Chapter 17

The next morning Hermione finds a white rose and a piece of parchment on her plate when she comes down for breakfast. Sitting down next to Ginny she reads the letter.

Dear Hermione,

I would like to take you on another date today.

My choice of venue for this date might be seen as unconventional but I'm sure you'll love it.

Meet me at the broomshed after breakfast. Make sure you wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty.

Love,

Ginny

Hermione turns to Ginny. "What unconventional venue are you taking me?"

Ginny just smirks before answering. "You'll see."

Hermione finishes breakfast in record time and hurries up to change. When she's done she hurries to the broom shed where she finds Ginny waiting for her holding a blindfold.

"You're a little earlier than I expected so we have to wait for a little bit."

"What are we waiting for?" Hermione asks.

"I don't want to ruin the surprise. Would you please put on the blindfold. You can take it off as soon as we are at our destination."

"O-Okay." Hermione hesitantly agrees and puts on the blindfold. A few minutes later Hermione hears a soft plop and whispering. Than both her hands are taken and suddenly she feels the familiar sensation of side-along apparating. When they have arrived at their destination Ginny pulls of Hermione's blindfold. After getting used to the light Hermione gasps when she sees all the house elves. "Are we at the shelter?" she asks Ginny.

"Yes. I know you wanted to come here and I figured this time we could do something active for our date. The elves need help with the heavier repairs of the housing so that's what we will be doing."

"Great! Can we have a tour first?" Hermione asks and turns to the elf standing next to them who is obviously still a young elf.

"Hello. My name is Hermione Granger. Who are you?"

"Me knows your name miss and me is honored to have you visit. Me is Binky. And me will give you a tour." The elf says while shaking Hermione's hand enthusiastically.

Binky shows the girls around the property. They learn they are in the scottish highlands. The property used to be part of a bigger estate but the land and small manor are now split from the rest. The manor obviously hasn't been lived in or kept for a long time. The roof needs repairs as well as the walls and some floors. Currently the elves live in tents because the house is not yet safe to live. The repairing needs a different kind of magic than the magic of the elves. So it is needles to say the elves are very happy with the girls help. After a tour around the house and tents Binky takes them to a forest next to which the elves have started a vegetable garden.

The elves only want the necessary things done. As glad as they are there was someone willing to help them, they all want only one thing. Find a new family to serve. The girls spend most of their day repairing the roof, the time they have left they spent on the walls and floors. There are a lot of repairs and one day isn't enough for the girls to get everything done. They do however manage to get the manor stable enough for the elves to enter and do what they can to help improve their home.

When it's starting to get dark the girls call it a day. When they come out of the house Binky is waiting for them.

"Me got everything ready miss Ginny. If you please follow." He tells them before leading them into the forest. Hermione looks at Ginny questioningly.

"Binky is taking us to the second part of our date." Ginny answers the unasked question before taking Hermione's hand and following Binky.

After a ten minute walk Binky leads the girls into a clearing with a pond. There is a lawn where a table and two chairs are situated. Ginny helps Hermione into her chair before sitting down herself. When both of them are seated Binky snips his fingers and food appears on the table.

"Enjoys your dinners missus. When finished just call Binky and me will come to bring you home." With a final snip of his fingers Binky disappears.

"This is wonderful Ginny. Seeing the shelter and helping was already amazing but topping the day of with dinner here is even more amazing."

The two of them have dinner in a comfortable silence while holding hands as much as possible. When they're finished Ginny stands up.

"I didn't arrange any music today but I hope that's not going to stop you from dancing with me." Ginny hold out a hand and Hermione takes it.

Ginny's arms settle on Hermione's waist and Hermione's arms wrap around Ginny's neck. They sway for a while before Hermione looks into Ginny's eyes with a look that makes Ginny gasp. She feels Hermione move one of her hands into her hair and pulling her head down, but all further thought leaves her mind the moment she feels Hermione's lips on her and her tongue across her bottom lip asking for entry. Which she obviously grants.


The next morning Hermione and Ginny sit down for breakfast beaming. After their first kiss last night they shared a few more kisses before calling Binky to get them home. After promising Binky they would come back to help today they went to bed thankful for the fact that everybody at the Burrow was already asleep.

Everybody has just started eating when an owl carrying a letter ticks on the window. Molly opens it and takes the letter.

"It's for you Ron." She says while handing the letter to Ron, who immediately opens it.

