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Chance Encounters of the Close Kind	By : sabbah Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female Views: 2253 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 3
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- 5
Ade walked into the Three Broomsticks with his teammates and grinned at the nostalgic thoughts that assaulted him as soon as he stepped foot in the door. It wasn't so long ago that he was here with his friends, getting drunk off filched bottles of alcohol and real butterbeer, not that wimpy shite they gave to third years on their first outting to Hogsmeade.
It had been two weeks since their team was made complete with Gin's hiring and they had just successfully completed their first training mission. They had been called into an ex-Death Eater's home - Nott's in fact - to clear out the dangerous artifacts especially in one dark room where Nott Sr. apparently was doing some Dark Magic on the side in his spare time.
Gin had performed very well for a test run, which Ade had had no doubts about. The team seemed to like her, they gravitated toward her like most people seemed to toward Weasleys. Ade had kept his distance but was polite and even a bit friendly, enough that Bill wasn't suspicious that they had yet to talk. That was something Ade was dreading. He didn't do Gryffindor very well and he wondered what exactly talking would accomplish. Gin had obviously moved on well enough with Zabini and talking about their past liason would just dredge up unnessecary awkwardness. Or more hurt feelings. That still didn't keep him from casually touching Gin though. Brushing up against her in tight spaces, wrapping his hand around hers to show her how to hold her wand for new spells, the sorts of casual touches that wouldn't even be noticed had it been anyone other than them. The tension was still there unspoken between them.
"Round of drinks on me," Ade called out, jerking his thoughts away from Gin and back to the Three Broomsticks.
The six others in his team cheered and Ade grinned, turning away from them and heading for the bar.
Bill looked over at Gin as they gathered around a table and smiled. "Good job today. You're picking up on everything very fast. Keep going at this rate and you'll be set for Petra in no time," he said with brotherly pride.

Ginny grinned at her brother. "I'm glad to hear that. I can hardly wait to go on a real mission with the team," she said as Ade came back with a bottle of whiskey and seven glasses, pouring them each a shot and then placing the half-empty bottle on the table.

She took her glass from him, frowning slightly as his fingers caressed hers before he released her glass, a question hovering on her lips.

But it went unvoiced, since before she could utter it, he'd moved on, handing a glass to Tabitha, the only other woman on the team. Ginny had noticed on her first day that Tabitha seemed to think she had a claim on Ade. The other girl hovered around him, always there, always touching him. Ginny didn't think she was intentionally trying to stake a claim, but intentional or not, Ginny had lived in a dorm with other girl for seven years. She could read the body language well enough. What puzzled her was Ade's lack of reaction either way. He neither seemed to be encouraging Tabby, but he wasn't discouraging her, either. The dynamic made Gin think they might shag on occasion, but she wasn't sure and hell would freeze before she asked.

Sighing to herself, she downed her shot in one go, closing her eyes as the heat of the whiskey spread through her body.

She shouldn't be drinking this. This is what had gotten her into trouble the last time. But like so many things lately, she couldn't seem to help herself.
Tabby gave Ade a flirty wink and grin to which Ade responded with a grin of his own before downing his shot. As usual whenever the team got together for a drink, they began trading stories which only turned more exaggerated and ridiculous because they had a new ear to tell them to in Gin.
Ade's eyes hardly ever left Ginny, even though he could feel Tabby's eyes boring into his skin. He knew about Tabby's crush on him, but hadn't persued anything because of the team dynamic. With Gin, he was hoping that their team dynamic would improve if he could just... talk to her.
"Ade, do you want to dance?" Tabby asked, leaning forward and pushing her breasts further up into her lowcut shirt, apparently finding courage in the bottom of her shot glass.
"Er, no thanks. I'm a bit knackered," Ade replied warily. He had to be careful around her as he didn't want her to get any false impressions nor did he want Gin thinking something that wasn't true. Again.

Ginny pretended like she was paying attention to Rob's story, even though she was almost instantly aware of Ade's interaction with Tabby. She couldn't help but wonder if she hadn't been wrong about him... at least in so much as that he would jump anything with a hole to fill. That, or he didn't shit where he ate, and didn't want to rock the team boat. She could certainly appreciate that. She wondered how much longer they could avoid each other without the strain being palpable.

She reached for the bottle and poured another round, since everyone's glasses were empty, finishing off the bottle.

Picking hers up, she walked over to Tabby, winking playfully. "Wanna dance?" she asked the other girl. "Sometimes that encourages them," she said with a teasing glance at Bill who groaned loudly knowing exactly what she was referring to and thinking it might have been a mistake to have his sister, who knew too much about his youthful follies, on his team.

"You know, Ginny, the rule is no stories about other teammates. Only your own," he growled playfully.

"You know, Billy-boy, that wasn't in the contract I signed...."
Tabby wasn't so sure she wanted to get too close to the newest Weasley on their team. She hadn't missed the way Ade had given her attention, attention that Tabby wanted for herself. Ever since she'd joined the team a year ago she'd had her sights set on Ade from the get go. Oh she knew that he shagged many women and he wasn't looking at her because she was a team member but she knew that, given enough time, she'd wear him down and he'd make an exception for her. And she'd been so certain that her plan was working until Ginny came along. Suddenly he was constantly watching her and Tabby wasn't even a side note anymore.
Shrugging, she stood and walked with Ginny onto the dance floor. "We don't have secrets on the team, so I'm sure I've heard the stories about Bill before," she said, trying to hide the snottiness from her voice.

Ginny heard it anyway, though, and thought she might know at least in part what was causing it.

"Look, I can tell you have a problem with me. I don't think I've actually done anything to you, though. And we're supposed to be a team. And I'm a Gryffindor. So before whatever it is bites us both in the arse, would you like to tell me why you dislike me? Is it because you were the only girl here until I came along? Because I can't do anything about it, and I'd hate for us to have a problem. You seem like the kind of girl I'd like to call a friend," she said honestly.

