Disclaimer: I own nothing!
Author's Note: Once again, I do not speak French. I am using a dictionary/translator on my computer, so I'm aware it won't be perfect. If you do speak French, I would like to apologize now for any slaughtering of the language I may have inadvertently caused. Otherwise, what do you care, right?
French translations: ((example))
Responses to my lovely reviewers: tkmoore, ah, my dear Kelly, there just are no words for your continued magnificence! (kisses!) cloaked, I (sob) adore you! It's so nice to have someone who understands! Jan, once again, darling, I bow before your reviewing self! seri-chan, have I mentioned lately that I love you? Your reviews are awesome! Thank you! aoi-yuki-yume, you'll have to wait and see! hope you like this chappie! TarynMalfoy88, don't worry, I'll vouch for your sanity. (Us crazy people have to stick together.) lol madcow, thanks so much, and I'm proud to have turned you on to D/B! resentment, you'll see, and thanks! babykelyse, glad you liked the ear. (so did I!) childofoceans, as you commanded! musiclover86, I checked the 'Nagini' thing on the Harry Potter Lexicon, and it said that was the right spelling. Thanks so much, though! :) Shelby, I didn't consider them friends after the bathroom incident! lol AnitaBlake/BuffyFan, thank you SO much! I just love you! Pyro89, thanks! a.sam, the trip begins…lol jenn, voldie…rubber ducky…gods, I can't stop laughing! GinnyPotter5, thanks! BOME, behold the Manor! lol little-munchkin-poo, sucking up is good…:) hope you like this one! power of the stars, THANK YOU! Psi, thanks! xxbabysparklesxx, as always, thank you! sillysun, thank you so much! what an ego boost!
Now, to the story!
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Virginia awoke with a start, her heart pounding. Her boyfriends, who had actually decided to sleep for a few hours before they left for the Manor, shot up on either side of her at the same time. Swirling images were still rushing through her head, and she couldn't stop them. Long, flowing hair like rosewood, so dark and rich a brown it was almost black, shimmering with dark red lowlights. Eyes of the same color but even darker, lit with the tiniest specks of a green more vibrant then even Harry could claim. A sense of steadiness, calmness, peace. A sense of the earth. The sweet, cloying smell of orchids, and the last, longing notes of a song sung by a voice that could make angels weep.
"Gods…" Virginia breathed as the dream finally crumbled completely.
"What…" Blaise started.
"The fuck was that?" Draco finished for him. All three of their Marks were ablaze, casting odd shadows on the starry walls of their bedroom, and they were tingling strangely.
"I have no idea." She stated, staring at her shining arm. "Did you…"
"Yes." They answered in unison.
"Was it a male or a female?" She wondered, trying to call the vision back.
"I'm not sure." Draco replied, his silvery eyebrows furrowing. "I'd rather know why we had the dream at all."
"As would I." Blaise muttered, falling back onto the pillows. "That was…strange. And familiar."
"Yes." Virginia agreed, blowing a lock of hair away from her face. "Very familiar, and yet…vague, as well."
"It reminds me of someone, but I can't for the life of me remember who." Draco said, looking disturbed at that fact.
"Me too." Virginia and Blaise said together, sighing in frustration. She knew she'd seen those eyes before, damn it. But where? And why were they dreaming about them? Needing a distraction, since her life had been much too complicated in the last few weeks for her to try and wrap her mind around yet another mystery, she slid over Draco's legs and onto the thick rug. "I don't really want to think about this right now. Wanna go to the kitchens and get something to eat?"
"Sounds good." Blaise murmured, also getting to his feet. "We never ate after practicing."
"Strawberries." Draco suddenly said, almost reverently, his eyes gleaming a bit psychotically.
"What?" She asked, thoroughly confused.
"Strawberries." Blaise repeated as he put on a silver robe that was trimmed in black yeti fur and slid his feet into his knee-high boots. "He's utterly obsessed with strawberries."
"And I'm just hearing about this now, because…"
"Because Draco can't have obsessions like normal people." Blaise commented dryly, throwing Draco and her each a robe. Draco's simply hit his chest and slid to the floor, his eyes locked onto the wall and still glittering strangely. "See? He's a freak. He's obsessed with them, yes, but he only remembers once or twice a year. And when he does…Well, you can see him. It's fucking deranged."
"Alright…" Virginia said slowly, buttoning up her robe as she leaned over Draco and waved a hand in front of his face. Nothing. "Yes, well, this is definitely…"
"It's okay, mon aimé. You can say it. Draco has problems. We just have to love him anyway."
"Do you think he'll even make it to the kitchens like this?" Virginia asked, and Blaise smirked. He walked over to them, and a wave of his hand had Draco's robe and boots in their proper places. On him. Then Blaise leaned in, much as Virginia had just done, except he whispered.
"Strawberries, Dray. You know you want some. Come on, follow me."
Then he held out a hand, which Draco took without even looking. Torn between worry and laughter, Virginia took his other hand, and they left their room and the Slytherin common room without being questioned on Draco's less-than-sane state. Which basically meant that their friends were all asleep. And, so it thankfully seemed, was the rest of the castle. Oh, she was sure there were plenty of students up, it was the last time many would see each other for two weeks after all, but they met none in the hallways, which was all that she cared about. When they made it to the kitchens, Blaise tickled the pear and they ducked inside.
"Eek!" They heard something squeak, and a second later, they were surrounded by house-elves. None of them were jabbering like usual, however, and she'd been there with her lovers enough to know that it was their presence that made the elves so formal.
"How mays we serve yous, m'lords?" One tiny elf asked, shaking from fright.
"Food. Whatever was for dinner. And for the love of Hades, don't forget the strawberries." Blaise said, and the elves disappeared immediately, except for the one who had spoken.
"This way, m'lords." It said, as if they didn't already know the way, and led them to the small dining room off to the left side of the large chamber. Since it was so late, they hadn't expected anyone to be there, so it was quite a surprise to find Hermione sitting with her head in her hands at the long table.
"Hermione?" Virginia called, and the girl's head shot up.
