Hi there everyone. Thank you to everyone who has been adding, reviewing etcetera. I hope you are enjoying this story and will follow till the end. Please note this is Rated M for strong language, Lemons and past abuse. Without further ado enjoy the next chapter.
Chapter Five
Hermione
The process of showering and getting ready went quicker that it usually did, I had straightened my hair and left it down. Very light make up and as I made my way into my room I noticed Narcissas door was closed. Was this a date? I mean dinner and dancing seemed date like but she didn't mention date specifically.
Of course it wasn't, she is my friend right so it's just friends going for dinner and having a nice time together. I didn't see it at first but once I moisturised I spotted a dark green dress laying out on my bed along with a pair of silver heels. It was gorgeous and it made me wonder what all Narcissa brought with her.
It fely silky and smooth gliding onto my skin, the shoes also had a build in cushioning charm on them. I looked like me but a little bit different. Everything about this situation screamed inappropriate, whether it was the fact that I was going out drinking after my parents have died or Narcissa dressing me up in her clothes.
She always felt a little out of reach, she was letting me see sides to her I assumed were not the norm for her to show around others, she still kept herself guarded and half a step out of reach. So dressing up in her clothes felt almost like a dream at this point. As I grabbed my bag, mobile phone in case something was wrong with Holly and my debit card I did a once over in the mirror smoothing an invisible crease in the dress. Turning off the light I made my way out to the main living area and seen her dressed like sin in a red dress.
She had her back to me and was standing on the balcony, city lights were twinkling in front of her and the door was left open letting a small breeze drift in and cool the room down. Her blonde hair was lying in waves down her back and she had on the most impossibly large heels it made me wonder how she walked in them.
Cautiously I approached her, not wanting to disturb the woman and wishing I had a camera, inspiration struck and I lifted my mobile from my bag and pressed a snap on it.
"Gryffindor colours on a Slytherin, seems rather blasphemous." She turned to me and my breath caught in the back of my throat. Fuck she was stunning...and I am in trouble.
"Almost like the Gryffindor Golden Girl being draped in Slytherin Green. You look stunning regardless Hermione." A soft smile aimed those perfect straight teeth in my direction.
"As do you, devil in a red dress." She smirked at me a little bit confused, I really needed to introduce this woman to Popular Culture.
"Shall we go, I asked the hotel to make us a reservation at one of their restaurants nearby." She grabbed my arm and tucked it into her own before we made our way down to the Lobby. A car picked us up out at the front and was to take us to our meal and then a club to dance afterward. She climbed into the back seat alongside me and I was grateful as to not be separated.
"Are you OK, about tomorrow?" Honestly I think I was coming to terms with everything. Whether that comes from having something other than myself to think about aka Holly or whether I had prepared myself to say goodbye to my parents permanently twelve years ago.
" I think it will be twelve years overdue. When I obliviated them before we left on our Horcrux hunt, I fully expected to never see them again. I thought I would die or be captured and thrown in Azkaban before I would see my parents again. When we won the war and I came here to discover we couldn't bring their memories back, I had to say goodbye to them all over again except they weren't dead they just didn't really know me." She softly placed her hand on my own and I couldn't stop my fingers from threading through hers.
" You shouldn't have had to do that, you were all much to young to have had a weight of that magnatude on your shoulders. I'm sorry that we cost you your parents Hermione." I had never had that before, not one person had ever apologised for what the war cost me. Granted people had lost their lives and up until now my parents have survived but my relationship with my parents was something I would never get back and the Wizarding Works had caused that.
"Thank You Narcissa, I don't think I have had that before, an apology from anyone. I don't blame you personally Narcissa but I do appreciate it...more than you know." The driver came to a stop outside a fairly fancy Italian restaurant, it seemed more high end so the fancy dresses made sense. Our driver gave us a button to push when we were outside and he would take us to our next destination.
