The next morning, Hermione woke up to a soft knocking on her door. She burrowed deeper into the plush covers, but called out, "Come in!"

Theo pushed open the door, and came in, already fully dressed. "So Ginny wasn't kidding that you will sleep until 10 on your days off."

"Unless you have coffee, don't start." Hermione muttered, sitting up.

Theo smiled and held out a mug for her. Hermione lifted the mug up to her face, and took a deep breath in through her nose, and then took a sip of the liquid.

"Am I forgiven for waking you up then?" Theo asked amused.

Hermione nodded happily. "Yes. Thank you for this by the way, it's perfect."

"Mipsy prepared it." Theo chuckled and sat on the foot of her bed. "Also, how short are you? I can't even tell where your feet are."

Hermione stuck her tongue out at him, but otherwise ignored the question. "So what did you have planned for us today?"

"Well, I have to head to Gringotts to take care of some business, and then I was going to do some Christmas shopping. I didn't know if you were wanting to go to the Weasley's house today." Theo answered.

Hermione shook her head and leaned back against the pillows. "I'm not going until Sunday. I want to see everyone on my own before I bring you and Draco over." She set the mug on the bedside table and started fiddling with the comforter. "Ginny and I are planning to speak with Molly privately about Emily then."

Theo nodded. "Do you want me to come with you and talk about that?"

Hermione frowned. "I don't know. I definitely feel like you deserve an explanation more than anyone, but I also don't want you to be uncomfortable. It can be incredibly overwhelming being with everyone the first time you go."

"But you're fine with subjecting Draco to it?" Theo asked amused.

Hermione laughed. "I'm testing his patience."

Theo raised an eyebrow. "Does he know this?"

"He's smart. He'll figure it out." Hermione grinned.

Theo shook his head. "Most of the time, I want to kill him for actually dating you. Right now, I pity him."

Hermione chuckled. "Don't. Marrying me means that life with the Weasley's is inevitable so he better get used to it."

"I'll make sure I have the good firewhiskey ready for when you two leave." Theo laughed. "So do you want to come to Diagon Alley with me then?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes, but Draco said he was coming over today. Can you find out what time?"

Theo rolled his eyes. "Hermione, all you have to do is floo over there…" he trailed off seeing her face shift to a frown, and watching her right hand go over to her left arm. "I'm sorry, I… I didn't think about it."

Hermione nodded her head. "I know. And I know that she's dead and she can't hurt me anymore, but I don't know if I'm up to facing that room yet."

Theo took her left hand in his. "I'll floo over, and find out while you get ready alright?"

"Thanks." Hermione said with a small smile.

Theo squeezed her hand and then got up and left the room. He went downstairs into a small room with a fireplace, and reached into the pot that was sitting on the mantle pulling out a small handful of powder. He stepped into the fireplace, and threw it down, saying "Malfoy Manor" as he felt himself get whisked away. When he stopped spinning, he stepped out of the fireplace in Malfoy Manor, and into a small room that was ornately decorated. There was a small crack and an elderly house elf appeared and gave a low bow. "Welcome to Malfoy Manor Master Nott."

"Thanks. Is Draco around?" Theo asked.

The elf stood up as straight as he could. "Young Master Draco is in the rose drawing room. Do you need Muttons to show you the way?"

Theo shook his head. "I've been here a million times, I know the way," he said, leaving the small room. As he walked down the hall, he stopped at a door that was shut, but he could feel the dark energy coming out of the room. He reached for the door knob and turned it, pushing it open. He stood at the doorway, and looked in. The large room had been stripped of any defining characteristics, and the windows had been covered in heavy, dark curtains. From his previous trips to the manor, Theo knew that the room had once been one of the smaller ballrooms, but now…

"After he died, I came back and ordered that the room be demolished."

Theo jumped, his heart pounding. "Bloody hell mate. You can't sneak up on a person like that," he scolded Draco, who had come up behind him, and had his hands shoved in his trouser pockets. He turned back towards the room. "Is this where…"

"Yeah." Draco quietly confirmed. He reached around Theo and pulled the door shut. "We've tried to get curse breakers to come and deal with the lingering dark magic in there, but no one will touch it. Being a Malfoy doesn't carry the same weight these days."

