Mudblood slave trade

Ginny screamed out her pain as her baby made its way into the world. She was screaming so loud that she nearly missed the mediwizard telling her it was time to push again. Gritting her teeth in pain, she pushed hard. Her brow was wet with sweat from determination.
Ginny’s head flopped back onto the pillow as her baby slid from her body and she breathed a sigh of relief as her son started to cry.
A nurse took her son to be cleaned and weighed then was brought back to her wrapped in a blanket. When her son was placed in her arms, Ginny held him close to her chest.
“We need a name for him, Mrs. Malfoy,” said a cheerful mediwitch who was standing by her bed with a chart in her hands.
Ginny thought for a moment. She and Draco had discussed names before but never really decided on one. “His name is Connor Abraxas Malfoy,” said Ginny, looking into her son's eyes, which were a picture of Draco’s and, from what Draco had told her, also his grandfather's, which is where the name Abraxas had come from.
A couple of mediwitches came and cleaned Ginny up and put clean linen on the bed. After the nurses were happy that Ginny and her son were okay, they left them alone.
Ginny laid there, holding her son close to her breast, wishing Draco could be by her side to see his newborn son.
“May we come in?” asked a voice from the doorway. Tearing her eyes from her baby, she looked to the door to see Ron and Harry.
“Yes…come in,” said Ginny, her skin aglow with happiness.
“Oh Ginny, he’s gorgeous!” cried Ron as he leaned forward and kissed Ginny’s brow while rubbing the baby’s head. “What have you called him?” he asked, his eyes glued to his nephew.
Ginny looked a bit apprehensive before she answered. “Connor Abraxas Malfoy,” she said and wasn't surprised to see Ron scowl. “Ron, don’t make that face. You’ll scare the baby,” joked Ginny when Ron didn’t say anything straight away.
“Why didn’t you name him after Dad?” asked Ron, looking annoyed.
Ginny looked down at her baby. “Draco has wanted a boy for so long…it seemed only right,” she said, and for the first time since the two boys had come into the room, Ginny looked towards Harry for support.
Harry had been very silent since he had come into the room. His mind was swimming with the new discovery and his mind dwelled on Hermione.
Realizing Ginny needed his help, Harry stepped forward. “Well, I like it,” he said and Ron’s jaw dropped in surprise.
“Thank you, Harry,” said Ginny, thanking him with a nod.
“Well, I like the name Connor, but…Abraxas? Why on earth would you give him that name? I thought you and that git had split up,” said Ron, sounding happy just by the thought.
“No…I said I kicked him out,” Ginny corrected him; Ron made a jester that said what’s the difference.
“We had an argument. That doesn't mean we're over!” snapped, Ginny, making Connor jump. Ginny quickly shushed Ron and comforted her baby.
“But I didn’t say…” Ron started, but was stopped with a warning look from Harry, who stepped forward.
“Ron, will you get me a drink please?” asked Harry as if Ron had said he was going to get one himself.
Ron opened his mouth to protest but, realizing Harry just wanted to talk to Ginny alone, he nodded and left the room.
Ginny looked up and seemed surprised to see that she, Harry and, of course, her baby, were alone.
“I’ve wanted to talk to you since we left for the hospital,” said Harry solemnly.
“Oh really…what about?” asked Ginny, though she thought she knew what he wanted to talk about.
“Draco hit you, didn’t he?” asked Harry, unable to keep the anger for Draco from his voice and when Ginny didn’t reply, Harry raised his eyebrows at her.
“Alright…yes he did!” cried Ginny, remembering Draco’s rage.
“And it's not the first time, is it? But I suppose it was really your fault or you provoked him!” cried Harry, his hate for Draco rising.
“Yes, he has hit me before and I don’t intend to defend him for it…I know what he did was wrong and I hate him for it!” snapped Ginny. She stopped, wondering whether to continue. “And you know what else? You and Ron can't look past your own hatred for Draco and see that he’s my husband and he loves me and I want to be with him…so hate him all you want but don’t expect me to!” cried Ginny.
Harry’s mouth flapped stupidly, no words coming out.
