a/n: Thank you all for all your reviews, it surely makes up for the hours I put into this after my 12hr day job and unending mum-duties. Thank you for staying with this slow-burn. There is a reason for this pace- the story needs time to unfold.


Chapter 25: Requests and Speculations

"Are you alright?"

Hermione looked up from the scroll she was trying her best to read, "Yeah, why?" she asked in the most nonchalant way she could muster.

"You look tired," Annette observed, her quill dripping ink onto her parchment.

Hermione exhaled softly and smiled. Hidden under the huge mahogany desk, she got rid of her footwear by pushing them off at the heels and stretched her aching foot. The sleepless nights had begun to affect her productivity. "It's been a little exhausting at the home front," she stated, massaging her aching neck, "I am planning to take it a little slow, maybe take a couple of days for myself-" she trailed off noticing how her assistant was looking at her in pure shock.

"Annette-?"

"Is-is that a ring on your finger?!" Annette gasped quietly. "Oh sweet Merlin, you're engaged!" she squealed in delight while Hermione groaned and tucked a curl behind her ear just to keep her hands busy, suddenly very ill at ease.

"Annette it's just-" she faltered as she pursued her lips together. It should have been easy to tell Annette, natural almost. Not that the girl hadn't seen Draco walk in freely into her cabin for years now. More importantly, her family already knew the truth, it mattered little what anyone else thought about it, she reasoned to herself quietly. Not like she could hide it forever from the public anyway. "It's just been very rushed," she explained with a small forced smile.

"Of course," Annette replied cheerfully.

Hermione could see the girl was barely holding back her excitement- and the obvious question. "Let's wrap these up quick," she gestured at her desk, "-and I won't be taking any new cases for the next two weeks."

Annette nodded, "Sure, I'll take care of that."

"Now fetch me Magical Enforcement's files from Henry's case," Hermione added as she sniffed in an exhausted sort of way, trying her best to push back from answering the question hanging between them. "And I need Patrick's latest medical reports from the hospital. I can't believe we haven't progressed at all in the case," she added hurriedly, "Margaret is just counting days to throw poor old Henry in Azkaban for whatever years he has left."

Annette stood up and paused for a moment before she hurried out of Hermione's chamber. Once the girl was completely out of sight, Hermione dropped her quill and leaned back, releasing a tired sigh. She was aching for a lie-down, knowing well that sleep would still elude her. Her stiff back stung painfully as she reclined herself on the chair.

It was no surprise that she could barely concentrate on her work. Exhaustion, mostly emotional, was bearing down on her senses. Yes, the decision was final, but now she had to see it through- tell her mother about Draco, convince her family to be a part of a wedding they were completely against, organise the whole wedding most likely by herself and most importantly face Draco- and spend a lifetime with him.

She released a shaky breath at the thought and poured herself a goblet of water to aid her parched throat. Drinking deeply from the goblet as she placed it back, her eyes found the sparkling ring on her finger. She adjusted it hoping it wouldn't feel so tight on her finger despite being the right size. She had been wearing it for a few days now and it still felt alien and stiff. The stone caught the light from the window and suddenly she found herself longing for the plain gold band that had adorned her finger for a few precious months almost a lifetime ago. From the time Ron had slipped it on, the gold band had felt like a part of herself, blending in with her skin as if it was made for her and her alone.

Groaning aloud, Hermione pulled the closest book she could find, flipping it open hurriedly to get her mind off the mess she had put herself in.

Barely a few minutes had passed before Annette peeped in through the partly open door.

"Auror Potter wants to meet you."

"Why am I not surprised," Hermione muttered to herself tiredly, slamming the book shut. She couldn't keep doing this over and over again and yet she knew convincing Harry was the first step towards convincing the rest of the family. And then she could shut herself up and concentrate on convincing the most important person- herself.

"Show him in, and Annette? Make sure we are not disturbed, please?"

….

Harry found her at her desk, bent over an assortment of parchments and books. The scene was so endearingly familiar that it brought a smile to his face immediately.

"You haven't changed, have you?" he asked with a small chuckle that turned sad as soon as she looked up and met his eyes.

"Wish I hadn't, Harry," she replied and seemed to suck in a breath and looked away.

