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Hermione took a moment to look away from the legalese she had been perusing to look at George.
George stood, leaning against a doorway with some muggle crisps, looking back and forth between Hermione and Ron.
Swallowing, George repeats himself, “So, Harry hasn’t mentioned any relationships he may be having? Any recent relationships?”
Hermione would be happy, oh she would if the news wasn’t coming at the smile of her beloved in-law and owner of the recently only magical joke shop in the British Isles. The last time he had that smile was with the news of Ron mixing up the snacks with untested products and had a small vacation at St. Mungo’s and changing genders.
Honestly, Harry having a relationship with someone is something a long time coming. If Hermione had a larger pool of friends she might have attempted playing matchmaker herself, but with how the last relationship ended Hermione hadn’t entertained the idea of playing matchmaker.
“Who,” asks a quiet Hermione, dread filling her soul at George’s cheshire smile.
“Mow,” George says before swallowing his food, “This is second handed information from someone that may have seen something at a party that could be mistaken-”
“Was it Millicent again,” Ron interrupted.
“Our business relationship continues to grow, Ronald, please show some maturity about this,” George continues. “Anyways, I was told that Harry had been attending a Gala for St. Mungo’s promotion of a few apothecaries. And was seen leaving just after a mishap with a much older woman.”
An older woman. Hermione wasn’t sure how to parse that bit. Hermione wouldn’t say she’s a socialite, but she would be pressed to say she knew many women outside of the Ministry, and few were both older and single nowadays.
Ron taps his drink in thought, “Alright, what kind of mishap are we talking about? And who’s the lady?”
George’s smile only grew wider, “Oh the mishap is a simple spilled drink. Harry started talking up this old bird and he does it fairly often at the galas, so this might not be a new thing going on for him. But what’s new is that they were seen. Harry had spilled his drink when she gave him a squeeze.”
Ron and Hermione share a look.
“She gave the snake a squeeze.”
Ron took a moment to slowly drink the rest of his gin.
Hermione completely forgot what paperwork she had been handling as she tries to parse through what George said.
“George,” Hermione tries again, “Who?”
“Narcissa Malfoy,” George comments casually.
Casually.
George casually informs Harry’s friends that he may be having an affair with Narcissa Malfoy, mother of Draco Malfoy who continues campaigning against any legislation that has Hermione’s name attached to it.
Legislation about civil rights for intelligent beings, not creatures.
Also it’s Draco’s mother.
No one spoke until Hermione finally broke the silence.
“I’m going to need to talk to him,” Hermione states, chewing on her words.
“Crazy, bloody, git, doing Merlin knows what,” Ron mutters into freshly procured glass of gin.
George’s smile grows wider, “Do you know they announced Draco and Astoria’s betrothal at the same gala?”
Hermione needed the bottle of gin more than Ron, which is why she stole it.
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“How long has this been happening?”
Harry hasn’t looked like a scolded child in quite a while. Four years as an Auror and almost complete for the qualifications for a Hit Wizard, Harry looks a very capable wizard and his celebrity and infamy gives him a history of not being someone to cross.
“Well?”
Hermione is one of the few people that can push through every defense he has.
“It- It really wasn’t planned,” Harry hisses out, trying to resist backing away in his own home.
“Harry,” his best friend starts, “My work, is being hampered, by Draco and his lot. A lot of things are getting passed, but the next bills are the ones that matter. Any scandal, any debacle, any discrediting event, any excuse and they’ll try and turn anyone they could against you and the rest of us.”
Harry nods, to show he’s listening.
“So please tell me how this is happening?”
Harry taps his heel a few times before answering.
“On, uh, Thursday, that was the first time that happened.” Hermione demanded more with a look. “We’ve talked a lot over the past couple of years, and she, we,” Harry laughs weakly. “She’s become the outcast of that group and she’s kinda pissed off about that.”
“So what is this then,” Hermione asks, slightly less demanding, “Revenge sex?”
“Basically. She had started complaining about Draco giving in to his peerage. Like, they're trying to get their influence back and apparently they're using Narcissa as a scapegoat. I think her words, uh, just before she made it clear what she wanted with me, were ‘Do you want to do something to really infuriate him?'” Harry laughs, “And then uh, yeah waited until he was looking at us and she told me to follow her.”
Hermione chuckles lowly, her eyes distant, “Wow. He chased away his own mother.”
The two orphans thought on that fact.
“Harry,” Hermione softly speaks, “Two years ago you testified against Draco’s incarceration. I know you did it because she saved you, but I have to ask. Is this going to be a thing?”
