It\'s So Difficult to be Mature

Chapter 2: Playing Mind Games

Harry was shocked, to say the least. He was holding in his arms a girl he thought was halfway around the globe and on top of that, she was unconscious. Harry looked at his wife and carried Ginny over to the couch. Neither of them said a word for a few minutes.

"What did she say when you answered the door?" Harry asked.

"She stood there, obviously exhausted, and asked for you. I didn’t know what else to do so I called you. Harry, having her unconscious is not very good for the baby."

"You’re probably right. Enervate!"

Ginny sat up slowly, clutching her head. She looked around the room, unsure of where she was, and she seemed dizzy. She looked up at Harry and started to cry.

"Oh Harry!" she sobbed. "He’s gone, he’s been kidnaped! I don’t know what to do and Ron won’t speak to me, so I came here. You have to help me!"

Harry was prevented from answering by the doorbell ringing. He had no idea who it could be. Who would visit on a night like this? He went to answer it, leaving Lisa to deal with Ginny.

"It's been a while, Lisa," Ginny said.

"I can't remember the last time I saw you. It might have been at your brother’s wedding," Lisa replied.

"Which one?"

* * *

Harry reached the front door and was greeted by another strange sight. Would the surprises never stop?

"Hermione? What are you doing here? Is Ron with you?"

"Ron and I had an argument. A very large argument. I told him I needed to think about things and I wanted to talk to you."

"I don’t know if this is the best time–"

"Ginny?"

Hermione had spotted her sister-in-law through the doorway. She went in, leaving Harry standing in the doorway. He followed her in and looked beseechingly at his wife.

"Alright," Lisa said, beginning to take charge, "we’re all going upstairs. Harry, I want you to check on the children, Hermione, you help me escort Ginny up the stairs. She’s probably unsteady on her feet. We will need to get her something hot to drink. I am going to get both of you fresh clothes and then we’re all going to go back downstairs and calmly discuss this. Understood?" Lisa was a fully trained nurse at St. Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries and when she used her authoritative voice, no one dared to disobey.

The group trooped upstairs and Harry checked on the children. He was pleased to find that they were sleeping undisturbed. He went back downstairs again and found the three women sitting in the livingroom drinking tea. Ginny and Hermione’s hair were still wet, but they were now in dry clothes.

"Okay, Ginny, you start. What are you doing here?" Harry asked.

"Like I said before I passed out, Draco’s missing! I have no idea where he is!" Ginny started to cry again. "We arrived in London two days ago, Draco said he had some business to take care of. I wanted to come see you, but I know how Ron feels about us. We were going to Diagon Alley, to Gringotts, when we were attacked. I must have lost consciousness and when I awoke, Draco was gone! I came here as soon as I could. Please, you must help me!"

"Ginny it’s alright! We’ll help you find him. Hermione you wanted to discuss something?" Harry asked.

Hermione looked uncomfortable. "Yes, but I need to talk to you, alone."

Harry understood immediately. "Ah. Lis, why don’t you take Ginny upstairs and show her one of the guest rooms. She can rest until we come up with a solution."

Lisa walked upstairs followed closely by Ginny. When they had gone, Hermione started to speak.

"Harry, I don’t know what to do. You already know what the argument was about, don’t you?"

"I suspect it had to do with Ginny. Right?"

"Yes. I’m not sure that I approve of Malfoy as Ginny’s husband, but it’s been two years already and Ron still won’t speak to her. Ginny is one of my closest friends and now she’s family. How can he be so heartless?"

"Hermione," Harry said kindly, "Don’t you think you’re being a little bit hard on Ron? Malfoy is the man who made our lives, well, unhappy for seven years. He might have changed now, but seven years of torment is hard to forget. Especially when a lot of it was directed at his family."

"But you can accept Malfoy and he hurt you just as badly, maybe worse! The rest of Ron’s family has accepted him, why can’t Ron? I’m not asking for Ron to start being friends with Malfoy, but can’t he at least talk to his sister?"

"Hermione, you married him, you know what kind of a person Ron is. Remember back in our third year, how upset he was with you when he thought that Crookshanks had eaten Scabbers? When Ron gets upset about something he puts everything into it. He’s an all or nothing type of person. We can’t force him to change his mind, that will simply force him further away. We are going to have to try to influence him. Until we can straighten this all out, I suggest that we don’t tell Ron that Ginny is in London. Agreed?"

Hermione nodded her head and Lisa came downstairs, followed shortly by Ginny. They were ready to have a council of war.

