Hermione felt a bit strung out but better as Theo mentioned the magic they had been doing. Then she came down to reality with a bump and Blaise didn't meet her eye when she looked to see if he thought this a good idea right now. That meant he didn't think it was a bad idea but it wasn't encouraging at all.
It could just be that Blaise himself hadn't known, that it had happened to the boys. He hadn't been in prison and if he had known this never would have been what happened. He hadn't known though and so this was what they had.
The conversation they had just had was better agonized over later, in private. Having had it did mean she felt more able to speak to them. Wanted to make sure they could talk to each other about the boys. Even the way Draco had made it sound like he wanted to know what she thought or whatever. Somehow she had gotten that from the few and relatively choppy words spoken. More it was the emotion and the way it had happened that made her feel more certain about sharing.
She would have eventually but now she wanted them to know everything they wanted to. If they had thought this far then surely they were alright with more. This was only one thing and it was getting better so it was encouraging too.
"Most of the reasons they got hurt there, with her, were magic based. She was a witch of course and used magic around them and on them. When they did though it was accidental mostly and toward her, in defense of each other. Neither talk all that much about it but I've kept at it and tried when one of them brought it up. It didn't take them really any time to not be physically afraid of me and they didn't seem worried about me using magic on them but it was months, maybe seven before either of them used it. Even to get a cookie or turn the lights on and off." She stopped and looked between the three of them. Waiting for anger to pass, or at least for them to push it aside. Regularly she was angry enough to go and conjure something to blow it up, after the boys went to bed of course.
"Is that what you did with it? When you were a kid." Theo asked quietly and Draco could hear the real curiosity behind the question. Knowing he had used it as the boys had. Without any real control and in defense, though of himself and Treacle. With the same results, probably worse.
"Yes. The first thing I really remember deciding to make happen was turning my lamp on to read after my parents turned my lights out. Couldn't be normal either or they could see it under the door." She didn't ask what he had used it for but he thought she wanted to.
"It was when Tray fell off the bed and split his lip. It was bad, for that. Bleeding profusely and Scorp wouldn't let Treacle near Tray. He was screaming for me and so when I got there the elf was against the wall and saying over and over again that I was coming. That Tray was alright. Tray was fine and trying to tell Scorp but he was crying hysterically. Anyways I realised that he had some kind of barrier up. I could walk through but neither elf could. Snitch got zapped, he felt bad about that after. Anyways we fixed Tray up and apologized to the elves. Scorp was so upset. Tray was angry that he had used magic like that, or at all really. You have to watch for that. They make deals or agree on something and you don't know about it. I've gotten so they talk to me about most of it but it's frustrating when you don't understand why flying every single day is absolutely needed. The full drills as opposed to just a fly after doing something that day." That last thought occurred to her and she added it on. It was important even if it wasn't relevant.
Blaise shifted beside her and she realised she hadn't told him about this incident, not like this anyways. It was between them and they chose what to tell Blaise. They used to ask her not to tell him some things but stopped when she said she wouldn't tell him anything not related to safety if she thought they might not like it, easier that way.
"So I spent a few days thinking about it, how to get them to see how dangerous it was to be afraid of it. I knew neither of you would punish them for being smart or curious. They wouldn't have to hide it at home, so we embarked on a journey of the wonder of magic. How great it is and how helpful, the power and responsibility of it. This won Tray over, it being the best way he had to protect us, one day. Scorp though, he was less sanguine about it. Eventually though we won through, magic hurt us. It hurt me and it hurt you but it can help too. Potions really won him over. I brew and he likes it, we fixed some things. Pests on plants and healed a hawk we found. He's softer, I wouldn't be surprised if he became a healer or something one day. So it's been about a year since we really started trying to use it. Channel a surge in the way they want if it happens. Recognize that feeling before it fills you up." She finished and took a sip.
Then waited for someone to speak and didn't feel that uncomfortable in the silence. When the two not seated with her caught eyes she looked down and toed the carpet.
