[HP] Three thousand days of innocence

Ron grabbed Ginny's upper arm tightly and hurriedly dragged her out of the room.After they had walked the corridor for a while, she finally broke free.

"Brace yourself," snapped Ron. "Wipe your tears and blow your nose." He took out a clean handkerchief and stuffed it into her hand. "Do you want me to have palpitations? Didn't you just promise me that you will be more cautious in your words and deeds from now on?"

"You don't know," said Ginny, choked up, wiping away her tears. "What if that's Hermione? Hugo? Rose? Can you just sit back and watch?"

Ron paled. "But he—he looks fine."

"He looks dead!" she cried, tears welling up again.

"I saw him panting before we left the room," Ron said softly. "He's alive. He's not conscious, but he's alive."

"Oh, my God," she said, covering her face with her handkerchief.She felt Ron hold her tight.She let him do so.

"I heard from Kingsley that they'll let him spend the night recuperating here tonight before sending him back to his cell," Ron said in a low voice. "You may be able to see him in a few hours."

"Did the potion work?" she said softly. "Will he remember everything?"

"They don't know yet. But you heard what Banksy's therapist said - 98 percent success, Kim. I'm sure he'll remember."

Ginny closed her eyes tightly, wishing she would stop crying.She had known this day would come, for weeks.She only hoped that there was still something of Ben Hamilton in him.If she went to see him, he would think of her at Hogwarts, how much he hated her then...

She sneered and told herself that if he could remember everything and hate her again, things would be much easier.There is nothing to hide, nothing to pretend.Harry could withdraw his doubts and tuck them away out of the sun.

Hope you'll find that I'm not like most men.

cheers.For us.

I'm completely obsessed with you, Kim.

Yes, it would be easier if he hated her.In theory it is.

Ron took her back to the main part of the hospital, went upstairs to the café, and bought her coffee and chocolate biscuits.They sat at the small table and ate quietly, not paying attention to the patients and their family members who came in and out.St. Mungo's was busy on Saturday, with people resting at home and spells going wrong and minor mishaps with first-time attempts at complex potions more likely.But, Ginny found her eyes fell on a witch who seemed to be radiating from the inside out, and it was the very reason she was here that made her look radiant.A handsome wizard sat next to her, and every now and then the witch would put his hand on her swollen belly, feeling the baby move.

Ginny would give anything to be this witch.Her parents would wait in a hospital room, and her mother would call the therapist around.Her brothers would gather around her, clucking like a hen, teasing her about her pregnancy and having a daughter who squealed louder than she did.Draco would sit next to her, a proud father-to-be, talking into her stomach, amused by the child's every kick and every turn...

"Are you all right, Miss Weasley?"

She looked up from the cookie crumbs to find Kingsley standing behind them with a concerned look on his face.Another Wizengamot was with him, a tall, strong, dark-eyed man. "I'm fine, sir," she said with a forced smile. "You know, I've been a little emotional lately. I'm usually not that crying."

"Ah." Kingsley said immediately. "I feel bad about it." Ginny stifled a laugh; men were always uncomfortable when it came to women. "I wish we could chat briefly before calling it a day?"

"Of course, sir." Ron nodded, and Kingsley led them out of the cafe to the hospital's administrative building, which was almost full of offices and conference rooms.They entered a smaller conference room near the stairwell and sat comfortably at a round wooden table.

"I spoke to Banks therapist after Malfoy lost consciousness," Kingsley said seriously. "He's never seen that reaction and he's honestly confused. The amnesia may be worse than he expected."

"Did you show him our brother Percy's report on dissociative fugue?" Ginny asked.

Another judge nodded. "He doesn't think the type of amnesia makes a difference," he said. "It's always been like that. But then again, St. Mungo's never dealt with that situation."

"That's a rarity in the Muggle world, too," said Ginny.

"So what do we do next?" Ron asked.

"It can't be treated like this anymore," Kingsley said. "Because Banksy's therapist was worried that Malfoy's brain wouldn't be able to take another dose of the drug. So that's the way it is: His memory will either be fully restored, partially restored, or not at all. If his memory is fully restored, then we will Proceed as previously planned - Malfoy will have a week to digest his crime and the charges against him, and then proceed to trial accordingly. If he doesn't remember his crime..." Kingsley sighed. "This is where the Wizengamot can't agree."

