Hermione stood with Luna in her floo room and the girls shared another hug before the blond gave her a much more normal smile and spun away with the usual crack.

Then she stood there for a minute before she pulled her wand and lifted the floo and apparition restrictions she had left up and called her kitten. He wasn't so small anymore and liked to be called instead of just meet her if she came alone. Silly feline.

She scooped him up and walked to the kitchen. There she waved her wand over her bag and watched the laundry, food, and various other things move away and to their appropriate places. Then she pulled her coin and sent home to the recipients and then her direct one to Harry that said the same. Really, she needed a better solution than a small handful of coins.

Come. She shrugged away her want of a shower and immediately headed back the way she had come and spun. Still dressed for the cold, she enjoyed the downhill trek to Dolohov's cabin and wondered what this was about.

The door was opened and the two wizards were seated in their evening locations by the huge fireplace.

Settling in, she spelled her coat and boots off then began speaking. Both were looking expectantly at her.

"Sorry for the state I'm in, no magic there and it does terrible things to my hair. Small group this time on the Isle of Skye. Fourteen, she wouldn't tell me how they got to that island either, I've never seen one swim." The last was thoughtful and both men indicated they didn't know either. That was it. A shared glance.

"The other purpose of the trip?" Yaxley asked and his glance told her that he meant Luna. Hmmm. What to say.

They had spoken about her growing relationship with the two men and Luna had approved wholeheartedly. More on her level. Discreet. They were of course. Probably the most discreet people she knew. They didn't speak to anyone else, openly at least, as far as she knew.

"It shouldn't be complicated. Until you were getting out I didn't even know the prince, from her stories, was him." Another shared glance and she knew they didn't understand.

"It was hard for us to talk about things. After the war. Both of us used stories. Telling them I mean. Telling our story like a fairy tale. Luna is very good at it. We don't do it much and just for the really overwhelming things or sometimes the really bad ones." Both men were watching her when she looked up, bravely she thought, to see their expressions.

Both understood and looked as interested as they ever had.

"A story." Yaxley remarked thoughtfully. As if the concept was very interesting indeed. She didn't really understand but nodded.

"With characters and scene setting descriptions." She smiled slightly in remembrance of their graphic illustrations. It was better if the other one actually knew of the person, so the descriptions were more easily pictures. Deciding to just move on and explain her rambling, she took a breath then began.

"When she was in the dungeons, there, many characters visited. One was the prince and he was spoken of differently. As if he weren't real like the others. I wasn't sure if he was really. None of the interactions seemed like ones that could take place there." Her eyes were hard now, daring them to judge her friend. Or her. Nothing like that showed.

"He is broken. Too damaged to see her the way she needs. It's complicated, as complicated as both of them are." It felt like all that might explain, something.

"Indeed. Did you come up with a plan then?" Yaxley asked.

"No. Just some things that might help. Luna says that she won't. When he's ready." Both men looked a bit curious about that. She looked her question.

"You did that too." It was a statement. She didn't respond. Not sure how to.

"Took the risk that it might never happen. You seem inclined to do things this way." Hermione tilted her head in thought and didn't know exactly what he was getting at.

"Choice." Dolohov spoke the word lowly and there was something in his eyes. More than just one word. Then she knew what they meant and didn't know what to say. After a minute she knew she would have to say something.

"Everyone had no choices. It was no choice after no damn choice. It felt that way. I know it was for some. Eventually it was for everyone." Her voice was a bit hoarse and she kept herself from raising it in her vehemence. For a minute they just watched her and she forced herself to keep eye contact.

Then they were looking at each other and it was one of those times when much was said.

"I was right. Admit it." Yaxley practically demanded suddenly and she jumped. Having been riveted to the display. Nothing. She didn't laugh but did begin to smile.

A huff from the dark man and Yaxley did laugh, still she quelled hers. A glance from her master and his slightly approving nod told her that she had been right to do so.

"Wards tomorrow. Shacklebolt's." His tone told her to be ready and she nodded. Then she thought of something.

"I had a letter from Narcissa requesting I come for tea with her." She didn't know what to do about it. Naturally she didn't hold Lucius' idiocy against his wife but wasn't sure if the whole Malfoy clan was being shunned or something. If she would have to come at this another way.

"What do you think?" Yaxley had stopped laughing though still had a broad grin.

"I think no one would speak to her if all of Lucius' stupidity was held to her account." She answered honestly and enjoyed the laughter, or version of it, from both men. Dolohov nodded and then dismissed her with instructions to be there at nine in the morning.


Finn was here. In her kitchen, it was where he usually waited for her if she wasn't where he expected. Walking quickly into the room, she smiled at the man waiting for her. It had only been one night but still she had missed him. In her more rational moments she found herself a bit pathetic but reminded herself that others were worse, like Harry, and then just carried on.

