Disclaimer: All characters and things associated with Harry Potter belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers. This writing is for pure entertainment only.

Summary: Set in the distant future, happily ever after would not last, and Hermione is no longer safe in a dangerous world. Will her children find a way to save her before everything in their world is destroyed?

Chapter 34

Ron immediately rushed around the tent gathering as many blankets as he could and moving back to the table. He was smart enough to remember survival one-oh-one and quickly ripped Rose's frozen and wet shirt and pants off his daughter, exposing her truly decaying form. She was skin and bones in her undergarments and if he wasn't so sure she still had a plus he would have thought she was dead.

He tossed her wet clothes aside and began wrapping her in as many blankets as he could just as Hermione and Hugo came into the tent.

"Ron, what happened?" Hermione's voice was shaking.

"I don't know. I found her like this…she's so cold, Hermione." Ron glanced up at his girlfriend for help, showing her that his eyes were brimming with tears. He needed her now, more then ever; Hermione would know what to do.

Seeing Ron practically crying immediately sent Hermione's hormonal mind into overdrive and she moved toward him, always good in a crisis. "We need to warm her up…"

"I'm trying…" Ron admitted.

Hermione nodded reassuringly at him. "I know you are…why don't you and Hugo go get some more wood to warm this place up?"

Ron nodded weekly and he and a shocked Hugo moved out into the snow to get wood.

Once Ron was gone, Hermione moved to start the heating charms she had taught herself last year while she and Harry were stuck in the snow. She needed to get the heat as close to Rose as possible, and so she pulled the blankets Ron had padded Rose with down and immediately felt sick to her stomach.

Hermione was not sure she had ever seen a living person as thin as Rose was right now. The sight alone made Hermione's eyes start to tear. Her daughter was a bag of skin and bones, hardly anything else. Hermione recalled the last time she had seen Rose scantly dressed, at the Halloween Ball, and how tone and fit her daughter had been; every guy had been drooling over her. Now, Hermione was certain the tight dress Rose had worn that night would have looked like a bag on her daughter.

Hermione took two shaking hands and tried her best to cast the heating spells while trying to keep her stomach settled enough, but the sight of Rose was making her nauseous.

Lucius moved into the Three Broomsticks, waiting patiently for Draco who asked to meet him there to discuss the matters at hand. Lucius really did not have time, but he knew, in case Draco knew something else, it was imperative to meet his son.

Draco arrived shortly after Lucius, looking rather tired, his blonde hair disheveled as he took a seat across from his father.

"You look terrible." Lucius commented.

"Been stressed. Scorpius…" Draco started.

"Scorpius has not been kidnapped." Lucius said simply. He did not believe that at all. He had never trusted his grandson since he had first met him.

"There is no way he would just walk out…" Draco started.

"That I don't believe." Lucius said, his nose in the air.

"There was confusion with the library catching fire. I am certain that someone came in and took him during it. I bet it was those Weasels…to use him as leverage." Draco deducted.

"I think your son has fooled you. I think he is on their side, Potter and Weasley." Lucius said.

Draco just shook his head. He would not believe it. "No."

"Well, when we find them and we find him with them, we will see who is laughing." Lucius stood. He had no time for such silly conversation.

"You're wrong." Draco called after his father.

Lucius turned around, glaring at Draco. "I don't think so. Now, you better keep an eye out in case any of them return. If I find out you have been lying…"

Draco was on his feed moving closer to his father. "Why would I help them? I work for the Dark Lord."

Lucius gave his son an accepting smile. He was certain Scorpius was a liar, but he was glad his grandson had not gotten to his actually son yet. Draco was still loyal to Voldemort, and if the Malfoy's ever wanted to regain their status in the wizarding world it had to stay that way. The Dark Lord would return, and the Malfoy's would be rewarded.

Ron and Hugo busily scrambled through the snow, gathering as much wood as they could as quickly as possible. Ron's head was spinning, his thoughts on Rose's diminishing form. He had no idea it had gotten that bad, he thought she was just skipping a meal here or there, not hardly eating at all. She needed food badly, and he knew they simply did not have enough. He knew he would have to do something about that.

"Dad, how much wood?" Hugo scrambled over a snow mound, breaking branches off a tree.

"As much as you can carry…" Ron said.

"What happened to her?" Hugo asked.

