"Don't worry about it, Cordelia, we'll take care of it. Good luck, "Sam assured.

"Ainsley, this isn't how you should learn about this."

"Don't worry. I promise to hear Sam out. Just go, do you need a cab or anything."

"No, we'll just leave from here. Don't be alarmed. Are we ready?" she asked, slinging her briefcase over her shoulder. "We'll send someone for our coats. We checked them downstairs."

"Okay, good luck," Sam answered.

Cordelia touched the mug first, and was gone.

*********************

They ended up at St. Sebastiani's, a tall narrow building, squeezed next to a complex of Muggle hospitals. Cordelia could barely keep herself from running through the corridors. She staggered to the nearest desk and learned the paediatric intensive care unit was on the fourth floor. The elevator doors finally opened. There were double doors to go through, then an interminably long corridor, followed by another set of doors. Through these doors was an area furnished in soft colors with soft squishy chairs and sofas and a fireplace at one end. The other end had a set of 10 doors with large windows in between each, these were the patient rooms. A witch sat at a desk towards the middle of the room where she could monitor each room.

"I'm looking for Ian Black. My husband, Sirius, said they brought him here," Cordelia said breathlessly.

"Yes, that would be the last door on the end there. Are you Mrs. Black?"

"Yes, hello, that one there?" She began to cross the room towards the proper door.

"Yes, but hang on. Aren't you a Muggle?"

"Err… yes, why?"

"You can't go in there."

"WHAT?" She stopped dead in her tracks and spun around.

"Muggles… Muggles can't go into the ICU rooms. You upset the magic."

"What kind of rubbish is that? I'm his mother, he needs me. You understand that, right?"

"Of course, but really, I can't let you in there."

Sirius had seen her come in and stepped out of the room and closed the door behind him, and quickly crossed to Cordelia.

She spun back towards him, "How is he, is he all right? They are saying I can't go in. Tell them they're wrong."

Sirius took her by the arms and looked straight on. "No, she's right. You can't go in there. They told me an hour ago. Muggles tend to absorb magical energy. Usually it doesn't make a difference, it's a very small amount, but in this case, they think it could affect the healing."

"Nooooo." Sirius took her into his arms and with that she broke down entirely. She sobbed and he rubbed her back and whispered it would be okay. Finally pulling herself together, she took a deep breath. Crossing over to the window she pressed her nose against the glass. "Is he awake?"

"No. I'll stay in there with him, though, no matter what."

The tears kept streaming down her face. "I need to touch him, though, Sirius. Look at him. He's just lying there. He looks so small. Can't I just go in for a short time?"

"The wizards also said it would interfere with the monitoring charms. They were really concerned about that."

She was silent for a long time. Rage, frustration, confusion, hurt, desperation, and worry were all building to a crescendo inside her head. It finally burst out as she brought her hand against the wall next to the door with an almighty BANG! "Why didn't you tell me about this, Sirius! That I couldn't see my own children when I agreed to this. I knew I'd be unaccepted and unacceptable, but I never dreamed this would be a result."

"I had no idea, Cord. I really didn't."

Her anger had dissipated quickly, but she was left with desperation and an ache to touch her child that settled into her bones and turned the room gray. "I know. I'm sorry."

She wiped her eyes and blew her nose. "You'd best get back in there."

"Yeah." He opened the door and went back into the ICU room. He paused at the window, opened the blinds, and pressed his hand against the glass. She put her hand up to his. They locked eyes for a long moment, then he withdrew and went to take Ian's small hand.

She stared in the window for a long time. He was so small and looked like a baby. His dark curly hair was tangled on the pillow. He looked like he was sleeping, but there was a large bruise on the left side of his face. Cordelia's arms ached to reach out and take a hold of him and tuck his head beneath her chin and hold him forever tight in her arms. Looking at him started the tears again. She tasted them as they streamed down her cheeks. She backed away and sank into a chair, readying herself for a long day.

************

An hour later Kate, was escorted into the lounge area. Cordelia had curled herself into a ball in one of the deep squishy chairs. She looked up, startled as Kate gently brushed her arm.

"Oh mum…" Cordelia said softly, as her mum hugged her close. "How's Charlie? Is she all right?"

"Yes, Nick said he could spend the night, they're over at my flat. She knows her brother fell, but that he's being taken care of and you are all here helping him get better. How is he?"

"They can't tell us much right now. They're still running charms and diagnostic spells."

"I'm sorry. This is the hardest, the waiting. Are you all right?"

Cordelia took a deep breath. "I feel so helpless. I can't even go in there. I can't hold him. They said it could hurt the healing magic."

Kate hugged her close again. "It'll be all right. Sirius is in there. Trust him. He can hold Ian just like you. Talk to Sirius and tell him what you would do. He doesn't need to know, but you need to tell him."

"They told us we'd hear from the main neurowizard in half an hour. Could you sit with me until then?" Cordelia asked, sounding to her mum like she was 12 years old.

"Of course! I was planning to stay as long as you need me."

"Can the gallery spare you?"

"Heavens, certainly! Plus, I have a new assistant. She's marvelous. You remember I told you about the studio, behind the gallery?" Cordelia nodded numbly, she seemed to be clutching on anything that would distract her, so Kate prattled on. "I've got one woman who's been coming in and doing some wonderful three-dimensional work. A bit of sculpting, a bit of painting. You must come see her work, when all of this is over."

"I'll try, Mum. I know your new gallery has been open six months and I haven't been there since the opening. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize, darling, I know how it is with young children and two jobs. Plus I do realize that the gallery isn't really a child friendly environment. Maybe I should change that?" Kate took out a notebook and jotted a few notes down, muttering to remind herself to incorporate a children's section in her gallery.

"Are you still sleeping there?" Cordelia said, half joking.

"Actually, no! I was just starting to tell you about my new assistant. I finally found someone I think I can trust with the place. I hired her just before Christmas. I sent her to take care of your Seurat. Did she do a good job?"

"I don't know, Mum, I came right here from Washington."

"She's very responsible, has a degree in art history from Cambridge, and seems to have a talent for bringing artists in. She found Margaret Nielson for me, the artist I was telling you about. Great eye for color and form. She's a bit abstract, but still draws your eye and stirs your heart. Margaret, that is. Delphinia is my assistant. I don't know what I did without her. She's brought in three others artists, as well."

Kate discussed the gallery, and what Trevor, Kate's companion, was doing lately. She told funny stories to make Cordelia laugh. Cordelia listened woodenly, responded appropriately, but Kate could see the distance and pain in her eyes. She didn't want to be patronizing and tell her everything would be okay, if it wouldn't be; but, she didn't want to be discouraging either. So she stayed on neutral topics that didn't need a response. She hoped they made a diagnosis and prognosis soon.

