When they were both ready, Mia reached for Bruce and grinned mischievously.
"We will need to apparate to the Burrow, you up for it?"
"I'll be fine Mia, I actually think the portkey was worse."
"Really?"
"Yes. So Portkey and apparition...are those the only ways magicals get from place to place?"
"We use brooms, and the floo network."
"Floo?"
"I'll show you later."
"Fine, let's get going." Bruce said a bit shortly, trying to hide his nervousness.
"Everyone will be very welcoming Bruce, so you don't need to worry. Besides, Molly would never allow anyone to mistreat a guest in her home and no one would dare go against her."
"Not even you?"
"Are you barking?! That woman is scary. I think I might've mentioned it, but she was the one who killed Bellatrix during the final battle at Hogwarts in 1998. Bellatrix was an insanely powerful witch, so..."
"I understand and I will be on my best behavior."
"Good to know." Hermione smiled and took Bruce's arm before dropping her wand and 'popping' to the Burrow.
When they landed just outside the perimeter of the Burrow, Bruce couldn't help but gasp as he gazed upon the crooked building in front of him.
"That's..."
"Magic." Mia grinned as she took Bruce's hand and led him towards the Weasley's home.
Just as they were about to enter the front door, it opened and there stood a fairly tall red-headed man with longish hair, scars on one side of his face and an earring in his left ear. He was dressed in dark colors, but his blue eyes were bright and assessing as he watched them approach.
"Bill!" Hermione smiled widely as she rushed for the man who picked her up into a bear hug and smiled widely.
"Hey Hermione, it's good to have you home."
Bill set her down and his eyes focused back on the man standing there before he held out his hand in welcome. "Bill Weasley."
"Bruce Wayne."
The two men shook hands firmly and Bruce nearly grimaced as Bill slapped his hand down onto his shoulder at the firm a grip the red-head had. He wasn't particularly muscled...but lean and wiry so it was surprising his grip was so strong.
"So you're the man who knocked up our Hermione?"
Bruce smirked and nodded. "Yes, that would be me."
Bill chuckled as he opened the door and ushered the two inside. "I'm looking forward to getting to know you Bruce Wayne." The words were innocuous but the sharp look emanating from Bill's eyes was not.
When they moved inside, Bill left for a second and another voice that Hermione knew very well reverberated through the home.
"There you are young lady!" Molly Weasley blustered into the living room with her apron on, as she enveloped Hermione into a motherly hug. Pulling back she took Hermione's face into her hands. "You look peaky dear, perhaps we should get you something to eat."
"I'm fine Molly, but I would like to introduce you to my fiancé...Bruce Wayne."
"Fiancé!" Molly's eyes widened in shock before she called for her husband, who came quickly wondering what the commotion was all about.
"Hermione!" Arthur said happily, "And is this your beau?"
"Fiancé!" Molly bit out, her cheeks flustered as she eyed the well dressed gentleman who was standing there with a placid expression on his face.
Bruce smiled and held out his hand in greeting. "Bruce Wayne, Sir. It is lovely to meet you both. Mia had told me so many wonderful things about your family."
Arthur smiled and shook the man's hand warmly. "Hermione has mentioned you to me, and it's good to finally put a face with a name. Happy Christmas and welcome to our home. You will need to excuse my Molly as she views Hermione as a daughter." Arthur's blue gaze landed on Hermione's amber one as she blushed in embarrassment. "Engaged?"
"Yes, I should have owled before...but I just thought it might be better to share it with everyone today."
Arthur chuckled. "Well, it will make for an interesting Christmas if nothing else, but we are happy for you Hermione. Does this mean you will be making your permanent home in...what was the name of that city again?"
"Gotham, Sir." Bruce offered helpfully.
"Ah yes," Arthur nodded, "George mentioned something about what you do there, but to be honest I don't always understand all the nuances within the Muggle World. It fascinates me, but confounds me equally. I do think it's admirable that you manage to do so many things without magic."
Bruce chuckled. "I can understand that. After seeing all that magic can do, I would imagine it might be a bit much wrapping your head around the muggle ways of doing things. Take transportation...I must admit I find your modes of getting from one place to another quite efficient and time saving."
"Well, perhaps we can share information as I'm always eager to learn new things." Arthur offered.
"I would be honored, Sir."
"Oh call me Arthur...you're going to be family after all. Isn't that right, Mollywobbles?"
Molly's eyes narrowed at the Muggle before she sighed and focused her gaze back on Hermione.
"You're happy?"
Hermione nodded. "Yes Molly, very happy."
