Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot on this fanfic and a couple or more characters you certainly won't find in the HP books so when I say anything I mean anything! Heck, I don't even own this computer! I'm just renting it until I get my own. So please bear with me if my updates are slow?

Leloupblanc

Thank Yous:

K-iska-Muggle-Girl-0731: Thanks and sure! I'm flattered that you think me good enough to review your story. I'll leave you a few suggestions once I get around to it, k?

Tsaui: Yeah, I know. Thanks for the, uh… review. I'll make sure to dedicate my portrayal of Snape here to you. v

katie: you think so?! Thanks! I am so glad you think she's in character. She's my favorite HP character in the book and the movies and I try to make her look good all the time in all my fics.; I am so hopeless.

Tini-angel: Oh thank you! Oh! Look at the sky! I think that's my head floating up there already! Deep and emotional, huh? And here I thought I was being pathetic when I wrote this fic (really bad day. Menstrual cramps galore). Thank you so much! Thank you for acknowledging this story. And to think I hesitated when I registered onto this site.

hpdancer92: thanks. I am so overwhelmed by your appreciation. Please stand by for more H/H action. And keep your eye on the baby!

silverhazel: yeah, it is, isn't it? I'm planning to make it harder on him. (yeessss… eeeviilll is me!) Harry must die! (bonks self on the head) BWAHAHAHAHA!!!. (bonk on the head) Erm… sorry… ;;;

Usha88: Thank you ever so much! I can't believe you actually like this stuff!!!

dtowncheerchic: Gee, sorry if I almost made you cry! Thanks for your obvious appreciation and I hope this chapter will make you a bit more… uhh… cheerful? So come on, cheer up (hands out a hankie). Though I really can't promise you anything, okay? Sorry for the delay.

Voldie On Varsity Track: I absolutely love your nick! Thanks, guys! I hope you read this next chapter. More coming soon, k?

HOWDY: thank you. Sorry if I couldn't continue sooner than I wanted to. Thank you for your time and howdy to you too!v

ravenclaw's heir: oh gee, thank you! I love you too! I hope the whole of the plot doesn't disappoint you! Thank you so very much!

wow: this answer your question? Sorry for the wait though.

observer: yeah, I know. But I plan on making a few more twists on him and tweak his inner feelings. You know? That part of him that gets all angsty and confused? The side of him that just couldn't stay down. I just hope I can get it right, though. ;;.

oppositesdistract: lol!!! Okay, here's more. Thanks! I see you've reviewed me twice so I'll dedicate this chapter to you . And I've seen your review on Don't Pretend You Love Me by mugglebornlp! I love that fic too! Can't wait for the author to update either.

HG Wannabe: (bows humbly) thank you, oh mistress of critics. I shall push myself to my limitations in order to reach your highest expectations. Hope you like this piece. (smirk)

shadownorth: thank you! Oh I know it's implausible and believe me, I'm hardly even a fan of the pairing, but you have to admit, the sappiness is there! If these two ever gets a chance to pair up in cannon, I'd hope for it to develop this way. I hope I can catch your interest all the way!

Rebeca Franco: LOL!!! Careful what you wish for. Be patient because I intend for this to be a Romance! Keep on hanging 'coz I'm not finished yet.

Bladefanatic: whoa! Thanks for your review and comments. I am most humbled that you would deign to comment on any work of mine. Sorry I couldn't update soon enough. I think you've been a fan of this pairing for a long, long time already. Okay then, consider this a gift. v

oppositesdistract: here it is, calm down, will you? LOL!!!

cassie: thank you so much… I hope my head doesn't swell up and explode from such a comment. I wouldn't want to end up like Aunt Marge. I hope I can keep you as a reviewer too, along with the rest of the people reading this. But I still think you're exaggerating a bit. ;;

LCWicked05 ): I think so too since you mentioned it. Hence this chapter here.

miss sticky frog feet: funny nick! Lol! You're review is quite flattering and damn but I actually blushed when I read it. Thank you so much. Rest assured that I will continue.

