A/N: Thanks as always to my awesome beta, SometimeSelkie. Does it frustrate you that I keep adding things to this story? Sorry.

The scene with Ginny has not been beta'd. So those mistakes and all others are mine, as usual.

The Safe House

Chapter Thirty-Eight

It had taken several weeks, but by mid October, Narcissa was granted guardianship rights over her grandson and was able to bring him with her to visit Draco. She cried for almost ten minutes when seeing them together for the first time. Even Thuban started to cry with her at one point, which seemed to do the trick and dry her tears.

"Mother, pull yourself together. You're upsetting him." Draco picked Thuban up from the bed, carried him to the window, and tried to distract him with looking at the trees.

Narcissa wiped her eyes and watched the two standing at the window. Draco was soothing the baby by talking softly into his hair and rubbing his back in small circles. She felt another wave of tears hit her as she thought about how loving her son had become.

Draco glanced back at his mother and gave her a small smirk. "Are you done?"

She chuckled at herself. "Yes, come back over here. I don't want this visit to be ruined."

"Is Ginevra bringing him with her this afternoon?"

"That's up to you. I think she was planning on it. She wants him to be around you as much as possible."

"She thinks he's going to get used to being without me."

"She's worried, Draco. She doesn't want him to miss any time he has with you."

"I know. I try not to let her see it, but I worry, too. I don't trust Potter or her family when it comes to this trial. They're convinced that they're right and that they are justified in doing whatever it takes."

"Everyone who believes they are right feels that they are justified. You should know that."

He scowled at her and then shrugged off the conversation, changing the subject to something less upsetting. "Is Ginevra really doing well with the pregnancy? She's says that everything is fine, and she told me that she's finally seen a Healer."

"She is very healthy. The Healer said everything looked normal and that there was nothing to worry about. Did she tell you that she is due at the beginning of May?" He smiled and nodded. "The Healer did warn her that it's still very early in the pregnancy and that she's still at a higher risk for miscarriage, especially considering the stress she is under. But I think she's taking excellent care of herself, and I know that her coming to see you every day has helped a lot."

"I hate that I can't be there for her."

"You will be."

"What if I'm not? … What if I'm in Azkaban?"

"Don't say that. You will be there for everything."

"I told her to move to the Manor with you, but she keeps refusing. She says she wants to wait for me. I need you to get her to move there, Mother. It will be safer for her and Thuban. I don't like them living in Muggle London. She can't Apparate anymore, and they don't have a Floo."

"I know. I think the Healer's warning will probably be enough to convince her."

"Thank you. If I go to prison …" He stopped and rubbed his eyes. He handed a toy to Thuban that had fallen to the floor. "I might not be able to join you at the Manor for a long time, but I can't keep telling her that since it upsets her so much. Just do whatever it takes." He smirked and shook his head. "Even Pansy can move in, if Ginevra wants her there."

"Don't worry about it, Draco. I'm sure we can all get her to change her mind. Remember, her hormones are affecting her more than she wants to admit."

"Remember, I was alone with her the entire pregnancy last time. I know how she can be." He laughed for a moment. "Now, that's the part I don't miss."

ooo

Ginny did move into the Manor but refused to set up what would be their wing until Draco was able to join them. Narcissa had already created a nursery for Thuban and the new baby in the part of the large house that she shared with Andromeda and Teddy. The two older witches could not really blame Ginny for deciding to stay in the nursery. They were glad to keep her close to them, and Ginny was relieved to always have someone nearby if she needed to be away from Thuban. Like her husband, she was keeping most of her worries to herself and insisted on protecting Thuban from her fears. The thought of Draco never knowing his unborn child or seeing Thuban continue to grow was unbearable to Ginny, and she could actually feel her body tense up as if she had been doused in the coldest water when she let herself consider the possibility. In her darkest moments, she wondered if she were being blessed with this new baby to make up for losing her husband.

Ginny shut the door to Draco's cell. She leaned her head against it and took several deep breaths. "I'm a terrible mother."

Draco quickly crossed the room and took her into his arms. He kissed her head as he gently rocked her, their unborn child cradled between them. "Why would you ever think something like that? I couldn't imagine a better mother to my children."

"I almost leave him at home every day. Did you know that?" She looked up at him and bit her lip to hold back her cries. "I think to myself that he won't notice if he misses a visit, but then he asks about you every morning. And I still would rather have you completely to myself. I shouldn't even let Pansy take him while we are here. He needs you so much, and I had you every day for over two years." She broke down, sobbing again as she clung to his shirt.

