a/n1: Finally the next chapter! I had a crazy busy March, managed to nearly electrocute myself, burned my hands to a third degree (just small patches luckily) and couldn't write for two weeks even though I had a term paper due. What the hell life? But, I'm able to write again and if everything works out I won't be gone for two months again, fingers crossed! Also: there was a mistake in the last chapter, where someone said they had a month to prepare Draco's birthday. They don't, they have a week, so there is a planning session in this chapter! Luckily the lovely reynardinepttr continues to be an amazing beta, so now I can say: Enjoy!
1st June 1998, 07:18 (GMT+11)
Helen splashed water on her face and wondered, not for the first time, why her only daughter had made them forget about her, and sent them to Australia of all things. They had heard that there had been a rise of violence in the last year, but what had home invasions and gang crimes got to do with them?
Granted there had been that terror attack in London. But that had been before they had been sent away.
Helen swallowed the sob trying to break free. Their own daughter had sent them away! She could have talked to them! Surely they would have understood if it was that dangerous. But Hermione had taken away that freedom. Did she even plan on getting them back? Or was she glad to be rid of her parents like so many teenagers would be?
Shaking her head, Helen dried off her face. She doubted that she had raised a girl who hated her parents. Even if they couldn't truly understand the magical world they had always been supportive and had bought her every book she wanted about any subject.
"Helen? Everything alright?" Richard knocked against the bathroom door.
"Yes, love, just lost in thoughts!" Helen called back, smiling softly. Trust her husband to notice when she took longer than usual. She took her crutches and opened the door. "I think you would have heard if I fell."
Richard chuckled. "Not necessarily, I was dancing in the kitchen."
"Oh? Did they play Queen?" Helen asked teasingly. Richard was nearly as passionate about them as Hermione had been.
"In my defence: Bohemian Rhapsody is frankly amazing!" he said with a wink and started down the stairs.
"Never said anything to the contrary," Helen called after him, and grinned when she heard him whistling the song.
Following her husband downstairs Helen realised that they probably should start planning their holiday to the UK soon. But where would they start searching for Hermione? She had left the house even before them, and Helen didn't remember any addresses of her friends. Although. Hadn't there been a boy? In Surrey?
Richard stepped in front of her and smoothed his thumb over the crease on her forehead. "What's bothering you, love?"
"If we go back as planned," Helen stated, nibbling on her lower lip. "Where do we even start searching? That school of hers is protected and I don't remember any addresses of her friends."
Now it was Richard's turn to frown. "You have a point. Maybe in Diagon Alley? I mean, it's a long shot, but someone will surely know how to help us there."
"Do you remember where the entrance is?" Helen asked with a raised eyebrow. "Because I don't."
"I think I know, I'm not quite sure though," Richard said. "But let's eat first."
08:49 (GMT +/- 0)
Lucius straightened his robes, tugging at the shoulders. It felt like the first time he had opened the board meeting after his father's death all over again. Looking down at his hands he realised that they indeed trembled. Scoffing at himself, he clenched a fist, sneered at his reflection in the mirror and swooped out of the room, directly into his lovely wife.
"Oh good, there you are, I worried you were having a staring contest with the mirror," Narcissa said tartly and Lucius grabbed her shoulders before she could turn away. While she sometimes was quite snarky this bordered on cutting.
"Love, what is it?" he asked quietly, gently brushing his thumbs over her taut shoulders.
Narcissa sighed, and pushed him back into their room. Once the door closed her shoulders slumped down and her carefully controlled mask slipped away.
"The board is nearly as prejudiced as we were at the beginning of the war," she said, pacing in front of the window. "That's why your father and later you chose them. They wouldn't question funds going missing or people not being hired because of their heritage. But this. If you can't convince them…"
Lucius stepped closer to his frantic love and gently put a hand on her shoulder. "If I can't convince them, I wouldn't be a Malfoy. I didn't spend the weekend idle in the Manor, I went to collect certain documents and checked them. They're quite up to date, even if I barely managed any work in the last year."
"You're certain you have enough?" Narcissa asked nervously, leaning into his touch. "You know how hard-headed Borgin is, and Rowle…"
Lucius flashed his wife a predatory grin. "Borgin can be easily bought and I'm sure Rowle's chair is already dangerously unsteady now that his sister's half of the family is either dead or in Azkaban."
Narcissa sighed deeply and collected herself. "Good. We have to do this, even if it means working with muggles."
"We'll only work with the best of those who already know," Lucius gently brushed a curl behind her ear. "If they're willing to work with us they probably won't be much of a danger."
"Let's hope that's true," Narcissa said darkly, but she leant in to give her husband a last kiss. "Now, shoo, you're already running late!"
