This chapter is on the short side. I know where I want to go, I'm just having trouble getting there. So, I'm posting what I have and trying to work my way through the block. But good news- I'm back down to one job! Maybe the stress level will decrease? I own nothing related to Harry Potter. If I did, Fred would still be with us. I adore and appreciate all of you, from the readers who have reviewed every chapter, to the ones that don't, and everyone in between. Thanks for reading!

Chapter 53

The last full day of break, Thoros Nott arrived looking frazzled and annoyed. "How? How?" he sputtered. "How do you deal with that man?" His eyes darted around the room, widening in a slightly manic manner.

Lucius grimaced, "I assume you refer to Black?"

"Yes! Has he shared this drivel with you?" He brandied about a handful of papers.

"No, he heard about your proposal and declared he would be handling it."

"The man is insane."

"He did spend twelve years in Azkaban."

"He expects me to turn over almost complete control of my business. He wants quarterly reports, 40% control, and of the remaining 20% I retain 40% and 20% of that goes to Theodore and Hermione, to be controlled by HERMIONE!" His voice raised in volume as he spoke. He visibly calmed himself. "He's demanding Theodore clear all his Wizengamot alliances and votes with him, or Hermione. He insists the Black vote remain independent of House Nott. And that owl. He uses this tiny hyperactive owl. The thing is more bludger than animal. The thing arrives at all hours of the day, then plays keep away with the missive."

Lucius calmed the older man, lamenting the predicament. Later he regaled his family with the story. "We agreed the benefit of tying House Nott to Houses Malfoy and Black to be worth the hassle of dealing with Sirius."

"Anyone else not the irony that Thoros is having kittens over the exact same limitations he wanted to put on Hermione?" Draco asked.

"He's not finished. Next proposal, he's going to insist until we have at least two sons, Theo can't have outside interests or extensive work. He needs to be available for husbandly duties."

Narcissa threw her head back laughing. "He isn't?"

"Everything Thoros wanted reversed. After that he's going to branch out. All of our children must follow a naming pattern. He's thinking of famous muggle musicians for the boys and gemstones for the girls."

"That isn't so bad." Lucius frowned.

"We'd have to go backwards alphabetically each name, and each child needs four to five names like the royalty they are." The family chuckled over that. "He's going to demand we have a 'normal' marriage, including having a home of our own. A tiny cottage he intends to pick out, but will demand Thoros purchase."

"What about the owl?" Draco asked.

"Remember Ron's crazy owl?"

He nodded, "That thing is a menace."

"Fred traded Ron for a calmer owl. He gave Pig to Sirius just to torment Thoros."

"The bird's name is Pig?" Lucius asked in confusion.

"Ginny named it Pigwidgeon, but he only answers to Pig."

"I'm sorry I asked."

"He does resemble an owl shaped bludger, and he thinks delivering mail is a game. I would kind of like to see Thoros chase him."

Theo returned to the previous subject. "Once Father agrees to a more sensible arrangement, Sirius is going to move onto the wedding itself. He's going to push for a ring bear."

"Oh, Thoros might not mind that. Magical weddings have flower girls and ring bearers." Narcissa smiled.

"Not a ring bearer, a ring bear. Literally a bear to carry the rings."

"Oh, dear." She attempted to hide the unladylike smile behind her hand. "Maybe allowing Sirius and Remus a free hand was a mistake."

"The genie's already out of the bottle." Hermione replied. Draco gave her a funny look. "Muggle saying, it means that it is too late to stop what's happening."

Warrington brought a shrunken trunk over under the guise of discussing quidditch team matters with Draco. Hermione frowned as some of the tension drained out of him once he handed it over. She hated that instead of starting his life after graduation, he would have to run away and hide to avoid being dragged into a war. Theo told her he intended to begin moving some things to his cottage as well. "We all just want to be ready to move fast if we have to."

That evening Hermione enchanted an old beaded bag with an undetectable extension charm. Inside, she placed the books she thought most important to the horcrux hunt, several changes of clothes, and the beginnings of provisions. She, too, wanted to be ready to move fast if they needed to. She hoped that it wouldn't come to that. Part of her hoped and prayed they would end the madness before it consumed their world.

Upon returning to school, Hermione set aside horcruxes, dark lords, and impending war to revise for exams. By extension, most of her friends buckled down as well. She practically lived in the library. Theo joked about packing a picnic dinner for her and call it a date. She threw a quill at his head in response, causing the others to laugh.

At the completion of exams Theo dragged Hermione to the prefect's bathroom, for an evening of relaxation. The untimely arrival of Moaning Myrtle kept the event from heating up, but Hermione reminded him school was almost out for the summer, and they would have ample time to spend some uninterrupted time then.

It wasn't until after curfew that she realized she hadn't seen Harry since just after dinner. Fretting, Hermione settled in by the fire to wait for her best friend. The clock chimed half past midnight before the portrait swung open, a shocked Harry climbing in. He looked about, and seeing Hermione, sighed and joined her.

"Long lesson?"

"Went beyond a lesson. We collected a horcrux. Or, rather, what Dumbledore thought was a horcrux."

"What happened?"

"We went to the cave where Riddle tormented some other orphans. Had to use blood magic to open it. Took a magic boat across a lake in the cave. Then Dumbledore drank a cauldron full of potion that drove him under his mind. Once we had the locket, he wanted something to drink." He ran his hand through his hair. "The thing is there were inferni hiding in the water, waiting to mob anyone who disturbed them."

