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Amazing Grace	By : Kooldragon400 Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Lucius/Hermione Views: 41309 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any recongizable characters, nor do I make any money off of this story.

Chapter List
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Okay. No excuses save this: Real life and writer's block. So sorry guys. I love all of you, and I hope you find it in your hearts to forgive this hiatus. :'(

I'm glad to have this chap out and the ball rolling again. Hit me up to tell me what you think please!

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Molly’s brown eyes widened with shock. Sitting before her in the guest chair was none other than Sirius Black! Of course she had read the article in the Prophet about Harry going through to get him, but it was one thing to read about something and another thing entirely to see the man in the flesh in front of her. He looked tired and pale, and his skin was a bit waxy.

He stood slowly from his chair, a watery smile on his face as he regarded her and Arthur.

They had aged since he had seen them. Though it had only been a few years, from what he had gathered it had been a very hard few years for them. With George losing an ear and Fred losing a leg, then the family losing Percy completely, they had been hit hard emotionally.

Arthur’s sparse hair was now mostly grey, with still just a touch of ginger. Molly’s hair seemed to be skipping grey completely and was streaked with white. Though her face was still plump and kindly, there was flatness in her eyes that hadn’t been there when he had known them. Arthur was the same way…he still looked jovial and kind, but there was something in his eyes that if you knew what to look for was quite obvious.

“Sirius.” Molly finally said, stepping forward with her basket. “If you’re here, that means…” and she looked at the boy in the bed. He was handsome, with dark lashes and a porcelain pale complexion. His dark hair was combed neatly in an old fashioned part, not one out of place despite the fact he was in the hospital bed. His hands were bandaged and laid neatly on his belly, and his bandaged feet were propped up and sitting on a fluffy pillow. There was a slight shimmer in the air around them suggesting a mild heating charm.

Sirius reached out and put a hand on Tom’s head.

“This is my son, Tom Black.” He said, brushing a strand of hair that had fallen forward from the boy’s forehead with the movement of Sirius’ hand. Tom stirred slightly, his dark brows furrowing and a grunt escaping his mouth. He leaned into Sirius’ touch with a sigh, and Sirius’ blue eyes were soft as they gazed down on the vulnerable sleeping form.

When he looked up, Molly was clutching the basket she’d brought in a death grip, the wicker groaning under her white fingers. Arthur held the brightly colored train in one hand and put the other on his wife’s shoulder.

“Perhaps we should just go.” He said softly. Sirius’ dark brows furrowed.

“You’re going to disappear again? If you wait a bit I’m sure Harry will stop by. I’m sure he’d be disappointed if he knew you’d run away again.” Sirius said, his voice slightly hard. He couldn’t quite believe the Weasleys had abandoned Harry the way they had.

Molly’s brown eyes flashed.

“Run away? Us? We’re not the ones who hid ourselves away and refused to talk to anyone!” she returned with an edge. Sirius stared hard at her.

“What are you talking about? Harry told me that you all just bowed out of his life! He said when he needed you most you disappeared!” he snapped.

Arthur’s hand clamped down on Molly’s shoulder before she could explode.

“No. That’s wrong. We were told Harry wanted space to recover and that Molly’s smothering would only make it worse…” he said, his voice steely.

“Who told you that?”

Sirius’ eyes flickered up at the same time Molly and Arthur turned around. Harry stood in the doorway, his dark hair covering his eyes slightly. The green glinted behind the mop, a frightening sight as his magic began to stir to the surface and make them glow.

“Harry!” Molly exclaimed.

“Who told you I didn’t want you there?” he asked.

“Ron told us that-”

“Ron!” Harry barked, his head snapping up, his hair flipping back away from his eyes. Sirius noticed there was a smudge of dark dried blood around Harry’s nostrils, and his eyes were smudged with dark bruising. “Ron told me that you felt it better if I recovered on my own! He told me you wanted time to take care of your own family!” he snapped.

“That’s a lie.” Arthur said firmly. Molly couldn’t form words. Her eyes were filling with tears at the young man before her. First and foremost he was on his feet….she hadn’t seen him walk since before he’d faced Voldemort. His eyes, wild and glowing, were full of such hurt and pain that it didn’t take a genius to see what was going on inside him. “We would never have….never! Harry….for you to think that!” he sputtered.

“And for you to think I would not want you near me is unconscionable! You two were the closest thing I had to a family!” he said. Magic was swirling around him in physical, sparkling arcs. His fingertips shimmered with unspent raw magic, and it circled his feet in ring-like patterns.

Arthur stood back, watching the shift in power around Harry with the hair on the back of his neck standing up. The sheer power it would take to make his magic visible like that was mind blowing. Not even Dumbledore had been able to produce such visible arcs in his magic.

