Her Name is Hope
Seventh Year: Part 2
Hermione's eyebrow rose as she stared her brother down across the desk. He had called her into the small study fifteen minutes prior, and had yet to utter more than a half aborted sentence followed by a sigh. After his sixth attempt she wasn't sure if she should smack him or check for a fever. Regardless, this conversation was going nowhere and she had presents under her bed waiting to be wrapped. Christmas Eve had arrived, and she had more pressing things to puzzle about. Like why was Cissa giving her sly looks all day and where was Lily sending Gemini off to at odd hours.
She turned to leave, when Lucius stood up and came around the desk to clasp her hand in his.
"Little Rose, I just-" He sighed again and Hermione decided in that moment his new keeper gloves would be chucked under the tree untagged- whoever found them first could keep them.
"Did I ever tell you what memory I used all those years ago when I achieved my first patronus in Helga's Army?"
Hermione blanched and wrinkled her nose, "I don't want to hear about your broom closet adventures any more than I want to hear about Bella's." She tried to pull away, having gotten The Talk years ago and not wanting an awkward repeat from her brother. Mama's had been embarrassing enough, and her father's excruciating attempt was best left unmentioned.
Lucius' grip tightened as he spluttered, "No, I would never- Bella!- What closet escapades?! Wait, no. Don't side track me; this is hard enough."
He touched his forehead to their hands, asking Merlin for mercy as he focused himself. He let out a steadying breath.
"My dear sister, while I find Cissa's- rare- untoward advances enlightening," he plowed on ignoring Hermione's strangled sound, "That was not the memory behind my patronus."
He paused.
"Do you remember when you were sick with the fever as a child?"
Hermione shook her head, curious. While childhood memories had trickled in after her re-injection into the timeline; the murte pox was too hazy to recall. The fever probably partly to blame.
"I spent hours everyday hiding in the pantry, trying not to cry. I was so scared; Papa and I both were. He had bolted your room, so I couldn't sneak in to sit with you. I had thought at the time it was cruel, but with age I realized he was worried I would catch it too, or witness the moment you died." His breath caught in his throat for but a moment as he continued, "The doctor had come to visit again, and I was spying on their conversation in the study. He said you were going to die, Mama too. Papa's face was the coldest I'd ever seen. I rushed upstairs blinded by grief. Papa was chasing after me, and in my panic and my desire to see you one last time," his voice cracked,"I turned to run to your room. Even though I knew the door was locked."
Hermione held her breath; she'd never heard this story before from either Lucius or Papa- they never talked of those days.
"As I turned, a flood of magic rushed down the hall towards me, as if a golden wave breaking from your closed doorway. It bore down on me as I braced my arms against it. My vision and senses were suddenly eclipsed with magic- I was sure it would drown me, but instead it enveloped me gently- a soft moment where time seemed to pause. And through the silence I heard a woman's voice as if spoken in prayer 'Have faith.'"
He looked his sister hard in the eye," And in that moment, for the first time in my life, I understood hope."
"Hope is powerful. It keeps you fighting when it would be easier to surrender. It lifts you up when you are sure you're at your end." He leaned down to brush a stray tear from Mione's face, "It holds back the night- just as you always have.
"Which is why we all guard you close, and why this has been so difficult- for me most of all." He leaned forward and placed a kiss on her forehead, "Merry Christmas Little Rose."
He pushed a piece of paper into her hand as he walked swiftly past her to the door.
Mione blinked back further tears as she looked down to study its contents- a soft gasp escaping her mouth- a marriage contract with Lucius' looping signature as head of the family at the bottom.
She turned and rushed to catch her brother- emotions overwhelming her and her voice too strangled to call for him. As she passed the doorway into the hall a hand snagged her. She turned and looked into blue eyes.
"Only if you're ok with it my Lady, of course."