Tabby blinked in surprise at Ginny's forthrightness. She definitely had not beed expecting that and she actually respected it. Glancing at the boys at the table and noticing that no one was watching them save Ade who was watching Ginny, Tabby grabbed her hand and tugged her across the room to talk. "Look, I've been working on Ade for a year now. I like him and I'd really like to be with him, but then you come along and all he ever does is look at you," she began softly. "I was so sure that he was beginning to look at me that way and then you come along and with just a flick of your hair you have his undivided attention. I want to say back off but you haven't done anything to encourage him which is just frustrating as hell. I don't want to bite your head off, I don't want to be the bitch, I just want...." she sighed and slumped against a wall. "You're not supposed to fall in love with your team mates, let alone one who's all but in a supervisory position."

Ginny frowned at that. "All right, we're being honest. Please don't repeat this, since it's no one's business and I probably shouldn't be saying anything, but if you're going to be mad, you should at least know why. Ade and I met here, before my interview, and ended up having a one-off that didn't... didn't go so well. We were drunk, and it was my first time. I all but ran when it was over, and he didn't even know my name. He didn't know it was my first time, either. That... that was my fault. It was a horrible mistake, all around. The next day he found out who I am... meaning he was at the party at the Ministry when Dad was invested. When he saw me there, he went out of his way to prove he didn't care... shagged another woman right there." She sighed, remembering how much she'd hurt after that. "The next morning was my interview. So right now, he and I are going through a whole rainbow of shades of awkward. But we're not interested in each other."

She looked down a moment. "I was only a shag to him, and I've been trying to prove to myself that that is all he was to me... even if it was my first time...."

"So... I'm sorry if there isn't really anything I can do to help you, but I don't think you're seeing what's really there. And... Bill knows, which is why I'm telling you. But you're holding his... whatever it is... against me... nothing I can do there."
Sighing, Tabby shook her head. "I promise I won't say anything to anyone and this will stay between us, but if you don't see what I see in him... you're both fools and you're perfect for each other. He's a fool because he's Ade and he always will be one, but you're a fool for letting him go, for not being able to see what I can see. You have no idea how much I wish I were in your shoes right now. I just hope you know better than to throw it all away. But I'll be rooting for you because I have a feeling I'm going to be able to get over him a bit easier than you will be. Good luck."
Reaching out, she gave Gin's arm a squeeze before returning to the table.
Ginny sat a bit longer where she was, trying to work through what had just happened. She'd hoped that the result was a lessoning of the tension between her and Tabby, but she would wait and see on that.

What surprised her more was Tabby's assertion that Ade was interested in her. Still. She just didn't see it. He avoided her, not chased her. During the conversation just now she'd blown off Tabby's thoughts on it as merely a jealous and insecure woman seeing something that wasn't there. But... Bill had said that he thought Ade looked at her with regret, too. The real question was, was it regret for what he'd done? Or what he hadn't done?

She finally felt like she was ready to go back to the team, and stood, making her way through the crowd to where Tabby, Ade, Bill, Justin, and Paul were sitting, but hadn't gotten more than half way across the room when she felt someone's hand close around her elbow.

Turning, she looked into a pair of unfamiliar eyes. Frowning, she tried to place the face, even as the wizard drew her closer and started to dance.

"Do I know you?" she asked, confused.

"No," he said, still dancing with her.

He wasn't holding her too close, but something still set Ginny off. "Then is there a reason you thought it appropriate to grab me?"

"Yes," he said simply.

"Care to share what it is?

"You're beautiful, and I wanted to dance with you before you went back to your friends. Have any idea how hard it is for a bloke to walk up to a crowded table and ask a girl to dance when she's sitting with a bunch of blokes?"

Ginny couldn't help but grin at that. "No. Can't say as I ever found myself in that situation." He was a good dancer. "I'm Ginny."

"Tony," he said by way of introduction, moving her closer to him and taking a deep breath as though he were smelling her hair. "You smell as good as you look. No false advertising."

"Um... thanks..." she said, once more feeling a little tingle of warning. Maybe it was because the last time someone had smelled her like that, it had been Carrows before he'd attempted to rape her at the school her sixth year.
Ade stiffened when Gin was intercepted by the good looking guy on the dance floor. He'd been a bit concerned when she had gone off with Tabby but Tabby had returned dry eyed and sad looking but unscathed. What had that been about?
Gin had been on her way over to them and Ade had just gathered up the courage to request that they talk when she was waylaid by some stupid git. And Gin seemed fine with that. Biting back the growl in his throat at how closely they were dancing, he slumped down in his seat and sulked. Just a fuck, remember that, he told himself. You're nothing to her but a teammate.
"So Ginny, do you have any plans for tonight? Or are you going home with one of them?" Tony asked, pulling her hips closer to his and swaying with the light tempo of the song.

She frowned at that, he was being awfully forward. Not that Blaise and Ade hadn't been. But that had felt different somehow. Playful. This... this felt predatory.

"I don't know yet," she said with a shrug, attempting to take a step back when she found his hand resting on the curve of her arse.
That was enough. Ade couldn't take anymore. "I've gotta get going guys. Maeve's home alone and I don't want to stay out late," he said standing abruptly.
Everyone knew how devoted he was to his baby sister so none of them gave him a hard time like they would have had he been going home to a wife or girlfriend. "Night, Ade. Say hi to Maeve for me," Bill said before Ade nodded once and left, not looking back at where Gin was dancing.
"Well, I'm another option," Tony murmured, his eyes lidded with lust and desire as they constantly raked up and down Gin's body.

Ginny turned in time to see Ade leaving, and wondered at the look on his face. She was also a little relieved that he left alone, and then felt ashamed for thinking that.

"Well, maybe later. But for now, I think I need to get back to my friends," she said, trying once more to take a step away from him.
"No, I think you need to get back with me," Tony growled, pulling her forcefully into his arms and Apparating them back to his flat. Leaning down, he kissed her hard, his lips forcing hers open and his tongue sliding into her mouth. She tasted as good as she smelled and that made his cock hard. Pressing his hands to her bum, he rubbed his cock between her thighs, imagining all the ways she would take him and make him come.
Surprised and caught off-guard, something she swore would never happen again, it took Ginny a moment for her brain to process what had just happened. One minute, she'd been in the Leaky trying to extricate herself from this man's arms to get back to her friends, and the next, she was... elsewhere.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing," she yelled, finally managing to push him off and take a wild-eyed look around.
"Sampling the wares that you've been offering to everyone in the pub," Tony replied, his eyes alight with a manic gleam. "Now it's my turn."
His hand whipped out and backhanded her, stunning her just long enough for him to shove her down onto the floor and cover her with his much larger and heavier body. "Now stop struggling and fuck me like you know you want to," he said, his voice strained as he worked to lock her hands above her head with one hand and unzip and unbutton their jeans with the other.
Ginny could feel her cheek throb where he'd hit her, but the pain unleashed something that she'd always struggled to control. The fear, a tattered remnant from her days at Hogwarts, vanished like mist in sunlight, and rage burned in the pit of her stomach.

