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Consequences and Complexities	By : ckllsdam Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 16345 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: All recognizable characters and canon situations belong to the Harry Potter fandom and JKRowling. Plot and OCs are mine. I make no money from this work.

Chapter List
- 16
- 17
- 18
Chapter 17 � Quivers
Hermione had one more patient to see before she could finish
up her day�s paperwork and make it back to the manor to meet Draco at the
agreed-upon time. If pressed, she would admit that she was the tiniest bit
nervous about it. She wasn�t afraid; there was no doubt at all that he meant
her no harm. It was more the opposite issue. The more she thought about their
interactions over the last day and a half, the more she was convinced that he
was feeling something for her that would make their parenting relationship
uncomfortable and challenging. She had no idea how to deflect his apparent
attraction to her, other than to remain aloof and distant. She chose to ignore
the question that poked at the back of her brain� �Why?� � and chose to further
reject the many possibilities of meaning for that same one-word query.
She was therefore grateful that her final appointment for
the afternoon, a very young boy who had been suffering from frequent
nightmares, was easily resolved when it was discovered through a neat bit of
regressive Legilimency that his older sibling had been charming the child�s bed
to bump up and down against the floor every night. Hermione sent the boy home
with a prescription for a permanent counter-charm and a recommendation to his
parents for a little scolding for their elder son. If only they were all this easy, Hermione thought, shaking her head
with amusement. She settled at her desk to dictate her remaining notes using
parchment and auto-quill.
Forty minutes later, she was ready to leave. Gathering her
cloak, wand, and briefcase, she concentrated on her destination and Disapparated, appearing just seconds later in the foyer of
Malfoy Manor. With a shuddering breath, she dashed up the stairs to her suite,
shedding her work clothes in favor of something slightly more comfortable. The
lightweight tan wool trousers and cream-colored cashmere v-neck jumper were
topped by a chocolate brown wool jacket. She tugged her hair out of the tight chignon
in which she�d tamed it early that morning, allowing it to graze her shoulders;
she was developing a headache that she chose to attribute to the pull of her
hair against her scalp. Releasing the tension would stop the throbbing in her
temples. At least that�s what she hoped. She tucked her wand into her handbag
and went down the stairs to find Draco. She�d heard his voice a few minutes
earlier as he�d called out for his father, so he was probably in Lucius� study.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Lucius looked up from the afternoon edition of the Daily
Prophet as the door to his study opened. Only Narcissa, Hermione, Louisa, and
Draco could open the door without triggering security wards, so he wasn�t
especially concerned. Louisa wasn�t a likely possibility, as she was neither
tall nor strong enough yet to twist the doorknob. The remaining family members�
common practice, however, was to knock before entering, so he was mildly
surprised at the intrusion into his private domain.
�Father, you and I need to talk.�
Ah, there it is, Lucius
thought.
�About?� he prompted.
�You know damned well what about. I met with Barrister
Phillips this afternoon, and while he couldn�t tell me everything � no thanks
to you � I was able to discover enough about what you�ve been up to. I�m not at
all surprised, and even less pleased that you�re interfering in my life,� he
accused, clearly angry but still in control of his emotions.
Lucius adopted his usual mask of cool, calm, collectedness
and shrugged lightly. �I�ve only done what�s necessary to ensure a� positive
outcome for everyone concerned.�
�Don�t you think that Hermione and I would like to determine
what �positive� means for each of us? My definition and hers could be radically
different, not only from yours but from each other,� he replied, his voice
raised and strained. He sighed. �Look, Father, I know that you want me to be
happy, and it�s pretty clear that whatever you�ve done sets up some kind of
legal entanglement between Hermione and me. I understand that you�re doing what
comes naturally to you, too. But if there�s any hope of the two of us having a
real, genuine relationship, I want that to be on terms that she and I can agree
on, not a forced, false link that exists because of a piece of parchment.�
�Nothing I�ve done forces anyone to do
anything, nor will it� work if anyone�s feelings are not genuine. It
just� ensures that if those things come to be, the way will be � easier for
you.�
�Why won�t you just tell me what it is you�ve done?� Draco
complained, trying to keep any whinging out of his
tone.
