A/N: I own nothing here, just playing around with J.K. Rowling's characters.

Chapter 15: Side-effects

Hermione and Antonin make their peace with their choices.

The revelation floored her, but his absurd apologies grated all the same. She was the one who'd initiated their pre-lunch activities. If she'd been more patient, they could have made a more informed decision. But then he would have insisted on more waiting and.. he would possibly have been right. She shoved those reflections to the side for later.

She stayed at his house for the afternoon, looking through family photographs that he'd managed to save and watching a ridiculous show on the telly about a man in a leather jacket who was able to travel through space and time. It seemed a little far-fetched for her, but she found herself enjoying it, Antonin's arm wrapped protectively around her shoulder.

When evening came, however, she went home alone. She had honestly thought she was ready for something like this. She was, wasn't she? She'd tried to coerce him into doing something similar, but more serious because it would have tied their magic together as well. But now that being well and truly bound together was her reality, she found that she had some processing to do.

She gave her grumpy half-kneazle a snuggle after he'd eaten and only just then remembered that they were supposed to go out with Harry and Ginny the next day. She made herself a quick tuna sandwich and pulled out a book she'd been reading just the day before. The evening wore on and her level of anxiety grew. She didn't know who to even talk to about this latest development. It was late when she began to even think about turning in for the night. Suddenly, she had an idea. With a sigh, she scribbled a note to send to Luna, hoping that it wasn't too late in the evening to be sending an owl. She never could quite grasp the unstated rules of etiquette about owl communication, especially when it concerned a friend who hardly kept normal hours anyway. She trekked to the garden shed where her owl roosted and sent it off. About an hour later, her owl returned with a note in its beak.

'Hermione, that's wonderful news! Can I help you plan the ceremony? Of course, it's more common for this sort of thing to be publicly announced after a wedding, but I can keep a secret, don't worry. -Luna'

Well, that wasn't exactly the sort of response she was looking for, but knowing that this wasn't all that uncommon assuaged some of her concerns. Something that she probably should know is what he thought about it. It was obvious that he liked her, but neither of them had even said the "L" word yet and, though they'd passed the afternoon together, they'd conveniently avoided speaking further of how she'd fabulously messed things up. She pulled out her mobile and looked at the time. 12:17 flashed onto the screen. Knowing that she wouldn't be able to sleep without at least sending a message, she unlocked it and tapped out a message to him.

'Do you still want to out with Harry and Ginny tomorrow? x'

Rather than hover over her phone, she went to brush her teeth and pull on a thin night dress. When she walked back to the bookshelf where she left the phone, she allowed herself to check it.

'Of course, love. Looking forward to it. Should I come over earlier? xx'

She felt absurdly jittery at the moment. Just thinking about him, made her feel strange. She'd been feeling gradually worse since she got home. 'How about 5:30?'

She carried the mobile with her to bed and had just settled under the covers when the screen lit up with his reply.

'Fine with me. Are you feeling alright? xx'

In fact she really wasn't. Had she eaten something bad? Was he ill as well?

'Not really. You?'

'I feel like my skin is crawling. Could have been lunch. Do you think we've both come down with something?'

'Not sure. Want to come over? I can at least check you for food poisoning. My spell was negative, but I really don't know what else it could be.'

''Do you want me to come over?'

The question felt heavy as she read it. Did she? She decided that she did at the moment, concern for his well-being overriding the worry nagging at her.

'Yes, I'll open my floo. xx'

Not ten minutes later, Antonin stumbled into her house in a haze. Hermione wasn't faring much better, hanging off the side of the couch, sweat dotting her forehead. She'd managed to pull on her fluffy robe before opening the floo, but that seemed to be the extent of her capacity.

"Hermione," he murmured fretfully and threw himself on the floor before her. He grasped her hand and... it stopped. The anxiety. The growing nausea. The dizziness. It all stopped like it was never there. "I'm so sorry," he whispered, staring up at her shocked face.

Hermione sighed and rolled her head back. "Salazar's bollocks," she hissed.

"If I had known.." he pleaded. What a messed up affair. Dolohov wasn't one usually to grovel and plead, but there he was, for the second time that day willing to do whatever it took, anything at all, to keep his witch from getting to angry with him.

She sighed as she glanced down at him once more. "It's what I wanted, remember?" She paused and sat up to see him more clearly. They were going to have the talk he'd avoided earlier. "What I wanted and you didn't."

"That's not true."

He scrambled to his knees and slid onto the cushion next to her.

"I was afraid and I didn't want anything to happen to you if I were sent back to Azkaban. And I wanted you to be sure that it was something that you wanted for yourself, not just for me."

"Do you want it?" Her voice was a whisper.

He shifted once more and cupped her face in his hand. "More than anything else," he gently replied, gaze flicking between her eyes and lips.

