Disclaimer: Of course, these lovely characters do not belong to me. I do borrow them for my idea.
Thank you to all of you kind followers and the reviews. It will be a little slow for a few more chapters, well, and not very Dramione, but it will come around. I just think they need time and certain things to get out of their system before I'll throw them together.
Third-year as divorcees
November 2001 – Draco
He opened his robes and looked of the vastness of the cliffs. The climate was so much nicer than England had ever been, especially for the time of the year. No wonder Blaise had always preferred the family's estate here in Italy. Working here would certainly be nicer than vacationing in England ever would be.
"Enjoying the view?" Bianchi appeared next to him. Of course, the older wizard was well aware where he had built his home and what effect it had on first-time visitors. The landscape alone was magnificent and the home did all of it justice.
"I dare to say this view would even convince my mother to finally buy a vacation home here."
"Invite her to join you sometime in the future." Bianchi walked back to the group of expensive chairs and seated himself. "Now my friend, I believe we have some projects to discuss."
Draco nodded, as he sat down as well.
"How does Barcelona sound?"
His eyes grew wide and he forgot all the manners his parents had taught him over the years. His last 6 years had consisted of Voldemort housing in his home, Hogwarts turning into a terribly unsafe place, a war, Azkaban, and house arrest. Barcelona never sounded better.
"I'll take that is a yes. The drawings I had you do over the past few months were all for this project. You will simply have to put them together. The owner would like you to start after Christmas."
December 2001 – Draco
There had been no excuse, no matter what Draco had come up with. His most solid case would have been to claim he couldn't face the dementors, but when he had seen his mother's face, he had swallowed that one and gone with her.
Spending Christmas at Azkaban to see his father was close to the worst he had had, only top by the Dark Lord residing in his home and spending them in Azkaban himself. He might even consider preferring to be an inmate over having to listen to his father's crazy schemes. The man was giving them a list of things they should do to reinstate the Malfoy name so Draco could be just as influential as Lucius had been in the near future. The good name was all he went on about for most of their visit and Draco was more than once tempted to remind him, who had thrown their good name away to follow a mad man.
When it came to his job, he didn't even want to tell Lucius. He liked it, and he wasn't going to give it up. So why argue over it? It was finally his mother that revealed his career in architecture and his father couldn't have been any less pleased. Memories from his first year in school came back to him, as Lucius kept telling him he couldn't be second to a mudblood and what a disgrace to the name he was. Well of course the man found always something to criticize when it came to his only son but considering where he lived, he could have lowered the bar a little. Instead, he lectured Draco on a career in politics, being influential and well known and respected once again. Draco swallowed the bitter comments, on how that wasn't even a possibility since the ministry would probably not even let him enter without an escort. And he had better things to do than run around with people like Potter.
When they finally stepped out of the fireplace back at the Manor, he headed straight for the bar.
"I'm sorry. I know this wasn't very Christmasy." He took another gulp of fire whiskey at his mother's words. He had done it for her and now he would have to do something for himself.
"I'll be leaving the second of January. Bianchi has work for me." He didn't turn, because he knew the tears in her eyes would probably get him to change his mind again.
January 2002 –Hermione
It was a dream of a wedding. Hermione hadn't expected to find such joy in a winter wedding, but here she was. The Weasleys yard was covered in snow, but the advantage of magic was that it was simply beautiful rather than mushy and unfortunate. Ginny had worn the dress that she had bought almost a year ago. While they had originally wanted to get married over the summer, they had canceled that after she had been offered a permanent position as a chaser. A big chance and Harry had been more than happy to wait a few more months for her. So the dress had been altered and a few warming charms were all that was needed for this winter wedding.
They had their wedding on New Year's Eve. It was now early in the morning of New Year's, but the celebration hadn't stopped yet. Everyone seemed to need this time of relaxation and happiness just as much as right after the war. These moments were special. The war had still left the feeling of having everything good slip away and therefore Victorie, Dominique, and Fred Jr. being the only Weasleys currently asleep, everyone else celebrating.
"Care to join me?" Ron suddenly stood by her side, one arm casually around her waist.
"Sure." She gave him a smile, but was surprised that he didn't drag her back to the dance floor instead lead her to the house, and then up the stairs, until they finally reached his room.
"What are we doing?"
"Taking a break." He smirked and flapped on his bed, motioning for her to join him. The silence between them had become more comfortable. She could still feel that awkwardness from her bind to Malfoy, but she had it trapped rather permanently to the back of her head now. And maybe she had just learned to love around it.