�Because if you do know, it could create
false expectations and influences that would
push the two of you apart. It will be better if you come to your
conclusions naturally. Should either of you find� contentment with another
person, it will not prevent you from following your heart. That�s all I�m going
to say on the matter.� With that, he rose, dropping the newspaper on his desk,
and left the room, practically trampling Hermione as she tried to enter.
Her eyes followed Lucius� departing figure and in a moment,
she turned to face Draco. �What was all that about?�
The younger Malfoy shook his head. �I wish I really knew,�
he muttered. In a stronger tone, he added, �It�s nothing we need to be
concerned about for now. Let�s just get to the townhouse and do what we need
to, all right?� He tried to smile, but it was slightly more reminiscent of a
grimace.
Hermione shrugged. �If you say so.
Let�s go.�
Draco offered his hand and she stared at it, not quite sure
what he expected.
�The Floo needs to be opened at the other end,� he
explained. �We�ll have to Apparate.� He couldn�t help
but feel a little disheartened that she was reluctant to even hold his hand for
that simple purpose.
�Oh, of course,� she answered quickly, slightly embarrassed
that she�d not thought of the simple magical necessity. She reached out and
took his hand, and to convey that she was not upset or angry, gave it the
slightest squeeze. �
Draco nodded and closed his eyes, sending them through time
and space to the foyer of the property he would call home for the immediate
future. When Hermione stumbled slightly upon landing, he steadied her with
gentle hands at her elbows. He released her a second later when it was clear
she had regained her footing.
Both of them looked around the high-ceilinged entry. Draco
hadn�t been to this property in at least ten years and had to reorient himself
for a moment to be sure he recalled its layout. Hermione snorted in amusement
as she took in the scale and size of the space; the townhouse was undoubtedly
quite a bit larger than what she�d expected. The Malfoys� definition of �small�
and �modest� clearly didn�t square with her own. This property had to be at
least six thousand square feet. Of course, compared to Malfoy Manor�s grand
thirty-four thousand, she could see how they�d apply their description.
�Shall we explore a bit?� Draco offered.
Hermione nodded mutely, following him into a large, sunny
sitting room on their right. The room featured walls painted in a sky blue and eight
tall, skinny windows, four on each exterior wall, that each was bottomed by a
thickly-cushioned built-in seat. There were no drapes; she assumed that the
windows were charmed to prevent prying eyes from peering inside.
She noted that the handful of armchairs and sofas were
covered by white sheets; it seemed that was a strategy that spanned cultures. A
massive marble fireplace was the focal point on the far wall. It was easily
large enough to serve as a Floo entry. The floor, a beautiful parquet of
mahogany and cherry woods, was bare of rugs except for a single small oval
under the writing desk that abutted the front wall. The room�s only other
dominant feature was a three-meter mahogany case clock in the far right corner,
where time was figuratively standing still. It apparently was not charmed to
run continuously and needed its weights and pendulum to be rebalanced.
�Beautiful,� she whispered.
�Yes, quite lovely,� he agreed, watching her face as the
late afternoon sunlight fell on her hair and cheeks. He cleared his throat and
spoke to her. �Let�s continue. There�s a lot to see.�
They walked side by side along the foyer�s right side to the
next room, a slightly more intimate sitting room which seemed to have served as
an office as it held one of the largest oak desks Hermione had ever seen. The
intricate carving on the privacy panels featured mermaids and water nymphs,
frolicking on sea-side boulders.
�This belonged to my grandfather, Abraxus, and my father has
used it since his passing,� Draco explained when Hermione ran her fingers over
the highly polished surface. How this one piece had not gathered any dust was a
mystery, most likely solved by the explanation of a durable self-cleaning
charm.
Two enormous armchairs faced the desk. Like the furniture in
the previous room, they were covered by white sheeting. Hermione could imagine,
though, that they were upholstered in fine leather. Another equally large desk
chair sat behind the wooden behemoth, its high back turned to one side as
though someone had just vacated it. Unlike the others, this seat was not draped
with a protective fabric but its deep burgundy leather was as clean as the
desk. Another charm, Hermione
surmised.
