READ IF YOU NEED CLARIFICATION PLEASE!

There are a few things that I have to say before I can continue with this story...to the person who reviewed my story as Kidd...let's get a few things straight alright...I'm sorry that you got offended but you are wrong about my story...you see in the story Hermione isn't a cutter, she's trying to commit suicide...she uses a straight blade to cut very long very deep cuts in her forarms...I'm absolutely positive that this will kill someone because I've watched someone die by this very process...He started at his wrists and made and incision of close to ten inches long...and one on each arm...the cuts weren't small as a normal cutter might do...they were very long...and down to the bone...in my story...Hermione's incident is based on that...she cut herself very deep and was bleeding very badly...I will go back and change the chapter with more description to clarify things...but let me repeat...HERMIONE IS NOT A CUTTER...she was attempting suicide because she felt there was no use in living...if anyone else becomes offended by that chapter...i cant even remember which...well this paragraph clears it up...and thank you Beach-Babi...I'm happy that you think they are still in character...that's what I've tried to do all along...

Disclaimer: Not mine...

Visits for Tea

It was five minutes until they had to Floo to his house and Hermione was standing beside him nervously. Her hands were wringing before her and she shifted from side to side a lot. It was beginning to drive him insane.

"Why are you so worried?" he asked.

"Because she's your mother. What if she doesn't like me?" Hermione said.

"She likes everyone." Draco said not wanting to admit to Hermione that his mother would be nothing like anyone else on the Dark side.

"Even Mudbloods?" Hermione said her eyes staring at the side of his face. Draco kept his mouth shut.

'Exactly.' Hermione thought her head bowing. She had a huge feeling that this visit wasn't going to be pleasant.

"You may take some Floo powder Draco." Lucius told his son.

Draco stepped forward and reached into the pot that hung beside the grate. It was filled with Floo powder. The cool grains slipped like water through his fingers. He stepped back and reached for Hermione's hand. Her palms were sweaty as his hand tightened around hers.

Draco threw his fistful of powder into the flames and watched as they changed from orange to a bright shinning green. They rose higher and higher shooting out of the grate slightly as Draco led Hermione into them.

"Malfoy Manor!" Draco cried loudly and felt that familiar feeling of spinning so very fast.

Hermione's hand clenched Draco's tighter as they were whisked away toward the Malfoy Manor. She could feel the soot hitting her face as they passed other grates. Eventually they landed hard on their feet in the drawing room of Draco's home.

"Mother!" Draco called out and Hermione heard movement from another room.

He had his wand out and was muttering a spell to tidy them up when his mother entered. She wore long wonderful white robes that flowed when she walked. They were made of a light airy material that breathed well in the heat of the summer. Her crisp blonde hair was amazing, style back with a wave, her lips had a light red colour on them, making them stand out and catch the eye quickly. Hermione noticed that those lips were turned up in a smile.

"Draco my darling." Narcissa said stepping forward and embracing her son.

Hermione had never seen Draco show true affection before but the moment she was witnessing was wonderful. His eyes were bright and shinning like they never had before. He was smiling that smile that she wished she saw more often. He embraced his mother tightly and kissed her on the cheek when they parted. His voice was soft when he spoke and he used a tone that was unfamiliar to her.

"Mum this is Hermione, my fiancee." Draco said pulling the nervous girl forward.

"Hermione dear I've heard so much about you from Lucius." Narcissa said her voice still polite yet inquisitive. "He never mentioned how beautiful you were however."

Hermione was taken aback by this comment. Narcissa Malfoy had just complimented her beauty. The mother of the rudest boy in Hogwarts, the boy who hated her, was telling her that she was beautiful. It was so much for Hermione to handle. She could barely believe it.

"Thank you Mrs. Malfoy." Hermione said softly looking Narcissa in the eye.

"Don't call me that dear I'm not that old. Call me Narcissa, or mum if you wish." Narcissa let out a soft laugh that Hermione hadn't expected. She had thought it would be more evil. But then Narcissa did something Hermione hadn't expected at all. She gave Hermione a hug.

Hermione and Draco followed Narcissa into the living room where tea was being served. Hermione was still in shock from being hugged by the wife of a Death Eater. She had been under the impression that Death Eaters weren't supposed to show feelings like these. They were supposed to be angry and mean all the time, never smiling unless of course it was at some rotten deed done to perfection.

After the tea was consumed they went out to the back garden and sat together on the patio. Narcissa looked lovely under the shinning sun. Hermione was no longer nervous and was talking away. She was talking more than Draco had seen her since she was first brought to him. His mother looked pleased and smiled talking as well.

Draco kept quiet just watching his mother with Hermione. It was like she was helping Hermione feel comfortable and he was suddenly appreciative. He was glad that Hermione was no longer afraid of his mother.

