Disclaimer - same as every other chapter. Not mine.
A/N - Thank you again for the reviews, follows and favorites! I'm trying to strike a balance between not moving this story too slowly or too quickly. I hate it sometimes when a story skips over a bunch of things just to have an easy conclusion. Next chapter will be Harry and Draco. Depending on how that conversation is written, Draco/Hermione will start next chapter, or the one after.
Harry dragged into the office early the next morning. He'd spent an uncomfortable night on the couch after his wife confronted him about finally hearing Hermione's story. Ron had owled her voicing his indignation at being kept off the case, and Ginny was furious when her husband flatly refused to give her any answers. He sighed as he fetched a cup of coffee. Note to self: when I have that talk with Ron about keeping his composure, add a section about confidentiality. Use small words. No point having any talk with Ginny; might as well try to teach an ocelot to whistle.
His damned imagination promptly put tiny cat ears and a tail on Ginny. Hmm...file that image for later.
The case file was kept in a safe only Harry or Kingsley Shacklebolt could open, and it was his next stop. He grabbed the reports, and took the elevator to Kingsley's floor. There he wound up waiting for approximately 20 minutes until the esteemed Minister was available, and he took that time to consider how he would share some of the harsher items.
At the end of those 20 minutes, he was no clearer on what to say than he'd been when he arrived.
The heavy oak door to the Minister's inner sanctum opened, and Shacklebolt invited Harry to enter. As soon as he sat down, he cast a Muffliato. Kingsley looked at him quizzically.
"Can't be too careful. And some of the details about this case are exceptionally sensitive, sir."
"What kind of details, Harry?"
"The kind that, against department policy, I've neglected to include in the file. I thought to brief you in person. If you want me to add anything to my report, let me know. It's just that I wouldn't want to see this information fall into the wrong hands."
"And who has the wrong type of hands?" The Minister was intrigued.
"Honestly? Pretty much everyone."
The distinguished wizard leaned back in his chair. "Begin."
Harry told him about the Malfoy raid, and Kingsley's eyes went wide as the Auror explained what the Dark Object was, and the risqué situation in which he had found it. He was fairly certain the Minister was blushing, though it was hard to tell. Given Auror Weasley's history with both Malfoy and the real Hermione Granger, Potter's decision to keep Weasley away from the case was commended. Harry omitted Ron's initial reaction at Malfoy Manor. The Minister was surprised when Harry told him that Malfoy had killed Death Eaters during battles to protect Hermione, and that he had been keeping a discreet security detail on her over the years.
Kingsley advised him to send any further communication from Madam Giselle to his office. "Giselle and I have history. I can handle her. She won't be getting that necklace back." His tone left no room for dissension. Not that there would have been any; Harry was profoundly relieved.
"Now, sir, is where things get, erm, sticky. This is where I quit documenting information. There's evidence that Draco Malfoy had a, well, I'm not sure what to call it, with Hermione, during the War. She healed him when he showed up at Malloy Manse, gravely injured. He stayed with her for several weeks while he was convalescing."
"And she failed to report his presence to the Order?" Shacklebolt's expression was caught somewhere between pensive and pissed.
"Yes. At first out of concern for his physical welfare. The reasons later are a bit more complicated. Neither of them believed the Order would be willing to take him if he changed sides, after what happened in sixth year. So the day he left, well, that was the scene he was reenacting with Madam Giselle's...employee, Angelique, when we arrived."
"The kitchen table?" Kingsley took a moment to consider if he'd ever used that table. Happily, he had not.
"Yes, sir. When he left, he made her promise to keep him apprised of her whereabouts, and to let him know when she would be in the field. He told me that he wanted to protect her, if he could. She acquiesced, and-"
"And he became the source of the information we received from her on Death Eater activities. Am I correct?"
"Precisely. You mean she never even told you where the data was coming from?"
"She was adamant that we never try to ascertain her informant's identity after what was provided proved sound. Why did he not mention his assistance when he was on trial?"
"He didn't want Death Eaters or Voldemort sympathizers targeting Hermione any more than they already would for being part of the Golden Trio. I believe he also feared her own side would punish her. He did his best to be extremely careful. Mione said he wouldn't even look at her when she was at the Wizengamot. It hurt her deeply; she assumed he must not have cared after all, and she was likely too ashamed to speak up.
Now we get to the ugly part." Harry looked down at his lap for several long moments, seeming to fold in upon himself. He had to be prodded by his superior to continue.
"Kingsley, we've all noticed the change in Hermione post-War. Everyone assumed it was regular battle stress, or perhaps the torture inflicted by Bellatrix LeStrange. And we would be lucky if that was the problem. I interviewed Hermione yesterday."
"How was she?" Concern shone in Shacklebolt's somber eyes. Hermione's acting out at the Ministry had not dampened his affection for the witch.
"Bitter, broken, furious. Yesterday she informed me that her liaison with Draco had resulted in her pregnancy."
"No child was born, to the best of my knowledge."
"No sir. When Mione began getting Death Eater information from Malfoy, she decided to make the most of it for our side. If you remember, she made us take her on the bad trips. She knew she was expecting." The Hero of the Wizarding World's voice broke at the last part of the sentence, and he looked at Kingsley pleadingly.
"Go on, Harry. Finish it." Shacklebolt's voice was firm, but not unkind.
"The final raid. Right before the Last Battle. She jumped in front of me to take a curse, and it killed the baby. She knew that would happen, and she chose me anyway. The guilt is eating her alive, and she sort of hates me these days, if I understood her correctly."
"Sweet Circe. I had no idea. She gave so much to the War effort, but this..."
"Don't feel badly. Even those of us who were supposed to be close to her didn't know. Now, I can't tell anyone other than you, and she wants nothing to do with me. I don't know how to help her."
"How did she feel about Draco Malfoy?"
"She said she fell in love with him. I got the impression she may still have feelings."
"Draco's emotions are obvious, after what you've told me. I can see only one way to possibly assist."
"Sir?"
"Visit Draco. Do not, under any circumstances, mention the pregnancy. Convince him to go to her. It's likely that he will be the only person with a chance of fixing this."
Harry nodded, resigned. "Very good, sir." He was at the office door when Kingsley spoke again.
"Oh - and Harry?"
"Hm?"
"Burn the file."