Part 1

Lucius Malfoy shivered at the thought that death had followed him home from the dreary pit in which he had languished for the past ten years. As he held the rigid hand of his recently deceased wife for the last time, he wished that he had never left Azkaban. The constant torment of the Dementors did not compare to the agonizing pain in his chest at seeing his son's noble mother lying on the funeral pyre like a sculpture of a sleeping goddess carved upon a pedestal; cold, still, hard—flawless.

Narcissa deserved so much more than the sudden and gruesome death that had claimed her on his first day home. A snake had killed her. Lucius knew that if there was indeed a God, he had a sense of humor as twisted as that of Bellatrix Lestrange. His powerful, pureblood, Slytherin wife had been struck down in the prime of her life by a serpent.

Lucius was broken and surrounded by decay. Those of his closest friends not still in prison were either terminally ill or already in the grave. His relationship with Draco had deteriorated to the point that they never spoke without harsh words. Even the Malfoy patriarch's home was in relative ruin since the Ministry had confiscated his house-elves. The fact that Malfoy Manor still belonged to him was no small miracle as over half of his wealth had been seized immediately following his trial.

Scorpius, who was just old enough to comprehend the devastating solemnity of the moment, emerged from the shadowy background and grasped his grandfather's free hand. He had traveled home from Hogwarts in order to attend the funeral. Though he did not know Lucius, he loved him as he loved his grandmother.

Lucius smiled. The boy was a light, saving an old man from utter darkness.

HG**LM

Lucius found an unexpected guest waiting for him when he returned to his study after the funeral.

Andromeda Tonks was standing with her back to him at the window. The sunlight was dull, but it cast just enough light on her black hair to give it an almost violet shine as she looked down at the handkerchief that she was twisting in her hands. She turned to him expressionless with no tears in her eyes.

He glanced to her soft lips, expecting harsh words to come from them at any moment. He'd always considered her a strange combination of her sisters. She had the intensity of Bellatrix with the polished façade of Narcissa, but a beauty superior to them both.

"I always knew that my sister would succumb an early death as your wife, Lucius, but it seems that I have no more tears for her. She was dead to me years ago. I can only hope that she is finally at peace."

Lucius seated himself in his armchair while regarding his sister-in-law coolly. "I have nothing left to say to you, Andromeda. If you have finished paying your respects to my family, you should go."

Andromeda raised her voice, showing a hint of agitation. "I am still Scorpius' great-aunt, and I haven't seen him."

"As you can plainly see, he is not in my study. Yet you are. Why is that?" When she didn't respond, he continued to speak. "I cannot change the past, and I cannot bring your sister back."

"You can't bring her money back either, can you?" Andromeda asked sharply.

Lucius smiled bitterly. "I didn't know you cared for such material things. I remember that you were more than happy to let your inheritance go to your sisters when you married that Mudblood. Don't tell me that your ideals have changed."

"I only want what's best for the children. There won't be anything left for Scorpius' future if you keep losing bits of the estate. Half of all you had came from the House of Black, and now you are left with less than that. Draco seems to believe that you will let this house fall down around you as well," she said.

Lucius spoke with sadness. "Draco and I haven't spoken, so he doesn't know what I will do. However, I intend to preserve everything that I can for Scorpius. Draco doesn't want it."

Andromeda scoffed. "Of course not. You're both Death Eaters. At least your son has the decency to admit it and pay his dept to society."

"You would blame my son for a choice he was forced to make?" Lucius was genuinely surprised.

"Sometimes taking the right path is difficult, but it is always there to take," she said as she left the room.

HG**LM

Hermione Granger strolled about the busy grounds of Hogwarts in the company of Harry Potter, who visited her at least once a week. They had become even closer since the war, relying on each other for advice, support, and easy companionship.

The students' weekend activities were well underway, which meant that Hermione kept an even closer eye on the lake, the forest, and the Quidditch pitch. After taking countless points from all four houses and joining Hagrid for lunch at his hut, tradition demanded that they retire to the Room of Requirement in order to speak privately about the latest developments in their busy lives.

Harry threw himself lazily onto a massive sofa and asked, "Have you heard anything from Minerva about the promotion?"

As Hogwarts' Potions Mistress, Hermione already filled one of the school's most prestigious positions, but she was hoping to become the Head of Gryffindor House within the year.

Sitting down beside him, she nodded. "I'll be replacing Professor Wood when he leaves at the end of this term." She couldn't suppress a smile as she continued in a gleeful voice, "I even get to move into his old office . . . It's huge. It's also closer to the library!"

Harry smirked. "It's good to see that you still have your priorities correctly sorted after all these years."