Walking into the restaurant I noticed a lot of private cubicles and I was so glad I wouldn't have to look at people whilst I was eating. After the free for all that dinner was at Hogwarts and the Burrow it became a pet peeve to have to watch people eat. Harry called it residual Ronald Retches, I remember Draco buckling and howling with laughter at that.
"Table for Black please." Out server nodding and directed us to a booth at the back overlooking the city below.
"Shall we start with a drink?" Narcissa nodded before ordering a bottle of Wine for the table as well as water to which I was grateful. I had found we had similar tastes in wine also. We were soon left alone with our menus and I honestly did not know what to choose. It all sounded amazing and the menu was extensive for all walks of life and dietary conditions.
"This all sounds amazing, what are you going for?" She smiled at me and I was sure if my knees would give out. I don't understand and how this woman had hooked me within such a short space of time. I mean Harry and Draco teasing me was one thing but we are in Australia alone without anyone knowing us. I'm not going to throw myself at her but I can flirt right?
It felt wrong to even think of this when I am here in this country burying my parents, although they weren't even my parents anymore were they? When you boil it down I was a stranger to them with fake memories to sell the lie.
"Hey are you okay?" I nodded to her and as the concern practically dripped off her I couldn't help but take her hand in my own.
"Yeah, I am OK? It seems surreal, I am going to be a parent? A mother? Did you know that Harry and Draco had originally asked me to be Mayas mum? We would be parents all three of us and I had agreed to it." She tilted her head in confusion at me and I knew Draco was not the type of person to divulge anyone's secrets.
" I went for all sorts of testing and found out I can't have children of my own. It threw a spanner in the works and they of course had to find someone else. I never thought I would ever get to have that experience of being a mother and now I am raising my sister as my own. It's just strange to think about the way things work out.." She softly grasped both of my hands in her own and smiled at me.
"You Hermione Granger are one of the most incredible people I have ever met. Holly will be lucky to have you as her mother." Conversation passed as we ate our dinner and dessert before opting to walk a few streets away to the club.
With my arm holding onto her own I felt safe and secure which was a foreign concept for me considering the fact that I only ever feel this comfortable around Harry, Draco and Andromeda. We arrived outside to a small queue of people and waited our turn before being granted entry.
It has been a long time since I had been clubbing and I could see Narcissa taking it all in, vibration from the bass filtered through my body as we made our way to a booth in the beer garden and I offered to go grab the drinks.
Grabbing a tray with wine, beer, shots and cocktails I made my way back outside and found her engaged in a conversation with a very drunk man
"You have to let me get you a drink lovely lady. The things I could show you." I nearly hexed him but luckily Narcissa had it well in hand.
"As...tempting as that offer is I can already tell you that anything you could show me sir would be wholly inadequate so please kindly leave."
As I approached I set the tray down and placed my hand on her shoulder before aiming my smile at her and kissed her on the cheek which startled her momentarily.
"Sorry baby the queue was crazy, I got us one of everything just so I don't have to stand in that again. Making friends I see." I sat down on her knee which seemed to make the man finally walk away muttering Dyke bitch under his breath as he went.
"Why do the crazies always find me? This is what happens when you leave me alone." I smirked as she downed a shot without so much as a flinch and it made me really like her even more.
"Honestly Narcissa you're hot, people will notice that. Surely you're not a stranger to people admiring you? The main difference is Muggles are unaware of your ability to cut someone down with a look, they don't know you and as such have no inclination to not approach you." A small blush appeared on her cheeks and the rarity of seeing this woman so comfortable she would let her guard down in that way was inspiring.
"Well I dread to think of your first impression of me Hermione, although it is quite accurate and I was diplomatic but didn't suffer fools. Especially a fool like that." She cautiously looked at the two cocktails before deciding to partake in the mojito and I noticed she was purposefully not making eye contact and I realised she must not had heard me all night so my charm worked.
