Sorry this is a shorter chapter, but I didn't want to add too much more and confuse everyone. The next one is longer with flashbacks to explain everything.
Note: Here it is. The reveal of which Weasley has been behind all those things and pushed Hermione down the stairs. Was it them? Whose at St Mungo's Manor poly-juiced as Katie?
Summary: Hermione discovers she's pregnant after a one-night stand with Fred Weasley and an imposed marriage law forces them to get married. The Burrow goes wedding planning mad as the pair get to know each other while coping with the unexpected pregnancy. Not everyone's on Hermione's' side though. Can they discover who's out to get them before it's too late? FW/HG
Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter Hedwig and Fred would never have died.
Beta: Thanks to the amazing Frenchie84 for her incredible work.
BEHIND THE MASK
Hermione and Draco poured over the file for Katie that night. They spent hours trying to figure out how she'd been given poly juice and who was still supplying her. It had to be something in the food or water, or at least something easy for the insider to slip to the fake Katie. The workers were checked every morning for illegal content, and anything suspicious was flagged up and investigated by an Auror.
Draco had forced a potion down fake Katie's throat to reverse the effects of poly juice potion, but she hadn't changed. They were so sure that the Katie in the room was fake; but they had a hard time explaining how or why.
"Floo that King-y bloke and let me talk with him," Draco demanded, slamming down a file. "The morning checks must not be getting done correctly, that's the only way someone can slip something into this place. That governor is an idiot! I deserve to run this place."
"Kingsley," Hermione corrected. "And why do you have the knowledge and power to run this place any better than the current governor?"
Draco glared at her before explaining, "My mother is a Black, which means I've got good experience with the mentally insane. I'm pretty sure my mother was the only sane one amongst the blacks."
"Sirius wasn't crazy."
"You're one to talk about people's sanity."
Hermione glowered at him, "Go phone your daddy and ask him for help. I'm not getting you any power in this place! So sod off, Malfoy."
Draco smirked at her and stood up, moving closer as he slid a file in front of her. "Ready to learn something Granger? Expand that brain of yours just a bit more? I'm here helping you. I couldn't give a sod about those Weasel's; so be grateful I'm extending my privileges to you." Draco turned to the file, flicking the file open to a page with a photo on it. "This is Katie when we first brought her in. Notice the colour of her eyes?"
"Blue."
"And what colour were they today?"
"Green," Hermione answered, spinning in his direction with her mouth agape. "I didn't realise Katie's were Blue. But how?"
"Over a period of time on the poly juice potion, the eyes can change colour. The eyes are a window to the soul, Granger," Draco informed her. He looked far too happy to know something she didn't. "Now, floo your minister of magic and get me in power so I can segregate this fake Katie and find out what's going on."
"Please."
"Your welcome."
"No," Hermione snapped back. "Say please and I'll help you."
"What exactly will that achieve? And I'm helping you out, Granger."
"Just once in my life, I would like to hear the great Draco Malfoy say please to me," Hermione retorted. "You owe me Malfoy. All the times you called me 'mudblood;' your family hurting my friends; you watching me get tortured on your dining room floor. Just once, I want to hear you say 'please Hermione.'"
They both stared at each other for several minutes. Draco weighed everything in his mind, but finally, after they both refused to glance away from their gaze, he crumbled. "Fine, please help me, Granger. Please phone your Gryffindor Minister and ask, for me, how to get the promotion I've worked hard to bloody earn!"
"You could have asked in a nicer tone," Hermione attempted.
"I swear to Merlin Granger!" Draco shouted.
With a laugh, Hermione made her way to the floo and called Kingsley.
After a long conversation, the Minister of Magic agreed that something had to be done. He issued an order for the governor's removal and promoted Draco to new governor and manager of St. Mungo Manor. It took a while to explain everything to Kingsley, but he really liked Hermione and would do anything for her after her efforts in the war. So, Kingsley agreed to keep the reason behind the Governors removal a secret.
Draco and Hermione wanted to investigate without people becoming aware of the situation. Keeping things quiet meant that the individual giving fake Katie polyjuice potion wouldn't know Draco and Hermione were onto them.
"So, what now?" Hermione asked, leaning forward in her chair to rub a hand down her aching spine.
"You and your litter go home and I'll wait out Katie's polyjuice withdrawal. When she finally changes, I'll come and let you know," Draco informed her. His eyes narrowed, "Don't go blabbing to everyone if you want to actually work out who is behind all this."
"You know Draco; I haven't missed you in the slightest."
"Same here, Mrs. Weasel."
Hermione raised an eyebrow at Draco's attempt at her new last name. He smirked at her, a slight twitch to his lip that threatened the smirk to turn into a smile. They weren't friends, but they had just come to an agreement. Forgive and forget, for now.
