Chapter Eight - Yule

"And then Narcissa passed me the empty boxes and let me pick out everything I thought we'd like, all on my own," Hermione was telling Draco and Harry, who had both begun to look bored.

They were hanging out in the sitting room and Harry and Draco were playing a game of Wizards' Chess. Hermione was lounging on an overstuffed armchair with a book in her hands, but shockingly enough she had yet to open it.

"Yes, Hermione, we get it. You are in love with Narcissa Malfoy. All hail Lady Malfoy," Draco responded with an eye-roll, annoyed. She had done nothing but sing praises about his mother since they returned to the Manor the day before, and it was starting to drive Draco absolutely mad. Everybody knew his mum was the most amazing woman on the planet, but Merlin could Hermione go on and on.

She stopped talking abruptly, and Draco looked up to see her glaring at him.

"I think you should be a little bit more appreciative to have such an amazing family, Draco," she sniped at him, gripping the book she had been reading tightly to her chest and marching away.

Draco glanced at Harry to share a look of commiseration, but Harry was looking at him with knowing eyes.

"It's true, you know," his brother said quietly after a moment. "We do have an amazing family and I think Hermione… doesn't."

Draco let out a sigh but didn't say anything further. He just moved his rook and kept his mouth shut.

Harry could sometimes get annoyed by the aloofness Draco displayed about their parents. Sometimes their mum would want to go in for a hug, and while Harry revelled in it, Draco acted annoyed by it. He would never know what it was like to come from a family that wanted nothing to do with you. Harry could vividly remember things that he had been put through at the hands of his relatives, and he had the distinct impression that Hermione's family wasn't much better.

"I have been putting some things together," Harry continued after a few moments of silence. "She really doesn't say too much about them, and I do agree with dad that it's weird she didn't go home to her own family for the holidays. Not that I'm against her being here with us, it's just… strange."

"I found her in the owlery a few days before the holidays and she was crying," Draco admitted for the first time. "She said that she had received an owl from her parents about the Christmas Holidays and they didn't want her to come home. They just wanted to leave their eleven year old at the castle alone over the holidays."

Harry quirked his lips to the side and met Draco's eyes, sadness evident.

"That's… awful."

Narcissa, who had watched Hermione storm down the hall toward the library only moments earlier let out a quiet sigh.

She left the boys alone and followed her own path back to Lucius' office, where he was doing paperwork that morning before the Yule celebrations started. She took a seat in one of the armchairs in front of his desk and he looked up at her with questions in his eyes.

"I just overheard the boys speaking," she informed him. "Draco said that Hermione's parents didn't want her to come home, not that they were tied up with work like he told me before."

"Hmmm," Lucius responded, letting his mind go through all of the possibilities. "She's… quiet." he finally said.

"I think she just tries to take up the smallest amount of space possible," Narcissa replied. "It's like she's scared that if she's too noticeable we will suddenly remember she's still here and ask her to leave."

"I don't think there is anything we can do about that other than give her the time she needs to adjust. She's been a delight, really. I wish she'd accept a little bit more when we're on outings, but it also makes sense that she doesn't want to just take from us. I think it's important that it doesn't feel like charity to her."

Narcissa nodded along, her own thoughts going elsewhere. "Do you think it's wrong that I ordered some things for the boys to be given by her for Yule? I don't want it to embarrass her, but I also think when she realizes that she doesn't have gifts for anyone she's going to be even more mortified."

"I think getting the gifts was a great idea, darling, but maybe you should warn her? Or even give them to her ahead of time so she can wrap them herself?"

Narcissa agreed, that seemed like the least hurtful route to take.

"After dinner," she responded, preparing to take her leave. "I want to give her some time to sort herself out. Draco said something to hurt her feelings and she wandered off to the library. I'm going to head out to the greenhouses for an hour or so, I want to ensure my Lovage plants are taking well to their new pots."

Lucius said he'd see her at dinner and waited until he knew she was far away before he got to his feet. The girl's intelligence was a joy, and he wanted to have some conversations with her about her magic, things that she wouldn't understand clearly since she wasn't raised in a magical household. He'd been waiting for the right time and this seemed as good as any.

He traversed the halls on light feet, passing his sons, who were playing Wizard Chess and laughing aloud at something Harry had mumbled, and continuing on his way to the library. He entered and looked around, spotting Hermione in a far corner, curled up on a settee in front of a large window.

His shoes clicked on the floor as he made his way to her, and he watched as Hermione noticed he was present. She wiped her face quickly and got to her feet with a curious, "Sir?"

