Marriage Vows
Gathering the Evidence
Marriage Vows
Disclaimer: This
story was inspired by the Marriage Law Challenge on WIKTT.
Rowling and those with whom she has agreed cactsacts. This story was written for practice not profit.
Chapter Twenty-Seven Gathering
the Evidence.
After they returned from Hogsmeade Severus went to speak to
Albus and Hermione went back to their chambers to get on with marking
scrolls. When he rejoined her later on
he looked tense.
“Albus asked me to ask you if you would be willing to
continue covering my classes tomorrow.”
“Yes, that won’t be a problem. Are you going to see the Abbotts?”
“Yes. I’ll go with
Arthur and we’ll be taking an Auror with us.
I am also going to take Maria.”
“Does she know what you’re going to do?”
“I have told her.”
“How did she take it?”
“Not well. But then
you can hardly expect her to. She’s
taken a lot in her stride so far but this is too much.
registered that the Abbott’s own daughter was murdered.
murders of her own parents.”
“I suppose it’s necessary…”
Hermione was interrupted by the sound of a bell ringing.
“That’s the upstairs bell.
Do you want me to go?” asked Severus.
“No I’ll go. I’m
almost finished with this marking anyway.
I’ll call you if I need you.”
Hermione ran up the stairs and opened the office door.
features into a bland expression at the sight of her.
“Can I help you?” asked Hermione.
“I was hoping to speak to my uncle.
“I think he may be able to join us.
“A coffee would be nice.
Thank you.”
Hermione went off downstairs as Draco sat down.
sitting room.
clasclass=MsoNormal>
“That was quick.”
“I haven’t started yet.
It’s Draco. He wants to talk to
you.”
“Did he say what he wanted to discuss?”
“No. I told him that
you were tired but that you might join us.
I’m just going to order up some coffee for us.”
“I’ll do that. You
go back to him and I’ll be there in a moment.”
“Thanks.” Hermione
made her way back to the office.
“Severus will join us in a moment,” she said.
to discuss?”
“I saw the Prophet yesterday.”
“I see. It was a
pretty unpleasant article all round. I
think perhaps we were remiss in not seeking you out about it ourselves.”
“I suppose you were busy.
I know about what’s happened… the pregnancies…”
“That’s true. If
it’s any comfort, that article doesn’t really give a very accurate
representation of what happened at the hearing.”
“I don’t imagine it would.
I suppose it’s true that you are pregnant?”
“Yes but I assure you it happened after the wedding and not
before despite what they imply.”
“So you two are really married then?”
“Thankfully yes,” stated Severus from his position at the
top of the stairs. “After some rather
eloquent persuasion from my wife our marriage was allowed to stand.”
“What about my father?
Was it true that you and he…”
“It is true that I once had a sexual relationship with your
father. I was forced to confirm that
under Veritaserum. However as you well
know he is older than me, despite appearances, so I did not use my position at
school to seduce him as that wretched newspaper infers.”
“I don’t understand why they were asking you about him
anyway.”
“Draco, you do realise that your father acted illegally in
getting the Emergency Council to pass the revised Marriage Law?”
“Yes. He was
planning it all through the holidays.
At first I didn’t know why he was so keen for it.
useful to us. I told him she was a
menace but he wouldn’t have it. He
promised to make the Chateau over to me if I went along with it.
bloodline, no offence, but he wouldn’t drop it. I couldn’t work it out.
Eventually he let it slip that there was some kind of
Prophecy about a powerful Mudblood and a Death Eater. He wouldn’t tell me what it said though.
was vital for me to support him.”
“We believe that your father sought to harness Hermione’s
power for himself. He had a copy of an
archaic ritual which required a consenting victim. As her husband you would have been able to validate the ritual
with your consent.”
“I didn’t know. He
didn’t say anything about that.”
“It has yet to be proven.
It is expected to be addressed during his trial.
that I have not been tried for my association with Voldemort and they were
seeking to tie me in with your father’s offences instead.
about him at my own hearing.”
“Are you out of trouble now?”
“I think so. They
were forced to accept that we were not colluding and that in latter years our
friendship has been feigned.”
“How long were you pretending?”
“Since your Aunt died.”
“But that was before I was born.”
“It was. Your Aunt
opposed Voldemort and was murdered for it.
When she was dead I no longer feared for my own life and I became a
spy.”
“So all my life you were lying. My father trusted you and you were lying.”
“I doubt he really trusted me Draco.
too stupid to realise that he killed my wife or that I didn’t really love her
enough to care.”
“Are you saying that my father murdered his own sister?” He
sounded outraged.
“Yes Draco. I am.”
Hermione watched Draco as he struggled with this piece of
information.