Mione nodded face red, amber eyes alight. Fabian grinned crookedly, swooping down to seal his lips over hers. She closed her eyes, leaning into his frame with the kiss. He sighed contently as he deepened the kiss, a ring sliding stealthily onto her finger.
-#-
The Magic Time Forgot
-#-
"Get the cup they said- it will be easy they said!"
The twins slumped down on a couch in the library New Year's Eve, Regulus groaning in remembrance as he leaned against the overstuffed arm spinning the cursed trinket in his hand.
"Did you take polyjuice to disguise yourselves as death eaters? Get found out, were trapped in the lower levels of Gringotts then crashed your way out on a half-starved dragon?"
They stared at her in disbelief and horror, "... No…"
Hermione raised an eyebrow then turned her attention back to her book, "Well then gentlemen, it sounds like it was pretty easy to me."
Lucius groaned as he sat at the desk eyeing the other four occupants. He wished Lady Bones was there to help him with these ingrates, but she was off with Edgar's family for the night.
Regulus huffed, marching forward to smack the cup down on the desk in front of them, "Well Ms Smarty Witch, now that we have another acquired, what are you going to do to destroy it? It's not like we have-" he stopped to pull the burning galleon out of his pocket. Severus was alerting him to junior death eater business. "I have to go. I'll pass any information I find out via Sirius once the school year continues."
Hermione's look turned calculating as she eyed the horcrux while Regulus left via floo. They were trusting her with their secrets, maybe it was time to trust them with hers. "Were you aware the founders were able to build and defend Hogwarts because they successfully wielded Battle Magic?"
The temperature in the room dropped several degrees as Lucius and Fabian turned to look at her with a terrible mix of fear and displeasure. Well the cat was out of the bag now, time to fess up to her own dangerous dabblings. This conversation was not going to go well.
It took her ten minutes to get them to stop shouting, although the frosty silence afterwards was perhaps worse. Gideon had gone from perplexed to furious once he'd keyed in on Bella being culpable in her scheme.
"Have you lost your collective minds?" Fabian finally hissed into the silence, rising from the sofa, hands flexing, "We have bled- your parents even died- to find horcruxes and end the reign of a rising dark lord. All to protect you. And here you are plotting silently behind our backs to end yourselves in a blaze of foolhardy hubris. Hermione it's suicide!"
Hermione stepped into his personal space, chin jutting out as she stared him down, amber eyes flashing, "How dare you! As if you can lock us away in a tower while the world burns around us."
"We would have you safe!" Lucius snapped
"You would have us caged!" Hermione spat back.
Fabian visibly shook as he glared down at her; restraining himself from either gathering her into his arms or shaking sense into her he wasn't sure. "This has nothing to do with you fighting; we know you're all going to join the war whether we like it or not. Hell, I knew that when you were a bloody 2nd year, long before you created Helga's Army. It's the Battle Magics that we have an issue with Hermione, and you know it." Fabian lowered his voice, still accusatory, "There are no records of its successful casting, only theoretical concepts drawn from lore of its supposed use in ancient society- if it's even real at all. Everyone knows how Merlin died! And every other witch and wizard who attempted such recklessness throughout the ages since- trying to harness a hypothetical power predating records. Even Voldemort only plays with the bastardized fiendfyre. He wouldn't risk trying the real thing and that psycho made horcruxes."
Hermione shut down and made to brush past him to the door- this conversation was no longer salvageable. He reached out, snagging her shoulder in a firm yet gentle grip Hermione was unable to shrug off.
"So what?" Bella demanded, pushing her way into the room from where she'd been listening against the door, Amei nearly meeting the floor as she was forcefully overbalanced beside her. "We're adults, we know the risks."
"You could die Bella," Gideon snarled, panic in his voice.
Bella waved him off, obstinate, "No we won't, the way the founders wielded it is different from Merlin and the others. By harnessing it jointly as they did, we've been able-"
Lucius' voice came out strangled, "You mean to say this isn't some hypothetical future scheme, but something you're actively pursuing?"
