This time she was ready for the frigid January cold of this frozen rock and knew it would be over as soon as she got into the stone pillar. Austins walked with her, his badge had one of the two crossed wands that would indicate his completion of auror training.
"My cousin says Lestrange flies every Saturday there isn't a game and has a few doing drills with him now." He spoke into the wind and she smiled politely up at him, too cold to want to converse. Still, she should answer, bloody manners.
"Yes. Not many will brave his name but he says there is a few who want to fly and aren't on teams yet. Younger years." The auror's smile was more genuine but she kept hers polite. Then waited while they were checked in and then they entered the indicated door and she turned down the offer of a guard with nearly no feelings of unease.
"How was Christmas?" Josh asked her before she was seated and she smiled at him, then launched into her holidays.
"Sabrina and Sin were so happy to come home and it's so much more lively when they are there. All of us play more and laugh more. Stop and just live. Teddy helps with that too and he is running all over the place so conversations are broken off to rescue him or something he is threatening with destruction. Most things have been picked up and the low tables are mostly bare but not even the elves mind. Sabrina is focused on her exams but let loose for break and Sin flew nearly everyday. Draco adds another to fly with him so there is usually someone and I agreed that when the weather is better he can fly in the main area alone. Mitts always has an eye on him and indicated that you did at that age so I'm overruled." She stopped with a pout and Josh was grinning at her. Not a wide one but it was there and he looked more relaxed in his seat.
"Daphne came for Christmas morning too this year and so we were more around the tree. Sabrina was thrilled with her wand box and the upgraded potions set. She appreciates the detail work and has asked me to look into something for her to do part time this summer so we will figure something out." She said and waited to see if he would ask about Daphne.
"She is well?" Were Josh's eventual words and she nodded firmly.
"May I speak frankly?" She asked and straightened. This was the best opportunity she would get. Nothing in answer and then a single nod.
"I would like to give her a token. I went through the vaults and found a lovely bracelet. The one with the sapphires. If there is another you would prefer or a reason you haven't indicated we do so then please tell me." She said and waited for him to reply. His face was blank and she just kept hers as impassive as she could.
"Why?" Was his question in reply and she just stared for a moment. Then she decided he was actually asking her a serious question. Feeling her temper spike, she tried to keel her voice even as she began.
"My friend, a witch I admire and am proud to have be a part of my life, doesn't have the courtship she envisioned. Regardless, she has held her head high and dealt with scrutiny as perfectly as anyone could wish. I am proud of her and if she will one day be a part of our family then there is no reason she shouldn't have everything we can give her. This token of our approval and claim is a small but meaningful one and I want her to have it. I had hoped that you did too." Part of her was angry. That he hadn't brought any of this up, hadn't pushed for it or even mentioned it.
"I didn't expect this." Josh said and frowned. Looking this man over, she wondered what he was thinking and who he was. Not his name, but him, his personality or feelings.
"I see." Hermione said quietly and looked down. Not sure what to say or how to express anything to him. Maybe she had read this wrong and Josh wasn't as invested in Daphne as she had thought.
"Hermione." It was quiet but she heard clearly and looked up. His hands were on his knees and he looked upset, or so she thought.
"I don't know how to talk to you about this." He said and she thought he was being honest. She nodded, understanding completely. It didn't make the issues less stressful but she could understand that.
"I don't either. I'm sorry you have to talk to me about it. She hasn't indicated she wants to come here and I don't know if you would accept it." She replied, equally as honestly.
"You looked through the vaults?" Josh asked her, clearly interested, and she wanted to frown at his sidestepping Daphne.
"Yes, the family ones. Looking for books and scrolls. For Daphne too." Her reply was cariously worded but she tried to let some of her tension go.
"You think it suitable?" He asked her and she relaxed. Hadn't even realised how tense she was.
"Yes. It is her style and dainty enough to be worn. The blue is perfect." She said and knew Josh understood that she meant her friend's gorgeous dark blue eyes.
"You seem certain she will accept it." He said and now she was the one being scrutinized. Trying to hold her expression, she counted to three then let herself answer.
"The witch has stood firmly aside, if not beside me. Our family. It took a bit for her to trust me and longer for her to trust that this is what you want. We don't speak of you personally but she has begun accepting my wish that she be a part of changes made at the Dale and other small gestures. Christmas was an excellent example. She would be with anyone she didn't consider family for such an occasion." Now she did let some of her emotions show and he leaned forward.
"What are you upset about?" He asked her, as if he had no idea and she wondered what she should say. Deciding that she had to be honest eventually she just spoke what she felt.
"You wanted this, both of us to be where we are. You put us here. If you don't want Daphne enough to publicly claim her then tell me and we will begin finding her a wizard worthy of her. I am stuck now, Sabrina and Sinclair are worth all of this. Other things though, I need not be in your home or so much a Rosier to the public. I can begin forging my own contacts and plans instead of furthering them on behalf of our house. Why haven't you asked about her? You don't mention her and I understand that it is hard. Hard to be here and know she is out there. Daphne isn't alone and she isn't a shrinking violet either. I suggest you ask me to send her gifts for holidays and her birthday. That a yellow rose appears beside her breakfast plate on the anniversary of your signing. Any of the small things she has been raised to expect and you have been raised to show honour to the witch of your choice. The witch that chose you." She kept her voice as even as she could and wasn't snide or callous. Frustrated and hurt but not mean.
