"Stop, stop, you're doing it wrong."
Hermione let out a sigh and put the teacup down. She had spent the last 30 minutes with Astoria Greengrass attempting to learn how to "properly" take tea. It was not going well. It would appear as though, despite having had tea every morning since she was 6 years old, Hermione had been going about it the entirely wrong way.
"What do you mean 'I'm doing it wrong' Astoria all I did was pick up the cup!"
Astoria stifled a giggle. In all honesty Hermione was doing better than she had expected her to. But these lessons weren't about Hermione doing 'good' they were to make her exceptional. To make it so that no Pureblood could say that her blood made her inferior or ignorant to their customs. Astoria needed for Hermione to be perfection. To show to every member of society, who would be judging no matter what the say, that Hermione had learnt all this FOR Theodore and that itself made her worthy of him in her eyes.
"Yes, Hermione that is true, but you only lifted the cup, you need to raise the saucer as well. Pinkie out when holding the cup stem, in your right hand I might add."
"I'm left-handed!" a small spark shot through her wild curls that had been pulled back in a messy bun off her face.
"So am I Hermione, but it is the rules. Tea is something of an artform in our world. Everything means something. How many times you stir your sugar in, which hand you use to raise your cup, if you decline cream. All these things mean something. They speak to how you feel about your host or your guests."
"That is insane! It's tea!"
Setting her own tea down, Astoria pinched the bridge of her nose. How could the brightest witch of their generation not have had any curiosity as to the customs of the Purebloods. Merlin, even Astoria had heard Hermione rattle off fact after fact from Hogwarts: A History more times than any sane person is willing to hear. But this, this she was clueless about.
"That is Pureblood society. It is stupid and archaic, but it is what we live by. Tradition matter, maybe not in the circles you run in but in mine, in HIS, it matters. Don't you have any family traditions that to you seem so odd or silly, but you uphold them anyway because they form a part of your family? As Ginevra would have mentioned, you are somewhat fortunate that Theodore answers only to himself. You don't have in-laws to impress. Image taking tea with Narcissa Malfoy the first Sunday of every month."
"I thought she was kidding! Do you really have to do that?"
Astoria nodded her head. "Every month until we are wed. Only 18 more teas to go"
"You already have a date set?"
"Of course, we have been officially courting since my 5th year, his parents thought he needed something 'positive' whilst trying to do that monster's horrid task. And as such, his family sort out mine. Naturally my father wanted the Malfoys to pick Daphne, but Narcissa felt I would be better suited due to the fact I was younger, less chance of me getting dragged into and used as a pawn in the chess match that was the inner circle. It would be improper if we did not have a date by now. Draco and I managed to convince them that we needed to wait until I had finished school, and thus 6 months after we graduate, we will be wed"
"I thought you to were, forgive me for the lack of better term, organic. I didn't realise you were 'arranged'"
"Most in our world are. Same with Blaise and my sister. After my contract was signed my parents immediately began looking for a suitor for her. It does not look well to have an older sister overlooked for her younger, gives the impression she might not be…. pure enough. How Theodore escaped it is beyond me. But we are all lucky. We grew to love our matches. For Blaise and Daphne, it was easy. They were best friends for years and there was always that attraction. Given certain circumstances it was much harder for Draco and I. But I do love him Hermione."
"So, you don't believe in all the traditions then?"
"No, don't get me wrong, some of them I do. But not being able to be alone with Draco, meeting with his mother every month. Not being allowed to have sex! Insane. I am a 17 year old girl I have needs the same as everyone else!"
Hermione couldn't help but laugh and Astoria joined her. She had always assumed that all Pureblood Slytherin girls were like Pansy. Insufferable, pig-headed. But what she was learning was that they were a lot like herself. Normal teenage girls with the weight of the world placed upon their shoulders and the expectation to behave a certain way. A level of perfection demanded of them.
When they finally stopped laughing Hermione took a deep breath and raised her cup and saucer.
"Okay Astoria let's try this again.
"Tori…. You can call me Tori"
A smile spread across Hermione's' face.
"Okay, Tori."
