Tap.
Tap.
Hermione glanced up from her book. A small black owl with white spots on its head pecked at the window behind the couch. She laid her book down flat on the table and got up. When she opened the window, the owl lifted up its foot. Hermione grabbed the letter attached to it and saw that it was from Lucretia.
"You must be Orion," said Hermione as she pat his head. Orion gave a grateful hoot and continued to sit on the windowsill
Hermione made her way back to the couch and tore open the letter. It was only day three, technically day five, of summer vacation and she was dying to have contact with someone who wasn't Dippet or Tom.
Dear Hermione
I hope your vacation is going well and you are taking full advantage of the handsome man staying with you.
My summer is going splendidly. I have something that I would like to ask you in person. Would you be able to meet Cedrella and I for tea this afternoon? There is a lovely place in Diagon Alley that is unfortunately going to close. It is called Ms. Abbott's Tea Shop.
I hope to see you soon, Lucretia.
Hermione summoned a quill, ink, and parchment. She quickly scribbled her reply before attaching the letter to Orion's leg. The small owl gave another hoot before flying off.
"Who was that from?"
Hermione spun around with her hand over her heart. "Tom! You scared me." Tom stood on the top step wearing a scowl. After he stayed quiet, Hermione gave up and told him. "If you must know, it's from Lucretia."
The scowl on Tom's face was instantly replaced with a smile before turning into a neutral look. "What did she want?"
"She wants to meet for tea this afternoon," growled Hermione. She was in a good mood but Tom seemed intent on ruining it for her.
Tom looked away, deep in thought. "Do you need an escort?" asked Tom when he finally looked at her.
"No. I am perfectly capable of going on my own." Hermione felt her face warm when Lucretia's comment flitted through her head.
"Are you alright?" She couldn't tell if his concern was real or another mask.
"I'm fine. Just something Lucretia wrote."
Tom quirked an eyebrow at her. Far quicker than she could have possibly imagined, he grabbed the letter from Lucretia which was still in her hand. "Give it back!" yelled Hermione as she lunged for it.
Tom kept her away from the letter with one hand while he read. Though she hung out with Harry, Ron, Ginny, and the twins, she never realized how fast or strong playing quidditch could make one.
He looked down at her and she could have sworn his eyes looked dark with desire. Leaning down, he whispered in her ear, "do you want to take advantage of me?" His warm breath brushed against her sensitive ear making her shiver.
"No!" Hermione had finally found her voice. The look that crossed over Tom's face almost made her want to change her answer. She wanted to wipe that look off of him. She was struck again with her earlier concern. Was he showing his real emotions or just another mask? She really wanted to hope that he was somehow changing but she also knew he was a master manipulator.
Tom straightened up, pulling away from her. "Good," said Tom with a sneer. He threw her letter onto the ground and backed down the steps leading to the main floor of the library.
Hermione sunk down to the floor on shaky legs. That sneer was the real him. She should have known better than to have thought that he may have changed.
She sat there, on the floor until she could trust herself to stand. When she got up, her legs were unsteady due to them having fallen asleep on her.
Slowly, she walked down the stairs. The last thing she wanted was to fall flat on her face or arse. Tom would never let her forget that moment. Tom. She shook her head. She needed to forget about him. Impossible, but she might just be able to manage it for the few hours when she wouldn't have to look at him.
Hermione opened the door to her room and decided to change into something more fitting for the time period. She pulled out the black dress that Dippet had bought her for Kathleen's funeral. A sob formed in the back of her throat.
With a silent, wandless spell, she changed the color of the dress. It was now a pale, baby blue color. It would have to do. After she changed she went to find Dippet to let him know that she would be leaving. Hermione was grateful that she didn't run into Tom before she apparated away.
Hermione landed in the middle of Diagon Alley, right in front of where the future Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes would be. Another sob formed in her throat. Fred. Another loss that she did not want to think about.
Straightening her shoulders as if to push all the bad thoughts down, she looked for Ms. Abbott's Tea Shop. It turned out that the little shop was right across the street.
Inside, she found Lucretia and Cedrella sitting down at a mint green colored table. "Hermione!" Both girls hugged her before they all sat down.
"It's nice to see you girls. I'm gonna miss you next year." Both Lucretia and Cedrella were seventh years and graduated before summer. The only person that she had left in Gryffindor that she talked to was Fleamont Potter. She liked him but had a hard time being in the same room sometimes because his messy black hair reminded her of Harry.
"We will too," said Cedrella.
"Which is why we'll write lots," finished Lucretia. Hermione giggled, being reminded of the twins.
"I would like that. And please, write to me when the baby is born." Hermione pointed the last sentence to Lucretia who was currently two months pregnant. Hermione shuddered at the thought of having a child so young in life.
Lucretia and Cedrella shared a grin. "That's actually what we want to talk about."
"I'm expecting too. Found out a couple days ago." Cedrella rubbed her stomach, a soft, loving smile on her face.
"Congratulations!" squealed Hermione in her excitement. "I hope I'll get to see them when they're born."
"That's another thing we want to talk about."
"We decided that we want you to be the godmother to both," said Lucretia.
