This Thursday afternoon began like any other in the last few months. Daphne arrived at the Dale and they settled into the room Hermione had redone with the witch's help. Their teas were something of an etiquette lesson and something else too. It needed a special kind of room and so now it was finished and the two girls sat in a room done in golds and dark blues. The ornate panelling was stained a nearly whitewashed light colour and it made this cozy and formal room feel bright and welcoming.
"These chairs are better than what we had before." Daphne commented and picked up one of the small sandwiches that the elves had noticed she liked.
"Blaise was so patient with me. Just another store and look an antique shop. It paid off." She smiled at Daphne who laughed lightly at her exaggerated pity for their friend. He liked Daphne and they got along but it was clear that he wasn't as open with the Slytherin as with her and she didn't ask why that was. Minutes passed in news of their families and then Christmas was brought up.
"So you've got yearly dinners on Christmas Eve and your family lunch. Would you like to come for dinner? Or just to watch us eat if you've had enough by then." Daphne looked surprised and then put down her tea cup.
"Come to your Christmas dinner?" She asked and Hermione could only nod.
"You don't have to do that." She began and then paused at whatever showed on her face.
"It isn't that I have to. If you can't or would prefer not to then we will have you another time during the holidays." She said and watched Daphne think that over.
"What about Sabrina and Sinclair?" She asked and Hermione smiled.
"Sinclair wants to meet you and Sabrina is happy to have you come. Andromeda is coming and bringing Narcissa so that will be interesting. Kingsley too and Harry is bringing Ginny, Blaise is coming. That's it. Unless Blaise's mother decides to come but it sounds unlikely as of now." Hermione listed off their guest list and Daphne looked interested.
"If I can then I would like to. What an interesting guest list." Her intrigued tone was funny but she tried to keep that in.
"Have you any plans now that your NEWTs are done?" She asked the witch and watched her shift slightly. That wasn't usual.
"No." Was the eventual response and Hermione didn't know what to think. How to ask what that meant.
"I'm not sure if you want to talk about that now or change the topic so I'll offer one. Parkinson." She said and Daphne sat up.
"What about her?" It wasn't confrontational but it wasn't her more open tone either.
"Is she alright?" Hermione blurted this out and then grimaced at Daphne's lack of any outward reaction.
"I've seen her once. At the lawyers office. That was a bad day for me and we only locked eyes for a minute. Blaise said he hasn't seen her but nothing else and Harry told me she has a year of probation. That's crazy. So I just want to know if she is okay." Keeping her eyes on Daphne and trying to show that this was a genuine question. A minute passed and then Daphne looked down. Hermione could only wait and wonder what was happening.
"She hasn't wanted to see anyone." Those were the quiet words that eventually came. Hoping for more, she sipped her tea and watched the dark haired witch.
"If something is wrong or she needs help or you do. Whatever it is. I'll take a vow or something. If it's serious." She said after counting forty five seconds of no movement or speech. Those dark blue eyes met hers at that and she kept the eye contact. Face firm and letting her determination show.
"She could at least come to tea. Unless you would prefer not?" Hermione didn't know if they were even friends or it was simply house connections. She couldn't remember seeing much of the two of them outside of class or the Great Hall. Surprise showed and then vanished.
"You want to invite her here?" This seemed Daphne's version of incredulity. Her eyes were slightly wider and she was running a finger along the top of her tea cup.
"I don't know Daphne. I've spoken to her a handful of times that weren't tossed insults or whatever. Those were in the Library and regarding books." She said it flatly and the witch nodded slowly and then looked out the windows. It was raining hard. Extremely hard and the sound was like a backdrop. It made the warm tones of this room more comfortable though.
"Something happened. At easter break. Most of us didn't go home but she was summoned. After that it wasn't the same and she wouldn't say anything." Still looking out the window, Daphne was still and speaking quietly.
"You don't know what? Do you think, should we do something?" Her mind was whirring now. What had happened to change a girl like that. Then she thought quickly of a dozen things that could have happened to her.
"Her father is in Azkaban." She said thoughtfully and Daphne looked up at that. "Does she have any more family?" The amount she didn't know about her peers was shocking and it made her feel badly.
"No. She's an only child and her mother died when she was thirteen." Now those dark blue eyes were assessing her and she frowned.
"So she is alone and refusing to see anyone." Daphne sat back slightly and considered her. Probably her incredulous tone.