Noticing that Draco was turning to leave, she followed him
back into the foyer, where they by-passed a staircase on the way to two rooms
off the back boundary of the open space. The first was a large dining room,
featuring a long cherry wood table that, on quick count, seated twenty. A
matching sideboard and large china closet rested on opposite walls, which were
colored a deep burgundy. An intricate Aubusson rug,
in ivory, rose, burgundy and forest green, covered the floor under the table,
reaching out another half meter beyond the Queen Anne styled chairs. Heavy ivory
brocade drapes hung from the windows that flanked either side of the china
closet, which housed a full set of antique Lenox china and delicate Waterford
crystal wine and beverage glasses.
�I love that pattern,� she commented, indicating the
gilt-edged, cream plates and bowls. �So simple, but elegant.�
Draco chuckled. �I�ll be sure to serve dinner on it when you
visit, then.�
She smirked. �As long as it�s something
better than SPAM. Rumor has it that you�ve learned a thing or two.�
�I have,� he responded, but didn�t elaborate further.
�Well, we should check out the kitchen, then. I�m sure
you�re interested in what you�ll have to work with.� She smiled at him,
indicating her mild teasing.
�I am,� he answered, in all seriousness. �Let�s.�
He waived an arm, inviting her to precede him out of the room. �If memory
serves me, I think it�s to the left of this room in relation to the front door.�
Draco was correct. The large, open kitchen wasn�t exactly
state-of-the-art modern in Muggle standards, but it was as complete and
functional as any wizarding kitchen could hope to be. A breakfast nook with a
small round table and six ladder-back chairs were tucked into the far left
corner. The walls, painted a soft, sunny yellow, were dotted by wooden cabinets
and equipment racks containing copper pots and saut� pans and magically-powered
appliances: mixers, toasters, waffle-makers, etc. His eyes went wide with
delight at the collection of kitchen implements and tools that would allow him
to create a masterpiece or two. His smile was broad and bright.
She couldn�t help but notice that Draco was as delighted as
she�d ever seen him. He walked the perimeter of the room, touching the granite-topped
counters and opening the cabinets, clearly enthralled with everything he found.
�You�re in your element here, aren�t you?� she questioned.
He nodded, glancing back at her. He hoped that she hadn�t
noticed the brightness in his eyes. He felt a little� ridiculous to be getting
emotional about a nicely-equipped kitchen. Then again, there was something
about this space that felt like� more.
Hermione had noticed, however, and wondered what had
happened to the young man that such a simple thing as a kitchen could evoke
such a powerful response. She was observant enough to recognize that it wasn�t
something he wanted to discuss at the moment, so she allowed it to pass. The
layers of Draco Malfoy were apparently more plentiful than she had imagined.
He cleared his throat once again and waved his hand to guide
her out of the room, looking back to take it in again as they moved to the
rooms on the left side of the foyer. The first space they entered was
comparable in size to the office on the opposite side of the building, but
furnished in a completely different style.
This room, its walls the color of vanilla cream, had a glossy
black Steinway nine-foot grand piano in the center, its lid lifted and cover
open to expose the ivory and ebony keys. A long, padded, tufted black leather
bench was tucked underneath. Sheet music for Beethoven�s Pathetique Sonata rested on the
music stand. Sofas and armchairs, all covered with sheets, were placed
throughout the room. A large green marble fireplace, though markedly smaller
than the one in the front parlor, was featured in the center of the outside
wall.
�Ohhh,� Hermione breathed, �It�s
beautiful. Do you play?�
Draco shrugged. �I used to. Haven�t
touched a piano in years, though.�
�I took lessons for a couple of years before Hogwarts, but I
haven�t played since then.� She touched the keys, picking out the melody of a
simple piece, another Beethoven work, the Fur
Elise. �Maybe we could arrange for lessons for Louisa when she�s a little
older?� she posed.
�I�m sure that would be lovely. I know I always did enjoy
making music when I was young. I� regret that I didn�t keep up with it.�
�Well, nothing says you couldn�t pick it back up again.
After all, with such a fabulous instrument in the house, it would be a dreadful
shame to have it sit unused.�
He nodded. �I think I�d probably enjoy that.� I recall it being a great way to get rid of
frustrations,� he noted. �The piano keys never argued when you pounded on
them.� He offered a crooked smile.
She peered at him intently. �There�s so much I don�t know
about you.�
�I know,� he stated simply. �And the same is true of me for
you. That�s why I thought it was a good idea for us to spend some private time
together each week. It will allow us to know each other as people. I think that
will be important in ensuring we raise Louisa well.�
She nodded in agreement, but said nothing. They left the
music room for the final space on the first floor.
