A/N: Hello Guys. I just want to continue to thank you all for your support. The end is in sight however and I wanted to give you a heads up. There are only a couple more chapters until the end folks, and it's been great, but I'm actually excited for the end. So I really want to take a moment to appreciate those of you who have stuck with me from the start and I know it's been a bumpy ride so I really am grateful to all of you. Here is Chapter 21.

Hermione was still curled up in her husband's arms and the silver and green checkered quilt that dated back to his Hogwarts days, or so he claimed, in front of the fading fire the next morning when the pecking of an owl awoke her. At first she ignored the bird and sighed breathing in Antonin's spicy scent and snuggling back into him. But the creature was quite insistent and continued pecking at the window pane until the witch finally called it quits. She extracted herself from her position on the floor and woke Antonin up in the process.

"Hmmm, what you doing up?" He murmured sleepily.

"We have an owl and it won't stop tapping to deliver its message." Hermione replied. She crossed to the window in the den room and took the letter from the barn owl she recognized as Harry's. The bird glared at her, and Hermione gave it a treat to sweeten it towards her once more.

"I'm sorry girl. It's just hard to get up in the mornings." She made an excuse to the owl, who hooted a quick acknowledgment and then flew off, evidently not requiring a reply.

"What time is it dorogaya?" Antonin yawned as he sat up and stretched his arms.

"It's half past eight." She replied.

"Oh, well who is sending us an owl so early then?"

"Harry." His witch stated.

"What does he want?" Antonin glowered. He didn't appreciate being woken up especially when he was so comfortable and warm holding his wife.

Hermione sat on the couch as she unsealed the envelope to read its contents.

Dear Hermione,

I'm am well, marriage life is a different experience, but I find that I quite enjoy it. You are right I've been so wrapped up with auror training and stuff that it has been awhile since we talked. Why don't we have lunch today, say one o'clock at the three broomsticks? I'll be there then so if you can make it great, I'll see you there.

Love,

Harry.

By the time she was done skimming the letter Antonin had sat next to her on the couch.

"Harry wants to have lunch today." She explained in answer to his question. "I had told him that I have news for him so I suppose this is his reply."

"Going to tell him about the baby?" Antonin inquired.

"Yeah that was my plan. I feel like it should come from me before Ginny has a chance to announce it to the whole world."

"That seems fair."

"I'd invite you to come to lunch, but I really could use some friend time with just Harry. It's been ages since we just hung out. I mean in school we never went more than days before spending time together, and now it's been months."

"I understand. I have to go to the ministry in any case today, I'm getting my freelancing curse breaking license. But promise me you will call for me if you need me."

"I will. I promise." Hermione readily agreed, knowing he would worry for her. "But I'll be just fine." Just then her stomach began to grumble signifying that she was hungry.

"I take it I should feed you?" Antonin asked and began mentally recalling the list of foods that would be suitable for breakfast that could possibly be less upsetting to Hermione while she was pregnant.

"I guess, but I don't want to get sick. I'm not sure eating this early is a great idea."

"Some toast and fresh fruit with a bowl of oatmeal shouldn't upset you too much. How does that sound?"

"Well, it doesn't seem to be causing nausea so we can try it." Hermione agreed.

Hermione kissed Antonin softly before he left for the ministry that morning after breakfast. He had seemed reluctant to go, and Hermione needed him to. First and foremost he had expressed to her that this freelancing thing was something he wanted to do, he wanted to feel useful and that he was doing all he could to provide for his family, and so she gently reminded him of that fact. She assured him once more that she would be just fine, but that of course she would call for him if she needed him for anything at all. The second reason she needed him out of the house was because she needed some space to think about her plan for helping him overcome his demons.

That and it was just nice, to have some time to herself. It was only the third day since she found out she was expecting, and she still had four days left of her leave from work, and she was already going a little stir crazy. It certainly didn't help that her husband hadn't really left her alone since she came home that first day. He had been hovering, and she understood that he just wanted to make sure she was okay, and that she had already given him some reasons for concern, but he was smothering her a little and it was nice to be able to breathe without him being underfoot.

