Chapter 22/23: Mary Culdon
Lady Katherine Granger shook with nervousness as she entered her husband's study. She decided it was best to inform her husband herself rather than wait for him to find out from one of the servants.
"Good morning, Katherine" said her husband, going through a stack of parchment.
"Good morning, Gareth. I …"
"I have just received Baron Burnel's side of the marriage contract. Everything is most satisfactory. He will arrive later today, you remember. I am pleased everything is in order."
Lady Granger shut the door firmly behind her. Her husband looked up in surprise at her – it was not her habit to slam doors.
"Katherine," he said, looking at her grave expression, "What is the matter?"
Lady Granger took a deep breath.
"It's Hermione isn't it? What has happened to our daughter? Has she taken her own life? What…"
"No…nothing of the sort, Gareth. Let me speak." said Lady Granger to her husband. "And you must promise not to interrupt me till I finish speaking."
Lord Granger made an impatient gesture with his hand. "If it is about letting our daughter marry for love again, you can save your breath, woman. I am done with that old nonsense."
"Will you let me speak without interruption?" Lady Granger sounded stern.
Lord Granger was surprised. "As you wish."
"Two days ago, I had a talk with our daughter which made me remember the past all too clearly. She said some things that could not be coincidence, Gareth. I went to Father Lorenzo and we tested her with Holy Water…"
"Holy Water, but you know what…"
"You promised not to interrupt me…Holy Water. She did not burn."
"Did not burn!"
"Yes. It is all coming true. I know we have tried touching her with it through the years, and always the result has been injurious in the extreme, but two days ago, her skin remained as fair and unmark'd as…as…the petals of a rose."
"Do not remind me! You and your weakness all those years ago…"
Lady Granger continued, ignoring her husband. "So you see, it is true. She is capable of love! She is no longer the creature we thought she was, she is now a holy, Christian child. You can ask Father Lorenzo, he saw it himself!"
"Love! But- .."
"And I could not let you ruin her one chance at salvation by forcing her into a loveless match. What does it matter if she had to find love on her own terms and it was not one of the suitors we presented to her? What does it matter? Gareth, I tell you it matters not because…"
"Matter? It…"
"…because she is more important to me than anything in the world. I never considered her anything but my own flesh and blood, be it that we both know she was born from a rose. God or some spirit answered my wish and the child has been the best of daughters to me, and to you also I may add, Gareth so…"
"So what?"
"…so I did what I had to do. I made up for my sin eighteen years ago by ensuring God received a soul. I spoke to both of them and I saw that she and the stablehand, his name is Draco Malfoy, loved each other truly. I asked each if they were willing to give to each other the fidelity of their body and possessions…"
"Body and possessions! You mean…"
"…in sickness and in health, whatever God's will…"
Lord Granger rose from the table, the marriage contract with Baron Burnel scrunched in his clenched hands.
"…and they would both have it thus! They were married last night by Father Lorenzo! God speed them, they are far away from here, and I believe I have done right, and atoned for my sin, and I do wish them, and you as her loving father should wish them as well, all the health and happiness they deserve!"
"KATHERINE! I MUST GO AFTER HER! GET MY HORSE!"
"THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO NOW! They are already married! And nothing can break that union except God himself!"
Lady Granger stood her ground as her husband shook the marriage contract under her face and turned purple in the face.
"DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO US?"
"W-What?"
"I signed my half of the contract yesterday! It is in Baron Burnel's hands now, taken to him by a messenger! By your actions, we have broken the engagement and will have to forfeit our daughter's dowry!"
"Y-You signed it already?" Lady Granger paled. "But husband, it is not the custom to sign it till both parties meet in the flesh!"
"Custom- hah! I wanted everything to go as quickly as possible. Our daughter was behaving so madly I was afear'd for her life and did everything as fast as I could! Do you know what is in her dowry?!"
"What?" asked Lady Granger, faintly.
"Three fourths of our lands! THREE FOURTHS OF OUR LANDS!" Lord Granger began to laugh.
"S-so much! Why?"
"I wanted to do right by her- I didn't want her to think I didn't love her and was forcing her into a loveless marriage! Hah! So I gave her as much as I could! AS MUCH AS I COULD TO SHOW HER I LOVED HER!"
Her husband threw the marriage contract against the wall and sat down laughing. He began to shake and tremble. Horrified, Lady Granger put her arms around her husband and soothed him.
"Hush, Gareth. Hush, my sweet. All is not lost!"
"I am only a lowly Lord, Katherine. Baron Burnel is royalty. He is fifth cousin to the King. If he were to make a complaint against me to the Crown…"
"Oh Gareth hush…"
"…alleging that our family has shamed him…"
"He is an unscrupulous man. I did not really want Hermione to marry him. But he was so rich, and titled, and I was so angry at that wench!"
