Tuesday, July 17
She discreetly inquired after Astoria on Monday afternoon, questioning Tippy about his mistress. The little elf was taciturn and revealed little, other than saying that the Mistress Malfoy was not to be bothered. Hermione worried about the witch she'd come to consider a friend, but given Draco's reaction to her Monday morning, she'd avoided seeking Astoria out. The last thing she wanted or needed right now was to be caught in Draco and Astoria's personal rooms.
A subdued Scorpius dutifully showed up for his lessons Tuesday morning. Astoria had not still not emerged from her suite of rooms, and the air in the manor was rife with tension. Was Astoria genuinely ill? Or had she found out about Draco and Hermione's assignation in the library and fled the Manor in anger? Scorpius implied that his mother was 'ill' at times, and it was obvious that Draco had no problem cheating on his wife, even in their own home. Was illness the cover they used for their child when an angry and hurt Astoria left home? Hermione tried to quell the anxiety in her stomach over the possibility. She'd never meant to hurt anyone. She wasn't a homewrecker!
She spent most of the day in the library with Scorpius, working on charms and transfiguration. She carefully avoided even looking in the direction of that corner of the library, where she knew Magick Moste Intimate and the rest of the collection were stored.
They were still in the library that afternoon when Draco entered. He removed a stack of parchment from a drawer, gathered a handful of books and then approached them.
"Scorpius, how are your lessons coming along?" he asked, looking down at the son who looked almost to be his mirror image.
"Very well, father. After I finish my essay, Professor Granger said we can go outside to try some of these spells," Scorpius said formally, glancing up at his father before turning his attention back to the parchment before him. They'd been alternating between practical transfiguration and charms lessons, followed by short blocks of time spent reading and writing, and she'd found that her pupil did better this way than when he had to focus on one thing for long periods of time.
"Come see me in the study before dinner. I want to hear what you've learned today," he said.
Hermione kept her eyes on the book in front of her, afraid to make eye contact with Draco for fear of what he'd say or do. It bothered her to admit to herself that she feared, well, not Draco per se, but how her body reacted to him.
She could feel his eyes on her, could tell her was watching her, studying her, but he said nothing. He always spoke to her in the past when he dropped in on their lessons. Instead he turned on his heel and left, closing the library doors behind him.
"Father is in a foul mood," Scorpius observed.
"What makes you say that?" she asked in surprise, looking at the closed doors.
Scorpius shrugged. "He just is. I can tell. Besides, he didn't talk to you like he always does. I'm finished with my essay on conjuring fire. Can we try it outside now? I think I can do it this time and control the flames."
"The bluebell flames? Let me look over your essay, and then we can go outside," she said, mentally cursing herself for not realising how observant her young pupil was. Just what else had Scorpius noticed?
Being outdoors did a world of good for Scorpius, who'd perked up and was in a markedly better mood by dinner.
To Hermione's relief and surprise, Astoria joined them for dinner that night. Draco's wife looked pale and wan, but she was dressed in pretty periwinkle robes, her hair was styled, and her face made up.
She was already seated beside Draco, to the right of the head of the table when Hermione walked into the room and stopped short at the sight of her. Her hands felt clammy as she looked at Draco's wife. Would Astoria curse her? Accuse her - rightly - of adultery?
Instead, Astoria's face lit up when she saw Hermione.
"Scorpius was just telling me that he mastered bluebell flames today! That's so exciting!" Astoria said with a smile.
Hermione let out a breath of relief, tension leaving her shoulders as she approached the table and took her seat. Perhaps Astoria had been ill after all.
"Yes, he's worked very hard, and he has improved tremendously this summer. We thought it best to stay clear of the Manor whilst casting with fire. Even bluebell flames can be dangerous if they get out of control," she said.
Dinner began then as if the last few days had not happened. It was strange, to say the least.
Draco and Scorpius were both silent about whatever ailment had afflicted their wife and mother, and Hermione was left to wonder if their silence was some weird pureblood thing she didn't understand. Despite living her entire adulthood in the magical world, some things occasionally still took her by surprise, and there was a lot of pureblood culture that she still found odd.
"It's lovely to see you again. I missed our afternoon tea," Hermione admitted truthfully, hoping she wasn't about to breach some sort of pureblood etiquette.
"Oh, it was nothing. Just a touch ill, that's all," she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "I heard you spent the weekend away with your friends?"
Hermione responded, detailing her weekend with the Weasleys and the Potters. Astoria tucked into her shepherd's pie with gusto and listened attentively, commenting where appropriate. Scorpius looked rather happy to see his mother up and about, and Draco, she noted silently to herself, seemed to relax marginally as his wife ate.
Hermione went to bed that night with more questions than answers.