Chapter 06:
After the morning's practice, the witches made their way towards the Dining Hall for breaking their fast, followed closely by the brothers who had waited back to set everything up for their practice later before joining their family for breakfast.
They sat around the table and again Rickon was giving his mother trouble with his eating habits. Hermione looked around carefully to make sure Lady Stark did not hear her when she spoke to Rickon.
"If you eat today's breakfast without fuss, I'll cook you eggs in a very special way for tomorrow," she offered him quietly, making her deal with him sound like a secret pact just between the two of them.
Brandon, though, who was sitting next to Rickon exclaimed loudly, "What about me then, Lady Hermymi?"
Hermione hid her smile at his use of her name and gave him mock glare when his mother looked their way, and only when she looked away, Hermione continued, "I'll make you a deal, too. Don't go climbing on those high walls today and you'll get something special tomorrow too."
Ginny giggled when she saw Arya slyly looking at Hermione, waiting to hear what her deal would be. "You don't skip your sewing class today and you get yours." Arya made faces at her deal, but Robb, Jon and Sansa who were sitting close enough to them heard it all and smiles ghosted over their lips.
"I've received a few ravens today, so I will be in the library should anyone need me in the morn," Lord Stark announced as he stood up to leave.
Hermione's head swirled in his direction at the mention of the L word and a longing entered her eyes, one that she wasn't able to hide quick enough.
"Is there anything you need, Lady Hermione?" Eddard asked of his guest.
Hermione bit her lip, wondering if she should ask him about using his library again. Deciding to go for it, she spoke up. "May I please read a few books from your library, Lord Stark?"
"Should you so wish, you are more than welcome to borrow any book you wish. I only ask that you take just one book out of the library and return it to its shelf before borrowing the next one."
Hermione's smile could've lit up a darkened room, her joy at being able to read again was that great. All the Starks around gasped at her sheer bliss, one more astounded than the rest at the complete transformation of her features, turning her more beautiful than any maiden he had ever seen.
"Have someone escort you to library after you're done here," Eddard Stark nodded at the table at large and left for the said room.
Lady Stark too went back to her chambers not much after him.
Hermione did not bother hiding her happiness. "Say, you really love to read, don't you?" Sansa smiled at her.
Ginny snorted, "That's the biggest understatement I've ever heard."
"Bookworm," Arya coughed, catching Hermione's eye. Since she'd spent sometime with the two guests, she knew how they pulled each other's leg, and never one to pass out a good joke, Arya had
formed a team with them, siding with Ginny when she teased Hermione and with Hermione when she teased Ginny.
"Oh, good one," Ginny beamed at Arya and they clapped their hands together from across the table, much to everyone's amusement.
"You know, I'm so happy, I am not even going to get you back for that one," Hermione said to Arya.
"But you know what this means?" Ginny asked around the table seriously, joviality during meals coming naturally to her, reminiscing of her days back home. "Get a good look at her right now, we won't be seeing her anytime soon again."
"Ha, ha, Gin, ha, ha," Hermione kicked Ginny under the table.
Not one to take it lying down, Ginny kicked her shin right back. "Payback, Mione," she grinned.
Just as Hermione turned to glare at Ginny, Sansa sighed, "You two are as bad as sisters."
"We are sisters," Ginny spoke proudly, "In everything but blood. She might be my brother's best friend, but..."
Sansa cut her off, looking at Hermione with eyes that were almost ready to pop out of her skull. "Your best friend is a boy?"
"Both my best friends are boys," Hermione smiled at the girl, knowing what was coming next from her, but Ginny beat Sansa to it.
"Hey! What about me, then?" Ginny pouted. "What about you?" Hermione quirked her brow. "I am a girl. Am I not your best friend?"
"The statement stands for itself." That got her another swift kick under the table. "Ginerva Molly Weasley," Hermione's tone quickly changed to no nonsense, "behave yourself. There are impressionable kids around."
"You mean the same ones who were sat right here when you were kicking me?" Ginny raised her brow.
"Gin.." "Mione.."
Their warning tones set Robb on edge after the morning's debacle and he quickly intervened. "Ladies... You have company."
They both blushed in embarrassment and looked down at their plates mumbling apologises. Robb smirked, they looked fetching when they were flustered.
After a few bites in silence, Sansa asked, "So, I've seen you two call each other by shortened versions of your names. Is that a common practice from where you come from?" Her father hadn't been very forthcoming about the whereabouts of his new wards when he had introduced them to his family, so she was quite curious about the duo. Especially because Lady Hermione could sew better than her! No one in Winterfell had ever managed that feat! She had been the best before Lady Hermione had come along, and she knew it for her dresses at all the balls had always been the talk of the town.
"Yes," the two witches nodded in unison. "Our close friends and family usually use nicknames, that's what the shortened versions are called, to call us. Especially when speaking to people like us, because our names are long enough to take half a day to pronounce just right."
The girls giggled and everyone continued with their breakfast.
Soon done, Hermione got up from her place, almost skipping with her joy of seeing the library and books and Ginny whined. "Mione, what am I to do all day without you?"
A slight guilt entered Hermione's shining eyes and she bit her lip. "Come along then?"
Ginny froze. "Absolutely not! You go, I'll find ways to keep myself entertained, thanks much," she bid her friend and got up to leave.
"May I come with you?" Arya asked, standing up too.
"Sure," Ginny smiled. "Two's better than one anyway."
"I'll better see you in sewing class," Sansa called behind her younger sister. "Especially if you want the surprise tomorrow," Hermione called after them. "Damn..." they heard the replied groan.
"Now, you have been good Rickon, so be ready to be amazed tomorrow, okay? You like eggs, right?" she asked the young boys cheekily, knowing they all ate just those every single day cooked in the exact same way! Three minute par boiled, lightly salted. Honestly, how were they even expected to stomach the same food everyday was beyond Hermione, but she planned on remedying that soon.
The boys groaned in unison but Hermione promised them that they'd love what she'd make for them.
"May I escort you, Lady Hermione?" Robb asked standing up and dusting off the dry bread crumbs off his tunic and breeches. "I am on my way to see Father, anyway," he shrugged. Truth be told, he only wanted to spend the few extra minutes, alone for a change, with her and see if her face would light up at the sight of all those old tomes again, the way it had at the dining table when his father had permitted her the use of his library.
"Thank you, Lord Stark," Hermione beamed at Robb and they left the room together.
Sansa narrowed her eyes at her brother's uncharacteristic behaviour towards the pretty brunette, deciding to watch out for the two before turning to look at her half-brother who was watching the way their other guest had left from along with Arya. Something was definitely not quite right and she loathed not knowing anything about it all.
Grinning to herself at her new agenda, she left, not bothering with the niceties of excusing herself or asking for her bastard brother's leave. Swapping her hair behind her back, she too left the hall.
Jon shooed Rickon and Bran off before vacating the hall himself, going in search of the two menaces that were sure to wreak havoc on all of Winterfell if left to their own devices for too long.