** I don't own the Harry Potter world, characters or places. They belong to J.K. Rowling. Now, enjoy! ES <3 **

Chapter Thirty – Three ~ This Is It

“I’ve been disowned,” Ginny whispered in disbelief as she sat on her couch in her apartment, rubbing her rounded belly.

Luna, George and Neville sat around her, worried about her health and the baby’s.

“Have you found out the sex of the baby?” Neville asked trying to change the subject.

“No, I wanted it to be a surprise.” Ginny muttered even though her mind was elsewhere.

“Which do you want?” George asked, trying to pull her from her thoughts.

“It doesn't really matter but really, really, I want a baby girl.” She whispered then her eyes filled with tears. “Who will look like Draco and me; she’ll be sarcastic and have the famous Weasley temper. She’ll be spoiled and loved and have the perfect life. Well, would have had the perfect life. Not anymore because my parents disowned me, Draco is ignoring me and he doesn’t even know about the baby!” Ginny covered her face as she broke down.

The three of them looked at each other uneasily. They knew that her hormones were all over the place due to the pregnancy but with all this added stress, it couldn’t be good for the baby.

“Ginny, you need to relax. Let me make you some tea.” Luna said as she stood up and made her way to Ginny’s kitchen and began to make the tea.

“I just want to hide from everyone. Not that it would really matter since my family disowned me because I’m not married, I won’t tell them Draco is the father and because Harry isn’t the bloody father! How horrible is that! What kind of family does that to a member who is need of help?” Ginny spat.

“Maybe you should just tell them.” George said as he sat beside her on the couch and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “The family means well, really they do but did you honestly did you really think they would have reacted differently? I thought mum was going to have a heart attack when you told everyone the news.” George snorted as he remembered Molly’s expression.

“I can’t tell them, George. You know how much they still hate the Malfoy name and how they have only been slightly kinder to him since after the Second War and him and I had become friends. Plus, I don’t want Draco to know. He already showed that he didn’t want to have anything to do with me, so he won’t know about the baby. I’m doing this on my own. I don’t need the family or Draco. I’ll take care of my baby by myself.” Ginny said with conviction.

“You’re not alone, Ginny.” Luna told her as she came into the living room with Ginny’s cup of tea. “You have us.”

Ginny smiled slightly.

“What’ll happen if the baby turns out a spinning image of Draco? What will you do then?” Neville asked.

Ginny bit her lip.

“I don’t know,” she sighed.

She had no idea what she’d do then; she had no idea what she was going to do now.

~.~.~

Maybe she should tell Draco, Ginny thought one afternoon as she lay in bed. Her due date was coming up and after seeing the Healer at St. Mungos, he had said bed rest was the best option.

Maybe Draco would want to help and be involved, she thought and then she immediately regretted thinking that.

Yes, Draco and his mother were rich and could provide her anything and everything she would ever need for this pregnancy and after but she didn’t want his help, she didn’t need his help. She tried to tell him but he ignored her, refused to see her.

No, this was her baby, her life, her responsibility.

She’d let Kingsley know that she was having a baby, to put her assignments on hold for a while until she had the baby and everything was figured out.

With her job, she’d be able to support the baby and herself. She didn’t need anyone’s help.

She’d keep killing and she didn’t need Draco Malfoy. She didn’t need his pity money. She would keep doing her job, not just because it was her job, her passion but because it was her life and no one, no bloody person, could take that away from her.

~.~.~

Draco lay back in the grass outside Malfoy Manor, staring up at the clear, blue sky. He didn’t want to get up, he didn’t want to move. He just wanted to lie there forever.

He was lonely.

He lost his Red, all because she chose stupid, bloody, scar-headed Harry Potter.

To say he was bitter was an understatement.

He couldn’t believe things had turned out like this. His Ginny was with another man even though he hadn’t read anything about Potter and her getting back together in the Daily Prophet. That was news that they would print.

He sighed as he ran a hand through his hair.

He knew he was acting ridiculous but he was really hurt by the stand she had made against him. It nearly broke his heart…well, truth be told, it had broken his heart as he watched her protecting the bastard she, herself, should have killed.

Draco stared up at the clouds and knew that he should talk to Ginny; that that was the only way things could work themselves out but he was afraid, though he would never tell anyone that.

He was afraid that she’d be so upset about that day so many months ago, that she’d push him away. So what did he do? He stayed away from her, hoping, praying that he was making the right decision.

Though deep down inside himself, he knew it that it wasn’t.

~.~.~

The morning of August thirty - first, Ginny was sitting on the couch reading a muggle historical romance novel when suddenly her water broke. For a second, she had stared wide-eyed at the liquid and began to panic but she quickly recovered, took a deep and calming breath then grabbed her wand and sent her patronus, which is a horse, to Luna.

They had decided that when Ginny was to have the baby, she would sent her patronus to Luna who would then alert the others, including the midwife who would come along with them to Ginny’s apartment.

Ginny gasped as a contraction came hard and fast. She inhaled deeply when Artemis jumped up onto the couch beside her.

"Artemis, love, I believe the baby is coming and by Merlin, she is coming now!" Ginny cried. 

Artemis meowed happily in response.

Ginny's eyes filled with tears when she realized she was alone, completely and utterly alone. She brushed them aside furiously when suddenly her apartment door burst open and in ran Luna, George and Neville, the three most fantastic and greatest people to walk the Earth.

Ginny smiled happily at them and opened her arms to hug them. She'd never been so happy to see her best friends and her only brother she was on speaking terms with. She loved them even more then possible now.

"Merlin, guys, I love you - Ah!" Ginny cried out when a sharp pain in her lower abdomen cut through. 

In that moment, the Healer and midwife, Mrs. Lorotora, that had been seeing and taking care of her came into her apartment.

"Ginny, dear, it's time." Mrs. Lorotora said quickly as Neville scooped Ginny into his arms and carried her over to her bed. "Now, out, out, out. It only needs to be Ginny and I." She said as she began to force George, Luna and Neville out of the room.

The three fussed until Neville and George were out of the room and Luna was being pulled away from her bed. Ginny immediately began to panic, frightened that she would have to do this all on her own. She reached out and grabbed Luna's hand.

"No, not Luna! I need her!" Ginny cried out in a small voice.

Mrs. Lorotora frowned but nodded her head, allowing Luna to stay.

Luna walked to the side of Ginny's bed and tightly clenched her hand. Mrs. Lorotora grabbed some pillows and propped them behind the pregnant woman.

"Is there anyone else I should contact? Like the father and your parents?" Mrs. Lorotora asked.

Ginny flinched at the woman's words causing Luna to look down at her and glare nastily, something Luna never did, at the healer and said, "No, thank you. She only has George, Neville and myself."

Mrs. Lorotora nodded stepped out of Ginny's room for a moment, shutting the door behind her; leaving Luna and Ginny alone for a moment.

Another contraction rocked Ginny's tiny body. She gasped and bit her lip to keep from screaming out.

"You're okay, Ginny." Luna whispered soothingly as she brushed her hand against Ginny's sweaty forehead.

"This it it, Luna. The baby is finally coming." Ginny said as she breathed deeply.

"I reckon it is," Luna smiled happily at her best friend.

******

Hello readers, fans, friends!

The story is almost over. One more chapter and the epilogue. Are you guys sad? I know that I am but the sequel is in the horizon! hah :D

You guys know the drill! So, do it! Do it! DO IT!

Peace & Love, people, Peace & Love.

ES <3