Chapter 14
Marlene hummed gently. She was laid across the transfigured sofa in her quarters, a little Hermione sprawled on top of her suckling her dummy while they both listened to Sirius mumble to himself while he went over his lesson plans.
Potions class had ended, and Harry had immediately gone to complain to Sirius before coming to check on Hermione. Once they calmed him, Ginny went with him to plan some things for Quidditch tryouts, leaving Hermione to get some rest. She’d napped a bit, but woke still very little.
It was okay, Marlene told herself. Panic drops do that. And her little one had only recently settled, after all. A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.
“I’ll get it,” Sirius offered, rising to go answer. Marlene could barely see over the back of the sofa the way she was laying, and Sirius was careful to keep his voice low, but Marlene could tell he wasn’t pleased. Her suspicions were confirmed when he closed the door and walked around.
“It’s Narcissa,” he said carefully, glancing down at Hermione. Marlene felt the girl tense up and move to run, but she caught her and shifted to sit up, pulling Hermione into her lap and letting the girl hide her face in her shoulder.
“What does she want?” Marlene asked. Hermione let out a small whine, prompting Marlene to summon a blanket and swaddle her as best she could in their position.
“She wanted to talk to Hermione and apologize,” Sirius said gently. “I don’t think she means any harm.”
“Up to you, little love. If you want to talk to her I’ll be right here the whole time, but you’re welcome to tell her to go away.”
Marlene held the girl tight, giving her time to process and think, having learned before that she can be full of surprises. Finally, Hermione nodded, though she didn’t look up from where she’d hidden her face.
“Let her in,” Marlene said, watching as Sirius took a deep breath and went to the door.
Narcissa entered the room slowly, bowing her head in greeting as she did and being sure to keep her distance from the pair on the sofa. Marlene watched as Narcissa’s eye traveled over the swaddled girl in her lap. She felt the urge to snap at her colleague when she noticed how the woman’s gaze went soft at the sight.
“I wanted to apologize,” Narcissa said gently. “Both for scaring you, and for standing by while Bellatrix…well,” she said, pausing as Hermione tensed at the mention of her torturer’s name.
“I’m right here, love, you’re safe,” Marlene murmured. Once Hermione had settled again, she looked up and bid Narcissa continue.
“I regret not putting a stop to my sister. At the time I must admit, I was afraid…I feared what would be done to Draco if I did not let her have her way, given how close she was to the Dark- to Voldemort,” Narcissa explained, and her shudder at the name did not go unnoticed by Marlene, though she recognized it as her trying to do better.
“Still, that does nothing to change the harm that was done to you,” Narcissa continued. “And I know that harm runs deeply, and that seeing me can bring it back to the surface, so. If you wish to pursue your NEWT in Potions but cannot pursue it with me, I will call in some favors to get you a tutor that can be sure you’re ready. I’ve already cleared the idea with Professor McGonagall.”
“That’s generous of you,” Sirius said warily.
“It’s the least I can do after…everything that happened,” Narcissa said carefully. “Miss Granger, you do not have my class again until the end of this week, so give it a thought and send me word of your decision. I do hope you get to feeling better soon, in any case.”
Marlene watched as Narcissa quietly excused herself, leaving her quarters. The girl in her arms was still trembling softly. After checking the door, Sirius came and sat next to the pair, gently reaching to lay a hand on her shoulder.
“She’s gone, cub,” Sirius said softly. “Made sure myself.”
“You’re safe, little one,” Marlene cooed. “We can talk about the rest when you’re feeling bigger, hm?”
The trio stayed in Marlene’s quarters through dinner, Krafty happy to bring the adults a plate and Hermione a bottle with a nourishment elixir inside, since she wasn’t feeling up to eating. Marlene had nearly finished giving her the bottle when her door opened, followed by loud voices and stomping feet.
“Siri!” Harry called. “You’ll never guess who was at dinner!”
Marlene shushed Hermione gently, though she noticed the girl’s gaze turn to Harry, and her own followed. The boy had clearly dropped, and had also clearly ran all the way here, judging by how Ginny and Neville trailed behind him, out of breath.
“‘Lo, Hermione,” Ginny gasped, while Neville wheezed and offered a wave.
“Slow down, pup, Hermione has had a rough afternoon, you need to use inside voices please,” Sirius gently scolded. “Now, who was at dinner?”
“Malfoy! Draco Malfoy! That git came back to school!”
“Language, pup,” Sirius scolded again. Harry just scowled in response.
“Can’t be mad,” Hermione mumbled. “‘Member?”
“I think what Hermione means,” Ginny said, “is what I was trying to tell you earlier, Harry. Voldemort lived in his house, for Merlin’s sake. He didn’t get a lot of choices on how he was the past few years.”
“Was still a git before Voldemort,” Harry pouted, crossing his arms.
“We should still give him a chance, mate,” Neville said. “Besides, it’s easy enough to avoid him.”
“He saw us and looked nearly green,” Ginny said, “though if he missed classes today he might be ill.”
“Still a git,” Harry pouted, finally reaching the limit of Sirius’ patience judging by how he stood and clapped a hand on his shoulder.
“Alright, Harry, that’s enough,” Sirius said, guiding him to the door. “Tell everyone good night, we’ll be going to bed early I think.”
“Good night,” Marlene called as Sirius led Harry out, and Hermione untangled a hand from her swaddle to offer a tiny wave.
“We should probably go too, eh, Nev?” Ginny said.
“Probably. Glad to see you’re feeling better, Hermione, sleep well,” Neville said, rubbing the back of his neck self consciously.
“Night, Professor. Night ‘Mione,” Ginny called, following Neville out. Marlene waited until she heard the click of her door closing.
“Now that everyone is gone, little one, what do you say to a bath and a story before bed, hm?”
Hermione nodded, tucking her face into the crook of Marlene’s neck.
Marlene smiled softly, so grateful to have the trust of her little one, as she lifted the girl and took her to have a nice long bubble bath.