A/N: I know I said I wasn't going to post this chapter until Saturday because I was writing a one-shot for Thanksgiving. But I decided to post this since I didn't get around to the one shot. Enjoy.

Chapter Eight- Granger moves into Malfoy Manor

Reporters caught sight of Ronald Weasley trying to break through the wards around his apartment last night, shouting for Miss Granger to emerge. The obvious breaking point for Mister Weasley was the night edition of the Prophet, in which our faithful journalist Rita Skeeter reported that Miss Granger had an affair with Blaise Zambini, a marked Death Eater, back in school. Four people emerged from Mister Weasley's apartment; Mister Potter, Mister Draco Malfoy, Miss Granger, and Lucius Malfoy. All four of them Apparated in order to avoid speaking with Mister Weasley as they left. Sources in the prison say that because of the 24-hour time limit placed on the spell keeping Lucius within 10 yards of Miss Granger, Hermione spent the rest of the night wandless in Malfoy's jail cell. The morning brings us the site of Miss Granger removing her belongings from her apartment with Mister Weasley and heading into the Malfoy Manor with Draco Malfoy at her side.

Hermione tugged the sweater she was wearing down with one hand, still reaching on her tiptoes with her arm extended above her, attempting to reach a can of coffee on the top shelf. "Blast," she whispered as she managed to push the can back further and gave it up as a failed attempt.

"Are you a witch or not?" Draco said flicking his wand and the can of coffee settled down on the kitchen counter.

"Is that a remark at my blood, Mister Malfoy?" Hermione threw him a smirk and began to make a pot of coffee with the coffee maker she had moved in.

Draco sat down in one of the bar stools sitting on the other side of the island in the middle of the kitchen. Boxes were stacked all around them, including on the island. He pulled out a small toy ball, wondering where on earth it had come from, before throwing it up in the air and catching. "Not at all, just your dismal skills at being practical and efficient."

Hermione turned, thoroughly planning to throw him a look of pure and utter distaste, when she caught site of the ball he was playing with. "Do you know what that is?" He shook his head, catching it again and holding it up to the light. "That was Crookshank's cat toy," she said softly. "Sirius used to buy him more toys than he knew what to do with."

"That was that ugly cat of yours, right? What happened to him?" He resumed playing with ball, apparently not caring that it used to belong to a cat.

"He was with my parents during the house fire," she whispered. "I've often wanted to get another kitten, but Ron didn't want any pets."

Draco threw the ball at her, which she caught with ease. "Feel free to get one now," he said. "I think a kitten might just liven this place up a bit."

Hermione smiled and handed him a cup of the coffee. Draco wrinkled his nose. "I will think about it, but thank you. And don't look at it like that, I make good coffee and we need the added boost if we are going to accomplish anything today."

Draco took a swig, conceded with a shrug that it was passable, and smirked. "What do you want to do today?"

They burned everything that Draco couldn't find a sentimental reason to keep. They burned all the living room and dining room furniture, all the rugs, and any paintings of Malfoy family members that objected to Hermione being there, including Draco's own grandfather. They broke all the china that had been used during the time Voldemort inhabited the house, packed all the bedding from all rooms in boxes to give away, and with a flick of his wand Draco turned all the walls white. "It's like starting all over with a new house," he said as he stood in the middle of the living room. Everything that the kept had been packed in boxes, giving the illusion that Hermione and Draco had just moved in, and these were being kept in a guest bedroom in the West tower. "Now," he said sternly. "I'm not going to take any objections, but you will have your own tower. Now Father has the East tower, which I haven't touched. It will be up to him to decide what he needs or wants to keep. Mother used to have the North tower; she said it had the best view of the garden. I have the South tower. You can choose between the North tower and the West tower."

Hermione looked at him and giggled. "This house is way too big for just the two of us, but I'll take the West tower," she said. "I can do anything to it?"

Draco nodded, walking with her down the hallway that leads to her wing. "All the towers have two floors. One the lower floor is one bedroom, a bath, a study, and the sun room. Both the bedroom and the sunroom have decks. Upstairs is the master bedroom and bath, as well as another bedroom with a bath. There is also a library, office, and a laundry room."

"All that is mine?" Hermione asked as they walked up the stairs and entered the top floor of her tower.

Draco laughed and pulled her along towards a door at the end of the hall. "The library and both rooms have decks." He pulled open the door at the end of the hall and pushed her inside. Inside the room, from floor to ceiling, the walls were covered with bookshelves. There was only one shelve that was filled with books, the rest were empty. In the middle of one wall was a fireplace and at the end of the room was the door to the deck. "The books that are already in here are quite remarkable in their design. Each book represents a topic, or a series of topics, from the Malfoy family library in the main section of the house. Just pick up a book with the topic you are interested in, say what you are looking for, and a list of reference books will appear on the cover. Choose the book that you want to read and say the name. When you open the book, the pages will be of the book you chose that resides in the family library. If you want another book, just close the cover and the list will come back up."

"That is amazing," Hermione said as she lifted one of the books. "Political prisoners and cases against them," she said. The cover glowed orange, and then the lettering appeared. "Practical Approaches to winning Political prisoner cases," and she opened the book. "Oh my," she whispered. "Who put this system in?"