"Blaise." Theo said into the quiet and she didn't look up. Deciding that this was between them and if she hadn't been the one that found the boys, she wouldn't be here. Blaise shifted slightly a few times and when Malfoy stood she did look up. Then further up, he was tall and seemed closer than he had.
"Granger, surely you told him this was hippogriff shit." The blonde said with a twinge of disbelief and she wanted to smile at the way Theo nodded once in agreement.
"My opinion isn't really relevant." She answered pointedly and he looked at her and she knew he understood.
"You've done what you could since the moment you knew." Theo said forcefully and she looked at him. Wondering if she had ever heard him speak so directly, she didn't think so.
"Taken care of all three of us, securely and discreetly." She put in, since she had been included and the silence seemed to require something.
"Merlin Blaise, you got us back on our feet and were ready." Draco said and she looked at Blaise, who was being stubborn and she nudged him.
"This is success isn't it?" Her quiet words got him to meet her eyes and she could see the anger and frustration still there, let him see hers too.
"We are all angry. Even if we walk together into the Ministry and they apologize and offer a good explanation, which we all know there isn't, still I would be angry and so would you." Blaise understood what she meant. This was just another shit thing they had to accept. It had happened and the boys hadn't deserved it. Nothing would have made it okay, they would be angry and defensive. It was the best they could do.
"We aren't doing that either." Theo put in and Blaise huffed a laugh. Then he held her eyes and she thought it was a bit better.
"If anything happens you do exactly what you did. Further and more securely but exactly the same." Draco spoke seriously and she watched Blaise's face. He met his friends eyes and she could see him take that on board, that they would ask the same again. He had done everything that they could have asked him, what they would have wanted.
"Both of you." Theo said it quietly but with finality and she met his eyes so he would know she understood.
"None of that though." Blaise said quickly and she laughed at the blank tone he used.
"Sit down Malfoy. So we do some magic tomorrow. Do you two need your magic totally under control to fly?" She asked and the tension broke up. As they debated if they needed brooms, could fly, could use extras Blaise had, and then if they wanted to practice before the boys seen she thought about the magic. It might be good for the two boys to see someone less proficient. They hadn't been exposed to any other Wizarding children and so wanted to be as capable as she was. Blaise too, though they didn't think him as good as her and he helped with that biased view.
"Let's go for a walk." Blaise said quietly into his open door. Theo's was cracked open across the hall but he was sleeping and Draco hadn't wanted to wake him.
He stood and stretched before pushing his feet into trainers and grabbing his wand and coat. Then followed Blaise silently down the stairs and through the kitchen. A pot was stirring on the stove and the table was set for six. As Blaise opened the door he felt magic coat him as warming charms covered his exposed skin. It felt good and even if he had been walking without them and enjoying it, he felt more normal, like a wizard might normally. His thoughts were his own again and so he wasn't embarrassed by the whimsical musing.
The air was crisp and it was still dark. He could see no trace of light in the sky yet and the stars were visible. It was six in the morning and it wouldn't be light for another couple hours. It was quiet though and felt relieving. He felt small in a better way than he had in the cell. This feeling had always been one he liked, how it felt to fly high, stand on the astronomy tower or in the huge forests at home. As if he were just a part of something massive instead of alone. The thought of the tower tried to take over but he pushed it away and reminded himself that the wizard had known, had understood what Draco himself hadn't. Even if he still didn't understand the Headmaster's choices.
"Did she say anything after we left last night?" Breaking the quiet between him and his friend, taking the thought offered as distraction.
Being here with Blaise felt as good as being outside. As normalizing and as welcome. The way they walked easily side by side and how it felt to be able to speak his thoughts. Theo was different, he had to watch what he said or it could open a new avenue of thought when it wasn't needed. Something else for him to worry about. Maybe it wouldn't be that way as much now but it felt amazing to be able to just ask a question and know Blaise would understand. He had always understood and the last time they had been alone, Draco had held onto it for a long time.