“Don’t you look at me like that, Mr. Potter! You and Ron are so consumed by the past you can't see him for who he is. You may be the one person who almost accepts our marriage, but I believe that’s because you had it out with him eight years ago…I believe you broke his nose,” said Ginny, tilting her head to one side at the last part of her sentence.
Harry looked at her in surprise. He had not known that she knew about that and he had forgotten all about it, Ginny merely looked back to her baby, who slept soundly in her arms.
Harry stood thinking of what to say, but nothing really came to mind. He settled on saying, “Well…glad we got that sorted out.”
Ginny surprised him as she started to laugh at him. Harry tilted his head in confusion.
“You’re so hopeless,” said Ginny, her shoulders shaking with mirth.
“Am not,” said Harry, faking a hurt look as Ron walked back into the room.
“You’re not what?” Ron asked, wondering why they were both laughing.
“Never you mind,” said Ginny, managing to stop laughing.
Ron looked at them both with an odd expression. Shrugging his shoulders, he turned to Ginny.
“The healers say you're okay to go home if you wish,” he said.
Ginny’s face lit up at the news. “Great. I hate hospitals,” said Ginny, getting to her feet, her son in the crook of her arm.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After Harry made sure Ginny was safe at home with her children, he and Ron set off to Diagon Alley to confront the Death Eater. Harry’s mind was racing as he stormed up the busy street with Ron at his side. Entering Knockturn Alley, Harry’s head filled with everything he was going to say to this man and his heart seemed to skip a beat when he thought about Hermione being there. Entering the small side alley, Harry led Ron down to the Death Eater's shop and they peered though the window. The shop was dark, but a light showed from the back room where Harry supposed the man was.
Ron tried the door but found it locked tight. Drawing out his wand, he pointed it to the keyhole. “Alohamora,” he whispered and the door clicked in response as it unlocked and Harry pushed it open slowly. The door creaked slightly as it opened fully.
Entering the shop, Harry and Ron snuck up to the door that showed light.
“Do we knock?” mouthed Ron and no sooner had the words left his lips before Harry pointed his wand at the door.
“Bombarda!” he yelled, the door burst open with a loud crack and Harry rushed inside. He saw the Death Eater and grabbed him before the man could register what was happening. Harry slammed him against the wall and jabbed his wand into the man's throat. “Where is she!” he growled.
The Death Eater seemed in shock and said nothing. Ron placed his hand on Harry’s shoulder but Harry shrugged it off.
“I said…where is she?” he said again, his rage not ebbing.
“I don’t know what you're talking about…let me go!” choked the old man, grabbing at Harry’s hands.
“You're lying! I know damned well you know what I mean…I saw you take her!” said Harry, reliving the memory over in his head for a brief second.
“You're crazy!” shrieked the old man, looking between Harry and Ron with a fake bewildered look on his face.
“Stop lying!” shouted Harry, giving the Death Eater a sharp shake. “I know you have her…I saw you take her!” he added.
“Harry, maybe you were wrong…I mean, you were only dreaming,” said Ron, placing his hand on Harry’s shoulder again.
“You see? Crazy!” piped the Death Eater, though he had a worried look on his face.
“It wasn't just a dream, it was a memory…I saw you take her,” said Harry, not missing the worry upon the man's face.
“I assure you I didn’t,” said the man in what would be a calm voice, but his voice shook slightly as he spoke.
“You took Hermione…and if you don’t tell me where she is, I swear I will kill you where you stand”! Harry threatened, pushing his wand harder into the man’s neck.
“Harry!” said Ron in surprise. He had never seen his friend this angry before.
“I don’t care…I know he took her! I’m not lying!” cried Harry, looking at Ron with a plea on his face. He needed his friend to understand that he just knew this was the man who took Hermione.
Ron nodded slowly as he saw the desperation in his eyes and turned on the Death Eater himself.
“Just tell him where she is and we will be on our way,” lied Ron, who knew Harry would still hurt the man.
“If you hurt me you will regret it,” the old man lied, fear still etched in his voice. He was more afraid of what Lucius would do to him than these two boys.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he added, throwing Harry’s hands off him.
