Novo Nachalo

Chapter 7: Breathe Steady

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Hermione and Rosen hadn't been to a quidditch match since Viktor's death, obviously, and though Rosen seemed excited, Hermione couldn't help feeling like this was going to be a more emotional experience than her daughter was quite prepared for.

And then they were planning to have lunch with Malfoy after, of course.

She blamed her nerves more on the former than the latter, though. She had meant it when she'd told him she could handle him. He was just a man, and one she'd known since she was a boy. She had forgiven him his trespasses long ago, and honestly hadn't thought about him much over the years since they'd both returned to Hogwarts to complete their education after the war.

Despite Theo's best efforts to stay in touch through writing and visiting, Hermione's social circles hadn't crossed over much with Malfoy's since school, until Hermione and Viktor had moved back to the UK last year and she'd begun seeing Malfoy at quidditch events semi-regularly. That had been professional, though, not social. Not that what she and Malfoy were doing now was social, of course. He had made that quite clear.

She tried to calm her spinning thoughts, grounding herself with a few deep breaths and before she stepped in front of the mirror to review her appearance one more time.

She knew it didn't really matter how she looked. Or even if it did because she and Malfoy might get photographed after the match, she supposed she looked fine. Her unruly curls were braided back, and she was dressed casually but nicely in typical spring attire. A pale blue wrap dress fell just about to her knees, with long sleeves. She almost always wore long-sleeves in public.

It wasn't that she was ashamed of the scar on her inner arm anymore. She used to be, or at least, she hadn't liked the attention it brought. That was why she had gotten it covered with a floral tattoo. But the tattoo had come to feel even more personal than the scar because she had chosen it for herself, committed to it, and purposefully sat through the pain of having it done. It seemed even more intimate to her now that Viktor was gone, because he had encouraged her to take ownership of her body in so many ways, including that one.

That was why she'd chosen the flowers she had. Red and gold colours, not for Gryffindor so much as for her own fiery personality, and blue for Viktor's cooling, steadying influence. The red tones were in poppies and peonies, the golds in begonias and tulips. Poppies for remembrance, peonies for honour and happiness, begonias for uniqueness and harmony, and tulips for love. Then the blue came in a splash of hydrangeas for gratitude and beauty.

The tattoo had turned out lovely, she thought, but she didn't show it off often. Instead, she added more colour to her attire with a light spring scarf in blue and green that also served to cover the long scar she had on the left side of her throat. Not that she wore it for that reason. She'd given up trying to conceal that one, because she had no interest in limiting her wardrobe to turtlenecks.

"Rosen? Are you getting dressed? We should leave soon," Hermione called as she stepped away from the mirror.

"Yes, Mama!" came that little voice Hermione loved so much.

Then Rosen came running into Hermione's room, her arms extended, the black fabric of her Falcons costume flowing behind her. It was the costume Viktor had been making her for Halloween, not quite complete but obviously in support of the Falcons.

Rosen's team.

Their family's team, really. Vik had been making one for both him and Hermione too, so they could all celebrate his new quidditch home, but those weren't finished either.