She rewarded his teasing comment with a playful slap on the arm, and they laughed.

"You haven't given up on Ron yet, have you?" Harry asked.

"He thinks he's too poor to marry me, but he promises to propose soon . . . something about a business venture paying off." Hermione shrugged. "I've been waiting for years, so I don't see how a few more months will make a difference. He's an Auror, Harry. What does he know about making money?"

Harry answered, "I think he's got himself a wealthy client . . . He's a Ministry licensed private investigator, you know?"

Hermione's eyes widened along with her smile. "No, I didn't! I didn't even know the Ministry issued a license for that! What a perfect opportunity for someone like Ron. He was always so good at strategy and such."

Harry looked confused. "How could you not know that? He talked about it for days."

"I suppose he's just been too busy to send an owl." She sighed.

"Honestly, Hermione. I don't know how you two get along."

She snapped back, "It's not so hard when he's never around!"

Harry placed his hand on hers. "I shouldn't have said that. We've been through this before, and you know I'll support you no matter what." He promptly tried to change the subject. "Why don't we talk about something else?"

Hermione shook her head and closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath to clear her mind. "I've just been so scared, Harry. I feel as though we are supposed to be together, yet I don't feel the kind of love for him that Ginny feels for you. When we were younger, I didn't know the difference. I thought it was the real thing, but now I know that I've never really been in love."

Harry pulled her closer. "Merlin, Hermione . . . You can't marry someone you don't love."

"I do love him. I'm just not in love with him, and what if I never fall in love?"

Harry opened his mouth to protest, but Hermione continued to vent. "I'm just more comfortable with Ron. I know we'll never hurt each other, you know?"

Harry pulled her into a tight embrace. "I just want you both to be happy. Make sure it's really what you want, and I'll be here for you."

Hermione pulled away from Harry, wiping moisture from her red eyes. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Hermione."

Silence lingered while they both tried to think of something more to say. Deciding to finally change the subject, he said, "Andromeda is moving in with us soon. She sold her house to finance Teddy's trip to Russia to complete his apprenticeship."

"Is she alright?" Hermione leaned back on Harry's shoulder. She was glad to be off the subject of Ron, and she always welcomed knowledge of the goings on at Grimmauld Place. Harry's family was the only family she had left since the disappearance of her parents in Australia. She had everyone at The Burrow, too, but her unsure relationship with Ron somewhat altered her place in the Weasleys' household.

Harry wrapped his arm around her shoulder and answered, "She feels a bit awkward about it, but she's promised me that it's only a temporary arrangement. I'm honestly happy to help."

"I know you are, Harry, but I can understand her discomfort. I feel like I'm taking advantage of your generosity at times. You can't be everyone's benefactor."

"Hermione, you stay with Ginny and me during the holidays at our request. That's completely different. It's not like you're really homeless. You live in a bloody castle!"

She snorted in amusement. "Well, I am the Gryffindor Princess."

Harry tried his best to look overly unimpressed. "Shouldn't you be the Gryffindor Queen by now? You used to be an over achiever. What happened there?"

"With your good looks and all of the drama in your life, I thought you were the Gryffindor Queen, Harry." Hermione grinned.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Harry looked a bit uncomfortable.

Hermione laughed so hard that she fell over the arm of the sofa with tears moistening her gleeful eyes. "Harry, it's okay. There's nothing wrong with dressing like Draco Malfoy and spending hours in front of the mirror in order to get your hair to look like you've been riding a broom through a storm."

Harry chose to deny her accusations with a single question. "Draco Malfoy?"

"Harry! Stop pretending to be offended! It only took one look in Draco's direction from Ginny for you to start following him to Diagon Alley before every formal event, and you know it. You've been competing against him since we were at Hogwarts, and it's only becoming worse now that you are both star Aurors . . . and friends."

Harry held out his hands in acquiescence. "Okay . . . Alright. The man knows how to dress. What can I say? I'd still rather not be the Gryffindor Queen. Could you imagine that headline if Rita Skeeter got news of you calling me that?" he said before standing.

He held out his hand, and Hermione gladly took it. It was time for her to walk with him past Hogwarts' boundaries and say her goodbyes before he Apparated back to London.

As they approached the gate, Hermione noticed a group of young Slytherins sitting under a tree. She and Harry approached the students unnoticed, and she smiled when she recognized one of them as Scorpius Malfoy.

Even though he wasn't her top student, Scorpius was more intelligent than any student that she had ever taught. He was a natural when it came to Potions, and he had a real interest in learning when it didn't interfere with his social life. Like most boys his age, he cared more for the Quidditch pitch than the library. It always surprised Hermione how polite he was to her, always taking time to greet her. He even occasionally offered to help her in the laboratory. She quite liked him.

