Another Chapter so soon! Why yes, and I have another 20,000 words written and waiting !
As always your comments are what keep me going, give me inspiration so thank you all!
It had been weeks since her run-in with Lyra she had managed to sort the whole elf fiasco with little grumbling from both Lyra Malfoy and Blaise Zabini, in fact, Blaise had given her a fancy bottle of Firewhisky as a thank you. Hermione had been working at her desk when her boss ordered her into his office. Hermione sat uncomfortably on her hands, she was going to get shouted at again she could tell.
"Now that the house-elves bill passed, I'm assigning you these five, they're going to carry out the main tasks of your new legislation. While they sort that, you're going to look at werewolf regulations" He grumbled.
"But sir, I'm house-elf relocation" Hermione stammered,
"Not for long" He grunted, "You've shown potential to the higher-ups, they want you working on making more legislation in other areas. I'll send you everything over and you can get started" He finished. Hermione frowned,
"Sir I-"
"Look Granger I've just given you a promotion be happy and stop arguing" He stated as he pointed to the door as her indication to leave
Hermione sat down at her desk for a long time, she thought about how it could have developed, her mind instantly went to Lyra and Blaise but she hadn't seen or heard from them at all. She flooed home that evening to see Ron attempting to make dinner. Sighing, she dumped her bags and sat at their small table, Ron had begun talking about his day in great detail how he had caught some follower of Voldemorts. Hermione had been failing to listen since he had begun something she should have felt guilty about.
"Are you listening, Hermione?" Ron asked, jerking her out of her thoughts on her promotion,
"Sorry Ron, what were you saying?" Hermione asked rubbing her head as the ache that had begun hours ago.
"What happened that's making your head so sore?" Ron asked with a frown,
"I got a new job today," Hermione stated, "I don't know all the details but it's going to make a big impact on the world, Ron" Hermione explained excitedly. Ron frowned,
"And you took it?" Ron asked,
"It's a big step but I think I'm up to it" Hermione explained with a small shrug, Ron's frown got heavier,
"Don't you think we should talk about this Hermione?" Ron asked. Hermione looked up shocked at his reaction.
"What is there-"
"What about us? We're meant to be looking to our future starting a family, how are we supposed to do that if you work all the time?" Ron ranted. Hermione sat shocked,
"Ron, I'm twenty," Hermione said simply as if the answer was obvious.
"You can't be a good mum Hermione if you're not here" Ron glared,
"Ron, that's years away. I want a career" Hermione tried to argue but Ronn had already made up his mind. With a shake of his head and a short,
"I'm going out" He was gone. Hermione sat dumbfounded and unsure of what to do.
A small tap at the window alerted her attention after she had cleaned the flat top to bottom. Opening the window a small barn owl held out its leg, taking the letter and giving it a treat, it flew off. Hermione opened the letter to read a similar perfect scrawl reading. Thank you for trying to change the world with us. I'll help you any way I can. Hermione sighed and grabbed her jacket, she didn't know what Lyra was playing it and she was going to find out.
Hermione apparated to the front gates of the Estate, the gates had been fixed was the first thing Hermione noticed. She drew her wand and hesitantly tapped the gates, she was shocked that they opened. Walking up to the front door she could see candlelight flickering in a few of the windows Before she could knock an elf opened the door,
"Can Jaxy help Miss?" He asked,
"I'm here to see Lyra" Hermione stated,
"Mistress is busy with a guest Miss"
"Oh, um, could you ask-"
"Jaxy why you stand with the door open?" She heard another elf squeak, Motley who she recognised from before appeared, "Miss Hermione, Motley is sorry please come in" Motley pulled Hermione into the foyer of the large house, "Jaxy get Miss" Motley ordered the small elf,
"Mistress said not to-"
"Now Jaxy" Motley stated, Hermione was shocked at the small elf,
"If Lyra's busy" Hermione tried,
"No it's fine Miss, come this way to wait" Motley led Hermione into the living room where Hermione had interviewed Lyra. Hermoine sat tentatively on the couch, note gripped tightly in her hand. Hermione heard them before Lyra walked in,
"I'll speak to you about this tomorrow Blaise"
"Lyra, this is important we can't lose him"
"And we won't, I'm not going to let him walk free, but we'll talk about it tomorrow" Lyra stated before opening the door. Hermione watched her carefully as she walked in. She looked tired, she rubbed her eyes wearily,
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked immediately shocking Lyra into looking up.
"Hermione, what-"
"Tell me what's wrong first?" Hermione asked standing. Lyra regarded her for a moment before stating simply,
"A client of Blaise's is threatening to walk away from a deal he was trying to secure" Lyra was good Hermione thought, if she hadn't paused Hermione believed her, but she didn't want Lyra to cotton on just yet that Hermione had heard their conversation outside so she let it drop.
