A/N - Thanks for reading and reviewing! Enjoy!

Chapter 16

19 July 2003

"Think you can get up now?" Malfoy asked a few minutes later.

Hermione assessed herself. She hadn't really been focused on how she had been feeling the last few minutes. Her mind had been reeling as to her current circumstances and how they came to be. She was still nauseous but no longer felt as if she was in imminent danger of being sick.

"Yes, I think so," she said.

Malfoy gently moved her forward, then stood, reaching down to help her up. When she was on her feet, he hugged her to his side, helping her walk from the loo into the bedroom. Well, suite, actually. Oh, gods, were they in Malfoy Manor? Hermione didn't know if she could handle that.

Looking around, Hermione saw a wall of floor to ceiling windows and realized they definitely were not at Malfoy Manor. They were in London, actually. The view was spectacular. They must be in the penthouse or very near to it if not. Although, knowing Malfoy, she was sure it was the penthouse. Only the best for a Malfoy and all that rubbish.

"Why don't you rest and I'll go and get the tea, shall I?" Malfoy said as Hermione sat down on the bed.

"Maybe the candies too?" she said and he smiled at her, then nodded. He kissed her forehead and left the room.

Hermione really wanted to start her search and figure out just what the hell was going on. But she knew that it would likely only take a few minutes for Malfoy to make the tea. Plus, she still really felt horrid, so she lay back on the bed instead. And promptly groaned. This had to be the most comfortable bed she'd ever laid down on. It figured.

Sighing, she propped herself up on the pillows and looked around the suite. Everything looked ridiculously expensive, of course, but it also looked…comfortable, cozy even. There was a couch and two armchairs arranged around the fireplace with a low table in front of the couch. And was that a telly above the fireplace? It was; a new flatscreen model. Hermione didn't even want to think about how much that had cost. Not to mention why Malfoy, of all people, would have a telly in the first place.

The bed was on a slightly raised platform and was enormous, as well as comfortable, flanked by bedside tables. She didn't see a wardrobe anywhere and figured that the closed door next to the loo was probably a walk-in wardrobe. She'd look later, she was far too comfortable at the moment.

There was also a balcony, one of the large windows was actually a door. There was another seating area on the balcony, looking just as comfortable as the one inside. Clearly, Malfoy had spared no expense when it came to furnishing his home. While not as big as Kingsley's house, obviously, it was a far cry from her small flat in all the other universes.

She sighed and leaned back against the pillows again trying to figure out how on earth she could have ended up here, married to Malfoy. Before she could really contemplate it, he came back into the room, a tray levitating in front of him.

He settled it on the bedside table next to her and handed her a cup of tea. There was a small pile of wrapped candies as well, which she assumed were the ginger ones her mum had sent.

"Thank you," she said, taking the cup from him and taking a sip. She could taste a bit of peppermint but couldn't really identify anything else. But if it had come from Molly, she had no reason not to think that it might work. After six pregnancies, she knew the woman was an expert.

It was also odd that Malfoy had called the Weasley matriarch Molly. That meant he knew her well enough to do so. Hermione herself hadn't started calling Molly by her first name until Hermione and Ron had been dating for more than six months. She really wished she knew what was going on.

"Better?" Malfoy asked.

"A bit," Hermione said. She did feel a little better now, although the nausea was still there just more subdued.

Malfoy smiled down at her. Which had to be the most disconcerting thing she'd ever seen. Since the end of the war, she had seen him a few times at various Ministry or fundraising events. Mostly, he ignored her or gave her a nod in greeting but nothing else. But on the rare occasion they were forced to minimally interact with one another, he always gave her a tight, polite smile that didn't reach his eyes. He was respectful when they ran into one another, but it always seemed like he'd rather be anywhere else than in her company. She suspected it had more to do with the fact that she'd been tortured in his house in front of him than her blood status.