She ignored her weaker upper body, instead tightening her abdominals, pulled her knees up then straightening her Quidditch strong legs, levering him off her enough to twist out from beneath him.

As he dropped, still pinning her arms, she snapped her body up like a swimmer doing a flip turn, somersaulting over so that she was on her knees. Her shoulders strained, one popped, but she ignored it for now. Her goal was freedom.

Panting with the effort, she drove out with a roundhouse kick to his head, laying him out on the floor so that she stood over him.

But he was already moving, already coming after her.

She didn't have time to think about anything but the need to be somewhere safe, somewhere someone would be home who could help protect her since her arms were fairly useless, and somewhere there weren't innocents to drag into the line of fire if it came to that.

Seeing his pot of floo powder on the mantle, she knocked the entire thing onto the hearth, gasping out Ade's address. If nothing else, he was a teammate, and hadn't Bill been instilling all week that they should be able to rely on each other?

Seeing Tony begin to stumble to his feet, she didn't pause any more, hurling herself face first into the Floo and spinning through the network until her head met the marble tile of Ade's hearth and she blacked out from the impact to her head.
Maeve had been humming to herself as she made a bedtime snack of cheese and crackers when she heard the floo flare and a soft thud then a grunt and then silence. Frowning, she padded into the front room where the fireplace was and gasped at the sight of a soot covered and unconcious Ginny. It hadn't been that long since she'd last seen her Head Girl and she'd recognize that shock of red hair anywhere even if it had.
Running over to her, she crouched to check her pulse and finding it strong, she stood and ran upstairs. "Ade! Ade!" she shrieked, barging into his room where he was getting ready for bed.
"Merlin, Maeve! What have I told you about barging in here?!" Ade growled, not in a good mood anyway, but pissed that Maeve hadn't listened to him the hundred times before when he said not to just burst into his room without knocking first.
"Gin! Downstairs! She's hurt!" Maeve stuttered, panting from panic.
Ade frowned and ran past Maeve and downstairs. Sure enough, Gin was laying on his fireplace face down and still. "What happened?" he asked, striding toward her and kneeling beside her.
"I don't know. I heard the floo and there was this thud and grunt and when I came out here Gin was just lying there. Is she okay?" Maeve asked, dancing from foot to foot in worry.
"I don't know. She has a pulse and it's strong. She might've just become disoriented and tripped when she left the floo and knocked herself out," Ade murmured half to Maeve, half to himself. Why would Gin be here? And if she had tripped and knocked herself out, why?
Very gently, he picked her up bridal style and carried her upstairs. With an equal gentleness, he laid her down on his bed, making extra sure he didn't jostle her unnecessarily. "Maeve, get my first aid kit from the bathroom," he murmured, taking his wand and lighting it with a soft lumos. Her eyes dilated at the light but slowly which was good but not great.
Maeve returned a moment later holding the box and Ade cleaned the soot off Gin before he began administering the wound at her temple that was still bleeding sullenly.

Just then, there was another crash from downstairs as someone lumbered heavily into the couch.

"YOU FUCKING BITCH! I'LL FIND YOU! YOU CAN'T HIDE!" Tony bellowed into the quiet house, in his anger and drunken state not even considering that someone else might be home, or that it might be someone else's home to start with. The cursing and crashing continued towards the stairs. "Skanky cock-tease. I know you're here, bitch. Your blood's still on the Floo."
Maeve went real still, her face paling in the soft glow of Ade's wand. "Stay here," he whispered. "Do not move and lock the door when I leave."
Maeve nodded, her dark blue eyes wide. Ade stood and kissed her forehead then slipped out of his bedroom walking silently down the stairs. "Who the fuck are you and why have you barged into my house?" he growled, his eyes narrowing at the mess the drunk was making. His eyes widened a moment before narrowing again with a soft growl rumbling in his throat as he recognized the drunk intruder as the git that Gin had been dancing with earlier.
Tony struggled to focus on the big man in the dark, his dusky skin blending into the shadows.

"Your house?" he asked slowly, his tongue feeling think. "Sorry, mate. Must have come out of the wrong grate. I was looking for the tease who was all but offering herself to any as would take her at the Leaky, then apparently couldn't handle a real man." He thought he recognized the bloke as one of the friends at her table, but he could be wrong. "Haven't seen a red-headed bitch as what fits that description, 'ave you?" he slurred.
Ade gave the man an acidic smile, stepped off the staircase and walked over to him. "I think I might have. What's it to you?" he replied, his voice soft and deadly, though he doubted that the warning in his voice would have been noticed. The man was drunk enough to be reeking of it and he had to wonder why Gin hadn't noticed when she'd been dancing with him. "You think you're man enough? Is that what you think? Prove it."
"What's it to me?" he growled back, too drunk to realize he was outgunned. "Whiny-arsed bitch should be grateful, making promises with her eyes and that skin, driving every man there to distraction. And then bolting! Like she didn't want it! But she did. They all do. Just pretend like they're better then us. Deep down, she's nothing but a bitch in heat. Just needs the right man to see it. Smack her around a bit, show her her place. Now, get out of the way," he said, his rambling tirade making him work up the courage once more to go after what he thought should have been his prize.

Ade chuckled for half a second before hauling his fist back and burying it in the drunk's jaw. He thought he heard a crack but he wasn't sure. "Don't... you... ever... come... here... again!" he growled, punctuating each word with a fist in the man's face or stomach. "Don't you ever touch her again!"

He hauled him up and tossed him arse over end to the floo. "If I EVER see your face again, I will make this beating seem like a spanking," he panted. The drunk was still conscious, though barely. Tossing a handful of floo powder into the grate, he kicked the prone body in the fireplace and called out the furthest address he could think of, somewhere in the highlands of Scotland in a house that the Death Eaters had used but was now abandoned. If the Floo was disconnected, oh well, it wasn't his problem, he thought with malicious glee as he closed the floo behind him.