****************

Draco watched her dancing from the balcony above. They'd talked three times in the two weeks since the Kew Christmas Fair. Tonight was the first time they'd been together in person since then. They'd gone to the play at the Regency, as they'd discussed that night, then grabbed a quick bite to eat at the Lumos Café. The play itself was rather lame, and much to his surprise they both thought so. Ginny complained that the dialogue was stiff and the scenery was cheap, while Draco thought the whole thing was poorly executed and pretentious. They'd joked that he indeed would be able to recognize pretension, if anyone could. They'd talked quite a bit about plays they'd seen and enjoyed and those they had not enjoyed. It seemed they liked and disliked many of the same works, although usually for very different reasons. Draco was surprised at how many plays Ginny had seen. He was so used to thinking of the Weasleys as highly uncultured and on the whole, it was a major paradigm shift to see her as someone that might find the arts interesting, or have a valid opinion about them.

Draco was puzzling out why on earth he was here watching Ginny Weasley dance with various wizards and having small spasms of distaste when her dance partner would get close or whisper in her ear. After dinner, neither was quite ready to go home, so they'd come to Diversion Alley, which was a popular night club for young witches and wizards that had a reputation for playing a mix of Muggle and wizard music. He watched her spin and dip, then trade dance partners with the blonde with the abundant curves. This was Ron Weasley's little sister. He'd remembered the contempt he had for the Weasleys while at Hogwarts, and shifted uncomfortably against the railing. She was rapidly proving to him that at least this Weasley was not as dense and mundane as he'd always assumed.

At the moment, Ginny was dancing with one of the photographers from Circe. She was laughing up into his face as they moved to a salsa beat that brought them a bit closer than Draco thought quite decent. This was the sixth man she'd danced with since they arrived an hour ago. She seemed to have a lot of male friends. Draco kept them in sight as the song ended and the wizard took Ginny's arm and led her back upstairs to the table they had been able to secure on the upper level near the bar. Lucky for him, because he sure felt he could use a drink.

The photographer came to the table and was introduced. Draco was civil, but did not ask him to join them. The photographer offered to buy them a drink, which Draco did accept, gladly.

"Whew! It's getting hot in here?" Ginny said as she fanned herself, flushed from excitement and exertion after her dance partner moved onto a model he knew.

"Yes, I see it is," Draco commented dryly, sipping the gin and tonic that had been provided.

Ginny took a few good sips of the same, and leaned back with a sigh, lifting her long red hair off the back of her neck.

Draco hadn't danced yet and was getting a bit weary of others absconding with his date. A slow sultry tune was announced and he stood and held out his hand, "Care to move a bit slower?"

"Why, certainly, Mr. Malfoy, if you don't mind me a bit sweaty."

"You'll do," he commented with a twitch in the corner of his mouth.

They descended the stairs and Draco led her to the centre of the dance floor. One arm around her waist and the other holding her hand, he pulled her to him as the pulse of the rhythm pulled them into the song. Their contact was closer than he'd planned on, but the pace of the music seemed to call for it.

"I was afraid you couldn't dance, Malfoy," Ginny said after a bit, looking into his eyes with a challenging smile on her face.

"Can I?"

"Yes, you definitely can," she said pressing, a bit closer and looking just a bit seductive, if he was being honest about it.

He felt his head dip in what he realized later was going to be a kiss, when another friend of Ginny's touched her on the arm and she looked away. In the recesses of his brain he realized it was pretty strong lust that was starting to build. One of his resolutions after his conversion was not to succumb to a lust that snuck up on him. He had more self control than that and you were supposed to reserve that lust for someone you actually cared about, and while he cared a little bit about Ginny Weasley, he recognized that he barely knew her and that he definitely shouldn't be thinking about getting her into bed.

The song continued and they moved to the beat, hip to hip and thigh to thigh. He was staring at those lovely red lips, and before he knew it his head was dipping again as the song ended. He held tight and kissed her anyway, briefly, but with a bit more feeling than you would kiss a friend. She looked surprised, but not displeased.

He let go of her waist, but kept a hold of her hand as he guided them back up their table. Once there, the chairs seemed awfully far apart. He threw back the rest of the drink that had been sitting at the table and she took a fairly large swallow herself.

Draco was about to suggest they go somewhere a bit quieter when yet another of Ginny's acquaintances approached the table. Draco plastered on a pleasant face and rose to the challenge.

"Ginny! How are you, it's been forever!" gushed the woman with too much makeup and very stiff hair.

"I'm fine, Delores, and how are you," Ginny replied graciously. "Won't you join us?"

"Don't mind if I do, at least until Melvin gets back, he went to check on something… that man never rests," Delores let out a very dramatic sigh. "And who might this handsome wizard be?"

"Delores, this is Draco Malfoy. Draco, my good friend Delores."

"Oh!" gasped Delores. "I've heard of you."

"Very pleased to meet you," Draco commented dryly, sliding his chair towards Ginny to make room for Delores.

"Delores works for Ogilvy's Home Décor."

Draco nodded politely.

Meanwhile, Delores was staring impolitely at Draco with her mouth hanging open. Draco felt Ginny kick her under the table, and her jaw snapped shut.

Once distracted, she launched into as much gossip as she could talk about all at once. After an interminable recitation of who was seeing who and which company was undermining what other companies in the home décor business, she came to a subject that grabbed Draco's attention.

"Isn't that awful about the Deputy Chancellor's son? I heard he took an awful spill. You know him quite well, don't you?"

"Um… yes, I do. Yes, his son fell down some stairs, but he's at St. Sebastiani's. I'm sure they're taking good care of him. I haven't been round to visit yet, though my mum has."

This time it was Ginny to receive a kick under the table.

Ginny looked sharply at Draco.

Draco got up from the table and leaned over to whisper in Ginny's ear, appearing to excuse himself. "You might want to think twice about giving out that information to anyone and everyone." With that he moved off.

He could see Ginny bite her lip as he moved around the edge of the balcony. He circled the club checking once more, as he had when they entered, for anyone who looked familiarly suspicious. He did this everywhere he went. Old habits died hard.

Delores had moved on without the benefit of Melvin, by the time Draco returned to the table. Draco could certainly understand Melvin's desire to make himself scarce in the presences of that woman.

"I'm sorry, I just didn't think. Did I make things worse?" Ginny asked as she shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"Probably not, it's just you really want to limit what you tell people."