Hermione left her chair, padding down the carpeted floor in her socks as she met him halfway and gave him a hug before moving away far too quickly.

"Go ahead," she stated tiredly as she offered him a chair and perched herself on the corner of her desk, "Tell me I am making a mistake. Isn't that why you are here?"

"I am not here to tell you that," he replied softly, "You know it already."

She scoffed and looked away.

"Did Ginny send you? Or perhaps you sent her last night?"

"Does it matter?" he asked, pulling her hand in hers and leaving it far too quickly at the sight of the ring. "Why are you doing this?" he beseeched, "You know this is not what you want."

"Everyone seems to know what I want better than I do," she retorted bitterly.

"Tell me we are all wrong and you are seriously in love with Malfoy."

"I am," she insisted but didn't meet his eyes.

"Why are you doing this?" he asked again, fighting to keep his temper in check. His friends had decided to drive him barmy, of that he was sure.

"I am twenty-five, have a stable career, what's wrong if I want to settle down?" she asked.

"There'd have been nothing wrong if that was all!" he snapped, "Tell me it's not to just get back at Ron? Hurt him?"

"He's not that important," she replied in a clipped voice, "Moreover, he's the only person who has no problem with my decision."

"You really think so?" he asked incredulously. "You know Ron, Hermione, you know him better than all of us-"

"I DON'T!" she thundered before she turned away, heaving, "Not anymore," she replied bitterly. "Perhaps I never did," she added after a pause.

"You've always known him, Hermione. And he is the same guy he always was."

She let out a derisive chuckle, "Well, in that case, I've been a fool all my life."

"Or, you are just being stupid now."

She gave him a murderous glare, hopped off the desk and padded down to the window.

"Draco loves me, doesn't that reason suffice?" she asked after a while as she continued to look outside the window.

"No, it doesn't," he snapped. "I've seen you both- you and Ron, I mean. You are just fucking miserable without each other and you want me to believe you are marrying Malfoy out of love?"

"Just because you don't want to believe it, it doesn't make it a lie!" she retorted glaring back at him.

"And Ron?"

Hermione huffed, folded her arms at her chest and looked away.

Harry exhaled soundly and walked to her, wrapping his arms around her in a brotherly hug. She resisted at first but it wasn't very long before she hugged him back, sniffing into his chest. "You heard your Dad," he tried again, "Don't rush into decisions, Hermione. Magical marriages laws are different. We are worried about your safety."

"Ron isn't,"

He groaned, "He is. He supported you because he thought this is what you want."

She snorted. "As if he cares what I want"

"He does, and you know that."

"Has a funny way of showing it, I must say," she replied, barely hiding her anger.

"Ron's an idiot," Harry sighed.

"At least we both agree to that," she scoffed.

He held her by her arms and took a long look, saddened to see how she bore the same signs of exhaustion Ron did. "But he loves you. No matter how much you want to ignore it, Hermione, you know he does."

She looked away in anguish and pushed him away, "No, he doesn't," she choked out. "Maybe he never did."

"Are you serious?!" he retorted, running his fingers through his hair in frustration. "There's no one else who loves you more, the things he's done for you-"

"-like what?" she snapped back, "Leave me alone and broken while he went away in search of fame? Tell me that he was tired of seeing me 'outperform' him and wanted better for himself?" she scoffed bitterly, "-'cause yes, that's what he did!"

Harry concentrated on his breathing, telling himself over and over that he couldn't break his promise. Ron had chosen his threat well.

"You are the brightest witch of our age, Hermione. You've solved puzzles that saved our lives. Surely you know better than believing just his words?"

Hermione looked at him, heaving, "I tried, I tried everything I could, Harry." She swiped her fingers beneath her eyes hastily, wiping away the angry tears. "I kept aside my pride and sought him out- I really wanted to know the truth," she choked out and seemed to bite back a whimper. "D'you know what he told me?" she smiled bitterly through her tears. "Said that none of his promises matters anymore, now that-" she trailed off and wiped her eyes again.

Harry sighed and walked up to her again.

"Give him another chance," he begged.

"He has had enough chances already. Moreover, I don't think he deserves one anymore."

"Trust me, no one deserves it more!"

