If you haven't reread all of the previous chapters please go and read them. There has been a lot of editing and changes in them.

All thanks to my amazing beta Oakmoss!

Updated 30/9/2014

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All rights to Ms JK Rowling.

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So I was a blonde now. I could hardly wrap my head around that simple fact let alone begin to understand its meaning. Why would Ronald try and change my hair colour? What did he stand to gain by that? Changing my looks wouldn't make me trust him all of a sudden. Or fall head over hells in love with him again. Could it? Did a love potion that bleached one's hair exist? I'd certainly never heard of one, but I could hardly proclaim to be familiar with every potion known to wizarding kind. Only a Potions Master woul- oh. I'd just run from the one person who might've known. Well done, Hermione, I thought sarcastically. In any case, I certainly wasn't going to seek Ron out and ask him what he thought he was doing. I hated him! I wanted to get -and stay!- as far away from him as I could.

As soon as the thought crossed my mind, something inside of me snapped.

Get away from him? But he was my husband! You don't just walk out of marriage!

Who cares? He beat you to a pulp! Run, Hermione! Run as fast and far as you can.

But I had committed to him. I had agreed to have and to hold.

But he had agree to honour and respect me and that hadn't happened either.

The ring on my finger began to grow hot as my thoughts bounced back and forth.

For better or for worse though. Things would improve. Ron was just going through a rough patch.

A four-year rough patch? Yeah, and he'll start bringing you flowers and chocolates tomorrow too. Don't be daft.

My wedding band was really starting to burn now, and I needed to remove it. It hurt! The moment I moved my right fingers onto the piece of gold to slide it off, the walls started spinning. Or I did. It was hard to tell which, but I was definitely being port-keyed somewhere. When the world fell into focus again, I blinked. I was standing in a dark room, a bit groggy from the apparition and more than a little confused...

I tried to remain calm but I was scared out of my mind. I couldn't tell where I was. Somewhere cold. Still mute, I was acutely confronted with my inability to perform spells. A Lumos would've been handy, for instance. I didn't even dare to consider what I'd do if someone attacked me as I had no way to defend myself. Biting and scratching? Hardly, I was still weakened from Ron's torture curse.

I suddenly found my body flying backwards and I was being tied up to a wall. The next thing I knew there was a hand pulling the wig roughly from my head.

"Nice try, woman, but you're mine. Gone blonde, eh? 's not bad," growled Ronald as he tugged on my new hair. I hissed in pain and was sure he'd ripped several hairs from my scalp.

"It makes me almost want to keep you around for a bit longer... Don't they say that blondes are more fun?" As he spoke there lay a scowl on his face that could put Severus' to shame.

Have more fun, I though, but I knew better than to correct him.

"Nothing to say, little Mudblood?"

"Ro-Ron..." I gasped and it hurt my throat. My voice was returning. It was weak and thing, and it hurt, but I was able to make sounds.

"Yes, Ro-Ro-Ro-Ron. Who else? So. Thinking of leaving me, were you?" His dragged a harsh finger over my cheek and I was reminded of Severus wiping my tears away. How two gestures so similar could feel so different...

Tears fell thick and fast down my face.

"Not on your life, Hermione. To have and to hold. Remember that?"

"I-I do," I wheezed.

"Yes, that's what you said then, too. So what happened to your precious muggle vows, my love?" he sneered.

"I-I won't leave," I whimpered pathetically.

"Of course you won't. Silly chit. But you want to, don't you?" He gripped my chin painfully, forcing me to look at him. I sniffled but said nothing. Nothing I said now would appease him.

"Maybe I would've been able to put up with your useless, dumb, fat arse if you'd given me children. Or a child at least. But you can't even get that right," he said with thick disdain. I squeaked weakly again. I was useless.

"Well then. It comes to this, my dear," he scoffed, "do you promise to have and to hold, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward-" He paused for just a second, "-until death do us part?" His repeating of our wedding vows sounded menacing, and they held a terrifying promise.

"I-I-" I hesitated. Maybe if I lied he'd calm down. But I couldn't lie anymore. I'd tried that before and he had still wiped the floor with me. If I couldn't win anyway, why bother?

"No," I said as loudly as I could manage, despite the sharp pain, and defiantly I stared him right in the eyes.