"I don't know. I don't know. I found her like that…" Ron said.

"You don't think…I mean the death eaters are close…" Hugo didn't want to finish his thought.

"I know." Ron nodded. He had also thought that, and if it was true, it means they were not safe there. "Just…get the wood for now. We will worry about the rest once Rose is okay."

Hugo nodded and scrambled up another tree, grabbing a big branch and hanging on it until it fell to the ground.

Scorpius woke up on the couch in the living room of the Potter's Paris home to the sound of clanking in the kitchen. He quickly got up and made his way into the kitchen where he found Ginny, Harry, Albus, and Lily moving around, each making their own breakfast.

"Sleep well?" Albus raised an eyebrow at Scorpius.

Scorpius nodded. He had been exhausted. "Yeah."

"Why don't you get something to eat?" Ginny asked, still a little cautious of Scorpius.

"Thank you." Scorpius nodded and moved to grab the cereal box.

"What exactly are you doing here?" James asked as he entered the kitchen, his hair wet from a shower.

Scorpius turned to see James. He knew he had never been James' favorite person in the world, so he expected nothing but such bluntness.

"I'm looking for Rose." Scorpius said simply. "I need to find her."

"Why? Do you know something else that we should all know?" Harry asked.

"No." Scorpius admitted. "I just need to know she's okay. I've gotta find her. If I can help in any way…"

"Unfortunately, we can't help you find her." Ginny cut him off. "Like we said, none of us know where they are."

"And we are wanted just as badly as they are." Harry added.

"I know." Scorpius said. "I mean…all of the Weasley's are being hunting to say the least."

"We figured that much." Lily sighed, slamming her cereal bowl down. She was worried about all of her cousins, but she was especially worried about Hugo. He was her best friend.

"But I need to get to Rose. Mrs. Weasley needs all the protection she can get, and honestly, Rose being left in charge of anything too long never ends well." Scorpius said.

"No arguments there." James said simply.

"But what can we possibly do? We have no idea where to start looking for them…" Ginny reminded them.

"I don't know. I'll figure it out. I don't…I don't want to get you all involved and risk your lives. I mean, it was enough for you to let me stay here…" Scorpius started.

"No, you have a point. Hermione needs the most protection." Harry decided. "And quite frankly, I don't like being out of the loop. Hermione, Ron, and I have been through a lot together. They helped me…its my turn to repay them."

"Wait…" Albus perked up. "So are you saying we don't have to sit around here and hide anymore?"

"No. I am saying that I should go with Scorpius." Harry said.

"Like hell you are going without us!" Albus slammed his plate of toast down. "If you go, I'm going."

"Its too dangerous." Harry said.

"Its dangerous for all of us right now." Ginny was in agreement with Hugo. Harry had left her behind once to find Horcruxes. She would not let him do it again.

"Yeah. We are coming." Lily agreed. She would feel better if they stayed together.

"But—" Harry started.

"No buts. We are a family now." Ginny told him.

"Really, Mrs. Potter, I can do this on my own…" Scorpius said.

"Well, if you wanted to do that, you shouldn't have come here." Albus spoke up.

Scorpius sighed.

"Look, the more people protecting Hermione the better." Ginny reasoned.

Harry nodded; he had to nod. Ginny had a point, though he was surprised she even wanted to help Malfoy's son out. He could tell she wasn't the biggest fan of Scorpius.

"Alright. Then…lets start figuring out where they could possibly be." Scorpius finally said. It looked like the Potter's would be helping him whether he liked it or not, but in truth, he was grateful for the extra help. He knew he would need it.

Hermione quickly ran her wand over Rose, silently chanting the spell to warm her unconscious daughter up. So far, the ice had melted from Rose's brown hair, and her lips were regaining their color, but Hermione knew, given the condition of the rest of Rose, that if they did not get some food in her soon it would not matter.

What Hermione really didn't understand was how Rose had gotten so thin so quickly. Hermione knew they had less food then normal, but she had been cooking enough for everyone to eat and she was certain Rose had been eating her share. Now, she realized she must have been wrong.

As Hermione continued to scan over her daughter and warm her, Ron and Hugo came sprinting in carrying tons of wood.

"Got it!" Hugo practically tripped in.

"Put the fire on." Hermione said, her voice a little calmer.

