"Good evening Helena." Hermione said with a polite though real smile and then turned to Astoria.
"It's good to see you Astoria." She said and her smile lacked some of the warmth her mother had received but the witch looked startled at what was there. They didn't get on all that well and Astoria was usually snide, the two of them somewhat combative. Today was about Josh and Daphne though, they could get along and she could be genuine. At least for today.
"Mr Greengrass." She said, surprised herself by his greeting to her, clasping both his hands around hers and smiling.
"Miss Rosier. I received my usual mail today and find myself happier than I was yesterday." He said with a genuine smile and kissed her knuckles.
"Edward. Thank you for having us." Helena scolded her husband and Daphne caught Hermione's eye then. Having caught on to her father's interactions with Hermione a few months ago. The two witches shared a small smile at her mother's antics.
"It is our pleasure to have you here." Josh said and they all seemed to relax. Not Hermione herself but she wasn't sure how this would go. Josh had been closed mouthed about Daphne, as he always had been.
"Will you have a drink before dinner?" Hermione asked and they followed her into the formal sitting room. It was traditional but less ornate and cold than it had been before she and Daphne made a few changes.
"You have made some lovely changes here Hermione." Helena complimented and Astoria looked around as if she were memorizing the room. It wasn't used often and if she hadn't seen it at the celebration than she wouldn't have seen it.
"Thank you. I've had some help." Hermione demurred and Helena gave her a small smile, having been bemused and pleased by Daphne's involvement. It shouldn't be mentioned now though and so it wasn't.
"Did you find things in order?" Edward asked Josh as he settled into an arm
"Certainly. Detailed instructions were left." Josh replied and Hemrione didn't react to the blatant disregard of her efforts.
Thankfully it wasn't long before dinner was ready and she received her signal. With that she stood and they all made their way into the smaller formal dining room. It was a few minutes before the first course was in front of them and everyone was settled.
"I hope that your presence here and acceptance of the token indicates the continued wishes for a union between our houses." Josh spoke formally as the salad was in front of each of them.
"Certainly. Daphne has been treated with respect and genuine affection." Edward responded and Hermione kept the polite smile she could see on her friend's face as well.
"Have you wishes for the details that were not included in the contract?" Josh asked the paterfamilias and she listened to them speak quietly and easily of money and the exchange of vaults.
Daphne caught her eye when her father brought up the length of engagement after those papers were signed.
"Unless your Family prefers otherwise, we would like a six month engagement." Josh said and Hermione was blown away by the way they were talking about this. As if it was their Merlin cursed right to make these decisions. As women, they were expected to sit silently. Or here they were. It was what Josh expected of her and of Daphne.
"I see no reason for a longer one. Time has passed and much has been done to rebuild the respect of your name." Edward answered and she noted Josh's tension in the swift glance she allowed herself.
Thankfully the salad was over and the fish course appeared.
"I noted that there is still no opening date for the hotel." Helena commented from across from Hermione and she looked up. Surprised at the mention of such a thing here and now.
"Having business partners does make one less able to decide such momentous things." Her smile was genuine and the three of them, Daphne and her parents, shared a smile. Blaise was often among them and he was charming if hard to pin down.
"Perhaps you should consider not having one." Josh spoke and Edward looked to her after a moment, obviously she would have to speak, then looked at her brother.
"Certainly not. Blaise is as much amusement as he causes vexation. It's part of his charm." Hermione said easily as she could and smiled genuinely at her brother. Not sure if he had concerns about this. He hadn't mentioned it. Never mentioned much of anything.
"They have done well for themselves and for others. I find myself looking at things a bit differently. It's difficult to separate the general economic conditions from the specific ones that affect my family." Edward said and she was again surprised by the open references to things that weren't usually spoken of in this type of situation.
"I've enjoyed watching them change our country and so few noticing." The older wizard added on with a small smile for her that she did return.
"The Slytherin way of doing things is satisfying and causes less gossip." She admitted and all of them laughed lowly, the only lion at this table of snakes.
"Do you plan to continue with your short holidays this easter?" Helena asked her.