�I think you�ll like this room quite a lot,� Draco
announced, opening the double doors for her, revealing a massive, obviously
magically enlarged, library. He laughed aloud at her delighted gasp. �See?
There is a thing or two that I do know, Miss Granger,� he teased.
She smiled broadly, meeting the grey eyes that twinkled with
amusement, and rushed past him into the room that was lined, floor to ceiling,
with packed bookshelves. Free-standing stacks covered at least two-thirds of
the floor space. Four large leather armchairs were strategically placed
throughout the room to take advantage of light from overhead illumination that
was charmed to look like skylights. Small rectangular side tables, each made of
teak, sat beside each chair. A Tiffany glass reading lamp decorated each.
�This is� incredible!� she enthused, darting to the closest
stack and running her finger delicately along the spine of a leather-bound
first edition of �Through the Looking Glass.�
�A Muggle book?� Hermione
questioned.
�Uh, you�ll find quite a lot of them here, but, no. Lewis
Carroll was, without a doubt, a wizard. Ravenclaw, if
I recall.�
�No kidding?� she replied.
�No kidding,� Draco confirmed. �I freely admit that Muggles
have terrific literature, but Carroll was most definitely a wizard. Think about
the content, Hermione. It�s even a little far out there for us.�
She laughed in tacit agreement, eyes trailing along shelf
after shelf of classics from both Muggle and magical authors. �This is almost
as impressive as the library at the Manor,� she pronounced.
�I�d have to ask Father to be sure, but I think I remember
him telling me that it had duplicates of about half of the books in the main
library, and another two thousand or so unique to this collection. I�d guess
that puts the total at about fourteen thousand volumes, give or take. You�ll
definitely find things here that you�ve never seen before,� Draco told her,
enjoying the flushed look of glee on her face as she moved about the room, oohing and ahhing over the tomes
that were new to her.
�I hope you won�t mind if I pop over now and again to borrow
something,� she asked, hoping that she wasn�t being too forward.
�Of course not. I hope you�ll think
of it as your library to use as you wish. And since we�ll be visiting here at
least once a week with Louisa, you�ll have every opportunity to peruse and read
to your heart�s content.�
�Thank you, Draco. That�s very kind of you.�
He waved a hand in dismissal. �Really, after everything
you�ve done for me, it�s absolutely nothing.� He looked at her pointedly to
emphasize his sincerity.
�Still� I appreciate it.�
�Do you want to see the rest of the house now, or would you
rather hang out it here for a while?� Draco offered.
Reluctantly, Hermione tore herself away from the third
edition of Hogwarts, A
History, and gave Draco a genuine smile. �As much as I�d like to sit here
for hours, the reason we came here today is to figure out rooms and needs for
Louisa. I�ll come back another time,� she agreed. �What�s next?�
�Just so you know, there are two bathrooms here on the first
level,� he noted, pointing to two closed doors, one tucked under the stairwell
and the second just to the left of the kitchen. �Let�s head upstairs. All the
bedrooms are there,� Draco replied.
He led the way to the staircase in the foyer. It curved
slightly at the bottom, beginning in a wide landing and narrowing at the top.
This time, Draco moved to the left side of the open area first. �I think this
front room is what used to be a guest room.� He opened the double doors to
reveal a tastefully decorated room in shades of green and cream. The
sage-colored walls were accented by forest green velvet drapes which covered
ivory lace panels. The bedding on the queen-sized four poster mahogany bed
featured layers of duvets and coverlets ranging in colors from a rich cream to
the same forest green that had been used in the draperies. A great stack of
decorative pillows in the same colors covered nearly half of the bed�s surface.
The floor was covered in an ivory-colored wool carpet, thick
and spongy under their feet. Two wing-backed chairs upholstered in sage green
velvet flanked a round mahogany table, all facing an ivory marble fireplace.
Hermione peered out the front windows, noticing the lovely views of London for
the first time.
�This really is gorgeous. I�d hate to change it unless we
really need to,� she remarked, noticing as Draco opened the doors to a large
walk-in closet and en-suite bathroom.