"Sit down, sit down," he said kindly, taking a seat across from her.

"How are you enjoying our holidays?" He asked genially as she settled herself back down onto the settee.

"Oh it's been great, Sir. France was amazing and I really want to thank you for bringing me along, I had never done any travelling before. Even Scotland was new to me the first time I went to Hogwarts."

"Well I'm glad you've been enjoying yourself. I thought we could go over a few things while we both have some free time."

"Okay," Hermione answered simply, but her brain was whirring as she tried to figure out what she had done wrong, especially if Lucius was the one bringing it to her attention.

"These are things that all children who grow up in magical houses study at a young age, and I'm sure it hasn't occurred to my sons to tell you anything about it."

Hermione's brain stalled. He was going to teach her something?! She didn't reply, just waited for Lucius to continue.

"I want to explain some things about our magic. It isn't just a core within ourselves that houses our magic, and we don't always need to use wands to channel it properly either."

"I saw a man fix his croissant at Place Cachee when we were there, with nothing but his hands," Hermione said, nodding along.

"Wandless magic is possible, as is wordless. Our magic is within our flesh, our bones, and our blood, as well as in our core. Everything around you is magical Hermione. The earth. The elements. Runes. Using these other pieces of magic just adds to what you're already capable of doing. But first, you need to be able to identify and feel the magic in your body."

Hermione was enthralled. Her book was forgotten beside her as she listened to Lucius speak, leaning toward him like he was telling her a secret.

"Close your eyes," he said suddenly, and Hermione obeyed immediately.

"Clear your mind, focus on my voice," Lucius said before staying quiet for a moment. "Feel the cushions underneath you and behind your back, supporting you easily. Listen to your heartbeat for a moment, and then listen to your breaths."

Lucius watched as Hermione's face relaxed fully, leaning back into the settee a little more than she had been before.

"Now think about your core. It's located just behind your diaphragm. Can you feel it?"

Hermione was silent for a moment before her eyebrows twitched.

"I - I think so," she replied finally.

"You must know so," Lucius assured. "I'll wait until you are sure."

It took Hermione three more minutes of complete silence until she spoke. "That's it, Sir. I can feel it now."

"How does it feel?"

"Like… it feels like a tingle? Or a buzzing feeling?"

"Excellent, Hermione. Now follow that feeling and tell me where you end up."

Silence reigned once more as Hermione slowly followed the buzzing feeling from her core out into her extremities, realizing belatedly that she was following her blood.

"Everywhere," she answered in an awed whisper.

"Once you get used to feeling your magic you'll get better at controlling it. You may open your eyes."

Hermione's eyes popped open and she looked joyous for the first time since she had joined the Malfoys. There was nothing guarded in her eyes and she had a genuine smile on her face.

"I want you to practice that until Ostara, as we will be completing a ritual on the grounds when you're all back."

"Ostara, Sir?" Hermione asked in confusion. That wasn't until April!

"Of course! That is, if you wish to spend it here, Miss Granger."

Hermione suddenly looked like she wanted to cry, so Lucius figured he might as well get everything on the table now.

"Now, on to other matters. Narcissa will be dropping by your room this evening with gifts that you are to wrap and make out to each of the boys. We understand your financial situation and took it upon ourselves to ensure you had some gifts to give as well. Please don't make Narcissa feel guilty for doing so."

"Of course not, Sir." She responded quietly. "And thank you so much, for everything." A tear broke free, and she wiped it away quickly in hopes that Lucius hadn't noticed.

He had, of course, but he chose not to comment.

"If you practice your meditation every evening before bed, you will begin to notice your magic in your body without having to go through the entire process. This is the first step to getting complete control, so please take it seriously."

Hermione nodded vigorously as Lucius got to his feet.

"Dinner is in half an hour," he said, nodding curtly as he departed.

Hermione let out a small sigh. This family was just truly…wonderful.

They sat in a large room with an even larger tree. Hermione couldn't believe the size of it, and the manor was decorated beautifully and classically.

Draco and Harry were sitting on a couch together, Lucius and Narcissa on another, and Hermione was snuggled into an armchair directly between the two.

A house elf had been handing out presents one at a time to each member of the family for half an hour and Hermione was watching happily as each person exclaimed over the gift they had unwrapped and showed it off. She felt warm as both Harry and Draco proclaimed to love the gifts they had received from her, Draco's cheeks pinker than Harry's.