Being told that whatever it took for him to survive, that Blaise didn't care. He would be there waiting when it was over. They would always be friends. That would always be there, even if he couldn't stay with him. Theo was his best friend, Blaise was too. They were different though and that was what made them better than just one kind of person would be. The way it felt to be there with him and know his friend understood him, could think closer to how he did, it was something he couldn't make form even a coherent thought. It was there though and he knew Blaise would answer.
"Yeah. Ranted at me for a bit. Why did we have to do that? I'll make sure to pamper her for a bit. She wasn't so shaken when we left England as she was last night. It took her a bit because she was thinking about the boys and your magic but she picked up steam. It was painful and so unnecessary. Can't deny she was right about that. Worth it though, she said that." He knew the last was for his clarification. So he knew the witch thought it worth it, not just him.
What he thought about that wasn't clear and he had used occlumency practice to fall asleep last night. Unable to stop thinking about what she had said, what she had agreed to. Wondering mostly what she thought that encompassed. Granger wasn't that impulsive, quick to act but on things she already had a clear take on. Otherwise she had to learn enough to feel settled, or she had been this way.
"Is she still so certain." His question was revealing but It was Blaise and so he would know what he was thinking anyways. Or he wouldn't be able to hide it for any amount of time and would give it away without the certainty he might get from the answer.
"Bella is as you remember her, without the sidekicks." For the first time Blaise looked at him. A sideways glance at him, and he was in disbelief at the look there, the dare there. He laughed, couldn't help it. It was so familiar and just walking beside him while Blaise shot him that look, about that witch, was such a throwback. For an instant they could have been in the halls fifth year.
"Fuck you." He finally stopped laughing and then Blaise started and he waited that out too.
"No sidekicks?" This was interesting he wanted to know how that came to be, the princess without her slavering guard dogs.
"It's her story. It's long and complicated. It isn't too. The weasel hit her and it was the end of her tether. Potter and her stayed friends but he didn't drop the ginger prick. Married to his sister." That was so few words to cover what was clearly more than that but he was floored and watched the ground go by under his feet. Not caring where they were going at all.
"Maybe I should be surprised and I am. That he is that brave, more than that the prick couldn't handle himself or deal with a witch like her." Was his eventual reply and the quiet snort was agreement.
"It will be a show. If she waltzes into Diagon alley holding their hands and flanked by you two it will be explosive." There was so much to be heard in the drawling tone. It was the satisfaction that made him glance over and see the small smirk on his friend's face.
"No one knows Drake. Why she disappeared six months after they broke up. Why they even broke up, why she quit the Ministry. Why the Golden Trio was no more. You read a few papers but the speculation has been relentless. People have gone and looked. The big Ministries refused to comply, Italy knew she was there. It was one of the few times she went magical and it was a small dinner party. She demanded a few months to learn some Italian if she had to meet these dignitaries and they were letting her stay. They were thrilled and I have no doubt will shout their support loudly when she comes out. I doubt she will take any of the job offers that come from them but I have been repeatedly requested to attempt to keep her there." Hearing Blaise talk about something so normal was as satisfying as his words were interesting. They had really only talked about serious things and it felt good to just talk to him about life things. As they had before and how he had pictured them before everything went to shit. The setting was different but they were free of nearly all constraints and together without threat.
"She's going to do it then. Just walk into Diagon with us and carry on like it isn't something insane." It wasn't a question but Blaise knew it was. That he needed some confirmation. It was so unlikely and so unbelievable. This whole thing was but here, it was just them and the boys. Out there, everything else was out there.
"Yes. I know she has thought some about their reception. Isn't pleased that magical Britain is going to talk about them. Ask questions about them." That was something he totally understood.
"We aren't answering any of it." The words were out before he thought and he accepted the shove in reply. Of course they weren't going to.
"She would kill us all." The serious tone of Blaise's voice made him chuckle. Not because he didn't believe it, but because it was true. Maybe not literally but he knew she would consider that a betrayal.