I dont own anything, hope you like the chapter, thought i would put it up quickly as my uni work is already piling up, sorry in advance if there is spelling mistakes enjoy!

Chapter 3

Hermione stood in front of Malfoy Manor gates as she apparated there straight from the minister's office. She stared intently for a few moments at a house she had not been to since the day she had escaped there with her friends and Dobby the elf. She stroked her scarred arm unconsciously as she pushed through the iron gates. Slowly walking up the path until she could delay no longer and rang the bell chain. The door was opened by a small timid house elf. "I'm am here on the ministers behalf, as requested by Draco Malfoy" Hermione spoke. "Oh You is miss Granger! Olli will brings master Draco immediately!" the Elf disappeared leaving the door ajar, Hermione was sure she could hear voices in the distance of the house.

A scream erupted along with a shattering sound and more raised voices as Draco opened the door his face looking behind him before seeing Hermione in front on his step. His face morphed into relief as he saw Hermione in front of him. "Granger thank got you got here" he said pulling her into an embrace. He held the door open to her closing it quietly behind. Draco was about to gesture to following him but both their attention was drawn to the first floor balcony near the stairs. The latest shrieking noise appeared to have come from Lucius as he ran out of a door and alarmingly what appeared to be a horn growing out of the centre of his forehead. Narcissa came out the room brandishing a wand stating she had obviously hexed him. She stood on the balcony shouting towards Draco. "Draco Darling tell those ministry minions doing the inventory not to worry about marking down the French Dynasty China we got for our wedding present, it now merely represents a pile of dust in our display room" she stated not looking down. Hermione's heart was hammering in her chest as she looked up at the blonde women. The look of determination in Narcissa's blue eyes were so similar to the lustful ones Hermione memorized from their night together. "Yes mother" Draco answered turning back towards Hermione. "Come on Granger let's get some tea and we can get up to speed on what's happening" he spoke walking towards a door on the left. At hearing the word 'Granger' Narcissa's head whipped round down towards where her son had stood moments earlier. She caught a glimpse of bushy brown hair as it disappeared into a doorway.

How are you and Astoria? Hermione asked as Draco passed her the teacup. "Great thanks, just wish those two would get sorted so I can go home." He answered. I'm thinking of asking her to marry me. But after I received the owl summoning me here after the divorce was announced I thought best to delay such things till I know my mother is safe and settled after all this is done."

"That's great Draco, but why delay are you worried she won't approve?" Hermione asked taking a sip.

"Of course not, my mother was never judgemental although she doesn't really know how serious me and Astoria are I guess I haven't really told her much especially with father around." He shrugged.

"Are you worried he won't approve?"

"Who Father? I couldn't give a toss what he thinks, I would happily change my last name if wizarding law would allow it but since I'm the only heir I'm stuck with Malfoy it seems. The sooner mother is sorted to leave the sooner we can leave him to rot with whatever meaningless possessions he is left with"

Hermione smiled "well I better get moving the quicker were done the quicker you can leave!"

Hermione had been working three days in the manor along with 5 other workers making up her team. They did the majority of the inventory, while she sorted paperwork and listed potential items needing confirmation from the ministry for removal if it appeared suspicious at all. She worked tirelessly often with Draco along her side whenever he could. Every few hours an elf would pop in with some food and drink knowing that Hermione would not stop to eat properly while working. She had only seen Lucius once, sauntering past the doorway muttering to himself and scurrying away quickly when seeing Draco sneering at him from behind where he and Hermione had been working.

Hermione had noted she was yet to see the lady of the house, Hermione had spent the first day mainly in the parlor where Draco had taken her for tea, the last two days she had been working in the vast library on the first floor and she couldn't deny the vast collection the Malfoy's had was astounding.

Hermione was currently testing on several books deemed suspicious from Lucius's private study, she was attempting to translate what appeared to be an ancient diary trans-versed in Latin. Draco was looking over another tome absentmindedly reading the cover. "libro laminis" he whispered as he pulled open the front cover. Hermione's mind became alert as she realized what he had said. "Draco no don't open it!" she shouted spinning around towards him. His grip on the book loosened as she shouted the open pages hanging open towards her as he looked up.

It was too late, a dozen sharp daggers shot out of the book towards Hermione.

"Mother come quickly! Draco shouted in the hallway. Narcissa emerged from her rooms as she heard the irate call of her son. she glided towards the library doorway. Narcissa entered, her heart skipping a beat as she heard the voice that had been haunting her dreams every night.

"Draco please its not as bad as it looks I can handle this" Hermione protested. Pushing him away as he attempted to touch her wounds. She hissed as she pulled a deeply embedded blade from her left shoulder. Narcissa had quickly assessed the situation as she saw the book lying on the floor and several silver daggers some covered in blood most likely causing the several bleeding gashes she could see upon Hermione's upper torso and right cheek.

"draco take the book and pile it with the others, if I'm guessing right and there from your fathers study then they will all need sent straight to the ministry for testing," draco nodded to his mother and moved away taking the pile of books and leaving the library.

"I am sorry ms Malfoy er Black, I tried to tell him he didn't need to summon you, the wounds look worse than they actually are" Hermione did not look up towards Narcissa, instead pulling her outer robes off she could more easily see where the cuts were now only in a plain white tank top.

Narcissa gazed down at her as she took the robes off. And slowly bent down taking Hermione's left arm and and pointing her wand towards the cut she had just pulled the blade from. "actually I like it when you call me Narcissa" she said softly and her wand feather touched the skin healing it. Hermione stared at her contentedly finally locking her hazel eyes with blue when Narcissa turned her wand to the gash on Hermione's cheek. Hermione closed her eyes to the tickling of the healing spell. She sighed when she felt a thumb rub against her cheek tracing where the cut had once been, and then her eyes shot open when she felt the feather light touch of lips tracing it yet again. Narcissa had pulled back as Hermione turned her head towards her. "why did you leave?" she barely whispered it. Hermione turned to her taken off guard by the question. She opened her mouth to answer but was cut off as Draco re-entered the room. "the ministry have received those books, also the rest of them have finished on the upper floors so looks like you can go home Granger" Hermione looked from Draco back to Narcissa before standing up pulling her robes back on "thank you Draco" she answered not looking back and walking towards the doorway. "guess we will see you in court next week to finalize things, and I see mother got your wounds sorted. Told you she was good at healing spells" she nodded to him turning back one last time to look at Narcissa her mask was unreadable but her eyes full of emotion.

*libro laminis is what google Translated "book of the blades" for me in latin :)
*hope you enjoyed, next chapter will be the court case and hopefully some flirting ;) please review they make for happy writers button is down there V