A/N: For now I'm just going to jump back and forth between Hermione and Ginny to reveal their summers and their struggles as they grow. Please, enjoy.
Summary: What's up with Harry? Why are Hermione and Ginny disappearing all the time? Who is this enticing new Gryffindor? And just where in all hells is Ron? Reincarnation is a strange and dangerous thing that toys with the present in hopes that the present will somehow turn out like the past, but will the past repeat itself in this occurrence, or will the reincarnation of the great King Arthur fail to save the world as we know it from a foe greater than any seen in this word yet?
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
And We Thought it Was the End
Chapter 4
Malfoy Manor
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Scotland: Some where between Rockcliffe and Kirkbean on the shores of Solway Firth
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June 8, 1997
Hermione Granger stood on a cliff over looking the slightly choppy waters of the Solway Firth. Behind her loomed the gothic Malfoy Manor and her sorrows and troubles.
Her thick fur cloak whipped in the harsh sea wind as she stared silently across the water at the English borders. Her hair flew back from her face with the wind and her eyes stung from the air . . . or was it just tears?
Her clothing was completely black for the funeral they were about to attend. The maid appointed to her by Narcissa had twisted the sides of her hair together and pinned them behind her head to give her curly hair a slightly Renaissance look. She was wearing a conventional black dress in the new wizarding style. She hadn't bothered to tell Narcissa that her family would think she'd gone insane. The dress was positively medieval. It was thick black velvet, off-the-shoulder, long sleeved, the waistline took a dive at her hips and met in a point just below her pelvic bone, and the waist line led to a flowing skirt that trailed on the floor when she walked. Along with the dress went matching velvet slippers.
But she didn't care if she looked different.. she had begun to accept that this was who she was, a witch through and through...
The wavering sounds of a flute caught her ear and she turned slightly to the left to catch the sound better, but no one was there.
She looked around her in all directions, but the music seemed to be coming from no where...
Okay, now I'm going crazy...
"Hermione?"
The music began to fade away and she searched harder for its source.
"Hermione?"
Now it was gone and she still hadn't found out where it came from.
She turned to the speaker with a sigh and started. "Professor Lupin?"
"Yes?"
"What are you doing here?"
"I thought you could use a friend." He put an arm around her shoulder and led her back to the house. "You know you shouldn't be out here, at least not without your cloak closed. It's freezing. Very un-natural for this time of year I think."
He continued on with mindless chatter and she was thankful for it. It pushed the funeral and the strange music out of her head for the time being. For the rest of the hour he talked about how he was at Hogwarts for the summer taking care of "a few friends". But when she asked him, he wouldn't clarify. She merely shrugged, not feeling up to feeling further.
But soon, the hour was up and Narcissa came down the stairs with Haven at her side looking slightly teary, but smiling all the same.
"And who is this?" Remus said kneeling to Haven's four-year-old height.
Haven smiled. "My name is Haven Granger sir, Who are you?"
"I am Remus Lupin, I used to teach at Hogwarts School."
Haven's face lit up as he liked to hear about the magical school that his sister attended. "Did you really? Mia tells me of it all the time!"
"Mia?"
"My sister, Her-her-meee... I can't say her name." He uttered the last part quiet softly and Remus had to lean in to hear it.
Remus laughed heartily. "It's all right, her name gave our Bulgarian friend quiet a mouthful too."
Hermione flushed to her hair line and smacked Remus's arm good naturedly. "Hush." She said softly.
Haven turned a quizzical glance o his sister and asked with an innocent voice, "Who is he talking about Mia?"
Hermione ignored Draco's sniggering as he leaned against the banister to the grand staircase. "No one brother." She said passing a hand over his blond curls and smiling down at him. "But how handsome you look today."
"Nana helped me." He said referring to Narcissa. If you thought Hermione was hard for a four-year-old to pronounce, try getting them to say "Narcissa", one would think that there would be a limit to how many "S" sounds a child's mouth could make... apparently not. So Haven had stuck to calling Narcissa "Nana" or "Cissa" when he was upset.
