Triumvirate

**This is the final chapter of this story. Thank you for reading it, thank you for the reviews. I have really enjoyed writing this and I hope that you have enjoyed it too. Until next time….. All good things for each for you.

Thank you for being so patient while the disclaimer was corrected. Enjoy!

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Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or the songs included in this fanfic nor do I make money off them. These stories are for entertainment only.
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Take my hand

We're leaving here tonight
There's no need to tell anyone
They'd only hold us down
So by the morning light
We'll be halfway to anywhere
Where love is more than just your name

Anywhere - Evanescence
Hermione had resumed her duties within the Order which was now listed under the Ministry. She had seen the odd looks and heard the many whispers in the halls. She bit her tongue.

It had done no good to get upset about it before. After all the gossipmongers didn’t lose sleep. She did. She refused to do that again.

Her heart ached for the loss of Draco. Knowing that he had forsaken his own body, his humanity to save them all that night. That he had died trying to regain it. For her. For a life that he very much deserved. But never got to lead.

She hung her head, burying her face in her hands. Oh gods! How could she have been so blind? So weak to care what others thought? She never had when she was young!

She laid her head on her arms and wept into the cold unforgiving wood of her desk.

Without her noticing, Padma rose to her feet and slipped out into the hall.

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“She’s crying again Harry” Padma told the Dark Lord, “This isn’t right! You have to tell her the truth!”

Harry’s eyes locked on the dark haired woman and he sighed, “I would like to Padma I really would, but Draco has some things to clear up and then he will be back.”

Padma threw her hands in the air, “When Harry? When?!”

He looked at his desk, “Soon Padma. Tomorrow.”

She blinked, “It might be wise to warn her before that time.”

He nodded. “I intend to. This evening.”

Padma rolled her large brown eyes, “Cutting it close Harry. Your announcement is tomorrow.”

He nodded, “I know. Believe me.”

He closed his eyes. He had once asked Draco and Mione where they would rather be when the wizarding world was going to shit. Oddly enough, they had answered with the same thing.

Anywhere.

And anywhere was exactly where he wanted be at the moment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Draco looked at the large manor nestled snuggly between two mountains. "Impressive" he said.

Harry nodded,"Exact. Down to the tiniest broom cupboard, just like Mione promised."

Draco tore his eyes from the fortress of the dark lord. "So then? Dark Lord Abode? Potter's Place? Wit's End again?"

Harry chuckled, "No, nothing so grand. I call it....Anywhere."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Harry sat before the fire in Hermione’s study. She had retired for her bath and the Dark Lord was currently engaged in a staring contest with one Severus Snape.

“Gah!” he said looking away, “That’s really creepy! Don’t you ever blink?”

Snape smirked, “As my eyes no longer require lubrication, no Potter. I do not.”

Harry stared off into the dimly lit halls. “This house has too much black.”

“I like black.”

“Old dungeon bat” Harry muttered.

Snape looked down his hooked nose, “You had better play your cards very carefully tonight Potter. Nothing less than full disclosure will get you what you want here.”

Harry nodded, and sighed tiredly. “ I know.”

Hermione padded softly into the room then and the portrait fell silent.

“Padma said you were crying today.”

She flinched, “I’m sorry. I try not to, but it’s so new.”

Harry cleared his throat and spoke softly, “I have something to tell you Mione. Something very important.”

She cocked her head, a feeling of dread filling her. She clutched Snape’s long silken robes around her and sat on the sofa.

“What is it?” she whispered.

Harry leaned forward and clasped her hands, “I have been keeping something from you, not because I wanted to” he hurried to explain, “But because I was asked to.”

She swallowed, not liking where this was going. “And?”

He took a deep breath and met her eyes, “Draco….is….alive”

She sat very still, Harry’s words like glittering fae butterflies swirling madly around her. The air was suddenly heavy and the room stifling. She rose on shaky legs, swaying.

“I’m sorry Harry” she said then, “I must be having the most stupid moment of my life. I thought you said he was alive.”

He nodded.

She shook her head, “Not possible.”

He nodded again, “Nearly not possible” he clarified, reaching out to tug the overwrought woman into his lap. “Shh, I’ve got you now. Be still and let me explain it all to you.”

Her amber eyes were wide as he spoke to her, “He lived through Luna’s treatment, though just barely…and it left some noticeable changes on him.”

“It did before!”

“And he wasn’t certain how you might react to them.”

She blinked, “Why would I care? I love him!”

Harry hugged her close, shushing her from her angry outburst once more. “I know. He knows. And now…. We need to stand as one. I am making the announcement tomorrow, but we need to know…. Will you have him back?”

She stared at her hands for a long minute. “I don’t like that you have kept things from me. You two are making a very bad habit of that. It had better not happen again Harry. Now…when can I see him?”

“He’ll come to you.”

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As promised Harry made a very public speech alongside Minister Shacklebolt the very next day. Hundreds of witches and wizards had gathered, eager to hear from the dark lord hero of the people.