"It was just an accident, right? There's nothing that could be made about that?"

"You told her where Ian is now. If she was out to do him in, you just made it easier."

"Damn. Are you saying it wasn't an accident? Were they trying to keep his location secret?"

"Not necessarily, but that's typically standard procedure. I'm not saying it was or was not an accident, but it's none of her business, or yours for that matter."

Ginny looked a bit hurt by this, but he never did have much patience for those easily offended.

"But it was just a fall. Who would want to hurt a baby?"

"How better to get to Sirius," Draco said with a touch of impatience.

"Who though? I know I sound naïve. It just hadn't occurred to me."

Draco nodded. "As to who," Draco shrugged, "it could be almost anyone. Maybe it's Sirius himself. He does have a bit of an unstable history."

"Oh, Christ, Draco! Don't even joke about that. That would be awful."

"Like I said, it's not likely, just speculation." Draco sat up straighter and looked at Ginny directly, suddenly remembering who she was and what she did. "None of this is on the record, you understand that, right?"

Ginny started at this. "Of course! Oh no I'd never even dream of using this."

Draco relaxed and looked out over the dancers.

Ginny fingered her drink abstractedly, then drained it.

Draco stood up, "Come on, let’s dance again. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to spoil your evening."

"No, you didn't." Ginny shook her head. "Yes, come on, I like this song."

He offered his hand, and she took it as they made their way back down the stairs into the throng of dancers.

As they moved to the slower moving ballad that had just started, Ginny still seemed distracted. "You do trust I'd never use information like that in Circe? I did learn some things while dating Harry."

"I just had to be sure. You're telling me Harry didn't tell you everything about everything when you were seeing one another?"

Ginny snorted, "Ha! I barely knew where he was when he wasn't with me. In fact, I didn't know where he was most of the time. There were big chunks of him that were off limits to me."

"Really? That surprises me. When I knew him at Hogwarts he'd tell your brother and Hermione everything that happened to him. I was amazed at all the things they knew. I always took him for the type to never keep his mouth shut."

"That was then, and them. I was never included in that circle, you see. Even when we were dating, he still told Hermione far more than he ever told me. Although apparently even she didn't know everything."

"Do I detect a hint of jealousy there?"

"Oh, there was more than a hint at the time, but… no, no hard feelings now."

"Damn generous of you, Weasley."

"While I do believe there is someone for everyone, they certainly demonstrated that timing has a lot to do with it."

"Ah, very true. Am I a case in point?"

"Absolutely. I would never have considered even talking to you, let alone dancing with you at Hogwarts."

"The feeling is mutual, Ms. Weasley."

"See, timing."

"Are you implying our timing is good or bad?"

"I'm not sure of that, yet. We'll see."

She settled her head on his shoulder as they settled into a slow sway, pressed close together.

Draco closed his eyes. This felt really good. Just holding this soft, intelligent, creative woman. It just felt good, and not just good, but right. This disturbed him greatly.

The song segued into a Latin tinged ballad. He had no idea what was being sung, but the rhythm struck a deep chord. They sped up their sway, but didn't pull back. She lifted her head to look at him. Their eyes locked and he felt that if he looked away she just might vanish. They moved to the beat of the music and their pulse as the heat of the club, and the music, and each other began to roll through his body and brain.

Like a magnet attracted to its opposite, he kissed her. He intended it to be brief, like a trial kiss. Actually he hadn't intended it at all. His head moved of its own accord until their lips touched and then, like a man undergoing electrocution he couldn't pull back. She opened her mouth slightly in invitation, which he gladly accepted.

The song progressed, with its tempo increasing in a pulsating beat. His hand roamed her back, and it was all he could do to prevent that hand from running down, then back up her long legs. He began to try to focus and was rapidly coming to the conclusion that they would need to leave here soon, either separately or together. The overwhelming favourite was currently to get her alone somewhere dark and quiet. His other choice was to leave right now, alone, and put a stop to all this foolishness. He did realize the latter would be the right choice, but damn if he really didn't care at the moment what the right choice was, and apparently from the movements of her body and the boldness of her tongue he was quite sure she didn't really care, either.

Before he had consciously made the choice, he heard his mouth whispering in her ear, "Where?"

In a move that incorporated a bit of tongue, she nibbled her way up his neck. When she arrived at his ear she murmured, "Mine," followed by a small bite to his earlobe. With that she disengaged, looked into his eyes, and left the dance floor in the direction of the cloak room.

He still had to settle the tab, and grab the jumper he'd worn into the place, but had removed after their first five minutes there. When he got to the cloak room, she had gone. He knew where she'd gone and it only took a moment for him to decide to join her. She had invited, why shouldn't he accept? He wanted her very badly at this point.

The thought briefly crossed his mind that this was precisely the type of behaviour he was trying to correct, but his baser self took over and Disapparated.

He Apparated at her door. She was standing at it in her cloak with the door slightly ajar. He immediately took her mouth in his and moved them inside. This kiss was as electric as their first in Kew and their second in the foyer. The door closed and he pressed her up against it, urgently working the fastenings of her cloak. Her mouth was soft and warm and inviting and exciting. He could feel her hands working on his cloak fastenings, then sliding beneath his jumper and t-shirt. Her touch was unlike anything he'd ever felt. It wasn't hard and demanding, nor was it gentle and reassuring. It was exploring, eager, inviting, inquisitive, and more than a little frantic, and still the slightest bit cold from Apparating, through the cold night air. Obviously she hadn't had the chance to light the fire, but he thought they'd hardly need it.

She flung off her shoes and moved one hand enough to charm all the candles in the place, which numbered well over 200. There were large candles, small candles, scented and plain, floating and secure. Every surface had at least one candle on it, usually five or six. Plenty hovered near the ceiling and some just randomly moved about the place. He'd managed to remove her stockings and was running his hand up her leg once again, rucking up the skirt on the way. Her blouse was untucked from the skirt and the top buttons had opened revealing a violet lace bra that didn't help his blood pressure.

"More… comfortable… up… there…" she said between kisses as she began to move towards the stairs to her loft. "Race you!" she said suddenly with a challenge in her eye. She broke away. He Apparated, blocking her at the top of the stairs.

"Damn, should have thought of that," she cursed with a smile.

"You obviously were not brought up to cheat at contests," he said dryly as he pulled her hips to him once more, feeling the loss of bodily contact.

