Sweet Bondage

Chapter 9: The Birth

Ginny lounged contentedly in the balcony of her suite, enjoying the lights of New York City in all it's glory. It'd been four months since she had moved here from London and it hasn't failed to amaze her how different life in America was. Or more specifically, how different life as a muggle was. Six months ago, she would never have entertained the idea of being so far away from her family; sure, she had threatened to run away before but she had been desperate then. But after the scandal that broke out when her pregnancy came to light, it no longer became a matter of choice between staying and facing the music; Skeeter made sure she only had one.

When Ginny had been four months along, it could not be denied that she was pregnant considering that she was bigger than the next witch at the same age of gestation. Especially around the middle. Prior to that month, she had gotten along fine. She had already told everybody who she deemed had a right to know about her pregnancy and they were all surprisingly understanding in her wish to keep the identity of the father a secret. It was nobody's business but her own after all.

Then came that fateful day. Ginny could still recall how Rita Skeeter's eyes had lit up as she stared at her obviously pregnant belly, the thoughts in her head as clear as day: Christmas came early. For what more juicy gossip could there be than to have one of the heroes of the war pregnant minus a husband. She was practically slobbering all over Ginny as she bombarded her with questions that even if she wanted to answer then, which she didn't, she was too furious to even think about now. The woman was a menace and she needed to be put down like a rabid dog!

When she left St. Mungo's that day, purposely snobbing that sorry excuse of a reporter, she knew there'd be something about her mentioned in the papers; what she didn't expect was to be front page material! Really, wasn't there anything more relevant going on in the Wizarding world? Was the illegitimacy of her children really that significant to the well being of each and every wizard in Wizarding Britain? And the headline! She still could not help but cringe at remembering it:

WAR HERO GINNY WEASLEY AND ILLICIT AFFAIR BEARS FRUIT!

And how Skeeter could have possibly gotten a picture of her she would never know.

The backlash that followed was the stuff nightmares were made of. She couldn't walk the streets without people pointing at her, giving her pitying looks, others disapproving ones. They were so convinced of the story that they didn't even bother to find out anything about the wizard named in the article as the father of her child, who turned out to be an 80-year-old squib emasculated in the last war. At any other time she would have laughed the whole thing off, but whether it was because of her excess hormones or not, she became overly depressed. She was so down that it was her own family who suggested she get away for a while, just until the whole scandal broke. And it was Colin who came to her aid and suggested she go to America, a place so vast that she was bound to be lost in its hustle and bustle. She liked the idea so much that not two weeks after the story came out, she fled to New York and has been there ever since.

And Colin didn't let her become idle either. Instead of being a hindrance, he found a way to use her pregnant state. Living fully as a muggle now, Colin called in his contacts and before Ginny knew it, she was busier than she had been prior to her pregnancy. She didn't complain though; she was too occupied that it left her little time to feel sorry for herself. Colin took great care of her, ensuring that she was eating the right kinds of foods, taking her supplements, and getting adequate rest. During her photo sessions, or when she was shooting commercials, he was always there to cater to her every need. If it were not a known fact that he was gay, lots of people would have already suspected that he was the father of her baby. Then again, there were still the perverse few who insist on believing in it.

Despite her separation from her family, Ginny came to enjoy her life as a celebrity. It was a whole new experience to be recognized not for her contributions to the war, but for something that she had never put too much stock on: beauty. It amused her to no end how people in the business completely took for granted the fact that she had a brain inside her head, and it suited her purpose quite well to foster their belief that she was just a face; it seemed to pay more to act the simpleton.

In private, however, in a place where only Colin was allowed to peek into, she was an investment genius. Apart from her stint as model and actress, she had also been instructing Colin where and when to invest their money and thus far, her intuition had not failed her. Colin, her manager, friend, and financial controller, had told her gleefully that she was already indecently rich. Before her flight from England, she had already amassed quite a fortune: two million galleons in her Gringotts account and another six million pounds in the bank of England; both accounts were untouched and were steadily earning quite decent interests. Just the other day, Colin happily shoved a sheet of paper in front of her face that made her go cross-eyed, stating that she just broke the hundred million mark. Colin was so excited that she pretended to be happy along with him, what else could she have done? Living all her life pinching sickles had taught her that having an abundance of money was nice, but it couldn't buy you happiness, it couldn't give you love.

And now here she was, eighteen years old, rich, with babies on the way. Her mother, Molly Weasley, was due to arrive soon to help her when she gave birth, which was any day now. Her muggle doctor had warned her that she wasn't likely to reach nine months before her two tykes decide to come out and join the rest of the world. So, with that in mind, she had owled her mother. She knew Molly Weasley was going to be surprised at her lavish home away from home and she had finally decided it was time to come clean to her. Keeping secrets was too much of a burden to bear for any length of time after all.

She heard the door open and close gently and turned to look at the approaching Colin and smiled affectionately.