The elf approached her on the next round with a giant box, and Hermione was confused for a moment before she realized it was a gift for her. Narcissa was smiling encouragingly at her when Hermione met her eyes, and she decided to be grateful and open the gift, instead of protesting.

It was wrapped in beautiful gold paper with a lovely silver bow, and Hermione undid the bow carefully so she could keep the ribbon.

Her eyes widened as she pulled out a truly beautiful dress.

The gown itself was blush-coloured and it had a six inch-wide strip of black lace down the front. The top of the bodice had a black crumb catcher that was ruffled, and it would cover her chest to just beneath her collarbones, and had a square neckline. The top was a corset, reminding Hermione that a lot of Wizarding fashion was akin to the Victorian Era in the muggle world.

Nestled in the box beneath the dress were tiny little heels, no more than half an inch, and they matched the colour of the dress perfectly.

Tears left her eyes before she could stop them. Lucius and Narcissa had obviously bought the gown for the New Years Eve ball, and Hermione would never be able to express how absolutely grateful she was. This family had done more for her in a week than she could remember her parents doing for her almost ever.

"Thank you," she hiccuped, still crying quietly. She gently set the dress aside and rose to offer both Narcissa and Lucius hugs of gratitude, and they both received them gracefully.

"Thank you, Hermione, for being such a wonderful person," Narcissa whispered as she accepted the hug from the crying girl. It was putting Narcissa's emotions on edge too, and she had to blink rapidly to clear any tears from her eyes.

She hadn't just received the one gift, either. Both boys had gotten her a present in France, Draco gifting her a rather thick book on the history of Place Cachée. She had gasped upon seeing it and had to control the urge to open the front cover and start reading. Harry had gotten her a book that was part of the syllabus for Beauxbaton students, as well as a book to teach her the basics of French.

She thanked both boys jubilantly and Draco smiled at her, almost causing her to blush.

"No jewelry, then?" Harry asked with a devious smirk, and Hermione watched Draco's cheeks bloom brilliant red.

Narcissa and Lucius chuckled, knowing looks on their faces, but Hermione knew she had just missed something rather obvious to the rest of the group.

She asked Narcissa about it later, in private.

"In Pureblood culture, giving jewelry is the first step in our courting rituals," Narcissa explained."It means, essentially, that when other males meet you, they know you are already spoken for."

"Spoken for?" Hermione asked in confusion. "Like… dating?"

"Sort of," Narcissa conceded. "But you must understand that things take much longer in the Pureblood culture. You'll be presented jewelry by the man interested in you, and it's up to you to accept, but by doing so you've officially started courting this man, and there are rules to it that must be followed."

Hermione didn't fully understand. "Is there a book or something that can teach me about it?" she asked curiously.

Narcissa smiled at her knowingly and waved her wand. A book appeared on the bed beside her and she took it in careful hands before passing it to Hermione.

"I knew you would ask for a book about it," she said, and Hermione grinned. This woman knew her so well already.

"Are there any rules I need to know about right now?" Hermione asked curiously, wondering how common she looked to this family sometimes.

Narcissa laughed her dainty titter again and placed her hand on Hermione's arm. "Not yet. However I guess you should know to be careful about accepting jewelry from men, and be clear that he isn't trying to claim you. The old families like to get a quick jump on things. You can always speak to me about it if something like that does come up."

Hermione nodded, unsure how to navigate this new area of her life. She'd never really thought about dating.

"Mr. Malfoy is teaching me, you know," Hermione said after a few moments. "To listen to my magic, I mean."

"And how is that going?" Narcissa asked. She already knew, of course, but she was glad Hermione was confiding in her.

"I can feel it there, but only if I focus. He said it could take time before I can always feel it."

"He's not wrong," Narcissa agreed. "Practice makes perfect."

"He also invited me to come back to Malfoy Manor for Ostara," Hermione shared, awe in her voice.

"I hope you feel comfortable enough to accept. Ostara is one of my favourite holidays."

"Once I hear back from my parents I'll let you know," Hermione promised. She had such a hopeful look on her face for a moment that Narcissa wanted to scream. She knew, from hearing that the Grangers had not wanted Hermione home for Christmas, that they surely would make no effort for Easter.

"Please do," Narcissa said, rising. "We really enjoyed having you here for Yule, Hermione. You've been nothing but a pleasure."

"Thank you again for the gown, I'm so excited to wear it to the ball!"

"Our pleasure, dear. Now I'll leave you to read, as I'm sure you're dying to get into that book, and if you need clarification about anything feel free to ask."

Hermione smiled and agreed as Narcissa left the room, closing the door behind her.