Dear Ron,

Thank you for your invitation. I unfortunately have to decline, for I have some pressing family matter I have to attend to. My mum reacted far more favorably to our match than my father. She even went as far as divorcing him because of his reaction. She was unaware of some ancient wards on Malfoy Manor which only allow Malfoys entrance when the head of the Malfoy line is not at the Manor. With my father at Azkaban she has not been able to access the Manor and her things for the past two weeks. As soon as I arrived in London with the train I've been helping her retrieve her things since I as a Malfoy am still permitted at the house. I'll probably be gathering mums stuff for another day or two after which I'll be helping her house hunting and getting settled. I'm really sorry I can't come, I've always wondered what it would be like to spend christmas with a big family, well maybe next year.

Sincerely

Draco.

After Ron has read the letter to his family Molly speaks up. "See if any of us can help with anything and tell him both he and his mother are welcome to stay here for the time being."

"Stay here? But where would they sleep? I mean with Hermione's parents coming we don't have enough rooms."

"We'll change some things around. Hermione will move in with Ginny, Narcissa can take Percy's old room, the Grangers will sleep in Bill and Charlie's room Luna can share the twins room with Harry and Draco will share with you. Bill and Fleur are leaving for France Christmas Eve, George and Angela will spend the night in Diagon Alley because they're going to Angela's family on Christmas day, Charlie has to work so he won't be joining us this year. That only leaves Fred and maybe Minerva. If they decide to stay you and Draco will move to the living room for a few nights."

"Draco has to sleep in my room?"

"Yes."

"But… but…"

"I have faith that the two of you will work through your issues and get married, so there's no harm in getting used to sharing a room."

And with that Molly ends the discussion.


Ginny and Hermione work hard at the shelter and at the end of the day the Manor is finished enough for the elves to do the rest. Binky once again brings them back to the Burrow. When it's time to leave he seems rather nervous.

"Is something the matter Binky?" Hermione asks kindly.

"No nothing's the matter me is just wanting to ask you something."

"And what is it you want to ask us?"

"The missus are supposed to get married because of the new law right? And start a family?"

"Yes."

"Well me has been thinking that the missus could use help and me likes the missus so maybe Binky could become the missus house elf?" Binky asks shyly. Before Hermione can answer Ginny speaks up.

"Hermione and I will need to talk about this before we can give you an answer. How about you give us a few days to talk it over and tell you about our decision."

"Me can live with that." Binky smiles and disappears with a pop.

Hermione turns to Ginny with an angry face. "You know my stance on house elves. How could you give that little guy false hope?"

"I wasn't aware I was giving him false hope. Listen Hermione I know how you feel about house elves, but I'm sure you've learned that a house elf loves to serve people. I don't think either of us wants to be a stay at home mum so we might need some help and I happen to like Binky. He obviously like us so why shouldn't we see if we can work something out?"

"Work something out?"

"Yeah. Like what if we hire Binky? Just like you would hire a sitter?"

"So you're saying we would pay Binky and he would not be bonded to us?"

"Yes!"

"That could work, if Binky wants this that is."

"Well that's settled, we'll talk to him about it in the morning."


The next morning the girls floo to the shelter to have a talk with Binky.

"Hi Binky, Ginny and I had a talk and we would like to talk to you about becoming our house elf. Do you still want to be our house elf?"

"Me would like that very much."

"Alright, we would like your help as well, but we want you to stay a free house elf. As such we would pay you, you'd have vacation days and you wouldn't be bonded to us. So if you ever want to leave us, you can do so."

"Me heard about your Spew miss Hermione and me understands what you offer and me will accept it all but the bonding. House elves need the bonding to be able to use all of their magic in their family's house."

"You can't work for us without being bonded to us?"

"Binky can but me won't be able to do all that has to be done without being bonded. Me needs the connection with a witch or wizard to do more. Elves can use the magic of the master when they are bonded. Me thinks it is possible to make a bond where the elf can leave but me has to ask one of the older elves at Hogwarts."

"If you could look into that I would be very grateful. Now as said we want to pay you and give you vacation days."

"Yes Binky wants to earn one galleon a week and 10 vacation days a year. No more." Binky tells Hermione with such conviction she can only agree.

"Okay that's a deal. Now both of us are still at Hogwarts so we were thinking of starting our arrangement after we've graduated."

"That's okay. But if it is possible me would like to be bonded before that. I could help here at the shelter until summer and if you need me you can always call on me. Payment and vacation would start after graduation."

