A/N: It's Christmas tomorrow here in Denmark, so you're getting this chapter a day early because tomorrow is strictly for my family.

I hope you're enjoying time with your families during this crazy holiday season and may all you wishes come true!

Also, thank you thank you thank you for your faves, follows and especially for your comments, I read every one of them and they all bring a smile to my face.

HBSJ

Chapter 3

Hermione spent the next three weeks waiting.

And waiting.

And bloody well waiting.

She hadn't been told no but she most certainly hadn't been told yes.

Nothing happened.

She fell down on the couch in her brother's room, sprawling on the posh furniture.

He scowled as she upset the careful order of his papers. "Watch it will you? I need to figure out the patterns in this."

She took a quick look at some of the documents. "This is the most boring thing I have ever seen and this is me talking! What are you doing Will?" It wasn't really the most boring thing ever. In fact, she would probably like to go over the papers with him but it was the only way to get his attention.

He looked at her then, all conspiratorially and excited. Very un-like her serious older brother. "You remember the financial crisis in 2008 and 2009 right?"

She raised an eyebrow, not knowing where he was going with this. "Uhm yes. I think pretty much everyone in the western world remember that, Will."

He continued, undaunted with the expression still firmly in place. "A few people in the US saw this happening before it did and I want to see the pattern so I can recognise it next time."

She shrugged, feigning disinterest. It was clever. Once he'd recognized the pattern, he would never forget it. "Nothing wrong with being prepared, I get that."

Her brother, William Granger, heir to the Barony of Heathgate and all-round mathematical genius, was a rather uncommon heir to the title and the massive fortune he would one day inherit.

Most were like that polo-Marquess.

Well, no one was like him but most were idle young men and women who were often in the tabloids, making a splash and enjoying their special status among the jet set of Britain. Either that, or they were riding about the countryside hunting and learning the intricate lay of their land.

Hermione and her brother were not like that. Her brother even less so than her.

They had very specific interests and mostly stayed in their own corner of the country and her brother mostly stayed inside the house.

Hermione had fallen in love with horses at a rather early age and when her dad had taken her to her first polo match, she'd been head over heels. And her brother had begun exploring the relativity theory before he was twelve. To learn the patterns.

Their mum had initially disparaged of them actually being able to be presented in polite society. Baroness Granger however, was not one to give up on her dreams for her children.

Hermione and William had summarily been poked, prodded, made to feel guilty, coaxed, threatened and finally 'lovingly manipulated' (her mum's words) into entering society the way that she wished and required.

Hence, Hermione's participation in the Queen Charlotte debutante ball with her brother as her escort.

She shook herself out of those gloomy thoughts and just sat in silence with Will for what felt like an age.

They did this often. He was pouring over texts, numbers or something to that effect while she watched him work.

She liked it. He was methodical and careful in his work and she enjoyed it. Their relationship as brother and sister was based on a love of each other, of knowledge and of companionship.

They were both so odd to the outside world that they knew that it was a real possibility that they would grow old together, just the two of them. They'd even discussed how the immense wealth they would inherit from their father would be distributed among different charities if neither of them had children.

Hermione wanted children at some point, of course but she had to get realistic about her wish at a certain age in her life. At twenty-five, she just hadn't gotten to that age yet where she needed to explore her options. In her own opinion anyway.

She zoned back into the airy room and sighed. "I don't think I'm going to that academy you know."

She tried for lightness but in reality she was quite disappointed.

Okay, so 'quite disappointed' was a massive understatement. At this point, she was ready to scream in frustration about the lack of reply from this… this haughty, annoying and unnecessarily silent man. Who the hell did he think he was anyway, leaving people hanging like that.

Well, leaving her hanging like that.

Initially, she hadn't really wanted to go that badly but now, on what felt like the cusp of denial from a snooty aristocrat who was too high on the instep, she was itching to go.

She wanted to show that she was actually good at polo. Worth teaching. Worth accepting.

Will looked up from his papers, blissfully unaware of her inner turmoil. "If Draco doesn't accept you, he's got to be mad."

Hermione frowned, completely thrown for a loop. Every thought in her brain screeched to a halt. "Draco? You know him?"

