Second Chances 5

“How did it go?”Fleur asked as she stormed into the forest room. Hermione rolled her eyes as she saw Fleur’s wife Sabrina, her mothers Apolline and Celeste and Gabrielle trailing behind her. Hermione was actually surprised that the group had waited until the end of the date to show up. At least she didn’t have to worry about Andromeda as she was probably waiting at Narcissa shop to interrogate her about the date. Hermione did expect Nymphadora to chase her down once she was done with work probably bringing Andromeda with her. Hermione wondered if this was good time to run away and live complete isolation like she had contemplated doing on occasion when things got too hectic. She dismissed the idea because not only would they find her but that would keep her away from Narcissa.

“Couldn’t you guys wait until I stepped out of the room to ambush me?”Hermione asked.

“Who cares about what room we are in. How did the date go?”Apolline had tried to hide in the forest to see it happening but Hermione had caught her right away and kicked her out.

“It went well.”Hermione told her.

“What does that mean it went well? Did you at least kiss?”Sabrina had done her research and knew that humans kissed after a successful date.

“No we didn’t kiss and even if we did I wouldn’t tell you about it.”Hermione would never tell others about intimate details of her love life.

“Of course you would tell us about it. We are members of your clan we talk about these things.”Celeste said.

“Narcissa isn’t a part of our clan and would not like me sharing such details with you no matter what your customs are.”Hermione didn’t even have to ask Narcissa how she felt about sharing such things as it was beyond obvious that the older witch would be mortified and offended if Hermione said anything.

“You need to hurry up and marry her so she becomes a part of our clan.”Fleur had planning Hermione and Narcissa’s wedding ever since her days at Hogwarts when she and Hermione had been competing in the tournament together. The story of her best friend’s devotion to the woman had touched Fleur deeply and Fleur had been encouraging Hermione to pursue Narcissa ever since her divorce went though.

“We only went on one date marriage is a ways off.”Hermione would like nothing more than to marry Narcissa she just didn’t want to rush things.

“Do you at least get a second date?”Gabrielle figured based on how Narcissa was feeling when she left Hermione had.

“Yes she agreed to go on a second date.”Hermione covered her ears as multiple squeals of excitement overcame the group.

Sabrina grabbed Hermione by the arms and jumped up and down.”I knew you could do it.”

“I feel as if I should be insulted by that comment.”Hermione said.

“No one is trying to insult you. We all had faith that you and Narcissa would hit it off.”Apolline didn’t doubt for a second that Hermione would be able to whoo Narcissa. The girl was charming in an unassuming way that got people’s attention.

“What did you guys talk about?”Gabrielle asked.

“Various things.”Hermione told her.

“Various things she says!!”Fleur threw up her hands in exasperation.”You have only been dreaming of going on a date with this woman your whole life and you talked about various things?”

“Did you tell her you loved her?”Celeste had encouraged Hermione to tell Narcissa years ago how she felt.

Hermione sighed knowing that she had to give them something or they wouldn’t leave her alone.”She asked me why I was so interested in her and I told her all about my crush and how it grew into me loving her.”

“What did she say?”Sabrina didn’t think Narcissa reacted badly as Hermione got a second date.

“She calmly listened to my story and when I was finished she said that she has had feelings for me ever since she saw me defeat the dragon during the tournament.”Hermione covered her ears again when there was more squealing.

“I knew she wouldn’t reject you.”Fleur had listened to Hermione relay her fear of Narcissa not being interested her hundreds of times over the years and had done her best to reassure Hermione that everything would turn out fine but Hermione never believed her.

“I still wish I had waited until I was minster to speak to her. I mean I have nothing to offer her yet.”Hermione said.

“Don’t say that. You are Hermione Granger girl who single handedly won the war and even if you hadn’t you are a good person with a lot to offer.”Apolline didn’t like when Hermione put herself down. The girl was exceptional but lacked the self esteem someone of her station should possess.

“I just hope I win because it would be very embarrassing to lose the job after I told Narcissa that I was only running so she would be proud to be in a relationship with me.”Hermione would be mortified if she lost the election.

“You will win and not just because you have me running your campaign. The people want you to lead them. They have ever since the end of the war.”Fleur knew that Hermione was a shoe in for minister. Especially when her opponent was a pure blood man running on the platform of bringing back traditional values.