�Well, it�s entirely up to you, as far as I�m concerned. I
have no attachment to anything here. The last time I was in this house, I was
maybe thirteen or fourteen, and I don�t think my parents used it more than a
dozen times since then. They were very clear that it�s yours to do with as you
please, and I do intend to only be here a short time,� he reminded her, �unless
something changes dramatically, one way or another.� What that change might be,
Draco failed to articulate.
�Let�s see the rest of the rooms, then we�ll make
decisions,� Hermione pronounced, confident that would be the most prudent approach.
�Sure. The next suite was mine when I was a kid. I was
thinking it might be an appropriate space for Louisa, but again, it�s up to
you.�
Draco opened the doors to a room with wall-coverings of
brocaded powder blue silk. Deep navy damask draperies covered six tall, narrow
windows. A king-sized bed of ebony wood was centered on the wall parallel to
the doors. To the right were two closed doors, which Draco opened to reveal
another large walk-in closet and a white and grey marble-dominated bath. A small
fireplace of polished black granite was tucked between the two doors. The space
between the bed and the fireplace was filled by a black leather sofa and a low,
rectangular ebony table.
An ebony armoire rested against the wall perpendicular to
the bed and a matching desk sat against the same wall. Only revealed when she
stepped fully into the room, Hermione saw the one concession to Draco�s status
as a young teen when he�d last occupied this space: posters of international
Quidditch stars graced the wall opposite the bed. She laughed aloud at the
sight.
�What?� he asked, smiling embarrassedly at her laughter.
�Well, the posters are very funny when you compare them to
the� elegance of the rest of the room. And it�s so� blue!�
�What did you expect?� he wondered.
�Uh, I don�t know. I thought maybe it might be Slytherin
colors,� she guessed with a shrug.
�Hey, I happen to like blue. Green and black don�t actually
go that well together, I think. And besides, my mother decorated this room long
before I got sorted.�
�You have to admit, the likelihood you�d land in any other
house was pretty darned slim, Draco,� she needled.
�True. But I was always partial to blue. Went better with my
eyes,� he offered with a smirk and a flutter of his eyelids.
Once more, Hermione found herself laughing not at him, but
with him. She noted that she was feeling much more relaxed than she�d been when
they arrived nearly an hour before. He wasn�t nearly as annoying or moon-eyed
as she�d feared he might be. Maybe they could find a way to peacefully co-exist
without unbearable tension.
�So, what do you think?� Draco prodded.
�Huh?�
�About the room. Do you think this
might be all right for Louisa?� he asked, sounding eager, as though he really
liked the idea of his little girl living in his old room.
�It�s certainly a nice, large space and it will get good
afternoon sunlight. Are you sure you wouldn�t mind giving it up?� Hermione
asked.
�Positive. I�ll move into the larger suite next door. We�ll
look at that in a minute. What would we need to do to make this work for her?�
�Well, she certainly doesn�t need a king-sized bed, so that
will gain back some space for a play area. What if we change the colors to pink
and white? Maybe use bleached oak furniture. All she�ll need is a full-sized
bed, a dresser, a smaller desk where she can do art projects and a chest for
her toys,� Hermione noted as she wandered the room, indicating the spots where
she thought the new furnishings might fit best.
�I don�t think there�s much in the closet, and anything
that�s in there is certainly way too small for me now, so I�ll clear that all
out and donate it to a charity,� Draco told her.
Hermione paused, not sure she�d heard him correctly. �Did
you say �donate� it?�
�Yeah, why?�
�That�s � really sweet.�
He shrugged. �If I can�t use it and it�s still in good
condition, it�d certainly be better for someone to get benefit from it than to
throw it out. That�s just wasteful,� he observed solemnly.
Who are you and what
have you done with Draco Malfoy? Hermione thought.
�Very sensible,� Hermione said.
�I, uh, learned a thing or two about being in need along the
way,� Draco explained. �If I�m in a position to help, I will. Anyway, I guess
we can do the same with the furniture. It�d be unlikely that we can do
permanent transfiguration on all of this, and there�s plenty of other furniture
in the other bedrooms. I�ll purchase whatever Louisa needs tomorrow and we�ll
get it delivered as soon as possible,� he said. �Would you like to come
shopping with me? Just so I don�t get anything that�s the wrong size or style?�
�Sure. I�m working in the morning, but I�ll be done by about
one o�clock. We can go then, if you like.�
�Perfect. Is that furniture maker in Diagon
Alley still there?� he asked.