"Ginny!" Hermione exclaimed, her eyes wide and red from crying. Dried tears stained her flushed cheeks, and her hands were trembling around the mug of tea she was clutching tightly.
"Gods, Hermione, what's wrong?" Virginia asked, going to the other girl's side at once and sitting beside her. Draco and Blaise followed, Blaise more than a bit reluctant and Draco not really noticing due to his berry-haze.
"Oh, oh, it's…it's nothing." Hermione choked out, fresh tears springing to her brown eyes. Virginia uncurled the girl's fingers from around the china cup that was sure to break any second, and took them in her own, making Hermione turn to face her.
"It's not 'nothing'. What happened? Did someone hurt you?"
"N-No, it's nothing like that, it's just…I had a fight with Ron." Hermione finally said, lowering her head. Virginia reached out with their clasped hands and forced the girl to look at her.
"A fight with Ron? About what?" She asked, and Hermione's eyes turned angry.
"He had no right to treat you like that!" She exploded, genuinely shocking Virginia and Blaise. "Absolutely no right! You're his sister, for Merlin's sake! And I know that we've had problems lately, but Ginny, you're like a sister to me, and I could never have done what he did! I don't have any blood siblings, so I know how precious they are. I tried to tell him that, but he said…Well, he didn't say very nice things about either of us." Hermione's cheeks reddened, and Virginia felt her ire rising again. Forcing it down, as Hermione didn't need her to freak out right then, she settled on gripping the girl's hand more firmly.
"But aren't you supposed to be going to the Burrow with him and Harry tomorrow? You could work it out then, unless you don't want to." Virginia suggested, her tone making it clear which option she would choose. Hermione gave a small sob.
"He said…He said I wasn't welcome there anymore. B-Because I took up for you. He said you were a b-blood traitor, and that if I associated with you, then I really was nothing more than a m-mudblood."
"What!?" Virginia burst out incredulously. Her brother was totally in love with Hermione! He would never…
"I know!" Hermione cried. "I couldn't believe it either! Harry almost hit him. Said something like 'Then what am I?' and stormed off. They'll make up tonight, though. They always do. I'm the only expendable one." She let out a shrill laugh, and Virginia's eyes widened. She glanced at Blaise, who shrugged eloquently and went back to watching Draco eat the strawberries that she hadn't even noticed had arrived.
"You're not expendable, Hermione. And I don't think I ever apologized for calling you the same thing." Virginia said, and she almost threw a spoonful of the pudding by her elbow at Blaise when he snorted. Almost. She didn't feel like having this turn into a very messy food fight, which it was sure to do if she hit him with tapioca.
"Don't worry about it." Hermione said morosely. "At least you had a reason. You weren't in your right mind anyway, which was completely understandable. But Ron…"
"Didn't he try to curse Draco for doing the same thing? Ended up puking worms or something." Blaise commented wryly, a silver goblet in his hand and his cerulean eyes following yet another berry that was about to meet its end.
"Yes. And it was slugs." Hermione said, a ghost of a smile on her lips before it disappeared as swiftly as it came. "What am I going to do, Ginny? I can't stay here because I didn't sign up, and if I go home, my parents are going to ask endless questions…Maybe I could go with Parvati." She finished weakly, obviously not relishing the idea. An idea formed in Virginia's mind, and she gulped. But it seemed the only thing to do, really…
"You could come with us." She offered, and almost jumped out of her skin when something crashed onto the floor. Turning, she saw that Blaise had actually dropped his goblet, and years upon years of facial control seemed to have deserted him as he stared at her in open-mouthed horror. Draco continued eating strawberries, clueless as to their conversation, which was probably for the best.
"Et vous perdu votre esprit?" Blaise hissed, and Virginia steeled herself. ((Have you lost your mind?))
"No. And it won't be that bad."
"Are you kidding me? A mudblood in a Manor full of Slytherins for two weeks? Let alone in that Manor. The house itself will try to get her for even being there. And there's our pets…"
"Is there a way around that?" She asked, and he looked away, his smooth, sculpted jaw ticking.
"Yes." He finally spat out. "As long as she never goes anywhere without a pureblood at her side. Shall we hire a babysitter?"
"Very funny." Virginia sighed. Hermione stayed silent, not looking at any of them. Draco continued to eat strawberries.
"Well, what do you want me to say?" Blaise snapped, then took a deep breath, and continued in a much steadier tone, "I refuse to be pleased about this."
"I know." Virginia said, grinning slightly. "I'm not asking you to be. But I just can't stand the thought of sending her to spend Yule alone." Seeing that he wasn't breaking, she added, "With muggles. Would you bestow that fate upon anyone?" He gave her a withering look.
"Nice try. But I'm afraid I don't care if she has to spend Yule in a bloody fucking cave as long as she's not with me."
"Oh, come on, Blaise!" Virginia changed tactics, and decided to try to sway him for the same reason that she had decided it was a good idea. "Do you really want Ron to think he's won again? If she has to go home, he will! And the last thing I want right now is for that bastard to think any higher of himself. Please?" She added for good measure, and Blaise closed his eyes.
"You really want this?" He asked, sounding resigned.
"Yes."
"Fine." He said, waving a hand at Hermione dismissively. "But she'd better have her shit ready to go at eight. And gods help us all when Draco snaps back into reality. He's never going to forgive me." Virginia stood and pounced into his lap, laying kisses all over his face.
"Thank you!" She said, smiling at him. "I'll tell him it was my fault. It won't be too horrible, you'll see. You can show off how much better you have it or something." She teased, and he graced her with a small smirk. She gave him a last, lingering kiss, before taking her seat next to Hermione again.
"So you'll come, right?" She asked, and Hermione finally looked up, her eyes wary.
"I don't know, Ginny…"
"After all that trouble I just went through?" Virginia laid it on thick, her face falling into a pout. Hermione flinched, and then nodded hesitantly.
"Alright. I'll go."
"Go where?" The voice had them spinning around, to find that Draco was done with the gigantic bowl of strawberries, the red stains from the fruit making his usually frost-blue lips almost purple. Blaise was scooting minutely away from him, and seemed to be bracing himself. Virginia thought that was a rather excellent idea, and did the same.
