Recall
"Would you like to go to Jeaneaux?" Eilynn asked. Hermione nodded after a while, thinking she didn't want to stay in the mansion anyway.
(oo)…(oo)…(oo)
Chapter 20
The…
(oo)…(oo)…(oo)
"I've always wanted a granddaughter," Eilynn said suddenly as they walked the streets of Jeaneaux. The ambience of the city seemed to be more welcoming than the last time she was there.
After remembering that the last time was with Draco, she shook her head and said to herself that the holidays might be the reason of the sudden change. Either it was the snow-covered streets or the million tiny lights that lined the streets or the tune of the holidays that filled the air. She simply accepted the difference and hoped it would last for it seemed to drown her heavy thoughts.
"…and your grandfather always wanted a grandson," Eilynn continued talking and walking, obviously not noting the change in the atmosphere that Hermione felt. Some people stopped and smiled at Eilynn and Hermione wondered who they were.
"It's something like the battle of the sexes," Eilynn glanced at Hermione and chuckled. Hermione managed a smile as they continued to walk.
"Would you like to shop a little?" Eilynn slowed her pace as she asked. Hermione nodded feeling a bit enthusiastic. She was starting to absorb the spirit that the people radiated as they smiled, laughed and hummed as they passed.
"That's good. I'm worried you wouldn't like my selection for you anyway," Eilynn said. Hermione felt conscious of her muggle clothing underneath the luxuriously warm and heavy coat that her grandmother handed her when they left the house. They both continued walking until they reached what seemed to be a dress shop. Eilynn brushed her coat and they both entered the shop, the sound of the chimes announcing their arrival. One of the shop attendants turned to them and smiled like she was seeing galleons falling to the floor.
"Madam," she bowed slightly. "We haven't seen you here in a while."
Eilynn merely nodded, her face lost the softness that was there when she was talking to Hermione.
"What would you want to see?" The attendant, Enyo (a name tag bears her name), asked. Hermione looked around and noticed that the shop was… well, blank, except for the curtains that decorated the windows and three doors on one side of the wall. This reminded her of muggle game shows where the host would say "…and behind door number one… is…". This made her smile and she was pulled out of her daydream when she heard Eilynn speak in a controlled voice with an air of authority.
"This is Ivana," Eilynn began. "My granddaughter."
"What a lovely name," Enyo's eyes sparkled as she assessed Ivana from head to toe.
"She has nothing to wear for the season," Eilynn explained. "We're here for dinner dresses too."
Enyo nodded and turned. "Follow me, ma'am."
They headed to one of the doors.
Ooooh, door number two, Hermione thought with a smile and chuckled at her own private joke. Eilynn noticed the smile on her face and smiled at her but the cold mask returned a soon as Enyo faced them again.
"Turn to the first door to the left, ma'am. Regina will be there to assist you."
Eilynn nodded again and continued through the door with Hermione. The door opened to a wide hallway with several doors on each side. They entered the first door on the left. What she saw made her gasp. The room was as wide as the reception area and the walls were lined with racks and racks of clothes. Regina, the attendant that Enyo mentioned, turned out to be someone Hermione recognized.
"Regina," Hermione whispered to herself. So, that's her name, she thought to herself as she remembered the lady that Viktor was with at the time when she and Draco bumped into them at the restaurant. Regina's green hair was like a unique signature and Hermione wondered if it was natural.
"Look around and call me if you need me," Regina said. "But if there's anything in particular, just tell me and I'll look for you."
Eilynn nodded and approached a rack and started looking.
"Oh, just look around dear. If you want anything, we'll get it," Eilynn said when Hermione didn't move.
Hermione hesitated but approached a rack and searched. Each dress she touched felt good on the skin. She glanced at Regina and smiled. Regina smiled back but not with familiarity and Hermione remembered that she looked different from the last time Regina saw her. Hermione continued to search the rack for anything as she tried to think of a way to talk to Regina. She was trying to find a connection to something besides her 'family' and the Malfoys.
