By the time that Tom's campaign had been announced in earnest, Hermione found herself being roped into various campaign events here and there. It seemed that her spring time would consist of an endless carousel of handshaking and being demure conversations whilst standing at her husband's side until Abraxas pulled him off somewhere to meet with this member or that of the Wizengamot.

Hermione was not invited along to these discussions and was instead meant to make small talk, which had never been her strong suit. She didn't know why Abraxas thought that this was a suitable way for her to support Tom, but she wished she could beg off from the parties due to her condition. Whispers were already swirling around about her (quite frankly, obvious) pregnancy.

That wasn't to say that Aurelia hadn't done her absolute best to keep her covered up. Hermione was sweltering in a heavy velvet set of robes in navywith sleeves all the way down to her wrists,as though seeing a sliver of wrist would out her as a harlot and not the rounded curve of her stomach. She looked over to where Aurelia was swanning around in a glimmering gold dress and decided that the next party she went to, she would wear what she wanted to.

Walking around the massive chamber where the Wizengamot convened, Hermione wondered what it would be like to serve as a member. The body was quite secretive and their oral arguments were typically closed to the public, so in some ways, she really had no idea what the temperature of the group was. She hoped that they would support her husband - greedily grasping forward to something better than what they already had. But, she'd also heard some of the arguments against him. He was young, unknown to the majorityand, most concerningly, untested. Perhaps it was better to stick on the current track of success.

"Hermione?" a familiar voice called out to her. "Aren't you a sight for sore eyes!"

"Philip?" Hermione asked back, pleased to see someone from her old life - from her job at the Ministry. "It's so good to see you," she added genuinely, before wrapping him in a quick hug.

He seemed surprised, but was not bothered. "I understand that congratulations are in order," he said, grinning when he saw her looking quite so round.

"Yes, thank you," Hermione said, bringing a hand to her stomach. "We are quite looking forward to the baby's arrival."

"Come, you must meet my friend, Edgar," Philip said, placing a hand on her lower back to guide her over to another man.

She was surprised to see that Edgar was in fact Edgar Bones, who she knew led a faction of moderate members in the Wizengamot. To her mind, they seemed to be quite reasonable people and she hoped that Tom would be able to convince them of the merits of his positions. He could do quite a lot of good for the wizarding world if he was given the chance.

"Ed, I want you to meet Hermione Riddle, nee Granger," he said smoothly. "She worked in my office. One of the sharpest witches that I've ever worked with. Whenever I needed a break on a case I would go to her. I can't say how much we miss your expertise, Hermione."

Hermione flushed under the effusive praise of her former coworker. When they had worked together, they had been cordial, but she had no idea that she had made such an impact on him. "Oh, we certainly helped each other a lot," she said, unsure of how to accept the compliment.

"Pleased to meet you," Edgar said, offering her a firm handshake that she was happy to take. "And now you are on a leave, from work?"

"Yes, Tom and I are expecting," she said, not bothering to keep up with any pretense. "Undersecretary Swift thought that it was best that I focus on my family at this point."

"Surely he'd be falling all over himself to have you back," Philip quipped, perhaps unaware of the office politics that she'd had to wade through.

She gave him a sad smile. "I don't think that will be happening, unfortunately," she explained. "Swift seems to think that after I have the baby, my mind will be utter mush and I won't be able to contemplate anything but raising my child, despite my...insistence otherwise."

Edgar made a little noise in the back of his throat. "So you would welcome a return to work?" he asked, cautiously.

"Yes," she said empathically. "I know it's not really...well, traditional, but I do so feel like I have a lot to contribute. Of course, raising a baby is a priority, but I just don't know why I can't do both."

"And your husband is supportive of your ambitions?" Edgar wondered, his eyebrows rising in surprise to hear her explanation.

Hermione smiled, thinking of Tom. "I think that Tom would let me do whatever it was that I wanted," she said. "He's very supportive of my interests, even if they aren't all typical. If I return to the job market after our child is born, he would be happy for me."

"Perhaps he just wants your support now while he is campaigning," Edgar flattered her. "I know if I had a wife as beautiful as you, I'd want to keep you as close to my side as possible."

She flushed, unused to being flirted with by wizards. While the attention was nice, mostly, she didn't really know what to do with it. There was no wizard who could sway her from Tom, and even though things had been a bit odd with so much of his time taken up by Malfoy and the campaign, she had absolutely no doubts about him either. She knew that their bond was deep, even though they had only been together for a short while in the grand scheme of things.

"He does appreciate my advice and opinions," Hermione said, diplomatically. "Since I come from a different background than a lot of our social circle, I sometimes see things in a different light."

"I am sure that your counsel is invaluable to him," Edgar said, intrigued by what she was saying. "And your...differing background?"

"I see that the wait staff has only seen fit to pass out champagne," Philip said, politely excusing himself so the two could talk. "Allow me to get you a water, Hermione."