"Yes, where are you planning to go next?" Astoria asked politely but thankfully Hermione had nothing to say that the younger witch would gossip about.
"Perhaps to France for a few days but it's only a week and a half that we have him for. Sinclair has assured me that he will need more materials for their project and we have plans to do some Charms work." She answered and Helena looked thoughtful and then Daphne shifted in such a way that told Hermione to expect somebting.
"Will young Micheals be here?" The matriarch asked her.
"I'm sure Corbin will be here. Their building project is here and he enjoys being here. We enjoy having him. Sinclair is the only one close to his age in our circle." Hermione answered politely and truthfully.
"Have you spoken to him about taking his father's name?" Helena's next question did surprise her.
"I don't think that is my place." Hermione answered honestly and finished what she wanted of the braised trout. Cor had talked to her about it but she had never brought it up to him or had an agenda while speaking to the younger boy about it.
"Has it not been offered?" Josh asked and she was pleased he was speaking.
"Yes it has. Avery is in prison and therefor it remains Corbin's choice to sign the papers." She answered him and she could see the interest in her brother.
"Perhaps I will speak to him." Josh said evenly and she didn't allow any of her feelings about that to show. He had never even met Corbin. She didn't look at Daphne just then, couldn't stand to see what showed. Hoping that this was what Daphne wanted. None of them had expected a warm or open man and Hermione hadn't been wrong in her expectations.
Three hours later she twirled away from the floo she had just watched her friend and her family disappear into then halted and turned to Josh.
"Good evening Josh. I hope you sleep well." Then she turned to the floo before changing her kind and disappearing with a crack.
"Piccola." She said softly and the elf appeared. Looking concerned, and Hemrione quickly calmed herself as best she could.
"Master be's at Master Draco's." The elf reported and she thought about it. Had to be him or Pansy. Harry and Ginny didn't understand enough of the pureblood crap she had to deal with. She wanted Blaise, Pansy was at a dinner party this evening anyways and might not be home.
"Is it alright for me to go there?" She asked the elf who would tell her if it was the middle of a meal or a private moment. At least indicate waiting some time.
"Miss goes now." The elf said sternly and she did. Another crack and she was in a lovely reception room in the Malfoy beach home on the southern coast of England. She waited a minute before Draco walked into the room with Blaise right behind him.
"Cara?" Blaise said and then stopped, obviously looking her over carefully.
"That bad?" Draco asked and gestured her to take his arm. She smiled at his over the top gallant behaviour and ended up in his study. They had clearly been in here. Half empty glasses and papers at the table between the two chairs. Draco flicked his wand and they were three chairs and a glass of red wine appeared in front of the new one.
"It was fine. It went well. Six month engagement. Everyone seemed happy with that. Uncomfortable and ridiculous to sit there in silence while two men decided things in front of us. None of that for me. If they want to make agreements then I don't want to know about it and it better not include anything that it mine." She said firmly and looked up at their silence.
"I thought that was why you rearranged things. Aside from paying your lawyer outrageously." Draco said and sipped comfortably while watching her, always finding her entertaining.
"No that's not why. I didn't feel like it was right to have the business run from what amounts to my own vaults. If I ever need to be transparent than I can have records without my personal information." She answered and he looked thoughtful.
"Hermione." Blaise said and Draco's eyes snapped to hers at the tone in their friend's voice.
"Some of that too though and today proves it." She said and took a bigger than polite sip of the excellent wine.
"Do tell." Draco said eagerly and he leaned forwards. Blaise didn't though, just held her eyes.
"Greengrass asked if he found everything to be in order upon his return and Josh said, this is a quote, 'certainly, detailed instructions were left.'" This felt like an admittance and she knew she hadn't overblown the insult. Silence reigned and eventually she looked up.
"Don't let him diminish you Cara." Blaise said and she could see his grip on the glass was less relaxed than usual.
"Im not. Just trying not to have expectations. It's hard though. He had so many of me." She said the last quietly and Blaise was out of his seat and lifting her into his arms. Carefully her took her wineglass then hugged her to him. Gently cradling her head to his shoulder and speaking quietly.
