An Unexpected Gift

An Unexpected Gift

~ Chapter 04 ~

Ginny was five months pregnant, and it showed. Her morning sickness had finally stopped, which was a real blessing. The whole school knew about Ginny and, after McGonagall informed her teachers, demanding they take it easy on her. She emphasized it especially with Snape, as he was 'famous' for being extra hard on the Gryffindors. However, that was easier said than done.

Ginny was in Potions class; she had just arrived and Snape wasn't there yet. Almost everyone in the class was talking amongst themselves. She was sitting by Colin Creevey, one of her very few supportive friends.

"How are you feeling?" Colin asked, concern in his voice.

She smiled at him. "I'm good, actually. Thanks for asking."

"Someone came in right before you got here and told us that Snape's gonna be a few minutes late because he's talking to... Dumbledore, I think," (he looked thoughtful for a moment), "or it might have been McGonagall, I dunno. But they said he needed to talk to them about something."

"That's strange - he's never late for class. Most always beats us here."

"Yeah, I know." He smiled. "Let's use it to our advantage." He took out two Chocolate Frogs and handed one to her.

"Thanks, Colin," she said, a small smile forming on her face. She took the Chocolate Frog from him and opened it. She looked at the card. "I've got Merlin," she said, slipping the card into her opened bag that was sitting on the floor. As she took a bite out of the chocolate, she had a fixed expression on her face.

"What's wrong?" Colin asked. "You look like something's really bothering you."

"It's just...." She put her head in her hands for a moment, then looked back up at him. "Ron won't talk to me unless it's to make some kind of rude or hurtful comment, and the rest of the time he's either glaring at me or giving me some kind of evil look." She sighed. "He just doesn't understand that I really need his help on this." She sounded slightly worried. "I don't think I can go through this without him."

Colin put his arm around her shoulders. "It'll be okay. You'll get through it. I mean... you've still got your friends, right?"

"Not very many."

"But some. And you've still got Dean." He paused for a moment. "Don't worry; Ron'll come around."

"I sure hope so."

At that moment, the door to the dungeon classroom banged open. Everyone stopped talking at once and faced the front of the room. It was Snape, and he looked very angry at something - and they were very soon going to learn what that something was. Colin took his arm off Ginny's shoulder. "PDA," he whispered sarcastically to her, making her laugh, but only for a moment.

Snape strode to the front of the room and looked at them all, his usual glare even more prominent on his face. "We won't be doing any strenuous activity today," he snarled, glaring at Ginny, "as I have been informed that it is demanded of me to take it easy on a certain student of mine." He glared at Ginny again. "As of now, as I don't particularly care what you do, in groups of two, pick a potion and antidote from your textbooks. Your tablemates will suffice as a partner. One of you will brew the potion and the other will brew the antidote."

They all sat there for a moment, as if waiting for more instructions.

"Well, he exclaimed. "Get to work! Now!"

Everyone hurriedly obeyed.

~*~

"So, Dean, what were you on when you did her?" whispered a seventh-year Slytherin in passing. It was lunch and Dean was sitting next to Ginny in the Great Hall.

"Piss off, you little shithead," Dean snarled back.

"Oooh, touchy subject, I guess," the Slytherin said sarcastically, before laughing and going to sit by one of his friends.

"I'm sorry, Dean," Ginny said. "I know this must be really hard on you. I wouldn't blame you if you just went ahead and dumped me."

"No, baby. I knew the consequences when I decided to keep going out with you. I'm not giving up on you yet."

"Yet?" she asked, a little bit of worry in her voice.

"These mashed potatoes are really good," Dean said, as if she hadn't said anything. "Here," he said, scooping some onto her plate, "try some."

Absentmindedly, she picked up her spoon and took a bite.

"Good, aren't they?" he asked her.

"Sure," she said, taking another bite.

~*~

Another week went by. It was the second week of December and Ginny was three months and two weeks pregnant.

Dean and Ginny were walking down a hallway. He was walking her to her next class, Transfiguration, while carrying both his and her bag.

"Are you sure you don't mind carrying my bag? I mean, I can get it if you want."

"No, I'm fine."

She shrugged. "Okay."

When they got to Professor McGonagall's classroom, Dean walked her in and sat her bag on the floor by a seat she pointed out. "Thanks, Dean," she said and, standing on her tiptoes, she kissed him on the cheek. Dean gave her a hug and then left.

Ginny went to sit down but, before she got very far, McGonagall spoke to her, saying, "Miss Weasley, please come up here for a moment. The rest of you get started on the assignment on the board." Unsure of what to think, Ginny slowly made her way up to McGonagall's desk, while the rest of the class took out their books, parchment, quills, and ink.

When Ginny got to her desk, McGonagall beckoned her around it. She walked around and leaned in towards her a little. "How are you feeling today, Miss Weasley?" McGonagall whispered.

"I'm doing okay, actually. I'm still getting sick in the morning, but I think it's going away a little bit." She was whispering as well.

"Well, that's good."

"Yeah. It's just pretty annoying right now."

"I know what you mean. Are you hungry?"

"A little bit, actually."

"I thought you might be, so I brought you something." She slipped two Pumpkin Pasties out of her bag and handed them to her.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome," McGonagall said. "Hey, don't let anyone get you down"

"What?"

"Yes, I know about how you're getting picked on. And you shouldn't let them get you down."

"I know." She looked down at the floor. "It's so hard, though. It's not like it's people I don't even know picking on me. It's people I've known for over six years now."

McGonagall smiled a small, sad smile. "I'm just saying. But I have to tell you, if they want to spend their time making fun and teasing you, they must lead very boring lives. I told Dean the same thing."

Ginny smiled. "Well, thanks for these," she said, holding up the pasties.

"No problem," McGonagall said. "You can take your seat down."

"Okay."

~*~

It was February. Ginny was almost seven months and was noticeably pregnant. Both her and Dean were being teased mercilessly, mostly by the Slytherins. Dean had stood by her ever since she'd told him, but the teasing wasn't getting any better. It was only getting worse.

As Dean was walking to the Great Hall for lunch after his Potions class, he saw Seamus, Harry, and Ron walking down the hall and talking amongst themselves. Dean hid in a dark corridor so he could hear what was being said without being seen. He peeked around the corner and saw that they'd stopped. He heard Seamus speak first.