Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the intellectual property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of Stephenie Meyer and JK Rowling. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Beta'd by GetDrunkOnVictory and Jcat5507 of the Project Team Beta

Acquiring The Ring

2nd August 2005

An innocent Muggle auction held eight months earlier was the event that set everything in motion. She had dragged a reluctant Harry—Ron was, of course, a big no-no for that kind of event—to the auction of some historic memorabilia of famous and non-famous people from the start of the twentieth century. She only intended to buy, or at least bid for, an object that would catch her fancy.

Nothing really stood out as the sale went on slowly, and Harry was snoring next to her as she watched, one by one, the articles on sale finding buyers. She still hadn't found anything that really stood out to her. It was then, as she read the pamphlet detailing the items auctioned, that she found on one corner of a page, something that actually caught her eye.

It was a ring. It was nothing extravagant; it had a pear-shaped, white diamond that was laid squarely on the centre of the gold ring, flanked by smaller, round-cut diamonds. The pamphlet said it was from the Masen Estate, Chicago, 1918. There was no more available information concerning the origin of the ring, but Hermione found that the elegance of the ring had a simple charm. This was what she had wanted to find. She shouldered Harry to wake him up, and her best friend woke up with a start. She showed him the page as she eagerly awaited for the start of the auction for the ring.

"What are you going to do with Charlie Chaplin's cane, Hermione?" Harry asked her, perplexed.

"Not the cane, Harry. The ring, you dolt," she whispered, pointing at the corner of the page.

"Oh, OK. Still, what are you going to do with the Masen's ring, Hermione?" Harry reworded his question as he looked, still perplexed, at the ring on the page.

"I like it, and so, I'll be wearing it, Harry," Hermione simply told her best friend.

"Who the hell are those Masens, anyway?" Harry asked again.

"I don't know who those Masens are, but I can –"

"Still do some research about it," Harry completed. Hermione glared at the cheeky expression of her best friend. He knew her really well.

Her attention was brought back into the auction as the object of her desire was brought forward. The close-up on the large screen that stood behind the stage showed the ring in more details. As she'd seen from the picture on the pamphlet, the ring was simple in its elegance, but the close-up of the camera also showed that there were words engraved on the inside of the ring. Eternally yours, it read. It was perfect.

"So, why am I here, again?" Harry asked as the auction started at five thousand pounds. "Isn't that a bit high for something so unimpressive?" Harry added as Hermione raised her pad.

"You're here because I wanted to spend some time with one of my best friends, as our clashing schedules don't allow much free time to be shared between us." It was true that Harry's work as an Auror and her's as a mind Healer took a lot of their time. "Plus, since you're here, you can participate in the auction, and if this goes too high for my budget, you'll be able to continue and buy your best friend something that she wants." Hermione added with a smile before raising her pad again.

They were already at forty thousand pounds, and Hermione was starting to feel desperate as she watched the auctioneer continue raising the price as another bidder waved his pad. It was already too much for her, but she now wanted the ring desperately. It was a matter of pride for her.

"One hundred thousand pounds," a strong voice on her left said with authority while gasps echoed round the room, hearing the new bid. Hermione turned to see that is was Harry who had made the bid but the latter was not looking at the auctioneer but he was smiling right back at her.

"One hundred thousand pounds?" The auctioneer, Mr. Bore, a portly bald man with a walrus moustache, asked for confirmation, to which Harry nodded.

"So, one hundred thousand, one time." The large Mr. Bore was sweating profusely as he regarded the crowded hall waiting.

"One hundred thousand, two times." He waited again, but no bids came.

"One hundred thousand, three times." He said with finality. "And, the sale of the 'Masen Estate, Chicago, 1918' ring goes to the bidder number seventy for one hundred thousand pounds."

"Harry! You didn't have to spend so much on something so trivial for me. What is Ginny going to say?" Hermione hissed at him as they stood up and followed an attendant who led them to an office.

"Hermione, Hermione, Hermione!" Harry chastised, shaking his head as he smiled at her. "What kind of best friend would I be if I didn't buy the one thing that managed to catch said best friend's eye at this god-awful event?"

"You know I love you, right, Harry?" Hermione said as she looked at him with fondness.

"Don't let the Prophet hear you say this. Moreover, I was rather fed up with being here and wanted to tail out of here as soon as possible, and if this ring can bring about this opportunity, I thought I might as well take it. So, it's really no big deal." Harry modestly downplayed his decision as they sat and waited for the attendant to return with the ring.

"What would I do without you, Harry Potter?" Hermione asked.

"Hmm," Harry faked thought, "what would happen to Hermione Granger if she didn't have me in her life? I guess that you would have led a very boring life. With me in it, you're always one step away from trouble," Harry ominously told her. Famous last words those were.

Once Hermione had the ring on her hand, she was charmed by the simplicity of it. There were the words that were elegantly carved on the inside of the ring. That had not been mentioned either in the brochure nor by the auctioneer when he introduced the object for the auction. Only on the screen.

Eternally yours. That was what had been carved on the inside of the ring. Hermione marvelled at the simplicity and the elegance of the script. She nervously put the ring onto her ring finger, and it had fit her perfectly, as if it had been made for her.

