Part Three

AN: Lariope – you are the greatest. We thank you so very, very much for all the beta work you've done on our behalf.

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March 15, 2000

Simon Sopohorous

-~8~-

"Wanker!" The word echoed around her small office, and Hermione was terribly grateful she'd closed the door before opening her mail.

Where were his books? Obviously, if she knew exactly where to find them, he would have had them by now.

The buyers for the store were aware of his list – along with the lists of every other customer looking for a specific, and often difficult to come by, title – and she even made a point to double check the receiving records on the off chance that one had slipped past unnoticed. If no one was offering the books for sale, there was no way she could authorize their purchase!

Apparently she should have been spending every waking moment of the last several months scouring private libraries for glimpses of his precious texts and then robbing their owners blind in order to appease him.

Hermione took a calming breath and rubbed her temples with both hands. She had thought that they had reached an understanding – a truce of sorts – and while she could concede that there may be cause for a certain level of frustration at the seeming lack of progress, she thought his newest letter was rather uncalled for.

"I would like to suggest several places where he could look for his bloody books; the first would be next to the stick lodged up his arse."

March 15, 2000

Marks and Sons

-~8~-

March 16, 2000

Simon Sopohorous

-~8~-

"Periodic up – I never..." Her muttering culminated in a barely aborted scream of frustration, a stomped foot and an overwhelming desire for a cup of tea.

It was several hours later before Hermione returned to her desk to reread the short reply from Mister Sopohorous.

Now that the initial burst of – confusion? – annoyance had passed, she discovered what she had missed the first time through. He was apologizing.

In a half-assed way, true, but one she was able to recognize. She'd witnessed the boys making amends in a similar manner several times before. Hermione distinctly recalled the Tri-Wizard fiasco of fourth year and the way that Ron and Harry had made up after the first task without Harry letting Ron actually say the words. Instead there had been concern for Harry's health and Ron's overly complicated efforts to warn Harry about the dragons. To Hermione it would have been so much simpler to just say "I was a prat, please forgive me," and move on, but she suspected it was most likely a matter of pride.

And now she had the urge to owl them both to see if they wanted to get together for dinner at the Leaky Cauldron.

"I have every right to be annoyed with you, Simon, every right. I wonder what it will be next time, a thorn stuck in your paw?"

March 17, 2000

Marks and Sons

"In other words, apology accepted."

-~8~-

March 18, 2000

Simon Sopohorous

-~8~-

There it was again, another "is it or isn't it" compliment. Hermione settled back into her chair and decided it was.

For the first time since the letter that mentioned her book-loving soul, Hermione tried to picture Simon Sopohorous. If she were forced to guess, she would say that he was probably an older gentleman. Judging by the things he wrote, perhaps a crotchety grandfatherly type. Used to having things done his way, on his time-table, and utterly annoyed when the rest of the world dared not to fall in line. Probably retired, judging from the amount of books he wanted, the varied subjects, and the time he spent writing letters to a book store manager.

She giggled, trying to imagine the faces of some of her younger staff if a silver-haired wizard were to show up out front, worked up into a tantrum and demanding to speak with "Mistress Granger." She'd never hear the end of it. Especially if word managed to reach Ron or Harry.

March 19, 2000

Hermione Granger

-~8~-

Having received her reply, Simon was forced to acknowledge the fact he was starting to look forward to the letters he received from – Hermione – and taking that into account, he wrote the following:

March 20, 2000

Hermione,

Simon stopped to stare at the salutation. It seemed extraordinarily strange to be addressing a former student by her first name. The fact she was unaware she was a former student didn't stop the twinge of wrongness Simon felt deep in his chest.

I'm being a dolt.

Post Script – You may address me as Simon if you wish.

-~8~-

The battered and well worn copy of Bewitchments and Charmes for the Ages sat on her desk blotter, innocently enough. Hermione continued to chew on her lower lip, debating whether or not to mention the book to Simon.

Simon. She'd thought of him by his first name on more than one occasion, although more often it had been Mister Sopohorous or simply Sopohorous when he annoyed her, but now that she thought of him as someone's cranky grandfather, it seemed strange to actually call him Simon. Almost disrespectful, and Hermione had been brought up to show respect to one's elders. It was one thing to ask him to call her Hermione, quite another to...

"Now that he's offered, surely it would be rude to refuse."

Nodding silently, she turned her attention back to the book on her desk. The last two books she'd sent unsolicited had been returned with much disdain, and she was very tempted to purchase this one to add to her own library, but the niggling thought that Simon might find it useful tugged at her. Not to mention it would give her an excuse to send a letter, and she had been dying to ask him to elaborate about Peabody.

March 27, 2000

A first edition printing of Bewitchments and Charmes for the Ages by Ignatia Wildsmith has found its way to the store. Regrettably, its condition is such that it holds small value to an antiquities collector, and I'm extremely reluctant to even have it put on the sales floor for fear that it will languish unsold and manhandled until such time as it falls to pieces. However, with the proper care it could survive for many years to come, and I hope to see it find a proper home, one way or another.

Hermione

-~8~-

After he recovered from the shock, Simon's first impulse was to tear over to the bookstore and rip... gently remove the book from her Muggleborn fingers.

For that book, he would have, except for one important detail. He hadn't yet perfected the experimental potion to change the timbre of his voice, and as he wasn't talented enough to change the pitch on his own – he couldn't.

"Blast! I can't believe – How – WHERE could she possibly have..."

Deciding that trying to rip out his already short hair wasn't doing anything to gain him some answers, Simon sat down to write a reply.

Are you daft, woman?

There are two reasons that particular volume isn't at the top of my list. One – there were only two printings, neither of which was very large. Two – the price, even for a copy in the condition you describe, would be far beyond my pocket.