Hermione was thankful for his thoughtfulness, but quickly returned her attention to Bones, knowing that this was a chance to get him round to Tom's side. "Yes, I'm a muggleborn," she explained. "And due to some sort of mishap, I was never notified by Hogwarts or the Ministry. I didn't find out until I was already of age, so I am a bit of an outsider to the customs and politics of the wizarding world."

"Well, that would explain why I've never heard of you before, Mrs. Riddle," he said, amused. "Though, it makes Philip's words all the more impressive, that you were so successful despite not receiving formal schooling."

"I did pass the NEWTs," she said with a shrug, not wanting him to think that she was unqualified. "And, for a while I was quite angry that I was overlooked by the wizarding world. That so much had been kept from me, during a time when I would have quite liked answers. But, I've moved past it now. There is so much to look forward to."

"If it would not be so indelicate to ask...aren't you concerned about the party your husband has aligned himself to?" Bones questioned, gently. "They aren't exactly known for being welcoming to muggleborns."

Hermione shrugged. "I have spent a lot of time with members of the Wizengamot who are rumored to be hostile to muggleborns," she said. "I have never found them to be hostile to me, especially when I have such a great interest in the History of Magic and the like."

Bones made a noise that led her to believe that he didn't fully believe her, but he wasn't going to push back on her either. Unfortunately, it was not the end of the conversation, though.

"Please don't be so naive, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said, coming to join Edgar where he was standing. "I know that you cannot be blind to what plans these pureblood supremacists would have for muggleborns, should they gain power in the Wizengamot, with Tom behind them.

"I've asked you not to call me that," she said, with a frown. While she didn't scorn her own surname, she knew that Dumbledore did not call her that to respect her family, but instead to denigrate Tom. "And, I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Apologies, then, Mrs. Riddle," he countered, equally as disrespectful. "I just can't believe that you would support the sorts of bills that Malfoy wants to bring forward. Barring muggleborns from entering the wizarding world. Ending the schooling of muggleborns or at least relegating them to separate schools. Using the muggleborn lists of Hogwarts to track down and suppress the magic of muggleborn children."

Edgar, unaware of the history between the two of them, did not take kindly to the aggressive way that Dumbledore was questioning her. "I say, Dumbledore, perhaps you ought to worry about the muggleborn lists yourself," he argued. "If Hermione is to be believed, she was never notified about being a muggleborn witch herself."

"A regrettable slip up," Dumbledore said, his eyes never leaving Hermione's face. "I know that I've wronged you Miss Granger, but I implore you to be honest with yourself. I know that you do not want this for yourself."

Before she even knew what was happening, the engagement ring that Tom had gifted her was vibrating with magical energy, a protective barrier between her and the light blue spell that Dumbledore had tried to send her way. He cried out, his wand dropping from his hand as though he'd been electrocuted. He clutched at his wand hand in agony.

"Witch! Dark Magic!" he seethed through gritted teeth.

Hermione could barely tell what had gone on, still reeling from the fact that Dumbledore would have drawn a wand against her in a public place like this. She was shaking, her arms crossed over her stomach to protect her child, even though Dumbledore was still in pain.

She was lucky to have Edgar next to her. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders in protection, furious at the other wizard. "I say, Dumbledore, what's the meaning of this?" he demanded.

"Don't you see? She's used dark magic against me," he accused.

"How can you accuse me of that when all I've done is protect myself from harmful spells?" Hermione countered. She couldn't believe that Dumbledore was trying to put this back on her. "You were the one who was trying to use a charm on me against my will! Who is the one with ill intent in this case?"

"I think you'd better leave, Albus," Edgar ordered the other wizard away.

Dumbledore did not need to be told twice, probably going in search of some medical assistance for his hand.

It was not even half a second later that Tom was by her side, staring hard at Bones. "What the hell is the meaning of this?" he snarled, seeing Hermione still shaking and afraid.

"We were just talking and then Dumbledore..." Bones trailed off, realizing how serious an allegation like this was to give to a wizard like Tom Riddle. He was charming, but it was no secret that he could be dangerous as well. "He tried to use a charm against her."

"Don't worry, I'm fine. Just shaken up," Hermione told her husband, weakly. "My ring..."

"What sort of charm?" Tom asked.

"I can't be certain. It was wordless," Bones said with a shrug. "But I thought it might be a memory charm...only, that doesn't really make sense. What good would a memory charm do him?"

"Let's get you home, darling," Tom said, wrapping her up in a quick hug. "I don't want you to be stressed. And surely we've spent enough time handshaking for the night."

Hermione nodded, just wanting to be in her own bed at home. She knew that she and Dumbledore didn't see eye to eye, but she never imagined that he would try to attack her. And she wished she knew what he was trying to do. Bones was right. It had been a memory charm.

"Thanks for looking after her, Bones," Tom said, though it seemed it pained him to thank another wizard for looking out for his wife.

"Any time," Edgar added, before wishing them both a good evening.

Tom hustled them home. Only once she was alone with her husband in her room did she feel that she could relax. She didn't care if the magic in her ring was dark magic. She wouldn't even care if Dumbledore lost his arm! Not when she knew it was the only thing that had kept her safe.