AN: Hey all! I edited it! New and improved Chapter uno! I hope you guys like it as much as I do. ENJOY!

Date edited: August 6, 2010

Chapter – Meeting the Malfoys

Hermione Malfoy was used to waking up to an empty bed.

During the first few weeks, she usually questioned it, but always found her husband already in the kitchen, newspaper in hand and coffee in the other. Her husband always was an early riser, so this morning didn't come as much of a surprise.

She walked to her dresser and pulled out a silk green house robe that her husband talked her into getting.

Hermione smiled.

Perhaps this would appear endearing to someone. A knowing smile and a shared secret between a husband and wife. This however, was merely a smile of amusement on Hermione's part.

Draco's been in a real foul mood the day he got her this, and he made it a point to pass by Deirdre's Dress Emporium as quickly as possible to get Hermione what she wanted so that they could go home.

To tell the truth, the Malfoys felt no intimate affection towards each other, and Hermione was fine with that.

Their marriage was a business agreement.

The war left behind a black scar on the wizarding world, leaving the gap between purebloods and muggle-borns deeper and wider then ever, and so, the Ministry decided that desperate times call for desperate measures.

"Why not bind two of the most influential people together?" Was their bright idea, and that, my dear friends, is how the Malfoy-Granger marriage scandal had started.

Of course, nobody knew this was all a charade, especially since Lucius Malfoy,

Ex-death eater, announced the engagement himself in front of a swarm of news reporters and people who just happened to be in the vicinity at that particular time.

Hermione definitely wasn't happy with that, and made it a point to show her unease. Lucius however just patted Hermione on the head like a little girl and asked her (very politely) to make him some tea.

Things turned out rather swimmingly after the first few months. Draco and Hermione didn't kill each other for starters. Hermione's relationship with her in-laws improved. She would make Lucius his tea every morning and every night because no one else knew how he liked it (The elves always put one too many sugar cubes.) And during the afternoons, she would have lunch with Narcissa on the terrace, listening to the woman rave on and on about how horrible Rita Skeeter was and how she was inviting her for tea the next day.

The Malfoy Manor definitely lost its 'gloom and doom' aura after an added few weeks of tireless renovation by our favorite Gryffindor. All the drab grey and green curtains were replaced with stunning gold and crimson ones, always pulled back to let the light stream down the marble corridors.

Quite an amount of black has been taken out, replaced by creams and whites, with the occasional green (for the Malfoy's sake.)

Of course, it took some time getting used to being polite to the house elves and all the sunshine in the Manor, but it sure brightened up Lucius' disposition, which was always a plus in Narcissa and Draco's book.

Now, a year later, things were neutral. Draco and Hermione learned to get along for his parents' sake and for the people who think they're deeply in love with one another. At least when they're around said people.

Hermione tied the sash of the robe and walked down the polished steps of the Malfoy Manor.

Her hair was still frazzled from sleep, and she was in dire need of a cup of coffee.

"Tinky!" She called, and a small thin creature appeared in front of her in an instant.

"How may Tinky serve you's missus?" Hermione bent down to Tinky's height and smiled softly.

"Do you happen to know where Draco is, Tinky?" Hermione asked kindly, attempting to flatten down her hair.

"The young master? Oh yes! Tinky's seen him! Tinky's serves him his coffee this mornings, missus. I thinks the masters in the gardens with his parents, missus. Yes, Tinky thinks he says that." Tinky said eagerly, hands fiddling with the bottom of her red shirt Hermione most graciously gave her.

"Thank-you, Tinky, you can go back to work now." Hermione said with a smile, watching Tinky bow before disappearing with another crack. Hermione sighed and once more, attempted to calm her mane before heading to the gardens for some breakfast.

It didn't take too long to reach the Malfoy Gardens. It was always Narcissa's favorite spot, and Lucius went wherever Narcissa went.

"Hermione, darling! How nice of you to join us!" Narcissa smiled, offering her a chair beside her. Hermione smiled back and bit back a yawn.

"Good morning Narcissa, Lucius, Draco." She said to each one of them, helping herself to some toast and orange marmalade.

"Hermione, I'm to inform you that seeing as how you weren't awake to make me my tea, I made it myself… although it tasted rather ghastly to be honest." Lucius commented, putting down the cup for Hermione to observe. Hermione looked at the cup and back to Lucius in amusement.

"Well, I believe it would taste better if you took out the plastic before putting in the tea bag, Lucius." Lucius scrunched up his face in mild annoyance.

