Hidden Meanings

Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine, I'm sorry! Jo owns the rights to them as does Warner Bros.

angel: We'll see about Narcissa and Remus... perhaps there doesn't need to be a plan...

mary: She is a little tease isn't she? I loved writing that bit.

Dee Dee: Severus? Being matchmaked?? Hmm, possibly, not giving anything away at this stage.

BuckyKattGirl: What about Severliscious?

Domine: Thank you. I hope this was quick enough.

sayyida: It's because of how they started that Hermione had NO DOUBTS.. Why should she?

citten: Thanks, and I'll try and be regular with updates.

Wendy: Why don't you check out my Labyrinth fic then... as for crossovers, well I am a little busy at the moment, I'll put it on my to do list.

ShilohDarke: I am bowing before you! This story would never have gotten about if it weren't for you... so thanks, and I am honoured that my favourite FF author has reviewed this story.

In Laws

Hermione knew this sort of plan needed time and embellishments. She couldn’t just book a restaurant and hope for the best. She had to assess them first of all. See them together and then strike.

The past month had plenty of opportunities for such observations, as Mr and Mrs Malfoy were at Grimmauld Place practically every day. Lucius was stuck in a room with Harry for the most part, whilst Hermione got to talk to Molly and Ginny. Narcissa occasionally joined in the conversation.

Hermione was three months by now, and she hadn’t started showing. This worried her, so she decided to talk to Molly about it.

“I wouldn’t worry at all, dear,” Molly said. “I looked seven months when I was pregnant with Bill!”

“Yours and Lucius love child?” Narcissa sneered.

Molly would have ignored it if Ginny had not decided to yell.

“LUCIUS, MUM! LUCIUS BLOODY MALFOY!”

“First of all, Ginny, watch your language. Second of all, Bill is definitely a bona fide Weasley. No doubt about that. Thirdly, I had a few nights with Lucius when I was young and foolish.”

Ginny coloured, and she turned to Hermione. Hermione looked down studiously on her knitting pattern.

“Did you know about this?” Ginny asked her.

“Only just recently, Ginny. What is the big deal? It happened before ANY of us were born. Your mother married your father and they are very much in love.” Ginny sulked back into her chair, she picked up her book. Hermione narrowed her eyes at the book. “Why are you reading Mills and Boon?” Hermione asked.

Ginny blushed. “Well, they’re easy to read.”

“They’re trash,” Hermione said. “My mother received four of them for free in the post. She read one and chucked the rest in a charity shop. Walk in ANY muggle charity shop and they’re like REAL cheap… much like the plotlines really.”

“Can’t you relax; just for once, Hermione?” Ginny asked.

“What? Come on, Ginny, they are poor stories.”

“Okay,” Ginny asked, as she snapped her book shut. “What do you read to relax?”

“Charles Dickens. Jane Austen. C S Lewis.”

Ginny scoffed. “They sound like heavy authors.”

“Charles Dickens wrote stuff that he observed from everyday life, Ginny. And don’t knock it until you try it. I have a book called A Tale of Two Cities, you read that book!”

Narcissa splurted out her coffee, and then she turned towards Hermione.

“Oh please,” she said. “The amount of times Lucius read that book. Dickens is boring.”

“Maybe to you, but to me Charles Dickens is to literature what Monet is to Art, and what Slytherin was to evil!”

Hermione looked down at her knitting pattern.

“I found Dickens droned on and on about nothing in particular,” Narcissa said.

“Or perhaps he wasn’t filthy enough for you,” Hermione huffed. “I love Dickens. Lucius loves Dickens. I was shocked that he did.”

Narcissa exchanged looks with Ginny. “Perhaps your friend is right, Hermione, you do need to lighten up.”

“I don’t need to lighten up, it’s just that I happen to find different ways to relax than you. Mills and Boon as far as I’m concerned should be lining dog baskets, and used to clean up their mess!”

“And what does Jane Austen write then?” Ginny asked.

“She wrote SOPHISTICATED love stories. My personal favourite is Emma.”

“Why?” Molly asked. “I found her slightly annoying, I preferred Sense and Sensibility myself. Colonel Brandon is so wonderful.”