"Okay Gin, we have decided that we are not going to tell Ron that you’re staying with us because we’re not sure what his reaction will be."

Ginny’s face fell at the news, but she nodded her consent. Harry continued.

"Now, you say that Malfoy- I mean Draco was missing when you woke up. I hate to even have to ask this, but are you sure he didn’t leave of his own free will?"

Ginny’s brown eye’s flashed at the accusation. "Harry, Draco would never do that! As hard as it may be for everyone to believe, he loves me! He has been kidnaped. Oh, Voldemort must have discovered we were back in London. He’s going to kill my husband!"

"Ginny, calm down! Please!" Harry was desperate to have her relax, "I have an idea that just might work. It’s a trick we learned in Auror training when we have to send spies into a dangerous area. Lisa, can you grab me the book from the library? You know which one. Now what we have to do is..."

* * *

When Draco Malfoy awoke, he experienced a headache that nearly knocked him out again. He stood up experimentally and was somewhat pleased to find that he could still walk. His senses swam and he couldn’t see very well, but otherwise he felt like he was in one piece. He could hardly remember what had taken place before he was knocked out, but Draco was sure he was with his wife when it happened.

"Ginny?" he asked the room in a raspy, dry, voice.

"How touching," said a voice that was certainly not his wife’s.

Draco paled with fear when he saw the person come out of the shadows. So it had happened. All he could pray was that Ginny was all right.

"How touching," Voldemort repeated, "that the first thing you should say upon waking is your wife’s name. Draco, I want to make a bargain with you. I was displeased that you chose to run away before, but you would be a powerful ally, so I am giving you another chance. I request that you join my ranks as a Death Eater."

Draco knew that wasn’t an option. When he married Ginny, he promised to give up the Dark Arts, or she would leave him. So far he had kept his promise and Draco had found his life more enjoyable. He was not going to break the promise now.

"Sorry, no can do," Draco was surprised to hear how flippantly he was speaking, "I made a promise to the wife, no more Dark Arts. You’ll just have to let me go and find another Death Eater to take my place. I’m sure that there are plenty more."

Voldemort smiled his bone-chilling smile. "I am afraid that you do not understand. This is not a choice. If you do not join me then I will take other measures."

Draco swallowed. "I’m sure that I don’t want to know what the other measures are, do I?"

Voldemort surprised him by saying, "I believe your wife, Mrs. Virginia Malfoy, is pregnant, no?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" Draco couldn’t stop himself from asking.

"Only that I am sure your wife would not want anything to happen to the child’s father, or to the child itself."

Draco went even paler, if that were possible. He would sacrifice himself if it would protect her, for he truly loved his wife and did not want anything to happen to her. He was about to agree to Voldemort’s proposition, as long as Ginny was safe, when he heard a strong voice in the back of his mind.

Draco Ignatius Malfoy!

Inwardly Draco winced. The only person who knew his middle name, besides his parents, was his wife. He had told her on the day they were married.

"Ginny?" He said tentatively aloud.

Voldemort looked confused for a moment, then he smiled. "I believe you are delirious, for although your wife is beautiful, I look nothing like her. Do we have an agreement?"

Draco was going to agree when the voice spoke again. This time he thought his response rather than voicing it aloud.

‘Ginny? What are you doing in my mind?’

It’s a spell that allows me to communicate with you, mind to mind. It was Harry’s idea, but he had me do it because, and I quote, ‘I’m sure he would rather hear his wife than have Harry Potter in his head.’

"Potter?" In his confusion Draco accidentally said that out loud.

Voldemort looked at him searchingly. "Mr. Potter does not come into my plans as of yet. However, I cannot divulge my plans until you are made a Death Eater. I repeat, and I will not do so again, do we have an arrangement?"

Draco, what do you think you’re doing? We had an agreement!

‘I’m trying to save your life!’

For a moment it sounded like Ginny had laughed. Then she resumed.

How will becoming a Death Eater and breaking your promise to me save my life? You know what happens if you turn to the Dark side, Draco. Is becoming a Death Eater worth losing me and the baby?

‘That’s just it! I don’t want to lose you, but he said he’ll kill you if I don’t join!’

Draco, if you join he could kill me anyway and he could kill you too! He’s killed his own Death Eaters before. But if you don’t join then we have a chance to save you. Don’t give in. Stall him!

Although he knew he was facing danger, Draco couldn’t help but ask a pointless question.

‘Can Potter hear this?’

No. This is just between you and me. Now stall him!

Draco did his best to obey. Ginny rarely raised her voice, and when she did he knew to listen.

