"The space between
The wicked lies we tell
And hope to keep us safe from the pain."
Dave Mathews Band
Hermione was racing into the lovely kitchen with determination and a touch of franticness. "Have a bite, girl," Andromeda declared, and Hermione stopped her motion.
"I would, but I have to get to the portkey in five minutes," Hermione huffed, running a hand through her hair.
Pink fuzz entered the room at a fast speed, and the woman lurched. "Hermione! Good morning," Teddy exclaimed, hugging her torso tightly.
"Good morning, lovely. I have to go to work, or I would stay all day long," she sighed, leaning down and kissing his forehead.
"Ah, yes, we have one more summer until my little Edward is at Hogwarts," Andromeda exhaled with a small smile.
Teddy jumped away from Hermione and clapped. "I am so excited! I get to actually go to Hogwarts."
Hermione snatched a bran muffin off the counter and sipped the teacup she abandoned while getting dressed. "I have to go, but I shouldn't be gone all day. I am going to try to leave as soon as I can."
Teddy gave her another squeeze and Hermione walked up to the withered-looking witch at the kitchen table. Hermione kissed her forehead and bid them both goodbye while nibbling at her muffin.
She knew her life was odd. Hermione was beyond mournful when she saw her favorite professor and the love of his life dead after the battle ended. She knew she would never let Teddy go through the sadness that Harry had to, so she made it her mission to take care of them.
Andromeda was more than happy to have the fellow bibliophile over. Hermione never did find her parents, so she felt it only right to take care of the sweet girl as she took care of them. It was their unusual family and one of which Hermione was thankful for every day. Andromeda grew sick a couple of years back, and it was an ailment that would slowly deteriorate her over time. Hermione moved in, and that was that.
Hermione finished her muffin and tucked the wrapper in her bag, making sure it was buried. Once she was walking toward the mountainous manor, she changed her posture and straightened her shoulders. It made her nervous even to be there, standing at the intimidating structure. Her hand caressed the door handle, and she tried to stop it from shaking lightly.
When she knocked, the door swung open. "Hello," a small blond boy declared with a wave.
The witch examined him and frowned lightly. "Hello, is your mummy or daddy home?" She had no clue that Narcissa could even have more children.
"Mhm, daddy is. Mummy doesn't live here anymore," the boy muttered with a scowl.
Hermione bent down to him and beamed. "Well, my name is Hermione, what is yours?"
The boy smirked and her stomach twisted; he was indeed a Malfoy no doubt. "Scorpius. Dad pulled my name from the stars. Just like grandmother and dad."
"Scorpius, let the witch come inside," Lucius hissed lightly.
The boy backed away from the door and held his arm out toward the hall. "Are you going to come have breakfast?" Scorpius inquired and Hermione hemmed.
She walked into the room and saw Lucius standing there with a friendly smile; if that was even possible for the older Malfoy. "I am only here for work, I can wait for your family to finish breakfast," Hermione declared and bowed her head lightly. "Thank you for the offer."
"Nonsense, girl, come now," Lucius ordered and wagged a finger at her before turning.
Scorpius shrugged his shoulders at her and followed, which only made Hermione cringe lightly. Her heels were loud on the tile as she pursued them toward what she assumed was the dining hall. When she entered, she saw the beautiful muted green and silvers of the curtains along the bright windows. Hermione was gazing around at the beautiful paintings and even the smaller finger paintings of a child on the walls.
It felt welcoming and made Hermione calm a bit of her anxiety. "Father, I thought you told me we had time to eat," Draco's voice interrupted her observations.
Lucius tutted as he sat down next to Narcissa. "Nonsense, Draco. We have time. Miss Granger is going to join us. I am positive she hasn't eaten this morning." Lucius said with a smirk.
Narcissa shot him a warning glare before clearing her throat. "Scorpius, go sit next to your father," the witch announced and the child strolled next to Draco.
