A/N - this is the third story of mine and yes, I know the beginning is a bit weird, but alas necessary, things will get a bit clearly later on.

Enjoy - and please REVIEW


She walked slowly towards the lake. Here deep in the forest there was only peace, even for her. There was no path leading to this wonderful place, but there was a wooden bench at the shores of the deep, dark water.

She slowly sat down. The sun was just starting to dip the left hand side of the lake into a crescendo of golden colours. There were birds singing in the trees all around her. She took a deep breath. She was grateful having been able to escape even so it would be only for today. Tomorrow her husband would come back. She had come here to think about a way to protect her son. She didn't want him to go the way his father had. Her son would be protected from all the pureblood insanity. He would be able to choose. She just needed to find a nice Muggle girl and she would not have to worry about her unborn child ever again.

There was the noise of snapping twigs. She turned around. A man about her own age was walking towards her. He had dark brown hair and was smiling as he saw her.

"I didn't know, that somebody else knew about this place. "

His smile was warm and friendly.

"I used to come here as a girl."

"I just discovered it yesterday. I attend the conference in that new complex over there."

He indicated the general direction.

"Should you be on your own out here? I mean..."

She smiled. She knew what he meant. She was nine months pregnant and sat on her own in the middle of the woods.

"Oh, it will be another week. I'm quite safe."

"You mind, if I sit down?"

"No, of course not."

For a long while they just sat next to each other.

"Do you know, what it is?"

"It's a boy."

"Congratulations!"

"Thank you."

"I bet he is going to be the pride and joy of his father."

'Not, if I can help it!' She thought.

"He is very much looking forward to meeting his heir."

"I have a daughter. She's just nine month old."

He pulled his wallet from the back pocket of his trousers and showed her a photo of a little girl with brown curls and deep brown eyes. She was smiling happily.

She smiled at the photo.

"May I?"

"Sure."

He handed her the picture and she looked at it.

'It is going to be her! She will protect my son!'

"She looks really lovely."

"Oh, she is. Our pride and joy really."

She looked directly into his eyes. He was slightly surprised, but not alarmed in any way.

"I have a huge favour to ask from you and your lovely daughter."

"A favour?"

"I need to bind my son to a nice girl, so that she will be able to protect him in years to come. It will mean, that he can't marry anybody else, but your daughter is free to choose."

He looked at her. That was a rather strange favour.

"I know, it sounds strange to your ears, but it will prevent his father from arranging a marriage for him. He will be free to choose his partner in life. Which he otherwise wont be able to do and I know, what kind of girl my husband will choose."

"Oh. I thought arranged marriages are forbidden by law?"

"A lot of things are forbidden, but they are nevertheless done."

"You want to secure the happiness of your son this way?"

She nodded. He took a deep breath.

"You don't need to tell your daughter, as I will not tell my son. They will live their lives in freedom."

"Okay."

He didn't really know, why he was helping this stranger, but somehow he felt that it was the right thing to do.

She stood up and he followed suit. She hesitantly took his hands into hers and then looked into his eyes.

"My son, bound to your daughter. His life entwined with hers. They will be one when they find each other. Nothing can separate them, nothing can touch them. They are one."

She looked at him.

"My daughter, bound to your son. Her life entwined with his. They will be one when they find each other. Nothing can separate them, nothing can touch them. They are one."

He didn't know, how he knew the right words, but for some strange reason he did. She gently laid her hands on his shoulders and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you for saving my son."