Just as Hermione was about to glance away from the students and refocus on her walk with Harry, she noticed something odd directly behind Scorpius. The bark on the tree seemed to be moving and changing colors. She looked closer.

It was a snake.

Hermione breathed, "Nagini."

At the mention of Voldemort's snake, Harry turned to Hermione with a question, but she was already running toward the students with her wand drawn. He immediately spotted the great serpent. The snake could not be Nagini as she was dead, but the snake did look similar to her.

Harry ran after Hermione.

Hermione faltered while trying to move faster than her legs would take her. Hitting her knees only for a moment, she got back up and drew near enough to the snake to take aim.

At the sight of Hermione fast approaching them with her wand drawn, the children scattered. One of the girls saw the snake and screamed. The shrill sound spooked the snake, and it opened its mouth as if trying to intimidate her. Venom dripped from its monstrous fangs.

"Sectumsempra!" Hermione screamed, and her curse hit the snake in the lower jaw, ripping it loose from the rest of its head.

The snake dropped to the ground and writhed around rapidly before darting for Scorpius. It struck at the boy, but it couldn't maintain a grip on him with only half of its jaw intact. It struggled to attack the boy while Hermione prepared to hit it with another curse.

Before she could utter the words, she heard Harry begin speaking in Parseltongue.

The deadly fangs barely broke the boy's skin before the snake stopped its assault, looked at Harry, and slithered hastily into the Forbidden Forest.

Scorpius Malfoy collapsed into Hermione's arms. He had two puncture wounds on his right shoulder, and the blackness that the venom produced was spreading into his chest and up his neck.

Hermione cast a spell to remove as much of the poison as possible, and she was able to slow the effects of the venom that had already seeped too far into his body for her to remove. She immediately transported the barely conscious Scorpius to Madam Pomfrey while Harry informed the headmistress.

News of the attack on the Malfoy heir spread to most of Wizarding society within the hour. Worried parents tied up the Floo network with calls to the school in which they not only inquired about the injured boy, but they also asked after their own children. The prevalent rumor of a great snake running amuck at the school was just the beginning. Soon rumors were spread that Harry Potter was controlling the snake and that Hermione Granger had lost her life while protecting the students.

While Harry went to organize a group of Aurors and search the Forbidden Forest for the snake, Hermione remained at Scorpius' side. The child clung to her, his fists buried tight within the material of her jumper while he clenched his eyes shut and waited for Madam Pomfrey to finish healing his wounds. Hermione caressed his face with a cool, damp cloth and reassured him repeatedly that he would be fine.

Andromeda Tonks was the first visitor to appear at Hermione's side, fidgeting and whispering, "Oh, my poor, innocent boy. How is he, Hermione?"

Hermione turned to the older witch with a sad smile. "He'll be confined to bed for a few days, but there'll be no permanent damage, thank God."

Andromeda became calm, but remained solemn. "Did you kill the snake?"

Hermione remained focused on Scorpius, but answered Andromeda absent-mindedly, "No. All I could think about was how much it looked like Nagini. I panicked a bit, and lost my chance to finish it . . . Harry spoke to it, and it left."

Andromeda released a deep breath. "How awful. I'm so sorry, Hermione."

"It's alright. I'm fine." Hermione continued to speak softly while brushing damp strands of hair off of the boy's feverish forehead.

Andromeda took a box of Chocolate Frogs from her handbag, and placed them on a nearby table. "Give these to him when he's better, will you?"

Hermione nodded. "They're his favorite."

"Do you keep note of all of your students' favorite sweeties, Professor, or is my grandson a special student of yours?" Lucius Malfoy lurked in the doorway, frowning in disapproval at the scene before him. "I've never heard him mention a favorite teacher. I don't know you, do I? You are not pureblood."

Before Hermione could answer, Lucius continued, "Get out of my grandson's bed and stop touching him, whoever you are."

Hermione did not want to cause any disruptions that would harm Scorpius, so she quietly moved away from the boy and into a corner.

Andromeda became silent, but visibly irritated. She slipped past Lucius and into the corridor, trying to keep as much distance between herself and her brother-in-law as possible. Her footfalls were heard echoing in the silence as Lucius rushed to Scorpius. He did not even spare Hermione a glance when he said, "Leave us."

Hermione took a last look at the boy, smiled warmly, and left the room.

HG**LM

Tragedy, or a near tragedy in Hermione's case, tended to bring loved ones together, which was why she found herself at The Burrow for the first time in months.

