I DON'T OWN ANYTHING….kay, thanks.
CHAPTER 4
Breakfast at Mia's was relatively uneventful after her discussion with her parents. Rosalie spent her time at the opposite end of the table arranging a mock up place setting. Periodically she would like for input, asking Mia and her father their opinion but not waiting for an answer. Mia rolled her eyes while a chuckle came from Theodore behind his, now second, paper of the day.
"Mia, sweetie, you better go get changed if we are to make our appointments on time." Rosalie didn't even look up as she instructed her daughter to get ready.
Mia rose from the table and knowing better than to interrupt her mother when she was party planning, gave a quick kiss to her father before heading upstairs.
"Thank you, daddy."
"Good luck, little love." His tone was ominous, and left Mia unsure if he meant the shopping trip with Rosalie, or upcoming party and its aftershocks.
"Flopsy! Mopsy!" Mia was still enough in the room when her mom spoke that Hogwarts caught, albeit briefly, two female house elves pop into the room at Rosalie's side.
Harry burst into a fit of laughter. He shouldn't have been surprised. Hermione and Mia were complete contradictions. At this point he expected a table of Death Eaters to be seated around the table at dinner.
Draco almost choked on his pumpkin juice. He would have bet a hefty amount of galleons against seeing house elves in the home of Hermione Granger, or whoever the fuck she was. What was going to be next, he thought, were his parents going to show up? At that thought he chuckled to himself. That would be a sight.
Wouldn't it?
Mia stepped out of the warm shower reluctantly, comfortable that Dumbledore would recognize a person's need to bathe and respect her privacy until she stepped out of the bathroom with the necessary bits covered. She was correct; Hogwarts had been watching the closed bathroom door for the past fifteen minutes. However, many male students found a way to pass the time by discussing the view that they were missing. Draco again had to contain himself from causing bodily harm at some of the ideas were swirled around the Great Hall.
The bathroom door open and Mia emerged, her white towel wrapped around her like a sarong. She had towel dried her hair in the bathroom and her damp curls hung down to the small of her back. Stopping briefly at her vanity, Mia hit a few buttons on the wall, and seemed to be waiting for something as she smoothed her eyebrows in the mirror. Suddenly Lucy's voice filled the room.
"Hello, girlie! I take it you survived this morning."
"Barely. But, I did have a talk with my parents and guess who gets to go back to be themselves one hundred percent of the time…this girl!" Mia couldn't contain the smile on her face.
"That's fabulous! I told you they would understand, any more information on this mysterious gathering tonight?" While Lucy had been talking Mia had stepped into her closet and put on nude lace boy shorts and a matching nude lace bra. She walked out carrying a dress in her hands, set it down on the settee and sat at the vanity, wand in hand.
Pointing her wand at her hair, Mia uttered "aqua exalant" and watched as the water evaporated from her hair and big, bouncy, golden waves tumbled down her back.
"Well, apparently, they had the same idea and this party is a way of reintroducing both myself and the family name back into society. You sure you don't want to come?" Mia was now applying makeup. She smooth skin gave her no reason to use any foundation so she stuck with some simple bronzing blush, then some dark gold eye shadow to make her blue eyes pop, a quick dab of mascara and lip gloss and she was good to go.
"Sorry hun, but I can't tonight. My parents were invited tonight and I was going to go with them, but it's the same night as our monthly dinner with my grandparents. You know how crazy they get when there is any change in routine. You remember when their favorite restaurant changed hands and they refused to call in another name and even referred to the new hostess by the name of the previous one." Lucy was genuinely apologetic; she hadn't wanted to throw her best friends into the snakes nest without an ally.
"I had never had more fun at a meal. That was hilarious. Oh well, I handled Hogwarts by myself, I can handle one dinner." Mia had slipped on the cream silk shift dress. It had black lace at the hemline, which reached mid thigh, as well as around the cap sleeves and the scoop neck.
"Call me later, bye Mia."
"Talk to you later." Mia hit another button, ending the call, slipped on a pair of black patent leather peep toe Christian Louboutin stilettos and grabbed her wand and a black leather clutch. Putting the wand into a special pocket in the clutch, Mia strode down the hallway and the large staircase to where her mother was waiting in the foyer. Mia was halfway to the door when she realized her mom hadn't moved.
"Aren't we taking the car into London?"
"Oh no dear, we want something much more spectacular than Diagon Alley. We taking a port key to Paris. I've made an appointment with Catherine Malandrino." Rosalie smiled at the excited look on her daughter's face.
