AN: Merrily we trudge along...

HOUSE OF CARDS

Chapter Ten

As it turned out, all three professors had mastered some Lavender Brown-like traits. So it came to pass that three Lavenders found themselves hiding out in a broom cupboard just down the hall from the Auror office.

"This is ridiculous." Pomona Sprout bitched taking a deep breath. It had taken quite a bit of deep breathing to squeeze her hefty self into the voluptuous form she now wore.

A squeaky voice sounded from behind her,"Stop grousing. At least you know how to walk in heels." For the tenth time in the last half hour, he fell over.

Hooch/Lavender gave both of them the 'fish eye'. "At least you can see out of both eyes for Merlin's sake. I keep walking into door frames!"

"Shut it!" Flitwick/Lavender screeched, "Look we need to decide who goes in there to confront Weasley."

Hooch shook her head in exasperation, "Can you even sound like her? No! He'll think his girl toy's been sucking helium or something."

Pomona/Lavender scratched her nose, "What's helium?"

Frowning, Hooch/Lavender growled, "Never mind. Muggle thing." Sighing she hissed, "I need to be the one to do this." With that she escaped the cupboard before the others could confront her.

"Shite!" Flitwick/Lavender squeaked.

Hearing a snicker behind him, he turned to see his wife in Lavender Brown's body begin to open her blouse, "What are you doing?"

"This could be so kinky. Lavender Brown making out with herself in a broom cupboard just down from the Auror's office. Imagine the headlines. Where's Rita Skeeter when you need her?"

Hooch/Lavender growled for the umpteenth time as she bumped into yet another door. This one, however, was the one she wanted. Poking her head in, she spied her prey sitting at his desk with his head in his hands. She also noticed that Harry Potter was also sitting at his own desk looking... peeved.

The black haired man glanced up. Piercing green eyes darkened as he took in what appeared to be Lavender Brown standing in the doorway.

"You have some nerve mate." He hissed at his friend, disgust dripping in his voice.

The red haired man looked up. His bloodshot eyes and scruffy, unshaven face caused Hooch/Lavender to gasp. It was that sound that caused both men to look to the door.

"What are you doing here?" Ron asked as he quickly rose from his desk.

Harry Potter growled, "Its bad enough that you're seeing her behind Hermione's back but now you have to bring her to the office?"

Ignoring his friend's rant, Ron grabbed the blonde woman by the bicep and steered her out of the office and into the corridor, "What are you doing here? I told you never to come here. Harry knows something's going on."

Hooch/Lavender grit her teeth as she tried to sound like the real Lavender Brown, "I wanted to see you."

The blue eyed man frowned, "What's wrong with your voice?"

Clearing her throat, the blonde replied, "I'm catching flu."

Pushing her away, the red head grumbled, "Well don't give it to me."

Taking a chance, Hooch/Lavender stepped into the tall man's space, "You don't mind me being close at other times."

Blushing, Ron answered, "That's different." Looking around, he could see there were other aurors in the corridor, "Look, go back to the club, I'll see you later."

Hooch/Lavender was seething, but kept her cool as she asked, "What about Hermione?"

Confused, Ron asked, "What about her?" The expression in his blue eyes didn't seem to match his words.

"Aren't you going to leave her?" Hooch/Lavender tried to sound slightly whiney.

Blue eyes glazed slightly, "Why would I do that?"

Playfully slapping his arm, the blonde woman batted her eyelashes, "For me silly."

Frowning, Ron shook his head, "She's my wife."

As if it were that simple.

Hooch/Lavender was confused, "But why are you seeing me then?" She looked up into Ron's eyes and could see that one eye was dilated fully and the other wasn't. He also appeared to be blinking alot. As if watching a scene play out in his mind.

"You're my girl."

The tall man began to steer her down the corridor towards the elevator.

Hooch didn't know what to say. Obviously there was something horribly wrong with the way this man was thinking. It was almost delusional. Playing one more card, she asked, "Didn't Hermione leave you?"

A growl erupted from the wild eyed man holding her arm, "She won't ever do that again." An almost evil smirk appeared on his face.

Eyes wide, Hooch/Lavender exclaimed, "What did you do to her?"

"Nothing permanent."

It had been seven weeks since she'd last seen Minerva and Hermione Granger-Weasley, once brains of the golden trio, stood staring into the mirror in the loo.

She almost didn't recognize the creature staring back at her. Her once wild and unruly mane of chestnut lay limp and dull. Hanging on her head like so many stringy strands of baling twine. Her deep chocolate eyes made even darker by the black smudges decorating the area just beneath those once vibrant orbs. Her cheeks were sunken slightly and her skin appeared pale and pasty.

Hands trembled as they gingerly touched the bruised area on the right side of her chin. The area where Ron had struck her. Tears slid down those washed out cheeks as she began to sob.

