A/N: There is a lot of discussion of wand wood at the end of this chapter. The 'book' Hermione is reading from is made up of quotes from Pottermore/Wizarding World of Harry Potter website that Rowling created for wandlore in the Harry Potter Universe. They are not my own.
EARLY POST ALERT! :) Getting this chapter out to you a day or so early to show my appreciation for your continued support. I know it can be hard and frustrating to stick it out for a WIP, but I'm so grateful to all of you who are reading. It means the world to me. Special thank you to my alpha reader: LaDeeDaa and beta reader: astrangefan
Wands
Due both to Hermione forgetting her magic was depleted and distraction, it was an awkward breakfast before Hermione prepared to go to the Ministry to meet with her boss. Noticing the strained looks from Harry and Ron, and the full-on blush from Theo as Hermione and Draco approached the table, Hermione turned her eyes to Padma who was barely holding back laughter at the end of the table.
"Silencing charms, Hermione. If you can't cast them, you ought to ask someone to help," the raven-haired witch said over barely controlled laughter.
Hermione's eyes widened and her head immediately whipped around to Draco, his own eyes staring back at her like saucers.
Fuck.
"I'm so, so sorry," she squeaked, mortified as she slumped into her seat. Draco didn't sit. He stood, tense behind her chair.
"It's fine," Harry said quietly, looking anywhere but at her.
"It most certainly is not fine," Ron sputtered. "If you aren't strong enough to do the spells, you certainly aren't strong enough for…THAT!"
Padma cackled with glee and Hermione wanted to crawl into a hole. But she was not going to allow Ron the moral high ground. "While on the topic of silencing charms, Ronald, you could have used a few while we were hunting horcruxes. And of everyone involved, you are in the least position to mind. It's nothing you haven't heard before."
Padma's lips pulled into a 'oh' as her eyebrows nearly disappeared into her hairline. "Damn, Hermione," she breathed reverently.
Harry and Theo blushed full scarlet, and Ron sputtered. "Well, that's just…not the point."
Draco seemed to have finally gotten over the shock because he sat in the chair next to Hermione and casually started to serve himself breakfast. "Surely not exactly the same sounds he's heard before…" he pointed out. She could hear the pout in his voice.
"Oh, Merlin. I'm so glad I eat breakfast here every morning," Padma said, tears in her eyes as she fell into a new fit of giggles.
"Padma, why don't you just do us all a favour and charm the bed curtains permanently," Draco finally suggested.
"Or you two could stop what you are doing right now," Ron hedged.
"Ronald, ask me if I think that's something you get to have an opinion about," Hermione said glaring at her friend.
"Fine," he pouted, shoving a sausage in his mouth.
The silence was thick and finally Theo broke it. "Did you learn anything new last night?" he asked. Hermione could have kissed him for changing the subject.
"I have some theories I want to run by Rilla this morning. But all signs indicate that when we drop the wards, we must be prepared to destroy the Energy or Horcrux or whatever it is we want to call it. The absolute most important thing is - we cannot allow The Dark Lord to kill anyone else - under any circumstances," Hermione explained.
"Yeah, that's well and good," Harry pointed out, "But the Rakov brothers are a wild card. Even if one of them wouldn't sacrifice himself for the cause - and we can't be sure he wouldn't - Voldemort has never had a problem killing his own to save himself. We can't let them get close."
Hermione nodded. "Exactly. How is it possible no one has picked up a sign of them? They are obviously in Scotland by now…"
"There are countless hideouts up here," Draco supplied. "They probably figure their magic could be traced and are walking, hiding out where they can, they've probably been sticking near Muggle towns. Have there been any strange occurrences, missing Muggles, deaths in any of the Scottish Muggle towns?"
"Hmm," Harry said, jotting something down on his Auror pad. "We hadn't… but of course, that makes sense."
Hermione could tell Draco was resisting the urge to scoff and she was grateful he had some self-control.
