章 49: Relationships
It was spring, which meant that Hermione and Lily were once again reading under their tree. Lily had transfigured several leaves into a large Gryffindor blanket with a rampant lion in the middle. She was sprawled out with her homework spread out around her. Hermione was seated near to her, with her legs folded to the side. Lily shook her head, and rolled her eyes. Hermione Potter could make anything look ladylike and graceful. It was damned annoying at times. While Severus could not, of necessity, join them any longer under their favorite tree, Regulus was there almost every day. He knew that his ability to be Hermione's friend publicly was almost at an end. The summer was nearly there, and then he must do what Lucius and Severus had already been forced to do. He was sitting next to Hermione, reading over her shoulder as he usually did, and making small suggestions to her occasionally. The book they were reading was a book on the Dark Arts, which was Hermione's normal reading material anymore. She spent almost all of her efforts on researching the methods of destroying horcruxes. Regulus had plans to dig through the Black library this summer, to see what he could find.
"We might be luckier in my family's library than Lucius has been," Regulus informed Hermione and Lily while he straightened his cuffs. Hermione cocked her head.
"Why would that be, Regulus?" She asked slowly. He shrugged.
"The Blacks have been dark wizards for a very, very long time. The Malfoys are a newer family, and to be blunt, they have been opportunists for the most part. My family has been more…dedicated," he explained with a slight smile. Hermione cleared her throat.
"Dedicated is one word for it," she said dryly.
"Crazy might be a good substitute," Lily muttered. Regulus frowned at her, and she smiled sweetly. It was difficult for him to work with this muggleborn witch, but he had to admit that she was changing many of his preconceptions of muggles and muggleborns. That didn't mean that he liked her. He tolerated her, for Hermione's sake, and for their mission.
"Yes, well," he said flatly. "That also means that my family holds the most books on how to destroy or combat dark magic. One cannot figure out how to destroy a thing if one has no knowledge of it. Most pureblood children are tutored at home prior to attendance at Hogwarts, Lily. Hermione here most likely had a governess, or shared a tutor with James."
"It's true," Hermione said with a light blush. Lily shook her head.
"It's like you're a living Victorian novel," she said in exasperation. Hermione held up her hands in surrender.
"I'm sorry, it's the way things are. There are no magical primary schools, and most parents are afraid of outbursts of accidental magic. A magical child raised in a magical home is far more aware of the…possibilities…and they usually have a much larger number of magical accidents as small children than muggle children do. Thus, they either teach their children themselves, or they hire a tutor," Hermione explained carefully. Lily nodded.
"Okay, that makes sense," she admitted ruefully. Regulus smiled tightly.
"Sirius and I were tutored at home as well, but our early instruction was in the Dark Arts. As a result, I'm far more knowledgeable, even at fifteen, than Malfoy is as a full-fledged Death Eater," Regulus stated calmly. Lily shivered.
"Does that mean that Sirius has all this information as well?" Lily asked nervously. Regulus sighed, and flushed slightly.
"My brother has never been a dark wizard. It's…it's sort of something you're born with inside you. Sirius just didn't have it. Please do not misunderstand me, he is a very powerful wizard, but he has never embraced the Dark Arts. He hated our lessons, while I drank them in like ambrosia. He hated our lessons, while I drank them in like ambrosia. He defied our parents more than once, even before he went to Hogwarts," Regulus said slowly, almost as though it were painful for him to say each word. Hermione put her hand on his arm, and shook her head slightly. He took a deep breath and nodded. The Black boys, both of them, were intensely private men, and revealing this much about his family—and most especially about his brother—was painful for him. Hermione knew most of what he was trying to explain, she had guessed much of it and pieced together the rest from things Old Hermione had overheard from the older Sirius.
"Is that why," Lily frowned, and struggled with herself for a moment. "I'm sorry, but is that why he seems…I don't know…a little less mature than you do? I mean, you're younger than he is, but you seem so much more poised, in control…adult."
"In the Dark Families, the children don't have childhoods, per se," Hermione answered for Regulus. "They are given orders, and expected to obey immediately. They do not play, they are not allowed free time, and they are not given toys as presents. My mother was born a Black. One of my first presents was a doll because she never received one. I would imagine that Sirius' perceived immaturity is another form of rebellion. He is grave enough when the situation warrants it, but I think he fears his darkness. You say that he doesn't have that within him, Regulus, but I know that he does, and he fears it."