"What are you doing here?" Lyra asked settling into the armchair next to Hermione.
"Is that how you greet guests in your home?" Hermione quirked, making Lyra smirk.
"What can I do for you then?" Lyra corrected herself.
"Ron walked out the flat" Hermione explained simply. Lyra frowned, she seemed to pause correcting whatever it was she was about to say,
"I'm sorry, I know you were seeing each other for a long time"
"We didn't break up, I just… I just didn't know where else to go" Hermione stated. "I can't keep imposing on Harry and Ginny and he's Ginny's brother. I've not really got friend anywhere else" Hermione stated. Lyra gave a small smile,
"I understand," Lyra said consoling the best she knew how she had never been very good at it.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to barge in on your meeting or whatever you want to tell me that was," Hermione said waving towards the door. Lyra smiled knowing she couldn't really lie to Hermione,
"Blaise found Avery," Lyra said simply, "The Death Eater that was in the Prophet a few weeks ago" Hermione nodded remembering the article Harry had shown her. "I was trying to stop Blaise from doing something stupid. That's all" Lyra explained, "He was talking about going and finding him, torturing him"
Hermione frowned, "Why does Blaise care so much?" Hermione asked, Lyra looked up and smiled sadly,
"I shouldn't have expected you to know," Lyra looked down picking at the leather on the couch, "During the war, a lot of the women, not all of us but most, not in the inner circle, but still pureblood were seen as free game with most of the Death Eaters" Lyra explained,
"Do you mean-"
"A lot of them were used for information or position but some, like Blaise's mother. She was used in much more horrid ways" Lyra explained. Hermione could tell she was uncomfortable, Hermione felt sick,
"Why?" Hermione asked,
"Because she was a witch of four marriages, only one son. I suppose they thought why not. The Dark Lord had more important things to worry about like you and Potter" Lyra explained. Hermione swallowed thickly,
"Were you-"
"No" Lyra said strongly, Hermione looked up to see Lyra staring at her, "No, I was too valuable" Lyra stated. She stood, walking to a cabinet and pouring two firewhiskey's. She handed one to Hermione and stood in front of the fire that had lit itself at some point during the conversation.
"Lyra I-"
"Why did you really come here, Hermione?" Lyra asked, her voice sounded like her mothers. Strong, proper.
"I um.." Hermione looked down at the note in her hand. It was so trivial in comparison. "I wanted to talk to you I guess" Hermoine explained lamely. Lyra looked down at her with a quirked eyebrow,
"I got your note, I wanted to know your plans, in more detail," Hermione said.
"What about them?" Lyra asked, sipping the drink. Hermione frowned,
"It all seems pathetic now doesn't it" Hermione said, "After talking to you in Floreans, I was jealous at what you and Blaise Zabini were trying to accomplish. Two years and what have I done? What have Harry, Ron and I done? Cut some ribbons, attended the right parties, given statements for the people we thought should be spared from Azkaban. Then I went back to school to get on with my life and forgot about everyone else. All the while, you and your friends are changing the course of our world. Helping businesses thrive, schools be rebuilt, bringing people a new lease of life" Hermione said, feeling tears prick her eyes as she felt like a child.
"I'd like to point out before you done all that" Lyra stated, "You did defeat a very powerful dark wizard who was going to kill you and all muggleborns or make you his slaves so I think you earned a small break," Lyra said with a smile. Hermione laughed at her quick summary.
"How are you going to make it better, Lyra?" Hermione asked quietly, nursing the firewhiskey in her hand.
"In any way, I can" Lyra's simple answer was what rang through Hermione's brain for the next 48 hours. There were small things beginning to creep up that Hermione hadn't been noticing. Roles being slowly filled in the ministry. She hadn't seen many of her school colleagues and now they were all over the ministry often stopping her on the way to meetings to speak and catch up. Diagon Alley was busier than ever. Things had slowly been reducing in price she had noticed. Hermione walked into Harry's office with a list of werewolf regulations she was looking to overturn, and she needed Harry's access to Greybacks files on how many attacks he had committed out of the ones she had. She saw Ron slumped at his desk writing a report looking glum. She could see the pile on his desk was threatening to tip as another file was added. She could see Harry was at least getting through his.
"Hey, Harry" Hermione greeted to get his attention.