"Hush!"
"I WILL NOT BE SILENT!" said Lord Granger, rising and throwing off his wife's arms. Lady Granger staggered back.
Lord Granger stalked forward and picked the crushed marriage contract off the floor. He slammed it onto the table between him and his wife.
"You see what misfortune that…creature has caused us!"
"Gareth, do not call…"
"An unholy abomination! Do you not remember Father Gresham's words?"
"Everyday! But…"
"DO NOT EVER SPEAK TO ME OF THAT CREATURE AGAIN. As far as I'm concerned, I had no daughter. Our only daughter died at birth."
"Eighteen years she has been the best of daughters to us! She has loved you and called you father and you now disown her? Haven't you always wanted her to marry for love? How has she wronged you?"
"Have you lost your mind woman? Our daughter has been cavorting with a servant! She is now married to that base-born servant! When they make love, his sweat smells like horse filth!"
Lady Granger closed her eyes.
"A daughter of this family frolicking with base-born dirt! Not only that, Baron Burnel has been humiliated in the worst way! She has shamed this family beyond belief!"
"No, you are wrong! Wrong!" Lady Granger tried to press a piece of parchment into her husband's hands. "Read this and you will see this so-called base-born stablehand has a heart of gold."
"What is this?" Lord Granger squinted at the letter.
"It is his marriage proposal! No stretch of the imagination would call the sentiments he expressed there base!"
Lord Granger immediately tore it up and flung the shreds back at his wife.
His wife gasped.
Lord Granger turned and stormed out of his study, leaving his shaking wife with the words, "Baron Burnel arrives in two hours! You have the honour of informing him of the whole wretched situation. I hope you enjoy it."
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Aldeburgh was a much larger town than Mildenstowe. Arriving there in the afternoon, Draco and Hermione realized that it was impossible to start searching for Mary Culdon that day. They were much too tired and the town far too big. Besides, she might be living in one of the outlying farm communities. They decided to go to ask for a room at the Bull's Head Inn where they were supposed to leave their horse.
"Well, 'ol Ben do look like 'e could use a bit o' a lie-down" said Crunther, the innkeeper at the Bull's Head in Aldeburgh. He took the reigns from Draco and led the horse to the stableyard. At his whistle, two stableboys hurried over to unsaddle the horse.
"My wife is very tired," said Draco, "Have you rooms for us?"
"Aye" said Crunther, looking appreciatively at Hermione. Even in her plainest dress, she was exceedingly beautiful. "Will it be just this night?"
Draco and Hermione exchanged looks. "I can't really say" said Draco. "We're looking for someone here who might take us in."
"Looking for someone? And who might he be?" asked Crunther, opening the door to the inn for them.
"It's a 'she' actually," said Hermione. "Do you know a Mary Culdon"
Crunther gave a start. "Mary Culdon? Her that was married to Peter Morwyn? What do ye be wantin' with Mother Mary Morwyn?"
"Our business is our own." Draco replied, shortly. "Do you know her or not?"
"Aye, I know her. But trust me, you won't be gettin' no shelter under her roof!"
"What do you mean?" asked Hermione, curiously.
Crunther lowered his voice. "Mother Morwyn or Mary Culdon as you know her, is dead! She were burnt at the stake three years ago for witchcraft!"
Both Draco and Hermione paled. "She's dead?" exclaimed Hermione.
Crunther looked pleased to see the effect this piece of scandalous news had on the couple. "Ye'd better not be lettin' people know ye have business with Mother Morwyn. Or in a trice, the governors will have ye taken in for witchcraft too!"
"W-Witchcraft?" said Hermione.
Crunther nodded. "Aye, she seemed like a harmless old crone to me. A bit soft in t'head but everyone knew she had the Eye. She read palms and did the casting stones and all that on the sly. T'weren't a young maid or lad in town hadn't gone to old Mother Morwyn for some love divining. But three years ago, there was a bad crop, a really bad crop, followed by the fever, then bad cases of horse-palsy… so Lord Aldeburgh called in the Witch Hunters. They took Mother Morwyn, also her husband old Peter Morwyn. And Mother Goodwin, Mother Albright and Mother Crookwell and her husband as well. T'were a sad weekend for us all. So, I expect ye'd be takin' t'rooms for much longer?"
Draco felt panic rise in him but controlled himself. He could tell Hermione was on the verge of a breakdown and he needed to get her into a room and calmed down before they could discuss where to go from here.
"We'll take them for a week" said Draco, taking out his purse. Crunther nodded and opened a book of accounts. "Your lodging's on t'second floor. Ye pay half now and half at t'end. 'Ave a nice stay."
