With you in my Arms

45. Don't you think that is a bit fast?

Ginny felt groggy as she woke up. She was lying in a bed. How did she...? Then she remembered. Harry had dragged her to St. Mungo's. She sat up. The healer, Nico, was at her bedside.

"What have you done to me?"

"I'll explain everything to you, just lay back and try to relax."

"Relax?" She close to shrieked.

"Please."

She glared at him, but leant back nevertheless.

"Harry has brought you here because he was worried that somebody might have done something to you and then made sure that you wouldn't remember."

She scoffed. "Why would anybody do something like that?"

"I presume, you know a person called Lucius Malfoy?"

Her face went pale, her hands started shaking and there seemed to be a knife twisting around in her stomach. A moment later the sensation vanished. Cold sweat was covering her forehead. She stared at Nico with fear in her eyes. Why was she reacting like this? She had met the man and... It had nearly cost her her life, if it hadn't been for Harry.

"Ssh. It's okay. I just needed to make sure."

The big question of "What?" was all over her face.

"I needed to find out, what had happened to you. So while you were asleep I confirmed that a curse at been used on you. You will not be aware of it. For you it has never happened."

"What kind of curse?"

"A very powerful memory charm with some nasty extras."

"Oh?"

"You have met the man I asked you about in France. As he is a convicted Death Eater and should be in Azkaban he needed to make sure that you couldn't betray his whereabouts. He let you forget that you had seen him and also made it close to impossible for you to even hear or speak his name in any other context. Which in my book was a bit careless of him as it would sooner or later draw attention to this precise fact. Luckily I am a very skilled Legelemence and was able to tap into your mind at a deep enough level as to reveal you having met him."

"Why has he done it? I mean, why has he not just killed me?"

"The fiancé of Harry Potter murdered? That would have called every Auror in Britain and France into action. It needed to be subtle, but still powerful enough to keep you from talking."

Ginny closed her eyes and wondered why she always ended up in such a state after meeting Malfoy's father. Malfoy... Merlin! Did Hermione know that they might be in danger? She needed to warn her! Upon trying to sit up to hastily her head started spinning. She fell back into the pillows.

"Rest, Ginny. You'll need to preserve your strength."

She closed her eyes and nodded. Only to open them again a moment later.

"What about my baby."

"Ah..."

Staring at the healer she could see that there was something he hadn't told her. Probably would prefer not to have to tell her.

"What?" Her eyes narrowed.

"About that..."

"Yes?"

"Well, you'll have to find out sooner or later, better get it over with I presume."

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James Mulligan tried his best to look appropriately embarrassed as he sat in Henri Shaw's office. After receiving the owl from his boss the Auror hadn't hesitated to apparate Narcissa Malfoy and himself to the Ministry. If the maniac that went under the title of her husband was really on the loose, it meant that she was in danger. As was her son. Though she hadn't been able to tell him where he was. Or had preferred not to tell him in any case.

The head of the Auror Office was sitting behind his desk, hands folded in front of him, his head on the same. They had been looking at each other for several minutes now without saying anything. They both knew, why James had gone to pick up Lucius' wife. They also both knew, that she, her son, Hermione Granger and the unborn child were all in danger. The former head of the Malfoy family would do his best to get his plan back on track and that meant to dispense with everybody that was in his way to fulfilling said plan. That this would mean the death of four, possibly five, people would be of no consequence to him. Merlin knew how many lives he already had on his concision. Too many in any case. No need to add any more.

"James, I know you...," he hesitated. Should he really say it? He decided it was time to do exactly that. "You have loved Narcissa for a long time. I've always known that it would be either her and nobody for you, but think of the danger you are putting her in. If that deranged maniac that goes for her husband has really been plotting to keep her in a coma indefinitely while either getting his son to sire an heir and then kill him or kill him outright failing everything then that means that she is in danger and being with you is not going to improve that. I have the funny feeling he has found out yesterday that she is alive, awake and out off reach. Merlin knows what he is going to plot next. That man is stopping at nothing. I'm afraid only death is likely to stop him."

"Fine by me."

Shaw looked at his friend and sighed. He still hadn't heard back from Azkaban as to them missing a prisoner or not. Which couldn't mean anything good. He took a deep breath.

"What are you planning to do now?"

"Cissy is going to stay with me. The Manor isn't safe for her."

"No, I agree."

"When this is all over..." A long thought provoking pause followed. Both men knew what James wanted to happen and Henri was wondering, if it ever would. He hoped so for the sake of his friend.

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in!"

Neville Longbottom appeared.

"Yes?"

"There has been an owl from Azkaban for you." He handed his boss a sealed envelope.

"Thanks."

When they were alone again Henri Shaw saw his fingers shake as he broke the seal on the heavy envelope. He unfolded the parchment and started to read what it said out loud.