Hermione looked up at her caretaker and smiled softly. "Thank you."
"No worries child." Narcissa passed an arm around Hermione's waist companionably and led her from the room and towards the front door leaving Draco and Remus to take Haven to the car.
Upon their return to the manor later that night, Hermione breathed a sigh of sadness. She walked to her bed and slowly switched the black gown for a less formal house gown. It was cut in the same style, but was made of a thinner material. She slid her feet into the matching shoes and sighed. Would the rest of her life be like this? Living in the lap of comfort while everyone she loved was snatched away from her?
If that was the cost, she'd rather live in a box in an alley.
She sighed and sat in an easy chair by the window. As she cast her gaze about the room for something to do, she caught sight of the still unopened package from her mother sitting on the cherry wood desk against the far wall.
She pushed herself up out of the chair and walked quickly to the other side of the room and picked up the thick envelope as she sat in the soft desk chair.
She pulled a letter opener from the desk drawer and slit the package open.
A thick book, several sheets of paper, and a key fell out. But what caught Hermione's eye was a shrunken trunk that hit the desk top with a small thud. She picked it up in her hand and weighed it. Quickly doing the conversions in her head, she guessed that it would be pretty heavy when put back to its normal size.
She set it to the side and picked up the book, flipping through the pages. Her mother's familiar handwriting met her eyes and for a moment she teared up.
But no, that wouldn't do, for she could not read with tears fogging her vision. She blinked the tears form her eyes and noticed that the aforementioned book was in reality a journal; more specifically a journal of her seventh year at Hogwarts School of witch craft and wizardry.
She held it up in wonder and red the first few lines of the first page.
August 31, 1979
I have purchased this journal with the hopes of replacing the last one that James Potter still has not returned to me. Cissy had promised to get it back before the end of the spring term last year, but needless to say, she got sidetracked.
But embarrassing matters aside, my seventh year is beginning and I am in a certain state of anxiety over it. Where am I to go after graduation? I know mother wants me to marry that Gladstone boy from Hufflepuff, but he's a pansy and he's not very intelligent either. To marry him would be an insult to my intelligence and his lack of that particular trait.
Maybe I'll go to University and study Transfiguration or Charms...
I don't know yet. Good thing I still have the rest of the year to think about it.
I will write again as soon as I reach the castle, but mum is fussing at me to go to sleep so I'll have to put this away now.
Goodnight.
Hermione closed the journal gently and smiled softly. Then she moved towards the stack of papers, it was a very long letter.
She read the date on the top of the page and frowned. April 7, 1997 She shook her head. That's impossible. How would um possibly know that she was going to die then?
She shrugged and began to read the letter.
My dear darling Hermione,
A witch as smart as you are must already be wondering how I possibly knew of my death months before it happened. I will tell you. Often I have prophetic dreams, not enough to make me a true clairvoyant, but enough to let me know what's coming. Does that satisfy your need to know? If not I am sorry daughter, I do not know anymore.
I am writing this letter because I must tell you, I myself, am a witch. This I am most sure Narcissa has already told you, and the fact that Richard is neither your father nor Haven's father. Your real father and I met at Hogwarts and fell in love, but I am getting ahead of myself. I will start at the beginning.
My parents were wealthy in the wizarding world. My parents' names were Decius and Morgan Richter. My father worked for the ministry and my mother was a housewife as all well-bred pureblooded women are. Right after she graduated form Hogwarts, my mum had first Jordan then me. Jordan was to be the heir and for many years, my parents tried and tried for "the spare", but they never got one.
So it was horrible to them when my brother was murdered at the end of my seventh year and my parents married me off to a trustworthy muggle. At the time, I was already pregnant with you, but again, I'm getting ahead of myself.
