Extra Ordinary

Hermione was a patient woman.

She kept her joy bottled up, tucked and rolled beneath the neatly pressed folds of her gown as she smiled politely and shook the man’s hand. She carried her briefcase out the door and mounted Brego, side saddle to be proper before leading him away from the building. When she was far enough away, she screamed up to the sky.

She’d nailed it.

She went to Minerva’s office first, dismounting and tying Brego to the post with a kiss to the nose before rushing into the office.

“Mage McGonagall?!” She called excitedly.

The woman looked up from her desk, surprised to see Hermione in such a state. It wasn’t her dress, but her excitement.

“What has you in such a tizzy, my dear?”

“I got it! I’ve secured the contract. Granger Enterprises is now the primary textile merchant for Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions in Hogwarts!”

She offered Minerva the paperwork who looked over it with her eyes widened. There was nothing out of place and if memory served her properly, the deal was far more favorable than it had been before.

“My dear, how did you manage this? The Malfoys have been itching to swipe this contract for years.”

Hermione grinned, “A little charm, a little kindness, and a lot of negotiating.”

She took a seat, “What do you think? I figure another boat might have to be acquired and that I should take a trip to the factories for a maintenance check and…”

Minerva listened, taking notes as Hermione rambled through her mental list. She pulled out her notebook to add to the list as things came up and Minerva made suggestions. They talked about the host of letters that had arrived at the estate requesting things from Granger Enterprises and how far Hermione had gotten in dealing with the orders.

*

She’d wanted to share her success with Harry and went to the Weasley’s house to find him. There were men in dark clothing hauling things onto the street. Molly’s face was flushed red in shame and everyone looked particularly morose.

Ginny looked pale as their things started falling from the second floor window.

“What’s going on?” Hermione asked frowning.

Ginny sniffled and went to her, burying her face hin Hermione’s chest and weeping pitifully. Hermione squeezed her close and looked across the family that seemed at a loss for words.

“We-We’ll be okay,” Molly said. “There’s always--”

Hermione frowned as the woman broke off and went pale. Arthur looked grim.

“Yes, I believe you know where that train of thought should end.”

“Surely--”

Their eyes met and Molly swallowed the words before pulling out her old wand and flicking her wand. Nothing moved.

“What--”

“These things are being repossessed,” one of the men said. “To pay off your back rent. When everything is settled, then you’ll be allowed to take what’s left.”

His partner sneered, “Though I wouldn’t get my hopes up of having anything left.”

Hermione turned Ginny from her arms as Harry came, shocked at the sight of them outside.

“What’s going on?”

“Arthur.”

They looked up to see Sirius on horseback.

“Hello Sirius.”

Molly grit her teeth and Hermione wondered what exactly transpired between them that their obvious salvation wasn’t an option. Sirius was a good man and would have easily and happily settled their debt.

Pride, Hermione thought, shaking her head. It was always first before ruin.

“At the very least let us--”

“Orders,” the man barked. “Lest you’d rather be thrown in debtors prison?”

It seemed forever before the men had tallied up everything of worth among their belongings including any money stashed in the trinkets and small banks the kids had from working their jobs. Ginny only sobbed when they brought out her things. Among her possessions was a small jewelry box that Harry had brought her back from traveling.

Harry stepped in then lifting it from the box and glaring at the men.

“Hey--”

“You have no legal right to exact payment against wizarding minors.” Harry said.

The man hissed, “And who are you a lawyer?”

“Someone who won’t hesitate to report you for illegal practices.”

He flinched back.

“Ginny, grab your things out of the house. All of it.”

She hesitated for a moment, but when Hermione gave her a nudge, she moved grabbing the smallest trunk and going into the house with Harry. She went to her room to collect her things. She didn’t have much, mostly just things that Harry or Hermione had given her over the years from travels or the market.  It amounted to just a small box and a trunk of clothing. The two men made sure to check it all for anything that should belong firmly in the Malfoy’s grasp before letting her go.

“Th-thank you, Harry,” Ginny said softly.

He nodded. When the men were finished they gave Arthur the bill and carted everything away. The Burrow was locked and the business shut down, repossessed by the Malfoys, their debt collectors.

They left them standing there and Sirius remained watching on. He looked to Hermione and shook his head with a sigh.

“We’ll find work,” Molly said. “We always do.”

“Mum, how much is it?” George asked.

“And how is it that they took all of our stuff too?” Fred asked.

“You live in the house,” Harry said, turning to look at Molly and Arthur. “And you’re of age, by wizarding standards that makes you a legal tenant.”

Fred snorted, “Well, that sucks.”

