Disclaimer: I do not own HP or works or ideas written by JK Rowling. I simply own the plot and Giselle.

Authors Note: Sorry it took so long to get out. I'll admit I was struggling a bit with how to get Draco to approach the problem at hand, so I put off writing. But once I get my classical pandora station on, the words just come right out somehow. Hahaha. I was also incredibly busy with work and my first big biology exam. But this week is more relaxed so expect updates :) Thank you for reading, and please review to let me know what you think! Now, onto the story!

Draco opened the door to Malfoy Manor with a grim look on his face. Thoughts, assumptions, and questions flooded his brain. How the ring his father claimed he lost years ago in the war could be lying in his pocket right now was beyond him. And Hermione's eyes when he last saw her… the despair, hate, anger, shame… it was almost too much to bear. He didn't understand what this all could mean.

Slowly, and without thought, Draco climbed the stairs of the manor and ended up in his room without disturbance. For once. Those house elves sure were useful, and he had learned to appreciate them, but he definitely did not want to be disturbed at a time like this. House elves… something else Hermione had been passionate about. Something else she'd taught him: compassion for the little creatures…

Draco sighed and shrugged off his expensive winter coat, throwing it over the chair of his mahogany desk and kicking off his equally expensive dress shoes. Walking over to his on-suite, Draco stopped when he came face to face with the mirror of his bathroom.

He froze when he looked up and saw what he truly looked like. His eyes were bloodshot from exhaustion, and his skin was slightly blue from standing out in the cold winter for so long. He had stood outside the gates of the manor, debating for a good hour over whether or not he should come home and demand answers from his father, ignore the whole ordeal, or just play it cool. That's not what surprised him about the image staring back at him, though. His eyes were not only bloodshot, but they were defeated, bleak. The eyes that were normally cool, collected, and confident were now tired, depressed, and seemed almost devoid of their normal color.

Undoing his tie and unbuttoning his shirt, he pulled them over his head and threw them on the counter next to him. Leaning down on his hands, he turned on the sink faucet, and splashed warm water on his face. It soothed the dull ache of his eyes, and warmed his skin, enough for him to relax slightly.

Walking back over to his bed, Draco began to undo his trousers, and belt, when he felt something in his pocket, and was yet again reminded of the item that made him instantly feel heavier. Taking it out of his pocket, Draco turned the ring over and over in his hand, and fell back against his bed.

After what felt like an eternity of staring into the shimmery green emeralds, he closed his fist around the stupid jewelry and yanked open his night stand, throwing it in. For some reason Hermione had his father's jewelry, and to say that she was bitter about it would be an understatement.

"Be sure to return this to the man you call father. I'm sure this sick bastard is missing it."

Missing it…*sigh*

Whatever reason it was that she had it, Draco would figure out in the morning. However, for now he needed to rest. He had work later in the afternoon tomorrow, and planned to begin his slow and careful interrogation of his father tomorrow morning.

But for now, rest. Throwing his pants off onto the ground, Draco said a quick spell to turn off his bedroom lights, and laid back into bed. As he turned over to lay on his side, he came face to face with the beautiful grey moon.

Closing his eyes, Draco sighed as images of a younger, happier Hermione swarmed his mind. Whatever had happened between them, Draco was determined to mend. He was determined to figure it out, and to fix it. He had already gone too long without one of his almost best friends; he had already missed too many precious years of her life. A life that now had someone of the utmost importance: a little girl that had stolen a part of his heart the moment she offered him a delicate, yellow daisy.

Breathing deeply, Draco watched the clouds move across the moon. A moon that reminded him so much of the small, silver orbs of a little Rose… a little Rose that had such a familiar gaze.. silver blue orbs…

Draco woke with the sense of more than 2 other presences in the house. A charm had been placed on the manor that allowed the primary owners to have a magical sense of how many people were inside. Normally, Draco only felt his parents', however, this morning he felt 2 other unfamiliar presences, and it made Draco instantly uncomfortable. Visitors, great. Just what he needed at this time.

