This time she turned down the Auror recruits offer of a guard with more certainty. There was less change and less uncertainty. Both visits last time had been full of actual questions, business and news. Parts had been emotional but this was a bit different. There had been no large shifts and more general progress it seemed. Which was confusing but she just tried to accept the irregularity of her life and keep going.
"It's good to see you." Hermione blurted out as she sat and then wished she hadn't. He didn't respond well to her overt emotions and she watched him shift before carrying on.
"I've got a few papers from Mac and only a short list from Stolford." The lawyer had been here last week and they had gone through the bulk of what was needed for the trials. The trials and then his further plans for what would happen then. She hadn't asked and the lawyer had only said it was one of the topics dealt with.
Hermione watched him scan the papers quickly and then flick back to the ones from Mac. She hadn't read them, as the little man had asked, so she didn't know what they said. He hadn't sent anything other than lists of numbers, that he had explained to her in detail, last time so this seemed different. His lip quirked twice while reading the two pages and she tried to keep her own from doing the same.
"It's going alright then." He sounded relieved and she looked her question at him. Nothing. Merlin curse the man.
"Did you expect otherwise?" She asked. Wanting to know.
"I don't know you. How you will react to things. Zabini was a good choice and Mac says you've taken things in stride. Study too much though." Hermione blinked at the last. How did he know?
"NEWTs in less than three months. I do an hour and a half of Mac's stuff most days. Then school. Sabrina. Trying not to gain too much weight from the endless parade of things I like means walking around. I've gotten a pair of hiking boots too. Hills will be needed. Salty has taken to adding the Himalayan pink salt to the top of his danishes." There it was. The lip quirk and she stopped. It was enough.
"You should fly. The hills are great for it." He offered and she grimaced.
"I can't. Well I can but I'm not any good. I don't like heights." She admitted and his brows pulled together. Then a moment of silence.
"Potter hasn't cured you of it?" He seemed genuinely curious and she shook her head with a laugh.
"Harry didn't learn to fly. Just did it and hasn't stopped. I've asked and he says he doesn't think about it. Ron prattled on about techniques but likes that he can do something I am absolute rubbish at." Her smile was genuine if wry and he sneered. Not a mean one but not impressed.
"I see." Hermione wanted to ask if he would try and teach her. She didn't really want to learn but Sabrina too had been surprised. The younger witch could fly. Not brilliantly but she could and had been surprised Hermione couldn't. Sometimes he looked at her like he was thinking of who she would have been. It made her sad and frustrated. She looked down and waited. Having been feeling better about this. It was hard now to feel so much less in fifteen minutes or so. Then she thought of something.
"I've seen Daphne twice since our first meeting." She offered and kept her eyes down. Last time. All she had gotten out was that she had seen her and she didn't want to sign the papers right now. His whole body had tightened and his face had been empty of anything. It had taken him a minute to speak at all and it had been a change of subject. So now she wasn't sure what to expect. He obviously cared and she didn't want him to not ask her. He rarely asked her anything anyways. Deciding she had to look up eventually, she did.
He wasn't lost in his own thoughts or trying to be contained. Josh looked considering and watchful. As if he were trying to read what had happened through her body language.
"I didn't even get to wait the two weeks Andromeda has told me is normal in response to a call to initiate correspondence. Or something like that. She wrote that she was taking her NEWTs in December and would I like to meet to discuss school. So we did and then have again." Hermione stopped. Not wanting to speak about Daphne of he didn't want her to.
"What do you think?" It was drawled and she lifted her chin.
"That you could be more sincere. About Daphne, she is lovely. Capable and composed." She answered without any heat. For a moment he blinked at her and looked her over.
"How are you?" His emphasis on you made it clear what he meant. Not everyone around her but her.
"I'm alright. I think. I'm sleeping a bit better. Longer than three hour guard duty stretches. It helps." Hermione felt brave but grateful. Thankful for him trying. Letting his guard down a little.
"No potions?" He asked and she kept eye contact.
"No. No more than once a week I take a half dose of dreamless. Zavi or Patter keeps it. They did let me brew it last week though." It was hard to talk about. Hermione knew from school. It wasn't for her. When she was worn down and Madam Pomphrey had given it to her, mostly during third and fifth year, it made it harder when she didn't have them. She usually used it the night after a really bad one. His eyes were level on hers. Even and no judgement. Then he looked her over carefully.
