A/N Hello everyone, sorry for the later than usual update...I was in a car accident...nothing serious but I had a small head injury so staring at the computer gave me a headache. And I am working on an update for 'How to survive' so look for that soon. Anyway...happy reading and don't forget to review!

Aftermath

"Harry!" Hermione nearly screamed. He was sitting on her little sofa, waiting for her in the dark.

"Where have you been?" he asked accusingly. "Ron's going out of his mind with worry."

"How long have you been here?" she asked trying to come up with an excuse and quickly.

"About twenty minutes. Ron owled me after he woke up in the middle of the night and you weren't home yet from your meeting with Malfoy. He couldn't just leave Hugo so he asked me to come and search." His emerald eyes were accusing under his glasses.

"Oh god Harry." she sighed. "I didn't mean to stay here this late."

"You weren't here." he said again. His voice had a hint of danger in it.

"I was. You see after you left this afternoon I took some of this." she said holding up the small blue bottle of potion. "Dreamless sleep potion. I haven't been sleeping all that well. So I asked the ministry healer for it. But I must have put too much in my tea because I feel asleep on the sofa and didn't wake up until about forty minutes ago. I missed my meeting with Mister Malfoy too. First thing I did was go and owl Ron, then I went to the bathroom and then stopped and bought these." Hermione held up her food purchases. "I missed dinner too." she frowned. Harry listened but said nothing. She wasn't sure he believed her.

"Oh." was all he could say.

"I didn't stay on purpose!" she said forcefully. "It's not the first time Ron and I have fought you know. It was an accident and nothing more."

Harry watched her intently

"So you are not leaving him or anything over this fight?" Harry asked.

Hermione's mouth hung open again.

"OVER A STUPID FIGHT LIKE THAT?" she asked incredulously. "Of course not."

"Ron felt really badly about it. He thought…well that you didn't come home because of things he said."

"It was an accident, nothing more Harry. I don't hold grudges."

"Well let me take you home then." Harry said.

"No. I'm staying here." Hermione said. Now it was Harry's turn to stare unbelievingly at her.

"What?"

"I have to talk to the minister first thing. I missed an important meeting and it's inexcusable. I'm sure Mister Malfoy will be sending an owl first thing. He's probably saying that he knew he couldn't trust me and who knows what else right about now." she threw in to make it sound more believable.

"You could go home and still make it back here in the morning." Harry said.

"Not if I fight with Ron all night."

"I'll tell him to lay off. He was more worried than mad." he said.

"I don't know." she replied. Her eyes stared off for a moment and thought of what she had done that night. She ran her tongue over her lips to get the last taste of him off. She grinned to herself.

"Come on Hermione. Don't put him and Hugo through that."

The mention of Hugo's name is what changed her mind.

"Oh, all right. But you are coming with me so you can control him." she said.

"Fine." he put the fire out with a jet of water from his wand and held the door open for Hermione. She walked past him and into the dark hallway. The only sound that could be heard was footsteps and breathing. Harry was watching her so she made her face blank and emotionless. When they reached the fireplace she went first and heard Harry follow behind her. They landed with a crash in the Weasley's living room. Ron came rushing up to her.

"Oh thank god!" he said wrapping his arms around her tightly. "I was so worried. I just got your owl. I thought all kinds of bad things. I was ready to go to Malfoy and pound his face in." he said all in one breath.

"For what?" she asked. Whey had he thought to hit Draco first?

"I thought maybe he did something to you." Ron said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I didn't even make it to the meeting."

"Well I know that now." Ron replied. His face was turning red. Not a good indication that this would be a fight-free night.

"Why would you think that anyway?" she pushed. "I told you that he's not like that anymore."

"Oh gods, here we go again, let's all defend the ferret." Ron said throwing his hands up into the air.

"Calm down." Harry said. "The fight is pointless. She fell asleep on the sofa and was in her office all night. End of story."

"I should have stayed there and slept." Hermione mumbled. "I'll probably be fired in the morning as it is."

"Kingsley is not going to fire you over this. I'll go talk to him with you okay?" Harry said holding Hermione by the shoulders.

"If you think it will help." she said flatly. "Now I'm going to go kiss Hugo and go to sleep."

Ron's face was still red but he said no more as she walked by him.

"Let it go mate." Harry said. "She's under more pressure now than she has been in years. Combined with lack of sleep it was sure to catch up with her. Just lay off until this project is over."

Harry patted Ron on his back and headed towards the fireplace so he could floo home. Ron nodded in his direction but said nothing. Then Harry was gone in a rush of green flames. Ron followed her into Hugo's bedroom. She leaned over and kissed Hugo on the forehead before turning and finding Ron glaring at her still.

She walked past him out of the room, not saying a thing to him.

"So now that Harry's gone you're not speaking to me again?" he asked her.

"I'm tired." she complained. "And I'm mad at myself for falling asleep."

"Forget Malfoy for one minute won't you?" he spat.