He began working on the skirt again, lifting his mouth from her only long enough for her to remove the jumper and t-shirt he wore. Their activity seemed to be inspired by an idea that this electrical current that was arcing between them, would be hampered by the insulation of their clothes. The room crackled and glowed with the energy emanating from them. The current seemed to generate a magnetic field that forced them closer together, which in turn built on the power developing there. He pushed the skirt down out of the way as he surveyed her in her violet underthings. He hadn't long to contemplate them as she was removing his own underthings as well as his trousers in one deft move. Her hands were like waves of flames caressing his skin from neck to knees. Suddenly, they were skin to skin from chest to toes. One hand was around her waist, hand roaming up and down, over her back. The other gripped the back of her head under her long thick silky hair, holding it steady for all the things he wanted to take from her mouth. Her breasts were crushed against his chest, soft and hard all at the same time.

The lust was there and rapidly gaining control, but it was different from his previous lust driven encounters. Just why it was different, he hadn't figured out, and didn't much care at the moment. All that seemed relevant was the naked woman beneath him, who seemed to be enjoying herself. She wanted it, he wanted it. Restraint be damned, he'd figure it out in the morning.

"Oh, Merlin, that feels good," he heard her murmur between the other incoherent noises that indicated she was having quite a pleasurable experience.

"How about this?" Draco suggested and was answered by a low moan that he wasn't sure was hers or his.

"Do that again," she sighed while moving beneath him sinuously.

So here he was, naked, with a woman he never in a million years dreamed he'd even be attracted to, experiencing the most intense arousal he'd ever experienced. She was nipping his chest, urging him to her. He felt her warm breath on his body that felt like the breath of a flame. Her hair was tangled and strewn across the pillow igniting the bed. His own body was supplying the fuel for this bonfire. He felt powerful, he felt vulnerable. He felt attracted and attractive. He felt guilt and confidence, and desire and drive. They glowed pale in the candlelight, reflecting different planes and surfaces; long shapes, round shapes, shapes coloured with amber freckles scattered like jewels across the opalescent skin, shapes pale and moist with sweat. He felt and experienced until the sensations she was building with her touch and kiss and response and breath, short-circuited his brain, blocked logical thought and joined him to this thing that was neither of them, but both simultaneously.

He wasn't aware of his individual response until the response ceased to be shared and it seemed they had settled back into two bodies. By that time he realized he was staring. Staring into the eyes of this intimately familiar stranger from which he could not pull away. He kissed her gently and rolled away, rearranging them to fit again from front to back, curling up together, but not, thankfully face to face. He didn't want to know what she thought or how she felt. That would ruin his fantasy that she had the same experience as he did. If she did, this could be the beginning of something incredible. If not, he didn't want to know about it and didn't want to consider how awkward that would be.

He pushed a strand of her hair away from his face, tucked her head beneath his chin, and tightened his arms around her. She breathed deeply and relaxed into sleep. He followed as well, giving up the conscious thoughts that were swirling all too fast to keep up.

Sometime, just as the gray light of dawn peeked from behind the shutters, Draco awoke. The full memory of the previous night struck him like the Hogwarts Express. He'd succumbed to it. That lust driven, hedonistic animal he'd tried to leave behind. He thought about and tried to conjure great feelings of guilt. Wasn't that what was expected?

He disentangled his limbs from hers and rolled to the edge of the unfamiliar bed. His mind whirled in confusion. He really did like this woman. This woman. Damn this was Ginny Weasley. Ron Weasley's kid sister. That made him cringe.

Swallowing hard, to get beyond his sudden vision of a twelve year old Hogwarts school girl, he took a long deep look at the woman she'd become. Long red hair tousled madly upon the pillow. Lots of that opalescent skin exposed at the moment as his eyes traced down her back. She had a lovely arse and legs that stretched on forever. And speaking of stretching, the object of his observation was doing just that. Her arms went above her head, and her legs straightened out to pointed toes. She turned onto her back and settled back into sleep, sheet casually draped across her hips.

"Right, Malfoy," he said to himself. He reckoned he had two choices. Stay and face the consequences, which just might include a repeat of some of the better moments of the night before. He smiled at this possibility, but nearly simultaneously remembered the other possibility. It could devolve into a morose dissection of what that meant or worse yet, questions about previous lovers. He had absolutely no intention of revealing those details to anyone, not the least of which a new lover. No… better to leave quietly and see where this whole thing leads later. Much cleaner to discuss things over coffee, rather than naked in a stranger's bed.

He looked at her longingly one last time, gathered his scattered clothes, dressed quietly, then tiptoed down the stairs, and out the door.

*************************

The sun was shining brightly through the shutters by the time Ginny Weasley woke up. She sat bolt upright. "That was a mistake," she thought as her head caught up with her body and reasserted its right to throb. She sank back down and brought the pillow over her head.

"Holy shit!" she shouted, as the events of the night before hit her like the Hogwarts Express. She sprung up again, groping for the robe at the foot of the bed. She peered cautiously into the bathroom, while fastening the belt. She leaned down the stairs and glanced around the living room and kitchen. She let out her breath and sat down on the top step.

"Thank God he's gone," she murmured as she ran her hands over her forehead and through her hair, trying to hold her brain inside her skull. She'd had an awful lot to drink, but she remembered every moment. She knew she'd never been that aroused before; not with Harry, not with Grant, not with anyone. At the same time she really didn't think she was head over heels, romantic roses and sparkles love. But it was more than carnal lust. It had to be, she thought.

He wasn't a bad guy. They'd actually talked quite freely, they got along. He'd done a lot to redeem himself. Sirius obviously trusted him. She genuinely liked him, but damned if that wasn't the most intense experience she'd ever had. That was supposed to be reserved for true love, soul mates, falling hard and deep. It wasn't supposed to happen during casual sex; not that you could call what they'd done casual in any way, shape or form. Her head spun and she felt sick. Okay, get through the day and we'll deal with Malfoy tomorrow.

****************

They'd made it through the night. Sirius woke up groggy and stiff from sleeping in the chair at the side of Ian's bed. Ian was still unconscious, but the monitors indicated that the swelling had not increased. It hadn't decreased, but his breathing seemed normal and his colour had changed from the sickly greenish gray it had been the day before to a more normal colour tinged rosy with sleep. He rubbed his face and went into the lounge to get some coffee. Cordelia was sound asleep on the lounge sofa. He thought about kissing her, but decided she needed the sleep instead. He made up the coffee and waited for it to brew. Everything seemed dark and teetering on the border of hopelessness. He tried to concentrate on the aspects of his life that were good, but for some reason his brain was drawn back to the Christmas party at Bailicroft. Everyone had gone through the joyful motions. There was even some real fun and laughter, but there was an undercurrent of sadness and false levity, because Harry was still gone. He and Remus had kept an eye on Hermione. Sirius was glad to see Hermione in a rather in depth conversation with Bill Weasley, who had lost his wife the summer before. If Bill didn't have any wisdom, at least he knew how she felt.

