You Raise Me Up

LadyBlueEyes - Care bears....awesome. I nearly peed myself when I read that review, as I suddenly had the same vision. Priceless.

Everyone else - I LOVE YOU GUYS!!! You all are my inspiration. My muse. Sometimes, though, it's not enough, and in times like today, my muse just gives up, and I have to just wait until I get a kick to the cerebellum. Ah well, better late then never, eh?
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Well, well. The mother of my grandchild and my sister-in-law out with a monster. What has the world come to?”

Hermione scowled at Lucius. “Stuff it. Remus is my friend. He has been for years.” She said. Remus felt terrible for getting Hermione into hot water with Lucius.

“Look, Hermione…I’ll just go.” He said, and gently tried to scoot her out. She placed a hand on his chest and physically shoved him back against wall that the booth was situated against. He grunted when he hit the wall, as it jarred the injuries from the young gang that had roughed him up.

“Good Wolfie.” Lucius spat, sarcasm dripping from his voice. “Now roll over…no? Play dead. Better yet…don’t play.” He added, his glacial eyes full of contempt. Remus met his gaze with unwavering eyes.

Bellatrix stood, Orion held steadily against her. “Leave him alone, Lucius. Just scamper back to Malfoy Manor and leave us be. We were having a peaceful lunch.” He said. Lucius turned his icy gaze on her.

“I just came out of a meeting with the Minister. He has pulled the test from our punishment. He said that since we fought for the Ministry in the Battle of Star Temple, then he could do that much for us. He said he would have told us sooner, but with everything that’s been going on with the Ministry it got pushed to the bottom of his stack. I’ve already told Severus, I just came out to tell you. Pity you had to be in such poor company. It really drags the mood down…” he said, and looked down his nose at Remus. “I’ll see you both at home, although I’m not sure you should be allowed to cross the threshold before we hose you down. I don’t want fleas in the Manor.” He added, and with a curt nod to Hermione and Bellatrix, and a scathing glare at Remus, he turned on his heel and left.

Hermione turned back to Remus. “Where are you staying, Remus?” she asked gently, completely ignoring the look of protest on his face.

“Here and there…” he said softly.

“Meaning…on the street.” Bellatrix said, settling back into the booth. “You need a roof over your head, Lupin.” She added.

“A little rain and cold never killed anyone…” he argued half-heartedly.

“Actually, Remus, they have.” Hermione replied.

“I can’t stay in a hotel because I have no money. I can’t get a job because I’m a werewolf. No one is hiring my kind…” he said, and ran a hand through his hair. Hermione noticed that almost all of the brown was gone, leaving only the silver behind.

The trio sat quietly for a while, each finishing off his or her meal before anything else was said. Suddenly Bellatrix’s head shot up.

“Are you good with your hands, Lupin?” she asked. Remus looked at her strangely.

“And by that you mean…?”

“Building, Lupin! Repairing things…get your mind out of the gutter.” She said. He shrank away a little, embarrassed.

“Yeah…I’m pretty strong. I used to help my dad build things. We built a tree-house together.” He said.

“I’ve got a proposal for you.” She told him, a smile forming on her lips.

“I’m listening.” Remus replied, leaning forward a bit.

“Before the war got into full swing, and right after the Master busted Rudolphus and I out of Azkaban, we bought a house. It wasn’t a fancy place, but since the Ministry had destroyed the Lestrange place, we needed somewhere else to stay. It served as a roof, and a few meetings were held there. No revels, only planning and strategy.

"Well, since both Rodolphus and Rabastan have been Kissed, I still possess control of the Lestrange vaults and all property belonging to the family. Even after I divorced Rodolphus I still hold the power. What I’m getting at is: Would you like to be groundskeeper for that house? I’ll pay you to fix up the place, and to take care of it. It’ll be yours, but in my name. What say you?” she said. Remus looked at her.

“That’s a very generous offer. I’d be a fool to turn it down…” he said softly.

“I’ll pay you for labor, and I’ll buy the supplies. Then, after all of the repairs are complete, you can take up the title of groundskeeper. You can have over friends, and the like. It’ll be like your own place.” She said.

“I can never buy it from you. Werewolves aren’t allowed to own property as of yet…” he said softly.

“We’ll work on that…you just worry about keeping yourself under a roof. Oh! And I’ll give you an advance you can use to buy food and clothes. How does that sound?” she asked. Remus gave the first real, big smile he had given since some time before the war ended.

