Chapter 51: A Surprise
The school year ended with the feast, and honestly, I had been expecting some kind of trick from Dumbledore. After all, his beloved lion cubs were losing by a considerable margin. But he did nothing. No illegitimate points, no last-minute penalties, though Snape had apparently been a terror in class, at least according to rumor.
Even that, however, had done nothing to change the fact that Ravenclaw won this year. And truthfully, the closer the feast and winner announcement drew, the more bonus points the students in my House earned, and the more cheerful Flitwick became.
Well, I could understand him. By his own account, the House Cup had not found its way to his office in ten years. Not that he was desperately clamoring for it, but that did not mean he would not be pleased if the Cup came to him of its own accord.
And when Dumbledore did announce that Ravenclaw had won, and decorated the hall in our House colors, Flitwick actually bounced in his seat with delight, drawing amused laughter from professors and students alike.
Now I was sitting on the train, waiting to head home.
"So... what are everyone's plans?"
Tracey decided to break the silence and looked around at the whole group gathered in the compartment, though it had taken some effort to fit us all in.
"Well... I'll be studying."
Penny Clearwater shot me a brief glance, but left it at that.
Speaking of Penny Clearwater, I had spoken with my mothers, and they had given me permission to speak with Flitwick. However, he had declined to take her on as a student. Not because she was not good enough, but because, it turned out, there was an unwritten rule that a master could only teach one apprentice at a time. On the other hand, for a small additional fee he could advise her on what and how to study.
Even so, by Flitwick's own assessment, that was not the ideal arrangement, and it would be better to find her a proper master of her own. So after another consultation with my mothers, we decided to hire a master after all. Not a famous one, but a capable one, and for the summer only, at least to start. Getting Dumbledore to grant permission for a master to be present on school grounds, one entirely outside his authority, was unlikely in any case.
So when she spoke of studying, she already knew she was facing a very hard summer, with the only saving grace being that it would be spent in France.
"I'll probably be going to France with my parents..."
Hermione shrugged.
Regarding Hermione's parents, I had been in contact with them as well, but they had declined to sign any contract, saying they were perfectly capable of paying for their daughter's tuition themselves. From what I understood, however, they had hired only a Transfiguration apprentice for her. Still, at this stage, even an apprentice could teach her a great deal.
"I'm going to my godfather's..."
Harry closed his eyes with a slightly dreamy expression.
"Right, Harry's sorted, but what about you, Daph?"
"Me? I'll be studying."
"You too?!"
"What do you mean, 'you too'? In case you haven't noticed, I still have a great deal to learn to become a worthy handmaiden to my lord."
"Yeah, yeah... Daph, I've gotten used to your new persona by now, but sometimes it seems like you settled into that role awfully fast. Maybe someone planted mental blocks in you."
"It doesn't matter..."
Daphne shrugged with complete indifference.
"What do you mean, it doesn't matter?!"
Tracey hadn't even noticed me glaring at her. I'd been thinking of offering her my help, too. But after something like that...
Even as a joke, to suggest I'd brainwashed someone...
A hundred, even a hundred and fifty years ago, she and her whole family would have been put to the knife for that. Damn. How infuriating.
"Tracey..."
"You're being very..."
"...out of line..."
Padma and Parvati had noticed my expression and tried to rein Tracey in, but she waved them off.
"Oh, come on, everyone knows I'm only joking."
"You're not..."
"You don't..."
The twins shook their heads.
"...even a joke like that..."
"...can hurt..."
"...really hurt..."
"And? Draco, are you actually offended?"
"Let's say... I found that suggestion deeply unpleasant to hear. Not from some stranger, but from someone in my inner circle."
"What?"
But I chose not to respond to Tracey any further. I simply opened a book and began to read. All in all, I was nearly indifferent to her now. I knew perfectly well that I would never be entirely rid of her. This girl meant a great deal to Daphne, and for that reason alone, she would sooner or later find her way back into my circle.
"Draco... you... Daph?"
"The twins are right. You went too far."
"But I was joking... haha..."
She let out a few uncertain laughs.
"It wasn't funny... If you were a bit older, I'd simply wipe the floor with you..."
Nymphadora shook her head.
"Oh, come off it... I was just..."
"You were just..."
Nymphadora mimicked Tracey.
"...and yes, I won't be talking to you either."
"Same."
Penny gave a confirming nod.
"I..."
There was helplessness in Tracey's voice.
"Draco... please..."
She turned to me, but I glanced at her over the top of my book and returned to reading.
"I was only joking!"
"Poorly."
Daphne restated the obvious, then decided to address me directly.
"My lord... Draco... may I ask you something?"
"What is it, Daph?"
"Could you find it in yourself to forgive this idiot? After a whole year, you must have realized that her mouth moves faster than her brain..."
