Chapter 7: Small Lessons
"Thank you again for bringing this lovely young woman to visit, Draco." Professor Chaput said shaking his hand.
"Of course, sir. I only hope you won't mind me visiting quite frequently should she choose to apprentice with you?" Draco asked lightly.
"Of course not my boy! I'll look forward to seeing two of the brightest minds that have come out of Hogwarts since Severus!"
"Thank you, sir. I'll have made my decision in just a few weeks time, if that will be alright with you?"
"Yes, yes, take your time my dear. I've not had an apprentice in a few years and should you decide to apprentice with someone else it won't hurt this old man too much to not have one again this year!" he smiled. "I will say that I would not recommend Professor Aagard."
"He's from Durmstrang, yes?" Draco asked.
"Yes, and while he is quite the Potions Professor, he lacks the insight and forward thinking that our Hermione here requires in a Potions Master. My girl, you've got a knack for potions and I would be disappointed to see it go to waste."
"Did you mean what you said in there Draco?" Hermione asked, looking up at him.
"Mean what, Hermione?"
"That you'd come visit me if I chose to apprentice here?"
"Of course, why wouldn't I?"
"Well….I just assumed, that if this turned into a courtship…" she trailed off, not knowing how to formulate the rest without sounding offensive.
"That I'd expect you to be a good little pureblooded wife and organize parties, make babies and be bored out of your mind in the manor all day?" he chuckled.
"Well, yes?"
He chuckled before responding, "Hermione, part of the reason I pushed my parents to allow me to pursue courtship with you is that you aren't like all of these other women. You're beautiful and intelligent Hermione, and I would not expect you to give up a budding career if this courtship moved further."
"That's…well, that's lovely. Thank you, Draco."
"You don't need to thank me, Hermione. You'll find that while I greatly believe in purging the wizarding world of many muggle influences that have begun overtaking historical wizarding customs, I do not agree with many of the old world pureblooded standards."
"Such as women being at home?"
"Yes. Admittedly, I would prefer my wife want to be home with our child, at least for the beginning of their life."
"Just one?" She laughed.
"Well, yes. It's been centuries since the Malfoy line had more than a single child live."
"That's quite sad, I'm very sorry to hear that."
He shrugged his shoulders before replying, "it's never bothered me much to be honest with you. I just want any woman I may marry to know that before the bonding. I remember being very young and watching my Mother mourn the loss of her other pregnancies. I never want my wife to go through that."
Hermione didn't know how to respond to she simply reached out and placed her hand on his forearm for comfort. He turned and smiled at her, tucking her hand into the crook of his elbow and pulling her a little closer.
"Ready to apparate to the chateau?"
"Quite." She said with a grin.
"Well hello there!" said a voice she recognized instantly as Blaise.
"You sure don't waste anytime settling in!" Hermione laughed lightly.
"We've been here for days darling; did Draco keep all his trouble to himself?"
"Blaise!" Draco scolded.
"What?! Don't you want the lady to know all of the effort you've gone through for her?"
"No all men need to have their ego stroked like you love." Daphne said stepping into the room.
"First off," Hermione said to Daphne, "you look positively stunning! Second, what is he talking about Draco?"
"Only that I came to escort you today when we arrived days ago, it was just extra traveling and I assure you, I didn't mind."
"Only?! Is he bloody kidding, Daphne?"
"Draco darling, while it's adorable that you're being modest, this arse isn't going to leave it at that."
Draco sighed before speaking ago, "I made sure we were connected to the international floo so I could come and pick you up even though we'd been here already."
"I thought you'd said you were already connected?"
"Well, perhaps I said that a little quickly. I did, however, put the rush order in just after we spoke about that."
Hermione smiled at his and tried to keep her features schooled when she thought about the amount of money that must have cost. "Well, I definitely appreciate the gesture."
"Gods what is she doing here?" Pansy Parkinson asked with a scowl on her face.
"Don't be a bitch Pansy."
"We discussed this. Hermione is my guest and you'll treat her accordingly or I'll have an elf escort you home."
