Inkbound

Epilogue

Several months later

'Orion and Artemis Black?' Aberforth Dumbledore gave the couple a suspicious look as they approached his counter. It wasn't often he had guests staying at the Hog's Head, and what with the curfew in Hogsmeade, and Death Eaters at the castle, you never could be too careful.

This couple though, Aberforth was sure he'd never met before. Although... there was something strangely familiar about them.

They were young to be married, though maybe not for a Pureblood family like the Blacks. Come to think of it, Aberforth was surprised there were any Blacks left, in name at least.

Must be distant cousins.

Anyway. The young man - Orion Black - had sleek brown hair and dark brown eyes that looked like they missed nothing. Eyes like Salazar Slytherin himself, that one.

The woman - Artemis? She had long curly hair, the colour of the palest gold, and eyes that flashed like silver. Her gaze was as hard and cold as the metals she resembled.

Orion Black nodded shortly and dropped a fat leather purse on the counter. Aberforth noticed the curl of ink at his wrist under his cuff, but couldn't make out a discernible shape. He opened the purse slowly, seeing the dull glint of Galleon gold within.

'I just want a quiet stay here with my wife,' Orion Black said with tones that could cut glass. 'Don't want anyone bothering us... you understand?'

Aberforth tucked away the purse.

'Aye, young master, that I do.' Aberforth waved them along, showed them to their room, and left them to it.

They were a strange couple, for sure, Aberforth mused later that evening as he served up a bloody dinner to a wizened hag. Wannabe Death Eaters, perhaps? Well, as long as no Unforgiveables were cast in his establishment, it was no business of his.

The thought only occurred to Aberforth much later, when he was drifting off to sleep in his own bed.

In mythology, Orion and Artemis were both hunters.

In the guest room three doors down from Aberforth's, Orion Black held still as his wife cast a spell with a flourish, and slowly they both bled back to their usual colouring.

Gone was Artemis' platinum hair, her silver eyes, her pale skin, and in her place stood the Hermione Granger he knew and - helplessly, utterly, desperately - loved. He knew that he no longer wore the face of Orion Black, but the blond-haired, grey-eyed Draco Malfoy once again.

A clever charm of Hermione's own invention, that one. Sick of having to rely on Polyjuice or weak glamours or invisibility cloaks or wishing she had been born a Metamorphmagi while on the run originally, the Chimera Charm let the colouring and characteristics of two people be swapped until the charm was cancelled again. It wasn't foolproof, but it had served them well so far.

Hermione re-sheathed her wand in her thigh holster and took off her travelling cloak, removing the gloves that protected her from the late autumn chill in the air. She looked tired, and a bit sad, but her eyes were as fierce as ever. Draco found himself unconsciously moving towards her.

He took her hands in his, leaning down to kiss her. Even after all these months, she opened her mouth eagerly beneath his, and Draco found himself filled with thoughts of throwing her onto the bed and having his way with her.