Theo turned around and saw the grimace on Draco's face. "How is your mum handling the house arrest?" He asked, changing the subject.

Draco shrugged. "She's lonely. Its rough with me at school and Dad in Azkaban, but she hasn't lost her touch. She yelled at me for nearly two hours last night for not informing her myself that Hermione was your long lost sister."

"You didn't write your mother?" Theo asked incredulously. "I mean, I didn't exactly have anyone to tell besides you, but your mum deserved to know from you."

"Well, we were trying to keep this quiet in the beginning remember? I thought I would have until break so I could speak to her in person, but then that went out the window." Draco shrugged, and then started leading Theo down the hall. "After that, things started happening so quickly that I sort of forgot to write Mum. Hence the yelling for two hours last night."

Theo chuckled as they stopped at a set of double doors. Draco opened them, and the two wizards stepped into the library. "And what was Narcissa's opinion?"

Draco sat in one of the giant wing backed chairs. "Well, after she stopped yelling, she insisted that Hermione come over."

Theo sat in one of the other chairs. "And what was your response?" Theo asked, in a measured voice.

Draco looked over at him. "Don't worry. I told her that there was no way in hell Hermione was coming here ever again." Draco looked around the library. "Even though I think she might lose her mind at this room."

Theo let out a sigh of relief. "She probably would."

"Naturally Mum is furious with me now," Draco continued.

Theo looked at him quizzically. "How do you know that?"

"She refused to come out of her room this morning for breakfast." Draco answered. "She claimed that she had a headache, which she only ever said she had when Dad did something colossally stupid to upset her."

Theo laughed. "And if the elf told you that I was here…"

"I expect Mum's headache will go away just long enough to come yell at you as well." Draco finished.

Theo stood up quickly. "Care to escape to my house? I cannot promise no yelling, but I'll try to be nicer than your mother."

Draco stood as well, and grinned. "Gladly."

The two boys were almost to the floo room, when, "Theodore Nott, I know you weren't going to come in and leave without greeting me!"

Theo stopped in his tracks, and grimaced. "Narcissa!" He said, shifting his features into a pleasant smile. "Draco told me you had a headache so I didn't want to disturb you."

Narcissa stood in front of Theo with her arms crossed over her chest, and he started to falter. "Would you care to explain to me why neither you nor my son cared to inform me that your sister was in fact, alive?"

Theo felt the grin slide off his face. "For Hermione's sake, we wanted to keep things as private as possible."

Narcissa gave him a look. "And as a surrogate mother to you, and her future mother-in-law, I wasn't worthy enough to be informed?"

"I'm sorry Narcissa. We should have written you." Theo acquiesced.

Narcissa gave a sharp nod. "Thank you Theodore." She turned to Draco. "Was that so hard?"

Draco rolled his eyes at his mother. "No Mother."

Narcissa pursed her lips at his answer, but ignored him in favor of Theo. "Now, when will I get to meet your sister?"

Theo and Draco exchanged a look. "Mother, I already told you, I am not bringing her here," Draco said in an exasperated voice.

Narcissa opened her mouth to speak, but Theo cut her off. "Narcissa, you know I adore you, but given what happened to Hermione here, I don't know that she would be entirely comfortable coming here."

Narcissa shut her mouth, and nodded. "Of course I understand that, and I am certain that you wish to protect her from any further harm."

Theo nodded. "Thank you for understan-"

"But as I'm sure you are aware, I am not allowed to leave these grounds for the next five years unless there is a life or death emergency." Narcissa interrupted. "And surely even you agree that I have a right to meet this young woman in more pleasant circumstances than our last meeting."

Theo gaped at her.

"I understand that despite your own understandable issues with the Weasley family, especially the mother, Hermione is quite close with them. Surely between yourself, one of the many of them that there are, Mr. Potter, and my own son, she could find the support needed to come meet me." Narcissa finished, looking up at Theo expectantly.

Theo looked over to Draco for help, but Draco just shook his head. Theo glared at him, and then turned back to Narcissa. "I will talk to her. I'm not making any promises," he hastily added seeing the look of triumph on Narcissa's face. "But we'll talk to her, and see if we can work something out."

Narcissa nodded. "That is acceptable." She reached up and pushed a stray curl back into his hair. "Your mother would be proud of you Theodore."