Having got that particular bit of frustration out of his system, Simon read what he had written. He considered starting over, as he was sorely tempted to own the book.

She doesn't appear to know its value...

Standing, he paced back and forth in the small space he allotted for that purpose. Glancing up at Yorick, he frowned.

"You would probably advise me to be forthright in this, wouldn't you? I don't know why I'm taking the advice of a creature that has a brain the size of a walnut," Simon grumbled as he sat back down at the desk and picked up his quill.

"Although," he added as he looked back over at the bird, "I've always suspected you might be Gryffindor at heart, and since I'm dealing with one who has the potential to finally fulfill my shopping list – you win."

Taking a deep, calming breath, he began to write again.

"Besides, I wouldn't be able to actually use the book in the condition it's in."

I propose a bargain.

Post Script – Simply put, Mister Peabody is a letch who will take advantage of almost any situation as long as the witch is comely enough or the wizard is pretty enough.

Standing up as he sealed the envelope, Simon attached the letter to Yorick's leg.

"Here, you should know who it's going to by now. And don't dawdle with the reply!"

-~8~-

Having grown a thicker skin when it came to some of Simon's written outbursts, Hermione did no more than blink at the first line of his most recent missive.

Instead she continued on to the rest of the letter. Her lower lip was caught between her teeth as she stared, unseeing, at the wall across from her desk.

As unsellable as the book was – too expensive for the average reader, too damaged for a collector or charms expert to use – it was still extremely valuable. She should recommend that it be placed in the store vault at Gringotts, another antiquity to add to Marks and Sons' assets.

Sending it to a man she had never actually met and barely knew, with no contract for payment, even with the condition that it be returned... If something were to happen to the book, were it to be destroyed or stolen... Losing her job would be the least of her worries, as the authorities would most likely be brought in to the matter.

No, letting the book leave the store unpurchased would be insanity.

Mum and Dad were going to kill her when they found out what happened to her old university fund.

March 27, 2000

The new owner of Bewitchments and Charmes for the Ages has been made aware of the opportunity to have the book duplicated and has decided to accept the offer, if it is still available. Due to the nature of your potion and out of respect for your privacy, no one but myself is aware of who the book shall be shipped to in order to have it duplicated.

Post Script – Regarding Peabody, I highly doubt his lechery will be an issue with me, but I shall remain on guard nonetheless. Thank you for the warning.

-~8~-

"I've held not only her life, but her future... Whatever the hell he is to her now – Weasley's life as well as blasted Potter's life in my hands and now – I'm questioned about taking care of a... a bloody book!" Simon seethed as he stood face to face with Yorick. His rubbish bin was full to overflowing with drafts of letters written in return and then discarded under Yorick's watchful eye.

There were times he detested not being free to use his own name, as hated as it probably was in many corners of the wizarding world. Simon turned away from Yorick's perch only to spin back around and point a finger at the poor falcon.

"It would almost be worth spending the rest of my life in Azkaban to march into that store, announce to her who I am, and ask if she felt I was still unworthy to copy her precious book. Ungrateful wench," he muttered as he finally strode to a window and glared out at a passing stranger.

"It would serve her right if I never answered. Let her and the new owner figure out how to duplicate the damned thing."

It didn't occur to Simon that part of his reaction to Hermione's letter might lie closer to jealously than to affronted pride. His heart was still held tightly in a dead woman's grasp, and there was no room to consider any one else in the role Lily had played in his life. The closest thing Simon had ever had to friendship was the relationship with Lily, and it had been dead for more years than he cared to remember. He didn't realize quite yet that he had come to view Hermione as more than a bookseller filling his order, and she was his bookseller, damn it!

It took several days for Simon to get over his snit with Hermione's letter, but he was finally able to sit down and write a – reasonable – reply.

Hermione Granger

Post Script – If you look anything like your pictures in the papers, don't be a fool. Peabody's lechery will be a very large issue for you to deal with.

-~8~-

She did not blush, no matter how warm her face had suddenly felt. Not at all. Considering Hermione had yet to see a photo of herself in one of the papers where she was looking her best – most seemed to catch her disheveled or owlishly surprised and more than a bit annoyed at having a camera shoved into her face – she could only deduce that Simon was being kind.

Or he was attempting to butter her up to get his hands on her book.

Either way, she hadn't been able to keep from grinning like a buffoon. "At being warned that I'm letch-worthy, by Grandpa Simon's standards, at least."

She had felt the tiniest bit guilty about accepting the "loan" of his books in exchange for hers, but since she had purchased Bewitchments and Charmes for the Ages outright, any further arrangements for its care were hers to make and would no longer involve the store. At least, that's how she justified taking the three rare volumes home with her that night. Hermione had been extra careful with the charm and the potions texts, but the transfiguration tome had nearly caused her to hyperventilate. Professor McGonagall had mentioned the title many times during her advanced classes, and Hermione had always longed to read it.

There had been little sleep the night before as she stayed up reading, trying to absorb as much as she could before she would be forced to return the books to their rightful owner.

April 1, 2000

Your arrangement is most satisfactory. Bewitchments and Charmes for the Ages is being sent by courier and should arrive within the next day or two. Please notify me if any problems should arise.

Hermione

-~8~-

"If wishes were fishes..."

Hermione's youthful, carefree reference to wishes left Simon feeling somewhat maudlin. There was one thing bothering him that required a return note, and as it would be rude not to wish her well – he did the best he could.

April 2, 2000

Simon

-~8~-

April 2, 2000

Hermione

-~8~-

"Ha! See this, Yorick? I'm to be the first person she contacts upon her return. Not the bloody prat who bought the precious volume. Not Potter or even – gods, what was it Brown called him... Won-Won!" Simon said with no small amount of glee in his voice as he waved the letter in front of the falcon's perch.

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