"There is, I believe, in every disposition a tendency to some particular evil—a natural defect, which not even the best education can overcome." "And your defect is a propensity to hate everybody." "And yours," he replied with a smile, "is willfully to misunderstand them."
An hour and a bit later, Hermione swept down the stairs in search of the library. She had initially agonised over her dress choice after Malfoy's comments, but her sense of humor had kicked in and she was able to have a good chuckle at his poncy-highness. So she went to dinner and drinks comfortable in a simple floor-length wrap dress of ochre silk that she'd definitely bought in the high street. With her hair in a loose, low twist and some very fetching heeled sandals, she felt ready to brave the snake pit.
She found what must be the library door, an elaborately carved wooden double passageway that looked like the gates to a lost fairy grotto rather than a normal room. Her breath caught as she stepped through the threshold and registered the size and beauty of the chamber. She took in the shelves of what were clearly thousands of books on two levels joined by spiraling staircases and felt a stab of pure lust to be mistress of Nott house and this incredible collection—despite the fact that she was 99% sure that Theo was gay. She would engage in a number of marriages of convenience to have free reign of this place.
She must have stopped and gaped in the doorway for an unseemly amount of time because Blaise soon prodded her lightly from behind whispering, "Malfoy Manor's library is five times this big. Just sayin'…" She shot a puzzled look at his highly amused face, then stepped away from him and into the room.
Theo greeted her with an outstretched hand, asking after her trip to the village. She held out the bottle of whisky in response, thanking him for his hospitality and generosity in opening his home to her.
"How kind," sneered Parkinson's voice, cutting in from the deep leather couch on which she was sitting, resplendent in something dark green and definitely not from the high street. "So lovely and middle class that your mummy instilled the hostess gift rule in you." Hermione was amazed at her blatant rudeness, but refused to acknowledge it, figuring Pansy made herself look worse than anyone else ever could.
Theo leveled a long, murderous look at Pansy, then thanked Hermione for the thoughtful gift. He began to open the bottle directly and Daphne wandered over to ask about its origin and characteristics. Hermione chatted with her for a bit and they tried a dram. Blaise also came over for a lesson and taste. A late spring rain pattered against the windows, which had gone the deep violet of near night.
Hermione realised she hadn't seen Malfoy and looked around to spot him in a secluded corner desk, writing a letter. He seemed to be totally engrossed and ignoring everyone else, although she could see Pansy making little motions and sounds in an attempt to attract his attention.
She still wasn't sure what to make of her encounters with him during this house party, but she decided that her best course of action was probably to chalk them up to the strangeness of being thrown together in this circumstance… and then forget them.
"Do you mind if I just have a wander?" she asked Theo, gesturing to the further reaches of the library.
"Of course! Look all you like," he said. "Ground floor is history, literature and poetry. Second floor is magical reference. The oldest magical texts are in a special section in the back downstairs. The password to enter is paradísum voluptátis."
Hermione smiled. "Earthly delights indeed."
"Would you like a glass of this to take with you?" he indicated the whisky bottle.
"Yes, please. You really are the perfect host" she said, winking at him and taking another dram before heading for the nearest staircase.
Pansy snorted. "So true to form, Granger. Latin. Practically aroused over a library. Always reading. Don't you have any other hobbies?"
"I don't really consider reading a hobby—it's more of an 'essential for life' activity. But yes, I do have many other interests. Don't you worry about me."
Pansy rolled her eyes and mouthed the word "BOR-ING," in Malfoy's direction, but he continued to ignore her.
Hermione also ignored her, gathering her dress hem and climbing the staircase carefully. She ascended to a narrow walkway with a solid, carpeted center and open grillwork on either side. Taking a calming breath, she ran her fingers lightly over the spines of the books, noting at least seven titles she'd like a closer look at in the first shelf alone. She moved slowly down the walkway, soon becoming totally engrossed.
~oOo~
Theo watched Hermione with a fond gleam in his eye. He'd meant what he'd said earlier that day, he was enjoying getting to know her and glad that she had made an addition to their little group this weekend, even if he did feel sorry for Potter. He'd especially enjoyed the way she put Pansy, who could be exceedingly annoying, in her place. And she had great taste in whisky.
Sipping his dram and surveying the room, Theo's eye was caught by a movement from Draco's corner. He looked over to see his best friend glance up, startled, as Granger paused directly above him on the walkway. Theo caught a glimpse of long slender leg through the grillwork and the slit in Hermione's dress and figured the view must be much more explicit for Draco, who froze in place, upturned eyes glazed.
Theo gasped silently as his friend looked down and swallowed, delicate pink creeping up his neck and over his fine cheekbones. Draco stared down at the desk motionless for a full minute until a flash of annoyance crossed his features, and he schooled his countenance into its usual cool mask, then redoubled his attention on his letter.