Her brother, calm as ever, just shrugged. Shrugged, as if she hadn't been going out of her mind for the past few weeks. "Yeah, he was a couple of years under me at Eton. But we took some electives together. He's a good man."

She blinked. "Why didn't you tell me that when I told you about it in the first place?"

Another of those shrugs. "I didn't think it was relevant." He hadn't even looked up.

No, he probably didn't think it was and it probably shouldn't be relevant for her.

But it was. And why? She had absolutely no clue.

She was obsessing about it for some reason and she couldn't for the life of her figure out why. She had googled Draco Malfoy at least a hundred times and all of his closest friends at least a dozen times each. All she really got from all of her googling was that the gossip columnists were vile people who would try to make the worst of any innocent situation.

Which, of course, didn't help her own current situation one single jot.

During her walk down to the stables that afternoon, she decided once and for all to put it from her mind.

She wouldn't think about it any more.

Nothing.

Naught.

She sighed, trying to convince herself that she didn't really want to go to Dartmoor after all.

Liar.

Narcissa Malfoy, the Duchess of Devon, was sitting in her drawing room overlooking the sprawling lake when the door burst open and a man with dark curly hair marched into the room with a happy grin on his face.

"Cissy!" Sirius Black, her cousin, a larger than life, happy and single man, walked into the room as if he owned the place. Which he did not. He had a very lovely estate up near Bristol which matched his estimable title of Marquess of Grimauld.

She couldn't help but smile, despite his rather egregious lack of etiquette. "Sirius! What on earth are you doing here?"

He plopped himself down on the settee opposite hers. "Visiting Harry of course! And you know I couldn't resist dropping by to see how my favourite cousin is doing."

She smiled, knowing he was lying through his teeth but accepting the lie all the same. They had always had a strange sort of relationship. "And how is Andromeda these days?"

Sirius grinned toothily, knowing she had seen right through him. "Healthy, happy and busy. Isn't that what we all want?"

Narcissa merely smiled in answer.

Truly, her elder sister's life choices had always baffled her. Instead of choosing the wealthy earl vying for her hand, she had chosen Ted Tonks. A commoner practicing law. Her parents had not approved and Andromeda had run away to be with him, discarding their comfortable lifestyle for one in the shadows. Utterly unnecessary in Narcissa's opinion but Andromeda was happy, which she supposed were all that mattered.

Narcissa herself had had the very good fortune to fall in love with a duke. Well, he wasn't of royal descent like herself on her mother's side but he was completely acceptable to her parents when he asked for her hand in marriage.

Her husband himself walked into the room, his head held high. Narcissa had always marvelled at the contrast of Lucius and Sirius.

Where Sirius was dark and roguish, her husband, Lucius Malfoy, Duke of Devon, was light and proud. He always kept his bearing and never embarrassed her in any way.

She was indeed happy in her marriage of many years.

"Narcissa,-" Came Lucius' drawling voice as he walked towards her. "-we seem to have been visited by your cousin." A soft kiss, always promising more in private, landed on her lips.

She smiled again. "Indeed, Sirius just came by to visit Harry and couldn't forego the chance to greet us."

Sirius got up with a spring in his step and did his court-bow to Lucius, with the flourishes and all. "I always find my ways to keep up with close family."

"Oh no. Please, do not trouble yourself on our account." Lucius usually tried to persuade Sirius to not come by so often but it was to no avail, which Narcissa had always known. Sirius was often rather insistent at trying to annoy her husband. In which he usually succeded.

"It is the least I can do." Sirius grinned, knowing his blow was final. Somehow, Sirius always managed to both bypass etiquette and wield it against others to his own advantage.

Lucius sighed, knowing he could do nothing to stop Sirius from entering their house as he pleased. Especially since their butler and their countless employed footmen, grooms and maids all adored him and would happily greet and announce Sirius as he entered their house uninvited. Unless they barred him from the house, which they never would. Probably.

Narcissa knew there was nothing else for it. She turned to the footman stationed at the door. "Would you please bring a tea tray Matthew?" He nodded and left the room.

At one point in the marriage, Lucius had tried to discourage her from calling the footmen by their names and discourage her asking instead of commanding. She had merely pursed her lips and his suggestion and left the room. Of course, that was answer enough for him. With her walking from the room, Lucius had known that he would never get his way and he hadn't brought it up since. Smart man.

