Alexandrite Trio

Things had settled into something of a routine. Hermione stayed with the snakes. She was careful not to venture out into the common without someone with her. Theoretically, it was safe, but she wouldn't risk it if she didn't have to. 

The stalemate between her and the Headmaster had continued. She had not raised her hand. Not once. It was doing wonders for Professor Snape and her interactions. Her classwork was excellent, but she refused to earn points for her house, and he enjoyed getting to glare. 

McGonagall didn't seem to know what to do with her. Flitwick still tried calling on her, but she remained steadfast in her refusal. With Draco and Theo, Hermione set up shop, tutoring both first and second years. 

Students could pay a flat rate for help all year, or they could pay a fee for each individual session or assignment. The curly-haired girl hadn't been comfortable with that at first. But Draco and Theo had argued her time was valuable that, for a moment, she believed it. The compromise was if someone was low-income and not a Weasley, she would help Pro Bono. It certainly didn't hurt to have a little extra spending money.

 Hermione checked that she had everything packed and ready for her trip home. 

The absolute best thing to happen was Potter and Weasley did not leave. Without the redhead to egg them on, Gryffindor was less aggressive, and she managed to have a peaceful ride. Pans  flipped through a magazine with Daphne, and Hermione was reading Theo a muggle novel all about wizards from Ankh-Morpork. At the same time, he rested with his head on Hermione's lap. 

By the time they arrived in London, Hermione was bubbling with excitement. She hugged Pansy and Daphne on the train, and then she and Theo started to get off. Hermione had already instructed her parents that Theo would quietly follow until they reached the car. She couldn't drag him up with her when she ran to hug both her parents. 

Seated safely in the car, Hermione finally made introductions. "Mum, Dad, I want you to meet my good friend Theo." She said beaming. "Theo, meet my parents, Helen and Ian. Theo, Draco, and Pansy have been great with everything that happened this year." Hermione said, putting on her seat belt. 

"Doctor, Hermione," her father corrected. "We did not get as many degrees as we have to have our accomplishments ignored." He said in a warning tone. 

"He doesn't even know what a doctor is." Hermione countered. "We don't have doctors in our world,"

"Your world?" Her dad asked, making eye contact through the car mirror. "This is your world."

"Theo, meet my parents, doctorHelen and doctorIan." Hermione introduced a second time. "The doctor part is important. It's so everyone around cannot help but acknowledge just how academically inclined."

Her mum sighed as she looked at her daughter and tried to assess the situation. "Cheltenham Ladies College would still love to have you. Despite you taking this year off, you are grades ahead." She suggested. 

Theo did not like the thought of that. Not one bit. "I think it's improved since you lost your hair." He said, checking in with her, confused by her wide-eyed and panicked look. Hermione had been frozen to the spot.

 From the front of the car came a glacial "Excuse me?" asked by the woman in the front of the car, Doctor Granger.

Hermione put her hands up defensively. "It's fine, Doctor Mum. The situation was resolved." When she started calling them Doctor Mum and Dad, she thought they would realise it was peak preteen sarcasm that she was making fun of how superior and pretentious they both were. Instead, they liked it and were pleased that their daughter recognised their superiority and accomplishments. They enjoyed that all of their child's friends and acquaintance's parents would already understand that they were very important people. 

She should have told Theo what she had shared and what she kept back. It was a testament to how distracted her mum was that she didn't get told off. "And we discussed this with the Deputy Headmistress. Untrained magic becomes increasingly more dangerous over time and the Muggle world,"

"Real world," corrected her father. But she let that go. She'd never get them to understand it's not real or unreal. It was Muggle/Wizarding or magical/non-magical. But she'd stand a better chance teaching a Weasley basic manners. 

"It very much is not fine, and why weren't we made aware there was an issue. Ian, talk sense into your daughter. Cheltenham is a good, respectable school," Hermione's mother ranted from the front of the car. 

Hermione grabbed Theo's hand and looked out the window. "It was nothing new. I'll have problems at Cheltenham. You just want me at a school you can talk about. Yes, it sucked at first. Yes, I am getting bullied, but I also have friends. I have excellent friends. I moved out of Gryffindor and have been staying with the Slytherin girls, who are much nicer. Pansy has been explaining wizarding fashion, and I will have to slowly replace everything preppy with robes, dresses, and skirts."

