Acts of Fate

"Ginny!"

She heard them scream her name as they raced into the bathroom. Ginny could hear stilettos clacking on the tiles. Everything was blurry, so fuzzed and faded that she couldn't understand anything that was going on.

Somebody turned her over, and she tried to focus on the face - where did she recognize it from?

"Ginny, can you hear me?"

She couldn't reply, her lips were numb beneath their coating of lipstick.

"I don't know if she's still alive, Ron."

"Shit! Can we apparate her to St. Mungo's?"

"That would be terribly risky!"

"This is my sister's life we're talking about!"

Ginny suddenly felt a stabbing pain, and a strange sensation near her thighs.

"Oh, Ron, Ron, she's giving birth!"

"You must be kidding me!"

"Nope. Her waters have just broken."

"She's half dead! How can she give birth like this?"

The conversation faded as Ginny blacked out again.

*

"She's half dead! How can she give birth like this?" Ron asked again. His voice was panicky and fast.

"I don't know, Ron! We've got to get her to a hospital!" Hermione snapped.

"That's fucking obvious. What are we going to do?"

"Call an ambulance," said Hermione.

"One of those mad Muggle things?"

"Yes, one of those," replied Hermione. She raced from the toilet, and rang 999.

*

"Helena," whispered Ginny. She could hardly speak. Ginny's suicide attempt meant that giving her any painkillers could finish her off. Not that she needed them - the Doctors were quite sure that Ginny was living in a pain - free world.

"I beg your pardon?"

"If it's a boy, call him Joshua, if it's a girl, call her Helena," Ginny murmured faintly.

*

Ginny died at 1:39 am. She had given birth to a small baby girl with jet black hair and vivid eyes that usually only go with red hair. Ron held the baby in his arms, sobbing. Hermione tried to comfort him with words, but couldn't think of anything to say. Ginny's lifeless body was less than a metre from them, covered with a plain white sheet.

"Helena, you're all we've got left of them," whimpered Ron. Hermione slid an arm around his shoulders and pulled him to her.

"We'll look after her, Ginny. We promise," whispered Hermione. She took the baby from Ron, who collapsed into a chair and hid his face behind his hands.

The door opened, and Bill came inside. He took one look at Ron, a glance at Hermione and then his gaze focused on the sheet behind them that concealed Ginny's body. His eyes glazed over with tears, but he shook Ron's shoulder and managed to get him to stand and leave.

Hermione was left in the room with Helena and Ginny. Slowly, she walked over to Ginny's body, and lifted the sheet away from her face.

Ginny's face was calm and peaceful. Helena opened her tiny eyes and stared with interest.

"That's your Mom, Helena. Kiss her goodnight," whispered Hermione.

She leant down so that Helena's face touched Ginny's.

Biting back a sob, Hermione replaced the sheet and left the room, turning out the too bright lights as she went.