Crunther watched as the good-looking young couple made their way up the stairs.
"We have guests, George? Why are ye standin there all moon-faced?" said a voice at his side. It was his red-faced wife, bustling in from the kitchen.
Crunther chuckled. "A pair of lovers. They be elopin', mark my words. They're both downright scared I can tell – the girl more so. The girl's dress is fine but the boy's though clean, t'isn't much to speak of. Probably her father's got it in for t'poor lad."
"How do ye know they be elopin?" asked his wife. "Your head is full of nonsense, old man."
Crunther shrugged and went back to his books. "They had no luggage. Not a scrap more on them than the clothes on their backs. And they were a lookin' for Mother Morwyn, and the only people who used t'do that were lovers…"
"Mother Morwyn?" Mrs Crunther crossed herself. "Bless us all. Did ye tell them what happened to that poor old crone?"
"Aye, and downright disappointed they looked."
Mrs Crunther shook her head. "I don't know what's becoming of the young'uns these days. But I only run an inn, and I question nothing. All right old man, stop yer dreamin' help me wit' t'ale in the barrels at the back."
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"Don't cry, Hermione" said Draco, putting his arms around his wife. "We'll think of something."
"W-We'll be stuck here forever! There's no one here who can help us! H-How are we ever going to get the herbs on Samhain?"
Draco racked his brains as Hermione tried to control her sobs.
"Maybe we could ask your mother to gather them for us and send them over to Aldeburgh." Draco suggested.
Hermione looked up abruptly. "Draco! We could ask Thomas!"
Draco nodded. "Yes, I think we could. You see? I knew we'd think of something! Now stop crying."
Hermione dried her eyes. "Will you write to him straight away?" she asked eagerly.
Draco slapped his hand on his knee. "Damn, Thomas can't read! We'll have to ask someone else."
"Mary Ludlow, of course" said Hermione, promptly. "But won't they ask all kinds of questions why we need such strange herbs to be collected on Samhain? You know how they feel about w-witchcraft around here."
"Mary Ludlow won't sell us out" said Draco, kicking off his boots. "If they start probing and the Grangers' secret gets out, they're all done for."
"You know about the secret?" Hermione was surprised.
"Yes, your mother told me all about you, my little changeling. Didn't I always say at back at Hogwarts that there was something not quite right about you?"
"I am not a changeling!" Hermione blazed.
Draco grinned and threw off his shirt. He leaned back into the soft sheets of the bed and pulled a half-undressed Hermione into his arms.
"Whatever you say…rose girl." He said, and nuzzled her neck.
"Draco, I hope you realize that if the only reason I was thrown back into this life and no one noticed the difference was because I took the place of a changeling…then you must have as well!"
Draco stopped nuzzling her for a second. "Super. We're both freaks."
"No…we're not." Hermione tried to ignore Draco's exploratory lips and fingers as her mind worked harder than it had in months. "We took their place. The two changelings who filled the places of the dead children of our families have returned to the fay…"
Draco's exploratory fingers froze for a second. "Two changelings?" he said aloud. He had a vague memory of two shadowy figures he had seen on Litha…
"Yes…" continued Hermione, not noticing Draco's reaction. "I know Lady Granger's daughter died and was replaced by a changeling, but what about you? Are there Malfoys around …Oooh!"
The "Oooh" was her response to Draco suddenly biting her shoulder.
"Mmm…no, my ancestors came from France. It was only when my great grandfather Ladon Malfoy came over to England from Fair Paris in the 1890s did we Malfoys first have a presence in England."
Hermione wrapped her arms around Draco's neck and snuggled into his chest. He drew her down into the soft bed. Both of them knew they were probably going to sleep right through the day and night into the next morning. They were bone tired and the shock of learning of Mary Culdon's death had made them even more weary.
"Well, you must be wrong. Somehow, the same thing that happened to Lady Granger must have happened to one of the Malfoy women in England a long time ago. Maybe you were passing through or visiting or something.…"
"Thomas said that word around the farm was that I was left there to work when I was four by my grandmother."
"Your grandmother? Why didn't you tell me before?"
"I only found out after I was forbidden to see you, and we haven't really had time to talk much since meeting up again…" Draco kissed the top of his wife's head.
"Your grandmother…I wonder who she is…"
"Don't think too hard about it Hermione" Draco said softly, "It's all I've been thinking about last week and it's driving me crazy."
"It's like everytime we think we're going to piece the puzzle together…"
"We find new pieces…Yes, I know. It's really much better not to think about it too hard you know."
"Not think too hard about it? But I've never let a problem go before…"
"Hermione Granger, Order-of-Swotting First Class…. Eeep!"
Hermione found a tender place of Draco's to pinch.