"Hey there, stranger," she greeted softly.

Colin grinned. "Hey yourself. Guess where I've been."

Ginny raised an eyebrow, an affectation that she knew irked him. "Do you really think we have time to engage in a guessing game?"

Colin pouted. "You're no fun." It didn't take but a few seconds for the pout to be replaced by a grin again. "I've been to see David and guess what? I got you a part in his next series!"

Both eyebrows were now raised. "See this, Colin?" she said, pointing to her stomach. "I can barely move, my stomach's so heavy and you expect me to be up and about doing endless hours of shootings?"

"Nonsense," Colin said dismissively, "the shooting doesn't start 'til five months from now, which gives you enough time to shape up and be on the move for the part." He shot to his feet excitedly. "Picture this," he said dramatically, hands splayed out in front of him, "you're playing Natasha, the red-haired temptress with the body of a goddess, the beauty envied by the gods, with an IQ that would make Einstein weep with envy." He flashed her a big grin. "Don't you think it just prophetic? It's like they created the character with you in mind."

Ginny snorted. "That's a load of hogwash. You'll believe anything with the right price tag."

"Honey," Colin said, confidently crossing his arms across his chest, "I'll believe anything with the price tag of a million per episode."

Ginny's eyes threatened to pop out of its socket. "What! Have they gone mad? How could they spend that much on a bit part?"

Colin's smile was threatening to be permanently glued to his face. "Did I forget to mention you're going to be the star of the show?"

Ginny sucked in a breath. She loved acting, she was great at it; how could she not when she had been acting for the better part of her years in Hogwarts. But this - this was too much. The responsibility of carrying a show was too much for one person, let alone a barely nineteen-year-old childwoman.

"Do you think that's wise, Colin? I mean, don't you think it's too soon for me to do that? What if I screwed up? What if the audience doesn't like me and the show folds? It'd be my fault entirely."

Colin sat down beside her. "Scoot over," he said, as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "You're going to do great, Gin, trust me. Everyone's gonna see that you're not only a great actress but a great person as well, and they're all going to love you."

She rested her head on his shoulder. "Everything's happening too fast, the good and the bad. I can't help but feel that all of this is temporary, and that sooner or later my good luck is going to run out on me. I don't want to take others down with me Col, that wouldn't be fair to them." She shut her eyes wearily. "I hate being this vulnerable, and dammit, I'm too young to be this burdened."

"Everybody's supposed to be vulnerable when they're young, Gin," Colin kidded, giving her shoulders a slight squeeze. "Stop looking for meaning in situations where there's none. You have to grab every chance you get and run with it, it's the only way you can get ahead in life. Like it or not, life is a race, and when you're ahead, sometimes you get the luxury to look back and offer help where it's needed. That doesn't happen often, believe me, most people wouldn't think twice about running over others to get to the top. You're special in that you care about the path you're treading; I don't mind telling you that a lot of people might take advantage of that kind of generosity." He raised an eyebrow at her suggestively. "Why do you think I stick to you like glue? Not because of your winning personality, I can tell you that much," he said mock seriously.

Ginny laughed in spite of her gloom. "You know what, I'm starting to believe that you're only using me." She put on a pout. "You're such a meanie, pretending to be my friend just for the money."

Colin put on his best macho impression. "Sweetheart, if I were into ladies I'd go for you even if you haven't got a knut to your name. Wanna go make out?"

Ginny laughed uproariously. "Colin, stop, you're making my stomach hurt. I don't want to go into early labor."

"Speaking of labor," Colin said, sobering instantly, "it's time for you to go to bed. It's late. Since you're one stubborn bint, you have to wake up early tomorrow to meet your Mum at the airport so you need adequate rest. Up you get," he finished, pulling her to her feet gently.

"Yes dad," Ginny said dryly, letting Colin drag her to her room.

"Now go to sleep and don't make me sing you a lullaby or we're both going to be sorry for it afterwards."

"'Night," Ginny said hurriedly, shutting the bedside lamp off, eliciting a chuckle from Colin. She knew he wasn't kidding and she didn't care to repeat the experience of Colin singing her to sleep; the last time he did, she was too horrified and had terrible nightmares afterwards. No, siree, she could do without his poor attempts at vocal interpretations.

"'Night, Ginny," Colin called out at the door to her bedroom. Receiving no response, he quietly closed the door and went to his own room.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

"Do you see her, I don't see her," Ginny said, doing her best imitation of a tip-toe made doubly harder by her huge stomach. Damn Americans and their giant genes!

They had come early to ensure they wouldn't miss Mrs. Weasley's flight and JFK was packed to the rafters, making it difficult for a person to look for his or her arriving party. Colin again had offered to pick up her mother today, but she had insisted on accompanying him. It wasn't everyday that you get to see your mother's expression after her first experience flying commercial, a.k.a. American Airlines flight 712. and she was eager to commit this day to memory.

