[HP] Three thousand days of innocence

The first thing she was aware of was the warmth, the comforting softness of the old bed.her own bed.She rolled over and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep again.

Not long after, she was still lying on the bed, but her limbs ached heavily, and the room beyond her eyelids was pitch black.There was some uneasiness in the back of her mind, she thought she should remember something, but she was so tired and her bed was so soft and inviting.You can wait for her to sleep for a few hours before talking about anything.She rolled over, found a comfortable position, and fell asleep again.

The third time, she was more awake than before, but her eyes were still closed and she was motionless.She's in bed in her own apartment; that's for sure.A faint ray of light fell on her face, which meant it was either still early morning, or the curtains were drawn.

Ginny opened her eyes.

She's wearing her favorite pajamas: a battered Harpys T-shirt and blue-and-orange-striped pants.The curtains were drawn to show that it was—morning?She turned to look at her alarm clock, which read 6:18.It makes no sense.Is it day or night?Why has she been sleeping?Why does she feel so weak?

She remembered immediately.She sat up in bed with a jerk, thinking of the trial and Draco, her family being there, John and Lucius watching her from the stands.But then what happened?Is there a verdict?Oh Merlin, why doesn't she remember?

Ginny held back a groan, and suddenly had a crazy idea.Maybe it's all a dream.A long and complicated dream.This would explain why she lay mysteriously in her bed, unable to draw any conclusions.Her breathing became rapid.She hadn't found Draco at all; he was still missing, on the run from the Ministry of Magic, and Simon and John, so good, were just figments of her lonely imagination, and—

"Relax, honey."

She looked up from her pain to find none other than John Palmer standing in the doorway of her bedroom.He leaned against the door frame, resting his fist on his forehead, with a regretful expression on his face.

"Kinzie asked me to put the calendar next to your bed so you can see it," he said, gesturing to her bedside. "But you don't see it, do you?"

Ginny blinked and looked at the small nightstand.Sure enough, she kept a calendar next to her alarm clock.It's August, not June.This is not a dream.Everything happened.She felt relieved.

"Oh my God, John," she whispered, falling back on the pillow again, "you can't imagine how scared I was - I never found Draco -"

"Kinzie told me you'd think so," John said.He walked into the room and sat by her bed. "He also asked me to tell you that it is night, not morning, and you have slept for more than 24 hours. It is the second night after the trial."

Ginny was taken aback, wondering if she had heard correctly. "But—how is that possible?"

"Your parents sent you here, changed you into pajamas, asked the therapist to prescribe medicine for you, let you have a good sleep and supplement nutrition." He shook his head. "You really don't know how bad you look, do you? We were terrified that a gust of wind would blow you away, and that's about it. You haven't slept or eaten, have you?"

"Tell me what happened in court," she insisted.

"You look awful," he added. "Kingsley wanted to read the judgment and asked you and the other lawyer to stand up. You did so, but you shook a few times and then fell to the ground and passed out. Your mother immediately rushed down from the stands to help you, shouting Ask for a therapist."

"Where's Draco?"

"Draco sucks too," John said. "He kept struggling in the chains, like he wanted to be the one who carried you out of court, but it was your dad who carried you out."

"No, not that - what's the verdict?" Ginny threw herself and grabbed John's arm. "Where's Draco?"

John looked down at her bedspread. "Kinzie said I can't tell you yet," he said slowly.

"Nonsense," she shouted angrily. "You tell me where he is—"

"Calm down," he reassured her calmly. "Look, Kinzie could call me any minute now—" Just then something buzzed, and John reached into his pants pocket and pulled out his vibrating cell phone.

"Okay? Yeah, she just got up a minute ago," he said into the phone.Ginny listened to Simon's muffled voice, and John watched her warily. "Are you sure? I mean—yes. Yeah. I know." John snorted. "You're usually right, you bastard. Excellent bastard. See you later." He hung up, looking at her. "I just said it, Ginny. Ginny said you weren't ready to know, and he did have very good reasons. You put yourself in a very bad situation, and you need to eat a lot before you get any major shock." solid food."

Yes.major shock.Draco was sent to Azkaban.Ginny fought back tears, determined not to cry until she officially heard the news.

"And you're going to tell me?" she asked.

"Then we're going back to Earls Court Road."

"And then you have to tell me where Draco is."

