We are more...
“Mmmm, no. I am definitely not getting up yet,” Hermione groaned, barely coherent.
“You needn’t rise, ‘Mione,” Narcissa whispered, “just open your eyes a bit and watch the sunrise with me.”
One brown eye cracked open to see the sun just about to peek over the horizon; a few moments later as the first curve of light could be seen, Hermione felt Narcissa’s arm pull her closer.
“Thank you for waking me. This is the perfect start to the day,” Hermione acquiesced, snuggling in closer.
“After the sunrise, we can sleep a little longer, darling. It’s very early, only half six.”
“That sounds nice,” Hermione yawned quietly watching the rising sun tint everything red on its way up.
Before it cleared the horizon, Hermione carefully pushed herself up and turned to look at Narcissa’s face.
“What?” Narcissa asked, grinning and glancing at Hermione.
“Just as I suspected. You look absolutely radiant in the sunrise. You are so beautiful, Narcissa and you’re just glowing right now,” Hermione smiled down at her fiancée.
Hermione’s complements had taken Narcissa’s very breath away. “That’s...I didn’t...You’re...I woke you to watch the sunrise, not me,” the older witch blushed.
“Indeed,” Hermione agreed, shifting up a little to rest her forehead against Narcissa’s cheek and watch the sun complete its journey above the horizon. “You’re terribly romantic, you know.”
“It seems that way, doesn’t it?”
“Honestly,” Hermione was building up her arguments for why Narcissa was the most romantic person ever, “you really are. The boat ride to Paris? The gardens? The greenhouses? Dancing last night? This? Narcissa, you have the most beautiful heart.” Hermione finished with her hand resting right on Narcissa’s very heart, feeling it beat.
Narcissa was quiet for a long moment, unable to speak around the lump in her throat. “Thank you, Hermione,” she finally whispered, pressing a kiss to Hermione’s head.
When the two finally made their way downstairs for tea and breakfast, the papers had been delivered and Pepper was fit to be tied.
“Pepper almost had to wake up Narcissa and Hermione Granger! Pepper thought maybe Narcissa and Hermione Granger were sick! Filly said no, Filly said witches need sleep and Mistress hasn’t been sleeping lately. Pepper must know! Is Narcissa sick or sleeping?” The House Elf had blurted out her whole diatribe with barely a breath!
“Oh, Pepper,” Narcissa cooed, kneeling before the little creature, “I’m fine. I’m not sick, I promise. I haven't been sleeping well the last week or so and I think it finally caught up with me and Hermione and I slept a bit later than I usually do. Thank you for your concern, it’s much appreciated. Um, Pepper, just so you know, for the, eh, future? If Hermione spends the night, we will probably wake later than you’re used to seeing me get up on my own.”
“And it will be okay?”
“Yes, Pepper. I just, ehm, sleep better with Hermione next to me so I sleep a little longer.”
Hermione’s cheeks flushed pink and she grasped Narcissa’s hand the moment the other woman stood. “Is that true?” Hermione murmured into Narcissa’s ear. “All of that?”
“Most of it,” Narcissa exhaled, not wanting to be overheard.
“Oh,” Hermione looked crestfallen and stepped away to seat herself at the small table in the kitchen.
Narcissa pulled the younger woman quickly and tightly back into her arms, “it’s only been two nights in your arms. I don’t think I have enough evidence yet but it’s definitely a workable hypothesis.”
“It goes both ways, Cissa,” Hermione pressed a kiss to Narcissa's lips, “I’ve never in my life slept as well as I did the two nights I spent in your arms.”
“Good thing we’re getting married, then,” Narcissa smirked.
“Good thing,” Hermione agreed.
The women enjoyed breakfast and perused The Quibbler together before the opened The Daily Prophet. As expected, there were some editorials rejecting the newly announced amendments to the Decree.
“Mmm, read this one, Cissa, it’s from a witch in Newcastle,” Hermione suggested, passing part of the Prophet to the other woman.
“For or against?” Narcissa asked, reaching for the paper.