So that's the way the wind blows? thought Theo with more than a little glee. A very quiet snort of laughter from his left let him know that the little display had not escaped Blaise's attention either. Theo looked at him with eyes wide and brows raised as Blaise shot him a huge grin and mimed a wolf whistle. Theo reached out and slapped him quietly on the wrist, shaking his head as if to say, 'don't you dare.'
He then darted a glance at Pansy, who luckily seemed to have chosen that moment to take her attention off Draco, but now seemed to decide she was tired of being ignored. "Draco darling, who are you writing to?" she drawled, her consonants making Theo think she had likely started drinking earlier in the day.
"Astoria," grunted Draco without looking up.
"Oh give the dear girl my love!" said Pansy, in raptures. Theo winced at the shrillness in the enclosed space. "Daph, I haven't seen your sister in an age and I do adore her. Such style and originality in a young girl. So gamine. Is she still at Hogwarts? Fifth year? It's sweet how you write to her, Draco. You play the role of wise guardian sooo perfectly. How did that come about again? You're all some sort of cousins, correct?"
Her gushing ceased momentarily as Daphne, looking up from a magazine, cut her eyes to Theo, a warning flashing in them. Theo gave her a slight nod.
"Second cousins once removed," said Draco, his attention still firmly fastened on his letter.
"Astor left Hogwarts this Winter," Daphne said cautiously. "She'll be at Beauxbatons once term starts."
"Amazing! A term in France. She'll gain just the polish she needs to be truly accomplished. You see so few girls these days that are well-rounded in the ways that all pureblood witches used to be. And so many witches," here Pansy glared at Hermione, who was coming carefully back down the spiral staircase, "who have no social graces or fashion sense to speak of." Theo felt like slapping her.
"And here I thought I looked rather well tonight," Hermione remarked under her breath, but not too quietly. Theo snorted—she could certainly take care of herself—and saw Draco's glance flick to her too. Louder, she said, "and what would make a pureblood witch considered 'truly accomplished'? And why would she want or need the designation?"
"Oh," said Pansy, with a sort of sneering enthusiasm that showed how eager she was to make Hermione aware of her shortcomings. Theo sighed audibly. "She would need tutors and a fine classical education, not just that half-assed shit they peddle at Hogwarts. Of course, she'd still need to be skilled at spellwork, to speak at least three languages - preferably English, French and either Italian, Mandarin or Russian - have a good knowledge of art, architecture, design and fashion, be able to play a musical instrument well, know how to run a grand home and have something in her air - something that marks her out as collected and above the fray at all times."
"And you know several women who qualify for this label?" asked Hermione.
"Of course. Loads."
Hermione snorted, "I'm surprised that you know even one." Pansy must have heard the implied insult because she looked daggers back. Theo cheered silently, but kept out of it, enjoying the banter.
"You're hard on your sex," interjected Malfoy from the corner, eying Hermione. Guess he couldn't keep out of it, Theo chortled to himself. Pansy grew even more annoyed, and Theo could tell she had not missed the fact that Hermione's contribution was the thing that drew Draco away from his precious letter.
"Am I?" said Hermione. "I rather think you purebloods are the ones who are hard on us. Imagine expecting someone to do all of that? What time would you have for just relaxing and enjoying life? And I didn't hear any mention of a career. So really, what is the reason for these paragons to develop all of these talents and virtues?" she asked.
"Well so that they, we, can be proper wives for pureblood men who need partners to run their homes and social lives while they run the world," remarked Pansy with a little flourish. Theo rolled his eyes.
"I'm sorry but did we suddenly go back in time to 1955?" asked Hermione.
"I'm perfectly serious, Granger," sneered Pansy. "Back me up the rest of you! Draco, don't you expect your wife to have all the qualities I listed?"
"Of course," replied Malfoy. "And she should add something more." Pansy raised her eyebrows in eager inquiry.
"She should be a voracious reader." He folded and sealed his letter. Hermione snorted and her eyes flew to him.
Pansy sniffed, and for once Theo was in sympathy because something had passed between the other two, but he had no idea what it was.
"I agree, the well-rounded woman should be sophisticated and educated," Pansy said, obviously trying to regain control of the conversation, "but she should never be a swot or an insufferable know-it-all," she finished with a pursed mouth and a dismissive air.
Hermione openly laughed at this, looking around for confirmation. Theo was about to speak up in support when Pansy interjected, "What?" she demanded, a little too aggressively.
"I just can't believe how old-fashioned you all are!"
"Hey…" said Blaise.
"Not all of us!" said Theo at the same time.
