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Lavender looked sadly over at Draco, "I found you on the floor with Hermione over you trying to heal you. I sent out a call for help, shot an Incarcerous spell at Ron, and started helping Hermione try to heal you." |
Lavender kept her gaze on Draco, seemingly not yet ready to face Hermione. Hermione watched Lavender impassively. Draco wondered what was going through her mind. Was there still anger and animosity at Lavender for her continued affair with her husband? |
"Harry stepped through the fireplace. I don't know how long it took. It seemed like moments and forever all at the same time. The Aurors with Harry transfigured my coffee table into a stretcher and took you and Hermione to St. Mungo's." |
"Harry checked the house, looking for the girls. I told him they disappeared, so he called over at the manor, and found them there. He put my house on lockdown so that I couldn't leave and no one could enter. Then he took Ron away." |
Lavender's gaze took on a faraway look as she relived the events. She took a deep shuddering breath before she continued with her story. |
"It seemed like he was gone for hours. I kept the kids out of the front room. I didn't know if I could clean up in there or if they needed pictures for evidence. There was blood everywhere," Lavender shuddered, "He came back with a bottle of Veritaeserum, a purple Quick Quotes Quill, and a stack of parchment. He asked if I would willingly submit to questioning at my home or if he had to take me in." |
"Harry questioned me about the events of Ron's attack. What I saw, what I did. What happened during the day before you arrived. Then he started going further back." She broke from her account of the story to look directly at Hermione for the first time since she had started talking, her gaze full of remorse, "I'm sorry, Hermione. I had no idea he was obliviating you." |
Hermione stiffened and curled her lip into a sneer at Lavender, "Not to be rude Lavender, but why are you here?" |
Tansy chose that moment to appear with the tea tray. Hermione's teacup was set off to the side since she only drank caffeine in the mornings now. She gave Tansy a list of teas that she liked to drink during her previous pregnancies. Hermione thanked the elf as Tansy handed her a teacup full of rooibos chai tea latte. She gave Draco his teacup next, Earl Grey with a slice of lemon. |
Tansy turned to their guest and asked with polite indifference, "How do you take your tea, Miss?" |
"Oh," Lavender said, looking uncomfortable, "Just a lump of sugar." |
Tansy handed her the tea and moved the tray over so that the biscotti was in front of Hermione. |
"Thank you, Tansy," Draco said to the elf. |
The door closed quietly behind her. Hermione took the biscotti off her saucer and dipped it into her tea. "Now," she said quietly, looking squarely at Lavender, "back to my previous question, why are you here?" She took a bite out of her biscotti, the crunch resounding through the room aggressively. |
Draco smiled into his cup as he took a sip of tea. Hermione's icy demeanor was unnerving her former housemate. |
Lavender took a sip of her tea and set the cup on the table beside her. "Right," she said, squaring her shoulders bravely, "I came to apologize to you." |
"For what?" Hermione queried coldly, reaching forward to take another biscotti. |
"For carrying on an affair with your..." she drifted off at Hermione's glare, "with Ron," she finished. |
"Why apologize now after twelve years?" Hermione asked, swirling the biscotti in her tea. |
"Do you remember the final battle?" Lavender asked. Hermione and Draco both shot her looks of incredulity, so she continued, "Fenrir attacked me while I was down in that battle." |
Hermione interrupted Lavender's story to coolly state, "Yes, I remember that as I was the one that kept him from mauling you to death." |
Lavender looked down into her teacup. A pained expression crossed her face. "I know," she said quietly. She looked at Hermione, her gaze full of regret, "I didn't thank you at the time. I wasn't grateful. I wished you had let me die. But thank you for doing it. I owe you my life." |
"You have a funny way of paying back a life debt," Hermione snapped harshly. |
"I know," Lavender said again. |
"Get on with the story," Hermione said, gesturing impatiently for Lavender to continue, "I assume there's more." |
Lavender took a deep breath and continued, "The curse I was hit with just before he attacked me slowed my circulation down. It kept me from bleeding out when he ravaged my neck and shoulder and clawed my face. Pavarti got me to Madame Pomfrey and went back out to keep fighting. It was chaos in the Hospital Wing. Madame Pomfrey spent enough time on me to make sure I didn't die and then moved on to the next patient." |
