12
06.30.95
Hermione slid the compartment door closed, rolling her eyes at her friends as the made kissy-faces at her, "Do you see what you've done? Now they won't be talking about anything else for the rest of the ride home."
Cedric grinned, playfully winking at Su and Padma, who blushed brightly, and at Justin, who feigned retching. "Your friends are hilarious."
She shook her head at the lot of them, "What is it you wanted to talk about?"
"Right, so will I be seeing your parents on the platform then?" he asked expectantly, "It's about time, don't you think? Would've been better if I'd won the tournament so I'd have something to show of myself, but can't be helped."
Hermione's brows rose in alarm, "My parents?"
Cedric nodded, "I told you I wanted to meet them, after the third task, when we were in the Hospital Wing. I know I said it, because Madame Pomfrey smacked me upside the head for talking when I was still under Fleur's Tongue Enlarging Jinx."
She frowned, "I must've forgotten, with everything that was happening."
"Doesn't matter," he said, brushing it off, "You'll still introduce me, right?"
Biting her lip, she looked up at him apologetically, "They won't be coming to get me, I'm sorry. They're very busy people and they never have the time to send me off or pick me up."
"Oh," Cedric said, "Well, maybe I can come home with you, just to get the formalities over with? We have been dating for six months now."
"No!" she blurted out, surprising him.
"Do you not want me to meet them?" he asked, puzzled, and a little hurt.
"No, no," she said, shaking her head frantically, curls flying into her face,"Nothing like that, it's just - they won't be home, probably not until very late. Their schedules just don't match up. I'm sorry, Cedric. Maybe I can convince them to send me off in September and you can meet them then?"
Her boyfriend looked at her skeptically, before nodding slowly, "Alright, then. You'll write me, yeah?"
"Of course," she nodded, a relieved smile gracing her face, "As much as I can, I promise."
"Counting on it, princess." he winked, "Got to get back to the boys. I'll come get you when we pull up into the station?"
She nodded, smiling as he pecked her on the cheek.
Her smile dropped however, as soon as she turned to face her friends, a frazzled look occupying her face instead. "I have a bit of a dilemma."
"We gathered," Su smirked, "Your hair looked like it was going through a tornado, with all of your head shaking. What's got your knickers in a twist?"
"He wants to meet my parents." she said, sitting down in a very unladylike huff.
"So?" Su said, "Don't you want him to meet then?"
"I haven't told him yet." she admitted.
"He's your boyfriend, Mione, don't you trust him?" Padma said gently.
She sighed, "It's a big secret to tell, and I've only known him for so long. I didn't tell you guys for years."
"But he'll find out sooner or later." Justin said, "Best rip the band-aid off now."
"It doesn't feel right." she sighed, unable to explain exactly what was stopping her.
"Do you feel as if you and Cedric aren't going to last?" Padma asked, as softly as she could.
Hermione buried her face in her hands, "Would it be wretched of me to think that?" she said.
Her three friends shared a look while she was unaware, deciding that ultimately, Padma would be the best to lead the conversation.
"Why do you feel that way, love? We thought it was going great with you two?" the girl said, smiling encouragingly.
Hermione looked at her, visibly stressed, "They were - are! It's just, I don't know - I can't see it ever happening in my mind. Cedric is amazing, he's kind, and funny, but I sometimes find myself zoning out when he's talking or getting annoyed when he makes fun of my ballet, or things like that. I don't know what it is but -"
"But, even though he's great, he isn't next Duke of Northumberland great." Justin said knowingly. "It's not your fault, Mione. We were raised a certain way and have to live up to certain things. It's just the way it is."
"Wait," Su interrupted, "I thought you said you wouldn't be inheriting the title? Why are you making such a fuss out of it?"
"Technically, my younger brother's going to be the Duke, but only publicly. I'll be holding everything else. My father thinks it's unfair to me, with the way my grandfather trained me for it, and George doesn't really want to be heir apparent, I think he wants to go to art school."
"So you'll be doing all the work?" Padma asked, "How will that work?"
"The same way my father did all of my Uncle's work for him." Hermione shrugged, "Can we get back to the matter at hand? I feel horrid for stringing Cedric along like this, but I like him, and I don't want to end it just yet."
Su grinned like a fox, "Oh, I like this side of you, you heartbreaker."
Hermione pouted, "I don't want to be one! Maybe I should just end it now, before it gets too messy." She made a move to stand, and was instantly pulled down by three pairs of hands.
