"It wouldn't be the first time we've done something a little ridiculous, would it? I hope you remember the time I turned myself into a cat - everyone here thinks it's utterly hilarious." Not that she's being petulant, but she sniffs all the same, trying her best to hide it and not let on the fact that it still rather haunts her.
"Joke about it all you want, at least you've got one! Hermione Granger, Marchioness - or Marquis if you prefer - of the White Citadel and Sorceress-Protectress of Caer Glaem is far more of a mouthful."
"You need a false identity. One you can pull on, hide your shard, and then just go out into the crowd." With a hum of thoughtfulness, he decides that the braids are done and her hair is just fine. It's mostly done in a simple series of plaits that will be easy enough to shake out later, but there's one piece that's a bit more tightly bound and that one holds the beads.
"I don't have any way of hiding my shard right now otherwise I might give it a go. Everything about me is a bit obvious now, especially with my new defining feature." She touches her face before she turns, lifting a hand to stroke over the braids before she smiles. "Maybe that should be a boon. A way to hide myself, so I can just be Hermione for a while."
"It's worth it, I think." Harry is quite glad that he's booned himself a way to hide his shard and that Aly had the good sense to tell him to set up another identity. Just in case things go terribly awry, he'll have something to fall back on.
"What name do you think would suit me? Hermione is rather unique all by itself." She shakes her head, biting back her rueful, sheepish little smile. "Maybe Mary, or Susan. Something nice and simple."
"I'm not too sure how common Mary or Susan really are here. Maybe more so in the South." He makes a little noise of contentment and snuggles up against her. "I took the name of one of Moody's favourite owls. Akos, if you hear it, that's me."
"Akos. That's actually really nice." Hermione hums, reaching for his hand again and settling, her eyes flicking closed as she relaxes. "Rowena, maybe? I did almost get sorted into Ravenclaw..."
"It's a good name. Now you just need to find a way to hide your shard, meet
some dis...some more disreptuable people, and then you're set."
Harry takes her hand in his and she can likely feel the callouses from
reins, from hard work, and a few soft scales here and there where he's been
recently nicked.
"Tell me about this Rowena. What's she like? What does she do? Akos is a
tinker and a bit of a thief, got himself in trouble doping ponies."
"I'll have to figure out that part. Maybe I can use a boon on it, or we can learn some spells or something of the sort... I don't know. I'll get around to it, I'm sure, once things have settled down and the monarchs are back from wherever they've disappeared to." She shakes her head, shifting and cuddling against him, squeezing his hand gently.
"I don't know. Maybe she's secretive, helps people when no one's looking. Maybe she's a sneak, too, likes to wear a lot of black."
"Maybe she is. I know she's clever." He feels warm, comfortable, and safe.
It's a much needed break, and he's grateful for it. "Have you thought about
what job you'll want after the war's over? I think I'd be a good tinker. I
can mend pots pretty well, you know."
"I don't know, really. I can shoot a bow, now, and I'm going to get taught how to duel thanks to Aly, but otherwise? It's my magic, as it's always been." Hermione shakes her head. "Maybe I'll be stuck as Marchioness forever."
"Could be. It's hard to lose a title once it's yours. S'why I haven't gone
for one. No lands, no titles." He's had enough of well-known names that are
important for other people. Harry still needs to fight the good fight, but
he can't be so open about it, so brash. "I can't risk it. If...look, no one
wants to hear it, but if something happens, will you try and care for Linn?
I don't know if it'll take, but we did something that worked, that kept her
from Severine, the Fox's miserable daughter. We can't just let her become a
weapon worse than a dragon, worse than a Jabberwock."
"I didn't ask for it, not really. I was second to June and then she ended up disappearing, or going home, whatever it is that happens to us, and now... Here I am. Hermione Granger, Marchioness. I have my house and now, apparently, I have a room at the Citadel and people at my command." Hermione, compared to him, has so much, and she wishes she could share it with him. She wishes she could share her world with him, all of it. She gives him a dirty look all the same, pursing her lips... Before she breathes out. "Of course I will. If she needs anything, Harry, she can ask me. Oh!" She sits up, turning sharply. "I could make her a compass!"
Harry laughs, pressed up against the back of the sofa by her enthusiam.
"We'd share it. Send you notes. Ridiculous pictures of cows that have spots
in funny patterns."
Fairy-instagram. What? He'd still use it for important communication, but
why not send a cow with a spot that looks like Peeves' face.
"That sounds absolutely perfect. I'll make you in a little bit, once I've had my fill of you." And this means that Hermione would have the chance to meet Linn near to face-to-face, as much as they're capable of. Pausing, for a moment, she shifts. "Speaking of animals and ridiculousness, did I tell you that Crookshanks might have a bit of a girlfriend?"
"You did not! Are they still holding paws and give bashful looks or do I
need to pick out kitten booties?" Do kittens even wear booties? If not, can
they be encouraged to? "Inquiring minds, Hermione. This is news. Front page
news. If there was a front page, I would put it there."
"They cuddle up together, really, but that's about it. I'm not sure but if he does have kittens... Well, I'm not entirely sure I know what I'm going to do with them all. Maybe a few of my friends can have some." She pauses before she grins. "Would Linn like a kitten, Harry? A quarter kneazle, even."
"I can't make any promises, but I'll ask. I think she'd like one. Although,
until we've somewhere more permanent to settle, I don't know that it's a
good idea. I wouldn't want to keep it always on the move." At this rate,
he'll know every cheap inn, tavern, and friendly stablekeeper in the
Drabwurld within a couple years.