"What would I have to do to become an official Death Eater?" Draco asked when he became aware of Voldemort’s impatient stare.

Voldemort smiled again. "Wise choice. I will leave you here to think up a proper sacrifice. I will be back later."

Draco breathed a quiet sigh of relief when Voldemort left, and he returned to the conversation in his head.

‘Now what?’

First promise me that you’re not actually going to go through with this.

‘Of course I’m not. I made a promise and Malfoys always keep their promises.’

Okay. Now where are you?

‘I don’t know!’

What do you mean? How are we supposed to rescue you if even you don’t know where you are?

‘Ginny, this isn’t exactly being helpful.’

Sorry, darling. I’m not feeling well and I’m so worried about you!

Draco’s heart skipped a beat. ‘You’re not felling well? What’s wrong?’

Don’t worry dear. I’m fine, I’m just tired and my head hurts from being knocked out, Now back to saving you, can you Disapparate?

Draco tried to concentrate on leaving the room, but there was nothing. ‘No. I’m trapped. What do we do now?’

Just a moment, I need to talk to Harry.

‘Please don’t be long.’

Ginny’s heart skipped a beat as she left the spell. She was very worried about her husband, but she was trying to be strong for him. When he said that she began to cry again. Pulling out of the link between minds, Ginny turned to Harry.

"Harry, how are we going to get him out? He doesn’t know where he is!’

"I can try another spell that might locate him, but Voldemort is not a fool. He is going to have his hideout very well protected. Ginny, I’m not sure what to do."

"We can’t leave him there! I have to help him! Harry, we have to do something!"

"Give me a minute to think!" Harry instantly regretted his harsh words. His patience was running short and he was emotionally drained. "I apologize. We will come up with a solution, Gin. Please, just calm down."

Ginny was trying to stop herself from getting hysterical. She was almost ready to scream and run away, but she knew that she had nowhere else to go. That was why she went to Harry in the first place.

"If anyone else has a suggestion, I wouldn’t mind hearing it," Harry said as he rubbed his temples.

Hermione began to raise her hand, as though she was in a dream state. When she realized what she was doing she brought her hand down and blushed slightly. Then she spoke.

"I think that I might just have an idea. The only problem is that if we want to find, um, Draco, then we need to tell Ron that you are in London."

That suggestion was met with as much chaos as three people can make.

"I thought we agreed not to tell Ron. We don’t know what his reaction would be!" Harry exclaimed.

"Why would we need to tell him anyway?" Ginny asked, slightly scornful.

"He has connections–" Hermione began.

"With whom? He works on the Accidental Magic Reversal squad. He hasn’t got connections with Death Eaters," Lisa stated.

"His only connection is to Percy and I have the same connection. Besides, I don’t see how the new Minister of Magic is going to want to help Draco. Draco isn’t exactly my family’s favorite person," Ginny said.

Hermione looked upset that everyone was suddenly attacking her husband, but she was prevented from speaking by the sudden appearance of a certain person.

"Perfect," Harry said, right before Ron Weasley appeared in the livingroom

* * *

"Harry, I–" Ron began addressing his friend, but stopped when he realized who was sitting on the Potter’s couch. His jaw dropped and he switched his gaze from his sister to his wife and back again.

"Would someone please tell me what is going on? I would love to know why my wife and my sister are having a chat with my best friend and I wasn’t invited to this lovely gathering."

The tone in Ron’s voice was something Lisa had never heard before. To be sure, they had never been the best of friends; that was Harry’s role. Lisa didn’t know very much about the enigma that was Ronald Weasley. Hermione didn’t discuss him that often and he never shared anything with her personally. She sometimes felt that Ron only put up with her for Harry’s sake, and that made her sometimes uncomfortable in his presence.

Lisa quickly switched into damage control. "Ron! We were just going to send for you. We have some things to discuss, and, surprise, your sister is here!"

That terrible joke did nothing to soothe Ron’s temper, which seemed to be stretched as far as it could go. Lisa could see that it was an extremely tense moment.

"Excuse me, Harry, Lisa, but I need to speak to my wife for a moment and then have a conversation with my sister. In which room may we speak undisturbed?"

"The kitchen should be fine Ron. Please, don’t yell. I don’t want to wake the children," Harry said.

Ron stomped towards the kitchen and Hermione followed meekly behind. Harry and Lisa were left in uncomfortable silence as Ginny sat there staring into space. Lisa felt no qualms about eavesdropping, especially when Ron’s voice rose to a rather piercing pitch.