“We will see.”Hermione wasn’t going to get ahead of herself. The future wasn’t set and her opponent could draw up support at anytime.

“If you don’t win the election then I will shave my head and parade around naked in Diagon Alley.”Gabrielle told her.

Hermione chuckled at the thought.“I almost want to lose just to see that.”

“Unfortunately for you and fortunately for us that will not be happening.”Celeste wasn’t worried about Hermione losing. The public loved the girl.

“You can’t lose anyway. I have already rented out this restaurant to hold the celebration for you and all the people who helped with the campaign and your friends. Invitations have been sent out and I am planning on it being such a rowdy event that aurors will have to be called.”Sabrina put a lot of effort into putting together Hermione’s victory party and knew her efforts wouldn’t be going to waste.

“You better not have spent too much money.”Hermione didn’t like when people spent money on her. It made her uncomfortable.

Apolline waved away the complaint.”The clan is cover the expenses.”

“Something they don’t need to do. I will pay for it.”Hermione said.

“No you will not because the clan would be insulted if you refuse to let them.”Celeste didn’t want to deal with the repercussions of Hermione not accepting the gift. A lot of hurt feelings would involved.

“The clan has already done more than enough for me. I don’t need them paying for parties.”Hermione told her.

“The clan will never be able to repay you for all you have done for us and what you continue to do for us. We will always be in your debt.”Apolline meant that. Hermione had fought for the rights of the Veela who attended Hogwarts, saved them during the war by helping them defend themselves and their people and had been the leading voice in equal rights for all magical creatures. If that wasn’t enough she had plans to create a new division of law enforcement that dealt specifically with crimes against magical creatures. The fact that Hermione never asked or demanded anything for her efforts made those she helped love and respect her even more.

“You don’t owe me anything. Anyone else who was in my position would have done the same thing.”Hermione didn’t think what she did for the Veela and the other magical creature communities was anything special.

“The fact that you think that just proves how deserving you are of our loyalty.”Fleur knew that her best friend would never truly realize the impact she had on so many lives. If someone else had done what Hermione did they would have bragged and boasted but not Hermione. The only reason the public knew what Hermione did during the war was because other people came forward and told the stories.

“There is still a lot of work to do before I will feel comfortable claiming that loyalty.”Hermione was planning big changes if she was given the role of minister. Creature rights had come along was since the war but they still had a long way to go.

“I know I speak for the other magical creature communities when I say you have all of our votes.”Celeste didn’t even have to ask any other creatures either as Hermione was their champion and the reason they were even allowed to vote. That being one of the first things Hermione fought for.

“Enough about the minister position. When I came in with your food Narcissa was feeling jealous and sad. What were you guys talking about before I showed up.”Gabrielle didn’t want to talk about boring stuff. She wanted to get back on the topic of Hermione’s date with Narcissa.

“What do you mean she felt jealous and sad?”Sabrina asked.

“When I dropped off their food I used my thrall and felt sadness and jealousy coming from Narcissa. I was actually trying to figure out a way to help Hermione get the date back on track but it wasn’t needed because when she left all Narcissa felt was love and happiness.”Gabrielle told her.

“That is a gross violation of privacy.”Hermione was pleased to hear Narcissa felt love and happiness at the end of the date but she wasn’t happy about the fact that Gabrielle was the one to tell her.

“Who cares about that. How did you make her jealous?”Fleur couldn’t think of anything Hermione would say or do to make the older woman jealous.

“Before you came in we were talking about Bellatrix and how her life was one of the greatest tragedies of the war. At one point she mentioned that I was very passionate about her sister but I don’t think I said anything that warranted jealousy.”Hermione told her.

Fleur groaned.”Hermione of course she was feeling jealous.”

“What do you mean?”Hermione asked.

“When you speak about Bellatrix you talk about her with such awe and respect that Narcissa probably thought you were in love with her. I mean you go out of your way to defend the woman after she tortured you. Even I sometimes wonder if aren’t a little in love with her.”Fleur had always been confused about Hermione’s feelings for Bellatrix. They were bitter enemies but Hermione argued with anyone who said a bad word about the insane witch.

“I’m not in love with her nor have I ever been. I just sympathize with her because if things were different she would have been in my role and I would been in hers.”Hermione wasn’t in love with Bellatrix she saw her as cautionary tale.

