'Wow.' Harry said. Theo nodded mutely, his eyes wide.
'You'll certainly make an impression.' His father agreed.
And Hermione knew she would. Her dress was spectacular; ghostly veil-like sleeves and shoulders, heart shaped bodice trimmed with little embroidered versions of the grim on her ring. The skirts were stormy grey, and made of layer upon layer of chiffon so that they looked weightless. The crowning glory of the dress was where the head of a snarling wolf had been embroidered over the back, teeth bared and fearsome. She wore her hair up with her the silver and lapis combs given to her by the Grindelwald family, a blatant display of her allegiance and certainly not the dress of a quiet, obedient pureblood wife.
'I hope so.' She replied, forcing herself to look confident despite the heavy nerves which seemed to double the weight of her dress. Both boys looked good as well - Theodore was just one of those people who pulled off dress robes naturally and the extra time they'd spent getting Harry's deep, burgundy robes expertly tailored had paid off. His hair was still wild, but he looked comfortable and confident. They were ready to debut.
Hermione took Lord Nott's arm, her fingers lightly resting on his right wrist as he helped her into the floo.
A moment later they stepped out into a monstrous, imposing foyer. The room was dark - no windows, with a black floor and darkly panelled walls. Impressive pillars and stonework surrounded the fireplace but even the hundreds of candles that burned in the iron chandeliers couldn't penetrate the inherent gloom of such a darkly decorated room. Three elves in dirty pillowcases grovelled at the doorway and one of them shuffled over to accept their invitation, bowing so low that it's nose scraped the polished floor.
Theodore and Harry appeared with a roar of flames behind them, handing over their invitation as well and the bowing elf shuffled out of the room. Lord Nott led her after it and Hermione was shocked to realise that this was normal - to be greeted by a filthy elf instead of the host and hostess. Lady Grindelwald would have had a fit if any of the elves dared to work looking like that, let alone was seen by a guest.
They were led into another imposing room, this one probably the entrance hall. It too was dark - emerald velvet drapes drawn closed over massive windows and larger than life portraits of scowling, silver haired men in black robes. It was here that they were finally greeted by the host and hostess.
Lucius Malfoy was tall, dressed in expensive looking green robes. His long hair had been pulled back by a black ribbon and he held a serpent headed cane in his left hand. She was willing to bet the cane held his wand too, but the whole thing was rather classy in a pretentious, nouveau-riche kind of way.
His wife was the perfect match; her gown was golden and embroidered with hundreds of tiny peacocks, whose tails matched the colour of her husband's robes perfectly. Her hair was pulled up into an elegant, modern coil and her ears were draped with thumb sized emeralds.
Draco was stood between them, his dress robes a minute of his father's. He was the first to spot them, his eyes growing wide as he took her in. Lord Malfoy's eyes snapped to them a moment later, widening in outrage as Lady Malfoy's hand flew to her lips. They drew to a stop in front of the guests.
'Lucius, such a pleasure!' Lord Nott virtually crowed. 'May I introduce the Lady Hermione, High Priestess of Gorlois and ward of the Ancient house of Grindelwald.'
And Lucius Malfoy baulked at the titles, unable to argue them without causing a scene. Hermione inclined her head - he was only Locum Patriarch after all, at least until his father finally died.
'Lord Nott, Lady Hermione.' Lady Malfoy stepped in with a curtesy, the epitome of a society wife. She was graceful even as her husband glared daggers as them. 'Please, come through and enjoy the night.'
They dawdled whilst Theo took his turn introducing Harry and she knew that Lord Nott was taking great pleasure in how Lord Malfoy looked like he was having to physically restrain himself from lashing out. A moment later the two boys joined them again and they emerged onto the top of a short flight of stairs. The ballroom was like the rest of the house - dark and decorated in emerald green and silver. This one was salvaged from gloominess by the hundreds of guests in their glittering finery. Gold seemed to be the fashionable colour this year, along with pastel pinks and dark greens, so Hermione stood out in her grey dress like a cat in an owlery. They drew a lot of attention and a hush descended over the room as whispered voices demanded to know who she was and whether that was really Harry Potter just behind her.
Lord Nott preened and Hermione concealed her smug expression behind a facade of a polite smile.
