Chapter Nineteen

            The months passed quickly after Hermione and Kaden's marriage.  Along with those months, Hermione's pregnancy.  Kaden sometimes had to use all of his self control not to spin his beautiful wife in the air, singing praises of how beautiful and perfect she was.  Others, he had to force himself not to rip his hair out and scream at her for her grumpiness.

            During this time, Draco had proposed to Felicia.  Since the Imperious Curse had been taken off of her, they had got even closer.  They found similarities between themselves they didn't know existed.  One of their favorite new hobbies was "Hermione baiting", even though this rarely consisted of anything but putting Kaden on the line of having his head bitten off. 

            Today, on their last ride on the Hogwarts Express, they had decided to play their new favorite game.  Kaden was innocently reading a quidditch magazine that Draco had loaned to him and Felicia was writing a letter to her parents.  Draco was bored so he started the games.  Hermione was re-folding some of her robes from her trunk quietly. 

            "Really, Kaden, those robes aren't that big.  I doubt Hermione looks as fat in them as you say she does."  Draco said, mock seriously.

            Hermione's head was up in a flash, her robes on the bench next to her, forgotten.  She looked at Draco who purposely widened his eyes and put his hands over his mouth, pretending that he didn't mean to say it.  Her chocolate brown eyes swiveled onto Kaden's face, who was holding a page mid-turned, looking very frightened.

            Hermione, in all of her emotional gullibility, believed Draco's story and her eyes grew heavy with unshed tears.  Her chin quivered as she said in a low whine, "You…think that I am fat?" 

            Kaden glared at Draco and took his wife's hand.  "NO!"  But his explanation because Draco's partner-in-crime apparently was done with her letter and wanted in on the fun.

            "Really, Kaden, you can be SO insensitive.  I wanted to hit you when you were talking about how she was like Mt. Vesuvius.  Honestly, she isn't anywhere near that size and doesn't blow up at every second."

            Hermione's face was overrun in tears as Felicia and Draco successfully hid their laughs.  "I CAN'T HELP IT!  I AM NOT TRYING TO BE MEAN!  I JUST WANTED YOU TO…love me." She finished weakly. 

            "You aren't mean, love!"  Kaden protested as he reached out to her.  "Honestly, you are BEAUTIFUL!  You glow!"  He reached out and put a hand to her cheek which she had fiercely slapped away. 

            "GET AWAY FROM ME!"  She yelled and ran out of the compartment.

*~*~*~*~*

            She handed spoken the rest of the way to their new manor and had only stopped to smile at the look of it before storming off to the master bedroom. 

            That is how, on their first night in their new home, Kaden found himself sleeping on the couch. 

~*~*~*~*~*

            The next morning Kaden woke up to a kiss on his lips.  He opened his eyes to see Hermione standing over him. 

            He sat up and blocked his face so she couldn't slap it, purely on instinct.

            She laughed.  "I am sorry, love, I now realize that Draco and Felicia were baiting me.  It's strange; I never would have pictured them doing something like that!  It is so unlike them!"  Kaden snorted.

            Hermione rolled her eyes.  "Anyway, you have a letter in your study.  The owl wouldn't let me touch it so I assume it is from my lord."

            "My lord?"  Kaden said with wide eyes.

            Hermione smirked.  "Just keeping up the façade, darling."

            Kaden got up and walked towards his study.  Sure enough, there was Midas, Voldemort's favorite owl.  Kaden unrolled the parchment and strangely enough Midas stayed as he did so. 

            Dear Kaden,

            In honor of your graduation, I would like to invite you and your wife to have dinner with me and my consort, Virginia. 

            If you would accept this invitation, please be here at 7 o' clock tonight.  Tell Midas if you accept and if so, he is instructed to give you the port key that will go off at the aforementioned time.

           

            Best regards,

            Lord Voldemort

P.S.  I have always forgotten to ask, did your wife enjoy the jewelry I got for her?  I hope she did, I worked hard to find one that suited her.

            Kaden sighed and called to Hermione.  He handed her the letter when she walked in.  She looked questionably at him and then turned her head towards the writing.

            A minute later she looked up and nodded.  "That sounds fine, love.  I will be sure to wear my anklet tonight so that he can see that I do, indeed, like it."

            Kaden nodded and turned to Midas.  "Well, you heard us, we are coming."  Midas immediately stuck out the pouch tied to his other leg.  Kaden pulled the smooth stone out of it. 

            He then wrote a quick letter when he realized Midas wasn't leaving. 

            Dear Lord Voldemort,

            I and my wife, Hermione, would love to come to dinner tonight.  We will be their, promptly, at seven.  Have a nice day.

            Best regards,

            Kaden Xavier Malfoy

            Kaden was walking into the dining room when he heard voices.  It was his father and Severus.  He walked into the room to see Hermione serving them tea.

            Kaden smirked.  "Can't get enough of me, can you?  We only moved in yesterday and you are already here to invade my privacy."

            Lucius looked up and frowned as Severus rolled his eyes.  "We knew you didn't want to miss seeing our cheerful faces so we decided to grace you with our parents.  We don't want you to be too grumpy for my daughter-in-law."

            Kaden rolled his eyes and sat down at the head of the table.  Lucius took a sip of his tea and smiled.  "Which of your house elves made the tea?"

            Hermione smiled.  "Actually, I did.  I like to make my own tea; I have a special way I make it."