Taking the stairs two at a time, he knocked on the door to his room. "Maeve, it's ok," he called out softly. Immediately the door opened and Maeve rushed out, wrapping her arms around her brother's waist.

"Are you ok?" she asked, shaking in his arms.

"I'm fine love," he murmured, walking with her inside his room. "Did Gin wake?"

"No, not yet. Is she gonna be ok?"

"She'll be fine. But we need to get her to St. Mungo's, so get dressed quick," he murmured, walking over to his wardrobe and throwing on a pair of jeans, t-shirt, socks and his boots. Maeve joined him at the door just as he was picking Gin up to carry her to the Floo.

"Ready? Could you toss the powder in for me? Thanks," he murmured, stepping into the green flames and calling out "St. Mungo's!" In a whoosh they were gone.

As they stepped through into the waiting room, Ginny's eyes fluttered open and she looked up to see Ade's concerned face over her. With a sigh of relief, she went limp in his arms. "Oh, thank god," she whispered, her head turning into his chest and making her wince as her purpling cheek came in contact with his cotton tee-shirt.

"I could say the same thing now that you're awake," he replied with obvious relief.

"Oh dear, what happened here?" a medi-witch asked bustling up to them worriedly.

"Gin was attacked. Something's wrong with her shoulders, I think one of them might be dislocated. And she has a nasty bruise on her cheek and she was knocked out trying to get away from her attacker," Ade replied laying her down on a gurney the nurse indicated.

Ginny licked her lips, noticing that they tasted a bit like blood, probably from when that bastard hit her, then looked over at the medi-witch. "My right shoulder... it popped... when I was... trying to get away," she said in a still somewhat dazed voice.

"And what is your relationship to... Gin, was it?" the medi-witch asked the large man.

"I'm her friend and her team leader," he replied, silently wishing he could say he was more. "She came to my house trying to get away from him and somehow she stumbled coming out and hit her head on the marble in front of my fireplace."

The medi-witch nodded and ran her hands along Gin's arm, testing to see how it felt. "This will hurt just a bit," she murmured before twisting and pulling her arm back into its socket. "Better?"

Ginny winced, not wanting to scream in front of people, and panted a moment at the wave of pain threatening to drown her, but it passed and she blinked her tears back. Taking a deep breath, she nodded. "Yeah... yeah... it is."

Even thought she was talking to the medi-witch, her eyes were on Ade. "Much better now," she murmured.

The medi-witch turned away with a grin to tend to Gin's other injuries while Ade took Gin's hand and laced her fingers with his.

"Ade!" Maeve panted, pushing her way through the crowded emergency ward. "Ade is Gin - ohmygod, are you okay?" Maeve noticed Gin was awake and rushed over to her side. "How's your head? Is your shoulder ok? Ade said it was dislocated. Does your cheek hurt? Who was that guy? Do you know him? Is he your boyfriend?"

Ginny blinked in confusion, then smiled at Maeve before going cold in horror at the risk she'd put her young Housemate in. She'd forgotten that Maeve was living with Ade. Merlin, what if he hadn't been there, what if Maeve had been forced to deal with this herself. Silently cursing herself, she blinked at the barrage of questions. "He's... not my boyfriend. He kidnapped me from the bar, Apparated without asking... and then hit me...." she said in a hoarse voice, her eyes turning to Ade. "I'm sorry I got you involved... I didn't know where else to go. Dad's gone and my brothers all have crazy lives and...." she trailed off. "Thanks... for taking care of me...."

"Shh, don't worry about it," Ade murmured, squeezing her hand and calming her down. "It's fine. I'm glad you came to me. I think I was better suited to dealing with him than your family. I at least left him alive. I wouldn't want the Minister of Magic to have to explain why there was a dead body found in his house." Reaching over he tenderly scuffed her bruise free cheek with his thumb. "Although had I known he'd hit you... if I'd seen this bruise in the dark... I know a few places to hide body parts. I think I would've had to have used them tonight."

"We have a room open for you now. I'm sorry, but I need to get her checked in at least for the night," the medi-witch interrupted gently, giving them a smile.

"Of course," Ade murmured reluctantly releasing Gin's hand and stepping aside so she could be wheeled away.

"Once she's settled and her examinations are finished, I'll come get you," the medi-witch said, smiling over her shoulder at them as she carted Gin down the hall.

"Do you want to go home or stay?" Ade asked turning to Maeve.

"Stay," she said softly, taking his hand and leaning into him for comfort.

"Ok. Let's go find a spot to sit," he murmured, pulling her into him and walking with her to the waiting room.

Ginny watched with blurry eyes as they wound their way to an examination room, the medi-witch closing the door behind her.

"I'm going to perform some scans now to check your biometrics. You shouldn't feel anything as I do this."

Ginny nodded. "I know the drill," she said with weary resignation. "This isn't my first serious injury. In fact, this is pretty minor, all around," she told her.

Nodding, the medi-witch (her name tag said Ruth) began flicking her wand over Ginny, different colored sparkles of light trailing from the thin branch to settle in different places on her flesh. Some seemed to be absorbed, others to float above her. The lights made Ginny sleepy, and she started to shut her eyes, only to hear Ruth draw a surprised breath.

"What?" Ginny asked, her eyes opening in concern.

"Well, over all, you are a fine specimen of health. No major problems. The shoulder is healing, and won't cause you any more trouble. The head, not concussed, though you likely have a headache. A few bruises, but nothing major. Except for that," she said, pointing and drawing Ginny's attention to a dome of light over her lower belly.

"Uh... what's that?" she asked, not having a clue what the witch was getting at.

"That is the spell to test for pregnancy. We always perform it, since pregnant witches can't take certain potions, especially blood coagulating agents. You, it appears, are pregnant."

"WHAT?!" Ginny asked loudly. "But, how? I mean I only did that the...." she trailed off a look of horror on her face. "Oh, Merlin. Oh, sweet mother of god. Fuck! Fuck! What the fuck am I going to do now!" she asked, getting more and more agitated.