"You're not saying that just to make me feel better?"

"Might I remind you, witch, of who pursued who?"

She studied his face and nodded to herself, satisfied of his honesty.

"So may I kiss you?" His question was voiced gently, but not apologetic in the slightest.

"Yes.."

He kissed her then, much softer than earlier, though in no less earnest. He felt her reservations melt away as he drew her closer, a calmness encircling them both.

"Stay with me tonight," she asked softly.

"I'll stay as long as you'll have me."

She drew herself to her feet and led him to her bedroom, one of the only rooms in the house not exploding with books. She explained it was the only way she could sleep well at night. There was a cluster of photographs on the top of a bureau all waving and winking at him as he looked over them. There was one that didn't move and he picked it up to inspect it.

"Me and my parents," she explained.

"Right," he nodded and placed it carefully back in its place in the configuration.

"The loo is just across if you need it. I.." she paused and blushed, "I have spare toothbrushes in the gray box on the shelf."

He gave her a crinkled grin. "That's very thoughtful."

"Dentist families, you know."

She was awakened by a tiny familiar screech owl tapping at her bedroom window. The sun was already high in the sky and she was relieved that it was Saturday. She threw back the covers, rising in the thin gown she'd slept in, and padded quietly to the window, which she opened to admit her winged visitor. She grabbed a treat from a nearby dish which it traded for the letter and departed with a soft hoot.

"You keep owl treats in your bedroom?" an amused voice inquired from her bed.

"It's a matter of convenience," she replied, quickly opening the note from Luna.

He studied her thoughtfully while she read. She looked ethereal, her voluminous curls not yet tamed and gown see-through as the light filtered through it, tempting him to examine her ever closer.

'Hermione,' she read.

'Forgot to mention that there will likely be some side effects and it would be best if the two of you stayed in close proximity for the next two weeks, but I assume you solved that problem already. There's a reason why weddings are followed by honeymoons. It just so happens that we need a couple of qualified potions and charms specialists on site beginning next week during our research on natural glumbumble-repellents. They keep scaring away the Snorkack and I need to catch one for a blood sample. Would you be interested?

All my best,

Luna'

"I think she omitted that detail on purpose," Hermione muttered aloud. She chuckled and tossed him the letter."So...how do you feel about going into pest control?"

By the time the afternoon drew to a close, the two of them very feeling much better about their "forced" predicament. Neither of them wanted to know if that in and of itself was just another side-effect. He left her house only long enough to fetch some clothing and personal items from his house. They didn't need to always be touching, but the occasional physical sign of affection gave them a sort of boost that did not go unremarked. How were they supposed to go to work on Monday? Even if they accepted Luna's offer, they'd still have to make arrangements, assuming they would be granted permission to miss yet another two weeks of work. It felt like a lot to ask and Hermione was beginning to feel guilty. Antonin assumed it would be easier for him considering he had just went through a criminal trial and there was no guarantee he'd have even been coming back.

When he stepped back through the floo, Antonin found Hermione trying on various heels and flats with her dress.

"What do you think?"

He drank in the sight of her in a cowl necked-navy dress that ended mid-thigh and accentuated her figure in all the right places. She'd applied a small amount of makeup and her glistening lips made him want to draw them into his mouth. He interrupted his thoughts there.

"I think you look delectable."

The look in his eyes said he meant it.

"Save some room for dessert then," was her saucy reply. "Right now I need to decide on shoes."

"Those black heels looked nice. The ones with the thin ankle straps."

"Right, let me just grab a bag."

A few minutes later she heard the floo.

"Ready to go?" Harry called out as he and Ginny stepped into her livingroom. Hermione walked out still fastening an earring, but her bag was already around her wrist. Antonin rose from where he was seated on the sofa.

"Now I am," she grinned. They each gave Hermione a kiss on the cheek and Harry offered Antonin his hand. "I've already left food for Crooks, so let's go.."

When they arrived at the restaurant, it was busy, but there was enough room for them toward the back, which suited the four just fine. They'd had enough publicity of late and an accidental spotting at a Muggle restaurant would have been too much.

"So..." Ginny began cautiously after they'd ordered. "What's next?"

Hermione and Antonin looked at one another as they decided how to handle the question.

"Well, you know, go back to work, see how things work out..." the curly-headed witch began. "Luna would like our help with a current project, so if we can get permission to accompany her group, we'll spend two weeks with them."

It seemed like a wise thing to share.

"Oh, that's fab!" squeaked Ginny.

From there the conversation flowed easily. There were finishing their meal when Hermione excused herself to the loo.

"I want to ask her to marry me," Antonin said suddenly once she was safely out of earshot.

Harry's eyebrows shot up. "You're sure?"