"I see her, let's go," Colin finally said, guiding her through the throngs of people. Ginny didn't see her mother, the huge dark glasses she was wearing to afford her some kind of anonymity becoming more of a bother than a help. It wasn't until they were practically in front of Mrs. Weasley and she was being engulfed in her mother's arms did she finally see her.

"Oh, look at you!" Mrs. Weasley cried, holding Ginny away from her so she could properly see her daughter.

"That's a bit hard to do, Mum," Ginny said, grinning happily, letting her mother give her a thorough once-over, "but I know exactly what you mean. Merlin, I can't believe how much I've missed you til now!" Seeing her mother again filled her with so much joy that if she were able to do it, she'd probably be doing cartwheels in the middle of the crowded airport in her joy. She felt absurdly happy, having her mother here when she finally delivers her beloved burden, as though her presence was an assurance that everything would go smoothly.

"We'd better get going before we get caught in traffic. Mrs. Weasley, did you bring any luggage?" Colin asked as he began shepherding them away from the throngs of people.

"I have all my luggage right here," Mrs. Weasley said, patting her pocket.

Colin nodded. "Let's go then," he said and immediately led both women out of the bustling airport. Ginny kept up a constant flow of chatter, her face alive with so much happiness it tore away at Colin's gut. He had always wanted to spare Ginny any grief so every chance he got he urged her to laugh; it was the only way he knew to lighten her up. He hated Draco Malfoy for getting her into this mess; no matter how Ginny tried to take half of the blame, he knew the blame should be laid squarely on Malfoy's feet. Ginny was too much of an innocent to know what was being done to her while Malfoy was a man of the world, a veritable womanizer who could seduce anybody, be it female or male. She was no match for him when he set out to seduce her, and he knew it, which made his sin all that graver in his book.

When they were finally outside, Colin led them to a waiting limousine. Mrs. Weasley was stunned into silence by the luxury of the automobile, her eyes taking in the plush interior of the car. She had only been in two cars her entire life, Arthur's enchanted Ford Anglia and the cars the Ministry had loaned them during Harry's fourth year. When they had lost the Ford Anglia, they hadn't had any spare money to buy a new one.

Ginny, used to the benefits that go with having more than enough wealth, forgot that her mother was not and just kept on gabbing.

"How's everybody? I get mails from Harry and Mione once in a while, as well as from Luna and my brothers, of course, but it isn't the same as actually hearing about what they've been up to all this time. I don't get the Daily Prophet here, and my fireplace is not connected to the floo, so I never get to talk to anyone. I hope there wasn't much trouble for Daddy after word got out. How are all of you doing?"

Molly smiled at the eager look on her daughter's face. She had been the one person who was against Ginny's flight and it took her a long time to admit that it was the only solution to their problem. She had been worried how her daughter was going to cope in a country so far away from home, living in a world that she had only ever heard and read about. She had envisioned different scenarios, none of them reassuring, and for the first two weeks of Ginny's absence, she had been a nervous wreck. Not even Ginny's owls, assuring her that she was faring well and that everything was all right on her end of the world, could completely dispel the cloud of worry on her mind. Despite everything that had already taken place, Ginny was still her baby, and it was not right that she had to stay away and hide like a common criminal.

But seeing her now, so alive and happy, and so obviously healthy, she had to finally admit that the move was sound. This Ginny talking her ear off now was so far from the wreck that was Ginny prior to her move from home, that she felt her heart lift. Since part of the reason she worried about her being so far away was because she feared Ginny's depression might be aggravated by the abrupt separation, it absolutely boggled the mind how the opposite could happen. Ginny absolutely flourished in this place.

Tapping her daughter's hand affectionately while giving Colin, who was seated across from them, a smile of gratitude for his part in making Ginny so happy, she answered her rapid fire questions softly.

"Everybody is just fine, Gin-Gin. And don't worry about your father; the decision to take his name out of the race for Minister of Magic was one he welcomed, and rather heartily too." She grinned as she recalled how her husband celebrated what would have been devastating news to another hopeful politician. "Harry and Mione have set the date for their wedding and they're really sorry you would be missing it. They couldn't have it later since Harry has to go undercover in a few weeks for some mission and Hermione has been promoted to assistant Head Researcher at the Ministry and would be extremely busy in the days to come. Mione told me you were her first choice for Maid of Honor and would as sooner just cancel the whole thing if you couldn't be there, but I told her that that was silly talk and that I'm sure you wouldn't want their day to be ruined just because you wouldn't be able to attend. Ron is, of course, Harry's Best Man, and that stubborn boy still hasn't got up the nerve to ask Luna to marry him, said he's not ready yet. Luna doesn't seem to care, though." Her brows drew together in a frown. "I'm worried that Luna might eventually decide that Ron would never commit to her and just give up on him. I have a feeling that they don't really fit. Anyway," she said, shaking the silly thought from her head, "your brothers are fine. The twins are still making trouble every chance they get, and they still haven't given up hope on finding out who got you pregnant; I do believe they're nurturing this new product that they would happily test on Draco once they find out it was him all along. Charlie got himself a girlfriend, introduced her to us just two days ago, her name's Claire and she's absolutely wonderful. And you know Bill, his still charming the ladies he meets although I must say, he's been a lot serious nowadays, can't imagine what's gotten into him. Charlie assured me it was just a phase and since they're the closest among your brothers, he must be right." Her eyes rolled in exasperation as she thought about her third son. "Percy's still working his life away at the Ministry, like he always does, and we rarely get a chance to see him; he must also be avoiding coming home since that debacle with the mousse. Don't ask, I don't know how to answer you in any case. Suffice it to say, I will never look at another mousse in the same way again," she said, forestalling Ginny's query even before she voiced it. "That's it, basically; nothing really important happened while you were away." Except that Lucius came over to the Burrow and disclosed some interesting facts about you and his son. But Molly Weasley didn't say this out loud.