"There was that abandoned manor…" Theo said, musing out loud. His eyes immediately widened. "Do you remember, Draco? It was near… it was Montrose wasn't it? There's a smaller muggle town - Miltonduff? Was that it?"
Draco nodded. "There is a manor there that's been abandoned some 500 years. That hamlet used to be magical but fell victim to the purges of witches and wizards at the time. It's now a tiny Muggle town just outside of Elgin. It was rarely used by proper Death Eaters, but I know a lot of the snatchers liked to use it as a base when they were operating up here."
Harry was writing manically into his notebook nodding. "Thanks, Theo, Malfoy,' he said, and his voice indicated he really and truly meant it. "We'll look into it directly."
Hermione reached over and squeezed Draco's hand. "Thank you," she whispered. He just shrugged.
After breakfast Ron and Harry dressed while Padma silenced Draco's entire bed space. Hermione pulled on her Unspeakable robes and tied back her hair before collecting her notes and books.
"Be careful," Draco breathed behind her, both arms wrapping around her waist. "How is your magic this morning?"
"Thirty percent," Hermione said, "but my iron levels are up, and I feel a lot stronger. When I get back, I'm going to practice some spells.a'
"Potter is walking you to your office?" he asked.
"Yes," Hermione replied.
"Good," Draco said, breathing a sigh of relief. "And you are going to Floo directly back, right?"
"Yes, Dad," Hermione said with a smirk.
"Don't," Draco said, pulling her tighter against him. "Please, don't. This is all I have since I'm essentially as useless as a squib at this point."
Hermione turned around; her brows furrowed as she looked into his stormy grey eyes. His moods were so much more than she was used to her with her pack of friends. He was up and down and sometimes she couldn't keep up.
"Draco… you aren't useless, nor are you a squib. Don't you understand that what you know about the Death Eaters is invaluable to this investigation? It would have taken me weeks to figure out what was going on in the boathouse. You are a wizard. You have magic. You just don't have a wand. That can be fixed. You just need to give me time," she said, her hand brushing his fringe from his eyes.
"That's not…I'm not being self-pitying. If I never get my wand back, it's no less than I deserve. I just - you are vulnerable. You are a smart, capable, strong, take no prisoners witch who could probably take on three grown Death Eaters all on your own - but your magic isn't what it should be. And every time you leave my sight, I worry about what could happen to you. That helplessness is just - the worst."
Hermione smiled. "I know a little something about helplessly watching someone you care about go off and do reckless things you have no control over. I understand. But I will be okay. Harry and Ron won't let anything happen to me."
She kissed him softly and then joined Ron and Harry near the portrait.
Despite what she told Draco, Hermione was nervous. The Ministry - the place she'd gone nearly every day for years - no longer felt like hers anymore. After all the press, the accusations, and Kingsley's warnings, she did not feel welcome as they walked out of one of the giant Floos in the staff entrance hall.
Harry was to her left and Ron was on her right, flanking her protectively as she held her head high and walked toward the large rotunda she'd have to traverse before she could make it to the lifts. Ron grabbed her hand and held it tight, and she was so grateful to him for knowing it was exactly what she needed.
She heard the whispering. "…Granger! That's her. It's Hermione Granger!"
She ducked her head and walked slightly faster.
"Oi! Granger!" someone barked from her left and Harry's wand was instantly in his hand. They continued to walk quickly hoping to avoid who had called for her, but whoever it was would not be deterred.
"Granger!" Cormac McLaggen called, walking directly into their path.
"Hullo, Cormac," Hermione replied with a frustrated sigh as they'd been halted in their pursuit of the lifts.
"Move McLaggen," Harry insisted in his full auror voice.
"They arresting you?" Cormac asked. "My father is an excellent solicitor, I'm sure you remember," he prattled on, ignoring both Harry and Ron trying to push Hermione past him. "Merlin, having your own friends do it is cold…"
"No, I…" Hermione just wanted to make it to the lift. It was only about a few dozen meters away.
