Chapter 28
Harry let them have their moment and then he cleared his throat.
"I still don't understand what you mean. How did we make Ron like this?" He gestured to The Prophet.
Hermione turned back to look at him. "More like we allowed him to be like this," she clarified.
He just squinted at her.
"Think about it Harry, whom else would we allow to treat us like this? We demonstrated through our actions that it was okay for him to treat us badly."
"I-" Harry stopped, he was clearly still torn, which was a hesitation Hermione understood.
"Whom else would we have allowed to be so careless with our feelings? And I mean that, we were both vulnerable and he walked all over us. But we didn't allow that from anybody else. Just Ronald."
And then a thought struck her. "You didn't just send him home the other night. You did more than that, didn't you?"
She'd already realized there was more going on here than he'd already admitted, but if she hadn't, Harry's expression would have given it away. He'd never been able to lie to her.
"Why do you say that?" He asked, and she could feel the curious glances of the other three people on her.
"Because he's never come after you like this. He's never dared. I thought he was smart enough to know there would be backlash. And I don't think he's suddenly changed tack because you and Ginny got divorced, he was mad about that, but in the end he didn't really care because it didn't affect him personally. It's not in any way helpful to him to make an enemy of you. So you must have done something that upset him so badly he forgot that and came after you anyway." She pointed to the paper. "This is personal."
Harry stared at his plate as he continued to eat his breakfast. "I filed for disciplinary action against him. And I might have told him if he ever spoke to you like that again I'd remind him how I defeated a dark lord when I was only seventeen."
Hermione was both concerned and touched by his actions. She also couldn't help but let out a little snort of amusement.
His head shot up. "Don't be a bitch, Hermione. You may not be afraid of me, but Ron is."
"I'm sorry," she smiled to herself. "It's just that you basically threatened him with a second year spell."
"Do you think you could pretend to be just a little bit impressed by me? You're killing my reputation," he said with a faux glare.
"As soon as you do something impressive," she quipped but smiled softly at him. "Thank you Harry, that was very sweet. But you didn't have to do it."
"It needed to happen. It was past time. He tried to attack a civilian in the middle of the Ministry- in the middle of the Auror Department- for Merlin's sake. I couldn't just let that slide. And I'm ashamed that I haven't said more to him about the way he treats you. Or, better yet, gone Malfoy's route," he nodded in Draco's direction and mimed a punching motion.
"I-" she opened her mouth to make excuses for Ron, perhaps not for his sake, but for Harry's, but she stopped herself. She had her own family to protect now. And anyway, wasn't that what she'd just vowed to stop doing? "Well, I understand why he's gone after me. But even after hearing that, it still seems a little far with you. These allegations go way back- all this stuff from the horcrux hunt. We've refuted them many times. He should know better, why is he still pushing it?"
Harry hesitated. "I think he might believe them."
"Excuse me?" Hermione bit out.
There was a long pause, "there's something I haven't ever told you."
"Excuse me?" She repeated.
There was another long pause as Harry seemed to be measuring his words.
"Remember the day- you know, during that last year- when we found the sword?" He finally asked.
Had it been anyone else, she would probably hexed them for asking such an obvious and inane question. But she knew that Harry would never have drawn this discussion out intentionally, so she was as patient as she could manage with him.
"Yes Harry, I definitely remember that day."
"Well, when Ron went to stab the locket it kind of...fought back."
"Okay…" she said, drawing out the word, she didn't know why he was being so weird about this, she'd already known the horcruxes had been sort of semi-sentient.
"It said things to him, showed him things, played on his insecurities."
"Harry, get to the point," she finally snapped.
"I- it said that he was the least loved child. That he would always be overshadowed by me and then it showed him," he had become very red by now and Hermione tilted her head trying to imagine what he could have to say that had him so embarrassed. He started making vague hand gestures which she couldn't quite interpret.
"What?"
"God, Hermione are you really going to make me say it?!"
"I'm afraid this," she imitated his gesturing, "doesn't mean anything to me."
"It showed him us, having sex!" He blurted and then he buried his face in his hands.
Hermione just stared at him. "But we've never had sex," she answered dumbly.
"I know that Hermione," he bit out, not lifting his head. "But despite the fact that I don't actually know what it would be like, it did look very realistic."
Hermione thought his face might actually explode from the ferocity of his blush and she felt slightly sorry for him, but then something occurred to her and she burst out laughing. "Oh my God, Harry! Is that why you wouldn't look at me for like three days afterwards!"
