She wondered if it was possible he meant it. She looked at her reflection, unable to see much of a difference. Sure, the clothes fitted her better, and she had put on the tiniest traces of makeup, but she couldn't see a difference. Maybe he is going crazy; seeing something that isn't there. Though, I want my own clothes and stuff. But she did like the new clothes, they made her feel pretty, something she truly hadn't felt in many years. She decided to compile a list of all the things she wanted from her house, for it wasn't a home to her anymore.
The laughter coming from outside drew her attention away from the task at hand. She moved to the window, where she could see Draco and the kids. She watched her two children, amazed at how well they got along with the two blonds after having known them such a short time. Well, how well Rose got along with them. Hugo didn't seem all that into the game, he seemed a bit wary of the older Malfoy, though Hermione had no idea why.
Of her two kids, Hugo was the more confident one, the bolder one. Rose was quiet and shy, but a sweet and caring kid. Hugo was much more like his father than Rose; he obtained a lot of his father's looks, including the two-tonne of freckles that plastered his body. Rose looked almost exactly like her mother, a mini version of Hermione. Though she loved both of her kids, Hermione couldn't help but have a soft spot for her daughter, who hadn't inherited her father's mean attitude, unlike her brother who did.
She watched her girl say something to the boys, with the blondes both replying. The third boy, Hugo just wandered away, uncaring. Rose disappeared for a moment, and then came running into the room, surprising her mother.
"Come on Mum, we are going to feed the ducks." She held her little hand out. Hermione didn't even stop to contemplate anything, she just took the hand being offered and allowed herself to be pulled along.
Rose knew exactly where she was going as she led her mother through the beautiful expanse of nature that seemed to envelop the Manor in its cool green arms. Hermione admired – or tried to admire the artfully done gardens. The plants had all been planted in specific places, but well enough to look natural and beautiful.
She was stunned into wordlessness as Rose bought her to where two of the three males were. As they walked between two tall weeping willow trees a large pond came into view. Its crystal clear water barely moved, save for the ducks, swans and geese that lazily swum around on the surface of the cool water. The sound of gently falling water made Hermione look around, trying to find the source of the sound while avoiding the glare of the sun.
She walked over the small bank to be nearer the water. That was when she found she could finally see the east bit of the small lake, which featured a waterfall. In truth, it wasn't a very big waterfall, but it was one all the same. She smiled as she looked around the beautiful glade.
Draco smiled at Rose as he watched her half-drag Hermione into his clearing. He bought the manor without knowing the secret place existed. It wasn't until he was depressed over finding Astoria had been cheating on him; he was wandering around the grounds that came with his manor. He was pleasantly surprised to find the little area. And over time it became the place he escaped to whenever he needed.
He took a piece of bread in his hands and crumbled it as he headed toward the water's edge. On the west side of his small lake, facing the waterfall was a small rise, a little bank where he would often sit and just watch the birds and the water. The second he sat he was surrounded by many of the bolder birds, the ones that had become accustomed to his coming to their water and feeding them.
He watched Rose and Scorpius take some bread and walk a few meters away where the mother birds stayed with their babies. He scanned the area and found Hermione watching the kids with a smile on her face. Then Draco noticed he was missing a kid. Hugo had, once again, wandered away. That kid is trouble! He swore mentally as Hermione came over, taking a seat on the grassy bank next to him.
She flicked some bread out with her hand, watching the birds fight over it. Hermione sighed happily, finding the secret area was very relaxing. She leaned back on the grass, watching the few fluffy clouds drift past, enjoying the quiet nature around her.
Her silence was shattered by a voice calling out, "Dad, can we go swimming?"
A second voice piped up, "Yeah, can we? Please?"
Hermione ignored the kids, slightly offended that her daughter was pleading to Draco and not to her own mother. The happy shouts indicated Draco must have given in to their requests. Their voices began to get quieter and Hermione found the quiet once more.
The warmth of the sun was covering her face, but for a moment it vanished. She opened one eye, unaware she had shut them. Above her, Draco was smirking as he watched her. One hand was held out to her, but she didn't take it, she just looked at him questionably.