“I accept.”

~~

With a full stomach and a warm fuzzy feeling, Hermione left the Leaky Cauldron. She walked along happily, one hand resting on her ballooning belly. She chose to let her thoughts wander to the future.

She wondered if Draco would be angry that she had had contact with Remus. Draco knew that Remus was a werewolf, and she also knew that since Lucius had a certain disdain for the creatures, so would his son. She couldn’t help but feel a certain curiosity as to why Bellatrix had accepted him. Neither had spoken on it, but both had shared strange looks.

A small kick from the baby startled her out of her reverie. She had been feeling movement for a little under a month, now, but she had yet to feel a full-out kick. But there it was. It didn’t hurt, but it had surprised her. Almost like a hiccup. It was nice.

She thought about the baby for a little while. What would the gender be? Would she be a good mother? Would she want more children?

Personally she hoped the baby would be a girl. But she had had a conversation about that with Lucius just the other day. He was certain it would be a boy, and he and Draco were hell-bent on making the nursery completely boy-themed. But Hermione wouldn’t have it, as she said that it might be a girl. Lucius had explained, as gently as possible, that blood Malfoy females were extremely rare. Matter of fact, it had been nearly two-hundred and fifty years since the last one had been born. But Hermione wasn’t one to give up.

She had actually been praying for a girl. She adored the thought of frilly dresses and patent leather shoes. Just as her mother had done to her, she would make the little girl endure lace and frills, and eventually make-up and boy-talks! She wondered with a grin how Draco would react to a little girl’s temper tantrum. She had to bite back a laugh when she imagined him wrapped completely around a little girl’s finger. Because she knew that would be how it was.

She didn’t really watch where she was going, and plowed straight into a very solid person. She bounced back, and flailed her arms, terrified she would fall. Strong arms grabbed hers, and righted her, and she looked up into the face of Kingsley Shacklebolt, who appeared to be escorting Percy.

“Well, well. It’s been quite a while, Hermione.” Kingsley said, his deep, slow voice immediately warming Hermione from the inside out.

“Kingsley! I’m sorry I ran into you!” she said. “Not that I could hurt you….you’re quite solid!” she said. He smiled at her. Percy gave a grin, and patted her shoulder.

“You are looking marvelous, Mrs. Malfoy. When are you due?” he asked. Hermione rested her hand on her tummy, and blushed happily.

“Two-and-a-half months to go!” she squealed happily. “I can hardly wait!” she added. “And you are looking much healthier, Minister!” she teased. A slight flush appeared at the top of Percy’s cheeks.

“Thank you. Mum has been stuffing me so full of food it isn’t funny!” he said, grinning.

Hermione reached out and hugged Percy suddenly. “I heard what you did for my ‘students.’” She whispered in his ear. He hugged her back gently, as a friend would, and nodded against her soft hair.

“It was the least I could do. Besides, it was quite worth it to see the look on the Dark Wanker’s face when Bellatrix practically told him to sod off!” he said, and they laughed together.

“So what are you two doing out?” Hermione asked, stepping back from her fiery-haired friend.

“Shopping.” Kingsley said. Hermione raised an eyebrow.

“And why is it that Percy needs protection whilst shopping? Are you helping him pick out his knickers, Kingsley?” she asked. She noticed the slight darkening of Kingsley’s cheeks, and grinned.

“No, Hermione…it’s a bit more serious than that.” He said, and leaned down to her ear. “There was an attempt on the Minister’s life. But you didn’t hear it from me.” He said, and rose back up. Hermione frowned.

“Hear what?” she asked, and both men smiled softly. “Are you hurt?” she whispered to Percy. He looked around slightly, and then pulled up the sleeve of his robes to reveal a bandage wrapped from wrist to elbow.

“Tried to slit my throat, but I fought off the wanker, and he only cut my arm.” He said, and pulled down his sleeve. Suddenly Hermione snapped her fingers, as if she had remembered something, and she pointed a finger at Percy menacingly.

“Minister! I have a bone to pick with you about anti-werewolf laws!”
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0_o Interesting...although it was nice of Percy to withdraw the test. I feel that they could have passed it, though, don't you?

The bunnies appreciate the carrots that they recieved for Easter, but now that they are multiplying, they need more food. Don't forget to feed the bunnies! And also, don't forget to check out my newest story, The Malfoy Chronicles: A Witch in Time! It's pretty good, if I do say so myself.