Disclaimer: As always I own nothing and my beta is my better half.
The bewildered girls stared at the dishevelled looking house-elf who had just appeared on Draco's bed. It took a moment before the elf's identity dawned on the pair and the elf grew rapidly surprised and emotional as both of the girls launched themselves at the tiny creature. Wrapping their arms around him, Dobby breaking into tears as a teary and snotty Draco just kept saying how glad she was that he was alive and alright. Her reaction set him off and the little elf started to cry himself, twisting his ears and tightly clutching the old sock in his hands which had previously adorned his ear.
"Father didn't hurt you did he?" Harry had been going to ask why Dobby had come when Draco recovered enough to ask her own first. All number of horrible scenarios were shooting through her mind and had been since the elf had vanished from her life. As much as Narcissa would love to think otherwise, the blonde had quickly worked out what her father was into after starting Hogwarts and had witnessed some actions which had led to her actions on the express, something she mentally was aware that she needed to apologise for. Dobby shook his head frantically taken aback at the youngest blonde's worry for him.
"How come you came?" Harry asked softly, confusion marring her face.
"The greatest witch Harry Potter ma-am called." He nodded, beaming at the confused raven who looked to the other witch who shrugged.
"I thought only bound elves could be called." Draco spoke softly, her own confusion in her voice.
Dobby however looked sheepish, staring at his feet as he scuffed them into the duvet, "…Dobby is free…" The tips of his ears pinked as did his cheeks at the look Draco was giving him, "…..Harry Potter Mistress said she wanted Dobby to be a friend."
The penny dropped for the blonde who started to laugh softly, her chuckles growing in strength as a concerned Harry asked what Dobby had been doing, the little elf dropping down to his feet and explaining that no-one wanted a free elf especially not one who wanted to be paid. Her eyes narrowed at that statement, "Why don't you just work with your family, Dobby?"
"Dobby is free." Harry scowled at her sister.
"No." Draco shook her head, "He isn't." Harry opened her mouth, only to be cut off, "Elves clean and look after their family because the family's magic gives the elf their own life and power." Harry frowned and Draco sighed, "If an elf is free, they die. Dobby isn't weakening or sick, therefore he isn't free."
"But Hogwarts?"
"Bound to the building, students and staff, why do you think there is so much emphasis put on how your house is your family?"
Harry's jaw dropped as she stared between the blonde and the little elf, who was looking increasingly worried and more than a little scared. "Dobby?" She spoke trying her best to keep her tone level and calm, "why didn't you tell me?"
"…Dobby would have been unable to protect Harry Potter."
Harry opened her mouth to protest but Draco cut her off, "As I said, Dobby is part of the family. That means he gets money and somewhere to sleep." She looked thoughtful, "We get 1000G a year." Dobby looked faint, "But some of that is for school, so maybe 500G a year."
She seemed to have decided but Dobby was frantically shaking his head. "That is far too much for Dobby! Dobby should discuss with adults."
"We'll get Augusta!" The pair yelled, charging out of the door.
Hermione couldn't decide what to read, she'd tried and failed reading a huge pile which now littered her bedside table and some were on the floor. In the end, she settled on her old favourite of Black Beauty knowing that her parents would never allow her to get up at the time that she'd woken up despite her being too excited to go back to sleep. They were heading to the Longbottom's today, apparently they were going to try on their robes today as well as well as relax.
A soft knock on her door, had her glancing at her clock in confusion, "Hermione?" The soft almost whisper came as the elder Granger pushed the door open, a wide smile breaking out when she saw the heap of books which had spread across the floor and bedside cabinet. "Can't sleep?"
The bushy haired teen looked sheepish, "I was too excited, you and dad get to see some of the world I see every day!"
A quiet laugh was her answer, "I couldn't sleep either." Her eyes had lit up as she stepped further in, passing the huge fluffy dressing gown to Hermione, "Why don't we head downstairs and have a cup of tea. You can tell me about some of the things I'll get to see." Hermione grinned at her mother as the two Granger ladies headed downstairs for an early morning. Mrs Granger telling her that she'd seen the light on which told her that her daughter was awake as well, while they were waiting for the kettle to boil, Hermione found herself being told about how the elder Longbottom had sent an owl for the three's measurements to get the robes made as she didn't want them to stand out. Either by quality or by cut.
