04# Malfoy Mansion
It was dawn, when he climbed into the large black limousine, throwing a last glace at the old house he had lived in since he was born. All Malfoy hairs had lived in the manor for over six generations, but he would be the last. Well, theoretically Draco had been the last heir, but he was dead now, Lucius mused, when the car left the yard. Who would inherit the Malfoy fortune, when he died? Narcissa? Unlikely, he had made sure of that!
Maybe he should do some charity work with it?
The road wound its way through Yorkshire, down the Trent, before it left the riverside. And then, after another hour of driving, they reached the capital, London.
His old friends had thought him crazy, but Lucius loved Muggle-cars. They expressed style and functionality in one, a great invention, even for Wizarding standards. With a bit of magic, you could make them a good and cheap way to travel, without the energy-loss of apparating or the strict formalities of port-key use, not to speak about all the dirt you couldn't avoid using the floo-network, what he despised greatly and only used in emergencies. The last time had been Draco's birth. Draco. it was his entire fault!
The fog parted, when the car rolled through the front gates of the villa. The white house seemed unreal and ghostly in the dust of the morning, windows all dark. The grass was covered with a thin layer of hoarfrost, since the early winter-storms had begun to blow a few days ago. It was mid November and it would begin to snow soon, Lucius knew.
A servant opened the doors and he entered his new home. The house was built in the Victorian age, but renewed some years earlier. Since it was in a Muggle-neighborhood, it had modern facilities like electricity and heating. The hall was made out of mahogany wood and rich burgundy carpets with oriental patterns. A bright chandelier hung from the high ceiling, which was painted with angels and unicorns. Opposite of the entry, a broad staircase led to the upper floors, behind doors on the left was a living area with a huge fireplace, held in blues and browns, and through the doors on the right a white furnished dining room. There, another door led to a nice kitchen and the servant's quarters. Lucius hadn't brought any house- elves here.
On the first floor corridor four doors led to different rooms: On the right was a huge library. The books came from the manor. Lucius couldn't leave them behind, as the new owners would ask questions about their dubious contents. Next to the library was a little study, both rooms held in green and mahogany tones. The other rooms were two bedrooms, one large master bedroom, the other slightly smaller in cream colors, both with a private bathroom.
He didn't pay much attention to the "guestroom", but went directly to his bath. A few minutes later, he fell into his new bed, exhausted from the long ride and fell into sleep quickly.
~*~
Harry still sat in the kitchen, deep into thoughts, his coffee gone cold, when something rattled at the window. Lazily, he raised his wand and the large eagle owl flew in and dropped a letter onto his lap, before she returned into the cold stormy afternoon. He cursed and shot the window in an attempt to stop the rooms from cooling down completely, to no avail. The firewood had gone out last night and he had no money here to buy new. The cold outside also stopped him from going to Gringotts, so he tucked his bed sheets tighter around his from and opened the letter. It was sealed with blue wax, the parchment thick and expensive.
Dear Harry,
I know our nightly encounter a few days ago was a one-time opportunity. Though better knowledge, I want you to know that I enjoyed the whole evening very much. I really would like to spend some time with you, in the simply, friendly manner to talk. You inspired me greatly. I'm sitting in the car to London at the moment to move into my new home there. To floo in, you just need to say "Malfoy Mansion", that is the new place.
I would greatly appreciate to meet you sometime soon. Just come by, I will be at home for the next time. I hope you are well,
Sincerely, Lucius
Harry sighed. As much as he wanted to regret what happened, he just couldn't forget Lucius' gently and loving touches, his internal warmth, that he would have never suspected from the cool exterior of the blonde pureblood. Resignedly, he decided to have a shower and dress in his best clothes, before he'd stop by at Lucius' new place. At least it would be warm there!
The shower was cold. Obviously the water boiler was broken again.
Some 15 minutes later, he exited the bathroom, frozen to the bone, but clean. He opened the dresser, only to find a mouse, which had eaten wholes into his remaining few clothes.
"Fine!" he thought and grabbed the things Lucius had given him that day. He cast a quick laundry charm, before he put them on and took his cloak from the hook behind the door.
At least there was still floo-powder in the box on the shelf. He grabbed a hand full and threw it into the fire he had made out of the ruined cloth, since there was nothing else.
"Malfoy Mansion!" he said and felt his body spin in the dark of the network.
~*~
Lucius currently sat in his armchair in the study, when he heard a noise from downstairs. In that moment Gibson, the servant, came in to announce a visitor had arrived.
"Who is it?"
"It's Mr. Potter, Sir. When shall dinner be served, maybe for two?"
"For two, yes. At eight, please. If you would serve our guest some tea, while I finish a report for the cooperation?"