Nothing had been right since she'd returned. Oh yes, Ron had been gentle with her all of one day before once again changing from Doctor Jekyll into Mister Hyde. This time it had been worse.

He had actually hit her. She couldn't even remember what for.

Listlessly, she sat herself on the closed cover of the toilet, wincing as the pressure irritated already sore and swollen private bits. Ron had been on her every night. Rutting away like some sex crazed bull humping a cow. He still cried like a baby when he came, but that only seemed to make him insanely ram into her even harder.

He didn't even bother with foreplay anymore, just wanking himself erect. Then he would slam his full weight on top of her, pinning his witch to the bed and entering her dry.

Pounding her raw.

The sounds she made were out of pain not pleasure.

Ron didn't care or notice. She was his.

Now the young woman stared down at the results of the muggle pregnancy test. She'd been feeling queasy these last few days and wanted to check out a suspicion. Her period had stopped. It had never been all that regular anyway, but this time was different and she had a feeling...

As the positive result made itself known, the young witch began to sob once more.

What was she going to do now? She was carrying Ron's child.

Rolanda Hooch entered the darkened club known as "The Coven". It was situated at the end of Diagon Alley, a few shops up from Knockturn Alley. As such, the clientele here was a mish-mash of characters. From people out for a good time to seedy, hooded creatures just trying a have a drink and be left alone.

It smelled of smoke, liquor and as she walked by one shady looking wizard... body odour.

Snorting, the spike haired witch glanced around looking for the owner of the establishment.

Hooch had done a little checking and discovered that after the war, Lavender Brown had travelled to America. While staying with friends, the young witch had won the Powerball Jackpot becoming a millionairess. She'd had the money transferred to an account at Grigotts. The goblins there more than happy to handle her financial affairs.

That didn't explain why the young woman would pursue Ron Weasley. Yes, they'd dated in school, but that ended well before the great battle. So why was she with Weasley now?

Feeling another headache coming on, the Flying Instructor ran a tired hand over her face.

"You look like you could use a drink."

Hooch whirled around to find the object of her search standing directly behind her.

Lavender eyed her former flying teacher. The spike haired witch had been severely injured in the war, eventually loosing her right eye. She now wore an eye patch that the blonde woman thought it made Hooch appear rather rakish.

Sexy even.

Snorting, Rolanda answered, "Yeah, one about the size of Hagrid."

Chuckling, Lavender pointed towards an empty booth in the corner, "Have a seat, I'll grab a bottle."

Hooch complied, all the while never taking her eyes off of the blonde witch. There was something about Brown that appeared different. She seemed... older, beyond her years.

Setting the bottle and a glass in front of Hooch, the owner of the club slid onto the bench opposite the older witch and asked, "So what brings you here?"

Hooch poured herself a tall glass full and replied, "You do."

Blonde eyebrows rose as a hand rose over her heart, "Oh? I'm flattered."

A yellow eye narrowed, "You should be worried."

Frowning, Lavender replied, "Why?"

Swallowing the liquor in one long gulp, Hooch slammed the glass down and leaned in so quickly that Lavender shrank back a bit, "Why are you running around with Ronald Weasley?"

Hooch watched as the witch across from her gasped. Her mouth dropped open and she began to sputter, "What are you talking about?"

Smirking, Hooch spat, "C'mon gurly. I know you're sleeping with him."

Enraged, the blonde witch ground her teeth, "I AM NOT!" She looked around to see if anyone was listening. Thankfully her customers were acting like their usual uncaring selves. Facing Hooch once again, she stated, "I am not sleeping with Ronald Weasley. He invited me to his flat once to talk."

She reached out and poured another drink into Hooch's glass causing one silver eyebrow to rise as the blonde witch proceeded to take a large gulp from the glass. Wiping her lips, Lavender continued, "Talking to Ron damn near translated to rape. He had me on his bed and was tearing at my clothes and pulling my hair out. All the while he was moaning Hermione's name!"

Hooch's mouth fell open. WTF?

Taking in Hooch's expression, Lavender continued, "He comes in here for hours on end. He sits in a booth and just stares. Sometimes he talks to himself. Sometimes he builds castles out of playing cards." She pulled back her hair to reveal a long scar running down the side of her face, just in front of her ear, "The war messed a lot of people up. Greyback left me with this little reminder." She pointed at Hooch's eye, "You have your's. Everyone is completely screwed up."

Thinking of Minerva, Hooch shook her nead, "You can say that again."

Lavender reached for the glass again, "Word is that no one escaped the effects of the war. Even McGonagall."

Hooch growled, "What have you heard?"

Taking a sip, the blonde placed the glass back down and replied, "Only that she's been acting like an enraged banshee."

Hooch grabbed her glass before Lavender drank any more of her drink, "So you're saying that you don't have any interest in Weasley?"