Ron held her closely as they lounged on a sofa together. "Hermione, I'm glad that you saved the Malfoy boy, but I think that you should stay away from the lot of them from now on."

"You want me to stay away from the students?"

Ron huffed. "No, not the students. Don't be ridiculous. I mean that you should stay away from the Malfoys."

"But Draco and Harry are friends. The three of you work together. Why would you ask that of me?" Hermione was starting to feel a bit uncomfortable, but she was mostly confused.

Ron stroked her hair and said, "I don't want to worry about you is all. You know how they are about Muggleborns. Let's not talk about it anymore. I'd rather hear your plans for the wedding."

Hermione smiled. "Well, you haven't exactly asked me properly yet. Harry told me about your work outside of the Ministry, and I think it's great."

Ron smiled uneasily, "Yeah?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes."

"I will propose soon. I just had a small problem with a client, but I've got another plan." He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and kissed her. "I just want us to have a decent start in a good home. I've already saved loads of money."

She hugged him tightly. "We're going to be fine."

He smiled and whispered, "Yes, we are."

Harry and Ginny arrived just then with Teddy Lupin, who was the first to greet the couple.

"Hello, Ron," Teddy said as he offered a handshake before addressing Hermione, "And hello, Professor Granger."

Hermione smiled. "You're out of Hogwarts now, Teddy. I think it's time you went back to calling me Hermione." She stood to embrace him and added, "Congratulations on your trip to Russia. Harry told me all about it. I think it's wonderful."

Ginny sighed and said, "We're going to miss our dear godson, but at least we'll have an excuse to travel often. We haven't left home in ages."

Hermione said, "I think we're all about due for a holiday."

Ginny slyly suggested, "Maybe you and Ron could come with us. We could all take some time away after you're married."

"I don't think they need your constant unsubtle hinting, Ginny," said Harry.

Teddy put his arm around Ginny and said, "Don't be upset with her. She just wants everyone to be settled and happy is all. She's the reason Victoire first agreed to go anywhere with me, and I'll always remember how much fun we had that day in Diagon Alley."

Ginny grinned at Harry. "At least someone appreciates my efforts. Come on. I think Mum's ready for us in the kitchen."

HG**LM

Uncomfortable with the situation in which he now found himself, Lucius Malfoy stood alone and still in Hermione Granger's classroom.

Instead of inviting the notorious Mudblood into his home, he opted to speak with her at Hogwarts, as he must pay her the appropriate civilities for her role in saving his grandson. His distaste at having to meet with the younger witch was written in the hard lines of his face while he held fast to his haughty scowl and stared down his nose at her orange cat, who sat on the edge of her desk and stared right back at the wizard with equal dislike.

Ready for a particularly intense lesson that she had prepared for her students, Hermione keenly entered the room, but stopped short at the sight of the eldest Malfoy.

She stood a bit taller and greeted him politely. "Good morning, Mr. Malfoy. May I help you with something?"

Lucius turned to see a sharply dressed young witch with eyes that touched what was left of his soul. He wanted to smile, but pride demanded that he hold his scowl in place.

Before meeting her in the hospital wing, Lucius hadn't seen Hermione since his trial at the end of the war, and he had paid little mind to the Mudblood or his sister-in-law while he had tended to his grandson. "Yes, I'm here to see you, Professor Granger. I did not realize it was you yesterday in the infirmary."

Hermione's eyes widened. "You believed the rumors of my demise, then? You thought for one moment that there was one less Mudblood in the world?" At the shocked look on his face, she couldn't resist a slight grin and a quiet giggle at his expense. "Surely I haven't changed that much since you last saw me, sir."

Lucius covered his embarrassment well. He raised his left eyebrow only slightly as he quickly looked her over from head to toe. "Yes, Professor Granger, you have certainly changed over the years. I might have noticed yesterday, but I obviously did not have the time to appraise someone of your status while my grandson's safety was in question even if you have grown into your looks quite well."

Hermione sighed, walked to her desk, and started thumbing through a pile of essays while whispering, "Why do wealthy purebloods always think that they can say whatever they like to people?" Looking back at Lucius, she said, "As you can clearly see, I am busy at the moment. Find another Mudblood to torment, will you?"

Lucius was already in a foul mood, so her blatant dismissal of him caused his temper to flare. "I am not a man you can dismiss, Miss Granger!"

Hermione looked up at him with amused determination. "Really? I think I just did!"

Lucius' body temperature grew a bit warmer at seeing the fire in her eyes and hearing the bite in her words. He silently cursed himself and chose his next words very carefully.