"And just when did you start caring about fashion?" Her father asked, looking in the rearview mirror again. 

"Since Daphne and Pansy explained, I am at a disadvantage because of my gender and blood status." Hermione tried explaining. "Why make it harder for people to listen and hear me?"

"Haughty is not a good look on you, young lady." Her dad warned. "And neither is this new attitude."

Hermione said in a tired voice and very muted facial expressions, "Just have the packets ready, and I'll get them out of the way. 

The car pulled up in front of a detached brick house. It was no mansion in the countryside or castle, but for a city home, it was alright. 

"Come on!" She said, excitement returning as she grabbed Theo's hand and ran ahead. Once the front door was unlocked, she dragged him in. 

Standing in the entry room, she pointed to the left. "Family room," she told him, pulling him away before he could really get a look. Same with the drawing room and the kitchen. Before he knew it, they were flying up to the first floor. 

"This is my parent's floor." She explained. "If you need it, there is a full bath here." She mentioned on the way to the next flight of stairs. They walked straight and into a long rectangular room. "You will be staying in here. On the far wall was an unobtrusive day bed. 

Theo took in the room. Spread around the room were wall-to-ceiling bookshelves filled with books and various awards. It was like a museum to Granger's success. 

"My parents, like everyone, know how extraordinarily brilliant I am so much this is the typical guest room. There is one on their floor, but they can't use it to validate their brilliance." It was like having parents who were there but not.

After a few minutes of companionable silence, he recognised a violin case and some thin device with narrow teeth. 

"You play?" He asked, and at her shy nod, he smiled. "You should bring it with you."

She nodded and then shrugged. "What's the point? I don't need it in school applications. I'll be working under a master, and they won't care."

"Did you like it?" He asked, inspecting trophies. 

Hermione gave a brief silent laugh. "Not at first. I was four, and I hated it. Now? I think it grew on me."

Theo picked up the violin case with one hand and handed it to her. "Bring it." He encouraged before moving to put the bags from his other hand beside the day bed. 

"Room on the left is me. The first on the right is the bathroom, and the second is the sitting room office. 

"Your parents, they are different than what I expected," Theo said carefully, knowing her parents were probably a sore point after the start of the year she had. "Hug me, and I'll tell you." His face took on an impish grin. 

Pansy had said before they all became friends Theo was quieter and more withdrawn. It felt like an accomplishment or like she was special to see him like this. She couldn't help but smile back. 

Theo hugged her, which was not meant to restrain her, as he went under her arms. "I don't know. I guess I just thought they would be better. I mean, they made you, and you are a- "

"Stuck up little know-it-all all who cares too much about what other people think." Maybe it was being home. Perhaps it was just being away from Hogwarts, where people accused her of being everything she hated about her parents. Whatever the reason, the dam broke, and the suppressed and pushed-down emotions bubbled up and overflowed out of her. 

"Oh, Hermione," Theo said, walking to the day bed to use it for its day function and wrapping his arm around her.   

"Maybe they are right, Theo. Maybe, my parents, everyone was right. I don't belong. I should accept that I will never change." She just couldn't stop herself. 

"Not everyone." Theo reminded the girl crying on him. "And those idiots couldn't be more wrong. You showed you belonged so much you convinced at least five of us in Slytherin that you belonged. Longbottom, too."

She sniffled, and he pulled an expensive handkerchief out of his and handed it over. 

"Feel better?" He asked, squeezing her extra when she nodded. "Good. Now, show me your wardrobe so I can burn anything that would cause Pansy to harm you," he said with a grin. 

Theo watched Hermione go from chattering and outgoing to very quiet and withdrawn the moment they were in the store. He grabbed and squeezed her hand, and he got an attempt at a grin. It was small and only a slight upward twitch to her lips. 

"You will be easy enough to shop for." She added. "Your regular clothes will do fine if we get jackets instead of robes." But she was a little lost when it came to herself. 

"What is wrong, my dearest familiar?" He asked, swinging their arms slightly. 

“I don’t …. I’ve never…. Mum normally does, but I don't know where to start." She admitted feeling more than a little overwhelmed. 