“Are you alright, Gin’?” George asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.

She nodded shakily, “I’ll be okay. Wh-What do we do now?”

“I’m sure the Paddingtons will let us stay with them a while,” Molly said. “Until we can figure out something.”

“Yeah, except you ticked off Mrs. Paddington,” Fred quipped.

“That was just a misunderstanding.”

“She hexed me,” George pointed out. “Hardly a misunderstanding.”

Harry opened his mouth but Sirius shook his head. He gave his godfather a distressed look but Hermione shook her head as well. The Weasleys’ problems weren’t solved if Molly kept going the way she was. All of the arrogance of the Malfoys without the money to back it up. She’d made an enemy of most of the wizarding and muggle community. It had been part of the reason that the shop just hadn’t been doing as well, no matter how well Molly cooked.

Hermione crossed her arms.

“Well, then we go to the shelter for now.”

“It’s all booked up,” Harry pointed out. “Since the war ended. Every pureblood family has put their extra tenants out.”

Molly grit her teeth and Arthur sighed.

“I have a proposition,” Hermione said. “If you’re willing to hear me.”

Molly sighed, “And what is that?”

Hermione smirked. “You could work for Granger Enterprises.”

Sirius’s eyebrows drifted up, interested.

“What?” Ronald asked. “What are you talking about?”

“I have it on good authority that Granger Enterprises is hiring. Field hands, basic staff, that sort of thing.”

“A muggle company?” Molly asked. “ How are we supposed to make a wizarding living off that?”

“As opposed to…” Hermione asked plainly and Molly’s expression turned indignant. “Perhaps if you proved yourself capable a more wizarding capacity could be arranged, but I’m only offering once.”

She turned to Ginny, “Since you’re a minor Ginny, you’re welcome to stay with me, if you’d like.”

Ginny blinked, confused, but Molly flushed.

“Well, that just isn’t up to her--”

“It will be as soon as it hits the royal records that you all are unemployed and without shelter.” Hermione said plainly.

Molly paled and Ginny looked to her father. Hermione knew that it wasn’t Arthur really. He was a simple man with simple pleasure, married to a woman with ideas of grandeur. It wasn’t that the Weasley family didn’t have the potential to be great, it was simply that they never would be if Molly didn’t come to terms with the reality: they would never be the Black family, nor the Potters, nor the Malfoys.

Still, their pureblood status and Arthur’s position on the Wizengamot did give them a certain in to the wizarding world that Hermione could use, but there were plenty of wizarding families that needed what she offered.

Be kind, her mother’s words whispered at the back of her mind.

“We will consider it,” Molly said.

“Wonderful, just stop by Mage McGonagall’s office.” She looked at Fred, George and Ron. “Whenever you please. Harry if you would help Ginny with her things?”

Harry didn’t hesitate, lifting them from Ginny’s arms and escorting her into following Hermione down the road. She heard the couple following her and was glad that Ginny at least had the sense to do so.

She wasn’t sure if she would be able to handle Harry worrying about his beloved either wise.

Sirius followed along on horseback behind them. When they arrived at Granger Estate, she escorted Harry and Ginny upstairs to her old bedroom. It was the second biggest in the house and would do well for Ginny.

“Thank you, Hermione,” Ginny said. “But won’t the owner of the estate be upset?”

“I think I’ll let Harry answer that question,” she said with an amused smile. “In the meantime, I’m going to talk shop with Sirius. Dinner is a six.”

Harry watched her leave and set Ginny’s trunk down at the foot of the bed. Harry found himself with his arms full of Ginny when he turned towards her.

“S-She’s lying,” Ginny stammered. “I know she is.”

“Hermione?”

“No, my mother,” Ginny stressed. “I don’t know why or by how much, but I know she is. The Malfoys didn’t just up and cancel the contract.”

Harry sank down on the dressing bench and held her hands.

“Ginny,” Harry said. “Will you stay here until you’re old enough?”

Ginny frowned, “What do you mean?”

“It means that I want you safe,” Harry said. “Hermione will take care of you.”

“Hermione?”

“She’s the Granger heir,” Harry said. “Just don’t tell anyone about it.”

Her eyes widened, “You must be joking.”

Harry shook his head, “There are a lot of things that I can’t tell you right now, but believe me when I say she will look after you until you’re old enough.”

“An-and then what?”

Harry met her gaze and Ginny gasped. He wondered if she could feel his intent though he could not say it, even in the Granger estate. Ginny pulled her hands free.

“My mother will be against it.”

“Does that bother you?” Harry asked. She turned.

