Chapter Seven: Suitor
Two cloaked figures stood on the deck of a ship that was sailing into harbor.
"Is it necessary to travel like this?" one of them asked, irritated.
"We have to give the pretense that we have been away this entire time to the Americas. The only way for people like us to travel there is by muggle transportation," the other one explained.
"I shall be relieved when we get off this filthy ship."
"Patience, Draco, patience."
There would be a carriage waiting for them ready to take them and their "precious cargo" to a safe apparition point.
"The master is very bold to do this," Draco said.
"Do you think so? Do you think him a fool?" his father asked.
"Despite the insanity of it there a bit of genius inside his plan," Draco muttered. "Making his reemergence into the wizarding world right underneath Potter's nose."
"A very sensitive nose. The master has made it clear that it is especially important that Mr. Potter not get wind of his whereabouts. He would put a stop to this whole thing."
"Can we trust Pettigrew with the information he gave us?"
"If the master trusts him, we must trust him," his father sighed. "Drawing Sirius Black into this plan without stirring alarm from Potter will be very tricky. We have to rely on the information that young Potter is estranged from his godfather. The last thing we want to do is set him on our trail."
"And how do you suppose we lure Mr. Black?" Draco asked.
"That is what our job is to find out."
~*~
The early morning sun shone light on the awkwardness of the situation. Hermione woke and carefully slipped out of Harry's embrace, dressing herself quickly in his nightshirt and tiptoeing out of the room. She dressed herself in the familiar pale blue dress and gathered the rest of her things in a small trunk that Dobby carried down to the foyer. The carriage would be arriving soon.
She stepped back into the drawing room and found Harry already dressed in his outfit from the night before. His back was to her and he stared out the window watching for the carriage.
"Did you sleep well?" he asked her.
Hermione blushed a little. "Yes, I did. Thank you."
Harry turned around to look at her. "I'm glad I could talk to you this one last time." He stepped around the piano and walked up to her. Dread filled Hermione's insides as Harry took her hands and led her to the sofa where they lay after their lovemaking.
Don't do this Harry. Please don't do this.
"Marry me," he said.
Hermione let out the breath she'd been holding and turned away from him. "No," she said softly.
"Hermione…"
"No," she repeated firmly. "I'm sorry."
Harry sighed and closed his eyes. Then he got to his feet. "Why?" he demanded, his tone was harsh.
"You know why."
"If this is about your damned laurels…"
Hermione stood up angrily. "My laurels are important to me!" She remembered all too well how quickly she would've given everything up just to have another night with him. "I will not be chained by a husband."
"I would never chain you," he said angrily.
"No…you would make me the quiet wife to sit around and wait for you to come home when you leave me behind."
"I did not turn my back on my godfather! I had my reasons for leaving!"
"Not a word, Harry. Not a word was sent from you to alleviate his fears that you were alive and well. He had to wait in fear for your name to pop up on a casualty list!"
Harry sighed. "I was young…and stupid. I had waited all my life for the call of war and I couldn't deny it. I will not apologize for that. But I will apologize for not thinking of others."
Hermione shook her head. "It's not me you have to apologize to. Even now, he holds no anger toward you. He's just so happy that you are alive and well."
"Then help me, Hermione! Help me bridge that gap with him," Harry took her hands in his.
"That's something you need to do yourself, Harry. But I will offer you encouragement."
"Your encouragement is not what I want," Harry replied, his voice was deep and husky. Oh, merlin help her. She was falling into his trap again.
"I can't give that to you," her protest was weak. Where was that damned carriage?
Harry was weakening her, he knew it. He was beginning to tear away at the walls that surrounded her.
"What about last night?" he whispered softly into her ear.
"Harry, stop, please." She turned away from him, freeing herself from his grasp. The walls came back up again.
Harry sighed with frustration. "You're hiding behind your laurels."
"I am not!" she protested.
"Yes you are. What are you afraid of?"
You, Harry. I'm afraid of you. You came storming into my life turning everything I thought I had wanted into silly little thoughts. "I'm not afraid of anything," she said defiantly.
"Then what other reason could…" He stopped suddenly and Hermione saw his face harden, his jaw tighten. "There's someone else, isn't there?" he asked.
"What?" Hermione asked, bewildered.