"We didn't want to choose each other," said Cedrella.
"So the only other option is you," said Lucretia.
"Gee, thanks," said Hermione sarcastically. Then the truth hit her. She couldn't be a godmother. She would only be in this time for a few years. "You know, maybe I shou-"
"Don't you dare turn us down." Lucretia's voice had gone low and the hard look in her blue eyes made her look more like a true black than anything else. "We want someone brilliant with a good head on their shoulders to raise our children in case anything happens to us," finished Lucretia in a determined voice.
"We don't want our family to get their paws on them. We would roll in our graves for fear of our children's safety and sanity," admitted Cedrella.
Hermione found herself nodding, unable to deny them after that. She grope for something else to say to change the topic and lighten the atmosphere. "What are you going to name them?" The girls brightened up and relaxed with her question.
"I like the names Billius, Septimus, Dreyfus, and Arthur," smiled Cedrella.
"What, no girl names?" joked Hermione.
Cedrella told her, "I have the feeling that it will be a boy and I honestly can't see having a girl in my future."
"Well, I want a girl. Two boys and a girl would be perfect," sighed Lucretia dreamily. "Fabion and Gideon for the boys and Molly for the girl."
Shock rolled through Hermione. How had she not realized that she was talking to Ron's grandparents, Molly and Arthur's parents?
"I hope our children will be friends like we are," said Cedrella to Lucretia.
"They will be." Hermione let slip.
"Now, our triangle of friendship will be complete when you and Tom have a child. Then we can plan play dates together," squealed Lucretia and Cedrella joined her.
"You just had to ruin the mood," sighed Hermione grumpily. She had been doing a marvelous job at not thinking about Tom, building up walls. And it all came crashing down with just a mention of his name.
Lucretia and Cedrella stopped their giggling. "You would feel better if you just shag him already."
"Elle!" Cedrella smacked her cousin's shoulder. "Hermione is a lady. Besides, she needs more than just a shag to get her out of the blues."
"Can we change the topic?" groaned Hermione, her face flushed a scarlet red.
"Yes, yes we can," Lucretia took a bite out of the scone that was sitting in front of her. "We actually forgot the second part of the news. It's more of a question, really."
"Will you be our maid of honor?" asked Lucretia and Cedrella at the same time.
"When's the wedding?" asked Hermione warily.
"Next month."
Hermione nodded her head. She should still be there next month. "What color gown should I get?"
Lucretia smiled. "I already made you one." She waved her wand and a long yellow dress with lace sleeves and a dark yellow ribbon appeared. "I hope I'll be able to teach my daughter how to make clothes."
"I'm sure you will," said Hermione and Cedrella at the same time.
They talked for a few more hours, mainly going over wedding details. Hermione was surprised how much the girls were planning without getting the grooms' opinions. She guessed they were just excited. Hermione tried to imagine what her wedding would be like. She could see herself wearing a long lacy white gown with long sleeves. She could even see the reception being held outdoors much like Bill and Fleur's was. She could even imagine the flowers. What she couldn't see was the groom. Hermione had always thought that she would marry Ron but now she couldn't even see him in her imaginary wedding. No, all she could see of the groom was a handsome black suit and a smirk. A very commandeering smirk. Nope! Not happening! She was deluding herself into thinking she had feelings for Tom.
After Hermione's inner mental breakdown and the disappearance of the scones, the girls decided to head their separate ways. Instead of walking around to clear her mind, she apparated back to the manor.
. . . .
Tom finally decided to head to the library when he ran out of things to do. For God's sake, he even helped Dillie de-knome the garden all in the hopes of avoiding the library, the room that he had begun to think of as theirs.
Tom walked into the magnificent room though it did little to help calm his nerves. Hermione had been gone for hours. She even missed dinner.
He walked up the steps. The sight that greeted him made his heart leap. Curled up on the couch fast asleep with a forgotten book clutched in hand was Hermione. He gently pried the book out of her grasp and put it on the table. He then summoned a blanket for her.
Just as he was placing it around her shoulders, she stirred. Brown eyes blinked sleepily at him. "Tom?"
"You're home." When did Dippet Manor become home? He was starting to think Abraxas had something with the whole wiping mind thing.
Hermione sat up with a yawn. "I got back an hour ago to find you de-knoming the garden." She smiled lovingly at a thought he couldn't see. For some reason, he really hoped the thought was of him.
He chuckled and sat down beside her. "It was rather boring without you here."
Hermione nodded. "Guess you were done playing quidditch after that fall."
"You saw that?" She nodded. He winced. Of course she had seen it. He screwed up so of course the witch he lov-li-. Blast, he would not finish that thought.
"Do you still hurt?" Hermione laid a gentle hand on his shoulder as she looked at him with concern.
"No, just sore from the de-knoming." De-knoming was actually a pretty good workout. It would definitely help him keep in shape for quidditch next year if he kept it up.
"I had a friend who hated it," chuckled Hermione.
Tom decided to change the subject. He didn't want her thinking about the past, especially if it had anything to do with that bloody redhead that she was so fond of. "Have you eaten?"
Hermione shook her head.