A/N: Sorry about the glitch yesterday - Before the new chapter could get on the server I edited chapter content and it seemed the link to the page was lost. Hope all is well today.

This chapter is a little short, but very revealing. Insightful reviews on the last chapter. Thanks for those, the fav's and the follows.

Remember to review and thanks for reading...

11. Winky's Story

"Damn..." Draco muttered under his breath with the door clicking shut only a few inches from his face.

He almost knocked again, but deciding against it he turned and walked slowly to the tube station. He could understand, in part, her feelings and had strongly hoped they could talk this thing over. He had felt confident that if they could talk for a while, she would understand he had nothing to do with Rita Skeeter turning up at the restaurant the way she did.

There had been something suspicious the way Narcissa immediately contacted the family's attorneys. He had told her to stay out of it, but as usual she had a mind of her own when it came to issues concerning the family. And right now she was hell-bent to get him free of this obligation to the Ministry. She was still pissed off the way Lucius had been carted off to Azkaban, and she had no love for the Ministry.

There was something else bothering Narcissa, and it didn't take much imagination to guess what it was. It was obvious from the lunch date and their picture in the Daily Prophet that he and Hermione had become very friendly. The war might be over, but issues concerning blood status were still very much alive with wizarding families like his own. Narcissa and Astoria would be willing to try just about anything to stop him from dating a Mudblood.

‡‡‡‡‡

"Damn..." Hermione muttered to herself. She had shut the door in Draco's face. He was trying to form another syllable when she pushed it closed.

She hated to do it, but rules were rules and if she had followed them the first time she wouldn't be in this mess. If anyone spotted Draco coming out of her flat the governors would have her job for sure. She couldn't take a chance on it, and with that action resolute in her mind she locked the door and wriggled under the quilt to continue reading Wizards on a Train.

Heels clattering on marble echoed through the quiet atrium as Hermione hurried to her office. She ignored the flirtatious grin from the lift operator and quickly got off the lift at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. The alarm by her bed had failed to go off on this morning and she slept nearly an hour over. Just a few steps from turning down the narrow hall to her office, Ron was headed her way with a cup of coffee from the canteen. She braced herself for another one of his cold and curt greetings. In no humorous mood, her greeting was monosyllabic.

"Hey," she said and continued along at a brisk pace. Ron stopped, took a sip of coffee, and followed the auburn haired witch with his head.

"Hey," he said as she continued on.

Throwing some books on her desk and pulling on the simple black work robes, she was settling in for the day. Footsteps. They paused and she looked up but nothing was there. After a few moments, Ron took one more step and poked his head in her office.

"Hermione?"

"Yes Ron?" she said looking up intently at the ginger haired wizard.

"We need to talk," he said.

"Yes, we do Ron. Why don't you close the door and have a seat," she said, pointing to the chair.

Ron did as he was told. He sat there a few moments before speaking.

"You don't look too happy with me," he finally said.

"No, I guess I'm not."

"Are you angry?"

"More like hurt," she said.

"Why?"

"Why... Ron, you should have come to me before this," she said firmly.

Ron nodded sullenly.

"I was angry," he said and dipped his head.

"I know. And I know this whole thing looked awful, but you should have given me a chance to explain," she said.

He paused to reflect on this for a minute.

"Okay – you're right. Maybe I should have," he said. "Well," he muttered and looked at his watch. "I've got a task from Kingsley and I'm off straight away in a few minutes. Can you have dinner with me tonight? At our place," he asked.

Hermione paused and then nodded. "Come and get me when you're ready."

‡‡‡‡‡

A message from Kingsley arrived shortly after. Curious, Hermione walked briskly with nervous energy through the gilded archway with robes flowing behind her. Kingsley's receptionist went to unlock the padded door.

"Good morning sir," she greeted as professionally as possible.

"Oh, good morning Hermione – have a seat," he said and she plopped down on the edge of the large padded chair.

He rolled his chair slightly to the side of his desk. He opened a folder of papers and read silently a few lines before taking a gaze at Hermione.

"Just an update from our situation with Draco Malfoy," he said. "Not much has changed I'm afraid. As you know they've acquired legal representation in this matter. They're fighting this tooth and nail," he said.

Hermione couldn't hide a look of disappointment and Kingsley seemed to notice.

"Has Draco made any attempt to contact you?"

"No sir," she lied.

"Our claim is that this whole thing was just some overly ambitious journalism by Rita Skeeter – and the photograph doesn't really show anything to dispute this," he added.

"Yes sir," she said and nodded.

"We'll have to wait and see what their people come back with, but we're proposing, that if he resumes his work assignments with Cynthia presiding, then we'll be ready to forget this interruption," he said. "But, if they take this to court and lose, then we'll insist on the full three months in Azkaban. That ought to give them something to think about," he added with resolution.

"Yes sir – I think that would."

‡‡‡‡‡

When questioned, Ron avoided Hermione's eyes and stared into the flickering light of the candelabra.

"I was hurt and pissed off," he admitted as they looked across the table after a long silence. They had their usual balcony table in the pub they were always so fond of. And as usual the lighting was warm and soft. Ron had ordered a beer but Hermione had declined a drink.

"I understand – it just bothers me that you'd rather pout for a week than come talk to me," she replied.

"I'll never jump to conclusions again, but there's something you can do to help me with this kind of problem?"

"Yeah, what's that?" she asked.

"This time I'm not asking for your opinion – this time I'm asking for your hand," he said.

Hermione sat frozen, like a deer in headlights.

"I'm asking for you to marry me – what do you say?"

Ron had her backed into a corner. The meeting with Kingsley had made it clear. Draco or his family was working to clear him of his conviction and this mess could still blow up in her face. It could make her look like a fool. If that happened, just where would she be? Probably nowhere – no Draco – no engagement and maybe no Ron. The situation was clear and concrete and her answer felt forced.