Lucius smiled against her lips. "Yes, love. Have the advertisement ready when I come home."
He left with a wink and quickly walked down the stairs. He waved good-bye to Andromeda and Edward who were out by the rose bushes, Edward in a sling on his grandmother's back.
When he apparated away he felt confident enough about the board that he entered the conference room with a small smile still playing around his lips.
10:03
Hermione really hadn't expected anyone in front of the floo and blamed it entirely on the surprise of running into a lean chest that she clung on. She may also have stumbled a bit. But when two hands landed at the small of her back, Hermione was jolted back into reality: she was currently clinging to Draco-her-former-enemy-Malfoy!
Blushing, she stepped back and busied herself with vanishing the soot from his soft green t-shirt and herself. It was only then that she realised that Draco was wearing muggle clothing. And he was currently talking to her while she was staring at him. Brilliant.
"Sorry, what did you say? I was a bit lost in my thoughts," Hermione admitted with a self-deprecating laugh.
"No problem," Draco said with a smile. "I only asked you where you were going so fast."
"Oh," Hermione grinned. "I'm just excited to help your mother with the advertisement for the project!"
"I see," Draco said with a small smirk. "I can promise you she isn't going to run away from you though."
Hermione huffed. "I know. It's just such a big step, isn't it?"
He nodded earnestly, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "It is. I hope it works out for them."
Hermione decided to change the topic to the green t-shirt and black jeans Draco was wearing. "So where are you going?" she asked, indicating his outfit.
"Pansy wants to eat brunch with me and Theo, says she found the best bagels to have ever crossed her way in Manchester of all places," Draco said, chuckling. "I'm not even sure how she found the place."
"Well, then I won't keep you," Hermione said, smiling. Who would have thought that Draco Malfoy would voluntarily go to the muggle world for brunch? "Send my best to them."
"Will do," Draco said, grabbing a handful of floo powder. "Have fun with my mother!"
Hermione looked after Draco vanishing into the flames for a moment and then shook herself out of her reverie. It wasn't that fascinating to see Draco in a fitted t-shirt and jeans, honestly. Shaking her head at her strange focus, Hermione stepped out of the living room to see Narcissa come down the stairs.
"Hello Hermione," she said with a bright smile. "I'm sorry I wasn't down earlier. I hope you didn't wait too long?"
"No, not at all," Hermione said, greeting Narcissa with a delicate kiss on each cheek. "I quite literally ran into Draco and we talked for a moment before he left for Pansy's."
"Oh right, they're brunching today," Narcissa said, tugging Hermione's hand into her arm and led her out the back door. "Let's work outside, it's such a lovely day!"
They settled down on the bench between two rose bushes on the southern side of the house. The rose bushes, where Andromeda was working with Teddy in a sling, to their left and the pond and its trees to their right.
Narcissa summoned a travel writing desk from her room and they started jotting down notes on the qualities the Malfoys would need for their foray into combining magic and science.
Narcissa had asked for Hermione's assistance since she knew a lot about science, and Narcissa felt comfortable enough with her to admit to not knowing something and accept help.
After an hour of intense work they went inside to get some lemonade and a bite of food. Leaning against the kitchen counter Narcissa examined her young friend closely. She had noticed the frown on her face and the tension in her shoulders before, but Narcissa had attributed them to the work they were doing.
"You seem a bit worried, Hermione," Narcissa said quietly, watching the witch for a reaction.
Hermione heaved a sigh. "I'm sorry, it's quite stupid."
Narcissa quirked an eyebrow. "I'm rather sure it isn't or it wouldn't have you worried like this."
Hermione sighed again and shrugged. "Maybe. It's just- Ron starts his auror training today and I'm worried about how he'll do. He isn't the greatest worker, and without me there to nag him to do his homework…"
Narcissa stepped closer and put a hand on Hermione's shoulder. "Either he'll learn to do his own work or he won't. But that isn't something you should worry about, dear. He has to learn to manage things on his own. What I heard from my sister and other mothers, children in their teenage years tend to be more interested in other things besides school. But once they've found a career they truly enjoy, that changes."
"You're probably right," Hermione admitted. "I'm still worried about him. He didn't take his NEWTs because of this offer by the Ministry. What if one day he decides he doesn't want to be an auror, or if he's injured on the job and can't be one anymore?"
"Then he'll find something else to do," Narcissa said soothingly. "It is true that most jobs aren't offered to people who didn't get their NEWTs. But a former auror? Succeeding in that training will likely be qualification enough."
"Thank you," Hermione said with a small smile.
