Author's note: Hey Hey lovely folks! I am sorry for the delays recently but school is picking up. I am still writing when I have time. I am also editing earlier chapters so I may start reposting those soon. Lots of love Jatzogirl and always R&R

Chapter 20

Hermione's thoughts were swirling. She was feeling such a kaleidoscope of emotions ranging from fury to bone deep sorrow. As she watched Draco pour in the final vial she wondered if she could take the part she knew was coming. She braced herself as best she could and dove in hoping to get it over with.

Draco hurried to help Harry put out the fire and finally as the last embers died out a chilling sense of quiet settled around them. The smell of ash wafted through the air and suddenly Tonks's pain-stricken wail filled his ears. He took off towards her and as he took in her flame charred clothing and the way she clutched something to her chest. His heart shattered as he watched the med-witches try and get Tonks to release her son who was scarcely breathing.

"Tonks they need to take him," Draco soothed after he reached her, trying to help the obviously broken woman.

"NO! NO not my son! He's not gone yet. This is just a dream…nothing more. He can't be dying Draco. He-he just can't!" Tonks cried clutching Teddy closer to her chest as if trying to absorb him into herself.

"Let me see him. I'll make sure he's checked over okay. Please, they need to look at you too." Draco stated as he held out his arms for his 3-year-old nephew. Tonks finally nodded tears streaking down her soot-stained cheeks as she pulled her son away from her chest and pressed on final kiss to the top of his head before reverently placing him in Draco's arms.

Draco felt his own tears fall down his cheeks as he gazed at the tiny child in his arms. How he was straining for each and every breath of air. A deep uncontrollable rage settled into Draco's heart as he handed Teddy off to the med-witch and stormed towards the nearest apperation point. This was the last straw. His father was going to die so painfully and violently that there would be nothing but blood spatters remaining.

Harry caught Draco's arm before he reached his destination.

"Where do you think you're going." Harry demanded.

"I'm going to put an end to whoever did this. I am going to make them beg for death 50 times over," Draco raged trying to shake Harry's hand off.

"No Draco Tonks needs you. She needs you here. I have to go file the report. The law will handle this you can't run off halfcocked. Please Draco I am begging you just wait with Tonks until they give her a final verdict. I-I can't be there if they say Teddy's too far gone. I just can't." Harry pleaded trying to hold himself together.

Draco looked at Harry and saw the slight trembling of his body. He saw how Harry was fighting back tears and the anguish that filled his eyes. Draco's heart went out to Harry but the need for revenge was burning too hotly.

"I have some leads I need to follow right now or they will go cold Potter. Besides Tonks would want you with her, not me." With those final words Draco shoved Harry back and raced towards the apperation point and disappeared with a loud CRACK!

He re-emerged slightly outside the Manor's wards and strode forward with the sole purpose of finding and obliterating his father. Once he was inside he drew his wand and headed for his father's office.

He didn't bother knocking he simply cast Expolso and destroyed the door.

"Draco you are so dramatic. To what do I owe the pleasure?" Lucius drawled not even looking up from his paperwork.

"LOOK AT ME! I want you to look me in the eyes when I kill you Father! How dare you attack them. Tonks is my cousin and now her son may die and for what?! So you can try and control me? Those days are over. I am done living in this gilded cage. You are the scum of the earth." Draco bellowed

Lucius turned and faced his son with a bored and weary look upon his face.

"Really Draco you are acting like a child. Put the wand away and have a civilized conversation with me. Yes, I do admit things went a little far with the Lupin's, but I would hardly call them family. They come from a defective branch of your mother's family tree and while I had intended for no one to be home when the fire was started I can't say I'm too upset. At least now you know how serious I take this." Lucius pointed out much like someone discussing contracts rather than people's lives.

"Crucio!" Draco cried shooting the curse towards his father who merely blocked it with a non-verbal shielding charm.

"That is enough. You aren't going to kill me son. Nor are you going to turn me over to the authorities because doing so would put everyone you hold dear in a very precarious position. I found quite the helper when I planned those attacks, someone unafraid to do whatever I ask of them. Look at the little trinket they brought me," Lucius holds up a lock of Hermione's hair and a picture of her sleeping next to Draco. "Now you've seen what I am willing to do to those who I care less than nothing about just what do you suppose I would do to the girl who ruined everything I have planned for you?"

