Chapter Two - Birth

"Ron you prat! Why'd you bring me here?" Hermione said, looking around at the Burrow. They were in his bedroom. "I'm leaving."

"No, wait, Mione, hear me out…. Look, I love you. I'm sorry for being a prat to you before you left for Guatemala. I missed you…. I've always liked you… you're safe now, I rescued you from Voldemort. We can go into hiding from him, get married, I'll help you raise the baby. I know a lot about babies… I want you to be happy. We could even hide as muggles, go to the States across the pond…"

"Rescue me? You bloody kidnapped me! I'm happy with him, I love him! You're a good friend, but…"

Ron kissed her and his wandering hands found her arse. She was stunned for a second before she pushed him off.

"What's going on?!" Molly yelled, alarmed, when she saw Voldemort apparate in her house, shortly followed by Ginny and Harry. "Does no one use the front door anymore?!"

"Where is she?" Voldemort said in a harsh whisper. Molly hesitated, but he heard the voices from upstairs and ran up the stairs. Ginny, Harry, and Molly followed.

He got there just in time to see them kissing. His red eyes glowered with fury and his fists were clenched so tight his knuckles were white. Just as quickly, she pushed him off.

"Get off me!" she snarled, and hit Ron in the chest, hard enough that he fell and was knocked unconscious when his head hit the floor. Voldemort exhaled with relief.

"Oh shit…I didn't mean to knock him out," she mumbled to herself.

"He won't be out for long," Voldemort said, amused. "Takes more force than that."

She whirled around and saw them in the doorway. Voldemort strode in and stood over Ron. After a few seconds, Ron blinked, grunted, and sat up, rubbing the back of his head. Voldemort pulled his wand out. Ron's eyes widened and he crawled backwards and got to his feet, backing towards the door. Voldemort's serpentine face was twisted into fury and hatred, his nostrils flared, his red eyes narrowed to slits. He backed Ron into a wall and raised his wand. Ron stared at it with wide eyes and whimpered. His face was so pale his freckles stood in stark contrast. Pointing his wand into Ron's chest for emphasis, Voldemort hissed in a low, deadly voice, "Don't. Touch. Her. Again." Ron backed out the door, stumbled on his feet, and flew down the stairs.

Voldemort took a deep, calming breath and pocketed his wand. He swiveled on his heel and saw Hermione and the rest staring wide-eyed.

He took Hermione's hand. "That was scary," she said. Poor Ron…

"Thank you," he said, smirking. She stared at him. He took her arm and turned to leave.

"Can't you do something about Rodolphus? He was one of yours," Harry said.

"There's my usual method but Hermione doesn't approve," Voldemort said.

"He needs to be taken care of, Hermione," Harry said to her. "Sometimes threats must be eliminated."

She stared at him. Just what he said. Exactly what Voldemort said. "You're an auror! He should be arrested, have a trial, and rot in Azkaban!"

"He already knows how to escape from there…unless if you tell me the weak spot in the fortress I can have it fixed," he said, turning to Voldemort.

"Nice try…. If I ever end up there myself I don't plan on staying. Shall we?" he said, and Hermione hesitated before taking his arm.

Tonks and Snape came over one afternoon. Tonks pulled some things out of her pocket and enlarged them. There were some suitcases, a trunk, and an overflowing bag. "Been meaning to get your things back to you," Tonks said.

"Thank you," Hermione said.

Voldemort raised an eyebrow.

"She was staying with us before the battle," Tonks explained. "Lived in a flat for a bit, moved in to Order headquarters, and then Sev offered up our place after she and Harry had a row." She accidentally knocked over the bag and spilled some books and stray clothing on the floor.

"What is this?" Voldemort said, reaching down and picking up between his long fingernails the edible chocolate Dark Mark thong.

Hermione turned red. "A Christmas gift from George. He – he thought you'd like it," she stammered. "Says he found a shop in Diagon Alley making them."

Voldemort turned it over in his spidery pale hands. "They took my Dark Mark and made it into dark chocolate knickers…." he murmured.

"Owner said they're a real hit," Tonks said. "Said she can't keep them in stock. I told her she should expand into a wizard's version, what with the snake…she said I'm not the first to tell her that and she's working on a design for it."

Voldemort's expression was priceless.

Severus pinched the bridge of his nose. "Aside from Tonks returning your unmentionables, I meant to tell you the patent came in a couple weeks ago, and our paper was published in Potions Weekly." He pulled a copy of the patent and magazine out of his cloak and handed it to her. "It made the front cover."