She'd often felt a bit sorry for him, after everything that had happened their sixth year. She knew he'd been forced into becoming a Death Eater and never would have killed Dumbledore. And he hadn't wanted to identify them that night at Malfoy Manor, Hermione had known that. He'd had to return to Hogwarts to repeat his seventh year as part of his probation but he'd kept to himself. The only person Hermione had really seen him talk to that year was Astoria Greengrass, who he later married.

Which was why she couldn't possibly fathom how she had ended up with him in this universe. Even if she'd miraculously ended up in a universe where Voldemort had never existed or had actually been killed when Harry was a baby or never returned their fourth year, his parents had still been blood purists. They likely would have disowned him if he'd even hinted he was interested in a Muggleborn. And Hermione couldn't see how he could afford to have a place like this if he'd been cut off from his family money.

"Hermione?"

She looked up to see him staring at her with a frown on his face. That was a look that was much more familiar. "Yes?"

"Are you all right? I called your name three times."

"Sorry," she said. "Lost in my thoughts, I guess."

He sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed, taking one of her hands in his. "Maybe we should call the Healer."

"Why?"

"It just seems like this is getting worse and you're, well, you're not yourself."

Hermione had to force herself not to snort. If he only knew. Still, she had to play her part. At least for the moment. She was seriously considering jumping again as soon as she had the chance.

Oddly, she hadn't felt anything from her other self as of yet. Of course, she hadn't really felt anything from the other Hermione right away when she'd been in the universe with Neville either. And even when she had, it was very subtle. Perhaps the Hermione in the last world had just been closer to the surface given the newness of her relationship with Kingsley. Or maybe this Hermione was hiding out, glad to let someone else suffer from this ridiculous sickness. Hermione couldn't blame her really.

She squeezed Malfoy's hand. "I'm sure everything is fine. My mum was the same way when she was pregnant with me."

He didn't look convinced.

"And I'm sorry I've been distracted. Just a bit tired, I think."

"I'm not surprised," he said with a wry smile. "As many times as you were up to wee in the night."

Without thinking, she smacked his arm with the back of her hand, much as she would have done to Harry or Ron when they were teasing her. She froze at the gesture but he simply laughed. Still grinning, he leaned in and kissed her quickly. Hermione had to force herself not to pull away.

"Why don't you take a nap then?" he suggested.

She nodded. Maybe this would give her a chance to look around, although she'd have to be quiet so he didn't hear her.

"Need anything before I go?"

"No, I'm fine."

"All right, I'll be in my study. I've got some paperwork from M.I. to go through. Sleep well, love."

M.I? What was that?

He kissed her forehead again and she managed to smile at him as he left the room. Sighing, she scrubbed her hands down her face and looked around. The first order of business was going to be to find the other Hermione's wand and then she needed to try to figure out how her other self had ended up here.

Hermione sighed in frustration. Whoever had named it 'morning sickness' was an idiot of the highest order since, clearly, it lasted all day. Probably a man, she thought with a roll of her eyes.

She'd found the other Hermione's wand in short order with a search of the bedside table. There were two books, both on pregnancy, one magical and one not. There was also a variety of other odds and ends – tissues, hair ties, lip balm and the like.

She'd then climbed from the bed, intent on investigating the closed door next to the loo. She'd made it about eight steps across the room when she'd had to stop as a wave of nausea overtook her. She'd managed to make it back to the bed where she'd lain down to wait for it to pass. She unwrapped one of the ginger chews her mum had sent and then had a second for good measure. And then she'd woken up almost an hour later, not even remembering that she'd fallen asleep.

She felt better than she had before her nap but there was a still a low level of queasiness. Deciding she was just going to have to deal with it, she sat up just as the door opened quietly.

Malfoy poked his head inside. "Oh, you're awake. Was just coming to check on you. Are you feeling better then?"

"A bit."

"I'm glad," he said with another of those smiles. Hermione was once again taken aback. She was used to Malfoy sneering or smirking but never genuinely smiling. She hadn't known he was capable.

