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A/N: I do not own Harry Potter. But you knew that.

Harry Potter and The Acts of Betrayal

Chapter Fifteen - Healing Hearts

"Madam Pomfrey, could you check one more thing for Neville?"

"What do you have in mind Mr. Potter?"

"Could you check Neville to see if there are any blocks on his magic?"

...---===ooo000ooo===---...

Tom Riddle was amazed at the news from Hogwarts. Were the fools of the light self destructing? The two youngest of the Weasley Blood-traitors participated in the rape of Potter's wife?

"My son reports that Potter's support is in tatters My Lord." Lucius was positively beaming. "His Mudblood whore is probably pregnant with the Blood-traitor's child. Draco reports rumors of a sworn Blood Feud between Potter and the Weasley clan."

Riddle nodded. "My sources in the Ministry have are telling me that Dumbledore is under investigation for his manipulations of Potter. Bones herself is spearheading this investigation." Riddle paused, Lucius tended toward being overly optimistic, was he being caught up in the same delusion? "What of your meeting with Potter?"

"It is scheduled for Friday evening My Lord." Lucius didn't mention his reaction to the answer to his request for a meeting, how he had raged through Malfoy Manor and killed one of his House Elves outright. Riddle had his own sources for keeping an eye on Lucius, and knew of his tantrum. Riddle had a grudging respect for the new Lady Black. Potter could never have come up with that response. When Potter fell, perhaps this young woman could be bent to his will. A mind like that could be useful.

"Good. Make him an offer of an alliance, with a view toward destroying Dumbledore. Record the meeting Lucius. I want to see for myself his emotional state."

"Of course My Lord."

...---===ooo000ooo===---...

Finished at the Hospital Wing, Harry returned to his apartments to get his things for class. He had missed the beginning of Transfiguration, and hoped that McGonagall wouldn't ream him too much for it. Stepping into the common room he found both Hermione and Daphne on one of the sofas, Hermione sobbing inconsolably, Daphne attempting to console her.

He rushed to them, kneeling between the women. "What happened?"

"I was ok at breakfast" Hermione choked out, "but sitting in the classroom, with everyone staring at me, talking about me, you weren't there, I just couldn't... I couldn't..."

"She broke down. There were some nasty things being whispered. I hexed one mouthy 5th year on the way back here." Daphne had a haunted look of her own. "What the Weasley's did was a Death Eater tactic in the last war. They dosed wives and daughters of strong men with lust potions, and sent recordings of the rapes, in attempts to break them."

Harry drew both the women into his arms. "I'm so sorry" he whispered. "If I could take it all away I would." He thought for a moment."Do you need your mum Hermione? We could go to her, or they might want to come here..."

"NO!" Hermione almost screamed. "I couldn't face them, I couldn't... They would be... "

"They would support you in any way you needed Hermione." Harry released Daphne to hold Hermione in both of his arms. "This is nothing you did."

"How can you stand to touch me? I'm dirty. I see it in your eyes. I see how people look at me. Why didn't I fight harder? The way I responded to him, that couldn't have entirely been the potion, I... "

"Stop it Hermione, you can't do this to yourself, to us."Daphne interrupted her. "You couldn't control what the potion was doing to you any more than you could control what a blood replenishing potion does. Stop being stupid. You don't do stupid very well."

Hermione just couldn't stop crying.

...---===ooo000ooo===---...

"Are you ok?"

Hannah looked deeply into Neville's eyes and shook her head."After finding out that someone I trusted was willing to do this to us? No. I'm not alright at all."

The pair were walking around the lake in the late afternoon sun. Neville took her hand in his own. "Evidently, just being around me has a certain amount of risk. When we started this, neither of us knew that you were associating yourself with the Emergency Backup Boy Who Lived. If Dumbledore would do this, who knows what He-who-must-not-be-named..." Neville made a face. "That was stupid. If I'm going to help Harry face him, I can't be afraid of a name. Who knows what Voldemort will do? Maybe we should rethink 'us'."

"Oh, so suddenly, I'm not good enough for you?"

"What?" That wasn't the reaction Neville had expected."No! I'm not good enough for you. Just being around me got you dosed with a slave potion. You should, I don't know, dump me publicly so that no one would think of using you to get to me."