Still, he didn't lift his head. "I'm considering never looking at you again."
"Oh you poor baby!" She cackled.
"Shut up, you're like my sister- which is what I told Ron. But anyway, it was very traumatic!"
And that's when something else occurred to her and she started to laugh harder. "Oh God, oh Merlin," she struggled to catch her breath. "Harry do you know what this means?"
"That you enjoy my pain? That you're getting far too many laughs at my expense today?"
"Noooooo," she howled. "That there was a piece of Voldemort out there, albeit a small one, that considered the idea of the two of us having sex enough to be able to project an image of it!"
Harry actually yelped, but Hermione barely heard it over the sound of her laughter, she turned to the side so she could bend over at the waist. "Was it a 3D image or was it more like watching a movie?" She wondered morbidly.
"Stop!" Harry shouted. "I beg of you!"
She took pity on him and didn't say anything else. It took a few minutes before she finally caught her breath and wiped away the tears of mirth, and looked up at Harry who was staring at her in horror.
"Oh come on, it's a little funny, admit it."
He shook his head vigorously. "I feel violated. I think I need to be obliviated."
"Seriously Granger, you have a twisted mind." She turned to Draco who was looking at her like he'd never seen her before, and she was reminded of the other people in the room.
She glanced at Draco's parents. Lucius' face was carefully blank but Narcissa looked distinctly uncomfortable. "I apologize," she said, "that was inappropriate." She didn't bother to sound all that sorry, sometimes you just had to laugh about these things or you would cry, and they'd made their own choices that weren't her fault. "Anyway," she turned back to Harry. "You realize that actually says a lot about Ron?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, the locket played on your worst fears. Wearing it, for me, was like being in the presence of a dementor."
Harry nodded in agreement.
"If you had been the one to try and stab it, what do you think it would have shown you? I'm guessing it would have been something a lot worse than Ginny sleeping with another man."
Hermione saw the moment Harry understood where she was going with this. "Like when I looked into the Mirror of Erised I saw my family, but he saw himself as Head Boy and Quidditch Captain, but the opposite."
"Exactly. He's always been selfish, shallow and insecure. He never wanted me for me, he just wanted something that you didn't have. And then the other night Draco reminded him that I ultimately rejected him. On top of the fact that it's not just that he doesn't like Draco, but has a multitude of reasons to be jealous of him, and you've been supportive of our relationship. He just sees this," she gestured between herself and Draco, "as insult on top of injury." She shrugged and tapped the paper for emphasis. "We really should have seen this coming."
At that a sound resounded throughout the house and Hermione remembered something else she should have considered before. Or rather some bodies she should have considered before.
"That sounded like a portkey," Harry noted.
"My parents!" She exclaimed.
"Where would your parents get a portkey?" Asked Harry. Not only were her parents muggles, but portkeys were the least common kind of magical transportation and it was unusual to see them used in everyday life. But they were also the only one a muggle could use without magical assistance.
She turned to glare at Draco. "Somebody decided it would be a good idea to give them permanent portkeys between here and their house."
Draco shrugged, unapologetic. "It's a lot faster than driving, and this way we don't have to go get them every time Plus, they hate apparition."
"Wait," said Harry, smirking. "You gave people who are essentially your in-laws the means to pop in on you anytime they like?"
"Why not?" Draco asked, sounding truly puzzled.
"Oh, you are obviously not used to being in a relationship with a woman who has an involved family," Harry snickered.
"Harry!" Hermione banged the table lighty. "Mock Draco later! What am I going to do?"
"Why are you freaking out, Hermione? So they're early, it's not a big deal," said Draco.
She laughed humorlessly at his assumption that they were just early for the brunch they'd been planning on sharing.
"They aren't here about brunch! They're here because of this," she pointed to the paper and looked to Harry, frantically. "What am I going to do?! Dad's probably freaking out. He's probably already bought me a ticket to Australia!"
"Calm down Hermione. You're an adult, they can't just ship you out of the country." Answered Harry, but she saw the wariness in his eyes.
"But it'll probably be a big fight! Every time they get sort of comfortable with my life here, something like this happens!"
"Go talk to them!" Harry jerked his head towards the door to the dining room.
She got up and practically sprinted out of the room. "What's going on?" She heard Draco ask. It was moments like these that Hermione was reminded that despite all they had decided between them, she and Draco hadn't actually been together that long. There were still a lot of things about her life that he didn't know which he would only learn with the passage of time.