"Then she can stay in Haven until you find somewhere to live. You know that door is always open to you, Harry, no matter what happens between us or what happens in the Drabworld. I can tell her about it, since I'm Secret Keeper, and then Linn can go there whenever she'd like as well." Hermione reaches out, squeezing his hands between hers, gently, shifting to lean in and kiss his forehead. "... I can tell." And, secretly, she wished she had someone like that. Someone she trusted, someone who was as loyal to her, someone who would be close by.
"I'd like that. This isn't a kind world, and she deserves somewhere good
and safe, with friends." He's blushing, just a bit, and so pleased that
even if they haven't met in person, it's almost as if they're already
getting along. "It shows, does it?"
"Then she'll have me, too, as soon as I can get around to actually meeting her. I know I've messed up but I'd like to make up for that, if I can." Hermione shakes her head, watching him before her expression cracks and she laughs. "Harry, you're as subtle as a smack around the face, really."
"That bad, is it?" Harry's smile is lopsided, all the more after his run in
with the inside of a mountain, but it's genuine and truly happy. "I can't
wait for you to meet her. We've both made mistakes, but she's good all the
way through. I know, I've seen it."
"Just a little bit." Hermione watches him, her eyes flickering over his face before she breathes out. "She sounds really amazing, Harry. Someone really special." And she's not jealous, not even a little bit.
"She is. I'm lucky, you know? I've got all these incredible people. You,
and her, and Aly, and everyone, really. I think that's why I worry about
all of you and want you to all have people. I know you do, and I know that
everyone who meets you likes you - they can't not, or they're utter twits -
but I just want people to see my friends as good I see them." Harry frowns,
wrinkling up his nose as he tries to get the words to sound right. "Does
that make sense?"
She nods. "I know exactly what you mean. And I'm glad you have all those people at your side when you need them, Harry. I don't think there's anything more I could ever want for you. You deserve a family more than anyone else I've ever met in my entire life." She shifts, reaching around to squeeze him gently. "I'm glad you're finding something to be happy about, even here."
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
"Joke about it all you want, at least you've got one! Hermione Granger, Marchioness - or Marquis if you prefer - of the White Citadel and Sorceress-Protectress of Caer Glaem is far more of a mouthful."
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
"It's a good name. Now you just need to find a way to hide your shard, meet some dis...some more disreptuable people, and then you're set." Harry takes her hand in his and she can likely feel the callouses from reins, from hard work, and a few soft scales here and there where he's been recently nicked.
"Tell me about this Rowena. What's she like? What does she do? Akos is a tinker and a bit of a thief, got himself in trouble doping ponies."
no subject
"I don't know. Maybe she's secretive, helps people when no one's looking. Maybe she's a sneak, too, likes to wear a lot of black."
no subject
"Maybe she is. I know she's clever." He feels warm, comfortable, and safe. It's a much needed break, and he's grateful for it. "Have you thought about what job you'll want after the war's over? I think I'd be a good tinker. I can mend pots pretty well, you know."
no subject
no subject
"Could be. It's hard to lose a title once it's yours. S'why I haven't gone for one. No lands, no titles." He's had enough of well-known names that are important for other people. Harry still needs to fight the good fight, but he can't be so open about it, so brash. "I can't risk it. If...look, no one wants to hear it, but if something happens, will you try and care for Linn? I don't know if it'll take, but we did something that worked, that kept her from Severine, the Fox's miserable daughter. We can't just let her become a weapon worse than a dragon, worse than a Jabberwock."
no subject
no subject
Harry laughs, pressed up against the back of the sofa by her enthusiam. "We'd share it. Send you notes. Ridiculous pictures of cows that have spots in funny patterns."
Fairy-instagram. What? He'd still use it for important communication, but why not send a cow with a spot that looks like Peeves' face.
no subject
no subject
"You did not! Are they still holding paws and give bashful looks or do I need to pick out kitten booties?" Do kittens even wear booties? If not, can they be encouraged to? "Inquiring minds, Hermione. This is news. Front page news. If there was a front page, I would put it there."
no subject
no subject
"I can't make any promises, but I'll ask. I think she'd like one. Although, until we've somewhere more permanent to settle, I don't know that it's a good idea. I wouldn't want to keep it always on the move." At this rate, he'll know every cheap inn, tavern, and friendly stablekeeper in the Drabwurld within a couple years.
There's a pause. "I really like her, 'Mione."
no subject
no subject
"I'd like that. This isn't a kind world, and she deserves somewhere good and safe, with friends." He's blushing, just a bit, and so pleased that even if they haven't met in person, it's almost as if they're already getting along. "It shows, does it?"
no subject
no subject
"That bad, is it?" Harry's smile is lopsided, all the more after his run in with the inside of a mountain, but it's genuine and truly happy. "I can't wait for you to meet her. We've both made mistakes, but she's good all the way through. I know, I've seen it."
no subject
no subject
"She is. I'm lucky, you know? I've got all these incredible people. You, and her, and Aly, and everyone, really. I think that's why I worry about all of you and want you to all have people. I know you do, and I know that everyone who meets you likes you - they can't not, or they're utter twits - but I just want people to see my friends as good I see them." Harry frowns, wrinkling up his nose as he tries to get the words to sound right. "Does that make sense?"
no subject
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)