A/N: I realized that I haven't been including the challenge portion of the post in the beginning notes, so I need to go back and so that for previous chapters.

But here's the one for July: This story is being written for Dramione FanFiction Writers 2020 Challenge. FOR JULY, we were supposed to use a story idea generator, and since I'm doing a multi-chapter fic, my result made absolutely no sense.

It was: Protagonist is a knight who is quick-witted. A secondary character is a shaman who is braver than most. The Plot is an urban fantasy story about the weight of heritage. It kicks off in a busy tavern with a chase. Note that someone in the story has recently lost someone dear. And there's a twist! The story is based on Arthurian legend.

You'll see how I dealt with this.

Many thanks to dormiensa for the beta job, and endless praises go to dreamsofdramione, who not only betas, but also alphas, made a page of notes for me for help in plotting this story, AND makes a graphic for each chapter (viewable at AO3).

-ooo-ooo-ooo-ooo-

Saturday, JULY 1

Even though it was a Saturday, Hermione had made it a point to flip her calendar first thing that morning. July was a very important month, and once she was ready for the day, she checked her planner one last time. The list of her errands for the day was written in the block, and she tried to focus solely on that, but a quick glance at the rest of the month made her sigh. Her cooking class was off for the summer, which was something of a relief, despite how much she enjoyed it. The most prominent appointment of the month was a mere two days away, when she was slated to meet with the Department of Games and Sports. She'd been tweaking her message in order to make sure it addressed their concerns, but she had a sinking feeling that they were merely humoring her by granting her the audience.

In bold letters, she noted the upcoming fundraiser was coming up very soon. It was the last Saturday before the event, in fact, but Hermione had a full day ahead of her.

The Malfoy Foundation's July event had always focused on Hogwarts. Alumni guests were encouraged to pay homage to their former Houses however they saw fit. This year, Hermione chose a gown in a brilliant shade of red, befitting of her time in Gryffindor. She'd picked up her dress the night before, and it now hung on a door; she didn't want to risk wrinkles by trying to fit in her closet. Some women would follow suit and wear gowns in a house color, but others might choose to only incorporate it in their shoes or a purse or a scarf. It was always one of her favorite parts of the evening, and she enjoyed seeing how people chose to represent their time at Hogwarts.

Ever since its inception, the Foundation had made it a priority to focus on the school. It had been their first project, their first fundraiser, and Hermione knew that Narcissa looked forward to it every year.

This year would surely be no exception, but unlike previous years, Hermione didn't know what the focus of the evening would be. Narcissa had kept unusually quiet about it, telling her only that it was taken care of and she'd find out that night just like everybody else. Hermione tried not to feel put out by this; it wasn't like Narcissa to keep her out of the loop, but there must be some reason for it.

Hermione had spent the last week and would spend the coming week helping with all the last minute details and then she would manage the event. It didn't matter too much that she didn't know the recipient of the fundraiser or the main speaker. Narcissa normally introduced the speakers; Hermione only needed to make sure things ran smoothly.

Scanning the remainder of the month, she saw Harry's birthday at the end and it made her smile. She also knew Ginny's baby was due somewhere in the middle. It was perhaps one of the most open months she'd seen when she flipped her calendar page, and this made her smile. She knew now that having such an open schedule meant that she would fill it with good things.

Hermione jotted down her errands on a separate slip of parchment, shut her planner, and left for Diagon Alley.

ooo

Monday, JULY 3

Hermione dressed with care. She knew that a meeting with the Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports was no small thing, and she needed to impress without intimidating. She sighed at the thought as she scanned her work schedule for the day. The big meeting was slated for two o'clock that afternoon, and she had blocked off the rest of her schedule until then, opting for a long lunch.

She ate lunch outside the Ministry for a change, at her favorite café just a short walk away. She spent her time carefully reading over her presentation, making adjustments and trying to think of what reasonable arguments they might try to give that she hadn't already considered.

When she decided she couldn't look at the thing a minute more, she took a walk in the area of London around the Ministry to further clear her mind of her morning tasks and troubles. It was nice to be out and to breathe fresh air, and she felt very calm when she returned to her office. Hermione gathered her notes and a bottle of water, then made her way over to Games and Sports.

If she'd had any doubts about which parts of the Ministry were seen as more important than others, they vanished when the lift doors opened on the seventh level. She'd never been here before, so the brightness, the sleek design of the reception area, and what she could see of the offices, were something of a surprise. It was no secret that Games and Sports enjoyed a special relationship with the greater Quidditch world, and it was on full display. Autographed posters of famous players from around the world lined the walls, and down the main hallway, set into the walls, were special displays of Quidditch gear from famous games, complete with plaques like at a museum.

Hermione managed not to roll her eyes.

She approached the woman at the reception desk with a smile. "Hello. I'm Hermione Granger, and I've got an appointment with Garrison Johnson at two."

The woman checked her calendar, her finger skimming down the page. "Ah. Yes. Miss Granger. Please wait here." She indicated a row of chairs, then disappeared through a door.

Hermione sat carefully on the edge of the seat, her nerves now fully on fire. Thankfully, she didn't have to wait long. The woman returned through the door, holding it open and beckoning Hermione to follow.

Her heels clicked loudly in the spartan hallway. "You're a tad early, but they're ready for you." She stopped outside a door and spun to face Hermione. "Here you are."

"I'm sorry, did you say 'they' are ready for me? I was only supposed to meet with the Department Head."

The woman gave her a bored look. "Be that as it may, the Department Head is in this room, and this is where I was told to bring you. He requested that the entire committee be present. That's all I know of it."

Hermione swallowed hard and forced a small smile. "I see. Thank you."

The woman nodded and walked away, her heels clacking as she went. Hermione waited until the sound had faded before taking a deep breath. The entire Committee? She knew, peripherally, that the Head of Games and Sports was part of a committee that made major decisions for the Department, but she'd never imagined having to speak to all of them. Could there have been a mistake?

Someone inside the room cleared his throat expectantly, and Hermione realized they knew she was there. No matter. She held her head high, opened the door and walked in.

She found herself standing behind a small table with a single chair. Separated by maybe ten feet was another table, this one longer, where five large, brawny men sat in solemn silence, staring at her. The Head of the Department, Mr. Garrison Johnson, was in the middle seat of the table, directly facing her. He gave her an empty smile and motioned toward the single chair.

"Miss Granger. I hope you don't mind this little change of plans, but I thought it best we deal with this directly so there are no… misunderstandings."

Hermione knew exactly what was going on now. She'd known it was a long-shot to speak with Johnson about the pixie forest, but it had been a necessary step she had to take in the process. She couldn't go higher until she'd spoken with everyone directly connected to what was happening. But this—changing the meeting from a one-on-one in his office to a full committee defense—was purely an intimidation tactic. The fact that everyone else present was male, dressed in sharp suits, and frowning severely, was not lost on her. They meant to quash her efforts so soundly that she would run back to her own department, tail tucked between her legs. Well, these men obviously had no clue who they were dealing with.

She wouldn't win this battle, it was stacked against her, but that didn't mean she would let them bully her into silence. Though, truthfully, she had moments where she despaired of the war itself.

"Mr. Johnson, I see that you're saving everyone time by convening the full committee. How expedient."

He smiled wryly. "No point in wasting more time than absolutely necessary, don't you agree?"

"Quite." Hermione stepped to the table and set her notes down, but she did not sit. Instead, she stood tall, faced them squarely, and began.

ooo

Twenty-two minutes later, Hermione left the room, her notes clutched in her hand so tightly her knuckles were white. She returned down the hall and thanked the receptionist again. When the lift arrived, she gave a small wave and stepped on, pressing the button for Harry's floor. There were others present, so she continued to clutch the parchment in her hands like a lifeline.

When they arrived at Level Two, Hermione calmly stepped off and glanced toward the Auror Department. But she couldn't hold on much longer, and before she sought her oldest friend, she made her way to the nearest loo. Once inside, she shut herself in a stall, put up silencing wards, and started sobbing. Her hands shook as she stood there, sobs of anger and frustration wracking her body. She didn't cry long, just enough to take the edge of humiliation off. When she'd collected herself, she washed her face and went to find Harry.

Rather than going straight to his desk, as she normally would have, she asked someone to get him and waited in the hall.

Harry hurried out, concern written on his face. "Hermione?"

Tears threatened again and she bit her lip.

Harry didn't hesitate. He grasped her elbow lightly and led her down the hall to a private room the Aurors used for small meetings. Harry locked the door behind him. Hermione sat stiffly in a comfortable chair, clasping her hands on her knees and trying not to cry again. Harry pulled a chair over so that he could face her, and took her hands in his.

"You're not okay."

She shook her head. "It was awful, Harry."

"Your meeting?"

Hermione nodded, not trusting her own voice.

"Let me get you some water, okay? Do you need anything else?"

"No. Thank you." Her voice was small and she hated the way that farce of a meeting had affected her.

Harry sent his Patronus through the wall, and Hermione wondered where it was going, but then Harry turned back to her, closing his hands over hers once more. "Do you want to talk about it?"

She'd come to find him because she needed to talk, and she'd thought she was ready, but just then, tears were more likely to spill than her words. She nodded but her lip trembled.

