Hey all, long time no speak. Was able to write more on this, well, at least finish off the next installment (I'm about three in front, or at least two anyway) so I can upload this one.

Anything else to say? Dunno really cos I answered queries via the reply email thinggy on this site. Ah well, any other questions don't hesitate to review... I'll answer them as best I can.

See y'all!


2nd October, 2001

11:10am

It seemed that the letter that Hermione wanted to write a week after she found out that she was Narcissa Malfoy's daughter had to wait a further week than she intended. After having to deal with Ginny about her brother, the laboratories were full of researchers trying to finish off their brews; Hermione being one of them. The cough potion that she had been brewing the day that she was called upstairs had unfortunately failed and so she had had to stay back late each night and one day on the weekend, ensuring that she had complete and utter silence from anyone else who wasn't a direct lab colleague. This, she was granted after a memo was put around that no one was to disturb the laboratories during the next two weeks as there was pressing work that needed to be done.

Given that she had been working flat out on the potion, she was granted permission to leave early when she handed in her finished product to her supervisor on Thursday.

"Take tomorrow off as well," he had told her, "because you've worked harder than anyone here during this time. If you have anything you need to do at home, use the next few days to do it. Oh and on Monday, you'll be back up in the emergency ward. They have called for your help again."

"Oh okay. Thanks for that."

And so it was because of this that Hermione had been able to sit down and write her letter to Narcissa. Or at least that was the plan.

After she had got home on Thursday, she felt like doing nothing except sit on the couch reading some pretty easy chick lit. Later, she called Ginny around to fill her in on the week's activities and decided that they would go out on Saturday night for a bit of a break. They spent a very lazy one sitting on the couch and eating popcorn and Coke.

The next day, Hermione had booted Ginny out (or Ginny booted herself out, one of the two) and decided that it was now or never to write her letter to Narcissa.

Okay, no distractions, no nothing, I'm going to get this letter done.

She got all of her things out to write the letter when the phone rang.

Fuck off!

"Hermione," it was her father. Woops, better take that back. "Sorry, I haven't heard from you in a while. How are you?"

"Fine, Dad."

"I was just wondering if you wanted to come over for dinner with your mother and me tonight. Give you a chance not to have to cook for yourself."

"I'd love to. What time?"

"Around 6:30 will be fine. If you want to bring someone, just let us know beforehand."

"Thanks, Dad. I don't think there will be but thanks for the offer."

"Alright, you sound slightly rushed so I'll let you go."

"I kind of am, so I better go."

"Bye Sweetie."

The last time Hermione had been called 'Sweetie' by her father was long enough to have thought that it wasn't ever going to happen again.

""Sweetie? Dad you haven't called me that in years."

"I know, it just kind of slipped out."

"Obviously. I really am sorry but I have to go."

"Bye then."

"Bye."

Hermione hung the phone up and walked back over to the table where she had set up her parchment and quill. She tried to get into the mindset for writing but her thoughts were still with her father calling her Sweetie. She had a good suspicion that he said it because of what happened over the last couple of weeks.

God, I have to get this letter done.

She sat down and pushed all thoughts of her father and Fred Weasley and anyone else that might disturb her thinking process into the back of her mind and thought about how to respond to the letter.

It took her over three hours and a couple of interruptions (no thanks to Harry with a concern about a pimple – "Harry, couldn't this have waited?" "Not really, it's a fair emergency." "What bloody emergency? It's a pimple for Christ's sake!" She felt that she couldn't really tell him to piss off because she was writing a letter to her real mother who happened to be Narcissa Malfoy) but she finally got her letter written.

It read:

Narcissa,

Well, your letter was certainly a shock to the system. I had always known that Jane was not my real mother but I never knew the identity of who that person was, as you well know. I must say that even to have received a letter from yourself was a surprise but the nature for your writing was something that I simply could not believe at first. I really didn't know how to take it and to be truthful, I still think that it could all possibly have been a dream and that I never received that letter. However, I am looking at said letter as I write this and so I cannot deny that it occurred.

Dad filled me in that night as to how it all began. I don't think I need to go into what was said because I'm sure that you would have known everything. He told me that you know a lot more about me than I would think. That's a little scary given our past but I guess you do have a right to. He also informed me that you had quite a hand in bringing me up, despite not actually being there physically. I can't say that I believe that wholly but I hope you don't hold that against me; it's quite hard to believe that when I didn't hear one word about you from either you or Dad. That I hope will change once I get a chance to meet you.

Ah yes, the reason for my writing. I believe that if I said no to meeting you, that would be rather unfair on yourself. That is denying you a chance to explain in your words what happened all those years ago and in the years since. I do want to hear your side because it's the right thing to do for both you, my father and myself.

I'm not so sure what else to write in this letter that I cannot wait until I meet you face to face so in the meantime, I will let you decide on where to meet. I only ask you that we make the meeting a Saturday, preferably next weekend (not tomorrow as I don't think that Gretchen will be able to make it to you by then) because due to work, I am quite busy during the week and I cannot guarantee that my weeknights will be free. I hope that this isn't too soon and that you are free on that day. If not, we can always make it the Sunday or the following weekend.

I apologise for the lateness of this response but in my defence, I took quite a few days to decide and then when I finally did decide, work piled up at a really inopportune moment.

You are able to send a response back with Gretchen if you wish and don't feel you need to respond straight away; she is very keen for assignments and I haven't been able to provide her with many.

Sincerely,

Hermione Granger.

Going over it, Hermione only hoped that it sounded alright. It wasn't exactly the easiest letter that she'd written but at least she couldn't say that it was a complete lie. She'd told Narcissa the truth; things had been hard for her to take but hopefully that would change in meeting her. Given that her previous three attempts had all started out accusing Narcissa of not being there for her when she knew in reality that that was not true, she thought that this last attempt was rather good.

She called over Gretchen, her little owl and tied the letter to her leg.

"I'm really sorry that it's taken me this long to give you a decent job," she said to the owl, who was hooting excitedly at finally being given something to do. "I hope you'll forgive me as I'm sure you'll get to do quite a few errands in the next week or so. When you come back, there'll be some more owl treats waiting. How's that?" She scratched Gretchen on the head and went to let her outside.

Gretchen hooted in response and flew off. Sighing, Hermione went to the fridge and opened it up. Upon seeing the bare contents, she decided that she really should go off and do some shopping.

She left the flat and wandered down the street to the little supermarket on the corner of the block.


Comments:

Might take me a bit to upload the next bit of this; there is about two that I can upload but after that, I haven't written any more! But the second part is really long - I'm guessing it's up over 20 pages but it couldn't be cut back. So some installments are long, others are short.

Even tho they are longer, I'm pretty sure it won't deter from people reading. Least I hope not... ;-)