STEPPING IN A NEW WORLD
The next two days were spent sleeping (on Hermione's part), fussing about Hermione (Ginny's part) and silently overwatching the whole situation, done by Lucius. Harry, who always became very skittish in hospitals, happily returned to his Auror job. He had interrogated Lucius about the man's previous statement of being Hermione's husband. But as he shared the medical information with Harry, he let the small ordeal slip away without official notice.
When the time to depart came, Ginny gave her friend a small suitcase with all her necessities she had picked up from Hermione's home. Ginny had sided with Malfoy sen. and Hermione didn't stand a chance against them. Healer Harris signed her final report on Hermione's health status and then she was free to go. Well almost.
As soon as she exited the bathroom in her own clothes after spending the last days in ugly, scratchy hospital gowns, Lucius rushed over to her. He took her at her arm and with his other, got her suitcase. He guided her outside the room – a private one, she recognised – and they left in the direction of the floo stations.
Ginny had excused herself as they left the room, because she had a check-up exam in another part of the hospital.
"It was strange, standing next to a man she would be living with," she concluded. They were not talking to each other like they used to do. The silence stretched until it was their part to step into the floo. Together.
Hermione looked to Lucius. Reading the question in her eyes, he answered: "I have changed the wards to the Manor but it's safer for you to floo the first time with me, so they won't rip you into small pieces."
Well, she wasn't too fond of landing in the hospital so soon again.
Hermione had never been one of the most gracious people stepping out of the floo. But after spending the previous days in bed, her legs didn't hold her up like they used to. Thankfully, Lucius steadied her. Nevertheless, she looked a little bit green in the face.
"Don't try to be sick on the floor. This is a 17-century old carpet." Hermione looked down to the floor where an oddly green and white patterned carpet laid. It was ugly. "And I don't want to push you back in the floo to St. Mungo's again."
"Gosh, this living together will be fun," she thought.
They had flooed into a small, in Malfoy-measurement, room which was additionally decorated with some chairs around a table. And the only other decoration was the fireplace they just stepped out. This meant only one thing: the Malfoys had their own flooing-room.
Lucius led her out of the door into the grand entrance hall. Their shoes clicked on the marble floor when they crossed the hall towards the staircases. On every wall, there hang several portraits Malfoy's ancestors, chatting silently with each other while watching the girl breathtakingly taking the room into account.
It was like stepping into a different world.
She could call a small cottage her home. It was perfect for living alone. She had her bedroom, living room, kitchen and a guest room which she used as a library. Warm colours were everywhere in her house as she wanted to feel comfortable. She had everything to be happy.
Walking in the entrance of Malfoy Manor, however, was a totally nerve-wracking experience. Her cottage could fit very easily in this hall. Hell, it did match Hogwarts Great Hall in terms of size.
Furthermore, where her cottage was warm in colours, the Manor looked like an ice palace. White marble on the floor, light blue on the walls and every picture frame was silver.
And then, there were the-
"Master Malfoy is back"
"Master Malfoy, Winky prepared the room"
Taking a deep breath, Hermione stared at the house elves which appeared in a line in front of their master. He had house elves. Of course, he's Malfoy. But how many were they? At first glance, she took in at least 5 of them. It was difficult to say because Malfoy barked some orders at them and they disappeared.
Looking back at Hermione, Lucius expectantly raised one eyebrow. Hermione startled out of her shock and got back next to him, while he was already starting to climb the stairs.
He led her to a room on the second floor. The door was made of black wood with a beautiful engraving showing some kind of tree. As Lucius touched the handle, the leaves on the tree ruffled as if a soft wind blew through them and then the door opened.
Malfoy opened the door open and motioned for her to step in. Seeing that his guest stared interested at the door and made no move to enter the room at all, he inwardly rolled his eyes. It would do no good to let that see Hermione. But it was so typical of her, to always want to understand new things and to gain knowledge. As he could well understand her search for answers, he explained the phenomenon to her.
"It's a charm. Similar to the portraits at Hogwarts. However, you don't need a password to enter your room. You just need to touch it and it reads your intention. If its unharming to the inhabitants, the door will open. In the other case, the door will lock itself with different charms and add protective wards all around the room."
Now, Hermione looked away from the door and in the same awe at him.
"I have never heard of something like this."
Lucius smirked, "Of course not. Malfoys do tend to keep their secrets to themselves, my dear."
Finally, she stepped into the room.
It. Was. Pink.
Everything, from the four-postered bed, over the wardrobe to the couch and armchairs, was in different shades of pink. She felt like she had stepped inside of a giant bubble of pink chewing gum. Only the carpet was white.
"Ehm.. Lucius...", Hermione started slowly but stopped right away when she heard him chuckling behind her. Her horror must have shown on her face because Lucius wrapped an arm around her waist and led her out of the room again to the door next to it.
"I'm sorry, my dear. I just wanted to see your face. It's not your room. It was intended as a nursery for other children after Draco, but as it is, there was no use. So just the bed was changed and now it's a guest room for unwanted guests. No one stays long if they have to sleep in this atrocity."
Hermione just looked at him, not yet having decided if it was funny or not. She assumed Narcissa decorated the room and Lucius had no say in it.
When Lucius opened the next door, Hermione felt like being in heaven.
A/N: I'm sorry for not updating sooner. However, I have already a new, almost complete chapter. This will be uploaded soon.
As always, do send me your thoughts and recommendations.