Walking through the Manor, Hermione was nervous. Draco and she had had only a few interactions the past week. He was more attentive and made sure he was always seated beside her, even saving her favorite desserts on days when she was late to meals, having gotten caught up in her work. Some days he sat with her and Theo in the library. It was very nearly like how their days had been before the hols. But this was her first time back in the Manor since Narcissa and Lucius know, since Draco knew, of their bond. And while Draco had reassured her that his Mother was excited, she was still nervous.

Darcey had brought her to the library, her previous solace and Hermione nearly cried. She'd been so convinced she would never be back in the Manor. She'd been avoiding Narcissa's invitations to tea until Darcey started delivering the invitation herself, and then Hermione had to start making excuses.

Now she was out of excuses and she was glad for it.

She wasn't so vapid as to only be crying over a library. She'd thought she was doing what was best in distancing herself from Narcissa because the maternal relationship she felt with the older witch felt like losing her own Mother. Every tea after the hols, she had expected the day to come when the tea was a goodbye from Narcissa as the woman tried to forge a relationship with Astoria. That day, in the Great Hall, Hermione gave in. She didn't just let Draco go, she let his family go.

That thought still lingered in her mind as she walked through the Manor towards Narcissa's greenroom where they religiously took their tea. Wringing her hands the whole journey.

"Hermione?"

The deep voice made her pause and take a few steps back, where she met Lucius in the doorway to the study. The book clasped around a finger told her he'd been reading, something that made her smile, but that smile quickly fell as she anxiously bit her lip and looked up at him.

He looked a mix of shocked and relieved.

"You're actually here."

"Yes, sir."

"Cissa told me you might be coming but I was apprehensive."

Hermione dropped his eyes and nodded, "I understand. I'm sorry I hurt her and you by distancing myself. I was just trying to -"

The words caught in her throat when he suddenly hugged her to his tall frame. It was as paternal as a hug could get, his cheek rested on her curls and his arms wrapping around her shoulder blades. Though shocked for a few seconds, Hermione sagged into him, her own arms wrapping as best they could around his middle. Pulling away, he put his hands on her shoulders.

"I'm sorry for pushing and not realizing what I was seeing between you and Draco. I was blind."

Hermione shook her head, she didn't want anyone to feel the blame for something she had done. Lucius was no more to blame than Astoria. This was her and Draco, they'd bollocked it up. No one else.

"Please don't be. If I'd been honest with Draco sooner, none of this would have happened."

"You weren't wrong to want him to choose you, Hermione."

"I know," she gave him a small smile, "but I should have talked to him when things were progressing between us."

"Maybe," he lifted one shoulder to shrug, "But we're here now. Let me talk you to Cissa. She's been chomping at the bit to see you."

Taking his offered arm, Hermione let him walk her the rest of the way to the green room, listening to him tell her about Narcissa's newest projects. When they arrived at the green room, he gave her a gentle push into the room before disappearing quickly.

"That man," Narcissa scoffed, "he's been hiding all day thinking I will hex him if you don't show." Hermione watched as Narcissa finished watering her tulips and set the water pail down before turning to Hermione; wiping her hands on the apron covering her robes, she started over towards her.

"Have you hexed him over the past few weeks?"

"Maybe," Narcissa grinned. "He wouldn't listen and I couldn't very well tell him you and Draco were bonded until I had proof."

Hermione frowned, "How did you know?"

"Besides the obvious, you mean? I saw Draco's mark one day. I didn't realize it was your writing until your first letter came."

"Ah."

"I invited you to tea the first time as a thank you but also to get to know my future daughter-in-law." Hermione blushed bright red, unable to control it. Finally, in front of the younger witch, Narcissa cupped her face in her hands, "If I ever see you occluding or hear of you doing it, I will get your mother and Molly over here, and we will take turns tanning that hide."

"I just wanted it to stop."

Narcissa nodded, he hands still on Hermione's face, "I know, love, I know. It had to have been horrible for you."

"I didn't think about hurting myself, it wasn't my intention."

"Have you and Draco talked?" Hermione nodded. "Good. Come, let's sit. Darcey prepared a small feast for us in preparation for your arrival."

Hermione chuckled, "Yes, she'd been a bit excited. She set out four outfits for me this morning and put up quite the fit when I tried to wear a different jumper."

Once the pair were seated and Hermione had a proper laugh over the amount of food Darcey had prepared, they settled into the same normalcy they had fostered and nurtured since the summer. It was when Darcey brought out an obscene amount of cakes that Narcissa said something that had Hermione inhaling her and sending her into a fit of coughs.