"How about, how about you give it a bit of time. It's the summer, you won't be seeing each other anyways, if you still feel like this after the end of the holidays, then you can tell him when we get back to Hogwarts." Padma said sagely.
She mulled it over, then nodded hesitantly, "You don't think I'm being cruel?"
Su shrugged, "We're teenagers, relationships die like flies at our age, it isn't a big deal. Diggory's leaving after next year anyway. I don't think he'd be too heartbroken over it, unless of course, you've already managed to make him fall in love with you."
"Of course not!" Hermione said, "It definitely doesn't feel that way."
"Then don't beat yourself up over it." Justin said, "Get through the summer, owl him now and again, and make up your mind before classes start."
She nodded in agreement. "You're right. I'll do that."
Draco watched as Diggory helped Hermione off the train, an impassive look on his face, but within his chest swirled a growing green eyed hippogriff. He felt a hand settle on his shoulder and looked over to find his mother's knowing face peering at him.
"Give it time, my dragon." she said, eyeing the girl approvingly. "If the Diggory boy is how you say he is, I give it until the end of the summer."
Draco nodded, turning before as soon as Granger made to kiss Diggory. "Aren't we late for tea, mother?"
07.7.95
Hermione Jean Percy was very sure that she was on the brink of death.
Her mother, however, thought otherwise, as she spouted off another thing for her daughter to take note of. Jane Percy had officially enlisted her daughter as her personal assistant, having fired her last one in May, just in time for the season. Jane was in charge of exactly three dinners, one gala, four luncheons, and a garden party for only June and July.
Hermione had been spreading herself as thin as possible, attending lessons for half of the day, and attending to her mother the other half. Her father had been seeking her out more, as well, as part of her training.
For the past week since arriving home, she had been contacting caterers, hotels, florists, and everything else you could think of because her mother simply refused to hire an event planner.
"Have you called the florist yet?' Her mother asked, as she flipped through pictures of table settings in a portfolio the caterers had sent.
"Yes, I've approved the flowers for the Hospital Charity luncheon and the ones for the rotary gala. You still haven't said if you liked the table arrangements for the gala."
"Were those the ones with the white carnations?" Jane asked.
"Yes."
"Alright, that's fine. Can you also note that someone needs to pick up both ours dresses for the gala, please?"
"You had a dress made?" Hermione asked, "Mother, I could have used one of my old ones. I'll most likely need to slip into the background anyway -"
"Oh hush, you know how those galas go, you won't be seen with how that lot prance about." Jane waved away, taking a sip of her prosecco - which she had requested at nine in the morning.
Hermione jotted down a few more things before they were disturbed by the harsh tapping of something against glass. The two women looked around, to find a large bar owl perched on one of the stone window ledges, envelope in its beak.
"Hello, love." Hermione said as she opened the window, "Thank you very much."
"Who's it from?" her mother asked, eyeing the unopened envelope.
"Cedric, it seems," she said, setting it down onto a table, "I'll read it later. Have you and father settled on the amount you'll be donating for the Women's Institute yet?"
The envelope was set aside, later on to be added to the growing pile of letters on her desk in her room.
07.29.95
"Hermione!" her mother shouted, sounding frantic, her voice echoing throughout the castle.
"Why-ever are you shouting, mother?" Hermione asked, hurrying down the stairs to find her mother, in a right state, sitting down forlornly in her study.
"I just got off the phone with the caterer for tomorrow." Jane said miserably, "There was a mix-up with the dates for shipping the wine, and there isn't a place anywhere near here that will get the amount we need in time."
Hermione's eyes widened at her mother's tone, "Have you tried everyone? Even Father's associates?"
Her mother frowned, "Stocks are low. It is the season after all. Everyone's hosting parties here and there, you know as much."
"But we can't have a gala without wine!" Hermione said, rather uselessly from the sound her mother let out - a pathetic little whimper that sounded like a puppy being kicked.
"We'll have to cancel the entire event." she sighed dejectedly.
"No." her daughter said suddenly, eyes brightening with an idea, "We might not have to. Let me just send an owl, Mother, before we go calling everything off."
As quick as her feet could bring her, she made her way to her room, penning a quick letter and attaching it to her owl's leg. "Here you go, darling, now I don't know exactly where he lives, but I'm sure you can find that out. If his reply gets here within the hour, I promise to have extra treats waiting for you when you arrive."
The bird chirped excitedly in reply before hopping off the window ledge with an urgency that made its owner chuckle.