"It's Hermione Malfoy now," she said, turning to kiss Draco deeply on the lips. "Don't you forget it."
Chapter 22/23: Aldeburgh
When they awoke the next morning, both felt incredibly refreshed.
"Didn't anyone tell you that a lady does not stuff her face?" said Draco, watching in amusement as Hermione ate three eggs and four muffins in about two minutes.
"Shuhub" Hermione said, through a mouthful of eggs.
With some food in her, and away from the confines of Granger Mansion, she was feeling more and more like her old self. Ironically, that made her see Draco Malfoy more and more as she remembered him back in Hogwarts as well. The only difference was that this time, he wasn't taking every opportunity he could to make life hell for her. In fact, he was taking every opportunity to make her feel good- like ordering her a second-plate of breakfast after she had eaten the first one in about a minute.
"You're not going to need a third plate of breakfast I hope" Draco said in alarm as Hermioen polished off her second plate almost as quickly as the first.
"Novanksamvul" she said, and began to laugh.
"Ew, could you do me a favour and swallow your food first? What's so funny anyway?"
Hermione gulped down the mouthful she had been chewing.
"R-Ron used to talk with his mouth full all the time…it drove me and Harry nuts! I never thought I'd one day do the same thing." Hermione's eyes were bright as she remembered her two best friends.
Draco saw a misty, happy look appear on Hermione's face. Geez, she really misses those two…what was it I used to call them? Twits? Morons? Had I really been so petty? Anyway, she really missed Potty and Weasel.
"You three were really great friends huh?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Well, I wasn't exactly part of the Wonder Club, you remember?"
Hermione looked worried. "Oh…no, but things are different now, Draco. I-I-mean, we've worked out a lot of our differences, and er, we're married. Besides, there isn't a Wonder Club anyway…we're friends with everyone. We'd even have been friends with you, if you'd let us."
"Let you? Why on earth wouldn't I let you?"
Hermione wondered if the Thyme Eliminus had damaged Draco's memory so much already. "Y-You always hated us. Ron because he was poor…and me because I was a muggleborn…"
Draco reddened. "Yeah. But I guess I had my reasons then, and well, things have sort of changed my mind about things."
Hermione looked at her husband, her eyes full of pride. "I know - that's part of the reason I fell in love with you. Because you were big enough to change your mind."
The couple grinned stupidly at each other.
"Potty and Weasel are still going to kill me, you know" Draco said, taking his wife's hand as they rose from the table.
"I know" said Hermione.
"It doesn't bother you?" Draco said.
"No, because they will probably die of shock the moment we tell them anyway."
Draco laughed. "They can do anything to me they want. All I want is to take you back with me to the future where we can live in the lap of luxury …"
"And I can learn to ride horses…"
"Naturally. And I will be Lord of the Manor again…"
"…and I'll use nice, clean soap to bathe with…"
"Yeah… and I'll wear freshly laundered clothes every day…"
"And we'll eat pumpkin pasties…"
"And we can brush our teeth after that…"
"And our beds won't have fleas…"
"And most importantly, Hermione…we'll use toilets that flush."
"Oh yes! Definitely."
They walked into the sunshine of that early October day and began to get a feel of the town of Aldeburgh. It was very large, much larger than Mildenstowe, and looked quite prosperous, despite having had a spate of bad fortune three years ago.
"Where shall we go now? We have three weeks to Samhain" said Hermione, as they passed through a street that reminded her strongly of Diagon Alley. In fact, all these streets reminded her of Diagon Alley – narrow, dark and bustling.
"I thought we'd try and find out more about Mary Culdon and her husband. Also those four others who were burned as witches. I'd always thought that magic people couldn't really be burned at the stake."
"You're thinking of Wendelin the Weird. She enjoyed being burnt at the stake so much that she allowed herself to be captured 14 times in various disguises, each time, she disapparated. But you're forgetting something Draco."
"What?"
"She had a wand and knew the spells."
"So?"
"How likely is it that Mary Culdon was a real witch with a wand? Sounds like she was just a common soothsayer."
"Well, how do you know that?"
Hermione sighed, "Because she obviously didn't go to Hogwarts, did she? Somewhere out there, in this time, is jolly old Hogwarts. But in these times, pureblood or muggleborn, you couldn't go to Magic School unless you had enough money for books and fees. The policy was only changed in the 1700s when the authorities realized that there was a dangerous sub-culture of bastardized magic developing outside the official schools. Doesn't anyone but me read Hogwarts: A History?"
Draco was silent.
Hermione linked her arm with his.
"Knut for your thoughts?" she said, eventually.
Draco turned round and met her gaze. She thought he looked very angry. "If this is what happens when you keep deserving people out of Hogwarts." he said bitterly "then it's absolutely rotten."