Chp. 16
Hermione's POV
We were sitting in the kitchen eating breakfast. The question was burning in the air. I turned to Harry and asked it.
"So Harry yesterday you said you had an idea for our Lucius problem?" he chuckled and nodded.
"You don't miss a beat do you?! Well I was thinking that isn't Lucius breaking the Law by having outside contact and he's the threatened a life. Well three. But wouldn't be easy to prove it, it's our word against his, we'll need proof and a lot of it. But speaking from experience here, it probably won't be enough to get Hermione and the babies out of danger-" I was thinking the same, so I cut in with my idea.
"And that's when we can use the fact that neither Narcissa or Lucius know I'm carrying twins. They think I'm having just one baby. But how do we use that fact?" I turned it back to the boys. Ginny was giggling a little and looked quiet energised. I gave her a look asking what was up. I'm glad she's happy, but was this really the most appropriate time?
"You alright there Gin?" I smiled.
"Yeah I just feel great! I could do anything right now! I've just so much energy!" she raised her hands in aspiration and laughed a little. I heard about this before pregnant women get really hyper a few weeks before they give birth. Wow, just made me realise how close she was to her due date. And I'm not that far behind her, though nearly twice her size!
"Riiight. So yeah, any ideas?" I continued.
"Well, we could like, maybe say that you've just had a boy, and then confuse him by leaving your girl in sight, hiding the boy, and then he will think he got the wrong kid, turn his back, we remove the baby from the situation and then he's trapped, caught in the act!" Harry's face lit up with his idea where Draco's turned to one of horror, mirroring mine.
"You want to do what! I will not put any child of mine in danger! Using them as bait! Have you gone mad!?" Draco was out of his sit, the hairs on his arms were raised and his knuckles white. Even Ginny looked at Harry disapprovingly.
"I'm sorry but desperate times cause for desperate measures!" Harry shrugged. The cheek if him!
"Well I'm not cruel enough to put my children at risk, especially at the hands of my father. There's got to be another way? I want to keep my children safe! Not put them directly in the path of danger" Draco was sounding more desperate by the minute. I put my hand on his arm and pulled him back down into his seat. He looked at me as if asking for forgiveness, he felt that he was a failure of a father already, comparing himself to his own. I leaned in so the others couldn't hear.
"Your nothing like your father. I know your trying, we both are. At least you care", I whispered before grabbing his hand and placing it on my stomach, knowing that hearing our little fighters heart beats would be an instant calming effect. And it did. He inhaled deeply before continuing.
"No. We will not be carrying out such a plan. There's got to be another way" he said the last part more to himself.
"We'll find one" I assured, both him and myself.
~~~~~~~
I raked my brains for hours, trying to remember every book, every word I'd vet read, looking for some sort of clue to get us out of this. Harry's plan was a good one, except for it's major flaw. But he was right in the fact that we needed to trap Lucius, catch him in the act but how? He will obviously take me first then then babies and then Draco will find him. If I'm getting caught first I need to make sure the babies don't and then Draco and I can stop him with a little help from Harry. But how?
I stood up and walked over the scan the bookshelves of the Potter's small library. I skimmed along the dusty shelves taking in all the titles hoping one would prove of use. I stopped at one in peticilar "Ancient Magic; Protection Spells" I picked it out and dusted the back cover with my hand so I could read it. "Some of the oldest know spells and charms to protect ones self and others. WARNING: may include, need and/or result in sacrifice and/or require ritual."
"So very dangerous then" I whispered to myself in basic translation.
I flipped open the book and read down through the contents table. There were many different sections and subsections like Fighting, Illness, and finally Family/Loved Ones. I read down through the sub contents and found the perfect chapter, Offspring. I checked the page number and feverishly skipped to that page. I speed through the words looking for a word that might stand out to me. That's when I came across the heading Twins. Perfect! According to the intro, magic preformed on twins was less complicated, but you still had to be very precise. I read more carefully looking for something that might be useful. I stopped a few times when I thought I mite of found the right one.
Then I found it. The perfect charm to complete our plan. Finally I could see light at the end of this long tunnel, some sort of solution. And well at least the Warning on the back wasn't wrong. I just hope Draco agrees.
