CHAPTER FIFTEEN

It wasn't long before the group entered the dressmaking establishment that catered mainly to the needs of students. An assistant was waiting at the counter." Can I help you sir? New robes for your son perhaps?"

Smiling Lucius turned to Draco "Son do you require robes from here?"

"No father but Mya does." Came the reply.

"Yes, yes quite right. Not for me but Ms Granger-Potter needs her robes. Her current ones do not befit her."

The assistant came forward from behind the counter. She had her wand ready to do the alterations. But she couldn't see where they were meant to be made. "Pardon me sir, she doesn't need new robes."

"Yes she does. She is no longer Granger but Granger-Potter." Lucius plainly spoke in a tone that made a sane person question if they wished to remain that way.

"Of course sir that will be a galleon." Waving her wand the stitching undid itself and reapplied with the change of name. Leaving the galleon on the counter Hermione, Draco and Harry all turned at once and left, leaving to quietly chuckle at their antics.

"Lord Malfoy..." Hermione started.

"Lucius. Please I insist," smiling and almost pleading with his eyes.

"Fine. Lucius, I will need a meal before dealing with the ministry please. I missed quite a few already this week."

"Of course my dear." Lucius lead and Severus brought up the rear of the group. They were beginning to draw attention and this was making him slightly nervous.

When they re-entered the Leaky they were led to a rear room and were served butterbeers and they had their orders taken, with Draco and Harry remembering that Hermione needed soup for her meal instead of a heavy meal like them. Ten minutes later everyone at the table was tucking into their meal and discussing their trip. With Gringotts already sending the relevant documents to the ministry for processing they didn't need to go there. So the debate was to either return to school grounds or wander around Florish and Botts.

Hermione was all for the bookstore before she started yawning discretely. And had to err with Severus with returning. Where as the rest of the group was all for checking out the new brooms in the Quidditch Essentials store. Discretely Severus gained Lucius's attention and indicated to Hermione who was wilting by the second. At the rate she was going she would be asleep before they could return.

Before the group knew what had happened they were flooing to the Head's apartment. Draco guided Hermione to the lounge that was neatly made up for Hermione for resting. He carefully unfastened the cloak and helped her to lay down. In the time of collecting her robe and his and going to hang them up near the door and coming back again. Hermione was asleep.

Harry volunteered to stay with his new sister. And Draco promised to update him in what was discussed. They all left for the dungeons and Severus' private rooms.

DUNGEONS

"Was what I was told earlier everything?" Lucius lost his happy mood to get down to business. "I get the feeling a chunk of information is missing."

Severus handed Draco and his father glasses of firewhiskey before taking his own. He sat down and looked at his glass. "When she was in the infirmary here at the school, I took a quick trip into her mind. There is a lot more that she was keeping locked away. So there is definitely more to the story than she lets on. She has suppressed a lot of the abuse. Knowing that one day it will come out it is just a question of when." Lifting his glass he drained it in one mouthful.

Accioing the bottle he poured another glass for himself, and placed it on his coffee table. Sure Severus saw a lot when he was growing up but what was happening and done to Hermione was something that no one deserves. Not even an enemy. Carefully pushing the images that he gleaned off Hermione he sent them to Lucius and Draco. He then watched them actively shiver when they were finished. Both took long drinks from their glasses only to refill them and repeat.

"Narcissa was a world class bitch, power hungry whore, ad didn't let people stand in her way when she wanted something but even when she needed a reality check that was never done to her." Lucius lamented. Draco nodded in agreement.

"Don't get me wrong yesterday truly opened my eyes to the true strength that is Hermione Jean Granger-Potter. And even if nothing happens I feel humbled, I guess, to even know her let alone be in her inner circle. If there was going to be another dark lord or lady, she's it. Merlin knows I have given her enough reason over the years to put me in a grave, we all have, yet her compassion alone makes me want to be better just to prove to her I could do it for her." Draco stated.

This revolution drew both Severus' and Lucius' bewildered stares then a few seconds later they had agreed and took another pull on their drinks.

"That being said, I am feeling that my Mya will wake soon and I want to be there for her when she does, her bother is good for her as well. With that I am off, you are welcome for our latter than usual dinner." Draco stood and put the glass on the coffee table.

"Whipped already son?" Came Lucius's snide comment.

'Tell me if you had a chance to be even close to her let alone a potential life partner, wouldn't you be there?"

