A/N: Nothing you recognize is in any way mine. Nor shall it ever be.

All my continued thanks to Phx-Songbird; kharys; and knitchick for their reviews and to everyone who has been reading and reviewing and helping me along! Hope you all like it!

Well I promised she would wake up, and she has, sooner than anticipated, though we still don't know how, or why. This was a difficult chapter to write and is again dark and deals with the subject of rape. Fair warning. I do hope you continue to enjoy the story. More Severus and Hermione interaction in the next chapter!

End transmission

-me

Harry had no luck getting any information at work. Apparently the other Aurors were still out in force tracking Ron and gathering evidence. He was preparing to head to Hermione and Ron's flat to see what he could find when he realized that he had forgotten to notify Fleur that he wasn't going to be able to pick Teddy up on time and see if she wouldn't mind keeping him over night. "Shite, Teddy" he said to himself as he quickly turned and apperated home. He knew that Shell Cottages Floo was only open to family, and the anti-apperation wards were extensive on the grounds, it would be fastest to floo in from home, and at least then he could see Teddy and explain what was going on; he doubted Molly and Arthur had thought to do it.

It was a visibly shaken Harry Potter that stepped out of the Floo into Shell Cottage, and was immediately barreled into by an overly excited little metamorhmagus who was currently sporting bright red hair and faded looking scar on his cheek. "Hey Bill, looks like my little guy here has taken quite the liking to you, eh?"

"Hey mate, the kids asked me to tell more curse breaker stories, and I suppose your little man here thinks his Uncle Bill's cooler than any Boy Who Lived to be a Dork!" Bills laughter was cut short when he noticed the devastated look on Harry's face. "Harry mate, just taking the mikey you know, we all know you are far from a dork, even if you look like one half the time. What's goin' on bro? You look like someone's died."

"Oh shite Bill. I am glad Teddy likes spending time with you guys so much, you have been a god send really, it isn't that." Harry looked down at the boy still attached to his legs, hair darkening to a likeness of his adoptive fathers. "Hey there little man, I know your Daddy's boy, don't you fear. Could you do Daddy a favor Teddy and go play with your cousin in the other room for a while, I have to talk grown-up stuff with your uncle, really a bore, I promise." He lightly smacked his sons bum as he skipped off to find Victiore.

"What is it Harry? You're freaking me out mate." Bill sat down at the table and gestured for Harry to join him.

"Bill, can Teddy stay with you tonight, maybe a few days?"

"Sure thing mate, what's goin on? Big case?"

"It's so bloody fucked Bill. You know we brought in Percy this morning." Bill shook his head and was about to speak, but Harry knew it would only sidetrack him and he really needed to get out there and try to find Ron. "Well, just let me tell you the story before you start asking questions alright?"

"Sure thing mate, keep my trap shut till your done, got it!"

"Thanks Bill, this isn't easy. It's been a royally fucked day. We brought Percy in, he's a bloody Death Eater, marked and all, his little muggle girlfriend helped him cover the mark, and got him into drugs, not just taking 'em mind, but manufacturing and distributing. Nasty mix of muggle and magic. He got Ron hooked on the shite, and when we brought him in he was determined to take his brother down with him. We sent Ron home, told him to go to the Burrow, let Mum and Dad know what was going on, and get his own shit together, if all he was doing was using he could take some time off, get cleaned up and come back to work. No harm, no foul." Harry was getting angry, the magic he had been working hard to contain all day was crackling in the air, whatever he was about to tell Bill, bill knew it wasn't good. "The bloody fucking bastard! Damn it Bill, he beat 'Mione. Has been for Merlin knows how long, but today. Today he lost all control, he beat her to within an inch of her life, and she still may not make it. The baby didn't. He raped his own wife Bill. It's sick. Mum and Dad are with her, so is George. Looks like Ron's been using helping George out at the shop as an excuse to screw around with Verity, or at least that's what Snape says. I still don't really understand what the hell Snape has to do with all this, but he cares for 'Mione, that's for damned sure, and he found her. If he hadn't been there Bill. She was almost dead when the got to St. Mungo's. If I find that piece of shit brother of yours I'm gonna bloody beat the shite out of him, lets see how he likes it. Fuck Bill, why "Mione?" Harry was running his hands over his face, trying to regain composure, hoping that Fleur had thought to cast a silencing spell when she heard him yelling, because he was sure the kids would have heard him otherwise.

