Dear Readers,

I am currently rewriting this story on another site, and I thought I would share this chapter with you since the swirl in the pendant was a mystery I left unsolved.

Hermione heard the crack from her bedroom quickly followed by Bill's voice, saying, "I hear you have a powerful piece of jewelry gifted to you from one of the oldest wizard families. Tell me, how did you capture the attention of a Malfoy, hmmm?" She sighed as she exited her privacy to meet the eldest Weasley.

"You know, Bill, I always assumed you were above the teasing and gossip that accompanies every other Weasley sibling, but now I see you were probably their teacher." She looked at his smiling face, although the scar prevented it from being symmetrical.

"Perhaps." He shrugged his shoulders and placed his hands in his robe pockets. "But you cannot help me being curious, Hermione. If you may permit me to relive an unpleasant moment, the last time you met with the Malfoys, you were shaken, unable to stand on your own, and also very closed lipped. If being around a Malfoy invokes secrecy, please consider what exactly you are getting from the relationship."

Hermione huffed. "Bill, the secrets we kept during the war has nothing to do with now. Just because you did not know Malfoy gave me this pendant does not entitle you to pass judgement." She pulled the jade teardrop from under her blouse and presented it to him.

"Ah, here is the source of my visit." He approached her, eyes glued to the swirl. "May I?" She nodded. Bill closed the gap between them. "The dragon has protective powers. I can feel it." He stroked the curve of the silver dragon's back. "But what does it protect? I wonder…" He touched the jade teardrop, and immediately the dragon moved. Hermione let out a surprised gasp, but Bill seemed to expect it. He removed his hand before it could be attacked. "I am willing to bet you cannot take off the pendent."

She met his eyes with curiosity. "Why do you say that?"

"It has a bonding spell. A strong one. I know you feel it too." She nodded. "I am going to cast a few spells to reveal what bonds you. Hold still." Hermione found it difficult, after years of fighting, to willingly let a wizard wave his wand at her. Bill also cast silently, which vexed her greatly. One of the reasons she permitted his visit was to learn. Her vexation grew as he took his time.

His wand fell to his side as he looked at her with a furrowed brow. "Well?" she asked.

"I am having difficulty uncovering the bond's source."

"What have you tried?" Her heart began to beat faster.

"Well first I tried lust." Hermione glared at him as he refused to meet her eyes. "Then I tried love. I also tried enemy and friendship, and some basic bonding spells that just make you think of one another."

They paused together in silent contemplation when Hermione finally recalled her conversation with the Malfoy matriarch. "Can bonds be made by…happiness?"

"Hold still." He waved once more then nodded. "He used a bond that is very rare, Hermione. I only know about it because I have come across it once before, and it struck me as beautiful." He knew his remark would only entice more questions so he quickly added information. "It is a bond created by happiness. It is rare because most witches and wizards prefer love bonds performed on their jewelry." He moved to her again and lifted the pendant by the chain. "Hmm."

"Keep talking, Bill. Everything you think, say it aloud."

Bill gazed into her eyes. "Love bonds cast on jewelry are not very powerful, Hermione. The reason being, love is the more powerful 'magic' so it is not controlled by spells. You already know there is no true love potion. However, the elite (and by elite I mean the very rich), often try to prove their love to one another through gifting of expensive jewelry with love bonds. Its purpose works well enough, and both parties can boast of the fine jewelry, which accrues a higher interest due to the love bond. There is a market for this very sort of thing, as the wealthy need frivolous ways to spend their gold."

"But this is not a love bond."

"No, it isn't. Which makes me think Malfoy is much cleverer, and valuable, than I ever gave him credit for." He looked at her again. "I am beginning to understand." There was a pause as he began to asses her instead of the jewelry.

"Bill, you are trying my patience. Understand what?"

"I am beginning to understand why he chose you. Hermione, you make him happy." She blushed. "This dragon protects the true gift he gave you, which swirls inside the jade teardrop. Most would assume it is a memory, because most are not aware of what else can cause a swirl when it is trapped."

"It's his Patronus!" She gasped, yet again, and stepped away from him as she lifted her necklace. "Lumos." Against the light she observed, with new eyes, the swirl inside, and wished for privacy.

"I will say one last thing before I go. Love spells are next to useless. It is a secret joke amongst Goblins to poke fun at witches and wizards that pay high galleon for jewelry with love bonds. But what Malfoy gave you was real. You know how a Patronus works." With those words, Bill disapparated.

Alone, she was able to release her true emotions. Hermione wiped the tears from her eyes and hugged the necklace with her fist. She could feel the dragon shift within her hand and released her hold. She had one more hour before Malfoy would apparate to her cottage, to spend the night as he had for the past week. She recalled feeling the magic at its strongest when he held her at night. As her heart pound in her chest, the bond matched her rhythm and she knew Malfoy had found a way to bottle love.