“Against. They’ve all been against.”
The witches fell silent as they both read on. Narcissa put the paper down and clasped her hands on top of it. When Hermione had finished reading the letter in her own hand, Narcissa smiled at her and spoke, “let’s go get dressed for the day. You want to start learning to Apparate the old way, yes?”
“Yes but, are you sure? You don’t want to make notes or check the wedding section?”
Narcissa simply shook her head, standing, she reached a hand out to Hermione. “Not today. We’ve started a good battle here. Every single one of these editorials is against the Decree. Mafalda Hopkirk is refusing from inside the MInistry. All of this information will still be here tomorrow morning. It is absolutely beautiful outside and my lovely fiancée wants to learn apparition from me. I have more important things to do than follow this Ministry nonsense for a day.”
Taking Narcissa’s hand, Hermione allowed herself to be pulled up from her chair and into the other woman’s arms for a long moment. Just as they separated to head upstairs they heard the owl bell ring.
“Hmm,” Hermione hummed.
“Indeed.” Narcissa agreed.
“We can check and simply not respond or ignore it all together. Which do you prefer?”
“I prefer our day not to be delayed. However, what if it’s an emergency or someone we care about who needs us?”
Hermione nodded in agreement and they headed to the little mudroom to check the post.
“A few notes of congratulations. We should add these people to the invitation list for the wedding,” Narcissa said to Hermione, placing the parchment in a basket, “and a note from Andy thanking us for last night.”
“I’m going to put these with the wedding planning set-up in the study I’m using, if that’s okay?” Hermione asked, picking up the parchment Narcissa had just set down.
“Oh, of course,” Narcissa agreed with a smile, “go ahead and put it in your study if you like, I’m just going to check these quickly.”
“My study?”
Narcissa looked up, nodding with a smile, “Yes, darling, your study.”
“Okay,” Hermione squeaked out in a small voice. Placing a quick kiss on Narcissa’s cheek she went to put the notes with the invitation list.
On her way back to the mudroom, Hermione met Narcissa who was holding an open envelope, reading a card. “We’ve been invited to a wedding!”
“Who’s?”
“Daphne Greengrass and Torben Rowle? Are you friends with either of them?” Narcissa asked.
“No,” Hermione looked a little surprised at the invitation and the question. “Daphne and I were in the same year at Hogwarts but she was in Slytherin. We certainly were never friends but we weren’t enemies either. I doubt if I ever really spoke more than a few words to her.”
“Odd, then, that we were invited to their wedding, unless they’re trying to fill seats?”
“We also got this note in the post. It just says B and S, Saturday night. Any idea?” Hermione held up a small piece of parchment seeming truly befuddled for a long moment...then her eyes darted around, looking but not seeing. “Oh! Brilliant!”
“Sorry? What am I missing?”
“Narcissa, are you familiar with Draco’s friends from school?” Hermione asked, grinning.
“Crabbe and Goyle, yes, they were friends in first year. Later he became friends with Pansy Parkinson and, oh! Blaise Zabini? Is that the B? And...what was that boy’s name? Seamus?”
“I think so! Blaise and Seamus must be having their ceremony Saturday evening. Draco was friends with Daphne. I remember seeing them in the library together quite a few times. I wonder if he set this up so we would be invited to Daphne’s wedding - to perhaps draw a bit of attention and maybe a few reporters and draw the crowd away from Blaise and Seamus!”
“You are highly logical. Well done, Mione. So...are we going to the wedding tomorrow night then? We might need new robes,” Narcissa teased.
“Sounds like a date,” Hermione teased right back.
Narcissa smirked and leaned in to meet her fiancée for a quick kiss. “But that’s tomorrow and we have plans for today. Now. Let’s get dressed for a day outside and we can start your training in the old ways of apparition,” Narcissa linked her hand with Hermione’s and headed toward the stairs.
***
“You’re really going to Apparate us all the way to Ireland?”
