Comment on Hermione Granger and the Shape of Reality

  1. DoraMar on Chapter 12 Fri 30 Jan 2026 07:23PM UTC

    Interesting what Narcissa wants to talk about 🤔 she was walking around her for years, I bet she had her chance, what does she want now...

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    1. leonsh on Chapter 12 Sat 31 Jan 2026 08:53AM UTC

      That’s a very good question — thank you for raising it.

      I’ll be honest: I hadn’t fully articulated that distinction when I wrote the line. But once you pointed it out, the logic of the world really leaves very little room for a different answer.

      Three years ago Hermione saved Draco’s life by healing his wounds, and Narcissa wants to express how deeply indebted she feels to her. The real question is why she didn’t do it earlier.

      In this world, a debt can only exist between free moral agents. When Hermione was a slave, Narcissa might well have felt gratitude, but she couldn’t acknowledge obligation — it would have been either meaningless or humiliating. Only now, when Hermione is free and publicly recognised, does the idea of repayment actually make sense.

      So yes — it’s a very fair question, and the answer is, unfortunately, rather bleak.

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      1. DoraMar on Chapter 12 Sun 01 Feb 2026 03:35PM UTC

        Aaaah makes sense, spoiler alert 😂

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        1. leonsh on Chapter 12 Sun 01 Feb 2026 09:02PM UTC

          Not a huge spoiler, though :)

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