"I see. Then death it is," were the last words I heard before I felt punch after punch, into my stomach, my jaw, my chest. Then Ronald attempted to shove a knife straight into my heart but a blinding light came over my body, protecting it from his merciless violence and the blade found itself lodged deep in my arm.

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Draco slowly walked from his room. He had arranged to see his father this morning about something to do with the family business. Malfoy Industries specialised in rare potion ingredients and dangerous potions. After the war it had taken a lot of time for them to earn their name in their apothecary. It had been a hard time for both Malfoy men, but they'd managed and gotten more secure in their father-son relationship. It had been long overdue too.

Despite all that was good in his life, Draco wasn't entirely free of suffering. Occasionally, for as long as he remembered, Draco had experienced random seizures. The first one had happened when he was about 5 or 6. And then nothing until Hogwarts. Then once or twice a year. Since the war though, they had increased in frequency and intensity. Where once they had been few and far between, he had had 5 of them this last month alone.

So far Draco had managed to keep his condition hidden and no one knew about it. He had performed several diagnostic spells and couldn't find anything wrong. Nothing wrong and still his body would spasm out of control more and more often. It was horrible, but he would not go and ask for help. He would not appear weak in front of anyone.

Draco knocked on the door of his father's study and as he did, he once again tensed up, then fell forward and began to tremble, gradually shaking more violently. A scream tore up his throat as he closed his eyes tightly trying to focus on breathing through the pain. He was trying to block the sensation, but even his occlumency shields didn't work; if anything using them made him feel worse. It was literally like someone was ripping him apart.

The younger wizard didn't notice his father's door open or Lucius bend down beside him. Lucius quickly picked up his son, placed him on the sofa, and opened the floo to call the only man he could about this; Severus.

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Severus was pacing around his quarters. Where was she? It had been over an hour now. Oh god, what if something happened to her? He would never forgive himself. Had that Weasley got in here while he wasn't looking? Severus sank into an armchair and covered his eyes with his hands. If he pressed hard enough, he could pretend that the moisture was due to sweaty palms and had nothing to do with tears. He hadn't cried since Lily's death, but he felt like he might now. He needed her safe. Preferably here, with him.

Wait. His thoughts suddenly same to a sliding stop. Why did he care so much? Part of him knew, but he couldn't admit it to himself. He couldn't afford to care for anyone. The last person he had cared for was Lily and look where that had gotten him.

The fireplace flashed with an audible woosh, then a familiar voice. "Severus, quick. Please come, I'm begging you." Then the face attached to the voice disappeared from the grate.

The dark-haired wizard hesitated only very briefly before he clambered to his feet and grabbed a handful of floo powder. "Malfoy Manor," he commanded and disappeared to Lucius'.

"What's- oh Merlin!" he gasped as he laid eyes on his godson. The sight was far from pretty. The boy now had blood dribbling from his mouth and pain was written all over his features. Severus glanced at his friend who was positively grey with worry. He pulled out his wand and aimed it at Draco's twitching body.

"May I?" he asked Malfoy Senior.

"Please, whatever it takes," said the concerned father.

Quickly Severus scanned Draco. It was several minutes later when Severus frowned deeply.

"What is it? Is it bad? How bad? Is he dying?"asked a frantic Lucius.

"I- I don't know."

"Pardon?"

"I can't find anything. There is no spell on him, no curses, no potions, no dark magic. Nothing," Severus explained. "I don't know what's wrong with him," he informed his most loyal friend.

"You need to save him, Severus! I can't lose my little boy!" Lucius' voice broke.

"I- I don't know what- " mused Severus. Draco still lay quaking on the sofa although the tremors did appear to have eased a little. Severus thought it was probably just physical exhaustion on the young blonde's part. Soon he would simply pass out.

"Isn't there anything you can do? Please?" Lucius pleaded.

" Maybe St. Mungo's... Or a muggle hospital?" Suggested the Potions Master. "It could be a regular disease rather than a magical affliction."

Suddenly a house elf that had felt his masters' distress apparated into the room.

"What do YOU want?" barked Lucius. "We're busy here! Get out, unless you can fix this!" he gestured to his convulsing son.

"M-m-master Lucius sir. Lipsy might help."

"Yeah?" Lucius asked.

"Lipsy thinks master Lucius sir is forgetting one type of magic. Lipsy is thinking master Draco is-" the elf stopped abruptly as if suddenly scared that his master wouldn't care for his input.