"Shh, calm down," Ruth murmured soothingly, laying a comforting hand on the younger girl's shoulder. "You'll be fine. I'm guessing from your reaction that this wasn't planned and you're not on good terms with the father? If that's the case, there are... options. St. Mungo's doesn't like to advertise them, but they are offered to women who qualify for them."

"I'm seventeen. I just started my job two weeks ago. And I'm on fine terms with the father, but not those terms. My father's the fucking Minister of Magic, for Merlin's sake. He is going to kill me. If Mum doesn't first," she said, her voice shaking as she fought back tears. "Fucking hell. Shite. I can't even tell the father. He'll kill me. I was only a one-off to him. It's not like I mean anything more to him than a friend."

The tears had started now, although she wasn't sobbing, just frustrated and a bit scared.

Ruth patiently listened to the ramble, rubbing Ginny's shoulder soothingly. "If I can ask... was it that young man outside? Is he the father?" Her silence told her everything. "I've only just met you and I don't know a thing about your relationship other than what you've told me, but I have two eyes. I can see that he cares about you very much. I don't know him from Adam, but perhaps you should tell him if he cares about you that much. I don't think he's seeing this as a one off, if my eyes are right. And they're rarely wrong."

Ginny shook her head. "With all due respect, ma'am, the, uh, night in question? He didn't even know my name. And the next night he fucked another girl at a party... while I was there with my brother. He's a friend, that's all. And that's all he should be. He's my boss... sort of."

She squinched her face up a moment, then smoothed it out, sighing. "I'm not deciding anything now. I've only done... that... once. And it was two weeks ago. How long do I have to decide?"

"For it to still be safe for you? About eight more weeks, but I would recommend that you decide soon to keep any trauma you may have during and after the procedure to a minimum," she replied softly. "But I would also highly recommend that you involve the father in your decision. In case... you decide to pursue a relationship later."

"Thank you for the advice, I'll take it under consideration," she said, equally softly. "But first I need some time to come to terms with it myself, so I know where I stand first. Let's face it, the one it's really going to affect is me. He won't face losing his job and being homeless with a baby and nothing to take care of it with.... Not that Dad would let that happen...."

Sighing she laid back and closed her eyes. "Do you know if it's a boy or a girl?" she asked finally.

"It's a boy," Ruth said, standing at the doorway. "Shall I send him in?" she asked.

Taking a deep breath, Ginny nodded. "But for now, no one, and I mean NO one, is to know. I'm holding you to your oath for privacy."

Ruth bristled a moment, then nodded, recognizing the girl was having one of the most difficult nights of her young life.

With a slow step, she went into the waiting room and found the young man holding what she thought was his sister. "She's ready for you now," she told him softly, noticing the girl was asleep against him. She wanted to give him some hint, but her oath was to the mother, and until they had some formal tie, no one would recognize him as the father.

"Is she all right?" Ade asked softly, gently nudging Maeve awake. She stirred against him and groaned at being moved.

"She's fine. But she could use some company. And the little one can see her before she goes to bed."

"'M not little," Maeve mumbled grouchily. Chuckling softly, Ade stood and walked with Maeve leaning on him to Gin's room.

"Hey," he said smiling over at her, relieved that her bruise was gone and other than looking a little upset she seemed fine. Of course she would still look upset given the night she'd just had. "How're you feeling?" he asked sitting in a chair next to her bed. Maeve crawled into his lap and buried her head in his shoulder.

Ginny looked at him with different eyes than she usually did. Before, they had been the eyes of a woman who found him physically attractive, or as a friend sees a friend. Now, she was looking at him with the eyes of a woman with a secret, the eyes of a mother. She watched how he was with Maeve, how he held her and protected her and kissed her forehead and loved her. He'd make a good father, she realized.

But then, she'd already known that on some level. Otherwise, she wouldn't have turned to him in her moment of panicked crisis.

The real question was... would he be a good mate? Was he even capable of it? She had no illusions about the kind of relationships, if you could call them that, he preferred. And she was equally well aware how uncompatible his preference was with hers. He could teach Don Juan a lesson in loving them and leaving them (although it had been rumored that Don Juan also satisfied them, she thought with an internal smirk). And she had realized about a day too late that she was not of the same mindset.

That... that was the real problem.

So instead of saying anything, she held her tongue, tearing herself up inside as she struggled to come to terms with this new burden.

"I'm ok," she lied.

He didn't believe that for a moment, but instead of pressing her, he let the lie... lie. The last thing he wanted to do was arouse Maeve's curiosity and he didn't want her to talk about something painful that would make her feel uncomfortable with his sister in the room. "Do you need anything? I'm going to take this one back to bed, but is there anything you need before I come back? I'm staying here the night, just so you know. I don't trust that the arse that did this to you, no matter how drunk, won't come tearing through St. Mungo's looking for you." At least that was what he told her. He didn't think he could go home and sleep without knowing that she was ok and the only way he felt comfortable doing that was to sleep in her room.

"You don't have to do that. She shouldn't be alone. Unless you think you can ward her in," she said, much more concerned for Maeve than for herself. "I would never forgive myself if he came back and got her." She met his eyes a moment and felt a bit of a spark pass between them, but fought to keep the recognition out of her eyes. She was only a one off, no matter what Ruth thought, no matter what Tabitha thought. Until he made some move otherwise, then she had to accept that she was safely in the 'friend' category.

Ade felt his skin electrify at the look that passed between them. If he had hair, it would've stood on end. "The house is well warded, she'll be fine. How the drunk was able to get through the wards in the first place concerns me, but the floo is shut and I know that is heavily warded. He won't be able to come through provided he still remembers his name," Ade replied, his eyes sparking angrily at the memory of the bastard. "She'll be fine. I'll also have the House Elves keep an eye on her and alert me here if there's anything wrong.

"Do you want to go home?" Ade murmured to Maeve.

"Mmmm, no. Yeah," she mumbled half asleep already.

"She'll be fine," he murmured looking over at Gin and giving her a comforting smile. "She's my life. I wouldn't risk her if I weren't confident in the wards."

Finally, Ginny nodded, watching as he effortlessly picked Maeve up and carried her out of the room, the door snicking shut behind him.