“But family is everything to him. He wouldn’t do that surely.
All my life he’s told me that blood is more important than
anything. Is there evidence that he did
it?”
“Lucius loves you Draco.
You are his pride and joy. He
had a certain affection for your mother in her youth. That is where his family feeling begins and ends.
reasons. However the evidence linking
him to her death is not conclusive.
There were no witnesses or physical evidence but with the way the house
was warded it had to have been a close relative to get in without my
permission. The last time I saw him he
told me about how she didn’t go for her wand when she was about to die.”
“I can’t believe that.
I’m sorry but… I just can’t.”
“How many times have you watched him kill?
“I’ve never seen anything like that.
killed some people for the Dark Lord but he was his soldier and soldiers have
to do unpleasant things.”
“I have seen him kill so many times I’ve lost count.
could show you a whole new side to him and you would see why I believe him
capable.”
“Why didn’t he love her?”
“Normal sibling jealousy to begin with.
attention for some years and then he felt displaced by his stepmother and baby
sister. This became worse when it
became apparent that she was more powerful and more intelligent than him.
his family. Then Claudius withd
aft
after his second wife died and Lucius ended up in charge of her.
make her happy. Had Voldemort learned
of her research it would have reflected badly on both of us.
share of your family estate.”
lasslass=MsoNormal>
“He wouldn’t have liked to share the inheritance.
“A father’s behaviour always has an impact on the character
of his son. If your grandfather had
given Lucius more affection he would have been a different man.”
“If my grandfather had cared for him more do you think he
would have joined Voldemort?”
It obviously cost Draco a great deal to ask this and Severus
answered carefully.
“You hao reo remember that in the beginning Voldemort
approached us. He wanted your father
for his power, his ambition and his charisma.
We didn’t know what would happen or what would be asked of us.
him. Whether or not Lucius would have
then proved such an integral part of his rise is impossible to say.”
“Did you fake your affection for me?”
“No I never did.
Right from when you were tiny you looked so like Olivia I couldn’t help
but love you. I was so relieved Lucius
was able to keep you clear of the Death Eaters for so long.”
“So am I now.
Although I wanted to at the time.”
“He wanted to keep you safe and… ah finally the coffee.
Hermione took the tray from the house elf and began to serve
the coffee.
Draco clutched his cup after she had handed it to him.
“I don’t know.”
“You must have a better idea than I do.
know how sheltered she is.”
“As it stands at the moment your father will be found guilty
of attempting to the the Killing Curse on me.
He lost his head completely and tried to do it in front of a large crowd
at Hogsmeade. That conviction means
that he will have to serve the portion of his previous sentence he did not
serve on top of the other sentence.
That is the best case scenario.”
“What’s the worst that could happen?”
“He is suspected of many serious crimes including other
murders and corruption. If the
Wizengamot feels it has enough evidence for any of these then he may be
questioned under Veritaserum. Should he
be found guilty of the worst of these then he will be imprisoned for life and
the Malfoy estates confiscated.”
“You mean they could take everything away from Mother and
me?” he gasped. “What could he possibly
have done to deserve that?”
Severus hesitated, a pained look coming over his face.
“Draco, are you sure you really want to worry about the charges
which may not be brought? You already
know what he will be found guilty of.
The other stuff is still only speculation at this time.
the doubt at the moment.”
“Hermione is right Draco.
It will only pain you to hear snippets of the things he is suspected
of. After the trial you will be allowed
to visit him and you can hear it from his own lips. It may all be over by the end of the week.”
“Why are you being nice to me Hermione?”
“Because Severus cares about you… And because I know what
it’s like to have a loved one put on trial.”
“Who…. Oh yes I see.
You mean Severus.”
“Yes Mr Malfoy. pan>pan>As a
Muggle-born I have a lot of odd notions about loving my husband and he doesn’t
seem to mind,” she said dryly.
“Shocking state of affairs, Draco.yes"> I do realise I’m letting the pure-blood side down by having
fallen in love with both my wives but I reserve my right to choose the kind of
marriage I want. To return to your
situation again for a moment, if the worst does happen I won’t see my nephew
homeless. Hermione and I have more
homes than we or our children could ever use.
I would be happy to offer you the use of one for yourself and your
mother if it should be necessary.”
“That’s very reassuring Uncle Severus.
Hermione tells me you are to be a father. I must offer congratulations.”
“Thank-you Draco. It
took us by surprise but we’re very h.”
“How will you manage with NEWTs Hermione?”
“I’ve made arrangements to sit them in December.
not teaching.”
“You’re carrying on with thachiaching?”
“She’ll help out with Potions for a while.
to do something for the Aurors. Whilst
some of them detest and distrus the they still have need of my talents.
