a/n1: Do I have to tell you that viv-heart betaed the chapter? I think by now you know that :D
"Of course," Hermione smiled. "How was dinner with your family?"
"Sombre. George and mum are still grieving. Ginny didn't talk at all and everyone else tried to ignore the erumpent in the room," Ron answered truthfully and came over to sit on the couch with them. "We're invited to join tomorrow. Bill and Fleur will be there as well."
"I think it is about time we visit," Harry answered the unspoken question and Hermione nodded her assent.
"Mum will be happy, well, happier," Ron said with a frown.
"How is Percy doing?" Hermione asked tentatively which caused Ron to sigh heavily.
"He blames himself, you know? That he didn't notice the stray spell, that he didn't cast a shield fast enough, stuff like that." Ron looked grim.
"Oh, no," Hermione whispered. "That's horrible. What about your dad and Charlie?"
"Shaken, grieving of course. They are at Hogwarts everyday, helping them rebuild. Charlie thinks about coming back to Great Britain to help mum and dad, at least for a while."
"That is good, I am sure they will be happy to have him there," Hermione said and put an arm around Ron's shoulders.
"What were you on about when I came in?" Ron asked after a moment of silence.
Hermione and Harry explained and soon they were all yawning. It had been an eventful day for everyone.
Two hundred and fifty miles to the west Narcissa Malfoy was massaging her husband. He hadn't slipped even once during lunch and she was extremely proud of him. He really deserved this and Narcissa enjoyed it greatly.
Even though he was in his mid-forties now he was still very attractive and his body rather well defined, probably a side effect of the long life wizards normally had. The damage Azkaban had done to his body and mind was nearly gone after a year in freedom and a few weeks since Voldemort fell. Regular meals helped as well.
"Now, tell me what you plan with the infant formula," Narcissa said when she had finished the massage and cleaned her hands.
"I told you already, I want to reinstate the good name of the Malfoy family. I doubt that the muggle formula has everything a magical child needs," Lucius answered calmly. Narcissa rolled her eyes at the last sentence but didn't say anything.
"It's just hard to believe that you would do something like that out of the goodness of your heart," she answered and watched her husband's face closely. A slight frown appeared for a second and vanished just as fast.
"I just think it is a good way of repaying our debts to the public. I will announce it at my trial, if that's alright for you," Lucius answered smoothly and smiled at his wife. He lounged on the bed like a big cat and Narcissa decided that it was as good an answer as any.
She stripped and lay down next to him. He kissed her gently and she melted into him like she hadn't for quite some time now.
The next morning found the two elder Malfoys spooning in their sleep for the first time in over a decade. Neither had cast a silencing charm that night and although they hadn't had a completely undisturbed sleep they had still slept better than either had in years.
Once again a memory overcame Narcissa. The first morning in the Manor after she had married Lucius. Barely out of school she had never felt so free, her beloved husband next to her and the sun shining through the windows. Narcissa had felt as if she could do anything if she just put her mind into it.
Now the memory of that feeling warmed her heart and she smiled sleepily, turning to give Lucius a soft kiss.
They lived with Andromeda for a week now. No major problems had arisen and Andy didn't seem to mind hosting them as long as they did their chores and helped with the care for Edward. The little boy had taken a liking to Lucius and had only calmed down enough to sleep in the evening when his great-uncle had hold him.
Lucius had been enamoured. Back when Draco was born he had been too busy with missions for the- Voldemort and hadn't had much time with him. Now their hearings only had to be successful and he could have as much time with Edward as he wanted. But Narcissa feared that publicly changing sides wouldn't be enough. He had lied to and manipulated the Ministry to walk free after the last war, he had broken out of prison and he had been part of a terrorist group. In the First War and in the first year of the Second War he had acted as Voldemort's right hand and Narcissa would be very surprised if they didn't sentence him to life in prison, much less let him walk free-
Kisses on her neck brought the train of thought to a grinding halt. It seemed that Lucius had picked up her tension and decided to distract her. It worked well.
"What is on your mind, princess?" Lucius asked sleepily, using a nickname she hadn't heard since her early school days. Nobody dared to call her that later - nobody except her sleepy husband obviously.
"Don't call me that," Narcissa said calmly. "I thought about the future, I shouldn't have."