"Draco that's…"
"Perfectly acceptable for him to ask, right Pansy?" Daphne said smirking. "Now, I'm standing here looking absolutely amazing in this bikini, let's get you changed and out to the pool with me!" she said grabbing Hermione's hand and dragging her towards the stairs.
"How was your interview?" Daphne asked Hermione as they lay beside the pool, Daphne looking radiant and Hermione trying hard to keep the blush off her chest at feeling so exposed.
"It didn't seem much like an interview at all to be honest; he offered me the position within the first few minutes of arriving and the rest he spent showing me his labs and where I'd be working."
"And what do you think?"
"I quite like it and I think I could learn a lot. Admittedly, I believe I'd like to stay closer to home though."
"Mmm, and is that because of the opportunity or because of Draco?"
"I'll have you know it's a little of both! I'm surprisingly smitten with many of Draco's attributes I've been introduced to in the last few days."
"I told you, he isn't like the rest of them."
"And Blaise?"
"Is dashing, handsome and has been one of my best friends for a very long time. It's not like you and Draco, Hermione. Blaise and I have been promised to one another since we were 2 years old, I grew up knowing he'd be my husband. I'm quite comfortable with him and the rest will come with maturity."
"Are you alright with that?"
"Of course, it's how it's always been, all of the purebloods practice it, especially after the Squib debacle of 1604."
"What do you mean?"
"Don't you know how pureblood marriages are arranged? Or even why they're arranged?"
"I'm sorry but no. It isn't something they teach at Hogwarts and I obviously was never taught it."
"Gods, sometimes you're so smart and then I'm reminded of just how naïve you are because of your damn Uncle. There was a time that the main families were just wealthy and that was why they held so much power, they married between houses, and lower classes, until the Squib rates skyrocketed. It's quite sad really, the magical community here is just starting to recover really. Marriages are arranged by magical compatibility and their likelihood to produce strong magical children. I believe muggles call their attraction chemicals pheromones, yes?"
"Quite, I'm surprised you know that."
"I'm smarter than I look love. Anyway, our magical cores are much like their pheromones, it's what pulls us to certain wizards or witches. Depending on the when a child first displays magic will depend on the age they're promised to another and usually there is a light bonding spell done, just enough to strengthen the magical bond, but nothing too permanent."
"If this helped drop the Squib rates then why isn't this used widespread, to include half-bloods and muggleborns?"
"Because everyone is too caught up in it being considered old blood magic and muggles don't take kindly to their children being promised that early."
"Isn't there a way to do it when children are older or some sort of testing before marriage?"
"Of course, but no one wants to implement that. Imagine finding a bloke that you love, only to be told that there's a 50/50 chance you'll have squibs. There are some families that don't have any problems, like the Weasleys and then others that even wit high magical compatibility, their children don't thrive."
"Like the Malfoys?"
"Yes. Then add in problems that arise like Draco and it could very well mean the end to many strong magical lines."
"Problems?"
"Mm, sorry, not something I think about regularly. Yes, he obviously isn't promised to anyone or else your courtship wouldn't be happening at all."
"Why is that? I just assumed his parents wanted to give him a choice."
"Not really, they were devastated when they weren't able to match him. His mother even spoke with many of the French pureblood families and still no one has been a match, no one that would agree to our custom at least."
"First, why are they alright with him courting me? Second, what do you mean no one that would agree to your custom?"
"Well because you're a match obviously."
"How in the world could they know that?!"
"Simple spell darling."
"I thought you said is was old blood magic?"
"Only the bonding they do as children."
"Also, don't think I forgot, what was the no one else comment about?"
"Oh! That's quite comical really, only pureblood that Draco matched well with was Ginny Weasley! I can just picture that now, can't you?" she laughed.
Hermione chuckled imagining Draco trying to wine and dine the youngest Weasley. That girl was a spit-fire, she'd have none of that and besides, she was quite smitten with Hannah so Draco probably wouldn't be her type. At that thought Hermione's smile turned down some, thinking of the family she'd had.
Flashback – After the Ritual
"Ron? Hermione?! Ew, so disgusting!" Ginny screeched.
Hermione jumped off the common room couch and quickly snatched the blanket off of Ron to cover herself completely.