"Can we go now?" Harry asked, breaking her from admiring the ring on her finger.

"Just a minute, Harry." Hermione said as he petulantly grumbled. "Can you tell me more on the history of this ring, please?" Hermione asked the portly Mr. Bore who'd taken a pause from the auction and had joined them in the office. The attendees had naturally rushed to the open buffet for refreshments.

"First off, I must offer my congratulations for this marvellous piece of history." He shook both Harry's and her hand with his pudgy, sweaty hand. "Secondly, I'm sorry to tell you that there isn't much information that we've been able to gather concerning the origin of your beautiful purchase of today. Only, that it's from Chicago from the late nineteenth to the early twentieth century and that it belonged to a family named the Masen's. That's just everything we've had."

"Great, Hermione. You have a new pet project." Harry said. "Can we go now?" He asked again.

"In a moment, Harry," she said in exasperation. Harry folded his arms and grumbled some more. "You don't have anything more?" Hermione asked the auctioneer again.

When the latter shook his head in the negative, Hermione sighed before she stood up. Seeing that, Harry cheered and followed suit quickly. He stretched languidly to rid himself of the last traces of sluggishness and watched her expectantly.

"You shouldn't go so quickly," Mr. Bore said. "We've got a few interesting objects of historical value coming up after the pause."

"We're so sorry but we've got a lot—er. We've got a lot of road ahead of us, and it's getting rather late." It was only three in the afternoon, but Harry was getting desperate. "Yeah, that's it. We better head out soon before the traffic, you know?" Harry finished in a flurry.

"It was a pleasure, Mr. Bore," Hermione said as she shook the portly man's clammy hand, barely repressing her shiver of disgust. Harry wisely just nodded at the man before opening the door and motioning Hermione to get a move on.

It was only when they were out of the auction house that Harry breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank Merlin for that. I feared you wanted to sit back for the second session." Harry told her.

"I contemplated that option for a few seconds," Harry's eyes widened in shock, "but I reckoned I owed it to you after what you've done today for me."

"Don't mention it. It's really no big deal," Harry modestly answered. "But, if in the future, for whatever reasons you happen to have, you wish to again attend another auction, please bring Ron. I've never been this bored by anything since old Binns' classes."

"You're just being difficult, Harry. It's not as if your job as an Auror is very fulfilling right now," Hermione quipped. "I think I'm gonna tell Robards to put you on some desk job, maybe do some filling for the next few weeks," Hermione said seriously, but burst out laughing when she saw the fear in Harry's face. In a very Hermione-ish finale to the day, Hermione enveloped Harry in a bone-crushing hug. "Thank you, Harry. I love you, you know." Hermione muttered.

"It's no big deal, Hermione." Harry said awkwardly, voice muffled, as he was still held in Hermione's arms. When the latter let go, his hands automatically went through his trademark unruly hair. "We really need to head home. Ginny's been a real nightmare these last weeks." Harry shared as they made their way to a side alley.

"She's bound to be, Harry," Hermione remarked. "It's the final month of her second pregnancy. You are lucky that she can't hear you now, or you'd be hexed silly until the baby's birth."

"Don't I know that?" Harry replied knowingly. "Anyway, never mind that. Take care of yourself, Hermione." Harry said as they reached a safe spot to Apparate away.

"Will do. And thanks again Harry for coming today with me and everything." Hermione added looking at her best friend in earnest and in gratitude.

"You know you just have to ask and I'll be there," Harry said. "Anytime, Hermione." Harry added before he turned on the spot and Dissaparated with a crack.

Hermione checked one last time around before she followed suit and Dissaparated.

Just as Harry had predicted, Hermione had found a new pet project. She wanted to know the origin and history of the ring. It tore at her not knowing more on the beautiful piece of jewelry that she now wore every day. Therefore, she naturally researched all information that she'd been provided by Mr. Bore. It was not much, but she was still thrilled by the challenge that it presented.

In a move that shocked the Wizarding World, Hermione announced that she would be taking a long-deserved vacation from her top-position job as the Head Mediwizard of the Spell Damage Department. Harry, of course, knew the reason behind why she was taking a vacation, but he wisely chose not to comment. She had always hated it when she did not know anything, and she hated it even more when people chose to remind that to her. Hermione had decided that after not finding any new information on the object that had been torturing her for the past weeks, that she had to go to the source of it.

Chicago.

It was delightful what one was able to do with a little bit of magic. With the infinitesimal information that she had prior to going to the States, she was able to find more information on the Masens and their tragic story, in as little as a few days. Moreover, she owed the technique to Rita Skeeter for the very knowledgeable information that she had managed to gather.

Elizabeth and Edward Masen Sr. had been married in 1900, on the first of June, and almost exactly a year later, on the twentieth of June 1901, they had a son. He was named Edward Anthony Masen Jr., after his father. Edward Masen Sr. was a very successful and respected lawyer in Chicago of the early twentieth century. Despite having a successful career and living in the upscale district found near the Midway Plaisance and the University of Chicago, he was moderately rich.