Lavender's hand went up to the left side of her neck. Her hand hovered there, not quite touching the skin, "The scars on my face, neck, and shoulder were horrific at first. People didn't want to be near me. They couldn't look at me. People would cross the street just to avoid me, like they thought I was dangerous or diseased, rather than someone who had fought Death Eaters while they hid in their homes. I was terrified that I would turn into a werewolf, even though Fenrir wasn't a wolf when he bit me. My parents didn't want anything to do with me. They thought I was diseased. They gave me some money and kicked me out. I wandered around, crashing on friends" couches until eventually, I went to the Hog's Head. Madame Rosmerta took pity on me, gave me a job waiting tables and pouring drinks, and a place to stay. She helped me work on my glamour charms so that I could have a somewhat normal life. It took a while before I could perfect the charms necessary to hide my scars fully." |
Draco had to commend her for her bravery. She fought in a war, as a seventeen-year-old. When teenagers her age were worrying about partying or school, she was fighting against adults much more lethal than herself. Then, instead of being hailed a hero, she was shunned for the scars she bore. |
Lavender fidgeted nervously with the handle of her cup, turning it around on her saucer, then turning it back. "Ron came in for a drink one day. I hadn't perfected the glamour charms yet so my scars were still visible. He treated me like I was a normal person like I was still that girl he went to school with. It... it was nice, to not have someone look at you with revulsion. We had a drink together. Then one drink became many and ..." |
"I don't want to hear about your sex life with my former husband, Lavender," Hermione interjected sharply. |
"I wasn't... of course... sorry," Lavender stammered, "I'm not telling you all this to make you feel sorry for me or to excuse what I did." |
"Then why are you telling me?" Hermione said. |
"I've always believed that in order to ask for forgiveness and truly be forgiven, the person you're asking has to know the reasons you're asking. I'm not telling you this to hurt you or to absolve myself. I want you to know so that maybe one day you can understand, and find it in yourself to forgive me." |
Hermione nodded pacified and leaned forward to set her empty cup of tea on the tray. "Go on then." |
"I got pregnant that night. The wolf infection makes me more fertile and well, Ron is a Weasley," Lavender said with a shrug, and waved the comment away, "Madame Rosmerta wasn't going to let me stay. She started treating me differently after I took Ron up to my room that night. When I found out, I told Ron I needed to speak to him. I needed help. I couldn't raise the baby on my own with no job, no prospects, and nowhere to live." |
Lavender reached forward and took some biscotti off the plate. Draco tensed beside Hermione as her hand came close to her wand resting on the table. She continued in a soft voice, "He helped me find a place to live. He gave me money so that I could stay at home. I think... I think it made him feel better about himself, how much I needed him. He felt more like a man." |
"Are you saying I didn't make him feel like a man?" Hermione asked sharply. |
Lavender looked at Hermione impatiently as she protested, her voice losing the timidity that she'd addressed them before, "That's not what I'm trying to say. Your relationship with him was different than my relationship with him. And come on, Hermione, be honest with yourself. You didn't need him. You didn't need him to protect you. You didn't need him to provide for you. You aren't a damsel in distress. You're a strong, independent woman. And some men want that. But Ron, an essential part of himself needs to be needed and to feel important. I catered to that. The wolf part of me sought an alpha to bow to. My subservience made him feel powerful." |
Lavender continued her story before Hermione could interrupt again. "Kid after kid popped out and I needed him more and more. I felt guilty for deceiving you. For continuing an affair with your husband. There were days where I wanted to tell him it was over and he needed to go back to you. Or I wanted to force him to make a choice and let one of us go. But I never could. He owned me. He knew that I would never do anything to put my children's well-being in jeopardy." |
Lavender's face twisted into what Draco could only describe as a feral snarl, "Ron would fill Fred's head with this feeling of pride and self-importance that he was a Weasley, but then he would tell him he couldn't claim to be a Weasley because of your girls. It confused him and made him resentful. Fred, I believe, feels the weight of his bastardy more than my other children. He's a week older than Minerva, Ron's firstborn and son. He's tried so hard to emulate his father, to make himself into a son Ron would be proud of." |
Hearing Lavender talk about Fred brought back painful memories of his own childhood. His own desire to please his father. The similarity made Draco feel, not for the first time, a bit sorry for Fred Brown. Draco didn't like that Fred had bullied his children, but he could understand his need to feel important. |
"I overheard Ron talking to Fred a week before he was supposed to go to school. He was filling his head with nonsense about being better than other children," Lavender gestured at Draco, "like your son, Draco. He would tell him he was a Weasley and should be proud of that, but that Fred couldn't tell anyone because no one must know that he was Ron's son. I got mad then. My son was being filled with this nonsense that he was eating up because he just wanted to make his father proud. He was being told that he was better because of a name, but that he wouldn't be allowed to use it. He was making my son arrogant and insufferable." |