When Lucius had appeared at the Burrow, she had been afraid of what Arthur might do to the father of the one responsible for Ginny's condition. The bad blood between the two wizards, which dates back approximately twenty-nine years, was so tangible as to be almost visible. Molly could blame neither man for each had their own reason for loathing the other, and since she was ultimately the reason behind the enmity between not only two, but three families, she opted to stay out of the limelight unless, of course, they started hexing each other. She knew her husband; under any other circumstances he was calm and in control of his emotions, but when his children entered into the equation, no other wizard could equal him in his ferocity and thirst for revenge.

As for Lucius Malfoy; almost three decades might have passed but he was basically the same man he was at sixteen, arrogant, cocky, and quick to temper. It was never a good idea to get on his bad side since he could nurture a grudge til the end of time and always felt it within his right to exact revenge on any slight done against him. She had fervently hoped that the two would never cross paths again after that fateful clash twenty-nine years ago, but it seemed their children had made it impossible for them to keep their distance from each other. It remained to be seen whether the past would be dredged up in order to confront the future, and Molly Weasley nee Prewett neither looked forward to nor had any desire to find out what additional grief would be heaped upon them when the dust finally settled.

However, things weren't at all like they seemed. She didn't know whether it was the length of time passed or the love of a good woman, but she was pleasantly surprised at the way Lucius had dealt with the issue at hand. It was apparent to her that he was trying his best to maintain his civility despite Arthur's constant and deliberate jibes and though she thought it impossible, she begun to see a semblance of humanity in the autocratic wizard, something she had failed to see before nor ever thought she'd see in this lifetime. Arthur had been skeptical about his motives, but she felt that Lucius had been truthful and his sincere wish to right a wrong, no matter how unconventional the method, was done not out of inherent self-interest, but because it was the only way he knew how to make up for his shortcomings as a father. His explanation went a long way into appeasing their minds about Ginny, their grandchildren, and the inevitability of the whole debacle. Somehow, hearing it said that none of them would have been able to stop their children from coming together was a bitter pill to swallow, but short of choking on it, they would have to deal with it. And deal with it they did.

It wasn't easy, and she could plainly see how much it took on Arthur's part to call a truce to their feud for the sake of their children. A man possessed of a kind heart, and an even kinder spirit, having a constant blight on his conscience in the form of an archenemy took its toll on him. To be given the opportunity now to let bygones be bygones was unsettling, but he wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth. He would still maintain constant vigilance where the duplicitous wizard was concerned, but for the most part, he was at peace.

For her part, Molly had wanted to ask Lucius more about the Book of Malfoys, but she dreaded opening that can of worms; the truce was not yet set in stone and rehashing her past engagement with Lucius would only throw a monkey wrench into that tentative calm they had reached. No, her curiosity can best be answered at a later time; all that mattered then was that they were of one mind regarding their stubborn offsprings: Draco and Ginny would be together in the end and they were going to be happy about it. It was only the how of getting there that was still in question.

"Did Draco - ?"

Mrs. Weasley looked at her daughter uncertainly. She knew right away what Ginny wanted to ask. Lucius had warned her that they would have to tread carefully where the two were concerned; it was quite imperative that they follow the plan to the letter. The stage was set, so to speak, and she was in the first act.

"No, Gin, he didn't."

"Oh."

"No, no, you misunderstand," she said hurriedly. "He doesn't know about your pregnancy. The day before the story came out, his father sent him to France; it was mentioned in the Daily Prophet. As far as I know, he's been there ever since."

Colin looked sharply at Mrs. Weasley. If he didn't know any better, he could almost swear the older witch was defending that pasty-faced ferret, which didn't make sense to him. When he saw Ginny's disappointed face, he knew it was time for a change in topic. She was a confused person when it came to Draco Malfoy; he didn't know what she would decide to feel for him at any given day.

"We're here!"