"It's all right, take your time." Harry looked so concerned that Hermione's heart swelled. He was such a good friend.

There was a sharp knock on the door and then it opened, revealing Draco with a glass of water. His eyes widened when he saw Harry and Hermione, and he didn't seem to know what to do with himself. "Er, Potter, your water?"

"Thanks, Malfoy." Harry reached for the glass but didn't stand, so Draco fully entered the room to bring it to him. The door shut behind him, once again sealing them in from interruption. Harry quickly gave the glass to Hermione, who took it and drank a few swallows.

Draco's presence was unexpected, and she didn't know how she felt about it. Her first reaction upon seeing him had been relief, but then she'd remembered her new feelings for him. She suddenly felt conscious of the fact that she must look a fright after the intense sobbing she'd done in the loo and now fighting to keep tears at bay. But his presence also bolstered her in a way that was surprising. The tears remained just there, ready to spill, but she no longer felt like succumbing.

"Thank you, Draco." She set the glass down and gave him the best smile she could manage at the moment.

"You're welcome." He was obviously as concerned about her as Harry, but he made to leave.

Hermione suddenly felt very strongly that she didn't want him to leave. "Draco? Will you stay?"

"Of course." He gave her a strained smile and leaned against the wall, his brow furrowed.

"So, what happened?" Harry asked, sitting back in his chair.

Hermione took a few shaky breaths before she was ready. "I was supposed to meet with Garrison, as you recall."

Harry nodded. "To talk about the pixie forest and the Quidditch plans."

"Right. Well. He decided to bring in the whole Departmental Committee to hear my presentation, and Harry, it was like an attack." Anger swelled in her again, and she pushed away the tears. "All five of them, sitting there, looking so stern and smug, as though they were merely letting me have my little say and then they'd get back to important business."

Harry whistled. "All of them?"

"It was awful. I knew beforehand that it wouldn't go my way, but I never dreamed I'd be subjected to what amounted to an interrogation! They asked question after question, sneering at my responses, showing me just what they thought of me and my 'little quest,' as one of them termed it. I knew as soon as I saw them all what the outcome would be, but I refused to be cowed and silenced."

Harry chuckled. "They didn't realize who they were dealing with."

She gave him a sharp look. "I may be Hermione Granger, but that doesn't mean anything when a large amount of money is involved. You know as well as I do, Harry, that the Ministry is happy to toss our names around when it suits them, but Merlin forbid we actually want to make changes or suggestions or see things improved in the wizarding world. Then, we're just a bloody nuisance. Best quiet us before we make too much noise."

"Did they listen to you at all?" Draco asked, his voice like steel.

"Depends on what you mean by listen," she said with a scoff. "They let me speak; I doubt they considered a single word I said. Their minds had been long made up before I walked in there." She paused, realizing something. "I'm sure that my Department Head warned them ahead of time. That's why they were all there. I didn't give a reason for my visit when I made the appointment with Johnson."

"It's not terribly surprising." Harry let out a long breath. "You knew it would be an uphill battle."

"Yes, but I didn't know I'd be ambushed! They meant to intimidate me, Harry. To frighten me so much that I'd drop my efforts." She clenched her jaw and glared in anger. "Well, if they think that's all it takes to silence me, then you're right: they don't know who they're dealing with."

"That's our Hermione." Harry grinned. "You'll show them yet."

The wheels in her head were spinning, and as though he could sense it, Draco spoke. "What will you do now?"

Hermione didn't respond right away, ideas flying through her mind so fast she couldn't latch onto any yet. After a moment, one caught her focus. "I'm going to speak to the Quidditch League itself. If the Ministry won't hear me out and follow their own policy or the treaty they made, then I'll reach out to the League."

"Um, Hermione?" Harry's grin faded, and he and Draco exchanged a glance. "If you thought meeting with Games and Sports was hard… the League is even less likely to give you a fair hearing, if you can believe it."

She looked at him, her gaze steady and fierce. "I know they won't, Harry." She looked at him, her gaze steady and fierce. "I'm not naïve in this. But I have to say I at least tried before I bring in a solicitor."

Harry whistled. "Wow, Hermione. Take it easy. You know the Ministry won't look too kindly on you if you try to bring charges against them."

"What else would you have me do?" She glanced between him and Draco, who was frowning deeply at her.

"I don't know. And don't get me wrong, I think you're absolutely right in this, Hermione, and it seems obvious to me that the Ministry should fight for the pixies, but you could get fired."

She scoffed. "It's not as though the Ministry is the only place in the world to work, Harry." Though, she had no idea what else she might do. But that was a thought for another day, so she pushed it down for the time being.

"Yeah, but, it's what you love, yeah?"

Hermione looked at Draco, the only person she'd told about her dissatisfaction with her work. His expression was troubled, but she had no idea what it was about, nor could she ask him right then.

"Even still, Harry. This is wrong, and it can't be allowed to happen!"

She stood up. Harry was a lifelong friend, but he'd never quite understood her desire for attempting to right the wrongs of the wizarding world. He'd always felt so happy just to belong somewhere that he didn't want to upset the balance. And while she had often felt similarly, it was impossible for her to overlook such injustice occurring right in front of her. Her Department was ready to sign on with the plans to raze the protected pixie forest, breaking a century-old treaty. It only showed that they hadn't really cared about the pixies in the first place. They'd been content to keep the treaty so long as it didn't interfere with any of their plans and schemes. Now that there was money to be made, they were eager to level the forest and leave the pixies to relocate on their own.

"I will fight, Harry. Some things are more important than the security that a job provides. I'm not asking you to join me, but you should know, I'll see this through."

Draco pushed himself off the wall. "Go get 'em, Granger."

She smiled at him, grateful to have his support. He hadn't said he agreed with her, but he wasn't trying to stop her, either. It was something. "Well, I should get back to work. Thanks for listening, Harry. Draco." She was halfway to the door when she remembered something. "Oh, Harry, I won't be here for lunch Friday. I'm leaving early to meet Narcissa and help with the fundraiser."

"Oh, okay." He smiled. "I'm sure I'll see you there."

"Absolutely." When she reached the door, she looked at Draco. "I suppose I'll see you there, as well."

Draco gave her a peculiar look but said only, "That you will."

She let her gaze linger on him one heartbeat longer, then left the room.

"Hermione, wait." Draco, whose voice she'd recognized instantly, grabbed her arm to stop her.

Her heart leapt into her throat, and she stared at him. "Yes?"

Harry exited the room, eyed them both amusedly, and continued back to his office. Draco gently pulled her to the wall of the hallway. "Listen. If there's anything I can do, about your efforts with the pixies, don't hesitate to ask. I know people. I know people who know people. Maybe I can ask around, see what the general vibe is over this. I'd like to help, however I can." It was only then that he thought to release her arm.

"Thank you, Draco. That's very kind." Her smile was a bit forced. "I've got things under control for now. But I appreciate the offer, really I do. And if anything comes up that I think you might be able to help me with, I'll let you know."

He looked as though he didn't quite believe her, but Hermione didn't care at this point. Harry had offered to lend his weight to her efforts as well, but she truly felt that she needed to do this on her own, her way.

ooo

Friday, JULY 7

Hermione checked her reflection in the mirror and smoothed down the bright red satin fabric of her dress. It was an off-the-shoulder piece, with little sleeves that crossed over her chest and tucked into the fitted bodice, the darts of which widened out in pleats in the A-line skirt. The back had a neat detail, though she'd never see it: instead of a zipper, there was a long V of criss-crossed ribbon. It was more for looks than function, but she felt pretty in the dress, and that was worth something.

After triple checking her hair and accessories, Hermione was satisfied and Apparated to the location of the fundraiser. She'd been there all afternoon with Narcissa, making sure the decorations were handled, the caterers were set up in the kitchen, and checking all the other last minute things to ensure it was a successful event. She wanted to help in any way she could since most of the prior preparations were handled without her. By this point, she felt pretty confident in her abilities, and Narcissa increasingly allowed her to take on more and more of the event's execution. Hermione couldn't blame her, and truly, she loved running events for Narcissa.

Not only did she adore the woman, but the causes supported by the Malfoy Foundation were always near to Hermione's heart. The work she did with Narcissa, the time she spent preparing for each event and then seeing them through to the very end, wasn't even quite work. It was extremely rewarding, being part of something that was making real change in the wizarding world. It was what she'd hoped to accomplish through her work at the Ministry.

The room looked different when Hermione arrived; more of the decorations were in place, and the final touches were being put on the tables. Guests would be arriving within the quarter-hour. Briefly, she wondered where Draco was, but remembered that he'd be bringing a date, and the last thing she wanted to watch was him interacting with someone, whoever that was.

"Oh, Hermione!" Narcissa gasped, clasping Hermione's arms as she kissed her cheeks. "You are simply stunning, my dear. The dress is perfection."

Hermione blushed. "Thank you."

"It's nearly time, and I'm truly so excited." Narcissa glanced around the room. "I don't think there's a lot for us to do now. We'll take a moment to relax, then I'll go and greet the guests as they arrive."

"And I will check on the caterer." She smiled and headed off to complete the little list of right-before-it-starts tasks that she always did.