It seems that she had grown accustomed to her husband's long working hours were he had holed himself up in his study and either researched or practiced casting his original incantations.

The young witch pursed her lips. Just what was she going to do about her husband? He would be difficult to say the least, though she suspected that he would be far angrier with her for interfering in this if he was the only focus of her meddling. So she wanted to spread her project out to all of the pardoned former death eaters, but the small problem still remained that while therapy was the best option for helping them, they would be reluctant at best to participate, even if she could somehow get it government sanctioned.

So she had to be cleverer than that, which was not a common trait for Gryffindor's and she was Gryffindor through and through. She suddenly had an idea and sighed in relief. She could initiate a program that reintroduced the former deatheaters to society that would slowly but surely allow them more privileges for the progress the made in their own self-healing. In short, Hermione believed that the more access these people had to official occupations, civil rights, freedom to walk down the street without being hexed, rights to resources and fair treatment, the more they would slowly begin to forgive themselves their past deeds. Now she just had to convince Harry to spearhead it, because she didn't want her name or face anywhere the project to the public. Even if it was her baby.

She was just on time for lunch and Harry had already reserved them a booth. She waved from the doorway with a goofy grin that only her two best friends could bring out in her, and immediately headed towards him.

"Hi Harry." She sighed as his arms closed around her in a tight bear hug.

"Hey 'Mione," he greeted in return before asking "What can I get you? A butterbeer?"

Hermione paused, and then shook her head. Forlornly, she turned down one of her favorite comfort drinks, butterbeer was good but nothing beat the Three Broomsticks butterbeer, and Hermione had been craving it. However, she was pregnant and alcohol, any alcohol was a big no, no.

"Actually I think just a cup of tea today." She replied instead and after giving her a puzzled look her friend nodded and went up to the bar to place their order for drinks and a bowl of Rosemerta's stew.

"So you had news for me," Harry inquired upon his return, sitting across from Hermione who had settled into the booth and removed her cloak. It was always warm in the little pub.

"Indeed, and I need to pick your brain." She replied. "But first things first. How are you? It's been too long, and I want to know how married life is treating you." Harry just smiled at her sheepishly and his face reddened on a light blush. "That good huh?"

"Yeah, it's great. I mean I had my reservations at first but Jaz is great, she is really great and we get along. But come on, I'm way more interested in you. You know I hate talking about myself."

"Well, Honestly Harry, I've had my ups and downs. Antonin and I love each other, but we come from very different backgrounds. And it's been rough because he isn't overjoyed that I'm working, we've compromised and he knows that it makes me happy, but he had always dreamed of having the perfect housewife…."

"That's ridiculous," Harry burst out getting annoyed.

"No," Hermione argued. "No Harry, it's not. He was raised in a family where women got married and stayed home to raise the family. He is used to living in a society that shares similar ideologies of the subject of women working. I can understand how he feels, and the important thing is he isn't trying to keep me home. However, while he wasn't stopping me in my healer training, it was making him very unhappy and he objected to the long hours, he wants a mother to be there for the family. So I agreed that the hours were long, and dropped out of the healer program, and now I'm training to be a mediwitch."

"Hermione, you shouldn't let him change you." Harry frowned at her news.

"I know, and please don't get the wrong idea, Harry he isn't changing me, it's just that we had to find a way to compromise. Marriage is about compromising, and we found a way to do that. I am happy in my new program."

"Okay. If you say so." He replied.

"And I'm pregnant. I just found out a couple days ago, I'm about six weeks along."

"Wow. Congratulations. You guys waste no time."

"It wasn't planned, and yes it may be a little soon, but I'm excited, and Antonin is really happy to."

"Good. I'm glad for you. I'm not sure I like everything I'm hearing, but as long as you are happy and safe, then I'm good."

