Empty souls

Chapter 6. To be or not to be.

(White shadows – Coldplay)

>>>TWO DAYS EARLIER...

“¿Are you ok, Ginny? You look ill” asked Luna while in the parlor in the morning. Just they, Harry and Neville were there.The twins and their girlfriends were in London to pick up a few things. Molly and Fleur were in the kitchen and Bill, Tonks and Mad-eye were patrolling afew places, and they wouldn’t be back until afternoon.

Harry, after Luna’s comment, watched closely at ginny that was seated in the couch beside him with one of his arms around her waist. ‘¿why I didn’t notice?’ thouvht Harry once he realized that Luna was right. Neville looked at Ginny puzzled, from her to toes and then looked Harry’s eyes that seemed to be... confused, as though it was the first time that Harry paid attention to Ginny.

“I don’t know” replied Ginny breathing heavily. “I feel tired, mostly. Maybe I ate something too acid because my stomach is grumbling. But I’ll be fine.” As soon as the last word left her mouth, a sick sensation was writen in her face and ran for the bathroom. Ginny’s wailings were heard from the loo and Luna, Neville and Harry were looking to one another. The heaves were heard soundly, reverberating in the whole house and alarmed the green-eyed. Inmediatly he stood up and walked to the bathroom doo, quickly went inside and closed it, placed a silencing and turned around to see Ginny seated on the floor supported partialy in hte wall, and partialy on the porceline. Harry close the gap between them and kneeled beside Ginny and softly grasped by the shoulders.

“Now you’re better?”

“I think so.” Said Ginny cleaning the remaining liquid in her mouth that tasted like bile. She turned her head a bit to see the concern in Harry’s eyes, while she was trying to regain her breath covering her mouth to not disgusts him.

“Since when are you feeling sick?”

“Yesterday.”

“And ¿why, may I ask, didn’t say anything?”

“Because I thought that it would pass. Well... that was at first...” When Ginny saw that Harry was confused and his brows furrowed she sighed and was about to say something when the nauseous sensation return at full force and dived to the sink to throw up again. Once she finished, Harry soothed her massaging her back and shoulders. “I’m ok now, but I want to talk with you after breakfast.”

“ok.”

Unfortunately, breakfast was not good for Ginny because she barely ate a toast with orange mermelade and two sips of milk. She refused any other meal and Molly was upset. Ginny argued that the night before didn’t sleep well and maybe she needed a nap until lunch time, and left to her room. The rest of the breakfast, Luna was glancing furtively Harry’s face and he noticed it, but didn’t say a thing.

When Harry finished, went upstairs to see if Ginny was right and, when eh went inside her room, saw his fiancé laying in her bed curled and shivering. Again he looked at her confused by her behavior. Ginny saw him enter and with a hand made a motion for him to get close to her, patting the bed at her side, and Harry did it. Ginny was paled and with red eyes so swollen that were almost closed, stared at Harry in wonder. He didn’t say a word but caressed her face soothing her tenderly.

“I want to go to St.Mungos’” said Ginny in a whisper and Harry looked at her puzzled.

“¿That bad is?”

“I don’t know if it’s bad or not, but...” a little smile played in her face despite her conditions. “Maybe I... maybe I’m pregnant.”

Harry opened his eyes widely, that so that, for an instant Ginny thought that would pop out of their sockets, and his mouth suddenly went dry. He began to feel trickles of sweat droping from his forehead in shock and his erratic breaths came out of him like he ran for hours. He was speechless to say the least, because he couldn’t utter a word. Though, his mind was sceaming in horror and thousand thoughts were slamming in his head like a stampede.

“¿What?¿How?” was the reaction of Harry, spiling the only two words that was stabbing him. Though he really knows better. Ginny glared at him like McGonagall does sometimes when a stupid question is asking when is something so obvious.

“I thought that maybe you would be happy... but I guess I was wrong.” Harry didn’t say anything at that, he was still shocked and couldn’t utter nothing else for fear of upset her even more. He tried to regain his composture taking great breaths and slowly letting them out until he could talk again.

“Sorry, Ginny. It wasn’t my intention, it’s just... I don’t know... so sudden... so early...” Harry sighed. “¿Are you sure?”.