"I've never been so sure of something in my life. But.. I'm afraid she'll say no."

Ginny gave him an encouraging grin.

"You should propose in a bookshop," she suggested, making the three of them laugh. "Though perhaps a Muggle one, unless you want to be bombarded by reporters."

"So do I have the blessing of the Potters to do this?"

The couple blanched. "You hardly need our permission," Harry replied with a shrug.

"Well, no, but if you hate me, now's probably the best time to do it. Otherwise you'll be stuck with me every holiday forever," he winked.

Hermione was seen approaching the table.

"You care for her," concluded Harry. "More than anyone I've ever seen. No offense, Gin."

"None taken. My brother had other priorities and it was just as well they both saw it before getting into anything serious."

"So," Hermione slid into her seat, "what did I miss?"

"Only Nico's confession that he's highly allergic to felines," Ginny solemnly replied.

"What!?" Her friend's eyes grew round with horror as she turned to the wizard beside her. "Why did you say something?"

Harry barked out a laugh. "She's only joking."

"You're vile, the lot of you," she huffed, covering her own chuckle.

Seeing that brunette was back, the server arrived with a small cake glowing with candles.

"Happy 26th birthday, Hermione!" Harry and Ginny announced.

"You guys!" she squeaked, embarrassed by the people turning to see whose birthday it was.

"You didn't even tell me," Antonin teased.

"Well, it was earlier this week and then there was the trial... honestly, if my parents wouldn't have called, I would have forgotten it. Anyway, I didn't feel the need to make a fuss."

He leaned down and whispered in her ear that she'd have to wait for his present until they were alone. She blushed and ate a bit of cake while Harry recounted several of their youthful adventures to Antonin.

When Hermione returned to work on Monday, she had the keen feeling that something was missing. She knew precisely what it was, but there was little to be done for it. The group Luna worked for had already sent in an official request for Hermione to accompany them, so she had only to wait for her boss's reply. Noticing the witch's fatigue when he came into her office at the end of the day, he agreed to the request, but only if she took the time in between to rest. He expected her back after the voyage, rested and ready to work. Hermione knew that her fatigue was more due to the magic than actually needing rest, but she appreciated the sentiment and organised her desk once more to prepare for a few weeks away.

Antonin likewise went into work, but unlike Hermione was promptly sent home. His employer insisted that he needed some time after the trial to regroup, that they would make do until he returned from the research trip he was requested for. Instead of going home, he decided to take a walk along the river that flowed along the edge of his village. It was peaceful and he'd turned to it often over the previous years when he needed to think. He'd already made up his mind about asking for her hand in marriage. He even had a ring, a family heirloom that had languished in a vault during the wars. He'd emptied the vault before he left the country, not knowing if or when he'd ever return. But return he did, turning to a Muggle bank who accepted his carefully exchanged stacks of money to place into a new account and allowed him a Safe Deposit Box in return for a modest fee. It was nowhere near as secure as Gringotts, but he assumed that Muggle banks simply weren't large enough to house dragons. All he needed to do was go to the bank and then propose to the woman. Easier said than done, he thought with a sigh. He made his way slowly back to the tiny commercial hub at the center of the village and purposefully strode into the bank, key to his box already clipped to the inside of his wallet.

"I need to take something from my Safe Deposit Box," he explained to the woman at the counter.

"Of course, Mr. Antony,"she replied. "Simply sign here and then I will allow you back."

He signed and went back to the room lined with small locked doors. He found his own quickly and opened it up. There wasn't a great deal of things inside: the papers for his house, a few sacks of Galleons for when he needed wizard coin (he had several more hidden in his house), and a smallish box full of random jewellery that was all jumbled together. He groaned at his lack of forethought as he poked through the glittering earrings, chains, baubles, rings... and then he found it. It was a beautiful ring of gold with an oval peridot encircled by tiny diamonds and rose quartz. He clutched it tightly in his palm and closed up the box, shoving it back in its metal locker and turning the key. He rang the buzzer to be allowed out and nearly ran home, still holding the ring in his fist.

By 12:15 he was flagging again. "You've got to be kidding," he groaned and texted the witch.

'Have you had lunch? I know a great little place. xx'

'Sounds good, I'm starving. And not just for food. x'

'Indian? I'll meet you there. xx'

'Brilliant. Give me 10 minutes and I'll be on my way. x'

He enjoyed her forwardness. It reassured him that it wasn't a one-sided relationship. He stashed the ring in a hidden compartment of his bureau until the right moment and hurried to meet his witch.

A/N: Had to throw in a little reference to the fact that 2005 was also the year Doctor Who was brought back to life, which in my opinion was a very, very good thing.

Aaaaand we're almost to the end! Thanks to everyone who has read this far. I hope you've enjoyed it!