Hermione's eyes widened and she looked over the patent, scanned the cover of Potions Weekly [a diagram of the pill], and flipped to the indicated page. Voldemort read over her shoulder.

"That was your idea," he murmured.

"Severus and I tested it out on a few potions in his lab, ran some Arithmancy tests on it, and started some trials to see if it worked as promised," she said. "How did the trials go?"

"Exactly as you thought. The Painless Relief and Mood-Altering potions went well, and I'm finishing up testing the Muscle Strengthening Potion." Snape said. "And I decided to give you a third of my profits from it," he added.

"It was my idea, I want half," Hermione said firmly.

"I'm doing all the brewing. Forty percent, final offer," Snape said.

"Deal," Hermione said, and they shook hands. He pulled out a Gringotts banknote, wrote it out, and gave it to her. Her eyes widened. Voldemort read over her shoulder with raised eyebrows.

"St. Mungo's made a huge advance order of the Painless Relief potion. Fifty percent in advance, fifty percent when they receive it. A few international hospitals and some schools, Hogwarts included, have also made orders. I've had to hire an assistant just to handle all the brewing. And I reconsidered the muggle idea of implanting something for Wolfsbane or the Contraceptive Potion. I can't find a way to make the pill last longer than a day if ingested, but if sterile, it could remain under the skin. Tonks assures me that there are people out there desperate not to become werewolves or beget children. Desperate enough to implant something."

"Excellent," Hermione said. "Was my paper about the Nerve Regrowth potion ever published?"

Snape nodded. "Indeed it was. Published in Potions Weekly and Healer's Guide. That one made front cover on Healer's Guide."He handed them both to her, and a note on official-looking stationary. "The MHO is looking into it, planning to start trials and eventually approve it for use in hospitals or hospital-like settings. They want to interview you for more details."

Hermione glanced at Voldemort and saw he had a look of pride on his pale face.

"Molly?" Voldemort whispered from the Floo. She continued sleeping, no doubt unable to hear him over Arthur's snoring. "Molly!" Voldemort said louder, and she awoke with a start. She looked around wildly until she saw his serpentine face in the fireplace, his red eyes glinting with the flames. Hands shaking, she grabbed a threadbare robe off a hook by her bed and threw it over her nightgown. She glanced back at Arthur, who was still sleeping.

She held her wand in a trembling hand, and kneeled by the fire. Her face was so pale her freckles stood out more than usual. "You do know, every time I hear your voice in my house I almost have a heart attack?" she said in a tight whisper.

"Heart attack?" Voldemort echoed.

"You enchanted Ginny with that diary of yours! Fred's gone!" she said. "Blimey, my heart's going that fast!" She put a hand over her heart.

"I didn't know Lucius planned on slipping the diary to her. He was supposed to keep it safe in his manor. And Bella killed Fred in battle. I need your help," Voldemort said calmly.

"Your snake attacked Arthur! Not to mention all the business with my son-in-law…" Molly said.

"Fine, that was me," he admitted. Molly nodded. "I wouldn't have come but Hermione needs you. She's in labor."

"Well why didn't you say so?" Molly said in a raised voice, and then checked that Arthur was still sleeping. "You could've started with that…." she said in a low whisper. "How far apart are her contractions?"

"Eight minutes," he said.

"Has she lost her mucus plug yet?" Molly asked.

"Mucus plug?" he said slowly.

"How dilated is she?" Molly asked.

"Dilated?" Voldemort echoed.

"I better come over then." She raised her wand. "Accio birth box!" and a cardboard box came speeding into the room. "Arthur, I'm leaving to help Hermione through childbirth!" she called. He grumbled something incoherent and rolled over. She waved him off dismissively.

Voldemort extended a pale, spidery hand through the green fire. She reached out her hand, but hesitated a moment. "Can I trust you?" she said slowly.

"I just want to get Hermione the help she needs. I can ask Narcissa but she wanted you. I'm not going to hurt you," Voldemort said patiently. She looked into his red eyes a long moment as if deciding whether to trust him or not. She conjured a scrap of parchment and wrote a note for Arthur before placing it on his nightstand. Voldemort extended his hand through the fire again and she took it.

"Where is she?" Molly said, looking around. Voldemort dusted himself off. "In the bed. She wanted you to coach her through childbirth…she didn't tell you?" Molly shook her head and followed him to the bedroom, where Hermione was propped on a pillow, cradling her stomach. Molly rushed over.