Lucius was stunned. Then a look that conveyed depression, envy and self loathing crossed his features. 'She wouldn't want someone that allowed her harm to be close to something so pure in case it tainted it."

"She has forgiven you, father. He doesn't hold grudges although the Weasleys should be in that category. Are you joining us? I am also planning on talking to her about getting into a relationship with her as well. I am not giving up this chance for anyone." Draco activated the floo and was gone.

The remaining men looked at their drinks with silent contemplation. Taking sips now and then. Draco was right. This was their way to make amends for past wrongs, even if it was only something as mundane as friendship or at best a distant acquaintances. Finishing off their drinks and leaving the glasses on the coffee table. Severus stood and went to his liquor cabinet and fetched a bottle of a wine he hoped she would enjoy, and then retrieved another just because. "Coming old friend." He was at the floo now.

"Sure intimate dinner, good company, fine conversation and pretty things to look at. Sounds like an evening not to be missed." Lucius sighed. He knew the wrongs he had done to the woman, and now that the influence of Narcissa was gone, it was time to make the right sort of connections. If Merlin willing will not only restore himself but his family name as well, then this was the road to be on. His mistakes was showing him that painfully at the moment. It wasn't a physical pain he complained about but a emotional one. His heart hurt everything he looked upon innocence and remembered how much of that was lost by his hand alone. His introspection of his person was making him Morse and he didn't like that one bit.

HEAD STUDENTS DORMITORY

Draco arrived, with a green flash. The room was illuminated by some candles floating around but not to it's usual brilliant colour. He upped the lighting some and then floo called the kitchen asking for the Roast and all the trimmings, soup and dessert. Taking out his wand he made their little table bigger and made more chairs so everyone could be seated. He then took out his hanky and enlarged it and hid the monogram. One tablecloth. The silverware and glasses were already in their kitchen so he made a few wand movements and they all came sailing out on currents of air to place themselves on the table correctly.

Harry came over wondering what was going on.

"Harry I decided that while your sister - now that is weird." His caused both men to chuckle. continuing on Draco cleared his throat. "needed a bit of luxury. She has had so much thrown at her in the last few days alone, it was time to have a little party. To celebrate. Your adoption and her getting rid of that weasel.

Harry couldn't agree more. So he went to the cupboard and pulled out a bottle of red wine and began decanting it. The floo flashed again and Severus and Lucius elegantly waked out.

"Agg I see that you son is way ahead of us in preparations." Severus stated. He had also grabbed an unopened bottle of firewhiskey and poured glasses to enjoy before the meal. Looking around the room they spotted that the lounge was empty of a 'resting' woman. "And where is our lovely young Ms Granger-Potter wander off to?"

"She's in the bath at the moment. She said that dealing with everything in one hit, probably wasn't a good idea. And she needed to relax." Harry piped up. "I will tell her to put a robe on or something, I'm fairly sure she was getting into her pyjamas afterwards. Oh and she had me return everything to normal size so she could sleep in her room tonight as well. Truth be told it wasn't long after you all left that the headmistress interrupted her sleep. Although it was with congratulations and well wishes she got something like a half hour or close to of rest. She's been awake since then." Harry informed them in his best brotherly voice. He then went off towards her room to fetch her robe and hand it to her through the bathroom door.

"So what's the plan?" Lucius asked quietly to his companions.

"Go with the flow father. But the meal would be a good place to start." Draco poured a goblet of red wine and handed it to Harry to give to Hermione.

Ten minutes later a slightly damp haired witch entered the room with her robe open, all the men were treated with the vision of a woman who had curves in all the right places, and legs that were smooth and would make a man beg. Quietly groaning everyone made their way to the table. Before they seated themselves, they removed their outer robes and coats. So they were just as informal as Hermione. Sitting around in open waistcoats, loosened ties and cravats and shirtsleeves rolled up revealing strong forearms all round. This in turn made Hermione groan inwardly. Hermione went to stand with her brother, and listen in on the conversation that was being moved around her.

Not twenty minutes later the area was filled with the smells of potato, pumpkin and leek soup and everyone made their way to the table. Draco seated Hermione at one end of the table and Harry at the other. Thus sending a message to the rest of the men that they were family and the rest were guests no matter who actually lived in the dormitory.

