If Harry wasn't going to tell anyone about what Draco was going to do to Theo, then he wasn't going to either. What he did tell Hermione the next day, however, was that, currently, he wasn't an active Auror anymore. He had told his wife everything that the letter from Auror Warren had said, what Harry had done, and that after all proceedings were over and done with he'd see if his future in the Auror Department was still a possibility.

Naturally, Hermione was angry beyond belief.

"That arse!" She exclaimed. Draco smirked at her use of such light profanity when he knew that she wanted to say something much worse. "I hope Quintin gets what's coming to him. He's completely unfit to be Auror Head. Maybe now Harry will take the job."

"Potter had gotten offered the Auror Head position?" Draco asked with a quirked brow. "And he turned it down?"

Hermione shrugged. "He didn't want it just because he defeated You-Know-Who. He wanted to earn it."

Draco snorted. "A righteous Gryffindor if I ever saw one."

Hermione smiled and then turned her attention to the door of her hospital room to welcome said Gryffindor. "Hi Harry."

"Hey," he greeted as he shut the door behind him. "Did I come at a bad time?"

"Not if you've brought good news you haven't." Draco answered. "Did you?"

"Yes and no." Harry replied and sat down. "We interrogated Nott for hours last night and…we have reason to believe that he might have been Imperiused to give that painting to Hermione."

Draco placed a hand under his chin. "Your reason being?"

"Aside from being stupid enough to sign his name on the wrapping? The gaps in his memory don't make sense –Veritaserum or not. We even pulled his memories and put them in a pensieve and they're just as incoherent as his narrative was."

"Ah, I get it. So you've got the means by which Hermione was attacked, but not the actual person that planned it."

"Exactly,"

Draco sighed and ran his tired hands over his face. "Theo's connected to some pretty shady people. It could be anyone he knows, honestly."

"Great," Hermione exaggerated from where she lay. "So that means that I'm probably still in danger then."

"Probably," Harry frowned. "I'm really sorry, Hermione."

"No, no it's fine. Draco and I will just have to ward the apartment."

"It's already warded." Draco reminded her. "And there's only so many that are legally allowed when you live in a neighborhood that's primarily muggle."

"Sounds like you two might want to think about moving." Harry pointed out. "At least until we've weeded out who was trying to hurt you."

Draco and Hermione exchanged glances before the former gave a resigned shoulder shrug. "Looks like I'm hunting for houses after all."

"Oh, Draco I don't want you to do that without me." Hermione brooded. "I'm getting released in a few days or less once the Healers say it's okay. We can go look then."

"Don't forget the bed rest they told you to be on the moment you got out of here."

"But-"

"No buts,"

Hermione pouted before turning to Harry who immediately shook his head.

"There are very few times I actually agree with Malfoy, Hermione." Harry told her. "You need to rest."

Draco was amused at his wife's childlike behavior and made sure to enjoy it for the next few minutes as she and Harry continued to talk before bringing up a suggestion that he was sure she might not like.

"Until your bed rest is over…how about…we stay at Malfoy Manor."

Harry's expression could be classified as horrified. Hermione's was a mixture of that as well as uncertainty.

"Or with Blaise?" Draco suggested. "His place is certainly big enough-"

"No, Liliana's pregnant. I don't want to impose on her." Hermione replied as she fiddled with her hands. "I…suppose…the Manor wouldn't be too bad. Besides, I'll be on bed rest and not have to walk around anyway. Right?"

Draco nodded. Hermione bit her bottom lip hard enough for it to bleed and she licked the blood away.

"Okay. We can stay until my bed rest is over."

"I'll have my mother arrange us a suite."

Hermione had stayed in the hospital for two more days before Flooing alongside her husband to Malfoy Manor. The last two times she had been here were both festive occasions. The first was to congratulate Draco on his Auror position and the next was for her wedding. Festivities had a way of drawing out the best in you while distracting yourself from everything that made you upset. Coming here now, without a proper reason (although her recent attack was proper enough), was just...different. The Manor itself wasn't dark and dank, however it lost the frivolity it once had. It was quiet, not to mention it felt empty.

"I can never imagine a child living here."

Draco glanced at her as he helped her up the grand staircase. "Why's that?"

"It's just so big. Like you could get lost in here by taking one turn."

"You can." He replied once they made it to the landing. "If you don't know it, this place is quite the labyrinth."

"Designed on purpose?" Hermione asked with a slight tilt of her head.

"In a way, yes. It's a combination of excessive grandeur and also to confuse anyone who dared to snoop. My family has never been of the trusting sort."

Hermione didn't verbally reply, but she did agree. Draco had made a left at the stairs and she was met with the same vast hallway she had been in the night before her wedding. They didn't stop along here though. Instead they walked its entire length and then made a right. This hallway was a little shorter than the one they'd just come from, but still long enough for her to feel winded. Draco had offered to carry her, but that thing called pride shouted at her from the rooftops and she declared that she was fine.