Molly looked out of the car and frowned. She had not noticed how long the trip took from the airport to where Ginny and Colin were staying, but she certainly never expected to be taken to a hotel, and from the looks of it, this was no run-of-the-mill hotel.

As she got out of the limousine and followed Ginny through the lobby on the way to the lifts, she couldn't help but feel awed at the opulence of her daughter's place of residence. The way she greeted the staff, with such familiarity and open friendliness, was a clear indication that she was a long-term resident of the hotel and it made her wonder how she was able to afford all of this luxury. They had never discussed it before, and she had never really asked, but now she was beginning to feel apprehensive about the kind of life her daughter was living away from home. She hoped to God she wasn't involved in anything illegal; there was only so much revelation she could take, she didn't need another one so soon after the first.

When the lift doors closed and the three of them were on their way to the penthouse suite, Ginny finally noticed the stunned and apprehensive looks her mother was giving both her and Colin. In her excitement at being reunited with her mother, she had momentarily forgotten that her mother had no idea about her other life and she couldn't begin to imagine what must be going through her head right now. She really couldn't blame her; were she in her mother's place, she'd also be contemplating all sorts of unpleasant thoughts. Setting her mothers' mind at ease would have to be the first on her agenda.

Ginny sent her mother timid smiles as they waited for the lift to stop its ascent. When it did, she quickly ushered her mother out into a short-carpeted hallway after thanking the lift attendant who respectfully gave her a short bow.

"You take care of yourself now, Ms. Welsh, we wouldn't want anythin' happenin' to the little tykes now, would we?" the middle-aged man said jovially.

"Of course not, Alfred, and I'm sure I have you and the others to ensure I do take care of myself," she answered, painfully aware of her mother's gaze trained on her the whole time she was exchanging pleasantries with the Texan. Colin had just unlocked the doors to their suite and with a last wave to the fatherly lift attendant, she motioned for her mother to precede her and Colin. She watched her take a step forward and froze. Ginny looked behind her at Colin and sighed. It was time.

"Mum, I think there's some things you have to know about me and Colin," she began in a soft but firm voice. "I think maybe you should sit down while I tell you," she said, gently tugging her over to a plush two-seater sofa in front of the fireplace. As soon as they were seated, with Colin perched on the arm on her side of the sofa, she began her tale, starting from the train ride her last year in Hogwarts to how she had agreed to let Colin continue using her as his model. As she talked, it became easier to detail everything that had happened, leaving nothing out, including her alias (Moira Welsh) and her current investments and the talks she and Colin have been having about starting their own company. When she was through, she felt an invisible weight lift from her shoulders from having revealed her secret. For the first time in almost a year, she had nothing to hide from one of the most important people in her life and it felt wonderful.

Mrs. Weasley looked at her daughter, who was beaming at her expectantly, and her daughter's best friend, who was looking embarrassed at his role in Ginny's escapade. What she just heard was too spectacular to be believed, and if she were anywhere but here right now, she would probably think they were pulling a prank on her. But proof was looking her right in the eye, and her daughter may be many things, but she was not a good enough liar to pull this scheme off, especially on her.

"So that's why you told Candace Forsythe money was not an issue," Molly Weasley said simply, giving Ginny a smile full of understanding and love.

Ginny's happiness was difficult to contain as she hugged her mother. If the Weasley matriarch could understand why she did the things she did, then half the battle was already won in conquering the rest of her family. This was truly a happy day.

Colin could not be happier for his best friend. All throughout the telling, he had watched Mrs. Weasley's face carefully, noting the changes taking place as she finally understood the extent of her daughter's secret life. He let go of the breath he was holding when he saw no judgment on her face, just acceptance of the life her daughter had chosen to live. He was Muggleborn, so he was free to engage in any occupation he felt like getting into; he knew pureblood witches and wizards didn't have the same luxury. More often than not, children of pureblood families had very limited options when it came to employment: either they were to go work in the Ministry or any Ministry-related job, or they were expected to go into the family business. Colin knew that for all that the Weasleys had very limited funds, Mrs. Weasley still expected all her children to get respectable jobs at the Ministry; hence, her insistence for Ginny to go into healer training. He saw how disappointed she was and how long it took her to accept the twins' decision to not finish their schooling and engage in trade, a profession considered unacceptable for purebloods. When Ginny had wanted to keep her modeling from her family a secret, he didn't let on that he was aware of her reasons for doing so. He knew that Ginny may be a lot of things, but she was always loathed to disappoint her mother. Now, he was very thankful that Mrs. Weasley was the way she was, and for being open-minded enough to accept that her daughter had made her choice, and was very happy with it.