Draco continued his ministrations for several minutes. He knew the stress was getting to her, never mind her hormones. Finally, he took her face in his hands. "Ginevra, my love, you don't think I feel the same way sometimes? Even though I miss you both so much it hurts, I hate that I don't have more time with you, just you."

"Really?" she croaked.

"Of course, really. I get to see him every day with Mother and then again with you. If you want to come alone, then you should. Thuban won't even remember this when he grows up." He closed his eyes as he saw her face crumple again. He regretted his words the moment he said them. Not only did they make Ginny feel guilty, but they also began a train of thought he wanted to avoid. The thought that his child would someday forget him completely.

Ginny watched her husband's face as he tried to rein in his emotions. Seeing him struggle with his own fears, she quickly sobered up. "Draco."

"Yes, love," he replied as he levelled his eyes with hers.

"I'm just being silly. I think this baby is making me loony." She smiled up at him and then leaned forward for a quick kiss. "I'm already starting to show a little. Maybe it's twins." She lifted her shirt and placed his hand on her very small bump.

"Twins? Well, as long as they're not like your brothers were." He gently rubbed her belly as he wrapped his other arm more tightly around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him. "Maybe it's a girl this time."

She leaned back against his shoulder and looked up at him. "I think twins might be easier than a girl."

"Twin girls?" he asked with a smirk.

"Let's not even think about that possibility. Do you realize how much attention a little girl requires? Especially one who's a Malfoy." She shuddered dramatically, and he laughed.

"Are you telling me that Malfoys are difficult?" He led them over to the chair and sat her on his lap. "Our little girl will probably be more like you, stubborn and wilful."

"You're so funny, Draco."

"She would be perfect, just like her mother."

Ginny rolled her eyes, but she smiled to herself at the turn in conversation. She kissed her husband and then led him to the bed, deciding that she could provide another way to keep him happy.

ooo

Molly and Arthur sat at their son's dining table, satisfied by the delicious meal Hermione had prepared for them. They had not been to Ron's home for a long time. The younger couple had not welcomed many into their home since the attack. Even as Hermione had begun to heal both physically and emotionally, Ron had remained bitter and filled with hate. He did not want to be around anyone other than his wife most of the time, and it had been only through Molly's insistence that Ron and Hermione would attend holiday gatherings at the Burrow. The night of Ron's birthday celebration, the night Ginny had been taken, had been the last time the Weasleys had seen their son happy.

Hermione sat back down at the table and waited for Ron to return from the kitchen. "I made a Liverpool tart. I hope you like lemon."

Arthur answered, "I'm sure it will be delicious."

Ron carried in the pastry and began serving everyone. Once finished, he glanced at Hermione and sat close to her. He put his arm across her chair and patted her shoulder. "I think it's time we told them what you found."

Hermione nodded her head and reached into her pocket to retrieve the red stone. "I did some research a couple of weeks ago, and I solved the mystery of the stone."

Molly quickly swallowed her bite of tart and spoke quickly, "Oh, dearest, I knew if anyone would figure it out, it would be you! What is it?"

"Mum, it's not going to make you happy." Ron shook his head and sighed.

"Just tell us what you found out, Hermione. We can decide how we feel then," Arthur said.

"It's a Sardonyx Sanguinis, or Blood Stone. It's actually quite rare and very valuable. It is from the vial."

"What does it mean?" asked Molly.

"It means that they're married," Ron answered flatly.

Hermione continued, "It means that they performed the Pureblood Binding Ritual completely and correctly. It means that they are bound for all eternity. Their magic is even bound together. There is nothing we can do to annul this marriage, not that Ginny would allow that to happen right now, anyway."

Arthur put his head in his hands. "So she was telling the truth? We have lost our daughter again because we didn't believe her."

Molly shook her head. Her voice remained calm as she addressed her husband. "Arthur, this does not mean that he did not Imperius her or alter her memories. We still don't know what he did to her before the ceremony."

Ron snorted and then looked at his wife. "Go on, tell them the rest."