"I am sorry, love. Lets take a shower together, everything will look better afterwards," Lucius whispered and planted a kiss on her cheek.
"I thought you wanted to go running first?" Narcissa inquired pointedly and her husband grimaced.
"I said I would, didn't I?" But he stood up and readied himself, while she turned around. "See you later, princess," he called and was through the door before she could protest again.
Stupid husband. Stupid nickname. Why did he have to sound so happy when he called her that?
Sunday promised to be a quiet day at Grimmauld Place. Only Mrs Black's portray disturbed the silence in which the household worked to restore the house enough to comfortably live in it. Nobody knew how to remove her, but Tinna said she would experiment as soon as she was done with the first floor guestrooms.
Hermione continued to work in the study by the library. By now she had found some truly captivating books about spells and potions, but also enough supremacist rubbish to fill a library with it. Still she wouldn't be herself if she just destroyed the books one way or another. Casting an Undetectable Extension Charm on one of the boxes she filed them away neatly and labelled the box appropriately, silently contemplating to put a Notice Me Not charm on it as soon as she was done.
At the end of the day one particular book caught her attention. It was written in Latin but didn't look too old. Hermione cast a preservation charm first anyway and opened it carefully. The title read 'AnathematiCicatrix' (Curse Scars) and it was written by a certain Boreas Fawley and published in 1894. She had read about this book when she researched curse scars because she had been worried about Harry's scar in sixth year. Now she admitted she had secretly hoped to find something against the one across her ribs from Dolohov's curse. Hermione wasn't vain, but the scar hurt and she had to cast a cushioning charm between it and some of her bras so the scar tissue wouldn't get irritated.
When she had asked Bill whether it was possible that the pain and the sensitivity were a by-product from curse remnants he had said that it was most likely. He had examined her wound after her healing from the Cruciatus and confirmed her fear. There were curse remnants Madam Pomfrey hadn't been able to remove. And now she had two other cursed scars. One at her neck when Bellatrix had pressed the knife against it, the other...Hermione still hesitated to think about it. She wore long-sleeved shirts even though it was becoming warmer and she tried to keep from pushing the sleeves up and double checked the lock at the bathroom door whenever she showered.
The scars Bellatrix had given her didn't truly heal. They always looked as if the fresh scar tissue would rip open any second. The small one at her neck wasn't a problem as nobody really noticed it. But the one on her arm had drawn more than one shocked look during the aftermath of the battle when she hadn't anything long-sleeved to wear. She never told Harry or Ron, but even under disguise of Polyjuice Potion the scar shimmered through.
Now Hermione skimmed the chapter titles and was pleasantly surprised. At least two chapters sounded promising. One was about cursed weapons and the other about fire curses. Since Dolohov had used a silent spell Hermione hadn't heard the actual incantation and now that the Ministry had him killed after the battle she couldn't even ask. She put the book on the desk closest to her and returned to investigating the shelves.
A few minutes later she pulled a hand-written book out. By the looks of it a diary, and Hermione wondered whether she wanted to read the diary of any Black who had occupied this room. When she read the name on the first page of the book she changed her mind though. Alphard Black's diary could indeed be rather interesting.
He was the one family member who had supported Sirius and had made him his heir. Harry had told her the story when they had been on the run and he had tried to distract her from her dark thoughts about a certain redhead.
Hermione had to admit that she was rather surprised that Walburga Black hadn't removed any trace her brother left in her home after he died. But she hadn't touched Sirius' room when he had run either.
Hermione settled down at the desk to read the first few pages of the diary and determine whether she would keep it or not. She soon discovered that it wasn't exactly a diary but a protocol about Wizengamot meetings during the First Wizarding War. Mr Black had written down everything and sometimes included explanations as if he had intended to give this book to someone. Hermione opened the last page and found her suspicion confirmed. The last sentences read:
'I hope you found this helpful, Sirius. I know you never cared much about politics but as the future Head of the House you need to know how to navigate the Wizengamot if you want to change the world.'
Hermione thought about what she had read on the first few pages. Mr Black had described the bonds between the family seats and the importance of the elected seats because they acted for the people who weren't represented by the families. They tended to go with the public opinion and could therefore be swayed by the public.