"Honestly, it's not a wonder why you do it for me. I am absolutely hopeless in these odd muggle inventions of yours." Lucius said in a clipped tone, taking a bite out of his pear. Hermione bit her lip to stop her from smiling. She took out her wand from her pocket and made a few quick flicks in the air, making Lucius a brand new cup, stirring it diligently before adding the tea-leaves and sugar cubes, handing it to Lucius with a grin.

"There you go, Lucius." She said. Lucius looked at it for a while, as if debating whether or not to sacrifice his pride or give in to having his tea. Apparently, his craving for tea won, seeing as how he picked up the cup hurriedly, shot Hermione a curt 'Thank-you' and left with the excuse of having to check on his snapping geraniums.

Narcissa smiled at her husband, then looked back to the now silent couple. She smiled fondly, noticing how annoyingly civil they were being to one another.

"Please pass the jam, Draco."

"Of course, Hermione."

"Thank you, Draco."

Narcissa wanted to just permanently glue them together in hopes of them to maybe fall in love. But alas, stories like that only happen in fairy tale books… or at least, that's what Hermione told her. Narcissa never read a muggle story in her life.

"Well, my dears, I'll just go check on your father and make sure he hasn't destroyed any of my daffodils." Narcissa said, with a not so subtle wink of farewell to Draco.

Another silence ensued after. Hermione risked a quick glance towards her husband, and couldn't stop the giggle that bubbled out of her mouth. Draco looked at her in curiosity and slight annoyance, touching his face in mild insecurity.

"What is it?" He demanded lightly, fingering his cheek as if to remove something. Hermione stood up and put a hand on her hip, pointing to his messy hair.

"It's probably just as horrid as mine." She commented. Draco's eyes widened at the comparison and quickly looked at his reflection on a nearby window. His shoulders slackened when he arrived at the conclusion that Hermione was, by far, exaggerating.

"That's impossible, Granger, for your hair is pretty hard to beat in the 'horrid' category." He said calmly, sipping from his tea. Hermione however wasn't fazed, but just smiled in response. She was used to their light banter… sometimes, in her utmost boredom, she fed off of it. Draco was her companion. Sometimes even a friend, if you wanted to go through technical terms.

Another silence occurred after Hermione sat back down, nibbling on her toast. Draco noticed her lack of eating and frowned in what some would count as concern, putting the last of his apples on her plate.

"It's not healthy to not eat anything it the morning, Granger." He said, not looking at her, but at the grapefruit he was now eating.

"Concerned for me, are you, Malfoy?" Hermione teased. Draco, however did not respond, but continued to eat his grapefruit. Hermione looked at the green apple in front of her and smiled softly. She knew how much Draco enjoyed these kinds of apples. She subtly glanced at him, to find him looking at the apple longingly.

"Why don't we split this one, Malfoy? I was thinking more of a banana for today." She said, and with her wand, sliced the apple in two, passing one half to Draco. Draco looked at the half-apple with wide eyes. He looked at his wife in mild shock, but only found her eating her banana, a small smile gracing her lips.

Draco couldn't help the small smile making it's way to his lips, as well. He took the apple and started eating.

"Thank-you, Hermione." He said. Hermione looked at him and smiled.

"You're welcome, Draco."

(Insert break line here)

"Cissy, I- uh.. The geraniums are well in order." Lucius said, straightening from his crouched position behind the rose bush.

"Oh, hush, Lucius, and hide yourself before they see you." Narcissa said, attempting to shield her more from the couple they were spying on. A grin formed on her face, followed by a soft squeal of delight.

"Oh look, Lou, I told you they would learn to get along." Narcissa said, hoping to catch more. Lucius tried to retain the passive expression on his face, but couldn't help but smile at Hermione's gesture of kindness.

"Yes, I daresay you were right." He murmured. And suddenly, a full-blown smile appeared on his face. "I daresay, you were right." He repeated, before straightening up and offering his hand to his wife.

"Why don't we go for a walk, Cissy? I hear the Wisterias are growing rather beautifully." He said. Narcissa looked at her husband in confusion before smiling and accepting his hand.

"You've changed, Lucius. For the better, of course." Narcissa observed. Lucius smiled and nodded.

"Once again, m'dear, you are right." He said, continuing their walk around the garden.

AN: I'm finished with the first chapter! I don't know about you guys, but I think this one was much better then my old one. But you guys are the ones to judge that! If you want to ask me some questions, go see my tumblr and ask me in my ask box! OR FOLLOW ME. :))

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I hope you guys enjoyed!