There was nothing down this hallway with the exception of one door at the end of it. Once they got to it, a smug smile was on Draco's face as he opened the door. Hermione, completely forgetting that she was supposed to be taking it easy, ran inside.

The door had opened straight into a living room complete with a massive fireplace. To her left was a small hall that, upon her inspection held not one, but three bedrooms -one of them a master bedroom with a private bathroom. When she came back out Draco was standing in the middle of the room, his arms crossed, and his smile much too wide for his face to carry.

"Draco, this is… This is…"

"It's a family suite." He explained. "Newly married Malfoys tend to stay in these. And despite having house elves to tend to children, they still saw fit to have them within close range. Hence the multiple bedrooms. Down this other hall," he pointed behind him (Hermione hadn't even noticed there was another one), "there's a playroom for kids and a study complete with a library."

"A library?" Hermione's eyes lit up.

"I thought you might like that. However, you are going to bed."

Hermione fretfully crossed her arms. "You know, just because it's termed bed rest, I don't have to be in a bed."

"While that is true, for this first day can you humor your husband?"

She grinned at that, the word "husband" falling so naturally off his lips. With a sigh she relented and trotted off to the master bedroom where she allowed him to tuck her in. She had asked for tea once settled and proceeded to frown bitterly when Draco had a house elf bring it. It only made him laugh.

"The Manor is wrought with house elves, Hermione. Not to mention now that we're married, they do anything you ask them to."

"I won't be asking them for a single thing." She said with a firm nod.

"For today, maybe. Give it a week, and I bet you'll call them more than me."

Hermione would rather pitch herself off a tower before succumbing to that and she told him so. Draco made a mental note to ward all towers the Manor had to offer before leaving his wife be in order to find his mother.

"Ah, there you are." Narcissa greeted first. She was in her own suite down the opposite end of the hall and to the left. "Yani told me you and Hermione had arrived. How is she?"

"Resting with some tea."

"Good. Let me know when she's gotten some rest. I would like to speak with her."

"Of course," Draco nodded before sitting down. "Did you call off your watchdogs like I told you?"

"Yes," his mother replied bitterly. "As much as I applaud you for wanting to go about this the 'right way,' our way would've flushed out whoever tried to kill your wife must sooner."

"I agree, but 'our way' of doing things has gotten us into more trouble than we ever bargained for. Besides, Potter's the one leading the case. He wouldn't let Hermione down."

"I suppose…" Narcissa sighed. And then she was smiling as she reached for the tea she had abandoned when her son had entered the room. "How does she like the suite?"

"She loves it, naturally. You know, mother, there are plenty of other suites that we could've stayed in."

"I know, but this one is so much more appropriate, don't you think?"

Draco smirked. "To start thinking about children or making them?"

Narcissa didn't even bother to hide her ulterior motives. "Both,"

"You realize that we've been married less than a month, don't you?"

"I do. But exactly how much longer do you expect me to live my life alone?"

Draco sighed at the guilt trip at its finest. "You have friends over often enough. Not to mention that your house arrest is over come August and then you're free to go wherever you wish."

"Prissy socialites and gossip are no substitute for family, Draco." Narcissa replied. "I can have all the dinner parties in the world and shop until I'm too tired, but in the end I'll still end up in this massive home with no one but house elves."

Guilt trip times two.

Draco sat forward in his chair and asked her dead on, "Mother, is this your very elaborate way of saying that you want Hermione and me to live here with you?"

Narcissa tutted. "I said no such thing."

His mother's tells weren't many and they were hard to recognize. But the way she was subtly avoiding eye contact and her back erect enough to break, he knew that was exactly what she was asking.

"She's still hesitant about this place." Draco said quietly.

Narcissa resisted doing the classless action of biting her lip. Instead she took a deep breath and nodded. "I understand. Perhaps spending the week here will help that."

Hermione had a sneaky suspicion that her tea had been lightly tapped off with a Sleeping Draught. Soon after drinking it she had drifted off into one the best sleeps she'd had as of late and woke up some three hours later. She strained her hearing to see if Draco was anywhere in the enormous suite, but later cursed herself because she was a witch and there were much more efficient methods.

She picked up her wand from the nightstand and cast a spell to detect if anyone was in the suite aside from her. The answer was no, and she fiddled with her wand as she wondered what to do. Her first instinct was to head to the library that was beautifully within her reach and could distract her for hours. However, she imagined that Draco would send her straight back to bed if he caught her out of it. For once she would decide not to be a stubborn mule and adhere to the advice of her husband, friends, and every Healer who told her to take it easy.

With a sigh she looked up at the ceiling and realized that it was painted like the sky. It wasn't enchanted like the one at Hogwarts, but it was still pretty to look at. She smiled at it and then swallowed, her throat feeling incredibly dry.

"And of course there's no kitchen here…"

Suddenly there was a crack! that broke the air and Hermione jumped. She looked to her right and found a house elf who was bowing before her.