Molly sighed in resignation before her blue eyes locked onto Bruce's hazel ones, while she pointed her finger at him. "You just make sure that you take care of our girl, Mr. Wayne. I don't have to tell you what will happen if you don't."
"No, ma'am, Mia explained to me already just how formidable of a Witch you are, not to mention the only mother figure she has. You have my word that I will take care of her and put her needs first."
"Very well," Molly capitulated, "The remaining members of our family are outside playing Quidditch. Why don't you take your beau out to meet everyone dearie...I'm sure there's a few people he hasn't met yet."
"Of course Molly, thank you for being so understanding." Hermione said softly and Molly just enveloped her back into a hug before cupping the younger witch's cheeks in her hands, giving her a long look.
"Nonsense, Arthur and I are your family dearie. This is your home no matter where you end up. Those children you're carrying are our grandchildren in every way that matters. Don't you worry yourself about anything. As long as you're happy, Arthur and I are happy for you. You deserve some joy after all you've suffered."
Hermione gripped Molly into a tight embrace which was returned, both witches teary eyed and emotional as they clung to each other. Molly pulled away and wiped Hermione's tears from her cheeks, placing a kiss on her forehead. "Go relax...dinner will be along shortly."
"Okay." Hermione nodded, taking Bruce's hand and leading him out into the back of the Burrow.
Hermione led Bruce outside, and Bruce's gaze moved up into the distance as he watched several people flying around on brooms. Chuckling to himself, he shook his head in wonder.
"That's amazing."
"I hate flying." Hermione grimaced as she took a seat on a bench, patting the spot next to her.
"Really? You've flown on a dragon...how can you hate flying?" Bruce took the offered spot and locked his fingers through hers.
"I didn't necessarily choose to fly on a dragon Bruce. It was the only option we had, so barring life and death scenarios where I need to fly to save my own skin...I'd rather keep my feet planted firmly on the ground."
Bruce's grin was wide as he stared at his fiancé. "I see, well it's good to know that you actually aren't perfect."
Hermione snickered. "Shut it, Wayne. Nobody's perfect, especially not me."
"Hmmm, jury's still out on that one. So you detest Quidditch?"
"It's an unnecessarily brutal sport with no redeeming value whatsoever."
"I take it that's not a popular sentiment within the Magical Community?"
"Nope, but it's not like I'm ever going to play so I really don't care."
As they watched the game being played, Bruce recognized George and Malfoy, as well as Zabini who looked to be playing on one team against another red-head who was much bulkier than George or Bill Weasley. It looked like the other two men were people that Bruce wasn't familiar with.
"Who are the other wizards who look to be playing against George's team?" Bruce inquired with interest.
Hermione stared up into the sky for a second before speaking. "The red-head is Charlie Weasley, who is just a bit younger than Bill. He's a dragon tamer in Romania."
"Excuse me, a dragon tamer? That's an actual profession?"
Hermione's laugh carried through the backyard as she noticed Bruce's disbelief. "It is, and he loves it."
"Okay," Bruce shook his head before continuing, "and the other two men?"
"The large one with black hair is Cassius Warrington. He works in the Auror office with Malfoy. The other wizard is Greg Goyle and he also does some work in the Auror department. Both wizards are Pureblood's and we're sorted in Slytherin."
Hermione looked around and her eyes widened a bit in realization.
"What is it Mia?"
"I just realized something."
"Which is?"
"Everyone here except for me is a Pureblood. In fact, I think pretty much everyone coming today is a Pureblood...except for me."
"Who all is coming today?" Bruce asked with a furrowed brow.
"The Weasley's of course: Arthur, Molly, Bill, Percy, Charlie and George. Malfoy, Zabini, Warrington, Goyle, Neville, Parkinson, Luna Lovegood, Andromeda...Teddy's not because his parents weren't...but the adults, yes."
"Did you ever look into just what demographics were more affected by the curse?"
Hermione shook her head. "I didn't. Why, do you think there's a correlation of some kind?"
"Well, I don't know much about such things...were there historically more Purebloods than Half-bloods or Muggle-borns at your school?"
"I would say that there were nearly as many Half-bloods as Purebloods...but Muggle-borns were always in the minority."
Bruce thought about it for a moment before he decided to speak up what he was thinking. "Maybe it's not about Magicals and Muggles procreating to break the curse. Maybe it's about diluting the magical lines altogether. If there are no more Purebloods, then there would be no more prejudice, correct?"
Hermione's face paled as she realized just what Bruce was hypothesizing. "Do you really think it's that simple?"
"I don't know. You are a Muggle-born...you got pregnant by a Muggle. What if we are looking at a trickle down effect? A Pureblood, in order to procreate has to do so with a Half-blood?"