"How is she doing?" Ron asked, noticing Rose's color had come back a bit.

"She's getting warmer, but if we don't get some food in her soon it won't matter." Hermione glanced up from Rose to look at Ron. "What happened to her? She's so thin."

"I know." Ron admitted.

"What do you mean you know?" Hermione snapped.

"She hasn't been…well…we noticed we were running low on food, so we decided to cut our portions down to make sure you were eating enough…" Ron admitted, but then quickly added. "But we all did it."

Hugo nodded in response, though he had hardly been giving up much.

"I didn't realize Rose had taken it to such an extreme…" Ron added sheepishly when he saw Hermione's mouth hanging open in rage.

"You didn't realized? Ron, she looks like she hasn't eaten in months! How could you not have noticed?" Hermione was livid, but also felt guilty. She was the cause for this.

"You didn't notice either! We've spent the same amount of time around her!" Ron snapped quickly before he realized what he was doing. He was mad he had let this happen to Rose, he didn't need Hermione to make him feel guiltier.

Between Ron's comment, Rose's condition, and Hermione finding out why Rose was so thin, the pregnant nineteen-year-old could not handled it, and tears began building up in Hermione's eyes as she moved back to Rose, finishing up her spell.

Ron saw Hermione's tears building and felt awful. "Hermione…I…"

"Just shut up, Ron. I'm concentrating." Hermione snapped quickly her wand shaking in her hand.

"Mom…why don't you take a break. I can finish up…I know the spell." Hugo stepped forward.

Hermione glanced over at her son and then gave a silent nod; she was exhausted and Ron's comment had put her over the edge. She wasn't even sure she was doing the spell properly anymore. She slowly lowered her own wand and moved back into the small room with the bed she and Ron had been sharing, pulling the trap door quickly closed.

Ron sighed, moving forward to Hugo who was now standing over Rose. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Try getting some water in her." Hugo said, not looking at his father. He thought his father had been a complete jerk to his mother.

Ron complied and poured Rose a glass of water. He then moved toward her and pulled her head up, tipping the water down Rose's throat. "Come on, Rose…drink up."

Rose did not open her eyes, but she did sip the water a bit.

"Good, Rose." Ron encouraged.

After a few more sips, Rose's lips parted and her labored breathing continued.

"I think that was all she could handle." Hugo said quickly.

Ron nodded, sighing and silently begging Rose to pull through. They needed her, and Ron knew she needed food. He had to figure out how he was going to get that now. It was a top priority.

Greyback was waiting for Lucius on his front steps by the time Lucius returned from Hogsmeade and his meeting with Draco. Lucius immediately quickened his steps when he noticed the werewolf.

"Good news, I would hope?" Lucius asked.

"I found the little Weasley girl…looks so much like her mudblood mother…" Greyback said.

"Did you?" Lucius grinned. "And…"

"And she dissaparted on me…but she was in no shape to run much more from me. Wherever they are hiding, the Weasley's won't be able to keep it up much longer." Greyback said.

It was not exactly good news, but it wasn't bad either. Lucius nodded. "Where did you find her?"

"Forest of Dean. The same place we caught her filthy mudblood bother and disgusting blood traitor father with Potter last year…" Greyback said.

Lucius smiled; this was something he could use. "So they aren't that inventive…using the same hiding spots…"

Greyback nodded. "I think so."

"Well then…make sure you stay put…the forest can be unforgivable in this weather…winters are harsh…they will have no choice but to eventually show themselves…keep your wits about you." Lucius said.

Greyback nodded. "Certainly."

"Thank you for reporting back. This has been most useful…" Lucius gave Greyback another nod and then continued on into his home. It was only a matter of time before the Weasley's surfaced, not to mention, with a pregnant women, they would not be able to take the risks they had last year to hide. Hermione and her condition would eventually drag the Weasley's out of hiding.

Harry and Ginny were in Sirus room, packing up some things to get moving on their hunt for Hermione, Ron, and their children. The two had hardly had time to really discuss the fact that they were leaving their safe house in Paris.

"Are you sure this is what you want to do?" Harry finally asked. He had known that Ginny, although she was certainly concerned with the whereabouts of Ron and Hermione, was happy that her family was all safe. Now suddenly, she was changing her mind.

Ginny shrugged. "We don't have a choice."