Everyone in silent agreement that dinners with Hermione included Harry, and the soup course passed in relative silence apart from the sound of silverware hitting the sides of bowls. After the table was magically cleared ten minutes later Severus pulled out his bottles of wine and opened one. He began with Hermione and Harry and then the rest of them. Lifting his glass, signalled everyone to pick up theirs, "To Hermione and Harry, may the Potter house prosper with the new addition, to Hermione for becoming a true Gryffindor princess," this bright a round of sniggers. "And finally to the table, may we have learnt from our mistakes, and never repeat them again."

Everyone took a sip of the crisp, fruity wine as the main course appeared. Draco spoke up as he downed his silverware. "I know this is not the right time to bring this up, hell there is never a right time but I would like to talk to everyone, you see like my father I'm bi-sexual. And I was kind of hoping that you Hermione would be open to a relationship with me. Now before you answer I understand that weasel did a number on you. Grief most of the family did, but we will go as slow as you wish, and it could actually help you as well. Now its only a suggestion, but I do have to make you aware, father and I have shared witches so has Severus and father and Severus and myself. They are the only ones that I can stomach sharing with. What do you think?" Breathlessly Draco hung her words and waited. He had put it out there and relief washed over him like a tidal wave, but he really wanted her.

"Okay... that actually explains a lot." Laughter filled the air as Hermione mentally composed her reply to Draco's declaration. That was some pretty heavy truths that was spoken. Little did she know there were more to come.

"Well in the light of that disclosure. I have one of my own." Harry started to blush. "You see, the only times I can blow is if I dream that my sister is in the room watching me." Harry blushed to the colour of scarlet and looked down at his meal.

Hermione was very red listening to the declarations flying around the room. "Umm... Anyone else?" She almost wished she didn't. When there was a pause of ambient sounds, she took a deep breath. "Those are some serious revelations that cant be ignored, I am beyond honoured that you told me, thought I'm fairly sure that I will try to remember them because when I do get into a relationship with any one, they need to be able to keep up with me intellectually. I have been told that most of sex is in the mind, so it stands to reason right?" The men were nodding agreement with her. "Ron only talked about quidditch and how he was going to be more famous and how women would do anything to sleep with him. Not something that actually pushes my on buttons if you get my drift." Taking a mouthful of wine for courage more than a dry throat. She started again. "Truthfully I have never really thought about a sexual relationship for the simple fact every year so far some megalomaniac has been trying to kill Harry. And him turning to me for help in destroying said megalomaniac. I never really loved Ron, it was more curiosity and experimentation. And both epically failed. So entering a relationship with you Draco, and by proxy your father and uncle you need to keep that in mind, I'm fairly sure that I have no objection to what has already begun today. You have my respect for being so open and honest about it all as well thank you." Hermione finished her meal.

Relief surrounded Severus, Lucius and Draco. Harry was watching her very closely. He knew her well when he knows that Hermione wasn't finished. "Harry, I need to ask what brought the need to have me in the room to loose your load?"

"Umm... its just you, its like I need a safety net. I have done it with some doozies and since I realised that you haven't dated, and in my mind it was because no one really measured up, then to have your approval during the act kind of became a given rather than something disturbing." He finished off his wine and poured another topping off hers and anyone else's as well.

It was now Lucius that spoke up. "My dear, we who grew up in the wizarding world understand that somethings to Muggles are completely taboo. What Draco and Harry are describing are norms for us. It has to do with your magical core and getting it to balance it with your partner, sometimes only one partner suffices, other times we understand that more than one partner is needed to live a sane healthy life. Take Bellatrix for an example. She denied herself in favour of keeping her magical core intact. She never slept with her husband and over the course of a few years insanity set in and completely escalated to derangement before she escaped Azkaban. Too herself she was normal. To us she was completely unhinged. Narcissa was following her, but she had Draco but never shared her magical core again."

"That is enlightening." Hermione exclaimed. "It really does explain so much as well. So what you are saying is that the more powerful the person the more partners they will need to balance themselves?"

It was Severus this time. "Yes, love. And the fact that the partners can be same sex or both sexes doesn't really play as a deciding factor. Your magical core chooses for you. To explain Harry's need it is only one sided, your approval. But he cant reach ejaculation because his core doesn't want him to be there without you. We are in essence ruled by our cores and unfortunately you cant research it with books. It is truly a hands on experience."

When the meal was complete and Hermione was displaying the effects of a full stomach, yawning behind her hands it was decided to see what tomorrow will bring. Everyone left for the own beds.