"Shite Harry, I really don't know what to say. I knew Ron had issues, I mean we all do. And honestly, I never saw what Hermione was doing with one of my brothers. Hell if I didn't have Fleur. I mean she is a good looking bird, and brains for days, love that in a woman, but I love my wife, and well, half veela man, I was lost! But Ron? Charlie maybe I could have seen, when he isn't playing with Dragons he's damned smart. Ron has just held her back. What was it Remus used to call her? 'Brightest witch of her age' or something like that? She is, and what is she doing with her life? Hermione wasn't meant to play house, she should be curing lycanthropy or some other shite like that. She hasn't done anything since the war. It isn't right Harry. Now. Fuck this is all just so damned tragic." Bill took a minute to consider telling Harry what he knew, Hermione had taken him into her confidence, and he felt horrible breaking that trust, but perhaps things would make more sense if Harry had more of the puzzle pieces. "You know Harry, 'Mione was practically celibate right?"

"What? No. I mean how could she be? She's been pregnant twice?" Harry was thoroughly confused and not quite sure what this had to do with things.

"Well Harry, what I know, what SHE told me, is that the first time the baby was an accident, a miracle sure, but an accident. It wasn't like they were going at it all the time trying to get her knocked up. It was only the second time she and Ron had sex." Bill paused to give Harry a minute to do the math, he wasn't stupid, but he could be dense with the rest of them.

"Wait, only the second time! Bill they had been married a year when she got pregnant the first time. How can that be right?" Bill would have laughed at the look on Harry's face if it wasn't such a terrible situation, but the cross between confusion at how a married couple could go that long without, and the anger over Hermione's current state seemed to be warring with pity for Ron for being married to such a prude. At least Ginny more than made up for her absences when she was home, that woman was insatiable!

"Harry, what I am about to tell you does not leave this kitchen, I never even told my wife, and I tell her everything, but I promised Hermione she could trust me." Harry nodded in agreement. "It was months after they married that Ron and Hermione first managed to consummate the marriage. They didn't sleep together again until the time she got pregnant." Bill waited for the questions he knew were coming.

"So you're saying Ron cant. That he's, that his, well you know, he can't um, get up to the task?" Harry looked pained contemplating erectile dysfunction.

"NO!" Bill couldn't help the laugh. He had expected Harry to ask why SHE wouldn't, not think that Ron COULDN'T, oh it was too funny! "No. No Harry. Ron has no issues in that area; didn't you just finish telling me he was screwing Verity, and that he raped his wife? No, the issue was with her. Harry do you remember when you all got here after being captured by the snatchers?"

"Yeah, but, what's that got to do with anything, I mean, I know that the 'crucios' she took did a number on her insides and all, but to not have sex at all? I don't get it."

"Harry, have you ever seen her back?" Bill wanted to know how much Harry knew before he said any more.

"The scars? Yeah, Bella did a real number on her. If the words weren't enough, to just cut her up like that, all those cuts. That was just brutal." Harry blanched at the thought of those scars. They went all down the backs of her thighs too, he had seen them once when he accidentally on purpose caught sight of her in the shower. She may be like a sister to him, but Bill was right, she was a good looking bird, and Harry was curious. She had been furious with him, but mostly ashamed he had seen the scars. "Once, and she didn't want me too, wasn't the least bit pleased I had either, but she later told me Bella had cut her up with that cursed blade. She's got the scars for life now, nothing to be done."

"Harry, the words yes. But have you ever seen anything like that before?" Bill knew he would get it now, it was hard not to when you were looking right at it.

"Holy shite Bill, how could I have not known? Oh I think I'm gonna be sick!" And he was, after he came back from the bathroom and got himself a glass of water he looked at Bill and hung his head in shame. "How did I never know Bill, why didn't she tell me?"

"She is like so many of us ashamed. I can't hide what I am, too many people saw Greyback attack me. Everyone who saw what that monster did to Hermione is thankfully dead. Hermione was glad to tell everyone it was all Bellatrix, but one day she came to me and told me the truth. She needed to talk to someone who understood what she was going through. Admittedly she wished Lupin was still around, and told me as much, we never really knew each other all that well. But we both carry the cursed marks left behind from our run-ins with Greyback. What was done to me pales in comparison to what she lived through while you were locked up in the Malfoy dungeons. When Bellatrix realized she wasn't getting what she wanted from Hermione she thought perhaps she would respond better to Greyback's interrogation methods. Her only rules were that Greyback keep her alive to answer questions. Hermione told me that he used teeth and nails to cut into her body while he raped her repeatedly in between questioning from Bellatrix. It was no where near the full moon, and like me she doesn't change, I don't even think she likes meat much at all, but like me those scars are still cursed. But what really destroyed her was the rape. Aside from what she tells me was an incredibly misplaced kiss in the tent after my prat brother abandoned you, Hermione had no experience at all. She was a virgin, and Greyback's rape destroyed her. And it left her so traumatized that every time Ron touched her she had flashbacks, but she never told him what was wrong. She let him believe that she was a prude, and she knew about Verity, told me as much, but figured it was the least she could do to look the other way and let him find a bit of what she couldn't give him elsewhere. They didn't have sex again until Snape made that potion for her; she timed it perfectly, and told me she got herself pissed just to be able to go through with it. It worked, she got pregnant, and thought that by giving him a baby she was making up for the fact that she couldn't give him herself."