As a child, Mia had loved taking impromptu trips to wizarding Paris. Granted, Diagon Alley did have its fair share of upscale shops, but when you wanted something really special, Paris was the place to go. Catherine Malandrino was a witch designer that had extreme success in both the muggle and wizard worlds.
Pansy couldn't have been more green if she had painted herself that color. It was the first time she had, had something in common with a Gryffindor, as Ginny was looking much the same color.
"Gee Pans, you aren't looking too good. Do you need to go up to the infirmary?" Milicent wasn't trying to be mean, she was sincerely concerned over the color of her friend's complexion.
"Shut. Up." Pansy said through clenched teeth.
Arriving in Paris was always a magical moment for Mia and her mom. They used to take frequent, special mother-daughter trips but when it looked like the war was coming to a head her family had taken a more private role than other families.
"Over here dear, we are cutting it very close for time." Rosalie was already heading off in the direction of the boutique. Mia had to walk exceptionally fast in her Louboutins to keep up, because a lady never ran. Or so her mother said.
A bell chimed as the two ladies walked in, rather than being surrounded by racks of dresses there was a prominent sitting area with dresses more in the background. Before they even reached the couches, a tall brunette woman about the same age as Rosalie scurried out from behind the curtain in the back with open arms.
"Oh mon dieu, our sweet little Mia is all grown up. Look at you darling. Spin for me. Yes, perfect." Catherine's heavy French accent didn't hinder her English, for either Mia and Rosalie's understanding or the Great Hall. Mia blushed under the scrutiny, she had blossomed into her looks over the summer and was still getting used to receiving appreciating looks.
"Rosalie, dear, tell me what we are dressing for today?" Catherine had herded the women the couches and snapped her fingers, summoning another woman out with a tray of champagne and finger cookies.
"Well, as you know, our family took a less public role in that whole mess and we have been out of the social scene for the past seven years. Tonight we are hosting a dinner for all our old friends and the social elite to reestablish our place. Also, we will be introducing Mia to society. So her gown is of the utmost importance."
Catherine had been nodding thoughtfully, her eyes holding a far-off distant look.
"Red is obviously out, that color just wouldn't do with your complexion. I don't think pink is any good either, in fact we'll eliminate any pastels. Any other colors that are out?"
"Not that I can think of, I guess we'll have to see how everything looks." Mia answered while her mother had already been brought back for a fitting with another shop attendant. Catherine grabbed Mia's arm and headed toward the dressing area with purpose.
"I have just the gown for you, my dear." She more than gently urged Mia into a dressing room, telling her to disrobe, and hurried off to grab the gown in question. Soon coming back, she pushed the garment bag behind the curtain.
"Alright dear, now you just come out when you are ready."
Mia unzipped the hidden side zipper and stepped into the gown and pulled it up. The gown was dark grey chiffon with a low empire waist, highlighted by a braided up of the same material. The dress had a deep V down to the braided rope with two triangle pieces of fabric covering her chest. The triangles had the same braided ropes at the top which went up behind her neck, criss-crossed and then connected to the dress in the back at the empire waist. She stepped out from behind the curtain and looked up to see her mother had already made her selection and was waiting with Catherine to see the selection.
"Oh, darling, it's perfect. Let me see the back." Both Rosalie and Catherine had smiles on their faces.
"I think I designed that dress unconsciously for you. I absolutely will not let you not take that gown home. It would be a travesty."
"Mom, I really love this dress. This color might be my absolute favorite." Mia looked for her mom's reaction.
Grey was her favorite color, hmm?
"That's definitely the dress. Why don't you go take it off and I'll pick out some shoes. We need to head home to stay on schedule, hair and make up should be there when we get home." Rosalie was made to throw a party; her daughter and husband had noticed her personality wilted during the war when she was unable to entertain. This was the happiest she had been since Mia was a child.
A late lunch was just finishing up in the Great Hall. Ron's jaw had only been picked up off the table because the action was required in order for him to chew his food. Lavender had thought she had spent most of the night successfully reminding Ron that the present was much better than the past. However, now watching the screen she again felt that nagging feeling that he was second guessing his decision.
Harry had tried to distance himself from the Weasley's and their mood swings. Mia had pinned their personalities correctly, he couldn't believe he hadn't seen it before. Today he chose to sit with another group of Gryffindor seventh years; they were more low key and didn't turn green at each new development made on the screen. It had proven to be a much less stressful day.
At the Syltherin table, Draco had taken much the same approach as Harry. Distancing himself from almost everyone in his usual group aside from Blaise. He had left the Hall periodically during the day to try and contact his parents via both floo and owl, but the appeared to have been out of the house all day. He was now surrounded by, purebloods who seemed to be taking the new changes more in stride than others.