Draco's stomach lurched at the sight of Hermione's picture and hair. Someone had been close enough to touch her which is beyond close enough to kill her and Draco had been right there and known nothing. All his anger and intentions drained from his body giving the space over to hopeless dread. He couldn't protect her. Couldn't stop his father. Not even Lucius's death would ensure her safety.

"Ah now you are finally beginning to understand the things I do for this family. There is another matter. You're little tryst with Miss Greengrass seems to have led to certain consequences. Astoria is pregnant. You will do right by her. The marriage will take place in several months, long enough for people to believe it and not so long that she begins to show. Am I clear? Or do I need to have my friend by another visit to the mud-blood?" Lucius stated with a cruel smirk gracing his lips.

"I didn't sleep with Astoria Father we were both fully clothed when we awoke. I'll leave Hermione but I refuse to marry that shrew." Draco replied trying to hold onto something even as the most important thing to him was ripped away.

"I have a paternity test scheduled for next month should that come back negative we will find someone else but if it returns positive you will marry her." Lucius concedes with a slight bow of his head. "Now you have until tomorrow to end this silly rebellion with your little street urchin or I will take matters into my own hands. Are we clear?" Draco could do nothing but nod in agreement.

The memory ended and Hermione almost collapsed onto the floor but luckily Draco caught her and set her up in a chair.

"I know you remember the rest. Do you see why I had to do what I did? He's a mad man alright and I just I couldn't risk loosing you." Draco pleaded but Hermione refused to meet his gaze.

"You knew. You knew who hurt Teddy and who killed Lavender. You knew and you did nothing!" A sharp slap slammed against his cheek on the last word. "This bullshit about protecting me! About it all being about me! Teddy was in the hospital for months Draco. MONTHS! Lavender was pregnant with Ron's child did you know that? Did you know?"

"No I didn't know. I couldn't know Hermione in order to protect everyone around you not just you I couldn't know anything! I had to alienate myself from anything remotely close to you or everyone would have died!" Draco seethed as he stood glaring down at her.

"You could've turned him in. You could've come to me after I helped get him arrested for illegal creature smuggling. You did nothing when that happened! NOTHING!" Hermione yelled rising to her full height as well.

"Oh please you think my father was stupid enough to let you catch him? I planned all of it! I got you assigned to the case and I made sure you had enough evidence to get him convicted! ME. I was going to tell you everything hell I was on my way to your fucking hovel of a home when an owl landed on my shoulder with a package. In that package was dozens of photos of you and everyone you care about and a letter that said, 'just because he's in prison doesn't mean the deal is off'. I WAS PROTECTING YOU!" Draco fought of the urge to shake her so maybe she would understand.

"We could've handled it. Together but no your off being some self-sacrificing martyr and you want me to thank you? To thank you for removing any choice I had in the matter? For making me feel used and worthless for years! NO! You don't get a thank you for being so stupid!" Hermione fired back, stabbing Draco in the chest with her finger.

"MERLIN! You are the most frustrating woman on the planet. I just bared my soul to you and all you have to say is that I'm stupid?! Seriously? Look I am here now. I am asking for your help now. I know we can't pick up where we left off, but I can't keep living like this alright. Lucius is giving me the option to divorce Astoria, but I have to give him his seat back on the council and he will leave you and everyone else alone. Probably not permanently but Blaise is working on that right now." Draco stated trying to bring this confrontation to an end.

"Oh joy, you're making more decisions for me and my friends without any input from any of us how thoughtful of you. Ugh you are so beyond words right now," Hermione stormed towards her floo.

"Where do you think you're going?!" Draco grabbed her arm and she slammed her foot down on his instep. "SHIT! OW what the blood hell woman!"

"I am going to see Blaise as you don't control me. I am not a pawn in a chess set Draco." With that she was gone.

"Why in the blazes did I have to fall in love with such an infuriating woman!" Draco seethed as he followed Hermione to Blaise's office. Still he couldn't stop the smile that tugged on his lips because god damn it he had missed everything about her and their relationship, even their fights.

Authors questions: Do you like it? Do you hate it? What will I write next? Stick around to find out