Chapter 21- Moral Fibre

In the end it was Blaise that Ron turned to when his gambling got him into trouble once again. Blaise of course offered to help but he had cautioned the red head there would be conditions.

Blaise arranged for Ron to meet him at his office so it was that, early in the New Year, Ron Weasley found himself entering the premises of yet another Slytherin. Momentarily he hesitated; it was all too reminiscent of his visit to Malfoy. Ron bitterly recalled how that had ended but he steeled himself reminded that his children needed him and even if once again his was reduced to begging he would.

Ron stiffened his back and summoned what pride he could before he entered the reception of Blaise's legal practice.

"I have an appointment with Mr. Zabini," he announced to the brunette on reception who seemed to Ron somehow familiar.

"Your name please," she requested all business like.

"Ronald Weasley," he confirmed.

"Ah yes, Mr Weasley; Mr Zabini is expecting you, this way please," the reception told him politely as she ushered him towards a set of double doors at the other side of the reception area. Ron had just been about to thank her, wondering if she was single and if he might get back into dating, but as the doors opened for him the sentiment died on this lips.

"What are you doing here?" Ron demanded as he immediately caught sight of the pale blond who was at the centre of his misery.

"Please sit down Mr. Weasley," Blaise instructed, playing the role of consummate mediator.

"Not until you tell me what he is doing here!" Ron demanded colour rushing to his face as his anger rose.

"Please sit down Ronald," a softer feminine voice asked coming from a figure he had not noticed by the window, "we only want to help you."

Hermione watched as Ron turned puce, she wondered momentarily if it had been a bad idea for them to negotiate with Ron in person. She recognised that reaction, she knew it all too well another wrong step and she knew Ron would be beyond coherent thought. Seeking quickly to intervene, before things got out of hand and she found herself in the midst of a dual between her ex-husband and her new love, she stepped forward.

"Draco," she paused to make eye contact with the blond trying to convey to him that they needed to be cautious, "perhaps we should give Blaise a moment to explain to Ron in private our offer of help."

Draco rose, understanding immediately what she feared.

"Zabini, Weasley," Draco acknowledge the other two wizards as he walked to join Hermione and made to leave the room.

As the doors closed behind the pair Ron immediately rounded on Blaise.

"What's going on, you said nothing about them in our deal."

"I said nothing about our deal at all Mr. Weasley," the dark haired wizard reminded Ron, "but if you recall I did say there would be conditions."

"What conditions?" Ron all but spat

"Firstly that you seek help for your addiction, Mr. Malfoy has offered to pay the cost of this treatment. Secondly there is the issue of your children's custody…"

"No!" Ron interrupted emphatically rising from his seat and heading for the door. The mention of Malfoy and his children being like the proverbial red rag to a bull.

"Then I am afraid I cannot help you," Blaise said in a surprisingly sincere tone.

"Stuff your money," Ron shouted as he pulled open the doors and stormed into the reception area where Draco and Hermione were waiting.

"You may have my wife," Ron rounded on Draco, "but you will not have my children."

"Please Ron," Hermione began to plead with her ex-husband, "see reason you can't carry on like this, the children…"

"Don't you dare speak of the children to me," Ron hissed, "you Death Eater's whore…"

Hermione looked like she had been slapped; Draco was only prevented from casting an unforgivable by Blaise swiftly restraining his friend's wand arm. Ron went ashen as he finally registered what he had said.

"Fine Ronald Weasley," Hermione turned on him as she regained her composure and eyed her former husband with a deadly calm, "then we will do this the hard way!"

Draco watched the red head with coiled fury, how ironic, he thought, finally he shows some moral fibre yet still all he can do is hurt her.

"Hermione," Ron began to plead an apology but she would not let him.

"No, Ronald I have heard enough of your excuses and to think…" Hermione couldn't finish tears of fury and pent up frustration began to well in her eyes.


Ron fled Zabini's offices his gut sour with the shock of what he had said but still he was unrepentant.

How dare they? He inwardly fumed, how dare they try to blackmail him into giving up his children? Ron was so distracted by events that he had let down his guard, he had not seen the two hooded figures who had watched him leave Zabini's building, and he had not noted that they were now following him. It was a momentary slip but it was enough for them to stun him and disapparate with the unconscious red head.


Hermione was vibrating with anger but still she couldn't help but worry about what would happen to her children if Ron remained intransigent.

"What do you think will happen to Ron if he doesn't pay his debts?" she asked the room in general

Neither wizard replied but there was a significant look that passed between the two men that Hermione could only interpret as meaning; 'nothing good'.

"There has got to be something else we can do?" Hermione pleaded, Ron might not be her husband anymore but he was still the father of her children and he had been her childhood friend. Their offer to try and help him had been genuine.

"Give him some time," Blaise suggested, "perhaps when he cools down a little he will see reason?"

Hermione had to concede that this was all they could do for now and having said their goodbyes she and Draco returned to Malfoy Manor.


As they settled for the evening, Hermione reading quietly to Scorpius as he cuddled on her lap the fireplace chimed with an unexpected floo call.

Draco stood to answer it.

"Is my mummy there?" A small trembling voice that Hermione instantly recognised called.

"Rose!" Hermione bolted upright handing Scorpius off to his father as she fell to her knees before the flames, "Rose what is it?"

Instinctively Hermione knew that something was wrong.

"Daddy didn't come home." Her eldest child announced, "It's cold and dark and we're frightened."

"Go get Hugo," Hermione instructed as calmly as she could before looking to Draco, as Rose slipped from view, in a silent request for him to adapt the manor's wards. As soon as the children returned she brought them through the floo.

Scorpius stood there in clear fascination at the other children before him, Hermione thought this might be a good thing. Calling for the house elf Draco gave instructions for Scorpius to show the other two his room.

"Can they stay?" Scorpius asked his little face radiant with hope.

"For tonight sport," Draco promised his little boy, "after that they may need to go home to their daddy.

Draco wouldn't lie to any of the children but he could tell by Hermione's expression that she was concerned and in truth he had an ominous feeling about all this.


Author's note

As always all feedback gratefully accepted.