But Molly gave a short sob and shot forward out from Arthur’s hand. The basket fell from her hand, only saved by Arthur’s quick hand movement. He bent and plucked it from the air as Molly enveloped the young man who had once been their seventh son.

Harry stiffened beneath her hug, his body like a statue as she embraced him. But as she began to sob apologies to him, whimpering how much she had missed him…how much they had continued to love him…his resolve began to crumble, and his eyes began to water. The angry magic fell away, crumbling from glittery magical residue into nothing.

After a few moments Harry’s arms came up, and he hugged Molly back. He was not very much taller than her, so he merely leaned his head close to her. She pulled back slightly, lifting a hand to stroke his face.

“Oh Harry…dear boy. I’m so sorry you had to suffer this. Rest assured Arthur and I will both be talking seriously with Ron. The rest of the children will be thrilled to hear t this….the twins missed their partner in crime.” She said, using her thumb to swipe away one of his tears. “Oh, dear…we were going to go to lunch after we delivered the things to this room….please join us…we can catch up!” she pleaded suddenly. Harry’s eyes cut to Arthur, who stood quietly and patiently, a slightly perked, hopeful look on his face. Then he looked to Sirius, who smiled and nodded.

“Sure.” He said quietly. Molly turned to Arthur and held her hands out. He placed the basket and train in her hands, and she approached Sirius.

“I don’t know that we can ever accept the boy, but he is yours and we wish him a speedy recovery.” She said, holding out the basket of goodies and the home made toy. Sirius took the simple items from her, and nodded.

“One day you’ll all see the boy I see. Take good care of Harry…” he said. Molly smiled.

“Of course.” She said. Then with pep in her step she turned back to Arthur and Harry. She came forward, taking Harry’s hand in hers. “Now! We’re off to Diagon Alley for a bit of lunch! We’ll buy, of course!” she said, already making shushing noises over Harry’s protests as the three disappeared from the room.

Sirius watched the empty place the vacated for a moment, before looking back to Tom. He hadn’t noticed the lad’s eyes open, but the crimson orbs were locked where the Weasleys and Harry had stood. Then he turned back to Sirius, and Sirius noticed that his eyes were watery.

“Is that what it’s like to have a mum?” he asked. Sirius swallowed hard, and sat back in the chair next to Tom’s bed.

“Perhaps one day I can give you one…”

~~

Lucius paced the bedroom, rubbing absently at his injured arm. They had released him a week ago under the orders not to strain himself, but Grace was still stuck in St. Mungos. He had returned to the Manor briefly each day to shower and change his clothes, but for the most part he visited with Grace. Potter had made good on his promise and had not been anywhere near them since the scuffle with Draco, and for that Lucius was glad.

Grace was not getting any better. She was weak and frail, and her body wasn’t accepting any kind of treatment that the Healers gave her. She was hooked up to a small pouch that gave her nutrient potions intravenously, and Lucius was positive that it was the only reason she was still alive. She couldn’t keep any solid food down, and it was taking its toll hard on her.

Her thick blonde hair was thin and lank, and every time she brushed at it weakly it broke away. Her skin was chalky and cold to the touch, and Lucius at many times had to force himself to hold her hand. She didn’t talk much. Her breathing was shallow and any conversation left her winded and exhausted.

She didn’t sleep. Her rest was haunted with memories and visions of her time in the dungeon of the vampire. Lucius had been positive that she would have been upset over what happened with Potter, but when he mentioned it to her, she just shook her head a little and made a small noise of dissent. He didn’t like the thought that his daughter was okay with Potter raping her.

He had no idea that the worst news had yet to arrive.

~~

Hermione was faithful to sit in the room with him when he watched over Grace. Many times she herself took a vigil so that Lucius could catch fitful rest against his uncomfortable chair. At the moment she was dozing deeply in her chair, and Lucius was not far behind, his head drooping steadily.

Grace was sitting upright on the bed, resting in a small sea of pillows. She didn’t have the strength to hold herself up. They had just had to change her bedsheets and clothing after she’d rid herself of the meager breakfast of thin oatmeal she’d been given. She had cried weakly as Hermione had helped her bathe and change, and had gone to an exhausted sleep when she had been put back to bed, only to wake again when she had a vision of angry vampire eyes.

A healer came into the room, a grim look on his face as he held tightly to a clip board.

“Mr. Malfoy?” he said tightly. Lucius had been half-dozing on a chair, and jerked upright, immediately the perfect paragon of intense listening.