Apologies: Soooo sorry, I had work. My genius of a mother decided to borrow a sizeable amount of money from a loan shark months ago, which I had never even laid my eyes on, and gave the debtors the deed to our house as collateral and now, she's left me, my two younger brothers and little sister to run off with some hobo. Now I have to triple on shifts on all my jobs to pay 60,000 grand just to freeze the interest or we'll soon find ourselves out on the street. I wish she'd told me this sooner (sigh). Damn, parents suck! Based on my calculations, my savings aren't going to dry up soon if I was really, really careful with the expenses around the house.

Anyway, I wrote this chapter to relieve some stress. My friend (the one who owns this computer) was kind enough to let me stay in her place for a while. Away from the chaos. Hope you guys like it. DON'T WORRY, I PLAN TO FINISH THIS STORY EVEN IF IT KILLS ME.

I can't believe you guys actually like this story. I just made this through a 'what if' situation and it kept bouncing around in my head until I just had to write it! Wow!() It makes me feel guilty about my long absence. So sorry, you guys! If I've only known…

Plug in: Oh yeah, on my return to the world of fanfiction, I've browsed through some of the latest fics and I've come across a really good H/H Romance/Humor. You guys have just got to read MUGGLEBORNLP'S 'DON'T PRETEND YOU LOVE ME'! It is sooo damn hilarious and it is a romance! At the start, I've mistaken the genre for Drama/Romance. I was later on enlightened, however. I sooo love the interaction between the characters and the plot… LOL… you've just got to read it.

Spoilers: You'll know 'em when you see 'em! ov!!!

Author's Note: Enjoy!!!

Chapter Two: Bonds of Blood and Silk

It was the wedding of the century. Or at least, that was what it would be called with blatant sarcasm by anyone who knew about it.

It was over in a few minutes, Dumbledore presiding over the ceremony, being a member of the Wizengamot and all. The red, silk ribbon that tied their hands together turned pure white as soon as both of them said the vows that needed to be said.

In short, it was a wedding not worthy of the great Harry Potter. Or so people would say. And all throughout the ceremony, Hermione's face held a lingering glow of sadness that Harry noticed all throughout the proceedings without her knowledge.

It made her look like the Virgin Mary he saw during church when the Dursleys slip on their 'charitable' sleeves and gave clothes and baked food that were better than anything Harry would ever be given.

Pure, even in her sorrow.

He remembered stealing a piece of raspberry pie while he was setting up the table in a community picnic once and Aunt Petunia was busy exchanging gossip with the local ladies. Dudley chased him, wanting to take the pie for himself but he unconsciously Apparated into a nearby church. Disoriented and confused, he looked around, and there he saw the benign image.

The image of the muggle religious idol in front of the bright, stained, tinted church window caught his awe. The perpetual look of sadness and love on her face arresting him like a moth attracted to a flame. He'd always wondered what that expression would look like on a real person.

Now, as he looked into Hermione's face, that answer was solved. It wasn't nice to be so helplessly enthralled by such a look on the face of a woman you just made to marry you, but he couldn't help himself. She captivated him like no one else he's ever known… It was like being in front of the Mirror of Erised all over again only… this image he can touch… feel…

And now, he was married to it.

"…I now proclaim you, husband and wife…" Dumbledore announced at the end of the incantations smiling kindly at the two of them.

Harry nodded and, at the corner of his eye, he saw Hermione nod as well, but with her eyes on the ground. He suspected that their hands, still joined by the ribbon, kept her from moving away from him. Dumbledore moved forward and removed the ribbon before handing it to Harry.

"As long as the ribbon is whole, you cannot be parted. The only ones who can cut this ribbon would be yourselves or when one of you dies." He informed Harry, his eyes smiling merrily at him. "Congratulations, you two."

"Thank you, Headmaster." Was all Harry could say. His eyes were still locked on Hermione who was already moving towards the crib she transfigured for the baby while the ceremony was taking place.