Who in the world would possibly be visiting his family right now anyway? Father had all but tarnished the Malfoy family name with his involvement with Voldemort in the war, and in turn, even Draco and his mother Narcissa had lost all of their friends and acquaintances. Except Blaise Zabini and his mother. His father had been captured and sentenced to the dementor's kiss, something that Draco was surprised his father had somehow managed to get himself out of.

Understanding what kind of situation the other was in, Blaise had become one of Draco's closest friends at this point, and was even working on pursuing a career at the ministry, as Draco was.

Stretching, and getting out of bed, Draco headed to the bathroom where he jumped in the shower and quickly washed himself. Throwing on a pair of black slacks, and a grey turtleneck long sleeve, Draco emerged from his bedroom, and began descending one side of the manor's double grand staircase.

About halfway down the staircase, Draco heard an annoyingly high pitched laugh coming from the dining room. Feminine… but not his mother's soft laugh... This could not be a good sign…

Upon reaching the rather large dining room of the manor, Draco came upon his parents in their normal seats at the long dining room table, as well as two other blonde heads. They still had their heads facing father at one end of the table, and Draco was unable to see their faces yet.

"Draco, good morning my love!"' His mother exclaimed brightly, and all the other heads in the room looked up from their conversation to find an annoyed, slightly dreadful Draco standing in the doorway.

"Draco, my son, you're finally awake. Your cousins are here to visit us, do come and sit down. Join us for a morning meal." His father's voice was smooth, as it always was whenever they had guests. His pale blue eyes measured Draco's slow, still relatively tired movements.

Draco looked up, finally deciding it would be polite to exchange greetings with the guests, and he was sadly disappointed to find two of his most hated cousins sitting at the table. Cassius and Candus. The daughter and son of one of father's brothers.

Cassius's eyes sized Draco up, as they had since they were kids, and a smirk played around the corner of his lips.

"Hello Draco, it's been a long time, it's nice to finally see you," Cassius said, finally breaking the awkward minute long silence that had taken hold of the room.

"Likewise." Draco had to fight hard to not roll his eyes. He couldn't believe they were here at a time like this. Or that father had allowed them into the house. They were probably only here to rub it in that Lucius was under house arrest and their father was not. Maybe their father had put them up to it.

Cassius's eyebrows rose slightly at Draco's tone of voice, but was unable to say anything more before Candus chimed into the conversation.

"Draco! It's been far too long! Come, sit sit! We must catch up!" Draco didn't like the way Candus was looking at him right now. As though she were a cat, and she had finally caught hold of her mouse...him. He was her cousin. It seemed no matter how many times he reminded her, Candus flirtatiously batted her eyelashes at him, and pushed her chest a little too far out.

Gulping silently, Draco felt his smooth facade fall into place. He was out for answers this morning, and he would get them regardless of if his pesty cousins were here or not.

"You came home late last night, son. What was it that held you out so late?" Lucius glanced up at Draco, gracefully sipping from his morning cup of tea. His mother's eyes flickered between the two of them, and even though to the regular onlooker it seemed an innocent enough question, he knew Lucius had something in mind.

"I went out to a show last night, father." Draco sat across from Candus and purposefully kept full eye contact with his Lucius. He smirked.

"A show? What kind of show?" Candus asked, smiling at him from behind her own cup of tea.

"A dance show, in France. I took a date of mine, and the show ended rather late."

Draco noticed how his father's eyes sparked with interest, but soon after died down as he set his cup down. Candus' eyes, however, looked rather disappointed. This pleased him.

"So, Candus, Cassius, what brings you two here today?" Candus' eyes lit up again as Draco spoke to her directly, and Cassius seemed bored with the conversation now.

"Just a requested visit from our father." He seemed put out at this fact, and Draco's smirk widened. He remembered those days, when father was able to dictate and control every little move Draco made. It was hard for him to do that as of late, since his circumstances prevented him from being anywhere but the manor.