"He's a pure-blood wizard from an ancient family," said the officer stiffly. "Since his arrest, he has been treated badly. The trial should be kept secret because his guilt or innocence is irrelevant to anyone.

"So what, because he's a pure-blood, should he get more perks than a Muggle-born or half-blood prisoner?" Ron interjected angrily. "I'm sorry, but didn't we just fight a battle to prove they're the same as everyone else?"

"I see no reason for your displeasure," said the official, raising his eyebrows. "You are pure-blood yourself."

"Gentlemen," said Kingsley in a warning tone. "Regardless of Malfoy's parentage, we can't agree on how to try him. Amnesia is no excuse, because if he did commit these crimes, we know he was sane when he committed them. But he There will be no admission or denial of guilt when faced with these charges."

"Maybe we should wait until his memory comes back," said Ron, still eyeing the officer warily. "Probably nothing to worry about. He may remember everything."

Kingsley nodded thoughtfully, scribbling his fingers randomly on the table. "Whatever the outcome of this case, I have no doubt that it will be unique in the history of the Wizengamot," he said slowly. "It is my duty to the wizarding public to ensure that dangerous criminals who threaten the peace are kept in jail."

"You've done well, Shacklebolt," said another wizard. "But the rights of the accused should also be considered."

"Needless to say, there is still a lot of work to be done," Kingsley agreed. "Okay, I have delayed your wonderful Saturday night, see you on Monday."

The four got up and said goodbye to each other, then left the room one after another, walking in opposite directions.Ginny and Ron walked towards Draco's ward at the same time. "It shouldn't be a problem for you to go in and see him," murmured Ron. "Because there's so much protection in the secure ward, I think unless there's an emergency he's perfectly fine on his own."

Ginny's heart rose to her throat. "Can you watch from outside - just in case?"

"of course can."

They returned to the back of the hospital to find it almost as empty as when they first arrived.Ron took out his wand and murmured the Judgment spell in a low voice: Ginny recognized a few that Bill had taught them, and could detect people nearby and monitor spells. "Nobody wants to be with a prisoner if they don't have to," said Ron, giving her a serious look. "I'm not going to find out what you're doing with him in there."

"Thanks Merlin," she said softly.

"I can't stand outside for hours, so make the most of it," he said, and Ginny hurried to Draco's hospital room.She smiled back at Ron, then went in, closing the door behind her.

The loathsome bondage table was gone, along with the cauldron and chairs for the Wizengamot, and the room was now empty.All that remained was an ordinary hospital bed with the upper part tilted up, a wooden chair on one side and a table with a glass of water on the other.A door she hadn't noticed before in the far wall led to a tiny toilet.

The bed was empty.

Ginny walked into the room, her heart beating faster with each step, until she spotted Draco on the windowsill embedded in the thick hospital walls, sitting with his arms around his knees, his eyes blinking. Staring unblinkingly at the Muggle pedestrians and traffic below.She immediately ran towards him, hoping that Harry's barrier had been removed, and was relieved to find that it had indeed gone.

"Draco," she said softly, reaching up to stroke the back of his head. "Are you ok? Did they give you pain meds? I was worried, I had no idea the treatment would be like this..."

He didn't say anything.He didn't even realize she was coming.

Ginny leaned forward again, placing her hand on his calf, trying to get his attention. "I know you want to remember your past, and I'm sorry you have to pay that price. Believe me, I absolutely don't want to see you suffer."

He didn't speak.

Her shoulders slumped. "Don't do that," she said softly. "Please don't. I'm trying to help you as much as I can - be a little reactive, okay?"

Her request caught his attention.He turned slowly to look at Ginny, who was sitting on the windowsill behind him, her back against the wall, her legs resting on either side of his body.He fell back into her arms automatically - her knees protruded from under his arms, his head rested on her left shoulder, and she held his shoulder so tightly that even she felt it. surprise.He was here, literally, so close, she could touch him—and there was nothing more miraculous to her now than his fragrant hair, his pale skin, and the skin beneath his plain robes.She kissed the short hair behind his ear and breathed a sigh of relief.This is where she belongs.Maybe he felt it too, because he reached out and took her hand, even though he hadn't responded before.

"I'm not going anywhere, Draco," Ginny said softly. "You pushed me away, but I won't give up on you."