Harry still had the wand pointed to the man’s throat, his face red with anger. He knew he didn’t have the guts to kill a man, no matter what he had done.
“This isn’t over,” said Harry through gritted teeth as he lowered his wand slowly. The Death Eater couldn’t keep the relief from his face.
Harry turned his back on the Death Eater and, to Ron’s surprise, turned around and punched the man in the face before he stormed out of the shop. Ron quickly followed.
“Bloody hell, Harry!” he cried as he jogged to keep up with him.
Harry stared ahead, anger running though his veins, his heart pounding with adrenaline.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Draco walked slowly to his father's study; he had received word via his father’s Patronus to come to the study as soon as possible. Reluctantly, he dragged his feet to his father's study. he knocked on the door, he heard his father tell him to come in. He found his father sitting at his desk with a piece of parchment in his hand.
“You called, Father?” said Draco as he went and sat down across from Lucius.
“Yes. Your wife sent you a letter,” answered his father promptly, waving the piece of parchment he had in his hand.
Draco looked enraged that his father had opened his mail and wondered why the owl had not delivered his mail directly to him.
“May I have the letter, Father?” asked Draco, reaching his hand out to the letter, but his father jerked it away.
“All it says is that she has had the baby,” said Lucius impatiently. “I suggest you go get your son and bring him to me like we discussed.”
Three things happened to Draco one after the other: first he felt shock, then happiness, then worry.
“But…” he started, but Lucius gave his son a look that promised pain if Draco spoke again so, backing off slowly, Draco left the study.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Later that same night, Ginny was putting her children to bed. She kissed every one of them on the forehead as she tucked them in, and then went to her bedroom, where Connor was laying in his cot. “How’s my little angel?” Ginny cooed as she lifted the baby into her arms. Taking him downstairs, she fed him his last bottle before bed. She paced the room and sang her newborn to sleep, then laid him down and watched him sleep for a long time.
As she lay in bed after Connor had fallen to sleep, she wept silently, missing Draco dearly.
Little did she know that Draco was outside watching the house from the gate.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Draco watched the house for a long time as he watched the lights go out one by one. Finally, Ginny’s bedroom light flicked off and Draco waited long enough for Ginny to fall asleep before he crept into the house
Moving slowly as to not make a sound, Draco moved down the hallway towards the staircase. Climbing the staircase, he was worried that a step would creak and alert Ginny to his presence. Draco tiptoed across the hallway to the first door he came to. He held his breath as he passed, but stopped just outside their door. Draco pushed the door open gently and looked inside. His daughters were all fast asleep, tucked up in their covers. His youngest daughter was sucking her thumb as she slept. Draco wanted to go kiss them but hardened his heart and made his way across the rest of the landing.
Entering his and Ginny’s room, he spied her asleep on the bed, curled in a ball. Draco ached to go and lay next to her but knew he could not do so.
He walked as slowly as his feet would allow him and went to the baby’s crib and looked down at his son. His eyes were reflected back at him out of his son’s bright eyes. Draco smiled down at him.
“Shhhhhhh,” he cooed, leaning down he picked his son up into his arms where he held him close to his chest.
Draco turned and headed for the door but before he reached it, he heard Ginny call out his name.
“Draco,” she murmured, and when Draco turned around, he noticed that she was still asleep. He crept over to the bed and looked down at her.
Ginny’s face was screwed up with emotion as she slept. She groaned a few times, then said Draco’s name aloud as tears leaked from under her closed eyes.
Draco’s heart melted and he longed to wake her and tell her everything was going to be okay, but the thought of his father knowing this scared him. Draco’s mind was battling with itself when his son, with strength that surprised Draco, grabbed his hand and squeezed it tightly.
Draco looked at his son again and kissed him lightly on the forehead. “It's okay, little one,” he whispered and, as quietly as he could, he placed the infant back down in his cot.
His mind raced with what he would say to his father as he realized that his love for Ginny and the family they had created won over everything else despite his father.