“Yes?” he asked, standing from his seat. The effect was almost ruined as his right leg had fallen asleep. He shifted weight quickly to his left, having no way to balance himself if he were to fall, as his arm was still bandaged.

“I need to talk to you.” the healer said softly, a bit of urgency in his voice.

Lucius walked quickly, schooling the discomfort from his leg. The Healer turned and left the room, and Lucius followed. The Healer turned to face him in the hallway.

“Mr. Malfoy. There’s something we need to discuss about your daughter. I don’t know...I don’t know how to tell you this...” the Healer hedged. Lucius felt an icy ball of dread knot up his stomach.

“Just tell me.” he said, his voice soft lest it break.

The healer took a deep breath. “She’s pregnant. She combination of morning sickness and her weak disposition are going to kill her. I need to know what you want to do. As her guardian you have the say in what happens.”

He felt as if his entire world had been ripped away. Pregnant. She was only fifteen!

“I must...I must think on this...” he said. The Healer nodded and walked away quickly.

Lucius stood where he was for several moments before he turned and walked back into the room. He had been prepared to paste a brave face on until he saw Grace. She had drawn a pillow in front of her as if for protection, and she was hugging it weakly as she gave sickly, hiccupping sobs.

“Grace...” he started.

“You didn’t..shut....the door....all the way.” she gasped.

Lucius didn’t know what to say to her.

~~

Severus stared at him with fathomless black eyes. It was a penetrating stare that went down into the soul and froze the bones. Then the man blinked and averted his eyes. He reached into his breast pocket and withdrew a vial, holding it out without looking.

“I hope you know the repercussions of this act.” he said softly.

“It is going to kill her, Severus. Would you not do anything to save your son?” Lucius said, reaching out and taking the vial.

“I would, Lucius. Of that you can have no doubt. But I have the blood of enough innocents on my hands.” he replied in that deep, deceptively quiet voice.

Lucius frowned, but looked at the vial of blue liquid. This would help Grace. He couldn’t stand to see her suffer. It was...it was better this way! It truly was!

He repeated this mantra on the way back to Grace’s room. He would be lack in his parenting skills if he did not help her through this. It was...ridiculous to think she could or should do it.

Hermione was asleep as he came into the room, and he thanked his lucky stars for it. She would never go along. He approached Grace’s bed with the vial in his hand, and popped the cork with his thumb. She was asleep against the pillow, her chest barely rising as she labored to breathe.

“Just a little longer.” he said softly. He tilted her head back with his free hand, and stared for a few moments at the cheerful blue liquid in the vial. “I’ve done this to help you.” he added, and set the glass against her lips.

As he started to tilt back the vial, he was startled as arms wrapped around him, jerking him back. He dropped the vial, cursing as the liquid splashed out of the glass and onto her blanket. He whirled to find himself staring at a furious Hermione.

“Are you mental!” she screamed. Grace jerked awake, blinking sleepily as she noticed the blue spill on her blanket. “How dare you! That is murder!” she screamed.

“Damn you, you interfering girl!” Lucius hissed. Grace looked at the vial and then at her father.

“What’s....going....on?” she asked breathlessly. Hermione pointed to the blue stain.

“That is an Abortant Potion. How dare you presume to take life where you have no authority!” Hermione snarled. Grace made a choking sound.

“How dare you interfere in things that are not your concern!” he hissed.

“It is my business! She is my friend! She is a concern of mine! I love her like a sister, Lucius. To do this would be unbelievable. I never thought you capable of the murder of a child.” she said softly. Lucius felt his anger boil.

“It is not your business! She is my daughter, not yours. She is my responsibility. It is my responsibility to keep her safe. This is going to ruin her life, and her social standing.”

“It should be her choice, not yours!” Hermione argued. “It should not be a choice at all! Killing an innocent child should never have crossed your mind!”

“You are not her mother! It would have been easier to take the choice for her.” he snapped.

“Well at least have the decency to let her choose for herself. Ask her yourself!” he said. Lucius whirled to the bed-

And stopped dead. The bed was empty. The sheets were thrown back and she was not in the bed. She was not in the room. His head snapped to the door, which was open.

“Damn it!” he snarled. He took off out of the door, leaving Hermione in the room. She looked at the blanket, still streaked with blue, and her eyes filled with tears.

How could he try to do that to Grace? The poor girl had been through so much already. And besides...didn’t he know that there were so many people who would adopt any child she had? There were people who could not have children of their own. People who may have had the choice to make a child taken from them long ago.

The thought of destroying the life of an unborn child for the sake of convenience was unthinkable to her...because she was one of those people.

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Oh snap. Oh snap and crackle. Oh snap, crackle, and pop! It's getting deep in here boo!
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Amazing Grace