“Hopefully not long,” said Hermione.
on their account.”
“The great war heroine is disaffected with our parliament?”
said Draco curiously.
“You’d be pissed off too in my position. “She made quite an impression at the hearing.” “Did you slap anyone?” “No but that’s not to say it wasn’t deserved. “And you refused?” “We did,” said Severus. “But you didn’t really want to marry did you?” “I was not prepared to see Hermione fall victim to your “And I trust him with my life. I meant the words I spoke in our ceremony and we settled together “I suppose the Prophecy Father mentioned must have been “I don’t appreciate…” “It’s all right Severus.
bef
before they tried to sell me into a fate worse than death, no offence, and then
they’re trying to pin the blame on Severusp>
p>
“We had fulfilled the bond and Hermione was already pregnant.
commitment.”
father after all she has done and in view of all she has the potential to
do. It was within my power to help and
I didn’t think twice about doing so.”
very easily. I cannot imagine ever
meeting a man who is his equal.”
about you, but I just don’t understand how a pure-blood and a Muggle-born could
want to be married. I honestly don’t
mean to be offensive but it’s not normal.”
Coming from Draco that is as near to polite as I’m likely to get.
lasslass=MsoNormal>“Your father has spent his life on a crusade to prove
‘pure-blood superiority’. He’s
wrong! Historically pureblood wizarding
clans are found in countries where Witches and Wizards have been
persecuted. In countries where this did
not happen Wizards and Witches are respected members of society and marry
Muggles freely. In most European
countries marrying a Muggle-born meant establishing a tie with a hostile Muggle
community and could often prove dangerous.
Slytherin sought to exclude Muggle-borns chiefly to protect the school
from violent attacks. This has led to
an undue significance being placed on heritage and the rejection of
Muggle-borns. Every century or so some
maniac attempts to use this inherited attitude as a rallying point.
irrational prejudice by claiming that Muggle-borns are inferior in various
ways. It simply isn’t true.
it incessantly so I know what you’ve been taught but you only have to compare
Hermione to every other pupil in the school to realise it.
line of pure-bloods but in future generations she will be the ancestor our
descendants are proudest of. Pure-blood
clans who refuse to marry out will make themselves into Muggles and may they do
it as soon as possible.”
magic produces interesting offspring.
You can see that with Tonks,” said Hermione.
“Tonks?”
“She’s your cousin Draco.
Have you never met?”
“No. How is she my
cousin?”
“Andromeda Black was your mother’s eldest sister,” supplied
Severus. “She married a Muggle born and
Nymphadora Tonks was the result. She’s
an extremely dedicated Auror and a natural Metamorphmagus.”
“I didn’t know Mother had another sister.
“Yes. Perhaps we
could introduce you at some point,” said Hermione.
“I don’t know. A bit
too much is happening at the moment.
Maybe in the future. Will I be
allowed to go to my father’s trial?”
“If you wish. I’m
sure Professor Dumbledore will allow it.
Hermione and I have to be present as we are connected to some of the
charges so you will have an escort.”
“I suppose I should be going. Thank-you for seeing me.”
“I am available for you Draco if you need me.
in any way I can,” promised Severus solemnly.
“Thank-you again. I
do appreciate it.”
“Goodbye Draco,” said Hermione, moving towards the door with
him as he left.
“That’s the closest thing he and I have had to a civilised
conversation in all the years I’ve known him,” she said after he left the room.
“Slytherins have a knack of adapting to circumstance,” said
Severus. “Lucius’ downfall may be the
making of him. Although I’m surprised
he’s adjusting so quickly. I hope you
don’t mind me offering to support him.
I know you’ve no reason to want to help him.”
“He and I have such a bad history I don’t think we’ll ever
be friends.”
“Bear in mind my dear, I was much worse at his age and I
didn’t always treat you well.”
“I can’t argue with that or with you wanting to help
him. Draco is your family and all the
property we own is what you brought to the marriage. I have no right to criticise how you dispose of it.”
“Actually you do.
Olivia used to wear that necklace you’re wearing at the moment but it
was not hers. The necklace was my
possession and so was she. You are my
equal, you have every right. Come
here.”
She walked over to him and allowed him to pull her down into
his arms. They nestled together
comfortably and enjoyed a slow tender kiss.
After a moment she pulled away from his mouth began to nibble gently on
his earlobe before whispering, “I am very fortunate to have such a generous
husband.”
He placed his hand on her stomach and stroked her
gently. “This is the most generous gift
I could ever have asked for. I will
deny you nothing.”
“Can we go to bed for a while, before I do my patrol?”
“That would be my pleasure. Lead the way.”
A/N
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