“That’s why I want to go to St. Mungo’s. It’ll be better if I go before dinner.”

“I’ll go wiht you.”

“No. You need to stay here. I’ll ask Luna, Angelina and Kate to go with me.”

“B-But ¿why? It’s my responsability.”

“It’s dangerous for you.”

“¿Since when it isn’t?” retored Harry sarcastically. He was beginning to get angry for not being more careful. ‘¡¡A baby changes everything!!’. Thought Harry. ‘I don’t know if the idea makes me feel sad, guilt or stupid... maybe a bit of all... ¡¡Damn it!!’

“If you go, my mum would suspect something, and I don’t want her hopes up if I’m not pregnant.”

“¿Her hopes up? Wait... she knows... that you and I...”

“¡¡Oh, god no!! No, no, no, no... she doesn’t , but she can figure out that you and I are not just twirling fingers anymore, after all, she gave birth seven times... what really concerns me is that, as intuitive as she is, didn’t corner me to ask questions yet.”

“And, ¿How are you going to go to St.Mungo’s without her noticing it.”

“I’ll say I forgot my present to you for the wedding and need the girls to acompanny me.”

“She’ll want to go.”

“No, because she need to do the dinner or else we won’t eat. Angelina and Kate will be back in less than an hour. Luna and Neville will come of course.”

“Angelina, Kate, Luna and Neville... ¡¿All of them knows?!”

“No, just Luna and Neville.”

“¿That’s why they were looking at me?...¡God Ginny! ¿Why did you tell them?”

“I didn’t. Luna figured out by herself, I just didn’t say no, and maybe she told Neville, he’s her boyfriend after all, and a good friend of us. Angelina and Kate don’t know yet, of course they will once we get there but they won’t say anything.”

“¿How could you be so sure?”

“Believe me, they owe me” replied machiavelic crocking an eyebrow.

In Harry’s eyes, Ginny didn’t look concerned or worried... not even upset. She looks like her wish was about to get teal... For Harry, the prospect of a child was not only early, but troubled. Just to think on a baby in his arms was unbearable... if it was Hermione, then it’ll be the happiest moment in his life. Harry sigued and then leaned to give Ginny a kiss on the forehead but she lifted her face and meet his lips with hers and snaked her arms around his neck. Taking by surprise, he opened his mouth and Ginny took advantage and deepened the kiss. Harry almost hesitated but in the end he submitted to kiss her fully and passionatelly, laying by jher side while she slide hands to his torso under his shirt, making him moan and Harry caught her hips restraining himself to touch her. Then , they heard someone knocking on the door and Ginny graned in frustration. Harry felt relieved and grateful to whoever call at the door. He strightened his shirt and stood up. Harry opened the door and saw Molly and his smile grew wider.

“¿How’s Ginny, dear?”

“I’m ok, mum. Said Ginny and Harry fully opened the door, letting Molly get full sight of the room. Like every other mother, Molly inspected and scanned the room in a quick glance that didn’t pass unnoticed by a pair of green eyes, but merely stood there waiting for the woman get satisfied.

“¿Are you sure dear?”

“Yeah.”

“I was just leaving. Ginny feel sleepy, so I get going.” Harry turned and blew her a kiss and left the room unperturbed. Once he got to his room, Harry sat heavily in his bed mulling everything that Ginny told him. Silently, he was begging to God and Merlin to not let that happen... to not let Ginny be pregnant. Maybe he was being selfish, but a kid... in this moment... was not the best of ideas... not if it’s Ginny’s.

An hour later, the plot begun when Ginny, supported by Angelina, Kate, Luna and Neville, cornered Molly in the parlor while she was doing her chores. Her mother did not object bus was demendingly to wait for Bill or Remus. In the end, Ginny won with the argument that they’ll get back too late to go to Diagon Alley.

Ginny’s tour was simple; take the floo to the alley, there pick the floo-traffic while she explained to the rest why they’ll go to St. Mungo’s, go with an available healer and take a pregnancy test, and once the healer guess her status, go again to Diagon Alley, pick the Harry’s present and get back to Black manor before dinner. Well... that was the initial plan. Unfortunately that was the far they thought, because everything went almost unreal.

Ginny, Luna, Neville, Angelina and Kate arrived in St. Mungo and walked straight to the receptionist.