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Hermione stood nervously outside of Snape's office door, really not wanting to knock. What the hell had she gotten herself into? What in the hell had she been thinking to accept an invitation to Malfoy Manor? Damn Ron! If he hadn't been such a prick, she wouldn't be standing there at seven fifty-eight in the morning, about to willingly put herself in a snake den much worse than any at Hogwarts. She must have lost her fucking wits sometime between last night and early this morning in the kitchens. Taking a deep breath, she knocked three times and let her fist fall. Right when she was about to give up and leave, the door swung open.
The room was full of trunks and green-robed students, and Snape stood in their center, telling them to all shut up and get in some sort of order. Many of the Slytherins trickled out after a minute, leaving Ginny, Draco, Blaise, Pansy, Anton, Melody, Daphne, Crabbe, Goyle and Snape behind, along with Hermione herself, of course. Ginny spotted her and called her over to where they were all standing in front of the fireplace. The office was sparsely, but richly, decorated, and all in the colors of Slytherin; silver, green and black. The fireplace was roaring and crackling, and there was a large pot of floo powder sitting on an ornate silver stand next to it.
"We're flooing?" Hermione asked Ginny nervously. Gods, could her stomach be twisted in any more knots?
"To the Manor's carriage station. We'll ride from there." Ginny replied, her cheeks glowing with anticipation.
"And the wards?"
"Oh, they won't be a problem." Ginny said, grinning at her. "Not in one of the carriages. Only those triggered into the wards can call the carriages into existence, and it'll take us safely through. Dray says it's easier that way with so many of us going. Less chance of accidents."
"Oh." Hermione responded weakly. "Accidents. Great." Ginny looked at her, cocking her head to the side, blood red hair falling over one eye.
"Don't be so nervous, 'Mione. Come on, it's time to go." The girl said, and took her hand, leading her to the fireplace. Everyone shrunk their trunks and other belongings, and Draco took a pinch of the powder, throwing it in the flames.
"The Crossways!" He said, and disappeared into the fire.
Ginny went next, and then Hermione. It felt much the same as the ride to their Alexandria office had, smooth and easy, but quite a bit shorter. She came out in a large marble foyer that was done completely in black, the torches the only light in the room. She moved forward as Pansy stepped out behind her, and the others soon followed. Once they were all there, Draco led them down a dark hallway that went off to the side, and they walked for a good three or four minutes before they came to a door. Draco mumbled something and it sprung open, and the sunshine almost blinded her. They'd come to some sort of courtyard.
It was surrounded by the tall black walls of the building, and she couldn't see anyway out, not even up since the top was glassed over. Draco walked to a plaque that hung on the far wall and that had his family's coat of arms emblazoned on it, before slicing his hand and laying it on the platinum surface. There was a deep rumbling noise, followed by a dull 'boom' to their left. Hermione turned as a giant carriage took shape on the snow-free grass, swirling out of a cloud of dark mist. It was black and lined in silver, and there were no horses of any kind to be seen. It looked old, yet brand new, and she marveled over the detail in the silver engravings.
"Let's go." Ginny said, nudging her ribs and walking for the carriage.
Everyone piled inside, and it was even larger than it had appeared. The walls were made of black velvet, the long, cushioned seats of leather, and the carpet under their feet was softer than any she'd ever felt. The side walls were mostly two huge windows that weren't visible from the outside, giving them a perfect view. There were brackets for torches, but seeing as it was early morning, they weren't needed. A wet bar sat against the back wall, rows of wine- and shot-glasses alike lining the surface, while two heavy, ebony doors were built into the bottom, and that was where she presumed the liquor was. She was proven right soon enough.
"Who wants a drink?" Blaise asked, stretching as he walked for the bar. Ginny went with him while everyone said that they did, and the two of them started mixing drinks. Hermione turned to one of the windows and started. The carriage was moving down a long, country drive that was lined with trees that met over their heads, and she hadn't even felt them move, let alone leave the courtyard.
"Here." Ginny said from beside her a few minutes later, and Hermione eagerly took the glass she held out to her. She wasn't usually a drinker, but her nerves were shot to hell. The alcohol burned down her throat and spread through her belly, and after a few more long gulps, she felt herself unwinding a bit. She also felt eyes on her, and looked up to find the Slytherins regarding her with unconcealed amusement.
"You are aware of what that is you're drinking, aren't you?" Anton asked, his own glass mostly full compared to hers. She shook her head. "Then you've had more than enough." He said dryly, taking another small sip of his own milky green alcohol. Wait, Hermione's slightly addled brain intoned, green!? How had she not noticed that before? What the hell was she drinking? Ginny seemed to know what she was thinking.
"It's Absinthe, Hermione." The girl said, a crooked grin on her rosy lips.
"La Fée Verte!" The Slytherins crooned, clinking their glasses together in a toast and draining most of what was left of their drinks. ((The Green Fairy!))
"Oh lord." Hermione mumbled, looking at the glass in her hand and back up at Ginny, who smirked.
"It's not as bad as you think." Ginny said, as Blaise pushed a panel on the wall. A small table appeared out of nowhere in front of him, and a quick summoning spell had a dark bottle, a metal cylinder container, a spoon and sugar cubes zooming towards him.
They settled themselves on the table, and he sat his empty glass down, filling it with a good amount of more green liquor, except it was darker then what they were drinking. She soon realized why. He put the spoon over his glass, and she saw that it was slotted. Then he placed a sugar cube on it and shook the cylinder, which rattled and sloshed, before popping the cap off with his thumb. What she assumed was ice water dribbled over the sugar cube and into the glass, and she watched in fascination as the liquor louched, turning the same cloudy green as the drink in her hand. He refilled everyone's that asked for it, while Hermione's vision swam a bit.
"You okay?" Ginny asked, watching her closely as she finished off her own glass.
