Hermione hid her wince as she stepped out of the floo and into the Malfoy summer house. Stepping out of the way quickly for the men that would exit behind her.

"Narcissa, I am sorry we are late." They were nearly an hour late and while the woman didn't look angry she didn't look pleased either. Her shoes got a pointed look and she bowed her head in acknowledgement of the disappointment. She was doing that far more as an adult than she had as a child, she mused. Part of her felt badly about it but part of her wanted to point out what she had been doing instead. It was childish but she felt a bit aggrieved.

"Reuben. It's lovely to see you. So like you to just appear before me without warning." Hermione smiled but didn't laugh at the real happiness mixed with vexation for the man's idiosyncrasies.

Lucius approached her and was carefully looking her over. Narcissa too would see it when she took the time to really observe without distraction. Her hair was fine and she was clean, presentable even, except for the footwear, but she was also tired and a bit on edge.

When she walked to his other side instead of taking his arm he raised a perfect silver brow at her and she winced slightly. He raised the other brow and spun to Dolohov.

"Does she need anything?" Hermione scowled. He could have asked her instead of going over her head. Dolohov gestured to her to answer and she took a deep breath.

"I'll ask Draco for some of his skelegrow. It's better than anything else." He made a sound and she met his eyes dead on.

"It's just my shoulder. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't judged acceptable." He held her gaze and then gave a single nod and took the arm she offered with gallantry. Narcissa was silent and her eyes were assessing them all carefully. They stayed on Finn for extra time and Hermione wondered if she was using him as a weathervane for her condition. Again, she didn't chuckle but did smile gently at the concerned eyes when they finally searched her own out over her good shoulder. A nod. Alright then.

"Draco." Lucius's voice was a bit sharper than his usual drawl and her friend stood and whirled around. Alert and probably a bit apprehensive.

"It's fine. Can I get a dose of your skelegrow to take home with me? I don't want to ruin dinner." He nodded immediately and then frowned.

"Since we are late, let us eat and then maybe we can find something to talk about." Yaxley was his most charming and they all filed into the dining room. It was set up smaller and with an oval table this time. They sat spread around it and since the numbers were so odd, it felt quite casual.

"Your reasons for this dinner." Dolohov barked out, not as harshly as he normally would have but still not politely. Hermione didn't wince but everyone stilled for a moment before carrying on. Clinking cutlery resumed.

"The wards for the new manor of course." Lucius answered after a moment and everyone relaxed slightly. This was just work and that was fine.

"Seventeen stones again?" Dolohov asked and the conversation went from there. The younger set were discussing trying to fit quidditch in at least once a month and not having enough players when her masters gruff bark stopped all conversations. Hermione broke off from her conversation about including more people on their charity boards when she heard the sound.

When he had dismissed her from the conversation she hadn't looked at him again. Feeling as if he didn't want her intrusion. Now she watched him stand and turn to their hostess. Without thought she stood and then the party they had come with were on their feet.

"Thank you for dinner and best of luck with your build Narcissa." His tone was even and Hermione could hear nearly nothing in it at all. She began meeting eyes, saying goodbye, and Lucius was last. He seemed a bit shocked and as they made it to the door, stood.

"You think I'm being unreasonable." Lucius had stood too and he seemed to genuinely want to know.

"She is my apprentice. It is not your place to decide what she will and will not do. There are other masters." The tone was a bit dangerous and she caught Lucius' eye again. Not best pleased by whatever he had said. Or that he was contradicting Dolohov about anything to do with wards.

Lucius nodded and they all turned back to the door before Narcissa rose and with her, Theo and Draco.

"Wait. Stop. Lucius whatever you have said you will make right. Immediately. They will not leave with things in this tenor." She demanded, with all of her regal bearing. Dolohov kept moving so after an instinctive pause, she followed suit. This wasn't a social visit and she was here as his apprentice. Rowle's fingers crept into hers and while she didn't look at him, she squeezed lightly in thanks.

Hermione called Draco's elf's name into the air and asked for their coats and cloaks. In a moment they were all clad and headed one by one into the floo.

