The important stuff first, I own nothing. I make no money from this little hobby. And a huge thank you to all you readers. I adore you, I hug my phone everything I get a review, a follow, or a favorite. I also adore those of you who just silently read, you are wonderful,too.
Chapter Seven
Visiting with his parents' schoolmates helped distract Harry from brooding over the hearing. He tried not to get his hopes up. Too many times in the past he had, only to have them dashed. He appreciated the Burkes and Woods avoiding any mention of Sirius. They still thought he had betrayed the Potters. He wished they wouldn't keep mentioning "poor Peter." Just before lunch the two families departed Malfoy Manor. Harry had just made up his mind to go hunt down Draco when the flames turned green and the floo roared to life. He attempted to contain his nerves as first Hermione, then Lucius stepped out. Hermione brushed the ashes from her clothes before launching herself at Harry. "We did it! Sirius Black is a free man."
Harry hugged her tightly. He picked her up and spun her around in a circle. "Where is he? When can I see him?"
Lucius placed a calming hand on his shoulder. "He is currently being seen at St Mungo's. The healers suggested he might need a few days of observation, and possibly a mind healer for the damage from Azkaban. He agreed to come here after. Or join us in Devon, if that is where you are."
"Okay," Harry released Hermione. "That's good, actually, he probably needs it." The three of them made their way to lunch. Hermione described the events of the morning. Proudly, she showed off the hair clip.
"Oh, Great-Grandmother Celestina's violet barrette. Bella loved it when Grandmother put her hair up with it. Did Sirius tell you about the enchantments?"
"No, I don't think he knew there were any. He just remembered thinking it was pretty." Hermione agreed with him. Five delicate violets with leaves formed the clip. Dark amethysts filled in the petals. Vibrant emeralds formed the leaves. The stones were set in platinum.
"Great-Grandmother charmed it to stay in place and prevent tangles. That was Bella's favorite part."
"I imagine it will be my favorite, too." Hermione grinned.
The first afternoon in Devon, Lucius introduced Hermione to the stables. She declared herself in love with each and everyone of the horses, even the Abraxians. She decided she wasn't ready to go flying, despite Harry and Draco attempting to egg her on. On the second morning Hermione excitedly dressed in jeans and riding boots, despite the overcast sky. This morning Lucius promised to take her riding. She met him at side door, then sped down the path towards the stables.
Lucius laughed at exuberance. "Are you fifteen, or five?"
"Five," she shouted back as she ducked into the stables. Several of the horses stamped their feet in excitement when they sensed her approach. Her own mare, a Cleveland Bay named Freya, danced, whinnying when she caught Hermione's scent. The human stable hand swiftly saddled both Freya and Thanatos, Lucius's pale colored thoroughbred stallion.
Freya continued to prance and nicker her joy, while Thanatos stood regal and still. Hermione thought the horses' personalities matched their riders perfectly.
After mounting and starting down the riding path, Lucius surveyed the sky, "Are you sure you sure you do not wish to wait for a sunny day, my treasure?"
"No, it'll be fine. A cloudy day is better anyway, less chance of the sunscreen wearing off."
"I think you will find the Malfoy sunscreen charm to be superior to the muggle lotions."
"The application definitely wins." She laughed. "Anyway, if we turned back now Freya would be so disappointed." The mare whinnied loudly in agreement. "See?"
Lucius led his daughter along a shallow stream. She enjoyed the surrounding meadows full of wildflowers. She could hear small animals running through the tall grass. The more she saw the more she fell in love with the estate. She felt more at peace here than anywhere else. It felt like home. She opened her mouth to ask how often the family visited, when the heavens opened up. Sheets of rain drenched the riders in seconds. Hermione threw her head back laughing. She turned Freya about and shouted over her shoulder. "Race you back." With the nudge of her heels, she urged the horse forward. Lucius hesitated for a moment, then urged Thanatos after them.
The torrential rain continued to beat down mercilessly. Thankfully, the lighting remained in the sky causing the thunder to roll ominously overhead. The wind carried Hermione's laughter back to Lucius. Bred for racing, Thanatos quickly caught up with the bay. Together, father and daughter galloped across the meadow back to the manor house. The stable hands rushed out to take the reins of horses, leading them into shelter.
Hermione leapt at Lucius, wrapping her arms around him in a hug. "Oh, thank you! That was so much fun!"
Lucius felt confused, "You enjoyed that?"
"Of course, didn't you?" Hermione's elation burst. She began to feel self conscious.