"I'll come back. I've been trying to give you guys space. Not be in a place he wants to have. That is his. Draco too. All of us." He admitted and she smiled at him when he released her.
"Me too. I've been trying to be there and available. Breakfast tomorrow?" She asked him and he grinned at her. It wasn't his usual easy one but it was genuine and she knew he wasn't upset with her.
"Sin is home next week too." Draco added in when they separated to their seats again.
"I can't wait. I've missed him. Sabrina too. She has been giving us space and I'm done with that too. I want my life back. Rowle was more concerned with this than Josh seems to be. Maybe it will be better." She said hopefully and they both nodded their agreement.
"I've got to go get an order of Lego if you want to come." She offered Draco and he was grinning now.
"You know I do. Finished that strange ship things and hung it. I'll show you before you go." He had taken up building large and complex Lego sets when he couldn't sleep. It was less often. Sometimes other times too. They would sit around and drink while building. Luckily they had space for these things. Even if Narcissa wasn't impressed.
"Is there a reason I can not come?" The talk around the table ceased completely and Hemrione looked to Josh, who had sat mostly silent except the three direct questions he had been asked.
"I asked to come." Harry said into the silence and Ginny nodded.
"I didn't." Draco said smugly and she rolled her eyes at him.
"If you would like the come then of course you are welcome." She said. Having sent him a note asking if he would like her to move the breakfast she had guests attending somewhere else or if he would like to join them, he hadn't replied but had been at the table when they arrived.
"I can't wait. You've been so secretive." Ginny said.
"I haven't seen anything since the huge folders months ago." Sabrina said and Harry pointed his fork at Hermione sternly.
"Those folders are dangerous. You could at least mention when you've expanded one." He said and his tone told the story. She winced but didn't feel badly.
"An Auror like you should be able to tell when I have." She pointed out and he blushed. It was a dark one and Ginny looked down.
"It's all there to see." Blaise said and the were laughing then. Tension dissipated and Harry did have a smug smile before Ginny elbowed him.
"The Point." Blaise said into the floo and then vanished. She grinned into the flames and then followed. Coming out in the entrance foyer of the building. There was no one there, Blaise and her had made sure of it. No one sat behind the reception desk and it looked expectant, clean and ready for the people they hoped would come.
An hour and a half later the group of them stood in the same foyer and Blaise grinned at her. Random comments were being made around them and people had mostly stopped asking questions. Draco had a mental list of things he wanted to ask but she could tell he would wait until they were alone.
"Why the duelling arena?" Josh asked them. He hadn't said much but had been interested and curious. Hermione shared a glance with Blaise and then answered honestly. The first flippant reply didn't suit this group or who she wanted to be, frustrated or not.
"I want to invite people to come here and duel eventually." She said and Draco caught her eye then.
"Privately." He said and she nodded. Then Blaise grinned at his friend and Hermione felt herself grinning too. Their friendship and her inclusion was one of the joys in her life. They were so interesting and complicated. Accepted her own complex personality with ease and the same tolerance she felt.
"Finally found someone?" Harry asked her and Ginny looked contemplative.
"No." She admitted. Then at the expectant looks she continued.
"I don't want to bring people into any of our homes for this." She gestured around and Harry's face changed as he understood.
"Did you even want to own a hotel?" He asked her and Draco laughed lowly.
"No. Or not for itself. This gives them a place that is theirs but not their homes. It's smart." Ginny said and Hermione smiled at her friend. Then looked at her watch and knew Ginny had to go to practice. This was the home stretch and it was a lot of flying and groundwork.
"Thank you for coming. We will be accepting guests May first." Blaise said and she squealed at that. Unable to not hug her friend for having finally decided.
"That gives us more than a month before summer." Hermione said and Sabrina broke in.
"Sin won't mind being here, you mentioned a pitch." She said and Hermione grinned at that.
"It's smart to be able to host teams Rina." She said primly and the witch laughed and then hugged her tight.
"I'm proud of you." Was whispered into her ear and Hermione squeezed tighter.