"Sorry Molly, I meant to tell you…. I just thought with all the births you've been through…" she grunted, as another contraction took over.

"Don't apologize, dear… I'm happy to! I'll help you until you get to contractions five minutes apart and then we should get you to St. Mungo's," Molly said.

"No! I want to have a homebirth," Hermione said.

"A homebirth?" Molly said.

"She wants me by her side for it, and I'm not exactly welcome at St. Mungo's. Had to avoid the Healers when I went to see her when she was in a coma," Voldemort explained.

"We can try. But in the end all that matters is that you and baby are alive and healthy at the end. If anything goes wrong – meconium in the amniotic fluid, breach position, shoulder dystocia – we're taking you to St. Mungo's," Molly said, glancing at Voldemort. He nodded in agreement.

"How far along are you?" Molly said.

"I lost the plug and I'm two centimeters dilated," Hermione said.

"So it's still very early labor – only eight more centimeters to go until baby passes through your cervix! The first childbirth is always very long – Bill took almost two days, and it was progressively shorter until Ginny, who took just over an hour from start to finish. I'm going to show you some techniques for pain management and then both of you should try to get some rest… you'll both need your strength for later. And you should read this," she said, handing Voldemort a thin book titled The Witch in Labor. "It explains the stages of childbirth and has some illustrations and tips for pain management. I'm um, not sure what to call you…." she said, faltering.

"Call me Tom," he said after a long moment.

"Decided to go back to your birth name?" Hermione said.

"The war's over. I'm about to be a father, I don't want my daughter knowing me as 'Lord Voldemort,'" he said.

"Good idea," Molly said. "So I'll ask the Snapes for some pain relieving potions and balms. Floo me when it progresses. And Hermione… try taking a warm bath. It can help with the contractions."

"No…I want to do a potion-free childbirth," Hermione said. "Natural…"

Voldemort raised an eyebrow. "Take the potions," he insisted. "I've heard it's one of the most painful experiences one can go through…"

"Whatever you like dear," Molly said. "I'll get it just in case you change your mind, though." She disapparated.

As per Molly's suggestion, Voldemort started a warm bath for her and left. Hermione disrobed and settled into the bath. He came back with a candelabra and a stack of books – Baby's Magic, The Mother Witch, and her well-worn copy of Hogwarts, A History and a worn-out Jane Austen book he found in her suitcase. She looked up at him quizzically. Nice of him. Voldemort doesn't do 'nice.'

As if reading her mind, he said, "Molly suggested a warm bath to ease the contractions and relax you. I thought the books might distract you from the pain."

He had also found a stack of books with titles like The Rise of the Dark Lord and Lord Voldemort: A Biography in her luggage, but decided not to comment. Or bring them to her.

Hermione relaxed in her bubble bath, trying to read and take her mind off the contractions, wincing as each one hit her. She tried meditating, focusing on her breathing and nothing else as the contractions hit her.

Hours later, Hermione had progressed and was now feeling the contractions in her back, five minutes apart, each contraction over a minute long.

"Let me show you Occlumency," he said after a long moment. "It can help to block out the pain."

She nodded as another contraction took over.

Once it subsided, he said, "Try to put up a mental wall against the pain. Breathe calmly and deeply, and envision yourself building a wall around your mind… brick by brick, stone by stone, whatever building material you prefer. A wall, a fortress even. When you start to feel the next wave of pain, envision it rebounding off the wall, unable to penetrate it. Continue building the wall in your mind – taller, another layer…"

She nodded, and grimaced as another wave started. Building my wall…a wall of concrete blocks. But as the pain increased she felt it hammer against the wall as fast as she built it until it broke through. She shoke her head. "Didn't work."

"No one gets it their first time," Voldemort said. "There's another method you can try…. Treat the pain like a dementor – focus on a happy memory."

Hermione nodded and closed her eyes. I'm five years old, at the beach with my parents and cousins, feeling the sand between my toes, the sun on my face, smelling the salty ocean air, feeling a light breeze, hearing the gulls cry and the ocean waves crash on the shore… I'm jumping in the waves….I'm jumping in... I'm…. the sky darkened, her hips started splitting apart, and the gulls and ocean waves were silent.

"Why didn't you teach me this before?" Hermione complained. She tried again, but it was hard to master a new skill when every five minutes she felt like her hips were breaking apart. In the end, they both realized it was a fruitless endeavor. "Teach me before the next kid comes," Hermione grunted, rubbing her back, hobbling around the room.