Somehow, the next forty minutes flew by in a blink. The guests arrived and were seated, talking amongst themselves or wandering around the room, looking for friends. Hermione hadn't seen anyone in a bright red dress, and she was feeling a bit self-conscious. But then she saw Luna wearing a flapper dress with sparkly blue feathers and she relaxed.

When it was time for the meal to begin, Hermione went to the table where her friends were seated. Harry, Ginny, Ron, Pansy, Neville, Hannah, and George greeted her warmly. She was somewhat surprised to see that there was no room left at the table, though she didn't let it show. Next she headed for Narcissa's table, a tiny well of hope springing inside that maybe she'd been seated with Draco, but he wasn't sitting with his mother; she had only seen a flash of his hair across the room once.

"Where am I sitting?" Hermione asked in a whisper.

Narcissa looked surprised. "Why, with Marcus, of course, dear."

Hermione's stomach dropped. "And where is that?"

"Table fourteen." She pointed to a table near the front across the room.

"Thank you." Hermione left Narcissa and began to walk to her seat. She hadn't told anyone about her and Marcus breaking up; there'd simply been no opportunity. She'd spent the two weeks since deep in preparations for her meeting with Games and Sports. She hadn't gone to The Burrow or had dinner with Pansy and Ginny, and even at lunch with Harry the week before, it hadn't come up, as there had been more pressing things to discuss. The break up had impacted her life so little that she had completely forgotten to even mention it to him.

The only empty seat left at table fourteen was beside Marcus. He beamed at her when he noticed her approaching and stood to help her into her seat.

When he sat down, he said quietly, "You look amazing."

"Thank you, Marcus."

Narcissa stood up and walked to the podium. "Welcome, everyone, to the Sixth Annual Hogwarts Fundraiser. We are so pleased you've joined us and continue to join us as we work to improve the experience of magical children all over the United Kingdom. For those of you who are new to this event, welcome. Dinner will be served, and in about twenty minutes, we'll hear from our guest speaker, who will be elucidating the focus of our night's venture. Thank you."

There was some polite applause, but mostly people resumed their conversations. Hermione wondered at Narcissa's choice of words for a moment; she'd said guest speaker instead of guest of honor, as in previous years. But the difference was so subtle she doubted it meant anything.

"I have to say, I was surprised to find myself seated beside you."

Hermione chuckled. "Me too. I suppose I forgot to mention that we'd broken up."

Marcus sat up straighter. "Oh? I see."

She heard something like hope in his voice and deeply wished she'd spoken up about ending things with him.

"I don't suppose you've met my parents?"

She froze mid-chew. "I don't believe I have." Merlin, what must they be thinking? There she was, sitting with their son whom she'd broken up with just two weeks prior!

He leaned over and gave her a sheepish smile. "Don't worry. They don't know about us."

Her eyes went wide. "They don't?"

"Er, no. I'd hoped that, if you'd been open to the courtship process, I would tell them then."

Hermione felt a rush of anger. He hadn't even told his parents about a woman he'd been seeing for three months? But the heat faded as quickly as it had come. She hadn't told her friends that it had ended, so she didn't have much room to talk.

Marcus introduced his parents, who seemed genuinely pleased and interested in Hermione. Too bad for them their relationship was already in the past. Dinner went smoothly, and Hermione enjoyed her time. Marcus still had all the same qualities that had attracted her to him: funny, intelligent, handsome. But there was still no sparkle, and it was something of a relief for her. She knew she hadn't made a mistake in ending things with him.

As they were finishing up their food, Narcissa took the stage again. The room got very quiet; it was always a mystery what particular aspect of Hogwarts improvement the Malfoy Foundation would take up.

"Again, I thank you for coming tonight. I'm thrilled to introduce our guest speaker for the evening. I am extremely proud of him, not only for his initiative in this venture, but for his heart in the matter. He needs no further introduction, and I can't wait to let him speak to you himself. Please welcome, my son. Draco Malfoy."

Murmurs rippled through the crowd. Narcissa was more excited than Hermione had ever seen her as she clapped along with the crowd while Draco stood from his table and made his way to the front of the room.

Hermione's heart was in her throat as she watched him. He looked extremely dashing in his dress robes, tugging on the cuffs of his shirt as he walked to the podium.

"Thank you for that generous welcome. I know I'm probably not whom you expected for tonight—usually we hear from distinguished faculty or lead researchers or experts in some field of magic. Always, we point to work at Hogwarts, and I assure you, that part hasn't changed." He smiled as he looked over the crowd. For a moment, Hermione thought he paused when he saw her, but she couldn't be sure.

"The reason we're all here is because of that stalwart institution, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I dare say that most of us in this room attended the school and owe much to our time there. Who remembers being a first year student, shaking in fear outside the Great Hall that first night as we waited to be Sorted?"

Some in the crowd murmured or chuckled.

"Anybody get lost?"

More laughter.

"What about that broken stair? I'm not ashamed to admit that I was late to class more than once thanks to it. As I look around the room, I see nods to our Houses everywhere. A green pocket square, blue necklace, yellow purse, red shoes. We are forever linked to the historic school, and every one of us made friends there that we still have to this day."

Hermione saw his eyes land on Pansy with a smile.

"Now… bear with me. Healers in our world can do so many things, but we all know that sometimes, they can't fix everything. Sometimes, children are affected, to the point where Hogwarts becomes impossible."

Now Hermione's heart started pounding as she felt an inkling of an idea as to where he might be going with this.

"I want to introduce you all to my date tonight. Tabitha, would you join me?"

Hermione brought a hand to her mouth to cover a small gasp. She sensed Marcus look at her, but her eyes were glued on Draco. He was walking toward the side of the stage where a long ramp allowed Tabitha to wheel herself up onto it. He held her hand as they walked together back to the center, where she turned to face the audience.

"This is Tabitha Leake. I met her in February at St. Mungo's, where she had checked in for an extended stay in an attempt to undergo an experimental treatment in the hopes of giving her the use of her legs. Sadly, it didn't work, but we kept in touch. I visited her a few times because, let me tell you, this girl can dominate at chess."

A light smattering of laughter danced in the room.

"But as you can see, she is bound to this chair. And Hogwarts? It's out of the question. And Tabitha isn't the only one for whom the school is out of reach. This is the school where most of us completed our magical educations, grew up, made friends, experienced first loves and first heartaches, went through trials and triumphs. We suffered through homework, Filch, Peeves, howling winds at Quidditch games, detentions, and so much more. These memories, not just those confined to the classrooms, are what make Hogwarts so great. Tabitha turned eleven in April, but no letter came for her, despite the fact that she'd been exhibiting magical tendencies for years. Her parents will do like so many before her and educate her at home.

"But my friend dreams of Hogwarts. She told me so that first time we met. She asked me which House I was in and told me, without hesitation, that she'd be in Slytherin as well, if she was able to go. After spending many hours with her since then, I can attest to this." He smiled as Tabitha grinned and shrugged her shoulders, unapologetically aware of herself and not the least bit ashamed at the idea she might belong to Slytherin House.

The crowd laughed, clearly enchanted by Tabitha. Hermione was as well, but as adorable as Tabitha was, she couldn't take her eyes off Draco. He seemed so happy, so relaxed, at ease in a way she'd seldom seen him.

"Now, let me tell you why we're here tonight. I have spent the last two months traveling around the world, visiting other schools of magic who have made accommodations for the differently-abled children they serve. I've seen their efforts and learned what is necessary to provide these children the same learning opportunities we were all afforded. Then, together with Headmistress McGonagall, we came up with a plan for updating the castle at Hogwarts. I've met with magical architects, building experts, and engineers, and last month, I presented my findings to the Malfoy Foundation Board of Directors. They approved the project for tonight's fundraiser. We have the plans. Now all we need is you."

He flicked his wand toward the wall behind him and an image popped up of Hogwarts. As the crowd watched, some sections were removed to make room for new things, including lifts, one of which would go all the way to the top of the Astronomy Tower. "We'll also be working on a lift system inside, where Tabitha can ride up the staircases with her friends if she wishes. I saw something in the Muggle world that gave me the idea."

Hermione swallowed hard; he could only have meant an escalator, and she bit back a laugh at the mental image of Draco Malfoy riding one.

When the pictures finished, Draco turned back to the crowd. "Today is the seventh of July. School starts the first of September. We've got a lot to do before then, but it's possible. The proposed changes will require more than we've ever tried to raise before. Far more. But this project is worth it, not just for Tabitha, but for all the children who aren't able to look forward to Hogwarts for various reasons. Our goal this year is one million Galleons, and I believe in this so much that I am pledging ten percent of the necessary funds from my personal vault."

There were quite a few gasps from around the room.

"I am confident that we will raise what we need in time to complete the transformations necessary for this coming school year. We'll begin work as soon as possible and work in phases until all the money is raised." Draco paused, his eyes scanning the room once more before landing on the table where he'd been seated. Hermione could see Tabitha's parents there; she recognized them from the Valentine's Party.

Then he turned to the girl with a wide smile. "Tabitha, I have something for you. A good friend of mine wanted me to give this to you, and she's here tonight and would like to meet you later." Draco pulled an envelope from an inner pocket and handed it to her.

Tabitha accepted it and stared.

"Do you want to read it?" he asked.