“¿May I help you?” asked the lady behind the counter that was sorting injuried people in the room before her.

“Mmmhh, well, yes...” hesitated Ginny. At her side was Angelina while the rest were seated on chairs in hte wating room. The lady in the counter was looking at Ginny with a mixture of bother and boredoom. The weasley courage was failing her and Angelina took matters in her hands.

“We’re here to see if healer Jacobson can examinate her.” Ginny looked Angelina puzzled but said nothing and then nodded.

“About...?”

“That’s the matter... we want to know about her health. She’s not feeling very well, you know?”

the lady was a bit impatient but frowned and taking a little card said:

“Second floor. Office seven-o-nine, with this number” the lady gave them the card to Ginny that read thirty-eight. “you’ll need to wait untill they call you. Have a nice day... ¡¡Next!!”

With that, they departed and Kate, Luna and Neville waited in the waiting room, while Angelina and Ginny were taking the elevator. As the door closed, Ginny looked Angelina with suspiction.

“¿Healer Jacobson?” At this, Angelina just shrugged but Ginny wasn’t going to let it go, so she persisted. “Don’t shrugg at me. You’re not Fred’s girlfriend for nothing.”

The elevator’s door opened again and, getting out turned to the corridor and begun to walk until they got to the door that read ‘709’ and they opened it to get inside, where at least six other people were waiting to be called. Angelina was smirking and Ginny made her questions.

“¿Are you going to tell me?... you know, I told you what it’s happening. It’s not fair. Tell me why do you know healer Jacobson. ¿was the same as me?”

“Healer Jacobson is my uncle, mum’s cousin. He’s a good man. I confide in him with my life.” Angelina sighed at the face of Ginny that was waiting to hear the rest. “Ok, ok... six months back I needed to see him because... well... I thought that I was pregnant too.”

Ginny’s eyes opened wide in surprise. Angelina shooked her head.

“I didn’t tell Fred because I wasn’t sure. So I came here to see my uncle and once the examination finished, he said I wasn’t pregnant.”

“Fred knows?”

“Yeah, I told him everything. I must say he was disapointed, but we sorted things out and agreed to wait afew years. Mostly because we want to marry each other first... ¡¡Molly will cut our heads off if she finds out!!” Ginny and Angelina laughed at this, she has a point. “My uncle gave me a few tips to prevent an early pregnancy”

this way, while Angelina gave advice to Ginny, the rest of the people that was waiting for their turns, got inside and outside until a lady called for the number 39 and went in. Healer Jacobson greeted Angelina with a hug and then offered his hand to Ginny.

“¿To what do I owe your visit, Angelina?”

“It’s not for me but her” and the healer turned to Ginny. “She’s my almost sister-in-law and well... she thinks...”

“That I may be pregnant.” Said Ginny straight. She was nervous, of course, but was impatient to know.

“You’re too young little lady.” Said the healer with amusement at seeing Ginny’s face turn red, almost as the shade of her hair. Healer Jacobson smiled. “Do not be ashamed. It’s a natural thing.”

“I’m not ashamed.” Said Ginny shyly, though she was looking at the floor.

“That’s good to hear, come sit here.” The healer signaled Ginny to sit on the couch and then laid there. Angelina was at her side while her uncle give a few swish and flicks with his wand above Ginny’s abdomen. Ablue light erupted from the tip of the wand and expanded, then with other few flicks the light turned red, and again red.

The healer was about to say something, when they heard yells coming from the halls. No one said a thing. Then heard an explosion from the floors above and the ground shook tremendously. Angelina tensed and Ginny stood up like a rubber band; healer’s eyes grew wide and more yells were heard getting closer by the minute.

“We need to get out.” Said the healer aprehensively taking by the arms at the girls and walked rapidly to the door to the waiting room. No one was there but yells were soundly scaring and then turning into screams. Angelina was going to open the other door but her uncle stoped her.

“No, wait.” Pushing the girls behind him, took the door knob and slowly, discretly, turned and opened it to peer outside and quicly shut it again. With his wand placed a locking charm and turned to see the girls. The healer was paled and Ginny was thinking the worst.

