The first event was the first week of July. Hermione prepared in her room and dressed in the silver version of the dress her mom had held up in Madam Malkins. She smoothed the dress nervously as her mother entered the room with a parcel and helped her with her jewelry. Hermione pushed her hair out of the way to allow Lyra to snap the simple silver pendent necklace around her neck. Her mother then presented her with the parcel. "It's a charm bracelet. My mother gave me one when I began my first season. I thought I should continue the tradition." Lyra snapped it onto Hermione's wrist. She hugged Hermione and looked at her in the mirror. "You look beautiful, sweetheart."
"So do you, I'm happy you're able to be my chaperone."
"Anytime, sweetheart. Ready?" Lyra asked with an extended hand. Hermione nodded and grasped it tightly. When the feeling of apparition dissipated Hermione looked around to see that they were in the Ministry of Magic building. Lyra guided them through the front lobby until they were faced with a double door surrounded by other families and their daughters. They stopped in front of the door. "The introductions will be alphabetically by family. You will enter under my family name; I want you to enter straight faced poised. Slowly walk down the stairs. Do not show emotion until you begin speaking to people, you want to seem as though you are used to this. When you get to the bottom a man will approach you to be their first dance of the evening, you will accept it. Be sure to fill your dance card with as many different people as possible."
"I'm ready." Hermione nodded staring at the door.
Their turn came and Lyra escorted Hermione to the door. As they walked through the door, an announcement of introduction was exclaimed. "Hermione and her mother Lyra of House Black."
They walked down the stairs as gracefully as they could to the bottom of the steps. When they arrived. Hermione looked at the first hand that was offered to her. Seeing Blaise Zabini was a welcomed surprise. He had never shown blood discrimination. He gave her a dance card with his name in the first slot. He escorted her and her mother to the side of the room. "Nice to see you Granger." He smirked, "Didn't think this was your style of event."
"Have any other ideas to protect my family and sister, and I'm all ears."
He laughed, "Protection, with a spitfire like you, you have a need for extra protection?"
"Don't play stupid, you know what's coming as well as I do. A father exposed, an eleven-year-old sister, an uncle is on the run and I'm the first born. How else can I offer more protection to my family than through a suitable match and marriage. If there is love then that is just an added bonus."
"Careful, or I'll think they sorted you in the wrong house." He smirked.
"Think of it how you want. I call it a brave sacrifice of my dignity for my family." I smiled back.
"Well the introductions are done, shall we?" he asked, offering her his arm.
She took his elbow and smiled, "We shall."
"How is the Head of the House of Black? Is he enjoying life on the run?"
She laughed, "My uncle's reputation was always being the wild one in the family."
"That he was," he nodded. "How has your summer vacation been?"
"It has been going very well. My family and I went on holidays to Istanbul to visit the city. It was beautiful. Have you ever been?"
"Unfortunately, we have yet to visit Turkey. If you tell me it is beautiful, I guess I will have to go." He smiled without it reaching his eyes. He missed a step in the dance and flinched.
"My sister is also starting at Hogwarts this year so the house is full of excitement. Have you been able to enjoy your summer holidays?" Hermione asked curiously.
"Yes, my mother and I went to Italy and Greece for a time. But I have to say the best moment has to be dancing with you."
She smiled softly when he stuttered a step. "You're an incorrigible flirt aren't you Mr. Zabini?"
"Only for you." he winked
She laughed, "Sure… and you're not a Slytherin."
"You wound me, Miss Granger."
"My sincerest apologies on your papercut."
His eyes finally reflected the smile on his face, "With wit like that, you should have been a Ravenclaw."
"First you insult me by calling me a Slytherin and now you claim that I am actually a Ravenclaw. I think you must make a decision. Am I Slytherin or am I a Ravenclaw under further consideration?"
He pulled her in from a twirl and spoke quietly with fire in his eyes directly into her own. "I understand now you're better than both houses. I must admit that I see it is your pride that placed you into Gryffindor, in the first place."
"And don't you forget it," she laughed.
"May I ask for another dance."
"Certainly, I seem to be open for the rest of the night. How about a waltz? Hopefully you can waltz better than you can foxtrot."
Smiling relieved, "Of that I can assure you."