"I mean, we don't have to go with him, not all of us. Some of us could go with Scorpius or none of us…" Harry said, casually. He, in his heart, wanted to help Hermione and Ron like they had helped him months ago. It was strange being without them. The three of them had always done everything together.

"And give Ron and Hermione no warning?" Ginny asked, throwing a sweatshirt in her bag.

"Warning? I'm sure they know people are after them." Harry said. How could Ginny think any differently?

"Not that. I'm talking about warning them against Malfoy's kid." Ginny seemed to whisper, in case anyone was listening.

"What? About Scorpius?" Harry was confused. He had never been a fan of Draco, but so far, Scorpius had shown all of them nothing but loyalty, and it was beyond apparent that Scorpius had feelings for Rose.

"Yes. I don't trust him." Ginny said sharply.

"He's done alright for us so far. If he hadn't helped Rose with us in the Chamber of Secrets Ron and I would probably be dead by now…" Harry reasoned.

"Exactly. Only a Malfoy would try a stunt like that." Ginny said.

"Ginny, I really don't think he's a bad kid." Harry said, knowing Scorpius was only a year younger then him, though, since his children from the future had arrived he felt much older.

"Well, maybe not. But I am not gonna sit around and let Ron and Hermione figure it out the hard way. That's why we are going. If I'm right, that Malfoy will lead those death eaters right to Ron and Hermione." Ginny said as she tossed Harry a hat to put in his own bag.

Harry just shrugged. He didn't agree with Ginny, but he knew, in the off chance that she was right, then Ron, Hermione. Rose, Hugo, and the unborn baby would all be in a great deal of danger and that was not something Harry was willing to gamble.

Ron stood over Rose, starring down at his daughter. She looked a little better, the color creeping back into her cheeks, though she was still so frail that it was hard for Ron to truly tell how she was doing.

"I'll keep an eye on her dad." Hugo spoke up from the seat at the end of the table that Rose was on.

"I don't want to leave her." Ron said, his eyes not leaving Rose's still form.

"Dad…mom's been…well…" Hugo nodded his head toward the flap which Hermione was clearly crying behind, though he whimpering had died down a bit in the past two hours and she had tried her best to not make it hurt at all from the start.

"She's probably asleep." Ron said. In truth, he did not want to leave Rose, but he also did not want to face Hermione. He knew he had blown up on her for no reason earlier and she did not deserve it.

"Dad…" Hugo felt like he was scolding his own father. "You can't do anything more for Rose right now…"

Ron shook his head. "I've gotta go get food…"

"Rose said it was dangerous for you to go…" Hugo reminded him.

"Yeah. Well, Rose doesn't get to call the shots right now." Ron snapped at his son and then sighed. No one deserved the attitude he was giving them.

"Fine. Well…go see mom first. Then, you can figure out the food thing. It won't matter until Rose can wake up and eat anyway…" Hugo said

"Yeah. Alright." Ron nodded. He knew Hugo was right; he should go talk to Hermione and so, with a deep breath, he moved across the tent, opening the flap to revile Hermione, curled up in a pregnant ball on the mattress that was still on the floor.

Hermione glanced up at Ron briefly but said nothing.

"We're gonna have to get that mattress off the floor soon. Don't think you'll like getting up and down in a few more months." Ron commented, trying to lighten the mood.

"Yes, because that is such a clearly big problem for us. Top priority…" Hermione mumbled angrily into her pillow.

"Hermione, I am sorry I yelled at you. You didn't deserve that." Ron sat down on his side of the bed, gently rubbing Hermione's back.

"Ron, I don't care that you yelled. You were upset." Hermione continued to keep her back to Ron.

"So what's wrong?" Ron was confused.

"Rose is practically dead…and its my fault." Hermione could only seem to whisper her words, her one hand moving to cradle her baby bump.

"Hermione, its not your fault. I let her do that." Ron explained.

Hermione rolled over, though it took a bit of a struggle with her growing belly. "For me…you let her do it for me…"

"For both of you." Ron placed a hand on Hermione's swelling stomach. "Rose knew she was she was doing, she's an adult."

"She's our child, Ron. How…how can you be so calloused?" Hermione was surprised. This was the first time she had ever, since she had found out who Rose and Hugo were, that she questioned Ron's ability to be a father.