�Yes, as far as I know. There�s another one that opened just
down the block from Weasley�s last year, too. Their
designs are a little more modern, and a tiny bit less expensive. That might be
a better choice.�
�Whatever you wish. Let�s just meet
at the manor again, and we�ll go together.�
�Since I�m going to be down in that area anyway, why don�t
you meet me at St. Mungo�s? It�d save a little time,�
she offered.
�That�s a good idea. I�ll meet you there at quarter after
one,� he confirmed. �For now, let�s go see the other suites and decide if
there�s anything that needs to be added or replaced.�
�Lead the way,� she said with a smile, waving him ahead as he�d
for her done earlier.
�This is the master suite,� he noted, opening a set of very
large double doors. �It�s a �his and hers� space,� he added nervously.
�A what?�
�Like my parents� suite at the manor. A large main suite and
a slightly smaller suite joined by a sitting room,� he explained, reminding her
of the similar layout that she�d seen a handful of times. It was the Malfoys�
private sanctuary, rarely visited by anyone else.
�Oh. Of course,� she acknowledged.
The doorway opened into the sitting room that he�d
mentioned. The room was intimate and understated, decorated in warm tones of
tan, cream and rich, dark brown. A tan suede loveseat sat in the room�s center,
facing the large picture window which overlooked the small garden in the rear
of the property. �The wide, dark-stained
wood casing gave the effect of creating a picture frame for the spring blooms
in pink, coral, red, yellow, white, and lavender accented by the vibrant greens
of stems, leaves and newly-mown grass. Matching walnut desks sat against the
wall on either side of the large window, each surface protected by tan leather
desk blotters, and dotted with inkwells filled with several colors of ink and
several fine-nibbed quills. Floor-to-ceiling
bookcases of the same wood sat beside each desk. High-backed leather chairs in
beige leather were tucked into the knee-holes.
Hermione stood silently, taking in the details of the
elegant, peaceful room as Draco watched her reaction. She evidently liked it,
if her wide eyes and broad smile were any indication. Finally, she shook
herself from her reverie and stepped over to look out over the verdant,
quintessential English garden. �Lovely,� she whispered, and took a moment to
enjoy the view before turning to face Draco once more.
�You approve?� he asked, for confirmation.
�Uh, yes. I can�t imagine why I
wouldn�t.�
A wave of sadness passed over him as he thought about the
likelihood of her changing her mind when she understood that this space would
be shared with him. He made an imperceptible shake of his head to clear the
thought and waved toward a door on his right. �The main suite is through there.
Let�s take a look.�
�You need to open it,� he instructed.
�Why?� she asked, obviously confused.
�The house is legally in your name. This room has a magical
�milady�s lock� on it. It will only admit the property owner, someone
specifically invited into the room by that person, or someone who is dearly
loved by that person,� he informed her.
�I�ve never heard of such a thing, but it�s rather�
ingenious.�
�I�m not terribly surprised that you wouldn�t have known
about them, but they�re fairly common in old-family homes. Very old magic,
that. Designed to ensure that the lady of the house was� protected from
unwanted� visitors,� he added with a flush on his cheeks.
She blushed at his obvious inference, but chose not to
comment. She stepped past him and twisted the doorknob, feeling the tingle of
magic as the house acknowledged her right to be there. The room was very nearly
as large as her own suite at Malfoy Manor and was decidedly feminine, but not
to the point of being frilly. The dominant color was the rich mauve of the silk
wall-coverings, accented with cream-painted woodwork and delicate floral
touches in the draperies and upholstery on the loveseat and two wing-backed
chairs. A king-sized bed was covered in a canopy of cream silk which matched
the thick down-filled duvet. The pillows � at least eight of them � were
covered in a shade of mauve slighter softer than that on the walls. Doors on
the far side of the room led to a bath and walk-in closet, Hermione concluded.
She looked back to find that he was still standing in the
sitting room. �What are you doing?� she asked.
�I can�t come in,� he replied.
�Of course you can,� she retorted, apparently slightly confused.
�Not until you��
Realization dawned and she blushed once again. �Oh, sorry. Draco, would you enter the room, please?�
He gave her a slight grin and stepped over the threshold.
