Summary: Hermione shares more about her ideas/plans for vampires who want to have children.
AN: Please note, there will be discussions of sensitive material - IVF, infertility, surrogates, triads. It will be the cornerstone and key to the rest of the story. If you're strongly religious and have issues with using such methods to have children you may wish to stop reading this story.

Hermione sighed softly and leaned back into her rocking chair. Chelsea had been nice enough to order several, one for each of the rooms she favoured. She loved spending her afternoons nursing on the patio. Usually. Today she had a few unexpected additions to her usual audience of vampires. A witch and several female vampires with very strong maternal instincts. A small part of her wanted to hide from Carmen, Esme, and the Denali sisters, the larger more dominant part insisted she was in the right, this was her territory and she was not going to be driven from it. And another little voice urged her to be compassionate. It had to be hard watching a mother with her babies, worse knowing it would never be you.

Her breath hissed out between clenched teeth as she sat up straighter. Rina squirmed and flailed her hand a few times but then settled down as Hermione crooned reassuringly. Satisfied once her daughter was calm, Hermione looked up and caught the eye of the Latina looking vampire.

"Stop hovering!" she ordered sharply. "Come close or leave." Carmen did not need a second invite and was standing next to the rocking chair in a flash. Hermione caught Jane's eye. The blonde vampire was holding Emma who had been fed first. "Let her hold Emma."

Jane reluctantly obeyed and watched as Carmen accepted the small bundle, tug the cotton blankets aside to examine the tiny features and fragile body. Then she looked sharply at Hermione.

"You are not scared? That I will hurt her?"

Hermione shrugged. "Jane is here. And if you dare to try anything I'd set you on fire." Then she snorted softly. "Besides you would not lasted the centuries if you lacked control."

Carmen laughed softly. "True. And only drinking animal blood requires great control." She sat down on the empty chair across Hermione. "Thank you. For trusting me."

Hermione was confused. "It is not a matter of trust or not. Female vampires generally fall into two categories: maternal or not. You seem like the maternal type."

Carmen nodded, her eyes holding a longing look as she cradled Emma. "Yes."

"Have you tried adoption?" Hermione asked carefully. "There are many human orphans who could use a good home."

Carmen shook her head. "We did try but children find it hard to keep secrets. And we would be forced to turn them once they reach adulthood. They resent the lack of freedom and the forced Change so we stopped."

Hermione nodded thoughtfully. "If you could would you have issues raising another woman's child? Your mate's child?"

There were several sharp breaths and rising hope in several faces.

"I don't know." Carmen admitted. "I never thought of it."

Several vampires, the Guards and Kings appeared in the courtyard. They had run from wherever they were when they heard gist of the conversation.

"It does not have to be from infidelity," Hermione explained carefully. "Muggles, non-magical human beings have different procedures for infertility. The one I'm thinking of is IVF using surrogate mothers. I'm not sure if it would work due to the magical element but triad relationships are not unheard of in the enclaves. A barren pureblood wife cannot be divorced so a second wife, a consort is taken for legal heirs. I'm not promising anything but we could look for a witch who is willing to be a surrogate mother, or a second wife."

The spark of hope faded.

"That would not work," Carmen murmured. "Witches look down on vampires. We're dark and tainted," she added in bitter tones.

Hermione snorted. "You've been looking in the wrong group of witches."

"What do you mean?" Aro asked carefully but not hiding the eager look on his face.

Hermione glanced around the Volturi and smirked, secretly pleased none of them had thought of her idea. "You should be approaching the Muggleborn witches."

They clearly did not understand. "Why?" Marcus asked curious.

Hermione passed Rina to Chelsea and did up the buttons of her dress before tugging the blanket covering her chest to her lap. She leaned forward and inhaled deeply, mentally shifting into 'lecture' mode.

"Culturally Muggleborns have different beginnings than purebloods. We are brought up on Muggle literature and movies and TV shows, many of which romanticize vampires. Yes we are taught vampires are monsters in the enclaves, but deep inside is a teenager who reads paranormal romances which often have vampire heroes. If you approach her correctly and provide information and ask her to choose she will do so in your favour if she has reason."

"Why?" Carmen asked bewildered.

"Money." Hermione explained bluntly. "Muggle society is more open to surrogacy and adoption. Girls without financial resources or family often choose this route in order to finance their education, to look after dependents. A Muggleborn witch may choose to accept because of the innate discrimination in the enclaves. If she doesn't have the resources to pay for an apprenticeship, or to move to less prejudiced country, or if she lost her family and needs financial or emotional support, for herself and any dependents." Her expression turned bitter. "The recent war in Britain destroyed a lot of families and created many emotional orphans. Most of my work was focused around trying to squeeze money from the Ministry to support those left in bad shape, those who slipped through the cracks. Many of them had lost parents and entire families, some are raising younger siblings and dropped out of school or their Apprenticeships because they needed to work in order to eat."

"I don't understand," Carlisle admitted baffled. "Isn't there something like welfare? Charities to support those in need?"

Hermione shook her head. "Culturally magicals will not ask for help because that would put them in a weaker position, indebted, and that can be very dangerous. The Ministry programs have very rigid criteria that always favour purebloods, and they aren't in as bad financial shape. Muggleborns have always been told to apply to Muggle programs and we all know they don't cover more than the basics. The Muggleborns won't approach other magicals for fear of the potential debt-slavery bond, but if they were approached with a request to provide specific services, it is less dangerous because it's a relationship where both parties are giving and taking, one side is not in full control."

"Will it work?" Aro asked bluntly.

"I can't promise anything," Hermione cautioned. "But I know of one orphaned witch with a brother and sister who are less than ten years old. And she can't afford the Hogwarts tuition. She has every reason to say yes if the offer is presented to her in the most positive light."

Aro nodded and rocked back on his heels. "What do you suggest we do?"

"Do not force or try to corner them," she stressed. "They must be approached discreetly but they must always be given the choice to walk away. You know witches cannot be forced, and any mind-control potions would destabilize a pregnancy."

Aro looked thoughtful. "Do you have any particular ones in mind?"

Hermione smiled slyly. "I do, but first I must put a few feelers out. It takes a certain amount of desperation to ignore centuries of social conditioning."

Aro nodded slowly. "I understand. You have all the resources of the Volturi for this endeavour. If you need something other than money and agents just let me know."

Hermione nodded and stood, draping the blanket over her arm. "I have a few letters to write. If all goes well I'll need Demetri and anyone he chooses permanently assigned to me."

"As you wish."

~ooOoo~ooOoo~ooOoo~

TBC...