June 27th

Antonin knew his wife was up to something. Even though he didn't say a word when Hermione returned home the previous afternoon from a longer visit to Number Twelve than she expected, she could tell just by the way he stared at her for the rest of the evening that he was trying to figure it out. A suspicious man by nature, he was often right when his instincts warned him that something was amiss. She hoped that he wouldn't pick another fight like he did when he learned she'd gone to Cornwall. While she couldn't exactly blame him for feeling jealous after learning that she spent time alone with her ex-lover, she didn't want to be dragged into another never-ending row.

They were settling into a comfortable routine. It was almost nice. At least it would be if she wasn't afraid that any moment he was going to flip the switch and once again become the violent, dangerous husband she remembered from her unreliable memories. He never could give her a very satisfactory explanation as to why she could 'remember' moments that supposedly never happened. Maybe he didn't know what to say. Or possibly, it was all just one more lie and deception. She didn't know who to trust.

It was always possible that she was the one who couldn't be trusted. Perhaps she was blocking memories intentionally to protect herself from remembering all of the wretched acts she'd committed in the past. Uncovering her blocked and forgotten memory of the day she murdered Andromeda Tonks opened up the very real possibility that maybe she was the one to blame. She used to drink her potions like they were water. Not anything at all like the strawberry flavored ones that Antonin made her drink to calm her down when she was overwrought and confused, the ones she preferred were much more like Muggle heroin or possibly methamphetamines. She really didn't know much about the differences in the illegal Muggle drugs. Rabastan once forced a Muggle drug dealer to give them his product, but she couldn't really remember much of that time. It was all one drug-induced blur.

If her husband suspected she was still carrying on an affair with Augustus, he didn't come right out to demand the truth. That was one of the good aspects of their marriage. They might not like what the other was up to outside the walls of their family home, but they would never confront each other. Not unless there was cause for concern about their safety or the safety of their son. She did, however, worry that Antonin would confront Augustus. Her husband knew her ex well enough to tell when he was lying. It would be a problem if Augustus admitted there was nothing going on between them again. She couldn't afford for him to find out about Draco.

She never could get Draco to admit the day before whether or not he was using her. Once he kissed her, he had an effective way of changing the subject. They especially had little to talk about when they moved upstairs to another one of the decaying moldy bedrooms. She never missed his luxurious flat more than when she was kneeling on the floor drawing the most delightful moans out of Draco using only her mouth and something furry ran across her legs. Praying it was only a mouse, she struggled to finish what she started.

It was time to get even more serious about her plan to help Aberforth escape. She was feeling stifled in her current situation. Polyjuice potion was only one part of the ridiculous, convoluted plan she'd cooked up in the hopes that Rabastan wouldn't catch on to what she was doing. Being the subject of her own interrogation might have been exactly what she deserved, but she hoped it wouldn't get that far. He was too smart and perceptive for his own good. Any sort of simple plan would likely have already been uncovered.

She said her goodbyes to her husband before stepping into the kitchen's fireplace. What he did all day while she was at the Ministry was a mystery to his wife. Truthfully, she didn't want to know how he spent his time. The less she knew, the better. As much as their relationship was improved since before she went away, she couldn't afford to get too involved in his life. Not if she wanted to run again.

Once again no one was in her office when she arrived. She was thankful that morning that no one in her division seemed to understand the importance of punctuality and actually showing up to work. When she sat down at her desk, she removed an expensive box of Honeyduke's Finest chocolates. It had been sitting in her desk drawer for over a week while she waited for the right moment to begin the next step of the process. Out of her pocket, she pulled out the vial of potent love potion she purchased from the hag in Knockturn Alley weeks earlier.

The day she first had lunch with Angelina in the Ministry canteen, she thought of the pranks that the Weasley twins always got up to in Hogwarts. When she allowed herself a moment to consider the brothers, she couldn't help but smile. Even when they drove her absolutely mental, she loved both of them very much. One maybe even a little bit more than the other, but she couldn't allow herself to go down that depressing line of thinking. When they began their successful business, she'd been impressed and also appalled. Love potions were inappropriate enough on their own. To sneak them into innocuous-looking cauldron cakes they smuggled into the castle? Reprehensible. They were fortunate they weren't arrested for that while they were both still alive. Maybe if the war wasn't taking up everyone's attention, they might have.

