"Miss Rosier. We bid you welcome to our home." The Greengrass matriarch stood in front of the window next to the fireplace Hermione had just exited. She let herself look around for only a moment and then deliberately didn't smooth her dress. She smiled politely at the witch and responded correctly.
"Thank you for the invitation Mrs Greengrass. It is my pleasure to be here." Hermione didn't curtsy but the witch didn't seem to expect her to.
"Daphne assures me that you would both prefer to speak privately for a time before you join us for tea." Hermione just accepted politely and followed the witch to a sitting room. Probably one of many in this home as well. The whole time thinking how grateful she was that they could speak privately. Hermione had dreaded thinking of how to say things to the whole group of Greengrasses.
Daphne Greengrass was lovely. Dark hair and eyes. Gorgeous long eyelashes and a regal bearing. It sounded a bit dramatic to think it but it was true. Even at school when they were younger, the witch had carried herself like a queen. It came across as stuck up but Hermione could admit to herself that she didn't know Daphne at all.
The matriarch closed the door and Hermione stood about three feet inside of it. Looking the witch over and being assessed.
"Please sit. Would you like me to address you as Rosier?" Daphne asked her and Hermione tried to smile.
"If you want. I hope that perhaps when we finish speaking, you will call me Hermione." She said honestly and hoped she was right. A small smile then and Daphne poured the tea.
"Milk please." Hermione answered the gesture and accepted the cup and saucer. Sitting upright and not relaxing into the settee, as Daphne was. Half a minute at least passed in silence and Hermione caved. Sure Daphne expected it.
"Can I put up wards?" Her question was polite and Daphne gave her a short nod. A moment later the witch relaxed her posture some and Hermione followed suit.
"I am unsure how to go about this. I have received advice from a few people but it seems silly now. We can fence later, when there are others around or after we know the lay of the land." It wasn't a question but Daphne smiled, more truly and nodded again.
"I have seen my brother." She started and Daphne flinched slightly. Which was surprising. Having never seen her show anything so openly.
"Father could only say that he was alive and in there." Her voice was even and calm. Her eyes though. Hermione wasn't sure what it was.
"He is. Concerned though. One of those concerns is you." Hermione paused to see if she would speak but the mask was there and nothing at all showed. "He will sign if that is what you want." It fell into the silence like boulder thudding down. Neither witch moved at all.
"If that is what he wishes." It was at least a full
Minute before Daphne spoke and Hermione wasn't sure how to respond. It wasn't what Josh wanted. She could tell that. From their first meeting and the way he had spoken at their last visit.
"May I speak frankly?" She asked and let her expression be as open as possible. A nod. Only one but her eyes showed something. That was better than nothing even if Hermione wasn't sure what it was.
"That isn't what Josh wants. He spoke of your contract at our first meeting. I can explain that later if you want. It was when I signed my betrothal contract and I wasn't pleased to be doing such a thing." A small snort and then her cheeks coloured a bit. Hermione only grinned slightly.
"He told me that he had one. That he would marry you if you both lived. Then it was less sure. Not at all truthfully and I signed both contracts without really thinking we would live. We did though. All of us involved and here we are. If it is what you want. Will make you happy then please tell me and he will sign. If it isn't. If you want to marry him or even wait to know how long it will be then please tell me that. Anything. What you want. I know it is what Josh wants, it to be your choice." She stopped and knew her cheeks were pink. She wasn't embarrassed but it was uncomfortable to speak of something so personal and private between people not herself.
Daphne looked away and then back at her and so much showed then. Not of her face but in her eyes. Hermione wasn't sure what to say or do, so just waited.
"Is this why you wrote?" The nonsequitur surprised her and Hermione thought over the question.
"I asked Josh about how to approach you or if I should. He told me to write and that he would sign if you wanted him too. I thought of it because, well." She faltered and the witch only watched her. Sabrina would say to try. Be herself and give these people a chance to respond.