For the love of Godrick, Cormac MOVE!
He wasn't listening, though. In her experience he never did. Cormac fancied himself the hero of the storybook that was all humanity. A malignant narcissist to his core, Hermione hadn't a clue how the hat had managed to sort him into Gryffindor. Perhaps it was another case of legacy. Cormac belonged in Slytherin to cultivate his ambition, and Theo belonged in Gryffindor because if anyone was brave, it was the boy who held off his abusive father for more than a year rather than join the Death Eaters.
"You know I've taken over the McLaggen seat in the Wizengamot," he continued. "Seems inevitable that you'll end up having to bring your cases before us soon. Perhaps we could talk about it over dinner sometime…" his eyes moved over her and she felt sick. She remembered all too well the three or four kisses he'd foisted on her at Slughorn's Christmas Party back when she was too young to know how to stand up for herself.
It was obvious what he was doing.
Fuck me and I'll take your side in the Wizengamot.
It was clear to both Ron and Harry what he was getting at too, and before Hermione could respond, Harry pulled her behind him and stuck his wand under McLaggen's chin, "If you come near Hermione again, I'll bring up a formal accusation with the DMLE for your offer."
Hermione swallowed. Harry's rage was radiating off him in waves. "Harry, let's just…"
But the display had caught the attention of others and now they were being watched by a sea of Ministry workers.
"That's Hermione Granger," she heard clear as day. "She's the one who wants to release Death Eaters. Thinks she knows better than the Ministry what should be done with terrorists."
"That's not what she's doing," someone else countered. "She bloody well fought them while the Ministry did nothing."
"I hear she's trying to rehabilitate them…" the faceless voice sounded thoroughly disgusted.
"Bleeding heart…" another voice hissed.
"Come on, Hermione," Ron said, pushing her toward the lifts. "Out!" he barked at two people inside the first one. Startled, they scrambled out of the lift and Ron all but shoved Harry and Hermione into it, clanging the doors shut and using his wand to direct the lift down to The Department of Mysteries.
"You can't come back here," Ron finally said. "Rilla is going to have to come to Hogwarts next time."
Hermione took a shaky breath. He was right, and that scared her.
"Of all the fucking things," Ron said, plopping down on the couch next to Theo who was already setting up the Wizarding Chess board. It had become a tradition between the two. Theo was much better at it than Hermione or Harry and Ron enjoyed the challenge.
"Cormac McLaggen, balls of steel, walks through the entire ministry Atrium at ten o'clock on a Thursday morning and essentially suggests Hermione sleep with him to get his vote on the Wizengamot."
"Ron! Shut up!" Hermione hissed, but it was too late. Draco, who'd walked into the common room only a moment earlier without Ron's knowledge, stopped very still.
Hermione sighed. She knew this was going to be a thing. She was never going to mention it to anyone because it was not going to happen anyway. And who didn't already know Cormac was an entitled, disgusting pig? It can't have been news to many.
"He did what?" Draco asked, his voice tight.
Relax, Draco.
Ron swallowed. "Oh, finished the potions?" he asked casually, as if he could walk back what his big mouth had started.
"Yes. McLaggen said what?" Draco asked, undeterred. His voice was so calm it sounded strange to her ears. He asked as if he was asking what colour socks Ron was wearing.
"Er, well…"
Hermione growled, "Thanks, Ron."
Turning toward Draco from her place on the armchair, she sighed. "In the Atrium we ran into Cormac, or rather, he ran into us. He asked if I was being arrested and suggested I hire his dad to defend me. Yet another thing I'm sure he'd think I'd owe him for," she said, rolling her eyes. "Then, he casually mentioned that he was now holding the McLaggen seat on the Wizengamot and that I should 'join him for dinner' to discuss things."
Draco's jaw tightened, but he said nothing.
"Draco, I know how McLaggen is. He's been doing things like this for ages. He simply does not understand 'no'. Which is why I avoid him at all costs."
