Chapter 4
As Harry could not very well leave Hermione with Ginny, Ron's sister without some explanation, one a furious Hermione was only too ready to supply, by the time he returned to Ron's house it was full of even more furious Weasley's. He had the feeling he'd arrived just in time to save what little there was left worth of Ron's hide. Molly looked ready to perform a very late contraceptive spell to prevent Ron's birth. His father, a man Harry had seen look angry only a handful of times appeared ready to do his son bodily harm and even George looked sober and serious. That could not be a good sign. "You really fouled this one up you right stupid git" George was saying as he flooed in "You have lost your wife, probably your job and if I understand the law correctly in return may well have gained a comfy cell in Azkaban. Well done old boy. Hope the shag was worth it". Ron looked miserable, and even Molly did not correct George's crude comment. Definitely not a good sign.
Harry crossed to lay a hand on Arthurs shoulder and kiss Molly on the cheek. Ron glared at Harry "Did you have to tell them about Cecilia"? Harry sighed wearily "As if I have got a word in edgeways all night Ron" Molly turned beat red "Don't you DARE blame this on Harry, Ronald Billius Weasley! This is entirely YOUR doing" Ron slunk down in his chair "well how else could George have known" George snorted "I didn't, but what else could have made you do something as stupid as putting an illegal potion in your wife's tea. How could that have EVER gone well, by the way? This isn't some stupid bint, this is Hermione Granger, without whom neither one of you would have survived to make it to fourth year let alone the Battle of Hogwarts". This started a round of murmuring in agreeance one dissention, from Ron.
"Quiet" Arthur Weasley said loudly. Everyone stopped and looked at him. "Where do we go from here, Harry, I assume the Auror Department takes a dim view of these actions, even assuming you could ignore it, and we certainly would not ask you to, I doubt Hermione will" Harry pinched the bridge of his nose "I have given that some thought. You are correct, I cannot ignore it. The best we can hope for is to keep it out of the press and Ron out of prison". Ron moaned. "You are going to have to resign with a plausible reason Ron, there is nothing for it. Kingsley will agree to that I think, but it needs to be a damned good reason". Arthur nodded, "That seems fair Harry, Molly wiped tears from her eyes, as furious as she was Ron was still her youngest son and she did not want him in prison, George spoke up "I could use a partner at Weasleys Wizard Wheezes, we want to open a few more branches, but we need help, and a sizable monetary contribution, of course". Ron slumped but nodded. "This all depends on Kingsley agreeing and one other sticking point" Harry continued "You have to get Hermione to agree not to press charges and the way she left here… she sees you as bad as any death eater she ever encountered" Ron went white and Molly sobbed. "Will you talk to her Harry"? Arthur asked quietly "I know we have no right to ask..." Harry looked tired suddenly and older than he really was "You have every right to ask Arthur, you are the closest thing to a family I have ever known even before we became family, it is what we do, even when a member of that family acts like an enormous arse". He flooed home only to find Hermione gone and Ginny had no idea where she went or when she had left only that she said she was going to sleep in the guest room and she had not disturbed her again.
Draco woke up to one of the house elves telling him that Ms. Hermione was downstairs in distress. "Take her to the parlor Tabby and get her tea, or firewhiskey or whatever she wants I will be right down". He was in a near panic, was it one of the kids? Had something happened to Harry or Ron on assignment? What in Merlin's name could bring her here at; he cast a time spell, one o'clock in the morning?
He barely got dressed; he threw on his robe and slippers, and made sure he was decent enough in case Aurors needed to come ask questions, or healers or whatever the emergency was.
Distress did not come close to describing what he found. She was pulled up in a fetal position rocking back and forth on his couch, tabby had wrapped a blanket around her and was patting her knee softly. Tears were streaming down her face but other than a low pitched moan she was making no other sound. He was certain looking at her that someone had died or been seriously injured. When he asked if he should call someone, Harry or Ron she looked at him so broken he knew that was not the right question and he did not miss her wedding ring sitting on his table. Merlin what had Weasley done this time?
He sat at the other end of the couch pulled her up against him, levitated the blanket around them and rocked her gently until she finally broke and started sobbing. Before she was done his robe and pajama top were soaked through and he had dried them twice.
It was an hour before she could form coherent words enough to tell him what had happened.
As angry as he was, and he was bloody furious, the Weasel had someone spying at the manor and taking pictures, bloody hell, and the scandal could wreck everything he had been working to rebuild, he knew right now she just needed a friend; the rest could wait until later, when he would pull the bastard apart limb by limb.
He stroked her hair while she calmed herself. "I can't go back there Draco". He pressed his face into her curls "You don't have to, you can stay here". She laughed a little "Now that WOULD cause a scandal" as if reading his thoughts from earlier "We don't have to decide anything tonight Granger, Tabby will take you to bed and get your things for you, she will bring you a sleeping drought so you can get a good night's sleep. You will call in tomorrow and we will figure this out together".
She buried herself closer to his chest and under his chin and nodded "Could we stay like this awhile? I don't want to be alone". Something in his chest tightened at that and he pulled her closer making her the same promise she once made him "You will never be alone, Granger". She laughed "When will you stop calling me Granger" a traitorous stray thought crept up on him by surprise only when I call you mine.
Harry knew he should not have been surprised when the Malfoy house elf showed up asking for Ms. Hermione's things. Of course she went to Draco; everyone else she knew was related to Ron. Harry knew there was nothing between Draco and Hermione (before now, he worried) but he wished she had stayed with him anyway he was her best friend, she needed him.
"Why didn't you go to her house, Tabby"? The house elf's eyes narrowed "the Weasley is there. He hurt Ms. Hermione. Made her cry, but I am forbidden by Mr. Draco to harm him so I comes to Harry Potter to get her things so I am not tempted". Harry sighed. He remembered when Lucius Malfoy had tried to hex him in front of Dobby and the thrashing he had taken for it. A free elf was a powerful and dangerous foe, and while not all of the elves wanted Hermione's brand of help, all recognized she had their best interest at heart and truly cared about them. They would seek retribution against any who harmed her. And for those who had accepted freedom? Those elves tended to be fanatically loyal to her even when it had been forced upon them. He knew he had better go along.
Tabby apparated them to the Weasley household, Ron looked up, sober now and much the worse for wear. "Well Harry did you talk to her"? Harry sighed, what a mess "Not exactly Ron, just her messenger" he waved a hand towards Tabby "Wait is that the Malfoy house elf"?! Tabby glared at him and crossed her arms "I is having a name Weasley, it is Tabby, and I is here to get Ms. Hermione's things. I is only to harm you if absolutely necessary, but I will bring Ms. Hermione's things to her". Ron's eyes went wide as Tabby disappeared and they could hear what sounded like every article of clothing and book Hermione owned being packed. "You see Harry? She went to HIM" Harry rubbed his face; "Where else did you think she would go Ron? Everyone else is related to YOU! Do you think Ginny and I did not want her to stay with us? She is my best friend! After what you did I am not 100% certain I still want to call YOU my friend. Family, yes, brother, yes, friend, right now not so much". Ron grimaced and looked at the floor "But don't you dare blame her for going to her one friend that is not related to you. And if that friendship turns in to something more? Good for them, because Merlin knows they both deserve something good and decent after everything that has happened, and I sure as hell hope you pull your head out of your arse so one day you can deserve that too".
"You really don't think she is going to forgive me, do you Harry"?
"No Ron, I really, really don't. Not for a very long time. And I don't believe she is ever going to return here as your wife".