"That's nice, dear," Eilynn said when Hermione pulled something out and looked at it closely. "You can wear that to the dinner."
Hermione turned to Eilynn, questioning with her eyes.
"We're having a holiday dinner tomorrow night. I organize one every year. Your parents will be there," Eilynn said and smiled, searching through a rack of coats as she spoke.
"A private dinner? or...?" Hermione dreaded the thought of it but she expected the answer.
"It's a party, my dear," Eilynn said. "Haven't you ever been to one?"
After thinking back to all the parties she attended, she knew this wasn't the type of party she was comfortable in. Hermione shook her head and Eilynn smiled, noticing her granddaughters aversion to attention that was not necessary.
After several racks later, Hermione was beside Eilynn searching through a rack of cloaks and Hermione thought of a way to bring up a topic with Regina.
"Could we please go to a broom shop later?" Hermione asked Eilynn.
"Oh sure dear. I didn't know you… are fond of flying," Eilynn said.
"Oh… I've taken interest in it after watching quidditch so much."
"Hmmm… or you like someone in the team?" Eilynn said with a chuckle.
"I don't!" Hermione said automatically, remembering Draco plays quidditch.
Eilynn laughed. "Then why are you turning red, my dear? Hmm?"
"I'm not," Hermione said but touched her cheek consciously. She had almost forgotten the purpose of asking about the broom shop.
"Er…" Hermione started. "Regina?" Hermione pretended to read Regina's name tag for the first time.
"Yes ma'am? Is there anything you need?" Regina asked enthusiastically, probably bored that she was standing there for half an hour.
"Do you know of a broom shop here in Jeaneaux?" Hermione asked. Regina's expression shifted. "Preferably, the best one."
"I'm not familiar with broom shops, ma'am," Regina said and turned to a rack waving her wand as she pretended to be fixing clothes.
"I hear there's one here that's owned by that famous Bulgarian seeker… hmmm… I seemed to have forgotten his name," Hermione posed as if she was thinking and pretended to mumble incoherently. Regina continued to 'fix' clothes.
"Oh! That's right! Krum!" Hermione said when Regina was stubborn to admit that she knew of it. "Viktor Krum."
Regina flinched slightly when Hermione said the name.
"Where is it?" Hermione continued the charade.
"I'm not familiar... ma'am," Regina said in an almost whisper. Hermione backed down. It was enough for her to know that Viktor Krum was still in Jeaneaux but it saddened her that she needed to stir probably bad memories for Regina.
There is a benefit to changing my image after all, Hermione thought as she searched through another rack.
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It was much later when Hermione located the broom shop owned by Viktor Krum that Enyo told them about after Eilynn paid for the clothes. Three fine looking brooms were displayed behind the window, not that Hermione could really know.
"I'll wait in the bookshop. I'm not that fond of brooms," Eilynn said with a smile. "Here, if there's anything you want."
Eilynn handed her a purse that felt heavy when Hermione was holding it. She was about to return it but it would be a bit obvious that she wasn't fond of brooms either.
"Thank you," Hermione said with a smile and thought: I'm not going to spend it anyway. She walked to the broom shop, playing a few scenes in her head on how it would be once she enters the shop.
"Good evening," a voice greeted as soon as she entered the shop and bells clinked. The shop was empty.
"Good evening," Hermione greeted the air.
"How may I help you?" The same voice asked and Viktor stepped out of a door covered by a shelf. Viktor glanced at the counter and rushed towards it. "How are you?" Viktor said with a smile, his hand resting on the counter as he looked at Hermione.
Hermione collected herself after being shocked that Viktor hadn't changed that much except that he grew his hair a bit longer than before. She had to remind herself that Viktor didn't know her and stepped closer to the counter.
"I'm here… for… a broom," Hermione settled with a lame excuse. She just didn't know how to tell him she was Hermione Granger. Viktor chuckled. Another guy stepped out from behind the shelf and glanced at the counter. He was holding a black broom.
