Chapter Seventeen

Being caught in such a scandalous position was not only embarrassing for both parties, it put Igor into a foul mood. Far worse than any other he'd been in since the day he returned from the dead, Hermione began to wonder how it was even possible for him to be the same man who only hours before made her scream in the shower and laugh. The way he could change so quickly was every bit as impressive as it was frustrating.

"What did Pasha say to you before he walked out?"

It was the first question she asked the moment they were alone again. Despising once again the fact that she didn't speak their language, she was desperate to know what he could've possibly said that would've upset his father so much. Igor wouldn't tell her. Once the question was asked he simply let it hang uncomfortably in the air as he adjusted his clothing and made his escape to the bathroom to hide.

She didn't understand what his problem was. Yes, it was embarrassing to be caught, but it was far more than that. His moods changed so quickly. Had that always been a part of his personality or only something that developed after his return to the living? Regardless, it was infuriating.

For the rest of that day and the next morning, Igor avoided her whenever possible. The door to his bedroom was shut. If he ate, she didn't know. After having such an enjoyable time together, it was annoying. His foul mood was contagious. Why couldn't he just be normal? They didn't have to make a big deal out of everything. She was certain she would never understand him.

A few minutes before noon there was a knock on her front door. Even though she knew to expect there would be a smirk on Pasha's handsome face, it annoyed her nonetheless to open the door to find him waiting.

"I knocked this time. I should have knocked yesterday. I'm sorry."

She muttered out an assurance she didn't really feel about it being all right. As she stepped outside of the flat, Hermione looked behind her for any sign that Igor was close by. No, he was hiding in his bedroom again. She rolled her eyes while she pulled the door shut behind her and activated the additional security wards they'd cast the day before.

Pasha was eager to leave for lunch at his great-grandmother's. Once he made a comment about her not appreciating when he was the tiniest bit late. He had enough respect for the witch to make sure he was punctual. Halfway down the corridor to the front door of the building, Hermione stopped him to ask a question she needed an answer to.

"What did you say to him when you… yesterday when we were… you know?"

Her cheeks burned with her renewed embarrassment. It was more difficult to bring up the subject than she realized it would be. Every moment of Pasha's unexpected visit the day before had been humiliating. It wasn't the first time someone walked in on her in an intimate moment with a partner, but it had never been the son of the lover. Pasha cleared his throat so much like his father it was unnerving. His smile was still warm with a touch of his own embarrassment.

"We were talking about you when you walked in. He is not convinced you are soulmates."

"Neither am I. We don't even like each other."

At that remark Pasha raised a single eyebrow again so much like his father it bothered her. Why couldn't he look more like his mother?

"I asked him if I was going to have a new mummy soon. That's what we were laughing about."

It was childish to continue to roll her eyes, but Hermione didn't care. If ever the situation called for that exact facial expression, it was then. She could understand why Igor didn't say anything when she asked what they were talking about. Almost too late she realized that Pasha hadn't actually answered the question she really wanted to know. He seemed content to move past the conversation and forget about what happened.

"And when you returned?"

He smirked, once more on the verge of losing control of his own laughter.

"I asked him if I would be getting a little brother soon because I've always wanted one."

Thoroughly shocked and unsure what to say in response to that, Hermione lightly slapped him on the arm with the back of her hand when he started to laugh. She no longer felt the need or desire for conversation. Speeding up her steps, she headed for the front door. Thoughts raced through her mind she had no say or control over. It was no wonder Igor wouldn't tell her what Pasha said. He was likely just as embarrassed as she felt in that moment.

"And no, Pasha, you will not be getting a little brother."

"Oh, well, I suppose a little sister would be all right too, but I will probably be very overprotective of her."

"Pasha! You're not getting a sibling of any kind. At least not from me. I've taken the necessary precautions to prevent that."

Speaking about her birth control wasn't exactly how she wanted to spend her time alone with Pasha. He was a dear friend and she did love him quite a bit, but that was absolutely none of his business. Taking a little bit of pity on her, Pasha stopped chuckling.

"Ahh, all right. Perhaps in the future. I think Papa would like a little girl. She would be very spoiled."

Hermione couldn't believe the conversation she was having. It was all too weird. When they stepped outside and Pasha grabbed her arm to Side-Along Apparate her to his great-grandmother's home, she felt relieved. At least he couldn't talk to her for a few seconds while they traveled.