“I just,” Ginny huffed. “I don’t know. She’s my mother and I love her.”

She choked, “The ball.”

Harry stood and took her hands again, “Don’t worry about that right now. You have gone through a lot today, just take it easy.”

Ginny glanced up at him, “M-My brothers will be there. I haven’t seen them in years. I was so excited.”

Harry’s eyes widened, “Charlie? Bill? Percy?”

She nodded and Harry grimaced. He knew how much she missed them, that she would write to them whenever she could scrape together the money for extra parchment and ink. Harry swallowed the words, the truth, that would set all this right. He wanted so badly to tell her that she need not worry.

“Come on,” Harry said. “It’s time for dinner.”

Ginny worried her lip and stopped him, “You live here with Hermione?”

Harry snorted, “Gods no. I live at the Black Manor with Sirius of course.”

“You spend a lot of time here.”

“I work for Granger Enterprises.”

Ginny frowned, “Why? What about Sirius?”

He gave her a wry smile and pressed a kiss to her forehead before replying. “Let’s say I wanted to do it myself and leave it at that.”

Ginny nodded and followed him out the door and down the stairs. Hermione and Sirius were seated at the small dining table where food was being put out. Ginny’s eyes widened and she placed a hand on her growling stomach.

“That smells amazing,” Ginny said.

“Well come over and make sure it tastes good too,” Hermione said, beckoning her over. They sat down at the places set and Hermione grinned seeing the three of them at her table.

“When Remus arrives, be sure to let him, Tonks and Teddy in,” Hermione said rounding the table. “I have a bit more work to do. Help yourselves.”

Ginny frowned, “But…”

“Don’t worry about me,” Hermione said. “It won’t take long, I’ll likely be back before you get to bed. Take it easy, eat, and rest.”

Ginny nodded, “Th-Thank you, Hermione.”

“You’re welcome, Ginny.”

She pat Sirius on the shoulder, ruffled Harry’s hair and was out the door.

Sirius sighed, contemplating Hermione’s advice before dragging his eyes over to Ginny and Harry. She didn’t meet his gaze, maybe a tad uncomfortable with him being there but Harry gave him a pleading look.

He was really no good with this.

Remus, Tonks, and Teddy arrived luckily, bringing the giggling of the toddler and the appetite of two full grown wizards with them. With them the atmosphere relaxed enough that Harry and Ginny began speaking again. Remus was much better at being warm and sociable than he had ever been and Tonks was just the same.

She and Teddy set to changing their features in their usual dinner games intriguing Ginny. Harry explained that Tonks and Teddy were metamorphmagi. Before Sirius realized it, he and Ginny were speaking. Cordial words about school, carefully steering the conversation away from the catastrophe had turned out to be.

“Lord Black,” Ginny began, cutting through the lull in conversation.

“Yes?” Sirius asked.

“Why does she hate you so much?” Ginny asked. “We are cousins, aren’t we?”

Seems like she doesn’t believe in reprieves, Sirius thought glancing at Harry before returning his gaze to Ginny’s face.

“She never explained and Dad never said much about why. We’re cousins. You took Harry in, I can’t believe that you wouldn’t have taken us in too or helped if we asked.”

“And therein lies the problem, dear Ginny,” Sirius asked. “Your parents, dear Arthur and his wife, never asked.”

Ginny worried her lip, “It isn’t that I expect you to answer, I just don’t understand it at all. I always thought we were at least scraping by and now…”

Sirius shook her his head, “I am not sure if I should be the one to tell you.”

“Would you tell me if I asked?” Ginny asked. “I know I’m still a minor, but I deserve to know.”

Remus grimaced, “Ginny, it isn’t about your being a minor and I believe Sirius fully agrees with your right to know; however, they are your parents and as such they have their reasons for keeping things from you.”

Ginny turned her eyes back to Sirius, “You didn’t answer me.”

Sirius chuckled, “Out of love for Arthur and my sympathy, no I wouldn’t; however, I would advise that you ask him.”

Ginny sighed, “Right.”

“Don’t let what you learn cloud your view of your mother,” Sirius advised. “She is at heart a good woman.”

Ginny wasn’t sure if him saying it after everything that had happened pissed her off more or if she simply couldn’t get angrier.

*

Molly poured over the documents as Arthur sat quietly beside the fire. There was no amount of revisiting past mistakes that would fix their problem. There was no amount of anything but work ahead of them. Ron, Fred and George sat quietly, their stomach rumbling across the fire from them as Molly fiddled with the pages.

“Th-This can’t be right.”

“It is,” Arthur said, he looked over to his boys and thought of Charlie, William, and Percy.