"Who is he?" Harry asked quietly.
Hermione shook her head. "What are you-"
"Good morning! Good morning!" Sirius waltzed into the room and immediately felt the tension in the air.
Hermione watched as Harry looked from Sirius to her and back drawing a false connection as his face suddenly became unreadable. Hermione saw the opportunity for escape.
"I apologize," Sirius said awkwardly. "Your house elf let me in and told me you were in the drawing room and…" He trailed off lamely but Hermione brightened and recovered.
"Sirius, darling. Shall we leave now?" she said sweetly. "I believe I've imposed on my host long enough."
Harry followed Hermione and his godfather outside to the awaiting carriage. He watched with a jealous heart as Sirius took Hermione's hand and assisted her into the carriage then climbed in after her.
"Thank you, Harry, for taking care of her," Sirius said sincerely, not knowing how much his words hurt his godson.
"It was no trouble at all," Harry answered.
Hermione leaned out of the carriage. "Take care, Mr. Potter."
"And you, Miss Granger," Harry replied politely.
Sirius sat back as the carriage pulled away from Godric's Hollow. As soon as the house was out of sight, he watched Hermione release a breath that she had been holding.
"Do you mind telling me what that was all about?" he asked sternly. Hermione turned away from his inquisitive eyes.
~*~
Fred and George walked into the Burrow where Ron and Neville waited eagerly. They nodded their heads slowly and Ron cursed.
"What is going on with our friend?" Fred asked the men.
"He's been avoiding the social crowds and then when he finally shows up at the Brown's, he leaves the dinner early!" George said exasperatedly.
"Miss Weasley says that Miss Brown is beside herself with worry," Neville said solemnly.
Ron stood up and placed a hand on the mantel to rest upon it. "No…that's not it."
He and Neville left the burrow and apparated to Godric's Hollow. Dobby, Harry's odd little house-elf greeted him at the door.
"I'm sorry sirs but he said he was not permitting visitors," he said solemnly.
"Dobby, we're here because we're concerned about him," Neville replied.
"He's not doing to well, is he?" Ron asked.
The look of worry that was on the elf's face answered his question.
"We're worried as well. Now let us in. We are only trying to help him," Neville said soothingly.
The house-elf spluttered and stammered nervously, he was not to disobey his master. Ron's patience was growing thin and he bullied his way in. Dobby protested weakly and began to bang his head on the nearby banquet table. Neville rushed over as a very expensive vase began to wobble dangerously. Ron headed directly toward the closed doors of the drawing room.
The thick curtains were drawn closed, shrouding the room in darkness.
"I said LEAVE ME BE!!!!" a voice roared out.
Defiantly, Ron closed the doors behind him and marched determinedly to the windows yanking back the curtains to let the sunlight invade the room. Ron turned and scanned the room.
"Good God, man!" Ron exclaimed.
A figure was hunched over, sitting on the bench in front of the pianoforte. Empty firewhiskey bottles littered the ground around the piano, a half empty one stood on top of it. Harry sat, a blanket wrapped around him looking very unshaved and very shaggy. He was still dressed in his outfit from the Brown Ball. His eyes were dull and lifeless as they looked up at him, blinking as if unsure of what he was seeing.
"Have you been like this since she left?" Ron asked. That had been a week ago. Harry didn't answer him. Ron bent near him and drew back in disgust at the smell of alcohol and the odor of someone who hadn't bathed in quite some time.
"Harry?" Neville said cautiously as he walked into the room.
"Help me, Nev," Ron said as he took one of Harry's arms and hoisted him off his chair. Neville pushed aside an empty bottle with his foot and went to help his friend.
"Dobby go and get a sobering potion," he said to the house-elf who now had a large bump on his forehead. "And prepare a bath with cold water."
Unceremoniously, the two men slowly transformed the mangled useless lump of human flesh into someone resembling their friend.
"Merlin, she destroyed him," Neville said morosely. The two men waited downstairs in the parlor while the house-elf dressed Harry.
"He knew what he was getting into," Ron said bitterly. The loud crack of apparition could faintly be heard and Neville and Ron got to their feet. They looked apprehensively at each other.
"He wouldn't…" Neville said quietly.
Dobby appeared in the room looking slightly frightened. "He left," he squeaked fearfully. "I couldn't stop him."