"I enjoy every second you deign to spend with me, I always will. I am just uncertain why you enjoyed our race through the rain."
"In part, because you didn't curse, or get angry."
"We couldn't have gotten any wetter."
"Exactly, you didn't shut down because it rained. You adapted, you joined in the race." Lucius nodded at the part she left unsaid about her other father. He simply hugged her tightly and guided her back into the manor to dry off.
Sirius joined them in Devon on their third and last day. The family spent the time learning muggle card games, going through Narcissa's and Hermione's albums, and enjoying the quiet of the countryside. Sirius insisted on taking Harry to Potter Estates. Harry promptly invited Hermione and Draco. She watched, holding her brother's hand, as Harry followed the Potter elves around the manor house. Tears shone in her eyes as he talked with numerous portraits. The fact that his parents had not yet had their portrait made came as a disappointment. This left him no way to get to know them directly. He tried to be content with the ancestors he did have, but it was difficult at the moment.
Sirius's promise that Kreacher would have 12 Grimmauld Place ready for them by summer lifted his spirits considerably. "Lily's will specifically stated you were never to be placed with Petunia. Regardless of what he thinks about anything else going on, Fudge reinstated me as your magical and legal guardian. As soon as the Goblins finish investigating where your money went I'll be dealing with the Dursleys."
"Now all I have to do is survive the last challenge." Harry joked.
"No sweat, piece of cake." Hermione grinned.
"Yeah, nothing to it."
Draco rolled his eyes, "Gryffindors."
The night before her homecoming party, Harry and Sirius joined Remus and old friends to remember the Potters and welcome Sirius back from figurative death. Hermione spent the evening teaching her family to play Monopoly. Once Lucius got the hang of the rules it became a race to own the most properties. Four hours in, Hermione promised to help Draco with his Transfiguration and Charms homework in exchange for Park Place, cementing her win. A laughing Narcissa reminded her son that the deal was help not do.
"Does the wizarding world have board games?"
"Not really, Exploding Snap and Chess are about it. Poker, but Muggles have an identical game, I believe." Lucius told her. "Next time let's play the spelling game." He suggested. Hermione grinned broadly at the promise of next time.
"Someone should make wizarding versions." Draco said. Hermione nodded thinking of the Weasley twins. That sounded right up their alley. She would have to mention it to them. She floated up to bed that evening.
A loud thump and laughter woke her around three in the morning. Harry and Sirius returned, one of them worse for the wear it seemed. She felt glad they enjoyed themselves, she just wished they were quieter about it. She smiled to herself, snuggling into her pillow. A happy Harry made her happy. She hoped he stayed that way. The next morning she slammed her bedroom door and shouted a greeting to Draco before pounding on Harry's door. She decided the grumbling from inside to be an invitation to enter. Harry burrowed further under the blanket hiding from the light when she opened the door. Hermione strode across the room and flung the curtains wide open, an evil little smirk playing across her lips. The Harry shaped lump wiggled in despair. "Up and at 'em. Last day of vacation and all that rot." She ripped off the comforter.
"Why, Hermione? Why?" Harry cried.
"The early bird gets the worm."
Harry narrowed his eyes, "Is this because of last night?"
"Last night? No. Early this morning? Possibly, if you are referring to Sirius falling into my wall and the two of you laughing like hyenas about it."
"We didn't." Harry cried indignantly.
"You did." Hermione assured him.
"Sorry."
"Yeah, yeah, and you'll never do it again. Uh huh, up." She herded him into the shower and left him to wander about the bathroom until clean. She descended to breakfast.
The house elves set out a breakfast buffet for the family and any guests to serve themselves. Though, Hermione noticed Lucius often prepared Narcissa's plate for her. She wondered if it was pureblood manners, or something unique to her parents. Either way she found it sweet and a bit romantic. She served herself and slipped into a seat next to Draco. Lucius nodded in greeting.
"Good morning, darling." said Narcissa. "Did you sleep well?"
"Well enough until the herd of hippogryphs stampeded through." Draco attempted not to laugh and snorted pumpkin juice across the table, earning a glare from his mother.
"I gather Sirius and Harry enjoyed themselves?"
"Yes, thank you." Harry answered entering the room. "He's probably feeling it this morning." He shrugged. Narcissa raised an elegant questioning eyebrow. "They started toasting fallen friends. That lead to toasting absent friends. Then each other, by the end they were toasting anyone and anything." Narcissa pursed her lips. "Sirius only let me have butterbeer." He assured her.
Deciding to avoid the topic altogether, Narcissa addressed Hermione. "Have you given any thought to your ensemble for this evening?"
