A/N: Thank you everyone for your reviews. This is the last chapter of the main story, but we still have the epilogue to go. Thank you to everyone who has waited patiently for updates while I got my muse back for this.

Hermione looked at the clock in her home office, and started tidying her stuff away.

It was half past three, and she wanted to make sure that she was early to the meeting Lucius had called.

She could only assume that the private investigator had found something. Hopefully her information about the necklace had helped them find something concrete.

After apparating to the Manor once again, Hermione began to get nervous whilst walking up to the door.

Somehow, she knew that whatever was going to happen would change her life, one way or another.

Before she could knock, the door opened to reveal Draco.

He was dressed in his best black robes and a forest green silk shirt.

For a second, he stole her breath away.

"I thought you might come by early," he said.

"I wondered if you knew what was going on? Your father's invitation to the meeting and nothing else." Hermione said as she followed him to a very large sitting room.

There were enough seats for the entire Weasley family there, and she hoped that Lucius had not asked all of them to be present.

"He hasn't told me anything," Draco admitted. "But it must be big as he has invited Joseph, Louisa, Astoria, Ron, and his parents."

The two of them sat talking quietly until the Greengrass' arrived.

JOseph and Louisa looked a little taken aback at their friendliness, but Astoria didn't seem to think anything of it.

Maybe she realises we are actually friends, Hermione mused.

"It's good to see you, Hermione," Louisa said.

"You too, Louisa," she replied.

Before they could talk even further, footsteps could be heard along the corridor.

The door opened to reveal Lucius, followed by the Weasley's, and a man she had only seen in the papers.

Alexander Smith was the best private investigator in the wizarding world. He was known to be just, fair, and thorough in every investigation, and he never let prejudices cloud his judgement. It was another reason why he was often asked to consult on criminal cases.

The fact that Lucius had hired him meant that he had taken her and Draco's theory seriously. It also meant that his findings would hold more weight.

When Molly's gaze landed on her though, Hermione wanted to shrink back at the barely concealed hate.

"What is she doing here?" Molly asked icily.

"Miss Granger is here because I asked her to be," Lucius replied just as coldly. "Please feel free to take a seat."

Hermione knew that he wasn't fond of her, or her friendship with Draco, but she was grateful that he stood up for her.

"May I introduce Mr Smith. I am sure you know of his work through the Prophet, and it is because of that I decided to hire him," Lucius said, tilting his head to the other man.

"When Draco came to me and told me that Astoria was pregnant and claiming the child was his, I asked him for the truth. He vehemently denied the claim. I decided then that I would need to take matters into my own hands as I would not let my son be duped into marriage. I asked Mr Smith to look into it and we are here to hear the results," he declared.

Astoria looked as if she was about to say something, but was stopped by a look from her father.

Clearing his throat, Alexander Smith said, "I have done my best to compile all the evidence needed to ascertain the truth about this matter, and even though I cannot definitely conclude that Mr Malfoy is the father of Miss Greengrass' child. However, I did find evidence which puts her claim into doubt. For the past two weeks I have retraced both of their steps for the past six months, and found that Miss Greengrass has been in a sexual affair with Mr Ron Weasley. I have not found any indiscretions on Mr Malfoy's side though."

"What evidence do you have of this?" Joseph asked.

"I have stills from muggle CCTV from a hotel which shows the two of them kissing. Even though Miss Greengrass was wearing a glamour or a wig so her hair was dark, you can clearly see her face. I also interviewed some of the hotel staff and they confirmed that they shared a room, and that they were seen…undressed together. The other piece of evidence is that Mr Weasley bought several pieces of jewellery and one of them was a silver necklace with swirls and a sapphire stone in the middle. When I showed a picture of Miss Greengrass wearing it, the seller confirmed it was the same one," Alexander told them.

The silence in the room was deafening.

A part of Hermione felt relief that she hadn't been wrong in her assumptions, but the rest of her was angry at their betrayal. She couldn't believe that they would actually do that to her - and Draco.

"That doesn't mean that Ron is the father," Molly said dismissively.

"You're right, it doesn't, but it does put doubt on whether Mr Malfoy is. The other thing is that the woman Miss Granger found Mr Weasley with had dark hair, and since it is known that Miss Greengrass occasionally coloured her hair it suggests that she was the one he was with. It just so happens that tryst occured on the very day of conception," he informed them.

The other adults frowned deeply at the information.

"Can we see the photographs?" Louisa asked.

Hermione thought that she wanted to see physical proof that the allegation was not being made up.