Hermione nodded, and it wasn't much of a lie. She was okay, just…floaty. She'd only been drunk once before, and she wasn't really drunk now, just mellow and sort of carefree. The Slytherins soon began chatting quietly amongst themselves, while Ginny got wrapped up in a conversation on different Irish truth potions with her boyfriends and Snape. Hermione turned to the window once more, and saw that they had come out of the shadowy passage through the trees and were traveling along the top of a large hill lengthways. Nothing but white, snowy fields and dense forests sprawled in every direction around and below them.
It was cultivated, but in a very natural way. Every once in a while, she would catch sight of the famous winged horses that they were known to breed, or a small nook hidden in the tree line with fountains and benches. Occasionally, she would swear something huge moved through the trees, but she could never get a clear look, and whether it was due to the alcohol or the thick foliage that was still on the trees even in winter, she wasn't sure. There were also odd rock formations every mile or so, but as for what their purpose was, she didn't know and wasn't entirely sure that she wanted to. It was after one of those that she glimpsed a herd of unicorns in the distance and gasped.
"Unicorns!" She breathed in awe, having loved the creatures since they'd seen them in Care of Magical Creatures. Ginny turned and vaulted over Hermione, pressing her face against the glass.
"Ooooh, I adore unicorns." She said happily, her eyes locked onto the creatures' as they drank from a shallow creek after the stallion broke the ice with one huge hoof. The sunlight glinted of their silver and white coats, and a flash of gold testified that they had a relatively young one with them as well.
"There are three herds on the property." Draco said, leaning back against the seat and sipping his third or fourth drink. "Mother loves them. One of the mares even let her fix its broken leg once. We can go out to see them sometime soon, if you'd like."
"Really?" Ginny asked excitedly, turning to face him when they rounded a bend and entered a stretch of forest. Hermione was teeming with questions, desperately wanting to know why all of the trees still had leaves, even while they were iced over and weighed down with snow, but she stayed silent.
"Yes." Draco replied. "Mum and Silana can show you the best places to look for them."
"That would be awesome." Ginny said wistfully, turning to look back out the window. "It's beautiful here."
"Yes, it is." Pansy said, looking up from a book she had in her lap that she'd been using to show Anton something. "I've always loved coming here. It gives you a sense of peace knowing that there's nothing around for miles and miles except nature." Hermione silently agreed, knowing exactly what she meant.
"How much longer should it take us before we reach the Manor?" Hermione asked curiously, and Snape laughed.
"A good forty-five minutes at the best." He said, looking out of his window. Wow, she thought. It takes almost an hour and a half to get down their driveway? Resuming her sight-seeing, the time seemed to fly. It really was incredibly beautiful, like some winter wonderland straight out of a fairy tale. Drifting off into slightly fuzzy daydreams, Draco's voice startled her out of her daze quite a while later.
"Ah, good. We've arrived." He said, and she snapped her head around, sucking in a breath.
A seemingly never-ending wall rose and rose into the winter sky, and the imposing black stone stretched to either side with no end in sight. The front of the carriage became transparent, and directly in front of them were two huge doors made of the same stone, forming a gate in the wall. At first, she thought the gigantic shapes to either side of the gate were statues, until they moved to block the way, wings the size of an airplane's stretching out and fanning snow in every direction. A strangled scream catching in her throat, she could do nothing but stare at the dragons and their riders as the telltale icy cold seeped into her bones and thoughts.
The dragons looked like the same type Harry had fought during the Tri-Wizard Tournament, but they were even larger, and the creatures on their backs were most assuredly Dementors. The tall, hooded figures swooped off of the dragons, flying straight for the carriage. Willing herself not to panic, Hermione looked around and saw that no one else looked very surprised. Ginny shot her an apologetic look, as if she'd forgotten, while Draco stood and left the carriage, taking Blaise with him and going out to meet the damnable creatures. The two Slytherins walked up to them and the Dementors actually bowed, putting a clawed fist on their chests as they did so.
"Are they insane?" Hermione finally exclaimed.
"Of course not." Anton replied. "There are Dementors all throughout the grounds, barring the Manor itself."
"What?" Hermione choked out, hoping she wasn't about to faint as her head started swimming. At least the bone-chilling cold had dispersed after the Dementors had bowed.
"It's a relatively new development." Pansy supplied, looking more than a bit delighted with Hermione's nervous fear. "The Dementors wouldn't answer to their fathers, but they will to them. They're drawn to them."
"Drawn to them." Hermione repeated feebly.
"Yes. They're the ones who came looking for Draco and Blaise, not the other way around."
"And what happens when they change their minds and decide to start sucking souls left and right?" Hermione asked, a slightly hysterical note in her voice. Bloody Dementors, she thought wildly. You've got to be joking.
"They won't." Pansy laughed. "They offered to take the only oath among their kind that means anything, and tied themselves to Dray and Blaise. They won't hurt anyone under their protection."
"Oh, oh, that's great." Hermione mumbled. "And what if some muggle happened to wander too close to the property? They wouldn't even be able to see them before they were dead." No one said anything. "Oh gods. You don't even care, do you?" She accused.
"Not particularly." Melody answered carefully. "But it's not a problem, so don't go all pro-muggle on us. Muggles can't cross the wards, and the Dementors won't without leave to go feed."
"'Leave to go feed'? Feed on what, exactly?"
But no one ever answered her, their attention outside once more. She followed their line of sight and felt her heart skip a beat. The Dementors had kneeled down (which still put them at almost the same height as Draco and Blaise), but that wasn't what terrified her. Seeing the two Slytherins stay completely still while the Dementors kissed them is what got to her. She yelped, thinking that they were Kissing kissing them, but they pulled back almost immediately and got back onto the dragons. Draco and Blaise turned and walked back to the carriage, a gust of cold air and snow following them in, and both looked okay except for large, blue lip prints on their cheeks.
"I can't believe you let those things touch you." Hermione said, barely even realizing that she was speaking aloud.
"They're not that bad." Blaise said evenly as he and Draco sat back down. "They just need direction. And understanding."
"'Understanding'?" She questioned. "What's to understand? They're soulless and evil." Blaise raised an eyebrow.
"Perhaps." He agreed. "But everything serves a purpose. Even them."
"Yes, yes." Draco said distractedly, and lifted a hand.