His cousins and parents began discussing exactly how Perseus, father's brother had been doing. Draco turned it out, instead focusing on his breakfast plate in front of him, and his plan of attack. First he needed to confirm that the ring was fathers. He wouldn't show it to him, but maybe he could get one of his parents to let slip what the ring looked like. Then, he would bring how the ring came to be lost. If it was important to father (and it was.. family heirlooms were important) then he wouldn't have just simply misplaced it. Either way, he would figure out how he lost it, or the last time he saw it. Then he would bring up Granger… eventually… and how she had come upon the ring.

Great. That sounded like a plan.

Sooner rather than later, his cousins stood up to leave, and he almost rolled his eyes at the disappointed look in Candus' face when he stood, and offered his hand out to her, instead of accepting the hug she was about to attempt to give. Cassius merely bowed his head at Draco, a slight sneer on his face. Draco bowed his head as well, not giving in to the display of a lack of manners.

Once they left, Draco's father turned toward Draco slowly, while closing the manor door.

"You're acting strange son, are you alright?" Draco didn't mistake his father's nosiness for care. He'd grown up with the man. He didn't know how to care.

His mother eyed him carefully as she pretended to rearrange the flower centerpieces on the iron tables next to the entrance.

"I am fine father."

Draco began to walk away, annoyed with his father's questions, when suddenly he stopped, and turned around. If he was going to get answers, being straightforward would not work with his father. Neither would being upset. Draco had to put on his best facade and slowly work the questions out of his father. It was the only way.

He sighed, rubbing his temple, and pushing his hair out of his eyes. "I'm sorry father, everything is fine. I'm just.. exhausted is all. I have been having trouble finding the solution to one of my cases at work, and Zabini hasn't been able to figure it out either." Draco feigned distress, and by the measuring look of his father, and the concerned look of his mother, he knew it was working.

"Perhaps…" his father began, " perhaps I could help you find your solution. You don't start work for another few hours. Why don't you come up to my study, and I'll see what I can do."

Lucius began walking up the staircase to the left before Draco could say anything, but he silently followed the longer haired blonde man up the stairs, sending a small smile to his mom who was still at the entrance eyeing him.

"Draco, don't forget that the ministry is throwing their annual ball in a month or so. I have been helping coordinate it, and you are required to go."

Draco almost swore then and there, but instead he just nodded to his mother, and continued up the stairs. Shite. The ball, he had almost forgotten. When he had remembered it months ago, it was no big deal to him, however, with recent events, it seemed too soon for comfort. Oh how he would love to take Hermione with him… But it seemed as if she had no contact with the wizarding world anymore.. it seemed as if she didn't want contact with the wizarding world. That was another thing he would have to figure out, and fix.

The slam of the door to his father's study broke him out of his trance, and Draco quickly pulled his facade back on, rubbing the back of his neck.

Lucius took his spot behind his desk, and Draco plopped down on the black, velvet chair opposite of him. Black...velvet… it reminded him of a certain dress.

Damn it. He couldn't be thinking like this. It was distracting him from the true matter at hand. Now, what situation to tell his father that he "could not figure out".

Draco went with a complex spell he knew to summon lost objects, and figured that would give him some leeway to ask his father questions. Asking Lucius questions was not only intimidating because Lucius had a distinct way of looking at you that made you feel as though he could see right through you, but also because his father was a very intelligent man, and could probably find the answer to any question in a matter of minutes.

This one, however, seemed to have stumped him, as he sat in the chair behind his desk, and stroked his chin.

"Well let's begin with maybe how we would normally find lost objects. Accio, perhaps?"

His father shook his head," Accio only works when you know where the object is. Not exactly where it is, per say, but you have to have an idea of where it is. That spell doesn't work on lost objects." Father stood, and moved to a bookcase, while Draco prepared for his next move.

"That makes sense I suppose. Have you ever lost anything of importance to you father?" He was careful - very careful- to make sure his tone of voice was innocent, and not accusing.

