An Unexpected Gift

An Unexpected Gift

~ Chapter 02 ~

Malfoy was awoken by sunlight streaming through the window. He opened his eyes, only to discover that he was lying beside a girl he didn't even know with his arm around her, and he had a major migraine. It took him a minute or two to figure out what had happened the night before.

He had slept with a girl and he didn't even know who she was. All she had on were her pants (opened and pulled down a little), her bra, and her mask, while all he was wearing were his pants (opened and pulled down a little as well) and his mask. He took off his mask, got up, and looked out the window. When he saw that it was dawn, he quickly pulled up his pants and fastened them, and put his shirt, trenchcoat, socks, and boots on. After looking around on the floor, he picked up the various empty bottles lying around and put them back in the inside pockets of his trenchcoat, along with his mask.

'One more thing before I get the heck out of here,' he thought to himself. He quietly walked over to the girl, still sleeping soundly on the floor. After hesitating for a moment, he bent down and slowly lifted the mask off the girl. As he did, her hair began to change to a lighter shade, straightening as it did so. When the transformation was complete, he could easily tell exactly who the girl on the floor was. He gasped. It was Ginny Weasley.

He had just slept with Ginny Weasley.

He was going to die if anyone found out about it.

He took off for the castle. 'Thank goodness it's a Saturday,' he thought.

~*~

Ginny woke up around 9:30ish. She didn't remember why she was lying on the floor of one of the greenhouses with only her bra and pants (partially on), her eyes and hair back to their natural colors and her hair back to its usual straightness.

'I must've been with someone last night,' she thought. 'But who?' As it didn't look like she'd gotten too far with whoever she'd been with, she came to the conclusion that she had probably just made out with someone and nothing more. She pulled up her pants and fastened them, and put her shirt, socks, and shoes on. She put her mask in her pocket and headed towards the castle, immediately going to her dormitory in Gryffindor Tower when she got there to take a long, hot shower, change clothes, and forget about it.

~*~

It was three-and-a-half months after the party and Ginny started to get sick every morning and tired all the time. She was eating a lot more as well. She didn't realize the symptoms she was having because she didn't remember being with anyone, and she didn't even pay attention to the fact that she hadn't had her period since she'd come to Hogwarts. Harry, Hermione, and Ron were starting to worry about her.

"I don't understand what's wrong with her," Ron said. "She just seems so tired and pale all the time."

"And have you seen her at meals?" Harry asked. "I mean, we don't even eat that much - and we're guys."

"I'm worried about her," said Hermione.

"So am I," said Ron.

"Me too," said Harry.

"Why don't I talk to her?" suggested Hermione. "Maybe I'll be able to find out what's going on."

"Okay," said Harry.

"Alright," said Ron. "She probably wouldn't tell me, even if I asked her."

~*~

The next morning:

Hermione woke up, got dressed, and headed downstairs. She didn't get far before she heard a retching sound coming from the sixth-year girls' dormitory. She walked in. The other girls were all sitting on their beds; Elisabeth didn't have her shirt on yet - just her bra - and she was brushing her hair. Katie was brushing her hair as well. Danielle was rummaging in her trunk for something and Samantha was looking out the window, drinking a goblet of water she had poured from the jug on the windowsill.

"Is Ginny sick again?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, of course," Elisabeth said. "What else is new?"

Ginny came out of the bathroom then, wiping her mouth on a towel that she laid on the back of a chair when she was done. She gave a little cough. "Oh, hi Hermione," she said, looking up. "What's up?"

"I need to talk to you about something. Come up to my dormitory so we can talk in private; the rest of my roommates have already gone down for breakfast."

"Okay," Ginny said. "But make it quick, I'm starving!"

They went up to the seventh-year girls' dormitory and Hermione closed the door.

"So, what's wrong?" Hermione asked her.

"Nothing," she answered.

Hermione gave her a look that told Ginny she didn't believe her in the least.

"You've been getting sick every morning for awhile now. You eat like you're eating for two. And when's the last time you had a period?"

"Come to think of it... a day or two before I got on the train to come here -" She stopped and looked at Hermione. Slowly, she sat down on the bed, putting a hand to her head. Hermione sat down beside her, a stunned look on both their faces. "Oh my gosh," Ginny said. "What am I gonna do?"