The realization smacked her stiff. Had she not realized that Draco was married with a child? Were they quiet about the marriage? Was it an elopement? The occurrence that she hadn't really focused on anything but her orbit of family and friends was potent. Hermione had no idea that Draco Malfoy was a husband and father.
"Sit, Miss Granger," Lucius said pointing to the empty side of the long table.
Hermione descended into an empty chair and swallowed. "Miss Granger? Were you not engaged a few years ago?" Narcissa questioned before sipping her tea.
The young witch chewed the inside of her cheek and tilted her head. "Well, things happen. It was a joint decision to call it off."
Draco snorted with a roll of his eyes. "You and Weasley would have killed each other." He spat.
Before Hermione could retort hotly, a house elf appeared and set down plates for everyone. She settled down her angry at his jab and reached for a teacup to dress.
"Do you have to brush your hair all the time?" Scorpius inquired and Hermione arched an eyebrow at him.
"Excuse me?" she replied, and the boy huffed.
"Your hair, it is so pretty and curly. Do you brush it that way?"
Draco glared down at the boy. "That is rude, Scorpius."
"No, it is fine. Scorpius, I don't brush it that way, it grows that way." Hermione responded with a smile.
The boy put his hands around his juice cup and bobbed his head. "My mummy has long straight hair. It is dark." He told her, and the witch sipped her tea.
"I bet she is lovely."
The boy nodded after swigging his cup and leaned forward. "Do you have babies?" he questioned further.
"My, my, aren't we curious today," Narcissa laughed as Hermione's cheeks bloomed.
"No, I do not. However, I do have many nephews and a few nieces." Hermione murmured after gulping down the scathing liquid.
Lucius raised his fork as an eyebrow crept up to his hairline. "I believe you understand then that our grandson does not have very many strangers in his home."
Hermione turned to the breakfast and pretended to have more interest in the food despite her displeasing unease in her gut. It gave the Malfoy family a chance to look at the unsure woman. Lucius was smirking at his wife who seemed fairly unamused with his ploy but said nothing. Draco eyed the witch with displeasure.
"So, the ministry. Never pegged you as a simple paper pusher," Draco snickered, playing his silverware down.
"I am not a paper pusher," Hermione snapped, bristling at his comment. "I will have you know, I have written most of the laws passed in the last two years. My work is valuable, Malfoy," she finished with her chin tilted up toward the ceiling.
Draco lounged in his chair and snorted. "Writing a bill hardly constitutes as life-altering, Granger," he retorted, folding his arms over his chest.
"Draco Malfoy! Watch your tongue!" Narcissa snapped, placing her cup hard on the table. "I will not stand for that type of disrespect in my home."
Hermione rose from her chair and resituated her bag. "I am going to run to the restroom. Hopefully, we can act like adults and have a proper conversation about what is to come this next quarter."
"Let me show you where it is," Narcissa offered and stood up. "It is the least I could do," she murmured and met the flustered woman around the table.
The witches left the room, and Scorpius eyed his father. "Dad, why are you mad?"
"I am not," Draco said and ruffled his son's hair. "Not a bit."
Lucius sneered at his son. "Well, it is to be expected. You never did tolerate her."
Draco rose an eyebrow. "I have to wonder, father, why you suddenly seem to."
"Take your future into consideration," Lucius spat and stood up. "It is time to make nice," he responded with a wicked smile.
Draco blanched lightly and waved the man off. "You do just that, father. I don't want even to know."
Hermione had situated in the large armchair. Lucius was sitting with Narcissa on the sofa while Draco lounged on the loveseat. Scorpius was in the corner at his small table, coloring on parchment with pastels. Her revealed calves were folded over in a tight attachment as she glanced over the papers Kingsley had given her.
"So, this is just an introduction to what this rehabilitation is about. We are going to need to have healthy communication in order to be successful with this. The first month is going to be visitations, routine observation and hopefully we can do so with pleasantries," Hermione paused and eyed Draco who swiveled his eyes. "The second month we will be doing a bit more exterior observation. Outings, experiences with witches and wizards that might have had opposite views during the war… a bit rougher, but important for such restoration. The third month is an application of both so I can see if your family has really recovered from the decade of isolation." Hermione finished with a nod.
