Never the Twain Shall Meet
Something about Hermione's demeanor was bothering Sirius. She rarely imbibed especially by herself and he didn't hear anyone other than her on her end.
He had sent a very recently post coital Jenny? Jessica? Janna? -He couldn't remember, it was something that started with a J- home for the evening, even after pouty lips and huffs of indignation from her.
He stepped into the floo and called out 'Hogwarts Heads Suite'.
The fire flared and Sirius stepped out to the somber faces of Hermione, Harry and Draco; before they could register surprise the flames flared again and out stepped Lucius Malfoy, Severus Snape and Alexandra Zabini.
Draco and Harry looked at each and Hermione stared at the imposing figures gracing their common room.
It had been such an emotional few hours that the three didn't even try to hide the tumblers of fire whisky.
No one spoke for a few moments all taking in the heavy emotion in the room. Hermione was still so angry her hair was crackling with electricity.
"Well?" Sirius asked.
Not knowing exactly why the 'adults' were, but having a good idea, Hermione responded with another question, "Well what?" plastering on her best innocent expression.
Of course her expression didn't fool anyone and Lucius cleared his throat, "May I introduce Alexandra Zabini, Blaise's mother. She is a seer." He paused and Harry and Draco groaned and Hermione sighed in resignation.
Alexandra, possibly the most beautiful creature Hermione had ever laid eyes upon spoke next, "I had a vision that either Blaise or Draco was going to be a father. You, Miss Granger, and Mr. Potter were in the vision as well. In the vision I felt extreme sadness and a very volatile anger. I contacted Lucius and Severus and floo'd here directly." She ended that staring at Sirius, wondering why he was here.
He took the hint and answered her unspoken question, "Hermione floo'd me earlier and I got a bad vibe. So I came to check on her." he said looking at the little witch in question.
Severus, "Miss Granger are you … with child?" he had trouble saying that, he didn't like speaking of such things to anyone, much less one of the students he actually respected.
"No, not me." She answered.
Silence again and Lucius was getting impatient, "Where is Mr. Zabini?"
"I gave him some calming draught. He's asleep on my bed." She said softly.
"Calming draught? You stole from me… again?" Severus asked mildly annoyed.
Her and Draco shook their heads, "No, I brewed it." Hermione admitted.
"Where?" Severus asked intrigued.
"We set up a mini lab in our loo. We brew calming draught, dreamless sleep potion, Pepper up potion, Hang over potion, and a mild pain reliever for Hermione." Draco said shrugging.
Severus' eyes widened slightly, "May I…?" he asked motioning to the bathroom.
They both nodded and he billowed out of the common room headed for the mini lab/bathroom.
Severus came back out a few moments later, "Why?" he asked genuinely curious
Hermione smirked, "It's what happens when you make the two smartest Hogwarts students' co-heads." She explained. Sirius snorted.
"Please tell us what happened." Alexandra directed worried for her son.
Harry sighed and retold the story.
At the beginning of the story, Hermione beckoned them to sit and poured them all a glass of whiskey.
"Who was she to marry then?" Lucius asked disgusted by the young girls' actions and thankful that it wasn't Draco.
"We don't know. We haven't spoken to her." Draco said.
"I thought you and he…" Alexandra let the question trail off and met Hermione's eyes.
"We kind of were. We were still in the early stages, we only kissed twice." She said sadly.
"Twice?" Draco asked
"I'll tell you later." She said
He raised his eyebrows remembering her saying that very thing at Pucey's earlier, "yes, you have a lot to tell me later." He reminded and she scowled at him.
Hermione told them what she told Blaise and Draco and Harry also vowed to help Blaise with the baby.
They heard movement from Hermione's dorm. She looked behind her to see Blaise running his fingers through his hair and closing the door behind him.
He didn't seem surprised to see his mother there.
He bent down to kiss her cheek in greeting, "mama." He said and sat right next to Hermione, their thighs touched and he draped an arm around the back of the couch.
She instinctively leaned into him, but didn't snuggle or make any other suggestive movements.
"I'll get in touch with Molly Weasley and start planning the wedding." Alexandra said her nose wrinkling in distaste.
"No. Just a quick ceremony at the Ministry." He said and then added, "she doesn't deserve a pretty wedding." He sneered.
"Don't you want a wedding, Blaise?" Hermione asked.
He looked at her with heat and resentment in his eyes, "she isn't the one with whom I wanted to share that special day." He said and everyone in the room knew exactly what who he did want to share that special day.
Hermione flushed.
After more conversation Alexandra and Sirius left leaving Lucius and Severus, "I trust, Miss Granger that we will not need to reactivate Order members to protect Miss Weasley from your rather hot temper." Professor Snape commanded.
She stood and leveled him with a glare, "Of the many things I would put my trust in; that is not one of them, Professor. Good night gentlemen."
Lucius let out a very un-aristocratic snort, "I always liked her." he mused and floo'd home.