A little side project the last couple of days has been to charm my bracelet into a sort of signal jammer. Not only would it allow me to work on my occlumency shields on my own it also allowed me the freedom to perv on her in my head and not feel bad about her hearing every delicious morsel that I wanted to do to her.
"I remember seeing you for the first time in my fifth year, you were probably the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. So strong but delicate...and then you opened your mouth and I thought you were the biggest bitch in the world." She quirked her eyebrows in amusement before taking another sip before leaning back from the table and resting her chin on her hand as a way to prove superior.
"And now, what are your thoughts on me now?" Truly I have gained something with Narcissa in the past few days than I have with anyone so quickly. Harry and Ron took to me as a friend weeks after school started, Draco and I had Seven years of vitrol to get past before slowly morphing from classmates to study partners to acquaintances and then friends. Now I would class Draco as family but I still have never had one person I had became instantly close to but this blonde bombshell had fell into my life and made it impossible for her to leave it without leaving a hole behind.
"Well I still think you are a bitch but this time you're also my friend and I hoped you would feel the same?" I ended if as a question because realistically I would like her to be my friend.
"I do Hermione, apart from my sisters and Draco I have never been able to tolerate anyone for long periods of time. With you it feels effortless and I know we have a rather tempestuous history but, I would most definitely call you a friend." I couldn't stop the smile that probably made me look like a crazy person. In one fell swoop she floored her shot and drained her mojito glass before taking me by the hand and taking me towards the music.
Finishing my drink as I walked before setting the glass on the bar she dragged me into the throngs of people until she found a small place to occupy and once she started moving her body I was long gone. Her arms rising above her head and her hips swaying in time to the beat drew my attention like a moth to a flame.
Fuck I need to get laid, I mean I am one impulsive decision away from pushing her down on the nearest hard surface and tasting her. Slowly the amount of people grew and I was pressed close to her body, the eucalyptus that always seemed to linger on her was breathtaking. Her soft hands on my own relaxed my posture slightly and I just tried to have a good time.
Copious amounts of alcohol later and we were walking through the city on the lookout for food when she spotted a foodtruck. Opting for a Tofu and rice burrito along with salsa, tortilla chips and dips along with a portion of cinnamon churros and her burrito bowl smelled amazing. Making our way to an alley we apparated back to the hotel.
Narcissa can hold her alcohol I mean she had just as much to drink as I did but she was still able to apparate and walk in those death traps, I however had transfigured them into converse high tops a long time ago. As the doors opened to our penthouse room I plonked my arse down on the couch with my food she toed off her shoes and came to sit beside me. We used the coffee table and set all of our food out in a platter style before I stole some of her sweet potato fries and she took my tortilla chips.
"I would love to take you and Holly to Mexico, the food is incredible. There is a beautiful sandy beach with waterfall caves and the magical community is one of the friendliest I have ever came across." It warmed my heart that she mentioned Holly also and that's when it sunk in, from now on it wasn't going go to be me all alone but in fact I would be Holly's guardian. Her mother in some respects.
" How am I going to explain magic to her Narcissa? She is being pulled from the mundane world and being thrust into the Magical one. Granted according to my parents she could be magical and it will probably be her world too but it's a lot to wrap the head around." As she took a drink from her bottle of water she turned to face me and took me by the hand.
"Your parents have entrusted her to you, they would not have done that if they thought you couldn't do it Hermione. She is a child and will adapt probably quite quickly once she sees magic as a normality. Do not fret my darling she will be fine, and so will you." We ate in comfortable silence before deciding to head to bed it would be a big day in the morning. A wave of her hand had all of our rubbish cleaned up and she handed me a hangover potion as well as a headache potion to take before bed so I wouldn't wake up in a state.
"Thank you Narcissa." She surprised me by initiating a hug, as she wrapped her arms around me I couldn't help but feel something I never have before. A subtle budge to hold her tighter to me and never let her go, instead I reached my arms around her and tucked my head into her neck which smelt amazing. My senses were starting to kick into overdrive and we parted ways.
