Thinking about it, Ron knew he should have seen it coming during Charms class.

He thought back to the conversation he and his friends had with the Minister prior to returning to school.

"Kingsley, why do we need to go back to school?" asked Harry.

"We were notified by the greater Wizarding communities that they would not accept any liaisons or apprentices or Aurors or any one who was't qualified, which means at least two NEWTs and more if their chosen field requires it," replied the Minister.

"Is that why no one will let WWW set up anywhere but Britain?" asked Ron

"Exactly."

"I'm going to have to go to class with the Weasley Twins?" Hermione stared at the Minister in dismay.

"Fred, don't make me regret saving you," threatened Hermione.

"How exactly did you do that, Granger?" asked Malfoy. "I've always wondered. I know you did the same to Potter, and I still don't understand."

Hermione looked around and realized that all her Pureblood classmates were looking at her expectantly.

Dean Thomas was laughing at the looks on their faces. "Yeah, Hermione. Tell these great and powerful wizards how a lowly Mudblood managed the impossible."

"You don't need to laugh at us, Thomas. We're being genuine," said Daphne.

Dean shook his head at her. "You can't ever be genuine enough for me, Greengrass. None of you. It wasn't magic, it was just regular Muggle ingenuity. I will attend school, because I want to learn wizarding art, but I will never be able to believe that any British Pureblood is genuine." While he was talking, he had begun to remove his shirt, displaying all the scars on his body. Most of them were epithets carved into his skin by cursed knives.

Hermione studied his scars. "I wonder," she started to say.

"Big surprise. Granger is thinking," said Pansy, a sneer in her voice.

"Hush, Pansy," scolded Draco. "What are you wondering, Granger? And will you tell us how you saved the ginger twin and the scar-head?"

"If you combine a healing potion with curse breaking, then maybe those scars can be removed. I wonder if that could be my NEWT project..."

"You need a partner, Granger. You heard the new rules. I'd like to join you."

Hermione nodded carefully at Draco. Her following explanation of CPR caused wonder in her classmates.

"Really, 'Mione, do you have to spend every waking moment with the Ferret?"

"Yes. I want to help Dean get rid of those scars. We are really close. I think between the information Mrs. Malfoy has about the Black family curses, the books in Grimmauld Place, Mrs. Tonks and the Malfoy library, we should be able to manage."

Ron chuckled. "And you said that all in one breath." He looked up as Lavender called for him as she came down the stairs into the common room. "We never had a chance, did we?"

Hermione smiled as Ron's bouncy girlfriend approached. "No, not really. But I think we are better as friends."

Draco was almost breathless with anticipation. He had found the final counter-curse that, along with the potion he and Hermione had developed, would remove the cursed writing his aunt had favored.

Hermione came in and was reading the notes. As was their practice, she was trying out the wand movement.

"No, Granger, it works like this," Draco said, demonstrating the correct wand movement.

Hermione nodded carefully. She imitated his movements. Unfortunately, it didn't work for either of them.

"Malfoy, this says twinned. Instead of doing it twice, do you think it may mean two people?"

Draco looked at the counter-curse again. "Maybe you are right. Well, third time will be the Charm, right?"

Hermione looked at him askance. "I didn't know magical people said that, too."

"So, what should we test it on?" he asked.

"Here." Hermione held out her arm showing him where Bellatrix had carved the word Mudblood.

Without a word, Draco took the potion, which was topical, and applied it carefully to Hermione's scar, his touch feather-light.

"Which wand?" he asked.

They tried a Lumos together with both, and decided Hermione's new wand was better than Draco's new wand.

Hermione wrapped her hand around her wand, then Draco wrapped his hand around hers. Together they began the incantation and completed the necessary flourishes. When they finished, the potion began to sparkle then fluoresce.

"Does it hurt, Hermione?"

"No, but it tingles."

They watched, fascinated as the potion seemed to bubble away the cursed scar. After a few seconds, the entire thing was gone.

Hermione turned and threw her arms around Draco, who laughed then hugged her back.

"You think Thomas will think we are genuine after this?"

Hermione looked at him sadly. "No, but it's a start."

The write up both of them did sparked the interest of the Healers at St. Mungos. It also sparked the interest of the curse-breakers at Gringotts and the Potions Masters Guild. It was a very busy classroom the Friday that Hermione and Draco were ready to help Dean.

"You need to take off your shirt, Dean," said Hermione.

Dean did so, to the gasps of some of the parents and Healers in the room. Dean couldn't believe it when Esmeralda Greengrass started to cry.

Hermione then took the potion she and Draco had just finished brewing and rubbed it over the scars. She nodded at Draco, who came up behind her and took her hand in his around her wand just like they had done with her scar. Again they said the incantation. Again, the potion lit up and the sparkles appeared to bubble away the scars.

When they finished, Dean had the first genuine smile anyone had seen from him since the war ended on his face.

Hermione was uncertain what to say to the very odd look on Lucius Malfoy's face.

"Miss Granger, who speaks for you?" he asked.

Hermione looked confused. She was quickly approached by Andromeda Tonks. "Love, he needs someone to act as parent for you. I will be willing, if you will have me."

Hermione looked up at the very kind eyes of Tonks' mother. She nodded.

Andromeda smiled at her. "I do, Lucius." Her manner would have frightened just about anyone other than the man who lived with her sister.

"I wish to make a contract. I have never seen such compatible magic. I want the grandchildren that would result from that."

Hermione just about fainted. So did Ron and Ginny for that matter. Being offered for in that manner was almost unheard of in modern wizarding society. Lucius had basically declared Hermione was powerful enough to found her own house, and he wanted to be part of it.

"We shall consider your offer, Lord Malfoy. You shall have our owl in a week," responded Andromeda. She then turned to Hermione. "You learn quickly, right, love? We have a lot of talking to do."

Just as she was leading the girl away from the room, she was stopped by representatives of the Potions Master Guild, Gringotts and St. Mungos. After a quick conference, Andromeda smiled and wrapping an arm around Hermione led her out.

Dean watched it all thoughtfully. "Could someone tell me what is going on?"

"Most wizards wouldn't share magic like that unless there was some sort of contract. Draco and Hermione had a sort of unwritten one because they had done the project together and were being expected to do all the work they could to make it succeed. But some of the newer houses were created just like that. Their magic was so compatible it impressed most of the Purebloods here, as well as Gringotts and St. Mungos. Last time that happened spontaneously, you ended up with the Flamels," said Neville.

The rest of the class nodded thoughtfully.

At the end of it all, Draco and Hermione ended up betrothed and apprenticed to both Gringotts and St. Mungos. Their career was incredibly lucrative. So was their marriage. Lucius was quite thrilled to have three very powerful grandchildren.