"Ok, well Pansy and Malfoy, representing a certain segment of wizarding society, then," conceded Hermione. "It's all so reductive and strange. Don't you want your partner to be an equal? Do there have to be strict roles based on gender? What if I'm ambitious and good at running a concern and my future husband is better at managing the home and our children? You're saying people should ignore essential parts of themselves to be trained for rigidly structured and gendered roles. I (and I daresay the rest of the modern world) just think that's limiting … and frankly, sad," she finished with a look of pity.
"You're saying you could see yourself ending up with a man who is happy to stay home and change nappies all day?" said Draco, standing up from the desk and stalking toward Hermione. Theo noticed the telltale signs of temper in his usually cool friend. The twitch of a jaw muscle, the tense way he held his frame.
"Yes," she said stoutly.
"I think you're fooling yourself," he countered. "Although you did date Weasly for a while, so maybe not." Hermione shook her head and rolled her eyes as Pansy giggled. Low blow, Draco, thought Theo.
"But," Draco continued, moving closer. "I don't think you'd be happy for one second with a man who is only a helpmeet, rather than someone who would challenge you." Theo's eyes slid to Blaise's in open surprise. Blaise looked like a kid on Christmas morning.
"And you would? Be satisfied with a woman who is purely ornamental? Only there to raise your children and make sure your flower arrangements are au courant?" said Hermione, now visibly annoyed and also drawing closer to Draco. Theo noticed that Pansy's face was rapidly moving from amused to concerned. Blaise was basically rubbing his hands together with glee and Daphne had looked up from her magazine, amused.
"I'm not saying that." Draco sounded irritated. "That's what Pansy said. I merely said I would want my wife to be educated, well-rounded and well-read." Theo noted he was now within a few feet of Hermione. "You are willfully misunderstanding me."
"Oh I don't think I am," she said. "Because I think you also require a few more things." She ticked off the items on her fingers directly in front of his face, "One, your partner have the right sort of name and connections to satisfy your family; two she not be cheap or "tedious"; and three that she not taint the ancient and venerable Malfoy line." Hermione had moved a step closer and Malfoy's face had grown a shade darker with each tick they were now virtually nose to nose.
"You. Are. Full. Of. Shit," he said. "You know nothing about me."
"Really?" she retorted. "Prove it. Name one muggle-born or half-blood girl you've dated, slept with or even snogged." Their bodies were now about an inch apart and Hermione was glaring up at Draco as he looked down at her. Tension thrummed between them and the words "slept with" and "snogged" seemed to hang in the air. They stared at each other for another beat, and Theo had no idea what was about to happen, although he was here for it, whatever it was.
But at the height of the tension, Draco suddenly pulled his face into the controlled mask, spun on his heel and walked away. It didn't miss Theo's notice that he went directly to the liquor cart and poured, then downed, a healthy measure of the whisky Hermione had brought.
Hermione retreated to peruse a shelf of nearby books, murmuring, "I knew he couldn't prove it." Theo actually did laugh out loud at that, and saw Draco's hand tighten on his whisky, but he showed no other sign of having heard her, and instead took up a softly worded conversation with Daphne.
Theo went into host mode, moving to Hermione and asking her some more about the single malt. Pansy was subdued and stayed that way for the rest of the night, thank God. Blaise tried half-heartedly to revive the argument, talking loudly about all the muggle models he'd slept with, but no one was biting.
The rest of the evening passed uneventfully. Theo kept Hermione close to him and let her engage him in conversation about the Quidditch scheme, since he knew she and Harry would be leaving in the morning. He didn't notice Draco's eyes on her again, although he had to admit the evening's events had given him enough food for thought to eat for weeks.
~oOo~
The next morning Hermione rose early and availed herself of her en suite's wonderful accoutrements. She hadn't had such a luxurious shower since the prefects' bathroom at Hogwarts. Once she'd dressed (back in her jeans) and packed, she made her way to Harry's room. He was also freshly clean and standing, if a little pale and wobbly.
"Can you face breakfast?"
"Uh, no," he said. "I'll have something light at home after we've floo'ed."
"Of course. Let's leave as soon as we go down and thank Theo." They walked slowly to the breakfast room, Hermione wishing they could go faster. She was hoping to avoid seeing any of the house guests and just make a clean getaway. Luckily Theo was at the table and they were able to spend 15 minutes alone with him, thanking him and chatting.
When it was time to leave, Hermione could tell Harry wouldn't have minded talking for longer. She cursed Molly Weasley one last time for destroying his chance to really get to know Theo this weekend. Hopefully she hadn't ruined anything by sparring with Pansy and Malfoy. Malfoy. The thought of having to say an awkward goodbye to him spurred her to action. She gave Harry a meaningful look and they made their final farewells. Theo walked them to the giant fireplace in the entrance hall and they floo'ed home, Hermione relieved that she hadn't seen Malfoy again.