"So, are we on a schedule?" Narcissa inquired.
Hermione flipped the parchment in hand and shrugged her shoulders. "I suppose that would be between us. Nowhere in my instructions is that placed."
Lucius scratched his chin with a smirk. "Well, we have never been one for schedules, dear," he told his wife who snorted very unladylike.
Hermione felt there was more to their interactions than they let on as she shifted. "Well, we can start with the basics. I will be coming over with different conversation starters as well as observing routine. Now, I am not keen on this whole business either, but it is a must for the process." She huffed and turned another piece of parchment. "We will also be confronting some of the difficult circumstances that happened leading up to the end of the war." She finished with a grimace.
"What is the purpose of this bloody thing anyway?" Draco spat, sitting up with a sneer.
Hermione huffed and tossed some of her hair to the side. "I don't know what you want me to say. It is so you can rejoin society without the negative influence. This is for you. If you do this successfully, no one can publicly speak against you. Don't you understand that?" Hermione tried to bite back the frustration.
Draco narrowed his eyes at her. "Well, what made you so special that you get to pick us apart."
"Draco, please, let the witch do her job?" Narcissa begged, pinching the bridge of her nose.
Hermione threw the parchment sheets on the table and glared at Draco. "You listen to me; if I refused to do this, I don't lose any sleep over this. All I have to do is rewrite a bill and spend the next two months kissing knuckles to appease the Wizengamot. If you don't want me here, I can leave," she snapped sharply.
Lucius waved the witch off. "Nonsense, Miss Granger. Draco, unfortunately, has a temper as you know."
The curly-haired witch eyed the older Malfoy with apprehension. "Well, this is a group effort. I am not going to let things slide because of applied social etiquette."
"Shall I give you a tour of the house while the wizards have a chat?" Narcissa inquired, and Hermione exhaled with a nod.
"I suppose so."
"Come, Scorpius. Let's let your father and grandfather have a moment," Narcissa declared and rose from her seat.
The boy hopped up and held up his hands. "Look! I have my green mixing with my purple!" he giggled, and Hermione warmed with a genuine smile.
"It is charming. Why don't you tell me about what you like to draw?" Hermione asked as the witches strolled from the room.
Lucius squared his vision on his lounging son. "What are you thinking?" he hissed sharply when the group was out of earshot.
"What are you thinking father? I see the way you and mother are acting."
Lucius smirked and waved his hand in the air. "Doing what the ministry is asking us to; I am being friendly with that little mudblood girl."
Draco grimaced and scoffed. "Well, I suppose feigning friendliness is better than trying to shag her."
Lucius arched an eyebrow while scratching his chin. "She does seem a bit wound up. It might benefit us if she becomes attached."
"She is not one of your playthings, father," Draco snapped, snatching the pages off the table. "This has serious repercussions if you do not follow the rules, father."
"Rules are always bendable, son. Haven't you learned anything?" Lucius huffed with a scowl.
Draco narrowed his eyes at Lucius. "Listen, I am not going to participate in this. You want to toy with her, then do so. However, I am not going to assist in your 'play nice,' for the sake of doing so. Mother would be ashamed of your actions."
"Your mother insisted on them!" Lucius snapped. "She knows how important it is to get back into a seat of power for this house. If you cared about anything but your morose feelings, then you would do this for your son!"
Draco stood up, and his upper lip revealed his teeth before he spoke. "My whole life I live for my son. I am not you, father. Now, I am going to compose myself and have some semblance of manners so I can ignore your fraudulent behavior." He spat, shifting toward the doorway.
"Draco Malfoy, you will do this for your family," Lucius ordered.
Draco turned back toward his father. "No, father, I am doing this for Scorpius. Your influence has little to do with my actions. I stopped letting it when I married Astoria." He retorted, leaving his father to stew.