"Drop the glamour." He requested and she blinked at him. It was a cosmetic glamour. Didn't even set the prison wards off. Like muggle concealer. He hadn't ordered her to do it, but asked her. Josh wanted to see how she was. The scars would show too though. Wandlessly she pulled the magic from her face. Then watched him. Minutely examine her. After a minute he gave a nod and she recast it. Not wanting the guards to see her scars right now. The one under her chin, by her throat, it was still pink and noticeable. The potions were working though. Slowly.
"I'm going to be a bit lonely when Sabrina goes at the end of the month. It's been so nice to have her and sometimes Claudia there. She is so smart and impressed everyone. Even herself by taking her OWLs so quickly and then doing so well. It was handy that the examiners were basically left alone under the regime. Makes this easier. Leaving the country or something would be ridiculous." She just kept talking. Trying to make mentions of things normal. It happened. It's what was happening now. The war was relevant to now and she couldn't not mention it. It was also a part of them all and it needed acknowledgement. Andromeda had talked to both Sabrina and her about it recently.
"Don't be a prisoner there." The words sounded firm and she watched her brother. Eyebrows furrowed a bit. He looked serious.
"We get out. The muggle world mostly. No one knows us and they have so many ways to waste time. I took the girls to a movie and their experience was way more entertaining than the romantic comedy they picked to watch. Harry and I go there too. Away from everyone. Blaise helps a bit. He likes to stir me up and is talking about muggle adventures, so I'll probably take him up on that. Auror training starts for Harry in September too. The trials just before that. I'm trying to just live right now." The look he gave her then was understanding. Not soft but equally full of things. He could empathize and she wanted to ask if he was okay.
Tried to ask with her eyes. He just held her eyes for a moment and then asked if she had brought any articles worth reading.
They had taken to parsing them for quality regardless of the opinion represented and it was the most relaxed he was when she was there. He had even chuckled twice so far and it was fun. To make light or disregard things.
Thorfinn was watching the door. She would be here soon and he didn't know what to think about it. It had sunk in a bit. What had happened and the message from Josh had made it more real. Again he wondered if his friend had known that it was all a bit unreal and tried to pin it down for him.
She was also not what he would have expected her to be. Had he contemplated speaking civilly to her. Which he hadn't ever so it was all unreal. Almost none of the snooty bookworm. She was articulate and smart but she hadn't been uptight at all. Hermione Granger was a Rosier. The whole concept was so ironic as to be funny. It wasn't though. He could see it a bit now, more of who she was. Playing over their interactions in the three visits they had so far. The witch hadn't reacted to any of this predictably.
His sister. That had been the first thing that registered fully. Whatever was happening. Sabrina. Granger was way better for his sister than their fucking ancient aunt. No way would Potters golden girl hurt her or whatever. Their aunt was traditional. That's what she called it and the thought of Granger in that house was funny. That he had laughed quietly at when he imagined it. Sabrina was better off in that museum than ministry custody but this was also no contest. She would come of age next April and could escape their aunt then. If Granger had her though, in the current climate that would be better.
Then she had done it. Come in here and told him that she had invoked the rights. She had been a virgin and told him so. Which was surprising. So surprising that he didn't really believe it. Sure she had been muggleborn and Potter's shadow but she was pretty. Not in an overblown way at all. She didn't try but she was feisty. Or she had been. In front of him was a girl that looked as if she wasn't sure what to do. Except something. It was genuine too. When she had come in and started talking about his sister as if it was normal. She had been worried though and relaxed a bit when he did.
It was all so surprising. Unexpected. This witch had signed a binding contract to marry him. It was more than most witches did but her pater had been as traditional as they come. That Josh has made her sign it. That was interesting. He couldn't ask her but he thought it was a bid to keep access to her. If he knew who it was then his first thought would have been her rejecting him and leaving. So this was insurance. He thought so anyways. There wasn't much to do but think and this was better than the past or present.
He thought he had a better handle on it today. On what was happening. When she had come in with a list of questions and a tentative smile last time he had just gone along with it. Made decisions and talked a few things over as if it was real. She made that easy. Too easy. No arguing or very little. Even backhanded or snide comments were absent. Though he had seen her spark up the second time. He felt better prepared this time and wanted to see her. To know some things. Before the trials. Maybe it would take enough time that he would get another visit before then but it was already the middle of August. The door shifted and then opened and he tried to look at her objectively. Or less objectively.
As if she would be his one day. The Gryffindor Princess, that's what her peers called her. He had heard it since he left school too. It suited her then and even now. All hair and golden eyes. That were looking at him with surprise. Having noticed his perusal of her.
She looked good. A bit thin and he wondered if she was glamoured. Cursed scars had been mentioned in the endless talk of their escape. She was dressed for the cold here instead of the summer she had come from.
