Hermione woke up the following morning with a pounding headache in an unfamiliar, bright room. Squinting, the witch scanned the room as she remembered the events of the evening before. Harry and Ginny, Victor and Agnes, Malfoy and Astoria -
A knock sounded on her door and Hermione shot up. Wondering who it could be, she grabbed her wand and stumbled to the door, pulling on the robe provided by the hotel. She pulled open the door and blinked blearily at the familiar-looking blonde woman standing in the hall.
"Er, Hello." Hermione mumbled.
"Hermione, hi. I just wanted to stop by and say goodbye before we left. The staff said this was your room. I'm sorry, did I wake you?" The woman rambled and it registered that this must be Astoria Greengrass from the evening before.
"Oh, no. I'm just a bit hungover. I'll have to find some hangover potion. I'm sure it'll be sold somewhere here…" Hermione tried to stand taller, realizing just how disastrous her hair must look.
"Well, it was lovely actually meeting you. I'd love to chat again, if you're ever free…" Astoria smiled. She was far too perky for this time in the morning. What time was it anyway? Hermione glanced at her watch and gasped. It was almost eleven in the morning.
"Yes, it has been a pleasure. I'm sorry, I'm meant to be at my parents for brunch.. We'll have to reconnect. Oh, and about the engagement - reach out to the ministry. They should be able to help you out." The brunette shared a brief, fairly awkward hug with her new acquaintance and rushed into her hotel room. Upon further examination, it was clear she would need a shower. Her makeup from the evening before was smeared everywhere, her hair was a bird's nest, and she reeked of alcohol.
An hour and a bottle of hangover potion later, Hermione apparated into her parents living room. Her father screamed, jumping up from the couch where he had been seated.
"Sorry, Dad. Didn't mean to scare you.. And I'm so sorry to be late. I was up rather late last night…" Hermione embraced her father. She didn't see them all that often, since test still lived in Australia, but for some reason they had decided to visit this week. They hadn't told her till the day before. So, Hermione stood in her childhood living room embracing her parents.
"It's quite alright dear. We're just glad you're getting out. Come, sit. Food is on the table." Her father ushered her into the dining room where her mum was already sitting, serving up quiche.
"Hermione, darling. How have you been? We missed you so dearly… and we have some news!" the older woman beamed at her daughter and the witch remembered why she loved her so much.
"Mmm, Mum. This quiche is delish!. Anyway, what's your news? Why are you here?" Hermione devoured her food.
"Oh, well… dear, tell us a little about what you've been up to first." her mum stumbled, glancing at Mr. Granger.
The young woman's brows knit together but she decided not to push. She mentioned some details of her already eventful weekend, one her busiest in months if not a year. Her parents smiled and inquired about details, but they seemed a bit distant.
"Mum, Dad - you clearly are anxious to say whatever new you have. Just say it. I've come this far, I can take it." Hermione did her best to give her parents a confident smile, but her nerves turned into more of a grimace.
Her parents shared another look before her mother took her hand. "Darling, I- we feel as though you are so far from us. We've missed you so dearly. We know we weren't the most present parents when you were younger. But, now that you are a divorcée…"
Her father cleared his throat. "What your mum means to say is we are moving her. Or, have moved, actually."
The young witch stared between her parents for a moment, blinking. Her p[arents had… "What?"
"We sold our practice in Melbourne, reached out to our old place and.. We flew in a few days ago." Her mum smiled. "Is that okay? Are you glad?"
"Glad? Mum, I'm ecstatic," Hermione cried, jumping from the table and wrapping her parents up in a giant bear hug. Maybe Hermione wouldn't quite be so alone now. After all, as much as she loved her job, it simply wasn't enough.
The next two weeks passed in a blur. Hermione spent most of her free time with her parents, helping them settle in and catching up with exchanged a few letters with Victor and Agnes, thanking them for the amazing ball and talking about the sights they were seeing. Mostly, though, Hermione was working. So many cases were pouring in. Aurors were still rounding up past Death Eaters and would-be Death Eaters, bringing them in. Hermione reviewed and wrote case after case. Not to mention, she was working on her book.
On a particular;y hot Tuesday in mid summer of 2001, Hermione stood to greet her current client. Although this was a civil case rather than criminal, she had chosen to accept it since it sounded particularly interesting. Apparently, a former Death Eater now in Azkaban had set up an arranged marriage for his son when he was only a toddler while in France. Now, the young couple lived in London and were trying to get it revoked.
A knock sounded on the door and Hermione called, "Come on in." She looked up to see - "Astoria? Oh my! What are you doing here?"
"Hermione? How are you? This must be the wrong office - the man down the hall sent us here to meet with a lawyer." Astoria grinned broadly at the war heroine she had met just weeks prior.
Hermione caught the "we" and glanced behind the blonde witch to see her gray-eyed school enemy, Draco Malfoy.