His signet ring flashed, and a low rumbling turned her attention to the gate once more. It seemed to be shaking and shimmering, and an instant later, it was gone. The carriage moved forward again, the dragons moving back, and they passed under the new archway. When they came out on the other side, she knew her mouth fell open. Manor didn't quite cover it. It was more like a palace. Much more. It rose out of the countryside as if it belonged there, all dark stone and forest green trimming, and it was built right into the side of a mountain that they hadn't even been able to see before, due to the trees and the guard wall.
The Manor stood eight stories high, and stretched across a huge expanse of ground. She could see around one side from the angle they were approaching it, and realized it was even more massive than she'd thought at first glance. The driveway curved, making a huge circle up to the front doors and then away from them. A black marble awning was positioned over the entranceway, so that no one would get wet if it happened to be raining or snowing, as it currently was. There were seven enormous stables to the left, and a heated (as was obvious by the steam) pool, that was almost the size of a small lake, with diving boards and rope swings to the right.
The entire front lawn, but for the drive, was an enormous garden that was still in bloom, the vibrant petals sticking out shockingly against the crystalline white snow. Black lattice choked with ivy formed covered walkways and secluded nooks throughout the expanse of flowers and exotic plants, and she caught glimpses of numerous magical creatures. Crups and Red Caps, Snidgets and Acromantulas, others she couldn't even name, and there appeared to be a miniature snowball fight going on between fairies and doxies. She looked over all of it that she could see, speechless. The gods only know what might be behind this place, she thought absently.
They pulled up underneath the awning a few minutes later and got out, stretching their legs gratefully. The carriage disappeared on its own after the last person stepped out, and they were about to go inside when they heard a whoosh of air. Before anyone could say anything, Narcissa and Silana landed on the snow a few feet from them, dressed in identical silver Quidditch robes. Both of their cheeks were flushed and their hair was coming out of their tight, constraining buns, wisping around their smiling faces. They dropped their brooms on the ground carelessly, sweeping their sons into hugs. Soft, quiet words were spoken before both women embraced Ginny and Severus.
"It's so good to have you all here!" Narcissa said, wrapping the other Slytherins in tight hugs as well before stepping back. Something in her pocket was vibrating and wiggling, and a Snitch zoomed out a second later. Narcissa snatched it out of the air surprisingly quickly, and actually looked slightly sheepish when Blaise and Draco gave her knowing grins.
"You still can't remember to leave it behind, can you?" Blaise asked teasingly, and she slapped his arm.
"Shut up, you." She said, trying to sound stern and failing miserably. Hermione felt eyes on her and looked up to find Silana regarding her silently. Wanting to break the silence, Hermione said the first thing that came to mind.
"I didn't know you played."
"Hmph." The woman huffed. "You're not the first to think they got their skill from their fathers. Bunch of rubbish." Her eyes narrowed. "What exactly are you doing here?"
"Mother." Blaise interceded, shooting Hermione a death glare before the woman turned to him. "She's a guest." He finished simply, and Silana looked at him for the barest moment before nodding.
"As you wish." She said, a hint of distaste still lacing her low, refined voice. She was a beautiful woman, as beautiful as Narcissa (which was saying something), and each had long, flowing, white-blond hair. Both had blue eyes as pale and icy as a wolf's, and neither looked a day over twenty-seven, tops.
"Alright, come along, now." Narcissa said, moving for the ornately carved, ebony front doors. They opened before she reached them, and everyone went inside, brushing the last of the snow off of their cloaks and robes. Right before the doors closed behind them, Hermione saw a house elf appear, grab the women's brooms, and disappear. Turning back, she stifled yet another gasp.
The entrance hall looked like something out of a dream. The floor and pillars were green-veined, black marble, and the walls and ceiling were covered with giant, moving murals that showed scenes from the ancient legends of their people. It was oddly like being inside a huge piece of art, rather than just looking at art. The murals continued, and eventually, she stopped trying to soak everything in as they walked down hall after extravagant hall. Her trance was broken when four huge dogs tore down the hallway, and slid to a stop as they spotted Draco and Blaise. They immediately hid behind them, and the two Slytherins glanced at them warily. She looked closer and realized that they were still puppies. Lord, how big do they get?
"Bloody savages!" A voice yelled from around the corner. Hermione got quite a shock when a banshee came into view. Tall and willowy, she had the floor-length black hair of all of her kindred, as well as the green-tinted skin. She was as thin as could be, with black pupils and irises, while the rest of her eyes were the same pale green as her skin. Her gaze fell on Draco and Blaise, who actually fidgeted under her glare. "Ooooh," she crooned, "Just who I was looking for, young Master Malfoy, Master Zabini. GET YOUR BLOODY DOGS AND KEEP THEM AWAY FROM MY KITCHENS!" The banshee then turned on a heel, sweetly said, "Welcome home, babies," and disappeared. Blaise and Draco glared at the pups.
"We're not home for five minutes, and already you evil little buggers get us yelled at by Keravin." Draco said, and the dogs had the grace to look bashful. "Well," he continued, "you know what has to be done." The pups began shaking their huge, furry heads. "Nasha! Kalan!"
Hermione grinned then, as she'd heard Draco and Blaise talking about the two dogs that they'd had almost their entire lives, and who had been the founders of the three kennels somewhere on the property, and three more at Blaise's estate. But the stories that they'd told the Slytherins who had never seen them before (and that she'd overheard during the trips to the dungeons that she, Ron and Harry had taken to visit Ginny) didn't prepare her for the actual thing. Those were definitely not normal dogs. Because the two gigantic hounds, which looked like huskies but were built like mastiffs, didn't look nearly as old as they should've, and their heads came up almost to their owners' shoulders.
She could practically ride one of them, not that she had any intention to try. They fell all over Draco and Blaise, yipping happily, before backing away suddenly and gathering around their pups, which had started to whine. The two young men's eyes lit up, while Pansy and the other Slytherins looked wary, but not terrified, so Hermione took that as a good sign. Then she almost fainted. Cats don't come in that size, except for the Nundu. Haven't for thousands of years. If the black and white giant that stood at eye level with them and still had all four feet on the ground was their 'baby kitten', then she needed to start exaggerating their stories for them.