Theo felt a lump begin to form in his throat. He nodded, but didn't say anything.

Narcissa moved her hand to cup Theo's cheek tenderly. "She would be proud of both her children I think."

Draco cleared his throat. "We should get going. Theo left Hermione alone, and if left alone for too long, she might try and free all the house elves."

Theo chuckled, and stepped back from Narcissa.

"Make sure he behaves." Narcissa said, giving Draco a menacing look.

Theo grinned. "I've set her up in Mum's old room," he assured her.

Narcissa smiled softly. "Good." She turned to her son, and leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. "My headache is much improved by the way."

"I'm relieved." Draco rolled his eyes but kissed his mother's cheek none the less. "I'll see you tonight."

The two boys turned and made their way to the floo room, stepped into the fireplace, and flooed to Nott House. They exited the small room, and Theo led the way towards the sitting room. They entered the room, and found Hermione sitting on one of the couches, completely engrossed in a book. Draco smiled, and crossed the room. When he reached her, he pushed the book down away from her.

"Hey!" She started, but was cut off by him kissing her.

"Oy!" Theo exclaimed, annoyance rising quickly. "Knock it off!"

Draco pulled away from Hermione with a grin, and was met with a soft smile of her own, with an accompanying blush. "Good morning," he said huskily, lifting her feet, and sitting down next to her, and draping her feet back over his lap.

"What happened to behaving?" Theo grumbled, throwing himself into a chair across from them, crossing his legs.

Hermione laughed at Theo. "He was perfectly behaved," she defended.

"Theo promised my mother that he would make sure I behaved." Draco explained to her. He turned back to Theo and smirked. "I was greeting my future wife perfectly appropriately I think."

Theo pointed at Draco threateningly. "Emphasis on future. Not current. And I don't want to see it."

Draco laughed.

Hermione slipped a bookmark into her book, and shut it on her lap. "How was your first night home?"

Theo smirked as the grin slid off Draco's face. "I've had better welcomes."

Hermione frowned. "What happened?"

Draco sighed and put his hand on her knee. "My mother wants to meet you."

Hermione looked at Draco, then Theo, and then back to Draco. "I don't understand. I know we haven't been friendly in the past, but her wanting to meet me makes some sense."

Theo uncrossed his legs, and leaned forward. "Hermione, Narcissa is on house arrest for the next five years. She can't leave Malfoy Manor or it's grounds."

"Oh." Hermione said softly, comprehension dawning on her face.

Draco moved his hand off her knee, and grasped her hand. "I told her there was no way I was bringing you to the manor, but it led to an argument last night, and then this morning," Draco gestured to Theo to continue.

"I told Narcissa I would talk to you about going to the manor," Theo said wincing.

Hermione looked down at hers and Draco's hands. "I already said I don't want to go to the manor this morning."

Draco glared at Theo, then turned to Hermione with a much softer look. "You don't have to go, Love."

Hermione nodded. "But she really can't leave? She couldn't come here?" Hermione asked, her voice shaking slightly.

Theo looked at Draco alarmed. Draco moved Hermione's legs off his lap, and pulled her into his arms. "I will never let anyone hurt you ever again," he promised, kissing the top of her head.

Hermione wrapped her arms around his chest, and nodded.

"How about we go to Diagon Alley?" Theo suggested after a few minutes. "You could go to the bookstore, while I'm at Gringotts."

Hermione pulled away from Draco and nodded. "Let me go get my coat."

She stood up and left the room, Draco and Theo watching her leave. As soon as she was gone Theo put his face in his hands and groaned. "Of all the families in all the world my Father had to betroth her to you."

Draco frowned. "I'm not that bad."

Theo lifted his head. "No, she was tortured in your house to the point that she is too afraid to go back there now. And she's a fucking Gryffindor!"

"Point taken," Draco grimaced. He opened his mouth to say something else, when Hermione reappeared, her coat on.

"Ready?" She asked.

Draco stood up, and walked over to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "Yes. Shall we go to the bookstore? I have a few things I'd like to see in the history section."

Hermione started blushing furiously, and slapped Draco's chest which just made him laugh.

Theo stood, shaking his head. "I don't want to know."