"Hey. You are in good hands." He promised gently. "I'll help, and we can find things that will work in both worlds." He offered to give his skittish colt of a friend a second to process. "Dray and Pans are going to sulk so much." At her confused expression, he explained. "We all want to play dress up with our Granger." There was a decent chance Cissa would be convinced to send robes back to Hogwarts with Draco. 

He waited for her to nod and silently trailed behind him. His first selection was an emerald green linen dress. It was sensible and comfortable and would make for a not-horrible day dress in privacy. 

If she hadn't realized they were from different worlds, his next pull was not something she ever would have considered. It was a dusty pink tulle dress that should fall below the knees. Between the puff sleeves and the many layers of tulle in the skirts, she would have joked that she would be cosplaying a Disney princess if it had come in light blue. 

By the time she processed that, he'd grabbed a cream-coloured dress. The shoulders were made from dramatic, long flowing bows. There was a short but dramatic bow in the back. Along the fabric, pretty flowers had been embroidered. 

It was when he went to add another dress that her objections started. It was a lovely white satin dress with blue floral embroidery along it. However, the scalloped neckline was decorated with a row of pearls. "Theo, I can't. It's too nice, and I will look a fool."

Theo frowned. "Please trust me, Hermione. I'd never knowingly let you look like a fool." He promised, knowing that she would be a vision in it and while the dress would be a bit much for Muggle day wear, she would fit right in on their side of things.   

She gave a tense nod and didn't fight when he added a similar dress with textured blue and silver patches. He picked up another dress, this time with shining stars in it. Theo grinned at her. "I bet we could figure out how to charm the stars to be accurate and move through the seasons." He suggested peaking her interest. Theo laughed, a rich and loud expression of his amusement. "You, Miss Granger, are my favourite swot." He told her with a wink, grabbing a tea-length dress on the way by. 

"And you are my favourite menace." She teased, still smiling as he added a black lack dress with layers of ruffles to the skirt. When Theodore finished shopping, her wardrobe would look like a cottage core person had a baby with a Victorian. 

"Really, Hermione?" Hermione's mother said, looking through the collection of dresses. In her hands was a pretty ruffled frock. 

"What, mum? It's not like they are immodest." She pointed out. And it wasn't. The neckline was to her neck. 

"You will look like a grandmother in this." Helen Granger told her daughter, frowning. 

Theo opened his mouth. He was used to his parents disliking him anyway, but Hermione cut in. "I'm twelve. I'm not going to look like a grandmother. And it will pass as day wear at school, too."

"I'm not worried about what you wear at school. What are the Bakers going to say? Toni has been insufferable since Nicola took the top spot at school." Helen insisted. "And you know she will say something cruel to you."

Theo watched as she raised her chin and gave a look deserving of Slytherin. "Well, won't she be surprised to learn her opinions are meaningless to me?"

"To us," Theo added, still feeling bad that the things he had picked for her were apparently not up to snuff. There wasn't much in this world, but no one bullied their Hermione except Pansy. And Pansy did it from a place of love and a trunk full of trauma. 

"As long as it isn't immodest, no one will care. And I'm not wearing a dress with a hideous pattern resembling carpeting in an old house." Hermione pointed out. "I'm simply not that important."

"Of course, you are important. You are our daughter." Her mum countered. "Just…. maybe save it for your grandmothers. Or church. Save it for church. 

"Do I have to go to church? It's not like we are even Christians. You are atheists, for crying out loud!" Hermione pressed. 

Theo watched with awed wonder as Granger made the gingerbread their Yule celebrations called for. He had already seen her parents rarely use their kitchen. Instead of elves, they paid an entire person to come clean, garden, and cook meals daily. 

He didn't think his family even knew where their kitchens were. Meanwhile, Granger had managed some sort of secret baking mastery in hers. Gingerbread has been preceded by mincemeat and three types of shortbread. 

Draco,

The Grangers want to steal her back. Trust vaults if she leaves our world for theirs. I want to keep my familiar Draco. 

Hermione's parents have a lesser-class hired woman instead of an elf. Despite this, our Lioness insisted on baking these herself. You can taste the love. Or the sugar. Either way, they are the most deciduous things I have ever eaten, and that includes ?

If only they were Purebloods, her parents would get along incredibly with Lucius. 