"Um, yes, actually, I have." Looking down, she fiddled with the napkin in her lap. "I thought I would wear one of the party dresses I bought in London. It will go well with the hair clip from Sirius, and the jewelry you gave me to match." She glanced nervously at Lucius, before flicking her eyes to Narcissa, then back down to her lap. She braced herself in case of explosion. She acknowledged her proposal could be a step too far, too fast. A gently clearing throat caused her to snap up to a beaming Lucius and beaming Narcissa. "I figured the muggle dress will make me feel more comfortable in a new setting. And it shows you accept me regardless of who raised me."
"And display subtle pro muggle sentiments." Harry added. Draco stared at him. "What? You know I'm not dumb."
"No, you aren't dumb." Draco agreed. "And you are far more observant than most people give you credit for."
"Yes, well, regardless of messages and implications, guests begin arriving at four thirty, I suggest you start getting ready early." She looked at Draco and Harry. "That means showered and dressed, ready to greet people before four thirty. Not just getting in the shower, not just slipping on your clothes. You are standing in the foyer waiting."
"Yes, ma'am." Draco nodded.
Narcissa turned her glare to Harry. "Yes, ma'am." he gulped.
She brightened, "Excellent."
Hermione admired herself in the mirror. She smoothed her dark purple dress down. The cap sleeves fluttered with her movements. The bodice crisscrossed over her bust. The skirt flared from a wide ribbon belt to end just below her knees. Winky spelled her hair into large barrel curls and pulled them back with the barrette. Amethyst earrings dangled from her ears. Oval cut amethysts set in platinum encircled her throat. Since Narcissa never mentioned makeup charms, and Lavender and Pavarti often complained that glamour charms required a lot of effort but didn't last, she fell back on muggle make up. She used the full regiment just as she had for Yule Ball. She rather liked the overall effect. Hermione remembered how excited Monica had been when she'd asked for tips. She gave her reflection a small sad smile. There had been good times with the Grangers, too.
She glided down the staircase towards her waiting parents. Lucius moved to the foot of the stairs, smiling proudly. "You look lovely, my treasure."
"Thank you. I admit, I'm feeling nervous. Is it too late to run screaming into the night?"
Narcissa chuckled. "I felt the same way the first time I was the guest of honor." She squeezed Hermione's hand. "But, remember we only invited family and close friends. Everyone attending genuinely wants to meet you. Your Grandmere Malfoy actually agreed to return to England. And my mother will also be here, even though she hates Grandmere Malfoy." She flashed Hermione a bright fake smile.
"Somehow that doesn't make me less anxious."
"Imagine everyone in their underwear, Mione." Harry called down the stairs.
"That's disgusting, Potter! Why on earth would she would want to do that?" Draco interjected.
"It's a muggle idea. Imaging the audience in a more embarrassing or funny situation to help ease stage fright." Hermione explained. "I think I'll pass."
"You will be amazing, kitten." Sirius grinned at her, while fidgeting with his cuffs. "Chances are you are the smartest person in the room. If they fluster you use big words to intimidate them."
Narcissa smacked her cousin playfully, "Hush, you." She soothed the fabric on Hermione's shoulders. "Ignore his very bad advice." Narcissa peered closely at Hermione's make up. "What kind of glamour charm did you use on your face? I don't recognized it."
"Um, I used muggle cosmetics. I don't know any make up charms. And my roommates always complained glamours wear off too quickly."
Narcissa examined her face closely. "This will last all evening?"
"I might have to reapply lipstick after dinner, but otherwise it lasts eight to ten hours, longer with setting spray."
The older witch smirked. "We will be taking that trip to London very soon I think. An advantage like this outweighs any amount of discomfort in my mind." Before Hermione could respond the first guests arrived, ending the conversation.
Faustine Malfoy, Lucius's mother, arrived towards the front of the crowd. She smiled dimly at Hermione. "Too much Black for a Malfoy." she sniffed. Hermione's stomach dropped to her feet, until the woman moved onto Draco. "Still pointy about the chin. Does your mother not feed you?"
Ah, another Auntie Muriel, something negative to say about everyone. She tried not giggle when the older witch asked Harry if he was had ever made the acquaintance of a comb.
Next, the Malfoys introduced her to several second and third cousins, then family friends. Hermione recognized several faces amid the crowd: Theo and his father, Adrian Pucey, the Greengrass sisters, and Marcus Flint. When the elder Malfoys moved away to mingle, Hermione kept close to Harry. Both felt uneasy as the center of attention. One the prodigal daughter returned, the other the boy who lived. "How much trouble do you think we would get into if we snuck upstairs and hid until dinner was over?" Harry whispered.