Bella turned to the desk, glaring at the horcrux on the surface. That was the only warning Hermione had as she felt Bella's magic lance through her, unspooling her own and tugging it along with Amelia's through their connection. She was caught too off guard to halt it before Bella gave a quick jab of her wand and the desk and horcrux were incinerated.
Hermione gave their friend a withering look, squashing Bella's access to her and Amei's magic.
Amelia clutched her chest from the sudden surge and drain of power, her tight voice cutting across the stunned silence, "A little warning next time- or are you trying to make Mione a squib!"
The wails of Tom's dying soul were merely background noise as the room devolved once more into chaos.
-#-
The Magic Time Forgot
-#-
Hermione muttered to herself as she threw another useless trinket behind her from the cupboard she was digging through. They'd been hunting for days in the Room of Requirements, now the Room of Hidden Things, or as Bella called it - the Room of Utter Junk.
"Ugh!" Bella huffed from several feet away as she rifled through the drawers in a heap of broken desks. "Another drawer filled with sludge- this desk had to belong to a boy. Disgusting! A lady would never allow such an unkempt work environment."
Lily tittered from a wardrobe nearby, only her feet and legs visible as she was buried under old robes as she felt along the back for hidden compartments. "When Madam I'm-a-lady-not-a-professor Umbridge retires- or the rest of the staff finally find a way to drive her out- you should apply for her job. You'd make it so much more interesting!" She grunted as she struggled to gain her footing and disentangle herself from the wardrobe. "Or, at the very least you'd make it memorable."
"When your tongue is down the throat of your future Lord, make sure the broom closet is securely locked," Amelia chimed in from a stack of busted school trunks, "A lady never kisses and tells, let alone kisses and shows!"
"Why I've never-"
"Alas, if only she wasn't such a terrible cook- she'd burn down the whole castle! She'll have to get a house elf to teach the cooking portions."
"I was raised in an ancient and noble house! Of course I wasn't taught to use an oven; I'm not a-"
"SCULLERY MAID!" The other girls shouted in unison.
Bella clucked her tongue and went back to the task at hand, cheeks red.
The girls continued their hunt.
"How goes your project by the way?" Amelia called out a while later.
Lily paused in her search to give the question some consideration. She was enjoying the complexity and heart of the project- creating magical, muggle friendly aids to help clean a home- yet her partner left her pulling her hair out.
Professor Flitwick had been elated when she'd thought up the project as a way to honor Charles' dogged dedication to aid his mundane mother in the house with magic. And Tuney's excitement when she shared the idea with her was just the icing on the cauldron cake. However, she was hoping to partner the project with James before Zabini had cut in and convinced the good professor that his skills were a better match.
She sighed, "We've charmed the broom to self-sweep and the sponge to fill with soap and wash up, but there are still glitches. The sponge rings itself out over your head if you accidentally step on it while it cleans the floors!"
"Hmmm… I'd heard the broom was pushy and chased Anthony around the room for fifteen minutes."
Lily smirked, "That may have more to do with Zabini getting on my nerves and less about the broom." She grumbled to herself, "He's practically rabid about working on this project- as if I don't have Head Girl responsibilities at all!"
Hermione snorted, Lily wasn't half as excited about her Head Girl responsibilities these days as she was about whom she got to spend them with. Which was the crux of the problem: Anthony was obviously doing his best to sabotage the newfound relationship. Dragging Lily off to work on the project whenever James headed her way or randomly showing up as a third wheel on their rounds to discuss cleaning supplies. And in one memorable instance he had put a same pole magnetizing spell on the two tentative lovebirds so they automatically repelled each other when they got too close. All no doubt for Severus' sake who had to be gutted by this latest development.
