Chapter 12: Welcome to Malfoy Manor?

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The green flames subsided and she stepped out on to the dark tiles. Although when she looked up to see Draco and Lucius they had worried yet calm expressions on their faces. They were probably concerned that she would immediately fall to the floor in a fit of anxiety. She was so much stronger than that, she could do this! She berated herself for even having a little fear. She was a Gryffindor and Hermione Freaking Granger! She could do this, and she would do it with as much grace as she could.

Upon closer inspection of the home, she realized this was not the same home she was in several years ago. It was almost homey; she was met with walls in shades of blues and white trim. It was comfortable almost and she could feel the warmth of the atmosphere radiating through the room. The dark marble tiles contrasted nicely with the walls and it took Lucius talking to bring her back to the present.

"Cissa felt that the greens and blacks were too dark. She wanted to walk into her home feeling like it was safe and like there was life once again; so we settled for the blues and whites instead of the blacks and greys."

"I think it's brilliant" Draco beamed; as he looked around he noticed the house was mostly quiet. The only noise he heard was the sound of Moonlight Sonata playing throughout the manor. His mother had loved to play the piano and even taught Draco how to play at a young age. Moonlight Sonata was his favorite and often put him to sleep.

"Father, where are all the portraits of Malfoys past?" he realized why it was so quiet now and he had to wonder why all the portraits were gone.

Hermione had noticed but opted not to say anything out of fear it would bring up a bad memory for the pair of Slytherins in front of her.

Lucius smiled and clapped his hands together once. "Ah yes! We took them all down and stored them in our Gringotts vault. We didn't need to hear about how they felt when they learned you had left our home for the muggle world. It has been so peaceful with them all gone! Dare I say it has been stress free. Your mother feels like a teenager again and her magic is much stronger now that the negative is gone."

Hermione couldn't help but notice the twinkle in the older Malfoy's eyes as he spoke.

"Mr. Malfoy, this is beautiful. It is barely recognizable!"

"Indeed, well shall we go find Cissa? She is dying to see you Draco and to finally meet Hermione properly." He once again smiled.

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They walked into the music room to hear the beautiful melody come to an abrupt stop. Before anyone could do anything Narcissa Malfoy was running across the room and jumping at Draco to give him a hug. With tears pricking her eyes she held her son so close and rough that Hermione thought he might choke to death.

"Mother, I do need to breathe if I am to make it to dinner." He laughed

"Oh I am so sorry! Where are my manners! Hello" she let go of Draco and held out her hand to shake, rather odd in a pureblood society for the woman to shake a hand thought Hermione.

"I am Narcissa Malfoy, I am so happy to make your acquaintance."

Taking the Matriarchs hand Hermione smiles "Hello Mrs. Malfoy, my name is Hermione Granger; thank you very much for inviting me to your home. It is quiet lovely."

They smiled at one another, and let their hands drop after the proper amount of time had passed.

"Thank you; I have Lucius here to thank for all the wonderful work done to rebuild our home."

After a moment Hermione and Draco looked at one another sharing the shock of seeing his mother sporting a pair of jeans and an elegant top that flowed at she walked. Her dark hair was long and waved down the length of her back.

"Darling, would you like some tea?" asked Lucius

"That would be lovely; we can sit and talk for a moment before we all spread out to get ready for dinner."

After getting their tea, Hermione and Narcissa sat and talked like old friends catching up after years apart. Both Draco and Lucius looked on in amusement as they threw their heads back in laughter and got on rather nicely. They were not surprised that the two witches in front of them had become very open to one another in such a short amount of time. They had just met and they acted as if a war had never happened. They talked about the men to their side, saying that they were far to similar and then proceeded to poke fun at the both of their habits. This was the most that Draco had seen her genuinely smile and laugh in ages. Even before the war she always seemed far too worried, and she dove into her studies to simply look for some peace from it all.

After nearly two and half hours, Lucius stood causing both women to stop talking for a moment. But the smiles continued to reach their eyes. "Well ladies, I believe if we are to make dinner at the right time, we should adjourn the rest of this conversation until then. Also giving Hermione the time to get acquainted with her room as well as the new manor."