"Severus," Draco said. "This used to be his tower. In the study downstairs, there is a door on the floor. It leads down to a room that can only be accessed by that door. It was his potions lab."

Hermione sucked in a breath and put the book of the shelf. "I would like to see that," she said. Draco nodded and led the way.

In his cell, Lucius felt the tug of the wards on the Manor. Although not still connected to them, as the owner of the house he could feel when things were changing. He wondered that they were doing and to what extent Draco was going to so that he would be free of all bad memories he had of the place. Thinking about the towers, he wondered if Hermione would take his former wife's North tower, or his former best friend's West tower. Remembering the spells Severus placed on the library and the lab, his money was on the West tower. "Lost in thought," a voice asked him.

Lucius looked up to see Avery staring at him. "Not now," Lucius said with a sneer. "What do you want?"

"How much did Granger ask for to take your case?" Avery was sitting on his bed, a book in his hand.

"She didn't take money," Lucius said. "She did it as a favor to my son."

"So she is fucking him," Avery said with a leer. "I always knew she was a harlot."

Something about the way Avery spoke made Lucius concerned. "How do you know Granger?"

"We've met," Avery said and he rubbed a hand over his chest in a nervous gesture. "We've both left our marks on each other."

Lucius frowned, "What mark did she leave on you?"

Avery lifted up his shirt, showing Lucius a deep red scar that ran down Avery's side. "That bitch is the reason I'm in this hellhole."

"Your choices are the reason you are in here Avery," Lucius said as he leaned back against the wall. "What mark did you leave on her?"

Avery laughed a cold laugh that Lucius had heard before from the man. "If the little bitch didn't tell you, why would I ruin the surprise?"

Hermione was walking down Diagon Alley, ignoring the people around her by thinking about the upcoming trial. "Hermione," she heard the voice yelling after her from behind. Turning slowly, fully expecting another mindless reporter, she waited for the person calling after her to catch up. When she saw the red hair, she cursed under her breath. "Bloody hell you walk fast," he said breathlessly. She breathed a slight sigh of relief that it wasn't Ron, but George wasn't much better.

"What do you want George?" Hermione tapped her foot impatiently. She was supposed to be at the prison in five minutes to speak with Lucius about going to court tomorrow. She had dressed, she'd admit to herself, in hopes that he would appreciate the change in color. She wore a black linen skirt that stopped at the top of her knees. She paired the skirt with a bright pink sleeveless top that had a low v-neck and a pair of bright pink silk pumps. She wore a white gold and black diamond snake necklace with emerald eyes and a pair of emerald earring. I don't know why I'm dressing up for him," she thought to herself. I need to focus on his case, not on him.

"Looking good Granger," George said with a whistle. In the months after his brother's death, Hermione had stayed with him day and night. Of all the Weasley's, George was the only one who could not find comfort in being around his family. Ron was so jealous of the arrangement that he went over to George's flat one night, drunk and angry, and started a fight. Both men ended up in St. Mungo's and after that night, George asked Hermione not to come back if it was going to cause problems with her and Ron. She should have stayed with him instead, as it turned out Ron wasn't the one for her after all. It turned out well as George got better; he went out more, he saw his family more, and he eventually regained the prankster attitude that he and his brother had been known for. "I wanted to congratulate you."

Hermione pulled him into the alley between Flourish and Blott's and Madam Malkin's, looking around for any sign of press. "George Weasley, be quiet. You know the press is after any little bit of information about me."

"Do you have things to hide?" He winked at her and pulled her into a hug. "My congratulations come from finally leaving Ron."

It was no surprise that after the fight the two boys had had that neither one was willing to apologize or mend their relationship. Ron held true that he had every right to be angry at George, while George held to the fact that everything between Hermione and him had been innocent. "Well, thank you I suppose. I'm actually on my way to the prison, so if that's all…"

She walked around him before he pulled her back by the arm. "Go out with me Granger," George said. "Tomorrow night, dinner and a drink," he smiled, "I'll even let you talk about the case."

Hermione looked at him with wide eyes. Dating George would invite all kinds of malicious rumors and speculations from the press. There was also that brief moment with Lucius in the sitting room… a moment that would have been so much more if Harry and Draco had not interrupted. Thinking back to that night, she had been an emotional mess thanks to the funeral and Ron's actions, maybe she was just clinging to a man she knew understood her own frustrations at being categorized. It wouldn't hurt to go out with George for one night, to see if she could forget about the lusty look Lucius gave her that pulled on things in her body. "Okay George, I'll go out tomorrow night with you."

"Brilliant," George said and kissed her hand with flair. "I'll meet you at courtroom; I'd planned on going to the trial anyways."

"Why are you going to the trial?" She eyed him suspiciously.

George gave her a wink, "Must you think I'm up to no good all the time. Harry was telling me about the case on his last trip to the store and I said I wanted to go, show my support for both you and Lucius. Harry managed to pull a few strings. Maybe I'll even get to punch a reporter for you." His eyes lit up at the chance to be gallant for her.

Hermione rolled her eyes and gave George a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow George," she said. Turning to walk away, she thought of something else. "Stay out of trouble," she added.