Disclaimer: The characters and the magical universe of Harry Potter are the property of Joanne Rowling.
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Chapter Three – Letters
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"It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not."
Andre Gide
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"Mademoiselle Granger, did you hear me?" asked the wizard who was standing in front of her desk. When she didn't seem to notice him he repeated his question. Hermione's head shot up, a puzzled expression on her features.
"Oh, I'm sorry professor, I didn't see you approach.
'Obviously' the man thought, 'you didn't notice when I dismissed the class either.' Hermione seemed to notice the later aspect now, she was looking around confused.
"Are you feeling unwell?" the teacher asked benevolently, "you seem…distracted to say the least."
'Believe me, you would feel distracted too, if you would know Lucius Malfoy' Hermione thought.
"Uhm…yes, I am a little tired…perhaps I've been working too hard lately."
Hermione didn't feel comfortable about lying to her professor, especially since he really was nice, but telling the truth was out of the question.
She gathered her things hastily and thanked the professor for his concern before leaving. This had been Hermione's last class for the day, Incantations of the Water, but things were rather blurry in her head since the coincidental meeting with Malfoy. She had completely forgotten about the Library and she probably would have forgotten the afternoon classes as well if Miriam ¹, one of her colleagues and friends, wouldn't have seen her.
Hermione spent most of her evening debating whether or not she should write to Ginny about the Malfoy's. Surely Ginny would tell her her honest opinion, she would advise her what to do, because the situation had gotten a little out of Hermione's hands and she needed a second opinion. None of her new friends knew the Malfoys (how she envied them) and both Harry and Ron would overreact and before she knew it they would storm into her flat to the rescue. So Ginny seemed to be the right choice.
The rest of the evening Hermione used trying to decide how and what to write. In the end she decided on the truth so she summarized both conversations with Malfoy mentioning the lunch 'invitation' and his unnerving behavior. She reread the letter a couple of times before finally rushing outside and apparating to the University's Owlery.
But as Saturday drew closer and still no answer arrived, Hermione was becoming more and more nervous. She really didn't want have to decide what to do. If she would go (and Morgana knew, it was the last thing Hermione wanted), she might find out what this was all about but perhaps it was unwise to let her curiosity win. If, however, she decided not to attend lunch, than surely Lucius Malfoy would lecture her (because Hermione was certain he would find her once more) about second chances again and set another meeting.
So naturally, when she returned home on Thursday evening only to find the owl she had sent her letter with waiting on her balcony, Hermione was more than relieved. She only gave the bird some treats because of its piercing hoots and as soon as she closed the balcony door Hermione unrolled the parchment and began to read, thankful in was indeed from Ginny.
Dear Hermione,
It's nice to hear from you again, even if the reason for which
you wrote isn't so pleasant.
I have to admit that I snorted quite a few times while I read
your letter (I almost drew too much attention to that, Harry
was with me when it arrived)…it really sounds so much like
that arrogant bastard to be all nice and polite when it's to his
advantage.
I'm sorry I didn't answer sooner but I wanted to meet with dad
so I could find out what he knows. Don't worry, I didn't mention
you at all, I just brought the Malfoy topic into our conversation
(very subtly!) and asked him (I quote) "What Gods blessed us
with their absence"; because I for one haven't heard a thing about
them (thankfully) since we graduated ² in June.
You'll be surprised to hear what dad told me: apparently the
amazing Malfoy's have been unofficially exiled from Britain for
a few years. The Ministry had only granted them permission to
stay here long enough for Malfoy Jr. to finish his education. But
this is all top secret Ministry information.
So I guess they moved to France afterwards.
Well, you asked for my opinion and to tell you the truth I think
I have an idea about why Malfoy is suddenly so amiable: on one
hand we have the Malfoy's, rich and famous but disgraced I
would say, excluded from society (even in France, you know how
gossip travels – it's faster than Apparition) , with no one missing them.
On the other hand there is Miss Hermione Granger, equally famous
but admired, a war heroine, a role model, intelligent and very talented.
What do you think an association with such a beloved person as Miss
Granger would do for the poor Malfoys?
That's all I have to say, Hermione, you figure it out. But I really
think this is their reasoning, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't attempt
anything stupid and risk prison.
I hope this will help, and if I were you I'd go and laugh into their
faces. Oh, and don't forget to mention the good old days in
Britain (please remind Malfoy Jr. of the bouncing ferret episode)
and do tell them how much fun you're going to have back home
in London on Christmas.
Good luck and if you don't tell me how lunch went I'll send you
a Howler!
Love,
Ginny
P.S.: We really miss you, you know? But none of us more than
Crookshanks I think; you are such a (feline) heart breaker!
Hermione smiled reading the last part of Ginny's letter. It really reflected the mischievous side of Ginny's personality and sounded a little like something the twins would have said before… But she would not think about that now.
Ginny's answer had revealed some important things Hermione had known nothing about. Of course, she was convinced the Malfoys had actually gotten of too lightly but that was not her decision to make. Perhaps she would do as Ginny had suggested, despite the fact that Hermione didn't see herself as malicious. But surely she could make an exception for the Malfoys. After all, everybody seemed to be making exceptions especially for them and who was she to do otherwise?
Yes, Hermione's mind had been made up: she would go!
Author's Note
¹ I chose the name Miriam due to a novel I'm currently struggling to finish, The Marble Faun by Nathaniel Hawthorne. 560 pages are waaaay too much, especially when descriptions are 75 percent of those pages!!
² I said 'we' because in my concept Hermione, Harry, Ron, Draco and a few others returned to Hogwarts after the war to finish their studies so they were now in the same (7th) year as Ginny.
I hope you liked it! Don't forget to review if you did - or didn't :P I like constructive criticism.
Next chapter Hermione will have Lunch at La Mandragore and Draco will finally become a main character, as promised.
And I plan to introduce the Grimoire in chapter 5.