Before long both women were nursing hot mugs of tea and Hermione was telling her mum all about the things the two girls had talked about in their letters which the Longbottom estate had. The enormous library which had both ladies eyes lighting up from Harry's descriptions, anyone who saw the elder Granger's expression would know instantly where Hermione got her love of books from. The description of the breed of flowers that Neville had created in memory of Lily had Emma's mouth dropping open in surprise, quizzing her amused daughter on how such a thing was possible only to both of their frustration Hermione not knowing.
Augusta blinked in bemused confusion when she opened the door to head downstairs for breakfast only to see two girls and an elf dithering outside her room. Arguing if they're allowed to knock and disturb her or if they should wait downstairs, so intent in each other that Augusta's soft cough made all of them jump.
"This is Dobby!" Harry blurted out by way of explanation. "He refuses to let us give him a proper allowance!"
"He's Family!" Draco added.
Augusta just stared, rubbing her forehead, "It's too early." The two girls looked contrite, "Come. We'll talk about this over breakfast." Dobby looked ready to pop away but her wise aged eyes fixed on him, "where do you think you are going?"
Dobby hesitated, "…Dobby was going to wait for the family to finish."
"I believe from what the girls have said, you are family. That means you should be having breakfast with us." She spoke firmly, ending the conversation.
It was a very confused Narcissa who walked in, she blinked seeing the assembled group around the table, the girls and Augusta being down before she was, wasn't too much of a surprise. Yet seeing not only Neville sitting at the table but also her old elf Dobby, who she had always suspected Lucius had killed. However since the accident, she had quickly realised that strange things happened around Harry so instead of questioning, she simply wished them all a good morning and sipped on her tea.
Feeling many sets of eyes on her, Narcissa looked up and met the huge worried eyes of Dobby, "I'm glad that you are alright, I thought Lucius had-" she stopped herself shaking her head instead just smiling at him.
Dobby opened his mouth only to be stopped by a hand and Harry quickly speaking, "Nah, Lucius couldn't hurt Dobby." She spoke quickly, hoping the other two would keep quiet and not tell Narcissa about what Lucius had done.
Her luck struck again as Draco rolled her eyes and spoke bluntly "Yeah because Dobby stopped him from killing you."
The pair looked up guiltily hearing fine china smash as Narcissa had temporarily lost control of her hands and dropped her cup. "W-what are you talking about?" Her voice shook.
Harry glared at Draco, who simply ran a hand through her hair and didn't even have the decency to look contrite instead giving Harry a look of pure smugness. However combined with the look from Narcissa and Augusta, she caved although not without giving Draco a filthy look. "The chamber of secrets." She said bluntly, although she did feel bad when Narcissa paled. "There was a weird diary from Voldemort's school days," She scowled that still seemed weird to think that the most feared dark lord had once been at school. "It possessed Ginny,"
"Weasley?" Neville interrupted looking confused.
Harry nodded, "Made her open the chamber and set a basilisk on the school, Dobby had overheard and was trying to keep me safe by stopping me from going to school." She shrugged, "Didn't work obviously, Hermione figured it out, went down to the chamber. Killed the big snake, destroyed the diary and saved the girl." Harry was obstinately not looking at the adults, "Found out Lucius planted it in an attempt to discredit Mr Weasley and get the Headmaster out of the school. So I returned it to him with a sock, freeing Dobby. Lucius tried to kill me and then Dobby saved me."
Narcissa rushed around the table, she was certain that Harry was missing something important out of the story yet at that time she didn't care she was just glad that Harry was still alive. To Dobby's surprise, she wrapped him in a tight hug, "Thank you Dobby!" The little elf looked shell shocked, even more so when she spoke. "I'll be forever glad that you kept Harry safe!" Another soft smile to the little elf, she released him turning to Harry, "I expect to see the memory of that fight. I suspect there is something that you've left out." With that said, she wrapped her arms around her youngest. "I'm glad that you are alive and safe." Her voice sounded a bit choked when she spoke, "Harry. Lucius will pay." Her eyes closed as Draco watched her mother's Occlumency shields come down.
After breakfast the adults had their discussion with Dobby while the children were sent to read. Harry and Neville had their potions lesson, although both noticed that Narcissa was distracted. Harry eventually stopped her stirring and spoke softly, "…mum…" Narcissa's head whipped around, "…are you alright?"
Narcissa's eyes grew watery as she nodded, "Of course I am."