"You are welcome. And now, Cornelius," he turned to the Minister of Magic who stood witness to the whole proceeding along with Percy Weasley. Both of them were now scowling darkly at mother and child. "I believe we still have some business to attend to."

"Of course, Albus," Fudge grumbled then called in an authoritative voice. "Weasley!"

"Yes, Minister?" Percy responded automatically in his most I'm-So-Very-Important voice.

"Get this down to the Department of Magical Archives. Make sure they replicate it and send the original back to the Potters as soon as possible." Fudge told the young man with a sour look on his face.

He handed a sealed, enchanted scroll over to Percy. The glistening ribbon Dumbledore took off from his and Hermione's hands tying it up and keeping it closed. It was the contract that the both of them signed to seal their union before the ceremony.

Taking the rolled up scroll from the Minister's hand, Percy shot one last frosty look at Hermione before attempting to pass Harry on his way to the door. But when he was directly beside the younger man, Harry stopped him with a frigid whisper so low that only Percy could hear it.

"If you look at her like that again I will pluck your eyes out personally and deliver them to Snape." Percy's eyes widened and glanced at Harry in fear, but Harry was looking straight at Fudge, who was in deep conversation with Dumbledore now. These past years, Harry had acquired a certain reputation as the Order battled with the Dark side. He's become tougher than Alastor Moody, if rumors were to be believed. Harry smiled coldly. "I don't like seeing your mother cry but I'll bet your brothers would love to see you buried ten feet under the ground."

Percy gulped and scuttled off to do his errand. Harry remained motionless with his freezing eyes trained straight at Fudge. From the corner of his eye, he saw Dumbledore give him a surreptitious wink. He would have smiled himself if he weren't still seething over Percy's attitude. Anyone who messes with his wife or anything else he owns will pay big time!

Harry still longed for a family and the Weasleys were the closest he's ever had of it. It was one of the reasons why he was so protective of them. He still itched to get his hands on Percy's throat for what he did years ago. Mrs. Weasley still cried about it sometimes and it made Harry mad as hell. He won't tolerate any crap from the pompous git, especially when it comes to Hermione.

"Well then, all this has been taken care of at last, it seems. Minister Fudge will give the wizarding media a press conference on your behalf. Will you be there, Harry?" Dumbledore asked after a while.

Harry shook his head, his eyes now back on Hermione, who was staring down at the cradle which held her sleeping baby inside. She already looked pale and gray around the edges. She was obviously exhausted, which was no surprise considering what she's already been through this evening. "No, Headmaster, we really should be heading home now."

"And where will you be staying?" Dumbledore asked him.

"At Godric's Hollow," he met Hermione's eyes that shot up to look at him at the mention of the all too familiar place. "If it's alright with her."

"I'm sure it will be more than adequate to satisfy your needs, isn't that right, Hermione?" Dumbledore turned to the woman.

Hermione was still looking into Harry's eyes. Still surprised but very grateful. "Yes, Headmaster. It will be more than adequate."

Dumbledore nodded. "Come along, Cornelius. We both need to do things in order to ensure everyone will accept this marriage. I will be going back to Hogwarts to see if little Vera's name here is written on the school's magical registrar."

Still grumbling, Fudge allowed himself to be led out the door by the older wizard, leaving the newly wedded couple and the baby in the room.

Harry watched Hermione's eyes tear away from him. Her hands, now clutching the edge of the baby's temporary cradle, stood out stark white against the shiny, newly varnished wood. A heavy silence landed between the two of them. Something neither of them thought would happen during the tenure of their friendship. Harry felt it. Like an invisible wall he was tempted to break through.

"I'm so sorry…" she finally broke the silence. It was barely a whisper and yet it echoed through the room like thunder.

Harry didn't know what to say. Another moment passed in the heavy silence before he swallowed and spoke again. "There's nothing for you to be sorry about. I bullied you into this arrangement."