"Neville Longbottom you listen to me. I have put far too much time and effort into turning you into an adequate boyfriend to walk away from you now and let some other girl profit from my hard work."

"But Dumbledore and Voldemort..."

"To hell with both of them. Harry will probably kill them both with your help." She took hold of the lapels of his robes and pulled him into a passionate kiss. "And another thing." She said after she broke the kiss, "You find out if there are any open Marriage contracts on the House of Longbottom. I'm not as open minded as Hermione. Like I told you before, I don't share."

...---===ooo000ooo===---...

Augusta Longbottom wasn't a woman used to waiting. The presence of the woman in the waiting area of the Department of Mysteries caused more than a few of the normally unflappable Unspeakables to scurry away from the area as quickly and as inconspicuously as possible.

"Augusta? What are you doing here?"

"We need to speak Algie. I received an Owl from Neville this morning."

"Is he alright?" Algernon Croaker was a crusty old man, but Neville was his favorite (and only) great nephew. The boy was the last scion of four ancient families.

"He is angry. Very very angry. I've never even imagined Neville having something bad to say about anyone, but he..." she shook her head. "I need to know something Algie. You were one of the first on the scene when Frank and Alice were found. Was Albus Dumbledore there before you?"

"Yes he was Auggie, why? What's going on?"

"Neville discovered that he had blocks on his magic. Not 'a' block. Three blocks."

"Three? Merlin, we thought he was a squib. He suspects Dumbledore?"

"The Potter boy was also blocked. Neville was blocked. You know the prophecy, you told me about it yourself. What do the two of them have in common? Neville is convinced that the story Dumbledore has told everyone about Lilly Potter's 'sacrifice' was so much vapor. He believes his friend Harry reacted to his mother's death with a flare of accidentally magic that destroyed Voldemort's body and destroyed the Potter house. He also believes that Dumbledore blocked his magic in order to have an, as Neville put it,'Emergency Backup Boy who Lived.'"

Algie Croaker frowned. "It might be time to confront Dumbledore with what we know."

"Combined with what Neville has learned, it might be enough." Augusta Longbottom nee Croaker drew herself to her full height. "If that old fool as much as looks at Neville again, I'll kill him myself."

...---===ooo000ooo===---...

Arthur looked up from his mug to survey what was left of his family. The twins were glaring at their mother. Percy was present, but angry at being summoned. Bill and Charlie were patently waiting, both had returned from abroad specifically for this meeting, and knew that their father wouldn't call for a meeting without cause.

"Thank you for coming boys." Arthur attempted a smile for his five oldest children. "I called this meeting over a matter of family honor."

The three eldest Weasley siblings gasped. If there was one thing important to their father it was the family honor.

"What's going on Dad? Obviously Ron and Ginny were going to be at the meeting when you had it scheduled at Hogsmeade, but suddenly it's here at home. Are they in trouble?"

"Yes father, has Potter gotten them into difficulties again?" Percy earned himself a death glare from the twins.

Arthur shook his head. "I'd like you all to just listen to me as I explain the situation, unless I make a factual mistake, I would ask you to not interrupt, and allow me to get through this." His assembled children nodded their understanding, his wife continued to glare at him.

"Last September on the ride to Hogwarts Harry and Hermione decided to become more than friends. Professor Dumbledore objected to this relationship on the basis that the old pureblood families of the Light would object to mixing the Potter line with a Muggle born for the second generation in a row. He approached your mother, Ron, and Ginny for a plan to 'fix' that." Harry and Hermione were dosed with a love-slave potion keyed to Ginny and Ron respectively."

"These potions required sexual activity to remain active in their systems. Ron made use of Hermione from November to July of this year. At your mother's insistence Ginny remained a virgin. Nymphadora Tonks used her metamorphic abilities to assume Ginny's appearance and went to Harry's bed for the same period of time."