Taking one last look at his son and wife, he left the bedroom swiftly and left the house, but not before looking in on his daughters one last time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lucius pulled on his clothes as Hermione choked once again on the bed he had left her in. “Get up,” he snapped as he dragged her off the bed and threw her to one side, where she slumped on the floor.
Changing the bed back to the mattress, he left in a hurry, bolting the door behind him. He stormed up to his study, his cheeks red with anger. He had been in the middle of assaulting Hermione when Draco’s Patronus floated into the room and told him that Draco was in the study waiting for him so, not even finishing what he started, he dressed and departed from Hermione's cell.
Entering the study, he was surprised to see Draco sitting across from his own chair empty-handed.
“What is the meaning of this, Draco? I thought you would have had your son with you to call me via Patronus,” hissed Lucius, angry that he had left Hermione for nothing.
“I’m sorry, Father,” said Draco who, little did his father know, knew where his father had just been.
“I thought you had gone to get your son like I asked,” said Lucius impatiently.
Draco looked at his father defiantly and lifted his head high. “I have decided to leave my son where he belongs…with his mother,” said Draco, his voice not showing a hint of the fear that he was feeling.
Lucius’ face went redder still. “Have you lost your mind, Draco?” he bellowed, reaching Draco in a few strides and pulling him to his feet by the front of his robes. “I knew this would happen…the bitch has brainwashed you!” cried Lucius, shaking Draco roughly.
Draco pushed his father's hand away. “Don’t call her a bitch!” Draco bellowed back.
“I’ll call her whatever I please…Have you forgotten our plans for the future?” Lucius asked, his voice filled with rage.
“Your plans, Father!” Draco corrected him. “I never had a choice but to listen to you,” he added. Shame filled him as he realized just how much he had let his father run his life.
“You are my son and therefore you should do as I ask!” sneered Lucius.
“I don’t want anything to do with you anymore!” said Draco suddenly. Lucius's face dropped in surprise.
“If you wish to carry out your plans without me…don’t drag me down with you,” said Draco, looking his father in the eye.
“When I was a child I would have done anything to please you…but now I see you're not worth it…you do things that would sicken anyone,” said Draco. The thought of Hermione locked away engulfed him.
“What do you mean by that?” asked Lucius, glaring at his son.
“You know damned well what I mean, Father…” said Draco, not wishing to elaborate.
As Draco turned to the door, Lucius seemed to find himself again and drew out his wand and pointed it to Draco’s retreating back.
“I can’t let you walk out of here,” snapped Lucius. “Petrificus totalus!” Draco’s body went as stiff as a board and flopped backwards onto the floor.
Lucius loomed over his paralyzed son, .Draco’s eyes were darting everywhere as he attempted to fight off the spell.
“I shouldn’t have sent you to do a mans' job…you're still a child and one day you will thank me for this,” said Lucius. He left the room, locking it behind him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ginny awoke and sat upright in bed. She did not know why she had woken but she felt wide awake. She swung her legs off the bed and got to her feet. Rubbing her face, she glided down the hall to the bathroom, where she poured herself a glass of water.
A sudden cracking sound made her jump and the glass she had been holding smashed to the ground, showering broken glass over her feet.
Ginny ran down to hallway and back to her bedroom and gasped. “Mr. Malfoy...what are you doing here?” said Ginny, who was clearly surprised.
“I’m here to collect my grandson,” he said matter-of-factly.
“Collect?” said Ginny questioningly.
It dawned on Ginny quickly what he meant by his words and leaped toward Connor's crib and shielded him with her arms. “Get out!” she said bravely, though her voice shook with fear.
Lucius looked at her, his face unfazed, almost relaxed, and then stuck her suddenly, sending Ginny sprawling over the floor.
Pain erupted in Ginny’s head and her cheek throbbed with pain. Lifting her head, she saw Lucius lean over the crib.
Ginny launched herself at Lucius and brought him down to the floor with a force that surprised even her. She clawed at his face as much as she could before Lucius's hands clamped down on hers, his sharp nails piercing her skin.