"Feels like forever since you first came here doesn't it?"
She snorted lightly, as she glanced around, imagining her bushy-haired mini-me coming in to lecture the boys on one thing or another.
"It does." She smiled carefully, as she closed her eyes.
"Mione,…" She could hear and feel him rustling through his pants. "I had this planned way before my silly sister and her husband moved their date and I still want to do this."
The witch opened her eyes and looked at him curiously.
"It's January 1st, 2002…" he trailed off and carefully lifted his hand, revealing a small box. "And I was hoping that you would consider letting me ask that question you found so horrible last year."
There it was her proposal. Something her last marriage had simply skipped over and she had always claimed she didn't want. Hermione the strong one, didn't need a knight in shining armor… But really did she? Her heart pounded, as Malfoy slipped back to the front of her thoughts. This was not the moment. Voldemort's decisions would not ruin the rest of her life and certainly not her proposal.
She must have stared at him long enough to make him feel uncomfortable, as he suddenly pulled back his hand. "I'm sorry, you must not be ready. I should have asked before, this is a lot and now I have ruined the wedding for you…" His neck started to glow in a bright pink hue.
"Ron…"
"It's okay, I'll wait, don't worry about it. Life is good, I still have you. I could try again in 2003…"
"Ronald…" She interrupted a bit more sternly. "Just ask me!"
"Oh, okay." He slid rather awkwardly from the bed and hit his knee as he tried to position himself on the other. "Hermione Jean Granger, will you marry me?"
"Yes."
February 2002 – Draco
Like he announced he had left England the first of the year. However, he did make up with his mother before and she had joined him for some of his time in Spain. While he had been fairly busy with his work, they had still taken the time for some day trips and he had to admit he had missed this downtime. In his youth his family had often shared vacations all over Europe, that was before Voldemort rose again.
Narcissa was back in England though and he had been working to finalize the project he had been working on. It really wasn't anything fancy, but Bianchi made clear it would be his way of proofing he was ready to work more independently.
"Mr. Malfoy these samples just arrived for you."
He glanced up from his drawings recognizing the young woman who had been put in charge to get him what he needed. Quite handy actually and she was good in her job. She had gotten him samples of material most other wizards didn't even dare to ask for.
"Thanks Lucia."
March 2002 – Hermione
Narcissa leaned back in her chair and carefully folded her napkin on her lap. They had just enjoyed tea and biscuits in a small muggle café Hermione had remembered from her childhood. Ever since the older witch had become fond of these little places it had been much easier to get Hermione to go. It was sad really, but Hermione preferred to be out of the spotlight. She didn't want this discussion with Ron and certainly not with the general public if she was allowed to see Narcissa as a friend.
"Are you going to tell me your big news, or am I to wait for the formal announcement in the Prophet?" She glanced at the blond and then down at the ring on her finger. She was that weird bride to be that sometimes actually forgot.
"Well as you can see, Ron and I got engaged."
"Marvelous." Narcissa clapped silently in her hand. "Tell me the plans. Do I need to find a caterer or maybe a location? You enjoy France, right?"
Hermione smiled softly, as she heard the enthusiasm. Although she wished it was her voice that sounded that way. Her eyes went back to her hand. She had answered with yes because she cared for Ron a lot and she was sure in another life everything would have been so easy.
"Are you happy this is happening?" She glanced back at Narcissa. How did the woman look through her like this?
She sighed.
"Are you?"
"Yes." She hesitated again.
"But?"
"I need time for this. The moment that ring was on my finger everyone started planning my wedding, although that was still good compared to the suggestions of baby names and which friends might have kids the same age going to Hogwarts."
When she looked up at Narcissa she could see the trademark emotionless face each Malfoy seemed to have a test for, before being allowed to use the name.
"Oh gosh, I didn't mean you. Nobody even offered me a location or caterer. It's all set in stone the way it had been done for Bill, George, and Ginny and probably will be for Percy before it's my turn." Not that Percy was dating anyone seriously.
Her former mother-in-law placed a soft hand on hers, and rubbed her thumb over the back, before speaking.
"I suppose it isn't so different from marrying into the Malfoys when I was your age. Everything had been done before and I was to consider myself lucky to be offered what I got." She smiled softly. "I'll stay out of it. Just know that the offer is there if you need something and…" she trailed off, not sure if she should continue. Finally, their eyes met, and with a sigh, she did: "As long as you are happy with Ronald all of this will not matter."