“Oh I know,” Hermione said. “The way he stands aside and lets the woman he loves, love someone else is just incredible.”

“Especially when that someone else is someone he truly hates,” Molly sighed.

“For good reason,” Hermione said. “Urgh! Marianne was a real dope!”

“My thoughts exactly,” Molly agreed.

“I couldn’t stand Willoughby,” Hermione continued.

Ginny was being drawn in despite herself. These sounded more like the kind of books that she might be interested in.

“What happens?” Ginny asked.

“Want to borrow the book?” Hermione asked.

“It is a really good read,” Molly said.

Ginny looked down at her Mills and Boon. She liked them, but perhaps Hermione was right, as usual.

“You know who reminds me of Brandon at the moment,” Hermione said. “Remus. He stepped aside to let me love the man I do. Even though he truly HATES Lucius… he has his reasons I know, but he still did it anyway. Wow, I know I should have fallen in love with him, but I couldn’t. I’m telling you, she’d be a lucky Witch Mrs Remus Lupin.”

“Very lucky indeed,” Molly agreed.

Narcissa decided to keep very quiet on that topic. She had been feeling very awkward around the Werewolf recently. The past month had been a confusing mix of emotions for the previously arrogant woman. She didn’t know how to cope with them. She found herself turning back into a gawking, adolescent with no hand, eye co-ordination, and absolutely no grace whenever he was around.

“I think that he’s an idiot,” Ginny said. “He should duel Lucius for you Hermione. I mean HOW can you love that git?”

“He’s my GIT, and I am proud of him!” Hermione exclaimed. “And might I remind you, Ginny, that he is in the Library with your BOYFRIEND, giving him several possible ways to destroy the evil, Voldemort! When this is over, and once the Dark Lord is destroyed I HOPE that you can at least admit that you’re wrong!”

Ginny blushed with shame. There were truth to Hermione’s words. But she could not bring herself to like him. She was just waiting for Lucius to slip. She wouldn’t be so mean as to say; ‘I told you so!’ when he did, but she wouldn’t be too kind and sympathetic either. She just hoped he slip soon, so that Hermione could ACTUALLY marry Remus.

~*~*~

Lucius was studying a map. Harry was the other side of the desk, as he didn’t want to be near the man yet. Lucius looked at a certain county.

“Here!” Lucius exclaimed. “Here in Gloucestershire. That is where Little Hangleton is; I think it is near the Forest of Dean.”

Harry turned the map around and spotted the area. “What’s that Waterway called?”

“River Severn… got its name from a Roman Witch named Sabrina.” Lucius replied. “This River has a bridge that leads to Bristol. It is also the way out of England and into Wales.”

Harry looked at Lucius; he had to admit that Lucius was useful. No wonder Dumbledore wanted to protect him, Harry thought, perhaps that is what I am doing.

“Do you know PRECISELY where?” Harry asked.

“No, sorry, Potter, I don’t!” Lucius exclaimed. “He calls us, we don’t go there uninvited.”

Harry sighed. “Well, I was hoping you did, so then all I’d have to do is sneak up on him.”

“Sorry,” Lucius said. “But I won’t allow you to SNEAK up on the Dark Lord like that. You would get killed.”
“As if you care,” Harry snorted.

“I DO care, Potter, you are the best friend of my wife. Think what misery your reckless actions would give to her. I care because I care about her.”

Harry sighed. Lucius SEEMED earnest, and for the first time in his life he ACTUALLY wanted to trust the older blonde Slytherin Wizard.

“Listen Potter, I can’t tell you the EXACT location. NO ONE knows the exact location. No matter how trustworthy and LOYAL the Death Eater is he wouldn’t dare tell us where the HQ actually is. In case something like this happened.”

Harry understood the seriousness of the situation. He knew that if even Lucius did know the exact location of the Dark Lords HQ; he probably wouldn’t give it to him; especially as the information could endanger the woman he loves. Harry found himself grudgingly respecting Lucius.

“Please,” Harry said. “Just tell me what you can.”

~*~*~

Hermione was still exulting over the marvels of Jane Austen when Molly had decided to make a cup of tea.