“Hermione, it’s not actually that far. Honestly,” Narcissa chuckled a bit, “picture a map in your mind. Hogwarts is no nearer to us here than Ireland and you know plenty of people who’ve Apparated from around the Hogwarts grounds all over Great Britain.”
“Yes, of course,” Hermione was irritable, feeling foolish, “I’m still just a bit hung up on the whole ‘no Apparating between countries’ bit, I think.”
“We have a standing order with Ireland that allows for free apparition back and forth there, though. It’s perfectly safe and completely legal, darling, I promise.”
Hermione just smiled and shrugged, stepping into Narcissa’s personal space and happily wrapping her arms around Narcissa’s waist, “alright then.”
When the couple appeared in Ireland, Hermione turned in a complete circle to find green as far as she could see. “Where are we? This is incredible,” she whispered.
“The Hill of Tara,” Narcissa replied quietly. “There are probably a few magical beings sharing the space with us but we can safely practice apparition here without fear of muggles or mayhem.”
Narcissa turned away and pulled a few things from the bag she was carrying. After laying out a picnic blanket and setting down a basket clearly filled with food for lunch, Narcissa sat herself upon the edge of the checkered cloth and began to remove her shoes and socks.
“What are you doing?” Hermione asked, inquisitive as ever.
“Where does magic come from?”
Blinking, Hermione didn’t answer immediately. “What do you mean,” she finally spoke.
“Where does magic come from? Where do you get your power, your ability to speak or think words and make things happen?”
“Um. Wow? This is not what I expected...but...um...I guess my magic comes from, well, from me? I was going to say my wand but, that’s not true because I could do magic before I got a wand. My wand just helps me channel it. A wand is a tool.”
Narcissa smiled at Hermione and patted the blanket next to herself, “I agree, a wand is a tool for us to channel our magical energies. Our magic. That comes from us. And if we believe what the Law of Conservation states, that energy can neither be created nor destroyed, then that magical energy had to exist somewhere before we were born and must continue to exist after we perish. Do you concur?”
“Oh, Merlin,” Hermione sighed as she plopped next to the other witch. Narcissa reached over and began untying Hermione’s nearest shoelace. Hermione began to whisper emphatically, “energy can neither be created nor destroyed. Therefore, the energy for a spell must come from somewhere. If I am depleted of energy, from where can I draw to cast a spell. From what universal store of energy was I first filled upon birth? Did it happen later? Is it random? No. It’s not random. Most magical families have magical offspring and most muggle families have muggle offspring, it’s not random. It’s an imperfect system but it isn’t random. I concur.”
“Hermione, my darling, can I say something off topic for a moment?”
“Of course,” Hermione looked into Narcissa’s bright blue eyes.
“You are brilliant. I know you’re highly logical and the whole spiel about it but, truly, you’re also brilliant. Your brain is amazing.”
In response, Hermione pressed a hard kiss to Narcissa’s lips and went back to removing her shoes.
“Okay, Narcissa. My feet are bare. My mind is open. And I agree that magical energy is neither created nor destroyed so it must exist somewhere in the universe before we are imbued with its power. What’s next?”
“Put your wand on the blanket and walk with me.”
Hermione, skeptical, narrowed her eyes but followed the other woman’s directions.
After a few quiet, barefoot moments in the grass, Narcissa stopped abruptly.
“Here. Right here. Hermione, stand here for a moment and close your eyes,” Narcissa directed, facing the other woman and taking both of her hands in her own.
Hermione followed along, though not without a momentary scowl.
Once Narcissa felt that Hermione had settled into the moment, she whispered once more, “okay, Hermione, now get your wand.”
“Ugh,” Hermione slumped her shoulders, “you just told me to leave it over there!”
“I know. Get it from here.” Narcissa’s face held no hint of mirth now.
“I...I can’t, Narcissa. I can’t do wandless magic.”
Narcissa kissed Hermione. “You just think you can’t do wandless magic. Standing here right now, I know you can. Summon your wand, Hermione.”
Sighing, Hermione let out a half-hearted, “accio wand,” and smirked when her wand didn’t even twitch.