Hermione left Draco to continue his investigation with fake Katie, and she went to the Twins new shop. Fred was supposed to be working on stocking up the new store; getting it ready for its big opening. However, instead of finding her husband hard at work, she found him catching up on his sleep. She shook her head and sighed as she approached the workbench.
With a smile, Hermione stroked a hand through a mop of ginger hair, laughing at the groan that came from her husband. She pulled her hand back, watching as Fred lifted his head off the work bench and gave her a sleepy smile.
"I see you're working hard still," Hermione noted.
"I was thinking," Fred objected. He winked at her and then pulled a parchment out from under his desk. He started making notes when his eyes landed back on Hermione, who was watching him. "Something wrong?"
"I've done something you're not going to like," Hermione confessed.
Fred raised an eyebrow, "We're not going to fight again, are we?"
"No."
"Then go ahead," Fred said, a grin lighting up his face.
"You won't like it, though, but you have to listen to the whole thing," Hermione pressed. "I think I know who's behind all this. And I have a way to catch them."
0o0o0o0o0o0
George looked at his twin and then Hermione, and he didn't look convinced by what they were trying to tell him. "You're trying to tell me one of our brother's has been trying to kill us for weeks now? You're saying that one of them tried to murder me, and their nephews?"
Fred sent a look at Hermione before he spoke, "We've worked it out and with everything Hermione saw at the manor, we're sure of it. Whoever that fake Katie is has to be one of our brothers."
"And you ruled me out because of the ear?" George verified. "Why can't it be anyone else? It could be anyone. I've still got money on Lavender being behind this."
"I saw the ginger hair, it has to be a Weasley because they were the only red heads in the house the day I fell down the stairs," Hermione explained to her brother in law. "It has to be someone close to the family, that's how they've been getting away with it. We know the real villain is Katie, the real Katie, but there is someone else working with her."
"Who do you think it is?"
"We have an idea," Fred said. "Which is why we need your help. We've put everything together, and we all know who has been acting strange the last couple of months. The one person that's turned his back on his family and left us."
"Ron's just stupid, though," George joked. He didn't want to believe any of his brothers could have been behind his near death experience. "We need to find out who is the real person behind the fake Katie."
"We don't have time for that," Hermione objected. "The poly juice counter potion hasn't been working. Either that's the real Katie or they've been using some other way to get the potion into her. Malfoy has sectioned her off in another part of the facility in case the poly juice potion has been going through the vents system."
George looked between them both and finally, with a sigh he sat down and looked at the plans on the table. Hermione and Fred had been busy, making notes and connecting the dots about what had been going on for the last few months. Everything was connecting back to Ron. He was the main suspect and they had to get to the bottom of it.
Hermione turned to George, placing a hand on his leg, "He might be under a spell, he might not have been doing this willingly. We have to look at all out options. We all know Ron loves his family, he wouldn't hurt you, and I don't believe for a moment the real Ronald Weasley would ever dream of hurting me. Even at his angriest, he wouldn't hurt us. Besides, if we're wrong then we can cross him off the suspect list."
George scrubbed a hand over his face, "So what's the plan? What are we going to do?"
"Remember those sweets we tested out with truth serum?" Fred asked his brother, a smirk on his cunning face.
"The ones the Auror's banned?" George replied, his face breaking into a knowing smile. "I certainly do brother, and I have a few left at home. For safe keeping of course."
"Well, I think it's time we broke them out and took our little brother for a walk to the shop."
"How are we going to get him there?"
"Easy," Hermione answered. "You tell him you need a partner, ask him to come along to the shop and tell him you need some help, another partner in things. Fred can go to the shop first, set things up and then George can bring him over. Have the sweets on the bench, I'm sure between the two of you Ron will end up eating those sweets. You're both the best tricksters we know."
"That sounded like a compliment, Gred."
"Sure did, Forge."
0o0o0o0o0
The day of Arthur's birthday celebration came around and the whole Weasley family made it to the Burrow, early that morning, to celebrate with the much loved father of the household. It was actually a few days after his real birthday, but they had rescheduled things after Hermione's fall. That didn't matter to Arthur, he was just happy to have his family together. He spent a few hours searching for presents and playing with his (mostly) muggle toys. Later, the Weasley family sat down in the living room, as Molly cooked a celebration lunch.
Charlie had taken a walk with Hermione, who was getting kicked in the ribs by both of the twins. She also took that opportunity to talk with Charlie. Her main reason was to keep away from the Burrow, while the twins cunningly got Ron to the shop and the truth sweets down him. By the end of the day, they would all know the truth, one way or another.
As Hermione took a walk with Charlie, the rest of the Weasley's were at the Burrow. Molly was just getting the chicken out of the oven when the Burrow door burst open, and a ruffled looking Draco Malfoy stepped inside. He didn't knock and barely spared Mrs. Weasley a glance as he marched through the house with disgust on his face. He wasn't impressed with having to enter the burrow.