"Draco," Theo tried in a calming voice. "She's here. She's fine. She was never in any danger."
"I am, truly, fine. And we've decided that until all of this is over, I won't go to the Ministry again," Hermione added.
Draco swallowed hard and his jaw twitched again, but finally he moved into the armchair across from Hermione. "How McLaggen even managed a single NEWT is anyone's guess," he finally said. "Hermione would never be susceptible to blackmail or solicitation."
Hermione breathed another sigh of relief and smiled. "I think he belongs with your lot," she said. "Ambitious and self-serving."
"He's an imbecile," Draco replied derisively.
"Draco, you and I both know that not all Slytherins were geniuses," Theo quipped.
Draco wouldn't satisfy present company with a response to that.
"So, whatever you are going to ask is going to get us canned, right?" Ron asked with a pout.
Hermione chuckled. After lunch Draco had gone back to the Hospital Wing and Theo was drawing a map of all the known hide-outs in the area where the Rakovs could be. Hermione took the time to pull her friends aside.
"I don't see why it has to," she said cryptically.
"Out with it, Hermione," Harry said.
"Theo and Draco need wands."
Green and blue eyes stared back at her, almost unseeing for a moment before squinting in unison as her words reached their brains. It would have been funny if it wasn't so serious.
"I don't mean that we just steal them some wands because I'm some lovesick, bleeding heart who feels bad for them," she explained. 'They are at high risk from the Rakov Brothers. Removing their Marks keeps them from being called. It keeps them from being compelled into action, but the Rakovs aren't just going to ignore two former Death Eaters working against Voldemort. They will want their blood. They aren't safe."
"Hermione, you know as well as anyone that you can't just get an unregistered wand!" Harry said. "Where would we get a wand and how would we keep it off the books? And if we were ever found out - this is Azkaban level crime. This isn't a slap on the wrist."
"I know that!" she hissed. "I'm not suggesting we just have them take on unregistered wands like their own. I'm talking about two unregistered wands that would be utilised for specific purpose of their protection and would be immediately returned to the wandmaker…"
"You are talking about Olivander," Harry said, pinching the bridge of his nose. Hermione could hear literally see him growing tired before her very eyes.
Hermione bit her lip and nodded. "He owes you a life debt, Harry. I'm sure if you just asked him…"
"Hermione, you know I hate the concept of a life debt!" Harry cried. "I don't want people thinking they owe me something."
"I know," Hermione said, and she'd been ashamed at even voicing the thought, but she didn't have any other ideas.
"Maybe you don't invoke the life debt. Just ask him. Make him take a wand oath for secrecy and ask him if we can have use of two unregistered wands for two weeks. That's it. They will be returned as good as new," she insisted.
Harry looked at Ron who seemed to be mulling something over in his mind. "Whatever wand he gives us will not be right for anyone else. The wand will align itself to Malfoy or Nott. And without the opportunity to win the allegiance of the wand, it won't work right for someone else," he pointed out.
"That's true," Hermione allowed. "It would mean taking two wands out of his commission, but returning them would remove the ability for them to be tracked back to Draco or Theo - or either of you for that matter."
"I'll talk to him, but I'm not invoking a life debt," Harry said.
"Thank you, Harry."
Harry nodded at Hermione, a tired look in his eyes, as he entered the common room after his trip to Diagon Alley. Hermione was lying across the couch with her feet in Draco's lap, his hands idly rubbing at the soles of her feet as he read from another book of poems - Robert Frost this time.
Padma was back in the Hospital Wing after having checked on Hermione's magic.
Fifty percent.
She'd been happy to note it seemed to be coming back much faster. Hermione was definitely on the mend.
Theo and Ron were, again, playing Wizarding Chess, both of them glaring at the board in a stalemate.
Hermione extracted herself from Draco's grip and smiled warmly at him when he looked at her in confusion. "I'll be right back," she promised, leaning forward to peck him on the cheek.
