Chapter 12
It was Tuesday afternoon. Hermione had spent all day Monday and this morning going to clients houses, checking wards and reviewing safety information with them. Which brought her to standing outside the gates of the Malfoy Manor again. She had been standing there for at least ten minutes, staring at the stately house. Melody had arranged the visit so she knew she was expected, but a bundle of nerves sat in her chest keeping her from entering the gate. POP! Out of no where a house elf appeared.
"Good day, Miss Granger, I have come to escort you to the manor," the elf chimed bowing low.
"Oh, that's not necessary," Hermione stammered.
The elf looked up at her with a look of confusion. "Sorry, Miss, I was worried you were having problems getting through the gate, you have been waiting here for too long, miss." The elf eyes apologetic.
"Oh no," Hermione soothed the elf. "It wasn't that at all, I just uh..." She didn't have a good reason for standing out here, other than sheer nerves. "Never mind, thank you." She smiled at the little elf. "Tell me what is your name?"
With a swift flick of his hand the elf opened the gate beaming back up at her. "My Name is Tobby, Miss." The little elf ushered her down the long walk, trotting beside her as the approached the Manor.
"And tell me Tobby, do you like working for the Malfoy family?" Hermione knew house elves could only speak well of their families, but she had become good at telling when the house elves were being forced to say good things versus actually meaning it.
"Oh, yes, Tobby loves the Malfoy family very, very much. They are so kind to Tobby and the other house elves." Tobby beamed once again.
That was the truth, she could tell that this house elf was very happy with his house. "How do they treat you, Tobby?"
Tobby thought for a moment. "Well, Madame insists that we take a days off and they treat us kindly."
"Have they always treated you kindly?" Hermione knew this was a loaded question. The Malfoys had not been good to Dobby. Tobby face changed a look of distress now on his face. "You can tell me, Tobby. I work with the ministry and I'm fighting for the rights of house elves."
Horror covered Tobby's face. "Oh please, Miss! Do not take Tobby away! Tobby is happy with the Malfoys. Tobby wishes to stay!" The house elf threw himself at Hermione's feet, wailing loudly.
"No, no Tobby, I'm not going to take you away I just..." Hermione knelt down trying to console the creature.
The door to the Manor pulled open and Malfoy was standing in the entrance, an irritated look on his face. "What the hell did you do to Tobby?!" He yelled as he skipped down the stairs to a sobbing Tobby. "Tobby, what's wrong?" Malfoy helped the elf to his feet and knelt down to look him in the eye.
"Mm..mm.. Miss want to take Tobby away b..bb..because mm..mm..Master Lucius." Tobby choked over his words trying hard to collect himself for his master.
Malfoy shot Hermione a nasty glare. "Tobby, you will not be going anywhere. I assure you. My father is dead and you are happier now, I don't see why the ministry would see the need to remove you," Malfoy assured him.
Tobby nodded numbly. "Tobby will go prepare biscuits and tea for Master and his guest." And with another pop he was gone.
Malfoy stood up and looked Hermione over. "Are you done terrorizing my house elves?"
"It wasn't like that!" Hermione burst out, she was amazed to see Malfoy treat Tobby with such care. "I just asked him if you guys were always so kind to him."
Malfoy sighed. "No, my father was cruel to them, abused them like he abused everything in his life." Malfoy's hands went in to his pockets and his head hung as he looked down at his feet. "My mother was not allowed to raise me like normal mothers are, Lucuis said it was below her to rear children, that's what servants were for. Most of my childhood I was raised by the elves, so I've always had a soft spot for them. My father taught me, however, like many other things in my life..." Malfoy looked up at her. "That house elves were below me, so I took the habit of treating them as such, like I did with everything else he taught me. So no, their lives were not great for a long time, but then my father was thrown in Azkaban and my mother, who had always acted indifferent towards them, started making efforts to improve their lives. I think you actually had something to do with it. She wrote to me about it, and what you were doing, said she thought it was very noble of you to take it on."
Hermione blushed, she didn't often hear of her efforts making a difference, more often than not she was being yelled at for trying to make a difference. "Thank you, that means a lot."
Malfoy smirked. "Good, now come in, but you must promise not to scar anymore of the house elves."
"How many do you have?" The question was out before Hermione could realize that it may be rude to ask.
Malfoy lead her in to the main sitting room and gestured for her to sit down. He went to the bar cart and poured himself what Hermione assumed was whiskey. "Would you like something?" His back still turned to her.
"Oh uh, no, I'm working."
Malfoy turned around and sat in chair across from her. He was once again wearing a simple button up shirt with the top two button undone and blue trousers. "We have six."