It felt like the whole room was listening as a tall, dark skinned woman in an emerald dress that would have had even Anneken blushing swanned up to them. She was stunningly beautiful but Hermione couldn't help but be reminded of Cruella De Vil when she saw the green eyeshadow and crimson, claw like nails.
'Lord Nott, such a pleasure.' The woman crooned. 'And just who is this little gem?'
'Hermione of Gorlois, ward of Grindelwald.' Lord Nott introduced her again, shocked gasps rippled through the guests. 'This is the Lady Zabini, I believe her son is a peer of yours.'
Hermione once again inclined her head as Lady Zabini tittered. Another woman pushed through, her elegant rose coloured dress squeezing between two black-clad wizards.
'As in, the Dark Wizard Grindelwald?' The witch demanded.
'We were raised by the same woman, but his actions were not endorsed or representative of our house's views.' Hermione replied coldly, even as it hurt to disavow her brother in such a way. Unfortunately, he had left her with no option.
'Mother...' Daphne Greengrass had appeared, gently tugging at the witch's arm.
'No? Where were your family when you Patriarch was slaughtering his way through Europe?' Lady Greengrass demanded.
'Mother!' Daphne pulled at her mother's arm again.
'No, that's okay.' Hermione said, smiling cooly. 'My family were doing exactly the same as yours were when Voldemort slaughtered his way through Britain. Either dead, or hiding.'
Shocked gasps punctuated her words, several witches swooning. Lord Nott jerked in shock but Hermione dug her nails into his arm to hold him exactly where he was. Lady Greengrass had stepped backwards sharply, her hand clutching at her chest and her mouth gaping like a fish.
'Now, if you're quite finished throwing stones from your glass house, I would greatly appreciate it if we could enjoy this party with no more talk of politics.' The young witch added imperiously, turning to Lord Nott, who's face was still pasty white and asking if they could go and get refreshments.
The crowd parted like the Red Sea to make way to the drinks table.
'You're something else, High Priestess.' Lord Nott eventually croaked after he'd sat for several long minutes and finished the calming drink that his son had brought him.
'I try.' She smiled and the elderly man shook his head in awe.
'Excuse me?' A timid voice asked form behind them. Hermione turned to see a young witch, perhaps thirty years old and dressed in a pale gold dress that had been stylishly accessorised by an emerald belt and jewellery. Seeing that she had her attention, the witch took a deep breath. 'Could you tell me where you got that dress? It's absolutely magical.'
'It was designed by an old family friend; Anneken.' Hermione replied uncertainly. She didn't even know if Anneken was still alive, or what had happened to her over the past couple of years. Perhaps she had married Krum, or maybe that betrothal had been broken off and she'd married someone else.
'Anneken Krum?' The witch breathed in disbelief. 'You've got a custom gown from Anneken Krum for Winter Ball.'
Ah, apparently she did go through with her betrothal.
'Yes? Hermione asked questioningly. It sounded like a good thing but she didn't want to talk it up too much until she knew where she stood with Anneken in this time period.
'It's stunning, of course.' The witch giggled nervously, 'I mean, everything by Anneken is. I guess I'll just have to admire from afar then.'
She retreated quickly, returning to a gaggle of similarly aged witches who all huddled around her and bowed in to hear the news. Hermione rolled her eyes, spinning back to face her party. Both Notts were in silent hysterics.
'What?' She demanded, exasperated.
'Whilst I am certainly no expert on the matter.' Theo began carefully, 'Pansy has said many times that she'd give her wand arm to have her wedding dress designed by Anneken Krum but that it would probably never happen.'
'Oh... She really is a family friend.' Hermione laughed, shaking her head. If she hadn't already been the talk of the party, she would be now.
A tinkling of a spoon against glass interrupted their conversation and they turned as one to face the staircase. Lady Malfoy looked out over them all, waiting as an expectant hush fell over the room.
'I am so glad to see you all here again for yet another Christmas Ball. It is such an honour that we have hosted it for another year, and we hope to host it for many years to come.' Lady Malfoy raised her glass, receiving many more raised glasses in return and a vague echo of "cheers". 'I would like to reflect quickly on what a year it has been - my only son, Draco has started Hogwarts along with many other children in this room. The new wing of St. Mungo's has finally been completed and will be opening soon - please make sure to speak to Lady Greengrass if you wish to attend the opening gala. We celebrated the union between Heir Mulciber and his new wife, Annette Mulciber - yet another noble line that will live on, if rumours of the imminent birth are to be believed...' Lady Malfoy trailed off.