Lavender shrank back in her chair in discomfort, "I... I let go of Arthur's hand that day on the platform. I knew he would run to Ron. We all saw him standing there with you. Arthur was too young to understand that he wasn't supposed to acknowledge Ron in public, and I used that to out Ron. I was tired of my children being relegated to the shadows." |
Hermione hissed in response. A sharp intake of breath in shock that Lavender Brown had orchestrated the final demise of Hermione's marriage. Draco didn't know whether to be overjoyed that she had finally reached her limit that day or angered at the hurt she'd caused Hermione. |
Lavender leaned forward, her hands clasped in front of her in her lap in a pleading gesture. Her gaze stayed on Hermione, her voice full of apology and remorse, "My actions hurt you and your daughters and for that I'm sorry. I'm sorry that you were hurt that day on the platform. I'm sorry for sleeping with him all those years ago and allowing him to keep me as his mistress all these years. I'm sorry that you were attacked in my home. I'm sorry that you were almost killed, Draco," she glanced briefly at him before continuing, "I hope that in time, you can understand and accept my apologies. In time, I hope that you can forgive me." |
Lavender set her teacup down on the tea tray and took a deep breath. "I've taken up enough of your time today. Thank you for seeing me and listening to me. I'll show myself out." |
She picked up her wand and handbag and got to her feet. Draco nodded goodbye to her cordially. Hermione was staring blankly at the fireplace. Her hand drifted to her abdomen. |
"Lavender," Hermione called out, not looking over at the woman. Lavender turned with her hand on the doorknob and looked over at Hermione. "I forgive you," Hermione said quietly. |
"What?" Lavender asked, her voice full of disbelief. |
Hermione turned to look across the room at her, her voice had more force this time, "I forgive you." |
"Thank you," Lavender said quietly. "I didn't expect forgiveness so soon, if at all. May I ask why?" |
"I don't agree with your actions concerning carrying on an affair with him for so long, but I can understand your reasons. Despite the pain you initially caused, I think I owe you a debt of gratitude for outing him that day on the platform. Who knows what our lives would be like without it? Probably more of the same, a continuous loop of unhappiness for both of us and our children. So I can forgive you because my children's lives and mine are better without Ron. As for apologizing for Ron's attack in your home, I have a feeling your wolf wouldn't let him do something that might harm your children." |
"Nor yours," Lavender said quietly, "I would not allow harm to come to any child entrusted to my care." |
"Be that as it may, you are not responsible for his actions. He is responsible for his actions. Now, you are as free from him as I am." |
"Thank you," Lavender said, breathlessly. She turned to leave them again. |
"Oh Lavender," Hermione called again, "One more moment if you have the time." |
Lavender nodded and came back over to them. She sat down in her vacated armchair and looked warily at Hermione. |
"Am I correct in assuming that you will be in some financial difficulty now that Ron is no longer supporting you and your children?" |
Lavender stiffened, "No offense, Hermione, but we don't need charity." |
"I'm not offering hand-outs. I had something different in mind," Hermione said, "A job." |
"A job?" Lavender asked incredulously. |
"Yes, a job. At a women's shelter." |
"There aren't any women's shelters in the wizarding world, Hermione," Lavender stated. |
"There are now." |
"What would you have me do there?" Lavender asked, intrigued. |
"I'm not sure, but I'm sure we can find something for you," Hermione answered. |
"I'd be willing to give it a try," Lavender said, "but Arthur and Daniel aren't in school yet. I can only ask my neighbor to watch them so often." |
"I don't have a problem with them going to work with you. Mrs. Edvard, my former secretary, is in charge of managing the shelter. I'll send a note to her and she'll send you the address. She's the secret keeper for the shelter. Her position is only temporary, since I know she plans to retire in a year, so if you prove capable, then I will sign off on you being her replacement." |
"You want me to run a women's shelter?" Lavender asked in disbelief. |
"If you prove capable," Hermione allowed, "I'm not sure what to expect, but I don't think this will be an easy job. I'll understand if you decide you can't do this." |
Lavender nodded, "I'd still like to give it a try." |
"That's settled then," Hermione said, rising to stand. |
Lavender took this to mean their meeting was over. She stood as well and held out her hand to Hermione. Hermione eyed her for a second the shook the proffered hand. |
"Thank you for this opportunity, and for accepting my apology," Lavender said. She turned and walked toward the door. Draco rose from his seat and followed Lavender and Hermione to the door. Lavender's hand was on the doorknob when she turned to look at both of them standing side by side. "I'm glad something good came of all this mess," Lavender said, gesturing to Draco, "You deserve to be happy and with someone that loves you. I've seen all the pictures in The Prophet. It used to drive Ron barmy, but Draco clearly adores you and your daughters." |