"If you are going to marry him then we will be family. I am just learning about having a sister. Sabrina has been lovely and it's been better. With her. For both of us. I don't want to have had time pass before he gets out. Time that we didn't use to get to know each other." Now the colour on her cheeks was bei case of her own insecurities. Why would this witch want to know her anyways. She didn't know much about her at all and Sabrina hadn't known much either. Daphne had done her best to protect the younger years. Apparently she had been the library monitor and been as lenient as she could be. Hermione had only a vague picture of the school last year and was unsure exactly what that meant. She did appreciate that the witch had tried. It was all any of them could do.
"If it will be a long time, then I don't know." Daphne spoke quietly and Hermione waited for her to look up. Then showed her that she understood. Sometimes things like twenty years flashed in her mind and she was terrified. Twenty years tied to a man she couldn't have. Watching everyone move on and even a family around her while she waited. It was nausea inducing.
"Certainly. That is smart. I understand." The witch nodded firmly.
"Will you tell him I do not wish it now. Please pass along my greetings." The last word was unsure and Hermione couldn't help but laugh lightly.
"Of course I will. Thank you for speaking with me. I appreciate it for him, also for me." She spoke sincerely and waited. Not sure of this private conversation was at an end.
"Of course. Thank you. For coming. Also for your actions." The witch paused and Hermione thought she meant last year. Or even before that. Helping end the problem.
"I'm glad it's over." Her words were heartfelt and Daphne relaxed her shoulders significantly. Even put her teacup down.
"It was, I'm sure it was terrible for you. I have heard some things. School was not even school. I'm glad you weren't there. Didn't see that, even if you had to endure other things. I thought about you sometimes. In the library mostly. There was a poster of your faces with stupid words about turning you in and rewards. I would think of how angry you would be. It helped sometimes. Made me angry too. That was better." Hermione shifted in her seat. Having not been there, she didn't feel she could comment on people's time there.
"I'm glad you made it. I hope you are okay." Hermione meant it and kept eye contact so the witch would know she did.
"Thank you. This is hard. Now. After." It was choppy but she felt better at the witch's lack of words pr even perfect composure.
"I think it will be for a while. It feels that way to me." She answered as honestly and then pulled her wand as a knock sounded on the door.
"Come join us for tea girls." Mrs Greengrass called from the door and the two obediently stood.
"Over here Mione." Harry's voice called her from a seat in the back corner. This was the third time they had gone to a muggle pub for a meal and a catch-up. Hermione felt like she needed time. Time outside of The Dale or her studies. The other things too. It was all too much sometimes and it was easier to put it aside out here. In the regular world. The food was more varied too.
"It's good to see you." Harry smiled at her and she smiled back even as she scoffed lightly.
"We all had dinner three nights ago." She pointed out and he just grinned at her.
"I have to share your attention there though. Between Teddy, Kinglsey, and Sabrina it's tough to hold it for long." He said teasingly and she just smiled her enjoyment of his own good humour. Two months. It had been two months and Harry was improving. They were all getting better. Less jumpy or quick to have their emotions spoke suddenly. She had gone and found a book on veterans and read it. Then passed it around. Each of them had found something that felt pertinent.
"Did you tell them?" Hermione asked him and the smile fell. He didn't nod but she knew from his expression that he had. All she could do was wait and then order when the waiter came. Both of them ordered a cheeseburger and chips. Then a pint arrived and she just sipped. Not staring but observing him.
"They weren't happy. I talked to Ginny first and she understood even if she would have picked for me to go back. Molly though. Even Bill. Both of them seemed to think that I was being foolish. Or selfish. They said some stuff about the school and what was best for it. The difference it would make to have me come back." He stopped then and she had one of those emotional spikes.
Rage. So angry at people for making things Harry's problem. Or hers. Kingsley spoke to her about it when she booked her NEWTs. As Minister and not her friend. That it would be better if she went back. It would look as if it were business as usual. That everyone should send their kids and come home because they had shown it was okay. She had listened and then told him she had given enough. It wasn't what was best for her and that she was sorry not to be able to help. After that they had moved onto her questions about the Wizengamot.
"Harry." She could barely speak but he nodded.
"You prepped me for it. I expected a bit of it but not from them. Ron. He doesn't seem to care. Says Seamus and Dean are going back so he will. Even has cracked open some books and written Mcgonagall." He looked up at her and she did try and smile at that. Such a flip from before.
