Disclaimer: Of course, these lovely characters do not belong to me. I do borrow them for my idea.

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Cottage

May 2006

"I need to show you something." She had just barely opened the door to her bedroom. Her face showed that she had not been expecting him.

"Your mother is probably already waiting for me, she wanted to take me to this store for a dress." Narcissa had convinced her to come to her next social and now she needed a dress. Draco had witnessed a few of the discussions on the topic and had been surprised by her increased willingness after he announced his absence from the event.

"She'll forgive you. Just blame me."

"I really should go talk to her first."

He glared at her. A few years ago, he might have hexed her for being so her. But then again a few years ago, he wouldn't have been at her doorstep.

"This can't wait."

"Why not?"

"I might change my mind."

She blinked as he moved with his statement to stand beside her, before grabbing her arm and sweeping her away in a side along apparation. He was certain that she couldn't aparate in and out of the Manor, but as the heir, he could. She stumbled forward when their feet touched the ground again.

"Malfoy, have you not been listening at all during the apparation lessons?" He had to keep careful control over his features, as she reverted into school Hermione, with her best know-it-all attributes. He still missed this version of her.

"Honestly, not much. But that isn't the point."

"What is it then? What is worth upsetting your mother and potentially seriously injuring me?" Her voice raised involuntarily. He could tell that the ice he was walking on got thinner. But hopefully, the next moments would change that.

"This." He waved around with his arms, and she finally took in her surroundings. There were fields and a walkway off in one direction and then there was this lovely little cottage settled towards the edge of the cliffs. She made a few steps, cutting through the wards, he had adjusted.

"I haven't really worried about the landscaping yet, but I'm sure Roks will be happy to help to start a garden." She nodded along as if she knew what he was talking about, as he walked ahead of her towards the cottage. As they entered, they were in a little entryway before he led her towards a kitchen. It wasn't big, but the appliances were new, and the windows gave an incredible view over the fields leading up to the house while cooking.

Her hands ran over the new light-colored countertops before she walked through the arched doorway into an open space towards the back of the house. The living space was large for the cottage, and the windows gave a fantastic view.

"This is amazing." She ignored the fact that he had obviously not completed his work yet. Her eyes moved over the details already present and if her mind worked anything like his, it filled in the blanks.

"Why did you bring me here?" She finally turned to him, taking a few steps back towards the kitchen. This specific question had haunted him for quite some time. The thought had been brewing ever since her announcement that she was seeking a divorce. At first, he had refused his own thoughts, because of his pride, then because it didn't seem reasonable and then after their last few conversations, he had finally talked him into taking her today.

"See the thing is, nobody will buy a house build by Draco Malfoy, which is understandable. But also, nobody will rent or sell to you, which I won't ever understand, but it appears that rotten Weasley last name hasn't done you much good."

She opened her mouth to protest and even chastise him, but he quickly held up his hands to stop her. If he didn't say this now, he would probably not say it.

"I'm willing to finish this building the way you would like it and you can decide whether you pay rent or buy or take it for free." The last bit was really just to get her to say yes, but when her face turned into a scowl, he realized she hadn't take it for that.

"Do you want me out of the Manor that badly?"

He growled in frustration. This had been a mistake. He had known it from the beginning and yet, he had taken her here. Now her scent was all over the place, ruining it for him as well. He glared back at her, taking a few breaths to calm him before he spoke again.

"I don't want you out of the Manor."

"Then what?"

"This is an offer to a normal life, where your living space actually is yours and not your husband's or ex-husband's." He waved his arms to outline the space once more. "It sounded like you wanted that."

"Why?" She looked at him with big eyes, and he felt himself melt, which made him even more furious.

"Merlin, Granger, take it or leave it."

"Why are you yelling at me, while trying to gift me with something to get my life back."

"Because you won't just accept it."

"Because you are Draco Malfoy." The statement was followed up with a huff, before she continued: "I thought we were becoming friends, then you just cut me off and now you give me a house? Doesn't that seem odd to you?"

"My aunt tortured you, my former cult leader married you against your will, my parents were prejudice against you, and I, myself, insulted you in any form possible. Can't I just do something to make up for it without having to give you reasons?"

"Well, yes," she cut herself off, staring at him. She clearly had more to say but didn't. Finally, she stepped away, turning towards the living space. She walked towards one of the doors, finding a half-bath, before entering another large room with a spectacular view. In his mind, she could put her office space there, but it might as well be a bedroom as there was an attached bathroom, if she wanted everything on one level. Upstairs had a couple more rooms, not as big as the downstairs, but an added bath.

He watched her walked the whole space, before making her way up the spiral staircase. He could hear her muffled footsteps and the doors opening and closing. He was slowly calming down, finding his favorite spot on an already build-in bench by one of the large windows outback. He stared at the drop off the cliffs and the ocean that was below. This spot was still one of the most amazing he had been working with so far.