He was aware that she'd altered her parents memories and sent them to Australia at the height of the war. But that was all he knew really, the bare minimum. Mostly because she hated talking about it so much. While their relationship was better now than it had ever been, that was through hard work. Because by using her magic against them she had nearly destroyed it.
When she restored their memories they had been furious. They'd insisted she tell them everything, every detail of what had happened since she entered Hogwarts. And when the full scale of the things she'd kept from them became apparent they sent her away and refused to speak to her for weeks; she'd had to return home in order to start her last year at Hogwarts not knowing if they'd ever speak to her again.
She returned to Australia over the Christmas holidays because they had consented to see her. They begged her to stay in Australia with them, start a life there where the magical community was much more liberal, but she refused. She hadn't fought a war to just abandon Britain and her friends.
They'd reluctantly followed her back to England the following summer, and after that it was years of rebuilding their trust. They still had a lot of disdain and distrust for the British magical community, which was why they subscribed to the Daily Prophet, to keep an eye on things.
She found her father, surprisingly alone, standing in the floo room, obviously waiting for her. He turned to face her and held up the copy of the paper he was holding. "Tell me again why you insist on staying in this backward, bigoted society, where they print this rubbish about you at the the drop of a hat. Or in this case, the rantings of a bitter ex?"
She swallowed back tears. "Because the people I love are here."
"The people you love could move," he answered evenly.
"Daddy…"
"Don't you 'Daddy' me, Hermione Jean." He pointed an accusing finger in her direction and clenched his jaw. "Are you planning to just sit back and take this?"
"No, of course not."
"I really don't understand what you ever saw in this boy." He didn't need to clarify who he was talking about, Richard Granger couldn't stand Ron Weasley and he'd never really bothered to hide it- Hermione sometimes wondered if that was one of the reasons she'd stayed with Ron so long, a little late teenage rebellion dating a man her parents didn't like. She really hoped she wasn't that petty.
At that moment there was the sound of another portkey arriving and her mother appeared, Scorpius on her hip, glaring at her husband. "Richard! You cannot just barge in here!"
"Why not? I believe Draco gave me the means to do exactly that."
Her mother rolled her eyes. "What I mean is that you shouldn't." She turned to Hermione and held out her free arm. "Hello, love. Rough morning?"
"Hi Mum," she said, letting herself fall into her embrace. And then lifting her head to give Scorpius a kiss. "How was he?"
"An angel, of course," her mother cooed.
Hermione rolled her eyes to herself. "Mum, you have to quit saying things like that, he'll get a big head. He is Draco's son."
"As his nan, it's my job to tell him how wonderful and perfect he is, and your job to keep him grounded."
She'd phoned her parents on Boxing Day bursting with the news that Draco had asked her to be Scorpius' mum. Helen had promptly burst into tears and immediately started referring to herself as 'Nan.' Hermione had never heard her so excited or emotional.
"So, Hermione," her father interrupted, "care to share with us what you plan to do about this?" He held up the paper again.
"I don't know exactly yet. Draco's parents and Harry are here and we were about to discuss a plan. I do know that Lord Malfoy has already contacted his solicitors."
Her father made a sound of derision but her mother looked around, a curious expression on her face. "Draco's parents are here?"
"Yes, so you should probably go. Thank you for watching Scorpius," she reached out her arms for him.
"Why?" Her father asked.
"Excuse me?"
"Why should we leave? Why should they get a say in how to deal with their son being slandered but we don't get the same say?"
"It's just that they're-"
"Bigots? Terrorists?" He provided.
She sighed. "This day is difficult enough Dad, I can't have you starting on that."
"I can be tactful. Doesn't mean I won't be thinking it," he grumbled under his breath.
"We're going to have to meet them eventually, Hermione." Her mother interrupted their stare off. "I'd rather it not be at the wedding. Do you really not trust us to be polite?"
"I'm fairly certain we can be a sight more polite than they are, considering we've never tried to murder their child," her father snorted.
Hermione sighed again, knowing they were right. It was unfair to leave them out. Especially in order to pander to the elder Malfoys prejudices. And they had been remarkably sanguine and open to Draco's presence in her life, she owed them her confidence.
This was her home. Her parents had been watching her child, for Merlin's sake. She wouldn't make them leave simply to avoid an awkward situation or even because she wanted to shield them. Her parents were adults and they were not ignorant of the Malfoys opinions of muggles. If they thought they could handle it, they could handle it.
She whipped out her wand and threw up a quick privacy charm, it wouldn't do for this to be overheard.
"Okay. But I can't guarantee they will be similarly polite. In fact they might be downright hostile."