            Lucius smiled as he took another large swallow.  "Well, Hermione, love, if you and Kaden ever decide to divorce, he is the one leaving.  As long as you making this tea, you will be family to me."  Hermione chuckled and Kaden glared.

            "It is nice to see how much you care for me, dad.  But I don't think you will have to worry about Hermione and me divorcing for a while."

            Hermione smiled. "Damn straight!"

            Severus gasped.  "Miss Granger, you have such a mouth!"

            Hermione rolled her eyes.  "Honestly, Professor Snape, I am not a student, I can speak how I please.  And it has been four months; please call me Mrs. Malfoy or HERMIONE."

            "Very well, Mrs. Malfoy."

            Hermione growled.  "COME ON, you call Felicia by her name, why not call me Hermione?"

            "Because you are a GRYFFINDOR."

            "What does that have to do with anything?"

            "You are my rival."  Severus said, jokingly.  But Hermione's hormones flared and she took it literally.

            Her eyes teared and she choked out.  "Honestly, all I want is to be accepted by you but you just will never do it.  You were so cruel to me and now I have married one of your best friends and you still can't put it behind you, even though I have?"

            Lucius, sensing a crisis, walked over and hugged Hermione.  "It's okay, sweetie.  Really, he doesn't hate you.  He was just kidding."

            Hermione's face hardened and she walked towards Severus.  "WELL THAT REALLY ISN'T SOMETHING TO JOKE ABOUT!"

            Severus backed up slowly as Hermione advanced on him.  "I guess I will be going.  Good bye, Kaden, Lucius, HERMIONE.  I love you ALL."  He then ran from the room towards the nearest fireplace. 

            Hermione turned to the remaining men, beaming.  "Really, Severus is such a softie.  He is like a big, cuddly teddy bear."  The mens' eyebrows shot up and they had equal looks of confusion on their faces.

            "You two have strange looks on your faces, are you okay?"

~*~*~*~*~*~

            The rest of the day passed just like that.  Hermione teared up three more times and Lucius left as she started on the fourth of the day.  It was already time for her and Kaden to start getting ready so it was good he left. 

            Kaden informed Albus, mentally, of where they were going and all was quiet as he got ready for dinner.  Hermione didn't speak to him until she came into the bathroom.

            She was wearing a knee-length black dress with a dark green velvet cloak.  Her anklet was glittering proudly around her…ankle.  That was the only jewelry she wore besides her rings so it stood out.  Her hair was up in an elegant bun and she looked perfect.  She sneered at the gaping Kaden.

            "Yes, I can look good even though I am pregnant you slob.  Are you ready?"

            Kaden immediately grabbed his wand and shaved his face and then they walked to the study to port key to the manor.  Kaden grabbed the stone and his wife's protesting hand and they were gone.

            The appeared in an elaborate entrance hall and were greeted by two house elves.  "Good day, sir and madam, dinners is this ways."  Kaden took Hermione arm and soon they walked into the dining room.  Ginny and Voldemort stood to greet them and then they were all seated.

            "Good evening, Mrs. Malfoy."

            "Please, call me Hermione, uhm…"

            "You can call me anything, Tom, Voldemort, Lord Voldemort, even "hey, you" if it strikes your fancy."  Voldemort said, charmingly.

            Hermione blushed and Ginny scowled.

            "Very well…Tom."

            Voldemort smiled.  "So…congratulations on your graduation.  Kaden, is it true you are going to work at Hogwarts come this September?"

            "Yes, it is.  I am going to take over the Transfiguration post."

            "What about you, Hermione?"  Ginny asked.

            Hermione smiled.  "I am going to take the first year off with the baby.  Then the arthimancy teacher, Professor Vector is supposedly retiring, I am hoping to take her job."

            Voldemort smiled.  "Well, I did call you here for something other than dinner.  I was wondering actually, Hermione, if you had seen Harry Potter."

            Hermione smiled.  "Actually, I see him every day."

            Kaden's eyes grew wide.  What was going on?

            Voldemort's eyes narrowed.  "What do you mean everyday?"

            "Well, Tom, he has been right under your nose and is enjoying your dinner right now. Kaden Malfoy IS Harry Potter.  I actually wanted to tell you about that."

            Tom stood up and drew his wand.  But Kaden was faster.  He grabbed Hermione's wrist and his emergency port key from his pocket, and then they were gone.

            They landed with a thump on the floor in their living room.  Kaden got up and pointed his wand at Hermione.  "WHAT WERE YOU DOING?"  Hermione looked frightened.

            "I-I don't k-know what h-h-happened.  I just…"  She then screamed and passed out.  Kaden fell down on his knees at her side.  He looked at his wife's face when a glow caught the corner of his eye.  He turned to see Hermione's anklet glowing, it then started to sink into her skin.

            Kaden screamed and grabbed her bleeding ankle.  He tried to get a grasp on it but a second later, it was gone, embedded into her very skin.

            Kaden screamed again before running to the fireplace.  "ALBUS DUMBLEDORE!"

~*~*~*~*

AUTHOR'S NOTE:  Okay, so what if I am mean!  Honestly, it wouldn't be as fun if there weren't any cliff hangers, besides I like to keep you on your toes. 

            I have to say, I thought people would at least catch on!  You actually thought Voldie would send a mudblood a PRESENT out of the goodness of his hearts!  HOW FREAKING GULLIBLE CAN YOU GET?!?!?!?