Second Chances 3

“A little birdie told me that my aunt received some gifts today.”Hermione rolled her eyes at Nymphadora’s greeting not even looking up from the paperwork she was reading over at her desk. She didn’t know why she allowed the woman complete access to her manor but she never got around to revoking it. Then again if she did she would just have to listen to Nymphadora complain about not being able to come and go as she pleased. The woman liked to say that she enjoyed the perks that Hermione’s manor had to offer but other than a pool Nymphadora and her mother’s house was just as grand. Hermione had many times asked why they just didn’t install their own pool but Nymphadora claimed it wouldn’t be as good as Hermione’s. Hermione personally thought that Nymphadora just liked her company but would never admit that to anyone as talking about her emotions made Nymphadora uncomfortable.

“You know I speak to talking birds and they don’t gossip as much as your mother and they are Veelas. A species that doesn’t know what the word privacy means.”Hermione said.

“So you are saying you don’t want to know how Narcissa reacted to your gifts?”Nymphadora knew that Hermione would want to know as it was beyond obvious the young witch was completely and totally in love with the older woman.

“Are you saying you want your mother to be the one to tell me instead of you?”Hermione countered.

“No of course not.”Nymphadora didn’t want her mother to take away her chance to bring Hermione some happiness. Something Hermione had so little of in her life. Even if her friend liked to deny it Hermione was still very effected by the war and took personal responsibility to change things that were wrong with wizarding society. It was the reason she wanted to be minster. Hermione felt like it was her job to right all the wrong done by those that came before her.

“Then would you please tell me how Narcissa responded to the gifts.”Hermione tried to hold back her excitement about finding out because she didn’t want to be teased.

“Before I tell you I have to ask. How the hell did you get that book?”When her mother had told her about the gifts Nymphadora had been shocked that Hermione had gotten her hands on a copy of the rare book.

“I had the Lestrange house elves organize the libraries on each estate. Once they were done I looked though all the potion books to see if there was something Narcissa would like and came across it. I was just waiting for the right time to give it to her.”Hermione explained.

“I still can’t believe you even visit those properties.”Nymphadora knew that by killing the Lestrange brothers Hermione was magically added to the tapestry as Head of Household for the family but didn’t understand why Hermione even stepped foot on any estate formally owned by them.

“What better revenge against one of Tom’s biggest supporters than to have not only a mud blood as Head of Household but to have one walking though their estates touching their things.”Hermione felt empowered when she walked though the halls that the once proud pure blood family owned.

“True but I don’t think I would be able to do it.”It had taken Nymphadora a while to feel comfortable walking around her current home because it was owned by the Black family and she knew what horrible people they were. It was her mother that reminded her that it was up to them to make the family respectable again and they couldn’t do that by ignoring their heritage. Now Nymphadora proudly carried Black as her last name and would continue to even if she were to marry as Hermione promised that it didn’t matter if she married a man he would be able to take the name. Something Nymphadora was happy about as her father had taken it as well.

“Well it had to be done so that I could make sure there was no dark magic objects there and to make sure the goblins got back all of their commissions.”Goblins had a different view about things they sold that were hand made by them. They believed that once the person who bought it died the item should go back to the goblin who made it. If they were dead it went to the tribe they belonged to. Hermione didn’t really have an opinion on it but since it was so import to goblins one of the first things she did after the war was have the house elves inventory each estate. Once they were done Hermione collected all the goblin made items and returned them to Griphook who turned them over to the proper tribes.

"And that’s one of the reasons the goblins love you.”Nymphadora had been shocked when she learned that Hermione just gave away the goblin forged items. Based on what Nymphadora had seen if Hermione had sold them she would have collected enough gold that it would have rivaled one of the sacred 28’s vaults. Some of the items rare and ancient.

“Even though they aren’t our own it is important to respect the customs of others. It makes them more willing to respect ours.”Hermione said.

“True.”Nymphadora couldn’t really argue with that because she had seen the change within wizarding society once magical creatures became more respected. The amount of attacks and hostilities between species was very low and everyone seemed a lot happier. Even the people who were against the idea of giving magical creatures more rights charged their minds when they realized how beneficial it would be to have access to different magics. That and the amount of money magical creatures brought in with the influx of people visiting their many businesses that they paid taxes to the government for. Business that Hermione led the way in funding with her inherited vaults and her personal wealth gained from reparations from the war.

“Now are you going to tell me how my gifts were received?”Hermione asked.