"Left?! He left!" Neville exclaimed.
"Come on," Ron said purposefully and strode toward the door. "We need to stop him before he does something rash and stupid. Where did he go, Dobby?"
Dobby squirmed nervously. "He didn't say. He only said he was going to speak to her father."
Ron swore under his breath. "Something stupid like that, come on. Let's call on Mr. Black."
~*~
"He's gone and done what?!" Sirius exclaimed.
"We think he's gone to find Mr. Granger and speak to him about Miss Granger," Ron explained. The men stood in the parlor of Sirius Black's home.
"But he doesn't know where to find him," Sirius replied.
"Do you really think that will stop, Harry?" Ron said pointedly.
"Hermione is going to be furious," Sirius muttered.
"You don't think, Harry would force her into marriage, do you?" Neville asked worriedly.
"Of course not," Ron snapped angrily. "But we must keep him from doing more damage to himself than he already has."
"I agree," Sirius said. "I know where to find Edward. I'll go and meet him with the pretense of business and see if I can head Harry off. With any luck, I'll be able to talk him out of this ridiculous idea."
Ron and Neville returned to the Burrow to find Mrs. Weasley, Ginny and Luna all giggling and chattering excitedly.
~*~
A carriage pulled up to the front of the Granger home. A woman in a shocking pink dress with matching pink shawl stepped out of it and marched determinedly to the door. The butler opened the door and the woman brushed past him and walked briskly up the stairs. Without bothering to knock, the woman marched into the room.
Hermione stood by the window, lazily gazing out of it but not really looking. She had a lost and vacant look in her eyes. She turned to look at her guest.
"Madame Rosemerta!" she exclaimed.
Servants bustled in the room to set up tea for two. "A week!" Madame Rosemerta exclaimed. "You have been home a week and you have not called on me. I have been worried sick out of my mind after Sirius fed me that rubbish that you were on a country vacation."
"I'm so sorry," Hermione said, "I didn't mean to worry you."
"Where were you, child?" she asked.
"Godric's Hollow," Hermione answered truthfully. "I had had an unfortunate accident and became too ill to be moved. I had to recover there."
"Godric's Hollow? Isn't that the home of that dashing young Mr. Potter?" Madame Rosemerta inquired.
"Yes…yes it is," Hermione's voice lowered and a haunted look flickered in her eyes. Madame Rosemerta raised an eyebrow.
"Oh dear," she said softly.
"What?" Hermione snapped out of her stupor.
"I know that look. Though I must say I never thought I'd see it on your face," Madame Rosemerta said smugly. "Enamored of the young man, are we?"
Hermione scoffed. "Of course not. It's only natural for us to get to know each other after spending so much time together." Madame Rosemerta looked disbelieving and Hermione continued on. "Besides, he is intent on marrying Miss Lavender Brown."
"And you're disappointed?"
"Of course not. You know that I don't intend to marry."
Madame Rosemerta put her tea down. "Maybe you made that vow because you hadn't found the right one."
"I don't want to lose my independence."
Madame Rosemerta smiled cryptically at her. "Have you thought that you wouldn't lose it? Don't be so foolish to throw something so genuine away as a partner in life. There is something to be said for facing life with someone by your side."
Hermione put down her tea. "I told you that he was intent to marry Miss Brown."
"Why is he stalling? I'd figure that a man so crazy about a woman wouldn't hesitate to seek her hand," Madame Rosemerta shrugged. Hermione shifted nervously, thinking of Harry's proposal.
Since the day she had returned from Godric's Hollow she had secluded herself and did not receive visitors, she didn't even go downstairs to partake in the gambling last night. She had felt a hollow kind of loss. Had she done the right thing by denying his proposal? She had thought so but now if it was the right thing why did she ache so terribly inside? She replayed Harry's proposal over and over in her mind along with the memories of their lovemaking. His hands and touches were gentle yet knowledgeable, the taste of his kiss lingered on her lips. He had given her the opportunity of a life with him and she had denied him in a panic. Now she couldn't seem to stop thinking about it, a future with him, evening strolls with him on the lovely grounds of Godric's Hollow, passionate lovemaking in the night and possible the laughter of children. Was that life as horrible as she thought it would be? Oh, what had he done to her? Her talk with Madame Rosemerta made her realize what a fool she had been.
