Chapter Five-

Draco opted not to anger his mother and changed out of his jeans and sweater. He changed into slate gray slacks and a crisp black dress shirt. He left the top two buttons undone and rolled up the sleeves. He muttered to himself as he put on a pair of black Italian leather shoes, and a matching black belt. He glanced in the mirror on the way out, his hair was passable. He heard his mother fussing in the foyer downstairs. He sighed and walked down.

She looked up at him and echoed his sigh, "Could you please button your collar and roll those sleeves down?"

Draco cocked an eyebrow at her as he leaned against the banister, "Mother, I'm a grown man and I'm going to dress how I like." He quickly kissed her on the cheek, "You look beautiful by the way."

Lucius smirked and gave Draco a thumbs up behind Narcissa's back. She blushed a little, "What a nice thing to say to your mother Draco. Lucius, I used to worry he had too much of you in him, but I think he takes after me where it counts."

Before Lucius could answer, there was a knock at the door. Narcissa smoothed her emerald green dress and Lucius motioned for Draco to answer the door. Draco opened the door.

Potter and Ginny were standing at the front. He was wearing an outfit similar to Draco's, except black pants and a dark blue shirt. Ginny was wearing a simple black cocktail dress that fell right below her knees and was had spaghetti straps. She was wearing a white shoulder jacket and black strappy shoes. "Come on in," he offered.

Ginny and Potter were warmly greeted by Lucius and Narcissa, who cooed over Ginny's rings. Draco almost shut the door, but realized Granger was standing there too. He didn't recognize her. She was wearing a red sleeveless blouse and a high waisted black pencil skirt. She was wearing red peep-toe heels and had her hair pinned up. "Oh sorry Granger, come in."

Narcissa shot him a dirty look, as did Lucius as he quickly brushed aside Draco to hug the girl. "Ah Hermione, I received your owl this morning. Narcissa had to hide your study because I couldn't put it down."

Narcissa beamed at Hermione, "Not that you're not brilliant, dear, it's just that Lucius would probably still have his nose in it if I hadn't of hidden it."

Hermione grinned, "I don't blame you Narcissa, I knew I should of sent it after dinner, but I knew if Draco came home with it, Lucius would have tried to come to my office to get it, and I knew you wouldn't forgive me if he got lost in the Department of Mysteries for a couple of days. So I picked the lesser of two evils."

Lucius rolled his eyes, "I have more sense than to go barging into the Department of Mystery."

A house elf in a pristine pillow case with the Malfoy coat of arms on it came forward. "Dinner is ready, Mistress."

"Thank you Happy. You may retire for the night after serving. I can take care of clean-up." The house-elf muttered something as she left with a pop!

Hermione let out a giggle. "Are they still having problems with accepting the days off and evenings off?"

Narcissa nodded as she threaded her arm through Lucius'. "It's getting better. Not as many insults or tantrums. And since we have banned them punishing themselves, they get even angrier because they feel the need to do it after the initial insults and tantrums. We are hoping that the next couple generations will be easier since we can start the teaching of free-will and days off, and pay, from birth. It will take time, but we think we can do it."

Hermione nodded slowly, "Things are hard to change when it's been done a certain way for so long."

"But it can be done," Narcissa gazed at her husband. "Shall we go to dinner?"

Harry took Ginny's hand and followed the hostess and host. Narcissa called back, "Draco, escort Hermione please."

Hermione snorted at the look on Draco's face and took his reluctantly offered arm. "Relax Draco, it's like fifty feet."

He looked at her and rolled his eyes, "If you can't see what my mother is trying to do, then maybe you should open your eyes."

She shrugged, "Oh I see it, but we can humor her a walk to the dining room."

They walked down the hall and Hermione stopped suddenly at an empty space on the wall in the hallway. She took in a shaky breath and whispered, "There used to be a door here."

