Hermione apparated to her living room and let out a shriek of pure anger! She decided that the best remedy for the situation right now was overwhelming her thoughts with music and a glass of wine. She flipped through her collection of vinyl records, something her father helped her amass, and found the perfect one: Rush's 2112 album. This album was unique in that the first track was a twenty minute rock ballad about the dangers of allowing other people to control one's life.
She sat in an overlarge chair, wrapped herself in a blanket and attempted to calm the whirlwind of emotions in her mind. It had indeed worked a bit, but by the time The Temples of Syrinx bit had ended and transitioned into Discovery, she heard the door being knocked upon. At first she thought it might be Ron, but then remembered her mission with Draco. She emerged from her cocoon and approached the door. "I swear if it's Ron, I'll hex him into next week." She grumbled as she looked through the peephole. "Oh thank goodness, it's not." She whispered under her breath in relief as she unlocked and opened the door. "Hello, Draco. Would you like to come in?"
"Normally I would let a frustrated woman have her space and wine alone, but we are anticipating the arrival of your owl soon." Draco replied as he stepped through the doorway. The entryway had a coat rack with a sitting bench and a shoe cubby tucked underneath. Taking his suit coat off and hanging it up on one of the available hooks, he then sat down upon the bench to remove his shoes.
The living room was surprisingly spacious with a coffee table in the middle and a couch. A cushioned reclining chair stood in the far corner, closest to the bookshelf. A fireplace in the other corner; though it looked to be rarely used. A black large rectangular object was mounted to the wall just about the fireplace mantle. Music played that sounded a bit like the upbeat tunes they played after the formal portion of the Triwizard Tournament Ball came to an end. Draco couldn't be certain, he had been one to stick around to join the mass of students and their so called alternative idea of 'dancing'. Jumping about was definitely not dancing.
Remembering he saw one of the black rectangular objects at the her muggle parents' home he dared to ask her, "What is that?" as he took a seat on the far end of the couch that did not have the blanket thrown over the back and a glass of wine half drank awaiting on the closest area of the coffee table to that sitting space.
Hermione stood rather unsure what to do. It had been quite a while since she'd had such an unfamiliar guest in her home. She fidgeted as Draco made himself comfortable. She of course perked up when he asked about the muggle device. "Oh that? Well I don't use it much other than watching movies," she said, but then realized something and shook her head, "Wait, you're probably not familiar with in home movies or a television set, are you?" She sat down on the couch, wrapping herself again in the blanket. "You know how we have moving pictures? Well muggles have figured out how to create something similar." Hermione explained briefly about the history of muggle technology pertaining to the television in question, when Reginald made his way through the window. The owl dropped off two return letters before landing on his usual perch above the couch in the corner of the room.
"Oh Reginald, what wonderful timing! Such a good owl!" Hermione went into the adjacent kitchen to fetch her little friend a treat. The owl turned to Draco just as she disappeared. The bird momentarily glared at him with a shake of ruffling his body to enhance his plum of feathers, but then relaxed.
Draco was awestruck at the complexity of the device Granger called a Television. It was like moving pictures that the wizarding world used, but different. Almost better, in a way. He watched in absolute puzzlement as she showed him something called a 'movie', another called a 'television show', and last 'live tv'. It was all very peculiar. For a moment he wondered if Arthur Weasley knew of these devices with various options of moving pictures. Then Reginald made his appearance, carrying a letter on each leg. It appeared both Unspeakables had answered her message in a quick manner. Draco eyes the somewhat ghastly looking bird and slipped his hand into his pocket. Apparently he still had a bit of biscuit from his meeting with the Granger's earlier. He gave the owl the small parcel of biscuit and removed the letters from the owl's leg. He left the one from Levina Monkstanley sealed and opened the envelope from Saul Croaker. It read:
Dear Ms. Granger,
It was rather an unexpected delight to receive a letter from one of the wizarding world's most famous witches. It would be my honor to grant you and audience with me and my co-worker Levina Monkstanley in the privacy of my home. I know not what you desire from us, only know that there are certain things we are not allowed to speak of. If the right questions are asked, you may be able to find your answers.
It was concluded with his signature, address, and a meeting time the following day.
Draco's curiosity with the muggle technology amused Hermione. The subtle look on his face of being intrigued; she couldn't help but smile about. Hermione left and returned with Reginald's reward, a chewy pellet made from bits of field mouse and various other ingredients healthy for owls. "Oh? He let you take one of the letters? He must really like you then; it's rare he warms up to strangers this quickly." She tossed Reginald the pellet and he caught it with his beak. Hermione clapped, "Good boy Reginald!" and scratched his feathers underneath his beak a moment before sitting back down. "Let's see what Miss Monkstanley said," She voiced as she unrolled the letter.
Levina Monkstanley said about the same thing, how happy she was to have Hermione write her, how glad she'd be to help within the restraints of her position and that she spoke with Saul and came to agreement about the meeting place and time. "Well that was easier than I expected. I keep kind of forgetting that I'm a bit famous in the wizarding world." Hermione voiced sounding a bit embarrassed. In school she hadn't felt popular. Aside from Harry and Ron, only a couple of other students came to her for help with their subjects, even and older student one time. If anything, she often felt persecuted because of how excelled in classes or the fact that she was muggle-born. The biggest perpetrator being in the same room was a little strange feeling. 'But then, people to do change I suppose.' She thought to herself, reflecting on her interactions with Draco as of late.
