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At precisely 5 Hermione walked over to Malfoy's office. Jane smiled at her. "He's expecting you," she said, waving her in. She walked into Malfoy's office to see him busily at work levitating his ledger.
"That busy, are you?" Hermione rolled her eyes. "Can we leave now?"
"In a few minutes," Malfoy said, not looking away from the ledger. "I'm expecting an owl and then we can go." He dropped the ledger and looked up at her. "Anxious to start our wedding night?"
Hermione ignored him. "Will it be long?" she asked. "I have some work I could finish up."
"It won't be long," He gestured to the chair in front of him. "Sit."
Hermione hesitated, then sat on the edge of the chair. "Once we get to the manor, I'll set the wards so that you can pass," Malfoy said. "Just you. Not your little friends."
"It will be where I live as well," Hermione said. "I will have friends visit if I like."
Malfoy eyed her for a moment. "Fine. When I'm not at home." When Hermione said nothing, he went on. "You can have full run of the house except for the East Wing. That's my mother's suite when she visits and I don't want you nosing about. The elves know to watch you."
"Why would I be interested in your mother's suite anyway?" Hermione asked.
"Just don't get any ideas. Anything questionable of my father's is long gone and I won't have you poking about." Malfoy gave her a long hard stare.
"The war's been over for a long time, Malfoy," Hermione said. "I know you might have missed it since you were hiding out abroad, but the rest of us are done with it."
"I wasn't hiding out!" Malfoy snapped at her. "I was kept there for my safety."
"And if you hadn't been? Where would your place have been?" Hermione asked.
Malfoy frowned at her and looked away. "It doesn't matter now," he said evasively.
Jane brought a parchment in then before Hermione could answer. Malfoy grabbed it, signed it and handed it back.
"Don't you read things that you sign?" Hermione asked.
"Are you deliberately trying to be difficult?" Malfoy glared at her.
"Oh, Mrs. Malfoy, Moira called to say she'll be back on Wednesday," Jane told her.
Hermione cringed at the name she was called. "Thank you," she said weakly.
"You know you have to sack her," Malfoy said as he got up to leave.
Hermione stood up too. "Who?" she asked.
"Moira, of course. I don't want you having a secretary that I've shagged. It would be too awkward."
"I'm not sacking her because of bad taste! Besides, she's married now as well." Hermione followed him out of his office.
"I'll suggest to Creevy then that it would be better if his wife quit." Malfoy said, as they walked to the lift.
"You can't do that! I'm sure he doesn't know that you two were together, it would upset him," Hermione said.
"It's your choice, Hermione. One way or another I want her gone." Hermione stared at him for a moment, the argument shocked out of her by the use of her given name. "What?" he asked, she thought she saw a touch of pink cross his cheeks. "Well, what else should I call you?" he snapped, irritably. "You're not Granger anymore and I bloody well can't call you Malfoy."
Hermione decided not to comment on it. "I could get her a lateral move," she sighed. "But from now on, leave my secretaries alone!"
"I will, for a year at least," Malfoy said, causing her to roll her eyes at him as they stepped in the lift.
"Why, because it would be breaking the law? I'd hardly tell," Hermione said.
Malfoy gave her an amused look. "Do you know anything about bonding?"
"Well, not really," Hermione admitted.
"It's not very smart to subject yourself to spells that you're not familiar with," Malfoy told her. "I suggest you look it up, you'll find the answer to your question then."
"Why don't you just tell me?" Hermione said, impatiently.
"Now, what fun would that be?" Malfoy asked, smiling slightly.
"You really are an arse," Hermione fumed as the doors reopened. Instantly, she was blinded by a flashbulb. She blinked, trying to get her vision back.
"Perfect!" Colin said, grinning. "Couldn't let the Prophet run without a picture of you two together in it, now could we?" He slipped away before Hermione could reply.
"I was trying to avoid that," Hermione said as they walked toward the apparition room.
"Get used to it," Malfoy said. "Take my arm." Hermione did so and they apparated away.
Next she knew, Hermione found herself in front of what must be Malfoy Manor. In the fading light she could see the large pillars that stood in front of the double front doors. Malfoy barely gave her a chance to look as he walked quickly inside.
"Master Malfoy!" An elf Hermione recognised from yesterday ran up to them. "And the new Missus Malfoy! Pokey will take your cloaks,"
Malfoy threw his at the elf, who barely caught it, and moved quickly from the room. Hermione just stood there in the foyer, unsure of whether to follow him or not. Pokey pulled her cloak off of her and ran out as well, leaving her alone. The foyer looked like a museum, a marble floor and marble columns surrounded her. To her right, Hermione could see a large mohagany staircase.
"Are you coming?" Malfoy snapped, poking his head back in. "I know you've never been in a house this big, but try not to gawk. It makes you look stupid."
Hermione frowned, and followed him to what must be a study. "This is the only fireplace connected to the floo network," Malfoy told her briskly. "I keep it closed off unless it's needed. You do the same." He showed her how to open and close it to floo travel. "I'll be checking it at night, don't forget. The last thing I need is that buffoon Weasley showing up unannounced." Hermione tried to respond, but he kept going. "You can have your friends travel here by floo, but they won't be able to apparate here. The wards are set for only you, myself and my mother and they will stay that way. Don't test me by using tandem apparition, I'll know." He moved quickly from the room and Hermione had to run a little to keep up with his long strides. They passed some closed doorways he ignored, before he pointed out the library and then took her to the dining room. She walked up to the huge table and looked down to the other end, trying to judge how long it was. "I eat at 8, noon, and 7 pm. If you want anything to eat at other times, just have an elf fetch it." He left the room quickly with Hermione trying to catch up. He walked up some back stairs and down a hallway, gesturing to his left. "This is my room. Don't bother me unless there is an emergency." Hermione was sure she would never be able to find it again anyway. He went down the hall, passing two or three other rooms until stopping in front of one. "This is yours," he said. "It is the only room in the house you may redecorate." He opened the door and let her go through it, but didn't enter. "Tuffy!" he yelled and a house elf appeared with a crack. "Tuffy will be your personal elf. If you need anything, she'll bring it to you. Remember, dinner is at seven," he said, leaving abruptly before she could speak. She looked into the hallway and saw his room was 4 down and to the left as he entered it.
"Tuffy is honoured to be Missus Malfoy's personal elf!" the elf squeaked up at her, grinning broadly. She was wearing a large pink towel and was jumping up and down in excitement. "Anything Missus wants, Tuffy will get for her."
"Thank you," Hermione said, finally turning to look into the room. It was as large as she expected, with a huge 4 poster bed in the middle. What she didn't expect was for it to be red. She walked around and saw all her new clothes were hanging in a wardrobe. "Where are my other things?" she asked Tuffy.
"Tuffy put those in the closet. Master says Missus won't be needing them."
Hermione frowned but didn't say anything. One door led to a huge marble bathroom, the other to her own personal study. All her books had been put on the shelves. She walked to the windows and saw there was a balcony there. She opened the doors and walked out. She couldn't see much, but she guessed it was a good view.
"Master was wanting Tuffy to put Missus in the other wing but the view there is no good. Tuffy asked to put Missus here and he agreed." The elf told her.
"And the colour?" Hermione asked.
"Master told Tuffy to make it red but Tuffy can change it," Tuffy said, looking worried.
"No, no," Hermione assured her. "It's lovely, thank you."
"Tuffy will run missus a bath and lay out her clothes for dinner."
"Dinner clothes? Won't it be just Malfoy and I?"
"Master always dresses for dinner," Tuffy said, frowning.
"Fine," Hermione sighed and the elf happily bolted from the room.