Yours

Theo

Hermione and Theo were wrapped up against the chill. They had thermoses of Apple cider and Ovaltine to drink from as they explored what passed for nature in London. 

As much as Theo hated Hermione's parents, he loathed them. Absolutely loathed them. Wouldn't piss on them if they were on fire loathed them. He was still having one of his best holiday seasons without his dad. So, if he had to be a one-man show of holiday cheer to return the favour? He would be so astonishingly witty, flamboyant, and charming that he couldn't help but return the favour. 

He beamed as she collapsed in giggles under their latest Yule tree. Little Granger had them on a mission. Several trees had been marked for spring removal following a freak windstorm. She was on a two-person Yule team trying to give one last Yule to each tree she could find. Still, he stole a few of the nuts they had been using as decorations and popped them in his mouth. Beaming and darting away as she swatted at him. 

Theo tried to ignore Doctor Helen as they selected items to put on an altar. The woman had been hovering with displeasure the entire time. 

She also rolled her eyes at the Yule log. For a woman who was all about keeping up appearances, she certainly was a shit host. Both kids saw more of the housekeeper than the Grangers, a blessing and a curse. 

They could spend the holiday exactly as they wanted, but he ached emotionally for his friend. He was a disappointment, too. And while her parents did not beat her, he knew how much that hurt. 

But soon, their Lioness would see even if her biological family were not a real family, she could have one with them. 

Hermione had gone to the bathroom, and Theo was left alone momentarily at the second party of the week. This left him open for other people to approach, in his opinion, unfortunately. The woman was the previously mentioned Nicola's mum, struck, and he couldn't get away. 

"Our school? Oh, I very much doubt you would have heard of it. It was started by the landed gentry and has served our families for hundreds of years." Theo told the older woman with a charming smile at night three of holiday parties. Hermione is one of the extraordinary few who are invited."

"So, like Eaton?" The woman clarified. 

Theo had never heard of Eaton, but he visibly recoiled with disgust. "Hardly like Eaton. We are exclusive." He'd been born and raised for that. "And despite the unfortunate matter of her birth status, she's integrated quite smoothly with our little group. We actually assumed she was a peer, too."

"Like Granger could get an in with the gentry." A girl about their age snarked. He might have been impressed at it if he wasn't Draco Malfoy's best friend. 

Theo turned his charming smile on the muggle he wanted to destroy. "She's absolutely brilliant. Our instructors are all astonished by the "Theo glanced around the room they were milling around in, "unfortunate matter of the status of her birth."

"And you are what slumming it?" The girl asked, scoffing. 

"Oh, I'm painfully and excessively wealthy. Like living in a castle and dressing down for the party." Theo's grin spread wider. "We are all exceptionally fond of her." He waved Hermione over to them. "Mother told me I couldn't go home to Nott castle. Couldn't stay at Draco's country estate this year. And Pansy's mum would be working on the prenup. Plus, I would go through withdrawals if I was deprived of our Hermione too long."

"Nicola." Hermione greeted the girl, but Theo could feel the displeasure radiating from his friend. Still, she smiled at Theo. "And if you couldn't have joined me, I would have stayed at school with you, Theodore."

He decided to turn his charm up to eleven. He dipped his head and pressed a kiss to Hermione's hand. "Did I tell you, little lioness, that Draco's father is in the dog house? Cissa is searching for a new mare for her stables or a tropical house somewhere."

His amused expression turned pleasant as she burst into laughter. "Oh my goodness, let us hope it's the horse. Draco makes alabaster look like cream. I cannot imagine him on tropical anything without burning to a crisp." Hermione managed to say. She grabbed Theo's hand. "You will have to excuse us. I wanted to introduce Theo to the rest of the family who came today."

"Oh, thank Merlin," Theo whispered. The two disappeared to hide in the kitchen. Though they doubted they would be missed thanks to the adult drunken merriment. 

The Granger's Christmas tree stood as almost a counterpoint to the Yule trees they decorated all afternoon. It was tall and robust. Rather than treats for the animals in the forest and a gift back to nature, it was decorated almost totally with manmade decorations. It was pretty. But it was also fake at the same time.

