Hermione Arrives

I hope everyone is enjoying my little idea towards these two memorable characters that are a part of JKR's world. I will try to add more chapters soon.

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Hermione Arrives

Hermione looked at the mansion. So this was Malfoy Manor. It was huge. Her parents' house was not small by any standards. But it was tiny compared to this. It rivaled all the castles of Europe. Sighing, she stepped up to the entrance and reached to use the doorbell, but a House elf opened the door right before she pressed it.

"Miss Hermione Granger?" The elf asked politely.

The woman nodded with a smile, "Yes."

"Master Malfoy is resting now. He bids you welcome, and asks that you make yourself at home here while you do your research."

Hermione's eyebrow rose at the command of the English language that the elf obviously had. "Thank you," she responded before asking, "What is your name?"

The elf smiled, "Master calls me Serenity. I am his friend."

Her jaw dropped as she stared at the kind little elf. She then noticed for the first time that the elf wore clothes. "You," she paused, "you're free?"

Serenity nodded, "Oh yes. Master pays me. I get a sickle a week," her face broke into a big smile, "and we play chess!"

Eyes wide, Hermione followed Serenity into the manor. She had entertained many different scenarios about coming into this home. Most of them had ended badly. Albus had assured her that Lucius was a changed man since the death of his wife, and son.

But she could not bring herself to believe that he was capable of change. Leopards cannot change their spots, after all.

Even now, looking at Serenity, she would still not believe that there could be any real change to the man. Too much had happened. And yet...

Serenity turned and floated Hermione's luggage out of her hand. "Come this way, please. I will show you to your room." She turned and led the way upstairs, floating the luggage alongside her.

When they reached the top of the landing, Serenity glanced up the staircase that led to the third level of the Manor, before turning and leading Hermione down the second level hallway.

Looking back over her shoulder, Hermione wondered what was on the third level. She had not realized she had given her thoughts voice until Serenity answered. "Those are the Masters private quarters." she said softly. There was a touch of sadness in her voice.

"After the Mistress and their son died, Master moved to the highest part of the house." she shook her head. "Sometimes he doesn't come down for weeks. He hurts bad, he does." Serenity's voice seemed to falter, as if she truly felt sorry for the man.

Hermione opened her mouth to say something scathing about The Master, but snapped it shut as she considered what she had seen so far. Serenity had the appearance of a very sweet, very happy, and very free house-elf. That in itself gave way to the possibility that Lucius had changed. At least a little.

Her mind made up to not say anything to Serenity about Master Malfoy, she followed the elf silently to her room. When she stopped in front of a simple door and turned the knob to let them in, Hermione dropped her jaw at the room she saw.

The room was blended colors of dark purples and deep burgundy. The bed stood in the center. It was a large bed with high canopies that reached the ceiling. The room opened up onto a balcony.

Serenity floated Hermione's luggage to the bed and sat it down on the edge. Turning she asked, "Would you prefer to unpack it yourself? Or shall I do it for you?" she asked with a smile.

The stunned witch smiled and answered, "You can unpack if you like Serenity. I have nothing too private for you to see." Turning, she looked around the room she stood within. It was, by far, the most beautiful room she had ever seen.

"This is amazing!" she said softly.

Serenity nodded. "Yes," she answered. "When Master learned that you were to be coming to spend the month doing the research in place of Severus, he had this room prepared for you." She smiled, "It is the nicest room in the manor."

Hermione didn't doubt the truth of her words. The room held a splendor to it that she had never before seen.

As Serenity finished unpacking the last of Hermione's clothes, she gestured towards a closed door at the far side of the room. "Through that door is the bath."

Turning, she walked through the door. The bath looked more like a sunken jacuzzi. In the opposite corner was a shower that seemed large enough for two or three people at a time. This was something much nicer than she had thought someone like Lucius Malfoy would offer her.

Serenity moved into the bath beside her, gesturing to the armoire. "There you will find an assortment of towels and also a large robe to dress in after your bath, if you like," she added softly.

"Thank you, Serenity," she said before asking, "Would you show me to the library? Professor Snape had told me that the Malfoy library is one without equal. I am rather anxious to see it."

"Yes, Miss," Serenity nodded. "Follow me. I will take you to it." She turned and left the room, leading Hermione to the part of Lucius Malfoy's house that she had heard so much about from Albus and Severus.

Since graduating from Hogwarts she had become a research assistant for the Order. She spent most of her time using the wizard libraries. But, every one she had been to had only had limited supplies of the things she needed.

Severus had told her, "Lucius has the oldest, most extensive collection of books you will ever see. There is none that can compare to his collection." She wondered at that, but then reasoned that his was one of the oldest wizarding families in existence. She had even heard rumor that there was a relation there to Merlin himself.

She followed as the house-elf led her deeper into the back of the house. Back down onto the first floor. Then back behind the winding staircases. Just when she was beginning to wonder if they would ever reach the fabled room, Serenity led her to a set of double doors. They were about twelve feet in height and made of dark mahogany. Each door was beautifully carved with images of vines and flowers within the wood.

Hermione stood in awe of the artwork. She was about to comment on the beauty of the carving when Serenity waved her hand towards the doors.

As the huge mahogany doors came open, they gave way to a sight that took Hermione's breath away. Speechless, she walked into the huge room. There were roughly thirty large shelves filled from top to bottom with more books than she had ever seen. That in itself rivaled Hogwarts' open section.

