Draco stood up first as the Lord and Lady Pendragon entered the drawing room. Hermione nervously followed, she had been a complete mess all morning. She fretted over what to wear, her hair, everything. He had been amused for the first hour and then it got old, really old.
"Draco, you look lovely," Jane smiled warmly as Draco lightly pecked her hand as he bowed deeply. "And Hermione, you really made a good impression last night," Jane turned to the young witch who blushed darkly as she dipped a quick curtsey.
"Thank you my Lady," Hermione breathed.
"Lighten up, we're family and I haven't seen you since we were toddlers running across the deep green hills," Lord Arbour pulled her into a tight hug, Hermione was instantly shocked.
"You know everything!" Hermione gasped, pulling away from him, he chuckled lightly and shook his head.
"Not everything unfortunately. I don't know why they put you in hiding. I believe it had something to do with Merlin, from what I remember you were something special in regards to the upcoming wars," Arbour explained, Hermione frowned, puzzled.
"I'm sorry sir but I think we both don't know what you're talking about," Draco interrupted.
"Yes, yes, there's a lot to explain. Let's start lunch and I'll try and tell you what I do know," Arbour turned and led them out of the room and out towards a beautiful patio set with a comfortable table and chairs. Cold lemonade stood perspiring on the center of the table and huge blossoms of strange flowers surrounded the idyllic scene. The Lord and Lady took their seats first while Hermione and Draco sat down across from them.
"These flowers are from Avalon, they remind me so much of the island," Arbour told her, a wistful look on his handsome features as he glanced around. Hermione followed his gaze and soon spotted small Imps and Fairies playing around the leaves and buds.
"I've never seen so many Fae before," Hermione breathed, Arbour grinned.
"I'm guessing they put you with a muggle family?" Arbour asked, she nodded.
"I'm so sorry Hermione, I wish I knew why they took you away. I haven't seen your mother since I was 5 and that was the last time I was in Avalon," Arbour explained.
"But you remember it," Hermione leaned forward, hungry for information. The house elves came by and set out their lunch.
"Yes of course, it's impossible to forget that place. They must have hidden your memories from you," Arbour responded, she nodded thoughtfully.
"What happened to Avalon?" She finally started with her questions, Arbour looked sad.
"It was closed off from this world soon after I had to return home to my family castle," Arbour explained.
"But that was at least a hundred years ago," Draco spoke up, Arbour had a mischievous look on his face and suddenly looked slightly not human.
"My dear boy, you are correct on that front," he answered with a smirk.
"How is that possible?" Hermione frowned darkly, Lady Jane grinned as she leaned back.
"No Pureblood is human my dear. Didn't you know? Why no witch or wizard is strictly human either," Lady Jane answered, it was like a bomb had dropped on them. Draco knew that he wasn't human but he still thought he was at least somehow human in the sense that he was of Earth and looked human, didn't that make him human?
"So muggleborn are?" Hermione looked between the two before her.
"Just watered down, sometimes a magical creature mated with a human so long ago that the knowledge was lost. It's actually quite common considering how closely the magical world overlapped the human world before. It's removed now, the magical world is no longer so easily accessed," Lady Jane answered.
"And purebloods?" Hermione trailed off.
"Are magical families that decided to stay in this world," Lady Jane quipped.
"But they look human," Hermione looked over at Draco.
"We," Arbour corrected her, she looked over at him and realized what they were telling her. They didn't just mean Draco was a magical creature, she was one to and that hit her particularly hard.
"All life has a soul, all life has a door deep inside that leads to spirit. To the magical world. Whatever form we take, we can access that but the problem with humans are that they can't physically access that world unless they are invited. They're born of this world, of Earth. They can become magical and can even be taught magic but they have to be awakened," Lord Arbour explained.
"But that hasn't happened in a long time," Lady Jane continued. "They refuse to believe, they have rejected us and the last ties of magic are almost disappeared from this world. Soon the wizarding world will be all by itself, alone in a darkened world."
"But all the magical creatures, the centaurs and giants…the dragons," Hermione pointed out.
"Magical creatures stick by witches and wizards because we protect them but if we die then they will die as well," Lady Jane answered.
"Die?" Hermione breathed.
"We are all susceptible to death in this world. In the magical world we are immortal, that is why Merlin and the rest of our family still lives," Lord Arbour leaned forward to take Hermione's hand.
