"He is going to call it all in little cub." She snorted at the use of that nickname right now. His hands were running up and down her naked back and her body felt so good. It had been coming all year and both of them knew it. They had started out as just arguing and then kissing after. Eventually they were here, naked together. It would have been a moment she revelled in and was, until he broke the silence and their rule.

It wasn't a hard and fast rule but they didn't talk about serious things. Things relevant to the war they both knew was coming and she didn't mention Harry at all. This tiny room behind the stacks in the library was in and old copy of Hogwarts A History and she had found it. Jealously used it sparingly and only alone until this year. When they almost got caught for the second time. The best of it was that it didn't show on the map. The makers not having found it.

"I'm sorry." Was her eventual reply and she knew he understood when his arms tightened around her and then released completely a minute later. He liked to cuddle, which was surprising at first but knew that he couldn't tonight. She had somewhere to be. As usual she was up first and started finding her clothes and retrieving them from their mingled pile of discarded garments. As she hooked her bra back together and ignored his eyes on her she thought that his words explained the extra orgasms he had forced from her. They had only been having sex for about two months and she hadn't expected to be begging him to stop. Usually it was for more. His father though and his graduation. Both were looming and she knew it. A few words here and there. Sometimes even minutes of words. The contract.

"She's lucky Rowle." She regretted it as soon as she said it and pulled her hoodie on, trying to avoid his eyes after such an admittance.

"I'm not." Was his reply and she snorted softly. Sadie Travers was pretty but that was the only nice thing she could say about the witch. There was something disturbing about her, though she had only noticed her specifically when she demanded to know who exactly he had been contracted to marry. She had heard something in the bloody bathroom and having had his cock in her mouth the afternoon before, was irate.

Until he explained and then she felt a bit hollow. He had to marry her. There was no choice and the magics would force him. Her having slept with someone else had set the fidelity portions of the betrothal contract aside and the witch had told him that she would be enjoying herself until she couldn't anymore. He swore on his magics and then she let herself throw herself at him and forget everything else.

Telling herself that she wouldn't miss him and that his Death Eater father might just let him play quidditch like he wanted she tried to smile. Dressed, she slung her bag over her shoulder and looked at the naked wizard on his side watching her. Head propped on one arm and his hair falling over his cheek. He was delicious and she didn't let herself think about it. Wanting him. Liking him. He was funny and enjoyed arguing with her. He liked magic too, esoteric and interesting ones. Pushing that all away, she looked him over one last time and turned toward the door.

"Did you ever make me a coin?" The words stopped her with her hand on the door handle. Closing her eyes for a second she answered.

"Yes." It was an admittance and she still didn't turn to look at him. It had felt stupid when she suggested it a month ago and she had told herself that this wasn't that. It wasn't a relationship. He wouldn't actually want it and he hadn't brought it up again. Though he complained about delays and interruptions as often as before.

"Can I have it?" He asked quietly and she turned at that. The lack of challenge or teasing making her turn,

wanting to see his face. He was so golden, except his blue eyes.

"You want it now?" She asked and he knew what she meant by that. This was it. Exams started in two days and their time was over. She had been prepping herself for this as the weeks rolled by. Umbridge and everything else made time spent outside this room difficult and she had to try and remind herself constantly that he didn't feel the same. This wasn't a relationship. It was an outlet. Sexual. That was true but she knew that it wasn't the whole truth.

"Yes." He met her eyes and then grinned at her. That grin should be illegal. Deciding that since she couldn't stay and he wasn't hers, she had to leave. She raked a hand through her hair and ignored the way he was watching her. She could feel it now. The heat or demand when his eyes were on her. The bastard loved to use it too. In the Library or when she couldn't react.

A last glance across his abs and the way his hair fell over his face was all she allowed herself before she looked him in the eye and pulled the coin she had made for him out of the inner pocket of her bag. Where it had been since she made it. She didn't look down at it, or speak. There was nothing to say. His hand came up and caught it, the last thing she saw before she pulled open the door and walked away.


When Gibbon yelled Rowle to the masked Death Eater behind him as they entered the hallway leading to the Astronomy Tower, Hermione nearly vomited and screamed. Pushing Luna further back into the side hall, she sent several stunners at him and waited for him to turn to her. She wasn't wearing a fucking mask. He knew she was there and then she watched him engage Tonks before a spell from Gibbon reminded her that more than the two of them were there.

She held her ground until Bill came up behind her and then she turned her attention to taking him down together. Then fighting a witch she didn't know the name of except that she was one of two Carrows, until Snape entered the room. Cloak billowing and moving quickly. Then everything sped up and she followed everyone else through the halls until bill finally staggered toward them through another hallway. He was bleeding profusely and she turned to help.

Later on she found out what had happened and seeing Rowle there. Knowing he was behind one of those masks. It was just another heartbreak. One she couldn't talk about or even explain. She stopped responding to the short messages as she had before. They hadn't been important but she had felt something about the fact that he kept sending them. Stupid things and questions. Taunts and reminders. Sexual or just random. It could be anything when the coin heated up and she had that one on a chain around her neck. She pulled it off as they sat by the lake after the funeral. Feeling like it was a tie to the school and even a different life. One that she couldn't afford.