April 2002 - Draco
"So you and Miss Dinali?" Draco glanced up from the scrolls of parchment that were levitated in front of him, while he gave Bianchi the tour of his accomplishments so far. He had been rambling on about all the features and was uncharacteristically nervous. So nervous that he completely missed the point his tutor had made.
"She is of great help. If I wanted a wall of fire and water intertwined she would get it."
The older wizard chuckled: "She did get me one of those in my last project with her." Draco nodded. "That's not what I meant though."
The young blond had the scrolls collected with a wink of his wand and looked at his mentor as he waited to hear what all of this was about.
"I suppose my old eyes saw something that isn't there, yet." He gave him a wink before he turned to walk to the upper floor.
May 2002 - Hermione
"Do you think we could have lunch?" He placed a soft kiss on her cheek.
"I'm not quite sure, when I can get away." It appeared there was always an emergency right at the moment it was supposed to be her break. She gave him a soft smile as she pulled her healer's robe on.
"Well just come and get me. I'm flexible today." He had considerably lightened his casework, as he seemed to enjoy working with George in the store far more than the Auror's office. Her smile however faded slowly. To his credit he noticed.
"What is it?"
"I don't like the ministry." She was busy going through her bag to see if she had everything for the day. As he didn't speak, she looked back up. He seemed to be waiting for an explanation.
"I'm sure you heard of me testing all the doors and having to heal giant blisters of my hands." Really this had been quite some time ago, but she had successfully avoided entering the ministry ever since. She knew when pressed it wouldn't be a good conversation, so she just avoided having it come up.
"Mione, they just got stricter. You don't work there, so you have limited access."
She closed her eyes, as her thoughts went back to Parvati, who had no issues entering the room.
"So you are saying, everyone who doesn't work there can't enter?"
"Yes."
"Parvati doesn't work there." It was almost a question, but also a statement.
"Of course not, she is with the Prophet."
"Well, her hands don't burn." She threw the strap of her bag over her shoulder. "Let's do lunch another time."
June 2002 - Draco
"There is a package from your mother." Lucia had rushed into the room. Their project was almost at the end, which meant she was constantly running to fetch him the weirdest materials to make it even more special. He was here to succeed and she was there to help him do that.
He nodded and gave a small thank you, without looking up from his calculations. A wall of fire and water had been a joke, but then he had gone to work and integrated the essentials of each element into the rooms.
"Aren't you going to open it?"
"Hmm?"
"The package. There is a bow on it and everything."
Draco finally turned and took a look at the mail from his mother. The bow was quite extensive, maybe to make up for lost birthdays?
"I'm sure it's just candy. She wouldn't send me any birthday gifts I'd have to pack back up in a few weeks." Well, she actually probably would.
"It's your birthday?" Lucia's eyes were wide and he could see her wheels turning.
"The house is more important."
"The house is working on itself. We are going for lunch." Before he could say anything else he was sucked away by her apparation and shortly after found himself in a little restaurant in a nearby muggle town.
"This is my favorite. I'm sure you have heard of it by now." She smiled widely at him and then feinted horror when he shook his head. "You work too much my friend."
"Well it's my chance to prove that I'm more than…" he cut himself off. From what he had observed nobody here in Spain was particularly concerned about his background. Was he really going to reveal himself now? So close to the finish line?
"More than what?" She ordered them some wine and the specialty of the house to eat. He was almost dumbfounded, as he had met nobody his whole life who had thought it was okay to do that for him. As he didn't answer her question, she finally sighed: "I think you are a hardworking man, with a great vision for architecture and the material behind it. You are obviously smart, or you couldn't keep up with Bianchi's calculations. You are humble…"
He held up a hand at this: "I'll be happy to take what you said, but everyone who knows me would agree that I'm not humble."
"Honest though."
He sighed. "I was a Death Eater, and a Slytherin so I shouldn't put honest too far upon that list either."
Lucia laughed. She actually laughed and he had to look around to see if she had seen something he had missed. How could she laugh when he offered his darkest secrets.
"Forgive me. I don't know what a Slytherin is. It sounds funny, don't you think?" She paused as their wine was served and took a moment to treasure the first sip. "I do know what Death Eater's are. Tell me was that a good choice for you?"
He stared blankly at her. Who was this woman? "It wasn't obviously. I served time in Azkaban, my father will be there for many more years, my mother was lonely in-home arrest for a year and somehow the world continues on without the marvelous Malfoys." For the shortest moment, Hermione flashed through his mind as another one who still seemed to pay the price for the Malfoy decision. It also occurred to him, that he had just revealed more of his thoughts to his assistant than he had ever to his mind healer.
