Chapter four: A little hope is better than none

7146 words (plus) ... Rated: R for sexual innuendo and language

Category: AU - (or will be) as soon as book six comes out

Summary: Story takes place six years after Goblet of Fire. All characters are Adults

Warning: biggest chapter so far ... pack a lunch

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A/n # 1: Again I must give all praise to (Anya) of ‘Naked Quidditch’ and (Jeco) of ‘This Means War’ for inspiring what you are reading now. Please- please, take the time to seek out theses two great works and see their brilliance. (I am not worthy to be in such great company, not with all my spelling and grammar errors)

A/n #2: Again I am flying solo, meaning without a proof reading beta. Remember, you have been warned

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A little known fact about warfare, especially when engaged in by professionals. Firefights don’t take long and except for the spell words, little if any idle chatter is done by the combatants. The battle of the great hall was just such a firefight, silent and serious. But both sides had their share of surprises.

The defense plan by the brothers Dumbledore was brilliant, however the attack plan by the Weasley twins was slightly better. Not as good as it would have been had Ron formulated it and the twins knew it. When it came to battle or quidditch tactics there was no one in all England better than their little brother, a source of great family pride for the entire Weasley clan.

The Dumbledore trap was sprung; a wall of magical wards surrounded the invaders but only briefly, for George and Fred had expected the old headmaster to try something like this and had come prepared to counter it. When the ward wall disappeared, the battle broke down to a straight dueling match. In other words it became a battle of skill verus numbers.

On the side of the Countess was two very old men, nearly one hundred and sixty years old, both of them admittedly no longer in their prime. With them stood the current Headmistress of Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry Minerva McGonagall, along with two of her most trusted teachers Severus Snape the potions master and James Evander the dueling master.

Evander’s attack on their rear was the only unexpected surprise on the invaders. But as any student of history can tell you, when all other things balance out, the side with the most troops wins. The Countess had seven including herself, the twins had twenty-five to help them out, and the long and short of it was, in the end, overwhelming numbers won out.

This was never a fight to the death for either side and all the casualties of the great hall battle would have the next day to remember it by were a few broken bones and a lot of strained muscles and headaches. The entire battle from start to finish had lasted less than ten minutes and ended with all of the Countess Ormon’s defenders disarmed, unconscious, and rendered helpless by a Petrificus totalus full body binds.

Only Ginny somewhat rumpled and bruised and the Countess de Ormon in a similar condition, (*both of them now wandless*), had been left standing when the vengeful victors the ‘Weasley Revenge Alliance’ found themselves in command of the field of battle. After making sure that the castles defenders were tied up hand and foot, their wands locked in box brought along for just this purpose.

Then and only then did the attention of the Weasley clan and their friends turn to the French tart that had all but destroyed the emotional soul of their little brother. Bill was the first one to reach the Countess, after the wand firefight finished. Although he could not bring himself to torture the not quite twenty-one year old woman with a ‘unforgivable’ curse, as that would have landed him in prison. There was no law in the wizard world about altering the Countesses perfect facial features with his fists.

The blow however never landed. The full force balled fist punch went only as far as a fraction of an inch from the unflinching face of Mademoiselle Claudette de Ormon, there it was abruptly halted, mid air. Stopped cold by an unspoken spell that instantly transformed Bill Weasley into a living statue, frozen in time.

A moment later the tables had turned on the victorious invaders of Hogwarts castle. They found themselves disarmed by the expelliarmus spell, forcefully sat down in chairs, then tied up with ropes by the mobilicorpus spell in four neat, evenly spaced rows, right alongside the still unconscious defenders.

Although awake, (*most of them anyway*), none of them could move. They could see and hear what was going on, but could neither speak or move a muscle to interfere with the only two people left in the Great Hall, who had been deliberately untouched by the spell that rendered everyone else helpless. Ginny Weasley and the Countess Ormon.

To do what had just happened to one or two people at the same time was possible if difficult. To the same thing simultaneously to twenty-seven was down right inconceivable and bespoke of a level of magical power that none in the great hall dare claim, save one.

He made his appearance now, becoming visible for the first time in the only undisturbed by battle, portion of the great Hall. Dressed completely in a faceless-hooded black robe that reminded all that saw it of the garments of a death-eater. As tall (seven feet) and as thin as a dementor, his hands hidden inside the folds of his robes, he surveyed the scene shaking his head in mild disappointment.

