A/N: Wow. I am floored by the response to this story. Thank you guys so much. Your reviews give me life. Enjoy Tea!
At five minutes 'til four, Morty came downstairs and started picking up the register for her.
"Let me just, um…" Hermione grabbed a few volumes that she had pulled off the shelves for a gentleman earlier that morning.
"Ah-ah-ah—" Morty clucked. He took the books from her. "I think I know where they go," he said, raising a brow. "Besides. Do you really want to be late to tea with Narcissa Malfoy?"
Hermione looked at the clock. Three minutes 'til four. No, she supposed being late to tea would be worse than tea at all. But standing her up all together….
"Off with you!" Morty said, reading her mind. "I've opened my Floo upstairs, so you can head straight to the Manor."
Hermione's heart jumped. "Alright," she said, grabbing her bag. "But I haven't finished updating the ledger. So be sure to add –"
"Got it. Goodbye." Morty waved her away.
Hermione slumped and headed upstairs. Morty's sweet wife, Maggie, let her into their flat and gave her the Floo powder. She was tempted to start a conversation with Maggie to delay the process, but Maggie waved and disappeared into their kitchen.
Hermione checked her reflection in the mirror on the mantle. She had actually asked Ginny to work with her hair today. She didn't let her do makeup, but Ginny had pulled it back into the braid she'd done a few weeks ago as she filled Hermione in on Quidditch practice the day before, telling her that Draco had been irritable and distracted. Good. Then Hermione had found something suitable to wear that was not made of denim, but then again, what could possibly be "suitable" to wear to afternoon tea at Malfoy Manor. Hermione had settled on a skirt borrowed from Ginny, and a blouse borrowed from the back of her own closet.
Hermione took a breath. She grabbed a handful of Floo powder and whispered, "Malfoy Manor" as the flames turned green.
She stepped out of an opulent fireplace. White marble everywhere. She had been a bit distracted the last time she'd been to Malfoy Manor, so seeing it again, as a guest, was stunning. She was not in the drawing room, thankfully. It was not until stepping through the fireplace that Hermione realized that she might be having tea with Narcissa Malfoy in the same room her sister tortured her. She wondered what the spell was for cleaning blood out of the carpets.
Just as she was finishing admiring the hall, a tiny house-elf rounded a corner and tottered toward her.
"Miss Hermione Granger?"
"Yes, hello." Hermione smiled thinking of the house-elf history book sitting on Narcissa Malfoy's settee.
"Will you please come with Mippy?" The tiny girl elf curtsied for her, then turned to lead her away.
Mippy lead her down the hall past a grand staircase that Hermione tried not to recognize. She passed busts of past Malfoy men, all with the same grey eyes, ending with Lucius. She shivered at the likeness. Mippy paused at a pair of doors. She knocked twice and then entered, opening the doors wide for Hermione.
"Miss Hermione Granger to see you ma'am."
Narcissa Malfoy was bathed in sunlight streaming in from the western windows. The rays bounced off her long hair and spread over the room. She stood from her chair as Hermione entered, and Hermione felt like she was being welcomed to Mount Olympus by Hera herself.
"Miss Granger." Narcissa floated to her. She extended her hand and Hermione took it. "I'm so grateful that you were able to come to tea today." Narcissa clasped her other hand around Hermione's and looked deeply into her eyes. "I do so want the opportunity to get to know you better."
"I- Yes, thank you. I agree. It would be so lovely to get to know you as well." Hermione smiled and found she couldn't blink.
"Was Mortimer able to cover your shift?" Narcissa released her hand and lead her to the cushioned chairs. She glided into her chair, and Hermione tried to replicate the motion.
"Yes, he was very kind to allow this. He's really a great man." Hermione crossed her legs at the ankles, instead of at the knees like the Muggles do. "Both he and Maggie are wonderful people." She opened her mouth to ask Narcissa how long she'd been patronizing Cornerstone, but stopped as she took in the room for the first time. She wasn't sure how she'd missed it, but they were having tea in the Malfoy personal library.
"Oh, my," Hermione muttered while spinning in her chair to see the stacks upon stacks of tomes and old volumes. Malfoy Manor's library was cited as one of the oldest and most expansive libraries in all of Wizarding England, but of course when Hermione read this in her second year, she never imagined she would get to see it one day. Everything was immaculately dusted and cared for, and there was even a catalog near the door that would assist you with any topic you desired.
"Oh, yes," Narcissa said. "I hope you don't mind leaving Cornerstone's books for ours. Our drawing room is being renovated."
"No, no. I'm absolutely floored. Your library is beautiful Mrs. Malfoy." Her eyes danced along the spines, finding what she thought might be a first edition of Moste Potente Potions tucked in between two heavy volumes.
"Please, dear, call me Narcissa."
And just like that, Hermione was brought back to the oddity that was tea with Narcissa Malfoy.
"Narcissa. Your library is beautiful." Hermione smiled. She wondered what to do with her hands, so she just let them lay awkwardly on her lap.
