Chapter 33
Hermione did her best to keep the glare off her face as she sat in her chair at the reception. Because Ron, in his ever-annoying anger, had left everything up to Pan- Parkinson (she was too angry to even think of the girl’s first name) and in turn the girl’s mother, she was seated at the farthest end of the dining room. Away from the Weasleys and Harry. Away from the people she knew from work and from her classes. She was at a tiny, wobbly table, forgotten in the corner with the five or six other muggle-borns in attendance who hadn’t seemed to pick up on the fact that that was why they’d been seated together. She would have brought it up to Ron (or Arthur, since he was more inclined to react somewhat civilly) but he’d seemed a little busy being... well, Ron.
His cheery mood had disappeared as soon as the bridal march had started, and everything had gone downhill from there. She’d noticed his clenched jaw during the vows, the way Harry had to nudge him when it came time for him to say ‘I do’. When he and Parkinson had walked back down the aisle as a married couple he’d looked physically ill at having to be so near her (the bride not looking any better). The first dance had been wrought with problems as well; First, Ron hadn’t been able to even reach her around her dress and had suggested they just skip the dance altogether because of it. He was quickly angered by his new mother-in-law suggesting Parkinson switch to her evening reception dress early to better participate.
Once the dance had finally started (an uptempo Wizard’s waltz that was no doubt traditional for “pure blood” receptions) Parkinson was practically in tears because Ron kept stepping on her feet. Mione couldn’t be sure if it was on purpose or not because she knew he wasn’t a particularly good dancer, but he hadn’t been that bad during lessons for the Yule Ball in fifth year.
Parkinson had to ice her feet following her first dance (something that gave Hermione a bit of joy after their interaction this morning), and was now whining and ordering people to bring her different buffet items and a new glass of champagne because hers was ‘watered down’. As opposed to her new husband, who was currently picking at the food like it tasted like ash and had already moved on to his fourth glass of the night. When Ron’s new Monster-in-Law started dragging people up to speak to the oh, so happy couple she seemed to completely ignore the groom’s half of the relations. It was evident from even the other side of the reception hall that the two were on their way to being drunk, emotional wrecks.
So, while she wished she could throw a tantrum and point out just how askew the place setting’s were and how much Ron’s friends and relatives were being left out, she held her tongue. Molly and Arthur had enough mediating to do with Ginny and George as it was (the former having Bat-Boogeyed her sisters-in-law who were in attendance and the latter having started taking bets with various guests on how long the marriage would last before one or both ended up in St Mungo’s or Azkaban).
“Hey Mione,” she turned to see Astoria coming towards her with two champagne flutes, raising an eyebrow suspiciously when the younger witch held one out in offering.
“Astoria.” She acknowledged cooly, taking the drink and downing a large portion in a gulp. “Didn’t think I’d be seeing you at all tonight. Aren’t you ashamed to be sitting with the ‘mudblood trash’ sullying the party with their existence?” Stori cringed with a frown.
“No!” Mione snorted as the girl continued. “I wanted to apologize for this afternoon. Mrs Parkinson is a menace, she had no right to say anything like that to you.”
“You seemed pretty content to just let her walk all over me and Parkinson earlier.”
“I was not ‘content’ to let her do anything, but I’ve been around Pansy’s mother long enough to know when to hold my tongue. She was going easy on Pans today, I’m sorry you had to receive her ire but if I’d stepped in it would have only made things worse.”
“How could it have possibly made things worse? Hmm? Would she have raised her wand? Threatened physical harm? What could she do?”
“For one thing she could ostracize me and Pans from society.” Stori pointed out sadly.
“Oh, what a problem to have! Being ousted from a society of racist, bigoted, shallow, arseholes.” Hermione half-joked, taking another sip as Astoria raised an eyebrow.
“I know you think that’s the best thing, but you’d be wrong,” Stori said, setting her glass down in front of her and turning in her chair to look more directly at her companion. “Yes, we would no longer have to deal with people talking down about our friends, or berating us for any little thing that we do that is remotely unladylike or unbecoming of our ‘station’, but we’d also be losing a lot. If we were cut out of pure-blood circles we’d be disowned. Not only would we lose any financial stability we currently have, or had until being married anyway, but we’d also be banned from any properties or functions, banned from contacting or speaking to any people still in those circles, and we would lose any good privileges that come with being able to use our last names.”
“How is any of that worth being ok with staying silent while people are tormented and put down by the likes of Mrs Parkinson?”
“Think about it, Mione. No familial support system, I would never be able to speak to my mother again. Or my grandparents or cousins. You’ve lost your mum and dad, but how would you feel if you’d been able to find them and they told you to never contact them again? Grand-Maman and Grand-Père are getting up there in years, they won’t be around much longer. I wouldn’t want to miss any of the time I have left with them. And not just no longer having access to our family but any money we’d had or made while living with our parents would be inaccessible to us. We’d be on the streets starting with nothing but the clothes on our backs, and no way to afford housing or food or anything. That may not be the case now, because I know Harry wouldn’t kick me out and Ron can’t kick Pans out once they move in together with the Marriage Law in place, but before all this? That would have been the reality. And it’s not even just the money and access to our loved ones but privileges we take for granted now would be gone in an instant.” Astoria explained calmly.