13:26
After the brunch Theo had excused himself to go and visit Blaise. Pansy and Draco had sent along their best wishes and decided to take a walk. It was a beautiful summer day with a few puffy white clouds in the sky, and they were both in good spirits.
"So," Pansy started after a few hundred metres. "How is Hermione doing?"
Draco laughed. "Why don't you ask her yourself? You're something like friends after all."
"Yes, but you've seen her this morning, I wouldn't get an answer to my letter till later this evening if I send one now," Pansy explained haughtily.
"Touché," Draco said, chuckling. "She seemed fine, eager to help my mother with the advertisement." He blushed lightly at the memory of Hermione clinging to him until she had found her balance again.
Ever-perceptive Pansy noticed of course. "Did she finally kiss you then?"
Draco stopped dead in his tracks. "What?! Why would you ask? And why should she?"
"I don't know? Maybe because she is more relaxed around you, as far as I have noticed? And you don't just blush about anything," Pansy explained with a cat-ate-the-canary grin.
"Why should she relax around me? I bullied her for years, I stood by while she was tortured," Draco said coldly, his good mood blown away and his knuckles itching to make contact with something.
"She spent enough time around you lately to notice that you don't treat and see her like that anymore," Pansy said calmly, grabbing his hands and holding them tightly. "Don't tell me you haven't noticed how she treats you?"
"She's just being herself, isn't she? Just like she treats Potter and Weasley," Draco said, hating how unsure he sounded. He had noticed her reaching out to him. Coming back out to the pond after talking to his parents. Talking for hours about healing and various theories with him. But that's just what friends did, right?
"Maybe before the war, but now? Around Harry and probably the Weasel she is always ready to fight. Harry told me recently that she forgets to eat all through the day, too focused on cleaning the house or research or whatever else she's doing. She doesn't even notice in the evening," Pansy explained quietly while she tugged him along. "Remember how you told me that she ate five muffins and a slice of cake in one afternoon? Harry says she had only tea and a scone for breakfast that day."
"And you think that's because of me? That's ridiculous," Draco scoffed.
"No, it's because she relaxes and is out of her normal surroundings," Pansy said wisely. "Out of the house that she remembers as Order headquarters and a hide-out during the war."
"You should become a psychologist, Pans," Draco said, but he didn't deny the truth in her words. He was quite sure that if they had moved back into the Manor, he would have been very miserable.
"Maybe I will," Pansy said with a small smile. "I have found that muggles do have the most fascinating things and psychology is just one of them."
Draco stopped walking and put a hand against Pansy's forehead. "Hm, no fever," he said contemplatively and took a step backwards. "Who are you, and what have you done to Pansy Parkinson?"
Pansy batted his hand away and laughed. "Oh come on, I'm not welcome in the magical world and I had to get out of the house before I became like Granger. It started out with restaurants, you know? I would apparate to the Leaky Cauldron and then go exploring from there. I'm still not quite comfortable with ambulances though."
"It's their lights, right?" Draco asked quietly, starting to walk again. "One drove past me when I was about with Thomas, and I just froze and gripped my wand."
"Yep, I'm over the freezing and wand-gripping, but I still flinch," Pansy admitted quietly. "But back to Granger! What do you think of her?"
Draco felt his shoulders sag down. "She's brilliant, so full of positive energy. I don't know if it's a recent development, but I regret every single moment I spent talking her down. Although…" he trailed of for a moment pretending to think. "Her taste in Quidditch teams is really questionable."
Pansy hit him lightly on the arm. "Git, not everything is about Quidditch!"
"Are you sure about that?" Draco asked teasingly. "After all you're dating the enemy seeker."
"I am not!" Pansy exclaimed indignantly.
"Oh, so, what do you call meeting for lunch and dinner, exchanging books and cuddling now? Best friends with benefits?" Draco asked with a big grin.
Pansy huffed and he put his arm around her shoulders. "If you're happy I won't say a word against it, love. But the moment he hurts you I will turn into the big, bad Death Eater for your sake, okay?"
"Can't, saviour of the wizarding world and all that. You'd be in Azkaban faster than you can say 'Granger'," Pansy said with a pout. "And I'd hate to lose my best friend like that."
"Alright, then I'll take care to make it untraceable," Draco joked and was rewarded with a small smile. "Really, Pans, just because I don't like him, doesn't mean you can't. I would never dare to try and tell you who to love."
They walked on in silence and when they saw a street vendor who sold ice cream Pansy simply pulled Draco over and bought them both a cone.
"You know, this tastes nearly better than Fortescue's," Draco remarked after a moment.
Pansy nodded. "Yes, even though it melts, somehow the flavours seem stronger. Fascinating, isn't it?"