Shaking that thought from her mind, she stood from the bed and assessed herself once again. A bit queasy but manageable. She'd like to get out of this room to see the rest of the place, at any rate.

Malfoy hovered a bit and Hermione bit back a huff of annoyance. Instead, she gave him a half-smile. "I'm fine, really."

They walked out of the bedroom into what was clearly the main room in the penthouse. Hermione was positive that's where they were. Large and open with plenty of couches and squashy armchairs, it had the same feeling as the bedroom, clearly expensive but warm and inviting as well.

"Would you like anything?" Malfoy asked. "Something to eat?"

Food was the last thing on her mind and she must have made a face because Malfoy gave her a sympathetic smile. "I know you don't feel like eating but you know it's always worse on an empty stomach. Something light?"

"Maybe in a bit," Hermion said. She was having an extremely hard time with this solicitous version of Malfoy. And honestly, she just wanted him to leave her alone so she could figure things out.

He frowned. "I'm going to cancel with Blaise and Theo tonight."

"You don't have to do that." She had no idea what was supposed to happen with Nott and Zabini but if it got him out of the house so she could explore, she was all for it.

"I don't want to leave you when you're feeling like this." He stepped forward and put his hands on her hips.

She rested her hands against his chest, not knowing where to touch him but not wanting him to get suspicious. "I'll be fine. I'm feeling much better."

He didn't look convinced.

"I don't want you to cancel your plans. I'm pregnant, not an invalid."

He sighed. "I know, I know, so you keep telling me." He leaned forward and rested his forehead against hers. "I'm just, I worry."

"The Healer said I'm fine, right? Everything is normal?" Hermione certainly hoped this was the case or she wasn't sure what excuse she'd make.

"Yes."

"Then everything is fine. Keep your plans with your friends."

He pulled back from her but kept hold of her hips. "You're sure?"

"Positive."

He finally nodded. Hermione smiled and stepped back from him before he could kiss her. Thankfully, he didn't seem to think anything of it. Just took her hand and squeezed it instead.

Malfoy had finally left with reassurances he was just a Floo call away should she need him. So were his parents and Harry and Molly. The thought of Floo-calling Malfoy's parents made her want to throw up for an entirely different reason than her current state of being. It was interesting to her that he'd referred to Harry by his first name rather than Potter. And he'd said it in a perfectly normal tone of voice; none of the sneering way he'd said Potter in her universe.

She'd managed to eat enough earlier, and to keep it down, to reassure Malfoy that she would be all right without him. He had still been reluctant to leave but finally she'd gotten him into the Floo and off to Nott's. She breathed a sigh of relief once the flames had died down.

She decided to start in the bedroom. Finally opening the door to what was indeed a walk-in wardrobe, Hermione's mouth dropped open at the sheer amount of clothing that hung inside. She had never been much of a clothes horse, give her a pair of comfortable denims or leggings and a jumper any day. Not that she didn't enjoy dressing up on occasion but she didn't see the need for this many different outfits and sets of robes. Although, it did seem like Malfoy's things occupied more of the closet than her counterpart's. Hermione snorted, not at all surprised.

There were two chests of drawers, one his and one hers. The number of pairs of knickers that her other self seemed to own was a bit mind-boggling. Honestly, she was only one person, how many different types of knickers did one need? Not to mention that nearly all of them had a matching bra. Hermione could count on one hand the number of matching bra and knicker sets she owned in her own world. Function and comfort were much more important to her.

She began making her way through the clothes on the hangers and she couldn't believe how many sets of robes the other Hermione owned. Most were professional, smart-looking outfits that one would wear in an office or something. None of them were Ministry issued, however, so it was obvious that this Hermione didn't work there. She felt a pang of disappointment and wondered about Padma. So far, she'd been an Unspeakable in every world Hermione had been in. There was bound to be one where she wasn't. Hermione just hoped it wasn't this one.

Not finding anything else of note in the wardrobe, Hermione made her way to the loo. A search through the cupboards and cabinets produced nothing but the usual items stored in a bathroom. She took the opportunity to move the disillusioned box with the Universe Hopper from the bathroom cupboard to her bedside table.