Lavender shook her head, "Not with the way that family is fucked up. Hell no. Besides..." She paused and looked deeply into Hooch's remaining eye, "I'd be more inclined to chase Hermione rather than Ron these days."

Blinking, Hooch grinned at this revelation, "Oh my!"

Sadly, Lavender whispered, "Although with the way poor Hermione is being treated, it's a wonder that she hasn't lost her mind along with her husband."

That brought Hooch back from her musings in a hurry, "So you think he's crazy?"

Shrugging, the pretty blonde stared out into space for a moment, "I was wounded, but lying in the Great Hall. I was up against a wall but still conscious. After Hermione blasted Greyback off of me, I managed to get inside and under cover somewhat." She frowned as she remembered, "When Bellatrix hexed Charlie Weasley, I saw it. I also saw Ginny deflect the curse that was going to hit Ron. He didn't get it full on, but he got a piece of it."

Hooch took a deep breath, more than a little freaked out at this revelation, "And look what happened to Charlie."

Nodding Lavender added, "The same thing that's happening to Ron."

Hooch scratched her head, "So there's no telling what he's been doing to Hermione is there?"

Shaking her head, Lavender answered, "It can't be good."

Hermione looked up as a handsome dark eyed, dark haired man entered the examining room, "Hello. I'm Aedin McGregor. I'll be examining you today."

Then young woman had chosen a muggle hospital to confirm her pregnancy. The witch had travelled all the way to Glasgow. Hence her doctor's thick Scottish brogue.

Quietly she endured his poking and prodding. She flinched only slightly when he withdrew blood from a vein in her arm. The same arm that bore her scar. She didn't put a glamour over it thinking the doctor would dismiss it as teenaged angst. Instead, she started when the kind man leaned in and quietly whispered, "Which Deatheater?"

Brown eyes blinked up at him. Eyes that had seen so much death. Eyes that reflected a personal agony. Ancient eyes.

Smiling, he stood and with a flick of his wrist, a wand slid down his sleeve and into his hand.

"Whut?" Hermione felt like she was going to faint.

"Easy m'dear. Tis gonna be fine." He waved his wand while whispering a diagnostic spell. A colourful swirl appeared just above Hermione's head.

"Ye have magic. It makes diagnosing the muggle way a wee bit difficult."

Hearing an accent so familiar caused the young woman to throw her head back and laugh.

And laugh.

And laugh.

Doctor McGregor eyed the witch before him with a raised eyebrow, "Are ye finished?"

Wiping her eyes, Hermione smiled, "Just acknowledging the irony."

Doctor McGregor cocked his head, "Irony?"

Hermione nodded a sad expression on her face, "That accent means a great deal to me."

McGregor nodded, "Aye. I imagine it does. Ye are Hermione Granger are ye not?"

Mystified, the young woman just stared at him.

Chuckling, Aedin said, "Ye are an English witch. Where else would ye have gone ta exceptin' Hogwarts. Where would ye have heard the brogue exceptin' for Minerva McGonagall?"

Wide brown eyes stared, "You KNOW her?"

Doctor McGregor pulled out his billfold and flipped through some photos. Pulling one out he showed it to Hermione. "I found it in me Da's things after he passed. She was the one that got away. Seems he had a penchant for attractin' witches 'cause after Minerva, he met me mum. Turns out she was a witch too." He chuckled at the look in Hermione's eyes.

For her part, Hermione was speechless. Here in front of her was a photo of a young Minerva and a man that was apparently her doctor's father, "What was his name?"

Taking back the picture, the tall man turned it over showing the faded writing, "Dougal."

"Small world huh?" Hermione muttered as she looked down at her tightly clasped hands.

"This poor witch has been through so much," he mused as he replaced the photo in his billfold and shoved the whole thing back into his pocket. Looking up at the graph still floating above his patient's head, he asked, "Do ya want to know who sired yer bairn?"

Frowning, dark eyes flashed, "I already know the answer. It was my husband. Ronald Bilious Fucking Weasley!"

Doctor McGregor's eyebrows rose in surprise, "Well okay then." He knew when it was prudent to leave well enough alone. Even if she was mistaken.

To say that Ronald was surprised when Hermione told him that he was going to be a father was an understatement. The fact that she had chosen to tell him in front of his parents had been her saving grace.

Had they been at the flat there was no telling how he would've reacted. After all, he knew he was not the child's father. The spell had left Charlie sterile and surely it had done the same to him.

Surely.

He quietly sipped his tea as Molly gushed happily over his wife. It made his mum happy. She hadn't been for such a long time. If it made her happy that was okay with him.

For now.

Blue eyes stared holes into the back of Hermione's head as he wondered who really fathered the child. When he found out the wizard's name, he would personally strangle him.

Then his wife.

-to be continued.