Padding over to Harry, she eyed him excitedly, "Did he agree?" she whispered.
Harry nodded, sighing. "I don't feel right about this, Hermione. Olivander was willing to give up his entire store for whatever I wanted. It makes me uncomfortable. He doesn't owe me anything…"
"I know," Hermione said, placing a placating hand on Harry's shoulder as they sat at the tables in the far end of the room. "Olivander trusts you. And he has every reason to trust you. You know very well that Draco and Theo are not a threat. You know they need protection. Not every law is just or correct."
"Sometimes I think you've changed so much, Hermione," Harry said, his green eyes probing her own brown ones. "Growing up, you were a stickler for the rules, and safety, and you hated recklessness. And I wonder when it all changed. But then…"
"Harry, I was a child. I had a child's mentality on the law and government. But you know better than anything, there isn't a single rule I won't break to protect the people I love. If it's the law or what is right, I'll choose what is right every time."
"I suppose that's true," Harry admitted. "And you did keep Rita Skeeter in a jar for months."
Hermione chuckled. "And I'd do it again," she warned.
"Well," Harry said, reaching into his robes and pulling out a large box. "He offered to make an Unbreakable Vow, but besides not having a person to cast the spell - I'd never agree to that. Instead, he happily made a wand oath and offered up six wands. He claims they've been sitting in the back for five decades unregistered. He's never put them on the floor because he was never entirely happy with them."
Hermione's eyes shot up to Harrys. "Don't worry, they are in perfectly fine working order, he assures me. They have minor imperfections in the wood that he didn't feel was up to his standard."
"Okay," Hermione said, looking down at the box. "So, we have to see which one works best?"
"Yes," Harry said. "And we will return all six when this madness is over." Hermione nodded.
"Thank you, Harry," she said. "I know you didn't want to do this. I've asked so many things of you that test your moral compass and I'm sorry."
"It's not that," Harry said. "I agree with you about the law. The law once tried to upend my entire life. 'The Law' is Dolores Umbridge. But acting like this, without authority and without oversight, I told myself I wasn't going to do that again."
"I know," Hermione said, taking his hand in hers. "I understand, Harry. Being untethered by the structure of the rules is not something I wanted to do again either. But, unfortunately, the Ministry is always three or four steps behind ever crisis and we don't have time for them to catch up." Harry nodded and squeezed her hand.
"Okay, let's get this over with," he finally said.
"Draco, Theo, can you both come over here?" Hermione called to them as she opened the box Harry had laid on the table and looked at the six optional wands inside. Each was labelled with a small tag noting length, wood, and core materials.
Draco and Theo made their way over to the table, confused looks on their faces as they approached. "Harry, Ron, and I discussed the fact that the two of you are vulnerable to attack. Yes, you are in the safest place in Scotland at the moment, but safe places can become unsafe, and without a way to defend yourselves…'
Hermione shook the thought from her head. "We've decided to offer you the opportunity to use a wand for the short term." Draco and Theo's eyes both immediately darted to each other in shock. "It is temporary," Hermione continued. "These wands are unregistered and must return to Olivander the moment we defeat The Dark Lord and rearrest the Rakov Brothers."
"Wands," Theo breathed. "You are giving us wands." It was a statement with the hint of a question, as if he couldn't believe it could possibly be true.
"Won't you get in trouble?" Draco asked. "Potter, this would destroy your career, if not get you sent to Azkaban yourself."
"I'm aware," Harry said stiffly. "I feel very confident Olivander is trustworthy, and we will return the wands before anyone even knows this happened."
"I…" Draco couldn't seem to get words out of his mouth. His eyes were a deep grey as he stared down at the box on the table.
Hermione could see the overwhelming feelings coursing through him. To the rest of the room, he looked impassive, a mask of a man mildly interested. But Hermione knew better. The tremor in his fingers as they unconsciously reached toward the box, his rigid posture, the way his breath hitched and his eyes blinked back what she felt sure were tears told her that while she, Harry, and Ron had planned getting Theo and Draco wands like it was something on their 'to-do' list, they'd just drastically changed things for Draco and Theo. They had given them a measure of dignity back that they'd never really believed they'd have again.