"Hello beautiful." Blaise cooed, fearlessly wrapping his hands in the cat's fur, while Draco did the same. A huge pink tongue darted out and loud purring filled the hallway.
"Where is Letalis?" Draco asked, and almost as soon as he spoke, an even larger cat stalked down the hall towards them. To her horror, Hermione saw a little fear enter the watching Slytherins' eyes. The cat stopped in between Draco and Blaise and leaned into their scratching fingers, before its gaze landed on Ginny.
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Virginia did nothing as the giant cat walked towards her, a predatory gleam in its dark eyes. She knew that it was a male as the cat moved closer, and for some reason, she didn't feel afraid. Muscles rippled under its stripped fur as it paced closer to her, the black and white contrasting beautifully. Its eyes were a dark, purplish-red, and they burned with an almost startling intelligence. It held the stare as it got ever nearer to her, and she met it unflinchingly, not even so much as blinking. It stopped in front of her and sat on its haunches, its nostrils flaring as it drew in her scent. She reached out a cautious hand, wanting to run her fingers through its fur, when Anton spoke.
"I wouldn't do that. Letalis isn't like the others..." He started, but then stopped as the huge cat bumped her hand with its head and purred, deep and low. It leaned forward, and a huge pink tongue scratched her cheek as the purring got louder. Sitting back again, it lifted a huge paw up between them and flipped it over so that the pads faced up, before extending it to her.
She instinctively recognized the show of trust immediately. She put herself in danger by exposing her wrist to those retractable claws, and it risked the sensitive pads of its feet to human trickery. She placed her hand palm down on its paw immediately, looking into those eyes that seemed to see right through her. It flexed, and she felt the softest brush of claws before they were gone and it was purring again. It lowered its paw and circled her slowly, rubbing sleek fur against her skin. It stopped after the third circle, and sat to the side of her, purring while she scratched behind its huge, furry ears. She looked up and saw that Blaise and Draco were grinning, while Hermione's eyes were huge and her other friends' mouths were hanging open slightly.
"What?" She asked, wondering why most of them were staring at her as if she'd sprouted a third arm.
"Letalis is extremely violent towards strangers at times," Narcissa said as one of the pups came up to her. "And he never likes any of them. Well, until now, that is." She added, smirking. The smirk didn't last long, however, when Hermione fidgeted and drew the eyes of not only the two cats, but the dogs as well. Growls filled the air immediately, and Hermione paled until she looked like a pasty sheet.
"Knock it off." Draco said, looking as if he'd rather tell them to attack. The animals quieted down gradually, but their eyes stayed locked onto Hermione. They hadn't noticed her through their initial excitement over their masters being home, but Virginia was almost positive that Hermione wasn't going to have a minute after this without furry faces following her everywhere. When Blaise grinned evilly a moment later, that belief was solidified.
"You know what?" Her raven-haired lover asked, his eyes glinting menacingly as he watched their pets watch Hermione. "I think we just found that babysitter."
"What?" Hermione burst out. "But they'll eat me. Especially one of those…those Nundu things."
"Nundu?" Draco questioned sarcastically. "Okay, for one, Nundu are leopards. And they hate it inside."
"I know they're leopards." Hermione said. "But it was the only cat that I could think of that's so large, and--Wait…what do you mean 'they hate it inside'? Do you actually have some of them here?" She looked around as if expecting something to jump out at her from the shadows. Which probably wasn't too unlikely…
"Yes, but like I said, it's not as if they're inside." Draco rolled his eyes. Hermione simply stared at him as if he were insane.
"Enough about the cats." Silana interceded. "We'll meet you in the family dining room, hmm? I'm guessing that Virginia will share a room with you two," she shot a look at her son and Draco, "and the others know where their rooms are. Pansy?"
"Yes, my la-Silana?" She changed words abruptly when Silana shot her an exasperated look.
"Would you mind showing Hermione to an empty room somewhere in the wing yours are in?"
"Of course. I'll show her to the dining room as well." Pansy agreed, keeping her face neutral until Silana, Narcissa and Severus were gone around another corner.
"I cannot believe that you've let a mudblood into the Manor, Draco. Whatever are you going to do when a Lethifold gets her?" A voice said from behind them, and they turned to see one of the family portraits scowling down at them. It had the silvery hair of all the Malfoys, but its eyes were a light blue instead of gray or silver. "Her presence here is quite blasphemous."
"Oh, yes. It was really my choice, Damian." Draco hissed, sarcasm dripping from every word.
"You control the Manor. It was your choice." The portrait bit back, crossing its arms over its chest gracefully.
"Was it? Did you always get everything you wanted? Let's go find Gabrielle and ask her." Draco purred, and the portrait actually paled.
"That won't be necessary." It said, its eyes narrowing into a pretty potent glare for a painting.
"I didn't think it would be." Draco commented dryly. "Come on." He said to the others, and they started back down the hall. The dogs all ran off in different directions, except one, while both cats stayed with them. The dog kept bumping Draco's hand, before it finally licked him.
"Hey!" Draco said. "Damn it, I told you." He said, glowering at the dog. "I may like you, but you're still a canine. Gods, that's gross." Blaise shot him a sympathetic look, but couldn't hide his smirk completely as they continued walking. Three staircases and a million turns later, they came to a large, open room filled with more plants. In fact, almost the entire Manor was filled with them. Virginia loved it. Everywhere you turned, something green and alive was there to greet you. Two twisting staircases led from the room, one going to the left, the other to the right.
"We'll see you in a little while, alright?" Pansy said as she and the other Slytherins started up the left set, Hermione trailing them, and the dog followed at a lazy hand signal from Blaise. Virginia and Draco nodded at Pansy in agreement, and as soon as the others were out of sight, Virginia's boyfriends took her hands and pulled her, laughing, down a small side corridor.
"Where are we going?" She asked as they passed the last torch and all fell into darkness. Her eyes adjusted immediately, since, unlike a cat, she didn't need even the smallest bit of light to see as long as the circumstances were…normal.