"Yes. It's not unusual really. She often did that during breaks but it has been some time now." Now Hermione could see the concern there and felt that Daphne trusted her a bit with this now. Didn't think she was being malicious or gossiping. Building relationships took time, or this one was.
"That's not acceptable. Luna wanted time away and to herself, that's understandable but if she was basically incommunicado then I wouldn't be so sanguine. Even if her letters contain little other than details of her expeditions, I know she is alright." Daphne nodded and then raised a perfect dark eyebrow.
"I've done what I can within the boundaries of manners and custom." She said and Hermione couldn't help her snort of laughter at that.
"Luckily I'm not so bound. So how do you think we should go about it?" Both of them put their tea cups down and Daphne looked interested now.
"We need a reason. Something as a front. A place to start. We can't just barge in and demand to know what's wrong. Pansy won't like that." Daphne looked expectantly at her and she thought about it. That seemed silly but if Daphne said it was the right way then they could start there.
"I need some help with charity things." She said slowly and Daphne picked up her cup again. A sign of her interest and Hermione smiled.
"I was going to mention it to you. It was why I asked about your plans now that your exams are done." She added and watched Daphne blink twice and then the witch smiled ruefully.
"Sorry. My mother has been at me and others too. What are you thinking?" Her intrigue was clear and they settled into discussing what they thought the issues were and decided that they would go see Pansy right before school break. Daphne went every week and an elf passed on the message that her mistress was well but not taking callers so her health seemed assured.
"You has visitors Miss." Patter popped in beside her and said. She looked down from the ladder and huffed. Then balanced and took the nails out of her mouth and asked the question.
"Who Patter? Thank you Zavi. Let's Just do this last one and then we are basically done." She said and banged in the last nail while he kept the racks for the flying gear steady and level. She had wanted to do his room and this was their compromise. He let her do simple tasks and make decisions. Within his boundaries and what he judged her capabilities. She had to prove this one on a plank on the back patio.
"Mrs Tonks and Mrs Malfoy." She said and Hermione blinked her surprise. Then she stepped off the ladder and moved back so they could see what they had made. It was unique and she glanced at Zavi who wiggled his ears. Both of them liked it and she smiled at him. Then elf magic swept her body and she frowned at feeling her hair detangle. Patter did this often and when she thought it necessary, not when Hermione did.
"Ask them if they want to see it now that it's nearly done or if they would prefer to wait while I change?" She asked and the elf nodded her agreement with the choices offered. This was how things were done and the answer would indicate whether it was a casual visit or something else. A quick pop and the elf had come and gone with the message that the two witches were coming.
Taking the offered minute to do so, she summoned boxes from the closet and began putting things away while several elves popped in and dust vanished. Windows sparkled in the dim afternoon light and wood gleamed. She put some of the books on the shelf by his bed and some on the wall of shelving they had just finished.
"Hermione, it is wonderful." Andromeda spoke first and she turned to the two witches who were similar though didn't look it past their eyes. They carried themselves the same straight way and looked around with the same kind of assessment.
"So that is what you meant by the shelving with other functions." Narcissa said as she came to stand beside her and then walk down the length of the long wall they had used for this.
"A desk here and what is this?" Hermione gestured that she open it, there were cubbies and smaller shelves inside the cabinet.
"This is for his broom then? And flying gear." Andromeda looked at the strange racks and smiled. A real one then the two sisters met eyes and looked at her.
"It's perfect. Unique and I'm sure you thought of what you know of him. It's a lovely gesture." Andromeda pronounced and Narcissa nodded her agreement and then walked to the doors leading into the closet and bathroom.
"Everything alright?" Hermione asked Meda quietly and the smile said it was.
"Just something she wants to ask you. Nothing serious." Hermione smiled at that and waited for the matriarch to return.
"Will you let me shop for him?" She asked as she came back into the main room.
"Sure. If you want to. I've gotten some things and will take him this holiday so he can choose some casual clothes. He wore muggle clothes often in France but doesn't have much that fits him other than the school suggested basics." Narcissa looked thoughtful and then spoke.
"Could we have a wine or something? I've got two things to ask you now and Meda was sure you wouldn't mind us dropping in." Her smile was tentative, or so Hermione thought but she just grinned and agreed.
Then took them into her sitting room because Narcissa had looked up the stairs with curiosity.
"This is comfortable and not red and gold." Narcissa said and the other two chuckled.