Hermione stared up into the sky and thought about that. "Okay, I see what your saying, but the fact remains in that it doesn't necessarily take care of the hierarchical structure inherent to blood prejudice. Those who are children of Half-Blood/Pureblood matches will still be seen as better than those like our children."
"Then it must have to do with a combination of things: Introducing new blood, removing prejudice and creating balance. How would something like that happen naturally? Or could it?"
"Balance would be tricky, but again it goes back to my original hypothesis. If magicals had to procreate with Muggles...all children would be seen as half blood regardless of the magical parents blood status. It would introduce new blood and force the magical community to remove their inherent prejudices about blood superiority."
"But, it would also negate the Statue of Secrecy in many ways because the more Muggles who are introduced into the Magical society, the greater chance of exposure."
Staring off into space, Hermione thought a bit more about it and then another idea occurred to her.
"What if it's not about the whom but the why?"
"What do you mean?"
Hermione gave Bruce a haunted look. "I'm an orphan, so are you. Draco is, Neville is; Goyle, Warrington, Zabini, Teddy, Parkinson, Susan Bones, Hannah Abbott all are. In those cases...one or all their parents were lost to the curse. In the case of the Slytherin's...all their parents were lost to the curse. The thing is...Myself, Teddy, Susan, Hannah and Neville all lost their parents as a byproduct of the wars...the others the curse. Could the curse have taken their parents in retribution...and forced the younger generation to give up their prejudiced ways? The ones who couldn't, or wouldn't were taken...the ones magic felt had a chance for redemption were spared? Perhaps I've been looking at this from the entirely wrong angle?"
"It's possible...but then why Harry? Or Ron?"
Hermione sighed as she lowered her head in sadness, then a horrific idea came to her. Harry, Ron and she were the Golden Trio...a triad for lack of a better analogy. Harry was the Chosen One...he saved the wizarding world...Merlin's Beard!
Menhet was literally 'The One Who Sacrifices'...Khnum was the God of Fertility, Family...Ron was born into the most prolific line of Wizards and Witches in the Wizarding World! He was Khnum...that would mean that she was Heka...a deity that was neither male nor female. Harry was Menhet reincarnated, Ron was Khnum and she...Hermione gulped in terror...could she really be Heka reincarnated? Heka brought magic, balance and healing...was it really that simple? Why she and her two best friends had been inseparable? The Golden Trio...it couldn't be a coincidence, could it? One a Pureblood, one a Half-blood and one...a Mudblood...
"Mia, what is it?" Bruce gripped Mia into his embrace as her body shook with the realization of the very real possibility of her conclusion. She started to hyperventilate and didn't hear Bruce yelling for someone to come help him.
Suddenly she was surrounded by several people as her body started to calm down, a light warmth enveloped her as her breathing slowed and she felt herself being lowered onto the ground, that was soft and welcoming.
As she got her breathing finally under control, her amber eyes locked onto hazel ones that were filled with fear and worry.
"Mia, are you alright?"
Hermione shook her head as her eyes glistened with tears as her breath caught on a sob. How could she have not seen it?
"I've been so blind..." she said slowly, her eyes filled with terror, "I finally figured it out."
The looks of confusion were understandable but Bruce's face paled in understanding.
"The curse? You figured out what?"
"Why it happened now, and what it all means."
The shocked gasps from around her caused Hermione gaze to move towards her friends and extended family, all of them gazing down at her in shock.
"Granger," Draco growled out emotionally, "Are you sure?"
Hermione sighed. "Am I absolutely 100% positive, no...but are my educated guesses usually right?"
Everyone just stood there as Arthur nodded in understanding. "You've always had good instincts."
"You've always been right Mia, do you remember the words that were spoken last night?"
Hermione paled as the tears that were ready to fall, finally did so down her cheeks.
"He did say that, didn't he?"
"He did." Bruce concurred.
"Who said what?" Bill inquired curiously.
"Harry." Hermione admitted as she saw the looks of utter astonishment on the faces of everyone present but it was George who recovered first.
"You spoke to Harry? How is that even possible Hermione?"
"It just is," Hermione admitted quietly, "he asked me to send his love and to tell you George to just marry the witch and put both yourselves out of misery."
George's face turned ashen while another voice gasped out in shock. When Hermione turned her head around, she saw Pansy Parkinson rooted to her spot, staring at her in horror.
"Fuck." George said half-joking, half serious then screeched 'ouch' as his mother silently hexed him.
"Language, George Fabian Weasley!"
"Sorry mum."
"I think we need to get everyone inside Mollywobbles. Something tells me we have quite a bit to discuss."