"I'm glad. He's written a few times, in response, and even with just that. He needs a change and some time." Ron's letters were always short. Usually mostly a meaningless beginning and then a dose of something scrawled as if it were an afterthought. That's where the information was though. He had always been like this. One of them had said that he felt so free. Being able to wake up or nap. Just go for a fly or out with the lads. How good it was to be home and have that be close to what he remembered. Just like that and she had been so happy for him. The last year was hard on him in a different way than Harry and her.
"So I'm going into the long term program and will come out with five NEWTs and my Auror training completed." Harry spoke as if didn't quite believe it and she felt herself calm down significantly. He looked bemused and she smiled at the waiter when the food arrived. This was something they had talked about and Ron just couldn't understand. A fresh burger. A minute passed in silence and then Harry wiped his face and caught her eye
"The number of people who have asked me in some way about your virginity has tapered off now that it's pretty clear what you've done." He offered as if she would be relieved.
"I'm so glad for you Harry. Really I am." Her sarcasm was think and then both laughed a bit.
"Tell me what's going on. What you aren't telling the group." His words were firm and she swallowed her but and took a sip of the dark amber beer. Her Dad had liked pale ales and she liked thinking of him.
"It's not too bad. I'm sure it will get easier and the trials are finally beginning. I don't know how to feel about that. What might happen but it has to happen for anything to change so. So we will deal. Macintyre wasn't what I expected. That's who Josh told me to go see. Not alone." Harry has stiffened and she knew what he was thinking. Why hadn't she asked him.
"I know Harry. You were my first thought. Then I realized I wasn't taking the boy who lived into some situation I knew nothing about." She held his gaze and knew he didn't like it. She was sorry for that. Sorry that she had to think about other things than just her friend Harry. She couldn't though. Wouldn't risk him like that. Knowingly.
"You didn't go alone." He forced the words out and she gave him a placating look.
"No Harry. Of course I didn't. Zabini went with me." Many things crossed his face and then he put down the quarter of the burger he had left and wiped his hands. Waiting.
"He came when he first got back. To give me hell about Theo. I told him to shove it and then we talked a bit. You commented at school that he was alright. To me. He was and he knew about Theo and me. Anyways we've had coffee a few times and he didn't take his tests in Italy and so is joining my band of misfits. It now numbers three. Daphne, him, and me." She talked and watched him calm down. Deciding he was alright now she switched back to her point.
"So we went to the address the lawyer gave me. Bless the man. He has been so patient with me. Mostly. Anyways we went and what I expected I didn't know. Something dark though or ominous. Not a jovial tiny man behind a huge desk. It was massive and he looked ridiculous. 'I've been waiting and waiting Miss Rosier. Do sit and you've brought our bonder. Splendid. If you wish young man, and have need of my services then we can discuss it but you will have to leave for sometime.'" She quoted the quick brisk tones and did the hand gestures. Harry laughed then and picked up the rest of his food.
"So Blaise did the vow. I have to be honest and he does the rest. That's how he explained it. I'm not sure exactly what he is. I've never seen his name anywhere but he sounds British. So he poured us a coffee, after seating Blaise in the waiting room with sandwiches and a lovely bookshelf. Then he opened a thick file. I mean several inches thick. Basically I know nothing and the family holdings are complex. He pities me but is sure we can work through this together. What felt like ages of lists and figures later he asked about my virginity too." Harry barked a laugh and then had to cough. She smiled and enjoyed the feeling of being there together. Relaxed. Just life stuff to deal with. No dark lords or hiding.
"Mione. You can't stop there." He whined and she gave him a look.
"'If you have indeed performed the bride rights, successfully. That is to say, can prove it then Miss Rosier. I am so busy.' He fluttered and accepted my nod for now. Though he will need a copy of the contract and notarization to take on her another file of immeasurable depth. I'll ask him at the next visit. I had no idea that there was so much. Definitely a job, of some kind at least, to keep abreast of vast empires. Or so it seems to me. I've got an ally though. Small and unique but it's better than nothing." She shrugged helplessly.
"Oh Mione. Not going to school and ending up with hereditary ball and chains. Two of them. How did you get here?" She balled up her napkin and threw it at him. Knowing that she had told him enough for him to feel better about the situation.