As soon as she had left, Hermione went to her writing desk and wrote out a long letter. She sanded it, folded it, sealed it and paused. The letter was a love letter, claiming that she had been a fool and that she had been miserable without him by her side. If only he could forgive her and receive her again at his home she would like to apologize in person to him. She hesitated to put it in the post, what if he rejected her?
The announcement of the arrival of her two friends interrupted her thoughts and Hermione put the letter away. She would send it later and she left to receive the young women.
"Oh, Hermione, we're so happy to see that you are well!" Ginny gushed.
"Are you happy to be home?" Luna asked.
"It is nice to be back home," Hermione answered truthfully.
"It seems as if you've been out of society forever," Ginny smiled. "We have so much to tell you!"
"Have I missed much?" Hermione asked.
Luna and Ginny looked at each other beaming. "You would not believe the good fortune that has fallen upon our friend Miss Brown!" Luna said excitedly.
"Mr. Potter has finally asked for her hand in marriage and she has gladly accepted," Ginny finished.
Hermione felt as if the ground had suddenly left her feet and she plopped down on the sofa. She couldn't breathe and she struggled for every breath before realizing that the reason she couldn't catch her breathe is because she was letting out short sobs. Alarmed, Ginny and Luna looked at their friend who was sobbing and holding one hand to her chest while the other gripped the arm of the sofa.
"Hermione, are you alright?" Luna asked lamely as the swooped to their friend's side.
"Hermione, what has happened?" Ginny cradled her friend's head in her hands.
Hermione looked at her two best friends, she could tell them, she could seek comfort with them. Harry had given her a wonderful dream and now it was ripped away from her. She told them everything about her stay there, including their intimate night and the proposal.
"He proposed to you, you said no in a panic but now you really do want to marry him and now he is marrying another," Luna said slowly, recapping her friend's sorrows.
"Oh, Hermione," Ginny sighed. "What a mess you've gotten yourself into."
"Hermione, this is the first time you've felt the anguish of love. Learn from it, we all fall hard our first time and we all get our hearts broken," Luna said soothingly. "They'll be others." This was apparently the wrong thing to say as Hermione sobbed even louder. Ginny looked at her friend in sorrow.
"Well, I think he's a rake," she said with finality as if her opinion settled the matter. "He obviously wasn't sincere about it or else he wouldn't have asked Lavender. He's a cad, Hermione and I think you're better off without him."
~*~
Luna and Ginny's moods were in direct contrast to the lovely sunny weather of the late morning. They sat quietly at tea at Falbrooke, sharing silently their friend's misery, they too, felt broken hearted for Hermione. Parvati, Susan, Neville, Ron, Seamus and Dean shared their company and Luna was in a sour mood having regretted throwing this brunch for the newly engaged couple.
"And here are the guests of honor," Susan announced, beaming at her friend Lavender and the table broke out in polite applause. Ginny and Luna shared dark looks. If Harry's two friends were opposed to this union, they didn't show it, their faces were carefully guarded.
"Miss Lovegood, I want to thank you for hosting this lovely brunch," Harry said politely as he smiled.
"Of course," Luna replied smiling, although Harry detected a hint of iciness in her tone and that her smile clearly did not reach her eyes. As he sat, he noticed that Ginny avoided looking at him as well and he wondered if Hermione had spoken to her friends and what, exactly, had she told them.
Hermione's rejection hurt deep down. He had fallen into her trap of passion and the dream of happiness and he had actually thought he had a future with her. But her denial was a rude slap in the face, like splashing ice water on him to wake him from a dream. Lavender would not do that to him and when they married, he would be free to find that same passion with his wife. It had to exist with Lavender.
He had apparated to the Brown's and spoke to her father and after receiving his consent he sought Lavender out. She had been in the gardens picking flowers, a wild and fresh beauty surrounded her and Harry asked her for her hand. She had gladly accepted him and they shared their very first kiss. It was…nice. He could live with nice, he convinced himself and he desperately fought down the memory of Hermione's kiss and buried it deep down where it wouldn't haunt him anymore.
The brunch was filled with lighthearted chatter of weddings and the rest of the Season. Harry began to settle himself into a state of contentment.
