Chapter 9 Learning about the Missing Link
%%%%%
"One man with courage is a majority."-Thomas Jefferson
%%%%%
Hermione sat in the common room some three weeks after she had mailed her letters. She had only received a reply from Martin moments ago and had yet to receive any word from her parents. Draco was at quidditch practice and would not be back for hours. Their relationship had been on a steady increase and they had not fornicated since that night. They had had one more date just the Saturday previous but it was nothing compared to their first date, then again, nothing ever is, is? Their second date had consisted of lunch the Three Broomsticks then a walk about Hogsmeade before heading back to the castle early for an appointment. The appointment had been with Madame Pomfrey about the baby. She had been pleased that the couple had been reading up on their situation and was convinced they were going to be just fine. That was amazing optimism from the ever present pessimist.
Hermione had had little time to talk to Snape...or rather, Severus. He had insisted that the first step to rebuilding their meager family was to at least be comfortable enough with one another to use their given names. She still called him 'professor' in class but he no longer called her 'Miss Granger' or 'Mrs. Malfoy'. She would call him Severus at any time but in class, even in the Great Hall amongst her peers and his students.
Hermione was still exiled from her Gryffindor friends but she was surprised to find she was making Slytherin ones. Pansy, for instance, was so annoyingly impossible to get along with when you where in Slytherin and you got over the fact that she was a complete whore. Milicent Bulstrode was not so bad either. She was shy and polite and rarely ever talked. She was on a whole easy to get along with if you don't mind total but comfortable silence. Hermione's favorite new friend was by far Blaise Zabini. Zabini was a fickle girl. You could never tell what she was thinking and she always seemed to disappear into the shadows. When you did manage to catch her in a conversation, you found that she was, on a whole, very intelligent and could hold her own in an intellectual discussion. She could match her fact for fact on nearly any subject and could surpass her with information on the Dark Arts. Draco had always been friends with her and had told her that, although his father was a Deatheater, she would never join the services of Voldemort. Zabini did not take kindly to being given orders.
Hermione opened the letter and was utterly surprised when two letters fell out instead of one. She grabbed the first letter and read:
Mrs. Malfoy,
I was delighted to hear of your pregnancy. This is wonderful indeed, a child to carry on the Cartier bloodlines. It is most satisfactory. I am also pleased to hear of your relationship with young Mister Malfoy. Though it was not my main concern in deciding your marriage, I am sincerely happy to learn of your feelings for him. It will make your lives together most agreeable indeed. I should like to see you over the Summer holidays if it is not too mush of a chore. I have already heard from the elder Malfoy that you shall spend the Christmas holidays at Malfoy Manor. That is a great honor and I wish you all the luck in the world.
Martin Cartier
Hermione tore the letter and threw it in the fire. Enough said. She opened the second letter.
Hermione,
I have just learned the truth of my past and I am almost ashamed of what I did. I should have never challenged Frederick to a duel; it was most foolish on my part. I read your letter to my father and I am sincerely happy for you. You deserve love and a happy life. Your life I imagine could not have been terribly happy thus far; not truly knowing your parents and all. I nearly forgot to ask, have you spoke to Proserpina Pallin, yet? She was Mina's personal hand maiden after all. She was supposed to be with your mother when she was traveling but was for some reason absent at your birth. She stands by the fact that she was dismissed that day and went out with her sister in the town nearby. I always liked Proserpina. It was always Mina and Pina. I do hope you contact her, she really knew your mother. Please, do keep in contact and pass on my apologies to your father.
Yours,
Annacious Cartier
Hermione smiled and re-read the letter several times. She was so caught up in the letter, she did not realize the door had opened until Draco's voice filled the room.
"Miss me?" His voice was filled with amusement as she jumped dropping the letter on the floor.
"Your early." She hugged him.
"No, I'm right on time, you're just too caught up in whatever it was your reading." He nodded to the letter on the floor.
"Oh!" She picked up the letter and handed it to him, "It's from my uncle." She watched his eyes skim the page then saw his face scrunch in confusion. "What?"
"Huh? Oh, I was just wondering why nobody ever bothered to contact this 'Proserpina Pallin'."
"I'm not sure, maybe she was trustworthy enough."
"Or maybe she knows how to use a wand."
"Excuse me?"
"I'm just saying maybe she cast and obliviate and when Annacious' memories were restored he gained back those memories also. It is possible for a memory restoring charm to break through two obliviates at once." He explained his logic.
"Maybe," Hermione frowned, "but why would she have anything to hide?"
"I don't know. Grow up a Malfoy and you're suspicious of everything." Hermione smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Well, I'm a Malfoy now; you can teach me how to be suspicious." She kissed him gently.
"That, my dear, is something that cannot be taught." He kissed down her neck.