"Of course, Mr. Malfoy. I'll locate Mr. Potter in the living room, then." the man twinkled and left the study. Lucius hadn't thought, that Harry would accept his invitation, at least not so quickly. The blonde wondered, when he finished the paperwork of the day and descended the stairs to greet the young man, when he saw him standing shivering by the fire.
"Harry? Are you all right? You look-"
"Cold? I am. I thought it might be warmer here."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I couldn't pay my firewood, so the flat got quite chilly and I couldn't perform a heating-spell for more than the morning-hours. It was pretty alright, before I had to open the window to let an owl in, after that it was damn icy there, so I decided to take a shower, but the water was cold-"
"I thought you said you had some money left?"
"I had. At Gringotts, there's still quite an amount, but that slut Zabini took the rest with him this morning."
"Zabini, but. No, don't tell me you went off with that scum! Harry, are you crazy?"
"No, why?"
"Be. oh Merlin, Harry! Come here, at an instant."
"Lucius, what's the matter with you? It was just-"
"A little shag?"
"Basically yes."
"What do you mean - basically?"
"Well, he's not little."
"."
"Lucius?"
"I cannot believe that you lowered yourself to THIS! He's scum, Harry, a filthy whore!"
"So you call us whores?"
"Him, not you, you are-"
"A whore, if I was with him. I enjoyed it, Lucius, much!"
"How can you?"
"Oh, he's a great one up the arse!"
"Stop talking like that." Lucius said with a cool, calm voice.
"Why? Does it hurt?"
"Yes."
"Are you that possessive? Oh no - you're jealous, because I slept with somebody else after our little session."
"I have no right to be."
"Congratulations, you got it!"
"I'm merely concerned."
- Silence -
"Why?"
"Because I think you're much too good for him."
"Is that all? If so, I'm going now. This isn't a good conversation."
"I care for you, for your well-being. And dinner will be served soon, if I were you I wouldn't miss it. And it's warm here."
"That might be convincing enough, Lucius. Let's just talk about something else."
"Under one condition."
"That is?"
"Don't sleep with him again, he could carry any kind of disease or flews!"
"Deal. He's too rough for my taste anyway."
"He didn't hurt you, did he?"
"Not really. Oh my, calm down, he didn't do anything to me!"
"Hungry?"
"Very!"
"Let's get over to the dining room, shall we?"
"I accept this offer graciously, my dear host, most graciously!"
It was dawn, when he climbed into the large black limousine, throwing a last glace at the old house he had lived in since he was born. All Malfoy hairs had lived in the manor for over six generations, but he would be the last. Well, theoretically Draco had been the last heir, but he was dead now, Lucius mused, when the car left the yard. Who would inherit the Malfoy fortune, when he died? Narcissa? Unlikely, he had made sure of that!
Maybe he should do some charity work with it?
The road wound its way through Yorkshire, down the Trent, before it left the riverside. And then, after another hour of driving, they reached the capital, London.
His old friends had thought him crazy, but Lucius loved Muggle-cars. They expressed style and functionality in one, a great invention, even for Wizarding standards. With a bit of magic, you could make them a good and cheap way to travel, without the energy-loss of apparating or the strict formalities of port-key use, not to speak about all the dirt you couldn't avoid using the floo-network, what he despised greatly and only used in emergencies. The last time had been Draco's birth. Draco. it was his entire fault!
The fog parted, when the car rolled through the front gates of the villa. The white house seemed unreal and ghostly in the dust of the morning, windows all dark. The grass was covered with a thin layer of hoarfrost, since the early winter-storms had begun to blow a few days ago. It was mid November and it would begin to snow soon, Lucius knew.
A servant opened the doors and he entered his new home. The house was built in the Victorian age, but renewed some years earlier. Since it was in a Muggle-neighborhood, it had modern facilities like electricity and heating. The hall was made out of mahogany wood and rich burgundy carpets with oriental patterns. A bright chandelier hung from the high ceiling, which was painted with angels and unicorns. Opposite of the entry, a broad staircase led to the upper floors, behind doors on the left was a living area with a huge fireplace, held in blues and browns, and through the doors on the right a white furnished dining room. There, another door led to a nice kitchen and the servant's quarters. Lucius hadn't brought any house- elves here.
On the first floor corridor four doors led to different rooms: On the right was a huge library. The books came from the manor. Lucius couldn't leave them behind, as the new owners would ask questions about their dubious contents. Next to the library was a little study, both rooms held in green and mahogany tones. The other rooms were two bedrooms, one large master bedroom, the other slightly smaller in cream colors, both with a private bathroom.
He didn't pay much attention to the "guestroom", but went directly to his bath. A few minutes later, he fell into his new bed, exhausted from the long ride and fell into sleep quickly.
