Disclaimer: All Characters and things associated with Harry Potter belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers. This writing is purely for entertainment only.

Summary: Harry died in the Forbidden Forest and Ron and Hermione must find a way to finish his mission in a world where Hermione and her blood status leaves them both in incredible danger.

Chapter 20

Hermione woke up the next morning, surprised to find that her stomach had not immediately betrayed her and she was able to slowly sit up and focus on the room. Immediately, her eyes fell on Draco who was asleep, slumped against her door so that if anyone had tried to get in the room his body would block it.

Instantly, Hermione's thoughts drifted to the night before when she had woken up sick. Draco had been cold, but he had kept an eye on her and even offered to help her.

Something had changed in him, even if it was a small change. He was not as cruel as she had remembered him to be at Hogwarts.

Hermione shifted out of bed also quickly remembering that today was the day she would be moved to Theodore Nott's house. She was hopeful that would be enough to keep her and her unborn baby safe while she sorted out an escape plan.

Hermione's movement woke Draco who quickly was on his feet, straightening out his black pants.

Hermione eyed the Slytherin closely for a moment before daring to speak. Her voice came out softer then she would have liked.

"Thank you for staying in here last night...for keeping an eye on me," Hermione said genuinely.

Draco just snorted at her comment and then turned his attention to the door behind him. "I'm going to lock the door behind me. I need you to stay put and stay quiet until it's time for us to leave. I suggest you change your clothes."

And with that, Draco was out the door, leaving Hermione in the silent room, slightly confused by his words until her eyes drifted to the bottom of her bed, where she saw her old clothes in a neat pile.

Hermione couldn't help but feel a little more gratitude for the fact that she had been given something that actually belonged to her back. She had a quickly moved to put her jeans on only to realize that they were a bit more snug then she had remembered last.

Hermione sighed, trying her best to buckle the top button and quickly realizing that her midsection was already a bit bloated from the pregnancy. It sent her emotions into a spiral as she realized this pregnancy was very much real and, if all went well, she would have a baby to take care of in a few short months. The thought was frightening and overwhelming, but she quickly reminded herself that the baby would also be part of Ron, something she could hold onto from him. That thought alone would carry her through. It had to.

Ron paced the floor at Nott's flat. Nott had left early that morning to run some errands and was still not back. Ron was unsure of what the errands could be, but he was growing impatient waiting for the Slytherin to return.

After what seemed like forever, Nott finally made his way back into the flat, holding something Ron instantly recognized in his hand.

"Where did you get that?" Ron asked, pointing to the wand Nott was holding. It wasn't just any old wand. It was Hermione's wand.

Nott held the wand up and gave it a little shake as a small smirk danced on his lips.

"Well, when I bought Hermione, I bought the whole package...wand included. I picked this up from the Ministry, they have a whole department for confiscated wands once someone is captured." Nott explained.

Even though Ron knew that it had happened, the thought of Hermione being stripped of her wand made him angry. She was so vulnerable. She had no way to protect herself, and if she was actually pregnant, that only made it worse.

"What happens next?" Ron asked finally.

Nott shrugged, tossing Hermione's wand into Ron's hand. "I go get Granger. It's pretty simple. Give me a few hours and I'll be back with her."

Ron merely nodded, knowing he had no choice and had to just trust Nott. If Nott was telling the truth, he would have Hermione back in his arms before sundown and that was all that mattered in the end.

A few hours had passed since Hermione had woken up and other then a small delivery of toast that had been left outside her bedroom door for breakfast she had been left alone.

She sat nervously on her bed, her hands in her lap below the tiny swell of her stomach that she had now unbottoned the top of her jeans to accommodate. Even at eight weeks pregnant, her jeans from prior to capture were too tight and she wondered if that had been from a combination of the pregnancy but also eating better at Malfoy Manor than she had on the run with Ron. The Malfoy's had at least made sure all of their servents were adequately fed and she knew she had been far too skinny upon her arrival.

Her hands drifted up to her stomach, her thoughts shifting to the impending complications of the pregnancy ahead. She wondered what Nott's expectations of her would be. The fact that he was letting her stay pregnant was one thing but Hermione wasn't dumb to the fact that she would still be Nott's property. She would still be there to serve him, and as her waist grew larger and she inevitably grew slower, she wondered how Nott would react. She had not known Theodore to have a temper at Hogwarts but, to be fair, she had not know him well either.

The bedroom door swinging opened interrupted Hermione's thoughts and she quickly looked over to see Draco standing in the doorframe.

"The house is empty. Mother and Father have gone into Hogsmeade...we need to leave now." Draco told her.

Hermione merely nodded and stood, following Draco out of the room and down to the main entryway of Malfoy Manor.

When she reached the entryway, she saw Pavarti cleaning the fireplace mantle, her eye swollen shut from an apparent Lucius meeting. She was watching Hermione carefully, as if acknowledging that Hermione was leaving but not understanding why. It caused Hermione to pause for a moment.

Draco stopped as well when he realized Hermione had stopped. "Let's go, mudblood. I haven't got all day here."

But Hermione ignored Draco, moving swiftly across the room and gathering Pavarti in a fierce hug.

