Non magical AU- 30 year old Hermione Granger is gifted a bookshop from her grandfather.
She meets an intriguing patron who communicates through letter correspondence.
Slow burn.
> 7:25pm Listen, I'm sorry about bailing on you tonight. It was not my intention to hurt you and I fully plan on making up for it however you see fit. Don't be mad at me.
Hermione had put her hair in curlers earlier in the evening before her bath to make sure they had time to set. She went with a simple eyeliner and subtle pink lip, as her mask and dress would speak for themselves, she didn't think makeup was a necessary complement to her outfit. Walking over, she pulled the dress from the closet. Her dress was a two piece consisting of a floor length cream and turquoise skirt and a Victorian style corset in turquoise. The corset was silky yet heavy, decorated with black and white dots along the edges and a bow in the center. The full length skirt was thick with tulle and cream colored in the front draped with turquoise around the back and finished with roses where the corset met the skirt. Hermione finished putting her dress on and spun around in the mirror. She had never worn anything quite so fancy and felt like a princess even if it was just for one evening. She took the curlers out and was happy with the placement, sleek with subtle curls around her face. The only missing piece was the mask which Hermione grabbed along with a small turquoise clutch. "Why is it that I'm always late when it's somewhere I actually want to be?" She was rushing to the door for her dressy black ballerina flats when her phone dinged.
>8:28pm I'm not mad. I'm a little disappointed that I won't be seeing you tonight. Hopefully next weekend? Have fun. Love you.
>8:29pm Definitely. Love you too.
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"Shit," Hermione thought racing out the door, "it's already 8:30 and I'm supposed to be in the gardens by 9? Well that's never going to happen." She got into the Uber that was waiting for her and gave the address to Malfoy Manor.
After a short Uber journey, Hermione found the car pulling into a formidable looking Manor. The vast size of the place was enough for panic. How would she ever find this woman? She didn't even know where to begin. The Uber driver cleared his throat, "sorry." She shook her head clear and exited the car after saying thank you. "Well, here goes nothing," she pulled the invitation out of her bag and handed it to the man at the front doors. It was 10 minutes to 9 and Hermione only cared about finding the Red Queen. "Right through here," the man pointed through the door which led towards a foyer where classical music could be heard. "This is the nicest place I've ever been in..." Hermione looked around mouth opened. She wasn't paying attention where she was going and ran into a warm body.
"Oi. Watch where you are going," a woman with pink hair said before shaking her head and heading off in the other direction. Hermione knew that hair. It had to be the same woman who was flipping off that corpse the other day but what was she doing here? "Excuse me." Hermione said, going after the woman who was wearing a mad hatter inspired tux, "can you point me in the direction of the gardens? I'm to be meeting someone there at 9 and I have no idea where I'm going."
The pink haired lady gave her a knowing smile which both calmed and unnerved Hermione at the same time, "sure thing? Love. Out those back doors at the other end of the hallway. There's a hedge maze in the garden. Are you looking for someone in particular?"