"No, you are in the right place. I am reviewing your case, and hopefully representing you in court should we get to that point. I hadn't seen your names yet - confidentiality and all that. I apologize. Please, take a seat." Hermione motioned to the seats on the other side of her desk. Her boss had finally agreed to let her run a case, despite it technically being above her level. Hermione could certainly run the case, as she often did most of the work on each case she was assigned to, but actually being the only lawyer in court… This was new. Finally, a challenge. Although, with Malofy as her client. She forced a wide smile on her face. "I've read what you sent in to my boss already, but would you mind telling me a little more about the arrangement?"
"Well, as you know, my father was quite determined for me to marry a highly esteemed, pureblood witch. So, when I was four he made the agreement with Mr. Greengrass that Astoria and I would wed as soon as we both graduated from Hogwarts. But then the war happened, and I had my sentencing so we were able to evade announcing an engagement, let alone being wed." Malfoy explained. "However, a few months ago my father's lawyer sent me a letter informing me that if Astori and I were not wed by the end of this year, we would be cut from all of our inheritances, all of the Malfoy business, and basically be disowned. At least, that is what the document states. We were only able to delay this long because.."
"Yes, of course. Because the document was filed with the French Ministry, this case will take quite a while to be reviewed. On top of that, as your father is in Azkaban currently, there are further complications involved. I just have a few questions. First of all, is your father's lawyer sworn into th eFrench or British court?"
The blonde couple shared a glance and Mlafoy responded in a bored, fairly annoyed voice. "At the time of the document, French. Now, British. Why does this matter? Look, just tell me - can this contract be nullified?"
"Well, Mr. Malfoy," Hermione couldn't keep the bite from her tone. How dare he speak to her like that? "That depends on many things, some of which I am busy trying to get from you."
Astoria, deciding that she had had enough of their ridiculous spat, asked, "Does it matter that the lawyer now belongs to the English Ministry's court?"
"It does, actually. Because he now belongs to a court where it is illegal to create arranged marriages,w e might be able to force Lucius Malfoy to choose a new, French lawyer. That could, however, both be in our favor and out of it. And then, of course, there is the issue of the war interfering with the date of the wedding. When the war happened, how exactly did it change the date of the wedding?"
"Well, Draco was on house arrest the week our wedding was supposed to be while we awaited our N.E.W.T scores, so we couldn't wed. Then we got our scores and it was revealed where exactly Draco would work within the ministry. I was accepted to a training program for healers, and our lives began." Astoria explained, showing absolutely no shame in Malfoy's past. Hermione couldn't decide if she liked the witch for that or not. After all, the wizard had made some pretty horrible mistakes over the years.
"I see. And no one reached out to you once you were working until now?" Hermione asked as she jotted down notes.
"Not exactly. My father wrote a few letters to me that autumn and winter, asking for the date of our wedding. I just ignored it. He stopped writing and we assumed that we had escaped. Since he's in jail, we thought he couldn't really do much." Malfoy mumbled.
"Right. Well, I'd like to meet with you again in a fortnight or so. In the meantime, please send me all the correspondence you have had about this topic to anyone, especially the elder mr. Malfoy and his lawyer. The exact wording could change everything, so please send the letters in their unaltered entirety." She leveled a look at the wizard across from her, "even if they say uncomfortable things."
The trio stood, and Astoria shook Hermione's hand. "We will, we will. Thank you so much, Hermione. Please don't get me wrong, I love Draco, but I'd rather not marry the guy I see as my brother. Especially since our mothers really frown upon divorce… no offense."
"None taken. I will do everything I can to annul your contract. We'll keep in touch." Hermione flushed under the warm smile Astoria gave her and vowed to herself that she would excel at this case, not just for herself but for the woman in front of her.
Malfoy paused in the doorway and turned back to the muggle-born witch and nodded, "Thanks."
The word was short and begrudging, but it was more than she had received from the cold man, so she tried her best to smile at him.
That night, Hermione floo-ed over to Harry and Ginny's place, thankful to find just her redhead friend there.
"Hermione! Is everything okay?" Ginny asked, stepping away from the stove where she was preparing dinner.
"Oh, yes. I just thought I'd come over and say hi." Hermione accepted the butterbeer she was handed and smiled at her old friend. "And I wanted to apologize for being so distant."
There was a slight pause as Ginny registered the brunette's words. "Hermione. Hermione… don't even think about it. We have been friends for so long. And even after Ron.. You know I still care about you, right? So much. I'll always be here for you."
Despite herself, Hermione felt her eyes well up. Watching her old school peers sit at her desk talking so freely, even if determinedly, had brought her back to the days when she truly felt she had friends. Now, she was so alone. "Thank you, Ginny. I really needed to hear that. And, right back at you. I'm always here."
The two witches embraced each other and Ginny murmured, "Don't worry. Soon we'll get better, soon you'll get better."