"Right, this is a broom shop after all," Viktor said with a smile. Hermione kicked herself mentally for the lame response. "Chen, display that," Viktor said to the guy.
"Still…" Hermione's voice trailed off.
"You're one of them, aren't you?" Viktor suddenly turned cold.
"What do you mean?" Hermione was suddenly confused when Viktor's aura changed.
"The badgers. You're one of them," Viktor said icily.
"Badgers? What's that?"
Viktor glared at her. "The ones pestering me about my escapades. I call'em badgers."
"Your escapades? You mean reporters?"
"Not really. More like spies."
"What for?"
"Let's forget that. I apologize," Viktor said and smiled. Hermione looked confused.
Viktor looked at her for a while then turned and pulled a broom from the shelf behind him.
"You seem to be… not so experienced with flying," Viktor began. "This, I recommend. It's the best for starters."
Hermione wondered if it was an insult being called an inexperienced flyer.
"Or this one," Viktor brought another one down to the counter. "This is a good one and it is relatively cheaper."
Hermione touched the broom. "I like the black one on display."
Viktor flinched. "It might not… be best for you," Viktor said with hesitation. Chen passed him and nudged him for what he said.
"And why would that be?"
"Well…" Viktor looked at her with worry.
"Are you worried that I can't pay?" Hermione said, insulted after she looked at herself and saw her muggle clothes exposed underneath the open coat. She forgot this was Jeaneaux and discrimination was still at large. She shifted the shopping bags she was carrying and laid them on top of the counter and pretended to examine the brooms with her free hands. She did this for him to see that she had just been to the insanely expensive dress shop.
Viktor's jaws clenched and managed a strained smile. He took the broom from the display window and laid it on the counter.
"How much is this?" Hermione said as she examined it, she was considering the thought of buying it to tie his insult and turn it around.
"Five thousand galleons, fifteen sickles, forty knuts," Viktor said.
Hermione gasped. "Five?!"
"Thousand," continued Viktor with a smirk.
"That's insane," Hermione mumbled.
She thought suddenly of the gifts she intended to give Harry and Ron. She couldn't possibly afford two fine brooms to give to them. Her head swooned at the price that was presented to her as she mentally computed how much she had and realized she never kept a record like she did before leaving the muggle life.
The bell of the shop clinked and Eilynn entered the shop, brushing her coat.
"Good evening," Chen greeted Eilynn as she entered the shop.
"Are you done my dear?" Eilynn asked as she approached Hermione and Viktor.
"Good evening, ma'am," Viktor said, a bit stiff and with a tinge of… bitterness as Hermione interpreted it. "Oh, is…"
Eilynn saw the broom on the counter, ignoring Viktor. "That looks… nice. I don't know much about brooms."
"She preferred this over the ones I recommended for her," Viktor said, explaining.
"Why is it not recommended?" Eilynn asked with interest.
"I was giving her basic brooms for starters and she asked for this," Viktor said.
"It's alright. I don't need it," Hermione said as she turned to Eilynn.
"But I thought you wanted one? Isn't that why you asked Enyo about this shop?" Eilynn said and Hermione cringed when Viktor reacted to Enyo's name, that was obviously (for Viktor) connected to Regina.
"She's worried about the price," Viktor muttered as he returned the first two brooms he brought down.
"Price? I'll pay for you," Eilynn said, authoritatively.
Hermione shook her head. "No, thank you. It's insane anyway."
"The price?" Eilynn asked.
"Yes… and the broom," Hermione said. Eilynn's eyebrows met in confusion.
"Why dear?" Eilynn asked. Hermione couldn't get herself to say that she really didn't like flying and that seeing Viktor was supposedly the goal of the side trip.
"I still don't think the broom's right for you," Viktor said. Hermione grimaced and turned to him. "I don't mean it in a bad way but this thing flies insane."
"It's a gift," Hermione heard herself say. Somehow, her mouth was working faster than her brain.
"For whom?" Eilynn said with interest. Hermione blushed, she could only think of one person who would be a valid recipient for the gift. Eilynn chuckled as she watched Hermione blush and turn away.