"Really Countess" a deep clearly disguised voice declared. "I hope your story lives up to the pains I have gone through to bring this improbable gathering together."

"Who are you?" Claudette asked

"It is not for you to ask questions tonight. You are here to explain yourself to others, is that not true?" The tall dark robed wizard said turning to face the Countess.

Raising his wand hand, still entirely hidden by his robes, without a sound and only the tiniest of wand movements two chairs moved into the center of the hall. One chair came to rest in front of the four rows of chairs, which held the invaders and defenders. Without being told, Ginny moved over to this chair and sat down instinctively knowing it was hers to sit in. The other chair was actually more of a stool for it bore little resemblance to the most comfortable chair in the hall, the one coincidentally Ginny now found herself sitting in, and far less comfortable than those being used by the rest of the Claudette’s ‘captive’ audience.

No one in the room recognized the stool or its placement in the great hall until after it was all over. For it was no ordinary stool, it was in fact the same stool set up in the same place it was set up every year at Hogwarts, for the beginning of term house sorting ceremony.

In a raised position above her ‘audience’ The Countess Claudette Maria de Ormon age twenty years sat facing the trial of her life. In front of the former Miss Hermione Granger, on her right sat Ginny with her kinfolk and their friends in four neat rows sitting behind her. On her left in an empty space all alone stood the Tall dark wizard would had made this dreamed of explanation possible... and then it clicked. Her eyes went wide with realization.

"I know who you are!" she said trembling a little.

"Do you now?" the wizard, asked

"Yes, you’re my anonymous informant, the one who sent me all those owls and m-mails. The one who helped me break free of the Imperio curse attached to this dam unremovable necklace?"

"Why would I do all this for you?" the dark robed wizard asked.

"That is the one thing, that I haven’t been able to figure out. I cannot for the life of me see what you could gain by all of this. Unless you get some pleasure out of being a witness to my total humiliation." The Countess declared with a thick French accent.

"Thank you very much for reminding me," the wizard said with a slight bow, and with another slight flip of his wand. About a dozen still and video cameras appeared floating unsupported in mid air, pointed toward the Countess. While at the same time three muggle style microphones appeared hovering less than a foot in front and a half a foot below her chin.

"The Weasleys were suppose to do this for me, but didn’t keep their part of our little deal. No matter, I was here to make sure it happened."

"You’re going to publish this?" the Countess asked shocked

"You wanted your chance to come clean, well here it is. I never said there wouldn’t be a cost to you, now did I? The dark robed wizard chuckled in an evil way. Atonement always comes at a price Countess. If your precious Ronald was in this room right now tied in a chair like theses others, would these cameras get in the way of your begging him to take you back?"

"No of course not" the countess replied shocked.

"Then kindly remember what I told you, act as if he is here now. Consider this Countess, sooner of later, Ronald Weasley will see these filmed proceedings, along with the rest of the wizarding world. His family has no right to prevent him from seeing it. It may be cruel of me, and very humiliating for you, but I can think of no other way for you to make your case to him. Whether or not I will be successful in this little ploy of mine, shall all depend on how convincing you are right now"

"As to what I personally get out of all this, let us just say that I made a promise to a dead hero, to see to it his friends find the happiness, that life denied him."

Hearing theses words, the tiny flicker of hope inside Ginny died, and she hung her head down and began to cry, her shoulders and then her whole body shook, as her last shred of hope began to fade.

"Ginevra, why do you weep" the dark robed wizard asked clearly deeply concerned

"It was all a lie, the Mmail you sent to me to get me here" Gin said sobbing

"Girl, I sent you no Mmail. Most of my correspondences has been with the Countess"

Hearing this both young woman’s heads snapped so hard in the direction of the dark hooded wizard that their necks would be sore later.

"You’re not the ‘Secret Keeper’ who contacted us today?" Claudette asked her hopes rebuilding as fast as Ginny’s.

"Are you trying to insult me Countess, or are you deaf?" the wizard asked. "I just told Miss Weasley that I have not been in Mmail contact with her. After all I have done for you, why is my truthfulness being questioned now?"

"A tiny hope is better than none, old friend," Claudette said with a sad grin to her old school chum. "If my humiliation is the price needed to restore to you that which was lost, it is indeed a small price to pay."

