Lines of Communication
Chapter 10
At Malfoy Manor, Narcissa directed the elves to set the table to perfection. Draco checked the food for the tenth time and looked at the clock. Six thirty, where is she?
Hermione quickly stamped the last of her forms and glanced at the clock. Shite, six thirty! Some of the work would have to wait until tomorrow, she had a dinner to get to. At six forty, the chimes at Malfoy Manor sounded.
"A young miss is at front door," an elf announced.
Draco hurried to the door but answered it casually. She gave him a tired smile.
"I'm starving," she said.
"In that case, welcome to dinner." He took her hand and led her inside. Narcissa was waiting in the foyer.
"Miss Granger, I'm pleased you could join us for dinner, Draco has spoke of nothing else," she said.
"Thank you, madame," Hermione said.
"Can I take your robe?" he asked.
She nodded and slipped it off her shoulders.
"Did you come from your place of work?" Narcissa asked.
"Yes I did, Madame."
Narcissa admired Hermione's classy black pant suit with a crisp white shirt. A simple pearl necklace perfectly complimented the ensemble.
"May I use your lavatory?" Hermione asked.
"Certainly, Draco will show you where it is," Narcissa replied and summoned a house elf.
When Hermione finished in the lav, she emerged with her hair cascading around and down her shoulders.
"Why Miss Granger, your hair looks positively beautiful when worn down," Narcissa said.
"I agree," Draco said.
"Please call me Hermione, and I only wear the chignon for work," Hermione replied. "That's kind of you to say. My hair used to be a nightmare."
"I hope you don't mind the presence of other dinner guests, I invited the Zabinis as well," Narcissa said.
"I think I need a drink," Draco muttered.
He was fairly sure his mother not only invited Mrs. Zabini; but Blaise, his wife and baby to show Draco what he was missing.
"Hermione, care join me in the den for a drink before dinner?" he asked.
In the den over a glasses of sherry, Draco warned Hermione about the impending dinner. "Mother is going to lay it on pretty thick about domestic bliss, thinking she's subtle about it. I hope it doesn't upset you," Draco said.
"Are you kidding? You haven't seen my mum yet," Hermione said and downed the rest of her wine with a shrug. "I'm used to it, I'll be a sport about it."
"I like your style," he said when he heard his mother call from the foyer. "They're here, brace yourself."
The Zabini family strolled from the corridor just as Hermione and Draco came from the parlor. Blaise's eyebrows rose slightly when he saw Hermione.
"Zabini," Hermione said with a nod.
"Granger," he replied.
He said something in Italian to his wife, who nodded politely at Hermione.
"This is our daughter, Gianina," Blaise said proudly and held the baby up for Hermione to see. She gasped when she saw the baby.
"That's the most beautiful baby I've ever seen!" Hermione exclaimed.
Blaise's mother and Narcissa winked at each other. Draco resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Blaise told his wife what Hermione said.
"Gracie, signorina," Mrs. Zabini replied and said something Blaise. "My wife thanks you, says that you have pretty eyes, and that she modeled the shoes you have on a few months ago, you must have good taste," he said.
"Dinner is served," Dibby popped in and announced.
At dinner, Narcissa got an excellent chance to observe Hermione and was immensely pleased be able to add "well-mannered" to her list of attributes. She placed her napkin in her lap when she sat down, didn't slurp the soup and spooned from front to back, made polite conversation at the appropriate time, and used the proper forks during dinner. The young Mrs. Zabini made the faux paus of eating the main course with the salad fork, and wasn't Hermione's discrete flirting with her son adorable!
Hermione knew she was under inspection during dinner, but ate casually nonetheless, shooting Draco fleeting glances throughout dinner. When she saw Blaise's wife pick up the salad fork for the main course, she subtly tapped the correct fork to try and get her attention. Oh well. This didn't go unnoticed by the elder Mrs. Zabini.
"Miss Granger, why haven't you settled down and married as of yet?" Mrs. Zabini asked.
"I just haven't found the right man yet," she said.
"It is the duty of every witch to continue the line, regardless of whether the right man comes along or not," Mrs. Zabini stated.
Narcissa interceded. "Miss Granger, I must apologize for impertinent comments of my guest."
Narcissa was appalled; just how much wine had Madame Zabini imbibed to make such an blatant statement to someone she had never met?
"No need, I will be happy to answer Madame Zabini's question," Hermione said calmly and deliberately wiped her mouth with her napkin. She looked squarely and Mrs. Zabini and spoke. Blaise quietly translated for his wife.
"While I will not dispute the importance of bearing future wizards and witches, I feel the need to remind you that I am Muggle-born, raised with the belief that in order to have the happiest life possible, duty to the conscience comes first. I cannot, in all honesty, marry someone with the sole intention of breeding. Not loving my husband wouldn't be fair to him, or me, nor would it be fair to the children to think that they were a product of duty instead of love. My parents are more in love with each other now than the day they wed 24 years ago, and I challenge anyone to tell them that marriage is a duty."