"I am, Ronald. Arthur, she's right. It doesn't mean that she was in her right mind, although she had to have cast the spell willingly and intentionally for it to have worked. But the Sardonyx Sanguinis does mean something very significant. This stone is rare because no one performs the ritual anymore, but it's even more extraordinary because the stone seldom is formed. In fact, it's almost a myth. The idea behind the broken vial comes from it; it's the stone that cannot be broken. It has been so long since this spell was commonly used that its effects have been forgotten by most.

"In order for the Sardonyx Sanguinis to be created during the ceremony, the bride and groom must truly be in love with one another. Most binding rituals have been performed for arranged marriages, and even if there were love between the bride and groom, it would only happen when their love was pure.

"It doesn't mean that he isn't a Death Eater, and truth be told, that's all that really matters to me. It just means that he loves her and she, or at least this version of her, loves him."

Molly looked to Arthur, unsure of what to say. Finally she turned back to Hermione and asked, "They truly love each other?" The younger witch nodded and Molly ignored Ron's loud huffing. "But he still could have cursed her? He is still responsible for the attack?"

"Yes, he could have cursed her, but I – Ron, I know you don't want to hear this again – but I think he probably did not curse her. I don't think he could truly love her, enough to create the stone, if he knew that she wasn't really herself."

Ron frowned at his wife. "It doesn't matter if he loves her or not. He betrayed all of us, and I'm sure he's lied to her, too. She has no idea what kind of man she married, and I know that she will always be his wife, but she doesn't have to be with him."

"Have you told Harry?" Arthur asked his son.

"No. He has been rather distant lately. He's convinced that she's going to return to him when this is all over, and we didn't think he could handle any more disappointment right now. Hermione says that there's a spell to reveal the binding. I'm sure they will perform it at the trial. Do you think we should tell him?"

Arthur closed his eyes for a moment in thought. Finally, he said, "I think he needs to know that she will always be married to Malfoy. I don't think he needs to know about their true love creating a rare magical object."

Ron snorted, "That's what I said. Well then, let's keep this between the four of us. The stone will not change anything at the trial. Hermione can tell him that the broken vial is insignificant, which it is, and then we will go from there."

ooo

Draco wanted to believe as his mother did, but he was becoming more and more convinced that the trial would not go in his favour. As the weeks passed, he would enjoy every moment he was able to spend with his family. He never let Ginny see his fears. He could see how much she was worrying about him when she visited. If he had not spent almost every waking moment with the witch for over two years, he might have missed her little signs of fear. He would have probably never noticed the way she kissed him a little too urgently, the way she watched him more closely than Thuban during their visits, the way she kept his hand on her growing belly as much as possible, the way she stared into his eyes during lovemaking as if she were memorizing every detail of their intimacy. But he did notice these things, and he decided that he would never add to her burdens. Each day when she left his small room, it would feel as if the sun had fallen from the sky. His heart would ache and his mind would begin to panic that he would never have her completely again. In the middle of the night, his arms would cling to the ghost of her body, and he would often awaken to his own anguished cries.

By the time November came to an end, Draco decided to accept the possibility that he may be moving to Azkaban instead of the Manor. He was not happy, but it did provide him with a sense of calm that can only come with accepting one's fate. Ginny had begun seeing the new Psychiatric Healer and, according to Blaise, her sessions were going well. Ginny did not spend much time discussing them with Draco as she felt he already knew what they had lived through and that was all she talked about with the Healer. Instead, she wanted to talk about Thuban and the baby. Her belly was starting to show more, which Draco loved to see, and he spent much time talking to his unborn child. One time, after kissing her tummy in front of Thuban, the toddler insisted he kiss the baby as well. It was adorable and it reminded Draco of the little things he was missing by not being at home with his family. He loved seeing Thuban trying to be like him, and he knew that his son might have only a few more weeks to learn from him. He started to think more about his own father and wondered if his children would grow up to feel as distant from him as he had been from Lucius.

Narcissa entered the small room within the Parkinson Prison and smiled at her son. "Thuban is not feeling well. He's been sick all morning and Ginny just didn't think bringing him out today would be worth the effort." She watched her son's face flash through disappointment and worry. "He says 'hi, Daddy.' And he wanted me to give you a kiss." She embraced the tall wizard and gave him a loud kiss on the cheek, just like her grandson.

He chuckled. "Thanks. It was like having him here for a moment." He motioned for her to sit and he joined her on the bed. "You really love being a grandmother, don't you?"

"Of course, Draco. Sometimes it feels like I'm getting another chance with you … He looks so much like you, it's uncanny."

