(2) Patrimony (H. Potter)

Chapter Three

Hermione finds Rhiannon in the upstairs bedroom that Sirius gave her to use. It's as dark as the rest of the house, but there are a couple of lamps and sconces that light up the room for her when she's using it. She's setting her book and mirror down on the dresser just as Hermione walks in.

"Rhiannon, don't take that look to heart" Hermione defends the Weasleys slightly, but she does understand Rhiannon's reaction too. Rhiannon has had to deal with the way people look at her, feel about her, and treat her because of who her father is for her whole life, even before she knew it herself. "It's just that they..." Rhiannon turns to her and gives her a look. She knows why people are the way they are with her. Especially the adults. At least Karkaroff was honest about it to her face instead of hiding it behind polite introductions.

"They don't trust me" Rhiannon stops her. "And I get it. You don't think that people at Durmstrang looked at me that way?" She asks, Hermione lets out a breath because she knows they did. "I've lived with it long enough to recognise it" Rhiannon shrugs a little, just accepting it. Hermione doesn't know how Rhiannon takes this so well. To be treated like this for something beyond her control. She has no control over who her father is. She wasn't part of what he did. And yet she is lumped into the same category as him. People judge her for it without getting to know her. Even Ron is still doing it, even after almost an entire year with her. Hermione, Harry, George and Fred know her enough to know she's different. Sirius and Dumbledore know too. That's enough for her. She doesn't really care what other people think about her. She just gets on with it all. "I was raised by muggles" She reminds her. "I had no idea any of this existed magic world until I was eleven years old..." Hermione softens a little, Rhiannon and Harry's childhoods are so similar, she is not surprised that they are close, were close last year. Their lives had been controlled by muggles for so long, that magic was just thrust at them. They were thrown into the deep end with famous magical parents. Though Harry got lucky with good parents, Rhiannon got stuck with Grindelwald's reputation following her around. "I didn't know who my parents were...who my dad was, what he'd done....but even now, they look at me....and all they see is him and his ideals..." She shakes her head and turns to the window, letting out a breath. Whilst other people looking at her like she's the devil's daughter doesn't bother her, talking about herself that way does get to her. She hates to think about herself in that way because she knows she is not the person they see.

"Rhian" Hermione starts. "I thought that in the beginning, you know, I did" She admits. "But I got to know you, found out how smart you were, how kind, compassionate, thoughtful...." Rhiannon gives her a soft smile. "How utterly brilliant you are" Rhiannon laughs a little. "And people that don't see that....they don't deserve to know you, they don't...." Rhiannon moves closer to her friend and gives her a warm look. Hermione is honest about it. Honest about how she felt about her, but she's honest about how she feels now too. It's an important aspect of Rhiannon, that she values honesty from those around her.

"So I actually found an old wizarding chess board...." Rhiannon offers with a small smile. "I had to wrestle it from Kreacher, but..." She shrugs. "Fancy a game?" Hermione nods and they both head towards the small table and chairs set up against the far wall, the chess set already ready to be played.

"I'm not much of a player though" Hermione warns. Rhiannon hums in acknowledgement, but she's not much of a player either. It was just something she could do whilst here, and she and Sirius sometimes play a game or two in the evening just to pass time. Sirius can't do much either given his fugitive status. He's stuck inside as much as she is, and when the only other company is Kreacher, then of course, Sirius takes the better company of a human being with manners.

"Me neither" She assures Hermione as they sit down together.

......

Partway into the second game, Hermione and Rhiannon are interrupted by the bedroom door opening. They both look up from the game and to the door where Ron shuffles in the doorway. Without Hermione to talk to or pester, he got pretty bored pretty quick, so he'd wandered off to find her and Rhiannon. Hermione suddenly smiles to herself, finding an opportunity to perhaps draw Ron and Rhiannon a little closer.

"You're better at this than I am" Hermione stands from the table. "Play against Rhian?" Ron glances at the chess board and then at Rhiannon who raises an eyebrow back at him in question.

"Fine" Ron answers, but makes it sound like he is agreeing to do them a favour here. It's a start. And whilst they likely will never be the best of friends, they can work on becoming somewhat friends. Hermione and Harry are both close with Rhiannon, and with her going to Hogwarts, Hermione doesn't want Ron to feel pushed out because he and her don't get along yet. If they are all friends, it isn't going to be such a big deal. Ron takes Hermione's seat as the board resets itself for a new game.