"Take a shower first," said John, standing up, and Ginny got out of bed. "While you're getting dressed, I'll make us something to eat, I went to Sainsbury's and bought some groceries."

"John Palmer, if you dodge the question one more time—"

John held up one hand and put the other over his heart. "Ginny Weasley," he said sincerely, "I promise you will know everything as soon as we get there. I can't tell you yet, I can't stand this, but I'm doing it for your sake Healthy. Now, I'm going to make us something to eat."

For now, that's enough. "Is there anything you can eat?" She walked to the bathroom and said back.

"You're rude. Luckily I like you."

Ginny wanted to laugh, but found she couldn't.Her voice was still hoarse from disuse, but otherwise, she had no desire to laugh at all.She shut herself in the bathroom and turned on the hot water.She decides to take a bath, which she fills with bathwater full of fragrant foam and lights a few candles.

She lay in the tub, her stomach rumbling, but she ignored it.This is a life that is the exact opposite of Draco's judgment.Tears welled up in her eyes, but she held back and soaked her aching body in hot water.Why is John here alone, not with Simon?After she fainted in public, why weren't her parents here?Where are her brothers?

Where is Draco?

She washed her hair hastily, rubbing the foul-smelling soap over her skin, then drained the water and dried her long red curls.Her hair glowed romantically in the candlelight, and Ginny blew out the candles, staring at them as if they had done her something wrong.

As she walked into the kitchen, John turned to look at her and rolled his eyes as he smelled the enticing aromas in the air. "No, this one won't work," he said, looking at her jeans and light green T-shirt. "Wearing that purple dress. The one you bought at TopShop last year with the tag on it."

"Did you rummage through my drawers while I was sleeping?" Ginny asked in surprise.

"Don't kill the messenger." He shrugged. "I'm just passing on what Kinzie told me to say."

"Nosy guy," she muttered, going back to her room to change.She found the dress—John was right, she had never worn it—so she cut out the tag and replaced it.

But before returning to the kitchen, Ginny looked at herself in the mirror.Oh, that's too bad, she thought, examining her reflection critically.They were right: she looked emaciated.Ginny took her make-up bag from the dresser and went to the bathroom to do her makeup, covering the dark circles under her eyes and putting on some blush.She didn't know why she was bothering to dress herself up, but she felt that any distraction now would do her good.When Ginny was back with John, she thought she looked better.

John agrees. "Excellent," he said approvingly. "Eat quickly." He made them delicious pasta with tuna, mozzarella and vegetables.Seeing her expression, John laughed. "Don't be so surprised," he said. "Draco is a professional cook, but that doesn't mean he's the only one in our family who can cook."

Ginny wolfed down her portion and asked John to serve her more until she was full.She watched as he pulled out his wand out of thin air again, sent the dirty dishes into the sink, and began to wash them automatically.

"I love magic," he sighed.

"Come on, John," said Ginny, moving forward. "In the end what happened?"

"We're going back to my house now," he said, standing up, "and then you'll know everything, as I promised. Are you ready? If you don't mind grabbing my arm, I'll take you with the Phantom Apparate."

Frustrated, Ginny tucked her wand up her skirt, and took John's arm.He waved his wand, and Ginny exhaled that they were no longer in her kitchen, but in an alley near Buxton Gardens.She used this alley a lot, lest Muggles see her appear out of thin air.The night sky above them was a dull dark gray.The air is warm and humid.Ginny followed John to their house, looking up at the sky, wondering if it was going to rain, she almost hoped it would.It seemed fitting that the entire city should join her in mourning her loss.

But Ginny frowned when John pulled out the keys as they walked on the front porch.Every light in the house was on, illuminating the darkness cheerfully, but there was not a sound in it.She could hear two boys next door loudly playing a video game, but at the same time, the house in front of her was silent.Her heart sank.Her hands were shaking.She sees her father's latest automotive project, a Ford Zephyr, parked alongside Simon's shiny Peugeot.They decided to break the news to her together so that they could support her when she was dying—

John finally found the key and looked up. "Cheer up," he said, and opened the front door.

The deafening music in the living room suddenly hits his face, and John has to shout, "We're here!" Strangely enough, the atmosphere is not gloomy at all-more like a party.Ginny looked towards the kitchen at the end of the corridor, where George was standing with a drink in his hand.He was talking to a man she didn't know.