There was silence at the table. Arthur sipped his tea, and found himself wishing that it was Firewhiskey instead. "In late July of this year, Hermione found Ginny's diary, where she had detailed the plan. She ran to Harry, and the pair of them went to ground as Muggles hiding from the Order as well as Voldemort. As some point between when they ran to purge themselves of the effects of the potions and their return to Hogwarts they married. Hermione became Lady Potter. Upon arrival at school, Harry announced his Line Protection rights. Minerva McGonagall specifically told Ron and Ginny to stay away from the Potters. Monday I received a letter from Harry, telling me that Ron was not staying away from Hermione, and begging me to keep him away so that Harry didn't have to kill the young man he thought of as a brother." He took another drink. "Monday night, Ginny stunned Hermione in the halls, dosed her with a fertility potion and a lust potion, and then gave her to Ron. Ron raped Hermione, breaking her nose in the process. She may well be carrying his child due to the fertility potion, Poppy won't be able to tell until Saturday or Sunday. Ron was caught in the act. Both he and Ginny are sitting in holding cells at the Ministry as we speak. Their trials are next month."

For several moments silence reigned in the Weasley kitchen. Then Bill rose from the table. He went to the cupboard where his father kept his Firewhiskey, and brought the bottle and seven glasses back to the table. He poured a shot for each Weasley, downing and refilling his own as he sat back down.

"What were they thinking? If absolutely nothing else, what about the life debts?"

"Everything we did was good for Harry." Spat Molly to the horror of her children. If it weren't for that damned Granger girl snooping in things that didn't concern her, then we'd all be..."

"One big happy family" said Fred.

"What could be happier" added George.

"Than a family based on potions"

"And rape. Don't forget the rape."

"Oh, yes. The rape, I almost forgot."

"How could you forget the cornerstone of a Big Happy Family."

Bill reached over and smacked George on the back of the head, Charlie did the same to Fred.

"What will the family response be Father?" asked Percy with a frown.

"What we do will be my decision. I wanted this meeting to hear what each of you think on the subject so that I can consider your thoughts in making that decision." He paused to decide what else to say. "As I see it, we have three options. First, we do nothing, let the justice system take its course and hope that Harry will not punish this family for the actions of a few."

"Harry's not after blood." Fred spoke up.

"All he wanted was for Hermione to be left alone" agreed George.

"He'll let the Ministry deal with it."

"It's unlikely he knows about any of the other options."

"Or that he cares enough to research."

"Second" Arthur started again. "We throw everything into the defense of Ron and Ginny."

"What evidence does the Ministry have Father?" asked Percy.

"They have rune clusters that recorded Ron carrying an unconscious Hermione into a room, Ginny dosing her with the fertility potion, and spilling most of the lust potion down her neck, of Ron climbing on top of her, her screaming at him to get off of her, Ron breaking her nose, and Luna Lovegood blasting him across the room."

"Where did they get recordings?"

"Your sister evidently thought that if she could show Harry a recording of Ron and Hermione in full rut, Harry would leave Hermione for Ginny."

"She actually recorded herself?"

"Yes Charlie, she did." Arthur pinched his nose, the headache was getting worse. "The third option is to eject the offending members from the family. That should absolve us of the guilt involved."

"No Arthur, you aren't doing that, you are not going to eject Ron and Ginny from the family!"

"It is my responsibility to deal with the shame you have helped bring on to this family

...---===ooo000ooo===---...

Luna skipped through the portrait hole into the married quarter's common room. Hermione was sitting on one of the sofas, still in her pajamas despite it being well after 4 pm. She had her arms wrapped around her knees. Hermione was startled when Luna flopped onto the sofa next to her.

"Hello Hermione. Still unhappy?"

"How did you get in here Luna?"

"Harry had a meeting with Lucius Malfoy he had to go to, he tried to get out of it, but Daphne said he couldn't without starting a lot of trouble. So he asked me to come and keep you from being alone. Daphne asked Tracy to do the same thing. She'll be here in a minute."

"I just want to be left alone."

"No you don't. You're worried that you're pregnant." Luna suddenly became very interested in the still life of fruit on the wall next to the door to Hermione's bed chamber. "You're worried that you will have a constant reminder of Ronald's betrayal."

"No."

"And you're worried that the child would be a reminder to Harry of what was done to you and that he would pity you for it." She pirouetted across the room. "Which is silly of course. If you were to have a child by a man other than Harry he would love it for being part of you. Of course all of this is moot, you aren't pregnant."

"What?"

"Harry would love any child you had."

"No, after that."

"You aren't pregnant."

"I'm not?"