Why it had been this and not his marriage that changed things, she didn't know. Nothing made sense anymore and this was just another thing that was broken.


The surprise to see two death eaters that she knew, haqd interacted with and feared was not pleasant and she knew that panic would come after this. If there was one. How had they known where they were. The frantic thought was pushed aside as Harry shot the first exploding hex.

Later on as they lay in a triangle on the floor of Grimmauld Place and she listened to the boys snore, she thought over her earlier reactions. Fear. Both of them. It was different though. She feared what Dolohov could or would do. The pain from the last time he had cast at her. Rowle though. Finn. It was totally different. She could hurt him or the reverse. Whatever had gone on, she didn't think he wanted that. Maybe he would do it. Hand her over or something. He hadn't seriously shot a single spell at her tonight though and she wondered about that. All easily blockable or wide of the mark.

Her bag was right beside her and she pointed her wand at it before trying a non verbal summoning charm and feeling a small rush of achievement when it worked the first time. She wasn't too shook up if her magics worked so easily. The chain was still attached to the coin and she threaded it through her fingers and then wondered if he still sent messages. She hadn't looked. Hadn't let herself. Trying to see if she could forget. She hadn't forgotten but hadn't looked at it either. It was the best she could do.

'You were gorg in the dress cub.' So many emotions raged through her when she read the tiny words on the coins outer edge. This was the only one that had that feature and she had been mortified after she had made it. Thinking about being able to speak to him. Like passing notes. Sometimes she forgot that he wasn't hers. Not really. It was just fun. Then kissing. Then fooling around. Finally it was just sex. Now she read the words that were so him and cried herself to sleep silently after slipping the chain back on.


'He's here.' The message was small but it said it all. Finn's son had been born this morning and Hermione didn't know what to think about it. About anything. Breaking into Gringotts was taking up all of her courage and strength. Finn seemed so far away and this was one of those moments that she felt with clarity the truth. He wasn't hers. She had given him a son today. They had a son together. She couldn't imagine. Felt so young and alone. Even in Shell cottage. The shakes were nearly not noticeable and the baths helped with her muscle cramps. Physically she was on the mend. Mentally or emotionally. She just didn't know. Little seemed real or like anything other than the next mountain to climb after thinking you were on the last range before you found the sea.

As she lowered herself into the hot water and felt her face flush at the heat, she closed her eyes. She had three more days before they left here. Her mind ran through the plan and preparations. Then her mind was pulled back to the message and she couldn't help but wonder. Was he blond? Healthy? She knew things could go wrong and the two of them were distantly related. Distantly but still. With Finn's father dead a few months ago, the little guy wouldn't have such a hard time. Or so she hoped. His elves would help too. He had laughed at her when she tried to explain how she felt about them. One day you will see some in their element and know we are the ones being ordered around.

Hermione couldn't imagine the icy dark haired witch holding A baby or even pregnant so it was hard to envision her with the baby but she could imagine Finn's big hands cradling the tiny body. He liked to hum Finnish songs that he knew and that made her smile a little bit. Maybe she would never have a son or any children. Her hand moved to her abdomen and ran over the scar that was there. Then lower to the things she couldn't see. There had been burn like marks from where the spell had hit her, nearly like cigarette burns but the healing potions had fixed that. Not her insides though, if the spell had damaged those badly too. They didn't have the potions to fix severe internal injuries without cutting her open. Having turned that down, it was what it was. Not the word on her arm or the mark on her neck either.

As she looked down at her body, she thought back to the smooth unblemished skin she had before. Now she had marks and even words on her. It was uncomfortable but if she lived then she could worry about it. The list of those things was long but seemed the best place for issues that weren't immediately relevant. Closing her eyes she tried to imagine the baby and then decided that she would just imagine he looked like his father and the witch had left no trace. Unable to mix their noses or hair to her satisfaction.


Running around the corner she lost sight of Ron in the haze of smoke. They had just left the chamber of secrets and she had destroyed a horcrux. Ron was looking sideways at her every now and then until the smoke broke the frequent eye contact. No doubt wondering what the cup had been talking about. She didn't answer and of his questions but smiled weekly and suggested they find Harry.

When a hand clamped around her wrist and pulled her, she nearly shrieked but instead jabbed her wand into the chest in front of her and froze when he spoke.

"I'm disappointed there is no dress little cub." For a moment she was frozen and then she was livid.

"Let me go. What would your wife say?" Her tone was rough and she was pulling away.

"Died three days ago." At those words she stilled again. What the hell could she say to that and then there was another explosion that shook the castle and she knew she had to leave. This wasn't the time and she told herself that this wasn't anything else either.

"I'm sorry. I think. But I've got to go." The hand dropped from her wrist and she could make out the shape of him in a black cloak with the hood thrown back. She wanted to see his face but knew it wasn't right.

"Alright witch. Be careful." Then he turned away and as the smoke faded she was alone in the little hallway and she only let herself have a second before turning around and heading the way she thought her friend had gone.