"Try."
%%%%%
"One man with courage is a majority."-Thomas Jefferson
%%%%%
Hermione sat in the common room some three weeks after she had mailed her letters. She had only received a reply from Martin moments ago and had yet to receive any word from her parents. Draco was at quidditch practice and would not be back for hours. Their relationship had been on a steady increase and they had not fornicated since that night. They had had one more date just the Saturday previous but it was nothing compared to their first date, then again, nothing ever is, is? Their second date had consisted of lunch the Three Broomsticks then a walk about Hogsmeade before heading back to the castle early for an appointment. The appointment had been with Madame Pomfrey about the baby. She had been pleased that the couple had been reading up on their situation and was convinced they were going to be just fine. That was amazing optimism from the ever present pessimist.
Hermione had had little time to talk to Snape...or rather, Severus. He had insisted that the first step to rebuilding their meager family was to at least be comfortable enough with one another to use their given names. She still called him 'professor' in class but he no longer called her 'Miss Granger' or 'Mrs. Malfoy'. She would call him Severus at any time but in class, even in the Great Hall amongst her peers and his students.
Hermione was still exiled from her Gryffindor friends but she was surprised to find she was making Slytherin ones. Pansy, for instance, was so annoyingly impossible to get along with when you where in Slytherin and you got over the fact that she was a complete whore. Milicent Bulstrode was not so bad either. She was shy and polite and rarely ever talked. She was on a whole easy to get along with if you don't mind total but comfortable silence. Hermione's favorite new friend was by far Blaise Zabini. Zabini was a fickle girl. You could never tell what she was thinking and she always seemed to disappear into the shadows. When you did manage to catch her in a conversation, you found that she was, on a whole, very intelligent and could hold her own in an intellectual discussion. She could match her fact for fact on nearly any subject and could surpass her with information on the Dark Arts. Draco had always been friends with her and had told her that, although his father was a Deatheater, she would never join the services of Voldemort. Zabini did not take kindly to being given orders.
Hermione opened the letter and was utterly surprised when two letters fell out instead of one. She grabbed the first letter and read:
Mrs. Malfoy,
I was delighted to hear of your pregnancy. This is wonderful indeed, a child to carry on the Cartier bloodlines. It is most satisfactory. I am also pleased to hear of your relationship with young Mister Malfoy. Though it was not my main concern in deciding your marriage, I am sincerely happy to learn of your feelings for him. It will make your lives together most agreeable indeed. I should like to see you over the Summer holidays if it is not too mush of a chore. I have already heard from the elder Malfoy that you shall spend the Christmas holidays at Malfoy Manor. That is a great honor and I wish you all the luck in the world.
Martin Cartier
Hermione tore the letter and threw it in the fire. Enough said. She opened the second letter.
Hermione,
I have just learned the truth of my past and I am almost ashamed of what I did. I should have never challenged Frederick to a duel; it was most foolish on my part. I read your letter to my father and I am sincerely happy for you. You deserve love and a happy life. Your life I imagine could not have been terribly happy thus far; not truly knowing your parents and all. I nearly forgot to ask, have you spoke to Proserpina Pallin, yet? She was Mina's personal hand maiden after all. She was supposed to be with your mother when she was traveling but was for some reason absent at your birth. She stands by the fact that she was dismissed that day and went out with her sister in the town nearby. I always liked Proserpina. It was always Mina and Pina. I do hope you contact her, she really knew your mother. Please, do keep in contact and pass on my apologies to your father.
Yours,
Annacious Cartier
Hermione smiled and re-read the letter several times. She was so caught up in the letter, she did not realize the door had opened until Draco's voice filled the room.
"Miss me?" His voice was filled with amusement as she jumped dropping the letter on the floor.
"Your early." She hugged him.
"No, I'm right on time, you're just too caught up in whatever it was your reading." He nodded to the letter on the floor.
"Oh!" She picked up the letter and handed it to him, "It's from my uncle." She watched his eyes skim the page then saw his face scrunch in confusion. "What?"
"Huh? Oh, I was just wondering why nobody ever bothered to contact this 'Proserpina Pallin'."
"I'm not sure, maybe she was trustworthy enough."
"Or maybe she knows how to use a wand."
"Excuse me?"
"I'm just saying maybe she cast and obliviate and when Annacious' memories were restored he gained back those memories also. It is possible for a memory restoring charm to break through two obliviates at once." He explained his logic.
"Maybe," Hermione frowned, "but why would she have anything to hide?"
"I don't know. Grow up a Malfoy and you're suspicious of everything." Hermione smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Well, I'm a Malfoy now; you can teach me how to be suspicious." She kissed him gently.
"That, my dear, is something that cannot be taught." He kissed down her neck.
"Try."