Back in the main living area, Hermione took a closer look at the photographs that adorned the mantel. There were only a few, the largest being a wedding photo of the other her and Malfoy. Hermione had to admit, they looked happy, as happy as the other Hermiones had with Fred and Neville in their wedding photos.

Hermione wasn't going to deny the fact that Malfoy was an extremely good-looking man. Even when they were in school, he'd been fit. Until sixth year anyway, when he became gaunt and pale as the year wore on. And even then, those aristocratic good looks had still been there, just overshadowed by the weight he had obviously carried on his shoulders.

There was a photograph of the other Hermione with Harry and Ron, looking like it had been taken around third year or so. And then one of Malfoy, Nott, and Zabini which looked more recent. They were still in Hogwarts uniforms but were definitely older, likely sixth or seventh years. They looked happy though, which Hermione wondered about considering Malfoy's sixth year and the utter horror show had been seventh. Maybe they'd all come back to repeat their seventh year and that's when the photograph had been taken.

She found a few photo albums in a cabinet beneath one of the bookshelves. Hermione eagerly pulled them out, opening the first one to find it was the other Hermione and Malfoy's wedding. They'd gotten married in June of 2000 apparently, and both looked deliriously happy.

Nott, Zabini, and Harry had stood up for Malfoy, which surprised her at first. But Harry was her best friend and appeared to be just as close to this Hermione, so she supposed it wasn't too far out of the realm of possibility. For the other Hermione, it had been Luna and Padma, oh thank god. That she knew Padma well enough to have her as a bridesmaid meant Hermione could contact her without arousing suspicion. As for the third, was that…sweet Merlin it was. Pansy Parkinson? What the hell? Why would her other self even have considered having Pansy Parkinson stand up for her?

Parkinson and Malfoy had been close in her world, but they'd dated for Godric's sake! There had even been rumors about a betrothal contract. Hermione couldn't imagine having one of her exes in her wedding party. Of course, she had no idea if this Malfoy and Parkinson had dated, perhaps they hadn't. Perhaps they had just been good friends, similar to her and Harry and Ron.

Shaking her head, Hermione turned the page and got her second shock of the night. It was a photo of the other Hermione and Malfoy with their parents. Both sets of parents. And they all looked at ease with one another. The smiles on Malfoy's parents' faces looked genuine. And Hermione had seen that tight, polite smile on all three Malfoys' faces enough to know a genuine smile when she saw one. Not only did the Malfoy parents look pleased that her other self was marrying their son but they didn't look uncomfortable in the least, standing with Muggles.

Hermione stared at the photograph for several minutes, unable to completely process what she was seeing. Apparently, things were vastly different in this world, at least where the Malfoys were concerned. Was it possible that Voldemort didn't exist here? Although, she was quite sure that both Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy would have been blood purists regardless of Voldemort's existence. At least the ones in her world.

Hermione quickly flipped back to the photograph of the wedding party. She focused on Harry, looking for the lightning bolt scar on his forehead. But his hair was longer and his fringe was covering it. She really couldn't tell if it was there or not. Setting the album down for a moment, she walked to the mantel and picked up the photograph of her other self, Ron, and Harry.

Harry's hair was shorter here and yes, the scar was definitely there. Voldemort did exist in this universe and he'd still tried to kill Harry when he was a baby. Nothing made sense. Sighing, she returned to the couch and the album.

Hermione flipped another page and once again stared in surprise. Malfoy was slipping the wedding ring onto the other Hermione's finger and there, in the background, obviously the officiant, was Professor Dumbledore. His hands were clasped in front of him and neither was blackened and dead. How was that possible? She shouldn't have been surprised; she knew that. Different people had been alive in different universes. But that wasn't one that she had expected.