Harry shrugs, “None of this was planned, Mione. I, I’m not planning on it.”
Hermione sighs, “I’m going to talk to Susan and Greengrass then, I’m gonna try to plan around the possible fallout.”
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Three months later Harry commented during a luncheon that “it’s a thing.”
Hermione was found at home with a new bottle of gin.
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Hermione debates the merits of a provisional line on some document with Susan Bones when Daphne Greengrass blurts out “We’re dating.”
The table goes quiet as Susan, Hannah, Kingsley, Bulstrode, McDougal and a few others all turn to listen to whatever is happening around Hermione.
“I’m not gay,” comments Hermione causing some good natured snickers around the table, most people remember Lovegood’s proposition. Susan was very open about trying to help the blonde one if Hermione was shy. It didn’t work out on the account that Hermione is still with Ron. This was something Greengrass definitely knew.
Greengrass snorts, “I'm sorry, I was too blunt. Harry and I are dating.”
Hermione gives Greengrass her full attention.
“Oh, and how has this come about?”
Daphne politely examines Hermione. “Has Harry not talked about the House of Black?”
Hermione blinks, “I... I don’t think we’ve ever talked about that.”
Clicking her tongue, Daphne continues, “I think you knew more than he did during Hogwarts. Anyways, The House of Black is about to be foreclosed by Gringotts and an extinction notice has been put out to the associated parties. Harry might be able to claim the Black Lordship, but he’ll have to get married to someone with appropriate blood ties to the Black Family within the year.”
Daphne gestures to herself.
Hermione groans.
Susan taps the table for some slight attention. “You do know Harry has regular trysts with-”
“Narcissa Malfoy, yes I know. She introduced us.”
Someone choked on their drink.
“I’ve heard first hand accounts. They’re quite titillating.”
Most of the men leave awkwardly.
Hannah Abbot casts a few belated privacy spells.
Hermione takes a moment to respond, “Why are you telling me?”
Daphne tuts at Hermione before responding, “Because you’re his best friend, even if he’s openly had relationships with a few other women in this room one time or another.” Hermione’s clenches her teeth as a few girls fidget. “I figured you should know the whole story as soon as possible.”
“Oh? And why hasn’t Harry told me?”
Daphne, clearly enjoying herself with swinging legs, responds “We’ve only been dating for two weeks, I think that’s long enough for us to know we don’t hate each other and are going to try to be a couple. Besides, I see you more often than he sees you, that’s why I’m telling you.”
Sighing, Hermione Granger stands up, “Thank you for notifying me about this.”
“Also I was told by Narcissa that Lucius Malfoy’s parole is coming and he’ll be getting out of Azkaban soon.”
Susan Bones, the Head Auror of Investigations, nearly throws her chair standing “WHAT PAROLE!? HE HAD A LIFE SENTENCE! IT’S ONLY BEEN FIVE YEARS!”
Daphne, unperturbed, nods, “Yes, Narcissa was curious about that as well.”
Hermione starts walking away, “Well thank you very much, Daphne for that tidbit. I’ll have to go have a few words with Legal.”
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Hermione, Daphne, Harry and Narcissa spent an entire gala together. It was a very curious evening where Hermione bore witness to Narcissa waxing morosely about Draco continuing to keep her away, even during his own wedding he had the barest interactions with Narcissa.
Hermione was offended on Narcissa’s behalf, as the thought of abandoning family was abhorrent to herself and Harry, and Daphne goaded Narcissa into expelling more grievances about her family.
“It wasn't always awful, it's not like Lucius ever cheated on me,” before taking another aristocratic sip of fluted wine, her reddening face the only evidence of being inebriated.
Daphne’s eyes have been on Narcissa since they sat down, and her rump planted on Harry’s lap. Occasionally she shifts and Harry let out a low groan that made Hermione uncomfortable and upset that Ron continues to insist he doesn't attend these galas, if only so she could leave properly and maintain her reputation.
She curses Susan Bones and other friends for abandon her this night.
Hermione's musings are interrupted by Harry and Daphne standing and helping Narcissa lean against Harry.
“No, Lord Potter. You should escort a Lady home. I'll be fine with Lady Granger.”
It wasn't even subtle, and Daphne was watching as well as Narcissa’s hand groped Harry's bum in passing before walking with a sway that wasn't in line with drunken antics.
Harry put an arm around her waist and guided her to the Apparation clearing before disappearing with a pop.
Looking to Daphne, Hermione notices how flushed she looks and the way she held her hands.
Hermione is going to blame the alcohol for her next words, but it’s called liquid courage for a reason.
“Are they still sleeping together?”