“Oh I’ll help,” Hermione said. She finished off her row, and set it aside. She got up, and then felt dizzy. She raised a hand to her brow and touched it lightly.

“Are you okay?” Ginny asked.

“Just a bit dizzy that’s all,” Hermione said.

“It’s perfectly all right,” Molly said. “I got a bit dizzy with the Twins.”

Hermione smiled at Molly. She was invaluable. Hermione walked and her feet tottered, she felt her body go numb; she couldn’t move suddenly. She looked at up at Molly. Stars were in front of her eyes, and then she fell on the floor.

~*~*~

“COME QUICK!” Molly yelled.

Harry looked at Lucius. “It’s probably dinner or something.”

“Yes, Potter, and whilst I want to believe you I can’t. There was a note of panic.”

Lucius left the map and strode purposefully towards the door; he opened it, and walked out of the room. Harry shook his head and followed behind.

“HERMIONE!” Lucius screamed. His tone made Harry’s hair at the back of his neck stand up. He ran to Lucius. Hermione had fainted on the floor, and there was blood pouring out from somewhere.

Lucius picked Hermione up in his arms. “Where’s Lupin, I have to leave the house. WHERE IS HE?”

“Just come with me,” Harry said. “Stuff the rules!”

Lucius held Hermione close to his body. “Wouldn’t it be safer if she was on a stretcher?” Ginny asked.

“NO!” Lucius said. “NO ONE TAKES HER OUT OF MY ARMS!”

Molly sighed. She walked up to Lucius and touched his face with her hand.

“Come on, Lucius, the way your holding her can’t be good for the baby at the moment. Let her go – for now.”

Ginny, Harry, and Narcissa watched Lucius reaction to Molly’s touch. Ginny looked from one to the other.

“NO!” Lucius sniffed. “NO! I DON’T WANT TO LET HER GO.”

Molly sighed. She looked at Hermione. She nodded. The most important thing was that Hermione gets to St Mungo’s.

“Okay. Mr Malfoy, come follow me.”

Harry walked up to the fireplace and threw in some floo powder; Molly gently led him to the fireplace at the same time. Lucius stepped in the fireplace.

“St Mungo’s,” Harry said, as he held onto Lucius.

~*~*~

Hermione awoke in a white, bright, sunny room. She felt the rustle of crisp clean sheets under her as she moved. She turned her head to stare into the face of Healer Thompson.

“Awake, that is a good sign.”

“W-Where am I?” Hermione asked.

“At St Mungo’s,” Healer Thompson said. “You fainted and you were bleeding.”

“WHAT!” Hermione exclaimed.

~*~*~

Lucius was pacing the Library in his Mansion. He couldn’t relax without her here. He just couldn’t. Dobby decided to leave Master alone; he didn’t want to be on the wrong end of Master’s foot.

“DOBBY!” Lucius yelled.

Dobby sighed and rolled his eyes. He knew it was too good to last. Mistress was not here so there was no need to pretend any longer.

“Yes, Master?” Dobby asked nervously.

“Go, leave this Mansion. It’ll only have me.”

“Dobby does not understand,” he said.

“She’s dying, isn’t she?”

“Mistress?” Dobby scoffed. “After what Mistress has been through I don’t think so.”

“She fainted, she was bleeding. Her skin was the colour of newly washed white bed sheets. She could be dead!”

Dobby chewed his lip and looked at Lucius thoughtfully. “Master, if Dobby might be able to say something?”

“Carry on,” Lucius sighed. He sank dejectedly into his chair.

“Why is you here and not at Hospital?” Dobby asked.

“I’ve fallen in love, Dobby. But I am NOT an idiot! I could bear many things right now, but I can’t stand over a bed and hold her hand feeling her life slip away from me.”

“Mistress survived giant chess pieces, basilisks, you at one time, and you is worried she is dead from fainting?”

“Did you know the curse Dolohov hit her with?” Lucius asked. “It was a curse aimed at weakening the system. She is now weaker because of that curse!”

“I know I is not supposed to be doing this, but I is ordering you to St Mungo’s now, Master! SHE would probably want to see you and not some stranger!”

