Refashioning Affection

Chapter Three: A time to Catch-up / A time to Plot

Hermione apparated to the front drive of the Burrow at 5:26 on the dot.

She could not help the grin that grew as she took in the strange yet loving home she had spent so much time in during her school years. If at all possible, the house seemed to have morphed into even odder shapes and angles.

Her foot hadn’t even made proper contact with first step of the porch when the door flew open revealing the rounded silhouette of Molly Weasley, her face beaming down at the young witch she had always considered as another daughter.

“Hermione, dear!” She engulfed Hermione in her arms, nearly suffocating her with her ample chest. “You have been gone far too long. Come in, you are looking rather thin. Have you been eating properly? Oh, your hair looks so nice now that it is long again. It was such a shame when you cut it so short…”

“Mum, give Hermione a chance to breathe. She just got here.”

Hermione shot a grateful glance over to the stairwell, which Ron was coming down. She was soon pulled into his strong embrace.

“Good have you back, ‘Mione.”

“Good to be back, Ron. How have you been? Your last letter mentioned a possible trade to a certain orange clad Quidditch team.”

Ron broke into a toothy smile. “Yeah, well, they needed a new keeper with some experience so…”

“Oh congratulations, Ron! When do you start?”

“Next week we start winter training.”

“Well done.” She wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders once more so she could whisper in his ear. “Any love in your life Ron? A girlfriend or boyfriend I should know about?”

Ron could feel her smile into his neck, “Well there is this one guy…” he spoke quietly into her ear as his mother bustled around the kitchen trying to covertly watch them.

She pulled back with raised eyebrows and a smirk on her lips, “Who?”

Just at that moment the kitchen door opened to a parade of Weasleys.

“We’ll talk later,” he promised as he released her to the hordes waiting to welcome her.
“We better!” she threatened just as the twins sandwiched her in greeting.

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Draco returned home after a long contracting meeting from his seat on the Sport Council, to find his father pondering over a pile of RDD reports in front of his study fireplace. He had to smirk. He had heard all about his father’s little run-in with Granger that afternoon. Moira had seen the whole thing and the secretary for the head of the Department of International Sports loved to gossip.

“Hello, father. I heard you had a little moment with your know-it-all.”

“Draco, I do not know what you are…”

“Oh, don’t play coy with me father. It’s not your style. Plus, Moira saw the entire thing. She said you were quite dashing.”

Lucius could only respond with a “humph.”

“Come now, father. What are you planning to do to win over Granger?”

He looked over at his son, the boy knew him far too well. “You shall see.”

Draco laughed. “Just give me some warning so I can be far away from the manor when you seduce her.” He ducked out of the room quickly before Lucius could reply.

Lucius turned his attention back to the fire. His source had informed him that she had no romantic attachments, so that was one hurdle cleared. The hard part was the wooing of the young witch.

He had never attempted to win over any woman like her. A change in old tactics was needed if he stood any chance with Ms. Granger.

He would make his first move on Monday, giving him the weekend to plan and Hermione time to settle in.

Yes ,things were looking up for Lucius Malfoy.

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Hermione was delightfully stuffed with home cooking and comfortably squashed between her two dearest friends on the old worn loveseat.

She had been banished from the kitchen when she had attempted to help. She now had ample time to catch up with her boys without the eavesdropping of the Weasley Matriarch.

“So, Ron, who is this young man who has caught your eye?” Hermione asked quietly. Harry raised an accusing eyebrow; Ron hadn’t mentioned anything, or anyone to him.

“It’s all kinda new and really sudden but…”

“You really like him.”

“Yeah.”

“Well, out with it then! Who is this lucky bloke?” Harry asked.

“I’d rather not make it public just yet, I mean it is so new and I want to feel it out first.”

Hermione chuckled at his choice of words.

“Oh, you know what I mean,” Ron grumbled.

“Yeah, we do. It’s okay mate. Just tell us when you’re ready,” Harry said as he cuffed Ron on the shoulder over Hermione.

Ron gave them both a grateful smile. Those two never pushed him, knowing that he would tell them when his felt it was right.

“So Harry, how long have you been turning to the Great Malfoy for help?”