Daphne and Astoria Greengrass proved to be extremely complimentary towards Mia. The sisters were thoroughly impressed by her new ability to tame her hair, apply her make up, and most of all her new wardrobe.
"Just hear me out, I think she doesn't have the parentage she led us to believe. I mean she has house elves for Merlin's sake. If that proves to be the case, I think we should make friends. Yeah?" Astoria, a sixth year, looked to her older sister for an answer, which Daphne seemed to ponder for a moment.
"I think you might be correct. On all accounts." Daphne's answer was short and to the point.
Draco and Blaise had been listening to the conversation. Draco had always thought that Daphne was a good judge of character. She hadn't fallen into step behind Pansy that first day of Hogwarts as many of the girls in their year and house had. And Merlin knew, no one got on Draco's last nerve more than Pansy.
"Holy fuck, mate. I don't think my mind has ever been more blown. Did you just hear that?" Blaise's face wore a look of complete shock.
"And you know what else? I think I agree with them! Shit. Remember what you said about your parents? Want to place a bet on it now?" Blaise banged his head against his fist, as if trying to set everything straight in his world again. He was unsuccessful. It all remained the same.
Yesterday, Draco would have taken that bet. Today, not so much. Not so much at all.
When she arrived home, her house was a world-wind of activity. Mia and Rosalie's packages had been sent home ahead of them and had the house elves place them in the dressing room. Theodore strode through the foyer at the same time the mother and daughter walked through the front door.
"Love!" He addressed Rosalie. "I do believe you will be happy with Flopsy and Mopsy, they followed your instructions explicitly. The table looks marvelous. I was just on my way to the kitchen to sample some of Chef's creations. Care to accompany me?"
"Mia, why don't you head upstairs and make sure everything is all set. If Julie and Marie have arrived, have them start on your hair and make up. I just want to do a final check on everything." Rosalie and Theodore took off arm-in-arm in the direction of the larger kitchen were meals such as this were prepared.
Taking her mother's direction, Mia headed upstairs and towards the guest wing, the opposite end of the hallway of the family's rooms. Years ago her mother had, had one of the rooms redecorated into a dressing room. There were two giant vanities and racks for clothes and shoes. The racks currently held two dresses, one Mia's dark grey gown, and the other a classic black gown that was sleeveless with a scoop neck and fit tightly until the high waist where it flared out with layers of fabric. It appeared both dresses had been steamed for any wrinkles.
"Oh look at you!" Julie and Marie exclaimed at the same time. They were identical twins. Julie handled the make up while at the same time Marie would tackle the hair.
"Sit, sit, sit. I can't wait to get my hands on that hair. It's simply gorgeous. Those natural highlights and those waves, it took awhile to get there but I bet you agree it was worth the wait?" Marie got Mia into the chair and walked over to examine her dress to see what would compliment it best.
"I don't know, I had to deal with frizz for far too long." Mia was silent after that, letting the twins do what they did best. At one point her mother had breezed in and the girls took a break from Mia to quickly do Rosalie's hair and make up and she had to be downstairs to great the guests.
When hair and make up were done, Marie and Julie helped dress Mia so she wouldn't mess up her hair or make up. Mia inspected her image in the mirror before heading downstairs. Marie had put a dramatic side part in her hair and braided the front of the heavier side before pulling the hair into a loose bun and the base of her neck to expose the detailed back of her dress. Julie had given her a heavy smokey eye that still managed to not look trashy when paired with a nude lip. At Catherine's shop her mother had picked out a pair of nude pumps that just peaked out when she walked.
"Well, wish me luck." Mia managed a smile after taking a deep breath. This was it, she was going back where she belonged.
"You'll be fabulous." Julie and Marie again spoke in unison, ushering Mia out the door and towards the stairs.
Mia descended the stairs slowly, taking in all the people that had assembled at her home. She remembered from childhood that when her parents threw parties only the who's-who of society were invited and the invitations were extremely coveted. Judging by the levels of dress in the room, this party picked up right where the others had left off. She spotted her parents speaking with two couples and another woman and headed over in their direction.
Rosalie spotted her first and opened up the circle to welcome her daughter.
"Everyone, allow me to reintroduce to you our daughter, Mia Grangée." Rosalie stated with pride.
Mia looked up and sucked in a breath. She was staring back at an older version of the eyes that seemed to haunt her in her dreams, just out of reach. She placed a demure smile on her face as her father spoke, taking her arm.
"Mia, these are some of our closest and dearest friends, they were instrumental to our war effort. This is Isabella Zabini, Roger and Rachel Greengrass, and Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy."
Forks in the Great Hall dropped.
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