She looked away. "It's over, Harry. Stop fooling yourself."

"Funny how Ron said the same thing."

She chuckled bitterly. "Well, at least he got that part right."

"You know what's funnier? Neither of you sound convincing enough."

"That's because you are just choosing what you want to believe," she huffed in response.

"Aren't you doing the same?" He waited for her to come back with a sharp retort but for once she didn't reply, simply looked away and despite all his annoyance at her for being so stubborn his heart broke for her. Harry walked up to her and pulled her into a hug and Hermione collapsed against him, letting out a small tired groan.

"I'm sorry," he sighed. "I should have been there for you when he left," he told her and she looked up and smiled. Up close he could see how exhausted she looked, perhaps she hadn't slept for days now.

"You know I don't blame you, Harry," she replied, patting his cheek lovingly. "But yes, I could use some support now."

Harry exhaled and they quietly padded down together and collapsed on the small couch.

"You could convince Ginny, you know," she added in a small voice as she set aside some books to make more space for themselves.

"You know why it's so hard for everyone, don't you?" he asked. "Don't rush into a wedding at least?" She met his eyes tiredly and Harry quickly put up his hands in defence. "Not bringing Ron in the picture, I swear. Just asking you to give yourself some time, yeah?"

Hermione looked away, "I can't, I have to do this," she replied in a small voice.

"I get that," he tried again, "Just don't rush."

She groaned and brushed her hair away from her face. "That's what I am saying, Harry! I need to get married soon- can't delay this!"

"Why?!" he asked, barely hiding his frustration.

"Mum's not keeping well," she provided, lips quivering. "She wants to see me wed! I have barely been a good daughter, always put my ambitions and everything else before her, and she never once complained. I won't be able to forgive myself if- if something happens to her."

Harry took her hand in his. The parental expectation wasn't something he had any experience with, but he knew he'd probably think the same if he was in her position- only he couldn't tell her that.

"You heard your dad. And I'm sure she wouldn't want you to wed just to make her happy."

"Doesn't matter, I still need to," she managed, her voice breaking.

"Hermione-"

"You don't understand, Harry!" she snapped, tears flowing freely. "I'm the reason she is in the hospital fighting for her life!"

"Hey… you know that's not true!"

"But it is!" she cried. "This -this genetic disease she is suffering from is because of me!" she exclaimed, hurriedly wiping away her tears and whimpering, speaking before he could interrupt. "It-It might not have triggered at all if not for my accidental magic that killed my unborn sibling and destroyed her chance of ever being a mum again!" He gasped but Hermione went on, sobbing uncontrollably. "And-and I never fulfilled any of the dreams she had from me! I-I can't snatch away this last dream from her too!"

As Hermione broke down completely, Harry pulled her into his arms again, silently cursing Ron and Hermione's rotten luck.

Far away, Destiny chucked at his thought.

….

"You have a visitor."

Harry glanced up from the steaming mug of black coffee and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Who is it?" he asked tiredly as he pushed his door open and walked down to his desk, glancing sideways at Ron's vacant quietly wondered how Ron would take to the piece of news he had just found out and whether he'd come forward to help Hermione.

His inner monologue came to a shuddering halt as his visitor walked in.

"Potter," greeted the man and Harry placed his mug down on the stained coaster as he offered the visitor a seat.

"Malfoy."

Draco Malfoy looked ill at ease. He was still impeccably dressed as he used to be at school. And if he was honest with himself Harry had seen the shift in man's demeanour since Malfoy had joined the Ministry. However, now with Hermione's declaration, Harry found himself scrutinizing the man, his Auror senses on alert, looking for foul play.

"What brings you here?" he asked as professionally as he could.

Draco looked around the office, his eyes lingering a little too long on the photograph that hung on the wall behind Harry's desk, his features darkening as he took in the picture that was taken mere weeks ago at the wedding- photographic selves of Ginny, Ron and Hermione and himself beamed at Harry as he followed Malfoy's line of sight.

"I need your help. This is about-" Malfoy paused, pursed his lips before finishing. "-Hermione."

Harry looked away, picked his cup and took a sip.

"I know she informed the family about us last night, Potter," Malfoy continued. "And I know it didn't go well."

Harry looked up from his mug. "Do you really blame us?"

