Chapter 2 - A Slytherin?
It was quite a surprise for Hermione, but she said nothing when Dumbledore returned the Sorting Hat to its place on the shelf. He conjured her some food to eat and after sent her down to the Slytherin common room with the password and saying that all she will need will be provided for her.
She made her way down to the dungeons without problem, but paused when she realised that she didn't know where the entrance was like Harry and Ron did, since they were the ones that had visited it in their second year.
"Merde", Hermione cursed and looked around. After standing in the corridor for some time a couple of seventh year Slytherin boys appeared in the empty corridor. They looked haughty as they took in her dishevelled hair and Muggle clothes. She was covered in scar and grime. They drew there wands.
"Well, well. What is a girl like you doing in the deep, dark dungeons all alone?" one of the boys asked in a jeering tone.
"I'm looking for the Slytherin common room", she answered. They looked stunned for a moment before they gathered their wits.
"Yeah, why?" the other one asked.
"Because I was just sorted into Slytherin house in the Headmaster's office. Satisfied?" Hermione answered quickly loosing her patience.
"And who might you be?"
"Herminia Chastain, transfer student from France and as of now student of Hogwarts and member of Slytherin house. And the current password is aconite. Help any?" Hermione said. The boys looked at each other uncertainly. Hermione took that moment to observe them and noted something familiar of the other one. He was tall and had dark shaggy hair.
"You're a Black, aren't you?" she asked. The boy looked at her with a calculating look and then extended his hand.
"Good guess. Regulus Black, at your service", the Black answered putting his wand away and extending his hand. "This is Selwyn."
The boy next to Regulus Black nodded.
"I would be quite poorly educated if I didn't know a Black when I saw one," Hermione answered and took his hand. He bowed slightly.
"And who was your excellent teacher?" Regulus asked.
"My mother is a pureblood", was Hermione's simple answer. Regulus frowned and Selwyn looked troubled. "And my father is a half-blood."
Her casual continual seemed to soothe the two slightly.
"The common room is this way, Herminia," Regulus said and extended his hand to let her go before them. She smiled gratefully and followed.
Hogwarts had not changed before her time, Hermione noted with satisfaction. Her roommates didn't take well for her, so she spent a lot of her time with Regulus Black and Selwyn, the two students she had first met when arriving in this time. She caught up in her lessons soon.
Regulus was an intellectual much like herself and they partnered in most classes and spent time studying in the library and the Slytherin common room, but it wasn't until All Hallow's Eve that he asked her:
"So, Herminia, I've been wondering, why did you transfer here so abruptly?"
Hermione looked at him narrowing her eyes.
"How do I know I can trust you?" she asked. Regulus returned her appraising look. He had come to enjoy her company, odd bird as she was. She was as cunning as any Slytherin, but she was more straightforward than anyone else, except for maybe Gryffindors. But that must because she is not so ingrained by house personalities than if she had gone to Hogwarts more than a few months.
"You can't, but I like to believe as much as I loathe to admit it that I can be as loyal as a Hufflepuff when it comes to my friends, a trait we Slytherins share with them, all though we like to take care of only our own. We are not quite... as extensive as they are. And I rather like to think that you are my friend," he answered with more honesty he had ever used. His answer seemed to please her enough to give one concession.
"My mother sent me, to protect me."
He couldn't help continuing his line of inquiry. His curiosity had been piqued when he had met her in the dungeons with Muggle clothes that were strange even to their standards. Sometimes he wondered if he had been correctly sorted.
"Yes, your pureblood mother. You mentioned her on your first night. What family does she belong to?"
Hermione's demeanour changed. Her true emotions were also easier to detect than others, but he still wished he had Severus' talent of Legilimency. She chewed her lip, something she did when nervous or furiously thinking. He couldn't say which it was. She spoke finally.
"I cannot say. The spell her family cast on her when they disowned prevents it. She can never be revealed to belong to their family."
Regulus had never heard of such a spell. His disbelief seemed to shine from his face making him unusually transparent. She was dangerous that way, the way she could get about anybody to open up to her like the books she loved so much.
"Its a family specialty. A very closely guarded secret. Nobody can figure out the formula, not even by the rest of the family. It is only known by the Head and the heir apparent."
"You seem to know a lot about it," Regulus observed carefully. She flicked a cautious glance at him.
"Well, that much is common knowledge amongst the family."
"So, why was she disowned?" he asked. She frowned and sighed.
"She didn't heed their warnings about my father. Damn right they were too. Trying to marry me off to Muggle for his money and killing my mother for protecting me."
Her anger seemed to undo the wall that she had built around herself and she began showing her vulnerability in the worst and trusting way to him by crying and sobbing uncontrollably. He put his arms around her trying to comfort her. It took her a long time to calm down enough to pull back and wipe away her tears.
"Thank you," she said quietly. "I was on the run for several months before I finally managed to come here."
"You are safe now, aren't you?" Regulus wondered.
"Yes. He doesn't know where I am. Mother removed all memories of me by obliviating herself. He could have only found a woman who had list her mind," she answered new tears trickling down from her eyes. He transfigured a parchment into a handkerchief and handing it to her. "I miss her. And I miss my friends."
He almost missed those last words because of how low she whispered them.
"Your friends?"
"Yes, Charis and Renaud. Thick as thieves we were. Mother always called as the three musketeers. Like brothers they were to me. Until they went to Beauxbatons. Haven't seen them since," she told him.
