Hello. Yes, I am still alive. I figure after 18 months, it may be 19 months actually, I would update this with a new chapter. Hopefully more. In addition, all previous chapters have been cleaned up, authors notes have been removed and a few minor tweaks have been made. Nothing big enough to actually change the story, in fact most of you won't notice at all.
If you have been following this you may need to go back and re-read it. That's cool, I had to do that too. Thank you to any old followers who are still interested, and to the four people who have messaged me in the last month begging for this to be continued. Thank you for inspiring me.
Hermione had barely spoken to Draco all day. She knew he was behind cursing Ron and was less than impressed about it.
She was mad, extremely mad at first. At dinner, even the kids could tell something was wrong and had been quiet.
The spell had been something she hadn't seen before, and something she hoped wasn't dark magic. As much as she hated Ron, she didn't want anything bad to happen to him. Anything really bad anyway, she thought.
Tossing around in her bed, she wasn't getting sleep. The temptation to confront Draco was too much and she threw her blankets off.
"You cursed him?!" A shriek woke the sleeping blond. He mumbled incoherently as he turned on the light and blinked, focusing on the woman in front of him. The very pissed off woman in front of him.
"Can't this wait until morning?" He muttered, rubbing his face.
"No." She growled. Draco sat up slowly and took a long look at Hermione who stood with her hands on her hips, glaring. He chuckled softly, prompting a bigger glare.
"I'm sorry." He attempted, then shook his head. "No. I am not sorry. I'd do anything to keep you safe, and if it meant cursing that weasel…well I am not complaining about that." The smile that flooded his face happened without a thought, but her immediate stare cleared his face.
"You can't go around and curse people! Even if they do…" She cut off, suddenly realizing what she was about to day.
"It was justified, and I wouldn't take it back. He had not only hurt you, but at that point he had hurt my son. No one, and I mean no one, hurts the people I love and gets away with it."
His proclamation, even if he hadn't realized what he was saying, startled Hermione. She dropped her stance and hesitantly sat on the edge of his bed as he shifted his feet. Suddenly, she realized where she was. At night, in Draco Malfoy's bedroom, looking at his shirtless body.
"Hermione?" Draco whispered when she remained silent.
"I still don't approve. But I understand why you did it." She admitted.
He smirked and she hit his leg softly.
"It doesn't make it okay though."
Draco shrugged. They both knew he wouldn't change his mind; that he was to an extent, proud of what he had done.
Hermione cleared her throat. "I should go. Sleep well." Her words were mumbled as she stood and darted toward the door.
"Hermione!" He called, a second too late. She had already shut the door.
He settled back down, wishing she had stayed. Despite knowing it was a foolish wish, he couldn't help but want her snug in his arms, to wake to see her face first thing every morning. Sighing, he rolled over and tried to get the thoughts of her out of his mind.
Mind cleared and a few hours of sleep later, Hermione delved into research.
Draco was setting up lessons for the children.
Scorpius had always had a private tutor but Rose and Hugo had been attending small classes locally. Hermione had originally wanted her kids to go to a muggle primary school to learn the basics but Ron had put his foot down. So they had gone to a friendly local witch who tutored a small group of children every day for parents who worked.
Draco however was less willing to send the kids off every day. Scorpius' regular tutor had gone on maternity leave just two weeks before Hermione and her kids had come to live at the manor. With all the drama, Draco had been putting off setting up new lessons.
While he could have sent the kids by floo every day to the classes Rose and Hugo had attended, he was reluctant to send them out where Ron could find them. Instead, he convinced Hermione that the best thing was to have a private tutor come in.
Hermione had found a niece of a former order member who had finished training as a primary teacher. Madeleine Vance would floo in five days a week and teach the three kids everything from English and maths to basic wizarding history and latin.
It took a full five days for Draco and Hermione to come up with a complete plan that they both agreed on. They worked while the kids started their basic classes. Every day once lessons were finished, they would put down the paper work and be with the kids.
It made progress slow, but Draco would have it no other way. They were safe at the manor and it wasn't as if they were cut off from the world. Narcissa came over often, as did the Potter's, to Draco's surprise. It continued to amaze him every time they managed to have a civilized conversation. It only amazed him further when he realized that he was enjoying it.
When Draco and Hermione had finished the first draft of their plan, Ron had awoken for the first time. His worried mother had called in a medi-witch, who had recognized the symptoms listed and the deep purple colour on his face.
Through a smirk, she informed the family that his symptoms would go away when he woke up. Molly questioned if he would remember the incident and the witch didn't know. She told them he would recall there was something he knew, but had forgotten. It would be eternally on the tip of his tongue, never to be said.
"Wha' happened?" Ron grumbled as he woke up. Immediately, his mother was at his side, hugging him against her chest. Weakley, he pushed her off and rubbed his still purple face.
"Ronnie! Are you okay, are you in any pain?" She cooed, calling for her husband.
"Mmm fine. I don't know what happened?"
The elder Weasley's sat on the side of the bed.
"What is the last thing you remember?" Molly asked softly.
Ron could see a group of people in his mind. His best friend, or was that former best friend? He and Harry were not as close as they had been in school anymore. His little sister, furious at him and his parents as well. And his wife, sitting between the pair, still looking every bit as beautiful as she was the day they married. More, if he was honest. She looked happier, even if she was angry with him.