"Alright my dear patron, I am ready to begin" the Countess said squaring her shoulders in the same way Hermione Granger would do when facing an unpleasant task.

"Not yet my protege, allow me to awake first, a few who should hear this." and with a flick of his wand and saying aloud ‘enervate’ the brothers Dumbledore and headmistress awoke with a start leaving only professors Snape and Evander still apparently unconscious.

"I hope you don’t mind, I don’t know Evander at all, and well, ... I could never stand Severus as a person. So I will let them sleep through this," the dark wizard said in explication for leaving the two Hogwarts professors unconscious.

"Don’t feel bad, none of us liked professor Snape all that much anyway" Ginny said dry eyed her hope restored.

The dark robed wizard turned his hooded head toward Ginevra upon hearing her words and stood staring at the nineteen-year-old for a minute unnerving the apprenticed healer who squirmed uncomfortably in her chair. As if sensing her discomfort the hooded figure turned back his attention to the guests bound, speechless and sitting in four neat rows of chairs.

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" Listen carefully all of you," the tall thin wizard declared in a loud clear voice as all the floating magical cameras clicked on. "You have been brought here to hear the confession of the Countess Claudette Maria de Ormon formerly known to you, one and all, as Hermione Jane Granger. She will in her own words tell you why she felt compelled to behave so badly to those she cared so much for, after putting on for the first time the very same necklace she wears tonight."

"What she won’t tell you is the history of that particular necklace, for she herself does not know it. That is my tale to tell and is one of the primary reasons for my involvement in a series of events, which lead, to this little gathering. You see this necklace is an especially enchanted bit of jewelry. The red ruby in its center remains red until the wearer finds their one and only true love. The one man out of millions that the three sisters of ancient Greece, called the fates, declare to be the perfect life mate, mind body and soul of the necklace wearer."

"Until that prefect match is found two things happen, (one) the necklace remains on the wearer, unable to be removed by any means. And (two) the wearer is barren, incapable of conceiving a child, until the perfect father for such a child is found. As a side product of this charm, the necklace makes finding the perfect man an obsession for the wearer. It has taken me nearly two years of research, to discover this necklace’s history and the means to remove it."

"Once the wearer comes of age, the charm begins its work. Only when the perfect match for the necklace wearer is found, does the red ruby transforms into a "true blue" sapphire and the necklace automatically opens and drops off. If you all will take a good hard look, you will see that the gem in the center of the necklace around the Countess de Ormon throat is still blood red."

"The Count and Countess de Ormon made a couple of huge mistakes nineteen years ago by using this particular necklace as the magical keeper of Ms. Granger’s secret real identity as their daughter."

"In questioning the Count a year ago, concerning its history, he confessed to know only that it was a family heirloom that had been in the Ormon family for several hundred years. He and his wife I have confirmed, knew nothing of its magical qualities, then or now. The family de Ormon were living in England nineteen years ago when there then almost one year old daughter came under threat of kidnapping by death-eaters."

"It was part of a complex plot of the Dark Lord’s a breeding project to use kidnapped pure-blood children to create a master race of pure blood witches and wizards, all raises to be his devoted followers and death-eaters. Its similar to what a mental muggle named ‘Hitler’ tried to do to other muggles called Germans during the nineteen forties."

"To protect their only offspring they decided to use a French variation of the fidelius charm where the secret keeper is not a person, but rather a thing. They most unwisely chose the necklace you see the Countess wearing now, for this purpose."

"Then with the pure blood arrogance that would have made a Malfoy proud, they decided to hide their daughter not with a wizard family were their precious child might face death from a random death-eater attack. No, with all magic-folk out of consideration, they decided to hide their little girl in an otherwise barren muggle family."

"They chose the Granger’s by pure luck of the draw. They didn’t bother to look into their background at all, beyond the fact that they where the right age, had recently moved and had few if any family or friends. They modified their memories without giving a thought about the rights of the muggles whose minds they were toying with. The Granger’s were mere pawns to the Ormon. English peasants who could be used and discarded without a thought. They used magic to convince them that the Ormon baby girl was in fact their child. The fact that the barren Granger’s wanted nothing more in life than a baby of their very own, powerfully reinforced their magically altered memories."