07.30.95
Hermione grinned smugly when she heard the distinct pops of Apparition sound somewhere within the castle. She hoped to Merlin that he'd listened about where to appear, or else the maids would have been given quite a fright. It was the day of the gala, and there were dozens of workers milling about, getting last minute preparations done and cowering at Jane Percy, who was ten times as terrifying as her daughter. Hermione's brothers and sisters had been scuttled off with their tutors for the day, still too young to be helping or attending. Hermione herself would be posing as her mother's niece or some sort if anyone asked.
"Hermione!" a small voice called from the stairwell below as she made her way down from her rooms. She could spy the grinning head of her sister, Melissa, probably having just escaped from lessons to find out what the commotion was about. "A lady and a boy just appeared in the great room with some funny looking creatures carrying boxes!"
"Yes, Mel, I was expecting them." she said, trying to hide her smirk at her sister's wide eyed look, "Now get back to your governess before Mother finds out you're skiving off again."
The young girl let out a shriek before dashing back to the library, giggling as she went.
Hermione let out a breath upon nearing the great room, which had been closed off from the workers and servants. She patted down her lilac sundress, smoothing out the non-existent wrinkles and opened the doors, letting them fall shut behind her as she entered, a welcoming smile plastered on her face at the sight of Draco Malfoy and his mother, who was looking around the spacious room with thinly veiled curiosity.
"Good Morning!" she greeted politely, "Welcome to Alnwick Castle. My mother and I can't thank you enough for doing this on such short notice."
"Good Morning, Hermione." Draco said stiffly, as uncomfortable as she'd ever seen him, "May I introduce my mother, Lady Narcissa Malfoy, Mother, this is Hermione." Hermione missed the look of approval the wizard sent her way, taking in the flowy dress and white sandals.
"Narcissa, please." the haughty looking woman said, leaning down to exchange kisses with the younger witch. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Lady Hermione."
"Call me Hermione," she said, pleased by the fact that the supposedly bigoted lady had not at all hesitated to touch her. "I'm sorry my mother wasn't the one to meet you, she has her hands full at the moment, you see."
"It's perfectly understandable," Narcissa said, brushing it off with her hand, "These things are quite taxing to arrange, especially at this time of year."
"Mother wanted me to invite you later on tonight. I know it's on such short notice, and it's a Muggle event, but she simply insisted. She's never met a parent of one of my peers, and is a bit uneasy because of it." Hermione said, cringing slightly at the admission.
Narcissa nodded, "I can see how that would unsettle a mother. Unfortunately, I've already made plans for tonight, but I would like to meet your mother as well, she seems like a fine woman. Perhaps we can arrange to have tea, on a day not quite as busy."
"She would like that very much, I think." Hermione smiled.
"Draco though, has nothing planned for tonight, and would be delighted to accompany you, if you don't have an escort to the gala." said the witch, eyes flashing stealthily.
Hermione's eyes widened slightly as she turned to look at her classmate, who was glaring at his mother impetuously. Sensing her gaze on him, he immediately erased the expression off his face and sent a congenial grin her way.
"If you'll have me, of course, Hermione." the boy said, masking his ire almost entirely.
Hermione had to strangle the sound of protest that was itching to leave her mouth, "As it happens, I don't have an escort. If Draco's sure he would like to…"
"It would be my pleasure." Draco said, though it seemed he was trying to attack his mother with the statement.
"Well then, I guess I'll be seeing you tonight at half past six. Please meet me in this room, to avoid any incidents." she said, cheeks filling with color.
"He'll be here." Narcissa said, smiling knowingly. "It was a delight to meet you, my dear, Draco's did not lie about you whatsoever."
Hermione's heart stuttered at that statement and her mind struggled to make sense of it, swallowing down the question building in her throat, she turned instead to the wizards, who looked ready to commit matricide, "I'll be wearing silver."
The boy nodded tersely, before his mother took his arm and the two Apparated away with a few words of goodbye.
a/n: Okay, I'd like you all to remember that Hermione'r reason to end things with Cedric is perfectly normal for someone of her station. Not saying that she's shallow (which she is kind of, in this story because of who she is) but just because she has her responsibilities. It may not be an exciting reason to break up with him, but Cedric is kind of perfect, in his own way, and because he's a Hufflepuff, I don't see him doing anything too shitty to earn Hermione's hatred. Their relationship is merely ending very organically, like a lot of relationships do.
Also, I'm very sorry about not updating regularly, it's been tiresome to write these days and I just can't find the drive to. This chapter is short but it was long enough to pass off as a filler chapter so you guys won't forget that I'm still alive.
xx China