"What are you doing here?" Ron shouted

"I was having a conversation with Harry," Hermione replied calmly.

"Ginny is here! Why didn’t you call me?"

"Why would we? We all know how you feel about her, it’s not as if it’s a secret."

Lisa looked over at Ginny, but she looked as though she hadn’t heard a word. The argument continued.

"Were you going to tell me at all?"

"Ron, must you keep yelling at me? This is pointless! Just talk to your sister, or leave. Maybe do both!"

Lisa had never heard Hermione so angry. It was unnerving.

"I can’t believe you were going to keep this from me. Hermione, go get Ginny. I don’t want to argue with you anymore, I need to speak with her."

Lisa backed away from the door just as Hermione came storming out. She caught a glimpse of Ron through the swinging door. He had his arms folded across his chest and was scowling.

"He wants to talk to you Ginny," Hermione said.

Ginny walked into the kitchen with her eyes downcast. Hermione took her place on the sofa and put her hands over her eyes. After a moment she looked up at Harry and Lisa with tears in her eyes. Ron and Ginny’s meeting was much quieter, and Lisa suspected that neither of them had spoken yet. The three adults in the living room sat in silence until the noise from the kitchen grew louder.

"Ron, I don’t believe you! You are acting like such a child! Draco is not the same person and he’s in danger. Can’t you put your childish feud aside long enough to help my husband?"

"Virginia," That showed how upset Ron was with his sister, no one used Ginny’s given name, "I don’t like Draco Malfoy, and I don’t trust him. I say that we let him escape his own mess!"

It sounded as if Ginny had burst into tears. "Ron! He’s my husband and the father of my baby! I love him and he loves me! Why can’t you understand that?"

Ron said something unintelligible and Lisa barely had time to move out of the way before Ron charged out of the kitchen. He paused briefly to say goodnight to Harry and Lisa before Disapparating.

Ginny walked slowly out of the kitchen. She looked exhausted and as if she were going to drop.

"Lisa, I need to take a nap until we come up with a solution to help Draco. Would you please show me the bathroom?" Lisa nodded and the two women walked up the stairs.

Hermione turned to Harry and sighed. The sigh was a sigh of despair.

"Harry, do you ever regret marrying so young?"

Harry looked at Hermione as though she had grown antlers or something equally as strange.

"Regret marriage? Absolutely not! I love Lisa, and Lily and James as well. Do you regret marriage?"

"I don’t know."

Harry looked at his friend in surprise. He had never heard such a defeatist attitude from her.

"Herm, what’s really wrong?"

"Harry, I met Ron when I was eleven. We started dating when we were fifteen. I married him when I was barely twenty-one. I don’t believe that I’ve dated anyone else, unless you count Viktor. Ever since we were married I feel like I’ve lost a part of myself. Instead of being me, I’m nothing but Mrs. Hermione Weasley. I thought that even if that’s how the rest of the world saw me, I could still count on Ron to know me. Now I feel as though I don’t even know the man I married anymore. He doesn’t listen to me, and won’t acknowledge my ideas. I still love him, but I don’t know if I can keep living like this."

Harry was stunned. His eyes slowly met Hermione’s

"How long have you felt like this?"

"Since the Massacre two years ago. Since the whole incident with Ginny and Draco. I can’t get through to him, Harry. That’s why I came to you. I need advice. How do you do it? How do you and Lisa have a fairy tale romance?"

Harry laughed hollowly. "Fairy tale romance? There’s nothing fairy tale about it. We have our share of arguments, but every time that we fight I always remember the girl I ran into that day six years ago. Hermione, I dated plenty of girls in school and during the three years before I met Lisa, but I never found anyone that I could open myself up to. Even around you and Ron I still hold back. With Lisa, I can say anything and it’s my faith in her and her love for me that keeps this marriage alive. That’s what let us know that we shouldn’t wait forever to share our lives. I thought that you and Ron felt the same way."

"Harry, I married my school sweetheart, and when he refuses to listen to me I have to wonder what would have happened if I had dated someone else. I don’t want the children to suffer, but I really don’t know if I can continue to live with a man who doesn’t seem to respect me."

"Respect you? Ron worships you! He adores you and always has. Have you talked to Ron about this?"

Hermione seemed exasperated. "That’s just the problem! I’ve tried to discuss it many times, but he just won’t listen. He’s shut off from me. He won’t discuss what’s really bothering him."

"Hermione, maybe you had better make him listen."

"Good idea," said a voice from upstairs. "My brother is being a prat. Now if you don’t mind can we get back to rescuing my husband?"