"Let's wait on what you learn from the elf at Hogwarts and we'll take it from there." Hermione ends the conversation and the girls floo back to the Burrow where they are surprised to find Draco and Narcissa Malfoy sitting at the kitchen table.

"Hi girls. You know Narcissa Black and Draco Malfoy right. They will be staying at the Burrow for a little while." Molly tells them.

"Hello Miss Black, Draco." Hermione says before starting to leave the kitchen.

"Please call me Narcissa, miss Granger. If it's okay with you I'd like to talk to you privately for a moment."

"Sure." Hermione shrugs before moving upstairs to percy's room where she has been sleeping the past few days.

"I'm coming with. Unlike Draco you have not yet proofed you've changed. I wouldn't be a very good fiancé if I didn't protect Hermione." Ginny says.

"I agree, it is however up to miss Granger if she wants you there." Narcissa tells Ginny.

"It's okay."

As soon as the three women are inside of Percy's room Narcissa casts some wards on the door.

"It's just a simple locking charm and sound shield. Like I said I want to have this conversation in private." Narcissa explains.

"What do you want to talk about?" Hermione asks a little apprehensive.

"About what happened at the Manor." Narcissa answers and watches Hermione's eyes dart to Ginny.

"Am I right in assuming you haven't told miss Weasley here everything?"

Hermione visibly swallows. "You are correct."

"Would you prefer for me to step out and give the two of you some time to talk?"

"No, I would rather get this over with. I'll explain everything to Ginny afterwards." Hermione whispers. Narcissa nods her head and takes a deep breath obviously bracing herself.

"I want to apologize for what happened at the Manor."

"Why would you apologize, you didn't do anything."

"Let me rephrase. I apologize for not doing anything about what happened to you. I'm sorry I didn't try to help you or at least tried to stop my sister from torturing you."

"What difference would it have made? If you'd have done anything to try and stop them you would have been in danger. By not helping me you took care of yourself and your son." Hermione shrugs Narcissa's apology off.

"Either way I do regret my actions that day. Shortly after you were freed I found my sister's diary and in there she has written how she made the dagger. I have a copy for you and thought it could maybe help with getting rid of the scars if you so wish." Narcissa tells her and hands over a piece of parchment before walking out of the room.

Ginny pulls Hermione into a hug as soon as Narcissa is gone and let's Hermione cry for a while. When Hermione is calmed down she looks up at Ginny and takes a deep breath.

"As you know Ron, Harry and I were captured by snatchers and brought to Malfoy Manor. Dobby saved us and brought us to Shell cottage. When we were in Shell Cottage I made Harry and Ron promise to not tell anybody what happened to me. As far as the rest of the world was concerned we were questioned. In reality Bellatrix Lestrange used the Cruciatus Curse on me, multiple times. When that didn't give her the desired answers she used a dagger to write mudblood in my arm." Hermione moves out of Ginny's arms to show her arm. After getting rid of the glamour charm she holds it out to Ginny who gasps.

"I didn't tell anyone because I don't want the pity. Other than Harry and Ron only Fleur knows because she tended to my injuries when we arrived at Shell Cottage. I don't wish what happened to me on anyone and I really just want to forget this."

"I don't pity you. I actually think you're a strong woman. And I'm sad this happened to you. Maybe talking about it is good, but for now I'm content with letting you forget. I won't bring it up."

"Thank you."


The days before Christmas the inhabitants of the Burrow settle in a comfortable ritm. The boys and Ginny spend a few hours a day playing quidditch while Molly takes care of the household with help of Narcissa and Hermione. Afternoons are usually spend together in the living room playing games. Hermione has introduced some muggle games to play with the whole group and it turns out that both Draco and Narcissa really enjoy charades. In no time Christmas Eve is upon them.

In the morning Hermione's parents arrive. The rest of the Weasleys and their partners arrive during the day and by the time dinner rolls around the Burrow is ready to burst.

Molly, with the help of Narcissa and Hermione's mum has outdone herself with dinner. After dessert the group relicates to the living room. Ginny however holds Hermione back.

"I know we're doing presents in a minute but I want to give you mine in private. Join me for a short walk?"

"Sure."

Once outside Ginny leads Hermione a little away from the burrow. When they're far enough away Ginny turns and kneels on one knee.

"Hermione, Even though a law brought us together I love you with all my heart. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"


A/N: sorry not sorry about the cliffhanger. But I'm sure you all can guess Hermione's answer :)