Disclaimer: Everything belongs to their respective owners unless you don't recognize it, then it's mine. Disclaimer will be given only once, please get over it.

That's How You Know

~~*~~

Chapter One

            She let her eyes roam round the room once more before snapping the lid to its base with two loud clicks. Walking to the bathroom, she glanced at her face in the mirror only to see the tear stain tracks on her cheeks, and the red rim of her eyes, staring out back at her tauntingly. Turning on the taps, she leaned over as if it were a chore and splashed the cold liquid over her pale face. She left the water to trickle down her face as she walked back into the bedroom, lifting the black case from the mattress and taking it to her side as she walked towards the knocking on the front door.

            She stared out at the clouds as the plane ran loudly at the fifty thousand feet altitude they flew at. She could hear the people chatting around her; the couple behind her exchanging their bittersweet newlywed kisses. Her eyes drooped as she fell into the slumber that would be fitful with memories of the past year and a half. The memory of him and the feelings she thought they had shared.

            Shaken awake, she was handed a piece of cloth by the old woman sitting next to her, her rheumy eyes gazing sadly and knowingly at her. She accepted the handkerchief with a small, sad smile and wiped her face dry from the dreams' tears. Holding it back out for the man, the woman just smiled and reclosed her hand about the kerchief with a mumbled "I've been in the same place, lass."

            She folded up the handkerchief and clasped it in her palm, smiling a small smile of thanks to the old woman as the plane landed harshly with tires squealing with the pressure of the brake pads on the large rubber circles. Tying the scarf she had shoved into her back jeans pocket behind her ears, then tying the loose pointed end into the rest, her hair was neatly secured and covered as she walked off the plane towards the baggage claim. Things looked different in this airport than it had in the one she left from, and she hauled the bag from the conveyer belt and walked to the front doors where the car and a familiar face would be waiting for her.

            Her face broke into an involuntary smile as she spotted the rumbling 1956 Corvette, and the man sitting in the sun in the drivers' seat. She hurried over to him, giving him a kiss on the cheek and a hug.

            "Does this mean I have bragging rights?" he popped the trunk so she could place her bag inside before she sat on the white leather seat, heated from the hot sun to the point of scalding.

            "Bragging rights?"

            He pulled out of the parking spot, "your mother tells me you haven't smiled like that in a while now."

            She went quite, staring out at the road as they passed field upon field by, knowing he wouldn't press the subject if she remained silent. Her eyes danced as she saw the foals out to play with their mothers in the pastures; frolicking along before they knew what was happening and were being weaned from their mothers.

            Leaning her head back, she watched the sun play through the tree branches that lined the road up to the old Victorian house where she would be living for, what she had said as an unknown amount of time. And while the car was stopping, and the horn tooted, a woman came out of the house as quick as she could to greet her with a strong hug.

            "Oh, you look lovely, dear! Are you hungry? Oh how silly of me, of course you are!"

            She smiled small at the woman, "I'm really just tired, Grams. Would you mind terribly if I just went off to bed?"

            "I wouldn't mind at all, dear. Off to bed then! Ed! Oh where is that man?" the old woman bustled back into the house as she slowly walked up the porch steps, turning around to look at the land before walking inside and up the stairs to the room she had always slept in when visiting.

~~*~~

            She woke the next – looking quickly to the clock next to her on the night table – afternoon to the sound of a metal bar being thrown about in the equally metal triangle on the porch. It must be time for lunch, she thought to herself as she pushed off the quilted comforter and slid out of the large bed. Making the bed quickly, she grabbed her jean cut-offs and blue tank, as well as fresh undergarments, from her still packed suitcase and padded to the bathroom adjoining her room for a much-needed shower.

            "Well, afternoon, Sunshine!" her grandfather greeted cheerfully as she made her presence known by the thump of her shoes on the stairs as she walked down to the kitchen.

            "Hi, Grandpa," she replied as she fell into the wooden chair opposite him. Her plate was instantly filled with a sub sandwich and glass filled up with ice cold milk by her grandmother who winked before turning to return the milk to the fridge. She bit hungrily into the sandwich; finishing it within the time her grandfather had taken three bites of his. Her eyes darted around as if there would be someone there to laugh at how quickly she had eaten her food, but she was just met with the conversation of her grandparents.

            "Is it alright if I go to the river?"

            Edward looked at her with a grin, "why don't you take Prancer out for a hack while you go?"

            She nodded and went through the back door towards the barn housing the horses and opened the large sliding doors to be greeted with the whinnies of the many equines housed there. Stopping off at the tack room first, she grabbed the saddle and bridle labeled Prancer off their hooks and walked towards one of the furthest stalls. She set the saddle over the stall door, opening it as she did with a warm welcome to the large chestnut mare. Quickly placing the bridle in place, she gave her a quick brush down with the soft comb and then placed the saddle and its pad on her withers.