"'To Tabitha Leake, on the stage, Brockhurst Hotel, London.'" She looked up at Draco, slightly dazed. "Should I open this?"

The guests laughed.

"Yes, go ahead." Draco beamed.

Tabitha carefully broke the seal Hermione knew so well and pulled out a sheet of parchment folded in half. "'Dear Tabitha, it is my pleasure and honor to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts…'" Her voice trailed off as she read quickly.

Hermione was grinning ear to ear, but suddenly her vision blurred, and she realized she had tears in her eyes. She wiped them away as she applauded along with everyone in the room. The cheers and clapping went on for a few minutes before Draco motioned for quiet.

When it was silent once more, he asked Tabitha if she'd like to say anything.

The girl nodded, still stunned. Then she collected herself and grinned. "I have to thank you, Mr. Malfoy, for being my Knight with Shining White Hair." Everyone laughed. "And Headmistress, I can't wait to meet you. And Slytherin, here I come!"

Everyone resumed cheering, and Draco escorted Tabitha off the stage and back to their table, where he was greeted warmly by the girl's parents.

Narcissa had returned to the stage while Hermione was busy watching Draco. She looked every bit the proud mother she was, and she dabbed her eyes daintily. "You can see why I am so proud. This year's cause is a bit different from previous years because it is so personal, so close to my son's heart. I know that you will join us in supporting this very worthy cause. We'll be serving dessert now and the floor is open for dancing. Draco and Tabitha will lead us off."

The pair made their way to the dance floor, and the band began playing a lively tune. Draco looked like he was having the time of his life, dancing with Tabitha. Hermione laughed along with the crowd as the girl stole the show.

After a few minutes, Narcissa asked Tabitha's father to dance, and other couples began filling the space.

"Would you do me the honor?"

Hermione was surprised to see Marcus standing beside her, his hand extended expectantly. "Yes. All right."

He led her gently to the dance floor and took her in his arms. It felt strange, being so close after ending their relationship. After a moment, Marcus spoke. "You know, when I saw that we were seated together, I got my hopes up. I thought maybe it was some kind of second chance."

Her eyes widened. "Oh, Marcus, I'm so sorry. I should have paid more attention to the seating chart, but Narcissa always handles those."

"It's all right. I understand."

"I do enjoy my time with you. Tonight was… it was nice." She smiled, though every nerve in her body was on edge.

Marcus chuckled. "Maybe so, but I realize now I never had a chance."

"What do you mean?"

"You're clearly in love with someone else, Hermione."

She froze, her palms sweaty. "What?"

"Malfoy." Marcus sighed dramatically. "Watching you watch him just now was like looking through a window straight into your heart. The way you looked at him…" He trailed off, shaking his head and looking anywhere but at her.

Hermione felt awful. "Marcus, I'm so sorry. I don't think it's quite all you say it is, though."

"Is that so?" He looked unconvinced. "And don't be sorry. I'm glad to know, truthfully. I'd have always wondered what I'd done or didn't do, but I saw tonight that there was nothing I could have done to turn your heart toward me."

"It's… it's not what you think." She knew her reply sounded a bit weak and half-hearted, but she wasn't about to launch into an explanation. She didn't owe him that, and considering she hadn't told any of her friends, she wasn't about to let Marcus be the first person to find out. She had no plans for anyone to find out.

Marcus only shook his head. "If you thought my family would be difficult with respect to the pureblood courtship customs, you've no idea what his family will be like."

Hermione blushed. "That's… not even remotely something I need to worry about. Draco and I are not… anything. Except friends. I can't imagine that will ever change."

"Uh huh." He eyed her skeptically. "Whatever you need to tell yourself."

"I mean it!" She gave him her most serious expression but dissolved into a fit of laughter. "I do mean it when I say there's nothing between us. And I'm certain there never will be."

The song ended and Marcus bowed, kissing her hand. "Good night, Hermione. Thank you for the dance."

Marcus melted into the crowd, and though Hermione tried to follow his movements, her friends surrounded her and started peppering her with questions. She fielded them as best she could as she joined her friends at their table. Another song started, and most of them got up to dance.

Hermione was thirsty, so she found a full, untouched glass of water on her friends' table and drank half of it without hesitation. At one point, she happened to see that Marcus was talking to Draco, and she was instantly on edge. Would Marcus tell Draco about his suspicions? Surely he wouldn't; she'd hex him into the next decade if he did. But the interaction was brief, ending with a cordial handshake before Marcus walked away. Draco was immediately surrounded by people wanting to speak with him.

Then Harry dragged her onto the dance floor, and the next half-hour passed quickly in a collage of sound and laughter.

She flopped down into a chair to take a break, enjoying watching her friends continue to dance and enjoy themselves while her heart rate slowly settled. She wondered where Draco might be; she simply couldn't let the evening pass without speaking to him. Scanning the room, she found him in conversation with at least three people. Suspecting he might appreciate a break, Hermione grabbed two full glasses of water and started toward him.

Her nerves started popping, her stomach tightening with every step. Perhaps it was her talk with Marcus that had her so aware of her responses to Draco, but she nearly abandoned her mission four times. Her course already set, none of her misgivings were strong enough to divert her, and she found herself stepping beside him. The wizard and two witches who were listening to him made space for her to join the circle.

Hermione smiled graciously and handed Draco a glass. "I apologize for interrupting. Draco, could I have a moment?"

His eyes were intense as he drank from the glass. Then he turned to his guests. "Forgive me." They all bowed away quickly, leaving Hermione and Draco alone in the corner. He finished the drink, and she could tell he wanted another. Without a word, she gave him the second glass, which she'd brought for him as well. "Merlin, you're amazing." He downed that serving without hesitation. After a long moment of staring at the bottom of the glass, he looked at her. "What did you want?"

"Nothing. I just thought you might want a break." She backed farther into the corner where there was an empty table and hopped up to sit on it. Draco smirked and followed, though he didn't join her on the table. Hermione cast a few Obfuscation Charms so that, even though they were in full view of the entire room, hopefully no one would notice them.

"Thank you." He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes.

Hermione watched Narcissa, who had also been surrounded the entire evening. She was a natural, and never seemed to tire. Draco, on the other hand, wasn't used to being the focus of attention and she knew he generally preferred not to be. All of her friends except Harry and Ginny were still dancing, which was understandable because Ginny was about a week away from her due date. Ron and Pansy only had eyes for each other, Neville and Hannah were sweet and only a little awkward, and George and Luna were wild and drawing a lot of odd looks. But they didn't seem to care, which made Hermione smile.

Draco shifted, drawing her gaze. His eyes were still closed but he'd dropped his head and was slowly stretching his neck. When he finished, he let out a sigh and then smiled at her. "Thank you for this little respite. Really."

She shrugged. "It was nothing. Draco, I know you've probably heard a lot of words over the last hour or so, and I don't mean to add to that load, but… that… what you did… it was incredible. I'm so proud of your work."

A tinge of pink crept onto his cheeks and he looked away, rubbing the back of his neck.

Hermione quickly continued. "I suppose that's what you've been up to all this time, then? Why you were away from work, out of the country?"

He nodded. "It's required almost every moment of my spare time in May and June, though once I presented it to the Board, I was able to breathe easier."

She wanted desperately to ask whether he'd also met someone while traveling, whether the gossip papers Pansy had mentioned were correct, but she couldn't muster the courage. She felt it would be an obvious show of her own feelings, and after being so effortlessly exposed by Marcus earlier, she simply couldn't risk it. "How's the fundraising going? Do you think you'll hit your goal tonight?"

They both glanced at the jar sitting on a table near the door. Like the large jars at Hogwarts used to keep a visual record of house points, this one filled with crystals as people pledged or donated toward the cause. Hermione could see that the jar was nearly half-full.

"Probably not. But once the general public hears about what we're doing, I'm sure we'll have a lot of donations come in." The Malfoy Foundation's Hogwarts focus was always kept a secret, revealed the night of the fundraiser, and the following day the newspapers covered it for those not invited or involved. "It's more than we've ever collected in a single night, so I'm not terribly worried." His smile was tired but easy. "Besides, I won't rest until every Knut is raised."

"Oh?" She raised an eyebrow at him. "And how do you plan to accomplish that?"

He shrugged, gazing out at the crowd, all of whom were still enjoying themselves immensely. "I will fund it myself."

Hermione frowned. "I thought you couldn't use the Foundation's operating funds for any projects."

Draco didn't reply right away. "I have my own vault, you know. Separate from my family and the Foundation." He spoke so quietly, she wasn't sure he'd meant for her to hear, but then he gave her an expectant, almost hesitant look.

She didn't understand what he meant to convey, but she filed it away to consider more later. "Ah, I see. So then you can begin work right away, knowing that you'll cover whatever isn't raised in time."

"Exactly. Minerva already knows this."

A cheer went up, drawing their attention. Tabitha was dancing with Harry, and a small crowd around them was watching and enjoying the sight. Hermione laughed as Harry, holding Tabitha's hands, tried to twirl but got a bit tangled up. Everyone else was laughing now, too, Tabitha most of all.

"It's so lovely that you invited her." Hermione pushed off the table and moved to stand beside Draco.