"A secondary ‘plus’ for the French variation over the English one, is the fact that the physical appearance of the one under the charm would automatically match the family they were hiding with. Only when the ‘Fidelius charm’ ends, does the true physical appearance of the blood parents become dominate once again. This explains the abrupt physical change in Hermione when she put the necklace on for the first time, five years ago."

"If the arrogant Count and Countess first mistake was in picking the wrong heirloom to enchant, then there second one was their belief that Voldemort of nineteen years ago was unstoppable. For what you may not realize is the fact that the French variation of the ‘Fidelius Charm’ can be locked into a set period of time, such as: weeks, months, and even years. Keeping whomever is under it, safe for the duration of its magical internal timer. As the Ormon themselves would also be effected by the timer and not know themselves with whom they had left their child, setting the timer became the Achilles heel of their plan."

"By thinking Voldemort was unbeatable the Count and Countess wanted their little girl to be almost a full-grown witch before the charm ended. They’re thought being that a teenage child would no longer be in any need of either physical protection or the parenting skills that they knew they would never possess."

"But the Dark Lord wasn’t unbeatable, for less than two months after invoking the fidelius Charm on their only child, the great and powerful Voldemort ran into an enemy he couldn’t defeat. A tiny, green eyed, helpless baby, the ‘boy who lived’ Harry James Potter. Suddenly their enemy was gone in a flash, leaving the Count and Countess trapped by there own cleverness, with their only child lost to them for a minimum of fifteen years."

"Now this French couple weren’t entirely stupid, they realized the danger in waiting so long to get their daughter back. By that age Hermione may have become so deeply attached emotionally to her muggle foster parents that the Claudette buried inside the fidelius charm, might have little if any interest in her ‘real’ blood parents."

"So this is where I think that the (non-provable) forbidden curse on the necklace comes in. I believe and admittedly cannot prove that the Ormon family ‘hedged their bet’ so to speak with a legally unforgivable as well as very powerful French variation of the Imperio curse. Which would compel their child to violently reject her English past."

"Now I know all of you who are listening to me are asking yourselves, why didn’t the effects of the Imperio curse show itself at once, as English victims of that particular curse do. Her physical change was immediate and abrupt almost to the second she put the necklace on in fact. As to why she didn’t march right out of Hogwarts at once, my answer is, I don’t know. Perhaps the mental take over of Hermione’s mind was designed to be subtle, or perhaps she resisted its influences on her personality for a time. Remember she put on the necklace in September and didn’t storm out of everyone lives, vowing never to return, until December."

"Her departure and the shattered soul she left in her wake, left bitter feelings in the hearts of anyone who remembers the Ronald Weasley of before the suddenly revelation that his girlfriend and fiancée was a foster child. This bitterness and the events in Ronald’s life after Claudette’s departure has clouded this issue long enough."

"I spent almost two years gathering my information on the necklace, most of my options on how the charmed jewelry was used; especially the variation of the Imperio curse attached to it is pure conjecture I admit that. One of the two people capable of confirming any of this just passed away and the laws against self incrimination, both French and English forbid me forcing the Count to take a truth potion again."

"Yes I said again, as in a second time. I admit that I have broken our law and as there were no cameras running the first time only the Count and I know what was said. His word against mine I am afraid, and yes I know that any evidence taken under duress is inadmissible and all that rot. Had I asked the right questions or known the correct dosage who knows what I could have learned."

"Water under the bridge now, I suppose. I will finish this up now so that we can let the Countess tell her own story. Three years ago I believed as you do now, that the woman sitting on that stool was a heartless self absorbed slag unworthy of any consideration. Then something happened to me, which gave me almost a year free of any other distraction except self-examination."

"My mind kept drifting back to that period of time when Hermione Granger transformed into a completely different person in attitude as well as appearance. Mademoiselle Claudette Marie de Ormon didn’t even sound the same as Englishwoman Hermione Jane Granger and after reviewing in my mind every moment that went into so drastic a personality and attitude shift. I became convinced that the change in her was not a natural one.

"Once I realized that the necklace had taken over the body and mind of Miss Granger. I became determined to help Claudette crack the Imperio curse. A spell that has held Hermione a prisoner in her own body for almost five years. I helped her to allow more and more of her true self, the ‘Hermione" trapped inside Claudette to show through."

"Hear her out with an open mind, which is all I ask ... Thank you."