“What would those be?” Mione prodded.
“Say there was an accident. Right now, our names hold prestige in the wizarding community. Whether we like to admit it or not, the old ways haven’t disappeared with the death of you-know-who.” She lowered her voice a little, looking around warily. “If I were injured in said accident and taken to any hospital in wizarding Europe, as soon as I tell them I’m a Greengrass I’m admitted. First to be treated, best medi-wizard in the facility, top-of-the-line potions and remedies. All of that is because of who my family is. And not just in medical settings. It also goes for seats at the playhouse, banks, restaurants, and anything with a queue or tiered system. Now, I’m not saying any of this is right , but losing access to it would still be detrimental to me.” Hermione nodded slowly.
“Ok, fine. You can’t have stood up to Pansy’s mum. I forgive you for today. But I don’t forgive Parkinson.”
“Oh, you’re back to last names, are you?” Stori asked with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.
“Until or if she earns my forgiveness, yes.”
“Well, I’ll let you know now you probably won’t get a verbal apology from her. I don’t think the word sorry has ever left Pansy’s mouth.”
“Why does that not surprise me? Look, Stori, I know you’re her friend but I’m not ok with people calling me a mud-blood and just expecting everything to be all fine and dandy without some sort of apology.”
“I think you misunderstood me. I didn’t say she wouldn’t give you an apology, I just said it wouldn’t be a verbal one. I agree with you, she could have answered you today in any manner that didn’t include demeaning you. She owes you an explanation and an ‘I’m sorry’, but the fact of the matter is, that’s just not who she is. She shows her emotions differently, it’s how she was raised.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Mione questioned sceptically.
“It means she shows she’s sorry rather than outright saying it. She’ll invite you to your favourite restaurant, even if she hates their food, and make sure you have the best table. Or she’ll buy you a new article of clothing or some object she noticed you eyeing in passing. That’s how she thinks, subconsciously anyway, that she can make things up to you. I know it’s not healthy, but that’s how she is.”
“So, what? I should just let her buy my forgiveness.”
“You can do whatever you like, Mione. I’m just telling you how she’s going to go about trying to make this up to you.” Hermione crossed her arms and frowned. “I have to go save Daph from Mother, I think she’s been monopolizing her since Pans’ and Ron’s dance finished. But, I’m glad I got a chance to make amends about this afternoon.”
“Yeah, thanks for the talk Stori,” Hermione replied softly, a smile playing at her lips as Astoria leaned in and hugged her. Astoria stood with a smile of her own before walking away with a small wave. Hermione recrossed her arms and looked around the floor to see the bride and groom bickering again, considering what Stori had told her.
Her eyes wandered to where her own fiancé stood socializing with some other aristocrats and her stomach dropped slightly as she looked at the cold, detached face of the man she would be marrying in three days. The face of the boy who’d made her life hell for seven and a half years. The mask he wore was impeccable, she’d give him that, but after having seen the way everyone reacted this afternoon and seeing the look on his face now, she worried she wasn’t sure which one the mask was. Would she be marrying the man she’d been slowly but surely getting to know these last few weeks, who she could talk to without a screaming match (for the most part), who was actually trying to learn about the world she came from, and who wasn’t as awful as she remembered him to be? Or would her marriage turn into this? The bickering and avoidance that Ron and Pansy were exhibiting now. The ostricization when they were around anyone who believed she was less than. Would he behave as Astoria did, and just be silent about it? Given his past, she would bet it was more likely he’d react like Pansy had and start to go along with it. She bit her thumb absently as she tried to reassure herself that Mal- Draco had grown up a lot more than Pansy had since school. He’d proven it already with the way he interacted with her.
But as she looked at the uphill battle that would be one of her best friends' marriage, she couldn’t help but be scared that hers would turn out just the same. Had she made the right decision in turning Ron down?
She shook her head to clear some of those thoughts. Of course, she’d made the right decision. As much as she loved Ron, she could never have gotten back together with him. Sure their wedding would have gone much smother than what was happening around her right now, and she wouldn’t have to worry about being put down by everyone around her in his social circles, but that didn’t really mean anything in the long run. She knew if she’d married him he’d have talked her into a lukewarm life, with a barely tolerable shag a night, a child or two that they’d argue over constantly (because Godric only knew that, in Ron’s mind, a woman wasn’t fulfilled unless she was a stay at home mother and housewife), and eventually affairs that she’d turn a blind eye too... again. She’d made the logical decision and, as it had for all of her life, it would prove to be the right one. She just had to wait and see. This would all turn out fine... Wouldn’t it?
She got up with a huff, tossing her napkin down on her half-eaten plate of lukewarm food, and started for the exit. It wasn’t like Ron or his family would even notice if she left, considering she’d been sitting there for an hour and only Astoria had come over to speak to her. It stung a bit, that after eleven years of friendship, the people she considered her family couldn’t even spare a moment for her. Well, if she was going to be ignored, or worse knowing who the bride’s family was, then she’d rather just go home. She made it over to the apparition point and pulled out her wand, disappearing with a pop.
Edited: 01 December, 2022