"Thank you, Lavender," Hermione said, "I hope you find someone who makes you happy too." |
Lavender looked sadly at Hermione, "I'm not sure that's in the cards for me, but thank you for saying so." She turned and left then. Draco heard the sound of the front door opening and closing quietly as Lavender showed herself out. |
"Well, that was unexpected," Hermione said, crossing the foyer into the study. |
"Are you sure about her working for your charity?" Draco asked as he followed her into the study. |
"I think it's worth letting her try," Hermione said, sitting in her chair behind their desk. "She really is a Gryffindor. I'd always wondered before when we were at school together. It took a lot of courage to come apologize." |
"Why did you forgive her so quickly though?" Drack asked. |
Hermione turned from her letter and looked up at him, leaning against her side of the desk. "I think I realized that I was relieved that she was keeping him away from me some of the time." Then Hermione shrugged, "Plus if she hadn't outed him that day, we wouldn't be here together. So I can't hate her for sleeping with him, or having children with him, or for the pain she caused when the truth was revealed. Some good things came from all that pain. She was just as caught in her relationship with Ron as I was in mine. I felt bad for her and her children." |
Draco was conflicted about the issue of Lavender Brown. Some good did come from the pain they had all suffered. The girls were undoubtedly better off with him as their father. Hermione was better off now. Despite all the drama, he was happier with his life than he'd been in years and it had all started with that painful revelation on the platform. |
"Feel bad for her, fine, but you don't need to give her a job," Draco protested. |
Hermione finished writing her letter and signed it, "She might actually do a pretty good job managing a women's shelter. She did manage to keep the fact that she was Ron's mistress a secret for over twelve years. She also kept four children a secret for that long. It was only revealed because she decided she'd had enough." |
He didn't know about letting Lavender work for Hermione's shelter. He thought that maybe Hermione was a little too forgiving. Harry's words floated back to him from the end of their appointment at the Ministry. Had Lavender unknowingly helped keep Weasley away from Hermione all these years? Maybe lessening the damage done to her memory? Maybe keeping her temporarily safe from whatever abuses that had so infuriated Harry? |
"How does that matter?" Draco asked. |
Hermione answered with a shrug, "She can keep a secret when necessary and she can reveal a secret when needed. She used to be very sociable in school. I think maybe we can send her out to talk to women. Spread the word to those that need help." |
"We'll need to repair her image if we're going to do that. People are just going to see her as an attempted murder's mistress. Or as the woman that split up the Golden Trio." |
"Does that make you the man that split up the Golden Trio then?" Hermione asked with a coy smile. |
Draco grinned and kissed her upturned brow, "Maybe I'm the man that saved the best part of the Golden Trio." |
A little compassion for Lavender Brown and Fred. She wasn't innocent in her actions concerning her affair with Ron, but there's a lot a mother will put up with for their children. Ron was an ass, and by no means a stellar father to either brood of children, but he did provide well for Lavender's children. |
Thanks for reading and reviewing. |
Finding Hermione |
By: eBookDragon |
Confessions & Pleas |
The quiet day Draco and Hermione had both wished for seemed like it wasn't meant to be. They'd managed a quiet lunch after Lavender Brown's intrusion and were enjoying their time together alone in front of the fire in the study. They were both caught off guard when Luna appeared at the Floo at two in the afternoon for tea, rather than half-past three when tea was traditionally served. |
Draco held out a hand for the strange witch as she stepped out of the fireplace and into the study. Luna was still wearing her puce green robes, radish earrings, and bottle cap necklace. Draco watched the strange witch speculatively as she took in her surroundings. |
Hermione rose from the sofa, smoothing down her black sheath dress, and crossed to the fireplace to give Luna a kiss on the cheek in greeting. "Luna, it's good to see you," Hermione greeted, "We weren't expecting you for at least another hour." |
The vagueness that usually plagued any conversation with Luna was absent. The serious expression on the witch's face made Draco wary. He understood "dreamy" Luna. This "down to business" Luna was a mystery to him. |
"Yes, I'm aware that I'm early," Luna answered, seriously. She still had the breathy, dreamy voice, but there was steel behind her words now. "I hope you'll excuse my rudeness, but I know you both have had a trying day and I thought maybe we could just get this out of the way." |
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