"Oh now what will we do now that the most eligible bachelor is taken?" Susan playfully sulked.
"Oh don't count out the rest of the Season my dear, I have just heard the most interesting gossip," Parvati said slyly.
"Ooh! Do tell!" Lavender said excitedly and Harry shook his head endearingly.
"The most eligible man has just arrived in time for the middle of the Season," Parvati announced. "Well, present company excluded," Parvati added hastily nodding toward Harry.
"And pray tell who this latest bait for the husband-hunters is?" Ron asked lazily.
"Mr. Draco Malfoy!" Parvati said proudly. Harry looked up sharply and a dark look was exchanged between him and Ron and Neville. Parvati continued on with her gossip. "He's to make his entrance at the Opera this Friday," she said.
"That will cause quite a stir," Susan said. "He can hardly be called a gentleman."
"How so?" Ginny asked, leaning forward.
"Miss Weasley, he is most scandalous! He convinced Miss Pansy Parkinson to run off with him. They spent the night together in some inn and the next day when her father found them, Mr. Malfoy refused to marry her! He ruined her reputation."
"How scandalous!" Susan said with stars of curiosity in her eyes.
Seamus jumped into the conversation. "If the man is no gentleman then it is best if you fair ladies stay as far from his as possible."
"Ow, Ginny!" Luna exclaimed as she jumped up from the table when Ginny dumped her tea on her dress.
"Oh, Luna! I'm so sorry!" Ginny said. "Please, let me help you inside to clean it!" She dragged her friend away from the table and into the house.
"What on earth has gotten into you?" Luna hissed when they walked into the house. Ginny muttered a cleaning charm and the tea stain disappeared from the dress.
"I think I have found a solution to our Hermione's heartache," Ginny smiled.
Luna raised an eyebrow. "Mr. Malfoy?"
"He's not a gentleman."
"He's an absolute scoundrel."
"Scandalous."
"Just the type our Hermione likes."
The girls giggled conspiratorially as they headed back to the table. The gentlemen rose as they arrived and sat down with grins on their faces like a cat that had eaten the canary.
"Oh Harry," Lavender sighed. "I'm so excited for the Opera. I've never been."
"Yes," Harry said quietly. "It should be interesting." Very interesting that Malfoy should surface now.
~*~
"Are you sure I can't convince you to change your mind and go?" Sirius asked from the other side of the closed door.
"No," Hermione called out. She was in bed again, hidden beneath her quilts. "You two go ahead and have fun."
"But darling, you've never missed the opening night of the Opera," Madame Rosemerta called out from the other side of the door.
"You'll miss out on all the gasps and whispers," Sirius said teasingly.
"Just go on!" she called back.
"Well, I never thought I'd see the day when our lovely Miss Granger would be chased out of society by a man," Madame Rosemerta said loudly.
"Is that what this is about?" Sirius called out. "Are you afraid you'll run into Harry?"
Hermione tossed the quilts off her head. "I am most certainly not afraid! This has nothing to do with your godson!"
"Could've fooled me," Sirius muttered.
Hermione tossed the quilts off her and stomped to the door. "I'll be down in half an hour," she shouted through it.
She summoned a servant and began to get ready muttering angrily to herself. Harry Potter was not going to chase her out of her fun. She would run into him tonight for sure and she would hold her head up high. She selected a favorite dress of hers, Prussian blue with a revealing neckline. She sat as her servant did her hair spectacularly, piling on her head to reveal her beautiful neck and collarbone. She would show Harry that he did not hurt her, that she could move on with dignity.
"You look radiant, Miss," her servant said.
"Thank you," Hermione said kindly. "Now please leave me for a moment."
The servant left and Hermione sat in front of her dressing mirror. She will not let Harry see how heartbroken she was. She opened up a drawer and took out the letter that she had written to Harry. She stood and walked to the fireplace and with her wand, she set it aflame and tossed it into the logs.
Sirius let out a low whistle as Hermione descended the stairs. "I shall be the envy of every gentleman there, I have two very lovely ladies on my arms."
They laughed as he escorted them to his carriage. He offered a hand to both of them into the carriage then rode in the front with his driver.
"You're playing a dangerous game Hermione, don't think I don't know what you're doing," Madame Rosemerta said smiling smugly. "But you'll most definitely come out the victor tonight."
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