Yours Curiously
September 2002
Malfoy,
Remember that you asked for a Golden Trio-centric letter when you’re reading this and wishing I wasn’t speaking about Harry and Ron in such detail.
Firstly, I had been keeping Scorp deliberately away from James and Albus, as I wasn’t sure you’d approve, but Ginny has been absolutely desperate to meet him, and now I know that I have your blessing, I suppose I’ll take them up on that dinner invitation I’ve been ignoring for weeks. Albus is the same age as him, James is a couple of years older. The Potters did not waste time once they were done with Hogwarts, as disgusting a mental image as that is. I’d go into the tale of Albus being an accident, but I don’t want to plague you with, again, disgusting mental images. I suppose I’ve already done it now. Apologies.
You told me a secret, I’ll return the favour. Ron cheated on me. We got together officially after the war, and had a tumultuous on and off relationship. It was during one of our off periods that I went on that date and met Theo. It was during our longest on period that I came home to find him and Susan Bones bent over our kitchen table. I mean, where people eat? Horrendous. I walked around the house as they continued their activities, collecting my belongings and shrinking them down into a bag. I then apparated to the first place I could think of. Theo’s elf Mossy found me crying on his doorstep, and I ended up staying at Nott Manor for three months before Theo had the flat above the shop renovated for me as a birthday present. It caused a major rift in my life as Ron got to a lot of people first and told them that it was me having the affair. Apparently, nobody really questioned this, not even when Susan announced that she was expecting a few weeks later. They got married, and they have two children now, with a third on the way. Most people live in an awkward middle ground of wanting to stay friends with us both, but Harry, Ginny, and Ginny’s brother George all resolutely took my side. None of us see Ron anymore. It’s sad, and I mourned our friendship for a long time, but he made his choice to be an arsehole and that isn’t my fault. It’s taken a while for me to get to this point, and it is not helped by the fact that Molly Weasley still sends me the odd howler. Don’t worry, I will never open them around Scorp.
In brighter news, I found Calliope. At the behest of your mother, I visited the Manor gardens to check on her roses. I retrieved her tools from the potting shed so that she might work in the Parkinson House gardens. For someone named for a flower, Pansy really does not have the greenest of thumbs, and I’m fairly sure some of the more overgrown areas have gained sentience. Regardless, Narcissa is up for the challenge. I was taking a few cuttings of her favourite roses so that she can plant them during her stay with Pansy, and there Calliope was amongst the bushes. Pipsy was most surprised to see her, as I understand she has been missing for a good while. She’s now living with me, as both Pansy and Narcissa seemed reticent about her company for whatever reason. I didn’t have you pegged as a cat person, Malfoy. You continue to surprise me.
I suppose you do have the right sort of hair to be veela, and we’re all certainly under Scorp’s spell. Perhaps that’s worth further investigation, as I simply cannot believe that you’re both this universally charming. It’s far too coincidental.
Theo is hosting a dinner tonight for everyone as Daphne has written to arrange to meet Scorpius properly. I don’t know the history, but I get the impression that something happened between her and her sister that has made her nervous to meet her nephew. She’s also incredibly quiet around me, as is Zabini. I get the feeling Zabini especially has been deliberately giving me a wide berth. I’m hoping we can break the ice somewhat, as I’d love for Scorpius to know more of his family, as well as your close friends. If you were here, I imagine they would have been far more frequent visitors than this, and I don’t want that to be different just because I’m here instead. Any advice for me? It won’t be in time for tonight, but you know these people far better than I do.
I think you would have made a good auror. I think you could still make a good auror, if you wanted to.
Yours sincerely,
Hermione J Granger
***
September 2002
Granger,
Happy birthday. It’s probably already been and gone, but know that the intention was there.
For what it’s worth, I’m sorry about Weasley. He’s a blind, stupid fool, and frankly, the fact that he continued shagging that poor woman whilst you cleared up your things makes my blood boil. I’m glad Theo was there for you.
I always liked Fred and George, they struck me as decent people. I was sorry to hear that Fred passed away during the Battle. I can’t imagine how hard that must have been for his brother, they were always a package deal. Too many people were lost that day.
Of course, Ginevra has always been the only truly tolerable Weasley, and I commend Potter on his good sense in marrying that one.
I hadn’t dared to hope that Callie was still alive. She disappeared shortly before our house was taken over by certain unwelcome guests, and I never saw her again. Perhaps I should have taken that as a sign of things to come, she was always terribly intelligent. She’s half-Kneazle, just as your orange fur ball was back in Hogwarts. I’m not surprised to hear that my mother and Pans didn’t want to care for her, they never got along well. To be honest, Callie has never been too fond of witches in general, so it’s certainly curious that she hasn’t tried to claw your eyes out. Unless, of course, she has done so, and you just didn’t tell me. Are your eyes in perfect, unclawed condition, Granger?
I’ve always been a cat person. I suppose you assumed I was a peacock person?
Do let me know how Scorp got on with James and Albus, as well as your dinner with Daph and Blaise. They don’t mean any offence, I think they’re just nervous. I suppose you know that by now. Blaise always felt guilty that he didn’t really help you much with McLaggen’s unwanted advances in Slug Club. He might have been wrapped up in the purity bullshit at the time, but he was still raised to be a gentleman, and none of us approved of how McLaggen would act around women.
You find me universally charming, do you?
Yours curiously,
DLM