His father didn't bat an eyelash, as he continued scanning the bookshelf.

"Once or twice, I'm sure. As we all have, at one point."

That didn't help.

"Were you ever able to retrieve the items?"

At this question, Lucius looked up at Draco for a moment and Draco felt sweat beads form on the back of his neck. Soon enough, Lucius turned back to the bookshelf.

"Some of them, yes. Others, unfortunately not." Draco perked up at the direction they were going, and he took this moment to push forward.

"I once had a book for school that I couldn't find. I must have misplaced it somewhere in the castle. What were you unable to find?"

"Important family heirlooms, son. I fail to see how this is relevant to searching for the answer to your problem." His father finally pulled a dark blue book off the shelf and walked back to his desk, setting it down, and taking a seat.

"Because father, I am trying to put it into perspective. I've worked this problem out enough times in my own head, and now I'm getting you to try. Going through this step by step should help us figure out the solution." Draco watched as his father's narrowed eyes moved from Draco's face, down to his mysterious book, and he grunted.

"There might have been a couple family heirlooms that I have been unable to locate. Location spells have worked on some of them, but there is one that I have yet to figure out now that I think about it…"

Draco was careful to not show too much interest. "Oh? Maybe someone else found it, and because it is in their possession, you can no longer locate it, because it is no longer yours?"

"Perhaps Draco... Now if you'll please excuse me, I am going to do some of my own research. I'll let you know if I find anything."

Taking the not so discreet message to get out of his study, Draco bowed his head, and left the room. Casually strolling down to the dining room, he caught sight of his mother out in the gardens, tending to her favorite roses. That woman.. No matter how much older he got, or rather.. she got, she still spent as much time in the garden as she did when he was young.

Stepping out of the french doors, Draco approached Narcissa, who looked up and smiled at him.

"Draco darling, what are you doing out here?" She had a woven basket next to her, with an assortment of different colored flowers in them, and he picked one up and spun it in his fingers. These must be what she was making her centerpieces from.

"I have a few more hours, and wanted to know if you needed some help mother." As he said this, she looked at him curiously from her peripherals and then waved to a table nearby.

"There is a watering can over there darling, that should be easy enough to do I suppose."

Draco wasted no time retrieving the can, and as he poured the water down on the roses, he thought of a way to approach the conversation he wanted to have with his mother and how she might rea-

"If there's something you want to ask me Draco love, do ask."

Shocked, Draco looked at his mother flabbergasted, who was eyeing him from the rather large rose bush.

"I am your mother Draco, I know when something is bothering you. Your father may be oblivious, or may choose to not pay attention, but I know when my son has something on his mind. Besides, in your 25 years of life you have never showed interest in helping me upkeep my garden, and I doubt that you had a change of interest in flowers. Now, what is it that you want to ask me?"

She reached her hand out and lightly tapped his chin, to close his gaping mouth, and smiled softly, yet cautiously.

"Mother, I.. I want to be honest with you…"

He waited, and she kept nodded at him, slowly taking off her red gardening gloves.

"Go on, son."

"Th- There are some things that have come up, rather disturbing things…. I have come across a lost family heirloom that father claimed to have lost," he lowered his voice," and I need to know about it. I ask you to not tell him. Please, mother don't say anything to him."

Narcissa's eyes went from a cautious grey steel, to a tide pool of worried silver instantly, and she took the basket of flowers in her hand, and wrapped her other hand around his arm, leading Draco further from the house, and further from where Lucius might hear them. She immediately knew what this was about, and had dreaded the day when this information might come to light.

Draco glanced back at the manor worriedly, and then curiously down at his mother.

"Shush Draco, you are coming to the west greenhouse to help me re-pot some daffodils."

"Mother…" Draco heard his voice go tight, "do you know what I speak of?"

Walking slightly faster, and keeping her gaze on the floor (which was very much unlike mother), he heard her whisper.

"I have known since the moment that girl was captured in this house…"