"Ah, yes of course. I had almost forgotten."

Narcissa looked at Hermione with a sullen face and couldn't help the tears that welled up in her eyes.

"You know you don't have to do this right? You can let this all go and let the demons rest." Narcissa put her head down, she didn't want her to have to relive the horrors of that night. But she also knew that Hermione didn't allow fear to overcome the rest of her life. She had been brave through everything and if this was holding her back who was she to hold Hermione back.

Hermione looked at the three Malfoy's in front of her. She knew this was hard on all of them, but she didn't like that she feared a ghost and she had hoped that maybe, just maybe this might give her some peace of mind. If she feared someone who didn't even exist anymore, then how could she face her nightmares and tell them they were simply nightmares now. She was brave and she could do this. She had to do this….didn't she?

"Thank you all for telling me that. I know I don't have to do this; I fear for what might happen if I don't. I really appreciate all of your concerns. Draco has helped me through a lot of it believe it or not. I was surprised by how quickly he and I took to one another. And he has helped keep the nightmares at bay. When he is around I feel the safer than I have ever been. I know this is a lot to ask but I thank you for allowing me to be here and face my fears once more. At least this time I know I am safe." She smiled and hugged them all, she clung to Draco a little longer than she meant to. But he didn't mind, she needed to know it was all going to be okay. And if his embrace could do that then he wouldn't dare let go first.

"Well then, shall we Ms. Granger?" Lucius asked. He held out his right arm and invited her to follow him, she took it and smiled.

Narcissa watched as the pair walked away from her and Draco. She gently put her hand on Draco's shoulder.

"You know your father was heartbroken when he realized you wouldn't come home unless he had changed his pureblood ways." It was more of a statement than an actual question.

"I know he was. He explained to me how sorry he was, I don't know how quickly I am going to be able to forgive him for everything but accepting Hermione as a human being and my friend is a very good start. I am quite surprised by how easily he accepted that I was with her. He was even kind of civil when he walked in." he smirked

"Well, I told him if he was anything less he wouldn't get any kind of love from me until he made it right." She winked at him with a devious smile.

"OH MY GOD MOTHER! I could have gone all my life without knowing you and my father were- blech!-"

He shook his head in disgust and stuck out his tongue.

Narcissa threw her head back and laughed. "I could have gone my entire life without knowing a lot of things about your extra activities Draco Malfoy. However, being your mother I was not gifted with being blind." She quipped back.

He held his hands up in mock surrender "Okay, Okay I give! Truce?" he gave her a pleading look.

"Truce" she smiled

"Shall we follow them so Hermione is not left alone for too long?" he just like his father held out his right arm and his mother took it and wrapped her arm around his. It was nice to have him back in their home. She only hoped he would stay with her longer this time.

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Both men looked at Hermione still with a little concern. Draco was beaming with pride as he took in what the changes were to the manor. They began walking down the hall; after 15 minutes or so of walking they stopped.

Lucius turned to Hermione

"Hermione, this is the drawing room. I will let you decide if you want to spell it so that it looks like the place you were brought so you can face all the demons you feel the need to. But please know, THAT is not the home we live in any longer. Nor the life we choose to follow. We have made many mistakes and are grateful for our second chance at this." he pointed at the room and then turned his gaze to Draco

"Son, I will tell you how to get in there and the spell you may use to change the room. It will last up to 2 hours; this is the only room in the manor that this will work. And it will only work once, we had hoped you would come home to us. But we also worried you might have the same idea as this young lady. I will not speak anymore on this."

He told Draco the incantation to repeat and then walked away stating he would see them at dinner. It would be at 7 and they should be dressed and ready by 6:55

"Hermione, do you need a moment?"

She stood frozen staring at the tall doors that opened to the place that haunted her nightmares and prayed she could do this.

With a final nod she looked at Draco and asked him to spell it to be as horrid as it was that day. She was not sure she was prepared but she had to do this.

With a deep breath she opened the doors to hear a cackling that could only ever known as Bellatrix Lestrange.

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I know I know please I beg your forgiveness for my tardiness in updating!

I realize I always have the same excuses that life is just not permitting me to write the way I would like to!

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-Ariel