"We're not fools, love," her mother answered, "but we're going to have to learn to coexist." She jostled Scorpius demonstratively.
"Alright," she took a fortifying breath as she wondered if it was actually she who wasn't prepared for this. "Lets go, we were just having breakfast," she dropped her privacy charm and led them out of the room.
"Did something else happen between you and Ron?" Her mother asked as they made their way through the house. "This article reads like more than just old grudges and sour grapes. He really went after you, love," her voice was soft and sympathetic.
"Well, you know there's bad blood between the Weasleys and Malfoys."
"Yes."
"Well, it's just like Ron to take my relationship with Draco personally in the first place. And then the other night they had a run-in at the Ministry, and I think that was kind of the straw that broke the camel's back."
"Run in?"
Hermione didn't turn to look at her but she could imagine her mother's eyebrows traversing her forehead She sighed. "Suffice it to say that they had words. Ron's were predictably unkind about me. Draco...taunted him a bit. Ron tried to attack him, and Draco punched him in the face. We were in the middle of the auror department at the time. Considering Draco's a civilian and Ron's a trained auror, I imagine it was fairly humiliating for him."
Her father stopped in his tracks for a moment and then he started walking very quickly towards the dining room. Hermione immediately trotted after him, worried about what this sudden change of pace meant. He stopped just inside the door. Hermione almost ran into his back, but she managed to scamper around him just in time to see him point imperiously at Draco.
"You punched Ron Weasley in the face."
An expression of what could only be described as pure terror flashed across Draco's face. "Uh, yes sir, I did."
There was a long, uncomfortable silence. Draco swallowed heavily but Harry's eyes were dancing with mirth. She didn't dare look at Draco's parents.
"You officially have my permission to marry my daughter."
"Dad!" She exclaimed and her cheeks began to heat.
He behaved as if he hadn't even heard her and looked back and forth between Draco and Harry. "Now it is my impression that you are both wealthy, influential young men. Do you think between the two of you, you could get me one of those pensieve things so I could see that memory?"
Harry and Draco looked at each other and started to smirk simultaneously: it was creepy.
"We'll see what we can do," said Harry.
"I think that can be arranged," Draco responded at the same time.
"Excellent," her father rubbed his hands together like some kind of cartoon villain.
"What, no!" She protested. "The three of you are not going to bond over- over violence!"
Her father turned to look at her. "Would you rather me threaten your boyfriend with violence instead? Okay." He turned back to look at Draco and put his hands on his hips. "Do you know what a shotgun is, son?"
She didn't see Draco's reaction as she had her eyes squeezed shut in mortification but she heard the distinct sound of Harry snickering. "Daddy! Please, you're embarrassing me!"
"As is my right as a father. I haven't had nearly as many opportunities as I should have, we weren't planning on sending you to boarding school you know."
"I'm so sorry my turning out to be a witch deprived you of opportunities to humiliate me as a teenager," she bit out.
"It was an unfortunate side effect, right Helen?"
Her mother sighed dramatically from her father's other side. "Not once did we catch you snogging a boy on the couch when you thought we weren't home."
"Mum!" She practically screeched, and turned to glare at her.
"What?" She asked, the picture of innocence with a baby in her arms. "It's a rite of passage for both parents and child."
"No, Mum. Why are you encouraging him?!"
"Because it's fun."
"Please stop," she said a little miserably.
Her parents looked at each other and burst out laughing, Scorpius joined them.
"Traitor," she muttered.
"Oh, he just knows which side his bread is buttered on, don't you?" Her mother asked him and he beamed at her in return.
"Yeah, don't think I didn't notice that new toy he's holding or that those are definitely not the pajamas I packed for him," Hermione sighed. There was basically no chance he wasn't going to be spoiled silly.
Her mother just smiled at her like butter wouldn't melt in her mouth. "I make no apologies."
She sighed again and turned back to the room at large, trying to pretend her cheeks weren't still burning.
Her mother spoke up before she could. "You must be Draco's parents. It's a pleasure to meet you, we just adore your son."
"Oh!" Said Draco, "Forgive me. Helen and Richard Granger, these are my parents, Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy."
Neither of them attempted to rise or take her parents hands. "Pleasure," Narcissa said, while terse, her greeting wasn't exactly rude, it was just like she didn't know quite how to behave. Lucius remained silent.