�The consequences are not pretty. I�d be walking hunched over for days, trust
me.�
�Well, that wouldn�t do, now, would it?� she replied,
reasonably.
�This, obviously, will be your room when you and Louisa come
to visit,� Draco pronounced.
She shook her head slightly. �I couldn�t possibly��
�Of course you can. I�m sure you�ll want to be here with
Louisa, and it doesn�t make sense for you to use the guest room, as this room
already �knows� you. Besides, it will be yours when you eventually move in
anyway, after I�ve found my own place. It�s just logical for you to take it
now. I�ll take the suite on the opposite side,� he added. �You�ll be perfectly
safe here, Hermione.�
This time, the shake of her head was for a different reason.
�I�m sorry; that�s not what I was implying, Draco. This is all just a little
overwhelming.�
�Tell me about it.� His muttering was just loud enough to be
understood.
She snickered nervously in her embarrassment. �I guess
that�s the understatement of the decade, isn�t it?�
�No argument from me there,� he replied. �Would you like to
see my suite?�
It was clear to him that she was not able to find a polite
reason to refuse � after all, the property was
technically hers � he saw her agree with a nod and she followed him from the
room. As they crossed the threshold back into the sitting room, Draco turned to
tell her something.
�The protections on your room re-set every time you leave
it. I can�t go back in unless you repeat the invitation.� He thought she would
either need or want the reassurance.
�Oh� I hadn�t given it a thought,� she protested, but he
still wondered if she truly had. She was apparently curious, though, about the
depth of security in the magic that controlled such access, as she did pose a
question. �What if you needed to go in the room for something, like an
emergency of some sort?�
�I can enter only if you�re not there. If you were in danger
of some kind, the room would sense your implied invitation for aid, but if you
really didn�t want me there, nothing would allow me past the doorway,� he
assured her, feeling a little nauseous that she was so concerned over her
safety with him.
He wondered if she sensed his unease - the sudden greenness
of his complexion was probably a dead give-away � and his suspicion was
confirmed when she attempted to placate his feelings with a reassurance of her
own. �Oh, I�m sure there�ll be plenty of reasons that I would invite you in.
Really, Draco, don�t be so paranoid. I trust you,� she said, her voice
struggling to maintain a light and teasing tone. He wasn�t fooled, but he
appreciated her effort.
As they crossed the sitting room to the �milord�s� suite,
Draco invited Hermione to open the door. She looked at him inquisitively,
wondering if the room held the same protections as hers did. He smiled
benevolently, encouraging her with a subtle nod. When she placed her hand on
the heavy brass knob, magic tingled once more, but there was no adverse effect.
�You are able to access any room in the house,� he told her.
�You have free reign without any restrictions.�
�Oh, uh, thank you.�
�Don�t thank me; thank my parents,� he offered with a grin
and shrug. �While I can live here, I�m not the property�s �master� in any legal
sense.� He laughed shortly as he recalled a childhood memory.
�What?� she probed, her tone amused and curious.
�I just remembered something that my parents used to do when
I was little.� His old smirk was firmly evident.
�Oh?�Since he�d been cagey about it, now she was dying to
know.
�When they wanted some, uh, undisturbed �private time,�
they�d extend milady�s charm to the sitting room door. Got knocked on my arse more than once,� he chuckled, blushing again.
She laughed aloud, as much at the mental picture as at his
frequent flushing. Tactile person that she�d always been, she reached out and
grasped his forearm in her mirth.
He tensed slightly, but smiled and patted her hand where it
rested. �Let�s?� he urged, lifting his hand to wave into the room.
She dropped her grip quickly and stepped into his new
bedroom, noting immediately that it was as masculine as hers was feminine.
Everything was black, grey, and white, sharp-edged and stark. The furniture was
Asian black lacquer, polished to a high sheen. Why the bedrooms had not been
draped in sheeting as had the rooms on the first floor was not evident. Most
likely, there were charms in place because of the profusion of fabrics and
pillows that would collect dust. Like the lady�s suite, the room featured a
king-sized bed, this had a simple headboard and was covered
in a thick black duvet, and white and grey silk pillows. A low black bench, its
seat covered in white leather, sat at the bed�s foot. The ebony wood floor was
covered by strategically placed grey area rugs: on either side of the bed, in
front of the black leather settee which faced a substantial black granite
fireplace, under the small writing desk settled between two tall windows, and
at the entrance to both the walk-in closet and white marble bath.
