Ginger Malfoy

Secrets Suck

They didn't tell Ginger.  They didn't tell her at breakfast the next morning, or the next week in a letter, or any time at all.  

They didn't forget about it, however.  It ate them alive every time they so much as glanced at their chipper daughter.  They just couldn't bring themselves to say it, for whatever reason.  They tried several times to bring it up, but it just didn't seem right.  Ginger had just seen Ron and Hermione's announcement, and they thought that their news would pale in comparison.

Ginny was due in early September, so the couple realized that it would be possible to hide it from her completely until she came home that summer.  But why would they do that?  It would be much easier just to tell her.  But they didn't.

When it was finally the day for Ginger to return to school, they made their way out to the car, feeling an odd sense of deja vu.

Ginger took her spot in the backseat, letting her father put Cissa's cage in the seat next to her and her suitcase in the trunk.

Her parents sat in the front, Draco driving, whispering to each other.  Ginger audibly sighed.  She hated it when her parents kept secrets from her.

Ginny turned around, clearly understanding Ginger's annoyance.  "So, um, dear, will you promise me and Dad that you'll behave yourself this term?" she said, trying to divert her mind from what she should actually be telling Ginger.

Ginger rolled her eyes.  "Is that what you two are on about?  You think I'd want to go to another stupid party?  Pomfrey said I was lucky not to be more seriously injured last time!  You really think I'd go through that again?  Or at the very least, go through another Howler?  Honestly."

Ginny was hurt that her daughter thought she didn't trust her.  Her face paled and she turned around to face the front.  She faced the window so her husband couldn't tease her about her eyes watering up.  Ginny didn't like being so emotional, but she was, and she didn't like it when Draco didn't understand that.

Draco smirked and Ginger could see it from the rear-view mirror.  In the mirror she could also see her mother looking like she was about to cry.  She felt a pang of guilt.

"Don't cry, mum, I'm sorry," Ginger muttered half-heartedly.

Draco glanced over at his wife.  "It's alright, love," he whispered, patting her thigh.  The smirk had disappeared from his face.

Ginny didn't say anything to either of them.  She didn't cry, either.  She just sat there, staring.  Her and Draco found it unthinkable to mention that she was pregnant now.

When they finally arrived at King's cross, Ginger got out of the car first.  She admired the train station then helped with her things.  She hugged and kissed both of her parents, although she was a bit cross with her mum at the moment.  She promised she would write and she made her way alone to Platform 9 3/4.

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On the ride back to Hogwarts, she sat by Lobelia and Nott and a couple other Slytherins who were Nott's friends.  Rose and Albus were in seperate cars as well, sitting with their housemates.  So much for a Silver Trio.  

Ginger found it difficult to tell Nott how Christmas had been, although it wasn't like she had anything to be guilty about.  Did she?

When the conversation about Christmas died, Lobelia began talking about her family for the millionth time.

She was just going on about her sister when Nott interupted, "So what about your family, Ginger?"

"Well, you guys know my dad, Draco Malfoy.  He's a healer at St. Mungo's now.  Helping people helps with the guilt, you know.  From being one of.. his.. followers."

Everyone solemnly nodded, saying nothing.

"And my mum, well, she was the captain of the Holyhead Harpies for a while.  But she quit Quidditch as I started getting older.  She didn't want me to grow up without her and dad.  She detested nannies and babysitters.  My dad hated them too.  He told me that he loved me too much to let someone else take his job.  I guess I've always been my dad's little girl."

No one teased her or laughed.  The moment was perfect and serene.

Nott cleared his throat.  "Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"No," Ginger replied regrettably.  "But my Uncle George is so immature sometimes that he could pass as one."

Nott chuckled a bit.  It was an awkward and fake-sounding laugh.

Ginger picked up her Transfiguration textbook.

"No one minds if I study a bit, do you?"

No one said anything so Ginger took it as a yes and pried open the covers of the old book.

She was so focused on her book that she didn't notice Nott's eyes affixed on her for the remainder of the ride.

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When they had eaten their supper and listened to the infinite announcements, Ginger, Lobelia, and Nott returned to the common room.  They stayed up for quite a while, having no homework yet and no reason to go to sleep.

Lobelia went to bed first, mumbling something about "needing her beauty sleep" and left the two others in the common room together.  They talked for what seemed like ages but was probably about only an hour.  Nott's deep golden-brown eyes lit up in the dim candlelight of the common room.

"You know what I like about you, Ginger?"  Nott asked, stifling a yawn.

"That's a bit off topic," Ginger returned, trying not to yawn herself.

"Whatever," Nott muttered, looking away and flushing red.

"No," Ginger said.  "Tell me."  Nott looked her in the eyes.

"You're weird.  Weird like me," and with that, Nott leaned in and kissed her full on the lips.  It was another short, unfulfilling kiss, and when he turned away and headed to the boy's dorms without saying anything, Ginger felt twice the guilt she had felt after kissing Albus.

Ginger hated a lot of things.  She hated not knowing secrets quite a bit.  But what she hated even more was not even knowing what she thought herself.

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A/N:  Ahh!  Not another kiss!  So who do you like better?  Potter and Ginger or Nott and Ginger?  Comment!  Vote it up if you liked it.(: