Hermione pulled on a short sleeved white sundress. It hugged her curves to her waist, there it billowed out to mid-calf. Slipping on a pair of black ballet flats, she took a steadying breath. She was nervous. Concentrating on the black, iron gates, the young witch disapparated.

As Hermione approached the gate, it swung outward allowing her to walk up the crushed, white rock walkway. Taking in the scenery, the witch realized that it was vastly different from when she had been here last. The grass was a lush blue-green and covered the yard like a Persian carpet. The gnarly trees had been trimmed and were full of green leaves. Red rose bushes lined the front of the house. While the manor was still a dark, grey stone, all the drapes were thrown open, allowing natural light to filter in.

Walking up the steps, Hermione rapped on the door.

The door swung inward, revealing a female house elf. "Missus Granger, please comes in. Pinky will takes yous to the sitting room, Mistress will be ins soon."

Hermione allowed her eyes to wander as she followed Pinky through the manor. The floors were a light hardwood with bright Persian rugs that sometimes covered the floor. The walls were painted in pastels and sunlight filtered in every room. She froze when she spotted a dark door.

"Oh no, Missus, wes don't goes ins there." Pinky shook her head. "Mistress has beens cleaning up the manor. Shes not want to goes in there."

"Thank you, Pinky." Narcissa smiled.

Hermione spun around. "Lady Malfoy."

"Please call me Narcissa."

"Narcissa." Hermione inclined her head. "Then please call me Hermione."

"Pinky, I will escort Hermione from here. Will you please get the tea?" Cissy smiled at the elf.

Hermione followed the older witch as she led her into the sitting room. "I like what you've done with the place."

"Thank you." Narcissa smirked. "I'm almost finished, I just have the parlor left."

"I don't think you invited me over to talk about your parlor." Hermione leaned back. Ball's in your court.

Narcissa observed the muggleborn for a moment. She was confident and not terrified of the Malfoy matriarch. Although, being tortured by my sister may have something to do with that. "I thought about burning it." Cissy stirred her tea.

"No you didn't." Hermione took a sip of her tea. "I bet you almost finished painting and refurnishing it, that's why you haven't painted the door yet."

Cissy lifted her tea cup to the witch. Oh, she's good. "Tell me, why are you dating my son?"

Hermione, purposely, spun her bracelet around her wrist. "He can keep up with me intellectually, plus he's not bad to look at."

That tells me nothing. Narcissa narrowed her eyes. "Who knew you were so shallow."

"Madam Malfoy." Hermione smirked. "I am not after his vaults, I'm not dating him because he was a Death Eater, and I'm not dating him for political clout."

"The why are you dating him?" Cissy softly asked.

Hermione smiled. "Would you believe me if I said I care about him and he's the only one I see myself with, even when I was dating Ronald Weasley?"

"From anyone else no, I wouldn't." Narcissa shook her head. "I will say that I am terribly sorry."

"You didn't do it." Hermione shook her head.

Narcissa sighed. "Still, I could have stopped it."

"You would have died, and where would that have left your son?" Hermione cocked her head. "I never held what happened here against you or your son. I saw you, Narcissa. You may be a good actress; but I doubt you would cry for a mudblood with your fanatic of a sister there, unless you meant it."

"You're not a mudblood, you know. My sister may have carved that word into your arm, but it does not define you."

Hermione smiled ruefully. "Who would have thought that Narcissa Malfoy could care less about my blood status than Molly Weasley does?"

"What?" Narcissa looked scandalized, it was not secret the Weasleys had 'fostered' the girl.

Hermione hummed. "I found Cassiopeia in the Phoenix Orphanage."

"Can I see her?" Narcissa found Hermione's sudden switch in topics refreshing – an intellectual challenge.

"I don't see why not." Hermione shrugged. "I have some people working on finding those kids homes."

Narcissa narrowed her eyes. "How and why are you doing that?"

"Once you see the outside of that place you'll understand the why. And to the how, what do you feel about the current regime?" Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"To who am I speaking to?" Narcissa thought she would have to tread carefully here.

Hermione waved a hand airily. "Oh you know; someone who wants to return power to the Sacred Twenty-eight. Someone who wants to be Minister. Someone who wants children without parents to be Fostered. Someone who wants to return to the Old Ways, the Old Magicks. Someone who wants to bring muggleborns into the Wizarding world as soon as they are born. Someone who want to be crowned queen as is her birthright."

Narcissa whetted her lips. "Draco said something about muggleborns not being a threat when he visited me, my queen."

"Lady for now." Hermione smirked. "Lady Hermione Morgana Selwyn, Desmond and Rhosyn's child."

"Who would have thought the Golden Girl is the child of two Death Eaters." Narcissa sat back in her chair. "To answer your question: I hate it. I very much like your idea though. What can I do to help?"

"You can confer with Tracie Davis and Blaise Zabini and start restructuring the Wizagmont. They have a files of the children in the orphanage. The Selwyn seat goes to my cousin."

"Should I assume that very few people know of you heritage?" Narcissa inquired.

Hermione nodded. "Yes."

"You're not going to tell me?"

"No."

"Fair enough." Narcissa had to give the girl props. "I will speak with Miss Davis and Mr. Zabini, is there anything else I should know?"

"Yes, I can, and will, veto people that will not be in my government." Hermione's eyes were hard.

"Of course, Milady."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

A/N: I'm back!