4/6 for today!
Saturday, August 29, 1998
That morning, the occupants of Mitternacht were greeted by a stern looking Narcissa, Andromeda, and Arthur. The four of them followed the older three into the a parlour where Jean and Richard Granger were sitting, stiffly.
"It appears that we need to have a serious conversation," said Narcissa primly, pouring tea for all the assembled guests. "There seems to be some confusion and misinformation. I've locked the doors and no one is allowed to leave until we sort this out."
Jean crossed her arms and frowned at the blond woman, Richard looked blankly ahead, and Hermione dropped her chin to her chest. "I think formal introductions are in order," Andromeda said, turning to Theodore.
Theo cleared his throat and stood. "As you all know, I am Lord Theodore Francisco Nott, Patriarch of the Nott family. This is my husband, Lord Draco Lucius Malfoy, Patriarch of the Malfoy family and my wife, Hermione Jean Malfoy Nott, Matriarch of both the Malfoy and Nott families. Here we have my sister, Ginevra Molly Prewitt Nott nee Weasley. We have our mother-in-law, Narcissa Black, formerly Lady Malfoy. Andromeda Tonks neƩ Black, and Arthur Weasley, Patriarch of the Weasley family and adoptive father of Ginevra."
The Grangers sat stiffly through the introductions, although they perked up at Ginny's change of name. "And on the other side I'd like to formally introduce my father-in-law, Dr. Richard Granger and my mother-in-law Dr. Jean Granger nee Giroux."
Theo sat with a flourish, and wrapped his arm around the back of the couch behind Hermione. "Now that that is settled," Andromeda said, "I've agreed to be the moderator for this conversation as I have the least personal connection to the group. I was removed from the family tree when I married a Muggleborn. Since then I have reconnected with my family. I am happy to answer any questions about some of the difficulties on both ends of the Muggleborn / Pureblood Marriage."
"I'm here to give you the Order of the Phoenix's perspective of the War," said Arthur, uncharacteristically solemn.
"And really I'm here to meet the in-laws," Narcissa said with a small smile. "Hermione, Draco, and Theo have told me so many wonderful things about you both. "
"I'd like to open the floor to questions," Andromeda said, sternly.
"Why?" Jean whispered, voice breaking.
"If I may?" Arthur asked, looking at Hermione who barely lifted her head and nodded. "During the summer before Sixth Year, there was a lot of speculation about what was going to happen over the next few years. Families who had Order connections were being targeted and killed. I'm embarrassed to say that no one in the Order considered the difficulties faced by Hermione. She wasn't offered protection or support for the two of you. It's something I regret deeply."
Draco cleared his throat, "We spent a lot of time talking about how to protect you. The Dark Lord was, is, living in my home, and so I had a very close view of the situation. She'd wanted to wait, but Theo and I warned her against it. You are on his list of people to find as Hermione is Undesirable Number 2. His goal is to capture you and torture you to get Hermione to give herself and Potter up."
"Living in a home with him," Narcissa continued quietly, "is worse than anything you could imagine. I was tortured almost every day. I was verbally harassed almost every hour. Nowhere in my home, the place I'd lived for almost twenty years was safe."
Jean looked a bit green at this, and her eyes darted to Hermione, who had folded in on herself even more if that was possible. Richard looked angry.
Hermione rolled up her sleeve and felt Draco stiffen at her side. "I was brought there. I was tortured for so long. Sh-She carved into me." A sob that she'd been trying to hold in escaped, and moments later she felt her mother's arms wrap around her.
Jean held her firmly, pulling her to stand. "I'm sorry, ma belle fille," her mother sobbed, rocking back and forth. Moments later, Hermione was wrapped in the arms of both her parents, all three of them crying.
She knew that Draco and Theo stayed, but the rest of the group moved to a set of chairs a bit further away. When they'd finally cleared their tears, they began telling her parents about their last year in school and some of what they'd experienced during their Seventh Year.
When it came time to talk about their past few months, the other joined them. Jean was thrilled with the pictures from the wedding, laughing loudly at Ginny and Narcissa doing the cake dance. She shed a few tears about the picture of Hermione in her something old, new, borrowed, and blue. When they told them about Scorpius, and showed them the first ultrasound, both of her parents had tears streaming down their faces.
"I still have questions," Jean said, twirling one of Hermione's braids around her finger, "but not being able to talk to you about what's happened has been killing me."
"I'm sorry for the way I spoke the other day," Richard said to Theo and Draco, "I let my protective Dad emotions overtake my logic. When you have a little girl you'll understand."
Both Draco and Theo flushed at that, and Hermione let out a chuckle. "We'll see how we handle Scorpius and Theron afterwards before we talk about more children."
"How are you so sure you'll have another boy?" Jean asked.
"Pureblood Blood Magic," Theo said with an eye roll. "The firstborn Nott is always a boy, and the second a girl."
"Malfoys have only been able to have one child, and it's always a boy," Draco said a bit sadly.
Narcissa scoffed, "That's not true, that's just something they want you to think so you don't dilute the line and the inheritance."
"Really?" Draco asked, sitting forward. "We can have more?"
"Easy there, tiger," Hermione said, narrowing her eyes, "until you carry our children we'll have to have some serious conversations about just how many we're having."
The women around the circle, who had all only had one child, laughed at Draco's sheepish expression.
Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think or if you have any thoughts about what might happen next!