"Yes Ron – I will," she said and wondered in the deepest recesses of her mind. What would have happened if Rita Skeeter had not been there to take a picture as Draco leaned in to kiss her.

‡‡‡‡‡

Hermione struggled with the key and slowly opened the door to her flat. Feeling tired, she trudged into her room to change. Winky was in the kitchen cleaning and fixing something to eat. Going through her normal routine, she stripped naked and felt the cool air smack her skin. More awake now, she pulled on some jeans and stuck her head through a loose and baggy cardie. She found some old ballet flats as limp as wash rags to wriggle into and then drug out to the kitchen to help Winky.

"Hello Winky."

"Good evening Miss," she replied.

They had soup and toasted cheese sandwiches on the table in a few minutes. Winky was barely able to reach up to the table and always kept everything sitting on the edge. Hermione noticed Winky's fingers were still red and blistered and she almost dropped her glass while reaching for a drink.

Finally Hermione had to ask, "Winky, what's wrong with your hands? They're still red and blistered?"

Winky looked back with eyes as big as saucers. She didn't immediately reply but gazed at Hermione for a few moments as if stuck in thought. Gradually her large eyes swelled with tears that grew into fat globules of water that ran down her cheeks.

"Winky – you're crying. What's wrong?" Hermione asked. And that moment Winky began to sob and wail with more huge tears running down her face.

"Winky – just calm down now, and tell me what's wrong." Winky dried her eyes and face with a tea towel and blew her nose.

"Miss, it's all my fault," she said, shaking her head while blowing her nose once more.

"What's your fault Winky? What are you talking about?"

"It was Gilbert and Dottie and me that planned for you and Mister Draco to get together," she announced.

"How did you do that Winky?" Hermione asked incredulously.

"Miss Dottie – she owes Gilbert and me in a big way Miss – she is Miss Cynthia's house-elf. Part time, like me?"

"Okay Winky," Hermione said scratching her ear. "But I don't follow you here."

"It was Miss Dottie who put the potion in Miss Cynthia's tea, so she couldn't come to work, and so you would be Mister Draco's case officer," she said, wide-eyed and serious.

Hermione looked at Winky skeptically. "What kind of potion?"

"A potion with dried Crumple-Horned Snorkack powder – a little bit of that and you can't talk for weeks," Winky explained.

Now, very much convinced, Hermione shot back sternly, "Oh Winky that was terrible!"

Winky shook her head and began a fresh round of crying. "Oh I know Miss and that is why we all has to iron our hands for punishment," she said and showed Hermione the burned and blistered fingers.

"Gilbert you see, he knew at Christmas time which night Mister Draco was going to Diagon Alley," Winky explained.

"That's why we had to change our nights to theirs?" Hermione asked and Winky nodded agreeably.

"Okay Winky, but why did you want Draco and me to get together?" she asked and cracked a smile.

"We thought it would be best for everybody Miss. You asks why Gilbert and I are not a couple. We can only be a couple under the same household," she explained.

"I don't follow you here Winky."

"Well, if you and Mister Draco were together – at the Mansion that is – well then you could take Winky with you. You is very kind you is Miss. And maybe later you could get Miss Dottie to come along as well," she explained with much nodding and hand waving.

"Oh Winky, that's the most incredible story I've ever heard," she said and shook her head disapprovingly. "And how did you figure that would be best for Draco and I," she asked with arms outstretched.

Winky paused as if not wanting to answer.

"Did you think of that?" she repeated.

"Well I hate to say this... Mister Ron, well he is a fine man..." Winky said and hesitated and rolled her huge glassy eyes.

"Go on Winky."

"Well, you just don't seem happy Miss. Not like a young women your age should be. Winky has worked for many young women and Winky knows these things. And Gilbert, he says Mister Draco – well he ain't happy neither," she said with conviction and a satisfied look about her.

"Well, Winky – you, Gilbert, and Dottie are quite the matchmakers. But, I wish you had come to me first. Now things are in a big mess," she said.

"Oh yes Miss – they is in a big mess, and it ain't Mister Draco's fault," she said, without realizing the importance of her comment.

Hermione's eyes shot up. "Not Draco's fault – Winky, you said it's not Draco's fault?" Hermione asked, with perked interest.

"Oh no Miss. It was Narcissa and Miss Astoria that got that Skeeter woman to come a take a picture of you and Draco," she insisted.

Once again, Hermione was amazed at what Winky knew or claimed to know.

"Winky, how do you know this – this is very important," she said.

"Gilbert has heard Miss Astoria telling Narcissa about you and Mister Draco having lunches together. Narcissa and Miss Astoria were very angry," she said and nodded.

"Yes Winky, I can believe that, but how did Narcissa find out when and where we were having lunch?"

"Gilbert... well he'd been seeing Narcissa going into Draco's room when he was out. She was reading Mister Draco's little book," she said as she stretched her scraggly arms out.

"A little Book?"

"Yes Miss, a little book where you writes things in, like times and things."

"An appointment book Winky?" Hermione said, squinting.

"Yes Miss, that's what I'm talking about."

"Oh I see," Hermione said and paused. To the Ministry, it didn't matter how Rita Skeeter got to the restaurant, but to Hermione it mattered a great deal.

"And that's not the all of it Miss," Winky said shaking her head?

"There's more bad news?" Hermione asked disbelievingly.

"Now Mister Draco is angry with Narcissa and Miss Astoria – he says he's going to do his time in that prison," she said and more tears filled her large house-elf eyes.

"Don't worry about that Winky – I'll look into it."

"Thank you Miss. I sure don't want to see Mister Draco going to that horrible place," she said wiping her eyes.

"Neither do I Winky – neither do I."