"Cissa...don't lie to us." Neville spoke up, his voice just as hesitant as Harry's but he too was worried.
A quick flick of her wand, and status charms were placed over their cauldrons. "Come here." She spoke softly, holding her arms out, without words the pair of them understood that the hug wasn't for them but for her. "I'm so sorry." A tear escaped her eyes as she pulled them closer, "I'm sorry I wasn't able to stop him and was too blind to realise what he'd done."
"It wasn't your fault." They both said, making her smile at the pair being out of sync unlike when Harry and Draco did the same.
"You couldn't have known." Harry added as Neville said "You would have stopped him if you'd known but he obviously hid it from you."
Narcissa laughed softly, giving the two another tight squeeze before stealthily wiping her eyes, "Let's end lessons here. I'm sure that you're too excited to see Hermione to continue." The two nodded as she released them, sending them on ahead of her, neither of them mentioned that she was probably taking a moment to compose herself.
It was probably an interesting experience for all three Granger's being picked up by Narcissa and Augusta, Narcissa could only apparate two she'd asked Augusta to go with her to collect them with a bemused Andromeda and Ted staying with the three teens. Despite having been writing to Emma for a few weeks, neither of the witches had ever been inside a fully muggle house and privately both were quite curious as to how it would look. After all the pair wondered how muggles kept their homes clean without magic or elves, as such when they appeared in the closed off section garden both were intrigued at how pristine the flowerbeds and how was. To Augusta's amusement, Emma and Hermione must have been watching for them as the door burst open and curly hair rushed over. "You're here! Where'sHarry?IsSheAlright?" The bushy haired girl spoke without pause causing all three adults to laugh softly.
"Hermione." Emma spoke softly but causing her daughter to pause instantly, "you need to take a breath if you want to ask anything."
She flushed, "Sorry."
Narcissa however smiled gently, "We couldn't bring the girls, they're alright but we would have had to make multiple trips if we did." Hermione beamed, she didn't know if Narcissa had understood her or just guessed that that was what she'd been wondering. Emma however invited them both inside while they waited for Dan to be ready to go, while both of the two were quite restrained in their curiosity it didn't escape either of the Granger ladies notice that the pair was looking around and trying to take everything in without being obvious about it.
"Hermione, can you pop the dishwasher on while I go and fetch your father?" Emma apologetically smiled to her guests even as her daughter nodded. Narcissa couldn't resist her curiosity as she followed the girl over to the sleek under counter thing. She watched intrigued as her Daughter's friend opened it, placing the last few dishes into it and putting a weird tablet into it. It clicked, Hermione pressed a button before slamming the door closed and the thing clunked before roaring. Narcissa jumped slightly.
"It cleans the dishes for us, dries them too." Hermione spoke as though to herself.
"How?" The response was out before Narcissa could stop herself. She'd never heard of any such device, sure she knew that muggles had a thing to clean their clothes but this tiny thing was a new one to her. Hermione didn't know the science behind how it worked but she did her best to explain it to her friend's mother.
Emma couldn't stop herself chuckling when she came down with her bags and her husband to find her daughter explaining the kitchen appliances to an intrigued witch. It broke the moment and Hermione bounced over to her parents, asking if they were ready to leave. Emma gave her a look and a blushing teen bolted upstairs.
Augusta laughed, figuring what had happened. Less than a minute later Hermione was back, a couple of charms and the luggage was shrunk. Apparition was explained, the doors locked and the group vanished with an audible pop.
The adults all staggered upon arrival, all three Granger's looked rather green and both witches looked rather tired. "My apologies, that wasn't my smoothest Apparition ever." Augusta apologised softly, "It's more taxing on one's magic to take a muggle."
Emma nodded, "That's why Narcissa took me and Hermione? Rather than one of you taking both of us?"
She got a wide smile in response, "Exactly, it'd be harder on all three if one of us had taken both of you, another witch or wizard's magic soothes the transportation." She didn't point out that both witches were strong enough to take both parents, but it wouldn't have been a pleasant trip for either of Hermione's parents.
Any further conversation was stopped by the sound of charging footsteps and several crashes. "Draco!" Neville's voice was heard as yet another thud and crash sounded, Augusta rubbed her temples. Especially when the door burst open and three teens fell through, all three looking rather dishevelled as they landed in a heap.