"Little witch." Almost like Dolohov used Malyshka, Thorfinns use of little witch was best judged by his tone. This was a greeting, maybe a bit of something else. It made her feel a bit warm inside. Not sexually but her other feelings, ones she tried her best to ignore.

"Hi." She didn't breathe it out but that was with effort and then she gave up on being contained and lunged the six feet at him, knowing he would catch her. He did and she breathed in his scent and nuzzled under his ear. The way his hand stroked her back had become something she enjoyed and as usual she let the tension drain out of her.

"Find unicorns?" He asked her.

"Yes,"she replied.

"Find answers?" His tone was less certain now and so was hers.

"No. Just more questions. She is okay now, better." That was all she would say for now.

"Shower then?" He knew she would have wanted to do that immediately and had probably read Dolohov's message on the coin. Her nod sufficed and without any further words he walked up to her bathroom, rubbing her back gently and letting her relax into him.

"I want my own coin." This came out kind of gruff as she took her shirt off and she looked up at him. His eyes were on hers, not her exposed skin, so he was serious.

"Alright. That would be nice. Can't just send a goodnight to those two." He nodded in understanding.

"I was thinking I need something better than a handful of coins." She hadn't thought much about it but knew it was true. She could see him thinking about it and had an idea.

"Maybe I'll go and see George. He might have an idea, even if it leads to some version being available to the public." At this the man looked even more interested and she grinned.

"Come with me?" Her tone was a bit daring. Of course they could meet with him privately but she was beginning to chafe at the restrictions the press not knowing put on their movements. It wasn't much but it was enough.

"Sure." Then as they got into the shower he must have noticed her slight frown. "What is it?" He asked. All of his attention on her now.

She didn't answer right away and began scrubbing herself. Not sure she wanted to broach this issue. Right now at least.

"Not till nine tomorrow, could we talk about it in the morning?" He scanned her eyes and seemed to search them before giving her a nod and beginning to help her with her hair.

When she woke up to her wand alarm at seven, she lay there for a moment. Warm and comfortable. Feeling him shift behind her, she knew he was awake.

"Omelette?" She asked him in a sleep roughened voice and his rumble meant yes, she was pretty sure.

Standing in her pajamas in the kitchen, with knives and whisks going while potatoes browned, she watched him enter the room. Maybe one day she would be tired of observing him unashamedly but it hadn't happened yet. He grinned at her perusal of his body and she rolled her eyes at his ego.

"What was it? Last night?" He sat at the island and picked up the coffee cup she had left there for him.

"The press." He nodded and then spoke.

"What exactly do you mean?" He was watching her and she turned back to the stove. Of course magic could do it all but she just needed something to do with her hands.

"Little witch. Hermione." He meant her to face him, she knew and she took a breath before doing so. He was alert and scanning her intently. Not anywhere to hide from him really.

"I want to be able to go places with you. In the past couple weeks it's bothered me." He just looked at her and then nodded.

"Do you want to just start being seen or make a big debut?" He didn't sound upset or anything and she scanned him this time.

"You don't mind?" She asked him, a bit surprised.

"No. Well it will upset you and I don't like that. Things will be rough, out there, for a bit. Nothing will change in our own circle." That was true and it made her feel better too.

"You're right. I thought maybe you didn't want to. You never mentioned it." She ventured.

"Neither did you. It's you who will take the heat." She didn't agree with that really. Others would be involved. That brought something to her mind, she felt it wouldn't be right to do it behind his back this time. Plating up their meals, she walked to the island and perched on the stool beside him.

"After your hearing, they started poking into Sabrina's life." As expected his whole posture changed and he carefully put his fork down. She reached out and rested her hand on his arm, understanding.

"Nothing was printed and we dealt with it. Will again but I didn't feel like I should do that this time. Without your knowledge I mean." She waited for him to meet her gaze and was surprised. She had expected anger or something but instead he looked upset. Not sure what to say, she just waited.

"It will always be this way." He sounded defeated. "In there, I knew but there was nothing I could do. About anything." He stopped and she felt herself getting upset, for him. "Now I'm out here and still hurting her." Hermione stood and pushed his shoulder until he let her into the V of his legs. Wrapping her arms around him, she stood there. Feeling him breathe heavily and then eventually wrap his arms around her in return.

"She is fine. Would rather have you out then anything else. Anything. I would too. It's worth it. Whatever they say, here, with family, it's worth it." Not sure what else to say she just stood there and held him until he gave her a squeeze and she moved away from him, only a kiss to his slightly rough cheek to acknowledge what had happened. He usually dealt with all of her drama so steadily, she wanted to take this chance to return the favour.

"So we will do that again then?" It wasn't really a question and she scoffed.

"Of course. Lucius helped last time but as he is on the outs, I'll mention something to Yaxley. Blaise too maybe, for someone watching with less love of mayhem." She let a bit of her mean smile peak out and he just looked and then groaned. She laughed at him as he scanned her body in a different way.