"It's nice to live in other colours after years. And then a tent, so this was my choice after I'd been here for a bit. Well Zavi and my choices." Both women smirked at her ongoing battles with the elves. With that the elf popped in and left a tray with cheese and crackers along with red and white wine and their glasses. It was over the top but both witches seemed to expect it and so she just asked what each wanted and they all chose the light white on offer.
"Do tell what has brought you here." Hermione was curious. Meda came and went but Narcissa didn't just visit her. Not that she would mind if she did.
"Draco's first visit is in two days." Hermione put down her glass at that. Not knowing what to say and unsure if her hands would shake or something. He was one of the first sentenced and it had been three months.
"I'm glad you get to see him." Was her eventual reply and Narcissa seemed to relax a bit. The grey eyes met and then both looked at her.
"I'm not sure if you would prefer I tried to leave you out of our conversation." Was the carefully spoken sentence and she couldn't help her head tilt of curiosity. Usually she tried to practice her mask in front of Narcissa or at least when the witch was not speaking straight out as she definitely wasn't now.
"It seems that much of what I have to say involves you in some way. That aside, there is some communication between prisoners and now that they have been sentenced it is far more lax." This was interesting and she still wasn't sure what she meant. So she looked to Andromeda who just waited her out and then she knew she would have to say something.
"I don't know what exactly you are referring to. What about me you think I might not want those inside to know." Was her eventual response and Narcissa looked her over curiously.
"If there isn't anything you want me to leave out then that is fine." A small smile and she smiled back and then picked her glass up.
"Would you tell me what you had thought?" She asked and watched the witch think it over.
"I didn't have a specific issue in mind. Merely uncertainty as to what you had told the two young men associated with you and if there were things you didn't want to trouble them with." Andromeda laughed lowly.
Hermione knew why.
"I don't know what either will think. Of Sinclair or me. It's been like this since the beginning. I've never spoken to Rowle outside of that place. Excepting usual school interactions. I don't think I've kept anything from them deliberately." She finished thoughtfully and wondered what she hadn't said. A lot. Forty five minutes every few weeks hadn't allowed very much and she didn't know either man well enough to fit what she could with Harry or something into that time.
"I told you." Meda said to her sister and Narcissa nodded. Hermione looked her question and waited.
"You've spoken to me about your uncertainties and Cissa was incredulous." She explained and Hermione felt uncomfortable that they had been talking about her and then re-evaluated. Sabrina and her spoke of those in their circle and Meda had seemed to slide easily into a close relationship with her sister. Both had few they knew well or trusted and nearly no family at all. They did have each other and Narcissa was often at Meda's home.
"Meda did explain some of your thought processes. It is still difficult for me to see them though. Your brother will be thrilled to have had you settle into your life here. Take up so much of your family mantle. Nothing more could be asked for and Thorfinn is a lucky wizard. Surely he knows it." She said this all in a matter of fact tone and Hermione knew she had flushed slightly. Then she looked between them and didn't want to talk about this.
"Please pass along my greetings to Draco and if I can do anything for him or you, please tell me." She spoke firmly and kept eye contact so Narcissa would know she meant it. A genuine smile then and the witch sipped before speaking again.
"I will. Thank you. I do look forward to the amusement of Draco and you without the prior issues." She said and hermione thought about that and then chuckled. It stopped quickly though and she thought about the two of them and how it might have been. In another life.
"McGonagall mentioned Head Girl to me. When I saw her about Sabrina going back. It made me think about how it would have been. Without everything that wasn't either of our doings." She said after Narcissa looked concerned and the witch seemed thoughtful.
"Top of your year?" Meda asked and she nodded. Then watched the two witches exchange another glance. It was amusing.
"What was the second question?" She asked. Not wanting this to become melancholy.
"I was wondering if you would take me to the muggle world a few times. Meda knows enough to get around but not to show me around. Or so she says." The witch cast a suspicious glance at her sister and Hermione smiled at that.
"Of course. We could go shopping and for lunch. Me and my mom used to do that sometimes. I'm sure you would enjoy some of the higher end shops and it's quite a bit like some of our Wizarding ones. Private and exclusive." She said and watched Narcissa smile at her and then her sister.
"I've noticed you have a lovely selection of shoes." The witch said and Hermione grinned at that.
"I like shoes and so did my mom. No call for them at school but it is fun. Muggles have so many and some gifted designers. We will go and have fun too. Are you coming Meda?" She asked and got an affirmative answer. After that another plate of snacks was brought and then they made their way to the dining room for an actual meal. Plans and ideas for things they wanted to look into and plans to make.