Sirius thought he knew a bit of how she felt, but not exactly. He'd lost his best friend, but never had to sit around and wonder if he'd come back. He'd done plenty of sitting around, but wondering if James was coming back was not on the agenda. In Harry's circumstance there was no one to pursue, no one to hunt down, and no one to blame. Even as D.C. he couldn't protect Harry. There was definitely a hole in his heart, right there, he thought as he rubbed his chest.

Shaking his head he went back to trying to count his blessings. He watched the monitoring charms placed around Ian throb. As he counted their pulsations, he thought of the time just before Ian was born.

"Cordelia, are you up there?" Sirius called from the foyer of the townhouse.

"Up here in the office. Just finishing up."

Sirius climbed the stairs weary after a day's work, but looking forward to the evening. They had planned an evening alone, Charlie was spending the night at Cordelia's mum's house, and they had the whole evening to themselves. No books. No baths. No fetching the million and one comfort items required nightly to allow Charlie to sleep. Heaven.

"Hello gorgeous," he joked as he entered the office. Cordelia was sitting at the desk. She had a loose blue maternity smock on as it was very warm for that September day. He came up behind the chair and began to rub her shoulders.

Cordelia let out a long slow sigh. "That feels heavenly, my back really is aching today, and I just feel out of sorts."

"Any contractions?"

"No. I have a feeling this baby is going to be in here forever. He doesn't seem to have any inclination to come out, and I can hardly blame him."

"Our due date is next week, right?"

"Yes, but that could mean anytime from right now to next month sometime."

"Well, I certainly have patience."

"Yes, he's much more convenient in here," she said, stroking her rather large belly.

"At least we can't hear him shriek, yet."

Cordelia laughed. "Let me finish this email and then we can get some dinner."

"All right. I'm going to get changed, you don't want to go out, do you?" he asked, unbuttoning his shirt and pulling the shirt from his trousers.

"No, not tonight," she said as she watched him avidly from across the room.

She came into the bedroom and hung up his office clothes. He was looking out the window. She tried to slide her arms around his waist, but couldn't reach around her belly. He laughed and slid her around in front of him. He wrapped his arms over her stomach and caressed the mounded form. The baby inside stretched and wiggled, as Sirius followed the motion with his hands. He smiled, amazed again at the activity involved.

"This is my favourite time of pregnancy," he whispered in her ear, as he ran his lips down her neck.

"What? I feel like a hippopotamus and look like a beached whale? I'm barely comfortable enough in my own skin to get sleep, and it's so hot I feel like I'm boiling."

"I'm sorry. It's just that you only look like this for about a month and I happen to think you look terrific," he said, reassuringly.

"You need your eyes examined."

"No really, you are beautiful in this state…"

"Ooooooo… I um… whew… that was a contraction."

"I felt it! Wow, that was cool."

"I've got to sit down."

Sirius guided her to a chaise in the bedroom. "Should we call someone, or was that a Braxton-Hicks… I remember that from class… see, I was paying attention."

"Ummmm… don't know, we'll have to see if it happens again. They waited ten minutes, while Sirius rubbed her feet and Cordelia looked rather worried.

"Okay, I think we can go downstairs now."

"You'll be all right? I can bring dinner up here."

"No, there's nowhere to eat up here. Besides it's cooler down there and I'm going to have you rub my back with ice."

He fixed a tray of sliced fruit, some bread, and cheese, a cool glass of water, and brought a chilled towel. They took the tray out to the garden and ate and discussed their day and tried to settle on a name for the impending addition to their family. They weren't sure it was going to be a boy, but that's what they thought it would probably be, but just in case Cordelia had insisted on deciding on a girl's name. If it was a boy Cordelia had been equally insistent that the name be Ian James. Sirius was not wild about getting sentimental about the name, but she'd argued that she had fallen in love with an Ian and she'd really like another one in her life. So he conceded.

By the time they'd finished dinner, the contractions were still 15 minutes apart. She had said they were frequent enough to be annoying, but not enough to actually go anywhere.

There was a big wicker chair in corner of the porch. Sirius had brought a basin of cool water and a washcloth out. The hours dragged on and on. He rubbed her back and her feet. He read her passages from her favourite books. They watched a couple of old movies, but in general he just held her. He could tell when a contraction would roll through her body. Her belly would tense, she would hold her breath, even though she had learned all about proper breathing in class, and her toes would curl under. It was a very long night. She tried to send him to bed to get some sleep, but he stayed, and slept during the third movie.

Finally, after nearly eight hours, the contractions were getting more organized and closer together. He could time them at perfect 5 minute intervals. He got her bag, and announced it was time to go. She acquiesced without much convincing. She'd agreed to St. Michaels this time, as she knew the pain charms would work on her, and she was secure enough with the wizard health care system that she felt comfortable trusting them. Charlie had been born in a Muggle hospital, with Sirius covertly doing pain charms.

Two more hours of labour passed excruciatingly slow. The minutes between the contractions were empty, and the time during was frustrating for Sirius. There were times when labour slowed down so that Sirius didn't know what to do with himself. Cordelia was dozing between contractions. He knew he had to be there when the pain hit, but in the meantime it was a waiting game.

During those moments he worried a bit about what it would be like to have a son. He imagined that being a father to a girl was an entirely different thing than being a father to a boy, and he knew he wasn't the best example to look on during his formative years. Not that he didn't want to be a good example to his daughter. He wanted to make sure she knew how a good husband and father was supposed to act, if only he could figure it out. He blushed a bit as he realized he would need to be a bit more discreet in his attentions to Cordelia. He certainly didn't want his daughter to think men were as carnal as he could get sometimes with her mother.

Another contraction.

Okay, back to being a father to a son. He figured he'd be okay as long as he his son never knew what his life before Cordelia was like. Then he thought that was as likely as getting a hippogriff to kneel to a niffler. He wished he'd been around to see how Harry grew up. Then he remembered the Dursleys, and reckoned it wouldn't be helpful at all.

"Help me out here, James."

A small voice answered, "Hell if I know, Sirius. I didn't get to do it either."

"Good point," he answered, laughing ruefully. "But if you'd been there you would have done it like no one else could have."

"You'll do fine," the voice answered.

