Chapter 14
"How, pray tell, did I get roped into this escapade?" Hermione asked, looking at the group that she was with.
Harry, Pansy, Luna, Theo, and Draco were all walking with her to the village of Hogsmeade. The first trip to the village that the school had, she'd been in detention and had to miss. This one, however, she was free, and the boys (all three) had insisted she come. Apparently, they were to meet up with Harry's housemate (who also happened to be Hermione's Herbology partner), Neville Longbottom, and his girlfriend (Hermione didn't know nor did she care what the girl's name was).
The only reason she'd agreed to all of this was because El Snape had been banned from Hogsmeade for the rest of the trips until after Christmas, therefore making the library not as peaceful as it otherwise would have been on a Saturday afternoon. Apparently, the first-year students that had been in the hall had told McGonagall about El's little stunt attacking Hermione. Luckily, they'd already left to find the older witch before Theo got involved, and when El tried to get Theo in trouble, McGonagall didn't want to hear what she had to say. Hermione's new scar (because no, she didn't go to the infirmary to have her wound properly healed) was evidence enough for the Transfiguration Professor of the Head Girl's guilt. The only unfortunate part had been that the twit had gotten to keep her title, but she was on a probationary period.
"Stori and Luc are the ones patrolling Hogsmeade today," Theo called out as he ran ahead of Hermione and Draco, lifting Luna in the air. "You know what that means, my wildflower?"
"Oh, that's very good news," Luna said, leaning her head back and opening her arms wide. "A trip to the gods is exactly what the universe requires of us today."
Hermione watched as Theo spun around in a circle before setting the girl back down. Glancing at Draco, Hermione noticed that he didn't seem aggravated at the closeness and familiarity that Theo and Luna seemed to have with each other.
Draco must have noticed her watching him, because he shrugged his shoulders. "She's more like a sister than a cousin. Her dad died when we were rather young. Her mum, my father's younger sister, moved back into the manor after the accident. We were raised together; had the same governess, attended the same lessons. She's as much a threat to my relationship as you would be to Pansy and Potter's."
"That makes sense I suppose," Hermione commented, "I just don't really understand Theo and Luna's closeness."
"Theo's father and my grandfather were best mates. We grew up together and by extension Luna grew up with him as well. When the incident happened with Theo's father, my father cut ties with the House of Nott, and Luna's mother stood by him and his decision. It cemented their friendship, and Theo's place in our lives." Draco explained, reaching for Hermione's hand, lacing their fingers together, "they're also more alike than two people ought to be. It can be terrifying at times if I'm being completely honest, but for the most part I've found it's best to just let them be and make sure they stay safe."
"What do you–" Hermione began to ask, but she stopped in her tracks as they reached the village.
Now, here's the thing. Hermione's been to wizarding parts of both England and the United States, numerous times in fact. The secret entrances, the exciting new worlds and how it is hidden in plain sight, fascinating stuff. But Hogsmeade was the first all wizarding village she'd ever explored and this, this was something out of a fairytale.
The streets were crowded with excited students running from shop to shop, their arms heavy with shopping bags. Some of the kids from wealthier families even had their house elves following behind them. She recognized Draco and Theo's friend Blaise as he spoke to his house elf. Though, unlike the other elves that wore tea towels, the Italian wizard's elf wore sunglasses and an expensive suit Hermione noted as the pair passed their group.
"Don't ask," Draco muttered in her ear, pulling her towards a sweets shop. "Trust me, when it comes to the Zabini family, the less you know the better."
"His mum is not someone you want to cross," Theo interjected, coming back to them, leaving Luna who was crouched down speaking gibberish to something Hermione couldn't see or just the thin air. "I suspect we have a few hours to shop before old Luc and Stori stumble off to snog in the tea house, yeah?"
"Oh, leave them be," Pansy chided, coming up for air from Harry's lips, a display Hermione had been doing her best to ignore. "You and Draco were much worse than they are when he used to do patrols."