"Nothing to do now but wait. Shall I make us supper? Or do you have plans elsewhere?" She asked Draco. She wasn't looking forward to another evening alone, but would understand if he had another business to attend to now that they knew when and where they were going to contact the Unspeakables in person.
Draco decided it was best not to inform her that he had bribed the owl with a bit of biscuit in order to retrieve the letters. "Just a bit? You sure are humble about saving the Wizarding World of England. It's hard to estimate how much resistance or effect Voldemort would have had against other countries." Draco voiced as a matter of fact. He figured Voldemort certainly would have had Bulgaria on his side. Durmstrang's headmaster, Igor Kakaroff, was a past supporter of him. Draco recalled how Bulgaria's World Quidditch team Seeker, Viktor Krum had taken a fancy to Hermione during the Triwizard Tournament. 'Perhaps the Seeker wasn't as daft as I initially thought.' Draco thought to himself.
Her mentioning of dinner suddenly reminded him just how famished he was feeling. Although the idea of joining her for dinner was appealing, the odd music and blanket reminded him that she would probably rather not have company this evening. "Another time perhaps. I should go visit my mother. I'll see you tomorrow at the meeting place." He stated standing up and made his way to the door to replace his shoes and his suit jacket. He gave her a nod in final farewell and apparated out of the residence.
"Oh, ok." Hermione said slightly disappointed. "Oh! Since you'll be visiting your family, could you take this to Teddy for me?" She went over to the cabinet under the record player and retrieved a small box. "He had begged me for something from one of my excavations that I didn't have to turn over to Gringotts. I found the perfect cube of iron pyrite on my last excavation." She opened the box displayed the small cube and a piece of parchment with information about the mineral. "It's appealing to the eye and I've included some information about iron pyrite, why it looks like gold, its molecular structure, and so forth." She handed Draco Teddy's gift and waved goodbye, "See you tomorrow morning then."
As Draco disappeared, she felt quite alone again. She finished her glass of wine and was joined by Crookshanks. He looked up at her as if to say in silent discontent, 'you were gone for two weeks, you don't come looking for me right away, and you brought that blond ninny home?' "Oh Crookshanks, I'm sorry." Hermione stroked his fur and he immediately started purring in reconciliation. Once done appeasing the half cat half kneazle Hermione reached for parchment and quill, of which she had many about her home to use in spur of the moment and tried to think of questions that the Unspeakables would be able to answer. If she interpreted correctly what Saul said in his response, she'd have to word her questions properly as to get a beneficial response from them. She spend the rest of the evening doing so, pausing to pet Crookshanks. Only when the hour was late did she realize she hadn't eaten and went to the kitchen to eat something. Only to realize because of her weeks of work travel she had deliberately left for such an excavation with her kitchen with only non perishable pantry foods. "Good thing Draco didn't' stay for dinner." She mumbled to herself.
Draco apparated directly into Malfoy Manor without restriction. The familiar scent of home filled his being when he arrived. The scent of wood burning smoke from numerous fireplaces in use. A subtle citrus aroma from the cleaning supplies that was used to wipe down surface areas to remain them dust free. The essence of a delightful aroma cooking from the kitchen.
He headed to the dining hall and found not only his mum but his Aunt Andromeda too. "Draco darling, what a pleasant surprise! I did not expect you." Narcissa said as he approached to give her a hug. "I am in the area on business. Thought it would be best to visit at least one night before work takes me elsewhere." He explained. A house elf readied a place for him to dine with his family. "So you do much traveling with your career Draco? As I recall you study Alchemy in Egypt?" Aunt Andromeda asked. Teddy came barreling into the room. "Draco! You're back! It's not even a holiday. Did you bring me something?" The six year old cousin asked ever so excited.
"As a matter of fact I have brought you a gift." Draco told the lad as he slipped out of his jacket pocket the small box that contained the iron pyrite. Teddy's eyes got wide as he opened the box. "Blimey! It's gold! Thanks Draco." Draco shook his head, "Iron pyrite, actually. And don't thank me. Next time you see Granger, thank her. It's a gift from her. I'm just passing it on." Teddy nodded his head vigorously, "I will."
That certainly got his mum and Aunt puzzled. "Granger, as in Hermione Granger?" Andromeda asked. "Yes, I have been on assignment to assist her with a current excavation mission the past few days. We needed to return to London for some information. So she asked me to give Teddy her gift for him." Draco explained. Meanwhile Teddy was doing his six year old best to read the information about the pyrite from the parchment. "Gran, did you know that the common name of iron pyrite is 'fool's gold'?" He asked her. "Is that so? No wonder the goblins have no desire for it." Andromeda answered Teddy, and helped him pronounce the word molecular and other difficult words within the informational page of parchment.
That evening Draco retired to his old room. It felt like he was visiting the living space of a different person. An autographed poster of the entire Bulgarian Quidditch team was on the wall from the World Cup back in summer, just before fourth year of school. The display of Slytherin house pride memorabilia on another wall. While both of those things were a part of him, it seemed like a distant memory. The past five years had been learning of Alchemy and perfecting the universal solvent. It wasn't just his knowledge and skills in alchemy that had developed in those five years. It seemed that he had developed in ways words couldn't describe.