A/N: Love the reviews! I'm so glad you're all taking a liking to this story. I'm pretty much trying to adapt this as closely as I can to the Harry Potter world. I welcome any suggestions. The rest I just kind of make it up as I go along to make it flow better. A relatively longer chapter, so that means more reviews right? Hint Hint.
Chapter Eight - Malfoy Manor
The girls were still talking about Harry and Draco as they walked into the Great Hall for supper. Hermione glanced over at the Slytherin table as she sat down next to Parvati who was still engaging in heavy gossip with Dean across the table.
"It's absurd Dean!" Parvati gasped, "I shall never believe it, never! The last I heard, he was adamant about pursuing Hermione!"
At the sound of her name, Hermione perked up.
"That may have been his purpose before," Dean replied, "But after that remark Seamus passed-"
"Who's purpose?" Hermione asked, completely vexed, "What remark? What happened?"
"He says that Susan has been invited to the Malfoy's estate by Neville!" Parvati filled her in.
Hermione's eyes grew wide, "Susan? Susan's going with Neville?" she repeated in shock, "But Susan? Susan has accepted his offer for the summer?"
"Yes, she'll be leaving in a few weeks," Dean answered, "Neville convinced her that although it was short notice, it was imperative to meet Mrs. Malfoy's deadline."
"But Dean," one of the girls from their dorm said, "He wants to take Hermione!"
"Oh be quite!" Hermione hushed.
"She's right," Parvati, agreed, "Are you quite sure Dean, that you have not been misinformed?"
"I am quite positive," Dean assured her.
Just then, Hannah, Susan and Neville appeared before them.
"Hello everyone," Hannah greeted.
"Hi there," Seamus said, scooting down, "Come sit down, and let's rejoice on Hogwarts' latest couple!"
"Oh you must understand this is such a happy event!" Hannah boasted, "Especially with the female to male ratio, getting a boyfriend is almost like winning the lottery! And being invited to Malfoy manor of all places!"
She whispered softly to Parvati, "Play our cards right, and we may wreak the benefits ourselves."
Meanwhile as Parvati and Hannah schemed amongst themselves, Hermione turned her attention to Susan.
"Hello Mione," Susan smiled.
"Dear Susan, I-"Hermione glanced over at Neville who seemed to be preoccupied with Dean and Seamus arguing the superiority of Quidditch vs. Football again.
"Come with me," Hermione told her cautiously.
Susan followed Hermione out of the Great Hall so they could talk in private.
"Oh Susan dear, I beg you," Hermione pleaded, "Postpone your acceptance to his offer. I'm only thinking of your happiness."
"Happiness Mione?" Susan sighed, "In an opportunity for a relationship, happiness is only a matter of chance. And I do wish to be the object of someone's attraction."
"But Susan!" Hermione protested, "His defects of character! You know him so little!"
"Well ignorance is bliss," Susan explained, "If one's to begin one's relationship with another person, its best to know as little as possible of his defects. After all, one would find them out soon enough."
Hermione knew that Susan's made up her mind and needed someone to be supportive of her decision. "Well, perhaps there may be some fine qualities in him. Please do owl me whenever you get chance," she gave her a weak smile.
"You must come and visit me when I'm over at Neville's," Susan said to her excitedly, "Very soon, promise?"
"I promise," Hermione assured her.
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During the summer, Hermione was relaxing at home reading Hogwarts: A History when an owl tapped lightly on her window. It was a letter from Susan. It reads:
Dear Hermione,
Hope that the holidays are going well for you. It has been dreadfully uneventful over here. Neville has been helping the staff arranging that small soiree Mrs. Malfoy hold every year. Draco and his sister are spending their vacation over at the Weasley's. I've only met Mrs. Malfoy. She can be tolerable at the right moments. But there are so few right moments. I do hope we'll be seeing you soon. Please reply as soon as you receive this to confirm whether it would be alright to pick you up from your house Thursday morning.
Miss you loads,
Susan
Hermione reread the section about Draco and his sister. She still could not help but feel morose for Lavender. She took out a piece of parchment and wrote:
Dear Susan,
Thank you for your invitation. I will be looking forward to seeing you on Thursday and rescue you from your state of boredom. I am please to hear that Draco Malfoy will not be present and hereby accept your invitation without even a slight hint of hesitation. See you then.
Love,
Hermione
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It didn't take very long until Hermione arrived at Neville's place of residence. One of the house elves levitated her trunk to the guest room upstairs.
"Just leave it against the wall," Susan instructed the elf, "Right there. That's fine, that will be all."
After obliging her, the elf turned around and left.