But what really captivated her were the walls that were at least eighty feet high and lined with bookcases from floor to ceiling. Ladders were placed along each wall, and there was an aisle that ran along the width of each wall about halfway up. It was a stopping point to be able to move from the lower ladders to the upper ladders.

"Bloody hell," the whispered curse slipped past her lips before she could stop herself. She suddenly had memories of her aversion to flying. It wasn't flying that scared her so much as heights.

Closing her eyes, she forced her breathing to slow. The fear was short lived. It was replaced by the excitement she felt at the idea of being able to research the contents within the books.

She smiled at the thought. Having a library this size at her disposal over the course of the next month was a dream come true. She had to bite her bottom lip to quell the urge she had to squeal in delight.

Serenity, who had been forgotten in her amazement, moved closer to her. "I gather you would like your lunch brought to you here?" the little elf asked with a smile.

Without even taking her eyes off of the books above and around her, Hermione nodded. "Yes, Serenity. Please bring my lunch here. I imagine I will be spending most of my time in this very room."

The elf nodded and turned to leave. She closed the big doors behind her, leaving the young witch alone in a room full of stories to tell.

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Lucius sat in his chair, staring vacantly at the fire within the hearth. He knew she had arrived. He had felt her presence as soon as she had entered his home. He had listened to her conversation with Serenity. It was quite apparent that she thought him a monster.

The thought prompted him to look at the mirror that stood tall beside the wall. Well, he thought to himself, now your skin bears witness to what lay trapped within.

Standing he moved to the door of his room. He would never have her gaze upon his malformation, but he was interested in seeing the woman she had become.

A smile crossed his lips as he thought of his son Draco's attraction to the young Mudblood Granger. He remembered how his son had been so frustrated to find himself enthralled with her.

Malfoys did not become serious with Mudbloods. But he had once told Draco that it was not frowned upon to take her as a lover. As long as he never impregnated her, she could live comfortably as his mistress.

"But Dad," Draco's voice filled his memories as if he was still with him, "She hates me! I've behaved too much as a prat in her presence. She would never consider..." his words trailed off as Lucius stared at the back of his chamber door.

Now that he considered everything that he had once viewed as important, he thought of how stupid those things had been. It did not matter if she had not been born from a pure-blood family. It did not matter that she was one of the Golden Trio. It did not matter what side she chose to defend.

None of those things mattered anymore. If Draco had survived, he would have given his son his blessing to follow his heart wherever it led him. If things had only been different. If only Voldemort had never existed. If only...

Steeling himself against the numbers of regrets he was plagued with, he squared his shoulders, making his way down towards the library that his guest was in.

She had been there the better part of the day. Ever since she had arrived she had been there. He wondered if she even knew that the hour was growing late. She had taken both her meals there and had left it only long enough to relieve herself in the privy earlier.

Silently he made his way to the hidden passage to the library. He would not make her look upon him. He had no desire to startle her. He only wished to see her, he reasoned. It had been two years since he had laid eyes upon the fairer sex. It was only natural for him to want to see her, he reasoned. He had once been a lustful, passionate man.

There was even a time in his life that he had been an excellent lover. He doubted that any woman would endure his company for long anymore. But he remembered once being able to turn many a lady's head. Narcissa had once been very jealous of the attention women had given him.

When he found the passage, he made his way quickly to the place where he could view her without her knowledge. He would have to step out on the landing, but the higher areas of the library were darkened now. Not only that, but the ladder would help keep him from her view.

Stepping out into the aisle, he looked down at the table she sat at. His breath caught in his throat at the sight before him.

Hermione had pulled her hair up into a ponytail, leaving her face open for his view. Even with her hair pulled up, it was long, flowing halfway down her back. Her face was oval, her chocolate eyes were almond shaped. Even at his distance from her, he could see that she had long lashes framing her eyes. Her cheekbones were high, and her lips were full and had a natural pout to them.

Although she was sitting, he could tell that her body was no longer that of a youth. She had filled out well. Her breasts were full and pushed tightly against the t-shirt. The blue jeans she wore were low cut and he could see a slight strap of silk that peaked out on either side of her hips above. Wit a tilt of his eyebrow, he wondered if she was wearing the Muggle underwear...What was it called? A thong?

"Draco, my boy," he said softly, "You have excellent taste." he whispered to himself. As he spoke, he cursed himself, because her gaze flew from the book she had been studying up to the area where he was.

She couldn't have heard me. He thought even as he moved back into the passage and let it swing mostly closed. It was a good choice he decided, because she stood and grabbed her wand. With a sweeping gesture towards the area he stood in, she spoke the spell, "Lumos!"

The panel door swung shut an instant before the illumination hit. He released the breath he had been holding in a hiss. "That was incredibly... stupid, Lucius." he berated himself coldly. What was he doing?

His hand went to the ruined left side of his face. He had no right to stand in shadows like some pervert, staring at her young, perfect beauty. It would bring him nothing but heartache. She was a beautiful specimen. Even so, she was not Narcissa.

He closed his eyes in pain. No one would ever be Narcissa. He could feel his heart contract at the memory of what those bastards had done to his beautiful wife. She had never deserved that. Even if he had been an evil bastard, Narcissa was not. She had never been cruel or hateful. She was his angel.

Moving away from the panel, he made his way back to the hallway that led to his private chambers. The woman he loved was gone. He would never love another. He had no right to even look at another now...

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