Narcissa always believed that you should treat your servants kindly and with regard. In turn, it kept them loyal and unwilling to go to the tabloids. Also, a decent salary didn't hurt the matter either.

Sirius sat. "Don't mind if I do. My car is comfortable of course but I still have a long drive home. Will there be scones and cakes also?"

Lucius huffed. "This isn't the Ritz, Lord Black." He said indignantly. "You will have whatever the chef deems appropriate for the tea tray."

Sirius just grinned in reply, obviously happy that he had further riled up her husband.

Narcissa sighed quietly. It was going to be a long afternoon.

Draco entered the drawing room to find his mother trying to mediate between his father and the Marquess of Grimauld, Sirius Black, his mother's cousin.

They were bickering, much to Draco's amusement. His usually unflappable father was almost pink in the cheeks from sheer agitation. His cousin Sirius often had that effect.

Draco bit back a smile at his father's expense. He had no intention of upsetting him further.

Sirius rose as soon as he heard Draco closing in on them in the large room. "Draco my boy! How the hell are you?"

This time, Draco couldn't stop the grin even if he wanted to. Sirius had the same addicting cheerful disposition as Harry and Draco couldn't not like it, despite his father's opinion on the matter.

"I'm good Sirius." Draco suddenly realized that Sirius being here now was a bit of a great coincidence. "Glad that you're here actually, because I need you to help me with a bit of a conundrum."

Sirius proceeded to puff out his chest in pride and winked at his father, who was almost red in the face by now. "Anything for you Draco!" His voice quieted a bit, turning serious for a moment. "I only have two boys in my life who really matter you know and I couldn't be happier that you're great friends."

Draco just smiled, focusing on the matter at hand. "I've received a letter from someone you know who wants me to train them. A Hermione Granger." His mother's eyes widened and his father coughed into his tea from the shock.

Ignoring them, he pressed on. "She is asking for herself and a friend, a Ginny Weasley." At this, his father's jaw clenched shut audibly. "Can I be certain that they won't compromise the privacy of our grounds and our family?"

Sirius smirked knowingly. "I know you're not asking about Hermione because I know Harry must've told you that she is completely trustworthy. But I understand your concerns about Ginny. She is young, three years younger than both you and Hermione and of a different disposition. It is up to you but I would accept her if it was me." He paused, thoughtful. "Maybe just don't let her in on the secret passages of this place just yet." He winked.

Draco exhaled a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. He nodded silently.

He would accept them.

Before he could say anything however, his father exploded in a rare tirade. "Are you out of your mind Draco? You are not to accept a baron's daughter and the daughter of an impoverished viscount and have them stay here! I will not have it!"

His mother intervened before everything got completely out of hand. "Lucius, where are your manners?" It came out as a low hiss and Narcissa Malfoy hadn't moved a single inch from her seat of the elegant settee.

His father sat, jaw clenching and fury visible but his mother always knew how to handle him. She turned to her husband. "Lucius darling, just because Draco will accept them for the standard three month stay, that does not mean that he will chose one of them to marry. Isn't that correct Draco?"

For the last part, she looked to Draco for confirmation. He nodded. He had absolutely no intention of marriage for some years.

She continued. "I propose that they stay in dowager house down by the lake instead of the main house. They will be close to the stables and they already know Harry, so they could help him out with the ponies occasionally if need be."

Draco nodded solemnly, not betraying his ever-expanding interest in the letter-writer. He'd even resorted to googling her in the darkness of his room and she was truly beautiful. Guileless. And the more he knew about her, the more eager he became to meet her.

Sirius clapped his hands together. "What a wonderful suggestion Cissy! You are ever the diplomat darling, I'm certain it's that royal blood in you."

At this, his mother actually blushed. Blushed. He was dumbfounded. She was smiling and he caught his father rolling his eyes. What was the world coming to?

She was still smiling when she responded. "Thank you Sirius." She turned to Draco. "Don't you have a letter to write and arrangements to make before they arrive?"

He took that as his cue to leave and kissed her on the cheek. "Yes mother."

And with that he fled the room, excitement coursing through him.

Irrational as it probably was.