"Next kid?" Voldemort said. "You want another child with me? You're thinking about that now?!"

"Who else? And Rose needs siblings… I always felt lonely growing...growing up," Hermione said, and trailed off as another contraction hit.

Later on, he tried giving her water and a sandwich but she vomited every time she took a bite from the pain.

"Floo Molly!" Hermione growled through gritted teeth as a particularly strong contraction reached its painful peak before subsiding. He flooed Molly again.

Molly guided Hermione in bending over with her hands on the wall, and she pressed on Hermione's hips, providing counter-pressure to relieve the sensation of her hips spreading apart with every contraction. "Not to worry dear… sometimes back labor happens. The baby's head is rubbing against your hipbones…You sure you don't want any potions?" After an hour of helping Hermione through every contraction, she wiped her brow and said, "Tom, you try. Put your hands on her hips like this, squeeze as hard as you can, and hold until she gets through the contraction. She'll tell you if it needs adjusting."

Another hour and Hermione's water broke, splashing down her legs and on Voldemort's feet. He jerked back, startled.

"Oh good, it's clear," Molly said. "Labor should progress more quickly now – now that baby's head is pushing directly on your cervix." She waved her wand and a blue seven appeared. "Three more centimeters left!"

A couple hours later the spell revealed a blue ten. The three of them were sweaty and exhausted, but none more so than Hermione. Her bushy hair was drenched in sweat and clung to her face despite the messy braid she put it in. "Okay, are you ready to push?" Molly said. "Wait until you feel the need and then push as hard as you can!"

"Wait. I have to use the bathroom," Hermione said, and hobbled out of bed. Molly pushed her back on the mattress.

"No you don't. That's the baby's head pushing on your intestines! Squat on the bed and push like you have to poop!" Voldemort gave her an odd look but she ignored it. "It'll feel like taking the biggest poop of your life. Squatting will open your hips more, but you can lie down and spread your legs like you're at the Healer's… that's fine too."

Exhausted, Hermione opted for the second option. Molly held one foot for her to brace against as she was pushing, and she instructed Voldemort to do the same. "Now it's going to hurt when baby's head comes out – they call it the 'ring of fire' for a reason, I'm afraid."

Hermione squeezed Voldemort's free hand and screamed in pain as the top of baby's head exited her body. He winced.

"Breathe," Voldemort said softly. "Breathe…."

"You're crowning!" Molly said. "Reach down, you can feel your daughter's head! Yes, that's her hair! Okay keep pushing! Push! Push….! She's almost out!" One last push and scream, and Rose slid into Molly's hands. She glanced at her watch. "3:03 am!"

Hermione had tears in her eyes. She breathed a sigh of relief. It's all over! It's a baby! My baby! Oh my gods it's a baby!

Molly handed Voldemort a pair of scissors. "Would you like the honors?"

He snipped the cord, but his face was drawn in concern. "She's gray… I thought they were supposed to come out red and crying…"

Molly had already whisked Rose away, and was rubbing her back vigorously with a warm towel. "Breathe," she whispered. "Breathe." Hermione glanced over and saw that Voldemort was holding his breath too, his face drawn in concern.

A few seconds, and Rose let out a little weak cry. Her pale skin flushed and the cry grew stronger. Molly wiped her down with the towel, diapered her, and placed her on Hermione's chest and guided her to Hermione's breast. "Tongue down," Molly said in a soft voice, and pressed Rose's tongue down to help her latch.

This is what nursing feels like? It feels so foreign…She's so little…something that big came out of me?!

"And there's the placenta," Molly said matter-of-factly, as it slid out.

"Is there supposed to be that much blood?" Voldemort asked, eyeing the soaked sheets beneath Hermione. Molly nodded with a faint smile.

While Hermione nursed, Molly rubbed a healing balm on the tearing. "It'll help at least," she said, and wiped down Hermione's legs with a wet towel, scourgify-ed the sheets and floor, and summoned the crib and some baby blankets. She waved her wand over Rose and some numbers appeared – "19.5 inches, 7 pounds, 2 ounces."

Once Rose finished nursing and Hermione burped her, Molly swaddled her in a blanket and hesitated a moment before handing her to Voldemort. His pale face softened, and he gently brushed her velvety cheek. She had dark wavy hair, sapphire blue eyes, dark eyelashes and eyebrows, a cute little nose, pink little cheeks and red little lips. She's beautiful…so tiny… so innocent… we made that?

