~Chapter 16~
Worse Things Then Magic
Minerva walked into her office, not at all surprised to see that it was quite full of people. The headmasters and headmistresses from previous years looked down from their portraits as Minerva walked slowly behind her desk and sat down. The audience of ministry officials, parents, and various teachers took their seats. There was little free space in her office. She didn't speak at first, but just let a peace come over her. In all of her years, she never imagined that she was about to say what she was going to say.
She looked at Harry Potter, his face set in stony coldness as he glanced at his wife of so many years. Ginny stood away from her husband, not with the officials from her department, but near Draco Malfoy. Minerva had heard the rumors, and she feared that they were indeed true. Ron stood off to the back, near the Longbottoms and Krum. Hermione stood with the woman Minerva had met before the start of the year: Melissa Gorokhov. Hermione glanced over at Krum and the Longbottoms, letting her gaze slip right over Ron.
Despite the number of people in the office, the room was oddly silent. All looked to Minerva for words and guidance. She took a deep breath, readying herself to tell all of these people the news that they had hoped to never hear.
"At 16:32 today," Minerva began. "Rayleigh Riddle was apprehended and charged with one count assault against James Potter and one count attempted assault against Albus Potter. As a registered vampire with the Department of the Regulation of Mystical Creatures, she was to be held for failure to maintain properly maintain her anti-vampire potion levels. At 18:28, Lily Potter, Rose Weasley, James Potter, and Scorpius Malfoy broke into the restricted wing of the hospital, releasing Rayleigh Riddle from captivity. At 18:33, James Potter, a registered werewolf, Scorpius Malfoy, a registered werewolf, and Rayleigh Riddle, a registered vampire, exited the school on their own accord and are believed to be on the loose."
"This is entirely your bloody fault!" Melissa screamed at Minerva McGonagall. "I told you she didn't belong here!"
"Miss Gorokhov, please," Minerva started a little shaken by the muggle's out burst.
"You are the woman that brought that thing into the world?" Ginny snarled at Melissa, her wand drawn. Melissa didn't cower away from Ginny's advance.
"I did," Melissa said defiantly. "As the liaison for the Department of the Regulation of Mystical Creatures, isn't it your responsibility to make sure that the potions brewed for afflicted students is up to par?"
"Every potion was up to par!" Ginny snapped.
"Obviously not! I have never had an issue with Rayleigh's potions. I told you the changes that needed to be made to ensure levels remained even," Melissa snapped back.
"They were not ministry approved! What is she even doing here? She is not of our world!" Ginny demanded referring to Melissa.
"She is MY daughter, and I am the only one that seems to remember that she is a child first and afflicted from a blood-taint second!" Melissa screamed at Ginny.
"We don't know what she is," Ginny yelled back. "You refuse to release her father's lineage."
"That is none of your business. She is not the way she is because of him," Melissa retorted getting inches from Ginny and her raised wand. "Your little twig of a wand doesn't scare me. There are worse things out there then magic."
"How dare you!" Ginny snapped.
"Ladies, please!" Minerva shouted over the two women. The room drew silent, Ginny and Melissa were still glaring at each other rather intently. Ginny was shaking from her rage and Melissa seemed to calm almost immediately.
"I will hold you and your school and the ministry personally responsible if any harm comes to my child," Melissa said coldly. "I may not be of your precious world, by my daughter is. She is only twelve years old, and she can't be held accountable if the ministry refuses to take her unique needs into consideration. She is a ministry supported school for three months, and already she is being subjected to prejudice beyond a simple affliction."
"What did you expect?" Ginny snapped. "She is a Riddle."
"Oh, don't let me get you alone in a dark alley with out your wand," Melissa snapped at Ginny.
"Is that a threat?" Ginny said jumping to her feet.
"No, that's a promise," Melissa growled.
"Ladies, please. This isn't helping find the children," Minerva said.
"The ministry is prepared to sweep the area with Dementors," Ginny said with a rather official sounding voice. "The minister will be arriving shortly to determine if the kiss should be given upon arrest."
"No!" Krum and Harry both shouted at Ginny. Ginny looked at Harry in shock. She knew that the information would outrage many, but she never thought her husband would be in that group.
"It's the ministry's choice, Harry," Ginny said.
"I will fight you on this one, Ginny," Harry promised. Ginny narrowed her eyes at him. "She is a twelve year old child, just like Lily, and there is nothing that a child would or could intentionally do that would warrant such a fate."
"What about your son, Mrs. Potter?" Melissa inquired coldly. "Will your son get his soul sucked out of him when he is captured? After all, he did help my daughter escape and he is on the run."