Standing in her foyer, she tore her eyes from the silent conversation the two older wizards were having and made a decision. She kicked her shoes off and winced as her coat came off. The potion. Damn it.

"Snitch." She wasn't sure if the elf would come. When the small creature popped in she smiled gratefully and before she could speak, a vial was passed to her and before she could thank the elf, it was gone.

Feeling better now that she knew she would have the potion, she headed for the kitchen and poured herself a glass of wine. Then called to the men still in her floo room.

"Drink? Dessert?" Finn entered the room and raised his eyebrows in question. She grinned and nodded. Before she had coffee and whiskey on the table he had grabbed the trifle she had made the day before and placed it with a flourish on the table.

Waiting to see if the other two would come she sipped slowly and just tried to clear her mind. Finn's leg brushed hers and she wrapped her toes into the bottom of his pant leg. It helped and she smiled a bit when she opened her eyes. They were coming and she sat up straighter but didn't do much else.

"Perhaps it's too many people questioning you." Yaxley said as they entered the room and Dolohov was still scowling. Hermione thought the growl was agreement and didn't smile. He was like a cranky bear when he was in a temper.

Deciding she couldn't help at the moment she just began dishing dessert and pouring coffee.

"You can't do to him what you did to the last one." Yaxley pointed out and Dolohov speared the strawberry slice with more vigor than necessary.

"Are you going to tell us what happened to Stevens?" Finn ventured and she was a bit impressed with his audacity.

"Potter might know, if you mention the name to him." Yaxley offered and she and Finn immediately exchanged glances. They would find out just as soon as they could. Maybe this was their reward for a ruined dinner. Not that they needed one. She wanted to ask but she just couldn't. What he had said.

"We need some fun. Could we commandeer one of those bigger laser tag rooms?" It wasn't good then. Whatever had been said. This was a big treat. Deciding to see how bad it might be, she didn't let herself meet Thorfinn's eyes before asking.

"Will you come eat tacos too?" She tried to be nonchalant but his response told her that she hadn't succeeded.

"Not that green stuff you told me about." Yaxley answered with fake petulance. Thorfinn laughed and she smiled.

"Guac something and it's deadly on the chicken one. I tried it without and it's not half as good." His tone was serious and he had indeed tried variations on the originals in subsequent visits.

"Nevynosimyy." Unbearable, Dolohov bit it out and Hermione could tell that he was bothered by this. Maybe not Lucius words but the whole issue. She looked to Yaxley but he just gave her a small shake. It seemed he didn't think there was anything she could do either.

Deciding they needed a distraction, she did catch Finn's eye and gave him a significant look. After a moment he nodded and she gestured to him to speak.

"We need help." He began and both immediately knew this hadn't been the right way to approach this. Both of them were suddenly ramrod straight. Hermione was taken aback by the level of intensity in both sets of eyes facing them. Beside her Thorfinn stopped speaking and froze. So did Hermione. In absolute stillness they were all seated at the table for what could have been thirty seconds and then Dolohov spoke quietly.

"Kak ya skazal." It was said evenly and Hermione tried to understand what was meant by his 'I told you' before looking to Yaxley whose gaze was empty of clues.

"Tell us what you need. Now." Yaxley was polite but Hermione knew it was an order.

"The broom." She blurted. All their plans for asking for help having flown out the window.

"The broom." Yaxley repeated and both men's postures relaxed almost comically. Thorfinn didn't have any more idea than she did what had just gone on. Then Hermione had a mortifying thought. She had thought, but then hadn't been sure and decided never to think about it in Dolohov's presence again.

"I'm not." She burst out while staring at Dolohov and he clearly knew what she meant. His face blanked and then he gave her a reluctant nod. She gave one back and sat with a flaming face. Suddenly Yaxley was laughing quietly and then loudly at her discomfort and the situation. When Thorfinn's incomprehension was clear she decided to spread the level of discomfort to another and spoke quietly.

"He thought I was pregnant or something." Her eyes told him how awful this was and when he chuckled along with Yaxley she just huffed.