Molly glanced at the tender expression in his red serpentine eyes. Just how Arthur looked, holding our children the first time…. They'll be alright. She'll be alright.

"I'll let you be… everyone needs some rest. Baby's going to start cluster-feeding in a day or two – wanting to nurse every hour for about 8 hours straight. Other than that, it'll be every 2-3 hours… her stomach's as big as a marble right now. Hermione, you should rest and only focus on the baby the next few weeks…. Everything else can wait. Use the healing and cooling balms, take the Painless Potion. Don't lift anything heavier than Rose."

"How long do I have to wait until…?" Hermione stammered, and trailed off.

"Um, wait six weeks before putting anything in there," Molly said, amused. She avoided looking at Voldemort. "If you use the healing balm twice a day you might get away with three weeks if you want to, but you have some tearing. It'll take a few months before it feels normal again, I'm afraid."

She cleared her throat. "And Tom – her hormones jumped off a cliff when the placenta came out, so she'll be moody the next six weeks or so. Not to mention sleep-deprived from baby… all I can say is be patient. With both of them."

...

The following night, Hermione woke with a start in the middle of the night, no sign of Voldemort in the bed or Rose in the cradle. She walked into the living room and found Voldemort rocking her back to sleep, the moonlight glowing on his pale bald head. Rose worked a hand free from the swaddle and poked his snake-like nose, a little smile on her face. He smiled back at her, and she grasped one of his spidery fingers with one little hand. Her little smile grew wider, as did his.

Hermione walked over to them and put her hands on his shoulders.

...

"You're cooking for Voldemort?" Harry said, leaning against the doorframe to the kitchen. Ginny was working over the stove, one pot stirring itself while lasagna cooked in the oven.

"For the two of them, yes. My mum always said to bring food when you visit a newborn. Hermione's not able to cook right now. Do you think he'll be there?" Ginny said.

"She said he went out hunting with Malfoy and his friends…" Harry said. Hunting. Of course.

"Well, Ron's late again, of course. I don't know why you invited him," Ginny said.

"I wasn't going to let him come, but he begged and pleaded, admitted he was a prat, and promised he'd be good this time," Harry said.

Ginny frowned. "He kidnapped her last time, he was kissing and groping her, for Merlin's sake. That's sexual assault!" Ginny hissed.

"Bit harsh, don't you think?" Harry said, turning to her. "Although I'm surprised Voldemort didn't kill him right there."

"No doubt he didn't want to face a row with the Missus," Ginny said.

Harry sniggered. "We're giving Ron a second chance… hope he behaves himself this time."

"Second and last," Ginny said firmly.

An hour later found them visiting Hermione and Rose, seated on the couch while Hermione nursed her, discussing the delivery. Harry and Ron were looking anywhere but at Hermione as she nursed – Ron kept staring at his feet or the rug, Harry gazing at the walls or Ginny. Once Hermione mentioned the baby crowning and the placenta coming out, Ron left for a long "trip to the loo" while Harry turned slightly green.

"What's he like as a dad?" Ginny asked. She had done their laundry and had it folding itself into neat little piles and hanging itself on hangers in mid-air while a broom swept the floor, the dishes washed themselves, and a rag wiped down the counters. Ron and Harry kept casting furtive glances at it all.

"He's great… he's so gentle and caring with her, you'd never think he used to be this evil Dark Lord… he holds her, rocks her to sleep…" Hermione said.

Ron and Harry made a face behind her back. Rose finished nursing and she burped her and put her back in the crib.

"Will you quit cleaning Voldemort's house, Gin? Give it a rest!" Harry said at last.

"Hermione has a newborn now – she shouldn't have to worry about doing chores. And if their household is anything like ours, she's doing most of the housework. Just like my mum did," Ginny said crossly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Harry said angrily.

"I work just as many hours as you, work just as hard, and I still get stuck doing the housework and cooking when I get home and on my days off. It's 2012 and it's still a bloody patriarchy," Ginny said, arms crossed. "Well, mum also said you shouldn't stay long when someone has a newborn so we should get going."

"Wait," Ron said.

"No, Ron," Ginny said warningly, but he ignored her. He pulled a ring out of his pocket and got down on one knee before Hermione. Hermione was shaking her head.