He smiled as he watched the dancing, one of those smiles that took her breath away. Was this all that had been behind his good mood the night of Ron and Pansy's engagement? Pansy had said he was sparkly, claiming that he must be seeing someone, but he appeared just as happy right now as he had then, and to her knowledge, there was no woman involved. Just a girl who'd touched his heart and sent him on a fascinating journey.

It was on the tip of her tongue again to ask, but then she remembered herself. It wasn't her place to nose into his personal business. If he wanted to tell her, he would.

"She was a lot of fun."

"Well, she's completely charming. Do you really think she'll be in Slytherin?"

"I have no doubt." Draco chuckled as though at some private memory, then tipped his head. "Have you reconsidered my offer?"

"What offer was that?"

"My assistance with the pixies. I know it's only been a few days, but I really do think I might have something helpful." He glanced around the vicinity to make sure nobody was nearby. "Brett Lofton, Vice-President of the British Quidditch League, is married to Maria Lofton, and she heavily supports a few charities revolving around the care of children bitten by werewolves. I'd be happy to offer a donation to one or a few of them in exchange for a meeting with Lofton."

Hermione bristled. "No, thank you. That won't be necessary. I'd really rather not bring bribery into this."

He scoffed. "It's not bribery. At least, not directly related to the pixies. It would only be to get you a fair audience with someone high up in the Quidditch organization."

"I'm sure you mean well." Hermione smiled at him, doing her best not to let her annoyance with his offer show. "As I said before, I have this handled." Perhaps he truly didn't see why she couldn't accept; money was all he had known, and he'd grown up seeing his father use his wealth to get almost everything he wanted. She couldn't blame him for falling back on that habit.

The song ended and everybody clapped for a long time. Then Hermione noticed Narcissa glancing around the room as though looking for someone. When her gaze fell on their corner, she headed straight for them.

Draco stood tall as his mother approached, straightening his clothes.

"Here you are, darling. Tabitha is tired and ready to leave."

He nodded and quickly kissed his mother on the cheek, then turned to Hermione with a slightly apprehensive expression. "Enjoy the rest of your evening, Hermione."

Narcissa linked her arm through Hermione's. "Thank you for watching out for him. I knew he was getting overwhelmed by the crowd and the constant attention. The Charms were a nice touch as well."

Hermione smiled but said nothing. They watched as Tabitha, with Draco by her side, left the ballroom followed by her parents. The crowd dispersed once they were gone and the evening felt complete.

Narcissa sighed. "Hermione, you've been amazing tonight, and I can't thank you enough. I know there's more to be done, but just in case I don't have another quiet moment with you, I want to say it now. I truly appreciate everything you do for the Foundation. Listen, I want you to come to tea soon. Draco told me your meeting Monday didn't go well, and I'd like to hear all about it. Perhaps we can brainstorm a bit together."

"I'd like that."

Narcissa patted her arm, and they started walking toward the door. "Good. I'll owl you."

"You must be so proud of Draco."

The woman didn't try to hide her smile. "I am. Beyond words. He was magnificent. My face hurts from smiling so much tonight. I've never seen him as happy as he's been the last few months. Oh, Merlin, Hermione. What a night. I'm exhausted."

Hermione yawned. "It was truly fabulous. I can't wait to read all about it in the 'papers tomorrow."

"Yes, I also look forward to that. And we're nearly halfway to our goal, which is beyond my wildest expectations. You know, of course, how much more we're going for this year than ever before, but Draco is adamant that we'll reach the goal." Narcissa stopped, giving Hermione a very serious look. "I do hope you weren't upset, dear. I know we kept you out of the loop a bit, but Draco didn't want anyone to know." She gave Hermione a quick hug.

"I understand. It was fun to be part of the surprise. I look forward to talking to him about it more."

Narcissa's eyes sparkled. "I know he'd like that. Now I must see to my duty as hostess to bid everyone goodnight." With a long-suffering sigh that Hermione knew wasn't sincere, Narcissa left.

Hermione gathered her things and said goodbye to her friends, then Apparated home.

ooo

Thursday, JULY 13

Hermione paused outside a nondescript door and double-checked the address Pansy had given her. She was at the right place but was surprised by the exterior. It was a wizarding establishment in the heart of a Muggle neighborhood, so it was designed to appear abandoned, but considering this was a high-end bakery, she had expected… well, not quite this.

No matter.

She opened the door and was immediately greeted by a very posh witch. "Parkinson?"

Hermione blinked. "Er, no, I'm—"

"Are you here for the Parkinson tasting?" She sounded impatient, as though Hermione were an idiot.

"Yes." Best to keep things short and to the point.

"This way." Hermione rolled her eyes and followed the witch, who led her down a brightly lit hallway. "In here." She opened a door and began walking back toward the front.

Hermione went to the room and peeked in, relieved when she saw Pansy sitting on a chair. As she opened the door farther to walk through, she saw, to her surprise, that Draco was there as well, in a chair facing Pansy. They'd been in the middle of a conversation, but it stopped when Draco's eyes shifted from Pansy to her.

"Brilliant!" Pansy jumped up and kissed Hermione's cheek. "You're here. Have a seat." She returned to her chair and motioned toward a short sofa which was arranged with the chairs and an ornate, gilded coffee table. "Daphne will join us later, if she can. And Ginny is unavailable due to being too large. Her words, not mine."

Gingerly, Hermione took a seat exactly in the middle of the sofa, thankful that there was one cushion instead of two. She didn't have to fret over which of her friends to sit closer to.

"Oh, and Draco is here because he has excellent taste." Pansy smiled at her friend.

Draco quirked an eyebrow in amusement. "I do hope you don't expect me to tag along for all your wedding planning, Pans."

"No, of course not." She winked at Hermione. "But who wouldn't want to eat cake for an hour?"

Hermione spluttered. "An hour?"

"It's fine! They give you other things between cake bites to cleanse the palate. Daphne said this place was her favorite. I'll even treat you to dinner after."

A man entered the room, a gold tray holding three glasses of champagne in one hand. Without a word he served them and departed.

Pansy held up her glass. "Cheers!" They all took a sip, then she set her glass down. Soon another man entered bearing trays of food, which he set on the coffee table. After explaining the types of cake they were about to try, he left. Pansy clapped her hands and reached for the closest one. "Shall we?"

Hermione glanced at Draco. He was the picture of elegance and comfort, as though he'd been in dozens of such establishments before, and even if he hadn't, nothing could faze him. It made sense Pansy would want her wedding to be extravagant, but Hermione had never seen the point.

"Where's Ron?" she asked, tasting her first sample. It was surprisingly delicious.

"He couldn't make it. Had a work thing. He was disappointed but said as long as he didn't miss the tasting session with the caterers, he could miss this one." She laughed.

Hermione chuckled. "Sounds about right."

"How's the pixie project going?" Pansy pulled a grape off a stem and popped it into her mouth.

Hermione was a little surprised at the question, mainly because Pansy had never seemed all that interested in what was happening with the pixies. Hermione had told her a little about her efforts when they'd taken Ginny's favorite take-away over in lieu of their usual dinner out earlier in the week. Ginny hadn't quite felt up to going out. "There have been no developments since the last time I saw you. So it's going as well as can be expected, I suppose." She didn't want to share just how disheartened she felt by it all.

Draco swallowed his first bite of cake. "It could be going a lot better, but she keeps refusing my help."

Hermione whipped her head around to look at him in surprise. He was grinning lazily, as though his statement had been about his favorite type of tea and not a jab that he'd been making more than she liked lately. "Draco! I've told you before that I have a reason for what I'm doing. I am working through the system, step by step, and I intend to follow this course through to its end. I'm not looking for shortcuts or special favors."

His expression was hard to read, but he didn't say anything more, instead merely inclining his head and turning his attention back to the food.

After her first sample, Pansy made herself a plate of some of the other offerings—crackers, cheese, fruit, and sausage—and now she changed the subject. "Hermione, how are things with Marcus?"

She nearly choked on her piece of cake. Merlin, she still hadn't told her friends—not that she'd seen any of them since the fundraiser, and that certainly wasn't the time to discuss it. Draco gave her a glass of water and she took a long drink, searching desperately for a way out of the conversation. Nothing materialized. "Oh, um, actually, we broke up."

"What?" Pansy practically screeched, lurching forward in her chair to gape at Hermione. "What do you mean, you broke up? What happened? When? Do I need to hex him?"

Hermione felt Draco's gaze on her but she refused to look at him. "Well, it was near the end of June—"

Pansy gasped. "June? June? But it's July! And you're only now telling me?"

She shrugged. "I haven't really seen you. Or anyone. I've not had occasion to tell. Anyone." Her explanation was lame and she knew it, but there'd been no cause for her to seek out her friends just to tell them. Again, she realized it had impacted her life so little that she hadn't felt inclined to do it.

"Um, hello? I'm an owl away! Are you all right? What did he do? What happened?"

Hermione chuckled nervously and took another drink of water. "He didn't do anything, Pansy. It was very amicable. Let's see, though. How did it happen? First, he asked if he could call me his girlfriend. But then quickly moved on to how his family wants him to settle down and take his place at the head of the family? And all that entails. He said he was ready for all of that—leading the family, marriage, a family—and he said he could see that with me. That he wanted us to go down that path, knowing what was at the end. He said he wanted to begin the pureblood courtship traditions."