Hermione was able to learn from the city's oldest resident, a super-centenarian, Mrs. Grey, who lived in the same neighbourhood as the Masens as a child, that the father was emotionally distant from his son. His wife devoted all her time to her family and provided her son with the love that her husband did not bestow upon his son.

In spite of all this, Edward Masen Sr. was very proud of his son, who, as per Mrs. Grey's memories, was a very brilliant and talented young man. As well as being extremely handsome, Edward Masen Jr. was also an accomplished pianist. Because of his father's distance, the young Edward had a somewhat rebellious streak and wanted more than anything to join the army. To the relief of his mother, he wasn't allowed to join until he turned eighteen years of age, and his mother prayed every day for the end of World War I. However, despite all the prayers that Elizabeth Masen said, the latter wasn't able to foresee the tragedy that was to befall them.

The Masens fell victims to the Spanish Flu. Edward Masen Sr. was the first to die after contracting the flu. It had been established, from various accounts of people of the time and from historic records that Hermione had gotten her hands on as well as from the personal memories of Mrs. Grey, that Elizabeth Masen had ruined her own chance of living by tending to her son with uninterrupted ferociousness. She had been deemed the less infected, but as she tired herself with looking after her son, her health drastically deteriorated, and she eventually died on a bed next to her ill son.

However, it was the ultimate fate of the Masens' son that was the saddest. The day his mother died was also the day that Edward Anthony Masen Jr. vanished. It appeared that he had enough strength to walk away from where they had been gathered in a makeshift hospital, which was a converted high school. There was no trace of him elsewhere. Either he died somewhere on the streets and that he'd been buried in the usual mass graves that were common at the time, or he had been able to survive. Anyway, there was no trace of him left, and it happened on the nineteenth of September 1918. On Hermione's birthday.

Mrs. Grey, who was one of the lucky few who were not infected, had gone the following day to inquire on her neighbours' fate and was saddened to hear the news of Mrs. Masen's death as well as the disappearance of Edward. She was the one that made the necessary burial arrangements for the Masens and was the one to whom all the personal belongings of the Masens that were in the hospital were bequeathed to, and that included the Masens' wedding ring that was now in Hermione's possession.

A relative of the Masens inherited the old estate, and every other paraphernalia that belonged to the Masens, but Mrs. Grey had kept the ring with her. She was the one who had, after all those years, finally parted with the old ring and gave it to an auction house on the one condition that the sale would benefit some charity.

That ring was finally what had gotten Hermione in the mess where she was now. That and her obsessive perfectionism. She finally knew what had happened to Edward Anthony Masen Jr.; he really did die.

In a twisted turn of events, Edward Anthony Masen Jr. had truly died and had been turned into a vampire. She really had only Harry to thank for sharing his bad luck with her, because the said vampire was also the one to whom she was now married, thanks to the magically binding contract that she'd carefully crafted. Hermione had not truly intended to go back in time to do what she had done. Nonetheless, she did it. She had, however, not foreseen this particular flaw: that she would end up being married to the only flaw in her best laid plan.

DARN!

Author note:

Tadda, here is the long awaited update to this story. Unfortunately, there is no Hermione/Edward interaction in this chapter but you'll understand the origin of the story. I'm not yet going into details on how Hermione went into the past since we'll get to that later on. The next chapter's title is "Meeting the Flaw." So stay tuned as I promise some interesting Edward/Hermione time.

I wish to end this chapter by saying that the response to this new story has been overwhelming and above my highest expectations. I take the opportunity to thank everyone +that have reviewed, listed it as one of their favourites or put a story alert for it. Even if I haven't answered your (long) reviews yet, you know that they are always appreciated.

Thanks to all reviewers: Arianna21, Arabellagrace, Nomada, Babynora1983, Sampdoria, Ginsensu, UnattainableDarkAngel, Mh21. CosmoGirl666, Moonstone Blaze, Guest010713, Lestat's Lover, Justaislinn, Astanley1991, Amata0221, Crimsonpincess99, Lw117149, BigTimeGleekBTR, Hpobsessed, Moebop, Guest010913, xTooxLazyxToxLoginx, Ptit Con, Lauritch, Flyingberry, Vepatiinson, Dores, Cibbler, HermisLupim26, Guest011013, Amjed, IaimHigher, India And Jovica, Ines Marie Pattinson, Jeluem, LenOfMarch, Love Comes From Pain, ManuMilitari, SimUleyTe, The Crazy Wizard, The Belle Nabab, Gemini-Rose16, Bridgetlynn, Sandrine Loves Ryan Philippe, Lucky Dudette, Michelle Black a.k.a Elle, JIPEE, Uppity, Mrs. Regulus Arcturus Black, Redly24, LeonaMasha, Lixy-chan, AnimeGirl45xoxo, Vampie2emo, Annarolls, Sherychery7, Invisible-gurl, TS17isme, Mylove24, Moonprincess97524, TheMoreSmutTheBetter, Lovelyinc, MoonShadowAMR, Nathaliie, Irmorena, Black Phoenix Ranger, Thrae Elddim, Guest031513 and Angel.

As always, take care of yourselves and have a great day.

Love,

Ludo.