"To our room." They said simply. It wasn't long before light became visible again, and they came out in another open room much like the last. They led her to a plaque on the wall that was the same as the one in the stables, and stopped in front of it.
"There are quite a few of these all over the grounds." Draco explained. "We'll key you into them later tonight. All you have to do is cut your hand like I did at the carriage station earlier, and put in on it. No one else can get in, even if they had our blood. Give me your hand. You'll have to come with me this time." He said, and she intertwined her fingers with his.
He cut his hand and laid it on the plaque. A moment later, dark blue light enveloped them from head to foot, and she felt herself…disintegrate. It was quite unlike portkeying or Apparating (which they had taught her to do on excursions past the castle's wards), but it was over soon enough. A breeze tickled her face, and she looked up, unable to stifle her delighted gasp. It was the most beautiful room she'd ever seen, more beautiful than she ever could have imagined. The walls were enchanted much like their bedroom walls back at Hogwarts, and looked as if the night itself had been poured into them.
It didn't seem as if there was a roof, but she knew that there had to be, since the sky she was looking at certainly wasn't the sky that she was familiar with. Bloody looking twin moons were barely visible in the soft, yet bright, moonlight (which was somehow still silvery), and the sky was a multitude of brilliant colors. Green faded into blue, which faded into purple, which faded into black, and the pattern kept repeating in brilliant stripes. Stars shown everywhere, along with novas and comets and nebulas, and she stared in wonder at the alien sky for a long time before snapping out of the trance it had her in, and looking at the rest of her surroundings.
The canopied bed against one wall was huge, and it could easily sleep at least five people comfortably. It was made out of a strange, dark, rich wood that was engraved with symbols she didn't recognize, although some seemed vaguely familiar. The canopy's curtains were blue and black, as were the numerous amounts of pillows piled on top of the bed. The silk sheets were blacker than the hangings, and were strewn with slowly revolving planets and glowing mercury stars. Thick, scrumptious looking furs were piled at the foot of the bed (she recognized them immediately for yeti and werewolf), and she knew that they would be as insanely soft as they appeared.
The rest of the furnishings were ancient and elegant, made from the same black wood as the enormous bed. A desk stacked with scrolls, quills and ink sat against the far left wall, and an open door right beside it allowed her to glimpse a room full of books, vials and various other objects, magickal and non-magickal alike. In the center of the huge bedroom, three green-cushioned divans sat in a circle around a tiled fire pit that was built right into the emerald-veined, black marble floor. More rugs were scattered over the ground, candles floated in midair everywhere, and the room was full of leafy, rainforest-type plants and flowers, which she knew was their preference.
They loved the concealing thickness of it all, loved the different scents that were unlike any others in their world, loved the dark vibrancy of the colors, and she had to admit, so did she. There were also roses, climbing the starry walls and stopping at the ceiling, their dark green vines and black, blood-tipped petals swaying in the gentle breeze and making the stars seem to flicker and dance. To the far right, a section of the wall was obscured by silver fog, and she walked towards it curiously. She stopped in front of it and experimentally stuck a hand through the glittery mist, and when nothing happened, she went through.
Was it even possible to hallucinate such utter beauty? She didn't think so, which is what made her decide that she wasn't crazy. It was as if she'd just stepped into space. Literally. Everything was darkness but for the stars shining everywhere, and when she took a step forward, her foot sunk into steaming, swirling water. It was like a liquid sky. Another step and the stars above her began falling, turning into snow as they tumbled down. The sky flashed green and lit up briefly, before more colored flashes followed and lightning danced madly around her, as if she were in the middle of an electric snowstorm.
Smiling broadly, she stepped back and out of the mist, the thorny walls of their bedroom solidifying around her once more. Turning, she continued surveying the room. There was an obsidian-tiled path that disappeared into the wall directly across from where the bed was, and she followed it. She passed right through the wall, just as she had thought she would, and found herself outside in the sunlight once more, on a cliff that overlooked the ocean. Black sand and cerulean blue water stretched for as far as she could see, until it the beach curved and the rest blended in with the horizon. The salty air whipped past her, and she knew where the breeze had come from now.
Right at the water's edge was an oasis, on a small strip of beach far beneath her, with a circle of palm trees, ripe with coconuts, shading a small clearing from the sun. Even from where she sat, she could see that the grass looked sinfully soft, and exotic flowers and fruit were growing here and there. Thinking about how a muggle would react if they saw black sand in France, let alone a tropical oasis, even on the Mediterranean Sea, she smiled. She could hear the waves crashing against the cliff face where the beach was nothing more than a foot long strip, and she knew she would be spending many nights laid out on the thick grass underneath her feet, soaking up the atmosphere of serenity.
"Do you approve, mon âme?" Draco whispered in her ear and she jumped, having been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't even heard him and Blaise approach her from behind.
"Very much so." She murmured, leaning back against him and pulling Blaise closer to them. "But where did the black sand come from? There aren't any volcanoes around here."
"It's been here since before my grandfather was born." Draco replied, kissing the top of her head. "Imported, I suppose. I never bothered to ask. It's always just…been there."
"The idea that we might actually be able to relax here for two whole weeks seems almost too good to be true." She sighed longingly.
"We can if we don't leave." Blaise said, playing with hers and Draco's hair. "Voldemort couldn't get past the wards around this place even if he had an army. It's one of the safest places in the world, and definitely the safest in France. But I don't really see us staying cooped up here the whole time." Then he paused, and added, "Not that that would be bad, on second thought. Yes, we could just stay here. There's plenty to do." Virginia rolled her eyes.
"I don't think so." She said, smirking at him. "You're not getting out of mingling with the muggles that easily."
"Damn." He sneered, then sniffed. "Fine. But if I die of boredom or some weird disease, I'm never going to forgive you."
"I'm sure you'll survive." Virginia snickered, wondering at the fact that her boyfriends would willingly, and quite gleefully, submerge themselves in a life-threatening, gory battle, but balked at having to spend a few hours around muggles. There was a soft 'pop' to their left, and a house elf appeared, bowing low before speaking.