"Hey 'Mione" Harry greeted. Ron looked up with a grin,
"Hey 'Mione, did you bring lunch?" he asked, Hermione frowned,
"No, sorry Ron" Hermione stated trying not to get angry. "Harry, can I see the Greyback files please?" Hermione asked, Harry, nodded and led her over to a filing cabinet. After an hour of pulling out different files Hermione was sorting them out on the spare desk, Harry was getting more and more interested in her new bill for making werewolf working rights better. She knew why, poor little Teddy. If he had any werewolf qualities he was immediately going to be put on the register. They were interrupted by a loud crack. They all turned wands drawn. A tall dark figure stood in the doorway with a slumped stupefied Avery. The figure was dressed in black with their hood up. Their face covered by a black mask,
"We aren't here to do your job for you" The raspy voice came out clear and like that they were gone. Stupefies flew and hit Avery square on. Hermione yelled for them to stop. By the time she had, he was slumped unconscious on the floor. Running over and ignoring the yell from Ron. She checked for a pulse to find there wasn't one. As she announced her findings, Harry sighed.
"Great there's going to be hell for this" He muttered,
"He was probably dead before they brought him here" Ron stated confidently. Hermione frowned,
"He was awake when they apparated in Ron, he was only stunned" Hermione stated with a frown. But Ron ignored her. Hermione returned to her desk after she gave a statement to Harry, sitting down she penned a note to Lyra and sent it with a ministry owl. Lyra was to meet her at Rosa Lee's tea room at 5 pm exactly.
Hermione sat sipping the tea in front of her. Every time the door opened Hermione found herself watching for Lyra. Ten minutes past Five hit and the door chime went, looking up to see Lyra walk towards her. She looked furious, Lyra's eyebrows were drawn together in a tight frown. Her jaw clenched. Hermione noticed then that Lyra's hair had grown out, she had tied it in a tight bun at the base of her neck, her grey eyes constantly scanning the room. Sitting down, Hermione sat straighter, preparing for the excuses. They didn't come, however. Lyra simply raised an eyebrow,
"I was summoned," She said with a quirked eyebrow.
"Tell me you didn't come to the Ministry today" Hermione stated quietly, Lyra smirked,
"Ok, I wasn't at the Ministry today" Lyra played along.
"Lyra this is serious, Harry's already looking for someone to arrest" Hermione hissed, Lyra raised her eyebrow at Hermione's panic,
"I honestly have no idea what you're talking about" Lyra stated, sounding bored.
"Someone apparated into the Auror office today and dumped Avery at their feet" Hermione explained, Lyra frowned down at her. Sitting forward,
"What? What-"
"Can I get you lovely's anything?" A chipper witch asked, then interrupting. Lyra ordered them something that sounded vaguely like hot chocolate but Hermione wasn't overly listening. She was staring Lyra down, silently demanding the truth. Lyra waited until the witch walked away to stare back at Hermione,
"Hermione, I wasn't at the Ministry today, and before you ask neither was Blaise" Lyra stated with a frown,
"How can you be sure?" Hermione asked, Lyra rolled her eyes,
"Because he was with me on Harris, in the Outer Hebrides" Lyra explained,
"That's where Avery was Lyra, you can see why I don't believe you had nothing to do with it" Hermione snapped.
"We weren't there Hermione, it wasn't us" Lyra hissed. Hermione could see she was getting angry. Hermione sat back,
"What were you doing on Harris?" She asked, Lyra sighed she could tell she wasn't going to drop it.
"We were looking for a new family to take over the dragon sanctuary" Lyra explained. Hermione frowned,
"Dragon Sanctuary?" Hermione asked,
"Yes, there's a Hebridean Black Reserve on some of the uninhabited islands up there. During the war, The Dark Lord had Macnair kill the caretakers up there the Macfusty family. They had looked after the dragons for hundreds of years. Blaise and I were trying to clear up some of the mess and convince some of their relatives to take it up" Lyra explained. Hermione was surprised, she knew Lyra loved dragons but she didn't dare imagine the cost of trying to get someone to take it on,
"Lyra I'm sorry, I shouldn't have assumed it was you. It was just from what you told me the other night and now this happened"
"I know what you think, and I would have assumed so to," Lyra said with a small smile, "I'm not angry you assumed," Lyra said easily as the witch appeared with their hot drinks. Lyra took a sip of her drink, clearly used to whatever concoction Lyra had ordered them,
"What did you order for us?" Hermione asked,
"It's like hot chocolate" Lyra stated simply. Hermione frowned, and sipped it. It tasted better than any hot chocolate she had ever had.
"Did Weasley turn back up grovelling?" Lyra tried to ask subtly, Hermione tried not to grin at the thought that Lyra did actually care about her.
"He did. I haven't forgiven him yet" Hermione stated simply. Lyra mumbled something that sounded vaguely like 'Just get rid of him' but Hermione pretended not to hear. They spoke about Hermione's latest promotion for what felt like only minutes.