Draco wrapped his arm around her shoulders and gently guided her back towards the dining room. "My mother had the parlor removed. She didn't want to bring up any painful memories. She's been removing almost all of the rooms that had anything to do with the Dark Lord. The dining room is the only one she kept and that was so renovated that no one who had been here before has been able to recognize it."

Hermione nodded slowly. "That was kind of her. She didn't have to remove the room for me."

Draco smiled, "That is my Mother for you. She doesn't do anything halfway. She loved her sister, but acknowledges now that Bellatrix was truly an evil person and the world is better off without her. She considers you a great friend and doesn't want you to feel as if you can't visit."

Hermione gave a small smile to the retreating back of Narcissa, "She is truly sweet. Andromeda mentioned that she loves rebuilding her relationship with her, and says that Narcissa absolutely dotes on Teddy."

"Andromeda is the complete opposite of Bellatrix even though they looked almost identical. My mother once said right after the war that it was as if nature knew it had done by giving Bellatriz life and fixed it's mistake by producing Andromeda next. You know, Andromeda was originally supposed to marry my father."

Hermione looked surprised, "What? But your parents are so in love."

Draco nodded, "But it was an arranged marriage. When Andromeda married Ted Tonks instead, my grandfather wanted nothing to do with the Blacks, but he was convinced by Narcissa's mother that she would make a suitable exchange."

"Suitable exchange? It sounds like she was taking a pair of pants back to the store and exchanging them."

Draco looked uncomfortable, "That was one of the downsides to being a pureblood. With the families dwindling, arranged marriages were almost always used to ensure you weren't marrying a relative, though if you look at it, all of the branches are intertwined. I think Ginny is like my third or fourth cousin, and I know there is a Potter somewhere further back in the tree."

Hermione grinned, "What about the Parkinsons?"

Draco shuddered, "About twenty generations ago. But I wouldn't marry Pansy if you paid me a million galleons. She tried to get her mother to arrange a marriage to me with my parents, but they turned her down, saying they hoped I married a half-blood, or even better, a Muggleborn. Pansy just about fainted. It was the best dinner party ever."

Hermione snickered, "Oh her face must have been priceless! I would have paid to see that."

Draco turned serious, "That's why I carry cameras with me to all social functions now, in hopes of it capturing once more."

"I really hope you are serious about that. I would pay a lot of money to see her face."

Draco laughed, "I will carry one whenever I think there is a possibility I'll see her out and about."

They had reached the dining room, and Hermione was amazed by the changes.

She remembered it being dark with a large fire place, but now it was light and open. The walls were ornate white panels and the floor was a glossy dark hardwood. Along one wall was large floor to ceiling windows. There was still a large fireplace, but it was now a white mantle and a gorgeous landscape oil painting hung over it. The table was long and dark wood, with matching high backed chairs that had a light blue silk fabric as it's upholstery. Under the table was a light blue and tan Persian carpet and along the table's length were silver vases filled with white roses. At one end there was six places set with white china and silver flatware.

Lucius took his place at the head of the table. Narcissa sat to the left of him, and Draco to the right. Next to Draco sat Hermione and next to Narcissa was Ginny and Harry. Hermione looked at the roses quizzically.

"That's a beautiful shade of white Narcissa, but I don't think I've ever seen it before."

Narcissa let out a titter, "That's because they aren't quite white yet. Draco got a hold of Lucius' wand when he was two and turned my entire rose garden green. It's taken me almost twenty-three years to fix them."

Narcissa clapped her hands and the table was suddenly full of food. "Ah there we are, let's eat."

A/N: Thanks again for all of the wonderful reviews. This story is coming so naturally and easy to me, that I wouldn't be surprised if I get it finished this weekend (no promises!), or this week at the latest (still no promises, but definitely done this month!). I would like some opinions on who my next pairing should be, obviously Hermione, but I'm open to who she would be with, except for Snape (Or Sirius, Remus….older generation). I like reading Hermione/Snap fanfics, (and the others) I just don't think I could write one. The oldest person I can see hooking Hermione up with in my writing is Bill W. So let me know what you want!