He nodded and looked away from her. "Mother, can I ask you something about Father?"

"You can ask me anything."

He turned back to her quickly. "Did you know that Thuban shares a birthday with Harry Potter?"

"No, I didn't realize that." She smiled through her confusion at his question.

"I look at him and I think, just a few weeks ago, he was the exact same age as Potter was when the Dark Lord tried to kill him. And I can't imagine wanting to be a part of that."

Understanding spread across her face, and she reached over and took his hand in hers. "Draco, it was a different time."

"But he was an innocent baby. Just like my son. Could you imagine if the Order wanted to kill Thuban in order to free Ginevra from my control?"

"It's not like that, it wasn't like that."

"Father had to have known what was happening." He took a deep breath and let it out with a sigh. He then gripped her hand. "How could you follow him? How could you both look at me in my cot and continue to follow someone who wanted to kill a baby?"

She started to turn her face down and she took her free hand and rubbed her forehead. "We did know. Not until it was happening, but we did know. Lucius knew about the prophecy, and he believed that the world we were trying to protect would end if the prophecy came true. But we were so wrong."

"Yes, you were."

"I am so sorry, Draco. We both made so many mistakes. I wish I could tell you that we were better than that. I wish so many things had been different. And so did your father. He believed in blood purity, Draco, as you well know, but he did not want the world that the Dark Lord was creating. He felt trapped. We both did."

"So did I." He looked over at her and watched a single tear fall down her guilt-ridden face. "I was actually relieved to be stuck in the house once Ginevra was there. I was glad to be free of him. I just wish I could have said goodbye to Father."

"I think we should get a Pensieve for you. You need to see the memories your father left of you."

Narcissa immediately went to Blaise about obtaining the Pensieve. Once he was able to clear it, she brought George's Pensieve to Draco on her next visit. She was surprised when he requested to view the memories alone. Draco wanted time to process whatever final thoughts his father had of him without feeling the need to protect his mother. He knew that there was a good chance he would be angry, and he wanted the freedom to express any emotions he may feel. He also wanted Ginny to be the first person with whom he talked. The memories were not what he had expected, but he honestly hadn't known what to expect. Most of them were moments that Draco himself did not consider significant. Him flying through the air on his first broom at the Manor, him receiving ten O.W.L.s, him at the age of six drawing next to his father at his desk on the floor in his office, him as a toddler kissing his father's cheek goodnight, him as a young man standing tall next to his mother as they entered Azkaban to visit his father. There were not many from when he was a baby, and he felt that was due to his father's Death Eater activities during that time. But there were two that caught his attention, and he watched them both several times. The first one was of the same Christmas that was in his favourite family photo. The second one was of their last embrace. The time that Draco knew for sure his father loved him. There was no message to him because Lucius had believed him to be dead, but Draco thought that these were all memories of when his father had felt love towards him and that was all the message he needed.

The last few days before the trial flew by, and as much as Ginny and Draco wanted it to be over, they were both afraid that their limited time together would be their last. The trial was set to begin the second week in December, and Draco decided that he wanted to celebrate the holidays with his family whilst he still had the chance. Blaise arranged a special time and larger room for the family to get together at Parkinson Prison. Andromeda and Teddy joined the Malfoys along with Pansy, Blaise, Luna, and George. It was the first time in over three years that Draco had been around his whole family. Only for the sake of the two little boys did the group manage to keep the gathering light-hearted and joyful. Teddy seemed to understand that it wasn't really Christmas, but Thuban was so excited to open presents and eat Christmas pudding. Ginny gave Draco a small photo album of pictures of Thuban, Draco, and herself, as well as some from the camera she purchased in Norwich. She also included several photos of the baby from her latest visit to the Healer. Neither acknowledged the necessity of such a gift. At the end of the party, Draco embraced each of his friends and family. He kissed his son, his unborn child, and his wife one last time before heading back to his cell and awaiting the trial that was to begin the next day.

Author notes:

Thank you so much for reading. It's getting so close to the end now. I have mixed emotions about it.

So what did you think of the stone? I'm thinking many of you were hoping it was something like that. And what about Hermione's conclusions? I chose not to add the actual scenes from the Pensieve since the two most important ones have already been described, the one in great detail.

RL has been difficult lately. I hope this chapter came out okay. I didn't have as much time to work on it.

Sardonyx Sanguinis = Latin, Stone of Blood (or something like that)