"Wrap it up," Eilynn said to Viktor with a smile.
"No! It's alright, really," Hermione said, regretting that she mentioned it as a gift. Eilynn chuckled and handed the purse Hermione was holding to Viktor.
"Is that enough?" Eilynn asked. Chen approached Viktor and took the purse. Hermione watched him charm the purse, a pen and a paper and it counted itself. Viktor wrapped the broom and handed it to Hermione. Hermione sighed and took it.
"Don't worry dear," Eilynn said and stroked Hermione's hair.
"I'll pay you, I swear," Hermione said and Eilynn chuckled.
"I'll flatten the price to five," Viktor said with a smile.
"Thanks," Hermione said with sarcasm. " Wow, I saved fifteen sickles and forty knuts."
"Thank you," Chen said and handed the purse to Eilynn. "Come back anytime, ma'am."
Eilynn took it and nodded.
(oo)…(oo)…(oo)
"Would you like to watch ballet?" Eilynn asked when they were walking towards the domed building. Hermione nodded when she saw that the theater wasn't as full as the last time she went. Eilynn purchased two tickets. Hermione charmed her grandmother's purse with the Undetectable Extension Charm and stuffed all their bags in. Eilynn smiled at her, impressed and handed their tickets to the goblin.
Hermione enjoyed this more than the last time she watched.
"I wanted to go to a ballet school before," Hermione confessed as they walked away from the theater. Eilynn looked at her, surprised that she said this. It was like a light confession but it was something else for Eilynn. She considered it a bond starting to form.
"Then why didn't you go?" Eilynn asked as they walked to the Floo Terminal.
"I went to Hogwarts," Hermione said after assessing that there was no harm in talking about it to Eilynn.
"Do you still want to learn ballet now?"
"I've discovered other interests and strengths. I enjoy just watching it now."
"You can always join the theater here in Jeaneaux if you want."
Hermione chuckled. "I won't be good enough for them."
"You can always work at it," Eilynn said.
Hermione shrugged. Eilynn was right but Hermione was still bothered by other hundreds of little things at the moment starting with her parents, the Dark Lord, Harry, Ron, Eilynn herself… and the list goes on. Her mind was filled by them that she didn't know if she could take it if she joined the theater. Besides, if she did, she would have a lot to work at. She glanced at her feet. She now doubted if she could execute those dance moves she watched a while ago. Eilynn watched Hermione as several expressions crossed her face. Eilynn chuckled.
Hermione looked at her, suddenly aware that Eilynn was watching her.
"What are you thinking about my dear? It looks like you're considering all the possibilities in the world instead of one."
Hermione laughed. "Am I that transparent?" No wonder Draco reads me so easily.
Eilynn laughed. "There it is again! You look worried this time. Don't worry, my dear. I didn't read your mind."
Hermione smiled. "Thank you."
Eilynn stopped laughing. "For what?"
Hermione grinned. "Everything."
(oo)…(oo)…(oo)
She spent the next day in the library after sending her gifts to Harry, Ron and Ginny. She had asked permission to use her grandmother's owls and she agreed. She didn't even inspect what she might send to her friends.
She must be very trusting, Hermione thought as she tied the packages to the owls. As she remembered what she had given each of her friends, she realized this could be her only chance to tell them everything but she couldn't get herself to do so. Getting her parents in trouble – especially when they were so closely tied to the Dark Lord now – was the last thing she wanted. So what if she sends Harry, Ron and Ginny a letter that reveals everything? Would that help defeat the Dark Lord? Hermione realized she didn't even know what he plans to do. Oh… except that she and Draco Malfoy were getting the dark mark after graduation but what good can that do? How would it help them in planning for an attack?
I'm useless, she concluded.
If she was going to risk her safety and parents' safety… it might as well be worth it. As she tied the last knot, she wondered when would she really reveal to her friends what happened for the past months. When she couldn't get herself to write a letter that contained everything, she released the owls and she watched them fly away with the packages and the letters that contained half-truths and a genuine longing to be with them.