It was at that moment that Harry realized that Ginny wouldn't have the support or any sympathy from either Professor Snape or Lucius Malfoy. In fact, if he was a betting wizard, he would say she was pretty much screwed as far as someone who would listen to her complaints and grievances; some with authority anyway.
No one was going to chastise Hermione Granger, the cleverest witch of her age, fighter for the rights of house-elves, steward for fairness across the wizarding world.
They were famous, heroes.
They still made the papers two years later.
The battle at the department of Mysteries where Harry Potter the boy-who-lived for the third time facing Voldemort, the darkest most powerful wizard of two generations, and was strong enough to fight through the dark lords possession of his mind casting the evil presence out and enabling Lucius and Albus to kill its host.
They all knew that Harry wouldn't have been alive to do that had Hermione been a second too late in casting that spell or if she was a weaker witch; it would've failed.
The amount of power that went into her Protego spell was tantamount to Albus Dumbledor's magical prowess; there was no other explanation for her being able to cast a shield strong enough to reflect Voldemorts magic; and the fact that she cast it on someone other than herself was unheard of – that was per Albus Dumbledor himself.
Draco snorted at the comment and Harry just stared mouth agape, "Do close your mouth, Potter, catching flies does not become you." Severus walked out the door leaving the young wizards alone.
"I'll need your help, as well as the girls' help with … with... the baby." He bit out.
"You have it, mate." Draco said quickly and Harry nodded.
"Won't Ginny be here too, I mean she will be its mother?" Harry asked
"She made it clear that she doesn't want anything to do with it. I'll give her a monthly stipend to live off of. I own two flats in London, one in France and one in Italy; she can have one of those. She can do whatever she wants." He said.
Draco nodded his agreement.
"Let's go mate." Harry said to Blaise who nodded and yawned.
Draco bid them both good night and walked to his dorm and shut the door.
***3
Hermione undressed and climbed into bed.
Dialing.
Ringing.
"Mya." He answered sounding pleased to hear from her even if he had just seen her hours before.
"Marcus." She sighed…
"Alright Princess?"
"Ginny Weasley is pregnant with Blaises' baby."
"Wow. Did he not cast the spell correctly?" he asked referring to the contraception charm half expecting her to go off on a tangent.
She didn't disappoint.
"She countered it once he left. She tricked him wanting to get pregnant by someone rich and who would let her do whatever she wants. It sounds like she doesn't want anything to do with the baby. I told Blaise I'd help him and I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one, so that's good, but I just hate the fact that she did this. I mean, it gives all us witches a bad name!" she hissed gripping the phone tightly and clenching her other fist.
"Easy princess, why did she trick him?" he asked trying not to jump on her pissed off bandwagon, though it was difficult, Blaise was a friend.
"She told Blaise her mother was trying to marry her off, make her live at home and have tons of babies."
"Do we know who she was to marry?"
"No, but really, these aren't the dark ages, Marcus. She has a voice, she could have said no."
He cleared his throat not wanting to offend her, but wanted to help her ease some of the anger, "Purebloods have a different culture than what you are familiar, Mya. Up until right before the fall of …of…"
"Voldemort." She supplied.
"Right. Our fathers negotiated marriage contracts for us. What her mother was doing is not so ancient, but you're correct, things changed and Ginny could have said no and left, instead of causing all this trouble." He said.
"Why aren't you married?" she asked. He was five years older; he should have been married by now or at the very least engaged.
"My father was too busy raping and pillaging, then he was sent to Azkaban and my mother was too drunk or too busy to take the proper steps. I actually consider that a bullet dodged." He responded with a bite in his tone.
She knew it wasn't directed at her, so she continued, "Do you want to get married?" she asked.
She heard him snicker, "We only just met Princess, it's just too soon." He teased.
She rolled her eyes, "Oh please! We both know you'd jump at the chance to marry me. I'm fabulous." She mocked.
He chuckled, "A little full of ourselves aren't we?"
She giggled this time, "Just answer the question Flint."
"So bossy." He whispered, "yes, I'd like to get married, have little rug rats, the house, the dog, the whole sha-bang, but I want to do it the old fashioned way – I want to love my wife more than life itself." He said the last quietly as if embarrassed.
She smiled. His words warmed her heart.
"So where does this leave you and Zabini?" he asked suddenly.
"It leaves us as friends."
He nodded, but didn't say anything. She could almost hear him nod.
"Marcus?" she whispered her eyes fluttering closed.
"Hmmm?"
"Good night." She said softly.
He smiled, "sweet dreams princess." CLICK.
"PUCEY!" he yelled and walked into the kitchen in search of his roommate.
He opened Adrians', "What?" he asked pulling the pillow off his head.
"Blaise knocked up Ginny Weasley, Alexandra is making them get married."
"NO. !" he shouted and sat straight up in bed, "What about your pretty little chit?" he asked referring to Marcus' Hermione.
Marcus smirked, "They're friends." He said and returned Pucey's smile right before he closed the door and walked back to his room to go to sleep.