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Having finished his little speech and noting more than a few looks of interest, in the eyes of about a third of his prisoners. The tall thin hooded wizard turn once more back to the Countess. Where she sat on the stool, who along with the others had heard the history for the necklace for the first time. She now sat spellbound, slacked jawed openly staring at her benefactor unable to think of the implications of what had been said bounced around the inside of her head. Finally finding her voice she asked:

"Why didn’t I think of this? It all makes perfect sense, the way you put it."

"Why? The wizard replied. Let me answer your question with a question. How many books have you read in the last year?"

"Books," the Countess said "why none, who has had time with all that has been happening"

Turning back to those still tied down in their chairs the faceless hooded wizard said:

"Those of you who remember Hermione at all, before the change. Doesn’t it strike you as odd that the insufferable know-it-all, who for her entire history at Hogwarts always had her nose in a book, hasn’t read even one in a whole year?"

This comment got just the reaction that the tall thin hooded wizard had been hoping for. For the captive audience couldn’t help but see his point. This was indeed totally out of character for the Hermione Granger they all remembered, and it was now that the mysterious wizard provided the coup de maitre (the masterstroke)

"Tell me Countess, after leaving Hogwarts your sixth year, did you ever finish your formal education?" the wizard.

"No, I didn’t see the need to at the time, after all I had a full social calendar full of gatherings with my peers of the French nobility, to attend to." Claudette said automatically without realizing how out of character that was for Hermione, to whom schoolwork always came first.

Even Claudette, in light of the progress she had made in the last months in breaking free of the Imperio curse which had suppressed the Hermione part of her personality. Was hopelessly shocked by the words pouring out of her mouth.

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To: Neville and Luna Longbottom

Subject: Attack on the rebuilt Burrow

Hold on to you hats old friends; I just got back from an official trip to the Weasley burrow (rebuilt after being destroyed during the war) on behalf of my newspaper. You may have heard about the Ronald Weasley kidnapping earlier today as reported by the prophet, well guess what? Ron’s mum has now also turned up missing. The Minister (her husband) is simply furious, and is calling this is the worst incident since the war. Foul play is of course suspected.

In fact none of the Weasley clan can be found, Fred and George shop is closed up tight, three hours early. I just went over to Ginny’s flat and her flat-mate Hannah Abbott says that Ginny left sometime this afternoon for an appointment and doesn’t know when she will be back.

Now I know full well that Fred and George are more than capable of taking care of themselves, Ginny too for that matter. But that doesn’t stop me from being worried about her, please let me know if you hear anything.

Colin

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From: Shacklebolt, Kingsley

To: Special task force Weasley kidnapping

cc: N. Tonks

Subject: Authorization

Have just received the green light for the round up and interrogation of Rita Skeeter and any and all of her known associates.

Tonks you are reassigned from the minister’s security team as of now! I am putting you in charge of the twin disappearances of Ron and Molly. Your being given a free hand in this, in exchange for sooner than otherwise expected results.

Take the gloves off Nymphadora, I will back you one thousand percent if you step on any toes. Just get the Ministers wife and son back alive and whole. P. D. Q..

Kingsley

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From; Rita Skeeter

To: Percival Weasley, fourth undersecretary to the director of Archives, Ministry of Magic

Subject: Comment request

Do you have any comment to make on the twin disappearance of your mother and youngest brother? It has been suggested that you are not all that upset at their kidnappings due to the bad blood between you and your family dating back to the war.

I will be glad for the opportunity to print your side of this family dispute. Especially concerning any bitterness you may feel in regards to your lack of advancement within the ministry since your fathers three-time re-election to the post of Minister of Magic

Awaiting your reply

R Skeeter

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F rom: Tony Blair, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

To: Arthur Weasley Minister of Magic UK

Subject: Diplomatic problem

I just received a most urgent request from the office of the president de France. Apparently my counterpart across the channel has been pressured to help the Count Henri Charles de Ormon locate his only child the Countess Claudette Maria who I understand is of legal age and is on a shopping trip here in England.

The letter I received from the French implied that you have a personal animosity toward the girl and have even threatened her life on occasion. I have informed the French ambassador on the phone that such a charge is ridiculous and that we would do all in our power to find the Countess Claudette Maria and return her to her father as quickly as possible. I have gone out on a limb for you my friend, in a way that I would never have done for your predecessor. Don’t let me down.

