The Dark Side (Unedited)

Chapter 42

Hermione abruptly stood, pulling on Draco's arm until he was standing next to her. Ron glanced up at her from beside Lavender's still body, his fingers at her wrist. The screaming continued as a deep howl that seemed to be getting louder.

"Doesn't that sort of sound like-" Ron began.

"Ginny!" Harry yelled at Hermione, and she felt guilt hammering into her chest. "You brought Ginny? Didn't you realise how much danger you would put her in? Where is she?" Hermione was startled into action as she tried not to succumb to her regret.

"Ron, is Lavender alive?" Her voice wavered but still had strength, she was in control and wasn't ready to make any more mistakes.

"I can feel her pulse, but it's very faint. Bellatrix hit her with a complex spell, she doesn't have long. She needs to go to St Mungo's, fast." Ron looked terrible, his sister was potentially in peril danger. But Hermione didn't have time for sympathy.

"Carry her. Harry, help him if he needs it." Her voice was sharp and her words blunt, and Ron was reminded of a military sergeant. Emotionless. "We left Ginny outside with Luna, she's just downstairs. It sounds like she's gone into premature labour and she'll need to be taken to St Mungo's immediately, along with Lavender. We'll bust the door down, it's too hard to go back through the window. As for that one," she kicked Bellatrix in the side, "Neville and Draco will stay with her and call the Order."

Neville nodded solemnly, while Draco looked as if he were in a daze.

"All right, let's clear out. Make sure she doesn't get away, I want to see her perish in Azkaban for what she's done." Hermione could hear how cold her voice had become, but she needed to feel numb to avoid another breakdown. Ginny needed her. They all needed her."Confringo!"

The door was obliterated, and with one final glance towards Draco, Hermione led them outside to Ginny. As they moved the screams intensified and it sounded like Harry was hyperventilating. They finally reached the staircase where Ginny was sprawled on the bottom steps with Luna hopelessly trying to calm her. Ginny had stopped screaming as her contraction eased, but her heavy breathing was almost as loud.

"Oh, Harry! You're alive, I've been sick with worry." Harry collapsed next to her and grabbed her hand.

"I'm so sorry, baby. You're okay now, we're going to take you to St Mungo's. You'll be fine, I love you." He kissed her knuckles before lifting her into his arms.

"I tried to Apparate her to St Mungo's but she wouldn't leave without knowing you were okay, Harry. She didn't want the baby to come into the world without its father." Luna looked as guilty as Hermione felt, and Harry shook his head.

"One day your stubbornness is going to get you killed, Ginny." Harry said. His face contorted in pain as Ginny screamed again and gripped his hand. "Quick, we need to go."

Hermione watched as he disappeared with Ginny, and followed his lead. She imagined the grimy street where the entrance to the hospital was, and it soon appeared before her eyes. They carefully climbed through the window and the reception desk materialised.

When the woman sitting at the desk looked up at Hermione and Lavender she shouted, "Sixth floor!"

Hermione jabbed the elevator button and the doors opened promptly. They all crammed in and Hermione pressed the button with a 6 on it. Her legs shook as she impatiently waited for the doors to open, afraid to be still for too long in case she started to think about her parents.

They sprung out of the elevator as soon as the doors reopened, calling for help. Several Healers in lime green robes rushed over to them and placed the girls on two beds, but Harry and Ginny remained linked to each other by their hands. Ginny was trying to talk, but her words were interrupted by surges of pain.

"The baby- please, tell me it's fine. I'm not- owww, I'm not due for another month. Is the baby fine, please-" One Healer placed her hand on Ginny's shoulder, which turned a pale blue. It seemed to be a sedative because Ginny immediately relaxed and her breathing became more regular.

They wheeled her into a room, and although Hermione still felt remorse over putting Ginny in danger, she knew that she needed to be beside her best friend. As she followed them through the door she called back to Luna, "Call Molly and Arthur!"

Half of her felt like crawling into a corner and having a good cry, however a part of her felt excited, and she smiled. The day had come. Ginny was having a baby.