“Even if you aren’t I can easily understand why Narcissa would thinks so.”Fleur said.

“Luckily you won her over by the end of the date.”Apolline had thought the same thing as Fleur over the years that Hermione was in love with Bellatrix. Hermione may deny it but if was obvious when you listened to her talk about the eldest Black sister.

“Now what are you going to do for your second date?”Celeste asked.

“I was so worried about making the first perfect I hadn’t even thought about what to do on the second one.”Hermione had put all her effort in giving Narcissa a low key romantic date that she hadn’t planned what would happen afterwards.

“I read somewhere that there is a three day rule before humans reach out after a date. So you have three days to plan.”Sabrina told her.

“I appreciate all the research you have done on human dating but I am going to send her a letter later to thank her for the date and to tell her I’m thinking about her.”Hermione thought it would be rude not to reach out sooner than three days.

“That’s a good idea. You don’t want her to think she isn’t a priority.”Gabrielle knew she would be very upset if she had to wait three days to hear from someone after a first date.

“You should send her another gift as well. Not flowers though. You have given those to her twice.”Fleur said.

“I don’t know what could top the book though.”Celeste didn’t think anything would be better than the book.

“Maybe something personal. Something that represents you.”Apolline suggested.

“Thank you for the help but I can pick out a gift on my own.”Hermione wanted the gift to be picked out by herself so that it had more of a meaning behind it.

“Don’t send it without running it by us first. That way we can tell you if isn’t good enough.”Fleur wanted to make sure it was a worthy courting gift.

“I won’t. Now as much as I love you guys I have a meeting with my assistant to go over the plans for the meeting with the charms guild tomorrow.”Hermione was looking forward to the meeting as charms was one of her favorite subjects. To be able to talk to the people in charge of the mastery program was something she had alway wanted to do.

“I might tag along for that.”Fleur had her masteries in charms but wasn’t a member of the guild. It hadn’t been an option before but with Hermione’s help they now allowed magical creatures memberships.

“The meetings at 2 o’clock at the guild headquarters.”Hermione didn’t mind Fleur coming as the Veela always gave Hermione a different perception of each group Hermione met up with.

“I’ll be there.”Fleur said.

“Good. Now all of you promise you won’t go to Narcissa’s shop and bug her.”Hermione knew if they weren’t told otherwise the group would find any reason they could to go to Narcissa’s shop.

“We weren’t planning on it.”Apolline lied. She and her wife had already made plans with her daughters to stop by.

“Sure you weren’t.”Hermione didn’t believe that for a second.

“Let me know if you need help finding a gift. I may have some things in my vault that would be appropriate.”Fleur offered.

Hermione gave Fleur a hug and a kiss on the cheek.”I don’t think giving Narcissa something that fancy is the right thing to do.”

“You need her to know that you can support her.”Celeste said receiving her own hug and cheek kiss.

“I already support her.”Hermione told her moving on to Apolline then Sabrina to give them their own hugs and cheek kisses.

Gabrielle not to be left out gave Hermione a hug and a kiss on the cheek as well”Now she needs to know that you are willing to spoil her.”

“I don’t think Narcissa is the type to be swayed with expensive gifts.”Hermione was sure of it.

“Still if you want to check the vault let me know.”Fleur offered.

“I will. See you tomorrow and the rest of you be good.”Hermione told them waving over her shoulder at the various responses. She had a lot to do before she would get a chance to write Narcissa. Finding a gift was the main thing. Hermione was sure she would think of something and if she didn’t she would ask Andromeda. That would be the last resort however because not only did she want to be the one to pick the gift Andromeda would be insufferable if she asked for help. The woman already insufferable as it was Hermione didn’t needed to give her any more excuses. Hermione actually felt bad for Narcissa because Andromeda had no doubt already ambushed her at her shop and was likely asking her all types of inappropriate questions. Ones that Hermione was most likely going to be subjected to as soon as Andromeda was done with her sister. Plastering a smile her face Hermione waved to the crowd as she exited the restaurant surrounded by her guards wondering how pissed Andromeda would be if she sealed the floo and altered the wards on her manor to revoke her access. Probably horribly pissed but for the peace of mind she would receive Hermione thought it would be worth it.