Thinking back, he thought about the last time he had seen his kids. He wondered how they were. And where they were. Last time he had seen his son, he had run away from his mother and had made it home. Harry had come to retrieve Hugo, but he hadn't been alone.
Frowning, Ron tried to picture the other person's face. It was a man, he thought. Was it? He couldn't focus on the face. It was blurry, and the more he tried to focus the harder it was to picture.
He had seen that person before. With Hermione. Or was it? Ron rubbed at his forehead, feeling a headache building up.
He explained what he could recall to the sad faces and they hugged him, wondering what was to come.
"Won't you be dragging the Weasley name through the mud, if you do this?" Daphne asked at a group dinner. Hermione and Draco had explained their plan to their friends, wanting their opinions.
"That's why I am going to do it anonymously," Hermione said softly.
She and Draco had spent an afternoon arguing over whether it was better to go to the media anonymously or with her name attached. On one hand her name would mean people would instantly attract attention, but on the other, many would not believe that one of their war heroes could abuse another person.
They had finally settled on what Draco referred to as the 'Slytherin approach'; no names.
"Witch Weekly magazine has already agreed to speak with Hermione, who will be disguised the whole time. I was hoping a couple of the girls would be willing to attend as well, under disguise of course and be sort of undercover. On hand if anything goes wrong, but far enough away it looks like Hermione is alone," Draco told the group, glancing over Ginny and Daphne, who both nodded.
"Are you okay, Hermione?" Ginny asked, noticing her best friend had been very quiet.
She nodded, giving a small smile. "I am just worried. Like Daphne said, if this comes out we will basically be dragging your name through the mud. I love your family, I do. I don't want to see something like this come out and hurt them."
Ginny reached for her hand, squeezing it. "We know. My family supports you. Those with any sense do anyway. I couldn't care less if you destroy the family name, all I want, all we want, is for you to be safe. And for any other person in your situation to be safe and free as well."
Ginny's words reminded her that she was not alone, she had a family who loved her. A quick glance at Narcissa reminded her that she was not the only person to have ever been abused in a marriage. Hermione resolved to be the last.
Silence came over the room, and Harry took it as his chance to talk. "Ron tried to contact me yesterday."
"Oh? And how is he?" Draco sneered.
Harry smirked, "A little purple. Not overly so, that must have faded. He spent a while going on about how he is certain he has been cursed and how he wanted to find Hermione."
"I hope you told him nothing."
"Of course, Draco. It was weird though, he never mentioned the kids at all. He never asked after Ginny or our kids either. The sole conversation revolved around him," said Harry.
Draco snorted in the background but didn't comment.
"He does really want to talk to you, Hermione. So don't be surprised if he writes a letter."
Hermione nodded in response. She wasn't sure if she wanted Ron to get in contact at all. Sure, it would mean the world to her if he apologized, more if he actually meant it. But it would never changed what had happened. She had put up with enough over the years, and for the first time in a long time she realized just how happy she was.
She still felt like a canary in a cage sometimes, knowing that she couldn't move on. Her guard had to be up at all times if she or the kids were off the property. And there was the whole mess with Draco which she refused to acknowledge. Sometimes it would be nice to be free.
No further mention of contact with Ron was mentioned, and when Ginny went to leave at the end of the night, she reassured Hermione that everything would go as planned. Hermione just hugged her back tightly, thankful to have such good friends in her life.
"Wow," Draco muttered. Standing in front of him were three striking females. He knew they were Hermione, Ginny and Daphne. He just couldn't pick out who was who. They had spent the previous day shopping together in Paris, sorting for this big moment. The morning had been spent sorting out glamours.
On one end, a tall woman with coffee coloured skin and long thick curly hair grinned at him. The blonde in middle was much shorter with a wide smile and freckled cheeks. The final woman had a sharper face and straight, dark hair falling to her waist.
Draco looked at each woman, at their faces and the way they held themselves. The sharp woman on the end had a cold, detached look on her face. The exact look that a certain ex sister-in-law used to wear before time had softened her. "Daphne."
Glancing between the other two women he pointed to the one on the end. "Ginny. Which makes you," he pointed at the short woman, "Hermione."
"How could you tell?" Ginny asked.
Draco laughed. "Daphne was the easiest. The emotion on her face, or lack of. And of the two left, you made Hermione the most innocent looking."
"Well done. Hopefully people who don't know us as well won't be able to work it out," Daphne said before flooing out.
They had agreed that the girls would show up individually. Daphne would be meeting up with her friend when Hermione showed up a few minutes later.
Ginny left a few minutes after, leaving Hermione and Draco alone.
"Good luck," Draco whispered just before she had to leave.
Considering it for a moment, Hermione turned back to him and stood up on her toes to kiss his cheek. Gently, he turned her face to him and leaned down and kissed her gently. Hermione tried her best to ignore how the feel of his lips against hers sent tingles through her body.
"That was weird," Draco laughed as she pulled away. She looked at him hurt for a moment before he continued, "You don't look like you, that's all. I'm just used to seeing your beautiful face."
Hermione gave him a smile as she left, trying to hide her rosy face and the nervousness she felt.
It was time to talk to the reporter.