Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter….JKR…Etc…

A/N: Call this chapter 5.5

June 9:

Ron lay in their bedroom once again, staring at the ceiling, one arm behind his head. It was late or early. He didn't know which. He tried to sleep, but every time he closed his eyes, a vision of Malfoy crouched in front of his wife sprang into his head. Even now, he had to admit, there was an intimacy between them the years hadn't managed to diminish. Each time he rolled over and encountered the empty spot where his wife should be, the grief returned full-force. Hermione hadn't been to work, to the table for food or to bed in nearly three days, nor uttered scarcely a word. Instead of crying and raging, which is what Ron wanted to do; she did what she always did in times of trouble: she turned to her books. She'd been researching a counter-curse, referencing every dark tome she could lay hands on. They both knew no good would come of it. They didn't know what curse Malfoy had used. In fact, given his knowledge of the Dark Arts, it was very likely he invented the damn thing himself and this is what was keeping Ron awake at night. The only way to discover or create a counter to the spell would be to ask for his help. Hermione hadn't mentioned it yet, but he knew she would. When she did, Ron wasn't sure what he would say. They were at a crossroads. If he agreed to ask for Malfoy's help, he would be allowing his wife to spend large amounts of time with a man she'd admitted to being in love with not a week before, but if he refused she would think he didn't trust her, didn't have faith in their bond. Honestly, he felt they should just forget the whole thing and adopt a baby. Hermione had told him only a few weeks ago that she'd been reading about an orphanage where most of the children were squibs, abandoned because of their lack of magic. Maybe they could…. The door opened and Hermione came in, a cautious expression on her face.

"Ron? Are you up?"

"Hmmm"

"Ron, listen. Are you listening?"

"Hmmm"

"I've been giving this a lot of consideration and… I would want you to come with me of course… but I'd like to ask for Draco's help in developing a counter. (Here Ron cringed, he hated that his rival was no longer 'Malfoy', but 'Draco') I know, I know. You don't feel we can trust him, but I… I really think he'd be willing to help us if I just explain to him…If we can just make a decision to move on."

"What if he says no?"

"He won't"

"He will. If not because he's still angry at you, then because he hates me, or Harry, or just to be an evil git! He won't help us. Have you given any thought to trying to work around the curse? I mean, it's obviously not working very well, is it? I mean, after all, we've been married for seven years and sleeping together for eight. It's not doing its job, is it?"

"Well, she began; I think it's kind of like what Dumbledore told Harry. In the end it's our choices which really matter. The curse is in place; it's marked me, but doesn't control me. Harry knew what was before him and chose to go forward anyway. It's the same for us. I chose you. No matter what Draco does or doesn't do as far as the bond is concerned, how it ends, is still, ultimately, my decision."

This obviously rehearsed speech gave Ron little comfort. "What do you feel our choices are, then?" he asked.

She got up and began to pace as she ticked them on her fingers.

"Hmmm.

1. We accept that I can't conceive a child with you and live without children

2. We ask Draco for help and he agrees, we develop a counter and have our own children.

3. We ask Draco for help, he won't agree and I go on looking for a counter alone

4. We try to circumvent the curse by muggle means; don't roll your eyes Ronald! Lots of muggle women get pregnant byIn vitro Fertilization!

5.We ….well…we ask Draco to ….father a child whom you and I could raise as our own."

Ron was absolutely floored by the last suggestion. She hadn't even considered adoption, but she was willing, or maybe wanting, to sleep with him again. He couldn't dance around it any longer. "Hermione, can I ask you something?"

She looked up at him and nodded, causing several curls to fall across her face in a manner he normally found adorable, but for some reason irritated him at the moment.

"Are you still in love with him?"

"No, not for a long time." She looked at the window behind him. She could never look him in the face when she lied. Never.

Ron decided to ignore the jagged pieces of his heart pressing against his ribcage and continued asking questions. "But, what I don't understand is, how. How could it have happened in the first place?"

"I don't really know if I can explain it." She turned her back to him, but he could see her face in the mirror that hung over the dressing table. She bore a sort of bittersweet expression, very wistful. "It was… it was like a …force pulling us together. We tried to ignore it, but….well; you know what it's like…we were young and passionate about winning the war. We just got caught up in the excitement and before we knew it…"

"You were sleeping together"

"Yeah" she smiled

"Do you….earlier you said…do you want to… with him?"

"No, Ron, I don't" she said with her eyes closed. Then, she turned around and looked right at him this time "but if it's the only way to get around the curse….well, I'll do what I have to do"

Ron got up and embraced her. "Hermione, listen to me. Please, please don't sleep with him. I don't want a child that badly. We can adopt children, lots of them, or we can just go on being the greatest aunt and uncle who ever lived. All that matters to me is that I have you. I don't need anyone else. Promise me."

She looked back up at him, tears glistening in her eyes. "Ron, that's why I love you."

But she didn't promise.

He was able to convince her to take a nap, during which time; he decided to take matters into his own hands. He went to the floo and called out "Potions Master's study at Hogwarts"

A pair of feminine feet appeared.

"I'm looking for Malfoy" Ron said in his best auror voice.

"Well, you're barking up the wrong tree, Red" answered the voice of Nymphadora Lupin, the DADA teacher.

"Oh, sorry. Did I get the wrong connection?"

"No. I'm just collecting a few things for him. He's gone on sick leave, started his summer early."

"Where is he? Do you know?"

"Yeah, but why do you want to know? Somehow, I don't think anyone named Weasley would be high on my cousin's list of people allowed to barge in on him in his sick bed."

"It's personal."

"Is that all the answer I'm to expect?" Ron didn't respond. "Fine, he's at the manor."

"Thanks" He almost pulled his head out of the fire, but thought better of it. "Tonks? You still there?"

"Yeah."

"Are you alright? Magic back to normal and everything?"

"Yes. No. Oh, blast. Yes, I'm returning to normal and No I'm not bloody alright. Neville is laid up in the infirmary, Draco's apparently gone 'round the bend, and the Headmaster has been in a towering rage for days on end. We're all expected to take up their duties, including teaching. Severus got so frustrated with our bungling attempts, he's now teaching Potions himself. Otherwise, I'm just fine. Thanks for asking."

"Sure." Ron pulled his head out of the floo. Did Malfoy Manor have a restricted floo?

Maybe. He'd better check first, wouldn't want to have to ask Hermione to re-attach his nose…again.