“Accio Rowan wand,” Narcissa commanded. Her wand flew immediately into her outstretched palm. “Your move.”
“You,” Hermione’s jaw dropped open, “you really can perform wandless magic?”
Narcissa didn’t reply.
Hermione looked hard at her wand over on the blanket they had left behind. “Accio Vine wand.” Hermione’s wand moved a bit, started to fly over and dropped, not making it off the blanket.
“The intent was good but there was no significant magical energy behind it,” Narcissa explained. “You’re barefoot for a reason. We’re in Ireland on the Hill of Tara for a reason. Feel it, Mione. Sense the magic around you right now. Draw it in. You can do this.”
Hermione closed her eyes again, feeling her feet on the ground, reaching out with her mind. She could sense Narcissa’s own mind but did not seek to breach it. Hermione could, when she slowed her mind down, sense a deep and ancient magical energy. Was it beneath her? Around her? Could she use it? Should she try? “Accio vine wand,” she demanded. Her wand immediately made its way into her hand.
“I think you’ll be better off learning some simple spells wandlessly that you’re already very good at with your wand. Then we can move into Apparition.”
“I’m still in shock that I was able to do that. I’ve always been better at the theory than the execution.”
Narcissa bit her lip, head tilted, and looked carefully at the younger woman. “I don’t doubt that you’ve been made to feel that way. However, you are extremely powerful. You’ve done wandless magic recently without even intending to, remember? You pushed Draco and Dean back when they were crowding you.”
“That was me? I thought it was you!”
“That was you,” Narcissa smirked before she continued, “admittedly it may have been a little easier because my hand was on the back of your neck but you directed that magical energy to protect your space.”
“Our space.”
That caught Narcissa off-guard and she met Hermione’s eyes with tears in her own for a moment. “I...yes. I suppose that’s true. Thank you.” She pressed a sweet kiss to Hermione’s lips before refocusing on the task at hand. “As I was saying, I have spent a lot of time thinking about this lately and, Hermione, I do believe you’ll find yourself far more powerful when you put the wand...down.”
Brown eyes blinked owlishly back at Narcissa.
“I know, dear. I know that’s not what you’ve been taught. I know you weren’t expecting to hear me say that since I always have a wand with me but, think about how much more dangerous people would think I am if they knew I could perform magic without one.”
“Fair point. But me? I’m not like you, Narcissa. You’re so talented. I’m just...me. I’m just a nerdy bookworm!”
Narcissa sent her wand back to the blanket and carefully cupped Hermione’s cheeks in her palms. “Listen to me, Hermione Granger, and listen well. We’re to be married in just a few months. I happen to think very highly of you and I’m going to ask you to do me a favor.” Hermione nodded, her face still held in Narcissa’s hands. “I want you to stop categorizing yourself that way. Just a bookworm? Just? You’re just a million wonderful, amazing things. You’re just the woman who’s turned my world upside down in, what? Eleven days? You’re just you. And that is enough. You are brilliant. And logical. And thoughtful. And kind. And filled with a burning desire for equitable treatment. Stop saying you’re just one thing. Because if it’s true for you? Then I’m just the dirty ex-wife of a Death Eater.”
“Don’t you say that! You’re not!” Hermione wrapped her arms around Narcissa’s neck, keeping them locked together in their moment of intensity. “You’re generous and kind and beautiful and romantic and brilliant and talented and powerful and wonderful and witty and caring. Don’t you ever say that about yourself again!”
“So we agree? We are more than what other people say we are?”
“We agree,” Hermione kissed Narcissa then, for a long, much-needed reconnection. She could feel a few tears on the other woman’s cheeks but they mingled with her own.
As their kiss slowed to a few gentle connections and they finally leaned back, Hermione gasped. “Narcissa? Weren’t we standing in grass a few minutes ago?”
“We were,” Narcissa smirked.
“Was this us?”
“I believe it was. We are on the Hill of Tara,” Narcissa shrugged, “many cultures believe this to be a powerful place.”
“We just made a little garden of Honeysuckle grow,” Hermione was utterly charmed.