A pair of diamond tears fell down her cheeks which she impatiently wiped away with a graceful hand. "Don't act all noble on me."

"I'm a Gryffindor. I live to be noble, remember?" he said, attempting to lighten the conversation.

Hermione's lower lip trembled. "I ruined your life…"

"You did not."

"I'm a horrible person—"

"You are not!"

"I AM! There's no need for you to sugar coat the bloody fact!" she snapped at him before swallowing and meeting his eyes once more before her voice returned to that barely whispered tone. "I could have just said no…"

"You couldn't have. Vera's life was at stake at the time. And so was yours." He said quietly. It was hurting him, these emotions of intense guilt and remorse he could see on her face. So sorrowful and pained. All because she wanted to save her baby's life. "I can't fault you for what you did. If it were me in your position, I would have done the very same thing."

Hermione hugged herself, not looking at him now and staring at the child in the cradle. He could clearly see how shaken she was from where he was standing. "It's just so unfair… Something like this shouldn't be happening to you! I was hoping… I was hoping that you'd finally be happy after the war… Do the things you like to do. Play professional Quidditch. Be chased by hoards of beautiful women! Just be… HAPPY! The real thing, Harry. The one you deserved living from the very start! And now… And now…"

Harry swallowed and sighed before closing the gap between them in three strides and hugged Hermione to him tightly. She remained still and silent, still hugging herself as though trying to hold herself apart from him. He breathed in the lavender scent of her hair and held her until she finally relaxed in his arms and leaned a little into him. He soundlessly relished the feeling of having her this close. Quietly shushing his heart so it wouldn't beat so loudly that she might hear it, he closed his eyes. He buried his face in her hair and spoke beside her ear and relished the feel of her against him. "Do you really think I could be happy if I allowed Vera to be kissed by a Dementor, Hermione? Do you think I'm that cruel and soulless?"

Hermione sighed, realizing where this was going to lead. "No, of course not. You know that."

"Glad you think as much," he said wryly and then smirked. "So stop thinking like you owe the world something. You're beginning to sound just like me. All angsty and morbid and sulky. You're an optimist, Hermione, always have been in dire situations, even if you were a bit too straight laced before me and Ron contaminated you with our… er… high-spiritedness. Remember the Polyjuice?" Hermione chuckled a bit at the understatement and the memory. "So use that optimism of yours and think of the plusses in this situation and not the negatives. Calling life unfair is fruitless. Believe me, I've tried doing that several times in my lifetime and it never got me anywhere."

Hermione sighed and finally let go of herself and held the strong arms that hugged her. It felt so good to be held again. They both gazed down at the sleeping baby in front of them. "When did we grow up, Harry? It only seemed like yesterday, we were being sorted into the same House and Snape was breathing down our necks at every possible opportunity."

Harry sighed back and continued holding her. He wished they could stay like this forever. "I really don't know. Maybe during the war?"

"No…" Hermione whispered after a while. "Even after fifth year we seemed older. We grew up even more after we learned about the prophecy. I'm just not sure when we started expecting things to get worse."

"I don't even want to know." He said, suddenly assailed by the memories of Sirius' death. They were skating on dangerous grounds here. Grounds he didn't want to discuss with Hermione right now so he changed his tone and steered the conversation onto less dangerous topics. Grounds that did not involve contemplating things that might have been and intercepting feelings better left forgotten. "So. Vera Laila, huh? Never thought you'd name any daughter of yours that way. I imagined you naming her Helen or… Serena or something delicate and sensible. Do you know me and Ron once put up a bet that you were going to name your first child HogaHis? In lieu of Hogwarts, A History? I wonder what Lucius would have looked like if the next Malfoy line was going to be called HogaHis Malfoy?"