"There's a waltz scheduled as the second to last dance. Does that work for you?" Nodding he bowed and kissed the back of his hand before approaching one of his friends from school.
Lyra approached her daughter, "A Zabini, are you sure?"
"Trust me," Hermione replied. "A powerful family. He never met his father, raised by his mother and has never made his thoughts on blood purity known. I have worked with him a few times in class and there were no problems."
"It's like you planned this"
"I plan what I can, but strategy is important in matters such as these. These are only the British families, not all the families of Europe. Majority of the people my age I know from school. This is a trial run for the international events. For that, I bought a book in Diagon Alley about the families of Europe so that I can gage their positions on political issues and strength."
"Will you dance with Zabini again?"
"Yes, it is the right thing to do in my position."
At that point another man approached Hermione. He bowed, "May I have this next dance?"
Hermione replied, "I would like that Mr. Davies thank you." Writing his name on her card she took the proffered hand and walked with him onto the dancefloor.
After each dance, Hermione would relay information to her mother so that she would know more about the dance partners.
"Roger Davies, harmless. Father works directly with the minister and was known to have worked in the resistance against Voldemort in the first war. Likely he will hold a respectable position in the ministry after graduation. Within Hogwarts he is a popular Ravenclaw, quidditch captain and prefect.
"Neville Longbottom is one of my closest friends. Parents Frank and Alice were in the order. He is very good at herbology and wants to be an herbologist. Longbottom in and of themselves are a powerful family. On that, he is not an option. He deserves better than a marriage to someone who is looking for advancement"
"Cormac McLaggen. The most obvious choice."
"Why is that?" Lyra questioned.
"He's been asking me out for over a year now. Thinks that through me he can gain favor with Harry and make the quidditch team when he ultimately becomes captain. He also knows that with me he can live comfortably in my shadow. He wouldn't dare get in my way of my goals and accomplishments. He is just so annoying." Hermione sighed. Lyra laughed.
"Fred and George Weasley. Both pranksters and rambunctious. Unpredictable, but fun. They are very intelligent but refuse to apply it into anything other than their pranks. I would not be surprised if they went on to be entrepreneurs. Fellow Gryffindors but disadvantageous in their connections. Pro is that I would be Ginny's sister-in-law if a match was made with either of them. But I can't match with either of them for the same reason why I cannot match with Neville."
"Terry Boot. Ravenclaw. Good family, intelligent and respectable."
"Nothing else?" Lyra questioned raising her eyebrow.
"Kind of hard to have a conversation with someone counting steps." Hermione said cynically. Lyra giggled quickly before quieting down.
"Cedric Diggory, my current competition for valedictorian. Quidditch captain, prefect, personable. Good family, and his father works in the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures."
"Oliver Wood. Quidditch captain for Gryffindor and was the one to take Harry under his wing in first year. Personable, funny, obsessive about studying for quidditch. He has what it takes to go pro but if not he will likely work somewhere with influence on the sport as a coach, manager etc. Have to say though, he was talking up and down about how Harry better have practiced this summer. I had to laugh and calm him down. Told him that when I see him next I would remind him to practice."
"Aiden Lynch. Graduated about two years ago. He works in quidditch for Ireland. He was in Hufflepuff when he was at Hogwarts. He is nice but I do not know much about him outside of that. Excuse me." Hermione excused herself to go with Zabini to the dance floor again.
They danced. After Zabini took his leave Hermione danced with Oliver again before the evening was complete. At the end of the night Hermione and her mother went home and sat on the sofas in the living room and discussed the evening with her father.
Before the end of the evening, they had put the partners in to various lists
Absolutely not: Neville, Fred and George.
Need to know more about them:Terry Boot.
In the running: Zabini, Davies, McLaggen, Diggory, Wood, Lynch
Of those that were being considered, other values were ranked such as family respectability, chemistry, and predictability (being the ever romantic, Lyra called it trustworthiness).
Respectability: Diggory, McLaggen, Zabini, Wood, Davies
Chemistry: Zabini, Wood, Diggory, Davies….McLaggen
Trustworthiness: McLaggen, Wood, Diggory, Davies, Zabini
Unknown: Boot, Lynch
Hermione cringed at the thought of even ranking McLaggen. But unfortunately, he seemed like the best choice.
She went to bed and noticed a letter on her desk