"I'm sorry," he offered.
"Yes, well. Nothing to be sorry about. Father had me pretty isolated all my life. I met them when I was six. There was a gap in the garden wall and mother would always cover for me when we snuck out. They had come to retrieve a Quaffle."
He smiled, knowing her dislike for the game. He was a Seeker for the house team.
"Very fortunate then."
"Yes, I gave me nice memories to live with."
She sighed heavily and he reached out to grasp her hand squeezing it. She smiled at him and he felt very odd. They sat there for many moments before either of them moved. Finally she said:
"It's late. We should go."
He merely nodded as they made there way to the common room deep in the depths of the dungeons.
That All Hallow's Eve opened a new door in their relationship that they explored carefully unsure how to proceed. Regulus felt happy and relaxed with her and Hermione felt little need to pretend who she was with him. Whispers had begun to move around the castle about them, but it wasn't until the Christmas holidays and Regulus decides to stay at the castle that year, for her, and they were caught under a mistletoe. They shared a careful kiss that they deepened quickly feeling like they were made for each other.
It was official after that that they were a couple. The Slytherin seeker and their resident and mysterious French woman. No one could deny the connection they shared.
Regulus' parents invited her to spend the Easter holidays in their homes. They welcomed her warmly, something Hermione hadn't quite expected basing her expectations on the painting that screeched in her own time and Sirius' stories. Apparently Orion and Walburga Black were gracious towards anybody they deemed fit and pure enough. Mrs. Black did mentioned her tarnished bloodline once or twice, but not making a great number out of it seeing that Hermione apparently felt no sympathies towards her father or Muggles in general. Hermione was careful to keep her true opinions to herself.
During the Easter holidays Regulus was summoned once or twice. None of the Blacks shared where he went, but Hermione knew wisely keeping that fact to herself. And during the holiday, Regulus did something quite unexpected.
They were sitting in the library preparing for their N.E.W.T.'s when Regulus suggested they have a break and called Kreacher to bring them some shepherd's pie as it was lunch time. They ate in silence Regulus observing her intently. When the pie was almost eaten Hermione's hit on something metallic and she removed the spoon to see what it was. She found it to be a beautiful ring coiled around itself like a snake with emerald eyes. Regulus took her hands and kneeled.
"Herminia, won't you marry me this summer after graduation? Will you be my wife?"
His voice was desperate catching onto her like a lifeline. She smiled at him tenderly and flung into his arms.
"Yes, Regulus Black. I will marry the minute we are away from Hogwarts."
Regulus grinned happily and slipped the ring on her finger. Later that evening they were congratulated by Mr. and Mrs. Black. Mrs. Black seemed to be very excited. They began making wedding plans, all though Hermione insisted that they keep it small falling back on the reason of her father and Walburga understood immediately.
The evening before Regulus and Hermione returned to Hogwarts, the Blacks held a small engagement dinner with a few of their closest friends and family, this was to say Rabastan, Rodolphus and Bellatrix Lestrange, Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy and Severus Snape. Hermione felt a bit lost in the midst all of these supporters of Voldemort.
The first guest to arrive was Severus Snape. He looked very much the same as Hermione had seen him last, all though he was very much younger and seemed slightly less tense than during his later years as a double spy. He was still only solely Voldemort's man. When he saw Regulus, he actually smiled and Regulus matched his smile with a grin. Severus crossed the hall and hugged Regulus with great familiarity.
"Regulus, how are you?" he asked. "I have missed you, friend, and your letters."
Regulus rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.
"Well, I have been a bit distracted lately," he said and gestures to Hermione. "This is my fiancée, Herminia Chastain."
Severus Snape turned to look at Hermione and eyed her appreciatively. Something Hermione found odd as she stepped closer to Regulus who snakes his arm around her waist.
"Enchanté, mademoiselle," the future Potions Master said with perfect French bowing down and kissing the air above her offered hand.
"De même, monsieur Snape," she answered. "All though I do speak perfectly good English."
"Indeed. Regulus has spoken of you in the few letters I have received from him," Severus answered. "Nothing but the best, I assure you," he added with a wink causing Regulus to blush which was indeed very uncharacteristical of him.
The next guests to arrive were the Lestranges. Hermione had to admit, as much as she shuddered seeing her future tormentor, that Bellatrix was a beautiful woman as much as her husband and his brother were handsome. No wonder they considered themselves royalty and above Muggle-borns. Bellatrix kissed Regulus' cheeks with a sweet "Darling, how are you?" When the men only shook his hands. Regulus introduced her to them and they looked at her appraisingly. Hermione could feel that they did not approve of her, but since the union was blessed by Regulus' parents they refrained from saying anything untoward.
The last to arrive were the Malfoys with Lucius being polite and Narcissa being cordial.
"Congratulations to you two," she said with surprising enthusiasm considering she was raised in the pureblood climate.
Dinner was quite a silent affair with little small talk going on amongst the guests. Regulus was immersed in a discussion with Severus. The Lestranges and Lucius Malfoy chose to mostly ignore her and spoke with the Blacks. Narcissa spoke with anyone and Hermione asked her to her Maid in Honour.
"Since I really don't have anyone else," she said.
"I would be honoured, Herminia," Narcissa answered warmly.
A celebratory toast was offered the young couple before the guests left.