Hermione cringed, chucking aside several dirty ink wells as she scoured a set of trunks next to Bella. Lily was a terrible actress who wore her heart on her sleeve, so she remained firmly in the dark about Sev's true loyalties- at the risk of James swooping in and stealing her away. Hermione was stricken with anxiety from the whole debacle, Harry hung in the balance and yet Sev's haunted eyes and Lily's still tear-stained pillow were unmistakable. All the while, James was growing on her too- like devils snare.
She glanced towards Amelia who was balanced precariously on a pile of busted furniture, scouting out the next aisle over. Over the holidays Amei had broken down randomly in fits of sobbing all about the house, lamented with Lily in their joint grief, and cursed Regs in fits and bursts. However, Hermione had caught her humming to herself, while straightening her dress and brushing out her hair in the mirror about an hour after Regs had discreetly dropped intel with Lucius and supposedly left. She probably would never have put the two pieces together if not for a disgusted Sirius who'd been stuck scrubbing pots with them in Slughorn's lab after Regs had passed him information under the guise of a hallway brawl. Apparently, Amei and Regs were trading vicious spellfire in the corridors by day to make out in detention by night. Hermione was never playing poker with either of them- they obviously played for keeps.
"Over here! I think I found it." Lily was waving a dingy tiara in the air. Hermione felt relief rush through her- Ravenclaw's diadem. Just the ring and a snake to go.
-#-
The Magic Time Forgot
-#-
The girls had finished their preparations for the graduation ceremony. Giggling and shoving each other playfully as they danced about their dorm for the last time. The worn Beatles posters were all taken down, letters and notes tucked safely into trunks along with the many pictures of their years together which had been on full display just hours before. Gemini fluttered gently about the room while Amos and Anthony played wizarding chess on the floor, the sponge from the infamous charms project scrubbing various surfaces while Zabini shot suspicious looks at the broom self sweeping a bit too close for comfort.
Hermione paused by the window taking it all in for the last time when there was a knock upon the door, a voice calling through.
"All clear to enter?"
The students called back in the affirmative, and the door opened to reveal Professor Havens and his small family smiling warmly at the scene before him.
"Ahh, here everyone is!" He walked in with his infant daughter, Nadine, in his arms and Marie grinning broadly beside him. "We wanted to take just a moment to send you all off in private."
His face took on a grave expression, "To begin, I must state I'd never been more concerned about a group of first years before in my, admittedly, short tenure here…" the girls groaned in remembrance, Amos chortled heartily as Anthony snickered. "And yet," Havens continued with a beaming smile, "I've never been more proud of a set of seventh years as I am today.
"You've demonstrated unprecedented loyalty, hard work, and ingenuity- proven we always have the capability to grow and change." He cleared his throat, "Sadly, not all of you made it through to this moment, but you do Charles' memory proud. His voice cracked, "Our house proud."
He looked down at his daughter, "Nadine is here because you don't turn away from those in trouble, and for that you have our sincerest gratitude. You've brought hope to us in dark times."
The sponge paused in its scrubbing to blow a shower of bubbles for the baby's delight before continuing with its work. Those gathered laughed and tittered, the heavier emotions of the moment alleviated.
Another knock sounded on the door and a house elf poked her head through. "Headmaster to see the soons-be Lady Prewett."
Hermione groaned. Gideon had gotten the castle elves to address Bella as such in fifth year, much to their amusement, but since Christmas someone had convinced them to call her the same way- she suspected Amos. It had caused some confusion to be sure when they visited the kitchens, and the elves struggled to find the best words to delineate.
"Which one?"
"The lady whose marry the handsomer twin."
Bella jostled Hermione aside as she made her way towards the door.
"Oh no miss." The elf demurred with a faint blush, "The other soons-be Lady Prewett."
Bella huffed indignantly as the elf ducked quickly back out of the room; Amos and Anthony whooped with laughter. She pointed her wand and the self-cleaning broom lunged forward, aggressively sweeping the boys out of the room.