Colin discreetly left his spot on the sofa and left mother and daughter alone in their reunion. Mrs. Weasley was staying for an indefinite number of days; he could intrude on them another day. There was no need for him to worry about his best friend now that her mother was here.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

"C'mon Ginny, what's taking you so long!" Colin called from the living room. It had been five days since Mrs. Weasley's arrival and they had spent the time playing tourists, visiting all the sites usually frequented by muggles and picking up absurd souvenirs from every place they'd been to; Mrs. Weasley had said Mr. Weasley would absolutely flip from all the new toys she would be bringing with her and Ginny had responded by adding more muggle devices for her father to tinker with. Her enthusiasm about the whole activity had quelled his initial protest; he had felt that she was too far along in her pregnancy to be gallivanting around so much; Ginny had responded by smiling at him indulgently then proceeded to drag her mother from one place to another, her huge stomach jotting out so much it was enough to stop traffic. Ginevra Moira Weasley gave new meaning to the word stubborn and Colin feared he was aging very quickly by the minute the longer he spent time with the redhead.

Now, they were on their way to the Empire State building; that is, if Ginny bothered to get out of her room so they could go.

"Where's Ginny?" Mrs. Weasley asked as she emerged from the guest bedroom.

"She hasn't come out yet," Colin said, perplexed. "It doesn't usually take her this long to get ready." He started for Ginny's room. Usually, Ginny was the one eager to hurry them to get a move on, she was never tardy. Halfway across his destination, Colin felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise in fear when he heard a scream come from Ginny's room. Breaking into a sprint, he burst into her room and found her on the floor, writhing in pain. Mrs. Weasley was not far behind him and immediately rushed to her daughter's side. He stood rooted to the spot, not knowing what he should do; his best friend looked to be in so much pain and he felt utterly helpless. This was the first time he had been around an obviously laboring woman and the agony he was seeing on Ginny's face twisted his inside into numerous knots.

"Colin, go get help. Quickly!" Mrs. Weasley said when she saw Colin still standing by the door.

Colin was mobilized into action by the urgency in Mrs. Weasley's voice and hurried over to the telephone to call for help.

Molly Weasley's attention turned back to her daughter, silently praying she'd be able to keep her calm. She was all too familiar with the amount of pain a woman went through while giving birth and wished that Ginny would not have to go through several hours of labor; surely she would not be denied such a small measure of leniency.

"Mummy, help me," Ginny whimpered, her face screwed up in pain, "it hurts."

"Shhh, sweetheart, Colin has already called for help," Mrs. Weasley said, hoping her voice would soothe Ginny even if a little. "Your babies have decided to come out now. Just breathe deeply, that's it," she cajoled, breathing along with her daughter.

"But it's still too early!" Ginny said in between breaths.

"Remember what Med-Witch Forsythe said? Twins usually don't reach full-term," Mrs. Weasley reassured her agitated daughter. "I was also only eight months along when Fred and George decided they wanted to come out and play. And you know how that turned out," she added wryly.

Ginny giggled and then gasped as another contraction hit her. "How long?" she asked when the pain subsided.

Molly hesitated; she didn't want to lie to her daughter and tell her it wouldn't be long now; there was no telling how long a primi's labor lasts. "I'm not certain," she answered vaguely, "But just think how good it'll feel to finally hold your babies after lugging them around for so long. That'll make up for any pain you're going though now."

"Not if they turn out like Fred and George!" The last of her statement ended in a scream as the pain assailed her again. She felt like her whole body was on fire and her back was about to explode from behind her. "Goddamn you, Draco!" she shrieked in agony, her grip on her mother's arm tightening reflexively.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Mrs. Weasley could not prevent chuckling at her daughter's oath. Damn him, indeed, she thought as she looked at her daughter's mutinous expression.

"There is nothing funny about this, Mum!" she complained, panting heavily. "When I get my hands on that albino git, I'm going to make sure he will NEVER be able to do this to another woman again!"

Mrs. Weasley was now laughing outright. "Oh Gin, you're too precious," she said, kissing her sweaty brow affectionately.

Colin paused outside Ginny's room, confused by the sudden change in mood in the short time he had been gone. Ginny was scowling up at her mother as the latter was laughing her head off. He would never understand witches. He stepped into the room hesitantly, not sure what he was getting himself into.

"The paramedics are on their way," he said to the room at large, his gaze darting from mother to daughter.

Mrs. Weasley sobered slowly but took charge again.

"Colin, take Ginny's bag. Make sure you don't miss anything. I'll take care of the babies' things." She bent over the sprawled form of her daughter, tucking wisps of red hair behind her ear. "Don't worry Gin, help's on their way. We'll be here, we won't leave you." She spent the next ten minutes guiding Ginny through her breathing exercises, ignoring the pain shooting through her hands every time Ginny gripped onto them too hard. Colin had also squatted down beside her, a wild and uncertain look in his eyes. Merlin help her if he fainted on her now, which was a likely possibility with every minute that passed. When they heard the commotion by the front doors, they both sighed in relief.

The paramedics took charge right away and before they knew it, Ginny was on her way to the hospital.

