He tore through Rowle manor leaving a bag with the house elf stationed to keep the manor looking lived in with instructions to put the clothing in his bedroom along with his. Not staying to see it done he left the place he hated retreating back to the matriarchal keep, He continued on his war path through the halls to his room. Once there He enlarged all of the bags he carried and left them by the bed. She could go through them as she liked and put them where she wanted He turned and found her asleep on the padded window ledge a large book laid on her lap, Her head was tilted back and against the warm glass her hair spilling over her shoulders the soft curls tickling her collarbone her pale skin glowed in the sunlight. He shook his head in a almost fond way walked gently over to her collecting the book she held and setting it aside sliding his hand under her knees and the other around her back he went to lift her to the bed. Her eyes opened as he picked her up she smiled up at him with a breath taking smile.
"Mmm Hello Thorfinn your back from the shops?" She stretched her limbs as he held her.
"Yes, Sorry I woke you but you looked uncomfortable on the window." He responded trying to blink away her blinding smile.
"It's quite alright I'm a very light sleeper no harm done. You do know you can set me down now you don't have to keep holding me." Hermione smiled again at the tall befuddled man. Poor Thorfinn he really had no social acumen years spent alone away from prying eyes hiding and planning did not help him. Thorfinn seemed confused by her request but sat her back on the cushioned seat. He turned and motioned the bags by the bed.
"Here you go you can sort through and put stuff away you now have shoes I can take you to see our greenhouses and gardens all the fruit and veg come from our gardens, we can also walk to the market in a few weekends and I'll introduce you to our friends in the village. We trade our goods for meat we are fairly self sustaining and only use our vaults for clothing and such items we cannot trade for. Go on put your things away get changed and we'll go outside." Thorfinn shrugged not waiting for her to reply and left the room.
She almost laughed at the large man she slid to the the floor happy to go through the bags as lovely and well taken care of Astrid's old clothes were they were much tighter then she liked especially around her chest and thighs probably didn't help that she had been stripped of everything but her knickers and a large shirt when dragged in front of Voldermort. She didn't hesitate to see what goodies Thorfinn had brought her she had always loved new clothing while never as fashionable as her roommates at school she did have a love for shopping with her mother. She worked quickly removing things from bags she checked everything over for tags Thorfinn must have removed them not wanting her to figure out the cost of everything sneaky man. Jeans and tee shirts dominated the haul for that she was thankful never one to be overly fussy. Underwear and bras, standard bags of underwear and socks, four bras two in black and two in beige. One bag held several boxes of shoes , Black high heels , black flats, snake skin patterned flats, and a pair of Converse in purple her favorite color now unwrapped and waiting to be put up she left the converse out to wear and dove back to her haul.
A full bag dedicated to stationary pens, leather bound notebooks twice as thick as wizarding one, mechanical pencils, extra lead, and a rubber to go with it. Even A new toothbrush for the bathroom hand lotion and face cream Thorfinn even got her some hair ties for her mane. Making short work of all the bags she folded the bags to be taken away to either be burned or reused. She quickly chose a pair of jeans and a fitted purple tee-shirt, Thorfinn didn't get any printed tee-shirts and she was thankful she hated anything that was not a band shirts. She paused only a moment before opening the large wardrobe in the the room and smiled seeing that half the large chest had been made ready for her new clothing hanging up shirts and pants and setting her new shoes next to Thorfinn's on the bottom shelf. She was thankful her dressing table Thorfinn had thoughtfully brought for her use had drawers she settled the lotion and face cream on top of the table as they would be a daily use. Folded all but one pair of socks, underwear, and bra and set them neatly in the bottom drawer on one side on the other she put her new notebooks, pens, pencils, rubber, and led on the other side. She quickly changed loving having new everything to wear she would have to do something to repay Thorfinn and Astrid's thoughtful and amazing gift of comfort. She quickly brushed her hair and settled it into a neat braid , she dashed to the bathroom to properly brush her teeth. Then made her way down the stairs where once again Thorfinn was waiting for her he looked up hearing her foot falls she could not resit giving him another bright beaming smile.
