Chapter 3-Legally Bound
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"Good Morning Madam Weasley, how may I help you?" the elderly wizard from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement greeted.
"It is a delicate matter," Hermione told him, "I need to know about matrimonial property rights."
"I see, could you be more precise?" The elderly gentleman enquired.
"I wish to know who my home and property belong to. If I have bought and paid for these things can they be seized in payment for my husband's debts?" she asked, trying to stamp down her creeping anxiety.
"In short Madam Weasley, Yes!" he told her definitively. "The law recognises no distinction between a husband's property and that of his wife. What is your is his and vice versa."
"So I am in essence liable for my husband's debts?" Hermione asked seeking absolute clarity.
"I'm afraid so Madam Weasley."
"Well, thank you for your time" Hermione concluded rising from her chair whilst inwardly cursing Ron and imagining elaborate ways to make him suffer.
I am going to kill you Ronald Weasley, she concluded, slowly and painfully.
Hermione had barely slept the previous night. Over and over she had played the scene in her family kitchen. Her sense of betrayal festering, growing into a canker on her love.
"How could you?" she demanded of Ron even though he was not there to defend himself. One thing Hermione was sure of however was there would be no deals with Malfoy. She would never take his money. Even if she had to empty her vault at Gringotts, sell her jewellery, sell her soul, she would never take a hand out from the former Slytherin.
It was early evening before Ron dared to return to the family home with their children. Although Hermione greeted the children; 4 year old Rose and 2 year old Hugo, in her usual amiable manner her attitude to her husband was artic.
"Run along to your rooms' then wash before dinner," she instructed the children in her no nonsense manner. As soon as the children were out of earshot she rounded on her husband.
"How much?" she demanded to know.
Ron simultaneously swallowed and blanched.
"Perhaps you should sit down." He recommended.
Hermione was bristling; her magic was crackling through her, her hair stood out like live wires. Ron knew the chances of her not hexing him were very slim indeed. It was one of those moments with his wife when, had he had anything left, he would have felt the need to make his will.
"How much?" she growled, her irritation clearly mounting.
Ron took the plunge, "with interest, one million gallons."
Ron had expected her to scream at him but again she remained dangerously silent.
One million gallons, had she heard him correctly, Hermione wondered as she felt herself slipping into shock.
"How can I ever…there isn't enough…how could you?" she stammered in incoherent blocks of speech as the stark reality of the situation broke.
Ron couldn't bring himself to speak, there was nothing he could say, what he had done was inexcusable. He stood stoically as silent tears rolled down his wife's beautiful face. She and the children were all her had left in the world and he wasn't even sure he could hold on to them. What a fool he inwardly chastised himself. He could only hope that time would mend these wounds and that, should he live, she would forgive him.
It was two days before Hermione could bring herself to speak to her fleckless husband. Two days in which she examined every convincible angle only to conclude that Malfoy's offer was the only option open to them. The prospect of interacting with the blond again made her feel physically sick. Logically she could tell herself that she didn't really know him, that he had singlehanded rebuilt his family's reputation with his charitable work but nothing detracted from the knowledge that he had been her school bully. Despite her Gryffindor courage the thought of being in the same room as Malfoy terrified her and the prospect of going to Malfoy Manor terrified her even more.
Some large part of Hermione almost wanted to let Ron take his chances but he was pitifully penitent and no matter how angry she might be with him she could not deprive their children of a father for the cost of a little courage and a lot of pride. So it was that she reluctantly allowed her husband to accept Malfoy's terms. One month at Malfoy Manor, Merlin help her!
Packed and ready to leave she told Rose and Hugo that she was going on a business trip. That she would be away for quite a long time, that Daddy and Grandma Molly would look after them while she was gone and she would floo call them every day. She could of course have seen them every day but in the end they had decided it would be too hard on them all, especially on the children, to have to explain why she wasn't there overnight.
Perhaps I can imagine it's a health spa, a retreat for those interested in dark magic, curios and snarky gits, she mused darkly. Even to herself her dark humour was no consolation. So, swiftly kissing the children goodbye she turned and apparated to the gates of Malfoy Manor.
The great house was less foreboding in the daylight. It stood proud in the landscape but it was softened by bowers of roses that sketched, blossom coloured strokes at its edges.
She wondered, as she approached the gate, if its tall proud owner had softened too. She prayed to any god that might be listening that he had. For if he had not this place, which in the soft early day light looked like paradise, would quickly become her own, personal hell. You ask too much Ron Weasley, she swore as he courage withered and she contemplated turning away. Would she have run? She asked herself later, she would never know for it was at that moment that a soft pop of apparition announce one of the Malfoy's house elves come to greet her.
Author's notes:
So these first 3 chapters are largely to set the scene- the real 'fun' happens, as you might imagine, during Hermione's stay with Malfoy. I hope you are enjoying this so far. thank you all those who are already following. Please share your thoughts so far and review.