This nice conversation was interrupted by the midwife announcing that it was time to push, followed by a grunt of agreement by Cordelia. This was followed by a good half hour of lots of heavy physical activity, most of which Sirius had to stand idly by and watch. Besides the hand holding, back rubbing and forehead mopping. Finally a small, red and purple, squealy thing emerged and was handed to him to bathe and weigh, before handing him over to mum for a good snuggle.

Just like when Charlie was born, it had been an overwhelming, frightening, boring, tedious, heart wrenching, miracle.

Watching over Ian now, it seemed like yesterday and it seemed like a million years ago. They change so much in their first year. They are hardly recognizable as the same being that emerged from the womb. Sirius was sick at heart that this could happen, yet he knew far worse things could and probably would happen to his children before and after they were grown. This made his stomach hurt, but yet he knew he needed to deal with this or they'd end up overprotected and naïve.

He just seemed so small, fragile, and helpless, and that scared Sirius to the core of his heart. He glanced up and saw Cordelia at the window. He mouthed, "I Love You." She placed her hand against the glass as their eyes locked and just could not break apart.

**********************

Ginny entered the lounge in the intensive care unit of St. Sebastiani's. She had decided to visit and bring a warming baby blanket, as she knew how cold hospital rooms could get. She was also looking for distractions. She knew she could go into work. There was always work to do, but she also felt the need to come here and connect. She'd become quite friendly with Sirius and Cordelia since she'd dated Harry and saw them occasionally socially, as well as having interviewed them both professionally.

She saw Cordelia sitting in a chair facing away from her and approached quietly. She touched her gently on the shoulder, hoping not to startle her. "How are you?" she asked quietly.

Cordelia turned quickly, wiping her eyes, then her nose. "Not so good. The couches here don't make very good beds. Not that I could sleep anyway. It's been 24 hours and nothing's changed. They say that's a good thing, but…" she tapered off, and didn't continue.

"Has Sirius been in there the whole time?"

"Yes, except for a brief time last night when your mum came by. She is a marvelous woman. Thank her for me."

Ginny smiled, "Mum's in her element when she can take care of someone. I thought Bill was going to run mad when he and the kids stayed with mum and dad right after Susan died. He got absolutely smothered. Now you're in her sights… expect casseroles. Oh, and cakes, too!"

"Yes, she brought a wonderful coffeecake last night."

"Does Sirius need a break? I could sit with Ian for a bit?"

"I'm sure he'd love that. He's barely had a cup of coffee today. He needs to eat something. Draco's in there with him now…"

"Draco! Here? Now?" Ginny looked up at the window and saw the backs of two tall wizards standing at the foot of Ian's bed; one dark and one very light. Her breath caught in her throat and her heart thumped painfully, as her stomach did a Wronski Feint.

"Ummm… yes, he came by about fifteen minutes ago. He said he had to talk to Sirius about something."

Ginny took a deep breath, trying to calm her emotions which were running amok. She stopped and forced her brain to concentrate. "You can handle this, just be cool. He doesn't mean a thing. He couldn't. We barely know each other," she said to herself. Her mocking brain answered back, "barely or bare - ly?"

"Shut up!" she told the mocking voice, and only realized then that she'd said that out loud.

Cordelia looked a bit startled, but Ginny managed to squeak out, "Should I go on in then? Or should I give them time?"

"Go on in. Maybe they'll take their business to the cafeteria," Cordelia answered, but still maintained a quizzical look.

"Right then. Will you be okay out here by yourself?"

"Fine. I imagine people will start to come by soon. Hermione said she'd be by and your mother said she was coming back as well."

Ginny took a deep breath, crossed the room, and opened the door. "Cordelia said you might want to get some food? I can sit with him if you'd like?" She said this quickly and only let her glance flick towards Malfoy at the end of her sentence.

In that glance, what she saw confused her even more. He had the look of having the wind knocked out of him. He clearly was not expecting to see her this morning. She wasn't sure if that was good or bad.

"Ummm… yeah," Sirius responded, drawing her attention back to him. She saw him glance back and forth between them, before he continued. "I could use a bite. Come with me, Draco, and you can elaborate on that bizarre idea you've had."

Draco nodded, then glanced at Ginny nodding his head slightly, "Good morning Ms. Weasley."

"Good morning Mr. Malfoy."

Their eyes locked for an overlong moment before Sirius coughed and put out a hand to usher Draco out of the room. Ginny backed up while opening the door, her back against it, while Sirius exited and Draco followed. As Draco cleared the door, she turned to go in causing their shoulders to brush. Draco glanced back too rapidly. She felt it too, like an electric shock. He looked as alarmed as she felt. What was it with touching him? It just didn't make any logical sense. The door closed, he was gone. She was alone with Ian.

She crossed to the bed and stroked the boy's head. There were monitoring talismans attached to the bed and to his forehead. "Poor little guy," she thought. She took his hand and sat back to try to sort her thoughts.

**********

"So, what was with that little exchange between you and Ginny back there?" Sirius asked while making their way down to the hospital cafeteria.

"What exchange? I said good morning. She said it back."

"That and the look you two exchanged. I didn't know you knew each other that well."

"We don't. We talked a bit at the Kew Fair, then went to a play last night."

"So you're seeing her?" Sirius asked with a friendly leer and a smile. "She's a wonderful girl."

"A bit old to be calling her a girl, don't you think?"

Sirius raised an eyebrow at Draco's defense of Ginny's maturity. "Well, something's going on between you two. You don't look at a casual acquaintance the way you two just looked at one another."

"What do you mean by that? It was a glance." Draco was sounding more than a bit irritated.

Sirius couldn't help himself, he was too used to teasing others to stop the words from coming out of his mouth. "Yeah, a glance that said you wanted her up against the wall."

"Fuck off, Sirius. It's none of your business," Draco snapped.

Sirius smiled to himself, "Okay, I see that's a sore spot. That's right, no advice on witches, I remember now. Did she turn you down, Draco?"

Draco glared, but didn't answer, and pushed open the cafeteria doors a bit more vehemently than strictly necessary.

Sirius got a sandwich and a flask of pumpkin juice, Draco settled for mineral water. "So elaborate on what you were saying before the lovely Ms. Weasley interrupted us," Sirius said with a smile in the corner of his mouth.

Draco ignored the latter half of that remark. "I was suggesting that maybe Ian's accident was intentional. It didn't have to be Ian, anyone close to you would have done. "

"I find it hard to believe it could have been on purpose. No one tripped him."

"An extra wrinkle in the carpet, and an invisible charm on the landing, come on Sirius, your whole house could be sabotaged."

"Okay, now you have my attention." Sirius shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "I'll get Colin to investigate."