TB

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From Mr. & Mrs. Percival and Penelope Weasley

To: Rita Skeeter

Subject: Comment request

The answer is "no comment." ... stay away from us.

P&P

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From: Minister of Magic

To: Albus Dumbledore

Subject: Times up

Have received an official inquiry from the muggle prime minister concerning your ‘guest’ the frogs want her back "unspoiled" so I want you to bring her to my office tonight, so we can port-key that piece of trash back to France and her papa.

Arthur

Er ror: unable to deliver last m-mail from MOM

Reason: receiving party m-mail box closed

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From: Minister of Magic

To: Chief Auror in charge, personal security detail

cc: Fredric Romulus, director port-key department

Subject: Port-key to Hogwarts

Please acquire a port-key directly into Hogwarts castle, I want to leave with-in the hour. Please inform all concerned of this trip and make any security arrangements required. I expect to be back in my office in two hours or less.

Arthur

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During most of her Confession, done in thickly (French) accented English. Claudette kept referring to Hermione in the third person, as if talking about someone other than herself. A facet of her story that everyone who heard it found disturbing for its all but obvious indication of a emotionally split-personality

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Hermione Jane Granger had been during her time at Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry the most brilliant book-smart student in two hundred years. Give her two hours in the library and no matter how obscure the plant, creature, potion or spell Hermione would find the answer. She had in her five years as a student well earned her title, as a ‘Know-it-all’ there was simply no use denying this fact.

But such a title came at a cost. Book smartness doesn’t make a girl popular with boys who for the most part are easily intimidated by someone whose intelligence is so vastly superior to theirs. Girls also don’t care much for someone who makes them feel stupid and do can just about anything better than they can. So although there was no disputing Hermione Granger’s abilities in any technical area of magic. There was one thing that Miss know-it-all failed completely at, expressing her-self emotionally and making friends.

On a personal level in many things, Mione was utterly clueless. The best known example of this was Ron. Of the hundreds of boys at Hogwarts only one had ever seen the plain-featured know-it-all as anything other than a pain in the arse. Even Harry, who was a true-blue friend to her since their first year together at school had never quite gotten beyond thinking of Hermione as the know-it-all source of all the answers.

To Harry, Mione was just "one of the guys" so to speak, a part of his team, who he could always count on to help his solve whatever problem he faced, be it learning a spell or facing a basilisk.

It was Ron, only Ron who time after time, sprang to the defense of the brown bushy haired know-it-all. It was Ron much more than Harry who felt the greatest sense of loss when their brilliant friend was petrified during their second year.

Gradually Hermione became aware on a conscious level, of Ron’s steadfast devotion to her. But how did the most brilliant student at Hogwarts respond to the one and only male who felt insanely jealous of Viktor Krum’s romantic interest. She began to nag him, like an old woman, argue with him at every turn, and make his life miserable. Did that drive Ron away, as it would have anyone else, ... hell no!

The very nagging that drives most muggle men straight to divorce court, only brought Ron and Mione closer to one another. They in fact became inseparable, arguing every step of the way. Falling hopelessly in love with one another without the shy looks and awkward first steps that is the hallmark of 90 percent of more normal teenage romances.

Whereas many other couples, Harry and Ginny for example, found just holding hands and going to Hogsmead, being seen together, as major milestones in the relationship. Mione unable to face her extremely strong feelings for Ron responded to her powerful attraction to her friend by picking on him all the more, nagging him senseless over the tiniest thing. And yet in spite of her behavior like a female dog (being a bitc*) to the boy she in her heart of hearts adored. No amount of mistreatment seemed to drive Ron away.

It took Harry two weeks to get the courage to Kiss on the lips Ginevra Molly Weasley for the first time. For Ron and Hermione it was their biggest row yet. For Ron and Hermione it wasn’t the slow and gentle transformation from friends to lovers, as it was for Harry and Ginny.

For Mione and Ron, becoming lovers for them, was more like spontaneous combustion. In the midst of their biggest row of all time, for reasons Ron never did understand, he just reached out, grabbed with both hands Mione’s beat red face (from arguing), pulled it close and just kissed her, flat out ... good and hard, right on the lips.