"Oh you did, did you?" Hermione understood his unspoken plea to change the mode of conversation and she complied calmly. It was something she could always do. Almost anticipating his every thought and his every need without the benefit of bluntness. "Actually, I didn't name her. It was a Malfoy family tradition for the child's grandmeré to christen her son's first born. Narcissa didn't give me a chance to protest. I believe Vera Laila means, 'dark healer' or some such. I haven't looked it up yet. Things have been…busy."

Harry remained silent. They both knew very well that Narcissa was still being hunted by the Ministry. She fled shortly after the final battle with the Death Eaters and was not heard from since, but all evidence and information indicated that she was still alive and in hiding.

"I think we'd better go, Hermione. You look about ready to drop. I'll borrow a car from the Department of Magical Transportation. I won't risk Apparating with you and the baby again when you're in this state." He told her, reluctantly letting go.

Hermione faced him then and looked him in the eye. Her expression solemn and sincere. "Harry, promise me something."

"Anything, Hermione." He answered readily. He'd promise to jump off a building if that made her notice him.

She smiled slightly and then looked at her baby. "I want you to promise me… that if you ever find someone you love and truly want to be with other than me, that you'll tell me so I can cut the ribbon. Then, you'll be free to marry her. Okay?"

Harry froze. "Hermione—"

He was stopped by Hermione's fingers on his lips. "I won't restrict you from having lovers. I am not going to take that away from you and I refuse to. I want you to be free, Harry. This is the only compromise I can give you while you are bound to me. Okay?"

Harry swallowed the lump in his throat. So this was how things are going to be, then. A marriage in name only. Clearly, Hermione didn't want anything to do with him beyond being the protector of her child.

'…I don't even love you like that…'

Alright. If that's all he could have of her, he'd take that. "Alright. But only if you promise me the same."

Hermione smiled at him wearily. "Sure. But I doubt I'll be finding someone else soon."

Harry forced himself to smile. "You'll never know. I just want to be fair to you, that's all. Let's go?"

Hermione nodded and gathered Vera in her arms again, feeling the weight of her child, comforting her nerves. She looked at the sweet, sleeping face she was holding and smiled tenderly before dropping a gentle kiss on the feather soft brow.

Harry felt envy strangling him by the throat. It was painfully evident how much Hermione loved the child. The tenderness she was displaying was alluring to him and made him want to experience it himself. To be loved by her. Deeply. With nothing held back. He gritted his teeth to bite back the urge to ask Hermione to kiss him like that too. Instead, he chose to wrap a protective arm around his wife and led her out of the office.

Walking past the rebuilt Fountain of Magical Brethren, Harry pointedly ignored the people who were stopping in their tracks to gape at him and Hermione as he ushered her towards the Ministry parking lots where he can sign up to borrow a car. So preoccupied was he in trying to spare Hermione all the unwanted attention that he didn't notice someone jumping right in front of him until it was too late. A sudden flash of light temporarily blinded him and made him reach for his wand in alarm. Also a habit he got from the war.

"Hey, Harry!"

Harry blinked a couple of times and released Hermione's hand to rub at his eyes from under his glasses as he lowered his wand cautiously. "Colin?"

But, as usual, Colin was rushing off way ahead of him, "Oh, wow! Isn't that Hermione Malfoy?! We've heard rumors all around since we got here! The Minister's called up a press conference on your behalf for an important announcement! Is it true that you defeated her and captured her after a dozen Aurors failed?! Huh, Harry? Huh?! Are you taking her in for questioning now or escorting her to Azkaban with the 'demon heir' of the Malfoys?! Will she and the heir be immediately subjected to the Dementor's Kiss by you? I'm sure they will and it will be all because of you, Harry! You'll always do everything to keep the wizarding world safe!"

Hermione, who had her eyes on Colin the moment Harry stopped walking, was gritting her teeth at her former fellow housemate. How could he?! This was the boy she helped tutor during those days when she was still Head Girl! The same boy she laughed and dined with all those years at Hogwarts! How could he say such things about her and her child?! How dare he say such things about her and her child?!