She laid back on the bed and closed her eyes, desperately wishing she'd be asleep when he returned. She had a feeling he'd want to talk, and she wanted to avoid that as long as possible. Especially now.

Sighing softly, she felt herself start to drift off, praying that when she woke, she'd have some answers.

Ade dropped Maeve off at home, laying her down in her bed. She was already dead asleep by the time he got there. Grabbing a clean change of clothes and throwing them in an overnight bag, he returned to St. Mungo's to find Gin already asleep as well.

Settling in the chair next to her bed, settled in for a long night. He was just about to drift off when she began moaning softly in her sleep, her forehead scrunched in pain. Any fatigue disappeared at her soft sounds of distress and he pressed a button on her bed that would call the medi-witch. "She's in pain," he whispered when Ruth slipped into her room. "Why wasn't she given any pain potions?"

"Because we needed to check her total swelling first. And some of the potions cause the wrong interactions. She wasn't in much pain, but the potions we could give her have worn off." She conjured an ice pack and slipped it under the girl's shoulder, doing her best to make her comfortable. "If she wakes completely, call me. Until then, this is all we can do for her."

Ade nodded. "Thank you," he murmured, his eyes returning to Gin. Gently and very tenderly, he took her hand and held it in his much larger one. She looked so small and helpless in the bed and it called out to all his protective instincts to wrap her up in his arms and never let her go. This should've been bad, very bad. But it didn't feel bad. What did that mean?

Sighing, he scooted his chair forward and laid his head on the bed by her hip, his fingers playing with hers in her sleep. He had a lot to think about.

Ginny woke a few hours later to find Ade with his head pillowed in her lap, his fingers twined through hers, fast asleep. Frowning in confusion, she looked at him, wondering what he was doing, and why he'd pick such an uncomfortable position to do it in. His neck would have knots the size of goose eggs when he woke up.

Just then, her tummy growled. Loudly. And she was thirsty.

And all the implications of what had happened last night... and what she had learned... came churning up into her conscious mind.

Whimpering slightly, she tried to extricate her hand from his, and failed as he tightened his fingers around hers, apparently not wanting to let her hand go.

Ade woke slowly feeling his pillow move and shift beneath him. Groaning softly, he turned his head into his pillow, but it kept moving and slowly it dawned on him that he wasn't on a pillow at all, that his back and neck burned and he was actually sleeping on Gin.

"Sorry," he mumbled, sitting up with another drawn out groan. Reaching up to rub his neck, he squinted over at Gin who looked well rested if still a bit weary and still completely beautiful. "Hi. How're you feeling today?" he asked, his voice scratchy from sleep.

"I'm... all right," she said softly, looking at him carefully, the news she'd gotten last night lying heavily on her shoulders and making her feel... old. "I won't ask how you slept, since I'm sure it was... poorly. Did they say when they're letting me out of here?" she asked finally.

"No, I haven't heard, but I'm assuming today. The medi-witch said that they were only keeping you here for the night for observation," he replied, picking up on how depressed she seemed. Reaching out for her hand, he took it again and gave it a squeeze. "Don't worry, the bastard won't touch you again. I doubt he even remembers his name anymore."

She shook her head slightly. "I'm not actually worried about him. I doubt he'd be brave enough to attack the Minister's daughter at home had he known who I was. I seem to be making a habit of that, letting men hit on me who don't even care to know my name," she said in a voice that was all but crackling with tears.

Ade looked over at Gin, his expression softening. "I'm sorry. If I could do it over again, I'd do it differently," he murmured, looking down at her hand laying on the bed next to her and taking it gently. "I would have gotten to know your name and I'd... I'd just do it differently. I don't think I would've taken your virginity. That's no way to lose it, not drunk."

She blinked hard to keep from crying, or cringing. "I see. So Bill told you, did he," she said, looking up at him when her expression was once more under control. "You don't need to apologize, Ade. I didn't tell you, after all. I could have. You were a lot drunker than I was. So... whatever happened, it's my own fault. Sometimes, I guess we just have to learn the hard way. Maybe I was just too... sheltered growning up. For all that, in some ways, I wasn't sheltered at all."

"Gin -" he began but there was nothing he could say to that. So this was them talking. It really wasn't working out so great. "I do need to apologize. I was drunk yes, but I should've been the responsible one. I had more experience than you and I... I'd like to think that I would've done the right thing. Even drunk."

He scrubbed his hand down his face and rubbed the back of his kinked neck. "That doesn't mean that I didn't want you... don't want you still," he admitted softly, going as Gryffindor as he dared. "I probably would've asked you out first, had I been sober. At the very least I would've gotten your name."

"Is that so?" she asked, her voice low, with a hint of edge. "Then why didn't you? When you had another chance, even? At dad's investiture party? Hell, you got Celine's name. More than a name, even. If that's what wanting me means, then maybe I'd be better off if you hated the sight of me," she said harshly. She had to keep that in mind to protect herself. It was too easy to let herself fall under his spell, and that was too dangerous. Especially now.

"I knew who you were then. You couldn't be anyone BUT Bill's sister. And Celine... Celine was an abysmally failed attempt to get you out of my system. So I turned to drinking which also didn't work. You wanted a one off, I gave you that. I wasn't going to ask for more when you didn't want any but then Bill stuck his fat nose into everything and told me that you were acting the way you were because you were convinced all I wanted was a one off." He sighed and stretched his neck, feeling the muscles tighten further with the difficulty of his confession. "And I was acting the way I was because that's all I thought you wanted too. What a mess."

"I was embarrassed thinking I'd made a fool of myself. That, and I had blood dripping down my thighs. Even drunk, you would have noticed that! What was I suppose to do? Admit to you then that it had been my first time? Because that would have gone over well. I didn't think it would matter. I never thought I'd see you again. Fate, apparently, had other plans in store. But what else was I supposed to think? You certainly didn't ask me to stay! Hell, I'm not stupid, Ade. Why else does a man ask to go to the woman's flat and not ask her name unless he intends to leave as soon as he can?"

Gee, lay on the guilt a little thicker, he thought snidely even though he knew he deserved it. "It was dark, Gin. And I was drunk. I didn't see the blood until I woke up the next morning. And I didn't think to get your last name because... because as incredibly corny as this sounds and god I can't believe I'm admitting this to you, but as bad as this sounds, it felt like I already knew you. It wasn't until I'd woken up and sobered up that I realized that I didn't know your name last name at all and I had no way of contacting you. And you were at my flat, you didn't want me over at your parent's where they might wake up and find us remember?"