"Daph, I'm not offended. I'm simply drawing conclusions. I'm not forbidding any of you to talk to her, and I have nothing against anyone who does..."
I shrugged.
"...but as for me..."
I shook my head.
"...certainly not right now. Perhaps by fall I'll have gotten over it. But for the time being I have absolutely no desire to speak to her."
"But what actually happened? So she made a bad joke..."
"Hermione, it was..."
I gave her a long, unblinking look.
"...in short, an extremely unpleasant and deeply unfunny joke, and quite an offensive one at that. In any case..."
I shook my head.
"Ugh... honestly..."
Tracey shook her head.
"Don't worry..."
"We'll still write to you..."
"...just by letter..."
"...and home tutoring."
"I see."
"I won't be in the country either, but I'm happy to write."
Harry shrugged.
"Damn it..."
The girl hit her knee. She was clearly upset about what she had said, and honestly, the person I had been in my previous life would have forgiven her by now. But the upbringing I had received from Cissy and Bella had instilled in me a somewhat different approach to such things.
"...look, I genuinely didn't mean to... Draco, I'm sorry."
"I'll think about it."
I gave a short nod.
In the midst of all this, we had not even noticed the train pulling away from the platform and beginning to gather speed. I had no desire to talk any further, and the mood in the compartment had been dampened enough that we simply sat in silence and rode toward London.
Several hours later.
"Mothers..."
I hugged Cissy first, then Bella, one after the other. I was very glad to see them, and even my slightly sour mood receded to the back of my mind.
"My lady... My lady..."
"Daphne, stop that. Our feelings toward you haven't changed. So you may simply call me Bella, and call her Cissy. None of this 'my lady' business. That only pleases Draco, and even he, as you know, prefers not to overdo it."
"Yes..."
A faint smile appeared on Daphne's lips.
"Excellent. And since we are all here, I suggest it's time to go. Come, let's head to the Floo."
And so our small group made its way to the Floo fireplaces, where I took a handful of powder, tossed it at my feet, and announced in a clear voice, "Black Hall."
Green fire engulfed me in an instant, followed by a couple of seconds of rather unpleasant sensation, and then I was standing in the drawing room of the house on Grimmauld Place. I took a few steps forward to clear the way for my mothers and Daphne.
"Home, sweet home..." I looked around, took out my wand, and with a casual gesture brushed away the ash that always seemed to settle on one's clothes during Floo travel.
"Kreacher..."
The house-elf appeared before me with a quiet pop, and at that very moment Daphne stepped out of the fireplace.
"My lord, you cleaned yourself up?" There was a faint note of reproach in my faithful handmaiden's voice.
"Daph, don't worry, you will have plenty of opportunities over the summer to prove yourself an excellent handmaiden. Kreacher, is my room ready?"
"Yes, master. Your room and Miss Daphne's room are both ready."
"Excellent. Then I shall go change and freshen up."
Daphne looked herself over with a critical eye.
"...I've already started to miss my lovely dress and apron."
She shook her head, and I responded with only an amused shake of my own.
Daphne and I had already started toward our respective rooms when Cissy and then Bella stepped through the fireplace.
"Don't be long! We have a celebratory dinner this evening!"
"Understood..."
Daphne and I exchanged a glance and ran toward the staircase in a decidedly unaristocratic fashion, then on to our rooms, where I simply dropped onto the bed and allowed myself a couple of minutes to lie on a mattress considerably softer than anything Hogwarts had to offer.
Then I got up, undressed quickly, and headed to the bathroom adjoining my room. After my bath, I began to get dressed, but I had no intention of dressing as though I were attending some formal reception. I put on a plain pair of jeans, a white T-shirt, and my favorite rabbit-ear slippers.
In that particular ensemble, I made my way downstairs.
"Kreacher..."
The house-elf appeared before me with the same quiet pop.
"Young master, your mothers and Miss Daphne are expecting you in the small dining room. Everything is laid..."
The house-elf was plainly looking at me with a disapproving eye, but I could not have cared less. I'd had more than enough of being properly dressed at school, and now that I was home I intended to let my soul rest a little.
"Good, thank you..."
I headed in the direction he'd indicated, and the moment I appeared in the doorway, I heard a familiar, melodious laugh that made me quite literally stop in my tracks and sweep my gaze across the small dining room.
My next impulse was an overwhelming urge to flee...
"Those slippers really suit you..."
"Ah... yes..."
I gave a slow nod and, having firmly suppressed the urge to run, smiled gently at the girl in the light blue, airy dress. She was sitting at the table looking at me, and I was looking at her.
"Draco, we did tell you we were having a celebration..."
There was a note of reproach in Mother Bella's voice.
"Mother, a celebration and having guests are two rather different... concepts."
I brought myself fully under control.
"I'm glad to see you, Fleur."
"I'm glad to see you too, Draco..."
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