Nobody Cared

Dec 1 thru Dec 21

1 Dec 1991, Sunday

Four rooms in the Malfoy Manor had potential. One room, which had been Draco's nursery, had simply been sealed shut when he was too old for the room. Narcissa had spent at least an hour in the old nursery. She sat in the antique rocker that she had rocked her baby Dragon to sleep in, touched his old toys, many of them stuffed animals such as dragons, gryphons, and such. When she left the room, she sealed it again. Someday, she thought, Draco might want the room for his children.

That left three rooms. One was right next to Draco's bedroom. Mentally Narcissa marked that room off as she deemed it too close to her son. She felt Hermione might not, initially, feel that comfortable being so near to Draco.

Two rooms were now left. One was at the beginning of the corridor and the other was at the end. It was this room at the end, that overlooked Narcissa's prize rose garden, that she chose for Hermione.

Stepping into the bedroom, it was an empty palette of white to serve Narcissa's love of decorating. She had long since mastered over a hundred decorating spells, and although she could match her husband in a duel, Lucius couldn't come close to Narcissa's skill in decorating.

Drapes, carpet, bedding, walls, windows, and the fireplace, would all experience the discerning witch's wand. She began with the bed and waved her wand as she chanted a spell in Latin that would affect the canopy and curtains and the bedding.

Using Autumn colours from the end of the season, soft browns mixed with warm amber, highlights of yellow, deep reds that were almost jewel-like. The canopy and curtains were gauzy layers of those colours that opened onto bedding of soft, rich amber. The coverlet was a patchwork velvet that evoked images of those fantastically old libraries that Hermione loved. This theme would be simplified by the gentle brown carpet framed by a gold scrollwork edge. The bare walls took on character with pale oak wainscoting and a pale striped wallpaper of satin that was in an eye-soothing cream. The drapes returned to the rich colours of amber, gold, and Autumn shades of brown from the bed and were in a classic pinch pleat tied back by thick tassels, and topped by a valance that mirrored the library theme. With a flourish of her wand the ornate trim became honey tinted with the warmth of Autumn.

French doors led out onto a narrow balcony of wrought iron. Over the French doors Narcissa changed the plain sheers to deep blue and gave the window trim a splash of warm honey stain. The last to be touched by Narcissa's magical treatment was the window seat that was a wonderful study nook under the corner framed window which had received the same window treatment as the French doors and the trim of the bedroom. The window seat itself repeated the light, pale striped pattern of the wallpaper in brushed silk and satin. The pillows that lined the window seat mirrored the blue of the drapes that fluttered in the breeze as the French doors were open..

Once that part of the décor was complete, Narcissa called for two house elves who brought in two nightstands, a desk, a wardrobe, and bookshelves. With more magic Narcissa sunk the bookshelves into the walls on either side of the wide fireplace, and on either side of the window seat. The desk, a ship captain's desk of heavily carved oak held many drawers for parchment, stationery, quills, ink pots. Other drawers were hidden for secret little treasures and keepsakes. The wardrobe of oak had been stained a muted sage that was neutral in its taste. Narcissa had positioned the wardrobe opposite the bed. It had shelves and hanging space for everything a young girl might need. The end tables were the most notable pieces of furniture. They resembled stacks of old books in muted colours of grey-brown parchment, sage, dusty blue, and old leather. The surfaces were of warm, real amber. Each nightstand had two drawers for what-nots.

Narcissa shooed the house elves away, then grinned, and clapped her hands together. It would be a week before Hermione arrived at the manor. She couldn't wait for Hermione to see the room!