"I've got your dress for the Ministry's gala arranged, I used the designs Pansy and Miss Weasley provided."

Still coughing, Hermione tried to right herself before speaking. "What do you mean?"

"You didn't know?" Narcissa chuckled, "That makes it all the more exciting! We're awaiting approval for Lucius to take a trip to the vaults because he swears he remembers where the necklace I seek is." Setting down her own cup, Narcissa smirked as she shook her head, "I could have sworn it was here, but I haven't found it. We shall see. Worst case, we can commission another from the goblins."

"No!"

Stunned, Narcissa raised a brow. "No?"

Struggling to compose herself, Hermione fought the blush she felt rising in her cheeks, "Don't have another made for me. I'm simple, I can do with anything really. Don't even need jewels, to be honest."

This time is was Narcissa who gasped, "No jewels! That is scandalous!"

The distraught look she was sporting was enough to make Hermione's composure crack. "Cissa, I don't need anything extravagant jewelry for the gala. I don't even want to go."

"Posh, young lady, we'll be selecting only the best for you that night! You're a Malfoy in the making; only the best for you!" Hermione froze and Narcissa reached over to pat her hand, "You would be deserving even without the Malfoy name, Hermione. I'm just getting ahead of myself. Don't mind me, I didn't intend to make you uncomfortable."

"I'm not," Hermione denied. "I-I just...Draco and I, we've barely spoken. We're on better terms but we're not...there yet. We still need to talk about our, what our future might look like."

"Sweet girl, you'll get there. When you do, this," Narcissa waved around them, "everything will be less and less of a shock to the system."

Turning her hand over, she grasped Narcissa's tightly, "You let me wear the Malfoy emeralds.."

"I did," Narcissa smiled.

"So did Lucius?"

Narcissa nodded, "He chose them."

"Did he know?"

"No," this time, the answer was soft.

Hermione let her head fall, afraid Narcissa would see more of her confession, "I felt horrible knowing I wore them in front Astoria." She also felt a sense of pride, like she'd staked a claim, even if unknowingly. "She came to me, you know, after my accident. I told her I would respect his wishes and not get in their way. But I have, haven't I?"

"No, Hermione."

"But-"

"You haven't. Draco ransacked the library for texts. Did you read them?" Hermione nodded, "Then you know that Bonds are, traditionally, something the magical world has coveted. They were something the magical world held in the highest regard. Then they began to dwindle and knowledge of them became less and less taught and spoken about. They were forgotten, only talked about in stories we told our babes for bed. Fairytales, no different than Babbity Rabbity. You didn't get in the way of Astoria and Draco. Astoria respects what she knows a bond to mean. And Draco, that boy, he got what he's always wanted, and with the witch, he's loved since he was a boy."

Despite her tears, Hermione couldn't help but scoff, "Don't be silly."

"You didn't read the countless letters we got about how "insufferably" smart you were. Or how "unGodly" bushy your chestnut curls were. Or, oh, your dress for the Yule Ball fourth year and how you went with Vicktor Krum. He may never have said it aloud but a mother knows. As I did seeing you together over the hols."

Hermione felt her blush resurface. Draco fancied her longer than this year.

"Or," Narcissa said in a softer voice, "how I had to grab his hand to keep him from moving while my sister had you."

Looking into her sad brown eyes, Hermione sighed, "I felt it when the bond snapped into place. I didn't realize what it was at the time but I felt exactly when it happened. I remember seeing you holding his arm." Narcissa nodded. "Pansy told me he had a fit when you guys returned to the Manor over the summer."

A look of understanding passed across the older witch's face. "Would you like to see?"

Hermione felt her blood freeze before she shook her head.

"I don't think I'm ready yet."

Giving her a comforting smile, Narcissa nodded, "In your own time, dear.",

Despite having said she didn't want to, she was ready. She just felt like part of her felt like she was intruding on a private moment of Draco's. That she should wait until he was ready to tell her if he ever thought to. But another part of her had wanted to see that room long before knowing what Draco had done to it. The thought had made her arm itch more than once over the past year.

"Are you going to see Andromeda Easter weekend?"

Narcissa smiled and, knowing exactly what Hermione was doing, let her change the subject.

Theodore Nott did not care much about what others thought of him. He never really had. He tried for most of his life to please his father, to make him happy in hopes that he might show him some affection. That never worked, but he got that love and affection from Draco's parents. Narcissa had been his mother figure since long before he forgot what his own mother looked like. Lucious had never hesitated to include him with Draco until the last few years when the Dark Lord returned. His chosen family were the only people he really cared about.

So when he strode into the Great Hall and to the Gryffindor table without a single care in the world that the vast majority of the hall occupants were watching him do it.