"There isn't a hole deep enough to hide you from Mrs Malfoy. Draco tried once. She found him in ten minutes flat." They turned to find Theo standing behind them. He offered Hermione a glass. "You looked thirsty, so I decided to be presumptuous and bring you something."
She accepted the glass and took a small sip, savoring the flavor of the passion fruit juice. "Thank you." she gave him a small smile, which he returned.
"Has this really been that horrible?" Theo glanced about the room, trying to see the people he knew so well through a stranger's eyes.
"No." huffed Hermione. "Neither Harry nor I like the attention."
"Despise it." Harry added.
"Loathe entirely. But this seems to be how these things are done."
"Look on the bright side, next time none of these people will be staring at you like the entertainment."
"Sure." agreed Hermione. She sipped her drink, surveying the room again.
"No one called your knees knobby." Harry chimed in.
"No, Grandmere Malfoy told me I was too much a Black for a Malfoy."
Harry burst into laughter, gaining even more scrutiny from the throng. Hermione hid her smile behind her glass. "What does that even mean?" he asked.
"I have no idea. I've decided to take it as a compliment."
"Mrs Malfoy always has been direct." Theo remarked. At Hermione's raised questioning eyebrow, he continued. "My father is often called away on business for long periods. Once Narcissa found out, she insisted he stop leaving me with house elves. She can be rather persuasive. I spend a good chunk of my summer here at the manor. I've met Lucius's dear mother several times."
"Does she like anyone?"
"Lucius, maybe."
"Wonderful."
Tink, tink. Lucius tapped his wand against his glass. "Your attention, please. Narcissa and I wish to thank you all for joining us today to welcome our lost treasure home." He scanned the crowd until he found her. Everyone stepped away, leaving Hermione alone in a little circle. "We never gave up hope this day would come. We love you, Hermione Celeste. Welcome home." He raised his glass in salute.
"Welcome home." the crowd repeated in toast. Hermione blushed and smiled. Just as she began to fidget under the scrutiny, a house elf appeared to announce dinner. Theo began to offer his arm when Draco popped up.
"Allow me to escort my darling sister." He offered her his arm with a small bow. Theo lowered his arm and stepped back.
Hermione accepted Draco's arm giving him a look for his strange behavior. Draco hadn't seemed bothered by Theo's attentions before. "I don't like how several of our schoolmates have been eyeing you." He whispered.
"Eyeing me?"
"Yes. Mother reminded Grandmere of your age when she fussed about your dress. She meant old enough to express your individuality, but the purebloods heard old enough to start seriously considering future arrangements." He grimaced.
"I still have three years of school left."
"Long engagements are a pureblood tradition, a hold over from when arranged marriages was the standard."
"Please tell me they are off the table."
"Yeah, too many halfbloods and muggleborns throwing fits about love and freedom." Seeing Hermione's glare he quickly added, "I'm not complaining. I want a married life like our parents, not just one that looks good on paper. Mother and Father agree."
"Then why swoop in to 'save me?'"
"I am protecting Theo."
"Huh?"
"There hasn't been a female born to the Malfoy family in living memory. So, for once, the pressure to nab a Malfoy is as much on the sons as the daughters. Then add the fact that you are the Black Scion and you become a very hot commodity."
"Do you realize how disgusting that sounds?"
"Yes, yes I do, actually."
"So why does Theo need saving?"
"No one will see him as a rival and try to take him out of the running."
"Shouldn't my preferences come into play?"
"You would think that, but right now everyone is scrambling to get an in, and maybe push some competition out."
Hermione groaned. She wondered if it would be unfair to ask Viktor to heat things between them back up some, just to keep the vultures at bay. A few kisses to feed the rumor mills. Her stomach churned a bit at the idea of using him like that. She bit her lower lip. No, better to just keep her head up and screen those wishing to befriend her. Lucius would probably prove to be an efficient gatekeeper if she needed him.
Dinner proceeded without problems. The guest made polite conversation. Everyone avoided mentioning the elephants in the room. Harry managed to use the correct fork and glass. At the end of the evening Narcissa's mother, Druella Black, hugged Hermione. She initially stiffened, then relaxed into the embrace. "In the days and years to come, never doubt how much you are loved." Hermione raised her arms and returned the hug. Druella leaned forward to whisper in her ear, "And ignore Faustine, Merlin knows I do." Hermione chuckled