“You stupid bitch,” Lucius snarled, striking her harder this time. Ginny blacked out for a moment; when she came around, Lucius was standing over her, his wand pointed at Ginny’s chest.
“I’ll teach you for turning Draco away from me” he snarled.
“Crucio!” he yelled. Ginny’s body screamed out with pain as the spell tore through her body, leaving nowhere untouched.
Ginny screamed out as her body spasmed uncontrollably from the spell. Lucius finally lifted the spell and pulled Ginny up by the hair. Her eyes were wide with fear.
Lucius’ eyes filled with lust over the look of pure fear in her eyes. He knew he could have her right now if he wanted to, but that’s not what he was here to do.
Throwing her onto the bed, he turned and picked up the baby. Ginny raised her head as much as she could manage. Lucius grinned at her before he Apparated out of the room with Connor in his arms.
“No!” Ginny screamed, stretching out her arm as if to grab Lucius, but all she caught was thin air.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lucius Apparated to his Manor, his grandson in his arms. He walked up the long pathway and let himself into the building. As he reached the study, he noticed broken wood littering the hallway, his study door blown in half. Lucius sniggered. “Seems Daddy’s angry,” he said to Connor. As he entered his study, one quick look around told him Draco was not there.
“He’ll be back,” Lucius said
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Draco had fought against his father's spell for ten minutes before he broke through it. When it came to locked doors, Draco discovered that he still had his wand. Glad his father had not thought to take it, he blasted the door apart and left the room.
He raced down the stairs and out of the building’s perimeter so he could Apparate and arrived outside his and Ginny’s home just in time to hear her scream. He let himself into the house and raced upstairs as quickly as he could. He found Ginny slumped forward on their bed unconscious, and the baby’s crib empty.
“Ginny!” Draco cried. He reached the bed in two strides and took Ginny in his arms. He noticed that her face was badly bruised and her eyes rolled under her lids as she started to come to.
“Daddy?” said a small voice from the doorway; Draco’s head snapped up.
His oldest daughter, age seven, was standing in the doorway, her eyes wide at the scene before her.
“Hermione!” he gasped, knowing what this must look like to the child.
“Don’t worry, Mummy’s fine,” said Draco. It was the only thing he could think of to say.
“What happened?” she asked as she edged into the room.
Draco knew that he could not tell the girl the truth. “I don’t know, hun,” Draco lied.
Little Hermione looked at her dad in surprise. He had never called her hun…he had never really talked to her at all, when she came to think about it. “Is Mummy going to die?” she asked, rubbing her eyes as she wept at the sight of her mother’s bruised face.
“No, of course not,” cried Draco, looking at his daughter with pity, “but I do need you to help me.”
Little Hermione straightened up immediately and listened to her father.
“Will you look after the other children for me while I take care of Mummy?” Draco asked and reaching out, he brushed aside a piece of stray hair that had fallen into her eyes.
Little Hermione's face lit up at the tenderness her dad was showing. She had never seen this side of him before. “Of course, Daddy,” she said and toddled off out of the room and back to the room she shared with her sisters.
Draco looked back down at Ginny. Her eyes were still rolling under her lids as she tried to come back to reality. Draco laid her down on the bed straight and made sure she was comfortable. He knew there was only one thing to do. Getting up, he walked over to the fireplace and knelt down.
He was there for only five minutes when Ginny’s voice drifted from across the room.
“Draco,” she whispered. Draco finished the message he was sending, stood up, and turned to Ginny, who was now sitting up in bed.
Draco was not surprised to see hatred in Ginny’s eyes. As he started to move towards her, Ginny flinched away.
“I’m not going to hurt you,” said Draco calmly. Pain filled him when Ginny had flinched away from him and he felt ashamed over his rough treatment of her in the past. “I swear to you, Ginny,” said Draco with anguish in his voice.
Ginny tilted her head slightly and looked upon her husband for the first time since she had come around. He had a new energy around him, something pure and good - something Ginny had never seen in him but often hoped he would show in time - and here it was, staring her in the face. “Your father took our baby,” she said, willing herself to believe that Draco had nothing to do with it.