Hermione noted Professor Havens' perplexed look when he mumbled "jelly babies" her way as she headed out of the room- she was puzzled too. Seven years in the school and he summons her for the first time on her last day? Curious.
She made her way through the castle, keeping in mind Amos' whisper of jelly babies. She ignored the glare from the youngest Lestrange as she passed him in the hallway outside the headmaster's office. She muttered the password to the statue and took the stairs up into the office, stepping inside for the first time this era.
She examined the odd baubles and gadgets whirling on the desk and various shelves as she waited for the headmaster to return. A sneak scope that seemed to be in full swing caught Hermione's attention and as she went to reach for it, she heard rustling from behind her.
"Ahhh, the daughter of Helga with the heart of a lioness." The Sorting Hat unfurled in place, like a cat in the sun. "Fierce and loyal. It would seem Helga gave you her secret, yes?"
Hermione queried her brow and gave a tentative nod.
"Excellent- come now the time is at hand. Godric wants to share his own gift on this auspicious day, and sadly, I fear it will not just be decoration." A jewel glinted beneath the brim, "Quickly now, young lady Malfoy."
Hermione reached forward and pulled out a sheathed sword with a ruby pommel, nearly dropping it once she realized what she held.
"I can't wield a sword- let alone this sword. Besides, fencing is the sport of Lords, not Ladies."
The dusty hat chuckled, "Since when has that stopped you?"
Hermione went to unsheathe it and was embarrassed when it did not budge from its scabbard. The hat grinned, "Don't falter now, hold fast to it. It will aid you when the time is right."
"Fascinating."
Hermione yelped as she spun around sword before her like a club. Dumbledore stood by his desk looking more perplexed than normal. Fawkes flew in from the window- probably returning from a hunt- and his entrance shook the headmaster out of his stupor. He sat and eyed her over his spectacles as he gestured to the seat in front of his desk. She gave Fawkes' friendly trill a soft smile as she sat, declining the offer of lemon drops. She had liked them in her past life, but her appearance hadn't been the only change.
He leaned towards her, fingers steepled, as he assessed her. Her build was slender, her face young and innocent hiding a brilliant mind, but her eyes. The golden eyes of an oracle, ancient and strong from her mother's line. His hand trembled when his gentle touch to her mind was met with nothing for the thousandth time- she was a fated. For ill or good he wasn't sure.
He cleared his throat, "Ms Malfoy, you have been a puzzle to me all these years. The child of one ancient twisted family nurtured by the love of the other. When people's paths intersect with yours, theirs are forever changed, while yours remains constant- yet your trajectory shrouded." His hand tightened, "You are an enigma."
Hermione locked her gaze with his, magic prickling under her skin. His power hummed in the air about him, and hers rose to meet it. The tension was thick and his hand itched towards his wand.
McGonagall swung the door shut with a clang behind her. She moved in like a thundercloud, "The ceremony is starting any moment and the headmaster is nowhere to be fou- Put your wand away Albus!"
She moved between her student and the headmaster, slamming her hands on the desk. "Have you lost your senses?"
Dumbledore glowered, "I'm trying to determine where she falls in all of this. She's meddling with fate itself. Every time something queer has happened over the past seven years she's in the midst." He popped a lemon drop, crunching it harshly. "Wild sortings, feuds between historic allies, pureblood females dueling in DA-" he held up a hand to McGonagall's sputtering, "You know I'm pleased with that development, just noting the change. Students dying within these halls, battles with death eaters in the streets, and the list goes on. And every time I look up there she is."
He glared at her, "Who are you Ms Malfoy? I've watched you for years and the only thing I'm certain of is you are no child. Show yourself!"
Hermione stood up, ignoring the chair clattering to the ground. She didn't notice the tears streaking down her face as she stood across from a man she had admired in her previous life, "You want to see me?! Then see me."