And didn't the ignoramus notice that Harry was supporting her weight and not holding her by magical bonds? Since when had Colin Creevey become this thick?!

"Of course he does, Colin," a female voice suddenly answers from behind the younger man and Hermione was met by another familiar face. "Harry's always done that. I mean, he's always been doing that since school. Besides, she was his friend back at Hogwarts and was married to a Malfoy. She probably used an advanced sort of Dark Magic to beat those Aurors. Only Harry can be powerful enough to defeat her. He knows her too well."

"Cho?" Harry asked, surprised.

The beautiful young woman Harry first fell for with all the fervour of adolescent passion, smiled at the both of them, giving Hermione a cursory glance before flashing her pearly white canines at Harry. It was a smile worthy of Gilderoy Lockhart himself.

"Hello, Harry," she breathed sweetly. Shoving Colin aside to get closer to the dark haired wizard. "It's been a long time. I haven't seen you since you defeated You-Know-Who… Are you free this coming Saturday for an exclusive… interview? We can do it over at my flat…"

Harry eyed her with a bit of puzzlement and just a pinch of distracted irritation. "Sorry, Cho, I'm busy. And I don't do interviews. At least not anymore."

"Oh, of course! You have to get these criminals off to Azkaban as soon as you can! Silly me. I heard she was very difficult to catch. They shouldn't have wasted the time and just sent you in the first place to drag her away." Cho said sweetly, giving Hermione a smug once over. When her eyes settled on Harry again, the exotically, edge tilted orbs that were her eyes, shone with adoration. "I understand very well the demanding duties of a very powerful wizard… like you."

"Yeah, Harry!" Colin piped in excitedly. Then his face became hopeful, "You wouldn't, by any chance, give us an exclusive coverage of her and that Malfoy spawn being given the 'Kiss', would you?"

Hermione's whole body shook. She buried her face in Vera's neck as though to comfort her child as well as herself. Was this the kind of attitude she was going to have to deal with for the next succeeding years? She knew some people can never forgive. Cannot easily forgive. But Vera didn't do anything! It was unfair for anyone to blame this on her baby!

But then, nothing is fair in this world, love… came Draco's voice inside her head. That loving voice that whispered to her how much he loved her every night. That voice she loved so much…

She was startled out of her torment by Harry's firm arm around her waist and the ice in his voice as he began to speak.

"They're not Malfoys anymore." She heard Harry say. It sent shivers down her spine. "They're Potters now."

And then, without further adieu, Harry firmly, and gently, ushered her away from Colin and Cho. When Hermione looked back, she saw the both of them gaping like fish out of water. She looked up at Harry but saw the hardening of his jaw and the anger on his face. She felt his grip on her. Possessive and protective. It was something she remembered from their schooldays. She smiled slightly.

Harry.

The Hero.

The Protector.

Her Protector.

Clueless and wise all at the same time. He has so much ahead of him but now he chose to be married to her. She had to think of a way to make this more convenient for him. She had to think of a way to make him happy, to show him how grateful she was for this sacrifice… Because no matter what she did, she will always remain unworthy of him… She wasn't born to be the wife of a hero…

"Potter!"

Hermione heard Harry groan quietly before stopping in his tracks and turning slightly towards the direction of the familiar voice of Kingsley Shacklebolt.

"Yes?" he asked a bit sulkily.

"Auror's offices. Now." The older man answered before turning into the direction he indicated without bothering to see if Harry followed or not.

"I can wait here while you—"

"No." Harry said firmly. "I will not leave you here and be mobbed by a passel of intrigue and scandal hungry reporters. Whatever Kingsley's got to say, he can damned well say it in front of you."

Hermione was helpless as she was herded into the direction of the Auror offices. Ignoring the stares she was receiving, awkwardly. She thought she'll find peace and privacy once they were in that section of the Ministry, but heaven seemed to have decided to play a rather sadistic little joke on her.

Every single one of the Aurors she disarmed that night were either lounging around or busily doing something. Everyone stopped and stared at her once she stepped into the room, though.