Jordan, being five years older than myself was already in his sixth year by the time I was accepted at Hogwarts. I was sorted into Gryffindor along with Cissy and had a wonderful time. Along with Lily Evans, Cissy and I formed a lasting friendship that brought us through many trials, especially the means of your conception and birth.
In the beginning of my seventh year, I was paired with a Slytherin for an assignment, needless to say, as a true Gryffindor should react, I blew up. I had refused to work with him, but our professor was insistent that we work together, and through that assignment, we formed a sort of friendship. From that friendship came more and from that more came you.
I know that you are trying t figure who he might be, but you must read my journal, all will be explained... Please daughter, do not fear him, if he is indeed still alive, if not, do not fear his memory, for he always loved you especially of any of his three children. He loves Haven too, for he is the youngest and the most spoiled. But you were always his little girl. He hated having to hate you, but he was always proud of you and your intelligence.
Please Hermione, once you are finished with my journal, the trunk will swell to its normal size and unlock and inside are things from my girlhood that I want you to treasure as much as I did.
Also, the golden key is the key to the Richter family vault number 717. After Jordan was killed, his inheritance was split into thirds, two went to me and one to your aunt who dies shortly after and the money passed to Edward. But the two thirds left to me was a large sum, some thousands I believe, and I have in turn left it to you and your brother to do with what you will. Your father I believe, if he has passed has left you a rather large sum of money also to split between the two of you. Use it wisely my daughter, for I will not be there to help you manage in the future.
One last word to you my dear, do not mourn for me too long because I disliked the melancholy in life and I am sure that I shall do the same in death. Please, mourn one week for me, but no more...because then it will be too long and you will become melancholy, and I shall dislike that very much.
I love you with all my heart, with all my soul, and with all my very being,
Mummy.
That reminder to live her life finally and roughly shocked Hermione out of her week-long stupor and she smiled, truly smiled for the first time that week.
Hermione dried her tears at the signature. The parting words were that of the same phrase her mother would say to her every night before she went to sleep. Sighing she fingered the leather binding of the journal and decided that she'd begin to read the next day figuring she'd had enough emotional excitement for one day. She picked up the key to the vault and, after eyeing it for a moment slipped it into the small velvet pouch at her waist.
Then she stood intending to ask Narcissa when he next trip to Gringotts would be.
As she walked down the main staircase, the soft sound of a piano met her ears and she followed it to what Narcissa had introduced her to as "The Grand Ball Room". She pushed pen the door a crack and slid in silently.
Narcissa stood in the middle of the floor with a dark haired boy about Hermione's age and Draco sat at the piano with a young girl with dark hair. Hermione, who hadn't known they were having visitors today jus leaned against the wall by the door and watched.
She recognized both of the visitors as two of the Slytherins. Seventh year Blaise Zabini being Narcissa's dance partner, and intelligent sixth year Rachel Caddo as Draco's duet partner.
Narcissa was going about the nuances of a waltz so that the dark haired boy would not crush his partner's feet and, upon Hermione's entrance into the room, was in the middle of slapping him on his forehead for nearly breaking some of her toes.
"That's enough for today Blaise." Narcissa said wearily taking a seat on a nearby chair. "My feet can't take anymore of this torture."
"I'm very sorry aunt." Said the dark haired boy.
"Oi! You're killing my poor mother's feet Zabini! What's the matter with you?" Draco said good naturedly from the piano where he and his companion continued at their duet.
"Bloody hell Draco! I said 'I'm sorry'! Let's try again." Blaise looked a bit hopeful, but Narcissa's look crushed his expression.
Hermione, taking another step into the room cleared her throat softly. "Blaise, I could dance with you if you like..."
Everyone's faces turned towards her quite quickly because they hadn't known of another person in the room and she smiled softly. "But only if you don't crush my toes. If you do I'll hex you into next century."
Draco smirked. "Granger's finally back! Welcome home to earth, Love."
"Stuff it Malfoy." Hermione snapped.
Blaise walked forward and smiled kindly at her. "Would you please accept this dance?" He said bowing low.