They both stared at her, eyes wide, though she could hardly look at Draco.

"What did you say?" Pansy asked.

"He asked me to think about it. To not say anything right away. And I did think about it. In the end, there wasn't much to consider. I simply couldn't say yes to him. I wasn't at all ready for all of that."

Pansy looked at Draco. "Don't you think that's strange?"

He winced as though he'd hoped nobody would remember he was present. "Think what's strange, Pansy?"

She gave him a withering look. "That he would want to, you know, follow all the courtship rubbish. I mean, why? Either he'd have said that from the beginning or he'd have waited until he was very, very sure about you." Pansy frowned in thought. "And how could he have been sure? They'd only been dating a few months, and hadn't seen each other that often. I know because I kept track."

Hermione's eyes flew wide. "What?"

"I'm nosey. Anyway. What do you think, Draco?"

Draco rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't know. I think if you know, you know. Aren't you the one who proposed to Ron after six months? How's that any different?"

Hermione felt a rush of gratitude toward him. She'd been worried she might have to try and defend herself against them both.

Pansy huffed. "Well, yes, but—" She turned to Hermione. "I thought you liked him? Things were going well, yeah? That's what you said last we talked about it, anyway."

"They were going well, and I did, I liked him fine. But that was all, only fine, and it's like you said at dinner that night with Ginny. There was nothing…"

"Sparkly." Pansy sighed.

Hermione nodded. "Right. Besides, it was just too much, too fast. And even though I enjoyed being around him, there were things I knew would need serious consideration and discussion if our relationship progressed, and I wasn't ready to put in the work for that yet. So, when he wanted me to commit to so much, I simply couldn't." She risked a glance at Draco; he was the only person she'd told about some of the incompatibilities between her and Marcus. He was frowning at the food on the table.

"Ahh. That's understandable. I still think he handled it all very strangely."

"Which is another reason I didn't tell anybody, because… I don't know, it just didn't impact my life at all." She felt awful admitting it, but it was true. There'd been no heartache, no sadness, no nothing.

Pansy snorted a laugh. "Oh, that's priceless. That would knock Marcus' ego down a peg or two. Maybe you should tell him."

Draco coughed, probably to cover a laugh, and Hermione bit back a smile. She was more than ready to change the subject.

But then Pansy gasped, her eyes flying wide. "Wait just a minute! The fundraiser was just Friday! You were with him then, right?"

Hermione cringed. "Well? Remember how I hadn't told anybody we'd broken up? I meant it, and Narcissa, not knowing, seated me beside him for the evening."

Pansy laughed. "Oh, Hermione, I bet that was awkward! I wish I could have been there to watch!"

"Very funny. But yes, it was terribly awkward at first. We were sitting with his parents, and I thought for sure that they would hate me because I'd just broken up with their son, but as it turned out, he hadn't even told them about me." It was by far the strangest thing from her entire relationship with Marcus.

"What?"

"It's true. He introduced me and they were so kind, asking me how long I'd known Marcus, when we'd met." She dropped her head in her hands. "It was awfully embarrassing, though thankfully, they weren't aware of any of it. Marcus was the most embarrassed of all, and rightfully so. Other than that, the meal passed pleasantly enough."

Pansy looked at Draco. "What do you make of that, him not telling his parents?"

He frowned slightly. "Parental involvement is required for Courtship, of course. Perhaps he wanted to wait until he was sure before he told his parents? I don't know, I can't begin to guess. But it is surprising."

"You danced with him." Pansy pointed a finger accusingly.

Hermione sighed. "Yes. He'd asked me that day we broke up if I'd save a dance for him."

There was silence for a full beat, then Draco spoke. "Marcus' family made a sizable donation."

"That's wonderful, Draco! How's the fundraising going?"

"We're three-quarters of the way there," he replied with one of his easy smiles. He used them often when he spoke of the work he'd been doing, and as she thought back to previous conversations, she recognized it in the same context. It was such a delightful expression that she wondered if anything else might draw it from him.

"Will the work begin soon?"

"I believe so. I'm meeting with Minerva in a couple of days to discuss it."

Pansy used her wand to refill their plates with a few more cake bites. "And you're okay, Hermione? Really?"

She smiled. "I'm fine. I realized I wasn't ready for what he wanted. I couldn't commit to him right then, knowing that, in the end, he wanted to marry me."

"Well, with Marcus at least. As Draco reminded me, when you know, you know." She held up the hand where her engagement ring rested and wiggled her fingers.

Hermione sighed. "I'll have to take your word for it. I mean, maybe if we'd been together longer, perhaps something would have changed?"

Pansy considered this. "I'm sure it's possible. With Ron, I knew right away. Ginny said she knew right away with Harry, too."

"Forgive me, Draco." Hermione cast him an apologetic look, then turned back to Pansy. "Astoria thought she knew a long time ago as well. She was adamant about that."

To her surprise, Draco responded instead of Pansy. "But I never felt the same way. In the two cases Pansy mentioned, both parties reciprocated."

Pansy rolled her eyes. "You sound like a bloody textbook, Draco. But you're right, of course. You can't really know until you're able to be with someone. To share with him, to be open, be fully yourself. I didn't know about Ron until he kissed me, which, granted, was our first date, but we felt the same."

Hermione was happy for her friends but she couldn't help feeling a little left out. At least Draco was in the same position. "So, what are these courtship traditions Marcsus was talking about? I've been curious ever since he mentioned it. It's not something I've ever seen referenced in books and I've really only been close with the Weasleys, who don't subscribe to them."

Pansy looked at Draco. "Go ahead. Tell her."

He sat up straighter. "Why me?"

"Because, you're… you know." She waved her hands before her, as though that answered everything. "You're you."

"And you think I have a better working knowledge of the courtship traditions?"

She sniffed. "You're a Malfoy, so you'd better have a better working knowledge of pureblood courtship traditions."

He shrugged. "Be that as it may, it doesn't mean I have any intentions of following them. I've not paid much attention to that since I was much younger."

"I'll believe that when I see it. Do you really think your mother would let you out of it all?" Pansy gave him a superior, skeptical look.

Draco rolled his eyes. "You're one to talk. You're not following them!"

"Well, Ron—"

"Is a pureblood."

"True, but… he doesn't run in our circles."

Draco looked at her like bemusedly.

"I don't want to do any of that anyway," Pansy said with a dramatic huff. "Ron hasn't mentioned it. I don't think he'd be interested, either. His family doesn't hold to those traditions, right Hermione?"

Hermione nodded. "I've been to many Weasley weddings, been friends with many Weasleys through the whole dating process, and I've never heard of these customs."

Pansy gave Draco a smug look, though Hermione couldn't fathom why. All she was doing was proving Draco's point that he didn't need to adhere to them, either. "My mother happens to not really care what I do, so I'm doing what I want."

"As you should. And when it's my turn, I'll do what I want. Unless, you know, my… er, intended wants to do the full-out thing."

"You can't even talk about it normally. Your intended? Only the Malfoy scion would use such language."

Draco opened his mouth to retort, but Hermione still wanted her original question answered. Though she was very curious to hear more about Draco's thoughts on the subject. "Can you tell me what it involves?"

He gave Pansy a look between a glare and a smirk, then turned to address her. "It's a formal contract. Families meet together and discuss terms, how many dates you'll go on, who'll be present. It's very formal and stiff and—"

"Our parents did it," Pansy interrupted.

"I have no interest in doing something just because my parents did. I tried that, remember? It didn't end well." He made a half-hearted motion toward the arm that had borne the Dark Mark. "It's nothing special or terribly binding, a formal set of rules about the relationship. But it is serious, and it's considered to be something like a pre-engagement."

"So he kind of asked me to marry him?"

"Not technically, no. But if you'd agreed, you'd have been stating, to him and both your families, that unless something extraordinary happened, an engagement was to be expected at the end of the agreed upon period of time."

"What happens if someone breaks the courtship?"

Draco shrugged. "Depends on what the terms were. Engagements are nearly as serious as marriage; breaking that could be detrimental to the offending family's status or wealth."

"See?" Pansy threw a napkin at him. "You know all kinds of pureblood things."

"As I said, though, I've no intention of doing any of them." He threw the napkin back at her.

"Why not?" Hermione asked before she could stop herself.

He was still smiling when he turned his gaze on her. "Call it overexposure to pureblood customs growing up. Most of them are wearisome, tedious, and irrelevant. Astoria mentioned it the night of the fundraiser in April, and I struggled to get through the rest of the 'date.' I think she thought it would appeal to me, that it would be something we had in common."

Pansy snorted. "Well, as fun as that side topic was, let's get back to Marcus. He basically asked you to commit to saying yes when he did finally ask you to marry him. Assuming, as Draco mentioned, nothing extraordinary happened along the way. And considering the way he was looking at you at the fundraiser…" Pansy raised her eyebrows significantly and fanned herself. "I thought for sure you'd be getting lucky. I had no clue you two weren't together."

"Pansy!" Hermione blushed crimson.

Draco shifted his weight, setting down his empty plate. "I'd wondered why Marcus had left and you were still there. Then I figured it was just because you always stay and help Mother. But then I thought Marcus ought to stay with you anyway, since he was… you know, your boyfriend—except, apparently, not really. However, I thought he was, so he should have stayed. In my opinion. Unlike that tosser in April."