“My mother said that when she opened the package for the book that Narcissa gasped in shock and her hands immediately began shaking once she realized it was an original first edition.”Nymphadora returned the bright smile that spread across Hermione’s face. It was a rare smile that usually only came when Hermione accomplished something extraordinary .

“So she liked it then?”Hermione had hoped Narcissa would but was somewhat nervous that it wouldn’t be good enough to show her intent to court the other witch.

“She loved it so much that she was hesitant to accept it because it was so valuable.”Nymphadora told her.

“Perfect and the flowers?”Hermione asked.

“She didn’t say anything about them.”Nymphadora quickly added when she saw Hermione’s smile fade.”My mother did say when she walked into the shop that my aunt was smelling them and had a smile on her face.”

“If she was smiling that’s good.”Hermione knew that Narcissa was a very reserved person so if she was smiling that meant she was happy with the gift.

“Has she written you back yet?”Nymphadora was curious about what Narcissa would write back to Hermione.

Hermione shook her head.”I don’t expect her to anytime soon as she is working.”

“Well if it makes you feel any better my mother and her are meeting after the shop is closed to go shopping for a new outfit for her wear to lunch with you.”Nymphadora told her.

“That means I need to buy a new outfit.”Hermione didn’t want to look like a slob when she met up with Narcissa.”I also need to make reservations for lunch but I won’t be able to do that until I find out when she is free.”

“Where are you going to take her?”Nymphadora asked.

“I was thinking Gabrielle’s place.”Hermione said.

“A Veela restaurant is the perfect place for a romantic meal.”Nymphadora knew that Fleur’s sister would go out of her way the make the lunch as romantic as possible.

“It will also be the perfect place to keep the public from interrupting us.”Hermione didn’t want Narcissa to think she was ashamed to be seen with her so she was picking a public place to go for lunch. She was just worried they would be overrun by people like Hermione usually was when she went anywhere in public.

“You need me to assign some visible people to you for the day?”Nymphadora asked. Once the war was over Nymphadora stayed on with the ministry and was now the head of the aurur’s department. One of the main responsibilities given to the department was keeping Hermione safe. No one wanted anything to happen to the girl who was credited with single handedly winning the war. Even when Hermione traveled to other countries that country assigned a contingent of their own guards to watch over her.

“Would that make Narcissa uncomfortable?”Hermione was constantly shadowed but usually they didn’t interfere unless there was some kind of attack or the crowd got to be to much. The only time her bodyguards showed themselves was when Hermione didn’t want to be bothered or she was doing a speaking engagement or was at some public event.

“It would probably make her more uncomfortable to have to fight though a crowd.”Nymphadora said.

Hermione thought about how she would feel if she were Narcissa.”Do you think four people would do?”

“Four should be fine and if they aren’t enough the other ones will step in.”Nymphadora knew her people could handle it easily. They were specific trained to protect Hermione and were prepared for all senecios. It didn’t matter if it was assassination attempt or an overzealous fan they could handle anything. Being a member of Hermione’s team was a great honor and only the best of the best were chosen to be a part of it.

“Let’s hope they don’t have to.”Hermione really didn’t want Narcissa to be overwhelmed.

Before Nymphadora could reply a well dressed house elf appeared in the room holding a letter.”Misses Hermione this came for you.”

“Thank you Twinky.”Hermione took the letter from the elf.

“Your welcome misses.”Twinky bowed and disappeared from the room.

“Is it from Narcissa?”Nymphadora asked.

“I think so.”Hermione knew the handwriting wasn’t Andromeda’s or Ted’s and the envelope was sealed with the House of Black crest.

“What does it say?”Nymphadora was extremely happy that she got to be there when Hermione opened the letter. It was something she was going to rub in her mother’s face as she knew that Andromeda would have come straight over if she wasn’t busy with the goblins and taking Narcissa shopping. The only reason that Nymphadora even knew about the presents was because she had seen the oldest Black sister at the bank when Nymphadora had finished visiting the Black family vault to withdraw some gold.

“Let me read it first.”Hermione took a deep breath and let it out slowly before opening the envelope, pulling out the letter and began reading it silently to herself.

Lady Granger Lestrange Black,

Before I write anything else I wish to thank you for the extremely valuable gift you have given me. I have never even seen one of the partial copies of the original book so to have a complete one to add to my collection is beyond anything I could have dreamed of. I can’t even began to express my gratitude for the gesture. That being said I was hoping you would be free for lunch tomorrow at noon. If it’s too soon I understand and we can set up a different time. If it isn’t let me know were to meet you.