'They are!' A man bellowed from the back of the room, earning scattered laughs.
'As I said, congratulations. Now, I am sure you're all impatient, so with no further delay; the orchestra.'
The orchestra stuck up a lively tune and Hermione pulled out her dance card quickly. Harry, Theo and Lord Nott had already filled out spaces and she had carefully struck out her least favourite to make sure she could last the night.
'May I have this dance?' Theo asked, bowing deeply even though he knew he was already down for her first dance. Hermione curtsied in reply and offered her hand. They moved together to the middle of the floor, taking a place in a small circle with three other couples.
'Stand on my feet, and I shall use an incontinence curse on you.' Hermione reminded him under her breath. Theo laughed, turning her so that they faced as the song began and bowing deeply.
'I would never, my Lady. On that note, I will reciprocate if you so much as touch me with one of those heels.' She curtsied, skirts pooling around her. Then she took his hands again, turning back to the pair in front of them and performing another deep curtesy. They were dancing with an elderly couple; the witch was slender and stern whilst her husband actually wore white gloves.
Hermione ignored the scowl that the couple levelled at them, neatly stepping twice to the left, then skipping twice to the right, her feet crossing expertly beneath her gown as Theo and the elderly gentleman danced to the middle of the circle, then twisted around one another and switched partners, leaving Hermione to be led by the old grump through the delicate turn that had them weaving through Theo and the elderly lady in a complex figure of eight. The man's expression changed to pleasant surprise as she executed it flawlessly and he handed her back to Theo in a smooth spin. Both adults looked much less hostile when they returned to their original spots.
'They weren't expecting us to be able to do it.' Theo commented under his breath as they turned a tight circle together.
'I don;t know why, the Flora is pretty easy.' She said, pulling away to circle the young, fresh faced wizard to her right. He caught her trailing hand and she tugged him back to Theo, taking his hand as well and dancing into the middle of the circle again. They bowed, then danced backwards. She paused for a moment whilst Theo did the same, dancing around the woman to his left, grasping her hand and bringing her back to dance into the middle of the circle with Hermione.
'I recon she's a dance teacher.' Hermione said under her breath as they had a brief pause whilst their diagonal couples completed the same routine.
'Why?' Theo asked, huffing a light laugh under his breath.
'He places his feet like he's about to be whacked by an iron cane.' Theo glanced quickly at their dance partner's feet.
'I don't think I've ever seen a footstep-stutter.' Theo giggled, allowing himself to be pulled away briefly. A moment later, Hermione was pulled away too, light on her feet as she skipped easily out of the way of the less able diagonal.
They skipped sideways, three steps to the left, then four back the way they had come before she curtsied deeply again, holding the pose as the violin drew to a close. A scattered applause rippled through the room and she nodded to each of the six other dancers, then turned to Theo, receiving a bow from him as well.
'I'm still offended that I got the shortest.' He reminded her and she raised an eyebrow, taking his offered arm as he guided her off the floor.
'But it was the first, at my debut. You should be honoured.' She reminded him.
'Herm... er, Lady Hermione?' A voice said from behind and she turned to see Neville, crammed into a set of black dress robes and hovering nervously in front of someone who could only be his grandmother.
'Heir Longbottom.' She smiled at him warmly, hoping to set his nerves at ease.
'May I have this next dance?' He glanced nervously back at his mother and Hermione pretended to check her card, as though she didn't know that her next spot was free.
'Certainly.' She curtsied in reply to his bow and Theo handed her hand off with a friendly grumble.
Neville wore silk gloves and she felt very sorry for him as he adjusted his bow tie awkwardly on the way back over to the floor.
'Grandmother make you wear that?' Hermione asked, allowing him to find them a place in one of the lines between two couples that were probably also still Hogwarts students.
'Yeah.' Neville shifted awkwardly, waiting for the intro to the contra as if he were waiting for a countdown to his own hanging.
'Should I be offended that she also forced you to dance with me?' She asked lightly. Neville blanched and she snorted in an unladylike manner.
'I... I would have asked you anyway.' He stuttered, going pink to his ears.