Her mother appeared unfazed and remained cheerful and turned to look at the other two wizards in the room. "Hello you two," she approached first Harry, who quickly stood to greet her, and then Draco who did the same. She hugged him and kissed his cheek and then murmured something Hermione couldn't hear into his ear, he still seemed a little uncertain by such an enthusiastic greeting but she could tell he was also beginning to enjoy it.
Her father shook both of their hands.
"Please have a seat," Draco said and looked at Hermione pointedly.
"Can we offer you breakfast?" She asked, not used to standing on ceremony with her parents, and from their slight looks of surprise they were thinking the same thing- her mother had probably been preparing to go to the kitchen and scrounge something up, as a rule she didn't eat Hermione's cooking and they tended to forget about house elves.
But she recovered quickly. "That would be lovely, thank you."
Hermione nodded and Effie popped in with Scorpius' high chair. Her mother eyed it speculatively.
Draco chuckled. "In my defense, my ex-wife purchased that. Even I'm not quite that extravagant."
"I- well- I," her mother stumbled.
Draco laughed again, but it was a soft, fond sound. "Excuse me, Helen. It's just that sometimes you are very much like Hermione. She had that exact same look on her face when she saw that high chair for the first time, and I know for a fact that she thinks its a- what did you call it, love? 'An ostentatious waste of galleons?'"
"Thanks a lot Draco," she answered dryly.
Her mother said nothing, just strapped Scorpius into the chair and took a seat next to her husband. But then she looked at Draco. "I'm sorry if this is overstepping, but given what you've both told me, I'm surprised to hear that she bothered with such things."
"Well, she does like to shop. She seemed to enjoy buying things for the baby, but as her due date got closer the reality of him seemed less and less appealing and it became more and more clear she had done her duty in giving me an heir and that was that. She basically just handed him over when he was born." He shrugged and looked away uncomfortably. "This article is nothing but lies when it comes to her feelings for Scorpius."
Hermione couldn't look at Draco, it hurt too much. She could feel her disgust for Astoria growing practically by the hour; and it really didn't have anything to do with the Prophet article, though that certainly wasn't helping matters. But she swore she could feel her parents' gazes drifting between the two of them.
"Well I suppose we'll just have to consider her loss to be our gain." Her mother said eventually, smiling at Draco.
Hermione finally looked to see how he would react and his expression turned to one of such profound gratefulnesses at that simple sentiment, that she had to remind herself that it would not be productive to lash out at his parents, or go after Astoria. At least not at the moment.
"Has she always been such a piece of work? Because I know from experience Ron Weasley has been, and I'm beginning to become very concerned about what the pair of you might be facing in the future with exes like these," said her father.
"Pardon me, Draco, may I have a word?" His father asked suddenly.
Draco glanced at Lucius and Hermione could see that he was considering denying him, but then he sighed, stood, and beckoned the older wizard out of the room. "Please excuse us," he tossed over his shoulder.
Narcissa gave them a small, apologetic smile and then hurried out the door after her husband and son.
"Aren't they supposed to be Slytherins? Because that wasn't subtle at all," Harry snorted.
"Woah," Hermione said, shocked when a wave of magic hit her, so powerful that she almost went running after Draco, her wand at the ready. But then she realized that while it was a defensive spell, it wasn't the type she should be worried about; he'd thrown up a privacy charm. Just a very, very powerful one. Merlin but Lucius Malfoy was an arsehole.
"Mama," Scorpius called at almost the same time, and held out his arms for her. He didn't appear frightened, but he had definitely recognized his father's magic and was unsettled.
"Felt that, huh bug?" She asked, unbuckling him and drawing him into her arms. "Daddy is fine, though," she murmured against his temple.
"Felt what?" She heard her father ask.
She glanced at Harry and he just shrugged. It wasn't something that he could really help her explain, as he was muggle raised himself, and it wasn't something that was openly discussed. Because of how sensitive their society was about squibs, and because a child's magic did not always manifest early. But when they did manifest, magical children were sensitive to magic, especially to the magic of their parents, and to a lesser extent those people who were otherwise close to them.
"Draco just performed a charm to protect their privacy. It was in no way malevolent, but it was strong. Strong enough for Scorpius to notice. Normally it wouldn't affect him but because Draco is upset it also disrupted his normal channels, so he feels slightly off." She covered Scorpius' face in kisses. "Daddy is okay, he's just taking care of us, he takes that very seriously."
Her kisses - or maybe it was just the soothing quality of her own magic- made him giggle and he fell into her lap and started helping himself to her breakfast. She allowed it.
"Harry," she said softly, "perhaps you should speak with Ginny while the Malfoys are getting themselves sorted."
