With you in my Arms

70. He's the son of his Father

Hermione had gone upstairs to get a warmer jumper and her travelling cloak. She was about to leave their bedroom again when she heard the faint sound of a suppressed sob. She stood at the banister and was straining her ears. Had she just imagined that sound? Then she heard it again. A bit louder this time. It was coming from the bathroom. Strange...

She slowly drew her wand and advanced towards the bathroom door. It was slightly ajar. Pushing it open a bit further she saw something that made her breath hitch in her throat. Ginny was sitting on the loo, quietly sobbing.

How had she got in and for long had she been here? Hermione could think of about a dozen places that would have been more likely for her friend to flee to other then her bathroom. There was also the question as to where Harry was, if his bride was here in Edinburgh. Gretna Green wasn't that far away, but it was on the west coast close to the border and they were on the other side of the country on the east coast. She needed to speak to the witch making soft wailing noises now.

Carefully as not to scare her friend Hermione moves closer.

"Ginny?" she called softly.

Fearful eyes fell upon her before moments later the red haired witch threw herself at her friend. Who in turn hastily cast a silencing charm.

"Sshht. Everything is going to be okay, Ginny. Don't worry."

It took a lot of whispered words of re-assurance and three-quarters of a box of cleenex before there was even the faint chance for a coherent conversation.

Hermione led her to her bed and had the younger girl sit down.

"Ginny, what has happened? Ron is downstairs..."

"He mustn't know!" she all but screamed the words in a desperate voice.

"Okay, I'll just tell him that I'm not feeling well and will talk to him later."

But when she got of the bed she realised that she might not get rid of him that easily when she told him this lie personally. He would want to be a good friend and keep her company until Draco came back.

"Turo."

The elf appeared, bowed and smiled widely at her. Then he noticed the other witch in the room and made a frowning face.

"You need to go downstairs and tell the wizard in the living room to go home. Tell him I don't feel well and had to lie down."

"Mistress not feeling well? Turo shall fetch Master?"

She barely managed to get a hold of him before he disapparated.

"No, Turo, no. I'm fine. You just have to tell our guest that I don't feel well." the look she received didn't speak of her having been able to convince him, "I'm perfectly fine."

-pop-

"You never have been very convincing when you were trying to lie."

Hermione sighed, but Ginny was right. It was her weak point. She doubted that she would be able to lie convincingly even if her life depended on it. She could just hope that the need never arose for her to fip her way out off a live threatening situation.

Seating herself next to her friend on the bed again, she observed the other girl for a long moment. Her eyes were red from all the crying she must have done. Dark circles were visible underneath her eyes, indicating a lack of sleep. Her whole appearance was different. Normally she was lively, there was a sparkle about her. All that was gone. She looked like a shell of her former self. Hermione sighed. This was not going to be easy.

"Ginny? What happened? Where have you been all this time?"

"At Grimmauld Place."

"At Harry's? But why didn't you tell anybody where you were. Your parents must be frantic by now."

There was no answer forthcoming. Something was seriously wrong. Why had the witch before her been staying at Harry's place, but at the same time there was the suggestion that she had been hiding there. It wasn't something she said, but Hermione could feel it. So, if Ginny had been hiding at Grimmauld Place where was her best friend? Where was Harry?

"Harry must be worried..." it was a shot in the dark, but it hit the mark as a loud wail broke form Ginny's lips.

"What? Has something happened to Harry?" Hermione asked horrified.

"No...oo...oo." came the sobbed answer.

"What then?" An arm was gently put around the shoulder of the crying girl.

"Blaise... he's been... kissing me... claims I'm... I'm..." she broke down.

'What the hell has Blaise done now? And what does he claim?'

It took the best part of twenty minutes before the noises of the distressed girl subsided a bit.

"Hermione?"

"Yes, Ginny?"

"What is it like, being with a Slytherin I mean."

'Oh oh!'

"Depends on the Slytherin, I would expect."

"Are they all cheating, lying, self opinionated, arrogant bastards?"

"..."

What was Hermione supposed to answer to that? Her Slytherin had been like that in the past, but ever since she got together with him he had been anything but. Nowadays he would probably have difficulties making it into Slytherin House.

"Are they?" an insistent voice intruded her thoughts.

"I honestly don't know. Draco isn't like that any more. He might never have been like it, deep down. He had to keep face for his father."

"Is he all caring and loving with you?"

An embarrassed nod answered that question.

"Why is Blaise not like that then?"

"Why? What has he done?" there was a suspicious undertone in these words.

There was a heavy silence for quite a while.

"I'm not sure that I can handle his... attention. I thought, if I elope with Harry that will make it clear to him that he can't have me and that he should just stop his... him..." her voice trailed off.

"Ginny?"

Blue-grey eyes were looking with the watery sheen of more tears at Hermione.

"I have kissed him, Hermione. I mean not at your wedding, I really didn't want him to kiss me then, but Christmas Day..."

What was she saying? That she was starting to have a thing for the dark skinned wizard? Oh, Merlin! That would kill Harry for sure.

"I can't even pretend that it was his fault, because the moment I felt his lips and his arms wound around me and his body pressed up against mine..."

Shocked silence.

"And when he showed up in Gretna Green with that parchment... he kissed me again and I nearly lost it."

Hermione sighed.

"Are you trying to tell me that you're falling for Blaise?"

"No... yes... no. I don't know what to feel any longer." was the distressed answer.

Hermione frowned just having realised something.

"What kind of parchment did he show up with?"

"A marriage certificate. Our marriage certificate."