"I'll come back for you," Hermione whispered in her former roommate's ear.

"Be safe." Pavarti whispered back, only furthering Hermione's belief that the girl understood Hermione was being given a chance she would likely never receive, a chance to leave.

Hermione nodded into the girl's shoulder, realizing she was fighting back tears at the thought of leaving Pavarti behind. Even though they weren't close friends and even though she had only seen Pavarti a few times at the Manor, it felt wrong leaving a Gryffindor behind.

"Let's go, Granger!" Draco's voice was loud, filled with impatience.

Hermione wiped her tears and smiled at Pavarti one more time before turning to follow Draco out the door.

"We have to walk to the outskirts of the property so no one sees us," Draco said as he walked ahead of Hermione, leading her up a small dirt path, away from the estate.

Hermione followed after Draco in absolute silence. His pace stayed even regardless of if her's slowed or not and his breathing just as even. Hermione, on the other hand, was exhausted and out of breath by the time they reached a small clearing. She blamed it on the pregnancy but also on the entire ordeal of the war and post-war. Her body had been through hell and back and she knew she was not in the healthiest state.

When they reached the clearing they stopped, Draco checking his watch and looking around impatiently.

"Leave it to Nott to be late..." Draco mumbled to himself.

"Do you think something happened?" Hermione asked, concerned that Nott would not show and she would have to return to Malfoy Manor.

Draco sighed in annoyance. "No...he's never punctual."

Silence filled the clearing for a long moment before Hermione spoke.

"Draco...I want to thank you for doing this...and for taking me from the Ministry. I realize things could have been much worse for me if you hadn't been the one to buy me," Hermione wanted to vomit on her own words but also knew, in a sick twisted way, they were absolutely true. She may be dead if any other Death Eater had gotten her and she certainly wouldn't have been given an opportunity to have Ron's surprise child.

Draco just shook his head. "Don't thank me yet...I have no idea what the future holds for you or Wealsey's spawn."

"Baby." Hermione corrected.

Draco turned his eyes on Hermione, looking at her directly for the first time since they had left the Manor. "You're a fool carrying on with this pregnancy...but as long as you remember I did help you get that chance, should that ever become important, then we can call it all even."

Hermione just nodded, not really sure how to respond. However, her thoughts were interrupted by a shadow moving out of the treeline.

Draco turned his attention to the figure that walked up to them. The figure quickly lifted their head and it was apparent that Theodore Nott had arrived.

"You're late." Draco said.

"But here," Nott turned a devilish grin toward Hermione. "Ready to come home with me, Granger?"

Hermione swallowed hard but said nothing, her eyes darting between Draco and Theodore, waiting for her next set of instructions.

It was then that Draco grabbed her roughly, pulling her toward Theodore while also rolling up her sleeve so that the Malfoy Crest was exposed.

"Let's get this transfer done," Draco said pulling his wand out and placing it on his family Crest that has been etched into Hermione's arm.

Nott followed Draco and also put his wand on the Crest on Hermione's arm. A spell was mumbled by both men and then Hermione watched as the Malfoy Family Crest on her arm suddenly became the Nott Family Crest.

"Well, that's that. Possession transfered. You're mine now, Granger," Theodore grinned at her.

"Brilliant, now get out of here," Draco threw Hermione into Theodore's arms and without another glance in Hermione's direction, trudged back to Malfoy Manor.

"Always a man of many words," Theodore joked about Draco before turning his attention back to Hermione. "Let's get home, shall we?"

Nott didn't wait for an answer as he took Hermione by the hand and walked her a few yards into the opposite treeline of Malfoy Manir where a carriage was waiting for them.

Nott opened the door and helped Hermione into the carriage before joining her. Instantly, Hermione noticed that Theodore was much warmer than Draco and while normally that would have put her at ease, it actually made her nervous given the circumstances. She knew what the expectations of most Pureblood Wizards were of Muggleborn's they had captured and kept as their property and, although Draco had not put a finger on her in a sexual way, she couldn't guarantee Nott would be the same.

"We won't be on the road long. My flat is in town," Nott told her.

Hermione only nodded at him.

"Not a word out of you, Granger? After I just stuck my neck out for you and that baby of yours," Nott smirked, motioning to Hermione's stomach.

Hermione forced an uneasy smile onto her lips. "I suppose I owe you a thank you."

"You're welcome. Personally, I think your nuts for wanting to keep it but...your funeral, I suppose."

Hermione's hand drifted to her midsection as she glanced down at it. "Well...it's all I've got left of Ron so...practical or not, here we are."

"Weasley's dead?" Nott couldn't hide the smile on his face knowing just how wrong Hermione's assumption was.

Hermione looked up, taking Nott's smile the wrong way and instantly glared at him. "I'm glad you find that amusing."

"For more reasons then you know." Nott continued to smile and took a deep breath before adding. "Oh, you are in for a surprise when we get to my home."

Hermione's brow furrowed at Nott's words as a pit formed in her stomach, her thoughts drifting to the dark place that they had been earlier, wondering what Theodore Nott had in store for her as his new servent.