Even if she thought the cauldron cakes were disgusting, she couldn't deny it was an ingenious idea. Nor could she ignore the irony that Ron was now married and seemingly very much in love with the witch who gave them to Harry in the first place. Romilda Weasley had always been a nasty piece of work, but Hermione supposed there was someone out there for everyone. Besides, it wasn't as if she was the greatest of human beings herself. No doubt there were plenty of people out there willing to congratulate Ron on dodging the Avada that was his former best friend. Most assumed they would eventually end up together. Both of them were glad they'd all been wrong.

Unstopping the vial of love potion, Hermione dropped in the blood she'd collected from Aberforth during her secret visit to Level Eleven. Once it was well combined with the potion, she used an instrument a lot like a Muggle syringe to fill each of the chocolates with some of the adulterated potion. Her plan was to keep drugging her intended victim until the day they were ready to complete the next and final step of the plan. All warnings from the old hag to keep the dosage low to prevent insanity were ignored. She didn't care. The remainder of the Aberforth-spiked love potion went into the secret compartment of her desk where she hid her other potions. She would need to keep spiking chocolates or her victim's tea if she wanted it to be effective. The only person who knew the compartment existed was Rabastan and he wasn't likely to notice one vial was different from the others if he chose to take a peek inside.

Rachel was just arriving at her desk when Hermione exited the office. The two women didn't have much use for each other under the best of circumstances. When the assistant started to speak to her boss, no doubt to simply say 'good morning' and check if Hermione needed anything from her, her boss glared. It was amusing to intimidate the dreadful girl. She fought off a grin. Giving her no explanation as to where she as headed, she left the girl alone.

The first lift that opened was empty to Hermione's relief. She really wasn't in the mood to make inane chitchat with people she hated and cared nothing about. Not for the first time since her return she lamented the fact that she had to be somewhat social to keep her cover up. It was much easier when she was on the run and didn't have to talk to anyone at all. She missed those days. No one was present in the corridor outside of the Department of Mysteries. Her path to the staircase that led to the courtrooms and the dusty file room on Level Ten was unimpeded.

Dolores Umbridge was just settling in for the day when Hermione entered her file room. It still made her laugh to think about the dreadful woman cooped up in the most dismal part of the entire Ministry for the rest of her life. Though she was still of the opinion that death would've been the best option, she was satisfied that at least Umbridge was miserable and unable to cause much havoc in her current position.

"Good morning, Madam Dolohov. Can I help you?"

To be safe, Hermione checked the woman to be certain that her Imperius Curse was still active. It wouldn't do her plans any good to discover that her victim had been able to best the curse when she wasn't around. Satisfied that she still under the influence, she placed the box of chocolates on top of her desk. Umbridge's eyes widened slightly in surprise. Of course it was something of a shock to get a box of chocolates. Something told Hermione that she'd never been given one before. She got the impression that Umbridge's love life had been painfully dull. It was almost enough to make her feel sorry for the wretch.

"This is a thank you for all of your help lately, Dolores. It has been invaluable."

She pushed the box closer to the toad-faced woman, encouraging her to take the lid. When she didn't immediately open them, Hermione commanded that she eat. With the glassy look across her eyes that was further proof she was under her control, Umbridge opened the package and immediately popped a chocolate in her mouth. Hermione turned to leave the office once she was certain that she'd followed her order. Knowing the woman's dietary preferences and seeming inability to lose weight over the years, it wasn't much of a stretch to assume that she would polish off the rest of the decadent sweets when she was alone.

"Madam Dolohov, before you leave, I wonder if I might have a word with you?"

Hermione stopped moving towards the door to turn her full focus on Umbridge.

"I know this is highly irregular, but would it be possible for you to grant me the ability to visit one of the prisoners downstairs?"

"Which prisoner? And why?"

Umbridge bursting into loud, obnoxious tears brought a smile to Hermione's face. She had no idea it would be so satisfying to watch her fall apart. Nor did she realize that the potion would begin to work immediately. She was tempted to reward the hag who sold it to her if she didn't have to return to the scene of her old crime.

"I'm completely lost without my Abbie, Madam Dolohov! I love him so much. I wish there was some way that I could get him out of those cells. He shouldn't be in them!"

Though it pained her to do so, Hermione placed a comforting hand on the woman's shoulder. Almost instantly she ceased her sobs.

"I promise very soon you will get your chance, Dolores."

Hermione spent the rest of the day fighting to keep a grin off of her face.