He sighed heavily.
"Stop avoiding it," she chastised, but then she softened. "I thought things were going better between the two of you?"
"They were," he groaned, "and I'm afraid I'm about to ruin that."
"Oh." She hadn't considered that aspect.
He stood up and reached out a hand for hers, which she immediately took. "But you're right, I need to talk to her, so I'll take this opportunity." He gestured towards the kitchen, the opposite direction from where the Malfoys had gone.
And then it was just them. Them plus Scorpius.
Under any other circumstances it would have been nice. They ate breakfast. Scorpius babbled, they had a conversation, while pretending to have one with the enthusiastic baby as well. But it was a little too tense to be enjoyable.
Harry reappeared first. "Ginny is furious. Livid. Like you know how she gets when her words start to run together?"
Hermione nodded and winced. "I'm sorry."
"Oh no," he grinned, "I think you misunderstand me. She's furious with Ron. She's headed to the Burrow now to fetch James and Albus because she doesn't want them anywhere near Ron at the moment. I actually kind of feel sorry for him. Given the time, they're bound to run into each other and you know she's always been a little bit hex-happy."
"I'm not sure if I should be relieved or apologetic," she admitted.
"It's not your fault, Mione." He sat back down at the table. "She also said she'd give a statement denying any belief that we'd been unfaithful, and she wanted me to tell you that she was sorry and that she would be in touch. And for what it's worth I think she means it."
Hermione could only blink at him. "Okay. If you speak with her before I get the opportunity, please tell her thank you for her support."
"You don't have to do that for me though," Harry stated quietly.
"I'm doing it for me," she corrected. "I'm not exactly sure when everything got all screwed up, but there was a time when we were friends. And because she's James and Albus' mum, I'd like for us all to be able to truly co-exist peacefully, maybe even be friends again."
He nodded and smiled and they went back to their meals as if this was a normal morning.
"I am glad we no longer have to worry about you starving to death, these elves really are marvels," her mother was joking as she finished her breakfast when Draco and his mother finally re-entered the room.
"I apologize for the interruption," Draco said, seating his mother and re-taking his own chair. "Father has gone to speak with his solicitors," he explained the elder wizard's absence.
"And you, you don't feel the need to speak with yours?" Her father challenged, looking at Draco.
She almost jumped in, but then she saw the look on Draco's face. "Oh Richard, that's my father's way of operating. I have plenty of money, and I don't think I need a solicitor to make them both thoroughly regret what they've done," he looked at her and smirked.
It would have been charitable for her to have some kind of pity for Ron or Astoria. She felt none.
Two hours later found Hermione seated on an exam table in St. Mungo's waiting to see a healer. The plan they came up with to counter the article ended up being relatively simple. Given that Ron and Astoria had given them a lot of rope to hang them with, it didn't need to be elaborate. Hermione wondered if either of them had thought before they acted or if they had been reacting emotionally. Or perhaps they were depending on combative history between the people in question to keep them from retaliating effectively.
If so, they had been very wrong. While Lord Malfoy was off plotting to ruin Astoria, and if possible, Ron and Rita Skeeter financially, it took only a matter of minutes for the rest of them to decide to give a joint interview to refute the Prophet's article. In Malfoy Manor. The wizarding public would hardly be able to process what they would be reading.
Hermione was at St. Mungo's to be tested in order to prove that she wasn't under the influence of any behavioral modification potions, charms, or curses. Draco and Harry were in other rooms down the corridor having the same thing done.
The door opened and a tall woman who reminded Hermione of a younger version of Professor McGonagall walked into the room. "Hello Miss Granger, it's nice to see you again, though I do wish it was under better circumstances."
Hermione had met Healer Robbins several times before when she'd dropped in on Andromeda at work. She liked the woman, and Andromeda assured her that she was fair minded and an accomplished healer. But Hermione still couldn't help but wish that Andromeda herself didn't have a conflict of interest in this case, as she was the only healer Hermione was really comfortable with.
But she plastered a smile on her face. "It's good to see you again too, Healer Robbins. I appreciate you doing this. I know this is a little below your pay grade."
She waved her off. "These accusations are atrocious, it's my pleasure to help."
She sat on a stool in front of Hermione and began to explain what would be happening during the examination. Hermione was relieved to learn that hardly any of the testing was physically intrusive. The most unpleasant part would be the purging potion- she'd had one before and it was revolting.
But this all still felt like such an invasion...because it was. She shouldn't have to open her body and her magic to examination to prove she was with the wizard she loved by choice. But this is where they were.