"Maybe you should," he finally said, his voice hoarse from screaming.

"But I won't. You know I won't."

"Then you are a fool."

She hugged him tighter, knowing it wasn't enough.Through their layers of clothing, his heart beat fast and weak. "You'd be a fool to think you could push me away," she murmured.

Draco let out a weary sigh, perhaps unconsciously tightening her hand. "You deserve to be with someone who is whole. Kind, decent, whole. He's going to be with you for the rest of his life and make you get what you deserve."

Ginny thought again of the pregnant witch she had seen in the hospital cafe, with her doting husband by her side.Can she do that too?can theyMaybe she should go to Simon, let him use his frightening gift for peering into the elusive future, let him tell her how the story ends.Does it end with the heroine getting married to her true love and having a bunch of kids?Or the "little trouble" looming over them and ruining everything.She really wants to know.She wondered how the story would end.

"What else should I say?" she said softly. "How many more times do I have to say, what to say - how can I convince you that I won't leave you?"

"It's for your own good," he said gruffly, sitting up straight.He turned his head and looked at her with the most desperate eyes.It almost made her want to cry with him. "I'm only half a person, Ginny. And that half isn't very good."

"I don't care, Draco—"

"You should care," he insisted, turning to grab her hand. "I'm going to Azkaban, where I belong—"

She shook her head tearfully. "no."

"How do you know? How do you know I've done something bad?" He jumped off the ledge, avoiding her, his hands grabbing his hair and arching his back.

He remembered something.Ginny's heart sank.How much did he remember?

"King's Cross Station," Draco murmured as he paced. "Protective gear, white peacock, French, Italian, classmates, monsters."

"A memory?" she said in disbelief. "Is the potion working?"

"The doctor convinced me that the medicine would work," he said, pausing at the table with the glass of water.He looked at the glass blankly. "No matter what I think or do, my memories just flash up at random. But very rarely. It's been like that since my mother died. I just didn't tell you. Potions didn't stop it, But it didn't help either."

Ginny sighed heavily.

"I can recall vague feelings, not connected to anything," he said flatly, his tone barely changing. "I remember a birthday cake. I remember reading on a twisted tree trunk. Then potions—" Draco shuddered. "A thing with pale skin and slit red eyes. A humanoid snake, or a snake-like being."

Of all the things he could remember, of course he remembered Tom.

"I'm in front of him—like this—" Draco dropped to his knees, hands outstretched in a pleading motion.Ginny carefully slid down the ledge. "He ordered me to kill people. He didn't say why, just let me do it. I promised him." Ginny walked towards him, the expression on his face made her very painful, he noticed her movement, looked up to her. "This is the one you don't want to leave," Draco said bitterly. "A cold-blooded killer. Are you still so sure of your loyalty?"

Ginny didn't hesitate for a moment, and knelt down beside him, cupping his face in trembling hands. "You didn't kill him," she said softly. "I know you didn't. You never followed that monster. He marked his followers and you didn't—" She grabbed his left arm in desperation and rolled up her sleeve, revealing her naked face. skin. "Nothing. You were never his."

"I want to be his." Draco murmured, lowering his head.

"No." She said firmly. "You're not his. You're mine—I won't let anyone else have you."

Ginny pulled him towards her and kissed him hard, knowing he might push her away like he did before, but he kissed her too.Thank God he kissed her too.He ran his long fingers into her hair, tilting her head slightly so that his tongue could part her lips, further deepening the delicious kiss.She leaned softly in his arms, pouring everything into the kiss, kissing his lips, chin, and under the ears that made him tremble involuntarily.They clung to each other, hoping to get closer, but there was no space between them. "Say it," he whispered against her skin. "I need to hear—"

"I love you, Draco," she whispered, her voice quickening when she heard him moan against her neck. "I never stopped loving you."

If Ron's Patronus hadn't burst into the room, they would have continued. "Someone's coming," a Jack Russell said to her in her brother's voice. "We have to get out of here."

"I'll be back, I promise," she said breathlessly, getting up to straighten her uniform.Draco followed her to his feet, and he pulled her back into his arms, giving her one last lingering kiss. "Rest well. I'll be back soon. I love you."

When she turned around, Draco's hair was disheveled and his lips were red and swollen from her kiss.He has never looked this good. "I love you, Ginny," he whispered.

She blew him a tearful kiss and left the room.