"We have some options," Hermione said, refusing to let the emotion of the profound moment take her over. Theo and Draco were getting wands. Their own wands - for the first time in over five years. "I suppose we just try to see which matches you best the way we do at Olivander's shop," she continued.
"Here, Theo, you go first," she said, pulling out the first wand. "This is," she squinted at the squashed writing on the tag, "Pine, Dragon Heartstring, eleven inches."
Theo swallowed and took a deep breath, his eyes still peering into the box of wands. Finally, he tentatively extended his arm to take the wand from Hermione and let out a shuddering breath.
"How does it feel?" Hermione asked.
"I…it's been so long…" Theo started.
"I know," Hermione said. "Try casting a small spell. Try lumos."
"Lumos," Theo breathed, but the tip of the wand only weakly lit before going out.
"Lumos," he tried again. Nothing.
"Maybe he's out of practice," Ron quipped.
"It's not that," Hermione said. "At the house, they - he used my wand to remove the memories from his mind. It worked well enough."
"Hermione, you let them use your wand!" Harry cried.
"Weeks ago. And I'm fine. Let it go," Hermione said, her eyes indicating that if Harry didn't shut up immediately, he was going to regret it. "Anyway, let's try another."
"Here," she said, pulling out another wand. "Pear, Dragon Heartstring, ten-and-a-half inches."
"Lumos," Theo said, more confidently. Immediately the wand lit as it should.
"It works," he said, "but it feels a bit like when I used yours," he admitted. "It's not quite right."
"Okay," Hermione said, getting an idea. "Why don't you pick one? Maybe one will call to you."
Theo nodded, moving closer to stand over the box. There were four wands left inside. He took a deep breath before closing his eyes momentarily then opening them again. "This one," he said, pulling a light-toned wand out of the box.
The group watched as a shiver ran through him and he held the wand up, "Lumos." A bright, uncomplicated smile spread across Theo's face instantly. "This one." Hermione smiled too, standing to hug her friend.
"What's this one?" she asked, pulling the tag off. "English Oak, Unicorn Hair, ten-and-a-half inches. When we match Draco, I can get out my book on wandmaking and we can read all about it!" She was more than a little excited. Wandlore was fascinating to her.
"Merlin, Hermione. Who in Godric's name just has a book about wandmaking on them at all times?" Ron muttered. Barely stifled laughter emitted from the other three men.
She rolled her eyes and ignored him. "Draco, you are next."
He tentatively walked up to the table, and she could see his hands shaking. She knew it was excitement coursing through him. His magic was so very important to him, and he'd felt bereft without it. The idea that he might have it back, even for a little while…
"Want me to pick or…" Hermione trailed off, pushing the box toward Draco.
He looked inside and found three wands. Heremione let him concentrate. He picked out a darker wand and held it up. "Lumos," the wand tip erupted in flames.
"Fuck," Harry sputtered, but when Draco let go of the wand the fire went out instantly.
"So, not that one, then," Ron concluded.
"Thank you, Ronald," Hermione bit out. The moment did not require his sarcasm. "Try again," she encouraged. Draco took a deep breath and like Theo closed his eyes for a moment before selecting one of the last two remaining wands.
Hermione stopped him long enough to read the tag. "Cedar, Phoenix Feather eleven-and-three-quarters inches." With a nod she encouraged him to cast.
"Lumos," Draco said. The tip of the wand lit perfectly, and Draco stared at it in awe momentarily before his intense grey eyes met Hermione's.
"How does it feel?" she asked.
"Perfect," he breathed.
"Wonder if I duel Potter, if I'll get the Elder Wand back," Draco said, twirling his new wand between his fingers as Hermione remembered he used to do constantly at Hogwarts.