Daphne tore her attention away from her thoughts.
“Oh, yes they are.”
Daphne simply states sentence, with a twinge of what Hermione suspects is longing. Longing at what, Hermione was scared of learning.
“Did… did you wish to join them?”
Hermione can’t believe she asked that question but here she is.
Daphne’s stiffened response and slight nod floored Hermione. She didn’t know where to go with this conversation.
“Why,” Hermione started, her mouth dry, “Why aren’t you joining them?”
Daphne looks at Hermione, examining her for something and Hermione felt lacking.
“My parents forbid it. I’ll lose the entire Greengrass inheretence if I’m deflowered before I’m betrothed.” Shrugging, she continues, “I’m looking forward to running those businesses.”
Holding back a scowl, Hermione grunts her response. Daphne notices and scoffs in response.
“Do you know why you’ll never remove betrothals from Wizarding culture? Why every pureblood is against that change?” Hermione turns to Daphne, consumed by curiousity. “Because we can feel our children. Our siblings. Our family is always within reach with magic. Not everything,” Daphne addresses, seeing the look Hermione has, “But enough to feel their obligations. Sirius Black was hated because his entire family knew he detested his mother and father with his entire being. Andromeda was vilified because she literally forced them to either accept her wedlock child with a muggleborn man or lose her entirely. We tell muggleborns that magical bonds are very real, but they never know what that means until their firstborn child comes into this world.”
“That’s why betrothals, contracts and foresworn vows exists. Because we can feel them between us, others and our children. You’re never going to get rid of these types of documents just because a few people have abused them. I’m hardly a tortured child, I just have to wait longer.”
Daphne smiles wistfully, “My parents almost sold me off until I convinced them the damage of being seen as immoral beauracrats willing to sell off their children. I’m never going to subject my children to this type of deal.”
Hermione has been a witch for nearly 14 years and sometimes she's reminded there's entire cultural things she'll never know until it's suddenly upon her.
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Hermione looks across the table, being pulled away from her desk for lunch by Harry and Daphne. Daphne, who was glowing with smug pride. Harry has that satisfactory smile that, paired with Daphne’s smile, only means one thing.
Covering her face, Hermione bemoans “Please tell me you cleaned up wherever you had sex.”
Daphne guffawed while Harry is horrified, “Hermione, no, no. I did not- will not have sex in this building.”
“He was very good though, very gentle and endearing.”
Hermione realizes it was Daphne’s day off yesterday.
Trying to bury herself further in her hands, Hermione bemoans at the pair in front of her.
Daphne claps and does a little hop in her seat before quietly announcing, “We’re betrothed!”
Suddenly Hermione’s stress is gone as she looks at Harry and Daphne.
Her best friend. Betrothed.
“I got on my knee first though. Did it the muggle way.”
Fiance.
“Wow.”
Harry had been in unstable relationships ever since he broke up with Ginny. They broke up amicably but her best friend never had any stability in his life and didn’t hold up well for a while. He struggled for a long time going through messy relationship after messy relationship.
“Hermione?”
Merlin. God. Seeing him pull himself together in the pass year was something marvelous.
Harry took Hermione’s hand, “Mione? You alright?”
Hermione realizes she’s crying. She takes his hand and in a crackling voice she confirms what he said.
“You’re getting married?”
Like it’s a question.
Even Daphne’s been in a far better mood over the past few months. They started taking lunches together and Daphne shares what she and Harry talk about, and Hermione supplements her with awkward stories to share with Harry.
They’ve been very good for each other, like two puzzles finally coming together.
Hermione lets out a breath before scrambling around and hugging them both. They laugh together.
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NO! EXPLAIN!”
Hermione is furious, horrified, baffled and other extreme emotions she can’t name in the face of this situation.
This developing situation.
Harry sits there, waiting calmly for Hermione to stop shouting and twitching.
Daphne leans back in the couch at ease with a hapless smile.
Hermione cannot comprehend.
“Please!”
Daphne snorts.
Hermione casts a stinging hex at her, causing Daphne to yelp.
Harry is impassive.
Hermione takes deep breaths to calm down, looking back and forth between the two.
“Your wedding is in a month!”
They both nod sagely.
Hermione collapses in the armchair.
Silence beats between them all.
“Are you done- AGH!” Daphne suffers under another stinging hex.
Hermione had merely raised her wand at the Daphne, and now she settles into the armchair.
Harry sits statuesque.
As the silence settles into something oppressive, Harry breaks it.
“Which part do you want an explanation of?”
Hermione flops her arms weakly, “I, I don’t know. Lucius. Let’s start with Lucius.”