"Oh my God. I never knew. I am such a shite friend. Neither of them said a thing." Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing, but he knew she had flashbacks and nightmares. They all did, she just thought it was something else, he never knew it was controlling her life this much. "It still doesn't excuse why he did it Bill. I think I maybe get where things started to get bad, but Bill, he's got a lot to answer for, and if he doesn't get himself killed first he IS going to Azkaban for what he did to her. Speaking of I have got to get back. Thanks for telling me Bill, and you will watch Teddy wont you?"

"Not a problem mate, on either count. You let us know if there is anything we can do alright, and I'll likely be by the hospital later to see her, I hate that he did that to her Harry. Why don't you go let Teddy know he's staying and I'll talk to Fleur."

Harry followed bill into the living room where Fleur was watching the kids play so he could explain to Teddy that he was going to be really busy for a few days but that he would come by to check up on him. No sooner had they walked in that Fluer turned to talk. "Oh Harry, Ginny just Flooed looking for you, She says she got your note, and came home straight away, she needs a good bath before heading to St. Mungo's to see Hermione. I assume that's what you boys were talking about, I told her you were here with Bill, and that I would pass along the message, she should still be at home if you want to catch her."

"Thanks Fleur." Harry hugged everyone goodbye and stepped through the Floo to see his wife.

"Gin Love! It's me! I am so glad you came back. Gin?"

"In the bath Harry!"

Harry ran to the back of the house to the bath his wife was soaking in. The sight of her, so whole, and perfect, red hair fanned out like the rays of the sun in the water, made him sink to his knees and cry.

"I know Harry, I know. It's horrible. How's Ron taking it, he must be devastated, he so wanted to be a daddy?" She asked.

Harry sat back on his heels and proceeded to tell his wife the whole story, including both her brothers' roles in the terrible tale. Her foul mouth never ceased to amaze him when she was riled up. She practically shot up out of the water like some terrible water sprite hell bent on vengeance. "THAT FUCKING PIECE OF ROTTING SHITE BLOODY BASTARD ARSE SON OF A BITCH!" She screamed. "Sorry Harry, I just, damn it. Poor Mione. What are we going to do, after we hunt down and 'Avada' my brother that is?"

"I don't really know Gin. This whole thing is just so fucked I can't wrap my head around it. We were all so blind." He stood up and held his wife as she stepped out of the tub, he didn't even notice how much she was dripping on him. "I'm so glad you came back baby. I know it's hard for you to get away, but 'Mione's gonna need you when she wakes up, and I need you, I need to look at something good for a while. Something pure and whole. I'm glad they took me off the case, I don't know if I could bring him in Gin."

"Harry, don't tell me you are defending my brother?" She pushed back from him and turned to wrap herself in her bath robe. "That bloody prat has earned everything he has coming!"

"I know love, I know. What I mean is: I don't think I could just bring him in. And after everything else we have had to do, I really don't want to have to kill my brother in law. I can't call him my friend after this, but I don't want to explain to Mum that she has to bury another son because of me." He pulled her into a hug and breathed in the smell of her, so clean and warm, it cleansed his soul after all he had seen and hear that day.

Ginny led him to their room where she quickly dressed so she could follow him to see Hermione. "Harry, Ron, if all this is true, he is no brother of mine. I love 'Mione. She is my sister. I mean, we may not be besties or anything, but I love her anyhow. Ron will be lucky to not be seen by me first, because what he did was unforgivable, and like deserves like. Justifiable if you ask me. I just wish we could all get past this. Harry, I am sorry I'm not around much, maybe if I had been here more…"

Harry cut her off with a wave of the hand. "Not you too Gin. We have all been playing the blame game with ourselves, and there is more than enough to go around. We all got too caught up in our selves, and no one holds anything against you. You put this off for a year to help me with Teddy. You came out of the war and took to being his adoptive mother so wonderfully, but we both know that you never asked for that, not yet. You deserve to chase your dreams too Gin. Teddy knows you love him, and he loves to watch you play. There are plenty of people, who love him, he isn't wanting for anything, and yes, the selfish bastard side of me wants you in my bed every night, but I know that this makes you happy, fulfilled in a way that staying home and playing mum just wouldn't. I don't hold that against you love. I knew you wanted to play for the Harpies long before we married." Harry held his wife in an effort to show her that he meant his words.

Just then a silvery white weasel burst into the room and Arthur's voice filled the room. "Hermione's awake. Come quickly!"