"I know, Hermione. I know…but she's so thick headed…" Ron sighed. He knew he was just making excuses for his inability to have figured out what Rose was really doing.

"Ron…we need to get her food." Hermione said.

"I know." Ron nodded. "I'm gonna go…"

"Ron, we should just all go; its time to get moving anyway. We've been here so long…" Hermione reasoned.

Ron sighed, taking his hand off of Hermione's stomach and looking down at them. "Hermione, there is something else I have to tell you."

Hermione's brow furrowed, indicating for him to continue.

"Rose and I…well…we found some death eaters on the edge of the river…a few weeks ago. They've got some sort of camp there…" Ron continued to look at his hands.

"What?" Hermione looked as if the air had been knocked from her lungs. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"We thought it was better to not worry you but…with them so close…it would be risky moving on foot right now and, well…you can't disapparate right now…" Ron told her.

Hermione put a hand across her stomach. "I can if its dire, Ron. I'm still not that far along…"

"I don't wanna risk it, Hermione." Ron said quickly.

"So risking Rose's health makes more sense?" Hermione was bewildered by Ron's line of thinking.

"Kind of. If you think about it…I mean…that baby's life a little more important…" Ron motioned to Hermione's stomach.

Hermione shook her head, appalled. "All three of our children's lives are important Ron."

"I didn't mean it like that…I just meant…that kid's health…that kids gotta live if any of our other kids are gonna have a chance…" Ron tried to correct himself.

Hermione just shook her head, wondering how Ron could even honestly think that.

"Look…I'm going to disapparate to a town or something…knick some food…I'll be back as soon as I can." Ron said, leaning down to give Hermione a kiss on the cheek.

Aside from her slight anger with him, Hermione threw her arms around Ron, hugging him tightly. "Be careful."

"I will…" Ron nodded and then stood, moving back out into the main room of the tent, where Hugo was reading a book and keeping an eye on Rose, whose breathing seemed a bit steadier.

"Leaving?" Hugo guessed, closing his book and looking at his father.

"How's Rose?" Ron asked, motioning toward his daughter.

"She looks a little better…" Hugo admitted.

"Good." Ron moved to throw his jacket on. "I'm gonna head out…try and get some food…you keep an eye on her and your mother."

Hugo nodded. "I can do that."

"If I'm not back by tomorrow…I want you to figure out a way to get them all out of here…Rose can't stay like this, she will die, and your mum can't stay without any food…" Ron said.

"Dad…you forgot something…" Hugo said, softly.

"What?" Ron asked, confused.

"I'm assuming…you mean…if your dead that I should move everyone but…well…if something bad happens to you, mom will be here alone. Remember? If you die, Rose and I don't exist anymore…" Hugo reminded his gather.

Ron sighed. He had forgotten that part but he knew he had no choice, he had to go get some food. "I had forgotten that part…"

"Maybe I should go." Hugo offered. "It might be safer…plus…if those death eaters did attack Rose…dad, I'm not a good enough wizard to keep them from hurting mom or me..."

"Hugo, I can't let you go out there and risk getting caught in some town…" Ron reasoned.

"Yes you can. You forget, dad, but people don't exactly recognize me…I mean, people know who you are. It might even be safer for me to go…" Hugo said.

Ron sighed; Hugo did have a point, it was the same one Rose had made earlier about him being recognized if he went with her to get food.

"Dad, I want to do this." Hugo stood. "Please, let me do this. I want to help…I haven't been able to yet…"

Ron nodded, realizing that this was Hugo's chance to help and he wouldn't take that from his son. Furthermore, the idea of the death eaters coming after Hermione, if something were to happen to him and she was pregnant and alone in the woods, made him far to nervous. He could not do that to her.

"I'll be back soon." Hugo said, tossing his own coat on and moving toward the front of the tent.

"Wait, Hugo…how are you going to get here?" Ron asked. "You're too young to disapparate."

"No. Things are really different in the future…I've been disapparating for a few years now." Hugo said simply.

"Oh. Okay…" Ron just nodded, unable to imagine a world where he would be allowed to disapparate at such a young age. He just prayed they would be able to fix that awful world his children had grown up in. If they failed, he wasn't sure he could, in all good consciousness, bring Rose and Hugo into the world, knowing what they would face.