Hermione's face was confused, and then she recalled she asked how many elves they had. "Six? That's quite a lot, right?"
Malfoy nodded, swirling his whiskey. "My father thought house elves were a sign of wealth, and when Voldemort and the other death eaters were living here we needed more to keep up with all the tasks. Purebloods refuse to clean and there were close to twenty staying here at the Manor." He took a sip of his drink. "After the war however, when everyone died or was locked up, we decided to keep them, because at least here we knew they would be treated well. Problem is they want and need things to do and there is only so much cooking and cleaning to do here." Tobby popped back in to the room and dropped off the biscuits and tea and popped away without a word. "So they find menial tasks, such as escorting guests to the door, to help fill their time."
"Couldn't you just let them free?" Hermione wondered as she picked up her tea.
"Problem with that is they would just go to another home to work and that home may not be as nice. They have an instinct to serve, Granger. I know that goes against your moral compass, but they can't stand to be free."
Hermione thought back to Winky and how distraught she was after she was dismissed from the Crouch's service, even when she was working for Hogwarts she still was depressed after losing her family. Hermione had hoped that Winky was just overly dedicated. "Well, it's still wrong to abuse them."
"Yes, I agree, but relieving them from good masters who treat them well is just as damaging. You saw Tobby, he was horrified at the mere mention of being taken from us. They have a need to serve," Malfoy countered.
Hermione held her tongue. This was not the reason she was here. "Unfortunately, that is not why I'm here." She finally opened the files that had been in her possession since she arrived. "I have thoroughly looked through your file, and I have some concerns with some people you associate with."
Hermione looked up. If he was offended he didn't show it.
"You're going to dictate who I see now?" Malfoy's voice still even.
"No, there are just some people that we feel you should be cautious of." Hermione paused and waited for an objection, but when none came she continued. "First off, Flora Carrow, her Aunt and Uncle-"
"I know about the Carrow sisters, and I haven't talked to, or seen them, in years. Next." Malfoy cut her off.
Hermione bit her lower lip, she hated to be interrupted, but she moved on anyways. "Gregory Goyle."
Malfoy scoffed. "Some research you did. Goyle disappeared after the battle, with his dad locked up he took off fearing you guys would lock him up next. No one knows where he is."
Hermione nodded and made a note that may come in handy later down the road. "Pansy Parkinson."
"Seriously? Who have you been talking to? Pansy's lovesick with some halfblood from America. She works at the ministry now, I highly doubt she's a threat." Malfoy scoffed.
"She was attacking muggleborns and halfbloods at the battle of Hogwarts. For all intents and purposes, she was considered a death eater," Hermione reminded him.
"Why didn't she get locked up then?"
Hermione went to answer and then realized she didn't have an answer, she made a note to check out Pansy's court case. "Okay then. Theodore Nott."
"Oh come on, you guys know he fought on your side during the battle."
Hermione gave Malfoy a curious look. "What do you mean? We have very little information on Nott during and after the war."
Malfoy looked dumbstruck for a moment. "You guys didn't know?"
Hermione became very short. "Know what?"
Malfoy smiled with a look of smugness from the old days. "Nott, Zanbini, Greengrass and Davis, found a group of underage Hufflepuffs while trying to lead the other Slytherins out of the castle, except they got cut off from going any further because of the battle, so they rushed all the kids back in to the Slytherin common room and defended the kids from there."
Hermione had heard many stories of heroism during the war, but that was not one of them. "I had no idea. That was very brave of them."
"You guys need to do better research, or at least be less prejudiced when it comes to school houses." Smugness was still written all over his face. "Never thought a Slytherin would tell you to be noble, did you?"
Hermione fought back a smile. "Well, I'm surprised you even knew what it meant to be noble," she retorted. She looked down at her paper. "That's all on that list. I need to check your warding now, and we need to close your floo to anyone who isn't immediate family or close trusted friends."
Malfoy stood up. "Well then, I'll escort you around the premises and then we can close the floo networks." He put down his glass and extended his hand to Hermione to help her stand.
She gingerly took it and followed him once again outside. It took the better part of the afternoon to fully ward the massive Malfoy property, most of the time Malfoy just stood back and watched Hermione as she placed her complex wards. Once she completed that they went back inside. He closed the floos and she would place more complex wards.