She turned her amber eyes on him and pushed into his mind. He lurched back in his seat as he was inundated with a life not his own. He was under a cloak with two others sneaking past a three-headed dog, locked eyes with a basilisk in a mirror, felt the powerful wings of a hippogriff uncoil, and fought for his life in the Ministry. He stole moments of her in his office talking with another version of him, a funeral, riding a dragon, Hogwarts falling down around him. He felt hope and despair as he witnessed Minerva hurl the muggleborn into her correct timestream- the green eyed boy reaching for her as they both disappeared. In an instant he lived years from a life that never was.
Professor Dumbledore collapsed into his chair, older than he had been a moment before. He put his head in his hands and wept for his student.
He gestured blindly to his old friend. "She deserves to know."
McGonagall sat down hard on the desk a few moments after golden eyes turned on her, "Impossible, it's like it all happened inside my head."
"Why should that mean it's not real?" Dumbledore queried.
Minerva sighed as she added these borrowed memories into the puzzle that was her student, mentally surveying the completed picture. She knew there had always been something about Ms Malfoy, an erstwhile suspicion that had bloomed into a soft affection.
"You know, I feel like you cheated out all of your peers for top marks- you had an unprecedented advantage." She tsked, " I might have to deduct points; would cost Hufflepuff the cup."
Hermione snorted, a wet laugh, "In all fairness, I had been the top in my year my first time through as well, and this was my only time taking seventh year." A ghost of a smile appeared on her face.
Dumbledore looked up, the long lost twinkle back in his eye, " Well then, I guess we can let it slide this once. I trust-" he wheezed. "Trus-" he cut off again.
Hermione reached forward, "Professor?"
Fawkes shrieked leaving his perch as Dumbledore choked. His eyes widened on the bowl of sweets as he shoved it off his desk. The bowl broke and the lemon drops scattered across the floor. Too tart to taste the poison.
"Albus!" McGonagall cast a rapid succession of healing charms with no effect.
He grabbed the sleeve of her robes as he fell.
"Albus! Please, Albus!" Minerva collapsed next to him, trying to find a pulse. Her hand skittering close to the candies.
"Don't touch them," Hermione yelped, knocking her hand away, "They're deadly."
"How? Who could have done this."
Hermione remembered passing Lestrange in the hallway and grabbed the desk to dry heave. It was happening, all over again. Different paths, same fate.
There was a pounding on the door, Regulus bursting through with Snape. "Deatheaters," he wheezed, "In the castle!"
Severus stared down in horror at Dumbledore reaching blindly for McGonagall. "Professor please, we need help. They're pouring in- we need you."
Minerva gathered herself. She would mourn when this was all over; for now she had to be strong. She stood tall- Scottish grit- her imposing countenance returning.
"Come children, we have to get to the ceremony."
Hermione grabbed the sword and slung it across her back, racing after them down the corridors, the halls ominously quiet. Just the click of their shoes.
"Professor," Hermione huffed as they cleared a corner by the Charms classroom, "Do you trust me?"
"Always, apparently."
"When we get to the Great Hall, find my brother. He can manipulate the castle wards."
Minerva skidded to a halt, just a few hundred feet from the entry, "What?!"
Hermione sprinted past her, heading for the doors, "It was in the book you lent me. A Malfoy was contracted by the founders to create the Hogwart wards when Helga died." She glanced back at her professor, "It's our family magic!"
Mione burst through the doors just behind the two boys, almost barreling them over.
"Avada Kedavra!"
A green light sped towards the Head Girl from the crowd while she was giving her speech.
"LILY!"
AN: Wow, did not expect it to take me almost seven years to get back to this. I'm so sorry! This chapter did not want to come together- I've come back to it several times over the years with minimal success. And frankly life happened: I met someone, got married, and started my own crazy family. Not to mention those insane COVID years... I hope all of you reading have had wonderful memories made in the past few years, and for those going through difficult times: please hold on- the storm will pass.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I am determined to get this story done in 2025; just one chapter and the epilogue to go!