"May I help you, young man?" Molly asked as Draco moved past her. She had her hands on her hips, watching the young blond with suspicion. "And I would hope your mother learnt you some manners; knocking on a door before entering is common courtesy, even for someone in the Malfoy family."
Draco sneered, "After the headache I've got from your family in the last twenty-four hours, I'm quite sure I can walk anywhere I want to in this house."
Molly frowned and was about to ask Draco what he meant, but didn't get the chance when the blond strode into the sitting room. He glared at each and every one of the Weasley/Potter household. His eye's searched for Hermione, but she couldn't be found.
"Where exactly is the woman carrying your litter?" Draco asked one of the twins.
"Over there I hope," George pointed out Angelina, earning him a scowl from his wife. "You're probably looking for Freddie."
"And where is he?"
"At the shop," George replied. "Our dear Hermione Weasley has gone for a walk with Charlie to walk off her pain. Now if you would kindly sod off, Ronald and I have some business to attend to."
"What are you doing here Malfoy?" Ron growled, scowling at his school enemy.
Draco ignored them and glanced around the room, looking for Hermione. He didn't trust any of them in the Weasel family. His eye's landed on Potter. As much as he hated to, Potter was probably the only one he could trust. Hell, things sure had changed in the last few years.
"Missing any Gingers?" Draco asked Potter, a sneer in his voice. Mrs. and Mr. Weasley had both entered the room, watching Draco, like he was an act at the circus. No one knew what to do with the grumpy blond. They were all still in shock he'd even entered the Burrow.
"No," Harry scowled, glancing around the room.
"I should hope you are, because whoever is at St. Mungo Manor is definitely a Weasley. I can tell by his horrible manners and brighter ginger locks. Now, think again, missing any Weasleys?" Draco pressed. Harry looked confused, but George knew exactly what the young blond was talking about.
"The polyjuice is wearing off?" George asked. "Who is it?"
"Found a chip under their skin, it was giving them small doses of poly juice potion every few hours. Clever really. That's why the anti-potion didn't work against it. It was always in their system," Draco explained. "It's still wearing off, but I don't have a clue who the hell he is. You lot breed like rats. So, can we hurry up and come up with a name?"
Everyone was confused, but George was quick to catch them up. He explained briefly what had been going on and their plan. Ron looked devastated to hear that he had been the main suspect. However, he was now out of the picture for being a suspect. There was no way Draco wouldn't recognize Ron after going to school for six years together.
"Percy isn't here," George pointed out. "Charlie and Fred."
"I know what your demon double looks like," Draco sneered once again at George. "The swot I have met before, what a royal pain in the arse he was at school. I know what he looks like and it's not him. This Ginger I don't recall. Charlie? There's another one of you lot?"
"Second oldest," Harry replied. "Bill isn't here either, but he's part wolf so I don't think he can be the one at the manor. That only leaves…"
"Charlie," George and Ginny said at the same time, their eye's meeting.
"He wouldn't," Ginny insisted, looking at her mother for backup. "Charlie wouldn't hurt anyone in this family. He loves us."
"Where is the Weasley?" Draco asked, his eyes on George.
"With Hermione," Molly answered, "He took her for a walk when the twins were giving her trouble. Charlie wouldn't do this, though. I don't know what you're hoping to achieve from this young man, but none of my sons would ever do any of the things you're accusing them off."
Then, Draco pulled something out of his pocket that convinced them all. "He made this," Draco informed them. The man under the poly juice was only half transformed back. It was slow going with all the poly juice potion in his system. Plus, they had a suspicion that more of the potion chips were hidden under his skin. He wouldn't talk, perhaps he couldn't talk. But, he had given Draco a small object he'd made out of paper. It was a Dragon, an origami dragon.
Everyone in the room froze, their gaze's on the Origami Dragon. That was proof alone. It was a Dragon, a symbol that stood for Charlie, besides it being hard to make. Charlie had learnt the art many years ago and never wasted an opportunity to show off his skills at a party. Every one of them had seen Charlie make the paper dragon a number of times in the past.
"We need to find Hermione," George stand, jumping to his feet. "I'm going to get Fred. He needs to know what's going on."
"I'll go get Bill and Fleur," Ginny announced, moving towards the floo. "Bill might be able to help, with his sense of smell.
Molly stepped forward, her mouth a hard line. Draco coward slightly at the sight of the angry woman. The person that had brought down his aunt, Bellatrix Lestrange. "Take me to see my son, Mr. Malfoy."
"And me," Arthur spoke, stepping beside his wife. "Let us see our Charlie."
So, Katie at St. Mungos manor is really Charlie. The fake Charlie has been living in the Weasley house unnoticed. He's the one that pushed Hermione. Flashbacks next chapter to reveal a few key things. Who, why and the person they are working with. Also, we get an explanation why Ron has been acting so odd.
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