Thank you again for the gift,

Narcissa

P.S. I like you have been replaying our dance in my head as well. It was one of the highlights of not only the evening by my life.

“So it wasn’t bad?”Nymphadora thought the dreamy look Hermione was sporting meant that the letter was good.

”See for yourself.”Hermione handed the letter to Nymphadora.

Nymphadora smiled once she finished.”This is good. She definitely likes you.”

“We will see. Who knows maybe we will have lunch and find we don’t like each other’s company.”Hermione didn’t think she would dislike spending time with Narcissa but there was no guarantee that the older woman would like spending time with her.

“I doubt that will happen.”Nymphadora wouldn’t be surprised if Hermione and Narcissa stayed so long that they had to be kicked out of the restaurant so they could close for the night.

“Until then I need to write to Gabrielle and buy a new outfit.”Hermione pulled out a piece of parchment and quill from her desk drawer.

“You should just have your stylist take care of that.”Nymphadora suggested.

Hermione hadn’t even thought of that as it still blew her mind that she even needed a stylist. Something Fleur’s mother insisted on and provided one of her flock members to do. Not that it was a chore for the Veela as having Hermione as a customer caused her business to boom and she now employed over a dozen people and was the most sought out stylist on this side of the ocean.”That’s a good idea. She would love the opportunity to dress me for a date. At least I think it’s a date.”

“It’s a date Hermione.”Nymphadora told her.

“Let’s hope she can find me an outfit good enough to get me a second one.”Hermione said.

“Just be yourself with Narcissa and I bet you will get more than just a second date.”Nymphadora knew that Hermione was everything that Narcissa didn’t know she needed and Hermione would have no problem winning the older witch over. Hearing her watch beep Nymphadora looked at the time.”I need to get going. I have a meeting with the head of law enforcement to go over my department’s budget from the last year.”

“Let me know if you need my help.”Hermione may not have been minster yet but she had a lost of influence in the ministry.

“I think it will be alright. After we found out that McCully was embezzling our spending has been cut in half.”McCully was Nymphadora’s predecessor and considered a highly respectable man who many looked up to. Unfortunately he let that respect go to his head and it had him thinking he deserved more than the ministry was giving him and he began taking gold that was allotted for specific programs and pocketing it. Nymphadora was the one who caught on and it was because she broke the case she was given the man’s job.

“You would think after the other corrupt officials were convicted and sentenced it would have deterred him from following in their footsteps.”Hermione could never understand why someone would risk punishment for such little gain.

“If there is one thing I have learned from the war and this job is everyone who breaks the law always thinks they are smarter than the rest of the world.”Nymphadora couldn’t count the number of times that she caught a suspect because they were too stupid to cover their tracks thinking it was impossible for someone to catch them.

“Well get going. I will send you an owl to let you know what time to send the agents to help out.”Hermione said.

“I will look out for it. You should probably expect my mother to either write you a letter or visit to interrogate you about what your plans for Narcissa are going to be.”Nymphadora expected her mother to contact Hermione as soon as she was finished with Narcissa.

“I don’t doubt it.”Hermione was thinking the same thing as Nymphadora. Andromeda would be contacting her as soon as possible.

“See you later.”Nymphadora waved goodbye before tossing some powder in the floo and walking into the fire.

“Well that was fun.”Hermione mumbled to herself. She needed to get these letters written to be ready for her date tomorrow. Thinking of the date Hermione smiled. She had dreamed of going on a date with Narcissa since she was just a foolish school girl experiencing her first crush. That little crush shaping everything Hermione did from the first time she had seen Narcissa. Of course Hermione had dated a time or two at Hogwarts but the relationships never lasted. Something that at the time frustrated her partners because Hermione couldn’t give them the commitment they wanted from her. Hermione hadn’t realized it at the time but the reason she couldn’t commit was because her heart belong to Narcissa. Something she realized during the tournament when she had caught Narcissa watching her in the crowd after she defeated the dragon. Seeing the pride shining in Narcissa’s eyes when she looked at Hermione had made the victory all the more special and had given Hermione the push to win the cup. When she stood on the podium she had sought those eyes out again and they looked just as proud if not prouder when they met Hermione’s. It was that look of pride that made Hermione realize that she was desperately in love with Narcissa and no else would ever do. Now she had a chance to prove she was a good romantic partner for the woman and Hermione was going to do everything she could to make Narcissa see it too.