He sat down, giving a nod to Potter across from him, the wild-haired wizard only smirking at him. Beside him, Ginny nudged him.

"Come to the gold side, Nott?"

"You wish," Theo snorted, "But I am joining you for dinner."

Ron barely kept from lifting his lip in a near, "Why?"

Theo shrugged, "To shake things up. Obviously."

Beside Harry, Neville chuckled, and from his other side, Luna appeared, "Are we swapping tables now? I adore this idea. I'll be right back!"

While Theo focused on plating his food, the Gryffindors watched Luna prance to the Slytherin table, wrap herself around Blaise's neck, whisper a few words, and watch the darker wizard smile at her before getting up and following her to the Gryffindor table. Ron grumbled something about snakes as they sat down, but everyone ignored them.

"We're having a party tonight," Theo said before taking a bite. He chewed slowly, dramatically as no one spoke. They just watched him, feeding his dramatic tendencies.

It was Blaise who huffed, "Tell us more Theo."

Smiling widely, Theo set down his fork. "I'm so glad you asked! Slytherin common room, in an hour. You're all expected. Come through the Heads portal."

Blaise groaned, "Do we have to?"

"Where do you think Pansy is?" Theo smirked, greatly enjoying Blaise's unhappiness. Especailly knowing Draco would react the same when he learned what he and the girls had been up to all day.

"What about Snape?" Neville asked.

Theo shrugged, "He's away."

Blaise gave Theo a pointed look to which Theo just raised his hands.

"I didn't do anything. This time. He happens to be away for the weekend."

Luna clapped her hands, "Oh this is exciting. I loved Slytherin parties before the war!"

Blaise grinned and turned his head so he could better look at the witch in his arms, "You came to our parties, love?"

"Oh yes! You Slytherins never seem to mind Hufflepuffs or the occasional Ravenclaw in your dungeons," she used finger quotes when saying the word 'dungeon', "and your parties are quite legendary! It's so exciting that your housing another before the year is out. I was beginning to worry you had given up the practice."

Blaise let out a surprised laugh as he tugged Luna even closer to him.

"Thank you, Luna," Theo winked at her, "Finally, someone is excited about this shindig."

"Does Hermione know?"

Looking at Harry, Theo grinned devilishly, "Who do you think told me Snape was away?"

Upon arrival to the head dorms a short half hour later Draco met them all with a very Snape-worthy expression on his face, his arms crossed over his chest as soon as Theo began to file in the room.

"A party Theodore?"

"Oi, don't use my full name like that."

"You're lucky if that's the full extent of your name used tonight."

Walking up to his best friend, Theo began pushing him into his room. "You can't go dressed like that. You'll embarrass us. The party should be in full swing within the hour, and you want to look your best."

Draco, having let Theo drag him into his room, climbed onto his bed instead of heading to his wardrobe, considering Theo was already rifling through it. "Oh no, this party is all you guys. I'm staying in bed and enjoying a quiet night. I refuse to clean up Blaise when the drinks hit him or when Pansy starts hitting on everyone with two legs."

"Don't be a wet sock," Theo threw over his shoulder, making Draco scrunch his nose in disgust, "You're coming, and you're going to let off some steam. We all are," Theo walked over to him with a pair of black trousers and a black button-up shirt. He laid them on the bed next to Draco before going back to the wardrobe and returning with Draco's black belt and a pair of cufflinks. "You're going to enjoy yourself and spend the night wooing your witch."

At that, Draco perked up. "Hermione is coming?"

"Pansy is getting her ready now in the girl's dorm."

Getting up with more excitement than he'd felt for a party in the common room in ages, Draco sent the cufflinks back to the wardrobe with a wave of his hand and began to get dressed. Theo excused himself with a smug look on his face that made Draco want to hex him. Instead, he got dressed before going into the bathroom and combing his hair so it didn't look like he'd spent most of the day lounging in his rooms, wondering how Hermione was at the Manor. He'd begun to worry when she hadn't arrived before dinner and had opted instead to eat what Darcey brought him and continue to read in their shared common space, hoping to catch her when she returned.

"Theo?"

Returning to the common area of his dorm, Draco looked around only to see his best friend had left the portrait hole to the Slytherin common room open a hair. Rolling his eyes at the subtlety, Draco moved through the room, making sure to close the portrait behind him before walking into his old dorm, where he could hear Theo and Blaise talking in the bathroom.

"Shove over," Theo huffed.

"Go to the girl's room if you're just going to hog the mirror," Blaise countered.

Draco smirked.