"He is part of my job!" she shouted. "I don't understand why you are constantly riding my back about this project. I wasn't referring to that anyway. I'm mad because I missed seeing Hugo tonight. I hate working late."

Ron stared at her. Her face was flushed from anger.

"I didn't mean…" he tried saying.

"Just forget it alright?" she screamed. "I have to get some sleep so I can explain to the Minister why I missed an important meeting. No matter who it was with it was inexcusable."

Hermione tore off her clothing and threw them into the corner. She was swearing under her breath as she pulled an old nightgown on over her head and climbed onto her side of the bed. The bright light from the alarm clock read four am. Closing her eyes she fell asleep quickly. Ron eyed her warily and climbed onto the other side of the bed. She didn't acknowledge his presence. He turned away from her and fell asleep wondering if she was telling the truth or not.

The next morning Hermione got up early and got Hugo off to Ginny's house. She dressed carefully putting on a black and white polka dot wrap dress and black strappy heels. She pulled her hair into a French knot and sprayed herself with her favorite perfume before applying her make up. Ron woke up just as she was about to leave.

"Since when do you dress like that for work?" he accused.

"Since I'm likely in trouble. I already got Hugo to Ginny's. I will talk to you later." she said not looking at him.

"Are you having lunch with me today?"

"I don't know." she sighed.

"Let's not fight." he said walking up behind her and placing his hand on her shoulder. He leaned in and kissed her on the side of her neck close to her hairline. She moved away quickly.

"You started it."

"You didn't come home Hermione! What was I supposed to think?"

"What did you think? Really, not that I was hurt right?"

"What are you asking me?" he said already knowing the answer.

"You thought I was cheating didn't you?" her voice was shaking. What if he found out? She could lose everything.

"No, of course I didn't." he lied.

"You thought I would have an affair with Malfoy? Admit it!"

"No I didn't. I know you better than that."

"Then what did you think?"

"I thought you had been kidnapped or something." he said looking at the floor.

"Liar." she said. Somehow she had turned her act of adultery into making Ron feel like the wrongdoer. How had she become this person?

"Fine. Maybe a little part of me thought that you had become too close to Malfoy. What other reason could make you want to spend time with him?"

"My job." she answered.

"Right."

"You are so wrong about him Ron." she said, putting her hands on her hips.

"WHAT?"

"Let me ask you a question." she sighed.

"What?" he said again.

"How would you feel about him if he had saved your life back then? Would it make a difference?"

"No."

"No? Why not?"

"Because, saving my life once wouldn't make up for all the crap he did to us, to you in school." he reasoned. "Besides, Harry and I saved his miserable life twice and he doesn't treat us any differently."

"He doesn't see you to treat you any differently."

"He's never thanked us." Ron said flatly.

"Get over it." she told him. Ron's attitude was getting on her nerves.

"What if he saved someone's life you loved, would that make a difference?"

"No."

"What if it was one of the kids?" she pried.

"Well…" he stammered. That might make a difference.

"Well would it?"

"It's a moot point Hermione because he didn't save one of our kids' lives."

"What if he had saved one of your family?"

"I…uh…what are you getting at Hermione? Did he save someone in my family that I don't know about?"

"Not really."

"Then why are you bringing this all up?"

"What if Malfoy saved someone you love? Then would it matter? Would you treat him differently? Would you treat him with some respect?"

"Hermione…" he started.

"Answer me!" she said.

"I suppose I might."

"Fine. Then there is something I need to say to you." she said hoping this would help him understand.

"What is it?"

"Draco Malfoy saved my life."

Ron's mouth hung open so far flies could have landed inside.

"What? When?" he managed to say.

"If I tell you Ron, you can't say anything to anyone. Alright?"

He nodded.

"Back when we were at the manor; and you and Harry were being taken to the cellar…"

Ron looked into Hermione's eyes which were now tearing up.

"And Bellatrix was torturing me…"

Ron's fists balled up in anger.

"There was a point when Bellatrix, Lucius and Narcissa left the room to talk about something they didn't want me to hear. Only Draco was left to keep me from escaping."

Ron's lips pursed together tightly.

"I thought he would continue where Bellatrix left off. But instead he turned to me and cast a protective spell around me. He told me it would keep the pain to a minimum; but to scream as if it hurt anyway. He told me not to tell anyone or his family would be tortured and possibly killed. When Bellatrix returned she cast the cruciatus curse some more but the pain was numbed. I kept screaming so that she wouldn't know what Draco had done. I've never told anyone about this, so I expect you to keep it to yourself."

"What about Harry?"

"What about him?" she replied.

"Can I tell him?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because it's my business. And I told you so that you would know that everyone has some good in them. He's not the person he was."

"Fine." Ron grumbled. "But I still don't like it."

"Whatever. I'm leaving." she said. Her heart felt empty. Like her most personal secret was out for everyone to see and no one even cared.

"I love you." Ron said trying to make her feel better.

"I know." she replied before disappearing into the fireplace.