"That is incredibly sad," Lily said softly, her eyes wide. Hermione and Regulus looked at one another and then looked at Lily.
"It is their reality," Hermione said as kindly as she could. Lily nodded, trying to understand, but failing.
"It really is a different world, isn't it?" Lily asked in a small voice. Hermione leaned over and hugged her friend.
"It is different from what you know," Hermione said calmly. "That is all."
HP/HG/HP
The halls of Hogwarts were becoming unpleasant enough that Hermione thought about using her disillusionment charm to get from class to class. The glares, the number of girls who accidentally shoved her into walls, or stepped on her feet, or elbowed her sharply as they made their way through the crowd were definitely an influence. She was trying to keep her temper, trying not to let things bother her. It might have been amusing to blast a path through the people with a wide-focus group stunning spell, but then she'd have to explain to the people in authority why she knew Auror crowd control spells. Thank you, Tonks! Her mood was getting downright vicious, when an arm slid around her shoulders.
"Just ignore them, My Own," James muttered, glaring back at a few girls who looked embarrassed to be caught behaving badly by the handsome, popular Chaser.
"I am doing my best, but I have bruises all over my body, and my temper is growing thin," she muttered back at him. James' jaw tightened and his face flushed with anger. His hazel eyes snapped at her.
"Padfoot never said anything about this," he growled. "Doesn't he care about what's happening to you?"
"Jamie, love, he hasn't seen any of the bruises, and I haven't mentioned them to him," Hermione pointed out dryly. She snickered as he immediately backpedaled.
"Oh! Well, that's different. Why have you been hiding this from him? This whole situation is partially his responsibility. He is your boyfriend, he deserves to know," James said in a self-righteous sort of voice that grated on Hermione's nerves.
"I had no idea you'd feel that way, Jamie," Hermione said with wide, innocent eyes. "I'll make sure to strip naked for him tonight so that he can see all my bruises."
"NO! That's not what I meant at all! I meant you need to talk to him about these girls. Maybe he can do something about it," he said brusquely. Hermione chuckled, the low, throaty sound drawing appreciative glances from the male students until they met the glare of James' eyes, and immediately became fascinated by anything other than Hermione Potter.
"What is he supposed to do, Jamie? Order them to leave me alone? Break up with me so they'll leave me alone? Ooooh," Hermione's eyes went wide. "What if he broke up with me? I could cry and hit him in the Great Hall. We could make it very dramatic, yet realistic. You could challenge him to a duel, and then…,"
"Have you lost your mind?" James demanded sharply. "He really likes you, Hermione. He doesn't want to break up with you."
"Well of course he doesn't," Hermione said with a roll of her eyes. "I don't want to break up with him, either. It's just that this is all getting tiresome."
"Love, I think you're forgetting something. If they perceive him as single, they'll be back to attacking him at every available opportunity," James pointed out. Hermione's eyes narrowed and her small nostrils flared slightly. James thought she looked adorable.
"Then we might have an escaped lioness who accidentally savages some girls who can't keep their hands to themselves," Hermione said darkly. James snickered.
"You look more like an angry kitten right now," he told her with a grin. "What? What is it, Hermione?"
"Don't call me that," she said, her expression disturbed.
"What…kitten?" James asked, confusion in his voice. She nodded, the disturbed expression becoming more pronounced.
"It's just wrong," she muttered, suppressing a shudder.
Sirius used to call me kitten all the time. I sort of liked it. He only called me that. He'd call Ginny and Tonks 'love' or 'sweetheart', but he would call me kitten.
I know. That's why I find it kind of creepy to have my brother use it.
Oh. Well that makes sense. Although, it probably makes sense to him because you're a lioness. You know, when you do the animagus thing.
Yes, thank you. I had forgotten my animagus form.
You know, you've become really snarky lately. I don't know if I like it.
Too bad. You and I appear to be stuck together for the rest of my life. It might help our relationship if you could manage to stop insulting my intelligence, my breeding, my upbringing and my extended family every time you attempt communication with me.
Well, excuse me. Just because I'm a muggleborn and I don't know every last little thing about the wizarding world does not mean I'm trying to insult you all the time. I just tend to be blunt. And painfully honest. I've never done well with prevarication.
An admirable quality to be sure.
There's that snarky side again. Do you have to do the heavy mental sigh all the time? It's starting to make me self-conscious.
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