"Master Malfoy, Master Zabini, m'ladies Narcissa and Silana be wantin' yous to go down ta the cove for you lunch instea' of the dinin' room." They nodded, and she continued. "Wills you be needin' anything else, m'lords?"
"No. Tell them that we'll be there in a moment." Draco said, and the house elf bowed again, disappearing with another 'pop'. "Well, come on. Let's go." He said, and when they made to move, Virginia felt a sharp tug on her hair that pulled her back and into Draco once more. He hissed at the same time she did, and Blaise's mocking laughter had their hisses turning into growls. They looked up to find their lover almost bent double with mirth, and soon realized what had happened. The sly, sneaky bastard hadn't been playing with their hair. He'd tied the red and silver locks together in a tight, elaborate knot.
"Blaise!"
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Hermione followed the Slytherins through the maze that was Malfoy Manor, as they all made their way down to the cove like the house elf had informed them to do. She was still slightly amazed at the pure extravagance of the home around her, and at the thought that had been put into each piece of furniture and art. It was huge, but it didn't feel empty and haunted like she'd feared. It was teeming with life of all kinds, and she would have felt completely at ease were it not for the dark magick that saturated the very walls, and if those walls hadn't felt as if they were constantly watching her. Shivering, she sped up so she wouldn't lose the others.
The dog that had followed them to their rooms was still at her heels, and she got the feeling that it wasn't going to leave her be anytime soon. The room that Pansy had told her to use had been the opposite of what she'd expected. Instead of being small and dreary like what she'd figured they would give her, it had been as richly decorated as the rest of the house. Everything had been done in light, airy blues and pale, creamy reds. She got the impression that the colors were for her benefit, since most everything else was darkly shaded, but how the room had been prepared so quickly, she had no idea. All she knew was that it was beautiful and infinitely better then what she'd been hoping for.
They finally reached a room on the forth floor, which was wall-less on one side, and Hermione could hear the ocean. Top-of-the-line brooms were placed in stands along the two side walls, and each of the Slytherins took one. They were talking amongst themselves, and she wondered if she could fade into the floor. She couldn't fly. The only people she'd ever flown with before were Ron and Harry, and one time with Viktor. She hated it, hated feeling the ground so very far away, and she knew she couldn't manage on her own. The thought of telling the Slytherins that was mortifying, but she didn't want to end up as nothing more than a splat on the rocks.
"Umm…" She started slowly, and when none of them looked over, busy fastening their cloaks against the cool wind, she cleared her throat loudly.
"What is it, Granger?" Anton snapped, and she flinched. Feeling foolish, she didn't meet his eyes.
"I can't fly." She mumbled, hoping they heard her since she really didn't want to repeat it.
"What? Did you just say that you can't fly?" He asked in disbelief, and she looked up to see that his expression matched his voice. "Every witch can fly!"
"Well, I can't." She said, feeling tears start to sting her eyes. Forcing them down, she told herself that under no circumstances would she let them see her cry.
"You've got to be fucking with me." He said, and then turned to his friends. "Well, who wants to do it?" Crabbe and Goyle immediately shook their heads, as did Melody and Daphne. Anton looked at Pansy almost desperately.
"No way." The tall Slytherin girl said, tucking her dark brown hair behind one ear. "I always have to do shit when it comes to her."
"Great." He said sarcastically, and turned to Hermione. "Come on." He said, motioning her over. She went to his side slowly, and then stood indecisively. "What are you waiting for?" He questioned, his voice carrying a hard edge.
"How…"
"Sweet gods." He said under his breath, then louder, "Just get on."
So she did, throwing one leg over the broom and rearranging her robes. He slid on behind her, and the other Slytherins mounted as well, sweeping out of the open wall with even more grace then they had on land, and that was saying something. Anton's arms wrapped around her waist, gripping the handle of the broom, and they shot out after the others, the dog's barking following them. Her stomach dropped and she fought being sick as she saw that they were even farther off the ground then she'd thought, since the earth dropped by way of a steep cliff, and all that was underneath them was water. Closing her eyes, she took several steadying breaths before opening them again.
They were farther out over the waves by then, and Anton flexed his right hand, which had them turning in a wide arch and then diving. Gritting her teeth and nearly biting her tongue in an effort not to shriek at the top of her lungs, she thanked every god she could name when they straightened out again. Looking forward, she saw that they were approaching a cove that was carved into the cliff face itself, protected on all sides except from the front. Draco, Ginny and Blaise were already there, as were their mothers and Snape. Anton landed them smoothly on the small, black-sanded beach, and Hermione did a double take. Black sand? She thought wonderingly. Where in the hell are we?
"Ready to eat?" Narcissa asked, gesturing to the picnic set out on the ground on a low table.
It was laden with food and bottles of chilled wine, and Hermione felt her stomach growl. There were fruits of all kinds, many that she didn't even recognize, salads, breads, seven or eight different kinds of cheese, sliced meat, pasta and a range of desserts. Cushions had been placed around it on the sand, and they all sat down, filling their plates and talking in cheerful, contented voices. Hermione stayed mostly quiet, however, content to eat and watch them. They seemed different then they did at school, more open and expressive, and she realized why with a jolt. There was no one here for them to be guarded around. The Manor was safe, and they didn't have to worry about being attacked or stared at hatefully.
They were alone among their own kind, excluding her, and it seemed to make a world of difference. They were still refined, still graceful and elegant with every movement that they made, but that was more unconscious then anything else. And they weren't being loud and boisterous as most people would be in a similar situation, just…happy. Genuinely so. It was a new experience for her to see them like that, and one that she found she rather enjoyed. Sipping her goblet of Chateau d'Yquem and idly eating Crème Brûlée, the saltwater breeze rustling her hair and their voices lulling her, she only snapped back into reality when a statement from Narcissa caught her attention. She should have known that the peace couldn't last forever.
"Oh, darlings, did I mention that I invited the Weasleys over for Yule?"
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Hehehehe…Please tell me what you thought! That means REVIEW, people, review! (Okay, I admit, I get a bit fanatical about reviews)…/grins sheepishly/…So…Review!