"Oi! No pants here!" Ron shouted when Hermione took the blanket.
"We know, Ronald! Gods, I didn't need to see that this early in the morning!" Ginny said making gagging noises.
"Ginny love, are you alright?" Hannah Abbott said stepping out from the sixth year girls dormitory, hair disheveled and wearing one of Ginny's Weird Sisters tshirts.
"Love? Are you…Is she? Blimey Ginny, are you sleeping with Abbott?" Ron said sitting there a little gobsmacked.
"Oh you're one to talk!" Ginny said throwing a pillow at Ron and ushering him to cover himself. "Go put some clothes on before you make someone ill."
"Sorry 'Mione, be right back." He blushed and then scampered up the stairs to the dorms.
"You're going to hurt him." Ginny said.
"Of course I'm not." Hermione huffed.
"I'm not saying you're going to hurt him on purpose Hermione, but you are going to hurt him. He's going to stay the same goofy Ronald and you've been outgrowing that for years now, he won't be able to keep up with what you need." She said turning to walk back up to her dorm.
"Ginny, that's not true."
"Look Hermione, no one is going to be mad at you. Just, be careful with him, alright? He's more fragile than he looks." She smiled sadly and then clicked the dorm room shut behind her.
Hermione sat back down on the couch, turning everything over in her mind about last night. Had she made the right decision? Was she hurting Ron without even realizing it? Before she could finish any of her thoughts Ron came bounding back down the stairs with his Quidditch jersey in hand.
"Here, figured you may still be down here and that you'd want something to cover up with." He said with a lopsided grin.
"Um, thanks Ron. I've got my clothes from… Where are they?" she said looking around.
"Guessing the house elves took them. You know how they are about messes."
"Oh, well thanks." She said reaching up and taking the jersey from him.
"I just woke Harry so, we'll wait for you to get ready before heading to breakfast, yeah?"
"Yeah, that sounds great." She said slipping the jersey over her head and walking towards the girls dormitory staircase, "Um, Ron?"
"Yeah, 'Mione."
"About last night…"
"I'm going to cherish the memory and if you decide it can be more or if you just need it to be more, you let me know, okay? I know my sister means well and that she's concerned but she doesn't know the whole story and I know it's all still muddled in our heads but I love you 'Mione and that isn't going to change. I'm a big boy, I can handle anything you need to throw at me."
Hermione paused for a moment before smiling, "you're a good man Ronald Weasley, you're going to make some woman a very lucky person."
He smiled sadly but nodded his head. "Go on now, up the stairs with you, I'm bloody starving!"
Hermione let out a full laugh and bound up the stairs. Everything had changed, everything was new and yet old at the same time, but Ron and Harry? They'd always be the same and she knew with them by her side, she could do this.
As she reached her dorm she say an owl sitting on the ledge impatiently tapping it's beak on the glass. She quickly opened the window and took the parchment attached to his leg before the owl promptly flew off.
Miss Navarre,
You have been cordially invited to the Malfoy's All Hallows' Eve Ball. Please find enclosed a portkey that will activate promptly at 8:00pm. We look forward to your response and arrival.
Sincerely,
Narcissa Malfoy
Hermione rolled up the parchment and vaguely pushed through memories of her Uncle having received these in the past but always sending back declines. She briefly wondered why she'd received this one herself, only to realize that since she was officially an adult in the wizarding world invitations would no longer go through her guardian. Before spending too much time thinking she was interrupted by a second hoot from what seemed to be a school owl.
Miss Navarre,
Make note that as soon as your eyes leave this parchment it will become ash so I insist you read it thoroughly. I am assuming you have received your All Hallow' Eve invitation from Narcissa Malfoy. I urge you to send back an acceptance. Since we had not anticipated any events in the first few months of the year we will need to move the training schedule around. Please arrive in my classroom directly after dinner tonight for occlumency training. You will need to find a way to borrow Potters' cloak because I anticipate we will be working late into the night for the next few weeks. Per Dumbledore's request I will also be taking you into town in two weeks time to attain formal wear, please know your measurements so this is not anymore painful then necessary.
Professor Snape
Lovely she thought.