"So, you're totally convinced that Granger likes me more than just an average friend?" Draco asked hesitantly, licking at his ice cream.
"Well, maybe not one hundred percent," Pansy amended. "But at least eighty-five."
Draco hummed. "What do you think I should do? Just ask her?"
Pansy laughed. "No, goodness no. I'm quite sure she doesn't even realise it. Maybe take her out on an ice cream date?"
"I'd need to go to Gringotts first," Draco said contemplatively. "But I like the idea."
"Very good," Pansy said with a broad smile. "I'm sure she will be happy to go."
"Let's hope so," Draco grumbled. "If she isn't, you owe me."
"And I'll be happy to deliver, don't worry," Pansy assured him, still smiling. "I doubt that I'm wrong though."
21:17
"Who do you think we should invite?" Ginny asked Blaise, gnawing at her quill and looking down at the empty parchment.
"All seventh year Slytherins for sure," Pansy answered, stepping out of the kitchen and joining Hermione on the opposite couch. "Does he get along with all your brothers?"
"Maybe we should wait for Theo and George and ask them?" Hermione said, the tone of her voice teasing.
"They're already twenty minutes late, who knows when they'll show up," Pansy muttered.
"Right now, dear," George said brightly, entering the room from the hallway. "Sorry, we were tinkering with the wards and forgot the time."
Blaise raised an eyebrow. "Sure," he said drily. "Grab something to drink from the kitchen if you like and take a seat so we can start."
Theo flipped Blaise off but turned to go into the kitchen. George settled down on the floor between the two couches, leaning his forearms on the table. "So, what do you have so far?"
"Nothing much, we were waiting for you," Pansy informed him tartly, huffing when Theo pushed her towards Hermione so he could sit down.
"That's so very lovely of you," Theo said, throwing the second beer bottle lightly to George who nodded his thanks. "That issue with the wards is cleared by the way, we found a way to make them accept Draco's cousin."
"Perfect!" Hermione said brightly. "Andromeda told me that Thomas will get his first tattoo on that day and Draco will accompany him, so they could come together."
"Muggles get tattoos?" Theo asked flabbergasted.
"Yup, they're actually getting quite popular with the people of our age," Hermione replied with a smile. "As far as I understand tattoos were actually invented by the muggles in the Bronze Age."
Now everyone stared at Hermione disbelievingly.
"No way. They were probably wizards, who charmed their skin!" George exclaimed with a laugh.
"Themistodis seems pretty sure that wizards in Greece got their inspiration for tattooing from muggles in Northern Europe, and there is proof that their closer neighbours, the Thracians, were most likely tattooed in the sixth century BCE," Hermione explained smugly.
"Are you sure you shouldn't have been in Ravenclaw?" Pansy asked into the stunned silence.
"The hat considered it," Hermione admitted with a shy smile.
"Now I know more about tattooing than I ever thought I would," Blaise said with a chuckle. "How about we decide who to invite next?"
With that they returned to the reason for their meeting. Ginny snuggled up to Blaise and smiled happily when he put his arm around her without breaking his train of thought. They soon had agreed to invite all remaining Slytherin seventh years, Charlie, Percy and Luna. There had been a bit of a discussion about the latter, but Hermione and Ginny could finally convince the others that Luna's gentle, but quirky spirit would enrich the party.
Ginny admitted to herself that she wanted her best friend there, even if it wasn't her party. It would be good to have someone her own age to talk to.
Add to that the strange bond that seemed to have formed between Draco and Luna during Christmas, which apparently only Theo had ever witnessed.
The invites done, Theo called Cinny to talk about food and drinks. When finally everything was planned, it was nearing one o'clock in the morning. Hermione and Pansy were leaning against each other, already half asleep. George leaned against Theo's legs and seemed to be only awake on pure willpower by now. Theo had put his head back and was talking with his eyes closed. Ginny hadn't participated in half an hour and Blaise was rubbing his eyes every five minutes.
"Why don't we just transfigure the couches and you sleep here?" Ginny finally asked quietly. "You'll have to share, but I'm sure you're too tired to care, right?"
Everyone nodded and Theo and Hermione transfigured the settees in beds that looked a lot like couches, but nobody cared. They collapsed on their respective beds, and Blaise and Ginny barely made it into the bedroom before they fell asleep as well.
a/n2: I don't think I ever had so many perspectives in one chapter! I hope you liked all of them. Also, oblivious!Dramione is something I haven't seen too often, so I thought why not? (Because, let's face it, book!Hermione isn't the most perceptive person if it comes to feelings.) If you have any questions, or just want to know how far I've come with the next chapter you can write me on tumblr (evolutionsbedingt . tumblr . com) I'd love to hear from you!