She shrugged at that. "True. But that wasn't because of you. Have you met my parents? Maybe you should sometime. Even if we were married with kids, I wouldn't want to shag you in their home. I wouldn't want to shag anyone in their home. That's just... ew. No." She laughed a little at that, the sobered and looked at him. "Would you like to, sometime? Meet my parents, that is. Officially. You could bring Maeve to Sunday brunch, if you like."

There it was, a peace offering and... an offering of other sorts, if he wanted to take it for that. And, depending on if he did... maybe Ruth had been right.

Suddenly, she tensed, thinking about all of the mess she was in now. Now, they were talking. Talking about... that night. It might be the best, nay, only opportunity to tell him. But, did she want to? She hadn't woken up feeling like she'd found her answers in dreams. But maybe... just maybe waking up with his head pillowed on her lap and him holding her hand... maybe that was sign enough.

Depending on how he answered that question, at least.

"I think... I think I'd like that. I already know Maeve would, but I think I'd like that too," he murmured, looking over at her hesitantly. This was all new to him and not at all in his element so he had no prior experience with which to fall back to on how to act or what to say or do. He just hoped he didn't fuck this up again because he was fully aware that this was his second chance and it was entirely likely he would never have another chance again. "Although I'm probably the very last person they want to meet at least in regard to their baby daughter. As Bill's friend they probably wouldn't care, but with their only daughter probably not so much. Still... I'd like to... try. If you even still want me that is. I've done some shitty things in the past and I would understand if you didn't want me anymore."

"I... have, too, Ade," she said in a whisper. She bit her lip a moment, then looked up at him. "I suppose the question is, do you want to forget what happened and... just be friends and coworkers? Or... forget it and try... for something more. Because... I think I'd like that. If... if we're on the same page about what that means."

Time for the moment of truth....
"You're so completely under my skin now, I don't think I could just forget and be friends and coworkers," he admitted quietly, looking at his hand holding hers. "So I think I'd like that too." He was still in a state of shock that this was coming together so... smoothly. There was nothing easy about it but it could've been much messier and much harder than it already had been and ultimately all for naught but she wanted him. Why, he had no idea (other than he was the finest specimine of man known to... man), but he wasn't about to let her rethink it all and back out.
She bit her lip, also looking at their joined hands. "Before... before you say that, I have a confession to make," she said softly. She glanced up at him, then nervously back down. "I wasn't going to tell you, but... my medi-witch said I should and... since you seem to be interested in me... I... you have the right to know..." she knew she was babbling and sounded like a complete idiot, but really, this wasn't a conversation she'd ever pictured herself having. She'd thought that when she had a child, she'd be married and they would have mutually decided to try and it would be a happy occasion, not... not this.

"I... I'm pregnant... with your son. I found out last night," she whispered, afraid to look at him. "It's why I was so out-of-sorts. I'm trying to decide if I should... have it. And... well... Ruth said I should let you help make that decision...."
Ade paled so that his milk chocolate skin turned a sickly green shade. "Pregnant?" he squeaked. Son? What? Then it all clicked into place; he'd been too drunk to remember the charm and she'd been a virgin and not exactly expecting to lose her virginity that night so she hadn't been taking any contraceptive potions. "Oh shit."
He felt a little light headed so he dropped his head down between his legs and took deep gulps of air. He was too young for this, fuck, Gin was way too young for this. Taking deep breaths, he finally straightened back up when he felt more in control of himself. "Ok, I'm ok."
Scrubbing his free hand over his face he looked over her with determination and a hefty dose of worry. "Are you all right? Is the baby ok?"

She watched him work through his emotional barrage, remembering the one she'd had the night before and wondering what conclusions he'd come to. She was more than a bit surprised when the first questions out of his mouth were about her and the baby's health and not, as she'd been expecting, some sort of accusation about trapping him or questioning his paternity.

"The baby's fine. I'm... physically, I'm fine. At least in that regard. My shoulder hurts like a mother-fucker, but I can't take anything for it... because of the baby." She looked at him carefully. "We don't have to decide right now. Ruth said I have eight weeks still when I can safely... terminate... the pregnancy. Although... the sooner the better, if that's what... we... decide to do. We're too young for this, and... we have enough to deal with just trying a relationship... throw parenthood in too and...." She shrugged. "But... if we are keeping it and trying a relationship... then I'd like to be sure that we agree what that means."

Her eyes hardened.

"I don't share. I will be faithful to you. I expect the same courtesy. If you feel that you are lacking for bedsport and I am unable to provide for what you need, then I expect you to end it with me first. I'm an adult, I will deal, no matter what that means for me and for... our son... if we continue the pregnancy. But if I found out you've be sleeping with other women behind my back, so help me Merlin they won't even find your body."
"Fair enough, but that means you can't just go off dancing with Zabini or any other randy bugger like you're plastered to him like a second skin," he replied, feeling his hackles raise at the thought of Gin and Zabini on the dance floor the other night.

Ginny arched an eyebrow. "Fair enough. You, either, though. Whatever limits are on one of us, go for the other, too. I don't expect you to come home reeking of another woman's perfume and say you've only been dancing and expect me to be rational about it. I like dancing. If you take me dancing, I have no need to go with Blaise or anyone else. But while we're on that, let's talk about Blaise. I think it's only fair to tell you that no matter what you've assumed, I didn't fuck him. In fact, his cock didn't enter into any of my bodily orifaces. Nor has anyone else's since that night."

She looked at him carefully a moment. "I didn't... um... really enjoy that night. It hurt. But... more than that..." she looked him right in the eye, "it didn't really feel like you were... making much effort for... my pleasure, too. I'm not stupid, Ade. I know that's more or less the norm for... for a one-off. But... if this is going to be a relationship... then I expect you to... take care of my needs, too. I do not intend to go through life waiting for you to fall asleep so I can take care of them myself. I'm not frigid, I'm perfectly capable of having an orgasm, too. Blaise managed to give me one with his finger. Luna used her tongue. I'm not interested in having a one-sided relationship. I've been in one of those before, and I don't intend to start one now."