Seeing the stern look on Augusta's face, the trio stood up sheepishly, brushing themselves down. "Sorry Gran." They chorused, cheeks pinking as they met the amused faces of the others.
"Girls. Neville." Narcissa broke through their embarrassment and Augusta's disapproval, "These are Hermione's parents, Dan and Emma Granger."
By some unspoken agreement Draco took the lead, heading over, with the other two trailing after her, "Pleased to meet you," Draco dropped into a low curtsy, "Please call me Draco." Narcissa gasped softly especially when the other two echoed her daughter, giving a low bow in Neville's case and another curtsy in Harry's case. Glancing at Augusta, she saw shock written on her face as well something which just confused the elder Granger's further although Hermione just looked intrigued.
Emma however showed how open minded she was, "Pleasure to meet you all," Her curtsy wasn't as refined as theirs however she'd guessed there was some sort of significance in the depth so endeavoured to try to mimic it, "Please call me Emma." From what Hermione had told her there was significance in everything which was said during a traditional greeting, Draco's face lighting up told her that she'd guessed correctly and had Dan copying her.
Seeing that while they'd copied rather well, neither fully understood what had happened, Narcissa tried to explain as the group headed towards the dining room. She'd started with explaining about the given names needing permission to be used as otherwise it was considered incredibly rude. It explained, at least to Hermione why so many at Hogwarts used just last names, she went on to tell them how different depths of bows and curtsies had other meanings. A slight nod or barely moving meant the person was of a much lower status or just below them. The lower it went the more respect you had for the person or family. Technically the children didn't have to as they were from some of the highest ranking wizarding families.
Emma had gasped softly, grasping what Narcissa was trying to tell them in that the children had quite bluntly (well to other Wizards at least) said that the Granger parents were of equal rank to them.
Lunch was interesting to say the least, the adults were discussing magic while the kids talked about their holidays before Hermione softly asked about traditions. She'd not been able to find a reason for parchment in any of the books which Draco had lent her. "Draco, I've got to ask. Why not use paper?"
"Tradition mainly, so much has already been lost, we cling to those traditions which the light allow us to keep. After all Yuletide and Samhain have almost been lost, due to Dumbledore wishing to keep muggleborns into our world," She held up a hand as Hermione went to interrupt and continued, "I don't mean like that, I mean he wishes you to feel comfortable in our world but forgets that a better way would be to teach you our traditions and why we do certain things."
It was then that Neville interrupted, "To bring it back, Parchment and Quills flow with magic. If you wrote a made-up spell on paper with a muggle pen, it would last as anything written by a muggle does. Yet if you or I wrote an actual spell down in the same manner it would fade within our lifetime maybe even quicker if it was a more powerful spell." That had all of the other three studying him, "If you are creating your grimoire, you want it to last generations especially if you are writing a spell you have just created and want to pass it down."
"Grimoire?" Harry spoke softly, she vaguely recalled the word from Draco's memories but didn't fully understand it.
"Family magic." Draco picked up again, "Every family has their own magic, the Grimoire is where those spells are written down." Hermione opened her mouth to protest but Draco continued on ignoring her, "You will probably have noticed that here feels different to the Burrow?" she got a nod, "That's the families magic, your family will have it too, you'll just not notice because to you and your parents it just feels like home."
"But they don't have magic." Hermione interrupted.
Draco shrugged, "Doesn't matter, Hermione does and that will have given the house it's ambient magic as it is the birthplace of house of Granger."
"For example, written on parchment, a Grimoire will last for centuries. My family's dates back to the Norman invasion, rumour states that the Abbot's dates back to the founders and apparently the Black one was begun by Morgana Le-Fay." Neville spoke softly and levelly, "It isn't just spells, it's pictures, thoughts history. Some spells just can't be cast by someone not of that magic or will have a different effect. Ones which will are often tested and registered becoming the spells we learn at school." Hermione nodded, although she didn't like there being knowledge she'd never have access to, Neville's explanation reminded her of a diary or photo-album and as she thought. It dawned. They were like that. Spells which had no use but meant something to the family at the time, a family member's thoughts from decades or centuries gone by and she realised that she understood.
After her discussion with her daughter, Emma was just as curious about the Wizarding world as she had been that morning. Yet she got her chance to learn more when part the way through their tea, Augusta spoke, "I apologise if I'm being presumptuous and promise that I do not intend to offend but would the pair of you consent to Hermione being magically adopted."