At first she had been only mildly curious about this fact, only when she remembered that she wanted to change laws and customs for many creatures she realised that this would help her. On Thursday she had told Draco that she didn't know how to petition anything in the Wizengamot. Now she could find out and get useful tips how to be successful. Hermione only needed a seat and then she could help magical beings!
Shortly before dinner Hermione was forcefully pulled out of her sorting of books by Ron who knocked over some boxes close to the door and swore like an old sailor. Luckily she had sealed the boxes otherwise books would have flooded the floor.
"Merlin, Hermione! Did you have to put those boxes so close to the door?" Ron asked through clenched teeth, hopping around on one foot, holding the other.
"Oh, you just have to be more careful! Now, let me see your foot," she said walking over to him and narrowly missing two boxes on her own. She ignored Ron's smug look when she had to stop a third box from falling over before she reached him.
"You know the time, don't you?" the red-head asked while she cast a small healing charm on his foot.
"Um, around half past three I think?" Hermione asked hesitantly, suddenly not entirely sure.
"It's nearly six. Mum will have our heads if we come any later," Ron answered. He didn't sound too surprised, as everyone knew that she could easily get lost between books.
"I didn't realise!" Hermione said with big eyes. Surveying the room she noticed that there were only a few books left that she hadn't categorised yet. Casting a look down her body she noticed that she was coated in dust and definitely should change before going to the Burrow.
"Wait in the kitchen for me, I'll just change out of these clothes!" Ron laughed and shooed her out of the room.
Minutes later Hermione arrived in the kitchen, hair freshly combed, new clothes and ready to go. Harry looked a bit absent, but Ron smiled at her broadly.
"Shall we?" Hermione said breathlessly and they flooed over to the Burrow.
The first to greet them was George, who sat next to the fire and had obviously stared at it before they arrived because he blinked at them owlishly. "Hello Harry, Hermione, Ron," he said in an almost mechanical voice and Hermione gestured for Harry and Ron to go on without her.
"Hi George," she said gently sitting down next to him. "Do you know what my favourite memory of Fred is?" George only mutely shook his head and continued to stare into the flames.
"The way he comforted the younger students after detentions with Umbridge. Everyone only ever saw him as the rambunctious Weasley twin who didn't really care whether people were injured in his pranks. But he did care, didn't he?"
"He was better in healing charms," George whispered, still unmoving.
"Exactly. I realised only then that he wouldn't endanger younger students unduly. You always healed the results from your first tests yourselves, right?" Hermione asked gently.
"Only since fourth year. We weren't good enough at first. On the other hand Madam Pomfrey became quite good in healing prank wounds during our first years," the broken twin said quietly and with only the slightest happy inclination of his voice.
"I am sure after you two she can heal anything from your products," Hermione chuckled quietly.
"I guess," was the monotone answer.
"I am sure Fred would want you to try and make something really wicked that she can't heal easily," she kept trying to get a real emotion out of him. She was rewarded with a slight smile.
"You think?"
"I am positive. Of course you would be able to heal it with a swish of your wand, but Madam Pomfrey would have to be really creative to manage it." Again George smiled slightly.
"Thank you, 'Mione." He hugged her briefly to his side and she leaned into it.
"I think Molly has the food ready, sounds good?"
"Since when do you call mum 'Molly'?" George asked surprised and looked at her for the first time properly.
"Since Tuesday," Hermione answered standing up and pulling George with her.
"You know it took her long enough, after all she all but adopted you just like Harry," a new voice said from the door frame. Looking up Hermione discovered Bill standing there.
"You coming little brother?" he asked gently and George nodded. When he was at the door Bill gave him a short, but strong hug and stepped aside to let him through.
"Hermione, I wanted to ask you something before we join the others," Bill said quietly and she motioned for him to go on. "How are your scars?"
Hermione swallowed heavily before she could answer. "They haven't changed since Easter."
"Any new ones?" Bill asked carefully and watched her closely as if he was trying to catch her lying.
"A few, but nothing the healers couldn't manage," Hermione answered truthfully.
"Good," Bill said with a smile. "Let us join the others!"
a/n2: I hope you enjoyed the double update! Hopefully next chapter will have some more Draco POV but the dinner with the Weasleys comes first. What do you think about the books Hermione found? Will they help her and possibly Draco? Tell me in the reviews! Cya soon :)