"We are moving over that way." He jerked a hand in the direction of the waterfall. "It is safer for the kids to swim over there. Do you want to come, or stay here in the quiet?" Hermione blinked a couple of times, thinking it over.
After what seemed to be a while, she put her hand in his and allowed him to help her to her feet. She pulled away quickly and they walked in silence. Hermione noticed the kids were now in swimsuits; no doubt Draco had transfigured their clothing. As she looked back at where she was a few minutes ago she couldn't help but see that none of the birds where over this far. In fact, they seemed to be giving the waterfall a wide berth.
She watched the kids playing in the water, laughing along with their contagious giggles as they splashed each other. Next thing she knew, both kids had turned towards the adults and begun flicking them with water. Neither adult had seen it coming, so both ended up getting wet. Draco took out his wand, and easily blocked the water from hitting them.
He then created some small waves in the water, enough to distract the kids from their bombardment of water. He leaned back against a tree, allowing the sun to begin drying off his clothes. Hermione smiled as she looked at the relaxed man, and then at the kids who clearly adored him. She did notice her son wasn't there, but she knew he didn't like his sister all that much, and from experience, she knew her son would find a way to wander away and look for bugs. But still, she didn't like not being able to keep an eye on the little boy.
"Draco, do you know where Hugo is?" She asked gently.
He thought for a moment before replying. "He is halfway between the playground and here."
Hermione looked at him with her mouth open. "How did you..?"
"Monitoring Charm." He cut her off, knowing the answer to her question even before she began with it. "I noticed Hugo wanders off...a lot. And that seemed like the best way to keep an eye on him...sorry if that's not alright..."
"Its fine, a good idea actually. He does wander away a lot, even if you tell him not to. I think he thinks he can make up his own rules all the time." She rolled her eyes.
"That's children for you." They laughed together.
The rustling of the trees behind them indicated the youngest child had found his way to where everyone else was. He poked his head out of the bushes and grinned cheekily at his mother. He came out of the bushes, and wandered over toward the birds, stopping to look at the ground every few seconds.
Hermione relaxed, finally able to keep an eye on her children at once and not have to wonder where her son was. She leaned back on the grass, closing her eyes for a few minutes. She heard Draco's quiet voice coming from beside her somewhere, but she tuned out his voice, content to let the sun dry off the last of the water on her clothes.
"Hermione?" Draco asked. She mumbled a barely coherent reply and allowed him to continue, without opening her eyes.
"We males are going to prepare a picnic lunch that we can eat out here. We will be back in a few." She opened her eyes, nodding as she sat up.
He shot her a cheeky smile as he followed the boys, "And you girls are cooking dinner."
She mocked surprise. "No house elves?" He shook his head but didn't reply.
Rose dropped down in the shade of the tree, waiting patiently as her mother came over and sat next to her. Draco had used magic to dry off the wet children, so Rose was perfectly dry as she lay down, resting her head on her mother's lap. Hermione idly played with her daughters pretty curls as she hummed a song.
Rose sighed. "I love it here, everything is so pretty."
Hermione found herself agreeing with that comment. "It is, it's like a little paradise."
"I wasn't just meaning here." Rose flicked her arm out, indicating the clearing they were in. "I was meaning this whole place, Draco's place and everything."
Hermione hid her surprise well, but she couldn't really be very surprised; she knew Rose liked the Malfoy's, so it made sense she liked living with them. Hermione reminded herself to begin looking for a place soon, so they would be out of Draco's overly blond hair.
"Mummy?" Rose looked up, innocently. Hermione looked at her, waiting for her to continue.
"Do you like Mr. Draco?" Hermione looked at her in alarm, wondering what gave her that idea.
"Umm..." She didn't know how to answer, so she asked the question that was bugging her. "Rose, what makes you ask this?"
Rose shrugged, in a manner similar to Draco's. "Do you?"
Smart girl. Hermione thought, half proud of her daughter, half wishing the girl wouldn't ask questions she couldn't answer.
"He likes you." Rose interrupted Hermione's thoughts with her sweet voice. Hermione once again found herself wondering what her daughter was thinking. "Why else did he save us, Mummy?"
Why indeed.