"No. Even with a fertility potion, Ronald's sperm was just too lazy to get the job done." She lay on the sofa with her head in Hermione's lap.

"How do you know?"

Luna shrugged. "How do I know any of the things I know? I see possibilities, as soon as the realities resolved I knew you were being attacked and responded accordingly. Now I can see that you aren't pregnant."

"Really?"

"Really. Madam Pomfrey will confirm in the morning..." Luna got a far away look in her eyes. "Unless she doesn't. The future is so hard. The present is so much easier."

...---===ooo000ooo===---...

Harry, Daphne, and Neville Longbottom were waiting in the private room they had rented at the Three Broomsticks. Harry understood why he had to be here, but he was still angry over leaving Hermione alone. He hoped that Luna could keep her company without driving her crazy. The blonde had that effect on Hermione. Then again, perhaps the distraction of dealing with Luna's rather individual view of the universe might be just what Hermione needed.

Daphne was also unset about what her sister-wife was going through. The trial in October was going to be hard on both Hermione and their husband. She smiled at herself. Less than two weeks had passed since they had entered into the contract marriage. Somehow, she had fallen in love with Harry Potter. The days since returning to Hogwarts had not been easy, but the time she spent with Harry and Hermione were beyond price. She hadn't expected feeling like this. But did anyone truly expect how they felt through life?

Harry's anger was a good thing, really. Tonight he was going to be dealing with the Malfoys, and knowing the Malfoys there might be danger. Danger beyond the expected Death Eater nonsense. Harry was very dangerous when angry. Daphne's lips twitched into a small smile. Lucius might not know what hit him.

The door to the private room slammed open, Lucius Malfoy strode into the room as if he owned the place, his wife an obedient 4 paces behind him. With his trademark arrogant sneer he spat an order.

"Longbottom, take the Greengrass girl and leave. I will have words with Potter, alone."

Harry's anger flared, pushing his aura into the visible spectrum. He made a fist with his right hand and Malfoy's sneer disappeared, his orders cut off in mid rant.

"Perhaps I should explain your place in these proceedings Malfoy." Harry's quiet voice filled the room. "To you, I am your Lord Black. Do you understand?"

"The Dark Lord will..." his voice choked off as Harry's magic squeezed tighter.

"As slow to learn as your arrogant waste of flesh of a son aren't you Lucius? I don't give a damn about your Dark Lord. I will destroy him in my own good time. My lovely wife is the Lady Black. Call her a 'girl' again and I will kill you. Lord Longbottom is my trusted adviser. Forget his title again and I will kill you. Presume to give another order in my presence and I will kill you. Do you understand me now Lucius?"

The pressure on Malfoy lifted slightly. "Yes Lord Black" he choked out. Harry's magic release him and the head of the house of Malfoy slumped to the ground.

"Cousin Narcissa, how are you this evening?"

Narcissa Black Malfoy was startled at what had just happened to her husband; even the Dark Lord had never so handled Lucius in her presence. The training from her youth took over almost instantly. She curtsied to Harry. "Lord Black, Lady Black. I am well. I thank you for setting aside your valuable time to meet with my husband and myself."

"There is always time for family Cousin Narcissa, what can our Lord do for you tonight?" Daphne asked.

"The purpose of this meeting was so that my Husband could speak with Lord Black."

"Lucius is going to offer an alliance with the Half-blood Tom Riddle against Dumbledore. Quite the plan Lucius, did you think it up all by your self?" Harry asked sarcasm dripping off his voice. "An alliance with one lying backstabbing bastard to go against another lying backstabbing bastard. What a master plan." Harry shook his head. "Not interested in Lucius or his machinations. I'm interested in you Cousin Narcissa. We've met three, perhaps four times. I've never seen you smile. Your sister Andromeda smiles, your sister Bellatrix smiles insanely, but she smiles, why don't you? Has life with Lucius drawn all the joy from you?"

Narcissa blinked. She hadn't been expecting this. "One deals with life the best one can Lord Black."

"In deed one does Cousin Narcissa. I notice that you haven't answered my question. Are you happy?"

Narcissa's eyes swept from Harry to Daphne, then on to Neville. What was he asking? "No My Lord, I am not. I find this war to be stressful. Never knowing who will die next."