'No you wouldn't. If anything, you would have waited at the edge until I stopped for a break and spoken to me then.' She curtsied deeply as the intro finally played. Neville hurriedly bowed and scrambled to catch up as they circled one another, then backed back to the outside of the line again. He was a second late again as they repeated the movement, but to her surprise he didn't crash into her once.
'Circle.' She whispered to him when they were close. This time he was perfectly on time, raising his right hand and moving in a clockwise circle with those in their group. then he stepped back cleanly, allowing the even couples to join, pass between them and circle back to their spot around the outside.
'In.' She hissed, stepping forward, grasping his gloved hands. 'Out.' She stepped back to the reach of their arms. 'In.' She stepped back in. 'Turn.' She pivoted neatly, releasing his left hand and was surprised when he actually led down the middle of the row, peeling of and circling around the outside and back to his spot.
He was a passable dancer, even if he didn't remember the steps. Her feet remained un-trodden - that is, until she finally completed the dance with Neville, allowing him to scurry back to the safety of the refreshment table and Flint stepped in to take her third dance. Flint was a burly, aggressive boy that was on the Slytherin Quidditch team. He knew the steps, but didn't seem to care about where his feet ended up in the process of performing them. It felt rather like dancing with a lumbering troll and by the time he had lumbered through a lancier, she was more than glad to be able to retreat to the refreshment table.
Harry had managed to land himself a dance for this one, much to Theo's amusement. She looked out, eventually spying him with one of his Gryffindor classmates. Harry wasn't doing too badly, considering he'd only been learning the dances for a week but it was still enough to leave her smiling as she took a seat and wished bitterly that it was ladylike to massage her feet.
Her next dance was with Lord Nott and he was wonderful to dance with, despite being taller than her. He knew every step and performed them with the ease that only came with decades of practice. Like when she danced with Gellert, Hermione could really relax and let him lead her through a Volta.
She was still smiling when Lucius Malfoy caught her at the end of the dance, politely requesting her next. She had to fight not to scowl, because it would be incredibly rude to turn down the host and she was forced to accept his offer.
It was a slow dance, designed to let them catch their breath after the Volta, which allowed for plenty of conversation.
'You are a bold witch, Miss Gorlois.' Lucius Malfoy commented. 'To claim your name and assume you are due respect because of it.'
'I am due respect because I command a Sect.' She replied, as cool as if she were discussing the weather.
'That does not give you authority.' Malfoy sneered. 'Ancestry, bloodlines and galleons and I have all three in spades.'
'Your ancestry is nothing compared to mine. Your family was squabbling in the dirt and cursing french peasants whilst mine was dancing with kings and shaping empires. I too have wealth, perhaps not as much as you but I have something you don't; the magical power to bring down a kingdom, or raise one should I chose.'
'Magical power did not get your Patriarch an Empire, nor the Dark Lord a kingdom. Yet here I sit, controlling the country with my galleons.' Lucius spat in reply.
'I am not Gellert, nor am I Voldemort. I am Hermione of Gorlois and I carry the blood of legends.' She threw back her head proudly.
'Arrogance is not flattering.' Malfoy informed her.
'Likewise.' She retorted. 'Your arrogance will lead to your downfall.'
There was a brief pause in the conversation as he spun her twice.
'I know that you're lying. That you're not a ward of Grindelwald.' Malfoy hissed when they once more faced one another. 'Katerina Grindelwald died in 1898 and was survived by only Gellert Grindelwald. He has been in prison for decades and has not received a single visitor. You cannot have performed the ritual.'
'How interesting.' Hermione said casually, ignoring the knot in her stomach. She had assumed her Matriarch had died, but she had no idea of when. To know that she could count the years they had left together on one hand was devastating. 'Perhaps you should visit Gellert yourself and ask him. I'm sure he knows exactly how the ritual was performed. He was there, after all.'
Malfoy fell silent. He wouldn't ask Grindelwald, Hermione knew, even though as a patriarch he technically had the authority to petition for a meeting, that he wouldn't actually want to meet with the notorious villain.
'Blood will prevail, Miss Gorlois. We shall see who comes out on top.' Malfoy finally purred as the dance drew to a close.
She took the next one out, even though she had to turn down three offers to do so and made her way to the table where Harry sat.
'Let's have our dance next.' She told him firmly. 'I want to go home.'