"Goodnight Hermione. Sleep well." I nodded and she vacated to her room, if took my feet a solid ten seconds but eventually I too went into my room. Removing my now sneakers and dress I hung it up again before pulling on a tank top and comfortable underwear. Tomorrow would not be a good day and as I glanced at the black dress for the service tomorrow I couldn't help but cry. I cried for my parents, I cried for Holly who wouldn't really know them and also for Narcissa as she had finally gained her freedom after being so badly treated her whole life.
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The day passed by quite quickly, the service was over and we made our way away from the graveside to Hermiones parents house. Alison had said her goodbyes but not before we exchanged all of our information so Holly could talk to her pver Skype.
With Narcissa and I packing up the house we had it done in no time and Holly was amazed at our wands. The conversation about magic went extraordinary also, she asks us go do something and then showed one of her tricks as she called it. She was quite controlled actually at such a young age, it was envious actually.
"OK I think that is that all done. Now Miss Holly this next bit requires you to be brave, can you do that?" She nodded at Narcissa who took out a vial of potion for the little girl. We made the request from the Ministry in Sydney to dose the child whilst travelling.
It was a mild sleeping draught but it was to ensure she did not suffer any of the after effects like nausea. She would sleep the whole way and wake up as we arrived in Grimmauld Place.
"Now do you like sleeping beauty?" She nodded her head at Narcissa whom showed her the purple pearlescent potion leaving the girl in awe.
"This is a potion to make you go for a tiny sleep while we travel. Travelling with magic is a little bit hard and so we want our sleeping beauty to feel comfortable. Can you take a big sip little witch?" Holly nodded her head before coming over to me asked me to lift her up.
"When I wake up will we be in England?" I nodded at her as she donned her small rucksack which had her entire belonging in it before nodding again and opened up her mouth for a drink of the potion.
"Mmm...tastes like cherries." I couldn't stop the laughter that bubbled up and out of me before shooting Narcissa a smile also.
"Holly what do you want in your room?" She smiled at Narcissa before smiling and placing her head on my shoulders.
"Unicorns." She smiled and pressed a soft kiss to my little sisters temple and whispered in her ear.
"Done and done. Rest now sweet angel." She fell asleep instantly and Narcissa cast a feather weight charm in her as we grabbed the Three suitcases which had been expanded magically and cat carrier we apparated to the Ministry of Australia to pick up our portkey home.
Landing in the living room felt strange but seeing Harry, Draco and Maya there felt good. The little girl was playing with a set of blocks before I lay Holly down on the couch and the small amount of potion seemed to be metabolised now as she was waking up.
"Hermione, are we in England?" I nodded to her as she took in her surrounding she came to Harry and Draco whom waved softly at the little girl.
"Holly, these are my friends Draco and Harry. This is their baby girl Maya." She waved at the boys before glancing over to the baby.
"Can I go play with the baby?" After saying she would be gentle I made my way with Narcissa into Hollys room and unpacked her little rucksack as well as some other things she would need. Narcissa had taken on the task of painting her room, she used magic to ensure it would be done quickly and as I looked around at the finished result I was in awe.
A beautiful meadow with a forest behind of wrapped around all of the wall with all manner of unicorns frolicking and a beautiful rainbow. It was amazing, shd flicked her wrist on one hand and her wand on the other as shd transfigured her bed into what looked like a princess carriage and I knew she would love it.
"Can I come in now?" I opened the door to the little girl and her face just lit up. She gazed around the room in awe of everything and when she threw her arms around me and then Narcissa I felt a soft tingle in the way she had accepted the older witch.
" This is amazing!" Harry walked in and was also in awe, of the spell work that went into the room, Draco hugged his mother again.
"You should have seen my room growing up, my mother painted it every year for me coming home from school." I can imagine so the spoilt little prick that he once was. Parenthood it seems has officially began.
That's us folks. Until next time. Please Review.