"Yeah, you could go that way, but look… he's got a lot on his plate, and how do you know his office isn't harbouring who's responsible… for this or the poisoning."

"Are you accusing Colin?"

"No, just saying I think I can handle this investigation better than a whole security department. If this wasn't an accident, and I'm not saying it definitely was or wasn't… but, whoever it was knows all about the security arrangements of your home, they've breeched them once and possibly twice."

Sirius was quiet for a long time, leaning his head back and closing his eyes. It had been a long night and the worry was beginning to fray his nerves. Between this, Harry's disappearance, and Cordelia's poisoning, all of life seemed dark and sinister at the moment. Ever since Draco came to work for him… Sirius shook his head dismissing that thought. He couldn't operate if he suspected everyone, that was Draco and Colin's job. "All right, take this investigation. But keep Colin in the loop. I trust him with my life and he's come through on more than one occasion."

"Fine, but just him, not that whole department."

"Agreed."

Draco finished his water and left. Sirius downed his sandwich and left the cafeteria, mulling over the implications of Draco's theories. The level of Draco's distrust in any situation made him uncomfortable, but was understandable. It was why he hired Draco after all. He remembered when he was that suspicious and saw evil wherever he looked. It had taken a lot of time and a lot of therapy to get to the point where he could trust in the idea of a majority of good. He hated the idea of having to think that way again. At the same time, he knew such evil existed and knew he had no business ignoring it, but wasn't that what the I.D. was for. It was their job to be suspicious of everyone and everything. Maybe he could just turn this whole investigation over to the I.D. He hadn't yet, because it was simply a personal crime. That was personal security, not international security. Maybe he was right to let Draco handle it, unless it was Draco who was behind the whole thing. Damn, that would be convenient, wouldn't it. Put the fox in charge of the henhouse. He was at the house the day of the fall, and he had given him the wine. He'd reached the pediatric ICU once more and stopped for a moment to gather his strength and clear his mind. He needed to be strong and positive and ready for another day with Ian. Since Cordelia couldn't be in with him, he had to be there for her as well as Ian. Right, then. He pushed the door open.

Cordelia came forward into his arms. They held each other for a long time. He didn't want to let go. He felt like if he let go, Ian's healing would all be up to him again. He liked it better when they could share that burden, but realized it wasn't possible. In that moment, and they both knew it, they wished Cordelia was magical.

He finally loosened his hold on her and she pulled back. He knuckled the wetness out of his eyes and shook his head to collect himself. "Not to change the subject, but … ummm… something seems serious between Ginny and Draco. If you need a distraction, you could see if she needs to talk about it."

"I could certainly use something to think about," she said, as she wiped her own eyes. "Yeah, she seemed startled to see him. I'll give it a go. She may not be up to talking."

"Okay. I love you." He kissed her.

"Give him a hug and kiss for me. Tell him I'm right out here, and haven't left him. Tell him I love him and I'll hold him forever when we get home. Tell him, please."

Sirius nodded and kissed her again. He crossed the room, slightly refreshed, and entered Ian's room, ready for another day.

"Everything okay?" Sirius asked Ginny, as he came in the door.

"Yes, he didn't wake up, but he moved around a bit, just small movements."

"He did that a couple of times last night. The wizards said that's a good sign."

"Do you want me to stay longer?"

"No, that's okay. Spend a little time with Cordelia, won't you? She gets a bit lonely out there."

"Okay," she said softly.

"Thanks."

***************

Ginny left Ian's room and paused as the door closed. Cordelia was braced against the window again looking in. Sirius had mouthed words of encouragement to Cordelia and touched his hand to hers against opposite sides of the glass.

"He's going to be okay, you know."

"Well, I think so, but I wonder if it's wishful thinking."

"It's not," Ginny assured her.

Cordelia turned away from the window. "Are you sure you're okay," she asked probing gently.

"Who me? Fine, sure… yeah. I'm fine."

Cordelia raised an eyebrow at Ginny. "You seem preoccupied. Is it Draco? Is there something wrong between you two? You seemed so shocked to see him."

"What! Who said there's something between us? Did Draco say that?" Ginny could feel the flush of surprise and anger creep into her voice, before she could control it.

"I didn't know you knew one another. I could be wrong, sorry I mentioned it. I'm not really that sharp this morning, given the amount of sleep I had last night."

Ginny paused, considering whether to lie and avoid the issue, or actually spill her guts and maybe get some help dealing with this. "Do you want to know? This isn't really the time or place for my troubles, with all you have to deal with."

"No. I could use the distraction. There isn't anything I can do here, so it's better than just waiting. Did he treat you badly?"

"No, quite the opposite. We started talking at Kew Christmas, and got on rather well, so we decided to see a play last night. We saw the play, it was awful, and we both agreed it was awful. Strange to actually agree with a Malfoy. Anyway, we went out to dinner, then a bit of dancing and well, one thing led to another and another and another and well… umm, errrr… we slept together." She said this last part very quickly as if to sweep it under the rug.

"Oh!" Cordelia looked surprised. "Ummm, is that bad or good?

"Well, depends… if you call the most intense sexual experience of your life with someone you hardly know and used to despise, bad, then yes, bad… if not, then… oh God, Cordelia, I just don't know." She paused, running her hand through her hair. "Isn't something like that only supposed to happen with your one true love, with your soul mate?"

"That's typically how it happens. Sex does seem to be better when there is that attachment. I think it increases the possibility that you'll feel uninhibited and allow yourself the vulnerability to let yourself go and enjoy."

"Maybe that's it, the uninhibited thing. I like him, a lot. But we aren't even near the love stage, just barely over the 'can't stand the sight of you' stage. I just can't seem to imagine falling in love with him… that could be due to a lot of preconceived ideas derived from years of hatred." Ginny paused and looked at Cordelia, "You didn't know him before."

Cordelia shook her head.

"He was loathsome. Maybe it's that I don't care enough about him to worry about wrecking a relationship? That might make sense. That might make one uninhibited, right?"

"Okay, let me get this straight. You like him, barely. You had the best sex of your life with him and you think it's because you don't love him, and don't want a relationship with him?"

"How the hell else do I explain it? We get together, we talk like rational human beings, but the minute we touch it's like some all consuming fire. How can that happen if we aren't in love, unless it's just pure chemistry and we allow it to happen. It's either an ultimate expression of love or it's just physical and we allow ourselves to be consumed by it because we aren't trying to turn it into something more."

"You can separate it like that?"