As she continued to look through the pages, there were more and more faces she hadn't expected to see. Remus and Tonks, Fred, and was that, oh my god it was! Sirius. He laughed and then clapped Harry on the back before both looked and grinned at the camera. The rest of the Weasleys had attended as well but there had been no Crabbe or Goyle in sight.

Hermione set the album aside with shaky hands. Something was obviously different in this world, something big. She needed to find out what it was.

Hermione lay on the couch, her search having been suspended after the photo albums as another wave of sickness overcame her. She'd had another of the ginger chews her mother had sent, which did truly help a bit. She contemplated looking for the potion Malfoy had referenced, or the tea she'd drank earlier, but she had no energy to get up just then.

She was honestly surprised that Malfoy didn't have a House Elf but maybe that was the other Hermione's doing. As much as she didn't want to admit it, a House Elf would have been nice right about now. If the persona Malfoy projected was truly how he was, she doubted he would have mistreated a House Elf. Her mind went back to Jinx, Kingsley's elf that she'd become quite fond of in the week she'd spent in that world. Hermione missed her.

Sighing a bit shakily, Hermione pushed thoughts of the previous universes from her mind. She had a job to do, thinking about all of that wasn't going to help. She had no idea how long Malfoy would be gone but given his worrying about her before he left, she didn't think it would be too terribly late. She needed to continue her search while she had the chance, regardless of how sick she felt.

Hauling herself from the couch, she grabbed the arm as a wave of nausea threatened to overwhelm her. Taking several deep breaths, she finally managed to settle her stomach somewhat. Then she continued past the kitchen down another corridor. There were two more bedrooms, one obviously a guest room and the other was apparently going to be the nursery if the cot that sat against the wall was any indication. She couldn't help the smile that graced her face when she saw it and her hand went unconsciously to her still-flat belly.

It was a gesture she'd seen Fleur do many times when she'd been pregnant with Victoire but it still surprised Hermione when she did it. She wasn't the one that was actually pregnant after all. Shaking her head to clear it, Hermione left the nursery.

Across the corridor, there was a door to another loo and then one that led to Malfoy's study. The third was clearly another office, likely the other Hermione's. Hermione hesitated in the corridor, wondering which room she should look through first. If Malfoy came home, it wouldn't be strange if he found her in her own study. But she wasn't sure what he would think if he found her in his.

From what she'd seen of him so far, she didn't think he'd really be bothered to find her there. The door wasn't even closed. But he might wonder why she was in his study as opposed to her own. Especially if she didn't hear him come in and he found her rummaging through his things.

After a few more moments, she decided to search his study. She could look through her own while he was home as it wouldn't be strange for her to be in her own office. But first, she decided to put an alarm charm on the fireplace so she would know when he came through the Floo.

Hurrying back to the main room, she did just that, then returned to Malfoy's office. A large mahogany desk dominated the space. There were two comfortable looking armchairs that sat in an opposite corner and the wall behind the desk held bookshelves that were full of books. Hermione couldn't help her smile. Malfoy had always been near the top of their year at Hogwarts. It didn't surprise her that he loved to read as well.

She walked to the desk and sat down in his leather desk chair. The desk's surface was organized and mostly clear. Just two files sat in the middle. Both had a logo on the front that said M.I. This was what he'd been talking about. Curious, Hermione opened the top folder and began to look through it.

M.I. appeared to stand for Malfoy Industries. The file she was looking through referred to some kind of potions research. The second contained similar paperwork but for charms. Hermione sat back in the chair, brow furrowed in thought. It looked like M.I. was some kind of company dedicated to magical research. She wondered how it had come about.

The Draco Malfoy of her world neither owned nor worked for any such company. She had no idea what he spent his days doing, although she did see him at the Ministry on occasion. Whether he was following in his father's footsteps as far as political machinations she didn't know, although she rather doubted it. He likely spent his time managing his estate or lounging about or doing whatever it was that magical aristocrats did. Now that she thought about it, she did remember Ron saying something about Malfoy buying the Tutshill Tornados Quidditch team, so maybe that's how he spent his time.