"We'll be right behind you, honey," Mrs. Weasley called out to Ginny as she was carried out to the lifts. She and Colin then gathered all that they'd need and left as well.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Colin paced the corridors outside the delivery room, anxious to hear news about how Ginny was faring. It had been twelve hours already and still the twins refused to come out. He knew the chances were high that something might go wrong, but every time such morbid thoughts entered his head, he banished them right away. Of course Ginny and the twins were going to make it, he would kill her if they didn't.

Up and down he paced. He had already refused three nurses who suggested he go down to the canteen since there was every possibility that the labor process could take all day. He had paled in horror upon hearing that. A whole day? How could a person last a whole day with that kind of pain? The nurses had quickly left him when it became apparent that their efforts at easing his worries had done the exact opposite.

Fourteen hours. He was too preoccupied with all the horrible scenarios running through his head that he missed the opening of the doors to the delivery room.

Mrs. Weasley watched the worried wizard pace in front of her, an overwhelming sense of gratitude and love for him flooding her heart. It was clear to her that he loved Ginny with all his being and his devotion to her daughter was humbling.

"Colin."

Colin's head swiveled so fast he got a crick in his neck, but he ignored the pain as he rushed to the exhausted looking woman.

"How is she? Is she okay? Are the babies okay? Why did it take so long? Nothing bad happened, right? Please tell me nothing bad happened."

Molly Weasley smiled tiredly. "They're all okay. Ginny's exhausted, which was expected, and the twins are fine. Loud, but fine."

Colin quickly mumbled a prayer of thanks before smiling at her. "Can I see them?"

"Of course," Mrs. Weasley nodded. "Ginny was asking for you." She led him into the delivery room and into a small area and motioned for him to come in. "She's going to be moved to her own rooms in a few hours, this room is just temporary until they're through monitoring her."

Colin saw that the small room only contained the basic necessities; two plastic chairs, a hospital bed and two bassinets. Ginny was lying on the bed but she was awake, a beautiful smile on her beautiful face. Colin immediately went to her and gently cupped her face.

"Hey, how are you doing?" he asked softly, looking at her face carefully for any sign of lingering pain.

"I'll live," she kidded, her smile never once wavering. "But you have got to look at my babies; they are just the most beautiful babies you'll ever see." She motioned to the bassinets and Colin went around the bed to look at his future godchildren. "Aren't they just beautiful?" Ginny said, awe in her voice.

Colin looked at the two babies and came to one conclusion: Oh yeah, they were Malfoy's all right.

"What do you think?" Ginny asked as Colin kept his silence.

His face serious, he looked at his best friend. "They're all red and wrinkly, like little old men with that white hair of theirs." He scrunched his nose in mock disgust. "You better pray they start changing their appearance soon, or the other babies at the nursery just might scream their heads off in fright."

Ginny glowered at Colin's jest. "Shut up, you pouf. They're newborns, they're supposed to look like that."

"If you say so Gin," he replied, doubt in his voice.

"Oh go away, I ask you here so you could share in my joy and all you do is criticize how my babies look. If I could manage it, you'd be sporting a lovely shiner by now. See if I still ask you to be their godfather; maybe I'll ask Neville, he won't be stupid enough to say something that's so obviously a lie."

Colin grinned unrepentantly. "I didn't say they were ugly, just wrinkly." He and Mrs. Weasley shared a look.

"Hmmph!" Was all Ginny said in reply.

Mrs. Weasley decided to change the topic right then. "Have you decided on names yet Gin?" In all the time they had spent together, not once had she heard Ginny say what she was planning to name the twins.

Ginny immediately brightened. "I thought Luke Ian and Nicole Adrianne. What do you think?"

Mrs. Weasley bit her lip; she didn't know whether it would be prudent for her to tell Ginny that she had just basically decided to name the twins after their paternal grandparents. "Those are perfectly lovely names, dear," she said quietly, keeping her eyes trained on the little boy and girl. "It suits them very well." And it was true as well. The Malfoy genes definitely bred true in her grandchildren and she wasn't quite sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing; she had to talk to Arthur and Lucius about this new development.

Ginny struggled to a sitting position and sat by the side of the bed, Colin immediately supporting her shoulders to keep her from falling. She looked down at her two bundles of joy, sleeping peacefully in their bassinets. "Luke Ian and Nicole Adrianne Weasley, my little monsters. You both look so much like your father," she said wistfully. "I wish he could see you now; I wish there wasn't so much keeping us apart." She reached out and lovingly touched the fuzzy white hairs on her babies' heads, delighting in its lightness. "I have made a lot of mistakes in my life," she said softly, "but I finally did something right." She laid both her palms over each of her babies' heart. "All that I am I offer to you, all my love I give you. You are my heart, my life; I swear you will never want for anything. You are my salvation. Now I make a solemn promise to you: nobody can hurt you while I have breath in me, no one can take away that which is rightfully yours. Throughout time and throughout space, may the spirits of all our forebears bear witness to what has now been promised."