Lucius narrowed his eyes at Dobby. He knew he couldn’t punish the elf for overstepping the boundaries but he couldn’t help it. He looked at Dobby again; all thoughts of punishment evaporated from Lucius mind.

“I just could not face her deathly face,” he said. “She was so full of life, that is one of the reasons why I love her.”

“Dobby loves her too,” he said. “So, please go to the hospital, Master?”

Lucius sighed and stared around in the library. He nodded and got up off his chair.

~*~*~

“TWO DAYS!” Hermione roared.

“Calm down,” Healer Thompson said. “Look, you were out cold, and you lost a lot of blood.”

“Oh Merlin, I have things to do!” Hermione exclaimed. She brushed aside a sheet and started to get out of bed.

“Oh no you don’t!” Healer Thompson said sternly. “YOU are not going anywhere, I got strict orders from your husband to keep you under surveillance.”

“Where is he?” Hermione asked casting wild-eyed glances around the room.

“It’s all right,” Healer Thompson said. “He went home. He was told to go home. He couldn’t stay here and make you all tense when you woke up.”

“How’s the baby?” Hermione asked.

Healer Thompson was just about to answer her patient’s question; but was interrupted when the door flew open almost in her face. In stormed an angry, balding man and a woman that was almost the exact copy of the patient.

“WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU’RE PLAYING AT, MISSY?”

“Nice to see you to, Dad,” Hermione said weakly.

“SIR!” Healer Thompson said in a strict tone. “Might I remind you that this is a hospital. Keep your tone down. It reduces stress levels.”

“I DON’T BLOODY CARE! THAT IS A CHILD PLAY ACTING AT BEING A WOMAN!”

“I am twenty father,” Hermione said calmly. “When you take into account my third year I am actually twenty two.”

“Herbert, calm down. You’ll get your heart in trouble,” the woman said.

“Mum,” Hermione said.

“WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS GOING ON? I THOUGHT YOU WERE ENGAGED TO THAT WEASLEY KID!”

“Ron’s dead!” Hermione almost yelled back. “He was murdered all right. Narcissa divorced Lucius, and he also found out that Draco wasn’t his son. Now, I took advantage of that situation. I don’t care how old he is, or what he’s done! He’s changing and I – I love him!”

“Excuse me!” A voice that sang in Hermione’s heart said. Lucius knocked Herbert Granger off side for a bit and strode up to his wife. Lucius looked down at Hermione, his eyes shined and sparkled with hope and love. He took hold of her hand and kissed it, he then leant forward and kissed her lovingly on her forehead. “I was so worried that you had died.”

“Lucius,” Hermione sighed. She raised her free hand to stroke his cheek lovingly.

“Mr Malfoy,” Healer Thompson said. “How did you know she was awake?”

“I didn’t, I was expecting the worst. I’ve been a fool. I wanted so desperately to prove I was a man by having a baby, that I lost sight of the wonderful woman I had as a wife.”

“Lucius!”

“No, let me finish - whatever happens from this day forward – I will NEVER deliver an ultimatum to you again.”

Hermione could have cried, but she didn’t she just looked up with shining eyes, and a loving smile.

“So,” Lucius said, as he turned to the other two in the room. “You are Mr and Mrs Granger, it’s so nice to meet the in-laws.”

“This is my husband, Herbert. I am Maria.”

Lucius held out his hand and Maria took it tentatively and shook it. Herbert delivered the older man with a hard glare in his dark eyes. Lucius shivered, this man could almost be Snape’s brother!

“Nice to meet you,” Herbert said through gritted teeth.

Lucius inclined his head towards the other man. “Nice to meet you, too.”

“Okay, now that’s over with,” Hermione said. “Healer Thompson was about to tell me about our child!”

Lucius squeezed Hermione’s hand, and then turned to the Healer. She squared her shoulders and she gave the group a blank emotionless expression.

A/N I am very sorry for this cliff hanger, I couldn't resist though... don't worry I will get the next chapter asap. But I have just set up another website as Men Of Slytherin fell around my ears, I got kicked out of that one. People who can set up skins on Invisionfree would be a great help. I have also started a DM/HG story; plot bunnies bouncing all over the place... anyway please review.