            "You haven't been out lately, have you, Prancer?" she murmured as she led her out of the stall and barn before mounting up with the aide of the cinderblocks set near the first paddock for that very reason. She turned the mare around before trotting her through the fence opening that would take her on the trail towards the part of the river that ran through her grandparents land.

            "What d'you think I should do, Prancer? Should I mope about for the rest of the summer?" she leaned to look the mare in her right eye. "You think I should just get over him?" Prancer tossed her head, snorting as if to say yes, causing her to laugh. "Get over him it is! You just have no idea what it's going to be like . . ."

            She clicked her tongue twice and tapped Prancers' sides with her heels for a canter as they came out of the trees. The clear, sparkling river was two hundred yards ahead of them, reflecting the sun sharply. Her face broke into an involuntary smile as they cantered to it, and she was slowing Prancer and hopping out of the saddle before she even realized they were at the river.

            Wrapping the reins around the horn, she let Prancer wander down to the river for some water, and then back up to munch on the tall grass as she took off her shoes and dabbled her feet up the ankle from the first level of the Jumping Rock. Leaning back on her hands, she sighed and closed her eyes to the sun. "Well, I may get over him, Prancer, but that doesn't mean I have to believe in love. Or fall again for that matter. Right?"

            Prancer only looked up briefly at her before putting her head back to the grass.

~~*~~

            Edward stood up as he heard the knocking and made his way towards the front porch. Through the screen, he squinted at the gentleman. "What can I do you for?"

            "I was wondering, sir, if you would be willing to let me work here?"

            Edward opened the screen door with one hand, confusion on his face. "What'd you say, son?"

            "Who's there, Edward?"

            He turned his head back inside, "a boy asking for a job."

            She walked to the door, giving her husband a disapproving look. "Why don't you come in, honey, you look like you could use some food in your belly." Once he was sitting at the table, with a sandwich in front of him, she sat down at the head of the table. "Now what's this about needing a job?"

            He swallowed the food in his mouth. "I haven't got anywhere to go, ma'am. I figured that I could do some work around here to get some money saved up for school."

            "Have you got a place to stay?"

            He shook his head no, taking another bit of the sandwich. His eyes darted back and forth between the old couple. "The only thing I've got with me are clothes and the car my mother had ready for me when I got here."

            "Your mother? Why can't you stay with her?" Edward spoke up at the words.

            He looked to the old man, "she doesn't live here. She sent me here to get me away from my father; arranged for me to have just enough cash to get new clothes and that car out there."

            The old woman's eyes softened, "and you haven't got a bank account you can access anywhere?"

            "I do, ma'am, but I am under strict orders that I mustn't touch it until summer ends – that's when I'll be off for University."

            Edward scowled a little, then a look from his wife made his face clear up. "Why are you on the run from your father, son?"

            He glanced his way again, "I mean not to be rude sir, but I came here looking for a job, not the Spanish Inquisition."

            Smacking his hand on the table in a touché fashion, "well then! Can you lift heavy bales? Put up with unruly horses? Do other odds and ends at a farm establishment?"

            "I'm hoping so," he answered with a small held-in sigh.

            "Well, then you'll be living here in the house while you do your work. Up and ready at five every morning, I'll have my granddaughter show you the ropes until you get the hang of it. Lunch is whenever you hear that triangle out there ringing, and the same with dinner. Always keep a water canteen near you, it's a scorching summer out there this year." Edward nodded to himself as he ticked off the guidelines in his head.

            "Isabelle, why don't you show him a room he can stay in, I've got some work to finish."

            Isabelle stood and kissed her husbands' balding head before waving a hand at the boy to let him know he was to follow her. "Don't worry about having to wake up early tomorrow, honey, you look like you could use a good nights sleep on your shoulders."

            "Thank you, ma'am," he replied with his manners, grateful for a bed and a full nights sleep.

            "None of that ma'am and sir nonsense. Just call us Isabelle and Edward, shorten them however you want, we've had the plethora of nicknames in our lives." She opened the door to a large bedroom and let him go inside. "This will be your room for the summer, bathroom is at the end of the hall, you can't miss it. Now, head off to bed, honey, you need a good sleep. And by the way, what's your name?"

            "My name?"

            "That is what I asked you."

            "It's Draco. Draco Malfoy."

            She nodded as if she knew something he didn't, then gave him a wink and shut the door. Walking down the hall, she chuckled to herself quietly.

            Sunshine was going to have a fit.

~~*~~

            I'm hoping that you all realize this is very AU. If you don't, you obviously don't know much about the Harry Potter world, do you? Lemme know what you think!