Turning back to the desk, Hermione began to open drawers searching for anything that might tell her how her other self and Malfoy ended up together. She found basic office supplies, quills, parchment, ink, and the like. There were more files in another drawer that she skimmed through but they were similar to the ones on top of the desk.

Moving from the desk to the bookshelves, she began looking through them. There were a variety of topics, most of which he probably dealt with at his company, if it were, in fact, a research and development firm. Some of the books she itched to take out and read but refrained for now.

On a lower shelf were a number of leather-bound albums. She pulled out the first one and found it was filled with newspaper clippings about Malfoy Industries. From what she could gather, the company was started by Lucius Malfoy in the fall of 1995. Hermione sat back against the bookshelf with a frown. Voldemort had returned in the spring of 1995. She could hardly imagine Lucius Malfoy would be out starting a research company while serving as a Death Eater.

Perhaps he hadn't been a Death Eater in this world? The thought was so foreign, Hermione couldn't even process it. But if that were the case, why wait until the mid-nineties to start the company? Why not after he'd left Hogwarts? Or after Voldemort's defeat in 1981 if the war going on was a reason? None of this made sense.

She continued through the album and saw that Malfoy had joined the company after he finished Hogwarts in 1998. He was currently Head of New Projects, which made sense given the files she'd found. But he'd finished school in 1998 just when he should have. And there was no mention of the war or Voldemort in any of the articles she'd read.

Huffing in frustration, Hermione pulled out the next album. Her photograph was on the first page. It accompanied an article announcing the other Hermione's hiring by Malfoy Industries in July of 1998 as a researcher in the Charms department. Meaning this Hermione had finished Hogwarts when she should have as well. As Hermione made her way through the album, there were various articles about the other Hermione's research achievements. The last article announced her promotion to head of the Charms Research Department in 2002.

Staring down at the article about her other self's promotion, Hermione shook her head. This was surreal. Not only did a Muggleborn work for a company owned by the Malfoys, she was a department head. Hermione was having a hard time wrapping her mind around it. Around any of this really.

She heard the chime from the Floo alarm and startled. Quickly closing the album, she shoved it back onto the shelf and hurried out of the room.

"Hermione? Are you there?"

Hermione froze in the corridor. It wasn't Malfoy, that was a woman's voice. But she had no idea whose. It wasn't Molly, of that she was sure, nor her mother. Although, her mother wouldn't be able to Floo in the first place.

"Hermione?"

The voice was coming from the living room and Hermione fervently hoped they were in the Floo. She had no idea how she would interact with whomever it was in person.

Stepping into sight of the fireplace, she let out a breath when there was indeed a head floating in the Floo. Narcissa Malfoy's head to be precise. Shite.

"Hermione, dear, there you are. I didn't wake you, did I?"

"No, I was just…doing some reading."

"I just wanted to see how you were feeling," Mrs. Malfoy said. "Draco mentioned you were a bit ill today."

Hermione's eyes narrowed. "Did he ask you to check on me?"

Mrs. Malfoy laughed lightly. "I knew you would figure it out in a trice. I did tell him."

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Don't be too hard on him, dear. He's a typical first-time father, worries about everything. Lucius was the same way, you know. Drove me a bit mad at times."

Hermione barely stopped herself from gaping. She could not picture Lucius Malfoy as the doting, anxious father that his wife was describing.

"Yes, well, I'm feeling a bit better, thank you."

"I'm glad to hear it. I found that potion to be especially helpful but if it isn't working for you, I'm sure that Severus could come up with something more suited to you."

Severus? Professor Snape was alive? Hermione didn't know if she could deal with any other surprises tonight.

"I'll keep that in mind."

"We will still be seeing you for dinner tomorrow, yes?"

Hermione's heart began to pound. They were expected for dinner at Malfoy Manor? How could she possibly do that?

"Hermione?" Mrs. Malfoy was looking at her with concern. "You've gone white as a sheet. Perhaps I should step through."