"Hello. Sabrina finally asked to write you so I've got it. I didn't mention it to either of you and was waiting for one of you to bring it up. She's better I think. Well read it first and then you can ask whatever." Her smile looked genuine and he finally moved his eyes from her. To the letter in her hand. His mind raced with the potential for what it said. She had been so angry and hopeless the last time. Angry at him for the mark on his arm and what it was doing to her life. Her school. Demanding to know if he enjoyed hurting people. She had cried and he had been so frustrated at the whole situation. All he could do was tell her that he loved her. To keep her head down and study. She had glared at him in a new way. Not as her bothersome brother but with something else. Disappointment maybe. That's what he thought of it as now. When he remembered the last time he had seen her.
'Thor,
I'm sorry. For being so angry. You deserved it. Or I don't know maybe you didn't. I felt it though. I'm sorry it's the last time we talked. I miss you and don't know what to say.
Hermione says you are worried about me. That even if you won't ask for it. You want to see me. To know how I am. From me. She thinks I haven't been noticing her small hints. Gryffindor won through this time. She knows I want to write you too. I'm just scared.
She lets me talk like this. Just say things and ask questions. It's so hard though.
I'm good. I'm better than that. I think this is what you meant before. About waking up and going to sleep without thinking about what could happen. You promised me that. I got it but you are there. I took my OWLs and did really well. Six O's and 2 E's.
I feel better now. That I could go somewhere else or just stay here. If it's bad there. Being there.
I miss you Thor,
Sabrina
He read it twice more and then folded it up. He couldn't keep it. They wouldn't let him. He finally looked up at the witch and slid it back to her.
"Keep it." He requested and she nodded solemnly. Carefully tucking it back into a pocket.
"I wanted to bring you a picture but she caught me. I didn't know I was hiding it from her. She said no though. Kept it. I made her promise to give it back though so I'll bring it next time." She wasn't sure what the letter had said or how he was feeling but he tried to smile a bit. He was alright. He knew he was right when she bit her lip and looked down.
"School then." He said and she looked up at him. A slight mark left in her lip.
"Sabrina is feeling a bit better about it now. Claudia has helped with that and there are Hogsmeade weekends every month and a one week holiday at the end of October so I'll see her. She can get out of there is what she said but has already requested I come so I will. I'll miss her. She has so much presence. Her and Claudia have gone out for walks or I apparate them into a small muggle town and let them go for a couple hours. She seems better after those things. Dueling has been good too. Or the games we play anyways." This was the first time she had brought up what she said about Sabrina's issues with using magic against others and he wanted to know more.
"Games. Like drills?" He asked and she smiled. Something a bit sneaky and he couldn't help but grin at it. Wondering if Sabrina knew.
"Sort of. We started out with actual games. Like levitating each other at the same time. It took some practice to get up and stay up. The elves were beside themselves and demanded to catch us with magic. It's progressed and we've come up with some games. She likes transfiguration so some of that kind of stuff too. She lets me lob stuff at her and she'll change it on the way. Not traditional but I think that's fine." She was looking at him and he wondered what she wanted. That sounded fun. He would happily play too. If he wasn't in prison.
"Sounds like fun." He offered and she rolled her eyes at him. Leaning back in the chair.
"Please give me something to say to her. A message or verbal approval. She didn't ask but I know that she wants it. She even mentioned you being good at dueling and what you would think about her problems. Me telling her about my obsession with wards didn't help as much as your honest opinion will." He watched her and she breathed a bit heavily at the end. Why did she care so much? She hadn't even known his sister before this.
"Tell the Sprite that I think she should learn to duel. In whatever way works for her. She won't like it, not being able to. Keep on and small steps. Like learning to fly." He kept her gaze and she pinked at that. Then smiled brightly at him and he was startled by her change in demeanour.
"Thank you. Did your lawyer come?" She asked and he nodded.
"It was a bit different than I expected. More individual occurrences than assertions." The witch looked thoughtful then shifted in a way that he thought meant she wanted to speak but she didn't. He waited. Wanting to know what she was thinking. Eventually he had to accept she wasn't going to say.
"What NEWTs are you taking?" He asked her and was surprised by her answer.
"Everything but Creatures, Divination, and Muggle Studies." He blinked twice at her and then looked her over.
"That's a lot. Feel free to raid The Tower's library if you can't find enough at The Dale. The elves can come and go, if the Ministry tries to interfere." She smiled and he tried to see more than she showed. Knowing that there was more underneath.