“Arthur, I know math and this can’t be right!”

Arthur sighed and turned to his wife.

“At what point will you stop lying to yourself?”

She froze, her face heating as she whirled on Arthur, “What is that supposed to mean?”

“Molly, my love,” Arthur said hopelessly. “The charade is over. The boys and Ginny are still in school.”

“We’ll just have to--”

“Molly,” he said again. “Stop it.”

She closed her mouth and her expression morphed in a cold anger before she stood.

“Don’t look at me like it’s my fault! You are just as much to blame!”

Arthur’s eyes hardened and he stood up, towering over her. Years of rage and anger, resentment bubbling close enough to the surface to be dangerous.

“She is our daughter, not a pawn,” he hissed.

“Women do what they have to in order to protect their families.”

“Or perhaps if you had managed not to be so selfish in the first place, we would not be here.”

“Selfish? You--”

“Need I remind you,” Arthur started, thrusting his palm towards her. She paled at the sight of the sigil on his hand and whatever fight she’d had in her died out.

He lifted the pages from her hands and she sat quietly.

“I--”

“Enough,” he said and sunk down. “This isn’t the time to rehash old mistakes.”

George and Fred glanced between one another before the looked back at their parents. There had been times in their childhood that where Molly and Arthur would fight, a resigned expression in their father’s eyes every time Molly screeched and yelled. This time was different, something dark and disturbing.

“How long have you known?” Molly asked.

“Since Ginny was born,” Arthur said, rummaging through his pockets. “Boys, go to the Black Manor and ask for Sirius.”

Molly gasped, “You--”

Arthur handed him a slip of parchment, “When you arrive, give him this. He will take care of you.”

“What about you and mum?” Ron asked.

“We have a great deal to talk about,” Arthur said. “Go on. If you hurry, perhaps you’ll catch him before they turn in for the night.”

Fred took the paper and stood. George took Ron’s arm and steered him away from the small fire. If there was anything that Arthur could say he regretted in his marriage to Molly Prewett, it was that look of terror on Ron’s face, fear, and confusion. It was Ginny’s tears and the way she’d torn the family she so desperately wanted apart.

No, Arthur thought ruefully.

Molly had never wanted a family. She wanted daughters and with every boy born, she grew more and more desperate.

With Ginny’s birth, all hell had broken loose leading to this point. The deal Molly made at Ginny’s birth would have given them status and wealth enough to last them a few generations, yet Arthur had refused. He didn’t believe in selling children, no matter how dire the circumstances.

To find that Molly had enchanted him, stealing his will at times, manipulating him at others had been a blow that he didn’t he’d ever fully recover from. Yet he’d stayed for the sake of his children. The Prewett family was all but destitute, in no better state than the Weasleys. They would have given her no help.

Molly could have been married to Sirius had his parents been in more control of their wayward son before they died and left him the heir. Arthur knew it was a large part of why Molly resented Sirius so much.

The debt that Molly had racked up on behalf of the Weasleys magic potions, life debts, the cost of seven children, six growing boys, had drained what little had been in the Weasley coffers, yet Molly had been steadfast in her belief that someone would see their daughter and through her their financial woes would vanish so long as she was married off before she became of age.

Arthur had done everything in his power to keep that from happening, refusing to give his blessing or leave his seal with Molly for any reason. He loved her, truly, but he did not trust her. Molly cried quietly beside him and Arthur looked to the sky, wondering what he’d done in a past life to deserve a wife who would enchant him and attempt to sell off their children?

“We are all but ruined,” Molly said pitifully, clutching the paperwork. “Curse the Malfoys. This is all just change to them. Why can’t they--”

“When you decide to take responsibility for at least part of this, perhaps we’ll get somewhere.”

“Don’t you lecture me, Arthur!”

He hissed at the twist of pain up his arm, but remained uninterested in her rage.

“Sending our children to that vagabond--”

“I’m sending them to a roof and food,” Arthur said. “My cousin, for all that you resent him, is a good man.”

“Taking in urchins,” Molly huffed. “Does not make him a good man, Arthur. What of tradition? His complete lack of regard for it is--”

“The reason that you are a Weasley and not Black,” Arthur said. “I thought once that perhaps my love for you would be enough.”

Molly flinched as he stood.

“I can see that won’t ever be the case,” Arthur said. “But we are bound so long as this debt hangs over our heads. Let us at least be cordial until it is paid in full.”

He found that after all these years, it gave him no joy to say such things, but it gave him no sorrow either. It had been a long time, longer than any of his children had been alive perhaps that he felt anything warm with regards to his wife.