The Emerald Manor

Chapter 29

Monday in the office Cora spent most of her morning reviewing the same boring memos they got every week. Gawain had been avoiding her since their spat last week.

Despite his threat that they weren't done talking; he didn't seem inclined to revisit the conversation with her. She thought it best to leave it alone for now and maybe try again in a couple of weeks once he was talking to her again.

A tawny owl floats into her office, landing next to her. She recognized the owl as Draco's.

She laughed to herself; curious that he would have this tiny petite owl when he was anything but the sort.

She removed the parchment from her leg giving her a treat to munch.

Sweetheart,

I have arrived safely and am resting comfortably in my mother's home....

Father is here as well......regrettably so. Mother, well it has been nice seeing her.

I have a feeling they dragged me up here for than just a catch up though. Conceal any owl deliveries. Your lovely friends at the Ministry are trying intercept owls.

I miss your beautiful face and soft lips.

Think of me,

D

Warmth radiated throughout her body reading and rereading Draco's message. If he only knew, all she did was think about him.

He didn't have to remind her, she'd never forget. Although, she wondered who at the Ministry was attempting to intercept his owls......it must be Dora or Jessie.

She realized he's most likely avoiding names on purpose. She put her quill to her parchment scribbling a note back to him:

D,

I am relieved to hear you arrived safely.

I will be even more relieved when you are back, and I can lay in your arms.

I am quite chilly in the evenings without you.

Be safe,

Sweetheart

She looked over her message and wondered if she should mention the dark figure she saw after he left. She wasn't even certain it was anything negative; so, she decided against it.

He had only just left, and she didn't want him to spend the next two weeks worrying about her for no reason. She got up to put the parchment on the tawny's leg, but the poor thing was looking wiped from the first journey from Ireland.

She beckoned her owl Onyx who happily stuck out their leg for the message.

"Takes this to Draco please. We must be discreet;" with a wand flourish the owl was nearly invisisible with a nuzzle he takes flight.

"And you little one.... go to my home and rest there." The little tawny gave her a friendly nip before flying out.

Jessie came bouncing in around lunch time with a couple of pumpkin pastries. Guessing by the look in her eye she is just itching for gossip.

"Knock, knock," she said coming in and planting herself down tossing a pastry at Cora. "Spill!"

"Well hello to you too Jessie. Did you come in here to bribe me with sweets?" She tilted her head in Jessie's direction.

With her mouth full of pastry, she mumbled. "Sure did. Who were you writing to? Has Gawain talked to you yet since you destroyed him in front of everyone? Are you going to tell me who your boyfriend is yet? Cause if I have to suffer those goo goo doe eyes all day, I deserve to at least know who's causing it."

Waiting for Jessie to take a breath, Cora snuck in her own question in. "You done?"

"Actually, no, there's more." Jessie said pointing her finger at Cora.

Cora rolled her eyes, sighing. "Of course, there is. Continue your interrogation investigator Jessie."

Cora floated in and out of Jessie's other questions but tuned in when she heard her mention Draco's name. "......in Ireland did you know that?"

"Sorry, can you repeat that? I missed most of it."

"Did you know Draco Malfoy is in Ireland? Not just that, but he was spotted at Lucius and Narcissa's house. This is the first time we have seen them together in the last 6 years or so we think. Dora is keeping an eye on things from a distance, she thinks they may all be up to something." Jessie leans back waiting for Cora's answer.

She racked her brain, of course she knew Draco was in Ireland. But shouldn't she share that information with Jessie. If she wasn't sleeping with the man, she probably wouldn't know.

Also, why is Dora was spying on all of them? Draco mentioned he thought something was going on.

"No, I didn't know that I haven't checked in on Draco since my last meeting with him; hadn't felt the need." She dug in hoping to get a little more information out of Jessie.

"You said Dora was keeping a close eye on them, what do you think is going on?"

"Well, Dora noticed a couple of months ago that Lucius was receiving more owls in at unpredictable times. But he never seemed to send anything out. At first, we thought that it just paper deliveries, but the times didn't add up. Until about a week or two ago Lucius sent a message out."

Jessie's body was relaxed. Sharing information was her forte.

"Dora intercepted it, it was cryptic and only said one line, 'Face me like a man.' "

"We searched but couldn't figure out who the message was sent to. But then poof, Draco arrived at their home yesterday evening in the dead of night. "

Cora's head reeled from the information. While nothing was too damming.... who was Lucius telling to face him like a man. Was it Draco?

Did Draco know about the messages his parents were receiving? She doubted it......but what if he was hiding something. A feeling in her gut just didn't sit right with everything. Was Draco the one sending the messages? What are they seeing each other now for the first time in years. What changed?

Jessie, reading her expression responded. "Hey, don't worry about it. Dora's got an eye on everything. You don't need to go rushing to Ireland to check on anything. Dora will let us know if anything takes a turn. But right now, she hasn't seen anything else, just the Malfoys. Still trying to figure out who Lucius sent that message too though, Dora is thinking he might be trying to exploit Draco again to whoever this mystery person is."

Everything Jessie was saying made sense; but that's what worries Cora. Draco was a man now, not some 16-year-old boy, she is confident that he won't let Lucius manipulate him again. That he would be able to stand up to him.

She put her best business look on her face for Jessie. "Thank you for the update. Keep me in the loop if there's any change or anything implicating Draco that I need to address. Also, how'd you convince Dora to leave her couch and waffles? She must be ready to burst?"

Jessie laughed. "It wasn't easy. I told her I'd get her a softer couch and better waffles."

Cora chuckled. "Let me know if she figures out anything on Lucius or Draco."

Jessie responded. "You got it! But I doubt it, most likely just Lucius being the douche canoe he is."

Cora, not expecting that response laughed. "Have you ever arrested someone and called them a douche canoe?"

"Pfffft, never to their face, but of course!" The girls laughed in unison and Cora had never been so thankful for Jessie.