"I thought maybe something was different. It felt calmer." She admitted. There was no one else she could talk to about their magical range but him and he wasn't the easiest to speak about personal things with.

He met her eyes and her embarrassment faded a bit at his clear approval of her assessment of her magics behaviour.

"Shall we see the broom then? I've never been to your workroom." Clearly done embarrassing her for themoment, Yaxley gestured grandly for her to lead the way and Hermione decided she would shriek at or hit the blond later. Wretched men.

Later on when the two stood in front of the floo Hermione didn't meet the eyes trying to catch hers.

"I can't decide whether to chase you around with stinging hexes or see if Harry is home." She admitted and then looked up at him. He was grinning but now looked as intrigued as she felt.

"You can chase me later witch." Was his answer so she nodded.

"Grimmauld Place." She grabbed Finn so he wouldn't be left behind and then in the dim kitchen, added him to Harry's wards. Then she stood there. If he didn't investigate in one minute then she would leave.

"Hermione?" She heard his voice from down the hall.

"I've got Finn and it's not important if you are busy. Or Astoria is here." The last was called teasingly and when she heard the bell like laughter of her friend she winced.

"Sorry." She called to her and the laugh sounded again.

"Just come in and stop yelling from the kitchen like a commoner. We're trying to make a good impression." Everyone was chuckling now and she walked in her bare feet toward the downstairs front parlour. It was their favourite living room and she could just picture Astoria in it. She would love to take on this huge home.

"Sorry guys." She began but they didn't seem put out and Harry sat back down beside her pretty friend on the couch. Deciding she would rather be comfortable she leaned against the wall, she hated dresses, +with structure anyways. Sundresses were another matter. Harry caught her eye and she smiled a bit. She hadn't seen him but Finn had told her about them letting him watch the end. She assured him with brief eye contact that she was fine.

"Weren't you at the Malfoys?" Astoria asked and Hermione cocked a brow then chuckled.

"Yes. That's another story but we came here hoping for a different tale." She laughed as both of them immediately perked up at her tone.

"Stevens." Thorfinn put in and Harry jerked slightly then looked at her penetratingly. Suddenly Hermione wondered if something terrible had befallen the stupid, arrogant man. Finn tensed beside her and Astoria made a questioning sound.

"He has no memories of how he became trapped in his home for seven days. Unable to get out or have anyone get in. A scroll was stuck to the front gate with the time he would be released. The man had no idea if he would ever get out." Silence. Then she felt Finn shake with quiet laughter beside her and she couldn't help but bite her lip and then laugh. Hard. Both of them were nearly in hysterics when the other two began demanding answers. Eventually they calmed and Hermione explained. Apparently the man couldn't speak of the reason for his capture, it didn't seem like Dolohov if the victim couldn't remember his crime.

"Oh come on. What did your letter say?" Astoria didn't whine of course, but her tone was close enough. Hermione just shook her head.

"So tonight, what happened?" Harry looked a bit concerned for her and she smiled wryly.

"Lucius said something about Hermione that Dolohov didn't like. Could have just been concern about her helping." Finn answered and Hermione shrugged.

"We didn't hear it. Just the result." Astoria nodded and looked a bit appalled.

"Sometimes Lucius is just so stupid. He asks a warding master to dinner, with hopes he will take on an extensive and complicated project that he certainly couldn't do himself and then, questions him. Antonin Dolohov." She just shook her head and they all agreed.

"Why is it like that?" Harry ventured curiously and they all looked at him. Seeing their incomprehension, he gestured distractedly and then tried to explain.

"People and the papers, it's like you're not a real apprentice or shouldn't be due the same courtesies. More than that, like he somehow would deal with you differently." Hermione thought that over and then looked her question at him.

"I asked around. In the records Department. It's amazing what Sheffield has done in there. Anyways he had copies of the lists of courtesies or something inane like that. It basically gave a history of masters and apprentices." He offered and looked a bit embarrassed at the three sets of eyes that were looking at him.

Astoria caught Hermione's eye and she just smiled. It was a perfect example of how thoughtful and thorough Harry could be. Astoria hadn't known this either, even though she was a liaison with that department. Sneaky man.