How Do You Choose Between What is Right and What is Easy?

Nikki__uno

Story Summary:
Harry & Hermione cheat on Ginny & Ron together. One night, Ginny catches them in the act, & she has only one person to turn to - Draco Malfoy, who she has been friends with since the beginning of the year. Draco has an idea - give Potter a taste of his own medicine & see how he likes the feeling of being betrayed by someone he trusts. Ginny agrees. The next day, Ginny reveals to Harry what she was doing the night before, & with whom. They argue about it & Harry's affair, & Ron overhears. He confronts Harry, then Hermione. Ginny leaves the common room & the traitorous Gryffindors behind. Everything quiets down & seems to come to some semblance of normalcy - until Hermione & Ginny both find out they're pregnant.

Chapter 18 - Chapter 18

Chapter Summary:
When Ginny hears what they are saying outside of her curtain, she starts to cry, allerting the three that she's awake. Draco wakes up.
Posted:
09/08/2008
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Chapter 18

"Two different fathers?!" McGonagall exclaimed. "How is that possible?"

"At this point I am not sure," Madam Pomfrey said. "It will take about another week until we are able to determine who the fathers are, and that is only if Ms. Weasley will cooperate with us and tell us who she has been with."

"You mean outside of the rape?" McGonagall said.

"Exactly," replied Madam Pomfrey.

As Ginny sat listening to everything they were saying, she couldn't hold the emotions back any longer. A small sob escaped her throat, just loud enough for the three on the other side of the curtain to hear. Everything was silent for a moment. Then the curtain opened, and Professor McGonagall entered.

"Ginny," McGonagall exclaimed, surprise very evident in her voice. "You're awake."

Ginny looked down at her bed and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, trying to hide the tears before McGonagall could see. She had a strange feeling, however, that it was too late for that.

The curtain opened a quarter of the way. Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey came closer to her. After Dumbledore had drawn up a couple more chairs (latterly drawn them in midair), they all sat down.

With a glance at Dumbledore, McGonagall said, "I assume you heard something of what we were talking about?" After Ginny nodded, McGonagall continued with, "Well, there are a few things we need to ask you."

"Like what?" Ginny asked, her voice clearly giving away the fact that she wasn't comfortable with the situation in the least.

"For one..." McGonagall continued, "when Mr. Potter... when Harry... when he -"

"When he raped me, you mean?" Ginny said, her voice filled with hostility.

"Yes," McGonagall said. Everyone there could tell she was very hesitant to ask the question she needed to ask. "So... what it is... that we need... to ask you... is -"

Before McGonagall could finish, however, Ginny interrupted her by saying rather contemptuously, "I heard everything you guys were saying out there, so let me make this easy for you. If what you say is true, and I'm carrying twins with different fathers, then one of the fathers is Harry Potter, and the other is Draco Malfoy." Without giving any of them a chance to be shocked by the news that a Gryffindor and a Slytherin had willingly had sexual relations with each other, she continued. "As for the other question I'm quite sure you were going to ask me, the group of Slytherins was with me because they were helping me collect my things."

"Why-" Professor McGonagall started, but Ginny interrupted her yet again. She was enraged, and her words were out of control. She looked down at her lap and continued.

"They were helping me collect me things because I want to move into Slytherin house. After I walked in on Harry cheating on me with Hermione awhile back, Draco became the only one who could comfort me. We fell in love. I haven't been able to go inside Gryffindor tower since I walked in on them together, so Draco has been staying with me in the Room of Requirement. We were... together... the night before my... rape." She paused for a moment to compose herself, then said, "I... I can't go back to Gryffindor, I can't. I just... can't face everyone in there after what Harry did to me...."

When Ginny peeked up, she could see that all three of them were looking back at her, morose looks on their faces. McGonagall looked thoughtful for a moment, before saying, "It is ultimately up to Professor Dumbledore, but provided you can find adequate lodging within the sixth-year girls' dormitory, I think we can allow it. Professor Dumbledore, what do you think?"

"I think," Dumbledore said, looking thoughtful with that (almost) ever-present twinkle in his eye, "that under the present circumstances, it would be a good idea. Ms. Weasley," he said, looking over to her. "I will get someone to collect your things, so you do not have to suffer any embarrassment after your ordeal. You will not have to return to classes until you feel comfortable doing so. I will have all of your homework brought to you here, or in the Slytherin common room when you are cleared by Madam Pomfrey to leave." Everyone was silent for a moment. Then Dumbledore continued. "When you get more towards the end of your pregnancy, Ms. Weasley, we will decide then what the best course of action is, in the way of your schooling. Now," he said, putting his hands on his knees and getting to his feet, "if that is all for now, I have the matter of Mr. Potter to see to. If you would all excuse me." He turned around and went through the curtain. They heard his footsteps retreating, and then the opening and closing of a door. He was gone.

Madam Pomfrey waited a moment, seemingly unsure of what to do, then rose herself. "I am going to go and check on my other patients."

After she was gone, McGonagall stood up too. "I think, Ms. Weasley, that I should let you get some sleep."

"I've done enough sleeping," Ginny said, irritated, looking down at her lap again.

"Well... get some rest anyway." She patted Ginny's leg for a moment, before exiting through the curtain. Ginny heard her footsteps, and the sound of the door opening and closing for the second time. Then she was alone.

Only for a moment, however.

Almost as soon as McGonagall had left, Madam Pomfrey poked her head back around the curtain surrounding Ginny's bed. "Ms. Weasley?"

"Yes?" Ginny asked suspiciously.

"Mr. Malfoy is awake," Madam Pomfrey said. "He's awake and he's asking for you."

Ginny got out of bed as quickly as possible, and brushed past Madam Pomfrey on her way around the curtain. She looked around. The only bed's that weren't enclosed behind a curtain were unoccupied. "Which bed is Draco in?" she asked hurriedly, looking up at Madam Pomfrey.

"He's in that one, over there," Madam Pomfrey said, pointing to one across the aisle and two beds to the left of Ginny.

Ginny wasted no time at all. She made a bee-line for the curtain Madam Pomfrey was pointing at. When she reached it, she paused for a moment before parting the curtain and entering. Draco was sitting up in his hospital bed, a small smile on his face. As soon as he saw Ginny, however, his eyes lit up and his face split into a huge grin.

"Gin!" he said to her, holding out his arms. Ginny ran to him and they embraced each other in a huge hug. When they released each other, she placed a kiss on his cheek and sat down on the edge of his bed. "So," he said, "what's this... news you have to tell me?"