The Grangers would never fully understand their daughter even if she had stayed in their world. Hermione had a strong personality. She wouldn't be her parent's doll for much longer. And thankfully, she found herself in the hands of their friends. They would have their Lioness blossoming, he was sure.

Theo beamed and flopped down next to Hermione. "Arithmancy, really, little lioness?"

"I miss mathematics." She said in a defensive tone. "' I have my packets to work through that will have some, but that's it. I liked many subjects we studied that Hogwarts does not cover.

"Tell me. Tell me about them all. I want to know each and every subject and all about it," Theo insisted, pulling his legs up and tucking his chin between his knees, waiting.

"Really, you want to hear about Muggle school subjects?" Hermione asked, trying to see if he was just indulging her.

"Draco and I want to hear about everything that is important to you. Even Muggle school subjects." Theo insisted, and then his grin spread and turned a cheeky expression filling up his face. "We are keeping you no matter what our dads say. So tell me, dearest familiar, what are the Muggle school subjects?

She was physically withdrawn. She had shrunk herself down and in on herself, but tentatively, she started talking. "Well, as you know, there are maths. But we explore it in much more detail and not just with numerology. There's probability, calculus, algebra. English is a blend of studying literature and the structure and grammar of the language. We have the sciences, which include biology, chemistry, and physics. They are all about understanding the world and everything in it. Biology focuses on living things. Chemistry is sort of like potion-making. And physics is understanding the universe and the forces around us that impact our reality and the rules or limits there are to it." As she spoke, Theo smiled, watching her slowly untuck herself. "Those will be the ones in my parents' packets for me. I will have to spend some time this vacation and then my free time at school finishing them. In the summer, I will sit the exams for any I have finished. It will mean cramming two years of learning in each subject into a few months, but it won't have been the first time I have done that." She said with a shrug. "To try and appease Doctor Mum and give them something to talk to their friends about, I might follow that up with another five next year. So I will probably take business, economics, law, sociology, and French language and literature."

Theo frowned that the course load was excessive. Especially considering she was also going to Hogwarts full-time. "Little lioness, when will you rest and have fun."

"Learning is fun. It amounts to an extra essay a week per class. So, one extra essay a day isn't so bad. My trunk space is huge, so I keep all my books and materials there." She explained. "It will at least buy me two more years at Hogwarts. Suppose they learn they can withdraw me after my OWLs, though. In that case, they will probably make me go to Muggle University immediately after sitting them." She confessed, tears filling her eyes and streaming down her cheeks. "I don't want to just live in the Muggle world, Theo. I don't want to be a Muggle politician or lawyer.

"We will think of something, Lioness. I promise that we will think of a way to ensure you stay with us in our world." Theo promised. Then, to distract her with a slight smile. "So if another swot were to say join you in on the classes and try to follow along with the material, what would you say?"

"If we can use formulas to figure out how fast something would fall without outside interference…. maybe we could use that to see how much energy output is required to break those rules with magic?" She tentatively offered with a slight smile on her face. She wasn't feeling much better, but it was something. It was a start. 

Hermione and Theo both sat on the floor of his room. In front of them were boxes for each of their friends. Most of the items had been specifically made by Hermione while he watched wide-eyed in wonder as sweets appeared out of nothing but ingredients.

Each girl was given a lip gloss, eye shadow, bath salts made by Granger, and something she called a bath bomb that he was going to try later that day. Almost everything is made by hand. When he asked her why she would make them when she could afford to buy them, Hermione insisted that she wanted to give everyone something made with love. And something that she could customize for each person getting it.

The final addition was a pretty silver bracelet that looked like ivy was wrapping itself around their wrist. Every girl in their little circle was getting one as a 'friendship bracelet.' Theo had call dips on a bracelet for himself, too. But did admit Draco probably would not like one. Instead, for him, she got a clockwork dragon.

"I am sorry none of your gifts are a surprise," Hermione said as she finished wrapping the final box.

Theo bumped shoulders with her. "The best gift you gave me was letting me come here, Lioness."

——-

Draco hated Christmas this year. He was stuck in the manor without Theo. As always, he was glad to see his mother. Even if his father had to be around constantly complaining that she was making the boy soft and coddling him, Lucius would think a porcupine was too cuddly.

The holiday season was a long string of dull and boring parties or events or just sitting around bored out of his mind.