"I did not come here to offend you, Professor Granger. I only meant to thank you for saving my grandson's life. The Malfoys owe you a great debt."

Hermione's retort came out before she even thought about it. "You owe me nothing!"

Her hasty words hung between them. The intensity in Lucius' stare was too much for her to handle, and she looked away. She finally said, "How is it that I feel instantly guilty for not accepting your thanks? How can I be sorry for one rude remark after you've tormented me for years, Mr. Malfoy?"

She let go of the stack of papers on her desk and closed the gap between them. She noted that he tensed even further at her approach. "Even now you are visibly repulsed by my presence, aren't you?" Hermione didn't know what she was doing. She didn't know how to improve an exchange that was already almost too awkward for her to bear. She loved Scorpius and wanted to accept Lucius, but pride wouldn't let go of her heart. She expected him to take a step back as she continued to question him. "Aren't you?"

Lucius had been through too much heartbreak in the past few years not to give a somewhat blunt answer to her question, but he did attempt a bit of tact. He answered softly, "You do seem to be causing a strong emotional response from me at the moment, Miss Granger, but it is far from revulsion. Please forgive me for my lack of control. These are difficult times for my family, and I only want to thank you and tell you that if there is anything that I can do for you . . ."

Hermione's eyes grew watery, and Lucius didn't finish the sentence, but the sentiment was obviously understood and accepted as she nodded. "I—thank you, Mr. Malfoy." With her words, it felt to her as though the tension between them had diffused considerably, and she quickly thought of something that she needed to tell him. "And please don't believe what The Prophet is suggesting about Harry's involvement. He only told the snake to leave."

Lucius said, "How many other wizards do you know who can speak to snakes?"

Hermione answered, "None. Why should that matter?"

"That snake killed my wife. I saw it in Scorpius' mind. The beast is identical to the one that was in my garden. It cannot be a coincidence, and the Aurors with whom I spoke think that someone with a grudge against my family may be controlling it."

"It can't be Harry. He was with me. He only spoke to the snake when I started to attack it."

Lucius continued his line of reasoning. "He has a motive."

Hermione reached out to him, clutching his arm. "You mustn't believe that. Harry and Draco are practically best mates now. If the Ministry allows it, I'll send you my own memory of the attack. You will see that it wasn't him." Realizing that she was touching him, she didn't immediately let go. She gave his arm a slight squeeze and said, "I'm sorry about your wife. Scorpius speaks so highly of her."

After offering her condolences, she tried to pull away, but Lucius' other hand suddenly covered hers and held it fast. "You are an extraordinary woman, Hermione Granger. Your blood status is unfortunate, but I nevertheless admire your loyalty to Mr. Potter and your bravery in saving my grandson. I would like to see that memory at your earliest convenience."

They stood in place for a moment too long, watching each other and feeling the slight contact of their hands.

Hermione had to end it. "My students will be arriving any minute."

Lucius nodded and cleared his throat. "Yes. I must go. Thank you again, Professor Granger."

He promptly withdrew from the room, leaving Hermione in turmoil. She couldn't calm her heartbeat no matter what she did. She was merely standing there, but it felt as if her heart would break free from her chest at any moment. She took a deep breath and whispered, "What is wrong with me today?"

HG**LM

Teddy Lupin sat at Harry's desk, leaning back in the black leather chair with his boots propped upon the desk. He had a hand full of licorice from a jar that sat next to a picture of Ginny. He chewed slowly while he held his wand in his other hand, absently levitating a stack of scrolls.

"You look utterly bored," said Hermione suddenly from the door as she leaned into the room and looked at him with an amused expression, which turned to laughter when the startled boy lost control of his spell and winced as the scrolls fell round him.

Teddy flashed her an embarrassed smile while scrambling to clean up the mess. "Hello, Hermione. It's a surprise to see you here."

She agreed. "Likewise. I thought you had already left the country. What happened to your apprenticeship?"

"Oh, I'm still going. I've only delayed my departure for a few weeks. My grandmother has been upset since the attacks on the Malfoys, so I decided to spend a bit more time with her. It's also good to see everyone else before I go. "Would you like to have lunch with me and Harry? He's supposed to meet me here soon."

Hermione looked genuinely disappointed to deny his invitation. "I wish I could, but I have other business to attend here before getting back to Hogwarts. I was just hoping to see Harry for a moment before leaving."

"I can give him a message for you if you are in a rush." Teddy picked up a quill and started doodling.

"Just tell him that I'm on my way to Malfoy Manor. He'll know why. You and Harry enjoy yourselves, okay?"

Teddy flinched. "We will. Good luck with my scary old uncle."