Hermione laughed uncomfortably. "No, not like that."

Draco turned to Pansy to explain. "Hermione's date for the April fundraiser was someone from the speed dating thing she went to. He was terrible. He—what was his name again?"

"I don't remember!" Hermione laughed.

"Was it Joey?" he suggested.

"Joey doesn't sound quite right." She thought for a moment. "Tony. I think. Tony?"

"Yes!" He smiled triumphantly. "I think it's Tony. Anyway. He was Hermione's date to the fundraiser—"

Pansy interrupted. "You told me all about this when we were at The Burrow a few months ago, remember? With Ginny and Luna?" She smirked. "I don't remember him much, but I do remember your dress. The one I said he didn't deserve for a second date."

Draco cleared his throat. "Well, anyway. As you must know, then, Tony ended up flirting with someone else entirely and even going home with her, and I thought it was simply awful."

"Draco wanted to go… what, not yell at him, certainly, that wouldn't do. Speak to him sternly?"

"I had a few choice words lined up and ready, I'm not ashamed to say."

Hermione grinned at him, so happy to be laughing with him about that night. She still felt a hitch in her throat at the memory of Astoria on his arm, but it was fading. Sometimes her heart simply needed reminding that he wasn't with the younger witch and that didn't seem likely to change any time soon.

Pansy cleared her throat, drawing their attention. Her eyes were wide, and she looked slowly from Hermione to Draco and then back to Hermione. Then she shook her head as though dazed and stared at the spread of food for a long moment. Hermione exchanged a glance with Draco, who seemed equally perplexed by Pansy's behavior. Then she looked up with a faraway look in her eyes. "Okay. Wow. Um, all right. So. Let's talk cake, shall we?"

ooo

Friday, JULY 14

"Beef Wellington. One of my favorites." Harry set his tray down on the table and slid into his chair.

Hermione grinned. "I saw that. I went with a chicken salad."

"How's your week been?" He hastily threw his napkin onto his lap and tucked into the food.

She thought about the bizarre evening with Pansy, Draco, and eventually Daphne, the night before, but that was only her most recent outing.

"Mine's been exhausting. With Ginny due any minute, every time she gasps or pauses or looks at her birth kit, I shoot into a frantic tailspin. But she keeps insisting she's fine. In fact, last night we had se—"

Just then, Draco appeared beside their table, slightly out of breath. "Potter. Ginny. She's—"

"In labor?" Harry jumped up, sending his chair flying across the floor.

Draco nodded.

"Hermione, I'll see you later."

"Yes! Go!" she cried, shooing him away. She stared at her food, debating whether she should finish eating before following Harry or just leave it. After half a second of thought, she decided to take the lunch with her—along with Harry's—and head to The Burrow.

"What do you need?" Draco asked, as though he could read her thoughts.

She looked toward the food service area, hoping to see something she could put the food in. "Containers. One for me, one for Harry's food."

"I'll get them."

Hermione turned to smile at him, but he was already striding purposefully across the cafeteria. He'd taken off his outer robes for his sprint through the Ministry, allowing her a rare, and rather pleasant, view of his arse in his fit trousers. She swallowed hard, then sent off a brief memo to her boss, telling him she needed to take the rest of the day off.

Draco returned after a few moments, handed her a container, then began shoveling Harry's food into the other. He stacked it on top of hers while Hermione gathered her things. She'd left her jacket in her office, but that was no matter; she hardly needed it outside the artificially cooled interior of the Ministry.

"Thank you, Draco." She gave his forearm a brief squeeze of appreciation.

He looked down to where her hand rested, blinking in surprise as she removed it and picked up the food. "Of course. I'll… see you around, Hermione."

She'd started for the door but turned around to wave. "See you!"

ooo

Sunday, JULY 16

At one-eleven in the morning, after laboring for over thirty-six hours, Ginny gave birth to a baby girl. The proud parents named her Eloise Ruth.

ooo

Wednesday, JULY 19

The main office of the British and Irish Quidditch League had a very different feel from the Department of Games and Sports. While it was obvious that they had far more resources at their disposal, the League took a simpler approach to décor. Instead of modern, they went classic: rich woods, antique furniture, old maps and paraphernalia on the walls. It was cozier, but only slightly because everything she could see was probably worth more than her yearly salary.

It had the look of wanting to appear inviting but nothing more.

"Hermione Granger. I have an appointment."

There was no posh witch at the reception desk. Instead, a young, fit wizard manned the large, mahogany desk, and he smiled as he found her name on the schedule. "Right this way, Miss Granger." She was led to a small meeting room with large windows overlooking a full-sized Quidditch Pitch. "Would you like some water?"

"No, thank you." She smiled politely.

The wizard nodded and left her alone. The décor in the meeting room matched the parts of the building she'd seen, but the windows were a welcome change. The view was breathtaking; if there'd been a match going, she'd have had the best view. Beyond the pitch was forest as far as she could see.

At the sound of the door opening, Hermione turned around. A man not much older than Hermione entered, his smile wide. He left the door open, which put Hermione at ease.

"Hello. I'm Harold Gray, one of the Administrators here at the League." He held out his hand and she shook it.

"Hermione Granger."

"Shall we sit?" Harold indicated the conference table, and they sat catty-corner at one end. Then he cleared his throat and looked down at his notes. "I have to say, Miss Granger, it's an honor to meet you. I've read so much about you and what you went through in the war."

Hermione forced herself to smile, instantly wary of where this conversation might go. The last thing she wanted to do was field questions about her time on the run with Harry. "That's me."

He nodded vigorously, then glanced back at his notes. "So, Miss Granger. I see that you want to talk about the new Quidditch stadium in Caerphilly?"

"Yes. That's correct. Specifically, I wanted to discuss your plans for the forest."

Harold's eyes brightened. "Oh, it's a lovely area. I've been there myself to scout it out. It's going to be the perfect spot for the new stadium."

Her smile tightened. "Were you aware, Mr. Gray, that the forest is currently home to a large and thriving pixie community?"

Instantly, his demeanor changed. Where he had been warm and friendly, he now became closed. He still smiled, but it was mechanical. "Pixies you say?"

She opened her briefcase and extracted a small stack of parchment. She slid them across the table and waited for him to examine the document. "As you can see, the Ministry signed a contract with the Pixie Queen over a hundred years ago giving them the forest for their home. In perpetuity. I'm afraid you're going to have to find a new home for Caerphilly." She tried her best to sound sympathetic.

Harold's eyes moved along the parchment too quickly for him to be reading it. "I see. Thank you for bringing this to me. Is this the original?"

Hermione nearly laughed but held it back, instead giving him a saccharine smile. "No. The original is on file at the Ministry. That's a copy for you and your legal department to keep."

He shifted awkwardly in his chair, then gave her a blank look. "I will certainly pass this along. I'm afraid I don't have much to tell you, since I'm not part of Legal or any other major decision making department. I can't really speak about what's been done for the inhabitants of the forest."

It was interesting the way the League had sent a nobody to meet with her, someone who couldn't make decisions or give her any promises or real answers. It was a fascinating juxtaposition with Games & Sports, who sent her before the entire Committee to be talked down to and intimidated. This was nicer but the message was essentially the same.

"Oh, well, you're in luck then, because I've spoken with the Pixie Queen, and she told me that nobody has come to her about this matter. I suppose you'll want to address that in your next meeting. Would you like to write that down? I'll wait." She sat ramrod straight, primly folding her hands in her lap.

Harold fumbled for a quill, then scribbled something on the back of the last piece of parchment she'd given him. She'd have bet ten Galleons he hadn't written actual words.

"She also said that they're not interested in relocating, and she hoped the Ministry would adhere to their agreement."

"Ah, I see." He sighed dramatically and shrugged. "It sounds like it's out of our hands, then. It's between the Ministry and the Queen. I'm not sure what you expected when you came here, but it sounds like you need to take it up with the Ministry."

Hermione clenched her jaw. "Here's what you can do, Mr. Gray. You can go to your boss and tell him that, as the British and Irish Quidditch League, you have the power, influence, and resources to secure a different location, one that isn't currently home to a large group of magical beings. You can reach out to the pixies and discuss the matter with them. I'm sure you have the resources necessary to help them find a new home, if that's an agreement you can both come to."

He tittered affably, then nervously shuffled the parchment to get all the sheets aligned, then stood. "I will certainly pass the message along, Miss Granger." He moved toward the door.

Annoyed but not surprised that she was clearly being dismissed, Hermione stood and stiffly walked out the room.

"We do appreciate you coming down. It's always good to hear from our fans." Harold flashed an exaggerated smile that showed too many teeth. He walked with her toward the lobby and stopped just before reaching it. "Please, feel free to stop by any time. I'd be happy to take you on a personal tour of the facility. We've got a museum dedicated to the history of Quidditch. Oh! That reminds me. Which of our illustrious teams is your favorite?"

It was all she could do not to roll her eyes. She didn't have a favorite team, of course, and she almost told him so, but then she thought of Ron and how much he'd enjoy seeing a game. "Chudley."

Harold chuckled, then realized she was serious and spluttered. "Oh, oh right, sure. Hang on one moment." He darted through a nearby door and returned in less than two minutes. "Here you are, two of our best seats to see the Cannons."