"Hermione, I love you. I want to marry you, I'll raise Rose as my own, I want you to be happy... I know you don't love me back, but you will, in time. I'll take care of you. Will you marry me?"

Hermione shook her head. "I'm sorry, but no."

Ron took her hands. "I saw how he gets when he's angry that day at the Burrow. Thought I was going to die! Every couple gets angry at each other sometimes and I don't want you to ever face that… I love you." He tried to slide the ring on her finger and she jerked her hand away.

"Ron, I said no!" she yelled. "I. Don't. Love. You. Even if you weren't a thickheaded idiot who can't take 'no' for an answer, the number of times you've insulted me, calling me a know-it-all or a bookworm, making fun of me going to the library or reading, insulting my hair… even aside from all that, I'm not attracted to you!"

"Why? I have a nose and hair at least," Ron said.

Hermione slapped him. She pulled her hair in exasperation. "You can't take 'no' for an answer, you don't respect me. You ruined our friendship," she said coldly. "I don't want to see you ever again, you hear me?" she yelled. "Never!"

"What...?" Ron said slowly, and she could hear his heart breaking.

Ginny and Harry were watching the exchange open-mouthed.

"We should go," Ginny said. "I think we've overstayed our welcome."

"You have," Voldemort sneered in a cold voice from the doorway. Ginny and Ron jumped. Ron's face paled again, and broke out in beads of cold sweat. Harry turned around. Hermione's face lit up when she saw him, and she crossed the room to be by his side. He put an arm around her.

"You're back early… when did you come in?" Hermione asked, smiling at him.

"Back when Ms. Potter was ranting about the patriarchy. Nice of Potter's wife to cook and clean for me," he said with a smirk, noticing the clothing folding itself, the broom sweeping, and the lasagna on the counter.

"You're welcome," Ginny stammered.

"Nice to see I still have that effect on the Weasleys," he observed. Ginny had paled as well when she saw him, and Ron was positively shaking. "I was beginning to think I lost my touch with you," he said, smiling down at Hermione.

"Hard to be scared of you when you saved my life twice," she said.

"You saved mine twice…we're even," he murmured.

"He almost killed you! Put you in a coma for three months!" Harry said.

"I almost killed him, paralyzed him for three months! Sorry about that," Hermione said to him.

"No harm done," he said, and petted her hair.

"Merlin, it's like they're made for each other," Ginny said. "She's obviously happy, let's go, Ron." They turned to go.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Voldemort sneered. He wandlessly summoned the dropped engagement ring off the floor and thrust it in Ron's trembling hand. He grabbed Ron's hand and pulled him close. "Leave. Her. Alone. If I see you again, you will regret it," he hissed in Ron's ear, a deadly whisper. Ron whimpered. He let him go, and Harry grabbed Ron's shoulder and the three disapparated.

Voldemort turned to Hermione. "Maybe we should get married. There seems to be a mistaken assumption that you're available."

She shook her head.

He frowned. "We're living together, have a child, pooled our finances, the war's over, we're as good as married, what else do you want?!"

"I want to marry you too… I just want to wait. Get to know each other more. Make sure we really are compatible," she said.

"Fine," he said. "Fine." He turned to leave.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"I came back to make sure the Weasley boy wasn't bothering you, and now I'm going back out hunting. They're waiting for me. By the way, we have dinner with the Malfoys tomorrow at 7. The Snapes are coming too."

"I love you," she said.

He disapparated. She sunk into a chair, head in her hands. What have I done? Was he making a statement or was that his idea of a proposal? Is it so bad that I want to wait? Two wizards wanting to marry me and I turned them both down…. There's no divorce in the wizarding world. What if it doesn't work out? What if he goes back to being Lord Voldemort, or mistreats me or Rose? She looked around. I need to get out of the house.

Alone and lost in thought, she put Rose in the stroller once she woke up and flooed to Diagon Alley. She wandered around, stopping by the bookstore, and checking the various shops. It certainly looks different since last time I was here. A bright and sunny day, she kept to the shade near the wall to keep Rose out of the sun. Just as she was passing by the entrance to Knockturn Alley, a gaunt hand grabbed her arm.

"There you are," said a low voice. Rodolphus crept out of the shadows. He looked more gaunt than before, he had bags under his shadowed eyes, his robes were stained and dirty, his hair was matted. "I knew I'd find you… and all alone too…" He had a predatory grin on his face. She tried to wrench her arm free but he had a death grip on her. She grabbed her wand with her free hand. Shit! Shit shit shit!