Draco looked like he'd rather be anywhere but in front of Harry but he sounded determined when he replied. "No."

Harry gave him a look over, waiting for Malfoy to look away or give away any indication to prove he had ulterior motives; he didn't.

"What do you want from me?" Harry asked at last.

"I want your help- I want to talk to her parents and Weasley Seniors."

"Why?" he asked, brows furrowed.

"I know what they feel about me, and I want to prove to them that she is not making the wrong choice."

Harry pushed himself back on the chair, "Really? You think they are wrong to be worried that she suddenly decided to marry her bully?" he snapped back. "How many times have you wished her dead, Malfoy? And do I need to even remind you how you almost killed Ron and Katie back in our sixth year? Or got Bill maimed? Watched as Hermione was tortured in your own fucking house by your crazy-arse aunt?!" he roared, unable to check on his temper.

Malfoy had the audacity to glare at him before he looked away and checked his expressions. "I'm not denying any of those things," he replied slowly, and when he met Harry's eyes, Harry was surprised to see real guilt in those grey orbs. "I'm not saying they are wrong to doubt me. But I've changed."

"Why are you with her?"

Draco looked at Harry curiously. "I love her," he replied with a little shrug as if it was obvious.

"Come on, Malfoy," Harry scoffed. "You've-"

"-Wished her death, called her names, watched while she was tortured, I know!" Malfoy snapped. He ran his fingers through his hair frustratedly looking like a drowning man. "I don't need you to remind me of my past, Potter- I have my own nightmares!" He looked around as if searching for something to hold onto before he left his chair and began pacing. "I know I don't deserve her! But you have to believe me when I say- I love her! I do! And I'll keep her safe, I promise!"

Harry glared down at him and exhaled tiredly when Draco did not look away.

"You know what you are dragging her into, don't you? It's bad as it is with the Prophet scrutinizing our lives all the time. This news is only going to make it worse for her."

"I've changed and I've proved it over and over," Draco replied stubbornly, "And you know she doesn't bother about the press! But yes, she cares what her family thinks!"

"And yours?" Harry countered. "What about your parents? Tell me we are wrong to be worried about her when she was almost killed in your family home!"

Draco looked away. "They won't be happy but mother loves me. She'll understand."

"And your father? I don't trust Lucius."

"Neither do I but he is under house arrest for his entire life! She doesn't even need to go down to the Manor ever!"

Draco looked intently at the green-eyed man. Potter was his best and only chance. He exhaled tiredly and walked back to take his place at the empty chair.

He could hardly forget how distraught Hermione appeared when she returned from the dinner the previous night. Draco tried his best to ignore the lingering hurt as he remembered how she had wanted him to leave her alone. Their relationship was chipping off in bits and pieces and he was desperate to go to any lengths to glue it back together. He knew he was being selfish, waiting to make a woman his own while her heart belonged to another. It was complicated. Sometimes, in the quiet of the night, he wondered why he had agreed to marry her despite knowing well that Hermione was pinning away for Weasley. Maybe he was still the spoilt brat from school- one who only knew how to take what he wanted.

"I want to apologize to her family for hurting them," he admitted to Potter before he could question himself further. "And before you think I am making this up, let me tell you I am not." He swallowed uncomfortably. Did Potter even realize how difficult it was for him? It was one thing to regret his actions in the isolation of his own room, quite the other to actually meet the people he had wronged and apologise- and to the Weasleys, no less. "I know how much her family means to her," he went on, ignoring how Harry appeared to be watching his every action. "Their support means everything to her. As much as I know how difficult it is for all of you all to accept me, please help me out, for her sake?" he begged. "All I want is a chance. I can't bear to see her going through this because of me," he finished abruptly and found Harry looking deeply into his eyes, brows furrowed in contemplation.

"Do you realize she'll have to go through worse once this news comes out in public?"

"I know," he admitted. "Precisely the reason why she needs her family all the more."

"Why do you want her to face so much humiliation, Malfoy?"

"I don't want her to face the humiliation!" he said earnestly, hoping that Potter believed him. "I will keep her away from it all, I swear. But she needs her family and you know it!"