"You have to tell Dumbledore," Hermione said. "Or at least Madam Pomfrey. They'll be able to help you get ready for it... him... her... whatever. Madam Pomfrey'll be able to tell you when you're due... and what kinds of food you need to eat." She paused for a moment before looking Ginny in the face. "You need to tell Ron." Ginny got up from the bed and gave Hermione an 'are you insane' look. "And the rest of your family."

"Are. You. Insane?! I can't tell Ron! I just can't. And the rest of my family? Are you nuts? They'll hate me, especially Ron!"

"They're not going to hate you. How about if I go with you to talk to Ron and Dumbledore? Dumbledore can contact your family, so you don't have to worry about that. Okay?"

"Yeah. Alright."

They left, then, for the Great Hall to find Ron and Dumbledore. Dumbledore was at the staff table, and Ron was sitting with Harry at the Gryffindor table, eating breakfast. Ginny waited at the entrance to the Great Hall while Hermione went to get Ron and Dumbledore. She walked between the two middle house tables and circled around the staff table until she was standing beside Dumbledore. She leaned towards him and whispered in his ear: "There's a problem and Ginny and I need to speak with you, Ron, Professor McGonagall, and Madam Pomfrey in the hospital wing immediately."

Dumbledore nodded and got up from his seat. He pushed his chair in, went to McGonagall, and whispered something in her ear that only she could hear. McGonagall nodded as well, got up, and pushed her seat in. Together, they followed Hermione towards the Entrance Hall. When they passed Ron and Harry, Dumbledore stopped and said, "Come with me, please, Mr. Weasley."

Harry and Ron looked from Ginny to Hermione and back at Ginny. Ron shrugged at Harry, got up, and followed Dumbledore. At the door, Ginny followed them as well. She didn't even look at Ron and kept her eyes on her feet.

When they got to the hospital wing, they went in, closing the door behind them.

"Wait here," Dumbledore told them, before going into Madam Pomfrey's office. They could hear muffled voices coming from it and, a minute or two later, Madam Pomfrey and Dumbledore emerged.

They all say down and were silent for a moment before Dumbledore spoke up with, "Well, Miss Granger, what is your reasoning for calling us all here?"
"Well... actually... it's Ginny that needed you all to come."

They looked over at Ginny. "Well, Miss Weasley?" Dumbledore said questioningly. Ginny looked like she was about to cry.

"Perhaps I should explain," Hermione said. They all looked over at her. She was silent for a moment. "There's no easy way to say this. Ginny... well... Ginny's pregnant."

"What?!" Ron exclaimed. "What do you mean, she's pregnant?" He looked at Ginny. "What does she mean, you're pregnant?"

"She means exactly what she said," Ginny said. "I'm pregnant."

Madam Pomfrey's jaw dropped.

Ron said, "You've got to be kidding. You're not pregnant."

"Well, she is," said Hermione.

"Are you absolutely certain?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

"I haven't had a period since a day or two before I got on the train to come here, I've been getting sick every morning for a few weeks now, and Hermione said I eat like I'm eating for two. I have to admit, I have been eating a lot more."
"I should have learned from the last time," Dumbledore said thoughtfully to himself.

"I can't believe you'd do something like this," Ron said. "You've basically ruined your life. I mean, you're only sixteen years old; you're not ready to have a kid!" He was yelling at her now, and she was almost crying.

"Ron, don't be so hard on her," Hermione said. "Sometimes... these things just happen and you have to deal with it."

"I will have to contact the rest of your family," Dumbledore said.

"Oh, please don't!" Ginny protested. "They'll be really angry with me!"
"Well, duh!" Ron interjected. "You're sixteen and pregnant! Of course they're gonna be mad at you!" He paused for a moment before saying, "Who's the father, anyway?"

Ginny looked nervous, and Dumbledore said, "That is not relevant right now."

Ron sighed loudly and glared at Ginny.

"Please don't be angry with me, Ron," she said pleadingly, looking at him. I need you to help me with this. I want you to be a part of my baby's life."

"So you're actually going to keep it," Ron said, his voice coated with a disbelieving tone.

"Of course," she said. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Hmm, I don't know," Ron said sarcastically. "Could it be because you're only sixteen years old, that you don't have a clue how to take care of a child, and...." He hesitated. "You've ruined you're life," he finished, and left the hospital wing, slamming the door hard behind him.