The Purest

A soft breeze caressed her face causing a small tendril of hair to slip further across her features. The stray tickled her making her nose scrunch up a she moved her hand to sweep it away. She noticed then the brightness behind her lids that could only mean the sun was now up. Morning had come and she had survived a night at Malfoy Manor.

Everything seemed so surreal. If you had asked her what she thought about spending a night here a year ago she would have detested even the barest hint of heading in the direction of this place. Yet here she was-- not only in the house but in Draco’s bed.

Chuckling to herself she opened her eyes fully now and began to stretch and turn. When her arm fell into empty space behind her she sat up abruptly.

No sooner had she acknowledged his disappearance the great double doors to his room opened and in walked Draco.

“Good morning.” He smiled. “Sleep well?”

She nodded. “Wonderful”

Humor crossed his features. If she only knew. Memories of her floating above his bed fresh in his own memory.

“Are you hungry. I thought you might like to have breakfast in the garden and then a tour of the house.”

She feigned a thoughtful look and then a wide grin spread across her face.

“I have a better idea. Why don’t we have breakfast right here, and then we can lie in bed for the rest of the day.”

He smiled at her shaking his head. “ That sounds perfect, unfortunately I have made some plans for today that require us to be presentable. And although a day spent in bed with you would be absolutely preferred to the plans I have made. I have something very special just for you on the agenda. But we can have breakfast in here if you prefer. Mother suggested the garden she says its always loveliest in the morning sun. “

Sighing she turned her legs so the dangled on the side of the bed and got up walked over to him and gave him a hug and kissed his cheek.

“Breakfast in the garden it is. Give me about 20 minutes to get ready, unless you’d like to help me and then we could make it an hour.” she winked at him.

He laughed outright at her then “Woman you are impossible!”

She giggled and pouted. “Alright, fine I’ll be ready soon.”
Draco watched as she closed the door to his private bathroom, and sat down on the bed. Sighing, it wasn’t that he didn’t want to go in there with her. Its just that he knew that if he did then it would most certainly be much more than an hour later before they emerged- correct that - before he LET her emerge.

Last night when he had left her she had had one of her dreams again. He had lain next to her watching her face in the moonlight and wondered how much fury could be provoked from such a small person. How even when she was enraged she had looked so beautiful to him.

Looking back he wondered how they had come to the place in their lives that they were. He remembered hating her, and it was not the subtle below the surface hate. It was the I don’t care who knows I’ll shout it to the world kind of hate. The things he did to provoke her. Her hair, her teeth, her smarts, her heritage, and her blood status.

Rolling his eyes. Blood. That was what it had all really boiled down to. When he had found out that she was actually a pure blood he had dismissed it. Her upbringing still made her below him. But then he found out she was adopted and was really the daughter of people his parents so often spoke so highly of. How they told him that they had searched high and low for the apparent missing infant that they had hoped to raises her as their own. He remembered when he was younger pretending to find her somehow and he would bring her to his parents home and they would all be a family. A sister for Draco. He however did not expect this to happen.

He found himself becoming more involved with Hermione’s life he tried to be platonic in his slytherin way. But somehow while still loathing her she had found a way in. She had challenged him, while taking his advice, she surprised him while she fell apart, and then she had just come out of it. Like some weird metamorphosis and captured his heart.

Her dreams though had thrown him for a loop. Her innocent profession of her love for him stunned him completely. When he thought about it. He thought how that might have really been the turning point all along. Hearing her say she loved him too turned his world upside down.

It’s not like he never heard someone say they loved him before it was just very different when she said it. Pansy had always sounded like she was trying to convince him. Is was very showy, like if she willed him to believe it then maybe she herself would believe it too. But he knew the real reason, Pansy wanted security she wanted to retain her posh lifestyle even if it meant being with someone she didn’t really love.

His mother often told him she loved him as well but it was that maternal love.

But that first night in her room when he heard her say she loved him too. They way she had said it, no doubt her dream version of himself had said the words but after that he had wished that she was really saying it to him.
And now here she was in his private bathroom getting ready to spend the day with him in his home.

Life is often unexpected he mused.

He heard the door then, and when she emerged he couldn’t fight the look of adoration that crossed his features. Which intern earned him a quizzical smile.

Standing up he offered his arm, which she took.

“About time. Im starving you took so long.”

“Pfffft, what ever.” she giggled. “Lead the way.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


They walked hand in hand through the halls. Draco had been showing her the different rooms and listing off some of the uses of each. She looked at him like he was crazy when he told her that they had ten separate guest rooms all in one wing of its own. He jokingly called it Malfoy Inn.