“Since you started gallivanting all over the globe and made all the Ministry owls hate you.” Hermione gave him the ‘don’t start’ look; he just pulled on one of her curls.

“He has really thrown himself into his job,” Harry explained.

“After his trial, even with all the evidence that he was a spy for the Order, the Death Eater stigma didn’t die very quickly. It didn’t help that his wife very publicly divorced him and quickly remarried. So, he went to work to rebuild his family name, in a less menacing way. He volunteered for the RDD and become one of our most valuable sources. He was disgusted at the way the Department was run,” chuckled Harry.

“He is probably one of the main reason you are the head now.”

“What?” Hermione asked taken aback.

“He caught your old boss, Mr. Dillon, on his desk with his secretary while he was supposed to be at a meeting. Malfoy went straight to Kingsley and demanded a new department head that had a intellect to match your own.”

“Really, Harry?”

“Oh yeah, even used your name and everything in his little speech, and here you are. Oh, and Kingsley got you a new desk so don’t worry.”

The trio laughed, but Hermione was very grateful or she would have to burn that one and get a new one.

“Seems like you have a fan ‘Mione.” Ron poked her in the side jokingly. Hermione could not help but laugh at that thought.

“Oh, I am sure he sits in his cold, drafty manor and pines away for this brainy, Gryffindor, muggle-born.” She batted her eyelashes and made a dramatic sigh. The boys burst into deep laughs as they pictured the Great Malfoy.

When they had calmed down Hermione turned to Harry.

“So how is your love life? Ron has his mystery lover how about you? I noticed Ginny hasn’t arrived yet.”

“She is working late at St. Mungo’s, and we are… we have an understanding.”

“Once you have settled…” Hermione started the old speech.

“Yes, we both deserve to have our own lives and have a chance to be independent.”

“What does Ginny have to say?”

“She is ready whenever I am.” He admitted a little sheepishly.

Ron looked at him seriously. “You better be ready soon, there are a few guys sniffing around her at St. Mungo’s. I don’t like it one bit.”

“What about you, dear ‘Mione? Any recent conquests you left broken-hearted in some forsaken corner of the world?”

“I am no heartbreaker, Mr. Potter. Every man I have been with knew exactly what he was getting into, I made sure of that.” Both the boys just rolled their eyes.

“Well, I am glad she will be settled back in England,” boomed the voice of Molly as she entered the living room followed by the rest of the family, who had given the trio enough time to catch up privately.

“It’s time you settled down with a good Wizard, deary. You know I still have three unmarried sons…”

Ron groaned; his mother had been pushing Hermione and him together since they broke it off after Hogwarts. George on the other hand, who was busy playing with Bill and Fleur’s youngest, shouted, “Oi, mum! No placing my bits on the auctioning block, please. That is unless Hermione wants a go with another Weasley brother.” He waggled his eyebrows at Hermione while the baby girl pulled on his nose.

“Thanks George, but I don’t think you would be able to handle me,” she teased back.

“Saucy Granger! I like it. Ouch! You little brat, you have a nose of your own, let me keep mine.” He jokingly glared at the little one. The group couldn’t help but laugh.
Hermione was so glad to be back amongst the chaos.

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After everyone had said their goodnights and headed home, Hermione found herself on her new front step. The small cottage had been relatively inexpensive to rent. It reminded her of the homes that lined the rocky shores of the northern isles.

She prepared for bed and slipped in between her flannel sheets and draped the hodgepodge of blankets she had collected over her to ward of the autumn chill.

She had a strange love for collecting blankets from the places she had visited over the years, and couldn’t bear to put any in storage, so her home was always covered in the colorful fabrics.

As she tried to drift off to sleep she thought of the work-week ahead of her. For some strange reason a certain blonde kept creeping into the picture. Stunned slightly, she turned over to stare out the window to watch the stars until sleep finally took her.


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A/N: OK, chapter three seemed as good as any to give a little background on this little universe. Hope you enjoyed it anyway, the fun begins in the next chapter.

LaBib: Thanks for the corrections, that was bad even for me! I have learned my lesson, No editing while watch US election results, we didn't know until four in the morning over here!

~Thanks everyone for all the encouraging reviews, they are greatly appreciated.

xox Sarah