Hermione stared at the documents spread across her table. Lucius was still talking, but all she could hear was her own heartbeat. She felt Draco's hand cover hers, and she knew.
It really was about belonging. It was about her place in the world. These men had been destroyed by the war, but they'd found their way through prejudice and pain to be strong and loving. Narcissa's letter was pressed to the table under her palm. She could have a mother and an aunt and a father and a sibling. She could have a place in the world again.
Draco squeezed her hand gently, and she looked over at him. He was all smiles. Her brother, he would be her brother.
"I will put in an appropriate stable with the necessary cooling and heating charms for your beasts." Lucius glanced toward them. "I'll get my international floo expanded to more adequately suit their needs."
"You want me to be a Malfoy?" Hermione leaned back in her chair.
"You are a Malfoy. This is merely semantics."
Lucius waved his hands over the papers. "The adoption merely makes legal what is true."
"Plus, Mother will drag out the old school dark magics to punish us if you don't sign." Draco grinned. "She wants this."
"Why?" Hermione bit into her lower lip.
"I could list off reasons, but, again, they are merely justifications. You are a part of my family." Lucius planted his hand the top of Draco's. "Allow me to offer you the full force of that. Give me the right to help you and protect you."
Hermione looked at the two immaculately manicured hands resting on hers. Here was the offer of family for which she'd longed. She blinked back tears.
Slytherin family. She grinned. It was time to show them that she was cunning.
"I'll sign your papers, but you have to come up to my site first." She took a deep breath.
"You want us to crawl about in your cave?" Draco's shoulders drooped a bit before he leveled a glare at his father. "She won't make us climb about in the rocks. You don't need your rough clothing. I warned you."
Lucius raised a brow at his son's mocking tone.
"I can already see which child is my favorite." The older man smirked at his son before tuning to her. "Must we scramble up the mountain or are we allowed to fly?"
Ron sat and stared down at the floor as he listened to Harry chat with Neville. A night at the pub with just the men. He hated these gatherings. He was the only one headed home to an empty flat. Even Neville was happily settled.
"Nev, can I pick your brain?" Harry sighed. "It's pureblood stuff."
"Pick away, mate." Neville chuckled. Ron rolled his eyes. Harry always asked Neville about customs and such. It was insulting.
"Andromeda's been acting strangely." Harry took a sip of his pint. "She's worried about a gift for Hermione. I mean Astoria's the bride, so why all the fuss?"
"Are you sure it's wedding related?" Neville leaned back in his seat. "They are pretty close. It could be she wants to convey that."
"Andromeda's was digging through her jewelry looking for something of value from her family." Harry tapped his fingers along the scarred wood of the table.
"It's not that big a deal, Harry." Neville signaled the waitress for another round. "She probably wants Hermione to feel comfortable at the wedding. That mess at the engagement party had all the old biddies talking."
"How is some fancy bauble supposed to make Mione comfortable in a sea of death eaters?" Ron grumbled. "She shouldn't be associating with that sort."
"It's a wedding." Harry frowned at Ron. "I'm going."
"Gran and I will be there." Neville shrugged. "The Greengrass family are political allies."
"I didn't get invited, did I?" Ron crossed his arms over his chest.
"You haven't been exactly gracious in your treatment of Draco." Neville shared a speaking glance with Harry.
Ron fumed and ignored their placating blather. When had he become the odd man out? He curled his lip and shot a dark look at the pair of them. When Hermione was back at his side where she belonged, they'd see.
Severus looked at the blue stones spread out on the black velvet. He wasn't quite sure what he was doing. He'd seen the artisan's work in his window day after day. Passed it by without a thought, really.
He glanced down at the stones. He wanted something that had no history. He wanted something that carried only its own weight.
"I can make the tiara." The old wizard waved his hand and several designs floated in the air. "You want the matching set, too."
Severus took a deep breath and nodded. He could send them to her over time. There was no need to overwhelm her. With each piece made for her, he'd be able to put protective charms on the stones. He rubbed the back of his neck. Perhaps it was the paranoia of an old spy, but he couldn't shake the feeling that Hermione needed protection.
Lucius glared at the girl as she dismounted her hippogriff. It was bloody cold up in the clouds, and those were clouds no matter what she said. He was from England he knew what fog felt like. He straightened his robes and landed his broom.
"Still better than what mother would do to us if we failed." Draco's teeth chattered as he took his place beside him.
"Crawling about in caves." Lucius shuddered.
"You wanted a Gryffindor in the family." Hermione grinned and gestured toward the nearly concealed opening. "You won't have to crawl for long."
Lucius sighed and followed his children into the cave. He liked thinking of them both as his. It felt right. Narcissa may have come up with the plan, but he had to agree.
If Severus never came to his senses, he would take care of the witch.