Her footsteps were back on the stairs now, but he didn't turn when she approached him.

"I always thought, you were building this to escape the Manor."

"I was." Admitting it was a relief, but at the same time, once the words were said, he knew that was no longer the case.

"So why giving it to me?"

"You deserve something like this. Should have had it for years, but thanks to my last name you are stuck in a room at a friend's house."

She was silent for a long time, tempting him to look over at her. His pride didn't let him. He wanted this to be something good for her, but he was entirely unwilling to let her know why that was the case. He still wasn't ready to admit it to himself, although Daphne had told him multiple times and he had never disagreed with her.

"The Manor is big enough for one more."

"I'm sure you will miss the library."

"I could fill the whole upstairs with books."

A smile pulled at his lips, and he glanced at her. So, the downstairs bedroom would be her master. That would have been his choice as well. If she did plan on stuffing the upstairs with books, he might have to add another beam in the ceiling. Not that his structure wasn't sound, but he had seen the number of books Granger had in her room back at the Manor.

"So how much will rent be?"

"How much would you have paid for the apartments you applied for?"

"This is worth much more."

"Just tell me, how much you can pay each month and I'll have a contract written. You can rent to buy, if you decide to move, I'll buy your portion back from you."

She drew her lower lip between her teeth and started to chew on it, as her eyes wandered back towards the view. He wanted a reaction, but Hermione Granger wasn't that easy. She never had been.

"I don't want your elves to work here." Again, not what he expected.

"Roks will be offended."

"That's true." She sounded upset at that.

"Invite him over as a friend, who teaches you how to do it and pay him with a meal, he gets to help you with."

She nodded silently. She was still focusing on the outside world, and he finally stood from his seat. Before he could walk away to get a few things checked while he was here, she turned and fixed her eyes on him.

"I'll take the offer, but only if you come with the deal."

He chocked. Her words caused his spit to go the wrong path and a violent cough interrupted the silence. His eyes were watering, as his lungs claimed the air they needed. He could feel her pad on his back, as he bent over coughing even more.

Finally, his lungs relaxed, and the air was once more flowing freely. He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. Her hand was still on his back, he realized, and abruptly stood straight, making it impossible for her to keep her position. She pulled her hand back and he stared at her stiffly.

"We could be good friends." Her words flowed freely as if the interruption hadn't happened. "When we were researching, there were so many interesting topics we talked about and never finished." She hesitated: "I love my other friends, but they all remind me that they don't want to hear about my research, if I go on about it for too long, you don't."

Her eyes found him and he struggled to keep a neutral face. He couldn't hang out with her, without his uncalled-for feelings becoming stronger he knew that. Doing this, giving her his project, was already a stretch. They would have to work together to finish it. When he didn't respond, carefully storing his feelings away, the silence dragged on. Until her eyebrows rose, and he could see a fire starting to build in her eyes. She was getting mad again. It was an impulse, but he back away far enough for her fist not to reach his face.

"If you hate me, don't give me a house." She finally spat at him. He contemplated her words, not sure what to respond. For being the brightest witch of their age, she was oblivious of the real effect she had on him. "Draco Malfoy, talk to me."

"I don't hate you. I just don't want you to fall in love with me." He was surprised by his words. They fell from his lips, at her command, without reconsidering and he was sure he had just made a terrible mistake. Only that she didn't turn on him over his feelings, as he expected her too, instead she started laughing. That witch laughed at him. She stopped when she caught the hurt in his eyes, that he wasn't filing away fast enough.

"You won't even let me be your friend, I'm certainly not going to fall in love with you." She closed the cap he had created, reaching for his hand. "Just be my friend. You don't have to tell any of your elite friends. Just hang out here and listen to my research findings and tell me what I'm missing."

"Did you finally get the position?" Deflecting the topic seemed like a good option before he noticed the gleam falling off her face as she shook her head.

"I won't get an opportunity to prove myself. There is always a reason. Mainly what Voldemort said about my alliance." She shrugged to make it less hurtful to say these things. "Currently it's my living space."

"That's not even legal."

"It doesn't matter."

"Yes, it does."

"It really doesn't." She shook her head. "I wouldn't have Narcissa or even you without my past. So I'll let them think what they want."

He was back to staring at her. She actually was glad to have him around? It surprised him. The urge to pull her into a hug was stronger than ever before, but he refused and finally settled for a nod.

"Fine, I'll listen to your babbling and point out where you went wrong."

"Spoken like a true friend." Her voice was dripping with sarcasm, as she dipped her head slightly while staring back at him.

"That's about as much friendship as you are going to get from a Slytherin." The smile tugged again at his lips and he finally allowed it to show.