He seated himself on his old bed and let himself lay back while he waited for them. He'd just closed his eyes for no more than a few moments when the door to the room slammed open and Pansy strutted in. He'd only been in the dorm for a few minutes but he could already hear the music drift in from the hallway.

"Oh good, you're ready. Where are-"

"She'll stop sleeping with you," Theo was telling Blaise, who in turn laughed.

"Luna would never. She adores me."

"And vice versa, you nut."

Pansy pursed her lips and made a face at Draco, "They're such witches."

Draco laughed. "Gents, Pansy is here to collect us."

An hour later, Draco was utterly regretting the party. Leaning against a wall with his arms crossed over her chest, occasionally sipping his drink, he watched Hermione sway to the beat of the music thumping through the common room. Pansy and Ginny had been with her before Potter pulled Ginny away and Pansy somehow wandered over to dance with Weasley.

"You're moping." Glaring at Theo, Draco scoffed. "You could just go ask her to dance."

"You're being a downer, mate."

"I don't-," Draco hesitated, "I don't know how to approach her."

"Don't you two have a date soon?"

"Tomorrow."

"You're being cowardly, Drake," Theo took a drink, ignoring how Draco was suddenly glaring at him, "Maybe you're worried about how she'll react to you or you're still ashamed of the past few months but you need to get your head out of your arse and spend time with your witch. It's a party for Salazar's sake."

"It's not so easy."

"Please, you've been pinning for weeks, months, if we're being honest. She's yours. You have her. You just need to grow a pair and act on it." Theo bumped Draco's shoulder and nodded to Hermione a Ravenclaw they didn't know the name of approached her, "Or someone else will."

Draco was off the wall, drink shoved into Theo's hands before Hermione could shake her head at the Ravenclaw. But Draco was more focused on how the wizard didn't seem to accept her polite decline and instead stepped closer to her. He saw red seeing Hermione take a step away from the Ravenclaw. His hand was supporting her back, wrapping around her waist and pulling her back into his chest, never looking away from the wizard before her.

He didn't say anything, just met the brazen wizard's stare with his own unwavering one. When the wizard still didn't get the hint, Draco pulled Hermione even tighter and leaned down to speak directly into her ear, "Tell him no thank you again so there is no question in his mind, or I will hex him."

While normally Hermione wouldn't care for the possessive display, Draco's breath on her ear and the anger in his tone sent a shiver through her.

Tilting her head just enough to see his face, she saw him still glaring at Jonathan. Looking back at the wizard in question Hermione leaned back into Draco as if to comfort him. "Thank you for the offer, Jonathan, but my dance ticket has been punched for the rest of the night."

"Of course, Hermione. If you change your mind, you know where I'll be."

Draco didn't appreciate the smirk on his face when he said it.

"She won't. And considered it punched for the foreseeable future." With his arm around her waist, Draco did something he knew he would hear about later and lifted her up, spinning so they moved closer to where their friends were dancing. Still, he didn't relinquish his hold on her. He put his hands on her hips and kept her pressed against him as he leaned down again. "I'll punch his ticket if he ever asks you to dance again."

Without missing a beat, Hermione began to move against him. Draco gave in and began to move with her, his hands still gripping her hips. "He wouldn't have felt the need if you'd been dancing with me from the start."

Twisting her around, Draco brought his face to hers, "Is that what you wanted, love?" He watched as a blush rose on her cheeks. "My cunning little viper. All you had to do was ask."

Gazing up at him, he saw hesitation in her eyes despite the grin on her face, "I don't want to ask anymore. I'm done asking."

Nodding absently, Draco brought one of his hands to cup her cheek, "As you should. I wasn't sure you'd want me to approach you before our Hogsmeade date."

"I was hurt, Draco, but there was never a time I didn't want you around."

"I'll do better," spinning her out, he caught her in his arms again with her back once more pressed to his front, "How was your visit with Mother?"

"Very enlightening. With any luck, your Mother will stop hexing your Father."

Draco laughed. "She's been on a spree, apparently."

They were quiet for a moment, just moving together before Hermione spoke again.

"Your Mother made some comments.."

Draco hesitated for a step before moving them off the designated dance floor and to a more secluded part of the common room near the portraits. "What did she say?"

She tried to pacify his worried look, "Nothing serious or negative. Just, she made a lot of comments about the future and I'm unsure where we might start in that regard."

"I see. How much have you had to drink tonight, love?"

Shocked by his sudden shift in subject, Hermione reared back to look up at him. "Not near enough."

At that, he smiled, "Fair enough."

"Do you want to talk?"

Hermione looked up at him, her eyes widening as she took in his solemn expression.

"Yes, please," she whispered.