CHAPTER 15
'M-mum! Dad!' Hermione squeaked. 'What a nice surprise.'
Hermione's mother pursed her lips. She was a scrawny woman with brown eyes and platinum blond, limp hair, that she kept pinned up in a bun. She was wearing an outfit that Hermione hated- a tight, green dress, with a black jacket and sandals. Her father was wearing a suit, and looking extremely annoyed.
'Good evening dear,' he said, in a curt voice. Hermione's heart sank- her father was never curt!
'Hello Lisa,' Hermione's mother said, 'You two seem quite dolled up. Where have you been?'
'At the reception,' Hermione replied.
Her parents raised their eyebrows.
'I explained in the letter, mum,' Hermione said, wearily. 'Today was the first reception. The second is day after.'
Her mother cracked.
'Hermione how can you marry this Malfoy boy!' her mum screeched. 'You know he's vile!'
Her father quickly joined in.
'You know he wouldn't hesitate to insult you!'
'Maliciously taunt you!'
'Provoke you!
'Drive you to a point where you-.'
''SHUT UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUP!!!!' Hermione roared.
Her parents fell silent. Her mother's jaw dropped. Her father's mustache drooped. Lisa's breath caught in her throat.
She took a deep breath.
'Shut up, okay! No matter what you think I'm not stupid! I know it's dumb, marrying Malfoy! But I like my job! You think I'm willingly marrying him? I suggest you read my letters carefully before getting your butts in my flat and driving me crazy. And now-.'
She paused, and stared defiantly around.
'I'm going to bed.'
With that she turned on her heel stomped to her room, and fell flat on her face on the bed, still dressed in her reception gown.
A couple of hours later, Lisa came into her room with a cup of tea and put on the light. Hermione blinked and looked groggily up.
'What?" she asked, in a slurred voice.
'Sit up. Wash and change into your night clothes. I'm not letting you sleep with make up and the most gorgeous dress ever invented by mankind- and that necklace and the bracelets. And drink your tea.'
Hermione sighed, knowing there was a point in what Lisa said. She quickly stripped, washed her face and arms with hot water, slipped into her white nightgown, and came back to the room. She sat on the bed, and cuddled the cup of tea.'
'I talked to your parents,' Lisa said, quietly sitting down beside her. 'They hadn't read the whole letter. They were frantic. Anyway, I explained the whole thing to them and they calmed down a bit. They still didn't like the idea, but your mother told me to tell you that they respected your decision and loved you.'
'Right,' Hermione said, grumpily. She was in no mood to appreciate this gesture of her mother's.
'Look, Mione,' Lisa began, 'I know this is hard for you.'
'Hm.'
'But you realize don't you, that the sooner you get this over with, you'll be free?'
'Hm.'
'And remember what Fudge said, about proof.'
'Hm.'
'And- oh lord; you're not listening to me, are you?'
'No.'
'I thought so...okay, fine, have it your way. Sleep tight. Oh, and keep tomorrow free.'
'Why?' Hermione asked, puzzled.
'Cause we're gonna do a bit of investigation. But since you're so sleepy now, I might as well keep it for tomorrow.'
'NO.' Hermione sat bolt upright. 'Tell me! Tell me...please...'
'Oh, all right,' Lisa said, laughing. 'Well, after your parents left, I got a call from my mum, asking me how everything was. Well, I told her I'd been to the reception of a friend, and we saw loads of Death Eaters around...and I mentioned this really creepy guy called Adrian Chadwick, who I was sure Id seen somewhere before...'
'And-?' Hermione pressed.
'Well, according to her, Adrian Chadwick used to work in the Department of Mysteries,' Lisa declared.
'W-what?' Hermione spluttered.
'Yeah! Only, he left about six months back...no one knew where he had gone, he just vanished...leaving the Department of Mysteries quite unoccupied now.'
'How come we never heard of this?' Hermione asked, scowling. 'We work in the ministry.'
'Oh, it was kept top secret,' Lisa said, 'My mom only found out, because she's pretty close to Mrs. Fudge- and well, you know how women gossip.'
'Yes..' Hermione said, thoughtfully. 'But where do you think this is going to lead us?"
'Well,' Lisa began, 'Remember you said that you thought Malfoy was slightly weary of Chadwick...and both of us felt that we had seen him somewhere before? Well, he might have something to do with the Dark Lord, he might not. Either way, Fudge would be pleased if we investigated a little.'
'I suppose,' Hermione said, doubtfully. 'But what are we-.'
'We're going to pay a little visit to the Department of Mysteries tomorrow,' Lisa finished, grimly.