Hermione was trying to decipher the text of the old book she was holding when Eilynn entered the library. Eilynn had been preparing for the holiday dinner.
"You better change now, my dear," Eilynn said with slight urgency. "Some guests arrive early."
"Y-yes… ma'am," Hermione said and left the books on the table.
Eilynn was about to turn to leave but she stopped and said after a second of hesitation. "Could you… call me grandma or grandmother… or grand-mère even?"
She stood in front of Hermione, expecting a reaction. She seemed to have forgotten that she was throwing a party. Her full attention was focused on Hermione.
Hermione was taken aback. Eilynn rushed to cushion the shock. "It's not a demand… I know… it's… awkward… not knowing me for so long… but I was hoping I'd get you to call me that someday."
Hermione smiled, hearing the bordering tone of desperation, regret and worry in Eilynn's voice. "Don't worry, grandma. You don't need to wait too long."
Eilynn smiled and left. Hermione returned the books she pulled out from the shelves. They seemed to be ancient books of spells, potions and charms – so ancient that their covers were faded and partial letters were left on the spine. She found some books written in foreign and ancient languages that she wished she could read them. As she watched her grandmother walk away from the library, she wondered if her grandmother has read those books. She shook off the dust from her clothes and returned to her room to take a bath and change.
(oo)…(oo)…(oo)
As Hermione surveyed the crowd that grew and grew by the hour, her grandmother disappeared behind the large heads scattered all throughout the grand hall of the mansion. She watched her reflection on the shiny surface of the tall vase. She admitted to herself that she looked good in her pale gold gown. She didn't stand out and at the same time, it wasn't shabby.
As walked away from the vase with practiced steps, she wondered who would be attending the party and her thoughts drifted to her parents and the Malfoys. As soon as Draco filled her mind, she snorted and a group of ladies to her left looked at her, sending looks of dislike. Hermione raised an eyebrow and walked on, feeling a bit embarassed though it didn't show on the outside.
In the hall, everyone had something to boast about – a new establishment, an accomplishment or simply, their outfit.
"She made this especially for me," a blonde lady said and gracefully swayed her hips.
"Ooh… I envy you," the other replied with exaggeration.
If not boasting, they'd be gossiping.
"I do think her son is too… liberated," a woman near her forties was saying to a younger woman.
"His mother doesn't seem to mind since she's also playing around," the younger one replied.
"Right. Like mother, like son," the older one added. "At least Gian didn't inherit her promiscuity."
"They're invited to the party, I reckon."
"Why wouldn't they be?" They both giggled.
Just like the muggle elite, Hermione thought as her ears tingled with all the things she heard. She grew more and more irritated as other guests arrived. She made her way to the French group, at least she wouldn't understand if ever they're gossiping or boasting. She didn't know if she should expect to see people she recognized but she was glad that there was no one familiar. She didn't want to bump into any of the students in Hogwarts –
Thud!
Someone caught her before she could hit the people behind her. She was pulled into a hug.
"You smell good," someone whispered. Hermione pulled away.
"Ugh, Blaise," Hermione said and checked her dress. I bumped into one, literally.
"No 'thank you'?" Blaise asked.
A tall man who seemed to be a few years older than Hermione, broke off from the crowd and faced her. Hermione turned to him, puzzled, as he eyed her with amazement.
"You're right, she's pretty," the man said after a while. Hermione felt a sudden rush of consciousness.
"Hey!" Blaise pushed the man away and Hermione thought he heard Blaise say "not yet".
Blaise returned, straightening his suit and brushing invisible dirt from it.
"Who was that?" Hermione asked, wondering why Blaise pushed the man away instead of introducing him to her.
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Author's Note: Thank you very much for the reviews. :) I appreciate it when you share what you think. Keep on sharing. :)
The Holiday Party is a tripartite. So, Chapter 20, 21 and 22 is The Holiday Party.