The next day Hermione began thinking of possible ways to get Rose back. She borrowed a notebook off Draco and sat outside at a table drawing up plans. The next one seemed worse than the next. After two full hours of non-stop thinking Hermione finally admitted she would have to go and take Rose from Ron's arms.

Draco looked curiously at Hermione as she started walking towards the door with a determined look on her face but knew better than to stop her.

"RON!" Hermione shouted, banging on the door. "RON I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE. OPEN THE DOOR NOW AND I MIGHT BE ABLE TO STOP MYSELF FROM KILLING YOU!"

The door opened and Lavender stood there, smiling stupidly at Hermione.
"Er... hello Lavender, I need to speak to Ronald."
"What? Oh..." She looked thoughtful for a moment and then grinned. "Bye Hermione." She said, and slammed the door in her face.

Hermione banged on the door but every time she went near it she was blasted backwards. She tried 'alohomora' but it backfired and hit Hermione on the head. She sat by the door and cried for a few minutes then sighed, apparating to the ministry of magic.

"Name?" Said the witch through the telephone.
"Hermione Granger. I'm here for custody of my daughter."
"Okay!" Said the witch cheerfully as a badge appeared labelling Hermione. She pinned it to her robes and set foot in the ministry.

"All rise." Said a small man who had a surprisingly loud voice and ushered the minister in cautiously.

Hermione stood up and glanced at the minister nervously. He smiled at her but as Hermione couldn't tell whether he was being friendly or not, she didn't return it.

"Charges against Mr Ronald Billius Weasley," Read a wizard seated where Umbridge had once sat. Hermione noticed it was Percy. "Faking signatures, faking custody of a child. Witnesses for defence?"

Lavender stood up. "Lavender Velvet Brown."
The minister nodded and Lavender started explaining how Hermione had left Rose home alone at work and that Ron had come home to find Rose on the doorstep.
"Do you deny this, Miss Granger?"
"Yes." Hermione said quietly.
"What evidence do you have," Said Kingsley, "To prove that you did not abandon Rose?
"What evidence does he have?" Hermione asked shrilly. And the wizengamot nodded in agreement.
The minister couldn't come to a fair answer so he said rather loudly "You either give the girl to one of you, or let her be adopted."

Hermione cried out in despair and Ron looked nervously at Hermione.
"Give her away!" Said Hermione "To anyone. Anyone but HIM!"
Ron nodded his head "let her be adopted."

Back at Malfoy Manor, Hermione was feeling slightly better, but still upset. She knew it was what would be best. Draco came up to her room in the evening to tell her that dinner was ready and that they had guests. Hermione looked at Draco for inspiration on what to wear and noticed that he was dressed formally in dark green dress robes. Hermione walked to her closet and picked out her dark green dress robes that matched Draco's but had a kind of dress look to them so it wouldn't look as Hermione had to borrow Draco's clothes. She walked downstairs and saw Harry and Luna waiting in the entrance.

"So why are you here?" Asked Hermione, once the meal had been delivered.
"To find out what really happened that night with Ron Weasley." Said Luna matter-of-factly.
Hermione shifted about in her seat uncomfortably. "Well... It was like I said. He was in bed with Lavender and got Rose adopted. By Lavender. The person whom he was intending to marry. "
Harry looked shocked for he had spilled wine all down his robes.
"It was bound to happen, Hermione. You can't actually say you trusted him." Luna said calmly.
"I guess I didn't really." She replied. What she actually was going to say was she didn't trust anyone as much as Draco but she didn't want Harry and Luna getting the wrong end of the stick.

After dinner, Hermione told Draco that she really must be leaving now and that she was going to live with her parents.
Draco looked slightly hurt at this and Hermione tried to make up for her mistake. "Don't look at me like that," She moaned. "Oh come on, Draco. I can't stay here forever."
"You could." Draco said, and for the first time in his life he sounded sad.
Hermione looked into his eyes and said "You could come with me..."
Draco looked up excitedly like a puppy dog. "Really?"
Hermione nodded and hugged him tightly, breathing in his sweet scent.

"So where did you say these mugg-Your parents live?"
"I didn't." Hermione laughed." But for your information, they live in Sandbanks in Dorset."
Draco looked blankly at her and Hermione laughed even harder. "What?" He said.
Hermione giggled, "You never did Geography did you?"
Draco looked even more confused. " geome- what?"
"Geography!" Hermione said and she started getting up out of her seat and exiting the train.

"Hermione!" Her parents chorused when she knocked on the door. They each kissed her and then looked behind at Draco.
Hermione's mother smiled at her knowingly. "And who is this?" She asked sweetly.
"Draco Malfoy." Draco said. Expecting a mouthful of what he shouldn't have done he was surprised when her father merely shrugged.
"I suppose there's some kind of weird story that will explain why you've not told us Mr Malfoy was coming." Mr Granger said.
"Well, It was such short notice really. I don't plan on staying for long though. Just the weekend, Father."
"Oh, do come in." Hermione's mum said. "Err... how many err... how many rooms will you be needing?"
Hermione blushed and looked at Draco who gave her a 'Your choice' kind of look. "We'll have one each, I think, Mother." She said and walked briskly up the stairs of her familiar home.

Hermione sat on her comfortable bed, reading stories she'd written at Primary school. It all seemed so long ago now, when Professor Mcgonagall had arrived at her house and changed the table into a bathtub.
"Can I come in, sweet?" Said Mrs Granger, poking her head round the door.
Hermione nodded, and made room on her bed for her mum.
"So... How are you feeling, Hermione?"
She shrugged, "Alright I suppose."
Mrs Granger put an arm round Hermione and hugged her tight. "That Draco's quite good looking, isn't he?"
Giggling, Hermione nodded and sighed.