"What? Master Draco is what?" came an impatient bark.

"Master Draco is suffering a bad bond, master Lucius sir."

"A- a what now?" Lucius asked and looked at Severus who lifted his shoulders to show he had no idea either.

"The thing Master told Dobby to get rid of, Master Lucius sir? When master Draco was tiny master Draco. It had bonded with tiny master Draco, Master Lucius, sir."

"Huh?" asked Lucius but then his eyes widened. "Good grief..." he murmured.

FLASHBACK

"He's not crying! Why isn't he crying?" asked a panting Narcissa Malfoy.

"He's weak, but he's breathing, so that's not our main concern right now, Lady Malfoy. I need you to focus on the other baby. Come on, push," instructed the midwitch.

"Lucius. Please. Keep him safe! Help him!" Narcissa begged before she pressed her jaws together to push the twin of a very frail Draco through the birth canal.

"I-" Lucius stammered, looking at the tiny pink creature that was breathing in short shallow pants. It didn't look like the babe's lungs were fully developed. Don't get attached, he warned himself. And yet, he could feel his heart swell; He hadn't thought he could ever love something this much.

"There we are, well done, Lady Malfoy! This one's a girl."

Lucius glanced over at the second squirming pink thing and sighed deeply.

"No! It can't be a girl!" Narcissa gasped. Lucius looked up to his wife, he could see the fear written on her features as he held their struggling son close to his chest.

"Give Draco here, Lord Malfoy. Let's see what we can do for him," ordered the midwitch as she passed what was apparently a much stronger baby girl to its mother. The child was wailing loudly, something Draco had yet to do.

"She's beautiful, Lucius," whispered Narcissa. "Aphrodite Narcissa Malfoy," Narcissa said softly as she cradled the infant close. She knew they couldn't keep the girl but the thought of having one made her feel amazing. Hopeful.

"We must keep her. Look at her Lucius; she's so tiny and precious. So perfect. And listen to that set of lungs. She's strong, love. She will be a powerful one indeed."

Lucius shook his head sadly.

"He's not doing well, I'm afraid," interrupted the midwitch in a low voice and both parents looked back to the baby boy who was now wheezing as he breathed."I've performed a strengthening charm but he needs to do the rest himself. I fear he's just not strong enough."

"Please, let me hold him," Narcissa pleaded and the midwitch nodded. There was nothing more she could do for the little one.

Lucius held his arm out to take the girl but Narcissa shook her head.

"No. Both. I want them both here. It may be the only time I can hold both my babies," she said with a wobbly voice. She shifted little Aphrodite to one arm and cradled the other to hold Draco.

The midwitch placed the fragile baby in the crook of Lady Malfoy's arm. Seeing the two babies side by side in their mother's arms made Lucius' eyes water. It was such a perfect picture. It couldn't last though. Draco gasped and rasped in his thin voice. Aphrodite stretched her legs as Draco gasped and for a short moment both babies' feet touched. A blinding red light fell over the two children. And then Draco cried, loudly, strongly.

"Oh..." choked the midwitch.

"What was that?" Narcissa and Lucius asked at the same time.

"A blood bond," the nurse explained, "she gave him some of her strength. It's... rare. Very special."

"What- what does that mean?" Lucius enquired.

"Their lives are linked now. It will be difficult for one to live if the other dies. They will probably feel strong pain in each other, too. But they can also be a great source of strength and comfort to each other. They can help each other."

"No. They can't," said Lucius. He hated that he had to do this. She was not even an hour old and he already owed his son's life to her. But he had to get rid of her to keep her safe. He was doing the right thing.

"Lucius..." Narcissa begged with tears in her eyes.

"I know, love. I know. We have to," he said and held his arms out. Narcissa slowly released her daughter, sobbing quietly.

"Dobby!" he called.

The house elf popped into existence instantly looking to his master with wide eyes.

"Yes, master?"

Lucius held his daughter for the first and final time, casting an undetectable glamour over her so she would look like her 'new' parents, whoever they would be.

"Take her to a muggle village; make sure you find her a nice family that will keep her safe," he whispered, handing over his child as tears formed in his eyes. He quickly blinked them away, looking away as the elf dissapparated.

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"The blood bond... She's dying - h-h-his sister, she's dying."