Chapter Forty-Two:
20:17 by Nils Frahm, Olafur Arnalds
April 14, 2000
With Quidditch season officially over, Ginny has decided to make camp in Hermione's office.
"Uhm…Miss. Grang-er Hermione…" Connor's timid voice comes from her doorway as he brushes his hair off of his forehead nervously.
"Ginny's back isn't she?" He nods rapidly before Hermione can even stand up.
"She's brought crafts…" Hermione stops before the door to scrub her face frustratedly.
"Of course she has," she mutters, stepping into the main holding area of her office and laying eyes on Ginny, who has in fact set up her wedding bag on the conference table. She's chatting with Maeve animatedly, the girl in the painting is stroking her cat while answering.
"Oh perfect! Are you finished working?" Ginny's voice sounds excited as she approaches. From the corner of her eye, Hermione can see that Connor has disappeared back into his office.
Hermione purses her lips. She is in fact not finished working.
Over the last two weeks, she has been pouring over resumes, looking for a third person to round out their team. She wants someone with excellent problem solving and communication skills as well as a general knowledge of the muggle world. So far, after three interviews with three different people, she fears this person doesn't exist.
"I mean…I'm not finished working but—"
"Perfect! We're making fairy lights." Hermione tries to protest as Ginny grabs hold of her arm, taking her to the table in the middle of the room. She sets out countless jars with little scraps of parchment next to them.
Hermione can see Maeve staring between the two of them, enthralled to be a part of something.
"I was just telling Ginny about the interviews, it's a shame none of them have worked out yet." She strokes her little cat staring off into the distance.
"We will find someone, I just hope it happens soon. Connor has three more interviews lined up for Monday, hopefully someone will stand out from that bunch." Hermione grabs a piece of parchment from Ginny along with a quill and begins to charm the scraps of paper into the air.
"We're going to check this one's spelling this time," Ginny says sternly, grabbing hold of the quill before it starts to scribble out table numbers.
Hermione dutifully goes over each piece of parchment with her own quill, crossing t's and dotting i's to ensure each number is spelled properly. She lets her mind wander, falling into a rhythm and enjoying the sound of the quill.
She thinks about the comfortable silence she and Ginny are sharing, the one that feels so familiar even within the walls of Grimmauld Place. Her stolen cigarette fueled moments with Harry are few and far between now, not just because the case was solved but because Ginny was home more.
Her presence brought so much light and laughter to the house and Hermione can't help but feel a little displaced. She was spending more and more time in Malfoy Manor, but it didn't feel the same way Grimmauld Place did.
The extravagant dinners held in the dining room with Narcissa just weren't the same as the family style dinners in the kitchen. The only place within the manor she truly loved was Draco's bedroom.
Rich wood and supple fabrics made her feel comfortable, at home even. They spent weekends in the library together reading in the leather club chairs and watching the sun crawl across the floor. Long walks through the grounds where she was chased by a peacock jealous of her pastry. Arm in arm in Diagon Alley, having lunch and stealing kisses across the table.
She felt comfortable with him, near him, but the manor would never feel like home.
"What are you thinking about over there?" Ginny says and Hermione catches herself shaking her head, like she can shake the thoughts out of her mind. "Tell me." Ginny coaxes with a stern look.
"I'm just…" Hermione heaves a sigh, checking to see if Connor's door is closed before she divulges some personal information. "I'm feeling a little stuck. You and Harry are getting married, Luna and Melody have their own little apartment together…Merlin even bloody Theo and Neville are officially together and teaching at Hogwarts!" She throws her hand up before letting it come down to cover her face.
"Are you worried about things with Draco?" Her hand flies to the table.
"No—" she says a little too quickly before reining in her emotions. "No…I think I want to take the next step with him…I think I want to move in, but I don't want to live in Malfoy Manor…I can't live in Malfoy Manor."
"What do you mean can't? There isn't some weird Pureblood rule? Is there?" Ginny sounds quizzical, like she wouldn't put it past them to have a hex on the manor.
"It doesn't feel like home. Grimmauld Place…with you and Harry, it feels like home…" Ginny reaches across the table taking her hand.
"You know nothing will change once I'm married. Harry and I will still be the same, we aren't kicking you out." "I know…I just think it's time, I think it's time for me to find my own footing and build my own roots."
"If you think it's time, let me know how I can help and I will do my best."
"Stop fiddling with your collar…you're making me nervous." Draco catches her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze before placing it by her side.
"I'm making you nervous." She grinds out between her teeth, balling her hand into a fist.
They're standing on a corner near Seamus and Dean's flat. Draco shifts from foot to foot, holding his now infamous tart in his hands, surveying the dimly lit muggle neighbourhood.
It's chill for a spring night, the rain just barely holding off but she can hear it rumbling in the distance. The clouds gather to block out the moon, casting ominous shadows across the little row houses.
"...but I do hope Draco brings that apple tart—" Hermione can hear Harry's hopeful voice just before he turns the corner. "—ah yes! Malfoy, Hermione shall we?" His eyes sparkle in the lamplight as he notices the tart.
"Harry's been banging on about this bloody tart all sodding day I hope you know." Ginny elbows Harry playfully before giving him a shove in the direction they need to go.
"I can't believe everyone loves his stupid baking," Hermione mumbles under her breath. From the corner of her eye, she can see Draco's smug look.
"Now remember, folks! Michelle and Sarah will be here, so no magic talk." Draco gives a curt nod at Ginny's words.