"So how was it that you and my son met?" Narcissa asked.

"We met in our first year. It was so long ago." Hermione said her smile, that had been wide and beautiful was now shrinking. Draco thought back, to the first time he saw her.

"She was in my potions class." Draco said his mother's attention turning to him. "She was sitting in front of me answering all the questions Snape asked. After class I, well, I started picking on her."

"You picked on her Draco. Why on earth would you do that?" his mother asked.

"Because Mum…she's a…" Draco paused not really knowing how to put it. His family had always used the term Mudblood but it was offensive to Hermione. He couldn't offend her before his mother.

"I'm a Muggleborn Narcissa." Hermione said quietly watching his mother with large eyes.

"Well that's certainly no reason to pick on her Draco." Narcissa said.

Draco knew that his mother was different from the other Death Eaters wives but he'd had no idea just how different. It was very brave to say there was nothing wrong with Muggleborns when you were supposed to side with the Dark Lord.

Hermione stared at Narcissa for a moment, for she was astounded. Narcissa was watching both her son and Hermione a smirk on her face. Her eyes darted between the two waiting for one of them to speak. But when neither of them did Narcissa started to explain.

"I've never believed that Purebloods were better than Muggleborns. There are Muggleborns in our family Draco, on my side of course. My sister Andromeda married a Muggle man by the name of Tonks. I believe she's even had a halfblood daughter." Narcissa said recalling her favorite sister.

"But mum don't you support the Dark Lord?" Draco asked confused.

"Your father supports the Dark Lord. I have no say in what I want to support." Narcissa said cautiously. "But enough about my views."

The rest of tea was spent talking about safe topics like the weather and how the previous year of school went. But soon the topic changed again to a subject that neither Hermione nor Draco wanted to talk about.

"Well, it's time we begin choosing attire for the wedding." Narcissa said standing. "If you'd both just follow me I will show you to the fitting rooms for both of you."

Draco stood and walked beside Hermione toward the large staircase inside the house. His mother started up her robes dragging up the stairs behind her. Draco turned his head and looked at Hermione to find that she was already staring at him.

Hermione was picturing the night before in her mind. She saw the man beside her, sleeping his eyes closed, his blond hair falling into his eyes as he breathed softly. She smiled at the memory. She liked him best asleep. He was so much easier to deal with asleep.

"Why are you looking at me like that Granger?" Draco asked not liking that smile. She looked like she had a secret that she was keeping from him about him.

"Like how Malfoy?" Hermione asked still smiling.

"Stop Granger." He said turning to face his mother who was watching the two who had stopped on the stairs. She had a smile on her face.

"Come along." She called to them.

Hermione kept climbing the stairs Draco just a step behind her.

Narcissa led them down a long hall. On the walls hung painting of long dead Malfoys with the noticeable blond hair. They were calling out things to Narcissa and Draco as they passed. Hermione wondered if they all knew what was going on.

"Ah Draco." Said one painting and when his deep voice rang through the hall Draco stopped before it.

"Grandfather." Draco said inclining his head in respect.

"How are you my boy?" the painting asked. "It's been so long since any of us has seen you."

"I'm fine Grandfather." Draco said with a smile.

Hermione stood off to the side watching Draco interact with the painting. She saw him smile as he spoke and he seemed happy to be talking to the painting of his grandfather. Narcissa stood beside her and both women watched Draco glad to see him looking happy again.

"That's a painting of my father. He was a good man and Draco loved him very much. He died when Draco was but five years old. He had a painting of himself painted and after his death requested in his will that it be left to Draco, always to be near him he said."

Narcissa seemed stuck in the past as she watched her son interacting with the painting of her father. Her eyes were glazed as she stared ahead blankly leaving Hermione behind in the hall and traveling off to another place.

Draco turned from the portrait to see his mother and Hermione watching him. He closed his eyes for a moment, feeling stupid for talking to a portrait before Granger. He was showing his weaknesses.

Narcissa snapped out of her memories and turned to lead them to their separate rooms that were only a little further down the hall. Draco of course was getting his room. Which was the first door after his grandfather's portrait on the right. Hermione was going to be in the room right across the hall.

"Now both of you go inside and await the tailor." Narcissa said waving her wand. Both doors opened and Hermione and Draco parted to do as Narcissa said. Little did Narcissa and Draco know, however, that the day wouldn't be a simple, as both believed.

Thank you for the reviews that you've given and thank you for reading my story...if you are confused or feel like confronting me about anything else let me know and I will clarify...but that review sorta bugged me because I do know what I mean and I was hoping that you all understood as well...Hermione was attempting suicide...she tried to do it by cutting her arms open...not making little cuts in her arms...

Starry