"I see. So your ego got bruised a bit."
"Well, yeah, but I was also excluded from most of society and I can't say I can blame them. And I hurt people, I almost killed my headmaster."
"But you didn't."
"I was supposed to."
"But you didn't."
July 2002 - Hermione
"Darling, are you ready?"
Her hand paused as she tried to apply the last bits of lipstick to her lips. She didn't have to wait long to see his image in the mirror next to hers.
"Almost." She hesitated, before adding: "Don't call me that."
"What's wrong with Darling? I find it quite charming."
"Malfoy called me that." His mouth closed and the playful smile on his face faded.
"Didn't know you had time to pick pet names for each other."
She rolled her eyes: "We didn't, he was bugging me with it."
Ron nodded, sitting on the edge of the tub. His eyes were on her, as she finished her work and cleaned her things away. She could tell by his look that he still was mulling over Malfoy stealing the term from him.
"Ronald, what is it?"
"Well it's just another thing he took possession of."
"He didn't choose this." And neither had she.
August 2002 – Draco
"This is so huge." Lucia stood in one of the many rooms of the Malfoy estate. Her eyes had grown big from the moment she had first entered. While she had grown up in a wealthy family, their house had been more of a functional family place. They had usually entertained in their yard, which was much nicer too with the temperatures of Spain and Italy. She wandered, her hand carefully touching the texture of the wall. "Amazing."
"Bianchi's work." She smiled at him.
"I thought you did the work here."
"He did the entertaining rooms. My mother and I didn't particularly care to spend much thought on them."
Lucia turned to him, her smile became a bit more sympathetic. He had told her some of the things that had happened here and he was glad that she would never know the rooms from then.
"So show me your work."
He gave her the tour of all the parts he had done, finally ending in his quarters, which still look very much like the old times.
"So what are the plans?"
He shrugged. He still had no clue what he wanted for himself. Brighter colors maybe, but really he only had to sleep here when he was home, as most of his work was on the site now.
"You could like, have a whole home in the home. Spend family time together, invite your mum over for a meal." She seemed to have a vision. "It would make the materials work better if it was more of a thing of its own."
September 2002 - Hermione
"Ron, you have grown up so much over the summer." Monica looked fondly at the tall redhead, who had his arm around her daughter.
"More importantly, when did this become a thing?" Wendell had gotten up from his seat and eyed Ron. It seemed the poor guy would be getting another discussion of how to treat the Granger daughter ride.
She carefully slipped her engagement ring off her finger and tugged it into her jeans pocket. Today was not the day to tell them that she was engaged. She felt Ron stiffen next to her. He had become increasingly frustrated as she would take off the ring, and pretend she was back in school. Especially since she used her parent's lack of knowledge as an excuse to not set a date for their wedding.
"Time flies isn't that what grandma used to say."
"It sure does, have a seat. Tell us everything. Shouldn't you be back in school already?"
"Funny thing we aren't actually…" Ron stopped when Hermione's elbow collided with his rips. "They are starting late this year."
October 2002 – Draco/Narcissa
Lucia basically lived at the Manor at this point. She had helped him design his wing, filled it with less aristocrat and more family lifestyle. There were some new walls and a staircase leading to the floor above.
Narcissa wasn't quite sure she liked what was happening. This house in a house thing seemed strange to her. She had even heard talk about a kitchen, what did the elves need that for? She followed the sound of her son's voice up the new staircase, hesitating when she heard a giggle accompanied by his laughter.
When she finally reached the higher floor, her eyes fell on Draco and Lucia, who was leaning over the floating plans. His hand on her waist. Well, this was new as well, or so she hoped. She would have to research the Dinalis as it seemed. She cleared her throat to announce her presence.
"Mother, I thought you went out?" She noticed the slight pink hue creeping in his face, as his arm fell off Lucia to his side.
"Well, it was canceled and I thought I'll take a look at this house you are building inside mine instead." Her voice most definitely had an edge to it, that she hadn't implored in a long time and he could tell. Lucia, however, just smiled at her.
"It's amazing, isn't it?" Her eyes were shining. What irritated the older witch, even more, was the obvious adoration in her son's face. Not that she wasn't happy to see him happy, but he hadn't even mentioned to her that there was reason to be happy. She had always known, not always liked, but always known when her son had a love interest.
"Sure, I believe Roks will have my tea prepared by now, why don't you two join me." It wasn't a question, she fully expected Draco to follow her.