"No, no, I'm fine. Just a bit of nausea for a moment." It was more than a bit, but this time Hermione was quite sure it wasn't being caused by the pregnancy.

Mrs. Malfoy didn't look convinced. "If you're sure."

"I am, honestly." She smiled.

"All right, dear. We'll see you tomorrow then. Good night."

"Good night," Hermione managed as Mrs. Malfoy disappeared and the connection closed.

She sank down onto a couch. She wasn't sure how she was going to go to Malfoy Manor and have dinner. She'd had nightmares regularly for months after her torture there. Even now, she still had one every once in a while. She had heard that Narcissa Malfoy had had the entire place gutted and redone after the war. According to some of Harry's colleagues who had done inspections as part of the Malfoys' sentence, it was no longer recognizable as the same estate. On the inside anyway.

Of course, there was no guarantee that had happened here. It seemed unlikely, in fact, if everything she'd found so far were any indication. It appeared that the second war had not happened here as it had in her world if it had even happened at all.

She glanced at the clock on the mantel. Malfoy had been gone for almost two hours now. She could go back to his study and continue to look through the other two albums that had been on the shelf or she could search her own. Malfoy's would probably be the smarter choice but now that Hermione knew she worked for M.I. she was extremely curious as to what she was working on.

Still, she could look through her own office anytime without suspicion, she was sure. Better to finish in Malfoy's for now. Especially as she likely didn't have much time left.

What she should really do was jump again before she had to deal with Malfoy's affections or being forced to go to Malfoy Manor for dinner. But her curiosity wouldn't let her. Things were so different here, she just wanted to solve the puzzle that was her other self's life.

Decided, she stood from the couch, continuing to ignore the low-level nausea that had been plaguing her all night, and walked back to Malfoy's study.

Hermione sat back in Malfoy's desk chair, mind whirling with everything she'd read. The other two albums had been more of the same, clippings from the Daily Prophet and other publications about Malfoy Industries and the work they were doing. The sheer magnitude of it was amazing. Not to mention just what, exactly, they'd been able to accomplish. And that was just what had been made public. Hermione was sure that there were other projects that were being worked on that the populace knew nothing about.

They'd cured lycanthropy. Well, not cured it exactly, but they'd found a way to both stop the transformations and keep werewolves from infecting others. The virus was still present in their blood but they could no longer pass it on to anyone else. Hermione hadn't been able to keep the tears at bay when she read the interview with Remus, who had been one of the first test subjects. Professor Snape was head of the Potions research department and had been since Malfoy Industries was formed in 1995. Which again, proved that the second war had been very different here. Neither Voldemort nor Professor Dumbledore would have let their spy leave the school.

They'd made strides in treating Cruciatus damage, even in those most severely affected like the Longbottoms. They hadn't been cured completely and likely never would, but they had improved enough that Neville's parents had been able to leave St. Mungo's and live at Longbottom Hall once again. Hermione couldn't even imagine the joy Neville must feel to have even a little bit of his parents back.

The company employed only the best and the brightest witches and wizards. There were so many names that Hermione recognized from the Department of Mysteries in her own world, she wondered if it even existed here. It must, certainly the Ministry wouldn't have given up all its secrets to Malfoy Industries.

One of the most welcome things she'd found was the Padma also worked for M.I. which would make it much easier to contact her. Although, Hermione had no idea if M.I. did any kind of work with Time-turners or similar devices. As Unspeakables, their work had been varied and incorporated a lot of Ancient Runes and Arithmancy. Hermione had no idea if that were true at M.I. While this Padma had still likely taken her N.E.W.T.S. in the two subjects, there was no guarantee that she would still use them on a consistent basis.

Padma had been hired in the Charms department as well upon finishing Hogwarts, but Hermione had no idea if she still worked there or had moved on to something else in the company. She'd only found an initial article on her hiring, along with a couple of others from their class – Theo Nott and Terry Boot. It seemed that Malfoy had only collected articles about her other self's achievements; not surprising she supposed.