Draco,

Little lioness's parents are horrid, but the Muggle world is interesting. We both miss you. She may not live in a castle, but she was right. Her parents are pretty comfortable. But Merlin, they are horrible. It is like Pansy's mum, and Lucius were merged into one horrible person. Be nice about the gifts. Especially the baking. She made it herself because, apparently, they taste better when they are made with love.

She finished her Muggle OWLs and will work on her Muggle NEWTs at Hogwarts. Cramming 10 classes over two years to appease them and to keep her in our world. We cannot let them get her after the OWLs. We need a backup family to take her in, maybe a magical guardian, but it has to be someone we know we can trust. Someone who will not object that she is a Muggleborn.

We went shopping Dragon. Our little lioness will be coming back to school with some pretty dresses. Please don't be cross. You would have taken it if you had the chance and I wasn't there. Her father left a stack of cash and some sort of credit card that she could use to pay for items. I promise you can have the first crack at wizarding fashions.

I have learned all sorts of little things about her. Her birthday is September 19th. Her parents didn't send her anything until days later. Next year, we must give her the birthday our family deserves. She was forced to learn how to play the violin and the piano. She knew Latin before coming to Hogwarts. The woman they hired to clean and cook (since they don't have elves) seems fond of our Hermione.

But we miss you and your cheery face and easygoing demeanour. 

Hugs and kisses,

Theo 

P.S. I am to tell you I have eaten 16 cookies already, and she takes no responsibility for my silliness and frivolity. But Draco she just keeps making more cookies. 

Narcissa watched as her son went from smiling to glaring to smiling. "Tell me, my son, what news does Theodore give?"

"He is doing well. His familiar is keeping him busy. He actually seems happy." Draco admitted. All sorts of emotions rolling around inside of him. Theo was his person, and Hermione was theirs. But the fear of missing out was rolling under his skin. If his two favourite people suddenly decided they didn't need or want him…. He was already feeling antsy. Rarely did he and Theo go more than a week away from each other. 

"And what of his news causes you to smile?" She asked gently.

Draco sighed. Father, he could lie to. But mother? No mother would always put him first. And she already knew they had adopted the Muggleborn. While she worried about his safety should his father find out, she seemed supportive and happy. "Theo went to Hermione's. The clothes that Muggles consider to be appropriate are different. He got to help her pick out things for both worlds. And I wasn't there." He complained, still frowning, not liking the feeling filling his chest. 

"We all want to help her, and it's just. It isn't fair that he gets her all to herself. Or she gets him all to herself. And they are going to have all this fun and do all these things, and I am stuck here, bored with nothing to do and nowhere to go. I don't know why Father had to say Theo couldn't attend this year." He complained angrily, stirring his tea.

"Oh, my darling boy," Narcissa said. "Find the address, and we may be able to stop by for a brief visit so you can see Theodore." She volunteered. "Perhaps we could go shopping ourselves." She wasn't surprised that Draco was having a difficult time this holiday season. 

When Blacks fall, they fall hard. With Theo, it crept up for the adults, but from first sight, Theo was his as far as her son was concerned. She doubted Draco was even aware of it yet. He had selected his person, well, his people, and nothing would change that. Those two would be it for her son. 

It had been the same for Andromeda. Sirius. And even Bella. 

Romantic love was not something Narcissa had ever considered bringing into her life. She had seen how much it could hurt. And for the most part, she didn't have a bad life with her husband. Lucius was attentive and civilized in public. She had Draco, and he was enough.

And it was probably for the best that she wasn't in love with her husband. Because unfortunately for him, he may have to go. There was nothing she would not do to ensure her son stayed alive, as healthy as possible, and happy. While a certain degree of surly unhappy times was to be expected from an 11-year-old going into their teens, Lucius would kill the girl. And that would destroy her son. She had already lost a sister to familial madness and another to her Muggleborn husband. She would not risk losing her son, too.  

"She's Muggleborn." Draco reminded her, but Narcissa smiled softly in response.

"I do not lie that it will be something of an adjustment. I would have never imagined it for you. Your grandparents would roll over in the crypt. But this new friend of yours makes you happy, my darling boy, so adjust, I will." She said, reaching out to gently squeeze her son's hand. "You are all that matters, my joy."