"I am happy. And Antonin takes all precautions with my safety. He even created a new protection spell for me, that's pretty powerful."

"Glad to hear it." Harry replied just as their stew arrived. The scent of the stew had always been a pleasant one, and it was no different now, much to the witch's relief, as she heartily dug into the meal." Harry cleared his throat.

"Wow, 'Mione, I can't say I've ever seen you eat like that before, and I've known you for years."

"I'm eating for two now, so I feel hungry a lot." Hermione explained.

"At least you are not as bad as Ron." Her friend replied and Hermione's face crinkled with disgust.

"Gee, thanks. I'm not sure if that was a compliment or an insult." Hermione said.

"Well it wasn't an insult." He replied. "What did you need to ask me, you mentioned a favor?" Harry changed the subject.

"Well," Hermione began "It's sort of a long story. And a sensitive issue. If Antonin knew I was bringing this up at all, he would be really upset, so I need you to swear that this conversation remains private."

"Of course. On my magic I will not talk about this with anyone aside from yourself, unless you specifically ask me to." Harry swore a wizard's oath.

"Thank you Harry." She said before she cast a muffilato around the table. No need to have anybody overhearing the conversation.

"Okay, so what's going on?"

"I'm worried about my husband, Harry. He internalizes a lot, and we never really talk about the past at all. But recently he has shared some small details with me that have given me some glimpses into his mind. Harry, Antonin is blaming himself for everything he did in the past, he's holding on to his guilt and regret and he's refusing to forgive himself for it. It doesn't matter what I try to say to him, reminding him that he was compelled to do these things, or that the war is over now, he just won't budge. And I worry that one day I'm going to wake up and he will no longer be recognizable because he will be to overcome with these feelings he is harboring and not talking about."

"I hear you Hermione, but, I don't really know how I can help."

"Well it got me to thinking, Antonin would reject the idea of speaking to a professional, and look at me like I was crazy if I brought home self-help books. He wouldn't like that I am worried about him in that way and he would try and reassure me that he is fine, but I really don't think that he is. And I'm wondering perhaps if some of the other pardoned deatheaters are feeling the same, because I am blaming the public for some of the repressed feelings Antonin has. Being subject to hateful glares and jeers in the streets, and having more steps to get access to resources and privileges at the ministry, or being barred from jobs just because of the past does them no favors. What good is it being pardoned if the society still treats them as criminals?"

"You make a good point. It isn't fair, but Hermione, we can't control how the public feels. The fact remains that he did serve Voldemort, willingly or not and he did terrible things and hurt many people, and forgiving is one thing, forgetting is another."

"I know Harry. I'm not asking the world to forget what happened, what these people did. But The Ministry is sitting by and allowing prejudice to rule. We fought a damned war against it, and now we are won and ended blood purity ideologies from running rampant, but merlin, we are no better if we allow the purebloods to be segregated because they fought on the wrong side. The ministry can do something about it."

"Like what?"

"Well I have an idea. And hear me out Harry James Potter, because I know you are going to say no at first, but it's a good idea."

"Okay…." He said reluctantly.

"I would like to initiate a program for the pardoned and reformed deatheaters to be sort of re-established as citizens into society. A program that sees to the fact that they have access to any job they want, protection from being hexed in the streets unprovoked, the same and equal treatment when it comes to accessing resources, no more extra steps just because they have a past. I really feel that the more society begins to accept them and they don't have to sit in their homes all day with nothing but their thoughts that the healing process can really begin. The only problem is I can't be the one to sphere head the project."

Harry's first thought was that she was right, he did want to say no, because he knew exactly what she was asking. And if she felt as strongly as she did about this he realized that this could turn into her new S.P.E.W. Merlin forbid that happen. So he breathed in through his teeth and then said. "Fine. I'll see what I can do. But Hermione, we are doing this my way." And in the next instant Hermione had flung herself into his arms and was repeating thank you like a broken record.