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043. Questions

"So all pureblood families have some sort of heir charm?"

"Most do," Theo replied, not looking up from a book he was reading on bonding charms. "There are a few families who we know have them but Draco hadn't gotten his hands on those yet. We also aren't entirely sure about the Weasleys – even though they seem to be more fertile than the rest of the purebloods, no one has ever heard of them actually using one in centuries."

"Then why is Pansy an only child?"

Theo sighed looking up from book, not entirely wanting to answer the question as it would bring up something that several families, including his and Draco's, had gone to great lengths to bury. Carefully he answered, "She is now."

"So she had a brother?"

"Yes, two in fact. The Parkinson's charm is unusual as it always produces twins."

Hermione scrunched up her face as Theo knew she did every time she thought really hard before asking her inevitable question – "What happened to them?"

"They died."

"I gathered that Theo," Hermione huffed exasperated. "You know it's really frustrating to have a conversation with you when you don't want to talk about something."

"Then why don't we drop it?"

"Why won't you talk about it?"

"It happened almost nine years ago. There are times you really should let the past die," Theo retorted, going back to the book on the binding charms.

"And there are times, you shouldn't keep everything in," she snapped back. "I'm going to the kitchens. Do you want anything?"

"No but..." his voice trailed off as something caught his eye.

"Theo." He heard her voice in the distant but didn't answer as he tried to process what he just read and if and how it could help Pansy.

"Theo." Her voice was closer now but he didn't respond, his fingers quickly flipping through another book he had grabbed.

"Theo." Hermione said firmly grabbing the book from him. "What is it?"

Theo looked up at Hermione and whispered, "You wouldn't happen to know if the Weasleys use a familiar marriage binding charm?"

Hermione's heart sunk at the question, gathering what little bravery she had, she whispered, "I seem to remember something about one but they don't use it."

"Why?"

"I don't know," Hermione replied, sadly sitting back down in her chair. "Fleur wanted to use it when she and Bill got married and there was a huge row. Ron's father never yells and animated doesn't quite do what I witnessed justice."

"Did they use it?"

"No," Hermione said with a shake of her head. "They just used a regular marriage bind. Why?"

"According to this," he said gently, knowing this wasn't going to get any easier on Hermione anytime soon, "the marriage binds of the oldest families are strong enough to alter the progression of several charms – including the heir charms."

"And the Weasleys are as old as they come," Hermione whispered.

"Them and the Malfoys are the only ones with male heirs in existence of the ones they mentioned."

Theo watched as Hermione shrunk into her chair, wringing her hands. He had nine years to wait for this moment, he couldn't imagine what he would have felt like if he had been in her shoes.

"You still love her," was all she whispered. "After all these years. You still love her."

"Yes," he whispered back. "I'm about as big of a fool as they come."

"Well that makes two of us. I guess Malfoy will want to hear this?"

"Yes."

"We are just going to have to stand by and let this happen aren't we? Whether we want to or not?"

"I just don't know if we are going to find another way. And I know I just can't stand by and let that bastard ruin her life anymore. I know you don't want to hear this but he really makes her happy besides being the best thing that has ever happened to her – there are times I can now see the girl I fell in love with when she's with him."

"Don't worry, I would never be able to live with myself if I stood in the way.

The sound of the fire cracking overtook the room as Hermione stared at her hands and Theo stared at the ceiling each wallowing in their own misery at knowing what the right thing to do was but not liking it all the same.