Kingsley turned around to face them after he checked on a file a petite, female Auror handed over to him. She was gaping at Hermione and Harry like a freshly caught catfish. Kingsley seemed to be undisturbed by the sudden silence that enveloped his domain, however.

"Over here, you two, come on." He said before continuing on to his cubicle. "This is better than out there, I guess."

That was a matter of opinion, Hermione thought wryly while Harry steered her towards Kingsley, pointedly ignoring the open gawks of everyone else around him. Hermione was trying very hard not to blush at the mixture of curiosity, awe, hatred and sympathy she could feel from the eyes around her. She held Vera's sleeping form closer to her when they passed the cubicles.

"What is it, Kingsley?" Harry asked as soon as they got to Kingsley's workspace.

The walls, which were once covered with Sirius' glaring face, was now almost bare, except for the map of the world Harry saw on the summer before his fifth year in school. Since he's proven that Sirius was innocent of all the crimes against the Potters and Pettigrew, Kingsley dropped the façade of trying to locate a man he knew was as innocent as they come. Or, at least, before he spent a considerable time in Azkaban.

Kingsley nodded and indicated that they sit on a chair in front of his desk in which Harry guided Hermione on. "I believe apologies are in order, Hermione. I hope that you can… forgive me for what happened a few hours back."

Hermione smiled kindly at him and shook her head. "I can't say that I am happy with your actions but I understand. I can relate to the conditions that bind us to duties."

"Hermione!" Tonks came racing from around the corridor, colliding with several other Aurors and tripping over a couple of chairs before reaching them. On her face was the most repentant expression Hermione had ever seen. "I'm so sorry I couldn't do anything about it, Hermione. But with all the uproar about escaped Death Eaters and all and the purge we—"

"It's okay. But I am not going to promise to be more lenient the next time. So the next instance the both of you receive those kinds of orders again, my best advice would be to stay out of my way." She advised them both with a hint of steel under the calm of her voice.

Tonks laughed nervously. "Now that I've seen what you can do, I'm surprised Kingsley's not trying to recruit you into Special Operations!"

Hermione shook her head slightly. "I wouldn't be any good to any of you. I have a baby to take care of now so any work I have to do would have to be limited at home."

Harry saw Hermione's tired face and cut to the chase. "So, Kingsley, what's the matter?"

Kingsley sobered and handed him a scroll tied with a green ribbon and embossed by a silver seal with a familiar green mark at the center. "This."

Harry's face turned stone hard in seriousness that startled Hermione. She'd never seen Harry so calm and so grim at the same time. So much has changed in her best friend since they've parted. He seemed more… intense now. More focused. And there was an aura of danger about him that was missing from the gentle, impulsive boy she once knew. She watched him very closely.

"The Dark Mark." Harry said, almost emotionlessly. He opened the scroll only to find a blank page in front of him. "There's nothing here."

The dark man nodded. "All the people in the Charms Department could reveal so far was the Mark, but the message was too intricately hidden. We don't know how to make it come out. Have any ideas?"

Harry took out his wand and muttered a Revealing Charm. Nothing.

"Tried that already. With six other wizards and a dozen other charms." Tonks replied to Harry's unasked question. "Still nothing."

"Where did you get it?" Harry asked them, his innate curiosity peaked.

Kingsley sighed before answering. "This was intercepted by a member of the Magic Reversal Squad on his way to Brighton on a call from the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office. The owl seemed to have dropped it on a site where no one was likely to get a hold of it, magical or otherwise, so he picked it up and brought it to us. Especially when he saw… this." He gestured towards the sinister mark on the seal.

Harry grabbed a quill from Kingsley's inkwells and dropped ink into the parchment. They all watched as the ink disappeared into the parchment without a trace. Just like in Tom Riddle's diary… "Yup. Definitely enchanted."

"But how are we supposed to know what's written in there if we can't make the words appear! The Department of Experimental Charms don't even have a clue and they've used everything else we've tried and more!"