"Which Dumbledore did when he went to get a drink?"

"Exactly. When they swarmed, I called for Dobby. Thank Merlin house elf magic trumps Riddle's. He apparated us out." Harry stared blankly at the fire before shaking himself.

"How is he now?"

"Madame Pomfrey thinks he'll recover in time, but his cursed hand isn't helping."

"At least we got another horcrux." she comforted him.

"Oh, but we didn't." Harry held up a gold locket.

"That isn't Slytherin's locket."

"I know."

"Riddle hid a fake?" she shouted indignantly, like he had somehow cheated.

"No, someone who signed the note R.A.B. did." He handed her the note. "This was in the locket."

Hermione slumped back against the couch, "And without knowing who RAB is we can't know if the real one was destroyed. "Damnit."

"Yeah." Harry leaned his head against hers. "Still going to stick with me?"

"I haven't run screaming yet, have I?"

"Thanks, Hermione."

"Don't mention it." They sat, heads together, staring into the fire for a while before going to bed.

Despite still hiding his handicaps, Riddle began letting his followers loose. Or, without a powerful leader present, they were slipping their leashes. Either way, violence against muggles and muggleborns began increasing. Fudge continued to wish wash over letting the aurors do their jobs properly. The rising tensions cast a shadow over graduation ceremony. Some feared unrest, some the unknown, and some the coming war they didn't want to fight. At the End of Year Feast, Dumbledore encouraged them to enjoy their summer, and reconcile with estranged family, to remember to hold tight to love. Harry caught Hermione's eye and rolled his.

Perhaps it was just her imagination, but Hermione thought the Express ride to be more somber as well. She sat with her female friends, urging Theo to join his. She told him they needed some time without Draco freaking about them doing anything remotely romantic.

"I swear he needs a girlfriend to keep him occupied." she grumbled.

"And let you clap back a little." Sally-Anne giggled.

"And that." Hermione agreed.

"What if he dated your friend?" Luna asked in her usually airy innocent tone.

Hermione raised an eyebrow, "Luna, are you sweet on Draco?"

"Not me." She turned her head to look outside the window.

Hermione looked at Tracey, Sally-Anne, and Fay. The former two looked as confused as she felt, the latter squirmed in her seat, failing to look relaxed. "Oh, my gods! Fay, do you fancy Draco?"

"Shhh, do you want him to hear you?"

"He's six compartments and two carriage cars away, I think you're safe."

"Now, stop dodging the question." her best friend demanded.

The usually confident Gryffindor hid behind her hair. "Kind of."

"How does one kind of fancy a bloke?" sassed Sally-Anne.

"When you have no idea if he fancies you back, and his sister is a close friend. Can't really swoon over him if you cringe over every sentence."

Tracey perked up, "Harry's practically her brother, and she lets me swoon."

Hermione nodded, "I'll stop you if it becomes too much information."

They all looked expectantly at Fay. She sighed, "At first, I just enjoyed teasing him, harmless flirting. Then he started flirting back. And he's not exactly hard on the eyes."

"He is rather fit." Sally-Anne agreed. Everyone but Hermione nodded.

"Look, I don't disagree, but I refuse to acknowledge it out loud. His ego doesn't need any help." She smiled mischievously, "Though I can help you spend more time with him, let you see if there is anything there." Fay perked up, "Come over. Despite the rumors it is perfectly safe, and Draco spends a lot of time at home."

"Your parents won't mind?"

"They don't mind anyone else dropping by whenever, the only reason Dudley doesn't is because at one point Bellatrix kept popping in unannounced. Lupin fixed that."

"I wouldn't want to impose."

"Then, I'll invite over whenever everyone hangs out, and sometimes when we don't."

"I like that plan."

Narcissa greeted them warmly at King's Cross. "Hello, my darlings." She noticed Theo glancing around. "The minister called an emergency Wizengamot session today. Lucius, Sirius, and Thoros are all there. Harry, you'll pop home with us and then can floo back to the cottage if you want. Theo, you're welcome to join us."

Sharing a look with Hermione, he declined, this was the perfect time for Montague and Warrington to vanish. She nodded and pecked his cheek. "Owl me when it's finished," she whispered into his ear, "we'll go out."

"Sounds like a plan."

Barely an hour after arriving home, Hermione notified her mother that she and Theo were going on a "proper" date. He treated her to dinner at a charming wizards pub in Devon, called the Dragon and the Knarl. To solidify an alibi, Theo insisted they play several rounds of darts, drawing as much attention as possible. Hermione doubted anyone would ever investigate where they were, but she indulged him.

Sirius reported the success of his morality clause. "Several other clubs love the idea, and have implemented their own."

"Brilliant," Hermione beamed, "maybe this will clean up some of the players' images."

Sirius nodded, "By the same extension, I informed Thoros that if his son starts spouting a tattoo, the betrothal is off. He knows where I stood during the first war, he knows I know which side he picked. So, we'll see what's more important, power or selling his son to his twisted master."

"One can hope." Hermione sighed. "I really don't want to have to fake a break up."

"I doubt he would try to force anything before graduation, hell before the point of no return in an engagement. Some of them still see the two of you being together as the way to pull the Malfoys off the fence." Remus noted

"How reassuring of you, Moony." Sirius rolled his eyes. "Don't start fretting yet, Kitten."

"Just please, don't tell me to go enjoy my childhood like I can possibly ignore what's going on. I don't think I could respect you in the morning after that."