Ade's eyes sparked with anger at her accusations. "I was too making an effort for your pleasure, as much as I could while completely smashed. It could've been much worse had I not. I would've just plowed into you. Besides, if I remember correctly, it certainly felt like you came and you didn't say anything so how the fuck am I supposed to know these things if you don't tell me. Again! I'm not a bloody mind reader you know! I can only go by what I feel and that felt like you coming so don't accuse me of neglecting your needs when I thought they'd been met!"
Not only had she insulted his male pride of being able to take care of the woman he was with, she also pissed him off by saying that she let that slimy get Zabini touch her in that way. Luna, he didn't mind because hell that was hot and they were close friends, but Zabini? It wasn't as if there had been a previous relationship or even friendship that would compel them together. "Do you want me to prove to you that I can have you screaming louder and coming harder than you did with Zabini?" he asked, his eyes narrowed and focused on Gin.

Ginny was vaguely amused at his anger. "Perhaps," she said coolly. "Although I think I'd rather you show me that you can have me screaming as well as you did Celine, since I didn't actually make much noise with Blaise. We were in public, after all. Oh. Wait. So were you." Her voice stayed calm, but she remembered all too well hearing him fucking the Slytherin Princess from her year at school, getting mad herself at his hypocracy.
"She was not screaming," he said rolling his eyes. "But that's neither here nor there."
He had a score to settle as it were, but just as he began to take off his robes he looked over at her with concern, the anger melting away into worry. "Is your head all right?"

"NO. My head is not all right. It's throbbing now, and it's making my neck tense which is hurting my shoulder, thank you for asking. And of course, they won't give me something for it even if I ask them to, because I'm carrying your bastard child," she finally snapped. "It's probably the gods punishing me for being such a fool and letting my knickers down at very much the wrong time. Not that there's a right time when you're a bloody Weasley, mind you. All I want right now is to stretch out on a comfortable bed that doesn't smell like hospital linens, on sheets that don't scratch my skin, and cry for a day or so. Of course, that will only make my head hurt worse, so it's probably just as well I'm stuck here. And she was making it vocally clear that she was enjoying herself, regardless of what you want to call it."
Well that just killed whatever arousal that had been building up at the thought of accepting Gin's challenge and proving her wrong. Sighing he relaxed and rolled his shoulders to try to work the kinks out of his neck. He looked over at her cautiously and returned to the main issue at hand. "Do you... want to keep it? Personally, I do, but... I know how much you're looking forward to your job and how difficult that would be to give up six, seven months from now when you're unable to kneel at a dig or can't go into a site because of the danger."
He leaned back in his chair and sighed softly. He loved his job, loved the travel and the excitement of it. Would he be able to give that up to be a parent? With Bill it was easier; Fleur worked in the bank and she was home every day. He and Gin were both on the same team and could be gone for weeks at a time with no one to watch the baby. Career? Or family?

She tried to roll over, hoping to alleviate some of the pain in her shoulder, but only making herself wince as something pulled tight. "I don't know. I really don't. I'm seventeen. I hadn't planned for this to happen for at least five years or so. After I'd settled down and married someone I loved and wanted to have a family with. Certainly... not like this. On the other hand...." She sighed. "On the other hand," she started again, placing a hand protectively on her still flat tummy. "I just don't know."

Not to mention the lack of acceptance in the wizarding world for single mothers.

And, loathe though she was to admit it, the thought of him traipsing all around the world and leaving her stuck at home with a screaming child was not kosher. At all. Now that she'd accepted that he did, in fact, want her, she was not at all happy about the thought of him at dig sites in remote, romantic locations with Tabby.
"It's not something we have to decide now," he murmured as the medi-witch Ruth walked in looking tired after a long shift but still as warm and serene as before.
"You're free for release," she said, walking over to Gin's chart and signing off on it. "I wanted to see how things were going before I left and give you this." She handed Gin a bottle of pills. "They're Muggle aspirin, better than the pain potions I can give you in -" she cut herself off and gave Gin an apologetic smile. "They're just better. You can get them from any chemist or Muggle grocery market for that matter. But only get this kind. There're two kind, but you can only have this one. It's called acetaminophen."
She rolled her eyes and grinned. "Muggles and their silly words. Anyway, I thought that might help a bit. Keep the ice pack on your shoulder and don't move it too much. The pain and swelling should go down in a couple of days. Do you have any questions?"

"No," Ginny said, motioning for Ade to take the bottle. "Thank you for everything," she said sincerely. "I think I'm going to sleep all day though. When can I start using my arm again normally?"

"I'd give it a week, dear. You tore up the muscles pretty thoroughly. I reknit them, but it needs to set and settle."

Nodding her understanding, Ginny signed her release paperwork, which Ruth took with her as she left.

"Think you can get me home? Shite. I need to think up something to tell Mum. She'll go ballistic otherwise. And I'm not telling anyone about the baby until we decide for sure."
"Fair enough. Tell your mum you were with me. It's the truth," he replied standing and helping her out of bed. He helped her dress as well, very carefully watching her arm and making sure neither of them jostled it unnessecarily. "We went back to my place after we left the Three Broomsticks and we fell asleep watching a movie." He wasn't sure he liked the thought of her going back to her house, but he figured that since the Minister of Magic lived there and two curse breakers probably worked on the wards, it was most likely the safest house in all of Great Britain.

"If I didn't have an injury to explain, that might work," she said with a laugh. "Unless I was a little over-enthusiastic in some Quidditch training, too," she said, raising an eyebrow. "You do still play, don't you? Of course, she'll want to know why I'm taking that instead of some stronger pain potion. And after seven children, it won't take her long to connect the dots." Licking her lips, she shrugged. "So, she can't know I was hurt. Won't be the first time." Steeling herself for the act, she turned a bright smile on Ade, ignored the lingering pain, and offered him her arm. "Shall we?"
"First," he murmured, stepping forward and cupping her jaw. He gave her a long sweet lingering kiss that held the promise of many things. Giving her lips one last kiss, he stepped back and grinned down at her. "Now I'm set."
Taking her hand and slipping it into the crook of his arm, he slipped his hand over hers and lead her out of her room.
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Chance Encounters of the Close Kind