It had been a good thing that she and Ron had chosen an empty classroom for their little ‘discussion’ otherwise the embarrassment factor for both of them would have increased a thousand fold. For that first kiss packed the power of a hundred atomic bombs, the dam burst open on suppressed emotions years in the building. They literally went from zero to sixty, in two seconds flat. After that, clothing just slowed them down, Lee had been right. Once the snogging started Ron and Hermione didn’t care a hoot when or where they bunked-up.

She still nagged him, and he still took it without batting an eye. But their arguments became softer, more affectionate almost a form of foreplay. For even when she was most in love with Ron, Hermione found it nearly impossible to openly express her feelings, toward the boy/man she loved more than life itself.

This was her downfall; this is why Mademoiselle Claudette Maria de Ormon failed in the great hall, in front of a captivated audience to convince anyone of her genuine need to make amends to the man she had hurt so deeply. Still couldn’t even admit out loud (even now) how she felt. She could not bring herself to say the ‘L’ word. ... Not even once.

She told her listeners her tale all right, but it was if she was speaking of another person, not herself. She told them things they already knew, the arrival at Hogwarts two days before her sixteenth birthday of the Count and Countess Ormon with the stunning news that she wasn’t who she had always believed herself to be. She told them how she had struggled with it and had finally accepted the truth of it. What had prompted her to put on the necklace she still wore?

Ron had been in the room along with Harry, Ginny, Dumbledore, the Granger’s and the Count & Countess Ormon when the transformation had taken place. When plain featured, brown uncontrollable bushy haired, Hermione Jane Granger like a caterpillar, had metamorphosed into an almost Veela like, stunning beautiful, strawberry blond, super-model like butterfly. With the face of an angel, and the curves that brought out the devil in any normal, healthy, straight male.

The young drop-dead-gorgeous teenager standing in front of everyone that day bore no resemblance to the brown haired wallflower whom she had been a moment before. Claudette, because she didn’t look like Hermione anymore, dripped sensuality from every pour like a Veela did, unconsciously. Her school uniform fit her differently, she held herself differently the overall change as abrupt as day is to night.

The effect on the people in the room was predictable, envy from the women, and desire from the men, with two notable exceptions. Harry who still regarded Claudette in the same way he always had Hermione with a platonic friendship that delighted his instantly jealous girlfriend Ginny. Ron on the other hand had a different interpretation for his girlfriend’s abrupt transformation. Never one to feel worthy of his bookwormish lover, Ron saw Hermione’s change into Claudette as the beginning of the end of his romantic relationship with Hogwarts resident know it all.

For it is well known that the three things required to make a boy forget how smart a girl was, Claudette/Hermione now had in abundance. The face that could launch a thousand ships, a voice as seductive as the sirens of ancient Greece and last but by no means least a 36-24-35 centerfold figure.

Claudette admitted to her captive audience in the great hall, five years later. That she had quickly become intoxicated by her newfound power over every male student in Hogwarts except Harry. Even Male teachers fell victim to her wiles Snape himself seemed to be less harsh with her. She acknowledged that her new found sex appeal to the entire male student population left her surrounded by a group of admirers day and night. Which naturally left her with zero time alone with her alleged fiancée Ron, the bloke she was suppose to be head over heels in love with.

She acknowledged, only now (five years later) the abundant warning signs, that her new admirers were pushing Ron further and further away. Much to the amazement of just about everyone, Ron actually tried to be patience and understanding about his ‘girl’s’ transformation. For almost two months he was usually tolerant of Hermione’s nonstop flirting, deceiving himself into believing that it was only a phase she was going through.

He even took no notice of the gradual change in the way his girlfriend spoke. The pure English sentence structure and correct word usage that was the hallmark of Hermione began to be slowly replaced by French mannerism. So that now five years later, English appeared to be for the countess a second language, a foreign language instead to her native tongue.

Ron’s barely controlled jealousy Claudette deliberately overlooked as she enjoyed for the first time in her life the undivided attention of so many boys. In her heart of hearts Hermione knew that Ron could not hope to compete with wealthier boys and their many expensive gifts. Finally his jealousy fueled his temper to the point of an explosion and that resulted in the row to end all rows. Right in the middle of dinner in the great hall itself.