“Death-eaters.” Said the healer in a whisper. Ginny closed her eyes when her fear was confirmed. “Come, we need to get back to the office.”

“We’ll apparate.”

“No, we can’t.” Whispered the healer while signaling the girls to get back in to the office and closing the door behind. Ginny and Angelina looked at him confused.

“¿Why not?” asked Angelina urgently.

“Because the bulding has wards anti-apparition from the outside as well from the inside like Hogwarts or Gringotts. The only scape we have is the floo.”

“But the only fireplace is...”

“It’s down, in the principal floor.” Finished Ginny and the healer nodded. “¡Oh, God!”

Outside the screams were getting louder and louder. Ginny opened her mouth to say something but then an explosion blew the door of the waiting room and in less than five seconds, the door of the office was too blew off of it’s hinges.

The last thing Ginny saw was two other people in black with masks pointing at them with their wands and a bright red light before her.

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At four o’clock, Harry was in the parlor with Fleur. Molly was in the kitchen. Since Ginny and the rest were outside, Harry thought that it would be a good idea to take a nap, but couldn’t. He was laying in his bed thinking on Ginny and the possibility of her being pregnant. ‘No, it can’t’ thought Harry like it was his death sentence. ‘She’s not, I refused to believe it’.

And seeing that taking a nap was denided, Harry decided to go downstairs and found Fleur in the parlor reading a book. This brought him memories of Hermione, memories of her looking at the book that wanted to archive for knowledge, like she was trying to break records. He didn’t know if it was fun or challenge for her, but for Ron was pure amusement and Hermione always got angry at Ron’s comments.

There were good times, and remember that was making his heart cringe in pain. Shooking his head to disperse the thoughts, seated in a couch in front of Fleur and she began to talk with him.

At four-forthysix, the twins got back from London laughing. They seated too in the parlor.

“¿What’s so funny?” asked Harry intrigued.

“Oh!, well...” said Fred.

“Is that... mmmhh”replied George. The twins looked at one another and begun to relate the new idea for WWW. Something about a blodger that explode before a bat hit it. And they would had said whatever they were thinknig, but a bang from the front door startled them and they had their wands out and pointing at the entrance, only to see Renus and Tonks get hurriedly inside, panting.

“¡¿what happened?!” exclaimed Harry straight to the point. ‘This reaction usually means trouble’ thought Harry morosely.

“¿Where are the rest?” shouted Remus.

“¿Why?, ¿Wha_”

“¡¡Answer!!” yelled Remus and Tonks. Molly came running into the parlor with a towel in her hands.

“¿What’s wrong?”

“¡¡Answer, damn it!!” yelled Remus even louder.

“Ginny, Luna, Neville, Angelina and Kate are in Diagon Alley.” Replied Harry tensed.

“¿How’s that?” asked the twins puzzled looking straight Harry’s face.

“¿Are you sure?” asked Tonks.

“¿What’s happening?” yelled Molly.

“We’re going to Diagon Alley to get them back then.” Replied Remus visibly paled.

“¿Why?” asked Harry closing the gap between him and Remus.

“Five order members are right now in St. Mungo’s... St. Mungo is under attack.”

“¡¡NO!!” cried Harry while the rest were startled at the outburst of the green eyed young man. Harry didn’t waste time and was about to get inside the fireplace when remus gripped him by the arms.

“¿Where are you going? Tonks and I will go for them.”

“They’re not there.”

“¡¿What?!”

“¿What are you saying?” asked Remus and Molly.

“Ginny and the others aren’t in Diagon Alley... They’re in St. Mungo’s” explained Harry now desperated.

“¡It can’t be! Yelled the twins and Molly fainted.

“¡BUT, YOU SAID..!, ¡¿WHY?!”

“¡¡They were and are with Ginny there... because maybe she’s pregnant.!!”


A/N: The next chapter will be scaring... and from thereon, fisical and virtual battles ahead. ¿what do you think of Harry’s behavior? To become a father is a good idea for him, but not with Ginny for a mother of his children... ¿am I a horrible person for doing this? I mean, I’m a single mother, for god’s sake!!! Life supposed to be this way sometimes... good and bad... black and white... up and down... but my story is getting interesting and exciting... you’ll know what I mean. Please, READ AND REVIEW!!!!!