"Obviously your daughter has bewitched him!" Ginny defended. Melissa smiled almost warmly at Ginny.
"Mrs. Potter," Melissa said looking at the fiery red head. "If anyone has been hoodwinked, it is you."
"Ladies, if you can not at least be civil, don't speak to each other," Minerva snapped, her patience waning.
"I am not leaving this school until my daughter is returned to me safe and sound," Melissa said as she crossed her arms. "No one may want to face facts, but my daughter has rights just like any of you and I will make sure she gets them."
"There are some teacher dormitories that are free," Minerva said slowly. "You all may use them."
Harry and Melissa left the office first with Hermione, taking Melissa to the building where Neville and Luna's apartment was located. Ginny, Ron, and Draco followed a few yards behind. Hermione and Ron hadn't even addressed each other. Ginny glared at Melissa as Harry took her into one of the apartments that wasn't being used. He stood in the hallway of the apartment he chose directly across from Melissa's apartment as Ginny approached him.
"So, this is our apartment?" Ginny asked him quietly. Harry clenched his jaw and shook his head.
"Ginny, I am not stupid. I know what you've been doing behind my back," Harry said coldly. Ginny froze and looked at him. She could see that he was on the brink of a rage and she stepped back.
"Harry," Ginny said. Harry raised his hand, halting her.
"Next time you want to fuck Draco in our house and not get caught, make sure he takes his briefcase in to the bathroom with you," Harry said indifferently. He turned to leave her in the hall way. "We're through, in case you were wondering."
"Harry, please," Ginny said as Harry slammed the door in her face. Harry slouched against the door shaking. Just like that, his marriage was over.
"Harry, are you ok?" A voice murmured gently from the living room. Harry looked up to find Hermione there. With out a second thought, he advanced on her, pulling her into his arms. His mouth crushed down on hers, his tongue touching hers. She buried her hands into his hair as he lifted her up off the ground and headed straight to the bed.
His fingers made quick work of the buttons on her shirt, and quicker work of his own. He knew it. Nothing between them would be forbidden any more, and there was nothing to stop him from doing to her again what he had waited years to do again. His mouth left hers as his explored every inch of her body. He gazed upon her body, hungry and craving. She, who was usually so reserved, had no reservations as he went where she thought no man would go. Her hands found his hair, his fingers gripped and pulled at her, his kisses becoming indecently intense. Hermione covered her mouth with a free hand to stifle the sounds that were threatening to erupt.
"No, its ok, Hermione," Harry breathed as he pulled his head back a moment. "You are allowed to enjoy this all. I want to hear you, so don't hold back."
"Ok," Hermione moaned as Harry once again disappeared below the sheets. Harry knew what he was doing and Hermione was not being quiet about it at all. Her hands disappeared below the sheet found his head of mussed hair. He plummeted deeper into her with little regard to the volume of the sounds she was making. Her hands gripped the bed tightly, as if she was trying to hold on for dear life.
"It's ok, you can loose control," Harry whispered to her. Hermione felt as if she was in a free fall, with out a parachute, and she couldn't have been more thrilled. He felt her tremble and shake as he moved deeper. Her thighs were closing in, and he forced them gently apart, not wanting to let it end for her.
"Oh, Harry!" Hermione cried out at her zenith. Harry wiped his mouth on the back of his hand and urged Hermione to turn away from him, her knees digging into the bed as he got into place. He entered her swiftly, causing her make a noise between an exclamation and a hiss. He knew it wouldn't take him long, he had been anticipating this moment for years. He knew her desire mirrored his own and he bit into her shoulder gently as he collided with her.
"I love you," Harry murmured as he bit his lip, concentrating on how incredibly alive it made him feel to be so deep with in her. This wasn't some gently love-making, but raw and passionate uniting between two people who had been denied the very thing that they needed for many years.
Harry, finally spent, fell back against the bed, gasping for breath. A slight smile on his face as Hermione looked over at him, her arms under her head, her stomach pressing against the mattress. She looked at him as if he had hung the moon and the stars. She blushed and went to push herself off the bed. He shook his head and she knew what he meant. There was no need to rush off; he wanted to lay with her naked in the bed for as long as possible. The thought of their scents on each other was intoxicating. The silence that fell over the apartment was deafening.
"Next time, could you two keep it down?" Ron grunted as he banged on the wall. "You know paper thin walls here." Hermione's cheeks flushed bright red and Harry laughed.
"Sorry," Harry called.
"Couldn't be happier for you," Ron called back. Harry felt his heart soar. Maybe things would be ok, eventually.
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