After taking some blood and then giving her the potion, Healer Robbins began to cast what seemed like dozens of diagnostic spells on Hermione. Many of which she recognized because between her own injuries and her friends', Hermione had spent an unfortunate amount of time in hospitals.
At first everything seemed normal. The healer murmured to herself and occasionally made a note in Hermione's chart. But then she began to frown, and cast faster, and then Hermione noticed she seemed to be performing the same few spells over and over.
"Is there something wrong?"
"There's nothing here, Miss Granger," she answered, not looking up from where she was still looking at the results of the last spell.
"Well I didn't expect there to be," she scoffed. "Draco wouldn't do anything to me."
She finally looked up and her eyes cleared, as if she was coming out of a trance. "I'm sorry, that's not what I meant. For the record, you aren't under the effects of any behavioral modification potions, spells, or curses; not even ones that we see patients sometimes use voluntarily. In fact, the only thing that was in your system at all was a contraceptive potion and a mild pain draught."
"I had a headache this morning," explained Hermione.
She nodded. "Understandable, of course, especially under the circumstances. Anyway, I'll sign a sworn affidavit to that effect, if you like. Also, just to be clear, the potion I gave you will flush all others from your system. Which means that if you want to be protected from getting pregnant you will need to take another contraceptive potion or use the charm.
Hermione just nodded.
"But there are some anomalies here, I'd like to bring Healer Tonks in here to take a look as she is the healer most familiar with your medical history."
"Okay," Hermione bit her lip, her heart rate picking up.
Healer Robbins' eyes softened. "I apologize, I didn't mean to worry you. I don't think there is anything wrong. There are just some things I can't explain and I want a second and more informed opinion before I share it with you."
"That's fine," Hermione agreed.
The healer patted her knee and exited the room. She was gone for ten of the longest minutes of Hermione's life before she returned with Andromeda who gave her a bright smile, which finally helped to reassure her.
Andromeda looked at Healer Robbins, "I'll take it from here." The other witch nodded and left and Andromeda turned back to Hermione. "Alright love, could you do me a favor and lie back, pull up your jumper and unbutton your jeans? You know the routine."
Hermione frowned at Andromeda because she did know this routine, it was for a gynecological exam. Which, as far as she knew, this wasn't. But she didn't question the other witch, just did as she was asked. Andromeda began to cast and Hermione recognized almost all of these spells, she'd had many more of these exams than your average witch. Andromeda liked to keep a close eye on her curse damage.
She didn't know what the results meant, but she was certain that they looked different than they had in the past. And when she looked up at Andromeda and saw the tears in her eyes she began to panic.
"What's going on? Has it gotten worse?"
She shook her head and wiped her eyes, obviously trying to gain control over her emotions. "No love, not at all. In fact, it's gone."
"Gone?"
"Yes, there's nothing there. No traces of dark magic, no tissue damage. Healthy organs, viable eggs, no scar tissue. It's like you were never exposed to the cruciatus."
Hermione could only stare at her for the longest time. "What? But that's not possible."
"Not by any method we're aware of, no. I hesitate to use the word 'miracle' but…"
Emotion bubbled in her chest and she struggled to speak. "You're sure?"
"I would never have said anything if I wasn't. I would never give you that false hope."
Hermione's lip began to tremble and she fell into the older witch's arms, "Andromeda!" She sobbed.
"Oh, you sweet girl," she squeezed Hermione and rubbed her back. "I've never told you how sorry I was that she did that to you."
"It's not your fault. I've never blamed you. You didn't have any control over Bellatrix just because she was your sister, and you've done everything you could to help me."
"Unfortunately, guilt isn't rational," she said with a sad chuckle.
They had never discussed it, but Hermione knew that Andromeda felt a certain amount of guilt for the havoc her older sister had wrought on their world and the damaged people she'd left behind. She was, after all, an expert in curse healing and had done some groundbreaking research in the subject. Hermione had never believed that was a coincidence.
And that's when something occurred to Hermione: Bellatrix was Andromeda's sister, but of course, she was also Draco's aunt. He was Head of House Black and she had been a member. They were tied together through blood...but also through magic.
Andromeda had just called her healing a miracle. But what if it was something that they took for granted every day as witches and wizards? Magic. Family magic fixing something a corrupted and evil version of it had done?
Was it possible?
It wouldn't be the first impossible thing she'd seen happen.
She pulled away from Andromeda and brought a trembling hand to her mouth. "Will you go get Draco for me? I'd like to speak with him privately before I see anybody else."