"And that, my dear, is why Snape has stopped requiring Draco to work Hogsmeade weekends." Theo said, bouncing over to Draco, squeezing his ass and giving him a kiss square on the mouth.
"Why would Draco work a Hogsmeade weekend?" Hermione asked while jumping over a puddle that was in the middle of the street. Draco and Theo both stopped to watch her, it seemed that every little thing she did was, in their eyes, a magnificent and spectacular event. "He's not a prefect or anything, so why would he…" Hermione trailed off looking at the boys and Pansy who were all hiding their smiles.
"Dear lord, this school is run by an idiot. Sirius, a teacher, El Head Girl, and Draco, the exhibitionist, a prefect. I swear if anyone tells me next that Goyle is in charge of NEWT prep I'm running away into the mountains, screaming." Hermione said, making the entire group laugh, though she wasn't joking in the slightest.
Theo dragged everyone to a sweets shop, Honeydukes. The six of them all filed into the store, and Hermione felt claustrophobic at just how wall to wall packed the place was with students. "Oh, there's Neville," Luna said in her dreamy voice. "I'll go see if he has what we'll need for our trip later. We'll meet you at the Three Broomsticks for lunch," she said to Theo before disappearing into the crowd.
"Don't ask," was all Draco said before Hermione could in fact ask. Though, honestly, she probably didn't want to know what Luna and Theo got up to when they were not supervised.
"Here, try these," Pansy said, catching Hermione off guard as she shoved something overly sweet into her mouth. As Hermione's lips closed around the treat, her eyes widened, and a slight moan slipped from her lips. Without the question being asked, Pansy just smiled and answered, "sugar quills. Even though you refuse to use quills in class, I thought you'd rather like them. Something fun for you to suck on."
She was right. It was the most delicious treat she'd ever had in her life. Another moan slipped from her as her mouth filled with the sweet taste, a little bit of drool even dribbling down her chin. Now, had Hermione been paying attention to anything besides the candy, she would have noticed two Slytherins that seemed to be on the brink of combustion watching her. Alas, she did not, but that didn't stop either of the boys from formulating plans on how to make sure their Hermione never went a day without a sugar quill again. Or how quickly they could get her alone to have her make those sounds without an audience.
As the morning progressed, the boys and Pansy had Hermione in and out of every shop, showing her the wonders of the little village, and Hermione had to admit, she saw the appeal. It was enchanting in a way that none of the other little hidden wizarding streets and neighborhoods were. The magic buzzed in the ground beneath the cobblestone streets, and it filled her with such a sense of belonging that it was easy to see why so many witches and wizards still flocked here long after they'd left school.
"Oh look," Theo said as they passed a dingy looking pub, "the Minister of Magic is here." He turned towards Hermione, lowering his voice so that only she and Draco could hear the next part, "I walked in on him taking a shit once."
Hermione looked at Theo, and back at the man he'd just pointed out. The wizard was taller than most people, his robes the most elaborate array of colors and patterns she'd ever seen on someone in England. His dark skin made the bright purple stand out even more, and while he looked eccentric, he oozed of power and authority. It was easy to tell he was not a man to be trifled with.
"Don't be too surprised, he's Theo's stepfather and Theo doesn't understand boundaries or what locked doors mean." Draco said, waving towards the man who'd just spotted them.
"Your stepfather is the Minister!?" Hermione exclaimed as the man nodded towards them before disappearing into the pub. "And the government here still has laws to protect homosexual hate crimes, how can you stand to live with him?"
"Well, because he's one of the only ones fighting for my rights. Thoros, my sperm donor, he's on the Wizengamot, blocks everything Kings and Lucius try to propose." Theo said, and the way he spoke of his stepdad, it was clear that he greatly admired the man.
Harry and Pansy were ahead, leading the way towards the Three Broomsticks, a much nicer pub than the one Theo's stepdad had gone into, as it was approaching lunch time. When they stepped inside, Hermione's view was blocked, but she heard Harry's exclamation, and it had her cringe.
"Mum and Dudley are here!"