Their conversation was pushed to the back of her mind when she got her first glance at the house where they would be having lunch. No, 'house' wasn't the best term for the massive, beautiful structure they were staring at. The classic example of an English country manor house, she wouldn't have been surprised to discover it was a listed building. The longer she stared at it, the more she wondered why she was astonished at all. Cora Burke-Travers was an influential woman and often influence came from having a great deal of money.

Out of respect for his great-grandmother or perhaps for Hermione herself, Pasha chose to stop teasing her when they arrived. As they made their way up to the house he pointed out parts of the garden she might find interesting. There really was too much to take in at once. She was sure she could spend days there and still find more to be amazed by.

The front door opened the moment they reached it. Hermione wasn't expecting Cora herself to greet them. Her house was the sort that should've been filled with servants bustling about working. To see the elderly witch happily greet her own guests was a welcome delight.

"You are two minutes late, Pavel."

Their hostess' face was stern for only half a second as she stared at her great-grandson. Unable to be upset with him for longer than that, her face split into a wide grin as she reached up to hug Pasha. She was petite and quite elderly, but she was strong. Her love for her great-grandson was written all over her wrinkled face. When she turned a bright smile on Hermione and greeted her nearly as warmly, her guest was surprised once more. She wasn't at all what she thought the woman would be like. Her assumption was she must be cold and mean. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The inside of the manor was just as impressive as the outside. Filled with beautiful furniture and artwork on the walls, there was a fortune on display. Their hostess accepted Pasha's arm and led them down the corridor.

"I thought we'd eat in the breakfast room. The dining room is too cold and formal. I want you to feel comfortable, Miss Granger."

"Hermione, please."

The room they chose to eat in might have been less grand than the dining room, but that didn't mean the meal was anything less than impressive. Numerous dishes were laid out in the middle. Her stomach growled softly at the delicious smells. If that meal was supposed to be a casual lunch, she was curious to see what a really formal one would look like.

Hermione smiled when she saw Pasha hold out the chair at the end of the table for his great-grandmother and then carefully push her in. It was sweet. The fact that the two relatives loved each other was clear. She tried unsuccessfully to push away some of the envy she always felt when she saw a real family interact. Unfortunately, she hadn't been granted the same in her life. Most of her family probably forgot she ever existed and she wasn't even referring to the parents she had still blissfully unaware they ever had a child in Australia.

For the first few minutes of the pleasant lunch, conversation was light and easy. No one wanted to be the first to address the very obvious elephant in the room. As Hermione had never been invited to lunch there before, it was a special occasion, one that would need a reasonable excuse. She wondered if Pasha would claim that she was his girlfriend or if he had some other idea in mind. They never did discuss the details, a fact she greatly regretted sitting in the middle of the manor. Almost as if the elderly witch could read Hermione's mind, Cora spoke.

"I confess I was very surprised to hear Pasha wanted to introduce you to me, Hermione. I've heard a great deal about you, of course, but my great-grandson has never asked if you could join us for lunch before."

She was suddenly more nervous than she was when she arrived. It was obvious that the inevitable question was about to be asked. How would she answer it? What could she possibly say that wouldn't sound too suspicious. Thankfully, Pasha rushed to speak first.

"I told Hermione that you have an extensive library filled with volumes of magical research and history that you can't find anywhere else. She was very interested."

"Oh, indeed?"

Cora looked at Hermione with a warm smile.

"And are you interested in learning about anything in particular?"

Before Hermione could even open her mouth to speak, Cora continued on her behalf.

"A mysterious gold ring, perhaps?"

There was a hint of a cheeky grin on the witch's face. Clearly she was enjoying the lunch and the awkward effect she was having on her guests. She knew more about their visit than either of them were even aware. When Pasha told her about the intriguing Igor he met the week before and she asked him if he had a gold ring, her great-grandson never followed up to tell her so. Had she sought out her own information? Pasha met Hermione's eyes. They both knew they were caught.

"I would very much like to see my grandson again before I die."

"Great-Grandmama…"

"You're a terrible liar, my boy. No, no, that's a compliment. Don't ever let anyone convince you otherwise."

Even in the midst of the tense situation Hermione had to smile. Cora was right, of course. As long as she had known the wizard, he had been complete rubbish at telling any sort of lie with any sort of conviction or guile. While Pasha sighed his frustration, his great-grandmother turned her full attention to Hermione. Whatever happened next, she knew that she couldn't deny that the old woman knew what was really going on.