If she hadn't cared for Ron as much as she did, she would have ripped the tickets in half. She tucked them into her beaded bag instead, then levelled him with a hard glare. "Mr. Gray, I don't watch a lot of Quidditch, but I can say this. I will never set foot inside a League match again if you raze the forest and displace the pixies. Have a nice day." She spun on her heel and walked out.

ooo

Sunday, JULY 23

Tea with Narcissa was always a delight, and today was no exception. Once they were settled at the table, napkins out and tea prepared, they moved quickly past the small talk and into plans for October's foundation event. There wasn't a whole lot to think about so early, but they crossed a few items off the never-ending list.

"Oh, Draco had an idea that I wanted to run by you." Narcissa pulled her list back out.

"Where is he? Usually he presents his ideas in person." Hermione took another sip of her tea.

Narcissa blinked, surprised, then sighed. "I don't understand my son sometimes. I take it, then, he hasn't told you?"

Hermione froze mid-sip, a flash of adrenaline coursing through her as she prepared for some kind of bad news. "No. I haven't seen him since he came to the cafeteria where Harry and I were eating to tell Harry that Ginny was in labor. Is everything all right?"

"Of course, dear." Narcissa smiled and waved her hand. "It's nothing, really. He's taken a leave of absence from the Ministry and rented a house in Hogsmeade. He wanted to be close to Hogwarts during the renovations. Minerva has entrusted him with managing the entire project, which is an honor he is taking very seriously. He adores this project so much. I've never seen him this happy."

Now that her initial apprehension had passed, Hermione smiled. "That's wonderful, Narcissa. Tell me about his idea."

"He thought we might work on something to help families with supplies for school. Especially those families who, like Tabitha, didn't expect to be going to Hogwarts and might need some extra help. We could collect basic supplies and distribute them."

"That's lovely! I've heard of Muggles doing something similar. Does he want us to take the lead on this? Or is he planning on taking this on as well?"

Narcissa looked thoughtful. "I'm not sure. I'll speak with him more the next time I see him. I'd think we should set something up soon, perhaps a separate fund, as these families will be thinking about Hogwarts as September nears." She wrote a few lines on her list. "Maybe early in August."

"We could ask for donations from different shops and surprise people with them as they shop." Her heart couldn't help but swell at the thought of Draco's idea.

"And I think it would be good to let people donate as well. I'm so pleased you like the idea." Narcissa's smile faltered. "Forgive me for the abrupt change in subject, but a little bird told me that you and Marcus Flint broke up. How are you doing?"

"I'm fine. I promise." Hermione gave her a reassuring smile. "He was ready for more than I was. It was a friendly breakup, if such a thing exists."

Narcissa watched her closely. "I see. You seem all right, so I'll take your word for it." After making a selection of which tea things to eat, she continued. "Tell me about your meeting with the League."

After giving her a brief synopsis, Hermione concluded by saying that she wasn't surprised but still disappointed. "I'm honestly not sure which method of dismissal I prefer. The intimidation tactic or the kind but ineffectual lackey with promises to 'pass the information along.' They both made me angry."

"Why won't you let me help you? Beyond the use of our library, I mean. I know Draco has offered, he's told me so on more than one occasion."

Hermione smiled tightly, not wanting to offend her friend or get into an argument. "I'll tell you like I've told him. There is a process for airing one's grievances, and until that avenue has been completely exhausted, I will continue down that path."

"You know I can call in favors, though, darling. It wouldn't be anything untoward, merely a nudge here, a push there. I know how much this means to you."

"Thank you, Narcissa. I know. Believe me, Draco and I have had a few similar conversations, and I appreciate your desire to help. I promise that I'll come to you if I need anything."

Narcissa inclined her head graciously. "I'm glad you know that I'm here for you."

"Oh, absolutely. And I can't thank you enough." Hermione was anxious to move away from the topic of the pixies. She hoped both Narcissa and Draco would come to understand her position on accepting their assistance—and soon. As much as she appreciated them and valued their advice, this was something she had to do on her own. "Tell me about your visit to Lyon last week! I'm excited to hear all about the gastronomic capital of France!"

ooo

Sunday, JULY 30

The Sunday evening dinner crowd was slightly thinner than other weekend nights, but only just. What had started as an outing to help Pansy choose a gift for Ron had turned into a monthly standing dinner date between Pansy, Ginny, and Hermione. Since Ginny was keeping close to home following Eloise's birth, Pansy had insisted that Hermione still join her.

As soon as they sat down, Pansy took a sip of her drink and leaned forward on the table, peering intensely at Hermione. "I'm glad it's just us, to be honest. There's something I need to talk to you about."

"Oh?" Hermione felt instantly alarmed. "Is everything all right?"

Pansy waved irritably, as though swatting away a bug. "Yes, yes, everything's fine. But you." She held up a finger and pointed accusingly at Hermione. "How long have you had feelings for Draco?"

"What?" Hermione forced her breathing to stay completely even.

"Please don't insult me by pretending you don't know what I'm talking about. I was with you two just a week ago, and I am not an idiot. Maybe a bit slow to notice things, since I tend to skip around and never stay in one place or thought very long."

"There's nothing to discuss."

Pansy rolled her eyes. "Didn't I just tell you not to insult me?"

Hermione leaned on the table as though she were about to tell Pansy a juicy secret. "Pansy, please don't take this the wrong way. I've really enjoyed getting to know you better over the last several months, but the truth is that I just don't quite trust you enough for this conversation."

For a moment, Pansy started to act offended. Her eyes widened, she pulled away, hand flying to her chest, mouth open to retort, but then she stopped and huffed. "That's fair." She considered Hermione for a moment. "All right, let's do it this way. I think he likes you."

There was a violent skip in Hermione's heartbeat, but again, she kept her features even. She even managed to give Pansy a skeptical look. "What makes you think that?"

"I know Draco. Or it's intuition. I don't really know, but I could practically feel it at the cake tasting. I realized I hadn't ever been alone with just you two, and seeing you interact with each other was eye-opening."

Hermione stacked her hands on the table, elbows out to the sides. "Pansy. We're friends. We've been friends a long time. He's never done anything to even remotely suggest he likes me."

Pansy's eyes narrowed for an instant, then sprung open in triumph. "He has! Speed dating!"

She waited for Pansy to go on, then gave up. "Speed dating? Pansy, that was months ago! And he didn't do anything that night to suggest he had any interest in me. We talked about the other people we'd met, and yes, it was the most relaxed five minutes of the night for me, but that was because I knew him and he was my friend."

"I think he went there for you."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Then he didn't do a good job of it, did he? He managed to go the entire evening—and every single day since then, mind you—without achieving his goal. If he's so interested in me, why hasn't he asked me out? He had no trouble with Astoria."

Pansy was ready with a quick reply. "Astoria was a sure thing. There was no risk; he knew she'd say yes. And, besides that, he had nothing to lose with her. With you, you're one of his best friends, and he is probably scared to lose that."

As much as Hermione wished it were true, there simply wasn't enough evidence. "Pansy, I've barely seen him the last few months. If he's harboring secret feelings for me, he's doing a great job of keeping them secret."

"Well, that's something we can agree on." Pansy bit her lip in thought.

Hermione needed to put an end to this line of discussion before it got too out of hand or too near her own feelings. "You said this same thing in February. Nothing happened before that, nothing has happened since."

"I didn't say this in February. What I said then was that I'd told him I thought you two would be a good match."

Hermione spread her hands, palms up. "And here we are, five months later, and nothing."

Pansy looked put out. "Have you seen him lately?"

"As a matter of fact, I haven't. When I saw Narcissa recently, she said that he's renting a house in Hogsmeade to be close to Hogwarts. The last time I saw Draco was at your cake testing." She hoped that would put an end to the conversation. Just the thought that he might like her, after she'd spent months refusing to even consider the possibility, had her heart racing. But no, it couldn't be true.

ooo

Long after dinner with Pansy was over, Hermione lay in bed, allowing herself to look at the recent months through a different lens. She wanted to go over everything she could remember to see if there might be some truth to what Pansy claimed. It was hard to be objective, but even if she assigned meaning to some of his words and actions, they weren't all that different from how he'd always been. And Hermione didn't think he'd been pining for her for years. Yes, their relationship had grown and deepened, so they were more familiar and comfortable now, but that wasn't necessarily, or even logically, attributable to feelings on his part. It could easily be explained by the passage of time and the natural progression of their friendship.

While there might have been a handful of things that stood out, other behavior on his part negated those things in her mind. Their friendship had been strong all along, and it was easy to dismiss everything as being a result of that.

More than that, she couldn't let herself dwell on the possibility. She simply didn't feel confident that her feelings were, in any way, reciprocated; if anything, she thought he was pulling away, finding other things to occupy his time instead of spending his free time with her and her friends.

Still, as she drifted to sleep, that flicker of hope remained.

-ooo-ooo-ooo-ooo-

A/N: Thank you for your patience this month! I've been doing Camp NaNoWriMo, and editing got pushed aside until nearly the last possible moment. BUT, here we are, and I hope you liked it! Thank you for all the lovely comments and for sticking with this story! We're over halfway through the year!