The walls were covered with light grey moir� silk, making
the room seem to shimmer in the afternoon sun. The woodwork was painted stark
white, and sharply tailored black drapes topped white silk sheer curtains.
�Wow,� Hermione said. �Very� posh.�
�I�ve actually only been in this room a couple of times, but
I�ve always liked it. Very posh, but also quite macho,� he laughed. �My father
didn�t use it very often,� he whispered conspiratorially, daring to wink at
her.
She took no offense and laughed, playfully smacking him on
the shoulder for his cheekiness. �Despite their external reserve, your parents
really do love each other,� she noted.
�Yes, they do.� He cleared his throat. �They are� passionate
about the people and things that are important to them, and that certainly
includes each other. It seems clear that you and Louisa have been added to
their fold.�
Hermione hesitated a moment before responding to his
comment. �You know how much they cherish you, don�t you?�
�Of course. I must admit that it�s
a bit� different to be sharing their affections with others. It was always only
the three of us until you and Louisa came along.� He shrugged, frustrated in
his inability to articulate what he was thinking and feeling.
Hermione sat on the bench at the foot of the bed and patted
the spot beside her, inviting him to sit. She twisted a bit, tucked one leg
underneath the other, and rested her knee on the cool leather surface. She
faced him and, for once, met his eyes very deliberately. �Love is never
divided, Draco. It can only be multiplied. I never understood that until I had
Louisa. Your parents have shown their great capacity for it when they welcomed
the two of us into the family. When I saw you with Louisa yesterday, I could
tell how much you were affected by meeting her and knowing that she�s your
daughter. You and I know better than anyone that she wasn�t conceived in a way
either of us would have preferred, but I refuse to allow you to feel any blame
or remorse for that, Draco. Let yourself love her for what and who she is: your
own flesh and blood, and a sweet, loving, whip-smart child. Please, I beg you,
don�t look at her and see your mistakes, because we both know they were not
your fault. Cherish her as much as she�ll cherish having her Papa home with her
now. You need each other, and I need you, too. I need you to embrace her fully
so that she won�t feel the awkward tension between us, so she won�t wonder
about strain between her Mum and Papa. For her sake, let�s figure out how we
can be at peace with each other, because I�m not sure I�m strong enough to
carry all three of us.�
Draco felt his face heat with embarrassment. Listening to
her speak, he further understood why he loved this woman and was so desperately
drawn to her, and recognized how little he deserved to have her even as his
friend. Still, it seemed as though she might have misinterpreted what he was
saying. �I said �different,� Hermione, not difficult. I�ve never felt my heart
swell as much as the moment I held Louisa for the first time yesterday. Even
the moment I saw her in front of the apothecary, I knew that she would
completely change my life for the better. Here�s the thing - I know that I have
her in my life now, and I want more. I want the family that my parents had, a
partner in my life, another child, even.�
He saw the anxiety fill her eyes and knew he needed to back
off � do a little damage control. �I also know that those things aren�t likely
to happen, certainly any time soon. But that�s the man I want to be, whatever I
have to do and however long it takes me to get there. I can promise you this:
I�ll spend the rest of my life working to make myself worthy of that kind of
life, whether or not I actually achieve it.�
Hermione�s gaze had drifted to the hands she�d clasped in
her lap. He was so earnest and sounded so sincere.
Draco touched her chin with a finger, dragging her attention
back to him. �Please, Hermione, will you help me learn to be a good father to
her? Will you allow me to be a friend and supporter for you? I promise I won�t
fail you, at least never intentionally. Give me a chance?�
She hadn�t realized when it happened, but her eyes had
filled with tears, hearing his heartfelt plea. This man was a completely
different person from what she�d expected him to be. It was risky, without a
doubt, but maybe it would be worth it to really get to know him, really allow
him to be a friend. After all, they would be sharing time and space for years
in their mutual responsibility to raise Louisa. She felt oddly compelled and
leaned her cheek into the hand that hadn�t left her face. She whispered her
answer. �I promise; I�ll try.�
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Consequences and Complexities