Mr Smith handed a folder to her, and when Louisa opened it her eyes widened in shock.

"Thank you, Mr Smith," Lucius said before turning to Astoria, "I think it's time you told the truth, don't you?"

Astoria burst into tears at his question.

"I don't know why I had the affair," she sobbed. Draco has always been good to me. I-I told Ron about the baby and he said he wasn't going to claim it. I didn't want to be ruined."

"So you thought you would ruin my son's life instead?" Lucius asked scathingly.

The young witch didn't answer and only sobbed harder.

"You lied to us, Ron," Molly said quietly.

"Mum I-"

"No, Ronald," she said fiercely. " I don't want to hear your excuses. You made me shun a witch for no other reason than to save your own skin, while leaving the one you got pregnant. I have never been more ashamed to call you my son."

"But mum-" Ron tried before being interrupted again.

"No buts, Ron," his father said angrily. "You had our family believing the worst of Hermione when all this time she was innocent. We have defended you when people have called you a liar, and I too am ashamed to call you my son."

Ron bowed his head, but Hermione could tell that it wasn't out of remorse.

The vein in his neck was bulging, and his hands were clenched. He wasn't sorry for what he had done, only that he was caught doing it.

"The betrothal between Draco and Astoria is officially over. Any part of her dowry will be given back to you," Lucius announced.

"Of course," Joseph replied.

He and Louisa looked heartbroken at what their daughter had done.

"You will step up for Astoria, son. I don't care why you didn't before, but you will now," Arthur told Ron.

Hermione couldn't remember a time when Mr Weasley had disciplined his Ron, or any of the family to such an extent. But then none of them had wronged someone this way before.

"I don't even want kids!" Ron exclaimed.

"Well tough, Ron. You're having one an if you really didn't want any then you should have thought about that before having sex!" Molly bellowed.

Hermione's heart went out to the older woman.

Although the two of them hadn't always seen eye to eye, she knew that Molly loved her children and would defend them at any cost. To find out that her youngest son had been lying to her all these months must hurt.

"I think it's best if we have this discussion in a few days when everyone has had time to process everything and calm down," Louisa suggested.

"That's a good idea," Arthur agreed.

As the Weasley's went to leave, Molly approached Hermione nervously.

"I'm sorry for how I treated you, Hermione. I…I didn't want to believe that you would ever do something like that, but…I never thought Ron would lie to me like that," she apologised.

"It hurt me a lot that you would believe I could do something like that , but I understand. He is your son and you should be able to trust him," Hermione said.

Molly nodded and trailed out after Arthur and Ron.

It would take a long time for Hermione to forgive her properly, but she wasn't as angry at her substitute mother as she had once been.

Mr Smith had said his goodbyes already during that time which left them and the Greengrass'.

"I have some work to finish," Draco said before he also left.

Hermione wanted to go after him, but knew he would need space to process everything.

Astoria's tears had slowed and she looked to her and was just about to speak when Hermione put her hand up.

"I'm sorry, Astoria, but I can't talk about this right now. I'm too angry and upset, and I don't want to say anything I will regret," she explained.

"I understand," Astoria said hoarsely.

She hated seeing her friend so dejected, but she didn't have it in her to offer words of comfort or forgiveness.

She brought this on herself, Hermione thought.

Suspecting that Astoria and Ron had been together was different to actually knowing it.

"We will take our leave," Joseph said, as he stood up.

The two Greengrass women followed him in silence leaving her alone with Lucius.

"Draco is lucky to have you as a friend, Miss Granger. There would have been a time where I would have been disappointed, or even horrified by your friendship, but you have helped him through this immensely, and therefore you have my gratitude," he told her.

"Thank you, Mr Malfoy. There was a time where I thought I would never be friends with Draco, but he has changed a lot throughout the years. It also helps that we're not supposed to be enemies anymore," Hermione said. "Please tell him that he can owl or floo me anytime he wants to talk. I'm sure he needs time to take everything in."

"Of course, Miss Granger," Lucius responded.

Once she had left the manor, Hermione took a deep breath of fresh air.

The tension that had been in her body for the last few months melted away.

She could breathe, and live again like she wasn't a social pariah.

Hermione was sure that an announcement would be made about Rona dn Astoia's marriage, and once it did everything would be set right. And he was sure that they would marry as her parents would demand it. It also seemed as if Arthur and Molly would too. It would serve Ron right after everything he had put them both through.

Now though, she was going to spend the rest of the evening reading with a glass of wine.