"My name is Frizzle," he greeted. "I have been assigned to be your personal house elf."

Hermione's eyes bulged. "My personal house elf?"

"Yes, Mistress Malfoy." He bowed again. "The Matriarch Mistress Malfoy has given me over to you."

"Oh…. How...kind of her." The brunette gritted out between clenched teeth.

"I sensed you might be needing something." Frizzle continued. "May I help you with anything?"

Hermione really didn't want to impose. Right now she was greatly deciding whether to slip off her shirt and give it to the house elf, but what would Narcissa do and how would the woman feel if she just dismissed him? Add in the fact that she was dying of thirst and one could say that she was in dilemma.

"A glass of water would be lovely. Please?"

"Right away,"

Frizzle disappeared from where he stood only to be back moments later carrying the glass of water she had asked for on a fancy tray. Hermione was perplexed by him, not to mention in awe. He was a very sophisticated house elf. He didn't even refer to himself by his first name when he spoke. She told him this much and Frizzle beamed.

"Matriarch Mistress Malfoy has a few select house elves bred to be able to entertain certain guests. She imagined that you would prefer one of us rather than the others. Do you disapprove?" Frizzle asked with a hint of worry.

Hermione instantly wanted to say yes -to the nature of house elves as a whole. But as to Frizzle…

"No," she answered with a soft smile.

His face lighted up. "Excellent. Is there anything else you would like for me to do?"

Hermione was going against her nature terribly for this.

"I'm on bed rest, Frizzle. Draco told me that there's a library in this suite and I was wondering if you could possibly…?"

"I will fetch one that I'm sure you will enjoy."

When Draco came back to the suite he was utterly bemused as to why he was hearing voices. Hermione wasn't one to talk to herself or even in her sleep. There was also no way for any of her friends to be here -something of which he would alter tomorrow in terms of the Floo and the Manor's wards. He supposed it could've been Blaise, but nothing could've shocked him more than seeing his very anti-house elf wife being served biscuits on a tray by one.

"These are very good, thank you Frizzle."

"It's my pleasure." He smiled broadly as he set the tray down on the nightstand next to her. "I shall leave these here. Would you like another glass of water? Some tea perhaps?"

"Not at the moment, thanks."

Frizzle bowed before leaving. It was only then that Hermione saw Draco standing in the doorway and she turned beet red at once.

"I…"

Draco had never felt so smug before -and rightly so. He sauntered into the bedroom with a wide grin and said, "Ordering around a house elf, are we?"

"It's not my fault." She argued. "Your mother assigned him to me."

A blond brow rose. "Did she really?"

"Yes. And he asked if I needed anything and I wasn't planning to ask for anything but...hell, I was thirsty and there's no kitchen in here!"

Draco's triumphant expression was in full force again. "And so the biscuits and the book are...what? Him saying thank you?"

Hermione huffed and leaned back onto her pillows. "Oh, shut up."

He laughed and walked around the bed to climb in with her. She was trying her best to stare straight ahead and not look at him, but he was cuddled up close and nuzzling his nose in her neck. After a few passing seconds she groaned in frustration and wrapped her arms around him.

"My mother plans to stop by and say hello at some point tonight."

"Fair enough,"

"And," Draco added. "I should warn you that sometime between today and next week, she may ask, in not so many words, if you would like to move here."

It was hard not to control her surprise.

"You're serious?"

"I am. It's why she set us up in this suite."

Hermione scrunched her brows. "Why would that make me want to move into the Manor? Just because it looks nice?"

"That and the fact that it's so child friendly."

There went her surprise again.

"You're kidding."

Draco held in his laughter. She looked positively mortified at the thought and he kissed her to soothe her rampant worries.

"She doesn't expect me to knock you up today, Hermione. Although, if I did I'm sure she wouldn't mind. She just wanted us to see how nice it could be future-wise if we stayed."

Hermione bit the inside of her jaw. "I don't know, Draco. That's a huge request."

"I know, and you don't have to answer right away."

She paused.

"What do you want to do?"

"Me?" Draco shrugged. "I lived here my whole life. I have memories here -many that I would like to forget."

"Tell me about it." Hermione murmured softly.

"But I'd only stay for two reasons: first, despite the horrible things that I still remember, they're...more bearable since I've been with you. Second, because my mother asked."

Yes, one would do a lot of things because a parent asked them to. Hermione sighed and told him that she would think about it. She would have a whole week in the Manor to do so anyway.

Author's note: Alright, so there goes a bit more information on Theo! There are so many things I love about this chapter. Narcissa, ever Slytherin and never taking the direct approach to doing things. And Hermione who caved and her guilt about it lol.

-WP

Replies to Guests

Catuhh: As you can see from this chapter, it was definitely too easy. Theo, smart man, probably wouldn't have put his name on the evidence just as Harry said. I like your theory ;)