Colin and Mrs. Weasley exchanged uneasy looks at Ginny's vow. They both knew how powerful and binding a vow was between a mother and her child. But they were anxious for entirely different reasons. Colin was afraid as to the lengths Ginny would go to keep her vow while Mrs. Weasley was afraid of what Ginny's reaction would be once she learned she had sealed her son's fate. By promising to secure for her son all that was due him, she had inadvertently accepted Luke's destiny as the next Malfoy heir.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

The soft sea breeze blew gently against the fine French lace curtains, its wispy material seemingly floating perpetually, occasionally getting caught on the corners of the open window before a new chilly breeze freed it from its temporary confines. It was a clear night, stars dusting the skies like little sparkling diamonds. Down below, the waves crashed against the sharp rocks of a steep cliff, the chaotic sounds of breaking water contrasting heavily with the whispering sounds of the blowing air.

Situated above the cliff, the towering edifice that was Chateau Malfoy stood as quiet as the night; not a soul stirred to indicate life inside the stone structure, not even the owls and bats that were the usual creatures of the night. Visible only to wizard eyes, Chateau Malfoy was a place shrouded in mystery and colored with history. It was as it should be: grand, forbidding and singularly breathtaking.

"No!"

The shout originating from the east wing of the manor reverberated throughout every walls and crevice, startling every living inhabitant. The owls started hooting, the bats took flight and the rodents down in the dungeons scurried to find a deeper hole to hide in. The anguished sound was so out of the ordinary that even the house elves feared to come out and investigate.

The source of the sound sat upright in bed, panting, sweats beading his forehead. What horrors had visited the Malfoy heirs' dreams must be truly frightening to have put that stricken look on his face. His gray eyes were so dark it almost resembled the gathering clouds of a violent storm and his flaxen hair was matted to his head.

"What's wrong, Draco?" The dark-haired witch sat up beside him, unmindful of her nakedness; she knew she looked good and she knew how to use her body to her advantage.

Still breathing heavily, Draco got off the bed and walked naked out into the balcony of his room, his mind still replaying the details of his dream. He looked across the blackness of the sea, desperately trying to make sense out of what he had just dreamt about. It couldn't possibly be true. Could it? He would have heard about it if it was; he would have already heard from his father if it was. But for four months he had been living with this constant nagging feeling at the back of his head that something was not quite right. It wasn't even about the alternate voice in his head anymore, although that was still a problem that would not go away.

"Draco?"

He ignored the witch who sidled by his side, his body not reacting for the first time to the luscious curves pressed intimately against his. He had more pressing problems to think about and he was in no mood to entertain extraneous distractions, no matter how lovely they were.

"Celesté, I am not in the best of moods right now. Why don't you go get dressed and go on your way. I'll owl you tomorrow." It was an empty promise and a rather cold dismissal, but it was the best he could come up with at the moment. He didn't even bother looking as the lovely brunette huffed and walked away, preparing to leave him to his mood. At any other time, he would have come after her and tried to soothe her pique by screwing her brains out, but not tonight. Tonight, he had to figure what that dream meant.

And of all the time I need that infernal voice in my head, he chooses not to make a nuisance of himself, he thought sourly. He had never been able to figure out how to make the voice appear and disappear, and it was getting decidedly frustrating.

Someone misses me, I see, Draco Junior chortled merrily.

"Merlin help me for resorting to talking to myself," he mumbled irritably.

Don't worry, mate, I won't tell a soul. He laughed as though he had just delivered a particularly wonderful punch line. So what can I help you with?

"You know what I need help with."

Ah, the dream. Scared you didn't it?

He chose to ignore its taunting. "What I want to know is what it meant."

What do you think it means?

"Would I be standing here right now, stark naked, if I knew?"

But we do look good starkers, don't we? Must be all that exercise in bed, does ones body good, he said sarcastically.

Draco didn't bother defending himself; the voice had been constantly harassing him about his sexual appetites and he had learned to ignore it and go on with his preferred activities.

You're getting rather good at ignoring me, you know that? Never thought you had it in you. Oh well, I'm still better than you. You know why? Because I know things that you will never know, things that will make you want to take a leap into that dark, bottomless ocean there.

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

Whatever you want it to mean. As for your dream, can't help you there. I am under strict orders not to upset the balance of nature. You'll have to figure it out yourself. You're rather good at that, aren't you?

Draco knew the minute the voice went away, and he knew he wouldn't be able to call it back. He didn't really expect to get an outright answer from him, but he had hoped. Now he had to find the meaning to the dream that had disturbed his sleep. He knew he would not be able to rest easy until he got some answers. Whether the dream was just that, a dream, or a premonition of the future, he promised he would find out. This was the first time in the last four months that his night visions deviated from the norm, and the Ginny in his dream giving birth to his baby, twin babies rather, was not something he could just shove at the back of his mind.

First thing in the morning, he thought to himself, father and I are going to have a little talk.

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