His green eyes swept the crowd slowly.

"My name is Harry Potter" he said and more than a few teetered at the simple words.

"You all know my name, but you don't know me. You know what I have done for you.... now I want to know what you are doing for me in return"

Several people looked very confused but he went on.

"Ronald Weasley, Hermione Granger, myself and Draco Malfoy have given a great deal for your benefit. We have give up hopes and dreams and childhood innocence. Thrust into a war that we didn't start. A problem that should not have been ours. You made it ours."

Whispers ran through the crowd but he silenced them with a glare.

"You all expected us to fight Voldemort. And we did. You expect us to be everything that you need and never think for a moment about what we feel, what we need. Every witch and wizard deserves peace, love...don't you agree?"

Several nodded.

"Then I am telling you right now, I am in a relationship with Dracy Malfoy, who has been cleared of the ridiculous charges you have sought to bring against him as a death eater and Hermione Granger, who truly is the brightest witch of the age. I love them both, that is what we want, what we need, what makes the Triumvirate strong. I will not allow anyone to speak ill of them, or make us feel tawdry. Love is love and we deserve it. You've not allowed us anything else. Now you will allow us peace and privacy."

The crowd was very quiet and then Shacklbolt stepped forward. "I see no reason to take this matter to a wizengamot as it is personal in nature. However I must agree with all of you that this is an odd relationship.. that being said. It has been done before and haven't these young people sacrificed enough for your sake? For mine?"


Most were shame faced now and so they should be, Harry thought darkly.

"I say we vote" one witch called from the crowd.

Harry stepped forward again, "You may vote if you like but it will not change my mind."

Shacklebolt lifted his hand for quiet, "Those who oppose this matter?"

A smattering of hands lifted.

Shackleolt nodded, "Those in favor of this relationship, offering unconditional support?"

At first none voted. Then. Slowly, ever so slowly one hand lifted. The pale blonde woman smiled brightly. Leave it to Luna.

Then another. Neville.

And another. Ron!

Until there were too many to count.

Harry felt the weight in his chest lift and smile.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione was hunched over her notes, the meeting was taking far too long and her stomach was in knots. Since Harry had made his little speech this morning there was a definite change in the air.

Some were kind with soft smiles and well wishes.

Some were far too curious about the mechanics of it. And these were the ones who clearly did not support the decision.

Still it wasn't enough to attempt a coup or rally a war banner for. Just a thorn in the side of several.

Hermione sat her quill down and pressed her fingers to her eyes, a familiar ache was blooming behind them.

There was a small sound of surprise from the corridor and she looked up as the massive door was thrown wide.

There, in the light, he stood.

The lamplight making a golden halo on his hair. His lean form taller, thicker.

Draco.

Hermione felt her mouth go dry and her knickers go wet. His changes were noticeable but more than anything. He was simply...alive.

She remained in her seat despite the odd looks and whispers that swirled around her. Her eyes locked on his.

Draco thought she had never looked more nervous or lovely in that moment. He strode right up to her desk and stopped.

She tilted her head all the way back to meet his gaze.

"Mione"

"Draco" Gods how lame did that sound?

He held his hand out, "I love you Hermione Granger. Come with me"

His voice was like hot velvet, liquid sex... urging, beckoning.

She slowly rose to her feet, "Wh..where are we going?" she asked, slipping her hand into his.

He looked down at her and smiled softly, "Anywhere".

Though Hermione didn't know the name of Harry's home, she understood that she and the two of them would be together and that was enough for her.

So she threw off the stigmas and fears and decided to do the one thing she never had before....

Live for herself, live freely as she chose.

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Would you know my name
If I saw you in heaven?
Would it be the same
If I saw you in heaven?
I must be strong
And carry on
'Cause I know I don't belong
Here in heaven

Tears in Heaven- the Choir boys

Hermione stood in a flowing gown staring up at Severus with a mixed expression. She was incredibly happy and also a little sad.

"Today you will bind yourself to them. Not exactly a marriage but very like one" he told her, "Very old, respected magic. Now that Potter's heir grows in you, the future is indeed secure."

Hermione slid her hand over her still flat stomach and took a deep breath, "And you?"

Severus gave her a soft smile, "My time is finished" he replied, "You have no need of me now, and I would like to think I have earned some rest....after all these years."

Hermione's eyes flooded, "I don't want to be without you!"

He shook his head, "You never really lose the ones you love Mia, didn't you know that? No. I will wait... another lifetime. A thousand. But I will see you again Mia. When we are reborn. And then this simple happy future can be ours."

She bit her lip, "I love you!"

Severus had already turned away, striding into the blackness of the portrait behind him. He paused and looked over his shoulder. "Love you back. Always."

'Beyond the door
There's peace I'm sure...'

And then the canvas was dark...and Snape was gone.

'And I know there'll be no more....
Tears in heaven'