~*~
Harry still sat in the kitchen, deep into thoughts, his coffee gone cold, when something rattled at the window. Lazily, he raised his wand and the large eagle owl flew in and dropped a letter onto his lap, before she returned into the cold stormy afternoon. He cursed and shot the window in an attempt to stop the rooms from cooling down completely, to no avail. The firewood had gone out last night and he had no money here to buy new. The cold outside also stopped him from going to Gringotts, so he tucked his bed sheets tighter around his from and opened the letter. It was sealed with blue wax, the parchment thick and expensive.
Dear Harry,
I know our nightly encounter a few days ago was a one-time opportunity. Though better knowledge, I want you to know that I enjoyed the whole evening very much. I really would like to spend some time with you, in the simply, friendly manner to talk. You inspired me greatly. I'm sitting in the car to London at the moment to move into my new home there. To floo in, you just need to say "Malfoy Mansion", that is the new place.
I would greatly appreciate to meet you sometime soon. Just come by, I will be at home for the next time. I hope you are well,
Sincerely, Lucius
Harry sighed. As much as he wanted to regret what happened, he just couldn't forget Lucius' gently and loving touches, his internal warmth, that he would have never suspected from the cool exterior of the blonde pureblood. Resignedly, he decided to have a shower and dress in his best clothes, before he'd stop by at Lucius' new place. At least it would be warm there!
The shower was cold. Obviously the water boiler was broken again.
Some 15 minutes later, he exited the bathroom, frozen to the bone, but clean. He opened the dresser, only to find a mouse, which had eaten wholes into his remaining few clothes.
"Fine!" he thought and grabbed the things Lucius had given him that day. He cast a quick laundry charm, before he put them on and took his cloak from the hook behind the door.
At least there was still floo-powder in the box on the shelf. He grabbed a hand full and threw it into the fire he had made out of the ruined cloth, since there was nothing else.
"Malfoy Mansion!" he said and felt his body spin in the dark of the network.
~*~
Lucius currently sat in his armchair in the study, when he heard a noise from downstairs. In that moment Gibson, the servant, came in to announce a visitor had arrived.
"Who is it?"
"It's Mr. Potter, Sir. When shall dinner be served, maybe for two?"
"For two, yes. At eight, please. If you would serve our guest some tea, while I finish a report for the cooperation?"
"Of course, Mr. Malfoy. I'll locate Mr. Potter in the living room, then." the man twinkled and left the study. Lucius hadn't thought, that Harry would accept his invitation, at least not so quickly. The blonde wondered, when he finished the paperwork of the day and descended the stairs to greet the young man, when he saw him standing shivering by the fire.
"Harry? Are you all right? You look-"
"Cold? I am. I thought it might be warmer here."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I couldn't pay my firewood, so the flat got quite chilly and I couldn't perform a heating-spell for more than the morning-hours. It was pretty alright, before I had to open the window to let an owl in, after that it was damn icy there, so I decided to take a shower, but the water was cold-"
"I thought you said you had some money left?"
"I had. At Gringotts, there's still quite an amount, but that slut Zabini took the rest with him this morning."
"Zabini, but. No, don't tell me you went off with that scum! Harry, are you crazy?"
"No, why?"
"Be. oh Merlin, Harry! Come here, at an instant."
"Lucius, what's the matter with you? It was just-"
"A little shag?"
"Basically yes."
"What do you mean - basically?"
"Well, he's not little."
"."
"Lucius?"
"I cannot believe that you lowered yourself to THIS! He's scum, Harry, a filthy whore!"
"So you call us whores?"
"Him, not you, you are-"
"A whore, if I was with him. I enjoyed it, Lucius, much!"
"How can you?"
"Oh, he's a great one up the arse!"
"Stop talking like that." Lucius said with a cool, calm voice.
"Why? Does it hurt?"
"Yes."
"Are you that possessive? Oh no - you're jealous, because I slept with somebody else after our little session."
"I have no right to be."
"Congratulations, you got it!"
"I'm merely concerned."
- Silence -
"Why?"
"Because I think you're much too good for him."
"Is that all? If so, I'm going now. This isn't a good conversation."
"I care for you, for your well-being. And dinner will be served soon, if I were you I wouldn't miss it. And it's warm here."
"That might be convincing enough, Lucius. Let's just talk about something else."
"Under one condition."
"That is?"
"Don't sleep with him again, he could carry any kind of disease or flews!"
"Deal. He's too rough for my taste anyway."
"He didn't hurt you, did he?"
"Not really. Oh my, calm down, he didn't do anything to me!"
"Hungry?"
"Very!"
"Let's get over to the dining room, shall we?"
"I accept this offer graciously, my dear host, most graciously!"