“I know, babe…” said Draco, who yet again could not find anything else to say but was glad that Ginny’s tension had left her body.
“What does he want with him?” asked Ginny, automatically knowing that Draco knew the answer.
“He wants to become the new Dark Lord,” said Draco abruptly and stopped to see Ginny’s reaction. When she just nodded at him to continue, he proceeded. “He has been doing experiments on himself for the past year to become more powerful…when all it’s done has made him more violent and malicious…and I’ve been helping him do it,” said Draco truthfully with a hint of bitterness.
“So that day that I found out what we were having…” started Ginny.
“He was here…doing a spell. We were going over a book when you knocked on the door…he slammed the book shut and left by Floo,” said Draco, not wanting to hide anything from her any more.
“And I thought you were cheating on me,” said Ginny shamefully, hanging her head.
“I know you did…but I don’t blame you,” said Draco, sitting on the bed next to her.
Ginny looked at him with sorrow. “What is he going to do to him?” she asked fearfully.
“Nothing…just raise him in his ways,” Draco replied, taking Ginny’s hand.
“I want you to know that I’m here for you now…and only you,” said Draco solemnly, squeezing Ginny’s hand in an affectionate way that made her blush.
A sudden thought came to Draco and he pushed Ginny away from him slightly. “Did my father rape you?” he asked.
Ginny, who was struck with surprise, just gaped at him for a moment. “Heavens no…what gave you that idea?” cried Ginny, shuddering just at the thought.
Draco almost sagged with relief and pulled Ginny back into a hug without answering her question. “Just forget about it” he said, relief still running though him.
“By the way,” said Draco, looking back at Ginny’s beautiful face, “what did you call our son?”
Ginny smiled at him before she answered. “Connor Abraxas Malfoy.”
Draco smiled at her lovingly. “After my grandfather…did you know he was such an obstinate man that he taught his house-elf how to talk properly…My father's house-elf used to belong to him, come to think of it,” said Draco, realizing how old his father's former house-elf had been.
Suddenly there was a loud knock at the door downstairs and Ginny all of a sudden looked scared.
“Don’t worry, it’s just Harry and Ron,” said Draco calmly.
“What are they doing here?” Ginny asked in confusion.
“I called them by Floo,” said Draco and a look of pure disbelief crossed Ginny’s face. “What?” asked Draco, unable to hide a grin at her surprise. “I need someone to look after you and the girls while I go get our son back” said Draco and a small smile presented itself on Ginny’s lips.
Getting up, Draco made his way downstairs to let Harry and Ron in. Holding his breath, he unlocked the door and pulled it open.
“What have you done to her!” cried Ron as he forced his way into the house, Harry not far behind him.
“Nothing!” snapped Draco, closing the door behind them.
“You said she was hurt…who else would have done it?” cried Ron. Harry, after hearing Draco’s message from the fire, had told Ron about Draco hitting Ginny before as he was worried that Draco had gone too far this time.
“Yes but if I had done it do you really think I would have called you?” asked Draco defensively but as calmly as possible.
Harry suddenly noticed the same new energy that Ginny had and placed his hand on Ron’s shoulder. “I think he’s telling the truth Ron” he said, not taking his eyes off Draco from lack of trust. This, for all he knew, could be a well thought out trap.
“Where is she?” asked Ron thought gritted teeth.
“Upstairs,” Draco answered, jerking his head towards the stairs; Ron took off and climbed the stairs two at a time, leaving Harry and Draco alone.
“What’s happened ,Malf…I mean, Draco,” said Harry, trying to be as polite as possible.
“I’ll explain upstairs,” said Draco, motioning Harry up the stairs. Harry took the hint and jogged upstairs and Draco followed.
Entering Ginny and Draco’s room, the first thing Harry saw was Ron hugging his sister.
“Who did this to you, Ginny?” asked Ron, glaring at Draco, who stood in the doorway. Ginny looked at Draco, wondering whether to tell him the truth. Draco understood the position she was in and gave her a hand.
“My father,” Draco answered and Ron and Harry’s jaws dropped.