Harry nods, leaning forward.
“So Lucius got out of Azkaban a few months ago. As you know, Draco has been trying to build up his own coalition of supremicists and publicaly not promoting bigotry. Lucius came back and is working with his son, causing a few other suspect Death Eaters to join as well.”
“That has nothing to do with what you told me.”
“I told you the result so you know how’s going to end.”
Hermione scoffs.
“Anyways,” Harry continues, “Lucius is out and the squalors are getting uppity. And STILL they’re following Draco’s cue of just blatantly ignoring Narcissa.”
“Narcissa came to us,” Daphne starts, “asking if the Lord and Lady Black could annul her betrothal contract with House Malfoy under claims of abuse and distress.”
“Okay.”
“Narcissa also is claiming that some of these Pureblood supremacists have resumed mugglebaiting.”
Hermione verbally curses their mothers and thanks Daphne for the information.
“As Lord Black, I can look into the betrothal document and the supplemented wedding vows and I can definitely remove her from the House of Malfoy.
An action that would remove her touch of magic from the Malfoy family, a painful action Hermione knows now that she thought to read up on those things since her last conversation with Daphne.
“As Black nee Greengrass, I was able to look into the wedding vows of my sister Astoria as well and the same conditions apply. Draco has violated several of them, and if Astoria wishes it, we can remove her from the Malfoy family as well.”
Hermione considers the words, “How has Draco violated the betrothal agreement?”
Daphne is quietly looking down. Harry doesn’t move except to take her hand in his.
“I’m angry at my family, Hermione. My entire life was meant to be dictated in a certain way and I’ve fought it my whole life. I helped raise my sister until I went to Hogwarts as well, but I was gone and she had two more years with them than I did and my sister is very much someone who will listen to what she’s told and take it as fact.”
Hermione scrunches her nose, “Your sister isn’t a blood purist.” Hermione knew this from the few times Daphne and Astoria ended up studying with herself with Rune projects.
“Yes, I managed to pursuade her as such,” Daphne comments. “That doesn’t mean that she won’t happily socialize with whatever social group she finds herself around. She’s,” Daphne scowls, “She’s passive. Mother and Father very adamently pressed her into the romance of arranged marriages. They actually kept me out of it until our sixth year, with” Daphne gestures vaguely between Harry and Hermione, “everything started to happen. I was suddenly trapped and forced to fight for a bunch of blowhards and self-righteous bastards because my sister was betrothed to Draco.”
Harry pulls Daphne closer as breathing got more eratic.
“I didn’t talk to her for months when I found out. When I found out she had started hanging out as they ranted and hollared about how they wouuld put mudbloods and halfbloods in their place, how the blood traitors will become their whores and servants. When she nodded and laughed with them.”
“We purebloods already lost the war once, on a fluke. You told us his name was Tom Riddle and a few of us tracked that and found out Voldemort was really a halfblood as well. It was all shit from pathetic pompous prats that probably are too imbred to learn things without getting a beating from people that actually put the work in.”
Harry almost buries Daphne in her embrace.
Hermione honestly felt for Daphne, she couldn’t imagine that kind of horror. Even Ron in his worst ranting about the slimey snakes wouldn’t have dared to make jokes of slaving away anyone.
“I pulled my wand on her. When you all came back to the castle and that big fight broke out? Me, Blaise, Parker and a seventh year turned our wands on all the younger years and kept them in the tower. I didn’t let them leave. I told them all that none of them were going to get injured in a repeat of a war that they already lost.”
“My sister was entirely comfortable about that. She didn’t understand why I cried and begged her forgiveness afterwards. She told me that she’ll follow whatever plan our family had.”
The only sound was that of three people holding their breath.
“He hits her and blames her for the stillborns. He closes the wards on the house and doesn’t let her out for days if she’s too friendly with the wrong person. If she leaves without informing her Lord.”
“She came to me crying, asking why am I trying to ruin everything our family had worked for. So I told her everything.”
“I hate my father for being a golem of beauracracy, business and formalities. I hated mother for being a shell of a woman, an extension of father’s tender care. I told my sister I hated her for just accepting whatever she was told and never doing anything for herself, for being a stick in a river and that she’s going to die as barely a name to be remembered, only that she was the first whore on the arm of a man that will be dead and forgotten as the world goes on, progressing and growing away from stupid ideas.”
“That was two years ago,” Daphne swallowed. “I wasn’t invited to the wedding, I just tagged along with my name. I thought I lost her.”
Hermione was trying to not cry herself. There was too many stories all around her in her peers if she listened to them all, but the story wasn’t done if the bullshit Harry and Daphne told her were actually going to happen.
