The Day After Tomorrow

CHECKERBOARD FLOORS AND FEELINGS

48 - CHECKERBOARD FLOORS AND FEELINGS

PERHAPS this wouldn't have been a good idea months ago, Hermione thought haltingly. But the moment she felt her feet hit ground, the dark twisted gate rising before her, she felt only calm, like that brief wave of nerves in her stomach had been replaced by an easy ripple, lapping gently against the memories of her mind.

She took a few steps forward along the gravel, and gave the gate an experimental push forward, it swung open with a barely audible creak and then it was there before her: Malfoy Manor. It hadn't been difficult to visualise the location when she'd apparated there, it had been the same building that featured as the backdrop to most of her nightmares for so long.

It was almost surreal seeing it in real life, it was a lot less daunting, remarkably elegant, and looked brighter too somehow, as if her mind had brushed over it with a dark veneer. It stood imposing, white marble and intricate arched windows, it had a cold beauty to it, like ice.

The last time she'd been there it had been a mess of chaos, of shouting spells and destruction. She'd wondered what she'd be walking back into today, and yet there was no panic, no terrible sense of wrongness only a sense of determined need to do what she'd came all this way to do.

Inhaling through her nose in a deep breath, she raised the polished knocker of the door and let it fall in a loud tap.

Hermione did not know who she expected to answer it, a house elf probably, but most definitely not Narcissa Malfoy. Her pale streaked hair was tucked behind her ears in an elegant bun, and her bright eyes widened in surprise when she caught sight of Hermione.

"Miss Granger?" Narcissa scanned the girl up and down, taking note of the fact that like herself, she had not yet changed from her black mourning robes. She only had a simple purse slung over her shoulder, her brown hair fizzy and curled from the afternoon humidity. "Come in."

Hermione followed her into the entry way, waiting again for some stab of fear to overwhelm like it would have done all that time ago, but there was nothing, just a simple rush of nervousness at appearing unannounced. Perhaps it was the sips of cider or the single tumbler of whiskey she'd drowned at the pub before she'd arrived or good old Gryffindor courage. "Thank you, I know you must want privacy."

Narcissa shook her head, smiling lightly, leading them towards the sitting room, she couldn't help glancing over her shoulder at the young woman behind her. She saw Hermione's eyes trail over the cool white walls, the polished checkerboard floors of the main hall, the same hall that she'd been pressed against by her sister, bleeding and tortured in the war.

There was only a twitch of the lip that made Narcissa realise that whatever they were made of in this world, pixie dust or blood and bone, this girl: Hermione Granger, she was made of the strongest stuff. "You're here for Draco?" She said after a long pause.

"Yes, I wanted to check in on him." Explained Hermione in the same soft tone. She met the older woman's eyes, searching for a hint of disapproval, of irritation or anger even and found nothing, just like that day in St Mungo's.

She looked carefully neutral, pleased perhaps, her thin lips curved in the smallest smile as if she knew more than she was letting on. It made Hermione wonder how much the older woman did know, what had Malfoy said? Had he mentioned her at all?

"He would like that, I'm sure." There was a faint pleased note in her voice. "You'll find him in his father's study up the stairs down the hall, the third door." Narcissa gestured towards the archway and beyond to the polished steps, her eyes unreadable but that same coy smiling playing at her lips.