Hermione gave him a curtsey worthy of a debutante and placed her small hand delicately in his own. "I would love to."
Blaise turned to Draco and his companion and snapped quickly. "Music maestros!"
"Yes master!" Said Rachel in a very frightening manner.
"A duet!" Narcissa said clapping her hands.
"Mother, we just played a duet!"
"Play another! And Draconis, whining is unseemly, it's doesn't fit you, so don't do it."
Draco flipped through the music book on the piano for a moment before he found one. "Ah! Perfect!" Then, bowing melodramatically said, "Beethoven's Sonata Operetta No. 1 in D minor: Allegro Molto E Con Brio, Adagio Molto, and Finale- Pretissimo. Or rather in English: "I'm only playing this so my overbearing mother will be happy'." He said this al with a small smirk in his mother's direction and a wink for everyone else.
Hermione was still having a hard time getting used to this playful and fun side of Draco Malfoy who she'd always known to be patronizing and evil. But she smiled at him nevertheless and, said quickly to Blaise, "Are you leading?"
He nodded while looking into her eyes and she smiled at him. Then she started to mouth the numbers to the steps, "1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3..." The dance went on and on for the entire 18:51 that it tog for the tune to end.
Not once did Blaise step on Hermione's feet.
At the end he gave a bow and she gave a curtsey and Narcissa clapped for both dancers and players.
"Hermione," She said, "you have brought out the best in my student. I think together you may well dance better that Draco and Rachel!"
The couple on the piano bench scoffed. "Not with my fat lump of a friend here!" Said Rachel. "His feet are just too massive for his body."
Blaise opened his mouth in mock outrage, then proceeded to stalk her around the room while she laughed.
Hermione took a seat on the bench next to Draco ad started to pluck out a small tune.
"You danced quite nicely." He said.
"Thank you."
"Look, I just wanted to officially apologize for everything I've... done to you in the past... My father-"
"Was a domineering arse-hole...I know, I met him once or twice, and on both occasions he was more than I could care for." She said quite decidedly.
Draco smiled down on her. "You know, there's going to be a ball here next week."
"Really? And when was someone planning on telling me?" Her fingers continued to dance along the piano keys.
Draco's mouth gaped speechlessly for a moment, then he shut it with an audible click and grinned. "Right now." His fingers joined hers on the keys.
Blaise snatched Rachel to him and began a mock waltz with dramatized moves.
Hermione smiled. "Well, aren't I lucky then?"
"Actually you are. Rachel was just bring up the subject of dress robes to me before you walked in. We were going to go to Diagon Alley. Would you like to come with us?"
"I would, thank you. I need to check up on some things while I'm there if you don't mind."
"Not at all."
Hermione was suddenly struck by how strange this all was. Here she was having a polite conversation with Draco Malfoy of all people. One insult had not been thrown in the whole duration of their conversation.
Draco stood and said. "Blaise, stop torturing Caddo and let's get moving. It's still early, we should get there before the rush."
Blaise tossed his sister over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and smirked. "Yes sir!"
Rachel beat on his back laughing. "Put me down you great lump!"
"Great is the precise word my love!" Blaise said.
They walked out into the front hall, grabbed their cloaks form the hall closet and then walked into the parlor where the fireplace was.
Narcissa looked up from a book she was reading to Haven who sat on a low stool in front of her. "Where re you all off to?"
"Diagon alley." Draco said. "We need robes for next week."
"Have fun, be careful." Narcissa said going back to her book.
"Bye Mia." Haven said with a small wave.
"That your little brother?" Blaise asked as Draco disappeared into the fireplace, followed by Rachel.
Hermione nodded. "He's only four."
Blaise shook his head sadly, then watched as Hermione also disappeared into the fireplace.
Then a four were gone.
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A/N: Well... I am one upset puppy!! I have gotten no reviews yet! This makes me upset! PLEASE tell me what you think of my story!
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