“Lucius did this?!” cried Harry, anger already bubbling in his chest. Ron just continued to glare at Draco.
“You let him beat up your wife? What sort of husband are you?” snapped Ron.
“For your information, I didn’t let him do anything…he put me in a Full-Body Binding Curse and locked me in his study,” said Draco, finding it hard to control his temper when Ron was being so difficult.
“A likely story,” sneered Ron. Letting go of Ginny, he looked upon her beaten face. “You don’t deserve her. Just get out!” he added, taking a threatening step towards Draco.
“Ron…stop it!” Ginny snapped, grabbing his shoulder to hold him back. “I believe Draco when he says he has had nothing to do with it…and that should be good enough for you,” she said and held out her hand to Draco, who took it quickly.
“I promise you I will get our son back and report my father to the Ministry,” said Draco, rubbing Ginny’s hand down his face. He did love his father, but enough was enough.
Getting to his feet, he came face to face with Ron. “I swear I didn’t have anything to do with it!” he said, looking Ron in the eye.
“No, but you have hit her in the past,” said Ron though gritted teeth.
“I don’t deny it…and I’m ashamed of my actions,” Draco said truthfully. “And when this is all sorted out I will spend the rest of my life making her and our children happy,” he added,
Ron’s shoulder’s relaxed and his jaw unlocked. “Alright then…what do you want us to do?” he asked as he sat down on the end of the bed.
“I need you to look after Ginny and the children make sure they're safe…take them to the Burrow if need be,” explained Draco.
“Ahem….I’m more than capable to look after myself, Draco,” said Ginny, feeling unjustified.
“I know…but Ron’s looking after you and that’s that,” said Draco sternly. He leaned forward and pecked her lips. Ginny smiled at the new Draco. She could picture their new happy life more than ever.
Draco headed for the door and found Harry in his way. He had almost forgotten he was there at all.
“What about me? Am I staying here with Ron?” asked Harry, almost feeling left out.
Draco suddenly remembered Hermione and what his father was doing to her in the Manor. When the thought came to him that his father might have raped his wife, it had pained him more that he could imagine. Now, knowing what his father was doing to the girl Harry cared about made him understand that he must tell Harry.
“I need you to come with me,” said Draco, not quite knowing how to break the news.
“How come?” asked Harry, not seeing a reason to go other than to kill Lucius for doing this to Ginny.
“My father has Hermione…locked up in his secret cells below the house…I don’t know how long she has been there but I do know he has been beating and raping her,” said Draco, thinking it best to just say it quickly and be done with it like drinking a goblet of skele-grow.
Draco watched the news sink in. Harry's face became red with anger and his hands curled into fists. Draco braced himself, and for good reason.
“You son of a bitch!” Harry yelled, his fist connecting with Draco’s cheek, sending him sailing to the floor.
“Harry, what the hell!” cried Ginny, she and Ron having not heard what Draco said to Harry.
“How long have you known about this!?” shouted Harry.
Draco lay on the floor before him clutching his cheek. “For about two week” he admitted, his eyes filled with shame.
“For Merlin’s sake, what is it?” Ginny cried as she knelt down beside Draco.
“Tell them!” spat Harry.
“My father is the one who has Hermione,” explained Draco and paused as Ginny took a sharp intake of breath in shock.
“He has been…raping her,” said Draco, swallowing a lump of disgust in his throat.
“And he’s known about it for two weeks and said nothing,” Harry finished for him. Ron looked pale and sick. Ginny just gaped at her husband.
“I’m so sorry…I’ve been a fool,” said Draco, shaking his head side to side with shame.
“So you should be!” spat Harry but, holding out his hand, he helped Draco to his feet.
“You can start making up for it by helping me get her out of there,” said Harry. Draco turned to Ginny, who had remained kneeling on the floor.
“Can you ever forgive me?” asked Draco, knowing if she didn’t he would understand.
“We will talk about it later,” answered Ginny, her emotions not showing on her face so Draco was unable to read her.
“Well…let’s go,” said Draco. Taking one last look around the room, he swept out the door with Harry close behind him.
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