"Of course." She took one of Hermione's hands. "You realize there are no guarantees, correct? But I would say that now you have as good of a chance as any healthy woman of childbearing age of getting pregnant and having a healthy baby. Which is honestly all the difference in the world."
"I understand," Hermione nodded.
"Okay then, I'll send him in."
"Tell him not to panic!" Hermione called after her as she disappeared into the corridor.
Just over a minute later Draco literally came running into the room. "What! What's wrong?" He strode up to her, stepping between her legs and pulling her into his arms.
"I told her to tell you not to panic!"
"Well that's not particularly reassuring when you're in a hospital and your aunt, who also happens to be a healer, and who has also obviously been crying, comes to tell you that your fiancée wants to talk to you."
"I'm sorry love," she stroked his cheek.
He pulled away from her far enough to take her face in his hands. "Tell me what's going on."
She looked into his eyes and promptly burst into tears. "Thank you, Draco!" She cried, crashing their mouths together and kissing him passionately.
"Not that I am ever opposed to this," he said between kisses. "But what are you thanking me for?"
She meant to pull away and calmly explain to him what the healers had just discovered. But her brain and her heart were on different wavelengths and what came out of her mouth was: "Let's have a baby."
He froze and stared at her. "What. I mean yes, of course yes. But what?"
There such an odd combination of elation, shock and confusion on his face that Hermione started laughing through her tears at the sight.
"Okay," she heard Draco murmur to himself, he cradled her face in his hands and brought his forehead to rest against hers. "Okay sweetness, breathe with me, catch your breath and tell me what's going on."
She easily matched her breaths with his and when she was calm enough she gave him one long, slow kiss and then pulled back so that she could see his face. "I'm healed. Your family magicks healed me."
"Come again?"
She took one of his hands and brought it to rest on her abdomen, over her womb. "The cruciatus damage is healed. There's no known medical reason I can't have a baby now, and I want it Draco. I want it so badly I can taste it. I want to be your wife, and carry your child, and give Scorpius a brother or sister so that he always has a playmate. And I don't care if people think it's too soon, I don't care what they say. If we've learned anything today it's that they're just going to say what they want anyway, no matter if it's true or not. I just- I'm so-"
"Hermione!"
"What?"
He just gazed at her, the tenderest look she'd ever seen on his face. "Are you serious?" He breathed.
She nodded.
"About all of it?"
She nodded more vigorously.
"Healed?" She just beamed at him and he pulled her to him, pressing her face against his neck. "And you think our family magicks did that?"
"It was just a theory, at first. But now I'm sure of it, I just feel that it's true. Do you remember how you felt- how we both felt after we performed the ritual at Malfoy Manor?"
"We were nearly desperate for each other."
"Not just that," she reminded him, "you wanted to get me pregnant."
"Yes."
"I think that night, your family magicks were working to correct a wrong done by a member of House Black. To heal the corruption and evil she'd done."
Draco swore under his breath.
Hermione wouldn't allow him to look away from her. "Don't do that. I've already reminded Andromeda that she isn't responsible for Bellatrix's actions, and neither are you. And honestly, it's kind of beautiful, if you think about it. The way your magic embraced and healed me, it wouldn't have done that if you didn't love me so much."
"You've turned me into a Hufflepuff, Granger, but I love you anyway."
"I'd say I'm sorry," she bit back a smile, "but I'm not. Not even a little bit."
"Well, we shouldn't ignore such an obvious magical nudge," he smirked at her.
He was going to kill her with the way he looked at her; like she was everything.
"Exactly," she tried to pull him in for another kiss, but he resisted. "What?" She pouted.
"I would do anything for you, but do you really want to conceive our child in an exam room at St. Mungo's while our parents are waiting outside?"
That brought her up short. "No," she admitted. "But I do want to tell them we're engaged. Then I want a wedding, and another baby. I like the idea of having one before Scorpius is old enough to really get jealous."
He laughed. "I think Scorpius is already old enough to get plenty jealous." He helped her up off of the table and wrapped an arm around her waist. "However, your wish is my command."
Author's note: Hi guys! See, I haven't forgotten you! I'm sorry it's been so long. This chapter is twice as long as nearly every other in this story, so I hope that helps make up for it. Some of you saw some of these developments coming and I just grinned when I read those reviews, hope this doesn't disappoint. Thank you for your continued support, y'all really are fantastic. Beta love to Weestarmeggie who is so patient with me it's kind of shocking, love you! Thanks for reading!