Blood of the Innocent
AN/This is an answer to the Prophecy Challenge by Ozratbag2. You will find this Challenge on WiKTT in the challenge folder. This chapter has not been betaed. This story will be slow in evolving as I have several WIPs and am currently having a bit of health issues.
Prologue
Hermione Granger walked into the crowded pub her eyes scanning the crowd. Too quickly she saw the sandy blonde haired, hazel eyed, smiling man. He waved at her, standing as she neared the small booth in the back.
"You look lovely darling," Edward Varlett gushed, kissing her flushed face. Hermione scooted into the booth, sighing softly, trying to ease the tension between her shoulder blades.
"Thank you Edward." Her voice was flat and he grinned slightly, knowing she was distracted. So, he thought as he watched her fidget in her seat, biting at her lip and avoiding eye contact, she knows.
"I'm pregnant."
Edward allowed his eyes to widen, a broad grin spreading across his face. He reached over and grabbed her hand. "Herms, that is wonderful!"
Withdrawing her hand, Hermione shook her head. "It's not Edward." He looked at her questioningly. "I –I am not ready for this. My career at the Ministry-I haven't even been there a year yet-and well- a child needs to be born into a loving family, with a father and a mother."
"Of course love. We should get married as soon as possible. I think I can arrange everything by Tuesday…"
"No!" Hermione's voice rose shrilly, causing several of the pub's patrons to turn to look in their direction. Lowering her voice she continued. "Edward, I do not want to marry you because I don't love you." There she had said it, had laid the cards on the table.
Sitting back slowly, Edward blinked his eyes rapidly. "Hermione, you cannot mean that. It's only nerves, hormones perhaps. Have you seen a mediwitch?'
"It is not hormones. Edward, please understand. I have thought about this, believe me there has been nothing else I have thought about for the last week- and I thought you should know. I do not plan to have this child."
This time Edward's shock was genuine. He had not counted on this from her. "Hermione, darling," his voice shook. "You cannot, you wouldn't-just think. It would be murder. And may I remind you it is illegal in the Wizarding community to abort a child."
"It is legal in the Muggle world," she said sharply. "And I am Muggle."
"You are a Witch first." Edward's voice held a note of desperation. "How could you even think of doing-that?"
Hermione's eyes brightened, the dark chocolate orbs begging him to understand. But how could he? How could she have been so careless and even allowed him into her life in the first place. He didn't know about her 'real' work, as a member of the Order of the Phoenix. When she wasn't spending twelve hours a day at the Ministry working in the Department of Mysteries, trying to unlock the secrets held there, she was working tirelessly with the others, fighting, undermining Voldemort whenever possible. True, she had not expected to still be fighting, had hoped as many that the bloody mess would have been resolved by now, yet a year and two months after leaving school it was still going strong.
"Edward," she tried to keep her voice steady. "I have thought about this. I am barely nineteen, just starting my career and with this war going on what right do I have to bring a child into the world. Please don't make this any harder…"
"Harder? My gods Hermione," his voice had grown cold. "I thought you of all people would love a child. Never would I have guessed that you would be so heartless. Depriving the world of the brilliant next Granger and Varlett-and-and," his voice broke and he put a hand over his eyes. "I would love the child even if you wouldn't."
"Edward, please don't. I thought it would be the right thing to do, to let you know but I see that I was wrong." She started to rise, but his hand on her arm with firm and he pulled her back down. "Let go of me," Hermione said coolly.
"Hear me out," Edward said, releasing her wrist. "If you do not want the responsibility of a child could you perhaps think about having it and giving it to me? Wait," his words tumbled together as he noted Hermione's skeptical look, "I would never tell the child you were its mother nor expect anything of you…"
"Do you honestly think I could do that? Just give a baby up and never wonder about it?"
"If you could kill that same baby why not?"
Hermione's face flushed, as her eyes grew bright. "You don't understand Edward," she said, a tremor in her voice.
"Then help me to understand. I love you Hermione and I want this baby. Can you please at least think about it for say another week? Please? For me?"
Sighing heavily, Hermione studied Edward's handsome face for a moment then nodded. "One week and then you will agree to whatever I decide?"
"Of course darling," Edward said happily, picking up her hands and kissing them heartily.
They finished the meal with an understanding that the pregnancy would not be mentioned. Hermione had refused Edward's request to walk her back to her flat and he had kissed her cheek as they bade each other good-bye outside the pub. He watched her walk into the dark cold November night before he ducked into the alleyway between the pub and a store. There was a loud crack as Edward disapparated.
Appearing in his London flat, Edward tossed his cloak haphazardly on a chair as he strode intently over to the blazing fireplace. Grabbing a hand full of green power from an urn on the mantel he threw it into the fire while saying his name. Kneeling before the flames he waited for his call to be answered. Within a few minutes a face appeared in the flames, its red eyes blazing at him. Edward bowed low before speaking. "Milord, it appears we may have ran into a problem."