I dog eared the page and made my way slowly up the stairs. I opened the door to my room and walked in. I was hit with a cold draft making it's way in from the window. Though cold it provided a good breath of fresh air. I took a deep breath, noticing all the subtle fragrances in the air, clearing my mind. I laid my book on the bedside table and walked over the close the window. I looked down onto the street. It was a reasonable day. In the playground across the road there were children playing. The sounds on their laughter and delight filled me with renewed hope and fighting spirit. We could do this, we had to!
I heard someone come gently up behind me, probably just Draco. As he then began to snake his arms around me, I began to realise these weren't the arms of my lover.
Suddenly, before I had a chance to scream or grab my wand, a cloth that smelt foul my forced over my mouth and held there. I heard my wand clatter onto the floor, wood against wood. I began to feel my conscious leave me and I began to fall to the floor and then apparated away from all the safety in the world.
~~~~~~
Draco's POV
"Hey Hermione- what the hell?" I looked at the sight before me. Hermione's wand laid on the ground next to a piece of paper. The window was open and no Hermione was to be found. I ran a hand through my hair as I walked over to bend down and pick up the note, pleading with the gods that nothing was wrong. But my heart was telling me otherwise.
I opened up the note and began to read. My heart plummeting to the floor.
"You were too slow, you had your chance to leave. So now she will suffer, and as for her mud mood spawn. Your better say a pretty prayer because I don't care if it lives or dies.
L.M."
I folded the note back up and balled it up in my hands. I dropped to my knees and let all the rage, desperation and sadness flow from me in a terrible scream. Tears rolling down my face uncontrollably. I could faintly hear the rushed footsteps of Harry coming up the stairs behind me, but I couldn't seem to function. I felt so lost. I let out another terribly scream, feeling it as it retched through my body, tearing up my insides and scraping my throat.
I heard Harry come in but my body could register anything other than the deep sickening feeling rising from my gut. It felt like my work has been thorn in two. I shakily got to my feet swaying a little. My heart was hammering and my chest was rising deeply and quickly in anger. I held my wand for dear life. I cast several charms on the room, looking for clues as to what happened. I then cast a space memory charm. It showed me the last moments Hermione spent in the room my vision blurred from my tears as I saw my beautiful pregnant fiancé stand gracefully by the windows, with a look of contempt on her face. She had laid a book down on the locker. Then he came in, his hood was up, and he strode toward her. He restrained her and placed a cloth over her mouth an I watched helplessly as she slipped to the floor and disappeared. I stopped the charm.
Harry turned to me, "that wasn't your father". He said matter or factly. I knew it wasn't, and how could it be? This man was young taller and more muscular. The kind on build a Quidditch beater would have.
"No" I said simply. I walked over the the locker and picked up the book. I read the cover and sighed. She had found something. I opened it up and went straight to the page she had dog-eared. I took in the title and read the spell. It was complicated but I read the notes and I could preform it myself without Hermione.
I read further down until I came across another note that lifted my heart. As long as she was still carrying the twins, she would be protected from all harm, just that it will be more dangerous for me. I didn't care. I read through the spell several times before raising my wand.
"What are you doing?" Harry worried.
"What a good father, who's future wife and children are in danger, should do" I said the spell, pouring every ounce of my heart an soul into it. When it finished I felt as if a massive gush of wind was passing me. I felt like I'd been tied to another person, or persons. I felt how old the magic was. I then thought, this must have been the book Harry's mother used when she and her family was under threat. I didn't day anything and I took deep breaths to remove the lightness from my head. U felt weak but I was determined not to faint. Again.
I slid the book under the bed covers and carefully walked into the bathroom to get sick. I remained there for a few minutes praying the spell was working and keeping Hermione safe. I would do anything right now to ensure it.
Please be safe.
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A/N = I know you all probably hate me for keeping you so long! I'm sorry! It's just really hard to write when I'm not sure how the readers are liking it. Please comment! It really helps. I don't know what you want for the story. I really appreciate any comments cause they are a massive incentive to keep up the pace. COMMENT!!
Ray
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