Dan opened his mouth to protest, however Emma held up her hand, "Before either of us get annoyed, please explain your reason for asking."
"If Hermione was magically adopted, it wouldn't change either of your rights." Narcissa spoke softly, pouring more tea as she did, "Yet it would mean that, Morgana forbids, anything like last year happened. We would be able to step in, getting her faster medical attention than Hogwarts could provide and if she'd been brought here with a Healer on site you'd be able to visit." Emma nodded, watching her husband's face.
"It's part of the old ways," Augusta spoke again, "an Old family would adopt a muggleborn, the child would retain their own name but when tensions were high or a family took a disliking to the purity of the child. The old family would be allowed to step in as though the others had insulted one of their own children. In Hermione's case, you've heard of the past war?" they nodded, "If say one of those had targeted her, it would be as though they were attacking a daughter of house of Black or Longbottom. Which would allow us to step in and demand an honour duel."
Emma gasped. "What would we have to do?" Dan asked slowly, "And what's the catch?"
"…" Narcissa thought quickly, "The only one that I can think of is that if Hermione wishes to apprentice under someone, we are honour bound to allow it even if you yourselves refuse. We're also expected to finance it. Not that you can't but it's a symbol to the world that this is a witch worth watching as an Old family expects her to go far, while I know from what Harry has said, Dentists earn rather a lot, it's different to that. We have the money to spare by far, and if we didn't it would be akin to someone in the muggle world adopting a child and refusing to pay for the child to go to university. You could always use the money you would have on other treats for her." Narcissa smiled gently, hoping that they understood. Her crash course in how dentistry worked had piqued her interest, "Although I hope that you won't mind if I ask if you wouldn't mind explaining Dentistry to me later? It sounds rather fascinating from what Harry's told me."
Augusta quickly explained that as for what they'd have to do, it was more Hermione and the head of family. They would only have to give their blessing for their daughter to do so when the Head of Family offered during the ritual, Hermione would then have to consent and the Head of Family would accept her into the family. "I was thinking that if you two wished to think it over and talk about it with Hermione, should you all accept I think Neville would love another sister and while we try…Neville could do with a father's influence."
Dan jolted, he hadn't realised that the somewhat stern elder woman had intended them to be so heavily involved but he smiled widely at the pair, "We'll discuss it with Hermione." He spoke softly before the four of them moved the subject onto lighter topics.
Ted had offered to stay so that the group could still have their dancing lessons as Neville was truly outnumbered by this point. Emma wanted to join them as she was curious as to how wizard dancing differed from the muggle dances her and Dan knew. Plus she suspected that it would be adorable to watch the teens dancing, not to mention that it would be interesting to see if there was any differences in etiquette.
As such it was a bigger group who headed into the ballroom. With Andromeda having Ted with her, she decided that perhaps the group would prefer to see a demonstration, much to Ted's grudging agreement. Harry had thought that Draco was graceful but she had nothing on their Aunt. The pair spun and twirled, looking as though they weren't even touching the ground and was instead floating. It looked effortless as if they both knew where the other would go at any time even when without speaking Ted twirled Andromeda out from his grip using his other hand to take Narcissa's as he switched partners. The youngest Black sister, twirling into his arms flawlessly, although the watching group noticed that their dancing wasn't as seamless as Andromeda's and Ted's. Although Narcissa looked as though she was floating, it had become more apparent that Ted wasn't quite on the same skill level as the two Black sisters.
A soft word from Andromeda had Ted bowing and Narcissa curtsying as they separated. She spoke softly to Dan and Emma who both nodded before they stepped into the middle, Hermione had never realised how graceful her mother was as the two elder Grangers danced. While nowhere near on par with the Black sisters, the pair had more grace than most witches and wizards. Something Andromeda was quick to point out to the watching children.
Before long the group had all been dancing for a while and with different partners, something Hermione was very grateful for as it meant that they learned more. Not to mention that she rather enjoyed dancing with her Dad, it was something which she could share with them both after all. Not long before Andromeda called an end to their dance, Neville smirked at Harry and the pair had quickly grabbed their swords, switching their dance to one just as graceful but far more deadly…that was if either of them had a sword without a ward on it. Something which Andromeda quickly explained to the Grangers, neither of the pair could injure each other it would just sting them where they'd been hit. As such it was a very tired group who headed up to bath and change, none more than the two youngest who'd probably pushed themselves more than those just dancing.