The Contract

Disclaimer: They aren't mine -- for full disclaimer, see chapter one!



Chapter Twenty Four – Ginny’s Visit





The school owls came the day after Lucius’ execution. Two days before school was set to begin, Severus joined the group as the Weasleys and Draco made their way to Diagon Alley. The shopkeepers, keeping their promises, took the money from the Weasleys, and then redeposited it into their account at Gringott’s.



Madame Malkins’ did a bit more, however. After getting the measurements, this brilliant store, took the galleons for the first robe, announced that the new clothing would be ready the next day and owled to the Burrow, then set about making entire wardrobes for each of those in attendance. The Weasley household would certainly be different tomorrow.



Once they had their supplies, the group split. Severus escorted Draco to Gringott’s to review his Mother’s vaults, while the Weasleys went to St. Mungo’s. As always, Draco slipped a small note and a box of chocolates into Ron’s hand and asked that he deliver them personally. Shaking his head, Ron agreed.





St. Mungo’s Hospital was usually a busy place to be. Harry had been there two weeks and was making progress with the mind healers. The Healers of his body had released him completely, but he remained on the third floor in a private suite. The Aurors, ever present, rotated but there were only six that he trusted enough to allow in his room. Auror Stephen Maples was one of those, and they had spent quiet evenings playing chess or speaking, he also had an impressive amount of gifts from admirers. Books, music, and tea sets, to name a few, scattered the room and shelves. He would spend time rifling through them or talking, anything to get his mind off the broken heart that threatened to fill the abyss of his soul.





He smiled when the knock on the door came. His family entered. Walking across, Hermione hugged him firmly. A small whisper of love was exchanged before Molly overwhelmed him. She always was the consummate mum to him and showed it by tittering on about his weight and how pale he was. He took it in stride.



“Hey, how much longer are they going to keep you? The last thing the Healer told us was a month or so more.” Ron asked.



Harry looked at the blue eyes of his best friend. He knew that Ron was firmly siding with Draco and the answer would be passed on to the blonde. Part of him battled that Draco deserved to know. Their romance, or ownership, or whatever it was had been short, but Harry had felt like he was part of something wonderful. Of course, that part battled with the portion of Harry that felt that Draco showed cowardice in the face of Lucius. Forgiveness was the key to getting out of here, and he had not been able to find it.



There was no answer immediately, as the two sides warred in his mind. Snapping out, he said, “I don’t know. I don’t think I’ve gotten very far in my counseling.”



“No worries mate. We got everything you need, except your robes, from Diagon Alley and will just take it to school for you. Mum and Dad will take you to get fitted for your robes when you get out.”



“I’m not crazy.” Harry said without preamble. “Do you know that? I mean, I hear two sides of an issue speaking in my head and I sit back and wonder who will win that particular round. I may not be back for our Seventh Year if I can’t get past it.”



Hermione sat beside Harry on the bed. She took his hand and he shivered. “You don’t have to worry about things. It was horrific what you survived and it’s okay for you to take your time. This isn’t permanent. Give yourself some time.” Harry nodded. Taking a moment to assess the situation, then plowing on regardless, she added, “Maybe if you just talked to Draco…”



That was as far as she got before Harry lost his temper again. The wind in the room picked up. Teapots and cups suddenly shattered against the walls. Pages were ripped from books. Harry was panting, his face red with anger just before Ron tackled him onto the bed.



Having the weight press down upon him made his already angry magic become uncontrollable. Ron was hurtled across the room and landed with a deafening ‘THUNK!’ against the wall. Hermione screamed and rushed to his side. Ginny approached him and without warning, backhanded the brunette.



Everything stopped. Molly Weasley’s normally motherly tone erupted into one that was usually reserved for Fred and George. “How dare you, Harry Potter. We love you and come here every day. We have sacrificed much to keep Draco in our home where he is safe; because you told us you cared about him. Is this how you repay those actions? You have a lot to think about young man. I will not be back until you send an apology to my family and me for your outburst. Come along everyone.” And with a sweeping motion, Ron who swayed on his feet and Hermione followed.



Ginny stayed where she was. Her arms were crossed, staring at Harry. His face, where she had slapped him, was purple and his eyes shown unshed tears. She turned, said something out of the door, and returned. Pulling up a chair and sitting in it, studying him as though he were an interesting experiment. “What the bloody hell was that all about Potter?”