"That's all the open ones downstairs. There are only a few open ones upstairs I need to close too," Malfoy announced to Hermione as she finished the floo in the office. Hermione nodded and followed Malfoy upstairs where they closed a floo in the Master Suit, and one in the library. "The last one is this way." Malfoy lead her to a new wing of the house and to a large set of oak doors. He opened the door and escorted her through. This seemed to be another lavish room, decorated in a dark green and sliver, with a stunning view of the property out of the massive windows at the back of the room. A large handsome four poster bed sat proudly in the middle of the wall to the left, with a dark green duvet and light gray sheets. Next to the bed hung proudly on the wall was a framed Quidditch robe with Malfoy written across the back with a large number 7 under it. It dawned on Hermione then that this was Malfoy's room, she could smell his musk hanging in the air. Hermione heart started racing, how in the world did she find herself here!?
"Something wrong, Granger?" Malfoy's cool voice came from behind her.
"Nothing," she said quickly. She spotted the floo on the other side of the room and rushed over, but then realized that she still needed him to actually close the floo since this was not her home. "Uh, I need you to close it." She turned around to find him watching her closely, a small smirk on his face.
He walked slowly to her and stopped just before her, reached his arm out in front of her to preform the spell to close the floo tapping his wand on the bricks. Then he looked down straight in to her eyes, the air vibrating again between them. "There," he breathed.
She could smell his cologne again and the hint of mint on his breath, and for a moment, Hermione was once again trapped in his stare. She stood there, just looking at him, the air around them becoming stifling hot as their bodies buzzed for each other. Malfoy made no moves this time, he just waited patiently for her next action. "Thanks," she whispered as she turned to the fireplace and started her incantation, all the while feeling Malfoy's eyes on her. Once finished, she turned to leave, but instead bumped in to him. "Oh, uh" but she didn't get a chance to say sorry before Malfoy lips met hers.
Draco had been patient all day, fighting his temptations to touch her again and again, he had purposely saved his floo for last, hoping that he would be given an opportunity. Draco fought with every ounce of control he had to not move when she was staring him in the eyes, but the moment when she turned in to him couldn't resist anymore, his instincts took control and the need to kiss her seared so hot he felt like he was burning alive. Hermione placed her palms against his chest, she broke away from him her forehead leaning softly against his. Draco's heart fell when she pulled away from him.
"Uh, sorry," she softly stammered, taking a step back from him this time, and already his body ached for her. "I, uh, if that's the last one, I should go.." she regained her professionalism.
Draco's eye fell to his feet, slowly shaking his head, his hand now mindlessly rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, I'll show you out." Dammit, he had done it again and jumped the gun. He's pushed her too far, even though it was considerably less than last time. He gathered what little pride he had left and lead her from his room, taking her to the only open floo left in the house.
"Malfoy." Hermione turned to him just as she was about to step in to the fireplace. She looked like she really wanted to say something. "I'm free Friday evening."
Draco could tell this was not what she actually wanted to say to him, but he had already pushed to many boundaries today, so instead he nodded. "Okay, I'll pick you up then?"
Hermione shifted awkwardly. "Uh, how about I meet you there?"
He huffed with discontent. "Okay, well there's this nice Italian place in muggle London, I'll reserve a table for us and owl you the address."
Hermione eyebrow peaked. "Muggle food?"
Draco bit his tongue, he was becoming very annoyed at her lack in faith in him. "Yes, muggle food. I happen to very much appreciate muggle food, the way they make it takes time and effort and I can taste the difference than food made with magic. Also I figured it would be less likely for people to know who we are in a muggle establishment."
Hermione watched him carefully. "Okay, seven then?"
"Seven is fine, and wear something nice, it's considered fine dining." Draco advised her.
"Oh." She paused. "Malfoy, that's not necessary."
"You haven't had their food then, because believe me, it is." Draco smirked.
"No I meant the fine dining part, you don't need to impress me or anything."
Draco looked at her confused, impress her? "Why on earth would I need to impress you? It's spectacular food, the best outside of Italy, that's why I want to go."
"Look, I know that wealthy people like to..." She trailed off. Apparently he hadn't hid is frustration very well. "I didn't mean to offend you."
"I just wanted to take you out to a nice place with great food, and you translate that in to me being a snob," Draco snapped at her, instantly regretting his tone.
"No, I'm not trying to say you're some snob, I just-" Her voice trailed off trying to think of what to say.
"You just what, Granger?" Draco growled at her. "You just assumed that I wanted to throw money at you to woo you. Is that it?"
He watched the gears in her head turn for a long moment. "You know, I'll just go." She grabbed the floo powder, and with a blaze of green she was gone.
Draco growled with frustration, no matter what he did people seemed to just assume the worst of him. No matter how long he had been gone the remnants of his past clung to him like a fowl smell.