"Thank you, that's very kind of you." Hermione called out.
The elf muttered a "Thank you miss," before disappearing down the stairs.
"Now Mione," Susan held out her hand, "Give me your trunk key."
"Now don't you bother Susan," Hermione head towards her trunk, "I'll do this myself."
"Oh no you will not," Susan swiped the key from her; "You're my guest. It's been a long day. You're going to sit down, and look on."
"But Susan-"Hermione started to protest.
"You're my guest," Susan repeated, "You'll do just as I say."
"I tremble and obey!" Hermione proclaimed dramatically, "Well, while you're unpacking then, I'll remove this dust and change."
"Did you have a hard time persuading your mother to let you come?" Susan asked.
"Oh no, not at all," she replied, "It was an opportune moment for my parents to take a second honeymoon, so they were both glad to get me out of the house."
As they continued chatting they can hear loud barking sounds coming from the outside. Susan looked out the window and spotted a carriage pulling up to the front of the house.
"Oh Mione, do look!" Susan said.
Hermione spied out the window. A few moments later, they can see Neville running duck-like out of the house to meet the carriage.
"Well? What?"
"It's Mrs. Malfoy, and her goddaughter Pansy." Susan responded.
"Oh? Is that all?" Hermione remarked sarcastically, "And here I am expecting a glorious fanfare parade."
"I must go down at once," Susan goes over by the mirror, "Is my hair tidy?"
Hermione continued to study the figure in the carriage, "So that's the great Mrs. Malfoy. Now I see where he learned his manners."
"Where who learned his manners?" Susan asked as she fixed her hair.
"Well, Draco Malfoy of course!"
"I'll be back in a moment," Susan dashed out the door.
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Susan quickly ran down stairs to meet up with Neville and Mrs. Malfoy.
"Please proceed," Mrs. Malfoy commanded with her usual fixed expression of having something smelly under her nose.
"A pleasure, Mrs. Malfoy," Susan greeted cheerfully.
She glanced over at Susan, "Well, how do you do."
"Let me see, Mrs. Malfoy," Neville read off his notes, "A flannel petticoat for Mrs. Figgs, a case of cauldron cakes for the Snapes, and hundred counts of coals for the Burns."
"And nothing for the Smee's you understand?" Mrs. Malfoy told him sternly, "Nothing whatever." She turned her attention to Susan, "You must learn to draw a firm line between the deserving poor and the undeserving."
"What wise benevolence!" Neville bowed.
"Well then Neville," Mrs. Malfoy announced "I shall expect you all for dinner this evening. Goodbye. Goodbye."
"Permit me to say how much I appreciate-"Neville began.
"Drive on Dolby!" Mrs. Malfoy ordered, without acknowledging him.
"Your affability a-"he dropped his tone as the carriage moved away. Neville kept his eye on the cart as the distance grew further and further between them.
"What extraordinary condescension!" Neville praised, "I'm quite delighted, for Hermione's sake."
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That night, Neville, Susan and Hermione rode over to the Malfoy Manor on a carriage sent over by Mrs. Malfoy. Dolby greeted the party and showed them into the parlor where Mrs. Malfoy was sitting down with her goddaughter.
Pansy, who was around their age, was home-schooled due to her poor state of health. Without much opportunity for social interactions, she was very timid and spoke very softly if even. Her features are quite plain, her eyes being a bit disproportionate to her head. She wore her hair so long that it covers most of her face.
Susan politely sat down with them as Neville wasted no time to drag Hermione around every corner of the room. "Now, my dear Hermione, permit me to show you some of the finest art trades of the great Mrs. Malfoy," he pointed over by the wall, "This is one of the finest timepieces in the country." Neville waved his hand dramatically, "Observe the noble proportions Hermione! What magnificence! What taste!"
"Very true, Neville," Mrs. Malfoy agreed without looking at them, "Very true. I've never met a painter, or an architect, who did not congratulate me on my taste."
"There, what did I say?" Neville stated as if that was enough to make his point, "Now, let me call your attention on the mantle."
Hermione quietly followed Neville as they made their way across the room, "Observe, solid marble, hand carved."
Meanwhile, Mrs. Malfoy turned her attention to the other guest sitting next to her, "Well, Susan, you would be surprise to find someone you know dining with us this evening."
Just then, Draco entered into the parlor followed by his classmate, Viktor Krum.
"Oh, there you are!" Mrs. Malfoy called out, "I was just about to tell the ladies Draco, about your sudden arrival back at the manor this afternoon."