"Everything fit well?" He asked once she had joined him .
"Everything is brilliant Thorfinn, I love these shoes and everything else. How did you know that purple was my favorite color?" She smiled again and gestured to her lovely new converse snug on her feet.
"I didn't honestly I just saw them on the display and next thing I know I have the sales lady get them in your size." He shrugged uncomfortable with her lovely smiles.
"Well Thank you I can even believe how lucky I was when He gave me to you. I am so thankful to be safe and warm and clothed ." She smiled brightly tears peaking from the corner of her eye she boldly wrapped her arms around the tall man giving him as warm of a hug she was able to. Thorfinn for his part stiffened a bit when the small witch wrapped her arms around him but returned the hug once he heard her sniffle into his shirt. So small and fragile barely coming to his chest she was perky and pleasing to the eye. He would do everything in his power to keep her safe and content and most importantly alive as long as he was breathing ."
"Come I wish to show you something." Thorfinn stepped back tentatively took Hermione's hand and pulled her along behind him.
The next thing she knew all she could see was flowers every kind of flower blooming despite the lightly cold air she was overtaken with the beauty she had always loved flowers.
"We grow flowers herbs and potion ingredients you are welcome to brew any potion you would care to that is the only magic you can preform with the circlet around your neck. That and research which leaves you little to do I wish I had more to offer you then simple plants and a library ." Thorfinn paused watching her flit around smelling the flowers. This was a gift a freedom to do as she liked while still captive a thoughtful gesture on his part another kindness she owed to him. She stepped further away from him and let her thought's drift to her friends for the first time since her capture she allowed herself to view the memory of that battle. She touched flowers as she walked the path that led away from him as she thought.
Harry had took off to peruse Voldermort not stopping to do anything other then sacrifice himself to appease the Dark Lord he thought if he gave himself up that everyone would be safe. Hermione had chased after him Ron had found them and tried to help her pull Harry back , spells shot past them as they fought to get past the Death Eaters Ron had been hit and went down running beside her. She had no idea if he was even alive after the spell she had never seen him again, But she had heard Harry's screams in the dark dungeon and heard them drag Harry away. She stopped and looked down at a small village sitting in the rolling hills the view from her vantage point was breath taking.
A large hand set itself on her shoulder and she remembered where she was, And who stood next to her everything she once had gone in the blink of an eye. But she had been given a gift a amazing gift she never be able to repay the gift of shelter and kindness where she had been expecting to be raped and beaten, she was welcome , fed, clothed, treated as someone's wife with reverence and respect. The subjugation collar while humiliating offered her all these blissful things she now had the strong muscular blond beside her, a loving mother in law, a Family a place to call home. She tilted her head up and smiled at the man who had set a gentile hand on her shoulder, and just stood there with as much emotion in her eyes she could ever express. Startled her husband let his hand fall and just looked at her with confusion. Hermione hated that confusion he showed when she smiled at him she let her eyes fall back to the village and let the man have his thoughts for now, still a stranger to her she did not know his moods.
"Would you like to see the potion's lab as well.?" Thorfinn asked scratching his head.
"No I have been in the dungeon for so long I may never want to come back in the house now that I can see it from the outside and see the flowers again smell the lavender and honeysuckle in the air. You don't have to babysit me Thorfinn I have nowhere to go I don't even know where we are I will come back inside once I get hungry." She dropped to the ground and pulled her knees up to her chin and waited for him to do anything. He could walk away and leave her to her thoughts but a part of him just wanted to be around her, He pulled his wand out and magicked a blanket under her he sat behind her pulled her on to his lap just sitting with her.
Pleased with him she relaxed into his wide chest watching the world continue to spin around them, It was a balm in the storm that had been her life on the run.