Broken

Tour

'It's been a long time since I used the roads,' Draco snapped, as Hermione turned the car around in the country lane.

'I've noticed,' she huffed, wary of the ditches on each side.

They drove past a farmer in his tractor for the third time.  Hermione pulled over.

'What are you doing?'

'Asking for directions.'

'No! I refuse to ask for directions to my own house!'

'You're not. I am.'  Slamming the door, Hermione jogged across to the curious farmer.

*****

As they drove towards the Manor, Hermione became very quiet.

'You don't have to come in,' Draco said, softly.  'You could wait in the car, I'll only be a few minutes...'

'No, it'll do me good.  My therapist said I should face my fears...' She lifted Hugo out of the car, not taking her eyes from the house towering above her.

'Is it working?' Draco's tone was light but his eyes were worried.

'Not yet,' she whispered, trembling.

'You know, you Gryffindors put too much stock in being brave all the time.  It's ok to be scared...'

Hermione nodded.  Draco gently prised Hugo from her grip and took her hand in his.

'Come on,' he tugged her up the steps, carrying Hugo.

The front door swung open and they stepped inside.  A magnificent carpet covered the stone floor, and pale-faced portraits lined the walls. 

Hermione stepped shakily forwards, her attention fixed on a bronze-handled door at the end of the hall.

'I'll give you a tour, if you like?' Draco pulled her away from the door.  'You don't need to go in there, not yet.'

Draco showed Hermione the Manor.  She was awed by the library, though he wouldn't let her touch some of the books.  An elegant grand piano stood in the corner.  The dining room had a mahogany table and chairs, with faded green cushions.  He next led her into a large, grandly decorated room.

'...You have a ballroom?  Seriously?'

'May I have this dance, my lady?'  Draco bowed smoothly, dipping Hugo with him and placing him on the smooth floor.

Hermione delicately laid her fingers on his shoulder, smiling.  He took one hand in his, and placed the other on her waist.  Pulling her a little closer, Draco led her gracefully around the dance-floor, neatly stepping around Hugo who babbled and clapped. 

Hermione laughed as Draco spun her, feeling for a moment as though her old jeans and sweater were a beautiful gown.  With a flourish, Draco dipped her, his face inches from hers.  His eyes locked with hers, both barely daring to breathe.

Hugo giggled, scooting across the floor towards them.

Draco pulled Hermione upright, his cheeks pink.  He stumbled backwards and bowed.  Hermione curtsied, also blushing.

'I should really get packing,' Draco said, in a strangled voice.  He picked Hugo up and led Hermione upstairs.

'This is Scorpius's room'

It was a bright room, with large windows facing the extensive gardens.  A magical mural was painted on one wall, with animals frolicking about.  A portrait was hung on another wall, showing a woman rocking a baby to sleep while Draco smiled adoringly at them both.

'Is that...?'

Draco nodded.

'She's beautiful.'

'Yes, she was,' Draco sighed.  He turned and swept from the room.

Hermione followed him down the hall, into another room.

'Your quidditch team?'  Hermione asked, pointing at the players in blue swooping through the posters covering his walls.

'Wiltshire Warriors,' Draco glanced up from his battered school trunk.  'Will this fit in your car?  I guess I can probably shrink it, if not...'

'Should be fine,' Hermione said, looking around the room.  Draco's Hogwarts textbooks were stacked haphazardly on his large bookcase, among various other spellbooks and novels.  His bed had silver pillows and the nose of a cuddly toy peeked out from under the Slytherin-green covers.  She could see his old quidditch robes in the wardrobe as he rummaged through the hangers.

It was very much a teenage boy's room, not a man of almost-thirty.  Hermione suspected she was not the only one who struggled with being in the Manor.

Hermione took Hugo as Draco lifted his trunk, made easy by a weightlessness charm.  He carried it downstairs, stopping to collect his broom from a cupboard by the door.

As Draco packed his trunk into the car, Hermione wandered over to the bronze-handled door.  Clutching Hugo close and breathing hard, Hermione stepped inside the large drawing room.  She paused next to the fireplace, reaching out to the marble mantelpiece for support.  The purple walls seemed to close in on her.  Hermione's vision began to grey.

The door opposite squeaked open and Hermione tripped backwards with a small scream.

'D-Dobby?'

'Dobby?  No, madam.  Dobby was Sooty's brother,' Sooty bowed to Hermione.  He peered up into her face.  'Pardon Sooty, madam, but are you...Hermione Granger?  Friend to house-elves?'

'Y-yes,' Hermione stammered.  'I knew Dobby.  He rescued me.  From this room.'  Hermione glanced up at the crystal chandelier, magically restored to its former glory.  'I'm hugely indebted to him.'

'It is a great honour to meet you, Hermione Granger,' Sooty bowed again, his long nose almost touching the carpeted floor.

'There you are Hermione, are you ok?'

Hermione looked around the room, sumptuously upholstered furniture filling the space where her nightmare had been.

'I think I will be. It was a pleasure to meet you, Sooty.'

Hermione fastened Hugo into the car as Draco gave Sooty instructions for his absence.  As the car crunched down the gravel driveway, Hermione smiled.