Harry gives Daphne a chaste kiss on the head before talking, not looking at Hermione.
“She started coming over just after we announced our betrothal. I thought she was just, you know, give me the talk. Instead she tried to get me to open up to her, and we became friendly and cordial. That’s when I told Daphne that Astoria was coming to me and I kind of got this story.” Daphne nods.
“It was later that I got the whole story, but at the moment I thought she was just trying to be friendly and sisterly so we talked and became friends. Draco found out at some point and tried to warn me off his wife, which is something I joked about to piss him off. Then she started flirting.”
“I told Daphne when it was happening, and she started following with the cloak and spells when I knew she was going to come across me.”
Harry got that distant look in his eyes that Hermione knew meant he was absolutely focused. Like in a duels, a fight or on a broom.
“She started being really obvious, coming in looking warmed up, wearing loose, easy to remove clothes, or dressed to the nines. Sometimes she left her knickers or bras somewhere in the house. Sometimes used. Brushing up against me, sitting like, like she just wanted me to see.”
“Daphne was watching a lot of the time. One time she told me to put a hand on her. Astoria completely folded. She would have let me do anything to her. She asked me to do everything I wanted. I sent her home, with a promise of next time.”
“I had an idea of what Astoria was doing, then,” Daphne softly said. “There’s only two ways a magical divorce could occur. One is betrayal, when one turns against the family. That’s usually a very violent method as it strains everyone’s magical bonds until they break. The second is basically rotting your magic out of that family. It’s a very debilitating but recoverable form of bond severence. It’s what Andromeda Tonks did. She just walked out of her family magic by voiding all ties to the bonds. It’s what Narcissa is doing. She’s been persona non grata long enough she can just about walk away.”
“Astoria decided to be with me. She decided she’ll divorce. She wants me back in her life and if she’s married to Draco she’ll never have that. She always thought we’d be together and that the family would pull through. She’s watched us from afar and,” Daphne swallows, “and she hates her life now. I hurt her a lot. But I made her see that she wasn’t going to be happy. If she stayed. She’ll only be content. So she decided to get out.”
Hermione rubs her eyes with both hands, “Fucking hellions on strings, but why like this? Why-“ Hermione can’t even finish her sentence, unable to get past the pit in her stomach. Or uterus. This is not how families are supposed to be formed.
“The next time she came over we actually let Narcissa handle her. Make her talk and be honest with us. Narcissa knew her son wasn’t being good to her, but didn’t actually know how bad it was because they've kept her away from them.”
“Then Narcissa started flirting with her, and I lost the track at that point,” Harry admits.
“Narcissa played some mind games with Astoria and figured out Astoria is sinful when it comes to her desires and,” Daphne rolls her hand, pretending to not blush, “made her beg for everything.“
“A couple nights later and the plan was agreed upon, outlined and implemented,” Harry says like it's a meeting at the office, face redder than wine.
That plan.
Hermione gets up and goes to get that bottle of gin she thinks she hasn’t finished yet.
“Your plan.”
It’s not in the top cabinents.
“The plan that involves a massive public scandal.”
The cold storage is empty of alcohol as well.
“Hoping to ruin the reputation leading family of the Purity coalition.”
Hermione realizes the bottle is already popped open and dropped on the table with a glass and rocks. “Thank you Flopsy,” Hermione calmly says to the air before resuming.
“By taking the mother away.”
She pours the glass.
“The family finances away.”
Hermione toasts to that.
“And the pregnant wife away.”
She drinks.
“Narcissa is pregnant as well,” Harry adds.
Hermione takes a beat before pouring another glass.
“We made a party of it.”
Hermione chokes on the drink.
Daphne smile is serene as she cuddles into Harry.
Hermione clears her throat before pointingly saying, “Fuck you, Greengrass.”
“Lady Black, Lady Granger.” Daphne corrected.
“You, your Mistress and your sister. And Harry. All of you get bent.”
Daphne cackles.
Harry wandlessly summons the bottle of gin as Hermione shouts.
“What bloody train did you crash, Harry James Potter!?”
Harry toasts
“I don't know,” Harry raises the bottle in toast, “To family.”
He drinks.
Daphne takes the bottle next with her own toast, “to fucking over the Malfoys,” and drinks before handing it back over to Harry.
“To two wives, a fancy lady, a couple of loving friends, and probably too many kids to handle.”
“You’re welcome to join us, Hermione,” offers Daphne with a far too innocent expression.
Half a heartbeat later, Hermione declined and flees, abandoning her bottle of gin to its fate.