It was odd really because as Hermione had looked through the lists of employees and seen the articles on the new hires, there was a wide diversity. Pureblood, Half-blood and Muggleborn alike. It was strange to think that the bigoted Lucius Malfoy would have surrounded himself by so many of those that he considered beneath him. Hermione was starting to wonder if he had been a Death Eater at all in this universe.

Shaking her head, Hermione turned back to the subject at hand, Padma. If Padma were still in the Charms department, Hermione didn't think that would exactly help with the Universe Hopper. Unless there was something they hadn't thought of yet. Which was definitely always possible but it seemed unlikely. Still, she would definitely be talking to Padma as soon as possible.

Closing the last of the albums, Hermione suddenly felt completely exhausted even though it hadn't even gone ten. She was sure it had something to do with the pregnancy. She had planned to start searching her own office but as she stood to leave Malfoy's study, she made her way to their bedroom instead. Maybe her other self wasn't as absent as Hermione had thought.

She looked longingly at the bed as she reached the suite, but walked past it into the bathroom, deciding to have a shower first. She stripped off and stepped into the ridiculously huge shower with multiple shower heads that took a few moments to figure out how to operate. But once she had, Hermione thought it might be worth staying in this universe for a bit longer just for the shower alone. Merlin, it was heavenly.

She pulled on a fluffy robe that she'd found hanging on the back of the door and dried her hair with her wand before cleaning her teeth and using the toilet. She left the robe on the back of the door and padded into the wardrobe to find something to sleep in. There was plenty of lingerie and silky nightgowns but Hermione ignored them for a pair of soft, cotton sleep shorts and a vest, the same thing she slept in at home.

She lay down in the bed and sighed in relief, pulling the duvet up over her. She was asleep a few moments later.

Sometime later, Hermione barely roused as she felt the bed dip behind her. An arm wrapped around her and she snuggled back into the warm body behind her. A nose nuzzled her curls and she felt a soft kiss against her neck before she once more fell back into slumber.

20 July 2003

As Hermione slowly awoke, she felt Malfoy's gentle breaths against the back of her neck. His arm was still wrapped around her middle. She needed to use the toilet but had to get out of bed without waking him. She needed a bit of time to center herself before having to act normally around him again.

She laid still for a few moments and listened to him breathing. It was deep and even, so she knew that he was definitely asleep. She had no idea how deep of a sleeper he was though. As worried as he had been about her the night before, she wondered if he would wake as soon as she moved.

Shifting one leg slightly, she held her breath and waited but his breathing didn't change, nor did he move. Hermione slowly shifted, beginning to move out from under his arm. Realizing that letting his arm just drop to the mattress would probably wake him, and that she couldn't get to her pillow to substitute it for her body like she had in the universe with Neville, Hermione gingerly held Malfoy's wrist. She carefully raised his arm enough so that she could slip out from under it. He snuffled in his sleep but didn't seem to wake as she began to lower his arm to the bed. She froze halfway down as she got a look at the underside.

It was clean, just smooth pale skin where the Dark Mark should have been. As Malfoy moved again, Hermione quickly laid his arm down on the bed and then hurried to the bathroom. She closed and locked the door behind her.

She didn't understand. Harry had the scar on his forehead in the photograph, so it was obvious that Voldemort had existed here. But Malfoy didn't have the Dark Mark and he'd married a Muggleborn. And the other Hermione had married him. Lucius Malfoy had started Malfoy Industries in 1995, at the height of Voldemort's return. Had Voldemort not returned? Had he really been killed on that Halloween night in 1981 unlike in her universe? Or was he still out there biding his time and trying to come back?

So many people were alive that were dead in her universe. And she and Malfoy had finished Hogwarts on schedule. So, it seemed as if the war or Voldemort's return hadn't gone the same way or at least hadn't touched Harry in the same way that it had in her universe. Something was majorly different here and it was extremely irritating that she didn't know what it was. Hermione vowed that she would figure it out, all thought of jumping leaving her mind completely.