They had three separate parlors each a different color and style. He had said the two of them were for each side of the family one was adored with pictures of the Malfoy family and the other was of the Blacks the extra one was for mother her special place and if either of the families did not want to have tea with her in that room when she wanted to then they would not be having tea with mother at all. There was a huge ball room ornate with mixtures of gold and mahogany. The grand dining hall, the family dining hall, the breakfast hall which was adjacent to a rather quaint indoor fountain pond, the solarium. The patio, the gardens, the orchards. It was so much she wondered how so much fit into his home.

Nearing the end of the tour he brought her in front of a large decorated double door. When he opened it she took a deep breath at the sight. It was a large two story sized library. A large set of stairs led to the second floor. Tomes upon tomes set neatly in ornate bookcases. Lush carpeting accentuated by various rugs and lovely cushioned chairs. A
large circular enchanted fire blazed in the middle of the room warmth radiated through out.

Draco led her to one of the loveseats and motioned for her to sit.

“I’ll be just a moment. If you would like some tea just ring the bell on the table and state clearly what you would like, and it’ll appear on the coaster.” Gesturing to the small wooden disk on the lamp table.

As he walked away she allowed herself to look around the room there were hundreds of books. There was even two bookcases dedicated to parchment rolls. Closing her eyes she took a deep breath inhaling the fragrance of parchment. She decided that besides Draco’s room this was her next favorite in the whole house.

Crossing her legs she sat back and sank into the chair. The tour had lasted almost two hours.

“Ehem”

Hermione sat up straight eyes opened wide

“Draco you scarred me!”

He was snickering. “Im sorry. It was an opportunity to good to pass up.”

“Where did you go?”

“I’m sorry I was told that it was impolite to let one’s guest know when nature decides to make a house call.”

She giggled.

“Shall we continue?” he asked offering her his hand.

“There’s more? I seriously underestimated the grandeur of Malfoy Manor.”

“As it most often is.”

They walked out of the library, the doors closing on their own.

“Draco? Could you bring me back to the library later or maybe tomorrow?”

“You may go there anytime you like. You don’t need me to be your guide. Of course if you do happen to lose your way you may call on…” He snapped his fingers and a house elf appeared. “ Kit. She is my personal attendant.” Turning to face the elf “ Kit, this is Hermione she is my special guest for the holidays if she needs anything you are to attend to her as well.”

“oh, of course Mr. Malfoy sir. Anything for miss\. Hermione. It is a pleasure to be meeting you. You just call out my name and ill be there for you ”

“It is nice to meet you as well Kit.”
“ You may go now. Please set up lunch in..”

“ The library!” Hermione interrupted. Blushing embarrassed by her out burst.

“ You heard the lady, Kit, in the library.” Putting his arm around Hermione they began to walk again. The elf disappearing once again.

“May I ask what in the library captivated you so much?”

“Isn’t it obvious. Draco you know I love books. All that knowledge jam packed into that room. Not to mention is was beautiful. It just seems to have such a peaceful aura in there. I can imagine getting lost in a good book there.”

“ Yes I should have known. That is one of the largest libraries in all of our estates. Each residence has its own library each decorated differently each with its own theme. The one here at the manor is simple elegance. There are some that are far more extraordinary. For instance the one in Greece has an enchanted ceiling it shows the entire night sky. Never cloudy, just bright beautiful stars. As an added enchantment if you wish to see a specific constellation and you don’t know where it is then all you have to do is ask to be shown which one you want to see, and then lines form a picture.”

“That sounds wonderful. Magic never ceases to amaze me.”

They walked awhile longer. Draco pointing out the vast windows to different parts of the grounds saying they should take a walk later in the week to see them up close. He showed her paintings of relatives introducing her to the occupants. Until he stopped their stroll all together. Where he stood and simply stared at a huge portrait on the wall next to them, and then at her. She was appraising the painting.

It was of a man and woman holding a child about a year in age. The child was looking around and giggling at each parent in turn and the parents were smiling and laughing with the child. Then the woman looked at them. She smiled brightly.

“Good afternoon Draco. I see you have a guest.” She then turned to Hermione. “Hello dear. What is your name?”

But before she could answer Draco interrupted.

“ Why don’t you tell them your full name.”

Looking at him quizzically she turned back to the painting.

“Good afternoon ma’am. My name is Hermione Kaelin-Phoenix.”

No sooner had she said then she felt the familiar tingle, and then seen the mark slide across the infants torso. Gasping she covered her mouth with her hand and looked up. The females eyes were huge and beginning to glisten in the corners. The male his attention fully on her now also had an astonished look in his golden brown eyes. Looking back and forth between them rich chestnut waves flowed off the woman’s shoulders. Slowly the woman reached her hand out. Hermione reached hers out as well gently touching the canvas.

Draco put his hand on the small of her back.

“Hermione I would like to introduce you to…”

“My parents.”

A single tear slid down her cheek. And then she fainted.