"Are you happy with your marriage Cousin Narcissa?"

"What are my options My Lord? As you know my status is limited to that of my husband."

"Your branch of the family Black misses you Narcissa. I know that you and your son do not carry the mark of the half-blood Riddle. Unlike your husband you are not branded like farm animals, as such I am more than willing to bring the pair of you back into the family, dissolving your marriage, reclaiming your dowry to use for establishing yourself independent of any man. Especially one who would sacrifice you and your son to his mad lord."

Narcissa's eyes flicked from Harry's face to that of her husband. Lucius's face was contorted in fury. Was it possible, was this child honestly making an offer? "And what of my son, Lord Black?"

"Should he be willing to swear allegiance to the house of Black, he will become one of my heirs and take the name of Black. He would never be in line to take over as the head of the family, that will pass to the first son of my wife, but Draco will have a family that will support him."

"Why would you do this? You and Draco hate each other."

"We do Cousin Narcissa. Much of what Draco believes disgusts me. But that doesn't mean I want him dead. As I told Lucius, I am going to destroy Tom Riddle. There will be fall out, and those who follow Riddle will not be able to claim Imperius this time."

Narcissa thought for a second. "I accept your offer My Lord."

"Excellent." He turned to Lucius. "Lucius Malfoy, I judge that you have violated the terms of your marriage contract by swearing allegiance to Tom Riddle in direct conflict to the oath you took to the house of Black. Your marriage to Narcissa Black is hereby annulled. Gringotts will be retrieving the Dowry of Narcissa Black, which will sadly bankrupt the minor house of Malfoy. Your son Draco will be offered the option of joining the house of Black or remain with you as a bastard of the minor house of Malfoy. You are dismissed. Return to your master; tell him his offer of an alliance is rejected. Tell him also that his days are numbered."

In a fit of rage, Lucius pulled his snake headed wand from his cane and pointed it at Harry with a spell on his lips. Harry was about to crush the life from him when he was startled by a cry of 'Reducto!' and Lucius'head disappeared into a bloody mist.

All eyes in the room fell to Narcissa Black, whose wand was still pointing at her former husband. "No one threatens Lord Black."

"Thank you Cousin Narcissa. Go to your Sister Andromeda, tell her what has happened tonight, ask her to help you move to one of the unplottable Black properties. Until the war is over, you will be a target. It will not be long Cousin, I promise you this."

"Thank you Lord Black. Please win this war, so much depends on it. I will send my son a message to swear his loyalty to you."

...---===ooo000ooo===---...

Neville shook Harry's hand at the entrance to the castle, and taking the waiting Hannah by the hand strolled away for some quiet time.

"I hope Hermione is alright."

"I asked Tracy to look in on her" Daphne admitted.

"You did? I asked Luna to do that."

"Davis and Lovegood, together again for the first time. Now that's a combination that would frighten the strongest man." They started up the stairs to the floor their apartments were on. "Harry, I think Hermione's terrified that you will reject her since the rape. I think you should go to her tonight, just for the physical contact. I don't mean that you should insist on sex, but just be in the bed with her, holding her. If you hold her like you hold me, there is no way she won't feel loved."

"Are you sure? I don't want to force myself on her."

"Try. I know I miss you when you're not there.

...---===ooo000ooo===---...

When they got to their apartments the lights were dimmed and the common room was empty. Daphne pulled him into a deep kiss.

She melted into him. "Damn it. I hate being noble. Go to her. You love her, she loves you. She's frightened right now. Just love her. Tomorrow your ass is mine."

She kissed him again and left for her room. Harry went to his room and dressed for bed. He then slipped into Hermione's room and into her bed. He lay quietly for a few moments listening to her quiet snore. Then she rolled over to him. She was startled to find him there, but recognized him from his smell.

"Hey."

"Hey yourself. Feeling better?"

"A bit. Thank you for getting Luna to come in for me."

"Luna's good people." She cuddled into him. Daphne was right. He didn't know why that surprised him in the slightest, she usually was. "Are we ok?"

"Always." She murmured. "Sleepy. Feeling sorry for myself is tiring."

"You're sure you're ok?"

"Yeah." She kissed his chest. "Love you"

...---===ooo000ooo===---...