With you in my Arms

35. "Her words not mine."

Dearest readers!

I know it has been quite a long while since I have been updating. Though now I should manage to get more work done over Christmas and update a bit more often.

Enjoy the next chapter and please vote, fan and comment. 

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Harry was sitting in his kitchen staring into a cup of tea. He wasn't sure, how long he had been sitting on the wooden bench with his hand around the mug. He sighed. The house felt empty somehow. It had been somewhat stressful when Hermione had been staying here, but at least there had been somebody there when he came home. Now it was only Kreacher that tried his best to make him feel welcome.

He took a sip of tea and pulled a face. How long had he been sitting here, lost in thoughts? It must have been a lot longer than he had anticipated as the tea was now stone cold. He flicked his wand over the mug and steam rose form it again. Another sip, another sigh. What was he going to do? He found himself envying Malfoy. He might have been a git for as long as they knew each other, but at least he didn't come home to an empty house every night.

Kreacher could be heard somewhere in the hall muttering happily to himself. The young wizard stood up and looked around the room. It was a large homey kitchen. There was space for a large family... Did he want a large family? He didn't know, what it was like to grow up in a family with brothers and sisters. Having to get along with Dudley hadn't been exactly a family setting. It could have been, but the bitterness of his aunt had made sure that he never experience any loving relationship with his relatives. The only family he had ever known were the Weasleys.

Ginny. Her face floated easily into his mind. It had been great to see her play the other day and the victory party afterwards had been even better. He had spend the night with the witch he loved in his arms. It had been a night without much sleep but more than enough excitement. He grinned to himself. He wouldn't mind having this kind of night a lot more often than he could in the moment. The Harpies were going on a European tour as they had qualified for the top European Quidditch League. Four months he would have to live with owled letters and memories only. He sighed. Four bloody months!

He noticed his house elf coming into the kitchen with a piece of parchment, his quill and the ink well. Everything was laid out carefully on the table then a bow followed and Kreacher bustled out of the room. Harry blinked. Did he ask for something to write? He didn't recall having done so. Strange. Whom was he supposed to send a letter to? He had send one to Ginny yesterday and this morning. So whom...? He sat down. Staring at the empty page before him he wondered how Hermione was doing. Did they find her parents? Did they manage to reverse the memory modification? Had Rita Skeeter found them? If the Prophet was anything to go by she hadn't as yet. He started writing.

Dear Hermione,

I am sitting here wondering how you are doing. I hope you are okay. Is everything going okay with Malfoy? How is the baby? Are you still sick all the time? Did you find your parents and did everything go okay un-oblivating them?

Ginny has left for France this morning. The Harpies are playing the European League the next months. Kreacher has been trying a new recipe for pasta yesterday and it was surprisingly delicious. Normally he isn't that keen on cooking foreign foods.

All the best,
Harry

 He folded the parchment and went outside the back door and into the small garden. In an open shed was his owl perched on her favourite beam. Calling her name softly he went inside. She was supposed to be a barn owl, but her feathers were of a strangely grey colour that always reminded him of tin. Her name was Lizzy, Tin Lizzy.

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Draco and Hermione sat on the couch in front of the fire in the library. She had wanted to talk in the reception room, but he had insisted they go and talk in a more private setting. Her look had told him that she didn't believe a word he was saying. They were alone in the Manor, maybe except for the house elves, but otherwise they had privacy in any room they should choose to talk in.

"What is this all about, Draco? What has Blaise told you that we need to discuss?"

He held her in his arms, smelling the flowery scent of her shampoo. Her warm body was moulded against his. He didn't really want to tell her what he had learnt from his best friend, but she needed to know.

"We are having a bigger problem than both of us could have known."

His voice seemed to be even, but by now she knew him well enough to pick up the signs of concern in it regardless how much he tried to hide it.

"What problem?"

"Pansy."

"Pansy? Why is she a problem? I thought you said..."

"She seems to have gone insane."

She looked at him.

"Are you serious? I mean, she might be a few sandwiches short of a full picnic, but..."

"There is an arrest warrant with her name on being circulated around the Auror Office. If they get hold of her, they are probably going to section her. Should they decide not to send her to Azkaban."

Hermione gasped. He gently stroked over her arm.

"Do you remember what I told you about my mother?"

"She's in St, Mungo's because she was in a coma and only woke up the other day."

"Yes. The healers have found out that she was cursed. Pansy cursed her. The idea was to get her out off the house and me distressed enough to look for a shoulder to cry on in the form of Pansy. Mother was only supposed to wake up again, should I be able to tell her I found..." His voice suddenly faltered.

"You had found what?"

She half turned and found him staring off into space.

"Draco?"

"Hm?"

"You were saying to you had to find something in order for your mother to wake up again. What was it? What did you need to find?"

There was a smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

"I needed to find you."

"Me?"

She looked at him. He was now openly grinning. She frowned. What was this all about? Why did he have to find her in order for his mother to come out off the coma?

"You don't make any sense."

He kissed her temple.

"I needed to find you, because the curse could only be lifted, if I found true love." Another kiss. "You are my one true love."

"Oh."

"You were already part of my life by the time Pansy cursed Mother. So, luckily for me I had been given the key to her cure without realising it."

"She had been seriously thinking that she would become your..."

"Yes, she did. She might have been deluded at that point, but that curse alone could have gotten her a lengthy sentence in Azkaban."

"Why do I have the feeling there is even worse to come?"

"That's why I love you, you don't miss a thing. Blaise has just found out that she has managed to poison him with a rather wicked variation of Amortentia."

Hermione gasped. Pansy had been trying to get Blaise using a love potion? What sense did that make? He saw her thinking.

"She hasn't tried to get Blaise. This corrupted version made him develop feelings for..."

He hesitated. Should he really tell her? There was an expectant look on her face. She needed to know.

"He was supposed to slowly fall for you. She wanted him to lure you away from me."

The dead carp impression that was now practised by the witch in his arms would have been priceless would the circumstances not have been so serious.

"You are kidding? She wanted him to fall in love with me and then for him to somehow take me off you?" He nodded. "You are right. She should be sectioned. That really is way past infatuation or delusion. It's insane."

"There is only one thing though."

"What?"

"Pansy doesn't have the knowledge to brew such a potion herself and I doubt that she has the right contacts to get it done either. There is somebody else involved, but I couldn't say what that person would be gaining from separating us. Not that that could be achieved in any case."

She leant back against him, feeling his tender hands stroking over her tummy.

"Nothing and nobody can ever take you away from me."

There was a long thought filled silence.

"Draco?"

"Yes, Lea."

She turned to gaze at him. His eyes were dark with concern. It vanished a moment later, but she had already seen it. He was worried. Was there more? Did he keep the worst from her?

"You told me everything, didn't you?"

"Yes." His lips touched her forehead. "I would never..."

She kissed him. It was impulsive and she didn't really knew, why she was doing it, but it felt right.