Disclaimer: I still don't own Harry Potter, nor am I JK Rowling

Chapter Six

"So what makes you think Granger will even listen to me, Draco? It's not as if we've been friends for years. She's more likely to throw me out on my arse before I say two words when your name comes up," Blaise said, taking a sip of his drink.

"Because of her damned Gryffindor 'I-must-help-others' mindset. The Golden Trio had a hero complex in school, remember? So if you put it just the right way, she might help me."

"Speaking of the Golden Trio, have you noticed how the Weasel seems a bit, shall we say, off, recently?"

"How so?" Draco asked, raising an eyebrow.

"He's been damned cagey whenever I've crossed his path at the Ministry."

"Cagey, how? I never saw him have an original idea the entire time at Hogwarts. If it wasn't for Granger doing his homework for him, he'd never have passed his classes. And being best mates with Potter kept him out of trouble for his rule breaking. I remember talking with Father about it every summer."

"Nothing specific, it's just the way he always manages to be lurking in places when others are talking, almost as if he doesn't want to be seen eavesdropping. Also, even though he's been friends with Potter and Granger for years, he never really went to Muggle London the way they did, yet Father saw him there last week as he was looking over a property one of his clients was interested in purchasing."

"Now that is odd. Did your father manage to find out why he was there, by chance?"

"No such luck. As soon as Weasel realized he'd been seen, he left, possibly to return to Wizarding London."

"Damn. It makes me wonder what he was doing there, then. I wonder if Granger knows about these little habits of his, considering she's planning to marry the Weasel soon."

"If she doesn't, Merlin help the Weasel when she does find out. Something tells me canaries would be the least dangerous thing she sent after him, Draco."

Folding parchment into a letter, the gloved hands melted wax and applied the seal. A simple design of a sunrise, it was unrecognizable as belonging to the person sending the letters. Turning the parchment over, one of the hands began to write the address:

Mr. Draco Malfoy

Second Largest Suite

Malfoy Manor

Wiltshire

It was already the nineteenth of May. The deadline had been set, and if Draco Malfoy refused the demands, then the sender of the letter had no qualms with seeing the Malfoy bloodline end with Lucius. Especially as there would be little that could be done to avoid losing the vast wealth the Malfoys controlled. The letter was held up to a nondescript owl for delivery, and sent within two minutes of its being sealed.

"Hello, Hermione, dear. Did you have a good day at work today?" Molly Weasley greeted her as she stepped into the living room of the Burrow. As always, Molly never took her attention from the food being prepared for dinner.

"It was usual for the most part. I know you weren't expecting me for dinner, but I need to speak to Ron. Is he home?"

"Yes, dear, he's upstairs. He knows dinner is in about twenty minutes, so he should be down soon. And, Hermione, you're going to be my daughter-in-law. You should know by now you can come anytime to our home. Do you want something to drink?"

"Not right now, Molly, thank you. I'll just go upstairs to speak to Ron."

Something in her voice must have sounded tense, because Molly turned briefly to look at Hermione. Concerned at the look on her face, Molly crossed the living room and touched her arm.

"Is something wrong, dear?" Molly asked, gently.

"I don't know yet. I'll know more after I speak to Ron."

"I understand. Let me call him downstairs, and the two of you can talk in the garden. We're eating outside, since Bill, Fleur, Victoire, Harry and Ginny are coming," and walked to the stairway.

"Ron! Hermione is here!" Molly called up the steps.

"I'll be right down, Mum!" Ron called back, and two minutes later, was walking down the stairway. He stopped on the bottom step when he saw Hermione's face.

"Is something wrong, Hermione? You look mad."

"Ron, Hermione, why don't you go to the garden to talk? You'll have a bit more privacy there," Molly said, checking the food she was making for dinner.

Jaw set, Hermione nodded, and walked to the garden, not looking to see if Ron followed. She pulled out her wand, so she would be able to cast a Muffliato charm once Ron reached her.

"Hermione, what's wrong?" Ron asked from behind her. She immediately cast the charm to keep their conversation private before whirling around, reaching into the pocket of her robe and pulling out the contract.

"Why don't you explain to me why the fuck you hid clauses in the marriage contract you wanted me to sign? A Blood-Seal Rite on our future children, Ronald? Have you lost your fucking mind? And that's just the clause that was hidden on page two!"

Ron looked at the ground and mumbled something.

"Look at me, Ronald." Warily, he raised his eyes to hers.

"If you're going to try to lie to me, at least look at me while you do it."

"It wouldn't hurt them. It would allow us to find them if they were lost-" Ron began, and she interrupted.

"A simple locator charm will do that, Ronald."

"And it would allow us to measure approximately how much power they have-"

"To increase your own power? Yes, I found that hidden clause."

"Hermione…"

"Stop, Ronald, just stop. I'm going to see a solicitor tomorrow to see about this contract, and before I sign it. Why would you try to hide something like that from me?"

"You don't understand. You've never understood. You were the best in our year, the 'Brightest Witch of the Age', my best mate is the god damned Savior of the Wizarding world. Both of you are powerful. And what am I? The fucking sidekick. Yeah, I hear the whispers at the Ministry. Why shouldn't I be at least as powerful as any children we have, huh?"

Cancelling the Muffliato with a nonverbal Finite Incantatum, Hermione turned, preparing to walk into the Burrow. Neither had noticed Harry and Ginny Potter coming toward them, so both still thought they were alone. Ron rushed forward to grasp Hermione's arm, holding her in place.

"Don't walk away from me, Hermione. I'm not finished talking to you."

Signaling to his wife to be quiet, Harry nodded his head back toward the Burrow, and began backing up, motioning for Ginny to follow. Once out of earshot, he began talking in a low voice.

"Ginny, I need you to go inside and Floo call the DMLE. Ask them to send both a Constable and a Sergeant here. I'm an Auror and Ron's brother-in-law, as well as being a witness. I can't do anything, since it isn't part of my duties, and if this goes to the Wizengamot, I may need to testify. I have to be hands off. Hurry, because I don't know how much it may escalate."

Although her expression said she would rather throw a few hexes her brother's way, Ginny turned and headed into the Burrow. Just as a precaution, Harry sent a Patronus message into the house, pitched so it would only be heard by the people inside:

There's a situation out here that I've already asked Ginny to summon assistance for, so please, stay inside until I give the okay.

The Constable and Sergeant were on their way, he hoped. Judging by the look on Ron's face, they would be needed. Just as that thought entered his mind, he heard the soft pop of Apparition, and the DMLE officers he'd asked Ginny to call were beside him. And not a second too soon, it looked like to him, since Hermione had just managed to pull out of Ron's grasp and tried to walk away from him a second time.

"I said, don't walk away from me, Hermione. Merlin, am I going to have to start teaching you your place before we even get married?"

"Stop it Ronald. I'm not having this argument with you. I'm going back to my flat, and we can talk when we've both calmed down," she said, taking another step, her back to him.

Even moving as quickly as they were trained to, the two officers weren't able to stop the blow Ron aimed at Hermione, and she crumpled to the ground, unconscious.