"You were the one who found the ring and brought Igor back."

It wasn't a question. She spoke as one who knew exactly what she was talking about and had the proof to back it up. Knowing the reputation of the witch, that wasn't surprising. There was no way of knowing the number of people she knew in their society who could get her the answers she needed. Everyone, it seemed, owed Cora a favor of some sort. Hermione knew she had to come clean. Lies came a bit easier to her than Pasha, but it was useless to try in that instance.

"How did you..?"

"My maiden name is Burke, my dear. Though like most families there are certain relatives I don't care to be associated with, I have found they have some uses. That horrible Mr. Borgin might run the day-to-day functions of the shop, but my cousin is still a part owner. He heard a rumor about a wizard who resembled my late grandson inquiring about a gold ring and thought I might find that interesting."

Cora knew why they were really there before they even arrived. Was that a good sign? She would've had plenty of time to prepare for the questions she knew they would have. But, before she would even think about answering any, she turned her full attention back to her great-grandson. Based solely on the irritated facial expression she had on her lined, but still quite handsome face, what she was going to say wasn't going to be welcome. Not by her great-grandson at any rate who looked like he might be sick.

"And did you not think that in the past week since I last saw you, my boy, that I might not wish to know that your father has returned from the dead?"

"Great-Grandmama…"

"No, nothing you tell me will be a good enough excuse, Pavel."

"I hate when you call me Pavel."

The usually proud wizard who worked as a diplomat and liaison between the magical and Muggle worlds was reduced to muttering like a naughty school boy caught with his hand in the biscuit tin before dinner. It would've been adorable to Hermione if she wasn't worried about what was going to happen next as the conversation continued. It wasn't unreasonable to assume that Cora would no longer wish to help them because they kept such a large secret to themselves.

"Yes, I know you do and I don't particularly like being so stern with you, but I had hoped that we were to a point in our relationship where you could feel comfortable enough to trust me with anything. I'm family, darling. My blood runs through your veins too. Never forget that."

Properly chastised by his great-grandmother, Pasha offered her a sincere apology only slightly tinged with a frustrated sigh. She reached across the table to pat the top of his hand. Her smile helped to break some of the tension.

"Now that we've settled the unpleasant part of our visit, I'm afraid I must offer some bad news."

Neither Hermione nor Pasha knew what to expect next. It could be anything. They weren't prepared. If Burke from the shop knew that Igor, or at least suspected, he was alive again, did that mean there were others?

"I wish I could be of more help, but I've already told Pasha everything I know about the ring. There might be something to find in the library about it, but I highly doubt it. My late husband was very careful with what information he allowed to be known about the ring."

It was a disappointment though not entirely surprising. Visiting Pasha's great-grandmother was always going to be a long shot at finding out any additional information. They were at the very beginning again. Hermione tried to hide her disappointment. It wasn't Cora's fault that her husband had been so guarded. If she possessed a ring with the power to bring a person back from the dead, she would be careful with it too.

The rest of the lunch passed in a much lighter discussion. Acting as the perfect hostess, Cora kept the conversation from the topics that might cause them to be uncomfortable again or the debate to get heated. It was obvious even if she didn't say anything, however, that she was desperate for more news about Igor. Each time she looked in Hermione's direction, she could tell she wanted to know more. Until Hermione spoke with Igor and found out what he was comfortable revealing, she didn't think it was her place to say anything at all.

By the time the elaborate dessert was served, it was easy to see that the visit made Cora tired. Used to rambling around her old manor alone most days, being sociable took a lot out of the woman. Not to mention she took pride in the fact that she was the one who prepared every single dish they consumed. Knowing Hermione's fight to free the house-elves, she made it a point to mention there hadn't been a house-elf in the Travers family home since before she married Igor's grandfather. If Hermione learned that the old witch was of a similar opinion about the subjugation of house-elves, she wouldn't have been surprised. Everything about her seemed to indicate she was a fascinating woman ahead of her time.

Pasha understood his great-grandmother's moods enough to know when it was time to cut the visit short. A tour of the library would have to take place another day when she had more energy. It was another disappointment to Hermione, but one that she understood. After they said their goodbyes to their hostess and she headed up the stairs slowly to her bedroom, the two guests made their own way to the front door.

As they were walking down the main corridor, a flash of movement in the corner of Hermione's eye caught her attention. She turned her head quickly to see what it might be. Even though it was far away, she could swear she saw the outline of a man ducking out of sight.