“What? Why are you still here? I thought you had to leave with your mum.”



“You just come down off that attitude with me. I am your sister and you will be nice. I have enough nonsense at home to deal with and you won’t be adding to it.” She said with a fierce determination. “Mum was right. You are in here alone, except for the voices in your head, and we visit. We send notes and gifts. Every one in the Wizarding world sends you things. What you don’t get here is sent to Hogwart’s where they have a special room just for your FAN MAIL.”



Harry gawked at her. He had not known. “Why?”



“Because you are in St. Mungo’s Hospital. You made front page news and have stayed there since your arrival.” She said.



Harry hung his head in shame. “I didn’t ask anyone to care about me.”



“It isn’t all about you. It’s more about your fame. But if you notice, Draco’s mail always gets through.”



“I haven’t gotten…” He started before she cut him off again.



“You may think you don’t like him. You may not trust him. But he is part of you. Deal with it.”



“He let me…”



Ginny cut across him, “Blah, blah, blah, Potter. Draco had just been beaten with a cane. His father had half choked him while doing it. He was in here for a few days as well. It wasn’t all about you. Besides,”



“He left me alone. I almost bled to death!” Harry interrupted her.



“You are AN IDIOT! YOU ARE THE ONE THAT CALLED DOBBY!” She shouted over him. “Draco told him to take you somewhere safe and return to him. Then asked that he get ALL your things and take them somewhere safe as well. He wanted that idiot elf to stay with you. You healed the first time, why would he not think you wouldn’t heal the second?”



“But…” Harry tried to say.



“You do what you want, but I have watched that blonde aristocrat ask for help. I watched him stay at the Burrow with people he made fun of for years because he knew that we would. He knew because you told him we would always support you. And because you told us you cared about him. He needed more than what he had. Why can’t you figure it out?”



Harry roared, but Ginny didn’t even flinch. “WHY DO YOU BLOODY WELL CARE ABOUT DRACO FUCKING MALFOY? HE HURT ME! WHY AREN’T I MORE IMPORTANT THAN HE IS?”



Ginny’s voice dropped an octave or so. Her words carried venom, but truth. Ginny Weasley may have been the youngest, but she also carried a bit of each of her brothers in her. She let the words sink in a bit before she stood. “I don’t know what it will take Harry. I care about Draco ‘fucking’ Malfoy because you do, you prat. You don’t know what he’s been through because of all of this mess. Merlin, Harry, he severed the bond at great personal risk. He spit in his father’s face and told him he would never forgive him for hurting you. He swallowed his pride and has made not only peace with my family and Hermione, but he is trying like bloody hell to be our friend.



“He is as alone in the world as you are, and he is carrying on. He adores you. He did what he thought was best. Someday, if you are lucky, he will forgive you for being such an arse, but in the meantime, he will function. Not live, function. He will go to school, do his work, he may even play Quiddich, he will sleep and the next day start it all over again. He will go on with his life, with or without you in it. He won’t hide in a hospital and pretend to be getting better.



“I didn’t like Draco Malfoy when he was thrust into our lives. But we trusted you to know what you were doing. Choices or not, we trusted you. And, right now, I am telling you that your trust in him was correctly placed.”



“I…” Harry’s voice faltered.



Raising both of her hands to stop him, she continued, “I’m not done yet. In two days, we will get on the Hogwart's Express and go to school. You won’t go. You will be able to go when you come to grips with the fact that you were raped and it was LUCIUS Malfoy’s fault, not DRACO Malfoy’s fault, and they are two separate people. Lucius is dead, he can’t hurt you anymore. But you can continue to hurt yourself.



“Grow up and blame the proper people. If you need me, OWL me. I’ll get permission to visit or whatever you want me to do. But get better. I miss you at home. I will miss you at school.”



Harry nodded mutely and watched as she walked out of the door. The Aurors did not look in as he hung his head in shame.



Maybe I can separate the two men. I doubt he could ever forgive my actions, but maybe I can forgive him…someday…



And with that thought, he lay down and fell into a few hours of proper sleep, the first he'd had in weeks.





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Author's Note: Thank you so much for the continued support of all of you. The reviews are amazing!