"I don't know. All I know is that it was simply the most bizarre experience of my life. Okay well, not the most bizarre, but it ranks right up there. Never did I expect such a strong reaction. I decided long ago not to go to bed with a man on the first date. What was it that made me not even consider not having sex with him, once the overture was made?"

"Was it initiated by Draco?"

"No, I'd say it was more than a mutual decision… to start, and once we started, well… neither one of us saw any reason to stop."

"What did Draco say in the morning?"

"He wasn't there."

"Oh, Ginny… I'm sorry, I didn't think he'd be that much of a cad."

"No! I was so glad he wasn't there. It gave me a chance. I don't think I could have handled seeing him over breakfast."

"Ah… so when you went in, that was the first you'd seen him?"

"Ummm… yeah."

"I see, that explains everything. So, what do you want to do?"

"I don't think I can see him again. I mean, why torture ourselves or try to convince each other that it's more than just carnal lust?"

"Yeah, but what if it's not?" Cordelia asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Sometimes the body knows what the heart and mind denies."

"Did that happen to you?"

"No. I knew Sirius was it for me almost the first time I saw him. I tried to deny it, but I kept seeking out ways to see him … then I couldn't get him to take advantage of me despite my efforts to the contrary," Cordelia laughed.

"Cordelia! You mean you tried to get him to bed and he wouldn't go? That's not the Sirius I've always heard legends about."

Cordelia shook her head and laughed, "I've been told that before. Just what was his reputation before? You were too young, who told you this stuff?"

"Oh, you know… things get around."

Cordelia laughed again. "No. He was the perfect gentleman with me. He wanted me to know he was a wizard before he'd let me take him to bed."

"So you'd decided you were in love with him?"

"Yeah, I knew I was. I'd fallen hard, so hard that it didn't matter. I wanted him, and I knew I loved him and wouldn't love anyone else more."

"That's how it should be. That's how it's supposed to be."

"So is it so hard to believe that you could love him?"

"Ugh… maybe yes and maybe no. That's why I didn't want to see him. I just can't get over the feeling that something this intense, before I even know him, is not a good thing."

"Well, if you think it's a mistake, you need to tell him that."

"You're right. I just can't tell him in person."

"You have to tell him in person."

"No. We'll end up in bed again and we can't. That's the mistake."

Cordelia was shaking her head. "If you need to talk, Ginny, come anytime. I can see your confusion. Just don't give up on Draco too early. He really does seem to have turned his life around."

"Well, that's just it, isn't it? How do I know that's for good? How do I know? How can I trust him? How can I tell he's different?"

"Was he that bad before?"

"Yes. He was truly evil before, and he had a hatred for my family in particular that went very deep. The things he would say and accuse Ron of. He taunted Ron in particular, but I was a secondary target of his verbal arrows. Mum and Dad would be horrified if they found I was seeing a Malfoy, and I'm not sure Fred wouldn't kill him on the spot."

"Are you letting your family choose your mate?"

"Mate? I don't even let them choose my peanut butter anymore. There was a time that I did."

"Is dating Draco a rebellion against that?"

"Lord, no, it isn't that well thought out. He asked, I accepted. We had fun. End of story. Right?"

"Right, unless you do love him."

"No, I don't."

"Could you?"

"That remains to be seen."

"Seems you've decided then?"

"Yes, I guess I have.

They sat in silence for a bit.

"I need to get to Circe, there's a stack of articles I have to look over a mile high. Will you be all right?"

"Yes, I expect your mum any time now."

"Please don't tell her about Draco."

"Don't worry, I won't mention it."

"Thanks, and thanks for letting me spill my guts and work through this with you. I'll pray for Ian."

"Okay, good bye, Ginny. Good Luck."

******************

Over the next three days Cordelia had a vague recollection of people coming and going. The second night Hermione came to spend the night, so Sirius could get some sleep, curled up on the lounge couch. Kate ran errands and kept Charlie from getting scared. Remus came the third night. Colin and Samantha came by to update Sirius on work. Cordelia went home only to shower; eating and sleeping in the lounge area. She only got the chance to speak to Sirius when the doctor gave them their update twice a day. Molly Weasley brought food each day. Nearly everyone they knew in the wizard world stopped by. Emma was allowed to come by. She sat with Cordelia most of the second day. Finally by the third day the news was a bit better. The swelling had finally gone down and Ian had moved his arms and legs a bit. The wizards were optimistic that he would survive, but were unsure about any permanent damage to the brain. That would need more time to be determined.

*******

Sometime during the fourth night, Sirius found himself wandering the dark cold corridors of his nightmares. It started innocuously enough. There were doors on every side of the corridor. The same corridors he'd seen for the last four days. He hadn't seen much else, and whatever else he'd seen hadn't registered. He saw Cordelia's eyes. He'd seen Ian, lying in the bed. He'd seen all the dark recesses of his mind. He continued along the corridor, but the corridor changed as he walked. The walls started off as cold hospital green, but soon were lit by torches rather than the bright hospital lights that glared day and night. He passed a crumpled form, and another, then another. Finally stopping to check one of these forms, he found it was Cordelia clutching her stomach, blood coming from her mouth. She pushed him away in fear. He wanted to cry out, but couldn't force the sound out. He staggered back through a door where he fell, down, down, and down until he landed. As he turned over to get up he found the small unconscious body of his son. He tried to touch him, but always seemed too far away. He tried again to call out to him, but his throat would not make a sound. He backed away and ran. As he ran and ran he could see the shape of Harry ahead of him, always out of reach. Just before he felt he was catching up there was an explosion of flames coming from a door to his right. It blew him off his feet once more. Behind the flames he saw two other silhouettes he didn't recognize. He could feel the heat and hear the crackle. He backed up once more into a cell. Always a cell. He expected to be attacked, he felt frantic to find a way out. He circled again and again, trying to yell, trying to find a way out. The words felt strangled in his throat, he beat the walls. Finally there was a painting of a corridor with a light at the end of it. He hurled himself towards it and screamed.

The sound burst from his throat, as he sat bolt upright, and realized he had yelled out loud. As he shook his head he realized Ian had opened his eyes and was looking shocked, and surprised, as he tried to decide whether to cry. The magical monitoring charms alerted the hospital staff as they came rushing into the room. Sirius gathered the little boy into his arms, nightmare forgotten and relief flooding his heart and soul. He could see Cordelia in the window and gave her a large smile. He confirmed with the nurse that Cordelia had been told what was happening. He saw the tears streaming down her cheeks again, but knew this time they were tears of relief.

It was an hour before the mediwizards completed their evaluation, but they were able to confirm that the swelling had decreased, and he seemed to be on the road to recovery.

End of Chapter

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