She relaxed in her chair, took a sip of wine and looked pointedly at Madame Zabini as if to say "okay, next question." Blaise wasn't surprised, this was Granger after all. His wife toasted her with a soft "Bravo!" Draco and Narcissa's eyes shined with admiration at Hermione's eloquent rebuttal. Madame Zabini said nothing the rest of the meal.
"Dessert anyone?" Narcissa asked.
After dinner, Draco ushered Hermione into the manor's library.
"Draco, I must confess something. They day I came here for that accident, I got a glimpse of this room and secretly wished you had made the potions blunder in here," she said. "This library is amazing."
"I hope you don't mind, I took the liberty of getting you something," he said, picked a book from a shelf and gave it to her. It was the book she had admired from the bookstore.
She lovingly caressed the cover and opened it. "I don't know what to say...it's too much...but thank you," she said softly.
He lifted her chin with his fingertips to look in her eyes, shining with gratitude and affection. "You're welcome," he said. "Let's sit on the sofa and you can read some to to me."
Sometime later, Narcissa went to the library to let Draco know that the Zabinis were leaving. At the doorway, she was treated to the sight of Draco and Hermione wrapped up with each other, kissing and whispering, oblivious to anything beyond the sofa. She stepped back from the doorway, thrilled at howthe way the evening had turned out.
However thrilled Narcissa was, Draco was ecstatic. He had his hands full of warm, soft, enthusiastically-kissing Hermione. Her lips moved from his mouth, gently along his jawline and down to his neck, suckling there then moving back to his mouth. He had never been so thoroughly kissed to perfection by anyone. For Hermione, it had been too long since she'd been kissed like this. What had she been doing all this time? Who would have ever thought such pleasure could be derived from kissing? If this how good he's at at just kissing, I can only imagine how good he's at...Rational thought left when Draco's hand arrived at her breast. When she whimpered into his mouth, they broke apart with a gasp.
"H-Hermione," he said breathlessly. "Too much?" he asked.
She shook her head. "Just unexpected, but good."
"I agree," he said.
He leaned in to resume the kissing session when his mother cleared her throat from the doorway. As much as she enjoyed having Hermione over for dinner, she knew that the girl had work tomorrow and it was almost midnight. Draco must have been so caught up with her that he forgot the time, so she had to step in.
"My dear, it is nearing midnight and I know you have work tomorrow," she said kindly.
Hermione looked at the grandfather clock in the room. "I guess time flies when you're having fun," she said.
"Merlin's knickers, I'm sorry," Draco said. "At least let me escort you home."
"Madame Malfoy, thank you for a lovely evening. I hope we can do it again sometime," Hermione said.
"That is my wish as well," Narcissa said.
Draco took Hermione's hand and the two apparated from the manor.
"Dibby!" Narcissa called.
"Madame summoned Dibby," the elf said and nodded.
"Tell me what you think of Miss Granger, what do you feel from her?" she asked.
The elf narrowed his eyes in contemplation.
"Young miss is powerful magic, but has good spirit. She likes young master, and there is much love in her heart for those around her. Young master must take care, she is untouched," the elf said.
"Untouched? Do you mean to say that she is a virgin?" Narcissa asked. The house elf nodded. "Are you certain?" she asked.
"Yes madame, we elves know these things."
Narcissa knew that Hermione's personal life was absolutely, positively none of her business, but for a 23 year old witch to have remained a virgin in this day and age was remarkable. Intelligent, pretty, accomplished, and chaste? Draco, I hope you know what a treasure you have found in her!
Draco arrived back home to a quiet, dimly lit manor. He walked toward the staircase and was startled out of his wits when his mother poked her head from the parlor.
"Mother! You almost scared me to death!" he said. "What are you doing up anyway?"
"I like her son, I really do," she said.
"So do I mother, so do I, now if you'll excuse me," he said and stepped toward the staircase again.
"Just one moment," she said. "I know it's absolutely none of my business, but...I don't quite know how to put this."
"I'm not just trying to get in her knickers, mother. Yes, it would be nice, but she's not ready for that, not yet," Draco said with a sigh.
"You know then," she said.
"Yes mother, good night," he said and went upstairs.
Draco laid in bed after a shower and contemplated his good fortune. He, Draco Malfoy, had the affection of a witch who personified everything good in the world, Hermione Granger. He was tempted to look outside to see if pigs were flying. Is father freezing over in hell yet? He could have had Hermione that night, the look in her eyes and they way she kissed and touched him were all the signals of a randy young woman. So why didn't I shag her? Because I want more than a quick shag. He wanted her heart, her love; he wanted to be in her life. She was everything he was looking for. A part of him wondered if it all was happening too quickly. Is she wondering the same? There was one person he could talk to and get an intelligent, honest, and nonjudgmental opinion: Severus.
Hermione sat at her mirror, lightly running her fingertips where Draco had suckled at her neck. There would be marks tomorrow and she grinned at the thought. She could still smell his cologne on her and the look of happy surprise in his eyes when they came up for air, literally, after their first snogging session. A part of her wondered if it all was happening too quickly. Is he wondering the same? There was one person she could talk to and get an intelligent, honest, and nonjudgmental opinion: Minerva.