"It won't be that easy, Malfoy," Harry exhaled; Draco wondered if the man believed him at all as Harry continued. "I'll ask again, if you love her as much as you are claiming, why not let her live her life away from you and be spared of it all?"

"Because I am not a bloody Griffindor, Potter!" he snapped. "I love her and yes, I want her in my life."

"Do you know why she is marrying you, Malfoy?" Potter asked again and Draco gulped down his pride.

"Because of her mother's health, I know," he replied as he looked away.

"Don't you realise that she isn't thinking straight. This - decision- will affect you as well," Potter insisted.

"What do you want me to do?" he remarked, frustrated.

"Do the right thing. At the very least, don't let her rush into something at this stage when she is simply driven by guilt."

Draco chuckled derisively. "Just doing it for you best mate, aren't you, Potter."

"Don't drag Ron into this," Potter said slowly, not hiding the quiet warning behind it.

There was a lot Draco wanted to say but he swallowed the words and his pride. "Help me," he added.

Potter exhaled soundly and rah his fingers through his hair, hiding the scar. "I don't think you'll be able to meet her mum, I -" he exhaled again, "- I'll try and see about her dad, though."

"And the Weasley Seniors," Draco added, and Harry's eyes snapped up at him. "They are no less than her parents to her."

"I'll try but I'm not promising anything."

"You don't have to," Draco replied promptly, relieved. "Thank you."

Draco left his chair and after a brief, uncomfortable pause, extended his hand. Potter shook it, seemingly at the verge of saying something before he let go.

Draco was almost at the door when Potter called him again. "If you ever hurt her, you'll have to deal with me." He paused. "And Ron will hunt you down- trust me, you don't want that."

"Trust me, it will never come to that," he replied coolly before walking out.

….

There was a frenzy in the Daily Prophet printing press. The Editor-in-Chief, Morven Hornsby, picked one copy out of the many the machine was churning out at full speed.

"Finally something good, eh, Sir?" grinned the skinny little wizard beside him, showing off ugly, yellowing teeth. No sooner the words were spoken, a young man appeared beside them as if out of thin air, and clapped his shorter companion.

"Credit should go to me for that article, yeah?" he chuckled. "Did a lot of research," he remarked smugly.

Hornsby ran his fingers over the headline, smudging the slightly wet ink- 'Wedding Bells For Auror Ron Weasley?'

"How sure are we that it is Auror Weasley?" he grunted.

The young reporter snickered in reply, "Who else can it be?"

"Where is the proof?" retorted his boss sharply, "A top-grade lawyer and the 'Masked Terror' himself. They'll rip us apart if we get this wrong," he grumbled.

"Seriously, Sir, you barely had any story worth the front page!"

Hornsby glared at the man for his cheek. "Useless bunch I have here, not one picture of the couple!" he spat as he read through the article again, knowing well that the so-called 'sources' were all imaginary, and the half-page write-up was nothing but mere speculation.

"You don't get it, boss," snickered the young man again, ignoring the glare from his superior. "We saw that ring, didn't we?" he asked the short wizard. "Douglas managed to sneak in a picture of the engagement ring and you are still not happy!"

Hornsby looked at the cover pictures. The first had nothing more than the war heroine and her best friend, Holly Head Harpies' Star Chaser, Ginny Potter walking down Diagon Alley. But Douglas had indeed managed to take a picture of the ring with the stone glinting in the daylight.

"And what if it's not Weasley?" Hornsby asked, folding the paper roughly.

"Who cares?" laughed the young man. "The public will still lap it up! We'll break the record for sales with this, I'm telling ya."

Peter was the most annoying and arrogant reporter of all; Hornsby hated the bloke but he also got them the juiciest gossip stories. "Rita has done her magic, hasn't she?" Peter asked cheerfully, pointing at the companion article- 'Is War Heroine's Mystery Man an Ex-Death Eater?'

"She has gone barmy, " Hornsby exclaimed. "And who is this 'close-aide' of hers?"

"Barmy or not, it will help the sales, and she never discloses her sources, does she?" Peter replied bitterly.

"As long as they don't sue us for this," replied Hornsby as he handed the paper to Douglas and turned at the young reporter. "Speculations are fine for a start- but I want you to find out the actual story. Let's see how much we can milk this."

….