Chapter Four
My mum woke me up at noon, I was quite shocked that I had slept so long; then again I must have needed it. I thought about what today would bring, but decided that it was better not to guess, and just wait and see how things go. Only two hours until I would meet the Malfoys, yikes.
After stumbling from my bed into the bathroom, I showered and changed into a short faded denim skirt and an electric blue vest top, and a pair of converse, which were the same colour as my top. I used my wand to dry my hair and I left it down, straight with a few plaits throughout it. I was ready and I still had an hour to go before I was due there. It was time for some lunch.
Once I had eaten my lunch, and read a bit of my book, it was almost 2pm, so I made my way to the fireplace and stepped inside, grabbed some floo powder, and upon dropping it, I shouted 'Malfoy Manor', I shut my eyes and before I knew it I was engulfed in a sea of green flames, I was being spun around and it was making me dizzy, oh how I hated travelling by floo.
When the spinning had stopped I opened my eyes and looked around. I was in the most gorgeous study I had ever seen, dark mahogany bookcases lined the walls, and a large desk sat in front of the window, the chair was facing away from me and I guessed that it was currently occupied. I realised seconds later that I had, in fact, guessed correctly. The chair spun round and I came face to face with Lucius Malfoy.
"So you're Bella and Jacob's daughter?" he asked, a look of curiosity masking his face. "Yes, well I received a letter yesterday telling me that was so," I replied, and a noticed a faint smile upon his face, and he stood up from his chair and brushed the imaginary creases from his robes. "Very well, I am Lucius, come we will go and find Narcissa, she has not stopped talking about how much she wanted to meet you, I must say you look awfully like your mother," he told me and I wasn't quite sure how to reply, so I just followed him out of the study as he made his way through long hallways and past, very expensively decorated rooms.
We were outside in the Manor grounds when I spotted a beautiful woman dressed in a pale blue robe with long white/blonde hair, she was sitting reading a book on one of the benches overlooking the lake, I followed Lucius as he walked over to her.
"Narcissa, Aurora is here…" Lucius began, but before he could say anymore, the woman had dropped her book and had run over to me and engulfed me in a big hug, that would rival one of Molly Weasley's. "Um, hi," I said, quite unsure how to react. She pulled back and I noticed she had tears streaming down her face.
"Calm down Cissy, you will frighten the poor girl away," Lucius told his wife, as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and handed her his handkerchief. "Oh, I'm sorry, it's just, I never thought I would ever get to meet you, and you look so much like Bella, you are so beautiful," she told me and I could feel my cheeks turning red.
"Erm, thank you Mrs Malfoy…," I began but was cut off. "Please call me Narcissa dear, you are family, so enough with the formalities," she told me and I couldn't help but smile. "Okay," I replied.
"Forgive me for asking, but what name have you been living under for the last 17 years," Lucius asked me, I wasn't sure if I wanted to tell him or not, it may make them hate me. "Ah, well, you see…erm, I was known as Hermione Granger," I told him, and Narcissa burst into tears, even Lucius looked upset.
"Oh no, I am so sorry, I understand if you don't ever forgive me for the way I have treated you, but please know that I honestly don't hold the same prejudices now that I once did, the war changed my perspective on a lot of things," he told me. "Its okay, really, I mean you never hurt me directly or anything, and you didn't know who I was, I would just like to get to know you both if that is okay?" I replied and suddenly felt Narcissa envelope me in a hug once again.
"Of course, you may ask us anything, but first I am sure you will want to know about your parents and the things your mother left with Narcissa, why don't you ladies talk whilst I go and get everything," he said, and I just nodded and gave him a smile, as he stood up and began to walk back to the Manor.
"I truly can't believe you are here," Narcissa said, with a grin. "I know, it seems so much has happened in the last day," I replied with a small smile. "Oh I just realised, I will have to tell Draco about you, and you two never got on well," she said and I couldn't help but laugh, she looked at me curiously as if to ask why. "I'm sorry, do you think I could maybe be there when you tell him, I would love to see his face when you told him," I told her and she agreed and began to laugh as well.