Hermione knows he's nervous, she can see it in his posture, the way his thumb fiddles with his ring.
They climb the stairs and are greeted with an open door at the end of the hall. Melody and Luna are already here, Hermione can hear Luna's sing-song voice carrying throughout the hallway.
"You made it! I've heard lots about this tart," Seamus greets them at the door, taking the dish from Draco with a bright smile.
Draco blushes, forcefully holding his eye contact as he follows him in. His gaze sweeps the room, taking in the dark furnishings before landing on Luna sitting on the red velvet couch.
"Isn't that from the Gryffindor common room?" Draco whispers and Hermione's jaw drops as she turns to him.
"How did you know it came from the Gryffindor common room?"
"Hermione!" Michelle's unmistakable voice comes from near the kitchen and within seconds she's being swept up into a tight hug. She's wearing an oversized jumper and jeans that somehow still show off her long limbs. Rather casual compared to the last time Hermione saw her.
"Michelle, this is my boyfriend Draco. Draco, this is Seamus's girlfriend Michelle." She extends a hand immediately with a bright smile, her dark hair framing her face nicely in loose curls. Hermione watches as Draco takes her hand carefully. A timer buzzes from the kitchen and Seamus is calling her name in a panic.
"If you'll excuse me, I'm going to save our snacks before Seamus sets them on fire." Draco settles his gaze on Hermione the second Michelle leaves.
"Boyfriend, huh?" She can feel herself blush.
"Well you are my boyfriend…also if she asks, you're an accountant and we work at the same firm."
"I didn't know I was playing a part here…" His voice lowers as Michelle emerges once more with a plate of hors d'oeuvres. Everyone grabs a seat around the coffee table, Draco motions for Hermione to take the wingback chair as he sits on the floor in front of her. Dean situates himself next to Draco and they regard one another.
"Dean."
"Draco."
Michelle smiles, sweeping her gaze across everyone before Seamus turns the radio on and sets it to a channel with a lively classic rock song playing.
"So! Draco, did you go to the same school as Seamus? The weird cult boarding school?" Draco chokes on his spinach puff and Hermione can feel her neck go red.
"A cult? Really?" he mumbles, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "Uh yes, we all went to the same…boarding school." His tone is cool and even.
"Were you in the same clubs? Did you play sports together?"
"Uhm no…we hung out in very different crowds."
"Draco was our resident bad boy…you know, always in trouble, but he's on a better path now. He definitely has less wrackspurts." Luna isn't looking at anyone when she talks, her gaze settled on an empty space beside Draco's hand on the coffee table.
"Ah, so Hermione has you on the straight and narrow then!" They all share a look as Hermione blushes further.
"I guess you could say that…"
Hermione finds herself zoning out, she's a few beers deep and has noticed that Draco is drinking his whiskey slower than usual, clearly not enjoying the taste. She catches his eye nodding towards the door.
She noticed Harry slip away a few minutes earlier and she wishes to follow suit. The noise and raucous conversations no longer bemuse her. She forgot what it's like to hold a secret from others, unable to talk about her work or home life, trying to remember the details of her pretend story.
Michelle and Ginny are laughing and talking about wedding plans, Sarah and Dean stand stiffly in the corner whispering. Hermione thinks they're having a fight, she can see on Sarah's face, the tension she holds in her brows and the shape of her shoulders.
She escapes through the door and down the stairs, scanning the area for Harry. Courtesy of Michelle, their little get together quickly became a party after a phone call. Within the hour, fifteen of her friends showed up with pizza, crisps, and more beer. Needless to say, it was a bit more than what she was expecting that night.
Harry sits, facing the counter of the takeaway, when she slides into the booth opposite him, he smiles. The owner, the same man that was stern with her all those months ago, approaches the table.
"Can I have the same as him please? With extra naan?" He nods before disappearing. Hermione steals a pakora from Harry's plate and he frowns at her when she pops it into her mouth.
"It's kind of loud up there, isn't it?" she says quietly.
"I haven't missed the tart, have I?" Hermione snorts.
"They were like a school of piranha up there when Michelle brought it out." "Dammit. We'll have to have another family dinner, Draco can bring it then." "I'll bring what?" The man in question slides into the booth next to Hermione, placing an arm around her shoulder and kissing her temple. He settles his grey eyes on Harry for a moment before turning them onto Hermione.
Hermione's food arrives and she digs in immediately, Draco takes a piece of naan sceptically, mirroring her actions, keeping his arm around her shoulders.
"We're having another dinner and you're bringing that tart," Harry says sternly.
The door to the takeaway opens and Ginny strides to the table, plopping down next to Harry with a loud huff.
"Merlin," she mumbles while stealing the last pakora from Harry's plate. Hermione watches as Draco looks between the two of them, watches as Harry places his arm around Ginny's shoulders effortlessly, watches as she leans her head onto his shoulder.
Hermione wonders if it's weird for him, sliding into a friend group that he doesn't really know.
"Well—" Ginny starts around a bite, "—this one did end better than the last one." She raises a brow in Hermione's direction, looking away and popping another bite in her mouth.
Hermione can feel herself heating as she scoffs, the blush bubbling up to her cheeks. This party definitely did go a lot better than the last one.
She was worried Ron would be in attendance, apparently Dean and Seamus still sent letters to him and he visited whenever he was in town for a game. Part of her was grateful he wasn't invited or just didn't show up, the last thing she needed was a row like last time. The other part of her was becoming more anxious about the next time she saw him.