Chapter 4
Flashback
"Malfoy Manor!"
End Flashback
Hermione stepped out of the fireplace and found herself in a dimly lit room.
"Hermione?" a vice suddenly appeared.
"Um… hello? Who's there?" she managed to cough out.
"It's me. Draco. Didn't think you'd show up." He said stepping out of the shadow.
"Oh. Um… I had nothing to do today anyway." She lied.
"Oh. Do you want to go with me to Marco's room?" he asked her.
"Yeah."
They walked in silence outside the room she had flooed in. They walked the huge corridors. She was slightly surprised at the size of his house. It was humongous! It was like being in Hogwarts again.
They stopped at a door that was pure black.
Draco opened the door.
Hermione gasped.
The room was gigantic! It had rainbows and the sky painted on its walls and the clouds actually moved. So did the birds and other animals. There was a cloud bed on the side of the room and it was full of cloud like pillows. The middle of the room had a huge chandelier with geometrical shapes instead of the usual diamonds. It looked perfect for a child's room.
The room was full of toys.
She noticed Marco playing by himself in a corner. He was drawing on a piece of parchment.
Draco walked up to him and she followed suit.
"Marco? Someone is here to see you." He told the little boy.
Marco looked up and saw Hermione. He smiled at her and stood up. He bowed and pointed at his nameplate beside his bed.
"Your name is Marco, right?" she asked politely.
He nodded and walked over to her hesitantly. She smiled and he gained more confidence. He hugged her legs since it was the only thing he could reach of her.
"Marco is so sweet. How old is he?" she asked kneeling and hugging Marco back.
"He is almost 4. His brother, Monty, is 5." Draco answered.
"What? How? Isn't he the one you brought to the Hogwarts Express a couple of days ago?" she asked.
"Truth is, he only drank a whole lot of age potion but the healers couldn't fix it anymore so they just enhanced his brain mentally. I changed all his records to show he was eleven. It was an accident actually. I was concocting the potion for Professor Snape when he came into my room. He tripped and landed in the cauldron. He swallowed most of it." Draco explained.
"So Monty is at Hogwarts now, right?" she asked while ruffling Marco's hair.
Marco pouted and Hermione giggled.
"Yes. I wrote a letter to Dumbledore about his situation and assured that Monty would be fine academically, physically, spiritually and socially."
"Oh." She started to play drawing with Marco.
"I'll leave you two. I do have to prepare the tea." Draco said retreating.
"Wait. You are making the tea?" Hermione asked raising her eye brow.
"No. More likely that I ask the house elves to make the tea." He admitted and closed the door.
Hermione smiled and continued playing with Marco.
She drew on a separate piece of parchment and conjured up muggle crayons. She handed some to Marco so he could color his picture too.
She drew a picture of a muggle home. She colored it s that it looked just like her old home with her parents. She missed it so much. She quickly wiped the tear in her eye and continued on working. She finished and went to see Marco's drawing.
"What are you drawing?" she asked.
He showed her a picture of what she presumed as Draco, Pansy, Monty and himself in the middle. They were all standing close together and Draco was wearing a tux while Pansy was wearing a white gown. But Marco hastily took it away again and she saw him add someone else. She was curious but after a couple of minutes, she found herself in the picture holding Marco's hand beside Draco. She was wearing the same outfit she was wearing at the moment.
"So, Marco. Do you know who I am?" Hermione asked the little child while she magically placed the pictures on the wall.
He shook his head.
"Well, I am Hermione Granger." She smiled at him.
He smiled back and stood up. He pulled Hermione's hand up so that she would stand. She obediently followed and he led her to his toy trunk.
He took out a miniature model of Harry on his Firebolt. It was a toy now sold in stores since Harry was an international Quidditch Team. But he quit to become an Auror and because he couldn't stand the fame anymore.
She looked at Marco, confused, and he pointed at a heap of news papers near his closet.
She went over to it and found a picture of Harry, Ron, Ginny and herself smiling in the news paper headed 'You-Know-Who destroyed!'
She smiled at him.
"Yes. I know Harry Potter." She said.
He smiled back at her. He took out something from the trunk as well and hid it behind his back. He signaled her to close her eyes and put out her hand. She smiled and did as she was told.
She held out her hand and felt something being placed on it. She opened her eyes to find a tiny white rose bud in her palm. She stared at it then to Marco.
He was smiling and staring at something on his wall. She followed his gaze and found a picture of Draco and Marco playing Quidditch.
She looked back at him and he gave a smirk that could rival Draco's.
She just stared.
Suddenly, a knock was heard on the door. A small house elf came in.
"Tea is ready miss. It will be served at the gardens. I will escort you and Mr. Marco there." It squeaked.
Hermione took Marco's hand and they walked together following the house elf.
She occasionally stole a few glances at Marco. She saw true happiness in his eyes. He was trying to tell her something a moment ago but she couldn't decipher it.
It was as if he had a secret that was unknown to all and she was given a small peek into it. She was so curious. She now knew it was about Draco. That was a tip. But what about it? He seemed so content with his life. Why wouldn't he want to speak? What did this child know that could prevent him from talking just to not speak of it?
She was led to a beautiful garden. There were roses and a fountain. The rose bushes circled the entire garden and a waterfall was seen at the far right corner where the water landed in a little fish pond. The fountain was dead center and gave the garden an elegant look to it. There were little café tables encircling the fountain. It looked absolutely beautiful.
"Hey Marco." Draco said appearing from behind them.
"Hope he wasn't any trouble." He said to Hermione.
"No. None at all. We had a lovely time." She told him trying to hide her confusion and fascination of the little boy.
Authors Note:
Hey! Please review! I know that I suck at writing so please bear with me! RROOOAAARRR! Hehe!