Chapter three.
To say that the last few days had been stressful for Hermione would be an understatement. Sirius had thankfully gotten her away from the school on her birthday, taking her to see her new estates, getting her a new wardrobe as she no longer fit into any of her old clothes. He and Lupin with baby Teddy in tow had taken her for dinner, regaling her with stories of their youth and tales of her mother. Hermione couldn't help the pang of loss that she felt whenever she thought of her, and regretted that she would never know the woman whom had given her life. Hermione didn't know how to feel about it, every time that she did a tight knot would form in her stomach and tears threatened to spill from her eyes.
Hermione's new appearance was startling to her every time she would look in the mirror. Grey eyes set in a heart shaped face with a smattering of freckles over her nose from the sunlight. Her lips were fuller, and seemed to be a dusky rose colour without trying. Her nose and chin were the same, and she found she was happy to have that familiarity again. Hermione was used to taming wild almost unmanageable hair, but now she had long dark curls that fell in spirals to her waist. Hermione had considered cutting it but found that she liked having these long curls, although they were not her Mother's blonde, they did make her look like her mother in the pictures Sirius and Remus had shown her. What Hermione did not like was being two inches shorter, she had gone from being 5'5" to 5'3".
Hermione had spent her birthday in laughter thanks to Sirius and Remus with Teddy cuddled in her lap. She noted that the two marauders had shared looks of grief when they spoke of her mother and Tonks, the wounds of their loss still fresh and raw on both their faces. Hermione wanting to take that look from their eyes decided to tell them tales about her when she was little, how her first piece of accidental magic was in fact summoning a book from the top shelf to read. But that it had been with Walburga and not with the Grangers. She also told them that to Walburga's horror the book that Hermione had summoned was the history of Gryffindor house, a book of Sirius' he had bought to annoy her. She spoke of being lonely at primary school with muggles, feeling out of place and that when she made friends with Harry and Ron she felt at home for the first time.
It wasn't her birthday that had caused her stress, no it was returning to Hogwarts and the mayhem that came with it. The rumour mill had been at work in her absence and it took hours for her to escape her classmates and find her room. Everyone wanted to know what it was like, was she happy to be a Black? Was Draco really her betrothed? Had they both secretly known all this time and pretended to hate one another to keep people from finding out who she really was. Honestly Hermione felt like they all needed to find something else to talk about, as they would have made Rita Skeeter proud with their observations and insinuations.
Waking the day after her birthday, a Sunday thankfully, Hermione had packed away her presents from Harry and Ron, after having taken the time to send them thank you notes and ask for them to meet her in Hogsmeade the following weekend. Hermione only shared her dorm with Parvati this year, so instead of four single beds two doubles filled the room. It was decorated in Gryffindor colours and throws she found the room comforting after a year on the run.
Hermione had gone downstairs talking with Neville about the properties of Digitalis purpurea, more commonly known as foxgloves which Professor Sprout had been teaching the seventh years to cultivate for use in St, Mungo's for its properties in treating heart ailments. Hermione had been politely nodding still not quite awake when she walked into the great hall for breakfast. The room which had been loud and filled with chatter had died down and it took a few moments for her to realise that all eyes were on her. Deciding to take Sirius' advice and ignore them she walked to sit with Seamus and Dean, noting with a small smile that they held hands. It made her happy to see that after last year they had finally given into what she had suspected since fifth year.
"Hermione" Dean grinned, passing her the coffee carafe "have you gotten shorter or something, Neville looks positively gargantuan next to you now." His voice carried and Hermione glared at him when she heard a spattering of laughter from around the hall. Eyes that had been staring had finally gone back to eating and despite her glare Hermione mouthed a thank you to Dean whom just shrugged. "Makes me suddenly feel bad for Harry, its eerie having a room full of eyes watch your every move" he said.
"Yeah talk about being a bug under a microscope, this place has been mental since Daphne threw a hissy fit yesterday at lunch, she threw a jug of pumpkin juice at Draco and missed, Blaise is still complaining that he can't get the smell off of him". Seamus spoke with a grin, and Hermione was glad to see someone found it amusing because Hermione suddenly felt as though she had lost her appetite.
"I wouldn't worry about it" Luna spoke as she and Ginny sat down beside Hermione "everyone knows that a pumpkin juice helps clear the effects of nargles on the brain." Hermione's lip twitched, and to keep from saying something she might feel bad for later she took a bite of toast, savouring the real buttery goodness it was smeared with. Luna placed a blue and silver box in Hermione's lap before fixing herself a plate of scrambled eggs on toast and Hermione smiled.
Pulling open the silver ribbon tied around it, Hermione lifted the lid of the box to find a royal blue sweater dress and with a black belt at the waist. The buckle was an enchanted dragonfly, the wings of which were made of tiny little gears, a steampunk dragonfly and Hermione leaned over and hugged Luna, whispering a choked up thank you. "It is so beautiful Luna thank you, I hope it didn't cost too much."
Luna smiled "It cost only what it took to make it, I've always found that shopping with something in mind never gets you what you wanted, so I found what I needed to make your gift and searched for the right charm to animate the buckle. My Mother always told me the most cherished gifts are those that are made with us in mind." Hermione was speechless, and it took Ginny using her hand to push her jaw up to break the moment. Luna, ever one to state things with quiet grace and move on had already turned and engaged her boyfriend Neville about his idea for using foxgloves.
"You alright 'Mione?" Ginny whispered, lacing her fingers with Hermione's under the table. Her long red hair was tied back in a braid today, with golden ribbons wrapped in her hair that made Hermione smile. With all her brothers now gone from the school Ginny finally felt like she could be as girly as she liked without the risk of being teased.
"I honestly don't know Ginny, I feel so confused and a little numb, with a sense of anticipating dread. I don't know what comes next and all these old memories of being a little girl in Grimmauld Place have me so confused. I feel like I don't know who I am really anymore and in a few months I'll be married to the Ferret of Slytherin when all I want is to go to the Burrow and hide." Hermione sighed. "But I can't..."
Ginny interrupted her. "Why can't you? Hermione I think McGonagall would let you go and see my Mum if that's what you want, I'll even come with you to make sure Mum doesn't try and smother you although I think maybe today you need a little coddling." She looked over in the direction of the Slytherin table and glared, raising her voice a little with a mischievous smirk on her face. "After all, the Black Heiress has plans to make and as your maid of honour it is my duty to help you make them." Hermione gasped along with half the hall as all eyes went between her and Draco who was scowling now. "Ginevra Weasley you have an evil streak in you. Let's go find the Headmistress before I decide I would rather spend the day in the library."
Her cheeks had blushed crimson and she stood quietly tapping Luna's shoulder to follow them as they left the stunned silence of the Great Hall. She had just reached the stairs when they all heard the shriek of Pansy Parkinson follow their wake "You're marrying her?! Draco say it's not true." She hurried her steps not wanting to hear what happened next.