Hermione grew alert as she noticed Draco walking in. He looked around, unexpectedly meeting Hermione's eyes. His expression softened.
"Draco," Hermione greeted him with a small smile.
Draco quickly made his way across the room to her, "Hermione." He took her hand, "A happy meeting, Hermione." The two gazed intensely into one another.
"Susan, you know of my son I believe," Mrs. Malfoy said, breaking the silence, "Draco. Draco!"
Draco finally snapped out of his trance and abruptly turned around. "A pleasure, Susan," he bowed.
"And this is another schoolmate of Draco's," Mrs. Malfoy introduced, "Hermione, Susan, this is Viktor Krum. Oh, and over there, is Neville."
"How do you do," Neville greeted timidly.
"I thought you were over at Ron's, Draco," Hermione mentioned casually as she sat down.
"Oh yes, but uh, Viktor and I left this morning, rather unexpectedly as a matter of fact." Draco answered.
"All your departure seemed to be rather unexpected Draco," Hermione looked at him slyly.
Mrs. Malfoy noticed her strange comment but remained silent.
"You know Hermione," Draco said, avoiding the subject as he sat beside her, "I have thought a great deal of what you said to me by the archery field that day, about laughing more. I tried to follow your advice."
"I hoped it worked," Hermione inquired, "Do you feel happier now?"
"I've never felt more miserable in my life," he answered truthfully, without taking his eyes off of her.
Hermione avoided his gaze, uncomfortably, "Must be the lack of exercise," she suggested in a high tone, "You'll feel better once the Quidditch season begins."
"Vell Draco!" Viktor Krum walked over to him; "Now I know vut took you in to Hogvarts last semester."
"You also know what drove him out again," Hermione, added, "He liked the landscape well enough, but the natives Viktor, the natives! What bores! What savages! Utterly insupportable!" She gave Draco an innocent smile, "Isn't that so, Draco?"
"It evidently amuses you to think so Hermione," Draco responded politely.
"Hermione." Mrs. Malfoy called, "Come here."
Hermione stood up. Giving the two men a quick nod, she goes over to Mrs. Malfoy.
"Susan," Mrs. Malfoy commanded, "Go and talk to Neville, I wish to speak to Hermione."
"Yes, Mrs. Malfoy."
"Be seated," Mrs. Malfoy instructed.
Hermione did as she was told.
"Have you many accomplishments?" she asked.
"Accomplishments?" Hermione glanced over at Draco, "Well, I don't know whether Draco would think I have."
"Do you sing and play?" she clarified.
"A little," answered Hermione.
"You should perform for us one day," Mrs. Malfoy said in a tone that was more of a command than a request, boasting, "Our instruments are one of the bests in the country."
She continued her interrogation, "You have grown up with muggles I hear?"
"Yes," Hermione replied proudly, "Both of my parents are muggles."
"How strange! You mean you've never even heard of this world prior to your acceptance to Hogwarts?" Mrs. Malfoy said, flabbergasted. "I've never heard of such thing at Durmstrang!"
"Hermione seems to have gone on very well without the experience," Draco interjected, "She's one of the top students in her year."
"Don't talk nonsense, Draco," Mrs. Malfoy hushed. She focused back to Hermione, "Does your parents still allow you to live as a muggle during the summers?"
"I don't see why not," she replied.
"How very odd!" Mrs. Malfoy remarked.
"Really, Mrs. Malfoy," she stated her case simply, "I think it would be very hard for our kind, due to the circumstances, to be kept out of our own societies in which they have been brought up. It would hardly promote healthy social relations or the delicacy of mind!"
"Upon my word Hermione," Mrs. Malfoy scowled at her, "You express your opinions very decidedly."
"Hermione is nothing if not decided on mother," Draco added.
A few minutes of silence later, Dolby walked in and announces, "Dinner is served, milady."
"Come, I hate cold soup," Mrs. Malfoy declared, getting out of her seat, "Your arm Viktor?"
Viktor strode over and extended his arm.
Draco seized the moment to walk up to Hermione, extending his own hand, "May I be allowed to continue your interrogation during dinner? There are so many things I should like to find out."
"It seems to be a family sport sir," Hermione smiled as she accepted his offer.
"No Draco!" Mrs. Malfoy halted, "You are to take Pansy into dinner. Neville will take Hermione"
They both rolled their eyes before parting to their respective partners.
"I'm afraid you have to go alone Susan," Mrs. Malfoy told her.
With that, everyone marched into the dining room.
Thanks for reading. Please take the time to review. Encourages me to get it done faster. The next chapter I believe is what many people who know the book/movie are waiting for. Will update soon!