"Sorry, mate. He broke it in half and threw it off a bridge," Ron said, tapping his own wand on the arm of the armchair he was seated in.
"He what?" Theo gasped.
"I will not explain myself again," Harry said in a tired voice. "That thing caused far more harm than good."
"I still can't believe I had the Elder Wand for almost an entire year, and I didn't know," Draco pouted.
"Well, it's gone now, and we all have new wands," Hermione said. "I was the only one who didn't lose my Hogwarts wand in the War, but after a year or so I found that it didn't suit me anymore. I guess I just changed too much over time…"
"I still have my Hogwarts era wand," Padma said in a sing-song voice, as she pulled it out of her robes where she sat by the fire. "Hawthorn, Unicorn Hair, perfect for healing!"
"This is my third," Ron explained. "First one was destroyed by the Womping Willow. Merlin knows what happened to the second one once the Snatchers took it. Now, I have this Blackthorn, Dragon Heartstring."
Hermione flipped the book she'd promised to show them to the passage on Blackthorn wands. "...best suited for a warrior," she began to skim. "One finds Blackthorn wands among Aurors as well as the denizens of Azkaban…through hardship or danger the wand and its owner become truly bonded."
Ron shrugged, "Suppose that wicked duel with Mundungus' uncle counts as 'hardship,' Harry?"
Harry snorted. "I doubt it."
'Harry, and I both have Rowan wands now,' Hemione continued. "Though I have a Phoenix Feather core and Harry a Dragon Heartstring."
"What does it say about Rowan wood wands?" Padma asked.
Hermione flipped to the page and began to skim again, "...a much-favoured wood, it's reputed to be more protective than any other. …renders all manner of defensive charms particularly difficult to break."
"That's why they are always asking Harry to do the protective wards," Ron inserted.
"It's commonly believed no Dark Wizard or Witch has ever owned a Rowan wand. It's most happily placed with the clear-headed and open-hearted." Hermione continued.
"Well, aren't you and Harry just the wandmaker's pet!" Padma laughed and so did everyone else.
"Okay, let's look at Theo and Draco's wands," Hermione said, sitting up straighter and pulling the book closer. "Theo, you have an English Oak with Unicorn Hair. English Oak…" she flipped some pages again. "A wand for good times and bad, this is a friend as loyal as the Wizard who deserves it." She beamed at her friend before continuing. "...the propensity for owners of English Oak wands to have powerful intuition…and affinity for the natural word…with the creatures and plants necessary for Wizarding kind. It's said Merlin's wand was English Oak."
"Damn, Nott," Ron said, his eyebrows lifted, impressed.
"Well, I think you are highly intuitive," Hermione said. "It makes perfect sense."
"Okay, do Malfoy's," Padma said, more excited than anyone. It made Hermione think of her sister Parvati's affinity for Divination. Padma was taking in wand lore the way Hermione's mother did Astrology in University.
"Okay, Draco has Cedar, Phoenix feather…" Hermione said, flipping back to the portion of the book on cedar wood wands. "Here," she said. "Whenever I meet someone who carries a Cedar wand, I find strength of character and unusual loyalty."
Draco blushed and Hermione snuggled closer as she continued to read. "...it finds its perfect home where there is perspicacity and perception. I have never, yet, met the owner of a cedar wand whom I would care to cross, especially if harm is done to those of whom they are fond." It was Hermione's turn to blush. "...potentially a frightening adversary, which often comes as a shock to those who thoughtlessly challenge them."
"Don't try to duel Draco - got it," Padma said, her voice was earnest, but the grin on her face made Hermione laugh.
Draco gripped his new wand tighter, and Hermione watched as his forearms flexed. It sent lusty thoughts through her head, and she was just about to suggest it was time to turn in - though it was only eight o'clock - when Padma suggested she be evaluated for the night. With a sigh Hermione nodded and followed Padma over to the healer's bed where Padma began her twice daily ritual of checking her health, iron levels, and magic.