Then she watched this man who was her brother. Watched him sit up straight and look down his nose at her, judging her for speaking so to him. She counted to forty five and he said nothing. So she pulled out the folder and the papers she usually did as well as a stack of pictures and gently placed them in the middle of the table and sat back.
Josh didn't move for some seconds and then he reached for the papers from Mac and Stolford before the pictures and then the articles. He didn't meet her eye when he asked questions and it wasn't until she heard the knock and started gathering the papers up that he brought the subject up.
"There is a paper in my nightstand. Have Minty get it. The one with the flowers, he will know. Her birthday." Josh said quietly and she looked up to meet his eyes. He didn't look at her though and she walked out of the room and then the prison itself.
An hour later she was at the Dale and had requested the elves send anyone who came away. Pansy was seeing Cassius tonight and Blaise was out with Draco and Theo so neither would need her. Harry was at a Weasley dinner too so that accounted for most people that wouldn't be deterred by the elves.
She walked to the study door under the huge sweeping staircase for the first time and turned the handle. It opened easily and evening light filtered through. The wall sconces lit as she walked in and she looked around. This was his space and she hadn't ventured into his rooms, office, or study. Still felt as if it was a stranger's space. She walked further in and surveyed the bookshelves and things he had displayed. Quidditch photos and one of him and Rowle. The desk was tidy and polished but had old scratches and a blotter on it.
Pulling the rolling chair backwards, she sat in the piece of furniture that was too big for her and looked around. This room belonged to a young man that she didn't know. Did he want a sister but not want to know her, want to share things with her. Want a wife but not to acknowledge her until he wasn't diminished in some way. The only person she had talked about this with was Pansy and her friend could only offer suggestions to explain her brother's behaviour. Assurance that he wasn't showing his feelings, but did have them.
Their situations were similar and different, those of her and her friends. Daphne wasn't irrevocably tied to Josh but she seemed invested in the match. Invested too in the family she would be joining one day.
Daphne had come out of the floo Christmas morning with a shrunken bag of gifts and a big smile. Her own family met before lunch and had that meal together so their morning and then dinner worked around that well. The smile was so genuine and she had perched on a low ottoman beside Hermione as they opened presents and had snacks around the big tree. Books were opened and clothes tried on. Blaise was there and Harry came for an hour before leaving for the Weasley brunch.
Daphne had gripped her hand when she opened the matching pajama sets the three girls got and her emotions showed through her composure. The small box Hermione had given her wasn't their House blue and didn't contain a token. It was a necklace that she had designed for each of her friends. Different, as each of them were. Daphne had gently touched the tear drop and felt her magic in it. Then she had smiled such a warm smile at her, so trusting and hopeful. It was the most open trust she had ever seen and since then she had felt more than ever, the witch needed more of them than they were giving. More of Josh and she had decided to mention it.
Hermione hadn't anticipated the words she had used though, or the sentiment behind them. That Daphne and her didn't need to be as they were. Some acknowledgment would be nice and even more, some thoughtfulness. That brought his single instruction to mind and she called Minty.
"Miss calls." The elf said after popping into the study and she thought about him being who Josh referenced.
"Are you Josh's personal elf?" She asked him and he bobbed his head in an affirmative answer. Wondering at why this wasn't explained to her, she decided to just ask him what she needed to.
"He said to ask you to get the paper out of his bedside table, the one of flowers." She said quietly and the elf looked her over before disappearing and returning a second later. In his hand was an envelope, it had the name of a florist on the front and a short description of his preferences, the list of flowers was enclosed.
She read the instructions twice and flipped the sealed envelope over. Who did this? What kind of person thought so carefully of what might happen. Yet couldn't ask her to use what he had prepared. It was so frustrating and as she sat there, in his chair, his house, and estate, surrounded by him, she decided to go to the Tower.
Maybe tomorrow, tomorrow she would wipe her blood on the gates and walk onto the land of the other man she was tied to. She didn't need to explore the inside of the Tower but could explore the outside. Find the grove Celeste had mentioned and see what she could discern from the land. How it was set up and used, what parts were forest and what parts cultivated. Celeste had written some of what she could feel there after her betrothal and Hermione wondered at the differences in families and their magics. How each used them and viewed them.
Sabrina had talked some about her family but didn't seem very enthusiastic about its history or the House magics. More her brother and the general integrity of their house. It was complicated and she didn't push the younger witch about this. It wasn't the girl's job to deal with Hermione's problems, or her brothers, more than she already had to.
Still, from one piece of land to another. It was frustrating and overwhelming, feeling like she didn't have all that much control over her future or herself. Not sure what she wanted or could have. What was she willing to give up to change the status quo? Perhaps it was more like Narcissa frequently said, merely seeing different angles to the same situation. Being more herself and not letting go of what she did have could be done. Having admitted to herself that she did want to see the Tower, that was one less nagging issue. One down and countless other to deal with.