"Thank you, dear. You will have to come by just to browse one day. Any book you would like to borrow, it's yours." Narcissa waved her arm and Mippy appeared with the tea service before Hermione's brain could process the idea of browsing the Malfoy library.
Mippy pushed over a cart with the most decadent looking sandwiches and scones. Mippy snapped and the teacups and saucers were produced from thin air. She laid them down on the table between Hermione and Narcissa. Hermione was entranced, but of course cautious when it came to house-elf servitude.
"Tell me, Miss Granger." Hermione looked up and Narcissa was watching her. "You work at Cornerstone Books on the weekends, but during the week you work at the Ministry?"
"Yes. At the Department of Magical Creatures, in the Beast Division."
"Fascinating." And she actually looked fascinated. "And what does the Beast Division entail? Werewolves and Centuars, yes?"
"Yes, the Centaur Liaison office, the Werewolf Registry. But also the Ghoul Task Force and the Dragon Research and Restraint Bureau, which is where I spend most of my time." She watched as Mippy poured their tea and set small plates in front of them.
"Thank you Mippy," Narcissa said, and Mippy disappeared. "Dragon research? That must be quite interesting." She poured milk into her cup and began stirring without a single "clink" against the teacup edge.
"Yes, it is. I analyze and write reports on dragon eggs found around Wizarding England, and I've requested to head my own research project on Gringotts, actually. You see, up until a year and a half ago, there was a blinded dragon chained in the bowels of the building, used as a security method for the more important vaults. They tortured the dragon to respond to certain sounds and…" Hermione realized that it is possible Narcissa knew everything about this dragon, as it was her sister's vault they had broken into. "And I would like to help the goblins come up with an alternative, so another dragon is not tortured in this way."
Hermione focused on pouring milk into her tea.
"That is quite honorable Miss Granger. Our family has such a long history with dragons and I cannot tell you how many stories I've heard about the creatures being used for wizards' own ends." Narcissa shook her head. "Well, you must keep me updated on that project. I do hope you have the proper support you need."
"I—yes, thank you. I'm just at the beginning, so I look forward to where it goes." Hermione added three spoonfuls of honey to her cup and began stirring.
"Do you know, my son takes his tea the exact same way. What a coincidence," Narcissa said. Hermione looked up at her and she was smiling. "Milk and three spoons of honey."
"How strange." Hermione neglected to inform her that she, of course, knew how Draco took his tea and, as a coffee addict by age thirteen, she had tried "Draco's way" when she was forced to drink tea. She lifted the cup to take a sip. Quite delicious in comparison to Ginny's breakfast tea.
"Do you run into him at work often?"
Hermione looked at her over her teacup. "Dr-Draco?" There was no getting around saying his given name there. She couldn't very well call him "Malfoy" in this house. She stuttered, "Yes, I – I mean, not very much. I've seen him in the lifts." She set the cup down, and blocked the memory of his hot breath on her cheek from a few days before. "He seems to be getting on well?"
"Yes, I do believe so. He is quite glad to have befriended Mr. Potter and yourself."
Hermione suppressed a laugh. "I can only imagine how difficult it must be for him to change the public view of himself." Hermione took a sip before she said anything else.
"But I'm sure you know exactly what he is going through, Miss Granger."
Hermione looked at her. Her eyes were kind.
Narcissa continued, "As a Muggle-born child entering a pure-blood world, I believe you worked very hard at changing opinions."
Hermione waited for the other shoe to drop, but there was silence. Narcissa Malfoy had just recognized her as a witch who had fought for her rightful place against those who'd dismissed her in the pure-blood world, including herself. Hermione felt a knot in her throat, blocking her breath.
"Yes, I did. I tried very hard to catch up." She set her cup down, clanking against the saucer. She very much wished to talk about something else before she cried in front of Narcissa Malfoy for no reason whatsoever. So, of course, she chose the other topic she wished not to discuss. "I'm sure Draco and the others found me quite irritating that first year." And every year after.
"Oh, how he would rant about you." Narcissa laughed. Hermione nodded and reached for a scone to keep her hands busy. "He would write to me, 'Mother, that Granger girl has stolen my favorite table in the library.' Or 'Mother, that Granger girl has cheated on her end of year exams, I know she did.'"
Hermione smiled at Narcissa's polite editing. She was sure "that Granger girl" was not what Draco had called her.
"I have to admit, I aimed to score evenly with Draco. That was always my goal."
"Well, I'm sure your parents are quite proud of you and the name you have carved out for yourself. What do they do in the Muggle world?"
Narcissa plucked a scone from the tray and served herself some jam as well.
"Well, they are both dentists. They fix teeth."
"Oh, how interesting," she said. "And what part of England do they live in?"
"They… Well, they actually live in Australia at the moment."
Hermione was able to dodge any further specifics about her parents and her current non-relationship with them. Narcissa asked her if she had any siblings, how her parents reacted when she received her Hogwarts letter, if she had experienced any magical outbursts before, etc. They kept a nice conversation for almost another half an hour. Hermione wasn't quite sure how it happened, but Narcissa turned the conversation back to Draco at one point.