"Because we were born in the magical realm, we live long lives. Witches and wizards, they live longer than humans but because of the rules of this realm, they soon wither away the same as them," he told her, his strange eyes unwavering.
"But I'm only 16," Hermione protested, he smiled slightly, pulling back from her and looking down on his hands.
"You've been around magic long enough to know that we can alter memories," Lord Arbour told her quietly, she took a deep breath and slowly let it out, trying to process all the information he was laying down.
"So you're telling me that everything I've ever known is a lie and no one can tell me why," Hermione looked up at him, he looked so sad as he sat before her pondering her last statement. She had not realized it until then but Lord Arbour had a glow around him that resembled Dumbledore's. It was diminished right then which tipped her off to its presence.
"I truly am sorry, Cousin. If I could contact Avalon in any way to demand answers, I would have already done it. At least trust in that," Lord Arbour finally pulled out of his dark mood, he looked so sincere, so heartbroken right then that she had to believe him.
"You said there were other magical ties to the other world," Draco spoke up, Lord Arbour nodded but remained somber.
"Other realms but Avalon is closed. The magical world is a vast universe and it would be near impossible to travel through it to Avalon. You would be lost forever trying to find it unless you had a guide," Lord Arbour explained.
"There has to be some way. Why leave you here like this?" Draco looked to Hermione who obviously didn't have a clue.
"I truly do believe it was to plant you next to Harry Potter, in order to help him eradicate the Dark Lord and save his own soul," Lady Jane spoke up, they all looked to her.
"What do you mean, save his soul? What's wrong with Harry?" Hermione asked.
"He is tied to the Dark Lord and you must somehow break the tie," Lady Jane answered.
"That would make sense," Draco mused, Hermione leaned back in her chair, working through this new information.
"What about Draco? How does he tie into all of this?" Hermione looked over at the platinum blonde. The Lord and Lady instantly brightened at her words.
"That is the easiest question you've asked so far, Hermione," Lord Arbour smiled.
"The Malfoys are part dragon and dragons are the protectors of the Royal Avalon line. We are part dragon as well," Lady Jane explained.
"Dragon?" Draco gasped.
"Where do you think all those telepathic powers come from? Dragons are some of the most magical creatures ever created. They are a noble species that mated with some of the most powerful Wizards in the magical realm. A select few of these powerful Wizards decided to come to Earth during the middle ages namely as King Arthur, my father to guide the human world. He returned to the magical realm after a long and happy life on Earth," Lord Arbour explained.
"And the Malfoys? Why did they come here?" Draco asked, his father had never spoke about his heritage.
"The Malfoys were unfortunately casted out of the dragon realm. They were told that they must redeem themselves in some way before they were allowed back," Lady Jane looked sympathetic. "We understand that you were never told your heritage and have no clue about the first Malfoys. They were here long before the Pendragons and have been an integral part of the Wizarding World."
"So there is still a link to the dragon world?" Draco looked hopeful.
"It isn't as strong but we still hold the last strings," Lord Arbour answered. "It would take a great act to redeem your long line. The Malfoys have always been on the dark side."
"But Draco saved me from Bellatrix," Hermione spoke up. The Lord and Lady looked shocked at her words.
"A Malfoy performing a purely selfless deed would be impossible," Lady Jane shook her head, suddenly they looked almost pretentious, showing their true opinions about Draco in an instant.
"If you doubt me then I could show you my memories if you have pensieve," Hermione offered.
"No need, dragons have excellent telepathy," Lady Jane leaned forward and lightly touched Hermione's right temple. She found herself reliving her time in the Malfoy Mansion under Bellatrix.
"Well, very interesting. A deed like that would revoke the curse but the portal was not open. Something must have happened to stop it," Lady Jane mused. "Maybe you're meant to stay here a little longer Draco," Lady Jane nodded to herself.
"We will contact the dragon council and find an answer," Lord Arbour interrupted his wife's musing.
"Yes, it's settled," Lady Jane smiled at them. They continued with small talk for the rest of lunch and soon Hermione and Draco were back at Hogwarts.
TBC
***Author's Note: Sorry for the wait, I've been a bit busy lately with life. Hope you like where this is going. I'm thinking of sending Draco and Hermione into the dragon world, would be fun. :)