"You should go before Weasley comes looking for you" Lyra stated looking at the clock in the far corner, Hermione followed her gaze and frowned, when were they the only ones in the tea room. It read seven pm. Paling Hermione stood quickly,
"I better go, I'm sorry I didn't mean to keep you all evening going on about werewolf policy" Hermione stated pushing her hair from her face. Lyra chuckled standing and pulling her coat on, "I'm sure you have better things to with your evening" Lyra smiled sadly refraining from answering,
"Good night Hermione" Lyra turned and walked out before Hermione could respond. Lyra slid into a secluded corner beside the tea room and watched Hermione gather herself with a content smile before leaving to apparate to her home. Shaking her head, Lyra apparated to the Estate, walking in she was shocked to see Motley stood wringing her hands in fear,
"Motley, what's wrong? What happened?" Lyra asked, Motley swallowed thickly,
"Miss has guests in the parlour," Motley said her eyes downcast. Lyra frowned removing her coat and drawing her wand. Walking in, she stopped at the sight of her parents and Draco.
"What do you want?" Lyra asked trying not to sneer. Narcissa glared at her child but it was Lucius's voice that cut her.
"We wanted to see our eldest child" Lucius stated with what Lyra assumed was a warm smile.
"Did you now?" Lyra glared, "Well there you are, still in one piece, no more scars or dark marks" Lyra growled out. She watched her father flinch and she hated to say she enjoyed,
"Blaise came to the Manor today" Narcissa stated simply. Lyra glanced at Draco who looked up and quickly away.
"You little snitch-" Lyra took a menacing step forward and Narcissa stood, stopping her. She glared hard down at Draco.
"He told Draco all about your trip north" Narcissa stated her mouth in a thin disapproving line. "And of your business ideas"
Lyra sighed pocketing her wand. "Is that what you've come here to have a go about? How it's not living up to the family name?" Lyra questioned with a glare, she walked to pour herself a drink. Waving her wand she had them pour four glasses and cast them to the rest of her so called guests.
"It's a disgrace Lyra, you tarnish the Malfoy name" Lucius hissed, "Lowering yourself to saving filthy creatures, then what? Then you go and start encouraging house elf rights. I knew your infatuation with that Granger girl was pathetic. I did not, however, know it would lead to this debauchery of our great name"
Lyra chuckled as she sat down, "Oh look, he does have a voice" Lyra muttered, Lucius hissed and drew his wand but Lyra was faster, silently she disarmed him and caught his wand.
"Lyra" Narcissa hissed, but Lyra was done with this puppet game her mother was playing,
"No mother, I'm sorry but I won't listen to this pathetic snake" Lyra stated. "If you want to have a go, please do it yourself, don't have him do it. After all your the only reason he's not in Azkaban with the rest of them" Lyra sneered. Narcissa collected the skirts of dress and walked in front of her daughter, she had inherited Lucius's height unfortunately so Narcissa always felt on the back foot when scolding their children.
"Enough of this charade Lyra, come home. Sort this mess of our lives out, together" Narcissa pleaded.
"No," Lyra said simply, "I'll be remaining here," Lyra said with a sigh. Narcissa sighed and gestured for Lucius to leave. She waited until Draco and Lucius had flooed back to the Manor before looking at Lyra who was glaring at the wall despondently.
"What happened to us Lyra?" Narcissa asked sitting in the leather chair.
"You let him rule our family and get caught up in this mess" Lyra simply stated taking a long drink of Firewhisky. Narcissa sighed,
"I know my mistakes Lyra, but I wish you wouldn't bait him" Narcissa pleaded, Lyra ignored her.
"Do you really want me to come home?" She asked quietly,
"I do, but only because you're my daughter. I think you like being on your own" Narcissa theorised, Lyra nodded. She did for the most part. Narcissa pulled a large volume of envelopes from her small clutch bag and placed them on the table. Lyra frowned,
"What are these?" She asked,
"Marriage requests" Lyra spat her Firewhisky out.
"What?" She asked with a frown,
"You didn't honestly think that just because you hid here that our society wouldn't keep turning" Lyra glared, "Sorry, pureblood society" Narcissa corrected.
"I'm not getting married" Lyra stated, Narcissa smirked.
"Oh I know," Narcissa stated, "Draco is engaged to Astoria Greengrass" Narcissa stated finishing her Firewhisky.
"Good for him," Lyra said glaring at the pile of letters, Narcissa smirked and stood.
"I'll leave this with you for you to correlate a response to each" Narcissa said with a smile, as she collected her over robes.
"You don't mean to say I have to reply to all of these? Individually?" Lyra asked with a frown. Narcissa smiled, she hated to admit she was enjoying this.
"Lyra, you are a good pure-blood witch from a respectable family. You have managed to inherit one of the most renowned families estates. You were raised properly, and I expect you to give a proper response" Narcissa stated with a smile. She was met with a glare which she expected.
"I'll be over tomorrow for dinner" Narcissa stated as she walked to Lyra, retrieved her husband's wand before walking to stand in the floo,
"Don't bring him" Lyra called as her mother departed.
Next Chapter more Lyra/Hermione interaction!
Let me know what you all think