"Hmm…"

Everyone turned to Hermione, who was fingering the edges of the scroll. Her face was lit with a studied intensity Harry recognized all too well. "What is it, Hermione?"

Hermione was caught in the mystery and Harry could almost see the cogs turning inside her head. It seemed that her exhaustion was momentarily forgotten in the face of this new mystery. Harry almost smiled. Some things never changed. He had a healthy respect for her ability to deduce and analyse problems like these. It's what kept him alive these past years since he met her. It was also the very skill that helped them win the war.

"Could it be…?" she whispered before standing up.

Then, to everyone's surprise, Hermione handed Vera over to Harry and stepped towards the desk with the scroll. She lay it down on the desk and took a letter opener that was lying nearby. Before anyone could stop her, she held her wrist over the scroll and cut herself.

"HERMIONE!" Harry gasped, almost dropping the child he was holding. He stepped towards her, wanting to stop the indecent amount of blood that was pouring out of her skin onto the parchment. All everyone else can do was gape in shock. "What in the bloody hell do you think you're doing?!"

But Hermione wasn't listening to him anymore. She kept on letting her blood drip onto the surface until it was soaked through. Harry wanted to grab her but he couldn't risk Vera. Kingsley was in a similar state of shock at her movements. Just as Tonks regained enough common sense to move forward and stop her, Hermione smiled wanly, retracted her wrist and held it in her hand and swayed. Her knees wobbling weakly underneath her before murmuring, "Le Roi est mort… Viva le Roi…"

Harry caught Hermione against him with one arm as soon as he saw her sway while balancing Vera in the other and watched, in amazement, as the parchment absorbed her blood cleanly and words began forming on the parchment. "What the…"

Hermione was so weak, she had to lean on Harry to keep on standing. Her wrist was still bleeding but she was smiling in satisfaction. "Dark magic… The parchment needs human blood to lift off the enchantment. The reason why all of you failed… was because the parchment was enchanted with dark magic. And the only way to coax dark magic of this kind… to reveal itself… is to use dark magic too…"

Kingsley lifted the scroll up to him with trembling fingers and read the words on the parchment.

"H-how did you know about this, Hermione?" Tonks asked her in awe.

"I have a Master's Degree in Charms and I've achieved Master status on my Potions degree. Being married to a Malfoy wasn't going to stop me from continuing with my education. The Dark Magic knowledge I was exposed to, what with Death Eaters for a family, was merely an added bonus."

"You are totally amazing, you know that? Well? What's in it, Kingsley?" Tonks asked curiously, while wrapping her handkerchief around Hermione's wrist. "Sorry, Hermione, I'm not good with healing charms and there's not a Suturing Potion in sight. Have to make do with Muggle means, for now."

"Thank you." Hermione whispered faintly.

Kingsley met Harry's eyes, in the meantime, before answering. "It's for someone named Lowe. It seems to be a request to withdraw some galleons from Gringotts, telling him to seek Hermione's assistance. And the letter is from…" here he turned his eyes on Hermione who was rapidly losing consciousness. The name Kingsley mentioned, however, followed her into her dreams and was the last thing she remembered before losing herself to blissful darkness…

"Mrs. Narcissa Malfoy…"

Harry narrowed his eyes and clutched Hermione closer to him when he felt Hermione sag, unconscious. "Tonks, get me a portkey to my house. Now."

"You can't leave now, we have to see what we can do about this!" Kingsley said.

"Later." Harry said curtly as Tonks hurried to do his bidding.

"Potter—"

"I said, later, Kingsley." Harry shot back coldly. His eyes softening only when he gazed on Hermione's peaceful face. "I have to take care of my family first….."

A/N: All you guys, listen up. I'm going to put this fic up on Rated R next chapter. It might get bloody. And yes, it's going to stay there since I'm feeling sadistic due to recent events that's kept occurring in my life lately. Thanks.