It started innocently enough, with Ron politely inquiring when he could expect some quality time alone with his girlfriend. It ended in a shouting match, where Claudette in great detail described Ron’s:

1. Financial prospects after school, (dismal).


2. His physical appearance shortcomings (plain looks, non-muscular physic).


3. His less than noble bloodline which she considered to be no better than (English peasants). And finally:


4. His inability to satisfy a real woman sexually (untrue) but at that point in the row, Claudette was out to hurt Ron anyway she could.

Now, five years later, in the same great hall of Hogwarts. Knowing full well cameras were running, Mademoiselle Claudette Marie de Ormon recanted the sexual slurs she had made in public, against her boyfriend. She described how since leaving Ron, no other lover, and she admitted to having shared the beds of more than twenty men. Had given her one-tenth the pleasure emotionally as well as sexually that sixteen-year-old Ronald Bilius Weasley had done.

There had been better-looking men than Ron, better looking even than the way he looked now, and he was a handsome devil these days, she conceded that. There had been a dozen of these brainless Adonis in Claudette’s bed since her sixteen-year-old first boyfriend. In shape and face, stunning beautiful men many highly skilled in the arts of physical lovemaking.

And yet in spite of all these rich and handsome men had to offer in and out of bed, none seemed to touch Claudette’s core. Her interest in them would quickly fade to the point where she would actually become frigid, compelling the young Countess to move onto the next handsome, if in many cases intellectually clueless, stud.

Viktor Krum (Ron’s greatest rival, at least in his mind) as it had turned out, had been completely impotent with women, and they had lived together as friends for six month’s, not lovers. One by one, Claudette’s sexual and romantic failures were paraded in front of her captive audience, like a catholic girl going to confession, revealing each of her sins to a priest. She spoke of each of her many lovers in a monotone voice completely devoid of the very kind of passionate emotions that had been so lacking in all her relationships with men after Ron.

In fact the only time Claudette’s story had any life to it at all was when she spoke of reconnecting with the Hermione part of her personality, the bit by bit breaking of the still partially in force Imperio curse. A curse who’s very existence she could never hope to prove.

Her all too later realization that there was only one man she had ever loved or would ever truly love. The man she had so shamelessly abused for years with endless nagging, the man she had so publicly humiliated. ... Ronald Bilius Weasley.

At the end, Claudette/Hermione was crying, head hung low, depressed beyond words. "Its funny, she said in between sobs. Since putting on this dam bloody necklace. I haven’t cried once, not once in almost six years and yet today I cried twice. Once for letting down Harry when I apparated into Hogsmead at the ‘Crater’ and now for a lost love. A love that everyone in this room especially me, knows I am no longer worthy of."

"If it gives you Weasleys any personal satisfaction, if it fulfills any tiny part of your desire for revenge on me. Then you should feel happy in knowing that I compare every man who ever touches me, to your brother, and they never live up to Ron’s high standards. He has spoiled me to all other men, he was my first man, and I fear the best man I will ever have had the privilege to know."

"I am sorry for what I did to him, more than you will ever know. My penitence is to live my life loving him, unworthy of him. I would gladly let his brother Bill, beat me to a pulp right here and now if that was the price of turning back the clock. I would sell my soul to the devil for a second chance with him. But that is not in the cards, I know that now. You may publish this event worldwide for all I care and if my humiliating confession allows Ron to finally put me behind him and move on I will be happy with that."

"I am finished now, both here and in Europe. I have done half of what I have set out to do. With the help of my benefactor and a few of my old teachers I have made my apology to some of the Weasleys at least. Whether you except it or not I do not know, but I tried."

" For me only one question remains, and that is for Ginny my only true-blue girl friend. Have I said enough for you tonight, to have you reveal to me the location of my parents if you know it?"

"I am sorry Hermione, truly I am, but Harry never told me where they were" Ginny said with tears of sadness for her friend pouring down her cheeks.

"How about Ron?" Claudette asked desperately "Could Harry had told him before he ..."

"No Mione, Ron became distant from everyone after you left. Seeing us together as a couple so happy with one another was almost painful for him to see. I don’t think he and Harry exchanged two dozen words during the last four months Harry was ... alive." Ginny said fighting back tears.

"Then I have failed" the Countess said, beginning to give in to despair.

"Who told you that you were to be the one to judge Success or Failure, the tall, thin wizard said to the countess shaking his head in disappointment? There are others here who are to make that determination, for example. Miss Weasley as you were the only person actually invited to this shindig what do you think about all this?"

To be continued, comments welcomed