"Come in." John nodded.She found that she was still standing on the steps.Ginny walked into the house, and he closed the door behind him.

At this time, she noticed a handmade banner hanging on the railing in the foyer.

Welcome home, Ben!wrote above.

Ginny's heart was pounding, and she struggled to catch her breath.John moved away from her, still shouting over the music, and then someone came to the kitchen door.The other, whom she didn't know, had strawberry blond curls.

He smiled friendly. "Hello, Hamilton!" he called to the kitchen. "Your lover is finally here!"

The stranger stepped aside so another could enter the hall.

Draco.

Ginny immediately ran over and threw herself into Draco's arms.Draco hugged her tightly and spun around in mid-air.

"Oh, thank God," he whispered into her hair, "you're all right, you're all right."

"I thought you were on your way to Azkaban by now," she said softly.

"Shh, there's Muggles here," he warned, before putting her down.For the first time Ginny noticed, he had finally had his haircut, shaved, showered, and clean clothes.He looks fine.No, he looks great.

He is here.In his own home, in her arms.Not in Azkaban.

"You look wonderful, darling," he said, looking her over from head to toe.

"Me—you too," she said, still confused.She kept stroking his arms and chest, as if to confirm that he was really here, actually standing in front of her.Draco took her hands and kissed them.

"My God, you'd think they haven't seen each other in a month," the stranger said to John, smiling. "I think Ben will make a full recovery in no time."

"I agree," John said, giving Ginny a look.correct.The Muggles thought Draco had gone to the hospital with meningitis.So she couldn't bring up anything about the trial and Azkaban. "But instinct is lucky to be alive."

"I don't know if you remember me," the stranger said to Ginny, offering to shake her hand. "I was in the park the day you and Ben met. Cillian Moreau. I've known these guys for years and haven't been scared off yet."

"Ginny, nice to meet you," she said, shaking his hand and Draco's in the other.

Cillian grinned at them. "His Royal Highness the Thin White Duke is very much missed," he said. "We were just talking about when Ben could play rugby again."

"I told you, I've been in bed for weeks and I'm still weak," Draco said. "Just wait and see, I'll be ready in a minute."

"Here, I'll get you a bottle of bitter," John told her. "You drink Guinness, don't you?"

"Guinness is ok, thanks," she said.John and Cillian went into the kitchen together, and when they left, Draco pulled Ginny into his arms and hugged her again.

"I'm still confused," she whispered, touching his face, "I woke up an hour ago and thought I'd never see you again, and I wondered what happened to me after I passed out—"

"You will," he assured her, brushing the hair from her face. "We have a lot of time."

Ginny's breathing stopped. "Yes, we have a lot of time," she said. "We do have time. All the time in the world."

Draco grinned at her, the goofy grin she loved the most.She hasn't seen it for a long time.She smiled at him too.

They finally made it to the kitchen, and Molly fussed over her, double-checking that she was all right without arousing the suspicions of Draco, Simon, and John's Muggle friends.Arthur and Ron just smiled and hugged her, and to her surprise Ron even shook Draco's hand.Simon, the focal point in the kitchen, was mixing cocktails and gesturing to tell ridiculous stories, but he paused briefly to say cheerfully to Ginny from across the room, "Hello!"

"You scheming bastard!" she cried affectionately.

"Haven't you lowered your expectations of me?" he asked as she walked through the kitchen.

"You made me believe we were going to lose," she said, putting her arms around him.

"I had to do it," Simon said. "Inspired you to win, didn't you? But damn, there were times when I felt like giving up and telling you he'd be fine."

"Thank you," Ginny whispered in his ear, "for everything."

"Of course," Draco joined them, grumbling, "on our first date, he kissed you first, and now I'm out of the hospital, and you're running into his arms. I see how it goes gone."

Ginny broke free from Simon's arms and gave Draco a mischievous look.Before she could tease him, Simon said, "I told her how smart I was, and she didn't believe a word of it. Me! Am I amazing?" he asked the one closest to him.

"Great cocktails," said the friend, raising his glass.

"The problem is that she met you first," Simon said to Draco, "and now she has no one else."

Draco smiled sadly and reached out to hug him. "Thank you for taking care of her for me, Jinzi," he said sincerely. "Now take your hands away so I can say hello."

With that, Draco took Ginny into his arms, leaned over and kissed her hard, and his friends cheered him on.