"Draco has very much enjoyed playing Quidditch again. I must thank you and Mr. Potter for allowing him to join the Ministry's league." Narcissa placed her empty cup and saucer on the side table, and Mippy appeared immediately to pour her another cup.
"Oh, that's all Harry, really. I don't play in the league. Riding a broom was never my strong suit."
Mippy poured Hermione a second cup as well and disappeared before she could say thank you. It wasn't until that very moment that Hermione noticed that Mippy was wearing an apron.
"I must admit, Quidditch was never my passion either. You must have been dragged along to all sorts of practices and matches at Hogwarts."
Hermione shook the questions of Mippy's apron from her head and focused on Narcissa. "Oh, yes. I had to support Harry, Ginny, and Ron at every game. Usually I'd bring a book." Hermione laughed lightly and brought her cup to her lips.
"Yes, I remember Draco telling me that." Narcissa smiled. Hermione's cup stopped at her lips. "He'd write home saying 'Mother, that Granger girl doesn't even watch the match when she's in the stands. I look down and she's reading a book.'"
Narcissa laughed, a sound like twinkling lights, but Hermione paused. Maybe she was a footnote in a story about the match, and in his rambling about losing to Harry, he'd add in other things he found annoying. Maybe?
Narcissa was smiling at her, so she took a sip and placed her cup down. "I – I wouldn't have thought anyone was paying any mind to me, though it is satisfying to think that somehow I might have distracted the other team's Seeker, allowing Harry to score!" Hermione joked.
Narcissa chuckled. "Distracted indeed."
Before she could fully process the conversation at hand, the opening of the library doors caused Hermione's teacup to rattle in its saucer.
"Mother." A drawl. And then Draco Malfoy was peeking his head around the door. "You wanted to see me?"
Hermione held her breath. She blinked before the number 35,000 could flash before her eyes. She begged whichever gods were listening that he would leave the room without noticing her there.
"Draco! Home already?" Narcissa beamed.
He stepped fully into the room. She gripped her teacup so hard she thought it would break.
"Yes, I was out with –" And his gaze landed on her. She felt the heat from his body two days ago, trapping her against the stone wall, and she could smell his breath as he smiled cruelly at her. She begged her watering eyes not to shut or look away.
He had frozen in place, seeing her there. And then his eyes flickered, slowly looking at his mother. The disdain she had feared from him was now directed at Narcissa. Hermione was confused.
"Draco, dear," Narcissa said, "I invited Hermione to tea today. Didn't I tell you?"
Narcissa was gazing intently at him. Draco blinked and his lips tightened.
"No, you didn't."
"Please join us, Draco." Narcissa's request had a tone of finality. Hermione started to panic.
"I-I actually do need to be off." Hermione set her teacup down with a clank. "I should really see if Morty needs any help closing the shop." She turned to Narcissa. "Thank you so much for having me over for tea. I have truly enjoyed your company."
Narcissa was annoyed, Hermione could tell. As she stood and grabbed her bag from the floor, Narcissa stood.
"What a shame that you must leave so soon. I would love to find another time to continue our conversation."
"Yes," Hermione said. "I would love that." She didn't dare look at the figure standing still in the center of the room. "And again, thank you very much for inviting me to tea."
"Of course, dear." Narcissa smiled at her. "Draco, will you please escort Hermione to the fireplaces?"
Hermione looked to Draco, eyes wide, and found him still glaring at his mother. His jaw was clenched.
"I—That's very kind, but I'm sure I can find my way back to –"
"Oh, nonsense." Narcissa waved her hand. "It's no trouble, is it Draco?" Narcissa locked eyes with Draco. Hermione wondered if they had an ability to speak telepathically with each other, because she was clearly missing something.
Draco straightened. "Not at all." Draco turned and walked to the library doors, holding one open for her.
Hermione turned to Narcissa. "Thank you again Mrs. Malfoy. It has been a pleasure." Hermione watched her feet as they carried her across the carpeted floor to a pair of dragon leather shoes.
"Hermione, dear," Narcissa called to her. Hermione turned to find Narcissa smiling. "Please call me Narcissa."
Hermione's face felt hot, and she didn't know why, but she felt embarrassed to be so familiar with Draco's mother without his consent. She didn't dare look at him as she smiled to Narcissa, turned and headed out of the room first. She faced the bust of Lucius Malfoy, and as his son closed the door behind her, she looked at Draco quickly. His face was as cold and stony as the line of Malfoys they passed.
Draco led her down the hall without a sound. She could hear her footsteps, but not his. He led her past the grand staircase and into the hall with three fireplaces for arriving guests.
A loud clank from behind a closed door to her right. A hum of magic. Hermione jumped and held her breath. She hadn't noticed that door before.
"Renovations."
She looked up at Draco. He was looking at a point over her shoulder. She remembered Narcissa now saying that the drawing room was being renovated. Was she now just outside the room where Draco's silence had bought him a potential 35,000 galleons? Just beyond that door would she find house elves cleaning the crashed chandelier and the stain of her dirty blood on the stone?
He offered her the bag of Floo powder, and without looking at him she tossed the dust into the fireplace, whispering her destination, and disappeared.